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How to Repair a USB Flash Drive
Explore this Article Scanning and Repairing Reformatting the Flash Drive Repairing Physical Damage Questions & Answers Related Articles References
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This wikiHow teaches you how to fix a malfunctioning flash drive. For software or driver issues, you can scan and repair your flash drive using your computer's built-in repair utility. If your drive isn't working because of an improper formatting or corrupted data, you can reformat your drive—but keep in mind that reformatting your USB flash drive will erase all files on it. Finally, if the flash drive won't work because of physical damage, you should take it into a tech department or data recovery professional; if that's not possible, you may be able to fix it yourself by soldering the broken USB drive's circuitry to a working USB cable. However, attempting repairs yourself is not recommended as there is a high risk of destroying the flash drive.
Scanning and Repairing
1Plug your flash drive into your computer. The flash drive should fit into one of the rectangular ports on your PC's housing. If you're encountering errors on your flash drive or it won't display its contents, you may need to update its drivers or software using your computer's repair feature.
4Click your flash drive's icon. It will appear in the left-hand column of options in the File Explorer window. Doing so selects it.
- You may need to click > next to This PC first in order to view the flash drive.
5Click Home. This tab is in the upper-left side of the File Explorer window.
6Click Properties. It's a white box with a red checkmark in the "Open" section of the toolbar.
7Click the Tools tab. This option is at the top of the Properties window.
8Click Check. You'll see this button at the top of the Tools tab in the "Error checking" section.
9Wait for Windows to repair your drive. You may also need to follow some on-screen instructions during the repair process.
- For example, you might need to confirm that you want to repair the drive by clicking Scan & Repair.
10Click Close when prompted. If your flash drive's problems were driver- or software-based, it should work now.
1Plug your flash drive into your computer. The flash drive should fit into one of the rectangular ports on your Mac's housing. If you're encountering errors on your flash drive or it won't display its contents, you may need to update its drivers or software using your computer's repair feature.
2Open Finder. This resembles a blue face. You'll find it in the Dock.
3Click the Go menu item. It's in the upper-left side of the screen.
4Click Utilities. It's a folder near the bottom of the Go drop-down menu.
5Double-click Disk Utility. It resembles a stethoscope on top of a hard drive icon.
6Select your flash drive. This is the indented icon below the "External" heading.
7Click First Aid. It's at the top of the Disk Utility window.[1]
8Click Run when prompted. It's the blue button on the pop-up window.
9Wait for the scan to complete. Disk Utility will repair any software- or driver-related problems.
10Click Done when prompted. If your flash drive's problems were driver- or software-based, it should work now.
Reformatting the Flash Drive
1Connect the USB flash drive to your computer. Plug it into one of your PC's USB ports.
4Click your flash drive's icon. It will appear in the left-hand column of options in the File Explorer window. Doing so selects it.
- You may need to click > next to This PC first in order to view the flash drive.
5Click Manage. This tab is in the upper-left side of the File Explorer window.
6Click Format. Doing so opens the Format window.
7Click the "File System" box. It's below the "File System" heading near the top of the page. A drop-down menu will appear with the following options:
- NTFS - The default Windows operating system format. This format only works with Windows.
- FAT32 - The most widely compatible format. Works on Windows and Mac, but has a storage limit of 32 gigabytes.
- exFAT (Recommended) - Works on Windows and Mac, and has no storage limit.
8Click a format option. Choose exFat for the best compatibility, or choose NTFS if you're creating a Windows-only backup drive.
- If you've formatted your drive before and you're positive that it isn't broken, you can also check the Quick Format box.
9Click Start, then click OK. Doing this will cause Windows to begin formatting your flash drive for you.
10Click OK when prompted. Your flash drive has successfully been formatted.
1Connect the USB flash drive to your computer. Plug it into one of your Mac's USB ports.
- Some Macs don't have USB ports, so you'll need to purchase an adapter.
2Click Go. It's a menu item in the top-left side of the menu bar.
- If you don't see Go, first click the Finder icon, which resembles a blue face in your Mac's dock.
3Click Utilities. This option is in the Go drop-down menu.
4Double-click Disk Utility. You'll likely find this option in the middle of the Utilities page.
5Click your flash drive's name. It's on the far-left side of the Disk Utility window.
6Click the Erase tab. This option is at the top of the Disk Utility window.
7Click the "Format" box. It's in the middle of the page. This will bring up a drop-down menu with the following options:
- Mac OS Extended (Journaled) - The default Mac format. Only works on Mac.
- Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted) - Encrypted version of the default Mac format.
- Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled) - Version of the default Mac format that treats files with the same name differently if there are case differences (e.g., "file.txt" and "File.txt").
- Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled, Encrypted) - A combination of the three above formatting options for the Mac format.
- MS-DOS (FAT) - Works on both Windows and Mac computers, but has file size limit of 4 gigabytes.
- ExFAT (Recommended) - Works on both Windows and Mac computers. Has no storage limit.
8Click a format option. Click MS-DOS (FAT) or ExFat for optimal compatibility.
9Click Erase, then click Erase when prompted. This will begin the formatting process. Once the formatting is complete, you'll see an icon for your flash drive appear on your Mac's desktop.
Repairing Physical Damage
1Understand that physically repairing a flash drive is unlikely to work. Unless you have professional experience in repairing physically damaged flash drives, do not try to open it.
- If the flash drive's internal storage is damaged, your only viable option is to take the drive into a professional repair service.
- The prices for data recovery can vary from $20 - $850 based on the severity of damage done to the drive, and the type of recovery required.
2Look for grit or foreign objects in the USB drive's mouth. It may not be able to connect to your computer because of an easily-removed blockage. If you see something inside of the USB drive's mouth, gently swab it out with a toothpick or a q-tip.
3Try testing the flash drive on another USB port or computer. It may be the USB port that isn't working rather than the USB drive itself.
4Get your repair tools for soldering a broken connector. If you decide you are comfortable risking your files, you will need:
- A soldering iron with solder and flux
- An old USB cable
- Wire cutters/strippers
- A small flathead screwdriver
- A magnifying glass or jeweler's loop
5Remove the flash drive's casing. Do so with your flathead screwdriver.
6Use the magnifying glass to inspect the circuit board (PCB) and solder pads. If the PCB (the green circuit board) itself is damaged or the solder pads are lifted, you will probably need the help of a professional.
- Solder pads are the 4 bits of solder that connect the prongs of the USB connector to the copper lines in the circuit board. If the connector has broken away without causing damage to the PCB or solder pads, continue to the next step.
7Set the flash drive on a hard surface. Do so with the connector end facing toward you and the solder pads facing up.
8Use wire cutters to cut one end off of the USB cable. Make sure you cut the USB end if the flash drive cable is an adapter.
9Strip away a section of the USB cable's wire. Try to expose about 0.25 inch (0.6 cm) of each of the four wires inside the cable that's attached to the USB cable.
10Solder each of the four wires to the four solder pads. Take your time while doing this, since failing to adequately secure the connection will most likely render your flash drive inoperable.
11Plug the other end of the USB cable into a computer. It should fit into one of the rectangular slots on your computer's housing.
12Open your flash drive if possible. If your flash drive is recognizable by the computer, open it and move your files over onto your computer as quickly as possible:
- Windows - Open Start, click the File Explorer icon, and click your flash drive's icon.
- Mac - Open Finder and click your flash drive's icon.
- If the flash drive doesn't connect to your computer, you can try taking it to a tech department to see if they can still pull the files off of it.
Community Q&A
QuestionMy pen drive is not showing my folders, but when I am scanning the pen drive, it is then showing the names of folders. What should I do?Community AnswerThe files could have been hidden as system files. To show the files, go to folder properties and to the display tab. There you will find the option Show System Files and Show Hidden Files. Check both of them and apply. Your files should be visible now.
QuestionWhen I try to format my pen drive, my PC shows the message "Windows was unable to format this drive". What is the solution?Community AnswerIt is most likely that your pen drive is dead (actually the pen drive's storage may be intact but the boot/power part inside the chip has failed).
QuestionI have just recently bought a USB storage device. When I plug it into my laptop it makes the sound that it's connected and starts to install, but the folder doesn't show up in My Computer. What can I do?Community AnswerThis is similar to a problem I have accessing my mp3 player. I have two cables. Both charge the device but one provides a data connection so that the device is recognized as a drive on the computer, and the other provides no data connection. You could have a cable problem.
QuestionMy pen drive fell when it was attached to my laptop and it is half broken and not detectable. I want to recover my data. What should I do?Community AnswerIs the flash memory chip(s) (it looks like the gray squares on un-shielded RAM or the flash memory inside SSDs) torn into two pieces? If so then your data is unrecoverable. If the plug on it is broken but the inside looks physically intact, take it to a data recovery center and see if they can fix it (this could be pretty pricey).
QuestionWhen I try to open my flash drive, my PC shows the message "please insert disk into the removable disk drive." What might be the problem?Community AnswerReformat it. Windows is probably thinking it's a CD or DVD drive because of an ISO on it.
QuestionMy pen drive is recognized but after copying files onto it, they show up as being all there. But if I eject and then re-install the drive, the files vanish. What's wrong with my drive?Community AnswerYour flash drive probably has a virus. Try to get a new one and if that doesn't work, then there may be something wrong with your laptop or desktop.
QuestionI know that a "Quick Format" takes just moments to run. How long does a "Regular Format" take?Community AnswerIt takes from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Don't unplug your USB drive while it's doing its work.
QuestionWhat is wrong if my flash drive is 8 GB, but the computer is detecting it as a 2.5 GB?Neon BoyCommunity AnswerIt's possible that there was already something on it, hidden away. A flash drive can never be 100% free, although seeing it as 2.5 from 8 is a bit odd. It's possible there is a driver error, depending on the device. Otherwise try plugging it in again, into another port or computer.
QuestionThe end of my USB drive is bent and the computer isn't registering it. The light flashes quickly and then disappears. Can this be repaired?Community AnswerI have had this problem 2-3 times. I have carefully bent the USB to (almost) the right position, and luckily the computer could read it again. This can go wrong if you use too much force. If it is really important data on your flash drive, go to a professional and let them do it.
QuestionWhen I save the files on my flash drive, the files are invisible and my music in my drive shows an error when I try to play it. What should I do?Community AnswerRe-upload them. Remove the drive, delete the files, and reinsert. Or transfer them to another flash drive or upload them to Google or iCloud.
When soldering wires, how do I know which wires go to which pads?
The end of my USB drive broke off, but everything else seems to be intact. How can I tell which way to solder the USB back on to the flash drive board?
What do I do if my flash keeps deleting every file I add to it?
How do I remove viruses from my USB flash drive safely?
Which wire is soldered to which point when repairing a USB flash drive?
- If you choose to seek the services of a professional data recovery company, be sure to describe your problems to the best of your abilities to ensure they have the tools and experience for the job.
- USB drives are cheap and widely available. If the data on the flash drive isn't important, consider just buying a new flash drive.
- If your USB flash drive does contain important data you would like to retrieve, do not re-format the device.
- Always back up your important information.
- Formatting will erase all data on a drive.
- If the files are at all important, do not let someone who happens to own a soldering iron convince you that they can fix it. Take your drive into a professional repair service.
Things You'll Need
- Your operating system (restore) disk.
- Your operating system serial key.
- A USB flash drive that is working properly for testing/comparing purposes.
Article Info
Categories: External Storage Devices
In other languages:
Español: reparar una memoria USB, Français: réparer un lecteur flash USB, Português: Consertar um Pen Drive, Deutsch: Einen USB Stick reparieren, Nederlands: Een USB stick repareren, Русский: починить USB флеш накопитель, Italiano: Riparare una Chiavetta USB, 中文: 修复U盘, Bahasa Indonesia: Memperbaiki USB Flash Drive, Čeština: Jak opravit USB flash disk, 日本語: USBメモリを修復する, ไทย: ซ่อมแฟลชไดรฟ์ USB, العربية: إصلاح بطاقة ذاكرة محمولة, Tiếng Việt: Sửa chữa USB, हिन्दी: यूएसबी फ़्लैश ड्राइव को सुधारें (Repair a USB Flash Drive), 한국어: USB 드라이브 수리하는 방법, Türkçe: USB Bellek Nasıl Onarılır


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At Gateway Learning Group, we cultivate learning, language, behavior and social skills for individuals with Autism and other special needs.
Using the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) we design and implement an individualized therapy program for each child based on his or her particular needs and interests.
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During the intake process, our supervisors work closely with families to determine the approach that is best suited to the child. All treatment approaches are proven to be effective for our clients with Autism, and are enjoyable for them as well.
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Ask us anything you'd like.

subset: commoncrawl


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12 January 2020 - 10:00am
STEP 2 | Discover Your Design
Dive into the details of your personality, discover your gifts, and see how your design reveals your purpose in life and your best fit in ministry. Step Two takes place the second Sunday of every month.
Time: 8:30 or 10:00am
Location: Growth Track Classroom


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Manchester United thrashed West Ham and won the EPL's opening weekend
Jose Mourinho and Manchester United spent £115 million this summer on two players who they hope will catalyze a title challenge, and on Sunday, that title challenge got off to an ideal start.
And while both players, Nemanja Matic and Romelu Lukaku, have a long way to go to justify their respective price tags, each provided a quintessential example of his worth in United's season-opening 4-0 victory over West Ham at Old Trafford.
Matic charged into a 32nd-minute tackle in midfield, winning the ball and inciting a picture-perfect Mourinho counter-attack. Seconds later, Lukaku latched onto a through-ball and finished expertly inside the near post, setting United on its way.
Lukaku further sweetened his debut with a second goal after the halftime break, flicking Henrikh Mkhitaryan's free kick past Joe Hart at the far post.
It wasn't just an ideal way for Lukaku and Matic to kickstart their Man United careers. There is no reason to believe it won't be a sign of things to come. United was the most impressive team on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, and the two debutants, along with Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford, were big reasons why.
After the final whistle, Mourinho was asked if the game could have gone much better. "I don't think so," he said.
With Rashford wide left, Mkhitaryan central and Juan Mata wide right behind Lukaku, and Pogba and Matic behind them, United was as balanced and connected as a new-look unit could hope to be in its first competitive game together. Its attacking enterprise was much improved from a season ago. Its pace of play was outstanding.
The first goal exemplified that. There was more to it than just the tackle and the finish. After the disruptive challenge that started the break, Matic continued his run forward, a decision that ultimately made the goal possible.
In fact, tracking his involvement in the play shows his full value to United. The Serbian, who was eventually named Man of the Match, began level with Pogba, his midfield partner. He then covered almost 20 yards to charge down Pedro Obiang:
After getting a foot to Obiang's pass, he then looped around Rashford, sprinted up the left wing, and turned a 3-v-3 into a 4-v-3 with Andre Ayew trailing. His presence forced West Ham center back Winston Reid to turn his hips to the sideline to account for the option that Matic offered:
That, in turn, allowed Lukaku to beat Reid's recovery run to Rashford's well-weighted pass.
Rashford was brilliant all game as well. Whereas Mata's trickery posed problems on one wing, Rashford troubled West Ham with his pace, movement and skill on the other. The 19-year-old was promising but somewhat inconsistent last season; on Sunday, he was consistently dangerous. He almost added a third for United in the 66th minute, but after cutting inside, his right-footed drive smacked against the inside of the far post.
Mourinho iced the game with 15 minutes remaining by replacing Mata with Marouane Fellaini. Anthony Martial also replaced Rashford late on, and profited from Mkhitaryan's brilliance to net a third goal for United.
Then Pogba's individual mastery made it four. He drove forward, took a pass from Martial, and curled a 20-yard shot past Hart.
Old Trafford rocked. Its songs were joyous. This was the Manchester United that fans remembered, and the Manchester United they have yearned for ever since Sir Alex Ferguson retired and results dipped.
It is easy to overreact to one game, and and important to not take reactions too far. No, United hasn't immediately supplanted Manchester City as the title favorite. No, the Red Devils are not definitively "back."
But there are real reasons to believe they are. There are real reasons to believe the longterm validity of Sunday's statement. Whereas last season United stuttered to early wins, this was different.
xG map for Manchester United – West Ham. This was just comprehensive. pic.twitter.com/D0sQxtHB6m
— Caley Graphics (@Caley_graphics) August 13, 2017
United looked more polished than even Mourinho could have hoped. The Red Devils fully deserve their place atop the table after one week. And with Matic and Pogba driving a strong midfield, and Rashford, Mkhitaryan and Lukaku propelling the attack, they might just be there, or thereabouts, for months to come.
More soccer coverage from FC Yahoo:
• Newcastle had a chance vs. Tottenham … until Shelvey
• Rooney breaks record in scoring on his Everton return
• Liverpool struggles vs. bottom-tier sides continue


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Why even bother to make New Year's resolutions for business? Resolutions are often seen as a good thing, but also as kind of a joke. With good reason. A study by Richard Wiseman from the University of Bristol surveyed 3,000 people showed that 88% of those who set New Year resolutions fail. What's more, 52% of the study's participants were confident of success at the beginning.
But what about New Year's resolutions for business? Given that businesses often involve more than one person, it's hard to see them doing any better with their resolutions.
However, this doesn't necessarily mean that New Year's resolutions for business are totally without merit. The main problem isn't resolutions themselves, but how we approach them. A lot of the New Year's resolutions we make for ourselves, and for our businesses, often turn out to be not much more than wishful thinking. New Year's resolutions for business have to be approached with realistic goal-setting in mind. With this in mind, we can tackle resolutions scientifically, like any other behavior-modification project.
What makes a good New Year's Resolution?
In an article titled Why New Year's Resolutions Fail, Ray Williams of Psychology Today outlined guidelines to the best New Year's resolutions.
- Focus on one resolution.
- Set realistic, specific goals. Losing weight is not a specific goal. Losing 10 pounds in 90 days would be.
- Don't wait till New Year's eve to make resolutions. Make it a year long process, every day.
- Take small steps.
- Have an accountability buddy.
- Celebrate your success between milestones.
- Focus your thinking on new behaviors and thought patterns. You have to create new neural pathways in your brain to change habits.
- Focus on the present. What's the one thing you can do today, right now, towards your goal?
- Be mindful.
Now that you know how to maximize your chances for success, what would be good New Year's resolutions for your business? Here are a few suggestions.
1. Give something back to the community.
Donate cash or other resources to a charity or school that serves your community. Your donation could be given monthly or quarterly. Cash and other physical assets are great, but check if you are able to bring something else to the table. Toyota, for instance, famously donated their expertise at creating efficient systems in lieu of cash to an NYC soup kitchen in 2013, creating a huge positive change that would not have been possible had it opted for cash alone.
2. Read one book each month.
To be honest, one is a woefully low number. According to a Huffington Post article titled "The Reading Habits of Ultra-Successful People" by productivity writer Andrew Merle, one thing all successful people have in common is that they love to read. But you have to start somewhere. One a month is more than most people (and probably you) read anyway. Slowly ramp up the number of books after a few months if you can. Audio books are another option you should consider, and they can be a godsend for those of us with long commutes.
Here's a few reading lists to get you started:
3. Get rid of excess baggage.
Tony Webster Sacramento Airport Baggage Claim via photopin (license)
This could mean any number of things. It may mean getting rid of workspace clutter. It could even mean getting rid of clients who give you more grief than they're worth. Identify the issues that you find have been giving you more trouble than they've been worth and create a timeline for washing them out of your hair for good. This will clear up more time for the things that truly matter
4. Learn a new language.
Learning a new language can be challenging. But it's one of the most worthwhile things you can do. Learning a new language opens doors that you may not even know existed, and helps you find patterns and relationships in other areas of life. It will also be useful if you plan on doing business in a non-English speaking market. Know other languages can provide not just the means to communicate effectively in specific markets, it can provide plenty of insights that you simply won't get by any other means.
Nothing yet available will beat having a competent tutor and language immersion for helping you become fluent. However, there are now dozens of free apps that make decent course materials and exercises easy to get a hold of. Many of them also make it possible to track your progress, which is important for any New Year's resolution.
Check out: Lignualift – Best Language Learning Apps
5. Show gratitude.
It's hard to put a metric to this New Year's resolution, but it's worth doing. Practicing gratitude not only helps improve your physical health, it can improve your mental strength as well. When it comes to interactions with your customers or team members, developing gratitude should be high on your New Year's resolution priorities.
Avoid sending out generic e-mails cc'd to everyone. Instead, send out personalized thank you cards and postcards to everyone who has helped your business. Give a token of appreciation to employees and preferred suppliers who have made it possible for your business to survive and thrive in the past year. Better yet, allocate time for a short meeting with every single employee you have, or at least every team and let them know in person exactly why you're grateful to them.
My resolution this year is to listen to two audio books a month. What are yours?
Arthur Piccio is a feature writer and subject matter expert for theUPrinting Blog.


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Tagged: Comerica Park
Thank you, Maggs!
The Tigers play so far this season has me disappointed beyond words, but that's another post for another time. Today I want to talk about something the Tigers' front office is doing right.
Earlier today, it was announced, in conjunction with the Tigers organization, that Magglio Ordonez will officially retire from baseball Sunday; thereby retiring as a Tiger. I for one couldn't be happier.
I wrote in an earlier post how the acquisition of Pudge Rodriguez was the front office's first step in returning the Tigers to relevance. That being said, the front office's second step, and perhaps a greater step towards on-field improvement, was the signing of Magglio Ordonez. That's no disrespect to Pudge; but it was widely accepted that his best years of his career were behind by the time he signed with the Tigers.
The signing of Ordonez was at the time an even greater risk than that of Pudge. After the injury that saw he and the White Sox part ways, Magglio was viewed as viewed as a player with loads of potential, whose injuries had made him something of a liability. Through some brilliant foresight, the Tigers were careful to word Ordonez's contracts with statistical benchmarks and performance incentives – protecting them should he fall victim to the injuries that plagued him through his White Sox tenure. One trip to the World Series, one AL Central title (which should have been two) and one AL Batting title clearly illustrate the Tigers gamble paid off. I'm sure Hawk Harrelson was shouting "Dad-gummit" on October 14, 2006 when Maggs did this:
That was quite simply the greatest moment in the history of Comerica Park and the the team's wake up call to the baseball world.
I'm hoping the family has tickets for Sunday, and are planning to take a lot of pictures…
a very belated requiem
The demolition of Tiger Stadium has begun. I'm hoping to get a few pics of it old girl myself when I go to Michigan next week. All I can say is it's long overdue. I'm more sentimental about that old park than the average fan is, but it's got to go. The most frustrating thing about is that it's taken nine years to happen. In most Major League cities, old ballparks are demolished with a year or two of the team moving to their new park. Furthermore, when ballparks are torn down, there's usually a plan in place to redevelop the area. Obviously, neither of these were true in the case of Detroit. The has resultefd in thousans, if not millions of passionate fans watching "The Corner" rot like so many other abandoned buildings in the city. I can't blame the Tigers for this. They sold the stadium to the city over 30 years ago. The blame for this rests solely on the shoulders of the city of Detroit – but I'll spare everybody that rant.
I could get all Field of Dream-ish and reminisce about the green grass, the overhang and the smell of hot dogs and beer, but I'll leave that to the poets and share a few of my memories with you:
I don't exactly how many games I attended at Tiger Stadium, dozens if I had to guess. Growing up, my family tried to make it to at least one game each season. My earliest memory of the stadium is from when I was around 5 or 6 (which would make it 1979 or 1980). I fell asleep on the way to the game and I awoke when we pulled into the parking lot. I asked my family "Where are we?" because I had never seen anything like that stadium, or the neighborhood surrounding it, in my life. Al Kaline has described Tiger Stadium as looking like "an old battleship" . I always found that description fitting.
I remember my dad snagging a Frank Thomas foul ball during the first game of a double header against the White Sox in 1990, which was when I really started to rediscover my love for the game. That day I was thinking "let's play three!" to paraphrase Ernie Banks.
Then in 96 or 97, my brother and my father decided to go in on a 21 game season ticket package – with the understanding that it would give them priority status for seats at Comerica Park when it opened in 2000. Tickets then were pretty cheap, since the Tigers weren't playing very well. I spent a lot of afternoons and evenings the stadium in those last few seasons.
I remember the euphoric feeling on that Sunday afternoon in June 1997 – the day after the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup; the Tiger game being almost an afterthought at that point.
On a darker note, I remember getting into my first and only car accident on the way home from a game in 1999. My little red Toyota truck was totalled, but I had no regrets about going to the game that night.
Then there was the Final Game. Dad and I had upper deck seats in left field – row 24 – the top row. To this day, Dad and I joke about how we probably got the last pair of side-by-side seats in the stadium.
By the way, if you own any Topps baseball cars from the 80s or 90s, look at how may player photos were take at Tiger Stadium – and I'm not just talking about Tiger cards. It must've been considered on of the most picturesque park in the game.
It's taken some time, but I think Comerica Park has finally created some memories of its own – the 05 All Star Game, Maggs' pennant clinching home run and the 06 World Series (I didn't attend Verlander's no hitter). Some long time fans complain because Comerica it's not Tiger Stadium. It was never meant to be. It's like anytime you move into a new home – you want things to be different than they were in the old home. Only once you're there, you already start finding things you would have done differently in hindsight. Comerica has its drawbacks, but so did Tiger Stadium. Of course in the case of Tiger Stadium we chalk up these drawbacks as part of it's "charm".
Maybe in the decades to come, we'll look at Comerica the same way


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But some say it's not size that matters, it's how you use it. And for you who say it, satiate yourselves with the new 333x 32GB CF card. That's up to 50MB/sec read/write speeds. Just be careful you don't hurt yourself when you lay eyes on the $630 price tag.
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Through the years we've all made new year's resolutions that we can't keep.
"Lose 10 pounds," "stop smoking," & "cut the carbs" are popular choices, but by the time March rolls around those resolutions are all but forgotten.
And yet, every time a new year rolls around we get a new boost of hope, thinking "this year will be different…" When in reality we end up right back where we were before- or worse!
So what gives?
Why do we set ourselves up to repeat the same failures, year after year?
There are a few factors at play.
Here are 3 little-known secrets to making new year's resolutions that actually stick:
First, it's more than likely that you're setting your sights too high.
Habits are stubborn buggers and like the idea of change even less than analogue technology companies.
If you want to improve your lifestyle in some way, you're going to have to trick your brain into thinking that change is easier than it is, and that means you're going to have to start by making teeny-tiny changes, one at a time, as you work toward a long-term plan.
So instead of stopping smoking cold-turkey, for example, try cutting down by 1 cigarette per day each week.
Sure, it might take longer than you'd like, but at least you'll be less likely to rebound back into your bad habit when things get tough.
The next thing to shift is your focus.
If you want any chance at making a resolution last, you've got to focus on the inside consequences instead of the outside consequences.
For example, if you want to lose 10 pounds that's all well and good (assuming you're overweight), but chances are you're going to give up after 5 pounds, and then it's likely that you're going to go right back to the way things were, possibly even gaining more weight than you had set out to lose.
Instead of focusing on the external (i.e. what you look like,) shift your focus to the internal (i.e. what you feel like).
If you start doing things that have been proven to make you feel better, like walking more, joining an adult soft-ball league, increasing how much you sleep, or eating vegetables at every single meal, the numbers on the scale will naturally veer toward a healthier digit.
Third, give yourself a time-limit.
This last strategy is kind of a combination of the previous two, but I think it's important enough to include on it's own in this list.
Instead of making a New Year's resolution for the rest of the year, try it on for size for 30 days and see how it feels.
For example, chances are that unless you discover a real food intolerance or allergy, you're not going to want to cut out an entire food group for the rest of the year. Or maybe you think that you'd like go the gym three days a week, but after a month you realize that the gym environment really isn't for you.
Instead of declaring that you're going to do something that you think is going to make you feel better for the rest of the year, do a 30 day experiment and then re-evaluate.
So if you want to cut carbs, do a 30 day grain-free diet and see how you feel. If you feel awesome by the end of the 30 days, keep your carb consumption low. If you don't feel much of a difference, try something else for 30 days and see if that makes you feel better.
When you give yourself a time-limit you're more likely to stick to your resolution until the time is up, and you then have the chance to switch things up in a more positive direction if they don't end up working for you as well as you thought they would.
To recap:
If you want to make a resolution that actually sticks, take small steps, focus on what makes you feel good, and give yourself a time-limit for each resolution so you can experiment and make the changes that really work for you in the long-term.
Now I'd love to hear from you.
Have you ever made a resolution that you actually stuck to? What was different about this resolution? Why do you think it worked?
And if you've never been able to follow through on a resolution, what do you think you can do to improve your chances of success?
Leave a comment in the comments section below and share your new year's resolution stories!
Until next time,
Love, Hugs, Sparklers and Glow Sticks,
xo Katerina


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4 Comments
Battle Of The Mug Shots! Who's Hotter: Lindsay Lohan Or Paris Hilton?
Former BFFs Lindsay and Paris have been at odds before, but now there's a new battle brewing: Who has the better look behind bars?
It's been just weeks since Paris Hilton posed for her mug shot, in relation to her cocaine possession case, and now Lindsay Lohan's giving her a run for her money with her latest photo op, for her own drug woes.
So who looks hotter? You decide! Is it repeat offender Lindsay or perennial party girl Paris?


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Ya boy stay creating coining new rap genre's but the world keeps giving me new ones to coin so… I got a new one for you, the above video and track is what I call "Mosh Pit At The Art Gallery, Noise – Rap"
Buttress created a track that sounds like the recipe was:
- One parts #XXXTENTACION
- One Parts #TylerTheCreator
- One parts a broken copy machine
- and two parts Warhol.
Who put me onto this? This girl I have been pining over recently whose the definition of woke. Sent me this as a snapchat link, she actually assumed I already knew about it. Welp, I did not.
I love that Buttress uses lyrics that reference Harmony Korine, discovering little lyrics like that reminds me sometimes why I love rap.
"ART IS DEAD, BUY MY SHIT" new mantra:)


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If I read one more article or hear one more speech by a Western politician telling us that we are experiencing a war within Islam between radicals and moderates, or a battle for the future and soul of Islam, I will seek medical options for a long hibernation.It is much easier to declare a war within Islam than to do the hard work – and admit the hard truths of shared culpability – to understand accurately the several simultaneous, frightening phenomena we see all around us.Those who recklessly analyze the condition of Islam itself should instead do the harder work of understanding the realities of a handful of killers, or a group of misfits, or a gang of criminals, or pockets of dislocated outcasts, or some desperate youth on the verge of certain death by lifelong marginalization and hopelessness.Instead, they affirm pompously the contested condition of Islam, of all 1.4 billion Muslims living in hundreds of very different societies, practicing very different social and political values. Islam is what it has always been, a religion with complexities and with varieties of adherents.
Statecraft lessons from northern Syria
Omran's picture elicits anger ... and fear
Beat Daesh in battlegrounds of its birth


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Unfortunately we do not accept pre-bookings as we cannot guarantee to be able to operate on any particular day. However for up to date sailing information you may visit our facebook page - we attempt to update this daily.https://www.facebook.com/Sealtripsatyarmouth-156876851127563/?fref=ts
Or you can telephone: 07876 800770
and of course always check our notice board!!!


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Gmail Notifer x 2!
Here is a great article from 2008 that runs multiple Gmail Notifier apps for multiple Gmail accounts on OS X. I'm even using it on one regular Gmail account and one Google Apps account!Read More
Lately I have been trying to get organized since it is summer and I have a little more time to do so. In a recent post on TUAW there was a discussion about cleaning up the clutter, (of which I have both digital and analog, i.e....Read More
So far I have been using TextMate in an attempt to make my life easier and more efficient on the Mac. It is overwhelming at first an not everything is where you think it is, for example, the preferences appear slim, but there is...Read More
I've tried every day to resist visiting macZOT because when I do, I end up spending some cash. MacZOT has been making me purchase software that I never thought I would. The problem is, I love a good bargain (I probably get...Read More
Flock a sweet Firefox blend of online tools and addons alreast built it – blog tool (using it now), RSS reader/aggregator, favorites that sync with del.icio.us and more! It is worth the download – available in Mac,...Read More
TUAW article on iPod nano and I totally agree with this article.Read More
MacDevCenter.com: has a good article on getting ready for Tiger, which I may not get to use until Monday 🙁 But I have already used SuperDuper to make a clone of the drive (worth the $20 in my opinion). I can boot off the...Read More
A great list of things to think about with regard to the release of Tiger. I am getting way too excited over this release, however, I am a bit nervous about upgrading the OS, since this is the first time I am upgrading my Mac...Read More
Apple-X net has a great tips/hints for safari in All About Safari there are a couple that I didn't know already and a couple that confirmed what I found by accident 😉Read More


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Bellevue Short Sale: How To Preserve Your Credit During A Bellevue Short Sale?
Bellevue WA – If the right decision for you and your family is to sell the house as a short sale, then the sale will have an immediate effect on your credit score.
Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here.
You might feel like it's just overwhelming and demoralizing to see your credit score take any more hits!
But, here's the silver lining: according to most experts, 78% of Americans have ERRORS on their credit score. Why is that a silver lining?
If you have negative errors on your report that get fixed, that will be a benefit to your score.
Average people can, on their own, take steps to repair and restore their credit report/ credit score after a short sale.
Here is how to avoid any double whammies during and after your short sale.
Follow these simple steps.
1. Review your credit report. I recommend the site: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp.
Do not go to any of those "free credit report" sites. After you get the report, review everything on it.
If you see anything that is negative, inaccurate, or questionable make a note of it. On your list, write down why you disagree with that item on your report.
2. Write letters to the different credit bureaus about what you are disputing on your report. There are several sample letters available online.
Here is a simple tip: DO NOT use the online dispute forms that are on the websites of the 3 credit reporting agencies. Write your own letter and make it short, firm, and demanding of action.
3. Mail your letters to the credit bureaus through either registered or certified mail. This is what sets the clock for them to correct issues.
The law lays out a timeline that they have to follow (45 days.) And, this gives you a record of the mailing, too.
4. Keep a file of all that you have done, including dates. Then, track your results, also.
5. When you've gotten back responses (or if 45 days pass and you haven't gotten responses), then it's time to repeat some of the process again for some item or another on your report.
If you are diligent and proactive, you might just surprise yourself by the benefits you can see in on your credit report – even after your short sale!
Bellevue Short Sale: How To Preserve Your Credit During A Bellevue Short Sale?
Thinking about a short sale? I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.
When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail and answer any questions you may have. Or, if you prefer, you can call me at 206-841-9976.
Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.
Bellevue Short Sale: How To Preserve Your Credit During A Bellevue Short Sale?
Thinking about a loan modification? Our Bellevue loan modification kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your bank. Click here to request a copy.
Thanks for reading this,
Jirius Isaac.
Jirius is a Real Estate Broker( no agents) at C21 Real Estate Center. Bellevue Short Sales Realtor:
Phone: 206-841-9976. firstname.lastname@example.com.
View My homes for sale at:
Jirius Isaac specializes in loan modification assistance and short sales in Bellevue Washington. Bellevue Loan Modification Help, Bellevue Short Sales. Bellevue Short Sale Realtor Bellevue WA Short Sales. Bellevue Realtor.
Copyright 2011 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Bellevue Short Sale: How To Preserve Your Credit During A Bellevue Short Sale?
Important Notice
Jirius Isaac, C21 Real Estate Center, and the Stop Foreclosure Institute are not affiliated in any way, shape, or form with the government. Our services have not been reviewed or endorse by the government or your lender. Most lenders willingly work with agents on short sales. Why?
Because most short sales are beneficial to a lender. If you accept our offer to help you on a short sale, your lender may not agree to a short sale or to modify your loan. We do offer a loan modification kit.
However, the likelihood of negotiating a modification is like everything else in life. It takes work and persistence to convince your lender to modify your loan. No matter what you or we do, your lender may not approve a loan modification.
We do not recommend that you stop paying your mortgage, because this will cause damage to your credit and could cause you to lose your home. Because we know avoiding foreclosure is so important to any homeowner, we recommend that you speak with the appropriate legal or tax advisor before making any decision.
This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing.
You have the option to reject a short sale or loan modification from your lender if it does not meet your approval. If you decide not to go thru with the short sale, then you do not have to pay us our fee. We normally make a real estate sales commission for helping you on a short sale.
The views expressed here are Isaac's personal views and do not reflect the views of C21 Real Estate Center.
This information on How To Preserve Your Credit During A Bellevue Short Sale is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.
Isaac Real Estate Team
Champions Real Estate Services
TriStar Finance #MLO-107799
Office: 425-483-6849 Cell: 206-841-9976
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According to the Retail Council of Canada, we Canucks outshopped even our avaricious American cousins in 2002. For the year, Canadian retail sales increased an impressive 6.5%, compared with only 3.4% in the U.S. Oddly, the American media are spinning the latter figure as a negative. While it obviously falls on the plus side, it came in "below expectations." Rapid increases in North America's standard of living are now considered automatic. Perhaps they are.
Technology drives the attitude. Over 30 years, the cost of sending 1 trillion bits of information between places has dropped from $150,000 to 17 cents. More dramatically, a run-of-the-mill Ford Taurus today contains more computing power than all the mainframe computers used in the Apollo Space Program. Nor is the progress restricted to computer chips and gadgets. In 1900, more than 200 of every 100,000 people died every year from the flu, but now just over 30 do. The number who perish in workplace accidents is a small fraction of the total just a few decades ago.
But a new policy study published early in January maintains that this manic rate of human improvement is far from inevitable. Written by James K. Glassman, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, Technology and Freedom: The Virtuous Circle offers an intriguing explanation for the speed at which technical change is reshaping the world.
"Technology and freedom are symbiotic," Glassman writes. "Undirected by the state or any other central authority, technology emerges from a process that encourages variety, spontaneity and discovery through trial and error." Many other cultures throughout history became "hotbeds of scientific discovery, but without market forces to encourage the actual production of these innovations, technology falters." Political interference can throw a gigantic monkey wrench into the machinery of applying and distributing knowledge.
One of Glassman's best examples deals with the issue of genetically modified food. North America's farms are much more productive than they were just a few years ago, thanks to altered genes that make plants more resistant to disease and pests and produce higher yields with less time, money, fertilizer, pesticides and topsoil. No evidence of harm to humans from eating GM food exists, but the European Union banned it four years ago to assuage politically powerful environmentalists.
Shift the scene to Africa, where food shortages still claim countless lives. During last summer's famine, an estimated 13 million people were at risk. One-third of the massive food aid sent by Americans consisted of genetically modified corn. The government of Zambia, one of the countries most devastated by the disaster, locked the corn up. Continental bureaucrats convinced its President that the grain would "contaminate" his country's crops and make them ineligible for export to Europe, Zambia's primary market. People starved to death right next to warehouses piled with forbidden food. The same sad story is playing out this year.
Zambia's starving masses would gladly have eaten the high-tech food, if that had been allowed. Technology produced the goods, but political interference with their distribution made the achievement meaningless. State power brokers can and often have defeated the fruits of progress, by careless regulation of science to protect special interests or confiscation of the wealth generated by innovation. As Glassman puts it, "They decide what can be made, how it is made, who can make it and where it is sold."
But technology is quickly breaking down these political barriers. In just five years, the number of global Internet users has increased from 96 million to 650 million and within a year will reach one billion. Between 1990 and 2002, the number of wireless phones in use worldwide grew sixty-fold from 23 million to 1.4 billion. The combination of technology with wide open, profit-driven markets makes for rapid, wide distribution and application. The process of testing and ultimate social approval does not rely on the limited comprehension of a few experts but is dispersed and made more rigorous by the meticulous testing of millions of consumers. It's the purest democratic forum imaginable. All parties who engage in voluntary exchanges do so because they perceive the transactions as beneficial to themselves, and thereby accelerate a spontaneous order that maximizes the pursuit of value.
Glassman's analysis could be usefully applied to unreformed Medicare. The ability of individuals to shift resources to meet their own needs has been compromised by political fiat. Governments spend almost $12,000 per family of four annually within our struggling health care system, but the consumer's power to decide the details about how that money will be spent is almost non-existent. Why are there chronic shortages of high-tech items like Magnetic Resonance Imagers, CAT scanners and dialysis machines? Because the people who would benefit most have little, usually nothing, to say about their acquisition and use.
James Glassman's work helps explain why some economic arrangements are clearly superior to others. It remains to be seen how long Canadians will tolerate a health care framework that stands between them and the benefits of high-tech medicine.


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"I have bought and sold several homes over the years; my recent experience with the Soldwisch team was AMAZING. They worked daily to market my home, I was extremely impressed with the diligence of all the Soldwisch team. I had lots of questions and everyone on their team was always available and answered every question. I want to share just 1 thing that set them apart from other agencies, they provided me with a TRUE market analyses and we used market data to find the perfect value for listing my home, and it sold within 90 days of listing. I appreciate a company that did not just tell me what I wanted to hear and then always wanting to change the list price, he told me the truth based off of the market data. I will defiantly use the Soldwisch Team again and will refer any friends and family to call them." - Home Seller
"Misty and TEAM went above and beyond for us! They were proactive on everything and even when we hit a stumbling block that was outside everyone's control they were on top of it and helped get it resolved. I HIGHLY recommend her and team if you want the BEST!!" - Home Buyer
"The Misty SOLDwisch team is a first class organization of top notch professionals. I sure wish we had called Misty first! Misty has a valuable resource list of dependable contractors for any home repair/improvement you might require. Phone calls and texts to Misty or the team are responded to immediately. Listing a home and finding a buyer is only the beginning. The track to the closing table is where the real work begins and our experience was seamless from beginning to end. We received daily or almost daily updates from the transaction coordinator. There was no guesswork, no wondering, no worry! I cannot recommend Misty Soldwisch and her team of highly enough. Her knowledge and professionalism cannot be topped." - Home Seller
"Great experience. Worked through a couple of problems with the sale of our house and everything turned out great. All of the team members were helpful and willing to answer questions. The agents had knowledge of our area and were able to get us into the houses we wanted to look at. I would recommend the MistySoldwisch team for buying or selling your next home." - Home Seller
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EastEnders spoilers: Jack Branning looks tense as he discusses Matthew's move to Ireland with Charlie Cotton… has he changed his mind?
Jack could be regretting his decision to give up custody of the little boy
EASTENDERS fans appear to be in for more heartbreak as Jack Branning struggles to come to terms with Matthew's move to Ireland with Charlie Cotton.
He has agreed to give up custody of the little boy - but could he be changing his mind?
Jack, whose wife Ronnie Mitchell drowned over New Year, has been left looking after her young son since she died.
He has now agreed to hand him over to biological dad and Ronnie's ex Charlie.
But Jack could be having second thoughts.
Jack is seen struggling to come to terms with the idea of life without Mathew.
In an emotional talk, Charlie assures Jack that he will take care of his son.
Viewers will be left on the edge of their seats as they wait to find out what Jack will do next.
Most Read In TV & Showbiz
In Friday's episode, Jack couldn't hold back his tears as he made the difficult decision to let Matthew go to Ireland with his father.
As he struggled to get his words out, Jack finally managed to tell Charlie that he could take the little boy home.
Jack said: "You can tell Charlie, I won't be fighting you, that you can have residence, you can take Matthew to Ireland."
Viewers made their feelings clear and took to Twitter to reveal their sadness at the hard-to-watch scenes.
On wrote online: "Charlie deserves Matthew-he's the biological father.Jack is finally doing the right thing. But that last scene was heartbreaking."
Another tweeted: "OMG no! #Jack don't do it!!! I'm actually bawling @RealScottMaslen you're breaking my heart!!"
Many viewers blamed Jack's decision on his scheming brother Max - who's out to destroy Albert Square.
After a fight with Charlie in front of horrified onlookers, Jack faced losing Matthew for good.
With this in the back of his mind, Jack finally reached the decision that it would be best for him to go with his father.
However Charlie would not have returned if it had not been for Max bringing him back into the fold to help him with his twisted plan.
Max's scheming to destroy Walford's community has stepped up a gear recently with him convincing the Carters to sell the freehold of the Queen Vic.
And it doesn't look like he's set to stop any time soon, even using Dot Branning with Charlie to convince Jack everyone was turning against him.
- EastEnders airs Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights on BBC One
Got a story? email firstname.lastname@example.com or call us direct on 02077824220


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When millions of people across the world gather in one place, you're bound to see some of the worst humanity has to offer. MMO moderators have the unenviable task of weeding out the griefers and cheaters who want to waste everyone else's precious free time. By the nature of their job, the majority of people mods interact with will be no good scumbags. It's tough to blame someone in that position for wanting to go the extra mile to stick it to their tormentors.
Such was likely the logic for Gamemaster Rhotaaz, who found a fun new way to deal with a dickbag who was trolling Black Desert Online players whose only crime was taking roleplay seriously. Kimochi had been ruthlessly murdering said RPers for some time before Rhotaaz seized him and gave the troll an ultimatum:
In so many flowery in-character words, the mod offered Kimochi's account a stay of execution, provided that the troll supply a 501-word essay detailing the backstory of his in-game avatar. You can see where the mod was coming from here. Maybe if Kimochi was forced to connect with his character and give them a history, he might begin to see the value in what the roleplayers were doing -- and more importantly, stop being such a dick to them.
And it worked! Sort of. As chronicled on Reddit, Kimochi did in fact sit down and write out a 501-word backstory for his character. Unfortunately, the mod in question neglected to establish firm boundaries for written piece, so the end product was just a tad salacious. Okay, it was extremely horny.
The troll may have outwitted the mod to a degree, but in general a life-or-death homework assignment seems like a great way to punish someone who's being childish on the internet.
YouTube might still be king when it comes to video content platforms, but between frustrating demonitization and baffling takedowns, the service isn't great at supporting its creative community. Twitch isn't perfect either, but it is a little better on in some areas regarding financial support, since it allows viewers to directly contribute to their favorite streamers on-air. One of the best things about Twitch is watching the gut emotional reaction of a streamer receiving a large, sometimes life-altering donation from a generous benefactor. And one of the worst things about Twitch are donation trolls.
See, donation trolls are little pricks who drop massive amounts of cash on streamers, watch them react, then cancel the payment later. Streamers who have already spent some of the money by that point are stuck with overdraft fees and an overwhelming sense that all humans suck shit. It's generally a bad time all around -- unless the trolls get caught.
In 2016, a user named iNexus_Ninja made a series of donations to various streamers, totaling about $50,000. And yeah, you guessed it, iNexus_Ninja later canceled the transactions. Or at least, he would have, if PayPal hadn't denied his refunds. What were once his fake prank donations became all too real. The troll, discovered to be an 18 year-old kid from Australia, had racked up the charges on his parents' credit card. Presumably once mom and/or dad found out that they were stuck with the bill, a reckoning was had. Then again, anyone who can run up a charge like that without immediately raising eyebrows/running into spending limits probably has a better life than we do. As usual, the trolls get the last laugh.
It's hard to deal with assholes in Grand Theft Auto V's online mode. After all, the series has always made assholery a virtue -- why should multiplayer be any different?
One clever player came up with a brilliant plan to turn the tables on one of gaming's most destructive communities. Over on Twitter, Aaron Reynolds told his hilarious tale of how he used an expensive car to remind trolls what salt tastes like. It all revolves around the insurance system. If you have your vehicle insured in GTA V and someone destroys it, the destructor pays a little over 1% of the totaled vehicle's value. That's not a big deal to the trolls if you're rolling around in a stock Albany Emperor, but Reynolds went out of his way to make his ride as pricey as possible.
With a million in-game dollars put into his car, Reynolds just rolled right up to a troll that was demolishing player cars and just waited to be obliterated. It went even better than expected.
Tonight, some jackass was driving a tank in the middle of the city, totalling players' cars. So I drove The Gurntmobile downtown. #o1mdc
-- Aaron Reynolds (@aaronreynolds) January 17, 2017
Tonight, some jackass was driving a tank in the middle of the city, totalling players' cars. So I drove The Gurntmobile downtown. #o1mdc
By the fourth time Tank Guy blew up the Gurntmobile, he was shouting NOOOOO NOT YOU AGAIN into his headset. #o1mdc
-- Aaron Reynolds (@aaronreynolds) January 17, 2017
By the fourth time Tank Guy blew up the Gurntmobile, he was shouting NOOOOO NOT YOU AGAIN into his headset. #o1mdc
Eventually the dickheads caught onto Reynolds' game, but he wasn't done yet. He had a few more ideas to throw off their game.
Thus, Gurntmobile 2 was born. She's a beauty. #o1mdc pic.twitter.com/HS4Xl8IstG
-- Aaron Reynolds (@aaronreynolds) January 18, 2017
Thus, Gurntmobile 2 was born. She's a beauty. #o1mdc pic.twitter.com/HS4Xl8IstG
So once the trolls figured out the game, that destroying my car costs them huge amounts of in-game money, I switched cars. #o1mdc
-- Aaron Reynolds (@aaronreynolds) January 18, 2017
So once the trolls figured out the game, that destroying my car costs them huge amounts of in-game money, I switched cars. #o1mdc
The wailing over my headset was incredible. "GUYS HE HAS TWO EFFIN CARS, DON'T SHOOT EITHER OF THEM" #o1mdc
-- Aaron Reynolds (@aaronreynolds) January 18, 2017
The wailing over my headset was incredible. "GUYS HE HAS TWO EFFIN CARS, DON'T SHOOT EITHER OF THEM" #o1mdc
You can read the rest of Reynolds' story over here.
Most of the time, we only have the tales and stories of online miscreants finally getting their due. We gather whispers through Discord, a smattering of in-game chatter and if we're lucky, a juicy forum post or two. But the case of J T Darkside is a little different. In the case of J T Darkside, we have a video of a troll execution.
The Guild Wars 2 player had been reportedly causing trouble for days on end before afflicted users finally had enough. After proof of J T Darkside's misdeeds was posted to the official GW2 forums, a mod stepped in and assured everyone that the perpetrator had been banned. What's more, they offered up a video of J T Darkside's character stripping naked in the town square and jumping to his death.
Following that, the video also shows the user deleting all of J T Darkside's characters.
Not only does the video feel great to watch, it has also hopefully served as a message to future would-be cheaters: Don't be a dick, or you'll be humiliated and wiped from existence.
As director for one of Blizzard's most popular games, Jeff Kaplan has had plenty of occasions to engage with and generally mess with Overwatch fans. But when he's not laying out new Mercy nerfs or sitting in front of a fireplace for an hourlong Twitch stream, Kaplan also makes sure to chime in on the official Overwatch forums. Sometimes you get an honest reflection on the reaction to a tweaked character or feature. And sometimes Papa Jeff has to lay the hammer down.
Kaplan actually apologized for this specific clapback, explaining that he was feeling a little weary at the time. While SharkyMarky definitely deserved to get roasted for a drive-by shitpost, if that roast comes from the director of the game it's bound to get the user way more negative attention from other users.
From then on, Kaplan seems to use his troll-destroying abilities in specific circumstances. Say, if a serial harasser started complaining about getting banned.
Some kids never learn. If you are guilty of being a piece of shit online, do not complain in the Overwatch forums because you were banned for being a piece of shit online. Jeff Kaplan has the receipts, and he will make sure the bill will come due, especially for the most egregious trolls.
Note that Kaplan doesn't use personal attacks or insults here. All he does is lay out cold, hard facts in sequence, and it is absolutely devastating. Trolls and griefers may still run rampant in Overwatch, but at least on this day, there was justice.


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Why choose Trinity Partners?
Trinity Partners offers over 60 years of combined experience and knowledge in commercial real estate. Our knowledge base is composed of a wide array of past and present development, brokerage and management experiences. We help businesses identify, procure, and develop their property assets. Our team drives quantifiable growth for your business by identifying key strategic locations which best suits your needs and target audience.


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Jennifer - posted on 03/10/2009 ( 85 moms have responded )
Does anyone out there have any suggestions for me. i swear my 5 week old has reflux, she has a good amount of the symptoms, and i know she is uncomfortable. When i brought it up to her dr she had a wait and see approach and other than switching to a gentle formula, she feels it is all normal infant behaivours. i am 100% she is wrong. I know that a good amount of time my baby is uncomfortable and i feel so bad for her. my question is, until i go back to her ped and try to discuss this AGAIN, what are some little things i can do to help her be more comfortable? last night she wanted to eat constantly, then constantly spit up after each bottle, and just cried this awful pitiful little cry. thanks for any advice you have!
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Editor's note: Much has been written over the past few days about similarities between Occupy Wall Street and the Tea Party movement of a few years ago. Some, like Fox News, argue that the two are not the same thing, while others claim they may have more in common than first meets the eye. Cartoonist Kenny Be brings us this visual diagram, so you can determine just how much the Left side of the 99 percent has in common with the Right side of the 99 percent.
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More Occupy Denver coverage: "John Hickenlooper: Occupy Denver protesters can't stay overnight, deciding how to evict them"


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I received this book for free from Purchased in exchange for an honest review.
This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
by Karina Halle
Released: May 13, 2012
Published by Metal Blonde Books
Pages: 446
Format: eBook
"Prepare yourselves to be completely freaked out and creeped out. The ride Perry is on in this book is an intense one." ~Under the Covers
The addiction continues, and after the explosive and mindblowing ending of LYING SEASON you can't help but pick this one up RIGHT AWAY. And on a side note I give you a warning, once you've reached this point in the series you won't be able to read anything else until you've gotten to the current book. You've been warned.
ON DEMON WINGS brings us a depressed Perry. She was thrown out and stomped on and her heart is broken. She goes back home to lick her wounds, but home is not a safe haven for her. Always the outsider, and suffering from her broken heart, she doesn't see what's been happening to her. Prepare yourselves to be completely freaked out and creeped out. The ride Perry is on in this book is an intense one. One that doesn't let up until we've read the last page. Oh wait, no it doesn't let up there either.
Family betrayals and new romances. This book will have your gut turning with the decisions that Perry makes and the path she takes. Although I wasn't always a fan of what she was doing, and even pissed me off a couple of times, it all made for an adrenaline filled story. Ms. Halle definitely amped up the fear factor with this one!
Not a whole lot of Dex, but he was always a presence in this book. And when he does show, he makes it count! And like I said at the beginning…once you get to that last page you will be compelled to read the next one!
Favorite Quotes:
Oh, fucking brilliant, I thought. I have a special ghost.
"Last chance to get out and live a normal life," he said. "Are you kidding? I gave that up for Lent," she answered with a roll of her eyes.
"Perry," he said quietly, his fingers trailing down the side of my face, "you'll never have to save my life. You gave me life. I never lived a single day until the day I first met you."
Did you like this review? If so, please tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
I get easily distracted by pictures of sexy guys and have tons of book boyfriends.I keep all my alpha males chained to my basement and guard them fiercely.*Back off bitches*I like to see Jason Momoa as a lot of those boyfriends, because ….. mmmmmmm JASON.MOMOA!
I'm a part time graphic designer (yes, everything you see on UTC has been done by me), run my husband's business from home and on a good day I'm a self appointed superwoman (she who can do it all).I love blogging with my girls and I couldn't do it any other way!My first love is everything paranormal, but in the past few years I've re-learned to love contemporary romance.Every once in a while I like to mix things up with a historical romance, a steampunk or an LGBT book.Because I need variety to avoid book slumps.I don't always need an HEA although I prefer one, and I love authors that can rip my heart out and make me ugly cry.
Latest posts by Francesca (see all)
- ARC Review: Where Winter Finds You by J.R. Ward - November 26, 2019
- ARC Review: Dirty Letters by Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland - November 18, 2019
- ARC Review: Never Got Over You by Whitney G. - November 18, 2019


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Solar panels help the growth of coral reefs
Just like the rest of the environment around us the world's coral reefs are in trouble, because of climate change and habitat destruction.
The researchers found a solution- to use electrified artificial reefs instead, called Biorocks.
Biorock start off as a Rebar skeleton structure or electrically-conductive wire mesh, called a Coral Ark, which it's partially sunken or anchored into the seafloor with a solar panel floating on the surface above it, which provides a steady electrical current.
The electricity collected by the solar panels results in accretion coating the Ark with a natural concrete material very similar to that of clam shells.
With this, the structures can grow indefinitely—at a rate of 5cm annually—as precipitated materials add to the structure's rigidity and will even repair themselves if damaged.
When these structures will solidify on the seafloor and will start more closely resemble natural reefs, they will begin to provide the same benefits of natural reefs which means a greater resistance to the incoming wave actions reduces the energy with which each wave hits the beach, allowing more suspended sand particles to be dropped on the beach.
Short URL: http://solar-magazine.com/?p=1804


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Here, Today
A photo essay on age, gender and sexuality in a rural region
Between November 2015 and May 2016, artist photographer Colin Tennant documented lives of some older LGBT people in different parts of Cumbria.
A small selection of images was shown outdoor in the garden of Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery between 13th and 26th of June 2016, and then in the new Community Wildlife Garden in Florence Arts Centre, Egremont between 4th of July and 14th of August, while the full series were included in the CELEBRATE exhibition (10.09 – 31.10.2016) and Elements festival.
Colin Tennant is a documentary and fine art photographer. He graduated from the fine art photography department of Glasgow School of Art in 2007. Since then his work has been exhibited in galleries in the UK and abroad, including the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Glasgow, Getty Images Gallery in London and Exit Art in New York. He has work in both private and public collections in the UK.


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I know what you must be thinking . . .
"How busy have you really been? You don't write a word for months and now this? I've been busy!" Psh!
No, seriously.
Let's just start with the past 2 weeks. Prom was the 16th.
Instead of driving to Texarkana or some other place to eat. We grilled steaks and served Reese's and her date on the gazebo at our house after they had their pictures made at the garden.
We left the NEXT MORNING on the motorcycle headed to Florida!
We had one minor set back. A sheet of plastic from the back of an 18-wheeler got wrapped around the back wheel of the bike, but we were able to get it fixed and get back on the road in record time. Santa is a heck of a one-man pit crew!
The rest of the trip was pretty great. Beautiful weather for the ENTIRE time.
The trip there and back was over 2500 miles. All on the back of a motorcycle! It was so exciting!
We stayed in Florida visiting the g-kids and girls for over week! It was soo good to see Lollipop and Tootsie Pop, you have no idea how much I have missed them.
I went to Sugar Pop and Clark Bar's school for a Silly Sock Reading Party! Clark Bar won a bingo game because they drew his name!
If you can imagine all that fun AND they had family pictures made the morning before the party!
Introducing some new family members in Lollipop's group. Sugar Daddy is Clark Bar and Sugar Pop's real dad. AND the little blonde boy is Swedish Fish!
So glad I was there and got to shoot some photos of my own. I'm excited to see the ones the "real" photographer took.
uh . . . so yeah . . . busy!
AND Graduation is less than 3 weeks away . . . to be continued.


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Richard Baxter was an amazing teacher of England in the 1600s. A Puritan, he was imprisoned for sharing the Word of God –even when it contradicted the Church of England. During his entire adult life he battled various sicknesses without pause. He suffered from a constant cough, frequent nosebleeds, migraine headaches, stomach problems, kidney and gall stones. He believed that God heals, and claimed that several times he was restored to Kingdom work by God's healing hand. Once a cancerous tumor in his throat disappeared during a sermon he was delivering about God's mercy to him. He suffered continuously from diseases until his very last life breath claiming that he seldom had an hour without pain.
Yet Baxter's constant suffering gave him an incredible awareness of how temporary life is in this world and made him continuously conscious of the better life beyond the grave promised by Christ. Baxter often spent time in the Word of God -lead by the Spirit to focus on the joys of Heaven and the Age to come. His constant thought and preoccupation the future Hope of Glory. He wrote much of this eternal hope in preparation for leaving this world. He began to record his thoughts for people of all ages to enjoy and claimed that while writing his thoughts, he actually recovered from a disease. His thoughts became one of his greatest inspiring works known as "The Saints' Everlasting Rest." He prayed and pondered the glory of heaven for half an hour each day and rejoiced over the powerful impact it had on his life. He pleaded with his readers to commit themselves in devotion to God and find the Consuming Fire that brings unspeakable joy and peace in this life now. He wrote: "If you want to have light and heat, why would you not be in the sunshine more? If you avoid the benefits of heaven, then your soul is like a lamp not lighted, and your duty is like a sacrifice without fire. Fetch one coal daily from this altar, and see if your offering will not burn… Keep close to this Reviving Fire, and see if your affections will not be warm."
Serving God is good, but if we do not experience the joy of experiencing God while we serve Him, then it's easy to loose focus. We have joy in our salvation that is a consuming fire. Serving may make us feel good, but when we serve deliberately seeking to please God as we serve Him, then the power and victory of the resurrection overwhelms us with incredible joy, like a purifying fire that simultaneously consumes us and restores us. Jesus is our LIFE. His life now swallows up our hurts, our pains, our disappointments, our past and our inadequacies. Our God is the God of Mercy. Our existence, now and forever, is GLORY. Paul said:
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory," [Colossians 3:1-4]
Heaven is where we already are. Earth is now where we visit. Heaven is home. This current life is just a road trip, and it's length is very short. Live life connected to your Home, and enjoy the journey while it lasts. When we enjoy this journey in Christ, others also find their way Home. And Christ, who is our Life, will soon appear and take us all Home!
Sharing the soon-return of Jesus,


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I have recently learned that a friend, Mohamed Soltan, of some of my friends was attacked and arrested in Egypt for protesting against the Egyptian military coup. I have pasted their words with their permission. Mohamed Soltan has been an activist in Egypt calling for Democracy. You can see him on Twitter here and he was on ABC News doing an interview here.
From my friend Raef:
Mohamed Soltan, shot earlier by Egyptian security forces is now arrested by the bastards. They broke into the apartment and took him – as of now, no one knows where he is.
From my friend Ahmad Abuhamda:
My friend and Egyptian American anti-coup anti-violence pro-democracy pro-human rights activist from The Ohio State University, Mohamed Soltan, was arrested earlier today by the cowardly Egyptian armed forces. They claim that because he is American he is committing treason by exposing Egypt's secrets to America.
Mohamed cares for everyone (poor/rich, young/elderly, black/white, even those he disagrees with) and wants peace and justice for ALL the oppressed, regardless what country they're in. He always has a smile on his face. He is one of the best people I know.
Please pray for his safety, his release, and for his family's patience during this time. Oh God, please facilitate the release of this brave young American, whose only "crime" is that he did not want to come back to the US and leave Egypt drown in this pit of inhumane and unjust military rule that's dragging this country back to the dark ages.
He was preaching "silmiyya" (peace) from day 1 of this violent coup. He was shot in the arm by a sniper simply for helping the media share the news of what is going on in the ground with the rest of the world and he still didn't give up on peace. Many of his friends died in his arms and he didn't give up on peace. Please contact your congressman and demand the release of this brave young American.
From the Free Soltan Facebook Group
Mohamed Soltan, 25,Ohio State Graduate and an American citizen was arrested yesterday with three other Egyptian youth for their efforts in in portraying the Military Coup as it is to the world. We demand the immediate release of Mohamed and his friends..


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by Daniella Kuzmanovic
Needless to say that visual portrayals of the founding of father of the Turkish republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, are object of scrutiny. Any portryal which may seem insensitive to the national sentiments of Turks, or disrespectful and degrading to the memory of Atatürk is obviously met with resentment and anger by many Turks. Hence, it should come as no surprise that Turks in the Netherlands have reacted to the use of the iconography of Atatürk in relation to an advertisement for a travel agency.
The picture used in the poster, which according to the newspaper is to be found in a variety of public spaces and can for example be observed while waiting for the bus, shows a Turkisk Lira bill (featuring the picture of Atatürk in the middle). Below the bill is a pair of hald covered women's breasts. The poster is put togteher so as to look like the head and shoulders of Atatürk continues into the full bosommed woman. Let's hope this is not the beginning of a secular cartoon crises….


text: EbHome's unique style, according to its owner, Everick Brown, is modern classic with a global perspective. "Our philosophy is to mix modern and classic, old and new, expensive and inexpensive," he explains. Call it what you will; we think it's just great design - a little bit of SoHo come north. Where else will you find designs by iconic names like Saarinen and Eames sitting next to more rustic, global pieces such as a Chinese hutch or African stool? Fortunately, for the less design-minded among us, ebhome shares its know-how through its interior-design services.


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But the visitors come at the end of yet another tough week for Mayor Richard Daley as scandal, wrongdoing and multiple investigations simmer just behind Chicago's sparkling facade.
While the mayors discussed homeland security and making cities competitive Friday at the Chicago Hilton and Towers Hotel, a former Transportation Department foreman pleaded guilty in federal court to diverting as many as 100 truckloads of city asphalt valued at up to $60,000 to private contractors.
The day before, two figures in the Hired Truck Program scandal were in court.
Martin McDonagh, a trucking company owner, was sentenced after pleading guilty to lying to the FBI about paying off two city employees to obtain business.
In another courtroom, Joseph Ignoffo admitted that he paid at least $23,000 in cash, gift certificates and campaign contributions to officials in four city departments to keep his trucks running. Some of the money wound up in the campaign fund of Cook County Commissioner John Daley, the mayor's brother, authorities said.
McDonagh and Ignoffo are among 27 charged in connection with the Hired Truck probe, an investigation that promises to produce even more defendants.
There was more bad news Friday, when the city fired John Quinn, a top Zoning Department official, because he refused to answer questions about the issuance of a building permit for a condominium in a zone reserved for manufacturing, officials said. Two senior Buildings Department officials had resigned after facing questions on their involvement in the matter.
Blocks away from City Hall, however, Daley reveled in a bubble where no one knew or cared much about his recent problems. To help make sure it would stay that way, Daley's press handlers warned reporters that only questions about the gathering were allowed at a news conference with other mayors.
The focus for many visiting civic leaders was on how best to emulate Daley's Chicago.
A Chicago police camera was proudly displayed outside a meeting room, its blue lights flashing and a uniformed officer standing next to it.
Daley told mayors that he had installed the cameras, over the objections of some who saw them as intrusive, because "the street, the alley, the sidewalk belong to the public."
"We lead the way," Daley said. "We know we have a good Police Department."
The decline in violent crime in Chicago under Daley is "just phenomenal," said Beverly O'Neill, mayor of Long Beach, Calif., and vice president of the conference.
Daley, who once headed the mayors group, is admired by his peers across the country, said Harvey Johnson Jr., mayor of Jackson, Miss. Johnson said his city will follow Chicago's lead with police surveillance cameras.
"I'd like Millennium Park plopped down right in the middle of my downtown," said the conference president, Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic of Akron.
"He is viewed as very creative, a very committed leader of this community," said William Horne, city manager of Clearwater, Fla. "We look to follow Chicago's path in many areas where they have decided to be bold."
Cindi Canary, executive director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, said visiting mayors can credit Daley, but they should also consider the cost of corruption that the administration is struggling to deal with.
"I suppose I would tell them to enjoy our city because it truly is beautiful and it truly has been transformed," she said. "But I would tell them they need to look beyond the wrought iron and the flowers and the parks ... the `city that works' isn't working so well right now."
In a meeting with the Tribune's editorial board Friday, Rev. Jesse Jackson declined to comment on whether his son, U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), will run against Daley in 2007, but he said the mayor is "hemorrhaging" as a result of the scandals.
Is Daley vulnerable to a challenge?
"That's obvious," Jackson said.
Some of the alleged wrongdoing has hit Daley close to home. On June 3, city officials announced that an internal investigation had uncovered a scheme in which nine employees at the Water Management Department allegedly were "punched in" for work by others, getting paid for time they didn't work. One of them, officials said, was John Briatta, a $94,800-a-year chief equipment dispatcher who is the brother-in-law of John Daley and a personal acquaintance of the mayor.
As the out-of-town mayors were starting to pack their bags for Chicago Wednesday, federal investigators were arresting veteran Water Management worker George Prado, accused of heading the Chicago distribution cell of a Colombian heroin-trafficking ring.
Two other city employees were also charged with heroin trafficking--often during hours when they were supposed to be at work, officials said.
Among those under indictment in Hired Truck are Donald Tomczak, head of a pro-Daley political army who was installed by the mayor as first deputy commissioner in Water Management. Prosecutors say Tomczak solicited at least $500,000 in cash, campaign contributions and gifts over a decade in return for city trucking business.
Angelo Torres, who had ties to the pro-Daley Hispanic Democratic Organization, pleaded guilty in March to shaking down at least 10 trucking companies for kickbacks while he headed the Hired Truck Program.
Plusquellic, the conference president, said he knew little of Daley's problems but defended him nevertheless.
"Mayors who've been around know that those things happen in a city, and there's no way that you can prevent some of those things," he said.
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Troubling times
Mayor Richard Daley is hosting the chief executives of more than 200 cities for the annual U.S. Conference of Mayors amid several city government scandals.
Issue: Bribe money given to city workers in exchange for
contracts in the city`s $38 million Hired Truck Program allegedly
made its way into the campaign funds of Daley and other officials, federal authorities said last month. Twelve defendants have been convicted and 27 charged in the probe that encompasses the Water Management Department and other city departments.
City's reaction: Daley has hired former Police Officer Thomas Byrne to clean up Transportation Department operations.
Issue: The mayor was embarrassed by allegations that white, politically connected men were benefiting by using women and minorities as fronts in order to qualify for the city`s minority setaside program. In May, business owner James Duff was sentenced to nearly 10 years in federal prison for a racketeering scheme in connection with the program.
City's reaction: The city now requires that firms disclose more information about their companies.
Issue: The department this month was hit by a timesheet scandal in which nine workers were accused of having someone else "punch in" for them. The nine workers face dismissal and the commissioner was fired.
Issue: Two department workers this week were accused of involvement in a heroin-trafficking ring, often while on city time.
Issue: In April federal agents searched city offices to investigate allegations of extra pay and promotions given in return for political work.
City's reaction: The Daley administration last month announced an overhaul of its hiring practices.
Issue: Two senior officials have resigned amid a city investigation involving a building permit. A top Zoning Department official was fired Friday because he refused to answer questions on the issue, officials said.
Source: Tribune reports
Chicago Tribune