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My grandfather was a Republican. A loud and proud Republican. Every time he saw a baby, he would shake its little fingers and tell it, "Say 'I'm a Republican!'" Because of this, he collected elephants. There are dozens of elephants of all shapes and sizes in his house.
Two years after we lost him, my mom persuaded me to take something from his home. My cousins had taken furniture, my aunt had too, but for so long, I just couldn't do it. It felt so real, so wrong to take something that was his. It meant he was really gone, but it was also about respect for his authority. He was so strong, our leader, always commanded respect. I knew immediately what I wanted - his desk. I wanted to finish my PhD on his desk. It was a way to show respect for how he inspired me and provided me with opportunities and encouragement, and it was a way to involve him in this process I know would make him so proud.
On top of the desk, there was a pair of book ends. They were elephants.
I almost didn't take them, he hated that I wasn't a Republican, but they were him - he loved elephants. For all my life, every time I saw an elephant, I thought of him. So I took them, and they sit on the bookcase in my bedroom.
In India, the elephant is sacred. Because of its shape and strength, the elephant symbolizes the stronghold, the foundation that everything is built on. Sometimes, they put elephants at the base of temples in India so that it looks like the elephants actually are supporting the structure, as if the elephant is strong enough to uphold the weight of a large stone temple.
That fits my grandfather too.
Another way they understand the elephant in India is the Ganesha - the figure of a human body with the head of an elephant. That symbol brings good things, it is called the Lord of Beginnings and Lord of Obstacles - because he removes all obstacles and imparts his wisdom.
All of these things, I could use a bit more of.
I've been out of whack for awhile now. The drama with the unhappy people got me down, the wedding planning drama, fear of failure, fear of starting my dissertation and failing.
A friend of mine very astutely told me once that I am a sponge, I soak up all the emotions that are near me. I think about that often because it is so very true, painfully so. But it's not just emotions that I soak up. I soak up whatever I'm swimming in at the moment, whatever is around me - emotions, yes, but also circumstances, geography, pressures, anything. Mostly negative because the positive can be so hard to hold onto.
I'm not sure sponge is right, but I am malleable. I'm flexible. I know someone who is always so sure of things, so certain that she's right that she is unwavering. Even in little things, which I find so amusing. I was thinking today of a conversation we had once when we were talking about an author, and I reminded her that we talked about her latest book. She definitely said, "No, we didn't. We didn't talk about it." It struck me as so odd, so funny really. I forget things all the time so when someone mentions a conversation I don't remember, I just laugh and assume it's my faulty memory. I'm flexible.
My opinions about things or habits can sometimes be flexible too. I just feel like I'm constantly trying to bend myself to suit someone else. Not because they're demanding it, but because I'm accommodating.
I need, rather, to be balanced. To be secure and strong. Not in the little things, which don't add up to much, but in my way of life. I need to remove obstacles in my path, yes, but I am my own obstacle. I get in my own way all of the time. I'm afraid of failing so I don't start. I feel everyone else's emotions so strongly that I lose hold of my own. I need to live a balanced life, and I need to be less indulgent. I'm in a moment of turmoil so I indulge myself, but I'm also being indulgent in my obsessions and by insisting on swimming in turmoil for as long as I can tread water. If I stop feeling everyone else, maybe I can be myself again.
I need an elephant.
So this is my public promise to you, my friends, and to you, kind strangers who happened upon me today, I will find a way to stand firm in the moment and live life as I see fit. I will find my balance. I will find my stronghold. Day by day, moment by moment. This is only one of many beginnings. Let's see if I can finally get it right.
Monday, September 12, 2011
New Balance.
My grandfather was a Republican. A loud and proud Republican. Every time he saw a baby, he would shake its little fingers and tell it, "Say 'I'm a Republican!'" Because of this, he collected elephants. There are dozens of elephants of all shapes and sizes in his house.
Posted by Penny Lane at 10:48 PM 2 comments Links to this post


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It's been way too long, and I owe you guys an update.
-Mr. Money got a job! He is the chef of a restaurant again, working noon to midnights, but he has benefits! It is awesome. We are so, so thankful. We were able to spend Thanksgiving with my family and my sister came to spend Christmas with us so that was nice.
-Penny celebrated her first birthday last month. I cannot believe my baby is a year old! She is now walking and babbling and busy being cute.
-I'm hoping we get a tax refund this year. Hopefully with my lack of income and us having Penny will help. I'm confused on how many exemptions Mr. Money should claim, so I'm trying to figure that out.
I have so many things I'd like to blog about, but it is so hard to find time when caring for a baby basically by myself. I'm so thankful that Penny is such a joy to be with. We spend a lot of time at home playing with toys and hanging out.
I'll try my hardest to update again soon! Thank you all for the support! 🙂

subset: commoncrawl


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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2012B-0436
PI: S Alireza Mortazavi, Johns Hopkins University, firstname.lastname@example.com
Address: Physics Department, 3400 N Charles St, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
CoI: Jennifer Lotz, Space Telescope Science Institute
Title: SparsePak Kinematics of Tidally Interacting Galaxy Pairs
Abstract: The merger of galaxies and their associated dark matter halos is a fundamental process which determines their mass growth and structural/kinematic properties. The initial orbital parameters of mergers can have a strong impact on the angular momentum of the merger remnants. Current cosmological models have great difficulty reproducing the angular momentum of both disk-dominated and bulge-dominated galaxies. However, theoretical predictions for the orbital distribution of mergers have never been observationally tested. We propose to obtain SparsePak H(alpha) velocity maps for a test sample of nearby tidally interacting pairs. Their morphological and kinematics properties will be used to constrain their merger orbital parameters, and place some of the first direct observational constraints on this unknown but fundamental distribution.
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726, Phone: (520) 318-8000, Fax: (520) 318-8360
NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2012B-0436


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text:
Derek Cook from Nor Cal Wakeboard Camps not only stomps plenty of bangers himself, but he also knows a thing or two about showing others how to hit their moves out on the water. Here Derek teaches you pretty much the coolest way to approach the wake when doing just about any trick.
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Feds can't keep up with ills from two wars, scientists say
By GREGG ZOROYA AND GREG TOPPO | USA Today | Published: March 27, 2013
The federal government is failing to keep pace with a torrent of ailments and issues generated by two wars for the more than 2 million Americans who served overseas since 9/11, according to a sweeping assessment by a panel of leading scientists.
The nearly 800-page study, completed over four years by the Institute of Medicine and released Tuesday, portrays a nation struggling to anticipate and understand consequences of a decade of war and grueling demands placed on its military and unprecedented kinds of wounds troops have suffered.
The Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs are trying to help, but "the response does not match the magnitude of the problems, and many readjustment needs are unmet or unknown," says the report by the institute, the health arm of the National Academy of Sciences.
The nation waged war in Iraq and Afghanistan in unprecedented ways, the study found, using a limited-size, all-volunteer force; deploying troops repeatedly for up to 15 or 18 months at a time; allowing less than a year of rest between tours; and filling the military's ranks with historically high numbers of women, parents, National Guard troops and reservists.
"The urgency of addressing these issues is heightened by the sheer number of people affected, the rapid drawdown of personnel from Afghanistan and Iraq, and the long-term effects that many of the issues might have, not only on military personnel and veterans and their family but on the country as a whole," the study found.
The study was the result of 2008 federal legislation directing the Pentagon to learn more about the readjustment needs of returning troops.
"These are extraordinary challenges," said Dr. George Rutherford, who chaired the group that produced the report. "We are learning as we're going. I think the VA and (Defense Department) have really exerted extraordinary efforts to try and get it right ... but there are some areas that need to be improved."
To this day, almost nothing is known about long-term outcomes of signature, war-related problems such as mild traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and suicidal tendencies, the scientists found.
Other key findings:
- While many veterans emerge from war without issues, others have challenges that will follow them all their lives.
- The system does not provide treatment for all who need it.
- The Pentagon, VA and other federal agencies fail to share data on veterans issues.
The Defense Department is "committed to taking care of our people" and will "thoughtfully consider the study's key findings and recommendations," spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said.


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Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the NASCAR drivers as well as loving couple, got together on the race track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday night, and it wasn't in a good way.
During Lap 319 of the Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600, Stenhouse drove his car into the side of Patrick's car, causing her to collide with Brad Keselowski's vehicle along the wall.
In other words, this was no love tap. The cars of Patrick and Keselowski were beyond repair. Stenhouse was able to continue and finished 14th.
Kevin Harvick won the race when he pulled away from the field on a restart with 11 laps left. Kasey Kahne finished second, followed by Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin, who was running in his second full race since returning from injury.
Originally Keselowski took the blame for the accident. "I was three wide with Danica and didn't know it and I cut her off and wrecked her and myself," Keselowski said in a television interview afterward. "I feel bad for her and I send my apologies to her."
The video tells a different story, with Stenhouse's No. 17 car bumping Patrick's car as she and Keselowski were running three wide heading around Turn 3.
Kevin Harvick gets the win at Coca-Cola 600
Tony Kanaan finally gets his due with Indy 500 win
Kyle Busch goes digital when snapped TV cable damages his car


text: Bobby Conn (born June 13, 1967) is an American musician based in Chicago, Illinois, known for his pop-rock. He often collaborates with other artists such as musicians Colby Starck and Jim O'Rourke, and film-maker Usama Alshaibi. In 2003, Conn produced a session for UK punk band The Cribs, whom he met when they were a support band on his UK tour. A part of that session was used on The Cribs' self-titled debut release in 2004.


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Stepcase LifeHack is featuring a 12 part series entitled "Towards a New Vision of Productivity". It hits out at the reshaping of the productivity blogosphere from a lifehacking pseudo-religious organizational madness filled with folders, post-it notes, beeping reminders, etc. into simplified mindful living.
Before embarking upon my own quest of restructuring and a new life of simple pleasures I dragged through a bunch of lifehack posts set up on rss feeds, sat at a desk with multiple moniters and multiple machines whirring underneath it for eight to twelve hours a day and yet ran myself dry mentally, emotionally, and physically almost every week.
Where the difference comes in is in transformation over productivity.
Productivity, as has been echoed over and over, is dead. Long live productivity. Productivity as a set of systems to create efficiency in our lives isn't efficient unless we are effective in choosing the goals which produces the results we want in our lives.
No productivity system can put you in a zen like, meditative, or mind like water state. A calm, focused, and meditative mind leads to greater productivity, but productivity systems cannot create a mind like water. – Clay Collins.
Transformation is about reshaping our lives.
When we reevaluate the goals and purpose of our life, cut out the extraneous portions that are holding us back, and replace them with a simple mindful attentive life we can live in a much more meaningful manner. When we have a mindful way of living we are far more productive than when our life is bloated with hours at a desk, associations that drag us down, tools that take more time than they are worth, and so on.
Transformation is what this blog is about.


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Need Help?
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Thursday 02/21/2013, 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Skill LevelIntermediate
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TeacherLaura Farson
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Fun and Fancy Scandinavian Cast-ons with Laura FarsonA sampler of decorative cast-ons including variations on long-tail and German-twisted cast-on, traditional twine-knit cast-ons with multiple strands, casting on with colors to make braids, and a textured cast-on using knit and purl rounds. Also covered are yarn management for color work and center-pull ball winding. Note: Must know long-tail cast-on.
Supplies1 oz each #4 (worsted-weight) yarn in natural, red, black, and white; six 10" pieces of waste yarn or six stitch holders (40 stitches); two US 4.5mm/US 7 16" or 24" circular needles or 4 dpns; and a blunt tapestry needle.
Optional: $1.00 materials fee for winding stick and clips.


text:
Keep Calm and Read Me a Book
Young Punks
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- Young Punks exclusive design.
- Screen Printed in Berkeley Ca. on American made garments.
- Perfect for boys AND girls.
- This design is available on 10 different sizes from 3 months to 12 years.
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- These run on the small size and they are NOT preshrunk.
- We've been "Empowering the Little People Since 2005".
- All purchases will be delivered in a hand printed gift bag with tissue paper.
- Click here for Size Chart.


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WEEHAWKEN, N.J.—Traffic is back to normal at the Lincoln Tunnel after two separate crashes.
An eight-vehicle crash had closed an outbound tube of the tunnel at about 12:30 p.m. Monday.
That was about two hours after the Port Authority reopened the tunnel after a morning crash involving two buses.
About 20 people were injured in that accident, including two people seriously.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman Ron Marsico says five people were injured in the afternoon crash.


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$93,580 deal made to clear way for WCCC campus in Latrobe
A Burgettstown company has been selected to demolish nine commercial and residential buildings in Latrobe to clear the way for Westmoreland County Community College's Latrobe campus.
The county redevelopment authority awarded the demolition contract this week to A.W. McNabb LLC for $93,580, contingent upon four buildings in the area bounded by Depot and Jefferson streets and Loyalhanna Creek not being determined historically significant, said April Kopas, authority executive director. McNabb was the lowest of four bidders, which requires removing asbestos and clearing the site of the debris.
Federal funds from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development are being used for the demolition, so the architecture and the interiors of the buildings must be photographed, said Hallie Chatfield, revitalization coordinator for the redevelopment authority.
The state Bureau of Historic Preservation has sought more information on those four buildings, Chatfield said. The process is typical when buildings more than 50 years old are being demolished, she added.
Because of the need for state clearance before the project can begin, no starting date for the demolition has been set, Kopas said. The county wanted to have the project completed within 100 days after demolition began.
The demolition could result in some traffic restrictions, including closing Bank Street, which abuts the Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks, Kopas said.
The community college plans to begin construction of the new 26,000-square-foot Laurel Education Center in the spring and have it completed in time for the beginning of the 2014-2015 academic year. The community college's Latrobe campus is in a former Kennametal Corp. building along Lloyd Avenue, near the south bank of Loyalhanna Creek.
With the cost of property acquisition, construction and equipment for the education center, the campus will cost the school close to $10 million, said Ronald Eberhardt, vice president of administrative services.
Joe Napsha is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-836-5252 or [email protected].


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Adding Logins to a Server
This article may contain URLs that were valid when originally published, but now link to sites or pages that no longer exist. To maintain the flow of the article, we've left these URLs in the text, but disabled the links.
SQL Server/Office Integration
Programming SQL Server Security
Use SQL-DMO for custom security interfaces
Rick Dobson
This article is the fourth and final in a series about administering SQL Server security from Microsoft Access projects. The first three articles ("Access Granted," December 2000, "Securing SQL Server Tables," January 2001, and "Homegrown Security Solutions," February 2001) provide an overview of SQL Server security and demonstrate how to manually control it from Access projects. This article shows you how to program SQL Distributed Management Objects (SQL-DMO) from an Access project to perform three common tasks: creating logins, adding database users, and assigning users to database roles. By programmatically exposing a selected subset of security features, you can remove the built-in Access project security interface and customize the security information that a user can view. Access offers several ways—such as selecting View, Toolbars, Customize—to customize its built-in menus.
SQL-DMO is the DMO library that installs with SQL Server 2000, SQL Server 7.0, and the Microsoft SQL Server Data Engine (MSDE) that ships with Microsoft Office 2000. For a couple of reasons, SQL-DMO is particularly interesting for Access developers who use MSDE. First, MSDE doesn't include SQL Server Enterprise Manager, which is the GUI for administering SQL Server. However, Microsoft used SQL-DMO to program Enterprise Manager, so Access developers can use SQL-DMO programming to deliver subsets of Enterprise Manager's capability. Second, many Access developers are familiar with hierarchical object models from their programming of Access and other Office object models. Therefore, SQL-DMO's hierarchical object model is likely to be more intuitive to Access programmers (after they learn SQL-DMO's objects and capabilities) than the procedurally oriented T-SQL.
A login grants entry to a SQL Server without necessarily enabling access to any databases on the server. To add a login to a SQL Server, you can use SQL-DMO from the VBE window of an Access project. Start by creating a new Access project; you can specify any server, login, or database. SQL-DMO lets you forge an independent connection to a SQL Server based on a new login that is distinct from the one for an Access project. Optionally, you can use the login for an Access project to authenticate the SQL-DMO program to the SQL Server. In either case, the SQL-DMO program's login must have appropriate roles for managing security. (See "Access Granted" and "Securing SQL Server Tables" for a quick review of those roles and their relationship to security settings.)
Create a new module by selecting Modules from the Objects bar in the Database window of your Access project and clicking New. Before you can program SQL-DMO, you need a reference to the SQL-DMO object library. First, choose Tools, References, then select Microsoft SQLDMO Object Library from the available references in the References dialog box. Click OK to create the reference.
Listing 1, page 30, shows two procedures for creating a new login. You can run these procedures from the module in the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) project associated with your Access project. The first procedure, call_login_adder, sets three parameters for a new login. These parameters define the login by specifying its name, default database, and password. The call_login_adder procedure calls the second procedure, login_adder, and passes the parameters to it. The login_adder procedure then creates the new login.
Programmatically creating a new SQL Server login involves three steps. First, you must connect from your SQL-DMO program to the SQL Server on which you want to create the login. Second, you must create an instance of a new SQL-DMO login object, assign values to its parameters, and create its password by invoking the Login object's SetPassword method. Third, you need to add the new login to the Logins collection for the server.
The login_adder procedure starts by declaring SQLServer and Login SQL-DMO objects. Note that the SQLDMO prefix on the object names in the Dim statements unambiguously specifies the library in case a VBA project references more than one library that has objects named Login or SQLServer. The procedure uses the SQLServer object srv1 to connect to a SQL Server named cablat. (You'll need to change the server name to the appropriate name for your computing environment.) After creating the srv1 SQLServer pointer, the program invokes the Connect method for srv1 to link to the cablat server. The procedure uses the sa login with no password. You can use any login that has sufficient authority to perform the tasks in a procedure.
After the program forges a connection with a server, the procedure instantiates the Login object as lgn1 and assigns its Name and Database properties. Designating a default database doesn't necessarily grant the login access to the database, so the login needs a user account to access a database (as I explain in the next section). To set the password for a Login object, you use the SetPassword method, which takes two parameters. The first parameter is the initial password, which is an empty string when you're creating a new login. The second parameter is a string designating the login's new password (which is the third parameter that call_login_adder passes to the login_adder procedure). After defining the login, the procedure uses the Add method to append the login to the cablat server's Logins collection.
By default, for SQL Server authentication, the Name property for a Login object takes a single-tiered name, such as cabxli. However, you need a two-tiered name, such as CABLAT\cabxli, to designate a user or group account authenticated through Windows 2000 or Windows NT security. To create a login for user or group accounts authenticated by Windows instead of SQL Server, assign a value to the login's Type property. The Type property's default value is SQLDMOLogin_Standard. Assign SQLDMOLogin_NTUser or SQLDMOLogin_NTGroup if you're creating a login for an individual user or group account that Win2K or NT manages. When creating a login for a Windows user or group account, you don't need to set the login's password because Windows authenticates the login. In fact, SQL-DMO ignores the invocation of the SetPassword method for a login that has a Type property setting of SQLDMOLogin_NTUser or SQLDMOLogin_NTGroup.
Adding a Database User
To gain access to a database, a login needs access to a guest user account or a specific user account in the database. User accounts are members of a Users collection. SQL-DMO refers to an individual member of a Users collection as a user. Whereas the Logins collection belongs to the SQLServer object, a Users collection belongs to each database on a server. Because any login can access a database through the guest user account, the guest account doesn't reference a specific login as all other user accounts (except the dbo user) do. Although not mandatory, a good practice is to give a user account the same name as the login that it references. This practice clearly identifies the login for a user account.
Listing 2 shows two procedures for creating a new user in the SQL Server Northwind database. The first procedure, call_add_user, offers two different paths through an If...Then...Else statement for invoking the second procedure, add_user. The path in the If clause is appropriate for creating a guest user account because it doesn't designate a login for the new user. The other path passes a login_name along with a user_name for the new user. The call_add_user procedure lets you set the user's name before the If...Then...Else statement. Consistent with good naming practice, the first procedure sets the login name for a user account equal to the user name when the procedure designates a login name for a user. You need to alter the code for this assignment if you follow another convention. The second procedure creates the new user according to the parameters the first procedure passes to it.
The add_user procedure accepts as many as two arguments. The first argument, user_name, is mandatory; the second, login_name, is optional. If the first procedure attempts to set up a guest account, the second procedure interprets the second argument as an empty string. An empty string for the second argument lets add_user generate a user account with no specific corresponding login, as is necessary for a guest account.
The add_user procedure divides the process of creating a user into three steps. First, add_user makes the connection to the cablat server. Second, the procedure instantiates a new User object, usr1, and assigns values to its Name and Login properties. Third, add_user appends the newly instantiated User object to the Users collection for the Northwind database on the server. (As before, revise the server and database names as necessary for your environment.)
Assigning User Permissions
Without explicit role assignments, database users have only those permissions that belong to the public role because all users belong to this role. To obtain a special set of permissions, a user must belong to one or more fixed database roles or user-defined roles, as I discussed in "Securing SQL Server Tables" and "Homegrown Security Solutions." SQL-DMO includes a DatabaseRoles collection, which belongs to the Database object. This collection's members include all the fixed database roles and any existing user-defined database roles. You can assign permissions to a user by invoking the AddMember method for a DatabaseRole object. Follow the method with an argument denoting the name of the user you want to add to the role.
As you do when you add a login and user, you must first establish a connection to a server before adding a user to a role. Listing 3 shows the syntax for adding the cabxli user to the sql_mag_role user-defined role for the Northwind database. You can use this method to add a user to a role immediately after you append a User object to a database's Users collection but before you close the connection to a server. Invoking the method eliminates the need for the extra step of creating a new connection to a server.
The procedures I describe in this article can serve as the building blocks of a security administration component in your systems. These procedures demonstrate how you can use SQL-DMO to create logins, add users to databases for those logins, and assign users to fixed and user-defined database roles. These are three critical elements that you might want to provide a better interface for so that supervisors and administrators can more easily manipulate security objects in your custom SQL Server database systems.
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Rob Diaz de Villegas WFSU-TV
Wildlife watching is big business in Florida. In a state with the unique natural resources we have, that's no surprise. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has determined that it brings, more or less, $5 Billion to Florida a year. When we say wildlife watching, we usually mean birds and butterflies. Animals that are cute, colorful, and/ or ferocious. What Eleanor Dietrich wants you to consider is that wildlife watching could also mean wildflowers. And just as it is thrilling to watch an eagle or a heron catch a fish, carnivorous plants might be the most thrilling of wildflowers. Luckily for those in our area, the Apalachicola National Forest in Liberty County is a hot spot for these strange and beautiful killers.
State Road 65 between Hosford and Sumatra is unofficially the Liberty County Wildflower Trail. For many, this is the scenic route to St. George Island. What Eleanor wants people to do is to pull over every once in a while to notice the incredible life peeking through the top of the grass growing on the shoulder. She has enlisted local businesses to help distribute free self-guided tour maps, and helped create a partnership between Tallahassee Artist Helen Dull and Pam Richter, owner of T&P Florist and Gift Shop in Hosford. Helen's renditions of carnivorous flowers grace shirts, tote bags, and post cards at the T&P.
Here are some things to keep in mind if you're interested in seeing these flowers, though I admit we're past their peak period:
- It's seasonal. Just as certain hummingbirds pass through the St. Marks Refuge in late spring, certain flowers bloom at a certain time every year. The Chapman's rhododendron usually blooms for a couple of weeks in March. Carnivorous plants in and around the Apalachicola National Forest start blooming in April and go through early May. Another set of wildflowers explodes there in the fall.
- You never know what you'll see. If you go birding, you're not guaranteed to see any specific bird. It's the same with these flowers. When we got there, the yellow trumpet pitcher plants had lost their flowers, but their remarkable pitcher leaves retained their strong presence in the woody tangle surrounding the New River. Purple pitcher plants were going strong and the dewthread sundews were just beginning to flower. In a week, it would look entirely different. These flowers bloom in waves, and there's no fixing a specific date on when they'll start.
- Location, location, location. We went to three different spots within a twenty mile range: two roadside locations and one further into National Forest. One roadside spot had non native Venus flytraps and showy white topped pitcher plants (pictured to the left), the only place where we saw them. In the forest, we saw an abundance of yellow trumpet leaves and of the sticky dewthread strands getting ready to flower. At the second roadside spot, we had to do a little searching to find the carnivorous plants among the wildflowers.
- It helps to dress appropriately. The day before our shoot, FSU Biologist Dr. Tom Miller, who accompanied us, warned me to wear closed toed shoes. You'll see why in the video. He also suggested a long sleeved shirt to minimize gnat biteage and that I spray that nasty bug spray on my socks to discourage ticks. The best places to see the really cool plants and critters aren't always comfortable.
Some Science Stuff to Impress Your Friends
When you go out to look at the flowers with your friends, you'll want to drop some biology knowledge on them. You know, to sound smart. This is what Dr. Miller, who is smart about these things, told me, who is working on it:
- Carnivorous plants are found in what are known as a ecotones. Ecotones are the spaces where one ecosystem overlaps with another. The Apalachicola National Forest has some well maintained longleaf pine/ wiregrass habitat, with the characteristic wide spacing of trees. Through the trees you may see dense tangles of wood surrounding rivers or other wet places. Carnivorous plants can be found in the seam between the two.
- As you may know, all life needs nitrogen (if you didn't know, Dr. David Kimbro broke it down for us last year). Plants usually get it from the soil, where bacteria can convert it into a useable form (David explains it better than I do), and where decomposing plants add to it as well. Animals get their nitrogen from plants. The bogs where carnivorous plants grow have soils that are low in nutrients. The plants get their nutrients from the bugs they eat.
Carnivorous plants are dependent on fire ecology. More specifically, they are dependent on disturbances to clear spaces for them. Longleaf pines maintain their spacing through regular fire. It clears the forest floor of oak and other woody plants and makes space for wiregrass and succulent plants. That fire also clears a space at the fringe of the forest, where the pretty killer flowers live. Annual mowing along highway 65 also helps. The spot where we saw the white tops and Venus flytraps had a crew go through in recent months, installing telephone poles.
- These flowers are pretty resilient. They need wet conditions, but during the harsh droughts of the last fifteen years, Dr. Miller observed their numbers decline. "I was concerned about losing the population," he said, "instead, they seem to be pretty resilient to drought." That makes sense for plants that get burned and re-sprout.
- One thing that Dr. Miller studies, and I think this is pretty cool, are these food webs contained entirely within the leaves of pitcher plants. At the bottom of the food web are the decomposing bugs caught in the leaves. Bacteria break them down and they are eaten by single celled protozoa. Those are in turn eaten by mosquito larvae, which we of course find in any pool of standing water.
For more information on carnivorous plants in our area, Eleanor's Flickr page is pretty helpful and fun to explore.
Music in the piece by pitx and Greg Baumont.
Follow us on Twitter @wfsuIGOR


text:
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Blog Tweaks
- A "Lookups I Can Do" page. This page lists books that I have in which I can do lookups; these fall into two main categories: county books (Anderson County in South Carolina, Baylor County in Texas, Collin County in Texas, and Garland County in Arkansas) and land deed books by A. B. Pruitt for Pendleton District/Anderson County and Greenville County.
- A link to my Weebly website, "Greta's Genealogy." Right now it has half of my Genealogy Research Toolbox. Eventually the Research Toolbox on this page and the Weebly site will both have the complete Toolbox. You will notice that some headings have no entries for them right now; that is because I am still in the process of adding my bookmarked sites to these pages.
I have also started putting up my family lines on the "Greta's Genealogy" website. My original plan was to learn how to use my genealogy program to create the web pages, but since it is so simple to create and link pages using Weebly, I have decided to simply create this part of the website page by page. That may sound like a very labor-intensive process, but it is surprisingly a lot of fun.
- Some old items have been removed from the sidebar. A few were links to sites that no longer exist, and others were research-related links that you can now find in my Toolbox. I will probably leave the South Carolina and Texas links on the main paige of the blog, however.
11 comments:
You'd think it was spring! I just changed the format of my blog today, too. I've resisted for so long but my old template just didn't have as much versatility as the new one. I like your "tweaks."ReplyDelete
Kathy - I saw your changes - I like what you have done, too! I think fall has sort of the same effects as spring....ReplyDelete
Don't you love Weebly? Your site looks great!ReplyDelete
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
The Look-ups page is a great idea!ReplyDelete
Nancy - Thank you! And yes, I love Weebly - it is perfect for people like me. I still want to learn html, how to build a website, how to use my genealogy program to generate web pages, etc. - but some of this will probably have to wait a while.ReplyDelete
Amy - Thank you! I'm wondering why I didn't think of doing this earlier.
It took me a few minutes to find the link to Greta's Genealogy, which looks great by the way. Maybe it could be in a more visible place? On my browser, it was 'below the fold' and I was looking for it in the bar at the top. After I clicked on all of the links, I finally had the thought to scroll down. Love your blog Greta. JenReplyDelete
Jen - Good point. I moved it up to between "About Me" and "If you see your ancestors."ReplyDelete
I love the Look ups page.ReplyDelete
Hi, Greta - I like your "tweaks" and would like to adopt your idea of "Look Ups I Can Do". Many thanks for agreat idea.ReplyDelete
Harriet - thank you - I just wish I had thought of it earlier!ReplyDelete
Susan - thank you - I'll bet lots of us have items like these in which we could do lookups - probably some pretty awesome resources out there in the genealogy blogging community.


text: The sub-boss battle music from Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is some of the most hilariously over-the-top JRPG battle music I've ever heard. From 1:50 to the loop-around, it's... it's like composer Revo built a giant robot out of DragonForce members, gave it a Red Bull and told it to perform three lead guitar parts at once. (Not complaining.)


text:
We do not answer text messages and phone calls from withheld or private numbers.
For the reasons of discretion and simplicity, the payments are made by cash.
Your escort will aim to be with you within 1 hour of your booking. To avoid disappointment, please give as much notice as possible for your reservation.


text:
Opponents of more than $100 million in public financing for an upscale waterfront development say they plan to continue to fight the proposal as it goes before the full City Council for a vote Monday evening.
But City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young, a backer of the $1.8 billion Harbor Point project, says he has the votes to make sure the plan passes the 15-member council.
"His support for the project is strong and absolute," said Lester Davis, Young's spokesman. "As it stands right now, there's certainly more than the required eight members supporting the project."
The council is scheduled to conduct a preliminary vote Monday on the deal to provide $107 million in tax increment financing bonds for the project's infrastructure and parks. The body will not grant final approval for the subsidy until next month, Davis said.
Davis said Young was declining to invoke special rules to give the development final approval on Monday. "The process has worked," Davis said. "We've had hearings. We've had a work session. The project has been advancing."
The Harbor Point development is the planned home of energy giant Exelon's new regional headquarters, as well as a Morgan Stanley facility, other office buildings, residential towers, stores and a hotel.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is a strong supporter of the project, which she says will swell the city's tax rolls and create hundreds of jobs. Opponents say the city financing deal is risky and amounts to little more than corporate welfare, allowing the developer to reap millions more in profit.
Critics plan to continue to oppose the development's subsidies. The interfaith coalition Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development has proposed amendments to reduce by half the $59 million for park space. They've asked the council to force the developer to give $3 million a year to the city Recreation and Parks Department and $1 million annually to city schools.
"We still think it's unfair," said the Rev. Glenna Huber of BUILD. "We're not opposed to public subsidies, but subsidy always must come with responsibility. It is overly generous to one developer."
City Councilman Carl Stokes, an opponent of the subsidies, said he sees little chance to stop the deal now, since it passed the council's taxation committee last week. He said too many council members are counting on too many campaign donations related to the project to vote against the financing plan.
"When it is this greased, even the truth won't persuade the vote," he said. "From Fells Point through Downtown and uptown, people are calling for a different result. Palms have been greased. You saw the behavior of some council members afraid of losing their campaign contributions, disrespectful of the citizens and the process."
The council's taxation committee voted 3-0 Wednesday night to approve $107 million in bonds for the waterfront project over the objections of Stokes, the committee chairman, who left the room in disgust as the vote was being taken.
Stokes declined to sign the bills Friday, an administrative procedure necessary for the legislation to advance to the full council. He said he was refusing to sign them, in part, he said, because Young had "hijacked" his committee.
But Young expects to get the 10 votes needed to suspend council rules and bring the measure to a vote anyhow, Davis said.
The three pieces of legislation would enable the city to issue $107 million in tax increment financing bonds that would accumulate interest and fees for a total debt of $283 million.
Under tax increment financing deals, the city issues bonds to pay for property acquisitions, infrastructure improvements and other project costs, then uses the increased tax revenue generated by the development to pay off the bonds.
The site is assessed now at $10 million, but the Baltimore Development Corp. projects it would be valued at $1.8 billion for tax purposes when the developer, Michael S. Beatty, completes it.
In addition to the tax increment financing, the development is benefiting from more than $110 million in tax breaks.


text:
The auditions are finally over! Hooray for the 309 singers who have made it to Hollywood, the land of dreams!
Do I seem happy? It's because we are now headed to the "drama round" of the show.
THIS! Is "American Idol"!
... except the drama is usually reserved for the group round of Hollywood Week. D'oh. That's tomorrow. Tonight is the line-up-like-a-firing-squad-and-sing-for-your-life-because-half-of-you-are-going-home kind of night as the contestants will choose a song and sing it a cappella in groups of 10.
Oh, and somebody fell off the stage. But we'll get to that later.
Some notables:
The Yays
Nervous Heejun Han and confident Johnny Keyser make it through with their smooth performances. Johnny left J.Lo smiling and Randy saying "Amen, amen, amen..." Heejun again sang his audition song, "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You." Heejun previously had been sure that he was not going to last in Hollywood, but after getting through to the first round, he realized, "I thought everyone was too pretty for me. Well, guess who's pretty now?"
Elise Testone, Baylie Brown and Hallie Day all go through as well. Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger" is played in the background after the three girls go through, which is a coinky dink given that the last girl, Baltimore waitress Hallie, sang "Natural Woman", arguably Kelly's strongest performance on "Idol."
Jen Hirsch and Lauren Gray are through to the next round as Jen sang "Up to the Mountain" so convincingly that Steven kept saying, "Don't stop," to her. Meanwhile, Lauren was so into her song that she didn't notice Randy waving his arms helplessly to get her to stop.
Phil Phillips and Reed Grimm get the approval of the judges to advance to the next round. Phil was the guy who did a Dave Matthewesque "Thriller" in Savannah, and his performance tonight was even more shifty. But that's fine, as long as you're through. Reed, again with a clever song choice, sang "I Got a Golden Ticket" and reminded me that this guy's got charisma. He even got the crowd going. I love his Jason Mraz style.
Adam "I have been told that there's a black woman trapped inside my body" Brock delivered a strong performance of "Walking in Memphis" (J.Lo's request months earlier) and showcased his powerful voice with a hint of gruff. Love it. A dad of a baby girl, he said on video chat that "I'm not gonna be coming home tonight" because he made it through to the next round, and his daughter smiled. Aww!
Also through are these three: 17-year-old ladies man David Leathers Jr., "hot, humid, and happening" Shannon Magrane and best girlfriend in the world (remember her boyfriend suffered a stroke and she nursed him back to health?) Jessica Phillips.
The Nays
A montage of girls with pitch problems. I grimace. So long, Heather Youmans, Sascha Julian, Candice Russell. Try to hit the notes next year.
Travis Orlando, who was eliminated last year in the same round, is sent home. He went through a tough year with his mom leaving his family and his dad being sick.
Ramiro Garcia, who you will remember as the guy who was born with no ears, got eliminated as well.
Jane Carrey, Jim Carrey's adorable daughter, didn't go through after she predicted that she would be there the whole week.
The "What the heck?"
Steven telling the contestants backstage "I wanna see some camaraderie go astray here." Maybe tomorrow, Steven. Maybe tomorrow.
Symone Black did a nice girly/sultry rendition of "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay," chatted with the judges a bit about her odd song choice, then fell off the stage. Shock and worry from the whole room as everybody wondered if she would be OK.
We'll find out tomorrow night as Hollywood Week brings us the group round.
The auditions are finally over! Hooray for the 309 singers who have made it to Hollywood, the land of dreams!


text:
I'll be honest – I wasn't very excited when Heifer International suggested I visit Armenia last year in one of my trips visiting its projects working to end poverty and hunger around the world. I'd never known anybody who'd been to Armenia, and had barely heard the name Yerevan, the country's capital. And so, it came as a big surprise to me that I didn't just like Armenia – I fell madly in love with it.For one thing, the land itself is beautiful. From Mt. Ararat towering just over the treacherous border with Turkey…
….to the dun northern hills that made me think of Afghanistan……to the lush green pastures that support gorgeous orchards of fruit and nuts……to the rocky outcroppings where Christian churches were tucked in the crevasses, hidden from marauding invaders. This is an ancient land with a totally unique history. Armenia is the first Christian country in the world, and is ardently religious still.It was the first country to experience heartbreaking genocide after World War I,
A country in near-constant conflict with its neighbors: Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey.
And then, of course, there is the food.
Armenians dearly love to welcome you. And wine you. And dine you. And bread you. And fruit you. And cheese you. And coffee you.
You better come hungry when you visit Armenia, because you're going to eat.And despite the severe challenges of moving beyond a Soviet mentality to establish an economy that can sustain the young people growing up here (which Heifer is working so tirelessly and creatively to support), there is a tenacity of spirit and national pride that is simply not to be denied.
Look at these beautiful faces!


text:
Livingston 3 year deal!
Discuss anything related to Golden State Warriors basketball here
Moderators: Mr. Crackerz, JREED, Guybrush, 32
For 24 million. Discuss.
Last edited by Stairway Man on Sat Jul 01, 2017 6:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
mullin17 wrote:too much. he had a down year and probably very much on the downside of his career.
Except he shot 55 percent and barely missed...
mullin17 wrote:his other numbers were bad. he dont shoot from more than 5 feet away = good fg%
What other numbers? And high field goal pct is high field goal. This is upsetting me that you would say this.
Livingston is a "long-bodied" point guard defender who can switch on the pick-and-roll and cover both the 4 and 5 on the perimeter and in the paint, too.
Livingston is an excellent decision maker on offense and moves well without the ball, too.
If the team loses Ian Clarke (probably to the the Bulls), then Livingston and possibly Bryce Alford would be the backup point guards.
Livingston is an excellent decision maker on offense and moves well without the ball, too.
If the team loses Ian Clarke (probably to the the Bulls), then Livingston and possibly Bryce Alford would be the backup point guards.
mullin17 wrote:Points and assists were down.
You can look at field goal percentage in a vacuum I'm not going to. Clint capela on the rockets shot 63% this year put him in the Hall of Fame then.
Kevin Durant 54% is much more impressive than Shaun Livingston's 55%.
He also had a lot of bad turnovers this year and mistakes as he did in the 2016 finals.
To me it's really not a big deal either way but with so many free agents this year things are getting expensive and Livingston had a down year
Just find it funny how you are nitpicking his game. Based on what I saw, it looked like he was automatic. Hardly ever missed.
It's $8 mil per season, considering the current market for good backups, is a great price. The consensus is that he basically took a pay cut, that he could have got more money and possibly an additional year.
The dude didn't even test the market - he's a Warrior through and through.
The dude didn't even test the market - he's a Warrior through and through.
mullin17 wrote:so first im upsetting you and now its funny.
in reality its my bad for even engaging your thread with my facts vs your opinions even though you wanted people to discuss. lesson learned
nobody liked livingston more than me I just think thats too much for him.Stairway Man wrote:What other numbers? And high field goal pct is high field goal. This is upsetting me that you would say this.
how about every other numbers except his fg%
If he's backing Curry up and coming and making almost every mid range shot, I don't think it matters.
mullin17 wrote:The 31-year-old backup guard averaged 5.1 points and 1.8 assists per game for the reigning champion Golden State Warriors last season. Playing with former MVPs Steph Curry and Kevin Durant has obvious benefits, but the team was outscored by 3.9 net points per 100 possessions when Livingston was on the court without those two superstars, roughly equal to the performance by the New York Knicks this past season.
Livingston also has an old-school element to his game, preferring to post-up smaller guards rather than act as a floor general out of the pick and roll or in transition. Perhaps some of that is due to being part of a super team, but that doesn't excuse his low output in the post (he scores 40 percent of the time, 13th of 16 guards with at least 20 possessions) nor his ineffectiveness as a spot-up shooter (25 percent shooting with a 20 percent turnover rate).
His average game score, a metric created by John Hollinger to give a rough measure of a player's productivity for a single game, of 4.2 as a reserve ranks Livingston 42nd out of 46 backup guards playing at least 1,000 minutes in 2016-17.
According to ESPN's Chris Haynes, Livingstons contract would necessitate production similar to Dwyane Wade of the Chicago Bulls or Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies (each with 3.5 wins above replacement in 2016-17), a level Livingston has reached once in his career (3.5 wins above replacement in 2013-14 with the Brooklyn Nets).
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washin ... the-money/
Very interesting information, Livingston seems to be effective when he plays.


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text:
Sometimes the tea leaves lie.
When NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported earlier this offseason that the Green Bay Packers wanted to get more versatile and athletic on defense, we surmised that might mean the end of B.J. Raji's time in Green Bay.
However, the Packers might not be through with Raji after all.
Rapoport reported Thursday that, while both sides originally planned to move on as Raji sought a more lucrative contract, there now is a possibility the defensive lineman returns to Green Bay on a one-year "prove-it" deal. Negotiations are going well, but no official offer has been made, according to a person informed of the talks.
Last season, the 27-year-old turned down a contract from the Packers averaging around $8 million a year -- a move he likely regrets.
Coming off a disappointing season, Raji would be set up to hit the open market again next year if he opted for the one-year deal now. However, he currently is weighing all of his options, per Rapoport. Returning to Green Bay, where Raji has enjoyed playing, is one option. There is plenty of interest around the league for one-year contracts, Rapoport reported.
We pegged Raji as a potential player who could be overpaid, given his age and early career success. However, it's likely that Raji and his agent didn't see that market forming.
According to Rapoport, if Raji returns to Green Bay, he wants to move from defensive end back to nose tackle. If the Packers offer the most money and a position switch, he'd return.
The position switch could be beneficial. As a defensive end, Raji hasn't recorded a sack in 39 games -- including the playoffs. Raji is coming off a 17-tackle season and was destroyed by the running game in 2013, ranking dead last in Pro Football Focus' ratings for 3-4 defensive ends against the rush.
Depending on the dollars, renting Raji for one season could prove to be a prudent move for the Packers. However, if the same Raji shows up as last season, it merely will prolong his inevitable departure from Green Bay.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" talks the latest news, Jimmy Graham and the best fits in free agency.


text:
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text: A good episode gentleman. I enjoy the candid conversations that you all have, its nice to see and hear opinions that are coming from you off the top of your head vs. something scripted. I do think that the tales from the store segment should be extended a little bit, I could see it being something a lot of people who don't actually get to go to Digital Press really enjoying.


text:
Vera Wang WedgwoodGrosgrain Indigo Imperial Creamer 701587281478
$ 90.99 In StockEchoes of textured grosgrain ribbon and delicate needle lace trimmings from Vera Wang's bridal creations were the inspiration for the Vera Wang Wedgwood Grosgrain collection of formal dinnerware. Grosgrain Indigo, a colorful interpretation of her best-selling fine china pattern. A chic, trending Indigo color adds elegance to the peerless white of fine bone china, further complemented by inner and outer rims of rich, platinum banding.


text:
BENI M'GUILD, 6'7" x 10'6" feet
Moroccan Berber rug handwoven by women of the Beni M'Guild tribe in the Middle Atlas Mountains.
Winters in the Atlas Mountains are harsh, so the women weave very thick pile rugs to protect them against the cold. Beni M'Guild rugs are usually woven in berry colors (red, burgundy, purple, burnt orange), and sometimes indigo blue and emerald green.
Type of Rug: Beni M'Guild
Country of Origin: Morocco
Region: Middle Atlas Mountains
Age: Vintage (circa 1970s)
Material: 100% Wool
Construction: Handmade / Hand-Knotted
Pile: Thick
Care: Spot cleaning only
* Free shipping worldwide.
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* If you are a designer, rug dealer or shop owner, email us for trade discounts, wholesale pricing and bespoke rugs.
* For a wider selection of rugs, please visit our sister company, Hawazine.


text:
Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins are jamming, harmonizing hymns and rattling rock 'n' roll.
The date is December 4, 1956, and the place is Sun Studio in Memphis. The event really happened — more or less — and it's due to Sam Phillips, the impresario of the legendary record label and the only man who could bring the superstars together. Blown up to Broadway scale and padded with hits from the early-rock era, "Million Dollar Quartet" is a Tony-winning musical based on that evening, and it's coming to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts Nov. 6-18 with a jukebox full of hits: "Great Balls of Fire," "Hound Dog," "Blue Suede Shoes," "Folsom Prison Blues," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Sixteen Tons," "That's All Right" and "See You Later Alligator."
Here are seven things you need to know about the show.
1. Acting part of the time, playing all the time.
"You can't fake this music," says Lee Ferris, who plays Carl Perkins. "And that's the thing about this show: Every note the audience hears is us from beginning to end."
Scott Moreau, who was the understudy for the actors playing Johnny Cash and Sam Phillips before he took the role of Cash full-time says he had the opportunity to eavesdrop on the audience. "Especially with Jerry Lee Lewis, they don't think he could possibly play the piano and make the music he does. I would hear people in the lobby after the show say, 'That Jerry Lee Lewis does a good job of pretending to play the piano. I wanted to say, 'Hey that really is us playing.' There is this curtain speech before each show … There is an intro that says, 'There is no faking. These boys are really playing.' "
2. Forget Method Acting. It's all about YouTube.
"YouTube was a godsend," says Martin Kaye, who plays Jerry Lee Lewis. "I didn't know he was white."
Moreau learned he was holding his guitar "a little too high. [And] the more I watched his vocals in '[I] Walk the Line,' the more I could pick up where he puts his breath in. The way he used to strum a guitar … it's hard to get the rhythm he had with his hand. Most people, they want to play a straight rhythm. But with him, there was a kind of hesitation to it. It's not like a straight beat. It was a little beat behind it."
The only problem was Carl Perkins. "There is less of him on YouTube and on the Internet," Ferris explains. "I really had to glean a couple of things from here and there. I watched him do a few early recordings, and he does these distinct leg moves and foot taps, and I developed a more-theatrical version of that so the back of the house could read me."
3. Ready to rock: The cast and crew just came off a five-week break.
"I got married on Sept. 2," Kaye says. "Then, I spent three weeks on my honeymoon."
Moreau played tourist in Nashville, including a stop at the just-about-to-open Johnny Cash museum. "The museum store is awesome," he says.
4. Jerry Lee Lewis is from the South. The actor playing him is from England.
"It was new [to me], seeing how big country music and gospel music that these guys were rooted in is here," Kaye says. "You see how mainstream it is here. But I learned a lot from the cast." Mostly, he learned from Cody Slaughter, who plays Elvis Presley and is the only cast member from the South.
The Harrison, Ark., native says he helped out his castmates with the accent: "Especially Martin, because he's English. I used to have a lot thicker way of talking with a Southern accent. I can put it on for him. I would say, 'How y'all doin'?' And he would repeat it, and then he would get it. We never sat down and had a lesson or anything. It was just us walking down the hall."
5. That Elvis impersonation you're doing? That's all wrong.
"You've got to give them their idea of Elvis without going overboard, says Slaughter, who tours as an Elvis tribute artist when not appearing in "Million Dollar Quartet." "Elvis talked like a human being. He wasn't a cartoon. He is made out to be one because he was such a phenomenon."
6. In the show, Jerry Lee Lewis has got a whole lotta hair going on.
"I'm not too proud, but it is what it is," Kaye says. "I have a lot of clips and pins to keep it on because I move around so much. It's fun when I leave the theater after the show, because the other guys, they don't wear a wig. So when they leave, everyone notices who they are. But when I leave, they do a double-take. I have to say, 'Yes, it's me.' "
7. Carl Perkins throws serious shade toward Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.
"Underlying everything I do is the thought that these other guys are truly stealing my thunder," says Lee Ferris, who plays Perkins. "He has a disdain for Sam Phillips for stealing 'Blue Suede Shoes' and moving it on to Elvis. 'Blue Suede Shoes' was really bankrolling everyone else at Sun Records. It sold 1.2 million copies in 1955, which is incredible in that time. These younger guys are kind of living off of him."
Million Dollar Quartet
When: Nov. 6-18; 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Sunday; 2 p.m. matinees Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday, Nov. 14
Where: Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale
Cost: $29.50-$69.50
Contact: 954-462-0222 or BrowardCenter.org


text:
Mr Steve McQueen's shades
The name Persol is derived from the Italian phrase per il sole – "for the sun". The brand was founded in 1917 in Turin, producing eyewear for military pilots and racing drivers; today it is well known for durable, stylish sunglasses, worn by adventurers and movie stars alike.
- Leader in tough, stylish eyewear
- We like the iconic folding pair
- Famously worn by Mr Steve McQueen
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National Security
China rejects U.S. claim of aggressive warplane stunt
China on Saturday rejected U.S. claims that an armed Chinese jet fighter had nearly struck a U.S. Navy aircraft during a series of dangerous maneuvers while the two planes were flying in international airspace.
The Chinese Ministry of National Defense accused the Navy plane of spying, urging "the United States to stop its close-in reconnaissance activities against China" in a statement on its web site.
Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman, said Friday that the incident occurred Tuesday as a Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft was on a routine patrol mission about 135 miles east of China's Hainan Island in the South China Sea.
"We have registered our strong concerns to the Chinese about the unsafe and unprofessional intercept, which posed a risk to the safety and the well-being of the air crew, and was inconsistent with customary international law," Kirby told reporters.
The Chinese defense ministry, however, dismissed the Pentagon's assertions as "totally groundless" and said its J-ll fighter jet had carried out a customary check of what it said were two U.S. naval planes.
"During the activity of identification and verification, the relevant operations made by the Chinese pilot were professional, and the Chinese jet kept a safe distance from the U.S. plane," the ministry said.
Kirby provided a much different account.
The Chinese plane made three passes at the Poseidon, their wingtips coming within 20 feet of each other at one point, and did a barrel roll over the Navy plane in one of the passes, Kirby said.
Kirby indicated that some of the Chinese warplane's maneuvers may have been deliberately provocative in a sort of aerial flexing of muscle.
"The Chinese jet also passed the nose of the P-8 at 90 degrees with its belly toward the P-8 Poseidon, we believe to make a point of showing its weapons load," Kirby said.
Asked why the Pentagon had waited three days to disclose the incident, Kirby said the United States wanted to deliver a formal protest -- called a demarche -- to the Chinese government before making it public.
"We've registered our concerns very strongly to official diplomatic channels with the Chinese," Kirby said. "This kind of behavior not only is unprofessional, it's unsafe, and it's certainly not (in) keeping with the kind of military-to-military relationship that we'd like to have with China."
Kirby said that China was apparently trying to send a message of "resisting the flight of this (U.S.) patrol aircraft," even though it was flying in international airspace.
Kirby said he was not aware of any attempt by the Chinese pilot to communicate with the P-8 crew before or during the provocative stunt.
In an earlier incident over separate waters near China's eastern coast, the United States last November sent two military planes into a disputed portion of the East China Sea after Beijing extended its vital airspace to include that area.
China and Japan both now claim the airspace as well as a tiny chain of uninhabited islands beneath it.


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Subscribe To Wachowskis Reveal 2001 Inspiration And Why They Cast Tom Hanks In Cloud Atlas Updates
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Later this week what might be the most ambitious and truly spectacular film of the year will debut in Toronto. OK, that could really apply to a lot of the big fall movies premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival this week, but in particular I mean Cloud Atlas, the new film from Wachowski siblings Andy and Lana in collaboration with Tom Tykwer, an adaptation of David Mitchell's sprawling and brilliant novel that has already promised half a dozen innovative things, before much of anyone has even seen it.
If you missed it, you must watch the movie's stunning extended trailer, then keep that in mind as you read the new feature published at The New Yorker, where Aleksandar Hemon doesn't just write about his experience visiting the set of Cloud Atlas and watching the Wachowskis and Tykwer struggling to assemble financing before that, but about conversations with the three in which they talk about their "childhood camp" experience writing the film, Lana's transition to becoming a woman and accepting her gender identity, and even why they cast Tom Hanks as a variety of characters, from conniving 19th-century doctor to futuristic savage who might be the savior of humanity.
It's a terrific article that a summary won't really do justice, not just really diving in to how the Wachowskis work together, but the nitty gritty of how a massive film like this is financed independently, and how the Wachowskis and Tykwer wrapped their heads around Mitchell's giant novel with a stunning simple pitch to financiers: "Tom Hanks starts off as a bad person, but evolves over centuries into a good person." There's also author Mitchell, who approves of the movie so much he thinks it might be even better than the book, and his incredible description of the Wachowskis and their directing process:
Mitchell refers to the two as "a kite operation": "Andy is on the ground, handling the spindle, anchored, while Lana is up there, performing the loops."
And while you can't take anything Hemon writes as an unbiased endorsement, he has seen the film, and says it's "poised to usher audience into an era of imaginative adventure filmmaking beyond the mindless nihilism of Transformers or Resident Evil." Which, of course, is exactly the kind of thing people were saying about The Matrix 13 years ago.
Read the whole article, and join me in my feverish anticipation for Cloud Atlas, which Sean will actually be seeing first at TIFF later this week. Stay tuned for his writeup of that, and our full festival coverage coming soon!


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June 19, 2010
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In his April 30 press conference, President Obama responded to a reporter's question about the hunger strikers at Guantánamo with a promise to reengage with Congress to close the US detention facility in Cuba. While that is encouraging news after his five years of relative silence on the subject, it doesn't go far enough. In fact, Mr. Obama's policies have allowed the injustice at Guantánamo to continue.
Americans can not afford the cost of inaction any longer: Guantánamo serves as a recruitment tool for Al Qaeda. It threatens America's global standing as a beacon of justice and the rule of law. And it undermines the international legal precedents that would protect US prisoners abroad as well.
It's high time for Obama to take action on Guantánamo. Its prisoners must be released or charged and tried and the facility closed. With some hunger-striking prisoners reportedly near death, the matter is urgent.
The facts speak for themselves. Of the 166 current "detainees" in Guantánamo, relatively few of them are actually accused terrorists awaiting trial. Eighty-six have been cleared for release to their home countries or other nations willing to accept them. But the Obama administration stalled the transfers in 2009 over concerns about instability in Yemen. Beyond that, a total of 46 detainees have not been charged with any crime and are approved for indefinite detention.
A decade-long detention without end in sight has given rise to hopelessness and despair among the inmates. One hundred of the 166 detainees are now reportedly on a hunger strike. In an effort to suppress the strike, prison authorities have punished participants with forced-feeding (21 of them), lockdowns, and solitary confinement.
Guantánamo also comes at a high price to American taxpayers, costing them $177 million per year. That's an annual cost of more than $1 million per prisoner. Now the military is requesting another $200 million for prison renovation.
Defenders of Guantánamo argue against releasing any prisoners, even those determined to be without connection to Al Qaeda or other terrorist groups. As part of Defense spending bills, Congress has routinely passed amendments barring the transfer of Guantánamo detainees to US prisons. Amendment supporters argue that these individuals post a grave threat to US safety, are enemy combatants, and should not be held in civilian prisons or tried in civilian courts.
Some have raised concerns about the ability of federal civilian courts to adequately mete out justice for accused terrorists. But the Department of Justice has successfully handled more than 1,000 terror trials, with a more than 90 percent conviction rate.
In the name of national security, Guantánamo defenders would have the US government continue to violate the international legal standards and conventions that America helped create after the Second World War.
It would be no surprise if prisoners who have been tortured and indefinitely detained by the US for more than a decade rallied to America's enemies upon their release. However, it's unclear how many released Guantánamo prisoners have actually joined militant groups.
The Defense Department said in 2009 that 18 released detainees are "confirmed" and 43 are "suspected" to have participated in subsequent terror attacks after their release from Guantánamo. But members of the media and other observers have challenged the reliability of those numbers on several grounds.
Some have pointed to flaws in the Pentagon's criteria for "confirming" and "suspecting" terrorist involvement. Others have noted inconsistencies in the names of those held at Guantánamo compared with those listed as returning to terrorism after release – attributed to confusion over similar, common Muslim names.
Whatever the risk of released prisoners "returning to the battlefield," it would seem outweighed by the more obvious risk that Guantánamo poses: It serves as a recruitment poster for Al Qaeda. The assessment of security risks must also take into account the ongoing damage to America's moral standing in the world – damage that will greatly increase if and when the Guantánamo hunger strikers start dying from their fast.
An even more significant long-term cost may be the potential for blowback from legal precedents being set by the Guantánamo prison and the harsh treatment of its prisoners. Such precedents not only undermine global respect for international human rights and the rule of law, but also create a hostile legal environment for Americans who may someday find themselves incarcerated by an enemy force.
While Americans naturally want to minimize the risk of another 9/11, we need to ask ourselves whether the indefinite detention of prisoners, most of whom were rounded up in response to US bounty offers, will really enhance our national security – or impair it.
We should question whether our security needs, as assessed today, trump the traditional American values of justice and the rule of law. Only a lawless society would condone indefinite detention, forced-feeding, and solitary confinement.
As taxpayers, we should ask ourselves whether Guantánamo is worth the hundreds of millions of dollars it has already cost – and will cost if the prison is renovated, as the US military recommends.
The National Defense Authorization Act allows Obama to transfer prisoners out of Guantánamo in the interest of US security. He must exercise that authority to release the prisoners who have no legal case against them – hopefully in time to quell the hunger strike. And notwithstanding the objections of Congress, Obama should announce that the other detainees will be brought to the US for trial. Lastly, he must enforce his executive order of 2009 by closing the Guantánamo prison forever.
The consequences of ignoring Guantánamo, its abuses, and its hunger strikers are foreboding – for the prisoners and for America.
L. Michael Hager is co-founder and former director general of the International Development Law Organization in Rome.


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We want to be one of the world's most innovative, best performing and trusted healthcare company.
Our initiatives at GSK often become a milestone in our journey to attain profitable and sustainable performance.
At GSK we are committed to operating at the highest standards of corporate governance.
Information regarding our codes of conduct, public policies and other reporting information.
we have been serving patients in India for over 90 years.
Patient safety is always our priority and patients, rightly, need to be able to have trust in our products.
Around 40% of the world's children are immunised against at least one serious disease with a GSK vaccine.
If you are part of general public, please consult your doctor.
Our innovative medicines and vaccines enable millions of people do more, feel better, live longer.
Our people are essential to our success. We focus on building their capabilities, and aim to support and empower them to be the best they can be. In this section you can find out what life at GSK is really like
Graduates can join us in a variety of roles across GSK. Opportunities may be available in your country or you could join via our global schemes.
Looking for a new job? Find out more and apply for a job.
It can take between 10 and 15 years to find a new medicine. Follow the journey to learn why it takes so long.
We know that we won't discover everything inside our own labs and that we need to partner with other companies, academic institutions and research charities.
Patient safety is always our priority. We evaluate the benefits and risks of potential new medicines throughout the research and development process.
We recognise the importance of publicly disclosing our clinical trial findings and in recent years have made a number of commitments to share more information.
To accelerate the discovery of new medicines and vaccines, we make funding programmes part of our business model.
We have over 400 clinical studies underway involving more than 340,000 patients across 75 countries, helping us to develop medicines and vaccines for the future.
Science can improve health and wellbeing in so many ways, from the development of everyday convenience healthcare products through to life-saving medicines and vaccines.
Find out about how we are addressing healthcare burdens of access, affordability and awareness through our corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Read about how we are embedding our values throughout the business, including the ways we research, develop, sell and market our products.
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Find out about our responsible business performance in our Responsible Business Supplement and other resources.
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Latest News
Ghana Dance Association Exec. InaugurationThe Ghana Dance Association is organizing an Inauguration of its new executive members and a sensational Dinner Fund Raising Concert Night featuring very popular and prominent folk bands, acrobats and cultural troupes. As a friend to the arts, we deem it right to respectfully invite you and the members of the forum to this august function.
Date: Friday, 24th April, 2015
Venue: Center for National Culture (Accra Arts center)
Time: 6:00 pm ďż˝ 10:00 pm.
We believe with your presence, support and assistance we would enhance, promote and protect the cultural heritage of our land.
Date Updated : 2015-04-24
UNESCO graciously provided the initial grant and technical expertise to support the institutionalisation and official launch of the Ghana Culture Forum. This website was constructed with funds provided by the grant.
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text: Community Health Needs Assessment Understanding the current health status of the community is important in order to identify priorities for future planning and funding, the existing strengths and assets on which to build upon, and areas for further collaboration across organizations, institutions, and community groups. The Primary Care Action Group – a coalition of hospitals, departments of public health, federally qualified health centers, and numerous community and non-profit organizations serving the Greater Bridgeport, CT area – led a process to assess the health needs of the Greater Bridgeport community, as part of a larger goal of measurably improving the health and wellbeing of its residents. Bridgeport Hospital, as part of the Primary Care Action Group, recently completed its 2016 community health needs assessment process. This included the development of a comprehensive Community Health Improvement Plan to address the major unmet needs in the region. 2016 Bridgeport Hospital Community Health Needs Assessment and CHIP 2013 Bridgeport Hospital Community Health Needs Assessment 2013 Bridgeport Hospital Community Health Improvement Plan


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Merry Christmas everyone, Happy Holidays! Thank you for all your fabulous support in 2015. We look forward to sharing more exciting releases and fabulous Choc Lit books with you in the new year.
Love from the Choc Lit Team x
(Lyn, Lusana, Jane O, Liz, Jane E, Marie, Jessamy)
And now a message from our Choc Lit Santas: 🙂
Juliet Archer: "As Jane Austen said in Emma, published 200 years ago this month: 'This is quite the season indeed for friendly meetings. At Christmas every body invites their friends about them, and people think little of even the worst weather.' I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and New Year, with lots of 'friendly meetings' and as little as possible of 'the worst weather'."
Rhoda Baxter: "Wish you all a fab holiday season with lots of chocolate, cake and nice warming books to read. See you next year."
Zana Bell: "Meri Kirihimete (Maori) everyone and many best wishes from New Zealand. May you all have a wonderful festive season. "
AnneMarie Brear: "Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas, (a perfect time to read good books) and a safe and healthy 2016!"
Jan Brigden: "Wishing everyone a joyful, peaceful, healthy Christmas & New Year, with much festive good cheer, happy reading (and chocolate goodies aplenty!). Enjoy!"
Angela Britnell: "Wishing all of our Choc Lit readers a joyous Christmas and a wonderful New Year filled with good books!"
Sheryl Browne: "Christmas time, mistletoe and wine … If you fancy a gorgeous hero to complete the scene, dip into scrummy Choc Lit book. Perfection. Have a lovely Christmas everyone!"
Clare Chase: "Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas, full of warmth and good cheer, followed by a very happy 2016."
Isabella Connor (Liv & Val): "Nollaig shona dhaoibh. Wishing all Choc Lit readers and their families, a wonderful Christmas, and a happy 2016."
Christina Courtenay: "I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Have a peaceful, relaxing holiday hopefully with lots of time for reading! Thank you all for your support this year and here's to a fantastic year in 2016! Christina xxx"
Kirsty Ferry: "Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a happy, healthy 2016. I hope you enjoy a festive season filled with cake, chocolate and a multitude of good books! Love from Kirsty xxx"
Debbie Flint: "Wishing you sleighbells and snowflakes, mince pies andmulled wine, silent nights and holly-days, myrrh and magic moments, tinselled tots and festive pets, plus perfect peace, Christmas cheer – and to all a good night!"
Kathryn Freeman: "Christmas – a time to relax, to indulge. Whether you're turkey or goose, chocolate or champagne, Christmas films or a sack full of books, I wish you all a very happy Christmas."
Janet Gover: "May Christmas be a time of joy for you and yours – and I hope 2016 will be a wonderful year filled with love and laughter."
Henriette Gyland: "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May 2016 be filled with love, laughter and good books to read."
Linn B. Halton: Wishing everyone peace, love and happiness this Christmas time, and a wonderful start to 2016! Linn x
Liz Harris: "Wishing you everything for 2015 that you wish for yourself. May it be a year filled with health, happiness, chocolate and, of course, books!!"
Melanie Hudson: "Wishing you love, light and oodles of laughter this Christmas."
Laura E.James: "Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a 2016 that's overflowing with good health and great books."
Margaret James: "Merry Christmas, readers and writers, and may 2016 be a wonderful year for you all."
Kate Johnson: "I'd like to wish everyone a very happy festive season and offer my best wishes for the new year."
Margaret Kaine: "I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas whether you are spending it with family or friends, or have chosen to be on your own surrounded by chocolates, wine and good books. May I wish you both good health and happiness throughout 2016."
Jane Lovering: "Wishing everyone a happy HobNob dunking, marshmallow toasting, Tony Robinson watching day! Although if you don't like any of these things, I wish you a Happy Christmas anyway…all the more for me! JANE X"
Sally Malcolm: "Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas, and a New Yearfull of adventure!"
Alison May: "May your festive season be joyful and filled with books, chocolate and all good things. Happy Christmas one and all."
Linda Mitchelmore: "Happy Christmas to you all. I hope you will have a wonderful time, spending Christmas in whichever way you choose. I also hope there will be a little window of time to curl up with a Choc Lit novel – or two – somewhere warm with a glass of something festive."
Lynda Stacey: "May your Christmas sparkle with happiness, surprises and above all else, good health. Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous 2016 xx"
Berni Stevens: "Wishing everyone a Perfectly Paranormal Christmas and a peaceful New Year! Happy reading! Love Berni xxx"
Christine Stovell: "Nadolig Llawen! Merry Christmas one and all. Here's wishing you everything you would wish for yourself."
Sarah Tranter: "Merry Xmas and a fabulous 2016 to you all!"
Sarah Waights: "Wishing all Choc Lit readers a fabulous Christmas and as much romance and chocolate as you can handle in the year to come."
Evonne Wareham: "Happy Christmas – Nadolig Llawen – and health, happiness and lots of good books for everyone in 2016."
Nicky Wells: "Frohe Weihnachten und ein Gutes Neues! ~That's "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" in my native German, and I'd like to wish you both of those with all myheart. May your Christmas sparkle and may your 2016 be filled with love, laughter and happiness. Xx"


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The PLAYRS Club Softball Sweatshirt is a comfortable way to show off your sport pride in multiple colors!
* Unisex
* 100% California fleece cotton
* Hooded with matching finished polyester drawcord
* Raglan sleeves
* Kangaroo pocket
* Fabric weight 7.2 oz/yd2
* Made in California
This American Apparel hoodie is made out of California fleece which, opposed to typical synthetic fleece, is made of 100% extra soft ring-spun combed cotton. It's pre-washed to minimize shrinkage, and is breathable yet extra thick for warmth.


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Top it off! From t-shirts and tank tops to hoodies and sweatshirts, our wide variety of tops has an option for every girl. Pair them with our equally broad range of bottoms, and you're set for lazy days in or big nights out.
Our tank tops always come in super soft fabrics and a range of fits. We have crop tanks for when you're feeling flirty on hot summer days, or racerback tanks that are full length for covering your tummy. When you want to cover your shoulders, too, we have a ton of options in t-shirts for you to choose from. Every girl needs her best tee, and we make ours with a supersoft slub jersey tee that comes in scoop neck or v-neck silhouettes. Wear them alone or layer on the love—either way it's a go-to style! We also have cute graphic tees and other fun prints or styling details on our tee shirts to choose from, so start building up your tee collection now.
For a cozier top layer, try our long sleeve tees, hoodies, sweatshirts or sweaters. No matter the weather, a comfy layer is a must for any season. We have pullover sweaters and hoodies for a more casual look, or cardigans that are great for work or a night out.
With so many top options, it's easy to find a bottom to match. Pair a sweatshirt with our large selection of leggings and yoga pants for sporty trips to the gym, or match it with a pair of soft shorts for a casual brunch with your girls on the weekend. Top to bottom, Aerie has a fit for you!