text: Caucuses have been plagued by embarrassing problems this election season, but they're an American tradition. Here, a ballot from Nevada precinct 3726 shows a vote for former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. David Becker/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption David Becker/Getty Images It's All Politics Why Bother With Caucuses? February 7, 2012 Contests in Iowa and Nevada have been plagued by embarrassing snafus. As Minnesota and Colorado head to their caucuses Tuesday, we look at why some states still bother with this primitive but uniquely American way of picking a president.


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Celebrity Q&A: Angie Harmon
By Patty A. Martinez
Rizzoli & Isles star Angie Harmon plays a tough-as-nailscop on her hit television show, but she relaxes the rules at home with daughters Finley, 8, Avery, 7, and Emery, 3.
Your family moved to North Carolina two years ago, but you spend six months a year shooting in Los Angeles. How does that work? The girls come to L.A. when they're on summer break, but I'm still on my own for three months a year. It's difficult, but Jason [Sehorn, a retired NFL player] is great at playing the single dad. I Skype with the girls every night, and Jason films family events for me. Thank God for modern technology!
Working mothers tend to have guilt. What do you beat yourself up over?
How long do you have? Because I could go on and on! I feel like the worst parent in the world every time I get on a plane. Or when I miss their school awards. They get recognized for embodying positive character traits like honesty, and it means a lot to them to be celebrated.
Why did you decide to raise them in the South?
Having grown up in Texas, I was uncomfortable with how fast things were moving in L.A. My little girls were getting exposed to life too early. I want to keep them kids as long as I can.
What are Jason's best Mr. Mom skills?
Getting the girls dressed in the morning. He coordinates their outfits better than I do—that's probably embarrassing for both of us. They come out looking ready for a photo shoot. I ask, "Did you put this together?" And they say, "Nope, Daddy did!"
Anything not quite up to your standards?
Jason, make them brush their teeth!
How does he deal with four females?
He plays golf! Seriously, I don't think it bothers him. He's a very good dad. He wants the girls to know he's their number one fan and protector. He loves them endlessly.
As an only child, do you find it hard to relate to your daughters' sisterly dynamic?
Yes, the I'm-going-to-drive-my-sister-crazy-just-because-I-can thing is so bizarre to me. We'll be picking a movie to watch and one of them will say, "That's the one I want." And another one will be like, "No!" just to get her sister's goat. And I'm thinking, I don't understand you people!
Do you ever wish for a parent do-over?
All the time. Of course I snap at my kids. In the South we call it "showing your rear end." But when I tuck them in at night I say, "Sorry Mommy hissed at you—Mommy was tired."
Tell us about a recent lesson your kids taught you.
The other day Avery was trying to get her seatbelt on. She tried twice before Finley said, "I'll do it." After her two tries I turned around and said, "Here, let me do it." And then all of a sudden Jason said, "No, I'll do it!" I was just like, "Everybody stop! Avery, put your seatbelt on, baby. You can do it." She's not going to learn anything if we're always helping her."
Are there any attributes you hope to pass down to your girls?
Strength, courage, tenacity and kindness. I also want them to recognize that no one is better than anyone else. And which ones would you rather skip a generation? My quick temper—it's something I work on every single day. And when I succeed by keeping it in check, I feel great.
Fast Facts
The most embarrassing song on my iPod is… "Ice Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice. "I turn it on when I'm in a bad mood. After I listen a few times, I'm like, 'OK—life's not so bad.'"
I never miss an episode of… Hoarders. "I watch it, then I stay up until 3 a.m. cleaning out the linen closet. I tell Jason, 'I have to get rid of this stuff—we're hoarders!' He's like, 'You're just now realizing that?'"
Food I can't live without: "Salt! Is that considered a food? It is to me!"
My motto: "'I know what I stand for, I know what I don't stand for, and may I have the courage to live my life accordingly.' I came up with that in my early 20s and have always stuck to it."
My favorite time of day is… Dinner. "I love cooking while the sun goes down. The dogs lay in the kitchen, Jason and I talk over a glass of wine and the girls run around like crazy people. There's nothing better." I'm proud my kids have… "a wicked sense of humor. You can pretty much laugh your way through anything."
My kids always bring a smile to my face when they… "say there was no thorn in their day when we play Rose & Thorn. Sometimes I know for a fact they experienced a few disappointments, so for them to reflect and decide, 'Oh, it wasn't so bad' … It's my Super Mom moment."

subset: commoncrawl


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LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will endure more austerity and miss a key debt-cutting goal as the economy looks set to grow far slower than previously thought, the government said, in a bleak outlook that could hurt Prime Minister David Cameron's re-election chances.
Finance minister George Osborne said welfare payments will be squeezed and tax rises and spending cuts will drag on for an extra year until 2018, as tight lending and weakness in the global economy hold back Britain's recovery.
In a half-yearly budget update on Wednesday, Osborne said weaker-than-expected growth meant he would be a year late in meeting a self-imposed target of seeing debt fall as a share of Britain's national income by the 2015/16 tax year.
Missing that goal is an embarrassment for Osborne, who has staked his reputation on wiping out Britain's deficit and cutting public debt.
It also raises questions about the safety of Britain's coveted triple-A credit rating, with ratings agency Fitch saying it damaged the country's credibility.
The opposition Labour Party - which leads Cameron's Conservatives by around 10 points in the polls, 2-1/2 years before a 2015 election - said the austerity drive had failed and was damaging Britain's recovery.
But Osborne said he would not abandon the government's flagship recovery plans after the financial crisis caused the "largest shock to our economy since World War Two".
"Britain is on the right track. Turning back now would be a disaster," Osborne told parliament to roars of disapproval from opposition politicians.
The economy was forecast to grow by 1.2 percent in 2013, down from the 2 percent seen in March, Osborne said, citing figures from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility.
The government's fiscal watchdog expected the economy to shrink by 0.1 percent this year, compared to a prediction of 0.8 growth in March, and grow by 2 percent in 2014, compared to the 2.7 percent previously forecast.
"We suspect the risks to the growth forecasts are slanted to the downside, particularly from 2014 onwards, and that this poses an appreciable risk to the government's new fiscal targets," said Howard Archer, economist at IHS Global Insight.
"This could make life difficult and complicated for the government just ahead of the general election."
Although Wednesday's OBR forecasts showed Osborne was set to miss his debt reduction goals, there was less slippage on narrowing the budget deficit than many economists had expected.
He is on track to meet his primary goal of bringing Britain's structural current budget into balance in the 2016/17 tax year - defying expectations it would be pushed back a year.
The government made dealing with Britain's budget deficit - which hit a record 11.2 percent of GDP before the 2010 election - its biggest priority when it came to power.
Borrowing this year is forecast to total 108.5 billion pounds ($175 billion), equivalent to 6.9 percent of GDP, less than forecast in March.
Osborne said Britain's deficit would fall every year until the next election, adding: "The deficit is still far too high for comfort. We cannot relax our efforts."
Labour accused Osborne of stubbornly sticking to a failed austerity plan that has choked growth, sapped demand and eroded much-needed tax revenues.
"Today after 2-1/2 years we can see, and people can feel in the country, the true scale of this government's economic failure," Labour finance spokesman Ed Balls told parliament.
Balls asked how the euro zone could be such a drag on the UK's recovery, given that the currency area had grown faster than Britain since the financial crisis.
"It is simply reckless and deeply irresponsible of this Chancellor to plough on with a fiscal plan we all know is failing on the terms he set," he said.
The government's watchdog said more than 300,000 extra public sector jobs would be lost by 2018 because of further spending cuts in 2017-18, taking total public sector jobs shed under the austerity program to 1.1 million. The Trades Union Congress said Osborne had offered "pain without purpose".
Cameron and Osborne have had a bruising year marred by weak growth, criticism of his austerity measures and an unpopular budget in March that led to a series of policy U-turns.
Osborne says he had no choice but to deal with a record deficit left by the last Labour government, which was voted out in 2010. As a result, he said investors still flocked to the British government bond market, keeping borrowing costs at record lows.
Nonetheless, Britain could be in danger of losing its prized triple-A credit rating before long.
Fitch Ratings said it would conduct a full review of its British rating after Osborne's 2013 Budget, expected around March, but added that Wednesday's news was not promising.
"Missing the target weakens the credibility of the UK's fiscal framework, which is one of the factors supporting the rating," it said.
Moody's said it would take Osborne's statement into account "in our ongoing analysis of the UK's triple-A rating".
In a raft of announcements that are fiscally neutral overall, Osborne said he would consult on new tax incentives for the shale gas industry, extend a high-speed rail line into northwest England and launch a new 1.5 billion pound finance facility to support UK exports.
Under pressure to do more to restore growth, he said he would cut the main rate of corporation tax by a further 1 percent. It will stand at 21 percent from April 2014.
The Confederation of British Industry welcomed news of around 5 billion pounds for infrastructure projects such as schools, trains and roads.
Banks will not benefit, however, as a levy on their balance sheets will rise to 0.130 percent to offset any benefit. And unemployment benefit will only rise by 1 percent a year for the next three years, rather than the normal inflation-linked rise.
($1 = 0.6214 British pounds)
Additional reporting by Matt Falloon, Mohammed Abbas, Tim Castle, Peter Schwartzstein, Kate Holton, Michael Holden, Estelle Shirbon and Jonathan Cable. Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Mike Peacock


text:
Standard Delivery takes approximately 2 1/2 to 3 weeks
4 to 10 Business Day Rush Options Available
Save $80 off of your Diploma Frame if you order ANY Professional Announcement Package.
Save $50 off of your Diploma Frame if you order any Deluxe or Basic Package.
PLUS, get a Free Upgrade to 7 Day Rush!
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You may also add a FULL COLOR, FOIL STAMPED and EMBOSSED HIGH SCHOOL SEAL.


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Two Year Law Degree
Because the J.D. program's two year accelerated enrollment option increases the difficulty of law school, it is limited to students with an LSAT score of 156 or higher.
Students starting at Washburn University School of Law in either the fall or the spring semester may participate in the Fast Track Accelerated Option and complete law school in two years. This expedited course of study is the shortest amount of time allowed by the American Bar Association.
- Enroll at Washburn Law in August or January;
- complete the required 90-credit hour curriculum in two calendar years or 24 months
(i.e., two academic years and two full summer sessions; the law school accrediting agency, the American Bar Association, requires a minimum of 24 months of study before a student may graduate from an accredited law school);
- graduate law school in July (for fall starters) or December (for January starters);
- take the bar exam; and
- begin their legal careers.
Participation in the Fast Track program is entirely optional.
Fall Course Load
The normal course load during the fall and spring semesters is 16 hours. With approval of the academic dean, students may take up to two excess hours, for a maximum of 18.
Summer Course Load
The normal course load in the summer is 12 hours, 6 each summer session. Students may also take the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program (ITAP) for an additional 2 hours. Because ITAP requires Evidence as a prerequisite, that course is not available to students who have only completed all or part of the first year.
Sample Schedules for a 24 Month Period of Study
Fall Class
- First year: 29 hours
- First summer: 12 hours
- Second year (including winter intersession): 37 hours
- Second summer: 12 hours
- TOTAL: 90 hours
January Class
- First semester: 15 hours
- First summer: 12 hours
- Second year: 34 hours
- Second summer: 12 hours
- Last semester: 17 hours
- TOTAL: 90 hours
Bar Examinations
After graduation almost all students choose to take a state bar examination in order to obtain a license to practice law. States administer bar examinations twice a year, in late February and late July. Generally states require that a student graduate before being allowed to sit for the bar exam. Kansas permits a student to take the bar exam if the student graduates within 30 days after the examination is given. Some other states have similar rules.
- January Start Students: Students who enter law school in January and who desire to graduate in two years are in a good position to do so, because they have a reasonable amount of time after graduation to focus on studying for a late February bar exam.
- Fall Start Students: Students who enter law school in the fall and desire to graduate in two years must take classes in the summer of their second year in order to meet the ABA accreditation standard of a minimum of 24 months of law study. Depending on individual state bar exam policies, these students may not be able to graduate in time to take the July bar exam. If the state where they are taking the exam allows them to proceed before law study is complete, these students have a heavy study schedule during that summer.
Short URL for this page:
The application process, requirements, and prerequisites for the Fast Track option are the same as the 3-year program.
In order to complete a law degree in 2 - 2 1/2 years, students must enroll in excess hours, which requires that a GPA of 2.6 or above be maintained.


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Monitor Status of Professional Web Services Project
The Design Manager is a convenient way to monitor the status of your Professional Web Services team project. If you use the Interactive Online Interview, you must complete the interview before you see the Timeline.
To Monitor the Status of Your Project
- Log in to your GoDaddy account.
- Select one of the following:
- Dream Web Design — Website and Web Store Design Services
- Next to the project you want to work with, click Options.
- Click View Project.
- Custom Design Services — Logo and other Custom Design Services
- Next to the project you want to work with, click Manage.
- Dream Web Design — Website and Web Store Design Services
- The current status of your project displays in the Timeline. Your project moves through these phases:
- Start — We need some information to begin your project. You can review an overview of how the project proceeds.
- Basics — We just need some general information about your business, such as location and name. Then tell us a little about what sort of designs you like and what you want to see on your site.
- Details — We're looking for the words, pictures, and anything else you want to display on your website. These details include product descriptions, business details, and testimonial videos.
- Review — We're done building your site. We need you to take a look and at your completed site and let us know if you'd like any final changes before we publish it.


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No matter how you slice it, Samuel L. Jackson will dominate the box office this weekend.
Jackson stars in both the big budget "Iron Man 2" and the art-house feature "Mother and Child."
"Somehow someway, it's looks like I'm going to be number one this weekend," Jackson said. "One of these films is going to kick some ass."
Of course, Jackson has the 800-pound marketing budget behind him as Nick Fury in "Iron Man 2." He even gets to wear a cool eye patch and boss around Robert Downey Jr.
"Mother and Child," where he plays a lawyer having an affair with Naomi Watts, is the definite underdog.
Jackson is realistic about who will win the battle, but he still has hopes that the smaller-budget movie "will find it's audience."


text:
- 5 Beds
- 7 Full, 1 Half
- 4,278 +/- Sqft
Property TypeResidential – Single Family
SubdivisionSNIDER ADDITION SUB
Listing Date07/12/19
Year Built2017
Lot Size0.16 Acres
ParkingOver 3 Car Garage
Property Description
Undoubtedly the "Crown Jewel" of Breckenridge! This new French Street masterpiece has just set the new standard for in-town opulence. Suzanne Allen-Sabo design coupled with the quality of Rockridge Building Company make this home in the Historic District second to none. The ridgeline location offers sweeping views, with cascading outdoor living spaces, a separate carriage house, the latest in finishes and furnishings, an elevator & an enormous 4 car garage. The gondola is only a two minute walk.
Presented By
- Bus Route
- In Town
- Walk to Slopes
- Mountains
- Ski Slopes
- Cable Available
- Deck
- Elevator
- Fireplace - Gas
- Hot Tub - Private
- Multi-Level
- Patio
- Vaulted Ceilings
- Wired for Cable
- Community Center
- Cross Country Trails
- Golf - Public
- Health Club Membership
- Hiking / Pedestrian Trails
- See Remarks
- Cable Tv
- City Sewer
- City Water
- Electricity
- Gas
- Phone
- Trash Pickup
- Natural Gas
- Radiant
- Solar
- Dryer
- Washer
Financial Information
About Breckenridge
Victorian, family-oriented, and breathtaking natural beauty describe the classic Colorado ski town of Breckenridge. Enjoy countless outdoor activities, in both winter and summer, because Breckenridge averages over 300 days of sun each year and over 300 inches of snow each winter! With over one-million skier visits last year, Breckenridge is one of the most popular winter resorts in the country. Highlights include Breckenridge's historic main street, thrilling terrain parks, boutique restaurants and shops, and the Riverwalk Center. Throughout the year, cultural events like the Breckenridge Film Festival, the Backstage Theatre, weekend farmers markets and art festivals will entertain you. Quaint streets feature fine dining and endless shopping opportunities. With an array of ski-in/ski-out housing opportunities, you can throw open your front door and go. The resort ski runs come right down into town, so you can even ski home for lunch! A perfect mountain town!
Area Market Data
8 Beds 8 Baths
5 Beds 4.5 Baths
We get asked this question a lot. Below is a tool that gives you the ability to see what the market is like in your community. Find out what homes like your own are selling for right in your back yard. Simply enter in your address, choose the proximity of the search and find out market data for other homes that are selling near you.
While we'll provide you with plenty of information, this is a snapshot of your market data and there are real people behind the high-tech and automated tools. If you would like more detailed information or help in understanding the results we are here to help.
Until then, enjoy the tools!
The data relating to the real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of the Vail Multi-List Service, Inc.
Copyright © 2019 Vail Multi List, Inc. (VMLS). The information displayed herein was derived from sources believed to be accurate, but has not been verified by VMLS. Buyers are cautioned to verify all information to their own satisfaction. This information is exclusively for viewers' personal, non- commercial use. Any republication or reproduction of the information herein without the express permission of the VMLS is strictly prohibited.
Listing courtesy of Slifer Smith & Frampton R.E.


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summit daily news
Authorities with the Summit County Sheriff's Office say there have been only two reported assaults in the Keystone area over the ski season, even as rumors of seven or more attacks fly.
The two reported rapes do not appear to be related and together do not represent a significant change in the number of cases from past years, according to sheriff's office officials.
"There's certainly not a pattern and there's certainly not anything that would indicate people are being targeted," sheriff's office spokeswoman Tracy LeClair said.
Neither of the two reported sex assaults were violent cases, she said.
Rape cases are generally not publicized for the sake of the victims.
The Summit Daily News, law enforcement and local victims advocacy organizations have all been contacted by individuals concerned after hearing of multiple rapes and beatings in the Keystone area in recent months. Some thought there had been six or seven cases, others had heard rumors of as many as 10.
Officials say the rumors may have originated with a neighbor of the more recent sex assault victims, who heard about the incident and contacted law enforcement asking that the information be made public.
There has not yet been an arrest in that case. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.
There have been a number of bar fights in the Keystone area over the course of the ski season, but law enforcement officials say that's both fairly standard and generally not the type of crime that would be grouped with sex assaults.
Officials said they did not think there was an increased risk to the public in Keystone, but still advised people to be careful and to take precautions, particularly when drinking.
"The majority of sex assaults that happen, there is a substance, either alcohol some kind of drug-facilitated aspect," Advocates for Victims of Assault director Amy Jackson said.
She advises keeping close tabs on beverages when out in bars or social situations, or having friends do so when necessary. Friends should also be watching one another, looking for attention from others that appears unwanted or inappropriate.
"Bystander intervention is one of the best means that we have to prevent sex assaults," she said.
Advocates for Victims of Assault provides a range of services for victims, both men and women.
Additional information is available online at http://www.SummitAdvocates.org.
Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil.
If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.


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Interesting, I think had that on one of those asian multi-game cartridges for the original Gameboy. The whole thing was full of stuff I didn't understand, including this card game I could not make sense of. Also it drained the batteries in about 5 minutes. Thanks for filling this gap in my education!
I can't quite remember where this was posted (which itself is sorta sad), but it belongs here anyway, I suppose.
http;//vim-adventures.com looks like it might be a pretty decent game, but they only let you get through Level 3 approaching level 4 before they want you to spend $25 to continue playing.
It's a nifty game, but I've seen other games that charge far less for a similar amount of fun and learning.
A very nice learn Vim if you already know vim idea, if you want somebody to use something don't make them pay to
learn how to use it.
condescending geek speak trying to tell you what you think is easier is wrong.
Heh, yeah... made all the more stupid by the fact that vim does let you use the arrow keys.
"ok, STFU Sheldon"
It didn't help that there were a lot of broken termcaps out there at the time, and if you were unfortunate enough to be using one of them, the arrow keys probably didn't work anyway.
I learned vi (real Bill Joy vi, not vim) in the early 1980's on a good working terminal, so I never got into the habit of avoiding the arrow keys. I use the arrow keys. But, I use Ctrl-B and Ctrl-F to move backwards and forwards through screenfuls of text, because the terminal on which I learned vi didn't *have* Page-Up and Page-Down keys.
I used to use emacs all the time. Loved it. And I had a rough time working with vi. But I got tired of holding down the ctrl key for all the comma nds, so when I adjusted to vi, I rather liked it.
remained with emacs. like the gdb integration.
I like VI, but then again, I am warped by purchasing a Word Perfect knock off back in the 80's. WP was strange enough (but you could be proficient in just a few keystrokes that it made you seem to type like a stenographer).
Heh, well, go back far enough, and you have Word Star. That wasn't a terrible word processing program, but it required a certain imagination, since it wasn't WYSIWYG.
The knock off word processor I used was not my first one. The first one did not have lower case. That was fancy back then :-)
Back to un-video games. Who still plays D&D here, and if you do, is it still fun with the over 40 crowd?
I tried to play D&D with my sister (remotely), but I guess it didn't work out for some reason.
It was still fun. I'd love to do some more... great to use your imagination sometimes, instead of relying upon computer graphics.
editor, very advanced for the time.
Back to un-video games. Who still plays D&D here, and if you do, is
it still fun with the over 40 crowd?
I played D&D in my 30's. It was still fun then. I suspect it would still be fun today but we all got too busy with family schedules to keep the game going.
I have been invited to play (DND), but found that there is invariably something else that I am needing to do as well. Online sounds like fun. Let me know if it ends up working Fleeb. Sounds like something that could be scheduled for later in the evening so one would not need to drive home.


text:
I just installed some new software that seems to continuously refresh a window. However, it was very buggy to use. I found out it was conflicting with X-Winder. I closed X-Winder and it ran fine.
The question is - What is X-Winder doing behind the scenes that is causing this conflict?
Any information would be useful, so that I can figure out if its possible to resolve the conflict.
Many thanks,


text:
YouTube App doesn't launch, freezes, or Error message appears
Error: YouTube has stopped appears suddenly on the TV screen./ When YouTube is launched, it does not proceed from the first screen./ Error: Error 400 appears when launching the YouTube app from All Apps./ Cannot watch YouTube by using the Internet Browser.
Your Sony TV may display an error message (Error 400) on the screen when watching YouTube, live Broadcast via antenna/cable/satellite or through HDMI connected devices. Alternatively, your YouTube application may not launch, or network connection cannot be established. These issues are not a failure of the TV.
If you are still experiencing those issues, we recommend you to follow the steps below.
How to solve this issue?
I own a
Sony's Android TV
In order to resolve this issue, please clear the app data from the YouTube application:
Select [HOME] > [Settings] > [Apps]
Select [YouTube]
Select [Clear data] > [OK]
If you are still unable to access YouTube after performing above steps, ensure that your TV is connected to the internet with the correct date & time settings by referring to this link.
Sony's Smart TV
In order to resolve this issue, perform the following steps:
For W9xxA, W8xxA, W7xxA, W6xxA, X90xxA, X85xxA, X95xxB, X90xxB, X85xxB, W9xxB, W8xxB, W7xxB, W7xxC and W6xxB
- Initialise the browser settings and delete all cookies:
Select [Home]
Select [Application] / [Apps]
Select [Internet Browser]
Select [Options]
Select [Browser Settings]
Select [Delete all Cookies]
Select [Yes]
For R3xxC, R4xxC, R5xxC, W7xxD, W6xxD, W7xxE, W6xxE, X70xxE, X67xxE, W6xxF, W7xxF, X70xxF series
- Initialise the TV personal information:
Select [HOME] > [Settings] > [Customer Support]
Select [Initialize Personal Information]
Select [OK]


text:
Denver pot holiday bringing crowds, tight security
The Associated Press
DENVER – A crowd of marijuana smokers expected to swell to 80,000 gathered Saturday in Denver to mark the counterculture holiday known as 4/20 on the first celebration since Colorado and Washington made pot legal for recreation use.
Reggae music filled the air, and so did the smell of marijuana, as celebrants gathered by mid-morning in a park just beside the state Capitol. Few police were in sight, though public marijuana use is still prohibited here.
"People aren't afraid to come out and celebrate it, the way they used to be," said 52-year-old Charles Bade of Denver.
Bade carried a tie-dyed flag with a big cannabis leaf and wore a garland of fake marijuana leaves around his neck. He said he's been marking 4/20 privately since he was 11 but decided to join this year's public smoke-out to celebrate the votes by Colorado and Washington last year to defy federal drug law and make pot legal.
Authorities generally look the other way at public pot smoking here on April 20. Police said this week they're focused on crowd security in light of attacks that killed three at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
"We're aware of the events in Boston," said Denver police spokesman Aaron Kafer, who declined to give specifics about security measures being taken. "Our message to the public is that, if you see something, say something."
Organizers say the event – which drew 50,000 people last year – could bring a record 80,000 this year, since it's the first celebration since Colorado and Washington voted to make pot legal for recreational use.
Group smoke-outs are also planned Saturday from New York to San Francisco. The origins of the number "420" as a code for pot are murky, but the drug's users have for decades marked the date 4/20 as a day to use pot together.
Denver's celebration this year also features the nation's first open-to-all Cannabis Cup, a marijuana competition patterned after one held in Amsterdam.
Similar to a beer or wine festival, pot growers compete for awards for taste, appearance and potency of their weed. Denver's event, sponsored by High Times magazine, has sold out more than 5,000 tickets.
Snoop Lion, the new reggae- and marijuana-loving persona for the rapper better known as Snoop Dogg, received a "Lifetime Achievement Award" from High Times. And the hip-hop group Cypress Hill was set to perform a sold-out concert Saturday evening in Colorado's iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
Colorado and Washington are still waiting for a federal response to the votes and are working on setting up commercial pot sales, which are still limited to people with certain medical conditions. In the meantime, pot users are free to share and use the drug in small amounts.
A citizen advocacy group that opposes marijuana legalization, Smart Colorado, warned in a statement that public 4/20 celebrations "send a clear message to the rest of the nation and the world about what Colorado looks like."
"Does the behavior of the participants in these events reflect well on our state?" asked the head of Smart Colorado, Henny Lasley.
The organizer of Denver's 4/20 rally, Miguel Lopez, said the holiday is more than an excuse to get high – it's also a political statement by people who want to see the end of marijuana prohibition.
Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil.
If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.


text:
Senate Confirms McDonald as VA Secretary
97-0 Vote Makes Former P&G CEO the Next Veterans Affairs Leader
The Senate confirmed Robert McDonald to head the Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday, one day after congressional leaders cobbled together a $17 billion funding bill to help reform the agency and expand care.
Mr. McDonald takes over as VA secretary after little debate or opposition and a 97-0 confirmation vote on the Senate floor. Last week, he faced a friendly hearing before the Committee on Veterans' Affairs where he fielded few questions and was lauded by many on the panel....


text:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Treasury official on Thursday called on the Senate to ratify five tax treaties the United States has signed with other nations but that have languished without a vote since 2011.
Though tax treaties previously have routinely won Senate approval, they have recently fallen victim to partisan gridlock despite a corporate lobbying effort to get them ratified.
Treaties with Chile, Hungary, Switzerland, Luxembourg and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development are pending before the Senate, Mark Mazur, assistant secretary for tax policy at the U.S. Treasury Department, told a conference.
The United States has tax treaties with more than 60 countries, ranging from China to Kyrgyzstan. Their main purpose is to prevent double-taxation of income and profits.
Mazur urged senators to vote on the pending treaties as a way to boost U.S. economic growth.
"The Senate has gone three years without ratifying any tax treaties," he said. "This backlog is really starting to cause problems. It makes it harder for us to negotiate subsequent ones when you already have a bunch in the queue."
The Treasury has negotiated treaties with Poland, Spain and Japan that it expects to send to the Senate soon, Mazur said.
The tax treaties have been prevented from coming to a vote in the Senate by Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, a favorite of the conservative Tea Party movement.
Citing privacy concerns about Americans' tax data, Paul has single-handedly blocked Senate action on the treaties. Under Senate rules, one senator can prevent a motion from reaching a vote on the chamber's floor.
A spokeswoman for Paul could not be immediately reached on Thursday.
On the sidelines of the conference, Mazur declined to answer questions about Paul's hold on the treaties. "We keep pressing the committees, their relevant staff and members," Mazur said.
Reporting by Patrick Temple-West; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh


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Graphics Cards Guide
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A Different Take
A Different Take - Gigabyte GeForce GTS 250
It seems that NVIDIA's partners share the same thought as we do, as they have allegedly banded and told NVIDIA that enough is enough. If reports on the web are to be believed, NVIDIA's board partners have stated their displeasure at NVIDIA's constant rebranding; and NVIDIA, in turn, have responded by putting on hold plans to repackage the old GeForce 9800 GT, which is actually already a rebadged GeForce 8800 GT, as the new GeForce GTS 240. Hopefully this will be the end of NVIDIA's confusing rebranding and rehashing ways.
In our review of NVIDIA's supposedly 'new' SKU, the GeForce GTS 250, we noted that it was pretty decent value for money given its performance and support for CUDA and PhysX. Today, we take a look at a full retail GeForce GTS 250 card from Gigabyte, who, instead of stamping fancy coolers and opting for sky-high factory-overclocks, have decided to transfer technologies, more commonly found on their motherboards, onto their version of the GeForce GTS 250.
To unsuspecting eyes, the Gigabyte GeForce GTS 250 (henceforth known as the Gigabyte GTS 250) looks very much like an ordinary GeForce GTS 250 card, except that it has a Zalman cooler stacked right on top of it. It also comes with reference clock speeds, so that you wouldn't think its anything special. However, it is underneath all that where the Gigabyte GTS 250 is truly special. But first, a quick look at the card and the packaging it comes in.
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Technical Problem With This Chapter?
Author: coffeebean
Story: A New Dawn
Part: A New Dawn
Rating: Teens
Setting: Pre-HBP
Status: Completed
Reviews: 5
Words: 3,740
Updated: May 18, 2004, 10:59am
A New Dawn
Disclaimer: Everything's JK Rowling's.
The street was filled with rushing vehicles; the sidewalks were covered with early risers, chatting happily and drinking their coffees. The buildings around me were twinkling on one window at a time, seeming to laugh like the groups of ladies walking across from me. Sydney was starting to come alive that morning. The happy atmosphere signaled the start of the day for wizards and Muggles alike, but I was not one of them.
There I was, sitting on a lonely bench along the bay directly behind the Sydney Opera House. My eyes had been fixed on a spot on the pavement for almost ten minutes now. Ten, twenty, thirty, I didn't care. In fact I didn't have any idea how long I had been sitting there that cold morning.
I lost him. I had completely lost him. My heart was being crushed into pieces; I could've have shriveled up and died right then and there. My heart was almost on the point of bursting, my eyes were puffed up with nearly fallen tears and I could feel the cry of anguish building up inside my throat. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry out loud. But for some strange reason, I just couldn't do it. I was left staring blankly at one spot, not caring, not feeling.
The sound of a falling object brought me back to reality. I saw the map of Sydney Hermione lent me before I left London sitting on the ground beside the bench. From its position, I could clearly make out the page full of Xs that marked where I'd searched in the dark morning. My lip trembled, my eyebrows knotted together so suddenly, and I could feel the hot tears falling down my cheeks.
I have swept the whole of Sydney for three weeks, and I hadn't seen hide nor hair of him. Why the hell are you still doing this, Ginny? That voice had been here inside my head for three whole weeks now. You know it is getting more and more impossible, why don't you just let it go?! But whenever that evil voice started in on me, I just shook my head. I know I can find him, I thought, because deep inside his heart Harry knows I'm here and he's waiting for me. Because I love him.
But after what had happened a few hours ago, I just knew that I really should have listened to the voice inside my head. I buried my face into both of my hands, letting all of my anguish and misery out.
* * *
"Here's your change, Ma'am."
I snapped back to reality and turned my face to the man at the counter. He was giving me a weird look, and I suddenly realized that maybe I was the one looking at him funnily, with my eyelids drooping because of lack of sleep. I blushed from embarrassment. "Pardon?"
"I said, here's your change," he said, handing me a few cents and a brown bag.
"Thank you," I said and quickly grabbed the brown bag as I stuffed the cents inside my jeans' pockets. I took the cup of coffee and turned to leave the coffee shop.
I was starting to have breakfast this early on a regular basis. This had been my daily ritual ever since I had arrived in Sydney. I woke up early, grabbed a croissant for breakfast, and started my quest to find Harry.
Yes, so much for a breakfast. But I couldn't afford the time or the money to eat at a fancy restaurant. I'm not here on vacation, I thought, I'm here to find Harry! Maybe when I find him, I can finally eat in one of those restaurants—yes, with him.
But I knew all the hardships I had were worth it. The moment I read Harry's words from the letter Ron handed me the day he left for Sydney, I knew I had to be here. I had to follow him. I had to tell him everything, I had to change what happened that night of his farewell party, and I had to let him know that I love him back.
It was pretty stupid of me to drop into Australia without any lead to where Harry was, especially in Muggle Sydney. My safety was at stake, which Mum made sure I knew. I didn't know anyone in Sydney—or in any part of Australia, for the matter—but I knew that if I believed that I can find Harry, I will be perfectly all right.
It had been three weeks and there was still no lead to where my Harry was. The day I arrived, I had immediately Apparated to the Auror Office to ask where he was at the moment. I expected an answer, but.the grumpy old man just shooed me away and told me that all Auror assignments were classified information.
Harry and his damn work. I knew my quest was impossible. How the hell do you find one man in the middle of a very large city? I thought bitterly. But I remembered Harry's disappointed face and the amount of hurt in his eyes that night at the Burrow. I loved him and was willing to do anything to find him and tell him what I should have those many weeks before. I just couldn't let it go.
Today hadn't started out much different than the previous three weeks. I would ask around, and sometimes people would give me leads, good or bad. Sometimes those leads are useless, sometimes they're a bit helpful. Oftentimes I'll ask someone about Harry to have them tell me that he'd just left, or that he had just been there a few days before.
The answers I received frustrated and encouraged me at the same time. Sometimes my heart would jump up with excitement as I realized that I almost found him.
But usually every single dissappointing answer would just discourage me. If I was this close to finding him, then why the hell was I still not with him?! I cried a lot. Every single night, I cried myself to sleep. I honestly didn't know what exactly made me cry, but a lot of mixed emotions were usually inside my chest and I just didn't know how to handle them anymore.
I had thought of giving up, yes. But whenever I broke down and cried. I just remembered the words in his letter, that was my own source of strength.
I took a swig from my coffee and yawned. Coffee didn't wake me up anymore. I badly needed some sleep. I hadn't had a good night's sleep for weeks, anyway. I knew I should still be resting but I couldn't waste time. I loved him. There was no force on earth that could make me repeat the same mistake again. But sleep was starting to overtake me, so I decided to let my body do the decision this time. I was ready to get some rest before I take on Sydney again.
I threw the empty cup of coffee in the waste basket and started on the half-eaten croissant, as I passed by a couple of women my age coming from a tall building at the corner.
"—lots of English guys, that one," a girl said. "I've never seen so many Brits in one place. And have you seen that dark-haired man by the balcony? He looks odd."
"Absolutely," said another girl. "But you can't deny it. He's handsome, especially those eyes. I swear, those glasses were made for him."
I stopped on my tracks. Dark hair, spectacled swoon-worthy eyes, English… it all fits…
"Did you ever get his name?"
"No, he looked a little smug for someone that gorgeous," said the first girl. "But I heard the woman he was with call him Porter or something."
It was as though my legs had a mind of their own. I turned back, quick as a flash, entered the building, and ran as fast as my legs could carry me to the passage where a swarm of people seem to be coming out. I didn't even notice that the croissant fell from my hands.
Harry was there. I knew it. Not just from the girls' description, but because my heart said so. My heart was beating erratically; it felt like it could burst at any moment. This is the moment I have been waiting for, for three weeks. I am going to see him; I am finally going to be with him.
I entered the room to find it empty except for a couple of men arranging the upturned chairs and a man who looked like the host, talking to the last guest. I waited patiently for their conversation to end, rubbing my hands together like a scared little girl before approaching the man.
"Excuse me, sir," I asked, my voice quavering a bit. "But did you happen to see this man around?"
The man looked at the picture of Harry I was handing him and he smiled. I felt my heart tighten with excitement. "Oh, yes. Of course. He was just here."
"Do you know him, sir?" I asked again, and now I couldn't keep my face from smiling amidst the tears starting to form in my eyes.
"Yes," he nodded. "I met him just a couple days ago. Harry."
The tears were threatening to fall down now. I swallowed the bile forming in my throat. "Harry Potter was his name sir?"
"Yes! Harry Potter!" he said, smiling fondly. "He always comes here. Says he loved the view of the Sydney Harbour from my restaurant. Nice chap."
I smiled, excitement building up in my heart. Finally. After three long weeks, I had finally found him. I was ready to jump with ecstasy. "Do you know where I could find him sir?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, lass," he said. "But I don't know where lives. You could ask the lady he was always with, though. She comes here everyday too."
"Woman?" I asked, my heart starting to tighten. Please, not that. Please, anything but that.
He nodded. "I think I have a picture of them here. I always take snaps of my customers, you see." He suddenly brought out a Muggle photo and handed it to me. "There you go. That's him with his girlfriend."
I didn't need any more explanations to know who that girl was to him. The picture spoke volumes. Harry, my Harry was standing against the restaurant's balcony, smiling brightly. And beside him, with his arm casually draped around her, was a redheaded woman standing close to him.
I knew that right then and there, my heart simply broke. He told me he loved me! It was all in his letter! You were the only one for me, the one who could forever hold my heart. I was the only one who could hold his heart. I belong to him. He belongs to me! Then why? Why?
A sort of haze clouded my brain and I began to sway dangerously in place. I felt the man steady me and ask if I was all right. But I couldn't talk. My whole being was just clouded with hurt. Pure, unadulterated hurt. I could feel the bile coming back to my throat, I could feel my nose itching and my eyes burning. I couldn't tear my eyes off the picture.
* * *
The sky began to lighten, the dark blue was becoming to look like blue ink diluted in water. The sound of birds could be heard, and the Sydney Opera House was beginning to appear behind the veil of blue. Suddenly, as if sensing the change of scenery, the early morning air was filled with a familiar music. It was the song that made me fall in love with him all over again. The tears began to fall nonstop. I turned to the music to see a man playing something Muggle-looking and singing the song—our song.
Heaven knows what to say Even though for right Now you're so far away I hope and I pray Somewhere in your heart I'll always stay
Crying was a good thing. At least I was able to let it all out, but I know that it wasn't enough. After I'd found out about Harry, I'd just wandered around Sydney and slumped myself on this bench miserably, unable to tear my eyes off the blankness. And there I was crying, still not able to pour everything out.
The more that I thought about how much I loved him and about the girl the more the hurt grew. I knew I hadn't been cheated, I knew I hadn't been betrayed and I knew that I shouldn't be hurt. There was nothing between me and Harry, he was just a friend.
It would be normal for Harry to try and find someone in Sydney. But what hurts me most is that I was at fault with everything that happened. If only I had told him I love him, then we would have been together, there wouldn't be anyone between us.
Never noticed what it feels like to be without you Feels like I took my last step And my last breath in my life's ending
I buried my face into my hands. It's over. I was alone now. I have lost him forever.
"It's too early for tourists to be here."
I ignored the voice beside me. Why can't other people leave a sobbing woman alone? Can't he see that I am in no mood for small talk? I continued sobbing into both of my hands, barely noticing the fact that the man sat beside me.
"Please," I sobbed, "I just want to be alone."
"Looks like you don't want to be alone," the man said, in an awfully familiar voice.
"As if there's something I can do about it," I cried, the words muffled by my palms. "I am alone. He's really gone."
The man didn't speak to speak, but I could tell that he was listening. I just wanted to be alone, yes. But the hurt, waiting, and misery I had been feeling for a month now burst out of me before I could stop myself.
"If only I was brave enough to tell him how I felt," I said. "If only I told him I loved him before he left us, then we could've been together, and I wouldn't be here at the crack of dawn sobbing like an idiot. I tried to find him. I traveled three continents just to see him, tell him the truth. And when I thought everything's going to be fine for us when I arrived here, I found out that he has forgotten me. I lost him completely. If only I wasn't so stupid! He's gone. He's really gone…I guess I won't be able to tell him how much I love him…"
I couldn't continue. Another wave of tears washed me and I continued to sob again. The man might have thought I looked stupid, but I couldn't stop it. It was my fault he's gone. It was my fault I lost him forever.
Then suddenly, the man handed me a white handkerchief. I shook my head slightly but he nudged the hanky to me again. My hands and face were wet from tears anyway, so I took it.
Minutes past and I was starting to calm myself. I could feel him still beside me and I lifted my face from the white hanky. The cloth was soaking wet from the tears, and I blushed slightly from embarrassment.
I started, "I'm so sorry about your—"
I wasn't able to continue speaking. I was just staring at the corner of the square piece of cloth in my hands. I knew that hanky. Mum always did the same thing to all of her hankies including Harry's…
My eyes widened, still staring at the corner. It couldn't be, but it was really there. Embroidered on the corner were three letters, three letters that I knew only belonged to one person....
I looked up and a pair of bright green eyes encased in a pair of round black glasses were staring at me, wrinkled at the sides with laughter. I felt the hot tears fall down my cheeks again as I stared at Harry. He was really there. The green eyes, the black hair, everything was him down to the silly little grin he was giving me.
"You are one crazy woman, you know that?" Harry asked, laughing slightly.
Amidst the tears and the grin in his face, I swatted him hard on the shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me it was you?! I've been crying here like an idiot, pouring myself out about you and here you are!"
Harry ignored me and laughed again, staring at the harbor as the sun began to rise. The scene was eerily familiar to me, in a reverse sort of way. Just a month ago, I had been waiting for the violet to wash out the orange, but now we were both staring at the same sun, waiting for it to wash out the purple.
"I love sunrises in Sydney," he whispered, still looking at the horizon.
I couldn't believe my ears! After pouring out my soul to him, he wants to talk about the sunrise? "What do you know? The sunrise in Britain is beautiful!" I snapped sarcastically.
He chuckled again and turned to me, staring into my eyes. God, I've missed those eyes, I thought. Green as a fresh pickled toad...so green I could drown in them...
"But not as beautiful as you," he whispered.
My heart jumped the moment I heard those words. I had finally found him, and I wouldn't let him go ever again. But even before I could savor the flight of my heart, it sank down once again as reality sank into me. I broke down again and squeaked. "But what about her?!"
"That girl you always bring to the Sidewalk Café." I sobbed, my heart burning.
"You did your research then," he smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, his hand resting on my cheek. "But she's not who you think she is. She's Jessica. My partner."
"She's married, Gin," he smiled at me again, running his finger across my jaw sending shivers down my spine. "She's just finishing this assignment before she moves to America with her husband."
I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. A slight line of yellow illuminated the side of his face facing the harbor as he stared at me, his eyes full of love, boring into mine.
"I'm sorry!" I finally sobbed against his hand, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I love you, but I do! I really do! Please believe me Harry! I was just too scared to tell you because I thought you don't feel the same way and—"
"Ssshh," he whispered, leaning down on me, his other finger touching my nose lightly. "It's all right. What's important is what's in front of me now."
"But, Harry—"
"I love you, Ginny," he whispered, his eyes shining uncharacteristically brightly. "Please love me too."
"Of course I will," I whispered with the tears still falling down my face. "I love you. I always did."
Without another word, Harry leaned his face towards mine as I watched his eyes drop to my lips. His eyes fluttered close signaling me to do the same. The last thing I saw was the bright orange light washing Harry's whole face, telling me the sun rose completely.
The moment his lips touched mine, I knew there were fireworks. It was different from the other kisses I'd had; it was uniquely awesome, uniquely Harry's. His soft lips literally made my knees go weak, made my heart almost burst with love I felt his other hand close in the other side of my face angling me to face the harbor. I could feel the sun's glare penetrating through my closed eyes, but I didn't care. I was too busy kissing him back with the same need and passion he has, my heart soaring into the highest heavens.
Harry broke the kiss and we were left staring at each other. The moment was finished too early for my liking when he smiled at me before turning to the harbor.
"I always spend my mornings here waiting for the sunrise. But I never enjoyed it; it wasn't bright enough for me," he whispered, his eyes still fixed on the sun. "And now, I think I had my wish. Look, the sun's shining brightly now."
I turned to the sun and yes, there was it, a round orange ball of fire shining brightly upon us. "I never knew you liked sunrises," I whispered.
"Not until today," he said. "I always wanted to spend my sunrises and sunsets with you, Ginny. Only you."
I was smiling and crying at the same time at this point. I could feel that the sun was fully out now, making a halo of white around the orange ball. The light blue sky was showered with dazzling white light, making the sea gulls flying around the Opera House look like small ants crawling on white linen.
Yes, Harry is right, I thought. Sunrises in Sydney are definitely beautiful.
I launched myself at him, kissing him again. And this time I won't allow him to break it off. Not now, not later, maybe not until the sun sets.
A/N: This one is for Cherie, because if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be caught doing this sequel. Another round of thanks to my two evil witch sisters, Cai (Galena) and Jess (Alcarcalime) for being with me all through the writing of this piece. I was already on the verge of giving up, but with their constant encouragement, I FINALLY did it. Thanks to Cai for being my official Sydney tour guide, helping me with the Sydney details and for joining me and Jess in the usual brainstorming. Thanks to Jess for the beta reading, and of course, our usual YM chats filled with tears, laughter, craziness and of course, wickedness. I love you guys to pieces. *hugs*
Uber thanks to Solveig, for the patience and the crash course on first-person writing. You are a sweetie! Thanks a lot!!!
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1-A / 2-A REGIONAL BASKETBALL - The Tongue River and Big Horn basketball teams opened up East regional play in Newcastle Thursday.
In the girls bracket the Big Horn Lady Rams advanced by beating Southeast 40-26.they face Pine Bluffs in the semi finals today at 4:00
The Tongue River Lady Eagles took care of Lingle 62-31 and move onto face Burns in the semi's at 5:30.
The Tongue River Eagles took a 71-56 loss against Lingle they will play Moorcroft in an elimination game at noon.
Registration will take place March 1 – April 3rd
April 8th – 9th they will have the formation of teams
teams start practice after this
Registration can be online at sheridanbaberuth.com any question they can contact any board members numbers are online
They are looking for coaches and umpires contact them online the numbers are on our website.
STATE SWIMMING / DIVING - The Sheridan Bronc swimmers and divers open the 4-A state swimming and diving championships today in Gillette.
Head coach Larry White says the Broncs have had a pretty good year heading into state.
Prelims begin today with the finals tomorrow morning.
STATE WRESTLING - The Sheridan Bronc wrestlers will be at the all-class state wrestling championships in Casper 17 broncs will compete matches begin tomorrow morning at 9:00
The Bison Swim Team had all of their team qualified for State already, but last weekend's State Qualifier in Newcastle was a chance to have some fun and have a good workout preparing for State.
STATE WRESTLING - The Sheridan Bronc wrestlers will be at the all-class state wrestling championships in Casper 17 Broncs will compete for the Blue and Gold this weekend.
Head coach Terry Burgess says they had a pretty good regional and have a good group going to the state championships.
The Broncs have near the bottom of the team standings for the last several years and this year they are looking to make a big move up that ladder as Burgess talks about how many spots they think they move up.
Five Sheridan Ice Figure Skaters competed at the 6th Annual Black Hills Gold Rush figure skating competition on Saturday, February 19 and Sunday February 20 in Rapid City, South Dakota.
Kairstyn Holden (age 9) won 3 first place medals and 1 second place medal in Basic 6 level events
Katelyn Kayser (age 11) won 1 second place medal and 1 third place medal in Beginner level events.
Catherine Winnop (age 13) won 3 first place medals in Basic 8 level events.
Elizabeth Winnop (age 14) won 3 first place medals in Limited Beginner events.
REGIONAL TOURNAMENT BASKETBALL - The Tongue River and Big Horn basketball teams open up East regional play Thursday in Newcastle.
In the girls bracket the Big Horn Lady Rams are a #2 seed they open with Southeast at 9:00 Thursday morning.
The Tongue River Lady Eagles are a #1 seed and will open with Lingle Thursday afternoon at 4:00.
In the boys bracket the Eagles are the #2 seed and will play Lingle at noon and the Rams will take their unbeaten record and #1 seed into their game with Pine Bluffs at 7:00.
Highland Park School 5th grader, Noah Erickson, won the State Elk's Free Throw Hoop Shoot for the boy's 10-11 age division in Casper this past weekend.
With His victory he advances on to the Regional Contest March 12th in Denver. He will compete against Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado as member of Team Wyoming.
The six winning contestants from all age groups in the Regional Contest will advance to the National Finals in Springfield, Massachusetts in April.
The Sheridan Shooters 4th grade basketball team won first place at a tournament in Rapid City, South Dakota.
In the picture Back Row L to R: Brock Bomar, Nate Roe, Kade Eisele, Jaxon Parker, Tristan Bower. Front Row L to R: Coach Troy Bower, Eli Johnston, Carter Wells, Garrett Coon and Xander Coon.
LADY BRONC BASKETBALL - The Sheridan Lady Broncs will close out the regular season on the road at Cheyenne Central and East this week Head coach Derek Bissitt says the conference title is on the line.
The Lady Broncs are tied for the conference lead with Gillette if they both win two in Cheyenne this week the conference title will be decided by a tie breaker.
BRONC BASKETBALL - The Broncs gave Gillette a great run in the razor city but came up two points short as the Camels held off the Broncs 53-51.
Road & Travel


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Pennsylvania - Grindstone Bail Bonds
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Samsung Wave 723 Pictures
Samsung Wave 723 is the fourth phone that will carry its own open mobile OS bada. After the pilot Samsung Wave, the company did two low-end handsets with the bada OS - the Wave 2, and the Wave 2 Pro with a QWERTY keyboard. Both phones carried a 3.2" LCD screen, and a 3MP camera. The new Wave 723 steps things up from those with an LCD screen of the same 3.2" size, but a back cover made of metal, Wi-Fi, and a 5MP camera with LED flash. An interesting design take is the screen cover which is made of leather, and is attached to the bottom of the phone.


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So, to start off, I am aware of the growing youtube tutorial base, a lot of which are extremely detailed and well documented and cited. I'm keeping them in mind but for the sake argument I'd like to exclude youtube/vimeo-website based tutorial videos and private organized "tutorial courses" including to leave out written documentation hosted by Atmel on their Atmel Studio and Controllers, as well as any written tutorials out there like Instructables. Before I'm going to jump into using all those resources, I just wanted to ask in case this exists...
Are there any purchase-able College Level courses on understanding, programming and building circuits around the Atmel 32 bit MCUs. I come from a heavily artistic side: music composing, drawing, design, game development etc. I wen't to college for Concept Art when I discovered that I had an interest to create devices with micro-controllers. The one thing I noticed is that subjects like Art and Game Development have a giant video tutorial base on tutoring sites like CGSociety, Lynda.com, Udemy etc. These aren't just courses made to explain common grounds, but most of these have a course plan that cover nearly everything there is to a certain trade, some of which even offer a "diploma-esk" type of certification (not that THAT is a selling point to me). The main subject is that it's extremely board and is, for all intents, a course on a trade, addressing majority of aspects and sides of it. Nearly all of these purchase-able courses are taught by college professors and industry veterans, most of them address common questions asked by students getting in their field too so it makes the course easy to take in from a students perspective. Last year I was about to enroll into a local college for "Information Technology" type of a program which, I thought, would teach me everything I need until I looked at the course outline with things like, "Creating and Managing a Corporate Network" and "Programming a Linux OS" when I realized my money would have been wasted on things I have no interest in and it would barely touch on the subject I was actually interested in. Now I know that those programs "open career opportunities" but that's really not my goal.
So any video courses that take me through the ropes of setting up and programming 32 bit Atmel controllers?
Thanks everyone for the input.


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I've been planning to make the Deer&Doe Airelle blouse for nearly a year now. I even talked about it to Kerry at the FQR Retreat last year and Sue and Di kindly gave me the black bias binding from their FQR goody bags to use for the piping I was planning to add. Months went by, where I thought a lot about making this top and enviously eyed some lovely makes on Flickr but did nothing. A couple of weeks ago, I girded my loins (WTF?!) and publicly declared that I was fighting the fear and going to start. I cut out the pattern and ironed every piece. The Deer&Doe patterns are on pretty heavy paper, which I like (from my limited experience). I was ready to go...... and then it all stalled.
My problem is really all about cutting fabric. I worry so much about doing it wrong and ruining the fabric. (same as with my quilting) The nano iro double gauze I decided to use (after a last minute change of mind) had been sat sitting waiting to be used for something for coming on 4 years now. In the end, I did make a couple of cutting out mistakes, which meant I had to reduce the length of the sleeves by an inch or so and improvise the facing for the collar, which made me decide to also use the same fabric as the underneath of the collar itself. I chose voile obviously because voile and double gauze...how hard could that be for a beginner?
Anyway, my progress was slow and a bit stop starty (I nearly cried when I saw the beautiful jacket that Emily made in 4 hours!). Half way through I was convinced the way forward was to ditch the pattern sleeves and make tulip sleeves instead but I realised that I should just do what I'm told until I'm good enough to do better. And so, this afternoon I finally finished my first ever blouse (collar and cuffs matching, Mrs Garrett!)...
I also attempted a fashion shoot with Laughing Boy but he acted like I'd just asked him to sacrifice our first born and handed him a loaded weapon. I had planned a really cool "look my shoulder is broken" super model pose but wasn't given any more time! One vaguely usable photo later...
|David Bailey he ain't!
Overall, I chose to make the largest size because I was concerned about fitting in the chebbage. This was probably a mistake as it is a bit big on me, especially the neck/collar which I feel is a bit gapey round the back. The instructions were very limited and if like me your a newbie to all of this malarkey, instructions like "clip the seam allowance" made me fret as there were no pictures to show where to do this. I turned to my Vogue Sewing manual for guidance but I may have over clipped! The facing on the collar is now really bumpy (with empty bits). Having said that, the instructions did the job. I chose french seams for the back, sides and the sleeves and bound the gathered bits on the shoulder. I think I will bind the armhole seams too. Double gauze frays if you even look at it the wrong way.
My sleeves didn't fit into the armholes - they (the sleeves) were too big - no idea why! So again I had to improvise and did a small gather at the top of each sleeve, with mixed success to be fair. I think they shoulders now look a bit oddly puffy and emphasise how big the top is. Also, the collar is every so slightly overlapped...
|can you spot the fish? or are you mesmerised by the lumpy facing?
So, all in all a bit hit and miss but I think I learned a lot - an expensive toile if you will! I may give it away to someone who will love it or I might wear it to work tomorrow to test drive it. Here are my favourite bits...
I love the voile under the collar..
|my first ever collar!
|my first ever cuff!
|Mortmain by Gather .. for the "ambitious beginner"
|Washi, obvs


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Each year APWA holds two major conferences: PWX (formerly known as International Public Works Congress & Exposition-"The Best Show in Public Works"); and the North American Snow Conference. The conferences are different sizes each offers multiple sessions on a variety of the hottest topics in public works, as well as the opportunity to meet with numerous exhibitors to "kick the tires" and discuss cutting-edge technology.
As an added bonus, APWA is an International Association of Continuing Education & Training (IACET) authorized continuing education provider. Therefore, APWA is able to offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and Professional Development Hours (PDHs) for all of its national events and for pre-approved chapter events. The IACET designation signifies to state licensing authorities and other entities that APWA meets the highest standards and definitions of continuing education and training.
For historical information about APWA's national conferences, click here.


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Lab 2: What's a Watershed?
The lab activity described here was created by Betsy Youngman of Phoenix Country Day School and LuAnn Dahlman of TERC for the EarthLabs project. The hands-on activity in Part A is adapted from similar lessons by Windows to the Universe and California's Project WILD.
Summary and Learning Objectives
Students build a physical model to explore watershed features, then use Google Earth software to tie the model to a real place. By exploring several layers of map-based images and data, students develop an appreciation of the complexity of a watershed and river system in the context of a both a local and national scale.After completing this investigation, students will be able to:
- Build a physical model of a watershed.
- Identify watershed features such as drainage divides, rivers, tributary.
- Predict streamflow patterns based on landform features.
- Use Google Earth to view watershed features.
- Discover their own watershed.
- Describe land cover and population changes within a watershed.
Context for Use
This activity builds background knowledge necessary for understanding drought. The physical model and Google Earth-based exploration of watershed data help students grasp how surface water moves across the landscape. The activity requires simple lab or household materials for Part A and the computer lab for Part B. Both parts lend themselves well to small group work. There are no prerequisite skills needed for the activity, but it may take longer if this is the first time students have used Google Earth. The activity can stand alone from the drought unit as an introduction to rivers.
Estimate of Time Required: Part A: 45 minutes; Part B: 45 to 90 minutes, depending on students' previous experience with Google Earth.Open the Student Lab »
Activity Overview and Teaching Materials
In part A, small groups of students build physical models to demonstrate the concepts of watersheds and drainage divides. Each group of 2 to 4 students will need the following materials.
- Large aluminum roasting pan or paint tray
- Stack of tissue paper or newspapers
- Masking Tape
- Sheet of white plastic, slightly larger than the pan (a trash compactor bag cut into single sheet works well)
- Spray bottle
- Blue food coloring
- Absorbent cloth or paper towels
- 2 different colors of permanent markers
- Blocks of wood or a notebook to lift one end of your tray
In Part B, students use Google Earth and watershed data from USGS EDNA Watershed Atlas site to look for correlations between watershed features and landforms. They also explore population density and land cover change in a watershed of their choice. Students conclude by preparing an illustrated description of a watershed.
Google Earth is a freely available virtual globe program. It displays satellite images, aerial photographs, and graphic layers on personal computers by serving them over the Internet. Advanced versions of Google Earth are available for purchase, but this activity uses the free version.
If student computers don't have Google Earth installed, they can download and install the free program from the Google Earth download page.
Printable Materials
You may want to provide a hard copy of the activity sheet (Acrobat (PDF) 45kB Aug3 08) on which students can record their answers. A
This file is only accessible to verified educators. If you would like access to this file, please enter your email address below. If you are new to the site, you will be asked to complete a short request form. If you have already been verified by the EarthLabs project, you will be taken directly to the file download page.
Teaching Notes and Tips
The watershed models are easily built and explored in one class period. There are suggested materials to use, but there is much flexibility in the design. If you do not have squirt bottles or baking pans suggest to students to bring them in from home. Give students several days or a week's notice so that they can empty and clean an appropriate container.
Google Earth is an amazing and engaging program. Allow students sufficient time for exploration within the program will help them use it in subsequent lessons. Encourage students to access Google Earth's online User's Guide to understand how various tools and features work.
Also note that the EDNA watershed data sets from the USGS are rich sources of information for multiple investigations. Performing a practice run through the steps students will follow will help you anticipate questions that students may have.
If multiple computers are downloading or using Google Earth simultaneously, a lab may experience issues with limited bandwidth. Installation is recommended prior to student use. It is also recommended that this activity not be students' first exposure to Google Earth as there is a strong likelihood that they will be distracted by wanting to explore the program by checking out familiar places and experimenting with the tool's many features.
To assess student understanding in Part A, you may ask students to draw a diagram of their watershed model and label all significant features. Additional insight into student understanding can be gained by examining their answers to the Stop and Think questions.
State and National Science Teaching Standards
Applicable California Science Teaching Standards
Earth Science - California Geology
9. The geology of California underlies the state's wealth of natural resources as well as its natural hazards. As a basis for understanding this concept:
- 3. Students know the importance of water to society, the origins of California 's fresh water, and the relationship between supply and need.
Investigation and Experimentation Standards
g. Recognize the usefulness and limitations of models and theories as scientific representations of reality.
- Select and use appropriate tools and technology (such as computer-linked probes, spreadsheets, and graphing calculators) to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships, and display data.
Applicable Massachusetts Science and Technology Standards (PDF - 1.3 Mb)
Earth and Space Science - Earth Processes and Cycles
- 3.4 Water flows into and through a watershed.
Applicable New York Core Curricula
Physical Setting/Earth Science (PDF - 135 Kb)
STANDARD 4 - Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.
- Key Idea 2. Many of the phenomena that we observe on Earth involve interactions among components of air, water, and land.
- 2.1u A watershed is the area drained by a stream and its tributaries.
STANDARD 6 — Interconnectedness: Common Themes. Students will understand the relationships and common themes that connect mathematics, science, and technology and apply the themes to these and other areas of learning.
- Key Idea 2. Models are simplified representations of objects, structures, or systems used in analysis, explanation, interpretation, or design.
Applicable North Carolina Earth and Space Science Standards
4.06 Evaluate changes in local bodies of water and/or watershed over time:.
Applicable Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)112.49. Geology, Meteorology, and Oceanography.
(10) Science concepts. The student knows the interactions that occur in a watershed. The student is expected to identify the characteristics of a local watershed.
Applicable National Science Education Standards (SRI)
Science as Inquiry (12ASI)
Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry
- 12ASI1.3 Use technology and mathematics to improve investigations and communications. A variety of technologies, such as hand tools, measuring instruments, and calculators, should be an integral component of scientific investigations. The use of computers for the collection, analysis, and display of data is also a part of this standard. Mathematics plays an essential role in all aspects of an inquiry. For example, measurement is used for posing questions, formulas are used for developing explanations, and charts and graphs are used for communicating results.
- 12ASI1.4 Formulate and revise scientific explanations and models using logic and evidence. Student inquiries should culminate in formulating an explanation or model. Models should be physical, conceptual, and mathematical. In the process of answering the questions, the students should engage in discussions and arguments that result in the revision of their explanations. These discussions should be based on scientific knowledge, the use of logic, and evidence from their investigation.
Understandings about Science and Technology
- 12EST2.2 Science often advances with the introduction of new technologies. Solving technological problems often results in new scientific knowledge. New technologies often extend the current levels of scientific understanding and introduce new areas of research.
Additional Resources
Background Information
Visionlearning's article on the hydrologic cycle


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In December 2000, I flew to Bangkok with a backpack and a few changes of clothes, a small stack of books, my first digital camera, a new state-of-the-art mini-disc player with Beatles and Red House Painters albums and some of my other favorite traveling music. I read most of my Lonely Planet – Thailand book on the plane and even slept a little with my head on the window. Soon we landed in Bangkok. It was my second trip to Asia, and I'd read so much and seen so many foreign films about the region and culture, but it still totally blew me away.
From my first day there, I started a tradition of eating pineapple pancakes for breakfast at the guesthouse in a little alley behind Khao San Road. During the day, I rode in auto-rickshaws with unscrupulous and amusing drivers, explored the temples and markets, my favorites being the giant reclining buddha at Wat Pho, and day trips to the incredible floating markets. I was also delighted to find great used bookstores on Khao San road. I actually read the first 70 pages of Alex Garland's The Beach (which takes place in Thailand) while standing at the shelf in the bookstore before paying a few bucks for the tattered paperback and finding a café to finish the book.


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Wildlife & Landscape Photography, Travel experiences, Webdesign, CSS, Social Media Stories Home
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Hornschlitten Rennen 2017 in Garmisch
"Hornschlitten Rennen" means wooden sledge race. A "Hornschlitten" is a sledge which sports two uprising handles emerging from its runners, resembling to horns. Since ages in alpine regions these sledges were the tool of choice to bring down wood, hay Read More …


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NEW YORK (AP) — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported a 9 percent increase in third-quarter net income as the world's largest retailer continues to woo back shoppers by reemphasizing it has the lowest prices. But the company is seeing its momentum slow as it grapples with an uncertain global economy.
The Bentonville, Ark.-based discounter issued a fourth-quarter profit outlook that was below analysts' forecast. It also reported that revenue at stores open at least a year, a figure that measures growth in established stores, fell short of Wall Street estimates.
Wal-Mart is considered an economic bellwether because the retailer accounts for nearly 10 percent of nonautomotive retail spending in the U.S. The company's latest results underscore how its low- income shoppers continue to have a hard time stretching their dollars to the next pay day and count on rock-bottom prices.
"Current macroeconomic conditions continue to pressure our customers," said Charles Holley, Wal-Mart's chief financial officer in a statement. "The holiday season is predicted to be very competitive but we are well prepared to deliver on the value and low prices our customers expect."
Nevertheless, Wal-Mart has been able to turn around its U.S. business by fixing its mistakes it made in merchandising and pricing. It's hammering its low price message again after temporarily discounting select items. It's also returned thousands of items to its shelves after a campaign to reduce clutter in its stores backfired.
The company says Thursday it earned $3.63 billion, or $1.08 per share, in the quarter ended Oct. 31. That compares with $3.33 billion, or 96 cents per share, in the year-ago period.
Net sales, excluding Sam's Club membership fees, rose 3.4 percent to $113.2 million.
Analysts were expecting $1.07 per share on revenue of $114 billion.
Wal-Mart says revenue at stores opened at least a year rose 1.5 percent for its namesake U.S. business, below Wall Street's estimate of 1.8 percent. That's the division's fifth straight quarterly gain after posting nine straight quarters of declines. But the figure represents a slowdown from the 2.2 percent growth in the second quarter and a 2.6 percent increase in the first quarter.
For the entire U.S. business, the measure rose 1.7 percent, including a 2.7 percent rise at Sam's Clubs.
Revenue for Wal-Mart's U.S. business, which accounts for about 60 percent of the company's total business, rose 3.6 percent to $66.1 billion, while revenue at Sam's Club rose 4.7 percent to $13.9 billion. Revenue at its international division, which accounts for about a quarter of Wal-Mart's total revenue, rose 4.7 percent. That marked a slowdown from the previous quarter.
Wal-Mart narrowed its full year earnings guidance and issued a fourth-quarter profit outlook that's below analysts' forecasts.
It now expects earnings per share for the full year to be between $4.88 per share and $4.93 per share. It originally expected earnings per share of $4.83 to $4.93. For the fourth quarter, it expects earnings per share to be $1.53 per share and $1.58 per share. Analysts had expected $1.59 per share.
Wal-Mart's stock fell $2.28 per share, or more than 3 percent, to $69.03 in trading.
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1548hrs: Inherited Retinal Dystrophies (Kevin Gregory-Evans)/
Dr Gregory-Evans sends his regrets as he was unable to attend.
Dr Gregory-Evans sends his regrets as he was unable to attend.
I started this site in 2009 to write about Glaucoma, Health IT (EMR, EHR), Technology and to host my podcast series "Talking About Glaucoma." There is a shortcut to this blog to make it easier to find http://iguy.tv/blog.
I am a glaucoma sub-specialized Ophthalmologist and have a full time clinical practice at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic of the Geisel School of Medicine in Hanover, NH. I have a longtime interest in the use of technology to help in medical care as well as in Education. In addition, I was a very early adopter and developer of Electronic Medical Record systems who has lectured internationally on the topic of making the transition to EMRs in daily practice.
Copyright © 2009-2018, Robert M Schertzer, MD, MEd, FRCSC. All rights reserved.


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156 results
Tools for drawing Site Surveys in SketchUp.
The power tools of 2D Graphics enabled for any plane in 3D space.
Bring your SketchUp models to the augmented reality of the Microsoft HoloLens
Generate and edit rectangular HVAC channels or cable trays
Add spreadsheet capabilities to SketchUp and use powerful edit and report functions
Generate and edit secondary/support steelwork with proper fittings, supports and pipe/duct supports
Generate and edit pipelines, work with standard fittings and components
Generate structural and support steelwork with five powerful tools
Creates 2D/3D grids, X,Y,Z steps paramétric, on any plane.
Offsets several faces at multiple distances


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Detroit has long identified itself with its best athletes.
Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman in hockey. Al Kaline and Miguel Cabrera in baseball. Dave Bing and Isiah Thomas in basketball. Bobby Layne and Barry Sanders in football.
And they are merely the tip of the iceberg of a tradition very much alive today.
Calvin Johnson is the best wide receiver in the NFL, and Matthew Stafford has been a statistical wonder, if not an overly winning quarterback for the Lions. Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is an All-Pro, who has done many national endorsements and appeared on reality TV. Pavel Datsyuk was the captain of the Russian Olympic team, and Henrik Zetterberg for Sweden. Cabrera is joined on the Tigers by Justin Verlander, arguably this generation's best pitcher, and reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer.
Cabrera, Verlander, Datsyuk and Zetterberg are in their 30s, and have veteran status. Scherzer and Suh are in the last year of their respective contracts, and this may be their last season in Detroit. Stafford and Johnson have been in the NFL several years.
It begs the question: Who's next?
These are the five leading candidates to rank as Detroit's next great professional sports athletes:
1. Gustav Nyquist – Nyquist had just five goals and hadn't scored for an extended period when he went on a scoring streak not seen from a Red Wings' player in two decades.
Nyquist is following a similar path as Datsyuk and Zetterberg. He wasn't an early pick in the NHL Draft, he was a fourth-rounder (they went even later in the draft).
He showed signs of being a solid player at the University of Maine and in the minor leagues with the Grand Rapids Griffins. He did play well for the Red Wings in the playoffs last spring, but didn't score many goals. It was impossible to see this type of goal scoring spree coming.
Nyquist has played on winning teams coming up, and gained more quality experience playing for silver medal-winning Sweden in the Olympics. He has potentially outstanding leadership qualities and command of the English language. It would not be surprising if, down the road, he becomes the Red Wings' captain.
2. Andre Drummond – There many ways to describe the current state of the Pistons. Not many of them, at least if articulated accurately, would be flattering.
But any criticism of the Pistons comes with the following qualifying statement, "Except for Andre Drummond."
Drummond is an exceptional talent. What he is not, at least yet, is an exceptional player.
He's the best natural rebounder in the NBA and finishes with authority around the basketball. Once he learns how to defend the rim better and becomes a true force as a shot blocker, and a more respectable free throw shooter, the sky is the limit for Drummond. He definitely is a piece the Pistons can build around, although he remains a work in progress.
3. Ziggy Ansah – Ansah played through most of last season with a nagging ankle injury and still led NFL rookies, and the Lions overall, in sacks with eight. He is capable of doubling that total at some point of his career. The best part is Ansah is not a one-trick pony. He is stout at the point of attack, plays low and has a knack for finding the football. Ansah, a rare combination of size, speed, strength, skill and work ethic, is probably the most underrated of Detroit's potential next great athletes. Don't expect that to be for long.
4. Nick Castellanos – In the post-Performing Enhancement Drugs era, a premium has been placed on hitting. Scouts are increasingly having difficulty finding young, gifted hitters.
Castellanos, the Tigers' rookie third baseman, is a gifted hitter. He has hit well at every level, and will in the major leagues, too. It's just a matter of time. Tiger fans are hoping it is sooner instead of later. It probably will be sooner.
5. Anthony Mantha – Mantha, the Red Wings' first-round draft choice last summer, played junior hockey this season, but he has an extraordinarily high ceiling as an NHL player. He scored 57 goals in 57 games in the Quebec Major Junior League this season. He starred for Canada in the World Junior Championships. He is 6-4, 200 pounds with room to grow on his frame, and a smooth skater with exceptional hands.
He was taken 20th overall in last year's NHL Draft. Although it was an unusually deep draft, he undoubtedly would be selected much earlier in a re-draft.
Along with Nyquist and Tomas Tatar, who easily could have made this list, Mantha is a reason the Red Wings' future appears to be so bright.


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Majestic Mountains
Original Oil on Panel by Ember Canada.
8 x 10 inch
This oil painting is signed with the artist's initials on the bottom. The artist's full signature and title is also written in pencil on the backside for easy reference.
To purchase the original artwork please contact the artist.


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Christmas is just around the corner and that generally means the healthy eating goes out of the window and the treat day becomes every day, the 'I'll start Monday" becomes "I'll start January", there is absolutely no time to exercise because you have a different office party to go to for each team you work with, and then of course you have the many friends and family functions to attend. Summed up, December is a month for pretty much eating and drinking and being merry.
This post is not written with the expectation not to indulge in the festive activities but purely just to offer just ten tips on how to get through the season without feeling guilt about what you ate the night before and perhaps help with the odd hangover.
- There is never a shortage of food at Xmas but that doesn't mean you have to eat everything in sight. Try to finish eating when you feel around 80% full. This will hopefully stop you needing to lie down on the floor in the recovery position for an hour.
- When out at a party where the drink is flowing, take a handful of unsalted nuts such as almonds or cashews. This can help you avoid the late night chicken or kebab shop or even doing something you regret with your boss.
- Make the chosen alcoholic drink red wine and from the pinot noir grape. Pinot Noir contains the highest level of the antioxidant Resveratrol that has shown to be beneficial for life extension, cardio-protective and play a role in cancer prevention.
- Your mother was right when she said to eat your Brussels sprouts. Part of the cruciferous family along with broccoli, kale, watercress, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips & pak choi, they are important components of a diet supporting the liver to detoxify. Include these where possible on your work nights out or with your Christmas dinner.
- Make sure you get breakfast in you. This is even if you are going out for a meal later in the day. This can help avoid overeating the minute the bread-basket arrives on the table. Think protein…poached eggs are a perfect choice.
- If you have a few late nights planned then make it priority some of the days where you don't have much on to go to bed by 10pm. This is something your body will thank you for when you need the energy the most.
- Find some time in the day to do a bit of exercise. It doesn't have to be a full on session but it will be so much easier when you return to your routine in January. This may also help with avoiding weight gain over Christmas.
- Opt for brightly coloured fruit and vegetables. These contain antioxidants to help mop up the damaging 'free radicals' caused by alcohol and eating excessive sugar.
- Keep yourself hydrated. Ensure you're getting enough water in you. Aim to get 2 litres of filtered or bottled water a day and make sure you get some down at the office party.
- Feeling down this time of year? Perhaps it could be due to inadequate vitamin D. Make an appointment with your GP to get it tested and supplement if necessary. See here for an earlier post on Vitamin D.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year from everyone at The Naked Nutritionist.
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What's the Nexus 5 Smartphone's Secret Weapon?
Google finally took the wraps off its worst-kept secret. The Nexus 5 Android phone is here, and it's bound to be a hit. Not because it's a performance beast, but because it's a lot of smartphone for the money.
For those who care about hardcore tech specs, the Nexus 5 sports a top-of-the-line Snapdragon 800 processor from Qualcomm. It's a high-speed quad-core chip paired with the latest Adreno 330 graphics core, as well as two gigabytes of operating memory.
This is the same Snapdragon chip you'd find in the latest smartphones and tablets from Samsung and Sony, like Samsung's Galaxy S4, or the Sony Xperia Z1. Not a quantum leap over the competition, but fully competitive stuff.
Likewise, the Nexus 5 features wireless charging and the latest Gorilla Glass 3 screen cover from Corning. Neither feature is unique to this phone, but they're still up to par with the best you'll find in other flagship devices.
Built by Korean technology giant LG, the handset mirrors the existing LG G2 in many ways -- but not shot for shot. The G2 features a slightly larger screen (but with the same 1920 x 1080 full HD resolution), 62% more pixels in the main camera, and a 30% larger battery. The Nexus 5 is also crammed into a, shall we say, not-so-premium plastic body while some of its high-end Android peers sport machined metal and whatnot. So the Nexus 5 is not built to crush every other smartphone under the sheer weight of its technical and design prowess.
The real selling point
But the value equation does impress. The Nexus 5 starts at $349, full price for an unlocked phone you can take to pretty much any network you like without a contract-bound discount. The LG G2 may be slightly more upscale, but it sells for $600. The Galaxy S4? Another nearly $600 handset with slightly better specs. Sony's Xperia Z1 goes for $529, and the full price for a no-contract Apple iPhone 5C is $549.
So, in the grand old Nexus tradition, the Nexus 5 is comparable (but not soul-crushingly dominant) to recent high-end devices, but undercuts them all on the bottom line. The phone is cheaper than the aging iPhone 4 ($408), or even the Galaxy S2 ($336). Those are handsets with more than two years of history, and nearly three in the case of the Galaxy S2.
Google is betting that consumers might be willing to trade a slight performance-and-features edge for a nearly 50% discount. It worked before with the Nexus 7 tablet line, and I don't see why it wouldn't work again here.
Where can I get one?
At the time of writing, the Nexus 5 is available straight from Google at $349 or $399, depending on your storage capacity needs (sorry, no slot for external memory cards). Google also lists T-Mobile as a launch-day retailer, but I don't think T-Mobile got the memo -- that link leads to a "page not found" error page.
Sprint joins the party "just in time for the holidays," alongside a variety of non-network retail stores. AT&T is currently not planning to sell the handset directly, but the Nexus 5 will work on AT&T's network. The only major American carrier whose 4G bands are not supported by the Nexus 5 is Verizon. Guess you can't catch them all.
We don't know how much the Nexus 5 will cost at T-Mobile, or whether any of the other major networks will apply discounts or special deals. But chances are, they'll all toe the official price line, and November 8 shipping date; assuming, of course, that LG can make enough handsets to meet the demand.
And that might be a challenge. Nice problem to have, though.
Psst... you can win without picking a winner!
Want to get in on the smartphone phenomenon -- without picking a winner in the raging platform wars? Truth be told, one company sits at the crossroads of smartphone technology as we know it. It's not your typical household name, either. In fact, you've probably never even heard of it! But it stands to reap massive profits NO MATTER WHO ultimately wins the smartphone war. To find out what it is, click here to access the "One Stock You Must Buy Before the iPhone-Android War Escalates Any Further."
The article What's the Nexus 5 Smartphone's Secret Weapon? originally appeared on Fool.com.Fool contributor Anders Bylund owns shares of Google, but he holds no other position in any company mentioned. Check out Anders' bio and holdings or follow him on Twitter and Google+. The Motley Fool owns shares of Google and Apple. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of QUALCOMM, Google, Apple, and Corning. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended creating a bull call spread position in Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days.
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