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Jewel Staite played the ship's mechanic Kaylee Frye in Joss Whedon's short-lived sci-fi western TV series "Firefly." She reprised the role for the feature film "Serenity." (20th Century Fox)Link
A scene from "Serenity." (Zoic Studios)Link
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds (Nathan Fillion), left, and Kaylee Frye (Jewel Staite) face off as Zoe (Gina Torres) and "Wash" (Alan Tudyk) look on in "Serenity." (Universal Studios)Link
Jewel Staite portrayed Dr. Jennifer Keller in "Stargate: Atlantis." (MGM)Link
David Hewlett, left, and Jewel Staite in "Stargate: Atlantis." (MGM)Link
Jewel Staite, center, plays Raquel Westbrook in "The L.A. Complex." (Darren Michaels / Epitome Pictures)Link
Jonathan Patrick Moore, left, and Jewel Staite in "The L.A. Complex." (Darren Michaels / Epitome Pictures)Link
Cast members and writers of "Firefly" discuss the show on its 10th anniversary. (Science Channel)Link
If Nathan Fillion's rough-and-tumble Capt. Malcolm Reynolds was the leader of Serenity in Joss Whedon's short-lived television series "Firefly," Jewel Staite's mechanic Kaylee Frye was the ship's (and the show's) heart. Staite, Fillion and the rest of the Serenity crew are back on the air together for "Firefly: Browncoats Unite," a Science Channel special commemorating the show's 10th anniversary. The one-hour special features a roundtable discussion with cast members Fillion, Summer Glau, Alan Tudyk, Adam Baldwin and Sean Maher, and writers Tim Minear and Jose Molina, as well as separate interviews with Staite, Gina Torres and Morena Baccarin. The special also includes footage from this summer's "Firefly" reunion at Comic-Con International's Hall H, during which the cast members reflected on the show's premature cancellation a decade ago and subsequent second life on the big screen. The special airs Sunday at 10 p.m. ET/PT following an all-day "Firefly" marathon on Science Channel. Hero Complex's Noelene Clark caught up with Staite to talk about "Firefly," "Serenity," Whedon and what's next.
HC: Can you tell us a bit about your audition process? What were your first impressions of the rest of the cast?
JS: I was living in Vancouver when "Firefly" was first being cast. My agent gave me a breakdown of all the characters in the show and said there was a request from casting in L.A. for me to put myself on tape for the role of Kaylee. I thought I was more of a River than anything, but I did it anyway, never thinking it would even be seen by Joss. A couple of weeks later I got a call asking me to hop on a plane for a network screen test the next day. Everything happened really fast. As soon as I was done with my screen test, they called to let me know the part was mine. I met the cast for the first time during a read-through of the pilot. Something we've always all agreed on is how fast we clicked. It's rare you get nine actors together and have everyone bond as strongly and as quickly as we all did. They're honestly like a second family to me.
HC: You talk a little about that in the Science documentary, specifically about the relationship Kaylee shares with Jayne. Why does the whole crew work so well together?
JS: They're incredibly different people from very different backgrounds and walks of life. They've been shoved into this living situation and forced to deal with each other as best they can, and in the process, they end up bonding over a lot of intense and life-threatening situations. With most of them, there's a trust there that when it comes down to it, they'll look out for each other. They're a reluctant family, and the best part is seeing them grow to love each other whether they want to or not.
HC: Kaylee is smart and tough and, at the same time, feminine and sensual. How did you develop that character?
JS: I wish I could take more credit for developing it, but the truth is Joss had a very direct and well-rounded vision of all of the characters in the show. He had a specific person in mind for each of them, and I think I just got lucky enough to fit the criteria. My favorite part about her was the juxtaposition between femininity and being one of the guys, the kind of girl who has a fascination with machines but at the same time would kill to put on a dress and go out to a fancy restaurant. She's also incredibly trusting and so honest, and that kind of honesty is really fun to play.
HC: You've done quite a lot of work in the sci-fi genre. Would you say you're a sci-fi fan?
JS: I've never been a particular fan of any genre. I've just always loved really good projects. The things that draw me into a new project have very little to do with genre and have more to do with the characters I'll be playing, the people I'll get to work with, and things like that. The sci-fi genre just happens to have a lot of really great characters for women.
HC: How does your experience with "Firefly" compare to your experience with "Stargate: Atlantis"?
JS: I had an amazing time on "Stargate: Atlantis," and a really great run on that show, which was shot in my hometown. It was kind of a dream job. But "Firefly" will always have a special little spot in my heart as kind of "the one that got away." I have nothing but great memories from that show, but it's all very bittersweet because it ended so early.
HC: Why do you think "Firefly" garners such devoted fans? What is it about this world?
JS: I think the thing that hooked people initially was strangely enough the abrupt finality of it all. It was this really well fleshed-out world with all of these crazy back stories that were just getting revealed, and then all of a sudden that was it. The thing I hear the most is how devastated people are when they get to the last episode in the season and realize that there isn't anything left to watch.
HC: What's the most common question or comment you receive from fans?
JS: Everybody wants to know if there's going to be a sequel to the movie. I get asked that question probably once every 48 hours, literally. I had a customs officer ask me that when I was crossing the border. It doesn't help that Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion are always dropping these hints in the press that it may happen.
HC: It's kind of unbelievable that there's a TV special and a reunion event and people camping out overnight at conventions for a show that got canceled 10 years ago. What's it like, to keep coming back to a universe you had to leave so long ago?
JS: Surreal. Always will be. Every time we do these big panels at these conventions, I'm always amazed at how many people turn up to hear us tell the same stories and the same jokes again. I know we love going, just because we get to see each other again and feel the magic of all of that all over again. I'll never get tired of talking about "Firefly." It did so many things for me, both personally and professionally. It was one of the best times in my life, and I think the fans can sense that from us as a cast, and they reciprocate that feeling and vice versa. It's a nice little circle to be in.
HC: What are you working on, and what do you have coming up?
JS: I just wrapped Season 2 of "The L.A. Complex," and we're waiting to hear about a Season 3. I have a couple of other projects in development that I'm hoping I'll be able to get a chance to do while I'm on hiatus, but for the most part, I'm going to find a beach and stay there for a while. And no, we're not filming "Serenity 2" on a beach.
— Noelene Clark
Whedon thanks Browncoats at tearful 'Firefly' reunion
TV's top 50 sci-fi characters: Mr. Spock and River Tam
Joss Whedon's favorite 'verse? Firefly.
Summer Glau reflects on Whedon, sci-fi women
Nathan Fillion, a pop culture king beyond 'Castle'
'Buffy' star Amber Benson turns a page
'Buffy' stars: Where are they now?
'Avengers' stars: Joss Whedon should be your hero
Joss Whedon, own the action figure


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Home Page Chess Life Online 2014 December US 4th in World Team; Medals for Nakamura, Onischuk, Akobian
|US 4th in World Team; Medals for Nakamura, Onischuk, Akobian
|December 5, 2013
fourth in the World Team Championships in Antalya, Turkey, with Russia taking top honors. Team captain IM John Donaldson said, "This was a very strong event, much tougher than the Olympiad - even the eighth finishing team from Azerbaijan was around a 2640 FIDE average for its top four players."
The US squad finished in
GM Hikaru Nakamura earned a silver medal on board one. In addition to beating Kramnik, Nakamura won an important round seven game vs. GM Georg Meier, leading the US team to a 3-1 victory over Germany.
In the final round, the US drew vs. Netherlands. Akobian lost this time, to Ivan Sokolov, but Onischuk saved the day with a win vs. Sergei Tiviakov.

subset: commoncrawl


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Jay-Z Urges People to Utilize Their 'Voice' in Obama Campaign
While the presidential debates are a laughing matter to some, the importance of voting in the upcoming November election is plenty serious. In a new video, released on Monday (Oct. 15), rap mogul Jay-Z is encouraging people to exercise their right to vote.
Hov is endorsing President Obama in his re-election campaign and is urging voters to use the "power of their voice" on Election Day (Nov. 6). "For so long, there was this voice that was silenced out there as far as exercising your right to vote," says a dapper Jay-Z in the video posted on Obama's YouTube channel. "I think it was a voice that was silent because people had lost hope. They didn't believe that their voice mattered or counted."
The visual is also intercut with footage of Obama's speech at Jay-Z's Made In America festival in Philadelphia this past September. The P.O.T.U.S. saluted the rapper-turned-entrepreneur as someone who "didn't come from power or privilege" but he learned from his mistakes and succeeded because he "refused to quit."
The video also intercuts with patriotic images of the American flag, the Rocky statue and community organizers registering people to vote. "Now people are exercising their right and you're starting to see the power of our vote," continues Jay-Z who chopped it up with Obama at a fundraiser he and Beyonce coordinated recently. "He made it mean something for the first time for a lot of people, having someone in office who understands how powerful our voice can be is very important."
Remember, Election Day is on Nov. 6. Do want Hov says and Roc your vote — it's very important.
Watch Jay-Z and Young Jeezy Performing 'My President Is Black' (DC Remix) [Live]


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so were you interested? if you are getting aim would make this 10 times easier to communicate
as an assistant you basically help me do everything but I have final say (why no one likes to be an assistant) like right now are doing the draft. here is the website http://psdsim.x10hosting.com/html/ click season the scroll bar menu and you see draft preview go there and you see the draft. click roster and team rosters and you see all the teams we would be the wizards. we had the #1 pick and I picked gasol. unfortunately, our roster looks pretty weak because the wizards were a bad team to start with
do you have aim? is so hit me up on dhopisthename
you still interested in the basketball sim league? if so I can make you my assistant and teach you the ropes
You can have Providence or Notre Dame if you want.


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Join Elmo, Big Bird and friends for the iconic puppet show. All your favourites are here, teaching us the important lessons and having a good time too!
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94 N. Main Street, Jasper, GA - (706) 253-2457
Georgia, May 20- Average retail gasoline prices in Georgia have risen 2.1 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.44/g yesterday, according to GasBuddy's daily survey of 5,883 gas outlets in Georgia. This compares with the national average that has increased 8.9 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.67/g, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.
Including the change in gas prices in Georgia during the past week, prices yesterday were 0.5 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 12.0 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 16.6 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 3.0 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.
"The last seven days have delivered some shocks at the pump for motorists in the nation's Midwest," said GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan. "I don't believe I've ever seen gasoline prices in the Midwest surpass California- areas of Nebraska, Minnesota, Oklahoma, North and South Dakota, and Kansas- have done that. Gas price records in these areas aren't being quietly replaced, they're being blown out of the water. I don't believe I've ever seen such crazy trends in gasoline prices occur all at one- prices spiking in one area, falling in another, and holding steady in others. What we're seeing today is certainly rare," DeHaan said.
About GasBuddy
GasBuddy operates GeorgiaGasPrices.com and over 250 similar websites that track gasoline prices at over 140,000 gasoline stations in the United States and Canada. In addition, GasBuddy offers a free smartphone app which has been downloaded over 25 million times to help motorists find the lowest gasoline prices in their area.


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Seabrook Station labor lockout would draw NRC presenceBy DAVE SOLOMON
New Hampshire Union Leader
November 27. 2013 7:43PM
SEABROOK — The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is keeping a close eye on developments at the Seabrook Station nuclear power plant, where a contract impasse between labor and management could lead to a lockout of unionized personnel on Dec. 2, when the current contract expires.
That would leave management or non-union personnel at the controls of the nuclear power plant.
If that occurs, the NRC would closely monitor operations to ensure that the plant continues to operate safely and in accordance with federal regulations, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by Neil Sheehan, NRC spokesperson for Region 1, which regulates 17 nuclear power plants in the northeastern United States.
In the event of a lockout, inspectors from the NRC would supplement two on-site inspectors assigned to the plant on a full-time basis to provide increased oversight, Sheehan said.
"This enhanced oversight would include 24-hour-a-day coverage for at least the first 48 hours of a walkout and enhanced coverage for the duration of a strike," he said.
The plant is owned by NextEra Energy of Juno, Fla.
"The NRC has performed an inspection of NextEra's strike contingency plans," Sheehan said. "The purpose of the review was to evaluate the adequacy of the company's plans, which cover areas that include staffing. No issues or concerns have been identified to date."
Sheehan said there have been strikes at the Pilgrim nuclear power plant in Massachusetts, and at the Nine Mile Point plant in upstate New York in recent years.
"No operational problems occurred during either walkout," he said.
A federal mediator arrived at the Seabrook power plant on Wednesday, hoping to break the deadlock between NextEra and the Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO.
The union represents 226 workers who specialize in mechanical and electrical positions at the power plant, including instrumentation, calibration and control room operators. The plant employs about 670 overall, the balance of which are not unionized, including management, planners and schedulers.
The main sticking point, according to management and labor, has been a proposal by management to end premium pay for weekend work, and instead create rotating shifts that include weekend coverage at regular pay.
While the NRC statement refers to the possibility of a strike, both union and management are calling it a lockout, in which management bars the unionized personnel from the building until the contract is resolved.
"We communicated with the union on Tuesday that pending an agreement by midnight, Dec. 2, there will be a lockout," said Seabrook Station spokesperson Al Griffith.


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Monday, Sept. 23rd, 10am-11am, front steps of Brown Library
FREE books to the first 200 students! (Current VWCC only.) Students can choose from one of the following titles: In the Country of Men (the Bridging Cultures book discussion book), Persepolis, Dreams of Trespass, and House of Stone. Refreshments provided.
Come celebrate Brown Library's newest special collection, the Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys. Included in this award is a collection of 25 books and three films centered around Islamic art, literature, history, politics, current events, and religion, as well as a one-year subscription to the Oxford Islamic Studies Online database. We are the only Virginia community college to win this great grant from the NEH!
Please come on down to the Kickoff as well as the rest of the events scheduled this Fall:
- 9/24, 2pm, Whitman Theater: Film Series—Prince Among Slaves (open to public)
- 10/8, 2pm, Whitman Theater: Film Series—Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World (open to public)
- 10/14, 6:30pm, Natural Science Center: Book Discussion—In the Country of Men (open to public)
- "The truth couldn't be kept away, it was cunning, sly-natured, seeping through at its own indifferent pace." In Hisham Matar's debut novel, a Libyan boy must come to terms with difficult truths about Libya, loyalty, and truth when his father disappears. On the surface a story of the violence and absurdity of life during the rule of Muammar al-Qaddafi, In the Country of Men describes the politics of childhood more than the politics of nations. Just as the plot brilliantly unfolds in unpredictable ways, we are catapulted forward to the next decade. We are left to reflect on the ties that bind us all—the universal embarrassments and frustrations of childhood, the challenge of constructing meaning from memory, and the presence of unavoidable truths. Led by Steven Salaita, Associate Professor of English at Virginia Tech.
- 10/22, 2pm, Whitman Theater: Film Series—Persepolis (open to public)
- 11/5, 2pm, Whitman Theater: Film Series—Koran by Heart: Once Chance to Remember (open to public)


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Court: Man in terrorism case was going to Pakistan
SANTA ANA, California (AP) — A man charged with attempting to join al-Qaida and lying on a U.S. passport application to aid international terrorism was planning to travel to Pakistan before he was arrested, a court document showed on Thursday.
A federal court order to detain Sinh Vinh Ngo Nguyen, 24, of Garden Grove states that arresting agents said he was due to travel to Mexico City by bus and then board a flight to Pakistan.
The order, which was made available online Thursday, also states Nguyen was holding a fake passport and had recently traveled to Lebanon and Syria to help the Free Syrian Army.
Nguyen, who is a U.S. citizen, was arrested last week in Santa Ana while waiting to board a bus to Mexico. He has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court Monday.
A message seeking comment from his attorney, Yasmin Cader, was not immediately returned.
Nguyen, who is also known as Hasan Abu Omar Ghannoum, attempted to work under the direction of al-Qaida, according to an indictment returned last week. The four-page document provides no details about the alleged terrorism act.
Nguyen's family has said he recently converted to Islam. He had a license to work as a security guard, though it was set to expire last month.


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So my longtime musical partner in crime Steve and I have a new little rock'n'roll project going called Moontower. After spending a day at my house jamming on some preliminary riffs, we holed up in the basement of Vanishing Point Studios in Alexandria, VA, to mold one of those jams into a song. Our friend Rob joined us to throw down the lead vocals, and our other friend Pam added some sweet harmonies to the outro.
The result is "Just Want To Make It Known." Listen and/or download the song for free by clicking this sentence.
Feel free to share this on facebook, twitter, and anywhere else you share webthings, and pass this link along to anyone you know who likes to rock and/or roll.
Party at the Moontower….


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ICW Ultra 510 LCD desk mount with a 1" riser and an HDPE keyboard tray, Black
Quantity in Cart:Click Add To Cart to Order
Shipping Weight:25.00 lbs.
ICW UL500 Track Mount LCD Mounting Bracket UL510-D1-KUP-TB UL510D1KUPTB
ICW Ultra 510 LCD desk mount with a 1" riser and an HDPE keyboard tray
The ICW Ultra 510 Desk Mount LCD arm allows the full articulation of the LCD. This ICW UL510 folds up and extends 11" from the mount to the LCD, having one articulating 11" arm. Two handles next to the monitor tighten the monitor into position. The monitor can be adjusted 4" vertically on two stainless steel rails.
When ordering this item, use this part number: UL510-D1-KUP-TB


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The last I heard, Battlefield 3 had sold over five million copies and at least on the PC, the hot new gaming title from DICE and EA is beating out Modern Warfare 3 sales. That's all good and well, but over the past few nights, I've been increasingly frustrated by poor performance in BF3.
Let me paint a little picture here - I personally use a speedy fiber Internet connection and typically it is super fast for anything I do. You'd imagine my pain in launching a Battlefield 3 session after waiting patiently to connect to a server nearby with a good ping, only to find when I get in the game, it's lagging almost to an unplayable degree. Alright, it's not like the good old days where you'd see up to and above 500ms latency - but still, it's enough to get your aim and so forth off target and cause some real mouse smashing on the pad.
So, I set to finding a solution for the problem - everyone else seems to be fragging nicely, but not me. It turns out that to enable a smooth gaming experience in BF3 on the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 there is a little bit of work to be done. You know EA... it would be nice if you made this a little more public. I suspect it may be because not everyone is affected by the issue and it will depend greatly on your network setup. Anyway, to cut to the chase, it turns out you need to enable certain online ports for BF3 to offer a lag-free gaming experience.
Let's run you through now how to get this done. It's going to involve playing around with your router and opening up ports to your specific PC or console IP addresses that you are using to play BF3. Sounds messy, right? Once you know where to look, it really only takes a few minutes to do. I'd highly recommend you visit portforward.com which provides step-by-step instructions for setting up port forward on many different routers.
Once you've found your router (remember to click the skip advertisement link at the top right of the page), you'll want to enable the following ports depending on if you are gaming on a PC, PS3 or Xbox 360.
For PC BF3 players:
For PS3 BF3 players:
For Xbox 360 BF3 players:
I'm really not 100% convinced why ports 80 and 443 need to be enabled for PC and PS3 players since these are used for web hosting (HTTP and HTTPS), but if by opening these ports, they do not conflict with ports already assigned to other computers on your network (example a web server), just go ahead and do it anyway. In my case, I was unable to open port 80 since it was used by a public web server on my network, but that did not affect the improvement in my BF3 online gaming experience.
Once you've applied these port forwarding settings, remember to save the settings to your router and then reboot the router. I played around with these settings by enabling and disabling port forwarding of said above ports several times to make sure it was the real deal and found that I had to reboot the router twice on one attempt for the new port forward settings to take effect. That is something to keep in mind if at first you don't see an improvement. You'll also want to ensure you have added your PC or console to the DHCP reservations list otherwise your system might get a new IP addresses and the ports will be forwarded to the wrong system. If you don't know how to do this or your router doesn't offer it, you can always setup a manual IP in the range that your router and network uses.
It is also worth remembering that if you have a firewall or Windows Firewall enabled, check and make sure that BF3 is not blocked.
It should probably go without saying, avoid being lazy and start a Quick Match. You'll want to head to the server browser, use the filters and find a server closest to you. It doesn't matter how much tweaking you do, if you're in the US and pick a server say in Africa, it's going to be laggy.
Besides just internet connection lag, another type of lag you may face is graphics lag. This comes from trying to running graphics settings higher than your video card can handle.
The magic number we want to focus on is 60 FPS - it's what we at TweakTown consider a playable frame rate. Using some of the tweaks below, you can check your FPS. If you find that your game is unplayable or not smooth enough, you can try turning down your graphics quality settings. For example, I run a screen resolution of 2560 x 1440 (27-inch monitor), but to ensure a smooth gaming experience, I have the graphics quality set to low.
If you've set your graphics to low and still are not happy, you can also disable motion blur, as I found that had quite an effect on frame rate. Some say to disable V-SYNC, which is a function that when enabled locks your maximum FPS at the same refresh rate as your monitor - mostly 60Hz / 60 FPS these days. If you have a high-end system, you should indeed disable V-SYNC as it will be limiting your performance.
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Have you seen this collection of fantasy treehouses? We're not talking a few 2 by 4s nailed together; these are high-concept, uber-creative backyard clubhouses that take make-believe to a whole new level, with zip lines, climbing walls, even electricity.
And good news, since treehouses are typically "no parents allowed": some of these are actually hotels that let adults get to be a kid again.
Which one is your favorite? Leave a comment.


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Cristian Zaccardo has completed his move from Parma to AC Milan, the Rossoneri have confirmed.
The former Italy international has made the switch to San Siro with Djamel Mesbah moving in the other direction on a permanent basis, with Rodney Strasser going to the Ennio Tardini on loan.
Zaccardo has spoken of his pride at joining such a big club, and vowed to give his all in order to help the Rossoneri during his time there.
"I am proud to have joined Milan. The negotiations started a few weeks ago and now I am here," he told the club's official TV channel.
"I can play in the centre of defence or at full-back and I will give my best. I am 31 and I come here after playing a lot of matches in Serie A. I know some of the players and I will meet the rest on Friday."
Milan travel to Atalanta on Sunday as they look to keep up their pursuit of silverware.


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Technology aids Passover traditions
March 24. 2013 9:34PM
MANCHESTER - Having difficulty this Passover remembering the order of the 10 plagues God wrought on Egypt when the Pharaoh refused to free the enslaved Israelites? There's an app for that.
And, if you're unfamiliar with what is served at a Seder meal or the text to be recited, well, there's an app for that, too.
Passover, which begins at sundown tonight and continues for the next seven days, celebrates the Jewish people's release from slavery in Egypt more than 3,000 years ago. God sent Moses to tell Pharaoh to free the enslaved Hebrews and when he refused, 10 plagues were visited on Egypt. The last killed the firstborn children of Egyptians, but spared the children of Israel by "passing over" homes that Jews had marked with the blood of a spring lamb, leading to the Exodus.
Today, technology and Passover traditions traced back to those ancient times easily work together because of smart phones, iPads, other notebooks and the Internet
Rabbi Levi Krinsky of Chabad Lubavitch of New Hampshire in Manchester said while the the rituals of Passover and the traditions remain the same, it is the delivery that has become high-tech.
"The more things change, the more they stay the same," said Rabbi Krinsky, who has his prayer book readily available on his smart phone, although he uses it only six days a week because many Jews refrain from using technology on the Sabbath.
He views smart phones as devices to be used for a godly purpose and in service to God.
Krinsky embraces the new technology because, he said, the history of the Jewish people and the religion's birth after the Exodus from Egypt are widely available because people have smart phones in their pockets and instant access to the information.
So while technology has changed the way people live their lives, Passover remains traditional, particularly the Seder, a meal that includes six symbolic foods arranged on a Seder plate. Each item represents part of the Exodus: bitter herbs for the harshness of slavery; charoset, a relish made from nuts, apples, cinnamon and wine, representing mortar used by Jewish slaves; a vegetable dipped in salt water, representing the slaves' tears, and lamb or chicken and a hard-boiled egg, symbolic of sacrifices offered at the temple in Jerusalem.
During Passover, Jews also are not allowed to eat leavened bread because when they made their hasty exit from Egypt, there was no time for the bread to rise.
One Melcher Media app called Haggadah, for the text recited at the Seder on the first two nights of Passover, costs $4.99 and features everything from a guide to the Jewish ritual to modern recipes to songs and games for kids.
Many other apps are free or charge $1.99 to download and can be found by doing a search for Passover apps.


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January 03. 2014 12:38AM
Mandate politics: Nuns vs. the state
President Obama pitched Obamacare as a sword to wield against evil insurance companies. Really, insurance companies will get rich from the law while individual Americans, small businesses and small non-profits will be punished by it. One of those victims is the Little Sisters of the Poor.
That is the Catholic charity that convinced Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor to issue a last-minute injunction on Dec. 31 blocking the Obamacare contraception mandate as it applies to Little Sisters and hundreds of other groups insured by Christian Brothers Employee Benefit Trust, a Catholic insurer.
The White House says Little Sisters could have avoided the mandate by filling out a form, at which point it would be required to pick an insurer that offers contraception to Little Sisters' employees but not pay for the contraception. But that, the non-profit's attorneys at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, argued, still violates the Little Sisters' religious beliefs. They still would be forced by the law to provide their employees with contraception, including the Plan B "morning after" pill.
To put it another way, the sisters liked their old health care plan, but they are prevented by Obamacare from keeping it.
Why? The administration and its supporters scream, "Women's rights!" But the mandate is not about women's rights. It is entirely about electoral politics. The calculation was simple: Use contraception as a wedge issue to energize moderate and liberal women voters, who outnumber conservative Catholic voters. The Little Sisters and other Catholic employers are being forced to commit what they view as a sin for one purpose: to get Democrats elected. They are political pawns.
This is the future of American politics under the command-and-control state that Obama hopes will grow from the seed of Obamacare. Liberals like it now. But no party stays in power forever. Only the power remains, to be used by those who happen to be the most effective at electoral politics in any election year.


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Board Retreat 2013
FIRST's Annual Board Retreat took place from Friday, November 1 to Sunday, November 3 at the Philadelphia Airport Marriott. The weekend kicked off with members meeting and reuniting at the hotel on Friday evening, followed by a spirited day of discussion, planning, and a careful review of FY 2013's successes, challenges, and lessons learned.
FIRST's Board President, Mike Briggs, offered a warm welcome on Saturday morning, followed by introductions and the unique "Where do you stand?" icebreaker. During this energizing exercise, lead by Moe Wenik, board members were asked to weigh-in on their feelings about the history, progress, and future of FIRST; needless to say this lead to some insightful discussion!
Denise Benedetto brought the board up to speed on the Membership Connectivity, Activism & Growth initiative and their progress to date, as well as future plans. Moe Wenik presented slides on the successes of the Patient Support Forums in 2013. Discussion focused on the value of the PSF to members, and some possible upcoming enhancements for 2015, such as using live streaming videos to reach those who could not attend.
Rachel See shared an intriguing presentation on the history and evolution of FIRST's marketing efforts. She also mentioned that FIRST hired their first fulltime Communications Director this year. Mo Neville then shared a comprehensive communications presentation, which included a review of the several strategies: current member engagement, public engagement, andsocial media,along withour tele-ichthyosis communications programand introduction to the use of video in our communications.
Following lunch, Chris Wassel and Dave Scholl presented FIRST's plans to explore a major gifts campaign to solicit large donations to build a research endowment. Dr. Leonard Milstone reviewed FIRST's history of promoting and funding research. Leonard emphasized how important FIRST's role has been in moving research along to where we are today (funding investigator fellowships, organizing scientific meetings, recruiting patients at family conferences, etc.)
Following lunch, Dave Scholl, Terry Tormey, and Jennifer Hillman – board members who have all completed their term on the FIRST board, were all graciously thanked by Mike Briggs for their service to FIRST. A small token of the board's appreciation were given to each of them.
As a wrap up to Saturday, the board members traveled offsite for a social dinner at Marra's Cucina Italiana on Passyunk Avenue; how could we let our out-of-town members not experience italian cuisine in the heart of South Philly!
On Sunday, the team met once again for a morning session to discuss FIRST's investment portfolio and plans for the future. This was followed by a formal Board of Directors meeting, where four new board members were officially elected for a three-year term; Kim Cole, Greg Licalzi, Tracie Pretak, and Robert Silverman, MD. Welcome aboard!
An extremely productive retreat was enjoyed by all, and FIRST is looking forward to initiating many of the ideas discussed in the upcoming year.


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NHIAA Roundup: North cashes in with win over Memorial
February 02. 2013 11:06PM
The Nashua North boys' hockey team didn't put many shots on Manchester Memorial goaltender Aaron Nicolas on Saturday, but the Titans made the most of their opportunities.
Junior forward Jake Latham capped the scoring when he beat Nicolas with a backhanded shot from just outside the crease with 6:56 remaining to hand North a 3-2 victory at Conway Arena.
The victory extended North's winning streak to three games and improved the team's Division I record to 4-8-0. Memorial entered the game in first place, but suffered its second loss in as many games and fell to 9-3-0.
"It was a phenomenal game - a real nail-biter," North coach Dan Legro said. "This is big for us because we're trying to fight for a playoff spot and Memorial was at the top of the standings."
Nicolas finished the game with 16 saves. North goaltender Jake Genest stopped 25 shots.
"Genest played really well," Memorial coach Mark Putney said. "We had a lot of opportunities, but we didn't finish and let it slip away at the end. We'll regroup."
Jon Searles and Tim Paige also scored for the Titans, who struck twice in the second period and led 2-0 entering the third. Memorial tied the game on goals by Jacob Boylan and Brendan Sullivan.
Memorial was coming off a 4-3 loss to St. Thomas.
Trinity 4, Nashua South 1: At Goffstown, senior center Kyle Vallier and junior forward Mitch Myers each collected two goals to help the Pioneers raise their Division I record to 8-3-1.
A.J. Bender made 54 saves for South, which fell to 0-12-0. Owen McNulty scored for the Panthers. Trinity goaltender Jacob Zimmerman made 21 saves.
Pelham-Windham 4, Alvirne 1: At Tyngsborough, Mass., Pelham-Windam scored three first-period goal and ended a five-game losing streak.
Zach Malone scored twice for Pelham-Windham, which raised its Division II record to 4-6-1. Christian Gamst scored for Alvirne (3-9-0).
Pinkerton 8, Bishop Brady 2: At Hooksett, The Green Giants (1-11) opened the game with two goals on three shots, forcing Matt Marchman to take over the goalie position for the Astros (7-5). The senior stopped all 23 shots sent his while watching his offense score eight unanswered goals. Giovanni Corsetto hit the crossbar twice and bounced another off the post before scoring one goal and assisting on two others. His brother Dominic Corsetto added two goals and an assist. Devin Moore (one goal and two assists) and Ethan Christie (one goal and one assist) also had productive nights for Pinkerton,
Manchester Central 10, Concord 1: At Concord, sophomore center Colin Pacheco collected the first hat trick of his varsity career to help Central improve its Division I record to 8-3-0.
Austin Sprague added two goals for Central, which scored six goals in the second period and led 7-1 entering the third.
Colin Stevens scored for Concord, which slipped to 5-5-2.
Hollis/Brookline 6, Kearsarge 0: At Hudson, senior Will Holmes scored three goals and goaltender Travis Howard made 15 saves to record his first shutout of the season as the Cavaliers moved over .500 (7-6-0).
Tim Birch, Ian Rowe and Cassie Circelli also scored for Hollis/Brookline. Kearsage fell to 3-9-0.
Girls' hockey
Hanover 2, Lebanon 0: At Hanover, goals by Matti Hartman and Kelly Brigham allowed Hanover to remain unbeaten after 13 games (13-0-0). The Marauders received 20 saves from Katie Fenton.
Erika Moffit stopped 20 shots for Lebanon, which lost to Hanover for the second time this season and fell to 9-3-1.
Girls' basketball
Colebrook 69, Groveton 59: At Groveton, Colebrook beat Groveton for the second time this season and raised its Division IV record to 11-3. The victory extended Colebrook's winning streak to six games.
Groveton began the season with nine consecutive victories, but has lost four of its last five.


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You want a good return on your stocks and other investments, but what about the household products you buy?
You might not think of your morning coffee or holiday lights as a source of high ROI – return on investment – but you should.
"I'm a big believer in investing in quality over quantity, so buying certain products that are longer-lasting or better made help you spend less in the long run," said Tsh Oxenreider, author of the blog Simple Momand the book Organized Simplicity. "Being frugal doesn't mean spending the absolute least amount of money. It means being good stewards with the money you have."
So what items give you the biggest bang for your buck? Check out these 10 Products That Pay for Themselves.
By Cindy Perman Posted 17 November 2010


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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Iron Man has outgunned the entire Avengers crew in China.
According to distributor Disney, Robert Downey Jr.'s solo sequel "Iron Man 3" had a record opening in China with $21.5 million Thursday.
That tops the $17 million opening day for "Transformers: Dark of the Moon." It also beats the $18 million haul that "The Avengers" took in over its first two days in China last year.
Since it began rolling out overseas last week, "Iron Man 3" has climbed to $307.7 million worldwide. That's just a few million dollars shy of the international total "Iron Man 2" pulled in over its entire run.
The film launches in U.S. theaters with early screenings ahead of its official Friday release.


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After upgrading from the Solaris 7 3/99, 5/99, 8/99, or 11/99 operating environment to the Solaris 8 2/04 operating environment, the following errors might appear in the upgrade logs.
Doing pkgadd of SUNWplow to /. pkgadd: ERROR: unable to create package object </a/usr/openwin/share/locale/de.ISO8859-15>. file type <s> expected <d> actual unable to remove existing directory at </a/usr/openwin/share/locale/de.ISO8859-15> .... Installation of <SUNWplow> partially failed. pkgadd return code = 2 Doing pkgadd of SUNWpldte to /. WARNING: /a/usr/dt/appconfig/types/de.ISO8859-15 may not overwrite a populated directory. ...... pkgadd: ERROR: /a/usr/dt/appconfig/types/de.ISO8859-15 could not be installed. ....... Installation of <SUNWpldte> partially failed. pkgadd return code = 2
This warning occurs because the patch switches the affected directories in the upgrade logs from symbolic links to directories. The upgrade process then attempts to install an updated version of the package that does not include the change. These errors do not affect the operating environment on your system.
Workaround: Ignore these error messages.


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Long Distance Travel - Airports/Amtrak/Greyhound
Ronald Reagan Washington National AirportRonald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is located in Arlington, VA just across the Potomac River from the Nation's Capital. DCA is located approximately 9 miles from the Marriott Wardman Park.
Enter the National Airport Metro Station and take the Yellow line to Gallery Place/Chinatown Station, transfer to the Red Line towards Shady Grove. Exit at the Woodley Park-Zoo Metro Station.
Washington Dulles International AirportWashington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is located in Chantilly, VA. IAD is located approximately 26 miles from downtown Washington, DC and the Marriott Wardman Park.
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall AirportBaltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland and is about 10 miles south of Baltimore and approximately 30 miles northeast of Washington, DC and the Marriott Wardman Park.
Amtrak trains provide service to and from the BWI Marshall Rail Station, where free shuttles serve the airport terminal. To contact the BWI Marshall Rail Station, please call 410-672-6169.Take the Amtrak train from BWI Marshall Rail Station to Washington's Union Station. Board the Union Station Metro Red line train towards Shady Gove. Exit at the Woodley Park-Zoo Metro Station.
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., is the largest provider of intercity bus transportation, servicing more than 2,300 destinations with 13,000 daily departures across North America
Airport Shuttle Services


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UCLA (1-2) at Oregon State (0-2)
After a disastrous start to 2011, it was back to the drawing board for the Oregon State Beavers during their Week-3 bye.
Now, it's time to find out if Mike Riley's winless team has learned anything.
UCLA Bruins (1-2) vs. Oregon State Beavers
Saturday, September 24, 3:30 p.m. ET
Reser Stadium, Corvallis, Oregon
Favorite: Oregon State -4.5
Matchup Info
As conference play begins this week, the Beavers get UCLA in a home game they're favored to win. The competition gets considerably stiffer after Saturday's matchup, so it's fair to characterize the UCLA game as a must-win for OSU.
Before we address the quarterback controversy, the first question on many of our minds: what will Oregon State do to improve its running game, aside from asking Jacquizz Rodgers to enter a time machine, leave the Atlanta Falcons and return to college?
The Beavers ran for a pathetic 23 yards on 24 carries against Wisconsin during their 35-0 loss two weeks ago. Yes, mathematicians, that is less than one yard per carry. It helps this week that they'll face a UCLA team allowing 215 rushing yards per game.
On the other hand, top Oregon State rusher Malcolm Agnew is doubtful to play Saturday because of a hamstring injury.
Beavers fans therefore shouldn't be surprised if Oregon State abandons the run and tries to air it out this week. Riley named Sean Mannion the new starter at quarterback during the bye week. He'll supplant Ryan Katz, whose job was considered secure by most accounts as recently as three weeks ago.
It would make sense for Oregon State to throw often, as the team needs to know what it has with Mannion. Is he the true starter or just a stopgap until Katz sorts himself out?
UCLA has had trouble keeping points off the board but its offense could threaten Oregon State this week.
The Bruins run the ball well, averaging 215 yards per contest (as many as they allow). Johnathan Franklin is the bellcow but Derrick Coleman's 7.1 yards per carry and four touchdowns suggest he's the home-run threat.
Oregon State is the favorite at home, understandably, but this team isn't out of the woods. UCLA doesn't look like it will go quietly.
If the Beavers lose again entering next week's tough road game at Arizona State, will whispers of a winless season begin?


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Four Manchester teens arrested in stolen truck in Merrimack
March 19. 2014 2:17PM
MERRIMACK - Four Manchester youths arrested in connection with a stolen truck were scheduled for arraignment Wednesday afternoon in 9th Circuit Court, Milford District Division.Merrimack Police Lt. Denise Roy said the youths, one 14-year-old, two 15-year-olds and one 16, were to be arraigned in Milford because a judge wasn't available in the Merrimack court.Roy said when police stopped the truck on Baboosic Lake Road, about three-quarters of a mile from the police station, all four youths tried to escape. Two were caught immediately. Two others managed to escape temporarily, but thanks to a Nixle alert, a resident at the Webster Green condo complex spotted the youths and detained them until police arrived.Roy did not know the specific address in Manchester from which the truck was stolen, but she said it did not appear to be damaged.All four youths were charged with receiving stolen property and resisting arrest. One was charged with possession of marijuana, and the driver was charged with disobeying a police officer. She said the driver did not have a license.The cases will be handled in juvenile court.


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Super 8 Bay City properties are listed below. Search for cheap and discount Super 8 hotel prices in Bay City, MI for your personal or business trip. We list the best Super 8 Bay City hotels + motels so you can review the Bay City Super 8 hotel list below to find the perfect place.
Our booking engine will also list discounted Bay City, MI hotels + motels that are comparable to the quality of Super 8.Need a group/meeting discount? Request a group rate for Bay City MI
How should we direct your call?


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On Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011, at the Third Annual Celebration of Research, faculty from across campus collectively exhibited nearly 100 research posters throughout Buller Hall. Almost every academic department on campus was represented with at least one poster. This annual event celebrates the growing body of research produced each year at Andrews.
"This is a faculty Celebration of Research. All presentations are done by faculty, although many of the presentations have student co-authors. A student Celebration of Research is held in the spring," says Gary Burdick, research professor of physics and associate dean for research. "One purpose of the celebration is to allow students to see the research being done by their professors, allowing them to make connections with professors they might like to do future research with." According to Burdick, in 2010 alone, Andrews faculty produced 14 full-length books, 70 book chapters, 139 articles in professional journals, 53 book reviews, and have given a total of 274 conference presentations and 61 performances and exhibitions.
Professor emeritus and artist Greg Constantine exhibited his newest works, "Poetic License," featuring quotes about and by artists in the license-plate medium he has experimented with before. "One of the definitions of creativity is making connections and seeing the world in a new way," he says. Of his body of creative work, he says, "I pursue things that excite me." The other research projects represented at the poster session are the products of these connections in other disciplines.
|Curtis VanderWaal, chair of the Department of Social Work, explains his latest
research to Shandelle Henson, professor of mathematics. His poster was
entitled, "The Role of African Clergy in Reducing Mental Health & Substance
Abuse Disparities and Increasing Treatment Linkages for Congregants."
(Photo by IMC photographer Esther Nooner.)
Additionally, some students presented research they had coauthored with their professors. Department of Engineering & Computer Science students Tanner Williams, James Magbauna and Thomas Zirkle have assisted professors Boon-Chai Ng and Hyun Kwon with nationally published research. Joni Graves is a coauthor with Department of Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology chair Darah Regal on "The Efficacy of Differential Processing Training Program on Auditory Processing and Language Processing." The Celebration of Research gave these students the opportunity to work on scholarly research "completely different than anything I've done before," says Zirkle.
In addition to the 19 academic departments that presented research posters, the Celebration of Research also highlighted research activity from the Jordan Field School, the James White Library and the School of Distance Education.
The evening included a cycle of 12-minute oral presentations of research, highlighting work from a cross-section of departments, from History & Political Science and Social Work to Mathematics and Old Testament. Among the oral presentations was "Early Childhood Education Training in South Africa" by Heather Ferguson, associate professor of speech-language pathology, and "The Legacy of John Norton Loughborough to Seventh-day Adventism" by Brian Strayer, professor of history.
The evening concluded with four plenary presentations by the winners of the first Siegfried H. Horn Awards for Excellence in Research & Creative Scholarship. Shandelle Henson, professor of mathematics, described "The Mathematics of Animal Behavior" as it related to her own work with seagulls and sea lions. Larry Burton, professor of teacher education, gave a retrospective of his research career and his ever-evolving research interests. Karen Allen, professor of nursing, gave a short synopsis of her latest research, "Substance Abuse Systems of Care: Serving Young Children and their Families," and Richard Davidson, professor of Old Testament, closed the evening by presenting his research on "Sexuality, Sabbath, Spirituality, and Spirit: Stimulating Research in the Hebrew Scriptures."


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This is a whole new way to experience and have a bird's eye perspective on big events.
emoto captured and visualised the emotional intensity around the London 2012 Olympic Games, and provided a unique 'peoples' perspective on events as they happened.
Based on analysis of approx. 12.5 million Twitter messages, emoto presented both the big picture, the world from above, as well as the intimate and personal details enabling the viewer to zoom right in to specific detail. The dynamic nature of evolving news stories within the Olympic Games could be followed online via emoto, providing greater insight in real-time and an alternative perspective to that found in standard (eg TV) sport media coverage, or in the live experience for fans.
emoto was a data art project which set out to generate beauty and meaning out of the everyday interactions of millions of people.
The development and design of the online emoto visualization took a significant amount of time, developing and testing systems, building infrastructure as well as all of the front-end design and interface development of emoto. The team strove to ensure the creation of a real-time visualization that was original and insightful in its perspective; that it was accurate, dynamic and also beautiful, in making a vast amount of data immediately understandable to viewers in a moment through a couple of clicks of a mouse.
We had to jump many hurdles, from London 2012 branding restrictions to a change in the Terms of Service of Twitter. New limits on use of Twitter data meant entirely new infrastructure had to be built just two weeks prior to the London 2012 Opening Ceremony.
A special quality of emoto is that the data is archived in its entirety. This means that there is the possibility for continued research and investigation, using the information after the Games have concluded.
The emoto data sculpture video documentation can be seen via the Studio NAND vimeo channel.


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|Cheshire, Conn.
|High School:
As captain of the Yale Women's Swimming and Diving Team, Aidan hopes to lead her team to a successful season. An All-Ivy Team member, Aidan competed in the Ivy League Championships and finished fifth in the 100 yard butterfly and twelfth in the 200 yard butterfly. She has attended eleven YMCA Nationals and was National Champion in the 50, 100 and 200 meter Butterfly during various Long Course YMCA Nationals. As a result of her YMCA success, Aidan was chosen twice to train at the Olympic Training Center both in 2003 and 2004. A graduate of Cheshire High School in Cheshire, CT Aidan hails from a great swimming tradition. Cheshire High girls' swim team has not lost a dual meet since 1983. She was the Connecticut State High School Champion in the 100 butterfly for three consecutive years. A seven time All-American, Aidan has contributed to many successful relays in addition to her own individual wins. Aidan's most memorable athletic moment was when she witnessed her older sister and teammates win the 400 Yard Medley Relay at the 2001 Spring YMCA Nationals. From watching her sister's success Aidan drew much inspiration as a thirteen year old and aspired to stand on top of the winner's stand herself.


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Cubs' Cabrera focused on letting results do talking
MESA, Ariz. -- Alberto Cabrera's father still makes bread and sells it in Las Matas de Farfan in the Dominican Republic. Cabrera started working at the panaderia when he was 10, and would help mix the batter, and then sell the freshly baked items on the street.
Cabrera didn't start pitching until he was 16 years old, which is when the Cubs signed him as an amateur free agent. This week, the 25-year-old will find out if he's made the Cubs' Opening Day roster.
MESA, Ariz. -- Alberto Cabrera's father still makes bread and sells it in Las Matas de Farfan in the Dominican Republic. Cabrera started working at the panaderia when he was 10, and would help mix the batter, and then sell the freshly baked items on the street.
Cabrera didn't start pitching until he was 16 years old, which is when the Cubs signed him as an amateur free agent. This week, the 25-year-old will find out if he's made the Cubs' Opening Day roster.
"I've been telling him since Day 1 -- him, [Hector] Rondon, all of them, I told them, 'Look, if you want to ask somebody about not knowing where you're going, just ask me,'" Cubs pitcher Carlos Villanueva said Sunday. "I've been the 25th guy a lot of years."
Cabrera has pitched in the big leagues before, getting a promotion in August 2012 and again last September. But he's never made an Opening Day roster. The Cubs had a lot of pitchers in camp early, and Cabrera wasn't getting in games. He was worried.
"He was a little frustrated at the beginning, because he wasn't pitching as much as he wanted," Villanueva said. "I said, 'Look, there's nothing you can do to control that. You need to know the facts -- the facts are you know what you have and you know you have no options. Your option is whenever you get the chance to pitch, you go one-two-three, and every time you go out there, you do a good job.'"
If Cabrera felt the Cubs weren't paying attention, they are now.
"[I told him], 'If you go out there and throw eight, 10, 12 innings and give up one run and punch out 12, somebody's looking at that,'" Villanueva said. "There are scouts everywhere. If there's no room on this team, there will be room somewhere else. That's the mentality you need to have. You can't be, 'Oh, what's going to happen?' You can't worry it away. That's not going to help."
Cabrera has the right mindset. In eight games, he's given up one run on three hits, three walks and struck out six over nine innings for a 1.00 ERA. He's also finished four games.
"I just have to keep working," Cabrera said. "I don't know what's going to happen, but for me, I work hard and I keep working, pitching. I feel good. I know I have to keep working. If I don't do my job, I don't think anything good will happen, but if I do my job, something good will happen."
The Cubs have 17 pitchers still in spring camp, although Kyuji Fujikawa and Jake Arrieta will likely open the season on the disabled list, and James McDonald (shoulder) won't be ready for the start of the season. Four of the starters are set -- Jeff Samardzija, Edwin Jackson, Jason Hammel and Travis Wood -- and Villanueva or Chris Rusin could take over the fifth spot.
Jose Veras is the closer, and the pitchers who will set up the right-hander include James Russell, Wesley Wright and Pedro Strop. Villanueva will either be in the rotation as the fifth man or be in the bullpen, and that leaves Cabrera competing for one of the final spots with Rondon and Justin Grimm.
If Villanueva is in the rotation, that could create three openings, and Cabrera, Rondon and Grimm all make it. Wright and Strop also are out of options.
"I don't know if being out of options is the defining factor of somebody's thinking," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said of the roster. "I think their performances dictate that."
Cabrera has been used as both a starter and reliever in the Minor Leagues, and last season, at Double-A Tennessee, he was named to the Southern League All-Star team. He was 9-3 with a 3.20 ERA in 18 games with the Smokies, then promoted to Triple-A Iowa, where he was used strictly in relief.
"From what I gather, he looks very similar to how he looked a couple years ago," Renteria said of Cabrera, who has looked sharp some seasons, and struggled in others. In 2012, pitching strictly in relief, he compiled a 3.11 ERA in 36 games at Tennessee and Iowa.
This offseason, Cabrera was a regular at the Cubs' new academy in the Dominican Republic, working out three or four days a week there. His younger brother, Mauricio, 20, is in the Braves' organization and also is a pitcher.
Villanueva has seen improvement.
"What can you do with him? He's a kid who can help you," Villanueva said. "He is going to make it hard for the front office to make a decision, and that's all you can do. After that, you can't control what comes after that.
"You have to trust that whatever happens was supposed to happen," Villanueva said. "He made it difficult for them and he's done a great job. If I'm him, I can go to bed at night happy, because there's nothing more you can do. I'm proud of him. Hopefully, he can carry it through the season."
Cabrera appreciates the support from Villanueva and others.
"He's good people, a good teammate," Cabrera said of the veteran. "If they have people like that, 'Villa,' Rusin, they help the young guys -- Samardzija, too."
Their message?
"Keep working," Cabrera said. "If you keep working, something good will happen."
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings, and you can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat.


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It seems to be pouring for Teresa Giudice as the NYPost is new reporting more financial troubles for the Real Housewives of New Jersey star.
In addition to their $11 million debt and October 2009 bankruptcy filing, the Post is now reporting Joe Giudice is being accused by a former business partner of forging his signature on a mortgage document in order to take out another loan and pocket $1 million.
Court papers reveal the alleged forgery took place in 2007, and it's unknown what Joe did with the cash. The said business partner Joe Mastropole won an Oct. 23, 2009 judgment in his case, which is now in dispute because the Giudices filed for bankruptcy just days later.
An attorney for the Giudices admitted that Joe signed the document, but said he did so with Mastropole's permission. Mastropole however calls this "a lie."
The problems don't end there for the Giudices as people are also questioning whether the big time spenders – who owned three homes and drove a Cadillac Escalade and a Maserati — are really broke. "I think that Joe had numerous assets," said Bob Kaslander, co-owner of Excelsior Lumber in Butler, NJ, who was stiffed $91,266. "I don't think they're bankrupt."
The IRS is also currently investigating Joe Giudice's business interests, which included a stone and stucco company.
Get ready to see even more of the Kardashians whether you like it or not as the NYPost is reporting Khloe Kardashian and hubby Lamar Odom have gotten their own reality show.
Let's hope the show doesn't end the couple's marriage ala Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, Jon and Kate Gosselin etc.


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Oviedo, FL Music Performance Lessons
Looking for private in-home or in-studio Music Performance lessons? Our Oviedo teachers are ready to get you started. Find your teacher today!
Our online tools make booking, managing your schedule and paying for lessons easy and hassle-free.
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About Jill H.Close
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Learn to sing in front of an audience while using great vocal technique. Discover ways to enhance your singing performances or learn to play an instrument while singing.
About Jill
Since Jill is a vocal soloist, instrumentalist, accompanist and music director, she knows what it takes to prepare and rehearse and therefore she makes it clear which concept the student will be working on during
Jill has worked with children, teens and adults in many schools, churches and after school programs that she designed. Her success with students who are very young or students who come with disabilities or autistic spectrum diagnosis are moved by the music Jill creates. With the help of the ORFF-SCHULWERK certification, Jill has many ways of reaching children through the use of instruments, rhythm activities, games and other fun ways of learning. Breaking barriers is Jill's best asset, she will not quit until the student has an understanding of the instrument or his/her voice.
The young and the older adults find that taking lessons with Jill has brought them to a place of realizing their potential. Successful stories include pre-school age through students who are retired. The length of time one studies depends on the student's practice and diligence. Many students have started with Jill in preschool or elementary school and have continued through high school and college. Several college age students wanted to improve their singing or instrumental skills so goals were set and met through Jill's successful teaching ability. Several students learn music theory and many students have learned song-writing and creating arrangements.
Many of Jill's students have become better musicians and a considerable number of students have chosen music professions for their careers. Multiple students have won contests, auditioned for parts in musicals, started local bands and have become songwriters and performers after taking lessons with Jill. One student has recently auditioned for American Idol and has made it through several auditions. Teaching a myriad of students from various places in the world who have come to the United States has been a great experience. The cultural differences makes the teaching of these students exciting since Jill learns about music in their own home countries. Some of the students are from China, Germany, Norway, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Colombia, Puerto Rico and many who moved to Florida from some other state in the U.S.A. What a joy it has been to learn to communicate with these students and to verify that music is a universal language. By special request Jill is available for online lessons through internet and devices as well as traveling to student locations when her schedule allows. Students interested in online or in-home lessons should send a message to her to request certain days and times of availability.
Jill held the title "Steinway Pianos Concert and Artist Director" in Dallas TX in the 80's, working with Steinway artists and Dallas Symphony, Opera, Ballet and other events like planning pianos for Prince Charles' visit and many other concerts and events. Jill also performed in many Dallas venues as well as providing pianos for the Cowboys, the clubs, hotels, country clubs and museums including The Dallas Museum of Art.
"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers, plans succeed. " (Proverbs 15:22) It is Jill's belief that with her teaching qualifications and past record of success with student achievement and great experience studying with wonderful advisers, teaching YOU or YOUR CHILD will be one of success!
*** Lesson Details ***
Jill's teaching technique is flexible. Some students require a stern and strict approach while others seem to work best with more creative license. Jill is open to each student's needs. When booking lessons with Jill, one will find that the first thing she will do is find out more about the student's needs and desires to succeed in their chosen instrument. Meeting goals are important in music and in life!
Because of her flexible approach, method books vary depending on the student's need to succeed. Sometimes young students will need to review several beginning methods until their reading skills are achieved. For the young students, Jill teaches theory and gives the young students time during the lesson to explore musical symbols and try their hands at improvisation, rhythms, manuscripts and creativity.
Some students may desire to learn to play "by ear" or through improvisational skills. Jill is very good with improv and her song writing skills are strong. When a student desires to write music, Jill is there to help with questions about time signatures, note values, key signatures and transpositions.
Taking lessons with Jill is a journey that those who have tried have not had regrets. Several parents and past students would be happy to tell you how their talents and gifts improved after working with Jill for a few months. After three months of working together, Jill will know how to pursue the student's musical career. After 6 months the student will be able to play complete songs and have a sense of basic music theory. The hope is for the student to be confident of their instrument's abilities and to have a list of repertoire for upcoming events in the student's life.
Several of Jill's students have taken their skills, gifts and talents to the professional level. Students who have studied with Jill are professional music directors in high schools, middle schools, elementary schools, churches, soloists and some who are in school studying music as their major. Taking lessons with Jill will be something that will add value to the student's life forever because MUSIC is her life! Without music, the world would be a very dull place and individuals would be unhappy and depressed in every walk of life. Music brings out the beauty of creation and man's ability to skillfully play an instrument for pleasure or for one's occupation.
*** Studio Equipment ***
Yamaha Conservatory Grand
Roland keyboard
5 string bass guitar/amp
5 string banjo
small MACKIE mixer with Shure mics
Gibson electric guitar with effects and amp
6 string Takamine e-coustic with amp
recorder (the instrument)
tambourines and many percussion instruments
music stands
soprano and baritone ukuleles
various rhythm instruments
Mallets and tone blocks
*** Travel Equipment ***
I can provide my own equipment, but I expect the student to provide his/her own instruments and music stand.
*** Specialties ***
My specialty in voice comes from years of lessons and performance experience. Including solo gigs, bands and service performances such as parties, weddings, funerals, organizational roles, skills, clubs, recordings, hotels, country clubs, churches, schools and much more. She uses many methods, handouts and books to bring out various ideas to learn to sing correctly. Jill takes each individual at his/her level and tries to improve breathing technique, posture, enunciation with style and phrasing, depending on the student's aspirations.
Jill plays most instruments including piano, guitar, bass guitar, band instruments, ukulele, banjo, dulcimer, drums, percussion, harmonica, trumpet, clarinet, recorder, mandolin and violin. Jill enjoys many styles of music and she has played with many bands and groups throughout her musical career. She is a full time musician, music teacher and music director. Years of experience traveling the U.S. And Bahamas with bands, choirs and ensembles enables Jill to work well with many styles of music including contemporary, rock, Christian, Broadway, classical, country, bluegrass, jazz and her favorite, blues.
Sign up for five lessons today and you will not be disappointed.
Here's to your success!!!
· Ukulele · In studio
· Singing · In studio
· Violin · In studio
Jill H.
Jill H.
About Akiyla M.Close
View Full Profile
These lessons are for individuals who are performers and looking to refine and enhance their talents. Lessons will include music that the student wants to work on, as well as, techniques and songs that the instructor feels would improve the students capabilities.
These are some of the things that will be done in lessons:
Vocal Exercises
Abdominal Exercises
Breathing Exercises
Improvisation Exercises
Basic Piano
*Guitar skills refined (If student already knows how to play)
About Akiyla
*** Lesson Details ***
My s
*** Travel Equipment ***
I have voice books for soprano singers, a piano, and a guitar. I require students to provide their own voice books (if I require them for your particular session), a notebook, and a recording device.
*** Specialties ***
Classical-Spirituals, Opera, Romantic, Baroque, etc.
· Piano · In studio
· Singing · In studio
· Singing ·
Akiyla is an absolutely amazing teacher! She not only helped me improve my singing ability, but also helped me feel more confident all around.
Akiyla M.
Akiyla M.
About Nicole O.Close
About Nicole
I was five years old when I discovered my singing voice. My youthful curiosity soon blossomed into a passion for musical expression through voice, violin, piano, and guitar. My mission is to share the musical exploration that has enriched my life by fostering my students' desires to express themselves through music.
As a teacher, I focus equally on formal technique and artistic expression. Mastering correct form provides the foundation upon which a student's capacity for the latter may grow. Techniques used during lessons are designed to develop a holistic understanding of music through aural, visual, and tactile cues. These include ear training, sight-reading, improvisation and using visualization to navigate the instrument. Progress is e
Nicole has performed with the Rollins College Bach Festival Society Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. John V. Sinclair. She has also performed with the Florida Space Coast Philharmonic under the direction of Dr. Candler Schaffer. She is experienced as a session musician, recording vocals and violin at Wright Entertainment Group Studios (Justin Timberlake) with producer Will Baker (India Arie, Pink). She has performed as a soloist at the White House, Bob Carr Performing Arts Center, Amway Arena, and Hard Rock Live.
Nicole holds Bachelor of Arts degrees (with honors) in Music and Anthropology, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Rollins College. A member of the Honors Program (top 2%), and one of nine Cornell Scholars in her graduating class, she is very grateful to have been awarded a full academic scholarship. Nicole pursued concentrations in Violin and Vocal Performance, as well as Ethnomusicology. Nicole served as co-concertmaster of the Rollins College Orchestra and String Ensemble for three, consecutive years, under the direction of Dr. John V. Sinclair. She was featured at Christmas Vesper services in a solo performance of Winter (The Four Seasons) by Vivaldi, at the Knowles Memorial Chapel. Nicole has studied violin with Joni Roos and Alvaro Gomez, protege of David Oistrakh. She has performed as a soloist with the Rollins College Gospel and Concert Choirs and studied vocal pedagogy and performance with Dr. Edmund Leroy and Dr. Lori Lovell. At Rollins, Nicole studied piano with Dr. Gloria Cook and enjoys playing classical, jazz, and Latin styles. Nicole has studied classical guitar for seven years and especially enjoys playing Latin American folk music and flamenco. Nicole pursued her love of world music in publishing her senior honors thesis, "Cultural Fusion of Music Constructs: A Look at Hybrid World Styles," analyzing the effects of globalization on traditional, ethnic musics. She has published research in the Rollins Undergraduate Research Journal, where she also served as Music and Anthropology Editor for three years.
· Singing · In home
· Violin · In studio
· Piano · In studio
Nicole O.
Nicole O.
About Damien S.Close
Teaching live performance techniques, sound and performance aesthetics.
About Damien
*** Lesson Details ***
Damien is a very patient and moderately, laid back teacher. He will teach what you want to learn, yet give you suggestions on other avenues to approach. Basics lead to complete knowledge of any subject. S
Damien teaches ages of 5-99. You are never too young or old to learn. Damien's main focus is guitar and music theory
*** Travel Equipment ***
I would expect the student to provide their own guitar (if necessary) and a notebook
I have private parking for my students, so they don't have to worry about parking, ever !
*** Specialties ***
I have been taught, on a college level, of classical, jazz, ethnic musics. I specialize in guitar, theory, composition.
· Bass Guitar · In home
· Banjo · In studio
· Banjo · Online
Damien S.
Damien S.
About Alayne A.Close
My genres for performing are Classical, Broadway and 40's Jazz. I teach all the styles to my students: Pop, R&B, Rock, Country, Alternative, Broadway, Opera, Classical Sacred, and Contemporary Christian and Gospel.
About Alayne
Engel School of Music, Orlando, Fl. I taught voice lessons at this prestigious downtown music school for six years. Owner/operator, Drucilla Engel.
I graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN in 1974 with a Bachelor of Music Education degree with voice as my major. I studied opera and musical theatre, performed in musicals, operas and the group, "The Singing Hoosiers",
I received a Bachelor of Vocal Performance from Indiana Universtiy in 1975. Languages: Italian, German, French, and Latin. Performed in group, ''The Belles of Indiana".
Paid church soloist for 2 years during college years and worked as a summer stock singer at Cedar Point theme park, Sandusky, Ohio in 1971 and a singer/dancer in a Cole Porter Musical Revue at King's Island, Cincinnati, Ohio in 1972.
Walt Disney World entertainer from 1976-1978. "Kids of The Kingdom", singing and dancing group of 12, performing at Castle Forecourt,and Tomorrow Land stages in the Magic Kingdom . Traveled throughout the US with conventions, and guest starred at Radio City Music Hall in NYC, with the "Rockettes", for 5 months under the direction of Peter Gennaro. Numerous recordings with "The Kids". Recorded 2 demo CD's.
Hoop-de-do Show, Fort Wilderness,Walt Disney World. Dinner show, character: Flora- singing and dancing for one season in 1978.
"Singing Snow White", Walt Disney World, seasonal show. Sang on parade float and on small balcony stage, behind the Castle Forecourt. I sang three solos from this Disney musical.
"Seesaw"-pop nightclub band of four musicians and lead vocalist, performing in Central Florida clubs. Late 1970's.
Opera Camerata Chorus in Orlando, Fl. - 1976-1979
Church and Wedding soloist for local Orlando area. Present day
"The Dickens Carolers', quartets entertaining seasonally. Agent/owner: Carol Becker. Present day.
Recitals and Sacred Concerts in Central Florida. Present day.
*** Lesson Details ***
I teach weekly lessons, with daytime and evening hours available, Monday through Thursday . I recommend an hour lesson. I give vocalizations to practice and develop good technique. Repertoire/songs are chosen by the student and myself. I encourage students to be well-rounded and try different genres/styles and even give me a "wish list" of songs they would like to learn. I give guidelines on how much to practice and what to practice. I help train the student's eye and ear and work with harmonization/parts, if needed. I help the student to develop their voice with strength, stamina, clarity, resonation, projection, expressiveness, and emotional impact. Progress will be continually evident throughout the students' study. Lessons are recorded on CD for every lesson, as this is a great efficient learning tool.
*** Studio Equipment ***
Tascam CD recorder
Mackie Pro mixing board
Korg electric keyboard
JVC karaoke CD player with key change capability
JVC triple CD player with key change capability
Four Advent speakers for super stereo sound
Peavey microphone
Leader microphone
*** Specialties ***
Voice, Sight-singing
I teach in the classical bel canto style and technique, which is how I was trained at Indiana University. I have been teaching all genres, including pop/rock, classical, jazz, country, r&b, and gospel/contemporary christian/traditional sacred.
· Opera Voice · In studio
I really recommend her.
· Singing · In studio
· Singing · In studio
Alayne is a great listener, very flexible, and made the leason fun. I felt she made my goals a priority to fit into her lesson plan that still covered the basics. I appreciate having the CD to practice with at home.
Alayne A.
Alayne A.
About John M.Close
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Despite what TakeLessons says about my location, I can come to you even if you don't live on the East side.
About John
Besides teaching, I love learning too. Anytime I have a question I immediately start seeking out the answer. Learning never stops!
*** Lesson Details ***
Ever wondered how musicians write music? Why do they make the choices they make? Why do those choices work? Why does music work the way that it does? I can answer all these questions and much more.
With me as your guide, I will unlock your musical superpowers and make you capable of things you didn't know were possible. I have many different methods for teaching not only technique, but how to listen, and ho
*** Travel Equipment ***
I can provide my guitar, picks, and tuner and that's really all you will need as well.
I'll occasionally bring my laptop with me to use some music software to assist in my lessons.
I'll always have pens and paper so I can make notes or diagrams if needed. I highly recommend that my students have a spiral notebook so I can more easily cater to them.
*** Specialties ***
I specialize in many musical genres including rock, ska, punk, progressive, jazz, folk, and more. Music theory is a big part of what I do as it's the universal language of music. If you learn enough theory, you can learn ANY instrument.
· Guitar · In home
· Guitar · In home
· Acoustic Guitar · In home
John M.
John M.
About Bob W.Close
Gaining the techniques is one thing, but being able to perform them is a totally different skill which needs focus. I can provide performance practice techniques to help you deliver your music and engage the audience.
About Bob
*** Lesson Details ***
My goal as a teacher is to prepare students for the next step in their endeavors. I strive to be a mentor to my students and guide them in bringing out their talents while overcoming their difficulties. I believe that a good teacher is also a good student and benefits from a collaborative relationship within the role of professional guide.
*** Studio Equipment ***
Fender Princeton Tube Guitar Amp
Full PA S
Recording capabilities for audio and video per student preference.
Logic Pro Studio for Audio
*** Specialties ***
Guitar, Songwriting, Music Theory
· Guitar · In studio
· Guitar · In studio
Bob W.
Bob W.
About thomas J.Close
About thomas
( I teach all ages from children to adults and seniors. )
· Guitar · In home
thomas J.
thomas J.
About Chet D.Close
View Full Profile
Whether playing just for your own enjoyment or as part of a popular ensemble, the course in music performance will enhance your skills and confidence. You will learn how to selectively use recorded tracks from Audacity to act as sort of a "third-hand". Learn about pads and effects and when to properly use those. Discernment is key and you will learn which songs work for keyboards and which do not.
About Chet
Chet D.
Chet D.
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Open Mic 101: How to Overcome Stage Fright & More
Thinking about stopping by an open mic night, or hitting the stage for karaoke? Performing in front of others is a fantastic way to boost your confidence and meet other musicians in the area - but it can also be pretty scary if you're a newbie! Luckily, learning how to overcome stage fright is easy when you focus on the right things. Read on to learn more about how open mic nights work, how to prepare for your first performance, and how to overcome your stage fright: How Do Open Mic Night … Read More


text:
In March, I pointed you to a Microsoft survey about a new data-modeling tool that Microsoft hasn't yet announced but is presumably planning. In my commentary "Data Modelers, Arise, and Take Microsoft's New Survey", I asked you what design features are most important for Microsoft to include in a data-modeling tool. I also promised to share my thoughts about what we need in a data-modeling solution.
First, I want to share a dirty little secret about database modeling: Most developers build databases without using a comprehensive logical model. Physical models that specify table design are common, but generally, those physical models are built piecemeal, a few tables at a time. If a logical model exists, the developer typically uses it only early in the project's life cycle. Second, I want to share an opinion that might seem ludicrous to many of my database colleagues. Building databases without logical models isn't the huge problem that most DBAs and data modelers believe it is. I'm not saying that a robust modeling exercise is a bad thing. I simply recognize that life goes on even though many customers skip the modeling phase. Egads! How could such heresy escape my lips? Will I be branded with a scarlet H by a band of angry data modelers? Maybe. But these two points will help you understand what I want in a data-modeling tool. (I assume that you understand basic data-modeling concepts and that I don't have to explain them here.)
Most data-modeling tools ignore the day-to-day modeling and design needs that designers face. Making nice pictures of my tables is a fraction of what I need to worry about and model. I might be stretching the textbook definition of database modeling, but I think a model should include all the physical components of the database system—components that fall outside the scope of traditional data-modeling tools. What about my Data Transformation Services (DTS) packages, SQL Server Agent jobs, stored procedures, indexes, views, indexed views, computed columns, users, roles, permissions, physical disk layout, and anything else I can think of? The list is endless. I want a data-modeling tool to provide traditional database modeling that addresses the physical database and my server-modeling needs.
Failing to model can lead to numerous problems, and I spend a lot of time modeling the systems that I work with. However, I've done performance tuning and other fix-it-after-the-fact problem solving for many customers who haven't conducted a rigorous modeling exercise. Most of these customers' applications are reasonably well designed and meet or exceed the needs of the business community they serve. Plus, few of my clients' performance problems end up being related to schema problems. I think that the developer community has learned basic data modeling. The applications aren't perfect and might not be well normalized, but they aren't crippled by egregious modeling errors either.
Modeling is important, but most people get away with doing less modeling than textbooks recommend. However, many customers suffer severe consequences related to performance, availability, and manageability because they don't have better tools for designing and managing the physical database and server. Maybe it's a pipe dream to think that Microsoft can give me a tool that addresses my logical data-modeling needs and the myriad physical-modeling problems that I need to consider. Maybe—but I can hope, can't I?


text:
State officials prepare for more algae outbreaks in lakes
- on May 11, 2012
Officials from several state agencies today briefed the media on so-called "blue-green algae" outbreaks, which they said were likely worse last summer than they have ever been.
But they said they couldn't predict how serious the problem might be this year.
"I don't think any of us really know," said Mike Tate, director of the Bureau of Water at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. "It seems like a crapshoot as to where we might go this summer."
Blue-green algae are actually various types of cyanobacteria. Under certain conditions, algae blooms can form and become health hazards. Skin contact can cause allergic reactions and ingesting the infected water can cause diarrhea, vomiting and worse. Pets and livestock can die from drinking too much infected water.
Last year, blue-green algae outbreaks in public lakes killed at least five dogs and sickened at least 13 people. KDHE issued warnings at 16 lakes — three lasting most of the summer — and advisories at another four.
Lawrence and Johnson County also temporarily suspended use of Kansas River water last year due to concern that toxic cyanobacteria would move from the river into the municipal water intakes that feed some of the water treatment plants that produce drinking water.
Tate said the conditions that led to the large-scale hazardous algae blooms experienced last year were:
• Spring storms causing significant runoff into lakes;
• Long periods of hot, dry summer weather with little wind;
• Minimal water releases from the lake;
• And accumulation of pollutants in the water, primarily excess nitrogen and phosphorus commonly found in farm and lawn fertilizers.
The source of pollutants in the water varies from lake to lake, Tate said.
"It depends on the particular watershed. There are some, particularly urban lakes, where it may well be urban fertilizer from lawns that are the primary source of the nutrients. Whereas more rural reservoirs, it may be more agricultural related," he said.
Economic impact
Last year was the second year that KDHE issued advisories and warnings for harmful algae blooms.
Advisories mean that activities such as boating and fishing may be safe, but direct water contact should be avoided by humans and entirely by pets or livestock. Warnings mean that all water activity should be avoided, except boating where water is unlikely to splash on passengers.
Six lakes were under warning and advisory for 27 days or more in 2011. At the top end were Logan State Fishing Lake at 111 days, and Marion and Milford lakes at 91 days.
About 6 million visits were made to state parks last year, down nearly 1 million from the year before, said Steve Adams of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.
"Some of that could be because of the excessive heat last summer, too — it's hard to say," Adams said.
He said park revenue fell 9 percent last year to $5.5 million. To offset the loss, the budget bill now being negotiated contains a $800,000 supplemental appropriation for the parks division.
→ More information on khi.org — including symptoms of cyanobacteria infection and how to get water from your private pond tested.
Tagged: cyanobacteria, livestock, skiing, pond, fishing, lake, blue-green, algae, kdhe, pets, park, water, fertilizer, bloom, boating
cato_the_elder 6 years, 5 months ago
Give it all to Barack so that he can make gasoline out of it.
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text:
Snow dunes
Colette M. Metcalf 4/29/2005 7:52:29 PMNice image, Fermin!! #242896
Fermin Garde fj-CDL 4/30/2005 7:10:35 AMThanks Colette.
Rhonda Smith 5/22/2005 9:01:25 AMBeautiful shot Fermin.. Congratulations! #1380170
Cora Miller 5/22/2005 9:11:54 PMCongratulations on being chosen as a finalist, Fermin! This is a wonderful shot! #1383356
Fermin Garde fj-CDL 5/23/2005 12:15:37 PMThanks Rhonda and Cora.
Kerby Pfrangle 5/24/2005 2:25:16 PMFermin congratulations on your finalist.
WOnderful job.
Good luck in the final rounds.
Kerby #1391054
Basque mountains
2005_01_30 09:03
Uploaded on 4/29/2005 2:31:13 PM
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