text:
Dear DD Team!
Please consider this open letter as constructive criticism of a former fanboy. I found this game by watching "WTF is..." from totalbiscuit (youtube).
I really loved your game, after playtesting it for several hours I bought it because I deemed it worthy of support.
However, I liked the downloadable beta much more than the current version, which makes me wonder if you don't try to put too much change or options into that game.
From a designer's point of view I'd say that many people love DD because it's easy to play without much preparation, and that's exactly what you're taking away from this game atm.
I do understand the need for longterm-motivation and it's great that you're really trying to make use of the community's input and ideas to make the game enjoyable, but the direction the development is taking the game makes it, in my eyes, less perfect.
- The weird right/left clicking through a bunch of options combined with the hidden "Adventuring"-button is a bad design choice, but I think that will be fixed anyway.
-Taking items out of a dungeon and reusing them adds unnecessary complexity to the game but does not add enjoyment. Same is true for other options, like an insurance, etc.
-With the downloadable beta it took me 3 clicks to start playing the game, I didn't get the feeling I was unprepared nor have I needed additional help to master the dungeon. It looked bad, but from a designer's perspective it was great!
- A visual cue on a player's game progress (village) is always a good idea, but only if you know the total progress of the game (has already been posted in this forum). Also, if the visual progress adds so many functions to it, it doesn't feel like a hidden progress bar, but as a developer's tool to fill the screen with options.
- I miss the motivation to run through every dungeon with every character or at least, play some character's at all. If there is no reward (like the additional pile of gold for every 2 classes that master the dungeon, which was innovative and motivating) this could at least be done by visualizing the dungeon with pictures of the classes that have mastered the respective dungeon. And/Or tell the player, how often he succeeded with a certain dungeon (Like in Majesty, which had a very cleverly designed map. Not Majesty 2, mind you!)
- A minor issue: Poisonous manaburn plants that cannot be burned and give you no reward, not even XP are just an annoyance rather than a fun way to play around, as they just hamper a player's movement. My judgment here may be a personal bias rather than profound design criticism
- The dialogues are awesome, keep doing those! If you start taking yourself too seriously, the game will lose some of its appeal.
In short: I'd rather you scrapped most of the stuff that adds complexity. Don't try to make it a "real" game too much. Remember, you started this with the idea of a 10-minute-dungeon run.
Wish you a lot of success with your game, I'll be looking into it again when it's finished and be playing the downloadable beta in the meantime


text:
The term "health disparities" refers to the unequal distribution of health, illness, disease, suffering and death by social status, where social status includes race/ethnicity, sex/gender, socioeconomic status, geographical region, and other factors. Eastern North Carolina (ENC) refers to the 41 counties east of Route 95 (pink areas). ENC-41 refers to all 41 counties, whereas ENC-29 refers to the 29 northeastern counties (dark pink).
ENC exhibits many health disparities: Health in ENC is significantly poorer than health in the rest of North Carolina, and health in the ENC-29 is poorest of all. Mortality (death) rates from cancers, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are far higher in the ENC-41 and ENC-29 than elsewhere in the NC, and prevalence rates of diabetes, obesity, cancers and cardiovascular diseases are higher in ENC as well. These regional differences hold across race/ethnicity, income, and education: Health for all racial/ethnic groups, and for all income and education groups is poorer in ENC than in the rest of North Carolina.
The mission of the East Carolina University (ECU) Center for Health Disparities (CHD) is to reduce health disparities in the eastern North Carolina (ENC) region through research, education and training, and community projects. The Center's faculty, staff, and community members work to reduce disparities in obesity, diabetes, cancers, and cardiovascular disease among the rural, ethnic-minority, and low socioeconomic populations of ENC.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
5 Reasons We Must Break Up the Giant Banks
As everyone from Paul Krugman to Simon Johnson has noted, the banks are so big and politically powerful that they have bought the politicians and captured the regulators.
But the giant banks are not only dangerous because they skew the political system. There are five economic arguments against the mega-banks as well.
Impaired Competition
Fortune pointed out last February that the only reason that smaller banks haven't been able to expand and thrive is that the too-big-to-fails have decreased competition:
Growth for the nation's smaller banks represents a reversal of trends from the last twenty years, when the biggest banks got much bigger and many of the smallest players were gobbled up or driven under…
As big banks struggle to find a way forward and rising loan losses threaten to punish poorly run banks of all sizes, smaller but well capitalized institutions have a long-awaited chance to expand.
So the very size of the giants squashes competition.
Less Loans, More Bonuses
Small banks have been lending much more than the big boys.
The giant banks which received taxpayer bailouts actually slashed lending more, gave higher bonuses, and reduced costs less than banks which didn't get bailed out.
Lack of Transparency in Derivatives
JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley together hold 80% of the country's derivatives risk, and 96% of the exposure to credit derivatives.
Experts say that derivatives will never be reined in until the mega-banks are broken up.
Increased Debt Problems
As I pointed out in December 2008:
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) is often called the "central banks' central bank", as it coordinates transactions between central banks.
BIS points out in a new report that the bank rescue packages have transferred significant risks onto government balance sheets, which is reflected in the corresponding widening of sovereign credit default swaps:
The scope and magnitude of the bank rescue packages also meant that significant risks had been transferred onto government balance sheets. This was particularly apparent in the market for CDS referencing sovereigns involved either in large individual bank rescues or in broad-based support packages for the financial sector, including the United States. While such CDS were thinly traded prior to the announced rescue packages, spreads widened suddenly on increased demand for credit protection, while corresponding financial sector spreads tightened.
In other words, by assuming huge portions of the risk from banks trading in toxic derivatives, and by spending trillions that they don't have, central banks have put their countries at risk from default.
Now, Greece, Portugal, Spain and many other European countries – as well as the U.S. and Japan – are facing serious debt crises. See this, this and this.
By failing to break up the giant banks, the government is guaranteeing that they will take crazily risky bets again and again and again.
We are no longer wealthy enough to keep bailing out the bloated banks. We have serious debt problems. See this, this and this.
(Anyone who claims that Chris Dodd's proposed "reform" legislation will prevent banks from getting bailed out again is wrong. If the giant banks aren't broken up now – when they are threatening to take down the world economy – they won't be broken up next time they become insolvent, either. And see this.)
Unfair Competition and Manipulation of Markets
Moreover, Richard Alford – former New York Fed economist, trading floor economist and strategist – recently showed that banks that get too big benefit from "information asymmetry" which disrupts the free market.
Nobel prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz noted in September that giants like Goldman are using their size to manipulate the market:
"The main problem that Goldman raises is a question of size: 'too big to fail.' In some markets, they have a significant fraction of trades. Why is that important? They trade both on their proprietary desk and on behalf of customers. When you do that and you have a significant fraction of all trades, you have a lot of information."
Further, he says, "That raises the potential of conflicts of interest, problems of front-running, using that inside information for your proprietary desk. And that's why the Volcker report came out and said that we need to restrict the kinds of activity that these large institutions have. If you're going to trade on behalf of others, if you're going to be a commercial bank, you can't engage in certain kinds of risk-taking behavior."
The giants (especially Goldman Sachs) have also used high-frequency program trading which not only distorted the markets – making up more than 70% of stock trades – but which also let the program trading giants take a sneak peak at what the real (aka "human") traders are buying and selling, and then trade on the insider information. See this, this, this, this and this. (This is frontrunning, which is illegal; but it is a lot bigger than garden variety frontrunning, because the program traders are not only trading based on inside knowledge of what their own clients are doing, they are also trading based on knowledge of what all other traders are doing).
Goldman also admitted that its proprietary trading program can "manipulate the markets in unfair ways". The giant banks have also allegedly used their Counterparty Risk Management Policy Group (CRMPG) to exchange secret information and formulate coordinated mutually beneficial actions, all with the government's blessings.
Again, size matters. If a bunch of small banks did this, manipulation by numerous small players would tend to cancel each other out. But with a handful of giants doing it, it can manipulate the entire economy in ways which are not good for the American citizen.
No wonder virtually every independent economist and financial expert is calling for the big banks to be broken up.
Some argue that it is logistically impossible to break up the behemoths. But if we broke up Standard Oil, we can break up the giant banks as well.


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Michael Phelps was driving over the Allegheny Mountains after playing golf with Hockey Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux on Friday, bound for Baltimore. Friends from across the country were streaming into his hometown to celebrate his 28th birthday, which is Sunday. He had plans to stay in town for a week, do some work around his Canton home and relax after too much time traveling.
Swimming — at least competitively — was far from his mind. He knew reports speculating that he might be regretting retirement continued circulating. He heard, too, that rival Ryan Lochte again predicted a return for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
"Man, people will believe anything that's written, anything that's on TV," Phelps said. "There's nothing in the works with me coming back to swimming. This is a part of my life I'm enjoying. I've never had freedom like this. I live on my own time. I play golf three or four times a week. I wake up whenever I want. I have a few things to do here and there, but mostly my time is mine. I'm not thinking about changing that."
Lochte told reporters last week, "I think we all know by now that he's coming back." In May, Lochte said, "I think he will. I know he will."
Another former Olympian, Rowdy Gaines, has also predicted Phelps will return.
But Phelps said he hasn't felt the desire to return to the grind of everyday training.
"That's all I did for so many years," he said. "This life is new to me. I'm enjoying it."
His coach, Bob Bowman, has also repeatedly dismissed rumors of a return. Phelps struggled to dedicate himself to training for the London Games as he yearned to experience life away from the pool.
"I'm just don't think getting back into it and training at that level is what he wants from his life anymore," Bowman said. "He has so many other interests."
Phelps recently stoked speculation about a possible return by posting a picture of himself at Meadowbrook in which he appears to be taking direction from Bowman before diving into the water.
He was at the North Baltimore training center to complete a photo shoot for sponsor Speedo, though. Not to train.
Swimming publications have speculated that Phelps will announce a return to the sport closer to the next Olympic Games, but he said he has no such plan.
"Honestly, I haven't thought about it," he said. "I want to help grow the sport, and there are other ways to do it. My life, the way it is now, is great."


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This odd (but pleasantly low-priced) new release might be called "Jackie Chan's Most Uncharacteristic Hits." Both showcase Jackie in almost totally non-comic contexts. By definition then, these are not in the league of the "Police Story," "Project A" or "Drunken Master" films.
"Crime Story" (1993) is handily the better. While the tone is dark and serious — this is the straightest dramatic role of Chan's career — there are a few of his trademark fight scenes. And Kirk Wong ("The Big Hit," "Organized Crime and Triad Bureau") was certainly the right director for the job.
"The Protector" (1985) was the second of Jackie's disappointing attempts to crack the American market. (The first was the 1980 "The Big Brawl," coupled with his role in Burt Reynolds' initial "Cannonball Run.") Director James Glickenhaus cast Jackie as a tough New York cop who, partnered with Danny Aiello, has to take on a crime lord (Roy Chiao) in Hong Kong. Jackie felt the result would disappoint his Asian fan base, so he reshot and recut parts of the movie — which means you also get to hear Aiello dubbed in Cantonese.
Visual quality on "Crime Story" is just passable, which is more than can be said for "The Protector." While it's great that Shout! Factory gives us both cuts of the latter, they look no better than an old VHS. (Still, at this price, it's nice to have even such a compromised option.)
Extras include 10-minute interviews with each director, 20 minutes of featurettes and six minutes of deleted scenes from "Crime Story."
"Crime Story/The Protector Double Feature" (Shout! Factory, Blu-ray, $19.93; DVD, $12.99)
ANDY KLEIN is the film critic for Marquee. He can also be heard on "FilmWeek" on KPCC-FM (89.3).


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Sayles, who most knew as "Shaq," was an Oakland native and 2012 Antioch High School graduate.
While grieving over the loss, Sayles' mother Stella Owens, with the help of the Antioch High baseball community, is trying to raise the $4,000 for transportation costs to bring him home for burial.
The account is set up at Wells Fargo Bank, account No. 8660574453, and is for Stella Owens/Shaquille Sayles. Donations can be made at any Wells Fargo branch.


text:
Is awesome.
Played it from 12:30am-8:30am.
Beat the game on heroic and then messed around in forge.
Fantastic game.
Now for a 5 hour nap.
sammyc521 wrote:How is it different from the other Halos?
Seahawksfan425 wrote:Im going to get that game most likely next month. What sucks is by then Im sure somehow the story will be ruined for me in someway.
sammyc521 wrote:Does Halo have a story? I thought it was a dude running through a field or alien corridors....
sammyc521 wrote:I don't read supplemental material.
sammyc521 wrote:That's sad...


text:
Hello all,
I would like to use "Read Receipt" for certain emails I send.
I understand that they are no guarantee and I've read in the help section of PocoMail (or was it Barca ?) how Poco Systems feels about them which does include some valid points.
However I had some problems in the past where people "claimed" they never got an important email that I'd send them so for these few emails I would like to use the RR option to get a message when the mail is read or opened (since opening a mail doesn't mean it's read of understood).
I've tried the instructions to always ask for RR (I think the help section had something you needed to add to the filters or something) and the manual option, just click the RR button for that specific email but it doesn't seem to work.
I'be been sending email to another email account that I use for testing and I opened them with a client that I'm sure will send a Read Receipt (well to be accurate, it will ASK if I want to send one but I never get that message).
so is this a bug in the software or am I doing something wrong here ?


text:
News >> Browse Articles >> Gadgets
News >> Browse Articles >> Hardware
News >> Browse Articles >> Security
Congress Looks to Block Anonymous Prepaid Phone Sales to Fight Terrorism
Photo: Kelly Schott/Flickr (CC)
Jason Mick
May 28, 2010
Getting an anonymous prepaid phone may get a lot harder in the U.S.
A new
bill introduced by Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and John
Cornyn (R-TX) would require buyers of prepaid cell phones to show ID
at the point of purchase, and would require phone companies to store
this info for law enforcement purposes.
The move comes after the revelation that the terrorism suspect involved in the attempted bombing in New York City's Times Square used an anonymous prepaid cell phone to disguise his identity when purchasing loads of highly explosive M-88 Fireworks and a Nissan Pathfinder. Commonly, such purchases would alert the FBI and allow the individual involved to be tracked. In this case, though, the anonymous handset covered the terrorism suspect's tracks.
Schumer describes, "We caught a break in catching the Times Square terrorist, but usually a prepaid cell phone is a dead end for law enforcement. There's no reason why it should still be this easy for terror plotters to cover their tracks"
Prepaid cell phones have also been commonly used by mobsters and drug dealers. And Schumer/Cornyn add, "In 2009 [prepaid cell phones] were even used by hedge fund managers and Wall Street executives implicated in the largest insider trading bust in US history. In court papers, federal prosecutors detailed how traders from the Galleon Group hedge fund communicated with other executives through prepaid phones in order to try to evade potential wiretaps. In one instance, one suspect is described as having chewed the Subscriber Identity Module, or SIM card, until it snapped in half in order to destroy possible evidence."
You can currently freely pick up prepaid phones from a variety of major retailers, gas stations, and small shops — all without any credit checks or identification information. The issue of such anonymous sales is an international one which has seen much recent debate. Simon Fraser University in 2005 led a study [PDF] financed by the Canadian Federal government that found that 9 of 24 industrialized nations had such restrictions on purchases.
Currently a number of states have similar laws, including Texas, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia and South Carolina. However, according to Schumer, "[I]n light of the increased reliance of terrorists on the devices, it was time for a federal response."
Advocates of the phones worry that requiring ID info may make it harder for low income families to purchase prepaid phones, one of the key groups who uses the devices legitimately. They also worry about potential discrimination and/or actions against unauthorized immigrants from Mexico or elsewhere.
_© 2009, DailyTech.


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Until now, you'd have to eat thousands of Raspberries just to get enough of the Ketone enzyme to help fight fat, but now scientists have isolated that element and extracted it into a supplement that lets you get 300mg of Raspberry Ketone in every serving of Raspberry Ketone Max.
In studies on rats, Raspberry Ketones helped prevent the onset of obesity in mice that were on a high fat diet. They also prevented an increase in blood triglyceride following high fat meals. That translates into Raspberry Ketones not only helping prevent the onset of obesity, but also preventing fat storage as well.
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What Was Washington Doing During the Battle of Bunker Hill?
As several people noted, around that date the Continental Congress was making Washington the commander-in-chief of its new Continental Army. But that process took some time. The Congress voted to appoint a commander and offered Washington the post on 15 June, heard his acceptance on 16 June, and started drafting its formal commission and instructions on 17 June, as shown in its record here. It seems likely that once Washington accepted the post of commander, he stayed away from the Congress's formal sessions. So where was he?
The most consistent source for Washington's daily activities before the war are his diaries, which are otherwise bland and unenlightening. (He stopped keeping those diaries as soon as he took up his commission as general, making him perhaps the most frustrating diarist ever.) As shown here, Washington's entry for 17 June 1775 was:
Dined at Burns's in the Fields—spent the Evening at my Lodgings.Washington also recorded dining at "Burns's" or "Burn's" on 1, 13, and 15 June. I think that dinner locale was most likely Patrick Byrne's tavern on Front Street between Walnut and Spruce, known as "the Sign of the Cock." Byrne (1734-1808) was an immigrant from Ireland, and his tavern shows up in other news of the era. But I'm not certain his address counted as "in the Fields" in 1775—any Philadelphians know?
Since Americans of this period ate dinner in the first half of the afternoon, and Philadelphia time was somewhat behind Boston time, Washington was probably eating at Byrne's as the major fighting of the Battle of Bunker Hill began.
Two days before, Washington had "spent the Eveng. on a Committee"—that was the last day before he accepted the post of general, and I suspect he used the time to make clear what he wanted in other generals (Charles Lee, Horatio Gates), aides, and other support. But on 17 June, as the British consolidated their new territory on Bunker's Hill and the provincials threw up hasty fortifications on the west side of Charlestown neck, Washington spent the evening privately.
As of midnight, three Boston 1775 readers answered the question correctly, citing Washington's diary. Two people are our old friends and occasional guest bloggers Charles Bahne and Don Hagist, and the third is frequent commenter Joe Bauman. Congratulations to all three gentlemen!
I flipped a coin with Washington on it a couple of times, and it came up for Don. So I'll be sending him a free copy of Nathaniel Philbrick's new book Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution. Thanks, everyone!
TOMORROW: A question of timing.


text:
A fire caused an estimated $120,000 damage to a vacant San Bernardino home late Monday.
Firefighters came to the 500 block of West Evans Street at 9:35 a.m. after receiving multiple calls about a house fire.
They arrived and found heavy smoke and flames coming from the attic. Firefighters gained control of the blaze in 15 minutes.
There were no reported injuries.
Fire investigators consider the blaze to be suspicious but are looking into an official cause.
Reach Melissa via email or call her at 909-386-3878.
Get the latest crime and public safety news on Twitter @IECrime.


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|Associate Head Coach/Alumni Development Director
|11th Season
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Tom Myers returns for his 11th season at UCSB after spending four seasons with the Gaucho coaching staff from 1998-2001. The 2011 season continues a new role for Myers as he was named Associate Head Coach/Alumni Development Director following the 2009 season. Myers will still continue with his roles of pitching coach and recruiting coordinator.
His other duties include academic affairs, fundraising and Gaucho Baseball Camp development. Prior to returning to UCSB, Myers spent three seasons in the West Coast Conference as pitching coach at Santa Clara University.
In 2010 X pitchers were drafted out of the Gaucho program, including Mario Hollands, who was taken in the 10th round of the June MLB draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. Sam Phippen (XX round) signed with the Chicago White Sox organization while Jesse Meaux (Phillies) and Kevin Gelinas (New York Mets) were also drafted but chose to return to UCSB.
Myers helped the 2010 pitching staff to some of the best numbers in the Big West as Meaux, Greg Davis and Nick Loredo ranked among the conference's top-10 in fewest walks per inning. Davis and Loredo also ranked in the top-10 of fewest hits per inning as well. Meaux and Hollands were consistently ranked among the best pitchers in the conference in numerous categories, including wins, innings pitched, ERA and strikeouts.
The 2009 season saw several of Myers' pitchers earn awards and eventually sign professional contracts. Joe Gardner was named the Gauchos only First Team All-Big West player and was the highest Big West player selected in the Major League Baseball June amateur draft when he was chosen in the third round by the Cleveland Indians. Forest Cannon was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds and Zach Samuels signed a free agent contract with the Detroit Tigers. Mario Hollands was drafted by the Minnesota Twins, but elected to return to UCSB in 2010.
Myers's 2009 recruiting class once again received national recognition from Collegiate baseball.
2008 marked another outstanding year for Myers' pitching staff with three Gaucho pitchers receiving MLB contract offers (Chuck Huggins - second time drafted as a Gaucho - Toronto Blue Jays, Jason Roenicke, Toronto Blue Jays and Kyle Brown, Seattle Mariners). In addition, sophomore hurler Mike Ford earned Second Team All-Big West honors as did Mike Martin while freshman pitcher Mario Hollands received Freshman Big West Pitcher of the Year. Hollands also garnered Freshman All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball and Louisville Slugger. The Gaucho pitching staff was ranked 61st in the country in team ERA.
In Myers' return as recruiting coordinator for the Gauchos, the 2008 recruiting class received national recognition by Collegiate Baseball ranking the stellar class 52nd in the country. The 2007 recruiting class received national recognition by Collegiate Baseball ranking 43rd in the country. In 2005 Studentsports.com tabbed the Gaucho recruiting class 25th in the country.
As pitching coach for the Santa Clara Broncos from 2002-2004, Myers was instrumental in shaping two recruiting classes that ranked in the top 15 in the country according to Baseball America. The 2003 Bronco pitching staff finished second in the WCC in several pitching categories. During his time at Santa Clara, Myers had the privilege to coach three All-American pitchers, and eight Bronco hurlers signed professional contracts.
The 2001 UCSB pitching staff assembled by Myers is considered one of the best in the program's history. The staff maintained a 3.96 team ERA during the regular season en route to an NCAA Regional appearance and a 40-17 overall record. For the first time in UCSB history, the pitching staff had produced two 10-game winners in Rylie Ogle and James Garcia. From the 2001 pitching staff, Rylie Ogle and James Garcia received All-Big West Honors and Garcia and Matt Vasquez received All-American honors. The staff had three pitchers selected in the MLB first year amateur draft, Jim Bullard (seventh round, Chicago White Sox), Jamie Gonzalez (18th round, Detroit Tigers) and Rylie Ogle (32nd round, New York Mets).
From 1998-2009, Myers has overseen 36 pitchers that have signed professional contracts. Twenty-nine had never been drafted prior to their tenure with Coach Myers. Eleven pitchers have garnered All-Conference honors in the Big West and West Coast Conference and seven have been named All-Americans. Myers has worked with a total of 68 players that have been drafted or have signed a professional contract.
During the summer of 2009, Myers was the Head Coach of the Brewster Whitecaps in the prestigious Cape Cod league. During the summer of 2008, Myers was Head Coach in the prestigious Alaskan League for the Kenai Peninsula Oilers. Myers guided the Oilers to a 33-19 overall record and finished in ninth place in the NBC World Series in Wichita, Kansas. Under Myers' tutelage RHP Joe Gardner received Alaskan League Co-Pitcher of the year and was rated the fifth-best prospect in the Alaskan League according to "Perfect Game." In 2007, Myers was pitching coach for the CCL Champion Santa Barbara Foresters. The Foresters finished fourth in the country in the 2007 NBC World Series in Wichita, Kansas.
As part of the 1991 UCSB baseball team, Myers was an All-Big West selection in his only season as a Gaucho, winning ten games and saving three in 24 appearances. Myers joined UC Santa Barbara for his senior season after two years playing for Barry Woodhead at San Jose City College and one year playing for Jerry Kindall at the University of Arizona. Following his senior year at UCSB, Myers was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 1991 first year amateur draft. Myers spent 5.5 seasons playing professional baseball for the Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles and St. Louis Cardinals.
In 1997, Myers began his coaching career at Porterville Junior College. In the summer of 1998, Myers served as player-coach in the Dutch Professional League in Haarlem, Holland, and in 1999 was an envoy coach for Major League Baseball International in Wavre, Belgium.
A graduate of Archbishop Mitty School in San Jose, Calif., Myers earned his BA in history from UCSB and his MA in physical education from Azusa Pacific. Myers resides in Santa Barbara with his seven-year-old daughter, Lauren.


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Steven Tyler Sings With 10-Year-Old Cancer Patient
A shout-out on 'American Idol' would have been plenty to lift the spirits of 10-year-old cancer patient Cole Grace, but while hospitalized earlier this year the Rhode Island kid found himself face-to-face with Steven Tyler. During an interview with WPRI, Grace shared what he and the Aerosmith rocker talked about.
"I was eating dinner so he told me he'd just had a turkey sandwich a few minutes ago for dinner," Grace said. He speaks slowly, but clearly has a good sense of humor. Those words on paper aren't as entertaining as they were during the interview. You can watch the whole thing below.
Tyler and Grace actually talked via Skype, but they did sing an Aerosmith song. Apparently, they started to sing 'Walk This Way' together, Tyler being Tyler, well, in the kid's words, "he just took over."
Grace has had three brain surgeries since being diagnosed with Grade IV Glioblastoma. Last weekend the family hosted "Rock and Roll for Cole" to raise funds for medical bills. While the event has passed you can visit the Facebook page to learn more about him.


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Professor of Theater Jim Fisher is going out with a bang.
The 29-year teaching veteran has decided to leave Wabash to finish his career at his alma mater, the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, where he will serve as Professor of Theater and Chair of the Theater Department.
But before he starts his new position, Fisher will be honored for his brilliant teaching and scholarly career at Wabash.
Fisher is the 2007 winner of the Betty Jean Jones Award by the American Theater and Drama Society (ATDS), an award that honors excellence in the teaching of American Theater. The Betty Jean Jones Award is the highest honor presented to individual members by the ATDS.
"This award is very humbling," said Fisher. "Previous recipients include scholar/artists whose accomplishments have been a model for me. This award really belongs to Wabash College, too, because in my early days campus leaders like Vic Powell and Eric Dean encouraged my efforts. Various opportunities to develop myself — offered so generously by the college — were essential to me and I am very grateful for them. To have my teaching of American theatre acknowledged is a real encouragement to keep trying to do a better job."
The Jones Award will be presented to Fisher in New Orleans on July 30 at the ATDS annual conference.
Fisher is the author of many books and countless journal articles, book reviews, and theater reviews on the American theater and stage. He is regarded as a foremost scholar of the theater of Tony Kushner, about whom he authored the book, The Theater of Tony Kushner: Living Past Hope. He has also written and published bio-bibliographies on Eddie Cantor, Al Jolson, and Spencer Tracy. He has twice received the prestigious McLain-McTurnan-Arnold Research Award from Wabash College. From 1987 through 2007, Fisher served as the national business manager and editor of Playbill for the national theater honorary society, Alpha Psi Omega.
He served as chair of the Theater Department at Wabash from 1980 through 1991 and again from 1995 through 1997. Fisher was named the Indiana Theater Person of the Year for 1996, an award given to the "particular individual who has contributed to the cooperative development of theatre at all levels within the state of Indiana."
Fisher received his bachelor of arts' degree from Monmouth College in New Jersey and completed his master's degree in fine arts at UNC-Greensboro. In his new position at UNC-Greensboro, Fisher will oversee a department of 19 teaching faculty, seven adjunct faculty, and approximately 325 undergraduate and graduate students.
"This award comes at a major transition moment in my life, leaving Wabash after 29 years for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro," Fisher said. "It's a bittersweet time and the award adds a little extra sweetness."
The American Theater and Drama Society is an incorporated international organization promoting the study of the theater of the United States theatre and its relationships to diversified social and cultural life. It encourages the study of American plays, actors, designers, critics, audiences, and all others historically or contemporaneously associated with writing, producing, and enjoying U.S. drama, and it encourages the study of relationships among theatrical and dramatic forms across the Western Hemisphere.
Fisher and his wife, Dana, will leave Crawfordsville for Greensboro at the end of June.


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'high quality components'
Displays hi-def discs with meticulous detail
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Good support for legacy equipment
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No DLNA / network streaming functionality
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'Capable of holding up to 6 discs.'
'user-friendly control functions'
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Look, please, for pity's sake: Justin Verlander pitched a mediocre game last night. Craggs already said his piece about the frantic efforts of the sports press corps to sculpt the pile of horse poop Verlander left on the pitcher's mound into a living, breathing unicorn. The relentlessly genial Joe Posnanski is politely (and correctly) suggesting that his colleagues, in their insistence on celebrating Verlander's greatness this postseason, are engaged in a humiliating and ridiculous mass delusion (being Joe Posnanski, the way he says this is, "Am I just not seeing it?").
But here's Tom Verducci declaring that Verlander "consolidated his status as one of the elite pitchers of his generation" by pitching a "signature postseason game":
Verlander took the ball knowing that his team was facing elimination and knowing that his team's two best relievers, Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde, were not available. Manager Jim Leyland announced to the world—and most especially the Texas Rangers—that he was not using Benoit and Valverde because they needed a day off.
What Verlander, who allowed eight hits and four runs with eight strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings, did was go all old school on Texas. It was a game Bob Gibson would have been proud of. It wasn't just that Verlander threw a ball faster than he had all year. It was that he did not leave the game until he had thrown 133 pitches. The last one, one out into the eighth inning, traveled 100 mph, and left the park courtesy of Nelson Cruz.
That last line would be a hilarious piece of self-parody if there weren't so many other people writing the same thing: But it was a BLAZING FAST meatball! And this is the specific point where the Legend of Justin Verlander, Gritty Baseball Hero, falls apart. What made Verlander's performance so great, the writers are all telling each other, was that he sucked it up and threw 133 pitches, on a night the Tigers were trying to protect their bullpen.
Here's Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal narrating Verlander's defining moment of courage:
The seventh inning was over. Verlander's pitch count was at 123. Jim Leyland, the Tigers' manager, had said before the game that he did not want to push Verlander—the team's ace now and through at least 2014—beyond 125.
But Verlander, after an efficient, 10-pitch seventh, was in no mood for conversation. The Tigers, trailing three games to one, had a seemingly comfortable 6-2 lead in Game 5 of the ALCS. But Verlander knew that the Tigers' pitching staff, in the words of Leyland, was down to, "Verlander and Verlander and Verlander . . . and maybe (Phil) Coke."
Yes, Verlander went back out for the eighth inning, to save the bullpen, to save his team—
And he failed.
He just failed. It's a fact. Jim Leyland took a gamble, and he lost. This happens with gambles, in baseball.
Was there really no one in the Tigers bullpen who could have thrown 10 pitches, gotten one batter out, and given up two runs? Because that's what Verlander did, in his valiant eighth inning—or rather, in the one-third of the eighth inning he was able to get through before Leyland had to go to the bullpen anyway.
By pushing himself past 125 pitches, Verlander turned what had been a successful if labored two-run outing into a four-run mess. Luckily for him, his teammates had put 7 runs on the board by then, so they won the game anyway. But the Tigers survived despite Verlander's willingness to keep pitching, not because of it.
It's kind of insulting to Verlander for his admirers to keep saying otherwise. He's a great pitcher. He knows what a great game is. This wasn't one.
As for "a game Bob Gibson would have been proud of"...What can we say about how Verlander's performance compares to Bob Gibson's postseason work? Plenty!
• Justin Verlander allowed more runs in 7.1 innings than Bob Gibson allowed in the entire 1967 World Series, in which Gibson started three games and pitched all 27 innings of them.
• Justin Verlander, on the night he saved the Tigers bullpen, pitched 7.1 innings and required 1.2 innings of relief. Bob Gibson, in nine career postseason starts, pitched 81 innings and required 1 inning of relief.
• Bob Gibson won one postseason game by a 7-5 score, the way Verlander did last night. It was Game Seven of the 1964 World Series. Statistically, it was slightly better than Verlander's game—a complete game, 5 runs, 3 walks, 9 strikeouts—and it was the worst game Gibson ever pitched in the postseason.
• If Bob Gibson had given up 4 runs in 7.1 innings in each of his postseason starts, matching Verlander's performance, his postseason record would have been 2-4 with one no-decision, rather than 7-2. The Cardinals would have been winless in the three World Series Gibson pitched in, rather than 2-1, and they would have been eliminated before even reaching the seventh games Gibson pitched and won in 1964 and 1967.
Besides that, sure, yeah, Tom Verducci: Bob Gibson! Tom Verducci is a Hall of Fame voter.


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Gordon ready for 700th start at Darlington
Darlington, SC – Jeff Gordon is expected to reach another milestone in his already illustrious NASCAR career this weekend at Darlington Raceway.
Gordon, at age 41, will make his 700th career start -- all consecutively -- in the Sprint Cup Series. He will become the 15th driver in NASCAR's top circuit to compete in 700 or more races.
"I've been fortunate to race this long and have the type of career I've had," Gordon said. "It's really cool to see that this will be my 700th start, but it's not something I really paid attention to. It's hard to believe I've run that many - especially consecutively."
Since his Cup debut on Nov. 15, 1992 at Atlanta, Gordon has evolved from the "Wonder Boy," a nickname given to him by Dale Earnhardt in 1995, to one of the most accomplished drivers in the sport. The four-time Sprint Cup champion has scored 87 wins, including three Daytona 500 victories, 299 top-5 finishes, 416 top-10s and 72 poles in 699 career starts. He also has a NASCAR-record $131,087,923 in career winnings to date.
Darlington has been one of Gordon's best racetracks over the years. His seven victories here is tops among all active drivers. David Pearson holds the track record with 10 wins, followed by Earnhardt with nine.
Gordon has recorded 18 top-five finishes, 21 top-10s and three poles in 32 starts at Darlington as well. His total of 1,720 laps led around this 1.366- mile "egg-shaped" oval is best among active drivers.
"I always look forward to going to Darlington," he said. "It's a great track. It's fast and exciting. It's not the same track it used to be 10 years ago, but it's still one of those tracks where you have to push hard, be patient. We've run good there the last couple of times, so I'm looking forward to it."
Six of Gordon's seven victories at Darlington have come in the Southern 500. He won this race consecutively from 1995-98 and then took the checkered flag for the 2002 and '07 events. Gordon won the 400-mile spring race here in 1996. He finished 35th in last year's 500-miler at Darlington.
Right now, Gordon is 14th in the point standings. His Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jimmie Johnson, holds a sizeable 41-point lead over second-place Carl Edwards.
Johnson is the defending race winner at Darlington. When the series competed here one year ago, he gave team owner Rick Hendrick his 200th win in Cup. Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports also ended a 16-race winless streak.
"I know we were all trying very hard to get that 200th win for Rick," Johnson said. "All of our teams were close multiple times. Martinsville would have been extremely fitting, obviously, but Darlington has a great feel to it too. And, to understand some of Rick's early memories and the first race he ever went to watch being there at Darlington, it ties it all in.
"The history that track has in our sport, and that of Hendrick Motorsports and the history of NASCAR, it fits very well. It's a tough, tough racetrack to get around. I'm proud of every win I have there, and especially that 200th win."
Gordon delivered HMS its 50th victory in March 1996 at Darlington. He also gave the racing organization its 100th win in June 2001 at Michigan. Gordon shares ownership of Johnson's No. 48 team with Hendrick.
"Jeff is an icon of our sport," Johnson said. "When I was young, I bought his diecast car. It sat on a shelf in my room. I didn't know him. I watched him through the Thursday night thunder racing. He gave me hope as a young driver with a different background that I could end up in a stock car. I watched him through all of his amazing seasons. Then I met him and got to know him. He brought me on board, racing against him for wins and championships.
"It's been a wild situation for me, because literally, I was a fan, and then to be able to race against him and all of that, it was kind of mind-blowing. It's been a very cool experience."
Forty-four teams are on the preliminary entry list for the Bojangles's Southern 500.
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup. Date: Saturday, May 11. Race: Bojangles' Southern 500. Site: Darlington Raceway. Track: 1.366-mile oval. Start time: 6:45 p.m. ET. Laps: 367. Miles: 501.3. 2012 Winner: Jimmie Johnson. Television: FOX. Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)/SIRIUS NASCAR Radio.


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Joe Campbell, nineteen, met Harvey Milk, twenty-six, at Riis Park Beach in Queens, New York in July of 1956 and shortly thereafter moved from his parents' home into Harvey's suburban Rego Park apartment. Their time together included gushy love poems, impromptu gifts, and letters with "-san" suffixes to both their names. After a rocky relationship, Harvey asked Joe to move out in late 1962. It would be the longest relationship in either of their lives. Harvey later moved to San Francisco where he was the first gay man elected to the Board of Supervisors. He and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated in November 1978. These letters, written from New York, Miami Beach and Puerto Rico, document Harvey's feelings for Joe during the period between 1961 and 1964. Joe Campbell donated his 29 letters to the Gay and Lesbian Center in 1993. Then in 2006, Callie Angell, of the Andy Warhol Film Project, donated an additional 32 Harvey Milk-Joe Campbell letters that span the years 1965-1971.
- December 1, 1961
- From Harvey Milk to Joe Campbell
Lamenting the ending of their relationship.
- August 23, 1962
- From Harvey Milk to Joe Campbell
The wonders of San Juan, Puerto Rico
- March 8, 1963
- From C. Milner to Joe Campbell
Employment history request for Harvey Milk
- March [8], 1963
- From Harvey Milk to Joe Campbell
Looking for a job in San Juan, Puerto Rico
- March 10, 1963
- From Harvey Milk to Joe Campbell
Arrived in Miami
(Joe's reply on back side)
- April [5], 1963
- From Harvey Milk to Joe Campbell
In Miami, talking about the weather


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How was your experience when you stayed at Club Med La Plantation d'Albion. Was it all good all bad or something in between? Please help us to get an overall rating of the village you visited by answering the following questions which are quite simple and it should only take a minute.
The results can be seen in the village section of the website. For each subject you can add a small remark. Please keep it short, relevant, clear and add only information that you think could be usefull for other visitors. (please put greetings somewhere else ...)
© Club Med Planet - 2003-2019 - 3/22/2019 at 2:11:17 PM


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Every day of our lives we face events that cause us stress. Although most of these events are minor in the grand scheme of things, there are situations that clearly can be considered major sources of stress like an approaching marriage or divorce, or trouble at home or work.
You may need help from others, like a professional counselor, to judge the degree of stress a situation is putting on you. Once that is done, you can put in order what you need to get done. You will also need to look at the resources that are available to help you understand and work through the problem.
When you're faced with a highly stressful event in your life, the following methods may help you cope:
Avoid unnecessary changes in your life. Instead, reserve what energy you do have for dealing with the stressor at hand. If possible, try to make your work and home environments stable while working out the primary problem.
Quiet your mind. In times of stress, the mind makes things appear worse than they are by creating endless versions of approaching disaster. Because the body can't tell the difference between fact and fantasy, it responds with a greater physical response.
Keep in the present. You can calm both your mind and your body by keeping your mind in the present. The present is hardly ever as stressful as an imagined future or past full of regret. To keep your mind in the present, center your attention on your breathing, a sound or visual pattern, a repetitive movement, or meditation.
Bravely and aggressively face the stressor. Resist any temptation to ignore whatever is causing stress. Instead, carefully think about the seriousness of the problem without blowing it out of proportion. Ask yourself, "What is the worst thing that is realistically likely to happen?" Then remind yourself of all the good things that will still be a part of your life even if the worst happens. In addition, confirm your view of the stressor by talking with others. Make a special effort to speak to family, friends, or co-workers who have dealt with similar experiences.
Review your coping responses. Confidence is helpful in fighting stress and it builds on memories of past successes. Review successes you've had with other stressful life situations. Recall some of the exact things you did to cope.
Take action. Commit yourself to a reasonable course of action to deal with whatever is causing you stress. Action is powerful in helping you to reduce stress. Research shows that the body lowers the amount of epinephrine, a powerful stress hormone, when a person shifts into action. Don't avoid taking action because you fear you'll make the wrong decision. Remind yourself that there are many different ways of successfully dealing with a stressful situation.
Take time out to relax. At least once or twice a day, take time to calm down by relaxing. Some suggestions are listening to soothing music, taking a walk, gardening, reading, or exercising. You could also choose to do more formal relaxation like deep breathing or meditation.


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Throughout the season, ETSU baseball head coach Tony Skole will share his thoughts and ideas about the team, which will be featured on CollegeBaseballInsider.com. This is the first installment of the Tony Skole Dugout Digest.
Written April 11, 2012
Here is the first Dugout Digest for 2012. I apologize for it coming at the halfway point of our season. I had been asked this winter to once again share my thoughts and ideas as our season progresses from a head coach's perspective. I agreed, as I have always enjoyed writing and sharing my thoughts, but this season I just haven't felt the urge to put some of my thoughts down on paper. To be brutally honest though, I was waiting for us to go on a nice winning streak to begin the Digest. Well it just hasn't happened (yet), so late last night as I peered through my pages of game notes through our first 30 games, I figured this would be a good time to go ahead and begin.
Interested parties can go to our website at ETSUBucs.com and get a full report and history of our results through the first half of the season. So I won't go through and give a complete breakdown of each and every game. But I will give a quick assessment of where we are and what we are currently going through.
With our record currently standing at 15-15, obviously myself and our coaching staff are not pleased with our results thus far. No team sets a goal at the beginning of a season to be a .500 ball club. So obviously our goal for the second half of the season is to play much better and find a way for our players to win a bunch of games.
Our coaching staff has poured over every statistical category and tried to turn over every leaf, to understand and find the reasons when our club struggles and when our club has success. The game of baseball has always been a game of numbers and statistics. Many times these items don't provide much insight and many times they can spell out exactly what the problem is.
We are fortunate that through the help of our outstanding Sports Information Director, Ryan Dunn, we can pull up just about any situation and scenario possible. Anything from what our players/pitchers are doing in specific situations to even what our hitters are doing when they hit at a certain spot in the lineup. It is all there for our analysis.
Anyone that has followed our season thus far would be quick to point our struggles on the offensive side, especially with runners on base and with runners in scoring position. How bad has it been? Well in our 12 Atlantic Sun Conference games we have had 30 more opportunities with runners in scoring position than our opponents (120 to 91). This is good. Yet our opponents have six more hits. This is not so good. We are hitting a paltry .150 (18 for 120) with runners in scoring position. Ouch! When you can't get the big hit, it sure makes it difficult to win.
On the other side, our pitching and defense for the most part has been outstanding. In every statistical category we are succeeding except for the amount of extra base hits we have given up. Besides that, our pitching and defense has been keeping us in every ballgame we play. This is the main reason our coaching staff still feels confident heading into the second half. If we can continue to pitch and defend well, we will be in every game and if our offense begins to catch fire, we will be tough to handle.
So in order for our second half of the season to improve somehow we have to fix this problem. Now I have had many conversations with baseball people all over the world to get their opinion on how to hit better with runners in scoring position. There is not a drill or something we can do in practice (besides actually putting a runner in scoring position during batting practice) to refine this skill. Basically it just comes down to guys being clutch hitters and coming through in important situations during the game.
My old college coach, the legendary Chal Port always told us something when I played that has stuck with me throughout my career. Coach Port would ask us, "Guys, you know who my favorite players are on this team?" We would all then rack our brain and try to figure out who it was. Thinking there was a magic formula or process he had for choosing his favorites. He would then say it like only Coach Port could. "It's pretty simple guys. My favorite players are the SOB's driving in all the runs." I didn't realize it then but having coached for over 20 college seasons boy he sure was right.
As coaches, we are always looking for those guys who get it done when the heat is on. In any sport these are the players that are always remembered. Whether it is getting that big hit, making the final shot in hoops, throwing the touchdown pass in the 4th quarter or making the clutch putt on the 18th hole. It takes a special individual to perform at their best, when their best is needed. I believe it was John Wooden that defined competitive greatness as "being at your best when your best is needed."
Back in August when our club got together for the first time we spoke about where we expected to be at the end of the season. Well in getting to that final destination, we need to realize there is going to be pressure to perform throughout the journey. But our guys must understand that whenever there is great opportunity, there is also pressure. You can't have one without the other. We have to look at the things that have stood in our way thus far – execution, details and leadership. We have to make a vow to make these areas strengths. If we can do that then we will have earned the right to be where we expect to be at the end of our season.
It was Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) – American Civil Rights Leader who said, "If there is no struggle, there is no progress." How true those words are still today.
Until Next Time…


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Message Board
David Weber and Eric Flint Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Flint has written!
Author Flint's Book Reviews
Crown of Slaves
Baen, Sep 2003, 25.00, 505 pp. ISBN: 0743471482 With problems threatening to engulf them, the Erewhon expect help from their interstellar ally the Star Kingdom of Manticore, but none has been forthcoming. Knowing that the pact is near collapse, a desperate but inept Queen Elizabeth of Manticore uses a state funeral to mend the schism and disappointment. She sends her niece Ruth Winton under the protection of Captain Zilwicki to represent her wi...


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All guests flying on our international network with a transit at Pune Airport are required to apply for a Transit Indian visa.
From Nov 15, 2018 until Apr 30, 2019, guests travelling from India and Saudi Arabia, who are residents of either country, can enjoy visa on arrival at no cost for a period of 15 days from the day of arrival.
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With the May half-term holidays fast approaching, you can expect longer queues at Heathrow Airport, London. To help make your experience as smooth as possible, here are 2 toolkits that will help improve your travel experience:
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Guests holding a Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card do not require a visa to visit India, as long as the PIO card is valid. The PIO card will not be valid without a valid passport. Incase you have acquired a new passport; the passport number has to be endorsed onto the PIO card as advised by the consulate. If the guest has not endorsed the new passport number, then he or she must carry the passport that has the number endorsed on the PIO card.
Guests holding a PIO card are exempted from registration if their stay in India does not exceed 6 months. Should the continuous stay exceed six months, registration will be required within 30 days of expiry of the six months with the concerned Foreigners Registration Officer.
American and European passport holders travelling to Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka do not require a visa for stays less than 30 days. However, if you book a flight transiting between two airports in India, you will need an Indian visa in order to clear the customs and immigration formalities.
The Carrier Liability Act does not permit on-arrival visas to all nationalities arriving into Nepal.As per Nepal Immigration, certain nationalities would require a visa before commencing their journey into Nepal. Below is the list of nationalities that require a visa before arriving into Nepal:
Short-term visas for travel to Sri Lanka will be granted online at www.eta.gov.lk, for a fee. Once the application is approved, visa applicants will receive an Approval Notice, a printed copy of which should be carried when travelling. In addition to the Approval Notice, guests must also have a passport of validity of at least 6 months beyond the period of intended stay, confirmed return/onward tickets, travel documents valid for the next destination or return and sufficient funds for their stay. More details of the application process, fees and credit cards accepted can be found at www.eta.gov.lk
Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) applications may also be submitted on arrival in Sri Lanka, at the ETA counter at the airport. Short term visas issued earlier in the passport will continue to be valid for the validity period, purpose of travel, duration of stay and number of entries specified on the visa. Jet Airways regrets that we are unable to submit applications online on behalf of the visa applicants.
For our Gulf destinations (except Saudi Arabia), visas that are arranged by sponsors are available at the destination. In the absence of the original visa, guests must hold a photocopy of the valid visa.
Guests travelling to Saudi Arabia must have a valid Saudi visa, which will be affixed on the passport. Please remember that this applies to guests travelling to Dammam via Bahrain. Guests holding an Electronic Re-Entry Visa for Saudi Arabia are required to carry a printed copy in English. The Electronic Re-entry visa can be viewed on the Saudi Government website: www.passportevisa.com. Please bear in mind that the above information is subject to change without notice.
The Government Of India now offers Tourist Visas through Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) on arrival to nationals of Cambodia, Finland, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Luxembourg, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore and Vietnam.
The visa-on-arrival will be granted by immigration officers only at Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram airports. Such visas will be applicable for single entry with a maximum validity of 30 days.
Guests departing from France to India must be in possession of a valid visa and a return ticket (or an onward ticket departing India). The passport should be valid at least 6 months beyond the date of return travel. Guests holding one-way tickets will not be allowed to board in Paris.
Guests travelling between France and Nepal will not require an Indian visa if they are transiting in Mumbai (BOM). However an Indian visa is mandatory if the journey contains a second city within India (for example; Kathmandu-Delhi-Mumbai-Paris).
Guests travelling to Nepal who are between the age of 15 years and 65 years are requested to carry the following documentation, which is mandatory for both the Immigration Departments in India & Nepal:
Guests below the age of 15 years and above 65 years, who are travelling with family, can use an Adhar card for identification. Students below the age of 17 years can use their official school ID cards for identification.
The following documents will not be accepted by immigration authorities at airports in India and Nepal:
Note: Visa requirements - We request all guests to contact their travel agents for any queries pertaining to Visa requirements.


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October 15 , 2013
People who have recently become infected with HIV are at increased risk of transmitting HIV to others and may account for up to half of new HIV infections in some populations. Several factors contribute to an increased risk of HIV transmission.
During the first few months of infection (also known as acute HIV infection, or AHI), the amount of HIV (viral load) in the bodily fluids is very high, which can significantly increase the risk of HIV transmission if an exposure occurs. Furthermore, recently infected individuals are more likely to be engaging in transmission-enabling activities as this is what led to their infection with HIV. Finally, since their infection is recent, many are unaware of their HIV-positive status and are consequently less likely to take steps to prevent passing the virus to others.
Early diagnosis of individuals with AHI is important for preventing HIV transmission. Once people living with HIV become aware of their HIV status, the majority take measures to reduce their risk of passing HIV to others. Newly diagnosed individuals can also consider starting treatment, which can improve their health and (by reducing the amount of virus circulating in their body) further reduce their risk of HIV transmission.
Unfortunately, identifying people with AHI is challenging. Since the timespan of AHI is relatively short, most people pass through this brief stage of infection without getting tested and learning their HIV status. Frequent testing of those at risk is, therefore, important to detect AHI.
Furthermore, all HIV tests have "window periods" (the period of time from when a person first becomes infected with HIV to when a test can detect their infection), which can make it difficult to identify AHI. During the window period, a test may incorrectly find a person with AHI to be HIV-negative.
Fortunately, newer generations of HIV tests have shorter window periods.
The Western Blot was one of the first tests to be developed and is still used for confirmatory testing in many provincial laboratories. This type of test detects HIV antibodies in the blood and-although very accurate-has a relatively long window period of six to 12 weeks.
Newer types of HIV tests that detect anti-HIV antibodies have shorter window periods. Third-generation HIV tests can identify infection in 95% of people within 34 days of infection. Fourth-generation HIV tests have an even shorter window period, of 15 to 20 days, and detect an HIV protein (known as the p24 antigen) in addition to antibodies.
Another form of testing is nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT). This type of test, which detects the virus' genetic material (also known as RNA), has the shortest window period, of seven to 15 days.
However, since NAAT is expensive, a "pooled" strategy is sometimes used to minimize the number of tests performed. With pooled NAAT, blood samples from several different clients are combined and tested as a single sample. If the pooled sample tests positive, the original samples are then tested individually to determine which one was positive.
While third- and fourth-generation HIV tests are used for screening clients in provincial laboratories across Canada, pooled NAAT is not.
Researchers in Vancouver recently conducted a study to assess the extent to which a combination of targeted NAAT screening and social marketing campaigns could improve the identification of AHI among men who have sex with men (MSM).
The study took place at five Vancouver-based testing clinics with high rates of HIV infection among MSM clients. Researchers compared the rate of AHI detection at these clinics before and after the implementation of NAAT screening and social marketing campaigns.
Between April 2006 and April 2009 (the pre-implementation period), all clients at these sites were initially screened using a third-generation HIV test. Different actions were taken (also known as a testing algorithm) depending on the result of the test:
Between April 2009 and March 2012 (the post-implementation period), the testing algorithm was changed to determine the extent to which pooled NAAT testing could improve the detection of HIV.
In the new testing algorithm, all male patients (including transgender clients) over 18 who presented for HIV testing at the participating clinics were initially screened using a third-generation HIV test. However, compared to the previous algorithm, new actions were taken if the initial third-generation test was negative:
A sixth clinic adopted this new testing algorithm in September 2009.
In the post-implementation period, two social marketing campaigns were implemented to raise awareness of new testing technologies and AHI among gay men and other MSM. The overall goal of these campaigns was to increase uptake and frequency of HIV testing among those at risk.
In the pre-implementation period, AHI cases were defined as men who were in the Western Blot's window period and whose HIV was detected using third-generation tests.
In the post-implementation period, AHI cases also included men who were in the third-generation test's window period and would have been missed if pooled NAAT screening was not used.
Between April 2006 and 2009 (pre-implementation period):
Between April 2009 and March 2012 (post-implementation period):
Implementation of NAAT testing and social marketing campaigns improved the identification of men with AHI. In the post-implementation period, the number of HIV tests, number of AHI diagnoses, and AHI identification rate were all higher than during the pre-implementation period.
If the sixth clinic is included, a total of 54 AHIs were diagnosed in the post-implementation period. Of these 54 infections, 25 were in the window period for the initial third-generation test and would have been missed if not for pooled NAAT screening.
Investigators concluded that the "targeted implementation of pooled NAAT and social marketing has significantly improved detection of AHI among MSM at clinic sites with pre-existing high HIV detection rates."
In this study, improved identification of AHI was achieved by shortening the window period through NAAT testing and increasing the uptake and frequency of HIV testing through social marketing campaigns. This suggests that social marketing campaigns may play an important role in maximizing the impact of new HIV testing technologies.
Overall, if pooled NAAT had not been implemented, 46% of men with AHI would have been given a negative result. Instead, these men were given a positive diagnosis and were able to learn of their HIV infection early. This has important implications for improving their health and reducing their risk of onward HIV transmission.
While promising, further research is needed to explore:
Hopefully this study will create interest in similar pilot programs in other parts of Canada.
-James Wilton
Recently infected individuals: a priority for HIV prevention from Prevention in Focus , CATIE's online prevention resource
Detecting HIV earlier: advances in HIV testing from Prevention in Focus , CATIE's online prevention resource
HIV: It's Hottest at the Start - Health Initiative for Men campaign
From CATIE: CANADIAN AIDS TREATMENT INFORMATION EXCHANGE. For more information visit CATIE's Information Network
at http://www.catie.ca
For more HIV and AIDS News visit...
Positively Positive - Living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS News
...positive attitudes are not simply 'moods'
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Business Support for the NRWA
A healthy environment has economic value, a principal that the Nashua River Watershed Association has recognized since our founding in 1969. We are pleased that those economic benefits are being recognized, including:
- Higher property values
- Expanded outdoor recreation opportunities
- Flood mitigation
- Reduction in water filtration and wastewater treatment costs
- Preservation of community character
- Improved quality of life that helps local businesses attract and retain employees
The NRWA helps local officials plan for growth in our rapidly developing area of north central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. Clean rivers, adequate water supplies, and responsible land use are good for business, good for communities, and good for the environment.
Support from the business community has been central to the NRWA's success since our inception. We are proud that over 100 business members recognize the benefits provided by NRWA and feel strongly that the Association is worthy of their support. View a list of Current NRWA Business Supporters.
Businesses can support the NRWA in a variety of ways, through memberships, donations, sponsorships, grants, and in-kind donations. Choose the option that best fits your business and become a partner-- help promote a healthy economy and healthy environment in our watershed.
Thank you for your support!
Business memberships support our annual operating budget so we can provide programs that proactively protect our resources, as well as have the ability to respond to unforeseen but critically important issues and projects, whether that's a water pollution problem or a land protection opportunity.
Join or Renew Online through our secure server.
Join or Renew By Mail by using our printable membership form.
Matching Gifts
A key part of charitable giving for many corporations is a matching gift program. The NRWA is proud to receive matching gifts from many organizations, a way to support your employees' philanthropic interests and protect the natural resources of our region.
In-Kind Donations
Volunteer Opportunities


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And surprisingly not very innovative.
Which feels a little unfair, after all, it's definitely a cutting edge browser. Without question. And it's very good. But it's just not doing anything that any body else isn't.
The process isolation sandbox is a brilliant feature, and provides a level of security and reliability the web hasn't seen since, oh, the introduction of IE8.
Ok, bit of a cheap shot. It is a great feature. But it does highlight something about the current crop of browsers – convergence. All of the big three browsers are getting more and more alike.
Look at the address bar – intelligent search on your history and bookmarks. Open a new tab, and get a task based page to better help you start surfing (IE and Chrome have different ideas on what to display, but the basic idea's the same). Google ships with Gears and IE ships with (partial) HTML5 support (offline storage, but not worker threads in JavaScript). Chrome even eschews the normal menu bar in favour of page + tools menu, just like IE.
I also like the application shortcuts feature. I was sceptical about having a browser window without address bar or other security conscious adornments (didn't IE have huge problems with that), but it's actually working as a very nice way to read GMail.
Ah, you say, you want innovation? How about the tabs being at the top of the window? Yeah. About that. Odd choice. All it really means is that if I open enough tabs, I can't read the window title. Thanks.
(But I do like the use of Aero glass – it is a very nice looking browser. Definitely not a native look and feel, but it's a native implementation, and you can tell – very solid and smooth.)
And if any more evidence were needed that the browsers are converging – check out their logos. QED, eh?
Tags: browsers, convergence, google chrome
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Just found this forum through a rescue coordinator and thought I'd introduce myself BEFORE I lurk too much. Plus - it's great to show of my beloved pooch and foster pooch. I spent years showing and living with pack of Basenjis and bred a few litters responsibly (tested for health, took back a lot of dogs for a lot of reasons) but still felt bad about the occasional less than ideal placement . Basenjis are another breed that is tough to place well - lot's energy, some dog aggression, and a "different" personality. My conscience got the best of me and when my last basenji was 15, I adopted a pit mix (Mr. Mooches) from a humane society that was getting ready to put him down because he had been in rescue too long. I made every mistake in the book, but I think I'm finally learning. And he's still a fantastic family member - loving, a great house dog, no barking, smart (okay, not stupid anyway). This is Mooches (now almost 6 yrs old) on the hot tub cover:
The more I've gotten to know him, the more I've become fascinated with the breed. So a little while ago we decided to foster baby Ginger, who was in an overcrowded animal control/shelter (she was pregnant, delivered, and raised pups, too) for nearly 3 monthes before they decided her time was almost up. She was a little motherly looking so no one wanted to adopt her! Imagine, a PERFECT little (43 pounds) rednose with no behavior problems. Luckily, she found a fantastic home right before Christmas! Thanks if you're listening in! Lucky Ginger:
Now we are fostering Daisy - from the same animal control/shelter and through the same organization. She's low key - almost lazy and sooooo sweet. I love her fat lips! We may keep her if we can get our picky boy to like her - we're trying to be very slow in introducing them. Unfortunately, I had some sneaking suspicions and had the vet x-ray her hips while she was out for her spay and she has the early stages of hip dysplasia - I guess almost a third of bully breeds do.... So now I'm pestering her with glucosamine tablets all the time...
Our biggest challenge is finding someone besides little dogs (who he ADORES) and puppies that Mooches will live with. Sad thing is - he's not even a fighter - just a grumpy, jealous dog that will push other dogs to their limit if he doesn't like them. I keep telling him that if he accepts Daisy then he won't have to put up with anymore fosters.... (don't tell him or my SO that I'm lying !!!).
Anyway - glad to see all your beautiful dogs and great ideas. Hope the pics work....
Hello in there!
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- moochesmama
- Bully Ambassador
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Re: Hello in there!
moochesmama wrote:
Our biggest challenge is finding someone besides little dogs (who he ADORES) and puppies that Mooches will live with. Sad thing is - he's not even a fighter - just a grumpy, jealous dog that will push other dogs to their limit if he doesn't like them.
Welcome. Mooches sounds just like my Rosie-dog!
- concreterose
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Diversity of entertainment abounds in the next few months. It is the mission of AISLE SAY to keep you tuned in.
Diversity of entertainment abounds in the next few months. It is the mission of AISLE SAY to keep you tuned in.
Feb 12 at World Cafe Live at The Queen @ 7pm in the upper room. Bring your sweetheart. Delaware celebrates "The Year of The Bard". Show your romantic side with a night of Shakespearean poetry, music and, best of all...ROMANCE. 994.1400
Mar 17 at DE Theatre Co. Ted Neeley originated the role of JC in the '73 movie JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. He went on to tour in stage productions in the 4 decades. WOW. He enjoys an international legion of fans. And, his pipes are still working (think "Gethsemane"). A one night stand with his traveling band with new and old selections from his amazing repetoire. Delawaretheatre.org 594.1100
April 27 at The Grand. The Rock & Roll Legends Show @7pm. Jimmy Clanton - "Just a Dream"; Jay Siegels' Tokens - "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"; The Legendary Teenagers - "So Much In Love"; The Classics - "Just To Be With You"; The Original Tymes - "Why Do Fools Fall in Love"; The Chimes - "Once In A While". AND on February 13, a special road show of "DOO WOP DINER", hosted by WVLT Radio's Lou Costello. Jimmy Clanton will appear. 7pm at Kelly's Logan House,
TheRockandRollLegends.com Grandoperahouse.org 302.652.5577


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BTW. I have some other pieces that I bought a few weeks ago one is a great A. Seguso vase but it has the label so I don't need to id it. The other ones are semi interesting and I might put them on but I don't want to push the friendship too much.
So is that a polite way of saying you are holding out on us???I, for one would love to see the Seguso piece with a label. We do allow "Show and Tell" here. :thup:By the way.... Nice find on the bowl.Craig
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Editor's Note: In late Nov. 2012, Jim Cramer delivered the following speech at The Deal Economy 2013 event held at the New York Stock Exchange. During this speech, Cramer noted that Hess, then at $50 per share, was ripe for a spin-off. Monday, Jan. 28, 2013, Hess announced plans to exit its refining and marketing business to unlock value; analysts estimate about $7.00 per share in proceeds, sending the stock markedly higher.Separately, Cramer noted that Hess' assets were worth more than the sum of their parts -- particularly the crown jewel Bakken acreage which has also benefitted companies like EOG and Continental Resources. This week, Elliott Associates is advocating the company spin-off its onshore U.S. shale assets, create an onshore MLP and divest international assets to close the gap to net asset value -- which Elliott pegs at $126/share. Read Jim Cramer's complete and prescient take on Hess, as well as nine other speculative stock ideas, reprinted in the speech below. NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- It's a deal conference. It's TheDeal conference. So let's talk deals, namely the ten deals I see happening in 2013, ten companies that will be transformed in one way or another that will lead to dramatically higher prices. Yep, I have ten stocks that I think are worth owning on a speculative basis for next year, although my normal rules apply, I would never recommend a stock on the basis of a corporate control event unless the fundamentals warranted owning it anyway. You aren't going to hear me tout Dell ( DELL) or Hewlett-Packard ( HPQ) on a merger of equals, for example, because they are both equally bad and I wouldn't own either. Who would have Autonomy in that deal? Couldn't resist a little M&A black humor. As tempting as it is to suggest that Microsoft ( MSFT) buy Research in Motion ( RIMM), I think that the near 100% move off the bottom that the Blackberry maker has undergone, does preclude informed speculation in that ailing company. Sell sell sell right into the Goldman Sachs ( GS) upgrade this morning. Most transactions in 2012 were done because of fright, a fear of missing numbers, fear of no growth, and fear of being trapped in a relentlessly negative cohort. The latter is a widely overlooked factor in deal making, call it the ETF ball and chain. Companies, good and bad are now all parts of ETFs and the hedge funds, desirous of trading vehicles with bigger volume and a reluctance to get trapped individual securities now use these as trading instruments of choice. The hedge funds have homogenized and pasteurized individual companies through the power of ETFs. The ETFs are now responsible for a gigantic amount of the performance or lack thereof of an individual company's stock. That's too bad for the CEOs, most of whom are graded by sector when it comes to the compensation committees of the boards of directors and the consultants they rely on to handle and tally performance bonuses. The only way to assure a raise is to outperform the sector ETF, something which I believe will force a major amount of deal making in 2013. Why am I so sure of that? Because as I reviewed the top 25 acquisitions, spins and breakups, I found that the vast majority of the acquirers and the initiators of transactions went higher. It was almost uniform and I have to believe with confidence improving, deal provokers in this room will be armed with the stats that I am putting together now that shows a "don't just stand there, do something," attitude is an attitude that has paid off for shareholders and managements alike. Do you know how hard it is to move a food giant like Conagra ( CAG) one dollar and 47 cents? Yet it did so when it paid $5 billion for rival Ralcorp ( RAH). PVH ( PVH), the old Phillips Van Heusen, managed to rally 23 points from $91, when it bought out its Calvin Klein partner Warnaco. Believe me, nobody else in their industries had that kind of performance. Do a deal, or watch your stock die on the ETF vine, I say. With that preamble, what deals am I looking for to happen next year? Let's start with the "breaking up is easy to do," transactions that I am anticipating. On Mad Money we have highlighted ten deals where companies have taken it into their own hands to split up their organizations, typically into fast growing divisions with faster growth, and slower-growing divisions with large dividends. That way the growth funds will have their chit and the balanced funds will have theirs in the world of mutual fund asset management. The archetype for this transaction is the Altria-Phillip Morris split up of a few years ago where a tremendous amount of value was created simply by dividing one hybrid tobacco company into a plodding domestic tobacco entity, Altria ( MO), with an outsized dividend and a faster growing international play, Phillip Morris ( PM), with a much smaller, but still larger than average dividend. That's the template. It worked. Now it is being imitated everywhere. Who's next? Who else can do that? Let's start with a small one, Manitowoc ( MTW).
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Pyarey Afzal Episode 15 – 3rd December 2016
The power of words is a wonderful thing. It can melt a frozen heart, unite lovers, and mend pain. 'Pyarey Afzal' is a heart touching story of a young man's struggle, to win the woman of his dreams. using words to paint canvases of love and affection. He expresses his desires in letters, but keeps them a secret. but when a conflict arises between families, the young man is forced to leave his home, a situation that exposes his hidden letters to every one, including the woman of his affections.
- Hamza Ali Abbasi,
- Aiza Khan,
- Sohai Ali Abro,
- Saba Hameed,
- Firdous Jamal
- Sana Javed
- Anoushey Abbasi
- Saba Faisal
Director : Nadeem Baig
Writer : Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar
Friday to Saturday at 9:00PM only on ARY Zindagi.