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About this paper
Online retailer Gilt Groupe understands its customers and what they want, which in turn enables them to better segment customers and drive them to the sales most relevant to them. This paper provides a summary of a webcast in the SAS "Applying Business Analytics Webcast Series" that explored how Gilt Groupe uses analytics to create a signature shopping experience with distinctive appeal for each of its millions of members, even though members have different tastes, needs and values.
About SAS
SAS is the leader in analytics. Through innovative analytics, business intelligence and data management software and services, SAS helps customers at more than 83,000 sites make better decisions faster. Since 1976, SAS has been giving customers around the world THE POWER TO KNOW®.
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12 Surprising Designer Finds At T.J. Maxx & Marshalls (Plus: Win $50 To Spend At Either)
There's a T.J. Maxx and a Marshalls located in a Manhattan shopping complex on 6th Ave not far from TheGloss' office. I know because I seldom pass it up without heading to either location's cookware section. Over the years, I've gotten Le Crueset, KitchenAid, DeLonghi and Cuisinart stuff from the superstores at variously astonishing discounts. I had not, however, ever shopped for clothes in one.
Feeling curious, I headed over to 6th Ave armed with a phone (stores really, really dislike it when you bring an SLR and just start taking photos). I guess I always associated the sister stores with the same products I could find in any random mall, only at chepaer prices. Subsequently, I was pretty shocked to find Dolce & Gabbana frocks, Rag & Bone sweaters, See by Chloe tops and Cynthia Rowley bags. Here's a gallery of proof, featuring the more surprising finds from one visit. It may be the case that merchandise like this is specific to New York, but the rest of my co-workers were surprised to learn they could walk a few blocks and find lovely Alice + Olivia dresses for $100, too.
Also: TheGloss is giving away a $50 T.J. Maxx/Marshalls gift card to readers who tell us the best fashion items (not necessarily designer) they found at either store. Leave your thoughts in the comments and you'll be entered to win (remember to use your real email address when commenting so we can get in touch with you if you win). You'll have until 5 p.m. July 12th to post a comment.

subset: commoncrawl


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series: Martha Stewart's Cooking School
air date: 10/22/13 8:00 PM
Everyone knows the importance of eating vegetables, but many home cooks avoid cooking them simply because they don't know how. In this episode, Martha shares her favorite methods for preparing vegetables so that they retain their delicious flavors, bright colors, and nutritional properties, offering quick, easy-to-follow recipes and tips. Viewers learn how to make simple vegetable side dishes, including steamed spinach, sauteed broccoli rabe, roasted cauliflower "steaks," brown sugar-glazed carrots, sauteed sugar snap peas and shelled peas with mint and lemony kale salad.
WARNING: Email reminders for this program have already been sent out. Your reminder may not reach the intended address in time for this program's airing.
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Reform Fever Induced by External Powers?
Has reform really started in Egypt and the Middle East? And can we date the beginning of this reform to President Mubarak's announcement that the constitution will be amended to allow for the president to be selected through competitive elections?
A few months ago Newsweek's cover article argued that meaningful reform in the region should begin with Egypt, not Iraq, or any other country for that matter. It is not a new argument. Egypt's cultural and political weight in the region dates back centuries.
Over the past few months President George W. Bush has been calling on Egypt and Saudi Arabia to take the initiative for reform in the region and most analysts agree that reform measures in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East have come in reaction to US calls.
Reforms as a crucial issue
This does not mean that there are no domestic pressures to reform Egypt and the region. Calls for democracy, power sharing, plurality and respect for human rights have frequently echoed around the region. Regardless of whether the motives for reform are internal or external, reform is a crucial issue and Mubarak's statement should be seen as nothing short of the declaration of a second republic.
The election of Egypt's president through public suffrage has never been a popular domestic demand but rather that of a small group of Egyptian intellectual and opposition figures. For the Egyptian public employment, improved living conditions and elimination of corruption and red tape are what matters.
But the fact that the government offered this concession on elections indicates its concern that the opposition would grow and attract the support of groups with less benign agendas.
President Mubarak has for some time been worried about the escalation of foreign pressures on countries in the region. Recently he told Bashar Al-Assad of Syria that it was best to comply with UN Resolution 1559. Damascus, he said, was in no position to withstand international pressure.
It should be remembered that the region has been grappling with modernisation since Bonaparte arrived in Egypt two centuries ago. But most of the reform that has taken place in the region since then has been a reaction to foreign influences rather than an outcome of domestic pressure.
No revolution for the sake of democracy
The Arabs have fought hard against foreign occupation and injustice. They moved from one revolution to another, always fighting against foreigners. They never mounted a popular revolution for the sake of change, domestic reform or democracy.
Since the mid-20th century change in this part of the world has involved military coups and most produced heavy-handed governments. It is not surprising, or even undesirable, therefore, for reform in the region to come as a result of international developments or foreign pressure.
Mubarak's request for a constitutional amendment establishing a direct and secret ballot as the means of electing the president is the boldest reform the region has seen in years. For decades it has been ruled by presidents elected through undemocratic methods.
Mubarak himself has been in power since 1981 and does not face any credible challenge in the September 2005 elections. Mubarak's surprise move came only a few days after Bush's call for Egypt to lead reform in the region.
Under pressure
The US administration has not been satisfied with the reform measures taken earlier or the reform conferences that were held in Egypt over the past two years. In initiating such a political change Mubarak weighed several considerations.
He knew the move would help improve relations with Washington at a time of international and regional tension and aid in establishing Egypt's role as a leader of regional reform, something the reform conference in Alexandria had failed to achieve.
He knew, too, that the move would take the wind out of the opposition's sails. The opposition has campaigned tirelessly for reform over the past few months.
And though the bulk of the Egyptian public has yet to be politicised the government feared that the increased audacity of the opposition could finally catch the imagination of a nation that has plenty to complain about. The opposition was becoming increasingly bold, having sensed that international and regional conditions are in its favour.
Mubarak and his advisers are confident that no rival candidate will be able to unseat the president in an election. One of the reasons for this confidence is that the Egyptian political system prevents other parties or politicians from becoming powerful enough to challenge the government.
Maintaining control
The regime maintains control of much of the media. And even within the ruling party no politician is prominent enough to challenge the president. It would be naïve to assume that Nawal El- Saadawi or Saadeddin Ibrahim could attract more than a fraction of the overall vote.
Most of those contesting the presidency will be doing so to make a point, not because they are credible candidates. It is unlikely that a figure will emerge in the next few months capable of posing a convincing challenge to the incumbent.
The opposition has complained that Mubarak's move is insufficient. If anything, this betrays their realisation that they have now lost the central plank of their months long campaign.
That the president will be elected by secret ballot deprives the military of any opportunity to control who eventually assumes the office. Now prominent politicians and businessmen will be able to run for the country's top office in future elections.
Gamal Mubarak, for one, would have the chance to run. No one can possibly object to him doing so in fair and free elections. The move will also satisfy such religious forces as the Muslim Brotherhood and the Copts, who have for long felt discriminated against.
Mubarak's move does not necessarily mean an end to the US campaign against his regime, for Washington is targeting not Mubarak as a person but the Egyptian state. Egypt retained its regional influence even after it signed a peace treaty with Israel, and its regional role has not been always beneficial to Israeli and US policies.
As for the Egyptian opposition it is likely to seek new demands allowing it to continue its anti-government campaign. The opposition will see Mubarak's recent move as a validation of its own power.
The opposition will also continue to follow closely future US reactions concerning reform. Washington, for its part, seems determined to tighten its control on Egypt's political scene, as intent as ever on redrawing the region's map.
Ghassan Moukahal
© Al-Ahram Weekly


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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGHHHHHHHH. You people amaze me. I must have set the record for one post, of how many people appreciated it. Oh well. Now I'm famous.
And must I get a notification for each appreciation? It annoyed the shit out of me, seeing 6 goddamn appreciates on my posts that don't even merit such treatment. I tell you, that NEEDS to be changed. Do that, and make it a rock button, and I'd very much appreciate it .
Edit: Nope. Tijs got 5 appreciated on one. I'm just a runner-up.


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Release Notes: Adds a "Font Smooth" option to "xfreerdp" connections (may not work on all 'xfreerdp' client versions). Tested with 'freerdp-x11 1.0.2-1'. Finally fixes the problem with Terminal losing focus when changing from TAB. Fixes a bug that prevented PAC from using all the available space for embedded RDP windows. Fixes a regression bug that prevented using both "Auto reconnect" and "Delay char sending" at the same time.
Release Notes: This release features minor GUI changes, a code revision, code cleanup, some minor bugfixes, and little improvements.
Release Notes: This release adds the ability to export ALL connections from a right-click menu on "AVAILABLE CONNECTIONS", adds a button to un/select all lines for the "Full duplicate connection" window, fixes a little bug when "refreshing" the KeePass preferences window, improves the "Copy/Paste/Export/Import" methods, fixes a bug for KeePass which prevented using "special Perl regexp" characters for matching on fields, fixes a bug regarding "Favourites" and "Recent" connections not starting correctly on "Clusters" with the right-click menu, and adds many other code fixes.
Release Notes: Initial KeePassX support: new right-click menu options and User/Password setup (check out "Preferences" -> "KeePassX Options"). Minor GUI modifications to move options to different tabs (advanced, look and feel, etc.). Minor code changes for VNC handling. Minor <Ctrl> glitches. Another control for detecting "Press any key to continue" when connecting.
Release Notes: WebDAV, incremental search for more fields, and more RDP options were added. Bugs were fixed.
Release Notes: Adds Clusters saving. A new tab is included in the main Connections tab where you may launch already saved Clusters. Includes "Auto Clusters". Adds an option to choose the "Info" tab font (now defaults to "monospace"). Adds "-depth" support for "TightVNC" connections. Has some GUI artwork changes and fixes.
Release Notes: This release adds a checkbox in the "Choose private key file", "Choose screenshot file" and "Autosave session log" dialogs, in order to allow "Show hidden files". It adds an option to change the "combo box" for a "list of buttons" (ala SecureCRT) for remote commands (macros) under "Preferences". It modifies the "Statistics" behavior to allow resetting stats for all pac and or groups. Other minor fixes. Another little bugfix regarding local/remote macros not showing properly on PAC GUI.
Release Notes: A large PAC startup speed improvement, especially when many connections are configured. Options to allow/deny visible/audible terminal bell. A DnD method for the "Local Shell" tab to untab. A <Ctrl><Alt>d shortcut to duplicate the current connection. A <Shift><Ctrl><Alt>d shortcut to fully duplicate the current connection. Various bugfixes.
Release Notes: This release added experimental ARM support, an option to sort SSH's local/remote/dynamic forwardings by several criteria, and a check for repeated local ports in forwarding. The "Method" text was modified to not link to specific commands. Both the History and Favourites trees now update the GUI when the selection changes. A bug that could misconfigure the GUI's "Port" connection property was fixed along with a bug that made the keyboard focus move when starting connections.
Release Notes: This release adds favorites and history for connections, adds "conditional expect" capabilities, and fixes some minor GUI glitches.


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Secondary airports, which are all the rage in Europe and the US, are slowly catching on in Australia in spite of its comparatively tiny population.
Airports that are further from the city centres they serve work for airlines through lower charges for passenger gates and runway usage, which enable lower ticket prices for consumers, but also in lower retail prices for services such as car parking.
In Queensland, for example, international airline flights at Gold Coast have boomed, even though Brisbane airport is just 80 kilometres away. There are up to three daily services to Auckland, New Zealand, as well as frequent flights to Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Singapore and Christchurch, when it was just a small domestic airport a decade ago.
Without the tropical climate, the growth trajectory for Victoria's Avalon airport, 55 kilometres from the Melbourne city centre and Tullamarine airport, isn't as hyped, but, like the Gold Coast, it has gone out of its way to attract low-cost airlines and this month obtained long-delayed federal government approval for an international terminal.
Ultra-low-cost carrier Tiger Airways had a false start at Avalon up until last year when it was grounded for major safety breaches. However, Tiger has now had restrictions on its operating licence removed by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Not coincidentally, the airline has been asking its customers to nominate destinations they would like to see the airline return to and Avalon is No.4, suggesting that it may again try flying from there to places such as Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Gold Coast.
Meanwhile, Jetstar maintains four flights a day from Avalon to Sydney and a daily to Brisbane and it is rumoured that international freight operators are interested in using its new international processing capability. The Victorian government has also committed to build a rail connection via the nearby Geelong-Melbourne line, which will help neutralise the airport's competitive disadvantage compared with Tullamarine.
And then there is the 40-year saga of Sydney's second airport, which is a crude political soap opera in which activist residents put the frighteners on federal and state politicians, who then freeze out of fear.
The end result is that Sydney has one of the most expensive airport monopolies in Australia, while Avalon, Tullamarine, Brisbane and Gold Coast pitch for the economic growth that Sydney should have got, but didn't because of high charges and lack of runway capacity.
A federal-state taskforce earlier this year recommended a site at Badgerys Creek, which was purchased by the federal government for an airport nearly three decades ago.
Federal transport minister Anthony Albanese is said to personally support that option, but is pushing for a site further away from the city at Wilton in the southern foothills to avoid a voter backlash.
The taskforce also said the re-activation of Richmond air force base, 60 kilometres west of Sydney, as a supplementary civil airport should be investigated, but that sounds to me like an excuse for another 20 years of inaction and more "studies".
Richmond airport is already on a railway line, like Avalon, which, to an outsider, makes it appear as a monty to become a supplementary regional airport for the northwest of the Sydney basin.
But that ignores the disastrous incompetence of successive state governments of both persuasions when it comes to anything to do with public transport.
The current state government's idea of a second Sydney airport is to build a fast train to Canberra 250 kilometres away, which anyone who knows anything about the air transport industry will tell you is comically inadequate.
Do you use Gold Coast airport to get cheap fares to Asia or NZ in preference to Brisbane? Are you a fan of Avalon with its cheaper parking and lack of congestion? Would you support using Richmond as a cheaper existing option before a new Sydney airport is built? Are there other Australian cities that need secondary airports?


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Dorrene Brown admits that the Society of Software Engineers' lab in Golisano Hall gets lots of strange looks from passers-by. Whether it's day or night, the glass-walled room is almost always filled with students building something new.
"For most of us, the lab is home base," says Brown, a fifth-year software engineering student from Rockledge, Pa., and president of the Society of Software Engineers. "Whether we're helping a fellow student through a computer science course, building a mechanical archer project just for fun, networking with the creator of C++ or kicking back watching reruns of Doctor Who, we're always having a blast."
Started in 2002 by software engineering students and Lana Verschage, a senior academic adviser in the software engineering department, the student-run organization with nearly 100 members serves as a social and academic hub for students interested in fields relating to software engineering and development. The social community is open to all students, regardless of major, and focuses on scholarly excellence, networking and extracurricular projects.
During the day, the lab provides one of its most popular resources—peer mentoring and review sessions for students who need help with topics relating to software engineering. The group also holds crash courses for people hoping to learn a new technology or technique, and "tech talks" for members hoping to share something new that they've learned.
"Most students join SSE because of the tutoring services but stay because there's this wealth of knowledge in our community that you can't get anywhere else," says Jesse Jurman, a second-year software engineering student from Irondequoit, N.Y.
The group makes an effort to play just as hard as they work, with intramural sports teams, trips around Rochester, an annual Winter Ball in the Golisano Hall atrium for all RIT students and their newly popular table flipping fundraiser that helps students de-stress during exam week. They also host the Voices in Software Engineering speaker series that gives members opportunities to connect with industry experts like Bjarne Stroustrup, creator of the C++ language.
But it's the society's newest addition—the projects committee—that is the most intriguing. Take one peek into the lab and you'll see students building everything from a mechanical archer to a laser bass.
"The laser bass is a digital guitar system with lasers instead of strings that will mount inside an existing bass," says Andrew Lyne III, a fourth-year software engineering and electrical engineering double major from Boston. "I've always loved music and mostly just wanted to prove to myself that I could make something this awesome."
A recent donation from software engineering alumnus Alex Kipman '01 is helping SSE get resources for the eight projects they plan to present at Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival, including a singing Tesla coil, an open-source library data-management system called Alexandria, and a 3-D volumetric hologram display.
"We're actually working with an imaging science team to build the 3-D display, so for me it's an experience that you really can't duplicate in a classroom," Jurman says.
While the society seems to offer pretty much everything, members say there's really one main thing that keeps them coming back to the lab.
"It's the community," Lyne adds. "Everyone is fun, creative and just the right level of nerd."


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Patience is the key for Heat and Oden
Patience is the key for Heat and Oden
Oct. 02, 2013
PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas (AP) — Greg Oden was watching from the sideline when the first Miami Heat practice of the season was wrapping up, big icepacks strapped to each of his knees.
No cause for alarm. It's all part of the plan.
Oden wants to be able to play on Oct. 29, when the two-time defending champion Heat open their season against the Chicago Bulls. It doesn't seem like having the oft-injured former No. 1 overall pick available for that game is exactly that big a priority for Miami, which is taking a very cautious approach with the center who hasn't appeared in the NBA since 2009.
"It's step-by-step, practice-by-practice, minute-by-minute," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He was able to do about a half-hour of the work (Tuesday), the majority of it non-contact."
Miami resumes training camp with two more scheduled practices in the Bahamas on Wednesday.
The news that Oden practiced for only about one-quarter of the first session, combined with the size of the icebags on those knees afterward, would suggest that there's a major problem.
Quite the contrary, Spoelstra said.
"That was a big bonus," Spoelstra said of the fact that Oden was able to be on the floor at all. "We'll move on from here ... and see what the next step will be."
Oden's contract is a low-risk, potentially high-reward deal for the Heat. Obviously, they've been good enough to win it all in each of the last two seasons without him, and really without any true center for that matter. If Oden's body betrays him again, it wouldn't figure to seriously impair Miami's chances at a third straight title.
"I'm excited to see what Big G.O. has to offer," said Heat star LeBron James, the league's four-time MVP.
If Oden can add anything to the Heat mix, the team that's already favored by many to win the title would look even more imposing.
"I'm getting my step back," Oden said after the initial practice. "But I'm happy to be out there and be around this atmosphere with the guys."
He looks slim, having dropped about 40 pounds for this comeback bid, and Oden plans to lose even more weight before the season starts. His career path is legendary for all the wrong reasons, with injuries wiping out what would have been his first NBA season — and that was an omen of what was to come, since constant knee problems have limited him to 82 regular-season games, total, since he was drafted in 2007.
The only No. 1 pick to have appeared in fewer games than Oden in the last 40 years was Anthony Davis, and he has a good reason: He's entering his second season with the New Orleans Pelicans.
"We're just going to keep going, do a little bit by a little bit and go from there," Oden said.
His on-court workouts in Miami before training camp lasted about 30-35 minutes, Oden said, so what happened on the first day in the Bahamas appeared to be simply a continuation of that approach.
Yes, he's eager to start playing for real again. But he's also understanding that patience is paramount right now, and is trusting what the Heat training staff is telling him.
"They've got the best plan for me to get better," Oden said.


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Jalisco Cantina's 90 item menu features the diversity of the Mexican state—Pacific seafood and beef and fresh vegetables from the interior. This new restaurant recently opened at 6450 S. Durango Street in Las Vegas.
Jalisco Cantina takes its name from the Mexican state of Jalisco which is located on the Pacific Ocean and is noted for its diverse agricultural products including the blue agave plant that is used in the manufacture of tequila. Mexican law states that tequila can only be manufactured in the state of Jalisco and in limited regions in three other states.
With this heritage it is not surprising that in addition to the fine mexican menu, Jalisco Cantina is proud of its tequila selection. The restaurant brags that it offers 100 different tequila selections and uses only fresh juices to prepare its drinks. Of course I sampled a few margaritas. The spicy margarita was as advertised - spicy and the top shelf margarita went down smoothly - perhaps too smoothly.
I sampled and thoroughly enjoyed several of their specially prepared shrimps wrapped in bacon.
Guacamole lovers rejoice. I enjoyed all three variations of prepared guacamole - classical, crunchy with maize and chipotle, and tropical with mango and shrimps. Their special crevice contained shrimp and lobster.
Their flavorful Tacos Los Altos, one of their specialties, are made from carne asada beef, special sauce and cheese and cilantro. I found the flavor interesting and enjoyable.
Their tropical tacos which contain shrimp and mango bits had an unusual but flavorful tang.
Jalisco Cantina is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and has a video poker bar for the gambling enthusiasts, but is family friendly. They have a second location at 3460 E. Sunset. It is a place to find great, non traditional Mexican food at moderate prices. Full menus and directions to Jalisco Cantina can be found on line at Jalisco Cantina.


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Default Judaism
The Jewish middle class is disappearing.
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(31) Feigele, November 14, 2011 1:31 AM
Only the Upper-Class!
Most of the middle class can no longer afford Jewish education after having lost their jobs, homes and being deep in debts, so how can the poor class afford anything! What leaves us with only the so-called "upper-class" who can afford such luxury. I am not talking about Jewish home education but Jewish schools and Jewish temples. When I raised my three small children, I sent them to temple for one year, we had just bought a house and my husband, architect, just had lost his job. Putting my pride aside, I went to see the rabbi to explain that I could no longer afford the $1,500 per child tuition and if he could give me a discount. He replied, it would not be fair to the people who pay full tuition. Well, I really got disgusted but I was proud that I had had the chutzpa to ask. I have not turn my back on my Jewish religion, it's instilled in me, as I was brought up this way, mainly by respect for my parents who could barely afford to send my sister and I to Jewish schools but still went out of their financial way to send us there anyway and for a Jewish home too.
(30) Kenneth H. Ryesky, November 13, 2011 4:15 PM
Gebrokts & Default Judaism
One item where your observation of the disappearing "Jewish middle class" is relevant is the eating or eschewing of gebrokts on Pesach. My mother-in-law's family always ate gebrokts during Pesach (at a recent birthday party for her, she and her sisters all confirmed, emphatically, that their mother always made matzoh ball soup on Pesach). In fact, my wife still uses her mother's recipe for matzoh meal muffins. But their brother, who moved to Israel and is now a rav in Bnei Brak, does not eat gebrokts during Pesach. And none of the bakeries that I know of in the New York area bake with matzoh meal for Pesach. My rabbi (who does not eat gebrokts) informed me that the bakers told him that they would be out of business if they proffered gebrokts to the public. It seems that everyone is trying to out-frum everyone else, taking on additional stringencies where none are required by halacha. This is leaving those who, 40 or 30 or even 20 years ago, would have fit in well with the "Jewish middle class" with no comfortable place in the Jewish community. Last Pesach I decided that someone had to be the one to call this gebrokts madness for what it is. I therefore refused invitations to eat at the homes of those who DID NOT serve gebrokts. Rebbitzin, do you serve gebrokts in your own kitchen during Pesach? And if not, then are you not part of the problem of the disappearing "Jewish middle class?" [You can reply publicly or privately.]
(29) Anonymous, November 10, 2011 10:07 PM
Middle class -- regarding economic situation or Jewish committment
When I first saw the title, I thought that htis might be referring to the disappearing Jewish middle class from an economic perspective. With the tuition crisis and the general high cost of Jewish life, the economic pressures of living a fully committed Jewish life are extreme, unless one is affluent. When I read the article, that did not seem to be the topic. Nevertheless, I cannot help but think that the two issues are related -- and the extreme economic pressures on the Jewish middle class may be part of the reason why the 'middle class' from a Jewish committment perspective do not move up the scale. Food for thought.
(28) Sandy, November 10, 2011 11:56 AM
Excellent, but think about this category of viewers...
Kol hakavod, Lori, for a very thought-provoking presentation of this issue. As I watched, though, I imagined how your video would be perceived by my less-connected Jewish friends and relations who happen to be unmarried (and some, but not all, don't have children either!). When a person doesn't see marriage -- to a Jew or anyone else -- as an important thing, how can one rebut the claim that it simply doesn't *matter* if one's children or grandchildren are Jewish... that the important thing is just to be a good person? I'm seriously asking because I've gotten into conversations about this with single friends, and felt like there was no way to bridge the gap.
(27) Steve, November 9, 2011 10:30 PM
You're not speaking of the economic JMC, but that's a factor to be considered.
I mean the socioeconomic factor--the fact that the majority of N. American Jews are solidly ensconced in upper-middle-class comfort & privilege. And, sad to say, they do not always act in a very welcoming manner to the minority of Jews who are "still" working class. If poorer Jews go to a synagogue or other Jewish venue, & experience ostracism & even insults by those financially better-off, why should they not seek out friendlier company elsewhere?


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Buffalo City Mission Exceeds Goal | Community Spirit
In October, Stuart Harper, Executive Director of the Buffalo City Mission, announced the launch of its' Annual "One Mission, One Hope" Fall Campaign to raise critical funds necessary to sustain programs and services.
Homelessness is an issue that greatly affects our region. According to the Homeless Alliance of Western New York, 50% of the homeless population in Buffalo is experiencing homelessness for the first time.
Today, however, there was good news. To the joy of the Mission friends and family, Harper revealed that the Buffalo City Mission "One Mission, One Hope" campaign topped its goal of $1.9 million by actually bringing in $2.12 million. The Fall Fundraising Campaign ran from October through the end of December. During this time, the Mission needs to raise approximately 35% of its' annual operating budget.
"Once again, our community has demonstrated its generous support," said Stuart Harper. "This support will allow us to do the hard and challenging work each day of the year and lift people up and restore Hope in them that tomorrow can be a better day."
Since January, 2012, the Buffalo City Mission facilities have operated at 90+ percent capacity. The organization has provided over 173,596 meals and more than 83,043 beds to poor and homeless men, women and children. While funding goes to enhance the programs and services that the Mission provides to those whom it serves, community support is imperative to further the dream of the Buffalo City Mission--to provide an opportunity for clients to live in safe affordable permanent housing working towards a "Career Job" while walking in God's light.
"Homelessness is the result of society's inability to effectively deal with the issue of poverty, with the most common reason cited for homelessness a lack of affordable and safe housing", said Stuart Harper. "Housing is unaffordable because people don't have jobs—which are unattainable because of a lack of skills. These skills can only be earned through education and training. And this indeed is our focus: getting our clients educated and trained, thus lifting them out of Poverty and eliminating their need for government support."
A recent study conducted by the National Center on Family Homelessness strongly affirms the Mission's approach, highlighting the important roles education and training play in families' efforts to become self-supporting and demonstrating the need for increased educational and job training opportunities. They spell it out succinctly: Education is a critical component of securing and maintaining a job.
Recently, the Buffalo City Mission has formed a partnership with Erie Community College. "This will be the first time a local, higher education institution will offer classes on site for our clients, said Harper. "Through this program called 'College for the Homeless' provided by ECC, classes will be hosted onsite for clients as they prepare to either participate within a one year job training program or actually attend classes at the downtown campus of ECC."
"Many, if not most, of the people who come to the Mission for help had lost all hope of a better life," said Harper. "The people who come to us every day are stuck, and the Buffalo City Mission intervenes by providing prospects for real, lasting change. Through our recovery programs and our new partnership with Erie Community College, we feel that the audience of whom we serve will begin to see the opportunities that lay ahead—opportunities that can now be theirs."
About The Buffalo City Mission The Buffalo City Mission, founded in 1917, is a not-for-profit organization that provides preventative, emergency and long-term recovery services to thousands of people who are homeless or impoverished. The Mission includes: Women and Children's Shelter (Cornerstone Manor); the Men's Community Center; the Mission's Vehicle Donation Program; and their Dick Road Thrift Store Location to better serve our community. For more information, please visit www.buffalocitymission.org or call 854-8181.


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The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act makes $2 billion available immediately to help health care providers implement e-health records and to fund research into the use of health systems.
The federal economic stimulus bill signed into law last month contains several financial incentives that could get laggard doctors and hospitals to adopt IT-based tools that can cut costs and save lives.
The $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act makes $2 billion available immediately for loans and grants to help health care providers implement electronic health records systems and to fund research into the use of various health systems. It also provides more than $17 billion for new programs rewarding doctors and hospitals over the next five years for the "meaningful" use of e-health records systems.
Exactly what constitutes meaningful use will be spelled out by the new secretary of health. Basic requirements specified so far mandate that health care providers use certified e-records products and e-prescriptions, and that they be able to electronically exchange clinical data and report data about the quality of clinical care to government health agencies.
Lack of funding is the biggest obstacle keeping cash-strapped doctors and hospitals from adopting electronic health record and related technologies. These systems can reduce medical errors, paperwork, redundancies, and other problems, but the financial rewards from them mostly go to health payers like insurance companies, health plans, and government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, not to the doctors and hospitals that pay for them.
Stimulus funds could soon change that. Depending upon how many Medicare and Medicaid patients a practice treats, it could receive $44,000 to $64,000 over five years. Hospitals can earn up to $11.5 million.
Health care providers who don't adopt certain e-health systems will find their Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements reduced by 1% a year from 2015 to 2018. And if by 2018 fewer than 75% of providers nationwide are using e-health records, the secretary of health can penalize holdouts an additional 1% per year, up to 5%, says Janet Marchibroda, CEO of eHealth Initiative, an independent nonprofit group that's working on using IT to improve health care.
Big Money
For Partners HealthCare, which operates several Boston-area hospitals, stimulus incentives will mean tens of millions of dollars, says CIO John Glaser. Partners already has a lot of this technology in place but plans to continue to enhance its e-health systems, Glaser says. "This money is large," he says, but it doesn't fully offset the cost of these systems.
E-health records systems can cost from a $30,000 to $50,000 per doctor, says Dr. Steven Waldren, director of the American Academy of Family Physicians' Center for Health IT. Stimulus incentives could cover much of that, he says, but the money won't be available up front, making the initial investment a challenge.
Vendors are expected to provide financing help and more affordable systems. Allscripts, a provider of e-prescription and digital health record products, already offers health care providers monthly subscriptions to its Web-based offerings. Wal-Mart's Sam's Club and Dell are partnering to sell doctors computers bundled with an e-health record SaaS offering from eClinicalWorks. Systems will start at less than $25,000 per seat.
The need for financial carrots is especially great for solo doctor practices and hospitals with fewer than 50 beds. There are 180,000 U.S. medical practices with four or fewer doctors, Glaser says, and that's a lot of physician offices trying to have these systems running by the start of the incentive program in 2011. The federal government needs to act fast to fill in the details. The legislation includes a provision for setting up resource centers, probably at universities and medical centers across the country, to help doctors implement e-health records systems.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that stimulus provisions could drive adoption of e-health record systems to nearly 90% of U.S. doctor offices and hospitals in a few years. Glaser says a more realistic estimate is 60% to 70% by 2014. Right now, less than 10% of U.S. doctors have adopted the systems, and the number of hospitals adopting them is in the low double digits.


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Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Tuesday Two-Minute Drill
* Brian at MGoBlog gives his On Notice: Fiasco Edition about the BCS controversy.
* Dan Wetzel writes a great column on Yahoo about how Lloyd refused to shill and instead held to his core beliefs in this day and age of BCS as political campaign.
* Here's another from Gene Wojciechowski over at ESPN.
* Finally, Detroit's own Mitch Albom weighs in with his thoughts. Good stuff.
4 comments:
I'm just wondering: does this mean that Mitch Albom will publish a book designed to make millions by exploiting Bo's good name?
- December 05, 2006 1:37 AM
- TitleIX said...
uh, it's already in print....
- December 05, 2006 8:03 AM
- Q1Go said...
You know, it's usually after Michigan gets screwed by something that the rules change. Who knows? This may be the event that prompts some fixing of the BCS system. Much like that infamous extra second at MSU changed the rules about who keeps time.
Right now though, just looking forward to reedeming ourselves against USC - who remembers the embarassment of our last Rose Bowl against them?
- December 05, 2006 9:24 AM
So Lloyd gets praise for being a classy guy and not lobbying for his team. But then he makes disparaging comments about Urban Meyer (deserved it) and Jim Tressel (doesn't deserve it). So is he a good guy or not?
- December 05, 2006 12:02 PM


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rickintheloft on Family Tree Circles
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Looking for R.W. Campbell arrived Wellington 6th April 1892
R.W. Campbell arrived on S.S. Arawa (regular run from London). Trying to find any information on how he got on in NZ.
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NORRISTOWN — A Philadelphia man who tampered with utility meters to reduce some account holders' monthly PECO electrical bills, to the tune of nearly $350,000, could generate some jail time in connection with the five-county theft scheme.
Marcelino Cuadra Jr., 46, of Aramingo Avenue, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court on Monday to charges of corrupt organizations, theft of services and conspiracy to commit theft of services in connection with the meter tampering incidents that occurred in Montgomery, Chester, Bucks, Delaware and Philadelphia counties between December 2009 and October 2012.
Judge Garrett D. Page deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigative report about Cuadra, who remains free on bail pending sentencing. The open plea means Cuadra has no deals with prosecutors regarding a possible sentence. Cuadra faces a possible maximum sentence of 17 to 34 years in prison on the charges.
"Basically, the defendant was going to several businesses and homes and manipulating the meters and tampering with the meters so that the meters would read less, or at times nothing at all, and in return the homeowners and business owners would pay him to do so," alleged Assistant District Attorney Sophia Polites, explaining the nature of Cuadra's guilty plea.
Account holders who participated in the scheme with Cuadra also were charged and are awaiting court action on similar theft-related charges.
"This is a serious loss to PECO. It's a significant amount of money and it happened over a significant period of time," Polites said.
Court papers do not indicate how much Cuadra was paid by account holders to manipulate the meters.
An investigation began in July 2010 when PECO, an Exelon Company and the primary provider of electricity in the Philadelphia region, reported to state police that company fraud investigators "discovered suspicious irregular electricity usage patterns on numerous business and residential PECO accounts located in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties," according to an arrest affidavit.
"Based on their experience, these irregular electricity usage patterns are indicative of meter tampering," state police Trooper Kelly Pearson alleged in the criminal complaint. "The apparent purpose of meter tampering is to cause the meter to stop or reduce the registering of electric usage on the account, thus reducing the account holder's monthly PECO electric bill."
PECO officials told police that tampering with electrical service is "extremely dangerous" and creates a hazardous condition to include fire or explosion, according to court papers.
Investigators, who conducted field investigations of the suspected accounts, subsequently identified 25 separate PECO accounts in the five-county area that showed evidence of tampering, according to court papers. The electric thefts totaled $346,750, according to the criminal complaint.
During the investigation, authorities developed Cuadra as a suspect.
"The defendant stated he was paid money by each specific account holder to 'fix' their electric meter so that their monthly PECO electric usage bill would be reduced," Pearson alleged. "The defendant stated both he and the account holder knew what they were doing was illegal and causing a theft of services to PECO."
Authorities said Cuadra was not a PECO employee, nor was he a licensed electrician, and he had no training to conduct any type of maintenance on utility meters. Cuadra allegedly admitted to buying the specialized tools that allowed him to tamper with the meters, according to court documents.
Follow Carl Hessler Jr. on Twitter @MontcoCourtNews


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Misconfigured and poorly maintained firewalls, Intrusion Prevention Systems and other appliances are at least one of the many problems fueling most data breaches, according to a panel of security experts.
In a wide ranging discussion covering everything from threat intelligence and offensive security to basic defenses, software security and compliance, panelists told attendees at the RSA Conference 2013 that many weaknesses are due to the growing complex myriad of security systems deployed in organizations. Many of the systems are not properly tuned for the company's specific environment, they said.
"All the stuff in the enterprise probably works fine if it was implemented properly," Greg Hoglund, an independent consultant who was founder and CTO of HBGary, the firm that was the target of hacktivist group Anonymous in 2011. "In nearly every case, enterprises were not patched, and it was two-year-old exploits used to do the successful attacking."
[Related: 20 Examples Of Wacky, Over The Top RSA Signage]
Organizations are also failing to conduct a thorough risk assessment to determine the kinds of threats that are likely to target the business. Knowing whether financially motivated cybercriminals, hacktivists or targeted cyberespionage attacks can help companies deploy the proper defenses and allocate resources in the right places, said Joshua Corman, a longtime security expert.
"I want to see sanity and technical specificity," said Corman, director of security intelligence at Akamai Technologies, Inc. "We don't do a good job knowing who our adversary is; we've poorly optimized the basics."
Security professionals at the industry's largest security conference heard the message that big data security analytics could help provide deep intelligence for risk mitigation, attack detection and response. But, integrating massive analytics on top of systems containing gaping holes may not be the most prudent idea, said Corman, Hoglund and two other panelists, Chris Valasek, director of security intelligence at IOActive, and Brian Honan, of BH Consulting, Ltd. Cybercriminals are stepping up attacks, but the vast majority of the successful data breaches are done by non-sophisticated means.
NEXT: Attackers Gain Sophistication, Not Attacks


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Arts & Crafts
The Henry County Arts & Crafts Guild will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16 at the Henry County Extension Building on U.S. 421. Anyone interesting in joining is welcome to attend.
Free adult scrapbooking offered at the Eminence Community Life Center from 10 a.m. to noon, on Thursdays.
Church Services
Quakers (The Religious Society of Friends, also known as "Friends") meets for unprogrammed worship every Saturday at 4 p.m., at Port Royal Methodist Church. This informal group is under the guidance of Lexington Friends Meeting. Contact Betsy Packard: email@example.com or (502) 529-1598.
Suicide Prevention Presentation
On Jan. 11, Jerry Lucas, a counselor at the Brook Hospital, will do a hour-long presentation on suicide prevention at a luncheon sponsored by the Henry County CARE Team. The luncheon and presentation is free to the public. If you are interested in attending please contact Janine Moore at 502-878-0001 to reserve a seat.
Christmas Events
Bethlehem Living Nativity starts Thursday, Dec. 22, and runs through Saturday, Dec. 25. 6:30 to 9 p.m. nightly. Donkeys love crackers!
A shower will be held at Lake Jericho Fire Department for Ed, Jamie Whitaker and family from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17. The family lost their home and dog grooming business to fire on Nov. 27.
Franklinton Baptist Church will present The Gene and Jean old time Sunday night Christmas Radio Show at 7 p.m. Sunday Dec. 18. Soup and sandwich dinner at 6 p.m.
Henry Christian Children's Church will be performing their Christmas play "The Great Christmas Giveaway" at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 11.
New Castle United Methodist Church will have its Christmas Cantata beginning at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 11.
Copyright © 2018
The Henry County Local is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Eminence, KY and the surrounding area.


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Must be the Catholic guilt thing.
The "problem" is that inclusion into racing's pantheon is largely a matter of perception. So when ballots arrive, it's a matter of delineating one potential immortal from the next. No one knows better than a professional handicapper what an inexact science assigning values to horses and horsemen can be.
It would serve voters well if there were some objective standard against which subjective opinions could be measured. Indeed, Hall Of Fame ballots are sent to people that have made a life's work out of horse racing. And if "professionals" aren't qualified to judge, then who?
Not having some objective standard makes it easier for voters to be swayed by prejudice; politics, region, personal relationships good or bad.
Sometimes people can be in racing their entire lives and their opinions never improve, which is why the combined wisdom of the many that comprise a consensus is often better than singular opinions, no matter how well informed.
A suggestion for the appropriate Hall of Fame committee: In the stat package that goes with each year's nominees might be included some bellwether statistics. For instance, what is the average number of races won by a Hall of Fame jockey? Does the average Hall of Fame horse win 70 percent of its starts? If nothing else, stuff like this would be interesting to know.
For years, there was some rancor among voters with respect to how votes determined inclusion. A number of years back there was the "75%" rule, when that percentage needed to be attainedfor inclusion.
Then came a time when nominees were listed by category; male and female horses, jockeys, trainers. So what happens if there are three great fillies, but no jockey you believed to be an immortal? What to do?
For the last four years, voters have been submitted a list of candidates from which to choose. There are 10, including five jockeys, four horses and one traine this year. Vote for any--or all--10 nominees and the four highest vote getters are elected regardless of category. In the event of a tie, both individuals are in.
This would be irksome if you believed that all 10 merit inclusion; since a vote for all would be the equivalent of a vote for none. So, in the end, it does come down to the personal smell test.
Now, do we judge Chris Antley for his on-track performances or his off-track demons? This is an easy one for me. I invoke the Ty Cobb rule; it's what happens inside the lines that matter--no bad pun intended.
A winning rate of 18 percent on major circuits from coast to coast without a super-trainer's support is worthy of special merit. Becoming the first rider to win nine races in a day, and winning a DiMaggio-like 64 races on consecutive days are immortal achievements. Two Derbies and a Preakness among 3,480 career victorie don't hurt.
Now that Calvin Borel has reached the 5,000-win career plateau to add to his three Derby victories in a four-year span, isn't he an immortal? Only three riders have won the Derby more than thrice and Eddie Arcaro, Bill Hartack and Willie Shoemaker have their place in Saratoga. Calvin was, of course, Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra's regular partner and has won riding titles at seven different tracks in Arkansas, Louisiana and Kentucky.
Lure, 14-for-25 overall, was the first horse to earn repeat wins in the Breeders' Cup (Mile), nine graded stakes overall on turf and dirt including four Grade 1s often carrying high weight in handicaps. He was a dominant miler on either surface.
I was set disparage Invasor because of an insufficient body of work but a record that includes 11 victories in 12 lifetime starts, nine of them Grade 1, the Uruguayan Triple Crown, and a Horse of the Year title in an American campaign debut is impossible to knock.
Housebuster won 15 of 22 career starts including 11 graded stakes and three Grade 1s. He was the first horse in over a quarter-century to repeat as Champion Sprinter. As a 3-year-old, he lost the Metropolitan Mile to Horse of the Year Criminal Type by a neck, finishing a length and a half in front of future Hall of Famer Easy Goer.
Ashado won 12 of 21 lifetime starts, seven Grade 1 stakes, and was the repeat Filly Champion of 2004-05, winning her first at 3 after defeating older in the Breeders' Cup Distaff.
Trainer Gary Jones retired after winning 1,465 races at a worthy rate of 18.5 percent, taking 17% of the graded stakes he entered. Based in California, Jones had a national reputation after developing the champion careers of Turkoman, Best Pal, and the popular win machine Meafara, a top class filly sprinter.
Garrett Gomez, Alex Solis and Craig Perret are not unworthy. Just didn't want to "punish" the seven listed above. If there is a better alternative to the current system I don't know what it is. Wish I did.


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ReedHasIt.comMain Menu World Class Automotice Group
New Volkswagen Inventory
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Tell us what you're looking for and we'll be glad to locate that vehicle for you.
All prices on this web site are subject to change without notice. Though we make every effort to provide you the most accurate, up-to-date information, occasionally, one or more vehicles on our web site may be incorrect due to typographical, photographic, occasional human or technical error. We reserve the right to refuse to honor any incorrect Internet prices as we cannot account for the occasional human or technical error.


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Christine Hicks, MS, RN
Associate Professor of Nursing
James Maddox Heritage Hall, Room 194
415 East Third Avenue
Rome, Georgia 30165
Office: 706 204 2244 (Direct line) 706 295 6321 (Department)
E-mail: email@example.com
Courses: NURS 1101 and NURS 1102
Earned BA in Human Development and Family Life from University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. Earned AA in Nursing from College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Earned BSN from University of Illinois at the Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. Earned MS from Northern Illinois Univeristy in Dekalb, Illinois. Have taken post-masters graduate work at UAB.
Have been a nurse educator for more than 30 years. Nursing experience in Medical-Surgical Nursing, Psychiatric Nursing and Client Education both as a staff nurse and a manager. Masters foci was Gerontology, Oncology, and Curriculum Development.
I have taught with the Nursing Department at Georgia Highlands College for more than 15 years.


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There's no need to watch "Parking Wars" if you're in downtown Pontiac.Ā
Hundreds of cars were kicked out of the Phoenix Center on Tuesday after the city discovered work being done on the parking garage without a permit.Ā
Emergency Manager Lou Schimmel said it was brought to his attention that there was jackhammering and other construction happening at the city-owned Phoenix Center, and he asked the building department to check it out.Ā
The Ottawa Towers office buildings, which sit next to the Phoenix Center, have sued the city in an attempt to stop demolition of the sprawling parking garage and amphitheater.Ā
The city's top building official said the structure has been declared unsafe for occupancy.Ā
"We had a report that there were people working on the deck of the Phoenix Center and they had jackhammers," said Pontiac Building Director Jeff Bowdell, of the firm Wade Trim, the city's contractor for building department services.
"That kind of tells me that they're doing something (that's) structural, and to do that you've got to have permits, more than likely. It's also my understanding that there were lights on in the Phoenix Center, and there's no power in the Phoenix Center, and that means someone's performed electrical work without permits."
Will Koski, the facility manager for the Ottawa Towers, said he's been making repairs to the structure. He said the Ottawa Towers did not get a permit for the work on the city-owned structure.Ā
"We have easements that give us the right, but not the obligation, to repair the structure if the city fails to do so," Koski said. The city has known that Koski and the Ottawa Towers have "worked on and maintained that structure for the last 5 1/2 years," he said.Ā
"We jackhammered holes. There are some tension cables that had snapped and we were repairing them," he said. "I hired a structural contractor that has 40 years of experience repairing parking decks similar to that deck. He can't believe the city would tear it down. He said it's one of the best parking structures he's ever seen."
Most of the cars that were parked in the Phoenix Center moved to Lot 9 on Tuesday afternoon as deputies from the Oakland County Sheriff's Office watched.
The Ottawa Towers' tenants, which include the Michigan Department of Human Services and other state agencies, park between 200 and 300 cars in the south side of the structure daily.Ā
The contractor for the work, who asked not to be named, said that a city building official "said if we didn't cease (work) immediately, we'd be arrested."
In October, the structure went dark and the stretch of Orchard Lake Road running underneath was closed when copper scrappers did an estimated $276,000 in damage to the parking garage's electrical system.
The Ottawa Towers have restored lighting on the parking deck's south side using power from the office buildings.
Schimmel announced plans to demolish the Phoenix Center on July 5, 2012, citing $8.1 million in repairs and upkeep needed on the structure during the next 10 years. He has said the Phoenix Center costs the city about $175,000 annually.
The Ottawa Towers' lawsuit contends that the demolition would take away the office buildings' parking, violate easement rights and damage the structures. The suit asks for $9 million in damages if a demolition takes place.
Oakland County Circuit Judge Michael Warren granted a preliminary injunction in the case on Nov. 30.
The city's $2 million contract with Adamo Demolition Co. hasn't been signed due to the litigation.
Contact staff writer Dustin Blitchok at 248-745-4685 or email@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @SincerelyDustin.


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Though Hurricane Irene has weakened slightly and its projected track has been nudged east just a bit, it's still headed for what could be a devastating collision with the East Coast of the U.S. that will affect tens of millions of people from North Carolina to New England over the weekend.
According to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Irene is now a Category 2 hurricane (meaning its winds are between 96 and 110 mph). That means it has weakened slightly since this time Thursday, when it was a Category 3.
But, the Hurricane Center warns, "Irene is expected to be near the Category 2/3 boundary when it reaches the vicinity of [North Carolina's] Outer Banks" very early on Saturday. From there, it will head north along the coast and is likely to take "dead aim" on New York City on Sunday. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has said he may order a mandatory evacuation of the city's low-lying areas, including parts of lower Manhattan.
Utilities, such as the Washington area's Pepco, are "already warning customers that they could be without power for some time," The Washington Post reports.
We will be following developments through the weekend.


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rainbows and unicorns still? What a tired act guy, where's the talent to back up your big dreams? Let alone the coaching...
I can only imagine this board today, fans jumping off of buildings, screaming for the firing of everybody, replace Sanchez blah blah blah...
Today was bad, bad for Sanchez, bad for Rex, bad for the team.
This team didn't show anybody that they belonged out there...
To me, Sanchez was never able to get comfortable, he had happy feet, rushed throws, didn't let plays develop, and didn't trust his receivers, and why should he consider what he's playing with. The worst thing for Sanchez and the Jets going into today was going another game without Keller. The timing is still off, the fumbles were bad, more bad luck on the Tebow to Epps play that would have given the Jets the ball in SF terriority early in the game. I mention these plays because they were big momentum plays. Epps holds on to that ball, maybe we score on that drive. If Sanchez doesn't fumble, we go into halftime down 7-3. It really is true, that as young Qb's develop, and face early adversity, they tend to develop bad habits, that is what I see with Sanchez. But, I'll say it again, Sanchez is really playing with a short deck, he knows it, but he also knows there isn't anything he can do about it. No Keller was big again, and now no Holmes, man, the luck. It's a shame, but it's something Sanchez needs to fight through. And before anybody even asks, Tebow doesn't do any better, not even close, so please, save the Tebow nonsense.
The second half was basically the team falling apart and not having the heart to stop the bleeding.
Many criticisms against the team today, from players to coaches can't be refuted, they just can't.
I'm willing to accept the offense being out of sync, Sanchez struggling with young and inexperienced weapons, and missing Keller, but starting next week, that has to change. The season is on the brink, how can Ryan get this team to respond.
I have no doubt the team is still punch drunk from losing Revis, ok, today they got it out of their system, they played too tentative, they played collectively on offense and defense like a team that was still trying to decide how it wanted to perform, how they wanted to play offensively, and how they wanted to play defensively.
I got to give SF credit for the slight of their game plan to go with the wildcat, it was rather brilliant, and it made sense.
Ok Rex, you got your dud, you have ONE week to show everybody what kind of team you have this year, and what they can do the rest of the way. The vultures will be out all week, the Tebow groupies are already out, and the SOJF's want blood. But to an extent, I can't blame them, a team that is supposed to be a contender, to be a team that is going to compete for a championship, on both sides of the ball, it was one huge dud.
Every player needs to look in the mirror, every single player, they all need to be on the same page. Who gives a **** who is out, injured, come together and be a team, can Ryan do it with this group, and it's no easy task against a strong Houston team, and probably without Holmes. I've always said the mark of a good coach is how his team plays for him, how they respond to adversity. IMO, Ryan has always been able to get the best of out of the team when facing that adversity, they have that opportunity earlier this year.
This team needs to at the very least show up next week, ready to play, come out with heart, come out with fight, come out with a purpose, be willing to be aggressive, be smart, come out swinging and show us the team has heart and that today was an aberration.
Last edited by Ray Ray19; 09-30-2012 at 09:10 PM.
rainbows and unicorns still? What a tired act guy, where's the talent to back up your big dreams? Let alone the coaching...
Next week is going to be worse then this week. Texans are better then the niners on offense and equal if not better on defense.
They are going to run arian foster and we are going to run greene.
They are going to throw to andre johnson and we are going to throw to chaz schilens.
"You've seen him. You know how strong he is. You cant win!!!!"
One good thing...there wont be tens of thousand local metro area resident frontrunner bandwagon Texan "fans" at the stadium next Mon as there were with Niner local bandwagon fans today.
Sent from my SGH-T679 using Tapatalk 2
Matt Schaub completes those passes over Kyle Wilson that Smith didn't. 49ers left at least 20 points off the board and the Texans are even better.
We have 5 rough games left. Texans, @ Seattle, Arizona, NE x2. Those will all be tough, some will be brutal.
Serious question. If they play like they did today or worse next week against a BETTER team, then what....what will you say?
Unfortunately for us, the only team that Tebow would do well against is the team he plays for...
This team is going no where with the most pathetic offense I have ever seen. Three weeks in a row... They are horrible...
The defense is a joke... Teams are rushing for over 200 yards a game against us...
4 and 12 here we come....


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Spring Clean Your Tech
Would You, Could You Give These Items Up?
Would You, Could You Give These Items Up?
In the spirit of Spring cleaning, a New York Times writer encouraged technological downsizing by outlining some items that could be worth getting rid of and others worth keeping. Multi-use gadgets not only take up less space, they also can end up saving you money!
I agree with some of his get-rid-of-it suggestions (GPS units, for example); others I'm not so sure. What do you think? Click through the slideshow to vote for or against keeping these tech items in your life.


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The Welsh had slipped to 10th - equalling their lowest ever ranking - before ending an eight-match losing streak with victory over France a fortnight ago, but now sit just under half a rating point below France in fifth.
Ireland's second defeat of the Championship now leaves them just over half a rating point above Samoa and Argentina below them, while back-to-back wins for Scotland mean they are within a point of the Irish now.
England have also strengthened their position as the leading northern hemisphere nation in the rankings following the 23-13 win over France at Twickenham.
IRB World rankings
1 New Zealand 90.08
2 South Africa 86.94
3 Australia 86.87
4 England 85.30
5 France 81.20
6 Wales 80.74
7 Ireland 79.28
8 Samoa 78.71
9 Argentina 78.71
10 Scotland 78.19
11 Tonga 76.10
12 Italy 74.93


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20 Style-Savvy Workout Pieces
From brightly-hued tops to patterned bags, we've found 20 gym-ready pieces that'll make working out stylish and fun!
-Diana Denza
Chances are, one of your New Year's resolutions involves shedding the pounds you've packed on during the holiday season. But let's face it: Who wants to head to the gym in ratty, less-than-flattering old duds? Not us! And with these 20 pieces, you won't have to. Get ready, 'cause you'll look and feel ready to take on the treadmill in no time!


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Guayakí Yerba Mate - A Powerful Rainforest Experience
Learn about Guayakí's Market-Driven-Restoration
With a passion for mate, we have pioneered an innovative business model that directly links our customer's purchases to our partner farming communities in the South American Atlantic Rainforests. Our partners sustainably harvest organic yerba mate from rainforest grown cultivations and reforestation projects, generating a renewable income stream which enables these communities to improve their lives and restore their lands. Our restoration projects are primarily based in the lush yerba mate growing regions of Argentina, Paraguay and Southern Brazil.
We become intimately involved with our partnering farmers and encourage the cultivation under native rainforest trees. This promotes the preservation of forests, and in addition, we work with the farmers to reforest native hardwood species. Once a farmer agrees to partner with us, we provide technical advice on how to create nurseries, help them manage the organic growing process from cultivation through harvest and then buy what they produce. The farmers, in turn, must repopulate their rain forest with the native hardwood trees -- which restores the land to its original shaded, biodiverse state -- and provides a living wage and fair working conditions.
Looking at the map of the upper Parana forest, one of the ecoregions of the Atlantic Forest, shows the rampant, recent deforestation (95% of the Atlantic Forest has been deforested). Now, with a proven market for rainforest-grown yerba mate, we can begin to reforest this ecoregion with native, diverse mate forests. Yerba Mate is native to the Atlantic forest and forest grown mate is environmentally sustainable in the long term and provides for more income per acre than cattle or agricultural products such as corn, soy or wheat. It will take some time, but as consumers vote with their dollars, we funnel the dollars where they need to go: to the people who are stewarding their forests.
From the simple love of a beverage, Guayakí drinkers have become a driving force for conservation and community development by paying a fair trade price for their yerba mate.
Guayakí's MARKET DRIVEN RESTORATION business model directly links our customer's purchases to our partner farming communities in the South American Atlantic Rainforests.
Guayakí's partners sustainably harvest organic yerba mate in the rainforest, generating a renewable income stream which enables these communities to improve their lives and restore their lands.
Guayakí grown yerba mate provides an alternative to destructive practices like logging, cattle grazing and monocropping. Our sustainable model allows income to be generated "from the forest" by keeping the forest intact.
Farmers are incentivized to protect native trees, while growing mate.
Hardwood seeds collected.
This nursery has over 50 native hardwood species.
The hardwood saplings are planted around the mate for shade ,to increase biodiversity,to reduce CO2, and for future generations.
Hardwood trees shade the yerba mate from the strong sun, and help build healthier soil.
Healthy Yerba Mate leaves in the forest.
Guayakí Mate is harvested by hand, by workers who are paid a living wage. Guayakí is Fair Trade certified by IMO.
The leaves are quickly transported to the drying facility, where it is dried, milled, aged.
The drying machine, called a 'sopecadora' removes moisture from the leaves and protects the antioxidants.
Milled mate, is weighed, then sealed.
Similar to wine production, aging allows the yerba mate to mellow, and the flavor to develop character.
You learn about the magical energy of Guayakí Yerba Mate, and make a purchase, fueling the healthy cycle of Market Driven Restoration.


text:
The ramifications of Steven Fox playing in the Masters alongside defending champion Bubba Watson and U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson cannot be measured in numbers.
Guesses can be made.
Having the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's "Power C" logo emblazoned on Fox's cap, shirt and golf bag is truly invaluable to the school, its athletic department and men's golf coach Mark Guhne.
"It's hard to put a dollar figure on it," said Chuck Cantrell, UTC's associate vice chancellor for university affairs. "You can't buy the front page of a newspaper. If he gets his picture in USA Today, that's not something we could have bought."
The 1996-97 UTC men's basketball team received such national recognition for reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA basketball tournament.
"There were estimates of $1 million in publicity that came with that," Cantrell said. "I think with Steven's success we could approach that."
More than 16 years have passed since the Mocs reached the Sweet 16, and no other UTC athlete has reached such a national stage.
Fox stepped onto it back in August when he won the U.S. Amateur at Colorado's Cherry Hills Golf Club by coming back from a 2-down deficit with two holes to play and winning in a playoff.
NBC showed it live, and all of the drama down the stretch. Because of weather delays, it wound up being the only live major sporting event on national television on Aug. 19 as it came to a Sunday evening conclusion.
"His victory gave us national exposure on NBC with him wearing our logo, along with his caddie, coach and father," interim athletic director Laura Herron said.
Fox, a senior who has been practicing in Augusta since Friday for his first round on Thursday, already has worn the school colors in two PGA Tour events. He wore a white hat with a yellow "C" during his practice round Monday.
"It's who knows how many dollars in free advertisement just for Steven being on national television for at least the first two rounds, and hopefully all four," Herron said.
ESPN will air the first two days of the tournament before it switches to CBS for the weekend competition. More than 4.1 million people in America watched on Friday last year, and more than 10.75 million watched Watson win a sudden-death playoff.
Playing with Watson and Simpson should give Fox plenty of opportunities to steal a moment in front of the cameras -- perhaps even on the first tee if ESPN cuts into its live morning programming.
Regardless of how much air time Fox receives during the tournament, Cantrell said the senior golfer will be featured in plenty of recruiting material that UTC will unveil later this spring and summer.
"Our theme is, 'We shall achieve,' and he has had a huge achievement," Cantrell said. "We're about to launch a new web design that will have a lot more video, and having video of a UTC guy in a green jacket would be nice video."


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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Tom Priddy saw a welcome sight when
checking his rain gauge Tuesday morning.
After months of being mostly empty, his gauge showed nearly 3
inches of rain had fallen at his home in central Kentucky - more
than fell in all of May, usually a wet month in Kentucky.
A slow-moving weather system dumped similar rainfall amounts
across a large swath of central Kentucky, bringing welcome relief
from a drought that hurt crops, lowered some rivers to historic
levels, turned pastures brown and prompted water shortage warnings
in some counties.
"It's like liquid gold," said Priddy, a University of Kentucky
extension agricultural meteorologist. "This could very well be the
start of the end of this drought."
Reports of 3 to 5 inches of rain were common from Bowling Green
to Louisville as the precipitation started Monday and continued
Tuesday, said Mike Callahan, a National Weather Service
In Bowling Green, 5.8 inches fell at the airport on Monday and
Tuesday, Callahan said. The Louisville airport received 4.8 inches,
Frankfort about 3½ inches and Lexington had 3.2 inches, he said.
Some of the highest amounts through early Tuesday were 5.7 inches
in Boston in Nelson County and 5.4 inches in Glendale in Hardin
"The rivers and streams are rising, but so far no problems,
which shows how dry we were," Callahan said.
Priddy said the heavy rainfall amounts put a "huge dent" in
the long-term drought. The latest Palmer Drought Index had showed
the drought was severe in the western half of Kentucky and extreme
in the eastern half. He predicted those areas getting significant
rain will show an improvement in the drought situation.
In western Kentucky, Owensboro and Paducah had received nearly 2
inches of rain, Callahan said. Cadiz in southwestern Kentucky got a
reported 3½ inches, said Bill Caldwell with the state Division of
It followed a round of precipitation that soaked much of
Kentucky last week. A crop-reporting service said that last week
was the first time in the past 12 weeks that rainfall was above
normal in Kentucky.
Other parts of Kentucky weren't as fortunate. Southeastern areas
facing an extreme drought generally received less than a half-inch
of rainfall, Caldwell said.
"The drought is still very much a problem there," he said.
In Salyersville, where residents are restricted from washing
cars or watering lawns due to the drought, the town received "just
enough drizzle to wet the roads," said city water superintendent
Thomas Howard.
The Magoffin County town in eastern Kentucky relies on the
Licking River as its main water source. But the river is down 70
percent to 80 percent from normal, so the city is also drawing
water from two backup wells.
"It's about the worst I've seen it," Howard said of the river.
Late last week, state officials issued a water shortage warning
for eastern Kentucky's Harlan and Letcher counties and the Elkhorn
Creek watershed in Pike County. Previous water shortage warnings
were issued for Warren, Simpson and Magoffin counties.
For those areas lucky enough to get rain, the precipitation will
replenish ponds and help early growth of winter wheat, Priddy said.
The accompanying high humidity will benefit tobacco curing, he
Caldwell, the water division's environmental control supervisor,
said the rainfall would be a big boost for river and stream levels
that had dropped in recent months. Significant rain fell in
portions of the Green, Salt, Kentucky and Licking river basins, he
Just a couple of months ago, parts of the Licking and Green
rivers had record-low flows, he said.
As for groundwater levels, Caldwell said, the latest rainfall
"isn't a drought buster, but it's the beginning of a pattern that
would lead to recovery over the winter. It's going to take this
kind of weather several times through the winter to regain normal
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


text:
This is a group for mom bloggers who are LDS, enjoy chatting with other LDS moms, and want to gain support, give support, or just learn from other LDS moms.
Members: 52
Latest Activity: Sep 2, 2014
Started by Sheryl (the Pink Jasmine) Sep 16, 2012. 0 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Jennifer B. Last reply by Natasha Call Jan 19, 2012. 3 Replies 1 Like
Just found this group! Happy to join the Mormon Mom blogging community!
Hey guys! Just wanted to tell you about another giveaway on my blog. It's for a couple of Hilary Weeks CDs!!
Although my blog is NOT a giveaway blog, I am hosting a giveaway for a book called, "5 Spiritual Solutions for Everyday Parenting Challenges" by John and Linda Eyre, if you are interested!
Hi! Everywhere else I advertise my giveaway blog, but here I'd like to share my LDS blog. You don't need to follow it. I just love comments!
HI, I didn't know there was a mormon mom's group! I am LDS and I live in Sydney Australia.I have been going strong with my blog for almost 3 years now. I started my blog because I was the welfare advisor for my ward and then it just grew into something more. I still talk about food storage recipe, but I do lots of other fun things. I have a blog hop at the moment which is open to anyone who would like to join. The theme is dream homes or if you want to share a renovation story. The link is: http://welfarewisdom.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-grand-designs.html.
Look forward to getting to know you all.
Alright! I didn't know there was a Mormon mom group! Cool.
I'm LDS, moved from Provo last month to San Antonio, Texas. I've been blogging for a little over a year.
Like any good mormon I come to this group with a need. Though it doesn't look like this group is very active so....here goes.
I wrote this post for a blog-off. Whoever gets the most comments wins.
Anyone want to comment?
Please. :)
Hi I am LDS as well :)
My 4th grandchild is due in about a month...to celebrate, I'm offering a $100.00 Restaurant.com gift card to the person who guesses her delivery date. For more information, follow this link...it's fun and easy!
I will be participating in a HUGE Giveaway in February. I am looking for Sponsors that make handmade items… especially items that would be loved by people and children who are physically handicapped…Such as items for people in wheelchairs, using a cane or walker etc. (Remember, we like pretty smelling soaps, hair bands, etc. too!) If you would like to be a sponsor, please contact me via email at firstname.lastname@example.com .
Let's bring some unexpected smiles to someone that has to deal with extra difficult mobility challenges!


text:
Allen Ginsborg, managing director and principal of NewMark Merrill Mountain States, has been named 2012 Real Estate Entrepreneur of the Year by the Everitt Real Estate Center at Colorado State University.
In presenting the award, Eric Holsapple, executive director of the center, said, "Northern Colorado is extremely fortunate to have someone with Allen's experience and capabilities living in the area."
Ginsborg has 30 years of shopping center sales and leasing experience and is the driver behind his company's purchase of Twin Peaks Mall, which NMMS will be redeveloping.
The award was presented at the recent 16th annual Northern Colorado Real Estate Conference, where Ginsborg was a panelist.


text:
"I am certainly willing to be held accountable for the fact that everybody who wanted coverage by Jan. 1 is not going to get it." Those words from Gov. John Kitzhaber were spoken Tuesday after the state finally admitted that some people would have no health insurance through Cover Oregon on Jan. 1 even though they've done everything they were asked to do, met every deadline.
We're not quite sure what the governor means by being "accountable," but there's now no doubt that the state is leaving responsible citizens in the lurch. Their policies were canceled, and they've been unable to use the new system to buy replacement coverage at any price.
Bruce Goldberg, acting head of Cover Oregon, Tuesday advised those who don't get enrollment packets from the state this week to go buy insurance directly from an insurance carrier. It's a process bound to be confusing. It's being forced on people who, through no fault of their own, lost coverage because of the Affordable Care Act.
As of Tuesday, 65,000 people had met a Dec. 4 deadline to send applications to Cover Oregon, but only 28,000 of those had been processed with enrollment packages mailed back. Once the package arrives, the person has until Dec. 15 to pick an insurance plan and send in their choice. Even those lucky enough to receive that packet and meet the Dec. 15 deadline must have doubts about their success, given the multitude of missed deadlines and excuses so far. And for the thousands who don't get that packet in time, the advice is to go buy something on the private market with no idea if/when the promised subsidy will apply.
How much worse can it get? The government has taken away health insurance that worked, strung people along through a series of broken promises about when and how Cover Oregon would work, and now leaves them out in the cold. Go handle it yourself in the private sector, Goldberg said.
If being "held accountable" means anything, the state must find a way to protect the thousands of people who've tried mightily to get with the program and are left adrift.


text:
The Baby Roe is a giant bird creature, reminiscent of a Pterodactyl that has green skin and lives in the Valley of Power. The Magical Spring in the Valley of Power affects the Baby Roe, thus the Baby Roe grew up to full size, but intellectually was totally obedient to Danavas. The Sorceress creates an antidote to give the Baby Roe its own mind back, though the body shall remain at adult size.
ALLEANZA : Neutral
LUOGO DI ORIGINE : Valley Of Power
SESSO : Male


text:
My god Henrik Sedin is amazing
My god Henrik Sedin is amazing
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One of the things that makes this team's offence work is the north-south game of the second line with the east-west movement of the first line. When you get Kesler on the ice with the Sedins you get both. Kes just got away with a bit of interference on Quick on that goal too.
I agree. This team really feeds off of the twins.
The keepers on this team have proven themselves tonight: Schneider and the Sedins. Luu has been on the bench and Kesler has not had enough of an impact. Imagine the Sedins with a scorer on their wing.
Hopefully Cory starts game 5.
Maybe one of these days I won't fail - Clayton Kershaw following Dodgers World Series loss
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Alive for another game. First time I've seen Quick rattled at all. How many times did their D men push the net off its moorings to avoid giving up a goal?
Sutter basically said the Kings played better this game than last game, but the Sedins are too ****ing good.
Maybe one of these days I won't fail - Clayton Kershaw following Dodgers World Series loss
We really played great in the 2nd period and that's why we won. If we play every period like that the rest of this series, this thing will go for a while.
1 down...
Nice little insight from Henrik on the type of play Daniel makes ...
http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Ca...866/story.html"Danny makes such a difference," said captain Henrik Sedin. "We need those little plays like that back pass. That's what we do, and when he's not in the lineup you tend to go to the more basic plays like hold the puck and back to the point for a shot there — and that's just what they're [the Kings] are waiting for."
^I was watching at a local sports bar and there were like 20+ Kings fans and when they saw that replay there was a collective scream of cheapshot, ********, and other various words. It was funny. I'm sitting there thinking, ummm this whole playoff series has had 50 cheapshots probably. If your guy did it to my guy, you morons would be cheering.


text:
Smokey Navy Eyes
What I used:
Painterly Paint Pot
Nehru eye shadow
Knight Divine eye shadow
Soft Brown eye shadow
Blanc Type eye shadow
Fascinating eye kohl
Blacktrack fluidline
Plushlash mascara
Tippy blush
High Tea lipstick
Watch the video tutorial here:
20 comments:
very pretty way to make blue wearable :)ReplyDelete
Your makeup always looks flawless. How do you make you lashes look like that?!?ReplyDelete
Hi Tiffany,ReplyDelete
This is such a pretty look!=] I always watch your new vids on youtube.. thanks much for taking your time to share with us makeup tips and all things girly hehe. take care. =]
Your makeup always looks amazing and your photos are so clear and vibrant. Could you do a blogpost on how you get your pictures to look so great? Like camera settings, lighting and stuff like that. It'd be so helpful.ReplyDelete
This is a great look! Very elegant. I love it!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 26, 2009 at 1:52 PM
So pretty! Definitely going to be doing this for a formal thing I have to go to next month.ReplyDelete
Would you please please do a tutorial with the Sugarsweet colours at some point? I would be eternally grateful...
- AnonymousMarch 26, 2009 at 6:26 PM
Hi I am Nina from Paris and I have been watching your tutorials for a long time now and I just wanted to congratulate you. This is really inspiring for all of us.ReplyDelete
Can't wait for the next one....;)
wow, I really like this look, great job!!!ReplyDelete
all of your looks are soo amazing.
very pretty!
Great tutorial! Your lashes are so pretty!!ReplyDelete
Wow! What a gorgeous look...you are glowing! :)ReplyDelete
sooo pretty! I should try navy looks...i look horrid with turquoise usually lmaoReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 29, 2009 at 9:56 AM
Hi Tiffany !ReplyDelete
You look very nice, as usual !
I have brown / green eyes but I will try to do it...
I *love* the up close of this look. I think it's becoming one of my favorites. Beautiful!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 31, 2009 at 11:56 PM
hi tiffani..i'm ata in brazil.. but my nationality is Indonesia.ReplyDelete
would u mind please give tutorial from the first time make up likes : washing the face before & then moisturizer, foundation,powder,etc.
because your face is so perfect.
please tell me soon..thank u so much
hi tiffany! i love how this is look is smokey but wearable. your makeup skills are so crazy i love all of your ideas!ReplyDelete
I just stumbled on your videos on youtube yesterday and while I thought I knew something about make up I now realize that I am completely clueless! Thank goodness for you so I an learn how to do it properly! I can clearly see that MAC is the way to go but since we are surviving on student loans while my husband is in PT school, Walmart make up will have to suffice for now! This look is gorgeous by the way, I can't wait to try it!ReplyDelete


text:
CHRISTINE Williams knows what it is like to be stuck in the revolving door of dieting. In her late 20s, she lost 30 kilograms on the Jenny Craig weight-loss program. She kept it off for more than five years. Then she had her first child, and slowly the numbers on the bathroom scales crept up.
She recalls: ''It was a sense of, I'm going to let myself do this because I'm actually having a child. It's OK to not focus on myself as a priority any more. People have different addictions and ways of coping with things, and mine has always been food. I found that I just lost track of myself again. My weight got up to 113 kilograms after I had my two children. I was working and it was so busy and I let the food become something that alleviated the pressure and filled a hole. I tried to lose weight but I was up and down doing stupid crash-and-burn diets and I was all starry-eyed thinking I could do it in five weeks because I'll eat nothing, but it didn't work.''
In 2010, with both her children finished school, she began to think of her health, conscious that she did not want to be a burden on her loved ones as she aged. She went back to Jenny Craig because it was the only approach that had made a significant impact on her weight. In 12 months she lost 45 kilograms and is now running marathons and weighs in at a healthy 60 kilograms.
She does not see her return to the program as a sign that she, or the method, failed.
''Life is full of ups and downs and all sorts of pressures and stresses, and they change from year to year depending on what age you are and the different circumstances,'' she says.
''There are different stages of your life where other things are more important and you perhaps don't have the confidence to make a stand for you. Jenny Craig didn't lose my weight, I did. The problem with weight and obesity is that people don't realise it's actually about them changing the fixation they have with food. We kind of just give up too easily, and whenever I felt tired or stressed or had a 10-hour day or whatever, I'd say, 'I deserve to pamper myself by eating this junk'.''
Mrs Williams, from Templestowe, believes the obesity problem is complex and that more attention should be given to educating people on good nutrition.
''Today's society has just not worked out what role food plays - it's a luxury, it's glorified, it's a crutch, it's therapy, and not enough emphasis is put on new parents for taking the responsibility for what kids eat. The responsibility for creating the right food lifestyle for your family, no one talks about that at all.''


text:
Southampton and West Brom played out a goalless draw as Ronald Koeman's first home game in charge of Saints failed to usher in an exciting new era.
Both sides resisted the urge to bring in their big-money summer strikers as Shane Long and Brown Ideye were left warming the Southampton and West Brom benches respectively.
The duo came on, but could not make telling contributions, with Baggies boss Alan Irvine no doubt the happier of the two managers to settle for a share of the spoils.
In such a tight game the lingering question was all too obvious. Could Adam Lallana or Rickie Lambert, both sold to Liverpool over the summer, have unlocked a West Brom defence that was more sturdy than the one which conceded twice to Sunderland last weekend?
Koeman brought in Graziano Pelle and Dusan Tadic to cushion the blow of losing his England international duo but, despite signs of sharpness from the latter, neither could take on the mantle of Southampton's match-winner.
The game proved to be a missed opportunity for the new manager and his own recruits to show Saints fans they are moving on from a summer of upheaval.
Having impressed for large parts of their opening defeat at Liverpool, Koeman warned other clubs would have taken note of how good his side are.
But it was the visitors who started well at St Mary's, with Irvine's charges also looking to make an impact.
Baggies' captain Chris Brunt had a shout for a penalty as early as the second minute, but referee Roger East was unmoved as the Northern Irishman fell inside the area while looking to turn the Southampton defence.
Brunt was involved again shortly afterwards as his cross was met by Victor Anichebe, who reacted quickest to swing a boot at the ball, only to see his effort fly wide.
With former West Brom striker Long again only starting from the bench for Koeman's side, fellow summer signing Pelle was given the responsibility of operating as the main forward.
The former Italy Under-21 international had Southampton's first chance of the game, but could only glance an eighth-minute header wide of a post.
But again it was the travelling fans who saw their side come close to breaking the deadlock as Graeme Dorrans had his low shot bravely blocked by Saints captain Jose Fonte.
Southampton started to turn the tide in their favour and it was Jonas Olsson who had to block Pelle's effort after good work down the left by Ryan Bertrand.
Pelle was again involved as Tadic's cross drifted just too high for the ex-Feyenoord man to reach, with West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster caught in no-man's land after a mix-up with Andre Wisdom.
England international Foster was on hand to make the first real save of the game as he pushed away Tadic's close-range effort after the Serbia international had done well to initially win the ball back.
Long was introduced at the break in place of Steven Davis, with Ideye brought on for his Baggies debut 10 minutes later.
But it was Tadic who wasted the best chance in the early stages of the second half, drifting inside unchallenged before rolling a tame shot at Foster.
West Brom hit their hosts on the break and Sebastien Pocognoli's deep cross was headed into the side-netting by Ideye.
That proved to be Pocognoli's last contribution as the Belgium international was forced off, with Jason Davidson, another debutant, taking his place.
Tadic was proving to be the man most likely to make something happen and he came close to his first Saints goal after drilling Long's knock-down narrowly wide.
With Southampton starting to ask more questions, James Ward-Prowse hit the outside of a post with a bending free-kick, with Foster seemingly well-beaten.
Irvine's side were dangerous when they went forward and Ideye continued to impress as he turned Fonte inside the box and forced the best save of the match out of a sprawling Fraser Forster.
But neither side could fashion a chance to take all three points with a late winner, with a point apiece a fair reflection of a forgettable afternoon.
Source: PA


text:
FORMER Essendon forward Kyle Reimers, still just 23, has turned his back on the opportunity to play for Carlton and a continued career in the AFL.
Carlton had sought and received permission for Reimers to train with the club, but the erratic and talented forward, who was delisted by Essendon, did not ever turn up at training with the Blues and has indicated that he does not wish to be picked in the pre-season or rookie drafts.
Reimers is believed to be eyeing his old WAFL club Peel Thunder in preference to playing for one of the AFL's most famous clubs.
Carlton had earmarked a position in the rookie draft for Reimers, who showed considerable ability with Essendon in his 60 games, but fell out of the side this year. The Blues will look at other options for the rookie draft spot they had planned to use on Reimers, who did not make the trip on the club's altitude camp in Arizona.
The Blues are somewhat surprised by Reimers' decision, given that most players in his position would be desperate to continue in the AFL.
Reimers managed only six games in 2012 and was among a host of fringe players who were not offered contracts by Essendon, as the club made a significant cull of their list, taking a harder line on several players who had played a fair amount of senior football, including Ricky Dyson, Brent Prismall, Sam Lonergan, Henry Slattery and Reimers, with Angus Monfries traded to Port Adelaide.
Reimers, drafted by the Bombers in 2007 when he was just 17, booted 27 goals in 15 games last year, including hauls of 8 and 6 against Gold Coast and Richmond, but he regressed this season.
Carlton's tight salary cap meant the Blues were quiet during the month-long free agency and trade period, when they resolved to keep the first-round draft pick, No. 11, which was eventually used on the highly talented Troy Menzel, rated as a top-three talent by most clubs, but who fell to pick 11 as a result of a knee injury that is likely to require surgery at some stage.