text:
Cross‐scale effects of structural and functional connectivity in pond networks on amphibian distribution in agricultural landscapes. Freshwater Biology. 64(5):997-1014.. 2019.
L'empreinte énergétique et carbone de l'alimentation en France. Club Ingénierie Prospective Energie et Environnement.. 2019.
Long-term changes in greenhouse gas emissions from French agriculture and livestock (1852–2014): From traditional agriculture to conventional intensive systems. Science of The Total Environment. 660:1486-1501.. 2019.
The biogeochemical imprint of human metabolism in Paris Megacity: a regionalized analysis of a water-agro-food system. Journal of Hydrology.. 2018.
How can water quality be improved when the urban waste water directive has been fulfilled? A case study of the Lot river (France) Environmental Science and Pollution Research.. 2018.
Landward Perspective of Coastal Eutrophication Potential Under Future Climate Change: The Seine River Case (France). Frontiers in Marine Science. 5. 2018.
Nitrate retention at the river–watershed interface: a new conceptual modeling approach. Biogeochemistry. 139(1):31-51.. 2018.
Reducing marine eutrophication may require a paradigmatic change. Science of The Total Environment. 635:1444-1466.. 2018.
Analyser une transition agro-alimentaire par les flux d'azote : Aussois un cas d'étude du découplage progessif de la production et de la consommation. Revue d'économie régionale et urbaine. 5:967-990.. 2017.
Climate warming: a loss of variation in populations can accompany reproductive shifts. Ecology Letters. 20(9):1140-1147.. 2017.
Ecosystem services must tackle anthropized ecosystems and ecological engineering. Ecological Engineering. 99:486-495.. 2017.
Elevated CO2 mediates the short-term drought recovery of ecosystem function in low-diversity grassland systems. Plant and Soil. 418(733). 2017.
Evaluation of Gridded Meteorological Datasets for Hydrological Modeling. Journal of Hydrometeorology. 18(11):3027-3041.. 2017.
A first overview of textile fibers, including microplastics, in indoor and outdoor environments. Environmental Pollution. 221:453-458.. 2017.
From shifting cultivation to teak plantation: effect on overland flow and sediment yield in a montane tropical catchment. Scientific Reports. (1). 2017.
Global-scale river network extraction based on high-resolution topography and constrained by lithology, climate, slope, and observed drainage density. Geophysical Research Letters. 44(6):2773-2781.. 2017.
Glycerolipid analysis during desiccation and recovery of the resurrection plant Xerophyta humilis (Bak) Dur and Schinz.. Plant, Cell & Environment.. 2017.
Host Plant Species Differentiation in a Polyphagous Moth: Olfaction is Enough. Journal of Chemical Ecology. 43(8):794-805.. 2017.
Initial conditions during Technosol implementation shape earthworms and ants diversity. Landscape and Urban Planning. 159:32-41.. 2017.
Leaf lipid degradation in soils and surface sediments: A litterbag experiment. Organic Geochemistry. 104:35-41.. 2017.
Optimization of a metatranscriptomic approach to study the lignocellulolytic potential of the higher termite gut microbiome. BMC Genomics. 18(681). 2017.
Parasitism may alter functional response comparisons: a case study on the killer shrimp Dikerogammarus villosus and two non-invasive gammarids. Biological Invasions. 19(155):1-14.. 2017.
Potential for recoupling production and consumption in peri-urban territories: The case-study of the Saclay plateau near Paris, France. Food Policy. 69:35-45.. 2017.
Suspended sediment source and propagation during monsoon events across nested sub-catchments with contrasted land uses in Laos. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies. 9:69-84.. 2017.


text:
Covert Affairs: I Can't Quit You, Baby
Internet Video Archive•
The incredible first season of Covert Affairs goes out with a double-barreled bang in the premiere of "I Can't Quit You Baby", Annie is sent to London to be a "mark" attempting to be recruited by a group of smugglers. Meanwhile, back at the CIA, the chain of command is tested as Arthur and Joan are forced to bring Henry Wilcox back into the fold. In hour two, Annie is forced to confront her past when Ben Mercer walks into CIA Headquarters, and the two are sent to Sri Lanka together to rescue Be

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Quality and value
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text:
The year is 2531. In the year 2531, during the infancy of the Human-Covenant war, human scientists stumbled upon a new world. Named "Lumoria", the planet was laden with both flora and fauna as alien as anyone had ever seen before. Nestled amongst the planet's varying terrain lie architecture left behind by a once seemingly all-powerful race known as the Forerunners. But what began as a scientist's greatest dream of study and discovery quickly turned into destruction and terror when the Covenant found the planet as well. When the Covenant attacked the human research vessel, the scientists had no chance. Their final hopes lay in a beacon dropped in desperation. A beacon found by you. Arriving at the planet aboard the small, stealthy UNSC Frigate Endless Horizon, your mission is to defeat the Covenant, discover the mysteries behind this new world, and give humanity their hope back. Welcome to Lumoria.
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.


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text:
The Los Angeles Dodgers entered play on Sunday September 30, 1962 — the last day of the regular season — with a one game lead over the San Francisco Giants. The Dodgers could win the National League pennant by beating the St. Louis Cardinals in Los Angeles. And even if the Dodgers lost, the Giants would still need to beat the Houston Colt 45s in San Francisco to force a playoff.
The Dodgers' starter for this vital game was Johhny Podres, no stranger to big games. Seven years earlier, Podres had shut out the New York Yankees in the seventh game of the World Series to bring the then-Brooklyn Dodgers their first championship. Now, on his 30th birthday, the veteran left-hander would try to bring the Los Angeles Dodgers a pennant.
St. Louis countered with an even more venerable left-hander, Curt Simmons. The 33 year-old's big league career dated back to 1947, and he had been a mainstay of the Philadelphia Phillies "Wiz Kids" who played in the 1950 World Series.
Meanwhile, the Giants were relying on yet another lefty, Billy O'Dell, who would be seeking his 20th win of the season. His opposite number, Dick "Turk" Farrell, would be seeking to avoid his 20th loss. But, Farrell's ERA was an excellent 3.04, lower than those of O'Dell, Podres, and Simmons. And in his most recent start, Farrell had beaten the Dodgers 3-2 in 10 innings.
On this day, all four starting pitchers dominated, and both games were tied through seven innings. In LA, the score was 0-0, in San Francisco it was 1-1.
The Cardinals finally broke through against Podres in the top of the 8th on a solo home run by catcher Gene Oliver. And in the bottom of the 8th in San Francisco, Willie Mays smashed a lead off home run to give the Giants a 2-1 lead. If these narrow margins held, a playoff would be required. The Dodgers, though, had two shots left against St. Louis. Houston had only the top of the ninth in which to erase their deficit at Candlestick Park.
Stu Miller had replaced O'Dell, and he made short work of the Colt 45s in the ninth. The Dodgers were equally futile against Simmons who retired them in order in both the 8th and 9th innings.
So after 162 games, the Dodgers and the Giants had identical, excellent records of 101-61. But the Dodgers had lost 10 of their last 13 games, a collapse of near historic proportions, though one that's almost never mentioned when such collapses (Philadelphia in 1964, Boston in 1978, etc.) come up.
To be fair, the Dodgers lacked the services of the great Sandy Koufax for more than two months. When Koufax went on the disabled list in mid-July, his record was 14-5 with a 2.15 ERA. When he returned in late September, he was ineffective.
But responsiblity for the three-game sweep at the hands of the Cardinals rested with the Dodger hitters. In three games, they managed only 2 runs on 16 hits. And St. Louis pitching held LA scoreless for the final 21 innings of the series.
Now the Dodgers would need to regroup against the Giants in a best of three games series beginning in San Francisco the very next day.


text:
Not to brag, but Massachusetts was made for family fun. We have six zoos and three aquariums. We have hundreds of charming farms, where you can pick strawberries, peaches, or apples, and pet goats, ponies, or sheep. We have a pirate museum, a witch museum, and an Animagic museum. For fresh air family fun, we have the best beaches for sandcastle building, the best places to pitch a tent, and the best places to learn how to ski. For rainy days, we have an indoor trampoline park, an indoor water park, and one of the best children's museums in the country. We have the Basketball Hall of Fame, Volleyball Hall of Fame, and one of the most famous and beloved ballparks in the world. We have swan boats, duck tours, whale watches and dinosaur tracks. Quite simply, we have everything fun for kids of any and all ages. Okay, maybe that was a little bit of bragging.
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Travel Information, Advice and Ideas for LGBTQ Parents
Jiminy Peak, Hancock
Codzilla, Boston
Sleigh Ride, Charlton
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Barnes Air Show, Westfield
Boston Tea Party Museum, Boston
Gateway Players Theatre
Gateway Players Theatre, Inc. is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the support and encouragement of the arts and the... more+ 0 saves
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text:
Spreading Hiv/Aids: Inconvenient Diabolical Truths
Mendès France wonders how one could ever sort out those Black Hiv/Aids sufferers who might have been intentionally infected by Dr. Wouter Basson and his cohorts in South Africa from those who have incurred Hiv/Aids unintentionally.
[Comment: On The Spread of Hiv/Aids]
During the 5th International Aids Society Conference on Hiv Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention recently, in Cape Town, South Africa, researchers and physicians talked about the state of the research on Hiv/Aids origin, the existing and prospective therapies as well as efficient preventive methods.
Africa South of the Sahara has very high numbers of Hiv/Aids sufferers. Yet, those who attended the important gathering might want to mull over credible evidence pointing out that criminal mass contamination of Black communities might have played a role in the spread of the disease.
In "Dr La Mort: Enquête sur un bioterrorisme d´Etat en Afrique du Sud," (in English: " Dr. Death: Enquiry Into A State-sponsored Bioterrorism In South Africa"), the Frenchman Tristan Mendès France argues that the "Project Coast," a biological and chemical warfare program set up in the early 1980s in South Africa by the then Apartheid officials had diabolical objectives.
Ground zero was the Roodeplaat Research Laboratories (RRL) near Pretoria, South Africa, supervised and managed by Dr. Wouter Basson; it was designed to "develop" biological and chemical agents and products that would be used to massively sterilize Black women and men; kill them without leaving any trace; and, faking a natural death in the process, or simply infecting them with lethal biological and chemical agents and diseases such as pestilence, anthrax, cholera, Ebola virus, Hiv/Aids among others.
Mendès France wonders how one could ever sort out those Black Hiv/Aids sufferers who might have been intentionally infected by Dr. Wouter Basson and his cohorts from those who have incurred Hiv/Aids unintentionally. This is to imply that the alleged high prevalence of Hiv/Aids among people of color can also be put down to designed infection, inasmuch as may people in South Africa assume that Hiv/Aids was spread on purpose among Black communities in order to cut a swathe through those communities.
Oddly enough, although the sexual behavior of Africans isn't that different from that of other peoples, the UN reported in 2005 that 26.2 millions Hiv/Aids patients out of 40.3 millions globally were from Africa. The same report suggests that there're 3.25 millions new infections yearly out of 5.1 millions around the world. 2.45 millions Africans die of Aids each year out of 3.1 millions world-wide. It's today commonly surmised that two-thirds of Hiv/Aids sufferers live in Africa South of the Sahara, with scores of Hiv/Aids patients kicking the bucket on a daily basis in South Africa.
Moreover, according to the World Health Organization circumcision lowers the risk to incur Hiv/Aids. We know that many people in Black Africa set a high premium on circumcision, unlike some non-African peoples. Recall "The Last Plague" by the Kenyan writer Meja Mwangi.
The Frenchman Mendès France reports in his book that Dr. Wouter Basson used to travel up to 10 times a year to America and Europe, and thus got in touch with what Dr. Death himself dubbed: "The mafia of chemical weapons." The French author states that the anthrax mail and attacks in the U.S. shortly after September 11, 2001, would have "Proceeded from the leftovers from the 'Project Coast' that vanished into thin air and/or into the nature."
He wraps up the book with the remark: "As I am firming up this book, nobody knows already what the 'Project Coast' has become, nor whether Wouter Basson will one day be prosecuted for his criminal activities within the framework of the 'Project Coast'."
Tristan Mendès France told me recently that he might update his book before it could be translated into English and German.
Black Star News columnist Mathias Victorien Ntep is a PhD researcher at the Goethe – University of Frankfurt, Germany, and at the Leiden University of Leiden, Netherlands.
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I think you have "Filtered HTML" turned on here. If you switch to "Full HTML," it will probably...
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text:
West of the Prefecture of Kavala, on the mountain of Paggaio, we meet towering chestnut, oak and beech trees. On this route you will also find the mountain lodges of Kallithea, Petalouda or Vlachika Kalyvia and Chatzigeorgiou. The Ski Center of Mount Paggaio (tel. 2510 835952) with its comfortable ski slope is located at an altitude of 1956 m. The Forest Village at Kastanies, where rooms and restaurants are available for the visitors, can be found at a lower altitude. The mountains of Lekani are located in the northern part of the Prefecture.
Visitgreece.gr is the official tourism web site for Greece, run by the Greek National Tourism Organisation, where you'll find information on the main tourist destinations, such as cities, beaches, as well as activities, events and much more!
All content included on this site consists intellectual property of GNTO and you are not allowed to reproduce the whole or part of this work in any way.
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text:
|Join hundreds of InfoSec professionals at our upcoming
[Global AppSec Amsterdam, September 23-27]
Testing Guide Quotes
From OWASP
Up to Testing Guide Project
Here we want to collect all the special 'quotes' for the Testing Guide.
- The new SANS Top 20 document cites the OWASP Testing Guide regarding "C1. Web Applications" section:
"Congratulations on version 2 of the OWASP Testing Guide! It is an impressive and informative document that will greatly benefit the software development community".
Joe Jarzombek, the Deputy Director for Software Assurance at Department of Homeland Security
"You guys did a pretty good job and I will recommend this guide to anyone who is looking for learning about Web Application Security."
Petko D. Petkov (PdP Architect)
Gary McGraw Podcast: http://www.owasp.org/index.php/Podcast_5


text:
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The continued scaling of silicon fabrication technology has led to significant reliability concerns which are quickly becoming a dominant design challenge. Design integrity is threatened by complexity challenges in the form of immense designs defying complete verification, and physical challenges such as silicon aging and soft errors which impair correct system operation. ACAL researchers are addressing these key challenges through synergistic research vectors which range from near-term reliability stress reduction techniques to improve the quality of today's silicon to longer-term technologies to detect, recover, and repair faulty systems. ACAL researchers are also working on in-situ detection of device wearout to enable adaptive reliability management. These efforts are supported and complemented by an active reliability modeling research effort and a strong focus on functional verification methodologies. The overarching goal is to provide highly effective and low-cost solutions to ensure both correctness and reliability in future designs, thereby extending the lifetime of silicon fabrication technologies.
CSE FacultyAustin, Todd
Bertacco, Valeria
Hayes, John P.
Mahlke, Scott
Mudge, Trevor
Narayanasamy, Satish


text:
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – A big first half propelled Smith College to a 61-36 victory over MIT in a NEWMAC women's basketball game on Saturday afternoon. Freshman Mari Kordell (Ijamsville, Md.) led the Engineers (8-8, 4-6 NEWMAC) with 10 points to go along with two assists and one steal. Senior Ellie Giles (Charlottesville, Va.) tallied 10 points, eight rebounds, four steals, two assists, and two blocks for the Pioneers (12-4, 7-3 NEWMAC).
A pair of free throws by sophomore Rosa Drummond (Rye, N.H.) opened the scoring for Smith as a basket by junior Devon Quattrocchi (Brewster, N.Y.) quickly increased the visitors' lead after three minutes expired. A three-pointer from Kordell put MIT on the board at the 16:09 mark, but the Pioneers responded with a 21-4 run during the next eight minutes resulting in a 25-7 advantage. An eight-point effort by Giles fueled the game-changing stretch for Smith.
The Engineers countered with a 10-3 spurt which trimmed their deficit to 11 (28-17) with 4:04 left in the half. The Pioneers then rattled off 12 straight points, six courtesy of junior Brittany Purington (Weare, N.H.). Junior Lauren Sascha Burton (Seattle, Wash.) sank a layup in the final seconds to make the score, 40-19, in favor of Smith at the intermission.
Both sides traded baskets for most of the second half until the Pioneers put together a 10-2 run that increased their margin to 61-32 with 2:23 left to play. MIT continued to attack as freshman Alexxis Isaac (San Antonio, Texas) drained a layup and was sent to the charity stripe with 47 seconds to go. Although her free throw was off the mark, she snatched the rebound and sank the put-back for the final points of the game.
Burton totaled eight rebounds and three steals while sophomore Tamara Pena (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) registered eight points, five boards, and four steals for the Cardinal and Gray. Isaac finished with seven rebounds, six points, and two blocks as sophomore Rachel Hunt (Arlington Heights, Ill.) posted seven boards, six points, and a block. Senior Liz Burton (Fountain, Colo.) bolstered the rebounding corps with four caroms.
Drummond and freshman Alyssa Barrett (Berlin, Conn.) both notched nine points as Drummond grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. Junior Amanda Zakoske (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Purington both had eight points while Quattrocchi compiled seven points and three assists. Freshman Maddie Page (Arvada, Colo.) added six points and five rebounds as junior Lizzy BelBruno (Hanover, N.H.) snatched three steals.
Both teams continue NEWMAC play on the road on Wednesday, Jan. 25. MIT will visit Wellesley College while Smith will travel to Mount Holyoke College.


text:
The information Techology
and Services Department has subdivisions within itself to help better
serve the needs of it's customers: student body, faculty and staff.
To better assist in understanding how we may assist you, the links
to the right give an overview.
Areas of IT
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text: I thought that the beeb decided to renegotiate what was a six year deal 2 years in to cut costs. When they started to renegotiate they always knew that they would lose some of the broadcast rights. Much as I don't like the decision (closing down BBC3 would have been a far better decision), or sky's rampant sports rights aquisitions, it was the beeb's fault this time, not evil Bernie or sky.


text:
OTTAWA - The Harper government called in the RCMP to investigate a politically embarrassing story involving the decision to sole-source the purchase of the F-35 stealth fighter, claiming it was a breach of national security, The Canadian Press has learned.
The Mounties conducted a five-month review into an alleged leak of cabinet documents under the Security of Information Act, recently used to charge a naval intelligence officer in an apparent spy case.
Records obtained under the Access to Information Act show investigators had doubts almost from the outset in July 2010 that any laws were broken in the Globe and Mail story.
The story revealed angst within government about possible alienation from Washington if a competition was held to replace the air force's CF-18s.
Still, the review pressed ahead and drew in one of the RCMP's four Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams, whose job it is to chase terrorism threats.
It was shut down in December 2010 for lack of evidence.
The case file shows the complaint was laid by Wayne Wouters, clerk of the Privy Council, the country's highest-ranking civil servant and adviser to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, shortly after the article appeared on June 11, 2010.
The story by reporter Daniel Leblanc ran a month before the Harper government formally announced it had selected the Lockheed Martin-built F-35 in a glitzy photo-op that included a mock-up of the radar-evading jet.
The first RCMP member to review the allegation on July 8 was mystified as to what the issue might be.
"By reading the article, it is unclear how the info, interferes with the development of weapons or jeopardizes the safety of Canada," said the summary file, which rated the preliminary investigation as a medium priority.
"It is an analytical fact that Canada and the USA are allies in several aspects. International competition may hinder Can-US relationships if Canada decides to turn down US offer, and the Globe and Mail article has not shed new lights on these facts or revealed secrets."
Doubts about the substance of the complaint lingered until the file was closed, the records show.
The prime minister's communications director defended the decision to ask for an investigation.
"The RCMP was asked to look into a possible unauthorized disclosure of classified information as has been done from time to time," said Andrew MacDougall in an email.
A spokesman for the RCMP, Cpl. David Falls, said the force has a mandate to "investigate the unauthorized disclosure, mishandling or communication of classified information," but declined to comment on the specifics of the Globe and Mail investigation, referring questions to the Privy Council Office.
The case file reveals investigators recommended on Sept. 2, 2010, the review be shut down. The complaint could be "concluded as it does not constitute a breach of secret or protected documents."
Yet it was kept alive by senior officers, who insisted National Defence be consulted, especially in light of reports that summer that computers at the 1st Canadian Air Division headquarters had been hacked.
As it turned out, the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service was already looking into the issue, but as part of the wider damage assessment of the massive leak of U.S. documents to the whistle-blowing website Wikileaks.
Military police said they had "no way of knowing what cabinet document was released" and later concluded that the Globe and Mail story did not constitute a breach, according to records and defence sources.
The RCMP closed its file in November 2010, but was forced to "re-activate" the case and "investigate further" because it was noted no one had talked to Wouters.
The file "should not have been concluded at this time before the complainant was met and had a chance to explain why he thinks there was a leak of 'secret cabinet documents,'" said a Dec. 22, 2010, notation.
The investigator apparently tried to contact Wouters, seeking clarification and was rebuked by the National Security Criminal Operations Branch, which noted the complaint had been filed by letter through the commissioner's office.
It took Mounties in charge of the case two-and-a-half months to get their hands on an actual copy the letter, which had been "kept at the commissioner's office."
In finally shutting down the probe, the Mounties said "since the information was available on open source, it was decided that no further investigation was needed."
Wesley Wark, an expert in security and intelligence at the University of Ottawa, said he was concerned by the revelations in the file. He described the probe as a misuse of not only the RCMP, but of the security legislation, one of the most serious laws on the book.
"This has the whiff, well more than a whiff, of a politically inspired move," said Wark.
"The complaint was coming from an odd place, an admittedly senior place within the government. The fact the clerk would ask the commissioner to do this is in of itself very unusual."
He said it would not have been so unusual had the request for an investigation come from either the deputy ministers at Defence or Foreign Affairs — departments that would have had a more direct say whether the story contained classified information.
But even in those cases, Wark said, departments have their own security officers who track media leaks and those rarely amount to criminal investigations.
He said it is also unusual in that the government would have known that media leak provisions of the legislation were struck down a few years ago in the aftermath of the case where Ottawa Citizen reporter Juliet O'Neill's home was raided following stories she wrote about the Maher Arar affair.
"There are a number of things at work here that are troubling, quite apart from what appears to be the silliness of the exercise in the first place and the waste of resources," said Wark.
"Even if they had a strong case, prudence would suggest this is not the kind of thing you would want to pursue. The Security of Information Act doesn't exist to be used for politically inspired chill."
Also on HuffPost


text:
Gibson not declaring closer, at least not yet
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- When the D-backs acquired Addison Reed from the White Sox in December, it was widely assumed that he would be the team's closer.
The D-backs, though, said there would be a competition for the role this spring between Reed and J.J. Putz.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- When the D-backs acquired Addison Reed from the White Sox in December, it was widely assumed that he would be the team's closer.
The D-backs, though, said there would be a competition for the role this spring between Reed and J.J. Putz.
Whether Putz has since done enough to change the equation is not clear.
"We really haven't discussed that part of it," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said when asked about the closer completion before Thursday's game. "The usual guys that we were talking about in the beginning are all in play. I don't know that we've exactly talked about what's going to happen against the Dodgers at this point."
Given players with track records like Reed's and Putz's, teams will seldom put much stock in Spring Training statistics. Rather, most important is how the team feels the players are throwing and what their stuff looks like.
Putz has allowed one run in three innings spread over three appearances.
Initially slated to throw in a game Monday, Putz instead threw a light side session in order to work on a little mechanical issue.
On Tuesday, he allowed a run on two hits to the Padres in Peoria, but he was able to keep the ball on the ground, which bodes well for his chances.
"The other day he gave up some hits, but he got four ground balls," Gibson said. "We're just trying to get him to spot his fastball, start to throw off his fastball more. He gets ahead in the count, his split becomes more effective. He made some mechanical adjustments, and it seemed like overall he executed pretty well."
Putz worked a scoreless inning Thursday, though he did hit a batter and allow a hit and a walk.
"It's still a work in progress," Putz said of his mechanical adjustment. "It's been coming along. I think I'm going in the right direction."
Reed, meanwhile, has allowed one run on four hits in three innings spread over three appearances. He is next scheduled to pitch Friday against the A's.
"He's thrown the ball well," Gibson said.
Reed was unhappy with himself Tuesday when he walked the leadoff batter of his inning against the Padres.
The runner eventually came around to score on a looping single to right.
"I've felt good," Reed said. "There's definitely things I know I could work on. Health-wise, body feels great, arm feels awesome, but obviously there are some pitches I've thrown in different situations that I wasn't too pleased with. Fastball location I feel has been decent. I missed up a couple times and given up a couple of hits on high fastballs. Offspeed pitches -- still getting a feel for it. It's still early in spring, but I know it will come. I kind of feel like where I'm at right now is where I expected to be, so I think everything is going as planned."
What Gibson has planned for the closer's role remains to be seen.
Steve Gilbert is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveGilbertMLB.


text:
17 February 2012
Free For All Friday No 170
So let discussion commence... and have a great weekend.
26 comments:
Good morning,ReplyDelete
I was wondering whether any of you have got experiences with the Filofax France customer service. I bought a Holborn Zip there and the rings don't close all the way (seems to be a Holborn Zip characteristic :(). I sent Filofax France a message 3 days after it arrived (2 weeks ago). I only heard back from them last Friday telling me they'd see what they could do and would get back to me this week.
Still no answer... I sent them another email yesterday asking for updates, but I kinda got the feeling they are trying to ignore this.
Do you know whether there is anywhere else I could contact? Like some international head office I could write to?
I'm a bit disappointed, especially since the Holborn wasn't exactly cheap and I've made great experiences with Filofax Italia over a <20€ item.
Any tips are more than welcome!
Since you live in Germany, send Filofax.de an email! There was someone at Filomaniac who got a Filofax replaced that had been bought in the UK.ReplyDelete
Nosing on eBay, I came across this!ReplyDelete
I'm not sure how many inserts you'd be able to fit with the hip flask inside though...
@ Anita - Wow! That would perk up a few meetings wouldn't it!ReplyDelete
We shared that link on Twitter the other night, I commented that it wouldn't hold enough wine for my liking!ReplyDelete
'This is my drinking Filofax' complete with pub crawl maps, the good pub guide insert, inserts for recording the details and your own reviews of pubs, beers, pub food etc. Oh and emergency instructions sheet... If this person is found asleep in the train sidings at 4AM do not disturb until morning and please drop him off at Tonbridge Station..
Has anyone made their own weather charts for their Filofax they could share? I would love to record the weather occassionally, but a) I am useless at drawing and b)Don't really want my Filofax diary pages to look like a kindergarten wall chart!! Any ideas?? So wish Filofax did small discrete weather stickers too!! Mail me at firstname.lastname@example.com, if you have a weather attachment to share. I'd be so grateful.ReplyDelete
How about using a month to a page diary/calendar so record the weather for each day in just that section?
Butanben and Steve. You've got me thinking now! The horizontal year planner would also work very well for this.ReplyDelete
@Lynne Dove:
This is the beach of OLUDENIZ, isn´t it?
Thanks for your ideas about weather charts. I think it would be an interesting addition to my Filofax, and interesting to compare the weather trends year on year.ReplyDelete
Hi Jenny, yes it is and that is my foot!ReplyDelete
Not that I read the Mail, but this came up during a search...ReplyDelete
Absolutely beautiful.
- Anonymous17 February, 2012 11:04
@Butanben- don't worry about looking like a kindergartner- it's YOUR planner! I can't draw to save my life, but I still put a little weather doodle with the temperature on every daily page.ReplyDelete
I'd thought about putting them elsewhere in my binder, but I find I really like being able to look at what I had done that day AND what the weather was like in the same page. That way, I can laugh at myself if I was camping in a thunderstorm or wonder what I was thinking when I went running when the weather was below freezing!
I am coming to the conclusion that Letts Filofax aren't really interested in interacting with their customers. We've had quite a lack of response to numerous issues and suggestions raised on Philofaxy. So, I thought I would try posting a question directly onto the Filofax Facebook page with the hope of reporting back here.ReplyDelete
They left it there for a few days and then just quietly deleted it.
Is my question so unreasonable...?
"Is it true that there's to be some slim A5 binders coming? Let's hope so! Many of us now keep most of our data (appointments, contacts etc.) on our phones and laptops so there's less need to carry unnecessary paper around. Smaller rings are needed!
A5 is a great size for making notes, sketching etc. but traditional A5 binders are too heavy and bulky to lug around. Also, A5 is the best size for printing documents (certainly in UK/Europe). Most documents come in A4. Simply reduce to A5 (two pages on an A4 sheet) cut, punch and insert into your Filofax. Much easier than trying to reduce on a printer to other paper sizes. Thinner binders may be said to look sleeker (no, not the gusseted Adelphi!) and big fat binder rings are awful for left-handers to write around!
So - an A5 slim binder with Filofax Time Management pages please. Now that would be a great business tool!"
I can't see anything in their terms and conditions that would prevent you from asking such a question:
This is the official Filofax Fan Page and we encourage you to leave comments, photos, videos and links on this page. However, we will review any content which is posted and will remove any that are deemed inappropriate or offensive. Filofax will leave the content that you share which relates to the subjects covered on this Fan page. Please understand that any comments posted to this page do not represent the opinions of the Letts Filofax Group.
The Filofax Facebook page is intended to provide a place for fans of Filofax ('Users') to discuss Filofax products, activities and promotions. All comments, visuals, videos and other type of materials posted by Users on this site ("User Content") do not necessarily reflect the opinions or ideals of the Letts Filofax Group, its employees or affiliates. Letts Filofax Group (a) does not represent or warrant the accuracy of any statement or product claims made here, (b) is not responsible for any User Content on this site, and (c) does not endorse any opinions expressed on this fan page.
By becoming a fan of the official Filofax Fan Page, you are agreeing to comply with Facebook's Terms of use Facebook Terms. Letts Filofax Group reserves the right to remove any User Content which is in breach of the Filofax Facebook Guidelines.
Ask it again and host of us will join in...
Duly done! Thanks for your support Steve.ReplyDelete
Can someone please direct me to the right facebook page please? I would like to support the conversation as well.ReplyDelete
I am not new to filofax, but I have had some bummer luck with them. I have had 4 binders and only one of them had rings that weren't broken. The customer service has been hit or miss with it. I really want to love them (filofax) completely but with the rings breaking it doesn't give me much to go on. ( just fyi I had 2 pocket maldens, and 2 finsburys.) I am still on the quest for one I like and that works for me. I also don't like the rigidness of most of them.
It's here: https://www.facebook.com/filofax
- Anonymous17 February, 2012 16:12
Hi Guys!ReplyDelete
I'm a long time lurker and lover of Filofax... I just wondered if any one owns the Finchley and the Osterley in A5 and which one would they recommend?
It's time to replace my Domino and I'm willing to splurge if the Osterley really is that amazing!
I'm not a fan of really stiff Filo's. I have a Malden and I know neither of them are as soft as that.
Is the the Plum colour of the Osterley more purple or red? I can't tell too much from the pictures I've seen.
Sorry for the rambling!
I have two A5 Finchleys (in red and in green) and they are lovely.
The Finchley doesn't have a stiff cover at all and I find it has a good interior layout (lots of card slots and a zipped pocket on the LHS and a mesh pocket which can hold a notepad on the RHS). I haven't seen the Osterley in real life so I can't comment on it, but I love my two Finchleys!
thank you for the "it´s YOUR Planner". it was absolutely neccessary to be aware of that again. i love to "pimp" my filofax with coloured selfmade registers, washi tape, quotes and even svarowski-styled-stickers...... sometimes i feel embarrased for all these girly things in my also professional and serious filofax infront of others. but why should i?!!! it´s mine, and even if i look like a kindergartner..... i love the stickers and all the colours. they make me smile and happy. so i really shouldn´t care about what others might think....
i totally agree with amanda. the finchley is such a great one. i own one in personal size and even if i´m not using it, i really can´t sell it because i´m so into this leather!!!! the look, the haptic and this smell!! this smell....
you really should went to a store and "meet it in person".
the osterley is also beautiful and i totally understand your lust for the plum :) But the things I don´t like: the way the inside Pockets are arranged, the copper coloured button, which is in MY opinion not ok for the plum one (it definately is for the new orange one!!! WOW!!!) and i also didn´t like the top and bottom positions of the pen holders.
if you´re able to see them in person, you should really touch them to find out which one you prefer :)
i hope it helped ;)
- Anonymous18 February, 2012 03:53
Thanks Amanda and Nina...ReplyDelete
I'll try and see them in person but I don't think there's anywhere round here that stocks those models.
You've both pretty much sold me on the Finchley anyway! xx
@Tim, I e-mailed Filofax UK recently to ask if they were planning to offer print-on-demand and got an answer ("no but thanks" etc) back 5 days later. I think posting stuff and hoping they'll see it, and then that the person who has the answers will reply, is probably a bit of a crapshoot, so why not mail them directly for a start?ReplyDelete
@Shanananana - You're probably right! I think it's very sad though that Letts Filofax have got a big, loyal fan club here, but seem to think it's beneath them to respond to questions or suggestions - either regularly on Philofaxy or on their own pages. I run a small business and am always delighted when folk take the time to comment on our Facebook page - good or bad! Filofax seem to regard their wall as purely for them telling us how wonderful they are. I'm not so sure that makes for good customer relations. Whilst they seem to respond well to individual faulty items, there are a lot of range (especially inserts) and quality (eg: ring mechanism) issues about which they should be listening.ReplyDelete
Thanks to everyone who supported my question or emailed me directly. We DO now know (thanks to Steve) that compact (20mm) A5 binders are coming soon. Let's hope they fit the bill!
@Tim and indeed in general, I think to get their attention you/we'd need an organised campaign, let's face it every company has dreamers who phone/write in with their ideal product.ReplyDelete
Unless Filofax pays people to actually sit and read blogs - which carries all sorts of legal potential problems in itself, in terms of creative copyrights and so on - how are they to know the numbers who want this?
Maybe I just have an overly direct communication style or something, but I think if no-one hears the hints, it's time to just up and ask, they have phone numbers, e-mail and even snail mail addresses, and it's only fair to complain (NOT saying you're doing that!) AFTER you've actually asked them up front.
JMO. ;o)
Actually many of us have contacted them directly via Twitter, Facebook and email. Sometimes we get replies, sometimes we don't.ReplyDelete


text:
Queer Threads: Crafting Identity and Community at the Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art
Queer Threads: Crafting Identity and Community, currently on view at the Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art, confirms how productive a dialogue between queer theory and critical craft theory can be. The twenty-four participating artists in the exhibition interpret and complicate the rich histories of these theoretical frameworks in a variety of ways. The resulting conversation illuminates certain commonalities between the two fields,[…..]


text:
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
an arctic bento?
He has carrots with ranch dip in the polar bear cup (ha), strawberry cereal bar, arctic fish and strawberries.
Next he wanted to pick out the paper for the picture. I didn't notice until I uploaded it that it was robot paper. Arctic robots I'll assume. Of course.
5 comments:
- Susan B. said... [Reply to comment]
super cute! He did a great job!! and I noticed the background paper right away - I love it. :)
Being in Alaska, I can say, I have not seen dolphins here, although we have many species of whale, and may in fact have dolphins too. (your post did cause me to take a break and do a little internet search about them though). one site I found said dolphins live in all the oceans. I'm not as far north as the Arctic (though most people might consider all of Alaska "Arctic") :) We do have polar bears up north, but penguins are antarctic only. they don't naturally live in north america.
- March 10, 2010 at 6:43 PM
- Jen said... [Reply to comment]
You have such great ideas, browsing your blog is such a treat! I'm thinking about trying to do this for my kiddos...I think they'd love it! I'd love to know where you found those cute little animal cups you use. :)
- March 10, 2010 at 6:44 PM
- Jenn @ BentoForKidlet said... [Reply to comment]
It's a special arctic dolphin of course!! :D Very nice lunch!
- March 10, 2010 at 7:27 PM
- Mariah said... [Reply to comment]
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- March 11, 2010 at 8:53 PM
- Mariah said... [Reply to comment]
super cute! This post made me laugh ^_^ ...arctic robots lol ;P
- March 12, 2010 at 8:26 PM


text:
Mather aims to 'provide resources' for Mariners to win
SEATTLE -- Kevin Mather admits he isn't a "baseball guy" and won't be telling Jack Zduriencik how to run the Mariners' baseball operations, but as the new club president, he definitely knows the importance of helping the franchise do what every fan wants to hear.
"Obviously we need to win more games," Mather said Friday in his first meeting with reporters after being named to his new position. "Take care of your fans, take care of the community, be a good community asset. But win more games and everything else happens a lot sooner."
SEATTLE -- Kevin Mather admits he isn't a "baseball guy" and won't be telling Jack Zduriencik how to run the Mariners' baseball operations, but as the new club president, he definitely knows the importance of helping the franchise do what every fan wants to hear.
"Obviously we need to win more games," Mather said Friday in his first meeting with reporters after being named to his new position. "Take care of your fans, take care of the community, be a good community asset. But win more games and everything else happens a lot sooner."
Mather won't officially replace the retiring Chuck Armstrong until Feb. 1, but he already met with Zduriencik on Friday morning, and his first questions concerned what the baseball side needed to put a better team on the field.
"I think the president's role is to provide resources," Mather said. "Coordinate the business side and the baseball side and provide resources. Whether it's a Dominican [Republic] academy or a Draft signing or a new pitching coach in Tacoma or a free agent on the market, we have to provide the resources."
Much of that, particularly on the Major League roster, requires money, of course. Mather has been the executive vice president of finance for the Mariners for the past 18 years, which means overseeing accounting, ticket sales, retail sales and ballpark operations. But that doesn't mean he's reluctant to spend, as many fans fear.
Instead, Mather talked of the ownership group being fans themselves, and said it's not hard right now to convince them to pursue talented players, as evidenced by the $240 million signing of Robinson Cano this offseason.
"There are different opinions in the room," Mather said of the board of directors. "But as a group, it's an easy sell. You just have to show them a plan. It's an easy sell, because we've been losing and these guys are tired of it."
In the short term, Mather said there is still some financial flexibility for a team whose payroll currently sits at about $85 million with less than three weeks before Spring Training opens.
"I asked Jack, 'Where are we? Where are your holes? What were your priorities this offseason? Is there still value out there?" Mather said. "The answer to that question [about still having money] is yes, but he said, 'I just want the flexibility to have conversations.' I told him I'm working on that and he does have that.
"Our ownership group pays for their own tickets. They are fans. And they never say no to a capital call or budget adjustment or a move. We'll be having those conversations over the next several years, particularly if there's value, because we are close."
Mather said he feels the club needs "a three-year rolling, working plan" when it comes to payroll and player acquisition.
"Historically, it's been, 'Here's your payroll for next year,'" he said. "But free agents don't sign one-year deals, unless they're desperate. Free agents sign three-, four-, five-, or in Cano's case, 10-year deals. We need to have a longer-term vision. That's where I think I can add value. If we have a hole that needs filling, it's no fun losing. Let's fill the hole and we'll find the resources. And our ownership group has been historically very good about that."
Mather grew up playing hockey in the Midwest and briefly at the University of Wisconsin before realizing his future was in finance, not sports. But he found a way to satisfy both when he went to work for the Twins 25 years ago, and he is now well-entrenched in the baseball world.
Mather will be expanding his role now with the Mariners, but he appears ready and comfortable with that, and he said he'll be at FanFest both days this weekend at Safeco Field to talk with people and answer questions.
"I want to interact with the fans," he said. "Gametime for Chuck, he kind of got reclusive. He had his suite and watched the game, kept score, banged the table, picked up the phone. And I'm sure I'll do that. But I'll be out. I'm going to wander. I'm going to talk to our fans. I want to respond to what they say. You can't respond to everything, but if we win, the rest of it gets a lot easier."
The only thing Mather feels badly about is replacing Armstrong before the long-tenured president had a chance to see things turn around on the field. He said no one will replace Armstrong's energy and "go-go-go" spirit. And Mather does believe the Mariners are already close to turning the corner after missing the playoffs for 12 straight years.
"I feel bad for the timing, because in 2003-04, we started losing and we tried to rebuild, but stay competitive. And that was a mistake," Mather said. "Because we made bad personnel decisions, we traded prospects, we signed veterans."
Mather feels Zduriencik has made important strides in building up the farm system through successful Drafts and international signings. The key, he believes, is now seeing some of the key youngsters like Taijuan Walker, James Paxton, Dustin Ackley, Michael Saunders, Mike Zunino, Justin Smoak and others come together with key new additions like Cano.
"I'm kind of stepping into an opportunity," Mather said. "We think we're really close. If these guys are above-average Major League players -- and it's taken a year or two longer than we thought -- but if they're above-average players like we think they are, we're going to have a long run of very good baseball teams. And we need to win more baseball games."
Greg Johns is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregJohnsMLB as well as his Mariners Musings blog.


text:
Transported beyond the seas: a comprehensive examination of convict transportation records
Most family historians examine only the convict indents published in the Archives Kit to find details of their ancestors' trial and transportation. As Editor of the CD-ROM Convicts to NSW 1787 to 1812 and General Editor of the Biographical Database of Australia, Carol Baxter spent months sourcing and processing convict transportation records. This seminar provides an exhaustive examination of the different types of convict transportation records (both well-known and obscure), their purpose, contents and location.
– 45/60 minutes – Powerpoint presentation
- Location:
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text:
Release Date: August 15, 2013
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Hard-living poet Charles Bukowski, once described by Time magazine as the "laureate of American lowlife," is known for writing about alcohol, turbulent relationships and the slums of Los Angeles.
Yet Bukowski, born 93 years ago (Aug. 16, 1920) Friday, didn't look much like an anti-hero during high school.
Photos from a classmate's yearbook on display at the University at Buffalo's prized Poetry Collection show him clean-shaven, wearing a jacket and tie, and, perhaps more surprising, as an ROTC sergeant. The man who would be portrayed on film by Mickey Rourke and Matt Dillon professed a fondness for fishing and noted his plan to attend Los Angeles City College.
The yearbook is among a stash of Bukowski-related items in the Ross Runfola Charles Bukowski Collection at UB. Runfola, a lawyer, professor, writer and poet in Buffalo, donated the materials to UB. The collection includes limited editions of books, handwritten notes, original artwork and other items from and concerning Bukowski.
Biographies portray Bukowski, whose novels include "Post Office," and "Factotum," as an unhappy student who felt out of place at Los Angeles High School. According to his semi-autobiographical novel "Ham on Rye," Bukowski said ROTC "was for the misfits. Like I said, it was either that or gym. I would have taken gym but I didn't want people to see the boils on my back. There was something wrong with everybody enrolled in R.O.T.C. It almost entirely consisted of guys who didn't like sports or guys whose parents forced them to take R.O.T.C. because they thought it was patriotic."
The Bukowski collection and other items at UB - including one of the world's foremost collections of James Joyce materials, significant collections on Robert Frost, Dylan Thomas, William Carlos Williams, Robert Duncan and other poets and writers - are on display weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 420 Capen Hall at UB's North Campus.
For more information about the Poetry Collection of the University Libraries, visit www.library.buffalo.edu/pl/ or call 716-645-2917
Cory Nealon
Director of News Content
Engineering, Computer Science
Tel: 716-645-4614
Twitter: @UBengineering


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Higher taxes on super rich to affect sentiment: Assocham
The government should focus more on high growth as the higher levy on super rich could affect the investors' sentiment, a survey has said.
"The focus and public debate should shift from 'more tax on super rich' to 'super growth'," Assocham said in a survey.
To reduce fiscal deficit and economic inequalities, majority of the companies surveyed by the chamber said the government's emphasis should be on better tax administration, reduction in non-plan public expenditure and improvement in quality of governance.
"The industry expects Finance Minister P Chidambaram to give a growth-oriented Budget which would promote investment and revival of the economic sentiment," Assocham President Rajkumar Dhoot said.
The chamber claimed it has surveyed about 85 CEOs and senior executives across different sectors including finance, manufacturing, IT and ITeS in various cities.
The survey stated that as many as 61 per cent of the respondents said that, if in case, the higher taxes on super rich are levied, it will affect the business sentiment of companies since it would act as a disincentive on wealth and value creation.
However, remaining companies felt that they can live with the tax on rich as long as it is a short-term levy in the form of a surcharge for one or two years at the most, it said.
The chamber said profit-making and wealth creation are essential attributes of a business enterprise.
"We need not stifle these attributes just because the economy is facing bad times. There are several other ways to return to the fiscal prudence such as cutting the wasteful expenditure and leakages in targeted subsidies," Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat said.


text:
Auctioneers in Ireland have noted a major increase in the number of inquiries from the United States about Irish properties as prices now stand at 65 percent of what they were during the Celtic Tiger's peak.
Allsop Space, the auctioneers who will host a property auction in Dublin's Shelbourne Hotel on May 3rd, said that over the last week there has been a spike in traffic from the United States, with California, New York, and Massachusetts showing the most amount of interest.
As well as the drop in prices, the increase in interest is due to the fact that currently, stamp duty stands at one percent on properties up to €1 million ($1,312,835) and two percent for more expensive properties.
Furthermore, in the latest budget, as an incentive aimed at investors, the Irish government has declared that properties purchased before the end of 2013 will be exempt from Capital Gains Tax for seven years, even if capital values increase.
The auctioneers say one particular US buyer, based in Connecticut, had previously purchased over €1 million of property. The properties have a total income of €30,000 providing a return of 14 percent.
The property that is anticipated to receive the greatest attention from the US is the freehold of Darby O'Gill's Country House Hotel located in Killarney, Ireland's most popular holiday destination. The 43-roomed hotel is to be sold at the auction with a maximum reserve price of $676,107 (€515,000).
During the upcoming auction 106 lots are to be sold. They comprise of 42 houses, 38 apartments, and 26 commercial lots. The regional breakdown of these properties is 39 in Dublin and 67 regional lots. A massive 50 percent of the lots are tenanted and income producing.
"This auction will have a broad appeal to a mix of buyers, ranging from owner occupiers to investors, and young professionals to 'trader-downers'," said Robert Hoban, Director of Auctions of Allsop Space.
"We think it is a hugely positive sign to see such a large increase in the number of non-distressed private sellers entering the auction, and availing of the open marketplace. Once again, we expect to see healthy interest from overseas, as in previous auctions."


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Why Choose us?
- Highly trained courteous professionals
- Careful attention to the protection of you home
- Handheld Spray bottles (no buckets of water inside your home)
- Padded ladders to avoid floor and wall damage.


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The all encompassing formula consists of six categories of energy and health boosting ingredients all working together to balance and enhance the benefits of each other. The flavorful powder is packaged in a convenient, take-anywhere pouch allowing you to get that boost you need when you're on the go!
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- Provides instant, yet sustainable energy throughout the day
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- Amino acids
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- Nutrient rich vitality blend
- Promotes mental alertness, improved memory, and a positive mood
- Contains adaptogens that help normalize body functions during stressful situations
- Amino acids help the brain produce adequate amounts of neurotransmitters which are necessary to regulate emotions, increase energy, and help the body adapt to stress
- Alkalinizing ingredients bring a proper balance to the body which may help in preventing a weakened immune system and overall fatigue
- Contains a proper balance of caffeine and inositol that is not found in other overly caffeinated energy drinks on the market
- Helps the body convert food into energy
- Contains antioxidants for immune health
To get started, contact us at email@example.com.
Follow us on Facebook for the latest information.


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Global Perspective: British Art Quilts
Written by Linzee Kull McCray
The quilts of British artist Lynn Setterington celebrate the everyday. Images of spatulas, watering cans, scissors, and even plastic shopping bags (as in Mums are Heroes, Too) are carefully hand-stitched into her cotton art quilts.
Lynn's art quilts draw on traditions far from England's shores. She anchors her quilt's muslin layers with kantha, an embroidery technique from Bangladesh that uses simple running stitches. This type of embroidery can be quickly stitched for everyday use or more carefully worked into intricate patterns in quilts intended as heirlooms. Asian immigrants brought the technique to Britain and a 1988 London exhibition of kantha inspired Setterington to incorporate the technique into her work.
Photo courtesy of International Quilt Study Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2006.015.0001.


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Gary Hooper and Fraser Forster will leave Celtic in future, says Neil Lennon
Neil Lennon concedes that Gary Hooper and Fraser Forster are likely to leave Celtic at some stage in the near future.
Last Updated: 11/02/13 10:30am
He is, however, delighted to have both men on his books at present and is tipping them to earn England recognition.
Forster has already figured in Roy Hodgson's international plans, while Hooper's prolific form has sparked calls for him to be given a chance.
Lennon does not believe that playing in the Scottish Premier League will hold either man back, but appreciates that the day will come when suitable offers for the pair are tabled.
As he readies his troops for a UEFA Champions League clash with Juventus on Tuesday, Lennon told The Sun: "It is a back-handed compliment to have scouts at your stadium.
"Every player has a price and we will have to sell eventually. Then you have to start again.
"Fraser is excellent. In my opinion, he is England's best keeper after Joe Hart - although I am biased. Gary is good enough to be in the England squad.
"I think Roy Hodgson will come up and watch the two of them on Tuesday. Credit to Roy as he is prepared to do that. Some managers would shut the door on the SPL, but the Champions League has been so important for those two guys.
"To get two players in the England squad would be fantastic."
While Forster and Hooper have been strongly linked with moves back to English football, Lennon has also been touted as a potential Premier League boss.
He is, however, enjoying his role at Parkhead and has no intention of ending an association with Celtic which has seen him spend 12 years in Glasgow as a player and coach.
Asked about his future, Lennon said: "I am on a rolling contract and have a great relationship with the club's chief executive and the board.
"I loved my time in England but I have been here 12 years and what this club gives you is the chance to manage in the Champions League."


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Johnson Hails Agency's Small Business Partnerships
As prepared for delivery
Remarks by
Martha N. Johnson
U.S. General Services Administration
Small Business Mentor Protégé Program Awards
Washington, DC
April 22, 2011
Thank you, Jiyoung Park, for that generous introduction. I'm delighted to be here today, and it's a privilege, as always, to speak with the small-business community.
I want to thank you all for participating in GSA's Mentor/Protégé Program; it's a flagship initiative of ours, and I'm looking forward to hearing about its successes and challenges after your conversations today.
I especially want to call out Catapult Technologies and Dexisive Inc. for their great work in the program; they're the winners of this year's Administrator's Award for Mentorship Excellence, and I want congratulate them on that achievement. Bravo.
I bring greetings today from President Barack Obama and my colleagues in his administration.
And I bring you personal greetings as a businesswoman who has logged more than a few years with small businesses. I have been part of mostly services businesses – architecture, diversity consulting, executive search, and strategy consulting. I know about MOBIS contracts, the Mission Oriented Business Integrated Services contracts, because I was a MOBIS contractor. I know about scope creep because I was a project manager. I know about the patience it takes to do business with the government.
Now, I am with the U.S. General Services Administration, and it is our mission is to use our expertise to provide innovative solutions for our customers in support of their missions and by so doing, foster an effective, sustainable, and transparent government for the American people.
In other words, we support the Department of Veterans Affairs so that they can support our veterans. We provide infrastructure for the Department of Education so that they can focus on educating tomorrow's leaders.
My business school strategy professors would cringe, but it is true: GSA does everything for everyone. We are not a niche player. Our customers range across all branches of government: legislative, executive, judicial, state and local. We work in design, real estate management, information technology, fleet, credit cards, travel, commodities, services, and disposal.
I often describe GSA as a membrane between industry and government. And a membrane needs to be healthy and porous – transferring knowledge and interpreting market signals to our government customers on the one hand and transmitting their requirements to the private sector on the other.
Under ordinary circumstances, this is a big job. But these are not ordinary circumstances. Our country faces serious challenges both at home and abroad. Our troops need support, our veterans need care, our children need good schools, and our infrastructure needs an upgrade. Too many Americans still feel the terrible anxiety and pressure of unemployment. We have a long way to go before our economy is back on its feet again.
That said, we are seeing encouraging news.
Two years after a harsh recession, our economy is growing, and showing real signs of strength. For the fourth month in a row, the unemployment rate has dropped, to 8.8 percent in March. The March employment report also shows that the private sector added 230,000 jobs in industries ranging from manufacturing to education to construction. To continue and intensify this growth, President Barack Obama has set an ambitious course for the government and for the nation.
The way I hear it, he is not talking about returning to just OK. His message is about out-innovating, out-educating, and out-building the rest of the world. We have done this before.
Our country has a history of out-innovating, out-educating, and out-building. We've mapped the human genetic code and peered into the vast reaches of the sky, brought convenient transportation to the country and computers to millions, lifted untold numbers out of poverty, stamped out terrible diseases and built the finest schools, community colleges, and universities in the world. But, no one did this in a vacuum or as a one-man band. We did it in partnership. government and industry. Arm in arm. Hand in hand. Together.
Research, discovery, entrepreneurship, financing, proving grounds, skill-building, incentives, markets, taking to scale, courage, risk, and stamina. We did it together. We did it as a nation. We shared risk while seeking to avoid the reckless. And we were successful. But the government/industry partnership can't stand pat. It needs continuous tending and nurturing.
For our part, and I feel the privilege both personally and as the head of GSA, we are strategically positioned to play a crucial role; we need to secure for the nation a government that works – and works well. The nation requires a government that works well at educating all our talent, that works well at building our infrastructure, that works well at fostering American ingenuity and innovation.
We also need a small-business sector that is roaring with good health. And you know why? Small businesses create roughly two of every three new jobs in America each year. More than half of working Americans own or work for a small business. Importantly, small business offers the hands-on entrepreneurial lessons that keep industry supplied with skilled and hard-driving talent.
Small business offers many scrutinizing eyes on our infrastructure – making sure it's nimble and responsive.
When it comes to innovation and competitiveness, small business is the 8,000 pound gorilla in the room. You know how to do it, and how to do it best.
Yet, along with the middle class, small businesses have borne the greatest brunt of the difficult economy: The decimated housing market, the lack of capital, the shrinking of markets – the list is long. The president understands this, which is why he has directed his administration to support small businesses through landmark legislation such as the Small Business Jobs Act and initiatives such as the Small Business Lending Fund and the Small Business Jobs Forum.
It's why he has pushed for and signed more than a dozen tax cuts for America's small businesses during the last two years. And it's why we're all here today.
At GSA, we are driving a real – you can touch and feel it – small-business agenda with all cylinders. In fiscal year 2010, GSA helped nearly 80 percent of the contracts on the Multiple Award Schedule Program go to more than 13,000 small business contracts. MAS is the government's largest acquisition vehicle responsible for more than 10 percent of federal spending, so that is not chump change.
So far in FY 2011, we have awarded more than half a billion dollars to small business, and we are on track to exceed subcategory targets such as HUBZone, women-owned, and small disadvantaged businesses, just as we did in 2010.
Recently, the Alliant small business contract reached a milestone: Sixty awards worth nearly $1 billion. And, through our 8(a) STARS contract for IT services, we have obligated more than $3 billion for more than 3,000 task orders. These two contracts underscore our philosophy toward small businesses: They may be classified as "small," but there is nothing small about their ambition or their capacity.
And, there are some very ingenious small-business success stories that point to the 21st-century economy that features open government and sustainable government. One of the most exciting initiatives in this effort is a new website called Challenge.Gov.
To foster citizen engagement and generate solutions to some of our country's biggest problems, the president directed agencies to issue challenges to the public to harvest the best ideas and smartest thinking. The result? Challenge.gov.
Led by GSA's Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies, the site launched last September and since then, there have been nearly 80 challenges from 30 agencies to do everything from help invent a more energy-efficient light bulb to instantly pinpoint gunfire on the battlefield.
These are serious problems, and ChallengePost's work bridges the gap between the government's need and the people's expertise. This new site has been good for the government and for the winners of the challenges. But it's also been good for this small Internet start-up company; it's been a chance to showcase what they could do for many eyes.
As Brandon Kessler, the CEO of ChallengePost, says, "Working with the federal government has been an enormous boon to our business. Our success with GSA and the government overall has brought in other government agencies and corporations who want to duplicate what we've done in partnership with them."
It's a best value solution for us, and it's been a launching pad for them.
And of course, among GSA's many areas of activity, one of the very best, and the reason for today's celebration, is our Mentor/Protégé Program run by our Office of Small Business Utilization.
Responsible for 70 agreements in place with 61 mentors – 23 of whom are small businesses themselves – and contract obligations to the protégés worth nearly $150 million dollars, the numbers of the program tell an impressive story. But they don't tell the whole story. To get that, just talk to the folks in this room.
Take, for example, Athena Construction, a small service-disabled veteran-owned, HUBZone, and women-owned construction business of 15 employees that has paired up with Clarke Construction, one of the Washington region's largest construction firms. Thanks to that connection, Athena has tapped into the federal market. As their president, Amber Peebles, who is in the audience today, said: "GSA's Mentor/Protégé Program has been a game-changer for us. Being in the program with GSA and Clarke Construction has given us the resources and, importantly, the confidence to pursue work that we wouldn't have previously."
That additional confidence has led to a renovation project at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and they're well on their way to more federal contracting. It's made a real difference to their bottom line, to the aspirations and confidence of their employees, and it has opened new doors of opportunity. It's great to have them on board.
Or, look at Catapult Technologies, the winner of our mentorship award. Its founder, Randy Slader, is absolutely passionate about supporting the small-business community. Himself a service-disabled vet, Randy has spent untold time counseling and guiding small businesses – often on his own dime and without public recognition – through the process of building a bedrock business strategy and marketing themselves for success.
He is the mentor to 3 protégé firms in our program and he is absolutely dedicated to helping them succeed and grow. If his own business is any indication, Randy knows how to create, build, develop, market, and boost the bottom line with the best of them. He is a tremendous asset to the program. Thank you, Randy.
I could go on.
The benefits of this program are clear, and the outcomes are proven. By linking companies that have established experience with government contracting to businesses that are new to the field or haven't yet gotten to the next step, GSA is encouraging and motivating small business growth, enhancing protégé capabilities, fostering long-term relationships, and increasing access to small businesses.
And we're not done yet.
I'm asking Jiyoung Park and Tony Eiland of GSA, and the rest of their team to keep up the great work, keep their shoulders against the wheel, and keep bringing new firms into the program.
All this activity and the great successes bring me to my final point. At GSA, we don't want to just be the referee, determining who gets on our schedules. We want to help you learn how to get on schedules, and, this is important, make a strategic choice for your business about whether that is a healthy risk and choice for you. Furthermore, we want to move past the role of "giving out the fishing licenses," and help you understand how you can catch some fish.
We want to help you have information, link with partners, and complete the handshake. GSA is more than just the gatekeeper; we are a counselor, a guide, a voice of reality and strategy, and the go-to experts on navigating the procurement structures of our government.
To do this is challenging us on many dimensions, and we need your partnership. That's why today's workshops and conversations are so important. So be honest, open, and frank. Share your ideas with us. Let us know your challenges, the obstacles in your way. Explain your frustrations, your wins, and your "a-ha" moments. Talk with each other, and help us understand the patterns and systemic issues you collectively see. We want more than anecdotes. We need to spot trends. Keep an eye to the future. Demand that we be fair, open, and above all, creative and constructive with you.
We – our government, our economy, and our country – need you. We need you to be vibrant, energetic, and loud. We need you to be healthy and strong. And we need you to keep doing what you do best.
I salute the fabulous team at GSA that is eager, hardworking, and ever ready to learn with you. I salute the small businesses of our country that tirelessly carry the weight – and the risk – of our economy.
Together, let's stand shoulder to shoulder, arm-in-arm, hand-in-hand, and win the future for this great nation.
Thank you.


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Egyptians protest President Morsi's expanded powers; China downplays row over passports; Thai president survives no-confidence vote; Pakistan tests ballistic missile; Spanish banks win EU bailout; and more
Top of the Agenda: Egypt Protests Morsi's Decree
Tens of thousands of people demonstrated across Egypt on Tuesday, with several hundred spending the night in Cairo's Tahrir Square to protest President Mohammed Morsi's assumption of expanded powers in one of the largest rallies (AlJazeera) since the ousting of former president Hosni Mubarak. Morsi backers say the decree was needed to protect the gains of the revolution against a judiciary with deep ties to the Mubarak era, while the opposition claims the Muslim Brotherhood, of which Morsi is a part, has "hijacked" the revolution (BBC). Senior judges have been negotiating with Morsi about the restriction of his new powers, and Egypt's prime minister will chair a cabinet meeting on Wednesday to discuss the situation.
"The constitutional assembly, dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood, has suffered significant attrition as about 25 percent of members—mostly progressives—have resigned in protest at the way the Islamists are dominating the process. Along with members, the assembly has been losing credibility; rumors abound that the judiciary was planning on dissolving it. But Morsi must realize that he can't just decree stability. Indeed, undermining the country's existing rule of law could be the most destabilizing path," writes CFR's Isobel Coleman.
"Morsi and his supporters may be right in suspecting that old regime stalwarts within the administration are trying to thwart a transition to democracy. But they are equally guilty of pursuing a narrow Islamist agenda. The decision to protect the controversial constituent assembly – packed with Islamists and their supporters – from any legal challenge, seems to provide evidence for that," writes Magdi Abdelhadi for the Guardian.
"All opposition factions are now rallying under the same slogan; no negotiation and no talks until Morsi takes back his decrees. Yet achieving this may lead the opposition to fracture yet again, say analysts," writes Nour Samaha for Al Jazeera.
China Addresses Passport Row
China's foreign ministry downplayed the placement of a new map (Reuters) in its passports that depicts claims to disputed maritime territory after the United States said it would raise concerns with Beijing over the issue and the Philippines and Vietnam condemned the new passports. India responded by issuing visas stamped with its own version of borders.
This CFR Policy Innovation Memorandum discusses the risk of conflict in the South China Sea.
THAILAND: Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra survived a no-confidence vote (WSJ) on Wednesday following a three-day debate conducted by the opposition, as well as public protests against the influence of Shinawatra's brother, an ousted former prime minister.
Pakistan tests ballistic missile
Spanish banks win EU bailout
This is an excerpt of the CFR.org Daily News Brief. The full version is available on CFR.org.


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Update on Minnesota Zoo biologist's work to save rhinos in Namibia
The number of rhinos being poached in Africa is increasing because of strong demand for rhino horn powder in Asia, according to Minnesota Zoo conservation biologist Jeff Muntifering,
Muntifering, who works in Namibia, spoke with The Daily Circuit's Tom Weber about what he and and Save the Rhino Trust are doing to fight this problem.
Here is a transcript of their conversation:
Jeff Muntifering: We did have our first targeted, professional-looking poaching event take place just before Christmas this year. So it was not a very happy ending of the year for us in that matter. However, the good part of the experience is that it was reported very quickly, by a local farmer, and the culprit was found, arrested and pleaded guilty within a couple of days after the event.
Tom Weber: I have to wonder though if you're right next to South Africa, which has a major poaching problem - which we'll talk a little more about in a moment - but here you had such a good record in Namibia, to have that one, are you worried that more is on the way, that the flood gates are now open?
Muntifering: Well, I wouldn't say they're now open, I'd say the flood gates have been open and we've always had the perspective that it's not a matter of if this is going to happen. It's really a matter of when. Our situation is a little bit different. We have a lot fewer people, the terrain is a lot more remote and rugged, and we have a very long history of really pretty solid relationships working together with the local communities, as well as the government, which has also been very supportive in the past. Again, I think the results still speak for themselves. We're still very proud with our very low number of poaching events relative to the rest of Africa, but we are now definitely upping our attention a notch, and really trying to bolster a lot of our interventions and remaining as proactive as possible.
Weber: The incentives are that the local communities have reasons to not want the animals dead.
Muntifering: Yeah, and you know that's one of the great benefits of our area, too, is we don't have the massive numbers of people surrounding or even living with these rhinos like a lot of other places, and because of that we can actually reach for those benefits from rhinos, be it tourism or pride, local engagement.
Weber: So your neighbor to the east, South Africa, is pretty much the complete opposite picture, as I recall you saying last year. How have things panned out in South Africa?
Muntifering: Well, recent poaching statistics released just last week by South Africa indicated 665 rhinos poached in 2012. Again an astronomical increase from last year (Editor's note: nearly 450 were poached in 2011), which has also been coupled with a pretty significant increase in security measures, so-
Weber: So they're doing more security-
Muntifering: Doing more security and they're losing more rhinos.
Weber: Why?
Muntifering: Well, it's a good question. It's, I think, another factor of the complexity of the problem that they're facing. And the problem is actually half a world away, and all of the conventional law enforcement that does get implemented in Africa is really just sort of a band-aid on a wound that exists in another place. And that's trying to deal with the end-user demand.
Weber: In Asia.
Muntifering: In Asia. And, you know, it's really a multifaceted, or the solutions - they have to be multifaceted. A lot of people just always are looking for the silver bullet, something that's going to just solve all these problems and the knee-jerk reaction is just to get more guys out there with more guns on the ground - voila! All these poachers are just going to stop poaching. And it just doesn't quite work that easy.
Weber: I remember you saying Vietnam is a real problem area because some politician or some guy on TV once said he was cured of cancer because of grounded rhino horn powder, which there's no proof that in any case that's the truth. But it still exists. So how do you, sitting in Namibia and me, sitting in Minnesota, possibly fix a problem that's really in Asia?
Muntifering: A great question. Right now, the biggest impact that we can probably have is ensuring that we're increasing the value for rhinos for Namibians that are living with them in our area. The core work of Save the Rhino Trust that we've been working with has always been to monitor and ensure the rhinos are safe. And we're going to continue doing that and making sure that is maintained -- and that the local support for the rhinos is also maintained and in many ways enhanced. The Minnesota Zoo has a long history in China as well, and we've been communicating with some other organizations that have also been doing work in China, in Asia, particularly around campaigning.
And with the amount of young Chinese especially who are now interested and involved in social media - there has been some very interesting successes on some other matters, particularly bear farming, and trying to use social media to bring a lot of those issues out of the basement, and allow a lot of these younger people to become exposed to them. And the outcry that has caused has been very interesting to follow. I mean, it's still in its infancy, but it gives us hope that reaching out could potentially lead to some longer-term solutions.
Weber: There was talk when we spoke last year about a debate being had about whether to make some trade of horns legal because some governments actually have stockpiles. Animals die naturally, they seize these horns, so they actually exist in piles. They can't trade them legally and maybe you help flood the market, so to say.
Muntifering: It's still on the table. People are definitely discussing it. It's a very high-level debate.
Weber: Do you support the idea?
Muntifering: You know, I waver towards the other side personally. No, we have not come out, from an organizational standpoint, to say whether or not we're on board. What's frustrating is people seem to be now binding people into either you're pro-trade or you're pro-end-user-demand and it's not a black-or-white issue really. The theory is to flood the market to reduce the price, to reduce the incentive for poachers to poach. If you reduce the price of the rhino horn, all it's going to do is make it more available to more of the masses in China. If there's no addressing of the middle class in China, there's no way you will ever even come close to flooding that market.
Weber: You seem like someone who's hopeful for what you're doing in Namibia where you've had some success but, maybe a little down in the dumps about the overall rhino picture across all of Africa.
Muntifering: Well, the interactions that I've had with other rhino scientists have been a bit more pessimistic, to say the least. I hope that there's something in the future we can also provide and already we're sharing ideas. We're all on the same page about it. It can't come from one single approach. We've got to use each other's knowledge.
Weber: How is Sota, the rhino named for Minnesota two-and-a-half years ago or something like that?
Muntifering: Yeah well even more, he's over three years old now-
Weber: He's three years old-
Muntifering: -about three-and-a-half, he has been seen on his own now, so, this is pretty typical for rhinos, three to three-and-a-half. They are more-or-less weaned from their mother. He is very fat and happy, he's living in a great place, very secure, very wild, and we saw him - I want to say about six months ago or so. We're going to do our best to keep track of him.
This is the tenuous time though when they sort of bounce around as some of the bigger boys kinda bully them a bit, and he'll be obviously trying to look for some ladies, and that will depend on whether or not the dominant bull in the area that he's looking for will allow him to sort of hang around. And if they don't, they'll keep pushing him, pushing him out. So, we hope he settles down, we hope he behaves himself, and we'll keep an eye on him.
Transcription by Ben Martin, MPR News
Listen to Weber's previous conversation with Muntifering: ">"Protecting rhinos from poachers," March 20, 2012


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The Waterbury Police Department is getting help from the Vermont Sheriff's Association to continue its recovery after flooding from Tropical Storm Irene inundated its downtown headquarters.
Waterbury Chief Joby Feccia says the $10,000 donation will be used to buy computers and computer equipment, a short term evidence locker and a safe for long-term evidence storage.
The Aug. 28 storm destroyed some of the police department's equipment and it lost the use of its building.
Feccia says he was contacted by Washington County Sheriff Samuel Hill to see if the association could help the Waterbury department.
The Sheriff's association also made a donation to the Wilmington police department.