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Enormous earthquakes 'are missing' from records
The Earth could have been struck by many more huge earthquakes in its recent history than was previously thought, scientists say.
Research suggests that half of all quakes measuring more than 8.5 in magnitude that hit in the 19th Century are missing from records.
Scientists are scanning historical documents for the lost tremors.
The findings are presented at the American Geophysical Union Fall meeting in San Francisco.
Dr Susan Hough from the US Geological Survey said: "If you try to make a statistical case there are too few earthquakes in the 19th Century."
Earthquakes measuring more than M8.5 cause immense devastation.
Recent examples include the 2004 quake in the Indian Ocean that unleashed a deadly tsunami, Chile's massive 2010 earthquake, and the 2011 event in Japan.
But records before the 20th Century are strangely devoid of natural disasters on this scale.
'Warnings from history'
"Seismometers were developed around 1900. As soon as we had them, earthquakes started to look bigger," explained Dr Hough.
Researchers use historical documents to track down seismic events that occurred before this and assess their magnitude.
Dr Hough believes that many large earthquakes in the 18th and 19th Century have been missed.
One reason for this is because there is a general assumption that earthquakes measuring M8.5 and above generate significant tsunamis.
"But this isn't always the case, and the magnitudes for some of these earthquakes has been underestimated," said Dr Hough.
A candidate is a quake that hit Kamchatka in Russia in 1841. Its magnitude had been thought to be 8.3, but now Dr Hough believes it should be upgraded to M9.2.
Another is a quake that struck in the Lesser Antilles in 1843.
Dr Hough said: "This was catalogued at a low magnitude 8. It turns out it was felt by a quarter of the globe."
The researchers say finding these lost earthquakes is vital to help them assess where and when these deadly events could strike next.
In another piece of research presented at the AGU meeting, scientists say they have created a database of earthquakes that occurred in the years 1000 to 1900.
Again the team has been trawling through historical documents to catalogue the events.
Dr Roger Musson from the British Geological Survey said the database provided a "warning from history".
"For example, with the Fukushima disaster - people were surprised that there was such a large tsunami," he told BBC News.
"But it happened before. There was a historical earthquake in the 9th Century that was very similar."
The catastrophic earthquake that hit Port-Au-Prince in Haiti in 2010 was another example, he said.
"People shouldn't have been surprised that an earthquake happened there. There was a very similar earthquake in the 18th Century," Dr Musson added.


text:
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Today I'm glad to introduce to you...Saava!
Saava is a Spanish bulldog that my aunty is babysitting for her friend. She is a huge dog at 120 pounds, but is sweet and filled with doggy love. Saava loves to go to the beach and play tug-of-war with her favorite toy. But let me tell you...she can sure drool! Saava= saliva. :)
Here are a couple of photos of Saava:
Enjoying the beach
Relaxing at home
Thanks for reading, and leave a comment below!
Copyright © 2012 Julia of Julia Talk. All rights reserved.


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Next On Air:
14 January 2020 2:00 am UTC
The Solitude Trilogy is a collection of three hour-long radio documentaries produced by Canadian pianist Glenn Gould (1932–1982) .
Gould produced the documentaries as individual works between 1967 and 1977, then collected them under the title Solitude Trilogy, reflecting the theme of "withdrawal from the world" that unites the pieces.
The three pieces employ Gould's idiosyncratic technique of simultaneously playing the voices of two or more people, each of whom speaks a monologue to an unheard interviewer. Gould called this method "contrapuntal" radio. (The term contrapuntal normally applies to music in which independent melody lines play simultaneously; this type of music, exemplified by J. S. Bach, was the major part of Gould's repertoire.)


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Bill Pascrell claims Steve Rothman voted against funding for auto bailout and would have let automakers go bankrupt
One of the defining achievements of President Barack Obama's re-election bid, the federal assistance given to U.S. automakers, is dividing two fellow Democrats mired in their own political battle in northern New Jersey.
The campaign of U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell charges that U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman opposed funding for Obama's auto bailout, and would have let the industry slide into bankruptcy. The two congressmen are preparing to face off June 5 for the Democratic nomination in the 9th Congressional District.
"Rothman voted AGAINST funding for President Obama's auto industry rescue package," Justin Myers, Pascrell's campaign manager, said in a March 19 news release, "The same guy who touts backing President Obama's campaign did not even support singularly one of the most important policies that helped turn the economy from the brink of disaster. Just like Mitt Romney, Rothman would have 'Let Detroit Go Bankrupt'."
It's accurate that Rothman voted against the funding mechanism that would later support the auto bailout, but the Pascrell campaign went too far in suggesting that Rothman did not support assisting U.S. automakers at all, PolitiFact New Jersey found.
First, let's explain the funding behind the auto bailout.
The federal assistance provided to U.S. automakers came from the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, created in October 2008 amid the ongoing financial crisis. Pascrell voted for the bill creating TARP, and Rothman voted against it.
TARP was originally designed to assist the nation's financial institutions, but the administration of President George W. Bush later agreed in December 2008 to use TARP funds for the distressed automakers. That policy continued under Obama.
So, Rothman voted against the funding that ultimately went toward the auto bailout.
But two points undercut the Pascrell campaign's argument that "Rothman would have 'Let Detroit Go Bankrupt'."
First, when Rothman voted against the bill creating TARP, the money was intended to purchase troubled assets from financial institutions -- not bail out automakers. According to a September 2009 report by the Congressional Oversight Panel, "Members of Congress who debated this legislation in late 2008 believed they were debating a bill aimed at banks and the financial sector."
That's why it is wrong to interpret Rothman's no vote as a vote against helping the auto industry.
Paul Swibinski, a consultant to Rothman's campaign, pointed to the original purpose of TARP to show that Myers' statement is inaccurate.
"The TARP bill Steve opposed clearly stated that the purpose of the bill was to purchase troubled assets of 'financial institutions' – it made no mention of the auto industry or any manufacturing," Swibinski said in an e-mail. "Steve had no idea that Bush would use a portion of the money for Detroit."
About two months after TARP was created, Rothman voted for legislation designed to provide $14 billion in loans to the auto companies. That legislation was blocked in the U.S. Senate, leading the Bush administration to use TARP funds for the auto industry.
By supporting that legislation, Rothman indicated his support for some form of federal assistance for U.S. automakers.
But Pascrell spokesman Sean Darcy maintained that Rothman was not interested in providing money to rescue the auto industry.
"The fact is that he voted against TARP and that money was used to save the auto industry," Darcy said in an e-mail. "So it is not 'wrong' to suggest that Rothman would have let Detroit go bankrupt if he got his way."
Our ruling
In a news release, the Pascrell campaign argued that Rothman "voted AGAINST funding for President Obama's auto industry rescue package" and "would have 'Let Detroit Go Bankrupt'."
It is true that Rothman voted against the bill creating TARP, which was later used to fund the auto bailout. But at the time of that vote, the program was not intended to assist the auto companies.
Also, Rothman indicated a willingness to provide federal assistance for automakers through his support of a separate rescue package that was later blocked in the Senate.
We rate the statement Half True.
To comment on this ruling, go to NJ.com.


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Saturday, April 13, 2019, at 6:00 p.m.
2017 Queen Jacquelyn Kimiko Chew
On behalf of the 2017 Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Court, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 51st annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. Over the past year, Ayame, Hilary, Kelli, Kellie, Sydney, and I have had an incredible experience immersing ourselves in the Japanese American community. We've been humbled by the love and support we've received, and feel truly grateful for the innumerable opportunities we've had to connect with our heritage and culture. Though we've been given so much, the greatest gift of the past 12 months has been the sense of purpose we've developed by being part of something bigger than ourselves.
Volunteering at community events throughout Northern California has taught us the power of kizuna, or shared bonds – how the individuals, non-profits, and businesses that comprise our community are able to support one another through the strength of our connections to each other. Nothing can ever erase our memories of the magical moments created through our community kizuna, like a child excited to win a Momotaro art contest at Kodomo no Hi, a proud 442nd Regiment veteran being commemorated at the National Japanese American Historical Society's Tribute to Nikkei Veterans, or congregations across faiths working together to fundraise for youth theater at the Japanese American Religious Federation Curry Cook-off. Not only have we have witnessed first-hand the power our community's deep bonds, but we have also discovered our own ability to contribute to the community's greater strength. Whether it was selling raffle tickets to fundraise for senior citizens programs or running game booths at temple bazaars to create fun activities for families, we have seen the difference we can make when we show up for our community and when we open our hearts to one another. It has been inspiring to work with so many community groups and leaders and see the good we can do through our acts of service.
Outside of Northern California, we experienced the same community spirit while visiting our sister Courts in Los Angeles and Honolulu during Nisei Week and Cherry Blossom Festival Hawaii and during my goodwill visit to Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. The vibrant communities in each city we traveled to welcomed us with warm hospitality and exemplified the meaning of kizuna. It was amazing to see how our community bonds expand beyond regions, states, and countries and how we are able to strengthen each other through our deep-rooted friendships. Through our travels, we are so lucky to have been connected with our Court sisters and extended community members who have become like family.
This past year, we ourselves have grown so much in our leadership, compassion, and courage thanks to this community. Our very own Queen Program sponsors and Committee invested in each of our personal development, believing in our potential to shape the future of the Northern California Japanese American community. Thank you so much to our candidate sponsors the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Northern California, Benihana, Friends of the Golden Gate Optimists, Nikkei Lions of San Francisco, Nihonmachi Street Fair, and Takara Sake USA Incorporated for allowing us to embark on this journey as a Court and to Japan Airlines and the Fujiyasu Kimono Company for providing me with so many rich, cultural experiences. And a huge thank you to the Queen Program Committee members for their hard work to make this opportunity possible. We are forever indebted to the kindness and generosity of all of these organizations for helping us become the women we are today, and we promise to make good on the faith that has been put into us. We are excited to continue to do our part in sustaining this community and we can't wait to see what more we can achieve, together.
Once a year through the efforts of hundreds of volunteers, non-profits, corporate sponsors, small businesses, artists and performers, we are able to bring people together and showcase the culture, heritage and spirit of the Japanese American community. As a traditional arts performer and now representative of the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, I am especially proud of the diversity this event brings to the region and the empathy that it builds by bridging cultures. So whether this is your first or 51st time at the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, we sincerely hope you enjoy this year's festivities and see for yourself what makes this community so special. It is our honor to welcome you to the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival and to our community. ようこそ!
For more information on the Queen candidates, visit the Program's website.
More information regarding Program Night and purchasing tickets can be found on the Queen Program website.


text:
Hi mate. Would you mind starting a Real DT FFCU Teams board. Only SC up and running at this stage. I want to put an end to that
hi ,
click on other and go to Aust flag .
afl match i am watching is crows match .
its free but not many know we dont want afl to block it so i hope we can trust u . thanks
Love the avvy mate!
Lose a bet with Drewy/C4L?
I actually can't believe.
My tanking plan has been foiled
Just for you
My cover has been blown!
A Gooner is an Arsenal fan. My name is Ben. "The" joins the two together
Lol. Our posts promoting FFC on Big Footy just got deleted
I'm pogix777 from TIA, really liking the place so far.
Information about footy goes here
FFC General Manager
Super Moderator
FFC Runner


text:
You've spent time and money to develop an impressive in-game experience and attract and acquire new players. You've studied your CPA and eCPI, tweaked key in-game events to drive retention and conversion, and you've got your marketing engine humming, focused on engagement.Despite all this effort, you're still not hitting your goals. Conversions are lower than expected. Churn is high. Something is not right, but you are not sure what it is. Akamai has been helping game developers and distributors maximize the web performance of games for more than a decade. This brief outlines some common obstacles and how you can overcome them.
Cognitive Publishing Ltd
Magazines That Mean Business
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phone:0044 (0) 161 833 6320
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Web Design by Senior


text:
Build Dessert Sales with Sweet Insights from Dianne's Fine Desserts
Give dessert lovers what they seek by staying ahead of the trends and demands that drive today's dessert sales. Make your dessert menu a surefire success with insights from the expert insiders at Dianne's Fine Desserts.
Key Flavor Trends and Seasonal Ingredients
Most consumers agree that one of their favorite childhood memories involves something sweet. The aroma of a particular dessert can be reminiscent of a time, place or specific person. A certain scent might conjure memories of a grandmother's cookies or beloved desserts ordered at a local diner with a group of friends. It's truly remarkable how desserts can trigger these sentimental emotions.
Restaurant operators are using these childhood memories as inspiration to be inventive with dessert flavors. Gourmet cake pops are one of these inventions – calling back to a childlike dessert favorite, cake pops have the flavor of birthday cake people loved as children, infused with the portability today's on-the-go adults require. These bite-sized desserts have been popping up in major coffeehouse chains like Starbucks, as well as numerous local bakeries.
Two other popular menu flavors reminiscent of childhood are milk-and-cookies-infused desserts and banana splits. Some bake shops are using milk and cookies to inspire new cupcake creations and donut flavors. Additionally, restaurants are using banana splits as a foundation for building extravagant adult-versions, topped with ingredients like salted caramel, coconut and booze-infused sauces.
Other common childhood flavors like root beer floats and s'mores have been working their way onto menus for quite some time now and are still trending tastes today.
Consumer Insights and Data Points
Smaller-portioned desserts are in high demand – with these tinier takes on classic favorites, diners can have their mini cake and eat it too! A recent Technomic study found that 34% of consumers are more likely to order dessert if a smaller portion option is available. Operators are joining this wave by offering dessert flights and petite pastries. These tiny treats are being created with fresh and unique ingredients that formulate creative samplers to enthuse and intrigue diners.
The availability of great food in small, shareable portions is desirable for consumers and operators alike. They provide consumers with more variety at a lower price, and a more fulfilling experience, since they don't have to skip on dessert. For operators, the smaller portions can be plated in ways that evoke a more upscale dining experience.
Another appealing approach restaurants are utilizing this summer is designing desserts tailor-made for dipping. A top seller at The Mission, a modern Latin restaurant in Scottsdale, Ariz., features espresso churros that are served ready-to-dip into an Ibarra chocolate milkshake. By adding interactive elements to eating, the overall dining experience is more fun, especially when these desserts are shared among a group.
Menu Spotlight & Dessert Menu Trends
Breakfast—it's always been touted as the most important meal of the day, and recently it's been heavily influencing what chefs are putting on their menus. According to Mintel, breakfast sales are expected to reach $60.4 billion by 2019 – in other words, consumers are really craving breakfast.
And breakfast is not just the typical sit-down morning meal, anymore. Consumers are demanding portable versions of the sweet breakfast favorites they love. Items like breakfast bars and coffee-cake slices are becoming popular grab-and-go morning offerings for people to pair with their to-go cup of Joe.
Breakfast is also influencing dessert menus across the U.S. The popular bakery, Milk Bar, with locations in New York and D.C., is taking inspiration from breakfast. Often referred to as "one of the most exciting bakeries in the country," this culinary empire, founded by award-winning pastry chef and MasterChef judge Christina Tosi, is the birthplace of the highly addictive cereal milk™ ice cream. The ice cream tastes just like the milk leftover at the end of a bowl of fruity cereal and can be incorporated into a traditional sundae or made into a milkshake with custom toppings.
There's no doubt about it, breakfast is influencing the culinary experience – whether you offer dessert items for breakfast or let breakfast influence your dessert menu at dinner, you're certain to please palettes!


text:
A Light in the Dark (Xoe Juliani)
The translators are offline again.
There's something almost funny about watching a room full of various alien species all suddenly become incapable of communicating with each other, but Mirja Katan isn't laughing. Her bar is known for its translators. That's what makes it such a popular spot. If they don't work, there goes her bar's popularity. And the translators haven't been working very well recently.
Poking at the translators does nothing. Pressing buttons on the translators does nothing. Kicking the translators does, unsurprisingly, nothing. Mirja spits on them, which also has no effect except making her feel a bit better. Then she goes into the bar and offers everyone a free drink to make up for the malfunctioning translators. Of course, it takes a while for the message to spread through all the clientele, but soon enough it does. The bar closes early, at which point Mirja tries poking, pressing, and kicking the translators again. When they still persist in not working, Mirja calls her mechanic.
"Translator issues again?" Ashoro asks as she picks up.
Mirja sighs. "In the middle of opening hours," she says. "When can you be here?"
"Give me five minutes," Ashoro replies.
Mirja ends the call and waits. She cleans up the bar a bit, and then, five minutes later, Ashoro knocks at the door.
Mirja appears mostly humanoid, except for her slitted pupils and retractable claws. Her physiology is different from a human's, but she can pass fairly well. Ashoro can't. She has four arms, two on each side, and instead of legs she has tentacles from the waist down. She doesn't have a navel, but Mirja's never asked if that means she hatched from an egg. She's good with technology, though, and that's what matters.
"Okay," Ashoro says, rubbing two of her hands together while holding a toolbox in the other and drumming her last set of fingertips on the bar. "Do you have any idea what the issue was this time?"
Ashoro shakes her head, going over to the translator. "You should just get a new one. Yours doesn't seem likely to stop breaking any time soon. That's what happens when they get old."
"New ones are expensive," Mirja replies. She's got some money stashed away for a new translator, but not enough to afford one yet. "Can't you fix this one up again?"
"I'll do my best." Ashoro sighs. "Will you make me a drink?"
"Your usual?" Mirja asks, crossing to the bar.
"Yeah, thanks." Ashoro opens up the translator and peers at the inner workings. Mirja goes to the bar and mixes Ashoro's favorite drink, bringing it back when it's ready.
Ashoro grabs it with one of her hands while the other three poke at the translator. "I might be able to jury-rig something here, but I can't guarantee you that it'll work very well."
"Anything you can do," Mirja replies. Ashoro sighs deeply, then grabs a few tools and begins working with the insides of the translators. A few of her tentacles writhe, twisting around each other. Mirja knows by now that means Ashoro is concentrating hard. She waits patiently. If her translator is going to be fixed, Ashoro is going to be the one who does it. If she can't fix it, Mirja doubts she'll find anyone who can.
"Alright," Ashoro finally says, stepping back from the translator. "Say something in a language I don't speak."
Mirja speaks a few different languages, and other similar tests have taught her which ones Ashoro does and doesn't know. She says something in the home tongue of her planet.
Ashoro nods. "Got it. I can't promise it'll work perfectly or for very long, but it's working for now."
"Thank you," Mirja tells Ashoro gratefully. She goes to her cashbox and pulls out a few chips. "Is this right?"
"That's fine," Ashoro replies, even though Mirja thinks she paid her more the last time. "Anything else you need fixed up?"
"I don't think so."
Ashoro nods. "Call me if you do. See you next time, Mirja."
"See you then, Ash."
Ashoro grins at the nickname as she leaves, her tentacles brushing things off the floor as she goes. Mirja follows her with a broom and pan, brushing up the little piles Ashoro leaves behind her. She's never asked if it's an automatic response or something Ashoro consciously does when she visits the bar. If it's the former, it's an interesting quirk. If it's the latter, Mirja doesn't know what that means.
Mirja considers reopening the bar for the late night crowd, but decides against it; it's too much effort for too little gain, and she doesn't feel like it. Instead, she closes up and goes upstairs. She lives above the bar in a small apartment. It's not the best place, but it comes with the bar, so Mirja lives there to keep from having to rent both the bar and an apartment. There's a shower and a kitchen and everything else Mirja would need, if in very close proximity to each other. She makes do.
Mirja takes a quick shower, then gets into her bed. She lies on the mattress for a few moments, staring up at the ceiling. Then she groans and rolls back onto her stomach, burying her face into the pillow.
She's supposed to be nocturnal. Her species naturally is. But she's forced herself to sleep during the night instead, to be on a better schedule for her work. The bar stays open late some nights, but it's also a café during the day. Mirja has considered closing it as a café and having the bar stay open later, so she can sleep during the day, but she earns too much from the café for it to make financial sense. Instead, she just forces herself to stay up during the day and sleep at night.
But there are some nights where her instincts are too loud and won't let her sleep. Mirja knows she'll regret it in the morning if she doesn't get some rest, but she's too keyed up. Instead, she gets up and gets a drink of water, leaning against her counter. She has some sleeping pills stashed away in her bathroom, but she doesn't like them very much. She'll try some more natural remedies first.
Two hours and half a dozen failed attempts at sleeping later, Mirja admits defeat and takes two sleeping pills. She's out in ten minutes. When she wakes the next morning, she feels woozy and still half-asleep, as she always does when she takes sleeping pills. It's part of the reason she dislikes them so much. Three cups of coffee later and she feels better, more able to go downstairs and open up the café.
Except, just as Mirja gets downstairs, the power blinks out.
Mirja looks around and sighs. Her translators are old. They go out all the time. But the electricity in general shouldn't. A quick look out the window makes Mirja groan loudly. The electricity seems to be out all through the block, which means it'll be even longer until it's back on.
There's a knock on the door, which Mirja would normally ignore while she's closed. She checks quickly and goes to open the door, seeing that it's Ashoro outside the door.
"I'm glad not to be on duty right now," Ashoro declares as she enters the café. "I was on my way here when the power went out. It's out for half the grid right now, and the other half looks about ready to go out any second."
"Any idea what the issue is?" Mirja asks.
Ashoro shrugs. "Nope. I'm off duty. I was actually on my way over here to see if your translators were still working, but all things considered, I guess we can't figure that out right now."
"I guess not," Mirja replies, a tinge of bitterness in her voice.
Ashoro leans forward. "Anything you need help with? I can give you a hand. Or four."
"There's not too much I can do without power," Mirja admits. "I was going to put the pastries in the oven to bake, but as long as the power's out…"
"Do you want me to see if I can get your old generator working?" Ashoro offers. "I can try and figure something out, then you can open while everyone else is closed."
"Could you really?"
Ashoro grins. "Let me see what I can do," she replies, cracking her knuckles and getting to work. Mirja goes over to a seat and sits down, a piece of paper in front of her. Her plan is to come up with a few new dishes for the menu at the café.
Then Ashoro shakes her awake a few hours later and she accidentally knocks the empty paper to the floor.
"I almost had it figured out when the power came back on," Ashoro tells Mirja, sounding put-out. "The translator is working properly."
"How do you know?" Mirja rubs at her eyes.
Ashoro grins. "Because I'm speaking Bullic." Mirja blinks and looks at Ashoro's lips. "If you understand me, it must be thanks to the translator." Mirja can see that the sounds she hears don't match up with the moving of Ashoro's lips. She's normally good at noticing that, but she must be more tired than she realized.
"Did you not sleep well last night?" Ashoro asks. Her lips line up with her words now, so she must have switched back to their common language.
"Not particularly," Mirja replies, rubbing a hand over her face. "Nocturnal issues."
"Ugh, don't I know it."
Mirja had almost forgotten that Ashoro's nocturnal as well. "Have you slept yet?" She may very well have worked the whole overnight shift and not slept before coming to the café.
"Nah, but I snuck a cup of coffee," Ashoro replies, holding up the mug with one of her tentacles. "I'll be good for another few hours."
"Do you want to crash upstairs?"
Ashoro blinks. "Huh?"
"You're tired. Why don't you just sleep in my bed? I'm not using it at the moment."
"Really?" Ashoro asks.
Mirja nods.
"Okay. Thanks." Ashoro goes over to the stairs, regards them for a moment, then begins going up. It takes a while for her to get up the entire flight of stairs. Mirja realizes she's never seen Ashoro on stairs before; she has no idea if she always has this much difficulty or if it's because she's half asleep.
The café is strangely silent. Mirja begins getting things ready for customers, but she's not sure if many will show up. Her rush is normally in the early morning, and the power outage meant that she missed most of it. Today looks like it's going to be a bad profit day. Hopefully, last night's issues with the translator won't affect tonight's customers at the bar.
Four customers come in between the time Mirja opens up and Ashoro comes back downstairs, looking much better rested. "You didn't sleep long," Mirja remarks. It's only been three hours.
"I normally don't," Ashoro takes a seat in one of the booths. She likes booths more than chairs, Mirja has noticed; they must be more comfortable for her tentacles. "I don't need that much sleep."
"Lucky," Mirja mutters. She's still feeling the affects of her own limited sleep.
"Do you want me to watch the café for a while so you can sleep?" Ashoro asks. Mirja considers the offer for a moment, then shakes her head.
"The more I give in to being tired, the more tired I'll be," she replies. "Do you know what I mean?"
"I get it," Ashoro says, nodding. "I can help you anyway, if you want."
"You're not usually this eager to help." Mirja softens the comment with a smile.
Ashoro shrugs. "You let me sleep in your bed. I figure that means I owe you a favor."
This makes more sense. Ashoro has always been very specific when it comes to favors. Apparently, it's a thing for her species. Mirja hasn't met enough of them to know whether that's true or not, but she knows it's the case for Ashoro. Favors are important, and if someone does someone else a favor, it needs to be repaid.
"It wasn't that much of a favor," Mirja remarks.
Ashoro shrugs again. "One good turn deserves another. Is there anything I can do?"
There isn't much to be done, considering how few people are coming in. But both the café area and the kitchen could use a cleaning, and Ashoro always seems to sweep just by walking around.
Ashoro's happy to clean, taking the broom, mop, and bucket that Mirja gives her. With her four arms and tentacles, she manages to use a small dustpan to sweep shelves while also sweeping the floor with the broom. Mirja mans the counter, getting a head start on readying the café for its transformation into a bar.
Ashoro sweeps the entire café and kitchen, then mops it all as well. "Do you accept this in repayment?" she asks.
Mirja wonders for a moment what Ashoro would do if she said 'no.' Would she keep helping out until Mirja was satisfied? Would she argue? Would she try to bargain? Mirja doesn't try it out. Ashoro has more than repaid the favor that Mirja barely saw as a favor anyway. "I accept the repayment," she says. She's learned the language of favors from a few other similar instances with Ashoro. The specific question must be asked and the specific answer must be given. Otherwise, Mirja's pretty sure, the repayment isn't considered valid. This is one of Ashoro's traditions; Mirja will respect it.
Ashoro checks the time. "I should get home. If you have more issues with the translator, call me."
"I will," Mirja promises.
Ashoro salutes lazily as she leaves the café.
Mirja drums her fingers along the counter. No one's coming into the café, not that Mirja really expects anyone to. Customers normally die down around this time. She might even close the café and start focusing on getting ready for that night at the bar. Perhaps she'll open early, to maximize profit.
Perhaps, Mirja thinks as she gently thunks her head down on the counter with a groan, she'll stop thinking about Ashoro for five seconds and actually get some work done.
Mirja's crush on Ashoro isn't anything new. She's been attracted to her since they first met. But it's never been this bad. Mirja blames the damn translator. Since it's started breaking down, she's had to see Ashoro more often. With each time, her crush deepens. So long as the translator keeps malfunctioning, Ashoro will keep coming regularly and Mirja will continue to drown in her crush.
She could tell her. Mirja is very aware of that possibility, especially when she sees Ashoro do something particularly crush-worthy. But she also knows that Ashoro's species can be weird about dating. Ashoro has told her a few things and Mirja has looked up a few others. For example, dating outside the species is frowned upon. Most of Ashoro's kind enter relationships for the sake of procreation. Mirja is a woman and a different species; that's two marks against her in that regard. Ashoro has never mentioned wanting children, but as far as Mirja knows, that's how her species typically works.
Then again, Ashoro is different from her species in many ways. It's a side effect of being raised on a core planet. Mirja is the same way. Her people have many traditions she doesn't follow, since she wasn't raised among them. As far as Mirja knows, Ashoro has visited the planet of her species twice. Perhaps she feels differently about relationships than they do.
Mirja could risk it. It could work out perfectly. Or Ashoro might also be horribly offended at the mere idea and swear never to see Mirja again. There's really no way to tell. Mirja would rather not take the risk.
A customer walks into the café, forcing Mirja to think about something other than Ashoro. She uses the distraction as an opportunity. She's obsessing over Ashoro when there are things that need to be done. Sitting around dwelling on a crush won't help with any of them.
Mirja throws herself into whatever work she can find. She gets all of the bottles of various alcohols lined up on the counter, preparing for when she opens the bar. She cleans up everything she's had out for the café that she won't need for the bar.
Then the goddamn power goes out again.
Mirja fumbles for her flashlight, flicking it on. It's battery powered, so the power outage doesn't affect it. It illuminates the room as Mirja looks for her phone. Hopefully, it'll work.
It doesn't, of course. Mirja should have known better. The communication towers are connected to the electricity; without power, the phones don't work either. She crosses her arms. She wishes Ashoro could be here, like she was earlier, but she's probably already home. Mirja's going to have to wait alone in the dark for a while.
Power outages like this aren't common. To have two in one day is strange. Mirja frowns. She doesn't know what the problem is, but she doesn't like it. She can only hope that things get sorted out.
There's a tap at Mirja's door. She swings the flashlight over and sees Ashoro standing outside, waving.
"I thought you'd be home by now!" Mirja says as she opens the door to let Ashoro in.
"Didn't get far before the power went out," Ashoro replies, closing the door behind her. "I figured I'd turn around and keep you company. This is weird."
"I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that. We haven't had a blackout in years, and now two in one day?"
"It is weird," Ashoro agrees. "Do you want me to see if I can fix that generator I was working on earlier? I think I might almost have it."
"Aren't you going to the power station?" Mirja asks. "They could probably use your help."
Ashoro shrugs. "It's not my shift. I'd rather stay here with you anyway."
"Oh." Mirja can't deny that she's pleased. "Do you want a cookie while you work? I've got a bunch that didn't sell earlier."
"Don't mind if I do," Ashoro replies with a grin.
Mirja puts a plate of cookies within Ashoro's reach and settles down to watch her work. "That generator's even older than my translator," she remarks.
Ashoro grins. "I can tell." The generator makes an angry fizzling noise as Ashoro pulls on a wire. Mirja jumps. "It's okay," Ashoro says quickly. "Nothing's wrong. It's supposed to do that. Maybe."
"I'm not feeling particularly convinced," Mirja replies, amusement in her voice. "Are you sure this isn't a problem?"
"I'm not sure the generator can be fixed," Ashoro admits. "It's in pretty bad shape. Some bits are completely rusted."
"I haven't used it in almost six years. Just come over and sit with me. The generator is probably beyond help."
"Are you going to get a new one?" Ashoro asks as she settles into the booth, grabbing a cookie and taking a bite.
"I can't afford a translator," Mirja replies with a snort. "How am I supposed to afford a generator? Anyway, I barely use it."
"How close are you being able to afford a new translator?"
"A month or so out. Maybe less. Maybe more, if we keep having power outages." Mirja takes a cookie of her own. "I bet you'll be glad when I finally get a new translator."
"Why?" Ashoro asks.
Mirja frowns. "So you don't have to come back and fix the old one all the time. It's got to be a pain."
"I don't really mind," Ashoro admits. "I like coming to visit you."
"You can still come visit." Ashoro smiles and Mirja feels her heart twist strangely in her chest. "Do you want a drink?" she blurts out.
"Oh." Ashoro looks surprised at the sudden change in subject. "Sure." Mirja busies herself at the counter, getting out a nice bottle of pomegranate wine. "Ooh, we get a fancy drink?" Ashoro asks eagerly when Mirja returns with the bottle and two glasses.
"It's just been collecting dust behind my counter," Mirja replies, popping off the cork and pouring some wine into each of the two wine glasses. "Enjoy."
Ashoro picks up her glass and takes a long sip of the wine. "I meant what I said, you know. About liking visiting you."
"I like visiting you too," Mirja replies, swirling her wine in her glass. "I meant what I said as well. Come by any time."
"Really?" Ashoro asks, looking dubious.
"I'm always open for friends," Mirja replies nonchalantly, taking a sip from her glass.
Ashoro grins into her own glass. "I'm glad to hear it."
The camaraderie between the two is palpable, sitting there in the dark café. The only light they have is from the flashlight, but both Mirja and Ashoro are nocturnal, so darkness isn't exactly a problem for either of them.
"This is nice," Ashoro says quietly. "We should do this more often."
"We should," Mirja agrees. She dares to slide her hand over to Ashoro's… and Ashoro takes it. Mirja takes a sip of her wine, smiling. Ashoro leans her head on Mirja's shoulder. Mirja barely dares to breathe. This is the perfect moment. She could sit here with Ashoro in the dimly-lit booth forever and not want to change a thing.
Then, with a flicker, the power comes back on.
Ashoro sits upright, looking around, while Mirja mourns the loss of her warmth. "Seems like they've got the power fixed up," she remarks.
"Seems like they have," Mirja replies, running her finger along the top of her glass. Ashoro's going to leave now, of course; she probably wants to get back home. Mirja picks up the glass, downing the wine that's left.
Ashoro gives Mirja a tentative smile. "Should we have a celebratory kiss?"
Mirja almost drops her glass. "What?"
"Just an idea." Ashoro quickly looks away. "If you want to."
"Do you want to?" Mirja asks.
Ashoro grins. "I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise," she replies, leaning forward. Mirja lunges forward to meet her. Their teeth click together as they kiss, inelegantly and messily. Ashoro twists one of her hands in Mirja's hair and angles her head properly to make the kiss work a bit better. When Mirja finally pulls away, she looks at Ashoro with wide eyes.
"I thought… With the traditions of your species…"
"You know I'm not traditional," Ashoro replies with a grin, and she leans in for another kiss.
The translators are offline again.
This time, Mirja doesn't need to call Ashoro. All she has to do is make eye contact with her across the room and jerk her head subtly at the back room. Ashoro's already on her way over. Mirja turns to the next customer, answering them in the scraps of their language she speaks, and waits for Ashoro to return.
A moment later, she does, going up behind Mirja and nestling her head on Mirja's shoulder. "I got it working again, but we really need a new translator."
"We can almost afford it." Mirja kisses the side of Ashoro's head. "If you want to be able to get one sooner, make yourself useful."
"Yes, ma'am," Ashoro replies, saluting playfully as she goes to the other end of the bar to mix drinks.
When the bar finally closes for the night, Mirja's exhausted. Ashoro ducked out early, as she worked a long shift before coming to help out at the bar. Mirja locks up and goes upstairs. Ashoro's lying in their bed, still awake.
"I've been waiting for you," she tells Mirja drowsily.
"I had to finish up downstairs." Mirja gets changed and crawls into bed next to Ashoro. "It was a long day."
"Tell me about it," Ashoro groans. She lies her head down on Mirja's chest. "We should take a few days off."
"Then how are we going to be able to afford that new translator?" Mirja counters.
Ashoro sighs. "Fine. Once we have enough, we should take a few days off. What do you think?"
Mirja grins. "I think a vacation would be lovely," she replies. "What were you thinking we do? We could visit somewhere."
"Or we could stay right here in your bed," Ashoro counters, kissing Mirja lazily. Mirja moans softly against her lips.
"That works too," she agrees breathlessly when Ashoro pulls back. "I think that's a better idea."
"How long until we have enough saved?"
Mirja shrugs. "A week, perhaps?"
"So in a week, we'll be on vacation," Ashoro says with satisfaction. "Probably."
"I love you," Mirja murmurs. She has an arm around Ashoro and can feel her heartbeat in her lower back. "I love you so much."
"I love you too." Ashoro nestles closer to Mirja. Her tentacles curl around Mirja's legs, and all four of her arms wrap around Mirja's torso.
"Goodnight," Mirja says to Ashoro quietly. Ashoro grins, burying her face in Mirja's chest.
"Goodnight," she replies.
The stars twinkle as they fall asleep.
Comments (1)
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16 August, 2016 at 8:50 pm Forrice
I enjoyed reading this.


text:
this sock was a test knit, and i shamefully took the entire test knit time allotted.
ps. crocs over here !!!
or the hazardous knitter, or the faux knitter, or the fruitless knitter, or .... (closet crocheter?) oh, i know! the knarcissistic knitter .... i LOVE looking at my own blog!


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|Top stadiums
|100 Montana Street, San Antonio, Texas, 78203
|29°25′1″N 98°28′44″W / 29.41694°N 98.47889°WCoordinates: 29°25′1″N 98°28′44″W / 29.41694°N 98.47889°W
|Broke ground
|November 1990
|May 15, 1993
|City of San Antonio
|City of San Antonio
|Construction cost
|$186 million USD
|Populous (formerly HOK Sport)
Football: 65,000 (expandable to 72,000)
Canadian football: 59,000
Basketball: 20,662 (expandable to 39,500)
Ice hockey: 36,000
Boxing: 40,000
Arena Concert:
Stadium Concert:
|Alamo Bowl (NCAA)
New Orleans Saints (NFL) (2005)
San Antonio Spurs (NBA) (1993-2002)
San Antonio Texans (CFL) (1995)
East-West Shrine Game (NCAA) (2006)
U.S. Army All-American Bowl (2002-present)
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament (1998, 2004, 2008)
UTSA Roadrunners (NCAA) (2011)
The Alamodome is a domed 65,000 seat, multi-purpose facility that is primarily used as a football/basketball stadium and convention center in San Antonio, Texas, USA. The facility opened on May 15, 1993, at a cost of $186 million.
Along with placating the San Antonio Spurs ownership's demands for a larger basketball venue, the multi-purpose facility was intended to increase the city's convention traffic and attract a professional football franchise. The Spurs played basketball in the Alamodome for a decade, then became disenchanted with the facility and convinced Bexar County to construct them at the San Antonio Livestock Exposition Inc. a new arena now called the AT&T Center.
The facility is a rectilinear 5-level stadium which can seat up to 65,000 spectators for a typical football game and is expandable to hold 72,000 spectators, allowing the possibility to host a Super Bowl. The arena configuration (basketball/hockey) takes 12–18 hours to set up retractable seating and install the playing surface. In this configuration, typically only the two lower levels at one or both ends of the facility are used. The arena configuration seats 20,662 spectators and can be expanded to 39,500 when the upper level is opened. When the Spurs played home games here 3 upper decks were used in selected games and in the playoffs increasing the capacity to 35,000, while the other was covered by a large curtain containing the Spurs division title banners, retired number banners and 1999 championship banner
The Alamodome opened with 38 luxury suites and 6,000 club level seats. The original design specifications called for 66 luxury suites. Since the San Antonio Spurs were the only occupant at the time, only 38 luxury suites in the north end of the facility were built (where the basketball court was placed, and a curtain separated it from the south end). The footprints for the 28 unbuilt luxury suites were open floor space just behind the club level seats that surround the south end of the facility. In 2006, the Alamodome underwent an expansion to accommodate 14 new luxury suites, increasing the number of suites to 52.[1] The Sports Club and the Top of the Dome restaurant also received renovations in 2004.
The Alamodome has two permanent Olympic-size ice rinks that can be used for NHL games, figure skating and speed skating. The facility also contains 30,000 square feet (2,800 m2) of meeting rooms and 160,000 square feet (15,000 m2) of continuous exhibit space.
The Alamodome was home to the NBA San Antonio Spurs from 1993 to 2002 and the CFL San Antonio Texans in 1995. The facility also hosts special events such as the annual Alamo Bowl football game, NCAA basketball and volleyball tournament games, and the men's and women's basketball Final Four (men's 1998, 2004, 2008; women's 2002, 2010). Other NCAA events including the 1997, 1999 and 2007 Big 12 Championship Games were played in the facility. The 1993 U.S. Olympic Festival held some of the first ever paid events in the Alamodome in July and August 1993, including the opening and closing ceremonies and ice skating events. The 1996 NBA All-Star Game was played in the Alamodome,[2] and the facility hosted WWF Royal Rumble in 1997. The now-defunct San Antonio Dragons of the International Hockey League played some games in 1997 and 1998 at the Alamodome when its home, Freeman Coliseum, was unavailable during the annual San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo (a similar scheduling conflict the Spurs now face at the new AT&T Center). The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) has held two Built Ford Tough Series events in the Alamodome (2007, 2008). Two 2005 InterLiga soccer matches took place in the Alamodome on January 6, 2005. The facility also was one of three "home" stadiums for the displaced NFL New Orleans Saints during the 2005 NFL season and was also the Dallas Cowboys' training camp site in 2002, 2003, 2007, and 2009.
State high school football playoff games are regularly held in the Alamodome, including championship games.
On July 20, 2000, Britney Spears came to the Alamodome on her Oops!... I Did It Again World Tour. Tickets sold out quickly. She returned to the arena on her Dream Within a Dream Tour on June 15, 2002.
From July 5 to 16, 2006, the Alamodome hosted the 2006 ELCA Youth Gathering. Approximately 40,000 youth and adult leaders attended the event between the two weeks it was spread.
Every summer Drum Corps International hosts its DCI San Antonio – Southwestern Championships at the Alamodome.
The Alamodome also hosts the Bands of America Super-Regional Championships every year in November, as well as the University Interscholastic League State Marching Band Contest.
The San Antonio Spurs moved to the Alamodome from HemisFair Arena after the 1992-93 NBA season. The Spurs played nine seasons in the Alamodome, including during their first NBA championship season, which was played against the New York Knicks in 1999. Attendance was 39,514 for Game 1 of the 1999 NBA Finals and 39,554 for Game 2.
During the regular season, most of the upper level was curtained off. However, the Spurs opened 3 portions of the upper level expanding capacity to 35,000+.
Though the late 1990s saw the Spurs soar to unprecedented popularity, the decision was made to move the team out of the spacious stadium and build a new arena. Even though the Spurs were the primary tenants, the Alamodome was designed for football, and Spurs management and fans had grown increasingly dissatisfied with its poor sight lines and cavernous feel. Moving the team out of the Alamodome also opened up more contiguous dates allowing the facility to schedule more conventions, which over time have proven to be more profitable for the facility and for the city economy as well. The Spurs moved to the SBC Center (now the AT&T Center) after the 2001-2002 season.
The Alamodome is the site of the annual Alamo Bowl, which usually matches the fourth-choice (not necessarily fourth-place) teams from the Big Ten Conference and the Big 12 Conference. The 2006 Alamo Bowl between the Texas Longhorns and the Iowa Hawkeyes was attended by 65,875, which set a facility-record crowd for a sporting event,[3][4][5] only to have that record broken by an Alamo Bowl event the next year between Texas A&M and Penn State, which drew 66,166 attendees.[6]
The Alamodome was also home to the San Antonio Texans for the 1995 CFL season. The stadium was attractive to the Canadian Football League (which made an ill-fated attempt to expand to the U.S. between 1993 and 1995) since it could accommodate the CFL's larger playing field. In the first CFL playoff game ever played between two U.S.-based franchises, the Texans defeated the Birmingham Barracudas 52-9 at the Alamodome on November 5, The team then lost to the Baltimore Stallions 21-11 in Baltimore on November 11. The Texans folded after the 1995 season due to low attendance, financial problems, and the disbanding of the other U.S. teams.
September 16, 2006, marked the first game in a college football "home and home" series, known as the AT&T Corps Classic, between the Texas A&M Aggies and the Army Black Knights. Army has elected to play its "home" game at the Alamodome in order to increase the program's exposure around the nation, as it competes as an independent. A sell-out crowd of 64,583 watched the Aggies defeat the Black Knights 28-24.[1] The second game was played at Kyle Field in College Station in 2008.
The 2006 East-West Shrine Game was played in the Alamodome on January 21, 2006. The game is an annual post-season college football all-star game. For most of its history, the game has been played in the San Francisco Bay Area, at San Francisco's Kezar Stadium and at Stanford Stadium. In recent years it has been played at SBC Park. In 2006, the game was played in the Alamodome, moving out of the San Francisco area for the first time in decades. The Shrine Game was moved once again for its 2007 event, to Robertson Stadium in Houston, Texas.
The Alamodome has played host to six NFL preseason games. Two each were played in 1993 and 1994, one in 1995, and one in 2001.
In 2005, the NFL announced that the Alamodome would host three of the New Orleans Saints regular season "home" games due to the damage caused to the Louisiana Superdome by Hurricane Katrina. The Saints played the Buffalo Bills (week 4), the Atlanta Falcons (week 6), and the Detroit Lions (week 16) at the Alamodome. Although there have been many NFL preseason and exhibition games held in San Antonio over the years, these games were the first NFL regular season games played in the city. The Saints also played one 2005 season "home" game in Giants Stadium (against the New York Giants) in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and four others in LSU's Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Overall, the Saints averaged 62,665 fans in the 65,000-seat Alamodome for the three games held there, a solid showing despite the short notice to sell tickets due to the hurricane. The Saints and the NFL announced that the team would return to Louisiana for the 2006 season even though at the time the NFL was uncertain where they would play their home games. Additionally, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue indicated that if the NFL expands again, San Antonio would be on the short list of candidate cities. Even though public opinion is that he would never let go of his team's presence in the San Antonio market, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has acknowledged his support for the city's efforts to become home to an NFL franchise.[7]
The Dallas Cowboys held their 2002, 2003, and 2009 preseason training camps at the Alamodome, and will continue to do so through 2011.
Since 1999, the Alamodome has been home to the Texas Football Classic, which kicks off the high school football season in Texas. Now in its eighth year, the event has expanded to five games, featuring prominent high school programs from across the state.[11] Former participants include former Chicago Bears and University of Texas running back Cedric Benson, University of Iowa quarterback Drew Tate, University of Houston quarterback Kevin Kolb, and University of Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel.
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is played each January. The bowl game features the nation's top 80 high school football players in an East vs. West match-up and is televised by NBC. Past games have included players like Reggie Bush, Vince Young, Adrian Peterson, and Brady Quinn.[12] and Tim Tebow. The inaugural game was played on December 30, 2000, at Highlander Stadium at Highland Park High School in Dallas, Texas.[13] The bowl game was then moved to San Antonio, where the 2002 match was played in front of an Alamo Stadium crowd.[14] The 2003 game was moved to the Alamodome, where it has been played since.
On April 15, 2005, the San Antonio City Council voted to spend close to $6.5 million to renovate the Alamodome in an effort to lure a Major League Soccer franchise to the city. After the election of Phil Hardberger as the new mayor, those efforts were abandoned, though the approved renovations to the facility will continue as planned. The city administration and local business leaders have re-focused their efforts to bringing an NFL franchise to San Antonio.
On April 19, 2007, the San Antonio City Council unanimously approved an additional $8.3 million to fund renovations and enhancements to the facility.
Although when the Alamodome was built it was an ideal state-of-the-art NFL stadium, by today's standards the facility would have to undergo renovations and add a considerable number of luxury suites in order to make it a profitable venue for an NFL team. Preliminary estimates put the cost of improvements at $100–150 million.
Aside from the annual Alamo Bowl and certain high school events, future events scheduled for the Alamodome include the 2010 NCAA Women's Final Four. In addition, the Dallas Cowboys preseason training camps will be held each summer in the Alamodome from 2007 to 2011.
The Alamodome will be the home stadium for the University of Texas at San Antonio football team which received approval to begin a football team in 2008. The team is expected to play its first game as an NCAA Division I-FCS independent in August 2011.
Top 10 all-time Alamodome sports crowds (as of December 30, 2007):[3][6]
|2007 Alamo Bowl (Penn State vs. Texas A&M)
|Dec. 29, 2007
|2006 Alamo Bowl (Texas vs. Iowa)
|Dec. 30, 2006
|Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints (2005 NFL regular season game)
|Oct. 16, 2005
|1999 Alamo Bowl (Penn State vs. Texas A&M)
|Dec. 28, 1999
|2004 Alamo Bowl (Oklahoma State vs. Ohio State)
|Dec. 29, 2004
|2001 Alamo Bowl (Iowa vs. Texas Tech)
|Dec. 29, 2001
|1999 Big 12 Championship (Texas vs. Nebraska)
|Dec. 4, 1999
|1997 Big 12 Championship (Texas A&M vs. Nebraska)
|Dec. 6, 1997
|1995 Alamo Bowl (Michigan vs. Texas A&M)
|Dec. 28, 1995
|2006 Corps Classic (Texas A&M vs. Army)
|Sept. 16, 2006
Other notable attendance marks include:
|Preceded by
HemisFair Arena
Home of the
San Antonio Spurs
1993 – 2002
|Succeeded by
AT&T Center
|Preceded by
Louisiana Superdome
Home of the
New Orleans Saints
(with Giants Stadium & Tiger Stadium)
2005 (3 games)
|Succeeded by
Louisiana Superdome
|Preceded by
America West Arena
Host of the
NBA All-Star Game
|Succeeded by
Gund Arena
|Preceded by
RCA Dome
Louisiana Superdome
Georgia Dome
|NCAA Men's
Division I
Basketball Tournament
Finals Venue
|Succeeded by
Tropicana Field
Edward Jones Dome
Ford Field
|Preceded by
Trans World Dome
Trans World Dome
Arrowhead Stadium
Host of the
Big 12 Championship Game
|Succeeded by
Trans World Dome
Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium


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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Two former employees of a local pizzeria pleaded guilty Thursday to immigration document fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Former kitchen manager Daniel Nieto-Ibarra, and a former pizzeria cook, Erika Yazmin Perez-Lara, both 26 and from Corpus Christi, pleaded guilty at a hearing before U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos on Jan. 5. Nieto-Ibarra and Perez-Lara admitted they prepared and delivered fraudulent documents to a government confidential informant who they believed to be a Mexican national seeking illegal employment at the pizzeria. Grimaldi's Pizzeria is located in the La Palmera Mall in Corpus Christi.
Indictments were returned in November 2011 following an investigation by ICE HSI. The assistant kitchen manager, Enrique Lopez-Miranda, 26, and another cook, Marco Antonio Sandoval-Romo, 42, both of Corpus Christi, were charged separately with fraudulently using a Social Security number. Their cases are still pending; they are presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.
Nieto-Ibarra and Perez-Lara were both remanded into federal custody following their respective guilty pleas where they will remain pending their sentencing hearings on April 3. At that time, both face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Following any awarded prison sentence, each may additionally be assessed a period of up to three years of supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert D. Thorpe Jr. and Hugo R. Martinez, southern District of Texas, are prosecuting this case.


text:
CHICAGO (December 1, 2015) – Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG), the membership association that unites the world's hospitality companies and technology innovators to solve industry challenges, announces the keynote speakers for the 2016 North American Conference.
Henry Harteveldt is a well-known analyst and advisor in the travel industry, named by Skift as one of its 30 "movers and shakers" in May 2014. Harteveldt's keynote, "The Three I's Influencing Hotel IT," will discuss how three factors driving the future of the hospitality business – immediacy, inspiration and individualism – both arise from improved lodging IT capabilities and impact IT systems during the next few years. Prior to his career as an analyst, Harteveldt spent more than 15 years in marketing, planning, distribution and strategy roles at companies such as TWA, Continental Airlines, the Trump Organization, the Fairmont Hotel Management Company and GetThere. After spending 11 years as head of Forrester Research's global travel research practice, Harteveldt launched Atmosphere Research in September 2011 to fill the void when Forrester exited this space. Atmosphere Research provides research and perspective to the global travel industry, distilling relevant emerging trends and opportunities in marketing, distribution and industry technology topics.
Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, Ph.D., Certified Speaking Professional, is a bestselling author and global keynote speaker known as the "champion of introverts." In addition to her latest book, The Genius of Opposites, she is author of the bestsellers The Introverted Leader and Quiet Influence, which have been translated into 16 languages. Kahnweiler has worked with hundreds of organizations including GE, CNN, NASA and the CDC. She is a faculty member of the American Management Association and has been featured in Forbes, Time Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. She focuses on helping introverts and extroverts better understand one another to leverage their strengths and create strong teams in the workplace. By becoming "introvert-friendly," companies draw the best from all employees. This leads to more innovation, employee satisfaction and higher levels of productivity. A company will be more successful and its employees happier in working for a business that understands them.
"We have created a fresh program to provide members with strategic content that will guide technology decisions and planning as well as optimize the performance of their organizations," says Michael Blake, HTNG's CEO. "We expect record-breaking attendance at the 2016 North American Conference and aim to deliver an agenda that fills the needs of both hoteliers and technology providers." Other topics that will be covered at the conference include scalable cellular networks, PII protection, virtual reality, 3D printing, security, Internet of Things, big data, payment technologies and more.
Conference registration is open to any full-time employee of a hotel owning, management or franchising company. For all other industry participants, HTNG membership is required. Technology providers, consultants and others who are not HTNG members should check with HTNG's membership department to ensure eligibility.
The HTNG North American Conference will be in Amelia Island, FL at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort from March 1-3, 2016. The program and speakers are subject to change. For information or to register, visit http://www.htng.org/conferences/north-american
About Hotel Technology Next Generation
The premier technology solutions association in the hospitality industry, HTNG is a self-funded, nonprofit organization with members from hotel and hospitality companies, technology vendors to hospitality, consultants, media and academic experts. HTNG's members participate in focused workgroups to bring to market open solution sets addressing specific business problems. HTNG fosters the selection and adoption of existing open standards and also develops new open standards to meet the needs of the global hospitality industry.
Currently more than 400 corporate and individual members from across this spectrum, including most of the world's leading hotel companies and technology vendors, are active HTNG participants. HTNG's Board of Governors, consisting of 21 top IT leaders from hotel companies around the world, itself has technology responsibility for four million guest rooms. HTNG publishes workgroup proceedings, drafts and specifications for all HTNG members as soon as they are created, encouraging rapid and broad adoption. HTNG releases specifications into the public domain as soon as they are ratified by the workgroups. For more information, visit www.htng.org.
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11/21/2019Rosewood CIO Appointed to HTNG's Board of Governors
10/31/2019Over 90 Companies Registered to Attend Upcoming HTNG European Conference
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text: We are located just west of Houston near Fulshear, Texas nestled in our 10 acre pecan orchard. We have been raising and showing dogs for over 30 years. All of our dogs are whelped and raised in our home. We have a small indoor/outdoor kennel at the back of our home for the adults and enjoy the loving company of all of our animals.


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The Yeshiva will consider almost any car for donation, although details are required to determine the "profitability" of the particular vehicle. The car can be picked up from your home (in the Greater Washington, DC and Baltimore areas) and the appropriate paperwork furnished for your tax-deductible donation.
The Yeshiva will accept donations of appropriate office furniture, including desks, bookcases, chairs, couches, and other such suitable items, only in good condition. We will usually ask for digital pictures to be sent to preview the furniture. Generally, we do not pick up furniture unless it is near our facility (Silver Spring, MD) or it represents a substantial donation suitable to expend the time and cost for a pick-up. A letter will be furnished for your tax-deductible donation.
Please call Daniel Ely at 301-962-5111, ext. 1555 to discuss your donations.
© 2008 Yeshiva of Greater Washington Tel. (301) 962-5111 Register Login


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Children With Working Moms Develop Normally
Working mamas often get the short end of the stick. Working mamas are often stressed about leaving their child in...
Working mamas often get the short end of the stick. Working mamas are often stressed about leaving their child in daycare in the first place. To make matters worse, working moms are accused of neglect and and even stuff like making kids fat. Not to mention that moms in the U.S. live in the one and only industrialized nation with zero paid maternity leave. Yup, it's so much fun to be a working mom. Now however, thanks to new study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) on maternal employment and child socio-emotional behavior, working mamas may have some good news. The new research shows that young children with moms who work, experience no significant detrimental effects on their social or emotional development. One oddity was that the research shows that working moms affect boys and girls differently. The researchers discovered that when a mother was the breadwinner, boys displayed more difficulties at age five than boys living with two working parents. Girls however, were more likely to have behavior difficulties at age five in households where the father was the breadwinner. The difference was not explained by household income, level of mother's education or depression in the mother. Overall though, the study came up with some encouraging results for working mothers. Dr Anne McMunn, principal researcher in this study, notes the following:
"Some studies have suggested that whether or not mothers work in the first year of a child's life can be particularly important for later outcomes. In this study we did not see any evidence for a longer-term detrimental influence on child behavior of mothers working during the child's first year of life."+ Working mothers and the effects on children


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Recipes — PB&J Chia Pudding
PB&J Chia Pudding
Chia Seeds PB&J PB&J Chia Pudding Protein Smoothie Pudding Real Food Real Food Smoothie Smoothies Vegan Protein Smoothie Vegan Pudding Vegan Recipes
Ingredients JAM 1 cup Frozen Blueberries 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice 1 Tbsp chia seeds CHIA PUDDING 1 cup unsweetened almond milk 1/2 cup light coconut milk 1 Tbsp Apple Nectar or Agave 3 Tbsp Almond Butter 1/2 Cup Chia seeds Instructions In a small Sauce pan add the blueberries and Lemon juice. Warm on medium-high heat until bubbling. Then lower heat to medium and cook for 1-2 minutes - stirring occasionally. Remove from heat then stir in chia seeds. . Divide the Jam between 2 small serving dishes ,and set in the refrigerator to chill. Now, add almond and...


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Yliopiston tapahtumia
Yliopistossa järjestetään jatkuvasti tapahtumia, joihin alumnit ovat lämpimästi tervetulleita.
Linus Torvalds kutsuttiin kunnia-alumniksi Kumpulaan
Matemaattis-luonnontieteellinen tiedekunta on kutsunut Linus Torvaldsin kunnia-alumnikseen. Alumnijuhlassaan tiedekunta myös nimesi luentosalin Linus Torvaldsin mukaan. Torstaina 17.3. pidetyssä tapahtumassa varsinainen puheenvuoro oli annettu nuorille tutkijoille, joita tiedekampuksen 350 vierasta kuunteli tarkkaan.
TKT-Alumni starttasi
TKT-Alumni Startup -tilaisuus 22.9.09 veti Helsingin yliopiston tietojenkäsittelytieteen laitokselle väkeä miltei puolensataa.
The alumni activities at the Department of Computer Science started in autumn 2008. A group of former students organised into an alumni association, and at the same time, the department started to organise alumni activities in cooperation with the association. The association's main channel for electronic information and discussions is the LinkedIn group TKT-alumni. The department has preliminary plans to organise one alumni event each year as well as electronic information about current affairs.
If you want to join the department's alumni activities, you can join the Helsinki University free alumni campus, where a separate group for computer science alumni has been established. The department does not keep its own register over alumni, but maintains contact with its alumni through this network and the alumni association. To join the alumni campus and the department's own group, please go to http://www.helsinki.fi/alumni/
The purpose of the alumni activities is to support the cooperation between alumni, instructors, students and researchers for the benefit of all parties as well as society at large. All former students of the Department of Computer Science are its alumni.
For the alumni, the activities offer a chance to meet old fellow students and instructors, to network, for teaching and research collaborations, impacting the work of the department, recruit new graduates from the department, and access to current information about the department and the university.
The department hopes to gain the alumni's expert opinions on developing its teaching, degrees and research. Alumni can participate in the supervision of theses, give guest lectures, and speak at events on working life. The department also hopes to affect society at large through its alumni, e.g. by relaying research- and science-based views about the ICT field, and by improving the visibility and appreciation of the field and the department. The goal for improving the contact between students and working life, we hope to organise initial trainee positions for students and to establish a grant trust funded by alumni.


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"The ONE TOUCH can opener—-Found this gem when shopping at Bed,Bath and Beyond. My mom saw an add on TV for this no-hands one touch can opener. She has a terrible time opening cans even with an electric opener. This product takes 2 AA batteries. You literally place it on the can, push the big black button and off it goes. It takes no coordination or strength. Great for any elderly person or anyone with arthritis or other disabilities. With hurricane season coming to Florida a manual can opener is always needed. Price is $20 and well worth it. I'll never buy another can opener again!!"
– Gail Rubinsky


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Everybody mocked Rafael Palmerio back in 2005 when, after testing positive for steroids, he blamed the test on a B-12 shot he received from Miguel Tejada. Palmerio is still mocked. And he is still called a cheater who helped to bring shame on the game of baseball. But as time passes, the reality of the situation needs to be looked at just a bit more. Maybe, just maybe, Palmerio was actually telling the truth.
In September of 2009, here are some known, and established facts. Tejada lied about his age. Tejada lied about knowledge of steroids and HGH in testimony before Congressional investigators. Tejada was named in the Mitchell Report regarding steroids and HGH use in baseball. Tejada has been convicted of lying about his involvement with HGH. Tejada has admitted to purchasing $6,000 worth of HGH. And Tejada has admitted to injecting Palmerio.
So it should be pretty well established that Tejada is a liar. And it can also probably be admitted that Tejada is a cheater. Does anybody really believe that the guy would buy the HGH, have it delivered to him, then not actually use the stuff? So maybe Palmerio knew what he was talking about when it came to Tejada.
And on Sunday, new allegations against Tejada surfaced, this time in The New York Times.
The Times reported that in 2001 Tejada was accused by his teammates of tipping pitches to players on other teams who were from the Dominican Republic, which also happens to be where from Tejada is from. He was even accused of loafing in order to not get to an easy ground ball -- kind of like what Tejada did on a soft grounder by Albert Pujols last week that caused Roy Oswalt to go ballistic on the mound (and guess where Pujols is from, that's right, the Dominican Republic). The situation got so bad that Art Howe, manager of the Oakland A's, Tejada's team then, called a team meeting so that the allegations could be addressed.
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The players were not able to offer up definitive evidence that Tejada was tipping off his countrymen, and Tejada denied the allegations. But the really humorous part came from Tejada "defender" and then teammate, Johnny Damon, who essentially said that Tejada was just such a crappy defender that batters were tipped off to what the pitch was going to be by where Tejada moved on the field before the pitch: "I think what we concluded was that the hitters were seeing him move on certain pitches. That happens, you'll see a young player move closer to the hole on a fastball away, you'll see him creep a little toward the hole. I think that's what it all came down to, Miggy not being able to hide the extra steps." But, as even Damon admits, it was only the Dominican players who seemed to be picking up on Tejada's tips.
Now I keep reading and hearing things about how Tejada is a great clubhouse guy, and how he's a great team leader. And I think this is something that ought to be thought about for a moment. The team leader of the Houston Astros is a convicted liar who purchased HGH and lied about his age. And one of his former teams thought he was tipping pitches to opposing batters. Is this really the type of guy who should be allowed to be a team leader?
As I write this, the Houston Chronicle has been silent on this story though, as always, Astros.com and MLB.com had a story on it. So I'm assuming the Chron, as usual when it comes to Tejada, thinks there's nothing to the story and that he's telling the truth with his denial. Which leads me to ask why it is that Tejada, a known liar, keeps getting a pass when allegations like this come his way? Barry Bonds wouldn't get a pass like this, and he's never been convicted of anything. Neither, for that matter, has Roger Clemens, and his denials are mocked just like Palmerio's denials are mocked.
So there you have it. Miguel Tejada, known and convicted liar. Purchaser of HGH. Probable user of HGH. And a guy whose teammates thought he was tipping pitches. All of that said, I think we owe Rafael Palmerio a big apology. Palmerio probably just thought that Tejada was injecting him with B-12. It's just that Palmerio hadn't learned of Tejada's tendency for lying.


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Children with ADHD may also have written expression disorder, or dysgraphia. Students with dysgraphia struggle in three main areas: handwriting, spelling and expressing thoughts on paper. In last week's post we discussed messy and illegible handwriting and how parents can help. This week we will talk about spelling. According to research completed in Israel, "Children with ADHD made significantly more spelling errors (than their non-ADHD counterparts), but showed a unique pattern introducing letter insertions, substitutions, transpositions and omissions. This error type, also known as graphemic buffer errors, can be explained by impaired attention aspects needed for motor planning." [1] In other words, spelling and writing deficits occur more because of inattention than from linguistic deficits.
But that doesn't mean your child will always be a poor speller or that spelling errors will impact grades. The following are tips for both parents and teachers to help:
- Use creative and fun ways to practice spelling. Rather than having your child repeat the spelling over and over or write the word 20 times, have them write the words in the air as they are spelling, use paintbrushes dipped in water to write the words, use magnetic letters, have your child speak the words into a recorder or find other fun ways for your child to fully engage in learning to spell.
- Use color to help keep your child's attention. Have your child write each letter in a word with a different color or trace silent letters or combinations that are hard to sound out with colored pencils or markers to help him remember those parts of the word.
- Add movement and sound to practicing spelling words. Have your child sing the spelling word or jump rope as he is reciting words.
- Take advantage of electronic devices. Use talking dictionaries, word processing programs with spell check and word completion. Speech to text software can help your child be writing out what he says rather than having him write every word out.
- Have your child keep a "frequently misspelled word" bank. If he finds a word that he misspells often, have him write it on a paper to give him a customized list of words to refer to when writing.
- Use a spelling or writing buddy to help. Partners can quiz each other on spelling words or help with proofreading and editing.
- Use everyday activities to practice spelling. When going to the store, have your child spell a few of the items on your list or when making dinner spell out what you are having for dinner.
- Ask the teacher about oral spelling tests rather than written tests or using a combination of both.
Work together with your child's teacher to come up with strategies that you can both use. The consistency will help reinforce concepts and give both of you a better understanding of the difficulties your child is having. If your child has an IEP or Section 504, classroom accommodations for spelling can be included. Be sure to review this during any IEP or Section 504 meetings to determine what the school can do to help.
"ADHD and Dysgraphia: Underlying Mechanisms," 2007, E. Adi-Japha et al, School of education, Bar-llan University
"Teaching Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder," 2004, U.S. Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education


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Patricia Racette: Diva on Detour
I've been listening to this live album for some months now and it has, predictably, become one of my favorite discs - and possibly my favorite crossover disc of all time.
I think of all the music I've heard Racette in, from coloratura flights of fancy of Gounod, Rossini and Handel, through the heartache of Janacek, Puccini, Verdi . . . and how this gal grabbed my heart immediately as Tobias Picker's tragic
"Emmeline." And now this.
I'd always read about her down-to-earth New England upbringing, how her earliest musical career was singing in pubs and
clubs and impromptu basement jazz sessions with old jazz men . . . of her not knowing a lick of opera and how her influences were not Sills, Callas or Steber, but Ella, Shirley and Carmen.
All of this propelled her southward to study jazz at North Texas State University. That journey led her to the world of opera and her life took off in an entirely different, unknown direction.
Racette covers that history both through song and her easy, delightful banter which is as enjoyable as her no-nonsense delivery of these songs. Early on she expresses her mom's displeasure that she chose opera over jazz:
(Imagine a heavy New England accent): "Patty, sing in ya chest voice. Patty, why dontcha go on Stah Seauch" (Star Search).
The banter is fun, sometimes a tad bawdy (barely) and has that instant intimacy one expects from Judy or Sarah (or Rosyln Kind) in a cabaret act. Her attention to lyrics is never less than impressive, and several times, I found
she even brought a newness to some old, familiar songs. The ease of her ability to combine a whispered hush, to full out belting, deep, almost baritonal tones with a touch of operatic elegance and clarity is mighty and I can think of
no other opera singer today capable of doing this same "trick" - except as you listen on, you realize this is no "trick," it's the real deal.
Equally impressive is her pianist, Craig Terry, who - with a single instrument - makes Pat sound like she's got a one man orchestra . . . and she does.
The set list provides Racette with an almost operatic journey that embraces comic, sad and tragic with an intimacy that borders on the listener feeling a bit voyeuristic.
Certain songs jumped out at me (and continue to do so upon repeated hearings), and though I always loved Elaine Stritch's "To Keep My Love Alive" I never laughed nearly as much as I did with Pat's rendition of this classic.
She states: "I love singing sad songs. Thank goodness my operatic repertoire provides me with this cathartic journey" before launching into a medley of tunes ending with Porter's "So In Love" offering the final line: "So taunt me and hurt me . . . deceive me, desert me, I'm your's til I die ..." with a delivery both incendiary and still with a tear in the voice that catches the heart.
Of all the material in this concert, my favorites (currently, anyway) are the Piaf songs where Racette transforms herself through decades, continents and language into something quite extraordinary, a real cabaret chanteuse.
Likewise, the final song, "Not a Day Goes By" (from the flop "Merrily We Roll Along"), provides her a powerhouse anthem, imbuing Sondheim's lyrics with all the joy and terror and heartbreak of love. A magnificent finale to an evening of great fun.
Lord, how I love this woman!


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Saturday was my 10 mile continuous Zone 2 run, my longest continuous run to date. I got to the park just as they were setting up for Trash Bash, so good timing there. Got a parking space before things got too crazy with the trash cleanup. It was a wonderful cool morning (probably the last one for a looong time) and I was on a mission to finish quickly since I had afternoon plans, plus I had on new running shoes, which makes things fun. Starting out, my pace was way too fast. Like :30/mile too fast. I kept saying "slow down" but my feet just would not listen, so I went with it. The run was pretty uneventful and actually sorta fun (still weird to say running and fun in the same sentence). Managed to go hard the last mile, which was a great feeling, and NO STOPPING the whole time except to pick up my dropped water bottle twice. Crazy part was my average pace. My 8 mile pace last weekend was 11:09. Saturday's 10 mile pace was 10:51. Bananas. I think my 2 x 1 mile track repeats last Tuesday really helped. Also: I think I finally understand that running endorphin rush.... I was feeling *good* when I was done running.
So I rushed home, cleaned up, ate breakfast, then took off to set-up for the company crawfish boil. I'm head of the activities committee for the office this year, and this is our major event for the office for the year. Typically we do it in April, but it gets so hot. So we took a gamble and bumped it to March. We were lucky and it was gorgeous out. My homebrew had issues (I also organize a homebrew competition). It was TASTY, but also way way way to much foam. Not sure how to fix that. So, after eating my fill of crawfish, I made a graceful exit at 4 PM. Which was good because I was tired and had to get ready for more athletic activites for Sunday....
Sunday was a 57 mile bike ride + 3 mile run. Was hoping for less wind than last week, and I think that there may have been less wind, but only slightly less wind. This was a MS150 training ride, which meant there were about 500 people doing various distances and at different ability levels. I was a moron and forgot my Garmin. After last weekend's issue with no battery, and since this was my last long training ride before my HIM, I put in a HUGE request, and had Will drive my Garmin up to me. At 7 AM. With a 50 minute one-way drive. (I don't even want to think about how much I owe him for this "favor"....) I seriously spent 10 mintues debating whether or not I needed it, and decided that I really did need the data (particularly cadence and HR), and fortunately (?) he was awesome and brought it to me without too much grumbling. Eleventy billion positive husband points for Will.
This course was actually pretty fun. It was windy (still not sure how windy, though), but it had enough turns so it was manageable. You'd ride 20 min into the wind, turn a corner and cruise along at 20 mph with a tail wind for a bit, before you hit more wind. Soooo much better (mentally and physically) then the 2 hrs of relentless headwind we experienced last weekend. We skipped the first rest-stop to get ahead of the crowds, had a long-ish stop at mile the 24 stop. Longer than I wanted (you can't stop that long during races!) but considering the wind and the fact that my right thigh was getting tweaky again, it was actually a welcome break. Decided to skip the next stop and hit the mile 46 stop, which worked out nicely. Besides, do you REALLY need to stop every 11 miles? Really? Winds were a bit more brutal on this middle stage, as we were headed north most of the time. But there were some fun rollers (which is perfect for Boise training) and some pretty pastures and wildflowers, so that made the time go by. Also, there were some craptastic roads, but not much you can do except try to get through them. The mile 46 stop was a quick in and out, then 11 miles home. With the last 2 miles being the worst of it all, with rough roads and a strong headwind. It may have been the longest 2 miles of my life. Finally into the parking lot and then onto the run.
We decided to run into the wind so that way, the return was with a tailwind. Still went too fast (not sure this is a problem, though... we shall see). Running definitely did not feel as good as Saturday, but my pace was fast, so I don't know. Hopefully during my races, I can settle down so I don't burn up in the first 3 miles. Not such a problem for my Olympic (run is 6.2 miles), but this could be a huge problem for my HIM (run is 13.1 miles). Average run pace for the 3 miles was 10:36. I'm expecting to get yelled at by my coach any time now....
Went out for BBQ for lunch, brought Will some to his office (poor guy worked all day), ran to the grocery store, then went home. Will got home just in time for my ice bath. My friend suggested that I start doing this, especially considering how many hours I put into my legs this weekend. I was expecting it to be horrible, but it wasn't bad (which makes me think I did it wrong). Getting in the water wasn't fun (I had the full attention of both kitties and Will with my loud wimpering). But with the TV as a distraction, it really wasn't bad. Especially considering my legs are barely sore today. Tired, but not sore.
Random observations from this weekend:
- Running in cool weather is awesome. Curious to see how I do when it heats up.
- I just used "running" and "awesome" in the same sentence. Scary.
- I need to put KT tape on my right thigh before my races and long rides. It started getting wonky on me yesterday before the first rest stop. I taped it for the Continental Classic ride and had on compression tights for Galveston. But no tape = potential fail. Fortunately, I caught it in time and stretched it out well at the first rest stop, but I do not want a repeat of last November's injury.
- Ice baths are not scary, at least not with one popcorn bowl's worth of ice. Probably need to stock pile ice in the garage freezer so I have more on hand for a colder bath.


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Mall Restricts Teens
The Columbia Mall is a hot spot for a variety of shoppers. But business owners say one group in general has been causing problems.
"Teenagers in groups of 10 to 12 would push people around and come in and steal candy," business owner David Robinson said.
Robinson isn't the only business owner with complaints. The Columbia and Capital malls decided to adopt a new policy to help solve the problem.
"This requires teenagers to have an adult with them on Friday and Saturday nights," Sonja Derboven, Marketing Manager for the Columbia Mall, said.
Starting on Feb. 2, the new parental guidance policy will go into effect. Mall security will be stationed at each of the entrances throughout the complex. Anchor stores like Barnes & Noble do not come under the new policy and will be responsible for policing themselves. Some teenagers aren't happy about going to the mall with mom and dad.
"I don't think it's that good of an idea because I know a lot of people like to go to the mall and hang out with their friends and if they have to go with their parents it won't be as much fun," 15-year-old George Brand said.
Malls in St. Louis and Minneapolis have adopted similar policies.


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As we reach the eve of jaya EkAdaSi of SrI manmatha nAma samvatsara, it marks 173rd EkAdaSi upavasa with complete understanding of the subject called SELF beyond all objects and their symbolic expressions.
By ever flowing grace of guru, continuing spiritual saadhana. The year passed and calendar changed since the last post http://prasadchitta.blogspot.in/2015/01/first-ekadasi-of-sisira-rtu-again.html
Spiritual work by unlimited grace of swami:
- ulladu nArpadu i.e., 40 verses on reality of bhagavan ramaNa maharshi on Medium – https://medium.com/upadesa-saram/saddarsanam-prarthana-5da651b8c26a
- A short talk on Srimad bhagavad gIta on Gita jayanti 2015 at Hamsa Ashramam.
om tat sat


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Who you gonna call? On Thursday, August 28, 2014, grab your Proton Pack and hop in your Ecto-1 for National Ghostbusters Day! Celebrate the 30th anniversary theatrical re-release of the blockbuster classic with your fellow Ghostbusters, but beware of Slimers and menacing marshmallow men.
The original 1984 film has been restored and remastered in 4K and will be returning to the big screen from Sony Pictures Entertainment, in over 700 locations in the United States and Canada, for a limited engagement starting August 29 (Labor Day weekend).
Take a Ghostbusters selfie in your Ghostbusters gear, with your favorite Ghostbusters products, etc. using the hashtag #GB30 and post on your social media handles. We are going for the world record for the largest number of Ghostbusters selfies.
Following the theatrical release of the film, on September 16, fans will be able to own the Ghostbusters 30th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray and the Ghostbusters 2 25th Anniversary Edition, as that film makes its Blu-ray debut. The Sony Pictures Home Entertainment releases of the films will also be available in a two-disc anniversary edition Blu-ray™ Digibook including both films, as well as a Limited Edition gift set that includes an exclusive collectible Slimer figurine and the two-disc Digibook. This special gift set will only be available for a very limited time, with the collectible Slimer figurine being a true must-have for fans. Both films have been fully restored and remastered in 4K and will be presented in high definition on Blu-ray from those 4K sources.
Both the Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2 Blu-rays come loaded with exclusive bonus materials, including revealing conversations with director Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd, as well as never-before-seen deleted scenes from Ghostbusters 2 and more. The Ghostbusters anniversary edition features the original music video of the Oscar® nominated song "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr., while Ghostbusters 2 includes the original music video for "On Our Own" by Bobby Brown. In addition, Ghostbusters will contain all previously released legacy content, commentary and an interactive Slimer Mode, offering fans a picture-in-picture graphical viewing experience.
There will also be a slew of new merchandise from Sony Pictures Consumer Products to be released. Collaborations include Lego, Mattel, Funko, Mad Engine and other select items to help celebrate the occasion. In addition, SPCP partnered with Gallery 1988 to create a once-in a lifetime experience, displaying original paintings, limited edition prints, and sculptures inspired by the film.
Finally, Legacy Recordings / Sony Music Entertainment, will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the iconic Ghostbusters soundtrack with multiple collectible vinyl LP releases this year.


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Posted by AuroRa on November 25, 2013 at 6:31pm in RED Alerts
Back to RED Alerts Discussions
Dear Friends,
I have officially announced my candidacy for election to the U.S. House of Representatives from California's Congressional District 33.
I know many of you are not surprised. At my Sister Giant Conference in Los Angeles last year, I urged almost two thousand women to consider running for office using the principles of non-violence to birth a new American politics. After experiencing the energy and enthusiasm of the conference, I spent long months pondering how I could best further such a movement. The response that feels most real and true to me is to run for office myself. read_more.png
The biggest threat to our country today is not from armies invading our shores. The biggest threat to our democracy is not bombs falling from the sky over an American city. No, our biggest threat is a pattern of a thousand cuts – the slow but now constant chipping away at our democratic freedoms—one capitulation to moneyed interests at a time, one politicized gerrymandering at a time, one government surveillance program at a time, one limiting of our voting rights at a time, one intimidation of journalists at a time, one Patriot Act at a time, one National Defense Authorization Act at a time, one Trans Pacific Partnership so-called trade deal limiting our sovereignty at a time. So at what point— after how many moments when Americans mutter to ourselves "Ya gotta be kidding me!"—do we stand up to our own government and say, "Hey, guys! Whose side are you on??"
That question will not be answered in a meaningful way until it is asked in the most powerful way. And that means not just from the sidelines and not just from online petitions. The question must be asked more often by people sitting in those seats, inthat building, in that city.
And that's why I am running for Congress. I hope you'll join me.\