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嵐のオオカミ (Arashi no ōkami)
Me and Andrew found a place today and we are going to be signing the lease sometime soon. Not sure when exactly! BUT WE DID IT!
It's looking like we move in in June, but you can start to expect some streams, Let's Plays, and lots of shenanigans this summer from us. [:
A List Of Things That I Want To Happen by the End of 2014 and Things I Want To Do In General.
1. Number One Goal of the Year - Me and Andrew having our own place with INTERNET THAT ACTUALLY WORKS. If we do this, expect streams. Lots of Streams. Streams of Madness and Wonderful!
2. Get done with my final semesters of college and start my clinical year. Interview on Thursday for the Program. LET'S DO THIS.
3. Get on Jimmy Fallon or at least meet Jimmy Fallon. Me and Alan
The 19 year anniversary of Tommy Boy is on March 31st, but I couldn't resist posting these.
Today was a pretty eventful day.
I got my first tattoo. You can go look at it all over my Twitter.
I played South Park for far too long, did not do any homework, and just chilled.
Tomorrow I go back to work for a 12 hour shift. Going to be exhausting. Going to miss the end of the minithon.
...I am gonna die.

subset: commoncrawl


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In an evolving workplace where new ideas are being tested, efficiencies are being pushed and talent retention is key to a corporate's success, keeping your staff in the loop through participation is one of the simplest and most important responsibilities.
A workplace is no longer a stagnant cookie-cutter model, but something that changes with the requirements and objectives. We've seen standing desks, treadmill phone booths, hot-desking and offices that have shrunk in size. Leading the employee through these processes is mandatory, so allowing employees to affect these changes is the ideal starting point.
The JLL offices in Johannesburg are a great example of employee engagement, where staff were once used to their own space with a pleasing photo of the kids or their cute new puppy in the nativity. We engaged them by making the move from a conservative one-desk-one-person approach, to a no desk ownership environment. 'Neighbourhoods' allow teams to collaborate and break-away areas enable privacy, think tanks and focused concentration. We took staff through the journey, creating change champions for coffee, furniture and more technical challenges such as telecoms and IT. By and large, it worked. But employee engagement is ongoing, it should never stagnate.
Assessing the status quo
We went on to distribute a Workplace Experience Survey last year aimed at understanding how the new environment had been adopted, where the pain points were and indeed, where we had succeeded. The outcomes were fascinating and have alleviated a pressing problem where an overwhelming number of staff wanted to be more flexible in terms of their hours and ability to work remotely. With time remaining on our lease and pressure on our space, we began engaging further on this topic, to understand the appetite for co-working subscriptions.
Co-working shaking 'things' up
Co-working is truly going to shake corporate workplaces up in a way that has yet to fully be realised in South Africa, you can read about the Workplace of the Future in my next blog piece. To wrap it up into a neat little bundle, co-working enables flexibility, collaboration across sectors and inspiration. For us, the flexibility was key, without fully predicting our employee growth over the next two years, the ability to add desks as and when we require is hugely attractive to the CFO.
When I talk about co-working, I'm not referring to the typical serviced office that has become a go-to in this market, we wanted an inclusive environment that enables our employees to sit alongside someone from a completely different sector. We wanted a space that inspires and offers something unique and different from our existing offices. These spaces are not simply to cater for overflow, they enact productivity, fulfilment and empowerment.
Engaging talent through co-working
Through our new-found co-working environment, we found that our staff have been engaged from the word go, this engagement has helped us ensure that time wastage is minimised, projects run smoothly, and that staff feel empowered to add their piece to the project, inspiring a strong buzz of anticipation through the office before the project goes live.
None of this would be possible without the initial survey to establish the existing sentiment and status quo.
Running location analyses was vital in ensuring the right locations were selected; how do teams work? Is it feasible? Does it suit certain divisions more than others? What spaces encourage innovation and focus?
Engaging talent through boardroom configuration
Another simple engagement and positive outcome come in the form of boardroom configuration. The Workplace Experience Survey indicated dissatisfaction with the internal meeting rooms. Whilst it is ideal to perform a utilisation study around these rooms to truly understand the usage versus the perception of usage, it is also important to continue the engagement. How many people are typically in your meetings? Are your meetings usually client facing or internal? What meeting room would you like to see more of? When we implemented this change in configuration to cater for these needs, employees owned the change and did not resist it. They are pleased to have been heard and the perception of meeting room dissatisfaction was alleviated, creating a happier, more productive work environment.
Engaging talent through the power of choice
Obviously, we cannot allow every employee wish to become reality, but when you trust your staff and provide them with choice and power, it is remarkable the insight you gather and the forward momentum you deliver.
Engaging staff is critical to a successful workplace, it is something I recommend you start with sooner rather than later – no change should occur without it.


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Greetings! Welcome to Lucie's List, a modern-day survival guide for new parents.
Our goal is to make your transition to parenthood as painless as possible by bringing you the best of the best in baby gear (do you really need all that stuff? Heavens no), the most current information on pregnancy, maternal and pediatric health (because who has time to read all those books?), and, most importantly, real advice from real moms for dealing with everything from stretch marks to breastfeeding to babyproofing to going back to work/finding childcare — and everything in between.
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UN reports progress against HIV in poor countries
(AP) A push to get more AIDS treatment to the world's poorest, hardest-hit countries is paying off as deaths inch down and new infections are dropping a bit, too, the United Nations reported Wednesday.
"I personally believe it is a new era, new era for treatment, new era for prevention," said Michel Sidibe, executive director of UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS.
Some 34.2 million people worldwide were living with the AIDS virus at the end last year, a slight rise from the previous year as better treatment helps patients live longer.
Most of them live in low- and middle-income countries, where a record 8 million people received life-saving drugs last year, the report found. That's up from 6.6 million in 2010, and puts the world on track to meet a U.N. goal of having 15 million people in those hard-hit regions on treatment by 2015.
The report comes days before the world's largest AIDS conference opens in Washington with the goal of finally "turning the tide" on the epidemic and stemming the spread of the HIV virus.
Treatment is one of the keys to doing that because it does not just save the lives of people living with HIV. Recent research shows early treatment, so patients stay healthy, also makes them far less likely to infect others.
"We need to get that number up as rapidly as possible," said Chris Collins of amFAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, who called the 2011 increase in treatment higher than expected. "If we can get to scale with AIDS treatment, we're not only saving lives but we're preventing infection and beginning to end this epidemic."
The UNAIDS report found there were 1.7 million deaths from the virus last year, down from 1.8 million.
Better, the new data show 2.5 million people became infected with HIV last year 100,000 fewer than in 2010. New infections have fallen by nearly 20 percent worldwide in the past decade.
Perhaps most encouraging is the steady drop in new infections in children, mostly due to treating HIV-infected pregnant women so they don't pass the virus to their babies. About 330,000 children became infected in 2011, almost half the number that were being infected at the epidemic's peak in 2003.
The world spent $16.8 billion battling AIDS in the hard-hit countries last year. Sidibe said an important reason for the progress is that affected countries are paying more of their share for the first time, totaling a bit more than wealthier donor nations paid as they see the fruits of the investment. South Africa alone spent nearly $2 billion last year.
But, "we are still short $7 billion" of the yearly total it will take to get to the 2015 treatment goal, Sidibe warned, urging increased spending despite the global financial crisis.
Other challenges:
Young people ages 15 to 24 account for 40 percent of new infections twice as many young women as men, the report found.
Nearly 60 percent of the 1.5 million pregnant women living with HIV in poor countries received effective anti-AIDS medications. Another international goal is to nearly eliminate infections at birth.
New infections continue to rise in some parts of the world, including eastern Europe and central Asia. Even in the United States, they're holding steady.
And dozens of countries have laws that fuel HIV spread in such ways as criminalizing same-sex sexual activity, so that populations at high-risk are too scared to be tested or treated.
Some countries are scaling up treatment at a dramatic pace including Botswana and Namibia that have the majority of their residents who qualify for AIDS drugs now on them, said World Health Organization AIDS director Dr. Gottfried Hirnschall. A key is to shift away from providing the drugs only through expensive doctors and clinics, and instead through community programs that also offer peer counseling and other services that encourage people to keep taking the medicine.
A WHO study shows that resistance to the drugs is growing slowly in poor countries despite the rapid increase in medication use.
Now the WHO is urging poor countries to use the medicines in ways that maximize their chances of preventing new infections. While the U.S. advises people with HIV to start treatment as early as possible, that's not financially possible in poor countries, where the WHO advises starting once a person's immune system weakens to a certain degree.
But Hirnschall cited important exceptions. Up to half of HIV-infected people in ongoing relationships have partners who still are free of the virus, and those people need treatment regardless of their immune strength, he said. Rwanda and Zambia have begun implementing that policy, and more than a dozen other countries are considering it.
Explore further
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Welcome to the Big Media USA Network
Welcome to the new home of Big Media USA, a leading producer of on-line broadcast content since 2006. Meet a few of our show hosts and guest that help produce valuable content for BMBC. Our new
platform makes Navigation simple and straight-forward, giving you instant access to quality Radio and TV Programming
covering a wide variety of topics. Just click on a Network Bar above and it will take you to the Stations,
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Screw It! Coaster
Screw It! Coaster
Please Note:
There is a minimum order quantity of 4 coasters at checkout
You may mix & match as many as you would like, but there must be at least 4 coasters in your cart during checkout or your order will be refunded
Our birch coasters are approximately 4"x4" and are clear-coated for protection of the graphic. Because of the uniqueness of our hand-made technique and the woodgrain, each coaster may be slightly different in size and color.


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In case Lego has them pull the info, here's the full list/post:
At last! After a couple of dry news weeks we finally have something interesting to report!
Brickset member supersympa has found entries at a Dutch toy shop website for the next Exclusives:
* 10223 Kingdoms Joust
* 10224 Town Hall
* 10226 Sopwith Camel
* 10227 B-Wing
There are no pictures or descriptions yet but a release date of 1st January 2012 is quoted. However I'm sure they won't all be out on the same date.
I think we are safe to assume that 10224 will be the next modular building but what about the Joust set? Something along the lines of a highly-detailed castle themed set along the lines of the Medieval Market Village, I wonder?
I'll let you discucss the others, but don't be surprised if I'm asked to remove this information because I don't suppose LEGO intended it to be released in this way at this time...


text: Sunrise Over Aylesbury – Mounted By Danny Ewers| 2014-12-08T15:20:27+00:00 December 8th, 2014|0 Comments Share This Story, Choose Your Platform! FacebookTwitterLinkedinRedditTumblrGoogle+PinterestVkEmail About the Author: Danny Ewers Wildlife and Landscape Photographer, owner of Gallery Thirty One Leave A Comment Cancel reply Comment Sign me up for the newsletter! Notify me of new posts by email.


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Missing Memorylast updated in Categories Howto, Linux, RedHat/Fedora Linux, Sys admin, Troubleshooting, UNIX, Windows server
Today, I've upgraded total 8 servers from 4GiB to 8GiB to improve performance of system by inserting additional memory modules. We started each server and checked for memory count at console. All severs booted normally after the upgrade and services such as SMTP, NFS, CIFS, HTTP started as expected. Shortly, afterwords I got a call from help desk about pop3 server for slow performance.


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GRAND FORKS, N.D.—Alex Killorn scored a goal and assisted on two others, including Marshall Everson's tying tally, as the Harvard men's hockey team rallied from a two-goal, third-period deficit to tie No. 18 North Dakota, 4-4, Friday night in front of 11,550 fans in the first of two games this weekend at Engelstad Arena.
Steve Michalek made 33 saves, four in overtime, to help extend the Crimson's unbeaten streak to five games and keep Harvard (4-3-4) undefeated against nationally ranked competition. Patrick McNally and Alex Fallstrom also scored for the Crimson, while Killorn went 17-4 at the faceoff dot.
Harvard killed all five UND power plays, including one in the final minutes of overtime. Colin Blackwell led Harvard with four shots on goal, and Max Everson blocked three UND shots.
North Dakota (9-8-2) held a 4-2 advantage through two periods, but Fallstrom cut the deficit to one goal at 10:16 of the frame. Marshall Everson passed to a trailing Dan Ford on the rush. The defenseman moved to his backhand, and sent a low shot that Fallstrom redirected past Aaron Dell.
Marshall Everson tied the score at 4-4 with 6:44 left. He intercepted a UND clear and passed down low to Killorn. The senior center took the puck toward the net but had it poked away. Everson, however, followed his linemate to the net, collected the puck and roofed a shot from a difficult angle on the goal line to Dell's left.
The Crimson limited UND to five third-period shots, including chance through a screen by Danny Kristo that Michalek stopped. The rookie netminder turned away three shots during the overtime penalty kill. North Dakota finished with a 37-18 shots edge. Dell logged 14 saves, and Nick Mattson scored twice for UND.
McNally's goal came on Harvard's first shot of the game and was the only tally of the opening period. After Killorn won an offensive-zone faceoff on Harvard's first power play of the game, McNally skated in to pick up the puck. He went in alone on Dell, moved to his backhand and scored.
North Dakota had an earlier power play and looked poised to go ahead, but Luke Greiner dove to poke away the puck and prevent a UND shot into an open net. Back at even strength, Michael Parks got a short breakaway, but Michalek made a sprawling save with his pad, one of his eight first-period stops.
UND turned a one-goal deficit into a lead with goals 14 seconds apart in the second minute of the second period. Mattson struck first, on a shot through traffic from the right point. Brendan O'Donnell then made it 2-1 on a wrist shot from the right side.
Killorn drew the Crimson even after only 76 seconds. He took a long pass from Ryan Grimshaw, blew by a defender at the blue line, moved in from the right side and netted his team-leading seventh goal. Mattson gave the edge back to North Dakota at the 5:12 mark. UND came in on a three-on-two break while shorthanded, and Mattson scored from wide on the left side.
Michalek later made a tough save on Danny Kristo, but Connor Gaarder built the UND lead to 4-2 on a wraparound at 12:51 of the period. Michalek totaled 16 saves in the second period.


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Competition Solos, Book 3Floyd O. Harris & Edmund J. Siennicki - Ludwig-Masters Publications
Competition Solos, Book 3Floyd O. Harris & Edmund J. Siennicki - Ludwig-Masters Publications
Click to review
A practical collection of competition solos for young instrumentalists, many of which are on state festival lists. The piano book includes alternate accompaniments for instruments of different pitch and therefore can be used for any instrument in the book three series. Each solo book also includes a play-along CD. Titles include: Brass Bangles; Caprice; Dancing Silhouettes; Evening in the Country; Ocean Beach (Valse); Polka from Bartered Bride and Viennese Sonata No. 4 (Rondo).
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Full Song List
- DANCING SILHOUETTES by HARRIS
- VIENNESE SONATINA #4 (RONDO) by MOZART/ HARRIS
- POLKA FROM BARTERED BRIDE by SMETANA/ HARRIS
- BRASS BANGLES by HARRIS
- OCEAN BEACH (VALSE) by HARRIS
- CAPRICE by HARRIS
- EVENING IN THE COUNTRY by BARTOK/ HARRIS
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Game #150: Red Sox at Blue Jays pregame
Boston (90-60) at Toronto (74-75)
at 7:07 p.m. ET at the Rogers Centre
Today's lineups:
Jacoby Ellsbury, LF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Lowell, 3B
J.D. Drew, RF
Eric Hinske, 1B
Coco Crisp, CF
Alex Cora, SS
Kevin Cash, C
PITCHING: RHP Tim Wakefield (16-10, 4.68 ERA)
Vernon Wells, CF
Matt Stairs, 1B
Alex Rios, RF
Frank Thomas, DH
Aaron Hill, 2B
Gregg Zaun, C
Adam Lind, LF
Russ Adams, 3B
John McDonald, SS
PITCHING: RHP Dustin McGowan (10-9, 4.01 ERA)
NOTES: 1B Lyle Overbay is scheduled to have the pins in his right hand removed when the team heads to Baltimore. Until then, he will only be used as a late-inning defensive replacement and a pinch hitter only if absolutely necessary. Overbay's hand has been bothering him for the last month and a half and doctors feel removing the pins can help his recovery from the fracture he suffered back in June. … 3B Troy Glaus successfully underwent surgery on his left foot on Monday and should be ready by Spring Training. … Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi said LHP Scott Downs is battling gout in his foot. He went to have the foot examined on Monday and Toronto will know more about his availability for the remainder of the season later. … CL B.J. Ryan was expected to be in Toronto on Monday and he's scheduled to play catch from 40 feet in front of the team's medical staff. The Jays want to film Ryan throwing, so they can study the progress he's making. Toronto also hopes Ryan will be ready by the spring.
entering Monday
1. New York 85-64 (–)
2. Detroit 83-67 (2.5)
3. Seattle 78-70 (5.5)
4. Toronto 74-75 (11)
BREAKING EVEN…Toronto needs to post a 8-5 record over its final 13 games to finish the season above .500.
72 Comments
We should open the lid at the dome tonight-Wakefield loves to pitch inside.
9 up
9 down
Dustin's looking really good.
That Ashley girl's really good looking.
Which Ashley girl?
That Ashley girl is HOT!!!!
I'm moving to Toronto…..
am i missing something cause Im not watching the game.
Bosox-no way we let you in man-you're probably as bad as Stray Rod
Thank you Nancy
They'll let anyone into Canada….LOL…Your there aren't you? LOL….
Just kidding gsumner…Don't get mad at me know….
Your missing something because that girl ( Ashley ) was being interviewed in some special seats along the playing field…She was looking really nice, she'll be 21 in about 10 days…Her favorite player is Alex Rios…I wonder if Rios knows? That luck guy Rios…
ya but I was born here and I won't let them throw me out. lol
oh she must be in the canada trust seats. I guess i should watch the game a bit on tv and see what you guys are oggling at.
It's not surprising her favorite player is Rios, although I think he's the favorite for most Jays fans
Zaun has had to hit into more double plays over the last week or so than the balance of the team put together
You missed her there gsumner….Ashley Leggat is the girl we are talking about…
Rios is one of the stars in the game…If he played in N.Y. or Bos. he would be a household name for sure…
Rios will become a household name-the all star selection and his perfomance in the home run derby certainly didn't hurt him.
Come on Bosox-she's probably young enough to be your grand daughter. Now you see why we won't let you into Canada.lol
What a stupid play by Vernon that was-why go for 3rd when there's already two out and a single will bring you home-with Rios and THomas coming up.
Thomas has had a 3 HR night against Wakefield-maybe another tonight?
I don't think Ortiz likes McGowan.
If Wakefield throws another knuckler up in the zone, Thomas will put one into the seats for sure. When that knuckleball just sits there, it is on a hitting tee.
Boston looks lifeless at the plate. McGowan has pitched well but he isn't that good. Tomm night the Sox have there hands full when Burnett takes the hill. When healthy he'll shut you down, just ask the Yankees.
Don't under estimate McGowan Bosox-he is becoming 1 fine pitcher.
Ashley likes Rios what you guys are forgeting is her 2 nd favorite is Barry Bonds smart girl.
Is Boston going down or will we give it up again????.
So 8 innings, 3 hits, 1 run and he isn't that good. lol
Man this game has went fast-your guys must all want to get to bed tonight
What are you trying to do jinx us? lol
Thank you Cora-come on Frank make it 3
NICE TO SEE but to d-am late this year.
Crying towels for sale bosox how many do you want.
3 for 3
Now Abner take out McGowan
Still wish we took McGowan out?
He's still throwing 99 and the confidence he'll gain from doinf that to Papi all night is worth the small risk.
If it was Marcum I'd agree but McGowan hasn't shown any signs of fatige all year.
Crying towel? I don't think so. One team is going to the playoffs and the other team's goal is to get past .500.
McGowan pitched well for sure.
Sox team showing no life at all. They now have lost 3 of 4. Pretty bad brand of baseball they're playing. When will they wake up is the question?
gsumner this time it was right to leave chops in he will be walking on air watch him next start.
robert-this time I agree with you. Particulary when he's still bringing it at 99 mph. Did you like that Bosox. And youre right about Ortiz-struck him out 3 times and held him to 0 and 4.
What a game by Thomas-I wonder how long it's been since we had someone hit 3 HR's in a game
bosox my dig was here come the yankees do you think I don't know our team c-raped out this year,
What dose B-O STAND FOR ANYWAY snif-snif.
the TV guys mentioned Wells did it last year against Boston.
Bosox-And tommorrow night you get Burnett
Really-I don't remember Wells doing that
Good move to keep McGowan in. The kid deserved the complete game. There was no life from the Red Sox. The chances of them mounting a comeback was slim and none. A Yankee hangover, they were feeling sorry for themselves. If they continue this way, they'll be the wild card winner. They were never in the game, the Jays took it to them early and didn't look back.
Last member of the Jays to hit 3 homers in 1 game. My guess would be Joe Carter.
When Wells did that vs Boston. Was that game in Toronto? I think that was the game when Beckett got smoked!!!
Wells hit 2 vs Beckett and the other one against one of there wonderful relievers of last year. A lot of sarcasism on wonderful….
yes it was here, yes it was Beckett, and I think the reliever the TV guys mentioned was David Riske.
Oh and yes he's "wonderful"
Wells did do it last year, and I believe Woodward did it before him. Delgado did it at least twice as a jay. In fact I recall a 4 homer game.
Ashley sounds/looks like the girl of my dreams lol, soon to be 21, beautiful and likes baseball.
Dustin's performance tonight was terrific, if he Halladay and Burnett can pitch like they are realistically capabable of then 90 to 95 wins should be attainable next year. I'm done for the night. 'Till next time.
I belive delgado did it 4 times and he hit 4 twice woodward did it in 02 or o3 and wells last year.
Riske was in the Crisp deal. Dealt to the White Sox for Lopez the lefty reliever. Riske now in K.C. He had a bad Boston career, very short-lived.
Ashley is anyone's kind of gal. That was the only good thing about the telecast tonight. LOL…
Bosox-just admit it, McGowan pitched a whale of a game. The last batter he faced got two 99 mph fastballs that moved 4-6″-you go out there and try to hit that.
Enigma-you sound like you're in love. lol
I did say he pitched well. Read what I write.
Bosox, those guys at your blog are starting to loose it. You gotta keep them under control-it's just baseball its not life or death.
Im just trying to get at ya lol
Maybe the young lady reads this blog.
If you guys keep this up indigo might get jealous.
Well I dont know about enigma, but I told Bosox she was likely young enough to be his grandaughter and he didn't respond-so what does that tell ya.
Remind me to tell you the real story behind Boston Red Sox fans some day. lol
Maybe it's just me but it sounded as if Rios was just the only name she could think of.
Kind of like when Larry King asked Paris Hilton her favourite Bible verse.
That is how Red Sox fans are. Most are too emotional and the sky is falling attitude. You would think reading that stuff, the team was 35 games out of 1st place and going to finish last place for the 10 consecutive season.
I wish Ashley would read this. Next time she is in Florida, I would love to show her around.
Cool Ashley is hot and dumb. You can't beat that.
She'll be wearing a Red Sox shirt in no time. LOL…..
Yanks up 7-3 at the bottom of the 7th-looks like they-re 3.5 back in the AM.
Yankees fell behind early but with Cabrera out there no reason to panic. Hughes settled down, he always gets off to a slow start.
bosox I don't think she wants to go to the slums with a sugar daddy lol.
The slums??? This is where your beloved Jays train and have been since 1977.
Bosox, I think if Boston doesn't win the AL East-you might have to call a Dr for some of those guys.
She is real unlike another famous Canadien gal. ( Pam Anderson )
Boy did we get off the track here. Baseball is a long season…….LOL…..
You might be right, suicide watch.
They'll be jumping from high points…
You gotta love the passion by Sox fans….
I hate when there season ends….
Yes, I hate it when the season ends as well. i even hate when the minor league season is over.
Hey-different subject
What did you guys think of Tiger Woods triumph yesterday-was that any good or what?
I hate golf….
When I can't run anymore, I'll try it.
Woods is a great athlete though.
The most famous athlete in the world.
Best golfer ever and maybe the best athlete ever.
So tell me about the running
He comes from Boston but he will never win it .
Garry-Bosox comes from Florida not Boston
It was great to see McGowan come around this year at least this one wont get away.
Sorry I thought from some of his early post that he moved to florida.
I am from Boston originally. Work brought me to Florida, been here for 8 years.
Bosox-never turned into a Devil Ray fan?
I understand you have to be able to run it in a certain time in order to enter, my son has a friend who wants to run in it [boston marathon]
I think my idea of being in that marathon is riding in a car-lol
My folks still have Red Sox season tickets. That is where my passion is. Get up there a few times but not this baseball season.
you must love spring training
Sumner i'd argue that david beckhem is more popular (world wide) then Tiger and that's coming from someone that doesn't really care for either sport. Robert she did "conveniently" mention Rios as he walked up to the plate so you may be right lol.
Looking forward to tonight's game…Hopefully Burnett can can continue to show that when healthy he is much better then a .500 pitcher. Not that I need convincing, but some of his critics will continue to point to his record.
It was Bosox that stated Woods is the most famous. I stated he's the best golfer ever and likely the best athlete ever.
Yes, let's hope Burnett gives us another great start-it'd be nice to take the first two games.


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New York, NY 10028 | 212.737.7273
The item has never been used. It has no signs of wear and may be new with tags (NWT).
The item is in impeccable condition with barely noticeable signs of use.
The item has been used and very well taken care of. There are limited signs of wear that will be described in detail and photographed.
The item has been used with minor signs of wear. There may be slight patina or other imperfections. All will be described in detail and photographed.
The item has been well loved and may have scratches or other more obvious signs of wear. Item is still too fabulous to not find a new home. All imperfections will be described and photographed in detail.


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Sugar Land, Texas-based Industrial Info Resources (IIR) reports that the Rocky Mountain Region, made up of Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming, features a solid base of industrial plants. Out of the region's 2,100 operational plants, Colorado and Arizona possess the majority. When combined, Colorado's 490 and Arizona's 345 sites total 38% of the Rocky Mountain Region's operational plants.
The majority of Colorado's 490 sites are concentrated within the food and beverage area, with a total of 84 production sites. Of Arizona's 345 plants, the lion's share is in the industrial manufacturing sector, which totals 92 sites.
According to IIR, Arizona and Colorado also have the largest number of future plant locations, with respectively 75 and 57 sites in various states of development. As a whole, the Rocky Mountain Region claims a total of 375 proposed facilities either in planning, engineering, or construction phases.


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Cheney campaign: The final hours
Two days before Christmas, Liz Cheney's campaign assembled for a full-team conference call. As the members of Cheney's close-knit political circle checked in, the feedback about the state of her primary challenge to Sen. Mike Enzi was upbeat and the takeaway message was clear: full speed ahead. The candidate joined the line a little late, but nothing else seemed unusual.
No one imagined at the time – except perhaps Cheney herself – that it would be the last war-council call of the campaign.
Story Continued Below
Cheney's announcement Monday that she was pulling out of the Wyoming Senate race immediately prompted suspicion among Washington operatives and donors that her move was an escape hatch for a flailing campaign. They viewed her bid against Enzi as a comedy of errors – an effort plagued from the start by political missteps, public feuding between Cheney and her sister and a nasty back-and-forth between various members of the Cheney family and former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson.
( WATCH: Cheney campaign recap)
Yet up until this past weekend, there was also a stubborn optimism within the Cheney camp that the race was headed in the right direction, according to interviews with strategists, donors and friends of the candidate. The campaign's most recent internal polling showed Enzi substantially ahead, but Cheney improving her position; the view of the candidate and the advisers around her was that she had a straightforward path to collecting the 50,000 or so votes she would need to win. She has not yet announced her latest round of fundraising numbers, but in the last three months of the year Cheney recorded her second consecutive million-dollar quarter.
After going dark over the holidays, Cheney's campaign was poised to go up this week with a new round of TV ads and move toward the next iteration of her message, taking a step beyond introducing the candidate's biography and toward a larger message touting Cheney as a next-generation conservative leader.
Even as her campaign planned to burst out into the new year with fresh force, however, Cheney's closest friends and supporters knew that she was grappling with troubling developments at home: her youngest daughter's juvenile diabetes and a more acute event involving one of her children at college.
( Also on POLITICO: Cheney withdrawl caps months of turmoil)
The result was an abrupt decision to pull the plug on one of the most closely watched Senate campaigns of the 2014 cycle, and to hit pause – at least for the moment – on the larger dynastic ambitions of the Cheney family.
Unlike many campaigns that end in surprise or disappointment, Cheney's consultants and advisers say they do not hold her announcement against her – on the contrary, there was uniform respect for her decision. Former Vice President Dick Cheney, who was intimately involved in planning his daughter's race, wholly backed her decision to end it, according to one Cheney ally, who said the conservative elder statesman was in "grandfather and father mode."
Mel Sembler, the former finance chairman of the Republican National Committee and a longtime Cheney family friend, said Liz Cheney was "very optimistic" about her prospects in the race when he spoke to her Monday, and that her choice to drop out was entirely a personal one after "something happened to the family."
( Also on POLITICO: Cheneys try to make up with Al Simpson)
"I was disappointed but I happen to agree with her decision," said Sembler, who helped lead Cheney's finance effort. "The contributors – nothing against Enzi – but they just thought it was time for a new, young Republican."
Whatever the perception of Cheney's campaign in Washington, Sembler said every donor he asked to host an event for the candidate gladly agreed: "They thought that she was part of a new generation of Republicans."
As startling as Cheney's withdrawal was to her allies, it was at least as great a shock – if a more welcome one – to Enzi and the array of operatives and outside groups backing him in the race.


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The Baruch College Faculty Handbook
Retirement of the Adjunct Faculty Handbook
This page last updated on 9/28/15
After more than ten years of heavy use, the Adjunct Faculty Handbook has been discontinued.
The Baruch College Adjunct Faculty Handbook was created in 2004 by two adjunct faculty members to acknowledge and support the significant role of Baruch's adjunct faculty in our classrooms and on our campus.
Much of the material found in the Adjunct Handbook is now found in the Baruch College Faculty Handbook, where it is more consistently updated.
Any questions should be forwarded to Associate Provost Dennis Slavin at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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British rapper and singer M.I.A. is turning on her swagger in the Arabian Gulf in her latest video for Bad Girls.
Featuring a desert party where men in kandoorahs perform crazy car stunts, groove to beats and act all gangsta-like, the video, which premiered Friday, is already creating quite a buzz on the internet.
In one shot, M.I.A is scene coolly filing her nails sitting a top a car which is riding on two wheels. In another, gun-toting women covered from head to toe in polka dots and gold, squint from kohl-lined eyes.
The rubber-burning stunts were inspired by internet viral videos of death-defying car tricks popular in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Although meant to represent the Arabian Gulf, the video was filmed in Ouarzazate in Morocco, where Hollywood films including Lawrence of Arabia, and Gladiator were shot.
Directed by Romain Gavras, who worked with M.I.A. in the controversial and largely banned video for Born Free, the single will be part of the Paper Planes singer's upcoming, yet-untitled album releasing later in the year.
M.I.A. who also appears on Madonna's new single Give me all your luvin', will perform with the pop icon during the half time of the Super Bowl game in Indiana in the US on Sunday night.
By David Tusing
Via SyndiGate.info
© Al Nisr Publishing LLC 2019. All rights reserved.


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This is to advise you that law enforcement agencies are investigating threats of violence against the PSU community made by Henry Liu, a graduate student at Portland State University.
Mr. Liu has not been charged with a crime, and he and his family have been cooperating with officials regarding the resolution of this matter. Given the circumstances, however, federal law requires that we issue this notification.
Mr. Liu has been excluded from Portland State University and prohibited from coming to campus or any PSU facility. Accordingly, we are providing the following description and photograph of Mr. Liu: He is 6 ft, 250 lbs, with brown eyes and black hair.
If you see Mr. Liu on campus, or if you have any significant concerns about your immediate personal safety, please notify law enforcement officials by calling 911.
University Administration, the Portland Police Bureau and Campus Public Safety are continuing to monitor the situation and do not believe that the normal operations of the University should be interrupted at this time.
If you have any non-emergency questions regarding this notice, please contact PSU's Campus Public Safety at 503.725.4407.
Additional information and updates about Mr. Liu will be available on the PSU Campus Public Safety website. Also, support services are available at Student Health and Counseling Services (503.725.2800) or from the Office of Human Resources (503.725.4926) for anyone concerned by this advisory.
To learn more about this specific warning, please go to our Timely Warnings page at https://www.pdx.edu/cpso/threats-of-violence-against-the-psu-community


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You may be taking one or more medicines
to prevent
seizures. To get the most benefit from them, you need
to consistently take the right dose of the right medicine at the right time.
This can be difficult. But by following a few key tips, you can do it.
Medicines do not
cure epilepsy, but they can prevent seizures. The medicine used to treat
epilepsy work in various ways to help reduce the abnormal electrical impulses
in your brain. The specific medicines prescribed for you depend first on what
kinds of seizures you have. Your age, activity level, overall physical
condition, and other health issues as well as the side effects, health risks,
and costs of different medicines, may also help determine what kind of medicine
is best for you.
Remember, it can take some time and careful,
controlled adjustments by your doctor to find the most effective combination,
schedule, and dose of medicine to control your seizures. Preventing seizures
with as few unwanted side effects as possible is the goal. It is important to
follow your medicine schedule exactly as prescribed.
Medicines can cure epilepsy.
Medicines do not cure epilepsy. But they can
prevent seizures.
Continue to Why?
Antiepileptic medicines are most effective when you keep the proper
medicine level in your body. Your doctor has set up a schedule of medicine
dosages that keeps that proper level. Even slight changes in your medicine
schedule or doses can throw the whole system off. If you do not take your
medicines properly, you could begin (or continue) having seizures.
Taking your medicines properly can help you achieve better control over
your epilepsy. If you have lost work or driving privileges, getting seizures
under control—and keeping them under control—may help you get back to work or
back behind the wheel. Not having seizures means you can avoid the dangers of
seizures (falls, drowning, choking) and avoid stays in the hospital.
Even small changes in the times that I take my
medicines can affect how they work.
Even slight changes to your medicine schedule
or dosage can increase your risk for seizures. Consistently taking the proper dose of your
medicine on time provides the most effective seizure
Continue to How?
Here's how you
can get started taking your medicines properly.
Work with your doctor to
make a medicine plan. Things to think about include:
Taking medicines properly means
taking the right dose of the right medicines at the right time. To be sure you
are taking your medicines properly, you may want to have a system to keep
track of when and how you take your pills.
Keep the following in mind
as you follow your medicine plan.
What tools can help me take my medicines
A daily planner can be very helpful in taking
your medicines properly. You can write your medicine schedule and doses in
the planner and take it with you to work or school or when you travel. All of
the answers are correct.
You can post sticky notes on your refrigerator
or bathroom mirror or near the clock to remind yourself to take your medicine.
All of the answers are correct.
With a master list of medicines, you can keep
track of all medicines you are taking, their proper doses, their possible
side effects, and your schedule for taking them. All of the answers are
Daily planners, sticky notes, and a master list
of medicines can all help you take your medicines properly.
I don't need to tell my doctor if I start having more
seizures than usual while I'm on medicine. This is normal.
If you start having more seizures than normal,
it may be a sign that your medicine needs to be adjusted or that you need more
medical tests. Tell your doctor immediately.
You should definitely tell your doctor if you
start having more seizures than normal while you are on medicine. Your medicine
may need to be adjusted. Or you may need more medical tests.
Continue to Where?
If you have questions about
this information, take it with you when you visit your doctor. You may want to
use a highlighter to mark areas or make notes in the margins of the pages where
you have questions.
If you don't already have a medicine plan,
schedule a time with your doctor to develop one.
More information about epilepsy and seizure disorders can
be found in these topics:
Return to topic:
CitationsLiow K, et al. (2007). Position statement on the
coverage of anticonvulsant drugs for the treatment of epilepsy. Neurology, 68(16): 1249–1250.
Last Revised:
August 26, 2011
Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Susan C. Kim, MD - Pediatrics & Steven C. Schachter, MD - Neurology
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
To learn more visit Healthwise.org
© 1995-2012 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.


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Returning materials
- Library materials may be returned to either library building or to the Mobile Library Services vans.
- There are bookdrops available in both library buildings to return items even when the libraries are closed. There is a drive-up book drop in the James City County Library parking lot (south side of the building near the Train Depot).
- There are also offsite bookdrops at the James City County Recreation Center, the entrance to Publix in Monticello Marketplace, and Building F in the James City County Government Center, 100 Mounts Bay Rd. Please note that the offsite bookdrops will be unavailable when WRL is closed for holidays or due to inclement weather.
Loan periods
- Books and Music CDs: 28 days
- Videos and DVDs: 7 days
- Nonfeature Videos and DVDs: 28 days
Fines and fees
Renewing materials
There are three ways to renew your library materials:
- Call the Circulation Services Division at 757.259.7753.
- Come to the check out desk at either library.
- Use our online catalog (click on the My Account tab, enter your library card number, choose the Items Out link, select the items that you wish to renew by clicking in the box next to the title, and click the Renew button).
Placing holds
Using any computer with access to the Internet, you may request library materials be held for you and specify at which library you wish to pick them up when they become available. You will be notified by the method set in your library account. Here's how to place a hold:
- Search the library catalog for the title you wish to request
- Once you locate the title, click on it to pull up the title record
- Click the Request Any Copy button to the lower right of the title information
- Enter the barcode from your library card
- Click Access Your Library Account
- Select a pickup location from the pulldown box
- Click the blue Request button
The confirmation screen indicates whether your request was successfully placed. Your position in the hold queue and pickup location are displayed. The method by which you will be notified is not specified. To verify how the library will contact you, call the Circulation Services Division at 757.259.7753.
Canceling holds
You may cancel requests you have made for library materials before items are available for you or after they are being held.
- Go to the library catalog
- Click the My Account tab
- Enter the barcode from your library card
- Click Access Your Library Account
- Click Hold Requests on the Overview page
- Check the box next to each filled or pending request you wish to cancel
- Click the Cancel Request button above the bar
Suspending holds
You may suspend requests you have made for library materials until a specified future date. When requests are suspended, your name continues to rise in the queue but the hold will not be activated for you until after the date you specify. If you are unable to use materials during a particular period, suspension assures you do not lose your place in a lengthy queue.
- Go to the library catalog
- Click the My Account tab
- Enter the barcode from your library card
- Click Access Your Library Account
- Click Hold Requests on the Overview page
- Check the box next to each pending request you wish to suspend
- From the date pulldown boxes above the bar, select the month, day and year you wish your request reactivated.
- Click the Suspend request until button above the bar
Your request automatically reactivates after the suspend period.


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NEW ORLEANS – After picking up two individual titles at the 2014 IC4A Championships at Princeton, the UMBC men's track and field team is ranked No. 11 in the final United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Mid-Atlantic Poll, the organization announced on Tuesday afternoon.
The Retrievers were ranked in the top-15 in the region each week of the 2014 season, holding a top-ten spot in five of the seven weeks.
This season, the UMBC men broke four school records and finished second at the America East Outdoor Championships for the second straight year. At the conference meet, senior Dennison Long (Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt/FIU) swept the 100m and 200m dash events and was once again named the Most Outstanding Male Track Performer.
In addition, senior Trae Proctor (Brandywine, Md./Thomas Stone) broke the conference record in the prelims and finals of the 110m hurdles, en route to winning his third career gold medal in the event. Classmate Andrew Smith (Chadds Ford, Pa./Garnet Valley) captured the 800m run title at the meet, and anchored the 4x800 relay to a top prize in a new school record time.
At the IC4A Championships this past weekend, Long earned the top spot in the 100m dash while Smith won gold in the 800m event, after pushing past his own top school mark in the prelims.
Long, Proctor, and Smith all currently sit inside the top-48 in the NCAA East region for their specialty events and are likely to make the trip to the 2014 NCAA East Preliminaries to be held May 29-31 in Jacksonville, Fla.


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Byrrh Special Cocktail
1/2 Byrrh Wine (1 1/2 oz Byrrh 1875 Rare Assemblage)
1/2 Tom Gin (3/4 oz Junipero, 3/4 oz Boomsma Jonge Genever, Dash Simple Syrup)
Stir well and strain into cocktail glass
We've had a few defunct ingredients, so far: Hercules, Caperitif, East Indian Punch, Secrestat Bitters… But, for most of those, cocktaildb has had substitution recommendations.
"Tom Gin", though, is one that has always stumped me.
There is still one made in the US by Boord's. However, most opinions I've read don't think much of that gin. The surly, and now deceased, barkeep at Aub Zam Zam in San Francisco did insist on making his Martinis with it, and calling for any other gin, got you kicked out the door of that establishment.
I've heard the now defunct Tanqueray Malacca was a fairly decent substitution for Tom Gin. Unfortunately, I've never run across that gin anywhere.
It's been suggested to me, by persons who would know, that Junipero, slightly sweetened, isn't a bad substitution. Of course I can't leave well enough alone, so, as Old Tom Gin is regarded as the "missing link" between Genever and London Dry Gin, I threw in some Jonge Genever.
A perfectly tasty, and slightly sweet gin cocktail. As far as "special" goes, I'd really have to give the nod to the plain old "Byrrh Cocktail" above as something truly special and unique.
This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.


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With heartache comes feelings of despair and self-doubt, but for Victoria Hearst a heartache transformed her life into one of service and a sort of mending of hearts.
Hearst, granddaughter of media mogul William Randolph Hearst, satisfies her calling to heal through her Praise Him Ministries in Ridgway and the annual NightVision two-day music festival.
After a bad breakup with a boyfriend in December 1995, Hearst took refuge in her bedroom and was flipping through the channels when she came across the Trinity Broadcasting Network. The vision or pastor on the screen struck a chord with Hearst, who prayed, "God, I don't know what I'm doing anymore. You take the wheel."
Well, that wheel or compass ultimately led to Ridgway, where as Hearst tells it: God told me to go to Colorado and teach an after-school jazz dance program for middle school girls.
It will be the first of many "visions" or conversations with God that Hearst consults to drive her ministry, including planting the seed for the two-day concert, a bookstore, and of all things her work as a director and choreographer of the Chapel of Hope Choir at the Delta Correctional Center.


text:
Blue Ripples - Richie Teece's Signature Motiv Shirt
Richie Teece's Signature Motiv Shirt - Blue Ripples Full Sublimation Shirt.
Shirt can be customised with name(s) on the back.
Please refer to our "Size Guide" (as pictured) to ensure the correct fit. We recommend laying out one of your own shirts that fit well and measuring along the same two reference lines.
We offer all our shirts in three collar types (as pictured), as well as three types of material:
- Light Weight Performance
- Medium Wicked
- Heavy Weight Performance
Please note your collar type and material choice when checking out.


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Colorado Catholic bishops: Be wise and merciful — welcome gay parents
OK, maybe the title is optimistic. Yet the Colorado Catholic Church can welcome gay and lesbian parents –we just need to convince the bishops and Catholic Charity bosses to come along. Here's my shot.
In the lifetime of Jesus of Nazareth, a child needed a patron to live. Historians document that citizens of the Roman Empire thought nothing of abandoning unwanted children like trash, especially girls. The child might become a slave, beggar or orphan, if lucky. The Gospel of Mark is clear that Jesus welcomed such children, often over objections of apostles who thought he was creating an unnecessary burden. Mark says Jesus would "touch, take in his arms, bless and lay hands on" children, four clear actions that show him becoming their patron. As biblical scholar John Crossan describes: Jesus was creating a "Kingdom of nuisances and nobodies."
People in the Jesus Movement then and now follow his example. Move over, Navy, let me tell you about a truly global force for good called Catholic Charities. Versions thrive all over the world, working at the personal, social, national and international levels for kids, the poor, immigrants, victims of social injustice, the lonely old and young. The people who work for Catholic Charities are professionals who do what's best for their clients. They may know that the scientific opinion on gay and lesbian parents is in, and the reports are not on the bishops' side. The American Academy of Pediatrics and all of the major professional organizations with expertise in child welfare have issued reports and resolutions in support of gay parenting. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, American Psychoanalytic Association, National Association of Social Workers, Child Welfare League of America, the North American Council on Adoptable Children, and Canadian Psychological Association agree. The bishops don't.


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Applications are now available online for Pre-dissertation grants and Postdoctoral Fellowships in the second competition of the Henry Luce Foundation/ACLS Program in China Studies.
The Henry Luce Foundation/ACLS Program in China Studies seeks to maintain the vitality of China Studies in the U.S. through fellowships and grants designed primarily for scholars early in their careers. Studies on and in China have developed over the last 30 years in the United States into a robust field, but current conditions pose daunting problems, especially for scholars just before and just after the dissertation.
Predissertation-Summer Grants, for graduate students who wish to conduct preliminary preparations in China prior to beginning basic research for the dissertation. The grants are for graduate students — with a Ph.D. prospectus in hand or developing one — to investigate the research currently underway in Chinese archives and field sites, to establish contact with Chinese scholars, and to secure necessary permissions for their own fieldwork or archival research;
Postdoctoral Fellowships, for scholars who are revising their Ph.D. dissertations for publication or embarking on new research projects.
The deadline for applications is November 12, 2013.
To start your application register at ofa.acls.org/ or click the Online Fellowship Application tab on the program's page.
More information on the program may be found on the ACLS website at acls.org/programs/china-studies/.
Please send all inquiries to firstname.lastname@example.com.
American Council of Learned Societies


text:
Agencies can take advantage of tools and technologies available to make better decisions
Over the last 10-plus years, leaders within federal agencies have worked diligently to establish and maintain effective IT governance practices. But despite many well-intentioned efforts, effective governance remains an elusive goal for most agencies.
With the recent release of the 25-Point Implementation Plan to Reform Federal Information Technology Management, federal CIO Vivek Kundra summed it up this way: "Too often, federal IT projects run over budget, behind schedule, or fail to deliver promised functionality."
While the challenge is vexing — and longstanding — its causes are understandable.
Federal agency governance boards often lack sufficient data for effective decision-making; numerous approval gates slow progress without enhancing oversight; and the overall decision process often struggles to keep pace with rapid technological advancements in the arenas of cybersecurity, cloud computing, mobile communications, social networking and biometric identification.
Related coverage:
Can agencies cut 800 data centers by 2015? Maybe, but here's what's in the way
Streamlining IT governance
Streamlining IT governance
Adding to the complexity are shrinking budgets and increased scrutiny of federal programs aimed at eliminating redundancies and waste and ensuring delivery of promised capabilities.
At its heart, the issue can be reduced still further, to two prime challenges:
1. An ever-increasing focus on process and compliance has made governance processes burdensome rather than a catalyst for program success and mission enablement.
It is not unusual for some agencies to have systems engineering life cycles that require the existence of 125 or more separate documents to support various milestones and gate reviews. In addition, we have seen that programs can be subject to more than 20 governance entities, such as enterprise architecture boards, chief information security officer boards and acquisition review boards, to name just a few. This proliferation of governance requirements forces many federal IT program managers to spend more time satisfying reporting and compliance mandates than actually leading the development and deployment of IT capabilities in support of their agency's mission.
2. Current governance techniques were devised in a less-connected age.
Today's governance models don't take full advantage of applications and processes that allow for the rapid and transparent exchange of rich information and data within and among agencies. As a result, governance processes tend to be linear, hierarchical and comparatively slow. Communications between program managers and their executives are often conducted in isolation from similar conversations occurring in related programs, hindering the ability of decision-makers to collaborate across a portfolio of similar efforts.
Next-generation governance
So, the challenges are numerous and complex. What is the path forward? It lies in next-generation governance — not as a mere catch phrase, but as a tactile, sustainable method of operations.
Next-generation governance provides a framework to help federal agency CIOs and other leaders understand how they can use available tools and data, not only to manage individual programs but also to coordinate program portfolios within agencies and across the government. In particular, the framework can help agencies build data-driven governance that ensures compatibility, consistency and efficiency in federal IT investments.
In pursuit of next-generation governance, federal agency IT decision-makers would be well served to consider the following:
Tightly defined missions drive outcomes. Construct portfolios of investments that align to a single or small group of mission objectives that can be clearly understood by the entire organization. Segment architectures should be aligned with these portfolios, such that a given segment or group of segments represents a "mission" area, such revenue collection, border protection or grants dispersal.
By collecting programs into areas of common mission – regardless of where these programs fall in the overall organization – the trade-space for program resource allocation is more properly bounded. By closely aligning investments to mission, senior executives can make better, more effective investment decisions. While this concept is not new – organizations for years have sought to construct IT portfolios that align to strategic goals and objectives – the advent of robust analytical tools that eliminate the need for time-consuming data calls allow even the most junior decision-makers in an organization to allocate more time to examining how their programs directly affect mission success. It is also useful to recognize that portfolios may cut across not only missions, but agencies, too. When defining your mission, don't let conventional boundaries limit you.
By aligning programs against a cooperative mission set, the question can be asked – how can these programs work together to accelerate the speed of the programs through the required gates, rather than act competitively. This mission acceleration reduces program costs, reduces the amount of oversight necessary per program gates, and provides the first step of reducing governance costs.
Take a new look at measuring and mitigating risk. As any program manager can attest, risk — related to both mission and performance — is a difficult thing to quantify. However, over the past few years, significant advances have been made in the ability to monitor, measure and anticipate risk. New applications integrate different data from disparate data silos and offer a new way to mine data, connect discrete data elements and identify trends in ways that we could never achieve a few years ago. Furthermore, new methods for evaluating risk are going well beyond traditional approaches of measuring, estimating and multiplying threat, vulnerability and consequence.
New simulation tools help better understand possible outcomes. New methods have been created for quantifying previously difficult to measure indicators of risk, such as analytical hierarch processes, which draw on algorithms to better define risk across projects within a portfolio.
Lastly, the state of the art has advanced dramatically in the ability to visualize and map risk for mission portfolio leaders. As a result, it is now possible to draw relationships between factors, provide decision makers a greater ability to ask "what-if" questions and see the analytical consequences in real time.
With this new generation of tools and analytical structures, risk becomes the optimal vehicle against which to assess program probability of success and rebalance the allocation of resources – improving the ability for next-generation governance teams to effectively identify, plan, communicate and execute risk mitigation strategies.
Seek decision 'agility.' Many program managers can tell stories of "shopping around" for approval through multiple oversight boards and committees, each making minor (or significant) tweaks; by the time the final approval is received the program manager must return to the first board with a program in hand that might not resemble the one that board had seen earlier.
This vertical model of governance is inherently corrosive to speed and agility, and in today's connected world, often fails to make use of modern tools and technologies (such as social media) to make faster and more informed decisions.
Achieving a more agile decision process starts with empowering the individual closest to the action on the ground — the program manager. Specifically, program managers must feel comfortable raising issues in a supportive environment that seeks to solve problems and not punish messengers. Program managers have a secret weapon in the array of modern data and analytics tools that help frame and visualize the ramifications of specific decisions or governance issues.
Additionally, the governance structure in which program managers operate must be flexible enough to avoid the need to "shop around decisions" to obtain consensus from large, diverse boards but instead provide targeted advice and input through smaller, focused entities, such as executive steering committees (ESCs), that foster greater collaboration between program managers and executives across the organization.
Information at the center
Over time, governance has, on sometimes too frequent a basis, become less of a program aide and more of an exercise in getting approvals and checking boxes – an exercise that focuses on process rather than on outcomes. In addition, many program managers find existing governance approaches to be almost punitive in nature. Rather than providing the help and guidance program managers need to successfully deliver positive results from their programs, governance processes present additional challenges to overcome. Similarly, because programs are often evaluated in isolation, governance processes do not provide agency executives with the information they need to allocate and deploy IT resources in the most efficient way to support the agency's mission.
As a result, we see a next-generation governance model emerging that streamlines and strengthens decision-making by putting information at the center of IT governance — especially as related to the arenas of cloud computing, cybersecurity and geospatial intelligence .
This new model — which draws on the themes inherent in the 25-Point Implementation Plan to Reform Federal Information Technology Management, but is not limited to them — will harness the capabilities of richer data sets and new, powerful analytic tools to give decision-makers transparent insight into program performance, while also enabling rapid information sharing and real-time reporting to support a faster, more agile process.
By aligning portfolio investment decisions with mission objectives to help decision-makers allocate resources among programs in a way that reduces mission and program risks, next-generation governance can serve as a powerful engine to reduce the burdens and cost of governance while improving oversight, delivering programs on schedule and within budget, and advancing mission objectives.
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text:
Docurama app on Xbox 360
Install the Docurama app
Learn how to install the Docurama app and watch Docurama content through your Xbox 360 console.
Troubleshoot problems
Find solutions to problems using the Docurama app on your Xbox 360 console.
Get help with audio or video issues on your Xbox 360 console.
Learn what you can do to improve the performance of Xbox Live.
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text:
Thanks to MindLoveMisery's Menagerie for hosting this month's fairy Tale prompt. The prompt is: "imagine an evil force be it witch or some other dark force has cast a spell on you. What form does the spell take, are you frozen in time as in the above image? Are you cursed in a different way?"
Berjlot was a pretty girl with her father's white-blond hair and her mother's curls. She also had her mother's mysterious green-eyes and delighted the entire viking village with her presence.
Asta, Berljot's mother, had been in labour for hours the night Berjlot was born. The baby wouldn't come out so Astab finally told her husband Bjarke that he must allow the midwife to cut her belly open and save their babe.
Bjarke felt great pain in his heart when his wife asked him to do allow the midwife to cut the baby out. But he knew he could not lose both Asta and the baby and survive himself.
Cutting the baby out (a much worse version of a c-section) was newer concept which the village midwife had suggested hesitantly. There wasn't anything to help Asta from the pain but some whiskey. She drank all she could and screamed in pain as her baby Berjlot was born.
Asta named her child Berjlot or "Light will save," and soft light was exactly what Asta saw as she entered Valhalla. She bled out before the midwife could attempt to stitch her up. Chances were Asta would have died from infection anyways.
Bjarke held his little girl Berjlot proudly. She was his and Asta's last child, her four-older brother's were nearly men. But the baby girl was a light to her father and helped him survive the loss of his wife Asta ("divine beauty").
Bjarke whose name meant "bear" was indeed, built like a bear and so were his four sons. They helped their father fell logs. Bjarke was now considered an older man and he would need the help of his son's to survive.
He had a been a great ship builder but was now arthritic and in pain. He spent most of his time keeping his eye on little Berjlot who spent her days enchanting those around her, a light to the entire community.
Some of the other women taught Berjlot the necessities of life as a viking woman. Berljot seemed to easily learn how to sew and cooked delicious meals. She also helped with the shearing of sheep and weaving clothe.
Berjlot's mother Asta, had also been an accomplished artisan so Berjlot learned the craft of jewelry making from an old women in the village named Ragna ("giving advice").
As well as crafting fine jewelry, Ragna was a medicine women and a pagan witch. Most people were afraid to be near her but Berjlot had no choice as she was the only other women who knew her mother Asta's craft of jewelry making.
She was a talented girl and Ragna, seeing her youth, beauty, and the skill with which Berjlot seemed to accomplish every task, became seethingly jealous of the girl. Even at her young age and artisan skill level, Berljot's jewelry was sought after.
She was only ten-summers but Ragna was envious of the girl she knew would grow up to be a beautiful woman and likely out rank her being from a powerful family.
The witch had always despised the girl's mother Asta for her goddess-like beauty and her gift of creating beautiful jewelry of better quality than Ragna's designs.
One day when Berjlot had a cough, Ragna, playing the kindly old woman she always played around Berjlot said to her:
"Poor dear, I will make you a potion which will rid of you of your awful cough. We can't have it get into your lungs. Bjarke would be devastated if he lost his only daughter."
Berjlot accepted the purplish potion Ragna wanted her to drink. It smelled awful and smoke whirled from the earthen cup but the girl drank the potion trusting Ragna as her Oma.
Suddenly, Berjlot hiccuped. She felt a strange sensation as her body changed from that of girl into a stunning light-haired wolf. She knew her father and brothers would never recognize her in this form and so did Ragna.
Berjlot cried the tears of a wolf and old Ragna laughed at her. She made it appear as if a wolf had eaten Berjlot.
"Bjarke," Ragna cried. "A light-haired wolf ate your daughter. See? I have her bloodied and torn dress here. There was nothing I could do." Ragna wept and made it appear as if she was broken-hearted at losing Berjlot.
Bjarke was devastated. Berjlot was the light of his life and his health failed rapidly after losing his daughter. He was soon set out down the nearby river in his funeral pier set aflame to join his wife Asta.
Bjarke's oldest son Dag took over the boat building business with his three brothers and his best friend Asmund ("Divine Protection"). After they had spent time in mourning for their father they and the other men from their settlement, went into the woods and destroyed all the wolves they could find –even the pups. They never forgot about their little sister Berjlot who had brought such joy wherever she went.
Eight-years passed. Dag, his three brothers, and Asmund were prosperous men in their viking community building ships and amassing a great amount of land and wealth. Asmund, in particular, was considered a fine catch for marriage but had not found a wife to his liking; Dag and his brothers had already married well.
Asmund was out walking in the forest one night when he saw the most striking female wolf beneath a tree in the moonlight. She had mossy green-eyes which were extremely unusual for a wild animal such as a wolf.
He was surprised when the wolf jumped on him when he wasn't paying attention. He was set to bring his small ax down on the wolf when she lay down on top of him gently and peered at him with sad eyes. She talked as wolves did, pawing at him, trying to get Asmund to understand something through her barks. He laughed and petted the beautiful wolf as she slept on him.
The next morning Asmund awoke and the wolf was gone. He thought he'd only dreamed of her. When he went for a walk in the forest several nights later, he again saw the same beautiful wolf.
She playfully tackled him to the ground and barked at him, trying to make him understand her wolf song. When that failed, she lay her head beneath his chin, and slept on top of him as before.
The light-haired and green-eyed wolf barked and slept with Asmund every night he came out into the woods, always burying her nose under his chin.
One night, Ragna the old witch noticed Asmund asleep with the wolf she knew was Berjlot, snuggled half on top of him. The witch plotted to kill Berjlot once and for all and told Berjlot's oldest brother Dag about the strange looking wolf she'd seen around the forest.
Dag and his younger brothers went to find and kill Berjlot the following night with Asmund. But when they found the wolf with the light-fur and moss green- eyes, Asmund begged them not to kill her.
He told Dag the light-haired wolf had become his pet and was docile. Berjlot approached her brother Dag and bowed, she did any trick her brother or his bestfriend Asmund told her to do.
When wicked Ragna saw the brothers had not killed Berjlot in wolf form (and instead, were going to adopt her as a kind of pet) she ran out to kill Berjlot with her sharpest knife. Ragna poisoned the tip of the knife so even if it nicked Berjlot the wolf, it would kill her.
Dag, his three brothers, and Asmund were shocked to see the old witch after the wolf they had befriended. They caught and disarmed Ragna before she harmed the wolf. When Ragna was disarmed she turned to run back to her cottage but Berjlot jumped on her, tearing out the witches throat.
Immediately, the light-haired green-eyed wolf turned into a young woman of about eighteen. She was beautiful with her long wavy-blond hair, exotic green eyes, and white skin. Dag's three younger brothers immediately recognized their sister from her moss green-eyes.
"Berjlot is that you?" They asked, overjoyed to see their sister alive.
"Yes it's me,"Berjlot said crying. She hugged her brothers, including Dag. They were a bit sensitive about her being naked with Asmund around. He generously gave Berjlot his cloak to cover herself with.
"The witch Ragna pretended to be my Oma," she told the men gathered. "Ragna was jealous that I was prettier than her, and that our mother Asta was prettier than her too. She hated that I did all my tasks well, especially jewelry making. When I had a cough, she gave me a steaming purple potion. I trusted her and drank the potion and she turned me into a wolf."
"That's terrible," Dag shouted, angry for his sister. "Your death is the reason our father became ill and died. I'm sure the gods are pleased you ripped out the witch's throat."
Berjlot sobbed upon hearing about her father's death. When Asmund comforted her with a hand on her shoulder, she looked up at him with adoration in her eyes.
"I was almost killed when the men from the village wiped out all the wolves but somehow I thrived, even as a wolf. I thought I would always be a wolf until I saw Asmund one night." Berjlot blushed when she said Asmund's name.
"Each night Asmund came out to the forest, I pounced on him and tried to tell him what happened to me, but my words only came out as barks or noises as a dog would make. But he kept coming back almost every night and I slept with my nose snuggled beneath his chin."
"Is this true?" Dag asked his best friend whose face reddened when he gazed at Berjlot in his cloak.
"Yes, it's true," Asmund admitted. "I fell for Berjlot. Somehow the gods made me see how noble and beautiful she was even as a wolf. She's an even more beautiful woman then she was a wolf."
"I would be honored if you would allow your best friend and partner in business, to be a husband to your beloved sister," Asmund asked. To him Berjlot was a light he could not live without in his life. He loved her as a wolf and more so as a woman.
Dag and his brother's huddled together talking while Berjlot stared anxiously at Asmund. She came up to him and snuggled her head beneath his chin, showing her affection and gaining Asmund's comfort.
"At last, I get to see you in my human form," Berjlot told Asmund. Both lovers were overcome and wanted to do much more than stand not touching but for Berjlot's hair cushioning Asmund's chin.
Dag and his three other brother's broke from their meeting with happiness. They agreed Asmund would be the perfect husband for their sister because he loved her and watched out for her, even when she was only a beautiful wolf. Thus, they set the betrothal date to that moment and day.
Asmund offered up sheep for wool and jewels as a dowry for Berjlot and they married in a magnificent ceremony in the village. The gods had allowed Berjlot to return from the dead and for two powerful families to be joined in marriage with days of feasting and celebration for the whole community.
Both Asmund and Berjlot lived happily ever after (as best as you could in that time and place).
©Mandibelle16. (2016) All Rights Reserved.


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AL Capsules
NEW YORK (AP) — Masahiro Tanaka shut down Joe Mauer and the other Minnesota hitters while lowering his AL-leading ERA to 2.06, and Brian McCann lined a go-ahead double in the eighth inning Saturday that sent the New York Yankees over the Twins 3-1.
Tanaka (8-1) permitted only an unearned run in eight innings. The heralded rookie from Japan gave up four singles, just two leaving the infield.
Tanaka walked two and bounced two wild pitches. But he was especially sharp against Mauer, the three-time AL batting champion.
Mauer, who faced Tanaka in spring training, struck out on three pitches in the first inning with a runner on third. Mauer fanned on four pitches with runners on second and third in the third, then tapped into a double play and later grounded out.
Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira left in the sixth because of soreness in his surgically repaired right wrist, the same problem that forced him to miss three games this week.
HOUSTON (AP) — Nelson Cruz hit his major league-leading 20th home run and drove in three runs to back a solid start by Chris Tillman, and the Orioles snapped a four-game skid with a win over the Astros.
The loss ends a season-best seven-game winning streak for the Astros.
Tillman (5-2) allowed one run on four hits over 6 2-3 innings to bounce back after allowing 14 runs combined in his last two starts. Zach Britton pitched a scoreless ninth for his fourth save.
The Orioles took the lead when Dallas Keuchel (6-3) walked home two runs in the fifth and Cruz extended the lead to 4-1 with his solo shot to left-center off Jerome Williams in the eighth.
Cruz's 52 RBIs lead the majors and are the most in team history at the end of May, surpassing the 50 RBIs Chris Davis had entering June last year.
TORONTO (AP) — Juan Francisco had three hits and four RBIs, Marcus Stroman won his first career start and the Blue Jays used a seven-run first inning to rout the Royals.
Adam Lind went 3 for 5 with three RBIs as the AL East-leading Blue Jays snapped a two-game losing streak and finished May with a record of 21-9. Toronto has won 15 of its past 19.
Stroman (2-0) allowed one run and five hits in six innings. The right-hander walked none and struck out six.
Todd Redmond worked the final three innings for his first save.
The Blue Jays gave Stroman all the support he would need with a 12-batter first inning against Royals right-hander Aaron Brooks, who was also making his first career start. Toronto set a team record when the first eight batters reached safely against Brooks. The Blue Jays had seven straight reach safely to begin a win over Baltimore on Sept. 15, 2007.
SEATTLE (AP) — Willie Bloomquist delivered a pair of two-out RBI singles to help lift the Mariners to a victory over the Tigers.
Chris Young allowed two runs and three hits over six innings to improve to 5-2 on the year. After allowing the first two runners to reach base in the ninth inning, Fernando Rondey picked up his 14th save of the season.
The Mariners took advantage of Detroit starter Drew Smyly's command problems.
Stefen Romero and John Buck each singled to put runners on the corners with one out in the second inning. Cole Gillespie hit a dribbler off the end of the bat just past the mound to score Romero and give the Mariners a 1-0 lead. Bloomquist added another run with a two-out RBI single that scored Buck from second.
Smyly (2-4) allowed seven hits and threw 105 pitches in just four innings of work before being ousted by the Mariners.
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Yoenis Cespedes finished a single shy of the cycle and threw out two runners at the plate, powering the Athletics past the Angels.
Cespedes doubled in the fourth, hit a two-run triple in the seventh and a three-run homer in the eighth. He matched a career-high with five RBIs to help Oakland stretch its lead to 3½ games over the Angels in the AL West.
Collin Cowgill's three-run homer off Tommy Milone in the fourth accounted for all of the Angels' runs. The A's tagged Tyler Skaggs (4-3) with four runs and five hits in six-plus innings.
Fernando Rodriguez (1-0) tossed one scoreless inning for the win.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Mike Aviles hit a three-run homer in the second and added the go-ahead single in the eighth inning to help the Indians beat the Rockies.
Pinch-hitter Jason Kipnis started the rally with a leadoff walk off Rex Brothers (2-3). After Lonnie Chisenhall's sacrifice, Aviles lined a hit to right field and Kipnis slid home ahead of Charlie Blackmon's throw. Chisenhall had a two-run homer in the sixth.
The Indians handed their bullpen a 6-2 lead through six innings, but Corey Dickerson's solo homer and Blackmon's three-run shot tied it in the seventh.
Bryan Shaw (2-1) pitched 1 2-3 scoreless innings. Cody Allen worked the ninth for his third save as the Rockies fell to 2-6 on their nine-game trip.
CHICAGO (AP) — Will Venable had a season-high four hits and drove in two runs to help the Padres beat the White Sox.
Tyson Ross (6-4) limited the White Sox to two runs — one earned — on five hits in six innings, and Huston Street remained perfect in 17 save chances this season.
San Diego improved to 20-4 this season when scoring four or more runs.
In the third series between the two teams — and the first since 2005 — the Padres had the leadoff hitter reach base in seven of the nine innings. The White Sox managed only one base runner in the final four innings.
White Sox starting pitcher Andre Rienzo (4-2) struggled to keep the Padres off base and consistently ran into trouble. Rienzo lasted only 3 1-3 innings, surrendering three runs on seven hits.
BOSTON (AP) — Rubby De La Rosa pitched seven shutout innings in his first big league start in nearly three years, Brock Holt hit his first career homer and the Red Sox won their sixth straight with a victory over the Rays.
The teams kept it clean a day after having their second benches-clearing scrum in less than a week.
Holt and Jackie Bradley Jr. each hit two-run homers, and Jonathan Herrera had three singles as the Red Sox continued to rebound from a recent 10-game losing streak.
De La Rosa (1-0), recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Pawtucket, made his first start for the Red Sox. He allowed four hits, striking out eight without issuing a walk in his first start since July 31, 2011, when he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers.


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Physical Science: Session 5
Session 5. Density and Pressure
Learning Goals
During this session you will have an opportunity to build understandings of the following concepts:
- Rising and sinking are dependent on one essential property—density.
- The density of an object can be explained by the arrangement and weight of its particles.
- Pressure in a fluid acts in all directions, increases with depth, and can be explained by the motion of particles.
Video Overview
What makes a block of wood rise to the surface of a bucket of water? Why do your ears "pop" if you swim deep underwater? In this session, we will examine density, an essential property of matter. We will also look at how particles of matter are in constant motion, leading to a deeper understanding of fluid pressure. Finally, we will investigate the concepts of pressure and density to explain the macroscopic phenomenon of rising and sinking.
Video Outline
Session 5 begins with a question about how hard one needs to push a beach ball to get it to go to various depths in a swimming pool. Does the force required vary? We then observe children in the Science Studio expressing their ideas about the factors that determine whether an object sinks or floats in water. As they eliminate weight and shape, they start to ask what other property might reliably account for whether something sinks or floats.
We begin to explore the concept of density, what it looks like on the particle level, and what effect it has on whether something floats or sinks in a fluid. How does density fit into Aristotle's accidental and essential properties?
Next, Steve Bailey at the New England Aquarium explains how some fish are able to adjust their density to maintain the neutral buoyancy they need when they aren't swimming. To see how the concept of density might be addressed in an elementary level classroom, we look in on researcher and teacher Tina Grotzer as she introduces the Understandings of Consequence/Project Zero's Causal Patterns in Density curriculum to Nicole Scalzo's class in Arlington, Massachusetts. The students share their microscopic models, showing the difference between brass and aluminum cylinders that have an equal volume. Their prior ideas about density provide a springboard for further discussion.
We end the session in a swimming pool, where we take an "in-depth" look at fluid pressure through the eyes of our Science Studio children, and return to the questions posed at the outset of the program to find some surprising answers.


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Lincoln College Jazz Ensemble performs at Walt Disney World
Send a link to a friend
19, 2014]
ORLANDO, Fla. —
The Lincoln College Jazz Ensemble became stars of their own Disney
show on March 12 when they entertained guests at Waterside Stage in
Downtown Disney at the Walt Disney World Resort. They traveled over
1,000 miles from Lincoln, Ill., to take part in the Disney
Performing Arts program.
The students also participated in Disney's "Jazz It Up" workshop,
where they rehearsed and recorded jazzy renditions of several Disney
songs under the direction of a veteran Disney teaching artist. This
was the jazz ensemble's first visit to the resort with the Disney
Performing Arts program.
Vocal, instrumental and dance ensembles from around the world
apply to perform each year as a part of Disney Performing Arts at
both the Disneyland Resort in California and the Walt Disney World
Resort in Florida. Once selected, they are given the opportunity to
perform at the resort for an international audience of theme park
guests. Millions of performers have graced the stages of the Disney
parks in the more than 25-year history of the program.
[to top of second column]
Disney Performing Arts unlocks student potential and helps young
people make their own dreams come true —
whether it's performing in front of an international audience of
thousands at Disney theme parks and resorts or honing their craft in
enriching workshops and clinics taught by entertainment
professionals. Every year, thousands of vocal, instrumental and
other ensembles travel from around the world to participate in
Disney Performing Arts programs at the Disneyland Resort in Southern
California and the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Disney
delivers workshops and performance opportunities that enrich,
inspire and often lead to life-changing personal achievement.
For more information, visit
www.disneyperformingarts.com or call 1-800-603-0552.
[Text from file received from
The Walt Disney Company]
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text:
Politics & Government
McChrystal wants huge boost in U.S. civilians in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan — In addition to possibly requesting thousands of additional U.S. troops in Afghanistan, the country's top American military commander will ask the Obama administration to double the number of U.S. government civilian workers who are in the country.
The proposed civilian "surge" is the fourth leg of Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal's emerging strategy to rebuild Afghanistan's economy and government, along with more American troops, vastly expanded Afghan security forces and closer cooperation between U.S. and Afghan troops, including posting troops from both countries at the same bases.
The request for additional civilian resources will be part of a 60-day assessment of the strategy in Afghanistan. McChrystal's plan also will outline how the military wants to revamp the relationship between civilians and the military so that soldiers shift economic and political development work to civilians.
It's not clear, however, whether the State Department can deploy enough civilians fast enough to make progress in an economically backward nation that remains plagued by an Islamist insurgency, internal rivalries, inadequate infrastructure, official corruption and a booming opium trade. What's more, nearly eight years after the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, one thing that many of its people have in common is growing discontent with the presence of foreign forces.
The assessment was to be released later this week, but the Pentagon has announced that it won't be made public until early September. The plan is already a race against time in Afghanistan and in Washington, where the administration is eager to demonstrate significant progress before the 2010 congressional elections.
A State Department official said that there were 560 to 570 U.S. government civilian employees in Afghanistan at the end of last year, and that by the end of this year there'll be about 1,000.
Only 75 of the new arrivals are in Afghanistan so far. "We're doing this in a planned way. We have to balance getting the right people out there, as opposed to just deploying them quickly," said the official, who spoke only on the condition of anonymity, as the official wasn't authorized to speak for the record. "We fully expect to be able to get them all out there by the end of the year."
Many of the new arrivals will join provincial reconstruction teams, which work with provincial and local officials across Afghanistan. Not all of them are coming from the State Department. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is sending 55 employees into the field as part of an effort to rejuvenate Afghanistan's once-rich agriculture.
It may be difficult, however, to convince some disheartened American troops to work with civilians, whom they think haven't had much impact in the places where they've been.
In Kabul, though, military officials called the proposal a central part of their plan, saying that rebuilding Afghanistan's shattered economy and cleaning up its corrupt government are key to the U.S. strategy.
The military will move to population centers and wrest control from the Taliban, and civilians will move in afterward to rebuild communities. In many places now, the Taliban not only control areas by force but also have established local courts, government centers and businesses and have run government officials out of their communities.
"Government is the key, and you will see that in General McChrystal's strategy," said a senior military official, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity because he isn't authorized to speak to the news media. "If all we achieve is security, then this won't work."
However, even if the surge occurs, "it might not arrive until early 2010," said Andrew Exum, who's at the Washington-based Center for a New American Security, a national-security policy research center, and who serves as an adviser to McChrystal. "For the near term, the military needs to be prepared to take on responsibilities better executed by civilians. . . . We're on a very short timeline in Afghanistan with respect to shifting momentum, and by the time the civilians arrive in any significant numbers or capabilities, it might be quite late in the game."
As for the provincial reconstruction teams, he said, there's no standardization. "What (each one does) depends on their relationship with the Afghan people and their guidance from their home country," Exum said.
Many of the new employees are being hired under a special provision of the law that allows the government to hire temporary personnel on an expedited basis. Aside from the new hires, it's not clear where the additional personnel will come from. Some could come from Iraq, where a State Department inspector general's report recently recommended that the U.S. Embassy be downsized significantly and provincial reconstruction teams be phased out.
The U.S. Embassy in Kabul has alerted the State Department that hundreds more civilians beyond the total of 1,000 now planned probably will be needed in 2010 and 2011, officials said. The total could end up reaching 1,350, with about 800 in Kabul and about 550 outside the capital.
Richard Holbrooke, the Obama administration's special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, dismissed criticism that the civilian buildup has been insufficient so far.
"We have a very sustained plan. This is not like taking an existing military unit out of Fort Bragg and training them and then sending them out," Holbrooke said at a briefing last month. "We have hundreds of people in the pipeline."
(Youssef reported from Kabul, Afghanistan, and Washington; Strobel reported from Washington. Jonathan S. Landay contributed to this article from Kabul.)
Agents say DEA is forcing them illegally to work in Afghanistan
Negotiated deal with the Taliban proves elusive
As security rises in Kabul, residents feel less safe instead
McChrystal says he won't pull punches on Afghan proposals
Despite U.S. tactical shifts in Afghanistan, Taliban terror continues
Follow the latest national security news at McClatchy's Nukes & Spooks.


text:
Yet in vain a paynim foe
Armed with fate the mighty blow:
Means that, even though the opposing fighter knocked him down and could have killed him, Arthur was saved because he was hidden by the Elfin Queen.
"... the son of Uther, named Pendragon, a title given to an elective sovereign, mount over the many kings of Britain."
Mount over means to 'rise above'. He was to rule over the other kings.


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|Home >> Course Descriptions >> College of Arts and Sciences
|Gender Studies
|Three semester hours.
|The aim of this course is to introduce students to methods of literary criticism and interpretation, exploring the different representations of women and men, constructions of femininity and masculinity, and sexual politics. To that extent, the course will take into consideration questions of canonicity, difference, equality and sexuality, as well as will explore the different constructions of gender according to contemporary gender theories. Special attention will be paid to the intersections of gender with race, class, and nationality. An interdisciplinary focus will allow the students to compare different textual, theoretical, philosophical, historical and/or cross-cultural perspectives on gender. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
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