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Motion picture
Motion picture, also called film or movie, series of still photographs on film, projected in rapid succession onto a screen by means of light. Because of the optical phenomenon known as persistence of vision, this gives the illusion of actual, smooth, and continuous movement.
The motion picture is a remarkably effective medium in conveying drama and especially in the evocation of emotion. The art of motion pictures is exceedingly complex, requiring contributions from nearly all the other arts as well as countless technical skills (for example, in sound recording, photography, and optics). Emerging at the end of the 19th century, this new art form became one of the most popular and influential media of the 20th century and beyond.
As a commercial venture, offering fictional narratives to large audiences in theatres, the motion picture was quickly recognized as perhaps the first truly mass form of entertainment. Without losing its broad appeal, the medium also developed as a means of artistic expression in such areas as acting, directing, screenwriting, cinematography, costume and set design, and music.
Essential Characteristics Of Motion Pictures
In its short history, the art of motion pictures has frequently undergone changes that seemed fundamental, such as those resulting from the introduction of sound. It exists today in styles that differ significantly from country to country and in forms as diverse as the documentary created by one person with a handheld camera and the multimillion-dollar epic involving hundreds of performers and technicians.
A number of factors immediately come to mind in connection with the motion-picture experience. For one thing, there is something mildly hypnotic about the illusion of movement that holds the attention and may even lower critical resistance. The accuracy of the motion-picture image is compelling because it is made by a nonhuman, scientific process. In addition, the motion picture gives what has been called a strong sense of being present; the film image always appears to be in the present tense. There is also the concrete nature of film; it appears to show actual people and things.
No less important than any of the above are the conditions under which the motion picture ideally is seen, where everything helps to dominate the spectators. They are taken from their everyday environment, partially isolated from others, and comfortably seated in a dark auditorium. The darkness concentrates their attention and prevents comparison of the image on the screen with surrounding objects or people. For a while, spectators live in the world the motion picture unfolds before them.
Still, the escape into the world of the film is not complete. Only rarely does the audience react as if the events on the screen are real—for instance, by ducking before an onrushing locomotive in a special three-dimensional effect. Moreover, such effects are considered to be a relatively low form of the art of motion pictures. Much more often, viewers expect a film to be truer to certain unwritten conventions than to the real world. Although spectators may sometimes expect exact realism in details of dress or locale, just as often they expect the film to escape from the real world and make them exercise their imagination, a demand made by great works of art in all forms.
The sense of reality most films strive for results from a set of codes, or rules, that are implicitly accepted by viewers and confirmed through habitual filmgoing. The use of brownish lighting, filters, and props, for example, has come to signify the past in films about American life in the early 20th century (as in The Godfather [1972] and Days of Heaven [1978]). The brownish tinge that is associated with such films is a visual code intended to evoke a viewer's perceptions of an earlier era, when photographs were printed in sepia, or brown, tones. Storytelling codes are even more conspicuous in their manipulation of actual reality to achieve an effect of reality. Audiences are prepared to skip over huge expanses of time in order to reach the dramatic moments of a story. La battaglia di Algeri (1966; The Battle of Algiers), for example, begins in a torture chamber where a captured Algerian rebel has just given away the location of his cohorts. In a matter of seconds that location is attacked, and the drive of the search-and-destroy mission pushes the audience to believe in the fantastic speed and precision of the operation. Furthermore, the audience readily accepts shots from impossible points of view if other aspects of the film signal the shot as real. For example, the rebels in The Battle of Algiers are shown inside a walled-up hiding place, yet this unrealistic view seems authentic because the film's grainy photography plays on the spectator's unconscious association of poor black-and-white images with newsreels.
Fidelity in the reproduction of details is much less important than the appeal made by the story to an emotional response, an appeal based on innate characteristics of the motion-picture medium. These essential characteristics can be divided into those that pertain primarily to the motion-picture image, those that pertain to motion pictures as a unique medium for works of art, and those that derive from the experience of viewing motion pictures.
Qualities of the film image
The primary unit of expression in film is the image, or the single shot. The attribution of magical properties to images has a long history. This association is well documented among many primitive peoples, and it is even reflected in the term magic lantern as a synonym for the film projector. Any image taken out of the everyday world and projected onto a screen to some extent appears to become magically transmuted. This magical quality helps to explain the enthusiastic reception accorded such early films as La Sortie des usines Lumière (1895; "Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory"), which were merely photographic records of commonplace scenes in France in the 1890s by the French film pioneers the Lumière brothers.
Intensity, intimacy, ubiquity
The qualities of intensity, intimacy, and ubiquity have been singled out as the salient characteristics of the motion-picture image. Its intensity derives from its power to hold the complete attention of the spectator on whatever bit of reality is being shown. Outside the theatre, a person's attention is usually dispersed in the endless surrounding reality, except for sporadic moments of concentration on what is selected for closer scrutiny. In the cinema one is compelled to look at something that not the viewer but the filmmaker has selected, for reasons that are not always immediately apparent. This quality of intensity becomes most noticeable when the camera remains fixed on something for a longer time than seems warranted, and the spectator gradually becomes acutely conscious of his loss of volition over his own attention. This technique is not often used but is very effective when used well.
The intimacy of the film image is related to the camera's ability to see things in greater detail than the eye can. This ability is demonstrated in long-distance shots through a telephoto lens as well as in close-ups. At the beginning of the Japanese film Suna no onna (1964; Woman in the Dunes), for example, a pervading theme of the film is indicated by shots of grains of sand many times enlarged.
The impression of ubiquity—being everywhere at once—is achieved in part by the camera's apparent freedom to move from place to place or to approach or withdraw instantaneously. No less important to this illusion of ubiquity is the effect achieved by editing, which allows countless images representing a long, elaborate action to be presented in a comparatively short film or sequence, such as that exemplified by the opening of The Battle of Algiers. The geographic and temporal authority of the image even permits credibility to be given to sequences representing the past, the future, and dreams.
Other equally important characteristics of the film image may be singled out. One of these is its particularity. The language of words lends itself to generalization and abstraction. In themselves, words such as man or house do not suggest a particular man or a particular house but men and houses in general, and more abstract terms such as love or dishonesty have even less-precise associations with specific things. Motion pictures, on the other hand, show only particular things—a particular man or a particular house. In this way a film image may be less ambiguous than the language of words but also less evocative, less likely to be enriched by imagination, association, or recollection. Despite its particularity, however, the motion-picture image may also be ambiguous in that it shows but does not explain. It does not in itself tell what it means, and people instinctively search for meanings in images. This is why commentary is thought to be essential in tying down precise meaning in educational films. On the other hand, many evocative documentaries, from Robert Flaherty's Nanook of the North (1922) to Errol Morris's Fast, Cheap & Out of Control (1997), abjure commentary, thus forcing the spectator to take in the remarkable and untranslatable specific sights and sounds they collect. The particular insistence of given photographed objects also explains why the juxtapositions of montage are so effective—the spectator compulsively searches for the reason behind a particular sequence of images.
Another characteristic of the film image is its neutrality. The world people see around them is strongly influenced by their emotions and their interests. A plumber fixing pipes in a museum may not see the masterpieces around him, while an angry man may hear an insult where none was intended. The camera and the microphone, however, are thought to reproduce images and sounds without feeling. Although focus, directionality, and other technological factors limit what can be seen and heard, audiences are prepared to believe that the motion picture itself is nonhuman or even superhuman in its passive reception of information. Courts of law, for example, are more likely to accept film as evidence of an occurrence such as a bank robbery than they are to accept an artist's sketch or a journalist's report of the same incident. When a film appears to be charged with emotion, it is usually because the director has carefully manipulated the images to give this illusion. In everyday life, the eyes follow the mind; in the cinema, the mind follows the eyes.
Characteristics of the medium
Four characteristics may be stressed as factors that differentiate the motion-picture medium, either in degree or in kind, from other mediums for works of art: luminosity, movement, realism, and montage.
The intense brightness of the picture projected by powerful light onto a coated screen in itself transforms the most mundane element of reality. The appeal of a luminous picture is attested by efforts of advertisers to achieve luminous effects in posters and displays. The luminosity of the motion-picture image also results in a considerable range of tone, between the brightest highlight and the deepest black. In both black-and-white and colour films, the most delicate gradations in the image are therefore possible.
As a feature of the motion picture, movement is so obvious that its central importance is sometimes forgotten. The motion picture has much in common with the graphic arts, but the added dimension of movement transforms it, allowing a narrative or a drama to unfold in time in a way no other graphic art can. Both in filmmaking and in film appreciation, movement must constantly be borne in mind: composition in the motion picture is kinetic rather than static. It is not a single colour but the cumulative effect that matters, not a single situation but a developing plot. The composition within any frame, or exposure, of a motion picture is as important as the relationship of that frame to those that precede and follow it.
Another essential element of the motion-picture image is that it gives an impression of reality. Whether in a drama enacted expressly for the camera or in a documentary film of an event at which the camera just happened to be present, this feeling of realism deriving from motion-picture photography accounts for much of the force of motion pictures. Animated films, which lack this element of photographic realism, tend to be taken as fantasies.
The attempt of the motion picture to reproduce three-dimensional reality on a flat screen presents the same problems and opportunities that are encountered in still photography and in painting. The standard camera lens, in fact, is constructed to produce visual effects precisely similar to those achieved by painters using the principles of perspective that were developed during the Renaissance.
Cinematic realism is most fully heightened when the images are accompanied by synchronous sound, whereby a second sense, hearing, ratifies what the eyes see. Although reproduced sound can be manipulated with regard to distance, timbre, clarity, and duration, in combination with photographed moving images, it forcefully brings alive its subject as present in a way unavailable to the other arts of representation.
Perhaps the most essential characteristic of the motion picture is montage, from the French monter, "to assemble." Montage refers to the editing of the film, the cutting and piecing together of exposed film in a manner that best conveys the intent of the work. Montage is what distinguishes motion pictures from the performing arts, which exist only within a performance. The motion picture, by contrast, uses the performances as the raw material, which is built up as a novel or an essay or a painting, studiously put together piece by piece, with an allowance for trial and error, second thoughts, and, if necessary, reshooting. The order in which the segments of film are presented can have drastically different dramatic effects.
Several major contributions to the theory of montage were made by Soviet directors. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Soviet films were encouraged for their propaganda value, but film stocks were scarce. Soviet directors carefully studied the films of D.W. Griffith and other masters to make the most effective use of their own meagre resources. One of those early Russian directors, Lev Kuleshov, conducted an experiment involving identical shots of an actor's expressionless face. He inserted it in a film before a shot of a bowl of soup, again before a shot of a child playing, and still again before one of a dead old woman. An unsuspecting audience, asked to evaluate the actor's performance, praised his ability to express, respectively, hunger, tenderness, and grief.
Sergey Eisenstein, who excelled both as a director and as a teacher, based much of his theory of film on montage, which he compared to the compounding of characters in Japanese writing. The character for "dog" added to the character for "mouth," he noted, results not merely in "dog's mouth" but in the new concept of "bark"; similarly, film montage results in more than the sum of its parts. Still another great Russian director, Vsevolod I. Pudovkin, also stressed the importance of the carryover in the spectator's mind. Only if an object is presented as part of a synthesis, he said, is it endowed with filmic life.
Three types of montage may be distinguished—narrative, graphic, and ideational. In narrative montage the multifarious images and scenes involve a single subject followed from point to point. In a fiction film, a character or location is explored from multiple angles while the audience builds a comprehensive image of the situation being explored or explained. Graphic montage occurs when shots are juxtaposed not on the basis of their subject matter but because of their physical appearance. Some avant-garde works depend on the spectator's ability to match the graphic relations of assorted images, such as the people, the objects, and the shapes of numerical and alphabetical figures in Fernand Léger's Le Ballet mécanique (1924) or the torpedoes, swimming seals, and blimps in Bruce Conner's A Movie (1958). In graphic montage, cutting usually occurs during shots of movement rather than ones of static action. This cutting on motion facilitates the smooth replacement of one image by the next. In ideational montage, two separate images are related to a third thing, an idea that they help to produce and by which they are governed. In Stachka (1924; Strike), for example, the director Eisenstein, to whom the theory of ideational montage is credited, effectively conveys the idea of slaughter by intercutting a shot of cattle being butchered with shots of workers being cut down by cavalry.
These three types of montage seldom appear in their pure form. Most ideational montage proceeds on the basis of the graphic similarity of its components, as does narrative montage when relying on graphic cutting to cover its movement. Similarly, the graphic matches between torpedoes, seals, and blimps in A Movie ultimately construct an idea of movement toward explosion and destruction. Besides the complications brought about by the intermixing of these types, the addition of the sound track multiplies the possibilities and effects of montage. Eisenstein and Pudovkin referred to such possibilities as "vertical" montage, opposing it to the "horizontal" unrolling of shot after shot. Because sound permits the establishment of relations between what is seen and heard at each moment, the film image can no longer be said to be a self-contained unit; it interacts with the sound that accompanies it. Sound relations (including dialogue, music, and ambient noise or effects) may be built in constant rapport with the image track or may create a parallel organization and design that subtends what is seen. In all, montage appears to be the most extraordinary factor differentiating the motion picture from the other arts, and it is the one often singled out as the basis of the medium. Nevertheless, many films, including those of Mizoguchi Kenji of Japan, Roberto Rossellini of Italy, and Jancsó Miklós of Hungary, rely not on montage but on the medium's unique qualities of luminosity, movement, and realism to convey their power and beauty.
The motion-picture experience
The viewing of motion pictures began as an experience limited to a one-person audience. Soon after, the advent of motion-picture projection transformed the medium predominantly into a form of theatrical entertainment viewed by large numbers of people simultaneously. By the end of the 20th century, new technologies had made possible a wide variety of viewing options, ranging from the solitary spectator to audiences of thousands in a single space or of millions over many venues.
The Kinetoscope, the first motion-picture viewing device, was invented by Thomas Alva Edison and William Dickson in 1891. It allowed only a single spectator at a time to look through a peephole at the tiny moving images inside the machine. Within several years, projectors capable of enlarging the image on a screen in a theatrical space had been developed. Projected motion pictures soon rendered the peephole viewers obsolete, although the latter could still be found for decades as novelties in penny arcades and amusement parks.
The motion picture thrived in the first half of the 20th century as a mass medium centred on theatrical exhibition. Attending motion pictures became a social experience shared among friends or in an audience of strangers. Although the physical setting was similar to live events such as stage or concert performances, fundamental differences arose in the viewing of mechanically reproduced images rather than living persons. Motion-picture audiences were more informal in dress and demeanour. Eating and drinking during screenings became common; indeed, the sale of items such as popcorn and soft drinks proved more lucrative to many exhibitors than box-office admissions. Consecutive repeat showings permitted patrons to enter and leave in the middle of programs, giving rise to the expression "This is where I came in," which became obsolete and largely unknown by the end of the 20th century, when theatres were cleared after each screening.
When television emerged as a competing home-entertainment medium after World War II, theatrical motion-picture attendance suffered a severe decline. However, older motion pictures became a staple of television programming, and television in turn began to serve as a significant advertising medium for promoting new films. While the television presentation of motion pictures varied in different countries, in the United States it was common on commercial broadcast channels to divide up the screening with frequent commercial breaks. After the introduction in the mid-1950s of CinemaScope and other widescreen formats for motion pictures in theatrical release—a technological innovation intended to highlight the value of the large-screen theatre experience in contrast to the then small-screen home medium—these works were later altered for television release. In a technique called "panning and scanning," the original versions of widescreen films were rephotographed, sometimes with new camera movements added, to record significant screen events for the narrower television frame.
In the later decades of the 20th century, as theatrical motion-picture attendance stabilized at much lower numbers than before World War II, the television became the predominant exhibition venue for motion pictures. In the 1980s the home-viewing experience dramatically expanded with the emergence of cable television, with channels playing up-to-date motion pictures without commercial breaks, and especially with the development of the videocassette recorder (VCR), a device that could record television signals on cassettes of magnetic tape as well as play prerecorded cassettes. Motion-picture companies released recent and older films in videocassette format, and neighbourhood video stores sprang up to rent or sell cassettes. Home viewers could choose what they wanted to see and take home motion pictures on video in much the same way as they might select a book to read or recorded music to listen to.
Newer technologies introduced at the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st centuries broadened the home viewing of motion pictures still further. Systems delivering television signals via satellite or digital cable offered hundreds of channels, many of them playing motion pictures continuously. The 1990s witnessed the introduction of the DVD (digital video disc, or digital versatile disc), which converts analog audio and video signals into binary data that can then be read by a low-power laser. The DVD was a medium for recording, storing, and playing motion pictures that provided significantly more space for data than the videotape cassette—so much more, in fact, that even early DVDs contained motion pictures in both their original widescreen theatrical-release format (i.e., in "letterboxed" form, a term referring to the black bands that appear above and below the image on a television with a roughly square aspect ratio of 4 to 3) and in the "panned and scanned" version. Sound tracks were made available in original or dubbed languages, and a variety of supplemental materials included voice-over commentaries from directors and other creative personnel, documentaries on the making of the film, preview trailers, screen tests, and more. The Blu-ray format, adopted as an industry standard in 2008, promised optical discs with even greater data capacity. The first decade of the 21st century also brought the widespread adoption of video-on-demand (VOD), in which home viewers could request instant delivery of motion pictures of their choice directly to their television or computer screens. Internet-based VOD played an increasing role in the distribution and circulation of motion pictures, as did P2P (peer-to-peer) file sharing, the latter of which was seen as a threat by motion-picture studios. While theatrical exhibition continued to play a significant role and theatres retained their value as social gathering places that could present large-scale images, the dominant trend in the experience of motion pictures gave home viewers increasing control over what films to see, when to see them, and how to see them. Viewers were able to stop the image, enlarge it, reverse it, fast forward, skip to desired scenes, and take charge as never before over the process of screening itself.


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News & Announcements
"BY FAR the number one studio I recommend when it comes to contemporary dance and just all around dance training in general. The owner is a technical genius and has a real knowledge of how to teach fundamental technique while building each child into a true individual artist. It's hard work, but it's worth it! They have 7 year old children doing things I haven't even seen adult artists doing! There's also a hip hop family based out of the studio (Hungry Fam) which is an awesome training & performance tool for dancers. And pricing is beyond fair. PLUS this is the only studio with a real industry geared summer intensive program. Seriously guys, CHECK THIS PLACE OUT!" Posted on Google by DAMSF
Our facility includes 5 large dance studios, a large acrobatics studio, a prop and costume workshop, administrative offices, and a lobby that will make you feel right at home.
We see being great at your art as a starting point, not an endpoint. We set ourselves goals we know we can't reach yet, because we know that by stretching to meet them we can get further than we expected.
Amazing programs give our dancers top training at any level and any style. As dancers progresses through our program, they will learn to master skills in a fun and positive learning environment.
Call Us: 1-408-995-6500
Copyright Nor Cal Dance Arts, LLC. All rights reserved.
The Nor Cal Dance Arts, Collective Dance Company, and Posse Dance Company name and logo are trademarks of Nor Cal Dance Arts, LLC.

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What do you love about working as a freelance VO talent? That I get to spend the day in a quiet house while the kids are at school, just me and our dog 'Buddy', without my two boys fighting or asking me to cook them something! Plus the fact that I can be as busy […]
Posts Tagged 'bob ber'
Inside The Booth With Greg SimmsPosted: 5th November 2014 by benztownvoiceover in Interviews, Regular Features, Voice of the Week
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Historical Society
About the Northern District Historical Society
For almost 25 years the Northern District Historical Society has been protecting and enlivening the rich judicial history of the court. From the Chinese Exclusion Laws to Patty Hearst to cutting edge technology disputes, the Northern District has been in the thick of the some of the thorniest problems and most interesting events in California history. The goal of the Society is to preserve, share and enliven the court's history with lawyers, educators, scholars and students.
The Historical Society has written, published and/or collaborated on a number of excellent books covering important topics in the history of Northern California and its federal district court. We are pleased to offer Historical Society books for sale through our on-line bookstore.
Past Programs
Past program presenters have included:
- Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor;
- Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and his brother, Northern District Court Judge Charles Breyer;
- New York Times Supreme Court correspondent Linda Greenhouse;
- former Soliticer General Seth Waxman;
- former White House Counsels John Dean, Abner Mikva and Greg Craig;
- Pulitzer prize winning Professor Jack Rakove;
- and Harvard Professor Charles Ogletree, Jr.
Preservation Projects
The Society's major preservation project is a book about the Northern District, "The Court That Tamed the West," published in 2013.
Other preservation projects have included a series of oral histories of judges. Starting with Judge Wollenberg, who in a previous career as a United States Attorney prosecuted train robbers and Prohibition violators in the 1920's, the histories continue through to judges who are currently on the bench. These histories capture not only the facts of Northern District cases, but the flavor of the times through the judges' reminiscences.
Member benefits include priority sign-up for events, invitations to special members-only receptions, discounts on Historical Society publications and more!
For membership information contact the Society.
Historical Society Program Announcements
There are no public programs currently scheduled. Please check back soon or sign up to receive email announcements.


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DUNN Training
After several years of using Graffiti CMS, I'm going to try another blog engine. Graffiti was simple to use and free but had its share of problems. The last straw was it randomly freezing when trying to login as an admin. I'd stuck with the older Telligent version. I'm a fan of "don't fix it if it ain't broke." Well, it finally broke and rather than fix it or try the codeplex version out there now, I thought I'd give blogengine.net a spin.
It was super easy to install and I'll dress it up a bit once I have some time. I'm off to enjoy the holidays for right now.
Mark has over 25 years of experience in the disciplines of software engineering, database administration, and project management. Software that Mark developed for the radio industry is still in use today. He was a lead developer on the team that created Tapscan, a well-known Arbritron ratings analysis package that has dominated that industry for many years.
Since 2003, Mark has been awarded MVP (Microsoft Most Valuable Professional) status for his contributions to the Visual Studio .Net community and he serves as Microsoft's Regional Director covering the Southeast United States. Mark also co-founded .Net Rocks, an Internet radio program for .Net developers recognized in over 80 countries and now hosted by Microsoft on the MSDN site.
Mark is also a Microsoft Certified Trainer, Application Developer, Solution Developer for .Net, and Database Administrator.
Get notified when a new post is published.
BlogEngine.NET 184.108.40.206
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Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Foam or plywood sub-roadbed
Now at the risk of raising an eyebrow or two, here is a question for you experts.
If 3/4 5 layer plywood and 2" foam are about the same price (and they are if you watch for specials on plywood), then why would you ever use foam?
Portability is the only reason I can see.
Pro Foam
- Lighter
Pro Plywood
- Stronger
- Flatter/Smoother
- Quieter
- Easier to wire Staples etc easier to feed 24 gauge wire through
- Easier to mount tortoise or Peco switch motors
- Holds a track nail
- Looks better if not painted
- More durable
Just curious
Joe Daddy


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Pirates Acquire Vin Mazzaro And Clint Robinson From Kansas City For Pair Of Minor Leaguers
The Pittsburgh Pirates today acquired right-handed pitcher Vin Mazzaro and first baseman Clint
Robinson from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for minor league pitchers Luis Rico and Luis
Santos. The announcement was made by Pirates Senior Vice President, General Manager Neal
The 27-year-old Robinson hit .292 (142-for-487) with 37 doubles, 13 home runs, 67 RBI and 70
runs scored in 131 games last year for Triple-A Omaha. He also went 0-for-4 in four pinch hitting
appearances with the Royals.
Robinson was originally selected by Kansas City in the 25th round of the 2007 First-Year Player
Draft. In 2011 he was named to both the Pacific Coast League mid- and post-season All-Star teams
after finishing third in the league in hits (164), fourth in total bases (268), tied for seventh in RBI
(100) and eighth in batting average (.326).
In 2010 the left-handed hitting first baseman won the Texas League Triple Crown after batting
.335 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI while also leading the league in doubles (41), total bases
(298), slugging percentage (.625) and OPS (1.035).
Mazzaro split the 2012 campaign between Omaha and Kansas City. He posted a 2-2 record along
with five saves and a 3.63 ERA (67.0ip/27er) in 22 games (eight starts) with the Storm Chasers
and a 4-3 record and 5.73 ERA in 18 appearances (six starts) with the Royals.
The 26-year-old Mazzaro was originally selected by Oakland in the third round of the 2005 First-
Year Player Draft. He made his Major League debut in 2009 and began his big league career with
17.2 consecutive scoreless innings, which is the longest by a starting pitcher in Oakland history.
Mazzaro has a career record of 15-21 along with a 5.22 ERA in 66 appearances (45 starts) in the
Majors with Oakland (2009-10) and Kansas City (2011-12).
To make room for Mazzaro and Robinson on the 40-man roster, the Pirates have designated infielders
Yamaico Navarro and Matt Hague for assignment.
For more information, contact the Pirates media relations department at [email protected]
or [email protected]


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Podcast: Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android
Merry Christmas, listeners. Here's our Season Two Christmas Special. What a year it's been for all of us here at The MJCast! We can barely believe that we're at the end of our second season. After two years of podcasting, it's still shocking to us that our little news and discussion show on Michael Jackson and the Jacksons has been received so well. Thank-you so much to everyone who has made what we do possible. We recently put together this Season Two Christmas Special for MJ fans to enjoy over their holidays. Q and Jamon kick the show off with a year in review discussion around all things 2016 and Q shares his recent experiences at the Dangerous 25 celebrations in Melbourne, Australia. Following this, the boys discuss the major MJ headlines including MJ Beats' leak of the HIStory World Tour concert in Basel, a new MJ101 book, Janet Jackson's baby and finally new photos from the You Are Not Alone shoot.
After the news, Jamon and Q then reminisce on the special episodes of Season Two, making sure to play some of their favourite highlight clips. To round the show off, a special audio montage is played which features special guest's answers to the question how should Michael Jackson be remembered? Next up, our Season Two blooper reel! Finally, Jamon and Q discuss their hopes and dreams for Season Three of The MJCast and give a few special shout outs and thank-yous.
Listeners, have a happy holidays with family and friends. Share love on Christmas Day and be safe. Following this final show for 2016 and Season Two of The MJCast, we look forward to returning in February 2017 with Season Three. Until then, have yourself a merry little Christmas…
Follow Up
- Year in review
- Q's Dangerous 25 experiences in Melbourne
- MJ Beats has shared never-before-seen HIStory World Tour footage from Basel, Switzerland.
- Andy Healy's new book in the MJ101 series; Dangerous 101 is out soon.
- Has Janet Jackson had her baby yet?
- New photos of Michael Jackson from the You Are Not Alone shoot have leaked.
Special Highlights
- Episode 026 – Diana Walczak Special
- Episode 030 – Rob Hoffman Special
- Episode 031 – Making Michael Special with Mike Smallcombe
- Episode 033 – Vindication Day Special with Scott Ross
- Episode 034 – June 25th Special feat. Kevin Stea
- Episode 035 – MJ101 Special: The Performances
- Episode 044 – World Music Awards 2006 10th Anniversary Special
- Episode 047 – The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson Special with Elizabeth Amisu and Karin Merx
Additional Links
- Q's footage from the Dangerous 25 celebration in Melbourne, Australia
- Jackson 5's Christmas Album
- Michael Jackson's Dream Lives On podcast web page and iTunes page
- Moonwalk Talks' website, Twitter and iTunes pages
- MJ Book Club's Facebook and Twitter pages
- Michael Jackson Australia's Facebook page
- Kingvention's website and Facebook page
- Michael: The Last Photoshoots' Facebook page
- Kerry Anderson's Facebook page
- The MJCast's Cascio Case court documents page
- Daily Michael's page on the Estate vs. IRS lawsuit
- Pierre et Gilles Wikipedia page
- Michael Jackson – Blood On The Dance Floor (8mm Version)
- Michael Jackson – Blood On The Dance Floor (Refugee Camp Mix)
Music Breaks & Ads
- Disneyland Paris – Magic Everywhere (Christmas Version)
- Michael Jackson – Remember The Time (Funk LeBlanc Remix)
- Jackson 5 – Christmas Medley
- Jackson Source
- Jackson 5 – Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (Stripped Mix)
- Jackson 5 – Give Love On Christmas Day (Group A Capella Version)
Connect with Us
If you have any thoughts, opinions, or feedback on the show, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us at email@example.com or find the links to our many social networks on www.themjcast.com. Michael On!


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Item Description
Quilt, New England Emigrant Aid Company
Author: No authors specified.
Date: 1855
Fragment of comforter made by women from the Boston-based New England Emigrant Aid Society. The comforter was sold at a charity raffle in Lawrence in 1855. Proceeds were given to free-state settlers. The fabric is believed to have been taken from Revolutionary War uniforms. Dr. Sylvester B. Prentiss purchased the comforter, which was later divided into sections and distributed among his family members.
Location of Original: KSHS/Kansas Museum of History Call Number: 1941.1, B/Quilt Fragment
Item Number: 102792 Number of images: 1
Keywords: Boston, Massachusetts; Emigrant aid companies; Free state; Free state cause; House furnishings; Immigration and early settlement; Lawrence, Kansas Territory; New England Emigrant Aid Company; Objects; Prentiss, S.B.
pg. 1


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Mariah Carey Becomes Fairy Godmother of Disney's Fantasy Cruise Ship
Mariah Carey is now going by a different name these days… especially if you're sitting on board the new Walt Disney cruise ship, Fantasy. The singing diva has been proclaimed the "Fairy Godmother" of the Fantasy when the unveiling of the breathtaking ship happened late last week (Friday, March 2).
Carey stood along side Disney CEO Bob Iger, Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs, and of course, Mickey Mouse, as she spoke to those aboard the ship during the special ceremony held in New York City.
"I am so excited to be here," Carey gushed after being escorted down the staircase by Mickey. "Thank you for inviting me to join this amazing celebration. It means a lot to me to be here to christen the Disney Fantasy."
As they got ready for the big countdown and toast to make it official, Carey introduced her husband, Nick Cannon, who was also part of the celebrating, as he hung with Mickey's main squeeze, Minnie Mouse.
After the countdown and the breaking of the bottle, it was Carey's honor to make the big announcement. "I christen this ship!" she beamed, as confetti fell from the top of the ship ceiling. "May God bless this ship and all who sails on her!"
Watch Mariah Carey Christen the Disney Fantasy Ship With Mickey Mouse


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One of the most critical challenges in any PMI is choosing the design of the new organization. This decision has powerful implications for the operating model and culture of the combined entity. It's also critical to maintaining high morale and confidence during the integration effort.
Organization design must happen quickly. The time period in which the merging organizations can function in parallel is limited, and many potential synergies won't be realized until the businesses are functioning as a single entity. The longer a company puts off design decisions, the more it will foster ambiguity about lines of authority and uncertainty about people's futures. The result is often low morale and engagement, at best, and attrition and loss of talent, at worst.
To move the process along quickly and effectively, BCG has developed an approach called Rapid Organization Design. It has four components:


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Texas lawmakers on Tuesday began weighing changes to the state's high school graduation requirements to give students more flexibility in which courses they must take.
A closely watched bill by Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, would change the default graduation plan so students would not necessarily have to take four years of English, math, science and social studies. Instead, they could specialize in areas such as arts and humanities or science, technology, engineering and math.
"My focus is to help stem the dropout rate," Patrick said during a meeting Tuesday, explaining that students would be able to take more courses that interest them.
Patrick, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, said he planned to challenge the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's contention that the changes would push more students into remedial college courses and cost the state several million dollars.
Several school superintendents, including Duncan Klussmann, from Spring Branch, testified in favor of Senate Bill 3, particularly because it would give students more choices. Business leaders also expressed support, with the caveat that the courses need to be rigorous enough to produce skilled workers.
The bill would eliminate the three different types of diplomas — minimum, recommended and distinguished — and create one "foundation" plan. Students then could earn "endorsements" in certain areas. An omnibus bill filed by Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, the chairman of the House Public Education Committee, includes similar changes to the graduation requirements.
In 2006, the Legislature toughened graduation requirements, creating the so-called four-by-four plan, which made four years of core subjects the default plan for students. About 80 percent of students in the Class of 2011 graduated under those requirements, according to data from the Texas Education Agency.


text: Keep your Saturn Outlook radiator running as cool as you are! Radiator Express brand OEM-quality replacement radiators drop right in to replace your worn out, leaking or blown factory Saturn Outlook radiator. Make our efficient Saturn radiators a part of your Saturn Outlook cooling system. Keep your Saturn running well for longer! Radiator Express sells quality replacement radiators for all seasons! Summer, winter, spring or fall - daily driver or track racer - we've got your Saturn Outlook radiator needs covered no matter when and where you're driving, and our low prices won't run over your wallet! Radiator Express radiators arrive overnight in most states so you can be back in your Outlook and on the road in no time. Buy securely online at RadiatorExpress.com or via telephone toll-free (866) RAD-EXPR 1-866-723-3977 - Your Saturn Radiator Experts are waiting to help you!


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After a successful whale shark satellite tagging expedition last November, I've returned to breathtaking Cendrawasih Bay in the far eastern reaches of Indonesia's Bird's Head Seascape to assist the Cendrawasih Bay National Park Authority in further investigations of their recently discovered whale shark (Rhincodon typus) population.
Along with colleagues from WWF-Indonesia, Hubbs Sea World Research Institute and the State University of Papua, we are aiming to do something which has never been tried before: insert radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags into every shark we encounter, in order to rapidly determine the size of the bay's population while also allowing us to monitor individuals' movements in the bay over the coming years.
These tags are now widely used in the U.S. for keeping track of pets. The tiny pill-sized transmitter is injected beneath the skin and serves as a unique, permanent "ID card" which can be scanned with a receiver wand — allowing us to quickly determine a shark's history whenever (and wherever) it is next encountered.
This technology has never been tried before with whale sharks, in large part because it's fairly impractical to swim after the giants (they can reach over 15 meters, which is almost 50 feet in length!) with a receiver wand underwater. However, the whale sharks of Cendrawasih Bay have a unique habit that makes this technique possible: they aggregate at bagan (lift net) fishing platforms to feast upon the small silverside baitfish that the fishers are targeting. The sharks frequently stay for hours at a time, gorging themselves on baitfish(see video above). During this time, they are incredibly easy to approach.
Our team is led by Dr. Brent Stewart, a global authority on tagging whale sharks and other large sea creatures who had this crazy idea during our satellite tagging mission last year. Brent is hopeful we'll be able to tag 10-15 sharks, and has come with various equipment, from syringes to spears, we hope to use to insert the RFID tags, as well as a receiver wand in a waterproof casing.
We arrive at midday after a long 27-hour steam from the town of Manokwari. The park rangers have already checked with all the bagan fishers and found one platform that has three sharks lazily feeding beneath it.
Within minutes, we've successfully tagged all three sharks and taken a full set of identification photos of each animal. Whale sharks have a variable pattern of white spots on their side, which is believed to be unique to each individual — much like human fingerprints. One goal of this research is to use the RFID tags to see if an individual's spot pattern remains the same (and uniquely identifiable) over a period of years.
Over the next four days, we manage to tag a total of 30 individuals, far exceeding Brent's expectations. Interestingly, 29 of the 30 sharks are adolescent males between 3-8 meters (10-26 feet) in length. It seems that Cendrawasih Bay is a bachelor pad!
Actually, Brent explains, this dramatic skew towards young males is common at most known whale shark aggregations around the world. Amazingly, we learn that despite all of our technology and science, humans have very little understanding of the world's largest fish. Where are the females, adult males and babies? Where do they mate and give birth?
Based on data he's recovered from depth-recording satellite tags on whale sharks around the world, Brent believes that the answer to all of these questions is simple: deep! Even the young males that gather at certain spots on a seasonal basis and can be viewed by snorkeling tourists spend most of their time below 60-100 meters (196-328 feet) depth — and frequently below 1,000 meters (3,280 feet)! He reckons that the females and adult males probably also spend most of their time at these depths as well, likely feeding on plankton or small fish.
During the five-day trip, we are fortunate to spend many hours with these graceful giants. We also learn that the sharks' interactions with the bagan fishing platforms are not completely positive. On the third day of tagging, the fishers from one bagan call us over to help: two overly excited whale sharks have swum into the fishers' nets just as they were lifting them, and are now trapped within.
It takes us about 10 minutes to coax both sharks out of the large lift net, but we learn from the fishers that this situation is now increasingly common. It seems that the sharks are no longer content to wait outside the nets for a free meal, but increasingly swim right into them! They have also learned how to "suck" the fish out of holes in the nets!
We have a long discussion with the fishers and the park authority about this, both of whom are very interested in finding a solution. My colleagues at WWF-Indonesia agree to work with the fishers to consider modifying the lift net design in a way that prevents the sharks from entering. The fishers are amenable to this solution, as they also like the sharks (considering them good luck) and prefer to avoid the damage to both nets and sharks that can result from entanglement.
We're also quite surprised to find that even after tagging 30 sharks, over half of the individuals we see on our last dive are still untagged! How many sharks are there in Cendrawasih? My colleagues on the expedition are already planning the next tagging trip later this year, and hope that we'll soon be able to answer this and other questions about these gentle giants. Stay tuned!
Dr. Mark Erdmann is the senior advisor to CI-Indonesia's Marine Program.


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SANDY, Utah — Getting the right mix of players together both on and off the field usually leads to success. So with the way Real Salt Lake members talks about their squad, it is no wonder they sit atop the MLS standings.
"It feels great to get our whole family back together," said coach Jason Kreis after RSL's four international players — Álvaro Saborío (Costa Rica), Will Johnson (Canada), Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando (USA) — rejoined the team for training on Friday. "That is definitely how I think about it, it's not a team for me, it's a family."
With RSL poised to take on Chivas USA on Saturday night at the Home Depot Center (10:30 pm ET; watch LIVE online), Kreis wants his "family" to play like one.
"I'm hopeful that hunger, that willingness, that happiness to be back together shows up tomorrow night," he said.
Having players away is tough, but for these teammates, absence makes the heart grow fonder, especially after three weeks apart.
"I feel right at home here," Rimando said. "It feels good to be back here, on this field, amongst the guys in the locker room. Even ugly guys on our team look good. I can't wait to get going and get back on the field wearing Real Salt Lake colors."
RSL haven't played an MLS game since May 26, a 3-2 home win over Dallas, so the squad's familiarity with each other will prove key. The core group of Salt Lake starters have been playing together for the past nearly four seasons, something that makes prolonged international absences easier to handle.
"It's always pleasing to turn on the TV and watch Costa Rica, or Canada or the US playing and having guys out there and representing our club," said Kreis. "I think we need to take a certain amount of pride in that because we make sacrifices as well to have them there."
Kreis said all four will be available to play against Chivas. He also said midfielder Javier Morales is "in the mix" for action.
Morales, who hasn't played since May 9, is returning from what was originally called a strained quadriceps muscle, but upon further treatment and a second opinion, is now attributed to a compressed nerve in his back.
"We are considering exactly how we will use him," said Kreis. "It may be in a starting role. We'll talk to him over the next 24 hours and try to make that decision."
This is RSL's second meeting with Chivas, the first resulting in a 1-0 win for the Goats at Rio Tinto Stadium on March 24. That loss does add a little fire to what has always been a unique rivalry for the two teams that began MLS play in the same expansion season.
"I'm up for it," said Kreis. "I'm big-time up for it. They beat us on our home field and I take that a little personally. I hope that my entire team feels the same way and we go into this game with a little chip on our shoulder."


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With another year begun, it's a perfect time to revisit the state of your security, and to set some new goals to continue protecting your data and your identity throughout the year.
Here are some to-dos for the top of your list to get you started:
- Enable locks and PIN codes. Take 5 minutes to set up a PIN for your smartphones and tablets. On your computer, change your settings so that your screen auto-locks after a particular time limit, requiring you to log back in again.
- Do an antivirus check. Are you running antivirus, on all of your desktops and laptops? Are you running the latest updates to that software, and have you performed scans recently? Although it can't stop all attacks, antivirus is a solid defense against many security threats, so it's important to run it and update it when prompted. PCMag's list of reviews and comparisons is a great place to start.
- Back it up. If you've been procrastinating on digging out that external hard drive, put it at the top of your list this week. Back up all documents, photos, and other files that you wouldn't want to lose should your hard drive crash or your device be stolen. For tips on getting started, check out this article on PCWorld.
- Use multifactor authentication where you can. A growing number of services now support multifactor authentication – Twitter, Facebook, Dropbox, Gmail, Apple, Evernote, PayPal, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, LastPass, and more. Multifactor authentication adds an extra login step, so that a user must supply what they know (a username and password, for example) with something they have (like a one-time code), reducing the risk of someone gaining unauthorized access to your accounts. LastPass supports a number of multifactor authentication options so you can choose the one that best suits your setup and needs.
- Flush out your browser. If you haven't in a while, it's a great time to clear your cache and cookies – and clear out your browser password managers. In most browsers this can be located in the "settings" or "internet options" menus, where you can remove insecure passwords and profiles.
- Audit your passwords. Use the LastPass Security Check, located in the Tools menu in the LastPass Icon, to help you identify weak and duplicate passwords. You can then prioritize going to those sites, logging in, and following our steps to replace the passwords with new, strong, unique passwords generated by LastPass.
What are your security resolutions for 2014? Share your tips and suggestions with our community in the comments below.


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One last thought about your experiences. It turns out the Club Industry's Fitness Business Pro staff aren't the only ones experiencing funny, memorable or annoying incidents in fitness facilities — you are, too.
For this One Last Thought, the editors took the month off to feature the words of some of our most loyal readers. Their experiences are humorous, infuriating and insightful.
Jason Rogers runs the JRMC Wellness Center in Pine Bluff, AR, and never ceases to be amazed at the way people's minds work. The center is open to the community, and as he quickly learned, maybe a little too open.
"We are understaffed — all too typical — and the front desk is not always manned," he says. "We also have a community walking track just outside the facility. The combination of the facility's open foyer and the walking track just outside seemed to invite people in 'to get a drink,' only to see them leave an hour and a half later after getting in a good weight workout and attending an aerobics class."
To rectify the situation, Rogers had glass doors constructed at either end of the front desk with locks controlled by the facility's club software. Before the locks were functional, Rogers was sitting at the front desk when one of his longtime members approached him.
"Well, I see you have done a lot of work," the member says.
"Yes sir. We have," Rogers replies.
"Well, I can already see one problem with it," the member says. "Yes sir. What is that?" Rogers asks.
"It is going to be pretty easy for people to sneak in. You know, one person can check in and then hold the door open for others," the member says.
Initially, Rogers thought he was joking. After a pregnant pause, Rogers realized the man wasn't joking.
"All I could say was, 'Yes sir. I suppose they could,'" Rogers remembers. "I was under the obvious misconception that it is actually more difficult to get through a locked door than to get through a space where there is no door at all."
Another reader, Kristin, found solace in a previous One Last Thought column about spelling errors on club signage ("Do the Write Thing," January 2007).
"I'm hoping that the athletic club that I worked at for three years reads this article," she says. "Most often when they printed something, I could find an error. After a while, my general manager would tell me to stop being so petty. I tried explaining to him that it reflected on all of us that one person couldn't take the time to proof newsletters, magazines, flyers, etc."
One time, Kristin even had a member bring her a sign that was typed and posted near the sauna for several days. It read, "A replacement light has been ordered. Sorry for the inconvence."
When Kristin asked the sign's author if she had spell checked it, she replied, "Why? I don't see anything wrong with it."
"This is the same girl who typed a sign for a 'Texas Holdem Tournament," Kristin says.
Reader Chris Hull had quite the cultural learning experience when, in the late 1990s, he ran the Health Fitness Corporation-managed site St. Elizabeth Hospital Health and Wellness Center in Beaumont, TX.
"Having worked and grown up in the Chicago area, you could make the argument that I am a Midwesterner/Northerner/Yankee, as they say in the South," Hull says.
The staff took him in, he says, and helped him slow his speech and incorporate Texan slang, such as "ya'll," in his vocabulary. It never quite took though, Hull says.
In fact, one day he received a comment card that read, "The water fountain is fixin' to break."
After the hilarity of the member's comment, the staff left Hull's speech pattern alone.
Do you have an unforgettable memory (or incident) from a fitness facility that you'd like to share? E-mail your thoughts to [email protected]. You may even see your story featured on this page in a future issue.


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Never one to miss out on a publicity blitz, Hollywood has been pouring millions into Super Bowl ads, and this year we saw several more films try to leverage the massive audience into future box office receipts.
But there's a strong argument to be made that the studios are wasting their money. The folks at TiVo have the power to track not just which ads get watched, but how many times they're rewatched. Among the films that bought time during last night's broadcast, only "The Dictator" cracked the Top 40, coming in at #24, reported Deadline.
With all the outlets available for wacthign 2-minute trailers, it's possible that the studios could find a better way to spend $2 million than to show a measly 30 seconds. Here you can see last night's movie ads, with their TiVo ranking in parentheses.
U.S. & World
Act of Valor (#66)
The Avengers (#43)
John Carter (#75)
Battleship (#61)
The Lorax (#68)
The Dictator (#24)
Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace (#48)
G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation (#53)
Safe House (#100)


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A mining lease has been granted pertaining to a greenfields underground longwall operation, Ironbark No. 1, that is anticipated to produce up to 6 million tonnes of coal per annum.Read more here
Steps to clearing your backyard: Know the lay of the land Create a plan Organise machines and any missing equipment Knock down trees Remove tree stumps Conduct a clean out of the area Excavate topsoil Fill in the site, level, and compact soil Dispose of garden waste and excess soilRead more here
Upwards of 1500 construction jobs will be supported by an impressive $1.4 billion road building boom in Central Queensland, delivered by the Palaszczuk Government.Read more here
iSeekPlant is committed to supporting efforts to promote and identify indigenous owned businesses supplying to mining, resources and infrastructure projects. this supplier has identified itself as being Indigenous Owned or Affiliated under the following conditions:


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Was reading some entries in the Model S Forum, and was suddenly kicked to a page that said I was unauthorized. Now no entries are showing in that forum. Just me, or a general hiccup?
Try re-entering the URL fresh from a link (don't just refresh or use Page Back). Usually works.


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CASE14911: Horary consultation concerning Alice Lord (PERSON13790)
Question asked by the patient on 5 May 1603 at 10:30
GJ Alice Lord of Kempson 25 y. May 5 ♃ ho. 10 30 a m. 1603
Keepeth her bed, trembles very much, A great payne in her backe her right hand and right arme swelled. Cryes of her bones and every where about in great payne./
[Astrological Chart]
Transcribed excerpt from MS Ashmole 207, f. 64r (upper left part of page)
Medical >Symptoms (specified) >Lame, numb or paralysed (Trembling)
Medical >Symptoms (specified) >Pain and pricking (Pain)
Medical >Parts of the body >Torso (Back)
Medical >Parts of the body >Limbs and joints (Hands Arms)
Medical >Symptoms (specified) >Bloating and swelling (Swelling)


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CHICAGO – Senate President John Cullerton says Gov. Pat Quinn was "political grandstanding" when he cut legislator pay. Cullerton says Quinn's move undermines the work of a committee trying to solve the pension crisis.
Cullerton released a statement Wednesday saying "responsible leaders know that unworkable demands will only delay progress."
The Chicago Democrat says the bipartisan legislative panel will keep working to reach a compromise on Illinois' $97 billion pension problem.
Quinn cut $13.8 million for legislators' paychecks from a budget bill. It was the "consequence" Quinn warned was coming after the Legislature missed a Tuesday deadline he set for a pension deal.
Quinn says he's tried everything to get lawmakers to address the pension problem and that the only way to get their attention is to hit them in the wallets.


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Welcome to Thread Bear, we are a small, independent shop run by Kirsty, Janice, Steph, Nic, Lucy, Kayleigh and Lesley. For over twenty years we have been providing supplies to quilters, knitters and embroiderers of all ages. We carry over 2000 fabrics, 30 different types of knitting yarn, embroidery kits, cross stich charts and haberdashery. We also stock other craft supplies including fabric dyes, fabric paints and the complete range of Butterick dress patterns.
We pride ourselves on giving friendly help and advice to our customers on patchwork, quilting, knitting, crochet and needlework. If we don't have what you need in stock we are happy to order it if it is available from our many suppliers.
Thread Bear, for all your knitting, needlework, patchwork and quilting needs.


text: Sometimes you need a little more than a cycling jersey and other times you need a little less. Surly's Wool Raglan Stripe shirt employs the same reasoning and philosophy behind their raglan wool shirt to create a super comfortable, yet functional shirt that can go anywhere with you. Lightweight and comfy, the merino wool is perfect for layering to help wick moisture and add a pinch of warmth. When it's hot out, wear one solo to keep yourself high and dry.


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Departments » Police
Welcome to the Belmont Police Department Citizens Online Police Reporting System. If this is an Emergency please call 911. Using this online citizen police report system allows you to submit a report immediately and print a copy of the police report for free. Please confirm the following to find out if online citizen police report filing is right for you:
Upon completion of this report process you will:
Penal Code section 148.5. (a) Every person who reports to any peace officer listed in Section 830.1 or 830.2, or subdivision (a) of Section 830.33, district attorney, or deputy district attorney that a felony or misdemeanor has been committed, knowing the report to be false, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Using the Belmont Police Department's Online Citizen Reporting System you may report a number of incidents by clicking on the Continue button.


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Legendary whistleblower Andrew Maguire just exposed what is really happening behind the scenes in the gold and silver markets this week!
KINESIS LTD. (KINESIS.MONEY) – Welcome to Kinesis Money! Kinesis is a system created to empower people and every single person can benefit from this new monetary system that is backed by physical gold and silver.
Kinesis is focused on providing a new monetary system that can empower the people and make the world a better place. Kinesis provides a yield that will suck in metals holdings from institutional and retail metal holders.
Although it is very helpful to see an upsurge in gold backed crypto's as it draws public and mainstream attention to gold as a safe haven asset, it is important to differentiate what Kinesis is. Not only does the Kinesis currency provide a yield, but Kinesis defeats Gresham's Law, which no other gold backed crypto currency does. In fact, Kinesis isn't just another a crypto currency, it is actually 100% physically backed digital gold trading on the blockchain.
Kinesis was born from the team at Allocated Bullion Exchange (abx.com) who operate an institutional exchange in spot physical precious metals, with partnerships with Deutsche Borse, government postal systems and many others. The physical metal holdings will be inside the ABX secure quality assured environment.
The ICO will be the largest in history. Importantly, we have the power of adoption in the secondary market through publicly announced relationships with the likes of the Indonesian post office, which alone transacts tens of billions of dollars each year, and 100 million members. Also, every fund manager we have spoken to wants to be exposed to the many facets of Kinesis.
The yield comes from a sharing of the transaction fees. You can take a look at the Blueprint – https://kinesis.money/documents/kinesis-blueprint.pdf that details the multi-faceted yield system which incentivizes all participants.
By definition, Kinesis is not a cryptocurrency. It is a precious metal title of ownership on the blockchain. It is a digital currency that anyone can use to buy and settle debts.
Kinesis has a leading business model that brings the security and stability of precious metals to the world of digital currencies. Kinesis money is here!
Company No: 338455
Address: CO Stuarts Corporate Services,
36A Dr. Roy's Drive,
Grand Cayman,
Cayman Islands, KY1-1104
Brisbane, Australia
Address: Level 3, 10 Market Street,
Brisbane, QLD, 4000
Phone: +61 (0) 7 3211 3863
Hong Kong
Address: 1006, 12/F, BOC Group Life Assurance Tower
134-136 Des Voeux Road Central, Hong Kong
Phone: +852 3956 7193


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Resource Library
Current Search Filters
Your search for the items(s) listed below returned 18 results.
- (-) Remove Purchasing & developing technologies filter Purchasing & developing technologies
- (-) Remove Buying Accessible Products filter Buying Accessible Products
When it comes to accessibility, VPATs are the most common form of information exchange between vendors and their customers. And at Elsevier, they've found that making these reports an organizational priority simply makes good business sense.
By weaving accessibility requirements throughout the RFP, you'll demonstrate to the vendor that you take it seriously and are truly invested in providing accessible products/services to your users.
After reviewing the responses to your RFI, you'll be better prepared to define the accessibility requirements for your formal procurement solicitation.
An overview of the types of solicitations you can use to achieve a successful procurement.
Step 8 in the Buy IT! process is to review and learn from your experiences, which can occur immediately after a particular ICT purchase, or at the beginning of a procurement planning endeavor
Best practices for managing vendor performance and relationships in the post-procurement phase
Background on accessibility testing best practices for you to consider incorporating into the evaluation and validation phase of your procurement process
Model procurement language you can use when developing and negotiating a contract with a vendor
Sample solicitation language you can use when finalizing your RFP or RFQ.


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NEW YORK (AP) Brook Lopez scored a season-high 35 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and the Brooklyn Nets improved to 2-0 under interim coach P.J. Carlesimo by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 103-100 on Saturday night.
Lopez followed his 26-point, 11-rebound performance in a victory Friday over Charlotte by shooting 13 of 20 from the field, making a number of timely baskets in the fourth quarter that the Nets ultimately needed to hold on.
Deron Williams and Joe Johnson each scored 15 points for the Nets, who fired coach Avery Johnson on Thursday and followed with two victories over losing teams. But now, they head off for major tests at San Antonio and Oklahoma City.
CJ Miles scored 33 points and made eight 3-pointers for the Cavs, but Kyrie Irving capped a miserable shooting night when his tying 3-point attempt went in and out. He finished with 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting.


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Capture your memories in a shared photo album. It's fast, private, and simple.
Create albums for all occasions: weddings, birthdays, vacations, families, and classrooms.
Photo resolution up to 2048x2048 (4 megapixel). Photos are securely and privately backed up to the cloud. Web/desktop and video coming soon!
- There's no limit to the number of photos you can add or friends you can invite, and only members of the album can add and view photos.
- Great for birthdays, weddings, and families.
- What happens in PhotoCircle stays in PhotoCircle. Photos added to the Circle are private by default.
- A friend couldn't make it? Add them via SMS or email. Photos are still shared, even when you're apart.
- No need to refresh. PhotoCircle updates instantly. It's fast.


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For those of us on this planet that aren't frozen solid, camping is still an acceptable activity. But being out in the wilderness doesn't have to mean sacrificing all the amenities we take for granted at home. The Grub Hub is a portable kitchen that's been around for a few years, but we've only now discovered. It packs everything, and yes, even the kitchen sink. No, this isn't just a bad play on words: it does come with its own sink for washing your dirty dishes. Aside from holding your stove (not included), there are compartments to hold your pots and pans, telescoping rods to hang your lanterns or anything else that can be hung, and even 9 square feet of table surface for you to prepare your meals on. It's a Swiss Army Knife of camping, and can be yours for $379.
[ Product Page] VIA [ Werd ]


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Another amazing set of images at the Atlantic.
Wolfspark Werner Freund is a wolf sanctuary spread over 25 acres in western Germany. It is home to 29 wolves -- six distinct packs hailing from Europe, Siberia, Canada, the Arctic, and Mongolia. Researcher Werner Freund, 79, a former German paratrooper, established the sanctuary in 1972 and has raised more than 70 animals there over the last 40 years. He acquired the wolves as cubs from zoos or animal parks and has reared them mostly by hand. Werner has also taken to living closely with his wolves, behaving as an alpha male to earn their acceptance and respect. Reuters photographer Lisi Niesner recently spent some time with Freund and his wolves, capturing the interactions between these old friends. [18 photos]
And I'd be remiss not to direct you a display of animal behavior in action. Behold, the incredible "Tsst" episode of South Park where Cesar Milan schools Cartman.


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Friday, April 13, 2007
Mother of All Buckstaches?
6 comments:
- AmaizeNBlueinRedChina said...
Uh...Benny & Yost...er..like..HELLO... shouldn't it be BEER BONG FRIDAY?!!!!! Where's my weekly installment of "This is your life vs. College Life?!!!!"
- April 13, 2007 11:34 AM
- G8RB8R said...
Actually, this guy, Christopher Paul, was a sleeper cell, who was to take action back on January 8,2007, in Columbus.
"Paul, who was arrested Wednesday outside his apartment, is charged with providing material support to terrorists, conspiracy to provide support to terrorists and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, which carries the most serious penalty of all - a sentence of 'life' in Columbus."
He was to come to 'life' after the Buckeyes won the national championship that night, mix in with the 1000's of Buckeyes who would be burning & rioting in the streets of Columbus, then detonate himself and take out as many Buckeyes as possible. The night of Jan 8, his plan was foiled when the Buckeyes lost to the Mighty GATORS. The biggest crowd that he could find, was 3 people at the local Fuddrucker's, became hungry,and while waiting for his order, the 3 Buckeye fans left. With no Buckeyes & his chance for 72 virgins now gone, he decided to postpone his attack to await a better opportunity.
His next opportunity arose on the night of April 2, again, the Buckeyes were playing in a national championship, and he was exhubarant over the fact that he knew 1000's of Buckeye fans would be massed shoulder-to-shoulder in the streets around the OSU campus after their victory in the Final Four.
Alas, his plot was foiled again by the Mighty GATORS, who again defeated the Buckeyes for yet another national championship. While searching for celebrating Buckeyes that night, he was stopped for jay-walking by local police, questioned & released with a warning. When asked that night why he was wandering the streets of Columbus, Paul replied that he was looking for the crowds celebrating the national championship. He was told that THAT crowd was in Gainesville, Florida, and that he had better walk a little faster to make it. The guffawing officers just assumed he was another nutty BuckNut & let him go.
When apprehended Wednesday in Columbus, police found in his apartment, a giant stuffed Albert the Alligator mascot doll from the University of Florida, that had been hacked, burned & otherwise mutilated by Paul. Authorities are puzzled by this find, and do not yet know if Albert was targeted because the Mighty GATORS foiled his plans for mass destruction, or if Gainesville was to be his next target.
- April 13, 2007 1:00 PM
- maizeman101 said...
ahhhhhhh its greg oden.......i always knew he was at least 40....
- April 13, 2007 1:20 PM
- srudoff said...
this guy is FROM columbus with no ties to tOSU..
the Unabomber ATTENDED Michigan...
advantage: tOSU
- April 13, 2007 5:42 PM
- Dave Wentworth said...
The Unabomber was also balls-out brilliant and we still reference his work in mathematics quite often today. Its not our fault he was nuts.
- April 13, 2007 6:04 PM
- Andy said...
- April 15, 2007 11:00 PM


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'Game of Thrones' Season 3 Deleted Scene: Tywin Meets the Real Maester Pycelle
'Game of Thrones' season 4 won't arrive on our HBO until spring 2014, and season 3 Blu-Ray releases won't hit stores until February 18, so what's a 'Game of Thrones' fan deprived of new content to do? Why, check out a fresh deleted scene from season 3 that features Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) and Maester Pycelle (Julian Glover) in a stalwart battle of wits!
The scene in question had originally been presented to fans at the Comic-Con 2013 panel, along with the hilarious memorial video that producers presented in lieu of any new content or major announcements. At the very least the latest 'Game of Thrones' season 3 deleted offering puts Tywin Lannister in his element to see through Maester Pycelle's deceptions, and explain a lost bit of how the deceptively befuddled man ended up back on the small council following season 2.
While we wait for 'Game of Thrones' season 4, HBO has cast in the important roles of the latest run Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Mace Tyrell, Pedro Pascal as Prince Oberyn "The Red Viper" Martell, Indira Varma as his lover Ellaria Sand, and 'Sherlock' star/writer Mark Gatiss in an unknown role. 'Mad Men' star Christina Hendricks' expressed her interest in joining the HBO drama after AMC closes Sterling-Cooper's doors next year, though we doubt the Red God favors us that much.
Outside of those familiar with Martin's books, relatively little is known of 'Game of Thrones' season 4, though we recently learned that previous season characters Lysa Arryn (Kate Dickie), Ser Alliser Thorne (Owen Teale), Rorge (Andy Beckwith) and Janos Slynt (Dominic Carter) would all return, among others. We also saw the full list of writers and directors for the 2014 season emerge, revealing that season 2 "Blackwater" helmer Neil Marshall will return for the always-pivotal ninth episode.
Both Tywin Lannister and Maester Pycelle will likely have big parts to play next year as well, so check out the 'Game of Thrones' season 3 deleted scene above, and tell us what you most want to see from season 4 in the comments!


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Home > Business Services, Full Color Printing, Mailing Services, marketing > Why do I need flyers or postcards for my business?
Why do I need flyers or postcards for my business?
October 28, 2015 topclasssignsandprinting Leave a comment Go to comments
Flyers and postcards are a very inexpensive way to market your business and if you well done can be effective. Here is 9 ways you can use a flyer:
- Menu
For restaurants a menu is a good way to advertise your business. It is an inexpensive mandatory printed material and makes a great "take out menu". When printing your menu on a cardstock flyer it is all in the design, because you printed a cheap flyer doesn't mean it has to look cheap! Save on the printing cost and hire a professional graphic designer (Top Class offers this service), visuals are very important in the food industry.
- Coupon
A flyer makes a great coupon and if done properly will pay for itself with the new business it will bring in. Design the flyer to have an offer as well as all your contact information. The last thing you want to send out a great deal and the client or prospect have no idea where you are located or how to contact you. The offer could be a fixed number or a percentage off.
- Product Information
Use a full color flyer for product information which you can display in your store, use at tradeshows, leave at other locations, and/or distribute to clients and prospects. For a product information card images are very important as well as a good description of the product or service in order to be effective.
- Invitations
There is no more inexpensive way to print a full color invitation then a flyer. Invite customers and prospects to your locations as often as you can. Use the flyer to drop off in stores around your community and at your business to hand out to customers and future customers.
- Opening a New Business
You have taken a leap of faith and are now opening your business, congratulations! The only problem is that if no one else knows it is not very good. Create a "We are open" flyer to hand out to friends and people in the community; let as many people know about your new business!
- Postcard
You can use a flyer as a full color postcard to mail to customers and prospects as often as you can. It is a very effective and affordable way to communicate to a group of people efficiently without breaking the bank. Of course this requires a budget for the mailing service as well.
- Events
You can print cheap flyers either for parties and nightclubs but also for corporate events. Whether you are having an open house, a block party, a charity event, a tradeshow, or any other event a full color printed flyer is a must. If it is also within your budget make sure you use advertise your events with a mailer as well.
- Mailer
Commercial printing allows you to send out cheap flyers as often as possible without much labor on your part. In our days it is just a matter of including a mailing label within the graphic design and voila! A mailer only requires you to work on the content of your flyer, take advantage of it.
- EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail)
An EDDM is all in the design and most commercial printers can handle the service (Top Class offers this service). Use your Every Door Direct Mail to communicate specials, new products or new services and events to your community.
These are only nine ways to use a full color custom flyer, but there are so many more ideas and options. Just make sure to incorporate flyers in your marketing strategy as often as possible. Contact us for your future marketing needs.
Disclaimer: The images on this page are not owned by Top Class Signs and Printing and are used solely as a design example.
Capucine Rismay
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string(9) "32.190083"
This cover has been especially designed for Bebé Confort Pebble ® model. Give a makeover to your group 0 car seat and enjoy your family outings in style. Choose the printed design of Fun*das Bcn that better suits your taste and your car seat.
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Made and designed in Barcelona with soft knitted cotton and elastane, to give a unique look to your car seat. Fun*das Bcn designs its products thinking first about the comfort of your baby. Made to perfectly fit onto your Bebeconfort Pebble® car seat. Also it fits in Bebeconfort Pebble Plus®.
Easy to put on and remove, machine washable at 30°C and iron at low temperature if necessary. Do not use the dryer in any case.
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For Chiara Civello, the Italian-born singer/songwriter, pianist and guitarist, a series of happy accidents, long training and the ability to forget have been the ticket to finding her own voice.
Just take a look at a few of the music world's icons this young woman has already wowed. Producer Russ Titelman, who's worked with the likes of Paul Simon, Eric Clapton and Rickie Lee Jones, produced her first CD, Last Quarter Moon. Songwriter Burt Bacharach collaborated with her on a song for that release. Singer Tony Bennett has praised her as "the best jazz singer of her generation"—though jazz is but one color on her palette.
Just listen to her latest release, The Space Between, whose influences stretch from Joni Mitchell to Jobim, and then try to get the melody from the song "Night" out of your head.
Civello brings her seductive voice and poetic songs to the Outpost this Thursday, with Guilherme Monteiro on guitar, Alan Hampton on bass, and Yusuke Yamamoto on drums and percussion.
Civello's musical abilities were noted at an early age, and she was encouraged to develop them. "First, I joined the choir when I was 5, but I didn't like it," she says. "Then I started studying classical guitar, and I didn't like that, either." She sat on the guitar and broke its neck.
Meanwhile, she had already developed a fascination of sorts with jazz. "My father had a jazz encyclopedia at home, with all the famous photos, like the famous photo of Dizzy with the super-swollen cheeks." Civello would page through the book, mesmerized by "these people, with their instruments and their hands, who had made the history of this kind of music."
"A series of encounters and coincidences"—among them, the book and a family friend who overheard her singing with a record—"led me to a tiny jazz music school that was near my house in Rome," says Civello. "That's where I started."
Winning a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, Civello embarked on the next stage of her education, studying primarily with instrumentalists. "Sometimes, they have a deeper approach in the music, as far as inside the music. At the time, I wanted to get really in the grinds of music," she says.
Through the study of improvisation—"a form of exploring," says Civello—she learned the harmonic language of jazz, and after years of schooling, she says, she began to work hard on forgetting her studies.
"The best part of singers is when they find their own voice," Civello says. "It's sort of an inner quest."
For her, finding her voice had to come after she had studied a wide variety of music—from bebop to bossa nova, from Bob Dylan to Latin jazz—and had a well-grounded understanding of musical language.
"I started academically," she says. "Slowly, I realized that it was very important to really find what are my assets, what makes me me, unique. I realize it's because I am Italian. I come from a culture that is very somehow dramatic and melodic at the same time. So you have to define what defines you. ... It's sort of an intellectual consideration, but it's a lot of listening to yourself, your heart. So forgetting all the things you learned—like the scales and the range you sing in—you go with your heart."
It's a process she has compared to dropping sandbags off a hot air balloon in order to fly. No doubt about it, Civello is soaring, and she'll happily take your heart along for the ride.


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- 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Handful of minced fresh basil
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each cut into 3 strips
- Combine all ingredients except chicken in a zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken, seal bag, and refrigerate 4 hours or up to 3 days.
- Heat grill to medium-high. Place chicken strips on grill rack and cook until thoroughly cooked, 6 to 10 minutes.
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The recipe was originally published as Nora's Grilled Chicken on Relish.com


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The Federal Reserve cut back its US economic growth forecasts for this year and next
The Federal Reserve cut back its US economic growth forecasts for this year and next, but said the unemployment rate would fall faster than it forecast in December.
The Fed said the economy was expected to grow 2.8%-3% in 2014 and 3%-3.2% in 2015, while unemployment would drop to 6.1%-6.3% this year and below 6.0% in 2015.
It also dropped the US unemployment rate as its definitive yardstick for gauging the economy's strength, and made clear it would rely on a wide range of measures in deciding when to raise interest rates
At the same time, it said that dropping a promise to hold rates steady "well past the time" the US unemployment rate falls below 6.5% did not indicate any change in the Fed's policy intentions.
"The committee currently anticipates that, even after employment and inflation are near mandate-consistent levels, economic conditions may, for some time, warrant keeping the target federal funds rate below levels the committee views as normal in the longer run," the Fed said after its two-day meeting, the first chaired by Janet Yellen, who took the helm of the central bank on 1 February.
The central bank also proceeded with its well-telegraphed reductions to its massive bond-buying stimulus, announcing it would cut its monthly purchases of US Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities to $ 55 billion from $ 65 billion.
Minneapolis Fed President Narayana Kocherlakota dissented, saying that dropping the threshold could hurt the credibility of the Fed's commitment to return inflation to 2%.
The decision to continue to scale back its stimulus keeps the Fed on track for the measured wind down laid out by Yellen's predecessor, Ben Bernanke.
The Fed repeated that it plans to continue trimming the asset purchases in "measured steps" as long as labor conditions continue to improve and inflation shows signs of rising back toward the Fed's 2% goal.
The Fed's assessment of the US economy chalked up recent weakness to adverse weather.
The Fed had said since December 2012 that it would not consider raising short-term rates until the jobless rate dropped to at least 6.5%, as long as inflation looked set to remain contained.
But the unemployment rate has fallen faster than anticipated, in part because of discouraged job hunters giving up the search, and officials think the economy is still far from ready for higher borrowing costs.
Of the Fed's 16 policymakers, only one believes it will be appropriate to raise rates this year; 13 expect a first rate hike next year, and 2 others see the first rate hike coming in 2016, according to fresh forecasts published on Wednesday.
But once rate hikes start, Fed officials see slightly sharper increases than they did in December, with rates ending 2015 at 1% and ending 2016 at 2.25%, according to the median of forecasts.
In December, Fed officials expected short-term rates to be just 1.75% by the end of 2016.
The new forecasts also show Fed officials see unemployment dropping slightly faster, to between 5.6% and 5.9% by the end of 2015.
In December their forecasts called for unemployment falling to between 5.8% and 6.1% by the fourth quarter of 2015.
The Fed has kept overnight rates near zero since December 2008 and has bought more than $ 3 trillion in long-term debt to keep borrowing costs down and spur investment and hiring.
It began to scale back its stimulus in December, announcing it would trim its monthly bond purchases by $ 10 billion, after it saw the economy pick up speed in the fall. In January, the Fed said it would cut the purchases by a further $ 10 billion.
At the same time, it has sought to tamp down any market expectations that rate rises will soon follow with its so-called forward guidance. But as the actual jobless rate neared the threshold, officials began to seek a more durable way to telegraph their view on when they will tighten monetary policy.
They want to keep market expectations aligned with their own forecasts.
If traders start to price in earlier rate hikes, the result would be tighter financial conditions that could deter the very investment and hiring that the Fed wants to promote.
Many Fed officials, including Yellen, have said recent weakness in economic data, from jobs and retail sales to industrial production and home building, appears largely due to the unusually harsh winter and should soon dissipate.


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Even the greatest managers fail sometimes and despite all his trophies at Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson isn't perfect. For every Eric Cantona, Jaap Stam and Ruud van Nistelrooy, there's a whole host of signings that Manchester United fans will try desperately to erase them from memory.
Old Trafford can be an unforgiving place for a player, especially considering the Reds often have to pay over the odds for signings. The pressure can be difficult to handle and individuals often face levels of unwarranted criticism. Rather like Ernst Stavro Blofeld, failure simply isn't tolerated at Manchester United and that hunger for success has clearly worked, especially seeing as the Reds have overhauled Liverpool's number of titles.
That feat isn't thanks to any of the people listed below however, some of whom were so bad, it's not implausible to suggest they were planted by Liverpool to try and destroy United's legacy. See what you think of United's worst XI signings from the Premier League era:
Click on William Prunier to unveil the XI
Comments are closed on this article.


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|Africa Horn
|Fear and tension are high in Ufurow district in south west Somalia.
|[Shabelle] Reports from the district of Ufurow, which is part of Bay region in south west Somalia, say that tension between Somali government forces backed by Æthiopian forces and snuffies from Alshabab is running high in that area.
Ufurow was under the control of Al shabab but Somali government accompanied by Æthiopian forces entered that district yesterday though they withdrew from it later in the day.
Residents in the small town of Ufurow, who spoke to Shabelle on the phone, say that there is a military build-up of both sides around the town though the situation is relatively calm now.
...back at the pound, the lost dog backed into the corner and showed its teeth. Really big teeth...
residents have begun to flee from the town in fear of possible battle between Alshabab and Somali government inside the small town.
Al shabab, which was controlling much south and central Somalia, has now become a diminishing force after Somali government backed by forces from the African union mission and from neighboring countries militarily pushed the group out of major urban areas in south and central Somalia.
The group now uses suicide kabooms and targeted liquidations against all those opposing its violent ideology.
|Posted by:Fred


text: Water for All is the Atlas Copco Group's main community engagement project, driven on the local level by our employees on a voluntary basis. A guiding principle is that access to clean water is a human right and the foundation for improved living conditions. Water for All is very close to the hearts of our employees. It was founded in Sweden by Atlas Copco employees in 1984. Through voluntary employee donations which are doubled by the company, Water for All has provided clean drinking water and sanitation to close to 2 million people and supports projects all over the world. For more information about Water for all, what we do and our projects, please check out the website. This is the first out of four charities that we are sponsoring with the "GTG going artsy". The money will be shared equally in-between the four organizations.