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On the house
Beaumont Independent School District spokesperson Jessie Haynes, who earned about $90,500 in 2007, may have misled a charitable group in Hardin County to obtain Hurricane Rita assistance for a house she owns at 2629 North St. in Beaumont, and records obtained by The Examiner during its eight-month investigation reveal she didn't want it known she was applying for assistance to begin with.
Although Haynes' signed an application for assistance stating the information she provided was "true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief," a copy of the application from the Hardin County Disaster Recovery Alliance (HCDRA) revealed she claimed her monthly income in 2007 was $3,771 or $45,252 annually – half of what she made that year at BISD. Even if she mistakenly used the $70,345 salary she was being paid in 2005 from the Port Arthur Independent School District, it would not have kept her from obtaining assistance because there was no low-income requirement for the program. But questions have been raised about her application.
Additionally, Haynes made a handwritten notation on her application that she wasn't even living at the house on North Street when Hurricane Rita hit Southeast Texas but at another home she owned in Beaumont. She also wrote that she didn't want the city of Beaumont or Jefferson County to have access to her application for assistance.
The notation stated, "While I am embarrassed to have to ask for help, I do not want it to be too public. Don't want my situation to become general public information and don't trust these (city of Beaumont and Jefferson County) to keep it private."
According to the file containing Haynes' application and a detailed list of the work done to her home, the construction cost to the house she owned was $15,165. For that, contractors replaced Haynes' roof, replaced the front door threshold, replaced seven broken window panes, repaired a wooden vent, replaced two window sills, replaced approximately 105 siding boards, rebuilt her back porch, fixed sheetrock and painted in her dining room, repaired cracks in the walls and ceiling and repaired damage under a window.
Both Penland and Davis explained that while some of the damage was not caused by the hurricane, regulations require it to be replaced or repaired if it is something that is related to the repairs being done. For example, if water causes the floor boards to buckle or the house has to be leveled because it shifted on its piers but the beams underneath are rotted because of a lack of maintenance, they still must be fixed and are covered under the grant program.
Pursuant to the Texas Public Information Act, The Examiner requested a copy of Haynes' application and all other relevant information from the Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission (SETRPC) and the HCDRA. While most of the information was immediately provided by SETRPC, the application with Haynes' salary information and the personal notations made by Haynes was withheld by the HCDRA. Not being familiar with public information laws regarding the agency's responsibility and wanting to ensure it didn't do anything improper, the HCDRA's attorney and the newspaper discussed how the agency needed to refer the matter to the Texas Attorney General for a ruling on whether the application was public. After several months the attorney general ruled in favor of the newspaper and the documents were provided to The Examiner.Joe Penland, HCDRA president, said his agency's goal was always to help those people affected by the storm and the four-member board of directors trusted the information being submitted was true and accurate.
The Examiner has made at least a dozen attempts to obtain a comment from Haynes about the documents and the information she put on the application for assistance. She has repeatedly refused to answer any questions about the HCDRA, the renovations to her home or the information she put on the application for assistance. The most recent attempt for comment was made on Wednesday, March 2, at her office.
Penland said it wouldn't surprise him that some information on applications for assistance was misleading but he did not speak directly on Haynes' application in that manner.He said there was no requirement for low income in order to receive assistance, so the HCDRA never tried to verify that information for eligibility.
"All we did was try to follow the rules. Did we follow them 100 percent? I think we did," Peland said. "Did we make any mistakes? Probably some. Was anything intentional? Hell no. Did we go out and validate anyone's salary? No. We got them to sign something, get it notarized like an affidavit and we took people on face value."
Shaun Davis, SETRPC executive director, confirmed the lack of an income requirement for the program, as well.
"This was federal money that flowed from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission," said Davis. "It is important to note that these SSBG (Social Service Block Grant) dollars are not HUD (Housing and Urban Development) dollars and not all of their dollars have a low to moderate income (LMI) requirement. That funding (for the HCDRA) did not have an LMI component." The SETRPC was the go-between for the state and HCDRA for $5 million in disaster assistance, Davis explained. He said the HCDRA provided the necessary and proper paperwork to receive the money and the agency provided assistance to residents throughout Southeast Texas.
However, according to its not-for-profit tax records, the purpose of the HCDRA is "to assist the elderly, disabled and poor with coordinated long-term recovery relief to the victims of disasters or catastrophes."
Additionally, a second document obtained from the SETRPC states, "Hardin County Disaster Recovery Alliance, Inc. is a faith-based non-profit organization formed after Hurricane Rita to address the needs of Hardin County relative to repair storm damaged homes for those individuals that do not have the means, neither insurance, nor further federal funding to accomplish such repairs. The labor costs will be offset by volunteers."
According to Davis, he intends to review the information in Haynes application and discuss it with the HCDRA. He also said he would refer it to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
"It is important to note that the regional planning commission is not an investigative agency but obviously if things come to our attention that documents were either misrepresented or in your words, falsified, then we would be obligated to pass those back to our contractor, the entity receiving the funds and ask for a response," Davis said. "This is what was presented to HCDRA, and in these programs, you have to count on official documentation to determine the information you are receiving is true and correct."
Another question asked, since income was not a requirement, was when the income was supposedly earned – at the time of application or the time of disaster. Penland was unsure of the answer but Davis said he didn't know the HCDRA's intention but that was the way SETRPC deals with the issue.
"That is the way it is for all federal programs," Davis said. "We often have to recertify people because someone might get a job and go above the limit so they would not be eligible for a program. So many different things can happen because of time. It is your eligibility at the time you start construction. I don't know what HCDRA's eligibility process was but for our federal dollars, it is the income at the time construction begins."
Penland said the goal of the HCDRA was to help those in need throughout Southeast Texas. He said originally the group tried to only help those in Hardin County but they quickly learned contractors weren't available and the HCDRA was on about a six-month timeline to spend the $5 million it received for disaster recovery.
"We had plenty of homes to go to; we just didn't have enough to get it done," Penland said.


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DURANGO, Colo.—The Durango City Council is set to consider a smoking ban in public outdoor spaces including bus stops, playgrounds and the Animas River Trail.
The Durango Herald reports ( http://bit.ly/SW4aXp) the City Council is scheduled to adopt the ordinance Nov. 20. The law could go into effect as soon as Dec. 5.
Smokers would be fined up to $300 for multiple offenses. Proceeds would go to anti-tobacco and smoking-cessation efforts.
The proposed ban wouldn't apply to Hillcrest Golf Course or outdoor religious ceremonies performed by Native Americans.
The proposal originally would have extended the ban to restaurant and bar patios, but that idea was dropped after smokers and business owners protested.

subset: commoncrawl


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Devex necesitaba un nuevo diseño de otro y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 31 diseños de 8 diseñadores freelance.
Devex - SmartMine - http://www.devexmining.com
Devex' focus is the supply of the best management and optimization tools for accessing our natural resources in a sustaintable and profitable fashion, always complying with the highest standards of ethics, social responsibility, transparency and safety. As for most natural resources industries, the key for a successful mining operation is the continuous, pro-active management of costs, risks and uncertainties, ensuring timely delivery of the products within the specifications established by the customers. Hence, Devex responds to the daily challenges of the mining industry through establishing a partnership with its clients and focusing on the conversion of operational information into intelligence for managerial decision-making. The end-product is not only a comprehensive visibility environment for the entire mine value chain, but also a practical mechanism to allow process optimization and market-oriented mine production scheduling.
Our clients are the mining companies. Companies that extract natural resources like iron, gold, diamonds, etc. Our clients are international players as Vale, Kinross, AngloGold, Yamana.
Our audience for this specific demand are employers and corporate of mining sector. This image will be used at our product brochure.
Our system optimize the allocation of equipment in mine operations (loading trucks with ore/others and unloading this material), instructing the best place to send the trucks (taking into account distance, number of existing equipment, production goals, quality others). These decisions are very complex with many variables, specially when you have a large amount of equipment, becomes humanly impossible to make the best decision. Our system uses advanced and precise calculations to determinate witch is the best decision.
We want to develop an image that illustrates the optimization of our system. The idea is to create an explanatory framework of the number of decisions that a person would need to be able to assess in this operation in order to optimize it, and compare a simple scenario (with very little equipment and points of loading and unloading, with a real scenario of mine operation) showing that would be impossible for one person to do this without the help of optimization system.
The attached images can helps (it's the schematic explanation of this comparative scenarios and one more close to what we need / also have icons that we already have and can be used as base for this development)
We want something more real (with icons from the truck, loader, piles of ore and the ways in which the trucks moves), like in a real mine and not as a draw.


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RunawayCountry necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 156 diseños de 30 diseñadores freelance.
Runaway Country
Some of the most exciting, hit recording artists in the country music world performing over 2 days, in the beautiful 390 acre tree lined Wickham Park In Melbourne, Florida. Freshwater beaches, fishing and minutes from world class shopping, dining and oceanfront resorts provides concert goers a real treat.
It's April in Florida! 2 years in the making and it's all happening at the perfect location. Time to get out and enjoy the warm weather, beaches and up close and personal experiences with today's top entertainers. Stars and tiki bars, more fresh-boat-to-table seafood than you can imagine, tons of dining choices, places to stay ranging from family priced hotels to luxury beachfront resorts and of course, a true festival experience; on-site camping and RVing, an affordable getaway for everyone.
A wide selection of seating options, up-close massive dance floor, lakeside tables, VIP premium "suites", beach chairs, an after-hours "Tiki Saloon" with more hit recording artists:
Lots of variety within easy distance; Beaches with a long line of restaurants along the waterfront, Kennedy Space Center, kayaking tours, shopping for every taste in Historic Downtown Melbourne.
Country Music fans from around Florida AND visitors to the state.
At the time of the concert, there are approx 10 million tourists within a 2 hour drive of the Concert Site.
Females 21-54
Males 21-54
Here is some information about SPACE COAST, Florida -- a 72-mile stretch of sun-bronzed Atlantic beaches, space age attractions and protected wildlife refuges flourishing along the surf -- all at down-to-earth prices. Comprised primarily of area cities Titusville, Cocoa Beach, Melbourne and Palm Bay and only 35 miles east of Orlando, this spectacular East Coast getaway is home to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, The Valiant Air Command War Bird Museum, Port Canaveral, Melbourne Beaches, Historic Downtown Melbourne and Cocoa Beach.
Orlando's closest shore boasts three of "Florida's Ten Best Beaches" -- as declared by Southern Living -- and is home to the largest sea turtle nesting
Color palette is attached: "Watermelon Red", grays/blacks, blue, green, aqua, white and sand.
Some comments from various TDC/hotelier/concert committee folks.
Runaway Country is a major Music Festival in Florida:
- we want to be tropical/country but not South Beach.
- Somehow tie-in country music theme, rustic, outdoors, Country Festival and Florida with it's warm sun, alligators, water and warmth.
- We are selling sand, beach, sun, warm weather, "Space" and the hottest country music stars.
Do we use:
- an astronaut or an alligator with hat, buckle and boots?
- simple and bold -OR- a detailed and intricate design? We are WIDE OPEN.
- target market; young females (who attract the country boys) hard core Polk County Cowboys, Orlando 21 - 54 Females, South Eastern U.S.
- we don't want to stray tooo far from Country Music roots. Not too puffy
Well there you have it. A Florida Country Music Festival.
- Large format (40 ft stage scrims),
- Outdoor billboards
- embroidery/silk screen; hats, shirts, mugs
- Website Header (priority) and links
- banners on a roll; fencing barricades, tents.
- street flags
- print; newspaper, magazine, mailers
- vehicles
- print at home tickets
- stationery, business cards.
- suitable for color and B&W.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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The Geek Icon
Let's continue the discussion of things done right.
Small Things
You know how people who have small children seem to do nothing but talk about their kids? I have discovered a corollary to that— people with small parrots seem to do nothing but talk about their parrots. I am a case in point.
One thing I managed to get straight last year was to invest in a new pet relationship. April last year brought a new delivery to my household, and based on his mischievous nature, he was named Loki. Other nicknames include Loki Monster and Velokiraptor. No matter what he gets called, every day brings new amusements, aggravations, challenges and triumphs.
Some adjectives to describe what I like to think of as Loki's personality, which, though he is not a person, is distinctive and recognisable:
- Greedy
- Affectionate
- Playful
- Assertive
- Impatient
- Social
- Noisy
This year Loki's
younger brother Tanuki (aka Tanuki Bear) arrived. Unlike Loki, Tanuki's wings had accidentally been clipped by the parrot breeders, inhibiting (but not completely eliminating) his ability to fly. It's hard to say what is nature and what is nurture, but it's hard not to assume that this has had some impact on Tanuki's personality.
If I were to characterise Tanuki, I would say he is:
- Cautious
- Quiet
- Communicative
- Patient
- Solitary
- Contented
- Focused
Owning (intelligent) exotic pets has also provided a supreme opportunity to geek out. New areas of research like animal behaviour and parrot nutrition have appeared. New creative outlets have arrived in the form of making toys, perches, and foraging for food for my little buddies (interestingly, most Australian flora is extremely parrot friendly due to the large number of parrot species that are native here). New routines and methods for organising my life around these two little feathered balls of energy have emerged. And figuring out how to train them and trying to teach them what to say is generally entertaining although not always successful.
If my blogging streak hangs on, be prepared for more parrot talk to fill up this blog.


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Print this fun and colorful Halloween Cat as a transfer and iron onto a t-shirt. Walla! You now have a fun shirt for Halloween or anytime!
Items needed:
- Printable t-shirt Transfer paper
- Iron
- Cut out around each image to remove excess blank space.
- *Parental assistance required
General Transfer Info:
- Wash item before applying transfer
- We recommend "Dark" color transfers for vivid colors


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[Continue reading "How to Measure Flour" →]
Narrow down results by tags: flour conversion flour cups to grams how many grams is one cup of flour how to measure flour one cup of flour
How to Measure Flour
May 07th, 2008 | Category: Tips and Tricks
When I developed an interest in baking, one of the many things that confused me was how to measure flour. Instead of weighing the flour, most cookbooks I bought were instructing to measure it with a "cup". I recall asking myself the inevitable question: Which cup? Was there really an internationally accepted standard for a cup? Turns out there is... Then I learned that even the way you ...


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[THIS WEEK] The Modernist is a welcome addition to architecture's small press scene, writes James Pallister
Like a well-loved, elderly dog that refuses to die, small press publishing continues to live on within the UK architecture scene. The last six months have seen the consolidation of several Little Magazines, to borrow Beatriz Colomina's phrase, flying the flag for what's often called a dead medium. Last week Rob Wilson, the RIBA's former exhibitions curator, launched the second edition of Block magazine, joining last summer's first issue, which featured contributions from Peter Blundell Jones, Jonathan Sergison, Wolfgang Tillmans and Arthur Rüegg.
Another mag which recently celebrated its second issue is P.E.A.R, a black and white newsprint affair which hit the specialist bookshop shelves in May. Though there's one crossover of contributors – Pablo Bronstein appears in both titles – in spirit and its approach P.E.A.R is the younger and more experimental of these two London-based titles.
And now to Manchester, where Jack Hale and Maureen Ward have recently published the inaugural issue of their mag The Modernist. Despite its subject matter, it's free from the strait-laced rigour of classic graphic design modernism. There are a few instances of slab serifs and some slightly unorthodox glyphs used to good effect. Page three's foreword begins with a menacing snap of bespectacled critic Jonathan Meades – all tinted black frames, big collar, penetrating stare and swished back hair – and kicks off the publication with a pleasingly spunky conceit. 'A magazine devoted to the furtherance of modernism ought not to defend… [that] which requires no defence. Rather it should ridicule the aesthetic feebleness of its opponents. It should mock their timidity, put the boot in with disdain.' Meades' crackly prose is great stuff: he talks of the Victorian 'laudanum-dosed wild men'; and laments that 'after each bout of farouche energy British architecture lapses back into cautious insipidity'. An engaging series of articles, many written in a cheerily demotic tone, follow. It's an excellent newcomer to British architecture's small press scene. You should go and order a copy.
More Little Magazines here
The Modernist, Issue No 1, Bold, £3.75, www.the-modernist-mag.co.uk
Readers' comments (1)
Thanks for the kind review. I like to think my uneducated ramblings come under the "cheerily demotic tone" category but i must assure prospective readers that we have at least three proper academics on board who hopefully provide a bit of intellectual light and shade.
We have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of interest in The Modernist, and not just from the geographic region we currently cover, and the ambition is to slowly expand the remit so the whole of the country is eventually covered.
There seems to be a great appetite for what we initially thought to be quite a delphic subject and i hope we are proving that there is much of architectural interest outside the obvious usual subjects in the south east.*
*obligatory provincial dig at London.
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Real Estate
For operators and investors, real estate can hold great value—and, at the same time, also present a significant liability. For decades, our team has helped clients make the best use of their real estate through lease restructuring, property sales and real estate valuations. Previously operating as part of Gordon Brothers under the DJM Real Estate name, our team now proudly delivers value to clients as Gordon Brothers' dedicated real estate practice.


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Commercial Diplomacy: How We Advance U.S. Business Overseas
By Margaret Hawley-Young on January 20, 2017
The Department of State's Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB) pursues economic diplomacy for America -- making our nation and our people more prosperous and secure. Every day, EB works to create jobs at home and expand economic opportunities overseas.
We want to let you know about some of the ways EB helps to support American businesses through commercial diplomacy. If you are an American business owner, I hope you take a moment to learn more about these tools!
- Office of Commercial and Business Affairs (CBA): CBA is the Department of State's gateway for American businesses overseas. The office provides assistance in opening markets, leveling the playing field, protecting intellectual property rights, resolving trade and investment disputes, providing commercial information and identifying market opportunities for American firms, advocating on their behalf, engaging them via teleconference with U.S. Ambassadors overseas, and encouraging corporate social responsibility.
- Direct Line for American Business: The Direct Line program provides a unique opportunity for American businesses, particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises, to engage directly via webcast with U.S. Ambassadors overseas. The program is open to U.S. companies – whether they are already in the country where the Ambassador serves or if they are interested in expanding their businesses there. Webcasts will vary in topic according to the specific needs for business in a given country. Upcoming Direct Line events include the following:
- Leveraging Botswana's Position to Access the Southern African Market (January 26, 2017)
- Doing Business in Ecuador in the Post-Correa Era (February 1, 2017)
- Visiting Nicaragua: Opportunities in the Tourism and Infrastructure Sectors (February 22, 2017)
- The Business Information Database System (BIDS): BIDS gives U.S. businesses up to the minute information about significant foreign government and multilateral development bank procurements. Through an interactive map interface, businesses can find new export opportunities, validated by U.S. government economic and commercial experts overseas. Public and private partners can link to or download BIDS data for matchmaking, analysis, or other purposes.
- Business Visa Center (BVC): The Business Visa Center (BVC) is part of the Department of State's ongoing effort to better facilitate the issuance of visas for legitimate business travelers worldwide. The Business Visa Center is available to assist businesses in the United States and their partners, customers and colleagues around the world.
- Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC): OSAC promotes effective cooperation by working to assist the U.S. private sector to better anticipate security issues, including identifying and tracking threats, particularly those targeting private sector personnel, facilities, investments, interests, and intellectual property.
We at the State Department look forward to continuing to provide resources that support American businesses through commercial diplomacy. In the year ahead, we are going to continue to share with you how the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs is working for the American people. So, continue to check back on DipNote for stories about our work, like us on Facebook, and follow @EconEngage on Twitter.
About the Author: Margaret Hawley-Young is the Acting Special Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.


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When Apple CEO Tim Cook sat down with NBC's Brian Williams for a wide-ranging interview about the past, present, and future of Apple (set in Apple's mammoth Grand Central Terminal store, no less), he closed with an interesting note. According to what he told Rock Center:
"When I go into my living room and turn on the TV, I feel like I have gone backwards in time by 20 to 30 years. It's an area of intense interest. I can't say more than that."
Of course, rumors and speculation about Apple's television ambitions have been swirling for years, spurred on in no small part thanks to the musings of the late Steve Jobs about Apple and the modern living room centerpiece. It's no secret that Apple wants to revolutionize the television set (despite their silence on the matter), just as they've revolutionized personal computing, mobile phones, and tablets over the years. As always, there are significant hurdles to Apple conquering the living room, the biggest being the holy grail of television content: live television.
But up to today, Apple's public line on television has always been that the adorable-yet-useful Apple TV box has been nothing more than a hobby (occasionally a beloved hobby). With Tim Cook declaring that the "backwards" television user experience is an "area of intense interest" for Apple and something that he can't discuss more definitely seems to be implying that they're getting even more serious. In fact, you could say he's implying that it's now only a matter of "when" for an Apple television set, not "if", though the rumors and speculation have always pegged it as "when", often with hilariously poor accuracy. We'll just stick to our Magic 8 Ball for prognosticating… concentrate and ask again?
Source: Rock Center


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This terrine is very good with a few lightly dressed salad leaves and some chutney.–Rosemary Shrager
LC Easy Peasy Terrine Note
The most difficult thing about making this terrine? It's a toss-up between remembering to kindly ask your butcher to mince the pork belly for you and taking the time to shell a couple handfuls of pistachios. For something so simple, the payoff is impressively sophisticated. Still, questions do arise. Here, a short FAQ from author Rosemary Shrager:
How does the terrine hold together?
You need to choose your "glue," a finely minced or ground meat, such as the pork in the recipe below. Once you've your chosen your glue, anything goes in terms of the main ingredients.
What if I don't care for ham?
If you don't want anything surrounding your terrine, line the dish with 3 layers of plastic wrap instead, letting the wrap hang over the edges of the dish.
Can I cut the recipe in half?
I don't recommend making less than a loaf pan of terrine at a time. The terrine keeps for several days in the fridge and also freezes well, so if you don't want to use all the terrine at once, you can cut it in half, wrap each portion in plastic wrap, and stash one in the freezer.
Chicken, Pork and Pistachio Terrine
- Quick Glance
- Serves 12
Special Equipment: 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan
- 3 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into long strips about 1/4 inch thick
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 15 very thin slices Parma ham
- 1 3/4 pounds pork belly, finely minced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 2 1/2 tablespoons brandy
- 2 handfuls pistachios
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- 2. Place the chicken strips in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Line a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with several slices ham, making sure there are no gaps in between the slices and allowing the ends to hang over the edge of the pan. Reserve 2 slices ham for draping over the top.
- 3. Combine the minced pork, garlic, egg, five-spice powder, brandy, and pistachios, and season well with salt and pepper. This mixture should be moist and will help your terrine hold together. (To check the seasoning, make a patty with a tiny amount of the ground meat mixture and fry it. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the rest of your mixture if necessary.)
- 4. Spread 1/3 of the pork mixture evenly over the bottom of the lined loaf pan. Arrange half of the chicken on top of the pork mixture. Repeat the layering process, finishing with a final layer of the pork mixture. Fold the ends of the Parma ham over the top and then drape with the 2 reserved slices ham to completely cover the pork mixture.
- 5. Cover the loaf pan with foil. Place the loaf pan in a larger roasting pan. Pour enough cold water into the roasting pan to reach 3/4 of the way up the side of the loaf pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
- 6. Reduce the oven temperature to 275°F (135°C) and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness–it should register 150° to 160°F (65° to 71°C). (Alternatively, another way to check for doneness is to press the top gently with your fingertip; the juices should run clear and the terrine should be fairly firm but still have a little give.)
- 7. Remove the loaf pan from the oven and use the tip of a skewer to make several small, shallow holes in the surface of the terrine, poking through the foil. Place a weight, such as several cans or another loaf pan, on the foil and let stand at room temperature until the terrine is cool. Place the entire loaf pan, weights still in place, in the refrigerator overnight.
- 8. To unmold the terrine, pull some plastic wrap from the roll and place it on a cutting board but do not cut it at this point. Turn the terrine onto the plastic wrap. Remove and discard any excess jelly. Tightly wrap the terrine in layer after layer of plastic wrap, using the roll of wrap behind the board as leverage, stopping only when it's wrapped in 7 or 8 layers. Refrigerate the terrine for up to 5 days. (The terrine also freezes well.)
- 9. To serve, slice the terrine through the plastic wrap with a very sharp, thin knife, using a sawing motion. (Leaving the plastic wrap on during slicing helps each slice remain intact.) Peel off the plastic wrap and serve.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.


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The Mets will introduce Sandy Alderson today as their new general manager, and he'll answer a multitude of questions about his managerial preference.
This much we know already about Alderson: He'll implement an organizational philosophy and the new manager must adhere to that way of thinking. Alderson is not as interested in the manager's philosophy as he is the manager fitting into his.
We've already heard a lot of names and likely to hear a few more in the coming days. The following are some of the more popular candidates:
Bob Melvin: Melvin has managed in the major leagues, he's smart, knows how to deal with players and carry through an organizational philosophy. He doesn't have a dominant, fiery personality, but that's not essential with Alderson. Slowly, his candidacy is gaining steam and could be emerging as a frontrunner. He's already in the organization as the Mets' AL scout.
Wally Backman: Fans and media have been clamoring for Backman even before Jerry Manuel was sacked. He's a favorite of the Wilpons and Alderson has him on his list. He'll likely get an interview, but is sliding in the polls. Alderson isn't interested in a personality as much as he is getting somebody to follow through with his philosophy. Working against Backman is a lack of experience. It's doubtful Alderson will tie his success to a candidate with a minimum of experience.
Terry Collins: Collins was hired to improve the farm system, and Alderson might find it best to leave him in that capacity. Collins managed Houston and the Angels, and is an organization man. I think he'll stay in his current role, but he could draw an interview.
Clint Hurdle: Hurdle's name popped up recently with Texas' appearance in the World Series. The Ranger's hitting coach had some success managing the Colorado Rockies. He has a Mets' background, but I don't know if he has enough to get over the top.
Chip Hale: Hale did a good job in his first season as Mets' third base coach. He's smart, well organized and has a strong work ethic. He'll interview and could stay in the organization in some capacity, perhaps as a bench coach. He's too good for the Mets to let him slide through their fingers.
Lee Mazzilli: If the Mets truly want somebody with organizational ties, there's always the fan-favorite Mazzilli. Mazzilli didn't get a fair shake managing Baltimore and has been waiting for the right opportunity. I'm not sure this will be it. Being a favorite of Fred Wilpon might not be enough.
Ken Oberkfell: Oberkfell has managed the Mets' Triple-A affiliate and has logged more time in minor league dugouts than Backman. He obviously knows the Mets' minor league system. As a second base man for St. Louis he learned under Whitey Herzog, so he learned from one of the best. He was a cerebral player and should mesh with Alderson.


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AURORA – In announcing her bid for Congress, State Rep. Darlene Senger, R-Naperville, on Monday said she hopes to bring opportunity back to Illinois.
"All we are asking out of Washington is to give us a fair shake to succeed," said Senger, who is running in the 11th District, a seat now held by U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville. "We can work together to bring opportunity back to Illinois."
Senger faces possible challengers in the March 18 primary election from conservative talk show host Ian Bayne of Aurora and Grundy County Board member Chris Balkema.
State Sen. Jim Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove, was on hand for her announcement.
"She has done a good job in the legislature," Oberweis said. "She has good common sense."
The 11th District includes North Aurora, Aurora, Naperville, Lisle and Joliet. Foster has held the seat since October after defeating former U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert. From 2008 to 2011, Foster represented Illinois' 14th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Foster was defeated November 2010 by then-state Sen. Randy Hultgren, a Republican from Winfield.
Senger has been a state representative since 2009. Before that, she was on the Naperville City Council from 2002 to 2008, and made her announcement in front of the Naperville Municipal Center.
After Senger's announcement, Foster's campaign staff released a statement.
"Congressman Foster is focused on the job he was elected to do – serving the people of the 11th District," the statement said. "Throughout his term, Congressman Foster will continue to focus on creating jobs and opportunity for the people of the 11th District and passing common-sense immigration reform that secures our borders, improves our current immigration system and provides a path to citizenship for immigrants who are willing to work hard and play by the rules."


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As a sophomore at UCLA in 1967, young Lew Alcindor already had one of the highest verticals in the game, and an inseam to match. (Fifty-one inches, to be precise.) Tailored clothes were the solution to that, but the rest of college basketball had no answer for Alcindor's and UCLA's dominance. The next year, after his second title in two years, the NCAA banned the dunk. Didn't matter: the Bruins won again.
Long Lens is an occasional look into the photo archives of Life magazine. For more college basketball shots from the '40s, '50s and '60s, click here.


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
The Niagara Falls Bridge Commission has announced upcoming summer construction activity that will result in a series of lane closures within the Queenston Plaza at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge.
Closures will commence this month and conclude in late August. Motorists and commercial carriers are asked to take note of scheduled closure dates, which are now available online at www.niagarafallsbridges.com.
Lane closures, route schedule, and other traffic information:
•During May and June, up to four auto customs primary inspection lanes will be closed due to plaza construction.
•During July and August, two auto customs primary inspection lanes will be closed due to plaza construction.
•On the evenings of Aug. 26, 27 and 28 (between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.), all auto traffic will be routed through adjacent commercial customs primary inspection lanes.
•Motorists and commercial carriers should anticipate traffic barrier placements and reduced speeds within the Queenston Plaza during these times.
•The Queenston Plaza Duty Free Store will remain fully open.
•Closure dates and times are subject to change.
This construction activity includes the final set of enhancements to the state-of-the-art plaza that is designed to increase security and facilitate the flow of traffic and commerce between Canada and the U.S. at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge crossing.


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The extraordinary abortion-themed drama "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" placed Cristian Mungiu in the forefront of international cinema, and the Romanian director's new film, "Beyond the Hills," likewise concerns the bond between two young women. Again they face ineffectual institutions, but there's another, more urgent push-pull at the heart of this haunting, beautifully acted feature.
After several years apart, lifelong friends Alina (Cristina Flutur) and Voichita (Cosmina Stratan) reunite at a train station. "Stay there!" are Voichita's words of greeting across the crowded platform, and then she does her best not to squirm while waiting to be released from Alina's tearful, clingy embrace.
Alina is returning to Romania after several years in Germany, and she's determined to take Voichita from the Orthodox monastery where she's a novice. Voichita's faith is not just beyond Alina's comprehension but, more to the point, she considers it a personal betrayal. Mungiu doesn't spell out the particulars, but he strongly suggests a physical component to the friendship, its importance perhaps exaggerated in Alina's memory.
PHOTOS: Hollywood backlot moments
The screenplay also alludes to sex trafficking in the orphanage where the two grew up together. There's no question that their young lives have been marked by emotional deprivation, if not damage, and it's clear why Voichita doesn't jump at her friend's plan for them to work together on a German cruise ship.


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C2334646 & C2334647 The aim of this course is to improve students' listening/speaking, reading/writing skills of English language and to prepare them to take C&G ESOL Assessment. I will teach the students how to ask and give information at work, at shops, at the surgery, at the library, bus/train station etc. Students will learn how to use Past Simple, and Present Simple. They will learn how to fill the forms, write letters, and short texts. They will learn to read different texts from different sources, such as leaflets, tickets, books, etc. Course is differentiated, all levels are welcomed. Tutor: Zara Handley Venue: WEA Training Room,Unit 2, John Folman Business Centre, 31 Hungerhill Road, NG3 4NB Date: Tuesday 14th April 2015 Time: 9.30am -11.40am or 12pm -2.10pm Duration: 10 Sessions Fee: £80.85- Fee Waived for those on income related benefits or low income Topics to be covered (topics could be changed when course starts due to learners' needs) 1 session- Course will begin with filling the enrolment papers, and information about WEA and health and safety issues. 2 session – Initial assessments 3 session- Personal Information (all levels) 4 session- Entry levels- My Family; 5 session- My daily routines; 6 session- Midcourse Review 7 session- Different kind of jobs 8 session- Describing people 9 session- St. David's Day/ Shrove Tuesday 10 session – National health system in the UK 11 session- Story of Easter 12 session- Final Review Learning outcomes As a result of attending this course it may be possible for you to:
- Learners will be learning new vocabulary related to the topic at each session
- Describe your day using Past simple, Present Simple, Learn about countries in the UK and compare it to one from your own country
- Learn how to describe people, their appearance, personality and ability using different kind of adjectives.
- Learn about different jobs, traditions, special days in the UK, improve your vocabulary.
- Learn how to get and give information on the phone
- Read brochures and leaflets from community centres, such as bus time tables etc.
Teaching methods, learning activities Students will be learning four skills of particular topic in one session. They will be listening to listening tasks and role-play for speaking. They will be reading several of texts, including brochures, leaflets, college prospectus, newspaper advertisement, etc. Visual aids, grammar worksheet will be used, handouts will be used. Students will be using the Internet for support learning. They will be introduced the writing frames for writing tasks, such as, forms, application, letter layout, etc. Learners will be encouraged to do activities in smaller groups as well as with whole group. They will be doing research for their descriptive talk about different topics (health or education system in your country, etc.) Assessment methods Through quizzes, discussions, learner presentations and a variety of set assignments, the tutor will ensure that learners are making progress. Online assessments may be used in this course. Previous learning required Everyone is welcome and no previous knowledge is assumed. (delete if inappropriate or add appropriate requirements of your own) Essential materials or equipment CD player, Internet access, handouts, worksheet, learning games, flipchart, whiteboard, students' files, course files, leaflets, brochures from sport centres, libraries, bus time tables, tickets. Booklist
- Any children's books to help to improve reading skills at home. ( available in local libraries);
- Move on tests book and CD for practicing at home;
- Dictionaries
- Course books such as "Headway", "Cutting Edge".
- Citizenship materials for ESOL learners
Financial help If you need help with paying for fees or childcare, you may be entitled to financial support. Ask your tutor or programme organiser for more information. We will treat all requests confidentially and with respect in accordance with our Learner Support Policy (see Services for Learners leaflet). Help with learning If you have a disability or learning difficulty, let us know as early as possible so that we can make arrangements to provide you with support. We will treat requests for help confidentially and with respect. Ask your tutor for more information. If you prefer, contact your Regional Office and ask to speak to someone about learning support (see Services for Learners leaflet). Help with English, Maths or Study Skills You are also entitled to extra help and support with English, Maths or Study Skills. Ask your tutor for more information. If you prefer, contact your Regional Office and ask to speak to someone about help with English, Maths or Study Skills. Sound interesting? Please contact Caroline on 0115 985 8203 or email email@example.com


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Jonah Hill: So many Oscar friends
Jonah Hill, 2x Oscar nominee and friend of Marty, Leo, and Brange managed to control his sucky face last night after losing to Jared Leto. Because Marty, Leo, and Brange were all there!
I'm not sure he gave an interview without namechecking Marty and Leo. And he already knew he'd be sitting behind Leo so you can imagine, just the anticipation of those 4 hours, staring at the back of Leo's head -- the night was already made for Jonah Hill, 2x Oscar nominee and friend of Marty, Leo, and Brange. He already won. Especially since Brange personally greeted him on the carpet. I watched this happen from just 20 feet away. It was a beautiful thing, seeing someone so happy, so fulfilled. That moment Brange stopped to say hi to him, and hug him, and take time out of the self-promotion to speak to him, you've never seen a man experience such joy.
By the time they were done he almost skipped to the photo wall, that's how euphoric he was. Maybe they invited him back to stay at their New Orleans home? I feel like we'll find out soon. I feel like the next time he's interviewed he'll let us know for sure. So don't feel bad for Jonah Hill, 2x Oscar nominee and friend of Marty, Leo, and Brange. Marty, Leo, and Brange were there. It was his best night ever.
Michael Buckner/ ROBYN BECK/ VALERIE MACON/ Getty Images


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Sudheer Kumar has not received any gifts yet
HI, I live in Fairfax. Looking for partner to hit a ball on weekends or weekdays evenings. I''m 3.0. Three is a room for growth up to 3.5 for short time. I have not played for a while, just need some practice. If you are interested, shot me an email at firstname.lastname@example.com
Hey Kumar, I'll be happy to do some Tennis with you, my play is barely 3.0. My phone number is 571-274 5727 text me so we can set up some time and place.
Take care
Hi, I'm Mark, the founder of Tennisopolis, the world's largest and most active tennis network. Please share Tennisopolis with your friends by supporting our Facebook page. Click here for a Guide to Meet Tennis Partners.
Have a look at our introduction page which will help you navigate the massive network which now has over 40,000 members and 600 local tennis groups.
Also, I recommend that you upload a profile pic; it can be of anything, but people with pics meet more players.
Friend me,
Mark, The Mayor of Tennisopolis
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(CNN) -- The current flu season, which began early and has been more severe than last year's, is slowing down, health officials say.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's latest flu numbers, released Friday, show "influenza-like illness (ILI) continued to decrease for the third consecutive week. Most regions are showing stable or declining levels of ILI activity again this week."
The 2012-13 flu season began in December -- much earlier than usual. But Dr. Thomas Frieden, the CDC's director, told a congressional hearing last week it did not reach "pandemic proportions."
Frieden and representatives from the Food and Drug Administration and the Government Accountability Office testified before members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to discuss the flu season and give an update on preparations for next year.
Your top 10 flu questions answered
An H3N2 flu strain has been the most dominant and has been especially hard on the elderly. Frieden said in the hearing about twice as many elderly people have been hospitalized with flu symptoms than in recent years. That includes the 2007-08 and 2003-04 seasons, which also saw a predominant H3N2 strain.
Five more pediatric deaths were reported during the week of February 9, the date with the latest data available. So far, 64 children have died from the flu this season, a number still lower than 153 reported in the 2003-04 season.
Even though it appears the flu season is nearing its end, people may still contract the flu. Frieden repeated those with flu symptoms -- particularly those who are older or young children -- should see their doctor and, if possible, take the antiviral medications Tamiflu or Relenza to lessen symptoms.
Consumers should beware, however, of products sold over the Internet claiming to cure or prevent the flu, the FDA said last week.
Had a flu shot? You'll be OK -- maybe
The agency has sent warning letters to nine companies it claims were selling such products online. A number of them were "generic Tamiflu" -- which is not approved for use in the United States. Some were supplements not approved by the FDA.
"The letters went to firms marketing these products on their website, but we know some of these products are available in retail stores also," said Gary Coody, the FDA's national health fraud coordinator, said Friday "There are no over-the-counter products approved to prevent, cure and treat the flu, so none of these products are allowed to make these claims."
The agency begins surfing the Internet for such promotions each time a health threat emerges, he said.
"Some of these products arise overnight. We saw it with the avian flu, we saw it with the H1N1 flu in 2009 and we're seeing it now. And of course with the Internet and social media, there's almost immediate access to consumers."
According to Coody, more than 100 warning letters were sent to companies over products, devices and supplements during the H1N1 outbreak.
The companies have 15 days to let the FDA know how they intend to make corrections and bring their products into compliance.
Six have already removed the products from their websites or have made partial or complete corrections to their claims. If no action is taken after 15 days, they could be subject to legal sanctions, product seizure or even criminal prosecution.
Can influenza sorbet relieve your flu symptoms?
Coody has these tips for consumers:
• Beware of online websites selling generic Tamiflu or Relenza. There are no FDA-approved generic versions of these two drugs.
• Beware of products that claim to boost your immunity naturally without a flu shot, claim to be a safe and alternative option to the flu vaccine, claim to prevent you from catching the flu or claim to support your body's natural defenses to fight the flu.
• For information, visit the FDA's health fraud scams website.
CNN's Stacey Welsh, Miriam Falco and Saundra Young contributed to this report.


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A builder with a strong focus on bringing
new dimension to new homes, Blenheim Homes is raising the bar on style and
raising the standards of design.
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The sincerity and helpfulness of our sales rep, Dane, has gone a long way in assuring us that in selecting Bay Crossing and the Blenheim Companies as the builders of our next home, we have picked a first class company to do business with. - Sal and Jackie G. - Bay Crossing
Our new-home experience was positive from the start. We applaud your sales staff for always going the extra mile, making sure that any questions or concerns were always answered in a timely manner. - S. family
Your sales staff was very responsive to our concerns and questions throughout the entire buying process. As second-time Blenheim buyers, we continue to be impressed by the unique designs and spacious floor plans. - K. and S. - Emerald Pointe
From the time we first sat down in the sales center to the completion of our new home, the staff at Emerald Pointe and the folks at Blenheim Homes far exceeded our expectations. - Jeri and Jessica S. - Emerald Pointe
It was a pleasure to work with your sales staff. Today we are grateful homeowners, particularly delighted with our designer kitchen and expansive deck. - Fredda and Mark M. - Northbrook
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- 1 - 12" x 1.5" PVC pipe
- 1 - 1.5" cap
- 1 - 1.5" elbow connector
- 1 - 35mm canister
- 6 - 1.5" circular magnets / (Velcro strip optional)
- PVC pipe sealant
- Some krazy glue or other permanent glue
I have found that a 35mm canister fits absolutely perfect within a 1.5inch PVC elbow and pipe. Which is perfect for this cache. Simply use some pipe sealant and glue the cap to the bottom of one of the 12" PVC pipe ends. Then glue the elbow to the other end and allow to dry. It should look like a big candy cane when complete.
Now take some krazy glue and glue one of the circular magnets to the bottom of the 35mm canister. Allow to dry. This would be a good time to print out a logsheet for the 35mm canister and get that ready. *** Don't forget one of those little log book baggies to keep it dry.
Place the 35mm canister bottom side first into the elbow and guide it until it falls all the way down into the pipe. Take the last circular magnet and place it on the bottom of the cache into the cap. It should fit just right and you will feel both magnets attract to each other. This ensures the cache stays in place and adds a bit more challenge to the cacher who has to figure out to remove the magnet to get the cache out of the tube.
Place your cache with the cap side down as close to a wall and let the magnets hold it in place on some metallic object like a drain or electrical box. It should look like it is a natural pipe coming out of the ground.
There you have it a unique and clever cache made from scratch.
If you have a clever PVC cache idea, photo or comment please send your submissions to email@example.com.


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Looks like some over-eager German couriers suffering from premature delivery-fication have gotten iPhone 4S orders out way ahead of Apple's official Friday drop date. Not that the customers seem to mind. Indeed, they're taking to the internet to share an advanced look at their hot new devices.
Apple, no doubt, is likely firmly reminding their courier partners to think about baseball, or taxes, or anything that will get them to keep it in their trucks until Friday.
Source: macerkopf.de via MacRumors


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Propane Council of Texas launches public awareness campaign, Propane Autogas: Fueling Texas
AUSTIN – March 11, 2013 – The Propane Council of Texas (ProCOT) has launched a new campaign, Propane Autogas: Fueling Texas, to educate Texans about the benefits of running fleet vehicles and equipment on clean-burning propane autogas. Propane Autogas: Fueling Texas officially kicked off with Texas Propane Day, a ride and drive event at the Texas Capitol, and with the launch of the campaign's website, FuelingTexas.com, on March 4.
FuelingTexas.com will be regularly updated with news, educational resources and more. Fleet owners will find an array of information on the benefits of propane autogas, as well as available incentives, tax credits, upcoming events and details about autogas for both on-road vehicles and off-road options.
The campaign will feature a series of statewide autogas presentations and road shows to provide fleet operators, drivers and community members a hands-on experience with clean autogas technology.
Propane autogas is environmentally friendly, cost-effective and domestically produced. It is the most widely used alternative fuel in the world, with 18 million autogas vehicles around the globe. Converting to autogas is a quick and easy process, and Texas is one of the country's leaders in shifting to this efficient technology. Texas fleets save significantly on fuel costs, and autogas vehicles reduce the amount of greenhouse gases and other harmful emissions.
"Vehicle fleets that use autogas save an average of 30-50 percent on fuel costs compared to fleets that use gasoline or diesel," said Jackie Mason, education and marketing director for ProCOT. "Plus, 98 percent of the U.S. propane autogas supply is made in America, and Texas is home to the world's largest propane storage capacity. Choosing autogas contributes to a greener, stronger economy on both a national and state level."
The many autogas-powered vehicle fleets in Texas include the Texas Department of Transportation—the state's largest autogas fleet—and the Dallas, Houston and Austin Independent School Districts. Propane autogas is widely available in Texas with more than 700 fueling stations throughout the state, more than 10 times the amount of compressed natural gas (CNG) stations. Many fleets also choose to install an on-site fueling station at their home base for just a tenth of the cost of installing a CNG station.
Propane autogas is also ideal for powering commercial lawn equipment. More than 17 million gallons of fuel, mostly gasoline, are spilled each year while refueling lawn equipment. Propane's closed loop fueling system reduces the amount of lost fuel, saving equipment owners money. Propane-fueled mowers also reduce greenhouse gas and carbon monoxide emissions.
To find out more about propane autogas, or to find a Fueling Texas event near you, visit FuelingTexas.com.
About the Propane Council of Texas
The Propane Council of Texas (ProCOT) is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 dedicated to educating the public and the propane industry on safety and on the newest clean-burning propane technologies. ProCOT is the state entity that represents the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), which was authorized by the U.S. Congress with the passage of the Propane Education and Research Act (PERA) of 1996. The program is funded with check-off funds from the propane industry and goes to fund several safety programs, as well as research and development projects. Visit www.procot.org for more information.


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Katy Perry Says New Album Will Be 'F—ing Dark'
The feelings that Katy Perry is experiencing due to her divorce from Russell Brand may manifest themselves on her next album.
According to The Sun, the singer said, "My music is about to get real f—ing dark." Is that a threat or a promise? While we're used to Perry being all ice cream cones and Gummy Bears, we must admit we'd like to see a darker, more ominous version of her. She also said, "You'd never see my face because my hair would be in it."
Look out world, Katy Perry's going emo!
The singer also made some other cryptic comments, such as saying, "I'd like to use a time machine and go back to a specific date, please." Could that date be in Oct. 23, 2010, which is when she and Brand got hitched?
Perry also said that she is not partying like a rock star at this point in her life, even though she has been seen with uber hot French model Baptiste Giabiconi in the wake of her split. In her trademark sarcastic wit, Perry said, "I feel like an 80-year-old in an assisted-living condo." Perhaps she can drag out the makeup, prosthetics and clothes from her 'The One That Got Away' video?
What's up with Katy Perry and these loaded comments? We can't wait to see how some of her personal peril and turmoil informs her music. If anything, fans will win, since Perry's music will operate off an emotionally charged battery.


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Friday, June 20, 2008
Weapon Speeds
This seems odd to me. It seems like there should be some advantage to using a faster weapon, some trade-off that would make faster weapons better in some situations. You'd think that effects that have a chance of occurring on a hit--also called procs--would be lend themselves to fast weapons, but because Blizzard uses a Proc-Per-Minute system for most of these effects, there's no advantage to a fast weapon.
(A quick explanation of Proc-Per-Minute (PPM): The probability of proc happening is independent of the weapon speed. For example, Seal of Command will proc an average of 7 times a minute, regardless of how fast or slow your weapon is.)
The few times a fast weapon is desired usually occurs when one of these two trends is broken. For example, combat rogues desire fast off-hands because none of their regular abilities rely on off-hand weapon damage, and because Combat Potency returns energy on every swing (a non-PPM system).
I think it would be better if fast weapons had some innate advantage, to balance the extra damage that slow weapons give to your abilities. Right now, I think weapon speed makes a bit too much of a difference in the quality of weapons, and that makes several drops less desireable than they should be.
Note: Slam Warriors and Hunters don't adhere to the slow weapon rule. Because of the way their abilities interact with the weapon swing/shot timer, there's usually a specific "best" speed for them. The weapons still suffer from the same problem, in that a weapon can be much better or worse than others of the same DPS, just because it happens to have a specific speed.
9 comments:
I think "weapon speed" is a gross oversimplification.ReplyDelete
In reality speed rarely matters (other than for the few odd effects like Combat Potency and Seal of Command), it is damage ranges that people look for.
If I have two 100 DPS weapons, one a 3.0 speed and one a 3.8 speed I'm going to use the slower one. Why? For the weapon to have 100 DPS that means the 3.0 speed weapon will do 300 damage each swing while the 3.8 does 380 damage. Since the 3.8 speed has a higher damage range specials will be hitting for harder while the base DPS is still the same between the two (meaning white DPS is equal).
Now if my 3.0 speed weapon was 130 DPS it would be hitting for an average of 390, meaning it is now better than the slow weapon.
So it really is less of "speed" that matters and more of simple damage ranges. It just so happens that slower weapons at equal DPS will always have higher damage ranges, meaning slower weapons will almost always be better.
I was under the impression that Seal/Judgement of Light & Wisdom didn't use PPM and thus faster weapons were beneficial. Do you happen to know if they do or don't?ReplyDelete
Dazanna, while you are correct, I was assuming that the weapons I am comparing had the same DPS. Either way, I think you should have a reason to use a weapon with a smaller damage range, but hits more often.ReplyDelete
Indy, *Seal* of Light/Wisdom is on a PPM system (I think it's about 20 PPM). So speed doesn't matter for Seals. However, *Judgement* of Light/Wisdom is a flat percentage. So if you are concerned about getting mana/health back from a Judgement on the mob, a fast weapon is better.
- Suicidal Zebra9:01 PM, June 21, 2008
It's been too long since I did the math so I can't remember, but does Swing Speed have an impact on the DPS afforded by the PPM mechanics of SoC due to AP contribution? I.e. given equal average damage the weapon with slower swing speed will have a higher SoC (proc only) DPS than the faster weapon?
If there is a difference, is it significant and can it off-set associated white DPS loss?
(All this makes me thankful for the Normalisation change in 1.8)
Swing speed affects non-normalized attacks when determining their AP contributions, which Seal of Command falls into the category of.ReplyDelete
Seal of Command is odd because in addition to being a NNA it is also a PPM, meaning you will always have the same procs regardless of weapon speed (unlike, for example, Seal of Blood, which is a NNA but is not a PPM so you gain more procs per minute for using a faster weapon, balancing out the loss of AP contributions and making weapon speed less important). This means SoC gains more from a slower weapon in all regards; higher base damage ranges, higher AP contributions, and equal proc rates, which translates into a lot more damage.
I actually wrote a big post on Retpally about this if you want the real nitty-gritty stuff.
Bah, the link didn't copy correctly.ReplyDelete
Click here
- Anonymous5:44 PM, June 22, 2008
As a rogue, in PvP, faster weapons create more spell pushback. However I find that most casters have their anti-pushback talent maxed, which means no more pushback. I am wondering why they give us something with the right hand only to be removed by the left.ReplyDelete
Ele shammies will use flametongue with a fast weapon for maximum fire damage as the weapon buff gets a good boost from spell damage and applied evenly every swing. (Ignoring the fact that an ele shammy doesn't want to be in melee...) Doesn't seal of righteousness work in the same way? Would a paladin ever use this with judgement of the crusader and a fast weapon?ReplyDelete
Mark, Seal of Righteousness scales with Weapon Speed. The coefficent is something like 10% per 1.0s of weapon speed.ReplyDelete


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I had visited Pallasgreen once before, when I visited Ireland as an adolescent with my parents. We had been told that our family's old home was "the first house outside of town, on the road with the school." When asking for directions, we had this exchange with a local:
Dad: We're looking for the house where the Mulcahys lived. We were told it was the first house outside of town, on the road with the school."During our brief stop (in 1998), we had a bite to eat at the local pub; stopped by what we thought was the old Mulcahy house, though we were a bit unclear on that (no one was home); and my dad talked for a few minutes with the local town historian, who was since passed away. He brought my sister along for that conversation, and I kick myself regularly for not having joined them. I wouldn't have taken notes or anything, at that age, but I might have remembered something. I was at an age, however, when the embarrassment of knocking on a stranger's door and introducing ourselves far outweighed my interest in hearing what said stranger might have to say. That local historian has since passed away.
Local: I know the house you're talking about, but there's no school on that road.
Dad: Can you tell us how you get there?
Local: Just stay straight on this road until you pass the school, and it will be on your left.
This time, the town seemed somewhat larger and more developed than I had remembered it, but I don't know if that was perception or reality. My husband Ben and I stopped and had lunch in the local pub, where I took a picture of an old handbill hanging framed on the wall, advertising 1869's fairs and pig markets.
Before we left, I asked at the bar where we could find the graveyard where I'd been told the Mulcahys were buried - the graveyard "with the old church." They sent me down the road to the Old Pallas Cemetery. I'm pretty sure that on the way we would have passed the house where my family had lived, but I didn't recognize it from either our first visit or the photo I'd seen. It certainly was no longer the first house outside of town - a couple of new developments seemed to have sprung up just outside the main area of town. I already had a picture of the Mulcahy headstone, but I wanted to visit in person and look around the graveyard some more, and I was glad I did.
I'd been warned that this area of Ireland was overrun with Ryans - Michael Mulcahy's mother was a Ryan - or I might have been more excited when we entered the cemetery and noticed that every 2nd or 3rd stone seemed to have the name Ryan on it. I found the Mulcahy gravestone relatively quickly - it helped that I'd already seen a photo of it.
|Mulcahy headstone, Old Pallas Graveyard, Co. Limerick
|Mulcahy headstone, Old Pallas Graveyard, Co. Limerick
Then I looked around at the nearby stones to see if any of them might be related, and while I haven't had a chance to investigate what I found yet, there were several that looked promising. The nearest stone memorialized an Ellen Dwyer, which happens to be the name of one of the sponsors at my 2x great-grandfather's 1860 baptism. Nearby was another Dwyer stone. The next closest stone belonged to an Ellen Ryan. Although Ryans are everywhere, this one seemed significant both for its proximity to the Mulcahy plot and the names of the couple. Margaret Ryan Mulcahy had among her children both an Ellen and a Michael, and this stone was erected by a Michael Ryan to his wife Ellen, who appear to be of an age to have been in Margaret's parents' generation. Neither of these stones was particularly legible, and the photographs don't reveal the inscriptions at all, so I transcribed them to the best of my ability.
|Tombstone of Ellen Dwyer, Old Pallas Graveyard, Co. Limerick
Of your charityPray for the soul ofEllen DwyerWho died on the 22 Dec 1865Aged 47 yearsDeeply regretted by her husbandWm Dwyer Cobelish PallasgreanWho erected this as his affectionatememorial
|Headstone of Ellen Ryan, Old Pallas Graveyard, Co. Limerick
ErectedbyMichael Ryanof Kilduff in mem of hisBeloved wife EllenRYAN alias HAYES whoDeparted this life June20th 1845 aged 51 years
After we left the graveyard, we drove into the nearby village of Nicker to visit the church where Micahel Mulcahy would have been baptized. It was beautiful inside, but I only got a picture of the exterior. However, I made a note of the plaque mentioning the church's builder and its history, which confirmed that this was the church building that was around in the Mulcahys' day:
Very Rev. Thomas O'MahonyP.P. 1812-1849Built this church in 1820Died 4th Nov. 1849 andis buried hereR.I.P.
|Nicker Church, Pallasgreen, Co. Limerick


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While it's not likely the concepts will survive in total — there are many hurdles before a new farm bill is birthed — the paper does give an indication of the thinking in Washington these days and the pressures on the Bush Administration and Congress to increase spending these programs.
The House paper calls for $15.05 billion in funding over 10 years for conservation programs, an amazing 75 percent increase over the baseline budget amount. Among the program changes suggested:
•Reauthorization of the popular Conservation Reserve Program through 2011, with a 40-million acre enrollment cap, and expenditures of $1.4 billion over 10 years.
•Reauthorization of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program through 2011, at $1.2 billion annually, with livestock producers receiving 50 percent of annual funding. Additionally, a $300 million fund would be created in EQUIP to address groundwater conservation issues, including cost-sharing for more efficient irrigation systems. $10.3 billion over 10 years.
•Reauthorization of the Wetlands Reserve Program, with 100,000 additional acres to be enrolled annually. Ten-year cost: $1.5 billion.
•Reauthorization of the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program to provide cost-sharing for landowners to enhance wildlife habitat. Cost: $250 million over 10 years.
•Reauthorization of the Farmland Protection Program: $500 million over 10 years.
•Providing up to $100 million yearly to provide conservation technical assistance to producers using any government or private contractors: $850 million over 10 years.
Additionally, there would be $150 million over 10 years to fund the Small Watershed Dam Restoration Program and $100 million to a combined Forestry Incentive Program and Stewardship Incentive Program.
"The next farm bill can give those of us in the conservation and agriculture communities an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to protecting and improving America's precious natural resources," J. Read Smith, president of the National Association of Conservation Districts, said at the House hearing.
Most farmers and ranchers "want to do the right thing," he said, "but they need help. They need the knowledge, the science, and the technical and financial assistance to fully provide the benefits the public wants."
While the recommendations in the proposal "are a positive step" toward recognizing the value of conservation, Smith said, they "should go further and "extend stewardship incentives to all working lands." Reaching far more producers, providing more local control, and delivering conservation assistance more effectively and efficiently" would provide far greater benefits than "the current menu of highly targeted, limited reach programs."
This as much as $8 billion annually, Smith said. "But we need to keep in mind that preventing resource problems now is far less costly than solving them later. We should also consider the return we will get on that investment in better soil, cleaner water, greater profits, and a brighter future."
Ken Babcock, director of operations for the southern regional office of Ducks Unlimited, Inc., said "the future of wildlife in this country is inseparably tied to actions undertaken on private lands, and agriculture is by far the dominant use on these lands."
Federal agricultural programs and policies "have an enormous influence" on the state of the nation's air, soil, water, plant, wildlife, and other natural resources, he noted, which prompted Congress to include strong conservation titles in the 1985 farm bills and in each of the two succeeding farm bills.
But, Babcock noted, while the House plan increases the total dollars dedicated to conservation programs, "We believe several important programs are not being funded or planned in the appropriate manner."
He suggested expansion of the Wetlands Reserve Program to allow enrollment of 250,000 acres per year over 10 years; expanding the enrollment cap of the Conservation Reserve Program to its original 1985 level of 45 million acres; expanding the Wildife Habitat Incentive Program to $100 million annually; and establishing a Grasslands Reserve Program of up to one million acres. Bills to accomplish these goals have been introduced in the House.
e-mail: email@example.com


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George Mason University is providing a free app to its campus community intended to help users cope effectively in emergency situations. The Virginia university's Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Office teamed up with Virginia-based Irving Burton Associates to customize a version of In Case of Crisis, that delivers specific emergency procedures and instructions via an online portal to users' Apple and Google Android mobile devices. Most of the information is saved within the app so that it's available even if data or cellular service is down.
The content included in the app is already available online and in an emergency preparation flipbook created by EHS, but the office said it considers the latest edition more concise and accessible. The user is presented with icons that can be selected for next-steps, emergency contact phone numbers, evacuation routes, routes to local hospitals, an audio alarm, and a flashlight. As plans evolve, the content can be updated by university representatives.
The emergency events that the app covers encompass:
"Like any high-growth institution with a diverse student population dispersed among multiple major campuses, we required a cohesive way to deliver emergency information into the hands of every person on campus," said David Farris, director of emergency management and fire safety. The new app, he added, will allow George Mason "to proactively address both major and minor emergencies and empower students, faculty, and staff to take charge of their situations."
Farris emphasized that the app wasn't a replacement for the university's emergency notification system, MasonAlert. However, the new app does include a menu that allows users to connect to MasonAlert in order to modify account settings and update contact details.
According to the school, more improvements may come, among them the ability to communicate emergency location to campus police and creating plans specific to faculty or students studying abroad.
A version of the app is also in use by Northwest Missouri State University.
About the Author
Dian Schaffhauser is a senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal and Campus Technology. She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or on Twitter @schaffhauser.
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text: ELCA congregations and synods operate more than 1,500 early childhood education programs, elementary schools and secondary schools. A large majority of these schools are early childhood centers, such as preschools and kindergartens. Most programs enroll children from the community as well as children of congregational members. All seek to provide excellent education as well as character and faith development for children.


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Up to 20% Have Regret; Sex Changes Are Not Effective, say Researchers
The review of more than 100 international medical studies of "post-operative" transsexuals finds up to 20% regret transitioning and no conclusive evidence was found that shows gender reassignment surgery improves the lives of transsexuals, with many people remaining severely distressed and even suicidal after the operation, wrote David Batty in the UK Guardian.
"The medical treatment of delusions, psychosis or emotional happiness is not by surgery,"
says prominent psychiatrist, speaking from a scientific perspective about gender dysphoria.
Must-See Video: Three facts those promoting transgenderism ignore
A video from The Daily Signal shows how the rush to embrace the transgender ideology is based on ideology, not science, and children struggling with gender dysphoria may be the most vulnerable victims.
Must-Buy Video: Tranzformed
15 transgender individuals tell their stories of release from gender dysphoria. Powerful and compelling. Visit the website.
Relevant Articles
If California's LGBT Therapy Ban Had Been Law 30 Years Ago, I Might Have Killed Myself
New Paper Says Puberty Blockers Aren't the Answer to Gender Confusion
I'm a Pediatrician. How Transgender Ideology Has Infiltrated My Field and Produced Large-Scale Child Abuse.
Doctors Admit They Don't Know Which Kids Should Gender Transition But Do It To Them Anyway
Bravo to the Truth: What's Wrong with Transgender Ideology
Research Claiming Sex-Change Benefits Is Based On Junk Science
Rupert Everett warns against hormone therapy for children who question gender
7 Questions About Transgender People, Answered
Drop the T from LGBT
Transgender Characters May Win Emmys, But Transgender People Hurt Themselves
Transgender Regret Is Real Even If The Media Tell You Otherwise
Prominent Psychiatrist: Transgender is 'Emotional Unhappiness … Purely Psychological'
"Sex Change" Surgery: What Bruce Jenner, Diane Sawyer, and You Should Know
Outlawing Psychotherapy For Trans-Kids Will Not Prevent Suicides
I Was a Transgender Woman
Trouble in Transtopia: Murmurs of Sex Change Regret
More of Walt's articles are at theFederalist.com
More of Walt's articles are at DailySignal.com
Trans Change Regret x 3
Young or old, early in transition or years later, changing genders ends in regret, and often, in a total nightmare.
I realize different people will draw different conclusions about the people who make the difficult decision to go back. I just feel you should see the stories of those who regret their transition.
Even more stories are available in the book, Trans Life Survivors, available in the bookstore.
Alexis Arquette
Even well-known and talented transgender individuals with a full life, embraced and accepted, go back to presenting as their birth sex. From an article at The Hollywood Reporter:
In 2013, amid increasing health complications, Alexis began presenting herself as a man again, telling [her close friend] Ibrahim that "'gender is bullshit.'
That 'putting on a dress doesn't biologically change anything. Nor does a sex-change.' She said that 'sex-reassignment is physically impossible.
All you can do is adopt these superficial characteristics but the biology will never change.'"
That realization, Ibrahim suspects, was the likely source of her deep wells of emotional torment.
Chelsea going back after 7 years
Seven years ago, Matthew, a male drag queen, became Chelsea. Now Chelsea wants to become Matthew again. In the article published Oct. 1, 2014, Chelsea says:
'I have always longed to be a woman, but no amount of surgery can give me an actual female body and I feel like I am living a lie.
'It is exhausting putting on make-up and wearing heels all the time. Even then I don't feel I look like a proper woman.
'I suffered from depression and anxiety as a result of the hormones too.
'I have realised it would be easier to stop fighting the way I look naturally and accept that I was born a man physically.'"
You can read the account at Daily Mail UK.
After 17 years as a woman, this man has had enough
For the past 17 years, Jeremy Bate has lived as a woman. But now, after hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery, he believes it has all been a mistake.
At the age of 52, Mr Bate now says he was never anything other than a man and has called for more support for people questioning their gender. Mr Bate said he would have been better off if he had counselling to help him become more comfortable with the body he was born in.
"I would've been helped more by what you could call 'tough love'," he said.
"I was very gender confused, and I latched on to the idea of 'transexual' because I thought that must apply to who I am.
"In the absence of any other information, that was what I was running with, but if I'd got the different information, and more support the other way I'm sure I would've been open to questioning.
"I'm not saying it would've been easy."
You can read the entire article here: WA Today
The insanity of hormone blockers for kids
One controversial treatment for children with gender dysphoria is the administration of drugs called hormone blockers to delay puberty. The practice is gaining traction without any scientific proof that it is appropriate or effective, and despite the evidence that it can be harmful:
Given these facts, why would anyone inject these drugs into children?
Doctors and parents want to help the child cope with the distress he or she is experiencing. Is relief of adolescent distress really worth the risk?
Most will grow out of the dysphoria. Isn't there some way to work through the distress than experimenting on our children?[1] J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2008 Dec;47(12):1413-23. doi: 10.1097/CHI.0b013e31818956b9., "Psychosexual outcome of gender-dysphoric children", Wallien MS, Cohen-Kettenis PT., Department of Medical Psychology, Graduate School of Neurosciences, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Gender Regret News
If Sex Change Regret Is Rare, Why Are Surgeons Offering Reversal Surgery?
I've been reporting about the widespread regret for years while everyone in the media says regret is rare. The Belgrade Center for Genital Reconstructive Surgery says that they have received requests for reversal surgery.
If sex change regret is so rare, why are so many requesting reversal surgery?
If sex change regret is so rare, why are surgeons offering reversal surgery?
These surgeons are known to perform the reversal surgery:
Of course the answer is: sex change regret is not rare at all.
Regret Is Real—and Transgenders Are Going Back...
From a physician:
From one who had surgery in March, 2009:
Regret Is Real—and Sometimes Quick
"Although I thought I was completely sure of what I was doing, I began to regret the decision a mere three weeks after the operation. Some might say I was experiencing post-op depression, but it was definitely more than that. Read more
Detransition happens because people are NOT "born in the wrong body"
A University of Rome study proves transsexuals have normal Y chromosomes. The SRY is the main sex-determining gene. AZF a, b and C are genes for male infertility. Transsexuals do not even have a smidgeon of abnormality there.
The DAX1 and androgen receptor genes were theorized to cause transsexualism since they can lead to intersex and can turn a person with a normal Y chromosome into a XY woman. Yet there is no alteration in these genes in any of the transsexuals.
Some Research Findings


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The lecture by Sensei Pat Nakata and me,
How is Okinawan Culture Spread through Karate?
will be in just one week! I hope that you can attend or will be able to watch it when it is available on Youtube.
Karate is not just from Okinawa, it is from the Ryukyu Kingdom (and China too). In order to understand Karate, it is very helpful to student the history of culture of Okinawa and the Ryukyu Kingdom. This is the shared history of all Karate students.
Here is my earlier post:
On Thursday, February 9th at 3:00 p.m., Sensei Pat Nakata and I will give a lecture at the University of Hawaii. A poster is above (click the poster for a larger pdf file) and the information is included below. Please feel free to distribute this information to anyone who might be interested. I am very honored to give this lecture with my good friend and senior, Sensei Nakata Sensei.
I have asked my good friend, Sensei Angel Lemus, to take video of the lecture and we hope to be able to present it on YouTube after the event.
I am very encouraged that this lecture is sponsored by a the Center for Okinawan Studies at the University of Hawaii. The subject matter of Karate and its place in Okinawan history and culture is truly worth of study. Those of us who are fortunate to practice and teach the art, are caretakers of this great tradition.
Charles C. Goodin
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa
Karate in the Ryukyu Kingdom, Okinawa Prefecture, and Hawaii
How is Okinawan Culture Spread through Karate?
Learn about the origins of Karate (Tudi, "Tang or China" Hand) among members of the highest levels of Ryukyuan society. Karate was part of the upbringing of selected sons of noble and samurai families who were trained to become bushi, cultured gentlemen. Based largely on Chinese martial arts and values, Karate was usually taught secretly or in private.
About twenty years after the Ryukyu Kingdom was abolished and Okinawa became a prefecture (1879), Karate became a part of the public school curriculum. Taught publicly and to a large number of students for the first time, Karate had to adapt to Japanese values and objectives. But the old form of Karate still existed with the new. Explore why the myth of Karate being developed by Okinawan farmers and peasants was spread in Japan... and still exists today.
Karate came to Hawaii with the very first Okinawan immigrants starting in 1900. Originally limited to members of the Okinawan community, the art is now widely practiced by students of all ethnic groups. Through Karate training, students are provided an opportunity to learn about Okinawan history and culture.
Speakers: Sensei Pat Nakata (Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Karate Association) &Event is free and open to the public.
Charles C. Goodin (Hawaii Karate Museum)
Date: February 9, 2012 (Thursday)
Time: 3:00 - 4:30 pm
Location: Moore Hall 319 (Tokioka Room)
For more information or disability access, please contact:
Center for Okinawan Studies, tel. 956-0902 / 956-5754
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa


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Two Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists are among the team recently funded to explore ways to create the precise immune factors needed for effective vaccines against HIV.
The Duke University-led consortium will largely concentrate on inducing broadly neutralizing antibodies that can prevent HIV-1 infection, as well as on generating protective T-cell and innate immune system responses.
"A vaccine-elicited broadly neutralizing antibody response has the potential to block HIV infection; T-cell responses will support that response, and are likely to be able to help control and contain the virus if it breaks through the neutralizing antibody response," said Bette Korber, one of the LANL researchers.
"Some HIV infected individuals eventually make good neutralizing responses during their infection," she noted. The scientists will use the body's occasional ability to create these antibodies as roadmaps for candidate vaccines to stimulate protective antibody responses. Los Alamos scientists from the theoretical biology group will provide analyses and design.
The research funding is provided through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIAID originally established CHAVI in response to recommendations of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, a virtual consortium endorsed by world leaders at a G-8 summit in June 2004.
That project was directed toward understanding the human immune response to natural HIV infection and to better understand how to approach a vaccine. Los Alamos scientists worked on that grant as well, helping to understand the evolution of the virus at transmission and the dynamics of the early immune response. The new CHAVI-ID grant now will focus on projects that are critical to creating the most effective vaccines for prevention.
Barton Haynes, M.D., will be the Duke director of the seven-year grant for the Duke Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology-Immunogen Discovery (CHAVI-ID). Haynes previously led the original Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology (CHAVI) consortium, the grant for which just ended in June 2012. Scripps Research Institute was also selected as a second center to receive CHAVI-ID grant funding.
"We were privileged to have the CHAVI grant over the past seven years, and the work in this consortium helped us understand what needed to be done to make a successful AIDS vaccine," said Haynes, who is also director of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute and the Frederic M. Hanes Professor of Medicine and Immunology. "The CHAVI-Immunogen Discovery grant will be used to learn how to do what we need to do."
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