text: …in R of course! There is a handy function to do those calculations. Normally (ahh!) you might resolve to a symbolic calculation package (Maple,Mathematica etc.) but that is not the situation any more. The calculations are done with the mnormt package. Relevant functions exist in other packages as well (R : Distributions) x


text:
LA JOLLA, Calif., BREDA, Netherlands and GHENT, Belgium, Oct. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- RuiYi (formerly Anaphore) and arGEN-X BV announced today that arGEN-X has granted a worldwide exclusive license to RuiYi to develop and commercialize ARGX-109, a novel anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody discovered and developed by arGEN-X.
Under the agreement, RuiYi will make an upfront payment to arGEN-X consisting of cash and equity. arGEN-X is also eligible to receive additional payments based on the achievement of certain clinical, regulatory and commercialization milestones and royalties based on worldwide net sales of therapeutic products.
"The arGEN-X SIMPLE Antibody™ technology enables novel antibodies with outstanding features of potency, human composition and manufacturability," said Paul Grayson, President and CEO of RuiYi. "ARGX-109 was carefully selected based on its physical and biologic attributes and its range of potential clinical applications in both inflammatory diseases as well as oncology indications. Furthermore, the addition of this molecule accelerates our growth as an early development stage company in China."
"We are excited to partner our first preclinical program so early in our lifetime as a therapeutic antibody company," added Tim Van Hauwermeiren, Chief Executive Officer of arGEN-X. "We believe RuiYi's development strategy of first developing ARGX-109 in China is a highly innovative approach to drug development and will maximize the clinical and commercial potential of ARGX-109."
About ARGX-109
ARGX-109 is the first of five preclinical stage human antibody candidates developed by arGEN-X from its SIMPLE Antibody™ platform in the three years since its start of operations. ARGX-109 has outstanding neutralization potency for IL-6, a cytokine widely implicated in cancer and autoimmunity.
About RuiYi
RuiYi is focused on the discovery and development of novel biologic therapies in China, including monoclonal antibodies that target G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). RuiYi's executive management team has offices in La Jolla, California while all of RuiYi's discovery efforts are located in Shanghai, China. RuiYi's research facility is located in the Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park in Pudong Shanghai, China.
For more information please visit www.ruiyibio.com.
About arGEN-X
arGEN-X is a preclinical stage biopharmaceutical company that is rapidly leveraging its powerful, proprietary SIMPLE Antibody™ platform to generate fully human antibodies with differentiated qualities and outstanding therapeutic potential. The platform excels in delivering large panels of ultra-potent, functionally diverse antibodies against complex disease targets, especially cell surface receptors and highly conserved proteins. The superior choice that arGEN-X brings to antibody discovery enables it to prioritize leads with best-in-class therapeutic properties to increase the probability of development success. SIMPLE Antibody™ leads have outstanding physicochemical properties and consistent manufacturability, enabling a seamless transition from discovery into development. arGEN-X has validated its technology on multiple diverse classes of targets to date and has successfully delivered in its collaboration with Eli Lilly & Co. Earlier this year, arGEN-X entered into a second strategic alliance with Shire, focused on the discovery and development of antibody therapeutics for rare diseases.
As a complement to its SIMPLE Antibody™ platform and to maximize therapeutic utility, arGEN-X is also applying NHance™ and Potelligent® technologies, in partnership and for its proprietary pipeline.
SIMPLE Antibody™ and NHance™ platforms are covered by broad patent claims, enjoy an independent, unencumbered patent position and are free of target gatekeeping restrictions. SIMPLE stands for Superior Immunodiversity with Minimal Protein Lead Engineering. arGEN-X™, SIMPLE Antibody™ and NHance™ are deposited trademarks of arGEN-X BV. Potelligent® is a deposited trademark of BioWa Inc.
For more information please visit www.arGEN-X.com
SOURCE RuiYi

subset: commoncrawl


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Miley Cyrus is Sick Again + Forced to Postpone Bangerz Tour Dates
Miley Cyrus can't catch a break. Just when the singer thought she had finally recovered from her health issues, she's back to feeling unwell enough to perform on tour.
A source has shared with E! News that the 'Bangerz' star has once again "had a health setback and her allergic reaction issues have returned."
Poor Miley! Just days ago she went on air with Ryan Seacrest to talk about her recent (and thought-to-be-over) health scare that forced her to reschedule the remaining U.S. stops of her Bangerz Tour.
"Everyone had this ongoing little cough thing," Miley said. "I got medicine, I had to cancel a show, and I felt like I had a flu/cold situation. They gave me some medicine, I was on it for five days, and everything was all good."
That is, until Miley began to feel worse and her doctors realized she was having a severe allergic reaction to her medication.
It seemed like a week in the hospital and some time off was exactly what the singer needed to recover and get back on the road. She even took a moment to hop on Instagram to share a pun with Smilers, posting a duck-faced oxygen mask with the caption, "This hospitals full of a bunch of QUACKS (get it??? Quacks) #punnyeveninthehospy #stayinglightlovingandpositive #imissbangerztour #tryingtonotbebitter."
New medicine and much-needed rest didn't seem to do the trick, unfortunately, as the pop singer has announced the temporary cancellation of her upcoming Amsterdam concert. The rescheduled show, originally set for this Friday (May 2), was going to be the kick-off for the six-week European leg of her tour. According to E!, Miley is also planning to postpone her May 4 show at the Sportpaleis in Antwerp. Hopefully she recovers in time to make the rest of her tour dates.
Feel better soon, Miley!


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This Weekend: The Tacoma Craft Beer Fest
This Friday, October 1st and Saturday, October 2nd will mark the second annual Tacoma Craft Beer Fest. There's a few really great reasons to take a short venture south on I-5 to check it out. The first three are location, location, and location. Though I have never actually been to the Foss Waterway Seaport, from what I have heard from friends and from the pictures I have seen online, it seems like a pretty fantastic locale for beer drinking. We're talking real deal waterfront here. You can get a beer, served by a sea-lion, poured into a hallowed-out buoy, all while romping with rock stars and CEOs on million dollar yachts! Now that's a party!
Ok, that probably won't happen, but only because there is no possible way that a sea-lion could properly pour a beer with those weird flipper things they call hands. The TCBF will not stand for allowing any of that precious liquid to go to waste. Speaking of precious liquid, that brings me to my fourth and final "great reason" to check out TCBF this year, the beer (and really, that's the only reason you should ever need)!
Though the website is in severe lack of detail when it comes to what will be offered, we can look at the breweries that will be in attendance and make certain assumptions about the overall quality of the event. Below you will find the complete list of breweries that will be pouring. Overall, it looks pretty impressive to me. One gripe that a die-hard beer fest goer like myself may have, about beer fest in general, is that there is a lot of brewery participant crossover from one fest to the next. In a state with such an impressive and diverse brewing pedigree, you'd think that festival curators would make more of an effort to attract some of the Northwest breweries that you don't see at every beer fest. Because of this, I have chosen to highlight some of the new and some of the uncommon festival participants.
192 Brewing – These Kenmore, WA guys are still relatively new. If you haven't found their product on tap at the bars and you missed them at the Fremont Oktoberfest, here is another chance. I'll be hoping to see the Bier de Garde.
21st Amendment Brewing
7 Seas Brewing
Airways Brewing – Haven't had a chance to try this newish Kent, WA brewery yet? Here is your chance. Check out the ESB if it's available. I think you will find it to be a supreme example of the style.
Alaskan Brewing
Anchor Brewing
Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Big Al's Brewing
Burris Brewing – Rhett Burris makes his beer up in Everett, but he is a Tacoma guy through and through. It is very rare to see his Jackrabbit Pale Ale on tap anywhere other than in Tacoma, but it's growing rapidly and expansion could be right around the corner. If I'm not mistaken, he will be pouring his brand new Oktoberfest at the festival as well. Swing by his booth and be one of the first in the world to try it.
Chuckanut Brewing
Deschutes Brewing
Diamond Knot Brewing
Dicks Brewing
Double Mountain Brewing – This is one of my favorite newish OR breweries. I absolutely swoon over their saisons, and their IPAs are killer as well. Pretty much everything of theirs that I've tried has been solid. I know I'll be stopping by their booth, no matter what is pouring.
Elysian Brewing
Emerald City Beer – Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few months, you know all about Dottie, the brand new dark lager coming out of The Old Rainier Brewery space. But, just because you've heard all about it doesn't mean that you've tried it. I know I haven't.
Engine House #9 – If you're not a Tacoma resident, chances are good that you are completely unaware of this brewpub. Why not check it out and see if it's worth adding to your next Tacoma bar crawl?
Everybody's Brewing – I always get a little chuckle out of reading this White Salmon, WA brewery's beers off of local bar's taplists. "Everyboby's Brewing Daily Bread Common Ale" it would read, and I would say to myself, "…really? Why is everyone brewing a common ale? What exactly is a common ale and how is it that I seem to be the only one not brewing it? Oh, Everybody's Brewing is the name of a brewery. Dumbass." I see these brews on at Naked City pretty often, but in general, they are still a bit rare in these parts. Check them out if you haven't already.
Firestone Walker Brewing – Yeah, I know, I kiss the feet of Firestone on the daily. I only highlight these guys because, for me, the willpower does not exist within to allow me to walk past their booth and not fill up my glass.
Fish Tale Ales
Full Sail Brewing
Georgetown Brewing
Green Flash Brewing – I'd imagine that you know about Green Flash and their near unparalleled mastery of the hop. It's not everyday that you see these guys pouring at a Washington beer fest. One might as well take advantage, right?
Great Divide Brewing
Hale's Ales
Harmon Brewing
Iron Horse Brewing
Lagunitas Brewing
Lazy Boy Brewing
Lost Coast Brewing
Mac and Jacks
Maritime Pacific
Merchant Du Vin
MT Head Brewing – These guys are from Graham, WA and have been doing the brewing thing for a little over a year now according to the website. I have never actually seen their product before, so I would be excited to get a taste. It looks like they make a brown, a pale and a red. Let's hope the flavors aren't as MT as their heads.
New Belgium Brewing
Ninkasi Brewing
North Coast Brewing
Odin Brewing – A good friend and periodic columnist of Beer Blotter, Mark Leavens, recently took a job with Odin as a sales rep. He is so damn smooth that our group of friends call him "Legend". He could be peddling the worst beer on the face of the Earth and I would still mention it here, but luckily, Odin is decidedly not making the worst beer on Earth. In fact, it's pretty great. If they have the sour stout, don't pussyfoot.
Ommegang Brewing – Any time this Coopertown, NY brewery with Belgian ties has a new release, I freak out. You should have seen me a few months back, asking everyone I know to keep a look out for Zuur (Flemish brown sour) bottles. "Call me if you see them," I would say. Now the search is on for Cup o Kyndnes (Scotch ale). If they happen to be pouring either, I'll be getting more than one.
Oskar Blues Brewing
Pike Brewing
Port Angeles Brewing – I'm not sure if this is a mistake or what, but to my knowledge PAB is no longer. If I'm wrong, I can't wait to see how good their resurrected beers are.
RAM Tacoma (Bighorn)
Schooner Exact Brewing
Silver City Brewing
Snoqualmie Falls Brewing
Stone Brewing
Trade Route Brewing
Two Beers Brewing
Walking Man Brewing – The Columbia River Gorge breweries are really coming out in numbers for this one. We love to see it! WMB is just one of those WA breweries that we can't get enough of. Their Black Cherry Stout and Homo Erectus IPA can be found in the Seattle market with a reasonable regularity, but that's about it. I'll be hoping to see some of their other fantastic brews. Give me that Jaywalker!
If anyone has any information about specific beers that will be available at the fest, please let us know. Also, if you feel like me glossed over something special, drop us a line.
Notes of a Beer Nerd: Simple Pleasures – Beer Desert
**Notes of a Beer Nerd is written by Timperial Stout, our resident cellar dwelling mammal. Reach out to him at email@example.com or write a comment below.***
Tuesday I celebrated my 30th birthday. Well, actually, I use the word "celebrate" loosely. The real celebration was about 2 weeks ago when the greatest friends and family a man could ever ask for threw me a "Dirty 30" surprise party (thank you all so very much!).
I also just completed a long weekend away at Treehouse Point, yet another surprise provided by my wonderful girlfriend. Point is, I've already done a lot of celebrating, so Tuesday, the actual anniversary of my birth, was more or less comprised of a bit of self-pampering.
After a long day at the brewery helping out Rhett Burris of Burris Brewing cook up another batch of his delightful Jackrabbit Pale Ale, I stopped at Ballard Market on my way home and grabbed some ingredients for an epic Skooby-Doo style sandwich (you know, the kind that is so tall that you need to crush it down with both hands in order for it to fit in your mouth) and, of course, some tasty adult beverages.
A Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA paired very nicely with my turkey (and a ridiculously lengthy list of accompanying ingredients) sandwich. The scent of palisade hops that filled the air of the brewery earlier in the day made me crave this member of the Seven Wonders of the Hoppy World (doesn't exist, but it should).
Honestly, the herbal and malty sweet balance of 90 Minute is so perfect that I believe it would pair nicely with just about anything. I mean, if you told me I had to eat a shoe but I could wash it down with a 90m, I'd eat the hell out of that shoe.
The most exciting and noteworthy element of this pampering came at the very end of the night. A simple pleasure, but a pleasure without a doubt – an ice cream float! I took the simplicity to the extreme, using Rogue's Chocolate Stout and vanilla bean ice cream, both of which are very easily obtained at almost anywhere selling foodstuffs. I decided to give it a little pizzazz and added a few fresh raspberries.
This made me think…surely, in the vast reaches of culinary creation, there must be countless ways to pair beer with ice cream and make it delicious. With all the styles of both out there, what possibilities await us? I did a bit of brainstorming and some research, and I thought I'd share a few thoughts. Maybe the next time your sweet tooth comes a knockin' you'll whip up a beer float and tell us your thoughts.
Sticking with the stout motif, The imperial stouts of Southern Tier would be killer combos with vanilla, chocolate, or even fruit flavored ice creams. Try Choklat, Jah*va, Mokah, Creme Brulee, or Oat.
How about fruit lambics and ice cream? Just about any offering from Lindeman's would be killer with vanilla. A Cantillon Kriek or any of the New Belgium Lips of Faith beers would work wonderfully as well.
What about a nut brown ale like Troegs Rugged Trail? A coffee flavored ice cream might go well with this one, or paired with a milk stout like Left Hand's.
A sweet barleywine like an aged Speakeasy Old Godfather or even an eisbock like Kulmbacher's could go exceptionally well with a mildly flavored ice cream.
Playing mad scientist with beer and ice cream seems like a darn productive use of time to me. Beer Blotter suggests that you give it a whack and let us know what pairings work best.


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Mon, 01/25/2010 - 09:23
Today, Egypt celebrates Police Day – a day that only traitors and other rational thinkers consider ironic in being an "enforced" holiday for both private and public sectors.
Unlike Mother's Day, which gives thanks to little more than a few ounces of milk and some "rearing", Police Day shows gratitude to a group of men capable of going to extremes to serve Egypt's citizens. Indeed, not only are the police always willing to give us street directions and reduce our speeding fines gain-free, they also strive to support us where others fail.
Consider the example pictured below:
Here, Tamer Kasool (dark red shirt) is being playfully encouraged by a group of caring neighborhood policemen to run as fast as possible in preparation for a marathon he had the next day. Kasool later said, "No one, not my athletics coach, not my father or my brothers, ever helped me prepare for a race or supported me in this way."
Or look at Samir Menawar in the picture below (lying down).
Samir was an unfortunate victim of spontaneous human combustion, whereupon his body suddenly caught fire for no reason in the middle of a peaceful demonstration. Here you can clearly see the zeal and care with which the police tried to stamp the fire out.
Alternatively, look at the video below. In it you can see a dedicated policeman helping a regular citizen prepare for a cheek muscles competition he had the following week. Note how there is also a dedicated policeman just for warm ups.
The man later received first prize for cheek muscles. "I was just glad to be of service," says the officer, "and even though my hand really hurt when I was helping him, I still did it because it is my duty."
The list goes on, and for that, EKT would like to thank the police for their concerted efforts to keep the peace while simultaneously empowering the populace. It also notes that none of its writers have any racing or athletic competitions of any kind coming up.
EKT would also like to thank the people who captured these special moments documented here. They truly opened our eyes.
It's very lucky that we have such a dedicated police force - since, as you know, spontaneous-combustion-while-in-peaceful-demonstrations (or SCWIPD) has become a very widespread disease that demands the police officers to exhaust their legs to put out all those burning demonstrators.
I will be wearing black today - and only because that's the colour of the police's winter uniform.
I was worried you would stop posting, the website was silent for quite a long period of time. Lets hope the authorities don't give you any trouble and if they do be sure to keep us updated.
I just love it! :D
Keep on posting, EKT :)
It is about time that Egypt recognizes the value of its police force.
In addition to their Olympic training expertise, they are also experts in archeology.
As an archaeologist who found a rare mummy in the western desert, an international debate started over how old it could be... Nobody knew, so the mummy was sent to the attention of experts in various countries for analysis....
It was brought to the USA first, the US specialists said, it was 3,000 years old.
Then, the Japanese, precise as usually, found that it was 2.953 years old.
The Egyptians came with the final result: "The mummy is 2,953 years, 5 months, 2 weeks and 4 days old".
We curiously ask how they found this out, the Egyptians replied: "The mummy confessed after it was was taken to the Cairo police."
this video is so sad,,it almost got me into tears
the rest is brilliant
keep it up
The whole thing is just sad and drives tears..Please keep on posting guys..I love your black comedy
Good the cheeks competition wasn't a butt cheeks competition. Who knows how far the preparation would have gone?
I believe that this article only concentrate on the negative side. I know that these actions are unjustified, but sometimes it is necessary.
It is really sad how the police abuse the power given to themjust to have fun. It is obvious in the clip that they are not Interrogating the victim, they are abusing him just to get a laugh out of it.
this video should be all over you guys. this is unacceptable and we shouldn't be be just watching!!
I am very upset about how much the Egyptian society doesn't appreciate the police's hard work on keeping the streets and people safe. Seriously people, you should me ashamed.
For example, once I was driving at night and this guy was harassing me. So, the cop asked me to pullover and instead he started harassing me.
Obviously, I soo understand why he did that because he was trying to protect me from that other random guy by harassing me. Just another safety measure. Duh.
Well I think there should not be any worries about the government giving you guys a hard time. Unless they get a translator or something which, you know, would be really expensive. xP
Laith Hizrallah, I believe we need to refresh your understanding of certain words. (it's not that difficult to look up meanings, I swear, just use that nice Google/Yahoo/MSN search bar at the top there. You just type the word eg. 'necessary' and state 'definiton'.)*
- Unjustified: Having no acceptable justification: shown to have no good or just reason or explanation.
- Necessary: 1- Absolutely essential 2- Needed to achieve a certain result or effect.
So you're telling us that while torture has no acceptable justification or good reason/explanation, it is absolutely essential?
Yes, I think we're certainly on the same page :)
* Yes, I know, it's all very complicated. Blame the West. They made the Internet. Shame on them.
Even after 65 years they're STILL persecuted(at least in Western countriesa....).In other words;the policemen in this video,and others who like to"create a little spontaneous combustion"SHOULD be PUBLICLY warned that they just may be exposed for some"spontaneous combustion"themselfes in a generation or two....
See you,funny guys,you're gonna LOVE our humour as much as we your.......
GOO BOLEEEC BEEBOOL (aka. Goo Police People) :P !
haha love it!
well, on the one hand I wouldn't even treat this question ironically as supposed: we really need police to measure our not always friendly and logical activity like during some demonstrations or foolball matches. but on the other hand, i can't deny the fact of power abuse on the part of the police (I won't say all of them are cruel, but there are many cases I read about in the numerous articles found by http://filecraft.com SE which shocked me). when i come to think of it I remember the film "The Experiment" describing the Stanford prison experiment where the influence of power on human psyche was investigated. we need police, but we all need to remain human.
Brilliant :)
Very good article and the issue with little discussion. Thanks
I myself am from Egypt and I would add that police abuse is happening every day and only becomes a public issue when the victim is lucky to have friends or between bloggers and journalists, when a clip into the hands of one of the latter. Often the victim is too scraps to talk about the abuse (which often includes not only playing, physical and verbal abuse, but also the false accusations and forced confessions.)
Two of my colleagues (who are women of a working class family who works in an NGO) were arrested at a subway station when an officer heard one of them criticizing the officer. They were beaten, detained for two days and were forced to sign false confessions. All this was orchestrated by a police officer in El Masr ADIMA whose pride was wounded by a whispered comment! The officer is still there, nothing really happened, even though the two women know the people who work in human rights organizations. Cases where rights organizations succeeded in holding the police responsible for abuses committed are rare (only a month ago a police officer was acquitted in Aswan, after killing a salesman "by mistake"!)
Thanks for writing this book, I hope more people will become aware of the poor conditions in Egypt are subjected to daily.
I hate to see officers of the law treating people with such disrespect. I can't even count how many times I've seen a police officer getting arrested for driving while intoxicated, when still on duty. This is what happens when police officers are allowed to do whatever they want without question for so long. There Sargent should take a lot of responsibility with this type of behavior as well. After all he is the one that is suppose to keep them in line. This is the golden rule for any business. There is always someone who is more powerful than you, and that person needs to make sure everyone else stays on good behavior.
I would like to thank EKT for bringing up an excellent article like this. Your way of presenting the facts with black comedy is definitely unmatchable. I really laughed like anything after reading the Samir's story in which he was an unfortunate Life alert victim of spontaneous human combustion and the police man helping him. Very funny! But I also liked the idea of a police day like any other day to show our respect for them. Anyway I think that this article only concentrate on the negative side. You should also try to think the other way.
Police are like this every, just not to this extent. Power abusing jerks who take advantage of people. They should consider being an electrician, that way the only person they can hurt is themselves.
Brilliant article on Police Day dated 25 January 2010.
How about a follow-up for Police Day a year later?
First of all, hello. Subject of discussion and I think as long as the police are not compelled to Guzel bi not use brute force is also a living thing as the police chat they need in our life ..
I would be interessted in that too. I remember beeing in egypt 4 months ago while beeing on a aida cruise. At that the time it was still very peaceful. Would be be very interessted to hear about the present situation.
This is what happens when police officers are allowed to do whatever they want without question for so long. There Sargent should take a lot of responsibility with this type of behavior as well. After all he is the one that is suppose to keep them in line. This is the premium wp for any business. There is always someone who is more powerful than you, and that person needs to make sure everyone else stays on good behavior.
these videos are really abused, this is not permited to hit someone like that gameduell
i would like to speak my mind loud and clear please, watch youtube "riot forces" all over the world to know that we are not the only country that is using violence against outlaw,,,,,,,,i should speak frankly and say that there are real victims who suffered from certain police officers but who are the other people ,,,,,, they are muggers, rappers,murderers,pick pockets....etc. how can an officer treat them???? should they hug them and treat them kindly i don't think so........
take yourself as an example if you are a good person respecting laws and yourself before it you won't suffer from any tresspasses and the majority is.
Good the cheeks competition wasn't a butt cheeks competition. Who knows how far the preparation would have gone?Orkut Scraps
Samir was an unfortunate victim of spontaneous human combustion
just by looking at this video the Egyptian government should've captured the police man in the video it show his name is mustafa and he smokes so then they should track him down but even the governmet is too lazy to do stuff i hope he gets tortured in hell
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The Spencer County Middle School dance team poses with its trophy after winning first place in the Top Hat Dance Competition at the Presentation Academy on Jan. 12. Pictured, in no particular order, are Meredith Barnett, Allie Thomas, Cayla Perkins, Jena Ellis, Molly Marlow, Ilona Kovacs, Hallie Helton, Allison Dunbar, Ali Henderson, Rikki Urquhart, Lily Mitchell, Cate Jarboe, Mckenzie Potts, Morgan Forkey, Kassidy Pulliam, Kaylee Smith, Lindsey Bush, Lindsey Miller, Peyton Forberger, Lydia Rowe, Hannah Quiroa and Beth Hill.
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By Cam Inman
SANTA CLARA — Rather than hold out for a new contract entering the final year of their rookie deals, Colin Kaepernick and Michael Crabtree were on the 49ers' practice field Wednesday looking in sync during organized team activities.
Also practicing was linebacker Aldon Smith, a week after pleading no contest in Santa Clara County Superior Court to felony weapons charges and misdemeanor drunken-driving charges.
Not present for the voluntary program Wednesday were running back Frank Gore, tight end Vernon Davis, right guard Alex Boone and wide receiver Stevie Johnson.
Among those who stretched but did not take part in team drills were defensive tackle Justin Smith, nose tackle Ian Williams and cornerbacks Chris Culliver and Jimmie Ward.
Right tackle Anthony Davis, who's coming off shoulder surgery, worked out on a treadmill in the weight room while wearing a New Jersey Devils sweater. Offensive tackle Jonathan Martin observed practice but did not participate, meaning more reps for Adam Snyder and Ryan Seymour at right tackle.
Gore's absence is not tied to a contract dispute — he's entering the final season of a three-year extension — and instead he was merely getting rest, a league source said. Gore has participated in morning workouts previously this offseason.
With Gore out, the running back duties were handled by Kendall Hunter, LaMichael James, Jewel Hampton and Marcus Lattimore, who missed last season recovering from knee surgery. Rookie Carlos Hyde, a second-round draft pick, missed practice to fly to this weekend's NFL Players' Association rookie photo shoot in Los Angeles.
Cornerback Eric Wright appeared to tweak his right ankle early in practice and headed to the locker room. Cornerback Chris Cook and Tramaine Brock saw time with the first-string defense, with Perrish Cox resuming his role covering the slot receiver.
Boone reportedly is skipping at least the start of OTAs in search of an extension to his contract that runs through 2015. Joe Looney saw time on the first unit at right guard, and Vance McDonald filled in for Davis at tight end.
For more on the 49ers, see Cam Inman's Hot Read blog at blogs.mercurynews.com/49ers. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/CamInman.


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Dukes of hazzard car
December 22nd, 2009
December 22nd, 2009
At first glance, this looks like a collaboration between MTV's Pimp My Ride and Toys R' Us, that was put together by someone with an O.C.D. However, it's actually the handiwork of James R Ford, an artist with a background in the Fine Arts. Originally from the U.K., he currently resides in Wellington, New Zealand. [ Continue Reading ]


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Protect your home and familyCall: 1-844-241-3442
Let's face it: you can't be everywhere at once. But now you don't have to be. Next time you're running errands and the in-laws drop-by unexpectedly, you can let them in with a single swipe. No big deal.
On your way to work and forgot to arm your security system? Thanks to Vivint's mobile app, you can control any part of your system and check up on your home right from your smartphone, computer, or tablet.
Know that every part of your home is safe with an array of integrated sensors and detectors.
Use the motion detection settings to have your camera record anyone who enters the house.
Get a text message notification any time your carbon monoxide or smoke detectors indicate an emergency.


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Four Republican Senators — Thune, Toomey, Hutchison, and Brown — held a press conference today, to remind Americans about their job creation legislation. Wait. Republicans have jobs bills? Oh! That's why they had to remind us. Sen. John Thune, in the YouTube video below call on Sen. Harry Reid to stop blocking what he called bills "that deal with capital the issue of capital formation for our job creators." Huh?
"Capital formation for our job creators?" Ooookay. What's that mean? And what does it have to do with jobs? Thune goes on to explain, after telling us that the bills in question all passed with bipartisan support in the House, that these bills were "designed to help that are designed to help our small businesses create capital."
Didja catch that? It happened so fast that if you blinked you may have missed it. Thirty-eight seconds into the video we've gone from job creation to "capital formation" to helping businesses "create capital." At one minute and four seconds in, Thune explains that the bills in question are intended to "help our small businesses get access to the capital they need to create jobs."
The bills in question are:
- S.1831 – Access to Capital for Job Creators Act: Thune's bill would "direct the Securities and Exchange Commission to eliminate the prohibition against general solicitation as a requirement for a certain exemption under Regulation D."
- S.1824 – Private Company Flexibility and Growth Act: Toomey's bill would "amend the securities laws to establish certain thresholds for shareholder registration under that Act, and for other purposes."
- S.18 – Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act: Brown's bill would "repeal the expansion of information reporting requirements for payments of $600 or more to corporations and for other purposes."
- S.556: Hutchison's unnamed bill would: "amend the securities laws to establish certain thresholds for shareholder registration, and for other purposes."
The Senators each go on to explain their bills, and why "capital formation" really is job creation. But Media Matters recently included Thune's and Hutchison's bills in a list of 27 Republican bills that aren't about jobs.
From the House Republican Conference and House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) to U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donahue, congressional Republicans and their conservative allies have touted 27 measures passed by the House of Representatives that they claim are "bipartisan jobs bills awaiting Senate action." But the bills are mostly highly partisan attempts to slash regulations that protect, among other things, public health, consumer rights, workplace safety and the environment. The GOP has also dishonestly included in its count a few viable measures with popular bipartisan support; one of these is being held up in the Senate by a Republican, and the others have been placed on the Senate calendar.
"Access to capital," says Thune, "is absolutely essential" to the objective of creating jobs. If that doesn't sound familiar to you, it should. Because when conservatives start talking about "capital formation" and "capital creation" they aren't really talking about job creation. They're talking about the same old trickle down they've been talking about for 30 years.
For three decades, we have been told that "trickle-down" economics that benefit the wealthy is the key to creating jobs. But that's baloney. The evidence shows that ordinary people, not the rich, are the real job creators.
Conservatives like to promote a simplistic view that all you need are capital (cash or goods that produce income) and entrepreneurship in order to create wealth. They maintain that wealth, in turn, spurs rich people to do productive things, like creating jobs, and so the more concentrated wealth is, the more jobs are created. If you tax the rich, they argue, then jobs will be destroyed. Mitt Romney frequently echoes this line of thought by promoting economic programs that would give enormous tax breaks to the wealthiest 1% and concentrate wealth in their hands. Romney, who paid 13.9% in taxes in 2010 and likes to tout himself as a job creator, has just announced a plan that calls for preserving the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, lowering the corporate tax rate, and repealing the estate tax.
Turns out, this 'trickle-down' mythology it is horribly wrong, and the 99 percent has paid for it. There's a reason why the Wall Street Journal acknowledged that George W. Bush, the last trickle-down president, had the worst job creation record in U.S. history. So before we consider having another trickle-downer in the White House, let's talk about the failure of this idea and why if you want to see a real job creator, you should look in the mirror.
Look in the mirror because, as Lynn Parramore writes above, " job creation is related to demand. When regular people have spending power, they demand products and services, which leads to more jobs for others to make the things they want."
Look in the mirror because, small business owners who demanded the repeal of the Bush tax cuts put it, "we're fed by our customers" not "capital formation."
Tax cuts for the wealthy, according to Teahan, will do nothing to bolster his firm. They won't affect his hiring decisions, they won't encourage him to buy new equipment or help him move into a bigger warehouse. He says all of those decisions — the nuts and bolts of actually running a small company — depend on the his customers' economic conditions, not his personal tax rate.
"What we do in business, how we spend our money, how we allocate our resources — that has very little to do with tax policy," Teahan says. "I map my business based on my customers, and what my customers want to buy, and what they can afford to buy."
It's a common complaint from small business owners. While congressional Republicans and entrenched corporate lobbying groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce — which is holding a Wednesday meeting on small business priorities — and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) have been pushing hard to preserve the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy by touting the interests of small firms, much of the small business community is demanding that those very tax cuts be repealed. The tax breaks for the wealthy will add $700 billion to the debt over the next 10 years, according to the White House's Office of Management and Budget. And many small firms say that money would be better spent on direct aid to the middle class.
"We are fed by our consumers, not by our tax breaks," says Rick Poore, owner of Designwear, Inc., a screen-printing business based in Lincoln, Neb. "If you drive more people to my business, I will hire more people. It's as simple as that. If you give me a tax break, I'll just take the wife to the Bahamas."
Wanna create jobs? Put more people to work, so they'll have more money to spend, and businesses will have to hire more people to meet the increased demand.
Four Republican Senators held a press conference about job creation legislation today, but only ended up talking about "capital formation." Again.


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China's Balancing Act: Economics and Environment
China has become notorious for its environmental pollution that has hit record levels in tandem with rapid economic expansion. Nature Conservancy CEO Mark Tercek shares with us his efforts to dovetail conservation with investment in China.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the ... it's no secret site ... has been beset by ... scandals and pollution issues ... really this Kara is has been cadmium contained rice with me to discuss this is nature Conservancy CEO market Ersek Mark thank so much for joining us today and know ... you just gotten in and it's it's been pretty busy day fees so far ... other than the question I have is you know it's no secret that these pollution issues in big issue in China what do you see some of the biggest issues for the country and how is the nature Conservancy working with China to address these issues ... the biggest challenge in China it is um you know he's recently the focus has been on economic growth in order to live people from poverty ... poverty and that's been very successful ... but of course it's been ... with a very heavy ... environmental costs ... and so going for China's leaders in government and business ... have to figure out how to continue to make economic progress but with much better environmental outcomes ... and that's when the nature that were the nature Conservancy comes in ... we think we can use our science to guide business leaders ... and government leaders ... for tonic I know when when have we continue to have economic progress ... but was much better environmental outcomes ... to think that government has gotten better in terms of becoming more transparent about the issues that are facing its citizens in that country ... I think the government ... aam deserves high marks for understanding sales ... the tree of course is that this is her ... it's hard to get more time is right now to sustain the economic progress that's important ... with better environmental outcomes ... that the pressures clearly aam ... of witness how assistance in Beijing are complaining about the air quality that's probably a good thing in the grand scheme of things putting more pressure on government business leaders to ... really get their act together as fast as possible ... philanthropy in the idea from and then giving back some very nice concept and tying up I'm wondering how that squares with ... experience in the U S where of course it's established in and people are happy to contribute ... to your organization ... well it's true the US has a really remarkable history and culture of philanthropy ... and we benefit from that and as American a proud of that ... that same tradition doesn't exist everywhere in the world but as a ... philanthropic Lee supported organization the nature Conservancy is doing everything we can to generate ... support for our work and in China things are going quite well ... um we have a group of volunteer leader said China board of trustees who are ... a generally successful business people they care about the environment ... they think the nature Conservancy can make a difference and their funding our work The very generously ... in fact there now even funding or work outside China ... and so we're very encouraged by that participation and support ... now that's a little bit about you I mean you have a very unique background you in and the Goldman Sachs twenty five years they've booked a twenty five years ... how are you bringing that perspective ... to the nature Conservancy and how does that say ... you ideas as soon as the CEO of the kids no profits ... yell at people think my background is kind of weird investment banker now leading the nature Conservancy ... I think it's actually very useful background a half ... of the environmental movement has been a great movement lotsa great organizations teensy is one of them ... the we environmentalists often also have to admit that we get a raise our game in order to address the challenges challenges we face ... it's it's it's time for news that its new approaches to the new leaders ... and having a business person charge I think makes sense ... now we talk a little bit about time that but it is said to me earlier you guys are looking at issues in Indonesia Australia what are some of the other big strategic issues in the region that you guys are tackling ... the other the same issues we face an all around the world ... um humans swat prosperity ... they want economic progress but now we understand that ... if that progress economic progress comes by undermining ... environmental systems ecosystems than the whole thing will unravel so we've got to figure out how to better balance those two objectives and to get posts whether that's in ... the agricultural states concerning water issues ... of climate related issues ... so now's the time for environmentalists to partner with other parts of society government ... business ... fishing communities hiding communities indigenous people ... and the use science ... to guidance for it in the smartest way possible those who were trying to do ... that thing so much for joining us not to suck CEO of the nature Conservancy more in this story please go the WS J dot com for Asia Today Ahmadi the Sanchanta


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STAGE TUBE: Lea Salonga Sings EMPTY CHAIRS AT EMPTY TABLES
Now in its 15th season, Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook will celebrate the best in American singing and songwriting starting January 30, 2013. Opening night belongs to Lea Salonga, who captivated Broadway audiences with her debut in Miss Saigon many years ago and has since become the voice of Disney movie princesses as well as starring in other major musicals.
Salonga has played both Eponine and Fantine on stage in Les Miserables, and in the video below she takes on yet another role. Check out her rendition of 'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables' below!
Lea Salonga is a singer and actress best known for her Tony Award-winning role in Miss Saigon. She is recognized for having won, in addition to the Tony, the Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World Awards, in the field of musical theatre. She was also the first Asian to play Eponine in the musical LES MISERABLES on Broadway and returned to the beloved show as Fantine in the 2006 revival. She recently appeared in the Broadway-bound musical Allegiance at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre.
TICKETS can be purchased online at Lincoln Center's website www.AmericanSongbook.org, via CenterCharge at 212-721-6500, at the Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall Box Office, or at the Frederick P. Rose Hall Box Office.
Premium packages-including wine, dinner, and the best seats in the house-are available for $250. More information at AmericanSongbook.org.New York News | NYC Breaking News


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Yesterday I had a great conversation about what it takes to move a big box store into a more community orientated store. The article that was referenced gave a gradual/step by step approach to change that evolved the big box store instead of just tearing it down and building up the new model all at once. It was not the model alone that need to change, but a culture of a community also, and this is never going to be done right, if it is done from the top down quick fix model. Even if the model is better, more humane, more localized, we as humans do not respond well to big changes. Fear and anxiety easily bubble up when change is done TO people not WITH people.
This conversation reminded me of Ed reform on both sides, we seem to seek transformation as a sweeping change of the system, yet what we should be doing is creating a plan (something not often seen in the alternative movement) for overall change and design backwards. I think we all know what our end results (I say resultS because we know one size will not fit all) would look like, but what do we do about it. How do we empower people to start making the culture changes needed? How do we help give a guide without it being a list of requirements?
Oh wait this is the same challenge we tack in our classrooms, with our students! It is what so many of the posts have been about last week. We have in the past talked about putting up a FAQ page on the COOP, maybe we can start brainstorming how we can systematically transform the cultures of our schools to less factory/big box mentality and more human scale/ learning/live driven that help to guide the change that is needed. We are doing that already in our own ways, but I think if we start to put the nuggets of wisdoms out and actually name them and work with them, we might be able to help those who are comfortable with the "status quo" or are fearful of something different might be able to digest them a little better. It needs to be pragmatic and also of varying degrees of participation (much like this site.) Small steps often lead to big steps. We talked about making our ideas "Shinny" and "Bright", just like WFS was able to market itself….. so lets do that!
That being said, this type of conversation happens everyday, it has been a issue for activist for years. Fundentmentally we have been trying to get at the question, how do we make big changes or scale up without being beaten down with every defeat even when change is not happening. Both Adam and Kirsten have showcased the different sides of the coin, on side you continue to seek like minded change agents and seek to create environments that are transformed and on the other you continue to fight inside the trenches for those that can't fight for themselves and hope that soon the system will change.
This is a conversation that is rooted in the alternative education movement and it is a hard one. But can we have both, if so how?
It is the HOW that we can start to offer, some of have actually made change, have open schools, have transformed learning, have had great teaching moments. These are a great starts! and each of us, has knowledge to share!
- I know Joe Bower has started collecting stories about getting rid of grades,
- David has start a site for teacher's video.
- Edna is brilliant at making top 10 list and relaying her students insights into teaching and learning,
- Adam at insights in how to help save the planet and so much more,
- Kirsten at connecting the voices,
- Paula about describing classroom situation,
- Chad at making charters and admins work seem humane and one model of change,
- Shelly is great at leading discussion via Twitter,
- Casey at offering great philosophical questions!
- John at sharing his reflection of being a change agent and a teacher….
- And all our new writers have shared their brilliance in the comments and their posts!
Okay so that is not the full list but you get the point. We are a talented, wide ranging group and we need to start putting that wisdom into tangible steps that can be acted on….
What are your ideas? Oh can we make our work more pragmatic and start to build this work and more importantly give others tools and tangible things that can be done today….
how can we starting helping others to figure out "how to educated our young?" not just school them!
Hope this starts something,


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The Azure Code Samples are currently available in English
Getting Started with Appservice - Manage Web App Cosmos Db Through Key Vault - in Java
Azure App Service basic sample for managing web apps. - Create a Cosmos DB with credentials stored in a Key Vault - Create a web app which interacts with the Cosmos DB by first reading the secrets from the Key Vault.
The source code of the web app is located at
Running this Sample
To run this sample:
Set the environment variable
AZURE_AUTH_LOCATION with the full path for an auth file. See how to create an auth file.
git clone https://github.com/Azure-Samples/app-service-java-access-key-vault-by-msi-for-web-apps.git
cd app-service-java-access-key-vault-by-msi-for-web-apps
mvn clean compile exec:java
More information
If you don't have a Microsoft Azure subscription you can get a FREE trial account here
This project has adopted the Microsoft Open Source Code of Conduct. For more information see the Code of Conduct FAQ or contact email@example.com with any additional questions or comments.


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"I ordered a set of 4 and I like the simplicity of the design. The etching on the back of the glass, however, is pretty rough (feels like sandpaper). Fortunately, there are four little legs on the corners so I don't have to worry about any scratches on furniture services but I wish it was smoothed out a bit."
"I admit that I had not considered these until I received a promo code with a nice discount. I started looking at the coasters (I purchased the set of 4) one of the items to go inside a gift bag for a raffle I'll be doing May 2018. I'm in charge of the Meet and Mingle for a 15-day inaugural cruise thru the Panama Canal, on what will be a brand new ship, therefore I want the items to have something personal, making them unique to this special and specific cruise. This was my first time ordering anything from Shutterfly besides greeting cards, thank you cards, stationery, invitations, and magnets, so I was taking a huge step in wondering about the quality of the item, as well as how it would look once personalized. I was pleasantly surprised at how beautiful they are. For one, the glass was in perfect condition with no flaws (no bumps, chips, etc.). The coasters are heavy, weighing a little more than 3-1/2 ounces, which adds to it feeling more expensive than it is. I was pleased with the engraving. The wording was as ordered; the engraving professional and deep cut, and, as I've already mentioned, add to the quality of the product. I don't know that I'd be in the market for something like this again, but this is such a special occasion, I wanted items reflecting this. It's not every day you get to go on an inaugural cruise thru the Panama Canal as a new ship makes her way to her home port. I'm very lucky and hope this gift will let the 4 recipients know how lucky they are as well."


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Friday Finance Round Up is a weekly post that includes interesting articles and blog posts on money found during the week from across the web.
The Housing Boom and Bust – Challies
Tim Challies provides his usual thorough and helpful book review on The Housing Boom and Bust written by conservative economist Thomas Sowell. One quote I thought was interesting in here was, "As the government increases its control over the American economy it essentially buy s up the freedom of its people with their own tax dollars."
How to Make a Million Dollars While Eating Lunch – Millionaire Mommy Next Door
I don't know about the million dollars part, but this is a great post showing how simple sacrifices today can yield results tomorrow; i.e. bringing your lunch to work instead of hitting up the local flare every day.
Should You Do a Debt Consolidation Loan? – Bible Money Matters
Is consolidation really that magic bullet you've been waiting for to get you out of debt? Peter offers up some great tips to consider before you combine your debts.
10 Tips to Resolving Medical Billing Errors – One Money Design
Most of us have experienced opening that medical bill only to discover it's a little higher than you thought it was going to be. This post offers some good tips on how to go about resolving those discrepancies.
Back to School: 8 Money Saving Tips for Back to School Shopping – Financial Highway
It's that time of year again. School shopping was always a fun way to kick off the new year. Financial Highway offers some good tips to help keep the costs low.


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After you check out Zach, view out the other Weekly musicians, top MP3 downloads and our list of local bands.
|Zach's Role in the Band
|About the Band
|Rhyme N Rhythm aka RNR
RNR is a multi-genre musical experience comprised of hip-hop, funk, soul, reggae and R&B. Combining a live band with honed and skilled emcees, RNR has created a sound that stands ......more.


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Akis's recipe for simple Smoked Salmon Tartare on Cucumber Rounds, presents a significant spin on the classic dish beef tartare in which raw meat is chopped and mixed with tangy flavourings and displayed in patty-like form on a plate. The recipe is from his latest book, Everyone Can Cook for Celebrations. In this version, finely chopped smoked salmon replaces the beef. The tartare mixture is spooned on palate-refreshing slices of cucumber, making for a decedent appetizer.
Smoked Salmon Tartare on Cucumber Rounds
Makes: 20 pieces
4 ounces (115 g) smoked salmon, finely chopped
3 tablespoons (50 mL) finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon (15 mL) capers, finely chopped
1 tablespoon (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons (10 mL) fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon (5 mL) Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons (10 mL) chopped fresh dill
20 English cucumber slices cut 1/2-inch (12-mm) thick
Place the salmon, onion, capers, oil, lemon juice, mustard, pepper and dill in a bowl and gently mix to combine. Use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop out some of the centre portion of each cucumber slice.
Mound 2 teaspoons (10 mL) of the smoked salmon tartare in the centre of each cumber slice and arrange on a serving tray.
Options: These bites can be made several hours in advance; cover and refrigerate until you're ready to serve. Instead of smoked salmon, use smoked tuna to make the tartare. You can find smoked tuna, which is usually frozen (thaw before using), at specialty seafood stores and some supermarkets.
Source: Everyone Can Cook for Celebrations, by Eric Akis
Per Appetizer: Calories 18; Fat 1.0 g; Sodium 130 mg


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FIFA.com highlights the key points of a recent interview with FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke about the FIFA Confederations Cup, the FIFA World Cup, and the important relationship between the two.
FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke
On Brazil's preparations for the FIFA Confederations Cup and FIFA World Cup:
The preparations are in full swing, we have created a good structure now with the LOC Board meetings every six weeks. Of course, some of the stadiums will be only ready in mid-April, which is a challenge, but for the FIFA Confederations Cup we will manage, as it does not have the same magnitude as the FIFA World Cup.
Expected number of visitors for FIFA Confederations Cup and FIFA World Cup:
It's very difficult to say for the FIFA Confederations Cup, as typically there are more local fans, but we have Italy, Mexico and Spain, among others, who will have fans travelling. For the FIFA World Cup, we expect about 500,000 fans, who will mainly follow their respective teams and we must ensure that they have an optimal setting to travel from city to city to attend their desired matches. That is why we are working hard to make sure all is perfectly organised.
Expectations for the Confederations Cup:
People often think a World Cup match is just like any other league game, but the number of requirements is huge to cater for the large interest. The FIFA World Cup is a magnet; it draws attention and people. The day after the Confederations Cup final, we will review what has worked and where we need to approve. With the help of the Confederations Cup, we hopefully limit the challenges during the World Cup to a minimum.
Six venues at FCC:
It's the first time since 2002, that we will have six venues. It's an opportunity, but also a challenge, as we do need more infrastructure and more resources for the Confederations. But it is very good to test six World Cup venues a year in advance, in particular, the Maracana, venue of the two finals.
Business opportunities:
The 2014 World Cup is sold, the only thing you can buy are tickets. The sponsorship packages are basically finished for 2014, we have sold all six FIFA Partners until 2014, some already until 2022 and one until 2030. We are close to finalising most for 2018 and 2022, and it is amazing that, in fact, in a world which is facing hard times, there is no decrease in value. The only difficulty is the TV market in Europe, Spain particularly, as we have not yet sold the rights for the Confederations Cup and the World Cup. FIFA is doing well and we give all the money back to football.
You cannot organise a World Cup without thinking about sustainability. The Football part is a minor part, most of the investments in a host country are for general infrastructure in that country, like telecommunication, airports or roads. And the other aspects is our responsibility to reduce the environmental impact to a minimum. We are investing to neutralize our carbon footprint, to educate people. FIFA is spending $50million USD over four years on sustainability and corporate social responsibility on top of the $800million USD we spent on football development.
We see it our mandate to rebuild football infrastructure which has been destroyed. We will also rebuild the stadium in Gaza, which has been destroyed. Football brings people together and we will support any re-construction necessary when football infrastructure is destroyed through disasters.
*The IFAB has approved the use of technology, limited to goal-line technology. There are two systems that will be tested in Japan at the FIFA Club World Cup. Subject to the installation tests being passed, the magnetic field-based system of GoalRef will be used in Yokohama, while in Toyota, Hawk-Eye will install its camera-based technology. Following the conclusion of the competition, FIFA will analyse all the results in January, and then look to make a decision in spring 2013 regarding which system will be utilised at the Confederations Cup.


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One '70 AAR 'Cuda Just Wasn't Enough
Six forward gears, 12 barrels of carburetion, 16 cylinders, and 580 hp is what we're talking about here—the sum total of the assets of Dave and Lauriann Nicewander's potent pair of 1970 AAR 'Cudas. Though they are husband and wife, Lauriann is a strong Mopar enthusiast on her own, with deep Mopar roots. She didn't need any persuading from Dave as to the right brand loyalty.
Growing up, Lauriann's family owned Chrysler products exclusively. She cut her teeth in a '69 Charger, working summer jobs to keep high-test in the tank. A college roommate had a 'Cuda convertible that she thought was "the coolest car." So her Mopar light was burning bright at an early age.
Meanwhile, Dave was also coming up through the ranks of a Mopar-lovin' family. He says, "When I was a little kid, in 1970 or '71, my older cousin, who lived next door, had a Duster and would take me for rides. He also would let me help clean up the car for Saturday nights. Guess he was getting free cleaning labor, but as a little wannabe gearhead I really enjoyed it."
A friend of his cousin had another Mopar that would make a big impression on young Dave. "Mutt Farmer had a new AAR," says Dave. "My cousin always talked about Mutt's AAR. Then one day I saw it: a purple AAR, black hood and stripes, side pipes roaring with a high rear end. As a little kid I didn't really know what it was, but I knew it was bad and that I wanted one. That feeling stayed with me."
When the time came, Dave bought a 1974 Charger Rallye (he still has it), but the AAR bug wouldn't go away. By now Dave and Lauriann were married and had begun acquiring a car or two. With both established in their careers, they took the plunge.
The Orange AAR
"In 2005, Lauriann and I purchased the orange one," says Dave. "We found it on the show field at the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals. The owner was thinking about selling it. We talked with him several times that weekend, but he had made a deal with someone else. For some reason that fell through, and he contacted us later to see if we were interested. So, we made a deal and purchased the car."
Finally the long-standing itch was scratched.
It needed a lot of things corrected, countless things in the engine compartment
The AAR looked great and was a blast to drive. Inside, it was an oddball, with a Rallye dash, column-shift TorqueFlite, and a wild bench seat. As Dave got to know his new AAR, he noticed a few areas that could use some improvement.
"It's had the quarters and trunk replaced," Dave notes, "and it had the usual E-Body rust. It needed a lot of things corrected, countless things in the engine compartment. It needed an N.O.S. master cylinder, correct carbs, fan clutch, hoses; it had an incorrect alternator, and an unreal amount of generic hardware."
With the help of their friend, noted Mopar authority Frank Badalson, they began correcting the engine compartment's many deficiencies. Dave says, "The Prestolite dual-point distributor was still there, but it needed to be restored, so it went to Frank's. The engine had the wrong water pump pulley, spacers, and bolts, and the car was covered with a lot of spray-painted items. We spent a lot of time replating and refinishing those things."
Elsewhere, the rear G60-15 tires were correct, but new E60s were needed up front. The whole rear suspension was removed and restored with complete replating, factory marks, and color codes, one of Frank's specialties. Dave installed a new AAR exhaust system, and Roger Gibson restored the driveshaft. A myriad of other details were upgraded too, bringing the premium Plymouth to its current state of wonderfulness.
Dave researched the AAR's background, but it remains cloudy. "As far as we can tell, it was originally a Texas car," he says. "It has the matching transmission, but not the matching motor. I heard the original motor was blown and pulled several years back somewhere in Pennsylvania. It has a correct motor, just not the numbers-matching one."
At a Glance
1970 Plymouth AAR Barracuda
Owned by: Dave & Lauriann Nicewander, Mechanicsville, VA
Restored by: Previous owner; finished by owners; special thanks to Frank Badalson
Engine: '70 340ci/290hp Six Barrel V-8
Transmission: 727 TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic
Rearend: 8¾ with 3.55 gears and Suregrip
Interior: Black vinyl bench seat
Wheels: 15×7 Rallyes
Tires: E60-15 front, G60-15 rear Goodyear Polyglas
Special parts: Bench seat and column shift, Fast-ratio steering, Elastomeric bumpers
The Green AAR
It's officially Ivy Green Metallic, informally known as F8. Also a Chryslers at Carlisle find, the green AAR came from New York and was a low-mile example with only 30,000 original miles. It had all of its original sheetmetal—a rarity—and dozens of clips, tags, and fasteners. Its many options took up two broadcast sheets and original fender tags.
"Almost all of the AAR things that are usually missing and hard-to-find things were there," Dave says. "Original hood, carbs, intake, air cleaner assembly, Prestolite dual-point distributor, 070 fan clutch, rear spoiler, original dated Rallye wheels."
That was the good news. The bad news was that it was showing its age, and a previous owner had already taken a whack at an amateurish restoration. "It needed a ton of work," Dave recalls.
"In the sunshine it looks very sinister and really stands out
The green car also got a rearend and driveshaft resto. Frank carefully removed spray paint to find the original factory markings and duplicated them. Painter extraordinaire Stuart Jackson removed an unfortunate attempt at replicating the original Organosol, and correctly repainted those areas: front header; tops of the hood, doors, fenders, and quarters; tail panel, and cowl blackout.
The engine got a major makeover, with lots of N.O.S. parts, a correct alternator, and a master cylinder. A few hard-to-find items were replaced as well, like the starter splash shield for the fast-ratio steering, which Frank was instrumental in finding, along with the always-missing 340 transmission-to-engine support struts. The 340 Six Barrel engine is the original matching-number motor, but the matching trans is long gone.
Dave says that the legend about multicarb engines being tuning problems does not apply here. "Both AARs run really strong. Everything on the cars works just as it should. Both six barrels work perfect and pull hard. You always hear talk about how fussy Six Packs are. Well, we have four of them, and they all run perfectly."
Of the two, the orange one is quite the crowd-pleaser. "They do get a lot of attention in traffic or at a cruise-in," Dave says. "The F8 green looks kind of dark indoors, but in the sunshine it looks very sinister and really stands out. The orange one always stands out in a crowd—it just looks outrageous—even though the green one is the better car."
When there's work to be done, you won't find Lauriann on the sidelines.
"She's kind of a gearhead princess," says Dave. "Lauriann has worked a lot out in the shop with me on all of our cars. When we reinstalled the rearend housing and suspension, she rolled under her car and did the whole thing with me."
Dave and Lauriann share the work, and share the fun too.
"All of our cars are jointly owned. However, the green one is no doubt hers and the orange one is mine," Dave explains. "If we're only driving one somewhere we usually change drivers at some point. Our other cars are a gray area. Sometimes there is a little power struggle. I usually give in since she never says no when I want to buy another car. That's usually good, except there's no voice of reason sometimes. She's always in."
At a Glance
1970 Plymouth AAR Barracuda
Owned by: Dave & Lauriann Nicewander, Mechanicsville, VA
Restored by: Previous owner; finished by owners, Frank Badalson, Stuart Jackson
Engine: '70 340ci/290hp Six Barrel V-8
Transmission: 727 TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic
Rearend: 8¾ with 3.55 gears and Suregrip
Interior: Black vinyl bench seat
Wheels: 15×7 Rallyes
Tires: E60-15 front, G60-15 rear Goodyear Polyglas
Special parts: Fast-ratio steering


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PITTSBURGH -- The April exhibition game had mercifully expired Saturday night, the winning result serving only as an appetizer for fans in Consol Energy Center anticipating a much livlier re-do between these same teams in Game 1 of the playoffs.
So Jaromir Jagr entered from behind a shower-area curtain, still dripping in his sweats and still drained, yet maintaining the spoken belief that at age 40 and with a successful and sometimes magical comeback season behind him, he's more than ready for the more important encore.
And who's to argue with him? 'I don't feel tired at all,' Jagr said after a regular season finale in which he scored his 19th goal of the season. 'I feel a lot better than way I feel before. Maybe I don't score a lot of goals (lately), but I feel pretty good. I've been practicing more than I did before. I'm ready to go.'
The Flyers left behind this season's 82-game tease with a 4-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a game played with all the intensity of a morning skate. Jagr and Brayden Schenn were allowed to score for the Flyers, but Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin closed it out with a goal each in the waning minutes of the second period, and after that they might as well have turned out the lights in the building for the night.
When they crank them back on Wednesday evening, these two teams will be meeting in Game 1 of first round of the playoffs, their first postseason track meet since the Penguins outlasted the Flyers in 2009. Since then, the Flyers have largely turned over their roster, but behind veterans Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell and several key rookie contributions, they are threatening to return to a position of postseason prominence, even if defensive leader Chris Pronger won't be with them.
But one guy with the experience of Pronger and with the youthful scoring gifts that can still be envied around the league is eager to help lead this imperfect but intriguing Flyers team, and isn't it ironic that their first step would be against the Penguins, the team that helped make Jaromir Jagr famous?
Oh, and vice-versa, of course. 'They have a great team offensively,' Jagr said of this Penguins team. 'It's going to be a tough series, no question about it.'
In this game unworthy of a warmup, Pascal Dupuis and Chris Kunitz also scored for the Penguins, and Malkin's goal was his 50th of the season, perhaps wrapping up an MVP award for him.
Other than that, the Flyers let Giroux join Danny Briere in the injury ward for a night, with an 'upper body injury' that was really nothing more than a little cold, if that. And just like an autumn exhibition, the Penguins let their two goalies split the game almost evenly.
Yet this game was played before the largest crowd ever to see hockey in Consol Energy Center.
'It wasn't a good game, no question about it, for both sides,' Jagr said. 'We may have to face them seven times in the next two weeks, so it's kind of a tough game to play. You want to finish and you want to win, but obviously you don't want any bad injuries.'
Other than playing it safe, the Penguins did have a slight motivation in that the Flyers and goalie-of-the-day Sergei Bobrovsky were 5-0 over this Penguin palace's first two years. Consider that storyline old.
Now the real story between the teams can commence, with an old Penguins hero who now gets booed unmercifully here fully intending to play a lead role.
'The last playoff series I played in was against Pittsburgh, then I took three years off,' Jagr said with a smile, recalling how his Rangers team in 2008 lost a series to the Pens 4-1, and he subsequently left to play three years in Russia. 'That's probably what I've missed the most, the playoffs in the NHL. You can change a series with one great play, or you can lose a series with one bad mistake. That's why it's so crucial to play 60 minutes every game, no matter what the score is, because you never know.'
For the Flyers, Giroux will be back, and they are hoping Briere (back spasms) and Nick Grossmann (knee) are going to be able to play right away, too.
Forward James van Riemsdyk (broken foot) and defenseman Andrej Meszaros (lower back) are possible for a second round if the Flyers get past the Penguins. Recent history indicates they can -- the Flyers won the season series four games to two.
But you might wonder why even recent history is part of the conversation.
'I think it doesn't matter what happened during the season between us and them,' Giroux said. 'We have to make sure when the puck drops Wednesday we're jumping and winning battles. We've got to make sure (we) get the lead as quickly as possible, because they can shut down a lead. We have to make sure as soon as the puck drops that we're ready to go.'
Now there's an area where history might matter some.
When Dupuis scored off a great setup by Arron Asham 5:33 into the game, it marked the 46th time this season the Flyers had let the other guys score first. They were 20-22-4 in those games, but in the 36 games in which they scored the first goal, the Flyers went 27-4-5.
What's worrisome is the Flyers scored first in only two of their last 12 games.
'I liked the way the way our guys played through March and April,' Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said. 'Again, tonight, I'd like to throw it in a bucket. I'm not even sure I'll look at it.'


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There are good reasons for most of the city's campaign finance laws. Individual contribution limits are intended to keep a single donor from purchasing the support of a candidate. Public financing is intended to level the playing field between incumbents and challengers. Limits on gifts help deter graft.
But Los Angeles has one regulation that doesn't show up in many other places, and it doesn't make much sense: Candidates who raise money for an election cannot carry that money over if they fail to win in the first round and face a runoff for the same office. What that's meant in this election cycle is that both Councilman Eric Garcetti and Controller Wendy Greuel, who spent years raising money for the first round of the campaign for mayor, had to start all over when they made the runoff.
Because of the law, at the very moment a mayoral campaign gets serious and voters tune in, candidates have to return to the unpleasant business of begging for money. Immediately after winning the first round in the mayor's race, for instance, Garcetti darted off to Washington for fundraisers. And Greuel turned to stalwart supporters to post 82 donations in 72 hours, all at the maximum amount of $1,300 — for a total of $106,000.
Why does Los Angeles force candidates into a frenzy of second-round fundraising? The regulation dates to 1990 statutes that created the city's Ethics Commission and the rules it enforces. Those rules set out different kinds of elections, including "a primary nominating election, a general municipal election, a special election and a recall election." Each of those elections is defined as a separate contest, so contribution and expenditure limits apply separately to the first round and the runoff.
There is good reason to treat some elections separately. Imagine the candidate who raises money to run for City Council, say, and then decides instead to run for mayor. A donor who supported the candidate for a council seat might be supporting someone else for mayor, and might legitimately object to his money being spent on a different race.
In 2002, Assemblyman Rod Wright set out to run for the City Council's 8th District, and began raising money to do so. He then switched gears and decided to run for the 10th District seat, so he asked the city's Ethics Commission whether he could shift the money he had raised. The commission's answer: No. Contributions, it said in a formal opinion, "may be expended only in connection with the candidacy for the office specified."
That makes sense, but would a donor who gave to Greuel or Garcetti last year really object to that money being spent in May rather than February?
Meantime, it forces candidates to dwell on money at precisely the same moment that voters are eager for them to focus on issues.
"It's incredibly bothersome," said Bill Carrick, the campaign consultant working with Garcetti in this race. Carrick runs campaigns across the country, and he says Los Angeles is the only place he knows of with such a rule.
The prohibition against holding onto money for the runoff is not the only problem with the city's campaign finance regulations, but most of the others are because of constitutional issues. The proliferation of independent expenditure committees, for instance, undermines the purpose of contribution limits because moneyed interests can form committees to raise and spend unlimited amounts on behalf of candidates, even as individual contributions are capped.
That, of course, is precisely what's happened in this race. Both candidates have benefited from independent expenditures, but far more outside money has been spent to promote Greuel than Garcetti. (As of Friday, about $1.8 million in independent expenditures had been spent on Garcetti's behalf, compared with about $4 million on Greuel's.)
Meanwhile, both sides have also rushed to raise money for the runoff. Garcetti has been significantly more successful: He's raised almost $3 million since the March elections and has spent just $1.5 million, leaving him with ample cash for the final days. Greuel's treasury, by contrast, has spent almost $1 million more than it has raised from donors ($800,000 in matching funds have almost made up the difference). She has lent herself $100,000.
At the end of every campaign, there is an opportunity to reflect on what worked and what didn't in the area of campaign finance. This time, that conversation should start with a push by the winner to amend the city's prohibition on carrying cash forward in a runoff. That wouldn't eliminate all the problems with money in city campaigns, but it might take care of one.
Jim Newton's column appears Mondays. His latest book is "Eisenhower: The White House Years." Reach him at email@example.com or follow him on Twitter: @newton_jim.


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La Verne & Surely A Good Time
Originally named Lordsburg when it was founded in 1887; exactly 30 years later the tiny little Southern California town became known as La Verne in 1917. Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, La Verne is situated approximately 35 miles east of Los Angeles and supports a population of over 33,000. At the turn of the 20th century, Southern California was destined to become the birthplace of all things cool in the world of automobiles, and the folks who grew up in La Verne got a chance to witness it all. The city of La Verne's Cool Cruise paid homage to the roots of Custom Culture with almost 1,000 vehicles on display in Old Town La Verne starting at D Street from Bonita over to 2nd Street, it was just like stepping into a time machine. Held on April, 11 it was more than just an incredible gathering of cool custom cars, trucks, and motorcycles, the event featured door prizes, raffles, live entertainment with pretty girls dancing around, and the all-important food-lots of good food.


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Burnett outdueled by Estrada in opener
MILWAUKEE -- Some things never change. The Pirates' fortunes at Miller Park. A.J. Burnett's fortunes on a mound anywhere.
Both patterns held steady here Friday night, as the Bucs bowed to the Brewers, 2-1, ending their four-game winning streak at a place where few of their memories are good.View Full Game Coverage
MILWAUKEE -- Some things never change. The Pirates' fortunes at Miller Park. A.J. Burnett's fortunes on a mound anywhere.
Both patterns held steady here Friday night, as the Bucs bowed to the Brewers, 2-1, ending their four-game winning streak at a place where few of their memories are good.View Full Game Coverage
With this defeat, the Pirates are 8-47 in their past 55 games in Milwaukee.
The only thing that changed Friday night -- consistently -- was the speed of Marco Estrada's pitches. Also keeping Pirates' hitters off-balance by occasionally pitching backward, going to the softer stuff when behind in the count. Estrada held the Bucs hitless until Neil Walker's single with two outs in the fifth and to one run and four hits in seven very sharp innings.
Estrada also kept Burnett luckless. This may be hard to believe, considering Burnett is the Bucs' ace and in fact has pitched up to that standard, but the Pirates have gone 11-5 since May 8, and Burnett has started four of those losses.
"A good pitchers' duel. A heck of an outing by both guys," Burnett said, graciously. "You may beat me, but you're never going to out-compete me, I tell you that."
Estrada entered the game with an ERA of 7.31 in three previous starts in May. But, again, he stood up to the Pirates well enough to enable the Brewers to win for the first time without scoring at least four runs since Sept. 19 (against the Pirates), a stretch of 60 games.
"When he's really good, that's the kind of game he throws," said Walker, who also got the Pirates' only hit that really counted, an RBI double in the seventh. "He's down in the zone, getting ahead, elevating his fastball. It's not firm when you look at the radar, but trust me, his 88 [mph] plays a lot harder than it seems because of his offspeed stuff."
Estrada fanned eight without issuing a walk in remaining undefeated against Pittsburgh in five career decisions.
"We haven't been able to solve Estrada since I've been here," said manager Clint Hurdle. "He spots up his fastball and locates his offspeed pitches. Doesn't leave any pitches in the middle of the plate. We've seen the M.O. He's able to step up and get the ball where he wants against us."
Burnett also went seven innings and allowed one fewer hit than Estrada, but one of the three he gave up was a two-run double by Alex Gonzalez in the second inning.
Burnett now has three wins to show for 11 generally solid starts. He has not had that combination since 2006 when, in his first season with the Blue Jays, he was 3-5 after 11 starts with an ERA of 4.81.
Burnett exited Friday night's start with an ERA of 2.57. In the seven Burnett starts that the Pirates have lost (not all of them going on his personal record), the Pirates have scored a total of eight runs.
It is difficult for the Pirates to ignore that here-we-go-again sensation whenever something goes awry in this ballpark.
That feeling set in early. One out after the second began with Aramis Ramirez's walk and Carlos Gomez's double, Burnett was hurt by .184 hitter Gonzalez's two-run double up the left-center alley. Those were the first runs Gonzalez had driven in since May 2.
"[Burnett] is one of the best pitchers this year," Gonzalez said. "The last time we faced him, he was throwing a lot of breaking balls with men in scoring position. That was the pitch I was looking for. He threw it first pitch. … That kind of pitcher, you have to stay focused."
Following Gonzalez's double, Burnett recorded 11 outs before surrendering his next hit, a two-out opposite-field single in the fifth by Estrada. He wound up retiring 17 of the last 19 men he faced.
"I felt like I was making the same pitches as earlier," Burnett said. "I think I was strong. I didn't have the usual put-away hook in the dirt, so I started throwing other stuff."
The Pirates halved Estrada's lead in the seventh. Russell Martin's grounder forced Gaby Sanchez, who had singled with one away, and he scored on Walker's double over right fielder Norichika Aoki's head.
Walker, who flied out deep to right on his first at-bat, and Andrew McCutchen, who hit into two hard outs against Estrada, were least puzzled by the right-hander.
"His best pitch is his changeup, and I had three at-bats and didn't see the changeup," Walker said.
McCutchen, though hitless until dropping a single into center to lead off the ninth against Jim Henderson, seemed to almost resent being asked what had made Estrada so tough.
"I can't speak for everyone else, but I saw him pretty well. I felt pretty good," McCutchen said. "He pitched a good game, I guess. I hit the ball well two, three times. The way the cookie crumbles, sometimes."
Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog Change for a Nickel. He can also be found on Twitter @Tom_Singer.


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They tend to ham it up: bolo ties and cowboy boots, a gun and a fishing poll never far from hand.
Democrats who've won statewide offices in mountain states often look the part of old West clichés. But they owe their victories to a new reality: The interior West is urban and professional, more focused now on environmental protection and renewable energy development, and swelling with new independent and Latino voters who are up for grabs.
Respect for the "purple mountain majesties" started with Nevada's early caucuses and will culminate in Denver, host of the Democratic National Convention. So far, the region has received more presidential candidate visits than California, with candidates stopping in Colorado ahead of Tuesday's big-state primary blowout.
"Both parties will be battling for [the region]," says Floyd Ciruli, an independent pollster in Colorado. "Democrats have already made lots of inroads [in a historically Republican stronghold], and the trend line is this [area] will be very competitive ... with the national factors being accentuated by these local changes: Hispanic voters, independent voters swinging Democratic, and a new image for the Democratic Party led by moderate statewide elected officials."
For years, this corridor – stretching from Montana and Idaho south to Arizona and New Mexico – has been neglected in national races. Seen in terms of electoral votes, delegates, or congressional seats, the eight mountain states look like molehills. More important, Republicans seemed to have a lock on the region.
Things have changed. Five of the eight governors are Democrats. Republicans retain a 17-to-11 edge on congressional seats, but that's in jeopardy this year, with nine GOP and only two Democratic seats in play, according to Congressional Quarterly. Of the six Senate elections in the region, four are for open seats – all of them formerly held by Republicans.
Successful Democrats have appealed to the region's newcomers, who tend to be independents concerned with growth issues, environmental stewardship, and better schools. "To be successful out here they have been less strongly identified with the party," says Mr. Ciruli.
That's the case with Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, a Democrat elected in 2004. He favors the death penalty and brags about cutting taxes, and he does it with the folksy swagger of a farmer-turned-governor who carries a gun and takes his dog to work. "I'm a businessman, scientist, and rancher who ran for governor," says Governor Schweitzer in a phone interview.
He describes Montana newcomers as people in their late 40s, upper middle-class or above, who are either business owners or "at such a stage in their career where they can effectively phone it in."
This in-migration has moved the interior West's economy beyond ranching and mining, says Larry Swanson, an economist at the University of Montana in Missoula. "The Rocky Mountain West is very urban in character. It's not growing because of oil and gas and mining; it's growing because its cities are growing."
As a result, the urban vote has become decisive. However, the cities are not Democratic bastions, but tend to be nonpartisan and pragmatic, according to Dr. Swanson's research.
Staples of the old rural politics here no longer work, he says. Education has a higher value now. Conservation is a consensus position, because the environment is key to the new economy. There's enthusiasm around tapping the region's renewable energy potential – something presidential candidates emphasized while campaigning in Nevada.
The Southwest is even more in play because Latino immigrants – who lean Democratic – are now substantial voting populations.
The influx of young, itinerant people has contributed to the doubling of independents across the West in the past six years, says Ciruli. The West is not undergoing a political realignment, Ciruli argues, but reflects independents favoring Democrats for now. Others suggest that the long-term growth in the Hispanic population could tip the region for the Democrats for years to come.
Several presidential candidates can claim some appeal in the West. Sen. John McCain (R) and Sen. Barack Obama (D) both attract independents, while Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) has strong support from Latinos. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) has demonstrated Mormons will organize and vote for him.
A key to success in the region would be to simply show up, experts say. "Go there. [John] Kerry didn't go there. [Al] Gore spent hardly any time there," says Tom Schaller, author of "Whistling Past Dixie," a book arguing that Democrats should look for national gains in the West. "The smartest thing Howard Dean ever did was pick Denver as the convention [site]."


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Royal sources have reported today that the Prince Of Wales has been following the abdication story after Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands announced on Monday that she would abdicate on 30th April (The Netherlands' Queen's Day) to make way for her son, who'll be King.
The Prince has expressed on multiple occasions how he feels he is running out of time and will have no chance to make an impact. Of Queen Beatrix's abdication announcement, a courtier told the Telegraph newspaper that "The Prince thinks it is a very interesting decision."
Queen Elizabeth II is currently 86-years-old and will be celebrating her 87th birthday in May of this year. Her Majesty is said to see the role of Monarch as a job for life (for more on this, click here to see our article on whether our Queen would ever abdicate). Queen Elizabeth II became Britain's oldest ever Monarch in 2007, overtaking Queen Victoria.
The Prince Of Wales, who is 64, will become the oldest heir to the throne in British history. The oldest monarch at the start of his reign was William IV who succeeded to the throne in 1830 at the age of 64 years, 10 months and 5 days — The current Prince of Wales would surpass this age on 20 September 2013.
On 10th September 2015, Queen Elizabeth II would surpass Queen Victoria as the longest-reigning British monarch. At that point she would be 89-years-old.
For now, based on the evidence we have researched and the Queen's firm religious beliefs, it is almost unimaginable that the Queen would abdicate. So for now, Prince Charles could be waiting up to another 15 years before he gets a chance to reign.


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