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Skip to comments.Steinem, NOW chapters slam DNC for discrimination against mothers during Charlotte convention
Posted on 08/23/2012 3:08:31 AM PDT by markomalley
Feminist activist Gloria Steinem and several chapters of the National Organization for Women (NOW) have condemned the Democratic National Committee for discrimination against mothers with young children during the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.
Women are the key to a Democratic victory, and sometimes, children are the key to women, Steinem said in a statement. Its both right and smart for the Democratic Convention to behave as if children exist.
The NOW chapters of Southern California including Hollywood, Long Beach-South Bay, Pacific Shore and Palm Spring voiced concern this week that the Democratic National Convention will not offer automatic access for young children on the convention floor, and will not be providing childcare during the event.
According to mother and 2012 Democratic National Convention delegate Susie Shannon, the policy is disenfranchising women like her.
Moms with young children six years of age and under who cannot be left at home, some of whom are breastfeeding, are relegated to second-class status within the Democratic Convention, she explained in a statement, unable to participate as a delegate due to antiquated policies and inadequate accommodations that were apparently in place before womens suffrage.
NOW Hollywood President Lindsey Horvath charged that the policy of requiring children and babies to be credentialed is being used to discriminate against mothers.
The DNC requires children and babies to have a credential to enter the convention, and then denies these credential requests from moms. The DNC credentialing process is being used as a tool to prevent mothers from participating at the convention and is nothing short of discriminatory.
Convention spokeswoman Joanne Peters told the Associated Press that attendees can find childcare providers in the conventions official vendor directory, and that facilities will be provided for nursing mothers.
We believe this practice of discrimination needs to end in 2012, said Pacific Shore NOW President Zoe Nicholson. This is the year for the Democratic leadership to demonstrate comprehensive support of women, ending this outdated practice and to state publicly that it supports true family values.
A Republican National Convention spokeswoman did not respond to TheDCs request for child-care policies at the RNC in Tampa.
Rush, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, Mark Levin, Mike Huckabee, and Greta ought to exploit this.
??? Oh so NOW children should exist? Some dem ought to shove a "Choice" poster in Gloria's face. LOL but sheesh, another caustic crone cackles...
Wow. I end up agreeing with the NAGs for once. What is the d&c's problem with kids, other than their long standing preference for having them aborted? The problem, though, is that the rnc probably has similar restrictions at the Tampa willard-fest.
Is not the foundation of feminism the claim that men and women are 100% interchangeable? ...that it is okay to kill the unborn? Has Gloria Steinem repented?
If they let the kids speak and vote they might make more sense. ;-)
And then, if the delegates bring children anyway, they expect them to hire their own babysitter, in a strange city. Oh, the humanity ...
On the other hand, would you trust your child to a babysitter provided by the aggressively pro-sodomy DNC? I'll bet they'd make you sign a liability waiver!
(You can't bring children to homeschooling conferences, either; there's a leap of cognitive dissonance far above their not being wanted at the DNC.)
Why would the party of abortion care about mothers?
Thank you, taxchick. Reason is not eschewed entirely. Can you imagine dragging kids into any convention?
Cutting through the PC fog: Welfare mothers are the key to a Democrat victory.
Gee, sounds like a WAR AGAINST WOMEN!
Cognitive dissonance alright. Perhaps the kids became a problem when the folks who delighted in using kiddos as convention props collided with the folks who realized that screaming, confused and disoriented babies would make for bad photo ops. :)
We took our kids to the NRA convention. They like guns! We skipped the parts that involved sitting around for speeches, and just saw the displays.
I understand there are activities planned for convention delegates during the days of the DNC, with the major speechifying in the evenings. In theory, a delegate with children along could do this-and-that with them during the day, and then get a sitter for the evening. I would not be comfortable with that - leaving the children with someone I didn't know - even if I didn't have a nursing baby.
Everything now has to be about rights and discriminations and made into big issues? Child care is now a part of National DNC Conventions? Right next to the Planned Parenthood booth right? Anything that causes Rats to fight each other we fully support and give it our blessings.
The Second Class Citizens Group speaks.
Who could believe that the founding shrew of MS(ery) is the least bit concerned about women, children, and/or childcare?
Now if Ms. Steinem's real purpose is to agitate for the disgruntled Hillary! wing of the party, well then I need to pop another bowl of popcorn.
"The DNC requires children and babies to have a credential to enter the convention......"
Don't you need an ID to get a credential?
I am so tired of parents not wanting to take responsibility for their children.....find your own sitter or stay home.....a convention is really no place for children.....
Childcare that is provided is a nice but should not be an expectation.......
Washington Organization for Elite Liberal Lesbians. (WOFELL)
Frankly, I'd rather have had Harvey Kurtzman's autograph.
The Obama Administration let Roman Polanski walk. I guess drugged sodomy of a 13 year old girl isn't "legitimate" "rape rape" (as Whoopi Goldberg called it) since it doesn't result in pregnancy.
Someone, please, think of the chil'run.
Maybe she'll call out Planned Parenthood for coercing minors to lie about the age of their adult sex partners, letting statutory rapists walk free to abuse and rape again.
And maybe Hell will freeze over.
And the MSM would blame Climate Change.
Good point. Wow, the DNC is racist!
Interesting point. When I was working the polls for my state rep in 2008, there were Democrats there campaigning as well (paid!). One lady had been a Hillary delegate at the Dem convention that year, and she said the Zero supporters were nasty to everyone who wasn't supporting him *and* black. I expect there could be some internal hostilities on display at the upcoming assembly ...
You know what, you've sure hit on a potentially explosive problem.
While the various fringe, radical, perverted, corrupt, racist groups have traditionally been part of the Dem party, everyone knew their seats and positions at the table. Obama has succeeded, however, in convincing even the marginal whackjob elements that *they* have the best seats and the head of the line privileges at the Dem goodie buffet.
Look what's slithered out of the closets over there (and put on pedestals): sodomites, NOI, NBPP, ghetto hoodlums, illegals, muslims... all salivating for Obamastash while jammed into the same party room as the usual assortment of nutjob collectivists, JINOs, union thugs, feminists, envirowackos, dumb college kids, commie CINOs, and whoever else has their hands out.
If Netanyahu is looking for the most likely moment that the Obama admin will be distracted by a national freakfest... ;-)
From your keyboard to the Big Guy Upstairs ...
Maybe if they are breastfeeding their babies they should concentrate on that instead of attending the freak show known as the DNC convention. They can go to the freak show in four years.
Great comments.
Exposing minor children to the DNC Convention could be considered child abuse.
There's a familiar pattern on the world stage which demonstrates the absurdity of this united states of demoncrats. To paraphrase Lawrence:
So long as the Dems fight tribe against tribe
So long will they be a little people,
A silly people,
Greedy, barbarous, and cruel.
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Mancini admits Suarez liking
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has revealed his admiration for Liverpool striker Luis Suarez.
- Related Content
Mancini has been linked with a move for Suarez in the summer as he looks to bring in a replacement for Mario Balotelli.
9. Luis Suarez
|36 (1)
Suarez will come up against Mancini this weekend when the Reds visit the Etihad Stadium on Sunday and the City boss is a big fan of the Uruguayan forward.
"Suarez for me is a top player," Mancini said. "I like him because he is strong and he works hard.
"For me, he is one of the best in England."
Asked if he would like to sign Suarez, Mancini laughed: "Suarez? But he plays for Liverpool.
"Yeah I like his quality. He has quality and he is strong."
Suarez recently pledged his future to Liverpool saying he would stay at Anfield even if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Mancini also warned of the dangers facing his side as Liverpool come to the Etihad Stadium this weekend.
The Italian believes the Merseysiders are well capable of qualifying for the Champions League and feels City will have to be at their best to avoid slipping up.
The champions can ill afford to drop many more points as they seek to pull Manchester United back at the top of the Barclays Premier League.
Liverpool's recent run of good form was undermined by their shock loss to Oldham in the FA Cup last weekend but they responded with a positive display in a 2-2 draw at Arsenal in midweek.
That has ensured they remain firmly in contention to finish fourth, which would fully vindicate manager Brendan Rodgers' methods after an at times difficult season of transition.
Mancini said: "When you want to change it is difficult sometimes.
"He (Rodgers) did some good results but Liverpool is always a strong team.
"I watched the game against Arsenal, they played well.
"It will be a dangerous game on Sunday. If we want to win, we should play well and score when we have a chance."
Liverpool have lost just one of their last five Premier League matches, to United.
The Oldham result aside, the Reds seem to have recovered well after defeat at Stoke on Boxing Day and Mancini would not be surprised to see them make the top four.
He said: "Yes, if they continue to play like in the last month, because they did well."
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DescriptionThis is an atmospheric ambient soundtrack which takes the listener into an atmosphere which is quite eerie, desolate and scary. It can be used for background music or underscoring in video games, videos or perhaps even your real-life Halloween-event!
The track starts off with the sound of rain, thunderstorm and heavy wind. Soon you hear some strange noises, and things snapping off. Treeleaves are flying by you. As time progresses the bad weather intensifies, as does the things snappings off and flying by you. You hear an ever-increasing sound of hordes of imps; they become more and more. While the pulling force of the demon gate grows stronger, everything intensifies, you'll hear trees and branches break off and fly by you towards the demon gate. While you loose control over yourself the track makes the strange sounds you hear become lower and lower, slower and slower, while in the meanwhile you hear a rising sound coming from the demon gate. At the ending of the track the natural sounds will fade away, while the creature sounds will grow stronger. Finally the track fades into silentness.
Artistic Description"Oh, what a day… what a terrible, lousy day!", you say aloud to yourself while you exit your car which just gave up on you. Now there you are, on the country-side in the middle of nowhere. It's raining, a thunderstorm has just begun to come up and black smoke is coming from your car's engine. While inspecting your car's engine you realize there's nothing that can be done to fix it. While it will take hours to get home from here, there's no other alternative than to just walk. As the optimist you are you laugh and think by yourself: "Ah well, I'm totally soaked from the rain now anyway since being out of my car for 10 seconds. Let's just get this over with and head home."
So there you are, walking in the middle of the night, on the country-side in the middle of nowhere, through the rain and increasing thunderstorm. While you walk ahead you suddenly begin to feel uncomfortable and dizzy. As you walk onwards the feeling gets stronger and stronger. In the meanwhile the rain and thunderstorm are getting heavier and heavier. A bit dazed you close your eyes for a moment and when you open them again you see a vague, short lightflash some hundreds meters ahead. As you walk onwards you see the lightflash occur again, and again, ever becoming brighter. The closer you get, the more uncomfortable you start to feel. You see treeleaves flying around you in the direction you're heading, towards where the lightflashing is coming from.
Just being about 100 meters away from the lightflashes, a huge, bright white-blueish lightflash appears. You hear the squeeling of little creatures. Birds? Chipmunks? Neither of those… This does not sound natural; it's almost like little demons. Imps! As you squeeze your eyes you see hordes of little creatures coming from the ground. They're red and black, with long, sharp tails, and glowing eyes. They make the strangest noises. Imps indeed! They're coming from a hole in the ground from which an intensifying light radiates. The hole seems to grow bigger. The treeleaves around you are all heading there. You feel more uncomfortable and you feel like the hole has a grasp on you and is pulling you towards it; ever stronger and stronger. A rock flies by towards the hole! More and more strange-sounding creatures are coming from the hole and as you cannot withstand the grasp anymore, you hold yourself to a tree. In panic you look around yourself. More and more things are being pulled into the hole. There's a big tree, wholy bend over towards it. It breaks off and the tree gets sucked in. Gone it is! Desperately you look at the tree you're firmly clamping yourself on to, only to find out it's bending towards the hole as well.
You are loosing your grip. "How many imps are there coming from there?! What's that huge thing coming from the ground?! Would that be their mighty demon lord?!" You… you… "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh"! You cannot think clearly anymore, everything is getting blurry, you feel like your spirit is floating away while the sound of those countless imps gets louder and louder, yet the sound of the rain starts to fade away…
How does it end? I will not tell you. Have a listen and find out for yourself!
ContentsThis track is delivered in two file formats: a high quality WAV-format (industry standard 16-bit stereo 44.1kHz) and a high quality MP3-format (320kBs stereo). The total number of files is thus 2.
- tmbhlwn_cartrouble_near_the_demon_gate.wav/.mp3: 5 minutes
Tombstone Halloween CollectionThis soundtrack is part of Tombstone Halloween Collection, which contains a total of 5 atmospheric ambient sound tracks, where every track brings yet another eerie, desolate and scary atmosphere. Every track has its own unique setting and story to tell. Every track in the collection has a length of exactly 5 minutes making for a total length of 25 minutes! Through fading in and out at the beginnings and endings of the tracks, they can be overlapped with any of the other tracks in the collection for continuous playback or constant and smooth changing of scenery.
- Crossing the River Styx – 5:00 (300 seconds)
- Down the Brimstone Mines – 5:00 (300 seconds)
- The Abduction of Persephone – 5:00 (300 seconds)
- In the Wolf's Lair – 5:00 (300 seconds)
- Car-Trouble near the Demon Gate – 5:00 (300 seconds)


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Department of Political Science
Related Links
- Political Science Faculty
- Political Science Courses
- Center for the Study of Local Issue
- Legislative Internship Program
The Political Science Department at Anne Arundel Community College offers a wide variety of courses introducing students to the study of politics in general and to the subfields within the discipline of political science. Students may choose to start with a basic course such as "Introduction to American Government" and then move on to more advanced courses such as "Comparative Politics" (PLS 131), "International Relations" (PLS 200) or "Political Behavior and Analysis" (PLS 151).
Learning Opportunities
Political Science at AACC is enhanced by two special learning opportunities.
- First, the department participates in the Maryland General Assembly Internship Program which makes it possible for students to work for legislators and lobbyists during the 90 day legislative session and receive academic credit and pay.
- Second, the Center for the Study of Local Issues provides an opportunity for students to get concrete experience conducting a County-wide survey, usually for extra credit in social sciences courses. Both of these exceptional opportunities illustrate the commitment to excellence and student success by the Political Science Department at Anne Arundel Community College.
Political science courses are staffed by a variety of highly qualified instructors. Dan Nataf, Ph.D., is a full-time political science instructor as well as the director of the Center for the Study of Local Issues. He teaches "Introduction to American Government," "Comparative Politics," "International Relations," and "Political Behavior and Analysis."
History professors Frank Alduino, Ph.D. and Dave Tengwall, Ph.D., teach "Introduction to American Government," and "Political Theory" respectively.
Part-time adjunct instructors round out the list of faculty teaching political science courses.


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New signals on truck traffic issues in U. Macungie
UPPER MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. - Truck traffic issues rumbled through a municipal meeting in Lehigh County this week.
In one instance, the issue was familiar -- Upper Macungie Township residents' concern over increased truck traffic that will be generated once the $110 million Ocean Spray bottling plant project on Boulder Drive is completed.
The other issue, however, involved a matter that won't be ready for full public discussion for another couple of months -- construction of a truck inspection station on the north side of Schantz Road near Route 100.
Construction is already under way for the 225,000-square foot Ocean Spray plant on 44 acres of land along Boulder Drive. Ocean Spray needs the facility because the company is moving its operations to the Lehigh Valley from Bordentown, N.J.
Ocean Spray is preparing a revised traffic study for the project, which is expected to bring 165 jobs into the Lehigh Valley, and several residents are anxiously awaiting it.
Supervisors vice chairman Samir Ashman said township traffic engineer J. Scott Stenroos will soon be meeting with Ocean Spray's traffic engineers, who are compiling the revised study, and that the study will likely be reviewed at the planning commission's Sept. 19 meeting.
If so, the supervisors will discuss the revised plan in October, Ashman said.
Stenroos said he believes Ocean Spray will have its trucks travel along Boulder Drive and on to Route 100 as a way of minimizing the effects of extra truck traffic on township residents.
However, Ashman pointed out to a woman concerned about the traffic, "Until we can understand the new traffic plan ... until our traffic engineer has time to digest it ... until then, it's premature [to discuss it]."
Ashman also said to people unhappy about the increase in truck traffic: "The traffic is going to move regardless. That plant is already being built. We can't change [the extra traffic]. We can just see what we can do to mitigate it."
Another woman was more philosophical about the issue. She said Upper Macungie is known as having a major industrial park and people who move there and live there should have "a certain level of tolerance" for truck traffic. "After all, how many people have jobs because of those companies and their trucks? I'm one of them."
The possibility of building a truck inspection station was raised by Upper Macungie police chief Edgardo Colon, who said the township is currently inspecting commercial trucks "wherever we can [including] the side of the road."
Colon said he will be meeting with Emmaus borough and South Whitehall Township law enforcement officials as well as the state police to get their views on building such a station, and will be investigating what state, federal and private money might be available to build it.
Colon said he would be compiling the information over the next few months and hopefully have a report ready for the township supervisors by the end of the year.
Colon said after the meeting that it's too early to say how much such a station would cost, but he guessed that the price tag would be "at least a couple of hundred thousand dollars."
Colon said the tract of land along Schantz Road that he has in mind for the station allows "convenient roadway access" for truckers after the inspection is completed.
Colon said he has not approached the land owner about selling the property, and pointed out that the views of the township engineer would also be part of any feasibility study.
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i didnt play beta. i do play now. im having a grand'ol'time.
what is all the bitching really about? what substantial, game breaking issues do folks have with this?
"There are at least two kinds of games.
One could be called finite, the other infinite.
A finite game is played for the purpose of winning,
an infinite game for the purpose of continuing play."
Finite and Infinite Games, James Carse
Balancing and performance mostly.
Hacking was an issue, but has been addressed for the most part as far as I can tell.
Originally posted by chelan
i didnt play beta. i do play now. im having a grand'ol'time. what is all the bitching really about? what substantial, game breaking issues do folks have with this?
Everyone has their own issues with PS2, im not sure i'd call any of these game breakers, but my personal bugbears are as follows:
PS was a better game. PS2 is dumbed down and lacks much that made PS great.
Game is still quite buggy. If i fall through the world once more time im going to stay there.
Hacking is increasingly obvious and there are some new exploits that are borderline game breakers.
Population imbalance is bad on some servers. Underpopulated bonuses are a joke.
Faction weapons are not balanced, this is a massive issue and the main reason why NC are getting the shaft on most servers.
Cert grind is painfully slow.
New purchased weapons are often bugged, broken or simply a waste of money and effort. Weapons like the skyguard are utterly worthless.
Air dominates, AA sucks.
Vehicles rule the roost, AA and AV weapons for troops are pretty poor.
Engineers are buggy, tank mines bug out completely and almost everytime i pull out my repair gun it defaults to my main weapon so i wind up shooting what i wanted to repair.
Last patch did something odd to the game performance, lag spikes and freezes are now a common occurance for some players.
There are other minor things, but i'd be here all night producing a comprehensive list of whats wrong with PS2.
Expresso gave me a Hearthstone beta key.....I'm so happy
Originally posted by chelan
i didnt play beta. i do play now. im having a grand'ol'time. what is all the bitching really about? what substantial, game breaking issues do folks have with this?
None man. The game is the shit.
Originally posted by chelan
i didnt play beta. i do play now. im having a grand'ol'time. what is all the bitching really about? what substantial, game breaking issues do folks have with this?
There aren't any. The game just isn't what some want it to be and they are confusing that with actual issues.
The game is decent and it's priced correctly for what it offers. There really isn't anything to complain about. We all want more, but thats different from the game being a bad one.
Played game like 6 hour, then get bored to it. its just boring, guns dont have "balls" becouse they so futuristic.
Missing hook.
Originally posted by Kanester
I still can't believe people are complaining about PS2, One of a kind and free. The good kind of free, SOE have gone way up in my books.
Good kind of free is correct. You can buy weapons and such off of the cash shop but they are meaningless overall without certs and even then the weapons can be bought with certs. The real game changer comes from Certs which can only be obtained in game.
SOE definitely gets some major props for the business model, even if I didn't like the game I'd have to give them props for that alone.
It's nice to actually see this trend now. Several games have gone the "We want to be profitable, but not in a detrimental way to our players".
TSW - Buy to play
GW2 - Buy to play
PS2 - F2P with an accetable cash shop
Blade and Soul looks like it will be buy to play
The business model has been a popular topic of discussion among publishers and developers as of late. F2P,Freemium, P2P, or B2P. Some of the discussions have involved the negative feedback and lack of appeal of SWTOR's f2p conversion, The success and profitability of GW2, the fact that Funcom went with b2p over f2p for TSW.
Even many f2p games are working on making the cash shop less mandatory and game breaking, some are doing cosmetic and covenience only items.
Things are certainly looking good and these kind of moves so early in the business model shift is giving many of these companies free advertisement as well as generating a great deal of good will with gamers.
Originally posted by Teala
I have issues with the game and Smedley and the developers have said they are looking into tweaking the game more and adding more stuff. So I am happy with that. Smedley seems to have changed since his SWG days - a lot. I like the new Smedley. He is very open and talking with the players on Twitter, Facebook and Reddit. Unlike before where he was closed and reserved. I think PS2 in its current state and that fact that it is free is a great thing for us gamers. So no complaints from me here. ^_^
He talks a lot, never does anything, most things from beta he talked about being fixed before launch and oh look they announced it a month later, when you knew they weren't gonna fix anything between then and release.
I have no friends playing the game, I even had one who got hot dropped in at the start, died, said he didn't like it and uninstalled right away. I mean they do nothing to teach new people the game and some people are scared off by that. I cannot blame my friend really, SOE made a dumb decision with dropping you straight into the action, hot drops are never a good thing, just a giant arrow saying kill me.
It'll be a good 12 months before Planetside can be passed off as a good game, though SOE time that is probably about 3 years, by which point the game will be dated and no one will care.


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He even has an Mp3 up if you want to, you know, add it to your iPod. I can't imagine why you wouldn't. Personally I'm just delighted that for once one of my imaginary bands is, in fact, a real band.
Merry Christmas!!
You are so creative. :)
P.S. It made my baby laugh.
LOVE IT! I hope it gets mad hits on YouTube! I hope we see more songs from this awesome band :)
Merry Christmas!
Totally in the Christmas spirit now. Must go hug my Christmas tree. brb.
Thanks for the awesome weirdness! :P
And yet you still insist you can't sing. hm?
I loved that, Way to be creative!
Wait wait wait, is that you singing?!
Also, Jill Wheeler's comment = FTW! That's the best compliment you can ever get, I think. :)
"A Man They Call Jayne" I loved the Whedon/Jayne reference. And I still miss Firefly. Nicely done! My tree was a little envious (a bunch of tittering snowmen who realized that without Yoda, they'd never be Jedis).
Joss Whedon! Jayne's hat! YAY!
Oh my gosh- I loved this. I may have to link to it from my blog.
Merry Christmas!
that was fabulously weird. :)
firefly... oh yeah :)
Beautiful, you multi-talented artistes. It brought a tear to my eye.
Ha, you are all so nice. Yes, that is me singing. And if it made Jill's baby laugh, my mission is complete!
So awesome, I'm all smiles here!
OMG, that's fantastic!
Love it!!!
Two things are certain.
Either we're in for a post-apocalyptic future, or we aren't.
And when aliens come scouting for an iconic sample of mankind's musical brilliance, it's either the Beatles or you and Josh, me duck. Or the rear axle of a WWI tank, powering against dense clay at an angle of 15 degrees circa October 1916.
Who was it who said, "the eye of the beholder is useless when it comes to music because music is all about ears — unless you're deaf like Beethoven, in which case it's all about the feel of it so you've got to pity those poor paralysed guys because surely then they can't hear anything"?
Oh. That was me.
Anyhow — massively impressed. Absence of French accent aside, you could be the next Edith Piaf. As could she, if she were still alive. Which she isn't. And you are. So Kiersten 1 Edith Piaf 0, say I.
I officially have the Christmas spirit from watching your video. You should do a duet with yourself and Noah:) Just an Idea. Maybe it could be a new years song*
That was brilliant! Thank you!
How fun!! LOVE the star wars ornaments!
Shiny poopz later...that's one of my fav lols...
I forgot: that "wonderful" husband of yours? Guest post? Or did we go back in time?
That was great. Thank you!
Whirl, your comments, as usual, are more brilliant than my offerings. I'd vote for The Beatles, though.
And thanks, all : ) So glad our ridiculousness could bring some cheer!
Dude...where do you get the time??? Seriously! There was some danged good effort in said video song.
Still laughing.
Oh my gosh Kiersten! That was hilarious!!! I loved it!
You have the perfect voice for a Christmas ditty, you should totally sing Santa Baby!
How have I not commented on this yet?? You and Josh ROCK. I love it! You have such a lovely voice.
(And I love how people like my ornament. Tee hee. Firefly rules!)


text:
|Academic Success Center
Helping You Succeed.
"The Place God calls you is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."
- Fredrick Buechner
The Academic Success Center (ASC) staff provides students free support services. We'll connect you with resources that will empower you to achieve your goals, both academically and personally.
Contact the Academic Success Center:
Office Location:
Office Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday
Phone: (605) 331-6740


text:
Could Blazing Saddles be made today?
Is homosexuality a condition that can be "cured"?
Should "COPS LIE" be allowed as a car license plate?
Is Harry Reid of sound mind?
Do you feel sorry for Monica Lewinsky?
Would you spend $30 for a lottery scratch ticket?
Chris Mathews says it's ridiculous to blame President Obama for Benghazi, do you agree?
Is the media really turning against President Obama?
Kareem Abdhul Jabar wants prison time for the person who released the Donald Sterling tape. Do you agree?
Should Secretary of State John Kerry resign?


text:
Saint Ursmar of Lobbes
- Ursmaro
Abbot of the Benedictine abbey at Lobbes, Belgium c.689. Trained Saint Dodo. Missionary bishop. Helped found Aulne Abbey and the Abbey of Wallers-en-Faigne, France.
- c.640
- Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
- Catholic Online
- Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
- Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Saints
- Santi e Beati
- "Saint Ursmar of Lobbes". CatholicSaints.Info. 9 June 2009. Web. 27 February 2017. <>


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Colorado Community Media asked three identical questions of the eight candidates seeking four spots on the Douglas County School Board. Below are their answers.
District B:
Barbra Chase
Roxborough resident Barbra Chase served as executive director of the Roxborough Elementary School Parent Teacher Involvement Committee that helped bring about the addition of Roxborough Intermediate. A software saleswoman, Chase also volunteers with the parent/teacher group at Ranch View Middle School.
Chase is concerned about district's current state and the impact of recent policy changes, including cuts to electives, growing class sizes and loss of instructional time at the high school level. Describing herself as a passionate advocate of Douglas County schools, she says she'd like to remove any political influence from local education.
Why are you seeking this position?
I would like to address several issues of concern, including the flat to declining assessment scores, record-low teacher morale and inaccurate budgeting. I have neighbors and friends who have moved out of Douglas County because of these concerns. The board of education and superintendent's unwillingness to recognize and address these real problems is of great concern. Douglas County School District has a long history of excellence and innovation and this legacy is now at risk; I would like to be part of the solution.
What makes you the best person for the job?
I am a 23-year resident of Douglas County. I have two children in Douglas County schools — one in seventh and the other in ninth grade. Having been an executive of Parent Teacher Groups in DCSD since 2005 and helping to raise $500,000 for our schools over that time period, I understand the current state of school funding and the priorities of parents on how funding is best spent. I've attended SAC, DAC and board meetings and understand what benefits our kids for the best education possible.
What do you believe is the most important issue facing the Douglas County School District and how will you approach it, if elected?
Over the past four years, there has been a reallocation of funds away from classrooms and into district administration. The lack of classroom resources is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately. According to Colorado Department of Education statistics, the number of district administrators has increased 10 percent along with student numbers. However, teacher numbers have declined 1 percent resulting in an 11 percent increase in class sizes. Over the past four years, high school students have lower graduation requirements, nearly three weeks less classroom time in each class, and larger class sizes. This troubling trend needs to be addressed.
I would work to restore resources to our schools through accurate budgeting. I would restore our high schools to full-time, reduce student/teacher ratios and increase instructional time to better prepare our students for college/careers. I would bring the public back to our public schools by addressing plummeting parent satisfaction.
Jim Geddes
Already well-versed in education policies as a University of Colorado Regent, Jim Geddes now wants to turn his attention to K-12 education. The surgeon and Sedalia resident describes himself as a strong conservative who will apply those principles on the board. He is a proponent of school choice, including the district's voucher program, and the current board's other reform efforts. Geddes said he will consider students first in his decisions, and work to assure teachers' job satisfaction.
Geddes' two youngest children attend Cherry Hills Christian School. His regent post expires in 2015; he does not plan to seek another term.
Why are you seeking this position?
Providing a high quality education for our children is one of our most important societal responsibilities. After spending 30 years as a student and observing my children's education experience — and simultaneously watching our nation's young people fall further behind those of other developed countries, I chose to become directly involved in efforts to improve our education systems.
As a University of Colorado Regent, I've addressed issues including budgeting and financing of higher education, and the evaluation and assessment of the quality of education. I encourage improvements in quality, such as augmenting intellectual diversity and academic freedom on our campuses.
What makes you the best person for the job?
I have a long personal experience with formal education and have learned significantly from my experience as a regent.
My general "conservative" and "traditional" philosophy will help guide our school district toward further improvements in its education quality, and toward an enhanced service to our students, their families, and the citizens of Douglas County.
I have a practical/pragmatic streak, but can also think "outside the box." Additionally, the thoughts and concerns of others are important to me, and will be carefully considered.
What do you believe is the most important issue facing the Douglas County School District and how will you approach it, if elected?
The key component of education quality and successful outcomes is related to individual teacher qualities. Important for all student ages, but most critical for our younger students is a teacher who creates an exciting, rich educational environment which produces eager learners who enjoy school and thirst for intellectual interactions with others. Such an experience if sustained will likely lead to an excellent educational outcome and a life-long habit of inquiry, study, and capability for sophisticated critical thinking.
In this light, I will fully support the current DCSD initiatives of teacher "Pay for Performance" and the honoring and rewarding of our excellent teachers. I will also search for additional mechanisms to recruit such teachers to our schools. I will be sensitive to our teachers' professional recommendations, needs, and desires as our Board of Directors partners with them to create the optimal educational milieu for all our students.
District D:
Julie Keim
A parent of three and a certified professional accountant, Julie Keim has helped raised thousands of dollars volunteering with Parent Teacher Organizations. She served on Larkspur Elementary's Parent Teacher Organization board after the family moved there in 2004 and helped launch PTOs at Castle Rock Middle and Castle View High schools.
Along the way, she learned about the district and observed a shift in teachers' attitudes that prompted her to join the school board race. Keim also has studied the district's finances, publicly criticizing the size of the fund balance and questioning the budget's accuracy.
Why are you seeking this position?
I am running for the school board to restore excellence and encourage effective innovation in DCSD. I have seen our schools lose the collaboration and inspiration that made DCSD outstanding. Our public schools have eroded due to lack of effective and supportive leadership, proper guidance and funding. We can provide a great public education while being financially responsible.
Through responsible oversight, I plan to restore fiscal integrity; sufficient funding in classrooms; safe, trusting environments where students and educators can be successful; multiple perspectives and public input to decision-making; successful implementation of strategies; and, focus to our most valuable asset, students.
What makes you the best person for the job?
I have volunteered to support public education for 15 years. I understand the challenges our students, schools and district face, and will work hard to ensure that priorities are discussed, real and feasible solutions are established, and successfully piloted and implemented. I will challenge our district to provide the best education for all students.
My background in governmental auditing, consulting, and as a finance director for a $2B public entity afford me the financial and operations expertise to lead the district through the public engagement, human resource and financial issues that have arisen over the last few years.
What do you believe is the most important issue facing the Douglas County School District and how will you approach it, if elected?
I believe the biggest issue facing DCSD is ineffective oversight at the board level resulting in the district's inability to successfully implement programs and strategies. One example is board members having no questions or concerns about significant deficiencies in audits and variances between budget and actual amounts amounting to $20 million (after all carryover dollars were removed) last year alone. Inaccurate budgeting has led to unnecessary cuts that have weakened our schools.
Another example of lackluster oversight is the absence of public input and meaningful dialogue and discussion among seven like-minded board members. I believe only through open-minded consideration of differing viewpoints can the DCSD board make well-informed decisions for the students and taxpayers of Douglas County and provide the necessary oversight required of their positions.
I believe it is our responsibility to educate all children to become the best citizens and leaders in our community and nation.
Judi Reynolds
A member of the District Accountability Committee since May 2012, Judi Reynolds wants to elevate her position with the district to school board member. Reynolds has a master's degree in education and previously worked as an exercise physiologist. The mother of three is now a stay-at-home mom and active classroom volunteer. In addition to her experience with the DAC, the Castle Rock resident has spent the last four years regularly attending school board meetings. During those four years, Reynolds believes the district has regained secure financial footing, and enacted common-sense reforms that benefit teachers and students.
Why are you seeking this position?
I am running for the Board of Education in Douglas County because I believe education should revolve around students first. As a community, it is vital that we find a way for every student to have an education that is relevant to them. This is best achieved by allowing parental choice, building control of money and curriculum, and increased educational opportunities and options for our students. Parents and teachers, working together, are the best resources to provide creative and innovative ways to give our children a better education.
What makes you the best person for the job?
I have been an active parent in my children's schools since 2004. My children attend neighborhood elementary, middle and high schools, giving me a unique perspective of educational needs at all levels. In addition to volunteering in my children's classrooms and participating in PTO fundraising and community events, I am active in two School Accountability Committees and currently serve as the Recorder for the District Accountability Committee. I have regularly attended Board of Education meetings for the last four years because I felt it was important to be informed about who and how decisions affecting my children's education were made.
What do you believe is the most important issue facing the Douglas County School District and how will you approach it, if elected?
Local Control. This issue reaches into every part of education from how are schools are financed, unfunded mandates for curriculum from the state and federal governments, and testing. The state has created several new laws that school districts are required to abide by, even if they were created to solve a problem the DCSD does not have. Recently, the state adopted House Bill 121238: The Colorado READ Act. The READ Act imposes new assessments on DCSD students, even though they have some of the highest reading scores in the metro area. I will continue to fight for local control, so that DCSD can concentrate on serving our student's needs, not complying with assessments or programs that our students do not need. I will work with local schools and groups, legislators, and speak out at the State House on issues I think are important to Douglas County students, teachers, and parents.
District E:
Doug Benevento
Doug Benevento is seeking to remain on the Douglas County School Board. An attorney for Xcel Energy, Benevento is a Colorado native who has led the state health department and was senior policy adviser for U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard. His two daughters attend Platte River Academy charter school.
A strong supporter of education reform, Benevento wants to continue and improve upon the programs it's launched. While acknowledging the road hasn't always been smooth, Benevento says facts show the district is moving in the right direction.
Why are you seeking this position?
Because of my two daughters, Anna and Kate, who attend public school in the district. Anna's in third grade and Kate is in kindergarten and watching them develop, grow and learn is a great joy. What I want for my children is what I want for every child in Douglas County, a wide array of educational choices, a school district focused on their learning instead of labor unions and for great teachers to be recognized and rewarded through pay for performance system. Nothing less is acceptable, either for my children or anyone else's children.
What makes you the best person for the job?
I believe parents are in the best position to make decisions for their children and we need to provide them with multiple educational choices. I also believe that we run a school district for kids, not union bosses. While HR director at the district my opponent was responsible for moving hundreds of thousands of dollars from the classroom into the pocket of union leaders who performed no work in the district. Our kids can't afford to put him in a position where he can go back taking money from the classroom to pay union leader to organize a union.
What do you believe is the most important issue facing the Douglas County School District and how will you approach it, if elected?
1. Funding the classroom — My opponent was HR director for the district when it paid over $300,000 of salaries to union bosses who performed no work for the district. If elected there's no doubt he would resume that practice. We can't divert money from our kids and teachers to pay union organizers.
2. Pay for Performance — We need to pay our best teachers so we retain them and also attract the best teachers. As HR director in the district my opponent advocated a union approved wage scale which rewards our best teachers the same as our ineffective teachers. I will support a strong pay for performance system.
3. Choice — We need to offer and support multiple educational options for parents to choose from, neighborhood schools, charter schools, online schooling so that kids can be put in an environment that gives them the best chance to succeed.
Bill Hodges
No stranger to Douglas County Schools, the district's former human resources director Bill Hodges wants to sit in a different seat as a board member.
Hodges worked in human resources from 2001 to 2011. His wife Ginger was a DCSD elementary school teacher. Though Hodges helped negotiate the teachers' union's annual collective bargaining agreement, he said he now would like to see a different form of teacher collaboration. In the mid-1990s, he served as a community representative on a committee that introduced the district's first pay-for-performance program, an idea he still supports. Hodges believes new programs that were implemented too quickly and with inadequate teacher and community input have cost the district many of its teachers. That and other concerns about the district's direction pulled him out of retirement and into the board race.
Why are you seeking this position?
It's time to change the status quo of how this current BOE operates. We need to put the "public" back into public education and allow all groups to be heard and respected. More board business needs to be conducted in the public vs. behind closed doors as is the current board practice. We need fiscal transparency, need to hire more teachers, reduce class size and increase graduation requirements. I'm also a strong advocate for full-time kindergarten.
What makes you the best person for the job?
I have a unique perspective from my work experience. I have 28 years in the private sector — the final three in a financial consulting startup. I have 10 years public sector experience, including nine as DCSD's Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources. I know how to balance a budget without creating excess balances and putting resources where needed; and, I know what a premier school district looks like. I also have a strong personal interest in DCSD with a daughter-in-law teaching, two children who graduated from DCSD, two grandchildren in the system and two smaller grandchildren who will attend DCSD.
What do you believe is the most important issue facing the Douglas County School District and how will you approach it, if elected?
Although there are many issues facing DCSD, the most important one in my mind is allowing all voices to be heard and respected. One shouldn't be excluded because your views don't align with the current board's political agenda. I would increase public comment minutes. I would facilitate with other board members community focus groups to hear all concerns and issues. I would reinstate the district's community survey as another way to gain stakeholder input for the board to consider. In evaluating the superintendent's annual performance, a community, staff and student survey should be included as part of the evaluation process.
District G:
Ronda Scholting
Ronda Scholting already knows the campaign trail from her successful 2012 bid for Parker Fire Protection District board. A public relations manager for the Denver-based RE/MAX real estate company, Scholting also is a former broadcast journalist with Denver's KMGH-TV Channel 7.
Her interest in running for the school board was sparked by district changes she's seen since her sons graduated from DCSD, Scholting said. In addition to concerns about loss of instructional time at the high school level, she believes the district has financial reserves that could better be used in the classroom.
Why are you seeking this position?
I'm running for school board because I'm concerned about where our tax dollars are going and whether the choices being made on the district level are truly benefiting the entire community.
We are continually cutting teachers and resources in our classrooms, while growing administrative positions, which directs millions of dollars away from our students — exactly where those dollars do the most good.
We need to restore resources and true innovation in our schools at every level, while still being fiscally responsible. And, we need to restore faith and trust in district leadership. Our community deserves nothing less.
What makes you the best person for the job?
As an elected member of the Parker Fire Protection District Board, I've had the opportunity to serve the residents of the South Metro Fire Authority District, and join with fellow board members in closely watching taxpayer dollars while ensuring the district has the resources and personnel we need to keep our communities safe.
With two boys who graduated from Douglas County Schools, I have a parent's perspective on making choices for my children and the experience of working with teachers and building administrators to ensure their education is the best it can be.
What do you believe is the most important issue facing the Douglas County School District and how will you approach it, if elected?
Lack of transparency is a real problem in the district and we need to re-establish trust and confidence in district leadership.
Parents, teachers, students and taxpayers all have a stake in public education. Their voices need to be heard, and taken seriously into consideration when the board makes decisions.
Because the board spends nearly half of its meeting time behind closed doors, there is limited time for public input at board meetings. That needs to change.
The public's business should be conducted in public. Board members should treat all stakeholders with respect, no matter if they agree with what the board is doing or not.
There should be more time allotted to hear public comment at each meeting and the board should actively reach out to the community, by regularly visiting our schools, and engaging with a non-partisan citizens' advisory board, comprised of parents, teachers, taxpayers and students.
Meghann Silverthorn
With four years of school board experience behind her, Meghann Silverthorn is looking back with pride and forward to a hoped-for second term.
The U.S. Department of Defense engineer is the only candidate who does not have children. Her varied childhood educational experiences, which included attendance at overseas schools, shaped her views of education. Silverthorn concluded the American education system needs improvement, and sees her board service as a way to enact some of those changes.
The Parker resident is proud of the reforms the board has enacted, including its county-specific curriculum, and wants to continue moving them forward.
Why are you seeking this position?
I am running for re-election because I believe in the work our district is doing for kids. We have become responsive to parents and students, providing them with more options than ever. We have radically improved the district's financial situation. We have begun to pay teachers like professionals with true pay for performance. Douglas County has an incredible community with great teachers and staff, passionate parents and wonderful students. Public education is a cornerstone of our society and I am proud to support it.
What makes you the best person for the job?
I have a complete understanding of all of the issues facing our district. I have worked with parents, teachers, students and community members throughout my tenure on various issues and concerns. In doing so, I have shown my ability to work with people of all viewpoints and backgrounds. Additionally, I am the only voice on the board representing the large majority of our community with no children in our district, a critical stakeholder group with which DCSD is beginning to communicate effectively.
What do you believe is the most important issue facing the Douglas County School District and how will you approach it, if elected?
Our district faces the large question of how to move education forward in a world that has vastly changed, and for kids who have also changed, since our educational system was designed. Our society has unprecedented access to information; education should move beyond content toward the individual learner. DCSD recognizes that kids are not "widgets" to be produced in batches as if they were all the same. Instead, they should be treated like the individuals they are, and DCSD is changing its system to accommodate this. If elected, I will continue to promote teacher quality, expand choices for parents and students, and champion academic achievement. The district has partnered with teachers to design an incredible system of performance and curriculum tailored to our community and what our kids need. Everything we are doing is designed to work for kids and their future.


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seollasido wrote:Going through my YS order... slowly but surely.
I drank the 2002 Yong Pin Hao sample just now (6g in a 80ml pot). The flavor is... interesting, it had a tamer version of flavors that I'd associate with younger sheng (specifically the sweetness) without much of what I'd expect from other Yi wu sheng from this age (Golden Unicorn from Bana or the Zipin from Wisteria). Very curious now since I also do have a 2004 sample to compare this with too, so I guess I'm now looking forward to trying this next.
The tea also lasted quite a bit, going through over ten infusions before having to have it infuse for many minutes at a time. Decent energy too.
How is the golden unicorn I have been thinking of trying that.


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text: Well, I was reading Soul Eater Not the other day, the Soul Eater spin off tie in, and I thought to myself, One Piece has a much deeper universe than Soul Eater does. It would be great to have a spin off that ties into the main story. I mean we could follow an old character, A new character, luffy's allies, Sabo, Coby or the marines, or something else maybe even the past or something like that. We all know how busy Oda is, but he could be involved without doing it all by himself, I'm sure some one on his staff or someone with a similar style to his could handle the main load and he could just out line the story. So, would any one like to see a cannon one piece spin off series?


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Wow There Milking this all outSo, it's been a while. Pokemon Diamond & Pearl have been on the shelves for almost 3 years now. They introduced brand new Pokemon and new features, the most important being the usage of the WiFi capabilities that the Nintendo DS provided. I'm sure, however, that we all feel that the series now has to move on, and that seems to be what the creators of Pokemon are thinking too.
The Pokemon Company has mentioned that a completely new generation is on its way, due to arrive later this year in Japan. The famous RPG series that can only be Pokemon is going to have a 5th generation, complete with new features and new Pokemon. So far, The Pokemon Company has confirmed that it will in fact be for the Nintendo DS. What will this turn out to be? Only time will tell. Stay tuned for updates!
Source: FriendCodes
There should Change there CatchPhrase to "Never Catch Them All"


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"Scuba diving is entering another world, it lets you see how little we know about life and the universe. It opens you up to new ways of thinking."
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WE HAVE A LARGE SELECTION OF NEW BARE TRILAM HD TEC DRYDRYSUITS, IN A LARGE VARIETY OF SIZES (MENS & WOMENS). WE ARE OFFERING EITHER $ 400.00 OFF PURCHASE PRICE OR FREE BARE OR DUI UNDERWEAR.Store Hours:


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Penny Loves Kenny Brandi Wedge Sandal
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text:
|This Jon boat is rigged with four rod holders, evenly spaced on the starboard side, allowing the angler to set out a broadside of four baits.
Many saltwater anglers have recently made the switch to aluminum Jon boats after "having a go" with bigger fiberglass boats for many years. Aluminum boats cost very little to operate and can go almost anywhere given the right weather conditions. Jon boats have always been popular, but with today's leaner times, they're even more so. Boat sales may be slow, but in some parts of the country, aluminum is now neck-and-neck with fiberglass boat sales. Why? Fiberglass can't compete with aluminum in the expense column.
Say you've got your eye on one of the all-welded Jon boats or riveted Jon boats over at Trackerboats.com. You're interested in fishing all day on 2 or 3 gallons of gas, and your tow vehicle is small. That Jon boat looks perfect, right? Trailer, tow vehicle and motor issues aside (you could rate them all as small), what sort of boat are we looking at, and can it be rigged to fish saltwater? Standard length for Jon boats is 14 feet — at least it was for about 50 years.
Today many are built much bigger. You will also see a few small 10- and 12-footers around. Unless you're motoring around on a quiet salt marsh bayou, anything under 14 feet on saltwater is probably too small. Stick with at least 14 feet. If possible, grab a 15-footer. That extra foot is nice; the 15 is normally five feet wide at the top, wide enough to lie down and take a nap. But as three generations of fishermen will attest, even the 14-footers carry a lot of fishing and camping gear.
After owning many fiberglass boats, I've scaled back to a wide, 15-foot long, flat bottom Jon boat. The price was right. (It was given to me by a friend.) It has 20 years on it and will someday be replaced with a heavier-gauge, welded model of 16 feet. It's powered with a brand new 25-horse outboard with a push-button starter, which is nice if you have a stiff lower back. I launch it and run off across the bay for a day of fishing, amazed at the new fiberglass rigs at the boat ramp, whose price tags may flirt or exceed six figures.
|Pulling anchor and moving a Jon boat to the next spot. The presence of sharp oyster shell or even jetty rocks is no obstacle to an aluminum boat on a calm day.
If the weather turns rough, I switch to sheltered freshwater lakes with a minimal boat ramp, since light aluminum can be launched almost anywhere. We used to back our rigs into the surf itself in calm summer weather, cruising miles of beach while looking for tarpon. We were too far from any inlet to have competition from other boats. I've even guided people on crappie trips during spring in this Jon boat, tying up to shoreline trees next to flooded forest, with the wind howling, and filled the box with those fine fish. It's all about where and when you go when fishing with aluminum.
Considerations for Rigging a Jon Boat
Electric Boat Motors
Electric motors bolt on at the stern where the driver spends most of his time, moving the boat short distances if the wind and current isn't strong. If you have a big, heavy Jon boat, you'll need a bigger electric placed at the bow instead of the stern.
Push Pole
A wood or aluminum push pole, about 10 feet long, will shove your boat along past rocks, oysters and sand, without risking a propeller. If using a wood pole, bolt a couple of wood scraps on the pole's end for more gripping power on the bottom — especially mushy bottom. In areas with a seriously muddy bottom, a paddle in practiced hands, worked at the bow, will ease a Jon boat along for 20 or 30 yards into that honey hole. You have to take wind and tide direction into account, however.
Boat Seats
If you're 40 and over, that lower back can stiffen up by day's end. Attach boat seats where they balance the boat during running speed, and the driver has a clear view of the water ahead. In a pinch, we've used canvas camp chairs for guests, though they tend to sag in the middle (the chairs, I mean), making it difficult to climb out and move around. A throwable flotation cushion is required on every boat, and I always carry one or two for our guests to sit on.
Bimini Boat Top
|Happy anglers with a 25-pound drum caught from a Jon boat rigged for saltwater.
A fold-down Bimini cavas top is nice when you need it, keeping out rain and sun. However, it's often in the way when folded down on the gunnel and hard to fish around. I've been experimenting with a beach umbrella that the wife can stay under during mid-day. Since our PVC rod holders point out towards the water, I drilled a small holder in the center seat, sticking straight up, where the umbrella throws maximum shade. The back of the boat is still out in the weather, where someone can sit and fish four rods if they want to. The umbrella has a low setting for windy rain, and an extender for tall shade. It fits in a clear plastic sleeve that stows away nicely.
Multiple Fishing Rod Holders
You can anticipate where you'll anchor and set out rods, but can't foresee how the day will unfold. Set up all your rod holders on one side of the boat, and another boat will block your casts, the wind will shift or the tide change. My boat now has four primary rod holders on one side, and two on the other. To prevent drilling so many holes in the boat, I rigged a 1x8 inch plank down the side of the boat, drilling in new rod holders wherever desired. And it works: if conditions are right and I'm first to reach the honeyhole, I'll anchor and fire off a broadside of four rods, exactly where I want those baits. If you use circle hooks, you can take your sweet time grabbing a bent rod; the fish will already be hooked.
Deck Boards
Since my buddies and I have always used riveted aluminum boats, we protected each boat with 1/2 inch plywood deck boards. Cut them to fit, and double coat with a light beige paint that won't soak up the sun and burn your feet. If a 300-pound guy walks around in your boat, maybe it won't spring the rivets — or welding, for that matter. Be sure not to use pressure-treated plywood, which contains copper. Why? Copper and aluminum combined have an electrolysis effect, which eats away at aluminum.
Boat Storage
If you can find a Jon boat with storage, that's a big plus. There's nothing like clutter in the boat to complicate the day. I prefer lots of gear, which allows for more comfort and fishing options. I'm fortunate to have a hollow seat that holds life jackets, gas tank, paddle, rope and anchor, motor oil, a few small tools and a small fire extinguisher, which is required when your gas tank is enclosed. That storage seat has even held a scuba tank from time to time.
Navigation Lights for Boats
|Author Joe Richards running his Jon boat in the Gulf of Mexico.
Portable navigation lights easily attach to the boat's bow and stern and can be removed for simple day trips. They run on flashlight batteries, of course. You'll need them for night missions, such as returning from that sunset tarpon trip. If you have storage room, keep a spotlight on the boat; you never know for sure if you'll be kept out there after dark by a big fish.
Anchoring Your Jon Boat
If stealth is required, such as in shallow-water situations on saltwater flats, keep a small anchor at the stern. Why the stern? The driver can ease it overboard without getting up and making noise. You won't need a noisy anchor chain for this in very shallow water, though you should keep 3 to 4 feet of chain in the storage seat for deeper water. A Jon boat anchored by the stern is far quieter, since even tiny wavelets tend to slap-slap under the bow, spooking fish.
In waves of six inches or higher, it's hazardous to anchor by the stern however; water splashes up and soaks the motor, and winds up inside the boat.
Boat Bilge Pump
Most water in a Jon boat builds up at the stern. You can pop the drain plug while running, scoop water with a coffee can, or install a small bilge pump. You'll need access to a battery at the stern for power, however. Push-button start motors often have a battery right there, as does mine.
Depth Finder
It certainly helps to know your water depth and to be able to mark fish below the boat. In a Jon boat without a center console, mounting anything requires careful consideration, especially a sonar unit. Here's how Mike Meisenburg, a fishing buddy, rigged a sonar unit on his 15-foot open Jon boat:
"I went by a countertop store that had sink cutouts," Mike said. "They give away the scrap. I got some free pieces, and then had a friend trim them on a table saw and round the edges with a router. Then I got some aluminum, bent it in a 90-degree angle, and riveted it to the boat. That gave me both a horizontal and a vertical surface to mount the depth finder. I can read the depth finder real easy -- it's near my right knee -- while driving the boat with a tiller motor.
"I thought about mounting the depth finder to my ice cooler," Meisenburg continues "but you don't want that thing bouncing around. I don't have one, but a center console on these boats adds so many options for mounting electronics. With an open Jon boat, you have to be creative. Of course you run the transducer wire over the transom, and secure it like any other boat. And you need a battery close by, to supply power. I ran the wires through the chines on the side of the boat to keep them out of the way."
Patching Your Jon Boat
If your Jon boat develops a crack, have it heli-arc welded. If you have a small leak or two, put an inch of water in the boat with a garden hose, climb underneath the trailer and watch for a telltale drip. Mark it with a red Magic Marker. Let the boat dry, and then seal the hole with J-B Weld. It's good stuff.
Painting Your Jon Boat
There are tons of shabby-looking Jon boats out there for no other reason than the owners won't put a quart of paint on them every five to 10 years. That's what it took to paint the inside of my 15-footer, though I didn't go below the plywood deck plates. The finished job with two coats looks great. (I used Rust Scat paint and their color code for olive drab is 8405). After that, a half-quart put two coats on the outer hull. Next step is beneath the plywood, to cut down on long-term corrosion, which is admittedly slow with aluminum. I prefer olive drab (OD) on my Jon boat, probably because we hunted ducks for 20 years from these same boats, and that was the standard color. Today you see fancier camo paint jobs on new Jon boats, complete with simulated marsh vegetation.
Recycle Your Jon Boat
When you've gotten full use out of that Jon boat, and it just can't be sold to another boat owner, consider recycling. A recycle center will hand you American greenback dollars and convert that worn out aluminum into another shiny new Jon boat...or beer cans. Either way, you've made somebody happy. Discarded Jon boats, especially those crushed or stove in from fallen trees, should be hauled to the scrap yard and reborn.


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Basstrix Soft Jerk Bait
The Basstrix Soft Jerk Bait is hollow like a tube, while its sides are flattened to reflect light, giving the flashing appearance of scales on a real baitfish. The Basstrix Soft Jerk Bait's realistic finish and life like holographic eyes is the reason why Basstrix baits are one of the most sought after soft plastic lures. For best results, Texas rig the Basstrix Soft Plastic Jerk Bait on a wide gap hook.
15 Colors
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Customer Reviews
Comments: With one exception these are spot on. The trout, perch, shad are amazing with great detail. The threadfin shad are simply purple and clear. No resemblance to a threadfin shad. There is no slot for hook clearance so stock up on wide gap hooks. Otherwise use a gig head or drop shot. They are expensive so I use them when the bite is tough. Flukes are a lot cheaper. Keep some mend it close by. Over all an impressive bait.
From: Scott: Gilbert, AZ 4/17/15


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At Staten Island University Hospital, our physicians have earned a reputation
for excellence and innovation in education,
research and patient care. Our doctors are
renowned in their fields and lead
exceptional teams of nurses, technicians,
clinicians and support staff that deliver
advanced, compassionate care
to their patients.
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Staten Island University Hospital provides complete medical
and surgical services in inpatient and outpatient
settings at both our North and South site locations.
Read on to learn more about the full range of
services offered at SIUH, including
locations, contact information
and descriptions of programs.
At Staten Island University Hospital, we strive to provide
the best health care for our patients. We also seek
to make their stay as comfortable as possible.
That's why we provide many helpful
resources for patients and visitors
to help them navigate our
hospital with ease.
Would you like to visit someone who is a patient at Staten Island University Hospital? If so, we welcome you. Family and friends
can play a key role in the healing process
for patients. You can serve as a
companion, advocate and be a
participant in their care.
Staten Island University Hospital is part of the Staten Island community. In addition to providing state-of-the-art healthcare services, we educate our
neighbors by sponsoring
health-related community
events and support groups.
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Providing quality health care for our patients is our greatest priority.
In order to do this, our hospital family is committed
to the education of our medical caregivers.
We provide accredited training and
educational programs for physicians, nurses,
allied health professionals and technicians.
Mildred Parlatore, LCSW, and Ann Decker, RN,University Hospice
Before she had to contend with Superstorm Sandy and the aftermath of losing her home to it, a Staten Island woman had to deal with caring for her dying brother. Through both crises, her situation was made easier with the help of SIUH's Hospice program.
In early fall of 2012, the woman turned to Hospice for her brother who had stage 4 kidney cancer which had metastasized throughout much of his body.
So pleased with the care and compassion they received from Hospice's Ann Decker, RN, and licensed clinical social worker Mildred Parlatore that she wrote a letter to our hospital administration praising them.
"When Ann walked into our lives it was like an angel came through the door. She treated both of us as if we were her own family," wrote the grateful woman. "She held my hand when I cried, and she held his hand when she spoke to my brother. She brought another angel into our home, your social worker, Mildred."
Because the siblings lived in a flood zone, they had to be relocated prior to the hurricane. Ann and Mildred managed the logistics of the move that included the family dog and the brother's hospice bed, oxygen and other equipment to another family member's home.
But, cramped quarters and tensions at their new residence necessitated yet another move – again coordinated by the Hospice duo.
As Mildred helped the woman quell conflicts with other family members upset by the decision to move, Anne forged a bond with the patient over a shared interest in sports.
"When I first started with him, he was very quiet. Communication was just a "yes" or "no" answer to my medical questions," explained Ann. "As the weeks went on we were able to have more of a conversation. You build this relationship with the patient where the patient trusts you and is comfortable with you."
Ann and Mildred are among 205 SIUH employees who earned a Service Excellence Award for the 1st quarter of 2013. The award is given to employees based on letters and emails sent to the hospital from patients and patients' families.
Ann began her career as a staff nurse with the hospital 30 years ago, going on to work in the ED and then Endoscopy AMB Surgery. For the last two years she has worked as a Hospice nurse.
Mildred has been a social worker with SIUH's Hospice program for 19 years.
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Abt Card
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Average Customer Reviews
A whistling reminder that it's teatime! Decorate your stovetop with any one of Le Creuset's three exquisite tea kettles. All three feature the unique locking handle and phenolic knob to make it easy to lift, pour and clean. The Le Creuset The Whistling Kettle Q3100 is a traditional round kettle with an 8-inch wide flat-bottom base and 2-inch tapered spout. The kettle, constructed of heavy-gauge steel, coated with a super-hard glossy enamel, is available in a choice of four vibrant colors: white, red, blue, or flame. The kettle has a tight-fitting lid, which seals in heat for a more rapid boil. Two sturdy stainless-steel brackets hold the kettle handle directly above the lid. This design offers excellent balance for pouring. Both the lid and the handle are made from heatproof phenolic plastic for a stay-cool grip. This model has a capacity of 1.8 quarts and the flat-bottom makes this kettle ideal for use on all stovetops--gas, electric, enamel, and ceramic. The entire interior is also coated with enamel--even up to the spout--to prevent rusting and preserve the beauty of the kettle Since the lid of a kettle is often the first part to show signs of rust, the clever design of the Le Creuset The Whistling Kettle Q3100 not only improves the kettles efficiently but also prolongs its life.
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Nice large tea pot
By smudgecity
from Boise, ID
About Me Avid Cook
Best Uses
Comments about Le Creuset 1.8 QT Stainless Steel Whistling Teakettle:
Couldn't be happier with all my Le Creuset pans and tea pot.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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Pretty and functional
By Jacob
from Durham
About Me Casual Cook
Works fine and has a LOUD whistle. Looks good on my stove.Seems quite sturdy. Expect it too last for years.
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Think about it: how do we get into trouble every year? We over-commit: 1000 Words a day for every day of the year! 6 new books! 16 blog posts each month! And it's all supposed to be brilliant.
Writing less means that each time you sit down to write, you're not doing it because you're compelled to do so. You write when you're inspired, and only then. And, if you stop before you have exhausted yourself, there's something left for next time. There's still water in the well.
I don't know about you, but I'd guess that 90% of what I write is crap. This year, I'm trying to leave more of that in my head, and just get the 10% out that actually matters.


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By PATSY STODDARDEditor
The Emery County Democratic Party met for their county convention on April 28 at the Museum of the San Rafael in Castle Dale.
County chairman, Gary Petty introduced those nominating candidates for office. Tracy Jeffs nominated Emery County Sheriff Lamar Guymon for a ninth term. "Sheriff Guymon has much experience and is totally dedicated to the citizens of the State of Utah. He finds lost people. He holds the hand of bereaved people. He is a man of integrity and is a remarkable individual who lives to serve. I nominate Sheriff Lamar Guymon," said Jeffs.
Sheriff Guymon said, "I appreciate your support and I appreciate my dear wife, Gayla for her 32 years of support. I love my job. I am blessed to live among great people. Emery County is a great place to live, work and raise families. I take care of the county's needs as much as the budget and manpower allows. We help senior citizens, giving them a ride to the store or clinic and sometimes just someone to talk to. We counsel parents when the young ones go astray and if someone enters our care we treat them with as much dignity and respect as they will allow. When people travel, we work to see they travel safely.
"When people recreate in our county, we work to assure they have a safe experience, but we won't allow them to destroy our public lands. We work hard to keep neighborhoods and schools safe. We recruit, select and train deputies to meet our high standards. Our drug court program is nationally recognized. Our haz-mat team is understaffed and underfunded, but we work hard to be prepared. Our DARE trainer, Sgt. Martin Wilson has been asked to be a national trainer of DARE officers.
"Our drug task force works to protect communities and control the drug problem. Our jailers work 24 hours per day and are well-trained. The office workers assist in all the functions of the sheriff's office," said Sheriff Guymon.
He appreciates all the volunteers in the county who work with search and rescue, neighborhood watch, citizens corps, CERT teams, EMTs and all those who serve.
Sheriff Guymon encouraged citizens who hear a story or gossip to call him directly or ask a deputy about it. He said that sometimes they make mistakes, but he takes responsibility for any mistakes and learns from them. Along with his job, you inherit some enemies because of the nature of the work.
Sheriff Guymon said he would like to continue to fulfill his responsibilities into the future. "I love my job, I love coming to work, I love the county and hope the people give me an opportunity to continue to serve as the county sheriff, I have paid my dues and learned my lessons and feel I am the best man for the job. What we have done and experienced in the past prepares us for the future. I am prepared to lead Emery County into the future so it remains safe and a great place to live, work and play.
Joyce Staley nominated Commissioner Gary Kofford for a second term as Commissioner A. She said Gary was born in Huntington and graduated from Page High in Arizona. He worked on the Glen Canyon Dam for a time and returned to Huntington where he married Glenna Jones. They moved to Salt Lake where he spend 30 years working for Mountain Fuel, now Questar. He was manager of the Ogden region. They have three sons and one daughter and 14 grandchildren. In 1985 he returned to Emery County and bought an older home to remodel. He worked for a time at Johansen and Tuttle and then served a mission to Singapore. "I nominate Gary Kofford for Commissioner A," said Staley.
Commissioner Kofford said, "I have enjoyed the position and tried to make a difference. It is a pleasure to represent the Democratic party. I look forward to the future and am focused on where we want the county to be in the next four years. I am proud of the Democrats. I have been critical of some Republicans in the courthouse. Look at where we are with the election machines. The Republicans should be proud of themselves. Emery County deserves better. We need to take credibility and honesty back to the courthouse. That needs to happen.
"I have done some good things while in office. We are working on a new 911 system and Jeff Guymon with the IT department has worked on a new addressing system which will work hand in hand with the 911 system. You will be able to call in on a cell phone and the exact location of that call will appear on the screen.
The Moore cut-off road has drawn some criticism. Rep. Matheson has made the funding for that road possible. It will be completed in the next four years. One phase is completed and phase II is nearing completion. When it's done it will be a $20 million investment in the county. It has added to our economic base and is equivalent or better than a lot of economic development.
"I have worked on the DBT expansion project, they are putting in a new warehouse and office at $1.5 million. The employees from Price will be moved over here. They were on their way out of the county, but we brought them back and they are investing in Emery County. They were going to move their business to Grand Junction, but the employees didn't want to go.
"I am confident the PacifiCorp will announce the building of Hunter 4. We are still in the running for that. I think that will surface and it will be built here. As we look to the future we need people to get us where we want to go," said Commissioner Kofford.
Nathan Johansen nominated Kent Wilson for Commissioner B. He began with a joke about politicians. He said a group of doctors were gathered and they were discussing which group of people were the easiest to operate upon. Librarians, construction workers etc. One physician said that politicians were by far the easiest to operate on because they have no guts, no heart, no spine and their head and rear end are interchangeable.
This brought laughs from the audience. "This doesn't describe Kent, because he has a lot of heart and a lot of guts. I have known Kent a long time and we are in business together. I'm not sure what qualities you look for in an elected official, but Kent has all the qualities necessary to be the next commissioner and when he is elected the citizens of Emery County will be well served," said Johansen.
Kent Wilson accepted the nomination and said he is more proud to be a Democrat now than when he walked through the door. He thanked Nathan for the nomination and said he was a good friend. He said he is married to Julie Watson and combined they have seven children. Both of their fathers are former county commissioners. He has had people ask why he wanted to run for commissioner and different answers have come to him. He loves Emery County and has lived here all his life. "The older people have helped make Emery County what it is today and I want to be a part of that. The good people of Emery County have supported my business through thick and thin and I want to give back. I have served on several boards through the years. I am proud of the dislocated employees program we started which helped retrain coal miners when the mining jobs in the county were reduced.
"I have been chairman of several boards. As the owner of a convenience store, every customer is my boss and I want their experience in my store to exceed their expectations. There is always room for improvement. We also sell horse trailers and I have learned to negotiate. I have the skills to make a good commissioner. I would work to find compromise and bring everyone to the middle and help keep everyone happy.
"The customers that come into our store are treated with respect and dignity. I will treat the voters and the citizens with dignity and respect. I will listen to what the people of Emery County want and help Emery County suceed. A vote is sacred and I will be loyal and true to the citizens," said Wilson.
Keith Ware nominated Kollette Collogie for the office of clerk/auditor. He said he has known Kollette for a long time and she is well capable of doing whatever she tries to do. She is very intelligent and knows nothing about Diebold voting machines," said Ware.
Collogie said she was raised in Ferron and has lived in Castle Dale for 30 years. She said she would bring a level of integrity to the office of clerk/auditor. She has worked seven years for Emery Telcom and is currently managing Dr. McKell's front office. She is a Castle Dale City council member. She wants the doors to be open to the clerk/auditor's office and she would be friendly to the public and listen to people.


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phone view phone(713) 209-3390 Address 1461 Wood Hollow Dr,
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Now that the dust has settled in the southern hemisphere, Planet Rugby's scribes have named their XV of The Rugby Championship.
Now that the dust has settled in the southern hemisphere, Planet Rugby's journalists have selected their Team of the 2013 Rugby Championship.
What a week it was as the final round of action lived up to its billing, particularly at Ellis Park where the All Blacks beat the Springboks.
Of course it was difficult selecting our XV of the tournament but we have finally settled on a side that includes seven players from New Zealand.
Before we reveal it though, here is our Team of Round Five. Please send in your selections.
Team of the Week: 15 Israel Folau (Australia), 14 Ben Smith (New Zealand), 13 Marcelo Bosch (Argentina), 12 Jean de Villiers (South Africa), 11 Joe Tomane (Australia), 10 Quade Cooper (Australia), 9 Will Genia (Australia), 8 Kieran Read (New Zealand), 7 Francois Louw (South Africa), 6 Liam Messam (New Zealand), 5 Sam Whitelock (New Zealand), 4 Eben Etzebeth (South Africa), 3 Juan Pablo Orlandi (Argentina), 2 Stephen Moore (Australia), 1 Tony Woodcock (New Zealand).
Team of The Rugby Championship
15 Israel Folau (Australia) – Arguably the most exciting player in world rugby. Folau's hat-trick against Argentina underlined what an important presence he is in that Wallaby backline when given enough ball to work with. He now has seven tries in nine Tests for Australia – with many more to come. What a talent.
14 Ben Smith (New Zealand) – The player of the tournament, without question. 2013 has been Ben Smith's year, both with his form for the Highlanders in Super Rugby and now with the All Blacks. Smith has now set the record for the most tries in a Rugby Championship/Tri-Nations season with eight. He also made the most clean breaks. A mention for Willie Le Roux, who made an impressive 430 metres in the tournament which was 86 more than the next best player.
13 Conrad Smith (New Zealand) – The ageing back has still got the swagger that has made him one of the best centres in the world for so long. 42 carries and several key passes put Smith in ahead of Marcelo Bosch, who scored tries against the Springboks and Wallabies and was Argentina's best back.
12 Jean de Villiers (South Africa) – Right at his best, De Villiers grabbed the bonus-point try for South Africa at Ellis Park and for a moment the whole country went delirious. The Springboks might have fallen short in the end but De Villiers was electric all tournament, beating more defenders than any other player (20) and making eight clean breaks, second only to Ben Smith. An influential captain.
11 Julian Savea (New Zealand) – Bryan Habana's two tries against New Zealand were outstanding, but Savea edges him out for the tournament. His two tries were wrapped around 18 defenders beaten, along with Ben Smith and Folau, but more metres made (329) by Savea than his fellow All Black wing. Forget the stats though, Savea is just so difficult to contain.
10 Beauden Barrett (New Zealand) – Morné Steyn improved. Dan Carter didn't play enough. Quade Cooper continually got better and nobody, bizarrely, made more tackles than Nicolás Sanchez. But the young Barrett is our pick for the impact he made in both games against South Africa, including the try to seal the Rugby Championship minutes after being bounced by Jean de Villiers. The kid has guts.
9 Aaron Smith (New Zealand) – The third Smith and fourth All Black in our backline continued to impress as he racks up the caps in front of Tawera Kerr-Barlow. Fourie du Preez's performances might have won him this spot had he not only played half the matches, so he just misses out.
8 Kieran Read (New Zealand) – The best player in world rugby right now? Few would argue against it as Read continuously raises the bar for things a forward can do that a centre would be proud of. Last week his devastating skills and pace in the wide channels caused the Springboks plenty of bother but it's not just about that recent 80 minutes, Read has been outstanding throughout the Rugby Championship and thoroughly deserves his spot here.
7 Michael Hooper (Australia) – The Wallaby backs found life difficult during the competition due to their pack coming off second best more often than not. Hooper though was the exception to the eight as his performances in attack and defence stood out. David Pocock has a job displacing him.
6 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Argentina) – Missed the opening two rounds of the Rugby Championship and his return to the side against New Zealand once again revealed the quality this player posssesses. Lobbe was tireless in the final three games the Pumas played and is a true leader of men.
5 Brodie Retallick (New Zealand) – Came of age this past year after his Test debut against Ireland in 2012. The 22-year-old is forming an outstanding lock partnership with Sam Whitelock and that proved critical in the All Blacks' 100 percent record in the tournament. Moves from jersey four.
4 Eben Etzebeth (South Africa) – As mentioned, it's two number fours for us in the second-row department as this Bok lines up with Retallick. Etzebeth is five months younger than the All Black as our youthful combination boasts masses of workrate. Rucks, hits, and runs, Etzebeth ticks all of the boxes and looks set for a long career in the green and gold jersey.
3 Juan Figallo (Argentina) – Unanimous call. Montpellier and Argentina have a gem of a tighthead who is still only 25 years of age. Superb.
2 Adriaan Strauss (South Africa) – In our eyes, the Springboks have the best two hookers in world rugby at the moment. Strauss played more minutes than Bismarck du Plessis but that isn't the reason for his inclusion. Strauss was outstanding throughout and one of those honest players who his respective coaches, Naka Drotske and Heyneke Meyer, know will give 100 percent every time he wears the team jersey. Strauss scored a couple of tries too.
1 Marcos Ayerza (Argentina) – And last but by no means least, Ayerza is included alongside Strauss and team-mate Figallo after putting in outstanding shift after shift for the Pumas. Like Figallo, the Leicester Tigers loosehead got the better of all who he came up against as the Argentinian scrum enhanced its already glowing reputation.
by Ben Coles (@bencoles_) and Adam Kyriacou (@PlanetRugbyAK)


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BCBGeneration Wessy Wedge Bootie
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Item # 275126
Get dolled up in the Wessy, a chic dress bootie from BDBGeneration. These fabulous wedges are the perfect choice to throw on with your favorite dress and tights combo.
- Suede upper
- String tie accent on heel
- 3" covered wedge
- Synthetic sole
- Imported
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