text:
HOYLAKE, England – All was quiet on the Royal Liverpool Golf Club front Saturday heading into next week's 143rd British Open.
That was until Tiger Woods rolled into the car park.
With only a few players out for practice rounds and even fewer spectators, there was a peaceful calm throughout the massive grounds as workers put the finishing touches on the golf course. But midway through the afternoon, Woods walked to the first tee with playing partner Patrick Reed and word spread quickly.
Soon the twosome and their mini entourages were joined by upwards of 75 spectators following along even as the gloomy skies began to spit rain.
Woods wanted to get his feet wet – and literally did just that as he played the first six holes of the course and the final six. Next week's start is only his second following back surgery March 31 and comes three weeks after he made his return – and missed the cut – at the Quicken Loans Invitational at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.
ALL TIGER: ESPN offers exclusive coverage
And this was the first time Woods had been back to Hoylake since he won the 2006 British Open here while famously hitting his driver just once during the entire tournament. Woods was at the height of his power back then, winning his second consecutive British Open that year, the victory coming halfway through a stretch during which he won six majors in 14 starts, finished second four times, third once and fourth once.
"It felt good," Woods said Saturday about being back. "I remember most of the holes, which was nice. … There really weren't (any emotions). I just wanted to get out here and get a feel for the golf course. Yesterday we were in Geneva for a Rolex outing. Today I just wanted to get out here and get my feet wet."
Woods, who will play an 18-hole practice round on Sunday, went on vacation with his two children the week after missing the cut in the Quicken Loans. He turned it into a working vacation. Last week he put in a lot of work in Florida as he continued his comeback from his latest setback.
"Growing," Woods said when asked about his confidence concerning his game. "Congressional was big for me, the fact I could go out there and play and I got better as the days went on. It was a little bit eerie and iffy if that was going to happen or not, especially with how hard I was hitting the ball.
"But I've got my speed back, which is nice, and I'm starting to hit the ball out there again. I'm only going to get stronger. As the weeks go on, I'm getting stronger and faster.
" … This is how I used to feel. I had been playing with (the back injury) for a while and I had my good weeks and bad weeks. Now they are all good."
Woods has been bothered by the back for two years now. Last year he won the PGA Tour's Player of the Year for a record 11th time but said he had good weeks and bad weeks when it came to his back.
This year had been nothing but bad as he's played just four times. He missed the Saturday cut and finished in a tie for 80th in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines (where he's won eight times); withdrew in the final round of the Honda Classic because of his back; finished in a tie for 25th in the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship when a bad back led to a final-round 78.
He said he could barely get out of bed and had no chance of playing with his two kids in the days leading up to his decision to have microdiscectomy surgery for a pinched nerve.
As he played the 12 holes at Royal Liverpool, there was no apparent pain or restrictions as he hit a variety of shots, thoroughly tested the pot bunkers and putted extensively on each hole.
"I'm not favoring anything," Woods said. "The little baby steps (during rehab) worked. … I can do whatever I want. I'm at that point now. We didn't think we'd get to that point until this tournament or the week after.
"But I feel great."
An earlier version of this story incorrectly started the edition of this year's British Open.
PHOTOS: Tiger Woods' PGA Tour victories


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Is anyone else sad and a little disappointed that the end of the manga didnt resolve like anything?
yer the ending was meh it really dissapointed
It's not over yet O_O
Never Forget, I miss you all and love you all so much. Thank you
Although the ending wasn't great I still think it's sad to see it end after reading 409 chapters of it.
Watchin' Anime!!!
Well, the ending kinda makes sense, since he doesnt have any more to teach tsuna, but yeah i agree, bad ending -.-' feels way to forced imo, also i hate the fact they left so much open :/
fish go m00
As endings go I must admit its kind of poor not much was really established with the characters and you don't get any real sense of closure. Although saying that they could always do what shaman king did and release a follow up manga so many years after.
Poor ending.. was like the author just gave up somewhat. We didn't get to see more of Kawahira or learn of his 'species'. Tsuna is still a whiny kid. It would have been nice to see what he'd look like 10 years later since that hasn't officially been revealed. Reborn was also too soft, he should have really left Tsuna and maybe that would have finally given him the push he needed to become the boss, but he comes back with the title "Neo Vongola Primo"... WTF?
They should have continued with the ceremony the Shimon family interrupted and/or show him older, more mature and ready to start a family to give some kind of closure so we'd know the purpose of the show was reached. On that note, I also have no idea why they'd bring up Tsuna's love interests up right at the end if he wouldn't even pick either Kyoko nor Haru.
Tsuna still doesn't know that it was reborn that helped him out either in the fight with Iemitsu or the Vindice leader (forgot his name).. what happened to his hyper intuition? Or just the good ol' common sense..
Apparently the purpose of the manga was not for him to become Vongola 10th, but to realise he's changed just a tiny bit because he now has friends -_- Xanxus must be so pissed that he lost to someone that keeps rejecting the thing he wanted to become the most..
♪ ✖ Breath of The Wild | Persona 5 | Gravity Rush 2 ∧(◉A◉ ∧)
Yeah, it ends in such a hurry way... can not understand, the manga is good.
He had to end it. He had painted himself into a corner. There weren't a lot of ways for him to continue having battles of increasing strength without it becoming silly. It looks like it was done on purpose and I actually like the non-ending ending.
I believe he wanted to begin his new project as soon as possible. That new manga, "New Policewoman Kireko-san", which begins next week, probably it's what the author wants to begin to serialize. Sometimes the mangaka gets bored drawing it's own manga, and wishes to finish to begin a new one as fast as possible.
I don't think this is the true ending, probably in some years we'll get a well thought one. For now, we'll have to stay with this silly one
It felt like they werent planning to end it at 409. It was like they just suddenly decided to end the manga in the next chapter. Really disappointing ending <.<
If I don't have to do it, I won't. If I have to do it, I'll make it quick.
Reborn was made a woman guys :o
And btw there is supposed to be a 410 and 411 , which will most likely tie the rest of it up. I just think she Amano wanted to move on to something else as quickly as possible so she's stalling the ending.
Even with 410 and 411 it will be too short. Is he gonna become vongola 10th in 2 chapters? Oh well i guess we will see the conclusion then.
If I don't have to do it, I won't. If I have to do it, I'll make it quick.
There were so many unanswered questions >.< Wish the ending would have an epilogue or something of when they are older and with at least some of the unanswered questions answered T.T But it was okay, just not the perfect ending for the manga. I do wish there would be another series though that would show the later chapters of the manga
well, i thought the ending was alright! the end of the curse of the rainbow arc was shit though.. SO rushed. but the overall ending was pretty satisfying. at least it wasnt a sad or stupid one like kuroshitsuji season 2 anime.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
OVB: Outside Vertical Bar
VRCB: Volatility Reduced Compression Bar
Core Position: $50,000,000
PowerShares DB Agriculture (DBA):
08/24/2012 Closing Price: 29.91
Intermediate Term Trend is bullish.
Current Position: FLAT
Current Downside Targets = 27.94 – 27.40
Projected Weekly Range: .49
Trading 185,000 Shares
- Initial trade risk was $138,750 or .28%. Current trade risk is $99,900 or .20%.
- DBA is a comprehensive agricultural ETF. Holdings include fairly equally-weighted futures contracts in sugar #11, live cattle, corn, soybeans, cocoa, coffee, lean hogs, wheat, and cattle feeder.
- Following three consecutive VRCBs, DBA rallied early last week on the bullish momentum of wheat, corn and soybeans. Commodity prices then fell back down to Monday prices with DBA closing out below the midrange and slightly above the open. Price action is bullish divergent, establishing a much higher-high and higher-low. Friday's close in the bottom quartile is a bearish indicator showing short-term resistance near an I.T. top. The complete failure to violate 30.44 in the last three weeks leaves us bullishly optimistic as we still believe the ag's have greater upside potential. A correction down to our current price target range will be ideal for entering a long position.
iPath DJ-UBS Grains (JJG):
08/24/2012 Closing Price: 63.45
Intermediate Term Trend is bullish.
Current Position: LONG @ 62.25 on 08/20/2012; STOP @ 62.25
Current Upside Target = 70.95
Projected Weekly Range: 2.69
Trading 87,000 Shares; COVERED 17,400 @ 64.45
- JJG is concentrated in agricultural grain futures, holding 46% soybeans, 30% wheat and 24% corn.
- Initial trade risk was $191,400 or .38%. Current trade risk is 0%. Current trade profits are $121,800 or .24%.
- We entered our long position last Monday coming off a low-risk VRCB buy signal. Initial risk was so low that we also covered 20% of our position the following day at 64.45 and moved our STOP to the entry price of 62.25. Price action for JJG was exceptionally bullish yet Friday's close near the midrange wasn't as strong as we had hoped. Currently trading at prices not seen since July 2008, we believe JJG still has greater upside potential and will meet our upside target within the near future. Look for slightly higher trading this week with the slight probability of a substantial breakout.
SPDR Gold Shares (GLD):
08/24/2012 Closing Price: 161.97
Intermediate Term Trend is bullish.
Current Position: FLAT
Current Upside Target = 165.88
Projected Weekly Range: 3.56
Trading 35,000 Shares
- GLD's single holding is gold bullion.
- GLD finally made a considerable move through the long-term resistance level of 158. We have been waiting for this bullish move since mid-June when we first reported on the high probability of seeing 160 before retesting yearly lows yet just missed our buy entry put out last week after gapping higher Tuesday. Price action was very bullish as GLD displayed the strongest I.T. buying pressure since the week ended June 1, 2012. Friday's close in the top 10% of the weekly range indicates 163.02 should trade this week. Last week also confirmed a lower bottom had finally formed, reversing the I.T. trend to bullish. If momentum continues and our upside target is achieved, look for a revised, more aggressive price target to follow.
In this morning's ETF Intermediate Weekly Report on (GLD), our current gold position was indicated as FLAT based off missing the fill price issued in last week's report trying to go LONG this market at 157.81. This is due to the fact that this report only goes out once per week on Monday with no updates intraweek to our non-paying viewers. It is important to note, however, that our intraweek signal did get filled LONG this market on Tuesday's GAP opening at 158.81 after violating the high of the week ending 08/10/12 of 157.82 which our subscribed clients were privy to with intraweek updates that are distributed when necessary.


text:
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ENERGY STAR and the ENERGY STAR mark are registered U.S. marks, Click here (In English).
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text:
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- some detail
- full detail
Austria and the European Union
Paul Luif
Austria was occupied at the end of World War II by the four Allies, but in contrast to Germany the four powers left in 1955—the condition being its declaration of permanent neutrality, on which the Soviet Union had insisted.
In the first half of the 1950s, relations with the new-founded European Coal and Steel Community were being discussed in Austria, because the organization encompassed Austria's two most important trading partners at that time, West Germany and Italy. But after the uprising in October-November 1956 in neighboring Hungary, Austria started to stress more its neutrality, excluding European Economic Community (EEC) membership. Instead, it joined other European countries to create a less integrated economic entity, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in 1960.
Not until the mid-1980s did debate about membership in the now European Community (EC) start again. Economic problems and a narrower interpretation of neutrality led to Austria's application for EC (later European Union) membership in July 1989. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 and the application of other EFTA countries, Austria finally acceded to the EU on January 1, 1995 (along with Finland and Sweden). The political system and its economy adjusted relatively smoothly to the challenges of EU membership; the "social partnership," while losing some of its power, could maintain its influence on Austrian politics. Eastern enlargement of the EU brought further economic advantages for Austria.
As one of the smaller EU countries and a non-NATO member, Austria has a somewhat unique position in the EU. Environmental policy and supporting EU membership of the Balkan countries are among the important "niches" for Austrian EU activities. But the country has no close partners in the EU, because it is not participating in the "Visegrad" cooperation of the other Central European EU members. This difficulty clearly showed during the "sanctions" period of the EU-14 against the new Austrian government in 2000.
Erica Frantz
Dictatorships have dominated global politics for hundreds of years, from the pharaohs of Egypt to the absolute monarchs of Europe. Though democracy has since spread to much of the world, about a third of today's countries are still ruled by dictatorship. And yet, compared to democracies, we know very little about how dictatorships work, who the key political actors are, and where decision-making powers lie. Political processes are opaque, and information is often intentionally distorted. Political survival depends not on maintaining the favor of voters, as in democracies, but on securing the backing of a considerably smaller coalition of supporters. The absence of a reliable third party to enforce compromises among key players means that power-sharing deals lack credibility and the threat of forced ouster is omnipresent. Uncertainty pervades authoritarian politics.
Modern autocrats respond to this uncertain environment in a variety of ways. They use political parties, legislatures, elections, and other institutions typically associated with democracies to lessen their risk of overthrow. Despite the façade of democracy, these institutions are key components of most autocrats' survival strategies; those that incorporate them last longer in power than those that do not. The specific ways in which autocratic institutions are used and the extent to which they can constrain leadership choices to prevent consolidation of power into the hands of a single individual, however, vary enormously from one dictatorship to the next. Better understanding the conditions that push autocracies down a path of collegial versus strongman rule remains a critical task, particularly given that the latter is associated with more war, economic mismanagement, and resistance to democratization.
The Baltic States in the European Union
Tanel Kerikmäe, Archil Chochia, and Max Atallah
Integration with the European Union has been far less distressing for the three Baltic States than for numerous other accessing countries owing to their strong societal impetus to (re)join Western political, economic, and legal culture after they regained their independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. However, the accession of these states—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—had several distinctive features related to constitutional background and settings, which heavily influenced problem solving between government and the EU institutions.
In general, the controversial issues regarding how to solve the problems with supranational power have never been dramatic with regard to the Baltic States, which leads to the assumption that often the governments have taken rather compliant positions. The latest cases, such as the European Stabilization Mechanism, indicate the change in paradigm: the three Baltic States are more aware of the margin of appreciation and actual borderlines between policy making- and decision making.
Today, in setting up an EU-related agenda, more skills than previously are needed in finding allies and choosing partners. The road the Baltic States took in joining the EU was a difficult one, nor has their role in the EU been easy. Should a small state with a big initiative be allowed to mentor other member states regarding that initiative, meaning in particular Estonia and its digital development?
Another peculiar aspect of the Baltic States is their (inter)relationship with Russia. Considering themselves a bridge between East and West, the Baltics have been active in Eastern Partnership and Development Aid initiatives and have also spoken out strongly against intervention in Georgia and Ukraine. This position sometimes complicates any EU attempt to achieve consensus on foreign policy.
Coalition Politics and Foreign Policy
Sibel Oktay
Coalition governments are observed frequently in parliamentary systems. Approximately 70% of all governments in postwar Europe have been one type of coalition or another. Israel has never been ruled by a single-party government in its history. Recently, majoritarian systems like Britain produced coalitions, taking many by surprise.
The prominence of coalitions in parliamentary democracies compels researchers to study them more closely. The Comparative Politics literature investigates, in particular, the dynamics of coalition formation and termination, as well as the domestic policy outputs of coalitions, especially compared to governments ruled by a single party.
Coalitions have generated interest on the International Relations front as well. One avenue of research transcends the "political party" as a building block and conceptualizes coalitions as a "decision unit" by focusing on the group of veto players in a regime's foreign policy apparatus. Another line of scholarship, situated in the "Democratic Peace" framework, looks at coalitions as a domestic-institutional factor to observe their effects on the likelihood of international conflict.
Departing from the "Democratic Peace" tradition, more recent research in Foreign Policy Analysis rejuvenates the study of coalitions in international politics. This literature not only encourages theory development by scrutinizing why coalitions behave differently than single-parties in the international arena but also bridges the gap between International Relations and Comparative Politics. Emphasizing the organic relationship between domestic politics and foreign policy, foreign policy researchers dissect coalition governments to highlight the role political parties play on foreign policy formulation and implementation. This literature also illustrates the merits of methodological plurality in studying foreign policy. Using a combination of comparative case studies, process tracing, Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and regression modeling, it sheds light not only on the broader trends that characterize coalition foreign policy but also on the causal mechanisms and contextual factors which often go unaccounted for in purely statistical analyses. The recent advances in role and image theories in Foreign Policy Analysis are expected to influence the study of coalitions and their foreign policies, offering an interpretivist take alongside this positivist trajectory.
Comparative Political Regimes: Consensus and Majoritarian Democracy
Matthijs Bogaards
Ever since Aristotle, the comparative study of political regimes and their performance has relied on classifications and typologies. The study of democracy today has been influenced heavily by Arend Lijphart's typology of consensus versus majoritarian democracy. Scholars have applied it to more than 100 countries and sought to demonstrate its impact on no less than 70 dependent variables. This paper summarizes our knowledge about the origins, functioning, and consequences of two basic types of democracy: those that concentrate power and those that share and divide power. In doing so, it will review the experience of established democracies and question the applicability of received wisdom to new democracies.
Constitutional Law
Axel Tschentscher
Research on constitutional law has come in different waves mirroring the development of states in recent decades. While the decolonization period of the 1960s still kept the old ties of constitutional "families," comparison based on such ties has become ever less persuasive since the 1980s wave of constitution making following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Research about de facto and de jure constitutional law now tends to embrace institutional details like judicial review powers and procedures of direct democracy. The field of comparative constitutional law is controversial both in methods and substance. It still lacks a consistent framework of comparative tools and is criticized as illegitimate by scholars who insist on the interpretive autonomy within each constitutional system.
Research in the area of fundamental rights has to deal with long-lasting controversies like the constitutionality of the death penalty. Bioethical regulation is another new field where constitutional positions tend to diverge rather than converge. Embryonic stem cell research, therapeutic cloning, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, and surrogate motherhood are examples from biotechnology and reproductive medicine where constitutional scholars disagree about what, if anything, constitutional law can contribute to provide a basis or limit for regulation. With the worldwide rise of constitutional courts and judicial review, the standards for the interpretation of fundamental rights become more important. Legal scholarship has worked out the differences between the rule-oriented approach associated with Anglo-American legal systems versus the principle-based approach common to continental Europe.
Constitution-Making in Comparative Perspective
Gabriel L. Negretto
Constitution-making has been a central political activity in the modern era. Enacting a new constitution was an essential ingredient in the foundation of republics, the creation of new states, the inauguration of democratic regimes, and the reequilibration of democracies during or after a political crisis. Constitution writing has also become a crucial part of the process of overcoming a legacy of violent internal conflict and a component of authoritarian regimes that seek to gain legitimacy by emulating the formalities of representative democracies. This article surveys the most important concepts and issues related to the comparative analysis of constitution-making. Although it draws examples from constitutions made in a wide variety of settings, special attention is paid to constitutional texts adopted or implemented under competitive conditions.
Democratic Domestic Institutions and Foreign Policy
Eric Hamilton
Scholarship on the relationship between domestic institutions and foreign policy is driven by the assumption that a state's domestic political arrangement can explain important aspects of its foreign policy behavior. Democratic domestic institutions, in particular, are thought to be significant for explaining an important set of outcomes. Research shows, for example, that democracies tend to cooperate with each other; uphold their commitments; make more effective threats; engage in fewer wars with each other (but do fight non-democracies quite frequently); perform better in the wars in which they are involved; and tend to fight wars of shorter duration.
Studying the impact of democratic domestic institutions on foreign policy has developed along two broad lines. The first and most established approach is rooted in the basic distinction between democracies and non-democracies. In this view, democratic institutions constrain leaders in a way that produces distinct democratic foreign policy patterns. This approach has yielded a tremendous amount of research and insight into democratic foreign policy, but also suffers from several important shortcomings. One is that democracy tends to be correlated with a host of other variables, making it difficult to specify what exactly it is about democracy that explains certain foreign policy outcomes. A second and related critique of this approach is that it tends to treat democracy uniformly when in fact there is often great variation in democratic domestic institutions across cases.
A second and more recent approach focuses on the differences among democracies and seeks to explain how this variation, in turn, creates variation in foreign policy behavior. Democracies differ in terms of their underlying institutional arrangements in a variety of ways, including whether they have presidential or parliamentary systems, autonomous or constrained executives, and open or closed institutions to modulate the flow of information between leaders and citizens, among others. Even within a country, there can be a different set of institutional constraints on democratic leaders depending on the given foreign policy instrument they seek to employ. Studying these variations and their impact on policy processes and outcomes provides great promise for further unpacking the relationship between domestic democratic institutions and foreign policy.
Diplomacy in Foreign Policy
Kenneth Weisbrode
Diplomacy's role in foreign policy is hampered by multiple understandings of what diplomacy is and does. A broad definition of diplomacy holds that it encompasses more than the promotion of peaceful international relations. Instead, it applies to the sum of those relations—peaceful, hostile, and everything in between. Thus, foreign relations—so long as they involve the interests, direction, and actions of a sovereign power—may be regarded as being synonymous with diplomatic relations, whereby foreign policy relates to the theory and practice of setting diplomatic priorities; planning for contingencies; advancing strategic, operational, and tactical diplomatic aims; and adjusting those aims to domestic and foreign constraints. This conception of diplomacy is functional: it emphasizes the roles of diplomats and recognizes that many other people perform these roles besides official envoys; and it illustrates that diplomatic settings—and the means, methods, and tools of diplomacy—undergo continuous change. The basic mediating purpose of diplomacy, however, has endured, as has much of its institutional apparatus—embassies, ambassadors, treaties, and so on. This is likely to remain the case so long as there are multiple polities in the world, all having to relate to one another.
Electoral Systems and Policy Outcomes
Stephanie J. Rickard
Policies as diverse as tariffs, exchange rates, and unemployment insurance vary across democratic countries. In an attempt to explain this cross-national variation, scholars have turned to the institutions that govern countries' elections. The institutions that regulate elections, also known as an electoral system, vary significantly across democracies. Can these varied electoral institutions explain the diversity of policies observed? This question remains unanswered. Despite a growing body of research, little consensus exists as to precisely how electoral institutions affect policy. Why is it so difficult to untangle the effects of electoral institutions on economic policy? One reason for the confusion may be the imprecise manner in which electoral institutions are often measured. Better measures of electoral systems may improve our understanding of their policy effects. Improved theories that clarify the causal mechanism(s) linking electoral systems to policy outcomes will also help to clarify the relationship between electoral systems and policies. To better understand the policy effects of electoral institutions, both theoretical and empirical work must take seriously contextual factors, such as geography, which likely mediate the effects of electoral institutions. Finally, different types of empirical evidence are needed to shed new light on the policy effects of electoral institutions. It is difficult to identify the effects of electoral systems in cross-national studies because of the many other factors that vary across countries. Examining within-country variations, such as changes in district magnitude, may provide useful new insights regarding the effects of electoral institutions on policy.
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josemv needed a new stationery design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 86 designs submitted by 26 freelance designers.
This is our 3rd contest and we are very happy with previous results, then we decided run all our projects thru 99designs. In this case we are looking for a redesign and fresh, but serious and formal new look. The only condition is use red and green colors in logo, not need to be the same but should be related in some way.
download project details
download project details
Desired Color Scheme:
green and red, check project details
Desired Style:
Professional like a big guy, but powerfull and modern
Accepted File Formats:
Vector Formats (.eps, .pdf or .ai); check project details
Please check all project details here. Need logo and corporate identity package.
Will offer $400, plus a prize of 25% more if all materials are delivered within a week after the winner is choosen.Â


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Scientists discover why dark chocolate is good for you
Researchers have pinpointed the reason dark chocolate is good for your heart.
Dark chocolate helps restore flexibility to arteries while also preventing white blood cells from sticking to the walls of blood vessels, researchers from Wageningen University in the Netherlands found.
For the study, 44 middle-aged, overweight men ate 70 grams of chocolate over two periods of four weeks. They received either dark chocolate with high flavanol content or regular chocolate and the researchers recorded the effects.
The study appears in the FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology).
"The effect that dark chocolate has on our bodies is encouraging not only because it allows us to indulge with less guilt, but also because it could lead the way to therapies that do the same thing as dark chocolate but with better and more consistent results," FASEB Journal editor Gerald Weissmann said in a press release.


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'Anti-hate' group inspiring bloodshed
War hero: 'What they're doing is reckless'
WASHINGTON — "Our culture is changing drastically," Lt. General Jerry Boykin (Ret.) told WND, and it was clear he did not mean it was Obama's "change you can believe in."
"There's a paradigm shift in America where, if you are an outspoken, open, Christian, you are now being labeled as not only a hate-monger, but also as a potential threat to U.S. security, as is evidenced by any number of documents that have come out in the last number of years, one of which came out of the Department of Homeland Security," the war hero explained.
He was, in part, referring to documents influenced by the Southern Poverty Law Center, or SPLC, "that identified the Founding Fathers as the kind of 'radicals' that we should be watching out for today."
Boykin's full list of accomplishments in service to his country is too long to detail, but it includes serving as an original member of the U.S. Army's Delta Force, commanding all the Army's Green Berets and doing stints at the CIA and as deputy undersecretary of intelligence at the Department of Defense.
And now he has found himself facing an adversary here in the homeland, one that is also capable of bloodshed: the radical left.
Boykin is the executive vice president of the Family Research Council, or FRC, which is dedicated to "a culture in which human life is valued, families flourish and religious liberty thrives" and seeks to "advance faith, family and freedom in public policy and the culture from a Christian worldview."
On Aug. 15, 2012, heavily armed homosexual activist Floyd Lee Corkins II walked into the Washington offices of the FRC and began shooting, with the intention of killing "as many people as I could."
Corkins admitted he picked the FRC offices because the organization was listed as an "anti-gay" hate group by the SPLC on its website.
The FRC promotes traditional Judeo-Christian beliefs about the family and homosexuality, but SPLC claims the organization's "real specialty is defaming gays and lesbians."
Corkins, a former volunteer at an LGBT community center, pleaded guilty to terrorism and will learn his fate Thursday when he will be sentenced in a federal court in Washington, D.C.
Government prosecutors are recommending that he be given 45 years in prison, but a defense lawyer said Corkins should get only 11-and-a-half years because, he argued, his client was suffering from mental illness.
Boykin believes Corkins isn't the only one who should be held accountable.
"I think the SPLC should be taken to task by the media and public opinion for the reckless nature of what they're doing," he said.
The general noted that hate-crimes legislation would hold a pastor, or anyone else in authority, accountable for remarks that caused someone to harm a gay or lesbian individual, so why not an organization?
"We have exactly the same thing now, with the SPLC, which clearly incited Floyd Lee Corkins to violence against a Christian organization," he explained, "yet there is no effort whatsoever to hold them accountable in the court of public opinion or by the legal system in America, and I think there is a real contradiction there."
Corkins spotted the FRC on the SPLC's "hate map," but Boykin said his group has never appealed to the SPLC to take them off because they don't think the hate map is legitimate.
The general called the map capricious and noted it has no definition of a hate group.
"More importantly, we think what they're doing is absolutely reckless, particularly given they put us in the same category as groups like the Klu Klux Klan and the skinheads."
Pressure has to be put on the SPLC to stop this, because, Boykin said, "It is reckless behavior that has, at least in this case, incited someone to want to kill people who don't believe what they believe and stand for."
Corkins managed to shoot and injure just one person, thanks to the heroics of building manager Leo Johnson, who stopped the attack.
A video shows Corkins entered the building and approached Johnson, then leaned over to place his backpack on the floor. When he straightened up, Corkins pointed a semi-automatic handgun directly at Johnson and fired. Despite being wounded in the arm, Johnson was able to subdue Corkins after a brief struggle.
Boykin said, "Leo is doing very well after a series of surgeries, and in over a year of recovery time, he is doing very, very well."
The staff was back in the office the very next day, and the general proudly observed, "Not a single person failed to return to work."
The general is also a pastor, and he wanted to emphasize, "It's important to remember that, regardless of where America is today, the original roots of America were founded in Judeo-Christian beliefs."
He observed the Declaration of Independence was signed by men of Christian faith, but today, the vestiges of that heritage are being squeezed of out of our society.
"People who cling to those values are being forced to go underground for fear of being ridiculed, for fear of even being attacked and maybe killed, as was evidenced here," he said. "It's a sad commentary on the state of our society."


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John Dougherty, head of Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, used the Philly.com comments section today to chide WPHT-AM radio host Dom Giordano for a column in today's Daily News that accuses City Councilman Jim Kenney of "pathetic pandering and grandstanding" on the Chick-fil-A controversy.
Dougherty, who acknowledges that he and Kenney have not always seen eye-to-eye, took several pokes at Giordano in the 183-word comment. They include:
- "Only hope Dom comes home one night to find his son holding hands on the sofa with a male companion while watching "Brokeback Mountain.""
- "Only hope Dom finds his daughter in a lip-lock with another girl while they're watching "The L Word.""
- "Wonder if the embroidered "D.G." initials on Dom's custom-tailored shirts actually stand for "Demi-God"?"
Kenney entered the Chick-Fil-A fray two weeks ago after company president Dan Cathy spoke out against gay marriage, opening up a new deep-fried front in the culture wars. Kenney vowed to submit to City Council a resolution condemning the company. Kenney also said he would not interfere with the city's negotiations with Chick-fil-A to renew an expired lease for a restaurant at Philadelphia International Airport.
Dougherty, while running for the state Senate in 2008, told the Liberty City Democratic Club that his daughter came out to him as gay two years earlier, which led him to question his definition of marriage. A Local 98 spokesman confirmed that Dougherty made the Philly.com comment today.


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Muah! Watch this Hilarious Mistletoe Prank!
'Tis the season to lock lips with random strangers! Some students at Bringham Young University in Utah decided to play the ultimate holiday prank, and see if they could get unsuspecting people on campus to kiss them under the mistletoe. They pranksters (a guy and a girl) started off innocently enough, asking students if they would participate in a small survey about Christmas. They asked a couple of standard questions, then brought up the whole "mistletoe tradition" asking if they take part in it. Then, lo and behold, a bushel of mistletoe would magically descend from the ceiling. While some were game and just laughed the whole thing off, one random student slapped the male prankster who suggested the smooch! For more, watch the hilarious video above.


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Very decorative advertising postcard for the German company "Continental-Aeroplanstoff".
The image shows a plane scaring an old couple.
Text at reverse, good condition.
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We offer Vintage Postcards, Chinese Antiques, Autographs, Graphics and more. WORLD WIDE SHIPPING!!
Welcome! Your Shop for perfect Gifts, Vintage Collectibles and Unique Antiques. 2500+ Unique Objects to choose from.


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PPO or HDHP? Making Health Insurance Choices
More than half of large U.S. companies offer employees a high-deductible health plan (HDHP).1 When an HDHP is offered, employees often have a choice between the HDHP and a traditional preferred provider organization (PPO) plan. People who buy coverage outside the workplace may face a similar choice.
Premiums are generally lower for an HDHP than for a PPO, but you typically pay more out of pocket for specific medical services. If you choose a PPO, you may pay less out of pocket for a given service, but you pay more each month for premiums.
Here are some other factors to consider.
Network — PPOs and HDHPs both offer incentives to use health-care providers within a network, and the network may be exactly the same if the two plans are offered by the same insurance company. If you have a preferred physician, it's wise to make sure he or she is included in the network before enrolling.
Maximums — Most health insurance plans have annual and lifetime out-of-pocket maximums above which the insurer pays all medical expenses. HDHP maximums may be the same or similar to that of PPO plans. If you have high medical costs that exceed the annual out-of-pocket maximum, your total out-of-pocket costs for that year would typically be lower for an HDHP when you consider the savings on premiums.
Health Savings Accounts
High-deductible health plans are designed to be paired with a health savings account (HSA), a tax-advantaged account that can be used to pay future medical expenses. HSA contributions are typically made through pre-tax payroll deductions, but in most cases they can also be made directly to the HSA provider. HSA funds, including any earnings if the account has an investment option, can be withdrawn free of federal income tax and penalties as long as the money is spent on qualified health-care expenses. (Some states do not follow federal rules on HSA tax treatment.)
HSA assets belong to the contributor, so they can be retained in the account or rolled over to a new HSA if you change employers or retire. Unspent HSA balances can be used to help meet medical needs in future years, whether you are enrolled in an HDHP or not; however, you must be enrolled in an HDHP to contribute to an HSA. Although HSA funds cannot be used to pay regular health insurance premiums, they can be used to help pay Medicare premiums and long-term care expenses.


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If you have forgotten your username or password, you can request to have your username emailed to you and to reset your password. When you fill in your registered email address, you will be sent instructions on how to reset your password.
Here is the place to talk about classic Game & Watch games as well as Tabletop games.


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Alice Marie Dresow age 83 of Redwood Falls passed away Thursday, March 14, 2013 at Seasons Hospice House in Redwood Falls.
Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 23 at First United Methodist Church in Redwood Falls.
Visitation will begin at 12:00 noon and will continue until the time of services. Interment will be in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Lucan at a later date. Stephens Funeral Service – Redwood Valley Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Alice Marie Dresow was born February 18, 1930 in Redwood County, Minnesota, to Nels and Emma (Johnson) Christensen. She attended school district #46, and later Wabasso High School, where she graduated in 1948. On February 15, 1950, Alice married George Dresow at the Methodist Church in Redwood Falls. They farmed in the Belview and Redwood Falls area, and moved into Redwood Falls in 1997. Alice resided at Garnette Gardens in Redwood Falls for the past two years. Alice was a member of First United Methodist Church in Redwood Falls where she served with the United Methodist Women, and was very involved with church activities. She spent her time gardening, canning, baking, and raising her family. Alice enjoyed reading and playing cards. Family was a very important part of Alice's life.
Alice is survived by her husband George of Redwood Falls; children: Sandra (Dale) Davis of Wabasso, Gerald (Karen) Dresow of Chanhassen, Alan (Sherry Olson) Dresow of St. Cloud, Jeffry (Joan) Dresow of New Prague; grandsons: Mark & Brian Davis, Jason (Mallory) Dresow, Samual & Benjamin Dresow; sister Lois Pierson; and sisters-in-law Arlene Christensen, Elaine Christensen, and Lucille Christensen. She is preceded in death by her parents, and brothers: Julius (Helen), Norman (Hilda), Ed (Thelma), Jens, William, and Donald Christensen.


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AMERICUS, Ga. - Once the clock struck zero, the Georgia Southwestern men's soccer team celebrated the program's first-ever victory against the Clayton State Lakers as the 'Canes prevailed, 3-2, on a sunshine-filled Wednesday afternoon in Americus.
Coming off a two-game road trip, the familiar sights of Hurricane Field helped GSW's previously stuttering offense come alive as the 'Canes punched in a season-best tying three goals on the afternoon ensuring them their first conference victory on the season.
The win also marked the third conference victory in the program's seven-year history in the Peach Belt Conference.
The Hurricanes were first on the board when freshman forward Pablo Lajeunesse scored an unassisted goal off a direct kick from the top of the box in the 35th minute of the first half. The goal, the first of his career, gave GSW a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
In the 65th minute of the second half, Clayton State's junior forward Alhagi Toure dribbled through the Hurricane defense to score his eighth goal of the season, tying the score at one goal a piece.
GSW's Lajeunesse's afternoon wasn't done however as he set up the Hurricanes' second goal of the match when fellow forward Joshua Manga took his pass and punched in a goal in the 76th minute. The score, Manga's second of the season, put Southwestern up, 2-1.
The 'Canes third goal of the afternoon came off the foot of Hurricane freshman sensation Michael Corrigan in the 85th minute of the second half. In Corrigan's first start coming off an injury, he took a pass from fellow freshman Charlie Curran to score his team-high sixth goal of the season to put the Canes up 3-1.
At six, Corrigan is now tied with former Hurricane Jamie Kiep (2008) with the most goals scored in a season.
That proved to be the game-deciding goal as GSW held on for victory despite a late score from Lakers' midfielder Elliot Prost in the 89th minute of the match.
On the afternoon, Clayton State outshot GSW 25-7, 11-5 on goal, and held a 10-3 corner kick advantage.
Corrigan led the team with three shots, all on goal, while senior goal keeper Cade Jones tallied nine saves on the afternoon.
Georgia Southwestern improves to 2-11-1 on the season, 1-7 in the PBC, while Clayton State falls to 5-7-1, 1-5-1 in the PBC.
The Hurricanes return to the pitch Saturday night as they travel to Francis Marion for a 7 p.m. match with a chance to keep their post season hopes alive.


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A bicuspid aortic valve is an aortic valve that only has two leaflets, instead of three.
The aortic valve regulates blood flow from the heart into the aorta, the major blood vessel that brings blood to the body.
Bicommissural aortic valve
The aortic valve allows oxygen-rich blood to flow from the heart to the aorta. It prevents the blood from flowing back from the aorta into the heart when the pumping chamber relaxes.
Bicuspid aortic valve is present at birth (congenital). An abnormal aortic valve develops during the early weeks of pregnancy, when the baby's heart develops. The cause of this problem is unclear, but it is the most common congenital heart disease. It often runs in families.
The bicuspid aortic valve may not be completely effective at stopping blood from leaking back into the heart. This is called aortic regurgitation. The aortic valve may also become stiff and not open up as well, causing the heart to have to pump harder than usual to get blood past the valve (aortic stenosis). The aorta may become enlarged with this condition.
This condition is more common among males than females.
A bicuspid aortic valve often exists in babies with coarctation of the aorta and other diseases in which there is a blockage to blood flow on the left side of the heart.
Most of the time, bicuspid aortic valve is not diagnosed in infants or children because it causes no symptoms. However, the abnormal valve can leak or become narrow.
Symptoms of such complications may include:
If a baby has other congenital heart problems, they may cause symptoms that will lead to the discovery of a bicuspid aortic valve.
Signs of a bicuspid aortic valve may include:
Tests that may show a bicuspid aortic valve include:
If the health care provider suspects complications or additional heart defects, other tests may include:
The infant or child may need surgery to repair a leaky or narrowed valve, if complications are severe.
A narrowed valve can also be opened through cardiac catheterization. A fine tube (catheter) is directed to the heart and into the narrow opening of the aortic valve. A balloon attached to the end of the tube is inflated, to make the opening of the valve larger.
Medicine may be needed to relieve symptoms or prevent complications.
Medications may include:
How well the baby does depends on whether complications of bicuspid aortic valve are present, and how severe they are.
The presence of other physical problems at birth also can affect how well a baby does.
Most babies with this condition have no symptoms, and the problem is not diagnosed until they are adults. Some people never find out that they have this problem.
Complications of bicuspid aortic valve include:
Call your health care provider if your baby:
Bicuspid aortic valves run in families. If you know of this condition in your family, speak to your health care provider before becoming pregnant. There is no known way to prevent the condition.
Otto CM, Bonow RO. Valvular Heart Disease. In: Bonow RO, Mann DL, Zipes DP, Libby P. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 66.


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Brief SummaryRead full entry
BiologyAt the start of the breeding season, males begin arriving at their traditional sites about a month ahead of the females and start competing for breeding territories (4). These fights can be extremely violent, with each mature bull aiming to slash an opponent's neck with his sharp canine teeth. Only the largest and heaviest bulls can hope to claim the title of 'beachmaster'; the smaller younger males, who have no chance of competing with the fully-grown animals, occupy the fringes of the breeding territories (3). The females arrive in mid-June and give birth to the pups, conceived the year before, some two days after their arrival. Within a week of the birth, the females will mate again (4). Males compete to secure as many females as he can within his harem, although it is thought that females are influenced by the presence of other females and the characteristics of the territory rather than the mere size and power of the male (2). The beachmasters will continue to squabble and fight over females right through the breeding season, usually because these colonies are crowded, and wandering females sometimes stray into another male's territory (3). Occasionally, younger males will attempt to steal a mating with a female and, if spotted by one of the beachmasters, he will be chased off (2). In order to ensure that his females are not claimed by another male, bull northern fur seals do not feed throughout the breeding period and may eventually loose 20% of their body weight (4). Mothers suckle their pups for up to 10 days before returning to feed at sea, usually during the night. She will stay at sea from between four and ten days feeding, returning to feed her pup for one or two days. She will do this for four months before leaving her youngster and migrating south, usually in late October (4). Fur seals feed on a variety of prey, including squid and pollack (4) and have also been recorded taking seabirds (2). The fertilised egg within the female fur seal undergoes a four month period of delayed implantation. This ensures that that the developing pup will be born at the right time the following year when the animals return to their breeding grounds. The pups will spend as long as 22 months at sea before returning to the beach where they were born (4). Fur seals mature between the ages of three and six, but males will probably not begin to breed for an additional three years (2). The principal natural predators of fur seals are orca (killer whales), great white sharks and the much larger Steller sea lion Eumetopias jubatus. On land, pups can fall prey to foxes (4).


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To add or change your team name, please email email@example.com or call the KCBS office at 1-800-963-5227.
KCBS Team Bios
SOUTHERN Q COMPETITION COOK TEAMYear Started: 2012
Team Bio:
Started grilling/smoking back in 2005 and got addicted right off the bat. My wife convinced me to do our first contest in Sept. 2012 at a KCBS Sanctioned event and we all were hooked. Our goal was to finish in the top 30 and we managed to finish 29th overall out of a 54 team field with an 11th place finish in Brisket. Not to bad for our first contest ! Everybody better watch out, Smoke Stacks BBQ is at full smoke and coming to a contest near you !!!
Hometown: Raleigh
State/Province: NC
Country: US
Most wins in a year:
Biggest Wins:
Sponsors: Hills Sporting Goods / Giant Development
Website: http://www.smokestacksbbq.com


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Study Abroad Programs by Topic
Legal study abroad programs provide students with numerous skills and benefits that help set them apart in today's legal market. However, the law school understands that some students already know what legal field they wish to enter following graduation and that these students want to differentiate themselves in those specific legal fields. With this in mind, AUWCL set out to develop its legal study abroad program by entering into agreements with schools on different continents, not only selecting prestigious academic institutions, but selecting institutions with established programs in specific legal fields.
AUWCL provides programs that specialize in Criminal/International Criminal Law, Environmental Law, European Union/Comparative Law, Human Rights, Intellectual Property, International Trade/Business, and Maritime Law. The law school offers programs in dynamic fields of law so that our students can become integral international players in the global legal market.


text: Credit CardsSpend Smarter. Apply today. Convenience, control, protection, and purchasing power - Bangor Savings Bank Credit Cards give you the ability to manage your everyday spending and your larger purchases effectively. Your ability to manage your personal finances really matters to us. That's why we provide you a wide selection of credit cards - so you can choose the one that's right for you. It's also why we continue to offer new and innovative financial solutions for your credit cards such as Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay, and other chip card technology. The Bangor Savings Bank Visa and American Express chip enabled credit cards provide you with peace of mind with this extra layer of security when used at chip supported terminals. So, whether you are looking for credit card to save on interest, to earn rewards on all of your purchased, or with a no pre-set spending limit, we have credit cards that can fit your needs. And, because they're Visa and American Express cards, all of them come with many features and benefits that provide you the financial flexibility, security, and convenience that you expect and deserve. Click here to learn more and apply online today! Discover Mobile Purchasing Today's smart phones are capable of doing amazing things. As a valued credit cardmember of Bangor Savings Bank, we are excited to announce that you can now make mobile payments with a compatible Apple®, Android ® or Samsung® phone, tablet or watch, without ever opening your wallet! Streamline Check OutWith mobile purchasing, at check out, you'll use your phone instead of swiping your card. Typically, you'll just hold your phone near the terminal and okay your purchase with a fingerprint. Signatures may still be required. Simple to SetupIt doesn't matter whether you have an Apple, Android or Samsung device—setup is simple with each technology. In most cases, you add your card with your phone's camera.Security SmartsWith mobile payments, instead of sharing your information, a virtual card number is created. That virtual number is used for purchases— keeping your data safe. Visit your phone provider website for more information on security.Learn More• Apple Pay works with: iPhone®, iPad® and Apple Watch™. apple.com/apple-pay/• Google Pay works with: NFC-enabled Android devices. pay.google.com• Samsung Pay works with: Galaxy S®6, S6 edge and later phones. samsung.com/payVisit the helpful Mobile Payments Website for more details! * For after-hours lost, stolen or fraudulent transactions, please call 1.800.558.3424 Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Apple Pay and Touch ID are trademarks of Apple Inc. Android, Google Pay, and the Google Logo are trademarks of Google Inc. ©2015 Samsung, Samsung Pay, Samsung Galaxy and Galaxy S (and other device names) are trademarks or registered trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Use only in accordance with law. The creditor and issuer of the credit cards is Elan Financial Services, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. or Mastercard International Incorporated. Mastercard is a registered trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.


text: One-third of all U.S. states do not provide enough time to vote for military personnel stationed overseas and as many as half of all states need to improve their absentee voting process to ensure that the votes of servicemen and women abroad will be counted, according to a report from the Pew Center on the States. The report, titled "No Time to Vote: Challenges Facing America's Overseas Military Voters," is the first-ever detailed public analysis of states' voting systems for military personnel stationed overseas. No Time to Vote is supplemented by individual fact sheets for the 26 jurisdictions that need to improve their voting process for overseas military voters.


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White Sox apply grip on Detroit entering final game of 2009
By Mark Gonzales
DETROIT - White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was asked at the end of his post-game news conference Saturday night about Alex Rios' three-RBI performance.
"Can I say something from the bottom of my heart?" Guillen said. "It's about time."
Guillen could chuckle after the Sox, playing loose without an American League Central title at stake, handed Detroit a 5-1 loss that sank the Tigers into a tie for first place with Minnesota entering the final game of the 2010 season.
The loss forced Detroit, which could have clinched the division title as soon as Thursday, to start ace Justin Verlander on Sunday against John Danks, who needs 4 2/3 innings to reach the 200-inning mark for the first time in his career.
Detroit's situation was so tense that manager Jim Leyland pulled starter Alfredo Figaro after only 1 1/3 innings with the Sox leading 1-0.
"That was really a tough position," Guillen said. "That could be one of the biggest games for them and they got to throw this kid out there. It's not easy. I don't care how tough people say how tough mentally when you pitch in the big leagues at this level and this intensity, things can get a little different. I don't say the kid is not tough, But I don't know the kid at all. The stage is very high."
Leyland used five relievers, including late-inning relievers Brandon Lyon and Fernando Rodney despite trailing the entire game.
Meanwhile, Freddy Garcia pitched seven-plus innings of six-hit ball, striking out seven and further strengthening his case for the Sox to pick up a $1 million option for 2010.
After the game, Garcia reiterated his preference to return to the Sox, and Guillen raved about Garcia's ability to pitch well in high-profile games.
"Freddy always steps it up a notch in his career to pitch big games," Guillen said. "I know it was big for us and big for baseball. I don't see any difference. I think Freddy had only one bad outing since we had him. His bad outing was against
"But besides that, he kept us in the game and threw well. It surprised me he pitched that far with that good stuff. That guy can pitch. No doubt about it. You got to beat him because he's not going to beat himself. He knows how to pitch and knows the hitters well, and that's an advantage."
Meanwhile, the Sox won their third consecutive game with an offense that gave Garcia ample support. Carlos Quentin hit his fourth home run in as many games against the Tigers.
"It starts with the offense," Guillen said of why he referred to his team as a "tease" during their second-half slump. "The reason it was like that was because our offense was very inconsistent. That's the only reason. We were inconsistent.
"We didn't put the ball in play much. We struck out a lot when we got runners (on base). Right now, it seems like it bounces our way. We put on a couple hit-and-runs. We made a couple plays on the field. You add this with good pitching, and you have a chance to win more games."


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Formigal ski resort
The Formigal ski resort offers you the chance to experience the thrill of activities such as heliskiing, in which you are airlifted by helicopter to the highest off-piste slopes to enjoy first-rate powder snow and spectacular ski runs. And then when night falls, the slopes in the ski resort are floodlit so you can ski under the stars or take a nocturnal ride on a snowmobile or on a sled pulled by a team of dogs. All this against a backdrop of the spectacular Aragonese Pyrenees.
You can also go ratrack skiing (where a snow tractor takes you to exclusive locations with fantastic views) or go snowbiking (using a bicycle adapted for the snow) on its 97 ski runs. After a day of sports, you can relax by going to one of the shows organised by the entertainment team, or by dropping in to any of the tapas bars, restaurants, pubs and discos.
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