text:
Latest Features
NA Juniors Game Night: 9-21-12
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 5 @ Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 3
C Cedric Paquette, BLB: 1-1-2, +2, 0 PIM, 5 SOG, 2 Hits
A 31-goal scorer last year, Paquette had a goal and an assist in the third period to help the Armada to a 5-3 road win. The Armada was down 2-1 entering the third period. Paquette's goal turned out to be the game winner. An alternate captain for the team, Paquette was 17 of 28 on faceoffs and centered the Armada's top line.
Victoriaville Tigres 3 @ Val-d'Or Foreurs 4 (SO)
D Artem Sergeev, VDO: 1-1-2, E, 0 PIM, 2 SOG, 2 Hits
Sergeev's first goal of the year came on the power play and gave Val-d'Or a brief 3-1 lead. He did not participate in the shootout, won by the Foreurs 1-0. Look for a breakout year from Sergeev (pictured) this season.
Note: Nikita Kucherov (Quebec) remains out with a shoulder injury.
Ontario Hockey League
Niagara IceDogs 2 @ Brampton Battalion 1 (SO)
D Dylan Blujus, BRAM: 0-1-1, E, 0 PIM
Blujus earned his first point of the season when he had an assist on Brampton's only goal, scored on a 5-on-3 power play. He had spent the first half of the double man advantage as the triggerman for the Battalion. Blujus did not participate in the shootout. Listening to the radio broadcast, Blujus seemed to never leave the ice.
Saginaw Spirit 3 @ Guelph Storm 4 (OT)
C/W Tanner Richard, GUE: 0-1-1, E, 0 PIM
Richard had an assist on Andrey Pedan's (Islanders) power play goal in overtime as Guelph came back from a 3-1 deficit to win their season opener. Leafs second rounder and Guelph captain Matt Finn had three assists for the Storm.
- 1275 reads
- Printer-friendly version


text:
U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
Office of Inspector General
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
We audited the Consolidated Balance Sheets of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) as of September 30, 2005, and 2004; the related Consolidated Statements of Net Cost, Changes in Net Position, and Financing; and the Combined Statement of Budgetary Resources for the years then ended. We have issued our report thereon dated November 2, 2005. We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards; standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States; and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin 01-02, Audit Requirements for Federal Financial Statements.
EEOC management is responsible for complying with laws and regulations applicable to the agency. As part of obtaining reasonable assurance about whether the agency's financial statements are free of material misstatement, we performed tests of EEOC's compliance with certain provisions of laws and regulations, noncompliance with which could have a direct and material effect on the determination of financial statement amounts, and certain other laws and regulations specified in OMB Bulletin 01-02, including requirements referred to in the Federal Financial Management Improvement Act (FFMIA) of 1996. We limited our tests of compliance to these provisions, and we did not test compliance with all laws and regulations applicable to EEOC.
The results of our tests of compliance disclosed no instances of noncompliance with other laws and regulations described in the preceding paragraph, exclusive of FFMIA, that we are required to report under Government Auditing Standards or OMB Bulletin 01-02.
Under FFMIA, we are required to report whether EEOC's financial management systems substantially comply with federal financial management system requirements, applicable federal accounting standards, and the United States Government Standard General Ledger at the transaction level. To meet this requirement, we performed tests of compliance with FFMIA Section 803 (a) requirements.
The results of our tests disclosed no instances in which EEOC's financial management systems did not substantially comply with the three requirements discussed in the preceding paragraph.
Providing an opinion on compliance with certain provisions of laws and regulations was not an objective of our audit and, accordingly, we do not express such an opinion.
Colette Wilson, CPA
November 2, 2005
Alexandria, Virginia

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hi Everyone Mo here with a mid challenge shot of inspiration for our BRIGHT CHALLENGE, chosen by our very talented Amanda.
I attended an Anne Brooke workshop over at Creative Threads in March where we learnt how to make a wall hanging by printing, collaging then stitching. For our challenge i decided to try my hand at a larger version using bright colours.
I downloaded a few vintage papers from our sponsor for this months challenge, The Old Design Shop
Used a technique that i have wanted to try for ages by Andy Skinner. Here is the link to a previous post showing how i made the papers i am using for this project.
All the Media paints, Liquid Glass, Weathered Wood Crackle and the Matt Decou-Page Glue and more are from DecoArt. The stamps and stencils are all by Andy Skinner.
Tear up the papers and adhere them with a glue stick to a piece of blank newsprint paper. Choose the length of newsprint you want your wall hanging to be and collage as you go along adding the colours and patterns as you wish. Don't add too much glue it is just to hold the pieces in place until you sew them down. My wall hanging measures 24 inches long by 7.5 inches wide.
I like to save tea bags to craft/sew onto, when dry cut them open and remove the leaves, you can get some wonderful patterns to play with. Round tea bags have been coloured using three of the transparent colours from DecoArt and then dry brushed with my favourite Quinacridone violet.
When complete add a little stamping and stencilling. Your fibres, fabrics, metallic strips and more can be added once your piece has been sewn. You can add some before you sew your hanging just make sure that your project is still thin enough to put through a sewing machine. Add stitching over the top of your paper edges to keep them in place.
Dolloped a small amount of DecoArt Modelling paste and added some Suze Weinberg Bedazzles called Macarena and Personal Impressions Gold Sparkle embossing powder. When dry i heated it and the gold looked amazing but i went over the top using the Metallic Lustres as i liked the shine much more.
Cut and embossed a few of the words from a Spellbinders die, used the Quinacridone violet to paint them through the die, removed them and don't they look fab.
So, here is the final and completed wall hanging, i sprayed and flicked some of the paint from the yellow DecoArt Mister as OH said it needed a little more bright.
I do hope my wall hanging has inspired you to join in with our Bright Challenge.
I hope this post has inspired you to get creative and come and join in with our Bright challenge, you could win 3 images of your choice from the Old Design Shop on Etsy!
See you all on the next Challenge.
Mo :-)


text:
Advocacy Coalitions in Foreign Policy
Jonathan Pierce and Katherine Hicks
The advocacy coalition framework (ACF) was developed to explain policy processes where contentious coalitions of actors seek to translate competing belief systems into public policy. Advocacy coalitions may include interest groups, members of the media, scientists and academics, and government officials that share beliefs about a public issue and coordinate their behavior. These advocacy coalitions engage in various strategies using resources to influence policy change or stasis. As part of this process, advocacy coalition members may learn within and/or across coalitions.
This framework is one of the most prominent and widely applied approaches to explain public policy. While it has been applied hundreds of times, in over 50 different countries, the vast majority of ACF applications have sought to explain domestic policy processes. A reason for the paucity of applications to foreign policy is that some ACF assumptions may not seem congruent to foreign policy issues. For example, the ACF uses a policy subsystem as the unit of analysis that may include a territorial dimension. Yet, the purpose of the territorial dimension is to limit the scope of the study. Therefore, this dimension can be substituted for a government body that has the authority or potential authority to make and implement foreign policy. In addition, the ACF assumes a central role for technical and scientific information in the policy process. Such information makes learning across coalitions more conducive, but the ACF can and should also be applied to normative issues, such as those more common among foreign policy research.
This article introduces the ACF; provides an overview of the framework, including assumptions, key concepts and theories, and transferability of the ACF to foreign policy analysis; and discusses four exemplary applications. In addition, it proposes future research that scholars should explore as part of the nexus of the ACF and foreign policy analysis. In the final analysis, the authors suggest the ACF can and should be applied to foreign policy analysis to better understand the development of advocacy coalitions and how they influence changes and stasis in foreign policy.
The Aftermaths of Civil Conflicts
Jaclyn M. Johnson and Clayton L. Thyne
The devastating Syrian civil war that began after the Arab Spring in 2011 has reminded the international community of the many consequences of civil war. However, this conflict is simply one of many ongoing conflicts around the globe. Civil war has a number of effects on individual lives, the country experiencing the conflict, as well as the international system more broadly.
The humanitarian costs of civil war are steep. Individuals are negatively impacted by civil war in a myriad of ways. Three main areas of research are of interest: mortality, physical and mental trauma, and education. Several factors increase the number of deaths in a civil war, including a lack of democracy, economic downturns, and foreign assistance to combatants. Even if civilians survive conflict, they are likely to endure trauma that affects both mental and physical health. Strong evidence indicates that civil war spreads infectious diseases and severely diminishes life expectancy. Mental health is also likely to suffer in the face of conflict, as individuals often must overcome debilitating trauma. Finally, children are particularly susceptible in civil war settings. Children are often unable to continue their education as a consequence of civil war because combatants often target schools strategically or the state is unable to fund education as a result of funneling resources to the conflict.
Civil wars also pose a number of threats to the state itself. First, a state that has experienced a civil war is much more likely to have another civil war in its future. Conflict recurrence has been explained through the type of settlement that concludes the initial civil war, institutions that may prevent recurrence like proportional representation, and the role of third parties in providing peace-ensuring security guarantees. Beyond recurrence of war, scholars have looked at the impact that civil wars have on state-level institutions, including democratization. While most state-level effects of civil war seem to be deleterious, there may also be positive effects, specifically in terms of female representation. Civil war in sub-Saharan Africa has been shown to increase the number of female representatives, perhaps providing an avenue for gender equality.
Civil wars have ripple effects that impact neighboring countries and the international system more broadly. Proximate states are often challenged with an influx of refugees that may burden social programs or facilitate the spread of diseases and illicit arms. However, positive consequences of hosting refugees may include trading opportunities or economic growth from remittances. Moving beyond proximate states, civil wars have consequences for the entire globe. For example, civil wars have been demonstrated to spur international terrorism. The civil war literature has explored the various effects of conflict at the individual, state, and interstate level.
Agency and Structure in Foreign Policy Analysis
Jarrod Hayes
For much of the history of the study of international relations, and of foreign policy as a distinctive subfield, scholars have debated the relative weight of agency and structure in shaping the course of international events. Often, the significance of agency versus structure depends on the scope of inquiry. Efforts to identify broad patterns of social interaction tend to play up the significance of structure, while studies of specific events bring agency to the fore. International relations theory is typically associated with the former, and foreign policy analysis (FPA) is more closely linked to the latter. That association suggests that the question of agency versus structure in international outcomes is settled in FPA in favor of agency. An assessment of the literature in FPA shows such a suggestion to be wide of the mark. Not only does FPA struggle with the question of agency versus structure that pervades the study of international relations generally, but also it wrestles with how to reconcile agency and structure in the context of psychological constraints on human cognition. Thus, rather than resolving the debate between agency and structure, the literature on FPA shows that it extends down to the level of individual policymakers. The debate over the role of agency and structure occupies two axes. The first is the engagement of FPA with broader debates over agency and structure in international relations scholarship. The second is the tension between agency and structure in FPA that emerges once psychology is incorporated into the analytical matrix. In both cases, the significance of structure in the actual analysis of foreign policy is far greater than common conception recognizes. This reality means that FPA represents the cutting edge for theoretical and analytical efforts to understand the relationship between structure and agency in international outcomes.
Agent-Based Computational Modeling and International Relations Theory: Quo Vadis?
Claudio Cioffi-Revilla
Agent-based computational modeling (ABM, for short) is a formal and supplementary methodological approach used in international relations (IR) theory and research, based on the general ABM paradigm and computational methodology as applied to IR phenomena. ABM of such phenomena varies according to three fundamental dimensions: scale of organization—spanning foreign policy, international relations, regional systems, and global politics—as well as by geospatial and temporal scales. ABM is part of the broader complexity science paradigm, although ABMs can also be applied without complexity concepts. There have been scores of peer-reviewed publications using ABM to develop IR theory in recent years, based on earlier pioneering work in computational IR that originated in the 1960s that was pre-agent based. Main areas of theory and research using ABM in IR theory include dynamics of polity formation (politogenesis), foreign policy decision making, conflict dynamics, transnational terrorism, and environment impacts such as climate change. Enduring challenges for ABM in IR theory include learning the applicable ABM methodology itself, publishing sufficiently complete models, accumulation of knowledge, evolving new standards and methodology, and the special demands of interdisciplinary research, among others. Besides further development of main themes identified thus far, future research directions include ABM applied to IR in political interaction domains of space and cyber; new integrated models of IR dynamics across domains of land, sea, air, space, and cyber; and world order and long-range models.
The Age-Structural Theory of State Behavior
Richard Cincotta
Over the past three decades, economic and political demographers, using various measures, have discerned that increased age-structural maturity makes significant statistical contributions to levels of per capita income, to educational attainment, to declines in the frequency of onsets of intrastate conflict, and to the likelihood of achieving and maintaining liberal democracy. Some of the stronger statistical relationships have been used in forecasts. For example, using the United Nations Population Division (UNPD) demographic projections, political demographers have relied on the strong statistical association between age structure and stable liberal democracy to forecast the rise of democracy in North Africa more than two years in advance (in 2008)—at a time when regional experts believed that forecast to be absurd.
Whereas critics remain skeptical of the murky causal connections of age-structural theory, its proponents counter that causality in the development of state capacity is complex and is less important than the theory's positive qualities (namely, that it is forward-looking, its statistical findings are easily repeated, its forecasts have outcompeted regional experts, and its predictive products can be readily adapted to the needs of intelligence foresight, defense planning, and foreign policy analysis). Perhaps most important, the age-structural theory of state behavior has yielded a surprising number of "novel facts"—new knowledge concerning the observed pace and timing of state political, social, and economic behaviors.
Akamatsu Waves
Arno Tausch, Leonid Grinin, and Andrey Korotayev
In 1937, the Japanese economist Kaname Akamatsu discovered specific links between the rise and decline of the global peripheries. Akamatsu's theory of development describes certain mechanisms whose working results in the narrowing of the gap between the level of development of the economy of developing and developed countries, and, thus, in the re-structuring of the relationships between the global core and the global periphery. Akamatsu developed his model on the basis of his analysis of the economic development of Japan before World War II, with a special emphasis on the development of the Japanese textile industry. Akamatsu's catch-up development includes three phases: import of goods, organization of the production of previously imported products, and export of those goods. This model proved to be productive for analyzing the development of many other developing countries, especially in East Asia, making the theory of flying geese popular among the economists of these countries, as well as the whole world. The "flying geese" model produces certain swings that may be denoted as Akamatsu waves. Akamatsu waves may be defined as cycles (with a period ranging from 20 to 60 years) that are connected with convergence and divergence of core and periphery of the World System in a way that explains cyclical upward and downward swings (at global and national levels) in the movements of the periphery countries as they catch up with the richer ones.
American Grand Strategy and Political Economy Theory
Kevin Narizny
Nearly everything a state does has distributional consequences, including grand strategy. Societal groups with different stakes in the international economy and defense spending often have conflicting strategic priorities, and these groups pursue their parochial interests by supporting the nomination and election of like-minded politicians. Thus, grand strategy is a product of political economy. An overview of American foreign policy over the last several decades illustrates this logic. In the 1980s, the Democratic and Republican coalitions had conflicting interests over the international economy, so the two parties diverged on grand strategy. The recovery of the Rust Belt in the 1990s and 2000s, however, brought increasing convergence. Political discourse over foreign policy was fiercely partisan, but, with the notable exception of George W. Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq in 2003, the two parties shared essentially the same view of America's role in the world. The disastrous outcome in Iraq led the Bush administration back to the middle ground in its second term, and Obama followed the same course. In contrast, the election of Donald Trump augurs change. Trump's electoral coalition consists of a different balance of interests in the international economy than that of past Republican presidents, so he is likely to pursue different strategic priorities.
American Pragmatism in Foreign Policy Analysis
Ulrich Franke and Gunther Hellmann
This article examines scholarship in the field of foreign policy analysis inspired by the philosophy and social theory of American Pragmatism. Pragmatism is reconstructed as a unified theory of human thought and action emphasizing the primacy of practice and situated creativity. It has been largely ignored in International Relations (IR), in general, and foreign policy analysis (FPA), in particular, during the 20th century. Given the fact that pragmatism is widely taken to be one of the few genuinely "American" social theories, its marginal role in IR scholarship is astounding since the discipline has rightly been characterized as an "American social science" (S. Hoffmann).
Against this background the article highlights one of the prominent disciplinary dualisms, the distinction between "systemic" theories of international politics/relations on the one hand and "sub-systemic" foreign policy analyses on the other. It does so, however, as an entry point for a different perspective. Pragmatist thought entered the field in the mid-1990s at a moment when increasing numbers of scholars felt uneasy about this dualism because it severed human agency from internally connected transformations at the global level of political interaction. The proliferation of paradigmatist scholarship about German foreign policy after the country's unification in 1990 illustrates both how established "paradigms" grappled with "change" and "continuity" in German foreign policy and how pragmatism was mobilized as a theoretical resource in order to respond to this challenge.
Pragmatism is a distinctive social theory that starts with what people do (primacy of practice) and that conceives of theories as tools for coping. Rather than distinguishing between thought (or theory) on the one hand and action (or practice) on the other as separate activities, pragmatism emphasizes the unity of all problem-solving forms of "inquiry" (J. Dewey). Inquiry removes doubt and enables us to form beliefs (as "rules for action"). Methodologically this understanding translates into a rejection of the separation of "theory" and "subject matter" in favor of empirically grounded reconstructive approaches. In addition to pragmatist perspectives on epistemology and methodology, the article highlights different ways of substantive theorizing in IR/FPA such as habits, practices, and loyalties but also normative accounts.
Analogies and Metaphors and Foreign Policy Decision Making
William Flanik
Like all decision making, foreign policy decision making (FPDM) requires transferring meaning from one representation to another. Since the end of the Cold War, students of FPDM have focused increasingly on historical analogies and, to a lesser extent, conceptual metaphors to explain how this transference works. Drawing on converging evidence from the cognitive sciences, as well as careful case studies of foreign policymaking, they've shown analogy and metaphor to be much more than "cheap talk." Instead, metaphor and analogy are intrinsic to policymakers' cognition.
This article traces the development of this growing literature. So far, FPDM has treated analogy and metaphor separately. It has also paid far more attention to the former than the latter. By contrast, the article argues that analogy and metaphor are not only similar, they are equally essential to cognition. It defines and compares metaphor and analogy, analyzes their socio-cognitive functions in decision making, and charts the evolution of analogy and metaphor research in FPDM. It also suggests the utility of a constructivist-cognitive synthesis for future work in this area.
Analytical Liberalism, Neoclassical Realism, and the Need for Empirical Analyses
Mark R. Brawley
Two approaches currently enjoy widespread popularity among foreign policy analysts: Analytical Liberalism and Neoclassical Realism. On the surface, they seem remarkably similar. Both emphasize domestic factors, yet each claims to employ domestic variables in a distinct fashion. How do they differ? To answer that question, it would be helpful to reflect upon examples where scholars applying each approach have addressed the same case, allowing us to contrast their descriptions directly. Few such comparisons exist, however. Instead, as is apparent to even the casual observer, each approach fits neatly into its own niche. Neoclassical Realism appeals to scholars addressing security policy, whereas Analytical Liberalism dominates research in international political economy. Why would both approaches enjoy limited applicability? Here too, a direct comparison of their arguments might illuminate their comparative strengths and weaknesses. A review of how each approach works provides insight into their respective strengths and weaknesses. Under certain conditions, the key traits of the approaches can be revealed. These conditions identify a series of cases deserving closer empirical analysis, which would provide evidence concerning the relative utility of each approach.


text:
Description:2 x 36GB Ultra320 3.5-inch SCSI 68-Pin Non-Hot-Plug 10K Hard DrivePart Number(s)
Manufacturer Part# ST336607LW
Overview:The Cheetah 10K is Seagate's sixth-generation 10K RPM high performance high capacity disc drive. With the fastest interfaces the highest reliability and the most mature product design the Cheetah 10K enables the lowest ownership cost. In data intensive environments increasing the capacity per disc drive lowers ownership costs by deploying fewer systems that use less cubic feet of space.
CategoryHard Drive
Part NumberSeagate ST336607LW-2Pack
Product ID466836_Seagate_HardDrives
Hot Swap TrayNot Included
Height1.0 inch/2.54 cm
Width4.0 inch/10.16 cm
InterfaceUltra320 SCSI
Data Transfer Rate320 MB/s
Seek TimeSingle Track 0.55ms
Seek TimeAverage 4.9ms
Seek TimeFull Stroke 10.0ms
Rotational Speed10K
ApplicationServer Storage
Backward CompatabilityU2 and U3 speeds
Pre-Failure WarrantyYes
Data Storage Device TypeSAS ( Server attached storage)
Hard Drive Device TypeHard drive for server/storage unit


text:
If you ask DBAs about the backup strategy for their relational databases, you'll likely get fairly long answers. If you ask the same question about SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) databases, you might get blank stares. Traditionally, SSAS hasn't had the same set of retention and disaster recovery requirements as its relational counterpart. But as the adoption and mission-critical nature of SSAS databases continue to increase, DBAs have to consider their backup options for this data, too.
Related: Many-To-Many Currency Conversions in Microsoft's SQL Server Analysis Services
SSAS backups are fairly straightforward if you know about the structure of SSAS databases and the backup basics, including scheduling options and performance considerations. Unless specifically noted, the concepts and features discussed here apply to SQL Server 2008 R2, SQL Server 2008, and SQL Server 2005 across all editions that include SSAS (Standard, Enterprise, and Developer, plus Datacenter in SQL Server 2008 R2).
SSAS Database Structure
Like its relational counterpart, an SSAS backup operation creates a backup file for each database. An SSAS database is made up of several components:
- Data sources and associated data source views
- Cubes
- Shared dimensions
- Data-mining structures
- Roles
- Assembly references
Conceptually, an SSAS backup file contains all these components. In practice, however, the storage mode used by the database objects affects what's in the database and, therefore, the contents of the backup file. Specifically, the storage mode of the dimensions and measure group partitions determine what's in the SSAS database. Multidimensional OLAP (MOLAP) partitions and dimensions create a copy of the source system data and store it along with any aggregations in the SSAS database. In Relational OLAP (ROLAP) storage, the source data and aggregations are stored in the source system. Hybrid OLAP (HOLAP) storage keeps the source data in the source system but stores aggregations in the SSAS database. To determine the storage mode that's being used, you can look at the storage mode property for each measure group partition and dimension.
During a backup, SSAS doesn't query the source system for additional data. So, if you back up a database containing a cube that has ROLAP partitions, the SSAS backup doesn't back up any of the fact data or aggregations. Therefore, the source system must be backed up separately when you're using ROLAP or HOLAP storage. Table 1 summarizes the storage modes and resulting contents of an SSAS backup file.
Besides the source system, you might need to back up other SSAS components separately:
- If you're using the write-back feature in SSAS 2005, you must make sure that the relational write-back tables are backed up separately. Write-back data in SSAS 2008 uses MOLAP storage by default, but it can also use relational storage.
- If you're using the query log (which is configured as a relational database table) to collect statistical information for your SSAS database, the query log must be backed up separately. You can determine the name and location of the relational table and whether the query log is being used by looking at the Log\QueryLog properties for the SSAS instance.
Backup Basics
SSAS backups can be performed manually through SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS). After you connect to an SSAS instance, right-click a database and click Back Up to open the Backup Database window, which is shown in Figure 1. An SSAS backup file has a default filename extension of .abf, and it's stored in the Microsoft SQL Server\instance_name\OLAP\Backup folder.
Unlike a relational database backup file, an SSAS backup file can contain only one backup. In other words, you can't create backup sets. If you want to retain multiple backups, you must create multiple files. Also, SSAS doesn't provide options for differential backups or log file backups.
By default, two check boxes are selected in the Backup Database window: Apply compression and Encrypt backup file. When the Apply compression option is selected, SSAS compresses the backup file, which saves disk space at the expense of higher CPU utilization during the backup operation. When the Encrypt backup file option is selected, SSAS accepts a user-supplied password, which it uses to encrypt the backup file. Note that, unlike the password for a SQL Server relational database backup set, this password prevents the reading of the backup data by other means. If you choose to encrypt SSAS backups, make sure that you keep a record of the password in a safe and separate location. For strong password considerations, see the "Back Up Password Protection" section of the SQL Server Books Online (BOL) topic "Backing Up and Restoring an Analysis Services Database."
Encryption isn't very CPU intensive, nor does it increase the size of the backup or appear to add any significant time to the backup operation. In terms of size, Figure 2 shows the results of my testing by using two sample databases. Because SSAS already compresses most of the data in a database, you typically won't see large compression ratios.
If the SSAS database uses remote partitions, you can back them up by selecting the Backup remote partition(s) check box in the Backup Database window and completing the Remote partition backup location section. For information about completing that section, see the BOL topic "Backup Database Dialog Box."
Scheduling Options
The easiest way to schedule a backup is to use the Backup Database window that's shown in Figure 1. After you configure the backup, click the Script icon at the top of the window instead of the OK button. SSAS will automatically create an XML for Analysis (XMLA) script in a new query window, as shown in Figure 3. Note that XMLA's Backup command supports an optional Security property that isn't exposed in the Backup Database window. This property determines whether the backup file contains security definitions, such as roles and permissions, together with the associated Windows user accounts and groups. Excluding security definitions can be useful if you want to back up a database and restore it to a different environment, in which you intend to apply new security settings.
All SSAS client applications, including SSMS and Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS), use the XMLA protocol to communicate with SSAS. For this reason, you can run the script shown in Figure 3 in SSMS. You can also run this script using a SQL Server Agent job, thereby automating the backup operation. Figure 4 shows a SQL Server Agent job step that executes an SSAS command.
Besides using SQL Server Agent, you have a few other options for automating backup operations:
- SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) provides an Analysis Services Execute DDL task (a control flow element) that you can use to run Analysis Services Scripting Language (ASSL) commands. You can think of ASSL as a superset of XMLA because it also has an XML-based set of Data Definition Language (DDL) commands.
- Windows PowerShell, introduced in SQL Server 2008, can be used to issue XMLA commands.
- SQL Server Analysis Management Objects (AMO) is a set of .NET APIs that can be used to manage an instance of SSAS, including making backups.
Performance Considerations
Creating a backup file is an I/O intensive operation. You can improve performance by writing the backup to a high-speed disk drive. You can also put the backup file on a separate drive to avoid having read operations (from users) collide with the backup's write operations. In terms of concurrency, the backup operation puts a read lock on the database. This lock doesn't prevent users from querying the database or processing operations from executing. However, processing operations can't be committed until the backup is finished.
In the days of SQL Server 2000, an SSAS backup was limited in size by the underlying .cab file technology that was used for archiving operations. The backup architecture for SQL Server 2005 is an improvement, but large databases can still cause trouble. Although there's no specific documented size threshold, backup times in SSAS 2005 will increase exponentially when you work with very large databases. As a rule of thumb, if your SSAS 2005 database is larger than 20GB, carefully test and monitor your backups. If the backups are taking an inordinately long time to finish, consider one of the alternatives discussed in the "Alternative Backup Strategies" section. SQL Server 2008 doesn't suffer from this problem. As stated in the "SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services" white paper, "…with SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services a new backup storage subsystem results in backup times that increase linearly with database size."
Database Restoration
Similar to a backup, you can restore an SSAS database manually through SSMS or through automation by using XMLA, ASSL, or AMO. As Figure 5 shows, when you restore a database from a backup file, you have the option of either overwriting the existing database or creating a new one. If you don't enter a storage location, the restore operation uses the default storage location for the SSAS instance. All security information is restored by default; choosing the Skip Membership option restores the database roles but not the user accounts that are associated with the roles. In the Partitions page of the Restore Database window, you have the option of changing the restoration folder for each partition that's being restored.
Alternative Backup Strategies
When you use MOLAP storage, an SSAS database contains a copy of the data from a source system. If this source system is already being backed up, a standard SSAS backup might be redundant. If you use SQL Server 2005, very large SSAS databases might not be good candidates for standard backups. Fortunately, there are alternative backup strategies that you can use instead of, or in conjunction with, standard backups.
BIDS. The design and ongoing development of an SSAS database is done through BIDS. Specifically, the definition of an SSAS database is spread across several XML-based files that are grouped together in a Visual Studio (VS) project. Similar to other VS projects, these files can be saved to a version control system such as Team Foundation Server. If your primary goal is to be able to re-create an SSAS database in the event of hardware failure, and if you know that the source system is also backed up, this might be the only strategy that you have to implement. You must completely reprocess the SSAS database after you re-create it using this approach.
Scripting. In SSMS, you can right-click an SSAS database and click Script Database to create an XMLA script that can be executed later to re-create the SSAS database. This approach also requires that you reprocess the SSAS database. Alternatively, you can use the AMO object model to build and later execute the script.
Raw backup. You can back up the entire SSAS instance data folder. As discussed in the "Backup Strategies with SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services" white paper, there are a few factors to consider if you use this approach:
- The entire data folder that contains all SSAS data must be backed up.
- You must keep track of any partitions that are put into different locations on the file system when you use the StorageLocation property on partitions.
- If you use remote partitions and you'll be restoring your data folder to a computer that has a different name, you must make sure that you adjust all the data sources that are used to specify locations for your remote partitions.
Database synchronization. If you have to maintain a warm standby server, you might want
to consider database synchronization. You can run this process manually using the Synchronize Database Wizard in SSAS or through an XMLA script. Loosely analogous to relational log shipping, the synchronization process scans for differences between two databases on two servers and transfers only the files that have been modified. According to the SQL Server Customer Advisory Team, synchronization performance has greatly improved in SSAS 2008 (see "Analysis Services Synchronization Best Practices").
Detach/Attach. SQL Server 2008 lets you detach an SSAS database from an instance and attach it to another instance.
Strategy for Success
SSAS backups are fairly straightforward, although there are considerations when you work with large databases in SQL Server 2005. Depending on your goals for database recovery and high availability, you might end up using a combination of standard backups and one or more alternative approaches to complete the job.


text:
Cloud computing's emergence has not been without controversy. Many people, particularly those in the public sector, have argued that shared infrastructure isn't reliable or secure enough for mission-critical work.
Their advocacy for "private clouds" — internally developed and hosted cloud infrastructure — has generated its own controversy. Specifically, some argue that private-cloud advocates miss the point of cloud computing, which is to shift consumption to more elastic, commoditized external sources. This allows internal teams to focus their more extensive domain knowledge on solving organization-specific challenges.
Related coverage:
Cloud security fears outweigh savings, but perhaps not for long
CBP moving e-mail to DHS' private cloud
As a result, some view private clouds as simply the justification used by traditionalists and "server huggers" to avoid necessary change. And in some cases, they have a point. Undoubtedly, some advocates for private clouds are just trying to preserve the existing status quo within their organization.
However, this unfortunate reality shouldn't diminish the potential that private clouds offer — as they can be used to drive the necessary IT changes that some people fear.
Need for real-world strategies
Opinions differ on how large a role cloud computing can play in the enterprise. We can agree that security and other concerns will make some aspects of government computing off-limits to the public cloud for the foreseeable future. This means that many of our most critical applications and systems will not realize the cloud's benefits, which include greater scalability, higher throughput, automated provisioning and support, and lower operating costs.
This points to the need for a hybrid strategy — relying on external resources where possible but using trusted internal resources where needed. Although a private-cloud option may not produce the same level of benefits as a public cloud, our research has shown that it still produces a very sizeable return-on-investment. Furthermore, it provides the foundation for modernizing your IT operations to become more accountable with the added ability to support more dynamic requirements.
What's often overlooked is that cloud computing is also a de facto set of standards and architecture for more scalable and efficient computing, as well as a procurement model. Key technical components include virtualization, multicore commodity servers, multitenant application models, robust peer-to-peer networking and flexible storage.
Regardless of where the hosting and provisioning occurs, cloud-compliant applications and systems must be designed and configured to meet these requirements. In other words, managing your internal and external infrastructure to the same standards will simplify and streamline your operations.
Does your agency need pay-per-use?
One of the major knocks against private clouds is the belief that they introduce extraneous or costly features that you don't need to manage an internally hosted system. As Gartner analyst Andrea Di Maio recently asked in a recent blog post:
".. [Is] building a private cloud the smartest thing to do? Does the business really need all the scalability, elasticity, pay-per-use delivery style? . . . Reality is that for different kinds of applications, security requirements, workloads, different services may be needed to get the best possible value for money. Investing on building one's own private cloud means investing capital, skills and credibility on one single basket and, for how good that can be, this may prevent (some) from seizing better cloud service opportunities as they become available."
The answer to Di Maio's first question is yes. Consider this analogy: What do you call a manufacturer with minimal insight into their costs, inventory or demand? Bankrupt, of course. Unfortunately, this is the situation too frequently in IT, where we often lack a metrics-based understanding of demand, consumption and other constraints. As a result, we provision on the basis of guesstimates. This leads to resource imbalances, performance bottlenecks or both.
The ultimate goal should be a hybrid strategy — public, community and private clouds — so that the environment can be optimized for specific requirements and constraints. The reality is that not all applications are suitable for the public cloud. However, nearly all systems will benefit from the cost, agility and performance advantages of a cloud-based environment.
It may not be possible — or even desirable, as Di Maio suggests — to fully duplicate the level of automation and standardization offered by the public cloud. However, the growing maturity of the cloud means that most of the technology and expertise needed to build a private cloud is increasingly available off-the-shelf today.
Ultimately, the ability to segment, provision and monitor consumption at a more granular level is fundamental to managing IT like a business. Organizations are not monolithic, but have widely divergent priorities, resources and requirements. Shifting toward a cloud-based environment internally will allow you to accommodate these differences in the most optimal manner possible.
About the Author
Robert L. Otto is an executive vice president at Agilex Technologies. He served in the federal government for nearly 40 years, culminating in the position of chief information officer/chief technology officer at the U.S. Postal Service before his retirement in 2007.
E-Mail this page
Printable Format
Creating a 'cloud' is tough, but not impossible. What's important is scaling it appropriately for the opportunity and requirements at hand. The big issue is that some systems will always be internally hosted, managed and provisioned. As such, do you aspire to provide world-class quality-of-service for these mission-critical systems or do they operate on sub-standard infrastructure? As a reminder, David said the same thing about SOA earlier and he was right, but as we all know, these challenges were not insurmountable.
David Linthicum's 'Why you're not ready to create a private cloud' (http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/why-youre-not-ready-create-private-cloud-458.)
The notion that the expertise is largely available for running large-scale, secure private clouds is a fallacy. The majority of data center teams don't currently have the internal experience required to execute effectively on private-cloud architectures. It's a near impossibility to have and maintain that internal expertise as most of it is on the job training and learning. If teams have never run multitenant systems at scale, any configuration change in any part of the technology stack this is not calculated correctly leads to amplified errors and magnified recovery challenges. Also, if the hardware and software used are not purpose built from the ground up for cloud operations, you will inherit the limitations of traditional client /server architectures and experience recurring downtime more often. Even those with expertise who try to scale legacy traditional client/server architectures have this problem. See http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/outage-hits-microsoft-crm-online-office-365-customers/10359
Advanced Search
8251 Greensboro Drive, Suite 510
McLean, VA 22102
© 2018 1105 Media, Inc.
8251 Greensboro Drive, Suite 510
McLean, VA 22102703-876-5100 © 1996-2017 1105 Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Tin Cup Grill 970-824-3764
2179 Highway 394, Craig, CO 81625 Open today until 9 p.m.
- Phone: 970-824-3764
This business appears in: Food & Dining, Restaurants, Steakhouse
MountainRider Tin Cup Grill
Train your waitresses, train your bartender, and train your cooks!
Let me start with the first cocktail. I ordered a Vodka Press that came promptly but with no lime garnish. The waitress brought me the lime wedges later that looked like they were cut up a week earlier. I guess that is all one can expect with a four dollar drink. The next drink I ordered, after a very long wait trying to get the attention of the waitress, was a margarita. When the waitress set the drink in front of me she accidently spilled some of the drink on the table and into my lap. All she had to say was sorry and giggled then walk away. I was stuck there to clean myself and the table up with a lone paper napkin. I thought she could have at the very least offered to wipe the table up with the mess that she made. I later had to ask for more napkins.
The Meal: I ordered the rib eye cooked medium with baked potato and asparagus. When the order came the baked potato was just that, only the potato with no butter or sour cream. Also the baked potato came wrapped in tin foil that was cut with a knife on top to expose the potato. Right off, I noticed many small bits of metal shaving were in the meat of the potato from the tin foil. The waitress later brought me butter and sour cream half way into my meal. The rib eye was very tough and hard to chew. I'm not sure it was a rib eye at all for it had no marbling texture to speak of, it was not seasoned and had no flavor. Looked like a very cheap cut of meat to me. On a positive note, the steak was cooked to order, the asparagus on the other hand was over cooked and like eating mush.
The service was lacking to say the least. The waitress was young and lacked proper training to handle more than one task at a time. Empty glassed and dishes left piled on the table while the waitress made several trips to the kitchen empty handed.
As I mention above the first drink came promptly but absolutely no follow through with the entire meal except for the check. Seems that the waitress and The Tin Cup Grill's managements only interest is getting money for services barley rendered.
Needless to say I will NOT frequent the Tin Cup ever again.
Requires free registration
Posting comments requires a free account and verification.


text:
Oz telco competition still lagging
Competition lobby pitches policy prescriptions
The Competitive Carriers Coalition, lobby for non-Telstra telecommunications companies in Australia, is concerned that competition reform in Australia is losing steam.
Releasing a study into the state of competition in the Australian market, the CCC had a long list of measures by which it says Australia's telecommunications industry is "going backwards": in the OECD's broadband penetration table, Australia has slipped to position 21; Australians are paying top-dollar in the OECD for basic services; and although prices in general keep falling, the rate of decline is slowing.
Taking a prudent neutrality over the form the National Broadband Network should take post-election, the CCC declined to endorse a technology for the NBN, instead emphasising that its interest is the competitive structure of the industry.
Telstra's near-55 percent of fixed voice EBITDA is well ahead of Germany (36 percent), the US (about 32 percent), the UK (about 31 percent), Japan (30 percent) or New Zealand (around 28 percent), the CCC states.
The group's policy platform is that the industry needs:
- A competitive review following the election;
- Policies to encourage infrastructure sharing, particularly in regional and remote Australia;
- Consistent regulation of network bottlenecks – particularly backhaul networks.
Over the last five years, the CCC's David Foreman said, there have been "enormous and necessary" reforms in Australia. "We want to see a bipartisan commitment to maintain those reforms", he said.
Michael Malone, CEO of iiNet, told the press conference held to announce the study that more transparency in how the ACCC regulates prices is a must. "How are we supposed to give meaningful feedback when we can't see the inputs?" he asked.
The regional cost base – heavily influenced by Telstra's stranglehold on backhaul – means that while Telstra only holds 34 percent of the broadband market in metropolitan areas, Malone noted that it has more than 80 percent of the market in regional Australia.
With regional users also paying higher prices – on what are, generally, lower incomes – Malone added that the Telstra dominance outside the cities is also causing lower broadband participation rates outside cities.
And, as noted by Macquarie Telecom David Tudehope, recent reviews by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission demonstrate that Telstra is failing to stop information leaking from its wholesale to its retail business, in which he said is a "systematic problem". ®l


text:
Iglesias set to open at shortstop for Red SoxBy KEVIN THOMAS
Portland Press Herald
March 20. 2013 10:12PM
FORT MYERS, Fla. - It appears that Jose Iglesias will be the Red Sox starting shortstop on opening day.
Iglesias, 23, who played with the Portland Sea Dogs in his rookie pro season in 2010, was originally destined for Triple-A Pawtucket after the Red Sox signed free agent Stephen Drew in the off-season.
But Drew, 30, has been sidelined with a concussion since March 7, when he was hit in the head by a pitch. Drew flew to the University of Pittsburgh Tuesday to undergo further tests.
When asked if Drew could be ready for the April 1 opener, Manager John Farrell said, "that window is closing."
There has never been a question that Iglesias can field the position - he may already be one of the best in the game. But his short sample as a major league hitter (8 for 68) has not been impressive.
This spring, Iglesias looks better at the plate. He's batting .233, including a 1-for-2 day on Tuesday.
"My approach is different. My swing. A little bit of everything," Iglesias said. "I have more confidence. I'm more consistent. Everything is good."
DAVID ORTIZ, the other Red Sox regular who will begin the year on the disabled list, took 50 swings off a tee on Tuesday.
Ortiz, who is still trying to come back from an Achilles tendon injury last year, had not swung a bat in eight days.
"We'll see how he comes out of that when we see him (today)," Farrell said.
IN TUESDAY'S GAME, Ryan Dempster gave up as many runs (three) as in his three previous starts. All three runs came in the third inning.
"Might not have been as sharp with his strike throwing as we've seen in previous outings," Farrell said. "But he used all his pitches. And he got two double-play grounders."
Dempster allowed six hits in five innings. His ERA is 3.06 as he remains a part of Boston's plans for an improved rotation.
"It's been nice," Dempster said of the spring. "Comes from making quality pitches. I'm feeling good and I'll keep building."
Dempster, 35, came up in the Marlins' organization and pitched for the Sea Dogs in 1998, going 4-3 (3.22 ERA) in seven starts.
DANIEL BARD was the third Boston pitcher in the game, following a 1-2-3 sixth by Junichi Tazawa. Bard allowed three runs in the seventh on two hits, a walk, a hit-batter and a balk.
"I made adjustments," Bard said, "but it was a little too late."
Farrell said the cure for Bard is simple. "It's a matter of executing right from the start."
With Bard having an option to the minors, he is still a candidate to begin the season in Pawtucket.
WILL MIDDLEBROOKS paced the Boston regulars with two hits, including a double, to improve his spring average to .313. Most of the offense came from the subs, who scored six runs in the eighth inning to tie the game 7-7. Jackie Bradley Jr. (.439) had one of the hits.
BALTIMORE WON the game 8-7 on Danny Valencia's ninth-inning home run off Salem, N.H.'s Terry Doyle. Valencia was with Boston for the last two months of last season.


text:
As I noted yesterday, some Senate Democrats are talking about possibly blocking Michael Mukasey's nomination for Attorney General unless he proclaims that waterboarding is torture, and thus illegal. Mukasey would not answer the question during his confirmation hearings because he said he did not know enough about this interrogation technique. I argued that Mukasey should tell the Senate that waterboarding is legal in exigent circumstances or, alternatively, come up with a better reason for not answering the question.
Ed Morissey argues that Mukasey shouldn't answer because the question is improper. According to Ed, it is the duty of Congress to decide whether an act is illegal, and the Attorney General's job to enforce that decision. Thus, in Ed's view, Mukasey need only affirm that he will enforce the laws Congress passes, not advise Congress "how he'll make up legal standards as he goes along."
This argument might provide Mukasey with a fig leaf for not answering, but I don't think it withstands scrutiny. Mukasey has testified that torture is against the law. Certain members of Congress (perhaps most of them) believe that waterboarding amounts to torture. They want to know whether the nominee for attorney general agrees. The question is relevant to how he will carry out his duties under existing law.
Asking for the nominee's view on this matter is analogous to asking him whether he thinks the voting rights laws permit a particular approach to redrawing congressional districts or whether he thinks the anti-discrimination laws permit certain forms of racial preferences. The questions are legitimate because the nominee's answers tell the Senate how he will enforce these laws.
To be sure, Congress has the option of passing specific legislation banning waterboarding. However, the Senators who are pressing Mukasey (and perhaps a majority of their colleagues) believe that the law already prohibits this practice. If Mukasey agrees, then there is no need (or at least no pressing need) to propose new legislation.
I'm not terribly offended by efforts to stiff Senators Biden, Schumer, Leahy, Durbin, etc. They have acted in bad faith from day one. On the other hand, the case for not taking waterboarding off the table is sound, and a potential political winner, so it might make sense to call their bluff.
To comment on this post, go here. There is some very interesting commentary from readers, including at least one who has himself been waterboarded, and is puzzled by the suggestion that it constituted "torture."
- Subscribe now!... Get rid of ADs!Support Power Line...VIP MembershipPresentsPower Line
Most Read on Power Line
Our Favorites
- American Greatness
- American Mind
- American Thinker
- Ann Althouse
- Belmont Club
- Churchill Project
- Claremont Institute
- Dartblog
- Federalist
- Gatestone Institute
- Hot Air
- Hugh Hewitt
- InstaPundit
- Jewish World Review
- Legal Insurrection
- Library of Law and Liberty
- Lileks
- Lucianne
- Michael Ramirez Cartoons
- Michelle Malkin
- RealClearPolitics
- Ricochet
- Roger L. Simon
- Steyn Online
- Tim Blair
- Urgent Agenda
Subscribe to Power Line by Email
Find us on Facebook
"Arise and take our stand for freedom as in the olden time." Winston Churchill
"Proclaim Liberty throughout All the land unto All the Inhabitants Thereof." Inscription on the Liberty Bell


text:
Reviewed by Danielle S (age 10)
I really liked this book. Katie is my favorite character in the book. She makes me laugh. I especially liked it when Katie gets to be Santa's helper at the store. One of the parents hands Katie a stinky baby, and the baby is so stinky even Santa doesn't want to take the baby in his lap. I have read several of the Katie books and laughed reading all of them.
I recommend this book to anybody who likes to read books that make them laugh, especially kids who like make believe stories.


text:
free agent
free agent news, rumors and injuries
Tigers | Lyon files for free agency
Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:40:39 -0800
Tom Singer, of MLB.com, reports Detroit Tigers RP Brandon Lyon filed for free agency Monday, Nov. 9. He qualifies as a Type B free agent.
Comment () | Share:
Free Agents | Koch Not In Hurry To Return
Wed, 06 Apr 2005 00:20:13 -0700
The Tampa Tribune's Scott Carter reports free-agent CL Billy Koch, recently cut loose by the Toronto Blue Jays, was spotted at the Tuesday, April 5 game between the Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Devil Rays and told reporters he is in no hurry to return to baseball.
Comment () | Share:
Free Agents | Pavano Won't Make Decision Immediately
Sat, 20 Nov 2004 01:14:50 -0800
The Associated Press' Ron Blum is reporting free-agent SP Carl Pavano is likely to take until mid-December or later before deciding which team to sign with, his agent said Friday, Nov. 19.
Comment () | Share:
Free Agents | Mondesi Narrows Search
Thu, 27 May 2004 00:14:58 -0700
The Associated Press reports free-agent OF Raul Mondesi has narrowed his search to three teams where he would like to play this season. Mondesi, released by the Pittsburgh Pirates Friday, May 21, has indicated interest in the Anaheim Angels, Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox.
Comment () | Share:
Free Agents | Walker, Detroit Tiger?
Tue, 30 Mar 2004 00:14:18 -0800
According to The Detroit Free Press, free-agent P Kevin Walker has the Detroit Tigers "on top of the list" of teams he'd like to join. Walker, released earlier this month by the San Diego Padres, cited his relationship with Tigers manager Alan Trammell, whom he knew when Trammell was a coach for the Padres before rejoining the Tigers.
Comment () | Share:
Free Agents | Boone Hopes For 2004 Return
Sat, 27 Mar 2004 23:38:05 -0800
The Dayton Daily News's Hal McCoy reports free-agent 3B Aaron Boone (torn ACL) hopes to return late in the 2004 season from injury and play for a better contract after 2005. Half of the 30 teams have contacted Boone's agent regarding a below-market value deal for Boone to re-establish himself on the baseball canvas.
Comment () | Share:
Thu, 29 Jan 2004 23:56:45 -0800
Updating an ongoing story, The Associated Press reports Venezuelan prosecutor Luisa Quevedo will decide within six months whether to charge free-agent P Ugueth Urbina with a crime for firing a gun last Friday in Venezuela.
Comment () | Share:
Free Agents | Urbina Charges Dismissed
Sun, 25 Jan 2004 22:39:05 -0800
Updating a previous item, The Associated Press is reporting a judge in Venezuela ruled free-agent P Ugueth Urbina was the victim of a robbery attempt when he fired his gun out a car window, and the judge has dismissed gun charges against Urbina.
Comment () | Share:
Sat, 24 Jan 2004 23:15:51 -0800
The Associated Press is reporting free-agent P Ugueth Urbina has been arrested for allegedly firing gunshots into the air in an upscale Caracas neighborhood. Police arrested Urbina early Friday morning for firing a gun out the passenger window of an SUV, Chacao police chief Leonardo Diaz Paruta said in comments published Saturday in El Nacional newspaper.
Comment () | Share:
Free Agents | Wells Has Surgery
Thu, 04 Dec 2003 00:04:53 -0800
The Providence Journal reports free-agent P David Wells (back) had surgery on a herniated disk in his back Wednesday, an operation that will require a 10-12 week recuperation period.
Comment () | Share:
Free Agents | Next Time, Maybe A Mouth Transplant?
Tue, 02 Sep 2003 23:52:45 -0700
The Associated Press is reporting free-agent P John Rocker (rotator cuff) expects to be throwing off a pitching mound again early next year after surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff. Rocker was released June 27 by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, his third team since the Atlanta Braves traded him in 2001.
Comment () | Share:
MLB | Offerman Signs With Atlantic Team
Tue, 06 May 2003 22:39:20 -0700
The AP reports former major league shortstop Jose Offerman signed with the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League on Tuesday. Terms of the deal were undisclosed. Offerman was released by the Montreal Expos on the final day of spring training.
Comment () | Share:
Mon, 21 Apr 2003 23:59:16 -0700
The AP reports 44-year-old free agent Rickey Henderson will sign this week with a team in the independent Atlantic League, his agent said Monday. Henderson narrowed his choice to three clubs based in New Jersey -- the Newark Bears, Camden Riversharks and Somerset Patriots. Baseball's career leader in runs, stolen bases and walks wants to start playing as soon as possible, agent Jeff Borris said. The Atlantic League begins its regular season May 1, the earliest among independents.
Comment () | Share:
KFFL: Sports Link of the Day
free agent Player News
KFFL: Sports Link of the Day


text:
Chris Volstad is Probably Kinda Pretty Much Locked Into the Rotation and Other Bullets
Today, I'm headed to Salt River Field to check out a Reds/Rockies game. Perhaps I'll get to see new Reds closer, Sean Marshall, in action.
- Dale Sveum kinda told Jim Bowden yesterday that he had four pitchers locked into the rotation – Ryan Dempster, Matt Garza, Paul Maholm, and Chris Volstad (not Jeff Samardzija) – and then later in the day kinda denied that he said that. Volstad was largely expected to be in the rotation, so there's no surprise there, whether he's locked in, or just pretty-much-locked-in. It's interesting, though, that Sveum didn't mention Samardzija, a guy he's previously called a near lock for the rotation. I'm assuming he wasn't swayed by one bad Samardzija start…
- Speaking of which, Sveum says Samardzija learned a valuable lesson from his beating at the hands of the Rockies on Friday. "You can't throw 90 percent of all your pitches 91 miles an hour and above. You better have unbelievable location if you do that. Obviously, his location was not so good and up in the zone. It doesn't matter how hard your cutter is or how hard you throw, if you're up in the zone against big league hitters, it's going to get hit. You've got to control bat speed and we really didn't do that too well yesterday. It was hard, hard, hard, hard and the location is not there."
- Assuming both Volstad and Samardzija are in the rotation, that means it's bullpen or bust for Randy Wells (who looked very much like he was competing for a relief job yesterday). "There's obviously competition going on," Wells said. "If you start getting caught up in that, it makes it tougher to pitch. I just go out there and try to do my best …. I'd be disappointed [not to make the rotation]. Three years in the rotation, to have to go to the bullpen – but it could be a new challenge and something exciting." I'm not sure that Wells would be in the pen long-term, though. He'd probably be the first or second to fill in when a rotation injury inevitably happens, or if someone doesn't work out as a starter. Or, he could still be traded.
- Sveum suggested in a couple places yesterday that he could go with just one lefty in his bullpen (James Russell), much to our surprise. Carlos Marmol, Kerry Wood, Rafael Dolis, and Russell are essentially locked in. That leaves three spots, which could go to Wells, Lendy Castillo, and one of Casey Coleman, Rodrigo Lopez, or Manny Corpas, for example.
- Marcos Mateo's MRI revealed no structural or ligament damage, but the righty will be shut down for at least 10 days before being reevaluated. The elbow injury is similar to the one he suffered last year, before sitting for over three months.
- Kerry Wood is battling back issues, and hasn't pitched in a week. Wood has had back problems for years, and Sveum says he's not worried.
- Dale Sveum says he doesn't buy the day games at Wrigley Field as a problem for Cubs players. "In Chicago, it's always the thing that's brought up — the day games. It's irrelevant. You should have the home-field advantage, if anything, playing all the day games, playing at Wrigley and having that kind of atmosphere every day. When you cross those lines, I guarantee there's no one tired. I've never heard anything like that. Baseball players, we stand around the whole game." I would expect Sveum to say nothing less. I'd be annoyed if he said it was an issue, actually. But, yeah, it's an issue, as we've discussed at length here before.
- Ian Stewart isn't overly emotional.


text:
Charges dropped, Auburn officer says chief gave him rifleBy JAMES A. KIMBLE
Union Leader Correspondent
April 03. 2013 10:47PM
State prosecutors dropped all charges against a retired Auburn police lieutenant accused of taking a Remington rifle from an evidence room about six days after he told a judge that Police Chief Edward Picard gave him the weapon.
The case against David Flight was suddenly upended by the state Attorney General's Office last Tuesday, roughly two weeks before the start of trial. Flight, a former evidence officer and department prosecutor, was indicted in September on felony counts of theft by unauthorized taking and receiving stolen property for allegedly taking the high-powered rifle from the department's evidence room sometime after Dec. 7, 1992.
Prosecutors said last week that new, credible evidence surfaced that suggested it would have been a challenge to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Flight's claim about how he came to acquire the 30-06 Remington rifle seized from a home in 1992 was first disclosed to investigators more than a year ago, according to defense lawyer Eric Wilson.
Flight told state police investigators who came to his home with a search warrant last Feb. 8 that the gun was not stolen.
"He advised that Chief Picard had given him the gun in consideration for storing a large number of seized weapons at his home which the Auburn Police Department could not accommodate in its evidence room," Wilson said in court papers. Wilson told a judge that Flight "provided numerous other examples of weapons being given to officers by Chief Picard."
Picard could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Judge Kenneth McHugh did not act on the request by the defense to dismiss the charges, and state prosecutors never filed any kind of response to contest a possible dismissal. Instead, a prosecutor came to court last Tuesday and dropped the charges, writing they were "inexpedient" to prosecute.
Wilson also contended that the state was beyond any statute of limitations to bring a case against Flight.
"Unless the state can prove the offenses occurred sometime after September 7, 2006, it is barred from any further prosecution," Wilson said in the court filing.
Flight, a 21-year veteran of the department, retired in November 2010 after a town audit of the department's evidence room was deemed "inconclusive." Town officials have never revealed what was missing from the evidence room, but acknowledged after Flight's indictment that it was not the Remington rifle.
After charges were dropped last week, Wilson said that prosecutors should have never brought the case. The theft investigation began last January after two Auburn police sergeants attempted to locate the Remington rifle from the department's evidence room, seized from a home in 1992 while investigating a home invasion.
A computer check revealed to the sergeants that Flight briefly handed over the same gun in 2009 after his then-wife filed a domestic violence complaint against him. Once cleared in that case, the rifle was given back to Flight, but created a new record of it being in the department's possession.
The department then notified the state Attorney General's Office about their findings.


text:
Your current filters are…
by Andy Maleh
This talk covers a successful utilization of Rails Engines to share features that cut across the layers of MVC in different Rails 3 projects. Rails Engines thus provide the best of both worlds: improved productivity by reusing MVC code (including assets like Javascript, CSS, and Images) and better flexibility by allowing different applications to customize behavior as needed without reliance on application-dependent conditionals. Rails Engine patterns will be provided to guide developers on how to leverage Rails Engines' reusability and flexibility without sacrificing maintainability.
Attendees should walk away with an overview of Rails Engines and guidelines on how to utilize them effectively.
United States United States, Austin
23rd–25th April 2012


text:
Oct 9, 2007 at 12:22 am
I have to get another car to put mine in, after I get everything ready for the turbo.
Oct 9, 2007 at 12:21 am
actually the line is drawn between the 3.1mpfi and the 3100sfi.
Oct 9, 2007 at 12:08 am
I love junk yards and modded corsica's!
Sep 11, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Corsicawwwwwwww!!! yeah!


text:
(NASHVILLE), January 10, 2013 – State Senator Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) has been reappointed Chairman of the Senate's Transportation and Safety Committee. The announcement was made by Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey as the 108th General Assembly concluded their organizational session in Nashville this week.
"The health of our transportation system is key to Tennessee's economic health," said Senator Tracy. "We need sound infrastructure to attract new and better paying jobs to our state. We must also address a significant reduction in federal road funds."
The Senate Transportation and Safety Committee is responsible for highways, roads and bridges; railroads; air, bus and vehicular transportation; rules and regulations for highways, and facilities in connection with and navigation of waterways, lakes and streams; and the Department of Safety.
Tracy will also serve as a member of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee. The Commerce and Labor Committee hears legislation dealing with economic development, business, insurance, and business regulations, as well as employment matters.
The General Assembly will take a brief recess to make office assignments and await budget details before convening the first full week of the regular 2013 legislative session on January 28.


text:
These tables provide an overview of vital statistics and combine data for live births, deaths, maternal deaths and fetal deaths for each given year. Other tables, including California and United States comparison, Birth Cohort, Life Expectancy and Population data are also found on this page.
OHIR Program Page - provides more information about the Office of Health Information and Research.
Statistics Page - provides additional data statistics.
Address comments to firstname.lastname@example.com.
| Conditions of Use
| Privacy PolicyCopyright © 2007 State of California


text:
A tiara is a crown, and it so happens that California poppies are the crowning glory of Tiara Street in North Hollywood, at least that portion of it that stretches between Bellaire and Goodland avenues.
On either side of Tiara Street, you will see those unmistakable orange poppies. They grow in thick clumps, having self-sown their way into front yard prominence, emerging from well-mulched soil.
If you want to be assured of success with California poppies and other natives, it's not a bad idea to bring in a truckload of decomposed granite or gravel.
It depends, of course, on your soil type. If your soil drains well — and, if it does, most conventional annual and perennial plants will have grown easily in it without amendments — you can do a native makeover and not be concerned about your soil's suitability.
But, in any case, you should lay down several inches of mulch after you plant. If plants are native to desert, prairie or meadow, mulch with gravel or decomposed granite, and if their habitat is chaparral, forest or river bank, mulch with straw, pine needles, shredded bark or wood chips.
If your soil is heavy or poorly drained, an inexpensive way of improving it is to find a tree trimmer and ask for a free load of wood chips. It costs money to unload a truck full of wood chips at the dump and tree trimmers are more than happy to deposit a load of those chips on your driveway at no charge to you.
Spread the chips over the ground six months before you intend to plant. Some soil is so heavy or clay-ridden that it may take more than a load or two of wood chips to improve it. In such cases, consider soil amelioration with decomposed granite or gravel, or just layer several inches of one of these materials on the soil's surface.
If you have sloping terrain, your soil condition is not as critical as where the ground is flat since drainage on slopes is nearly always superior to that on level terrain.
The royal blue of California desert bluebells (Phacelia campanularia) and lacy phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia) presents a fine contrast to the rich orange of California poppies. Phacelias, together with poppies (Eschscholzia californica) and mountain garlands (Clarkia unguiculata), whose color spectrum is in the pink to purple range, are among the easiest sun-loving annuals to grow, and this triumverate of natives will provide a kaleidoscope of color throughout the spring.
Baja spurge (Euphorbia xanti) is a perennial to which I was recently introduced. It is a selection that is appropriate for gardens of native plants or other water-thrifty species.
Baja spurge is sometimes referred to as "succulent baby's breath" for the resemblance of its flowers to that of common baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata), which is used as filler in floral bouquets.
In the manner of common baby's breath, the flowers of Baja spurge are mildly fragrant, a quality seldom encountered in its many Euphorbia kin.
Another unusual trait of this species, in contrast to nearly all other Euphorbias, is its capacity to spread vegetatively in the garden due to its rhizomatous roots. On account of its spreading proclivities, Baja spurge is recommended for dry slopes, where it can roam free without concern, as opposed to when it is planted in well-manicured gardens, where its tendency to pop up in unexpected places has given it a seedy reputation in some quarters.
Fruit tree blossoms
Late winter to early spring is a special time of year since it comprises those other-worldly moments when flowering pears, plums, peaches, apricots, crabapples and cherries suddenly explode into clouds of white or pink blossoms. These trees are not grown for their fruit but mainly for their flowers, sometimes for their foliage color — as in the case of purple-leaf plums — and occasionally for their form, as in the case of weeping cherry (see specimen on display at the Tillman Japanese Garden in the Sepulveda Basin) and weeping apricot (see specimen on display at the Huntington Gardens in San Marino).
Not to be forgotten in this group of ornamental woody perennials is the flowering quince (Chaenomeles spp.). There is a class of fruits known as pomes, and among this group you will find apple, pear and quince. Although quinces may be trained to grow like trees, they typically develop as deciduous shrubs.
The traditional color of quince flowers is a sort of tomato red, but all versions of pink and orange, as well as scarlet, are encountered. Many flowering quince varieties are thorny which makes them an excellent candidate for a botanical security fence, especially when their thicket-like growth habit is taken into account.
'Candy Cane' from New Zealand
A trip to the Sepulveda Gardens, located in Encino on both sides of Magnolia Boulevard, west of Hayvenhurst Avenue, never fails to provide a horticultural education.
While visiting the gardens situated on the southwest corner of the Magnolia and Havenhurst intersection, I was extremely gratified to gaze upon 'Candy Cane,' a cultivar of New Zealand tea tree that I had never seen before.
'Candy Cane' flower petals are striped red and white with dark black buttons in the center.
New Zealand tea trees are so named because Captain Cook soaked their leaves in hot water to produce a scurvy preventive tea for his crew. When New Zealand tea trees are in full bloom, their flowers completely obscure their needle-like foliage.
Not far away from the 'Candy Cane' specimen at the Sepulveda Gardens, I was enthralled at the sight of a robust stand of fava beans. In a large planter bed devoted exclusively to them, some of the fava bean plants (Vicia faba) had reached a height of 7 feet.
Fava bean pods, which will be produced until summer if not beyond, were already visible, along with attractive black and white flowers that, once pollinated, will develop into pods of their own.
Fava beans have a reputation for being the tastiest of all beans, and they may be eaten either raw or cooked.
For more information about area plants and gardens, go to Joshua Siskin's website at www.thesmartergardener.com. Send questions and photos to email@example.com.


text:
Elizabeth Goins, assistant professor of fine arts and director of student research in the museum studies program in the College of Liberal Arts, has won a $25,000 grant from the National Park Service and the National Center for Preservation Training and Technology to develop an interactive video game that will transport students to virtual worlds of preservation and conservation archetypes. She is working closely with co-principal investigators, Professor Andrew Phelps and Associate Professor Chris Egert, both from RIT's School of Interactive Games and Media.
The game, a modification of the existing commercial game Elderscrolls IV: Oblivion, is the first of its kind in this field utilizing open-source technology to supplement traditional classroom coursework for undergraduate and graduate teaching programs, online professional training, volunteer training and community outreach.
The game is in development and will be tested on students at RIT and University of Delaware through spring of 2012. Upon completion, the game will be offered as a free download from RIT and University of Delaware websites and supported with discussion boards.


text:
Two aggravated residential burglaries in New Philadelphia last week have been solved, and three suspects involved with both have confessed, according to Detective Capt. Shawn Nelson.
Two aggravated residential burglaries in New Philadelphia last week have been solved, and three suspects involved with both have confessed, according to Detective Capt. Shawn Nelson.
Nelson said the burglaries — one reported at 2:54 a.m. Nov. 18 on Tuscarawas Avenue NW and the other at 6:19 a.m. Nov. 18 on W. High Avenue — are related, contrary to an earlier report.
The three suspects, an 18-year-old Dover man, a 27-year-old New Philadelphia woman and a 35-year-old New Philadelphia man, remain free while a report is sent to the Tuscarawas County Prosecutor's office for charges.
The investigation began with the woman, who had been identified, and then led to the men. "We ultimately obtained confessions from everyone involved," Nelson said.
"It was determined, based upon information obtained during interviews with these subjects, that we don't believe they will commit any further crimes," Nelson said. Their motivation, he added, "was their desire to obtain more crack cocaine."
The night of the crimes the suspects were drinking and using drugs at a New Philadelphia residence "and they determined that they needed more money," Nelson said.
The woman involved previously had an intimate relationship with both victims, Nelson said. Therefore, she knew when they had money and the layouts of their homes, and she gave that information to the two men that she was with that night.
During the first break-in, the woman waited in the car while the two men kicked in the door of the victim's residence, entered his bedroom while he was sleeping and began assaulting him. During the burglary the victim was yelling for help, and his roommates came from another room and caused the attackers to run away without stealing anything.
Nelson said the roommates were able to pull clothing items off of the suspects, which he believes will yield DNA and corroborate other evidence.
During the second break-in, the suspects also kicked in a door at the residence, entered the victim's bedroom and began assaulting him. The woman, however, did not remain in the car, and instead, went to a window and tapped on it.
When the victim saw the woman, he recognized her and immediately called 911 as he realized what was happening.
"We actually have a 911 tape of him being assaulted, and them demanding his wallet — we can hear it all," Nelson said.
The man's wallet, which contained more than $500 and important identification papers, including his work visa and immigration papers, was taken.
After interviewing the suspects and learning that they had thrown the wallet out along I-77 in Canton where they had gone to purchase crack cocaine, Nelson and Detective Chaz Willet went to Canton where they searched for — "and, unbelievably, we found it," Nelson said.
While there was no money, most of the important papers were found in the wallet, which "will assist him (the victim) in getting back to where he needs to be," Nelson said.
Nelson said he expects the case to be presented to the Tuscarawas County grand jury, where detectives will seek two counts of aggravated burglary for each suspect.
Reach Joe at 330-364-8418 or
On Twitter: @jmizerTR


text:
This article is about the currency of the the European Union. For the company with stock ticker EURO, see EuroTrust A/S (EURO).
The Euro (also known as the "Anti-Dollar"[1]) is the official currency of 23 countries in the European Union, collectively known as the Eurozone. It is also the sole currency in 9 other European countries. Currently, it is the currency with the highest combined value of cash in circulation in the world, and the second most traded currency in the foreign exchange market behind the American dollar. It is denoted with a leading €. For example, €75 is read "Seventy-five Euros".
The chart at left shows the EUR/USD Currency Pair; the number of U.S. Dollar (USD) equivalent to 1 Euro.
The Euro traces its beginnings to the The Maastricht Treaty in 1992 in which the EU nations agreed to form a monetary and economic union. In order to participate in the common currency, members were required to meet certain budgetary (such as capping the budget deficit at 3% of GDP) and economic (e.g. maintaining an inflation rate close to the the EU average) conditions. In addition, member countries were required to peg their currencies to each other for a certain period prior to the launch. Not all EU members were able to adhere to these conditions and the Euro launched as an accounting currency in 1999 with 11 countries. Three years later, Euro denominated notes and coins started circulating on January 1, 2002.
Currently the Euro is the official currency of sixteen member states of the European Union, including Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. They are collectively known as the Eurozone The currency is also used in 5 other countries through official agreement, including Mayotte, Monaco, San Marino, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, and Vatican City. Finally, 6 other countries have also adopted the Euro but do not have an official agreement with the European Union. These countries are Akrotiri and Dhekelia, Andorra, Kosovo, Montenegro, Saint Barthélemy, and Saint Martin.
Current Euro members are listed here in alphabetical order.
Several European nations do not use the Euro as their currency, despite membership in the EU. Notable example include:
The Euro is a floating currency, which means that the value of the euro is not "pegged" to any other currency. Therefore, the value of the Euro is determined by the demand and supply of the currency.
The supply of Euro is regulated by the European Central Bank (ECB). The ECB is responsible for managing the monetary policy of the Eurozone. The ECB has the exclusive right to set interest rates for the Eurozone. The primary objective of the ECB is "to maintain price stability" within the Eurozone -- in other words, to keep inflation low. The present inflation target is at or around 2%.[4]
The ECB does not directly manage exchange rates of the Euro. However, interest rates affect the demand for a currency. At high interest rates, the currency becomes more valuable as it offers a return on investment for investors. Therefore, demand for the Euro, in part, is determined by the relative interest rates in Europe compared to other parts of the developed world. The fact that the Euro is the currency of 15 different nations means that the national governments cannot manipulate the currency to suit its needs. Unlike mauritius , European governments can not devalue the currency to help the export sector.
The current account is a function of trade balance (exports minus imports), income from abroad (such as dividends, income by foreign subsidiaries etc.) and other transfers (such as foreign aid and grants). In the earliest years of the Eurozone, it consistently ran trade surpluses; however, both 2006 and 2008 have been more volatile with a greater trend towards negative trade balances.
Inflation is the result of rising prices in an economy over time. In other words, when inflation rate is positive a currency buys less goods than it did in the past. The sole mandate of the ECB is to maintain inflation near 2%.
The dollar has been the primary reserve currency of the world since World War II; however, this trend is changing. As of 2006, roughly 65% of reserves held by foreign banks were in dollars and 25% were in Euros.[5]
An investor can invest in the euro by buying and holding it. Currencies, as an asset class, do not produce any returns by themselves. The currency is only useful if it is invested in another asset (such as equities or bond). Investors can buy and sell euro futures traded at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Futures are better instruments for speculation since they are leveraged and hence are more sensitive to currency movements. A US investor can buy an European stock ETF -- such as the Vanguard European ETF (VGK). The CurrencyShares Euro Trust (FXE) offers return on euro plus accrued interest. ETF's have the benefit of offering the return on the underlying asset class in addition to currency appreciation.
Finally, a stronger euro helps european imports by making them relatively cheaper and hurts exports by making them more expensive for foreign buyers. An investor could bet on the euro by taking positions in European exporters and in companies that trade heavily with an euro member.
Companies that manufacture abroad or purchase raw materials abroad, and then sell in Europe benefit from a strong Euro.[6]
Companies that manufacture in Europe and export to the U.S. such as [7]
The most active EURO trading hours are from London Open (3:00AM ET / 8:00 GMT), Economic Releases (4:00AM ET / 9:00 GMT) and the typical time of release for U.S. Economic Releases (8:30AM ET/ 12:30 GMT).
The Euro often moves with the Volatility Index. Lower volatility tends to be bearish for the EUR/USD and higher volatility has been bullish.
Members of the Eurozone – The euro is the only currency without a country. It is the presently the official currency for 16 countries and growing. All 27 members of the European Union except for Denmark and the United Kingdom are obliged to adopt the euro when they meet the criteria for entry.
Nicknames – The euro is also known as the single currency because it is the sole currency used by a number of European nations.
Central Bank - The European Central Bank conducts monetary policy meetings12 times a year and their decisions on interest rates could have significant ramifications for the currency market. Jean-Claude Trichet is the current President of the European Central Bank. His term began in 2003 and will last until 2012.
Most Active Trading Hours – Since the EUR/USD is the most actively traded currency pair in the world, it sees quite a bit of volatility when European and U.S. economic releases are due for release which is usually between 4:00 AM or 5:00 AM ET (9:00 – 10:00 GMT) or 8:30 to 10:00am ET (13:00 – 15:00 GMT)
What Does the Economy Rely On? – The most important sector in the European Union is services, which makes up approximately 70 percent of GDP.
Who Does the Economy Rely on for Trade?– Eurozone countries primarily trade with other members within the Eurozone. Outside of that, their biggest trading partners are the U.K. and U.S.
Market Moving Economic Releases – Central bank rate decisions are usually the most market moving indicators, which means that they can create the greatest volatility for any currency followed by the employment report, the consumer spending and inflation reports. In terms of the individual countries, the euro only responds to German economic data since Germany represents approximately 25 percent of the Eurozone on a GDP basis. Collectively, Germany, France, Italy and Spain make up 70 percent of Eurozone GDP.
The Euro Economy is comprised of 70% Services, 28% Industrial, and 2% Agriculture. It's largest trading partners are UK, US, China, Japan and Canada. Some other key facts about the Euro Economy:
|2008 GDP Estimate
|USD $14.82 Trillion
|491 Million
|Interest Rate*
|Trade Balance***
|EUR -€4 Billion (seasonally adjusted)


text:
Anyone knows that the key to anyone's heart is their stomach, gender stereotypes be damned. If you can make that special someone the perfect meal, you're way closer to being a better lover than someone who has to continually order out. Making a meal for another human being is a delight for both the cook and the recipient, feeding both mind and soul, if done well. What better way to show you care than with a meal you make yourself?
The problem is, how? First off is confidence. As Julia Child said, "The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude." Equally important for us cooking newbs, however, is a good cooking app or three.
Check these out for your Valentine's Day dinner, or any time you want to make your significant other feel just a bit more significant.


text:
This teak collection from Nathan features unique styling, soft curves and contemporary shapes. These are combined with exquisite veneering, intricate door detailing and fine craftsmanship, to enhance the beauty of your home. Shape and proportion are blended to create a stylish, contemporary and elegant look that will fit perfectly into your home.
Please note that all screens vary in colour reproduction and whilst every effort has been made to show the colour as accurately as possible it is for guidance only.
- Dimensions: Width 104cm x Length 49cm x Height 81cm
Shades Teak 2 Door Sideboard
Item: 9001296319
Available (allow 11 weeks for delivery)
UK mainland delivery from £25.00
*FREE Delivery on orders over £50 (excluding furniture) use FREE50


text:
SHALIMAR, Fla. (AP) — A 350-pound black bear found sleeping in a Florida Panhandle tree has been euthanized.
The bear had been caught, tagged and removed from the same area twice since April but kept finding his way back to the neighborhood near Panama City.
A spokesman for Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told the Northwest Florida Daily News (http://bit.ly/1xc7TSC ) that the bear was euthanized because he created a risk of causing traffic accidents and other problems in the busy area.
The bear was first spotted April 14 near a Panama City elementary school. He was moved 90 miles away to Mud Swamp in Apalachicola National Forest, but he returned to the neighborhood just three weeks later. He was relocated again before he returned for a third time on Monday.
Information from: Northwest Florida Daily News (Fort Walton Beach, Fla.), http://www.nwfdailynews.com


text:
One of the reasons Durham, NC is such a great place to visit or call home is the fact that there are plenty of things to do in "Bull City," as it's affectionately known.
Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) has become the award-winning home to new and rising talents to superstars from around the world. Since their doors opened in 2008, DPAC has quickly grown into an established cultural landmark for popular entertainment in the Triangle, hosting both contemporary and legendary Broadway shows, concerts, comedy, and family shows.
Self-expression abounds in Durham, and the city boasts a vibrant and diverse arts community. The Golden Belt is a renovated historic textile mill, now home to artist studios, live/work spaces, restaurants, and more. It's also the host of Durham's popular Third Friday celebration, a showcase of local arts, music, and cuisine.
The Durham Art Walk and Center Fest also provide exposure for local artists and craftspeople. These community-supported events are great places to see and be seen, and are always well attended.
On any given night, music is in the air in Bull City. Durham's Duke Coffeehouse has long been a hotspot for experimental and independent artists. The Pinhook plays host to national experimental folk acts and regional rock stars.
Jazz aficionados will love Whiskey, where local and national virtuosos breathe new life into this uniquely American art form. Talk of the Town is the place to catch traditional R&B artists, and the Motorco Music Hall is where you go if you want to catch the hottest new national bands.
Duke University is widely known for its educational excellence and storied history in the college sports arena. But locals know it's also the site of the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Called the "crown jewel" of the campus, the gardens are host to more than 4,500 different species of plants, and more than five miles of walkways.


text:
Leighton Meester & Blake Lively: 'Gossip Girl' Paris Preview!
Leighton Meester and Blake Lively are all smiles as they film Gossip Girl on Monday (July 5) in Paris, France.
The 24-year-old actress and her 22-year-old co-star got to work on the first two episodes of Gossip Girl's fourth season!
The ladies looked happy to be back at work together – Blake playfully fed Leighton a Ladurée Macaron – and Leighton clearly did not appreciate the gesture from her friend!
Harry Potter actress Clemence Poesy is also set to guest star in these two episodes.
Gossip Girl is set to return Monday, September 13 on The CW!
15+ pictures inside of Leighton Meester and Blake Lively on their Parisian stroll …


text: This list of websites deals with Sustainability Issues! Click on the link to download the PDF. Some have a homeowner's focus, while others talk about real estate values and real estate law with respect to green technologies in a building. Still others may approach the topic from a City point of view.