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Bleach Cosplay
Gotei Squad Cosplay
Cosplay any of the 13 members of the Gotei Squad with one of these awesome cosplay costumes. Get 12 of your friends together and dominate your next con.
The Gotei 13 Division Imperial Guards also called the 13 Court Guard Squads in America, is the central organization which most Soul Reapers join. It is split into thirteen divisions, duh. So if you want to cosplay Gotei Squad you should really get a bunch of people together and have each division represented.
If you need some cosplay help check out our Cosplay Blog!
Cosplay Locator - Burn your "real clothes"!
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[Update – February 6th: If you've upgraded already – head over to the download page again – we've provided a refresh of the SDK to correct an issue some developers have reported.]
With the successful launch of BlackBerry 10, we now turn our attention to letting developers know what to expect from the BlackBerry 10 SDK when it comes to the BlackBerry Q10. Up until the BlackBerry 10 launch event, details on this device had been much like those of the majestic Yeti. But fear not, all details on the device have now been revealed and we're ready for you to start testing apps on the device.
I'm very happy to announce that we now have updated versions of the BlackBerry 10 SDKs available for download. The main purpose of these SDK updates is to ensure that the development runtimes have proper support for the physical keyboard and screen size and to provide simulators so that developers can start testing their applications on the 720×720 screen resolution.
The details of the SDK additions are posted on the online roadmaps for each of the runtimes. The focus of these SDK updates is not on net new functionality, but instead around updates needed to support the 1:1 form factor, and screen resolution, allowing you to easily build a single application for both the full touch and physical keyboard devices. We'll also be performing demonstrations, sessions and labs at BlackBerry JAM Europe to show you how to provide a single application for both the BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry Q10 devices with very little effort. In fact, in most cases your app will simply work right out of the box, but you can also easily make Q10 specific tweaks to your application using our built in framework additions.
This release brings with it an updated Q10 Simulator, but no SDK OS update for the BlackBerry Dev Alpha testing devices. The SDK update is specifically targeted at providing testing support using the BlackBerry Q10 simulator and BlackBerry Dev Alpha C testing devices (which are currently only available in the hands-on lab sessions at BlackBerry JAM Europe).
There's updated SDK downloads for Native and AIR, as well as on-device updates for the Android and BlackBerry WebWorks runtimes. So grab the latest Simulators and SDK downloads to start testing your application for the BlackBerry Q10!

subset: commoncrawl


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For Billion-Dollar Companies, Venture Deals Outstrip Going Public
Venture investors and the public markets are increasingly out of sync.
Private financing rounds that valued U.S. venture-backed companies at $1 billion or more were four times as common through the first half of this year as initial public offerings where market capitalizations reached that threshold, according to a VentureWire analysis.
It is the widest gap on record between venture rounds and IPOs for billion-dollar companies. More deals were done at $1 billion-plus valuations in the first half of this year than in any other full year on record.
Private companies with significant revenue that in earlier times would have sought to go public are instead willing and able to remain private. Such companies are able to talk about the incredible speed at which they are growing, and they are finding late-stage investors that are willing to listen.
"The founders and entrepreneurs are not in a rush to take a company public, and if there's an investment they can take as a private company, they lean in that direction," said Neeraj Agrawal , a general partner at Battery Ventures. Battery has several billion-dollar private companies in its portfolio, including AppDynamics Inc., Nutanix Inc. and Wayfair LLC.
Investors valued U.S. venture-backed companies at $1 billion or more in 24 direct-equity investment deals in the first six months of this year, up from 14 such deals last year, according to data from Dow Jones VentureSource. This year's deals have included Uber Technologies Inc ., which was valued at $18.2 billion in its latest financing. Secondary transactions weren't included in the analysis.
(Find a list of recent private deals at The Wall Street Journal's Billion-Dollar-Club Graphic.)
During the same period, just six companies with venture investors mustered valuations of at least $1 billion at the time of their IPOs, on pace with 2013, the data show.
This is the first time that the market is in favor of private mega-valuations to such a degree since at least 1992, when VentureSource began collecting data.
Even if these companies are holding out and staying private for as long as they can, at some point their investors will have to sell their holdings.
"How do you get liquid is the first question," said Ian Sigalow , a partner at Greycroft Partners . "If you are investing at a valuation of X billion, you need an outcome that is two to three times X billion in order to make the math work."
It is unclear whether the enthusiasm from private investors for some of these businesses is shared by the public markets.
Silver Spring Networks . was valued at $1.28 billion in a private deal in 2009. It went public last year with a market capitalization of $754 million. It is now valued at about $500 million.
That hasn't deterred Google Ventures, an investor in Silver Spring, to continue backing a range of private companies at valuations above $1 billion.
"There is always a risk that an investment might go up or down in value. Being a public stock doesn't change that. The same is true for private companies. They might be worth more or less at their next round of funding," said Bill Maris, a managing partner at Google Ventures.
Other companies have maintained high valuations after going public. Twitter Inc. was valued at $8.4 billion in a private deal in 2011, then went public in 2013 at a market cap of $14.4 billion, and GoPro Inc . had a valuation of $2.25 billion in a private transaction in 2012, followed by an IPO this June at a $3.48 billion market cap.
Being valued at $1 billion or more once was rare in the industry. Even in the go-go years of the technology bubble, huge valuations for private companies were less common. In 1999, five deals valued U.S. venture-backed companies above $1 billion, and in 2000, 11 such deals took place. IPOs at that time were much more likely to generate mega-valuations. In 1999, 28 companies priced IPOs at a market cap of $1 billion or more, and in 2000, 38 did so.
In recent years, high-growth business models and the availability of late-stage capital have made huge private valuations more common, venture investors said.
Some companies have been able to reach consumers very quickly through smartphones and social networks. Several, including Uber, Pinterest Inc., and Airbnb Inc., raised capital at valuations well above $1 billion this year in part because they are able to draw in customers quickly through mobile and social outlets.
Private investors may value such growth more than public investors, and it is unclear how profitable the private businesses are.
"The general working assumption is that the public market would prefer a company that has bottomed out and is tending toward break-even or at break-even. Private markets are OK if the losses are increasing," Mr. Agrawal said.
Private funding rounds also aren't subject to many of the pressures that public offerings face, such as roadshows, short-sellers, press scrutiny and public disclosures of financial data. This can allow private valuations to balloon.
"There's a bias happening," Mr. Agrawal said.
The availability of late-stage capital from hedge funds and mutual funds that has rushed into the private market is enabling many companies to stay private longer. Later-stage venture rounds garnered $9.24 billion in the second quarter of 2014, a 91% increase from a year earlier, according to VentureSource.
Write to Yuliya Chernova at firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ychernova


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Who are the perpetrators?
Sexual abusers of children make up a heterogeneous group. They come from diverse social strata and cannot be attributed to any group of geographical origin.
Most perpetrators are male, but female sex offenders are not as rare as commonly believed.
Approximately 70% of perpetrators know their victims before abuse takes place, and fall into the first two categories listed below. Some hold prominent positions in the community and use their status to gain easy access to children and the trust of their families.


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At the California Science Center, we strive to provide our visitors with fun, exciting and inspiring science experiences both in the Science Center and on our website. To ensure that you can enjoy all we offer on our site, we have included our privacy policy summary below.
Our Web server collects general user information so we can calculate how many visitors come to our site, which links they use to find us and which of our features are used most frequently. However, we do not use general user information to track the activities of individual visitors, and our Web server will never collect personal identifying information (such as an email address) from you without your knowledge. This information is defined as electronically collected information, under Government Code 11015.5. Under Government Code § 11015.5, if you choose, you may have any personal information collected about you discarded without reuse or distribution, provided we are contacted in a timely fashion. In order to request that we discard your transaction log information, see the contact information below.
If you choose to use any of the forms on our site, none of the information you enter on our site is ever sold to other businesses or institutions. However, if you register as a Member of the California Science Center Foundation, we may share your mailing address with other non-profit organizations for one-time special mailings that we have determined to be of interest to Members. Upper-level Members (Pioneer and Partners in Learning) are not included in list exchanges. Upon request, Members can have their name/address removed from list exchanges. Member email addresses are never shared, traded or sold.
Please note that we do not collect personal identifying information from children 13 and under. However, parents can enter personal information about their children when using online registration for education programs or other Science Center events. Any personal information collected through online registration of children will be kept in a secure database and will not be shared with other businesses or organizations.
If you choose to submit comments to be posted in an online exhibit, we will only post the information you provide with your comment—we will not post your email address. Children ages 13 and under are allowed to participate in and post to our online exhibits, but we will not post identifying information such as last names or email addresses for children.
Please note that our privacy policy is subject to change at any time. If any changes are made in the policy, this page will be updated to reflect the change. Your privacy is of utmost importance to us, and we will always do our best to preserve it.
As a state entity, the California Science Center is vigilant to protect any and all personal, sensitive or confidential information against risks such as inappropriate or unauthorized access, modification and loss. At the same time, public information access must be appropriately observed. This is true of all media types, including paper and data. The California Science Center and Exposition Park Office of Park Management have implemented Information Security and Privacy Policy and Guidelines to address administrative, technical, physical security safeguards for
- Confidential Information — Information maintained by state agencies that is exempt from disclosure under the provisions of the California Public Records Act (PRA), or other applicable state or federal laws. Examples include personally identifying information, security-related information, policy drafts, and some department financial information.
- Personal Information — Information maintained by state agencies that identifies or describes an individual. That is, documents or databases that include information that is "a unique identifier" to an individual. Examples of this type of information include but are not limited to: Social Security Number, driver's license number, financial account number, medical information, address, and phone.
- Public Information — Information maintained by state agencies that is not exempt from disclosure under the PRA, or other applicable state or federal laws.
- Sensitive Information — Information maintained by state agencies that requires special precautions to protect it from unauthorized modification or deletion. Sensitive information may be public; typically, sensitive information includes agency records of financial transactions and regulatory actions.
Protection of Personal Information
We strive to protect personal information against loss, unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification or transfer. The California Science Center employees responsible for the collection, use, maintenance, and/or dissemination of records containing personal information are trained to take appropriate precautions, including but not limited to authentication, monitoring, auditing, and encryption to ensure that proper administrative, technical, and physical safeguards are established and followed in order to protect the confidentiality of such information. Employees are trained to remove or redact personal information when data disclosures are necessary.
Individuals have a right to access information about themselves and may request a correction of any inaccuracies. In order to request access or correction of your information, see the contact information below.
If you would like to obtain a complete copy of the current State Security and Privacy Program Guidelines, you may contact the Office of the President.
Office of the President—Attn: Privacy Policy Request
California Science Center
700 Exposition Park Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90037
EMAIL: Attn: Privacy Policy Request email@example.com


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TORONTO (Reuters) - Director Jason Reitman, known for snappily written modern-day comedies like "Up in the Air" and "Juno," tackles unfamiliar territory with his new feature "Labor Day," a fugitive love story set in 1980s small-town America.
Adapted by Reitman from the 2009 novel by Joyce Maynard, the film centers on an agoraphobic single mother, played by Kate Winslet, and her 13-year-old son. Their lives are reshaped over a 1987 holiday weekend when an escaped convict, portrayed by Josh Brolin, forces them to shelter him from authorities.
The film, which premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, is a departure from Reitman's other offerings, which have taken a generally tongue-in-cheek look at issues such as teenage pregnancy, corporate lobbyists and the frequent-flyer lifestyle.
But the 35-year-old Montreal native and son of director Ivan Reitman said he wasn't setting out to change lanes in a career that has already netted him two best director Oscar nominations.
"I wasn't looking to make a shift," he said at a press conference.
"Strangely, I think underneath it all this film is similar to my other works in that they're about atypical heroes."
The film received a rare round of applause at a press and industry screening in Toronto, and might be positioned for Academy Awards notice with a Christmas Day release date - prime time for films hoping to get awards consideration - as well as its premiere at a festival known for launching Oscar contenders.
However, early reviews have been mixed, with Variety critic Peter Debruge calling it a powerful but contrived romance that has the potential to be a holiday sleeper hit.
Guardian reviewer Catherine Shoard said the film was "brilliantly executed" with accomplished performances from both Winslet and Brolin, but said it suffered from an "absurdity of circumstance."
"This is a heck of a potboiler to swallow whole," she wrote.
While the story is told through the perspective of 13-year-old Henry Wheeler (played by newcomer Gattlin Griffith), it is the evolving relationship between Brolin's Frank Chambers and Winslet's Adele Wheeler, that propels the story forward.
Adele, barely able to leave the house following a crushing divorce, reluctantly takes son Henry out shopping for back-to-school clothes, when a strange man with blood on his shirt approaches, demanding that they give him a lift.
Once at Adele's home, Frank becomes both the captor and man-about-the-house for Adele and Henry. He ties Adele to a chair, but then tenderly spoon-feeds her chili; he forces Henry to turn away a man who comes to the door, but then shows him how to throw a curve ball.
While flashbacks reveal both Adele and Frank's pasts, the present-day story unfolds at a steady pace, all set in small-town New Hampshire with neighbors who don't knock and cops that troll the streets for kids skipping school.
For Brolin, who's no stranger to rough-cut characters in films such as "No Country for Old Men" and "True Grit," preparation for the role involved learning how to make a pie from scratch, necessary for a lengthy scene where the main characters bond over pie crust and a bowl of peaches.
"I got good. I'd send emails out with pictures of my pies," said Brolin, noting that he regularly brought in practice pies for cast members, crew and teamsters working on the site.
Reitman added: "Josh is a picture of masculinity, but you'd show up at his door and he'd be in an apron, and he'd be so excited to tell you about the crust he achieved that day."
"He'd give pies to everybody and it really was exciting at first, but at a certain point you'd see the pie and you'd go running."
Editing by Eric Walsh


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Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Going After the Cows and a Lifelong Munchie Habit
2 comments:
- Elizabeth said...
Maybe the reason I liked to go get the cows was (1) I felt very grown-up and responsible as Mother schooled me on various aspects of the job - wear my straw hat, carry a willow switch, watch out for snakes, if there was lightning, curl up as small as possible in a ditch, etc. and (2) there was always something to take - dried apricots were my especial favorite, but I would settle for raisins. Food that was purchased was carefully meted out, so these two items from the store were special. I really loved that job!
- April 21, 2011 at 8:47 AM
- Judy said...
When it came my turn to head the round up, it was still dried apricots and occasionly we would suck on an ice cube wrapped in a clean hankie at the beginning of the trip. It is welcoming to me to hear of the little details from the past that are still with us in one form or another.
- April 21, 2011 at 7:52 PM


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Plan for 240 Kestrel Nest Boxes in Neighbourhood of 240 miles of Highway
The Kestrel Highways Project is a Hawk and Owl Trust research project designed to discover whether lack of nesting sites is the reason for the falcon's dramatic decline.
Backed by funding from the renowned conservationist Dr Luc Hoffmann, it aims to establish whether providing nest boxes within suitable feeding habitats will help to reverse the falcon's population slump.
The kestrel is an iconic bird for motorists as it hovers above the rough grassland on roadside verges, looking for prey.
It is, however, no longer the most common bird of prey in the UK.
Buzzards and sparrowhawks are now thought to be more numerous, according to the report on the status of the UK's birds of prey, 'On a Wing and a Prayer' (see page 8 of the report). It found that the kestrel had declined by a fifth between 1994 and 2005. To read or download the report | Click Here
The Trust's plan is to provide vital nest boxes for kestrels in the vicinity of major roads in the UK, but not on them.
Trust staff and volunteers, including local members' groups, have been selecting suitable sites (with landowners' permission) for nest boxes along a 10-mile stretch ( one box per mile) of each of the roads identified in the project.
The nestboxes are then monitored in the spring to check occupation by breeding kestrels.
The target is 240 nest boxes along 240 miles of major roads in the United Kingdom.
"We want to see whether lack of nesting sites is the missing link – the reason for this roadside hunter's worrying decline," explained the project's national co-ordinator, trustee Major Nigel Lewis, who is also responsible for the section along the A303.
Major Lewis and his group have made a great impact with the kestrel nestboxes they have put up on Salisbury Plain and around South Wiltshire in the last three decades.
Most are now regularly occupied by breeding kestrels and last year there were 54 pairs. Nigel has drawn on this experience in devising the Kestrel Highways project.
"In most case the nest boxes we will be putting up for the project will be mounted in trees, except in North Yorkshire.
"There our pilot project is taking place where the A171 crosses the Trust's Fylingdales Moor conservation area, with no suitable trees. So we'll be mounting boxes on poles instead," he said.
"The results at the different sites and associated habitat will provide valuable data on the factors that affect the breeding ecology of these falcons."
Results to date:
Kestrel pairs are faithful to their nesting site, once chosen they return year after year. It follows that new sites will only be taken either by Kestrels that have been displaced from their usual site (tree fallen down, etc.) or of course, by new breeding pairs. It takes time to get them occupied and especially now as the BTO has evidence that they are in serious decline. The results below show our progress so far.
|Boxes Used
|Young Ringed
For more information on this project click on these articles previously published in Peregrine – the Hawk and Owl Trust Magazine
Supporters can contribute by reporting sightings of kestrels in the project areas. That will help the Trust to get an idea about whether the new nest boxes are doing the trick. To report a sighting on one of the target roads | Click Here
Update on Target Roads
Nest boxes had been put up along the following stretches of road:
- A24, Worthing through Low Weald Area, West Sussex
- A303, Mere to Amesbury, Wiltshire
- A38, Bedminster Down, Bristol to Bridgwater, Somerset
- A38, Alveston to Hardwicke, Gloucestershire
- A370, from Bristol to Congresbury (where we have 10 boxes)
- A46 Swainswick, Bath to Horton, South Gloucestershire
- A420 Wick, South Gloucestershire, to Chippenham, Wiltshire
- B4058, Frampton Cotterell to Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire
- A148, Felbrigg Hall to Little Snoring, Norfolk
- A171, Harwood Dale to Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire
- B1416, from A171 to Sneaton Moor, North Yorkshire
- A40/A465, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, to Longtown, Hereford
- A75, Newton Stewart to Gatehouse of Fleet, Dumfries & Galloway
Further Info
The kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) can be seen hovering at the roadside, but is less common than in the recent past.
Providing nest boxes and other artificial nest sites for birds of prey to breed is a vital part of the Hawk and Owl Trust's conservation work.


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This curriculum uses an inquiry-based Earth system science approach, and leverages Project BudBurst, a citizen science phenology project, to engage students in authentic research on plant and ecosystem responses to climate change. Students collect... (View More) local data then analyze that data in the context of NASA regional and global data sets and satellite imagery to understand their data in personal, regional, and global contexts. The curriculum is divided into four units: The Earth as a System; Identifying the key changing conditions of the Earth system; Earth system responses to natural and human induced changes; and Predicting the consequences of changes for human civilization. Each unit consists of several activities with accompanying teacher answer sheets. (View Less)
In this unit, students investigate temperature cycles, tree rings, CO2 records, and the effects of CO2 on temperature, precipitation and cloud cover to determine the impacts of changing climate on forests. After gathering and analyzing local data,... (View More) students examine regional impacts and differences. The unit is one of four under the Chicago Botanic Garden curriculum entitled, "Climate Change in My Backyard." (View Less)
This unit focuses on local plant species; students learn to identify common species and will examine their life cycle characteristics as evidence of climate change. Through the use of the national citizen science project titled Project BudBurst,... (View More) students explore the impacts of climate variation on plant species distribution. The unit is one of four under the Chicago Botanic Garden curriculum entitled, "Climate Change in My Backyard." (View Less)


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NWSB Insider and Oregon Ducks football blogger Matt Martz tells us about Oregon football offense and explains the tempo, that talent and quick play calling. What is the visual system all about? What of the ESPN personalities. The Oregon signs if you will? The play calling placards, the signal boards. Chip Kelly has some weird stuff up his sleeve. Signs have made their way onto the football field.
What Happened to those wacky Oregon Ducks play call placards?
February 13, 2012 By


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For Patricia Willis, life has always been about
education. From the time she received eye-opening curriculum and instruction at
Andrew Jackson High School in Jacksonville, the now deputy superintendent of
Duval County Public Schools (DCPS) knew she wanted to be an educator.
"[My teachers] instilled in me the confidence to trust my
own thinking," Willis said. She wanted to follow the same path as her teachers
to inspire others and made the decision to become an educator herself. She
wanted to have a lasting positive impact on any student with whom she came in
contact – much like her teachers did with her. The lifelong educator said, "I
knew I wanted to be that type of teacher for my students."
After nearly 35 years in the DCPS district – first as a
teacher, then an administrator and now to her current role – Willis said she
has UNF to thank for providing the solid pathway.
Willis began her collegiate career at Tennessee State
University in Nashville, but after a semester, decided UNF was a better fit.
She came home to Jacksonville and majored in English literature and minored in
secondary education.
After graduating from UNF in 1977, Willis immediately
began teaching throughout the school district. Despite some very challenging
first assignments, Willis grew to love her new profession.
"My greatest challenge was identifying a role model and
mentor," she said of her early years in teaching. "That is why the competent
and caring faculty at UNF was so important to me. They willingly and
effectively filled the role of mentor, and I saw the possibilities of becoming
a teacher and educator who also could positively impact the lives of my
students and others around me."
Her passion for teaching and working with her students
helped her make the decision to transition from teacher to administrator –
Willis was a principal at three schools in the county before moving to deputy
Willis said her experience at UNF made a huge difference
in the type of educator she became. She learned by the example set by her
professors, administrators and fellow classmates.
"The dedicated, selfless, knowledgeable and willing
staff, above all, is what I loved about UNF," she said. "It was small enough
that I never felt like just a number or statistic. There was always someone
there to help, to provide assistance and to guide the way so others like me
could be successful. It was that one-on-one individual attention – that personal
touch that they were able to give – that so few universities are able to give
that made the difference for me."
Dr. Larry Daniel, dean of the College of Education and
Human Services (COEHS), has known Willis for more than a decade and said having
her as a partner in collaborative projects has been crucial for UNF to develop
programs within the school district.
"She provides the broad leadership that is needed to help
partner the two institutions," he said. "Pat Willis is an expert at developing
partnerships. She is greatly respected in the community to the extent that she
can pull together a diverse set of collaborators on any project. Her work has
been recognized by major organizations such as the Council of Great City
Schools and the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and she
was a 2009 finalist for the Florida Times-Union EVE Education Award. She
believes strongly in UNF and regularly finds ways to include UNF faculty and
students in major school district initiatives."
Willis has maintained a mutually beneficial relationship
with her alma mater and the nationally award-winning Professional Development
School Program, in particular. "She has been a key player in assuring that this
significant partnership has continued despite times of limited resources and
shifting priorities," Daniel said. The program trains teachers in urban
settings and ensures graduates have the work experience needed to become better
teachers for the children of Duval County.
Willis administers several community initiatives,
including the Neighborhood Learning Networks project, which is a collaborative
venture between the Florida Institute of Education at UNF, COEHS and the Duval
County School District. It focuses on increasing family engagement in childhood
learning throughout select urban areas of the county. The project also aims to
increase neighborhood-level collaborations with children and family social
service agencies, to develop firm connections with programs and services for
children and families and to improve children's academic and developmental
outcomes. Daniel said Willis was a key player in the launch of the project.
She is currently leading a delegation of Duval County
administrators who are working collaboratively with COEHS graduate faculty and
administration to offer graduate programs better suited to the needs of
teachers and students in the school district.
"One of my goals has been to make sure that I make a
difference for the children of Duval County," Willis said. "I want to ensure
that every child has an opportunity for high-quality education and to have in
front of them a teacher who is skilled, equipped and successful."
After three and a half decades working in education,
Willis said teaching and education have become her life's work. She said she
can trace every bit of passion her back to the spark that was ignited while
learning at UNF.
"It has been said that, if you can find your passion and
do what you love, you will never work a day in your life. I fell in love with
teaching because I saw how one teacher could make a difference in so many lives
that would eventually touch so many others."


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At far left is Tressa, the aunt who, as an adult, related the following story to me.
At near left is Billy, the boy in the story, probably at about the age when the lamb was at the farm.
My father once told the story of a lamb who lived on the farm in Stoneboro, Pennsylvania, where he grew up. When the lamb grew larger, it began to butt the children in the neighborhood while they waited for the bus. (I question my memory: were there school buses to take rural Stoneboro children to school in mid-1920s?) However it was, he talked about this half-grown sheep butting the children.
I was interested in this story and so asked Aunt Tressa, Dad's half sister who grew up with him on the farm, if she remembered the lamb. This is the story she told me.
The White family lived in our neighborhood. They raised sheep. The lambs were born early in the spring. A mother died – leaving her little lamb an orphan. Mr. White asked if we wanted to raise it. Of course, we did. Baby lambs are so soft and frisky – especially if they are "boy lambs."I've never had a lamb but I can imagine how much fun it would be and how frisky, soft, and cuddly it could be. I didn't have the photograph of Bill when I first heard this story but could easily imagine Bill's "little fat hand" in front of the lamb and how much fun it was for both Bill and the rest of the family to see the lamb interact with Bill and the other children. I can also imagine how terrifying it could have been to see a child have the wind knocked out of him by a partly-grown lamb running, head down, to butt him.
We named our lamb Sambo and fed him warm milk from a bottle and nipple. He was very playful. Bill was quite young at this time. He loved Sambo and would hold his little fat hand up so Sambo would back up then make a run for Bill's hand to "bunt it."
This was great fun until Sambo was about half grown. His playing took on a different nature. When he saw Bill in the yard he would attack him from the back. He would put his head down, while running toward Bill, and would knock him down. We all enjoyed watching Sambo attack Bill until Sambo became big enough to hurt him. That is when we gave him back to White's so Sambo could join his own family of sheep.
I was grateful to hear the story from another person and hear additional memories.
Do you have "animal stories" from your family?


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Find schools and get information on the program that's right for you.
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Aaron CoplandBiography
Copland began music lessons at the age of 17 with eminent teacher and composer Rubin Goldmark. During the early 1920s, he studied in France under the legendary teacher and conductor Nadia Boulanger. It was for Boulanger's first American appearance that Copland composed his Symphony for Organ and Orchestra
With a thorough background of academic musical training behind him, Copland began composing in quite technically advanced styles, influenced by such European contemporaries as Igor Stravinsky and Arnold Schoenberg. He then turned to his own land for inspirations: to pioneering life in the Appalachian Mountains and the Wild West, to jazz, and the music of African-Americans. He successfully combined these influential sources with his own highly professional skills to produce music that was beautifully polished but that clearly resonated with an American voice. Copland's music is as vast and magnificent as the land that inspired it.
In addition to his composing skills, Copland was also a brilliant pianist- he recorded his own piano concerto - and a gifted conductor. Later in life he toured extensively, his programs by no means being confined to his own music. In 1936, he founded the American Composer's Alliance for promotion of new music.
Copland joined the staff of Berkshire Music Center, Tanglewood, Massachusetts, in 1940, where he subsequently taught for 25 years. Just a few years later his ballet, Appalachian Spring, won a Pulitzer Prize.
Aaron Copland died on 2 December, 1990, a few weeks after his 90th birthday.
contributed by Gifford, Katya


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posted by Jonathan Swift
West Main Artists Co-op will host a month-and-a-half long "Open Doors" exhibit — Nov. 16-Dec. 30 — at which the general public can see the gathered and finished work of 44 local artists. On Thursday, Nov. 16, which is Spartanburg's monthly ArtWalk, about two dozen of the artists will be in their studios demonstrating how they create everything from jewelry and pottery to watercolor paintings and sculptures. Regular viewing the exhibits — Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. — and touring the demonstrations during ArtWalk are free.
Learn more about this event
Paintings | Ceramics | Printmaking | Jewelry | Photography | Fiber Arts | Sculpture | Glass Work | and Much More!
Copyright (c) 2017 West Main Artists Co-op. All rights reserved. | 578 West Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29301 | Member Login


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United States senator, undersecretary of state, federal appellate judge. James L. Buckley tells the story of his improbable transformation from a highly private businessman/lawyer into his "unplanned life" as probably the only American now alive who has served in a high office in each branch of the federal government. This thoughtful conservative provides an insider's insights into many of the critical problems that continue to face our country.
Additional Information
|ISI Books
|What They're Saying...
"You have never read a book like this. A first-class litigator and brilliant interviewer, Wendy White, probes and keeps probing one of the quietest of the most interesting people of our time, Jim Buckley, Senator, President of Radio Liberty and Radio Free Europe during a key period in the liberation of Europe from Soviet Communism, Federal Judge, and all-around good man. Judge Buckley adds informative and entertaining notes throughout, explaining parts of the hidden background that readers might want to know. A warm, often wryly funny, wonderfully illuminating tale about one of the most remarkable families of the last century."
"A truly splendid memoir. Buckley is, in turn, candid, reflective, and revealing-as well as humorous. Having served in all three branches of the federal government (as rare these days as the Ivory-billed Woodpecker), Buckley calls his career 'an unplanned life'. But 'character is destiny,' as the ancient Greeks told us, and character determined his life course. Once can understand why his brother, Bill, refers to the model American as 'sainted.'"
"What a pleasure it is to savor the work product of an interrogator who asks probative questions and a respondent who provides thoughtful answers! In these interviews Wendy White and Judge Buckley worked like very dry vermouth and very good gin. The result: a very good read. We get a good look at un homme serieux who doesn't take himself too damn seriously. His reflections on the judicial process struck me as especially wise."
"His thoughtful observations on each branch are uncommonly insightful, keenly intelligent, marked by a delightful sense of humor, and also, in my view, dead-on. Agree with Jim Buckley or not, the reader will certainly come away better for having been exposed to his thinking and, regardless of political persuasion, the reader will likely come away both appreciative of the fact that we once had such a quality figure in public office and wishing that we would soon see his likes again."
"The book is lively with newspaper clips, photographs, excerpts of one sort or another. But its backbone is the five interviews in which the lively lady examiner gets from the diffident public servant a narrative text disclosing his views on public matters. Buckley, in a distinctive way, tells his story and keeps alive the family tradition for introducing wit in one's narrative, and for acknowledging, with extraordinary gentility, the views of others who come to different conclusions."
"This book should be read by anyone, liberal or conservative, seeking to learn more about the impact of conservatism on American politics in the last 40 years. Jim Buckely was present at the creation of modern conservatism and remains an articulate, informed and experienced defender of conservative principles."
"It is time we review a book that offers hope for a civil and intelligent future for the United States. Such a book is not easy to find, but we have one:…A country that can produce a man like James L. Buckley and see him rise to an important position in public life must have some chance of recovering from its present social squalor."
"Hard as it is to believe, the voters of New York, the state that in recent years has adorned the U.S. Senate with the twin gifts of Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton, once sent that esteemed body a man who is ill at ease when asked to name his proudest achievement in the Senate.
"[A] fascinating refresher on recent political history, while providing a wealth of Buckley's common sense on economic, cultural, political and legal topics that New Yorkers desperately need to hear."
"Simply being a member of America's leading conservative family would make Buckley's story interesting. But his career has enabled him to have a front-row seat for most of the important political controversies of the past 40 years. His memoirs are long overdue… [A] valuable book that substantially adds to our knowledge of the history of American Conservatism."
|Eligible for Readers Club Discount


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Item Description
$200 Reward!
Author: Williams, G. D.
Date: June 7, 1860
Wanted poster of two slaves from Saline County, Missouri. Includes the names and descriptions of the two slaves. Poster is on display in the Kansas Museum of History, Topeka, Kansas.
Location of Original: KSHS Call Number: Port Vault K 326 W672t 1860
Item Number: 100104 Number of images: 1
Keywords: African Americans; Broadsides; Fugitive slaves; Missouri; Money; Slavery; Slaves
pg. 1


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Washington, DC - The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today issued an Order filing and simultaneously settling charges against Velocity Futures, LLC (Velocity), a registered Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) headquartered in Houston, Texas, for failing to comply with the minimum financial requirements for FCMs.
According to the Order, Velocity failed to meet its minimum adjusted net capital requirement because it failed to properly account for certain events relating to two arbitration awards issued by the National Futures Association (NFA) on June 16, 2011, against Velocity and its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and Velocity's subsequent settlement of those awards for $2 million. Pursuant to that settlement, Velocity agreed to pay a $1 million lump payment, and Velocity's CEO agreed to pay the remaining $1 million over 24 months. According to the Order, Velocity paid and properly accounted for the original $1 million lump sum payment. However, Velocity also paid the remaining installments on behalf of its CEO pursuant to the CEO's indemnification claims. According to the Order, it was reasonable and probable, under generally accepted accounting principles, that the $1 million in deferred payments owed by Velocity's CEO was, in fact, a liability of Velocity and should have been recorded as such on Velocity's financial statements.
The Order further finds that Velocity received an $800,000 cash infusion from its parent company that it improperly classified as a subordinated loan. Under CFTC Rules, proceeds from a subordinated loan may be included in a company's assets in calculating adjusted net capital. According to the Order, however, Velocity's classification of this cash infusion was improper, because it was not made pursuant to a valid subordinated loan agreement that was approved by NFA, as required by CFTC Rules. Consequently, according to the Order, the cash infusion should have been treated as a non-subordinated loan and should not have been counted towards Velocity's adjusted net capital requirements
According to the Order, once Velocity properly accounted for these events, it failed to meet its minimum adjusted net capital requirement for 264 days, from June 16, 2011 to March 6, 2012.
The Order imposes a $300,000 civil monetary penalty and a cease and desist order on Velocity for these violations.
The CFTC appreciates the assistance of NFA.
CFTC Division of Enforcement staff responsible for this action are Tom Simek, Jeff Le Riche, Rick Glaser, and Richard Wagner. Tom Bloom, Kurt Harms, Jan Ripplinger, and Lauren Fulks of the CFTC's Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight also assisted in this matter.


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The Kroger Co. contributed $3.2 million to the USO in 2013.The funds were raised through the company's Honoring Our Heroes sales event in May and customer contributions collected at check stands through the summer and fall.
"Kroger is honored and privileged to support our service men and women through our partnership with the USO," said Lynn Marmer, Kroger's group vice president for corporate affairs. "And we are humbled by the generosity our customers have shown through their participation in Kroger's Honoring Our Heroes campaign and by donating spare change or rounding up their purchases at cash registers."
The Kroger family of stores, in partnership with customers, associates and vendors, has donated a total of $8.4 million to the USO since 2010.
All of the funds raised support the broad range of programs and services the USO provides to service members, their families, wounded, ill and injured troops, and veterans. A private, nonprofit organization, the USO provides programs, services and entertainment events to enhance the quality of life for America's military personnel and their families wherever they serve.
Kroger is also committed to hiring veterans. Since 2009, more than 21,200 veterans have joined the company. Last year Kroger joined more than 90 other companies in the "100,000 Jobs Mission." The program has a collective goal of hiring more than 100,000 transitioning service members and military veterans by 2020.
Kroger also makes it easy to support the troops online. By visiting www.honoringourheroes.com, customers can volunteer with the USO, make a donation or write a note to a service member.


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How wonderful the little connections that pile up in the day to day. Blanco has long had an interest in the German expressionist painters of the early twentieth century, and was interested to learn, while reading about them the other day that Caspar David Friedrich, the great Romantic painter of lonely figures cast against majestic landscapes, was resurrected by the expressionists after falling into obscurity during the latter part of his life (when he was deemed 'half-mad') and after his death in 1840. (Friedrich was also taken up by the Nazis, as embodying the concept of heroic individualism, but he can hardly be blamed for that, and would, in any case – had he lived in the 1930s and 40s –have been incarcerated by them as a madman.)
Samuel Beckett had a great love for the visual arts, and – largely as a consequence of a love affair – during the 1920s and 1930s made several trips to Germany, followed by a longer trip in 1936-7, in which his diaries detail extensive visits to art galleries.
It is interesting therefore, to learn that the author of Waiting for Godot, considered by many to exemplify the most profoundly pessimistic vision of humanity in Western literature, and the absurd insignificance of mankind, should have identified a work by Caspar David Friedrich as the inspiration for his play. According to his biographer, James Knowlson (whose work is based on extensive interviews with Beckett himself) the writer told his friend, theatre critic Ruby Cohn, while looking at the 1824 painting Mann und Frau den Mond betrachend (Man and Woman observing the Moon) in Berlin: "this was the source of Waiting for Godot, you know.
However things are rarely as simple as they appear. Beckett, it seems, might have been confusing two paintings, according to Knowlson, because "at other times he drew attention of friends to Zwei Männer betrachten den Mond (Two men contemplating the Moon) from 1819." As you can see, the two pictures are not wildly different (and there are various versions of both, it seems).
The point is, the image of the two tramps, Estragon and Valdimir gazing out over an alien landscape, makes a lot of sense in relation to these paintings.
But there is more.
Caspar David Friedrich is regarded as representing the apogee of the Romantic movement in the visual arts, setting down images of the Byronic hero, manfully facing down the forces of nature, the unknown, the abyss. Romanticism is precisely this: it arose at a period when the idea of God was being translated into the idea of nature. Poets set out on hikes into nature (Wordsworth and Coleridge tramping through Wales and the Lake District, Byron in the Alps writing Manfred . . . and with Shelley in Italy). Posh chaps didn't walk in the countryside until then – no one did except the peasant farmer and the humble shepherd – and suddenly 'Nature' was opened up as this vast, wild, unexplored terrain (which in turn informs an understanding of the Romantic Imagination).
According to the art critic Robert Hughes, in an article on Friedrich,
"If there is one word for the mood of Friedrich's pictures it is "longing": the desire, never satisfied, to escape from the secular conditions of life into union with a distant nature, to be absorbed in it, to become one with the Great Other, whether that other is a mountain crag, an ancient but enduring tree, the calm of a horizontal sea, or the stillness of a cloud."
How does this lead back to Beckett? Is Waiting for Godot, in essence, a play about longing? Longing for union with the godhead, with a distant nature, absorption with the Great Other, as conceived by a Romantic painter such as Friedrich?
Blanco can't say, in fact is rather bowled over by all this and in need of a lie down. Any comments welcome.


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There seems to be conflicting information about this season's Spanish strawberry crop. On one hand, it is clear that the high temperatures recorded in late 2015/very early 2016 have resulted in around 35-40% of the 300,000MT crop being harvested already, and this has according to some reports, pushed prices downwards by some 15%.
It seems, though, that, despite the earlier unseasonably warm weather, which certainly aided plant and fruit development, the 2016 acreage is 10% less than 2015's. Early varieties of strawberries, taking advantage of the good weather conditions, are looking assured (both in terms of quality and quantity), but it is the later varieties that are causing worries: temperatures generally declined in late January and this factor will now lead to a delay in their harvest, and this is likely to impact on the industrial processing of strawberries, and quality may be compromised. There is a chance, too, of a lower availability of clarified juices as these require more fruit. But it is still too early to have confirmation of this.
Meanwhile, we are noting that some prices – far from declining – are actually on the move upwards by some 5-7%.


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The Koln Concert (ECM; 1975)
2009 marked the 40th anniversary of ECM (Edition of Contemporary Music) Records, the eclectic and ethereal label from Munchen, Germany. The label exemplifies the beauty of performance and production. For days I have been trying to figure out my top ten ECM albums but it was getting too difficult and I thought it might end up looking more pompous than insightful. So I thought I would stick with one of the ECM albums I come back to time and time again. The one that always conjures up a deep emotional response. Keith Jarrett The Koln Concert (ECM) is a haunting and emotionally stark recording. Keith Jarrett is probably the most important pianist of the last 50 years.
The Koln Concert is a significant moment for ECM as the album would go on to sell millions. While a lot of the history behind this release talks about how the piano is horrible and not in tune, I have always felt this album shows the delicacy and reflectiveness of Keith Jarrett's compositions. Jarrett sounds like the great classical composers of Shostakovitch, Bach and even Schoenberg.
From the first and second movements, I have always been moved - they move beautifully up and down the scale like speed racing your friends on bikes all the way home before dinner. While the entire concert is a study in improvisation, the third and fourth movements show how that improvisation can be alluring and angelic and paint a lasting memory on the psyche for years to come. To me this is the statement record for Keith Jarrett. This is the album that say Keith Jarrett has now stepped into the same pantheon as Miles, Coltrane, Monk, Powell, Gillespie, et al.
I said a few weeks ago that I had been listening to The Vienna Concert quite regularly but I have always loved The Koln Concert for how it leaves an indelible mark for the love of jazz in your ears, heart and mind. Here's to ECM's 40 anniversary and the lush genius of Keith Jarrett's The Koln Concert.
Small bit of trivia: Do you know the very first ECM album released?


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I know they can't win. #SPECBut please do a David and Mary and survive long enough to bring smiles on my face every week so that the episode does not focus on #RACHEL, #BOPPER and #JOEY AND DANNY.Thank you.<33333333333333333333333333333
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Fungi necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 231 diseños de 74 diseñadores freelance.
Contraction Timer
We require a logo for our new website ContractionTimer/com, this will be a free online tool that allows women in labour and their partners to easily time contractions and their frequency, allowing them to accurately gauge when to leave for hospital or call the midwife. Users will be able to create an account, then easily time the length of contractions and the intervals. Results will be plotted on graphs, and the data shown in various editable formats, if required the data can be emailed or printed.
Generally couples who will be having a baby in the near future but also medical staff and midwives who can recommend the site to expectant mothers and their partners.
I require a logo that will be used primarily on our web site but also must be able to adapt to an iphone application icon. It must include the text Contraction Timer, either shown as one or two words (differentc colours). There must also be a graphic detail, this can be either separate from the text or incorporated in the text.
I would like to convey a up market image, with a clean and clear design. It should contain a good level of detail. Not cartoony, more funky Web 2.0 style, with a minimalist feel.
I have no preference in colour.
It should be engaging to the viewer and 'stand out' as a TRUSTED brand.
Visually, It should not be too contemporary or too traditional – TIMELESS.
Files in usual format vector etc
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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The Party and the Army: Civil-Military Relations in Cuba
June 30, 2014
William LeoGrande, Huffington Post
When Raúl Castro became president of Cuba in his own right in 2008, he replaced most of his brother Fidel's cabinet with ministers of his own choosing. In March 2009, he announced a sweeping reorganization of the government bureaucracy, replacing nine veteran ministers and firing Fidel's proteges, Carlos Lage, the de facto prime minister, and Felipe Pérez-Roque, the foreign minister. By 2012, across 26 ministries, only three of Fidel's appointees were still in office. Raúl's new ministers came from the ranks of experienced professionals, a number of them from the armed forces.
Today, eight ministries are led by career military officers, three of whom are still on active duty. Of the 10 vice-presidents of the Council of Ministers, five are active-duty or former career military officers, not counting Raúl himself. Of the 13 members of the Political Bureau of the Cuban Communist Party, four are active-duty generals and another is retired military, again not counting Raúl....


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Are parents an untapped resource in improving and reimagining K12 education in Kansas City? This study finds the majority of parents in the Kansas City area ready, willing and able to be more engaged in their childrens education at some level.
Are parents an untapped resource in improving and reimagining K12 education in Kansas City? What do they think would enhance student learning and what are they willing to do to help their children get the education they deserve? These are among the questions explored in an in-depth survey of 1,566 parents with children now in public school in the Kansas City metropolitan area. This study finds the majority of parents in the Kansas City area ready, willing and able to be more engaged in their childrens education at some level. For communities to reap the most benefit from additional parental involvement, it is important to understand that different parents can be involved and seek to be involved in different ways.
The results of this research, detailed in the following pages, show that nearly a third of the regions parents may be ready to take on a greater role in shaping how local schools operate and advocating for reform in K12 education. These parents say they would be very comfortable serving on committees focused on teacher selection and the use of school resources. Their sense of parental engagement extends beyond such traditional activities as attending PTA meetings, coaching sports, volunteering for bake sales, chaperoning school trips and seeing that their children are prepared for school each day. Yet, despite their broad interest in a deeper, more substantive involvement in shaping the regions school systems, relatively few of these potential transformers have actually participated in policy-oriented activities in the past year.
Moreover, this survey finds that even though the majority of parents seem less inclined to jump into school policy debates, many say they could do more to support local schools in the more traditional school parent roles.
This report portrays three distinct groups of parents:
Parents in the Kansas City area share many of the same goals, concerns and ideas about education and the schools, and many (about 23 percent, this study suggests) do not fall explicitly into any one of these three categories. Yet our hope is that understanding more about the characteristic thinking of these three specific groups can help school and district leaders, educators, funders and reformers reach out to them more effectively and plan programs that help them participate in the ways that best fit their needs.
This research also finds that, to some extent, parents views and experience differ across school districts. Since Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS), formerly the Kansas City Missouri School District, lost its accreditation in 2012, and since it is the only district in the region that allows charter schools, we take a special look (summarized in section five of this report) at the distinctive set of experi¬ences and concerns among KCPS parents. For example, the survey showsnot surprisingly, perhapsthat KCPS parents are particularly frustrated with the public schools and worried about their childrens education. At the same time, they remain optimistic that the right initiatives can mobilize parents to get more involved in their childrens education and help change the public schools.
"Ready, Willing and Able?" is based on 1,566 telephone surveys with a representative sample of parents whose children attend public schools in one of five Kansas City counties: Jackson, Cass, Clay and Platte counties in Missouri and Wyandotte County in Kansas. These counties were chosen to represent the geographic and socioeconomic diversity of the Kansas City metro¬politan area. Interviews were conducted from May 31 to July 3, 2012, by Clark Research, Inc., using both landline and cellular telephones, and respondents had the choice of completing the interviews in English or Spanish.
Statistical results reported here are weighted to balance the sample to known demographic characteristics of families with children under 18 in the region. The margin of sampling error for the complete set of weighted data is plus or minus 3.6 percentage points. It is higher, however, when comparing subgroups, or in questions that were asked of only some respondents. In addition to the survey, Public Agenda conducted eight focus groups with parents in the region. The methodology section at the end of this report provides detailed infor¬mation on the studys methodology and data analysis.
This document summarizes the survey findings and recommendations from "Ready, Willing and Able?"


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Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Definitely Disturbed
brilliant sunshine, temps plus 10
Amazing day...one of those strange moments....snow everywhere, and yet it's warm outside. Hot, almost, in the sunshine. I remember spring skiing on days like this and getting a burn. And at the end of the day propping my long skis into the snow, then sitting in the snow, leaning against the skis, with a hot chocolate (later a beer), and sunning myself at the bottom of the hill.
Ahhh. Almost as wonderful as that lunch break, often at the small restaurant at the top of the mountain...clumping along in undone ski boots...waiting in line for the overdone hot dog and fries and hot chocolate. Always burned my tongue on the hot chocolate. Never anywhere else, only on the lunch break at the hill. The lunch always tasted so good.
This is such a day.
I think I'll take a couple of chairs out to our porch and make some soup for our lunch.
Rain tomorrow....but for today, we enjoy.
Writing going well. I realize how intimidating a new chapter is. How I go back, over and over, the former chapter....afraid to start a new blank page. Funny how humbling writing is, as I come face to face with all my insecurities, and all the places I've found to hide. of course, I'm only hiding from myself. But, oddly, it seems to work for a while. I think I might not be very bright.
Having fun writing this book - can't tell you why, but while there are all sorts of issues of complex structures and story lines and character development - I think I just am more relaxed. I know the story....but mostly I know I can always fix it later. I used to think I had to get it right immediately. What a stone around my neck that was. Took no chances, and took very few steps forward. But once that was cut away, wow. Suddenly, it becomes fun. Or at least, somewhat less terrifying.
Wrote just over a thousand words today. Spent the first hour or so reading the work from yesterday, smoothing, moving things, taking some things out. Lightening here, darkening there. Added a small exchange I thought about in the night. We'll see later if it works....the flaws become so much clearer when I start to work on the second draft.
For now my job is to be courageous and creative - to take chances. And to remember what a genuine privilege it is to write. To be able to write. And to have a story to tell. And to have you to read it.
A huge part of my enjoyment is being able, this time more than any other book, to keep the world away. And a big part of that is having My Assistant Lise. She came over the other day, with some paperwork, and another the things she'd done was brought a vat of gummi bears and the Do Not Disturb sign.
Clearly it's a little late for that.
Hope you're well and enjoying the season.
14 comments:
- John said...
Great photos, Louise! You are clearly relaxed and enjoying yourself! Thank you for sharing your progress and your life; it is a real grace for us that you are willing to be so open and accessible. Keep writing! I look forward to seeing you at Bouchercon!
Best to you!
- 7 March 2012 at 10:53
- lil Gluckstern said...
You look and sound as if you are enjoying yourself. Which is a good thing ;)
- 7 March 2012 at 11:03
in your own head...how do you pronounce Gamache?
- 7 March 2012 at 13:02
love it! You are my kind of person!
- 7 March 2012 at 13:49
Keep having fun!
- 7 March 2012 at 15:44
- Marni G said...
Louise, you are too funny! Glad the writing is going well~we can't wait!
- 7 March 2012 at 16:22
so glad you enjoy the writing process, i certainly enjoy reading the outcome!
- 7 March 2012 at 16:30
- danielle-momo said...
Merci de partager avec nous vos moments de création et de "folie".
Comme je dois bientot passer une semaine de vacances à Québec, je suis en train de relire Bury your Dead et je prends en note les endroits que j'irai visiter.
- 7 March 2012 at 18:04
- Ms. Kay said...
I just finished rereading "Bird by Bird" in order to lead a discussion on it. Lamott has so much to say about being kind to yourself during the writing process. It's fascinating to be reading her book and your blogs about writing at the same time.
- 7 March 2012 at 19:43
- darlene said...
Great insight -- thanks!
Sounds like you're truly relaxed and having serious fun. Yay!
- 7 March 2012 at 21:01
Louise, you're a hoot!
(Pssst, I think a store near me sells chocolate covered gummi bears...)
- 8 March 2012 at 08:49
Tis the Season to be jolly ...
fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la!
Don't you love that first time that you can feel the warmth of the sun while there's still snow on the ground? So special!
- 8 March 2012 at 09:39
Still hoping that Rosa is alive and well and planning a visit.
Donna k
- 10 March 2012 at 20:33
I'm happy for you. It's wonderful when one's work is enjoyable.
However it reminds me of what the great sports columnist, Red Smith, said when asked how he produced such great work, "I just sit down at the typewriter and open up a vein!"
- 11 March 2012 at 04:04


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Posted 24 February 2005. PMN Crop News.
Strawberry Latent Ringspot Virus Found in North America
Agricultural Research Service
Washington, D.C. (February 18, 2005) - Strawberry latent ringspot virus, a problem for the past 30 to 40 years in Europe, has just been discovered in North America by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and cooperators.
Scientists with ARS, Oregon State University, and Elmhirst Diagnostics and Research of British Columbia found the virus on 17 percent of the California strawberry samples and on four percent of British Columbia strawberries. The virus was also found in a variegated mint.
The virus, which can dramatically decrease yields, is spread by nematodes, so the scientists were surprised to find the virus in California strawberries, as most are planted in pre-fumigated soil.
Plant pathologist Robert R. Martin of the ARS Horticultural Crops Research Unit in Corvallis, Ore., is leading the agency's efforts in studying and preventing the virus.
The group discovered the virus by doing a broad-spectrum test to look for viruses that may be involved in strawberry decline and variegation of mint. They compared nucleic acid and protein sequences of the virus from strawberry and mint to those in databases.
The scientists believe that the virus has been in this country for many years on an ornamental mint sold throughout the United States--popular because of its bright-yellow color--without anyone noticing. It turns out that the color partially comes from the ringspot virus.
Many of the chemicals that have been used to control this and other viruses transmitted by nematodes are being pulled from the market because of environmental concerns. Martin and ARS colleague Jack Pinkerton are studying alternative ways to control nematode-transmitted viruses, such as rotating a crop that is not a host for the virus so that the nematodes lose the virus and are no longer able to transmit it.
While the virus has only been found on mint and strawberries in the United States, it can infect many broadleaf crops.
ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency.
David Elstein


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Since 1985, Cedars-Sinai's Work & Life Matters' goal has been to maintain the gold standard of excellence in employee assistance programs. We work to establish lasting partnerships with client organizations by providing comprehensive, fully integrated work-life services designed to help employees and their dependents, including domestic partners. We address and help resolve work-related and personal concerns that run the spectrum of life events, from birth to elder care. Work & Life Matters is a first-line response team that provides prevention, triage and short-term problem resolution services for our client organizations' employees. Services include:
- Assessment, time-limited and solution focused interventions, referrals and follow up
- Tracking special cases (crisis/emergency management, safety risks, fitness for duty, substance abuse/addictions, performance improvement and job jeopardy)
- Change management (consultations and strategy development)
- Customized management and staff development seminars
Client List
Our diverse client list includes manufacturing, healthcare, entertainment, government and service industries and nonprofit organizations and is available upon request.
- California Psychological Association Psychologically Healthy Workplace Award
- Sierra Tucson Gratitude For Giving Award
- Los Angeles Childcare Innovation Award
- Los Angeles Mayor's Commendation for Creating an Outstanding Family/Friendly Workplace
- Parents' Choice Award


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Greece lumbered toward its next aid payout, possibly broken up into smaller installments and tied to additional economic reforms by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras's government.
Greece's "troika" of creditors sealed a staff-level accord on new economic and deficit-reduction steps, leaving open when as much as 8.1 billion euros ($10.4 billion) will be released. Euro-area finance ministers will decide on a portion of that payout in talks that began at 3 p.m. in Brussels today.
"I'm confident that we can take another step forward today," German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said before the meeting. "It will remain a difficult path for Greece."
European governments led by Germany are continuing to keep Greece on life support, unwilling to let it go bankrupt and exit the euro while doling out aid in the smallest possible doses to avoid upsetting their own taxpayers.
Political tumult in Portugal, among the five euro countries tapping emergency aid, raised the pressure on creditors to keep Greece's program on track. Germany, the biggest creditor, is seeking to avoid a flareup in the crisis as Chancellor Angela Merkel campaigns for re-election in September.
'Important Progress'
The euro rose 0.3% to $1.2864 at 3:40 p.m. Brussels time after dropping 1.4% in the previous two sessions. The 17-nation currency may slide if finance ministers don't approve the next Greek payments tonight, Chris Turner and Tom Levinson of ING Groep NV in London said in client note.
"While important progress continues to be made, policy implementation is behind in some areas," the troika, comprising the European Commission, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank, said in a statement.
At issue is whether to transfer Greece's next payment in one go or, as has been the case since 2012, dribble it out in installments. Creditors may break up the payments again if that is deemed "necessary" and "helpful," Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the meeting's chairman, told reporters.
Austrian Finance Minister Maria Fekter urged a decision tonight to release the aid, saying that "delaying tactics" would be unwise. Dragging out a decision "would yield nothing and make the whole thing more expensive," she said.
Copyright 2014 Bloomberg. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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On Dec. 28, we reported that after 13 years, Sony's PlayStation 2 will finally end its historic run, and conclude production after becoming the the world's best selling home gaming console. Sony announced via Famitsu magazine that it would halt production of the PlayStation 2 in Japan for starters. At the time it appeared that Sony would simply start with Japan and slowly wind down PlayStation 2 manufacturing as the console still enjoys brisk business in countries like India and Brazil where it's only been available for the past five years. Not so: Sony confirmed on Friday that has halted PS2 production worldwide.
Between its release in March 2000 and the end of 2012, Sony's second console handily outsold every other home video game console ever made with 153.68 million machines sold. Some of the most famous consoles in history didn't even come close to that record. Nintendo sold just under 62 million Nintendo Entertainment System consoles between 1983 and 1995 when it stopped production of the machine in North America. Nintendo's home console business over the past decade truly demonstrates how successful the PlayStation 2 was on a global scale. Nintendo's last two consoles, the 2001 Gamecube and the 2006 Nintendo Wii, have sold approximately 122 million consoles combined.
The home console to come closest to the PlayStation 2 was its predecessor. The original PlayStation saw over 102 million consoles sold during its twelve-year production cycle starting in 1994.
Sony is expected to announce an unnamed fourth generation PlayStation—whose codenames have reportedly included PlayStation 4, Orbis, and Thebes—sometime before the end of the year. Since the PlayStation 3 is entering its seventh year on shelves, the PlayStation 2's end is coming right on time according to the original PlayStation's lifecycle.
Still, it's surprising that Sony would end the PlayStation 2 when there are still sales to be had. The PlayStation 2 slim model was only released in India and Russia in 2008. The console was released for the very first time in Brazil in 2009. Even now a number of developers continue to produce PlayStation 2 games. Not just regional developers either. Major publishers including 2K Games, Konami, and Electronic Arts have all published sports titles for the PlayStation 2 in the past twelve months.
Sony does need to trim costs somewhere, though, and shutting down production of an ancient console, no matter how successful, will help in that regard as the fiscal year nears its March finish.
Here's to you, PlayStation 2.
Editors' Recommendations
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- From Software has two new games in the works. Is 'Bloodborne 2' one of them?
- Nintendo Switch vs. PlayStation 4: Which console should you buy?
- Atlus debuts teaser for 'Persona 5 R' for PlayStation 4, promises more in March
- Nintendo president says the company could move away from home consoles


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Hi guys.
New to Mx5's but got myself a nice wee MK1 last year after selling my Skyline.
going to be doing a few bits and bobs to it so thought i's start a build thread.
it's a 1994 MK1. UK 1.8.
it has 15" OZ Alloys and a style bar
but thats it at the moment.
Firstly i added in power steering as i found the manual rack a bit much around town.
then i turned to the scabby rocker cover
Acid etched and primered
And final coat
And fitted
Got a few bits ond bobs thanks to some of you guys on here
Arch extensions and front bumper, thanks to "workinprogress"
and sideskirts, jdm rear panel. and coilover adapters and ht leads
now i have the off side all test fitted and ready to start off with the near side.
here is how the progress went:
First marked out where the extension will be and cut out an inch and a half of the arch
Then rivited the inner and outer arch together (Will be seamed properly later)
Arch test fitted in place
Arch blended into the side skirt
Bumper removed
Old and new bumper
Bumper fitted
Front arch cut out and extension fitted and blended into skirt and bumper
Will keep this up to date each time i get to work on it.
Should have near side done in next update


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webtalent needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 78 designs submitted by 29 freelance designers.
I'm looking for that logo that makes you do a double take. A rich, dynamic, split from the rest of the pack. I want to appear different, creative and a leader.
web talent
I have no idea what i'm looking for.. I'll know it when i see it.
This is what i want the person looking at the logo to feel about my company.
-new media
-extremely creative
-clean and established
-dynamic and brilliant
-a leader in the industry
Lets see what i can get : )
- web talent
- you can design with or without the tagline " internet marketing | E-business consulting" i'm worried that that is too much text for a logo.. ideas are appreciated
tall logos
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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From Coastal Wiki
Good data is essential to good ICZM. Here is a list of selected articles about data sources, acquisition and analysis.
Data sources
- Set of website addresses to direct to databases/ data sets
- Marine environmental data - sources and use
- MUDAB - Marine Environmental Data Base Germany
Data analysis
- Data analysis and statistical approaches
- Reduction of uncertainties through Data Model Integration (DMI)
- Data formats, data management, meta data, quality standards, data portals
- Data collection and analysis for marine biological valuation
- Equivalence of data and weighting in marine biological evaluation?
- Data processing and output of Lidar
- Reduction of uncertainties through Data Model Integration (DMI)
- Geographical Information System
- Introduction to marine biological valuation maps
- Choice of data for marine biological evaluation
- Geomorphological analysis
Data acquisition
- Theme 9 - Assessment of field observation techniques
- Application of data loggers to seabirds
- Instruments and sensors to measure environmental parameters
- Introduction, problems and approaches in sediment transport measurements
- Wireless sensor networks
- Inline measurement techniques
- In situ measurement of wet bulk density
- French case studies: Historical analysis (measurements)
- Manual Sediment Transport Measurements in Rivers, Estuaries and Coastal Seas
- Optical measurements in coastal waters


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As the Republican Party searches for a future leader, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich pops up on the short lists.
Gingrich has kept fairly quiet about his recent conversion to Catholicism, but today he spoke to Christianity Today about his faith, the future leaders and constituencies of the Republican Party, and where the fights on same-sex marriage and abortion currently stand.
As the Republican Party tries to redefine itself before the next presidential election, where will evangelicals fit? Are they seen as a prominent part of the party or just one constituency?
I think they are a very significant constituency of the party, and I think the kind of issues that an Obama administration is likely to create, and the kind of things we're seeing in places like Connecticut, where two legislators introduced legislation that would in effect abolish the Catholic Church, the attack on the conscience clause that permits Catholics and evangelicals and Orthodox Jewish doctors to not perform abortions ... on a number of fronts, I think you're likely to see a number of groups beyond just evangelicals who are very, very likely to play an important role.
Can you give a political assessment of where we are headed on abortion and same-sex marriage?
I think on traditional marriage, it's likely to be a long, complex struggle with the courts making it, I think, worse, because they are intervening without regard to popular opinion. On the case of right-to-life, I think the cause of the right-to-life community is gaining ground, because I think as people look at more and more advanced technology, all of the underlying assumptions that were at the heart of Roe v. Wade simply fall apart. Roe v. Wade is based on viability of life, and life, ...1


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Moving on to my collection of Illamasqua Lipsticks now (I have about 20 of these). These are just my representations of the colour bear in mind lipsticks look different on everyone!
Illamasqua lipstick in Strip – a pure white – thick and opaque. You don't need me to tell you that this lipstick is not to be worn alone unless you are a clown or "going through a phase".
Its a bit cakey too. Best mixed with other shades, methinks!


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- page 19 Picture #20: In the example, the order tile should have a Shoot order section with a value of "3" to allow Jack Saw to spend 3 CP on it.
- page 32 Picture #43: The automatic hits add up to 4, not 5.
- page 35, Mission Point icons (bottom-right of the page): The NORAD and Salemite icons are switched.
- page 40, Cherokee Bill entry: If you activate his IPS line when he is on his Wounded side, you only get one Spy Point, not two (the text has a typo, the IPS line is correct).
- In Scenario 4, the 3-square long corridor tile in the north-west part of the map is actually on the reverse side of the 3x1 outdoor tile located next to the T-shape tile in the north-east part of the map. Replace the outdoor tile with other outdoor tiles.
- In Scenario 6, the Cryogenic Chamber must be rotated 180°.
- The Zombie 1 and Zombie 2 stickers are switched. The easiest solution is to use the miniature's posture as the reference to determine who is who. Or you can try to correct the numbers on the stickers with a felt pen, or use the sticker files made available in the Download Vault.
- If some of your Character / Decoy tokens printed shifted too far and you're worried that players will be able to tell them apart from their back, you can print them again (or just their backs) with the provided files.Printable Token Backs Double-side Tokens
This list should contain all currently known problems and is not expected to change significantly.


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LOL Clip Of The Week: Woman Gets Caught On Tape Peein In Public & Then Jets!
Some lady takes a piss on the streets and some dude catches her on tape and chases her
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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tetnenal wrote:Better music organization support! I would love composer tags. If possible, the option to list classical music by this composer tag woud be awesome. Also maybe a tableview of all music in a specific folder with columns for rating/album/genre/last_added so we can sort music by clicking the head of those columns.
I don't care much about video support, i feel Madsonic should be focusing on music. There are enough other services like Plex that focus on video and will probably be better in video anyway.
troycarpenter wrote:I agree with this wholeheartedly. I use Madsonic for music, and Plex for video. I don't use the video functions of Madsonic, and likewise don't use the music functions of Plex.
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text:
On the hunt for top-quality brakes, but don't want to break the bank? Discount Brakes is your one-stop online shop for the best brakes and brake components available in the market-all offered at low, low prices! With a comprehensive catalog covering major OEM and aftermarket brands, you won't want for top-caliber replacements and upgrades for your car's brake system.
Nothing beats the convenience and reliability of Discount Brakes. With excellent customer service and an easy-to-use web site, your hassle-free shopping experience is guaranteed. Make sure your car can stop on a dime anytime-get your brake supplies only from Discount Brakes.


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March 2010
Volume 2, Issue 3
Check Your Calendars!!
One Book South Dakota
throughout 2010
SD Public Library Survey
February 1- March 31, 2010
Prairie Bud & Pasque voting deadline
March 15, 2010
PLA National Conference
March 23-27, 2010
YARP voting deadline
March 31, 2010
School Library Month
April 1-30, 2010
SD School Library Survey
April 1- May 31, 2010
National Library Week
April 11-17, 2010
National Library Workers Day
April 13, 2010
Featured e-Resources of the Month
SIRS Discoverer, SIRS Issues Researcher, and ProQuest offer full-text online articles on a wide range of topics for research projects
Continuing Education Alert
Highlighting March Online Learning Opportunities
Welcome to the Cornerstone Archives. Find the current newsletter at sdslcornertsone.blogspot.com.
Welcome to the Cornerstone Archives. Find the current newsletter at sdslcornertsone.blogspot.com.
In this month's issue
Public Library Survey "EARLY BIRD" awardees
Congratulations and thank you Early Bird libraries!
March Continuing Education Opportunities
- April is Month of the Military Child
- "Read to me!" Selecting books that strengthen pre-reading skills
- ALA literary award winners announced
- YARP South Dakota Teen Choice Award deadline is March 31
- Prairie Bud and Prairie Pasque voting deadline is March 15
Featured eResources of the Month
At research time, electronic resources provide support
- Ezra Jack Keats Minigrant Program
- The Lisa Libraries
- Pepsi Refresh Grant Project
- USDA Rural Development Community Facilities funding for public libraries
In Focus: Wynne Nafus Sayer
Meet the South Dakota State Library's Information Officer.
- Board Talk
- Board Talk: Custer
- Beneath this tombstone lies…
- Public Librarian Certification Task Force at work
- Revision work begins on school library standards
- Invite your community to your library for School Library Month
- 2010 American Indian Youth Literature Awards announced
- Katherine Paterson is National Ambassador for Young People's Literature
- CONTENTdm opens the way to digital collections
- Book Review: Toward a 21st-Century School Library Media Program
- Friends of the Library partner with high school freshmen
- Librarians' husbands read too
- Dancing with the Staff showcases hidden talents and raises funds
- Reuse magazine boxes
next: Library Headlines
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The Cornerstone monthly e-newsletter is created by the South Dakota State Library. For more information on how to be a part of this newsletter, please contact us via e-mail with your questions and ideas.


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Lunar Orbiter 4
Goals: As the first in the series dedicated to scientific investigation of the Moon, Lunar Orbiter 4 was to conduct a broad, systematic, photographic survey to increase understanding of lunar surface features and to serve as a basis for selecting sites for more-detailed study by subsequent orbital and landing missions.
Accomplishments: Lunar Orbiter 4 was the first spacecraft to fly a polar orbit around the Moon. As the Moon rotated beneath its flight path, It imaged almost all of the Moon's near side and three-quarters of the far side, and took the first photo of the lunar south pole. It also gathered gravitational data in preparation for Lunar Orbiter 5.
4 May 1967: Launch
17 Jul 1967: Lunar Impact
Mission Type: Orbiter
Launch Vehicle: Atlas-Agena D (no. 22 / Atlas D no. 5804 / Agena D no. AD131 / 6633)
Launch Site: Eastern Test Region / launch complex 13, Cape Canaveral, USA
NASA Center: Langley Research Center
Spacecraft Mass: 385.6 kg at launch
Spacecraft Instruments: 1) imaging system; 2) micrometeoroid detectors; and 3) radiation dosimeters
Spacecraft Dimensions: 2 m high, 5.2 m across with dish and omnidirectional antenna deployed
Spacecraft Power: Four solar panels; nickel-cadmium batteries for use in Moon's shadow
Maximum Power: 375 W
Antenna Diameter: 1 meter (high-gain antenna)
Total Cost: $163 million (total for all 5 spacecraft in Lunar Orbiter program)
Deep Space Chronicle: A Chronology of Deep Space and Planetary Probes 1958-2000, Monographs in Aerospace History No. 24, by Asif A. Siddiqi
National Space Science Data Center, http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/
Solar System Log by Andrew Wilson, published 1987 by Jane's Publishing Co. Ltd.
Lunar Orbiter 4 was the first in the series dedicated to scientific surveys of the Moon. After a burn at 21:54 UT on 8 May 1967, the spacecraft entered a 2,705 x 6,034-kilometer orbit inclined at 85.48 degrees, becoming the first vehicle to enter polar orbit around the Moon.
Controllers successfully overcame a problem with the Thermal Camera Door, and subsequently, during its two-month mission, the orbiter took pictures of 99 percent of the near side and 75 percent of the far side of the Moon in a total of 193 frames. The images had a resolution of up to 60 meters.
In early June, controllers lowered the spacecraft's orbit to match that of Lunar Orbiter 5 so scientists could collect gravitational data in support of the latter mission. Before losing contact on 17 July, Lunar Orbiter 4 took the first photos of the lunar south pole and discovered a 240-kilometer-long crustal fault on the far side.
Since contact was lost before controlled impact, the spacecraft naturally crashed onto the Moon on 6 October 1967 due to gravitational anomalies.


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I'm typing in front of a crackling hearth, with regret that March has arrived.
Don't get me wrong, I'm ready for spring. But, soon, the arrival of warm weather will also mark the end of the wood-burning season. Such is my love for burning fires all winter long that when our family vacationed in Florida at Christmas, I made sure to turn on a "Yule log" through Comcast's Xfinity on Demand before I'd let anyone open presents. I can't be the only one. Watching a wood fire burn on TV is a tradition that dates back to 1966, when WPIX-TV broadcast the first for viewers in New York City.
Comcast's recent incarnation singed my TV screen for 48 minutes, but that length is not exactly a barn burner by Norwegian standards. In the Scandinavian nation, a program inspired by a book about firewood featured a live, burning fire for eight straight hours, and it was a hit. The only other on-screen action was supplied by the hands that were occasionally visible when tending the fire. I was pleased, but incredulous, when I read Sarah Lyall's account in the New York Times, until I myself spoke with Lars Mytting, author of Solid Wood: All About Chopping, Drying and Stacking Wood - and the Soul of Wood-Burning.
I told him of our mutual affinity for wood-burning and we compared notes as to what makes a good fire. We agreed, for example, that maintaining a good bed of ash is essential.
"In fact, one of the oldest fire prayers that we have in Norway is praise to the ashes for their ability to maintain the glow in the fireplace," said Mytting.
He didn't strike me as the type who'd pay $25 for a box of Duraflame Colorlogs. Not surprising, he told me that real Norwegian men don't use fire-starters. "We use old local newspapers with half-finished crosswords in them," he said.
But Norway's best-known pyrotechnist shared a tip I hadn't expected: He inverts the kindling.
"We have done quite a lot of scientific research because to reduce the air pollution we have been very wary here as to how we build the fire to avoid smoke from the chimney," he said. "The best practice is actually to build a small type of logs and then start the fire from the top so that it burns downward. That's a bit opposite to what most customs are, but, by doing it this way, we ensure that the hottest spot is on top of the fireplace. That way we will actually reduce pollution and get more heat from the stove."
Mytting is also particular as to the type of wood he burns, which depends on the temperature.
"The tradition is often to try to find as hard and heavy a wood as possible to generate the most heat, but in fact during fall and spring and days when it's not so cold, actually you can get a cleaner fire burning that's more suitable to a modern house if you use different types of wood," he said. "So I use both spruce, pine, birch, and lighter sorts of wood, like aspen and alder."
And on the coldest days?
"Well, if I can get ahold of oak or beech, that is absolutely the best, and I would love to have some hickory, but we don't have that here."
If there is one common mistake he sees in fire-building, it is that people often select logs that are too heavy.
"It's very difficult to start a fire when you have these large, heavy logs, so always get it started with lots of kindling and smaller, finely chopped pieces of firewood, and that is even if you are firing from the top down," he said. "When you are using a cast-iron stove, people often don't give it enough air, so that you actually get a lot of smoke, instead of burning the smoke. One of the mistakes is that [people think] smoke is necessary, but it's not. Half of the energy in the wood is the smoke, so what we need is to burn it and not let it out."
The translation of Mytting's Norwegian best-seller into English is completed and should soon be available in the United States.
Too late for a neighbor of mine, D. Campbell Harper, who passed in 2006 at age 93. Harper was a real character on my Main Line block. He would sit for four- and five-hour stretches, alone, on a lawn chair perched on his sloping lawn, watching his fire.
"Nothing beats the company of a good fire," he'd say.