text:
Casillas took a kick to the hand after 18 minutes of the 1-1 draw, which safely saw Madrid through to the semi-finals with a 3-1 aggregate win. A club statement on Thursday morning confirmed Casillas had a fracture.
"After carrying out initial x-rays at the La Moraleja Sanitas Hospital it has been confirmed that the footballer Iker Casillas has suffered a fracture at the base of the first metacarpal on his left hand," the statement read.
"It will be assessed again by a specialist later today to decide what treatment will be followed."
While no estimate was given on how long Casillas might be sidelined, an injury of this type could take up to three months to heal. That will mean a return to duty for back-up Antonio Adan, who has been controversially picked by coach Jose Mourinho ahead of Casillas in a handful of recent matches. Real face Manchester United in the Champions League last 16, with the first leg taking place in Madrid on February 13 before the return leg at Old Trafford on March 5.
Source: team_talk


text:
Quite surprisingly there are no Lamaze certified instructors, and therefore no classes, in my area - Savannah, GA.
Can you suggest an audio tape or DVD that would be a good replacement for the actual Lamaze class? I have ordered the "Official Lamaze Guide" book, but was looking for additional instruction (especially on relaxation techniques).
If this is not the correct forum for such advice/questions, can you direct me to another forum??

subset: commoncrawl


text:
26 Critics
Grade-schooler Rhoda Penmark (Patty McCormack) is sweet, smart … and inherently evil! After a school chum dies during a picnic, no one suspects Rhoda, except the janitor (Henry Jones) of her apartment building. But when Rhoda's mother, Christine (Nancy Kelly), finds out that her own mother is a cold-blooded killer, she begins to suspect Rhoda might be the victim of some faulty genetic wiring. Based on Maxwell Anderson's play.


text:
Adventure in the Andes December 29, 2008Posted by rogerhollander in Adventure in the Andes, Ecuador Personal Experiences, Ecuador Writing.
Tags: aguaje, canelaso, carmen vascones, casa cultura, cuenca, Ecuador, ecuador art, ecuador culture, ecuador travel, hernan illescas, pepe serrano, roger hollander, rosalia arteaga
add a comment
(An e-mail letter sent to family and friends in June of 2000 that describes our first visit to the lovely city of Cuenca, often referred to as the cultural capital of the country. Cuenca, a city of some 400,000 is Ecuador's third largest, is located in the Andes cordillera southeast of Guayaquil.
The city's cobblestone streets, towering cathedrals, and marble and whitewashed buildings give it a colonial air. The city's history is well preserved, earning Cuenca the honor of being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Trust site.
According to studies and archeological discoveries, the origins of the first inhabitants go back to the year 8060 BC in the Cave of Chopsi. They were hunters, hunting everything the Paramo (neotropical ecosystem) offered them, and also nomads moving from one place to other. Tools like arrows and spears, found throughout the Andean alley are signs of the beginning of this culture. Their presence dates back to approximately 5585 BC. The modern city was founded in 1557 by the Spanish explorer Gil Ramírez Dávalos.
The occasion of our visit was the presentation of Carmen's book of poetry, "Aguaje," which I had illustrated. Along with the typical Ecuadorian book launching where the work is analyzed by eminent literary figures, there was a slide show of my illustrations. The illustrations appear in black and white in the book, but for the purpose of the various launchings (Guayaquil and Quito in addition to Cuenca), I had worked for several months to create paintings and different forms of print art – silk screen, wood cut, linoleum, and colography – based upon the drawings. Only in Guayaquil were the originals of these works displayed.)
We were to return to Cuenca the following year for another exhibition of my art work in the main gallery of the city's Casa de la Cultura.)
Here is more than you ever wanted to know about our week in the Sierra.
We left Playas for Guayaquil on Saturday, planning to run some errands there and leave for Cuenca on Monday. When we arrived at the bus terminal in Guayaquil and inquired about transportation to Cuenca, we were reminded that a two day strike was planned for Monday and Tuesday, and, that if we wanted to get to Cuenca before Wednesday, we had better travel the next day, i.e., Sunday (the strike was organized by the organization of Indigenous evangelicals in protest of the government's dollarization policy and a recent 80% increase in the price of gasoline — when Indigenous groups go on strike here they effectively block highways, if you can call them that, between major cities. A major nationwide general strike is scheduled for June15/16 organized by a wide coalition of labor and community organizations).
So, on Saturday, we cut short or plans in Guayaquil and visited our car (84 Chevy Trooper) to check on its progress. It is having its rotted out body largely replaced and painted. This will take about six weeks. Our body shop man doesn't actually have a shop, he works on the street in front of his house — keeps the overhead down. He welds sheet metal pieces to the car where the metal is rusted out, will be replacing maybe 50 or 60 percent of the entire body. It will be nice, when the job is finished, to be able to travel without the road visiting us from below. It will also be nice to be able to close and lock the doors.
We took a noon bus to Cuenca on Monday. Cuenca, I am guessing, lies about 150 miles southeast of Guayaquil – check your maps – and is about a four hour trek from GQ (3 1/2 on the return as there is more descending than climbing). The bus line we chose takes the most direct route which involves a rather steep ascent in to the Sierra. We travel from the coastal plain into the tropical highlands and finally into the heart of the Andes cordillera. The two lane highway is in good condition for the most part, but there are a few sections that were totally washed out by El Niño and others that were destroyed by landslides. Even though this was nearly two years ago, repairs are still not complete, government officials too busy carrying suitcases full of money to Miami to bother with such trifles.
The only nervous moment occurred when we were climbing a steep grade where there was only a single unpaved lane in one of the damaged areas. Before we could regain the two lane highway we met oncoming traffic and had to back down to where we entered into one lane. I had a sudden religious conversion and successfully prayed for the bus' brakes to be in good condition. With only about a meter of earth between the highway and the abyss, this is no time to be picky about one's atheism.
The climb must have taken us to nearly 10,000 feet above sea level before we descended into the valley wherein lies the ancient city of Cuenca at about 8,000 feet. It is Ecuador's third largest city, considered to be the "cultural capital" of the country, with a population, I am guessing again, of about a half million. It is certainly the most beautiful city I have seen by far, sort of like Quito but without the urban sprawl. The architecture is mostly Spanish Colonial, lots of churches, tile roof houses, narrow cobblestone streets in the old part of town. From where we stayed it was about a ten minute walk to the center of the old city, we crossed the Tomebamba River, about fifteen meters wide, and climbed about thirty meters of steps up the steep escarpment to reach the level of the old city. Along that escarpment, overlooking the river, are some incredibly beautiful homes.
Where we stayed (the long version): Carmen was raised in Machala a tropical city near the border with Peru. Her father was a much respected banker there and was close friends with a wealthy rancher who had nine children, some of whom were Carmen's age. This family has a vacation home in Cuenca, and this is where we stayed. Imagine a two story home that would not be out of place in Rosedale or Brentwood on about a half acre of tropical landscape, large enough to house a family of eleven, ideally located a stone's throw from the heart of the city.
The house is tended to by Maria, an employee of the family who was brought from Machala fifteen years ago for that purpose. She lives there with her two children (no father in the picture, surprise, surprise), Carlos, who is in his final year of university, studying business administration, and Patricia, who is in her final year of high school and also wants to go into BizAd. A very pleasant family. Maria is warm and intelligent, and has a flourishing business as a seamstress on the side (the owner family, however, is thinking of selling the house, and she worries about what will happen to her). I think that Maria and family appreciated that we treated them as people, not servants (which is what they are accustomed to), took meals with them and shared in the kitchen chores (I taught all three of them to make pancakes, oatmeal cookies and homentashen — Patricia now plans to bake cookies and sell them at school).
The Climate: similar to that of Quito, a sort of perpetual spring. The temperature can rise as high as 23C (mid to high 70sF) and go well below 10C (50F) at night. Days are characterized by instability. When the sun is out and the sky is clear; it is like the most beautiful spring day imaginable. But the clouds come and go, sometimes bringing rain this time of the year, and in a matter of minutes it can go from short sleeves to jacket weather. I am told that it never snows in the valley but there are sometimes sleet storms.
Most homes, including the one we stayed in, have no heating systems. It never quite warms up from the cold nights, and one always needs to be wearing a sweater indoors. At night it can really feel cold as the indoor temperature must go down below 15C (60F), and we slept comfortably only under four heavy wool blankets.
Cuenca is served by ice cold mountain water that you can actually drink from the tap. The downside for us was that the hot water system in the house was not working which made normal showering unpleasant to contemplate. Instead we heated water on the stove and bathed ourselves in the wash basin in the laundry room. Our first night we discovered a leaking pipe in the bathroom. When I got up for a the middle of the night to visit to the bathroom I was greeted by a puddle of ice cold water. That was a bad as it got.
The event, our presentation of our book, "Aguaje," in the Casa de la Cultura, took place on Thursday. We arrived several days in advance in order to arrange interviews and media coverage and to ensure that all logistics were in place. Both Cuenca dailies gave us good coverage and we were interviewed on both the local radio and TV station. Cuenca is laid out in the traditional Spanish colonial model: large square plaza (park) in the center of town with the main church on one side, government and culture (museums, etc.) on the other sides. The Casa de la Cultura is right on the square, ideally located.
The event was not as well attended as we had hoped. In addition to the rain that evening, there was a demonstration by the teachers' union (damn selfish teachers think they should earn more than forty dollars a month, and what's more they expect to get paid on time – imagine!) blocked a main entrance to the old city. But the program itself was most successful. Two of Ecuador's finest novelists eulogized Carmen's poetry, and the director of a major international art biennial gave a warm and positive review of my illustrations. We did a slide show of my art, and that was also well received. After the event, about fifteen fellow poets and artists joined us at a lovely quaint bar/cafe, the Rueda (Wheel), where we enjoyed drinks, snacks and music until after two in the am.
The drink of the night was the traditional Cuenca canelaso, a drink served warm in a ceramic pot a la Japanese sake. It is made up of canela (unrefined cane sugar), aguardiente (an alcoholic beverage made from sugar cane), juice from the naranjilla (a tropical fruit native to Ecuador) and lime. The two pitchers of canelaso on our table somehow never seemed to empty the entire evening. It is one of those drinks where you don't notice the effect it has on you until you try to stand up. I wondered how this feast was going to be financed and whispered the question to Carmen. She replied that we would all contribute. But as the night wore on, one by one members of the party drifted away, and I noticed no cash was left on the table with which to help with the inevitable final reckoning. I got really worried when the number of us at the table dwindled down to a handful. We were bailed out in the end by Pepe Serrano, an old friend of Carmen's who is a judge and the uncle of Ecuador's ex vice president, Rosalía Arteaga, who picked up the check.
Hernán Illescas is a Cuenca artist I met in Toronto last summer where we both were exhibiting. We became friends then, and during our visit in Cuenca we spent some time with him and his wife Mariela. That night at the Rueda, he had brought along his cousin, Miguel, who is a sculptor and musician. When the house musicians took a break, he went up to their stage, borrowed a guitar, and began singing at the microphone. Before long the rest of the band joined in, and they played together the rest of the evening.
During our free time we mainly walked around the old town, passing through the narrow streets, occasionally stopping to browse a shop or enter into a street market. We also spent a good deal of time sipping cappuccino with Carmen's poet friends. We visited museums, art galleries, and a few churches (I am of the "you-seen-one-you-seen-them-all" school of ecclesiastical architecture). The day following the book presentation we met with the president of the Casa de la Cultura who invited me to present my portfolio the their committee in order to arrange for an exhibition there next year.
We made the trip back to Playas in one six hour stint, changing at the terminal in GQ for the home stretch to Playas.
It is good to be home. I will miss the beauty of the Andes, but not the weather.
Adventure in the Andes 2 December 28, 2008Posted by rogerhollander in Adventure in the Andes 2, Ecuador Personal Experiences, Ecuador Writing.
Tags: adlai stevenson, aguaje, alicia yanez, amazon rainforest, casa cultura, Ecuador, ecuador art, ecuador culture, ecuador travel, gerard coffey, ivanonate, quito, ramon piaguaje, roger hollander, secoya, simon zavala, ulises estrella, universidad andina, winsor and newton, Wycliffe Bible
add a comment
(Now Carmen and I, having returned to our home in Playas, set off to launch "Aguaje" in Quito, Ecuador's capital, an amazing city that runs lengthwise along a broad valley high in the Andes Cordillera. I first visited Quito in the summer of 1961, when I was on a three month "deputation," sponsored by my Presbyterian Church in Berkeley, to spend time with missionaries from the Wycliffe Bible Translators (Summer Institute of Linguistics) in the Ecuadorian Amazonian rainforest. I was traveling with a classmate, Bev Carson, and we spent some days in Quito both on our way in and out of the jungle.
Our landing at the Quito airport early that summer was unforgettable. By coincidence right next to us on the tarmac was a United States Air Force plane from which descended no one less that Adlai Stevenson, then the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. He would have been on a good will tour to promote JFK's Peace Corps. In those days, one did not taxi up and deplane into a terminal, but rather descended from the aircraft's stairs directly on to the tarmac and then walked into the modest terminal building. So we literally almost touched elbows with Stevenson, who, a two time loser of the U.S. presidency to Dwight Eisenhower, had been a political idol of mine. Those were the days, unlike today, when there were liberals at high levels in the Democratic Party of which one could be proud.
In 1961 Quito was little more than the historic old city surrounded by a few modern buildings. We stayed with a missionary family well on the outskirts of town, and for a "sucre" (a U.S. nickel) one could take a collectivo into the center to walk around the historic old town that had been founded in 1534. The missionaries lived in a bungalow down the road from a soccer stadium. It was about a 20 minute bus ride to get downtown. I have to mention that these missionaries told us with a wry smile about good folks back in their home churches who send them C.A.R.E. packages that included used (!) tea bags. That part of town today is completely integrated into the urban sprawl that is today's Quito, and which fills the entire valley. There was absolutely no way in 2000 that I could identify where I had been in 1961.
Today (2008) Quito boasts a population of just over 2.1 million. It could not have been one tenth that size in 1961. The city's history pre-dates the Conquest by several centuries. Its origins date back to the first millennium when the Quitu tribe occupied the area and eventually formed a commercial center. The Quitu were conquered by the Caras tribe, who founded the Kingdom of Quito about 980. In 1462 the Incas conquered the Kingdom of Quito. In1533, Rumiñahui, an Inca war general, burned the city to prevent the Spanish from taking it, thereby destroying any traces of the ancient prehispanic city.
Quito is a city from which almost anywhere within it there is a dramatic vista of mountains. In 1961 it was amazing to see how farmers had terraced and cultivated right up the mountains at steep inclinations. I saw little of that on my current visit. This letter was e-mailed to family and friends in July of 2000.)
One doesn't realize how lacking is Guayaquil until one arrives in Quito. It lies in a long north/south valley surrounded by snow capped mountains and active (!) volcanoes. The city is about 9,300 feet above sea level. People who live on the coast complain about how public resources are unevenly distributed in favor of the capital, and this appears to be justifiable just from the obvious differences in the infrastructure (in Quito the streets are cleaner, well paved, and mostly free of pot holes, and there are many parks and well landscaped public places, all of which Guayaquil lacks).
Although Guayaquil is considered to be the economic generator of the country, one finds in Quito more signs of prosperity and wealth (narcodollars?) and fewer (but enough) signs of abject poverty.
The Casa de la Cultura in Quito (government financed cultural center) was much larger, architecturally superior (as in Cuenca) and better staffed than is the one in Guayaquil. We had a greater audience for the presentation of "Aguaje" on July 6, and as in Cuenca and Guayaquil the reception of both the poetry and artwork was marvelous.
In Quito we stayed with Alicia Ortega, a friend of Carmen who is a native of Guayaquil and who is Professor of Letters at the Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar. Alicia specializes in the city in literature, and she published a book from her masters thesis on the subject of urban graffiti (a subject, as you Torontonians know, that is close to my heart). Alicia is a single parent with a super precocious nine year old daughter, Alejandra (nine going on thirty, as they say), who glommed onto me as do so many children here who lack a father figure in their lives (Alejandra's father is a musician who studied in Russia and now lives in Spain with a new family – he is expected to visit Ecuador next month and see his daughter for the first time since she was an infant, a fact which has produced a high degree of expectancy and anxiety in Alejandra).
We had only planned a week in Quito, but Alicia and Alejandra more or less kidnapped us (we were not that unwilling) to spend a second week there. Quito is more spread out and hillier than Guayaquil, and a combination of the nine hour bus ride from Guayaquil and the first days of moving about was a strain on my back, so having a second week to rest up, spend time with folks and get around a bit more was most welcome.
Highlights of our time in the capital:
1) getting to know Alicia and Alejandra
2) getting together to party with friends of Alicia, including the
Managing Editor of Quito's major daily newspaper, a very charismatic actress, and an Argentinean theater director who lives in Spain and was invited to Ecuador to direct a play in Quito.
3) spending time with Gerard Coffey, an environmental activist with whom I had worked in Toronto. His Toronto group was helping to fund an Ecuadorian group (Acción Ecológia) which brought him here to visit several years ago, and he ended up marrying one of the leaders of the group, Cecilia Cherrez. We had dinner with them at their home one evening, and on another occasion Gerard, who is British by birth, took me to an English Pub (!) in Quito where I downed two pints of genuine European style dark ale (this alone perhaps made the entire trip worthwhile). Gerard and Cecilia are intimately involved with the political movements here, and they were amongst the Indigenous people, campesinos and rebel army officers who took control of the Congress on January 21. They are in the process of trying to establish an alternative weekly newspaper, which is badly needed here (Gerard asked me to communicate that modest monetary contributions would be most welcome). Gerard is also an artist, who, inspired by my example, has taken up the work again. He recently exhibited in Quito drawings he had done at Central Tech in Toronto, and is developing a technique of making prints from raw potatoes!
4) a visit with Alicia Yanez, Ecuador's finest woman novelist and a long time friend of Carmen. She is a delightful, iconoclastic and liberated woman in her early 70's, and we had lunch at her home with her son, who is an actor. She loaned me a hardback copy of her one novel translated in English (Bruna and Her Sisters in the Sleeping City, Northwestern University Press), which, thanks to the second week, I had time to read.
5) visits with the two writers who had participated in the book presentation, Ivan Oñate and Simon Zavala. Both are recognized literary figures in Ecuador, the latter is also a lawyer, and it was he who wrote and delivered an essay on my artwork.
6) Ulises Estrella is a poet who is also the director of cinegraphic arts at the Casa de la Cutura. He took us on a tour of old Quito, and he also invited us to participate in a poetry workshop he coordinates, where Carmen was treated like a superstar.
7) a visit to the Municipal Museum to view an exhibit of the art of Ramón Piaguaje, the Secoya Indian from Ecuador who won the overall first prize in the Winsor and Newton international art competition. He was supposed to be there, but was unable to make it. The woman who coordinated the Ecuador aspect of the competition told of how it took nearly two months to find Ramón in the jungle to inform him of his success and to arrange for his trip to London to receive his prize from Diana's ex-husband. I had hoped to meet Ramón because I had spent a couple of weeks with his people in the jungle in 1961, a few years before he was born. But I met a nephew of his who gave me the Secoya e-mail address!
8) visits with cousins of Carmen, Lupe and Patricia. Lupe's current companion is an advisor to the Izquierda Democrática (Democratic Left) political party, which is more centrist than left. An ex-general, Paco Moncayo, who was an ID congressman and who supported the Indigenous uprising on January 21, was elected in May as Mayor of Quito with a huge majority. Patricia's husband is a doctor who specializes in natural healing techniques. All very nice people.
9) a visit with Monica, a high school buddy of Carmen whom she hadn't seen in over twenty years. We had dinner (seafood paella, yummmm) with her and her husband and three daughters. Jorge is an executive with Tesalia, which is a company that owns naturals springs and bottle and sell Tesalia (non-carbonated) and Guitig (carbonated) spring water. Sort of the Perrier of Ecuador.
10) I have been informally invited to exhibit now at the Casa de la Cultura in Quito as well as Cuenca. If I choose to follow up either or both invitations, I expect they will be confirmed and I will be kept busy at my easel for some time.
11) last but not least, the food, of course. I had one of the best chicken tamales ever and empanadas made of morocho, a local variety of maize (corn) that is large grained and white.
We returned to Guayaquil on Saturday accompanied by Alicia and Alejandra, and spent the night with them at Alicia's parents' house there. On Sunday we all took the bus to Playas, but unfortunately they could spend only one day with us as Alicia's father took ill, and she needed to get back to Guayaquil.
I head back to Guayaquil tomorrow in hopes of picking up my t(rusty) 84 Chevy Trooper, which for nearly three months now has been getting a body overhaul and paint job (the body shop man, and that is a euphemism since there is no shop, he works on the street in front of his house, replaces the rusted out parts of the body, piece by piece, soldering on new metal – the cost is next to nothing by N. American standards (two hundred bucks), but I should end up having a like new body — on the car, that is).


text:
Ileana's Movie Review: The Avengers
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson
Summary: What do you get when you put together a super-soldier, a Norse god, a genius billionaire, two government assassins, and a brilliant scientist with an anger-management problem, all in the hands of Joss Whedon? You get one of the most entertaining comic-book movies ever made.
After being exiled from Asgard, Loki (Hiddleston) has declared war on planet Earth. In order to stop him, a team comprised of Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man (Downey Jr.), Steve Rogers a.k.a. Captain America (Evans), Bruce Banner a.k.a. The Hulk (Ruffalo), Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. Black Widow (Johansson), and Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye (Renner) is put together by S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Jackson). Loki's actions have also caught the attention of his adoptive brother Thor (Hemsworth) who returns to Earth to bring Loki to justice. Since all of these "heroes" are used to working alone, bringing them together causes a bit of friction at first. However, once they realize the severity of the situation at hand, they put aside their differences and work together to save mankind.
This movie is the best way to kick off the summer movie season. Joss Whedon does such a great job bringing all the characters together into a story that is entertaining and faithful to the comic-book fan base. He highlights each of the character's best attributes and brings it to the foreground. While I loved all the characters equally I feel like the Hulk stole the show, and any doubts I had about Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk have been erased. Whedon has always been good at portraying an ensemble of characters in a likeable and entertaining manner (Buffy, Angel, Firefly). I'm happy to see that success finally translated to the big screen.
Trivia: This marks the first Marvel film to be distributed by Disney.
Rated: PG-13 – For intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, and a mild drug reference.
Grade: A


text:
is for sale
smokers.comAdd to watchlist Fact sheet Portfolio
Expert review
The short, catchy name and the ending .com make this domain particularly valuable.
Domain Facts
No detailed data available!
For more information about this premium domain or to make an offer please contact Dave Evanson at email@example.com or (857 209-1807).More info Less info
The seller
- United States
- Required to pay VAT
- Active since 2014
Make an offer on this domain
Your best offer
The current price of smokers.com is .
You can place an offer below the seller's listing price, however the seller will only respond if they are interested in negotiating based on this offer.Any offer you submit is binding for seven (7) days.
The domain name (without content) is available for sale by its owner through Sedo's Domain Marketplace. Any offer you submit is binding for 7 days. All quoted prices are final prices.


text:
Business intelligence software is helping smartphones live up to their name. And it's adding a touch of brilliance to tablet devices as well.
Desk-bound analysts and IT department developers have traditionally been the heaviest "consumers" of business intelligence technology. But the rapid proliferation of next-generation mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers, is generating a wave of increasingly sophisticated business intelligence software for mobile users.
"It's not just another deployment platform for BI applications. It's a whole new opportunity," said Mychelle Mollot, IBM vice president of worldwide marketing for business analytics.
Industry forecasts back that up. Thirty-three percent of business intelligence functionality will be consumed through hand-held devices by 2013, according to a Gartner forecast.
Business intelligence has already become the third most in-demand enterprise mobile application, behind only e-mail and personal information management apps such as calendars, according to a market study published in October by independent analyst Howard Dresner. Sixty-eight percent of that survey's participants rated mobile BI as "critical" or "very important" – up from 52 percent in the same study one year earlier.
There's also a growing sense that by developing business intelligence applications for mobile devices, vendors may finally fulfill their long-stated goal of bringing business analytics capabilities to a broad range of business users.
"We absolutely believe mobile is central to the future of business intelligence," said Jeff Boehm, global product marketing vice president at QlikTech, the fast-growing developer of the QlikView business intelligence platform. "The number of places where you're disconnected are becoming fewer and farther in between."
And where providing mobile access for BI applications may have once been an afterthought, vendors today increasingly see mobile devices as the primary means of access. "Everything we do now, we are thinking about mobilizing it first," said Mimi Spier, marketing director for SAP mobile analytics.
Using mobile devices to deliver business intelligence to users isn't a new idea: many major BI applications have long provided some form of mobile access. But often that access took the form of static reports and dashboards with limited options for interaction such as drilling down on a report or querying a database.
That's changing with the more powerful capabilities of today's smartphones and, especially, tablet devices like Apple's iPad.
"A big part of this is the devices that are making this possible," said Dave Becerra, strategy and business development vice president at MeLLmo Inc. MeLLmo develops the popular Roambi visualization software that lets mobile device users access back-end business intelligence systems from multiple vendors, including IBM Cognos, SAS Enterprise BI Server, Oracle Business Intelligence, and SAP BusinessObjects, and displays the analytical results.
"It's just that much more of a riche experience," agreed Justin Norwood, business information management principal at Capgemini. Norwood is also Capgemini's global leader for SAP business analytics; the systems integration company partners with SAP and works with its BusinessObjects software. But Capgemini also works Roambi, IBM Cognos and others.
Despite the enthusiasm for mobile BI, vendors and solution providers generally agree that 2011 was a transition year, where businesses were building the infrastructure needed to support mobile BI and testing different approaches.
"A very large percentage of our customers are trying it," said Dwight de Vera, Arcplan's senior vice president of solutions, Americas. Arcplan is a developer of business intelligence, dashboard, and corporate performance management applications. Mobile BI "is always part of the conversation with our customers and prospective customers," according to de Vera.
"There's tons and tons of 'tire-kicking,'" said Jake Freivald, corporate marketing vice president at Information Builders Inc., a leading independent BI software developer. "But many are still in the strategy formulation stages."
NEXT: Alternative Approaches To Developing Mobile Apps


text:
Paul M. Johnides, 87
Paul M. Johnides, 87, passed away at 2 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, 2013, at the Miller House in Celina.
Paul was from Wooster, where he lived most of his life and recently moved to Celina to be with his family.
He married Donalee Sue Arnette, who died on Aug. 6, 2013.
He was born on Aug. 23, 1925, to the late George and Ruth (Briggs) Johnides in Yorkville.
Survivors include his son and daughters-in-law, Jeff and Jenny Johnides of Celina, Caroll Johnides of Carmel; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; one brother and sister-in-law; one sister.
He was preceded in death by his son, John Johnides; by a brother-in-law.
He served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a proud member of the U.S. PT Boat Fleet.
Private family interment will be held at a later date in Wooster Cemetery.
Condolences may be made at LHDFuneralHome.com.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Miller House, 1506 Meadowview Drive, Celina, OH, 45822.


text:
He has orchestrated play during the Wigan game, scored a winner against Udinese, and despite carrying a flu virus, finished just behind Luis Suarez as Liverpool's best player against Queen's Park Rangers. He is looking the part alongside Steven Gerrard and starting to impose his imprint on the team.
I'm talking about Jordan Henderson, who some still see as an expensive flop. Others will stick their heads above the parapet now (just like they did with Lucas) and acknowledge that the England U21 captain has been one of the elite performing Liverpool players this season.
Liverpool shelled out a lot of dough for a calibre of player that they could have bought for 50 percentiles on the continent, and a good comparison would be Newcastle United's acquisition of Yohan Cabaye.
After completing his purchase Kenny Dalglish said in June 2012: "Jordan is very mature for his age. He is respectful and his principles and everything else on and off the pitch are exemplary. Not only is he a talented footballer, he's a really good person as well. He loves his football and he is very appreciative of what Sunderland have done for him." I agreed with King Kenny then and I still do.
Made a scapegoat for failure to reach the Champions League and Dalglish's so called big money transfer failures, a sceptical Brendan Rodgers splashed out £15 million on Joe Allen and bringing in Nuri Sahin on loan from Real Madrid. Added to this Henderson was taken out of his preferred central berth and played out of position on the right wing. The exit door glowed brighter for the ex-Sunderland star. Liverpool said he could leave.
It irritated me that he was used as bargaining fodder for Clint Dempsey, a player I have always liked but as a fan felt was not right for a team like Liverpool. Despite the hurt Henderson has responded in the best possible way. He's been first on the training ground, last to leave and kept his head down, worked his socks off and is acclimatising rapidly to Rodgers' game style.
This year we have seen a much improved machine. Henderson's pressing and work rate, coupled with his accuracy in short and long offensive passes have been outstanding features of his play this season. Keeping the game moving whilst constantly being on the go has made him an important component in his manager's style of play.
Henderson's form has improved enough to edge him ahead of Joe Allen, whilst Nuri Sahin has left. Hard work is reaping dividends and he's just picked up the England U21 Player of The Year Award.
As a fan I'm happy to report that I always had faith that Henderson was a confidence player who would come good. I was ridiculed by quite a few fellow supporters. And that has been evident as he struck a wonder volley against Norwich, scored and had an excellent all action showing at the Emirates and had the cheek and presence of mind to almost beat Ben Foster with a backheel during Steve Clarke's West Bromwich Albion smash and grab at Anfield.
The important thing is that he hasn't complained at being played out of his natural position and this has somewhat endeared him to the fans. Henderson was unwell against QPR but still managed to put in an excellent performance. He's disciplined, doesn't drink and takes his role as a club ambassador very seriously.
If the resurrected Henderson can add goals then he has the potential to force himself into the top bracket of Premier League midfielders. He may never be the star attraction but he has the ability, willingness to learn and improve and temperament to become a longstanding Red - our very own Pablo Zabaleta, capable of slotting into a variety of decent positions and consistently churning out seven out of 10 performances.
Having said that, I do believe that the hard work will reap benefits and he will flourish into more of a complete player. He is still only 22 and if he continues his development then a long career at Anfield beckons.
DISCLAIMER: This article has been written by a member of the GiveMeFootball Writing Academy and does not represent the views of GiveMeFootball.com or SportsNewMedia. The views and opinions expressed are solely that of the author credited at the top of this article. GiveMeFootball.com and SportsNewMedia do not take any responsibility for the content of its contributors.
Do YOU want to write for GiveMeSport? Get started today by signing-up and submitting an article HERE: https://www.givemesport.com/writeforgms


text:
Ecological Design (Certificate of Graduate Study)
The Ecological Design certificate is currently not accepting students.
Ecological Design is the process of integrating humans with the rest of nature in order to create a sustainable and desirable future. Ecological Design employs transdisciplinary integration, creative synthesis, and true participatory problem-solving to understand and resolve increasingly complex issues. The emphasis of the Certificate of Graduate Study in Ecological Design is on problem-based learning in ecology, engineering, natural resources, and community development. The approach is to develop applied and interdisciplinary solutions which integrate the ecological, social, economic, and built capitals.
The Certificate of Graduate Study in Ecological Design requires fifteen credits including four core courses and one approved elective. Students must demonstrate competency in Ecosystem Ecology, Graphic Communications, and Ecological Economics either through additional course work, transferring credits in, or life experience. Students may earn the certificate either in conjunction with a UVM master's or doctoral degree, or independent of a degree.
- Colleges and Schools: Graduate College. The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources.


text:
NORTHGLENN, Colo. -- Breakfast, it's well known, is the most important meal of the day.
That's why safety
The idea is to increase school breakfast awareness and participation and to provide resources to help all kids start each day with the fuel they need to help them succeed.
Hillcrest earned the visit from Bruton -- and a surprise appearance from Miles the Mascot -- because the school saw a 60 percent increase in breakfast participation since it started serving breakfast in the classroom.
During the assembly, Bruton spoke to the students about what healthy foods were good for breakfast and why eating in the morning is important. He spoke about his own time teaching elementary school and admitted to the students that when he forgot his breakfast, keeping up with the kids was hard for him.
After talking about breakfast, Bruton called in Miles the Mascot as a surprise guest and the students got up and danced to the "Start Smart with Breakfast" song before heading back to class.
"With research showing more than 60 percent of students do not eat breakfast, school breakfast, specifically serving it for all students in the classroom, can be a solution and help kids succeed and fuel their potential," Western Dairy Senior Director of School Health and Wellness Programs Tami Anderson said.
Hillcrest Principal Judi Dauman, Adams 12 Superintendent Chris Gdowski and School Board Member Kathy Plomar were all in attendance to show their support for school breakfast. Other special guests included Western Dairy President and CEO Cindy Haren, Stephanie Ekoniak, CO Action for Healthy Kids, Tom Parker from Dean Foods/Robinson Dairy/Meadow Gold, Jody Berger with Share Our Strength Colorado, Dinah Frey and Sarah Skeen from Hunger Free Colorado, Amanda Mercer from Colorado Department of Education, Naomi Steenson, Adams 12 School Nutrition Director and Devin Koontz and David VonBuren, with USDA Mountain and Plains regional offices.
Join in the conversation about school breakfast all month long using the hashtag #schoolbreakfast on social media and log on to www.StartWithSchoolBreakfast.com to find out how to get breakfast started at your school.


text:
Kroger Associates Discount Tickets
Dollywood is proud to offer special prices on admission tickets to Kroger Associates.
1-Day Theme Park Ticket
Enjoy one day admission to the Dollywood Theme Park at this special rate.
For questions or assistance, please call 1-800-365-5996
Validity Dates: March 18, 2017 - January 1, 2018
|Regular(Ages 10+)
|Child(Ages 4-9)
*Children 3 and under are FREE! Prices do not include 12.25% tax. All information is subject to change without notice.


text:
Mooney, Thursday July 3rd 2014
This year's Dawn Chorus programme took place on Sunday, May 6th 2018, and was a roaring success! All India Radio producer Monika Gulati sent us a pic of herself sporting our Dawn Chorus beanie!!
May Events
Well whilst our Dawn Chorus programme may have finished for another year, throughout May, events are still taking place around the country to celebrate the beautiful birdsong that our feathered friends provide. For more information on these events, and on the annual Burren In Bloom festival that takes place from May 18th - 20th, visit our events listings page! And if you have an event you'd like to let our listeners know about, e-mail email@example.com.
Follow Us On Social Media:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rtenature
E-mail Us: firstname.lastname@example.com
Caring For Wild Animals
Please note that many species of mammals, birds, invertebrates etc... are protected under law and that, even with the best of intentions, only someone holding a relevant licence from the National Parks & Wildlife Service should attempt the care of these animals. For full details, please click here to read the NPWS Checklist of protected & rare species in Ireland. If you are concerned about a wild animal, please contact your local wildlife ranger - click here for details.
We celebrate the amazing rejuvenation of Christy Dignam and Aslan, who join Derek to preview their biggest gig in years and introduce their brand-new single. We find out about some amazing lost and found items. And Dr. Richard Collins visits northern France and examines some of the extraordinary human stories to come from the battlefields of World War I...
Aslan's Crazy World is one of the most recognisable tunes on Irish radio. In 1993, it reached three months in the Irish charts, and now it is being reintroduced to a whole new audience as it's being used in an Irish medical insurance advert.
And when you mention Aslan and Christy Dignam, the first thing that springs to mind from recent months is Christy's well-documented battle with a rare form of blood cancer. It has been a remarkable time for Christy, from a bleak prognosis to two massive comeback gigs at the Olympia, with arguably their biggest concert of recent years set to take place at the INEC in Killarney later this month.
We are delighted to be joined in studio today for a chat and a tune by Aslan's Christy Dignam and Billy McGuinness, and we hear their phenomenal new single I Need A Little Time...
For more information about Aslan, visit www.aslan.ie.
Aslan will perform at the INEC, Killarney, Co. Kerry on Saturday, July 26th 2014. Doors open at 8pm and the gig begins at 9pm. Tickets cost €25. For more information, click here.
'The dog ate my homework' is a line that traditionally used to be trotted out by 'bold' students who needed a quick excuse to pacify an angry teacher. But have you ever heard the line "The Dog Ate My Wedding Ring"?!
Well that is exactly what happened to Lois Matykowski from Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Five years ago her wedding ring went missing and, after searching for it, she gave up on ever finding it.
That is until her pet pooch, Tucker, ate an icepop recently, stick and all - and then promptly vomited it all up.
When Lois went to clean up the vomit (never a pleasant job!) what did she see gleaming at her in the middle of all the 'unpleasantness', only her wedding ring?!
She was delighted to have it back - and her vet told her that it was probably the wooden stick of the icepop that finally dislodged the wedding ring from the dog's stomach.
Well, she can't be alone in this...
Have YOU ever found your wedding ring after many years? Perhaps in an unusual place? Have you ever found anything you shouldn't have?! Have you something you really should return to someone? Or do you believe in 'Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers'?!
Text us to 51551, tweet @MooneyShow or e-mail email@example.com!
World War I, or 'The Great War' began this month one hundred years ago. Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated a year ago last week, triggering a series of events that would change history.
It's thought that there were 16 million military and civilian deaths during World War One, including nearly 50,000 Irishmen – ranking it as one of the deadliest conflicts in human history.
And the centenary this year has seen all manner of coverage on television and radio in recent months.
RTÉ Radio One has been doing its bit to explore Ireland's involvement in World War One – and if you're interested in that sort of thing, you might like to attend the 'World War One Roadshow' at Trinity College on Saturday week, July 12th, where RTÉ Radio One have partnered with Trinity and the National College of Ireland to bring you a free day of events.
Someone who is very interested in World War One is our very own Dr. Richard Collins. You know him best for his observations on science and wildlife on Mooney Goes Wild, but Richard is also a bit of a history buff and is just back from a trip to Northern France where he visited many sites associated with World War One.
He joins us in studio this afternoon with his recollections of his recent visit...
WW1 Road Show
Ireland's part in the Great War will be explored through a series of events at a World War 1 Road Show at Trinity College Dublin on Saturday, July 12th.
Members of the public are invited to bring along letters, medals, photographs and items related to World War 1 to be catalogued and digitised by a team experts from the National Library of Ireland.
The day will also feature a series of talks, theatre performances and music as well as a special World War One themed recording of RTÉ Radio 1's Sunday Miscellany programme.
There will also be WW1 cooking demonstrations, story telling for families, guided tours, poetry readings and the 'Last Cricket Match of Peace'. The day will conclude with the final Bugle call of the 'Last Post'.
RTÉ Radio One is delighted to partner with the National Library of Ireland and Trinity College Dublin for this day of free events.
For full details, go to www.rte.ie/worldwar1.
For the past two years, Mooney have teamed up with Irish Rail for their "The Journey's On Us" giveaway. As part of this initiative, Iarnród Éireann will provide 100 groups with free return rail for up to 50 people per group.
It's a brilliant initiative and what we found over the last two years is it provides a fantastic day out for community, voluntary and charity groups.
Mooney reporter Brenda Donohue is in Céannt Railway Station in Galway for the launch of The Journey's On Us 2014
Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail has launched the 2014 programme for The Journey's On Us, an initiative to support organisations and groups in the voluntary, community, sporting and charity sector.
"The Journey's On Us" will provide 100 groups with a free group travel return journey for up to 50 people per group during 2014, meaning 5,000 free journeys are on offer across the company's services. The travel facilities will be ideal in particular for organisations bringing a group to a special event, or as part of a specific support to the members of the group which requires travel.
Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive David Franks said "Voluntary organisations are the life blood of communities across the country. However, like everyone, their budgets have been cut. We know there are youth, sports, music, voluntary, charity and other groups in the community who would benefit greatly from being able to undertake initiatives which involve a travel cost, but have had to scale back. We in Iarnród Éireann, through The Journey's On Us, want to do what we can to help such groups achieve their goals, and say thank you to the organisations which play such a vital role in the daily lives of communities. The initiative is now in its third year with the interest and amount of groups applying has grown significantly each year, which we are absolutely delighted with."
The company has today invited all community, voluntary, sporting and charity groups to apply for the 100 group travel trips available. Entry forms are available at all Iarnród Éireann stations or online at www.irishrail.ie/journeys . Entry forms can be filled out online, emailed firstname.lastname@example.com or by post to Corporate Communications, Iarnród Éireann, Connolly Station, Dublin 1. The closing date for receipt of entries is Monday July 14th, at 16.30hrs.
Last year, over 750 groups applied for the scheme, and organisations ranging from Men's Sheds to choirs, Special Olympics to Girl Guides, and groups representing youth and elderly, benefited from "The Journey's On Us". Last year Iarnród Éireann offered for the first time a special prize for the winning group that submitted the most interesting and inspirational account of their day travelling with them. The winner of the prize was Special Hands Activity Group from Kelly, Co. Meath.
The initiative is being supported nationally by RTÉ Radio 1's Mooney, and Brenda Donohue is joining customers and staff at Ceannt Railway Station, Galway today to launch "The Journey's On Us" 2014. They were joined by Galway Community Circus who were a winner of one of the trips last year. Mooney will also feature successful groups throughout the year.
All applications will be considered by an adjudicating panel and successful groups will be notified from July onwards. For further information and to see terms and conditions please log onto www.irishrail.ie/journeys.
We are organising a singles night out for our listeners who are over 35! The where and when is still being finalised, but if you are interested in joining in the fun, then send us an e-mail! Let us know your age, gender, and if you are single. You must be available to travel to the venue at your own expense. Please send your e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com, with the subject line 'Singles Night Out'. And keep listening for further information!
Earlier this year, we launched our competition to find Ireland's newest child star. The competition was open to boys and girls who were aged 10 years old or under. We asked you to record a piece that was no more than three minutes long, and e-mail it in to us.
The finalists, in no particular order, are:
- Hannah Kinsella (9 years old, from Lucan, Co. Dublin) with Pushover
- Nikki Brown (8 years old, from Saggart, Co. Dublin) with Colours Of The Wind
- Anna Lily Fox (6 years old, from Ballinalee, Co. Longford) with a Johnny Cash medley
- Laoise Farrell (9 years old, from Ogonnolloe. Co. Clare) with The Call
- Alannah Bermingham (10 years old, from Kilmacud, Dublin) with Colours Of The Wind
The date for the final will be announced shortly and the winner will perform at our Christmas Mooney Tunes concert.
Hedgerows: It is an offence to 'cut, grub, burn or otherwise destroy hedgerows on uncultivated land during the nesting season from 1 March to 31 August, subject to certain exceptions'. For more information, click here.
To contact your local wildlife ranger, click here for contact details. To read the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000, click here.
Please DO NOT send any live, dead or skeletal remains of any creature whatsoever to Mooney Goes Wild.
If you find an injured animal or bird, please contact the National Parks & Wildlife Service on 1890 20 20 21, or BirdWatch Ireland, on 01 281-9878, or visit www.irishwildlifematters.ie
I Need A Little Time
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'
The Righteous Brothers
RTÉ is not responsible for the content of external websites
Presenter: Derek Mooney


text:
Linked by Kroc on Thu 30th Aug 2007 13:03 UTC
I hear often that when something new appears that "competition is good". The primary reasons competition is seen as good, are: it drives down prices; it gives consumers more choice; it pushes technology forward, quicker. Competition is not good because: competition is why consumers have to choose between HD-DVD and BluRay; competition is why DRM exists; and more. In this article, each of the supposed benefits of competition will be looked at in more detail.
Thread beginning with comment 267030
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Competition IS Bad
by yachp on Thu 30th Aug 2007 15:32 UTC
Like everything in life competition has its good and bad points. The problem is that in our society we treat competition as if it is the holy grail. As if it is the goal in and of itself.
Everything in society is done by competition. We compete in school. We compete in the workforce. We compete against each other. In my opinion one of the reasons why this world is so screwed is that it is based on competition instead of something more appropriate like cooperation.
I'm not saying that we shouldn't have competition. Just that it shouldn't be the focus of everything. Society would be much better off if as a basic tenet we focused on cooperation instead of competition.


text:
Print This Page
Accessible Features
Serenade of the Seas
Gangways are wide enough to accommodate most wheelchairs and scooters.
There is an accessible route to the tendering platform.
19 accessible staterooms
Accessible staterooms have wider doors, roll-in showers, grab bars, turning spaces, lowered stateroom vanity, lower closet rods, lowered safe, raised toilet, fold-down shower bench, hand-held shower head, lowered sink, open bed frames, amplified telephones and captioned televisions
View accessible stateroom page for specific stateroom details
View deck plans for locations of accessible staterooms
There are accessible public restrooms available with automatic doors.
All decks have elevator access except
Food & Beverage
All dining and bar venues offer wheelchair seating
Recreational Facilities
Lift at main pool and whirlpool
Stairs at Solarium pool
Lower playing tables in Casino
Rear wheelchair seating in Tropical Theater
Miniature Golf
Basketball Court
Jogging Track
Rock Climbing Wall
Video arcade
Adventure Ocean Youth Center
Teen Center
Spa & Fitness Center
Dry treatment room
Fitness equipment
Changing Room
Other Features
Lowered counter at Guest Relations
Amplified phones
Assistive listening systems in Tropical Theater
Braille/tactile public room signage
Braille/tactile elevator buttons and audio call signals
Braille deck numbers on staircase handrails
Braille/tactile stateroom numbers
Beauty Salon
Art & Photo Gallery
Internet Café
Conference Center
Non-accessible Features
Wet treatment room with roll-in shower
Steam Room


text:
Occasionally a great classroom mentor text is about a topic we're very fond of here at WritingFix: how to write better. A mentor text on this topic deserves to be brought out again and again (and again) in a school year.
Our Mentor Text of the Year program chooses a different book each year that shares advice on writing from a published writer. Teachers users of WritingFix are invited to purchase the text, incorporate it into a writing lesson, then share how they used the book at our Mentor Text of the Year Network. Our favorite ideas submitted to the network will be published here at WritingFix, and teachers whose ideas are published will be sent a complimentary copy of one of the Northern Nevada Writing Project's Print Publications.


text: This autumn 150 paintings and drawings from private collections and major museums such as MoMA and Tate by Oskar Kokoschka (1886-1980) are brought together in Rotterdam. In eight themes the exhibition offers a personal perspective of the painter around the period of the First and Second World War. From a serie of children's portraits, portraits of the Viennese elite to politically charged allegories. The exhibition begins with Kokoschka's earliest portraits and his discovery by the famous modernist architect Adolf Loos in 1908. The exhibition ends with his last self-portrait (1971/1972). With the title Time, Gentlemen Please, the announcement for final orders in British pubs, Kokoschka prefigures his own death.In addition to numerous portraits of people, the exhibition also features more than twenty paintings of animals. Kokoschka was fascinated by animals, in which he often detected human characteristics. He painted the Mandrill in London Zoo, outside public opening times. In the evening he was admitted to the zoo by zoologist Julian Huxley, brother of Aldous Huxley, the author of Brave New World.


text:
Had Old Spain stuck around to conquer North America back in colonial days, we'd have cooler accents and no trouble finding decent coffee in places like Missouri. That didn't happen, so in 2005 I sold my North Portland home and traded up for 12 months of living on Iberian soil, a decent command of the Spanish language and a reverence for smoked paprika and salt-cured pig parts. But when I came back to PDX, I found that Spain had come to me.
There seems to be a philosophical link between the gastronomies of Oregon and Spain. Oregon's ethos—to use the best ingredients and alter them as little as possible into a cuisine that's more defined by abundance than a style of cooking—is very much in line with the great food regions of Spain: Basque Country, Navarra and Catalonia. (Although I lived in pork capital Madrid, I got to eat my way through the north of Spain last summer.) Though we haven't had as many thousands of years to hone our skills, a handful of local chefs are making up for it, especially at Toro Bravo and Patanegra.
Like anyone who has spent time in Spain, Toro Bravo owner and chef John Gorham shares this reverence, although he says his new tapas restaurant isn't trying to clone Spain on American soil. "We wanted a good Spanish vibe with classic dishes, but with a strong Oregon influence...these won't be exactly like the tapas you had in Spain." He's right. Gorham takes fundamentals (the paprika, the pig parts) and mingles them with local ingredients and touches reflective of both his background in Italian kitchens and with Simpatica and Viande, which he co-owned until 2006. The shareable plates are affordable and can be washed down with the likes of Basque cider, Spanish reds, Oregon pinot or Coca-Cola from a glass bottle. Plus, Gorham's restaurant doesn't fall for stereotypes. Manu Chao albums play, but photos of men fighting bulls are thankfully absent.
"Pinchos" and "tapas" are separate categories on the rotating menu, though the former is merely the Basque word for the latter. But why be a nitpicky jerk when the fried fresh anchovies ($5) are so good with the addition of fennel and fried lemon? A plate of Serrano ham with Manchego ($6) keeps it real, while a young marinated sheep's milk cheese ($5) with rose petal harissa and mint is spicier and mintier than one would find in Spain.
Gorham blanches his radicchio in ice water—an Italian trick to kill bitterness—and tosses it with a Manchego vinaigrette in a superb four-ingredient salad ($8) that feeds just as many people. Patatas bravas ($6) are a staple all over Spain, and Toro's cubed, fried spuds seemed a little dry but were saved by a garlicky aioli that would have resulted in plate-licking had the zealous busser not removed it so quickly. Gorham imported a dish of fennel and tomato braised artichokes ($6) from his stint at Eugene's Cafe Zenon, topping them with the same aioli that accompanies faultless salt cod fritters ($7)—which are more like the meaty croquettes served at Lisbon's lunch counters than the gooey-but-great ones of Spain.
A trio of griddled shrimp with chili flakes were excellent but seemed tiny for nine bucks. Gorham gives a shout-out to Andalusia with perfect grilled lamb glazed in honey and mint ($12), as well as slow-cooked oxtail molded into croquettes ($14). Think pot roast in capsule form, then fried and topped with a spicy aioli. It sings. And something to look forward to? Gorham says he has 1,200 square feet of basement where he plans to cure his own ham.
Spaniards say paella is suspect outside of Valencia—let alone in North Portland—and it holds true at this restaurant: If the paella toro ($18) contained saffron, I couldn't find it among the chunks of spicy pork sausage. I preferred the fideo ($16), a paella that subs noodles for rice, with duck and clams.
Toro Bravo isn't the only place where Spain has staked a claim in this city. A more authentic tapas restaurant, Patanegra, lives across town. Owner Richard Segura (who also owned Portland's beloved Tapeo) grew up in Cáceres, Spain, not far from where fellow expats Cortez and Pizarro exited the womb. From the anchovy-stuffed green olives and white Navarran asparagus on the ensalada mixta ($8.50) to the hoops of calamari ($8) served with a giant glob of housemade aioli, Patanegra's fare reflects what you'd eat throughout 80 percent of Spain. Wrapped in Idiazábal cheese, the albondigas ($7, meatballs) are identical to those at my favorite Madrid watering hole. Even the beer glasses are the same.
Even restaurants that aren't Spanish by classification share the Iberian love. Patanegra's pulpo a la gallega—tender boiled octopus with olive oil, sea salt and paprika—is impressive, but our stage critic Ben Waterhouse claims that a recent stack of Spanish octopus at Navarre was as good as what he had when lived in Galicia. No surprise—Navarre's chef/owner John Taboada has spent time there. His wingman, Alex Westphal, passed two weeks in March wandering Basque Country where he ran into Cheryl Wakerhauser from Pix Pâtisserie on the streets of San Sebastian. Had they ventured into the countryside, they might have seen the co-owner of Alberta Street wine shop Cork, Daryl Joannides, who was moseying through Ribera Del Duero and Montsant choosing wines. And Gorham and his wife, Courtney Wilson-Gorham, spent two weeks in Spain before opening Toro Bravo. With travelers like that, it's safe to say that Hispano-philes eat well in Portland—in fact, there are two more tapas restaurants on the way later this year, Toreador in Northwest Portland and Lolo on Alberta Street.
Sure, you wouldn't find many of Toro Bravo's menu items at the tapas bars of Barcelona, Madrid or San Sebastian, but nothing would seem out of place if you did. Unless you were born without taste buds, it's nearly impossible to get a bad meal here. Better yet, it's also pretty hard for two people to break a hundred dollar bill on a single visit. And the best part? You'll get to keep your North Portland bungalow. Toro Bravo is right down the street.
I, Mike Thelin, am a man of many appetites who loves a good burger as much as foie gras or Spanish ham—OK, maybe not that much. Steaming bowls of fresh ramen noodles are my favorite food, I eat kimchi with everything, and if you're a chef or eater on your own culinary bender, I wanna to hear about it. Eat Me is WW's new food column, and I'm the lucky, hungry and often irreverent bastard who gets to write about Portland food during this very exciting period. Email me at email@example.com with your suggestions, feedback, corrections, complaints, disagreements and accolades.


text:
Free Security Software
As the PC security software market has matured a tradition of free products has too. Traditionally you pay for the lack of a dollar cost with advertising and missing features, but these products remain very popular.
And they should be. You may be better off with a full-scale commercial Internet security product, but you're far better off with a free product than with no security product at all.
Now PC Magazine has compared, once again, many of the major free products: avast! antivirus 4.8 Home Edition, AVG Anti-Virus Free 8.0, Spybot Search & Destroy 1.5, Spyware Terminator 2.0, and ThreatFire 3.5.
The highest-rated product (sorry, read the story to find out) is one I haven't looked at, and I'm intrigued. You should look it over too.


text:
The invitation has arrived: Apples next press event will, indeed, take place Sept. 12, and as long had been rumored it will likely unveil the iPhone 5.
Its all taking place at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco, the venue for many previous Apple press shindigs. This time around Apples cryptic clue takes the form of the number 5 in a shadow coming down from the date of the event on the invitation.
It is accompanied by the words, Its almost here.
The Its almost certainly refers to the iPhone 5, or whatever Apple ends up calling the next iteration of its iconic smartphone.
The phone will run iOS 6 software, and most likely house a faster processor. It also will quite possibly boast a larger display that will bring the iPhone more in line with many larger-display Android phones that have been in the market for some time.
Of course, while Apple may go larger on the phone screen, it is also possible the company will unveil an iPad mini, rumored to be a smaller version of its tablet with a 7-inch display that provides Apple with an answer to such diminutive tablets at the Amazon Kindle Fire or Google Nexus 7. Apple could just as easily hold off on a new iPad for now perhaps staging a separate media event next month so as not to bring out two wildly popular new devices at the same time.
Let the speculation continue.
One thing seems clear: A lot of diehards have been waiting for the next iPhone. Apples earnings were recently softer than some expected because consumers are believed to be waiting for the iPhone 5.
And a survey released today by TechBargains.com, a deal aggregation site for electronics, indicated that nearly 3-of-4 current iPhone 4 owners plan to upgrade when the new phone goes on sale.


text:
Clough pulls in top gun performance
OMAK — Randy Clough proved to be the top gun during the first of eight weeks by the Omak Fish and Game Club in the Spokesman-Review regional trapshoot tournament.
Clough, Jim DeTro, Troy Fewkes and Dick LaMonte each scored 24s on a day with temperatures at 20 degrees, bright sunshine and a slight wind, club spokesman LaMonte said.
Clough tied with Clayton Hilton in handicap with 22.
Clough won outright the doubles with a 22.
Singles: 24, Clough, Jim DeTro, Troy Fewkes, Dick LaMonte.
Handicap: 22, Randy Clough, Clayton Hilton. 21, Don Calentine, Jeff Daigneau, Gary Watts.
Doubles: 22, Randy Clough. 20, Tom Strange, Bob Wareham.
Mount Baldy seeks financing to open
OLIVER, B.C. — Mount Baldy Ski Area owners hope to secure financing to open early this year.
"We have been working ceaselessly to overcome the challenges immediately before us in order to get open for the season," ski area co-owner Brent Baker of Idaho said. "We continue to work on our financing and while we can't guarantee it, we expect to be open in January and will operate, conditions permitting, into April."
The ski area is not yet selling season passes.
The delays are due to the ski hill's struggle in obtaining financing, Baker said. When financing is secured, rates will be set based on the opening date and how much of the mountain is open.
Nearby Sitzmark Ski Hill in Havillah, Wash., remains closed as well, due to a lack of snow.
— The Chronicle
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.


text:
FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. – Nemo, the heavily hyped winter storm, lived up to its billing Friday night and Saturday morning, dumping more than 3 feet of blowing, drifting snow on some areas of Connecticut, including Fairfield County.
Fairfield was the hardest-hit town in the county, with snowfall measuring 35 inches, according to unofficial figures released in a public information statement by the National Weather Service office in Upton, N.Y. That was 3 inches less than in Milford, which topped the state with 38 inches of snow, according to the statement.
Bridgeport reported 30 inches, while Weston checked in at 26.5.
Other Fairfield County totals include:
- Westport, 24.5 inches
- Darien, 22.1 inches
- Norwalk, 22 inches
- New Canaan, 22 inches
- Danbury, 20.5 inches
- Stamford, 19 inches
Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.


text:
43rd Annual WIBX Slocum Dickson Heart Radiothon – 2014
- Utica College
- 1600 Burrstone Road, Utica, NY 13502 United States
Additional Information
43 years ago, former WIBX employee Ralph Allinger passed away from a heart attack. WIBX held a radiothon in his honor and a man from Barneveld decided to run from his home to the radio station to make his donation. It was from that act of generosity that the Heart Run and Walk was born. Such acts of generosity over the past 41 years have raised millions of dollars for research to find a cure for both heart disease and stroke.
Date & Time:
Friday, February 28, 2013 6am - 7pm
Saturday, March 1, 2013 5am - 1pm
Howard T. Clark Athletic Center at Utica College
Every dollar pledged helps save lives. Do your part and become a heart helper! This year WIBX, Slocum Dickson Medical Group, and The American Heart Association have teamed up to offer you some great incentives to say thank you for your support!
Do your part and become a Heart Helper!
2014 Incentives
Adirondack Old Forge Getaway
Win a Stay and Play package from Enchanted Forest/Water Safari and the Old Forge Camping Resort
Plus enjoy breakfast and lunch from Slicker's Adirondack Tavern and Walt's Diner.
Qualify for the Old Forge getaway at the following pledge levels:
1 entry for a $25 pledge
3 entries for a $50 pledge
10 entries for a $100 pledge
Or call in live during the radiothon and make your pledge! Call 315-624-WIBX (9429) or 1-866-716-WIBX (9429). The pledge phones open on Friday Feburary 28 at 6AM.


text:
A push this week by Town Councilwoman Sylvia Overby to suspend or rescind a resolution to sell a piece of public land in Montauk and first obtain an appraisal on it was rejected and prompted angry outbursts by Supervisor Bill Wilkinson and Councilwoman Theresa Quigley.
Ms. Overby and Councilman Peter Van Scoyoc had voted against the sale of a 3,700-square-foot piece of a town alleyway, which bisects the Ronjo motel, for $35,000 to the motel's new owners, Chris Jones and Lawrence Siedlick, in the absence of an appraisal and an assessment of the purpose and need for the alleyway system.
Supervisor Wilkinson defended the sale price, which, he said, he had pulled "out of the air."
Mr. Jones and Mr. Siedlick, who were at the meeting on Tuesday, had offered to pay for the appraisal, Ms. Overby said. Mr. Wilkinson at first agreed with the idea.
But, he asked, "What does having an appraisal have anything to do with the board's action [in approving the sale]?"
"I'm saying they're two independent actions," he said. "If you wish to do an appraisal, we don't have to suspend the original resolution."
New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. said in a telephone interview this week that, though there is no express provision in state law requiring an appraisal before selling town land, according to the New York State Constitution, "you cannot make a gift of public property."
He said that "you need an appraisal to be able to document" that officials, in approving a sale, have properly maintained their fiduciary duty to taxpayers and their property, and to defend the sale in case of questions by the state comptroller or a lawsuit by taxpayers.
Ms. Quigley said Tuesday that she didn't support getting an appraisal because she believed appraisers would set the price for the alley piece at $5,000. "I think the rest of the money is a gift to the town," she said of the difference in the sum offered.
She railed against Ms. Overby and Mr. Van Scoyoc, accusing them of following a policy of "delay, delay, delay, and stall, stall, stall."
"I don't believe in your way of doing government," she said. "I believe that government should be made by us. That's what we're here for."
Ms. Overby noted that the land is not owned by the board, but by the taxpayers. "We need to make sure we are doing our fiduciary responsibility — getting an appraisal," she said. "It is not trying to stop government. It is trying to act responsibly."
"You're going to have a permissive referendum on this property," Ms. Overby warned. Taxpayers can challenge the sale through the permissive referendum process provided they collect a certain number of signatures on a petition within a limited time.
"Go ahead, let's have it," Mr. Wilkinson said.
Councilman Dominick Stanzione provided the third vote against Ms. Overby's request. However, later in the meeting, Ms. Quigley announced that she had received a text — from whom she would not say — saying that an appraisal on the land had already been ordered. She questioned Ms. Overby about why an appraisal had been commissioned without board authorization.
Ms. Overby said yesterday that it had not been requested by anyone representing the town.


text:
Home > Novel (Fiction) > Action-Adventure > Rat Key > Chapter 1
Rat Key
Chapters: 1 2 3 4 Next »
And so they named him Rat"Get back here, Rat!"
"The police again?" I said to myself, "They'd really hate for me to finish my meal in peace, wouldn't they?" I had been sitting against a wall in what us from the Tunnels call Dinner Alley. It's where we generally don't get caught so we can eat, but today it didn't work so well. They'd found me…again. Maybe one day they'll actually catch me. Won't that be exciting?
I got up from the ground, still holding my dinner, which was of course some stolen bread. It's not like I could pay for anything. I was pretty sure that was what they were after me for, but maybe it was something else. In any case, I took off running, because I've got a brain. Granted, sometimes it doesn't work that great, but hey, it's better than nothing.
"Stop!" they yelled after me. Sometimes I wondered if they really expected that to work. You'd think they could come up with something better than that.
"No thanks," I called back to them. It sounded like two officers today, both slow. 'What an easy escape,' I thought, but then just as I was about to lift the grate and slip underground, an all too familiar face appeared under it.
"What do you think you're doing here, Rat?" he said.
"I think I'm going to rip open this grate if you don't let me in right now, Green," I told him.
"Cops on your tail, eh Rat?" he asked, giggling at his own joke.
"You really love to waste time, don't you? Let me in," I demanded.
"Yeah, no," he said, "You ain't wanted down here."
"And you are?" I replied, lifting an eyebrow.
"If I could fit my hand through this grate, I'd punch you," he growled.
"Yes, I know, but you're much too fat for that, aren't you?" I said, "Now let me in."
He spat at me and said, "No can do, Rat."
"I see, you've got orders not to. I suppose it was Grand?"
"There he is" an officer shouted behind me. I looked back at them to determine how much time I had to play mind games with Green.
"Yup, he really hates your guts," he said back.
"Yeah, since I didn't already know that. Thanks for nothing, Green," I said as I took off running again.
'Now where to?' I thought as I sped down the street. A few women screamed as I shot past them and a couple men tried to stop me, but I dodged their grasp with ease. I ran into a dark alley and did my best to blend in with the shadows, hoping they wouldn't see me. The two officers walked up and down the alley a few times, before one of them said, "Gone again." Then they exited the alley, taking one last look to be sure they had not missed me, which of course, they had.
I stayed there for a couple of minutes to give them more than enough time to be on their way before I left my hiding spot and sat in a little, lighted spot that must have been part of a yard. I sat by a garbage can and continued eating, figuring that I was actually with my own kind now.
I look up at the sky while chewing some of the bread. Still that nasty grey color and still clouded with smog and pollution. "Lots of airships out today," I said, my mouth half full, "Wonder what's up." One of the airships let out an awful ringing noise that seemed to echo in my mind even after it stopped. "Those ships sure make attractive noises." I took another bite of bread but stopped when I heard a rattling within the garbage can next to me. The can fell over, the lid came off, and a little boy came out. He was wearing rags and was basically just skin. I'm not even sure if bones were in there. He froze abruptly when he saw me, clearly fearing I'd hurt him.
"It's alright," I said, "I won't hurt you."
He relaxed a little bit and began looking through the alley. Occasionally he'd stop and pick something up, putting it in his mouth without even knowing what it was. Watching him made me feel awful, so I sighed and said, "Here."
He looked at me real strange like I was speaking another language, but then he smiled and rushed toward me, eagerly taking the bread and biting into it. I decided to sit there with him until he was done eating.
"When was the last time you had bread, kid?" I asked him.
"I don't know," he said between mouthfuls, "Been a while."
"You should be careful, if you eat quickly, you'll gain more carbs," then I looked at him, "On second thought, eat faster."
He nodded and did so. Soon the bread was gone and he said, "Thanks a lot, mister."
"Don't worry about. Looks like you've got enough to worry about as is," I replied, "Got a home?"
"Nope. Got a name though," he said.
"Oh yeah, what's that?" I asked.
"A name? It's what people call you, I guess," he replied.
"Not what I meant, kid. I meant what is your name?" I said.
"It's Wick," he answered, "Or at least that's what they call me in the Tunnels."
"What's a kid your age doing in the Tunnels?" I asked, quite surprised.
"Tunnels are all I've got," he answered, hanging his head.
"I see," I murmured.
"Where do you live, uh-" Wick began.
"Name's Rat. I live in the Tunnels too," I finished.
"Who's gang do you belong to?" he asked me.
"No one's. You?" I said.
"You don't belong to a gang? How come?" he asked me.
"Don't want to."
"Oh, okay. Well, I'm part of Hearth's gang," he said.
"Hearth, eh?" I said, "Not bad. One of the better one's I'd say."
"Yeah," he said, "She took me in when I was dying and gave me food. So I'm very thankful for her and I'll do anything for the gang."
"That's good, just don't get yourself hurt, okay?" I told him.
"I hope I do get hurt. Hearth told me that if I get hurt, it makes me stronger," he responded.
"Well, I'd say you're plenty strong already. Maybe not physically, but that's not what matters to me," I said.
"I don't get it," he said, looking at me vacantly.
"Yeah, I'm not sure I do either," I laughed, "Well, Wick, I probably ought to go. Take care of yourself."
"You too Rat," he replied.
At that, I got up and walked off to find something to occupy my time. 'What a kid,' I thought, 'At least he's in good hands. Hearth is a good leader.'
After a while, I came across another grate. This time, a younger face appeared. I looked down at a teenage boy and asked, "Now just how many kids are they letting into the Tunnels?"
"As many that need a home, Rat," he said.
"You know my name?" I asked, questioningly.
"Yes, and I know that you are a thief and that you refuse to join any gangs, but you still live in the Tunnels," he said.
"Who are you?" I asked, feeling slightly bothered by this kid.
"They call me Ary. Short for Dictionary," he said.
"Fitting," I said, "Now, are you authorized to let me in?"
"Is that Rat you're talking to, Ary?" came a voice from a little ways away under the grate.
"Yes, ma'am," he said, quickly and almost nervously.
"Well, let him in," she said.
"Yes, ma'am," he said, pushing up the grate. I slipped inside and looked to where the voice came from. It was Hearth.
"Hello, Rat," she said, "Get any dinner today?"
"Actually, I didn't. I ended up handing my bread over to one of your men, er, boys, I suppose. His name was Wick," I told her.
"Well, that was awful kind of you," she replied.
"Don't you think that you should feed him? The boy is starved. Said he didn't remember the last time he ate bread. If that isn't malnutrition, I don't know what is," I said.
"Wick needs to fend for himself until he is strong enough to steal," Hearth replied, "Besides, he's doing better than the men of other gangs."
"Have you seen him lately? He's skin and bones, if that! He needs some food," I told her.
"If you think he needs food so badly, why don't you get it for him, or better yet, teach him to steal?" she asked, sounding slightly annoyed now.
"He's not part of my gang. Not my responsibility," I answered.
"See, Rat, you always tell people what needs to be done, but are never willing to do it yourself. No wonder everybody down here hates you," she said.
I simply turned to leave at that point. I had no interest in getting into an argument with Hearth over something she'll probably take care of anyway. She didn't stop me, so I walked to my private part of the Tunnel. Nobody besides me knew where it was, so I got to be completely alone there, which was both good and bad. Sometimes I loved to be alone, but other times, I really desired some sort of companion. I felt like, at one point, I had somebody that was always with me, but I can't remember. 'I'm probably just making things up,' I thought to myself, before I arrived at my room as I called it. It wasn't anything special; just a circular cavern I'd dug out and hid. I kept everything I'd stolen here, often wondering what the heck these things were used for, such as the collection of lots of papers with random symbols on them. I had no idea what they meant and I figured I'd never find out. I also had a little blue box that could flip open and the inside would light up with a picture of two dogs. Every once in a while, the blue box would vibrate and light up and those random symbols appeared instead of the dogs. I liked the dogs a lot better. Then my favorite thing was actually a gift from some crazy old lady. I wore it around my neck on a string. It was a golden key. I didn't know what it went to, but the old lady said that I was the one the hold the key, so I took it and now I always have it. It's kind of odd, though, it gives me abilities that nobody else has. 'The rat holds the key,' I thought.
Then I thought back to when I got my name. It was a rainy day and I had taken a sandwich from this lady who was sitting outside. I didn't know that I wasn't supposed to take it, so I didn't understand when a man in a black uniform ran after me, shouting, "Rat!" over and over again. After a while, I got away from him and sat down in a dry alley. Another man walked into the alley too and he sat down across from me.
"Howdy, stranger," he said, "Where'd you get that sandwich?"
"A lady," I told him while I ate.
"So you stole it?" he asked.
"I guess," I said, "This mean man chased me, but I lost him."
"I see. So what's your name, buddy?" he asked, "I'm Tooth." He smiled and I saw why. One of his front teeth was absolutely enormous.
"What's a name?" I asked.
"Well, it's what people call you. Don't you have one?" he said.
"What people call me?" I repeated, "Then I guess, my name is Rat."
"Nice to meet you Rat."
Chapters: 1 2 3 4 Next »
Join the DiscussionThis book has 90 comments. Post your own now!
dragonsandthree said...
Apr. 24, 2013 at 1:56 pm
Apr. 24, 2013 at 1:56 pm
This is a really good book. It's plot is fairly solid, and it has enough foreshadowing for you to get a fairly good guess of what's going to happen next, but it still has a strange way of making it seem like you could be wrong, that the story line will change at the drop of a pin.
milforce replied...
Apr. 24, 2013 at 7:27 pm
Apr. 24, 2013 at 7:27 pm
Thanks, I appreciate it! That was the goal:) Did you find anything wrong with it?
dragonsandthree replied...
Apr. 25, 2013 at 9:27 am
Apr. 25, 2013 at 9:27 am
Umm.... The only problems that I really saw was the fact that the story changed from scene to scene almost instantly, and the scenes did not seem to last very long. The last problem is the fact that it's not finished.
milforce replied...
Apr. 25, 2013 at 7:24 pm
Apr. 25, 2013 at 7:24 pm
Alright, thanks!!
Irenie said...
Apr. 9, 2013 at 1:49 am
Apr. 9, 2013 at 1:49 am
Overall, this is a pretty good book. I like the idea of the plot. I do not like the dialogue, though. It is rather choppy and unrealistic in some places. However, you have a well developed world and characters. I like that you can immediately imagine what Rat is like. I do not think that the way you deliver his thoughts are very good. I don't mean to be negative, but you said to rip it up, so I'm trying J Otherwise, this is a pretty good book. I hope you finish it!
milforce replied...
Apr. 9, 2013 at 9:27 pm
Apr. 9, 2013 at 9:27 pm
Thanks! I appreciate it
JettaWintry said...
Apr. 5, 2013 at 7:08 pm
Apr. 5, 2013 at 7:08 pm
I didn't get a chance to finish reading the second chapter (I'm about halfway through) but I'll try to make time to read it later. (: I really, really enjoyed this! THe plot is really unique, and the characters are developed very well. I loved your word choice, too. The only thing I would say is that when he is thinking, make it clearer. I noticed that you use these ' ' for thought, but it was confusing when he thought after speaking because I wasn't sure if he was still ... (more »)
milforce replied...
Apr. 7, 2013 at 10:54 pm
Apr. 7, 2013 at 10:54 pm
Thanks for the critique! I'll get to your story as soon as possible:)
CurlyGirl17 said...
Apr. 2, 2013 at 9:10 pm
Apr. 2, 2013 at 9:10 pm
That was good and interesting! I like how a reader can definitely describe Rat's character- tough, sarcastic, but caring underneath. Lots of the time main characters tend to be wishy-washy with their traits. I really enjoyed this- I'd appreciate it if you checked out the first chapter of my story, Metalligirl- you seem to know what you're doing when it comes to writing and all of these positive comments proves it! :)
CurlyGirl17 replied...
Apr. 2, 2013 at 9:11 pm
Apr. 2, 2013 at 9:11 pm
Oh, and if you were to leave a comment on my work along with checking it out, that would be great- feedback's always good!
milforce replied...
Apr. 2, 2013 at 9:19 pm
Apr. 2, 2013 at 9:19 pm
Thank you very much! I'll try to get to your story sometime this week
IMSteel said...
Apr. 1, 2013 at 7:44 pm
Apr. 1, 2013 at 7:44 pm
I only read the first two chapters, I'll finish the rest later. It is a great story, twisty. and interesting. I love it. Most of it just needs practice, and therefore cannot be criticised. The only major thing that needs fixing is the tenses, past, and present. Sometimes you us past-tense, example: I said, I looked. And other times you use present, example: I say, I look. Other than that, you only need more description, which has already been sai... (more »)
milforce replied...
Apr. 1, 2013 at 9:31 pm
Apr. 1, 2013 at 9:31 pm
Thank you!! I know the tenses are screwed up...I started it originally in past tense but then switched to present and I never got the present tense versions on here...
BATMANSTEALTH said...
Aug. 30, 2012 at 6:55 pm
Aug. 30, 2012 at 6:55 pm
Well,what can I say that hasnt been said already? Great charachterizatiom, Suspense, Good dialouge, good descriptions. Summarization: A compeling read that keeps it fun and upbeat all the way through :)!
milforce replied...
Aug. 31, 2012 at 8:58 pm
Aug. 31, 2012 at 8:58 pm
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!
MoraleAsh said...
Feb. 12, 2012 at 9:57 am
Feb. 12, 2012 at 9:57 am
This is really great! What a unique plot liine with such an interesting main character! Props to you. My only suggestion is to cut a lot of the dialogue and add in more detail! Great job overall!
milforce replied...
Feb. 12, 2012 at 11:30 am
Feb. 12, 2012 at 11:30 am
Thank you so much. I appreciate it
SarasotaWonder said...
Jan. 30, 2012 at 7:36 pm
Jan. 30, 2012 at 7:36 pm
You did such a good job with this! The plot is unique, interesting, and fast-paced...AWESOME JOB WITH THAT! :) One thing I would watch out for is that fact that you have a lot of dialouge, whcih you really don't need all the time, and some more description will thicken your story up. Also, say what the characters say out loud, does it sound like something you would here in everyday converstation or is it just awkward? Overal, great work!
milforce replied...
Jan. 30, 2012 at 8:06 pm
Jan. 30, 2012 at 8:06 pm
Thanks so much! I'm working on being more descriptive and using less dialogue. I know that the balance is pretty out of wack
Timekeeper said...
Jan. 18, 2012 at 4:57 pm
Jan. 18, 2012 at 4:57 pm
I'm totally digging the character names! You could definitely flesh out the story with more narrative to break up all of the dialogue, it will really add more meat to the story. When will you post more?


text:
Page content
September 12, 2013
Colonial Williamsburg to Receive Federal Grant to Study Effect of Fire Extinguishing Agents on Museum Collections
Colonial Williamsburg will receive a National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to fund a three-year research study of the effect of fire extinguishing agents on collections in cultural heritage environments. Colonial Williamsburg will conduct the project in partnership with Hughes Associates (an engineering company with expertise in fire) and the Fire Protection Research Association.
The $213, 447 grant covers research to be conducted from Nov. 1, 2013 to Oct. 31, 2016. The effectiveness of fire extinguishing agents in combating fires is well known in the scientific community, but the potential hazards of deploying these agents on rare materials have not been thoroughly studied. Long-term effects of exposure to the extinguishing agents will be assessed, along with the ability to remove the extinguishing materials from the surfaces of cultural property.
"We are delighted to receive a National Leadership Grant from the IMLS," said Colin Campbell, president and chief executive officer of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. "We look forward to sharing the critical knowledge we learn about the conservation and protection of rare cultural treasures with the museum community at large."
IMLS director Susan Hildreth will present a workshop and ceremony on Capitol Hill Sept. 18 to recognize the 2013 museum winners and highlight successful applicants and awards. The event will showcase the many ways museums support learning experiences, serve as community anchors and are stewards of cultural and scientific heritage through the preservation of their collections.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation owns more than 70,000 antiques and works of art from 17th-, 18th- and 19th-century Britain and America, and approximately 15,000 architectural artifacts and 20 million archaeological artifacts.
Media Contact:
Barbara Brown


text:
Thread: Breakfast pancakes
#1 Breakfast pancakes04-03-2012, 11:03 PM
These sound good for a leisurely Sunday morning breakfast. I think I'd throw some blueberries in the batter to make them taste even better.
Buckwheat Pancakes (Phase 2)
Buckwheat is often planted by beekeepers because the flower is very high in nectar. The popularity of buckwheat pancakes has declined since the 1950s, but theres no reason not to try them today!
Makes 12 pancakes (3 pancakes per serving)
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 cups water
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine the buckwheat flour, whole-wheat flour, egg, and baking powder, mixing until evenly blended. Add the water, applesauce, and vanilla extract, and stir until only small lumps remain.
Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Working in batches, pour the batter into the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bottom is browned. Turn and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer, or until golden brown. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Repeat to make a total of 12 pancakes.
Nutritional information
Per pancake:
80 calories
1 g fat (0 g sat)
16 g carbohydrate
3 g protein
2 g fiber
130 mg sodium
" To the world you are just one more person, but to a rescued pet, you are the world."
"A Nation of Sheep Breeds a Government of Wolves!"
|« Previous Thread | Next Thread »


text:
Cecil shorts 3rd - Jags
Pollard - Ravens
Kaepernick - 9ers
Ballard - colts
Wilkerson - Jets
Wilkerson was the second best 3-4 DE after Watt this season. Now the gap between 1 and 2 was large (Watt had one of the best seasons of all time), but #2 none the less.
Coples is the up and comer.
Last edited by Woody56; 02-01-2013 at 12:23 AM.
Cam Jordan
Robert Quinn
Everson Griffen
Stevan Ridley
Perry Riley
Randall Cobb
Josh Gordon
Jerrell Freeman
Brandon Meyers (that's for you, Raider1975)
I would also include Wilkerson, Coples, and Kerley on such a list.
My three Raider players would be DE/DT Desmond Bryant, Wr Rod Streater and LT Jared Veldheer- who Is very good now but has chance to get a lot better still. Jared Veldheer is capable of playing any five positions on the Oline and would be the best at that position that you put him at, on the Raiders Oline.
Last edited by Raider9175; 02-01-2013 at 05:49 AM.
Isn't Wilkerson still only 22 years old?
He might be a beast if we can get younger & faster at LB behind him this year.
With Dunbar here, I truly believe the Jets have a chance to have one of the best youngest Dlines in the league this year.
I know a lot of you out there would go crazy if Star somehow fell to us @ 9,
( not at all crazy considering the teams ahead of the Jets & their needs).
Of course I would suspect that if Star starts falling, another team behind the Jets would probably try to trade up.
Imagine adding to Wilk, Coples, Ellis, a guy like Star who could be our Wilfork or Ngata!
This Jet team is at least a 2 year fix back to respectability, in today's NFL, you better be able to rush the passer & most importantly get pressure up the middle, push the pocket & get QBs off their spot.
If we trade Revis & the Jets somehow miraculously came out of the 2013 draft with Star, a stud guard & a OLB, I would be ecstatic.
You wouldn't need a $16,000,000 CB anymore & the line would be looking more like the Giants from 2009- 2011.
Bilal Powell
Jeremy Kerley.


text:
Maine State Prison warden fired after 3 years on the job
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) � The Maine State Prison warden who was fired is taking on a new role at a reduced salary.
Patricia Barnhart, who'd presided over the prison since late 2009, will become policy development coordinator for the Department of Corrections, effective March 1. Officials say her annual salary will drop from about $102,897 to $68,578.
Jody L. Breton, associate corrections commissioner, confirmed details in response to a Freedom of Access request.
Breton said a change in direction at the prison was needed because of growing overtime, incident rates and staff turnover. She says Barnhart's strengths will be well suited to her new job.
Breton says there will be a national search for a new warden. For now, prison is being led by Rodney Bouffard, superintendent of the Long Creek Youth Development Center.