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March 22, 2001
CHICAGO - The U.S. Soccer Federation has named Jerry Smith as the new head coach of the U.S. Under-21 Women's National Team. Smith takes over from Jillian Ellis, who resigned last week due to personal reasons after just over a year in charge of the oldest of the USA's three youth national teams.
Smith will be charged with continuing the high standard of success set by Ellis, and the previous head coach Lauren Gregg, who won three out of the last four championships at the Nordic Cup, the annual summer tournament in northern Europe which serves as the top competition in the world for U-21 women. This year's Nordic Cup will be contested in Norway at the beginning of August. Smith will begin his duties with the U-21s this week with a pool of players in San Diego that will compete against WUSA teams during their Spring Training at the ARCO U.S. Olympic Training Center.
Smith is the long-time head coach at Santa Clara University, one of the top college programs in the history of women's soccer. He will retain his duties with the Broncos and will enter his 15th year at the helm of the Santa Clara program this fall, where he has compiled a record of 219-58-15 (.775) in 14 seasons.
"Jerry Smith is the perfect choice to replace Jillian Ellis," said U.S. Women's National Team head coach and technical director April Heinrichs. "His record of player development and team development is indisputable. Jerry's teams consistently play positive, creative, possession-oriented and attacking soccer. His players understand the game, they are comfortable on the ball and they play to out-think the opponent. The future of our young women's national team hopefuls is in great hands."
Since taking over the head coaching duties at Santa Clara in the fall of 1987, Smith has built the Bronco soccer program into a national power. For 12 consecutive seasons, the Broncos have reached the NCAA Tournament, making seven NCAA Final Four appearances, including four in a row from 1996-'99. Smith has been heavily involved in the Olympic Development Program in the West Region, coaching various regional teams as well as serving as the head coach for the Western Regional coaching staff, a position he holds currently.
"I'm looking forward to working with our country's future World Cup and Olympic Team players," said Smith. "The U-21 team exists to bridge the gap between youth soccer and the full National Team. Our purpose is to provide the necessary environment to insure continued evaluation, selection, training, and preparation for our nation's elite so they are ready for the moment when the torch is passed onto them and they will represent our country in world championship events. I will enjoy the opportunity and challenge of helping these young, talented players take major strides toward their potential as future full National Team players."
Smith, 40, has coached numerous players who have made an impact on the U.S. Under-21 Women's National Team including defender Anna Kraus, midfielder Aly Wagner, who was the 2001 Chevrolet U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year, and 2000 Olympic Team member Danielle Slaton. Smith is married to U.S. Women's National Team defender Brandi Chastain, who is also an assistant coach at Santa Clara.
"This is a critical time for the U.S. Women's National Teams Program," added Smith. "While we have enjoyed tremendous success, many of the veteran players have retired from international soccer or will be retiring within a few years. The current U-21 player pool will need to be prepared to help the full team maintain our status as one of the elite teams in the world."


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[crossposted to the C3000 forum]
Now I have a better understanding on hardware memory upgrades - good & bad news.
The bad news: the memory stick I opened was a 8 Mb TSOP40 (bad luck - it must be TSOP48 to be hardware compatible. Anyone feel likes opening his 128Mb memory stick and count memory chip pins to check if he/she's more lucky?)
The good news: with the chineese forum pics I could validate my ideas. See the following pics: the samsung chip is k9f2808u0c - google for that and you'll see the size matches the flash, and it is tsop48
Even better- noticed the empty spot below? You can solder a second tsop48 chip. However this may require additional hardware hacks + kernel changes to activate the 2nd bank.
My suggestion to anyone with good soldering skills and a C3000 : purchase a 128 Mb memory stick and (hopefully) find a 128 Mb nand chip inside. Transplant it to your Zaurus. It will be empty, so you will have to go to the diagnostic menu. Then restore a 128 Mb dump from a C1000 - voila, you know have a super 3000. The same should apply to any zaurus also using TSOP 48 chips.
The big question is - will it work (boot, etc.) ? Good question, so I investigated the boot loader from my 6000.
The bad news: I may or may not do with a tc58100 - the bootloader just doesn't know it. Ie - it may work, but I don't want to take risk (my soldering skills are not that good to risk my zaurus life twice)
The good news: A Toshiba TC58DVG02AFT or a Samsung K9K1G08U0M are recognised by the bootloader (the default chip is TC58512FT or K9F1208U0M on a 6000, ie a 64 Mb/512MB chip)
For a Sl6000, this would require 1) flashing the rescue kernel with a special kernel that will know the flash is a 128 Mb 2) doing a nandbackup, exploding the nandbackup, increasing its size to 128 Mb 3) doing the above mentionned hack, only with a Toshiba TC58DVG02AFT or a Samsung K9K1G08U0M 4) restoring the hacked nandbackup 5) booting in the rescue kernel to reformat the 2nd partition and install an identical 1st kernel
See http://www.externe.net/zaurus/flash/nandmap.jpg for kernel informations.
All this sounds like a cool hack. Now someone please find me the chips (call toshiba USA - http://www.toshiba.com/taec/ I'm in France :-) I'm ready to get a Cxxxx just for the hacking purpose :-)

subset: commoncrawl


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Players of the Week - No. 5
Collier, a 5-8, 210 pound, junior from Orlando, Fla., posted three defensive notables in the 45-13 Graceland victory over Peru State (Neb.) on Oct. 1. Collier intercepted a pass, which he returned 55 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. Less than three minutes later, he took a fumble back for a 52-yard score. He also finished with a forced fumble that was returned for a touchdown by another defender. He added five tackles and 1.0 tackles-for-loss.
Coy, a 6-0, 205 pound, senior quarterback from Park Ridge, Ill., was efficient in leading top-ranked Saint Xavier to a 42-31 road win over No. 2 Saint Francis (Ind.) on Oct. 1. Coy was 29-for-43 passing (.674) for 338 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed 14 times for 37 yards and did not record an interception or a fumble in the game. He had a touchdown pass in each of the final three quarters to complete the rally after the Cougars trailed 10-0 after the first quarter. Coy also kicked two punts and averaged 57.5 yards per attempt.
Lynch, a 5-11, 205 pound, senior kicker from Frankfort, Ill., made five-of-six field goal attempts in the Cougars victory against No. 2 Saint Francis. The 2010 Fred Mitchell Award winner that goes to college football's best kicker nailed field goals of 50 and 48 yards. Lynch also kicked the momentum-shifting onside kick to start the second half that was recovered by Saint Xavier. That play led to the go-ahead touchdown on the ensuing drive. He tied a school single-game record for points by a kicker with 18.
Offensive Nominees: Anthony Muilenburg, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.); Ryan Moses, Union (Ky.); Sean Ransburg, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.); Shane Gimzo, Ottawa (Kan.); Zach Mcrae, Montana Western; Taylor Parsons, William Penn (Iowa); Kyle Jech, Northwestern Oklahoma State; Deonte Fielder, Webber International (Fla.); Deonte Fielder, Webber International (Fla.); Deonte Fielder, Webber International (Fla.); Deonte Fielder, Webber International (Fla.); Deonte Fielder, Webber International (Fla.); Dave Velasquez, Dickinson State (N.D.); Dipo Kolawole, Ave Maria (Fla.); Jeremiah Andujo, Azusa Pacific (Calif.).
Defensive Nominees: Jade Haddix, Pikeville (Ky.); Jacob Ghinazzi, Saint Xavier (Ill.); Michael Hicks, Southern Nazarene (Okla.); Andrew Briones, St. Ambrose (Iowa); Nathan Murphy, Bethel (Kan.); Jeremy Wallace, Doane (Neb.); Thomas Robison, Carroll (Mont.); Jake Thurston, Valley City State (N.D.); Ricky Carlson, Webber International (Fla.); Ray Scavone, Ave Maria (Fla.); Jake Jones, Azusa Pacific (Calif.).
Special Teams Nominees: Jonny Sitton, Shorter (Ga.); Matt Klingler, St. Ambrose (Iowa); Brandon Lluis, Bethel (Kan.); Jeremiah Saffold, Doane (Neb.); Nick Knell, Rocky Mountain (Mont.); Dylan McGuire, Benedictine (Kan.); P.J. Stimson, Northwestern Oklahoma State; Mason Prater, Webber International (Fla.); Eric DeLira, Azusa Pacific (Calif.).
2011 Football Players of the Week (Offense; Defense; Special Teams)
Week 1: Brandon Smith, Northwestern (Iowa); Reece Green, Marian (Ind.); Marcus Bratton, UVa-Wise (Va.)
Week 2: Chris Ware, Eastern Oregon; Vincent Aguilar, Trinity International (Ill.); Levi Cockle, Peru State (Neb.)
Week 3: Josh Hollingsworth, Faulkner (Ala.); Ross Bauman, Saint Francis (Ind.); Terry Stecker, Kansas Wesleyan
Week 4: Trevor Hoskins, Pikeville (Ky.); Demitri Travis, Pikeville (Ky.); Alex Fambrough, Bethany (Kan.)
Week 5: Jimmy Coy, Saint Xavier (Ill.); Nate Collier, Graceland (Iowa); Tom Lynch, Saint Xavier (Ill.)


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The IRONMAN TriClub Program, launched in 2012 in North America, was created as a way of giving back to the hundreds of Triathlon Clubs that have long been an integral part of the Triathlon Community. Supporting not only the sport of triathlon, but IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 races around the world. Since then, the IRONMAN TriClub Program has grown into a global community of over 2,500 clubs and teams.
Registered clubs generate points throughout the year based on their member's participation and performance at IRONMAN, IRONMAN 70.3. 5150 and Multi Sport Triathlon events. At the end of the year, clubs are ranked by country, region and globally.


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Baker to Yankees unlikely, though he's still trade bait
Los Angeles — To those so dutifully writing and asking on the left side of this page regarding Jeff Baker: Yes, he's definitely being shopped this spring, according to my sources. Teams looking for help or depth at third base, include the Astros, Yankees and Braves. Baker would make sense for the Astros or Yankees. However, the Yankees,a source close to their situation said tonight, are committed to giving Cody Ransom a shot while Alex Rodriguez is out. They liked him as a utility player before A-Rod's surgery and he has enjoyed a strong spring. Remember, when Derek Jeter was hurt a few years ago, they went with a no-name for a few weeks.
Circumstances could change, but they don't want to be held hostage in a trade for a player they might only need for 75 at-bats or so.
Houston could use a bat after losing Aaron Boone to open heart surgery. Geoff Blum is not an everyday player at this point his career. Their minor-league system is not pretty, so might be hard to find a match there. Trust me, the Rockies will ask for a lot on Baker, especially if they believe he's going to start elsewhere.
As for the suggestion of trading Joe Koshansky and Juan Morillo for a pitcher. More than likely, that package would command a good reliever in return, if offered. My colleague Patrick Saunders addresses this issue well, so take a look at his answer.
Anyway, if you look around the big leagues at the No. 4 and 5 starters, and you can see why it's hard to acquire one. Almost every team has the same need. Morillo is going to make the team, barring something strange. I like the idea of moving Koshansky once he gets hot in Triple-A.


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LOS ANGELES — A man who said he left a ruthless street gang in Central America and later won praise for his anti-gang work in Los Angeles was arrested today by authorities who allege he conspired to kill a rival even as he spoke out against gang life.
Alex Sanchez, 37, who heads Homies Unidos, was taken into custody at his Bellflower home on federal racketeering charges, authorities said.
The indictment names 24 leaders, members and associates of MS-13, part of the Mara Salvatrucha gang affiliated with the Mexican Mafia prison gang.
It alleges crimes that include seven murders, eight conspiracies to commit murder, and gun and narcotics offenses since 1995. Sixteen of those named were already in custody. Four others, including Sanchez, were arrested today.
The alleged crimes by Sanchez occurred after he returned from El Salvador in 1996 and publicly decried gang life.
The indictment said he went by the nickname Rebelde, or rebel, and was a shot-caller for the Normandie contingent of MS-13. He and three others are accused in the indictment of conspiring to murder a man identified by authorities as Walter Lacinos "for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their position in MS-13."
In May 2006, Lacinos was killed in El Salvador.
No other details were provided in the indictment. Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney George Cardona declined to provide any specifics beyond the court filing.
Shot-callers manage the narcotics operations in certain gang territories, collect extortion payments and resolve disputes, the indictment states.
Mara Salvatrucha was formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1980s by immigrants fleeing the El Salvador civil war. The gang spread as members were deported to their home country and is now a major international criminal enterprise known for callous killings carried out by its members, many of whom are heavily tattooed with shaved heads.
Five others named in the indictment, not including Sanchez, conspired to murder a veteran gang detective with the Los Angeles Police Department, authorities said.
Known as an anti-gang worker, Sanchez has testified as an expert witness in criminal cases, lobbied for better intervention and prevention programs, spoken to youths about the depressing consequences of gang life and been widely quoted in the media, including by The Associated Press.
Luis Enrique Guzman, a community organizer at the Los Angeles Homies Unidos office, said the group would have no immediate comment.
Luis Romero, director of the Homies Unidos office in El Salvador, said the organization did not accept the allegations against Sanchez.
"We know that Homies Unidos U.S.A. is doing great work in the reinsertion and rehabilitation of young people," Romero said.
He said he had no details on the charges.
Asked what he thought prompted the allegations, he said, "these are the famous smoke screens, things that they use, things that they have not been able to solve and they take action without previously investigating."
Sanchez arrived in Los Angeles at age 7 from El Salvador and joined Mara Salvatrucha when he was 14. He was jailed three times for minor offenses and deported to El Salvador in 1994.
He told the AP in a March interview that in his home country he had to live on the streets, fleeing death squads and gangs who threatened to kill him because they believed him a rival.
He returned illegally to Los Angeles in 1995. Authorities tried to deport him a second time, but he was granted political asylum after saying police picked him up because he had testified against officers in the Rampart police corruption scandal.
Several people spoke in his defense, including Tom Hayden, a former student radical and state senator
In July 2002, Sanchez received political asylum after officials determined his life would be in danger if he returned to El Salvador.
It was the latest instance in which an anti-gang advocate has been arrested. In January, Marlo "Bow Wow" Jones was arrested in the robbing and beating of a rapper with the musical group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony in his Universal City hotel room. At the time, Jones was working as a gang intervention worker.
Last year, Hector "Big Weasel" Marroquin, a former gang member in suburban Los Angeles who founded an anti-violence group, was sentenced to eight years in prison for selling assault weapons.
Civil rights lawyer and gang expert Connie Rice said anti-gang workers sometimes struggle to completely leave behind gang affiliations.
"The best ones are the ones who have completely gotten out of the life, but kept the relationships and still are respected," she said. "But they are the exception and not the rule. Most of these guys are go-betweens, some act as buffers and some are still in the gang."
Rice said she had long wondered about Sanchez because he had been absent from community meetings aimed at reducing MS-13 violence.
"The thing that makes it really complicated is that Alex did really good work," she said. "He helped a lot of kids, put a lot of kids in school."
Homies Unidos was founded in 1996 in El Salvador. Sanchez helped establish the Los Angeles office the following year.
The office has helped remove tattoos from more than 240 gang members.
FBI officials said everyone named on the indictment could face up to 25 years to life in prison, while those charged with murder could face the death penalty. No one else from Homies Unidos was named in the indictment.
Associated Press Writer Marcos Aleman in El Salvador contributed to this story.


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BOSTON — Prosecutors plan to investigate possible sexual abuse at Deerfield Academy, an exclusive private boarding school in western Massachusetts, after a report released by the school detailing its own investigation into allegations against two faculty members who taught there for decades.
"We intend to independently investigate whether these abuse allegations were criminal in nature and, if so, whether or not the statute of limitations or other factors would preclude criminal prosecution," David E. Sullivan, the district attorney for Hampshire and Franklin Counties, said.
The school's report, which was released Saturday in a letter to the Deerfield community, said investigators had confirmed that Peter Hindle, a mathematics teacher who worked at Deerfield from 1956 to 2000, engaged in sexual conduct with at least one student. The investigation also found evidence that Bryce Lambert, who taught English at the school until 1990 and is now dead, engaged in sexual conduct with two students, and that investigators received additional reports of sexual misconduct that they could not corroborate.
"The investigation also led us to the conclusion that the Deerfield administration in the 1980s could have — in the case of Peter Hindle — moved more forcefully to address reports of inappropriate behavior," read the letter, signed by Philip Greer, the president of the school's board of trustees, and Margarita Curtis, who is the head of the school.
"Given Mr. Hindle's denials and highly revered status, the administration relied solely on verbal and written warnings," said the letter. "By any measure, Mr. Hindle's behavior represents an outrageous violation," read the report, which said Mr. Hindle lied to investigators, "raising serious questions about whether his admission was too limited."
Mr. Hindle, 78, declined to comment.


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Special Reports
10th Anniversary of Iraq war: 3rd Brigade soldiers tell their stories
These are the stories of five men. Ten years ago today, they were in Kuwait with the more than 4,000 other members of Fort Benning's 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, awaiting orders to cross the Iraqi border and launch an invasion. On March 19, 2003, they got them. In the following days, as the 3rd Brigade became the tip of the spear and led the Army's attack on Baghdad, they would lose friends and they would lose parts of themselves. They would gain pride and they would gain perspective. They would live to tell about it.
'You don't want it, but if it comes you're ready.'
Brad Akin was a 23-year-old specialist from Columbus stationed with the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment. He had a newborn daughter named Kyli. He drove a HEMTT, a Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck, hauling ammunition.
At dusk on March 20, 2003, he and co-driver Kelley Prewitt, a 24-year-old private from Birmingham, Ala., crossed the border into Iraq. For hundreds of hours, they drove across a monotonous sea of sand, arguing the merits of Akin's Georgia Bulldogs and Prewitt's Auburn Tigers.
They were in the first line of supply, behind the tanks and Bradleys and ahead of the main support. They urinated in bottles while driving and defecated in sand holes while refueling. Sleep was scarce. During a sandstorm, they rotated one-hour naps with security patrols.
"You get to the point where you don't care," Akin says. "You're ready. You don't want it, but if it comes you're ready."
The city of Karbala fell on April 2, and the 2-69 led the charge through the Karbala Gap, a 12-mile stretch before Baghdad.
On April 6, they rolled into Baghdad, past dead Iraqi Republican Guard soldiers and blown-up tanks.
"Civilians took pot shots at us, and it didn't faze us," Akin says. "We kept rolling."
He and Prewitt reached the Iraqi Petroleum Institute by evening, exhausted and expecting a break. Instead, they were sent on a security mission along the highway outside the institute.
That night, an unarmed Iraqi man approached them and U.S. soldiers fired warning shots.
"He looked like he needed help," Akin says, "but we didn't know for sure."
The man dropped to his knees and the soldiers were barraged by rocket propelled grenades and machine gun fire.
One soldier was shot in the ankle, dropped his weapon and retreated toward the institute. Akin and Prewitt were pinned behind their vehicle.
"S--- was flying all over the place," Akin says.
They did a series of run-stop, cover-me-and-shoot maneuvers as they tried to scurry back to the institute, about a football field away.
Akin saw an opening and went for it. When he reached the safe area, he looked back and saw Prewitt was down. A scout noticed Akin also was wounded.
"I looked down, and there was nothing but blood on my right leg," Akin says. He remembers wondering if he would be alive for his daughter's first birthday.
The scout hollered for a medic. Akin's pants leg was cut away and his wound was cleaned. Then three soldiers carried in Prewitt.
Both of them had injured right legs. Akin's wound barely missed his femur. Prewitt wasn't as lucky; the bone appeared shattered.
Medics couldn't stop the bleeding. As they operated, Akin held Prewitt's IV bag with one hand and his buddy's hand with his other. He kept talking to Prewitt, to keep him from going into shock.
Then a truck exploded and blew out windows in the institute. The medics moved Prewitt to a more secure room and asked Akin to step out. They assured him Prewitt would be OK.
The next morning, Akin was transported back to his unit. All of his gear had been destroyed in the ambush, so his fellow soldiers gave him a change of clothes and toiletries.
Then an officer updated him on Prewitt.
His buddy was dead.
"I wanted to go home," Akin says. "I couldn't believe it."
He actually was given the option to return home, but he decided to tough it out.
"You have to get over it," he says.
That wasn't easy. Akin left the Army in 2004 but had trouble sleeping and finding satisfaction in civilian jobs with Georgia Power and Lowe's in Columbus.
"A lot of my friends questioned my decision (to serve in the Army) and were making smart remarks," he says. "They didn't spit on me like Vietnam, but they would say things in front of me, and I was like, 'Hey, I bled. My buddy died.'"
One day while he was reading meters, a plane flew overhead, and Akin had to sit down because he felt dizzy. He talked to a psychiatrist but doesn't think it helped.
"I got my mind right by myself," he says. "All of a sudden, it clicked. I quit feeling sorry for myself."
He became more patient.
"Waiting in line at Walmart for 20 minutes is nothing like waiting in the desert," he says.
And he cut himself a break.
"I stopped guessing why we were in Iraq," Akin says. "You're a soldier. It's like a kid who asks for spaghetti for dinner and all of a sudden doesn't want it. No, that doesn't work. You signed up for it."
Two years ago, he decided to return to the Army.
"I just missed the camaraderie and meeting people from different parts of the country," says Akin, now 33. "I got healthy again, got my mind back right, and I was ready to keep on fighting."
Today he is a sergeant at Fort Riley, Kan. He has been married to Lauren for two years, and they have two children, 7-year-old Averie and infant Brock. Kyli is 10 years old and lives with her mother in Smiths Station, Ala.
Akin says he's proud of his service in Iraq.
"We freed those people from a dictator," he says. "I don't think it was a failure. A lot of them still have to get their feet on the ground, but they're a lot closer to freedom."
'College is easy compared to this'
Arthur Bryan was a 21-year-old private from Brooklyn, N.Y., who enlisted because he was flunking out of college. He didn't have a civilian driver's license, but he drove an M577 tracked command post carrier for 2-69 Armor.
"We were well-trained," Bryan says with a laugh.
His convoy pulled out of the gate at midnight as the invasion began, and it took about a day to cross the border into Iraq.
"When we first crossed," Bryan says, "we actually paused and were like, 'Hey, we're now in Iraq. We were all proud because we knew we were there for a reason and we were going to accomplish that reason. There was no turning back."
He doesn't remember the first time he had to fire his weapon, but he does remember that the Iraqi soldiers "were nothing. I don't mean to sound lightly but once we fired back, they ran. They didn't stay around for the fight."
He faced some harrowing moments, though, especially when his track had to slow down to navigate narrow streets. Teams took casualties in vehicles in front and behind his, but his squad was spared. He thought about his decision to join the Army. "I was like, 'Whoa. What was I thinking? College is easy compared to this.' I needed to learn that lesson."
Later, a half-naked Iraqi man approached his convoy.
"We didn't know what he had in store, but we had to shoot him up," Bryan says. "For a while, a couple days, it was like, 'Why did we actually shoot him? He probably just wanted something to eat.' But it was kill or be killed. We didn't question anything then. It was different when they clarified and changed the war status to peacekeeping. Then we tried to rationalize, 'Why are you coming toward us?'"
At the end of his tour of duty, Bryan went back to Fort Benning. He married Sarah in 2005, then returned to Iraq for another combat tour.
On Oct. 1, 2005, shrapnel from an Iraqi mortar severed Bryan's carotid artery and caused him to suffer a stroke. He lost the use of his right hand and has been on 100 percent medical disability since.
He says he also suffered mental problems and underwent counseling for PTSD for about a year.
"I don't think there's the help out there, other than being a spiritual person and God helping you," says Bryan, now 31. "It just takes time. I had to learn a lot because I was bitter for really no reason, and I'm not a bitter person. It always came out when I was dealing with my wife. I had to learn to calm down."
HEADLINE: 'The worst part is the smell'
Ron Marshall was a 35-year-old sergeant first class from Arkansas who worked in fire support with 3rd Brigade headquarters. He was responsible for coordinating shooting and battlefield positions.
"When we started seeing media guys show up," Marshall says, "it was like, 'OK, this is a little more real.'"
Before advancing into Iraq, he had bought a miniature American flag on a wooden stick and taped it to the rearview mirror of his Humvee.
On March 25, 2003, a sandstorm around As Samawa slowed their advance. Two soldiers in Marshall's unit got lost in the blinding storm less than 15 yards from their vehicle. Two hours later, special forces found them about 1,000 yards from where they thought they were.
The first heavy fire Marshall saw was near Najaf, about 100 miles southwest of Baghdad.
"It was the first time you could actually hear them shooting back at you," Marshall says.
The 2-69 Armor led the charge to Baghdad, and the brigade unleashed artillery barrages in front of every major intersection.
"The resistance wasn't effective at all," Marshall says. "It was pretty much a turkey shoot."
Still, he saw things he can't put out of his memory.
"I've eaten lunch by a dead guy," he says. "You see a lot of death. The worst part is the smell. It's 118-, 120-degree heat, so it doesn't take long for the body to swell up and implode. With body fluids coming out, you're at risk for hepatitis."
On April 9, Baghdad officially fell. Marshall stayed with the brigade in the city for another month, headquartered at the Iraqi Petroleum Institute.
"That was like our first taste of air conditioning," he says.
He was back home in late June. The flag on his rearview mirror had survived the war, and he had a new appreciation for life.
"We lost guys we didn't expect to lose," says Marshall, now 45. "It's just a blessing every day that you're here."
Today, he lives in Phenix City and works as the operation manager of the Close Combat Tactical Trainer at Fort Benning. His 21-year-old son, Aaron, is a specialist with the 75th Ranger Regiment out of Fort Benning and was deployed to Afghanistan. Marshall initially tried to convince his son not to join the Army, but he relented when he saw the same dedication he has.
"I just told him to keep your head on a swivel," he says, "and never get complacent."
'That's when it started to get real'
James Rogers was a 35-year-old sergeant from Newark, N.J., with the 203rd Battalion at Fort Benning. His job was casualty reporting. With him, he kept sealed letters to his wife Diann and his 2-year-old son Antonio, in case he was killed.
In Iraq, he helped set up a combat support hospital in an abandoned building near Tallil Air Base, and soon waves of helicopters were bringing in the wounded.
"It was like a scene out of 'MASH,'" Rogers says.
They gave the wounded three priorities: U.S. casualties first, then Iraqi women and children, then Iraqi men.
Rogers helped prepare bodies to be sent home.
"That's when it started to get real," he says.
He found an engagement photo in the wallet of Staff Sgt. Stevon Booker, 34, of Apollo, Pa., who was killed in action on April 5.
Rogers made sure the photo made it home to Booker's family.
"People have said the real wars were World War II and Vietnam, but this was a real war, too," he says. "People came back injured or dead. It may not have the same glamour, but when you send someone back home, it doesn't matter what the war is; a casualty is a casualty."
Another time, a 7-year-old Iraqi girl was brought into the hospital. She had been killed in a car crash after her father, who was trying to drive his family to safety, lost control of the vehicle.
"There was really nothing we could do but wait for the family members," he says. "They showed up with a casket, put her in, tied it to the roof of their car and drove off. That was it."
But Rogers also found inspiration in the hospital. A Marine, new to his unit, came in with a wounded leg. Medics patched him up, and he insisted on returning to battle.
"To me, that demonstrated this war, this conflict, was important to everyone who was there," Rogers says. "It wasn't a matter of getting injured and hiding and wanting to go home. It was ultimately about being there to see an end of the war, and ultimately we were victorious."
Today, Rogers is a captain and training officer with the 3rd Brigade at Fort Benning. He's survived a second tour to Iraq in 2009, which means those letters remained sealed.
Where are they today?
"I'm not sure," he says. "I'm just glad my wife and son never had to open them."
'Giant pieces of flaming hot metal were flying everywhere'
Shane Larkin was a 27-year-old staff sergeant from Pennsylvania. He served as an infantry squad leader with Bravo Company, First Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment.
When his unit arrived in Kuwait in early 2003, they had one focus. "It was train, train, train," he says. They fired as many as 9,000 rounds a day, and a photo of Larkin during training appeared in Life magazine.
"I didn't even know it was being taken," he says. "That photographer must had a good lens because he was nowhere close to us."
Larkin and his men were among the first to enter Iraq, and had to clear out a minefield. They then took part in the capture of Tallil Air Base, the closest airbase to Baghdad and one of the first objectives of the invasion, opening it for U.S. aircraft.
Larkin's squad took heavy fire in As Samawah, then faced more battles when they reached Baghdad.
He says it was a tough environment for soldiers. "It was about 120 degrees and we didn't have much water," he says. "No hot meals. I went two months without a shower," he said.
One day, he and his men were guarding a depot where ammunition and weapons were being destroyed. Iraqis were hired to drive the trucks and one of them was smoking a cigarette and set his truck on fire. The depot caught on fire too.
"We were still guarding it as it was blowing up, Larkin says. "Giant pieces of flaming hot metal were flying everywhere."
Today, Larkin has four degrees from Columbus State University. He discusses the Iraq invasion often as a world cultures instructor at Arnold Magnet Academy in Columbus, and he likes to show his classes the photo from Life.
His wife Dana is assistant dean for students at CSU, and they have two young daughters, Halee and Noelle.
While Larkin says he's still wary of garbage on the street -- a frequent hiding place for improvised explosive devices in Iraq -- he says he's had few issues as an effect of the fighting he experienced, and that he feels bad for those who've struggled.
He's still close to many of his fellow soldiers.
"It's a special brotherhood," he says. "You have to go through something like that to understand."


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Ooh la la, France was just too fab
I have just returned from a month spent touring great gardens in France. It was quite amazing, but more about that in a minute.
When I left Vancouver at the beginning of May, it was cold, wet and miserable.
When I got back, I could see from the state of my garden that the weather hadn't changed much over those four weeks: Many plants were showing signs of prolonged exposure to cool temperatures, wet days and the lack of sunshine.
I knew when I left Vancouver that we were at least three, perhaps even four weeks behind seasonal norms in the garden.
In France, I found the exact opposite: The season was at least four weeks ahead of schedule.
When I flew out of Vancouver, winter was down for the count; spring appeared to be about to win the battle and start the rush to summer.
When I arrived in Paris, it was summer already with temperatures in the mid-20s C and even soaring to a sweltering 30 C on a few days.
I arrived expecting to see tunnels of wisteria, banks of peonies, beds of irises, some late-flowering tulips, early alliums, the last of rhododendrons and azaleas. If I was lucky, I thought I might see a few roses in bloom.
What I found was summer had arrived like an express train. Wisteria, tulips and most peonies were long gone. Roses were not only blooming, they were out in full force – roses, roses, roses, everywhere, gloriously out in their abundance and looking healthy and fantastic, without a trace of black spot.
Who would have guessed it? It was like stepping from March into July.
All the summer-flowering clematis were also fully out. In other places, there were magnificent stands of delphiniums, foxtail lilies and masses of red valerian.
Everything was a bit topsy-turvy: Spring had accelerated into summer like a jet plane and summer had seized the baton and was rocketing away at an equally insane pace, creating water shortages, formidable pollen counts and desperate drought conditions.
The whole time I was in France, the people were praying for rain. Every day, the weatherman said it would rain (trying to be nice) but it never did.
I, coming from the cool of Vancouver, was of course happy to have nothing but drenching sunshine.
Grass had already turned yellow, wheat fields were already ripening, and currant bushes were already bearing fruit. It seemed as if every plant that could produce flowers was in flower — a total avalanche of blooms.
At Monet's garden in Giverny, water lilies on the surface of the famous pond were at their peak, while quirkily on the banks there were still a few rhododendrons in bloom.
The main garden was a mass of flower colour — the canvases of a dozen gorgeous garden scenes merged into one.
At the Bagatelle Gardens in Paris, the world-class collection of roses had never looked better – swags, tunnels, pillars, arches and arbours smothered by perfectly formed blooms.
The same was true at Parc Floral de la Source rose garden in Orleans, although two weeks later when I saw this garden a second time, the toll of the persistent heat wave had catapulted many of the roses to the finish line — they were over and done in what seemed like the blink of an eye.
I saw a lot and learned a lot on this trip.
The first thing I became aware of was the beauty of the street trees and delightful absence of aerial clutter (since all wires are discreetly placed underground).
Large, beautiful chestnut, plane and linden trees were closely planted along streets – sometimes in rows less than 15 feet apart – and most often superbly clipped or pleached into handsome geometric shapes.
In Chartres, I stood and watched a work crew painstakingly shearing a row of lindens using a cherry-picker cage to reach the top. Every scrap of debris was cleaned up. The attention to detail was amazing.
It showed me how the French are unafraid to pour money into maintaining the beauty of their urban landscape. It also made me wonder why pleaching is not done more here, especially where there are overhead wires.
At the International Garden Festival at Chaumont-sur-Loire, I saw some exceptionally creative, fun, as well as shockingly thought-provoking gardens; all built to make us think about the future and the need for a greater awareness about biodiversity.
One garden, called Plants on Life-Support, featured a hospital bed with plants hooked up to monitors. All the other plants in the garden were connected to intravenous blood-transfusion bags.
More whimsical creations included a garden of giant bulbs made out of thin strips of wood and another installation with tiny bells attached to masses of red, white and blue streamers over raised vegetable beds. When a breeze rustled the streamers, the bells rang out, perhaps as a warning about our need to pay attention to food security.
My favourite installation was the Pixelated Garden, which featured a set of colourful oil barrels placed at odd angles in a shallow pond.
Water poured into the pond through white armatures from each corner while a walkway around the pond doubled as a very functional patio space. Superb. I saw this garden as an easy installation and low-maintenance option that could be reworked for any Vancouver backyard.
I visited a few classical, formal French gardens: Vaux le Vicomte, Courances, Villandry and Versailles.
What I was not expecting was how restful it can be to walk slowly through these vast formal, graceful, minimalistic landscapes. It really was a treat.
The immense scale and formal layout and unambiguous sense of order produces an astonishing degree of tranquillity and harmony. Go figure.
Pictures don't capture it; you really have to walk the walks to feel it. I have much more to tell you, but I've run out of space today. To be continued.


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PARIS — A smartly dressed woman at the Four Seasons Hotel in Paris asked if I needed help finding my room. I shook my head, and found my own way to my room. When I opened the door, I saw it was filled with lavender roses and had a balcony with a view of the skyline.
Starving, I made my way down to Le Cinq, the hotel's Michelin-rated restaurant. It is dreamy both in décor and in the delicious factor. I indulged in flaky croissants, cappuccino and a plethora of mouth-watering breakfast foods.
I pinched myself. It was November, the sun was shining and I was walking down the Champs Élysées heading toward the Louvre.
One of the charms of Paris is the fabulous art: from the grand structures such as the Eiffel Tower to the tiny pieces of chocolate in the candy stores. Details are not overlooked, and perhaps that's one of the reasons Paris is so magical.
Yellow and orange leaves lined the grounds of the Tuilleries Gardens. Partway through the park, on rue de Rivolli, is the Le Meurice hotel, a perfect place for a coffee or a drink, as the bartender has concocted thousands for his customers.
View from the top of the Eiffel Tower at Night
He reads people well; my special drink was a non-alcoholic tropical fruit. It was so delicious that I indulged in two!
After mixing with the glamorous people, I put on my walking shoes, as inside the Tuilleries Gardens is the Orangerie Museum. It is small but boasts two rooms filled with Monet's paintings of water lilies.
I spent the day wandering, and eventually found my way to the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Behind it is the Memorial to the Martyrs of the Deportation, a place of remembrance of those deported to concentration camps during World War II. It is across rue de l'Archevêché, near square de l'Île de France. A small gate leads to a memorial to an unknown World War II deportee. Inside are names of the German death camps, where 200,000 French men, women and children, Jews and Christians, were murdered.
My feet led me to the city's most famous Jewish neighbourhood, the Marais; it is known as the Pletzl – Yiddish for "little place." This district has been home to Jewish people on and off since the 13th century. Today, it is one of the city's most fashionable quarters. There is a large Jewish population and there has been one for nearly 100 years now.
I couldn't help but stop for a falafel on rue des Rosiers. The line was down the block on both sides, and needless to say, it was one of the best falafels I have eaten outside of Israel.
The bakeries also demand attention, and one that found my favour was Korcarz, opened by Polish Holocaust survivors in 1948. The variety of pastries there was endless, from the mouth-watering Hungarian dessert dobosh (cream-filled cake) and baklava to cheesecake and apple strudel.
Time well spent was at the Shoah Memorial, which is free. Much of the tour I took was in French, but the pictures and videos make the obvious clear.
On a happier note, the Museum of Jewish Art and History was filled with interesting Judaica. It was fascinating to read about French Jewish history, especially the Dreyfus Affair (1894-1900), and its impact on the creation of the State of Israel. Exhibits also include works by Paris-based Jewish artists Chagall, Modigliani and Soutine. Even the building where the museum is housed, in the 17th-century Hôtel De St-Aignan, has its own Jewish history and connections.
A few days into my adventure, I switched hotels from the elegant Four Seasons to the Hotel Fouquet's Barrière, located on the Champs Élysées, It has a modern décor, but with old-school sensibilities, as now I had my own private butler, so that almost every wish I had could be granted.
The Hotel Fouquet's dedication to detail was fabulously outrageous. Before my arrival, I filled out a questionnaire that asked me the types of flowers I liked, chocolate, drinks, and even the type of bed and pillows I preferred.
One of Paris's best-kept secrets for fine dining is a restaurant inside Fouquet's, Le Diane. It's elegant, discreet, and it's like being in a James Bond movie – use your passkey to unlock doors inside the hotel that will lead you to a culinary delight.
The service is superior and the food spectacular, from the mouth-watering entrees to the desserts, the presentation, design and, most importantly, the taste. Chef Jean-Yves Leuranguer's restaurant is not yet Michelin rated, so it's best to go now, before it's impossible to book a table.
Paris by day is filled with aromas of crepes and cupcake shops.
The city is home to dazzling works of art, especially at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, which is housed in the eastern wing of the Palais de Tokyo.
For hours, I marvelled at the beauty and got lost in the phenomenal art of Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Chaïm Soutine and Mark Chagall.
A painting by Raoul Dufy, called The Fairy Electricity, is one of the biggest in the world at 600 square metres. It fills an enormous room and is about the story of electricity over time. The painting was created to decorate the interior of the Palace of Light and Electricity at the 1937 International Exposition. It's truly a masterpiece and also happens to be fun to see.
The museum houses thousands of works of art and is free, although there is an entrance fee for special exhibits.
Paris by night is very romantic, and one of the best ways to experience it is by a BATEAUX evening boat cruise. Gliding down the Seine, you will see the Eiffel Tower, the French Statue of Liberty, Notre Dame and many other major sights visible from the river.
During the three-hour adventure, sexy singers will croon to you at your table, you can enjoy delightful food, and a fantastic photographer will record the magic of the night at your table, and even outside with Parisian icons, if you ask.
The boat cruise is a definite must, and while it's always nice to have great weather, strangely the light rain we experienced on the cruise only made it more enchanting.
Paris is a city for lovers, food lovers that is, and the choices are endless.
For traditional French food, try Astier, a bistro. It's a place to rub shoulders with the locals, and it's known for its love of tradition and over-the-top cheese plates. Chez Paul, on rue de Lappe in the Bastille area, is also an excellent choice.
But if glamour is more your style and you are looking to see and be seen, I suggest the Le Relais, a chic restaurant with an elegant but relaxed atmosphere.
A brasserie inside the luxurious Plaza Athénée hotel, Le Relais features mouth-watering entrees and has excellent service. The hotel is opulent but modern. Be sure to check out the bar. It's a cosy place for an after dinner drink.
French food is fabulous, but if you are looking for a flavour of the East, try the Shang Palace, which opened in September in the Shangri-La Hotel. The chef, Frank Xu, provides spectacular Cantonese food, which is not so typical for Paris. Everything on the menu is scrumptious, especially the eggplant.
In my quest to experience the many areas of Paris, I switched hotels again, to the Radisson Blu. I found the manager of the eight-floor business lounge charming. He showed me the city from the windows of the hotel's halls, everything from the local synagogue to the Eiffel tower.
The hotel, located on boulevard Haussmann, is near premium shopping, which makes it a great location. There are a few special museums that are about a half-hour walk away.
One that touched me was the Nissim de Camondo Museum (photo above). The museum was once home to a Jewish family known as the "Rothschilds of the East," whose members died in Auschwitz.
Paris is filled with so many dreamy locations, outstanding art and over-the-top restaurants. The people are charming, especially if you break out a few simple words in French. Most everyone I encountered was welcoming and helpful.


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Is that Kenny?No, stop binge-watching South Park.
This is Jibo. We know it looks like a cross between South Park's Kenny and Wall-E's EVE and reminds us of Luxo, Jr the Pixar lamp in the way it moves. All very friendly animated character associations that won't give you nightmares when Jibo blinks to life.
How is it going to fit into my family?For one, Jibo isn't a one-trick bot. It's outfitted with two hi-res cameras and full body touch sensors to recognise faces and react to your touch. It'll help out around the house by fielding calls and messages, issuing timely reminders, and connecting family members via their different devices.
An overseas relative can video chat via Jibo which automatically swivels to face whoever is talking. Have a family event? Have Jibo take the photos so no one will ever be missing from the family album again (except poor Jibo). No time to read a story to little Becca? Have Jibo take over.
There's even more planned for Jibo with developers being able to build apps (activity-tracking, games, and the like) that will stitch the fabric of your family together via unthreatening little Jibo.
So essentially, it's a virtual assistant made physical?Not quite. Jibo's a social robot. It's a little more present than Siri, cuter than Asimo and as a result, a whole more likeable. With a display taking the space of its face, a single animated winky eye does more to express emotion than an artificial face could.
While Jibo can't move, it weighs just 2.7kg to be easily moved from room to room. There's an emotional bit to all of this in the way Jibo swivels its two-part body to greet you when you come home and in the tone of its voice, making it seem more than just a soulless machine.
I want a robot friend!Get on it quick then, you're not alone. Its Indiegogo campaign has already raised over three times the required amount with 30 days left to go still.
Right now, the Jibo is still available for US$499 (RM1600) with free shipping to the US and Canada. If you're located somewhere else, you'll have to add US$50 (RM160) for shipping. It's due to be shipped in 2015 which is still a while away, but you can use that time to prepare that underground bunker in case Jibo goes rogue.


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Eventually, you're going to stop working. But that won't keep the bills from rolling in. Have you thought about how you're going to maintain your income in retirement?
Nationwide Destination Navigator 2.0 may be able to help. It's a variable annuity that can help you accumulate assets for retirement. Once you're in retirement you can take income from your balance, and if you should pass away unexpectedly before annuitization occurs, a death benefit will be paid to your beneficiary. Keep in mind that if you take withdrawals before you're 59½, you may have to pay a 10% tax penalty in addition to ordinary income taxes. Early withdrawals may be subject to ordinary income taxes. They may trigger early surrender charges and reduce your death benefit and cash value.
Destination Navigator 2.0 has optional riders that you can add for an extra cost. These riders can help you ensure that your annuity has the features that are important to you.


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Can you provide some tips about memory card usage?
Olympus digital cameras use various types of memory cards that serve as removable memory -- SmartMedia cards, xD-Picture cards, CompactFlash cards, SD/SDHC cards and microSD cards. They are a renewable resource that can be used again and again. Unlike film, they are not susceptible to the effects of extreme weather or airport x-rays. People have even reported accidentally running their cards through the laundry with no adverse effects. Memory cards can be used thousands of times if you follow the following tips:
Keep the contacts clean
Avoid touching the metal contacts on memory cards that have exposed contacts - SmartMedia cards, xD-Picture cards, SD/SDHC cards and microSD cards. Skin oil on the contacts can reduce connectivity with the camera's memory card slot or a memory card reader. Contacts should be wiped clean with a dry soft cloth, such as a microfiber cloth. Do not use solvents.
Format the card occasionally Memory cards should be formatted to maintain top performance. They should only be formatted using the camera - never format using a computer as it may render the card unreadable by the camera. If a memory card is new or has been used in another camera, it is best to format the card in the camera that it will be used in. Formatting creates a directory called the File Allocation Table (FAT) in the camera and on the card that is used to manage and save the image files.
Formatting clears the directory structure of the card and removes any artifacts that may be left behind from erasing. Repeatedly using the ERASE and ERASE ALL camera options and not formatting can result in a buildup of file artifacts that may eventually cause the card to fail. Be sure to download and save any images on the memory card before formatting.
If the memory card is accidentally formatted in the camera, all is not lost - you may be able to recover your images. Formatting clears the directory from the card that is used to find and manage the image files and creates a new directory. The images are still there, but there is no way for the camera or the imaging software to find them.
Do not shoot any new images if the card is accidentally formatted - the new images will overwrite the old images. There is a very strong possibility of retrieving images from a formatted memory card using media recovery software, which can be purchased at a camera store or online. There are also free and trial versions of media recovery software that can be found on the Internet. The software can find the files and then the files can be saved to a folder.
Memory card corruption
If you get an error message on the camera LCD screen that says CARD ERROR or FORMAT CARD, or the computer says there are no images on the card, the card has probably become corrupted. Memory card corruption has many causes, but these are the most common:
- Returning an edited image to the memory card: If an edited image is returned to the memory card and the card is put back into the camera, the camera doesn't understand the modified file information and doesn't know how to deal with the file. The most common symptom is that the camera can read images in playback up to a point and no further. This is because it can't get past the modified data. Never return an edited image to a memory card. Become familiar with the procedures in the image editing software for saving files.
- Disconnecting the camera or removing the memory card from a computer while the computer is still communicating with the card. When a computer is aware of the presence of a memory card, it is continually in communication with the content of the card and the image file information - the file header on a Windows computer or the info fork on a Mac computer. If the camera's USB cable is pulled from the camera or computer, or the memory card is pulled from a memory card reader or printer while computer is reading the card, the header or info fork might become corrupted. The thumbnail file of the image may appear scrambled or there will part of the image with the rest of the area being gray. Here, again, the camera will be unable to read the corrupted data and may not be able to get past the corrupted image. Media recovery software may be able to save the card and the images, but the chances are less than if an edited image is returned to the card. To properly disconnect a USB cable or remove a memory card from a memory card reader or a printer, first close all image files and imaging applications to be sure the computer or printer is no longer communicating with the files. Then shut down the USB connection with the camera or card. Computers see cameras and memory cards as drives. On a Windows computer, use the Safely Remove Hardware function in the Taskbar on the Desktop screen before unplugging a camera or removing a memory card. On a Mac platform, either drag the drive icon on the Desktop screen to the Trash, or use the EJECT button before disconnecting the camera or removing the card from the card reader or printer.
Caring for and using a memory card properly can help avoid the calamity of losing precious memories which often far outweigh the monetary value of a memory card. Employing the methods above will give your memory cards a long and healthy life.
Archive - Compact Cameras:
- Playing back photos and movies
- Printing the date on your photos
- Taking better indoor photos
- Changing resolution
- Best image sizes for emailing
- Avoiding blur in low light
- Taking pictures faster
- Evening out exposure for panoramic sequences
- Digital vs. film ISO
- Grainy pictures
- xD-Picture Card Use and Care
- Black and White with your point and shoot
- Shooting for online auctions
- Panoramic photography
- How do I photograph documents?
- Get images off of internal memory?
- Increasing shot-to-shot speed
- Tips for shooting portraits
- Tips for shooting holiday lights outdoors
- Tips about memory card usage
- My videos I'm not getting any sound. Why?
- Tips for shooting panorama photos
- Minimizing shutter lag
- Transferring your photos to a CD
- Macro photography
- Double exposures and xD card questions
- Battery charging guidelines
- Truer color indoors
- Proper settings and exposure for stage photos
- Minimizing glare from glasses
- Adjusting for photos shot into the sun
- Keeping faces sharp
- Why do I get red-rye?
- Steadying camera in NIGHT Scene mode
- Extending my battery charge?
- Shooting in cold weather
- Using the Macro shooting mode
- Save a zoomed playback image
- Printing from Olympus software
- Low Light Sports Photography
- Shooting indoors in the winter
- Using my camera on a telescope or microscope
- Tips for getting better results using the flash
- Tips for controlling sunlight


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Whether you are a national creditor, a default servicer, or national law firm, we can help you improve the management of your bankruptcy cases through the intelligent use of data.


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A Florida judge on Wednesday denied Gawker's motion for a new trial in the Hulk Hogan sex-video case and won't reduce a $140 million jury verdict.
Judge Pamela Campbell's ruling is the latest development in a yearslong legal fight between Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, and the gossip website.
Hogan sued Gawker after it posted a 2007 video of him having sex with Heather Clem, wife of his then-best friend Bubba The Love Sponge Clem, a local Tampa DJ who made the video. During the Gawker trial, Hogan mournfully described how Clem betrayed his trust.
The three-week trial was a lurid inside look at the business of celebrity gossip and a debate over newsworthiness versus celebrity privacy.
In March, a Pinellas County jury awarded Hogan $115 million in compensatory damages plus an added $25 million in punitive damages.
Earlier this month, Hogan sued Gawker again, saying the website leaked sealed court documents containing a transcript that quoted him making racist remarks.
Gawker denies that it leaked the transcript to the National Enquirer. In the transcript, Hogan, who is white, makes several racist statements about his daughter's ex-boyfriend, who is black. Once the Enquirer published the story, WWE severed its longtime ties with the famous wrestler.
The suit in Pinellas County Court also accuses a talent agent, two disc jockeys, a radio company and a lawyer of conspiring to send news media outlets the sex tape and causing Hogan emotional distress and economic harm.
The New York Times and Forbes, citing unnamed sources, allege that billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel has been secretly funding Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker Media.
Forbes says Thiel, who co-founded PayPal and sits on the Facebook board of directors, has been footing the former wrestler's legal bills "against a shared enemy." The Forbes article , and a similar one in the Times, cited unnamed people familiar with the situation.
Efforts by The Associated Press to reach Thiel on Tuesday morning were unsuccessful.


text: LATROBE, Pa. (AP) The catharsis came inside a crowded restaurant on that raucous Friday night in late April when James Conner picked up the phone and Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was on the other end telling Conner he was about to be selected in the third round of the NFL draft. Heath Miller Jerseys That's when the tears came. That's when Conner took a deep breath and celebrated the final steps in his draining journey from marginal college prospect to record-setting running back to cancer patient to the highest level of his chosen profession.There were no tears when Conner arrived at Saint Vincent College on Thursday to start training camp. No moment in the dorm room he's sharing with second-round pick Juju Smith-Schuster to Antonio Brown Jerseys think about just how far he's come.If Conner is being honest. He's ready to move on. While his spirited and ultimately one-sided battle with lymphoma in 2015 and 2016 turned the former Pitt star into a role model, made (hash)ConnerStrong very much a thing and turned his No. 30 Steelers jersey into a hot seller before he even signed his contract now he sees himself as just another rookie trying to make it."There's no emotion (about) being a cancer survivor and everything," Conner said Friday as the Steelers opened camp. "I'm a good football player. All the emotional part, `Oh wow, I'm in the NFL,' that's all behind me."The 22-year-old is only focused on what's ahead, namely trying to get a firm grasp of the intricacies of offensive coordinator Todd Haley's playbook and developing a rapport with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. With Pro Bowler Le'Veon Bell yet to sign his franchise tag-tender and report to camp, Conner and former Ryan Shazier Jerseys Kansas City Chiefs backup Knile Davis find themselves splitting Ben Roethlisberger Jerseys carries with the starters.Conner understands he's not Bell. Then again, neither is anyone else in the NFL."He set the bar, he definitely set the bar high with his receiving and his running ability and his pass blocking, in every category to me he's the best running back in the Le'Veon Bell Jerseys game," Conner said. "I've got to get in a rhythm. It'll give me an opportunity to work with Ben a little bit so there's no drop-off in the rhythm when Bell comes out of the game.


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Belinda Oke
Tel: 519-496-7689
Email: email@example.com
The calculations generated by the Mortgage Calculator are approximate and do not include insurance premiums, applicable sales taxes, closing costs or other fees that may be required. See a Fusion Homes Sales Professional for further details.
The Fusion Homes Mortgage Calculator is for general illustrative purposes only. The amount it projects are based upon assumptions and estimates made according to generally accepted principles for mortgages in Canada. Fusion Homes cannot guarantee the projections. Actual payment amount must be obtained from your lender. Neither Fusion Homes nor any of its advisors shall have any liability for the accuracy of the information generated from this tool.


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Financial advisers in the path of superstorm Hurricane Sandy communicated with clients from wherever — and whatever way — they could on Tuesday.
A number of advisory offices along the northeastern coast stayed shut for a second day because of power outages, including Regent Atlantic Capital LLC in Morristown, New Jersey. With about half of its employees lacking power at home, those advisers relied on cell phones charged in their cars to make sure they were available to clients.
Most of the firm's clients live within a 45-minute drive of the office so many of them are likely to be without electricity too, said Chris Cordaro, the firm's chief executive. He emailed all clients this morning from his home, which does have power, to inform them that Regent was closed. The email provided cell phone numbers for all its wealth managers.
"The biggest thing clients could need today or in the next few days would be cash, and we could transfer money between their accounts or do whatever they needed in that respect," Mr. Cordaro said.
The cell networks in the region are operating slowly, he said, because so many people are depending on their wireless devices for communicating.
In New York City, which is facing the worst power outage in its history, financial adviser Karen Altfest walked two miles to her Manhattan offices where the lights were working.
All of the firm's staff that lives outside the city were working from home, however, because most roads, bridges and public transportation lines were closed. About eight of Altfest Personal Wealth Management's staff made it in on Tuesday, which is an improvement over Monday when only one "intrepid soul" made it in, she said.
Client meetings have been cancelled through tomorrow, though planned calls with clients are still happening and internal meetings were going on through conference calls, Ms. Altfest said. Remote communications technologies were helping advisers do business "almost as usual" from their homes, something that 10 years ago would not have been possible.
"It's amazing how well it all works," she said. "We're getting more than 20 people working together in synch remotely."
As superstorm Sandy hit Washington, Philadelphia and Boston with a less severe wallop, many advisers in these cities opened offices, even if a limited number of employees could get in due to transportation issues.
With the U.S. markets closed for a second day, advisers said most clients were quiet. The New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq have announced plans to open on Wednesday.


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A Vintage Fall Wedding at Sweetwater Farm in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania
The theme of Dara Gans (43 and works in event planning) and John Marshall's (45 and an architect) wedding was motivated by their passion of repurposing and bringing new life to old objects that time has forgotten. Dara has the ability to find lost treasures and create new uses for them, either for the home or in her jewelry. John has converted several former warehouses and office buildings into loft-style apartments and condominiums. Grace Winery at Sweetwater Farm in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, seemed like the perfect setting for their wedding since the site itself was repurposed from a farmhouse into an inn and the barn was converted into a winery. Dara and John stuck to a basic palette of black, whites, cork, kraft paper and burlap—simple materials that had a classic style and timeless feel. —Meghan Overdeep


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They are completely effortless to prepare - you just have to make them early in the day so they have time to cook about 4-6 hours and make the transformation.
Cabernet & Thyme Mushrooms
Get my Printable Recipes, here.
1 stick of butter
4 cloves of garlic
4 cups of Mushrooms (I used baby bella), cut in half
1/2 bottle of Cabernet
2 cups of beef broth
2 teaspoons of sea salt
6 sprigs of thyme
In a medium/large heavy pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Add wine, broth, salt & thyme. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook, covered for 4-6 hours.
Looks like a great way to start a recipe - all of my favorite things.
Be careful not to burn the garlic, keep the heat low.
Add mushrooms and let them begin to soften and absorb the butter.
Simmer on low (or put in the oven covered) for 4-6 hours until the mushrooms have absorbed the wine and become deep purple.


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Welcome to Colin's Classic Automobiles
The Foundation
I founded Colin's Classic Automobiles to offer the quality of collector cars and service that I found to be sorely lacking in this world of fly-by-night operators and self-proclaimed "experts." While first and foremost I am a car collector, I also sell a very small number of the best, premium quality cars to discerning buyers- most coming from my personal collection when I run out of room or decide to change up the roster a bit.
Besides this dealership my other "job" is writing about collector cars. The history of these machines and the people that surround them simply fascinates me. I am deeply honored to have my writing regularly featured in publications such as the New York Times, Business Week, USA Today, and others along with frequent television appearances and seminars. I am also a Contributing Editor to Road & Track Magazine, as well as Editor-at-Large for Sports Car Market and American Car Collector Magazines for the past decade. I've also worked closely with the great folks at Hagerty Insurance for the past 15 years in their media and valuation departments, as well as doing seminars for them for many years, and am currently their Marketplace Director. In 2012 Autoweek named me as an automotive industry "Movers and Shaker" for my contributions to the collector car world and my writing, including the five (and counting) books I have authored (shameless plug: www.colincomerbooks.com)
Shopping Advice
Since I am literally immersed in the collector car market on a daily basis, let me share some thoughts with collector car shopping: Chances are, because of the small number of cars I sell, you won't end up buying a car from me. So my advice is to be diligent. Educate yourself on the particular make and model you seek. Attend any number of the excellent collector car seminars that are held at most major auction events. Do your research. Investigate. Align yourself with a trusted expert. This isn't pocket change, a good car represents a major investment so find the best and buy it. As time goes on you'll be happy you did. Having a car you truly enjoy owning is money well spent, and the market has proven time and time again that the best cars are always in demand should you ever decide to sell.
My Inventory
Browse my current listings on my inventory page. As mentioned, I could be the lowest volume collector car dealer on the planet, so it won't take long to see what I have up for grabs- if anything. If you don't see what you want listed please email me. Some cars just don't make it to the website before being sold.
I Can Help
If you have located the car of your dreams elsewhere but don't know what to do next, I can help with authentication, inspection, consulting and auction or private party acquisition services. Or, if you have a great car or collection that you've decided to sell I can help with that, too. I'm always a cash buyer for great cars. To start any of these conversations or processes just shoot me an email at firstname.lastname@example.com
Thanks for visiting!


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Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) yesterday said the government will continue to assist the Philippines with its relief and reconstruction efforts in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, with "no limits on resources and manpower to help the country."
Lin told a meeting of the legislature's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee that the assistance offered to the Philippines was highly appreciated by Manila because it included much-needed relief goods and was being delivered promptly.
Two Republic of China Air Force C-130 transport planes left yesterday morning to ferry 15 tonnes of relief supplies to the Philippines and two more left in the afternoon. On Tuesday, two C-130s had delivered 15 tonnes of food, water, blankets and tents to Cebu.
The Ministry of National Defense had been considering using military vessels to transport supplies that have been donated by individuals, charities and religious organizations for post-disaster relief efforts because they total about 100 tonnes so far and the C-130s can only carry 7.5 tonnes at a time, Lin said.
In a statement issued last night, the ministry said six more planes would be sent today.
The ministry has been in close contact with "very high-ranking Philippine officials" about the list of relief supplies needed and delivery arrangements, he said.
Taiwan Solidarity Union Legislator Hsu Chung-hsin (許忠信) asked Lin whether the government planned to add to its US$200,000 financial donation to the Philippines.
That was a small amount compared with the government's donation of US$3.3 million to Japan after the 2011 earthquake, Hsu said.
Lin said the US$200,000 donation had been made before the extent of the devastation in the Philippines became clear, and the government would continue to provide Manila with assistance to meet its rehabilitation and reconstruction needs.
"We did not just donate US$200,000. Taking into account the relief goods, valued at NT$50 million, and fuel and transportation costs, the donation amounted to US$4.3 million," Lin said.
Lin told Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Yang Ying-hsiung (楊應雄), who also expressed concern about the amount of the financial donation, that plans for more relief are being formulated.
KMT Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁方) and Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsiao Bi-Khim (蕭美琴) both suggested that the government extend as much help as possible to the Philippines to pave the way for better bilateral relations.
Hsu said he was not happy that Taiwan had not been included in the list of 23 countries that have made offers of assistance to Manila compiled by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.
However, the department did mention the help offered by Taiwan and organizations, including the UN and the EU in its announcement.
Taiwan was not on the list because the Philippines' "one China" policy does not recognize Taiwan as a country, but the donation effort should not be politicized, Hsu said.
Meanwhile, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said the government will continue offering relief supplies and financial aid to the Philippines in the wake of Haiyan.
"The Philippines is a neighbor of the Republic of China, and engaged in various exchanges with us. More than 60,000 Philippine workers make great contributions to our industries and families in Taiwan, and we should lend a helping hand when our friend is in need," he said.


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Skin at its peak performance.
This lightweight lotion helps skin adapt to the ever-changing aggressors of modern life. Not only does it provide up to 24-hours of hydration — it actually adjusts hydration levels throughout the day for a smooth look and feel and radiant glow. Breakthrough Bio-Mimic Technology harnesses the unique life-giving properties of plants to exactly match the structure of skin, giving it precisely what it needs and nothing it doesn't.
Consumer Panel Test Results:
In an independent consumer study, after two weeks of use*:
*Results obtained from consumer panel study of 30 women.
Ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Prunus Domestica Seed Extract, Glycerin, C12-16 Alcohols, Squalane, C10-18 Triglycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Phytic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Palmitic Acid, Olus Oil (Vegetable Oil)/Huile végétale, Arginine, Behenyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax/Cire de candelilla, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Salicylic Acid.


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Warren Buffett has chosen another fund manager to further his succession plan, and once again it's a candidate who has stayed pretty much out of the spotlight. Ted Wechsler of Peninsula Capital Advisors in Charlottesville, Va., will become the latest addition to the Berkshire Hathaway team in 2012, when he will join Todd Combs in managing the company's equity portfolios.
Reuters reported that Wechsler, 50, has produced some impressive returns for his firm, handling about $400 million out of the firm's approximately $2 billion under management. Over the last 11 years, Wechsler has brought in 1,236% in gains, say investors. Outside of his own firm, though, Wechsler is not well known; several of Buffett's biographers, as well as Mario Gabelli, indicated that they were not familiar with his work. Combs was equally obscure when he joined Berkshire Hathaway.
Wechsler has been interested in Buffett for a while, according to the report, even winning the opportunity to lunch with the Oracle of Omaha twice in the last two years by bidding millions for charity—and then keeping it anonymous, even changing the usual New York steakhouse venue for somewhere on Buffett's own patch in Omaha, Neb.
It was at this year's lunch that Buffett broached the idea of coming to Berkshire to Wechsler. He was quoted in the report saying, "I very much wanted him to do it, but I didn't expect to get very far with the idea. Ted will no doubt make a lot of money at Berkshire. But he was already making a lot of money with his fund—you can get an idea of that from the size of his [charity] bids—so money wasn't a reason for him to come."
About those bids: Wechsler paid $2.63 million, not once but twice, to dine with Buffett. In June 2010 he was the winning but unidentified bidder on eBay for the charity event, and again in June of this year he placed the winning bid of just under $2.35 million against a much reduced field of bidders—then added enough money after the auction ended to top 2010's bid by $111.
Buffett has said he may bring in a third manager as well, but the 81-year-old still manages most of the company's $52.4 billion portfolio himself.


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SurplusChannel.com partners with the Electrical Distributors Network.
SurplusChannel.com signed an exclusive agreement with EDN (Electrical Distributors Network), Concord, Ohio, to design, build and implement a total e-procurement system.
"We're working on an electronic procurement project that applies the technology to everyday purchases," said Doug Kinney, president of SurplusChannel.com.
SurplusChannel.com set up a surplus marketplace for EDN members to sell excess inventory to electrical professionals back in March. EDN partnered with SurplusChannel again to develop a Web-based solution that will link EDN Headquarters, member electrical distributors and the company's Preferred Vendors. Kinney said the system will expedite all procurement transactions.
"An electrical distributor will be able to basically write one purchase order to all manufacturers once a day or twice a day and the system will handle all that electronically," Kinney said. "All correspondence will come electronically so there are no phone calls or faxes."
Electrical distributors are interested in taking advantage of the procurement system, Kinney said.
"We asked them what they would want and how adaptable they would be," Kinney said. "Overall, electrical distributors were very favorable to the idea. I think that everybody realizes that this is probably going to be the wave of the future."
EDN has been and will continue to be a good partner, Kinney said.
"They're one of the fastest-growing buying groups," Kinney said. "Matt Roos (president of EDN) is very forward thinking and realizes that in two or three years, every buying group will be on some system like this. I think they're going to be our partner for quite a long time."
Launched in October of 1999, SurplusChannel.com uses a negotiation-based approach to actively match buyers with sellers of surplus equipment. This is different from other inventory management Web sites, which rely on an auction-based approach that simply loads items for sale and waits for multiple bidders to enter the market. It also is designed to replace the traditional paper-based surplus procurement and distribution process.
Ideal www.idealindustries.com Ideal's new Web site offers end-users and distributors quick and reliable access to information about Ideal's more than 400 test instruments. The site offers an in-depth test and measurement product-selection guide that allows users to choose the features, functions and price range of the test instrument they wish to acquire and then have the product automatically selected. For end users, Ideal has included the names, addresses and phone numbers of the company's test instrument stocking distributors. A "What's New?" page also features the latest in new products, promotions, special offers and happenings in the industry.
Blue Book www.thebluebook.com The Blue Book of Building and Construction launched the second revision of BB-Bid, the online bidding, communications and procurement arm of thebluebook.com. BB-Bid is said to be the only free service of its kind providing access to the Blue Book's proprietary database of more than 800,000 pre-qualified company listings to buyers of construction-related products and services. BB-Bid functions include mass-messaging facilities, vendor-list development and management, bid compilation and analysis and a free two-way communication network. BidScope, the search engine, matches a buyer's needs with potential vendors.
eCalibration Inc. www.ecalibration.com eCalibration Inc. set up a new discussion board to help calibration professionals share information with their peers as well as unite the fragmented calibration industry. Online discussions are grouped in three categories including calibration laboratory management, calibration and measurement science and industry focus groups. The site also offers industry and product news, event calendars, an e-mail newsletter and a Career Center.
Panduit www.panduit.com Panduit recently redesigned its Web site to provide its customers with the latest news and information about Panduit products and events with easy-to-follow navigation. Special features of the Web site include customer access to Pan-Link Online business system via a standard Web browser. A dedicated customer service area gives users the ability to provide feedback, obtain technical support and request printed literature. The newly designed site represents the first phase in a series of planned customer-oriented enhancements intended to improve the company's Web presence with continuous site expansions and improvements throughout the year.
TrainAnyTime.com www.trainanytime.com TrainAnyTime.com, an Internet-based training company, is working to meet industry-specific employee needs in power, process and construction industries. Courses will include craft, maintenance, engineering, HAZCOM, safety, operator, GET/N-GET and others. TrainAnyTime.com creates interactive, graphics-rich technical courses that dramatically improve comprehension and retention at a much faster rate than conventional classroom instruction.
MagneTek Lighting www.distributors.magnetek.com MagneTek Lighting Products Group, a supplier of magnetic and electronic lighting ballasts and controls, launched a Web site dedicated to the distribution channel. The site will offer important news in the lighting industry and product specifications and information.
Appleton Electric www.appletonelec.com Appleton Electric, an electrical equipment manufacturer, has redesigned its Web site. The site now features updated graphics, a better organization of many of its sections and more in-depth product specifications.


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Looks like Paula Deen might come to Washington this fall
Everything seems to be slowly getting back to normal for Paula Deen -- at least in her social media life.
After two weeks where her normally chatty Twitter account was grim silence punctuated by terse crisis-management missives, the troubled celebrity cook burst back to folksy life Monday: "What are y'all growing in your garden this summer? Here's an easy salad for all your fresh ingredients. . ."
And Tuesday afternoon, she promised to see y'all soon in D.C. -- at the Metro Cooking and Entertaining Show, one of the few big partners that has pledged to stick by her. Organizers said last week that they'd happily keep her on their roster ("we are taking her apology at her word. . . this is a nation of forgiveness and second chances") -- and Deen said she's still planning on taking her show on the road with them.
After stops in Houston and Dallas, the Washington show will come to the convention center Nov. 2-3. Want to watch Deen's one-hour presentation? That will be $95. For brunch and a Paula photo-op? $140. For all of that plus a bag full of Paula goodies and primo seats and access to the "swanky Chill Lounge" -- you know, the Paula VIP Platinum package -- a mere $500.


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It's been hard not to feel sorry for Intel after Nokia sold out to Microsoft last week, ditching its MeeGo OS collaboration with Intel for Windows Phone 7. Intel finally went public with its hurt, with CEO Paul Otellini claiming Nokia made the wrong decision. Well, he would say that, wouldn't he.
He told analysts that "I wouldn't have made the decision [Nokia CEO Stephen Elop]made, I would probably have gone to Android if I were him," and that of course, "MeeGo would have been the best strategy but he concluded he couldn't afford it."
According to Otellini, both Google and Microsoft were waving thick wads of cash in their air, crying out for Nokia to choose them. Nokia's decision has left Intel a weeping mess in the corner for now, but Otellini is confident "we will find another partner." This is because "the carriers still want a third ecosystem and the carriers want an open ecosystem, and that's the thing that drives our motivation." The carriers may want that, but what about you and I? [Reuters]


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You are Here:
Farm Bill
Conservation Compliance
/ Conservation Compliance
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Doing any of these things requires USDA review:
Most USDA programs require you to comply with the Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended, which link program eligibility to farming practices designed to protect wetlands and to protect highly erodible land from excessive soil erosion. These provisions are described in form AD-1026, which you complete and sign when you apply for assistance from USDA.
If you don't comply with these requirements for the term of your USDA
contract, you risk losing your program payments.
Before making any changes on your land, you must call the Farm Service
Agency (FSA). They will ask you to file an updated form AD-1026 and review
your planned work with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
Fields designated as Highly Erodible Land (HEL) must be protected from excessive soil erosion when used to produce agricultural commodities by applying an approved conservation system. An agricultural commodity is defined as any annually tilled crop, such as corn.
NRCS will make an HEL determination when we receive your AD-1026 form from FSA. A field will be considered highly erodible if either one-third or more of the field is highly erodible, or if the highly erodible land in the field totals 50 acres or more.
All program participants must certify that crops have not been planted on land that was converted from a wetland to cropland or that a wetland was not converted and production of a crop is now possible.
NRCS will make a wetlands determination when we receive your AD-1026 form from FSA. Wetlands are lands with all three of the following characteristics:
For a brief overview, download the Massachusetts Conservation Compliance factsheet. [PDF]
For more details, download the national Conservation Compliance fact sheet. [PDF]
To find your nearest USDA Service Center, use our office locator.
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