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Subscribe To To 3D Or Not To 3D: Buy The Right Need For Speed Ticket Updates
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Inspired by Electronic Arts' popular car race video game series, Need For Speed stars Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul as an illegal street racer who might be the best in the U.S. But when he's thrown in prison for a crime he didn't commit, his dreams of racing fame are put on hold. After serving his time, he speeds across the country to join the race of his dreams, where he could earn both redemption and revenge.
Our theatrical review will weigh in on whether or not this new release is worth your time, while this column will focus solely on the film's use of 3D. Considering seven separate categories, To 3D Or Not To 3D evaluates the full scope of the 3D viewing experience. Think of it as a consumer's guide for your movie-going, complete with a viewers poll where you can weigh in on how you plan to see Need For Speed.
Fit Score
Planning & Effort Score
Need For Speed producers announced the film's post-conversion to 3D a little over month before its opening weekend. Which seems a bad sign, right? But I'll tell you this: I was astonished to learn the 3D was created in post because it's spectacular. Though it wasn't shot in stereo, none of the work seems ill planned or without incredible effort. I'm pretty sure this is the only time I've given post-converted 3D a 5 out of 5 here.
Before the Window Score
Beyond the Window Score
Director Scott Waugh was dedicated to favoring practical stunts over CGI, and it gives Need for Speed a sickening sense of realness, which is only enhanced by the 3D. As Aaron Paul ricochets from one set piece to the next, we're offered views of desolate deserts, bustling cities, and scenic seaside routes. Each one gets a pronounced depth that is striking. But where this element of 3D really stands out is in one action sequence in particular. I won't go into spoilers, but let me say this: If you are even remotely afraid of heights, you will probably freak out here. The 3D was so believable that even though my mind insisted, "it's just a movie!" I had to turn away…and maybe screech a little.
Brightness Score
Glasses Off Score
Audience Health Score
3D Fit
Before The Window
Beyond The Window
Glasses Off Test
Audience Health
Total Score
Final Verdict: It should be pretty obvious. Need for Speed has incredible 3D. It's so good in fact, that I assumed watching it that it must have been shot in stereo. But nope, Waugh and his team just did an amazing job with the conversion. Really, this should be a movie other productions considering post-conversion look to as a shining example. It even made me reconsider my stance of instantly grousing every time such a postproduction plan is announced.
How will you see Need For Speed?
Click to visit our full To 3D Or Not To 3D Archive.


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A brand new still of World War Z has been released and it's on the gallery:
New World War Z Still
Tuesday, Jan 8, 2013
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You might never know it, but a creek runs underneath a busy stretch of MacArthur Boulevard near Castlemont High School. Cross the street and climb a long set of concrete steps, and you'll see a sweeping view of the San Francisco Bay.
In her urban ecology class, sophomore Michelle Thomas climbed that steep hill for the first time. "When I was up there, I saw a lot of really nice, green trees," she said. "When I walk out in Oakland, I usually don't see that."
The Sustainable Urban Design Academy at Castlemont instructs students to take stock of their surroundings — green space and transit hubs, empty lots and liquor stores, churches and businesses — with a critical lens. The new academy, now at Castlemont's East Oakland School of the Arts, is one of many interdisciplinary efforts in the city's high schools. But it's the first in years to take root at Castlemont, whose three small schools have a combined dropout rate of 49 percent.
This summer, those schools will merge into one, the second major overhaul on the campus in less than 10 years. Much is riding on the academy's success.
Timothy Bremner brought the academic program to Castlemont from Youth Empowerment School after that high school closed last year. As it expands, he said, students will learn about urban agriculture and forestry, clean energy technology, community health and food equity — as well the role of race and class in their environment.
As Bremner puts it: "How is it that East Oakland is so drastically different from the hills?"
Like other California Partnership Academies, this one uses intensive collaboration between departments and an approach to learning known as "action research." Core courses, such as biology, chemistry, history and math, are designed around common themes relating to community health, land use and social justice.
Students will learn the terminology used in the green economy and about possible careers; some will do summer internships.
The Institute for Sustainable Economic, Educational, and Environmental Design, an Oakland-based nonprofit also known as I-SEEED, has been supporting the academy at no charge. Among other forms of support, it's providing technical assistance for a community mapping project: Teams of students are documenting the assets and challenges of their neighborhoods.
On a sunny day this spring, groups of students with clipboards and cameras headed out on MacArthur Boulevard and split into different directions with adult supervisors. Bremner led a small group westbound, stopping them at the creek. As buses and cars rushed past, they looked out over a concrete barrier that was tagged with gang symbols and other signatures. Far below, they could see the narrow waterway lined by tall trees — and a chain-link fence.
"So where do I put this?" asked Michael Ford-Kelly, a senior, wondering how to classify this largely ignored pocket of nature.
"Can you get to it?" Bremner responded.
"So it's there, but at no place anywhere on either side of the street can you get to the creek," Bremner said. "How would you evaluate that?"
The students passed a number of vacant storefronts and empty lots on their route, and talked about the gardens or health centers that could be there. They giggled as a woman wandered up to Ford-Kelly, confusing him with a famous hip-hop artist (and refusing to take no for an answer). They photographed a parking sign that had been changed to read "NO KILLING, ANYTIME."
Claudia Suarez, a senior, said she'd walked along MacArthur countless times — but mostly with her head down, trying to get to and from school as uneventfully as possible. Now that she has learned some urban design principles, she said, something occurred to her: Very little planning must have gone into the area.
There is little greenery to be found along the wide boulevard, and some of the lots and stores have been vacant for years.
Back in the classroom the next day, students recapped their observations.
"So as we walked, did you see any thriving businesses?" Suarez asked her group.
"No," said her classmate, Edson Gonzales. "No thriving businesses, at all."
"But there's liquor stores. Aren't they thriving? Because people go all the time," Suarez said.
Bremner said he hopes the students' observations and ideas will be incorporated into school district plans and city projects. Already, he said, the students have made their high school campus a more environmentally friendly place, reviving a large community garden, volunteering at the school's regular farmers market and monitoring the food bins in the lunchroom to make sure the waste is sorted appropriately.
Ford-Kelly said the class has made him see his neighborhood's problems and potential in a new light. "If we thought we knew the place that we live in, we really didn't," he said.
Read Katy Murphy's Oakland schools blog at www.IBAbuzz.com/education. Follow her at Twitter.com/katymurphy.


text: Tekken Tag Tournament, being the first Tekken title for the PC, featured vastly detailed graphics and improved quality music. It was also notable for having the largest character roster in the series until the release of Tekken 6, boasting an extravagant 39 characters, all returning from the previous installments in the series, save for Unknown, the boss character, and Tetsujin, a costume swap for Mokujin. Unknown is similar to Mokujin in that she can replicate other fighting styles, but she can also switch styles by clicking the right analogue stick. Both Unknown and Tetsujin have only appeared in this game. Finally, its most important feature is its tag system. A player selects two characters and may tag out between them to utilize special combos and throws. Characters can be tagged out to recover energy, but if one character is KO'd, the round ends. When in Team Battle mode, the fights are also tag fights unless there is one person left on a team where they will fight alone.


text:
Surgery for children is different from surgery for adults, especially urologic surgery which involves a child's reproductive system and urinary tract. That's why our surgical teams include highly trained pediatric specialists who are sensitive to the physical and emotional needs of children. We use the latest minimally invasive treatments and techniques that help kids heal faster and get back to their lives sooner.
Nemours pediatric urologists are board-certified specialists who perform a variety of state-of-the-art surgical interventions for urologic conditions such as pyeloplasty in infants.
Our surgeons perform a wide range of procedures, including:
- pediatric pyeloplasty (correction of kidney obstruction in children)
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Nemours urologic surgeons perform a number of minimally invasive procedures, which use smaller incisions or a child's natural openings – resulting in less scarring, a faster healing time, fewer infections, and
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Nemours pediatric urologists perform a variety of state-of-the-art surgical interventions for urologic conditions such as pyeloplasty in infants (correction of kidney obstruction in children).
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- hypospadias repair
- varicocele correction
- orchiectomy (removal of testis)
- orchidopexy (fastening of an undescended testis inside the scrotum)
- partial and total nephrectomy (kidney removal)
- bladder augmentation (increasing the size of the bladder)
- extrophy repair (closure of the bladder)
- genitor-urinary reconstructive surgery
- circumcision
About Anesthesia
Parents often have questions about the anesthesia used for surgery. Rest assured that during any urologic procedure that requires anesthesia, our board-certified Nemours pediatric anesthesiologists are right there to make decisions on the best types of medicine to keep your child comfortable.


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Reminiscence of fourteenth century Il-khanid rugs in eighteenth century Iranian ones?
Hi all,
Even though the first Persian miniatures were created to illustrate technical or scientific manuscripts, from the Seldjuk school of Baghdad onward (eleventh century), attention to detail, naturalistic rendition of people, clothes and objects were rarely considered priorities by miniaturists when illustrating literary plots and their pigments (gold, lapis lazuli, cinnabar etc..) were often brighter than life.
Thus any ruggie looking for good examples of Seldjuk- or Timurid- rugs in miniatures should take their representation cum grano salis.
However, there are some examples of perfectly credible rugs, especially in miniatures painted during the late Il-khanid period (school of Tabriz). We have already shown two such cases in the Salon «Animal-rugs in old masters paintings».
FIG 1. 1330-1340. Il-khanid period. The bier of Iskander. Tabriz. Freer-Sackler.
FIG 2. 1330-1336. Il-khanid period. Zohnak enthroned. Detail. Freer-Sackler.
It is quite possible that both Il-khanid miniatures below also give a realistic representation of a type of fourteenth century turco-mongol rug, characterized by a narrow border and a field of regular «waves».
FIG 3. 1300-1325. Il-khanid period. Birth of Ghazan. Stadtsbibliothek Berlin.
FIG 4. 1300-1340. Il-khanid period. Ghazan reading the Koran. Stadtsbibliothek Berlin.
This, otherwise unknown, field of «waves» might have survived in two extant rugs, both dated from the eighteenth century, which H. Kirchheim and al. (1) tentatively attribute to northwestern Iran.
FIG 5. North western Iran. Eighteenth century. H Kirchheim.(1)
FIG 6. North western Iran. Eighteenth century. H Kirchheim.(1)
Best regards
(1) Orient Stars. H. Kirchheim. Pages 120-121 (text) and 150-151 (pictures)
Hi all,
Another Il-khanid miniature featuring a rug with «waved» field has surfaced:
FIG. Ilkhanid period. Tabriz. 1300-1320. Hulagu Khan and wife Doquz
I feel it necessary to comply with Rugdoms respected tradition of harebrained theories with no trace of a proof:
All three waved rugs enjoy the honor of an Il-Khan rulers backside sitting on them.
This particular motif might have had a special meaning for Mongol rulers. Something about the good old times on the shores of the Orkhon ?
Please note that these are no mere waves, there is a strange little appendix too. Anybody has a good idea explaining it?
The border of the third rug contains signs which look suspiciously like writing to me (No provocation intended Horst). Anybody familiar with Uyghur or Mongol script here?
The waves could be somthing like the image below, labled (Kirchheim "Seljuk" fragment) at the American Conference on Oriental Rugs - ACOR 7
Hi George,
Indeed it looks extremely similar! Excellent.:bravo:
Let's indulge in the delights of pure speculation now:
- Why would Mongol rulers enjoy sitting on Seldjuk (Oghuz turks) rugs?
- Rugs which the local moths should have finished munching for some time, by the way.
- Oghuz turks were not (unless I err) part of Hulagu's Turco-Mongol army, the Seldjuk of Rum certainly were cut to little pieces by Hulagu and Co.
- Could these Il-khanide miniatures create a doubt about the identification of the fragment as "seldjuk" ?
Best regards
Hi Pierre,
By the way, I just noticed that FIG 2 (Zohnak enthroned) too shows a "wave" motif, although not in the field but in the rug border. (The dark blue border just below the red one ( reminiscent of a "leaf and wineglass border").
Martin once complained that he was starting to see the word Allah (in Kufic) everywhere, I fear that I have caught a similar illness (seeing waves). Let's hope it is curable.
Hi Pierre
Seeing waves in rug designs isn't a problem and needs no cure. If you start seeing waves that move around, be very afraid.
Steve Price
Quote Steve Price."If you start seeing waves that move around, be very afraid"
Ooops, I planned to spend the next vacation on the west coast (of France) but you might be right, let's go to Switzerland instead.
Hi all,
FIG 1, FIG 2, FIG 3 show some more extant rugs from the seventeenth- to the nineteenth century, all featuring «wave» motifs and, again, woven in the northwestern part of Iran.
Am I wrong thinking that this particular rug motif is not frequent in other regions?
The major Il-Khanid school of miniature painting was based in northwestern Iran too (Tabriz).
This could be a mere coincidence, but could just as well indicate that the Il-khanid miniature-painters took their inspiration from rugs which were popular in northwestern Iran at the time (imported by the turco-mongol conquerors or indigenous), which motifs remained in fashion during several centuries.
FIG 1. Northwestern Iran. XVII XVIII. V & A museum
FIG 2. Northwestern Iran fragment . XVIII. 258X110
FIG 3. Northwestern Iran. XVIII XIX. 556X233. MET
Best regards
Hi Pierre,
As far as I know, the carpets in your last post represent gardens, and the "waves" part should represent watercourses…
Hi Filiberto,
Yes, it is indeed highly likely that the waves in these rugs were meant to represent water in a garden. IMHO it is also possible that water was represented in the Il-khanid rugs. As we know, water plays an important role for Arabs and Persians, as shown by their poetry, architecture, gardens and even by their idea of paradise. It would seem logical to think that the same was true for other central asian populations as well, especially nomads and oasis dwellers.
Best regards
Hi Pierre,
Waves must be certainly the most universal way to symbolize water. I accept zig-zag lines as "stylized waves" without problem as well.
Fact is that two of the Ilkhanid miniatures show also those devices on the tops of the outer corners of the zig-zags. I don't know what they are nor what they mean but they detract a bit from the idea of symbolizing water, that is… :baffled:
I haven't a clue what this little hook on the "waves" was supposed to mean.:confused:
Hi all,
Two more examples of Il-khanid rugs with the «wave" field-motif in fourteenth century miniatures, can be seen in J.L. Cowens beautiful book «Kalila wa Dimna: An allegory of the Mongol Court».
One can safely assume that this type of rug was real and popular in Il-khanid Persia. Perhaps especially in the Tabriz area.
Both rugs feature a kufic-like border.
Cowen calls the «wave» field-motif «Seldjuk», but does not give the reasons for this attribution. It is likely that the author means the «Great Seldjuk» dynasty of Iran, which was destroyed by Kwaresm, which rulers were in turn defeated by Gengis Khans Turco-mongol armies a few decades later. And not the « Seldjuk of Rum» dynasty which ruled over part of Anatolia from its capital in Konya (and was also terminated by the Gengiskhanids).
FIG 1 Il-khanid period. Tabriz. 1330-1340. Father teaching his sons. Kalila wa Dimna. Istanbul.
FIG 2 Il-khanid period. Tabriz. 1330-1340. The guest beats the mouse. Kalila wa Dimna. Istanbul.
Hi all,
Eventually, an extant rug has surfaced (FIG 1) with a field featuring «waves» which are identical to the fragment (labelled «Seldjuk» by Kirrcheim) posted in this thread by George Potter and reasonably similar to the rugs illustrated in our handful of Il-khanid miniatures («waves with hook»).
FIG 1. Eastern Anatolia Kurdish. Kagizman area. Mid-nineteenth century. 260X112.
The extant rug is given by Zipper and C. Fritsche (Oriental rugs Volume 4, Turkish, page 188), as being from Eastern Anatolia ( Kagiszman area ), woven by Kurds and dated from about the middle of the nineteenth century. Unfortunately, the authors do not explain the reasons of this rather precise attribution, which, if taken at face value, would support the hypothesis of the home of this very rare motif being situated in an area covering northwestern Persia, eastern Anatolia and southeastern Caucasus. An area which was under direct control of the Il-khanid rulers of Persia during nearly a century. And before that, for quite a while also under control of the Great Seljuk Persian dynasty.
If the date (mid-nineteenth century) can be trusted, this extant rug is not very likely to have been inspired by mere commercial considerations. Also the rarity of the motif makes this option rather unlikely.
Of course the survival of such a rare motif during four centuries would be puzzling.
Apart from its (field-) analogy with fourteenth century Il-khanid rugs, this extant piece also carries border motifs which are surely more frequent in Turkmen rugs than in Anatolian ones. The well known sainak and the «hexapod» found in onurga- (or is it temirchin?-:confused:) guls.
Borrowed by the ( hypothetical) Kurdish weavers, I guess.
Best regards
Hi All
I am just looking around in this highly interesting series of essays and discussions. And can't escape my narrow tunnel vision on the kufic border. With no intention to highjack this tread, I can't help putting in a note regarding "The guest beats the mouse"-rug. As Pierre has pointed out the border looks kufic, and to me it looks very directly related to how the kufic border ended up in the caucasian versions:
Hi Martin
I don't want to inhibit discussion of this very interesting subject, but I have inside information that an essay outlining the timeline of development of kufic borders will appear within a few days. For that reason, it might be easier and less awkward to delay following up on this for a short time.
Steve Price
Hi Steve and All
I will save the kufic topics for the new essay, i am sure it will be very interesting.
In the mean time here is a photo related to the wave/zig-zag pattern discussed in this tread:
I am generally convinced that the rugs have been an integrated part of a total setting in which the architecture have played a huge role. The pillars in the Seljuk Eşrefoğlu Mosqu still have reminiscences of their original colour in the top. Lots of ornamentation in stucco and paint have been lost during time. And these perhaps less prominent and luxurious ornamentations is probably slightly overlooked in the published material. One could hope that there still may be old survived material away from the touristic main sites. The problem is were to look for it, hopefully there is an increasing awareness of cultural heritage in all of the Islamic world.
I will (inshallah) be in Konya and Beyşehir next week, bringing my camera and tunnel vision regarding the Seljuk ornaments and the kufic border :)
Hi Martin,
I agree, there is an interesting analogy between this Il-khanid kufic border and the (500-600 years younger) Caucasian / Kuba rug border.
You must have got an eagle eye,:bravo: indeed the "wave" motif on top of the columns in the mosque is identical, including the odd little hook, with the motif of the Il-khanid rugs shown in this thread. Assuming that the Seldjuk builders of the mosque were also responsible for the painting of the column it would prove that the motif pre-dated the Il-khanid period and that it was used (also) in Anatolia (where, by the way, except for a trail of destructions, the Il-khanid did not stay) .
Enjoy your stay in Anatolia! I am very much looking forward to your pictures.
Best regards
Hi Pierre
The Eşrefoğlu Mosque is build 1296, so its very late Seljuk, I suppose one could say its contemporary to the rugs on the Il-khanid miniatures.
The wave zig-zag pattern is not only painted but also carved into the pillars, you can see it at the bottom. Personally I think its original, stylistically it fits in for me (as opposed to the brand new terrible wall-to-wall carpeting:))
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text: crimzonteerz 10 Posted December 13, 2012 I know the ship has sailed and the rules for ships are what they are, but does the Y-Wing feel like a Y-wing? Granted, in the movies all they ever did was get blown up (I'm hiiiiiiit), but in the x-wing games, once you got the hang of them they weren't too bad. Mind you Tie Advanced zoomed around them like crazy and Interceptors were a real pain, but if you were a good pilot, Y-Wings weren't the death boxes they are in our miniatures game and sometimes you had to take them for the ion cannon until the b-wing showed up. Even after b-wing, I sometimes would take a y-wing out for a spin just for fun. So in a perfect world shouldn't the Y-Wing have had 2 agility dice and be just really slow? Take a look at this. Maybe limit them even further by taking away their ability to turn 90 degrees at speed 3 and give them only 2 shields? What do you guys think, does this feel more like a y-wing to you (versatile fighter bomber) and less like a death box? 1 mazz0 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text:
Halfmoon supervisor faces felony charges
Wormuth accused of extorting funds and stealing campaign money
Halfmoon Supervisor Melinda A. Wormuth was arrested Thursday on state and federal criminal charges that allege she extorted cash payments to lobby state officials and stole $6,250 from a campaign account.
The federal charges were outlined in a grand jury indictment that accuses Wormuth of accepting three cash payments, totaling $7,500, to write letters to two state officials urging them to support the legalization of mixed martial arts fighting. The two-count felony indictment also charges Wormuth with lying to FBI agents when she claimed a former town justice had told her she could take the payments.
Two hours after she appeared in federal court, Wormuth, 46, was arraigned separately on state criminal charges in Saratoga County, including three felonies. The state charges allege she cashed seven checks made out to her campaign fund, "Friends of Mindy Wormuth," between 2009 and 2013. She is also charged with filing false statements with the state Board of Elections to cover up the alleged thefts.
U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian called the case "an example of the culture of corruption which has no place in New York state public offices."
"Citizens trust their public officials to behave ethically, and it is a travesty when this public trust is broken," Hartunian said in a statement.
The arrest of Wormuth comes near the end of her tumultuous six-year reign as town supervisor. For years, Wormuth had been steadfastly supported by many of her fellow Halfmoon and Saratoga County Republicans, including state Sen. Kathleen Marchione, but that support began to dry up earlier this year.
In April, a divided Halfmoon town GOP committee voted to endorse a newcomer for supervisor, former Town Justice Kevin Tollisen, in a decision that left Wormuth reeling and bitter. She later said she would not challenge Tollisen in a primary but would finish her term that ends Dec. 31.
At her appearance in federal court, U.S. Magistrate Randolph F. Treece ordered Wormuth released on her own recognizance but restricted her travel to northern New York. Federal probation officers had requested that Wormuth undergo substance abuse counseling as a condition of her release, but Treece agreed to waive that requirement after one of Wormuth's attorneys, James C. Knox, argued that it was "excessive." There was no indication during the court proceedings why the probation officers wanted Wormuth to receive treatment.
Following her appearance in federal court, Wormuth was taken back into custody by state and federal investigators who brought her to Saratoga County to face felony charges related to the theft of campaign funds. Wormuth was arraigned in Waterford Town Court, instead of Halfmoon, because of her government and personal conflicts in Halfmoon, officials said.
Wormuth's husband, Larry, was by her side during both court appearances.
Waterford Town Justice Nancy M. Sunukjian allowed Wormuth to be released on her own recognizance.
The state charges allege Wormuth cashed $6,250 in checks that were written to her political campaign account during a four-year period.
A criminal complaint said that during an Aug. 14 interview with FBI agents, Wormuth conceded she knew it was wrong to cash and pocket the money from four campaign checks, each for $1,000, between April and August.
"She explained that she was 'bitter' about not receiving her political party's endorsement for re-election in November 2013," according to the criminal complaint filed by an investigator with the state attorney general's office.
The complaint states Wormuth told the FBI that "I never did anything like this before."
But investigators say that was also a lie. They claim bank and campaign records indicate Wormuth allegedly stole and cashed three campaign checks totaling $2,250 in 2009 and 2010.
E. Stewart Jones, a Troy attorney hired by Wormuth and her husband after they learned of the FBI investigation, has criticized the government's case.
"There is a clean, clear, plausible explanation that we will provide in due course and the charges do not represent, by any stretch of the imagination, a complete picture of what happened here," Jones said.
The federal indictment charges Wormuth with accepting cash payments from two unidentified people who were involved in an effort to promote legalizing mixed martial arts in New York.
She is accused of accepting payments, disguised as "consulting fees," for $2,500 on April 25, $3,000 on June 17, and $2,000 on Aug. 7.
The second count of the indictment charges Wormuth with lying to FBI agents when she "falsely stated that she had consulted with 'KT,' a former town justice in Saratoga County, to obtain approval for her actions before taking the payments."
The indictment alleges Wormuth's statements were false. Court records do not identify the former town justice. But Tollisen, an attorney who is running unopposed for town supervisor, said he "was absolutely shocked by the indictment and the reference to a former town justice 'K.T.' in Saratoga County. If it's any reference to me, it's a complete and utter lie."
The indictment says Wormuth actually consulted a different attorney about her interest in lobbying for mixed martial arts, but it does not identify the attorney.
"She had not consulted with K.T., but instead had consulted with a different attorney who had told her that she could only work in her spare time and could not use her office or take official acts in exchange for payments," the indictment states.
Halfmoon's town attorney, Lyn Murphy, said she can't discuss legal advice she may have given town officials or Wormuth.
In early May, Wormuth wrote letters on town letterhead to state Assemblyman James Tedisco and Sen. Marchione stating she "strongly urge(s) you to support MMA legislation."
"Some of my constituents are fans and promoters of MMA and have to travel outside the town of Halfmoon to promote or watch the sport they love," Wormuth wrote.
Marchione on Thursday said Wormuth's letter did not "in any way" affect her decision to support MMA, and that she supported legalizing the sport before receiving the letter.
The investigation also examined Wormuth's financial ties to builders and developers who had business before the town, although the criminal charges do not relate to that portion of the probe.
Bruce Tanski, a prominent Halfmoon builder, was interviewed by the FBI on Sept. 4 about tens of thousands of dollars he loaned Wormuth's husband, Larry, a few years ago. Tanski also has given thousands of dollars in political contributions to Wormuth and other Republican candidates.
Tanski declined comment on his interview with the FBI but has previously said he never received preferential treatment on his projects in Halfmoon, including from Wormuth.
Wormuth is a former Town Board member who was appointed Halfmoon supervisor in 2007.
Last month, a day after the Times Union first reported that Wormuth was the target of an FBI investigation, her fellow Republicans on the Town Board signed a letter calling her "ineffective" as a leader and demanding her immediate resignation.
Wormuth fired back in a statement, indicating she would not step down and referring to the newspaper's story as "inaccurate." A week ago, Wormuth told town officials she was taking a 30-day leave of absence for medical reasons.
Dennis Yusko and Alysia Santo contributed reporting. firstname.lastname@example.com • 518-454-5547 • @blyonswriter


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The manhunt for two bank robbers who escaped from a downtown Chicago prison this week intensified overnight, with police chasing multiple leads as new footage shows the men getting into a taxi minutes after their brazen escape.
Investigators say surveillance cameras captured Joseph "Jose" Banks, 37, and Kenneth Conley, 38, getting into a taxi minutes after their early Tuesday escape. They entered the taxi at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Congress Street, just blocks away from the jail.
The FBI considers them "armed and dangerous."
The men then showed up five hours later at the home of Sandy Conley, Kenneth Conley's mother, in the Chicago suburb of Tinley Park, Ill.
"He was in the house for two minutes," Sandy Conley said. "I can't tell you if he was armed. I made him get out."
Thomas Trautmann of the Chicago FBI said the clock is ticking on finding the men.
"[As] each hour goes by, our chances get longer and longer," he said. "However, we do have several viable leads that we are running down."
He did not specify the information.
PHOTOS: Mug shots of Famed Criminals and Celebrities
Banks and Conley were last seen Monday at 10 p.m. during a prison head count at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Chicago's Loop district. The two borrowed a move from the film "Escape From Alcatraz" by stuffing their beds with clothes in the shape of bodies.
They men then broke the window of their cell at the federal prison, shimmying out a hole only inches wide, and scaled down the side of the building 17 stories, all the while holding onto a rope of sheets and towels taken from the prison. The rope was strong enough to support the two, one weighing 165 pounds the other 185 pounds.
At 7 a.m. the next morning, as employees arrived at work, they noticed the sheets left dangling from the building and at jailers discovered that Conley and Banks were missing.
While the men have had plenty of time to leave the area, there's no indication that they have, ABC 7 TV's public-safety expert Jody Weis said.
"There's a likelihood that they're going to stay here," Weis, a former Chicago police superintendent, said. "They'll have people they can trust. They can have people they can work with. There are going to be people that might be able to hide them out."
Banks, nicknamed "the second-hand bandit" because of the used clothing disguises he wore in several robberies, was convicted of armed robbery last week. His parting words to his judge, Rebecca Pallmeyer, were, "I'll be seeking retribution as well as damages ... you'll hear from me."
Conley had been in jail for several years.
Pallmeyer and others who presided over the men's cases have reportedly been offered protection.
"If they're willing to go down a sheet 17 floors, they're willing to take a chance," Weis said. "And I think you can draw your own conclusion as to what that might mean."
The FBI and U.S. Marshals are offering a combined reward of $60,000 to find the inmates and bring them back into custody.
Escape Has Similarities to 1985 Prison Break
Banks and Conley's disappearance has some striking similarities to the daring escape made by two convicted murders who also broke out of the downtown jail 27 years ago.
Bernard Welch and Hugh Colomb, who were serving sentences for murder, fled the facility May 14, 1985, by using an electrical-cord rope from the sixth floor of the side of the prison. During an intense rainstorm, the two first knocked out the window with a barbell weight.
Welch and Colomb were on the run for months before they were caught, according to ABC affiliate WABC.
Welch was captured three months later when police answered a complaint about an illegally parked car in Greensburg, Pa., according to an Associated Press report at the time. Police discovered the car had been stolen in Milwaukee and the tags were stolen in a different Pennsylvania town. He was found by authorities sleeping in a third-floor apartment and arrested, according to the AP.
Colomb was apprehended that October in Mississippi, after he robbed a bank with a sawed-off shotgun.


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Pepper Pike, Ohio – Ursuline College has hired Shannon Sword as head coach of the Arrows basketball program.
Sword comes to the women's college following a successful stint as the assistant coach at Ashland University, which finished as the NCAA Division II national runner-up this season.
"Shannon will be a great addition to our department and to Ursuline College," Ursuline athletic director Cindy McKnight said in a statement. "She has a good deal of NCAA Division II coaching experience, and has worked with a very successful program for years. I look forward to working with her and watching her develop our program into a competitive NCAA Division II basketball program."
For Sword, this will be her first collegiate head coaching position, and she becomes the Arrows fourth coach in program history. She has served as an assistant coach at all three levels of the NCAA (Division I, II, and III), following a successful playing career at the Division I level at Cleveland State.
"I want to build a program that mirrors the mission and values that are the foundation of Ursuline College," Sword said. ". . . This is a great opportunity and I look forward to getting started!"
Over the past two years, under Ashland head coach Sue Ramsey, Sword helped guide the team to a GLIAC South Championship and runner-up finish in the GLIAC in 2010-11.
This season, Ashland went 33-2, captured the GLIAC regular-season and tournament championships, and advanced to the Division II title game before losing.
Sword played four years with Cleveland State, from 2000-2004. She was a four-time letter winner and a four-year Horizon League All-Academic Team selection. Sword joined the 1,000-point club at Cleveland State and holds the school record for three-point field goal and free throw percentage in a single-season.
She was named team MVP, team captain, was an All-Horizon League First Team, ranked second in the conference in scoring, and was CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team selection.
Following her graduation from Cleveland State, Sword took a position as the head junior varsity coach/assistant varsity coach at Miamisburg High School – her hometown – and also served as head coach of the Dayton Lady Hoopstars AAU team (under-15) from 2004-2005.
In 2005-06, she began her collegiate coaching career as assistant at Manhattanville College. She then served as a graduate assistant coach at Ashland from 2006-2008, where she played a large role in the operations of the program, serving as the team academic advisor.
Following her graduate assistant position at Ashland, Sword took a position as an assistant coach at Youngstown State University. At YSU, she took on a larger role within the program, including practice planning, game strategy, scouting, film, recruiting, liaison for NCAA eligibility, alumni relations, fundraising, travel, and camps/clinics.
Sword holds a degree from Cleveland State University in Sport Management (Magna Cum Laude in 2004) and a Master's Degree from Ashland University in Education -- Sport Education/Administration in 2008 (4.0 GPA in 2008).


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|Baby Wash Cloths Crochet Pattern
You may have looked at other crochet businesses and thought that's what I need to be doing but you will only find that you quickly become over-whelmed and over-worked. Instead take a more relaxed approach and perhaps, sitting down with a cuppa and a notebook, write down your strong points, what you enjoy crocheting the most and start from there.
Start thinking about your target market. You may want to do everything for everybody but sometimes its best to just focus on one area, even better if no-one else does much of it, such as boy's clothes or teen stuff. Start a folder on your computer named ideas and start saving images on google of the things you like or save items you like on Etsy for inspiration.
Once you have your planned projects written down, start thinking about a name. Perhaps this could be something personal to you, or related to the items/patterns you wish to make. If you plan to move on to different things in the future, think about if your brand will move on with you. Perhaps design a logo if you have some technical skills.
You don't need to worry about a website but it's a good idea to start setting up a PayPal account if you don't already have one as hopefully you will want to take payments. Open up some accounts on Ravelry and Etsy, these will also require a PayPal account. And start a Facebook page if you havent done so already.
The next step which I find is where most beginner crochet entrepreneurs are at is they get this far but now they start worrying about how many Facebook likes they have. Sadly these don't come over-night and people with lots of likes have probably been around for quite a while and have worked up a good network around the various social media sites.
Some good tricks though to think about to get those numbers up is to promote free patterns. Not everyone can afford to do this but it is an incentive for people to join your page. You could sell patterns on Ravelry and say they are free on your Facebook page if they like your page or offer discounts and coupons for items you sell.
Show off your work on other people's pages, share your ideas and thoughs on a blog, tweet your thoughts and ideas on twitter and link everything to your Facebook page.
But when it comes down to it, Facebook isnt the be all and end all. Your work is and the more you design and make and show off, the more people will find you and the more likes you will get so get working! (^-^)
Photography is another sore point I find. Many people assume they need a professional photographer to show off their work. This is a fantastic opportunity but isnt necessary. It can also come with many pitfalls such as photographers taking your work and not supplying you with images. Just get yourself a good camera, find some natural sun light and work up your own photo shoots. You will be amazed at how well you can do with just the basics. If you know of children or babies then ask if you can take some photos with then. If you don't, perhaps pick up some poly heads to show off your work, even dolls. The most important thing to remember though is a good shot and sometimes just laying your work down in a pretty setting is just enough, without the need for models. There are hundreds and thousands of photos on Etsy that just show the product without a model. The above picture is a fun way off showing off some wash cloths, all types of objects can be used as props!
As you build up your portfolio you will soon get used to how you want to work and what works best for you. Do get ideas from other people's work but don't fret about needing to copy everything they do. Think about your work, your style and before you know it you will become one of those you use to envy. Good luck!


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Russia-funded station decries on-air resignation
A Russian broadcast station is condemning an anchor's recent resignation over its coverage of Ukraine as a "self-promotional stunt."
Liz Wahl of the Washington bureau of the Kremlin-funded Russia Today TV station stepped down Wednesday during a live broadcast after criticizing the station's coverage of Russia's decision to send troops into Crimea.
"Personally, I cannot be part of a network funded by the Russian government, that whitewashes the actions of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin," said Wahl. "I'm proud to be an American and believe in disseminating the truth and that is why, after this newscast, I'm resigning."
Wahl's public announcement came a day after the station offered to send Washington-based anchor Abby Martin to Crimea to "better her knowledge" after she criticized what she called Russia's decision to send troops to Crimea. Martin later explained that she declined the offer.
The station condemned Wahl's decision and said it does not compare to the Abby Martin situation because Martin "spoke in the context of her own talk show."
The response continued: "For years, Ms. Martin has been speaking out against U.S. military intervention, only to be ignored by the mainstream news outlets – but with that one comment, branded as an act of defiance, she became an overnight sensation. It is a tempting example to follow.
"When a journalist disagrees with the editorial position of his or her organization, the usual course of action is to address those grievances with the editor, and, if they cannot be resolved, to quit like a professional," the station published on its website. "But when someone makes a big public show of a personal decision, it is nothing more than a self-promotional stunt."
The statement ended, "We wish Liz the best of luck on her chosen path."
Reaction on Wahl's Facebook fan page appeared to be mixed.
"Saw what you did on TV yesterday. … You are my new hero," wrote one follower.
Wrote another, "In my opinion you are an opportunist to make a name for yourself."


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I take my daughter to the bus every morning, and we always catch the most beautiful sunrises on the way. I always pass by and wish I had brought'n my camera. Well friends..this morning I did :)
|rise again
|to the bus!
I feel whole again! For so long I have been without...and now I can document EVERYTHING! It is the little things in life I never want to miss and forget. I know that Vegan MOFO is mostly about food. But for me being vegan is a mind set. Seeing all the beauty in the world and wanting to pass it on. Loving the world and everything in it. We are truly blessed. I don't think there could be a more beautiful place then this world we share.


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Zolciak's "Don't Be Tardy..." Season 2 Premieres Tuesday, April 9 with Back-to-Back Episodes at 9PM & 9:30PM ET/PT
Immediately Following, Series Premiere of "The Kandi Factory" Airs at 10PM ET/PT
NEW YORK - February 28, 2013 - Bravo Media's "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" stars Kim Zolciak and Kandi Burruss keep it real with their southern charm and no-nonsense personalities as "Don't Be Tardy..." and "The Kandi Factory" take over Tuesdays. Zolciak's spin-off, which follows newlyweds Kim and Kroy as they juggle married life and their ever-growing family, premieres with back-to-back episodes on Tuesday, April 9 at 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. Debuting immediately after at 10 p.m. ET/PT, is the series premiere of "The Kandi Factory," which follows Grammy Award winner Burruss as she mentors aspiring musical artists on their potential journeys to stardom.
It's only been a year since Kim Zolciak's million-dollar wedding to the Atlanta Falcons defensive end Kroy Biermann, but a lot has changed in the newlyweds' life. This season as their family grows even bigger with the addition of a fourth child, Kash Kade, they're working on remodeling their new home while Kroy and his team are enjoying an extremely successful football season with the hopes of making it to the Super Bowl. But as everyone knows, the path to success isn't without some bumps in the road. The Biermanns are living in tight quarters in Kim's old townhouse, impatient for the seemingly endless construction to finish; Kim's daughters, who've had their mother all to themselves for most of their lives, now have to share her with their young siblings. To make matters worse, Kim's parents, who haven't spoken to their daughter since Kim kicked them out of her wedding, are dragging her to court for visitation with their granddaughters. Kim refuses to let any of this bring down her spirits because as she says, "Just ask, believe and receive."
"The Kandi Factory" follows former member of the platinum-selling music group Xscape and Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter Kandi Burruss as she helps 16 aspiring artists jumpstart their dreams of success in the music industry. Having written mega-hits like "No Scrubs," for TLC and "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Bug A Boo" for Destiny's Child, Kandi is a music veteran with an incredible eye for talent. In each stand-alone episode, she will put everything on the line by offering two protégés with no industry experience an opportunity of a lifetime - to master the key elements that make a star and a chance to fulfill their dreams. Kandi recognizes something special in each of the contestants and through the process she hopes to discover the next rising star.
From rocky recording sessions to stumbling through choreography, the transformations that the contestants undergo are a must-see as the show takes viewers through the gut-wrenching process of their makeovers with Kandi and her team of experts - comprised of producer Don Vito, choreographer Victor Jackson and stylist Kwame Waters. Don Vito, a sought-after producer, has worked on multiple genres in the music industry including Kim Zolciak's breakout single "Tardy for the Party." Victor is a Georgia-born choreographer who has worked on performances for artists including Lil Wayne, En Vogue and Chante Moore. And, with a stellar track record as a professional wardrobe stylist, Kwame is a personal shopper for some of the industry's chart toppers including Perri "Pebbles" Reid, Tiny and En Vogue. The winner of each episode who creates a lasting impression on Kandi and her team will score the ultimate career break - an original song based on their personal life and written by Kandi herself, plus, a music video produced by her accomplished team. For a sneak peek of the show visit: http://www.bravotv.com/the-kandi-factory/season-1/videos/the-kandi-factory-stamp-of-approval
The following are this season's "The Kandi Factory" contestants and their respective hometowns:
Kristin Duarte, San Antonio, Texas
Garrison Bailey, San Diego, Calif.
Bryan Bourque, Church Point, La.
Matthew Cash, Chicago, Ill.
Jennifer Chianesi, Cranston, R.I.
Kevin Dancy, Houston, Texas
Terrence Murphy, Macon, Ga.
Mejgan Sediqzadah, Flushing, N.Y.
Cory Singer, S.Plainfield, N.J.
Logan Smith, Pittsburg, Calif.
Lauryn Story, Houston, Texas
Harmik Thomasian, New Britain, Conn.
Lizzy VanPatten, Marysville, Wash.
Darian Wilkerson, Houston, Texas
Tasha Williams, Dayton, Ohio
Brandon Wolf, Canby, Ore.
"Don't Be Tardy..." is produced by True Entertainment with Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh, Lauren Eskelin and Colleen Sands serving as Executive Producers.
"The Kandi Factory" is produced by True Entertainment and Kandi Koated Entertainment with Steven Weinstock, Glenda Hersh , Kandi Burruss, David Stefanou, Mark Ford and Kevin Lopez serving as Executive Producers.
Bravo is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Bravo has been an NBCUniversal cable network since December 2002 and was the first television service dedicated to film and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980. For more information, visit www.BravoTV.com. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BravoPR.


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BEIJING (Reuters) - China's factory activity likely accelerated in October to its fastest pace in five months, according to a new Reuters poll that reveals a growing certainty of recovery taking hold in the world's second-biggest economy.
The poll of 14 economic analysts forecasts that China's official purchasing managers index (PMI) rebounded to 50.3 in October from 49.8 in September, a reading that suggests factory output is accelerating again after two months of slowing growth.
"I think the October PMI will help support our expectation for a better economic performance in the fourth quarter than in the third," said Wang Jin, a macro economic analyst at Guotai Junan Securities in Shanghai.
"Signs of a stabilizing external demand, faster infrastructure investment and a thawing property market all bolster a recovery in factory activity," he added.
The 50-point line demarcates expanding from contracting activity in PMI survey methodology.
In China's economy, where industrial output grew at a 9.2 percent annual pace in September, the rise above 50 suggests an acceleration of output that will help lift fourth-quarter GDP growth above the 7.4 percent annual rate achieved in the third quarter.
The expectations of a pick-up in the official PMI, which captures information principally from China's biggest, state-owned enterprises, follow a private-sector PMI survey last week.
The HSBC China flash PMI, which gathers more data from smaller, privately-held firms that have a strong export focus, signaled manufacturing activity at three-month high with a reading of 49.1, reflecting a slow but steady recovery in the economy.
The third quarter's 7.4 percent GDP growth rate marked the first miss of the government's official target since the 6.5 percent seen in the first quarter of 2009, and leaves the economy on course for its slowest full year of growth since 1999.
But Chinese officials have recently flagged optimism about the economic outlook, due to stronger-than-expected economic data in September, ranging from exports to investment and industrial growth.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has said the economy is showing positive changes and the government is confident of achieving the annual target of economic growth for 2012.
China's industry ministry spokesman, meanwhile, said last week that industrial output may grow faster in the final quarter than the previous three months.
Some economists also expected the economy to have reached the nadir of a seven-quarter long economic downturn in the July-September period, but they also warned that the slowest three months of growth since the depths of the financial crisis and a cloudy external market could make the recovery outlook tepid.
China has followed a program of "fine-tuning" of economic policies for a year to help underpin growth. It is keen to avoid a repeat of aggressive fiscal and monetary stimulus used to buoy the economy in the wake of the 2008-09 global financial crisis which unleashed inflation, real estate speculation and prompted local governments to build up massive amounts of debt.
After cutting interest rates twice in a space of one month between June and July, the central bank has preferred open market operations since to inject cash into the financial system to keep liquidity flowing in the slowing economy.
Analysts said rebounding foreign exchange purchases in September and increasing signs of economic recovery reduced the chance of cuts to interest rates or reserve requirement ratios (RRR) at banks in coming months.
The official PMI generally points a rosier picture of the factory sector than the HSBC PMI as the official survey focuses on big, state-owned firms, while the HSBC PMI targets smaller, private firms that have limited access to bank loans.
There are also differing approaches to seasonal adjustment between the two surveys.
The official PMI survey will be released on Thursday, at 0100 GMT, ahead of the final HSBC PMI reading due at 0145 GMT on the same day.
BofAML 50.2
Forecast PTE 50.4
Guotai Junan Securities 50.2
Haitong Securities 50.1
Hwabao Trust 50.2
Industrial Bank 50.3
ING Financial Markets 50.5
Minsheng Securities 51.0
Sealand Securities 50.2
Shenyin & Wanguo Securities 49.5
Standard Chartered 50.3
Zheshang Securities 50.4
Median 50.3
High 51.0
Low 49.5
Sept official PMI 49.8
Number of responses 14
Reporting by China Economics Team; Writing by Aileen Wang; Editing by Nick Edwards & Kim Coghill


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You've got a tiny budget and need to have a pavilion for a concert, ASAP. What'll you do? If you're EFGH, an NYC-based architecture firm, you run out, take a bunch of traffic cones, and take the DIY route.
Ok, so we don't know for sure that they stole those traffic cones, but it's not like there's a Traffic Cone Supply Shop at every corner. Either way, the folks at EFGH came up with this pavilion which can be constructed from the ground up in less than six hours using only a very small team, a bunch of traffic cones, and a metal frame. We don't really know how great the acoustics are, but it who cares about that when they can hold a concert under a giant, neon orange hedgehog? [YouTube via Core77]


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CORRALITOS — A couple escaped injury early Saturday when the driver lost control of a car, which slid down an embankment in the 700 block of Browns Valley Road and landed upside down in Browns Creek, Cal Fire officials said.
The driver later told firefighters that he landed with his head in the water, Capt. Lawrence Erickson said.
He and his passenger were able to crawl out a window, according to Erickson.
If they had not been wearing seat belts, they could have been knocked unconscious and drowned, Erickson said.
The couple walked a "a pretty good distance" home and the driver returned to the scene a short while later, he said.
Firefighters checked the car with a thermal imaging camera to make sure no one was trapped, Erickson said. They were unable to get an engine to the couple"s home because the long, dirt driveway to their home was impassable due to recent rains, Erickson said.
But when the man returned, they determined the couple did not require hospitalization, he said.
The accident occurred about 1:30 a.m. between Redwood Road and Deer Ridge Trail. It was raining and that stretch of road is shaded and can be slippery, he said.


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Total transactions (by value) in the Pacific region in H1 2017 continued to trend down from the record breaking 2015. Outbound investment in H1 2017 was a fraction of that seen in 2016 with Pacific investors choosing to remain at home due to the attractive returns domestically (relative to other regions). Inbound capital from Asia remains the predominant source of capital, accounting for 78% of cumulative foreign net capital flows since 2008.'
China is still the primary source of foreign inflow in the pacific region, accounting for 28% of inbound transactions in H1 2017. In the short term, capital flows from China are expected to slow due to the State Council and National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) placing property in the 'restricted' category, which means that overseas acquisitions by Chinese companies will be subject to additional layers of scrutiny. More recently, Korea has emerged as a key source of foreign capital due to their preference for long WALE assets.


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Japan is home to about 127 million people, only inhabiting approximately 430 of its 6,852 islands. Its capital city, Tokyo is located on the Honshu Island, the largest of all the islands. Tokyo is a popular spot for its insistence on mixing the ultramodern with the traditional as is evident in its waterfront sushi bars and its historic temples and Imperial Castle.
The best times to travel to Japan are between March and May which mark the Spring season in the country, although travellers who might want to engage in Japan's famous ski season might consider traveling between December and February instead. In Japan, the official language is Japanese, with over 7 different dialects of the language and the population is predominantly either Shinto or Buddhist with a few minorities in Islam and Christianity. The traditional foods of Japan are based on rice with miso (fermented soy) soup and an emphasis on seasonal ingredients like persimmon, sweet potatoes and the Pacific Saury. It is worthy of note that Japan has the most restaurants with Michelin stars in the world.
The most effective way to travel through Japan is the use of its Shinkansen (or bullet trains), one of the fastest trains in the world, although there are bus routes that connect the most remote places and tourist attractions. Travellers going to Japan generally need not worry about crimes like mugging or theft since Japan is considered to be one of the safest places in the world, ranking top ten in the Global Peace Index. Natural disasters like earthquakes, which Japan has become quite infamous for, also seem to be occurring less frequently in recent times with the last earthquake having been recorded in December 2012.
There are hundreds of interesting places to see in Japan, the most notable of which include:
Japan is such a culturally rich country that there is almost one festival or activity to partake in. An example is the Gion Matsuri Festival in Kyoto which takes place throughout the entire month of July. Other notable festivals include the Awa Odori festival in Tokushima taking place between 12th and 15th of August, the Yuki Matsuri in Sapporo which features gigantic snow sculptures in February and a host of others. Popular activities for tourists include visiting Tokyo's Disneyland, the Japan Rail Pass, shopping in the massive train districts, and visiting the numerous themed parks scattered around Tokyo, one of which is VR-themed in Shinjuku.
One of the most fascinating things about Japan and its people is their love and appreciation of the Sakura blossom (Cherry blossom). The Cherry Blossoms only bloom for about a week in Japan and naturally, the country prides itself on knowing when precisely the little pink flowers will first come to life. It is quite commonplace for TV screens to track where the flowers will first come to life and where they will be seen next.
Staying in Japan can either be extremely frugal with tourists having the option of staying in hostels and dorms for between $12 and $25 per person or on the other side of the spectrum with lodging costing about $70 per person in business hotels.
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$365 PRODUCTION MANAGER ($54.75/hr OT)
$255 STAGE MANAGER ($38.32/hr OT)
$255 FOH TECHNICIAN ($38.32/hr OT)
$255 MONITOR ENGINEER ($38.32/hr OT)
$255 LIGHTING DIRECTOR ($38.32/hr OT)
$150 HOSPITALITY ($20/hr OT) [mileage is 33 cents per mile]
$1,000* SECURITY ($100/hr OT)
$100 BOX OFFICE STAFF ($20/hr OT)
$ ---- CHAIR RENTAL ($2 per chair)
$ ---- BOX OFFICE CREDIT CARD FEE (3% of Box Credit Card Sales)
* Security cost is an estimate. Additional security may be required depending on the nature of the event.
Overtime: All expenses incurred by the Crystal Ballroom for Catering, Advertising, requested stagehands, overtime (anything over 10 hours), backline, barricade, risers, etc. will be added to total rental rate.
Deposits: A non-refundable 50% room deposit and a $2,500 'untenured promoter fee' (UPF) is due immediately in order to secure the room. If ticket sales exceed 500 the 'UPF' will be refunded; if ticket sales are below 500 the room keeps the entire $2,500 to make up for less than 1/3 capacity and corresponding lack of sales. The 'UPF' will not be refunded if the event cancels within 60 days of the event.
Settlement: Venue will pay renter with a company check at the immediate conclusion of door sales. Venue will not provide any cash at settlement.
Late Night Fee: There is a $1,000/hour additional fee for any events after 3 a.m. We may also require additional security for events of that nature.
Merchandise: Merch rate is 20% they sell. We can provide a seller with advance notice and will keep 30% of sales. The outside promoter will receive no revenue from the merchandise as that is the prerogative of the house. House keeps a percentage of all transactions.
Tickets: All tickets must be placed through the venue onto the Cascade Tickets system. All comps, label buys, and holds must be approved by the venue. There is a $2/ticket venue fee at the Box Office.
Refunds: All refunds will be directed to the outside promoter. In the absence of an outside promoter representative, the venue shall use its own discretion regarding refunds and all refunds shall be deducted from settlement.
Insurance and Licenses: Renter must provide liability insurance not less than $1,000,000 for any single occurrence naming McMenamins Inc. d.b.a. Crystal Ballroom as additionally insured. Tickets will not be placed on sale until binder is received. Promoter is responsible for all ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC fees.
Production Advance: Performers or their representative must contact venue's production manager 5 days prior to the event in order to advance production needs, otherwise runner will arrive at 6 p.m. and all rider items/requests will be greatly limited if provided at all.
Layout: The Crystal Ballroom is located on the 3rd floor. The first floor is Ringlers Restaurant and the 2nd floor is Lola's Room, both of which may have a public or private event simultaneously with the Crystal.
Cancellation/Postponement: The contract covers the specified event for the specified date. No substitution will be accepted for a cancellation. If the event is postponed the room deposit will be transferred to the date of the new event but the $2,500 'UPF' will be applied toward the date of the originally scheduled show and an additional $2,500 will be required in order to reschedule.
Capacity: The venue's capacity is 1500*. All artist and promoter guests and comps will be deducted from sellable. Comp and guest space must be reserved in advance. House is entitled to 20 guests. House guests will not effect sellable. Promoter must have guest list to house no later than 2 hours prior to doors. VIP cap is 25.
* Seated capacity is 850. Seated shows must be 21 and over. There is a $2/chair rental fee.
Venue and corporate sponsor banners may be present during event.
Marketing your event at the Crystal Ballroom
Please contact Mike Walker for information about marketing your event through McMenamins resources.
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Daily Fresh Sheet


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The movie-like heist of diamonds from the cargo hold of a Helvetic Airways Fokker 100 preparing for takeoff at Brussels Airport raises unsettling questions about airport security.
Detailed by The New York Times, the robbery exposed a clear vulnerability. One paragraph in the Times' article in particular caught my attention:
"Jan Van Der Cruysse, a spokesman for the airport, insisted that security was entirely up to international standards, but 'what we face is organized crime with methods and means not addressed in aviation security measures as we know them today.' Precautions intended to combat would-be bombers and other threats, he added, could not prevent commando-style raids by heavily armed criminals. 'This involves much more than an aviation security problem.'"
Airport security worldwide is largely focused on one goal above all others: stopping terrorists from blowing up a plane or commandeering an aircraft and using it as a weapon. That leaves a much lower level of security at other parts of the airport.
Remember the Moscow Domodedovo bombing two years ago, occurring in the international arrivals hall, just outside customs clearance, where crowds were gathered awaiting passengers who had claimed bags from flights arriving from around the world. Now this brazen robbery involving the breach of a perimeter fence, heavily-armed intruders moving in the airside area of the airport and an estimated $50 million worth of cargo swiped so quickly that authorities didn't come close to catching the robbers at the crime scene.
Ironically, the passengers aboard the aircraft bound for Zurich had no idea what was going on. They had all presumably cleared a security checkpoint, had their luggage scanned and were sitting on an aircraft likely equipped with a locked cockpit door. The security system, insofar as preventing a terror attack on the aircraft or its passengers, had worked perfectly—even though it is unlikely the Fokker 100, being operated by Helvetic under a capacity purchase agreement with Swiss International Air Lines, was targeted for that kind of attack.
But it was targeted by an apparently sophisticated organized crime operation looking to steal millions of dollars worth of diamonds. Given the fact that such valuable jewels are flown between Brussels and Zurich regularly, this kind of threat would not seem to be a totally-unimagined one.
Threats to aircraft from bombs and hijackers certainly do exist, and should not be minimized given the horrific consequences of an airborne terror attack, but a vast global security apparatus is in place to prevent such attacks. Not so—certainly nowhere near the scale—when it comes to air cargo theft or other threats, such as bombings like the one in Moscow. These vulnerabilities could become more glaring over time, perhaps forcing authorities to take a more balanced approach to aviation security in the future.


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Shyness may seem like an immovable barrier. But you can push it out of the way a little at a time.
Do any of these situations sound familiar to you:
- Youth conference makes you uncomfortable because there are so many new people.
- You know the answer to a question in class but are afraid to raise your hand.
- The bishop asks you to give a talk and you just might faint because you are so nervous.
If so, then you probably consider yourself shy. So what can you do about it? A look at what might cause you to shy away from certain situations may be your first clue.
Why Am I Shy?
There are two types of shy people according to Dr. Larry Nelson, an associate professor of human development at Brigham Young University whose research focuses on shyness. The first type of shy people are physiologically shy. They are born with a nervous system that is quick to respond in stressful situations and slow to calm back down afterward.
In order for non-shy people to understand, Dr. Nelson uses the analogy of watching a scary movie. The average person enters the theater with normal breathing and heart rate. When the scary part of the movie comes, their blood pressure rises, their breathing becomes more shallow, and their muscles tense. So they start at a low stress level and then increase.
Physiologically shy people, by contrast, are already at a heightened level of stress before they get to the stressful situation. So when they get stressed, their response is much more elevated than the average person. Their bodies' reactions basically overwhelm them.
Dr. Nelson says about 15 percent of people (almost 1 in 7) are born physiologically shy. However, every year he will ask his students to raise a hand if they think they are shy, and usually more than 60 percent do. So, why do so many people label themselves as shy?
"They think that the fact that their heart starts to beat faster on a first date or at a job interview or while speaking in church means they are shy," Dr. Nelson explains. "Well, that's a normal response to those settings."
Another reason for the difference may be because some of those people are self-consciously shy. This type of shyness happens often among youth when they become very preoccupied with what other people think of them.
"There are some individuals who are so self-conscious about what others think that they pull back because they are so concerned about negative perceptions or judgments of others on them," Dr. Nelson says.
This self-conscious feeling leads to a higher stress response in those situations where they think others may be judging them.
Making the Change
Regardless of which type of shy you are, in order to overcome any weakness, you have to desire to change and to overcome it. You won't go from being shy to outgoing overnight, but if you start today, you can make progress.
Kallie Sommercorn, 19, who is in college in Logan, Utah, says she used to be shy when she was younger. "I would freeze up whenever I was put in social situations," she says. "I never knew what to say, and I always felt like I would just make a fool of myself." She was also afraid to speak in front of people or to answer questions in class. "Once high school hit, I really had a desire to change this," she says.
So Kallie started involving herself more in conversations. Although she used to stumble over her words when talking with friends or answering questions in class, with practice she was able to overcome most of her shyness. "It was a lot easier when I finally realized that people didn't think what I was saying was dumb."
If you are self-consciously shy like Kallie was, the first step is to realize that shyness doesn't change your divine worth. Often we have a warped view of ourselves and feel like our worth comes from grades or beauty or what we think others think about us. Then we start to compare ourselves to others and lower our self-esteem. Instead, focus on the fact that everyone is a child of God. Stop comparing yourself to others, and it will be easier to form friendships.
Tyler McGill, 15, from Kingston, Massachusetts, is shy when he meets new people. He finds it hard to make friends because it is difficult for him to start conversations, so he tries to find something in common with people. "I have tried to overcome being shy by going to stake activities and participating more and communicating with the youth that I have more in common with," he says.
From Boulder to Bolder
Dr. Nelson says overcoming shyness is like trying to push a boulder up a mountain. You wouldn't want to push it straight up in one great shove, but you can push it slowly a little at a time. He suggests that those who are physiologically shy should make challenging but achievable goals and then work gradually but steadily at overcoming their shyness.
Regardless of which type of shy you are, in order to overcome any weakness, you have to desire to change and to overcome it. You won't go from being shy to outgoing overnight, but if you start today, you can make progress.
Nick Reisner, 17, from Midvale, Utah, says he feels shy around people he doesn't know well. But he set the goal of "getting to know people in situations where I don't know them," Nick says. "You need to try to have experiences that get you out of your comfort zone." Nick says that as he became more comfortable, he found that "it became fun to start talking to people."
Anna Melville, 23, an outgoing young adult from San Jose, California, remembers an experience she had when she was 12 and "incredibly shy." She went to a stake youth activity where she just stayed with the friends she knew until one friend brought over some new people.
"One of the new boys asked me a question, and suddenly it seemed like everybody's eyes were on me, and I couldn't think of an answer," she remembers. "At that moment, I panicked and left the room in a hurry. I ran down the hall with tears running down my face and hid myself in a classroom until I calmed down. I just couldn't handle the pressure."
So how did she get where she is today? By pushing the shyness boulder away a little at a time.
"At first I would only hang out with a few people, but slowly, as I did this, I became more confident around others," Anna says. She would tell youth that they need to stretch themselves. "Force yourself to try a new thing, and whether you're successful or not, you'll be better for trying it."
Take Advantage of Your Strengths
Another way to work on overcoming shyness is to find something you enjoy or are good at that you aren't afraid to share. That is what Allyse Meanea from New Harmony, Utah, did.
Allyse says she is shy around people she doesn't know and that she has a fear of public speaking. "I think people will think the worst of me and that it won't turn out well." But Allyse likes to dance and was given the opportunity to do a solo dance in front of a group of people.
"When I'm dancing, I'm not nervous or shy. I can forget about myself and those people and concentrate on what I am doing. I couldn't talk in front of people, but I can dance in front of them just fine."
Move Forward in Faith
One thing you can't forget is to involve the Lord in your self-improvement. Pray and remember that the Lord promised that if you come unto Him, He will help you and turn your weakness into strength (see Ether 12:27).
"I would pray and pray and pray that someone would help me overcome my shyness, but then I realized that I needed the Lord's help to overcome it," Kallie says.
"Pray to Heavenly Father for help to not be shy," Nick says. "Then get out there and try new situations and meet people." The Lord will help you.
Our life on earth is about progressing. Being shy is a challenge, but overcoming it will help you grow. Don't let your shyness cause you to leave the Church or not go on a mission because you don't want to be put in stressful situations. Get help and work toward your goals.
Your fear and your stress response may never go away, especially if you are one of those people who is physiologically shy. But if you practice, you will learn how to deal with those responses and be successful in stressful situations. Just remember to push the boulder slowly but steadily, make challenging and achievable goals, and keep moving forward.
Tips for Those Who Are Shy
Here are some tips for those who are shy:
- Remember that you are a special son or daughter of Heavenly Father.
- Pray for help.
- Remember to breathe.
- Smile.
- Leave your comfort zone.
- Take small steps.
- Practice.
- Think about and help others.
- Don't give up!
Tips for Those Who Are Not Shy
Not shy? Here's what you can do to help those who are:
- Include everyone in activities and conversations.
- Give compliments.
- Go with shy friends to meet new people.
- Find out about shy people's talents.
- Listen.
- Show genuine interest.
- Do some role-playing.
- Interrupt people when they are talking.
- Point out that a person is shy.
- Force a shy person into a situation where he or she is unprepared and uncomfortable.
- Speak or do things for your shy friend.
Give It a Try
"I was very shy in high school and did not take advantage of opportunities to enlarge and build my talents. I was afraid to try. … Don't be afraid to try. Have confidence in yourself. You won't succeed the first time on anything you do, but successive attempts will bring confidence and the development of new talents" (L. Tom Perry, "Sharing Family Heritage," Ensign, Sept. 2006, 8).
This article originally appeared in the June 2011 New Era.


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Monday, December 24, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
y ... mas sangria!
Monday, December 03, 2007
And I'm slowly getting back into my cookbook, on the 15 of this month I got a formal review of my work, which will be presented by my mentor to the other directors, and we'll see how it goes, I'm not even allowed to be in the room... kind of scary.
Here is step by step on how to make bread w/ tomato, I'm thinking on illustrating a step by step for each recepie. I think it would be fun.


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Kunst: Socialist America
Political achievement or lack thereof, over the past four years and the recent election have convincingly established that a majority of Americans are embracing socialist principles as part of the underpinning for our democracy. I am not certain that I understand how this fundamental change will make all of us healthier, wealthier, and more secure. Our moral leadership throughout the free world and our former, envied economic strength are under serious attach both at home and abroad. What did a majority of voters see in the next four years that led them to favor this new path to what?
Looking at the next four years, I can factually predict considerable economic change that I don't believe is good for any of us. Taxes will increase for everyone, not just Obama's hated two-percenters. Obama Care will undermine our access to affordable health care; the number of skilled physicians graduating from medical school will continue its downward trend while the ministration of Obama Care will impose greater cost, delay in service and rationing. Unchecked spending will increase our deficit to 20 trillion over the next four years. There is no serious plan to reduce this debt. Each American's share of this debt will exceed $64,000, up from the current $51,000. The number of citizens who will become dependent on government assistance will grow exponentially. Not including those of us who paid for a lifetime into Social Security and Medicare, we have more than 125 million Americans, one third of us, receiving other forms of government assistance. These numbers will grow as unemployment continues and could exceed 10 percent. To those who believe that I am exaggerating, study the current consequences of an impasse as our elected leaders approach the fiscal cliff.
It is also perplexing and destructive that 47 percent of us pay no taxes. These folks have no skin in the game – no investment in our future. Is it any wonder that many in this large group are outspoken in their belief that the wealthy should pay more?
With this background, other than mandating health insurance for those with pre-existing conditions, I am hard pressed to find anything in progressive promises that would cause me to vote for socialism. Since my views are not shared by the new majority, I would like to know precisely why so many of you voted for four more years of what I consider self-destructive madness. Thus, I would like to know the factual basis upon which you decided your life would be healthier, wealthier and safer over the next four years. Spare me the social generalities of "kinder/gentler," inclusiveness, "social justice," fairness, women's reproductive rights, marriage among anyone, etc. There will always be rich and poor among us and that divide will grow regardless of any tax imposed. So please tell me the factual basis upon which you decided socialist principles are best for you. On the other hand, if there are those of you who believe others should pay your way, I would like to know why you would depend on others and not yourself.
John M. Kunst, Jr., Fairplay
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When the NFC Championship Game reaches its end on Sunday night, there's going to be one team left with a newfound respect of Mick Jagger.
Yeah, that Mick Jagger. The words of a man who thinks football is played with a soccer ball are going to resonate with the loser of Sunday night's game. Which words?
You can't always get what you want, but, if you try sometime, you just might find you get what you need.
Both the Giants and the 49ers got what they wanted this weekend. Not their wins, mind you. While they obviously wanted victory, they also needed victory in order to continue their season. No, we're talking about both teams getting what they wanted in the other matchup of the weekend.
Although players like Antrel Rolle aren't shy about sharing their belief that the Giants can't lose, the team was apparently petrified of a rematch with the Saints in New Orleans.
"It definitely works out in our favor a little bit that we're able to get San Francisco as opposed to New Orleans, just because of how we feel about them, and we understand that we have a good chance of winning that game," Victor Cruz said to Newsday.
The Niners, meanwhile, spent Sunday rooting hard for the Giants because they didn't want to travel to Green Bay for a date with the Packers in the NFC Championship Game. Unlike the Giants, they steered clear of any explicit suggestion that it was because they thought it would be easier to win the game, but it was pretty well implied.
It is easy to understand the rationale on both sides, but that doesn't mean that it is easy to agree with it.
In the 49ers, the Giants get an opponent that can run the ball very well as opposed to a Saints team that lives and dies by the pass. For a team that is far better rushing the passer than stopping the run, that's not an ideal matchup, especially once Pierre Thomas got hurt for the Saints. Beyond that, the Saints are a worse defensive team than the 49ers and rely on a blitz that would offer great chances down the field for Eli Manning, Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz.
We realize that the Saints blew out the Giants earlier this season, but the Giants defense is healthier and the first two rounds of the playoffs made it clear that the Saints weren't operating at quite as high a level. Drew Brees threw for a ton of yards, but the Saints kept turning the ball over and the 49ers simply don't do that.
On the other side, the 49ers chose to root for a team that's clearly playing its best football of the season over a team that obviously peaked before the start of the postseason. They chose to root for the team with the better defense, which doesn't make much sense given how much of the 49ers' success springs from their own defensive efforts.
While no one without cheese on their head actually wants to spend time in Green Bay come this time of year, the 49ers' physicality would have been a much bigger problem for the Packers than it will be for the Giants. They won't be able to outmuscle the Giants, and they won't get any zero blitzes to help them throw the ball downfield because the Giants don't need to blitz to create pressure.
There are things to like about the matchup on both sides as well, but there aren't many easily exploited mismatches on either side. That should work out very well for those of us watching the game, but it's obviously not going to work out for both the Giants and the 49ers.
Bringing it back to Mick, both teams got what they wanted. Only one is going to wind up with what they need, though, and that's sure to make one of the two teams reconsider Jagger's advice when they start making big plans for the future.


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