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Visiting Angels top Luigi's to win 40-plus title
March 17. 2018 1:49AM
Visiting Angels won the 40+ Hockey League's Amoskeag Cup on Friday night with a 6-2 win over Luigi's Pizza in the championship game.
Visiting Angels earned the trip to the Manchester 40+ Hockey League's championship game with their 7-2 win over Atlas Precision Metal Fabricators in the semifinals played last Friday at JFK Coliseum in Manchester.
VA jumped off to a 4-0 lead after one period. They then held on as Atlas pressed and made it 4-2 after two. VA then sealed the win with three third period goals. Mike Dunne and Bruce Belanger led the way for the Angels as each notched a hat trick. Dan LaBerge had his team's other goal. Steve Chabot chipped in with three assists and Mike Mailloux had two. Atlas got goals from Mike Van Uden and Jim Michael. Rocky Desrosiers made 31 saves for VA and Scott Greer had 32 for Atlas.
The second semifinal game saw Luigi's Pizza knock off LeClerc State Farm Insurance 7-3 to earn their trip to the championship game, which was played Friday night.
With Luigi's leading 4-2 after two periods, LeClerc unleashed a 17-shot onslaught in the third period. While Shane Burgess was turning aside all 17, Luigi's added three goals to make it a 7-3 final. Mike Berube and Mike Gamache each tallied twice for the winners. Also scoring were Tim Pollock, Eric Grant and team captain Craig Beck. Roger Lajeunesse and Ken Proulx chipped in with two assists each. Burgess topped off a fine night in the Luigi's net by ending up with 37 saves. Dave Anstey had 30 for LeClerc.


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Rumors are abound today that Prey 2, the Human Head-developed sci-fi sequel to the 2006 shooter, has been canceled by publisher Zenimax. The rumor comes from a Dutch site, PSFocus, who reports that sources close to the project revealed the cancelation, stating that an official announcement will be made next week.
Last month, Human Head's Brian Karis revealed in a twitter post that Zenimax pulled all Prey 2 related talks from GDC, casting the game's future in doubt.
The original Prey also had a pretty tough development, having been pushed back for over a decade before it finally saw release on PC and Xbox 360. The sequel was to have a new intergalactic bounty hunter protagonist, a focus on exploration, and an action-RPG feel. Everything we'd heard about the game spoke to its extremely ambitious nature, but now, if the rumors are to be believed, we may never know whether or not it would live up to lofty expectations.
via PSFocus

subset: commoncrawl


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Daniel Haulman, a co-author of "The Tuskegee Airmen, An Illustrated History 1939-1949," will be speaking to the Gadsden Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Daniel Haulman, a co-author of "The Tuskegee Airmen, An Illustrated History 1939-1949," will be speaking to the Gadsden Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
OLLI meetings usually are limited to participants of the program, but Haulman's presentation, in room 108 of the University of Alabama Gadsden Center, is open to the public.
Information from the publishing company, NewSouth Books, shows that Haulman recently received the Mill B. Howard award from the Alabama Historical Association for his article, "The Tuskegee Airmen and the 'Never Lost a Bomber' Myth," published in the Alabama Review and issued by NewSouth as an ebook.
He is the author of "Eleven Myths About the Tuskegee Airmen" and "What Hollywood Got Right and Wrong about the Tuskegee Airmen in the Great New Movie, 'Red Tails.'"
Haulman is chief of the Organizational History Division at the Air Force Historical Research Agency, where he has worked since 1982.
"The Tuskegee Airmen, An Illustrated History," features many photos of the Airmen never published before, according to NewSouth's website. It also showcases the significant contributions of the Airmen's diverse ground personnel — doctors, nurses, mechanics, navigators, weathermen, parachute riggers and others, all of whom contributed to the Airmen's success. Importantly, it also offers a detailed chronology of the group's history — the first ever.
The Tuskegee Airmen were the only black American military pilots in World War II. Most works about them have focused on their training and their subsequent accomplishments during combat. This publication goes further, using captioned photographs to trace the Airmen through the various stages of training, deployment and combat in North Africa, Italy and over occupied Europe. In words and pictures, this volume makes vivid the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and the environments in which they lived, worked, played, fought and sometimes died, according to NewSouth's website.
Haulman has a deep and comprehensive knowledge of the Airmen's history, including of their missions flown, and is acquainted with many of the Airmen still living today. He can tell stories. He can tell why this history matters still.
The UA Gadsden Center is at 121 N. First St. Call 256-546-2886.


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The newly released Cyberpunk 2077 trailer has made everyone want the game, but according to a message hidden within the trailer we'll have to wait until 2015 at the earliest for its release.
The message found at the 2:14 mark reads: "You're probably curious about the release date. It's currently scheduled a way off in 2015, but in truth the delivery date is more like "when it's done". We will release Cyberpunk to you when we're convinced it is nothing but pure, refined, unadulterated awesome. We want it to be the most kick ass futuristic RPG ever - OK. Maybe this sounds pretty bully, but it is our actual goal! You judge if we deliver it!
"Oh - and you may wonder why we announced our game so early before the release. The reason is that we're still building our dev team. So if you are a talented dude or dudette, willing to work in a really different company - gamers rule and boring corporate stuff drools - on a super ambitious project, send us your application right now: [email protected]"
But that's not all CD Projekt has on the way. The message continues: "We are about to reveal our other project, which is much closer to being complete and yes it will also be a fully open-word game with an intense story - you can probably guess the game we're talking about. On the 5th of February it will be all clear.
"So stay tuned, as we will have quite a lot to show and tell you soon.
"We are waiting for you on our newly created forum called Afterlife - what other name could we have chosen for it?"
Given that CD Projekt says we can probably guess the game they're talking about, it has to be The Witcher 3 right?
Also, 2015 is so far off, the wait for Cyberpunk 2077 is going to be painful.


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By Jay Jaffa
The January transfer window is lurching into its final stages, leaving Tottenham with just a week to conduct any business. Based on their history, this is no bad thing: the club and Daniel Levy traditionally come alive in the final scramble for a deal.
While the money men at White Hart Lane and Schalke haggle over a nominal fee to bring forward Lewis Holtby's north London arrival by six months, there is one position that remains glaringly weak.
Andre Villas-Boas will be more than aware of his side's recent problems up front and if Spurs are to keep their grip on the top four, signing a striker is of the utmost importance.
Many felt that Jermain Defoe would be one of the first casualties of the Villas-Boas regime and subsequent tactical shift but, in fairness to the 30-year-old, he went some way to confounding his critics. In the course of this Premier League season, the England man has been on the pitch for 90.9 per cent of the 23 matches played, starting 22.
Defoe has scored 10 league goals so far but alarmingly has only netted once in his last eight games. The same goes for Adebayor, who looks increasingly like the unsettled, unhappy problem child who Manchester City had on their hands two seasons ago.
If you look at the Tottenham starting XI, their greatest strength lies on the flanks. In Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon, Villas-Boas can call upon two of the quickest and most penetrative wide men in the land, fundamental contributors to one of the most dangerous counterattacking teams in the Premier League.
The stats support the suggestion that Tottenham have almost everything in place. They are the 13th most accurate passers (83.5%) in Europe's top five divisions and take the fourth-highest number of shots at goal per game (18.4). Yet, for all the accuracy in the build-up and the ability to find the space to fire shots at goal, Tottenham are only the 13th highest goalscorers (40) across the big five divisions (England, Italy, Germany, France and Spain) and that includes playing more fixtures than each other nation in question.
It seems likely that, in finally replacing the influential Rafael van der Vaart with Holtby, Spurs will click into gear and prove more efficient in front of goal but, at the moment, it remains mere speculation. The Schalke playmaker has one more assist to his name (seven) than Lennon, Spurs' most creative player, yet plays fewer key passes per game (1.5) compared to Lennon (2.2), Bale (2.3), Mousa Dembele (2.1) and Kyle Walker (1.9). He is an efficient playmaker.
Of course, Holtby has been feeding Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, one of Europe's most prolific strikers (though experiencing a barren season by his standards with five goals from 17 games), whereas Lennon and Co. are loading the bullets for Defoe and Adebayor.
So what can be done? Tottenham need a more well-rounded, complete striker but it is about obtaining the right kind of forward. At some point Villas-Boas will return to his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation and that requires a lone striker capable of more than what Defoe offered when in that position.
13 in 22
1 in 8
Villas-Boas is a well-known disciple of the school of statistics and should be scouring the rest of Europe in search of strikers who both fit his remit and are affordable. The club have been linked with Sevilla's Alvaro Negredo but, worryingly, with a 14.5% conversion rate in La Liga, it would appear that he would be a futile investment.
Roberto Soldado (29.7%), Stefan Kiessling (23.2%), Ruben Castro (30%) and Bafetimbi Gomis (24%) all represent viable options for Tottenham in the next week of the window, with only Ruben Castro measuring in similar proportions as Defoe.
The strongest case can be made for Bayer Leverkusen's German hitman, Kiessling, who has scored a bullish 13 goals in 18 Bundesliga games. Standing at six-foot-three, the 29-year-old would be a threatening target for the deliveries of Bale and Lennon, while his link play is streets ahead of the aforementioned options. The 33 chances that he has created for Leverkusen puts Kiessling ahead of Defoe (23) and Adebayor (19), who commendably register well in this area.
There are likely to be doubts over the longevity of a player close to his 30th birthday, though – Kiessling would hardly represent a long-term solution. Closer to home, there are two strikers who the club should consider. If not in January, Tottenham may wish to earmark the pair for a summer move.
|Jermain Defoe is 9/2 with PaddyPower to score the first goal in Leeds v Spurs
The alternative would be to take a punt on Romelu Lukaku, Chelsea's Belgian striker, currently on loan at West Brom. His chances have been limited in west London but Lukaku is quickly demonstrating the talent that convinced the Blues to fork out £13 million for him a year-and-a-half ago. Fletcher (30%) and Lukaku (24%) have shown themselves to be measured when presented a chance and that has shown in their hauls of 10 and nine goals respectively.
Adebayor's ability to win aerial duels (40%) adds a string to his bow but it is one with which Fletcher (42%), Lukaku (45%), Kiessling (55%) and Gomis (42%) all compete. Unfortunately for Defoe (15%), there is no solution to his natural proportions.
Bale and Lennon have created 93 chances between them this season – the fourth-highest from a pairing in the league – yet at the moment their targets are firing blanks. It may be temporary – both strikers have a history of running hot and cold – but Spurs should be looking to snap up a clinical finisher this January to ensure that they do not finish the season, and games, ruing missed chances.
Follow Jay Jaffa on


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And, Once Again, Hollywood Is Making Tons Of Money At The Box Office
from the and-yet-they-complain dept
So, once again, we're left wondering two things. First, why does the industry keep insisting that piracy is killing it and second why has the theater industry still done so little to improve the movie going experience, to capture the clear interest in the public to go see movies in the theaters? Yes, some people will argue (as the MPAA likes to) that it's not the box office they're concerned about, but rather the home video market. But, really, that's pretty rich, given that it was less than 30 years ago, the very same MPAA was doing its damndest to make sure there was no home video market as it sought to kill off the VCR. That they should now be complaining that they can't make as much money there -- at the same time they've often failed to make their own movies available digitally in a reasonable manner -- reeks of just bad business, rather than any sort of existential threat.


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Over the weekend Los Angeles Times media critic Tim Rutten devoted a lame, sloppy column to the defense of the New Republic in the Scott Beauchamp scandal. Blogger Bob Owens, who has doggedly pursued the story on the side of his day job, serves up a devastating sample of Rutten's careless errors. Michael Goldfarb administers the coup de gr
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Hello all!
I don't know if you all have checked out the current prices for what is being referred to as the pre-release Tamagotchi Connection benefit auction mentioned before in the news here... But the prices are a lot lower than I expected for the unsigned (and some of the signed) Tamas! Check them out by clicking here. In some cases it looks like these might be cheaper for US buyers than buying from overseas. Either way it is for a great cause.
Please make note of the questions regarding if these are actually Tama Connections or Tama Connexions as discussed in the forums here.
Great prices on "pre-release" Tama auction
Started by Admin , Jul 01 2004 07:30 PM


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This weel, the blog tour of Block Party continues, with lots of giveaways and other goodness!
June 27th Melissa Burt – Connecting Threads Blog
June 28th Anna Luna – Crafty Girls Workshop
June 29th Kathreen Ricketson – Whip Up
June 30th Kathy Mack – Pink Chalk Studio
July 1st Kim Kight – True Up
July 5th Block Party Bee Blog
July 6th Anna Maria Horner
July 7th Craftzine
(Wish we were doing this in person! It would be so fun to meet all of you!)


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Check out this GitHub repository with C++ source code and demos for many of my 1992-1998 SIGGRAPH papers.
See my notes for using math in Microsoft Word, including this cheat sheet.Demos
Previously I was a Principal Researcher and managed the Computer Graphics Group at Microsoft Research.
I received the 2004 ACM SIGGRAPH Computer Graphics Achievement Award (citation), became an ACM Fellow in 2011, and an IEEE Fellow in 2017.
My interests include traveling, bicycling, hiking, trekking, and all good things from Belgium (Gueuze beer, Côte d'Or chocolate, Leonidas pralines, mussels, waffles from Liège, spéculoos cookies).
Here is my official Microsoft picture.
See my notes on using Microsoft Word to write technical papers.
One of my favorite music albums is Branduardi Canta Yeats by Angelo Branduardi (though I don't speak Italian). My favorite comics artist is François Bourgeon (in French).


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Saturday, April 27, 2013
Photo Friday - Little Things
Aren't these guys great?! With the recent warm weather we've been having they've all been waking up from their winter naps and driving me crazy. This guy had been crawling around in some sawdust.
I intended to do some more post-processing using Photoshop Elements on this older photo. However, I somehow screwed up PSE 9 on my PC; it took me all day to fix. When I finally got it working, I didn't have all of my usual actions installed, so I did just a little brightening and called it done.
That was scary, but it appears to be working correctly now. Whew!
For more "Little Things" photos, visit the Photo Friday website.
For more of my submissions, please see my PhotoFriday set on my Flickr page.
Labels: PhotoFriday
4 comments:
Nydelig bilde!! :))ReplyDelete
Ønsker deg en fin søndag:)
Klem fra NorgeReplies
Thanks, Maj! Hugs from Canada. ;)Delete
He is beautiful and doesn't need any photoshop touch up at all. So glad spring has arrived for you too.ReplyDeleteReplies
Thanks! Even with "good" shots, I still like to do a little PhotoShopping to enhance the colour and remove a few distractions. I didn't really start using it until just over a year ago and now I don't know what I'd do without it.Delete
Thanks so much for your comment. I really appreciate it. Unfortunately, I've been getting lots of spam comments, so I'm turning on word verification to help keep spammers away. I know it's a pain; I don't like it either. Hopefully, in time I'll be able to turn it off again. Thank you!
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Dartmouth College students arrested on drug charges
September 05. 2013 1:12PM
HARTFORD, Vt. - Two Dartmouth College students were arrested on drug offenses after investigators recovered drugs at a residence in Vermont.Ebaas Abdelfadeel, 23, originally from Amherst, N.Y., and Daniel Roberts, 23, originally from Nashville, Tenn., were both arrested for possession of a felony amount of cocaine and intent to distribute.They were arrested after Hartford police were tipped that illegal drug activity was taking place at 610 Sykes Mountain Ave. A subsequent investigation resulted in police obtaining a search warrant for the residence where on Monday they recovered a "substantial amount" of cocaine, psilocybin (psychedelic mushrooms) LSD, ecstasy-MDMA and marijuana, according to a news release.Investigators said there also was evidence of drug manufacturing. As a result, George Hill, 30, of Hartford, was arrested for possessing and manufacturing illegal narcotics.All three were processed and released, with an arraignment date set for Oct. 15 in Vermont Superior Court, Windsor Criminal Division.


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CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. -- Hillary Clinton's new do is getting is all the buzz.
The Chappaqua resident, former first lady, U.S.senator and 2016 presidential nominee just debuted a close-cropped bob for spring complete with bangs.
It's a look that's going viral, according to multiple media sources.
She revealed her haircut while speaking on women's rights during International Women's Day on Wednesday, March 8 at The Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards in Washington, D.C.
During her speech, she said: "We are not asking for anything extra — we are asking for equality,"
Check out her new look in a story on YouTube HERE where she urges women to "Stand up, resist, run for office, be a champion."
Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.


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The Local Authors collection is developed and maintained to promote reading, writing, and a love of literature within the Sno-Isle Libraries service area and to provide a place within each community for local authors and illustrators to share their work. We are especially interested in materials about Snohomish and Island Counties and western Washington.
A local author is a person who lives in the library district's service area (Snohomish and Island Counties, excluding the cities of Everett and Woodway) or who has ties to the area that are evident in his or her work. The librarians in the Collection Development Department will decide whether an author's work is appropriate for the Local Authors collection.
Materials added to the collection are donated, not purchased. Frequently, these works are self-published and may be presented in formats that we do not normally collect (for example, spiral binding). They can be checked out from any Sno-Isle community library but are assigned to the community library in which the author lives. We can accept one or two copies for this collection; if additional copies are donated, we cannot guarantee they will be added to the collection.
Sno-Isle Libraries staff are committed to providing library customers with up-to-date materials in good condition. In some libraries, shelf space is limited and staff must make adjustments to the collection to meet community interests. We cannot guarantee that local authors' works will be held indefinitely in the collection.
Please contact Nancy Messenger, Collection Development Manager for more information.
Collection Development Policy
Marketing your work to Sno-Isle Libraries
Video Librarian magazine
Submit your work
If you are interested in a professional appearance at any of our Sno-Isle Libraries, please enter your information into our Author & Illustrator Directory.


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A South Normanton man who failed to provide details to police of the driver of a vehicle suspected of an offence has been ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £440.
Chesterfield magistrates' court heard on Monday, May 19, how Paul Fletcher, 42, of Market Street, South Normanton, Alfreton, pleaded guilty by post to failing to provide the information after an incident in October.
Fletcher claimed he had not known about any traffic offence until he was interviewed at a previous address and previous correspondence was mistaken for junk mail.
He accepted that the letters were sent to his previous address and were not opened and there were further difficulties because the property in question was sold in January 2013.
Magistrates fined Fletcher £369 and ordered him to pay £35 costs and a £36 victim surcharge.
They also endorsed his driving licence with six points.


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MALVERN, PA – The biannual training conference for the world's largest ministry of healing after abortion, Rachel's Vineyard, continued in Malvern, Pa., Wednesday with the formal establishment of a Medical Advisory Board.
Rachel's Vineyard utilizes the services of psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and other professionals in the mental health field throughout the world. They assist both on the retreats and in the development and analysis of the effectiveness of this treatment model.
The establishment of a special advisory board now formalizes what has been happening all along, but brings the added advantage of being able to present to the medical and therapeutic community a more structured method of communicating about the issues of trauma and healing after abortion.
Some of the initial members of the Advisory Board are shown in the accompanying photo along with Pastoral Director, Father Frank Pavone. They are, left to right, Cynthia Dillard, Ph.D. (clinical psychologist), Martha Schuping, M.D. (psychiatrist), and Karen B. Stevensen, M.D. (psychiatrist).
Priests for Life is the nation's largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit www.priestsforlife.org.
Day 1 Press Release
Day 2 Press Release
Day 3 Press Release


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Senior Partner
FXFOWLE Architects
Architect, planner, and urban designer Mark Strauss, FAIA, AICP, PP, LEED AP, is a Senior Partner at FXFOWLE ARCHITECTS in New York City where he co-directs the firm's Urban Studio and leads all Planning/Urban Design efforts. A key aspect of Mark's interest and talent lies in developing planning approaches to assist communities, institutions, and developers to redefine properties in response to design, economic, transportation, and political concerns. In this capacity, he has developed a national reputation for the sensitive and viable repositioning of sites and communities.
Recently, Mark co-led the design team for FXFOWLE's redevelopment plan for Copenhagen's Nordhavnen peninsula. Entitled "Nordhavnen: City Regenerative," the plan won a 2010 International Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Design and Urban Studies. In 2009, the plan was named "Best Urban Design" project by both the World Architecture News and the Boston Society of Architects, and "Best Regeneration and Masterplanning" project by MIPIM/Architectural Review.


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Hello guys, our 20One theme was removed from sale couple of months ago due to several reasons, including the poor sales performance, hence we will no longer be able to offer support for the theme.
This subforum will be locked but older threads will be readable, so you can look for solutions to problems that were posted previously to other customers.
Thank you for using our products!


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Wake Forest Baptist Health — Lexington Medical Center is in the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for patient safety, according to a new report from Healthgrades, the leading provider of information to help consumers make an informed decision about a physician or hospital.
Wake Forest Baptist Health — Lexington Medical Center is in the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for patient safety, according to a new report from Healthgrades, the leading provider of information to help consumers make an informed decision about a physician or hospital.
Lexington Medical Center was named recipient of the Patient Safety Excellence Award in a recent report, American Hospital Quality Outcomes 2013: Healthgrades Report to the Nation, according to a press release. The annual Healthgrades report evaluates how approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide performed on risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for nearly 30 of the most common conditions treated and procedures performed from 2009 through 2011. Lexington Medical Center is the only hospital in the region to receive Healthgrades' 2013 Patient Safety Excellence Award.
"Patient safety is a top priority at Lexington Medical Center and across the entire Wake Forest Baptist Health system," said Steve Snelgrove, president. "Our processes rest on high-reliability principles that have been used for several years to ensure safety in many high-risk industries. This equips each employee with tools and methods to prevent errors that could cause harm to patients, visitors or staff."
Snelgrove congratulated the physicians and staff at Lexington Medical Center on this achievement and expressed appreciation for their dedication to patient care. "They are passionate about providing the best possible patient care and make patient safety a top priority in everything they do."
To further the commitment to patient safety, Lexington Medical Center and the entire Wake Forest Baptist Health system has implemented "Safety Starts Here," a cultural safety initiative based on best practices and high-reliability principles. These principles include daily meetings called Safety Check-Ins, specific error prevention tools used by the staff to ensure safety during high-risk situations and a culture of transparency that encourages employees to speak up about potential safety issues,
For its analysis, Healthgrades evaluated approximately 40 million Medicare hospitalization records for services performed from 2009 through 2011 at approximately 4,500 short-term, acute care hospitals nationwide. Patients being treated in hospitals receiving five-star safety ratings have, on average, 61 percent lower risk of experiencing a complication while in the hospital than if they were treated by hospitals receiving one star (based on 2009-2011 data across nine common procedures and diagnoses such as total knee replacement, gallbladder and spine surgeries). Additionally, a total of 183,534 in-hospital complications could have been avoided if all hospitals performed at a five-star level.
The 2013 Healthgrades hospital quality outcomes are free to the public at www.healthgrades.com.


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Style # 210217
With a fresh sleeveless cut, classic collar and lovely circle lace fabric, this bebe top is sure to lend your closet a shot of summer. Try it with a cami and a pair of denim shorts.
- 84% nylon, 16% metallic
- Center back to hem: 27" (69 cm)
- Does not come with cami
- Hand wash
- Imported
- Model is 5'9" and wearing a US size S


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I received an invitation from blah, blah to go the BIRD FAIR 2017 Rutland Water Nature Reserve, Oakham
August 18, a 3 day event, 'The Glastonbury of the Birding World"
For tickets, info etc, please follow the link.
RSPB members get discounted tickets for Sunday (take membership card).
Have fun!


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News and media
|Remove Year: 2014
|Remove Region: Asia
Sharing expertise, powering growth: Asia Clean Energy Forum
The WEC is supporting the Asian Development Bank's Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) next month. The ADB's Anthony Jude talks about how the collaboration could foster knowledge for powering growth in the region. What does this year's ACEF aim to achieve? Asia promises to be a global clean energy investment hub. Investments have […]
Posted on 20 May 2014
WEC to gather sector leaders at summit co-hosted by Prime Minister of Kazakhstan
Amid growing uncertainties in the energy sector of eastern and central Asia, the World Energy Council (WEC) will be hosting closed talks with more than 60 senior energy figures including ministers and company CEOs at its World Energy Leaders' Summit, to take place in Astana, Kazakhstan, next week (21-22 May). The Summit will be co-hosted […]
Posted on 14 May 2014
Energy transition: a tale of two countries
Japan and Germany have much in common in their energy situations, as participants from a recent WEC member event heard. The WEC's Japanese member committee heard an analysis of the German energy transition in a talk by Dr Hans-Wilhelm Schiffer, WEC Chair of World Energy Resources and a German energy expert, in Tokyo on 24 […]
Posted on 3 April 2014
WEC New Zealand highlights world energy issues
The World Energy Issues Monitor will be a hot topic in New Zealand's energy discussions this week as the BusinessNZ Energy Council (BEC), the WEC member committee, launches the report nationally. John Carnegie, Secretary of the committee, talks about what's keeping New Zealand energy leaders awake at night.
Posted on 4 March 2014
WEC Japan celebrates successful Congress in Tokyo
The Japan Energy Association (JEA), the WEC's Japanese member committee, brought the highlights of the 22nd World Energy Congress in a special gathering in Tokyo last month (6 December 2013). This was the latest such gathering that the Japanese committee holds after every World Energy Congress to update its members about the global energy sector […]
Posted on 16 January 2014


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The TLV277x CMOS operational amplifier family combines high slew rate and bandwidth, rail-to-rail output swing, high output drive, and excellent dc precision. The device provides 10.5 V/µs of slew rate and 5.1 MHz of bandwidth while only consuming 1 mA of supply current per channel. This ac performance is much higher than current competitive CMOS amplifiers. The rail-to-rail output swing and high output drive make these devices a good choice for driving the analog input or reference of analog-to-digital converters. These devices also have low distortion while driving a 600- load for use in telecom systems.
These amplifiers have a 360-µV input offset voltage, a 17 nV/Hz input noise voltage, and a 2-pA input bias current for measurement, medical, and industrial applications. The TLV277x family is also specified across an extended temperature range (40°C to 125°C), making it useful for automotive systems, and the military temperature range (55°C to 125°C), for military systems.
These devices operate from a 2.5-V to 5.5-V single supply voltage and are characterized at 2.7 V and 5 V. The single-supply operation and low power consumption make these devices a good solution for portable applications. The following table lists the packages available.


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Hi Guys,
I just installed ScummVM v-3 on my Nokia E63.
I noticed two things:
1: I have actually two SCUMMVm programs in my applications directory: ScummVM1 and ScummVM2... why? is it normal.
2: When I open ScummVM the cursor is locked on the top left of the screen and the video begin flashing coloured dots every two-three seconds, so the program does not work...
Any suggestions/ideas?
Video could be a operator specific version of the E63 (pre installed software) which is causin the video issue. To enable controls, press green, then press M on your keyboard, green again.
it seems that it's a common problem:
Is there any way to solve it?
Thanks a lot.
I know that some has been factory resetting their phones, some have started the video app or so. Just so it changes screenmode to a more compatible one. What happens now is that the phone is rendering 16 bit graphics in a hi color format buffer (not my fault). And thus all colours and stuff look funny.
what do you mean with start video app?
I tried to delete all the crap programs i had, the only thing i have now is skype and gmail but when they are closed the shouldn't cause any problem.
I've been looking for a program to change the screen mode, the number of colours, the video settings and so on but i didn't find it.
I don't have any other idea, i don't know how the source code is, but there is not a way to compile it with different video settings?
Otherwise i'm just gonna give up... Very sad.
just another update: i've tried to factory reset my phone but it didn't work
Hi Guys, I've tried some of the older versions of ScummVM on my nokia E63 phone: that's the logbook
nw=not working
1.1.1 nw(video)
1.1.0 nw(video)
1.0.0 nw(video)
0.12.0 nw(rotated 90°, video, no control)
0.13.1 nw(rotated 90°, video, smaller, no control)
0.8.2-v2 installation not supported
0.8.2-v1 installation not supported
0.11.1 nw, same as 0.12.0
0.9.1-v1 and 0.9.1-v2 installation not supported
0.9.1-v3 expired certificate!
0.10.0 expired certifiate!
0.11.0 nw (video, rotated 90°)
With video i intend the colours problem stated in previous posts.
No control means that there's no way of controlling the mouse.


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XOLO Mobile Jammu and Kashmir Service Center, you can find XOLO Mobile Service Centers in Jammu and Kashmir with phone numbers, addresses, email address and website, and also can see latest reviews and ratings.
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NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are ending broadly lower as investors assess corporate earnings reports, leaving the Standard & Poor's 500 index down slightly for the week.
The loss followed two straight weeks of gains for the benchmark index.
The S&P 500 was higher for much of the day but turned lower in the last hour of trading Friday. It ended with a loss of three points, or 0.2 percent, at 1,836. It lost 0.1 percent for the week.
The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 30 points, or 0.2 percent, to 16,103. The Nasdaq composite fell four points, or 0.1 percent, 4,263.
Groupon plunged 22 percent after the online deals company forecast weak results for the year.
Newmont Mining slumped 4 percent after its earnings fell far short of what investors were expecting.


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As has been widely reported, on Oct. 7 a prominent Protestant minister, appearing at an event featuring Republican presidential hopefuls, called Mormonism a cult. But even before the controversy and media focus on Mormonism sparked by that remark, Gallup polls in 2011 found that 22 percent of Americans would not vote for a candidate they considered to be well-qualified if that candidate were a Mormon—a slight increase over previous numbers. In Pew polls, 25 percent indicated that simply being a Mormon made a candidate "less likely" to get their vote.
In 1959 the same fraction of Americans, 25 percent, said they would not support any Catholic for president. But by August 1961, a few months into the presidency of John F. Kennedy, a Catholic, the figure had fallen to 13 percent. It declined to 8 percent by 1967 and has remained right about there ever since (7 percent in mid-2011).
Today, at least as measured by the polls, the bias against Catholics in the public square that seemed so iniquitous and ubiquitous when Kennedy ran for president is history. To its credit, the post-1960 U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has been consistent over the past half-century in rejecting rank religious chauvinism against any faith tradition and has encouraged Catholics to practice good citizenship and respect religious pluralism.
At least compared with other large religious denominations, Catholics practice the electoral ecumenism their bishops have preached. According to the Pew data, Catholics (19 percent) are less likely than Protestants (29 percent) and substantially less likely than white evangelical Christians (34 percent) to refuse to vote for a Mormon candidate. Catholics are America's biggest bloc of swing voters because most do not vote strictly by party, ideology, occupation, race or religion.
And, as the 2012 campaign season stirs potentially divisive sentiments regarding religion in the public square, the statement "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility," released by the U.S.C.C.B. this month, merits careful consideration, robust discussion and respectful debate by Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
Although most Catholics and other citizens will disagree with one or another part of it, the 45-page document, identical except for a new introduction to the bishops' statement on the same subject four years ago in preparation for the 2008 elections, repays reading for what it offers by way of core principles regarding political engagement, the value of public service and government's moral duty to protect the poor.
As we read in its opening sections, the document "does not offer a voters' guide, scorecard of issues, or direction on how to vote." Beyond the "contest of powerful interests, partisan attacks, sound bites, and media hype," it avows, the church "affirms the importance of political participation and insists that public service is a worthy vocation."
While summarizing the U.S. bishops' moral reasoning as it applies to issues ranging from abortion and the death penalty to immigration and international aid, the document's mini-dissertations on the ongoing "economic crisis" and an America "marred by deepening disparities between the rich and the poor" are especially timely. And its broader call for "a renewed kind of politics," a politics "focused more on the needs of the weak than on the benefits of the strong," is both timely and timeless.
To me at least, it is fitting that the document endorses particular anti-poverty policies and programs, including Social Security, the earned-income tax credit and food stamps. But whether the document, taken in its totality, reflects both "the social teaching of our church" and "the best traditions of our nation" is of course something on which reasonable Catholic hearts and minds are bound to differ.
That said, if any other body of U.S. religious leaders has produced a better document on political responsibility that is addressed primarily to their own co-religionists yet relevant to all Americans who care about civic engagement, I have not seen it.
But the bishops' first order of business should be to make their flocks aware of the document. A recent poll conducted by Georgetown University's Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate found that just 16 percent of U.S. Catholics had even heard of the bishops' document four years ago.
An Episcopal friend told me that Catholic devotion to Mary is a cult. I could have replied, "This whole 'Eat my body, drink my blood' faith that we both embrace is a cult," meaning that beliefs and religious practices are designated "cults" only by those who don't share them. It's as if we are all saying:
I worship the One True God.
Your spirituality has much to recommend it, but lacks historical authority and liturgical depth.
He/she/"the Other" belongs to a cult.
None of this sheds light on candidates or leads us to vote intelligently.


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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partners. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Sunday, August 7, 2016
- What causes a miscarriage and how can I prevent it?
- Are my chances of having a miscarriage higher because I've had one before?
- How long should you wait after a miscarriage to get pregnant again?
- Is the recovery time for a miscarriage treated the same as it is after childbirth? For instance, must a person wait the required six weeks to have sex again?
- When a fetus dies, does the body expel the fetus immediately or is it sometimes carried around for days until that happens?
- How long after a miscarriage will a pregnancy test have a negative reading?
Miscarriages happen for a variety of reasons such as infection, abnormal implantation of the embryo, or medical problems of the mother. The most common reason for miscarriage is abnormal chromosomal number or arrangement. Chromosomes are inherited from the mother and father. Half come from each in a very complicated process where each parent's chromosomes are divided equally and contribute to the developing embryo. Something can happen in the dividing or combining process that leads to this abnormal number or arrangement. When this happens, the embryo doesn't develop normally and is rejected by the body in the form of a miscarriage. Miscarriage occurs in about 25% of known pregnancies, and closer to 50% of all pregnancies (recognized and unrecognized). The majority (70-80%) occur as a direct result of abnormal chromosomal development.
There is nothing you can do to prevent a miscarriage, but the good news is that the majority of women who miscarry go on to have a healthy baby. The best thing you can do is to prepare for a healthy pregnancy by maintaining good health and visiting your caregiver for preconceptional counseling.
Miscarriages are common (some studies suggest as high as 50% of all pregnancies) and with a first trimester loss, you are not at increased risk of having another miscarriage. The statistics (and causes of miscarriage) change if the loss is later in pregnancy. In your case, if the miscarriage occurred earlier than 12 weeks (and just not detected until 12 weeks), your risk is not changed.
There is no standard medical answer to your question, but most physicians suggest three months, or three normal menstrual cycles. This allows time for your uterus to return to its normal size and to resume normal menstrual periods. There seems to be an increased risk of miscarriage if women become pregnant within three months.
If any of the following are true:
I would suggest talking to your doctor before trying to conceive again to discuss preventable causes of miscarriage.
If you have had a positive pregnancy test following a miscarriage, you should discuss this with your health care provider.
This article is a NetWellness exclusive.
Last Reviewed: May 28, 2002
Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati


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The local government sent one of their representatives along with us. We picked him up on the way. Between him and a village elder, they did a very good making lists of who would receive each of the 120 packages and checked off names as each received theirs to ensure no one collected twice. They gave an introductory speech as did we. We made certain that we gave credit to the staff and partners of Cuelenaere Kendall Katzman & Watson as well as our friends for the funds that enabled this to happen.
Each of the red bags contains enough rice noodles for a week plus candy and cookies for children who would otherwise not likely see it.
The man in the blue checked shirt just right of centre is my wife's father. He enjoyed helping us along with some of Trang's brothers and sisters.
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Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter Review
When the word "dinosaur" is spoken, what often comes to mind? Turok, Jurassic Park, or even Dinopark Tycoon for us. Dinosaurs seem to be portrayed as either cute and friendly or ferocious and deadly, and more often than not their portrayals err on the side of ridiculous. Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter– a port from an old PC game– takes a surprisingly more multifaceted approach, but it's marred by various flaws.
There are two modes in Carnivores: Hunt and Survive. Survive mode provides the requisite ridiculous side of dinosaur games, and pits wave upon wave of them at your unmoving person. Armed with nothing but a shotgun and unfailing courage, you fight until a dinosaur takes you down– and then post it on Facebook! A strange contrast, to be sure, but no stranger than the multitude of zombie games that do the same.
Now would be a good time to drop the binoculars and run.
The Hunt mode is the one that surprised us with its complexity. There are five maps, nine dinosaurs, and six weapons to choose from. Additionally, camouflage, cover scent, radar, and tranquilizers are available for you to use. Dinosaurs can see, smell, and hear, meaning that you need to take extra care not to run downwind of a dino while firing shots into the air. Different dinosaurs have different behaviors and sense abilities. Some can't see well, while others don't mind a tasty human blundering through their forest.
One of our complaints with this game is that even though the maps are expansive, the graphics are mediocre. The dinosaurs don't look too bad, but the environment is blocky and not even close to what the iDevice can handle. Added to our disappointment with the aesthetics of the environment, you'll find technical flaws while traversing it. Your hunter cannot climb over small rocks, nor even ankle-high mushrooms. They stop him dead in his tracks, which is very frustrating.
How they really went extinct.
Our last issue with Carnivores is the steep difficulty curve. The maps are varied, and the weapons are fun to experiment with, but the game has a point system forcing you to start with a pistol on the first map and work your way slowly upwards. What, you've never hunted a dinosaur with a pistol? You simply must try it.
All in all, we think fans of hunting games will get a kick out of Carnivores and its variety of features that keep you on your toes. Non-hunting fans may enjoy the fantastical setting but find the price a bit too high.


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NEW YORK (AP) — Actor Ben Feldman says he showed up Monday at NBC's preview to advertisers to promote his new romantic comedy "A to Z," expecting to get hammered with questions about "Mad Men."
Spoiler Alert: On Sunday's episode, his advertising copy writer character Michael Ginsberg had a mental breakdown tipped off by the introduction of a computer to the office.
If it sounds crazy it's because it was. The character began trending on Twitter soon after.
"(Mad Men's creator) Matt Weiner and I sat down a few weeks before that episode and he told me everything that was gonna happen and my jaw just dropped to the floor," the actor laughed.
Ginsberg is last seen in the episode being wheeled out of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce on a gurney. Feldman says he can't say whether that's the end of his "Mad Men" run.
We will see Feldman on Thursdays this fall on "A to Z." It co-stars Cristin Milioti of Broadway's "Once" and "How I Met Your Mother," and follows the relationship of their characters, Andrew and Zelda.
The 33-year-old says you follow their journey "from start to maybe finish. ... you go into the first episode they've never met and you sort of take off from there. It's really, I hate this word, it's so cheesy but it's like a special show. ... My wife saw the trailer and she's like, 'Oh, I have that like warm feeling.' And you kind of get that from watching."
Follow Alicia Rancilio on Twitter at http://twitter.com/aliciar


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The price of gold has more than doubled in the past five years, creating considerable interest in trading the precious metal. Roughly $75 billion is traded in the London bullion market every day.
Despite demand, gold is extremely scarce. By some estimates, all of the gold ever mined in the history of the world would fill only two Olympic-size swimming pools. Given the U.S. Geological Society estimates that just 51,000 tons of global gold reserves remain in the ground, gold mining remains a lucrative business.
For a look at the world's biggest gold mining operations, CNBC analyzed the most recent data from Thompson Reuters and Metals Economics Group, which included information only from publicly traded companies.
For this report, CNBC included mines that are located on a singular property. "Mining operations" can be classed as a mine, but in the case where several mines or deposits are combined with a central processing facility, these operations were excluded from this list.
One example of this situation is in Newmont Mining's Nevada operation, where several separate mines are grouped together. However, Newmont does not disclose production numbers for its individual mines in Nevada, so this mining operation was excluded.
Click ahead to see where most of world's gold comes from!
By Drew Sandholm
Posted 9 March 2012


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Bank Liquidations, Auctions, Sheriff Sales and More.
Current Listings of Lincoln Home Foreclosures For Sale
Latest Foreclosures in Lincoln
Find and buy cheap foreclosed homes for sale in Lincoln county. We feature Lincoln foreclosure homes owned by banks and government agencies in Lincoln. Our extensive Lincoln county foreclosure listings has detailed and updated information on Lincoln homes from hud, VA, FAnnie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other government foreclosures as well as many Lincoln county bank foreclosures including pre foreclosures, foreclosure auctions, REOs and bank foreclosures. Find all types of Lincoln county properties including condos, residential and commercial foreclosures, fixer upper homes and new refurbished homes. Buy a house in Lincoln for a bargain today.
Foreclosed Homes in Lincoln County Top Cities
Foreclosed Houses in SD Top Cities
Buyers everywhere are flocking to buy Lincoln foreclosure homes, especially because Lincoln is one of the most excellent counties to live in. So, if you're looking for foreclosures for sale in Lincoln County, you have to know that we do not just list Lincoln properties and acreages here, but also an extensive source of Lincoln foreclosure information. The quality of Lincoln HUD homes on sale by the State and Federal Governments sometimes dominates the Lincoln County listings. Now is a good time to buy foreclosure homes in Lincoln County. Why don't you find a good one here for yourself?
Lincoln foreclosure listings are popular. Buyers are flocking from across all states to buy HUD homes for sale in Lincoln and Lincoln bank owned properties too. Lincoln Real Estate foreclosures are on every property speculator's watch list. This is because Lincoln bank owned properties are very attractive to investors. Our Lincoln REO list receives visitors frequently. Could you want more proof than this that Lincoln foreclosures are so popular? Are you interested in foreclosure homes in Lincoln County now? We have the best foreclosure listings in Lincoln County here. Join us now!
Why not take up our special 7-Day Trial Offer and search our website for Lincoln foreclosures today? You get to search our lists for every kind of property repossessed in Lincoln County, and that includes Lincoln HUD foreclosures and Lincoln bank foreclosures too. Was it mentioned that we also have a comprehensive list of Lincoln tax foreclosures? The big advantage of signing up with us is that you will find everything here in one place. Lincoln foreclosure statistics indicate that Lincoln foreclosure rates are stabilizing, so you should buy a Lincoln REO or a Lincoln short sale while the opportunity lasts.
Lincoln Real Estate could be a real buyer's bargain for those with foresight to buy while prices are so low, and then wait a while before they take their profit. Foreclosed homes in Lincoln County have the potential to turn in really great results. Would you like to take advantage of the investment opportunity that this situation offers? Then, search our Lincoln County listings and pick your bargain repossessed property right away. Whether you want residential or commercial property or possibly agricultural acreages too, you will find what you are looking for, among our Lincoln foreclosure homes for sale. You can join ForeclosureConnections.com for 7 days for only $3.95. Join now!!!


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Wintry weather brings outages to western Maryland
More than 1,200 customers lose power
Wintry weather brings outages to western Maryland
More than 1,200 customers lose power
CUMBERLAND, Md. —
A combination of snow and strong wind gusts has caused power outages throughout the day in western Maryland.
Potomac Edison's websites show more than 1,200 customers in Garrett and Allegany counties are without power as of about 7 p.m. Saturday. That's a higher total than was reported earlier in the day.
Garrett County commissioner James Raley said that even though there were blizzard-like conditions at time, the storm was pretty routine for the area and that most of the roads were passable by the morning. He says he's not aware of any major problems caused by the storm.
State police said there was a fatal car collision in Allegany County on Saturday morning at a time when the snow emergency plan was in effect.


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+ Locations, Office Hours & Directions
Dr. Adam Brown is an anesthesiologist in Los Angeles, who manages patient pain levels before, during, and after surgical procedures.
We invite you to write a review about your experience with Dr. Brown.
Yes, Dr. Adam B. Brown is accepting new patients at this office.
(213) 427-3659
8700 Beverly Boulevard, Cedars Sinai Med Ctr, Los Angeles, CA 90048
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(213) 639-0797
8700 Beverly Boulevard, Cedars Sinai Med Ctr, Los Angeles, CA 90048-1865
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NOTE: Please contact the doctor's office to confirm your coverage before making an appointment.
Dr. Adam Brown graduated from Other in 2001.
Dr. Brown has two offices in California where he specializes in Anesthesiology and Interventional Pain Management.
Dr. Brown works with one hundred and fifty-two doctors including Dr. Diana Hsu and Dr. Henry Huey.
As an anesthesiologist in Los Angeles, CA, Dr. Brown ensures patients are free of pain before (pre-op), during, and after (post-op) a surgical procedure. By administering anesthesia, Dr. Brown ensures that patients do not feel the pain of a surgical procedure.
As an interventional pain management specialist in California, Dr. Brown focuses on relieving chronic pain in patients. Interventional pain specialists offer pain relief by blocking or interrupting the transmission of neurological pain signals in the brain. Dr. Brown may perform treatments such as spinal cord and nerve stimulation, nerve or medial branch blocks, medication management, or the implantation of drug delivery systems.
Please Note: The information displayed below is sourced from the 2014 Medicare Physician and Other Supplier National Provider Identifier (NPI) Aggregate Report. It's important to remember that the statistics below are not inclusive of all patients treated by Dr. Brown, but only those who participate in Medicare.
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text: Since Pedal The Plains rolled through La Junta last September, drawing about 800 cyclists and many more visitors through La Junta, Lamar and Eads, a group of high school students who belong to the First Presbyterian Church youth group have been looking forward to their own journey that will take place this summer. Those students will be getting a boost to their fundraising efforts thanks to a pledge from Pedal The Plains sponsor Viaero Wireless, which offered $500 to the charity of choice in each of the three cycling event host towns. "We are so grateful to be have been chosen for this donation from Viaero," said Reverend Dr. MJ Romano of First Presbyterian Church in La Junta. "This money will allow a couple of our kids to participate in an unforgettable experience in Minneapolis, Minnesota." Romano said the youth group will work with a variety of organizations including summer kids programs, senior citizen centers and some shelters and food banks that are making a positive impact in the Minneapolis community. On Veterans Day, $500 was presented to the American Legion Post 125 in Eads to help improve an aging WPA building there. Last month, $500 was presented to the Southeast Colorado Arts Council to support a community mural project that was commissioned as part of PTP.


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11 Things You Might Not Know About A Christmas Story (even though you've seen it 90 times)
The Griswold post seemed to be a big hit, so we'll continue the "obscure facts about my favorite Christmas movies" series with A Christmas Story. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I don't own this one on DVD; but I guess I don't need to when TBS runs it for 24 hours straight on Christmas Eve. Here's a few tidbits to tide you over until you can catch Monday's marathon.
1. Jack Nicholson was very interested in playing Ralphie's dad. But casting (and paying) Jack would have meant doubling the budget, so he was removed from consideration. Director Bob Clark "" who didn't know Nicholson was interested at the time "" says Darrin McGavin was the perfect choice, and I'd have to agree. I think Jack would have been too much of a scene-stealer.
2. What does Porky's, the raunchy 80s teen sex movie, have to do with a wholesome film like A Christmas Story? Bob Clark directed both "" Porky's in 1982 and A Christmas Story in 1983. If Porky's hadn't given him the professional and financial success he needed, he wouldn't have been able to bring A Christmas Story to the big screen.
3. For anyone keeping count, Ralphie says he wants the Red Ryder BB Gun 28 times throughout the course of the movie. That's approximately once every three minutes and 20 seconds.
4. Peter Billingsley, AKA Ralphie, has been good friends with Vince Vaughn since they both appeared in the CBS Schoolbreak Special (their version of the after-school special) in the early '90s. He made a surprise appearance on the "Vince Vaughn Wild West Comedy Show" in Memphis, Tenn., in 2005.
5. I'm a little sad to report this one. Scott Schwartz, who played Flick (who stuck his tongue to the frozen flagpole), was submerged in the adult film industry for a number of years. He got out in 2000 to try to become a mainstream actor again, but it looks like the only thing of any note he's done since is Pauly Shore's "You'll Never Wieze in This Town Again." Sigh.
6. Next time you're in Cleveland, you can visit the original house from the movie for only $7. It was sold on eBay in 2004 for $150,000. Collector Brian Jones bought the house and restored it to its movie glory and stocked it up with some of the original props from the film, including Randy's snowsuit.
7. Director Bob Clark got the idea for the movie when he was driving in the car with a date. He heard Jean Shepherd on the radio doing a reading of his short story collection, "In God We Trust"¦ All Others Pay Cash", which included some bits that eventually ended up in A Christmas Story. Clark said he drove around the block for an hour until the program ended, which his date was not too happy about.
8. The Wonder Years was inspired by A Christmas Story. In fact, in one of the last few episodes, Peter Billingsley appeared as one of Kevin Arnold's roommates.
9. Mythbusters tested whether it was possible to get your tongue truly stuck on a piece of cold metal. Guess what? It is. So don't triple dog dare your best friend to try it.
10. The real Red Ryder BB Gun was first made in 1938 and was named after a comic strip cowboy. You can still buy it today for the low, low price of $44.99.
11. While we're talking shopping "" you know you want the leg lamp. Put it in your window! Be the envy of your neighbors! It's a Major Award! You can buy it here, but if you're not feeling quite so flamboyant you can get a replica that serves as a nightlight for $7.95.
Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Don't shoot your eye out (kid).


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
The 95th annual state event will generate more than $1 million in revenue for Niagara Falls
Niagara Tourism & Convention Corp. is getting set to welcome The American Legion Department of New York and its 95th annual conference. More than 2,000 attendees will invade the downtown corridor July 17-19, and generate a total economic impact of $1,152,000 for Niagara Falls.
This is a repeat visit for the group (members were last here in 2007, and previously in 2000), which includes members of the American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion. During the three-day event, an estimated 2,000 hotel room nights at the Sheraton at the Falls, Comfort Inn "The Pointe," Quality Hotel & Suites, Holiday Inn Niagara Falls and Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel will be occupied.
Most of the convention will be held at The Conference & Events Center Niagara Falls, where Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster will open the event Thursday morning. Department Cmdr. Timothy S. Van Patten will be in attendance, along with Department President Sally Johnston. SAL Detachment Commander John J. Knapp Sr. will also be in Niagara Falls.
"Niagara USA is ideal for The American Legion to host their annual conference. We are able to provide their leaders and membership with the necessary amenities and ample entertainment opportunities for the organization to enjoy together," said John Percy, president CEO of NTCC. "We are pleased to, once again, welcome them back and thank them for their service."
In celebration of the convention, The American Legion will conduct a parade starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday, July 19, departing at Seneca Square and west on Rainbow Boulevard, up Old Falls Street, and ending in front of the Conference & Events Center. The parade will include a color guard and five bands, including the award-winning American Legion Band of the Tonawandas and the Rensselaer Yankee Doodle Band. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.
Veterans returning from World War I in 1919 formed the American Legion. It is one of the largest organizations promoting and protecting veterans' benefits. The American Legion has 3 million members nationally.


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Adaptive Computing Systems Lab
The ACSL is a place where students develop ways to better understand the interactions that affect the performance of distributed computing systems and manage distributed computing resources to achieve reliable and sustained performance. Distributed computing systems are composed of subsystems that do not know much about each other. Our research in this area seeks to understand the system dynamics and how the subsystems might better interact with each other by coordinated adaptation so the holistic system provides consistent performance. Visit the ACSL website for more information.


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Quality CareFind out why Mayo Clinic is the right place for your health care. Make an appointment.
Meet the StaffFind a directory of doctors and departments at all Mayo Clinic campuses. Visit now.
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Visit Our SchoolsEducators at Mayo Clinic train tomorrow's leaders to deliver compassionate, high-value, safe patient care. Choose a degree.
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Philanthropy at Mayo ClinicYour support accelerates powerful innovations in patient care, research and education. Give today.
Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations.
The staff in the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic at Mayo Clinic has experience and expertise in evaluating and treating adults with congenital heart disease. Each year, Mayo doctors evaluate and treat more than 9,900 adults and children with congenital heart disease. Doctors at Mayo Clinic's campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota treat adults with congenital heart disease.
Staff trained in adult congenital heart disease includes doctors trained in heart disease (cardiologists), doctors trained in heart surgery (cardiovascular surgeons), nurses and technicians. The multidisciplinary team collaborates to evaluate you and provide you with a personalized treatment plan for your condition.
Staff has specialized training in diagnosing and treating congenital heart disease and related complex medical issues. Mayo cardiovascular surgeons have extensive experience in performing heart surgery to repair congenital heart defects.
Cardiologists trained in congenital heart disease provide advice and consultation to you throughout your life regarding all types of medical conditions or treatments, including minor surgery, pregnancy or heart surgery.
The staff also communicates your treatment plan to your primary doctor and is available to answer questions from your doctor.
The cardiologists, nurse practitioners and nurses advise and educate you regarding your specific condition, previous surgeries and treatments, and provide you with continuing care. Clinic nurses are available by phone to answer your questions and concerns.
The goal of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic is to ensure that people born with congenital heart disease will live long, healthy lives. This is accomplished through optimal care provided by medically trained professionals with special expertise in all congenital heart diseases, including simple and complex diseases, and in follow-up care in those who've had prior surgery or intervention.
Mayo doctors research new diagnostic tests, appropriate timing for treatments and new treatments for congenital heart disease. Learn more about research in the Cardiovascular Research Center.
You may be referred by your primary doctor, or you may make an appointment without a referral. Not all services may be available at all locations. Please confirm when you request an appointment.
For appointments or more information about the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at Mayo Clinic's campus in Arizona, call the Central Appointment Office at 800-446-2279 (toll-free) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain time, Monday through Friday, or complete an online appointment request form.
For appointments or more information about the Adult Congenital Heart Disease and Marfan Syndrome Clinic at Mayo Clinic's campus in Florida, call 904-953-6351 or the Central Appointment Office at 904-953-0853 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, or complete an online appointment request form.
For appointments or more information about the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic at Mayo Clinic's campus in Minnesota, call the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at 507-284-3994 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time, Monday through Friday, or complete an online appointment request form.
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Mayo Clinic offers experience care for congenital heart disease
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NEW YORK, April 27 (UPI) -- One lucky woman won't be deleting her voicemail recording any time soon.
Mary, of Winston Salem, N.C., went to a New York City taping of Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show, only to leave with an outgoing voicemail message recorded by Steven Tyler.
The Aerosmith singer sat in with the Tonight Show band, The Roots, on Thursday night's episode, while Fallon read Mary's seat number from a raffle bucket.
Tyler sang his voice message into Mary's phone -- to the tune of "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing."
"Mary isn't here right now," Tyler sang. "So leave a message at the tone and include your name 'cause she don't want to miss your call."


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Rating: 2.7/5 (Total votes: 3)
The dark forces is guarding it; help the temple raider run, jump to avoid the bomb and grab the tomb treasure items run along the way.
Temple Raider: Crystal Skull with:-
★4 mini fun gameplays
★Grab the crystal skulls in ancient tomb and run to dodge bomb trap.
★Match the diamond free fall to score. Challenge your observation and finger skills!
★Clear the temple treasured run 2 fire and crystal skulls from shooting up the mysterious sky light.
★Unlimited coins and power-ups. Pause the game at any time and resume later on.
Temple Raider Run Crystal Skull is a simple yet challenging game. It is FREE. Download today; you'll love it:)
» show all
FreewareAndroid - Free Downloads Android Market Apps, Applications, Games, APK, WiFi, Sync, GPS for Google Android OS


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Style # 212546
Made from a super-soft fabric, waist-cinching self-tie and always-chic-never-boring stripes, this bebe maxi dress is irrefutably chic. Try yours with a pair of wedge sandals and a denim jacket.
- 96% rayon, 4% spandex
- Center back to hem: 44" (112 cm)
- Jersey lining
- Dry clean
- Made in USA with imported materials
- Model is 5'9" and is wearing a US size S
Stripe Maxi Dress is rated out of 5 by 10.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Nat16375 from Amazing! I love this dress.It fits like a glove and the length is perfect(I'm 5'7')Def a must have.
Date published: 2014-06-18
Rated 2 out of 5 by MrsI from Dress overview I'm 5'8, and the dress was entirely too short for me.. Better luck next time!
Date published: 2014-06-03
Rated 5 out of 5 by mamaof3 from Love, love, love! I bought this dress because I love the feel of it. I have the aqua and white version of this from a year and a half ago. It fits great and is the right length for me. I am 5'4"118 lbs and the small fits perfect. I tried it on for my husband after it arrived in the mail and he nearly fell over! I can't wait to wear it for our date night.
Date published: 2014-05-31
Rated 5 out of 5 by Heather1451 from Fits and flattering This dress fits beautifully and is so flattering. I don't have a lot of curves do the print adds to the silhouette. Be careful on the escalator. The point on the back of the dress got stuck in it!!! Great dress!!!!!!
Date published: 2013-05-25
Rated 4 out of 5 by Trish175 from Great for but could be longer I think this dress is a must have. It has a wonderful fit. My only complaint is with the length. I'm 5'8" and the dress barely hits my ankles. I love a floor length dress. The fabric is pretty stretchy so pulling it down seems to help. The only issue with pulling it down is that it exposes more cleavage than I am comfortable with. Even with that extra inch or two in length I don't have the option of wearing heels as the length will only accommodate flats for me. I would love to see tall dresses the same way they have petites dresses. But overall, it fits well.
Date published: 2013-05-15
Rated 5 out of 5 by havetohavebebe from Absolute perfection I saw this dress online and fell in love with the design. i had been looking for a maxi dress for a while and I knew bebe would carry something I would def love. I went into the store to try it on and couldn't walk out without purchasing it. Def a must have. True to size, very good material and quality. Can't go wrong with black and white stripes!
Date published: 2013-05-11
Rated 5 out of 5 by PG13 from Love it! I didn't need this dress, one because I have plenty of white and black strip dresses and most of them are from Bebe, they have come out with some of the same ones over the last few years. This one just by the pic looked like it would fit differently and it also is open on the side. I received it in the mail and I LOVE this dress. It fits like a glove and you can not see through it as for the others I purchased before you could see right though it, the material was very thin. By the way I got an XXS but it does have stretch.
Date published: 2013-05-09
Rated 5 out of 5 by ToniMc from More colors please True to size and effortlessly sexy. Would love to see it in more colors...decided to pass on the dress because I own so many black and white Bebe dresses, but the style and fit is sexy.
Date published: 2013-05-06


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Daniel A Bassano, PhD, 315 464-5084
Current Appointments
- Professor of Radiation Oncology
- Professor of Neurosurgery
Hospital Campus
- Downtown
Research Programs and Affiliations
- Radiation Oncology
- Gamma Knife Center
Campus West Building (CWB)
Google Maps & Directions
750 East Adams Street
Syracuse, NY 13210
315 464-8400
Education & Fellowships
- PhD: Syracuse University, 1969
Clinical Interests
- Treating all cancers using modern external radiation techniques, radioactive sources and the Gammaknife.
- Using accelerated [1 week],and partial breast[lumpectomy site] irradiation schemes for early breast cancer.
Research Interests
- The utilazation of more effective imaging technologies and strategies for oncologic diagnosis and treatment.
- Analysis of outcomes after Gammaknife treatment of various brain pathologies.
Specialties & Certification
- Radiation Oncology Physics
- Adults and Children
Current Hospital Privileges
- Upstate University Hospital
Link to PubMed (Opens new window. Close the PubMed window to return to this page.)
Clinical Profile Shortcut: http://www.upstate.edu/findadoc/bassanod
Faculty Profile Shortcut: http://www.upstate.edu/faculty/bassanod
Faculty Profile Shortcut: http://www.upstate.edu/faculty/bassanod


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Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber won't be performing in Stockton anytime soon.
Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber won't be performing in Stockton anytime soon.
Still, while negative forces - crime, civic bankruptcy and housing foreclosures - haven't helped, there remain more entertainment options than the stereotypical complaint that "there's nothing to do here."
"It's a good town for all sorts of entertainment," said Mike Cera, general manger of Stockton Arena and the Bob Hope Theatre. "Great, diverse entertainment.
"There are challenges we all face - speaking now as a resident of the community - like, maybe, a slower economy and a little more difficulty in certain things.
"I hope people don't take that as indicative. This is a very supportive market. The economy has been a little more difficult. As we get beyond that, artists will come back, and people will support them."
While economic reality remains a troubling factor, choices don't.
The Stockton Symphony (87 years), Stockton Chorale (61 years) and Stockton Civic Theatre (63 years) are firmly established institutions. So is the Friends of Chamber Music series (57 years).
"I wish I had the crystal ball," said Jane Kenworthy, in her fifth year as the symphony's executive director. "I'm a little bit puzzled right now, to be honest.
"The symphony enjoyed very nice business during the recession. Suddenly, this fall, things markedly (went) down. We thought, after the elections and the 'fiscal cliff,' we'd see improvement. So we're concerned. We don't know why, but things haven't been what we expected."
The city's iconic Blackwater Cafe unexpectedly closed after 31 years in 2012, but venues such as the Valley Brewing Co. and Whirlow's, among others, are helping fill the live-music void.
"I think I can speak for the whole Miracle Mile," said Kellie Craig-Jacobs, who's operated Valley Brewing for 16 years. "We feel we've become a mecca for music. "For us, (it) really has become a hub. There's a tremendous number of things to do. People have to be open for (going to) different venues."
Her business has become a veritable jazz center, with weekly open jams and shows.
Lodi's Hutchins Street Square and Tracy's Grand Theatre have busy schedules, while Stockton's Empire Theatre hosts fewer regular music and comedy events.
Now in its fifth year, Stockton's downtown Plea for Peace Center averages three shows a week - from ska to punk and "screamo-metal."
"It definitely slowed down (in 2012)," said Middagh Goodwin, who's managed the nonprofit, no-alcohol venue since it opened in 2008. "But it seems to be picking up. A lot of bands are doing fewer dates because gas is so expensive."
New theater companies have been founded in Stockton, Tracy and Linden. During the school year, University of the Pacific and San Joaquin Delta College provide high-quality music and theater options.
Lack of awareness can create a deceptive impression.
"Maybe there's more available than people know about," said Jim Coleman, artistic director of the Stockton Civic Theatre. "People come to our theater and go, 'Oh, my God, we never knew this was here.' How many people know about Delta and UOP? We have to try and get a way for people to know.
"We've been doing very well over the last three years. We've built an audience - all by word of mouth. We still get lots of phone calls from people thinking we're the movie theater."
Social media - Facebook and Twitter - have worked effectively for Coleman's theater and other groups.
Despite so many local options, the arena, with a capacity of 11,500, and Hope (2,000) tend to be the gauges of success.
There were 165 events in 2012 at the arena, which twice was ranked in the world's top 200 in ticket sales by Pollstar, an industry publication.
Cera, in his second year in Stockton, remains encouraged.
"Oh, absolutely," he said. "We're working on Carrie Underwood on a Tuesday (Feb. 26). For her to sell as many tickets as she has is great. That's very optimistic to me. Vicente (Fernandez on April 13). I know that's gonna do great. That's very optimistic."
Underwood (once) and Fernandez (three times) previously have done sellout business at the arena.
"We have another (arena) show in the summer we're very optimistic about. It's for a diverse crowd. We're excited about that. The Hope is chugging along. We have a couple of comedians coming in. They're near sellouts every time."
Modesto's Bill Barr knows a lot about that.
"I'm optimistic of the outlook," said Barr, a Modesto resident who's been booking shows in Stockton since the late 1970s, including 2013 appearances by Bill Cosby and B.B. King (Wednesday) at the Hope. "To me, bar none, it's the best concert venue in the whole Central Valley.
"There are two great venues and management (Cera's SMG) that seems to understand things from both sides of the table. It's more favorable now than I can recall."
Contact reporter Tony Sauro at (209) 546-8267 or email@example.com.


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
Niagara County Community College will offer a financial aid seminar for current and prospective students on Saturday, Feb. 9, from 10 a.m. to noon, as part of the State University of New York Statewide Student Financial Aid Days. The seminar will take place on the Sanborn campus of NCCC, 3111 Saunders Settlement Road, in Room B-114.
Financial aid professionals will be on hand to answer questions and provide assistance regarding the financial aid application, types of aid available, the award process, as well as help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is required for all financial aid, including New York state assistance. Web access to complete the online FAFSA will be offered at this program.
The seminar will be presented by Jim Trimboli, NCCC director of financial aid; Lisa Mahl, NCCC assistant director of financial aid; and feature guest speaker Robert Dunn from Consumer Credit Counseling.
To register for this seminar, send an email to [email protected]. For further information, contact the NCCC Financial Aid Office at 716-614-6266.


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MALUKU ISLANDS, Indonesia — Perched on the edge of a skiff, I felt a trickle of sweat inch down my cheek. A heavy scuba tank pulled at my back as I adjusted my mask, feeling claustrophobic in all this gear and anxious about making this dive.
How did I get here? I had come a long way to be sitting on this gunwale under a brilliant sun somewhere in Indonesia's Banda Sea: flights from Los Angeles to Bali and Flores, then motoring on calm seas past volcanic islands and coral atolls, white beaches and palm trees.
One cone-shaped island called Kombu fumed with smoke and ash, its rumbles punctuated with a thunderous roar every half-hour as it spewed lava and unleashed an avalanche of fiery-red glowing rocks the size of trucks.The scenery was stunning topside. But my husband, Ken, and I had come to see this underwater world, part of the Coral Triangle, widely considered the planet's most biologically rich and diverse marine area.
We had signed on to a two-week dive trip on a traditional Indonesian wooden schooner — the kind that inspired Joseph Conrad's novel "Lord Jim." This one, at 108 feet, was painted red and called the Seven Seas, a luxurious motor sailor designed for scuba divers who want to go to the ends of the Earth in comfort.
During our exploration of about 700 miles of the 3,200-mile-long Indonesian archipelago known as the Maluku Islands — sometimes called the Moluccas — we saw no other tourists.
These were the fabled Spice Islands of the 1600s, where Indian, Chinese, Arab and later European traders fought over nutmeg and cloves, precious as gold. Later, riches of another kind attracted scientists, including famous British naturalist Alfred Wallace. He came to see the birds of paradise, countless species of butterflies, as well as its fish and other marine life. Peering into these waters, he wrote, "It was a sight to gaze at for hours and no description can do justice to its surpassing beauty and interest."
Despite the remoteness of the destination, this trip attracted a well-traveled group of diving aficionados determined to see some of the world's most pristine coral reefs. It also brought a few relative rookies, like me.
The idea of three dives a day in uncharted waters had me sweating, and it was not only because I was in a black neoprene wetsuit in 96-degree heat. I had a 30-pound tank strapped to my back and 12 pounds of lead blocks around my waist. I was nervous about my diving prowess, and all this gear made me as heavy as a gladiator.
I remembered to shoot some air into my vest, called a buoyancy compensator, so I wouldn't sink like a stone as I hit the water.
"Check, check, double-check," one of the crew yelled. A half-dozen divers checked to make sure air tanks were turned on. Masks were secured and so were the confusing number of clips and gauges. Tommy, our Indonesian dive master, stuck his head in the water to check the currents sweeping off a coral reef.
"Are you ready?" he yelled. He beamed a gap-toothed smile, and his eyes sparkled with anticipation.
I placed my regulator in my dry mouth. "One… two… three!" One hand on my mask, the other on my regulator, I took a deep breath. I joined the others as we rolled backward in unison, a somersault off the skiff.
Ker-splash! As the bubbles cleared, I spotted Ken peering at me as he slowly descended.
"OK?" he asked, with the universal hand gesture.
"OK," I signaled — and to my surprise I was. The water was 86 degrees and I was weightless, moving easily.
We descended through a blizzard of colors — rosy clouds of small fish called pink anthias, silvery schools of fusiliers with sporty yellow stripes, midnight-blue triggerfish and so many others. Black, white and yellow Moorish idols with fancy whip fins and needle-nosed butterflyfish swam by — fish I knew from past travels. But many were new to me, because they exist nowhere else on Earth. It was hard to know where to look.
My nervousness vanished, eclipsed by wonderment.
Scientists estimate there are 500 species of reef-building corals in these parts. Some resemble brains, with elaborate folds. Others grow like deer antlers. Giant mounds of corals are interspersed with sea fans, giant sponges and long, whip-like soft corals, all teeming with small fish and spineless wonders: shrimp with fancy paint jobs, hairy crabs that looked like orangutans, cuttlefish that changed colors and patterns before our eyes. The corals were underwater cities for myriad animals.
Following Tommy, we dropped to 60 feet and flew along the coral wall, riding a strong current. For fun, I flapped my arms like a bird, feeling like Wendy in "Peter Pan."
The creatures were the stars of this underwater Neverland. Tommy, a gifted critter hunter, clanged on his tank with a metal pointer, a signal that he had made a discovery. A hawksbill sea turtle was snoozing under a coral shelf. Giant lobsters waved antennae from their lairs.
Gazing beyond the reef, we were treated to big fish patrols out in the blue, as they say. Missile-shaped barracuda and giant trevally formed separate schools of hundreds of silvery fish. Such sightings are rare, a sign of overfishing even among these islands. Rarer still are shark sightings. Fishermen know they can make good money — up to six weeks' wages per kilo — selling the fins for soup.
We saw three dozen giant bumphead parrotfish emerge from the deep. With their massive heads they moved slowly, like grazing buffalo. Ken grabbed his little slate and wrote, "Home on range."
The most charming were the clown fish, with orange and white stripes like those of Nemo, the star of the animated film. They came in pairs, full of bravado. One emerged from the tentacles of a sea anemone to stare me down eye-to-eye, wiggling its tiny fins as if they were boxing gloves. His partner mistook my dangling air gauge for another challenger and faced off belligerently.
All too soon an hour had passed and it was time to ascend to the skiff. We emerged, talking all at once about what we had seen — as outboard engines roared, taking us back to breakfast aboard the Seven Seas.
Our ship accommodated 16 guests with eight double cabins. Each had its own bathroom, with a shower, a comfy bed and blessed air conditioning. But the schooner had so many places to lounge that we returned to our rooms only to sleep. During the day we snoozed like puppies wherever we collapsed.
The rhythm of our days fell into a delicious pattern. Early risers gathered on the padded cabin roof for yoga at 5:30 a.m. Yaya, who had the almond eyes, full lips and high cheekbones of a Balinese goddess, led us through 45 minutes of gentle postures to stretch sore muscles. Like all of the crew, she had several jobs and a wonderful spirit.
At 6:30 a.m. we had "little breakfast" — cappuccinos and platters of papaya, mango, pineapple and watermelon, as well as cereal. By 7:15 a.m. we were suited up and on deck for a briefing from Karl, our trip leader. Karl's head scarf and earring gave him a pirate-like in appearance, but a kind and attentive one.
After the first dive came "big breakfast." We ordered from a wide choice of Western breakfasts or Indonesian fare, nasi goreng (fried rice) or mee goreng (fried noodles). Our hungry pack of divers wolfed down every meal. After a brief rest, a second dive was underway, then lunch, then a longer rest and a third dive or often an afternoon visit to a village on the closest island.
Such visits were fascinating. Villagers were friendly, even those with a history of head-hunting. Many had lips and teeth stained red from chewing betel nut. The men were preoccupied with building or repairing boats because they rely on fishing; the women concentrated on weaving, drying fish or hammering shells of nutmeg. Some villagers offered to sell carvings or weavings. Others had not seen outsiders for years and were as curious about us as we were about them.
We were fortunate to have fellow guest Larry Fisher, a University of Arizona professor, to translate for us. He had lived in Indonesia and understands nuance, often translating for President Obama or official delegations.
On the island of Wetar, we watched a giant saltwater crocodile the size of a canoe slide off a log into the slimy green water of a lagoon. Nearby I saw something wriggling. To my amazement, it was the ears of a submerged water buffalo.
I asked why the crocodile didn't eat the buffalo and why the villagers hadn't killed the crocodile. Larry translated my questions.
"Friends," one villager said.
"We feed it dead dogs and chickens so it's not hungry," another said. "The crocodile is the reincarnation of our grandfather, so we must not kill it."
Larry and I looked at each other with raised eyebrows. We learned that a crocodile ate a child two years ago, and the villager who shot the croc mysteriously died a month later. Nobody kills the crocodiles anymore.
After a few days our group had bonded. We did as many night dives as our locations allowed. After seafood dinners on deck, we gazed at unfamiliar constellations searching for the Southern Cross, aided by iPad star-map apps. We reviewed the day's top 20 underwater photos taken by marine scientists Peggy Lubchenco and Steve Gaines. We listened and sang along as Canadian singer-guitarist Doug Craig toured us through classic-rock hits.
Most nights were spent underway, as we traveled to our next dive destination lulled by the moving boat. We sank heavily into sleep, eager for the next day's dives. I wanted this to go on forever.
By the trip's end, we were already planning our next adventure aboard the Seven Seas — to Komodo, in search of dragons.


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i am trying to pick up the suus/eius grammar (with my tutor).she is using the magnificat to illustrate.but one problem has arisen. why in ch1 ver 51(lk) is 'he has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart' translated with 'sui'.?
is this point similarly expressed in the greek n.t. as a matter of interest. i have a feeling that the magnificat isn't inspired along with other parts of lk.(eg; the passion narrative). if their is a correspondance in the grammar between the different n.t. books it might at least indicate approximately from what era they date from as well as the author(s).
little flower.


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WASHINGTON (AP) — The pressure off for now on Syria, Democrats are eager to return to Washington's regularly scheduled gridlock.
Pitched debates loom on the government's budget and its debt — never flattering endeavors that in recent years have sunk the nation's credit rating and Congress' popularity.
At least those debacles made both parties look bad. For Democrats, that's a welcome reprieve from the political turmoil President Barack Obama stirred with his on-off bid to get Congress to get behind the missile strike he wanted to launch against Syria over its alleged use of chemical weapons in a civil war.
As Obama looked to the United Nations to save him from a rejection by Congress, Democrats urged Americans to look instead at Republican infighting.
One issue is whether to use the threat of a government shutdown to torpedo Obama's health care law just as its biggest impacts are about to be felt. Another point of contention is whether to raise the nation's debt ceiling, a reminder of the 2011 standoff that brought the nation to the brink of default.
And then there are the automatic spending cuts and their burden on key Democratic constituencies — women, minorities and young people — in addition to the military's budget.
On all of those subjects roiling Republicans, Democrats see a political gain in blaming the GOP. Not so Obama's muddled Syria policy.
The president pulled back from what many believed were imminent retaliatory strikes to give Congress exactly the approval power lawmakers claimed after the White House's hard sell failed to attract support from the public or even a majority of his own party's House members. Only 16 Democratic senators and 14 Democratic House members were solidly in favor of his plan for limited strikes.
Russia's proposal for Syria to surrender its chemical weapons and avoid a U.S. military strike offered Obama a way out. Democrats eagerly pivoted back to their agenda. In public and private, they reminded Americans and themselves of the party's economic and educational agenda.
"If the Russia deal is a real deal, I think this evaporates very quickly" as an election issue, Rep. Steve Israel, a New York Democrat who chairs his party's campaign arm in the House, said Tuesday at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast. "I can't imagine voters waking up in one year and two months and saying, 'I'm going to cast my vote based on Syria.'"
Republicans, on the other hand, saw an advantage in keeping Syria alive as an issue. Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, facing a tough re-election bid in Kentucky, had his campaign put together an appeal for political donations based on his opposition to Congress endorsing Obama's plan for a military strike.
"Today was a ringing example of why we need to keep Mitch fighting for us in the United States Senate," wrote campaign manager Jesse Benton. "Anything that you can contribute will go a long way towards our goal."
Democrats' effort to change the subject began in earnest Tuesday morning. White House chief of staff Denis McDonough began a classified briefing on Syria for House Democrats by reminding them of "all the economic issues and the jobs issues that are really important to the American people," according to a recounting for reporters afterward by Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi.
"We didn't just talk about what you all are probably here to hear about, and that's Syria," confirmed Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif., the party caucus vice chairman.
Pelosi, however, still felt an obligation to provide cover for Obama. If the diplomatic effort fails, she said, the president should not wait on Congress to act before launching a military strike.
"We don't want the Russians to think that his leverage is diminished because of a vote we may or may not succeed with in the Congress," she told reporters. "I would recommend to the president that he do what President Clinton did (in Kosovo), go forward. Because I don't believe that he needs the authorization."
The Senate, meanwhile, turned its attention to an energy efficiency bill. Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., after conferring with the White House, canceled another closed briefing on Syria after more than a half-dozen of them in the past week in which lawmakers could hear top military and administration officials talk about possible impacts and repercussions they were unwilling to discuss in public.
"There are a lot of moving targets here," Reid said. "I think it would be better for the Senate if we do not have that briefing."