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This trailer offers a look at a prototype of a Star Wars fighting game that was proposed by Studio Gigante, a developer composed of former Mortal Kombat developers that created another fighting game called Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus. They were apparently pitching this as well as a Kill Bill game before they closed up shop in 2005. Thanks Polygon.
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Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been urged to snub transfer interest from Manchester City and stay at the club.
The Citizens see the Swedish striker as a viable transfer alternative to Edinson Cavani, according to talkSPORT, and are looking to strengthen in the position following Mario Balotelli's exit from the Etihad Stadium back in January.
However, teammate Thiago Silva is hopeful that Ibrahimovic will stay at the Parc des Princes this summer, having helped the club claim top spot in Ligue 1.
"I hope Zlatan will stay at PSG. He can help the team and the club grow. I really want him to stay put," the Brazilian centre back told Le 10 Sport.
"I have not yet had the opportunity to talk to him about whether he has already made a decision on his future.
"He's a normal guy who always wants to win. He gets angry when things don't go well. Sometimes this is a good thing and sometimes it isn't. I see him as a positive guy, though, who gives strength to the team."
Ibrahimovic has been one of football's most colourful characters for over a year, winning titles with Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona and AC Milan. Success with PSG now looks likely to follow.
However, the 31-year-old has never been tested in the Premier League, and has also never lifted the Champions League trophy.
Manchester City would hope to offer a chance to do both, although Roberto Mancini's side crashed out of Europe's elite club competition this season in the group stages.
Their grip on the domestic title has also slipped, with arch rivals Manchester United taking the crown back from their 'noisy neighbours' this season.
The arrival of Ibrahimovic would certainly give Manchester City a lift ahead of the following campaign, but Silva's comments suggest PSG have done anything but give up on the talismanic forward.
Do YOU want to write for GiveMeSport? Get started today by signing-up and submitting an article HERE: https://www.givemesport.com/writeforgms

subset: commoncrawl


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Andrew N from Segative World says: "Of all of the platforms that Shenmue 3 was rumoured to be in development on, the Nintendo DS is one that never really came up. However, I spoke to my Sega source and he has informed me that Shenmue 3 was indeed in development on the DS, and it actually got pretty far into the development process before it morphed into a different game. What is that game? Read on to find out!"
I hope SHenmue 3 actually sees production either on PS3 or PS4 and Xbox 360 or Xbox 720. And I also wouldn't mind Shenmue 1&2 on an HD remake disc or on the PSN and XBL. I could use a Shenmue fix right now.
*sigh* These April Fools jokes are terrible and have already gotten old.
I can't take anything made by nintendo serious. I can't even stand the name nintendo. There's not a single thing nintendo even makes that is an eye catcher. If it was given to me for free I would refuse it. Its horrible. Titles suck the system sucks. They create a system is is already outdated compared to indy games. Garbage.
Shenmue 3 on DS, what a joke. That was going to be an epic flop for sure.
Developers think that just because the DS has a huge fanbase that people will buy any game they throw at it but the truth is that people buy DS for the casual games like Brain Age, Pokemon and Mario. Just look at the DS' best sellers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...
All the JRPG's that made the list was because of Japan alone. Shenmue on DS, Megaman Legends 3, etc. all those games were going to flop real bad anyway. The people that want those games play mostly on consoles (aka. Xbox, PlayStation and even the PC).


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Police Beat - April 22, 2013
- Written by from City of Woodinville Police Reports
Police intercepted a gentleman attempting to enter a car — not his own.
A search of the man turned up not only an unlawfully stimulating substance, but also indicators of how the man was able to fund the purchase of that substance: a ring of shaved keys and several credit cards — not his own.
The man was delivered to a secure location where he will be afforded the gift of deep contemplation, if he so chooses, to reflect on the number of felony charges he faces — all his own.
A man passing phony fifties was apprehended by police after his failed attempt to make an escape via public transportation.
In the spirit of generosity, the man left several counterfeit bills in surrounding shrubbery.
Fraud or merely the exercise of laser printer prowess? This is yet to be determined by Lady Justice.
Elsewhere in Woodinville, police were contacted by a man who expected too much of humanity. He had left his wallet behind in a minimart restroom and somehow expected that no one would abscond with its contents. Why he left it there in the first place was not explained.


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IInputElement.MouseLeftButtonUp Event
.NET Framework (current version)
The .NET API Reference documentation has a new home. Visit the .NET API Browser on docs.microsoft.com to see the new experience.
Namespace: System.Windows
Occurs when the left mouse button is released while the mouse pointer is over the element.
Assembly: PresentationCore (in PresentationCore.dll)
This interface is not intended for public implementation. For more information, see remarks for the IInputElement interface.
.NET Framework
Available since 3.0
Available since 3.0
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Moderator: Tempo Gain
Milkybar_Kid wrote:Hows this working out for you Lotta?
Has the 7 days a week schedule drove you crazy yet?
Whole Lotta Lotta wrote:Hello! I am Whole Lotta Lotta. I am currently working multiple part time jobs. One of my jobs asked me if I would like to work some hours on Sunday. I happen to like this manager and have had a good time teaching adults at her school during the week. She recently offered me a class on Sunday and I accepted. Bye Bye weekends. I will be working my nuts off in the coming months but making money. I have some questions about this:
1. How many other people are doing it?
2. Of those of you who are doing it, how do you manage it?
3. How do I handle it if I should happen to catch a cold on Saturday night and am not able to come in on Sunday?
4. Is working 7 days a week really worth the extra money?
I would like to get other people's opinions on these matters .
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Thursday, December 31, 2009
Reality of revels
I've just noticed a press article indicating that, throughout France this evening, some 45,000 police and gendarmes are deployed to make sure that peace prevails.
4 comments:
Yes, but 1137 cars were burned in that uniquely French "sport" for the mindless.ReplyDelete
And on a pedantic note, of course the first decade of the 21st century ends in just under a year's time!
When people throughout the world were celebrating the start of the year 2000, many experts pointed out—rightly or wrongly—that the 21st century would not come into existence before the start of the year 2001. My personal thinking has always been dominated by the culture of computer programming, in which we start counting systematically with zero. We think of the first ten decimal digits as 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Similarly, the two binary digits (bits) are written as 0 and 1, not 1 and 2. And the sixteen hexadecimal symbols are 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D, E and F. Likewise the highest decimal value that can be stored in a byte (eight bits) is 255, not 256. So, there is a distinct modern technical culture that pushes us to consider that the 21st century started indeed on January 1, 2000. Besides, the notorious but nonexistent Y2K bug was supposed to go into action on January 1, 2000. Historically, people use the BC dating system as if it referred to times before the symbolic birth of Christ. Let's imagine that Jesus grew in the womb of the Virgin Mary for a period of nine months. In that case, what was the date at which the Holy Spirit fecundated Mary? I would say that this miraculous event took place around the beginning of March of the year 1 BC. If Jesus was actually born on December 25 of that same year, then I would say that his first birthday took place on December 25 of the year zero. It's true that I can appreciate why many people might prefer to say that there was never a year zero. In other words, Jesus was growing in the womb during the year 1 BC, and he was a a six-months old baby during the year 1 AD. But, to people with a vaguely mathematical or computing outlook on numbers, that sounds like talk from an epoch preceding the invention of the concept of zero. Just as Nature is said to abhor vacuums, computer programmers detest numbering systems that don't include a zero.ReplyDelete
"According to the Gregorian calendar, the 1st century C.E. started on January 1, 1 and ended on December 31, 100. The 2nd century started at year 101, the third at 201, etc. The n-th century started/will start on the year 100×n - 99. A century will only include one year, the centennial year, that starts with the century's number (e.g. 1900 is the final year in the 19th century)."ReplyDelete
Yes, things are perfectly clear at this level. People with a mathematical and/or computing culture are aware that their style of counting (starting with zero) differs from that of the Church (starting with one). In this domain, as in many others, our decision to differ from the arbitrary traditions and dictates of the Church is conscious, deliberate and harmonious (with respect to the methods of number theory and computer programming).ReplyDelete
Funnily enough, certain dictionaries and encyclopedias tend to make the distinction fuzzy by using the adjective "cultural" for the begin-with-zero approach (because it corresponds to popular culture, which considers, say, that the Roaring Twenties started on January 1, 1920), and the adjective "mathematical" for the begin-with-one approach (because of the trivial arithmetical formula presented by the Church).
[interesting but irrelevant observation] As I said, people who are accustomed to playing around with number systems (binary, decimal, hexadecimal, etc) find it abominable that anybody should ask them to start counting by 1. Now, there's a minor detail that changes nothing whatsoever in this domain. The series of positive integers does indeed start with 1, simply because zero is definitely not a positive integer. In counting systems (as in the binary symbols of computing, or in the symbols we use to designate the names of years), the zero is a mere sign which does not differ intrinsically from any of the other familiar signs such as 1, 2, 3, etc. But when we talk about genuine mathematical entities such as the positive integers, zero becomes a quite different exotic beast... for the simple reason that we can divide any number whatsoever by a positive integer, whereas we can divide no number by zero without stepping into a new ballpark that includes the concept of infinity.


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International currency trading, or foreign exchange, is becoming even more preferred as the recession causes extra and more customers to appear around for choice tactics of producing a living. The tragedy is that countless of them will end up losing their income and generating matters even worse for themselves and their families.
These persons invariably trade by way of spread betting. If you have decided to go down this path then here are 3 golden rules to help you stay away from the fate of the 95 per cent who fail.
1. Generally use a demo account to start with
A single of the most valuable things internet foreign exchange brokers present is the demo account, exactly where you can practise trading in forex without risking real dollars. You will need to take advantage of this and run a single for at least two or 3 months, trading with it each day, before you even give some thought to opening a real account.
Treat the \"make believe\" capital as if it had been actual. A lot of traders get started trading at $10 or $20 a point just to see how \"quick\" they can get \"rich\". And, of course, it's entertaining to be trading with huge numbers. But remember that at this stage it's not how very much \"money\" you make or lose that matters, it\'s the amount of points you earn.
Promptly choose just two or three currency pairings to specialise in. You can\'t hope to effectively master every currency there is to choose from in a matter of months. Preserve to these two or 3 and get to know them intimately. Study the charts, but also hold informed of news and developments that will have an effect on the value. This requires some dedication that most people today, who ultimately fail, just do not have.
2. Prevent small quit losses
Immediately after you\'ve been making use of your demo account for a week or two you'll have come to appreciate the volatility of international currency trading. The market place frequently doesn\'t react as it \"ought\" to react. Commonly news, regardless of whether very good or poor, has currently been leaked and the market has \"discounted\" it by the time it breaks.
At other times the marketplace reacts in an extreme manner, shooting up or falling by a hundred points or a lot more within minutes. It can have \"reversals\" at any time before resuming its upward or downward path. Even with all the charts and indicators now on the market, all this is challenging if not impossible to predict.
Amazingly, a large number of of the so-named experts promoting their courses and facts, robots and other software package on making capital in foreign exchange instruct their students to set up tight cease loss levels. This is meant to shield against sizeable losses when the price suddenly moves against you. Whilst you avert a single big loss, the trouble is that you have a tendency to collect numerous little losses quite readily, and these add up to a extremely large overall loss.
You'll find out that you can only survive by getting realistic quit loss levels, and this means that on any trade, even if you are staking only $1 a point, your threat level is substantial. This, however, is a reality of life and none of us can do anything about it, except act in accordance with the third golden rule, which is . . .
three. from a profitable monetary trader who is prepared to teach you.
Any such trader will tell you that the only customers who make cash by spread betting foreign exchange are the significant banks and monetary institutions who have numerous millions to trade with. The foreign exchange marketplace may possibly be the biggest marketplace in the globe but it doesn't imply that it isn\'t manipulated. It is dominated by the world\'s 20 or so biggest banks, and it is their traders who make the cash at the expense of small traders, largely new to forex.
You\'ll find out that the wise way to do international currency trading is not by means of spread betting (unless you too have millions to trade with) but as a result of other systems such as covered warrants, where you don't get stopped out by the volatility. You\'ll realise that day trading is not the way to go. Warrants may well not be as quickly as spread betting, but you stand a far superior chance of creating funds with them.


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I enjoyed being interviewed for this podcast, which is hosted over at Episcopal Cafe. Check it out and share it with others.
Author: duanemiller
I was born in Montana and grew up in Colorado and Puebla (in Mexico). I completed a BA in philosophy at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and then an MA in theology at St Mary's University (also in San Antonio). Later life took me to Jordan where my wife and I studied Arabic, to Israel where I helped found a seminary, and to Scotland for doctoral work, among other places. I live in Madrid now where I teach and minister. I'm highly interested in the interactions of Islam, Christianity and secularism in modern contexts. My main areas of research for my PhD in divinity were religious conversion from Islam to Christianity, contextual theology, and the shari'a's treatment of apostates. I've also published research on global Anglicanism and the history of Anglican mission in the Ottoman Empire. I've had the pleasure of teaching in many places over the years: from Costa Rica to Turkey, and Kenya to Tunisia. I am at-large lecturer and researcher in Muslim-Christian relations at The Christian Institute of Islamic Studies (www.tciis.org), and priest at the Cathedral Church of the Redeemer in Madrid, Spain. Visit my blog (duanemiller.wordpress.com) or academia.edu page for more information or to have me speak at your church, university or seminary. View all posts by duanemiller


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Original URL: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/01/05/wd_scorpio_black_750gb/
WD embiggens Scorpio Black notebook drive
Take that, Seagate, you big brute
Posted in The Channel, 5th January 2011 16:45 GMT
Western Digital has increased its fast notebook drive's capacity by half to reach 750GB, the same as Seagate's fast notebook drive.
WD's Scorpio Black 2.5-inch drive spins at 7,200rpm and has a 16MB cache and 3Gbit/s SATA interface. It is now also an Advanced Format Drive. Seagate's equivalent Momentus 7200 had its 750 gig capacity level announced in May last year. Both the Momentus and the Scorpio Black are 2-platter drives with 376GB platters and a 541Gbit/in2 or so areal density level.
WD has a faster spinning 2.5-inch drive called the VelociRaptor, which rotates at 10,000rpm, holds up to 600GB of data and has a 6Gbit/s SATA interface. Seagate also has a 10,000rpm 2.5-inch drive – the Savvio 10K.4 – which similarly stores up to 600GB of data, but comes with a 6Gbit/s SAS interface plus a 4Gbit/s Fibre Channel one.
The Scorpio Black has a range of capacity points between 160GB and 750GB and is available now. The drive comes with a five-year limited warranty and WD's suggested retail price is $149 (€109.00 including VAT). ®


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Hi, my name is Jimmy, I'm not a 4.0, but probably a 3.5. I would be willing to play some practice sets. If you would like I can play this weekend from now to Monday any time. If you are interested then just send me a message and well exchange contact info.
I live in Costa Mesa, are you free to play, I can play pretty much most weekdays after work at 6. Let me know 435 7735757. I am about a 4.0 player.
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by Chanlder Lee, GC sports broadcaster
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – Senior guard Chimere Jordan (Gray, Ga) of the Georgia College women's basketball team has been awarded the GC Athlete of the Week for the week ending Nov. 14. This is the first honor for both Jordan and the women's basketball squad this season.
Jordan drained 35 points in the team's season opener this past Friday (Nov. 12) at Anderson University, propelling the Bobcats (1-0) to a 72-52 victory. The senior netted 29 of those points in the second period during the non-conference contest. In 37 minutes of action, Jordan connected on 12-of-27 attempts from the floor, while dialing 3-of-7 from behind the arc. The local product was also terrific from the free throw line, hitting eight-of-nine attempts.
This is the fifth occasion in which Jordan has been garnered the accolade dating back to last year, her first season with the team. She was also named Peach Belt Conference (PBC) Player of the Week twice a year ago.
Georgia College is back in action Wednesday, Nov. 17 in the season's home opener against USC Aiken in a non-conference game at 5:30 p.m.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, back-to-back winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/GCSUBobcats and www.facebook.com/gcbobcats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCBobcats.com for more information, and to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GC Athletics Hall of Fame.


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Stress Fracture
Stress Fracture
Stress fractures are very small, fine breaks in a bone. They most often occur in the bones of the lower legs and feet. Stress fractures are caused by repeated shock to the bone. They are most common with high-impact sports, such as basketball, tennis, and running. Poorly cushioned shoes, hard surfaces, tight muscles or tendons, and a sudden increase in exercise time or intensity can contribute.
Symptoms of stress fractures
A stress fracture may cause sharp pain that slowly increases during activity and goes away with rest. The pain often gets worse when weight is put on the leg or foot. In some cases, a stress fracture may cause no pain at all.
Your evaluation
Your doctor will ask you questions about your activities and your health history. Be sure to tell your doctor about any changes to your exercise or training routine, such as a change in playing surface. Stress fractures don't always show up on X-rays, so your doctor may order bone scans, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Treating stress fractures
Rest is the best way to treat a stress fracture. If the leg or foot is not rested, the fracture will likely become worse and harder to heal. To ensure proper healing:
Replace high-impact activities with low impact ones, such as swimming or cycling, until the fracture has healed. This takes about 6 to 8 weeks.
Use ice, heat, and over-the-counter pain relievers as directed by your doctor.
Use crutches as directed by your doctor if walking is painful.
Wear a special walking cast or shoe if your doctor recommends. These can improve healing of certain types of fractures.
Stretch and warm-up before activities.
Ease back into activity when your doctor gives you the OK.
Preventing stress fractures
To help prevent stress fractures:
Ease into new sports activity. If you run, don't start at 5 miles a day. Instead, start with 1 mile and gradually increase your miles.
Alternate your activities. Work low-impact activities into your routine.
If you're a woman, be sure to get enough calcium and vitamin D. Ask your doctor about supplements.
Be sure your shoes are right for the activity you're doing. Don't wear shoes that are worn out.
Stop an activity if you have pain or swelling. Rest until the pain goes away.
March 21, 2017
Reviewed By:
Image reviewed by StayWell art team.,Joseph, Thomas N., MD,Larson, Kim, APRN, FNP


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The Impact opened its postseason training tour in Italy Thursday with a 1-0 loss to Serie A team Bologna FC at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara.
Bologna got the game winner in the 24th minute when forward Daniele Paponi converted a cross with a one-timer past goalkeeper Troy Perkins.
The Impact's two best scoring chances came in the second half. Designated-player Marco Di Vaio, playing in his first game against his former team since joining Major League Soccer, played a free-kick from 30 yards out down the right flank in the 50th minute that just curled away from defender Alessandro Nesta as he jumped for a header. Di Vaio wore the captain's armband for the game.
In the 77th minute, midfielder Calum Mallace played a one-timed deflection from centre field down the right flank that found a streaking Sanna Nyassi. After dribbling for a few yards, Nyassi cut towards goal, but his low, angled shot was stopped by Gianluca Curci.
"I was really happy to have the chance to play today," Di Vaio said after the game on the team's website. "It was very emotional for me. Never did I think that I'd get the chance to come back here and play against Bologna with the Impact. I'd like to thank Davy (Arnaud) very much for allowing me to wear the captain's band tonight. It was really special."
The Impact, which will continue training in Italy, will play next Thursday against ACF Fiorentina at Stadio Artemio Franchi.
"The experience from tonight's game is good," interim head coach Mauro Biello said. "We didn't know what to expect exactly and now we have an idea of the level, so we can prepare and be ready for next Thursday's game with much more confidence. We'll work hard the next few days to prepare for Fiorentina."
Meanwhile, the Impact's Sanna Nyassi was the top midfielder in MLS this season, according to the league's official performance index.
The Castrol Index is said to track players' every move on the field and assess whether they has a positive or negative impact on a team's ability to score or concede a goal.
Nyassi's success at midfield was credited to fine work on offence, particularly in shots on target, good passes and duels won.
Los Angeles Galaxy forward Robbie Keane topped the overall index with 854 points in 2,520 minutes on the field during the regular season.


text: The US unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level in more than five years. The Labor Department says the US economy added 288,000 jobs in April, the biggest net employment gain in more than two years. As Mil Arcega reports, the better than expected job numbers come on the heels of disappointing economic growth so far in 2014.


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In their first four games, the New York Knicks surprised many by consistently performing above preseason expectations and jumping out to an unbeaten start.
Another night and another victory later, the Knicks' breakout beginning doesn't seem to have an end in sight.
Carmelo Anthony scored 25 points, and J. R. Smith and Raymond Felton each added 21 as the New York Knicks held off the Magic, 99-89, Tuesday night in Orlando.
The victory was the fifth straight for the Knicks, extending their NBA-best start. It's also New York's first 5-0 start since it started the 1993-94 season 7-0 and reached the NBA Finals.
The Knicks remain the league's only unbeaten team.
J.J. Redick led Orlando with 18 points and Arron Afflalo scored 13 for a Magic team that was stunted by 20 turnovers that led to 24 New York points.
The Magic dropped their fifth consecutive game and continue to struggle without starters Jameer Nelson and Hedo Turkoglu.
Spurs 84, Lakers 82 — Danny Green hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 9.3 seconds left, Tony Parker scored 19 points and San Antonio beat host Los Angeles in the Lakers' first loss since firing coach Mike Brown.
Tim Duncan had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, who improved the Western Conference's best record to 7-1 thanks to Green's third 3-pointer of the night.
Kobe Bryant had 28 points and eight rebounds for the Lakers, who dropped to 3-5 after committing 17 turnovers on a poor shooting night. Dwight Howard had 13 points and 15 rebounds.
Bobcats 92, Wizards 76 — Ramon Sessions scored 21 points and host Charlotte beat winless Washington to win back-to-back games for the first time since last December.
Rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist chipped in with 15 points and eight rebounds before leaving in the fourth quarter to ice down a sore back. Kemba Walker battled inconsistent shooting but finished with 17 points for the Bobcats.
It marked the first time the Bobcats have won two straight since taking the final game of the 2010-11 season and the first of last season.
Trevor Ariza scored 19 points for the Wizards, who fell to 0-6.
Raptors 74, Pacers 72 — DeMar DeRozan scored 15 points and Jose Calderon had 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists to lead visiting Toronto.
DeRozan and Calderon each had 10 points in the first half for the Raptors, who had a franchise-low 5 points in the fourth quarter. Toronto led, 69-58, heading into the fourth and hit only one field goal the rest of the way, also a franchise-worst.
George Hill scored 18 points to lead the Pacers, who have lost four of the last five.


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CRYSTAL LAKE – "Once upon a time …" sets the stage for imagination at the fifth annual Tellebration Celebration from 7 to 8:30 p.m Nov. 17 at Prairieview Education Center, 2112 Behan Road.
The event is hosted by McHenry County Conservation District and McHenry County Storytelling Guild.
Six presenters – Joanne Knaack, Jerry Martin, Nancy Neckerman, Ben Rosenfield, Andy Talley and Carol Waxenberg – will spin yarns to satisfy all ages.
The audience will hear stories about nature, folklore and tall tales, and be a part of a worldwide event in which storytelling enthusiasts bond in spirit, telling stories at the same time on the same weekend.
Admission requires one nonperishable food item to help stock the McHenry County food pantries for the holiday season.
Registration is required online at www.mccdistrict.org, by phone at 815-479-5779, or by mail or walk-in at Prairieview Education Center, 2112 Behan Road in Crystal Lake.


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Extension > Community > Community Features > Newcomers mean brain gain for rural Minnesota
Is your community ready for a big idea?
Is your community ready for a million-dollar idea? Is your town ready to apply for a seven-figure foundation grant? Readiness to work together is a community responsibility—one shared by governments, nonprofits, private companies, and community members. When opportunity knocks, there may not be time to get ready. What characterizes communities that are ready?
In 2008, the Extension Center for Community Vitality took a hard look at community readiness. As the Center worked in communities, our staff observed that some communities were more ready and able to plan and make changes than others. While some seemed to stand still or get stuck in conflict, others had a certain "spark" that led to highly successful initiatives. What gives communities that spark? Researchers Scott Chazdon and Stephanie Lott teamed up to take a look. Their study had two purposes:
- To examine the readiness of rural communities to sustain long-term development initiatives; and
- To develop a protocol for assessing community readiness.
The work of that team is described in a report titled "Ready for engagement: Using key informant interviews to measure community social capacity." Read the entire report online.
A community readiness model emerged from this research. The model helps us understand a community's ability to engage a broad range of residents. It also helps communities think about their connectedness, their openness to new residents, their willingness to change, and the degree to which they are future-oriented. All are indicators of a community's ability to engage in long-term, large-scale initiatives.
Investing in readiness
How can leaders help their community build a foundation for readiness? Chazdon and Lott's research identified four important components to readiness. Think about the places you live, work, and play through the lens of the four readiness components below and jump in where you can make a difference.
Bonding networks are composed of close-knit ties that help people function. These connections are usually with family, friends, and neighbors — people who share similar backgrounds. As outlined in Extension's Social Capital and Our Community report, strong bonding networks contribute to community readiness because neighbors and friends know each other, share problems and take responsibility for helping each other.
To strengthen bonding networks:
- Create and support helping systems among your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and more. For example:
- Form a tool-lending library.
- Create a neighborhood event to rake or clean yards.
- Start a fix-it group to help people clean, paint and garden.
- Host a neighborhood potluck or progressive dinner.
- Create or join a community choir or softball team.
- Create spaces where people who work together can get to know each other better.
Bridging networks consist of people from different jobs, clubs, or volunteer organizations that would not normally engage with each other. Although they are typically weaker than the close bonds of friends and family, bridging ties can help people get ahead and increase their prospects — when you hear about a job from "a friend of a friend," for example. Strong bridging networks are built on a foundation of trust and contribute to readiness by linking people with different skills, knowledge, and resources that can be mobilized for a common goal.
To strengthen bridging networks:
- Create spaces where unlikely friends can meet each other. For example:
- Encourage restaurants to create tables or events where people can meet.
- Put weatherproof chess/checkers boards in the park.
- Protect or create public spaces where people can gather or talk.
- Study an issue important to your community with a diverse group of members.
- Create a welcome plan for your community that reaches out to new community members.
- Create forums — in a newspaper or a public gathering — where older residents can tell their story or where newcomers can talk about where they came from and why they moved to town.
- Create a mentoring program that connects youth to adults with skills and talents.
Linking networks include ties to organizations and systems (such as local, state and federal governments or philanthropic organizations) and individuals that can help the community create change. Linking networks enable a community to access resources not otherwise at hand—money, political power, expertise, etc. Linking networks contribute to readiness by opening channels with influential groups or individuals willing to share resources or collaborate.
To strengthen linking networks:
- Speak up at school board, city council, and other community meetings—help other leaders make good decisions by making your position known.
- Proactively seek out resources and opportunities on behalf of your community; conduct research online or at a regional library or government office.
- Form a regional network to work on issues that you and others are passionate about.
- Share your community's creative solutions with neighboring towns and ask that they return the favor.
- Raise funds for a new town clock or library.
Leadership energy is demonstrated when community leaders are open to new ideas, new people, and change. Leadership energy describes the qualities of leaders themselves — especially positional and reputational leaders. Positive leadership energy is an indicator of readiness.
To strengthen leadership energy:
- Proactively engage leaders in discussion about your community's future.
- Encourage young people or new residents to take on leadership positions.
- Support leaders who want to increase their knowledge and skills through training and education. Learn more about Extension's leadership education programs.
Stories reflect struggle and hope
Chazdon and Lott's "Ready for Engagement" research included listening to the stories of community leaders. If you read the full report, you will undoubtedly recognize qualities of your own town in the stories of those who were interviewed.
Many interviewees noted the importance of trust and close relationships. Some said their town was divided between newcomers and "old timers." Others mentioned the challenges and opportunities of language, cultural, and religious differences. Many interviewees described their leadership base as being "stuck in the past." Here's an excerpt:
Different resident factions, whether these were newer residents, long-time residents, Mennonites, or Latinos, created divisions within other communities. This is not the case in [this town] and it may be the impact of the floods that brought this community closer together...this community is unique in that when residents spoke about their town, they did so with a newfound pride associated not with the long ago past of "the golden days," but [with] the hardships endured from more recent years. Referring to the flood, one resident said that "it didn't matter who you were, if you were the guy in jail or the banker, they were all out there shoveling sand and trying to save what they could, help the people who needed help." Residents themselves seem to be the glue that held their town together…
How can we help you?
Using our community readiness model, Extension educators can help you understand your town's readiness and shape leadership education programming to shore up weak spots or build on your strengths. To learn more, contact your regional Extension educator.


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NEWARK, Del. – In his 14th season at the helm of the University of Delaware baseball program, head coach Jim Sherman has named team captains for the 2014 slate. Redshirt junior outfielder Joe Giacchino and senior outfielder/designated hitter Alex Mottle will serve as team captains for the upcoming season.
"Both of these young men represent the best for the University, on the field and in the classroom," said Sherman. "They each carry over a 3.2 GPA and are outstanding in their dedication and leadership. The duo is truly two of best young men we have ever had to represent our baseball program as captains."
Giacchino (at right) started in 47 games for Delaware in center field while also hitting lead off. The West Chester, Pa. native registered a .307 batting average totaling 65 hits including 12 doubles, two triples and two homeruns. The outfielder led the Hens with nine stolen bases on 11 attempts.
"I feel honored and beyond blessed to be named co-captain alongside my great friend, Alex," said Giacchino. "At the end of the day, win or lose, my relationships with my teammates go well beyond the white chalk lines of Bob Hannah Stadium. I truly care for them and have promised to devote myself to both them and the best interests of our team. With that being said, all I want to do is win. And I believe that we have the talent this year to do exactly that."
Last season, Mottle (at left) primarily served as a designated hitter for the Hens. The New Jersey native saw action in 34 games for Delaware receiving the starting nod on 10 occasions. The left-handed hitter registered a .308 average with 16 hits and 10 RBIs in 52 at bats.
"When Coach Sherman called me over the summer to tell me I was going to be a captain for this upcoming season, I was extremely honored hearing the news because he saw me as someone who works hard on the field and in the classroom, and as a teammate who all the guys respect," said Mottle. "My expectations for this season are to make a run at the CAA championship. We lost a lot from last years team, four of which are playing professional baseball now, but at the same time we have a lot of experience coming back at several positions and I feel like we will step up to the occasion and fill right in without missing a beat."
In other Delaware baseball news, two members of the 2014 squad were named to the Preseason All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Team. Juniors Brock Niggebrugge (above right) and Ty Warrington, both Delaware natives, earned Honorable Mention honors on the Preseason Team.
Niggebrugge is the only returner for the Hens who received All-CAA honors in 2013. The short stop started in all 55 games for Delaware last season and owned a team-best 13-game hit streak. Niggebrugge tallied 51 hits in 180 at bats to register a .283 batting average and ranked second on the squad with 177 assists to go along with 70 putouts.
Warrington (at left) saw action in 42 games behind the plate for the Blue Hens and caught a team-high 23 runners stealing. Warrington recorded 309 putouts and 38 assists to tally a .994 fielding percentage. He recorded 39 hits, including seven doubles, in his sophomore campaign.
Delaware opens the 2014 season in less than a month when the Hens travel to Charleston, S.C. to play in The Citadel's Homewood Suites Tournament. The Hens open with The Citadel on Friday, Feb. 14 then will play West Virginia on Saturday, Feb. 15. Delaware wraps up the tournament on Sunday, Feb. 16 when the Blue Hens take on preseason No. 16/20 Louisville.


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Your roof is your protection from the rain, wind and sun. Any damage requires repairing immediately or you will face more serious problems. Roof Restoration requires a specialist with years of experience and knowledge, so you need to choose a Roofing and Gutter repair expert in Sydney wisely. Roofing services in Sydney can cost up to $20,000 depending on the extent of damage.
Common damage to Roofs in Sydney include water damage which can be identified by dark spots, trails that indicate leaking, signs of light, signs of mould, rot or moisture. If you see minor signs of roof leaking then you can get it repaired if the signs are in more than one area then it may be time for a roof restoration. Check your gutters and downpipes for signs of wear or damage.
Look for signs of a sagging roof. A sagging area in the roof is a sure sign of roof damage. You definitely need to have it professionally inspected and repaired or restored by a Sydney roof contractor. A roof should last between 20 and 25 years. As it ages, it will need repairs and restoration. Restoring your roof once will be less expensive than having to pay for frequent repairs. If your roof is 20 years old, it may need replacing.
Another common area in a roof that gets damaged are Flashing's. Look for cracks, breaks and worn areas. If your roof is old it is a good idea to replace flashing's with modern metal flashing to avoid leaks.
Roofs in Sydney are commonly tiled. If your roof is tiled have a look for cracked or broken tiles and have them replaced immediately. Tiled roofs rarely need to be completely replaced or restored, but if you have cracked tiles, water will seep in and the timber holding up your roof will rot.
Corrosion can be a sign that water is gathering around metal fasteners and fittings. Look for signs of corrosion around your gutters and anywhere else the roof is in close proximity to metal.
A reputable Sydney roofing contractor knows their reputation depends on their honesty. When it comes to tile and colorbond roof restoration in the Sydney area, you need to find an experienced local roofing company qualified in roof plumbing, roof painting and roof tile cleaning.
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Are you a Roof contractor in Sydney? Hire this page for just $50 per month to promote your business. Fill in the form below to contact us


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|View Poll Results: w/c one is better....
|Halo 2
|both of them!!!
|Voters: 28. You may not vote on this poll
|Thread Tools
|2004-06-14, 22:16
|Link #3
Senior Member
like how they were supposed to do that with halo 1?
halo 2 is nothing too special
all of it has been done in other games before, save the 3 team games
i shall play it before passing final judgement though, not too highly anticipated
doom 3 has gay looking enemies
but the atmosphere is great
soo...it should be a pretty good game once it comes out
|2004-06-14, 22:44
|Link #4
One Piece fan
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Toronto, Canada
I personally hate FPS... but when I played the first Halo for the first time, it brought back serious Goldeneye memories... so with that being said... I'm highly anticipating Halo 2 for the destructible levels, vehicles... the laser sword... and the LAN capture the flag games with my buddies... Halo 2 all the way...
|2004-06-14, 23:40
|Link #5
Join Date: Jan 2004
I think Halo 2 is going to be met with more anticipation than Doom 3. The latter has this enormous legacy to live up to, while Halo 2 is closer to its predecessor, Halo 1. So it's obvious Doom 3 would be met with more skepticism than Halo 2.
Well, Halo 2 wins the anticipation round in that more people anticipate it. People who anticipate Doom 3 anticipate it HARDER, but not as many people as Halo 2.
But I think Half Life 2 is anticipated more AND has a lot more to live up to than either Doom 3 or Halo 2. Just my opinion.
|2004-06-15, 08:47
|Link #7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Netherlands, Maastricht
Age: 32
Umm, where the "Neither" option in the poll?
Hidden option #4 or something?
I'm going to have to go for Neither, Halo was fun and all, but it got boring fast.
Doom3 is also not in my "favourites box", because I don't like the feeling of the game.
Quake4, now that's a game that I'm waiting for...
|2004-06-15, 21:59
|Link #10
New Assasin on the Block
Join Date: Jun 2004
HALO is alright, its fun with a group of people like Goldeneye was, but its nothing special. I personally hate the ad's and stuff halo is getting, this new ground breaking game that copied the past games. Tribes was made at least 6-8 years ago, has everything Halo has, Tribes 2 Just blows Halo out of the water, and Tribes 3 is gonna best them all(even halo 2). I enjoy it sometimes because it brings back the days of Goldeneye and party games and all that, but for ground-breaking and new? It most certainly is not. Doom was one of the first, and I used to play it when Doom II came out we were excited! I think Doom 3 is gonna pwn just like all other Doom's have. Doom was a ground-breaking game, and I think Doom 3 maybe as well, they are sinking a lot of money into it.
|2004-06-15, 22:14
|Link #12
Coordinated Insanity
The option "both of them" is odd to begin with. Both of them are your favorites? Uh.. right. I like halo 2 more than Doom 3 but overall I want half-life 2 the most out of all the fps.
It's not really for half-life 2 though, it's for counter-strike 2
|2004-06-15, 22:28
|Link #14
Join Date: Jan 2004
Speaking of counterstrike, I'm sure everyone here is well familiar with the infamous reputation attributed to a fair portion of the Counterstrike community (aka retarded 12-year olds).
Do you guys think those fans will be quick to switch over to Counterstrike 2, or do you think (due to HL2's most likely steep hardware requirements) that we'll at least have some breathing room with CS2 before the retarded 12-year olds come en masse?
|2004-06-16, 00:34
|Link #16
Senior Member
if you are referring to that short bit in the trailer
that was NOT cs2
|2004-06-16, 01:29
|Link #17
Kurumada's lost child
Join Date: Nov 2003
First of all Halo is nothing special, I played and I finished it entirely. But it is nothing compared to Half Life. Halo only got popularity because it was a good FPS for the X-Box. However, the PC version, which has much more graphic quality and sound effects, is nothing great. Halo reminds me of Golden Eye, a simple FPS for the Nintendo 64 that was highly famous. These two games are certainly over rated, and it is sin to say that they are best FPSs out in the market. The console games are no match for the PC games at all, due to the fact that the PC will always have an overwhelming technological advantage over the platform games.
Having said all this, Halo and Golden Eye are NOTHING compared to Half Life, which was praised as the best FPS in the world, and one of the bestseller games as well.
In other words, this poll should have been named; Doom 3 or Half Life 2. Due to the fact that both of them include a new a revolutionary graphic system that is supposed to set new standards for the gaming industry.
As for my preference, I would definitely choose Doom 3. Doom 1 & 2, was the first revolutionary First Person Shooter in the world with a 3D system. And now Doom 3 will tear apart the current 3D industry once again. I'm sure that this game will blow my mind off. That is a blasphemy.
Halo is nothing compared to Doom 3 or Half Life 2. Please don't lower the status of these epic and classic games to the level of Halo. That is a blasphemy.
|2004-06-16, 05:59
|Link #18
Join Date: Apr 2003
I could never really get around to liking HALO after what Microsoft pulled. They bought Bungie, a company note for great games for both Mac and PC before that, just so they could have HALO to release on their crummy mini-pc they call a console. In doing so I believe they scrapped the Mac version, delayed the PC version by a very long time, and basically gutted out alot of the core gameplay that was going to be in the computer version, so it would work on a console. (Plans were for like 64x64 servers, not 2x2 or only 16 or whatever if you link consoles and you get 5 square inches of TV screen to stare at then....)
Bungie hasn't released anything else since either, have they? Certainly not for Mac which was how Bungie started with that one FPS I can't remember the name of, and the Myth games.
|Thread Tools


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MOGAS Industries, Inc. recently announced a new division, Momentum Services, which will begin operations immediately. Momentum Services will initially be responsible for industrial customers requiring precision cleaning of equipment for stringent service.
Momentum Services' cleanrooms are ISO Class 7 (Class 10,000) certified and are focused 100% to precision cleaning. Having impurities in an oxygen-enriched system, especially hydrocarbons, can cause unacceptable product purity issues or present a dangerous combustion hazard. It is critical to properly clean components for oxygen systems to eliminate the potential for such issues.


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I'm using Ubuntu 10.04 LTS on an ageing laptop.
The battery only lasts 1min 40sec appx.
When the battery dies, the BIOS resets
So is there a way that when mains is disconnected eg power failure, the laptop would hibernate or shutdown. Hibernate takes 45secs.
Any help would be appreciated


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Ok..so ever since I got this 9850 it has selectively chosen a few of my contacts that it will not store there incoming sms messages. It stores all my sent messages to them.. but as soon as they send a new text the previous one is deleted!!!
It only does this with like 6 contacts.. all the rest are saved as they should be.
Can anyone please help me?
I have done a hard reset. And I have deleted all the info and started on a fresh reboot as well by doing the ##768 method.
Is there a way to delete the OS and reinstall it maybe..
Thank you for any help


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Part of National Museums Liverpool
Floor plan
Find your way around the museum.
Also in this section…?
Find out more about some of the highlights from the International Slavery Museum's collections and displays by following the links below. You can also watch our introductory video to find out what the museum is like inside.
The International Slavery Museum has three main galleries on the following themes:
Exploring the story and culture of Africa and its peoples, who are central to the story of transatlantic slavery.
Revealing some of the brutality and trauma suffered by enslaved Africans on the voyage across the Atlantic; then the oppression of their lives on plantations in the Americas.
The continuing fight for freedom and equality; the contemporary impact of transatlantic slavery, such as racism and discrimination; and the achievements of the African Diaspora.
In addition to the three permanent galleries, the museum also hosts a changing programme of temporary exhibitions and displays .
This includes displays in the museum's Campaign Zone - an exhibitions and community space that aims to shed light on the legacies of transatlantic slavery and to raise awareness of the modern forms of slavery existing in the world today.
Visitors encounter these two major standalone features at the entrance to the museum:
Further information about the history of the slave trade and suggestions for further reading are available on this website:
You can also follow four Africans as they are taken and sold into slavery in our interactive feature Enslaved Africans: our truth.
© Copyright 2018


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HOURS after homes on Nail Can Hill were in danger of being wiped out by a bushfire, a second blaze broke out above East Albury last night.
Firefighters said the Eastern Hill bushfire was "very suspicious".
They said it was only as a result of favourable conditions and the fact so many crews were on hand that they were able to contain it so quickly.
About a hectare of bush was burnt on the corner of Walsh Street and East Street.
Earlier, in late afternoon, a fast-moving fire roared towards Forrest Hill homes bordering Nail Can Hill's bushland and erupted in a cloud of black smoke and ash.
Firefighters fully expected homes to be lost.
The fire burned up backyards on Yambla
Avenue and flicked out ambers that crossed the road to start spot fires near a second line of properties.
Police are yet to say whether that incident was considered suspicious.
Yambla Avenue resident Adrian McKelvie was one of the first to face the flames.
He met up with two neighbours who were already hooking up the street's small community fire unit, a red trailer that sits behind their back fences.
Mr McKelvie said the flames were so high they had stretched above the gums and the smoke so thick they were forced to reach for their goggles.
Spot fires sparked up in his backyard and he and his wife, Catherine, sent their three teenage children and dog away.
Then they began seriously considering whether they should drop everything and go.
Mr McKelvie doesn't know how his home was saved from the worst fire he'd experienced in his 17 years on the hill.
"I really thought it was going to make it to the house," he said.
It seems luck, good planning and a fast response from the community crew and firefighters all helped avert a disaster.
NSW Rural Fire Service duty officer Julie Bartlett said the area was in an asset-protection zone, which means long grass and other fire hazards had been monitored.
Being a holiday period, more people were at home in Yambla Avenue to keep an eye on things.
One woman noticed a towel had burst into flames on her balcony and acted quickly.
With no clear cause, fire investigators will probe the likely cause today.


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Ceceba Tenderness Boxer Brief 1690
Sorry, no other customer-recommended styles found.
This product was discontinued October, 2013 and is no longer available. Please consider one of the Customer-Recommended Replacements above, or try a new search.
This solid, low rise trunk from Ceceba lives up to the brand's enduring legacy of quality, as well as addressing the contemporary man's needs. Made of remarkably soft 95% Micro Modal material, with 5% Elastane to ensure a great fit.
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text:
Picked up some stuff on Fleabay and couple of items I'm not sure about:
Backend has milling and an 8 hole mod. Value?
Both have fluted milling on the back areas. Black one has milling dots on the front, but very few little actual venting. What is there is spiral. Gray one has same style of Fluted milling on the tip. 2-3" of spiral venting.
Any clues?


text:
Tivoly Workers Join Forces to Aid Storm Victims
DERBY LINE – On a warm day last month, Dave and Kelley Robinson were one of a handful of old car enthusiasts who went on a cruise throughout the state. As they entered the Hartford area, the Robinsons saw the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Irene, which had hit the region a week earlier. A little further in town, the couple saw young children searching the fields for their lost toys. "That hurt," said Dave Robinson. "It reminded me of things back in the 1950s. A lot of kids grew up around here with nothing."That scene pulled on the Robinsons' heartstrings so much that they decided to do something about it and organized a collection effort at Tivoly, Dave's place of employment, for toys, clothing, food, money, furniture and other items.On Tuesday, employees filled a trailer with the items. All plant employees and their families took part in the collection, which lasted a couple of weeks."This has been an extremely big group effort," said Janice Lamourex, human resources manager for Tivoly. "I loved the idea that someone from the workforce came forth and asked if we could do this together. That meant a lot to me. Working to help others is priceless."Wally Watson, president of the Internal Association of Machinists Local 1829, called the effort an "awesome" thing to do. "We're trying to get everything situated so we can make a joint effort between the company and the union to make things work and get everything down there," added Marc Haselton, chief steward of the International Association of Aero Space Workers. "People need help; that's why we're going to help them. That's what Vermonters do. We help them out."The collection is something nice the company was able to do together, said Dave Robinson, who is delighted with the merchandise collected by the employees. His children, friends and family got into the act and donated personal items.Robinson expressed gratitude for everyone involved with the collection. "You can't put a price on all the items that have been donated and the effort that went into it," said Watson. Employees also collected well over $400 in cash.The items will be distributed to storm victims who provide their paperwork from FEMA. Salvation Army staff will take them through the warehouse that has clothing, furniture, kitchenware, small household items and food. There is no cost to the victims. The warehouse will be closing at the end of the month. Anything left over will be brought to thrift shops and food pantries. The Salvation Army, even after it closes the warehouse, will help people on a case-by-case basis.


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it is a well established fact that THE KNOWLEDGE is the greatest poster on this blog
THE KNOWLEDGE is an extraordinary personality and has been referred to by adjoining adjectives that are sometimes transposable such as: greatly awesome and awesomely great; and sometimes transposable only with negation such as: unbelievably true and truly believable
THE KNOWLEDGE acknowledges these praises and statements of fact, but always remains modest on these very pages. in fact, THE KNOWLEDGE is so modest that anyone else will be proud of such modesty
and this is all the more reason THE KNOWLEDGE is loved and admired on this blog
therefore, it is with great sadness that THE KNOWLEDGE announces the end of his appearance on these very pages for the rest of the football season
in a most astonishing turn of events, THE KNOWLEDGE was shown be incorrect in revealing the result on the Nebraska game
this is abnormal and infinitely more terrifying that the spatio-temporal irregularity that occurred earlier this year
thus, THE KNOWLEDGE bids farewell to his readers so that he may retreat to contemplate on what this turn of events means to the Universe
this also means that THE KNOWLEDGE CHALLENGE has ended for the season
the outlook for the football season may be bleak, but it shouldn't be
THE KNOWLEDGE usually appears on these very pages only during the football season; but he may make an exception this time to make some brief appearances during Michigan's National Championship run in basketball
That many 3rd person references makes me believe The Knowledge is Rickey Henderson (except more modest).
But if you ever get a chance to check out "Mr. Show" - you could probably get the DVD seasons from Amazon - they're pretty hilarious.
Thank goodness.
I blame the Mayans!
however, in its return
THE KNOWLEDGE will soar
So long, space/time cowboy. May the future be more predictably predictable wherein we only worry about Mich's margin of victory.
The Knowledge did a good job of sticking to the party line for a very long time.
He/She/It kind of got soft on everyone this year, second guessing, calling things into question. I hope you recover from your identiy crisis enough that this can be remedied next year.
So long and thanks for all the fish.
Are we wrapping the towel around our heads now?
This has made RakeFight infinitely and truly sad.
we knew him
Or perhaps in this case, will have known him.
A great sadness has befallen the community.
May the Schwartz be with you
Good night, sweet prince. Hopefully you recover in time for next year.
This has to be a bad omen
...and goodbye with the hope of a return, of course.
You shall return more powerful than ever before.
He will return, only with two underscores in his name this time.
I upvoted this post physically but downvoted it emotionally.
that masked man?
And maybe you could take a certain offensive coordinator with you for the rest of the football season.
I don't get it. Basically, only one thing happened that The Knowledge didn't forsee -- the ulnar nerve on 16's elbow going all freakoutish. Other than that, TK was dead on, we were heading for a probable victory. (As I keep telling myself.)
So why, after this ONE minor unforseen event, which unfortunately snowballed with chaos-like ramifications, does TK give up the gig for the whole year?
Frankly, I'm really disappointed in TK. Dude, you were so much better than this. Seems that, as large as your ego was, now you're that pathetic.
Totally reminds me of the Emporer in Episode VI. He was so sure of victory. Why didn't he forsee the defeat? That question has bothered me for like 30 years or whatever. Best I can guess is, he simply didn't forsee one thing -- that a droid looked like the mythical Ewokian god. That led to a union of forces he didn't forsee, AT's tripping on stones, yada yada (or yoda yoda), end of empire. Same thing there. It was just one lousy ulnar nerve!
I tend to think that TK is a member of some sort of clan of magi, seers that have existed secretly for ages. The elders clearly have lofty standards for the disciples and failure results in termination (or even death???). It appears to me as though there is some tolerance for levels of malprediction (new word) and TK has simply been blacklisted and relegated to the mountains of Tibet for some introspection and additional training. He of course could not tell us all that for fear of revealing the existence of this all-knowing clan.
Actually, he's been wrong about a bunch of stuff over the years, starting with Steve Sarkisian becoming our coach or OC or something back during the coaching search. It was guaranteed. Personally I never thought the schtick was remotely smart or witty, and was surprised that such an intelligent community ate it up.
Of sadness in this part of VA.
Pain. Pain. Loneliness. Terrible loneliness. Despair.
It's gotta be a pain to come from celebrating Michigan's 2012 12-2 Big Ten championship season and Rose Bowl victory, just to find an alternate universe where Denard's elbow explodes and Michigan loses 3 games. May I hope that the future from whence you came is unaltered, while I hope that Michigan's season isn't doomed.*
*The last time THE_KNOWLEDGE made his farewell was in 2010.
dear THE KNOWLEDGE,
you knew this day was coming, right?
And then....depression set in....
Do Nothing
the knowledge is no longer soaring.
but shall he return?
all the plants are going to die!!!"
(My favorite Bill Murray line in STRIPES)
so let it be done


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In my latest at the Diplomat I call for a more standardized vocabulary of naval affairs:
Navies do a poor job of developing such a nomenclature, in part because they have good reasons to avoid standardized ship designations. Civilian policymakers don't like to hear that they've devoted a substantial portion of the government treasury to building a buying a light carrier (CVL); they'd prefer to think that they've invested state funds in an aircraft carrier comparable to those operated by the United States. On the other hand, the terms "aircraft carrier" and "destroyer" can have idiosyncratic negative political implications, pushing navies to refer to ships as "frigates" or "helicopter destroyers."
Whatever its other merits, the Washington Naval Treaty and its follow up agreements established an international standard for ship types. By defining the terms battleship, aircraft carrier, heavy cruiser, and light cruiser, the treaty system created a warship typology that allowed relatively easy comparison across states. Giving the typology legal and normative substance surely created some odd incentives, including aJapanese effort to build fleet carriers of less than 10,000 tons and a multinational "light cruiser" competition involving ships bristling with 6" guns and displacing in excess of 10,000 tons. Nevertheless, it resulted in a system of de facto standardization, and consequently of defense acquisition transparency.


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APN board resigns en masse over capital dispute
There has been a leadership spill at the helm of APN News and Media, amid a stoush over a capital raising.
APN runs radio networks including Mix and Classic Hits, a billboard advertising business, dozens of Australian regional newspapers and some of New Zealand's leading mastheads.
The company's chief executive, chairman and three board directors have resigned from today after its top shareholder, the Irish company Independent News and Media, urged a delay to any capital raising, which would dilute its holding in APN.
Independent News and Media (INM) was supported in the bid to block an immediate capital raising by fund manager Allan Gray, with the two parties holding around 51 per cent of APN's shares.
The company's chairman Peter Hunt, CEO Brett Chenoweth and three independent directors (Melinda Conrad, John Harvey and John Maasland) have resigned effective from 9:00am (AEDT) this morning.
In a statement, the five former directors described their position as "untenable" given the disagreement.
Another independent director, Kevin Luscombe, will retire in April 2013, as previously planned.
APN says last Friday the board received a requisition from INM for an extraordinary general meeting to replace six directors, including the chairman and CEO, and establish a new board.
The company says the new board would initially consist of two INM representatives, Vincent Crowley and Paul Connolly, as well as Peter Cosgrove and deputy chairman Ted Harris.
APN says it will still announce its full-year results later this week.
The outgoing directors wanted the capital raising to be launched on the same day as the results.
Topics: corporate-governance, company-news, business-economics-and-finance, media, australia
First posted


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Get ready for a sea of colorful fireworks across the evening skies as the suburbs celebrate Independence Day in the coming days (and nights).
Here is our guide to local fireworks for the Fourth -- and beyond.
Dusk Thursday, July 4, at Williams Park, Williams and Main streets, Antioch. Free. (847) 395-2160.
Arlington Heights
Dusk Thursday, July 4, at Arlington International Racecourse, Euclid Avenue and Wilke Road, Arlington Heights. Horse racing and music all day and 30 minutes of fireworks, set to music, at dusk. Admission packages start at $15 for adults, $2 for children. arlingtonpark.com.
Dusk Thursday, July 4, at RiverEdge Park, 360 Broadway St., Aurora. Free. (630) 896-6666 or riveredgeaurora.com.
Dusk Thursday, July 4, at Barrington High School, 616 W. Main St., Barrington. Viewing from the lawn. Free. barrington-il.gov.
9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Apple Orchard Park, corner of Stearns and South Bartlett roads, Bartlett. Music simulcast on 98.1-FM. Free. bartlett4thofjuly.com.
9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Engstrom Park, Main and Millview streets, Batavia. $5 donation for parking at both high school parking lots (off Wilson and Main), the Ace Hardware parking lot and the Wilson Business Center on West Wilson Street. bataviafireworks.org.
9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Redmond Recreational Complex, 735 E. Jefferson, Bensenville. Free. (630) 766-8200 or bensenville.il.us.
Buffalo Grove
9:15 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Rotary Village Green, on Buffalo Grove Road, north of Old Checker Road, Buffalo Grove. Best viewing from the Rotary Village Green, the Buffalo Grove Golf Course or Willow Stream Park. Free. Visit bgrotary.org.
Carol Stream
9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Ross Ferraro Town Center, Gary Avenue and Lies Road, Carol Stream. Free. (630) 665-7050 or carolstream.org.
Dusk Saturday, June 29, at the Meadowdale Shopping Center field, Route 25 and Mall Drive, Carpentersville. The fireworks show may begin up to 30 minutes early or be delayed up to one hour due to inclement weather. Free. Rain date is Sunday, June 30. dtpd.org.
Dusk Wednesday, July 3, at Lions Park, 1200 Silver Lake Road, Cary. Rain date is dusk Thursday, July 11. Free. Parking $5 on the grass; $10 on the pavement. (847) 639-6100 or carypark.com.
9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago. navypier.com.
Crystal Lake
Dusk Sunday, July 7, at the Lakeside Festival, Lakeside Legacy Arts Park, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. A variety of admission fees apply. (815) 455-8000 or lakesidelegacy.org.
Dusk Wednesday, July 3, at Brickyards Park, at Lake-Cook and Pfingsten roads, Deerfield. Free. deerfield.il.us.
Downers Grove
9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Lemont Road and 75th Street, Downers Grove. Co-sponsored by Woodridge. Free. events.downers.us.
Glendale Heights
Dusk Wednesday, July 10, and Sunday, July 14, as part of Glendale Heights Fest in Camera Park, 101 E. Fullerton Ave., Glendale Heights. glendaleheights.org.
Glen Ellyn
Dusk Thursday, July 4, at Lake Ellyn, Linden Street and Lenox Road, Glen Ellyn. Park opens at 6 p.m. Free. glenellyn4ofjuly.org.
Dusk Saturday, June 29, at the Grayslake Family Picnic and Fireworks, Central Park, on Lake Street between Washington and Center streets, Grayslake. Free. (847) 223-7529 or glpd.com.
9:50 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at July 4th Fest at Six Flags Great America, at I-94 and Grand Avenue, Gurnee. Regular park admission fees apply. sixflags.com.
Hawthorn Woods
Dusk Wednesday, July 3, at Hawthorn Woods Community Park, Quentin and Old McHenry roads, Hawthorn Woods. Free. (847) 847-3533 or vhw.org.
Hoffman Estates
9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4, on the festival grounds at Northwest Fourth-Fest at Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. Free. (888) 732-7784 or searscentre.com.
Dusk Thursday, July 4, at Hamilton Lakes, Thorndale Avenue and Route 53, Itasca. Free admission; parking is $20. (630) 773-0835.
Lake Forest
9:40 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Deerpath Community Park, 400 Hastings Road, Lake Forest. Fireworks preceded by 6 p.m. show by Maggie Speaks and 8 p.m. show by Dennis DeYoung featuring the music of Styx. Admission is $10 for Lake Forest and Lake Bluff residents; $15 for nonresidents. Kids 5 and younger admitted free. Parking ranges from $20-$50. friendslfpr.org.
Lake Zurich
Dusk Thursday, July 4, at Paulus Park, 200 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich. Cost for residents and beach passholders is $2 for adults and free for ages 17 and younger. Cost for nonresidents is $7 for ages 4 and older and free for ages 3 and younger. (847) 438-5146 or volz.org/parkandrec.
Dusk Thursday, July 4, at Butler Lake Park, Lake Street west of Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville. The Village Band will perform a concert of patriotic music and other favorites. Free. libertyville.com.
Dusk Thursday, July 4, at Spring Lake Park, 49 Oxford Drive, Lincolnshire. Part of the Red, White and Boom 2013 festival. Free. (847) 236-0305 or lincolnshirecommunity.com.
9:45 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, July 4-6, at Lisle's Eyes to the Skies Festival at Community Park, 1825 Short St., Lisle. $5 for adults and free for kids 5 and younger and active-duty military personnel and veterans. (630) 964-3410 or eyestotheskies.org.
9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Madison Meadow Park, Madison Street and Edgewood Avenue, Lombard. $3; free for kids 9 and younger. tasteoflombard.com or lombardparks.com.
Mount Prospect
Dusk Thursday, July 4, and Sunday, July 7, on the festival grounds at Melas Park, at Busse and Central roads, Mount Prospect. mountprospect.org.
9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at the Community Days event on Seymour Avenue at Courtland Street, Mundelein. Free. (847) 949-3200 or mundelein.org.
9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Naperville Exchange Club Ribfest, Knoch Park, West Street and Martin Avenue, Naperville. Free access beginning at 7:30 p.m. ribfest.net.
Oak Brook
9:15 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, at the Oak Brook Sports Core and Polo Club, 700 Oak Brook Road, Oak Brook. $10 parking. (630) 368-5000.
Oakbrook Terrace
9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Terrace View Park, Route 83 and 22nd Street, Oakbrook Terrace. Free. (630) 941-8300 or obtpd.org.
9 p.m. or dusk Friday, July 5, at the Palatine Hometown Fest, Palatine Community Park, Palatine Road and Northwest Highway, Palatine. Free. palatinejaycees.org.
Rolling Meadows
9:15 p.m. or dusk Thursday, July 4, at Salk Park, 3699 Pheasant Drive, Rolling Meadows. (847) 818-3210 or rmparks.org.
10 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, at MB Financial Park, 5501 Park Place, Rosemont. Free. rosemont.com.
The Schaumburg Boomers baseball team features fireworks shows immediately following its home games on Wednesday through Friday, July 3-5, at the Schaumburg Boomers Stadium, 1999 Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg. Guests must attend the games to see the fireworks. For tickets, call (847) 461-3695 or visit boomersbaseball.com.
Sleepy Hollow
Dusk Thursday, July 4, at Sabatino Park, Winmoor Drive and Willow Lane, Sleepy Hollow. $5 donation. sleepyhollowil.org.
St. Charles
Dusk Thursday, July 4, at Pottawatomie Park, 8 North Ave., St. Charles. Fireworks begin off Boy Scout Island, with the best viewing at Pottawatomie Park or Ferson Creek Park. Free. Rain date will be the next clear evening. stcparks.org.
9:15 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Dolphin Park, 880 S. Park Blvd., Streamwood. Rain date is Friday, July 5. Free. streamwoodparkdistrict.org.
Vernon Hills
9:30 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Century Park, 1001 Lakeview Parkway, Vernon Hills. Fireworks over Big Bear and Little Bear lakes. Free admission. (847) 367-3725 or vernonhills.org.
9:15 p.m. Thursday, July 4, at Cerny Park, River Road and Forest View Drive, Warrenville. Free. (630) 393-9427.
Dusk Wednesday, July 3, at Cook Park, 600 N. Main St., Wauconda. Free. (847) 526-3610 or waucondaparks.com.
9 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, at the DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 W. Manchester Road, Wheaton. Fireworks may also be viewed from Graf Park, 1701 Manchester Road, Wheaton. Free. wheatonparkdistrict.com/july4 or dupagecountyfair.org.


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GREENVILLE, Ill. -- The women's basketball team evened their conference record at 1-1 with an offensive onslaught of Blackburn as the Lady Panthers won 97-71 Saturday afternoon. Emily Gundy knocked in 22 points to go along with a team leading eight rebounds and six assists.
Greenville scored early and often, posting 60 points in the first 20 minutes of play. The Blackburn defense held Greenville slightly in check in the second half despite Greenville outscoring them 37-30 in the second period.
All five Greenville starters posted double figure scoring efforts. Claire Schmitt and Jamie Schollenbruch tallied 13 points a piece and Coley Baker and Whitney Vitt chipped in 10 points. Missy Deal came off the bench to score 11 points.
The Lady Panthers (4-3) return to action at MacMurray on Friday and Saturday as they face St. Mary-of-the-Woods and Calumet.


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A day in the facilities with conditionned swimming pool, bath, showers of sensations, ice spa, source, barbecue, bicycles, karts, multipurpose room, restaurant, Wifi, etc., to disconnect and to enjoy to your air in La Pineda, Tarragona - Costa Dorada - Spain
Four artists with a single point of inspiration: the landscapes of Tarragona, at the heart of the Costa Dorada. Discover them and Reus, the city of Gaudí's birth; spot some of Picasso's paintings in Horta; enjoy one of Miró's favourite destinations in Mont-Roig; and visit El Vendrell, the musician Pau Casals' homeland.
Reus, where Gaudí's Modernism began
This is the nearest location on the route to Tarragona (just over 10 kilometres away) and where Gaudí was born in 1852. If you'd like to discover everything linked to the artist, we recommend you head to the Gaudí Centre and take the trail that follows his trace in the city, including his home on Calle Sant Vicenç and Sant Pere church where he was christened. In addition, when strolling around Reus discover its major collection of modern buildings. We suggest a visit to the Pere Mata Institute and the Casa Navás building, works by the architect Domènech i Montaner.
El Vendrell, birthplace of Pau Casals
Pau Casals is one of the most renowned Spanish musicians and composes, amongst other pieces, the UN anthem. In order to discover the landscape inspiring him in his early years, we suggest a trip to El Vendrell, around 40 kilometres from Reus. An essential stop is the Pau Casals Villa Museum on Sant Salvador beach. The facing auditorium was named after him. El Vendrell old town is home to the artist's birthplace and the church with the organ where he first started to play.
Mont-Roig, a muse' destination for Miró
Just over 20 kilometres from Reus to the south is Mont-Roig del Camp, where Joan Miró would go every summer. He would spend his time in what is now known as Mas Miró, where he created many of his works and which appears in one of his paintings: The Farm'. The surrounding nature in Mont-Roig was one of the main attractions for the artist. If you would like to see why, head to La Pixerota beach, walk around the mountain with La Roca shrine or cover some of the bicycle trails in the surrounding area. This area captivated Miró, inspiring many of his paintings, as can be seen in the Mont-Roig del Camp Miró Centre.
Horta, nature for a Picasso painting
Heading on to the south, just over an hour's drive from Mont-Roig, is a spot many will recognise from Picasso's paintings: Horta de Sant Joan. Head to the Picasso Centre and discover a sample of the work the artist created here and where he immortalised different aspects of the town such as the Hostal del Trompet and Café de Vives. Another interesting trip is Els Ports Nautre Reserve, home to the so-called Picasso Cave, a small grotto where the painter spent part of the summer of 1898.
In the Office of reception of Camping La Pineda de Salou you can buy the "great card", which gives access to all the centres of interpretation of the route of the landscape of the geniuses at a reduced price. For more information on this route, you can visit his official website: http://www.elpaisatgedelsgenis.cat/?idm=en.
Tarragona is a unique city that has the Roman wall built oldest and largest outs...
New SPA CENTER of the Camping site has the services and following activities: Wa...
You will be able to enjoy an exhibition of Dolphins and from Leon Sailors. To le...
Tarragona offers a wide variety of traditional Mediterranean and seafood dishes,...
Carretera de la Costa Tarragona a Salou, Km.5
43481 LA PINEDA - Tarragona
COSTA DAURADA - España
tel: 0034 977 37 30 80
fax: 0034 977 37 30 81
Lat: 41:05:18N (41.0884)
Lon: 1:10:58E (1.1827)


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PHOENIX, Ariz. — As he approaches his 30th birthday, Giants right fielder Hunter Pence has learned to stop worrying about individual numbers. Pence instead focuses on preparation, whether that means expending maximum effort during marathon workout sessions, religiously playing ping pong to sharpen his fast-twitch muscles, or ingesting a unique diet.
As it turns out, Pence's transition from right fielder to reverend last season stemmed partly from years of preparation. How do you go from trade deadline acquisition to vocal clubhouse leader in two months? With plenty of practice. Because his father moved around often for work, Pence attended 12 schools before enrolling at Arlington (Texas) High, and he credits that experience with helping him quickly adjust after last season's trade.
"New situations never bother me," Pence said. "I've gotten used to making new friends all the time. I get along pretty easily with most people."
Pence was an immediate fit in the Giants clubhouse, but the transition from Philadelphia to San Francisco wasn't as seamless at the plate. A two-time All-Star, Pence hit just .219 in 59 post-trade games, with an OPS (.671) that was nearly 150 points below his career average.
Pence says he didn't feel any pressure to impress a team that had spent over a year trying to acquire him. He didn't really notice the dip in production, either.
"I was brought here to compete, and I gave my maximum effort and concentration every day," he said. "I remember I went out there every day, playing the game to win."
Pence paused and smiled.
"And it seemed like we won a lot of games," he added.
The Giants went 38-21 after Pence's acquisition, and they made history with two postseason comebacks that were inspired by Pence's wide-eyed speeches. Months later, Pence believes he has gotten too much credit for rallying the troops. He points out that the Giants still had to perform on the field and talks passionately about the contributions made by teammates.
In his first spring with the Giants, Pence interjects when asked about his role as a team leader, saying: "I don't know if I would claim any of that." But it's clear that teammates gravitate toward Pence just as much as they did in the postseason.
"I don't know how to explain it," said Brandon Belt, Pence's throwing partner before morning workouts. "He's just a really genuine guy. You can see through BS in a clubhouse, but what he says, he means. He's just got a really positive mentality about everything."
Nobody spends more time in the clubhouse at Scottsdale Stadium than Pence, and on any given morning he can be seen sipping from a large coffee mug and sharing workout or baseball philosophies with everyone from veteran Gregor Blanco to up-and-coming prospect Gary Brown.
"He's a high-energy guy, and that rubs off on everyone around him," Brown said. "Even if he's not trying to, he can't help it. He's big on believing in yourself and being yourself. I have some unorthodox ways and he does too, and he reminds me to stay true to myself and do what got me here."
While Brown has a unique wiggle in his approach at the plate, Pence takes unorthodox to new levels. From his sidearm throwing motion to the herky-jerky warm-up swings, Pence does little by the book.
Last September, Pence added an off-field habit that leads to just as many wide-eyed stares from teammates. He follows the paleo diet, commonly referred to as the "cave man diet" because it is based on eating only food that was around during the Paleolithic era. The focus is on fish, grass-fed meats, vegetables, fruit and nuts. Grains, legumes, dairy and processed foods are banned, although Pence allows himself the occasional cheat day, such as when Barry Zito's wife baked cake balls for the team earlier this spring.
"It's just a program that I follow," Pence said, explaining that teammates give him weird looks as he "crushes" a plate of kale. "I didn't think it was a big deal to eat vegetables. Apparently it is."
Pence came into camp with a body fat percentage of 6.5, his lowest as a big leaguer, and he feels noticeably faster as he enters his final season before free agency. The Giants opted not to push for a long-term deal in the offseason, but Pence has made it clear that he would love to keep riding his scooter to AT&T Park for years to come.
The immediate focus is on a full season spent hitting behind Buster Posey, the reigning MVP, but Pence isn't worried about the numbers or production that the Giants might need out of the No. 5 spot.
"If I'm helping the team win or if I'm not helping the team win, that's for other people to decide," Pence said. "My thing is to make sure I'm giving my all. I don't really worry about anything else."
Pence's energy rubs off on Giants
PHOENIX, Ariz. — As he approaches his 30th birthday, Giants right fielder Hunter Pence has learned to stop worrying about individual numbers. Pence instead focuses on preparation, whether that means expending maximum effort during marathon workout sessions, religiously playing ping pong to sharpen his fast-twitch muscles, or ingesting a unique diet.


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The EMR Language
John Lynn is the Founder of the HealthcareScene.com blog network which currently consists of 10 blogs containing over 8000 articles with John having written over 4000 of the articles himself. These EMR and Healthcare IT related articles have been viewed over 16 million times. John also manages Healthcare IT Central and Healthcare IT Today, the leading career Health IT job board and blog. John is co-founder of InfluentialNetworks.com and Physia.com. John is highly involved in social media, and in addition to his blogs can also be found on Twitter: @techguy and @ehrandhit and LinkedIn.
If you haven't read this insightfully candid post by Rob Lamberts, MD, you should go check it out now. Here's the opening which should get you intrigued:
OK, I'll admit it: I had no idea. I thought that the whining and griping by other doctors about EMR was just petulance by a group of people who like to be in charge and who resist change. I thought that they were struggling because of their lack of insight into the real benefits of digital records, instead focusing on their insignificant immediate needs. I thought they were a bunch of dopes.
Yep. I am a jerk.
My transition to a new practice gave me the opportunity to dump my old EMR (with all the deficiencies I've come to hate) and get a new, more current system.* I figured that someone like me would be able to learn and master a new EMR with ease. After all, I do understand about data schema, structured and unstructured data, I know about MEDCIN, SNOMED, and HL-7 interfaces. Gosh darn it, I am a card-carrying member of the EMR elite! A new product should be a piece of cake! I'll put my credentials at the bottom of this post, in case you are interested.**
So, imagine my shock when I was confused and befuddled as I attempted to learn this new product. How could someone who could claim a bunch of product enhancements as my personal suggestions have any problem with a different system? The insight into the answer to this sheds light onto one of the basic problems with EMR systems.
Since he said it, I had to take a look at his "credentials" to provide some perspective on the post as well:
- I did my residency at Indiana University, the land where Clem McDonald, one of the pioneers of electronic records made our records electronic when personal computers were still new (I attended from 1990 to 1994). It was there I became a believer in computerized records.
- In practice, I installed MedicaLogic's EMR in 1996, as one of the first users of their Windows based product, Logician.
- Within 2 years I was on the user group board, and was elected president in 1998. I was a regular speaker at the conferences and known for my profuse production of clinical content (called "Encounter Forms")
- In 2003, I applied for and won the HIMSS Davies Award for ambulatory care for our practice, recognizing our achievements with EMR in an ambulatory setting.
- After that, I served on several committees for HIMSS, gave talks for multiple other groups (NHQA, National Governors Association), giving the keynote talks for the HIMSS series given around the country to convince docs to adopt EMR.
- In 2011, I participated in a CDC Public Health Grand Rounds as a speaker from the physician perspective on the subject of Electronic Medical Records and "Meaningful Use."
Finally, he ends with the money quote, "So to those I have scorned in the past, I bow my head in shame. I got good at using a complex tool that allowed me to manage the insanity of our system. It turns out that my skill was a very narrow one."
There are so many fascinating things about this post. Many of which we've discussed many times before here at EMR and HIPAA. The first one that I want to highlight is the idea that EMRs were developed around our insane payment system as opposed to around amazing patient care. Long time readers might remember my starry eyed dreaming about what an EMR would look like if it didn't have to worry about billing. Sadly this isn't the state of EMR software and likely won't be in the near future. However, it is the biggest challenge that an EMR vendor faces.
Dr. Lamberts is right that there are good and bad parts of every EMR system. No EMR system is perfect. Instead, each one does certain things really well and certain things subpar. This is a feature of pretty much every software. When an EMR system doesn't do something well it could be because they just haven't had time to optimize it. Although, more often, their are subtle development issues which make changing an EMR workflow very difficult. Not to mention the impact of a subtle workflow change to your existing EHR users.
Thinking back to Dr. Lamberts post, he talks about how he'd become an expert on the intricacies of his EMR software. If his EMR vendor were to change that workflow to a more optimized one, he would have revolted. Maybe the new workflow is better, but the fact that he knew the old workflow has value as well and changing it has its own costs. Thus the challenge to updating any EMR software.
No EMR is perfect. Choose the EMR whose challenges you don't mind dealing with on a daily basis.
Another message I get from Dr. Lamberts post is not to give too much value to awards, groups, and industry committees. Not that I really did before anyway. I've always been a take it with a grain of salt kind of guy.


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The Brazos Food Bank is celebrating it's 20th birthday this year. Many things have changed and lots of progress has been made and much is in store for the future.
The Brazos Food Banks was founded on one simple concept 20 years ago.
" A group of concerned citizens in the Brazos Valley realized that there were some people in the community that were having trouble making ends meet and making sure that they had food for their families every meal," said Theresa Mangapora, executive director for the food bank.
So those concerned residents started seeking non- perishable food items from the community to distribute to those in need. At first the food was stored in a small building but now a huge warehouse is used.
The board of directors for the food bank says many new goals have been set for the next 10 years.
" We might need an expansion of the warehouse and some more refrigerated and freezer spaces to accommodate the new types of foods that we're having," said Amy Clough, president of the food bank's board of directors.
" One of the things we would really like to do is find out what the hunger needs are in all the counties that we serve and do a comparison with how much we actually distribute in those counties and see if we're actually meeting the needs," said Mangapora.
The food bank relies heavily on the community to make donations to keep the shelves of the food bank and the stomachs of those in need full.
" The community is just fantastic. Every year the Food for families food drive is so exciting to see the number of people that really pour out so many donations to those people in need," said Clough.


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He's high-profile, ambitious, and definitely not afraid to pursue indictments, issue subpoenas and drag corporations into court. He's Eliot Spitzer, New York's Attorney General. He's also the state's leading candidate for governor in November.
And - just this morning - the Democrat went on record as being in favor of two of the video game industry's recurring nightmares: retail legislation as well as a universal rating system for all media.
Spitzer spoke at the Buffalo-Niagara YMCA, spending much of his time talking about corporate responsibility in marketing to children. Although he also hit on tobacco usage, gun availability and junk food, a good part of Spitzer's speech was directed at media influence. He clearly fired a shot across the bow of the video game industry. His remarks, in part:
"Like all parents, I know it is increasingly difficult to protect our children from negative influences. Parents and schools need the government's help in curbing irresponsible behavior by corporations that market harmful products to our kids."
"...today I want to talk about a different kind of 'corporate responsibility,' one that does not get nearly the attention it deserves: that is a responsibility for corporations to stop treating our children as fair game for products that cause them great harm. And if corporations fail to live up to that responsibility it is vital that government step in..."
"...self-regulation doesn't always work... we have learned that when self-regulation fails, government must step in... these two lessons have informed my actions as Attorney General and they will inform my actions as Governor. Today, I would like to lay out a strategy to ensure we start defining deviancy up instead of down, to make sure our children are not left to be mere prey in a race to the lowest common denominator. "
"...we must do more to protect our children from excessive sex and violence in the media... Many children spend more time interacting with media - whether it be television, radio, video games or the Internet - than they do in school or with their parents."
"...media content has gotten more graphic, more violent and more sex-based... And it is not just television anymore. We now have to deal with video games, the Internet and a proliferation of other media that have made our jobs as parents even more challenging."
"The effects of media's influence on our children have been well documented. The American Academy of Pediatrics has said that 'Playing violent video games is to adolescent's violent behavior what smoking is to lung cancer...' Industry leaders must confront the failure of self-regulation... As Senator Clinton has urged, industry leaders like the... the (ESRB) for videogames... should come together to set uniform rating standards across all forms of media. Currently, we have an incomprehensible web of different rating systems that are inconsistently applied. A uniform rating system would make it easier for parents..."
"While we wait for these organizations to take action, New York State must take matters into its own hands. We should follow the lead of states like California, Illinois and Michigan and pass 'Safe Games' legislation, which would ban the sale and rental of violent and sexually explicit video games to children under 18. The (ESRB) does have a rating system that warns consumers of content unsuitable for children, but it's often ignored. Laws protecting underage kids from harmful products are nothing new – laws preventing kids from buying cigarettes serve as just one example. But currently, nothing under New York State law prohibits a fourteen-year old from walking into a video store and buying a game labeled 'Adult Only' - a game like 'Grand Theft Auto,' which rewards a player for stealing cars and beating people up. Children can even simulate having sex with a prostitute and then killing her."
"'Safe Games' legislation should also require retailers to post signs explaining the video game rating system to customers. Democrats and Republicans both have bills that would address these problems, but they have gone nowhere. It is time to make this a priority."
GP: Aside from Hillary Clinton, Spitzer just might be the highest-profile politician to jump into this fight. This is definitely not good news for the video game industry. We've asked the ESA and ESRB for reaction, and will publish those as they are received.


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Fresh off destroying the Atlanta Thrashers, 7-3, last night, the Boston Bruins will try to do it again when they welcome the struggling franchise from the Southeast Division to the TD Banknorth Garden tonight.
The Bruins have four days off after this one before they play again — Thursday at home against Toronto — so you can expect the club to tighten up any of the bad habits they might've fallen into last night and put on an all-out effort in the second half of this home-and-home. The offense was obviously clicking, as Boston scored seven goals in a game for the third time this season. But defensively, the club had some lapses in its own end and fell into the trap too many times of not making a play out of its own zone and rather just banging the puck out to center.
Atlanta Player to Watch: He threw down twice during the Bruins' rout last night, so winger Eric Boulton will undoubtedly be out for blood again tonight. Bruins tough guy Shawn Thornton prevailed in his bout with Boulton early in the game but Boulton came back to earn a draw (thebruinsblog.net scoring) against Milan Lucic in the second period. Look for Boulton to try to set the tone tonight, as the Thrashers are not only facing a potential home-and-home sweep but also a continued slide into oblivion.
What they're writing: Carroll Rogers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that Atlanta might've finally hit rock bottom in the loss to the Bruins.
Quotable: Bruins head coach Claude Julien didn't want to harp on many of the bad things the Bruins did during their rout of Atlanta in his postgame comments.
"Maybe we didn't make the strong plays all the time. We're trying to work ourselves out of a little bit of a funk. You're going to say it's 7-3 and we're still doing some good things. The way we played the month of November, I guess the expectations are high for everybody. I think that's why we have a tendency to look for all those sloppy plays at times. There's still a lot of good things going on, but we have to kind of settle ourselves down a little bit to make some stronger plays at times."