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WASHINGTON — President Obama spoke in deeply personal and revealing terms about the nation's racial divides on Friday afternoon, moved by the acquittal and resulting controversy in the Trayvon Martin murder case to comment publicly on a subject he had conspicuously avoided during his first term as president.
Speaking without notes or a teleprompter in a surprise appearance in the White House press room, the president highlighted what he called the lingering racial tensions in American life and called on citizens to do some "soul-searching'' about their attitudes.
"Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago," Obama said. "And when you think about why, in the African-American community at least, there's a lot of pain around what happened here, I think it's important to recognize that the African-American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that doesn't go away."
It was a remarkable commentary by the nation's first black president, giving his most extensive remarks on race, on the nation's racial history, about the incarceration rate of young black males, and about controversial "Stand Your Ground" laws.
He explained his own experiences with bias and racial profiling, and sought to explain to the nation why the black community was so outraged over a Florida jury's decision to acquit George Zimmerman last week in Martin's killing.
"There are very few African-American men in this country who haven't had the experience of being followed when they were shopping in a department store. That includes me,'' the president said. "There are very few African-American men who haven't had the experience of walking across the street and hearing the locks click on the doors of cars. That happens to me — at least before I was a senator. There are very few African-Americans who haven't had the experience of getting on an elevator and a woman clutching her purse nervously and holding her breath until she had a chance to get off. That happens often.''
Zimmerman was found not guilty Saturday of killing Martin in February 2012 during a confrontation in Sanford, Fla. Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, said he was trying to protect his neighbors from a perceived threat when he saw Martin, who was walking nearby wearing a black hooded sweatshirt.
Zimmerman followed the teenager. And then, during an altercation between the two, he fired shots that killed Martin, who was unarmed and carrying little more than a packet of Skittles. Zimmerman said afterwards he fired because he felt his life was at risk. Stand Your Ground laws vary by state, but generally allow a victim to fight back if they feel threatened.
Obama had expressed an interest in the case from the beginning. Shortly after the incident gained national attention, he remarked from the White House Rose Garden that, had he had a son, he would have looked like Martin.
On Sunday, the day after the verdict, Obama issued a written statement, and he continued talking about it in the following days with friends and family, according to a White House official.
On Thursday, the president told his senior staff he wanted to speak out publicly. Not in a television interview or a speech, but simply speaking "from the heart" before the cameras. So he entered the White House briefing room when reporters were awaiting press secretary Jay Carney on a sleepy Friday afternoon.
Obama said the black community is "not naive" and realizes "that they're disproportionately both victims and perpetrators of violence." They also realize that statistically, Martin was more likely to be shot by a black peer than anyone else.
But the African-American community is frustrated, Obama said, by being painted with such a broad brush.
"And that all contributes, I think, to a sense that if a white male teen was involved in the same kind of scenario, that, from top to bottom, both the outcome and the aftermath might have been different," he said.
'There are very few African-American men in this country who haven't had the experience of being followed when they were shopping in a department store.' 'Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago.'
Obama has spoken about race previously. In 2008, under criticism for the comments of his pastor Jeremiah Wright, he gave a speech in Philadelphia addressing the topic. A few months after being elected, he commented at a White House press conference that police in Cambridge, Mass., "acted stupidly" when they arrested Henry Louis "Skip" Gates Jr., who had broken into his own home.
Obama later apologized for his comments and invited both Gates and Cambridge Police Sergeant James Crowley to the White House for a "beer summit."
But his comments on Friday were far more personal and extensive than his previous statements on race since he was elected.
"This is one of the strongest, if not the strongest, statement that I've seen him make, at all, in the more than quarter of a century of knowing him," said Charles J. Ogletree, who was Obama's professor at Harvard Law School. "This will go down as one of his most dramatic, comprehensive, and perhaps even controversial statements on race that we have seen him make in his entire career."
Obama's comments were praised by both the Zimmerman and Martin families.
"President Obama sees himself in Trayvon and identifies with him. This is a beautiful tribute to our boy," Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, said in a statement.
Robert Zimmerman Jr., the brother of the man who was acquitted in Martin's killing, said on Fox News that he was glad Obama spoke out about the case.
"I think the president was speaking off the cuff, and I think he was very sincere in his remarks," Robert Zimmerman said. "My concern is that . . . we do everything we can for children who are having difficulties — and I really see eye to eye with the president on that — difficulties in life."
Obama spoke quietly at times, with long silent pauses punctuating his 19 minutes at the podium. He did not take questions.
He called for a review of the Stand Your Ground laws, which have been implemented in more than 20 states.
"For those who resist that idea that we should think about something like these 'Stand your Ground' laws, I'd just ask people to consider, if Trayvon Martin was of age and armed, could he have stood his ground on that sidewalk?" Obama said . "And do we actually think that he would have been justified in shooting Mr. Zimmerman, who had followed him in a car, because he felt threatened?"
As he ended his remarks, Obama referenced his two daughters, saying their generation is better adept at handling racial issues.
"We should also have confidence that kids these days, I think, have more sense than we did back then, and certainly more than our parents did or our grandparents did," Obama said. "And along this long journey, we're becoming a more perfect union. Not a perfect union, but a more perfect union."Matt Viser can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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This will all be overseen by the secret world government from their underground lair.
O tempora! O mores!
What do they got to hide?
So damn silly. Fuck them.
You need to find another way of neutralizing it.
We all know the rule of law has broken down completely. I admire their approach, but we need to be realistic. Its the end of the road for our current way of life.
We're all just waiting for this to really kick in and its not going to be pretty when it does.
Defeatist attitude will certainly not help any of us one bit. If the current system is not working, one would think getting out of your seat and working for a replacement would be the obvious choice - leaning back on the couch is what got us in this mess to begin with.
Is about dynamics. Add heat to a system and you should think that particles should move faster, and even if some of them move slower, should be very few and not able to be noticed in the big trend. While you have a culture where the ultimate goods are money and power the trends just go in one direction. And the power is accumulated enough to reach the critical mass to avoid any kind of potential threat, with worldwide surveillance and more active methods [rt.com].
Could be hope in changing the global culture, but th
We all know the rule of law has broken down completely. I admire their approach, but we need to be realistic. Its the end of the road for our current way of life.
We're all just waiting for this to really kick in and its not going to be pretty when it does.
Now, we don't know that the rule of law has truly broken down. We're just not allowed to see what the laws are.
Today we're all into asymmetric warfare. Terrorists cannot muster large armies, so they sneak-attack civilians. Governments amass detailed and indiscriminate information on citizens, but object if anyone else is allowed any information.
The UK where Justice must never be seen, and preferably not done.
I guess that governments value their privacy as well.
Like when the world is being spied upon. That is an American matter.
But when you spy on diplomats. Suddenly Obama gets phone calls.
a secret court that gives secret permissions investigating disputes in secret, and the issue is about other peoples secrets being violated by secret powers.
it's getting pretty hard to argue that any democratic principles are being upheld...
the problem is obviously that the secret organizations included in this could blackmail people in secret if they wanted to, they could do number of things in secret. even fabricate secrets in secret meetings, to demand secret actions. because of the total lack of transpar
"The very word "secrecy" is repugnant in a free and open society; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths and to secret proceedings. [...] there is little value in opposing the threat of a closed society by imitating its arbitrary restrictions. Even today, there is little value in insuring the survival of our nation if our traditions do not survive with it." - JFK
Jeesh! He dared to actually SAY that? No wonder he was shot...
If you read the complete original quote [wikiquote.org] it is clear that his meaning was more nuanced than it appears in those selected lines.
You left out some of that quote [wikiquote.org], including the clarifying sentence in the middle of the two you quoted, and a meaningful bit at the end:
We decided long ago that the dangers of excessive and unwarranted concealment of pertinent facts far outweighed the dangers which are cited to justify it. Even today
And no official of my Administration, whether his rank is high or low, civilian or military, should interpret my words here tonight as an excuse to censor the news, to stifle dissent, to cover up our mistakes or to withhold from the press and the public the facts they deserve to know.
JFK wasn't stating there should be no secrets, but that keeping them should be well justified. I don't think his administration published American war plans, nuclear force readiness reports, or the encryption keys for military and diplomatic communications, for example.
Too many people here are distorting history and mangling quotes to try to justify the extremist position
Quotes/sound bites are by their very nature distortions. However, they also distill the essence of a more nuanced but longer expression, or they aren't quotes, they're mis-quotes.
there is little value in opposing the threat of a closed society by imitating its arbitrary restrictions. Even today, there is little value in insuring the survival of our nation if our traditions do not survive with it
Or, if you prefer something pithier and more immediate:
We have met the enemy and he is us - Pogo
Which actually was used in reference to pollution in the particular book I have, although it applies well to many things, and I think actually was used more than once even in the original comic for different purposes.
Any democracy that possesses an army is a paradox, because an
No need to reopen it. This IS the star chamber.
Not quite, this pretends to be a legitimate part of a free society. The Star Chamber knew exactly what it was and wasn't ashamed of that.
No, I don't think you want that, and the The Investigatory Powers Tribunal [ipt-uk.com] is clearly not the Star Chamber [wikipedia.org]
The Star Chamber tried British subjects, powerful ones that might otherwise escape justice at the beginning. The Investigatory Powers Tribunal is essentially a complaint resolution mechanism [ipt-uk.com] for complaints regarding government actions.
If you dislike the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, a new Star Chamber would be far worse since it could come after you.
The revolution is coming. any day now. really. Yes. Now could be a good time. well ???
Too early. Give it a few years.
We need more people in the countries' "middle management" to realize that it's time for a change. We want a GDR 1989, not a GDR 1953.
I'm surprised you are aiming so low. I would have thought you could have at least shot for the Federal Republic of Germany if you are going the German route.
So, exactly which countries are you thinking about for revolution?
I think it should be a broad principle that such secret courts should never exist in a democratic society.
Another broad principle is that undocumented work shouldn't be paid for.
If they can't prove that they didn't spend the time in an orgy of tea and cookies then it should be counted as vacation time.
I think it was oh 8 months ago or so, I made a comment about how the UK was no longer adhering to the basic tenets of democracy and have basically thrown the shitter, and then burning it. I got modded down, flamed, and people said I was full of shit then. Yeah well, I guess I was right then as much as I was right now. Get's worse of course, that the UK is blocking people who might offend the "violent minority" and in turn speaking the truth isn't conducive to the public good.
The most oppressive and dangerous dystopia inhabited by most people here is the one between their ears.
UK government access to Privacy
Should that be "access to PRISM"?
"Privacy's challenge must be heard by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, which hears cases in secret and is under no obligation to explain or justify its verdicts."
Otherwise known as "The Court of Star Chamber".
"How many teamsters does it take to screw in a light bulb?" "FIFTEEN!! YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT?"

subset: commoncrawl


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Review: An overclocked card with IceQ 4+ cooling
Today we remind ourselves of why Radeon HD 4870 cards are as popular as they are in the gaming community. Our weapon of choice is 4870 IceQ 4+ Turbo graphics card kindly provided by HIS.
We see that the card's name contains IceQ 4+, which means that the card comes with this famous HIS's cooler. In our book, IceQ spells great cooling that we've grown to love, but IceQ 4+ is a new and improved version, and we'll soon find out how improved exactly.
As far as memory is concerned, HIS HD 4870 IceQ 4+ is a beast. You'll find 1GB of GDDR5 memory running at 1000MHz or 4000MHz effectively. These cards initially packed 512MB, but 1GB versions came about as an answer to Nvidia's Geforce GTX 260 cards.
The additional memory wasn't so important until DirectX 10 came around, but newer games coupled with high monitor resolutions have a tendency to eat up graphics cards' frame buffers, and it's exactly those scenarios where we see 1GB cards dominating the 512MB versions. We of course, don't expect you to take just our word for it, and we'll soon prove our claims with our extensive testing.
GDDR5 memory offers twice the bandwidth per pin at same clocks, compared to GDDR3/4 memory. This means that 512-bit GDDR3 card features the same bandwidth as 256-bit GDDR5 cards, provided they're both running at same clocks of course. While HD 4870 uses GDDR5 memory at 900MHz and has a 115.2GB/s bandwidth, Radeon HD 4850's GDDR3 memory at 993MHz will provide 63.6GB/s.
Both aforementioned HD 4800 cards use a 256-bit memory bus, but thanks to HD 4870's GDDR5 memory, this card holds its own nicely even when put up against the GTX 260, which features a 448-bit memory bus. The GTX 280 features a 512-bit memory bus and a bandwidth of 141GB/s, whereas GTX 260's bandwidth totals at 111.9GB/s. HIS card's memory is overclocked to 1000MHz and it scores a bandwidth of 128GB/s.
Now we'll say something about HIS HD 4870 IceQ4+ Turbo's overclocked core, which runas at 770MHz compared to reference 750MHz. Although IceQ 4+ packs some serious performance, HIS didn't overclock the card by much. After we finished our overclocking tests, it dawned on us as to why this is so, as the maximum stable clock we achieved was 808MHz. HIS was fair and didn't go overboard with their overclocking. However, even at 770MHz and the memory at 1000MHz (4000MHz effectively) this card is capable of running all the latest games.
Radeon HD 4870 uses the RV770 graphics processor, built in 55nm process. It has 800 shader processors at its disposal, which is 2.5x more than found in previous, HD 3800 generation. The same goes for texture units as the card has 40 (HD 3800 had only 16). You can find the rest of the important specs on the GPUZ picture below.
HIS card's dual slot cooling is more efficient that reference, but we must admit that we expected it to be quieter. The fan won't be as loud if you manually slow it down; otherwise the speed is dynamically altered and gets quite loud. Unfortunately, this is not only the case when the card is under a workload, as the card is louder than the reference version in idle mode too. On the other hand, HIS card runs 25°C cooler than reference, which although nice, we'd still sacrifice a couple of degrees in order to enjoy the silence. As we've already said, regulating the fan's rpm can be done manually without any problems whatsoever.
ATI Catalyst Control Center features an integrated overclocking tool called Overdrive, but you can use it to control the fan as well. That is the central point where you'll be able to check the graphics card's temperatures or increase the clocks. Unfortunately, Overdrive will let you increase the core to a maximum of 790MHz – 40MHz higher than reference, whereas RivaTuner will let you overclock even higher.
We increased the clocks using the Overdrive tool, and we had no trouble in reaching the maximum allowed 790MHz core and 1100MHz memory, but using RivaTuner allowed us speeds of up to 808MHz. In order to protect the core, each time we'd set higher clocks, the engine would revert the clocks to default 770MHz.
In HIS's predefined operation mode, the fan in idle mode runs at 39% speed, about 2300 rpm. This is a powerful fan with UV color (the card glows blue when exposed to UV rays) capable of running at maximum 5700 rpm. We tried to make it inaudible, which required the fan to run at 33% speed, 1688 rpm. Note that maximum of 5700 rpm in idle mode will rapidly lower temperatures to below 40 degrees Celsius.
We measured the following temperatures (leaving the fan at HIS default settings): during operation the temperatures hit up to 63 °C (reference card up to 89°C), but the card ran too loud for us. Idle temperatures linger around 49°C, but you can sacrifice the temperatures to get some silence, which we achieved by lowering the rpm to 33% and temperatures hit 55 degrees. The quieter fan results in workload temperatures of 80°C, but we still preferred it over the loud operation with temperatures at 63°C.
The cooler does a good job and pushes the air out of the case, thus keeping other components cooler. The fan is located at the back and blows trough the aluminum heatsink towards the exit, which is the I/O panel of the card.
The new IceQ4+ cooler features a larger copper surface than found on previous models, and we see that the memory touches the cooler as well. The efficiency was improved by using wider heatpipes, which are now 8mm in diameter, compared to the previous 6mm.
HIS used the same memory seen on reference cards. HD 4870 IceQ 4+ Turbo features a 1GB/256-bit high-speed GDDR5 memory, which touches the cooler. The memory in question is Qimonda IDGV1G-05A1F1C-40X, where 40X stands for 4.0 Gbps per pin.
Powering the HD4870 card is done via two 6-pin PCI-Express power connectors located towards the end of the card.
The back of the card is not nearly as interesting, but here it is.
All the HD 4xxx cards provide 7.1 sound, thanks to Realtek's HD Audio processor integrated into the GPU silicone. There's no need for additional cables when you want to bring both audio and video via one HDMI cable, which is the case with Geforce cards. HDMI is possible using the provided DVI-to-HDMI dongle. The outs feature two gold-plated dual-link DVI outs and an S-Video out.
HD 4870 IceQ 4+ Turbo comes in small but sturdy packaging. You'll find some basic info written on the box, such as the 770MHz clock.
The box contains basic stuff - nothing else.
You'll get a DVI-to-HDMI converter, DVI-to-VGA converter, Molex-to-PCI-E cable, Crossfire Bridge, a short installation manual, a HIS sticker, the driver CD and the graphics card.
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Do you not have hot water anywhere in your home?If you do have hot water in the kitchen sink (or even warm water), I'd say what about a 15-minute hot-water soak with OxyClean or other oxygen bleach. Then dump the whole bucket into the washing machine, add the other clothes, and launder in cold. You don't need as much hot water, and the OxyClean will work on the odor (I think).
I wear compression hosiery knee socks every day, in clogs, and they get smelly as hell. Foot odor supreme...I also put Gold Bond foot powder in the clogs, which helps a little bit, but I really need a good way to reduce the smell in/on the stockings themselves, as they are world class awful after a few hours, regardless of how clean my actual foot is.
Try adding baking soda - cheapest alternative I know of.
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North Design Suite
3D Layout
North VPP & Hull VPP
Virtual Wind Tunnel
Race Model
Sail Performance Prediction - SPP
Hull Data
Sail Compare
How the Modules Work Together
Design Resources
3DL Technology
3DL Styles
3D vs 2D
How is 3DL Made?
3DL Manufacturing Facts
History of 3DL
Under the 3DL Microscope
3DL for Small Boats
Technology Videos
Sail Cloth & Laminate Testing
UV Testing
3Di Q&A
3Di Explained
North Better by Design Video
North Sails 3DL Video
Designing State-of-Art One Design Sails
What is 3Di?
3Di™ is a unique, patented sailmaking technology that allows laminated sails to approach the balanced loadbearing and shapeholding of a rigid airfoil. In simplified technical terms, 3Di is a flexible composite membrane built from pre-impregnated spread filament tapes applied in multiple axes and thermo-formed on a 3D (3DL) mold.
What is a spread filament tape?
What we think of as an individual yarn or fiber in a sail is in fact a bundle of very small filaments, each less than the diameter of a human hair.
A spread filament tape is an individual filament bundle (yarn) that has been spread out until the individual filaments lie sideby- side, forming an ultra-thin "tape" that is then combined with adhesive and applied to a paper backer. Shown here is a pre-preg carbon/UHMWPE (Spectra/Dyneema) spread filament tape approx. 35 microns thick.
How is a 3Di sail made?
The illustration below shows how the ultra-thin spread filament tapes are arranged in layers and then thermomolded into a sail. Each color represent a different ply (layer ) comprised of filament tape(s). The tapes can be any length and oriented in any direction, allowing unprecedented precision in matching sail structure to predicted loads in the sail. Note that all reinforcements in a 3Di sail (blue layers) are applied as an integral (internal) part of the sail laminate. Also note what is not shown... FILM. Because filament tapes make up the entire surface of the sail, film is not needed to form the laminate.
With 3Di technology, designers have such precise control over the disposition and orientation of material within the sail, they can come far closer to achieving the holy grail of sailmaking... BALANCED RESISTANCE TO DISTORTION IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
Balanced distortion resistance?
Sail distortion of any type — stretch, compression, shear or shrink — has a negative effect on sail performance. Most sails concentrate on resisting loads in the stretch (tension) direction. But if you also restrict a material's ability to compress in the nonload, or bias direction (see illustration), you concurrently enhance resistance to stretch in the loaded direction. We call this "balanced distortion resistance." Balancing resistance to both stretch
and compression
means less change in sail shape as the boat moves through waves and changing wind pressures.
This is why we call 3Di "airfoil technology." It comes closer to matching the performance of a rigid airfoil than any other sailmaking technology.
How are spread filament tapes made?
Spread filament tapes, the foundation of 3Di, are produced on North's own "pregger", a machine that spreads yarns into an ultra-thin layer of individual filaments, coats those filaments with adhesive and adds a backer.
1. The yarns* are drawn from a creel through bullet boards to keep them organized as they are fed into the "pregger" unit.
*UHMWPE (Spectra/Dyneema) yarns shown
2. In the pregger, the individual yarns are spread into a wide array of single filaments, merged with adhesive and applied to a paper carrier.
3. The spread filament array, adhesive and paper backer then travel through a 10-meter drying ramp where solvents are burned off and fumes evacuated. At the end of the ramp, the spread filament array is cut into thinner tape strips, rolled up and refrigerated.
4. The spread-filament tape rolls are then loaded into a multi-axis, computer controlled tape head attached to a bridge gantry.
3Di tape head applies each filament tape on a specified axis and cuts it into a specified length
5. The tape head applies each filament tape* on a specified axis and cuts it to a specified length.
*UHMWPE (Spectra/Dyneema) tape shown
6. The different tape layers are joined on the mold with tapered scarf-like joints to ensure consistent sail thickness and strength. The laminate is then pressurized using a vacuum bag (shown) and then heat cured. Unlike any other sail laminate, no films are used.


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(Redirected from Tour)Jump to navigation Jump to search
Tour! is a street race side mission available in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. It is provided by A+B Auto. The races become available after the player purchases the Sunshine Autos car showroom.
Starting The Race
To start the race, go to the Sunshine Autos Import Garage. Stand in the pink cylinder and choose the mission. In order to enter a race the player must have sufficient funds. The entry fee for the race is $5000, making it the second most expensive race to enter and the second highest earning race.
The Race
This race takes place around Washington Beach and Vice Point. The track is 4.603km (2.860 miles) long, making it the second longest track in the Vice Street Racer.
The reward for getting first place in the race is $20,000 and a step towards 100% completion.
Video Walkthrough
|PC Version - GTASeriesVideos


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I had a hair consultation recently with Melissa from Stone Bridge (more on that later) and the lady I spoke to recommended Mason Pearson Hair Brushes and good old Kent.
She also recommended Nylon Bristles over Bristled ones (I've always hated them anyway – how are they supposed to get through knots?!).
I took this as an invitation to buy a new Mason Pearson Hair Brush with Nylon Bristles!
The box is gorgeous – how am I supposed to bring myself to throw it away? Grrrr.
It comes in a little specially made cut out and everything!
Mason Pearson Brushes do need to be cared for – hey shouldn't be used with oils (they destroy rubber – yeah, remember the first time you heard that?!), they shouldn't be left in strong sunlight and shouldn't be used on other things…like pets (sorry kitties!).
Nylon is especially good for thick to very thick hair – hurrah!
I bought it in Handy Size – its big enough for me!
I've been using for this for a week – I don't honestly know if this is better than a £5 hair brush but I do think it works through knots an absolute treat and doesn't hurt me either.
Yeah….I think I like it a lot!
I bought this from Mistry's Pharmacy – good customer service although they owe me some money for a return and haven't paid up *cough*.
Why not invest in a nice hair brush anyway – we spend so much on hair cuts, styling products etc. I am pretty happy with my purchase!


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Following every Baltimore Ravens game this season, Ryan Chell and I will take to the airwaves Tuesdays on "The Reality Check" on AM1570 WNST.net with a segment known as "The Five Plays That Determined The Game."
It's a simple concept. We'll select five plays from each game that determined the outcome. These five plays will best represent why the Ravens won or lost each game.
This will be our final analysis of the previous game before switching gears towards the next game on the schedule.
Here are the five plays that determined the Ravens' 31-28 overtime loss to the Washington Redskins Sunday at FedEx Field…
(Note: not all pictures are always of actual play)
Glenn Clark's Plays…
5. Chris Johnson called for pass interference on Kirk Cousins 3rd down pass intended for Pierre Garcon (4th quarter)
4. Kirk Cousins rushes for two point conversion (4th quarter)
3. David Reed recovery of Niles Paul kickoff return fumble caused by Courtney Upshaw overturned after replay (4th quarter)
2. London Fletcher intercepts Joe Flacco pass intended for Ray Rice, tipped by Barry Cofield (3rd quarter)
1. Richard Crawford returns Sam Koch punt 64 yards to Ravens' 24 (Overtime)
(Ryan's Plays on Page 2…)


text: Expected to push for one of the starting jobs at wide receiver in Michigan State's new spread offense...his size and speed will help upgrade the Spartans' passing game...AS A FRESHMAN: Sat out the entire 2002 season for academic reasons...HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Named to SuperPrep's, PrepStar's and Prep Football Report's All-Midwest Teams...ranked among the nation's top wide receivers by Rivals100.com (No. 34) and TheInsiders.com (No. 41)...listed among the Midwest's top prospects by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report (No. 37) and SuperPrep (No. 42)...rated among the state's top seniors by The Detroit News (No. 5), Detroit Free Press (No. 10) and Lansing State Journal (No. 11)...selected for The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press Dream Teams...caught 32 passes for 558 yards (17.4 avg.) and nine touchdowns as a senior to earn first-team All-Saginaw Valley Conference honors...also had five interceptions and 10 touchdown-saving tackles in 2001...three-year starter at wide receiver and two-year starter at safety for Coach Gary Lee at Northern High School in Flint, Mich....had 78 career receptions for 1,385 yards (17.8 avg.) and 23 TDs...ranked among the nation's top 20 prep basketball players by ESPN.com (No. 18), including the No. 6 power forward...four-year starter averaged 18.7 points and 10.2 rebounds as a senior for Coach Garner Pleasant...third-team Class A all-state selection by The Detroit News in 2000-01 after averaging 13.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 steals...three-sport standout earned all-state honors in track after finishing third in the 200 meters as a junior...attended the same high school that produced Michigan State basketball stars Mateen Cleaves and Antonio Smith and Spartan football All-American Robaire Smith...cousin Lonnie Young earned four letters as a cornerback at Michigan State (1981-84) before spending seven seasons in the National Football League with the St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals (1985-91)...son of Katherine Trannon...born July 22, 1983.


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New Japan Commercial V-31 (03-14-96) DVD-R
Now Available on DVD-R!!
This edition of the New Japan Valis series takes a look at one specific New Japan show, a true "forgotten classic" over the years as it's capped off by an All-Star 8-man juniors 3 falls match! Plus, Booker T makes a rare Japanese appearance and TenKoji go on-on-one!
- Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Satoshi Kojima (10:36)
- Masahiro Chono & Hiro Saito vs. Riki Choshu & Yuji Nagata (clipped, 8:12 of 10:00 aired)
- Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray) vs. Osamu Nishimura & Kensuke Sasaki (clipped, 4:27 of 8:43 aired)
- Taka Michinoku, Shinjiro Otani, Koji Kanemoto, & Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs. Jushin Liger, Gran Hamada, Chris Benoit, & El Samurai in a best two out of three falls match (25:57)
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Peyton Manning is no longer an Indianapolis Colts quarterback. At an emotional press conference moments ago, Manning said both he and owner Jim Irsay have talked about the circumstances and they have decided it is "necessary we take this next step."
The next step for Manning is toward another team. Manning did not wish to speak about any possibility of where he'll wind up, instead using today exclusively to say his farewells. "I haven't thought yet about where I'll play," Manning said, "But I have thought about where I've been."
Manning later reiterated that "I really don't know, I probably need to ask someone what these next few steps are," when he was asked how he next goes about seeking a new team.
The most newsy nugget to emerge from the emotonal 13-minute press conference was Manning discussing the progress of his throwing. Manning missed the entire 2011 season following at least three and possibly four procedures to his neck meant to help nerves that serve his right throwing arm regenerate after they stopped firing.
Manning was unable to play because the nerve damage stole strength from his arm and prevented him from throwing at his usual capability. That capability, Manning said, has improved lately.
'I'm throwing it pretty well," he said. "I've still got some work to do, I've got some progress to make. But I've come a long way. And I've really worked hard. I can't tell you the hours I've put in to working hard. I really enjoy being back out there. I've had a chance to throw with some of my old teammates -- guys like Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Austin [Collie], [Brandon] Stokley, [Jeff] Saturday's snapped to me a couple of times. That's been the most fun part ... being back out there on the field.
"You're in the training room all Fall, you're sort of off-limits to the field so to be cleared to be kind of be back out there and throw, I sure have enjoyed that. I'm doing better. I continue to work hard and hopefully keep making some progress."
Manning stopped short of saying he's 100 percent.
"I'm feeling closer and closer," he said. "I have to remind myself that it is March. I have a hard time doing that at times. But it sure feels comfortable. It feels like home being out there."
Manning mentioned that Irsay said he would always be welcome around the Colts. The Dolphins play the Colts this coming season. If he signs with the Dolphins, perhaps Manning can visit with the Colts the week before the game when they're drawing up their defensive game plan.


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SwingLifeStyle Free Erotic Stories are written and submitted by our members Sit back and enjoy "My Step Mother".
My Step Mother
Pages: 1
My dad and my mom were divorced when I was 10 years old, he dated alot of women but finally married Lexy when I was 13 years old. I am now 21 years old and this is my story: My name is Denise and I am 5"1" 105 lbs, 34 b 22 34 hips with nice trimmed bush and a very tight and firm ass. My step mom Lexy has been very nice to me for a long time. It started when she entered my shower when I was 16 years old, I had called out for her to bring me the conditioner for my hair and she came into the shower naked and offered to do my hair. Lexy is just 32 years so she was 27 when she came into the shower that day. 5'6 " inches tall 36b 24 34 hips with a thick bush between her legs and hair around her bum that I would discover later. Lexy startle me when she entered the shower but quickly put me at ease by pouring conditioner into my hair and rubbing it in. She did nothing else that day but my hair and let me admire her body as she gazed at mine. The next week my Dad went out of town on business and I had a girlfriend over Dianna who has been my best friend since we were 10. We had dinner and Lexy must have placed some kind of date r*pe pill in both of our drinks because when I woke up several hours later I was tied, my hands behind my back with the rope over the ceiling rafter in our family room, and so was Dianna, both of us in our nighties. Connie came over and began fondling Dianna, pinching her nipples and peeled her panties down until she was naked, she then did the same to me. She ate both of our asses out with her tongue probing and rubbing our clits until we climaxed over and over, she was enjoying it as we were. She then put her strap on and entered Dianna wet pussy wrapping her arms around her small waist and fingering her tight ass, Dianna was screaming saying she was cumming. She came toward me and untied me and told me to get on my knees and suck her cock. I sucked her cock tasting for the first time my best friends pussy, while Dianna was still tied up.Connie untied Dianna and layed on the bed on her tummy as we both were instructed to rim her hairy asshole which we did. She told Dianna to put on the strap on and had her enter me on all fours, Dianna seemed to like and fingered my ass as she fucked me for the longest time. Lexy had slipped around in front of me and served me her pussy to eat, I was her slave now and did everything she told me to, Dianna did the same, we went to our bedroom after she had finished with us, sore, hot, sweaty and happy, more to come!
Pages: 1


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"This unanimous vote is a step forward in our effort to provide a convenient, fast and cost-effective transit alternative for our residents in the Antelope, Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys who commute to Bob Hope Airport, Downtown Los Angeles and South all the way to San Diego and from Ventura County to the Coachella Valley," said Antonovich.
"Palmdale stands poised to become a major rail hub with California High-Speed rail moving south from Bakersfield, DesertXpress connecting Las Vegas to Victorville with a feeder line to Palmdale and the Metrolink system coming north from Southern California," he added. "Upgrading the Antelope Valley Line between Downtown Los Angeles and Lancaster using $1 billion secured from the High-Speed Rail Authority for rail improvements is the top priority."
Antonovich's motion directed the LACMTA CEO to provide a plan to advance segments of the Antelope Valley Line Corridor to preliminary engineering and environmental work and to develop a comprehensive grade crossing and grade separation safety program for Metrolink-operated lines in Los Angeles County.
The motion said that LACMTA should explore how to provide seamless rail service between the Antelope Valley and Bakersfield, between the Antelope Valley and San Diego and between Ventura and Indio to overcome current political and infrastructure barriers that do not allow for this type of service to occur without restricted speeds, schedules or transfers.


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Large 1 BR / 1 Bath condo on Piedmont Ave across from main entrance to Piedmont Park (at 12th street). This condo is bright and clean. It has central heat & air, a nice eat-in kitchen with gas stove, refrigerator with ice-maker and dishwasher. It has beautiful refinished hardwood floors in the 16'x11' living room. The bedroom is 16'x10' with good closets. This condo also has an outdoor balcony. The building has a secured entrance with a callbox to 'buzz' guests in. Off-street parking is available for additional cost. It's available starting end of May with a one year lease. A small pet may be OK (with additional pet deposit). Call and listen to a recorded message for all the details on this great property 888-608-1779 ext 39.
GREAT midtown location
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Take Alexander Calder's mobiles and throw in heaping amounts of Rupe Goldbergian excess, and you might have some idea of what artist Gina Kamentsky's work is like. Her sculptures are at once whimsical and fascinating. Each is a machine, but a machine that creates an event rather than accomplishing a task. The "events" are small things, often simple motion incorporating a found object like a toy or doll. A static description doesn't suffice, however: see Kamentsky's work in person, and you'll likely end up lingering, watching in fascination.
Kamentsky's exhibition The Engagment Party is paired with another called All Things in Paradise, by artist Nanette Vonnegut. Vonnegut is the daughter of the well-known author and former Northampton resident Kurt Vonnegut. Her work offers an air of outsider simplicity, and its subject matter is often whimsical, too. In one painting (pictured), clowns infest a wilderness. In another, the Garden of Eden becomes a place of bright color and a rendering style akin to that of the late medieval period.
The concurrent exhibitions continue through late April.


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BLOOMINGTON, Ill.-- The Lady Panthers opened their indoor season competing in the Titan First Chance Meet. Maggie McMurtrey, Taylor Brunner, and Gabby Perdue each had noteworthy finishes in their respective events.
McMurtrey, a senior veteran, had an impressive showing in the weight throw, recording a distance of 14.07 meters. Her 2nd place finish was her team's best throughout the meet.
Brunner, a senior from Oreana, Ill., competed in multiple events in the meet, with her best performance being a 1.50 meter high jump. Her impressive jump earned her 6th place overall. Brunner also finished 9th in the long jump and 20th in the shot put.
Perdue, a Lexington, Ky. native, had an excellent showing in her first college competition. The freshman recorded a 6th place finish in the 300 meter dash with a time of 43.91.
The women will take a well-deserved Christmas break and will be back in action Saturday, January 18 when they will compete in the EIU John Craft Meet.


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The arrival of tomatoes at the farmers' market is the high point of the summer growing season. It brings with it a treasure-trove of jewel-colored fruit that span the spectrum from bright green to dark purple and come in shapes that defy geometric reason. Heirloom tomatoes with names such as Green Zebra and Black Krim deliver a range of flavors from tongue-twisting tartness to luxurious, smooth sweetness.
They don't need much in the way of preparation to shine, and that's why most chefs don't mess with them much at home.
"I like to grill my tomatoes" says Rashad Edwards, executive sous chef at Phillips at the Power Plant. "After the tomatoes are grilled, I add fleur de sel and first-press olive oil. It can't get any more simple." For him it's the combination of "smokiness and char from the tomatoes, the flavor of the salt and sweetness of the olive oil" that make it his go-to at home.
Henry Hong, general manager at the Waterfront Kitchen in Fells Point, is reminded of his youth when he talks about tomatoes. "When I was a kid visiting Korea, tomatoes were a rare and expensive treat. During the summers when I was there, my family prepared them in a way I've never seen before or since, really: just roughly chopped, in a big steel bowl, mixed with some ice and sugar [and] treated like a fruit, like dessert! It was amazing."
He added that "sugar sometimes dampens flavors, but for tomatoes it blows flavors up when used judiciously. And after eating the [tomato] chunks, ... the sweet, ice-cold tomato water that's left, drunk straight out of the ice-cold steel bowl [is] possibly one of the most refreshing liquids on earth. Some tomatoes, especially certain heirlooms and yellow varieties, are [so] low in acid and high in sugar as to make them impractical for savory applications. Instead of forcing a square peg into a round hole, take advantage of these characteristics and use in sweet applications."
These three recipes try to maintain the integrity of tomato's flavor while highlighting the many ways it can be prepared. Here, you will find it used raw, cooked and distilled to its essence. So enjoy as many tomatoes this summer as you can, but be quick about it. Because although tomato season is a time for happiness, it also means that summer is halfway over.
Mixed tomato cocktail with oregano & basil simple syrup
"Tomato water is a great ingredient," says John Reusing, owner of Bad Decisions in Fells Point. "Tons of flavor but blends well with a variety of spirits or beer. The reason you won't see tomato drinks at many places, even cocktail places, is because tomato water has a short shelf life, and most people are too scared to try a drink with it. However, if someone is making a tomato cocktail, [they should] give it a try; they might be surprised how great that flavors shine through."
That is what this cocktail is based on. The herbaceousness of the tomato comes through in the water that is extracted through pureeing and straining. The flavors are balanced with syrup infused with oregano and basil, lemon juice and a combination of gin and vodka. It's a refreshing yet sturdy drink for a hot summer night. Substitute ginger beer for the vodka and gin for a teetotal version.
For the tomato water:
5 pounds mixed tomatoes, the more varieties the merrier
1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the basil/oregano simple syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oregano
1/2 cup basil
For the cocktail:
4 ounces tomato water
1 ounces basil/oregano simple syrup
2 ounces gin (I used Hendricks)
1 ounce vodka (I used Skyy)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
sprigs of rosemary and cherry tomatoes for garnish
To make the tomato water, puree the tomatoes (in batches) in a food processor. Pour into a strainer that is lined with four layers of cheesecloth and set over a large bowl or stock pot to drain. Every 30 minutes, squeeze the cheesecloth to get as much water out of the tomatoes as possible. After two hours, you should have about two quarts. Refrigerate the tomato water until needed.
To make the basil/oregano simple syrup, bring sugar and water to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the basil and oregano. Let steep until cool. Strain.
To make the cocktail, combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until frothy (40 shakes) and strain over ice. Skewer a few cherry tomatoes with the sprig of rosemary and place into the drink for a garnish. Stir.
Tip: Mix the tomato solids left in the cheesecloth after making the tomato water with 1 stick of soft butter and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Use this tomato compound butter on thick country bread or as a sauce for noodles.
Tomato panzanella
Panzanella, the Italian salad using stale bread, is one of my summer favorites, but it always seems that there is too much bread. So this version pares down the bread, leaving just enough to soak up the wonderful tomato juices as well as the vinaigrette without becoming too dry or too soggy. The key is really stale bread. Buy a baguette (they're tougher than Italian loaves), eat half (using the tomato butter from the cocktail recipe) and put away the other half for a day or (even better) two. As always, don't be afraid of the anchovies. They add a ton of flavor — and not the fishy kind. They're the key to this powerful vinaigrette. The fresher the tomatoes are in this recipe, the better. Make this after you get back from the farmers' market and enjoy a taste of summer for lunch.
Makes: 10 servings
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon (a good pinch) freshly ground black pepper
3 anchovy fillets mashed to a paste
1 clove garlic planed or smashed to a paste
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces stale French baguette (1/2 loaf, cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
1 cucumber, peeled and cubed into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 red onion sliced as thinly as possible across the length of the onion
1 stalk of celery sliced thinly on the bias (diagonally)
2 pounds mixed tomatoes (the more varieties the better), chopped into medium chunks
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
Mix the first seven ingredients together in a deep mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking vigorously to create an emulsion that will stabilize your vinaigrette. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss to combine. Let the panzanella sit for 10 minutes to blend, toss again and serve.
Tip: For a more complex panzanella you can use half French baguette and half pumpernickel for the base.
Cast-iron pan-grilled cherry tomatoes and sausage
This recipe is a show-stopper. Bring a hot cast-iron pan to the table with smoky sausage bathing in bubbling tomato juice, and watch as your friends regard you as someone with mystical powers. They don't need to know that this is a ridiculously simple recipe, and one that can be interpreted in many ways. The sausage can be changed, the tomatoes can be any variety, and the herbs can be whatever you have on hand (as long as they're fresh). I normally serve the finished product of cooked sausage and stewed tomatoes over a thick slice of toasted country bread to catch the tomato/sausage liquor that is fortified with oregano and rosemary. You can also use polenta, rice or mashed potatoes as a base. You can also cook this inside, starting on the stovetop and then moving the pan to the oven once the tomatoes have popped.
Makes: 8 servings
3 pounds Polish or mild Italian sausage in one long link or two shorter links
Two pints of cherry tomatoes
1 head of garlic, separated into cloves with the paper still on them
2 large sprigs fresh oregano
2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
12 fresh bay leaves
extra virgin olive oil
Line the bottom of a cast-iron pan with the cherry tomatoes. Dot the tomatoes with the unpeeled garlic cloves, spacing them evenly around the pan. Place the rosemary and oregano sprigs on top of the tomatoes so that they form a single layer. Wrap the sausage into a coil and place on top of the tomatoes, garlic and herbs. Tuck the bay leaves into the sausage coil at equal intervals, making sure that a bit flares out of the top for visual appeal. Anoint the sausage with a few large glugs of olive oil. Place onto a hot grill and cook over hot coals or high heat until the tomatoes start to burst. Move off direct heat and cover the grill, baking the sausage for 30 minutes (400 degrees if you're using an oven). If you would like to smoke this dish, you should add smoke in the last 10 minutes. Move the pan off the heat and let it sit for 10 more minutes before cutting into it. Serve a chunk of the sausage, tomatoes, juice and garlic over your base of choice (bread, rice, polenta or mashed potatoes). To eat the garlic, set it aside to let it cool enough to touch it and squeeze the soft garlic out onto your plate.
Tip: Add a soft-boiled egg to this dish to blast it into the stratosphere.


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An undeniable international energy race is now underway involving many of the world's most powerful countries such as
The first part of this strategy calls for Beijing's various state-run oil and natural gas companies to secure global energy resources regardless of cost, conflicting ideologies or existing geostrategic alliances. "China is indeed encouraging its companies to go overseas for long-term oil reserves." said Jacky Choi of Value Partners located in Hong Kong. The second part of China's energy strategy is equally important and involves the protection of state-controlled energy enterprises from foreign ownership, thus insulating mainland China from foreign economic and political influences.
This dual energy strategy was confirmed last month when British Petroleum (BP) and its chairman Lord Browne attempted to take a significant financial interest in China's largest oil refiner and fuel marketer, Sinopec. Under the conditions of the proposed deal, BP would have traded access to certain oil and gas fields in return for an equal or majority stake in Sinopec which is 80 percent owned by the Chinese government.
If approved, Beijing would have become an equal or minority partner in a high-profile, state-run enterprise with national security significance; something the communist government was not prepared to do. "BP has misread what the Chinese want. They said no; they've said they're not doing it," one source close to the deal said.
Does This Sound Familiar?
Beijing's move to protect one of its most treasured oil assets from foreign investors brings to mind comparisons of CNOOC's failed bid to purchase U.S. oil company Unocal in June. At that time, Fu Chengyu, the chairman and chief executive officer of CNOOC, stated that his company's unsolicited $18.5 billion bid to buy Unocal would make him a "hero or a martyr."
It has made him neither. But Beijing's recent protectionist actions regarding Sinopec do appear hypocritical. As time passes, it will become even more difficult to defend such actions, as the country attempts to meet commitments associated with its ascension to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Over the past several weeks, members of the European Union such as Britain and Germany, as well as U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow, have vigorously called for China to open its markets to foreign investment.
China's Hypocritical Stance
The Bush administration and members of the U.S. Congress took an unbelievable beating at home and abroad last summer for their stance regarding oil company Unocal. At that time, legitimate national security questions related to the deal were roundly criticized as protectionist attempts by U.S. hawks who feared China's global rise and influence. Yet, China has essentially taken a similar protectionist stance with Sinopec, eliciting little debate in the international community. Why the lack of scrutiny?
The reason is quite simple -- the world community has come to rely upon China's unprecedented economic growth for its own economic vitality. As a result, countries that normally would object to such protectionist actions have remained eerily silent for fear of offending a rising China. This position of tacit appeasement, however, has created a dangerous precedent that if permitted to continue, will certainly challenge the basic principles of free enterprise. In essence, an acceptable double standard will be created exclusively for China. By looking the other way when Beijing violates the very same open market principles it publicly espouses to support, the global economic system is compromised.
In response to the failed Unocal bid, the Chinese foreign ministry released a statement in July saying, "We demand that the U.S. Congress correct its mistaken ways of politicizing economic and trade issues and stop interfering in the normal commercial exchanges between enterprises of the two countries." Recent protectionist actions taken by Beijing involving BP and Sinopec make these statements all the more hypocritical.
If a country such as China wants to play in the international chess game of investments, acquisitions and mergers, it must be prepared to lose some of its own treasured pieces. So far, China has not accepted this reality.
Beijing Must Change its Protectionist Ways
The expansionist position of China's energy companies will likely persist and even expand. Likewise, the desire of foreign energy companies to enter the Chinese market will also gradually increase. Today, over 16,000 American companies conduct business in China with more companies waiting on the horizon. As this footprint becomes deeper, so too will the desire of American companies to own valuable Chinese assets.
Recent purchases by foreign companies of Chinese assets in the construction and railroad fields are positive signs, but these industries lack the national security impact that oil holds. In this regard, China must quickly open its markets to competion and possibly foreign ownership of assets in more sensitive industries. Impassioned arguments by China proponents that Beijing now realizes that it must play by the rules of the international market remain largely unproven.
It is becoming clear that Beijing wants to maintain control over strategic assets in order to build global dominance in core industries such as energy, financial services, technology and manufacturing. Why? This will allow Beijing to influence the geo-political landscape for decades to come. To the Chinese, Western-styled market competition and investment are acceptable - to a point.
During a recent hearing of the U.S. Banking Committee, Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) suggested that U.S. legislation be amended to require "reciprocity" involving foreign acquisitions. "In other words, if a Chinese company is seeking to purchase a U.S. oil company, than a U.S. company must have the right to purchase a Chinese oil company. U.S. companies are being blocked from such purchases and have not made a fuss for fear of being locked-out of the Chinese market," Schumer said.
Could an American oil company one day purchase a Chinese owned oil company like CNOOC? If you believe that, I have an oil well in beautiful downtown Beijing to sell you.
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Associated Press: Pelosi Hails Savings in Energy Bill
WASHINGTON, (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, anticipating final congressional action on energy legislation next week, said the bill will 'put America on a road to energy independence,' save people money at the gas pumps and increase the country's security.
In remarks prepared for the Democrats' weekly radio address on Saturday, Pelosi noted that the bill will require, for the first time in 32 years, an increase in automobile fuel efficiency to an average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
That, along with a requirement to use more ethanol as a motor fuel, 'will strengthen our national security, protect consumers from spiraling energy prices, create jobs and … tell the world that America is prepared to become a leader in addressing the global climate crisis,' said Pelosi, D-Calif.
The energy legislation was passed by the Senate on Thursday and still awaits final House action, although the House approved similar language earlier this month. Approval is a foregone conclusion, Pelosi suggested, and the White House has said President Bush will sign it.
'Congress has acted to put America on a road to energy independence with a new direction for energy security,' Pelosi said in her radio remarks, excerpts of which were released Friday by her office.
In addition to the higher fuel economy, the Senate-passed bill also requires an increase of ethanol use to 36 billion gallons a year by 2022, a nearly sixfold increase over expected 2007 production. It also requires new efficiency standards for appliances, light bulbs and commercial buildings.
But Democrats were stymied in an attempt to pass a tax package that would have rolled back $13.5 billion in oil company tax breaks and funneled billions of dollars into tax incentives for renewable energy development and efficiency programs.
The White House and Senate Republicans had opposed the tax measures, which previously passed the House, and Democrats fell one vote short of overcoming a GOP filibuster.


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Connect to Phoenix Career Services. This interactive career portal provides access to employers — and helps you sharpen the skills you'll need to get your foot in the door.
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Our sprawling college campus, encompassing as many as 400,000 students at a time, is surprisingly manageable — located right here at your fingertips, 24/7. Administrative and financial services, academic advising, the library, marketplace and much more can be found on the student website, also known as eCampus.
This innovative learning platform is designed to meet your needs as a busy, working student. As you gain deeper knowledge about course topics from instructors with real-world know-how, eCampus allows you to discuss those subjects and work collaboratively online with classmates and Learning Team members from around the world, any time of the day or night.
And when you're in class, regardless of whether you're taking courses online or on campus, these innovative yet easy-to-use tools can help make your academic experience as mobile as you are.
Connect to Phoenix Career Services. This interactive career portal provides access to employers — and helps you sharpen the skills you'll need to get your foot in the door.
Let your fingers do the research. Our online University Library offers a vast collection of topical, peer-reviewed texts and is accessible all the time, every day.
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Talk to one of our specially trained representatives about going back to school.


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Welcome to Ultimate Subaru Message Board, my lurker friend!
|Welcome to Ultimate Subaru Message Board, an unparalleled Subaru community full of the greatest Subaru gurus and modders on the planet! We offer technical information and discussion about all things Subaru, the best and most popular all wheel drive vehicles ever created.
We offer all this information for free to everyone, even lurkers like you! All we ask in return is that you sign up and give back some of what you get out - without our awesome registered users none of this would be possible! Plus, you get way more great stuff as a member! Lurk to lose, participate to WIN*!
* The joy of participation and being generally awesome constitutes winning
** Not an actual guarantee, but seriously, you probably won't regret it!
Serving the Subaru Community since May 18th, 1998!
My conversion on the web
Posted 09 January 2006 - 04:30 PM
Here is the link to my website: http://www.krautwagen.com/ just click on "My Subaru Vanagon Project".
Not a whole lot there, but I hope to add more content in the coming year. I am also wanting to do another conversion this year, but funds are low right now. I would like to do at least one conversion a year, keep it for a while, get the bugs out, then sell it for the next one.
Love these vans, and with a Subaru in back they are awesome!
1989 Vanagon Carat EJ22
1973 VW Bug
Posted 09 January 2006 - 08:05 PM
I also really like The Samba (www.thesamba.com). Subaru Vanagon folks have the feet in both camps.
Here is a link to the engine I just picked up for my '84 Vanagon Westy:
Posted 09 January 2006 - 11:34 PM
I found the free Yahoo Groups format very limiting but the folks on the SubaruVanagon group an awesome resources.
Exactly why I have created this area. Couldn't agree more on the awesome resources over there. We have a photo upload area as part of joining USMB as well if anybody is wondering about losing that functionality.
You have the same color vanagon as my new one!
Posted 10 January 2006 - 08:06 PM
How does the picture upload area work and where is it at?
I would like a tutorial on my new EJ22 engine. I am looking for a series of photos of an EJ22 (one picture per side of the engine) that give a description of where the various hoses, sensors, wiring harness connections plug in. I have the new engine out of the wagon now and on an engine stand of sorts. I am going to take some pictures of it from various angles. I am looking for some Conversion 101 basic information.
I saw an interesting thread last week on the Yahoo SubaruVanagon group about using Wikipedia for a 'true step-by-step conversion guide'. I'll share some of my thought, as a novice, on a subaru vanagon conversion site in a separate post.
Posted 10 January 2006 - 08:09 PM
<<You have the same color vanagon as my new one!>> I am not sure what that color is called. It is kind of a burnt orange. At first I was not crazy about it but it has really grown on me!
Posted 10 January 2006 - 11:10 PM
Hey Shawn:
How does the picture upload area work and where is it at?
When you surf USMB theres always a grey bar that runs horizantally across the screen near the top of the page. It starts with USER CP and on the 2nd line the last one is :photo gallery". Click that, and theres an upload photos link/button that you can access.
As far as a tutorial, general subaru knowledge on the EJ22 is best found by going to the forum titled Newer Generation of Subaru's and doing a search in there.
You can also look in what we call our "Ultimate Subaru Repair Manual" which is found by clicking message board and then going near the bottom to that forum group. Thats kindof a FAQ of sorts, the summary articles written by users on topics that are Frequently needed. Currently there isnt an article that discusses the general parts of the ej22 engine but a good start may be to purchase the Haynes Subaru Legacy service manual.
Available at alot of parts stores around the country.
If you are good with a photo editor and would be so kind as to take the photos and number all the parts you want to know about I will tell you what they are.
Here is a picture of my engine in my air cooled vanagon, about to go in my newer vanagon after much struggle with making a cooling system work on the 81. If you want to use this photo let me know.
Posted 06 February 2006 - 12:17 PM
I found the free Yahoo Groups format very limiting but the folks on the SubaruVanagon group an awesome resources. I just found this site a week ago and it is already a favorite. I hope more of the SubaruVanagon folks will migrate over.
I also really like The Samba (www.thesamba.com). Subaru Vanagon folks have the feet in both camps.
Here is a link to the engine I just picked up for my '84 Vanagon Westy:
It looks so clean! My Subie engine was an oily pig when I brought it home...
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Ever wonder why you don't see many tan cars in the desert (in this instance, Phoenix)? Maybe it's because there are millions of acres of tan for as far as the eye can see and then there's lots more after that. OK, there's the occasional jacketed mountain range to break up the boredom, but what sticks in the mind is tan, like sand tan, suntan, cop-car tan, you get the idea.
Ever wonder why people drive something painted heat-sink black in the same type of moonscape lunacy? Maybe they do it for the stark contrast or maybe because no one else in their right mind would even contemplate such madness, or maybe because some people simply gravitate to the extreme.
Mike Watts seems to embrace the latter qualities to the fullest and Chris Fesler Productions, a high-end hot rod craft shop is right there to help a guy out. We featured one of Fesler's smooth, subtle creations on the cover of the January '10 issue. In light of most of his understated and impeccably detailed mind-benders, it's a good idea to have a duffel bag or two swimming with C-notes.
Where else would a guy with mind like a steel trap and a top-line Benz, BMW, and Range Rover take his new project? You realize that maybe the power wasn't in most European six- and eight-cylinder cars like it's always been here, but those sedans could out-corner, out-brake, and out-move anything we had. Think a little more and you realize that these buggers were the precursors of the recent Pro Touring ethic and its youngest offshoots, the gymkhana and the road course.
Previously, Fesler did a '55 Chevy for Mike on an Art Morrison frame with all the Pro Touring touches. Mike's also husbanding a '57 Chevy, so it's not difficult to see that he loves cars, collects cars, and most of all loves to drive them, but he's been spoiled rotten by those imports, so anything about American iron had better exhibit the same high levels of comfort, ergonomics, power, handling, and braking.
As is usual for one of these scenarios, the '70 SS plan began as "a basic daily driver with just some mild work." Uh-huh. Fesler: "We got the car in a raw stage with all the parts ready to go. There were parts that did not really fit the build [quality] we were after so most of the stuff was sold and we started fresh.
"Mike really liked some of the cars that we'd done and having seen them he decided to go further on this car and have something that no one else out there did. He wanted the car to have an appearance like something that most people wouldn't do.
"We took the bumpers, tucked them in and cleaned them up and did a special finish on them. Every piece of metal was done this way. We copper-plated it and worked that to perfection. Then we nickel-plated the bumpers and the parts and brushed them and, to seal them and keep them clean, we chromed over that for the look you have here. He wanted all the features of modern-day cars and wanted it to look as factory as we could get it but as a full-on custom.
"The interior is like the Mercedes with all leather and suede from a Mercedes supplier and Bentley carpet throughout. This car is so quiet you can roll the windows up and talk on your bluetooth phone, like driving in a new car. Mike likes the Chevelle so much he drives it to work," raved Fesler.
Yeah, with that Vintage Air cranked up BIG.
Now, isn't a crate engine with a warranty a better deal than piecing one together and simply lowering the completed form into its cradle? For the street and Pro Touring strata, it just makes too much sense to ignore. EFI or carbureted; have at it. The LS7 is getting a lot of attention these days. Fesler's guys converted the oiling to a wet-sump system but wisely adhered to the electronic cube with which this powerplant was developed. They left the insides of the engine unmolested, concentrating on the support systems needed for the ofttimes hellish environment. A Be Cool core is attended by SPAL fans. MSD primary wires replace the Corvette stuff. They built the fuel supply system from GM Performance Parts pump and filter, sourced the fuel from a Rick's Stainless reservoir. The air intake tract is Fesler-built. An Earl's cooler holds engine oil temp on a steady simmer (an indispensible ally on those oh-so-pleasant 100-degree Phoenix evenings). For the ultimate in packaging, the boys selected a Street & Performance accessory drive system. To fit the of-a-piece tableaus that Fesler builds, nothing less than stainless steel would do for the exhaust system. Fesler jig-built the headers and then pursued custom-bent MagnaFlow head pipes, mufflers, and tailpipes. The grunt pours from an LS7 clutch assembly through a T56 and down a Driveshaft Shop propeller. The recipient is a Currie 9 with the usual limited-slip, 4.11:1 cogs, and 31-spline axles.
Wheels & Brakes
Fesler Productions rolls several styles of their own device, so it's unlikely that a car will leave the building turning anything less. The combo for Mike's Chevelle includes model FS907, three-piece assemblies that measure 19x9 in front and 19x11 at the rear. Commensurately, the Goodyear Eagle F1 grabbers are 245/35 and 295/30. The brakes are full-on Baer 6S whose six-piston calipers quickly put fire in flying saucer-sized 15-inch rotors. A Hydratech booster, built-in proportioning valve, and a billet SSBC master cylinder govern the hydraulics.
Fesler and Gary Sharp completed the skin work, removing the side marker lights and the antenna, and tucked the bumpers in as previously discussed. Fesler also adapted its door handles, 5-inch headlights, and LED taillights and surrounds. Even if this car were not black, it would still be an evil-looking ride. Sharp sprayed the Sherwin-Williams Black, leaving the centers of the wheels with a subdued brushed finished.
Fesler's key on distinctive billet bits, so Watts' car could be the ultimate rolling poster. Except for one thing; they don't pop out and scare you. Fesler's stuff is elegantly unobtrusive. Witness more than 20 billet items on this Chevelle, mostly on the inside. Cripes, they jibe smooth so well with the whole that they become instantly and completely integral to it. "We built a hand-fabricated steel dash with all the latest gadgets in it: DVD/Nav radio, window switches, and more modern gauges and controls. Instead of a soothing shade of beige or orange, Watts wanted blacker than the Black Hole. Fesler lined the Recaros in leather, the headliner in suede, made the door and side panels, supplied the seatbelts, laid Bentley black carpeting throughout, gave the side glass Electric Life. The handbuilt steel dash holds Auto Meter gauges. Watts pops fingers on a contrasting Fesler-grown steering wheel. The Fesler interior repertoire includes: hood and trunk hinges, inner door pulls, and a custom seat to accommodate the mini-tubs. Nothing better than a big gulp of cool air with a smooth audio chaser. The Pioneer AVIC-F900BT head features CD, DVD, iPod, Sirius satellite, a navigation system and corresponding monitor. The door speakers are RS65.2 Kickers palled up with the same duo in the rear. Kicker CVT 12 subwoofers hang out in the trunk in a custom enclosure to coexist peacefully with the Air Ride tanks. Then the amplifiers, more Kickers in the trunk: SX 700.4 and SX 1250.1. That overworked Optima YellowTop even powers the DEI Viper alarm system.
Since the Watts project was to be a complete makeover, Fesler's Bobby and Chris started out by boxing and tubing the frame and smoothing everything out. Watts wanted to put it on the ground whenever he wanted, so there was no question that RideTech wouldn't be involved. Founding the conversion on the original clip, Bobby and Chris began with dropped spindles, added tubular control arms, and ShockWaves hard-lined to 450C Viair compressors and Accuair holding tanks. At the rear, an Air Bar four-link setup. Steering column, et al, are Flaming River pieces connected to a GM Performance quick-ratio gearbox.


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"We felt that the Gotham was a good spot and the timing was excellent," Diamond said of the Michael Maker-trained colt. "We would love to take a shot at the Big Apple."
On January 29, the striking gray son of Tapit stumbled badly at the start of the Grade 3 Holy Bull at Gulfstream Park, rushed up to take the lead through an opening-half mile in 45.67, and was not able to fend off Algorithms in the stretch, finishing second by four lengths.
"We would like to get a better start in the Gotham," Diamond said. "We don't want to make excuses, but when you think about it he probably ran the first quarter a second faster than what the timer showed. He ran two really fast quarters and that affected him in the latter stages. We are not taking anything away from Algorithms. He is a super horse and was better that day than Hansen. We just hope that on Gotham Day he will settle himself in the gate and show the Hansen that we all know he is."
Diamond added that after the Gotham, there are a number of possible options, including the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Resorts World New York City Casino Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on Saturday, April 7 and the Grade 3 Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park on March 24.
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Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said his pair of Godolphin Racing Classic contenders, Alpha and Consortium, have "switched spots," with Alpha now being based at Palm Meadows in Florida and Consortium located at Belmont Park.
Alpha had been training at Belmont since December 28 and made two van rides over to Aqueduct Racetrack to win the Count Fleet on January 7 and the Grade 3 Withers on February 4. Following the Withers, McLaughlin said Alpha would most likely make his next start in Aqueduct's Grade 3, $400,000 Gotham at 1 1/16 miles on March 3 or the Grade 1, $1 million Resorts World New York City Casino Wood Memorial at 1 1/8 miles on April 7. McLaughlin now says the Wood Memorial is the likelier option.
"He shipped yesterday and is at Palm Meadows," said McLaughlin, form Florida. "He'll train here and probably won't work for two weeks. There's a plane going up to New York before the Gotham we could take, but he'll probably make his next start in the Wood Memorial, with an outside chance of the Florida Derby [March 31 at Gulfstream Park] the week before."
Consortium prepped at Palm Meadows for his start in the Gulfstream's Grade 3 Holy Bull on January 29 and was re-routed to New York after finishing last of six in the one-mile race, which was contested over a sloppy racetrack.
"We sent Consortium on a van to New York [Friday]," said McLaughlin. "We'll look at the Gotham with him. He worked at Palm Meadows on Thursday [four furlongs in 50.90], and he probably won't work in New York until [February 18]."
McLaughlin said he has two possibles for the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap on the Gotham undercard in Darley Stable's Emcee and Crossbow. Emcee is unbeaten in two starts, having rolled to a six-length allowance score on February 3 at Gulfstream in his most recent start, with Crossbow having taken an Aqueduct optional claimer by three lengths the same day.
"Emcee would probably be the horse, but Crossbow is another horse who could point for that race," said McLaughlin.
Shadwell Stable's Falaah, winner of two straight over the inner track, is no longer under consideration for the Tom Fool after exiting an optional claiming score with a bone chip, McLaughlin added.
* * *
Caleb's Posse, the only 3-year-old male to win two Grade 1 races in 2011, will begin his 2012 campaign with a start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Tom Fool Handicap run over six furlongs on the inner track at Aqueduct Racetrack on Gotham Day, Saturday, March 3, according to trainer Donnie Von Hemel.
"Right now our plan is to run in the Tom Fool," said Von Hemel, who trains Caleb's Posse for McNeil Stables and Cheyenne Stables. "It is a good chance to get him acclimated with Aqueduct and also provides great timing to the Carter [Grade 1, Aqueduct, $400,000, seven furlongs, Saturday, April 7]. The enhanced purses [at Aqueduct] certainly get everyone's attention and is a factor in any decision that we make."
The bay Posse colt was a brilliant performer during the 2011 Saratoga Race Course meet, following up a dominant four-length victory in the Grade 2 Amsterdam with an electrifying stretch rally to defeat Eclipse champion Uncle Mo by a nose in the Grade 1 Foxwoods King's Bishop on Travers Day.
Caleb's Posse closed out his stellar year with a four-length triumph over Preakness winner Shackleford in the Grade 1, Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill Downs.
The colt has posted four registered workouts in 2012, including a four-furlong bullet at Oaklawn Park on February 5.
"He has been doing great," Von Hemel said. "If everything goes well in his next few starts, the Met Mile [at Belmont Park on Monday, May 28] is a goal of ours."
* * *
New York-based trainer Todd Pletcher is one win away from his 3,000th and the barn will send out two starters at Aqueduct Saturday, in addition to nine at Gulfstream Park, where the trainer spends the winter.
At Aqueduct, Pletcher has Lisa T. in the six-furlong Dearly Precious Stakes, race 4 with a scheduled post time of 1:45 p.m., and maiden Big Creek in race 5 (2:13 p.m.). The trainer's first starter at Gulfstream Park runs in race 2, with a scheduled post time of 1:01 p.m., with additional runners in races 3, 4, 5, 8, 10, and 11.
Through the conclusion of racing on Friday, February 10, Pletcher had won 484 career races at Aqueduct, checking in at 12th on the all-time win list for the Big A. At Belmont Park, he counts 537 career winners, good for third all-time, and at Saratoga Race Course his 324 career victories make him the all-time win leader.
* *
Beginning Wednesday, February 15, a New York State Racing and Wagering Board rule change will now permit Trifecta wagering with a minimum of five betting interests on all races at Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course. Previously, Trifecta wagering was only available on allowance or stakes races with five betting interests. Starting Wednesday, that will be extended to maiden and claiming races.
* * *
The first two finishers in the Shot Are Ringing overnight stakes are preparing for a rematch in the $75,000 Stymie, which will be run for the 57th time next Saturday. Returning from his third straight victory at the Big A will be San Pablo, whose 4 ¾-length victory lifted his career record to 5-1-1 from seven starts for trainer Todd Pletcher. Also pointing to the 1 1/8 mile Stymie is runner-up Isn't He Perfect, whose most recent win came in an optional claimer on November 24. Other possible starters, according to NYRA stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes, include Heart Butte, most recently fourth in the Evening Attire while attempting to defend his victory in the 2010 edition; 2011 Brooklyn Handicap winner Birdrun, second in the Breeders' Cup Marathon last time out, and Pants On Fire, who was third in the 2011 Count Fleet in his most recent appearance at Aqueduct.


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The Tuesday (January 7) telecast ranked as the series' most-watched telecast in over 6 years in Total Viewers (3.55 million – since 11/12/07).
On December 31, SOAPnet went off the air on cable systems that still carried. On Monday, January 6, ABC changed the way fans watch episodes of their programs online, requiring viewers to sign in with their cable provider login and password.
Ratings Source: NTI, U.S. ratings, weeks of 1/6/14, Live + Same Day.


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Find out how Festo develops solutions for production processes in automotive manufacturing in collaboration with its customers.
The key applications, from the press shop and body welding to the paint shop and from power train production to final assembly, are highlighted together with a description of Festo's services portfolio.


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Reception held to honor teachers.
Dr. Black welcomed and introduced Mr. McCalla, who spoke briefly, mentioning the retirees' combined experience serving children in Augusta (221.5). He also wished them a long and rewarding retirement, telling an anecdote of his 97-year-old mother who, as her doctor says, does exactly what she wants because she's 97.
The Teacher of the Year video (which will be uploaded to our YouTube channel sometime today), was presented to the audience, and then Mr. McCalla presented the Teachers of the Year with their awards while Dr. Black spoke about each one, mentioning Mrs. Shaffer's wax museum project and Mrs. Simmons' vocal music productions as just one example (each) of the educational excellence occurring in their classrooms on a daily basis.
Mr. McCalla presented each retiree with flowers and a formal award while Dr. Black spoke about each one. He spoke about all of the retirees, including Mrs. Lewis, who was unable to attend the reception.
After Dr. Black spoke about Mrs. Ibarra, she shared her story of coming "full circle" with Mr. McCalla, having first met him at the teacher interview day at Emporia State just before her graduation. Mr. McCalla, then elementary principal in Sedgwick, was performing interviews of teacher candidates at ESU that day and wound up hiring Mrs. Ibarra to teach in his building there in Sedgwick. A couple years after Mr. McCalla came to Augusta to be Garfield principal, he hired Mrs. Ibarra to teach at Garfield. And the circle became complete at the reception with Mr. McCalla, as BOE president, presenting her with her retirement award.
Dr. Black wrapped up the ceremony with comments about the high quality of the retirees, as well as the entire USD 402 educational team. He used a very simple and powerful quote from Jack Welch, former chairman and CEO of General Electric: "The team with the best players wins."
Janet Clark has been teaching for 40 years, 38 of them at Garfield Elementary. She has taught 5th grade for most of that time and says one of her most memorable moments was going to Washington DC in 2006 with the whole Garfield faculty to receive the school's National Blue Ribbon Award.
"I will always remember that moment of pride," says Clark.
She identifies technology as the biggest change she has witnessed in education, "Students now have so many opportunities to use technology in their learning," she says.
She believes it is critical for teachers to enjoy children.
"I would advise anyone going into education to enjoy their students," says Clark. "They are amazing, and working with them has brought me many wonderful memories."
Clark says she plans to enjoy spending time with her family, as well as traveling, during retirement.
Peggy Cyphers has been a secretary at Augusta Middle School for 20 years. She has worked for seven different principals during that time and says the changes from one to the next are always interesting in terms of the procedural and policy differences each principal brings to the office.
Peggy says she has many memorable moments from these years. In fact, she says, she should've kept notes.
"I could've written a book," she laughs.
She cites "technology" as the biggest change she has seen in her job over the years, and, to the person who fills her position next year, she cautions, "KNOW that each day at the middle school is different. No two days are alike."
During retirement, Peggy plans to go on bicycle rides with her husband (of 43 years!), learn to play golf, and spend time with her family, including her four grandchildren.
Eileen Dreiling has been in education for 37 years -- 22 as a teacher and 15 as an administrator. All but her first two years were right here in Augusta, first at the high school -- as teacher, coach, and sponsor; dean of students; and assistant principal -- then at the middle school as principal.
Much like Mrs. Clark, Mrs. Dreiling believes that teachers must know and care about the kids. "Then be prepared, professional, persistent, and passionate about what you do," she says.
In the classroom, her special memories involve helping students with personal crises and finding out that things did get better or work out for them. Outside of the classroom, she says, there was, "of course," the early-'80's trips to state in volleyball, topped off with the championship in 1982.
"Knowing that I loved going to work every day is memorable in itself," says Mrs. Dreiling.
Mrs. Dreiling says she has no specific plans for retirement, saying she "will embrace what life brings."
Kathey Gibbs has been in education 40.5 years, 38.5 of which have been in Augusta at the high school. She has taught English, journalism (including both yearbook and newspaper), "and even psychology for several years," she says. In addition to being the sponsor of the co-curricular yearbook and newspaper programs, she also served as dance team sponsor for several years.
Her advice to new teachers is to "keep an open mind and a sense of humor. Be prepared for change. Expect frustration, but 'don't sweat the small stuff.' Most of all, have fun -- best 'job' ever!"
Noting difficulty with picking just one memorable moment, she says, "Often the littlest things mean the most," such as being thanked many years later for posting a student's original poem on the bulletin board. Coincidentally, this person was at parent-teacher conferences for her child--one of Ms. Gibbs' students.
"Her story reminded me just how important the smallest act of encouragement can be," says Gibbs.
Having actually retired at the end of first semester this year, Ms. Gibbs reports that she is enjoying having the time to spend with her daughter and grandson. She also plans to do some volunteer work and some writing -- and, when she wins the lottery, some traveling.
Tami Ibarra has been in education for 39 years and at Garfield Elementary in Augusta for 35 years. She has taught upper elementary -- 4th grade for six years, then 6th grade until it was moved to AMS, then settling into 5th grade.
Along with Mrs. Clark, Mrs. Ibarra also lists the 2006 trip to Washington DC, when the staff accepted the school's National Blue Ribbon Award, as her most memorable moment.
About changes in education, Mrs. Ibarra says, "Other than the obvious technological advances, I think the accountability issue as measured by testing of educational standards is huge."
For new teachers, Mrs. Ibarra says, "Teaching is all about relationships. Let your students know you care about them. All the best research-based practices and strategies will be ineffective without good student relationships."
Mrs. Ibarra says she plans to spend time doing the things that make her happy during retirement. Two of those things? Spending time with her grandchildren and enjoying the great outdoors.
Ellen Lewis has been a para-educator for the Butler County Special Education Cooperative since 1987. Her first assignment was in the special education department at Augusta Middle School, where she worked for five years. She also worked at Rose Hill Middle School and Andover High School after that, before returning to work at Augusta High School for the past 13 years.
Mrs. Lewis is the vocational para-educator for the special education program at Augusta High School. She works with businesses in the Augusta community to arrange vocational experiences for students to help prepare them for the work world after they graduate. She "coaches" them and transports many of them to and from their vocational location during the school day.
Students work for one class period of their school schedule for a semester and receive a half credit. The hope is that they do such a good job that they are hired by the business for a permanent position.
She says her favorite part of the job is the excitement of students when they tell her they've been hired by the business they worked for during their vocational experience.
Barbara McCalla has been in education for 41 years, 37 in Augusta. She has taught at Lincoln, Robinson, and Garfield Elementary schools--the past 22 at Garfield. In addition to teaching music and then 3rd grade, she has also been Garfield's Title I reading teacher and provided professional development for teachers in cooperative learning and Teacher Expectations/Student Achievement (TESA).
Her favorite memories center around those times when "a struggling student finally achieves a long sought-after goal, when an adult thanks you for caring about them long ago."
Besides all the changes that technology has brought with it, Mrs. McCalla says the biggest change she has seen is the "accountability factor.
"Much of education at this time is driven by student data, and educators are held accountable to show improvement in their students' progress as shown by this data," she says.
Mrs. McCalla's advice to new teachers? "Your students need to know you truly care about each of them."


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While owners of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 will have the new Modern Warfare 2 to chew on this season, Wii gamers will at least have a chance to play the previous title in the series, as Kotaku reports that a port of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is headed to the Wii. nope The port will be handled by Call of Duty: World at War developer Treyarch, and will allegedly ship on November 10 alongside Modern Warfare 2. An official announcement of the game is expected tomorrow.
Activision also announced Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized for the Nintendo DS earlier this week.


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DOUALA, Cameroon – A Cameroonian official says an altercation between border police and fighters loyal to Central African Republic's new president has prompted Cameroon to shut the countries' shared border.
Ivaha Dieudonne, governor of Cameroon's East Region, said the border was closed in response to the altercation late Monday in the town of Toktoyo, which resulted in the death of a Cameroonian police official.
Witnesses said the incident was triggered by a dispute between the official, Felix Ndalle Ngando, and an army lieutenant from Central African Republic who claimed border officials had stolen his badge.
The lieutenant was a member of the Seleka rebel coalition that deposed former Central African Republic President Francois Bozize in March.
Cameroon has consistently complained about cross-border incursions by Seleka fighters targeting border posts and seizing weapons.


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This thread is for what Cricketers think about the Twenty20 version of the game. I will start it off NZ Captain's views :-
Vettori gives Twenty20 thumbs down
Cricinfo staff
September 18, 2007
Daniel Vettori: "I personally love the more traditional forms of the game" © Getty Images
While organisers and broadcasters purr over Twenty20, Daniel Vettori, New Zealand's captain, has given the tournament and the format a thumbs down.
"I hope Twenty20 cricket will only be part of the landscape and not the future of the game," Vettori said. "I personally love the more traditional forms of the game, that is Test cricket and one-day internationals. But I suppose we guys have to take this game seriously too."
He went on to explain that captaining in matches was a hard ask. "It is not easy ... because you don't know what you will run into. You might have the best of plans but they may all have to be discarded at the spur of the moment.
"You have to be really thinking on your feet. There is very little time to take decisions with so much happening and it is not as if you have all the time in the world to formulate plans.
"The more wickets you take, better the chance for you to peg back the opposition. A couple of sixes and you will suddenly run out of ideas. So, it always helps if you are able to bag some wickets."