text:
As part of Rule Maker Portfolio holding and FOOL 50 component American Express' (NYSE: AXP) earnings release this week, the company offered a shocking piece of information: its American Express Financial Advisors (AEFA) division had to write down more than $826 million, or more than a third of its junk-bond portfolio. This write-down (which essentially means that American Express is declaring those underlying assets to be worth nothing) resulted in a charge directly to earnings. If you are an AmEx shareholder, as the Rule Maker Portfolio is, that was a charge to YOUR earnings. I hope you're torqued, because I certainly would be.
In discussing this enormous loss, AmEx CEO Kenneth Chenault stated that the company "did not fully comprehend the risk" of the instruments that make up the majority of its portfolio losses. I find this hard to believe, as this is the third consecutive quarter in which AmEx has had to take a write-down on its junk-bond portfolio. Last quarter the company declared a loss of $182 million in junk bonds; the quarter previous it was $49 million. The loss this quarter was bigger by an order of magnitude, but any corporate management that is worth its paycheck should have damn well figured out the risks after, oh, the first six-month, $230 million loss.
This is one of a seemingly endless stream of mea culpas by AmEx in what now seems to be a weakness in every part of its operations. Over the last 12 months we have seen:
- The three write-downs detailed above. In April the company assured investors that there would not be another write-down in the AEFA portfolio. Fool me once...
- A few short months after the launch of its Online Brokerage that was heavily marketed as offering "free trades," last autumn AmEx had to significantly change its fee structure, instituting limits on the number of trades and adding fees. Fool me twice...
- American Express offered a "free unlimited Internet service" to its cardholders earlier this year. Then it put a limit on free online time to 30 hours a month. Recently AmEx informed Internet customers that they would be charged a flat rate of $12.95 per month. Fool me three times...
In each of the three programs listed above, AmEx rushed headlong into a service, product, or instrument that it did not fully understand. This is an alarming trend, and it is, and should be, genuinely damaging to the American Express brand name. And the fact that AEFA has now had to take a bath on its high-yield options a quarter after it said there would be no more charges against its portfolio is inexcusable. American Express says that it will not take such risks again. Unfortunately, seeing as the CEO has admitted that the company failed to recognize the risks it was taking in the first place, it's going to have to excuse investors for the lack of confidence in this statement.
So what happened?
Starting in 1997, American Express began dealing in derivative products called collateralized debt obligations. These instruments are put together by a company, combining junk bonds and risky bank loans into a single package. The packager then sells these obligations as a single security. The instruments contain a carefully weighted combination of debt obligations ranging from the most risky, which is nearly guaranteed to default, to high-quality paper. The assumed default rate when these instruments were sold was around 2%. Horrendous debt loads have carried the current default rate above 8%, leaving the packagers -- in this case AmEx -- with insufficient collateral. The result? Earnings go poof!
The unforgivable part here is that AmEx entered into these instruments not by necessity, but by choice. American Express is not an investment bank, they do not deal in bond issues, nor do they have any greater financial reason for ensuring liquidity in debt instruments by one of their prize customers.
What is even more galling is that American Express' largest shareholder, holding more than 11% of the total outstanding shares of the company, is Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A), chaired by Warren Buffett, who is rumored to know a thing or two about complicated financial instruments. Certainly it occurred to the management of AmEx after the first two write-downs to consult Mr. Buffett about its derivative portfolio?
Question everything
Now that the big bath is out of the way, things should improve, right? Unfortunately, even absent of these myriad external events AmEx management is not instilling much confidence. In its second-quarter report, AmEx reported that its Travel Related Services (TRS) Division, which includes its charge card operations, grew revenues by only 3% over the previous year. TRS contributes more than two-thirds of total revenues to AmEx's top line.
AmEx also announced that it would eliminate up to 5,000 jobs, or 6% of its total workforce. Although I don't consider it to be couth to wish ill on anyone, one would hope those responsible for the $1 billion plus in write-downs would be high on the list, since the layoffs are a fairly obvious method for AmEx to maintain profitability.
There are two problems here -- the first of which is that all of the top AmEx brass received raises and bonuses WAY into the six figures this past year. Rather than lay off good people to achieve profitability, I'd suggest AmEx hit the pocketbooks of the people under whose watch these egregious operational losses have happened, and that starts at the top. So not only should the shareholders be angry, so should AmEx employees. I do not find it meritorious when a management fires workers simply to make short-term profits look better. A well-managed company hires judiciously when demand is high so that layoffs may truly be a last resort during a downturn. That is clearly not the case here.
AmEx refused to give any guidance for growth for the remainder of this year, and yet it maintains that it will grow at an annual rate of 12-15%. Seeing as its largest contributor to revenues, TRS, has had growth slow to a crawl due to a rapid downturn in the business travel market, one would be right to wonder where this growth is going to come from.
Two years ago, one of the former Rule Maker components, Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS), went through a crisis of management from which it has yet to emerge. I have a deep respect for American Express as a brand and as a company, but its recent past does not inspire much confidence at all. I and the other Rule Maker managers will be watching closely for further degradation. We don't wish to watch another great company seemingly fall to pieces on our nickel.
When he was young, Bill Mann thought those "Question Authority" T-shirts were worn by people who knew a lot of stuff. Boy, was he wrong. At the time of publication, Bill owned shares in Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool is investors writing for investors.


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(photo credit: Birds of a Feather by Bhargavi Jannu on flickr.com. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode.)
I often wonder if I'd sat in a different place at an all day event, would I have made different friends?
Every time I go to a writing conference, I leave feeling like there are four or five people who've entered my circle and are here to stay. I look at my Facebook feed and I see them and interact with them. Not just conference friends but also writing friends from courses I've taken or events I've attended.
There is something fascinating about bringing together a bunch of people who write, who struggle to get it right, who feel much more comfortable communicating on the page than face to face, who work so damn hard without the security of a paycheck to make something that will resonate with other people. Being among them, for me, who is one of them, is a coming home. It's like walking into a family reunion of relatives you've never met.
I looked around at the end of the day today, after I said my goodbyes to the three new friends I made at the writing conference, and noticed other groupings of people saying goodbye, clearly, like us, people who'd never seen one another before today.
If I were sitting in a different place in the room, would I have made friends with the old guy with the beard? Or the beautiful woman with the flowy skirt? Or the one who looked like one of my cousins? I guess it doesn't really matter. I loved getting acquainted with the three women seated around me. We ate lunch together, got excited for one another when we returned from our agent meetings, all took a few bucks out of our wallets to give to the homeless woman who told us her tragic story.
There is something about these quickly made friends, who have a vocation/avocation in common, that leaves me feeling confident that we will keep touch. And this makes me happy.
Birds of a feather, I've been told, flock together.
I'd love to hear what you think. Share in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
Please share my posts with your friends by clicking on the FB, Twitter, or email share buttons found below. And if you like what you've read, click on the Facebook like button.
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Latest posts by Sara (see all)
- Let The Roadies Take The Stage (Day 365) - February 22, 2016
- Trumbo and The HUAC (Day 364) - February 21, 2016
- Is It Time To Boycott Huff Po? (Day 363) - February 20, 2016

subset: commoncrawl


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This site is here for historical purposes only. Do not add or edit tasks here!
In a special mode the ANALYZE command will collect statistics on table
cardinality, table columns and table indexes. This statistics will be stored in
system tables table_stat, column_stat and index_stat.
For any database table the system table table_stat will contain the number of
rows in the table.
For any table column the system table column_stat will contain min and max value,
the share of null values, the average length of a column value, and the the
average frequency of the column values.
For any index defined on a database table the system table index_stat will
contain number of records per every key prefix.
This task will be implemented in 3 steps:
1. A pure back-port of the WL#4777 from mysql-5.4 code line will be performed.
2. New possibility to collect statistics only on specified columns and/or
indexes will be added.
3. A new possibility to scan only a certain percentage of the table records in a
pseudo-random manner will be added.
The collected statistics is supposed to be used by the optimizer, but this will
be an objective of some other task.


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I haven't stamped in days but I plan on changing that this week. Trying to get more in a routine. Brian hooked up my tv and digital box by my stamp table so in the evening when he's busy on his computer in the basement, I can be down there with him! Fun!
Here's another card I created using the pretty colour combo from last week's Paper Players Challenge #240 and also Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch #264.
Stamps: Hi There, Really Good GreetingsPaper: White, Coastal Cabana, Strawberry SlushInk: Pistachio Pudding, Strawberry Slush, Coastal CabanaAccessories: SU Markers in colours, sewing, dimensionals


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Geeks Who Drink Trivia
Geeks Who Drink Trivia
at The Olde English Pub & Pantry
Olde English Pub & Pantry hosts Geeks Who Drink Trivia each Tuesday beginning at 7:00 PM.
About Geeks Who Drink:
Geeks Who Drink is a homegrown Pub Trivia Quiz modeled after those in Ireland and the UK.
Our quizzes cover everything from celebrities in trouble to wordplay to bad television. You can get a feel for the questions we ask by playing a sample round here. Each quiz has two audio rounds: a "Name that Tune" style round, and another round comprised of soundbites from movies and TV.
Play in teams of up to six or by yourself if you're some kind of savant. If you want to play but don't have a team, come anyway. We can usually get single players recruited onto an existing team.
Tuesdays | 7:00 PM
Nearest Parking - OR


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Compression garments provide support to areas of the body affected by lipoedema. They mimic (and improve) the natural effect of the skin, increasing the pressure in the tissues. In someone with lipoedema the fat tissues enlarge and the skin is soft. This leads to reduced tissue pressure, and may explain why the lymphatics and veins do not work so well in people with lipoedema.
Why are these useful in lipoedema?
Compression garments increase tissue pressure, reducing the amount of leakage out of the blood capillaries into the tissues. They also improve the drainage of fluid from the tissues, through the lymphatics and veins, back into the blood circulation. It has been suggested that wearing compression may help reverse the progression of lipoedema, by reducing fluid accumulation and inflammation in the fat tissues.
Good fitting compression garments can help with symptoms such as heaviness and pain. Many women with lipoedema require light compression. Stronger compression may be required for some people, for example, after liposuction, or if lymphoedema is also a problem.
How do I know if I need to wear a compression garment?
If you have lipoedema of any stage, wearing compression will have benefits. Compression is helpful for varicose or thread veins, and for those who previously had a blood clot. If you have symptoms such as heaviness, discomfort or pain, fluid swelling, or changes such as hardness in your skin, then you should be wearing compression as often as possible, as you may have later stage lipoedema, or lymphoedema.
Signs of possible lymphoedema are: persistent swelling; tissue hardness; mis-shaped bulges of tissue with deep skin folds; cellulitis. People with late stage lipoedema or lymphoedema may require a course of compression bandaging before being fitted with compression garments. The layered bandages are reapplied by a health professional, sometimes daily. Treatments such as manual lymph drainage massage may also be used. Some people learn to apply the bandages themselves and alternate this with wearing garments.
What choice of compression is available?
There is a wide range of garments available, although the choices may be limited by cost, or by what can be prescribed in your area. You can buy garments yourself, such as those from the Solidea range (see below). Most of the prescription garments can be bought, although they are expensive. Some people with early lipoedema find that support leggings or panty garments are effective. Others with more persistent symptoms may need a health professional to fit and supply a specific type of garment on prescription.
Choices include:
- Leg: below knee, thigh length and panty (like tights) garments; these can be made with or without a foot part; toe 'glove' garments are also available.
- Arm: sleeves with or without a hand piece; some come over the shoulder or back; gloves are available.
- Circular knit: these are arm or leg garments knitted in a round pattern, with no seam; they may be highly elastic, and may gather in skin folds or behind the knee, so are not always suitable for people with lipoedema.
- Flat knit: these are arm or leg garments knitted flat with a seam; they are often referred to as 'stiffer' garments as they are less elastic; however, this type of garment has a good effect on the lymphatics and veins, and is less likely to gather in skin folds, so can be more comfortable and easier to apply.
- Colours: most common are the 'beige' coloured garments; many women with lipoedema like the black colour that is also available on prescription; a few companies also do different colours (for example, blue, red, brown, pink), but these may not be available on prescription.
- Length: most garments come in different lengths; if you have it custom-made, it will be made to match the exact length and circumference of your limb at different points.
- Silicone band: some garments have a band of silicone at the end to stop them slipping down. Some people react to this material, particularly if they get hot.
- Compression class: prescription garments are graded according to the level of compression they provide; this includes compression class 1 (lightest), 2, 3 or 4. People with lipoedema mainly require compression 1 and 2, while the stronger garments are required for lymphoedema. Compression levels can vary between different companies and countries.
- Velcro®compression wraps: these are useful if you need to be able to adjust the pressures (if swelling reduces), if you are unable to apply a stocking, or after liposuction. The wraps cover the limb, and pressure can be adjusted by a series of velcro® straps along the length of your limb. There are usually separate sections for the foot, lower leg and thigh if required; arm garments are also available. Examples are: Juxta-Fit©, CircAid© and FarrowWrap®.
How do I get a compression garment that fits me?
There are many 'off-the shelf' garments available, but not everyone fits the standard range and some people need to be measured for a custom-made garment. Measurement is usually done by a nurse such as a GP practice nurse, community nurse, specialist lymphoedema nurse or MLD therapist. Some NHS areas have an orthotic department to fit and supply garments, or community pharmacists may also fit simple garments.
Each company has its own measurement sheet (most are available on the company website) and a health professional fitting one of these will measure circumference and length at a variety of set points on the body. Hopefully, this means that the garment will fit you exactly, but it can take time to find one that is absolutely right for you.
What do I do if it doesn't fit or keeps falling down?
Get in touch with whoever measured or supplied the garment as soon as possible. There may be different solutions: sometimes a garment feels tight when first applied, and in time our body gets used to the feeling. It is good to break yourself in gently when you first get a new garment, and wear it for a couple of hours to start, building up time until you can wear it as long as required.
The garment may be wrongly sized, and should be re-measured and exchanged. If a garment rolls down, it may be the wrong length or poorly fitted. Another possible solution is that you require a roll-on adhesive body glue, to 'glue' the garment to the top of your thigh (this washes off easily!). If in any doubt, or if you develop skin problems from the garment, get in touch with whoever supplied it as soon as possible.
How often should I wear the garment?
This is individual to the person and you should talk to a health professional for personal recommendations. Some people only wear a garment when doing certain activities, and others wear them all day. Usually in lipoedema, it is advisable to go without the garment at night, but some people wear some (lighter) support at night. Times when it is advisable to wear a garment is when you are sitting or standing for a long time, doing repetitive tasks or exercising.
Applying the garments is really difficult; what is available to make this easier?It can take time and practice to find the easiest way to do this, and some garments are much more difficult to apply than others. Usually it is best to apply them in the morning, before swelling becomes worse. Try to avoid applying immediately after a bath/shower or when you have recently applied cream, when the skin can be 'sticky'. Applying a stocking when sitting with your leg raised is usually easier than bending down to the floor.
There are specific techniques you can use and may different applicators available, some of which are on prescription. Some are slippery material to help the garment slide over the foot, ankle and up the leg. Other examples are frame applicators; here, the garment is spread over a small frame, which then guides the garment onto the limb. Some frames have long handles for those who cannot bend down. If you have a carer, they may need to be taught the easy application techniques. Some of these can be found as short videos on the Internet.
Care of the garments
It is advisable to wash the garment every 1-3 days as this helps to renew the elasticity of the material, and may help lower the risk of infection. Most garments last longer if hand washed, but some can be put in the machine, for example, at a light wash. Avoid using fabric conditioner as this coats the lycra® and other fibres of the garment, making them softer, and more easily degraded. Dry flat, spin dry lightly, but avoid tumble drying or drying directly on a radiator.
I don't want to wear compression garments
It can be daunting to think of having to wear compression garments regularly. We all have different experiences of compression garments. Sometimes garments aren't properly fitted, are uncomfortable, or don't fit with our lifestyle. It can help to break yourself in gradually, wearing light compression for short periods, or getting a colour and style that you like. Once you start wearing a well-fitting compression garment, you will likely feel encouraged and motivated to continue when you notice that it improves your symptoms.
Getting a garment: examples of companies that supply compression garments and their websites. We cannot make any recommendations, and we advise you to talk to a health professional who understands you condition before contacting any companies or ordering any garments privately. If you are in the UK you are usually entitled to two new garments every six months on prescription.
You may wish to buy garments to give yourself more choice.
- Solidea: non-prescribed, available etc….
- BSN: Jobst Elvarex and other garments in beige, black and a few other colours for some; FarrowWrap garment
- Juzo: garments, many different colours
- Medi: garments and Juxta-Fit®
- Sigvaris: wide range of off-the-shelf round knit garments in various styles and colours
- Haddenham Healthcare:
- Credenhill: online private orders of some garments that are usually on prescription
- Activa Healthcare:
Above to be completed as required.
Please note: we do not take responsibility for providing medical advice; the above information should be used in combination with specific, individualised advice from a health professional who knows and understands your situation, where possible.


text:
Armando Salguero
Dolphins' bittersweet day: Team pulls out late victory against Arizona in game Ryan Tannell suffers 'major' injury
Ndamukong Suh talks about the Dolphins' defensive effort against the Cardinals
First it looked like a win.
Then it looked like a win overshadowed by what one source is saying is a serious injury to quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
[Update: Head coach Adam Gase said the team fears Tannehill tore his ACL in the left knee. That would mean Tannehill is done for the season. An MRI is scheduled for Monday morning to confirm.]
Then it looked like a likely loss that suggests this Dolphins season is now on life support.
Finally, it turned into a win over the Arizona Cardinals, sealed by a 21-yard Andrew Franks field goal, as Miami won, 26-23.
The Dolphins improved to 8-5 and still have a chance to make the playoffs if they continue to win. If Matt Moore becomes a star in place of Tannehill..
The most important thing first: Tannehill, who was the NFL's most sacked quarterback his first four seasons but never missed a game, was hit on his left knee by Arizona defensive lineman Calais Campbell in the fourth quarter. He left the game and never returned.
He went to the locker room and returned to watch the end of the game in street clothes. While on the bench after he came back, Tannehill could be seen apparently crying as he was consoled by teammates who patted him on the shoulders or head.
The Dolphins so far are refusing to give any details on the injury and the only thing one source told me was that the injury is "serious." That could mean anything but it suggests Tannehill could be done for the season.
The early hope was Tannehill suffered perhaps a hyperextension or bone bruise. That's the best case scenario.
The worst case is thta Tannehill suffered an ACL injury
Tannehill, who threw three interceptions in a loss to Baltimore last week, had rebounded Sunday with three TD passes. The Dolphins were leading 21-9 when Tannehill left the game.
And then Arizona scored on consecutive drives of 98 yards and 50 yards and also connected on a successful two-point conversion to tie the game at 23.
Yes, the Dolphins defense was in full meltdown mode at that point after coming up with four turnovers earlier. And the meltdown happened despite the fact Cameron Wake collected a sack and pressured Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer the entire day.
That put the game in backup Matt Moore's hands.
He connected on multiple passes to Kenny Stills inside of one minute -- including one in which Stills was interfered with at the 3 yard line -- to put the Dolphins within victory's reach. That completion was for 29 yards.
Franks connected on his winning kick with zero seconds left on the clock.
This was a hard-fought one. It was a classice gut check.
And, with Tannehill's injury looming, if you think it gets easier ... well, you'd be mistaken.
The Dolphins play at the New York Jets, at Buffalo and versus New England the final three games.


text:
by Rocky
I want 90% in my final exams. I know about The Secret, I read the book and I believe in it. I am a happy person and I think positively, advise me more. I even visualise everyday.
Finally, A Step-by-Step System To Master The Law of Attraction
Visit Unlock The Power of You Now, To Claim Your FREE Lessons
Return to Law of Attraction Tips and Advice.
Copyright 2007-2016 Law-of-Attraction-Guide.com


text:
Gurgaon land deal case: FIR lodged against Robert Vadra, Bhupinder Hooda :- FIR lodged against Robert Vadra and former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda for alleged irregularities in Gurgaon land deal.
PM Modi visits exhibition on IPPB :- Ahead of launch of India Post Payments Bank, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited an interactive exhibition highlighting the unique features of India post payment banks.
PM Modi blames UPA for Non-Performing Asset :- Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the UPA government for allowing rampant corruption in the banking sector to flourish. He said that the country was sitting on a landmine in 2014. His government acted with caution, exposing the festering NPA issue.
PM Modi launches India post payments bank :- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched India Post Payments Bank in Delhi. 650 branches are now active with 3250 access points.
GDP growth soars to 8.2% in first quarter of current fiscal :- Indian economy grew by 8.2 per cent in the first quarter of the current fiscal, the highest in over two years.
BCCI announces 16-member India squad for Asia Cup :- BCCI's selection committee led by MSK Prasad announced the Asia Cup squad in Mumbai on Saturday.


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Harris Health (Harris County Hospital District) obtained a favorable ruling in the case Alfred v. Harris County Hospital District on Friday, December 2, 2016. A manager claimed that her demotion was caused by her taking medical leave under the "self-care provision" of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The federal district court granted Harris Health's motion to dismiss on the basis that Harris Health cannot be subjected to suits for damages by employees alleging violations of the "self-care provisions" of the FMLA.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals held that the district court did not err in dismissing FMLA self-care retaliation claims against Harris Health for lack of subject matter jurisdiction based on sovereign immunity. The 5th Circuit also determined that the district court did not abuse discretion in denying plaintiff's motion for leave to amend her complaint to add a FMLA family-care retaliation claim, to which sovereign immunity would not apply.
Assistant County Attorney Sara L. Thomas was the lead attorney in the trail and appeal of this case.
The case can be viewed at


text:
... The Day After ... this year, the day after the conference, Sunday 8/25, we're encouraging attendees to join us for breakfast/ brunch at
Crabby Joes
on the Sun Glow Pier. It's a nice family friendly atmosphere, very much a Florida feeling type place, tasty inexpensive breakfast, and a great view. Crabby Joe's is a straight shot south on A1A from the Fountain Beach Resort, just south of Dunlawton. Located at 3701 South Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach. So, if you're staying over on Saturday or local to the area, please plan on joining us for the day after breakfast.
Learn more about our
course bundles
2. Any three courses for a flat rate - $499. purchased by September 20, 2016. Also includes the $95. conference fee. Available to new and current members. [$95 membership fee also included] Potential savings up to $556!
3. Or choose a
Turn Key
Business Bundle. Conference fee waived with purchase of a Turn Key Business Bundle through September 23! Save $95. Our Turn Key Business Bundles always include the FALDP Membership fee, two online courses, and a custom website - all for only $499. Potential savings up to $533!
You also may be able to receive a full rebate for your conference fee even if you have already registered and paid.
Members should have received an invitation by now. If you are an FALDP member and have not received an invitation, after checking your spam box, please contact us so that we can resend.
"The access to justice gap remains enormous. Legal aid organizations are overtaxed, pro bono representation can't meet the need, and other initiatives have fallen far short".
My observations and replies are as follows:
I have been writing about the justice gap for some time, and it is far more than a "gap". More like a canyon. A gorge. An abyss. Legal aid organizations are overtaxed. For every person helped, another is turned away. The 2009 ABA report on the Justice Gap reported: " Lack of resources, however, continues to be the major factor why LSC-funded programs turn away half of those seeking help. Closing the justice gap will require a multifaceted approach that includes increased funding by federal and state
governments, private funders and concerned private parties, and increased pro bono contributions by individual lawyers." Now nearly seven years later, little has changed.
Pro bono representation can't meet the need. Although, in theory, attorneys are required to provide 20 hours per year in pro bono services, Palm Beach County officially allows attorneys to buy out their pro bono obligation for as little as $350 per year. Many attorneys charge $350 per hour, one hour of time versus 20 hours of work is a simple economic choice. The following is posted on the Palm Beach County Bar Association's website:
"In Palm Beach County, the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County is the designated agency for administering Florida's Pro Bono Plan. That plan, outlined in Rule 4-6.1, Rules Regulating the Florida Bar, describes lawyers' professional responsibility for pro bono service. The professional responsibility may be discharged by:
(1) annually providing at least 20 hours of pro bono legal service to the poor; or (2) making an annual contribution of at least $350 to a legal aid organization."
Other initiatives have fallen short. Florida's Commission on Access to Justice has been discussing and debating various initiatives for the past year or two with very little actual change or improvement. Florida legal document preparers are, at best, routinely overlooked as part of the solution. And, at worst, routinely intimidated from prospering and growing their businesses due to the Florida Bar's continuous intimidation. More than one FALDP member has closed up shop, specifically because of the threat of unfounded UPL allegations. Until the day we demand that the Florida Bar recognizes that document preparers are here to stay, that we provide a sought after and necessary service, and we do not seek to take work away from attorneys -- we, as business professionals, will remain
disenfranchised, vulnerable, and ineffective.
I now ask FALDP members and all document preparers to stand with me and demand that our right to be let alone be upheld, and let us be free to pursue our livelihood without interference. That our business disenfranchisement be transformed through the gratitude of our satisfied customers. Demand that our vulnerability become our strength in our willingness to assist our customers despite the zealots who would have us fined and imprisoned. And finally affect our customers, our communities, and the world in positive ways by continuing to assist consumers as is their right.
Let us grasp this moment to empower ourselves so that we can better empower the pro se litigants whom we serve.
The monthly fee for those who are not members of FALDP - consumers and document preparers alike - is $99 per month unlimited use. There is absolutely no ongoing contract. Access for FALDP members is only $25 per month unlimited use. Whether the user is a consumer and pays $99 and actually only needs one time access; or a non-member document preparer who uses the site multiple times during a month - the benefits are substantial. Any one of these document sets could take hours to prepare manually, but with our Automated Document Portal the forms are completed in minutes. The user can either print the forms immediately or save to their computer. The tools page on that site includes information about using the site; additional stand alone forms; and instructions for the form sets.
After submitting payment users receive the user name and password for the site. This login information is changed monthly at midnight on the fourth of the month. Access for the month is
The Password to the Member's Only area has changed. We sent out an email to all members the first week of August with the new password. If you missed the email or didn't receive it, please call or email and we'll be happy to provide it. firstname.lastname@example.com or 800-515-0496
We added a new page - Conference Archives - linked to our Annual Conference page. And we added a calendar to the page you arrive at when you enter the Document Preparer's doorway on the home page of our site.
If you would like to write an article, editorial, opinion piece, or web page please let us know. We are always in need of fresh information and insights.


text: Another hotel, another great view. Right now, we are in the Legacy Hotel which is adjacent to the US consulate in Jerusalem. It's a perfect location situated as it is within walking distance of the Old City, Mamilla, Ben Yehuda street in West Jerusalem and, most importantly, the Albright, our temporary base of operations.


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There are still some good catches of jacks coming from the rocky sections and bridges throughout Ross creek. Small live herring and poddy mullet are jack lollies with a big hungry jack striking the smaller baits with plenty of gusto. Casting around any nasty structure such as bridge pylons and rocks will put you in with a better chance to hook a bigger fish although you may lose a few rigs into the structure. Running a leader of 40lb plus should keep you out of trouble the majority of the time. The freshwater systems are still going great for jungle perch and sooty grunter with the further north anglers are driving the better results they are finding. Small diving lures are top lures to be using for sooty grunter in the slower flowing jungle streams with natural colours your best options. In sections that have a bit more current blades are good options with their quick sink rate working well and the vibration they put off attracting many fish species.
The creeks and rivers are fishing consistent at the moment with plenty of variety on offer from grunter, bream, salmon and jacks all turning up. Fishing towards the mouth has been getting results with any deep ledges and snags the place to jig soft plastics of drop a few baits into. Reasonable numbers of school fingermark have been jumping on plastics also with fish around 40-50cm most common and good sport on lighter tackle of 10lb braid or less. Using your sounder to find the school of fish then spending a bit of time on them by changing lures can see you landing fish for hours. On the crabbing front steady reports are flowing in with the avid crabbers that have left the pots overnight having the best results. There haven't been many smaller ones around from reports with the few that have been caught of good size and full. As always using fresh bait will yield better results with mullet heads and the last trips fish frames working great.
Similar weather patterns have allowed for anglers to run out to the reefs and catch a few nice fish. There are still some nice mackerel getting landed from boats trolling lures around current lines and reef drop offs. Those that have been at anchor in the right area and cast out gar and pillies on a set of gang hooks have also landed some nice macks. Fish of 6-10kg have been the most common size which is great sport and fun on a spin rod set up. The occasional large cobia has been getting landed also from the wrecks which are situated slightly inshore and there are a few scattered amongst the reefs also. Cobia are a hard fighting fish and the characteristically swim up to the surface through the fish and can be called for a shark so it is work getting a look at him before he is busted off. Heavy blades, knife jigs and gulp soft plastics all work for cobia along with fresh squid baits.
Fishing the creek mouths this weekend for a few grunter and fingermark that have been getting caught should provide plenty of fun and see a few fish getting caught also.
Weekly Report 1 Nov 13
Danny & Rosalie Brooks
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YFL Foundation uses FamilyMint to help 400 Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences students/
YFL presented their biggest donation check yet to the Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences after 400 students passed the FamilyMint/YFL youth financial literacy program. These students also appeared on the Ellen show. Check out this great video!


text: Beauty Trend: Everything's Coming Up Roses\\nRose may conjure thoughts of your grandma's old perfume (or a certain Hallmark holiday), but in the beauty world, the classic bloom is being reborn in the form of pure flower extracts and true-to-life scents. A few of our favorites— skincare, fragrance, even makeup and hair— fresh-picked for spring.\\nThe most gentle, easy, and indulgent way to remove the makeup and grime of the day: [Le Couvent des Minimes](http://usa.lecouventdesminimes.com/3-in-1-micellar-water-rose-face-care-toner-cleanser-make-up-remover-with-floral-water-le-couvent-des-minimes,4,1,213,1350.htm) 3 in 1 Micellar Water, $17. The oh-so-French water formula serves as makeup remover, cleanser, and toner all in one— just swipe on (and wipe off) with a cotton pad or washcloth; no need to rinse. Your face is left fresh and clean, but not tight or stripped, by the soothing mix of rose floral water, wild rose berry antioxidants, and rose absolute essence (for delicate scent).\\nWho needs a facial when you have the [Fresh Rose Face Mask](https://www.fresh.com/mask/rose-face-mask/H00000386.html), $58? Even the rose-averse will fall for this refreshing gel bursting with real rose petals and rosewater to calm and soften, plus cucumber, aloe, and green tea to cool and brighten stressed skin.\\nA whopping 30 roses go into the making of one tube of [Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream](https://store.drhauschka.com/naturalskincare/Rose_Day_Cream__1_0_oz/i_1_0_/_RD.aspx), $43. But fear not: Its scent is more fresh and herbal than heavy floral. The rich cream— also laced with shea butter, beeswax, and avocado oil— quells flare-ups and melts away flakes.\\nMassage a few drops of [Darphin Organic Rose Aromatic Care](http://www.darphin.com/product/8470/21668/Skincare/Category/Aromatic-Care/Organic-Rose-Aromatic-Care/Essential-oil-care-for-Normal-Skin/index.tmpl), $70, into cleansed skin before bed. The blend of luxe, rare essential oils (organic rose, rose hip, and evening primrose) revives parched skin in seconds—and continues to work overnight.\\n[John Masters Organics Rose & Aloe Hydrating Toning Mist](http://johnmasters.com/products/skin-care/rose-aloe-hydrating-toning-mist.html), $20, is like a cool drink of water for tired, taxed skin. A few spritzes of the rose flower oil, aloe, and white tea spray instantly boost circulation and moisturize skin (and help wake you up, too).\\nMost toners contain harsh astringents, but not [Burt's Bees Rosewater Toner](http://www.burtsbees.com/Rosewater-Toner/28999-04,default,pd.html?cgid=facialExfoliantsAndToners&start=4&q=#start=4), $11. Its rose flower water base, laced with hydrating glycerin and cornflower extract, purifies and leaves skin, um, petal-soft— simultaneously.\\nThink of [By Terry Baume de Rose](http://us.spacenk.com/Baume-de-Rose-10-Year-Anniversary-Edition/MUK200012106,en_US,pd.html?start=1&cgid=SPUK401010701&gclid=COvw9sq1jb0CFcyhOgodCXIANw), $60, as a cashmere sweater for lips. I may be the most expensive lip balm ever, but it's also one of the best, packed with goodness like rose flower wax, shea butter, and ceramides to nourish and pamper lips. The faint rose scent, not at all perfume-y, has a hint of vanilla and we promise, the generously-sized pot lasts forever. Bonus: It's dressed up in pretty hearts for a limited time.\\nTurn your shower into a spa experience with [Weleda Wild Rose Creamy Body Wash](http://usa.weleda.com/our-products/shop/wild-rose-creamy-body-wash.aspx), $12. Skin's left insanely silky—and lightly scented— thanks to the creamy liquid's gentle coconut-derived cleanser, plus rosehip seed oil and rose extract.\\nThough the airy texture feels like a whipped treat, [L'Occitane Shea Butter Ultra Soft Cream](http://usa.loccitane.com/shea-butter-ultra-soft-cream-rose-heart,82,1,29193,509946.htm) in Rose Heart, $24, contains 10 percent sustainable, fair trade shea butter, making it a moisturizing heavyweight. The icing on this cake: The subtly sweet (you guessed it) rose aroma.\\nYou'd be hard-pressed to find a beauty editor who doesn't wax rhapsodic over [Ren Moroccan Rose Otto Sugar Body Polish](http://www.renskincare.com/p/3229), $60. The tub— not cheap, but truly massive— is packed with an exotic, delicious concoction of cane sugar, olive and almond oils, and, of course, rose flower oil. Rub from head (well, neck) to toe to buff away rough spots, leaving behind baby-smooth skin.\\nThere's absolutely no hint of that old-fashioned, powdery rose in [Chloe Roses de Chloe Eau de Toilette Spray](http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/chloe-roses-de-chloe-eau-de-toilette-spray/3562134), $95. Instead, there's a refreshing bouquet of damascena rose essence sprinkled with tart, crisp bergamot and warm amber—so pretty (and addictive).\\nOutside of sticking your head in a dozen, you won't find a truer, purer fresh-cut rose scent. [Jurlique Essence of Rose Roll-On Fragrance Oil](http://www.jurlique.com/products/eor/essence-of-rose-roll-on-fragrance-oil), $22, is alcohol-free, so super-concentrated with rose extracts (gallica) and essential oils (damascena and centifolia) organically grown on Jurlique's biodynamic farm in Australia. Added shea butter and safflower oil boost staying power and condition skin, too.\\nA rose is a rose is a rose— unless it's in [Diptyque Rosa Mundi Candle](http://www.diptyqueparis.com/home-fragrances/rosa-mundi-831.html), $65. The haute bougie imbues any room with a warm, incredibly sophisticated combination of precious rose centifolia and damask rose. Once burned, the gorgeous painted glass vessel makes a chic holder for lipsticks, cotton swabs, or ephemera of your choice.\\nSure, there are plenty of rose-colored lipsticks, but one infused with real rose is much more rare. [Aerin Rose Balm Lipstick](http://www.aerin.com/Rose-Balm-Lipstick/1203214170007,default,pd.html#start=1), $30, imparts rich, luxurious color (choose between 10, from nude to deep berry—and yes, petal pink) in a cushiony, conditioning finish.\\nPowder your nose—and the rest of your face— with rose. The wild rose extract in [Korres Wild Rose Mineral Foundation](http://www.korresusa.com/default.aspx?page_id=340) SPF 30, $20, contains vitamin C to brighten skin as the finely-milled all-mineral formula fakes a flawless face.\\nYou can have (rose) flowers in your hair, too. Brush [Kerastase Elixir Ultime Rose Millenaire](http://www.kerastase-usa.com/elixir_ultime_rose_millenaire/E0577200.html), $56, through damp strands before drying or smooth over dry hair as a finishing step to tame frizz, add shine, and lightly condition—the weightless oil's rose millenaire infusion acts as a UV protectant, too.\\nA dab of this rose flower water-rose extract-rosewood oil (that's a whole lotta rose!) blend on wrists and neck helps relieve tension, transforming you from crazed to chill in seconds. [Amala Renew Rose Concentrate](http://www.amalabeauty.com/rose-concentrate/), $20.


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The Clean Cut
We scour the Web to bring you a daily video that is inspiring, entertaining or educational and always family friendly. Look for "The Clean Cut" in the Family section.
KayBob Hill AFB, UT2014-07-03 13:02:29
You guys should set up a Facebook page for this too, separate from the main Deseret News Facebook. Just sayin.
Sarah Frances St . Albans , WV2014-09-03 14:31:44
Ya KayBob is right
Hey It's Me Salt Lake City, UT2014-09-26 16:50:29
Hey if you don't want to see it in the D news online then don't look at it. I do't like facebook so I don't look at it. I like seeing these clean cut stories right where they are!
One opinion west jordan, UT2015-04-07 10:06:55
I agree!! I love to see news that is "Good News!" It get to discouraging if all you ever see is the bad news or sensational news! I want more "good news"! There used to be a cute newspaper our children sold that only had good news in it and it was quite refreshing.


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"And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them."
Luke 6:31
How have you been a good friend today?
"Love is more important than anything else. It's what ties everything completely together."
Colossians 3:14
How did God show his love for the world?
How do you show your love for others?
What can you do today to show love to other people?
'God said to human beings, "Fill the earth with people and look after it. Care for all that I have made."'
Genesis 1:27
What is our responsibility to care for God's world?
How can I behave responsibly today?
Who relies on me to act responsibly?
"I am the Lord your God. I am holding your hand, so don't be afraid."
Isaiah 41:13
How was Jesus courageous?
What helps people to be courageous?
How have you shown courage today?
"It is better to be honest and poor than dishonest and rich."
Proverbs 16:8
Why is it important to be honest?
"Try to earn the respect of others."
Romans 12:17, paraphrase
Who do you respect and why?
What sort of behaviour earns respect?
What do you do to show you respect someone?
Our Vision
Discover our curriculum vision for children by clicking on the links below.
Spiritual people have:
• A sense of enjoyment and fascination in learning about themselves, others and the world around them. An outstanding level of religious understanding and knowledge of the Christian faith and Anglican traditions.
• A wide knowledge and deep understanding across a range of religious and beliefs; in particular how Christianity is a worldwide faith.
• The opportunity to pose a range of beguiling questions relating to God's creation.
• A strong understanding of how the beliefs, values, practices and ways of life within any religion interrelate and connect together.
• The ability to reflect on their own beliefs, religions or otherwise, that inform their perspective on life.
• Show an interest in, and a deep level of respect for different people's faiths, feelings and values.
• A willingness to reflect on their experiences and the ability to link the study of religion and belief to personal reflections on meaning
and purpose.
Successful readers have:
• An enjoyment of reading.
• Excellent phonic knowledge and skills.
• Fluency and accuracy in reading across a wide range of contexts throughout the curriculum.
• Knowledge of an extensive and rich vocabulary.
• An excellent comprehension of texts.
• The motivation to read for both study and for pleasure.
• Extensive knowledge through having read a rich and varied range of texts.
Happy, safe people understand…
• Their own identity, their personal qualities, attitudes, skills, attributes and achievements and what influences these. How to maintain
boundaries around their personal privacy, including online.
• Relationships, including different types and in different settings, including online.
• What constitutes a healthy, balanced lifestyle. This includes physically, emotionally and socially healthy and focuses on relationships,
work-life, exercise and rest, spending and saving and lifestyle choices.
• How to identify, assess and manage risk, rather than simply the avoidance of risk for self and others.
• How to identify safe behaviour and as well as strategies to employ in different settings, including online in an increasingly connected
• Diversity and equality in all its forms.
• Rights (including the notion of universal human rights), responsibilities (including fairness and justice) and consent (in different
• Change (as something to be managed) and resilience.
• Power and how it is used and encountered in a variety of contexts including online; how it manifests through behaviours including
bullying, persuasion, coercion and how it can be challenged or managed through negotiation and 'win-win' outcome.
• Career possibilities, including enterprise, employability and economic understanding.
Happy people have the ability and willingness to do the following things:
Try new things
Success does not come knocking on the door. We all need to go out and find something in which we can experience success. Finding something that we are good at builds confidence. Some pupils
may not be good at the things they spend most of their time doing at school, which can make it even more important that schools have a broad and rich curriculum with something for everyone. As
adults, however, we learn that just because we may be good at something doesn't necessarily mean that we enjoy it. Successful people enjoy what they do. In fact, they love what they do. What they do gives them energy; work feels like play and time flies by. These are the lucky people who have found their energy zone. These people don't need any external or material reward to motivate them; they do what they do simply because they love it.
Work hard
This is something that most of us don't want to hear. If we want to get really good at something there are no short cuts. Accomplishment is all about practise and hard work. Pupils need to
understand the benefits of working hard. They need to know that work is good and not something that should be avoided. Many pupils become frustrated if they don't accomplish something
immediately. With a television culture of 'overnight' success, it is important to teach them that it may take hours and hours of hard work to become really good at something and that in real life
success is not easy for anyone.
Children are living in the most intensely stimulating time in the history of the Earth. They are bombarded with images from television advertisements, websites, games consoles and mobile phones. It has never been so important to teach our children how to concentrate. Of course, every teacher will tell pupils of the need to concentrate, but few will teach them how.
Push themselves
To be really successful, pupils need to learn to push themselves. Most adults realise that if they want a healthier lifestyle, joining a gym doesn't change much. We have to push ourselves to go to the gym. In fact, going to the gym doesn't change much either if we don't push ourselves when there. There are lots of ways pupils need to push themselves. For example, when they don't feel like doing things, when they feel shy, when they think they might fail and when their friends are trying to stop them doing what they want to do. It can be really difficult to push oneself, but it is essential for
To help children to be successful we need to help them to keep having ideas as they get older. This involved finding multiple solutions to problems, asking questions and generating ideas.
Successful people are always trying to make things better. This doesn't mean there is anything wrong with what they have but they know that there is always room for improvement. They try to make good things great. Rather than making any radical transformations, however, they tend to make lots of small adjustments. This is what we can teach our children: great things do not happen
suddenly. They are the result of lots of tweaking and refinement. We can all make things a little bit better. We can all take small steps to greatness.
Understand others
Successful people use what they know to try to be useful to others. Instead of asking 'What's in it for me?' they ask, 'What can I give?'
Not give up.
Successful people have bad luck, setbacks, failures, criticism and rejection but they always find a way around these problems. Children need to understand that if they have bad luck, they are not
alone. Most of us tend to focus on the accomplishments of successful people rather than their mishaps or setbacks. We need to tell children about the times we failed, were rejected and criticised but also how we bounced back.
Successful mathematicians have:
• A commitment to and passion for the subject.
• An understanding of the important concepts and an ability to make connections within mathematics.
• A broad range of skills in using and applying mathematics.
• Fluent knowledge and recall of number facts and the number system.
• Fluency in performing written and mental calculations and mathematical techniques.
• The ability to show initiative in solving problems in a wide range of contexts, including the new or unusual.
• The ability to think independently and to persevere when faced with challenges, showing a confidence of success.
• The ability to embrace the value of learning from mistakes and false starts.
• The ability to reason, generalise and make sense of solutions.
• A wide range of mathematical vocabulary.
Successful artists and designers have:
• A passion and commitment to art and design.
• The ability to use visual language skillfully and convincingly (for example, line, shape, pattern, colour, texture, form) to express
emotions, interpret observations,
• convey insights and accentuate their individuality.
• The ability to communicate fluently in visual and tactile form.
• The ability to draw confidently and adventurously from observation, memory and imagination.
• The ability to explore and invent marks, develop and deconstruct ideas and communicate perceptively and powerfully through
purposeful drawing in 2D, 3D or digital media.
• An impressive knowledge and understanding of other artists, craftmakers and designers.
• The ability to think and act like creative practitioners by using their knowledge and understanding to inform, inspire and interpret
ideas, observations and feelings.
• Independence, initiative and originality which they can use to develop their creativity.
• The ability to select and use materials, processes and techniques skillfully and inventively to realise intentions and capitalise on the unexpected.
• The ability to reflect on, analyse and critically evaluate their own work and that of others.
Succesful designers in technology have:
• A passion for the subject and knowledge of, up-to-date technological innovations in materials, products and systems.
• Significant levels of originality and the willingness to take creative risks to produce innovative ideas and prototypes.
• An excellent attitude to learning and independent working.
• The ability to use time efficiently and work constructively and productively with others.
• The ability to carry out thorough research, show initiative and ask questions to develop an exceptionally detailed knowledge of users' needs.
• The ability to act as responsible designers and makers, working ethically, using finite materials carefully and working safely.
• A thorough knowledge of which tools, equipment and materials to use to make their products.
• The ability to apply mathematical knowledge.
• The ability to manage risks exceptionally well to manufacture products safely and hygienically.
Successful musicians have:
• A passion for and commitment to a diverse range of musical activities.
• A rapidly widening repertoire which they use to create original, imaginative, fluent and distinctive composing and performance work.
• A musical understanding underpinned by high levels of aural perception, internalisation and knowledge of music, including high or rapidly developing levels of technical expertise.
• Very good awareness and appreciation of different musical traditions and genres.
• An excellent understanding of how musical provenance - the historical, social and cultural origins of music - contributes to the diversity of musical styles.
• The ability to give precise written and verbal explanations, using musical terminology effectively, accurately and appropriately.
Successful coders and users of technology have:
• Competence in coding for a variety of practical and inventive purposes, including the application of ideas within other subjects.
• The ability to connect with others safely and respectfully, understanding the need to act within the law and with moral and ethical integrity.
• An understanding of the connected nature of devices.
• An imaginative approach to investigation.
• The ability to communicate ideas well by using applications and devices throughout the curriculum.
• The ability to collect, organise and manipulate data effectively.
Successful communicators have:
• A passion for writing.
• Excellent transcription skills.
• Fluency and accuracy in spelling and grammar.
• Use of an extensive and rich vocabulary.
• Ability to write for a wide range of purposes.
• Ability to use standard English when speaking and writing.
• Capability to communicate effectively and have the confidence to do so.
Active, healthy people have:
• The ability to acquire new knowledge and skills exceptionally well and develop an in-depth understanding of PE.
• The willingness to practise skills in a wide range of different activities and situations, alone, in small groups and in teams and to apply these skills in chosen activities to achieve exceptionally high levels of performance.
• High levels of physical fitness.
• A healthy lifestyle, achieved by eating sensibly, avoiding smoking, drugs and alcohol and exercising regularly.
• The ability to remain physically active for sustained periods of time and an understanding of the importance of this in promoting long-term health and well-being.
• The ability to take the initiative and become excellent young leaders, organising and officiating, and evaluating what needs to be done to improve, and motivating and instilling excellent sporting attitudes in others.
• Exceptional levels of originality, imagination and creativity in their techniques, tactics and choreography, knowledge of how to
improve their own and others'
performance and the ability to work independently for extended periods of time without the need of guidance or support.
• A keen interest in PE. A willingness to participate eagerly in every lesson, highly positive attitudes and the ability to make informed choices about engaging fully in extra-curricular sport.
• The ability to swim at least 25 metres before the end of Year 6 and knowledge of how to remain safe in and around water.
Successful scientists have:
• The ability to think independently and raise questions about working scientifically and the knowledge and skills that it brings.
• Confidence and competence in the full range of practical skills, taking the initiative in, for example, planning and carrying out
scientific investigations.
• Excellent scientific knowledge and understanding which is demonstrated in written and verbal explanations, solving challenging
problems and reporting scientific findings.
• High levels of originality, imagination or innovation in the application of skills.
• The ability to undertake practical work in a variety of contexts, including fieldwork.
• A passion for science and its application in past, present and future technologies.


text:
Lansdowne High School students got a break from the classroom Wednesday with an activity that gave them a glimpse of life in the military.
From 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the school's rear parking lot, about 200 students participated in Army Challenge, an event that tested the students' physical condition and teamwork.
Throughout the warm, overcast day, three of the event's seven stations offered students an opportunity to flex their muscles and do as many pull ups and push ups as they could for prizes, such as water bottles, hats and backpacks.
Other stations challenged the students mentally. One, for example, forced a team of students to create a pathway from one end of a mat to the other using only two planks.
But the runaway favorite was the station equipped with an adapted flight simulator. The machine rocked and flipped two students at a time as a screen inside the enclosure flashed images of a roller coaster ride.
The May 2 event marked the second time this year that the Army Challenge was on the high school's campus on Hollins Ferry Road.
First Sgt. Victor Vaughan, an Army instructor for the school's JROTC program, said though the Army uses the challenge as a recruiting tool.
But he sees it offering a wide range of benefits to students.
"I don't look at it as a recruiting tool. I look at it as a challenge program," Vaughan said. "We promote to them about staying in school, staying drug free and conditioning their body."


text:
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Have you been accused of a crime you didn't commit and seek swift and pain-free justice while maintaining your honor and dignity? Or, perhaps you have been a victim of a crime and seek legal retribution on those who have harmed you or your family. You may have even committed a crime yourself and desire the best settlement possible. Regardless of the cause or motive, Law Offices Of Eran Regev Esq. will facilitate swift and appropriate justice for our Great Neck clients so that they receive the best verdict possible. That is, if you have been charged by the state under the penal code, are required to appear before a governing body, or wish to appeal a decision, Law Offices Of Eran Regev Esq. will always deliver to your full satisfaction. Moreover, we charge on a flat-rate basis so that you are fully aware of the expenditures well before we undertake your case. You will never have to worry about hidden charges or other nasty surprises before and after the verdict is rendered.
Furthermore, Law Offices Of Eran Regev Esq. will always defend you honestly and ethically. We will use every means at our disposal to ensure that justice is met and that you receive the best verdict possible, given the evidence. Law Offices Of Eran Regev Esq. will also fully consult with you on the options available and suggest the best option for your unique needs. That is, we always place your best interests first and will take pro-active steps to go beyond mere representation.
For instance, our Great Neck based criminal prosecutors and lawyers are required to enroll in continuing education initiatives so that they are ahead of the game and know the legal system-and all of its nuances-thoroughly. We also invest in research and development technology to ensure that our knowledge of legal statutes is up-to-date and accurate. Thus, if you have been accused of a crime or have been a victim of a crime you will require the best legal counsel to render the verdict you desire. Our dedicated, experienced, and highly educated criminal prosecutors and attorneys have a proven track record of success and will likely facilitate the verdict you and your family desire.


text:
5 Bedrooms · Sleeps 10
Location is the key to Villa Monza, this beautiful villa is both private but also close to all that you need.
When it comes to summer homes, a privileged location can mean many things -heavenly views, direct beach access, a tranquil setting, or a spot that is both private and close to the centre so that you can just pop by the market for some last-minute shopping or be close enough to the bars and restaurants so that you don't have to drive forever after a night out.
Villa Monza has all of the above -plus, it is meticulously designed to resemble a luxe version of a seaside cottage. The five bedroom residence belongs to a complex of five independent villas that are situated in the area of Maganies.
Surrounded by a discrete, well-groomed garden, the villa boasts generous stone-paved terraces with lounge and dining areas and a gorgeous swimming pool with stunning vistas. The interior is bright and airy, dressed in pastel tones and decorated in an unpretentious country-chic style. The ornamentation is kept to a minimum, to allow the views to take centre stage. The house is built on three levels and includes a tennis court and a basketball court.
- Ground level: Living and dining area, fully equipped kitchen, guest WC
- Top level: 1 master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, 1 double bedroom with private bathroom
- Lower level: 1 twin bedroom with en-suite bathroom, 1 double bedroom with en-suite bathroom and direct access to a terrace, 1 double bedroom with en-suite bathroom
- Outdoor area: Shaded dining and sitting area. Swimming pool
- Beach: Secluded pebble beach 3 minute walk
- Town: Antiparos 6km
Photo Gallery
Property Facilities
- Air Conditioning
- Fully Equipped Kitchen
- Private Garden
- Private Pool
- Safe Box
- Satellite TV
- WIFI Access
Property Services
- Concierge Services
- Daily Housekeeping
- Linen/Bath Towels Provided
Local Activities & Interests
- Local Beaches
- Local Markets
- Restaurants
- Supermarket/Shops
- Tennis
- Watersports
Villa Rates
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Prices from: £10,000-19,200 per week
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text: Chris, I have had exactly the same problem you are describing, and gave up on it. Eventually I gave up and moved to a PVR-350. I intend to use a M179 in the near future for a secondary tuner-only based card. Steve > -----Original Message----- > From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org > [mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org] On Behalf Of Chris Thompson > Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 11:54 AM > To: Discussion about mythtv > Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] M179 vs. PVR-250. was: ivtv > firmware 2.02 or 1.9 ? > > Jarod C. Wilson (jcw at wilsonet.com) wrote: > > No distinguishable difference between the two for me. I > have a retail > > rev2 PVR-250 and an M179 in the same box, no problem. For a > secondary > > card (or even a primary, if you have another remote control > > interface), the M179 is a solid deal. Save the money. > > This does not seem to be a constant. I actually purchased two > M179s to go in my master backend alongside my PVR250 based on > your success. My results have not been as successful. > > My M179s, if fed by my RCA DirecTV boxes over SVideo, return > a black and white (But very clear) image. I get color on > composite in, but very scratchy sound on both. One of the two > has very dirty video with vertical lines of static throughout. > > I've been posting to the ivtv list for help, and the > consensus over there on the interference issue is that the > M179 cards did not have as much attention paid to shielding, > and that M179s should be wrapped in shielding somehow. One > guy has his M179 in the very last slot and wrapped in > shielding to good results. > > Another recommended that any IDE cables be kept well clear of > M179 cards. > > Nobody has even sniffed at my black and white video problem as of yet. > > With considerable tweaking I got adequate video out of the > one M179 over composite. > > It's possible that Jarod got a better card than mine, or > perhaps that my Board and/or power supply are noisier. I'm > not sure, but at this point, I'm regretting the purchase. > > _______________ > Chris Thompson > >


text:
What if I told you that I know a real estate SEO hack that will help get you on the first page of search results even if you don't have a website...
Does that headline sound like too big of a promise?
It pretty much is in real estate these days. You have big corporations cluttering up the first page search results for almost every big and small town.
These sites have such high domain and page authority with Google that it makes it hard to achieve any type of successful rankings without heavy financial investment.
This problem can provide a substantial hurdle for most realtors to overcome online. Because if you can't get significant traffic from Google, it's hard to have a sustainable website. Social media can only provide so much traffic, and you have to consistently produce quality posts to keep it coming. And advertising on Google can get expensive quickly.
So, let's get into a real estate SEO hack that can help you get on the first page of Google even if you don't have a custom website:
Creating Top Of Google Rankings With Pinterest Boards And Some Squeeze Pages:
Here's the deal.
Pinterest is a social network, but boards on their network can also easily rank on the first page of Google.
Here's an example:
The best thing about this tactic is that you don't even need a website to get started.
You basically want to create a Pinterest board that uses the keyword you're targeting in it's Title. Next, you'll want to pin a few images on that board that also use the keyword.
Now before I show you how to do this, it's best to talk about the type of keywords you should be targeting.
You basically want to work on ranking for keywords that are highly targeted or niched. For example, it'd be really easy to rank for a subdivision or smaller school district. And really hard to rank for anything bigger than a small town. Here's an infographic that breaks down the type of keywords you should target:
Great, now that you have some reasonable keywords in mind you can rank for, let's dive into how to make this Pinterest page.
Step 1. Create The Pinterest Board:
The key part of creating this board is to make sure your keyword is in the title of the board. You'll also want to repeat variations of your keyword in the description of the Pinterest board. Additionally, you'll want to include some calls to action in the description for people who find the board.
Here's what your screen should look like:
Step 2. Fill the board with content:
Here's the deal:
Now you need to fill the Pinterest board with several images. You'll want to do two things when adding images to the Pinterest board. First, you'll need to include the keyword in the description for each image. Second, you'll want to link the image back to any website you have.
This will do several things. The keywords in the description help increase your ranking on Google. And the links back to your website help drive traffic to your IDX or blog based website.
Here's an example of pinning an image to a board like this:
What do you think?
If you have any questions about this tactic, be sure to reach out to me on Twitter @easyagentpro.
Tyler Zey writes about real estate over at East Agent Pro. He's passionate about helping Realtors see success online. (You can register for his free real estate marketing course here.)
You might like to read:
A Realtor's Intro Guide to Search Engine Optimization


text:
INTERACT Visits Lucinda Millen Home/
Rotary Sunrise sends a special thank you to PGIA Interactors N'Quay, Skyler, Kaia and Taber, Interactor Advisor Mrs. Elizabeth Elger, and future Interact members Niall and Grady. They joined Rotary Sunrise on Saturday at the Lucinda Millin Home. The group threw a holiday party for the residents.
Interactors helped organize the gift bags, trimmed the tree, passed out refreshments and sang carols. They helped Santa pass out gifts to all the seniors at the party and hand delivered gift bags throughout the home for less mobile residents confined to their rooms. Their smiling faces certainly brightened the day.
Many thanks.
Rotary Sunrise


text:
Beauty BigBang holographic 04
Hi everyone!
Today I'm gonna show you a holographic nail polish from web store Beauty Bigbang which you've already heard of on my blog.
This is no. 04* from Beauty Bigbang's own holo series and it's sold as a golden shade. Not true! The photos on the webshop are actually correct: this is a nude linear holo (aka you can see a rainbow on your nails).
Application is easy, it doesn't need a specific base coat and drying time is fast. Despite being such a light shade it only takes two coats for decent coverage.
Photos: two coats, no top coat.
Thumbs up! This is exactly what my holos are meant to be in 2018: no special base and big time holo effect. It's got both.
You can find this nail polish at Beauty Bigbang, product code SKU: #J6414TM-4A. The price is not that cheap but I've noticed all regular (know what I mean?) Chinese web shops are increasing their average prices. Anyway, you can use the code SIMONA for 10% if you need it. Shipping is free worldwide.
What do you think about this holo? Have you ever shopped on Beauty BigBang?
* pr sample
2 commenti
Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog! Please feel welcome to leave a comment, it would make my day! If you have a blog in your profile I will come visit you soon, but please do not leave links.
Grazie per aver visitato il mio blog. Sappiate che un commento fa sempre piacere :) Per favore non lasciate link, se avete un blog nel vostro profilo lo visiterò al più presto!


text:
It's about 9 o'clock in the evening and I'm sitting on the front porch of the lovely Brown Street Inn in Iowa City (pictured above), enjoying the intersection of this place, which evokes a bygone era, and the wondrous advantages of wireless internet connections. It has been hot here the past couple of days, as it has been each year I've come, but the weather has actually broken and there's a cool breeze to be enjoyed.
I'm looking out on a leafy green street, with cobblestone brick roads and beautiful houses showing off their turn-of-the-century architecture. The sky's is the most amazing wash of pink and blue. An occasional car drives past but otherwise, with the exception of the early tree frogs, it's virtually silent. The little black kitty who makes the porch her home has come to perch nearby and keep me company. This is Norman Rockwell stuff, the backdrop for the perfect summer evening.
I'm in Iowa City, as you may know, for my third year attending the Iowa Summer Writing Festival at the university in the hopes that some of the decades-long prestige of the Iowa Writers Workshop will rub off on me. The jury's still out on the workshop I'm taking this week. It's called Advanced Short Story and I was actually nervous about whether or not my writing was far enough along to qualify, but we seem to be operating at a relatively tame level. Not sure how much I'll get out of it, but I'm willing to see what tomorrow brings.
We're workshopping three student-written short stories each afternoon, so the homework level is quite intense. Thus, I must sign off this brief update and get crackin' on tomorrow's fare.
It's beautiful here, right this minute. Chris, honey, I wish you were here.


text:
So, what do aging men want? This questioned pondered throughout the book and brought me thinking about a few things as I turned the pages. I was a bit skeptical about comparing classic literature to this question but I was thoroughly impressed with the attempt. Author John Robinson paralleled the transitional stages in a man's life to the chronicling life experiences of Odysseus in the Odyssey which he believes "reveals the DNA of male aging and a prototype for man's possible elderhood."
Specializing in men's issues as a psychologist, Robinson interviewed forty men that ranged in ages of 60 and 85, through groups and individual interviews. He wanted to show the struggles of what men go through and give a community where they could relate their shared experiences and understand what they authentically want. Deeply inspired by the Odyssey, the book can be interpreted from a variety of perspectives but mostly through the journey of a man's life and his search for personal meaning later in his life.
The concept of the book I thought was fascinating on two levels. One, I'd never seen The Odyssey rearranged liked that so it gave me an entirely new appreciation for story it tells and I thought that Robinson interpreted the works so intelligently to parallel the struggles of men with something that many have had a hard time coming to terms with could relate and find interesting. Using such a masculine figure and seeing the trajectory of his life from the pov of a male reader can be of comfort through seeing the similar experiences. I found much of the commentary in the book insightful as well as an enlightenment of shared wisdom. It was fascinating reading his interpretation of highlights of what he drew upon from the challenges complemented by his own shared experiences. The only part of the book that I found a bit displaced was following each chapter the growth questions. I thought it would've been more appropriately place in the appendix as a resource rather than after each chapter. Robinson had such insightful commentary that I thought it distracted the continuity of the moments.
Overall, I found the book fascinating and it definitely will inspire conversation amongst men who are this demographic. Even the though the book isn't geared towards women, I think the core message of what the book represents can be absorbed and appreciated. So, if you are wandering the answer to my initial question, this was book was a good starting point.
Reviewed by Michelle Bowles


text:
Menace to ACC Society
Player of the Week
Dennis Smith Jr. - NC State
NC State was a very disappointing team early on this season. Now that they are back to full strength, they have seemed to click better on offense and are hopefully finding their way on defense a little. Smith had his struggles early on shooting the ball and he still turns the ball over at a higher clip than I would like my elite PG to do, but he seems to have found his rhythm shooting the ball and the Wolfpack have become a much more well rounded team offensively because of it. He hit five three's against Fairfield on Sunday, a career high, after getting to the free throw line a career high 12 times against App State on Thursday. He's finally picking his spots better and using all of his offensive tools to put up his numbers. He's getting others involved more consistently over the last week or two and if he can cut down on the turnovers and times when he wants to do everything himself/make the highlight reel play then things will really start coming together for both himself and this NC State team.
Who's Hot
Virginia Tech
"They are well on their way to being a solid team in this league, but their time isn't now." That's what I wrote about this Hokie team in my ACC Preview before the season started. I still believe that but with the way they are playing lately, their time just might be now. No, I don't mean they are going to win the ACC but I do believe they could get themselves in a position where they could be on that proverbial NCAA bubble come March. Buzz Williams' squad sits at 10-1 with wins at Michigan, at Nebraska and at home against Ole Miss. And while those wins won't really move the meter for most people, they signify to me that this team is a lot closer to being "back" than people realize. Zach LeDay is having another stellar season and while this team is really undersized most nights and will have to gang rebound on most nights, they are a tough team with very solid guard play. They get one more "tune up" game next week before they welcome Duke to Blacksburg on New Years Even in a game that will tell us a lot about this team's chances the rest of the way.
Jerome Robinson - Boston College
At 6-5 on the season with losses to Nicholls State and Hartford on the resume, there hasn't been a lot to write about for this Boston College team. But they did have two wins last week, one against a decent enough Auburn team so that's something to build on. Robinson had 23 points and 11 boards in that game and followed that up with a 32 point, five steal night against Sacred Heart on Sunday. He now has 20+ points in 7 of the team's 11 games so far this season. Just a sophomore, Robinson is leading this Eagle team in points, steals and blocks so far this season. He's got a nice shooting stroke and has the ability to get to the basket when he wants to, especially when going left. You won't hear a ton about him since he's on a team that isn't going very far this year but over the next two seasons, he could help get this BC program back to the days of Al Skinner with the right mix of guys coming in to help him.
Who's Not
Nate Britt - North Carolina
Britt is a role player and a good one. We all know what he is at this point in his career and that's fine. He's been a very solid player for UNC over the last four seasons having to play behind the likes of Marcus Paige and now Joel Berry. But this season I really wanted him to take a step forward, not to an NBA level prospect, but to one that UNC could count on to be more consistent. After going scoreless and playing a season low 14 minutes against Kentucky on Saturday when the team needed some perimeter help on defense, Britt was a no-show. He had one assist, one block and one turnover for the game. It is the second such instance that he has been shut out this season. And while his scoring is a up a tick overall this season, he is shooting career lows from the field, from beyond the arc and from the free throw line. With the injury to Theo Pinson and with the uncertainty of what Kenny Williams was going to give this team coming into the season, the minutes were there for the taking and Britt just hasn't taken that step forward that I thought he would this season. The Tar Heels are still winning and playing good basketball, especially on the offensive end of the floor but Britt hasn't played well outside of one or two games this season.
Top 5 Under the Radar Players to Watch For
1. Xavier Rathan Mayes - Florida State
Hasn't really played as well as I thought he would this season and has been overshadowed by Bacon, Mann and Isaac but as we get into ACC play his experience and leadership will be big for this FSU team.
2. Shelton Mitchell - Clemson
The transfer from Vandy had to sit out out the first few games of the season do to transfer rules but he's scored double digits in four straight games after being held under 10 in his first two with the team. He's a talented guard that should complement Blossomgame well.
3. Terry Henderson - NC State
He and Torin Dorn have both had their nights being the Robin to Dennis Smith's Batman but Henderson is the guy who has played exceptionally well when the Wolfpack needed it most. This team is going to be extremely guard oriented on the offensive end and he's the second option for Mark Gottfried's squad.
4. Andrew White - Syracuse
As the team's leading scorer it might be hard to imagine White as being "Under the Radar" but considering the love that Tyler Lydon seems to be getting, he is lost in the shuffle a tad. In my opinion, it doesn't matter what Lydon does on a nightly basis but rather what White does for this team to be effective.
5. Deng Adel - Louisville
One of the more athletic wings in the conference. On a team that spreads the ball around and that is extremely balanced, his presence on the wing on both sides of the ball will be huge as Louisville matches up with the Duke's, Kentucky's and UNC's of the world.
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text: May 30, 2017 Vicky Hackney-Williams Carol Klein on Chelsea - this year's flower show was a sparkling memorable affair in a week full of sunshine! The Garden News Team are planting up containers for a great summer show, planting sweet pea plugs, growing gladioli and trying greenhouse growbag tomatoes. Our Garden of the Week is a subtropical, seaside, cottage garden that has been densely planted by an imaginative couple with a passion for the unusual. This Week's Features: Perk up your patio with fantastic containers; No maintenance alpines to rev up your rockery; Be brave with bamboo - create an elegant focal point or add structure to borders with these easy to maintain plants. Garden News Expert Contributors: Nick Bailey copies the Chelsea planting approach, Martin Fish on new ways with watering, Medwyn on new veg, Terry takes stock of his plot, Ian Cooke on exotics and Michael Mitchell on alpines.


text:
An 80 year old man is having his annual checkup. The doctor asks him how he's feeling?
'I've never felt better,' he replies. 'I've got an eighteen year old bride who's pregnant with my child!
What do you think about that?'
The doctor considers this for a moment, then says, 'Well, let me tell you a story. I know a guy who's an avid hunter. He never misses a season. But one day he's in a bit of a hurry and he accidently grabs his umbrella instead of his gun. So he's walking in the woods near the creek, and suddenly he spots a beaver in some brush in front of him. He raises up his umbrella , points it at the beaver and squeezes the handle. BAM! The beaver drops dead in front of him.'
'Thats impossible!' said the old man in disbelief, 'someone else must have shot the beaver!'
'Bingo!' says the doctor….


text:
Amy Jiao
Amy was a resident artist at Inkblot Studio from August of 2015 to February of 2018. In her time here, she developed a fiercely loyal clientele and built a remarkable niche around her striking blackwork.
She has been tattooing since December of 2012 and produces high quality, solid work. She graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2011 with a B.F.A. in Illustration and started her tattoo apprenticeship with mentor Johnny Jinx at Broken Clover Tattoo in Tucson, Arizona in the summer of 2012.
She is currently living in Ithaca, NY and tattoos at Ascend Gallery. She hits the convention circuit pretty hard and travels for guest spots around the country. She will be at Inkblot Studio from time to time for special pop-up events, so if you missed a chance to get a piece from her you may get another opportunity!
Follow her on social media to be the first to know when she will be in Ames for guest events.


text:
(1951, Crime Drama/Sports, b&w), with:
Are You Ready For Marriage?
(1950, Educational, b&w)
Rating: *
In a nutshell:
Short: Does Larry and Sue's relationship have that special, marital BOING?
Film: Lady wrestlers and crime don't mix, not even when they appear in the same film.
Short Summary:
In Are You Ready For Marriage, Larry and Sue osculate tenderly on a dimly lit porch. She's about to graduate from high school. He's halfway through college. Are they ready for marriage? Their parents don't think so. Apparently misunderstanding the purpose of a marriage counselor, Sue and Larry seek one out, looking for someone to convince their parents for them. The counselor makes them doubt their love for one another with a series of crayon charts, a pair of dolls, and a rubber band (BOING!). They spend several weeks working on their fledgling relationship, finally convincing their parents to consent to a possible future engagement.
Film Summary:
I'd like to summarize Racket Girls for you, but I have no idea what it was about. It features several actual lady wrestlers as themselves, most notably Peaches Page, a top-heavy young lady built like a Mac Truck. She defeats an unnamed opponent in an interminable match during the opening credits. A seedy Italian named Scalli purchases her contract rights, and takes her out into the country to do outdoor calisthenics so he can study the buoyant motion of her oversized chest. Then the world champion of all lady wrestling (Clara Mortensen as herself) convinces her he's a louse and drags her away. So I guess the movie's not about her.
And, oh yes, it has the Women's Wrestling World Champion and the Women's Wrestling Champion of Mexico. (Mexican Champ Rita Martinez, as herself, apparently speaks English so fluently the director told her to affect an accent. She does so, badly.) They have a lengthy match with a lot of slapping, leg locking, and bouncing off the ropes. Clara flops all over the mat like a landed cod whenever Rita gets her in a hold, and Rita squeaks like a rusty door every time Clara yanks one of her braids. They don't appear until the film's almost over, and only wrestle in one of the three featured matches. (The middle match is a tedious affair that pits a nameless woman in a leopard suit against a nameless woman in a panther suit). So I guess the movie's not about them either.
I suppose the movie might conceivably be about Scalli. He uses his position as a women's wrestling manager to cover for his other, less savory occupations, including bookie, fixer, drug pusher, and prostitute recruiter. Scalli's flunkies are Joe the Jockey, a libidinous and vaguely Latinate little man who accidentally kills racehorses, and Monk the bookkeeper, who sells Scalli's financial information to everyone indiscriminately, even Scalli himself. Scalli owes thirty-five grand to a growling silhouette named Mr. Big, who rules the underworld from his boiler room office. Near the end, the Feds scare Scalli with vague threats, and Monk sells news of Scalli's impending flight to Mr. Big. Mr. Big's henchmen gun down Joe and slowly shoot Scalli to death while he drives away. Then the Feds catch up and arrest Big's men, leaving us to wonder how the lady wrestlers are supposed to fit into all of this.
Lisa Loeb appears in the Hexfield Viewscreen to regale the satellite crew with a little ditty about the harsh realities of her relatively uneventful life.
Host Segment One:
Mike closes up the Hexfield Viewscreen and boards it over in the middle of her song. A strange family wanders into Deep 13. Dr. Forrester emerges from the shower to ask, "Have you been helped?" He consults with Frank about the efficacy of their security system and goes outside to test it. He reaches the intercom and asks Frank to buzz him in, but Frank will only talk to him like a customer at a drive-through window. Dr. Forrester gets in anyway, hurts Frank, and installs a new intercom system. He asks Mike and the 'Bots, via intercom, if they can hear him. They answer all his questions specifically and then reply that they cannot. Dr. Forrester gives up on the intercom and tells them about the short film via semaphore.
Host Segment Two:
Crow asks Mike for Servo's hand in marriage. Mike makes them take the Cosmo Compatibility Quiz. Though they differ on the many important issues of marriage (Marvin Gaye vs. Bill Cosby, Curly Howard vs. Joe Besser) they finally agree that they do not want to get married. Mike gives them his blessing, and then shoots a rubber band to symbolize their love. Tom and Crow are astonished at its sudden disappearance. Dr. Forrester calls up to tell them about their feature film. Mike shoots a rubber band to symbolize the movie. Dr. Forrester and TV's Frank are astonished at its sudden disappearance.
Host Segment Three:
Mike and Crow have a bachelor party. Jan in the Pan (from Episode 513) shows up in the Hexfield Viewscreen and lolls her disembodied head bawdily while glittery bandages peel away from her scalp. Mike puts a stop to it while Crow drunkenly praises his bride-to-be. Quoth he, "Servo is a beautiful flower." "Your bachelor party is the most depressing event of my entire life," Mike replies.
Host Segment Four:
It's Tom and Crow's wedding. Gypsy and Mike are flower girls. The strange family in Deep 13 attends. Frank sings There Is Love as a prelude, and then Dr. Forrester steps up to conduct the ceremony. He wanders off the subject of the vows into a cynical, anti-marriage rant. The proceedings devolve into a free-for-all wrestling melee.
Host Segment Five:
Crow, Mike, and Tom dress in flamboyant leotards and call themselves Professor Hurts, Count De La Pain, and Sir Slamsalot, respectively. They read letters. Down in Deep 13, Dr. Forrester has gotten rid of the strange family and fixed the security system. Lisa Loeb gets in anyway, and continues her song. Frank is welcoming at first, but quickly throws her out when Dr. Forrester tells him she's dating Ethan Hawke.
The marriage counselor shoots a rubber band across the room. "It's gone! Where'd it go?" cries the confused young couple.
The stinger shows my favorite part of the short. The counselor has just stretched out a rubber band to demonstrate that a marriage needs a certain amount of BOING (his word, not mine) when he shoots it across the room to show what can happen to it if they're not careful. From the young couple's astonished reaction, they seem to think it's disappeared into thin air. Also, according to the latest kindergarten crayon charts, no couple should ever consider getting engaged until they've dated at least a year, and even then the wedding date should never be set any sooner than three years out. This is to allow time for their dress-up doll avatars to move closer together in the shoebox puppet theater of life.
I'm guessing Racket Girls was made to promote Women's Wrestling as a sport. Or at least, I'd be willing to bet that's what the producers told Peaches, Clara, and Rita to get them involved. Did they know that their sport would be nothing more than filling in a crumbly corn tortilla of tepid crime drama? Were they so desperate to get exposure for Women's Wrestling that they were willing to appear in a Z-grade B-movie so far back on the drive-in theater bill that the remaining patrons were probably all too drunk, semi-conscious, and/or lip-locked to pay attention? Did their managers write their appearance in this film into their contracts and then bully them into it? I'm guessing that the last explanation is the most likely.
Bridget Jones looks and sounds a lot like Lisa Loeb, and her rambling song works very well both at the beginning and the end. Most of the host segments focus on Tom and Crow's wedding preparations. The Cosmo Quiz and the rubber band analogy are very funny, but a little incongruous together. I loved the wedding, and Mike and the 'Bots had great wrestler names at the end. Also, Jan in the Pan is a very creepy stripper.
The film segments have their share of problems. The short has a number of excellent opportunities for mockery (when looking at "Cupid's Checklist," Crow notes that "Cupid is anal") but it bogs down in the various charts, checklists, and props used by the marriage-discouraging counselor. The film is a hard-to-follow mess. Most of the funny comments center around the casting of women who got ahead in their sport for athletic ability instead of sex appeal. When Peaches jogs down the road, looking for all the world like she has a pair of mini-basketballs stuffed down her sports bra, Mike notes that she's "about as sexy as a concrete abutment." While a dozen muscular women practice throwing each other across a crowded gymnasium, Tom says, "It's like a stag film produced by the League of Women Voters." During the third of three fifteen-minute wrestling matches filled with hair-pulling, leg-bending mayhem, Crow says, "My loins will never stir again." It's a fun short, but an awful film. The lady wrestlers would have been better served with a documentary.
616 Racket Girls
(1951, Crime Drama/Sports, b&w), with: