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Dear Past Shawn,
1 out of 4 bloggers are already doing the "Open Letter" gimmick. Please reconsider.
Future Shawn
P.S. Saturday's winning Lotto numbers are 12-19-26-39-41-49
14 April 2009
An Open Letter to Myself, 10 Minutes Before Writing First "Open Letter" Post
Dear Past Shawn,
Posted by Shawn at 2:01 PM
Labels: open letter
29 comments:
- freetheunicorns said...
I guess I'm that 1 out of 4 bloggers. Oh well. I still like open letters.
- April 14, 2009 at 2:33 PM
- Kirsten said...
That's so sweet that you write "love" at the end of letters to yourself! :)
- April 14, 2009 at 3:28 PM
- Steph said...
I'm totally using those number's for the lotto on Wednesday. If I win, I promise to give you 20%-30% of my winnings (unless i only win $5, in which case I will write you a nice note).
- April 14, 2009 at 3:32 PM
- Heather Cherry said...
Aw, dang it! They are?! I'm so screwed. Why didn't one of the Shawns warn ME?
- April 14, 2009 at 3:35 PM
- Margo said...
Future Shawn has as nice ring to it. Thanks for the warning. I think we are to live and and blog our lives like an open letter, so just leave off a salutation. You are very polite to yourself with the love and the "please reconsider". Be sure to keep doing that.
- April 14, 2009 at 3:44 PM
- Jenn Thorson said...
Does Future Shawn travel in a DeLorean? Inquiring minds want to know.
- April 14, 2009 at 4:02 PM
- Stickman said...
You're gonna have to call in Present Shawn to cast the tie breaking vote.
- April 14, 2009 at 4:16 PM
- Thinkinfyou said...
I've never seen this done in a post before!
- April 14, 2009 at 4:24 PM
- Lady Sarcasm said...
Dear Shawn,
I like short posts, but not letters, unless they are the snail mail kind. Ok, I take that back, aren't blog on big whopper of an open letter to the internet world? Seems to me they are, and if you question the missing Dear and Sincerely additions to normal posts, well they aren't there because grammar and punctuation is out the window 'round the world. Just so ya know. :)
Lady Sarcasm
P.S. That may or may not have made sense to us both.
- April 14, 2009 at 4:26 PM
- Funnyrunner said...
Oh, come now... are you going to be like Al Gore insuating that he invented the internet? Was it you who invented open letters?
- April 14, 2009 at 4:45 PM
- Funnyrunner said...
insinuating, that is...
- April 14, 2009 at 4:45 PM
- Marissa said...
What does the Dentist recommend? (that might only make sense to readers in the U.S?? - or maybe nobody.)
- April 14, 2009 at 5:04 PM
- dizzblnd said...
nooooooooooo don't stop I LOVE your open letters They kill me!
- April 14, 2009 at 5:56 PM
- Tina said...
I totally noticed that too! But I didn't want to be the one to say anything.
- April 14, 2009 at 7:41 PM
- Winky Twinky said...
Hmmmm....I see through your saran wrap..... lottery numbers are bogus...just as I suspected... Do not allow so called "open letters" to come between *old Shawn* and *new Shawn*.... you weaken yourself..or so says the newest link of international crime....Old Shawn and new Shawn must find common ground.....or face the consequences....(add vergage from GodFather Part 1: I don't have any, sorry)..(Improv: I'm Your Huckleberry...... from Tombstone)....
- April 14, 2009 at 8:40 PM
- AmyOops said...
hey share the winnings!
- April 14, 2009 at 9:09 PM
- Shawn said...
FTU: And I didn't even know about yours, so the ratio may be even higher than I suspected.
Kirsten: Well if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you are.
Steph: What's this 20 OR 30%? Let's nail down a number, here.
Heather: yep, you might want to hop in a time machine, and not just to find old ads.
Margo: Yeah, that makes sense. And why be rude to myself?
Jenn: He does not, as he does not know where to find plutonium.
- April 14, 2009 at 9:52 PM
- Shawn said...
Stickman: But Present Shawn IS Future Shawn, you see? Hell, now I'm confused...
Thinkinfyou: Well finally some originality!
Lady Sarcasm: It did make sense, strangely enough. And yeah, I figured a short post was due after yesterday's novel.
Funnyrunner: Well...I won't deny that your post was my inspiration, but no, I'm definitely not insinuating that I invented open letters. In fact, seems just about everyone was doing them before me. Except for Heather. She stole the idea from me.
Marissa: 4 out of 5 say--time to quit!
Dizz: Well...they might show up again. Who cares about being unique anyway?
Tina: Thanks...just gonna let me keep looking like a fool, eh?
Winky: I'm...no, I'm not even going to try.
Amy: Knowing Past Shawn, he probably doesn't even have a dollar to go buy a damn ticket.
- April 14, 2009 at 9:58 PM
- Heather Cherry said...
Why, I never! *feigning mock outrage* It appears that your first open letter post was waaaaaaay back in February of THIS YEAR, whereas mine was only as recently as October of LAST YEAR. And don't forget, you even went so far as to steal the Nickelback open letter idea from inside my very BRAIN!
- April 14, 2009 at 11:27 PM
- Heather Cherry said...
P.S. Shall I use my DeLorean to go back in time and find old ads and warn myself about open letter posts? Oh yeah, I tooootally have one of those cars. So, yeah. That's where that is.
- April 14, 2009 at 11:29 PM
- brookeamanda said...
I must say, I thought I was so damn original doing the "open letter" thing...then I discovered a hundred other bloggers do it, too. And you know what? I'M NOT GOING TO STOP DOING IT!
- April 14, 2009 at 11:34 PM
- Candy's daily Dandy said...
Open letters can be so freeing! But always best to listen to your inner voice.
- April 15, 2009 at 9:52 AM
- Heather Cherry said...
Me neither, Brooke!
*fist bump*
- April 15, 2009 at 9:53 AM
- Chris said...
Is it weird to write a letter of abuse to yourself? I often do that. I suspect my psychiatrist doesn't approve but hey, one part of me enjoys it.
- April 15, 2009 at 10:36 AM
- alantru said...
Dear Present Shawn,
Don't listen to Past Shawn or Future Shawn.
Present Shawn... I have important information about your future and your past. But only I can tell you. Not future Shawn, not Past Shawn. Ignore them both.
signed Past/Present/Future Alan
- April 15, 2009 at 10:55 AM
- Shawn said...
Heather: This again? I have in my hands a copy of McCall's magazine dated March 1952. Inside, "An Open Letter to the Brooklyn Dodgers", written by yours truly. This is fact. It is indisputable.
Brooke: Well, they're still published here (and I'm not a millionaire), so I guess Past Shawn didn't get the message. Anyway, yeah, I might still trot them out, even if 4 out of 4 bloggers do them.
Candy's: Well...not always. Sometimes mine says some pretty weird shit.
Chris: I'm not the best judge, but I think it's okay.
Alan: Anything you can say to me, you can say to all of us.
- April 15, 2009 at 11:36 AM
- Heather Cherry said...
Nice try. Not buying it!
And I guess the stats ARE 4 in 4 bloggers if those 4 bloggers are you, Brooke, the unicorn dude and me. And we're all awesome, so... I don't see the problem here.
- April 15, 2009 at 2:26 PM
- RockstarMama said...
I wish future me would tell me where I found my keys.
- April 25, 2009 at 1:40 PM
- Shawn said...
Heather: I guess you have a point. Originality is overrated anyway.
Rockstar: Yeah...been there.
- April 25, 2009 at 4:09 PM


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They may have blue skin or scales, but many of the alien species in Mass Effect are essentially humans with a palette swap. Apparently, BioWare considered having a non-humanoid squadmate join Shepard, but discovered that it would have taken away from the rest of the game.
"All party members needed to use a humanoid skeleton," BioWare's Dusty Everman said. "If we'd ever tried to use a non-humanoid, the cost would have been huge. Instead, we took all the development effort that we could have put towards an odd squad mate and made a larger, more polished game."
Casey Hudson explained that any alien squadmates "had to function like the human characters." Primarily, they needed to "be able to carry a gun."
However, the Mass Effect universe is home to other, odder species. For example, one of the most beloved aspects of Mass Effect 3 was its Blasto easter egg. The galaxy's first Hanar spectre, many fans wouldn't mind seeing the next game in the franchise offer such a unique character a starring role.
"For Mass Effect we developed a set of additional aliens, that would mainly be featured in the Citadel," Casey told OXM. However, "each developed a bit of a following, so over the series we found ways to make them play more important roles."

subset: commoncrawl


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By Jessica Roy During a drip to Barcelona a few years back, I fell in love with the city's colorful artistic culture and its tapas,, bite-sized mini meals, often served on sticks. Trays of tantalizing tapas line the counters of these restaurants, begging customers to fill their plates with a myriad of flavorful treats. When customers have had their fill, the empty sticks are counted to determine the cost of the bill.
Tapas make for perfect party food, and also are an excellent way to incorporate big, bold flavors without running the risk of overkill to one particular dish. Common ingredients for these finger foods often include lots of spicy sausage, ham, fresh veggies, eggs and paprika There are so many options out there and it's really fun to experiment.
I'll get you started with two simple recipes, so mix up some fresh and fruity sangria and you're on your way to the ultimate tapas party.
Eggplant Rolls with Feta Cheese and Prosciutto
1 medium eggplant
10-12 slices prosciutto
1 container feta cheese crumbles
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1-1 1/2 tsp. honey
Balsamic vinegar, as needed
Olive oil, as needed
Salt and pepper, as needed
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Slice the eggplant into 1/8 inch slices lengthwise. The slices have to be nice and thin in order to avoid breaking. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Arrange about 1 Tbs. feta cheese onto each eggplant slice. Roll the eggplant, and wrap with a piece of prosciutto. Secure with a toothpick.
3. Place the eggplant rolls on a baking sheet. Brush lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with herbs and salt and pepper.
4. Drizzle top of each roll with a bit of honey and balsamic vinegar. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Bruschetta with Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese
1 loaf crusty bread or baguette, sliced into 1-inch slices
1 large sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 cup goat cheese crumbles
2 Tbs. sherry wine
Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
Water, as needed
Salt and pepper, as needed
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the sliced bread on a baking sheet, and brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle gently with salt. Bake for 10 minutes until tops are slightly golden brown.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions and allow to cook, stirring occasionally until fragrant and golden. Deglaze the bottom of the pan with about 2 Tbs. of water and allow to reduce. Repeat 3-4 times until onions are caramelized and brown. Deglaze pan with 2 Tbs. sherry, and allow to reduce and alcohol to cook off. Season with salt and pepper.
Jessica Roy is a specialty chef and caterer, food writer and chef instructor, and owner of Shiso Kitchen in Somerville, where she teaches classes. Follow her at http://blogs.lowellsun.com/yourpersonalchef.


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Tuesday January 29, 2013
Jude Law has revealed how he got the part in Wes Anderson's Grand Budapest Hotel - by writing letters to the director.
The British actor, who stars in the forthcoming movie alongside Ralph Fiennes, Saoirse Ronan, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton and Bill Murray, decided to wield pen and paper to impress the filmmaker.
"I mean, I'm a tiny part, but I was a huge fan of his and I've admired his films and wrote to him several times. Letters initially, which is very in his genre, and now emails," he told Collider.
"It wasn't a case of begging, it really was just saying, 'I love what you do and I want to live in that world'. And he was very sweet to ask me to be a part of this one."
Jude revealed he plays an author in his younger days in the movie, which has "layers of storytelling".
Image: © Getty


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EditTips for Success
EditSave, Save, Save!
The dangers of Skyrim are plentiful and therefore the most invaluable tip would be to save often. Plenty of times one makes it to the final boss of the dungeon to only get killed and have to start over from the moment the player entered that specific part of the dungeon. Most importantly, save before major encounters. For example if the player knows a dragon priest fight approaches then they are able to save before the fight. If the player does indeed die then they are then able to use their knowledge of what is ahead to plan and strategize, and something good can come out of it! And there is always that added bonus of not having to retrace your steps. Also enemies will drop different loot to what you may have picked up previously when retracing from a saved checkpoint. Another great time to save is right before a master or expert lock, that way if you lose all lock picks or most of them you can reload and try again. Also don't forget to save over old saves that are now useless.
EditUse your resources
While adventuring throughout the world collect as many items as you can. Most of the items in Skyrim are used for something. For example; the pelt which is used for leather or the Dwemer scrap metal which can be transformed into ingots. All of the items you pick up could help you level up skills you are interested in. An example of this is using the leather from a bear pelt to craft items to increase smithing. Another reason to pick up as many items as possible is quests, as often times they task you with getting items you might not have. This is optional as maybe you would like to go outside and retrieve it the adventurous way.
Be aware, though, that carrying too much could slow you down.
EditGetting Six or More "Followers"
It can get tiresome travelling the vast world of Skyrim by yourself or with just one other follower, but now there's a way to get multiple helpful NPCs that will not only travel with you to the ends of the earth but also swat down dragons, giants, and those pesky mammoths. The page for the self-coined term Insane Crown Posse helps you get a roaming death squad of your own! Read on to find out how.
Video explaining how to get 3 "Base Followers". Read more about the "Insane Crown Posse" to learn how to add on the quest-specific NPCs to your raiding party.
EditUse Equipment Shortcuts
Remember to favorite your most-used items, spells, and weapons. You can bring up the quick-access favorites menu (control pad up on consoles) to select and assign your favorites to your hands manually, or press left or right on the pad while in the menu to create two equipment sets. Left is set #1, right is set #2. To select the sets while in combat, simply press left or right on the control pad. You can also use this shortcut to equip an item in both hands by tapping the direction twice (useful for double casting).
When switching from a two-handed weapon to a one-handed weapon or spell by using equipment shortcuts, the last item or spell equipped in your other hand will also be equipped. Therefore, it may be useful to use one favorite for a two-handed weapon (such as a staff or bow) and the other for a one-handed weapon allowing you to switch quickly between ranged and close combat sets.
EditThe Rumormongers
As is typical in a fantasy setting, innkeepers and bartenders tend to all kinds of worldly patrons and, thus, are often in the know for all things current in the land of Skyrim. Any time you visit a new town, head to the local bar or inn (or both!) to inquire about job leads or rumors. Oftentimes these tiny kernels of knowledge expand out to full-fledged quests!
EditSteal Without Punishment
EditFast Travel is Your Friend
While you can feasibly journey across Skyrim from one end to the other entirely on foot, such a trek is generally discouraged if you don't have a ton of real life time to kill. That's why fast travel is so great. Once you've discovered a town, you can fast travel to it (provided you are not overencumbered). In-game time will lapse as it would assuming you had traveled on foot. It's important to discover new locations to fast travel to and use them as springboards for stumbling upon other unexplored territories.
The easiest way to start fast travelling is by using carriages. These are usually located at the stables outside of each Hold, and you can pay the driver a nominal fee (20-50 gold) to get to any other Hold (a nice throwback to the Silt Striders of Morrowind). The best part is you only have to pay to visit each hold once. After that, you can just fast travel back for free!
On the flip side, exploring the land in an organic manner has its benefits. You will often find new and interesting quests, gather valuable loot and level up. Finding that balance between exploration and fast traveling is ideal.
Inventory management can be a drag at times, unless you come up with clever little ways to hide and store your items properly. For one, using your Followers as a mule is totally viable (and necessary at times), but they, too, have a storage limit. Alternatively, barrels are also a great place for storage purposes, but just remember which barrel you hid your stuff in!
Also, once you own property, it is completely okay for you to just dump things in Containers that are in your home. Be careful, though. Skyrim is buggy, so while your items shouldn't disappear when placed in a random barrel or chest, there's no guarantee unless you purchase a house and store your items there.
(From time to time, it appears a thief may visit. Kill him to retrieve your items and keep anything you really don't want to lose on your person such as the Dragon Priest masks.)
EditReading Books (Ugh, Right?)
Volumes and volumes of books are strewn throughout Skyrim. Most of them provide a lot of exposition on the history and Elder Scrolls lore, but some of them also happen to be Skill Books or give you Quests. It's worth at least thumbing through the pages to discover whether they're of use to you in-game. Or you know... you can actually read them (crazy, right?).
An easy way to determine if a random book you find in Skyrim is a Skill Book at a glance is to take note of the book's value when your crosshairs are pointed at it. Skill Books will generally have values greater than 50 gold.
EditSmithing Boost
Wait. Don't smith that Daedric armor just yet. Before you start smithing there is something you can do that can greatly increase your armor strength. First off you will need to have quite a few Grand soul gems around 4. Then you will need to have a helmet, clothes, a ring, and a necklace. Next go find an enchanting table and be sure that you have the ability to enchant smithing. This can be done easily by disenchanting any item that has a smithing perk. Then enchant each of the items I just listed with the smithing perk and use a grand soul gem on each, it should be around a 25% smithing increase for each item that you enchanted. Finally put all your gear on and begin smithing your armor, make sure to get it all the way to legendary for the best armor rating.
EditLook Through the Inventory of Every Kill
While it may seem like a corpse is only going to have some useless armor or disgusting looking meat, even skeevers occasionally pick up valuable gems. So, keep on acting like some medieval hobo and carefully rummage through every corpse you find or create. You never know when you'll find a ring worth a couple of hundred gold! This is also known as Looting!
EditSaving Arrows
Changed your mind about firing off that nocked arrow? Simply put away your bow to cancel it. Arrows can be precious in dire situations! Arrows can also be recovered off of your slain adversaries to further keep your character in healthy supply.
EditHow to Climb Mountains (aka Backwards Butt Shimmy)
Invariably you get to a point when you're climbing a mountain off set paths where you can't progress forward any longer because the grade is too steep. If you hit that point, simply face backwards and start jumping. Just point your butt toward the peak and continually hit the jump button. It also helps to move slightly from side-to-side as you try this. You can often snag a rock along the way and shimmy up a mountain without having to use a set path. Facing forward at a 45-degree angle can sometimes help as well.
You can do a forward crotch shimmy as well. It's easier to see where you are going. Button smash on the jump button and jump side to side. If you're good you don't have to guess as much just look at the architecture and determine what slopes you can climb.
EditTips for Tombs & Ruins Exploring
Tombs and ruins are full of deadly traps . So watch out for them. Commonly most tombs and ruins have locked chests and treasure rooms. Load yourself with lockpicks before exploring them. Candlelight and Magelight spells will be a great solution for exploring these dark tombs and ruins. These tips are also recommended for exploring the dwemer ruins. Search every urns/burial urns as occasionally they contain high priced jewelery, gems & potions.
EditAdd Several Points of Interest to Your Map
You'll pick up points of interest on your overland map through conversations, but there's at least one place in the game where you can add several all at once. In Mistveil Keep (Jarl's court) in Riften, there's a room to the left behind the throne room with a map that displays which towns are controlled by the Imperial forces and which are controlled by the Stormcloaks. There is also a map available in Whiterun (up the staircase to the right past where the Jarl sits). You can add all of these towns to your own map by clicking on them. It doesn't allow you to fast travel if you haven't found them yet, but at least you'll know where they are.
In fact there are several of these rooms all over Skyrim; in particular every single Jarl's court has one, as well as many of the major military points in the game. Unfortunately, this will not allow you to Fast Travel to the newly placed areas on your map. You will still have to discover them first.
Another alternative is reading the books titled "An Explorer's Guide to Skyrim". Each book will add new points of interest on your map.
EditEasy Money
Before you reach Riverwood, be on the look out for a Woodcutter's Axe. In Riverwood, there's an axe near the lumber mill itself on a table. Once you're in Riverwood head across the bridge beside Alvor and Sigrid's House (leads across the river). Use the Wood Chopping Block to cure as much firewood as you can handle. Sell at a vendor and wait 24-48 hours once they're out of gold. Repeat until you have that vast wealth you've always wanted...without all the danger. Weight 5, Price to sell 5. Sell price does depend on Speech level.
It is also a good idea to get a follower and again use them as a mule. Once you reach your weight limit, give the firewood to your follower. This can be a quick and easy way to get more money each trip.
If you have whirlwind sprint, you can use this along with the Amulet of Talos to quickly get from the mill to Hod's house in Riverwood.
The fastest way to chop and sell wood in Riverwood is if you use the wood cutting area right next to Gerdur and Hod's house (i.e. Ralof's sister and brother-in-law; the Wood Chopping Block is left of the house plot, if you're facing it), then return to the house to sell the wood to Hod.
EditEasy Way to Get Free Items
Every giant camps and orc chief's house in orc camps has a locked chest. Contains random lootable items according to the player's level.
EditTraining for Free
Many mage, thief and fighter skills can be trained for free by simply stealing the fee back after each training. Simply pick an area with easy access to trainers who are sleeping in their beds. The Companions building in Whiterun works for fighter skills, the College of Winterhold works for mage skills, and Riften would probably work for thief skills.
Talk to the trainer at night while they are sleeping and train your skill, then wait till they go back to bed and steal the money spent back. Be sure to steal the money back after each single skill up because the success rate will decrease as the trainer gains more gold. Using this trick you will not only gain free levels in your chosen skill, but your pickpocket skill will increase very quickly.
To do this without Pickpocketing you can find a companion (follower, not necessarily from the guild) that can train you. Because you have unrestricted access to what they are holding you can train, ask them to carry something for you and take your money back. Rinse, repeat.
You can gain multiple levels if you continue to train the maximum (5/5) skill ups even after you level. Once you level up you are free to retrain the maximum 5/5. If you want to truly see your level skyrocket then mix in the above "Illusion skill" tip mentioned above.
When looking through dungeons for items and enemies, stay on the lookout for traps. Don't trip them unless it is necessary for progressing through the dungeon as you can also use these against enemies. Some groups of enemies can already be found in the immediate effects of the trap, so activate them as soon as you seem them underneath/next to it!
EditThree Base Guardian Stones
You most likely came across the three base guardian stones when you started on your journey; remember them, as they are your friends. Say you are bored of bludgeoning draugr with your war hammer and you would rather turn them into ashes. Pay a quick visit to the guardian stones to be blessed by the mage stone to accelerate your development with magic. Take advantage of the Stones and switch according to your playstyle.
EditExtremely Powerful Equipment
To begin the process
- Craft a set of Fortify Alchemy gear (ring, necklace, gloves, circlet). This should result in four items that each boosts your Alchemy skill by 25%.
- Then craft several potions of Fortify Enchanting(10).These potions should enhance your enchanting skill by 30%
- Use those potions to craft a new set of Fortify Alchemy gear. This set will have a boost of 28% on each piece.
- Using this new set, create new Fortify Enchanting potions. These potions should have a boost of 32% on them.
- Next use these potions to create a set of equipment with Fortify Alchemy & Fortify Smithing both boosted to +29% per piece. This comes out to a total boost of +116% for each skill.
- To finish this process off, use the set of Alchemy boosting gear to create some Fortify Smithing potions. These potions should have a boost of +130% on them.
Now that the player is prepared; wear the Fortify Smithing equipment that was made in step 5, and drink a Fortify Smithing potion made from step 6 to massively improve your equipment then drink the Fortify Enchanting Potions created in step 4 to give it the maximum enchantment.


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I was invited to go and see Adam Ant play last night at WILTON'S MUSIC HALL, by...well...Adam... which was a great treat! If you get the chance to go to Wilton's....GO!!!! It is an incredible Georgian Music Hall, and one of the best places to see a band, or have a party...
Adam played a stripped down set of ALL his hits and a host of amazing covers, No Fun, Cast Iron Arm, Peggy Sue, and Get it On amongst them!
Adam had taken a shine to the art I'd done of Tank Girl in a top hat, with an Adam Ant stripe on her face... so i gave him one of the new Gyclee Prints I've done, and a page from our book, Visions of Booga, in which he featured!
Adam was a huge inspiration to me as a kid, and it was a real honour not only to meet him, but find he's a fan of my work too. I wish I could go back and tell my 7 year old self that!!
I'll be uploading the new prints for sale today... including the iconic Tankie/Adam Ant stripe image!
XXX Ant Music for Sex People / Tank Art for Ant Music XXX
Ruf... Tank Girl / SOLID GOLD DEATH MASK
|Adam onstage at Wilton's Music Hall!
|The Gyclee Print, and the Original art for Adam
|Wilton's Music Hall
|The new Gyclee Print


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The widow is gathering nettles for her children's dinner; a perfumed seigneur, delicately lounging in the Oeil de Boeuf, hath an alchemy whereby he will extract the third nettle and call it rent. ~ Carlyle
Sometimes hype can make you hate something. I used to think Led Zeppelin were overrated, now I think they are a religious experience.
Not much compares for me.
Prince on the other hand....overrated.
I don't think a requirement of employment should be that you can never offend people. It's high time folks deal with being offended. It's another example of how we're becoming a bunch of wimps. - Person offended by NFL players not standing for national anthem.
Backyard burgers. What do people see in a singed meatball on too-chunky bun.
Fastfood has it right -- a flat burger on a bun that fits. The idea is to get a mouthful of everything -- burger, bun, condiments, lettuce, tomato, etc.... -- in every bite.
They also get fries right. Small fries give you a great ratio of golden, delicious surface to bland starchiness. Those awful big planky fries? Those are for seagulls.
The widow is gathering nettles for her children's dinner; a perfumed seigneur, delicately lounging in the Oeil de Boeuf, hath an alchemy whereby he will extract the third nettle and call it rent. ~ Carlyle
Kidney stone cures or preventatives. Every Freaking One of Them.
As for overrated stuff
The NFL
The Beatles
Cable News/politics (they're all equally full of it. I think all these bastards work together)
Logan's Steakhouse
And I agree with everyone in this thread who says Radiohead is overrated. I remember reading an interview where Thom Yorke was talking crap about his fan base when they wanted him to sing a particular song live because he doesn't think they "get it" since the song is so "painful" for him. That is the ultimate example of being a pretentious *****. God forbid your fans, who are the sole reason you are millionaires, want to see you perform a song they enjoy. Before that moment I would probably say they just aren't my style, now its pretty obvious to me that they are being arty and weird for the sake of it. What a load a crap.
Last edited by joshua; 10-20-2012 at 06:40 PM.
Family Guy. Started off funny, but became full of its trendy self. It's given in to nihilism. South Park has an actual pov, but FG has all the cutting edge humor of a seventh grader.
Strangely enough, I find American Dad funny.
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Greenpeace volunteers scale the roof and operate a life-sized super-realistic polar bear puppet during an action against Shell. The environmental group intends to close over 100 stations in London, and over a dozen in Edinburgh, by using the emergency shut-off switch, which stops petrol going to the pumps, and removing the fuse so it can't immediately be turned back on again.07/16/2012
© Elizabeth Dalziel / Greenpeace
1 - 12 of 901 results.
Greenpeace New Zealand


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Hosted by Jim and Doris Kelly
While the title of the presentation is a joke, there's a lot of truth in it. Award-winning author Shawn Wong's first novel, Homebase, was published when he was 30. His second novel, American Knees, was published when he was 45, reducing the time by half. What goes into a novel? What is the creative process like? And why does it take so long? People often talk about "the creative process," but this discussion, led by Shawn Wong, will unpack that phrase and explore how a work of fiction is made.
Attendees will talk about how writing might move from something autobiographical to something fictional, how we construct fiction out of something real, and how we "edit" the story of our lives, through what we leave out and what we include.
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GRAYSON COUNTY, TX -- Oklahomans saved an estimated $6.9 million over tax-free weekend. Now it's Texas' turn. This Friday through Sunday is tax-free weekend for Texas.
Shoppers can save on clothes and shoes under $100. Here in Texas, shoppers can save on school supplies and back packs, something Oklahoma didn't offer.
Now, local store owners are gearing up for the crowds and Denison is even hosting a new event to draw shoppers downtown.
The three-day, tax-free holiday starts Friday in Texas, and The Shops on Travis owner, Jonathan Hitchcock, said shoppers aren't the only ones excited.
"We do have a big rush, as a lot of retailers do, just because people are trying to take advantage of, you know because it's back to school as well as tax-free weekend. You know, there's a lot of shoppers out there," said Hitchcock.
Store owners are taking tax-free weekend as an opportunity to encourage shopping local.
On Saturday the city of Denison is hosting a "Back to School Beach Party."
Downtown shops will stay open till 6 p.m. There will be a concert by a Jimmy Buffett tribute band, and some perks for school teachers who come out to shop.
"When you go around the stores, as you're shopping you'll get tickets to be entered for prizes. And teachers that have their i.d.'s will get kind of extra tickets and extra incentives," said Shine on Main store owner, Sarah Oro.
Teachers will also get 10 percent off their purchase at Shine on Main.
Sherman store owners hope for the same crowds.
"There's good retail down here that people don't know about," said store owner Naif Risk.
Risk Shoe Store owner, Naif Risk, hopes local stores aren't overshadowed by big businesses.
"We have a little bit different atmosphere downtown. It's not as hustle bustle. Saturdays are great days downtown. Fridays are good too, but Saturdays there's easy parking downtown," said Risk.
Texas Comptroller, Susan Combs, predicts shoppers will save $64.8 million in state and local sales taxes this weekend. So, many businesses will see a boost in customers.
"It's a good thing that the state offers for tax free, and I think it's a win win for everyone," said Hitchcock.
To read the "fine print" and see the list of items that will be tax exempt we've posted a link below.
We've posted more information about Denison's "Back to School Beach Party" as well.


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Same story, different results: 0 tweets tallied on TweetMeme, 39 on TweetButton.
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Tweeteme is a company we love and admire — and more than 640,000 people have downloaded the TweetMeme plug-in for WordPress.
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text: If you ever want to catch me at my most relaxed and "tuned in", drop over on a Sunday afternoon. At about 1:30, you'll find me in the kitchen, working at preparing an inviting, comfortable family dinner. If you catch me in the early stages of the process, the counters will be clean, the sink … Continue reading


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42 U.S. Code §§ 3912 - Omitted
Sections were omitted pursuant to section 4528 of this title, which terminated authority to guarantee bonds, debentures, notes, or other obligations under this chapter after Dec. 31, 1970, with exceptions now inapplicable.
Section 3912, Pub. L. 90–448, title IV, § 413, Aug. 1, 1968, 82 Stat. 517, set out functions, powers and duties of the Secretary under this chapter.
Section 3913, Pub. L. 90–448, title IV, § 414, Aug. 1, 1968, 82 Stat. 517, related to audit of financial transactions of those whose obligations are guaranteed under this chapter.
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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Michael Strahan knew they were dead serious about Halloween at his new morning-show gig when they told him to put on a bra.
"I knew they dressed up. I just didn't know they did it to this extent," he says. "It's definitely a surprise."
As part of the festivities this Wednesday on "Live! With Kelly & Michael," Strahan will dress up as Tyler Perry's character Madea, Oprah Winfrey and the president.
"I've never worn so much makeup in my life. I've never had my ears pushed out like that," says Strahan, who also shaved his beard. "I'm the president, but I'm just bigger. I wanted to walk across the street to Starbucks, but they wouldn't let me out of the building."
Strahan has been on the job with Kelly Ripa since September, and he's finding his own groove in a way that sets him apart from Regis Phiblin. He did a one-armed push-up on the air. He sang Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" And now he puts on that bra, a big wig and some padding to be both Madea (below, left) and Oprah. In heels, he's 6-feet-7.
"I was in drag more than I was a man," he says. "I was a very hairy-legged Oprah."
There are so many costume changes on the Halloween "Live!" that several were pre-taped. Strahan says you will also see Kelly Ripa as Snooki, Honey Boo-Boo, Theresa Caputo, the Long Island Medium and the Tan Mom.
"You have to be good sport," Strahan says. "Suck it up. Put on the costume. As long as it's funny, we're about making people laugh in the morning."
Tuesday, 9: 30 p.m., NBC
Bryan (Andrew Rannells) gives Halloween a gay spin as he decorates the house so that it is the envy of the neighborhood and makes his annual trip to the pumpkin patch with his bestie Nicole Richie to spot celebrities. Also, with the help of Sam, the makeup artist (guest-star George Takei), Bryan dictates what everyone's costumes are going to be. However, when he insists on a 'Here Comes Honey Boo Boo' Halloween theme, David (Justin Bartha) rebels and defiantly sports a Tom Brady costume. Meanwhile, Goldie (Georgia King) is still struggling with the on-going custody battle for Shania (Bebe Wood). Later, Clay (Jayson Blair) makes a shocking announcement that puts Jane (Ellen Barkin) over the edge.
Wednesday, 9 a.m., ABC
Madea is only one of the costumes good sport Michael Strahan tries on for Halloween, his first with the show.
Tuesday, 8 p.m., Fox
It's the "Gay Christmas" — Halloween — and Sabrina (Shannon Woodward) asks Jimmy (Lucas Neff, below right) to hang out with her gay best friend and his partner. But first, Jimmy asks Burt (Garret Dillahunt, below left) to do some reconnaissance by spending time at the local gay bar. When Burt keeps going back to the bar, Virginia (Martha Plimpton) wonders if he's spending too much time and tracks him down in costume on Halloween.
Tuesday, 8 p.m., The CW
With Halloween right around the corner, Zoe (Rachel Bilson) begins to notice some odd occurrences happening in her home. She is shocked to discover that the culprit is George (Scott Porter), but she soon realizes that he may have a sleepwalking issue. Concerned for his safety, they decide to conduct a sleep study, forcing her to cancel her big plans with Wade (Wilson Bethel). Meanwhile, the mayoral race between Lavon (Cress Williams) and Ruby is close, and AnnaBeth comes up with an unusual plan that may help him clinch the election leaving Lemon (Jaime King) feeling uneasy.
Tuesday, 9 p.m., Fox
Jess (Zooey Deschanel) gets a job as a zombie at a haunted house, but is more frightened of her changing feelings toward Sam (David Walton). Schmidt (Max Greenfield) and Cece (Hannah Simone) are (unfortunately) perfectly matched in the costumes they're wearing, while Winston and Shelby (guest star Kali Hawk) are worlds apart in theirs. Nick (Jake Johnson) gets a visit from a former college crush (guest star Maria Thayer) who shows her affection in a scary way.
Friday, 10 p.m., CBS
When a knife-wielding attacker dressed as Baron Samedi, the Spirit of Death, stabs a man in costume on Halloween, Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) enters the world of voodoo. Meanwhile, Garrett opens up to Frank (Tom Selleck) about a dark secret, and Erin (Bridget Moynahan) and Nicky (Sami Gayle) take Jack and Sean trick-or-treating.
Tuesday, 10 p.m., NBC
Though Ryan (Matthew Perry) is reluctant to take Owen (Tyler James Williams) under his wing, he begins to realize Owen may need a big brother figure in his life. Meanwhile, Yolanda (Suzy Nakamura) decides she's ready to graduate from the group and Steven (John Cho) hires a new announcer. Laura Benanti, Julie White and NBA star Chris Bosh also star.
Wednesday, 10 a.m., CBS
Host Wayne Brady dresses up as rapper DMC of Run-DMC.
Tuesday, 9:30 p.m., ABC
Halloween is June's (Dreama Walker) favorite holiday, and even more so this year now that she is single! However, when she discovers that Chloe (Krysten Ritter) plays elaborate "tricks" every year, June becomes consumed with stopping her before Chloe really hurts someone she might actually care about. Meanwhile, due to a deep-rooted childhood fear of Halloween, James (James Van Der Beek) throws his annual Halloween "Positivity" Party.
Wednesday, 11 a.m., CBS
It's a carnival theme at the long-running game show, withDrew Carey donning a striped blazer. Contestant Wendy Makin is dressed up as the "Price Is Right" wheel.


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A couple of days ago at the NFL mini-meeting in Fort Lauderdale (my home turf South Florida is) Dolphins owner Stephen Ross discussed the issue of Michael Vick with the NFL Network's Scott Hanson. According to Hanson's Twitter tweet on the subject, Ross told Hanson he "believes in giving a second chance," and would examine Vick if asked to do so by his football people.
Ross, at the end of the day, is still a rookie NFL owner and has some things to learn. First lesson, why get involved in issues that aren't issues for your team?
If Ross knew his football people as well as he needs to, he'd know the Dolphins are not interested in Michael Vick. Miami's football people, so averse to bringing attention to the team they don't even hold press conferences after signing unrestricted free agents, are not interested in having the Michael Vick circus pitch its tents in Davie.
And it's not just that Vick comes with unflattering attention based on his tainted history, it's also that there are legitimate football reasons the conversation concerning any interest in Vick was very short around Miami's braintrust.
Vick has been out of the NFL for 19 months, may be suspended by the league once his legal issues are resolved in a couple of months, and Vick wasn't exactly Peyton Manning before his troubles anyway. Miami also just invested a second-round pick on Pat White, by all accounts a player expected fill the same spot as what Vick might, so the addition would cause a logjam at quarterback for Miami.
So Ross discussing Vick is simply talk for the sake of talking. The owner should learn to avoid that as he gains more experience.
[BLOG NOTE: Want to wish you all a happy Memorial Day weekend. Take a second this weekend to remember the sacrifice of the military men and woman who died while serving the United States of America. Maybe invest more than a second and watch the video below. While most of us are not working, I remind you this blog will be in full effect Sunday with an update on my Sunday Dolphins column, which tackles the issues of Miami's' "hungry" players and why coach Tony Sparano loves them. So check back tomorrow.]


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The following is a case study intended for folks who look at defibrillator recordings. If you find it interesting, great. If you have no clue what is shown here, don't feel bad, just move on to another blog post. I just thought I'd put this up as an unknown for those interested in phenomena encountered in a busy device clinic.It was a case seen in our clinic: a nice man in his 50's had received a single chamber ICD for recurrent ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation and called because he had received several shocks from this device. Interrogation of the device showed normal sensing, lead impedance and capture threshold. Interrogation of his device demonstrated multiple VT therapies and untreated events recorded by his device.
An example of several of the recorded interval plots (Event 202 and 203) as well has one example of the electrograms (and therapies delivered) recorded during episode 202 are shown below. 56 similar events were recorded since his last device interrogation, all with a similar pattern:
|Episode 202 RR Interval Plot (Click to enlarge)
|Event 203 RR Interval Plot
|Event 202's Recorded Electrograms and Intervals (Click image to enlarge)


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Letter from Dr. Stephen I. Katz: Update on Peer Review
Dear Colleagues:
Peer review is the cornerstone on which the NIH bases its funding decisions. While the individual NIH Institute and Center (IC) Directors are ultimately responsible for deciding which applications to fund, we rely heavily on the assessments of expert scientists from around the country.
Image: Stephen I. Katz, M.D., Ph.D.
Centers Programs Working Group Report—Request for Information
The NIAMS has completed an evaluation of its Centers programs to design funding strategies that could optimally support integrated, synergistic groups of investigators, based on evolving research needs and forward-looking opportunities. The findings of the report were presented to the NIAMS Advisory Council in June 2013. We invite you to comment on the final report by August 12, 2013.
NIAMS-Supported Research Finds New Genetic Links to Juvenile Arthritis
New research supported by the NIAMS with funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, has identified 14 genes linked to juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), the most common type of arthritis affecting children. The new study brings the number of confirmed genes in JIA to 17 and represents an important advance toward better understanding and treatment of JIA.
New Insights Found in Pain Processing and Sleep Disturbance Among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have lower thresholds for pain and may have deficits in a central nervous system mechanism that helps to modulate how the body experiences pain, according to recent research funded by the NIAMS and published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism. In addition, sleep disruptions, which are common among people with RA, may exacerbate pain sensitivity.
Updated NIAMS Kids Pages Featured on the NIH Science Education Webpage
Childhood and teen years are a prime time to learn habits that will help keep your bones, joints, muscles, and skin healthy for years to come. The NIAMS Kids Pages feature four fact sheets targeted to middle-school-age children (11 to 13 years old).
NIH Launches Dietary Supplement Label Database: Searchable Collection Contains Product Information and Ingredients From Labels of Dietary Supplements Sold In the United States
Researchers, as well as health care providers and consumers, can now see the ingredients listed on the labels of about 17,000 dietary supplements by looking them up on a website. The Dietary Supplement Label Database, free of charge and hosted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is available at www.dsld.nlm.nih.gov.
NIH Pain Consortium Announces Twitter Account
The NIH Pain Consortium, led by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, has launched a new Twitter account, @NIHPainResearch. The account will provide advocates, patients, researchers, healthcare providers and other interested parties with updated information on the NIH's pain-related activities, including information about the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee, the NIH Pain Consortium, the National Pain Strategic Plan and other pain policy and research-related activities.
Update on the Physician Scientist Workforce Workgroup and More at the Advisory Committee to the Director Meeting
The NIH Advisory Committee to the Director meeting was held June 13–14. Topics addressed included neuroscience research, the BRAIN Initiative, improvement of preclinical research reporting and design, the Big Data to Knowledge programs and the implementation of the Biomedical Research Workforce Initiative. The NIH Advisory Committee to the Director webpage has more information.
NIH Director's Blog
Crowdsourcing Therapeutic Molecules for Drug Discovery
Developing a drug takes time and money: on the average, around 14 years and $2 billion or more. More than 95 percent of the drugs fail during development. Even those that go all the way to large and expensive clinical trials in humans frequently don't make the cut—perhaps because they weren't quite as effective as they were supposed to be, had undesirable side effects or didn't align with the developer's business priorities. But some of these compounds may have surprising therapeutic properties that have not yet been fully exploited. It would be a wasted opportunity not to take another look at them and test them for effectiveness in other conditions.
Genome Exhibit Opens at Smithsonian
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the completion of the Human Genome Project—a 13-year endeavor that NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins had the privilege of leading—the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., is launching an absolutely fantastic exhibit called "Genome: Unlocking Life's Code."
Image credit: Sasan Azami-Soheily, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH
Other Federal News
Protect Yourself Against Tick-Borne Disease
Different kinds of ticks present in the U.S. may be infected with bacteria, viruses and parasites that can be transmitted to people and cause at least 10 diseases. While there are treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), prevention is the easiest, cheapest and most effective approach to combat these serious, sometimes fatal diseases.
Use Sunscreen Spray? Avoid Open Flame
In 2012, the FDA received reports of five separate incidents in which people wearing sunscreen spray near an open flame actually caught fire. Learn how to use sunscreen spray safely and avoid potential harm.
HHS Launches Health Insurance Marketplace Educational Tools
The Obama administration kicked off the Health Insurance Marketplace education effort with a new, consumer-focused HealthCare.govwebsite and the 24-hours-a-day consumer call center to help Americans prepare for open enrollment and ultimately sign up for private health insurance. The new tools will help Americans understand their choices and select the coverage that best suits their needs when open enrollment in the new Health Insurance Marketplace begins October 1.
Registry of Patient Registries Now Available Online
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) announced that the Registry of Patient Registries (RoPR), launched on December 1, 2012, is now available and is accepting registries. Sponsored by AHRQ, the RoPR is a database of existing patient registries that was designed with extensive stakeholder participation to promote collaboration, reduce redundancy, and improve transparency in registry-based research. For more information on how to list your registry in the RoPR, visit this website. In addition, a 1-hour informational webinar is scheduled for July 23, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. ET. The webinar will introduce the RoPR system and provide step-by-step instructions on listing a registry. Register for this webinar.
NIH Research Matters
NIH Research Matters is a review of NIH research from the Office of Communications and Public Liaison, Office of the Director, NIH.
BACH2 Helps Orchestrate the Immune Response
Scientists discovered how a gene called BACH2 may affect the development of multiple sclerosis, asthma, Crohn's disease, celiac disease and other allergic and autoimmune diseases.
NIH News in Health
Read practical health information in NIH News in Health, which is reviewed by the NIH's medical experts and is based on research conducted either by the NIH's own scientists or by its grantees at universities and medical schools around the country.
Healthy Movements: Your Body's Mechanics
Think about all the movements you do every day: walking, climbing stairs, typing, turning doorknobs and lifting. Your bones, muscles and joints all work together to make your body an amazingly movable machine. Like any machine, your body can suffer some wear and tear. It needs regular care and maintenance to keep moving with ease.
Human Microbiome Science: Vision for the Future
Research into the human microbiome and its relationship to human health and disease is expanding at a phenomenal rate. The time is right to assess the state of the science across this diverse field of many disciplines. This meeting has been organized to provide an overview of cutting-edge work in NIH-supported microbiome research and to identify both the obstacles to and opportunities for progress in this emerging area of biomedical research. This meeting was supported in part by an NIH grant to the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
July 24–26, 2013
Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center
5701 Marinelli Road
North Bethesda, Maryland 20852
Online Registration
NIH Science Lectures and Events Available via Internet
The NIH hosts a number of science seminars and events that are available online through real-time streaming video. You can watch an event at your convenience as an on-demand video or a downloadable podcast. Most events are available to all; a few are broadcast for the NIH or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and are marked as such. See additional details on events.
NIAMS Exhibit Schedule
The NIAMS exhibit is traveling to several events. See the schedule of health fairs and exhibits.
Image: The NIAMS Exhibit
NIAMS Announcements
Request for Information (RFI): Centers Evaluation Working Group Final Report
Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Cooperative Research Centers (U54)
Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Cooperative Research Centers (U54)
Letter of Intent Receipt Date: August 13, 2013
Application Receipt Date: September 13, 2013
Person-Centered Outcomes Research Resource (U2C)
Letter of Intent Receipt Date: August 26, 2013
Application Receipt Date: September 26, 2013
Research Grants Using the Resources From the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) (R01)
Letter of Intent Receipt Date: Not applicable
Application Receipt Dates: Standard dates apply
Research Grants Using the Resources From the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI)(R21)
Letter of Intent Receipt Date: Not applicable
Application Receipt Dates: Standard dates apply
Chronic Inflammation and Age-Related Disease (R01)
Letter of Intent Receipt Dates: Not applicable
Application Receipt Dates: Standard dates apply
Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) (S06)
Application Receipt Date: August 6, 2013
NIH Common Fund Initiative Announcements
Request for Information (RFI): Future Research Priorities for the Common Fund LINCS Program
Request for Information (RFI): Input on Administration of the NIH-Industry Pilot Program Discovering New Therapeutic Uses for Existing Molecules
Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for the NIH Health Care Systems Research Collaboratory - Demonstration Projects for Pragmatic Clinical Trials Focusing on Multiple Chronic Conditions (UH2/UH3)
Other Funding Announcements
PCORI, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Agree to Partner on Developing Study of Prevention of Falls Injuries in Older Adults
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and the NIA have announced a partnership to fund a large-scale, multi-year clinical trial on preventing injuries due to falls in non-institutionalized older individuals. The NIA will develop a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) that will contain the parameters and details of the study. The FOA is expected to be finalized in late July. On June 12, the NIA issued a Request for Information to gather insights from individual stakeholders and organizations involved in the care and well-being of older individuals.
PCORI Announces Engagement Awards Program
PCORI announced the Engagement Awards Program, a new funding initiative [PDF - 321 KB] designed to grow a national community of patients, clinicians, researchers and other healthcare stakeholders who will help advance patient-centered outcomes research.
Tobacco Control Regulatory Research (R21)
Letter of Intent Receipt Dates: December 15, 2013; May 17, 2014; and December 16, 2014
Application Receipt Dates: January 15, 2014; June 17, 2014; and January 16, 2015
Tobacco Control Regulatory Research (R01)
Letter of Intent Receipt Dates: December 15, 2013; May 17, 2014; and December 16, 2014
Application Receipt Dates: January 15, 2014; June 17, 2014; and January 16, 2015
Tobacco Control Regulatory Research (R03)
Letter of Intent Receipt Dates: December 15, 2013; May 17, 2014; and December 16, 2014
Application Receipt Dates: January 15, 2014; June 17, 2014; and January 16, 2015
Reissue PHS 2013-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, FDA and ACF for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44])
Letter of Intent Receipt Date: Not applicable
Application Receipt Dates: Standard dates apply
Reissue PHS 2013-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42])
Letter of Intent Receipt Date: Not applicable
Application Receipt Dates: Standard dates apply
Limited Competition: Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) Phase III - Transitional Centers [P30]
Letter of Intent Receipt Date: Not Applicable
Application Receipt Date: August 2, 2013
Notice of Correction to Application Instruction in PAR-13-219 "Developing and Improving Institutional Animal Resources (G20)"
HHS Reissues PHS 2013-02 SBIR and STTR Omnibus Grant Solicitations Implementing Venture Capital Provision and SBA Company Registry Requirement of the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011
Notice of Change in Application Due Date for RFA-OD-13-009 "Short Courses on Innovative Methodologies in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (R25)"
NIH to Require Use of Updated Electronic Application Forms for Due Dates on or After September 25, 2013
NIH Announces an Adjustment to Transition Timeline for Electronic Submission of Multi-Project Applications


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Lam Research Corporation Announces Participation at UBS Global Technology and Services Conference
A live webcast of the presentation will be available to the public and can be accessed from the Investors' section of Lam's website at www.lamresearch.com. A replay of the webcast will be available for two weeks after the presentation date.
Lam Research Corporation Contact:
Shanye HudsonDirector, Investor Relations phone: 510-572-4589 e-mail: Email Contact
News Provided by Acquire Media


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Empowering Excellence in Government through Great People.
We lead and serve the Federal Government in enterprise human resources management by delivering policies and services to achieve a trusted effective civilian workforce.
Find out more about Federal compensation throughout your career and around the world.
Staffing to align with your agency's mission
Review the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Handbook
Answering your questions about Healthcare and Insurance
"...The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall serve as the Suitability and Credentialing Agent..." ~Executive Order 13467, as amended
"...primary executive branch service provider for background investigations..." ~Executive Order 13467, as amended
OPM's Human Resources Solutions organization can help your agency answer this critically important question.
Developing senior leaders in the U.S. Government through Leadership for a Democratic Society, Custom Programs and Interagency Courses.
Visit this federal site to search for our regulatory notices, proposed and final rules.
See the latest tweets on our Twitter feed, like our Facebook pages, watch our YouTube videos, and page through our Flickr photos.
Washington, DC - The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced today that the average premium for the 8.2 million people covered by the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program will increase by 3.4 percent in 2013, which is lower than last year's increase of 3.8 percent. The average premium increase for the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) will be less than 1 percent. The average annual increase for FEHB premiums has steadily declined since 2009 when the average premium increase was 7.0 percent. There are no significant benefit changes for 2013.
On average, FEHB Program enrollees with self only coverage will pay $2.75 more per bi-weekly pay period, and enrollees with family coverage will pay $6.39 more. Premiums for Health Maintenance Organizations will increase an average of 5.3 percent, while Fee-for-Service plans will see an average increase of 3.0 percent.
"I am pleased that we were able to keep the average increase low again this year," said OPM Director John Berry. "It is important that we deliver competitive rates and benefits through an efficiently run program to attract and retain top-talent in the federal service. Once again, we successfully used our market leverage and previous years' experience to negotiate the lowest possible premium rates without sacrificing benefits."
The 2013 Open Season for health, dental, and vision insurance and flexible spending accounts will be held from November 12, 2012 to December 10, 2012. The annual Open Season gives federal employees and retirees the opportunity to review their health plan choices and make changes for the following year. It also allows eligible employees to enroll for coverage. FEHB Program enrollees should review the benefits and premiums for their health plan choices and decide what coverage will best fit their healthcare needs in the coming year.
Additionally, beginning on May 1, 2012, employees of eligible tribes and tribal organizations may now enroll for FEHB coverage. This will be the first regular Open Season enrollment period for tribes and tribal organization employees to make changes to their current health plans. Approximately 33 tribes with 3254 tribal employees are currently enrolled. During Open Season employees of participating tribes and tribal organizations may also stay with their current FEHB plan or select a new one.
Established in 1960, the FEHB Program is the largest employer-sponsored health benefits program in the United States. In 2013, employees, retirees, and their families will have 230 health plan choices. The government provides a weighted average contribution of 72 percent of premiums with a cap of no more than 75 percent of total premium cost. Approximately 90 percent of all federal employees participate in the Program.
For the more information on the premium rates, please see the Federal Benefits Open Season fact sheet.
For additional information, media should contact email@example.com.
OPM leads and serves the Federal Government in enterprise human resources management by delivering policies and services to achieve a trusted, effective civilian workforce. By Empowering Excellence in Government through Great People, we provide leadership and support to U.S. agencies on issues including human resources policy and oversight, background investigations, federal employee benefits, retirement services, guidance on labor-management relations, and programs to improve workforce performance. For more information, visit OPM.gov or follow OPM on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.


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The two-week paycheck is typically about $360, and can be vital to veterans raising families and juggling expenses.
"It's absolutely crucial," said Neal Boyd, an Army veteran who has two children, attends Danville Area Community College in Illinois and works for the VA in the school's career services office to help other veterans.
The VA work-study program lets them work an average of up to 25 hours a week on the VA payroll if they are full-time or three-quarter-time college students.
The program is separate from other GI Bill benefits such as tuition and textbook assistance and a housing allowance that varies by location. But veterans said those benefits don't cover all their expenses, and they need a job to make ends meet.
The veterans were paid a total of $25.7 million in fiscal year 2011 -- the most recent year for which statistics were available. They are paid the federal minimum wage, $7.25 an hour, or their state's minimum wage, whichever is higher.
The number of veterans in the program depends on the needs of their schools, and veterans qualify based on their financial need and other factors, the VA said. Veterans who want to join the program submit a contract to the VA for approval.
More than 10,000 veterans are in the VA work-study program nationwide, but it's difficult to pin down how widespread the paycheck delays are.
The VA said on average, the checks are issued less than a week after time cards are received by the VA, but acknowledged they have been delayed at a processing center in St. Louis, one of four nationwide, because of a heavy workload and the loss of three workers.
In a statement, the department said it hired more workers in St. Louis last month and now has six assigned to process work-study paper work. The St. Louis office cut the processing time for paychecks to five days, down from an average as high as 12 days in some months, the statement said.
The St. Louis office handles work-study time cards and contracts from 19 states, mostly in the Midwest.
The VA said it is investigating some individual cases and looking for other changes to speed up the checks. It said it wants to ensure that all veterans get their benefits on time.
Two Colorado veterans who queried VA work-study students in several states say they found that 48 percent said it usually takes two to four weeks to get their checks. Nearly 13 percent said more than a month.
The two veterans, Ashley Metcalf and Morgan Sforzini, said they were having problems getting paid and wondered whether other veterans were.
A total of 88 VA work-study students from 16 states answered their written questions. More than half were in states that submitted their time cards to the St. Louis office.
Veterans at the University of Colorado, Denver, keep score to see "who cannot get paid the longest," said Metcalf, an Air Force veteran who has a work-study job. The record is 90 days.
The veterans find various work-arounds when their checks are late, from getting emergency loans to temporarily getting on their college's payroll.
Loki Jones, an Army Special Forces veteran who served in Iraq, said he had to borrow money to pay his rent last spring because his work-study check was about three months late.
Jones, a student at the University of Colorado, Denver, said his contract was lost and then his time card was held up at least twice, once because he failed to initial parts of it.
"If I hadn't gotten that emergency loan, if that hadn't gone through, I would have gotten kicked out of my apartment for sure," he said.


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This is actually a story about myself (I usually don't toot my own horn, but who will?)
I started going to the gym this week and my trainer kicked my butt on legs Tuesday night. So last night my legs were screaming!! On my way to the gym, just as I was coming out of my court, I saw a dog running around in front yards dragging a leash. I stopped and looked for a person. Around the corner came an older gentleman with another dog on a leash. I rolled down my window and asked if the dog was his. I don't think he heard me, but I heard him calling to the dog.
I jumped out of my car, leaving the engine running and my door open, and started calling to the dog as she ran my direction. She was a young Pointer pup and FULL of energy! I chased her through bushes while the owner rested in one of the driveway's with the other dog. Finally I went to the man and he told me to start petting the dog he had control of (because the loose dog gets jealous). I did that and Stella (the Pointer pup) came up behind me. I quickly grabbed her leash.
I was so glad I was able to help this man. We live very close to a very busy street and she ran that direction a couple of times. I was so scared!
He was beside himself with this puppy. He said "I don't know what I'm going to do with this dog." But she is still a puppy. Oh, and as a side note, the other dog was a beautiful Aussie mix! :D
Anyway, I didn't even notice my sore legs while I was trying to save this dog. But when I got to the gym I had already got my heart rate elevated for the night. :)
And of course, after the fact, I thought of all the things I could have told the man. Like to get one of those leash splitters so he'd only have to hang on to one leash, or to take them to a dog park so Stella could run freely to release some of that energy. Maybe if I see him again I will do that.


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I know the feeling.
However, in typical Sparty fashion, I imagine that Bump would be more concerned about Michigan than his own team.
Four days until Arlington. Four days until Team 133 takes the field. It was very hard to keep my hand still long enough to draw this thing. Don't you just love that "last week of school before Christmas" feeling that kicks in right about now??
On Thursday Tom unveils his yearly opening day pregame ritual.
THE BLOCKHAMS™ runs (typically) every Tuesday here at MGoBlog,
and at least every Thursday on its official home page. Also, don't forget to
check out Friday Roughs, a spontaneous low-end comic based on trending
Michigan events, available on Twitter and Facebook every Friday.
Follow THE BLOCKHAMS™ on Twitter at @theblockhams, and don't forget to
LIKE THE BLOCKHAMS™ on Facebook at www.facebook.com/theblockhams
I know the feeling.
However, in typical Sparty fashion, I imagine that Bump would be more concerned about Michigan than his own team.
And hoping that Alabama beats us by more than they beat them in the Capital One bowl 2 years ago.
I empathize with SixZero's remark below the comic - it is very similar to that feeling of going into a holiday break. The days grow longer as the time draws nearer.
I like the thumbs-up gesture from Glenn, almost as if he is not only cognizant of the condition, but it is a source of tremendous pride. Great lead-in comic for game week.
Why does Bump have anticipation?
Cuz he's got nothing better to do? (Other than root for Bama that is...)
Are the wife-beaters another way the family is showing their support for the green sheep of the clan?


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Butterflies have a unique, four-stage life cycle. Their metamorphosis begins when a fertilized egg hatches into a small caterpillar. Caterpillars munch continually on food and grow larger seemingly by the hour. The caterpillar then molts into an inactive chrysalis stage, where it appears mummy-like. It is inside this waxy pupal case that the magical transformation into adulthood takes place. When the chrysalis opens, a wrinkled-winged butterfly emerges. After it finds a mate, the whole miraculous cycle begins again.
Attracting Butterflies
There are many practical ways to attract butterflies to your yard. First, plant nectar-producing flowers. They prefer plants with a multitude of tiny blossoms clustered together, such as Butterfly Bush, Pentas, and Lantana. Butterflies also appreciate Shasta Daisies, Cosmos, and other daisy-like blooms. It's good to plant species of various heights. Also, make sure you have flowers blooming during various stages of the season, to have the longest overall blooming season possible. Aside from flowers, you may have success attracting adult butterflies with a
nectar-filled butterfly feeder. Also, the larval (or caterpillar) stage of development requires plenty of host plants, such as milkweed and other leafy plants to chew. The more you provide, the better your chances of seeing butterflies later on.
Butterflies won't drink from deep rain barrels or ponds. They are often found lapping water in moist gravel along roads after rains. In the absence of rain, you can attract them by filling shallow pans with sand and top off with water. Or place stones on one side of a
birdbath, layering them up to the surface.
Since butterflies love to stay warm on rocks, it is a good idea to place garden stones or decorative rocks in your flower beds. These stones will retain heat, warming visiting butterflies even as the sun goes down.
If you have open, windy areas that border your flower gardens, you will need to create wind breaks with rows of flowering trees, shrubs, or evergreens. Otherwise, your property may be too windy for visiting butterflies. However, make sure the wind breaks aren't shading your flowering areas, as butterflies prefer full sun. A butterfly house can be a welcomed refuge for visiting butterflies.


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Venstar Slimline Programmable MultiStage Thermostat - T1900
About This Thermostat
|Yes (7 day)
|System Compatibility:
|Multi-Stage,Heat Pump
|Power Options:
|24 VAC Hardwire
|Heat/Cool Changeover:
|Automatic or Manual
|Programmable Fan:
|Temperature Limits:
|Keypad Lockout:
|Vacation Hold:
The Slimline Platinum Series offers the proven reliability and flexibility of Venstar thermostats. NOTE: 24V "common" wire to thermostat is required. This thermostat is not suitable for 2-wire, heat only applications.
The rich feature-set of this thermostat includes compatibility with many optional accessories. See below for more info!
- Programmable output
- Built in humidity module
- Can average with 1 remote sensor
- Dual fuel capable
- Reheat capable
- Dry contact equipped
- Drain pan alert ready
- Energy watch
- Energy-Star rated
- 7-day programmable
- 3-Heat/2-Cool
- 3 configurable outputs for maximum flexibility
- Controls to, or monitors a 2nd sensor
- 3-configurable outputs
- Hi/Low outdoor temps of the day (with optional remote sensor)
- Programmable fan
- Energy Save
- Energy-Star rated
- Heat pump compatible
- Backlit, color-coded keys and legends
- Large, easy to read backlit display
- Configurable programmable or non-programmable
- Configurable manual or auto changeover
- LED indicator glows green or red to indicate cooling or heating
- Service filter and UV light indicators
- Fahrenheit or Celsius display
- Non-volatile memory
- Keypad lock
- Approximate dimensions - 4.8" W X 4.5" H
- 1 Year Warranty
Guide to Optional Accessories with this thermostat:
P474-0401 Indoor Sensor Provides Read Only or "Control To" Indoor Temperature Reading. Can Also Average On-Board Sensor with One Remote Sensor
ACC0400 Outdoor Sensor Provides Read Only Outdoor Temperature Reading
ACC0414RF Wireless Temperature Sensor Provides Wireless Read Only Outdoor or Read Only or "Control To" Indoor Temperature Reading - Multiple Wireless Sensors Can Connect to the Reciever, Which Will Provide an Average for All of the Sensors. Used in Conjuntion With ACC0414REC Receiver
P374-0433 Comfort Call Remote Access Kit Provides Remote Access and Control via Standard Phone Line
P374-0431 Remote Control - allows for line-of-sight control of basic thermostat functions using handheld remote
Replaces: Totaline P374-1900
Reviewed by 2 customers
Sort by
- Easy To Adjust
- Easy To Install
- Intuitive Controls
- Oustanding Display
- Precise Controls
- Longer Warranty Preferred
Best Uses
- Dual Zone with 2-Stage
- Homes
Comments about Venstar Slimline Programmable MultiStage Thermostat - T1900:
We had the Carrier limited functionality versions of these but recently upgraded to 2-stage heating & cooling so we wanted FULL control. The displays on these are some of the best out there. All around perfect combination of control ability and ease of use. Fully programmable and easy to over-ride with a predictable return to the program schedule for maximum benefit. Can't recommend these enough! What else can one say?
- Does it all
- Easy To Adjust
- Easy To Install
- Intuitive Controls
- Precise Controls
- Maybe too many options
Best Uses
- Homes
Comments about Venstar Slimline Programmable MultiStage Thermostat - T1900:
I love this thermostat, which I've paired with the Telephone Interface System to control the temperature of a vacation cabin at 5000 ft near Tahoe. While the unit is very flexible (I just added a whole-house humidifier, which this thermostat controls), there's a lot of things you can program. I suspect many users will not get to adjust, or set, maybe 25-50% of them. But it's still an easy unit to install and program (at least in my experience).


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Want to remind yourself or a friend about this program? Fill out this simple form and klru will email you a reminder on the day that it will air.
Martha's Puppy / The Cheating Chum Caper
series: Martha Speaks
air date: 6/27/13 5:00 PM
Martha's Puppy - Martha feels it's high time to get a puppy, but the family disagrees. Even Jake knows that two dogs is plenty. With no other option, Martha sets out to do what any dog would: train a baby to become a puppy. Vocabulary: (E) destroy, mess, ruin, spotless, tear. The Cheating Chum Caper - Inspired by her favorite mystery novel, Heroic Helen is on the hunt for trouble. When she notices TD's grades have suddenly improved and spies him meeting secretly with Martha and Francois, things get personal. Has she uncovered a cheating scandal between her dog and her best friend? Vocabulary: (E) cheat, cram, quiz, tutor, drill.
WARNING: Email reminders for this program have already been sent out. Your reminder may not reach the intended address in time for this program's airing.
Back to TV Schedule


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Jul 27, 2009, 09:38 #1
- Join Date
- Dec 2006
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- Atlanta, GA
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Thumbnail from flv file without ffmpeg?
I've done some googling on the subject, but have yet to find a definitive answer, but is it possible to create a thumbnail from an flv file without installing ffmpeg on my server?
My hosting company doesn't want me to use ffmpeg on my server. The videos I upload will already be in flv format so I don't need to convert the videos, only dynamically create a thumbnail from the flv file.
Is it possible without ffmpeg?
Jul 27, 2009, 11:30 #2
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In a round about and cumbersome way, yes.
- in your video player actionscript, check for existence of a thumbnail for the relevant video
- if it doesn't exist, use BitmapData.draw to save a bitmap, then compress and transfer this to the server
- a server side script reconstitutes the bitmapdata to a jpg
The down side to this is that for every video the first ever viewer won't get a thumbnail.
Do a search on quasimondo.com for saving of bitmapdata for more info.
Jul 30, 2009, 16:22 #3
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So, I decided to switch to a host that has ffmpeg on their server after all...
Ok, so I know in the title it says WITHOUT using ffmpeg.
I've tried googling all day to find a way to make thumbs from an flv file with ffmpeg. I'm finding a lot of results, but haven't been able to successfully get any of the examples I've tried to work.
Does anyone here know how to ouput thumbnails on the fly from an flv file with ffmpeg or ffmpeg-php?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance


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Although he won't get to be part of the Bruins' revenge game in Philadelphia tonight, center Marc Savard might get to face the Tampa Bay Lightning or at worst the Toronto Maple Leafs from the sound of things.
Bruins head coach Claude Julien provided the media in Philadelphia with an update on Savard after Savard skated in an optional skate down there.
"He's become almost a day-to-day situation, with different reasons for holding him back," said the coach. "And I think that situation hopefully will come sooner than later. I think we're all looking forward to having him in our lineup and he's looking better and better every day."
The Bruins host the Lightning Thursday night and visit the Leafs Saturday. You can consider the "Savard Watch" in high gear now.


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Tour Overview
Letter from Dr. Bailey
March 2015 is your opportunity to experience an unforgettable journey in the land of the Bible during the perfect time of the year. Israel is beautiful in the spring!
From the waters of Galilee to the winding streets of Jerusalem, we will explore the land of Abraham, David, and Jesus. Our goal is to increase your understanding of the Word of God and to draw you closer to the God of the Word.
I am privileged to be leading this tour with my friend and colleague, Dr. Stephen Bramer, chairman of the DTS Bible Exposition department, and Dr. Charles Dyer, Professor-at-large of Bible at Moody Bible Institute. We have led numerous tours through Israel and we are thrilled to be together in this expedition that will bring the Scriptures to life.
We have carefully selected our land operator, bus company, and driver to ensure your comfort and safety throughout the trip. We will stay in some wonderful hotels in Israel. In short, this will be a tour characterized by the excellence you expect from Dallas Theological Seminary.
One final note-space is limited. Make your reservation today. This tour will be especially popular because we are offering an optional extension to the Red Sea and Jordan, which includes the city of Petra.
Come and join us!
With anticipation,
Mark L. Bailey, Ph.D.
President, Dallas Theological Seminary


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An idiot
by Anonymous October 02, 2003
The fun pole, meat stick, bang rod, hammer, throbbing man sword, love drill, joy stick, one eyed squirrel, pink snake, beef drill, purple headed yogurt slinger, scream machine, daddy's little monster, brother's oscar meyer fire engine, meat helmet, hooded warrior, stiff peter, the john thomas, wife's best friend, peercy, love rocket,the chairman of the board, man steak, cunt buster, hymen battering ram, f-14 tom cat, afvagistan tomahawk, purple steel, russel the love mussel, twig and berries, .38 special, bannana juice, spit launcher, caped crusader, 18 inch alabama black snake, ram rod, anal bloody mary maker, that thing you shove in a cunt, dick, the difference maker, man sausage, sweat bullet, 6 oz marbled rib eye, little slice of heaven, fishing pole, brown trout, pink eel, anal emanicpator, dragon, red rocket, purple headed warrior, saturday night surprise, that thing you love to hate, pleasure seeker, spanky, battle axe, man mellon, baby arm, pussy food, love stick, piston honda, teenage tear maker, pink cannoli stuffer, HBI Hot Beef Injection, the veiny bratwurst, the miracle maker, love cannon, glue shooter, man pipe, my number one employee, the defendant, the weasel, cock.
After i fed her seven 11 dollar martinis, i drove her home and showed her my fuck stick.
That kid is such a fuck stick
That kid is such a fuck stick
by shooooteh November 28, 2004
Our companies technology consultant is such a Fuck Stick.
by Anonymous November 20, 2002
A term used to describe a guy who you would normally call a dick or dick head, only funnier and more raw sounding. "Fuck Stick" helps drive the point home to make sure there is no misunderstanding about the distain you have for this particular dick head.
by C_Dog23 April 11, 2006
by Me June 26, 2004
A prototypical "look at me don't you think I am cool" dipshit with a shaved head, Oakley sunglasses, backwards black baseball cap, goatee, Hurley or Fox clothes who drives an obnoxiously lifted F-150 with an oversized No Fear or Fox sticker on the back window. Typically, these losers work in construction or some sort of manual labor job because they are too stupid to attend college. These tards are attention hogs who pull out every poser stop to get it by reminding everyone all the time how great they are, and constantly out-buying friends and neighbors for the best dirt bike, quad or toy hauler. They spend countless weekends drunk at the "river" or in the "sands" but when it comes to real sports these fat bellied dolts can't even hit a ball out of the infield. They can be seen sporting one or more tattoos written in old English script while ethnic versions of these idiots sport an iron cross logo completely clueless to the original meaning. They will generally refer to you as bro and or boss and treat everyone as if trying to sell them a used car.
There goes Mr. FOX Racing. That fuckstick is doing 60 down a residental street in his lame-ass F-150 blasting rap music.
by Malarrya March 17, 2008
annoying coworker or person that takes no responsibility for their actions, when they do something stupid, you say "what did the fuck stick do now?"
by Edward the One March 19, 2008


text:
Item selling :32G iPod Touch
Price :$250 or b/o
Payment Option :Paypal
Rating the item :10/10
Description :I am selling my 32G so I can get a 64G Ipod touch. Look at the pics for yourself. rate condition 10/10, no scratches on Screen or anywhere else. 3rd Gen, wifi, bluetooth..great device.
Shipping information :2-3day priority shipping ptbd upon zip
Contact me @ email@example.com


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Aboriginal communities in Ontario's far north are becoming increasingly isolated as rising temperatures melt their winter route to the outside world and impede their access to supplies.
TORONTO Aboriginal communities in Ontario's far north are becoming increasingly isolated as rising temperatures melt their winter route to the outside world and impede their access to supplies.
"The ice doesn't have its solid blue color any more," said Stan Beardy, the grand chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which represents Ontario's remote First Nations. "It's more like Styrofoam now, really brittle."
"With the toxic waste moving north, and global warming, we don't have that solid ice anymore, and that's why we have problems with winter roads when it's mild."
The 34 First Nations reservations, scattered in boreal forest across northern Ontario, are accessible only by plane for much of the year.
During the coldest months between January and March, "winter roads" are cleared on the frozen network of rivers and lakes to let trucks deliver bulk supplies like fuel and building materials.
But average temperatures have warmed over the past decade, weakening the ice and shrinking the bulk-shipping season by several weeks, aboriginals say.
Beardy said the communities he represents have lost up to a month of heavy trucking time "because one or two degrees really makes a big difference" to the tenacity of the icy route.
About 20,000 status Indians live in the remote reservations and rely on winter shipments of heating oil, gasoline, and diesel fuel to power generating stations. The fragile ice has forced them to hire more trucks to carry lighter loads.
In the past 60 years, regional temperatures have increased by an average of 0.8 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) in the winter, and by 1.3 degrees Celsius in spring, according to Environment Canada, a federal government body.
That change has been more pronounced in the far north, where average winter temperatures have jumped 4.4 degrees Celsius over the same time.
Indeed, warming has speeded up since 1998, after which temperatures in Canada have consistently been "above-normal," said Bob Whitewood, a climatologist at Environment Canada.
Sea ice in Hudson Bay, Ontario's north shore, thaws and breaks up a week earlier every ten years.
"The changes in temperature are reflective of changes we're seeing globally," Whitewood said. "They are also in keeping with what we would expect with climate change -- a greater warming in winter temperatures and in the Arctic areas."
The crimped duration of icing has added a sense of urgency to the communities' bulk-shipping period.
"Once the hauling season opens there's a mad rush, 24 hours, because you might only have four or five weeks," Beardy said.
Source: Reuters
Contact Info:


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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (courtesy Rhode Island College) -Senior guard Tahrike Carter (Brooklyn, NY) tallied a game-high 13 points to go along with seven rebounds and three assists, while sophomore forward Chris Burton (New Rochelle, NY) added 10 points, six rebounds, four blocks and three steals, as the Rhode Island College men's basketball team knocked off Brandeis University, 48-46, in non-conference action on Saturday afternoon at The Murray Center.
In what proved to be a low-scoring, defensive-minded affair, both squads went back and forth throughout a first half that featured three ties and four lead changes. After Rhode Island College (2-0) took a 22-20 lead into halftime, the Anchormen stormed out of the break to go ahead by seven, spearheaded by a three-pointer from junior guard Tom DeCiantis (North Kingstown, RI) at the 17:17 mark.
Brandeis (0-1) rallied back on several occasions in the early stages of the second half to cut the deficit to as little as three, but RIC again surged ahead of the Judges to take an 11-point lead on a deep trey from junior guard Michael Palumbo (Providence, RI) with 9:26 left to play. Moments later, the Anchormen took a 12-point lead, their largest of the game, thanks to a three-pointer from Carter with 8:29 on the clock that made it, 40-28.
Despite trailing by double-digits with five minutes remaining in the game, Brandeis continued to chip away at the deficit and eventually cut the margin to four after junior guard Ben Bartoldus (Hillsborough, N.H./Proctor Acad.) converted a layup attempt with 1:15 left to play. Following a costly RIC turnover, the Judges cut the deficit to two with just 44 seconds on the clock after a basket in the paint from junior forward Alex Stoyle (Goffstown, N.H./Tilton School).
With his team clinging to a two-point lead, Carter converted a pair of free throws with 18 seconds left to give RIC a 47-43 lead. However, junior guard Derek Retos (North Attleboro, Mass./Brimmer and May School) nailed an acrobatic, fade-away three-pointer from the baseline with just five seconds left to pull the Judges within one.
Brandeis quickly fouled junior guard Nyheem Sanders (Pawtucket, RI) on the ensuing inbound, sending him to the free throw line with 2.7 seconds left on the clock. Sanders drained the first shot but missed the second one, giving the Judges one last chance for a half-court heave after they corralled the rebound and immediately called a timeout.
Trailing by two with just two seconds on the clock, Brandeis junior guard Gabriel Moton (St. Petersburg, Fla./St. Petersburg) - a transfer from Boston College - gathered the inbound pass, dribbled past half-court, and fired a long, two-handed shot that caromed off the rim and narrowly missed giving Brandeis a miraculous victory.
DeCiantis chipped in with eight points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals to help lead the Anchormen to victory, while Sanders and freshman center Mike Neal (Pawtucket, RI) recorded six points apiece.
Junior center Youri Dascy (Fall River, Mass./St. Andrews, R.I.) led Brandeis with nine points, three assists and three steals, while Retos added eight points, five boards, two assists and two steals. Bartoldus registered eight points and three rebounds, while Moton corralled a game-high eight rebounds to go along with five points, six assists and a pair of steals.
Brandeis shot 41 percent from the field (17-for-42) and 33 percent (5-for-15) from beyond the arc, while Rhode Island College shot just 30 percent from the floor (16-for-53) and 22 percent from downtown (5-for-23). However, the Anchormen owned the turnover battle on Saturday, as the Judges coughed up the ball 22 times, compared to just 13 turnovers for RIC.
In upcoming action, Rhode Island College will host Bridgewater State on Tuesday, Nov. 20 (7:30 p.m.).


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Saturday's hockey showdown between the U.S. and Russia was one of the most anticipated events of the Winter Olympics, and it more than delivered.
It was certainly the biggest highlight of day 8 in Sochi.
There were other shining moments as well, including a bronze for an American skeleton athlete.
But while Saturday was big for the U.S., it was even better for the host Russians, who have moved ahead in the medal race.
Here are some of the day's big developments.
America's shootout thriller
Every time the U.S. hockey team plays the Russians, comparisons are made to the Americans' "Miracle on Ice" upset of the Soviet Union in Lake Placid 34 years ago.
This time was no different. While the stakes weren't as high — Saturday's game was part of the preliminary round, not the medal round — the game was fraught with tension, both for the Russians, who see hockey as a pillar of Olympic success, and the Americans, who are out to prove themselves in a highly competitive field.
Saturday's game was taut, physical and fast, and ended regulation in a 2-2 tie. No one scored in overtime. That forced the rivals into a shootout that lasted eight rounds, ending with a goal by U.S. forward T.J. Oshie.
The 3-2 win puts America in position for a higher seeding in the medal round, but won't hurt the Russians too much. They'll likely earn a high seed as well. The two teams could end up meeting again.
Glory and defeat for skeleton friends
Matt Antoine and John Daly are American skeleton athletes, old friends and Sochi roommates — and, on Saturday, rivals for a medal.
After the third heat on Saturday, they were separated by 0.04 seconds.
Then they went separate ways.
Antoine won bronze with a final run of 56.73 seconds and a four-run total of 3 minutes, 47.26 seconds, behind Alexander Tretiakov of Russia (3:44.29) and Latvia's Martins Dukurs (3:45.10). It was the first U.S. medal in the sport since 2002.
Daly, meanwhile, lost his composure. Just after the start of his final run, he lost control of his sled. He finished the run, but his chance at the podium was long gone.
Daly hung his head in his hands.
Old suits, same results
Much of Friday was spent discussing whether the Americans' sudden failure to win medals in speedskating had something to do with their newly designed suits.
On Saturday, the Americans went back to their previous suits. But they still failed to reach the podium.
The best American performance in the men's 1,500m was Brian Hansen's 7th-place finish. American star Shani Davis continued to disappoint, finishing 11th.
"You start questioning if you've still got what it takes," Shani Davis said, according to NBC Olympics.
U.S. coach Matthew Kooreman perhaps summed it up best: "There's no excuses anymore."
Curling woes
America's curling team didn't head into the Sochi Games with high expectations, so their poor performance doesn't come as much of a surprise.
The American women (1-6) have been mathematically eliminated from medal contention.
They came in last in Vancouver four years ago.
The men aren't doing much better.
They're in sixth place at 2-4.
Russia's big day
Russia, the host of the Winter Olympics, is enjoying a mid-Games surge in the medal standings.
With Tretiakov's gold in skeleton, and another gold and a silver in the men's 1,000m short track speed skating, Russia won the most medals on Saturday.
That gives them 15 medals overall, enough to top the standings.
The Netherlands is in second with 14 medals, including four golds and four silvers.
The U.S. is third with 14 medals, including four golds and three silvers.


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Radio personality and chef Evan Kleiman closed her beloved Melrose Avenue restaurant, Angeli Caffe, last year after 27 years in business. The Hollywood trattoria opened in 1984 and was a pioneer of stripped-down Italian cuisine. It was a neighborhood fan favorite from the start, even when Kleiman's fans weren't from the neighborhood.
Now Kleiman, the host of KCRW's "Good Food," is bringing back some of her hit Angeli dishes at a pop-up this month at Tiago. She's crowd-sourcing the menu and will tally up the requests she has been receiving on Facebook and Twitter. And there are a lot of requests.
Here are some of them so far:
- Your gnocchi is a must!!!!!! Tried to make it from the cookbook but you have the magic touch.
- That roasted garlicky carrot dish.
- The balsamic chicken salad and if the season is right, panzanella.
- Roasted chicken.
- Halibut.
- The beet gnocchi, please.
- I'm hyperventilating!! Bread, veg lasagna, beet anything!
- Suppli please oh please!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Beignets with fresh rhubarb jam.
- My husband would kill for your pork chops.
- Pizza and/or gnocchi. And the burrata salad with peaches special was amazing.
- Your bread!
- Gnocchi!!!!! My partner and I DREAM of the gnocchi....
- The bread! The gnocchi! The chicken piccata! ... Don't use Twitter. I don't use it. We miss you so much!
- Scarmorza alla griglia -- with some of that wonderful bread.
- Long cooked green beans with tomato. Lasagna Angeli. Fresh corn risotto ... and torta di ciocolatto!
If you want in on the action and to make sure she considers your request, submit your dishes to her Facebook page or Twitter. (You probably don't, but if you need a refresher, the Angeli Caffe website -- with menu -- is still online.) The four-day pop-up takes place April 18 to 21 at Tiago Espresso Bar + Kitchen in Hollywood, organized by This Is Not a Pop-Up. The cost is $50 and reservations are available online at www.thisisnotapopup.com.