text:
Aboard one of the world's most luxurious cruise ships, Kristie Kellahan is charmed by the German food but opts out of joining passengers working on their all-over tans.
There are close to 500 passengers and crew aboard German ship MS Europa when I board in Fiji's baking-hot capital, Suva, and it seems I am the only one who does not speak Deutsch. Ja, zis cruise around the south Pacific islands is going to be interesting.
MS Europa, built in 1999 by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, is the highest-rated cruise ship in the world, according to the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Akin to the Oscars of the cruise industry, the Berlitz annual ratings are eagerly awaited from this leading independent authority. The Europa is the only ship to have received the coveted five-star-plus ranking - for 12 consecutive years - and is considered by many to be the world's finest mega-yacht.
With a maximum of 408 guests and 280 staff members, guests are ensured flawless personal service and attention to detail from the youthful, enthusiastic, good-looking, mostly German crew.
A multilingual butler is assigned to each room to help with any request. My Heidi Klum-lookalike butler is forever appearing at the exact moment I need help with accessing my emails (each guest is given their own on-board email address), with selecting complimentary in-room movies or with restocking the minibar with an endless supply of free snacks and drinks. She can organise lymphatic drainage massages and anniversary flowers as deftly as she can quote Goethe. She also has very nice hair.
As an "all-suites" cruise ship, the Europa's staterooms are spacious (the smallest is 27 square metres) and most have their own private balconies. I'm instantly smitten with my twin bed with its 2.2-metre mattress and layers of fluffy Euro-style duvets enveloped in finest linens. It is hands down the most comfortable cruise ship bed I've snored in. A few steps away, past my walk-in closet, is the enormous marble bathroom, a roomy delight with its separate extra-large bathtub and corner shower.
The luxury, space and service on such a ship comes at a price, a price that ensures passengers are from a certain social and economic milieu. Most of the guests I chat to have paid about €500 ($620) a day. Consider that many are repeat guests and several are on board for back-to-back sectors of six months or more, a world gallivant that would cost more than $100,000. At a charity auction night on board, a paper map of the ship's voyage fetches close to $20,000.
Germans of all social classes, it seems, love to eat. They pile up their plates at the early-morning breakfast buffet before a spot of gymnastics on the open deck. They enthusiastically chow down on afternoon waffles by the pool, served precisely at 3pm. Guests book every seat of the on-board restaurant of well-loved German chef Dieter Muller and keep nearby Italian eatery Venezia busy. And they order liberally, I'm told, from the complimentary 24-hour in-room dining menu. Wiener schnitzel and beer at 4am? No problem.
They also love to get naked, an activity not usually associated with the ranks of the wiener schnitzel eaters. Up on the discreetly positioned clothing-optional sun deck, Berliners and Bavarians work on their all-over tans while reading German newspapers. At least one Australian guest wonders if this is all a very strange dream.
Rainy weather puts a dampener on the nudism as we sail from Fiji to Noumea, but by the time we reach the stunning cornflower blue skies and aquamarine waters of Isle de Pins, the sun worshippers are out in force again.
Tomorrow, many of them will disembark in Noumea for a private charter flight to Sydney and onward, travelling back home to freezing Germany. They bake their bits until the last drop of heat has been wrung out of the sun, then retire to bed early, perhaps to order one last five-star-plus schnitzel.
The writer sailed courtesy of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.
Cruising by the stars
MS Europa received 1853 out of a maximum of 2000 points (five-star-plus) in the most recent Berlitz cruise ship guide, awarded for flawless personal service, European hotel service crew, impeccable dining, attention to detail, ship and interior design, superior port-stay itineraries and general ambience. It was the only ship to receive a five-star-plus rating.
Cruise ships awarded a highly respected five stars by Berlitz include Crystal Serenity, Oceania Cruises' Marina and SeaDream I and II.
During the next 12 months, Crystal Serenity will sail in Europe, the Caribbean and South America. Twelve-night Mediterranean cruises cost from $4490 a person.
Oceania Cruises' Marina will visit Scandinavia, Europe, South America, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia and the US. Ten-night Aegean cruises cost from $3424 a person.
SeaDream I and II will sail in Europe and the Caribbean. Five-night Caribbean cruises cost from $2199.
Trip notes
Getting there
Virgin Australia flies from Sydney and Melbourne to Fiji, from $345 one way. virginaustralia.com.
Cruising there
MS Europa will sail to South Africa and around South America later this month. Prices start from €4096 ($5075) for a 14-day Cape Town-Buenos Aires cruise. It will sail to Tahiti and the south Pacific, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong in January and February.
More information
Landmark Travel, (02) 9977 7100, landmarktravel.com.au; hl-cruises.com.


text:
Eloy Jiménez Gambín was born in Molina de Segura (Murcia). He was trained in marketing and advertising, but also studied at the Murica School of Applied Arts. He has worked as a graphic artist and designer for architectural projects and has been mainly envolved in real estate. Since 2002 he is heading his own marketing and advertising consultancy.
In the late 1970s and early 1980s he has been active as a comic artist for agencies like Josep Toutain's Selecciones Ilustradas and Norma in Barcelona. His credits include adventure and science fiction stories for Thomson & Thomson in Scotland and Bastei Verlag in Germany. He has also provided artwork to advertisements and publicity campaigns.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
""The sting of sanctions will be painful if the regime does not change its course""
Mike Pompeo
US Secretary of State
"We have to look at what the choice entails. What are we saying we have the choice to do?"
Vicky Wall
'No' campaigner in Irish abortion referendum
""My daughter is no more in the world""
Abdul Aziz Sheikh
Father of Sabika Sheikh
""My very best wishes to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their wedding day. To all of those joining the national celebration with street parties and other events, have a wonderful day.""
UK Prime Minister Theresa May
(who was not invited to the wedding)
""If humanity ever captures the energy of love it will be the second time that we have discovered fire.""
Most Reverend Michael Curry
Sermon at Royal Wedding
"After meeting Ms. Waight Keller... Ms Markle chose to work with her for her timeless and elegant aesthetic, impeccable tailoring, and relaxed demeanour."
Kensington Palace
from royal.uk
""Something has perturbed our Milky Way galaxy. We don't yet know what""
Timo Prusti
Gaia Project Scientist, ESA
"[The EU] shouldn't be negotiating with a gun to its head. That's not the way you treat allies."
Anthony Gardner
former US ambassador to the EU
Watch Euronews live stream
South Korea launches a security squad
no comment
At least eight dead from flooding and landslides


text:
An effort to protect the vacant former Trico building that serves as a gateway to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus from possible demolition failed Tuesday.
The Common Council was deadlocked, 4-4, on designating the Trico Complex at Washington and Goodell streets as a local landmark. Five votes were needed for the designation to be approved.
A landmark designation would give the city's Preservation Board greater oversight and offer the building a level of protection from demolition.
The Medical Campus, which owns development rights to the sprawling former windshield wiper factory, was opposed to the designation, and principals said that if after six months of collaboration with the preservation community a reuse cannot be found, they would like to tear it down.
The designation question had been before the Council for one year, and when Tuesday's meeting began, it was not clear how the vote would go.
Ellicott Council Member Darius G. Pridgen, in whose district the complex lies and who voted against landmark status, said the complex appears too far gone for restoration, though some of it should be saved. The Medical Campus should work with the preservation community, as it has stated it would, to see if it can be redeveloped, and the campus should act quickly, he said.
Voting with Pridgen were Council President Richard A. Fontana, Majority Leader Demone A. Smith and Council Member Christopher P. Scanlon.
Voting in favor of landmark status were Council Members David A. Franczyk, Joseph Golombek, Michael J. LoCurto and David A. Rivera.
Council Member Bonnie E. Russell did not attend Tuesday's meeting.
Preservationists said they were hoping the Council would consider only the city's preservation ordinance, which offers nine criteria for a building or site to be designated a local landmark, and does not include such factors as whether a building can be reused.
"We heard arguments that the building doesn't look nice," said Paul McDonnell, chairman of the city's Preservation Board, which submitted the landmark application to the Council. "Those are the things that disappoint us."
McDonnell was referring to comments made by Smith, who said he showed visitors the Trico complex and said they were not impressed, as they had been with the city's other architecture.
The Trico complex is designated a landmark on the National Register.
Also Tuesday, the Common Council called on state government to grant development rights for the next nine to 12 months to a group interested in building a sports and entertainment complex on the outer harbor.
"A stadium in downtown Buffalo is what people want," Smith said.
Principals with Greater Buffalo Sports and Entertainment Complex sent a letter to the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority on Monday offering to purchase development rights for 150 acres and "limited profit sharing" with the authority.
The authority's chairman, Howard Zemsky, has said the development rights won't be granted for that project.
email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Wapak Elementary student has passion for airplanes
A Wapakoneta Elementary School student says he is thankful for his family.
"I am thankful for my family," kindergartener Henry Hoisington said.
His parents, Amber and Ryan, and his 3-year-old sister Brin got to eat "yummy" food on Thanksgiving Day.
The 6-year-old and his family recently moved to Wapakoneta from Kentucky.
"We moved here so we could be closer to family," Henry said, as his grandparents are from the area. "I like this area."
Henry celebrated his birthday at the beginning of the month, on Nov. 1, and said he went to Chuck-E-Cheeses with his family to celebrate.
"I got a paper airplane book," Henry said. "It has 19-ways to make a paper airplane."
The airplane enthusiast said he wants to join the U.S. Air Force when he gets older because he likes airplanes.
"I want to be in the Air Force because you always get to fly a cool airplane and learn how to control them," Henry said.
His father served in the Air Force, and now Henry is interested in joining the armed service when he gets old enough.
"My dad teaches me a lot," Henry said.
The first plane trip that Henry took was when he was 5 years old.
"It was pretty cool," Henry said.
Along with playing with airplanes with his father, Henry and his family enjoy playing cards, including Go Fish.
"I always beat my mom and dad," Henry said, "and I like to play the Wii with my dad."
His favorite game to play is Donkey Kong.
Currently, Henry said school is going well for him, and he is adjusting well to Wapakoneta.
"I'm having fun," Henry said. "My favorite (part of school) is getting to go to a different special each day."
His favorite special between gym, art, computers and library time is gym class.
"I like gym because we get to roller skate," Henry said. "I'm pretty good at it."
Henry said he does not own his own pair of roller skates, but he may ask for them for Christmas.
Henry said his favorite subject in school is math "because we do different things.
"It's a little hard," Henry said of why it is his favorite, "but I like a challenge."
Along with school work, Henry said he is making many new friends.
With the holiday right around the corner, Christmas happens to be Henry's favorite holiday.
"Christmas is my favorite holiday," Henry said. "I get cool presents and most importantly because Jesus was born on Christmas."


text:
I used this template as starting point for each and every page of the photo book. I guess to have some kind of thread through the whole thing.
sorry, no credits. almost everything from DD and shabby princess.
(pls, just ask if you want to know sth.)
we're renovating and moving in about two weeks.
I scrap a little in order not to get completely mad :-))


text: A Bouquet from My Fair Lady A Bouquet from My Fair Lady Bass/bell/drumsComposed by Hayward. Print on demand - publisher prints this title after order is received. Published by Shawnee Press (S5.LB0148). Usually leaves our warehouse: Within 3 to 4 weeks More info Add to Cart { "catalogRefId":"19171237", "productId":"prod19171237", "quantity":"1" }


text:
March 11, 2007
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -
The second-ranked UCLA women's water team handily defeated the visiting No. 12 UC Santa Barbara women's water polo team Sunday at Sunset Canyon Recreation Center, 21-8. The Gauchos fall to 10-10 overall and 1-4 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation with the loss while the Bruins improved to 15-1 overall, and 7-0 in MPSF play.
The Gauchos struck first on a lob shot from sophomore utility Gillian Morgan less than a minute into the game. The Bruins responded with seven unanswered goals to close out the first quarter with a 7-1 lead.
Bruins Molly Cahill and Katie Rulon both scored twice in the first to help the Bruins build an insurmountable lead. UCLA continued its scoring rampage in the second quarter, adding on five goals to take a 12-2 lead into halftime. Between the second and third quarters, the team scored 12 unanswered goals to take a commanding 19-2 lead.
Katie Rulon tied Kelly Rulon's UCLA record with five goals in the game. Morgan, junior attacker Lindsay Knott and sophomore defender Amanda Tipton all conrtibued two gaosl each for the Gauchos.
Jenny Gonzalez had six saves for the Gauchos. Emily Feher made four saves and allowed only three goals before leaving at the end of the third quarter.
The Gauchos travel to Tempe, Ariz. to take on conference team Arizona State and participate in the Sun Devils' tournament March 30-April 1.
Score by quarter
UC Santa Barbara 1 1 1 5 8
UCLA Goals: Katie Rulon 5, Molly Cahill 4, Brittany Rowe 3, Gabrielle Domanic 2, Anne Belden 2, Courtney Mathewson, Jillian Kraus, Kelly Rulon, Kacy Kunkel
UCSB Goals: Gillian Morgan 2, Lindsay Knott 2, Amanda Tipton 2, Teale Walheim, Aimee Stachowski
UCLA Saves: Emily Feher 4, Brittany Fullen 2
UCSB Saves: Jenny Gonzalez 6


text:
|This item may be eligible for
FREE SHIPPING or our $7.95 flat rate shipping special! Click for details
|Manufacturer: Baldwin #5015.MR
|This Estate Knob is shown with the 5017 Rose, sold separately.
Finished and polished by hand.
Lock mechanism sold separately. Compatible with either tubular or mortise operation.
For easy ordering, select functions of pre-configured tubular se
Does this product qualify for FREE SHIPPING?All Baldwin products are shipped together from a single warehouse.
All orders from this warehouse under $100 are eligible for a $7.95 flat shipping rate per order.
All orders from this warehouse over $100 are eligible for FREE SHIPPING.
When can I expect my order to arrive?
Items are shipped via FedEx Ground
Product ships from Hingham, MA 02043.
Please contact our Customer Service department at 1-800-530-TAIL(8245) for assistance with warranty questions or claims.


text:
Illinois gun "enthusiasts" sent out an anti-Bloomberg, anti-Robin Kelly postcard...and managed to misspell both Debbie Halvorson's name and-- wait for it-- "February".
Here's an idea:
Imagine what would happen if gun zealots could spell! Thay kood beekum a reel thret:
The above images were sent to me in an email, and they come to us via @dkoselections. I edited them to highlight the errors and also added the arrows.
This photo comes by way of the Downtown Asheville Facebook page. I edited it down a little for size only, but the image is intact:
Yes, according to Very Dedicated to the Constitution Guy, we are to "suport" the right to "own bare arms"... according to the "Secont Ament." I'm relieved to hear that, since I own two bare arms, and even a bare the-rest-of-me.
Actually, the Second Amendment mentions a little something about a "well-regulated militia," presumably in uniform. A bare-armed militia would get plenty of laughs, but not much protection from the elements. And don't get me started on the chafing.
As a special added bonus I'm adding a few other choice examples of the genius behind right wing messaging:


text:
Thursday, January 1, 2009
1981 ended in a strike. 2000 ended with a soul-crushing loss to the Mets in the playoffs. We were one game over .500 in 1981 and had the best record in baseball in 2000. I don't think either of those is very likely in 2009. I know Chris at BCB makes a convincing case that we will win 82 or 83 games, but that assumes everyone is healthy and plays reasonably well. I think we will be lucky to score four runs per game. David Pinto at TSN thinks 4.2 rpg is a reasonable guess for the 2009 Giants, and he projects us to give up 4.5 rpg. That, my friends, is called a losing record.
Perhaps I'm partial to the Pinto prediction because it confirms my bias. Chris' work is conservative and meticulous, and it would be great if we did indeed play that well. I'm a skeptic, though. This team, as currently constituted, can't hit enough to win. That's what my gut says, and since the BBWAA officially sanctions "gut-votes" for HOF and MVP, I'm sticking with my gut vote.
So, me buckos, how many games will the MMIX Giants win?
3 comments:
- Bob said...
I have nothing to share but gut feelings, as usual. I'm in an optimistic mode today. I like the addition of The Big Eunuch (I hate to retire that moniker but I suppose we must). An over-the-hill legendary power pitcher may give enough je ne say kwa to our young dudes, especially MC, to put them over the top. Maybe Johnson will bond with Sanchez and share all his wisdom. I can imagine even Zito will benefit.
On offense we'll clearly need young bats to blossom. Lewis, Sandoval and Ishikawa need to make progress and prove they'll be reliable every-day pros.
The old dudes like Molina, Rowand and Winn will have to be adequate. If one or more of these guys can manage career type years, the Giants have a shot at reaching the vicinity of .500.
My magic number is 79.
What do I get if I win?
- Fri Jan 02, 10:07:00 AM PST
85-90 wins.
Why is Dave Roberts still listed on our Active Roster??? I thought that we signed him for 2 years (2007 & 2008). That scares me. Please tell me it's just a mistake.
- Sat Jan 03, 03:34:00 PM PST
- M.C. O'Connor said...
Roberts signed a three year deal for $18 million covering 07, 08 and 09. I know, tough to swallow. (link here)
I'd love 85-90 wins, but how? Who will provide the offense? Bengie Molina in the cleanup spot? Does a .322 OBA actually constitute offense?
- Sat Jan 03, 05:29:00 PM PST


text:
Who Are the Highest-Paid Sports Journalists?
Bill Simmons, Jason Whitlock, Media Gossip/Musings TheBigLead June 18th. 2008, 2:30pm
Its a paradox, really; everyone wants to know what their peers are making for a variety of reasons, yet nobody wants to talk about salaries. We thought wed give it a shot. We did not, however, contact any of the journalists below to confirm/deny their salaries. The estimates you see are just that, and they were culled from articles and talks with nearly a dozen industry insiders. Well-known writers such as Tony Kornheiser and Dan LeBatard no longer write for mainstream media outlets, and thus were omitted from the list. Please direct all angry emails to [email="firstname.lastname@example.com"]email@example.com[/email].
Mike Wilbon, Washington Post, ESPN: Upwards of $2 million per year. The Washingtonian claims Wilbon inked a 4-year, $8 million deal with Disney in Jan. of 2007. With all the belt-tightening at the Post, hes probably on the books for a low six-figured deal at the paper.
Rick Reilly, ESPN: Left Sports Illustrated and signed a well-publicized ridonkulous deal with the Devil ESPN earlier this year, apparently worth $17 million over five years (estimated $3.4 per year).
Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press, radio, books, ESPN: Probably the most difficult to take a gander at, though this article from 2001 gives a good gauge. His estimated salary from the Freep is in the $250k range, but hes making much more off his radio show and books (that link claims he signed a 2-book deal worth nearly $5 million). And speeches! The guys clearing - according to that link - an estimated $30k per speech. His Sports Reporters paychecks are probably cigarette money. A safe guess is $1 million total a year.
Jason Whitlock, KC Star, Fox Sports: Insiders estimate his Star salary to be in the $250k-$350k a year range, and they surmise hes probably making close to the same at Fox, putting his yearly take in the $550-650k range.
Randy Galloway, Fort Worth Star Telegram, radio: A far bigger deal than you think in Dallas. Were told hes making around $300,000 a year from the newspaper (reports of an even higher figure - in 1999! -were not confirmed or denied), and an estimated $300,000 from his popular radio show.
Selena Roberts, Sports Illustrated: Moved from the NY Times to SI last year after - we hear - a minor bidding war between Yahoo, SI, and ESPN. We hear the top female columnist in the country is clearing $600,000 a year.
Mike Lupica, NY Daily News, books, ESPN: Difficult to gauge his yearly bottom line because of his book money. Hes supposed to be the highest paid sports columnist in New York, and his newspaper salary is pegged around $500k a year. Theres no telling how high the book income could boost him, but for the sake of argument, hes getting 1/2 of what Alboms getting. All told, a fair guess is $750,000 a year.
Bob Wojnowski, Detroit News, radio: Not a national household name, but hes got a highly-rated talk show that we hear pays him nearly $400k a year, to go with a columnist gig that nets him something in the low six figures, for a nice half-a-million per year.
Jay Mariotti, Chicago Sun-Times, ESPN: A source told us that when Around the Horn started, the participants were getting paid $500 a show. Hmmm. It premiered six years ago. Lets be conservative and estimate that notoriously cheap ESPN has upped the pay to $750 per episode. And lets say he does three episodes a week. Four weeks a month. Eleven months a year (vacations, holiday, etc). Conservative total: $99,000. Chicago Magazine estimated his combined salary to be north of $500,000.
Bill Simmons, ESPN.com, ESPN the Magazine: This ones probably better left to the Boston media battalion, but the consensus seems to be that hes making anywhere between $750k and $1 million, placing him only behind Reilly at the WWL.
Peter King, Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports: Hes the most well-known voice at the venerable mag, and now that hes collecting a hefty check from NBC for less than six months of work a year - heck, if you want to break it down, he works once a week for them, right? - insiders would be surprised if he wasnt hovering around $1 million a year.
Woody Paige, Denver Post, ESPN: See Mariotti above for his Around the Horn estimates. Dont have a firm grasp on his Post salary - weve heard anywhere from $300k-$600k. Since hes second only to Elway in terms of popularity in the city, and ESPN reportedly lured him away from his columnist gig several years away for a rumored $750,000 a year, well estimate that right now, hes bringing home anywhere between $500k-$750k a year.
Other names we may have callously omitted from this list, or names that should be close to it:
Stephen A. Smith, ESPN: Two years ago, he would have been near the top with his Philly Inquirer column, ESPN radio show, and Quite Frankly. But now hes down to just ESPN the Magazine.
John Feinstein, Washington Post, books: He writes sparingly for the Post, yet probably still commands close to or over six figures. Where he really cleans up are the books, which likely would vault him over a quarter million per year.
Bob Ryan, Boston Globe, local TV show, ESPN: Between the two, hes clearing over $300,000 a year, but it could stretch as high as $500k.
Ray Ratto, San Francisco Chronicle, CBSSports.com: The newspaper veteran is probably clearing $150k from both places.
Sally Jenkins, Washington Post, books: Were curious to know if shes paid better than Wilbon at the Post, since its her primary gig (although she lives in NYC, which seems odd), but her books (especially the Lance Armstrong one) are what carry her much, much higher.


text:
Following the reports that the newly formed Formula One team based in Charlotte, NC, USF1, would consider Kyle Busch for an F1 ride, Jeff Dickerson, Busch's agent, was quoted as saying:
[Busch] would certainly leave the door open to try it out at some point. At the same time, he's currently focused on winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series championships for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Busch is under contract with Joe Gibbs Racing through 2010. USF1 is planning to go racing in 2010.
The thought of Busch racing in F1 is not that far-fetched. Unlike some other drivers who jump from one type of racing to another, Busch's potential move wouldn't be motivated by money.
Instead, I think that Busch would be intrigued to see how he compares to the world's drivers in a completely different form of racing. It could be a way for him to show just how talented he is.
That's not to say he will leave NASCAR, but I'm sure the idea is certainly intriguing.
For those of you unfamiliar with F1, learn more about it here.
Indy Racing League driver Danica Patrick and Red Bull Racing's Scott Speed are others who have been linked to the ride. Also hearing that Marco Andretti's name has been mentioned, too.


text:
You have until Feb 1, 2018 to return or exchange items bought after Nov 1, 2017. All other standard return policy conditions apply.
Product Highlights
Hitech's 67x85mm Prostop 0.3-3.0 Filter Kit contains ten Prostop neutral density filters including a 0.3 filter, a 0.6 filter, a 0.9 filter, a 1.2 filter, a 1.5 filter, a 1.8 filter, a 2.1 filter, a 2.4 filter, a 2.7 filter and a 3.0 filter.
Prostop filters are specialized high quality neutral density filters. They are most used to create motion blur in long exposure shots and can help create these effects in water, clouds and other moving objects. This kits range is in densities from 1 to 10 stops. Prostops include a foam gasket which sits between the filter and the holder to help eliminate light leakage.
|Filter Type
|Solid ND
|Circular Size
|67 mm


text: UMW News BureauCara Cocchiarella, University of Montana Western head women's basketball coach, will step down from her position effective the end of spring semester 2012. UMW NEWS BUREAU [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="156" caption="Cara Cocchiarella"][/caption] Cara Cocchiarella, University of Montana Western head women's basketball coach, will step down from her position effective the end of spring semester 2012. Cocchiarella said she made the difficult decision due to personal reasons. "I really appreciate the opportunity Montana Western has given me," Cocchiarella explained. "I've absolutely loved working with these girls. I have every bit of confidence they will be a great team next year and down the road. I'm going to miss them very much." Montana Western Athletic Director Mark Durham said Cocchiarella brought significant improvement to the program and will be missed. "We are definitely sad to see Cara go, but we understand and wish her all the best in her future endeavors," Durham said. "She is a great coach and she was a tremendous asset to our program." Cocchiarella was head coach of the Bulldogs for three seasons beginning in 2009. While leading the women's team, she compiled a record of 32 wins and 51 losses, including the team's 15-13 record for the 2011-2012 season. The women's team received votes in the national NAIA poll for the 2011-2012 season. The team also placed in the top 10 of the NAIA rankings for several categories over the last two seasons, including: first in Division I defensive rebounds per game in 2010-2011; second in Division I assists per game in 2010-2011; sixth in Division I field goal percentage in 2010-2011; ninth in Division I total rebounds per game in 2010-2011; and ninth in defensive rebounds per game in 2011-2012. Cocchiarella received both her college degrees — a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Health Enhancement K-12 and a Master of Science in Health and Human Performance with an emphasis in exercise science — from the University of Montana. While a student at UM, she was a Presidential Scholar and a member of the Lady Griz basketball team. She took her position at Montana Western after serving as the director of basketball operations for the women's program at Gonzaga University. Prior to her stay at Gonzaga, she was a teacher and coach at Missoula Sentinel and Loyola Sacred Heart in Missoula. At Loyola, she compiled an overall record of 132 wins with just 23 losses. In 2006, she led the Loyola Breakers to the Class B state title and was recognized as the coach of the year. Cocchiarella said she will remember her time at Montana Western fondly, and is proud to have been a part of the campus. "This has been a very good thing for me for the past three years, and I'm proud to say I got to be a Bulldog."


text:
Pedders CV Shaft
Pedders CV Shaft
Quick Code: 410029R
Constant Velocity Shafts
Pedders comprehensive range of replacement CV Shafts are made to exacting specifications including European SGS international quality ISO9001, QS9000, VDA6.1 and TS16949 certifications. They also come with our 2 year 40,000km nationwide warranty.
Pedders CV Shafts are complete new units - not reconditioned. This means new inner and outer joints, shafts and boots which make up a complete new unit. Many reconditioned units still contain a high percentage of second hand components which can compromise the integrity of their performance or durability.
Shipping Destinations
Here at Pedders we want you to receive your parts as fast as possible. That's why in addition to offering free shipping, which is on a 2-3 day service, if you need your parts even sooner, we offer a next working day delivery service, on all stocked items when you order before 2pm.
We charge a flat rate shipping fee of £7.95 on all parts to any UK mainland postal address for next day delivery. This offer applies to orders with a total weight under 30kg and excludes delivery to the Scottish Highlands, Northern Ireland & Channel Islands, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Sky & Isle of Wight.
If the part you are looking for needs to be pre-ordered please allow approximately 14 days for the part to be stocked and shipped out to you. We will contact you to confirm that the part is available and now in stock before we dispatch it.
We deliver to all European countries, both EU member and non-member states. Please find the delivery service for your country below:
*countries where customs charges are applicable
For orders to non-EU countries, there will be an additional charge for customs clearance. Although all our products display prices inclusive of UK VAT (currently at 20%), this charge will be deducted from your order at checkout, and read as a negative payment on your invoice. Please contact us for further information.
|1991-On WA - WF Hatch
|2000-2005 Vin No KNADC24
|2005-On JB
|1996-2002 DW Metro


text:
|2012-03-12, 09:58
|Link #25541
I am no one
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Inside your head
In the case of cool big sis, usually she was quiet when he lashed out for little to no reason, or just smirked mockingly. The little brother is usually protective of her despite his usual assholishness. His on-off way of showing affection might be mistaken for sister complex by wrong demographic.
Isn't that what people call 'snap'?
|2012-03-12, 10:02
|Link #25543
That one guy
Join Date: Nov 2011
No, no, no. I meant if you just look at them both with a portrait style picture in mind. The way Cecilia carries herself is that of a mature lady, it inspires a feeling of grandeur and beauty. Tatenashi just looks outright playful and mischievous(at most behaved: she looks like one of those nice side characters that are nice to their elders and stuffs).
|2012-03-12, 10:03
|Link #25544
Just another Idiot
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Delusion world
there is only one Male OC IS pilot, he is Joan
Other IS pilots are girls.
Original machine don't need no pilots....
Screw it, I keep the original characters and the tech while scraping the story everything again to start from beginning.
Will be focusing on character development this time.....
In spite of the fact that I didn't even know where to start developing.... the girls are static, Ichika is technically a rock....and there are more food porn than actual character development.
|2012-03-12, 10:06
|Link #25546
That one guy
Join Date: Nov 2011
Which reminds me... Why can't I find any innocent fanservice nowadayas? It's all boobs and pantyshots in your face?
Not that I'm complaining to Tate and Cecilia. Just that when I imagined the whole cast's base personalities turned up to eleven. Well, they're even better behaved than canon version.
|2012-03-12, 10:10
|Link #25547
I am no one
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Inside your head
Vitriolic best buds? Like brother and sister?
Well, if it happens constantly, something is wrong in the head.
@ Demi
Bah, with rule 34, anything can be sexualized. Even Kimono, of all things, are this, despite the main attraction is elegance and modesty.
|2012-03-12, 10:11
|Link #25548
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Laura's inncoent fanservice. Everybody else is deliberate.
Senpai - Would it count as Oedpus complex if you fell for your aunt? Blood related or no?
I need to capture how Irish and Tatenashi would act as the story goes on. The first is teeth cleched teamwork, then it gets more friendly.
About once or twice every few fights.
|2012-03-12, 10:19
|Link #25550
I am no one
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Inside your head
Depends, if the aunt already become a mother figure, then it counts as Oedipus Complex. If it's a sudden crush, then it's can be relegated to Kissing cousin, but somewhat more taboo.
Well, Tatenashi is likely getting on his nerves and made him uncomfortable, and he retorted with jackassery. :3
Again, that might count as slasher smile, and something is wrong in the head.
@ Dermi
Ichika from I.S. Abridged would call her for penis envy....
|2012-03-12, 10:25
|Link #25551
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
@ Demi - No. She's a sniper and ranged fighter. No more no less.
@ Senpai - I might dabble into this in FI. Think about it: THese kids are nearing puberty and now they have aunts or parents who are young and attractive? Something's gonna get screwed up.
Wouldn't she get pissed at points as well?
This is a sign I'm gonna use for diminishing sanity. For Irish, he seems to laugh and smile whenever he thinks he can get close to Autumn. For Future Kazuma's story, he starts laughing and slasher smiling the more the story goes. This gets intensely creepy when by the finale he stops talking all together and just laughs or makes grunt noises.
|2012-03-12, 10:29
|Link #25552
I am no one
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Inside your head
Tatenashi might be pissed if Irish hit something too close to home, she will quickly regain her composure though.
Same concept with Rin, mind you she already stop being a volatile yandere ever since the Twincest kissing incident. And yet finding her enemies never tried to repent.... cue hidden eyes of doom and broad, fanged smile.
|2012-03-12, 10:29
|Link #25553
Just another Idiot
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Delusion world
Joan, Not important.
He is not a self-insert.
He is just a tool.
His personality is simplified to shy and timid so that I can develop him as a character.
He is just a male IS pilot in ISA.
Problem is:
Male IS pilot receive special attention and privilege just for being a guy.
I give up.
Edit: How do you develop a character who main aspect revolve around a guy? And that guy is a stone who get aroused by food.
Until I had new idea, I will be playing Mass Effect 3 or working on my Shakugan no Shana fanfic instead.
|2012-03-12, 10:33
|Link #25554
That one guy
Join Date: Nov 2011
Male OC's don't need special attention. What blasphemy is that?
A male OC should be male by circumstance, as should a female OC be female. Unless you have the intention of writing for the sake of fetish/ego boost! That or just plain go crazy.
I doubt an OC like Lyon would get any special attention. Though he's technically not IS pilot, Gospel chiefly listens to him and won't calm down without him.
|2012-03-12, 10:34
|Link #25555
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
@ Senpai - What do you think hits close to home? Something about Kanzashi?
Isn't Rin already a Yandere? No major changes there.
@ Treme - Okay, if you're just gonna react negatively to criticism, I might as well not talk anymore. Good luck with your fic, hope you get what you need.
|2012-03-12, 10:38
|Link #25556
I am no one
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Inside your head
Maybe that, or anything that potentially upset Tatenahsi... unless she really has no weakness or problem to begin with.
Nope, after Ichika eschew her for throwing her sword at his direction, she never act violent again, and not angry at him for little to no reason. However, meeting her old enemy made her sorta ax crazy, especially that Yankee girl is abusing another when they met again, which is a great deal of trauma for Rin. Behind her bob hair, there are burnt marks courtesy of bullying.
|2012-03-12, 10:45
|Link #25558
I am no one
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Inside your head
Yes, that will work.
Human can go without sleep for exactly 1 days and most people will have problem of doing their activities.
Well, I changed these two more into Proud Warrior and Smug Snake.
|2012-03-12, 10:45
|Link #25559
Just another Idiot
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Delusion world
Why am I not angry?
Edit: Seriously, you can call any of my character idiots or stupid, I don't really mind because they are really idiots.....or that stupid
|fanfic ideas, fanfiction, ff.net, harem, is fanfic, warning fanfic spoilers, wincest
|Thread Tools


text: Autism may result from a complex interaction between genetic, metabolic, and environmental factors. In examining the genetic factors in autism, which genes are actually converted into protein ("expressed") can matter as much as which genes have mutations. The importance of gene expression in autism was demonstrated recently by Dr. Hu's group in a study of the rare cases of identical twins in which only one twin has autism. Although genetically identical, many genes involved in neural development and function were expressed differently between the twins. Additional evidence suggests that metabolic pathways that produce steroid hormones and neuropeptides are altered in autism, and these products may also influence gene expression and neural development. This project will explore the mechanisms that regulate gene expression in cell lines derived from people with autism, and it will screen for steroid hormones and neuropeptides in these cell lines. Finally, experiments will study the interaction of genetic, metabolic (steroid hormones), and environmental (oxidative stress) factors in a neuronal cell model. Specifically, the effect of turning off certain genes alone, and in combination with exposure to steroid hormones or oxidative stress will be examined. What this means for people with autism: Understanding the complex interplay of genetic, metabolic, and environmental factors in a single cell will be a major step toward understanding how these factors may interact to cause autism.


text:
Falcons-Panthers Preview
While the Atlanta Falcons wrapped up the NFC South title last week, they have their eyes set on a larger goal.
Hoping to inch closer to securing the conference's No. 1 seed, the visiting Falcons try for a sixth consecutive victory over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
While Atlanta (11-1) is usually led by an offense that ranks seventh in the league in scoring at 26.4 points, it was a superb defensive display that helped the team pull out a 23-13 win over New Orleans last Thursday. MVP candidate Matt Ryan completed 18 of 33 passes for a season-low 165 yards and touchdown, but the Falcons intercepted Drew Brees five times to lock up their second division crown in three seasons.
"We've won the division before, so it's not that big of a deal," wideout Roddy White said. "When coach said, 'Congratulations,' nobody was woo-wooing or nothing like that, which is good."
The Falcons, who sit 2 1/2 games ahead of San Francisco in the conference standings, could potentially clinch a first-round bye and also home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a win Sunday coupled with a few unlikely scenarios.
"You have to be happy with where you're at right now, but ultimately it's all about finishing it," linebacker Sean Weatherspoon said. "We set our goals high. That's just part of the step, so now it's on to the next part."
While it's hard to make a case against the Falcons right now, their recent postseason efforts are hard to overlook. Atlanta hasn't won a playoff game since 2004, going one-and-done in its last three appearances.
"We don't worry about it," said Ryan, who had four straight 300-yard games before last week. "We try not to think that far ahead. One of the things I've learned in my five years is that if you're worrying about what you're going to do in January in September, October, November and December, you're wasting your time.
"I've tried to keep that week-to-week focus, but at the same time, we've had some sour tastes in our mouths at the end of the last couple of seasons. So hopefully we'll have an opportunity to change that."
The Falcons have had their way with the Panthers (3-9) of late, scoring at least 30 points in winning each of the last five meetings. Ryan has 11 touchdowns to two interceptions for a 103.9 passer rating during the run, and Michael Turner is averaging 99.4 rushing yards with seven total touchdowns.
The first meeting of the season, though, came down to the wire. Atlanta drove 77 yards in five plays to set up Matt Bryant's 40-yard field-goal with five seconds remaining, lifting the Falcons to a 30-28 victory in Week 4.
The defeat still irritates Panthers defensive end Greg Hardy, who said Wednesday, "We owe them something and it is coming.''
Hardy also said the Panthers are a better team than Atlanta.
The loss at the Georgia Dome in September, was one of seven Carolina defeats by six points or less. The Panthers came up short again last Sunday, falling 27-21 at an emotional Kansas City team that played despite the Jovan Belcher murder-suicide a day earlier.
"You definitely feel for them. What they are going through is tragic," said tight end Greg Olsen, whose only reception went for a 47-yard score. "But we have a job to do. Our job is to come here and prepare to win. They wouldn't expect any less."
Cam Newton continued his impressive play with 232 passing yards and a season-high three touchdowns, and ran seven times for another 78 yards. Newton has eight total TDs - two rushing - and no interceptions over his last three games.
"His outlook on things, the way he perceives things and the way he's handled himself the last few weeks has been outstanding," coach Ron Rivera said. "He's played very well and given us chances to win. We have to take advantage of that."
Although Newton is playing well, the Panthers have allowed an average of 30.0 points in their last three losses. Things aren't about to get any easier after placing defensive end Antwan Applewhite and free safety Sherrod Martin on injured reserve Tuesday.
"It is about trying to win these football games and trending up. That's pretty much it," Rivera said. "We've got an opportunity to play Atlanta and later to play New Orleans - teams in our division - and those are opportunities to send messages and show what we can do.
"That's why we're playing, and we'll go out and play hard."


text: /* -*- Mode: C++; tab-width: 2; indent-tabs-mode: nil; c-basic-offset: 2 -*- */ /* ***** BEGIN LICENSE BLOCK ***** * Version: MPL 1.1/GPL 2.0/LGPL 2.1 * * The contents of this file are subject to the Mozilla Public License Version * 1.1 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with * the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at * http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/ * * Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" basis, * WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License * for the specific language governing rights and limitations under the * License. * * The Original Code is mozilla.org code. * * The Initial Developer of the Original Code is * Mozilla Foundation. * Portions created by the Initial Developer are Copyright (C) 2006 * the Initial Developer. All Rights Reserved. * * Contributor(s): * * Alternatively, the contents of this file may be used under the terms of * either of the GNU General Public License Version 2 or later (the "GPL"), * or the GNU Lesser General Public License Version 2.1 or later (the "LGPL"), * in which case the provisions of the GPL or the LGPL are applicable instead * of those above. If you wish to allow use of your version of this file only * under the terms of either the GPL or the LGPL, and not to allow others to * use your version of this file under the terms of the MPL, indicate your * decision by deleting the provisions above and replace them with the notice * and other provisions required by the GPL or the LGPL. If you do not delete * the provisions above, a recipient may use your version of this file under * the terms of any one of the MPL, the GPL or the LGPL. * * ***** END LICENSE BLOCK ***** */ /* * This class wraps up the creation (and destruction) of the standard * set of atoms used by gklayout; the atoms are created when gklayout * is loaded and they are destroyed when gklayout is unloaded. */ #include "nsGkAtoms.h" #include "nsStaticAtom.h" // define storage for all atoms #define GK_ATOM(_name, _value) nsIAtom* nsGkAtoms::_name; #include "nsGkAtomList.h" #undef GK_ATOM static const nsStaticAtom GkAtoms_info[] = { #define GK_ATOM(name_, value_) { value_, &nsGkAtoms::name_ }, #include "nsGkAtomList.h" #undef GK_ATOM }; void nsGkAtoms::AddRefAtoms() { NS_RegisterStaticAtoms(GkAtoms_info, NS_ARRAY_LENGTH(GkAtoms_info)); }


text:
Latest update : 2011-11-21
François Hollande in the crosshairs
The Greens and Socialists have formally reached an agreement on a common platform, but they sidestepped the most contentious issues and will in all likelihood not govern together. Meanwhile, Socialist presidential candidate François Hollande is a natural target for the ruling conservatives, but also for some on the left who see him as too centrist.
On the set:
- Philip Turle, journalist, RFI
- Grégory Viscusi, reporter, Bloomberg News.


text:
byJoseph F. Kovar on
Mainframes Maintain
Whenever one reads about the coming death of mainframes, it's time to turn the page.
IDC said revenue for IBM's System z mainframes running z/OS had its second consecutive quarter of growth, with revenue up 7.0 percent over last year to reach $800 million.
That was about 7.7 percent of all server revenue in the first quarter of 2013, IDC said.


text:
The records in this database have been donated by volunteer transcribers worldwide. Although every effort has been made to ensure that the transcriptions are as accurate as possible, researchers are advised to consult the originals for themselves.
Sometimes extra clues can be gained by seeing the records in register order, so some are also available either on the OPC website, or on individual OPCs' sites (see the individual parish pages to find direct links to the material).
Other data can be found via our Resources page
As copyright remains with the transcribers for all records, permission should be sought for any use except personal research.
If you would like to contribute details from birth, marriage or death certificates then please see contributions.
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Interested in making a contribution to our records? See more information about transcriptions, or make a single contribution to one of the records.
Volunteers are always welcome. Please contact Myra Cordrey for transcribing and Diane Donohue if you're interested in becoming an OPC.


text:
QUINCY, Mass.—UMass Boston pushed their season-high winning streak to four-straight, as they downed host Eastern Nazarene College 5-4 Monday afternoon at the ENC Tennis Courts.
With the win, the Beacons moved to 6-3 on the season, while the Lions fell to 7-6.
The Beacons jumped out to a 2-1 lead after doubles play and pushed the lead to 4-2, before David Hernandez (Bogota, Colombia) clinched the victory with a comeback victory at number two singles.
Hernandez also earned a victory at number one singles alongside Sean Cullen (Medway, Mass.) and he was one of three Beacons who finished with a perfect record on the day, as number two doubles pair Alex Loyer (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Charles Lai (Boston, Mass.) pushed their combined unbeaten streak between singles and doubles action to eight in a row.
Eastern Nazarene jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the match with a win at number three doubles, as Kevin Paterno and Tyler Perron handed Eglis Bizhoti (Dorchester, Mass.) and Seth Shavers (Boston, Mass.) an 8-2 loss.
Cullen and Hernandez evened the score at 1-1, with an 8-6 victory at top-flight singles, and Loyer and Lai capped off doubles action with an 8-2 win.
Loyer kept the momentum going for UMB with a 6-0, 6-1 victory at third-flight singles but the Lions responded with a 6-4, 6-4 advantage at number one singles.
UMass Boston pushed the lead back to two at 4-2, when Lai outlasted Tim Luz, 6-3, 6-4 at number four singles, setting up Hernandez's game-clinching victory.
After an Eastern Nazarene win at number five singles cut the UMB lead to 4-3, Hernandez cruised through set one at number two singles with a 6-4 win, only to fall behind 5-4 in set number two. The reigning Little East Conference Rookie of the Year turned things around with this back to the wall though, as he grabbed the final three games to earn a 6-4, 7-5 victory and the all important fifth point of the day for UMB.
Perron finished off the match with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Jay Garcia (Madras, Ore), but it wouldn't be enough for the Lions who dropped their second straight match.
UMass Boston will continue their non-conference road trip Friday, when they travel to Worcester to take on Ana Maria College at Noon. The Lions take to the road as well, with a trip to Gordon College Wednesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.


text:
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European Commission
Press release
Brussels, 26 June 2012
Unleashing the huge potential of key enabling technologies for jobs
The European Commission has today called for a European effort to boost Key Enabling Technologies (KETs). The global market in KETs, which comprises micro- and nanoelectronics, advanced materials, industrial biotechnology, photonics, nanotechnology and advanced manufacturing systems, is forecast to grow from € 646 Billion to over € 1 Trillion between 2008 and 2015; this is a jump of over 54%, or more than 8% of the EU's GDP. Rapid growth in jobs is expected, too. In nanotechnology industries alone, the number of jobs in the EU is expected to increase from 160,000 in 2008, to around 400,000 by 2015. The European Commission tabled its strategy today to boost the industrial production of KETs-based products, e.g. innovative products and applications of the future. The strategy aims to keep pace with the EU's main international competitors, restore growth in Europe and create jobs in industry, at the same time addressing today's burning societal challenges. As a matter of fact, Europe is a global leader in KETs research and development with a global share in patent applications of more than 30%. Despite this, the EU is not translating its dominant R&D base into the production of goods and services needed to stimulate growth and jobs. This is why the Commission calls for a European effort to boost KETS.
Presenting the Communication, Vice-President Antonio Tajani, responsible for Industry and Entrepreneurship underlined: "Most innovative products nowadays, whether it is the smart phone or electric car, incorporate several KETs simultaneously, as single or integrated parts. But KETs can become a real job machine which we so dearly need today. Therefore Europe needs a strategy to develop and industrially deploy KETs. They will determine our economic future and enable the Union to restart growth and job creation by maintaining our global technological leadership."
KETs provide many jobs, among them many high quality jobs
The deployment of KETs is highly relevant for both industrial competitiveness and for responding to today's great societal challenges. The transversal and multifaceted role of KETs is mirrored by the number of SMEs active in the field and the number of high quality jobs being created. For example, in nanotechnology, employment estimates show that in 2008 there were 160.000 workers globally. This represents a 25% increase from 2000. The micro- and nanoelectronics industry and its natural downstream ICT industries created more than 700.000 additional jobs during the last decade in Europe, showing a trend towards more service-oriented and highly skilled jobs and rapid recovery after the crisis. Industrial biotechnology has been recognised as the driving KET for the bioeconomy. It is estimated that every euro invested into research and innovation in this area will result in a tenfold return. Furthermore, SMEs are a key driver of innovation and employment in Europe and are expected to account for the majority of future jobs in KETs. In the photonics sector the bulk of the 5,000 European companies are SMEs. In Germany, about 80% of the nanotechnology companies are small or medium sized.
KETs can bring back European innovation leadership
KETs are a key source of innovation: They provide the indispensable technology bricks that enable a wide range of product applications, including those required for developing low carbon energy technologies, improving energy and resource efficiency, and new medical products for ageing population. The KETs defined in 20091 have become a priority on the EU's agenda. This is further reflected by their key role in Commission proposals on the future EU Research & Innovation programme Horizon 2020 and the European Regional Development Fund. The capacity of Europe to develop and industrially deploy KETs plays crucial role in contributing to sustainable competitiveness and growth.
The internal market offers a fertile background for KETs: Connecting half a billion European citizens, it provides significant commercial opportunities for KETs developers and end users: it is undoubtedly one of the EU's major strengths. It is the geographical proximity between KETs actors that integrates European value chains and thus provides a competitive advantage. Today the EU represents the largest integrated market in the world that is receptive to innovations, with world leading industries in fields of automotive, chemicals, aeronautics, space, health and energy – all users of KETs.
The Commission proposes an all-encompassing and long-term strategy, which includes all relevant EU instruments and key stakeholders:
Appropriate governance: Ensure adequate governance structures in order to ensure smooth implementation and the maximum exploitation of synergies;
Side Bar


text:
Their motto is "Doing the Most Good," and this year The Salvation Army is asking for your help to do good right here in Parkersburg.
It's the sound of bells and it means Christmas is right around the corner.
Bell ringing volunteers from The Salvation Army in Parkersburg are out in full force. You can find them at various grocery stores and shopping plazas around the area.
This year, under new direction, The Salvation Army is hoping to beat their goals from last years donations.
"Last year at this time during the same opening weekend, we raised five thousand six hundred dollars and we're hoping this year we can raise six thousand. So come out and see us today somewhere by a kettle. It's a great day to give back to the community. When you give money today, you can expect change in your community," says Corps Officer, Lt. Erik Henry.
It's a tradition for The Salvation Army and the people who donate and this year many families need the help more than ever. "It's a great tradition The Salvation Army has of giving at Christmas time to be able to help those that are in need, and face it, in today's society we have a lot of people that struggle from paycheck to paycheck to be able to provide for their family. During the Christmas season this is where The Salvation Army and other agencies and church groups all pitch in to help out our communities."
And if you give, it goes right back into the community.
"If you give in the Parkersburg or Wood County area we serve, all 100 percent stays in Wood County. As you give your dollars to The Salvation Army, 82 cents of every dollar goes back to the services that are provided here in our community in Parkersburg."
The Salvation Army in Marietta is gearing up for their bell ringing season. You'll be able to find donation spots at area stores the day after Thanksgiving.


text:
Johnson non-committal over Scotland role
Scott Johnson will only make a decision on whether to extend his stay as interim Scotland coach once he has had the chance to impress in the RBS 6 Nations.
Andy Robinson's replacement has stepped up from assistant coach to take control of the squad on a caretaker basis. However, while refusing to rule himself out of the running for the post on a permanent basis, he insists he will wait until the team's five games in this year's competition are over and done with before giving the possibility any serious consideration.
He told Press Association Sport: "I came here to do a certain job and that is still my mandate. But the circumstances have changed and I have agreed to do a different job until a certain time. However, my other job still exists and I will re-evaluate my situation with the board at a later date."
He added: "I will make my decision in the best interests of what Scotland needs. If the board decide I'm the person they want and if that suits me, I will review it then.
"How long will I be here? Well that's two-fold. It's not just my wish, it comes down to those of others. I suppose it will be for as long as they want me. It's pretty simple."
With that matter still up in the air, Johnson also admitted that he has not made a firm decision on who will replace retired Mike Blair at scrum-half.
The 85-time capped number nine stepped down from the international game on Monday but could see his jersey taken by either Greg Laidlaw, Chris Cusiter - currently recovering from a shoulder injury - or Henry Pyrgos.
Johnson added: "Greg will be there or there abouts but there are others too. We are waiting on the injury update on 'Cus' and we will see how the form of Henry Pyrgos is as well. We will go with what we have got. That is all we can do."


text:
By Ben Levisohn
Last week, Melco Crown Entertainment (MPEL) reported gangbuster earnings–and dropped 0.7%. The reason: Fears of a crackdown on so-called junkets with ties to organized crime.
The analyst community came out in support of the Macau gaming stocks last week, calling the reports of a new crackdown overblown. Janney Capital Market's Brian McGill has another piece of good news for Melco's investors–the company gets more revenue from mass gaming than high-rollers. He writes:
For the Macau market overall, we think VIP growth will be flat for 2013 while mass market revenue will increase by 20% to 30%. For MPEL, the mass market growth is critical because the company earns approximately 2/3 of its luck-adjusted EBITDA from that segment. Additionally, mass margins approach 40%, which compares to the VIP business which has margins near 10%.
McGill also notes that Melco has an advantage over competitors, including Wynn Resorts (WYNN), Las Vergas Sands (LVS) and MGM Resorts International (MGM). Melco's Studio City project should also be finished by mid-2015, ahead of its competitors competing properties.
McGill raised his target on Melco to $28, at which it would be worth 12 times 2013 EBITDA, still at a discount to Las Vegas Sands' 14 times.
Melco has dropped 0.2% to $20.84 today.
UPDATE: I confused Melco's City of Dreams and Studio City projects, and the post has been corrected to fix the error. Thanks to my readers for pointing out my mistake.


text:
Preparatory Division of Department of Music is Offering Private Music Lessons
August 22, 2008
The Preparatory Division of Mount Union College is offering private music lessons.
Students can enroll in bassoon, clarinet, French horn, guitar, harp, organ, piano, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, viola, violin or voice lessons. Lessons are held in the Cope Music Hall on the corner of Union Avenue and Vincent Boulevard in Alliance.
For more information regarding fees and registration, please contact Kay Johnson of the Department of Music at (330) 823-2039 .


text:
By Michael Aneiro
Treasury bond prices are closing out a strong week on a weaker note so far Friday. Yields fell early after the Commerce Department reported that U.S. consumer spending fell by 0.1% in April, but yields soon rose after the Institute for Supply Management reported that its Chicago Business Barometer rose to 65.5 in May from 63.0 in April, beating expectations.
Treasury yields, while still higher on the day, have been drifting lower in the past hour, indicating that markets remain unconvinced by the latest signs of economic growth. The 10-year note is currently down 6/32 in price for the day, lifting its yield to 2.470%, per Tradeweb data, and the 30-year bond is down 9/32 to yield 3.319%. The iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond (TLT) ETF is currently up 8 cents at $114.23.


text:
Well, I must say my picks last week were a mixed bag. My upset specials were all horrid and stunk to high heaven and I was completely wrong to say that Villanova was a fraud, but I must say I was right about telling people to stay away from Vandy and Pitt and bet high on West Virginia. Anyone who rolled the dice on Michigan State, like I advocated in the South Region breakdown, is playing with house money at this point.
Well, with the field down to 16, I'll be breaking down each game individually from now on. Let's do this, starting with the East Region.
No. 4 Washington State vs. No. 1 North Carolina
I was skeptical of the Cougars prior to the tourney, as their defense had been spotty during the Pac-10 season. But Wazzu has turned up the defense as high as any team in the tourney has in a long time, holding Winthrop and Notre Dame to 41 points each. Pretty sick stuff if you ask me.
North Carolina has been the opposite, putting up over a hundy on Mount St. Mary's and Arkansas. The Heels are getting production from their entire team and are extremely fun to watch.
So there you have it. One team basically serves as valium and forces the opposition to hit themselves with their own limbs, while the other scores like its chugging Red Bull on a bullet train. As far as matchups go, this could be the best from a pure strategic standpoint. The Cougars will hold Carolina under 100 and cause some tense moments, but the Carolina Blue has too much talent to lose to a team led by a ponytailed pointguard.
Pick: North Carolina
No. 3 Louisville vs. No. 2 Tennessee
I'm not sure if I have as much to write about this one, which is a shame because its a wonderful matchup. Cardinals coach Rick Pitino has been to four Final Fours with three teams and has a group that's rolling. Louisville made short work of Boise State and completely dismantled Oklahoma, which would have been better advised to just lay down and give me one upset that actually came through. The heck with the Sooners and everyone who looks like them.
As far as Tennessee, their trip to the Sweet 16 has been more stressful. American University – not to be confused with the University of the United States in the movie Coming to America – actually was within a score of the Vols with five minutes left before fading and Butler took them to overtime. So Tennessee is battle tested.
The line between battle tested and vulnerable is a thin one. Louisville can match up with Tennessee athletically on the perimeter and will handle the press. Expect the Cardinals to slug this one out and advance.
Pick: Louisville


text:
For the second straight year, Longmont may stop up its water rental to the St. Vrain and Left Hand water conservancy district. And this time it's flood rather than drought that's to blame.
Ken Huson, the city's water resources administrator, said he would recommend the move despite a heavy mountain snowpack that would normally mean more water for the city.
"With our flood recovery going on, we still don't have all our water resources up and running," Huson said. "It doesn't make sense for us to let go of water too early."
That recovery includes the removal of logs and other woody debris that were left in Ralph Price Reservoir by September's flood. The city has cleared debris from Longmont Reservoir and restored the flood-damaged North St. Vrain Pipeline.
The St. Vrain and Left Hand district leases its water as "augmentation water" to farmers who need more than they can get through their normal irrigation priority.
A formal recommendation is planned to reach the city's water board in April and the City Council in May. The decision could be reviewed later in the summer, Huson said, depending on how the water supply looks.
Longmont canceled its rental to the conservancy district in 2013 as well, with the city's water supply near the boundary for a Level 1 drought. That hits when the city's supply drops to 135 percent of demand, meaning there's still a cushion of 35 percent more water than residents use. Longmont's supply at the time was at 137 percent.
Huson does still expect to rent water to the St. Vrain Valley School District, which is ahead of St. Vrain and Left Hand in line.
On Friday, Longmont will learn how much water it will get from the Colorado-Big Thompson supply, the system that sends Western Slope water to the Front Range and the Eastern Plains. In a normal year, the city would get a 70 percent quota, meaning it could draw seven-tenths of an acre-foot for every share it holds.
Huson said he was expecting to see a 70 or 80 percent share this year.
Contact Times-Call staff writer Scott Rochat at 303-684-5220 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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Tallahassee, FL - We've all heard that 40 is the new 30 and with that. many couples are delaying efforts to have a family until later in life. However, fertility decreases with age in both men and women. In 2008, Kelly Trotman was diagnosed with rectal cancer. She underwent 6 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation.
The treatment that could save her life also would destroy her remaining eggs in her ovaries, preventing her from having future children naturally. She admits "I had a 6 month old child, but I wanted to have more than one and I just didn't want that to be taken away from me." She also says she wanted to do whatever she could to try to preserve her fertility, even if there was only a slim chance. She says "we were able to save, we have 10 embryos and they are still frozen and hopefully in the future maybe we can look into using some of them."
Whether it be for medical reasons, career aspirations or maybe just not meeting the right partner, New Life Fertility Clinic in Tallahassee is offering options. Reproductive Endocrinologist, Dr. Barry Ripps, says "we offer the full spectrum of reproductive services. If there is a concern about that woman's fertility, get started early, come in and be evaluated early, because time really is the one fertility factor we do not have a good way to reverse or treat."
When women come in to test their fertility, a pelvic ultrasound is performed which will confirm if they are ovulating. After consulting an expert, the process of freezing your eggs starts with using fertility drugs for 8 to 12 days, the clinic will monitor the growth of the eggs and once they are mature, the eggs are retrieved surgically. Ripps says "If a woman produces 10 or 12 eggs and 10 of them are mature, she has 10 potential chances of conception, and those eggs once they are frozen can be stored indefinitely, basically."
There are several lifestyle factors that can influence fertility. Experts recommend not smoking, keeping a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, drinking lots of water and avoiding caffeinated drinks and alcohol, getting lots of sleep and reducing stress. According to Ripps, "the other finding more recently is, tobacco exposure, even second hand smoke exposure will delay conception.
So it takes longer to conceive with tobacco exposure." Since 2004, research has shown over 1500 hundred babies have been born using eggs that were previously frozen and there is no increased risk to the mothers or children born from this procedure. Ripps says "the woman's risk is based on her general health. If she is in good health at 40 or 45 or 50 and conceives with eggs of her own that were preserved or eggs from a donor, the pregnancy goes fairly well."
On March 17, 2013, Kelly will celebrate 4 years in remission and says she is thankful for the options she has been given. She says "I'm just very glad that I did it and I do have hope for the future." The cost for freezing your eggs can vary by clinic location, but usually ranges from 6,500 dollars to over 15,000 dollars on the high end. If you are interested in finding out more about the process of freezing your eggs, you can contact Dr. Barry Ripps at New Life Fertility Clinic at 850-857-3733 or go to their website at fertilityleaders.com


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It never occurred to me that I'd ever have a problem getting pregnant.
My husband and I were married in August and immediately began trying for our first baby. My type A tendencies had me temping and charting from the very beginning. I wanted a baby and didn't want to waste a single cycle. I was sure we'd get pregnant within a month with all of my careful charting and controlling.
Months went by and I felt concern creeping in. My OB-GYN was incredibly proactive and referred us to our reproductive endocrinologist once we tried for six months on our own.
We began a Clomid/IUI/Trigger shot combination only to learn that the HCG shots were causing cysts, which forced us to take a break from the drugs after each round. It was on our third unmedicated cycle that I thought my heart might finally break.
I sat there in the RE's office and listened to her tell me that I wouldn't ovulate that month and for the first time, I began to truly consider the idea that I might never get pregnant. She advised me to go home, enjoy my husband and some martinis and get some rest.
And that's exactly what I did. I think I drank more that month than I did in college. For the first time since we were married, I truly lived in the moment with my husband. I had spent the first year of our marriage focused on what we didn't have, instead of all that we did and it was an amazing month.
Then, 40 weeks later, when they placed my daughter onto my chest in the delivery room, I still could not believe she was there. I will never forget the way her sticky body melted into mine as I nursed her for the first time.
Looking back, I don't know if I would change things. Those long months of waiting for her made me appreciate her even more. They made me soak up every minute of my pregnancy and try to etch it into my memory.
It's those moments with her and with her brother who came along two and a half years later that help us to cope now, as we try for just one more baby.
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Switch to Forum Live View Chanting
|10 years ago :: Apr 21, 2008 - 1:13PM #1
Chanting is a form of meditation that I strongly recommend. In my particular brand of Buddism, we chant Na M- Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo in place of meditation. This mantra means 'devotion to (or oneness with) the fundamental Unifyinng message of the Lotus Sutra'. The lotus sutra's main message is two fold. First, it holds that we all have the opportunity and capacity to attain sustainable spiritual clarity and wisdom (ie Buddhahood). Second, it states that all things in the Universe have had access to the Ultimate Reality of sustainable cosmic clarity and wisdom (ie Buddhahood) WAY before the actual Buddha walked the earth, and they will always have access to it. It is a principle/state of existance, not a person. The fact that ALL have access has resulted in the Lotus Sutra being called the "King" of Sutras. Perhaps this is the actual meaning behind the idea that the "King of Kings" will one day hold strong sway on earth (as in heaven). Perhaps having a significant portion of humanity practice a Lotus Sutra-centered Buddhism is an important part of our path towards the type of individual internal spiritual development necessary to elicit sustainable peace on earth....
P.S. - Note: The strong influence of the Lotus Sutra does not exclude the influence and importance of other faiths and traditions as well in securing sustainable peace.
Quick Reply
|10 years ago :: Apr 21, 2008 - 1:14PM #2
Does anybody else chant in place of meditation? If so, what do you chant?
Quick Reply
|10 years ago :: Apr 21, 2008 - 8:14PM #3
[QUOTE=Truth27;448900]Does anybody else chant in place of meditation? If so, what do you chant?
Yes and I think of chanting as a meditaive technique.
There is a quote from the book "Luminous Emptiness" by Francesca Fremantle about "understanding the Tibetan Book of the Dead" that generalizes chanting as energy:
"Speech is creative power, the power of mantra. All languages are sacred, not just Sanskrit, and any word or sound can be perceived as mantra. If we simply listen without expectations, hearing the emptiness behind the sound, we can become sensitive to its inner quality and the message it carries. It is the music of nonself and wakefulness. The poet Milarepa is often portrayed with one hand cupped to his ear, listening intently to his own songs as they arise out of his emptiness and silence. All speech can become the poetry of the dharma when it flows from that sense of spaciousness."
The author goes on to talk of the ordinary speech transformed into vajra speech by reciting mantras. This gets into Tibetan mantras as the deity itself.
Namaste ;)
Quick Reply
|10 years ago :: Apr 26, 2008 - 10:15AM #4
I've enjoyed chanting as meditation as well. Sometimes I'll chant prayers that come to me in the moment. Lately I've been chanting the universal mantra "aum".
I'm a singer, so chanting feels natural. It feels good to chant.
Quick Reply
|10 years ago :: Apr 26, 2008 - 4:05PM #5
I randomly get the urge to sing gibberish words that mean nothing from time to time.
Quick Reply
|10 years ago :: Apr 28, 2008 - 5:48PM #6
Chanting can be a part of meditation, not in place of it.
Anything that tends to focus the mind (in a vision, in hearing, in speach) can and does become a meditation.
Quick Reply
|10 years ago :: May 12, 2008 - 6:36PM #7
I do some VERY basic mantras (Om, Na, Sa, Ra, etc.) while meditating. I can feel the vibrations in the upper left half of my body, the most sensitive part of me...energetically. I have an ongoing problem with my throat chakra so the mantras are helpful.
Quick Reply
|10 years ago :: Jun 24, 2008 - 10:18PM #8
enjoy chanting the abbreviated (5-line) version of 21 praises to tara. i was doing a mala each day but have dropped that particular ball -- sometimes i keep the mala in my pocket and manage to chant to myself *while* i walk my brisk 40 minutes. nothing like multitasking, and i think i remember hearing on an anthony robbins tape that moving while chanting, doing affirmations, etc. helps imprint the info into our cellular energy?
also i've recently had several opportunities to attend tibetan buddhist prayer service, chanting the prayers in tibetan and then the english translation. almost always there is a noticeable difference the next day -- once i felt a definite opening of my heart toward certain people, increased compassion and desire to work things out. another time it was much more subtle, to the point i'd have to consult my journal for specifics, but always *something*, even if only an increased commitment to keep striving for consistency in practice :)
i don't think i'm supposed to be chanting to the exclusion of meditation, although it's much more fun & brings quicker results. meditating often seems like a chore, that's mostly why i'm here, would like an accountability partner with a similar practice goal.
Quick Reply
|9 years ago :: Aug 30, 2009 - 9:48PM #9
I'll usually chant the Refuge and then the Tashi prayer at the beginning of practice. I'll also say mantra for a bit, but generally the bulk of my session is silent.
Quick Reply
|9 years ago :: Aug 31, 2009 - 12:43AM #10
Does anyone have any good sites that have chanting that one can use to chant with--downloads preferably, but also on-line. Nothing too complicated.
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Channing Tatum: Our Baby Will Be Born in London
Jason Merritt/Getty
Parents-to-be Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan-Tatum brought a very special guest to Sunday night's 85th Annual Academy Awards — wearing a Rachel Roy dress and Irene Neuwirth earrings, the actress, 32, showed off her new curves, while her husband revealed where their baby will be born.
"I'm walking the carpet, trying to keep it together tonight but we're good!" a radiant Dewan-Tatum told Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet Sunday night.
When asked by Seacrest if the couple had any plans to slow down for some "family time," the Side Effects star, 32, replied: "We're gonna actually have the baby in London while I'm shooting so there will be no downtime whatsoever after that."
Tatum — who was named PEOPLE's 2012 Sexiest Man Alive — and his wife's first child is due in June.
— Maggie Coughlan


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Skip to comments.The Francis Transformation
Posted on 10/03/2013 6:13:38 AM PDT by marshmallow
He has unveiled the true program of his pontificate in two interviews and a letter to an atheist intellectual. With respect to the popes who preceded him the separation appears ever more clear. In words and in deeds
ROME, October 3, 2013 The first meeting, in these days, of the eight cardinals called to consultation by Pope Francis and his visit tomorrow to Assisi, the city of the saint whose name he has taken, are acts that certainly characterize the beginning of this pontificate.
But even more characterizing, in defining its approach, have been four media events of the month just ended:
- the interview of pope Jorge Mario Bergoglio with "La Civiltà Cattolica,"
- his letter in reply to the questions addressed to him publicly by Eugenio Scalfari (in the photo), the founder of the leading secular Italian newspaper, "la Repubblica,"
- his subsequent conversation-interview with Scalfari,
- and another letter in reply to another champion of militant atheism, the mathematician Piergiorgio Odifreddi, this last written not by the current pope but by his living predecessor.
Anyone who might wish to understand in what direction Francis intends to proceed and in what he is separating himself from Benedict XVI and from other popes who proceeded him need do nothing other than study and compare these four texts.
(Excerpt) Read more at chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it ...
odifreddi could in no way conclude that Benedict was anything but a fully orthodox believer and Teacher of the Faith. But Scalfari wrote about his conversations with Francis..."his mission contains two scandalous innovations: the poor Church of Francis, the horizontal Church of Martini. And a third: a God who does not judge but forgives. There is no damnation, there is no hell."
If the Church offers no moral boundaries, no standards, and faith isn't important then really, what's the point if the Church?
Pope Francis is a Modernist, which was defined as a heresy by Pope St. Pius X in "Pascendi Dominici Gregis," 1907.
I haven't finished reading it, but this paragraph jumped out at me:
"38. It remains for Us now to say a few words about the Modernist as reformer. From all that has preceded, it is abundantly clear how great and how eager is the passion of such men for innovation. In all Catholicism there is absolutely nothing on which it does not fasten. They wish philosophy to be reformed, especially in the ecclesiastical seminaries. They wish the scholastic philosophy to be relegated to the history of philosophy and to be classed among absolute systems, and the young men to be taught modern philosophy which alone is true and suited to the times in which we live. They desire the reform of theology: rational theology is to have modern philosophy for its foundation, and positive theology is to be founded on the history of dogma. As for history, it must be written and taught only according to their methods and modern principles. Dogmas and their evolution, they affirm, are to be harmonized with science and history. In the Catechism no dogmas are to be inserted except those that have been reformed and are within the capacity of the people. Regarding worship, they say, the number of external devotions is to be reduced, and steps must be taken to prevent their further increase, though, indeed, some of the admirers of symbolism are disposed to be more indulgent on this head. They cry out that ecclesiastical government requires to be reformed in all its branches, but especially in its disciplinary and dogmatic departments. They insist that both outwardly and inwardly it must be brought into harmony with the modern conscience which now wholly tends towards democracy; a share in ecclesiastical government should therefore be given to the lower ranks of the clergy and even to the laity, and authority which is too much concentrated should be decentralized. The Roman Congregations and especially the index and the Holy Office, must be likewise modified. The ecclesiastical authority must alter its line of conduct in the social and political world; while keeping outside political organizations it must adapt itself to them in order to penetrate them with its spirit. With regard to morals, they adopt the principle of the Americanists, that the active virtues are more important than the passive, and are to be more encouraged in practice. They ask that the clergy should return to their primitive humility and poverty, and that in their ideas and action they should admit the principles of Modernism; and there are some who, gladly listening to the teaching of their Protestant masters, would desire the suppression of the celibacy of the clergy. What is there left in the Church which is not to be reformed by them and according to their principles?"
Anyone who is uncomfortable with Pope Francis should read this Encyclical and he/she will understand that those feelings are not unfounded.
How's this for a humanist:
"Our objective is not proselytism, but listening to the needs, the desires, the disappointments, the desperation, the hope. We must bring hope back to the young, help the old, open to the future, spread love. Poor among the poor. We must include the excluded and preach peace.
Francis, Bishop of Rome
The pope can give the thumbs up all day long, but he refuses to bless public audiences with the Sign of the Cross for fear of offending non-believers.
What Pope Francis is doing is simply modeling himself after the poor man of Assisi, St. Francis, whose feastday is tomorrow.
Nope. St. Francis proselytized, unlike the current Pope.
Forget the saying, "preach the Gospel and when necessary, use words."
St. Francis. Means preach the Gospel by how you live.
Correction, rather, do not forget the saying.
The 'Spirit of Assisi' vs. Saint Francis of Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi is not the pollyanna the modernists have led you to believe he was.
You don't think "words" are necessary now? Neither does the Pope. We talk too much about abortion and homo-marriage, right?
Think about it, though. Sixty years ago, both abortion and homo-marriage were universally illegal and considered immoral.
Now that both are legal, almost universally, now is the time to talk about it! It's "necessary", as St Francis says.
To correct you, St. Francis with his whole life.
Let's just say we all have different understandings of St. Francis. You have yours, I have mine.
Words are very important, but what is more important is by how we live our lives.
Yes, words are very important. And it's a shame that the Pope talks about "making a better world" and "peace" rather than Salvation.
Now you're sounding like the Bishop of Rome. Besides St. Francis, everyone also has their own understandings of good and evil. Right? And the Protestants have YOPIOS!
Words are important, but must be backed up by good example.
Like suppressing a religious order from offering the Latin Mass?
Like placing a beachball on the high altar?
Good find! If you rewrote this part of the encyclical in bullet list form, edited out the condemnations, and began it with "We demand," you'd be very popular among progressive Catholics!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


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Welcome to Chic Cookies' blog, companion & friend to my store, chiccookiekits.com. You'll find tips, techniques and advice on cookie decorating, whether you are using one of my kits or just covered in flour, confused. (You just might also find other bake-ish, crafty things I find fascinating.)
Feb 6, 2010
winter wonderland Oreo Cakesters
So how did these fondant covered Oreo Cakesters come about?
1. bakerella cut hearts from Cakesters last year
2. I saw said hearts and, with Cakesters on the brain, made fondant covered Cakester petits fours
3. i am baker saw said fondant covered Cakester petits fours and made her own gorgeous, perfect petits fours that are so gorgeous and perfect, I should really hang up my Cakesters and fondant
4. but then Washington, DC got buried in 2-feet of snow and I have Cakesters and fondant in my pantry
how to make winter wonderland mini cakes from Oreo Cakesters
you will need:
Oreo Cakesters
white rolled fondant
blue food coloring
wax paper
rolling pin
mini circle fondant cutter (about 1/2 inch)
circle cookie cutter (about 3 1/2 inch)
white dragees
food writers (black, orange, and any other color)
light corn syrup
*Find most of the above at any craft store. I used Wilton brand prepared fondant and white dragees from the craft store. You can also find coloring and food writers at the craft store, though I use Americolor soft gel pastes and Americolor gourmet writers (click on the links for tips where to buy).
step one: cover the Oreo
1. Knead one drop (or more, as desired) of blue food coloring into a palm-full of fondant very well. If fondant gets sticky, let sit out uncovered at room temperature about 15 minutes or until pliable again.
2. Roll blue fondant thinly, about 1/8 inch, between two pieces of wax paper and cut out a 3 1/2 inch circle.
3. Um, not really a step. This is the Cakester.
4. Place circle over Cakester and cover.
5. Wrap edges underneath. Pat down as needed to smooth and press edges in on the bottom carefully. The bottom won't look pretty, so...
6. Turn over.
7. Roll out white fondant between two pieces of wax paper and cut out a strip. I did this by using the same 3 1/2 inch circle cutter and simply cutting off the bottom third.
8. Use the strip to cover the bottom third of the Cakester (on top of the blue fondant) the same way you wrapped the Cakester with the blue fondant. Smooth with fingers as needed.
step two: make your snowman
1. Roll out white fondant between two pieces of wax paper and cut out circles with the 1/2 inch cutter (I tried to sort of smush half of them with my fingers a bit to make them bigger, so I could have a body bigger than the head.) Let stiffen about half an hour.
2. On half of the circles, draw faces with the edible writers. On the other half, draw buttons.
step three: assemble your winter wonderland
1. Dab corn syrup on the back of the snowman circles with your finger and gently press onto the Cakester.
2. Dip a tooth pick in the corn syrup and place dots where you want snowflakes. Carefully attach dragees to dots of syrup and let dry.
12 comments:
SO cute!! Love these!ReplyDelete
You are such a creative genius! I always enjoy everything you come up with. I love your valentines ideas too!ReplyDelete
GENIUS!!! Love them!! Truly, a work of art!! You are the best!ReplyDelete
It's a shame once again you come up with something. That looks good enough for me to eat. If I ate Oreo. I am horrible. There must be something wrong with me. I think I am the only person in America that doesn't eat Oreo. But I still love all your work!ReplyDelete
well, gosh, I don't know that I'd say "genius" per se...OK, I'll take it! (oh, Baking Momma, no Oreos? Tragic...Alas, I'm sure you can sub any kinda li'l cake type thing. Pound cake circles? Or even cupakes.)ReplyDelete
Not only a great idea, but explained to perfection. ThanksReplyDelete
WOW! You are so creative.ReplyDelete
your snowman is SO cute!ReplyDelete
aww how adorable! :)ReplyDelete
Just found your blog and holy cuteness!!! I am totally going to follow your blog!ReplyDelete
Ohhh I love your snow man!! I don't like oreo very much but like this I will eat all!!ReplyDelete
You know, always your fan..
Wow these are wonderful, look great and bet they taste even better.ReplyDelete
Thank you for your comments! While I may not be able to respond to every single comment, know that I read, ponder and appreciate each and every one.
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Due to spam ads for viagra and medicine I don't need, I now moderate comments, so it may take up to a day for your comment to appear, depending on how crazy my day is. (I may suspend this during giveaways.)


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Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi was sitting in his office the other day, flipping through a guide that listed his counterparts in the NHL.
It was like looking at a high school yearbook without the cheery messages and autographs, one organized by seniority rather than alphabetical order.
And now, seriously out of date.
There have been six changes in general managers since the end of the NHL regular season — seven if you go back to January and include Tim Murray, who got the Buffalo Sabres job.
"The middle group took it hard," said Lombardi, lamenting the fates of some of his peers.
The rapid reshuffling has changed the dynamic of how the managers do business with one another. With so many new faces in new places, it has forced holdovers such as Lombardi and Ducks General Manager Bob Murray to forge new relationships.
At a time when there is expected to be a lot of high-profile moves at the NHL entry draft Friday and Saturday in Philadelphia, it has taken them out of their comfort zones.
"The GM meeting [in New York] was a little awkward because there were so many new faces," Murray said. "I don't mean that in a bad way. You've got to be respectful of these guys. You've got to give them time to get into the position, to figure out what they're doing, and it's a process for them."
It matters to Murray because the Ducks are said to be in the hunt for help at center after the decision to let veteran Saku Koivu go. Among the players they are thought to be interested in are center Jason Spezza of the Ottawa Senators, who has asked to be traded, and Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks.
Murray, who was named the league's general manager of the year on Tuesday, has a long history with the Senators' Bryan Murray (no relation), a former Ducks general manager. Last summer they swung the deal that moved forward Bobby Ryan from Anaheim to Ottawa.
The same could not be said of Murray with the new man in Vancouver, Jim Benning, a former Boston Bruins assistant who is still trying to determine Kesler's value on the trade market. Benning took over from Mike Gillis after the Bruins were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.
The Ducks are expected to be active between now and the beginning of free agency on Tuesday. Murray has said that he has assets other teams want.
"It's a matter of what we're willing to give to get," Murray said.
The Kings, by contrast, have completed most of their off-season work. One of their last pieces of business involves restricted free agent Dwight King. Lombardi had a meeting with unrestricted free-agent defenseman Willie Mitchell over the weekend and told him there might not be room to sign him under the salary cap.
Mitchell, 37, is seeking a two-year deal. One of his former teams, the Minnesota Wild, has been in contact with him, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He played parts of five seasons for the Wild and his wife is from Minnesota. His agent, Mike Liut, said Wednesday that five teams have been in touch so far. It is likely that more will reach out.
Free agency officially opens Tuesday, but under the new collective bargaining agreement teams can start talking with pending UFAs already.
The opening round of the draft is Friday night and the Ducks have two first-round picks: No. 10, from Ottawa in the Ryan trade, and No. 24. Anaheim's draft record has been impressive in recent years.
"We think we'll get a pretty good player at 10," Murray said. "It obviously drops off a little bit after there. From 12, 15 to 35, you could do as well there at 13 as you can do at 35. We still feel we're going to get a good prospect for the future.
"You never know who is going to drop. This is part of the business I love is the draft. You never know what's going to happen. I was taught really well years ago … to prepare for everything. So I try to focus my guys on being prepared for anything to happen here."
The Stanley Cup-champion Kings will draft 29th and gems can be found at that spot. Two years ago, they took 19-year-old Tanner Pearson 30th overall and as a rookie he contributed in this year's Cup run. Columbus had the option on that pick but decided to take it in 2013.
Lombardi praised his scouts, saying: "Those guys knocked it out of the park with that one."
Twitter: @reallisa


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Net::Async::WebSocket - use WebSockets with
This distribution provides modules that implement the WebSocket protocol, and allows either servers or clients to be written based on IO::Async.
To implement a server, see Net::Async::WebSocket::Server.
To implement a client, see Net::Async::WebSocket::Client.
This module itself does not provide any code,
and exists only to provide the module
$VERSION and top-level documentation.
Paul Evans <email@example.com>