text:
For the second straight year, riders for Storybook Farm won a championship in the Interscholastic Equestrian Association National Finals held in Syracuse, N.Y.
This year, it was the high school team winning the overall title a year after finishing sixth. The middle school team, which won its division last year, claimed a runner-up finish in the 2013 IEA National Finals.
"I couldn't believe the whole thing," said coach Alicia Story. "When those kids came out with the high school team winning and the middle school team coming in second, who knew? Who knew?"
The high school team finished with 24 points, seven points ahead of the second-place team. Both teams competed in classes where the horse and rider's form is judged at a walk, trot and canter, which are called flat classes, and in classes horse and rider are judged on their form over fences.
In the high school division, Brette Tennison won the team varsity open fences competition, and Natalie Thorpe won the team varsity intermediate fences, both earning 7 points. Elizabeth Ashcraft was second in team JV novice fences and earned five points. Hannah Pressler was fourth in team varsity intermediate flat and won three points. Savanna Winters was fifth in team JV beginner flat and earned two points. Darby Pease competed in team varsity open flat, and Ashcraft also competed in team JV novice flat.
The middle school team was the 2013 IEA National Reserve Champions, scoring 14 points, two behind the winning team. Sophie Mauerhan won team future novice flat, and River Hanckel won the team future beginner flat, with both scoring seven points. Anna Bradley Morrow competed in the team future intermediate fences and flat classes. Rawleigh Harris competed in the team future novice fences.
The Storybook Farm teams both qualified for the National Finals by winning the Zone 4 Regionals in Murfreesboro, Tenn. The U.S. is broken into 10 zones, and from those zones 20 teams qualified at the high school level and 20 teams at the middle school level. A total of 350 riders participated in the National Finals.
Other individual highlights included: Addie Ledbetter was the individual JV novice fences reserve champion as well as the highest placing senior in her class and earned a $500 scholarship; Pease was fourth in the individual varsity open flat as well as qualifying to compete in the varsity open championship, where she placed 10th; and Thorpe was sixth in individual intermediate flat.
"The weekend was an overwhelming success for our entire team. We had a pretty even mix of good draws and the more difficult draws. Our riders rode them all very well," Story said.
"The biggest success in my book was what took place outside of the competition ring. Our riders formed new friendships with riders from other teams as well as displaying good sportsmanship and a tone of team spirit. The many compliments received throughout the weekend about what genuinely nice kids our team has is a true testament to their parents, and to me this is better than any championship ribbon."
Story said that is what to her is the most important part of the IEA. She said the riders learn teamwork and sportsmanship, and they also learn to have respect, compassion and appreciation for their peers and the horses that make it all possible. "These kids are learning life skills that will serve them well in their future endeavors all while enjoying the equestrian sport they love so much," Story said. "It can't get any better than that."


text:
Story highlights
- Frida Ghitis: Reports Iran urging militants to target U.S. sites if U.S. hits Syria not surprising
- She says it may show Iran using proxies to attack rather than take on war it can't win
- She says Iran's Shiites want Assad to prevail but its rulers divided on how much to help
- Ghits: Threats must be taken seriously, but moral reason for strike is unchanged
Reports that Iran is plotting to attack American targets in Iraq in response to U.S. intervention in Syria should come as no surprise. Armed conflicts are unpredictable and risky. But this latest communication, allegedly intercepted by U.S. intelligence, may prove less ominous than it sounds.
According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, the United States intercepted a message sent from Tehran to militants in neighboring Iraq, ordering them to target the American embassy in Baghdad and other U.S. interests if American forces strike Syria. Assuming that the information is correct -- and not meant by Iran to get into U.S. hands to send a threat -- it would seem that Iran will resort to its long-standing practice of using proxy militias and assorted terrorist groups to do its dirty work. This is as an alternative to stepping into the conflict with its own forces, which would escalate the war in Syria much more dangerously.
In fact, it doesn't make a lot of sense for Tehran to jump in against the United States, even if Syria is Iran's closest ally and Iran is already providing President Bashar al-Assad with weaponry and other support. Iran, incidentally, has also coordinated with its Lebanese ally, the Shiite militia Hezbollah, which has gone all in, fighting alongside al-Assad. Despite their many threats, neither Hezbollah nor Iran want to take on the U.S., or Israel for that matter, to fight in a war they cannot win.
Since U.S. President Barack Obama announced he wants to launch military strikes against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in response to what many nations agree was a chemical weapons attack that killed hundreds of civilians on August 21, opponents of U.S. intervention have expressed fear that the war would spread to a much larger regional, even global conflagration.
Again, there is no way of predicting with certainty how the conflict would unfold, but an Iranian decision to launch its own armed forces, or even to take major action in other ways against the Americans, does not make strategic sense.
Shiite Tehran fervently wants to see al-Assad emerge victorious in this civil war against a Sunni opposition. But the ruling establishment in Iran today is deeply divided over how far their country should go in protecting the Syrian dictator.
Iran's hard-liners want to push ahead with nuclear enrichment. Starting a war with the United States before that process is completed would defeat its purpose. Iran's more moderate politicians, led today by the newly elected President Hassan Rouhani and his team, have engaged in an extraordinary campaign of image repair.
Rouhani tweeted a "Happy Rosh Hashanah" greeting on the occasion of the Jewish New Year, and his foreign minister condemned the Holocaust, a statement that would not be remarkable from almost any other country, but coming from Iran is an eyebrow-raiser after the extraordinarily low bar set by former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
In more signs of some powerful Iranians distancing from Syria, another moderate (by Iranian standards), former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, blamed Assad for the chemical gas attack. Iranians are sensitive to those charges, since they suffered horrific gas attacks during the war against Iraq in the 1980s. On this issue, Rafsanjani has now put himself squarely on the opposite side of the hard-liners, who vow America will suffer the consequences of interfering in Syria.
Rouhani, meanwhile, issued a startlingly nonbelligerent warning to America. "If something happens to the Syrian people," he told the Assembly of Experts, a key decision-making body in Tehran, "the Islamic Republic will do its religious and humanitarian duties to send food and medicine."
While Rouhani was launching his Rosh Hashanah charm offensive, the head of the Revolutionary Guards' elite Quds Force, Qasem Suleimani, darkly warned that a U.S. attack on Syria would result in the "destruction of Israel." It was Suleimani who reportedly contacted Shiite militias in Iraq, some of them trained by the Iranians, with the instructions to target the U.S. Embassy there.
Hezbollah, too, which is closely linked with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, is reportedly awaiting instructions from Tehran on how to respond to an American strike. Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, took a risky gamble entering the war in Syria. He was once one of the most popular leaders in the Arab world, proclaiming that his organization's only reason for being was to fight Israel. He has now allied himself with Syria's al-Assad, a man with blood on his hands, for the sake of protecting the Syrian regime and Iranian interests.
According to the Saudi newspaper Okaz, a Lebanese source said Hezbollah will attack Israel only "after receiving a specific order from Iran."
Hezbollah might try to launch some symbolic attack, perhaps a few rockets. But the group is bogged down in Syria. The last thing it wants is to trigger a massive Israeli -- much less an American -- retaliation.
Whatever the divisions among Iranians and the concerns of anti-American militias and terrorist groups about taking on the United States, the threats have to be taken seriously. And it's worth remembering that attacks against civilians and other nonmilitary targets can be launched by small groups, providing deniability to their masters. The U.S. is already evacuating nonessential personnel from a number of diplomatic facilities in the Middle East and has advised American citizens to stay out of Iraq.
Some of those warnings, however, went into place before the August 21 nerve gas attack and before Obama's call for action. The Syrian war was already spreading to other countries. The risks did not begin with the American debate over intervention. The plot warnings are a reminder that war is always dangerous. But we all knew that.
The threats do nothing to change the moral and strategic calculus about whether or not to the United States should strike Syria.
Follow us on Twitter @CNNOpinion.
Join us on Facebook/CNNOpinion.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Super Bowl hunt has dwindled to eight teams – soon to be four. Shaw Media's Hub Arkush and Tom Musick discuss:
Musick: The NFL's wild-card weekend was unbelievable. Three out of four games were decided by three points or fewer, and two came down to game-winning kicks. Would it be wrong to expect more of the same for this weekend's playoff games? And for anyone unable to devote another 12-plus hours to football this weekend, how would you rank the four games (on paper, at least) from best to worst?
Arkush: It's actually hard to imagine anything ever matching the Colts' comeback vs. the Chiefs and the 49ers/Packers and Saints/Eagles games certainly provided as much drama as any playoff games in recent memory. Of course, had someone on the Chiefs elected to cover T.Y. Hilton or put a little pressure on Andrew Luck, things probably wouldn't have been nearly as exciting. Therein lies the wild card, no pun intended. Will individual players rise to the occasion again this weekend as they did last week and, if so, just who might they be? On the face of it, the early Sunday meeting between San Francisco and Carolina offers the greatest hope. Consider the slugfest they had in San Francisco a few weeks ago, and this one feels like a heavyweight fight. In spite of the beating the Saints took in Seattle on the first Monday night in December, that's the next one that intrigues me. But, when I look at the dogs in the two AFC games, maybe I'm underestimating them, but I don't expect down-to-the wire outcomes in those two.
Musick: I'm with you. I would mark down the 49ers-Panthers game as No. 1 on my list. I also like the Bears angle in that game with Ron Rivera going up against Jim Harbaugh. You know both guys. Is it safe to say they'll be a wee bit intense when they take the sidelines before kickoff?
Arkush: The biggest question I have about that 49ers-Panthers game is whether they've agreed on 12 or 16 ounce gloves. It certainly has all the feel of a heavyweight title bout and those two teams are constructed so similarly it's really difficult to find an edge. Harbaugh and Rivera are both good friends from our days together with the Bears – in fact Ron was my broadcast partner on Bears postgame shows for a couple years after he retired before he decided to get into coaching, and Jim occasionally showed up at my oldest son's Little League games – and are two of the most competitive guys I know. Don't let Rivera fool you, he doesn't wear it on his sleeve like Harbaugh does, but he boils inside with the best of them.
Musick: Maybe instead of gloves, they can run out of the tunnels with heavy jousting sticks like in "American Gladiators." They could feature cool names like Roar and Porcupine, or something. But I do think that the Carolina-San Francisco game will be close and could come down to a coaching decision, so hopefully Rivera and Harbaugh are on top of their games. Speaking of old guys who would understand "American Gladiator" references, Peyton Manning might have his hands full with San Diego this weekend. Am I wrong to think that the Broncos could be staring at the real possibility of an ugly loss?
Arkush: No, you're not wrong, but I think asking the Chargers to go into the fire and come out on top twice in one season and for the Broncos to be great all year and mess the bed in their playoff opener two years in a row is expecting an awful lot. And don't forget, Philip Rivers went into Indianapolis and knocked Peyton out of the playoffs a few years back, and there's never been any love lost between these two. I'd expect Peyton to be ready and have enough to get the job done.


text:
Lozier honored at CMBC luncheon
A Borger High School teacher received special honors during the Coffee Memorial Blood Center Annual Donor Recognition Luncheon in Amarillo Tuesday afternoon.Mary Lou Lozier was honored with CMBC's Lifetime of Service Award. She and several of her student council members from BHS were in attendance at the luncheon.Lozier became involved with CMBC when she volunteered to be the blood drive coordinator for the BHS blood drives. "High school blood drives are tough to manage, but she has never backed down from the challenge and she's been doing it for 21 years!" Suzanne Talley of CMBC said. "Instead, she has the drives down to a fine art."Lozier and the student council officers plan two to three blood drives each year, which result in approximately 120-150 units per year along with many first-time donors adding to the donor pool."She encourages these young people to adopt the tradition of giving for their families," Talley said. "We can truly say that Mary Lou Lozier goes above the call of duty by making such a positive difference among young people in Borger and in the lives of patients within the High Plains Region. We extend a tremendous thank you to this special lady for her compassion, her generosity, and her dedication to others."Lozier said she feels it is important to give back to the community and does so by coordinating the drives at BHS. However, her reasons for getting involved are also personal in nature."I have such a debt of gratitude to blood donors because my father is a blood recipient," she said. "He spent months in the hospital and required blood transfusions due to a bacterial infection that claimed both of his arms and part of his feet."She said without the superior medical care he received at Baptist St. Anthony's Hospital and the blood that was available, he would not have survived. Lozier also extends appreciation to her student councils, past and present, for their hard work on these drives."I also want to thank all the BHS student council officers and members over the last 21 years for supporting me in the privilege of giving to such a worthwhile cause," she said.Talley said Lozier has truly been an important part of the work that CMBC does and the center feels fortunate to have had her as part of their team for so long."Borger High School is blessed to have Mary Lou Lozier and so is Coffee Memorial!" she said.


text:
Did you read today's front page stories & breaking news?
Today's Top SOA Links
From the Wires
Operators Shut Down Unit 2 at PPL's Susquehanna Nuclear Plant
By: PR Newswire
Nov. 20, 2012 02:10 AM
BERWICK, Pa., Nov. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Operators at PPL's Susquehanna nuclear power plant disconnected Monday (11/19) from the regional power grid shortly after returning to service because of a hydraulic oil leak on a system that controls the flow of steam into the turbine.
Operators are manually shutting down the reactor and plant systems are responding as designed. Susquehanna employees are investigating the cause of the oil leak.
"Shutting down the reactor is the safest course of action until we can determine the reason for the oil leak and make the necessary repair," said Timothy S. Rausch, PPL Susquehanna senior vice president and chief nuclear officer. "All systems are functioning as expected to keep the unit in a safe condition."
The oil leak is not affecting employee or public safety and is contained within the Turbine Building. Unit 1 is operating safely at full power.
The Susquehanna plant, located in Luzerne County about seven miles north of Berwick, is owned jointly by PPL Susquehanna LLC and Allegheny Electric Cooperative Inc. and is operated by PPL Susquehanna LLC.
PPL Susquehanna LLC is one of PPL Corporation's generating affiliates. Headquartered in Allentown, Pa., PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) owns or controls through its subsidiaries about 19,000 megawatts of generating capacity in the United States, sells energy in key U.S. markets, and delivers electricity and natural gas to about 10 million customers in the United States and the United Kingdom. More information is available at www.pplweb.com.
SOURCE PPL Susquehanna
Subscribe to the World's Most Powerful Newsletters
Subscribe to Our Rss Feeds & Get Your SYS-CON News Live!
SYS-CON Featured Whitepapers
Most Read This Week


text:
Movie Trailer Thursday: Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, The Change Up, More
If you're not convinced about if you should see the new Planet of the Apes movie watch the new trailer and it may change your mind. Also out this weekend The Change Up. Watch the trailers for these movies and some movies out in limited release you can look forward to on DVD.


text:
The old-school Denny's at 510 W. Orange Show Road has been shuttered.
Apparently it's been closed for weeks. I just noticed this weekend.
It's a shame. That particular location, despite being a little rough around the edges, was the one I went to most often.
That leaves San Bernardino with "only" three Denny's: Highland Avenue (at Valencia Avenue), Palm Avenue (at I-215) and Rosewood Drive (off Tippecanoe Avenue).
Guess I'll have to find another location for my Moons Over My Hammy fix.


text:
The "Rising Stars" are now "Fall Stars" but word usage aside, they remain the brightest stars and the most promising prospects that spent the past season in the minor leagues and are playing this fall in the prestigious Arizona Fall League.
The Fall Stars Game, formerly known as the Rising Stars Game, will be played Saturday, Nov. 2 at Surprise (Ariz.) Stadium, the Cactus League spring training home of the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. The game, which features 48 of the top prospects in Minor League Baseball, will be broadcast live on the MLB Network and streamed live on MLB.com with a starting time of 5 p.m. (MST).
As has been the case for the past several years, the eighth edition of this Arizona Fall League all-star game will have a decided Perfect Game flavor. Twenty-eight of the 48 players participated in Perfect Game events while they were in high school -- 13 performed at the Perfect Game National Showcase, 12 at the Perfect Game All-American Classic and 20 played in the PG WWBA World Championship.
Fall Stars right-hander Marcus Stroman, the No. 22 overall pick by the Toronto Blue Jays out of Duke University in the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft, is one of five pitchers with a PG background on the 10-man East Division pitching staff. Stroman, who was at the 2008 Perfect Game National Showcase, told PG in the spring of 2012 just how important his involvement was in terms of advancing his career.
"Coming from a place like Long Island, New York, there isn't much exposure to college baseball. Being able to go to those events was very beneficial," he said. "I kind of got seen first at the Sunshine Northeast (Showcase) and then I got invited to the National Showcase. That definitely put me on the national level, I'd say, because not many scouts can watch baseball players from New York and other cold weather places. It definitely helped."
Another East Division right-hander is Cam Bedrosian, a 2009 PG All-American who the Minnesota Twins selected with the 29th pick of the first round in the 2010 MLB amateur draft right out of a Georgia high school. Bedrosian, the son former National League Cy Young Award winner Steve Bedrosian, not only played in the PG All-American Classic but also in seven PG WWBA National Championships and PG BCS Finals from 2007-09.
"It's a lot of fun when you get to go with your buddies and travel around the country and play in those tournaments; I really enjoyed it," Bedrosian told PG this spring while a member of the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Kernels, the Twins affiliate in the low Class A Midwest League. "I think that's what helped me become a good ballplayer, playing in those tournaments and me getting better."
Kris Bryant, a Fall Stars Game East Division first baseman and the No. 2 overall pick by the Chicago Cubs in June's 2013 amateur draft after a record-setting season at the University of San Diego, also spoke with PG this spring about his experiences during high school. Bryant performed at the 2009 PG National Showcase and 2009 PG All-American Classic, and was also with the Ohio Warhawks at the 2008 and '09 PG WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla.
"It was obviously something different but it was something that I needed to do in order to be where I'm at today," Bryant said. "I really feel like (Perfect Game) gets the best competition that (it) can get and it's great for the sport of baseball. I'm happy I was able to attend those events because it really got me on the map and it really got me looked at."
What follows is a brief rundown of the prospects with Perfect Game ties that will be on the field for the Fall Stars Game Saturday in Surprise:
(Name, position, MLB organization, notable PG events attended)
Jake Barrett, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks: 2008 PG WWBA World Championship
Cam Bedrosian, RHP, Los Angeles Angels: 2009 PG All-American Classic, 2007-09 PG WWBA National Championships/PG BCS Finals
Tyler Matzek, LHP, Colorado Rockies: 2008 PG National Showcase, 2008 PG All-American Classic, 2008 PG WWBA World Championship
Aaron Sanchez, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays: 2009 PG National Showcase, 2009 PG All-American Classic, 2009 PG WWBA World Championship
Marcus Stroman, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays: 2008 PG National Showcase, 2007-08 PG WWBA World Championship
Peter O'Brien, C, New York Yankees: 2008 PG World Showcase, 2008 PG BCS Finals
Andrew Susac, C, San Francisco Giants: 2008 PG National Showcase, 2008 PG All-American Classic, 2008 PG WWBA World Championship
Kris Bryant, INF, Chicago Cubs: 2009 PG National Showcase, 2009 PG All-American Classic, 2008-09 PG WWBA World Championship
Taylor Lindsey, INF, Los Angeles Angels: 2009 PG WWBA World Championship
Kyle Parker, INF, Colorado Rockies: 2007 PG WWBA World Championship
Addison Russell, INF, Oakland Athletics: 2011 PG National Showcase, 2011 PG All-American Classic, 2009 PG WWBA World Championship, 2009-2011 PG WWBA National Championships/PG BCS Finals
Devon Travis, INF, Detroit Tigers: 2006-07-08 PG WWBA World Championship
Albert Almora, INF/OF, Chicago Cubs: 2011 PG National Showcase, 2011 PG All-American Classic, 2008-09-10 PG WWBA World Championship, 2006-11 PG WWBA National Championships/PG BCS Finals
Brian Goodwin, OF, Washington Nationals: 2008 PG All-American Classic, 2007-08 PG WWBA World Championship
Stephen Piscotty, OF, St. Louis Cardinals: 2007 PG WWBA 18u National Championship
Mason Williams, OF, New York Yankees: 2009 PG National Showcase, 2008-09 PG WWBA World Championship
Tim Berry, LHP, Baltimore Orioles: 2007 Sunshine West Showcase
Alex Meyer, RHP, Minnesota Twins: 2007 PG National Showcase, 2007 PG All-American Classic, 2006 PG WWBA World Championship
Keyvius Sampson, RHP, San Diego Padres: 2008 PG National Showcase, 2008 PG All-American Classic, 2008-09 PG WWBA World Championship
Austin Hedges, C, San Diego Padres: 2010 PG National Showcase, 2010 PG All-American Classic
Mookie Betts, INF, Boston Red Sox: 2011 PG WWBA National Championship/PG BCS Finals
Garin Cecchini, INF, Boston Red Sox: 2009 PG National Showcase, 2007-08-09 PG WWBA World Championship
Colin Moran, INF, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2009 PG WWBA World Championship
Eddie Rosario, INF, Minnesota Twins: 2008-09 PG WWBA World Championship
Corey Seager, INF, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2011 PG National Showcase, 2011 PG All-American Classic, 2010-11 PG WWBA World Championship
Byron Buxton, OF, Minnesota Twins: 2009-10-11 PG WWBA National Championships
Delino DeShields, OF, Houston Astros: 2007-08-09 PG WWBA National Championships/PG BCS Finals
Tyler Naquin, OF, Cleveland Indians: 2008 PG WWBA World Championship


text:
|Send News. Want a reply? Read this. More in the FAQ. News Forum - All Forums - Mobile - PDA - RSS Headlines Twitter
There's a Star Trek Preview on IGN that includes a teaser trailer for Digital Extremes' upcoming co-op action game based on the sci-fi film reboots. The clip is heavy on action, showing Kirk and Spock doing their best Kane and Lynch impression, running around and shooting everything in sight. The clip concludes reconfirming we should expect the game in "early 2013." Thanks VG247.
Copyright © 1996-2018 Stephen Heaslip. All rights reserved.
All trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
Privacy Policy.
News CGI copyright © 1999-2018 James "furn" Furness &
Blue's News.
All rights reserved.
Chatbear v1.4.0/blue++: Page generated 25 May 2018, 13:09.
Chatbear Announcements.


text:
As Florida's labor market struggles to find its footing, the youngest workers in the state face some of the slipperiest stumbling blocks.
Teenagers looking for summer work are looking at another season of slim prospects as employers grip tight the reins of hiring.
Florida's unemployment rate for 16- to 19-year-olds stands at almost 28 percent, more than 18 percentage points higher than the statewide average of 9.4 percent. Among African-American teens, it's soared to about 49 percent.


text:
21st April 2013
Olympic bronze medallist Tom Daley sealed his second career individual World Series gold with victory in front of a home crowd in Edinburgh at the third leg of the 2013 FINA/Midea Diving World Series.
Competing in his first international event of the season, the 18-year old Brit won a thrilling final, holding off Russia's Victor Minibaev by less than five points as he scored 542.15 for gold.
I knew I had to get 10s to stay in the competition and I just held that attitude for my last four dives.
Daley was lying third after his opening two dives but chalked up the top-scoring dive of the World Series leg with 102.60 for his third effort – a back 3 ½ somersaults piked.
With the crowd behind him, the Brit carved his way to the top of the leaderboard, receiving a 10 for his final dive – a reverse 3 ½ somersaults with tuck – to score 92.4 and seal the title.
Minibaev - who finished fourth behind Daley at the London 2012 Olympic Games last season – settled for silver on 537.60 while Mexico's Ivan Garcia claimed the first individual World Series medal of his career with bronze on 504.50.
"It's great for where I am right now in my training cycle and the whole four-year cycle," said Daley, who was overall World Series champion last season.
"It was quite a close competition from the word go really. I missed my first two dives which was quite frustrating but I had to have the right mindset to keep going and believe anything could happen.
"Victor is an incredible diver – when he's diving well, he dives very well. I knew I had to get 10s to stay in the competition and I just held that attitude for my last four dives."
Ukraine's Anton Zakharov was the diver to miss out on the podium as he scored 484.25 to finish fourth in his first World Series appearance.
Men's 10m Platform Results
GOLD – Tom Daley (Great Britain) (542.15)
SILVER – Victor Minibaev (Russia) (537.60)
BRONZE – Ivan Garcia (Mexico) (504.50)
- CLICK HERE for detailed results from Edinburgh (new window)


text:
Flight Centre has set profit and sales records for the first half of the 2013 reporting year, as it looks to increase its focus on corporate and premium customers and further integrate its online and in-store businesses.
The travel company reported a net profit of $91.8 million for the six months to December, a 13 per cent increase from the previous corresponding period, despite consumer and business confidence headwinds.
The firm declared a fully franked interim dividend of 46 cents per share.
Shares were down 3.1 per cent to $31.28 in late afternoon trade.
Shaw Stockbroking analyst Darren Vincent said the Flight Centre results were in line with expectations, adding that the slight dip in the company's share price today was in part a reflection of the market's nervousness about the Italian elections, and a slight inherent volatility in the stock's value.
''There are no secrets there that either Flight Centre or the travel industry has as to the way the outlook is. We're staying bullish,'' Mr Vincent said.
The firm said its growth outlook for the 2012-13 financial year was marginally ahead of targets, and it would continue to aim for profit before tax of $305 million to $315 million, with the largest profit months ahead.
''Australia and the UK are now entrenched as the company's largest and second largest profit generators and again delivered record [earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation] in challenging trading conditions to underpin [Flight Centre's] overall growth,'' Flight Centre's managing director Graham Turner said.
''Our Singapore and Greater China businesses also contributed record first half EBIT, which helped [Flight Centre] comfortably surpass the profit milestone that was established last year.
''In addition, a first half sales record was established. While some leisure businesses grew strongly, including Australia's niche brands, corporate growth was generally stronger.''
The company also recorded EBIT of $124.8 million for the first-half of the 2012-13 financial year, up 11 per cent from the same period the year before.
Its online portal, flightcentre.com.au, reported a growth of 23 per cent in sales and was on track to reach $5 million EBIT.
Legal costs from Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) action against the company over alleged price fixing amounted to $1.7 million for the first six months of the reporting year, chief financial officer Andrew Flannery said in an investor's briefing today.
Looking ahead, Flight Centre said it would focus on growing its corporate sector and fully implementing its ''blended model'' - which would allow customers to seamlessly move between shopping for flights and travel packages online and in-store.
Mr Turner said more of Flight Centre's marketing would focus to on premium rather than low-cost flights.
"The overall move from economy to business, particularly in leisure, is going to be a positive move for us and the travel industry, as well as airlines generally," he said.
Mr Turner added that airline ticket prices were at an all-time low and were likely to rise.
"As well as people moving more into premium fares, I think that the fares will tend to move up. ... I think there will be some inflation of fares generally and I think that the move to more premium fares will help our [total transaction value] growth."
Shaw's Mr Vincent said that the outlook for the company was expected to remain stable, with consumer sentiment unlikely to weaken further and little challenge from online travel packages at this time.
Demand for flights would also continue as a result of a structured shift in flying, which has seen more Australians become used to taking to the air regularly, he said.
Most Viewed in Business
Morning & Afternoon Newsletter
Delivered Mon–Fri.


text:
Notebooks Guide
HP Pavilion dv3000
With the title of the number one PC retailer firmly in its belt for 2007, HP seems poised to continue on its swift rise with its snazzy product lines catered to catch your eye with their stylish looks, features and price points. The Pavilion dv3000 notebook is no exception.
Tags: (none)
HWZ's Overall Rating: 8.0


text:
ORLANDO—Jim Caldwell and Mike Zimmer are the new guys in the NFC North, and they provide the suspense in the Packers' quest to win a fourth consecutive division title.
"I haven't met the team yet," Caldwell said at Wednesday's breakfast with the NFC coaches.
Caldwell is the new coach of the Detroit Lions, a team steeped in talent, but seemingly about to undergo a serious makeover.
Jim Schwartz is gone, chased out of town by a late-season collapse. Gone, too, is the Lions' swaggering ways. Caldwell won't allow it.
"Everything has got to be fought for every single day. You have to be able to set standards. They have to be set and they have to be fought for," Caldwell said over a plate of fruit.
Caldwell is the anti-Schwartz. Caldwell is offense; Schwartz is defense. Caldwell is discipline and refinement. Too often under Schwartz, the Lions were about aggressiveness gone wild.
"Leadership is the most important thing. If you can get your message across, you'll be fine. In this business, you better be yourself," Caldwell said.
Can he get his message across to Ndamukong Suh? If he can, Caldwell should be fine.
The degree to which Caldwell can tame the Lions, and that includes quarterback Matt Stafford's penchant for making unforced errors, will determine whether or not the Lions can challenge the Packers' hold on the division. Make no mistake about it, the Lions have the talent to do it. The rest is about discipline and execution, and Caldwell has a reputation for attention to detail.
"You never want to beat yourself," he said. "You're going to make some mistakes. We talk about those instances."
If he shows tapes of last year's games to his team, Caldwell and his players will have plenty of instances to discuss. If only the Lions can eliminate, or at the least reduce their tendency to make mistakes, they could be a very dangerous team in 2014.
"I hope there are a few surprises. It's going to be a bit different now. You're not going to say this is the Colts offense. This is going to be the Lions offense and there's going to be a little different flavor to it," the former Colts head coach said.
"The challenge is to win consistently. You have to be a very good team to get it done."
Zimmer's Vikings are not ready to go. They've got talent, but additional pieces are needed. Zimmer said the Vikings will work out 4-5 quarterback prospects, beginning with Blake Bortles. If he's gone when the Vikings pick, don't rule out Johnny Manziel.
"You're going against the grain a little bit with a player like that," Zimmer said of Manziel, "but the game has changed so much." Zimmer then compared Manziel to Fran Tarkenton. Hmmm.
"We still have a lot of holes to fill. We have to continue to search for players. Every place we can find, we need to look for football players. Obviously, improving the quarterback position; obviously, improving the 31st-ranked defense," he said when asked to name his biggest challenges. "We need to field a better football team. That's what I'm trying to do."
Caldwell's challenge is to change the Lions' culture. Zimmer has holes to fill. Their pursuit of each will determine to what degree the Packers and Bears need to worry.
"I love to sit in the meeting room and talk to players and get them on the field and teach them the game. I'm going to start having fun when I get on the field and find out what kind of heart they have," Zimmer added.
That's when the fun will begin for everyone.


text:
posted by Thom Holwerda on Tue 13th Feb 2007 16:24 UTC, submitted by Dale Smoker
IBM has announced an open-source desktop, running Lotus apps and Firefox on top of Red Hat or SUSE Linux. It's based on an internal project which has deployed Linux desktops to several thousand IBM staff, in what IBM said was one of the largest corporate Linux roll-outs to date. It added that its Open Client Solution can also take in Windows and Mac users, as there's Lotus software for those as well - although it admits that the Mac version of Notes 8 isn't due until later this year.


text:
You'll not want to miss the morning meeting tomorrow, September 6, 2011 at Gail Borden Public Library at 9:30 am. Sara Taylor will be facilitating "Researching with Ancestry".
Thank you Sara for filling in for me. I'll be on my way to Springfield for the FGS Conference. I'll try to keep you appraised of what's going on here or on my personal blog or you can follow my on twitter @famsearcher.
Have a great meeting. I'll be thinking of you.
Monday, September 5, 2011
September 2011 Morning Meeting
Posted by Becky Higgins at 5:46 PM
Labels: Meeting Announcements
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Pat downs and body scanners are coming to the movie theaters.
>> Pat downs and body scanners are coming to the movie theaters.
So theater security via security theater then?
If and only if the theatres want to go out of business entirely. Nothing you could put on a screen is worth getting patted down.
While we can go to great lengths to guard against some types of security threat, we are reminded once again that the greatest risk is often from somebody who decides to take something lethal to a crowded place and do his worst with it.
People in the thread already engaging in partisan political speculation about motives relating to the film's plot or controversies surrounding it. Give it a rest, guys - too soon. It'll all come out in due course, but there's every chance it was nothing more than somebody with a random grievance picking a target area he knew would be crowded.
Isn't brown people, or gay people, or Muslims. It's crazy. Crazy is the root cause behind most of mankind's problems, be that war or criminal behavior or just everyday sociopathic behavior.
We need a "war on crazy", free mental healthcare for all and easing the ability for family and friends to compel treatment, coupled with increased government spending on treatment for mental illnesses.
Except there's more money to be made in cleaning up after other people's crazy (defense and police and corrections spending) than there is in trying to prevent it. So it'll never happen.
My condolences to all those affected.
In Israel, believe it or not, we have very strict gun control laws. We also have few massacres, and the ones that have happened have mostly been religious crazies attacking another group, which is a different kind of terrorism than this sort of massacre. I've lived in the US and grew up part of my childhood in America, and came back to America to work for many years as well.
What is interesting is that in Israel, we have thousands of people walking around not just with guns, but the most fearsome guns in the world usually. It's rare that I'm not on the train or a bus where someone isn't at least 3 seats from me carrying some breed of machine gun. You would think with all the 19 year old kids walking around with guns and often pissed off at this country and being in the army, we'd have more problems with shootings like this one, but we rarely do. It's not that it doesn't ever happen, but the gun culture here is very different than the US.
Firstly, in the army you are taught that a gun kills and you need to take your gun seriously. When you first are issued your gun and from that point on, you're not allowed to let it leave your sight ever. Technically you don't need your gun with you at all times, but you are definitely responsible for your own gun. If someone uses your gun or steals your gun, you're most likely going to prison and going to be in some serious trouble. So much fear is put into people about this, that most people will take their guns with them literally everywhere. It is not uncommon to see soldiers on leave going to the beach with their guns still around their shoulders. You are also taught to keep your safety on and to carry it without bullets loaded, unless of course you are on duty.
Therefore, we have entire generations of people who know how to use guns, and often use them well. They also understand gun safety, that a gun kills, and is only for last resort. Even if you are on duty, you often have to use rubber bullets first, and aim for the legs, never the head or heart. You can get in serious trouble for even following orders but shooting poorly at someone who is firing live ammo or fire bombs at you. People don't realize how much sometimes it can take to let IDF soldiers actually use proper ammunition (this often happens at the expense of the safety of our soldiers).
It's an interesting effect to see how serious people take guns here and how reluctant they are to use them. The media paints other pictures. One might also believe that massacres don't happen like this one as often because so many people have guns that you probably wouldn't last long. If it's not a soldier that gets you, it's a security guard or police.
One last point as well is that when we enter almost any populated building such as a mall or movie theater, we always go through metal detectors and sometimes a pat down or x-ray machine. And yet this process isn't like in the US where they screen so heavily and still don't find. We screen a lot lighter, but find lots, but we rely more on the human factor of looking for signs such as nervous twitches, sweat, and profiling of threats. In my time working the border, we found bombs on pregnant women and in ambulances all kinds of ridiculous things. It's a tough thing for everyone involved whether it is our own citizens or screening people entering and leaving our borders. It's sometimes humiliating for both involved (trust me, anyone who has worked guard duty and done searches in the IDF doesn't want to be doing it), but it keeps us safer than we otherwise be.
I hope the US doesn't become more of a police state. I also hope that people can learn more gun responsibility. Something seems like it needs to change as either an outright ban, or a different approach to all of it than exists now.
In America, we too have VERY few massacres. We just have a media that earns more money by selling advertising and wants as many eyes on them as possible so they are willing to make everything big and controversial.
In America, we too have VERY few massacres.
How do you define "VERY few"?
July 2012 - 12 dead, 50 wounded - Aurora, CO
May 2012 - 6 dead, 1 wounded; Seattle, WA -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Seattle_cafe_shooting_spree [wikipedia.org]
April 2012 - 7 dead, 3 injured - Oikos University, Oakland, CA
Feb 2012 - 3 dead, 2 wounded - Chardon, OH
Aug 2011 - 8 dead, 1 wounded; Copley Township, OH -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Copley_Township,_Ohio_shooting [wikipedia.org]
July 2011 - 8 dead, 2 wounded; Grand Rapids, MI -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Grand_Rapids,_Michigan_shooting [wikipedia.org]
Jan 2011 - 6 dead; 13 wounded - Tucson, AZ -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Tucson_shooting [wikipedia.org]
Jan 2010 - 8 dead; Appomattox, VA -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Appomattox_shootings [wikipedia.org]
Nov 2009 - 13 dead, 30 wounded; Ft. Hood, TX -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Hood_Shooting [wikipedia.org]
April 2009 - 14 dead; 4 wounded - Binghamton, NY -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binghamton_shootings [wikipedia.org]
Mar 2009 - 11 dead 6 wounded, Samson, AL -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneva_County_massacre [wikipedia.org]
Feb 2009 - 4 dead, 1 wounded; University of AZ -- http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-201_162-527308.html [cbsnews.com]
Dec 2008 - 9 dead, 3+ injured; Covina, CA
Sept 2008 - 6 dead, 2 injured; Alger, WA -- http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008153942_webshooting02m.html [nwsource.com]
Dec 2007 - 8 dead, 5 wounded; Omaha, NE
April 2007 - 32 dead; Virginia Tech
Oct 2006 - 6 dead, 5 injured; Nickel Mines, PA -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish_school_shooting [wikipedia.org]
Jan 2006 - 7 dead; Goleta, CA -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_San_Marco [wikipedia.org]
March 2005 - 7 dead, 4 wounded; Brooksfield, WI -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Ratzmann [wikipedia.org]
March 2005 - 10 dead, 12 injured; Red Lake HS, Minnesota
October 2002 - 10 dead, 3 injured; Washington DC (sniper attacks over 3 week period) -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beltway_sniper_attacks [wikipedia.org]
July 1999 - 9 dead 13 wounded; Atlanta, GA -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_O._Barton [wikipedia.org]
April 1999 - 12 dead; Columbine HS
Dec 1993 - 6 dead, 19 wounded; Long Island Railroad -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Island_Rail_Road_Massacre [wikipedia.org]
May 1993 - 2 dead, 3 wounded; Dearborn, MI --
May 1993 - 3 dead; Dana Point, CA
July 1993 - 9 dead, 6 wounded; San Francisco, CA -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101_California_Street_shootings [wikipedia.org]
Nov 1991 - 4 dead, 6 wounded; Royal Oak, MI -- http://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/15/us/ex-postal-worker-kills-3-and-wounds-6-in-michigan.html [nytimes.com]
Oct 1991 - 4 dead (1 by samurai sword); Ridgewood, NJ -- http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/a-former-postal-worker-commits-mass-murder [history.com]
Oct 1991
I would not take Israel as a good example of good liberal gun control. Yes, you might have nice numbers on gun crime but you also have unified people with "common enemy" - the Palestinians. For a small group getting gun control "right" is easy, and Israel is a prime example of that, but good luck trying the same with larger population with different religions and world views....
In my day if we didn't like the movie we just slashed the seat. I miss the drive-in.
Your car's seat must have been pretty uncomfortable after a few bad movies.
Lets say for a moment that gun control laws would have kept this individual from acquiring them. Waiting for the movie to let out and then driving a vehicle at high speed into the crowd would likely kill and injure as many or more people. If someone loses their mind and wants to kill people, there is little we can do to stop them. It's tragic, but it's part of the price of a free country.
As much as it would be great to be able to prevent horrible events like this, it is important to remember that at some point we have to accept that a certain amount of evil has to be tolerated if we want to live in a free society. A locked down police state would likely not be a state worth living in.
Regardless, I offer my condoleances to the families affected by this horrible attack.
It's a good thing no law-abiding citizen was armed there, someone might have been hurt.
Let me guess, the theater bans conceal-carry guns, I'd guess?
The shooter was in early 20's, so we can't blame the parents.
The shooter was more than old enough to own weapons.
The shooter appears to have some training in use of such weapons.
While I'm horribly saddened for all those people who went out to enjoy a premier of an action packed movie.
For someone to kick open an exit door, clearly the individual had every motive and intent to just kill. This isn't because he saw the movie and it made him violent. He already had violent tendencies and cares little for human life.
I am not a gun owner, and have only recently looked into receiving proper gun training so I am familiar enough to truly respect the laws in place. We have laws in place, but we have this other thing called a Constitution, which is clearly designed to allow each person to enjoy their rights as a citizen of this country. The gun and canisters used were only tools that this individual used. Would we scream afoul of gun ownership if this guy had swords or throwing knives and killed people that way, and then some citizen who legally carried a concealed weapon stopped this guy with the concealed weapon? No, we'd be praising that person with the gun as a hero. Would we then start adding more law about knife ownership?
The fact is that people are unpredictable. And whenever you have that you will always have unpredictable results.
I do not mean to sound as if I don't care. I Do. But massacres have been happening for as long as humans have walked this planet. Before instant news, it would be something we'd learn later. And while it is still tragic, and I wish it never happened, it did.
Creating restrictive laws has never stopped someone whose intent is mass damage. Blaming a movie is just someone's way of trying to take the blame from the individual.
How many of us grew up to the 3 Stooges or the Little Rascals? Both of those TV shows had tons of violence in them. Kids would put poison in cakes or nails. The Stooges would ride on rockets that were fired. Of the millions who saw that stuff as kids, you don't see us going on rampages.
Lets actually blame the problem of the massacre on the person and not the crap that people will speculate caused the killer to kill.
I've got a bad feeling about this.


text:
Gerald "Arby" Arbogast, 83, Corinth, MIss., died Friday, Nov. 23, 2012 at Magnolia Regional Health Center.
He was born Aug. 14, 1929, the son of Claude and Viola Arbogast.
Arbogast worked at Kable Printing Company, Mt. Morris, for 28 years before moving to Corinth in February of 1976 to help the start of Hall of Mississippi.
He was quality control for National Geographic until his retirement in 1994.
He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather, he loved his family and always loved family reunions in Florida every year.
He enjoyed working in the yard and loved sitting on his porch watching the hummingbirds and squirrels.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Doris Bickford Arbogast, Corinth, Miss.; son, Edward (Anneal Zamarron) Arbogast, Hewitt, Texa; daughter Sherri (Kenneth Royal) Litano, Cordova, Tenn.; grandchildren, Brian and Matthew Arbogast, Marshfield, Mo., Christopher Litano, Cordova, Tenn.; and niece, Lisa DesCamps, Scottsdale, Ariz.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Viola Arbogast and sister, Elaine DesCamps.
Funeral services were held on Nov. 27, 2012 at McPeters Funeral Home, Corinth, Miss., with Brother Josh Hite officiating. He was interred in the Corinth National Cemetery.
Gerald Arbogast
Gerald "Arby" Arbogast, 83, Corinth, MIss., died Friday, Nov. 23, 2012 at Magnolia Regional Health Center.


text:
Dist. 300 union not happy with latest offer
Members of the Community Unit District 300 teacher's union on Sunday said they would not accept the final offer for a new contract from the school board, setting the stage for a tense last day of negotiations before a strike could start as early as Tuesday. "We put what the board is calling their final proposal in front of our members and they gave us a resounding no on accepting it," said Mike Williamson, LEAD spokesman on Sunday night. "We're going to to tell them that they have to do better than this." Full story.
Richard Dent talks of football injuries, his art collection
As the MVP of the Chicago Bears only Super Bowl triumph, Richard "The Sackman" Dent earned his Hall of Fame status by roughing up opposing quarterbacks. Now, a soft-spoken businessman in Long Grove, Dent talks about the violence and injuries that are part of the game he loves. Full story.
Hazing results in 3-game forfeit for Hoffman Estates
An internal investigation by Hoffman Estates High School officials regarding hazing involving the boys varsity basketball team has resulted in the team forfeiting three games. Officials have not released details regarding the hazing that led to the forfeitures. Full story.
Waller says he'll leave with 'head held high'
Lake County State's Attorney Michael Waller will retire Monday after 22 years as the county's top prosecutor. Despite criticism he's faced in the past two years stemming from four high-profile cases overturned because of evidence of wrongful prosecutions and false confessions, Waller says he'll leave office with his "head held high" and with no regrets over how those cases were handled by his office. Full story.
Two dead in Campton Hills crash
A Maple Park teen and Wisconsin woman were killed Saturday in a four cal pileup in Campton Hills. Authorities say the woman, Jennifer Liston, 30, of Madison, Wis., was driving a stolen car that had been involved in a minor hit-and-run crash earlier in the night. Full story.
Dog killed in Warrenville coyote attack
Usually Amy Kukec's 13-year-old miniature pinscher, Sugar, took just a few seconds to take care of business during her final trip outside before bedtime each night. However, when Kukec let Sugar out Thursday night just after 11 p.m., the small dog never came back to her Warrenville home. Full story.
Residents find freedom, affordability at dementia care sites
Almira Behrendt, 94, proudly shows off her new studio apartment in White Oaks at Heritage Woods of South Elgin, an assisted living facility offering affordable dementia care. White Oaks is part of a five-site pilot project adding specialized dementia care facilities to the state's Supportive Living Program. Full story.
Concert ticket giveaway fuels Christmas food box-packing
Volunteers from a youth group and a men's Bible study on Saturday finished a job started a day earlier by 100 alternative music fans working for concert tickets. The various groups of volunteers packed a total of 10,000 Christmas food boxes to be distributed to 17 Chicago area sites by the Salvation Army's Metropolitan Division. Full story.
Ballet dancers delight Lombard shoppers
While shoppers expect to see animatronic holiday displays in storefront windows this time of year, they probably don't expect to see flesh and blood ballerinas performing pirouettes and plies. But that is exactly what folks strolling along in downtown Lombard experienced Saturday courtesy of dance students who performed snippets of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" at six downtown businesses as part of the village's annual Jinglebell Jubilee sponsored by Lombard Town Centre. Full story.
Dickens in Dundee does it right
East Dundee resident Megan Helin has been to all 25 of the annual Dickens in Dundee festivals, but Saturday's was her favorite since she was accompanied by sons Austin, 8, and Elliot, 4. Helin and her boys were among the hundreds of people who lined a stretch of Main Street in West Dundee and East Dundee for the festival's parade Saturday morning. Full story.
Hundreds of Santas run through Arlington Hts.
More than 2,000 Santas gave a festive feel to downtown Arlington Heights Saturday morning as the town's Rotary chapter held its annual Santa Run. The weather was perfect as Arlington Heights Village President Arlene Mulder officially launched the run at 10 a.m. at Campbell and Dunton streets. Among the 2,012 runners in the 5K race, Rich Daubert was the first man to cross the finish line and Jennifer Benitez was the first woman. Full story.
Longtime Geneva leader, volunteer dies at 78
John "Jack" Ryan was a businessman, a proud father and one of Geneva's biggest fans. The 78-year-old former owner of Ryan Automotive, chairman of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce board of directors and Geneva Fire Department on-call paramedic died Thursday after years of failing health. Full story.
Rutherford inching closer to governor's race?
In what could be a step toward an anticipated gubernatorial campaign, Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford posted a survey question online Sunday that asks visitors whether they would support him in a run for governor. The question appeared on the downstate Republican's website, Facebook page and via his Twitter account. Underneath the question on Rutherford's website was a statement from him about the state's current fiscal woes. Full story.
World & Nation
'Cliff' talks deadlock on tax hikes. Full story.
Partisan split over UN Ambassador Rice widens. Full story.
The reward for surviving Sandy may be higher taxes. Full story.
Carbon pollution up to 2 million pounds a second. Full story.
Business owners face health care dilemma. Full story.
NIU's Orange Bowl berth sparks controversy. Full story.
Smith blames himself, defense for Bears loss. Full story.
Lovie: 'We should have taken the field goal.' Full story.
Rookie QB embarrasses Bears defense. Full story.
Has big contract affected Gibson's play? Full story.


text:
If you didn't believe me before, check this out. This was done with Blender, which was a commercial app until 2002 when the company who created it went under. They then offered anyone to buy the source code, and the open source community ponied up — to the tune of $147,000 US. Six years later, the code is improved to the point where it can create stuff like this. And I dare you to tell me this is any less than Pixar quality.
Big Buck Bunny from Blender Foundation on Vimeo.


text:
Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley sustained a sprained right ankle during Tuesday's road loss to the Miami Heat.
Celtics head coach Brad Stevens confirmed the injury Wednesday, saying that Bradley is "probably out a couple of weeks" due to the injury.
Bradley, 23, is averaging a career-high 14.5 points and 4.1 rebounds through 43 games this season, his fourth with the Celtics since being drafted 19th overall by Boston in 2010.


text:
Jump to navigation
Abstract: Adventures in Illyria: Greece and its Northern Neighbors from Later Prehistory to the Rise of Urbanism
This lecture begins with an overview of the archaeology of Illyria (Albania) from the Late Bronze Age to the Hellenistic era. It also provides a summary of the excavations (2004-2008) at the remarkable prehistoric burial tumulus of Lofkënd in Albania. The exploration of an undisturbed tumulus such as Lofkënd offered a unique opportunity to examine the formative period immediately preceding the founding of Greek colonies on the coast and how such a prominent burial place functioned in relation to a particular group, or groups, of people in Illyria. Comparison with sites to the north and south, particularly in Epirus and Macedonia, has far-reaching implications not only for the later prehistory of Greece and much of the Balkans, but also for the historical era over a much wider area. Tumuli are discussed as "monuments" in every sense of the word: as structures deliberately designed and built over an extended period of time as a focus of memory and identity. More than all this, Illyria, together with neighboring Epirus and Macedonia, became the crucible of Greek political activity in the 4th & 3rd centuries BC and a key player in the rise of urbanism in the Mediterranean that paved the way for later mega cities, such as Rome
Short bibliography and/or website on lecture topic (for lay reader):
J.K. Papadopoulos, L. Bejko, and S.P. Morris, "Excavations at the Prehistoric Burial Tumulus of Lofkënd in Albania: A Preliminary Report for the 2004-2005 Seasons," American Journal of Archaeology 111, 2007, 105-147
AIA Tours


text:
Anderson, Ind.- The 9th-ranked Tigers survived an early scare Wednesday night using two second-half goals to stay undefeated and dropping Anderson 2-1.
With the win DePauw improved to 10-0 on the year, while the Ravens dropped to 4-5.
DePauw found themselves on the wrong end of the scoreboard in the first-half after Brody Reinholt knocked in a pass from Todd Canal putting Anderson up 1-0. This was the first time the Tigers trailed all season.
The determined Tigers bounced back after a slow start and tied the game when Andy Morrison's headed in a pass from Adrian Ables with 63:06 on the clock. Just three minutes later Julian Gonzalez drove home a pass from George Elliott putting the Tiger's on top 2-1.
Gonzalez's game-winner preserved DePauw's perfect season and improved upon the team's record setting start.
The Tigers outshot Anderson 27-10 and held a 10-7 edge on corner kicks. Chris Maloney had eight saves in a losing effort for the Ravens.
DePauw is back in Saturday, September 28, when they take on Kenyon at Boswell Field. Come support your undefeated Tigers in their North Coast Athletic Contest starting at 2:30 p.m.


text:
Henry De Bromhead looks to the Future
Henry de Bromhead is weighing up options ahead of the Future Champions Novices' Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 27.
Last Updated: 18/12/12 10:10am
De Bromhead has three entries at this stage in Too Scoops, Sizing Rio and Clonbanan Lad, but whereas the latter was well beaten behind Jezki in the Royal Bond, the other two could not be in better form.
Too Scoops, owned by some Paddy Power employees, won a Listed Punchestown Hurdle last time out while Sizing Rio landed a Grade Three at Navan.
"Too Scoops came out of his last race in really good form," said the County Waterford handler.
"It was a good performance but I'm not sure just yet if he's going to go to Leopardstown.
"I've also got Sizing Rio entered in that and he's also progressing nicely so I'll just have to sit down with both sets of owners and see what is right for each horse."


text:
Edward L. Johnson
Edward L. Johnson, 89, of 32 Sleepy Hollow Rd., died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011, at the Lutheran Home at Kane.Born Oct. 25, 1921, in Sergeant, he was a son of Fred and Nora (Johnson) Johnson. On Dec. 5, 1953, in Kane, he married Patricia Bouch who survives.Mr. Johnson served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Before his retirement, he was employed by Stackpole.He was a member of Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and enjoyed working in the garden, walking in the woods and polka music. He also played the accordion and several other instruments.Surviving, in addition to his wife, Patricia, are two sons, Edward Johnson and Kenneth (Rose) Johnson, both of Kane; two daughters, Janice Johnson of North Charleston, S.C. and Amy Johnson of Kane; a grandson, Joshua(Ashley)Komidar of Kane; and several nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Art Johnson, Fred Johnson and Axel Olson; and four sisters, Gladys Gibson, Margaret Johnson, Virginia Pesta and Esther Swedenhjelm.Friends will be received on Tuesday from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at the Cummings Funeral Home, Inc. where a funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, with the Rev. David Pflieger, chaplain of the Lutheran Home, officiating. Burial will be at Tabor Cemetery.Memorial donations may be made to the Lutheran Home at Kane, 100 High Point Drive, Kane, PA 16735 or to Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church, Greeves and Dawson, Kane, PA.Online condolences can be expressed at www.cummingsfh.com.


text:
Projet 67
Rating: 2.5 out of 4
4902 St. Laurent Blvd (near St. Joseph Blvd.)
Phone: 514-508-6767
Website: projet67.com
Open: Monday to Wednesday 5 p.m. to midnight; Thursday to Saturday 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Wheelchair access: Yes
Reservations: Essential
Vegetarian-friendly: Not especially
Cards: Major cards
Parking: On surrounding streets
Price range: Tasting plates: $12-$32; desserts: $9-$10. Tasting menu: $95 ($150 with wine pairings)
MONTREAL - I was born in Montreal in 1967, which means for the past 40 odd years, all I've heard about was how utterly amazing Expo 67 was, and what a shame it was that I missed it. I'm sure every Montrealer under the age of 45 can relate. I sit there and say, "Well, at least I got to the 1976 Olympics." And they answer, "The Olympics? Ha! The Olympics were nothing compared to Expo 67. Everybody who was anybody came. The pavilions were fascinating. The food opened up the entire gastronomic scene in Montreal. The Bolshoi performed. The Grateful Dead performed. Jacqueline Kennedy and Marlene Dietrich jetted in. And you could pick up a bottle of Château d'Yquem for $15."
I even have a friend who says, "I was only 3 when my parents took me to Expo 67, but I still clearly remember how amazing it all was." At 3? Really? If ever anything made me feel like a nobody in this city, it's the fact that I missed Expo flippin' 67.
Considering his age, 41, I figure chef Jean-François Vachon shares my sentiments. Yet instead of sulking about missing Montreal's brightest moment, he chose to open a restaurant devoted to it.
In operation for a mere three months, Projet 67 is a hip 'n' chic new restaurant located next to Espace Go in the space formerly occupied by Cuisine et Dépendance. At first glance, I loved the look of the place. Designed by Vachon's wife, Fabienne Lamontagne, the decor features bare tables, bold red chairs, colourful spotlights and a swish glassed-in wine cellar. Ensconced in a banquette next to the open kitchen, I sipped wine from a glass emblazoned with the restaurant's logo, a grid-filled circle inspired by Expo's American pavilion dome. Hanging above me is an illuminated mural featuring photos from the fair, but otherwise references to Man-and-His-World mania are few. Not that I expected a '60s heavy soundtrack or a wait staff outfitted in pale blue polyester outfits, but a little something extra, say Jean Drapeau's image imprinted in the butter pats, might have been fun.
The menu could also have provided ample opportunity for whimsical foray into Expo land, with, say, a wild mash-up of ethnic and continental cuisines (which, come to think of it, sounds disastrous). Instead they placed a "featured nation" theme solely on the tasting menu. I'm told Spain and northern Italy are coming soon, whereas right now, the featured region is that hotbed of wild international food trends, Burgundy! Hmm …
All taken, the menu really says but one thing: Jean-François Vachon. Last seen working the stoves at M sur Masson, Vachon first made his name while cooking at the late great restaurants Le Club des Pins and La Bastide. His modernized nouvelle cuisine style hasn't changed much over the years. I'm not big on those trendy square or rectangular white plates, but when Vachon uses them to set off his comely plate presentations, it works. Save for a few odd flavour combinations, a lot of what I scarfed back at Projet 67 scored.
The menu isn't arranged in the usual appetizer/main course/dessert set up, but follows a small plate style instead, with portion sizes described as a cross between a starter and main course. Save for two dishes, I ordered the whole menu.
To begin, a dish inspired by the almighty Montreal bagel featuring homemade gravlax, crème fraîche, sesame tuiles, marinated pearl onions, fried capers and watercress sprouts. The gravlax was lush and the onions were bracing, but the tuiles were a poor substitute for the bready bagel. Far better was the duck confit. Shaped into balls and fried, these crisp and melting duck meat "boules" were paired with a sweet and sour brown sauce along with pickled carrot ribbons and cucumbers. Nice! Just as delectable was a dish of grilled octopus, where grilled tentacles — thick and thin — were paired with hummus, oven-dried tomatoes, and greens. Granted, there's nothing here we octopus lovers haven't tasted before, but it was delicious just the same.
I was less taken, though, with the lobster dish. Though the beast itself was perfectly succulent (with an especially toothsome claw), the dish struggled due to the addition of marinated mushrooms, which did nothing to enhance the seafood. And then there were those thick chips made from raw ham that just added an unwanted hit of salt and ended up stuck in my molars. Not good.
Far better were the sweetbreads. The dish of the night, these gorgeously soft mounds of offal were seasoned with a cocoa and chipotle pepper, and served with beet batons and preserved lemon. As weird as that all may sound, it was gorgeous, with the sweet beets playing off the earthy seasoning of the sweetbreads. Yum!
However the following dish, seared foie gras with potato gnocchi, porcini, arugula and candied pecans enhanced with a coffee espuma, never quite took flight. As much as I enjoyed the individual ingredients, all taken, the mix lacked an acidic element to counteract the overwhelming richness.
Thus far, the meal was looking a little roller-coaster-ish, but, happily, desserts left me on a high. No, I didn't much care for the deconstructed tarte Tatin that dismantled it into so many elements — apple purée, rum-infused caramel, pastry chunks, marshmallows (?) and smoked fleur de sel (??) — the only thing left of this classic was the menu description. But I did like the chocolate ganache with the chai cream and clementine marmalade, and the nougat glacée paired with bits of soft caramel and slices of caramelized pear was lovely. Alas, the waiter didn't bring the coffee I ordered, but he did arrive with an enjoyable little plate of sponge toffee and chocolate truffle mignardises.
Despite my criticisms of the meal, there's much to like about Projet 67, the wine list being one of them. Made up primarily of private imports, this enticing selection features many bottles under the $50 mark and a good array of wines by the glass boosted by offers by the sommelier to open bottles if you're willing to order at least a couple of glasses. This establishment also has a great buzz going, with cool tunes playing in the background and seriously nice waiters. I think some of the dishes need tightening up, but I cannot deny drooling at the sight of a beef Wellington for four passing our table, and, boy, do those aged côtes de boeuf displayed in the kitchen window ever look tempting.
I can't say Vachon's restaurant made up for me missing Expo 67. But like so many visitors back in the day who visited that fabulous fair time and time again, I, too, will return to Projet 67 for a taste of even more.


text:
Conference Scheduler FAQ
- Who can view the Conference Scheduler? Do I have to be logged in to view the conference program?
- Can non-ALA members create schedules?
- Do I have to be logged in to create my schedule? How do I log in?
- What are "closed" sessions?
- How does the Scheduler know what sessions to recommend for me? What do the tiny stars on sessions mean?
- What are the "interests" and "library types" in my profile?
- What does high/medium/low priority mean on my schedule?
- Can I print my schedule?
- Can I download my schedule into Outlook or Google Calendar?
- Can I add a personal session to my schedule (like dinner with a friend)?
- Who can see my schedule?
- Can I share my schedule publicly?
- Who can see that I'm attending a session? Can I hide my attendance on sessions?
- Help - I'm searching for something and can't find it.
- Don't see your question answered here? Leave a comment or use the contact form. We're here to help.
Who can view the Conference Scheduler? Do I have to be logged in to view the conference program?
Anyone can browse or search the program and view session information - you don't even need a login to do this. However, if you want to create and save a schedule on the site or leave a comment on a session, you'll need to log in.
- Can non-ALA members create schedules?
Yes, non-ALA members can create accounts on ALA Connect and then use the Scheduler to plan their schedules.
- Do I have to be logged in to create my schedule? How do I log in?
Yes, you must be logged in to create a schedule. If you're not, we can't tell who you are in order to save your schedule for you.
ALA members should log in using their regular ALA website username and password. If you're not sure what your member login information is, you can recover it at http://ala.org/login.
Non-ALA members should log in using their Connect accounts. Non-members can create a new account on Connect if they don't already have one. If you're not sure what your Connect password is, you can request a new one. If you're not sure what your username is, try searching for yourself.
- What are "closed" sessions?
A "closed" designation on a session means that only the group's members can attend it. This is usually due to confidentiality issues for groups like award juries, nominating committees, and scholarship grants. The overwhelming majority of sessions and committee meetings are open to all attendees.
- How does the Scheduler know what sessions to recommend for me? What do the tiny stars on sessions mean?
The Scheduler sifts through the 1400+ sessions for you based on three things: your ALA group affiliations (committees, discussion groups, divisions, round tables, and sections), the interests you've set in your Connect profile, and the "library types" you've set in your Connect profile.
If you haven't set any interests or library types in your profile, then by default the Scheduler will just match against your ALA groups. You can begin the recommendation process by going to the "Recommended Sessions" page. Any results that are recommended based on your groups have a small, green star on them with the letter "G" on them for "Groups."
If you'd like more recommendations, go to your profile, edit it, and add interests and library types. Then go back to the "Recommended Sessions" page, recalculate your recommendations, and look for additional stars.
Recommendations based on your interests will have small, purple stars that say "I" on them for "Interests." Recommendations based on your library types will be blue and have a "T" on them for "Types."
You can hover your cursor over the stars to pop up some help text if the letters are too small to read.
- What are the "interests" and "library types" in my profile?
"Interests" are "subjects I'm interested in" and the"library types" are those that are most relevant to you. You don't have to fill these out to use Connect or the Scheduler, but if you do provide this information, we'll be able to help you zero in on those sessions that will be the most relevant to you.
- What does high/medium/low priority mean on my schedule?
Because a lot of folks have multiple sessions they have to go to at the same time, we let you set a priority for each one. That way, you could set one session as a "high" priority because you absolutely have to be there but set another one as a "low" priority because you'd like to attend but only if you can slip away early or if your first one ends early.
Basically, you can now put more than one session in a time slot and prioritize them. By default, sessions are added to your schedule as "high" priority, but you can change this from the "My Schedule" screen or on an individual session record by clicking on your desired priority.
- Can I print my schedule?
Yes, you can use the "print" view or download a PDF for viewing/printing. The "print" link appears on the "my schedule" page, while the "PDF" link appears on the print view of your schedule.
- Can I download my schedule into Outlook or Google Calendar?
Yes, you can download an iCal version of your schedule to import into any program/site that accepts that file format (including Facebook). Note that the time on sessions in the iCal file are set to the local time for the location of the conference, so your calendar might adjust times if your in a different time zone. The "iCal" link appears on your "my schedule" page.
- Can I add a personal session to my schedule (like dinner with a friend)?
Yes, just use the "Add personal session" link in the left-hand column. Personal sessions are completely private, and no one can see them but you.
- Who can see my schedule?
By default, only you can see your entire schedule. If you edit your profile, you can toggle this setting to share your schedule publicly so that anyone can see it, including someone who isn't logged in. Personal sessions will still be private so that only you can see them.
In the future, we plan to give you granular sharing controls so that you could share your schedule with your different networks within Connect (e.g., show my friends and coworkers but not my contacts).
- Can I share my schedule publicly?
Yes - if you edit your profile, you can toggle this setting to share your schedule publicly so that anyone can see it, including someone who isn't logged in. Personal sessions will still be private so that only you can see them.
Note that you can hide your attendance at some sessions by using the checkboxes on the session records but still make your overall schedule public if you want even more granular control.
- Who can see that I'm attending a session? Can I hide my attendance on sessions?
When you add a session to your schedule, by default anyone who is logged in to Connect can see your name and picture on the session record. This includes non-ALA members who have accounts on Connect. Users who aren't logged in to Connect can't see anyone listed on a session at all.
There's a box on each session record that you can check to hide your attendance at that particular session. When you do this, we'll still count you in the total number of people who've added it to their schedule, but no one will see you listed on it except you.
If you'd rather just hide yourself from appearing on all sessions at once (rather than on a session-by-session basis), you can edit your profile to check the box to hide your attendance on all sessions. Note that this setting applies to the current conference only, not past ones.
Note that you can hide your attendance at some sessions but still make your overall schedule public if you want even more granular control.
- Help - I'm searching for something and can't find it.
The one tricky thing about the Scheduler is that the search filters in the right-hand column apply only to the page you're looking at. So if you're on the "All days" tab, you'll be searching the entire program.
However, if you go look at your schedule and start using a search filter, you'll only be filtering on your schedule. Similarly, if you're looking at your recommended sessions or just a single day of the program, any search filters you apply will only search that particular set of sessions.
We know this can be a little confusing, so we've added a bar of information at the top of the middle column to help designate what you're searching. If you're not finding a particular session, check the information in that bar, because you might need to go to the "All days" or "All sessions" section to re-run your search.
If you still can't find something, don't hesitate to contact us for help.
- 62912 views
email notifications
How can I turn off the email notifications that an event has been updated? There was no indication that this was going to be sent, and now they're flooding my inbox.
~Courtney F
re: email notifications
Hi, Courtney --
On each session, there's a checkbox where you can turn off notifications for that session. There's a bug in the data we're getting from the ActiveEvents folks, which is triggering the false updates. Unfortunately, we're probably going to end up disabling the notifications feature today because of this problem. Fortunately, that will stop the emails you're getting.
At this point, we're hoping the ActiveEvents folks will get this problem cleared up so that we can restore this feature for Midwinter 2012. It's intended to notify you when the date, time, description, etc. truly does change on a session (which is pretty rare). It would also notify you when a comment is added to the session record. We'll keep our fingers crossed for a future implementation.
Let me know if you have further questions about this.
Will updates to session locations be included?
Will the Conference Scheduler be updated if ALA knows of room assignment changes before or during the annual conference? In the past, the few changes that I've been aware of were only announced in CogNotes and on boards outside the rooms. Data in the Conference Scheduler did not reflect any changes.
I don't expect or want an email every time session information is updated but it would be nice to print a schedule that corrects errors in the published guide. I know very few people who carry the printed programs and wonder about the utility of a database that's apparently not updated to reflect known changes.
Thanks for posting this helpful information!
John A. Stevenson
Associate Librarian, Student Multimedia Design Center
University of Delaware Library
302 831-8671
re: updates to session locations
Hi, John --
Yes, the Conference Scheduler now has updated information for every field you see on a session record. That's one of the great things about the new version in Connect - we're pulling in changes every night, and I can always trigger a manual import during conference if need be. :)
What are tracked programs?
What are tracked programs?
re: tracked programs
Hi, Samantha --
Traditionally, the Conference Program Coordinating Team groups sessions on a specific topic and lists them as a "track," often with a "subtrack." So the overall, general track heading for a session might be "Digital Information & Technologies" and the subtrack (eg, more granular subject) might be "Transformation & Innovations." If you follow the link behind the subtrack, you'll find other sessions focused on the topic of Transformation & Innovations in Digital Information & Technologies. Typically, all of a track's sessions are in the same venue to make it easy for you to attend them all.
This is the last year we'll have tracked programs, though. In the future, we'll be relying more on some of the new features in the Conference Scheduler, such as the "interests" and tags.
Does that help? Please let me know if you have further questions about this.
Thanks, Jenny. This is my
Thanks, Jenny. This is my first ALA Conf, so it's all new to me, but that explains it perfectly. Thank you!
re: First Conference
Then et me welcome you as a first-time attendee, Samantha! :) Annual can be overwhelming, so feel free to contact me directly if you have questions about it at any point. You can email me at jlevine [at] ala.org .
See you in New Orleans,
Email a friend
The "suggest this session to a friend" feature isn't working. When I tried it I was told I could only send 3 emails per hour -- but I haven't sent any.
re: Email a friend
Hi, Andrea --
I'm not sure why you encountered a problem using the email a friend feature, and unfortunately we haven't been able to replicate the problem. We did, however, increase the number of invtes you can send to 20 per hour. Can you give it another try and let me know if it works for you now?
Time changes?
I sent my selections through the ical function, and it transferred everything perfectly! Except, the system translated the 8am start time to a 5am start - Central time to Alaska time. While it's easier simply to adjust the time than to key in all the data, is there a way to adjust the times globally? Thanks
re: Time changes
Hi, June --
We deliberately set the time zone to the correct one for the conference location. Even though you're currently seeing it adjust for Alaska time, when you arrive in New Orleans, you're more likely to use Central time. Your phone should automatically switch time zones, and you can manually change the clock on your laptop or other device.
I hope this helps explain it, but please let me know if you have further questions about this.
Hiding/Not Hiding Session Attendance
Hi, Jenny.
First, let me say that I love the Conference Scheduler. It's easy to use and so much more functional than what we had before.
I'm having difficulty hiding my attendance at certain sessions. (If I'm not entirely certain I'll be attending, I'd rather not put my name on the publice attendance list.)
I've changed the settings in my profile as per the instructions in Question 13 but if I uncheck a box on a session page it doesn't remain unchecked. There is no save button that I can see. How does one check a session to hide (or not hide) attendance and make it stick?
Lars Klint
Personal Session
I have added some personal sessions, but although I have saved them they do not seem to show up on my schedule. What am I doing wrong?
re: Personal Session
Mary, can you please email a screenshot of your schedule and note one of the times for which a personal session isn't showing up? You can send it to me at jlevine [at] ala.org.
Request a change to the scheduler
We were wondering if we could add a note to our event in the conference scheduler. How can we request that something be added? The timing of our meeting is a little different than the Joint IG meeting it is a part of and we just wanted to add a note about that to the description so people do not get confused.
Erica Findley, MLS
re: Request a change to the Scheduler
Hi, Erica --
You should be able to add a comment on your session, but you can also email your staff liaison and ask them to submit a change to the record itself. If you're not sure who that person is, you can email it to me at jlevine [at] ala.org and I'll get it to them.
Archive date?
What date will you be archiving the conference scheduler and attachments?
Chris LeBeau Assistant Teaching Professor University of Missouri School of Information Science & Learning Technologies & Business Librarian UMKC
re: Archive date?
There's no "closing" date for the Schedulers. They're permanent archives that will remain open, so a presenter could add materials to a session at any time. You can access all of the past Schedulers at http://connect.ala.org/conference.
ticket event
How can I pay for a ticket event? ando how I know I am register for a conference.
re: ticket event
Hi, Aida --
To add a ticketed event to your registration, you need to find your conference registration confirmation email. It has a unique link to your dashboard where you can edit your registration and housing information.
You're registered for the conference if you received that confirmation email. If you haven't received it or if you can't find it, please contact CompuSystems at 708-486-0706 or email@example.com.
Mobile app for iPhone
I downloaded the app for iPhone but after I log in, I can't see my schedule. All I have is my name and three tabs - View, Edit, Favorite Sessions. Under conference schedule is just says "This person is not sharing his/her conference schedule." Can you tell me where I go to view the schedule I created on my desktop?
re: Mobile app for iPhone
Hi, Tammy --
We think we've fixed the problem with the iOS app. Could you please try again and let me know if it's working for you now?
jlevine [at] ala.org
How can we include our Alumni Reunion
I see some Universities' reunions are in the scheduler and did not see ours. How can we include it to the scheduler?
re: How can we include our Alumni Reunion
Hi, Jay --
Send all of the info to conf [at] ala.org and they'll get it added to the Scheduler.
Integrating into Outlook
When I imported my Conference Schedule into Outlook here, instead of creating "appointments" in my existing calendar, it created an entirely new calendar which is sitting along side my existing calendar. I realize this is an Outlook question, not a Scheduler question, but do you know an easy way to merge the two calendars?
re: Integrating into Outlook
Hi, Will --
The appointments should get integrated into your existing calendar if you do a literal "import" (go to File --> Import and Export --> Import an iCalendar). If you double-click on the ics file or "open" it instead of importing it, then it creates a standalone calendar.
Your best bet at this point is to delete the standalone calendar and then use the import steps to insert the appointments into your existing calendar.
Hope this helps,
Trouble importing calendar
I downloaded the .ics file of my schedule from the scheduler today. When I import in to Google it says that 17 event were successfully imported, however I do not see the events in my calendar. Likewise when I open the file in Outlook there are no events showing. Could I be doing something wrong?
Erica Findley, MLS
re: Trouble importing calendar
Erica, when that's happened to me, it's because I opened the file and it created a separate calendar with those events on it, rather than specifying "import" and integrating it into my existing calendar.
Does that help at all?
problems downloading to Outlook
Mine also created a separate calender on Outlook, which I will delete to try again to specify "import." Another problem though: while it created a calender, most of my selected sessions are not on it, while it has me scheduled for every single event happening at 2 pm on Monday. I will delete and try again, but any ideas on what may be wrong?
Hi, deleted the messed-up calendar, but am now trying to figure out where in fact the "import" function you mention is located. I clicked on export, and a file downloaded to my computer. Do you mean I import it from within the Outlook calendar? Now that looks like a silly question -- trying that now.
How do I delete or move a personal session?
I put it on the wrong date, so I want to remove or move a personal session.
Edit/Delete a personal session
Katherine, to edit or delete a session click on the name of it and then click on the edit tab. From there you can edit any of the information or scroll down to use the "delete" button.
Upload handouts and PPT
How does one upload handouts and PowerPoints to their session on the scheduler, or do we need to send them to someone at ALA? Thanks for any help you can provide.
Uploading handouts
Jared, you can upload handouts and files for your session by logging in to the Scheduler and leaving a comment on your session. Attach any files to the comment, and the Scheduler will automatically make them part of the session record.
Thanks for the quick response! I've posted a comment with attachments to our session in scheduler.
Making my schedule public - DISREGARD
Please disregard I found the answer to my question. Thanks!
Jodi Shaw, Children's Librarian, Brooklyn Public Library
Coordinator-Elect, ALA Sustainability Round Table
Come join us! http://www.ala.org/sustainrt/
Can't add meetings/sessions to my schedule
This is probably a silly question. I'm trying to add sessions/meetings to my schedule and am having problems. I opened My Schedule and logged in, and went to the Full Schedule to find the sessions I want to attend filtering by ALA unit. According to the legend, I supposed click on the star to add or remove something from my schedule, but when I click the star, nothing happens and if I hover over the star, it just flickers. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? When I click on the meeting link, I find a description of the of the session but no way to add it to my calendar.
Can you please give me some guidance? Thanks!


text:
- Jan 30:
- Fitchburg teacher's aide thanks tipster who exposed her sexy photos
- Editorial: Superintendent had tough call to make
- Jan 29:
- Model back on the job as teacher's aide in Fitchburg
- Letter to the editor: Consider the source of tip exposing aide's modeling
- Jan 28:
- Fitchburg teacher's aide placed on leave over racy photos is reinstated
- Jan 27:
- Letter to the Editor: Puritanical judgment in a 21st-century world
- Jan 25:
- Letter to the Editor: More than skin deep
- Jan 24:
- Letter to the editor: Story on teacher aide exploited to sell papers
- Jan 22:
- Fitchburg teacher's aide in hot water over modeling shots
I noticed that the article about Kaitlin Pearson, the Fitchburg teacher's aide/model, was quite a bit longer than the article about George B. Peterson of Townsend. He is a Level 3 sex offender charged with raping a child.
I feel as though people should be more concerned about a child rapist in our community than someone taking silly, racy photos on their own time. Personally, I think Ms. Pearson's photos are ridiculous; however, that is just an opinion. It doesn't give anyone the right to chastise her.
The article about George B. Peterson of 46 Mason Road, Townsend, a Level 3 sex offender, makes me sick. Why was he out of prison in the first place? Why did it take authorities two months before they questioned him? This is the issue that everyone should be quite concerned about, and leave a teacher minding her own business alone.
MICHELLE A. LAURITZEN, Leominster


text:
Elf Club raises $25,000 for toy donations
More than 70 bicycles for people of all sizes and ages, along with a plethora of various toys — $25,000 worth — filled a portion of the Benton Middle School cafeteria on Wednesday.
All those bikes and toys, thanks to the student-operated Elf Club, will spread Christmas cheer to hundreds of less fortunate families in Saline County.
"This day is all they (students) talked about," said Cindy Haltom, Benton Middle School teacher and Elf Club co-sponsor.
She said the students worked hard throughout the entire school year with various fundraising programs "just so they could spend a day at the Benton Walmart to shop for other people."
" It is truly a testament of 'it is better to give than to receive' and Walmart even gave the group an extra $1,300 to shop with and snacks and drinks for the Elf Club members," she said.
Haltom said she was amazed at the manners of more than 80 students who joined in the shopping spree early Wednesday.
"They were all so well-behaved," she said. "They all had their calculators out and worked together in teams. They are all good kids."
During the shopping trip, the students are divided into groups and each group is alloted a certain amount of money to spend. To help stay on budget, the students use calculators.
The students are told to buy for certain age groups and for either boys or girls. Then they bring it all back to Benton Middle School.
After filling up the cafeteria with all the bicycles and toys, the Elf Club presented the gifts to the Saline County Kiwanis Club, which along with the Churches Joint Council on Human Needs, will distribute everything to numerous families in Saline County just in time for Christmas.
The Elf Club, made up of sixth- and seventh-graders, started in 1992, the first year the middle school was opened. Students at the school approached Donna Gattin about holding a toy drive. The group was called Toys for Tots and collected $3,000 its first year. In 1994, Yvonne Cates acquired the club and the amount the club collected then grew to $15,000. Eventually, the name changed to the Elf Club, and now the club is run by Haltom, Karen Heatherly and Becky McCormick.
To get into the club, a sixth- or seventh-grade student simply has to write a paragraph about why he or she wants to join the Elf Club, Haltom said. What they learn in the group can change their perspectives, mature them and can give the students lifelong memories, she noted.
But in order to join the shopping spree at the local Walmart, club organizers have certain qualifications, including the student attending at least seven meetings, demonstrating an eagerness to volunteer when needed, and being a top seller in a butter braids fundraiser. Out of the more than 130 students in the Elf Club, 82 students joined the Elf Club shopping spree.
Haltom said the members begin their fundraising goals with a chore weekend; the effort culminates with the toy shopping day. The members perform chores for families and the money they earn is then donated to the club for future toy purchases. The club also hosts several fundraisers throughout the year, including a beach volleyball game, Elf Club dance, sale of everything from butter braids to pencils and erasers, to cookies and sodas, to popcorn and paper turkey feathers, and much more.
The group sponsored a talent show this year as an additional means of raising funds.
"The club may organize all the events, and the members basically do all the work, but the entire school gets behind them and are strong participants," McCormick said. "These students do it all and that's amazing."


text:
Roberto Dutesco, New York City's top fashion photographer, photographs human beauty everyday, but since childhood he has carried with him a singular artistic vision: wild, long-maned dark horses running though white sand dunes. When he discovered remote Sable Island, located off the shores of Nova Scotia, he became obsessed with the natural beauty of the untouched and unclaimed wild horses which have roamed the sandy dunes since the 1700s.
Episode #706 / Length: 50 minutes


text:
|This compact survival kit is packed neatly into a durable waterproof cooler bag. It is designed for children 11 years old or younger. The red cooler bag has the words "Survival Kit" on the front, an adjustable shoulder strap, tie-down cords on top, and a reflector stripe on the back.
|The kit includes the following:
|Food and Water:
|Rest assured knowing you have food and water with proper nutrition in any type of disaster. These products have a 5 year shelf life.
|3 Boxes of Aqua Blox Water Boxes
|6 - 400 Calorie Food Bars (2400 Calories)
|10 Water Purification Tablets - each tablet purifies 1 liter of water
|Light and Communication:
|Never be stranded without the proper supplies to help you keep in communication with those around you.
|Mini Scan Radio with Headphones and Batteries
|Rechargeable Squeeze Flashlight - 3 LED flashlight
|5-in-1 Survival Whistle
|Shelter and Warmth:
|Nothing is worse than being cold and without shelter. With these items you will be comfortable even during the coldest times.
|Emergency Survival Sleeping Bag
|Emergency Poncho for Children
|These are items that you will be glad you have in a time of need. You may even find yourself using them for day to day use.
|N95 Respirator Dust Mask - NIOSH approved
|Hygiene and Sanitation:
|When you aren't sure how long you will be without power or utilities, the simple act of freshening up can boost your attitude in any situation.
|3 Pocket Tissue Packs
|3 Wet Naps
|First Aid:
|With these items you will be able to tend to minor injuries and offer relief to those in need.
|36 Piece Portable First Aid Kit
|If you find yourself in a mundane situation, use these items to entertain yourself until circumstances change.
|Activity Coloring Book
|Emergency Survival Kit Information:
|This survival kit was designed using advice from experts in the emergency preparedness industry. It follows guidelines given by government agencies and non-profit preparedness organizations. This "Survival Pal" cooler bag survival kit has a retail value of $45.


text:
The Motorist (1906, R.W. Paul) (via), a silent comedy short about a couple who exceed the speed limit and fly off the face of the Earth into outer space whilst fleeing the police. Motoring through the solar system, their car touches down on the sun and goes for a spin around Saturn's rings.
Online here.


text:
Here are two that come to mind:
Full tang knife with riveted handle is better than a hidden tang knife.
I think a hidden tang knife makes more sense for a kitchen knife (unless we are talking production knives with plastic scales), because even stabilized wood will move over time, and separation between a tang and scales will accumulate stuff (food particles, moisture, bacteria), making it less hygienic and if a knife is in carbon steel, you will start seeing rust forming just under the exposed edges.
Knives with forged bolsters are better than knives without
I am not sure I would agree with that either. When a knife is left at a good thickness of 3-3.5mm at the handle, it's as sturdy as it gets, with a bolster or without, so I see a bolster more for as cosmetic and hygienic reasons, and to a degree for a balance, than for anythings else.
What else?