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UFOs and Aliens in Space
David Morrison
Skeptical Inquirer Volume 33.1, January / February 2009
Popular UFO claims include alien bases on the Moon and Mars. It is widely (but falsely) reported that Buzz Aldrin saw a UFO on the Apollo 11 flight and that NASA spacecraft discovered a humanoid face and other artifacts on Mars.
Much of the public believes that UFOs are alien spacecraft. This represents a conceptual leap from unidentified lights in the sky or radar bogies that were the UFO stories when I was growing up. Today, "believers" are talking about actual alien contact, with alien bases on the Moon and Mars, and their concerns receive reinforcement from radio, TV, and Internet blogs.
On one level UFOs are real, of course; many people occasionally see objects in the sky that are not immediately identifiable as planes, balloons, planets, stars, or unusual atmospheric phenomena. But the questions I receive from the public (submitted to a NASA Web site) suggest a belief system linking UFOs with alien visitations and abductions spiced up by "conspiracy theories" to hide this information from the public.
If UFOs are alien spacecraft visiting Earth, then it seems reasonable that evidence of alien civilizations might be seen by astronomers or the radio signals from alien spacecraft might be picked up by the sensitive receivers we use to communicate with our own spacecraft. Perhaps astronauts who venture into space would be among the first to make reliable observations of alien spacecraft or artifacts. Perhaps we should look for alien bases on other worlds. Indeed, the Internet carries many stories of such encounters. I will examine some of the evidence cited for alien presence in the solar system.
Astronaut Encounters with Aliens
One allegedly well-documented report stems from an interview in which astronaut Buzz Aldrin describes seeing a UFO during the Apollo 11 mission. In an interview on the Science Channel (left, top), Aldrin stated that he, Neil Armstrong, and Mike Collins saw unidentified objects that appeared to follow their Apollo spacecraft.
To get the story straight, I called Buzz Aldrin, who was happy to explain what happened. He said that his remarks were taken out of context to reverse his meaning. It is true that the Apollo 11 crew spotted an unidentified object moving with the spacecraft as they approached the Moon. After they verified that this mystery object was not Apollo 11's large rocket upper stage, which was about 6,000 miles away by then, they concluded that they were seeing one of the small panels that had linked the spacecraft to the upper stage (any part of the spacecraft's rocket upper stage will continue to move alongside the spacecraft, as both are floating in free-fall). These panels were too small to track from Earth and were relatively close to the Apollo spacecraft. Aldrin told me that they chose not to discuss this on the open communications channel since they were concerned that their comments might be misinterpreted. His entire explanation about identifying the panels was cut from the broadcast interview, giving the impression that the Apollo 11 crew had seen a UFO. Aldrin told me that he was angry about the deceptive editing and asked the Science Channel to correct the intentional twisting of his remarks, but they refused. Later, Aldrin explained what happened on CNN's Larry King Live (left, bottom) but was nearly cut off by the host before he could finish.
With the popularity of YouTube, this same question is addressed to me repeatedly, as in: "Check out this video on YouTube with Buzz Aldrin saying he saw a UFO on Apollo 11. Who is fibbing? NASA or the great American hero, Buzz Aldrin?" My answer was that the fibbing was being done by the producers of the video, who omitted the second half of the interview.
It is instructive to watch this interview to see the ways the story is embellished and ultimately manipulated. Most of the talking is done by the interviewer and not Aldrin, but their comments have been edited to create the illusion of a seamless narrative. Throughout the interview we see a montage of short scenes from Apollo and other missions, including a blurry image through the window taken during a later flight. Only a critical viewer will distinguish what Aldrin said from the narrative by the interviewer or realize that the video clips are unrelated. The end product is clever disinformation, strongly suggesting—without explicitly lying—that Aldrin and his crewmates saw an alien spacecraft.
Many Internet claims of encounters between NASA astronauts and alien spacecraft are based on quotes from "secret communications" between flight crews and Houston. It is true that there are such private conversations, concerning crew health for example. But the Internet stories of overheard conversations are never documented and often attributed to leaks from unnamed NASA workers whose jobs (or even lives) would allegedly be at risk if they were identified. Many of these stories involve the Apollo 11 flight, and they include claims that alien spaceships accompanied the NASA craft during its Moon landing and that a row of alien spacecraft along a crater rim monitored the astronauts' spacewalk on the lunar surface. (Incidentally, Apollo 11 landed on a flat plain where there were no hills or crater rims to provide such a viewpoint.)
To my knowledge, no NASA astronaut has ever reported seeing a UFO in space, let alone having a confrontation with aliens. However, this is not to say that no astronaut believes that alien visitations to Earth might be happening. Recently there were news reports that Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell believes in the reality of some reports of UFOs. He has attended a number of meetings of UFO believers, and he asserts that some of these reports are true, and that the U.S. government and military are aware of these alien visits. However, Mitchell does not claim to have seen aliens himself. His astronaut colleagues tell me that he has always had an interest in the occult, and he even tried to conduct a parapsychology experiment on the way to and from the Moon. It is easy for a journalist to ignore Mitchell's caveats about most UFO reports being untrue, or about not encountering an alien himself, to give the impression that he and other astronauts have had frequent encounters with beings from other worlds.
One argument presented to me by several correspondents is that aliens must have warned humans to stay away from their bases on the Moon. Otherwise, why was the Apollo program suddenly terminated with three more missions scheduled and almost ready for launch? (The huge Apollo/Saturn-5 rockets that enthrall visitors to the NASA space parks at Canaveral, Houston, and Huntsville are not mock-ups; they are real hardware built for Apollo 18, 19, and 20.) The conspiracy story attributes our failure to follow up on the Apollo flights to this same interplanetary quarantine and suggests that NASA's current program to return astronauts to the Moon will be cancelled for the same reason. I admit being baffled by the sudden termination of the Apollo program at the peak of its success, but I accept the official explanation that it was due to the changing political priorities of the Nixon administration, where many looked upon Apollo as a Kennedy-Johnson program.
Mars: The Viking Era
Mars plays a unique role in public consciousness. Just a century ago, this planet was widely thought to be inhabited by intelligent creatures, largely due to astronomical studies and the popular writing of Percival Lowell. The classic science-fiction novel War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells reinforced public curiosity about the possibility of aliens on Mars. But early space missions that showed decisively that Mars was not really very Earth-like—with no canals and an atmosphere only 1 percent the size of ours—damped much of the public's fascination. Scientific interest has steadily increased, however, and Mars is the planet most visited by spacecraft. The first stage of scientific exploration climaxed in 1976 with two identical Mars landers and orbiters as part of the Viking program. All four Viking spacecraft were fabulously successful, providing a comprehensive survey of the planet together with detailed analysis at two landing sites, including clever experiments to search for evidence of microbial life.
After two decades of post-Viking neglect, NASA initiated a new series of Mars missions with the 1996 Mars Pathfinder, which included a rover about the size of a microwave oven. After two mission failures in 1998, several remarkably successful orbiters and the two famous Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, followed. In addition to high-resolution orbiting cameras, there is also a digital, global topographic map based on laser ranging between the orbiter and the surface. As a result, we have more detailed and quantitative data on martian topography than we do for much of the Earth's surface.
Naturally, the tens of thousands of high-resolution photos from orbit and on the ground (all publicly available) have been studied for evidence of life and any potential artifacts of a possible ancient civilization. In this respect, the most famous discovery was made by Viking Orbiter 1 in 1977, in a low-resolution (about 40 meters) photo of the ancient Cydonia region of Mars. In the midst of a heavily eroded plain with irregular low mountains or mesas is the Face on Mars, one of the iconic images of the space program.
The Face on Mars, seen under oblique lighting, seems to be an oval humanoid face with eyes, nose, and a mouth. It is about one kilometer across and surrounded by a sort of halo that reminds some of the cloth headpiece worn by Egyptian pharaohs. It was spotted by Viking scientist Toby Owen and released to the press as a joke to show how even on Mars we (humans) could find features that looked vaguely like ourselves. Unfortunately, Viking project scientist Jerry Soffen made an offhand remark to the press that this "face" showed up only under this particular lighting and not in other photos of the same site. The problem was that Viking had not taken other photos of this spot at equal or higher resolution, and the mission ended before this area could be mapped again. Thus began another conspiracy theory: NASA was suppressing confirming photos of the face. When the next NASA mission to photograph Mars (Mars Observer) failed in 1992 shortly before its arrival at the Red Planet, the story began to circulate that this failure was faked and the spacecraft was really in orbit and sending back secret high-resolution images of the face.
The Face on Mars has been vigorously promoted by one energetic entrepreneur: Richard C. Hoagland. A young freelance journalist and one-time museum guide, Hoagland was a part of the large corps of journalists who encamped at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for the Viking landings. Hoagland not only accepted the artificial origin of the face, he went on to develop a detailed "theory" that linked this feature with a number of others in Cydonia that he also interpreted as artificial. These included a set of intersecting low ridges that he called the "city" and several mountains of roughly pyramid shape. (Pyramid-shaped peaks with three or four sides are a rather common product of both ice and wind erosion on Earth.)
As improving technology allowed for higher photo resolution, the "face on Mars" looked less like a face and more like the natural landform it is.
Hoagland set out to study the geometry of this layout, finding coincidences in the angles between the features that further demonstrated (to him) their artificial origin. He published the results from his "research" in a 350-page book called The Monuments of Mars (now in its fifth edition). He also undertook a lecture circuit that climaxed when a naïve public affairs officer at NASA Glenn (then Lewis) Research Center in Cleveland invited him to present a director's seminar and then offered to put a videotape of this talk on the NASA TV channel. Hoagland also began making regular appearances on Art Bell's late-night talk show Coast to Coast AM, where he still happily holds forth on the conspiracies of NASA and the U.S. government to keep the truth from the public.
Hoagland's elaborate interpretation of the "monuments" on Mars represents an amazing flight of imagination. Since the features are in a state of ruin, he concludes that the aliens who built them are no longer present and dates the construction of these huge projects to about half a million years ago. Since the face is (in his opinion) clearly human and directed upward (best seen from above), he concludes that it was built as a message for Homo sapiens, a species that was just emerging on Earth at the time. The story then bifurcates: either these aliens were also visiting Earth at the time and knew about the future rise of humans (analogous to the opening sequences in the book and film 2001, A Space Odyssey), or the monuments themselves were built by an earlier race of humans that had moved from Earth to Mars and left no traces of their tenure on our planet. Yet another option is that Homo sapiens had a martian origin, migrating to Earth when their own planet became uninhabitable (a conclusion that flies in the face of all modern genetic analysis of humans and their primate cousins).
Hoagland's analysis of the geometric patterns of the alleged monuments convinced him that the entire layout in Cydonia was a technical message to humans, one that included the key to a limitless source of energy. Apparently he has deciphered the message but is not revealing it just yet, other than to say that this energy could be tapped only at latitude 19.5 degrees (north or south) on the Sun as well as Earth and Mars. More recently, Hoagland linked the monuments on Mars with the crop circles appearing on Earth, which also allegedly held the key to unlimited energy, implying that the creators of the city on Mars were also active today on Earth. The fact that Hoagland was able to peddle this bizarre fairy tale for two decades and make a living selling books and videotapes is a testament to his ability as a salesman, if not to his unscientific acumen.
The two-decade post-Viking hiatus from Mars provided plenty of time for Hoagland to market his fantasy. The 1992 failure of Mars Observer, far from ending this story, was twisted by Hoagland into an additional conspiracy theory. The day the failure was announced, a group of his followers demonstrated outside the JPL gates to protest the blanket of secrecy they claimed had been thrown over this mission whose real purpose was to allegedly study the face. In the late 1990s, one of the two most frequently asked questions in letters and emails received by NASA concerned the Face on Mars (the other topic was asteroid impacts).
New Results from Mars
In 1998, a much-improved camera arrived at Mars on the Mars Global Surveyor orbiter. A vocal segment of the public demanded that NASA give high priority to re-photographing the face. NASA wisely argued that this was not a high-priority target but quietly obtained a high-resolution image of the face as soon as the spacecraft orbit permitted it. On April 5, 1998, when the Mars Global Surveyor flew over Cydonia for the first time, Michael Malin and his Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) team snapped a picture ten times sharper than the original Viking photos, revealing a natural landform. However, the new lighting was very different from that of the original Viking photo, and some face proponents refused to believe that this was really the same feature. On April 8, 2001, the MOC captured a photo using the camera's maximum resolution, better than two meters, which was twenty times higher than the Viking original. This spacecraft also carried another instrument, a laser ranging device, which gradually built up an extremely detailed quantitative topographic map of Mars that did not depend on lighting angles. With these data, it was possible to reconstruct exactly how the mesa would look from any direction. Many details of this story are recounted in the article "Unmasking the Face on Mars".
Additional images with even higher resolution were obtained in 2007 by the University of Arizona HiRISE camera on the NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. With a resolution of 25 cm, these photos showed features as small as a briefcase. Such data eventually convinced almost everyone that the face was simply a mesa surrounded by an apron of eroded debris. NASA's chief Mars scientist, Jim Garvin, even jokingly plotted a hiking trail that ascended the rugged hill. However, as the true nature of this eroded mesa became undeniable, the suggestion was made that the face had been intentionally destroyed by NASA: the clandestine mission of Mars Observer had been to first photograph the feature in detail, then deface it with a well-aimed nuclear missile.
Meanwhile, Richard Hoagland was moving on and generating new claims, some even more bizarre than those associated with the face. The Wikipedia article on Hoagland mentions his assertions that "Rocks on Mars containing biological fossils were purposely destroyed by NASA's rover Opportunity. Numerous objects surrounding the landing sites of the Mars Exploration Rovers are in fact pieces of martian machinery. There are large semitransparent structures constructed of glass on the lunar surface, visible in some Apollo photography. There is a clandestine space program, using antigravity technology reverse-engineered from lunar artifacts and communicated by secret societies. Federal agencies such as FEMA and NASA are linked to Freemasonry."
Hoagland held a press conference at the National Press Club on October 30, 2007, to "review NASA's 50 years of cover-ups and hidden solar system data." His accusations against NASA appeared in more detail in his book with Mike Bara, Dark Mission: The Secret History of NASA. He was also by then in his crop circle phase, promoting new sources of energy revealed to him in the crop circles. And he is still a regular guest on Coast to Coast AM, where he has the title of science advisor.
Humans have a natural tendency to see anthropomorphic features in natural shapes such as clouds and mountains. As thousands of new photos of the martian surface were streaming back from the rovers, some of these tendencies were bound to pop up. One of the funniest is an image of a tiny eroded rock only a few centimeters long that looks rather like the famous "little mermaid" statue in Copenhagen Harbor. This too has been hailed as a real photo of a Martian. The continuing torrent of spacecraft images from current missions to Saturn and Mercury as well as Mars will probably generate new advocates for aliens in space. Fortunately, the vast majority of people are happy to accept these images as wonderful products of our space age exploration of the solar system and not as a new episode in the great alien cover-up.


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KAEKAE1 needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 205 designs submitted by 47 freelance designers.
Cougar Mix
I am creating an on line dating site for the hottest trend...Cougar Dating.
This is one of 7 sites being built.
This will be a playful but professional, sophisticated dating site.
Young men and Older women. Men over 21 and women over 35.
I would like the design to express sophistication but still fun.
Pls do not use stock or clipart images. We also ask for the art in a vector format like that produced by Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator.
We ask the winner to assign us ownership of the artwork.
If you use any third party fonts, please let us know what they are.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.

subset: commoncrawl


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8:30 pm
Rick Steves' Europe "Highlights of Castile: Toledo and Salamanca" Rick marvels at El Greco, pops some explosive pickles, and rambles medieval walls.G
9:00 pm
Grand View "Golden Gate National Recreation Area" Baumann sets his sites on one of the largest urban parks in the world: Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The park, which includes Alcatraz, the Marin Headlands, and the original military fortifications surrounding San Francisco, was conceived as part of a trend to make national park resources more accessible to urban populations. Interviews include Frank Heaney, Alcatraz prison guard, Heather Booth, park interpretive ranger, and Stephen Haller, civil war historian. D
9:30 pm
Lidia's Italy In America "California: Pesto Pronto!" On her trip to the Golden State, Lidia meets with Brady Whitlow, president of Corto Olive, to talk about their methods of producing Italian-style olive oil in California. Next, Lidia visits one of the longest-standing wine making families in Sonoma County, the Seghesio family, at their vineyards. Joe joins Lidia in the kitchen to give his take on how to use pesto in two easy recipes: Pesto Salmon BLT and Pesto Chicken Salad. D
10:00 pm
Cook's Country from America's Test Kitchen "Hearty Autumn Dinner" NULL
10:30 pm
Mexico -- One Plate at a Time with Rick Bayless "A Ceviche State of Mind" Nothing captures the spirit of a day at the beach in Mexico like the fresh seafood cocktail or ceviche. But you don't have to be on the coast to enjoy it. Rick finds a classic version at a favorite spot with the feel of a beachside fish shack - right in the heart of landlocked Mexico City. D
11:00 pm
Caprial and John's Kitchen: Cooking for Family and Friends "Pumpkin Patch Dinner" The Pences visit a pumpkin patch to harvest their favorites for pumpkin curry soup and pumpkin cookies served with hot apple pie drinks.G
11:30 pm
Rick Steves' Europe "Highlights of Castile: Toledo and Salamanca" Rick marvels at El Greco, pops some explosive pickles, and rambles medieval walls.G


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cpgint needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 44 designs submitted by 26 freelance designers.
Logo Design for a Company
Please design a nice clean stylized logo for the company Wattel & Daub, Inc.
Deadline for logo design - WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 17TH 2008
- Nice clean font to spell out the company name
- Try to include something with the WD or W&D
- No icon
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Recent News
(2001 US CD Reissue Essay by Brian Hogg):
In January 1968 the original Traffic line-up: Stevie Winwood (vocals/guitar/organ), Dave Mason (vocals/guitar), Chris Wood (saxophone/flute) and Jim Capaldi (drums/vocals) had, by January 1968, been reduced to a trio by the departure of Mason. Undaunted, the band took to the road and in doing so discovered an extraordinary bond. Naturally the spotlight fell on Winwood who filled the sound with pedal bass lines, organ and soaring voice, but Capaldi's measured, rhythmic punch and Wood's intuitive woodwind breathed colour into the sound. (A flavour of Traffic as a trio is preserved on two live tracks issued on the 1969 album 'Last Exit').
Chris Wood's tenor sax and Steve Winwood's guitar fused so well together it was sometimes difficult to tell them apart. "You can all join in" followed and confirmed my opinion that it should be put out as a single. Here it would be a giant. It's slightly hillbilly flavor and easy pace have made it a firm favourite on the Continent and with British fans who have heard it.
To this listener, the work of Traffic was the most appealing and the most developed of the evening. The three Britons were intent upon bringing warmth, melody, and vocal expressiveness back to the pop scene. Traffic's Members have the technique and splash to outdo any challenger in electronic effects or wild, orgiastic sound. But the broup preferred to gravitate toward subtle statement, musical structure, and building some patterns that make logic rather than just jolt.
The central figure of Traffic is Steve Winwood, a gifted 19-year-old who brings a Ray Charles-like voice, a supple organ style and a fluent guitar manner with him. Jim Capaldi and Chris Wood gave him excellent support. British musicians continue to be style-setters and the visit of Traffic is especially welcome.


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Wanting that sexy bikini look for summer, we have luxury swimwear looks you are craving for. Whether you are lounging by the pool or jet setting away on a fun vaca, all these styles would be the perfect fit. Colors that are in for summer are bright colors and fun patterns, I always love to mix and match for that unique personal look.
Model Kate Upton graces the cover in her coral two piece Sports Illustrated swimsuit, so I wanted to show you how you can get this look. So if you want a style that will accentuate your curves with amazing hardware I would pick Guilty Pleasure bikini. With a great pop of coral color, gold accent hardware, and a sexy design style it makes for the perfect bikini. Need inspo on how to style it? Try a high wasted skirt or fun distressed high wasted shorts for an effortless chic look!
With so many different Sports Illustrated covers, there were so many to choose from but I these are two of my personal favs. Since everyone looks stunning in black, the Gold Digger bandeau bikini will show a stylish side and with fun gold hardware this bikini is the perfect match. Now if you are a red lover, then who wouldn't just die over this sexy luxurious bikini. Red is a stylish sexy color that will accentuate your tan. With fun circle details on the top and bottom, it is perfect for any pool party! Red is extremely flattering on every body type, and is such a powerful color to add to your bikini wardrobe. Embrace it and show you're off your sexiness.


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Common Ground needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 32 designs submitted by 18 freelance designers.
We are a nonprofit organization conducting our first fundraising walkathon. We need a logo for the event that will work with our organization logo.
Because this is our first Walk, we need to create a branded look that people will associate with Common Ground.
We are a crisis organization located in Oakland County Michigan. Our mission is to provide a lifeline for individuals and families in crisis, victims of crime, persons with mental illness, people trying to cope with critical situations and runaway and homeless youth.
- Item 1...Must work with the organization logo
- The title of the walk is Walk On Common Ground
- tagline is we listen, we help, we walk
- Item 1..
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Sodderhamn, SE
Here's a crazy idea I just had. You register at an official gym where they have exercise machines that generate power to the electrical grid, like a treadmill or lifting machine, etc. Feedback from the machine tells you how many calories — and how many watt-hours — you produce.
Now when you login, your electrical utility can monitor your contribution and discount your home billing by an automated credit. The more you work out, the more you save.
The credit could be slightly lower than the normal rate to offset administration and maintenance costs of such a system, resulting in a break-even scenario for the utility.
Where I live, both health care and electrical power are supplied essentially by the government through taxes. A lot of money is spent on both promoting fitness and energy conservation. A program like this could accomplish both at the same time and have a real impact.
There — that's my idea.


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|International Space Station Imagery
high res (1.7 M) low res (125 K)
|ISS025-E-015057 (15 Nov. 2010) --- Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka, Expedition 25 flight engineer, wearing a Russian Orlan spacesuit, participates in a session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 27-minute spacewalk, Skripochka and Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin (out of frame), flight engineer, installed a multipurpose workstation on the starboard side of the Zvezda Service Module's large-diameter section and relocated a television camera from one end of the Rassvet docking compartment to the other.
Curator: JSC PAO Web Team | Responsible NASA Official: Amiko Kauderer | Updated: 10/30/2012


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By now, you've probably seen commercials heralding the return of "Superstars" to network television on Tuesday night. The new version actually combines the old athletes competing in an all-around competition of the 70's and 80's with "Battle of the Network Stars" by pairing sports stars with celebrities from other walks of life in a team competition.
One of the teams is made up of Bills wide receiver Terrell Owens and model Joanna Krupa, and it seems that the pairing worked out about as well as Owens and everyone else that he's ever worked with.
Let that be a warning to you, Trent Edwards. There's a longer version of Krupa's freakout, but her language is a little too salty for these waters.
Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo, among other former Owens teammates, will probably particularly love seeing this, but you've got to wonder where that kind of reaction was from them when T.O. was throwing them under enough buses to fill Port Authority for the next three years.
Guess T.O. will have to take to his driveway for some push-ups and sit-ups to get himself onto another team. Maybe a pairing with Dan Cortese will bear more fruit?
Josh Alper is a writer living in New York City and is a contributor to FanHouse.com and ProFootballTalk.com in addition to his duties for NBCNewYork.com.


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Next summer, visitors to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium can hop a tram to Africa, where lions could be lying inches away from guests, giraffes are fed by hand and cheetahs race across the savanna.
Next summer, visitors to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium can hop a tram to Africa, where lions could be lying inches away from guests, giraffes are fed by hand and cheetahs race across the savanna.
The 43-acre, $30.4 million expansion to the zoo is designed to give visitors unobstructed views of animals such as giraffes and zebras -- which aren't current zoo residents -- and also allow them to experience Africa as zoo Director Emeritus Jack Hanna does.
"You're going to join us on a trip to Jack Hanna's favorite places in Africa," said Barb Revard, the zoo's director of planning and programming.
Upon entering Safari Africa, visitors will be welcomed by dancers, artisans and drumbeats.
To their right will be an old schoolhouse that was used from 1891 to 1911. The zoo renovated the building and kept it in its original location on the property because it is similar to current schoolhouses in some parts of Africa.
The schoolhouse will serve as an educational area to showcase African culture through storytelling, music, dancing and art.
"It was important that when we built Africa that we included the cultural experience," said zoo President and CEO Tom Stalf.
Thirteen months into transforming the former soybean field, the zoo already has completed much of the construction on main buildings, including a two-story restaurant called Mapuri, which means savanna in Swahili.
One side of the buffet-style restaurant, which will serve as a barrier for the lion habitat, is made entirely of windows so diners can feel as if they're in the middle of the savanna. Beyond the lions, diners will be able to see 10 different animal species in the seven-acre savanna, including gazelles, warthogs and ostriches.
Having such an open space "gives the animals the ability to roam and forage and gives us the ability to teach about conservation and coexistence," Stalf said.
"It's our obligation to tell these stories," he added.
The zoo and Hanna support 10 conservation projects that span 30 countries. A few of those, such as the cheetah and giraffe projects, will be highlighted in areas where those animals can be viewed in the new attraction.
A giraffe barn that will house 11 of the 18-foot-tall mammals also has been constructed. When they arrive in 2014, it will be the first time in a decade the zoo has housed giraffes.
Stalf said bringing giraffes back to the zoo was a main objective of the project, because they often are at the top of must-have lists in guest surveys.
When it's above 50 degrees outside, giraffes will be near the watering hole with other animals. From a bridge that leads to the watering hole, visitors will be able to feed lettuce to giraffes.
"You really can't appreciate the size of a giraffe until you're really close to it," said Africa zookeeper Sheri Smith.
Stalf said the Africa expansion is all about having an authentic, up-close-and-personal experience with the animals.
"We want people to look back at their pictures and say, 'Was that when I was in Kenya or Botswana? No, that was at the Columbus Zoo,' " he said.
In addition to feeding giraffes, visitors will be able to ride camels.
Other features of the new exhibit include Jack's Camp, which is set up similar to Hanna's home base when he's visiting Africa; and a catering facility that was built on the edge of the savanna and can be rented for private events.
Africa is expected to open to visitors in May 2014.


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Editor's note: CNN's Destination Adventure series takes a look at destinations for the wanderer at heart. This week, we're looking at Hong Kong. Each week, we'll feature favorite regional foods, secrets from the locals, and the best photos and stories from readers. Next week, we'll journey to Dubai, so please stop by CNN iReport if you've got photos or tips to share.
(CNN) -- With its intense urban center and outlying natural beauty, Hong Kong's intriguing, paradoxical nature beckons you to come for a visit.
A thriving metropolis ablaze with millions of scintillating lights is only one side of this city's allure. An extension of Hong Kong, its islands and green expanses offer respite and serenity if a calm vacation is what you crave.
"I find it fascinating that Hong Kong has a huge population living in a small area, yet still has large areas of preserved nature," iReporter Emilyinhk said. "I never expected that in just a few minutes you could be in a quiet, rural area, far from the pollution and crowds of the city."
Challenge yourself to soak up the split personality of Hong Kong's spirit. Until you do, visitors and natives alike say you haven't experienced the "real Hong Kong."
Hong Kong: Metropolis on the brink of beauty
Yvonne Chan lives in Hong Kong, and she is still captivated by all that her city has to offer. Her must-do list is just a taste of the experiences you can have: "Tram up to the Peak, light show by Tsim Sha Tsui's Avenue of Stars overlooking the Victoria Harbour at 8 p.m. every evening, shopping in Causeway Bay, drinks in Lan Kwai Fong, Big Buddha at Ngong Ping, and for those with kids, a day at Ocean Park."
Below, iReporters share their tips for making the most of your time in Hong Kong.
First-timer tips
It's easy to get caught up in the rush of Hong Kong's bustling city area. Try to see and experience as much as you can, but before you jet off, take note of these tips.
Hong Kong's summers are notoriously hot and humid, so plan accordingly. iReporter George Kreif recommends traveling in the fall, "when the temperature is (almost) bearable." But if you do go during the summer, dress as lightly as possible.
Hong Kong is also worth exploring on foot. "If you are a first-time traveler, I recommend getting a map and some good walking shoes," iReporter Ray Kirby said.
This especially comes in handy when looking at Hong Kong's scenery.
"Don't forget to explore Hong Kong's green side," iReporter Shari Nijman said. "The city is amazing, but most of Hong Kong consists of lush, green nature with fantastic hiking trails!"
If you feel swept away by all of your options, embrace it. Hong Kong can be dazzling and overwhelming. Let yourself explore.
"By all means, if it's your first visit to Hong Kong, don't be afraid to be a 'tourist,' " Kreif said. "Visit Victoria Peak, travel to Kowloon -- be sure to visit 'Flower' and 'Bird Streets' via the Star Ferry. Kowloon at night is ablaze with neon commercial lights, a beautiful sight to behold. The enthusiastic crowds you will encounter there will energize your spirit after a long day of sightseeing. Not to worry, it's perfectly safe to be out and about at night."
If you've got shopping on your mind, invest in an Octopus Card, Chan suggests.
"The card is available anywhere and is accepted by all transport providers as well as major convenience stores ... beats carrying small change!" she said.
But perhaps best of all, keep this advice in mind: "My tip for traveling in Hong Kong is to explore and enjoy all the wonderful things and places this country offers," iReporter Lia Ocampo said.
Five tastemakers of Hong Kong's dining scene
Getting around
Perhaps more so than most other cities, Hong Kong is known for its various modes of transportation. Trams are perfect for tourists and locals alike and can take you almost anywhere you want to go.
"We are budget travelers," Maureen McLeod said. "We would strongly recommend taking the tram for both the low fare and the view of so much of the city which one gets, particularly from the front seats on the second level. One can see most of the city for only two Hong Kong dollars."
Ferries, such as the Star Ferry, are also very popular in the city and for navigating around the islands.
"Take a ferry out to one of the islands or a bus into the New Territories," Emilyinhk said. "Many of these places are less than an hour away from Central. The city itself is breathtaking, but unless you get out and see the rural areas, you haven't truly experienced Hong Kong. From a beach in Sai Kung or a hiking trail on Lantau Island, you would never believe you were still in Hong Kong."
Fast-paced Kowloon is rich with the city life that entices many visitors to Hong Kong. Crowded night markets and street food vendors give off the vibe that this is the "real Hong Kong."
If you want to slow down after a night in Kowloon, explore relaxing Lantau Island. "Something about having to take a boat there makes it seem like you've landed on the other side of the world," iReporter Bo Brennan said.
The islands also offer more strenuous recreation for those wanting an adventure.
"If you're into hiking -- and still have the energy -- take a ferry out to Lamma Island, where you will find a lengthy, well-maintained hiking trail that offers amazing view of the surrounding islands and ocean," Kreif said.
One day in Hong Kong
"If you only have one day in Hong Kong, there is one thing you must do," Brennan said. "It will be a memory you will keep for years to come. Take a boat out on the harbor at sunset. Watch the sun slowly sink behind islands in the far distance. Look at the dying light glint off the buildings of Hong Kong's amazing skyline.
"That experience is worth its weight in Hong Kong dollars, and it will be one memory you will tell your children and grandchildren, inspiring the next generation to go out and experience everything the world has to offer."


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Here's a little about Run the Risk:
When Detective Logan Riske goes undercover to find Pepper Yates, a potential link to his best friend's unsolved murder, he vows to gain her cooperation by any means necessary. But the elusive beauty is more suspicious—and in far more danger—than he expected. And the last thing Logan needs is to start caring for her .Pepper has spent years dodging the corrupt club owner who will stop at nothing to keep her silenced. She can trust no one, not even the handsome new "construction worker" who's moved in next door. The heat between them is undeniable. But will surrendering to passion bring her the safety she so desires—or will her feelings for Logan draw them both into a killer's crosshairs?
And here is Lori's post.
3. When you come up with an idea for a novel, do you imagine it as a series or standalone? Do you think in terms of chapters? How do you envision the book?
I never think beyond the first scene that comes to me, or the current scene I'm writing. What happens for me is that I see a situation – see it, like I'm watching a movie - and most times the hero is the dominant force of the scene. From there, the hero tells me his story as I write it.In the beginning, I'm only interested in getting that first scene down on paper. Little clues pop up as I need them. The hero – who is always the biggest visual for me – makes himself more known as I go along. It's really sort of magical how it happens. The characters introduce themselves, popping up when I least expect them. And they tell me the story – what they think I need to know, when they think I need to know it.My current series is a little different because four heroes got introduced in the first book! Far as I can remember, that's the first time that has ever happened. As soon as each guy hit the page, he made it clear he had a story to tell. I don't know everything about his story until I start writing it, but each one told me they would want a book.For timing purposes – because I'm pathetic when it comes to numbers – I pace the length of the book by keeping most chapters around 20 to 25 manuscript pages. That gives me, and the characters, a sense of when the book should be wrapping up.
Have you picked up Run the Risk yet? Tell us what you thought in the comment section. Haven't read it? What is your favorite Lori Foster book?


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Veteran sports writer Jim Utter covers NASCAR for The Charlotte Observer and its racing site, ThatsRacin.com. In this space, Jim writes about all things NASCAR and other forms of racing which may also be relevant ... or not.
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Elliott Sadler 'still ticked' over incident with Regan Smith
NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Elliott Sadler was asked Saturday at Chicagoland Speedway about whether he and Regan Smith had spoken about their on-track incident last weekend at New Hampshire.
This was Sadler's complete response:
"You can ask us all you want, and we understand you have a job to do also. Yes, Regan (Smith) did reach out to me this week and we had a 20 or 30 minute conversation and also Dale Jr. (Earnhardt) reached out to me this week because he's the owner of the car and he and I have been friends since we were teenagers, and had some good conversation.
"I'm still pissed about it and Regan knows that and he knows where I stand. He took 100 percent of the blame and understood why I'm upset and why I was upset. The biggest problem I had with it is I gave him a huge break at Iowa -- a huge break -- he hit the wall off Turn 4 and went into Turn 1 and I could have easily made it three-wide, that was the same day as the Pocono race, so none of us, a lot of us that use spotters, so I knew he didn't have his (regular) spotter at Iowa and I gave him a huge break and could have easily -- he could have easily wrecked.
"I felt like he didn't give me the same courtesy and I actually gave him a big break at the beginning of the race at New Hampshire -- I caught him from a straightaway behind, raced him for 15 laps and got in the back of him in the middle of (Turns) 3 and 4 and I just slowed down and stopped and let him get back in front of me and then tried to race him clean again. For him to do what he did at New Hampshire -- I'm still ticked about it. But, we talked and we agreed that our racing is going to change a little bit between us, but we know that we're going to be racing around each other a lot between now and Homestead and they feel like they have a chance to win the championship. We feel like we have a chance amongst other drivers, so we're probably going to see each other a lot between now and November."
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Shamar Bailey (10-1 MMA, 1-0 SF) has replaced an injured Bryan Travers (13-1 MMA, 0-0 SF) and meets Justin Wilcox (8-3 MMA, 2-1 SF) on the main card of next month's Strikeforce Challengers VII event, the promotion today announced.
Travers was forced out of the event with a shoulder injury.
Bailey vs. Wilcox will be contested at a catch-weight of 160 pounds.
Strikeforce Challengers VII takes place March 26 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. The night's five-fight main card, including a headliner of Andre Galvao vs. Luke Stewart, airs on Showtime.
Bailey recently extended his win streak to four fights with a unanimous-decision win over John Kolosci at Strikeforce's November show in Illinois. The Indianapolis firefighter and NCAA Division III national wrestling qualifier usually fights at 170 pounds and previously competed for organizations such as M-1 and KOTC.
Wilcox, meanwhile, looks for his third consecutive Strikeforce win and fourth straight victory overall. The 155-pound fighter most recently defeated PRIDE and DREAM vet Daisuke Nakamura via unanimous decision.
"I have a lot of respect for Justin," stated Bailey, who was recently featured in an MMAjunkie.com "Fight Path" feature. "I know he's been winning, and I think we're both well-rounded fighters with a lot to prove. But I believe that when you have two fighters of equal ability going at it, the bigger guy holds the edge, and he is a natural 155-pounder and I fight at 170."
For complete coverage of "Strikeforce Challengers VII," stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.
(Pictured: Shamar Bailey)


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Abstract Landscape Painting (#5909)
Artwork Description
Available as 100% hand-made or embellished print on canvas.
Choose Artwork Type & Size
100% hand-made recreations are based on paintings I have already sold. A recreated painting is very similar, but not identical, to the one already sold. I use acrylic paints on high-quality canvas and then apply a coat of high-gloss varnish to protect it from possible dust and sun damage. The painting is ready to hang and hardware is provided.


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According to the 1970's flick Love Story, "Love means never having to say you're sorry." Well, it also means doing some gross things for one another and not feeling (too) bad about it. Have you ever picked a boyfriend's zit? Watched him go to the bathroom? Well, I haven't (I have a weak stomach for that kind of thing), but I would venture to say that the grand majority of couples have and are fine with it.
The reality is, after you have been together a while, you just kind of deal with the everyday nastiness that comes with being human. You love each other and you see beyond it. Period. The end.
So what are some gross things we do for love? After asking around and giving the matter much thought, here are 7 of the nastiest things my fellow marrieds said they have done for love (and would be willing to do again). See below:
1.) Scoop the cat box: My friend says: "I hate my wife's cat, but she is pregnant, so it's the least I can do. There I am scooping his nasty poop every day and tying it off in a baggy. I am such a good husband." Ha. I hear him. My husband scoops the cat box even though it's my cat because I am pregnant. HE HATES IT. But he does it. Sure, he grumbles and he washes his hands like a maniac after, but I know he will do it every time I've got a bun in the oven because, hey, he loves me.
2.) Look at "bumps": "My husband is ALWAYS asking me to look at something he can't see that is itching or hurting," my friend said. Yup. Sounds like a man, no? Often it isn't something we want to see, either. In fact, I would say 99 percent of the time, it's not. Still, we do it. We love them and if they have some strange lesion on their back, we need to be helping them figure out what to do. True love, man.
3.) Rub feet: This one goes both ways, but yeah. Feet are gross. And still we rub them. I have been known to put my just-out-of-sneakers-after-a-20-mile-run feet in his face and demand only: "rub." And sometimes he has even done it.
4.) Clean up vomit: If your spouse is sick, who is gonna do it? You, obvi. Kid vomit is one thing. Adult vomit is a WHOLE other ballgame. Still, I would never make my poor sick husband scrub up the remnants of his puke-fest from the toilet rim. That's my job. Even as I gag.
5.) Pick his teeth: Ever had your husband look at you and ask if something is stuck in his teeth? Ever had him ask you to dig it out? No? Then you are in the minority. Dozens of women and men I asked have done this nasty task and they have done so happily. If it helps him not look like a freak (which reflects badly back on you), then it's worth it.
6.) Let him pee (or worse) while you shower: In our newlywed days, when we lived in a one-bathroom apartment, this happened all the time. We learned to live with it. Now, I didn't do the same. But that is only because I would rather hold it for hours than do most of those things in the same room as him. But I am the minority there, it seems.
7.) Pop a zit: Personally, I have never done this (see my aforementioned weak stomach), but plenty of women and men say they have and it's no biggie. So whatever. I get it. It's cool. It's love. And who can argue with that?
What gross things have you done for love?
Image via Andy Wright/Flickr


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Lace, silky fabrics and a lot of skin were the stars of the runway during the second Lingerie Fashion Week in New York, an event showcasing the latest in intimate apparel.
Several designers, including one who makes items constructed with 24-karat gold and another aiming to bring a shot of style to drab maternity and nursing lingerie, sought to shake up the under-there business.
The only fashion week devoted to lingerie, the event marks a departure from the trade-show model many brands are used to, in which new lines are unveiled at twice-yearly gatherings in February and August.
The intimates category is showing steady growth. It rose 2.3 percent, to $10.81 billion, in the year ended in May, according to data from market research firm the NPD Group. But retailers are still dealing with reluctant consumers who are shopping their closet before venturing out to buy something new.
In this environment, stores are looking to set themselves apart, said Marshal Cohen, NPD's chief retail industry analyst, and that is welcome news for some of the emerging designers showing at Lingerie Fashion Week.
"This is a very good time to introduce new brands and products in the market, because retail's hungry for product differentiation," he said.
Click ahead for scenes from Lingerie Fashion Week.
By Katie Little
Posted 5 Aug. 2013


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Gmelius Makes Gmail's User Interface Awesome and Ad-Free
Gmail is Google's golden child, but it isn't perfect. It's full of numerous user interface elements you don't necessarily want or need and there's no way to turn them off. More »
Fast Facebook Brings a Speedier, Ice Cream Sandwich-Inspired Facebook Experience to Android
Android: If you've used Android's Facebook app recently, you know how slow and bloated it's become. If you're tired of staring at the Facebook loading screen, Fast Facebook is a cool, customizable, blazing fast Facebook client for Android. More »
Kill Evil Gets Rid of Annoying JavaScript Tweaks All Over the Web
Chrome: Kill Evil is a simple extension that disables annoying scripts all across the web, like sites that won't let you right-click, sites that won't let you copy images, or sites that paste in citation links whenever you copy their text. More »
iConvert Instantly Converts Audio and Video for Your iOS Device, Is So Easy a Caveman Could Use It
OS X: There are a lot of tools that'll convert videos for your iPhone, iPod, or iPad (like our favorite, Handbrake), but they aren't always easy for the average joe to use. More »
Friendcaster Gives Android an Improved Facebook Experience
Android: Many users, myself included, feel the official Facebook app for Android is severely lacking-it can take forever to update and often crashes. More »
Wave Control for Android Controls Media Playback by Watching You Wave Your Hand Over the Screen
Android: If you're on a flight with your phone propped up in front of you, or listening to music while you work on your phone with your hands on the keyboard, it can be a pain to stop, unlock your phone or tap it to bring up the playback controls, and hit forward, back, switch songs, or change... More »
Drag-and-Drop To Automatically Encrypt Files in Google Drive Using Automator on Mac
OS X: Google Drive is finally here, promising awesome Dropbox-like online storage and file syncing-but also the same security and privacy caveats that come with storing information on cloud servers. More »
Onion Browser Is an Encrypted Mobile Browser for iOS
iOS: Private browsing isn't too difficult on a desktop computer, but keeping your web travels anonymous on an iPhone is a bit more difficult. If you want to hide your every move, Onion Browser is an app that uses Tor proxy servers to hide your activities from ISPs, other Wi-FI connections, and... More »
My Episode Guide Tracks the Air Dates of Your Favorite TV Shows Right From Your Toolbar
Chrome: My Episode Guide is an extension that tracks your favorite TV shows right in your browser toolbar. All you do is type the names of your shows, click add, and it tells you when the next episode is coming up. More »
Incognito This Opens Your Current Page in a Private Browsing Window
Chrome: Whatever you use private browsing for, sometimes you want to start your secret browsing from the page you're already on. Incognito This moves your current page to a new incognito window, so you can continue browsing privately without starting from scratch. More »


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Thursday, May 01, 2008
Thanks, reviewofcuban-americanblogs
Thanks to MaT for writing about what he describes as my "Cuban Odyssey" at his brilliant blog, "Review of Cuban-American Blogs". Definitely check it out.
1 comment:
- edit00107 May, 2008 22:49
lawn jockey comment moved to the madhouse...ReplyDelete
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If there is one person who embodies the mind and spirit of the individual trader during the entire 40-year existence of Futures, it probably would be Larry Williams.
Although there have been a number of big-name commodity trading advisors, commodity pool operators, hedge fund traders and other well-known institutional money managers – names like George Soros, Paul Tudor Jones, Richard Dennis, Steve Cohen and others – Williams has been the one most closely associated with the public traders over the years.
"What Paul, Steve and guys like Scott Ramsey have done amazes me," Williams says. "These guys are brilliant as great traders and businessmen. I have never been much of a business guy, just a trader. There is a massive difference and skill set needed to do what John Henry or Ray Dalio do vs. what I do. I trade, at times perhaps better than them. They, on the other hand, run huge enterprises, which is way out of my league."
Williams was already gaining fame as a trader and author of trading newsletters and books when Futures was launched in 1972. His first article in the magazine (then called Commodities) appeared in the October 1972 issue ("Measuring Market Momentum"). Futures awarded him its first Doctor of Futures in 1999.
Endurance test
In a business known for one-hit wonders, Williams has endured, passing the test of time. He continues to be actively involved in the markets, often trading thousands of contracts a month along with teaching and research.
Williams gained renown not only for his trading abilities and trading contest winning feats but also for his books, now available in all major languages of the world, featuring innovative trading concepts and technical indicators associated with his name such as Williams' %R, the "Oops" trade, the "Ultimate Oscillator," seasonality and indicators based on accumulation/distribution and the Commitment of Traders (COT) indexes.
Although some say his legacy is based on winning the Robbins World Cup Trading Championship, Williams disagrees.
"Winning that was an accomplishment," he acknowledges, "but it is not meaningful in that it did not teach or share my research. My real accomplishments have been the first book ever on seasonal patterns back in 1973, my work on measures of accumulation and distribution and being the originator for all the volatility breakout strategies that have become so popular.
"Another high mark for me," he adds, "has been seeing the COT data become about as popular as Perrier water. In 1970 I was the only one trading and writing about this valuable data. It was undiscovered. To know I was the source of that and seasonals are my accomplishments. What pleases me about the contest is that most of the winners of the championship have been my students as well as my daughter who won in 1997. People can learn to trade."
His marketing sense and flamboyant presenting skills have long made him a big draw at trading seminars worldwide, entertaining audiences by actually biting into and eating light bulbs to show that risk can be controlled while educating them on the value of fundamentals and monitoring what the market "elephants" (commercials) are doing. Williams has appeared around the world from Hong Kong to Hawaii, Moscow to Malaysia, Brazil to Belgrade; the world has become his stage.


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Bed and Breakfast Emily S Place (Zonhoven Limburg)
Environ 18 km de Gellik
The guest room Emily's Place is located in the heart of the province of Limburg in Belgium, particularly in the area "Termolen" district of Zonhoven. Near Hasselt and Genk. It is a ... Read more
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Bed and Breakfast Emily S Place (Zonhoven Limburg)
Bed and Breakfast Lisas Weelde (Tongres Limburg)
Environ 19 km de Gellik
Lisa's Weelde is situated in a centuries-old square farm (1715 A.C.) in a village called Rutten. The owners affinity for the South of France is very strong which is projected in ... Read more
Bed and Breakfast Casa Roman (Zonhoven Limburg)
Environ 20 km de Gellik
Whether you are in the area for business or on holidays, staying at Casa Roman is peaceful and relaxing. All our guests get a personal, friendly and warm welcome in an informal ... Read more


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Tina Fey does not mess around!
The former "30 Rock" star stopped by the "Late Show" and revealed to David Letterman that her office space in Manhattan was robbed.
"What happened was we have this small office and these movers moved in and they told us we had to go downstairs to sign for it and then I think one of the moving guys went upstairs and stole a computer," she explained. "And that had all of my ideas on it."
The understandably peeved comedienne then confessed that she wanted to take matters into her own hands after realizing that the police were busy with more pressing matters.
"The police were helpful, but it's hard, New York's a big city and you're like, 'Some guy stole my jokes' and they're like, 'Yeah, we'll get right on it.'"
NEWS: Oprah meditates with David Letterman
Letterman had his own take on who the possible burglar was, however, and joked with the brunette actress.
"It wasn't Jay Leno, was it?" he joked.
Fey and Letterman actually chose to air the footage "against all legal counsel" on the show.
"We're gonna find this guy," Fey said.
"This is an alleged criminal," she says. "He walks out with what pretty much looks like a computer in a folder. Allegedly."
The video shows a man, with a blurred-out face, taking the computer out of Fey's production company's office inside a manila envelope.
We hope Fey finds her jokes and gets her computer back.
PHOTOS: Check out these stars' funny faces


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Every indication is that Rudy Giuliani is sinking like a stone in Florida. Barring a miracle, he'll finish either a bit above or a bit below Mike Huckabee. Once Florida Republicans saw that Rudy was dropping in the polls, I think a lot of them jumped ship, thinking they'd rather make a choice between McCain and Romney than use their vote on a candidate who isn't going to win. Hence, I suspect, the continued downward slide.
If Florida is between McCain and Romney, then the nomination race is between McCain and Romney. It's too bad; I think Giuliani might have been our strongest candidate in the general election. He was expected to fight McCain to be the first choice of the party's moderate wing, and, given the problems McCain has had with the party's base, Rudy had every reason to think he could come out on top and be one of the last candidates standing, even if he skipped the early primaries.
That strategy was a huge gamble, and it doesn't appear to have paid off. One lesson, I think, is that Rudy's participation in the debates, in which he always performed well, wasn't enough to keep him in the public eye given his absence from the day-to-day headlines associated with the early primaries. It's too bad; at the same time, it's hard not to credit McCain for going out and wresting the finalist's slot through hard work in the early states.
Barring a surprise in Florida, Republican primary voters and caucus-goers on mega-Tuesday will face a stark but classic political choice: do they go with Romney, whose views across a broad range of issues are more palatable to conservatives and whose economic expertise may be badly needed, or with McCain, who seems pretty clearly more likely to prevent the Clintons from re-inhabiting the White House? It's not an easy choice. We'll have more to say about it in due course.
To comment on this post, go here.
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"Proclaim Liberty throughout All the land unto All the Inhabitants Thereof." Inscription on the Liberty Bell


text:
Act Responsibly to Save Our Children's Planet
"Responsible Actions", "Scientific Thinking" and "Partnerships to Mitigate and Adapt to Climate Change"…. These are some phrases from my loot bag of thoughts taken away from the World Congress of Environmental Journalists organized by the Asia Pacific Forum of Environmental Journalists in Colombo. The theme of this Congress was "Educate to End Climate Poverty" – Copenhagen Summit and Beyond…..
So what does this really mean to me? I learnt that I am much to be blamed for these changes that are taking place in the climate than any other person, organization or country that is blamed for contributing to this change whether deliberate or not. I felt that all participants in the forum learnt that when they point one finger at someone or a group to blame, they are actually pointing three fingers in the direction of his or herself. I learnt that it's time to STOP BLAMING and START ACTING.


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MPjeturs needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 89 designs submitted by 33 freelance designers.
Looking for an eye-catching logo for our rock band! We would like to use it for a number of things including being displayed on the bass drum, posters, website graphics, CD casings, etc. It needs to standout and be original!
The Mindrollers
We are a rock band. We want to have a strong, artistic logo that people could associate with our name, The Mindrollers. We want to use it for many things so it has to look really good and define us. We were thinking a brain rolling or something that looks like a mind working would be a good place to start but we're pretty open to anything original and eye-catching so please feel free to create! As long as the picture says "The Mindrollers" as you look at it. And we'll need to work together to accomplish this. Expect feedback if we like your design or concept. We will be closely monitoring the contest so as to provide direction! You can check out some rough mixes of 3 of our songs @ our newly published site @ http://www.myspace.com/themindrollers. This could help!
The design should have "The Mindrollers" in it somewhere, clearly legible yet artistic. The style should be in a timeless fashion that isn't going to look dated, ever. Colours should be Red, Black for sure. (and maybe some white too.) We want something that illustrates having your mind blown. Or something rolling in a mind. (Our name is kind of like mindblowers)
Maybe people could try some 60's psychedelic styles, that could work...
Or on equal footing, try something in the style of Led Zeppelin/Pink Floyd Album Covers.
Something original that has that kind of tone.
- No pink.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Romantic Risotto With Shrimp
Keeping the flame alive with a key aphrodisiac ingredient in your meal
En español
Serves 4
- 6 cups chicken or fish stock
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound medium-size shrimp, deveined
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 scallion, chopped finely
- 1/4 pound white mushrooms (caps only), cleaned, cut in small slices
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley (flat-leaved), minced
- Juice of one lime
1. Warm the stock in a medium-size pan.
2. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan or medium saucepan at medium-high heat. Add shrimp and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook two minutes on both sides, until pink. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Add remaining olive oil to pan. Add scallion and cook at medium-low heat for one minute. Add sliced mushroom caps and cook for two additional minutes at medium heat, until slightly brown.
4. Add arborio rice, mix and add white wine. Stir constantly at medium-high heat until wine evaporates. Add ½ cup stock and continue stirring until it evaporates. Continue process for approximately 20 minutes, until rice absorbs all liquid.
5. Remove from heat when rice is cooked but still al dente. Add shrimp and butter, and stir.
6. Garnish with grated cheese, chopped parsley and a sprinkle of lime juice.
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text:
For more information on
Game Harvest Reports,
contact the
Wildlife Program.
Game Harvest Reports
Mandatory Reports for Deer, Elk, Bear, and Turkey
In 2016, those hunters obtaining transport tags for deer, elk, bear, and turkey were required to submit a hunting activity report for each transport tag purchased AND for every special permit received, by the reporting deadline January 31, 2017. (Except for hunting seasons extended beyond the deadline.) Hunters reported their hunting activities using either a toll-free telephone number or a reporting tool on the Internet. Hunters not reporting all of their general season transport tags AND special permits by January 31 were subject to a $10 penalty which must be paid before they can purchase a 2017 license.
General Season Hunting Activity
Unfortunately, not all hunters report by the January 31 deadline. A follow-up telephone survey was conducted to estimate the harvest of those hunters failing to report by the deadline. The final 2016 general season harvest estimates and general season hunter participation estimates presented in this report have been corrected for that non-response bias.
Special Permit Hunting Activity
In addition to the deer and elk general hunting seasons, there are special permit hunts which make it possible to hunt deer or elk in special areas or during special times. Mountain goat, bighorn sheep, and moose hunting are available only by special permit. The same is true for spring black bear and in some areas for fall turkey. All hunters, both successful and unsuccessful, were required to submit a mandatory hunting activity report by January 31, 2017 for all special permits awarded. Harvest for these special permit hunts was tabulated and based solely upon the reports returned by the hunters. Harvest was not estimated to include hunters who did not submit a report.
Small Game Hunter Questionnaire
The 2016 Small Game Questionnaire was sent to hunters licensed to hunt small game animals. Some of the questionnaires went out to hunters that only purchased a big game hunting license package. That is because these hunters have the ability to hunt forest grouse. The answers on the questionnaire formed the basis upon which harvest estimates were made for upland birds, forest grouse, waterfowl, and hunted fur-bearers. Hunters were asked if they actually hunted, how many days they spent hunting, and where it was done. They were also asked to record if they bagged anything. If they did, they were asked what it was, where it was taken, and how many they got.
The returned 2016 Small Game Hunter Questionnaires were further classified into groups based upon the corresponding responses to questions that were asked when purchasing 2016 hunting licenses. Hunters were asked if they hunted certain animals during the previous hunting season and, if they did, approximately how many were bagged. This information was used to stratify the sample.
Trapper Report of Catch
All trappers of fur-bearing animals are required to complete a trapper report of catch. Harvest is calculated directly from the reports and not expanded to include trappers that did not return a completed report.
Cougar Pelt Sealing Records
Hunters who take a cougar must notify the department within 72 hours of kill (excluding legal state holidays) and provide the hunter's name, date and location of kill, and sex of animal. The raw pelt of a cougar must be sealed by an authorized department employee within 5 days of the kill. The harvest figures are drawn directly from the pelt sealing records.
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MIAMI (May 28, 2013) — Toyota's commitment to the environment is a way of life, extending across operations and epitomized by the Toyota Prius Family of vehicles. Hispanics across the country are increasingly becoming environmentally aware, and in an effort to help the Hispanic community further embrace sustainability, Toyota is providing them with the tools necessary to continue on the path of going green. A new program launched by Toyota will help increase environmental awareness in the Hispanic community across the United States.
With the support of notable Hispanic influencers, including Jon Secada, Chloe Bridges, Julian Gil, Candela Ferro, Ana Flores, Omar Germenos, Daniel Elbittar, Yarel Ramos, Gina Rodriguez and Diana Franco, and an extensive social media activation, Toyota will promote the importance of living a greener lifestyle. Through social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, the Hispanic community will be able to follow the lives of the influencers and their adventures with their Toyota Prius, while simultaneously learning tips on how to live a greener lifestyle.
"Partnering with Toyota was a natural fit because the company's commitment to environment echoes my own personal beliefs," said Jon Secada. "I'm excited to join the brand in encouraging the Hispanic community to continue to embrace a greener lifestyle."
The program will feature the Toyota Prius Family of vehicles and their innovative hybrid technology. The Toyota Prius has done more to help the environment than any other car in the world. Over the past twelve years, U.S. Prius owners could have saved enough fuel to drive around the Earth an estimated 2,903,557 times1, due in part to its estimated 50 MPG rating2.
"Together with these influencers we aim to further our shared mission to increase awareness of sustainability in the Hispanic community," said David Chung, national manager, targeted advertising and strategy for Toyota.
The initiative begins on May 28 in Miami and Los Angeles. To see the influencers in action on social media platforms, follow them on:
|Jon Secada
|Chloe Bridges
|Julian Gil
|Candela Ferro
|Ana Flores
|Omar Germenos
|Daniel Elbittar
|Yarel Ramos
|Gina Rodriguez
|Diana Franco
Copyright Notice
All materials on this site are for editorial use only. The use of these materials for advertising, marketing or any other commercial purpose is prohibited. They may be cropped but not otherwise modified. To download these materials, you must agree to abide by these terms.


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Is Colon Cancer Related to Genetics?
Hi: I am a healthy guy who just turned 50; my father had colon cancer at age 40 and my mother got it when she was 51. Both had surgery and neither died from colon cancer. Both of them died from unrelated causes. My question: do I have a significantly increased risk of colon cancer? I ignored this question since neither parent actually died from the disease….from what I have read online, I guess that I could have been screened at age 40, so I`m way past that with no symptoms. I have had little if any preventative medical care, but I just got a PCP and she wants to schedule a colonoscopy ASAP. Is this reasonable? Thanks.
Your doctorâs recommendation for a colonoscopy is very reasonable, and I encourage you to follow her advice. Generally when people have a family member with colon cancer diagnosed between ages 50 and 60, we recommend that colon cancer screening start at age 40 and be repeated every 5 years. For a family history of colon cancer at 40, we would recommend that screening start at age 30 (10 years prior to the earliest colon cancer diagnosis) and this should be repeated every 3-5 years. Even though you donât have any symptoms, you could have polyps which could develop into colon cancer. Removing polyps early has been shown to reduce the chance of developing colon cancer, so not only is screening good for early detection, itâs also good for risk reduction.
Now, considering that your father was so young when he was diagnosed, you should also think about the possibility that this could be a hereditary form of colon cancer, and you might be at substantially higher risk for colon cancer than most people your age. If you have a hereditary form of colon cancer more frequent screening may be recommended (possibly as frequently as every 1-2 years). You can contact a genetics center in your area and speak with a genetic counselor to review your family history and discuss the optimum level of screening and the possibility of genetic testing. You can find a genetics center in your geographic area by visiting the website of the National Society of Genetic Counselors. You can get more information on colon cancer by visiting the National Cancer Institute. You can also get more information about hereditary colon cancer at the following link:
For more information:
Go to the Colon Cancer health topic.


text: The Heavy Duty Thread Retractor is a true illusion maker. Like the Super Mini Thread Retractor, it gives you many hours of enjoyment with proper and practical use. The thread retractor gives you the power to perform your favorite floating bill routines, or simply moving common objects with ease. The heavy duty design makes it more hefty and durable, but still gives you the same compactness of the super mini, and makes it easy to use with any costume or outfit. It comes with 40-50 feet of invisible thread already loaded and ready to use. A refill is also available (Item Number F020REFILL), listed on next page of accessories and supplies, for $15.00. Rethreading is simple if the thread ever breaks. Comes with instructions.


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Quebec wrestling was hit with sad news this morning of the passing of Michael Ryan, better known in the wrestling community as Llakor. Michael was arguably the best publicist in Quebec wrestling, he was involved in many wrestling promotions starting with the International Wrestling Syndicate (IWS) and most recently with Inter Species Wrestling, C*4 and Battlewar. But for me, he's the person who first started working by my side on the book on the history of pro wrestling in Montreal. Actually, it was his idea.
Let's go back to September of 2008, if you please. I was starting to work on compiling a list of the best Quebec wrestlers of all time. Killer Kowalski had just died and I saw an article on Michael's blog, "When We Were Marks," about Kowalski. The article was actually very good and I was kind of surprised because I didn't know he was so historically savvy about Quebec wrestling.
I knew Michael since 2004, when I first started my magazines on the Quebec indy scene. He was then involved with the IWS in Montreal, working behind-the-scenes and as their publicist and person in charge of merchandise. For many years, I was going to every IWS show selling my magazine and was helping Michael with the IWS merch as a thank you to them letting me sell my things. That's when I got to know him a lot better as we were talking about both our experiences and stories in wrestling. Ever since, Michael was part of the Quebec wrestling awards and Quebec wrestling Hall of Fame panels. When the IWS closed a few years later, his passion for writing about wrestling continued with other promotions such as C*4 in Ottawa and most recently Battlewar in Montreal. He was also did commentary on C*4 DVDs from time to time and worked for Inter-Species Wrestling in many capacities.
Back to September 2008, I gave Michael a call about a project on the history of Quebec wrestling. Basically, I wanted him to help me write bios of the wrestlers making the list. We met, and as we were sharing thoughts, he came with the idea of writing more than just 25 biographies. His idea was to write side stories about the people making the list.
In order to be accurate, we decided to interview some former wrestlers, another of Micheal's idea. Together, we interviewed the likes of Raymond Rougeau, Jacques Rougeau Sr., Rick Martel, Gino Brito, Len Shelley, Billy Two Rivers and the late �douard Carpentier. Soon enough and before we knew it, we were working on a book on the history of Quebec wrestling.
Unfortunately, Michael was loaded with work being the founder and director of the Young Cuts Film Festival, his other passion besides wrestling. So in July 2009, we agreed that I would work with someone else on the book and that he would finish writing whatever he had started. As duly noted in the book, Mad Dogs, Midgets and Screw Jobs: The Untold Story of How Montreal Shaped the World of Wrestling (which came out in February), some of his writing and research is in certain sections, especially Stan Stasiak, the pre-Eddie Quinn era and of course, Kowalski. Thankfully, he was able to read and see the final result.
Michael was 45 at the time of his death. He was born in Montreal but had lived 15 years in the Maritimes when he was younger. I still remember him talking about the Cormiers and Sweet Daddy Siki. I have a fond memories of his reaction when we interviewed Gino Brito and he told us that Leo Burke was at one point the head booker of International Wrestling. He was just amazed and started laughing!
I spoke to Michael's mother today and he was supposed to go to the Laurentians, to his parents' house during the weekend, but never showed up. His parents didn't panic since they knew Michael was often going to Ottawa for wrestling and thought it was one of those weekends.
He didn't show up for Battlewar on Sunday, something he usually never did without a reason and he wasn't at work at the beginning of the week either. Michael's boss called his parents on Wednesday and the parents called 911.
However, one of Battlewar's promoters had previously contacted the police and they were already at his apartment when Michael's parents called. Soon after, the police reported the terrible news to Michele and Terry Ryan of their son's death. The reason of his passing is not yet official, but it is believed Michael had a stroke or an aneurism. Complicating things was Michael's diabetes. Over the years, I was aware of Michael being hospitalized for his diabetes, as I saw him lose and gain a lot of weight because of that, but he was always very careful with his disease.
Michael simply loved wrestling. He was passionate about it and would react differently than any other person I know. If I wanted to know the results of a wrestling show or how many people attended it, Michael was way more interested by the fact that on the same night, there was a riot at a wrestling show at Jarry Park and a riot at the Montreal Forum for a Rolling Stones concert!
"To the majority of fans, he will be best remembered as the man who, for the better part of the last decade, was Quebec indy wrestling's biggest cheerleader," wrote C*4 promoter Mark Pollesel on his Facebook page. "Whether it was his time over the last year with Battlewar, his time with Inter Species Wrestling, or most notably being one of the go-to people behind the scenes at IWS � he was 100% behind whatever he supported�When people spend some time behind the curtain in wrestling, many of us find ourselves jaded. The one thing I will always admire of Llakor was no matter how deep he got � he could always be a fan."
"Nobody was more instrumental in getting Quebec wrestling/wrestlers over in the U.S. than the Llak-man," confirmed Neil Felzenstein, a.k.a. pro wrestler Beef Wellington, on his Facebook page.
This train of thoughts was also shared by ROH's Kevin Steen on his Twitter account: "Michael 'Llakor' Ryan did so much for me and my career, more than he ever knew. Never got the chance to tell him...He will be missed. RIP."
The last time I saw Michael was at a Battlewar show in March. We were both behind a merchandise table, selling our stuff, like we used to many years ago.
Michael Ryan was one of my peers, someone for whom I had the utmost respect for, and a very knowledgeable person. Every time he wrote a piece and needed an opinion or more information, he would send it my way. If he ended up not being a co-author, he became a collaborator, a contributor and someone I will never forget.
Publicists are sometimes the unheralded heroes of wrestling. Because of them, many people succeed, many people become well-known, but their work is rarely recognized.
"Mike was an incredible writer who spent countless hours putting together articles and pieces on so many of us who participate in professional wrestling. He'd make us look like a million dollars. He'd make us look better than we actually are," wrote James Alfonse McGee III, a.k.a. pro wrestler Twiggy, on his Facebook page today.
"Your words made the smallest of shows seem like can't-miss events," added ISW owner Michael Rotch Woods on his Facebook page.
It's an art to always come up with the right words in an interesting story that will make the readers buy tickets or buy the DVD. And that's what Michael "Llakor" Ryan was all about.
In name of all the Quebec indy wrestling scene, I'd like to wish his parents, his family and his friends my most sincere condolences. For those who would like to have more information on his funerals, his mother told me that she would put all the necessary information on Michael's Facebook page, where you can find many notes by people who will deeply miss him.
Life is weird sometimes. Michael Ryan spent many years talking and writing about other people, putting them over. And it took his death to finally have everyone return the favour to him.
Mike, wherever you are now, make sure to hang out with all the great wrestling legends you grew up with and who gave you the passion you had for this business. I'm sure that "When We Were Marks" will be a hit up there.
You will be missed.
Rest in peace.
Pat Laprade is very sad today and no words can really expressed that. This is easily the hardest column he has ever had to write.