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The hilarious new comedy Pitch Perfect, from director Jason Moore (Broadway's Avenue Q) and screenwriter Kay Cannon (New Girl, 30 Rock), tells the story of Beca (Anna Kendrick), a young woman who dreams of being a music producer, but who instead finds herself at Barden University in an all-female a cappella singing group. With both new takes on old favorites and hits of right now, The Bellas fight to climb their way to the top of the cutthroat world of college music competitions. The film also stars Rebel Wilson, Skylar Astin, Adam Devine, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks.
At the film's press junket, actress/producer Elizabeth Banks spoke to Collider for this exclusive interview about how much fun she had playing one of the a cappella competition commentators, how much improvisation she did with co-star John Michael Higgins, just how many outtakes they have, what made her see a movie in the book the film is based on, what she's most proud of with the finished product, and the guidelines she and her husband use, when it comes to finding projects for their company, Brownstone Productions. She also talked about getting ready to return to the role of Effie Trinket for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the possibility of taking on the role of Tinkerbell for the feature film Tink, and recording a voice for the animated feature Lego: The Piece of Resistance. Check out what she had to say after the jump.
Collider: Both you and John Michael Higgins were so hilarious in this film. How much fun was that to do?
ELIZABETH BANKS: Thank you! We had so much fun with it. John Michael Higgins is an old friend. We wrote the role for him, and we always wanted him to do it. He's just so great. And then, we actually wrote my role for Kristen Wiig. When she wasn't going to be able to do it, we made a list of who else could do it, and then (director) Jason [Moore] was like, "Why aren't you just doing it?" So, I was like, "Yeah, okay, I'll just do it!"
Was all of your banter scripted or did you do a lot of improvisation?
BANKS: There's a lot of improv in it. (Screenwriter) Kay [Cannon] wrote amazing jokes, so we had this great script, but then we started making the movie and you learn so much about what the movie is while you're making it. Because I was there every day, I knew tonally where we were and what we needed, frankly, out of these scenes. We shot them pretty late, in the process. The kids had already done all of the singing and dancing, we'd seen all of the choreography and we knew all of the song choices. When Kay wrote the script, we didn't know which song they were going to sing. It was just like, "They're going to go to the regionals, and they're going to sing and dance." So, to be able to be specific with the script, in that moment and on those days, it just required improv because Kay wasn't with us since she was working on 30 Rock. John Michael Higgins was hired because he's one of the greatest improv actors of all time, so we were going to make use of it. And I'm not too shabby, myself. We got there and just tried to make each other laugh. We did the script, and then we just played and played and played and played.
Was there ever anything that was said, where you just couldn't help cracking up?
BANKS: Oh, my god, so much! He made me laugh so hard! We had a lot of outtakes. At one point, we had some outtakes of us, at the end of the movie. We did a lot of warm-ups. At one point, we were humping each other. Some really, really crazy stuff was going down.
Will that stuff end up on the DVD?
BANKS: Hopefully! I think it will be, yeah.
Did you ever wish you could have gotten down there on the stage and sing with everybody else?
BANKS: Oh, my god, no! I'm so proud of what all of the actors brought to this. Everybody that came in to audition and who we hired did something really unique and special in the room, and we were looking for a group of really unique and special people. A character who calls herself Fat Amy is, by definition, a really specific type of person. An Asian girl who doesn't speak is really specific. Everyone's audition was incredible. Anna Kendrick, in fact, auditioned with the cup song that's in the movie. We saw her do it and it was so magical in the room that we said, "That's gotta be in the movie," so we put it in. Instead of having her audition with everyone else, we wanted her to have a really special moment.
How did this book first come to you, and what made you see a movie in it?
BANKS: Well, it's a non-fiction book. We read the book proposal, so at that point, we only read the outline and chapters of the book. But Mickey Rapkin, the author, had interviewed all these groups and had gone to see them sing. It was a world that my husband and I were familiar with because we went to Penn and there were six groups on the campus at Penn. I remember seeing a performance of a kid singing Elton John's "Rocket Man" a cappella, and he was better than Elton John. So, we knew how seriously they took it, but we also knew that it's a performance art. It really comes out of guys in colleges, sitting around, drinking beer and singing at each other to have fun. To then make that competitive and really invest in it, when you're just a dork who couldn't get into a fraternity, I love those stories. I love stories about misfits and underdogs. What we honed in on, with Mickey's original book, was that one of the four groups he followed in the book was the first female group to ever go to the finals. They really do feel like underdogs. And then, we saw the video of them at the finals and they sang Usher's "Yeah!," and they were incredible. If you could imagine a group of misfit girls coming together, and then doing this amazing rendition, at the end, that would be a great journey to watch. That's what hooked us.
Since this was such a huge undertaking with the large cast and big performance numbers, what were you most proud of, when you saw it all come together?
BANKS: I'm like a super proud mamma! I'm proud of the whole thing, but I'm proudest that we set out to make a really specific type of movie, tonally. That's a hard target to hit, and I'm really proud that we made the movie we said we were going to make. That's really hard to do. So, I'm really, really proud that we really accomplished what we set out to accomplish with this movie. Every decision we made was about tone and about finding the right partners. Max [Handelman] and I read the material and we agreed there was a movie there, and we knew that we wanted it to be very fun and funny and almost culty, in the way that Best in Show delves into the world of showing dogs, but we also wanted it to be Mean Girls and Bring it On and Superbad. We knew that we were going to use improv and hire really fun people, we knew that we wanted it to be a world filled with crazy, kooky, young characters, and we knew that it was going to be a coming-of-age story. Getting Kay [Cannon] involved was great. That was the first piece where we went, "Okay, now we have another partner who sees it the same way that we do." And then, getting Jason [Moore] involved was like, "Okay, now there's four of us who see it exactly the same way." I think that's the key to really producing the movie that you want to make. And then, bringing on actors who see and embrace their characters, in the way that we all see them was also important. We just wanted to make sure we were constantly celebrating people. Every time we hired somebody onto the movie, our goal was to bring in a collaborator who saw the same movie that we did, and we put together the team that did that. And Universal saw the movie, which was great.
Do you have any kind of guidelines for the types of projects you want to produce under your production company, Brownstone Productions?
BANKS: It's an interesting question to ask. We talk a lot about what we're not interested in doing, which is that we're not developing animation and we're not developing horror. But, we're really just looking for good stories and things that we feel like have a big hook. We don't look at a lot of indie material. We don't look at a lot of movies about drug addicts on the side of the Jersey highway, who's pregnant with twins. The other thing that we attempted to do was to make sure that our production company was not directly related to my status as an actor. We didn't want it to be considered a vanity thing for me, as an actor. We specifically develop projects that I would not act in. I play a small role in Pitch Perfect, which was totally incidental because I was there and they could pay me SAG minimum since we had no money in the budget. Frankly, it just felt like I was helping the movie. But, I would say that our main goal is to feel like a legitimate production company and not just like, "Oh, Liz Banks, the actress, wants to produce movies for herself." That's what the perception of a lot of actor-driven companies is.
Now that you know what to expect from The Hunger Games fandom, what's it like to gear up for that again with Catching Fire?
BANKS: I'm really happy that I don't look like Effie Trinket, in real life. That's a blessing! It's really fun to go into a job knowing everybody. (Director) Francis Lawrence is amazing, and he's got a great handle on everything and everybody. The stakes are definitely raised, in this one. The emotional stakes are raised. My costumes are all bigger and better and more over-the-top. Everybody is pulling out all the stops. We have so many amazing new actors coming to work with us. I just met Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and that was like, "Wow, we've got some really amazing actors joining us! That's crazy!" It's great. I'm super excited. I love Effie so much.
Will there be more of a human side to your character, this time around?
BANKS: In Catching Fire, Effie really starts to feel the injustice of what's happening. We plan to explore that, in the movie.
What's it like to possibly taking on the role of Tinkerbell for Tink?
BANKS: I hope I get to take on that role! I hope we get to make that movie. It's something that we're really focused on, right now. We think we have a really fun script. She's an amazing character. We're going full steam ahead, but it's a miracle whenever a movie gets made. Are we going to find the right collaborators who see the movie that we see? We hope so.
What's it like to do a voice for Lego: The Piece of Resistance?
BANKS: That's so fun! I'm having so much fun, doing that. It's a really good movie. They did a great job adapting it for film. These properties that get made into movies, some are easier than others. When they first said, "Yeah, they're making a movie out of Lego," I said, "Lego what? What does that even mean?" And it's such a good concept. I'm so excited! They were so smart about it. [Phil] Lord and [Chris] Miller are the directors who wrote the script, and they did Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and 21 Jump Street. They're so smart and they went to Dartmouth, and they're so edgy and fun. They have a great way into the Lego world, and I'm super excited about it.
With all the great projects and roles you're doing, is it hard to keep finding such interesting work?
BANKS: It's really hard! It's really hard to find things that are challenging. That's why this producing opportunity was so meaningful to me and why I worked so hard at it. It was a true challenge. Effie was really great and challenging. I made People Like Us last year. But, I look at the landscape and I've been doing this a long time, so I've played a lot of girlfriends and wives. I'm a fully developed, three-dimensional mother, wife and working woman. I would like to play that. I would like to live that, in my work. I know what level I can be working at, and I feel like the industry, most of the time, is offering me stuff down here. So, I'm always reaching to find something that will challenge me and make me do my best.
Pitch Perfect is now playing in limited release goes wide this weekend.


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WIRE CLOTH MANufacturers Inc. has been in business for over forty years. Our four locations in the United States are geographically placed to offer our customers shorter lead times, reduced freight rates, and better service. Our facilities are primarily stocked with stainless steel wire mesh,
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ShufflePhotographs by Christian Marclay
Availability: Out of stock
Christian Marclay uses a range of media—video, sculpture, installation, and performance—to address the ways that music and sound impact our experience of the world. While he frequently uses photograms and found images in his work, what is not widely known is the extent to which photography has become a tool of choice. In Shuffle, he has extensively photographed the appearance of musical notation in the world: on shop awnings, chocolate tins, T-shirts, underwear, and other unexpected places. The work reveals Marclay, a prominent figure in contemporary art, to be an obsessive photographic note-taker with a witty flair for uncovering clue like music hidden in the landscape and adorning our world. All around us, it seems, are musical notes just waiting to be discovered and played. Each of these images is presented on an individual card, and the entire deck is enclosed in a distinctive package. Part Fluxus box, part John Cage-ian "chance operation" or Eames House of Cards, the deck offers a compelling, serendipity-driven visual experience, but is also intended to be used as a spontaneous musical score. Shuffle includes an explanation and instructions by Marclay.
CHRISTIAN MARCLAY was born in 1955 in San Rafael, California, and grew up in Geneva, where he studied at the Ecole Supérieure d'Art Visuel prior to attending the Massachusetts College of Art, Boston. His work has been exhibited at the Hirshhorn Museum, Washington, D.C.; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Venice Biennale; and Kunsthaus, Zürich. Marclay lives and works in New York City.


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SPACE 242, Boston's Low Brow Destination, proudly announces its May/June exhibition, SMUDGE! SMEAR! SPLATTER!, Celebrating Comic Art, features work by Jamie Buckmaster, Craig Bostick, Alison Cowell, Andy Fish, Veronica Hebard, Bret Herholz, Mike Leslie, Derek Ring, Paul Ryan, and Tak Toyoshima.
The exhibition, on view May 28 through June 18 includes vaired works by the above artists including comic pages, original pieces, and prints. The opening reception is Friday, May 28, from 6-8pm. The event is free and open to the public with RSVP at the website. An artist talk will be held Friday, June 18 from 7-8pm. Gallery hours are Friday evenings 6:30-8pm, no RSVP necessary.
SPACE 242's May/June exhibition is sponsored in part by The Weekly Dig, ArtScope Magazine, Jakprints, DrinkMasters, and Harpoon.
The above images, from left to right:
Batman by Paul Ryan c DC Comics
ANHV by Derek Ring
Dracula by Andy Fish
SPACE 242, 242 E. Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02118


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Sarasota Parks and RecHome Menu
Advanced Pickleball at Arlington Park and Aquatic Complex
- Date: 10/21/2019 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
- Location: Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex
2650 Waldemere St
Sarasota, Florida 34239
- Introduction: Our 4 courts are open for beginning play during designated Pickleball hours.
Return to full list >>
Mondays & Fridays
Drop-in is first come, first served; no registration necessary. It is self-set up and self-take down, the nets will be on the court and paddles and balls are available for check out at the front desk Please be aware that pickleball is cancelled on school-off days and during other special events. Please check the monthly gym schedules for up-to-date information.
Mondays & Fridays
Time: 10 am – 1 pm
Price: $3 per day or $55 for a 20-visit punch card
Ages: All


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Bemidji State University's Bemidji Choir and Chamber Singers kick off their annual spring concert tour on April 2, culminating with a home concert in Bemidji on April 6.
The tour, under the direction of Dr. P. Bradley Logan, professor of music, includes daytime concerts and workshops at high schools, followed by public concerts in the evenings. On this year's tour, the choirs will visit:
• April 2 — Fargo, N.D.: 7:30 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 652 2nd Ave. N.
• April 3 — St. Cloud, Minn.: 7:30 p.m., Bethlehem Lutheran Church, County Road 137
• April 4 — Hopkins, Minn.: 7:30 p.m., Gethsemane Lutheran Church, Minnetonka Mills Road
• April 6 — Bemidji, Minn.: 3 p.m. — Bangsberg Hall Main Theatre
Concerts are free of charge and open to the public. A free-will offering will be taken at each performance to help defray tour expenses.
High school concerts and workshops will be held April 2 at Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls, Minn., and April 4 at Coon Rapids High School in Coon Rapids, Minn.
Dr. Brad Logan
Logan directs choral activities at Bemidji State. In addition to conducting the Bemidji Choir and Chamber Singers, he teaches conducting, choral studies and applied voice. Before joining the faculty at BSU, he spent time at the University of Montevallo, Louisiana College, California State University Long Beach and Pelham High School. Logan earned his bachelor's degree in vocal music education from North Dakota State University, a master's in choral music from Cal State Long Beach and holds a doctorate in choral conducting and literature from the University of Illinois.
The Bemidji Choir
The Bemidji Choir was founded founded in 1937 by Carl O. Thompson and has gained an international reputation for excellence. The choir has toured extensively throughout the United States and Europe and has produced Bemidji State's Madrigal Dinners for each of that production's 44 years. Logan has directed the choir since 1998, leading choir performances at a number of conventions and at Carnegie Hall. Logan also has led the choir on tours in Europe, including performances in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Scotland, Switzerland and England.
The Chamber Singers
The Chamber Singers is an ensemble of fifteen singers chosen by audition from the membership of The Bemidji Choir. They specialize in literature for small choirs, such as English carols, renaissance madrigals and chansons and a wide variety of contemporary works. During fall semester the Chamber Singers serve as the Royal Court for BSU's annual Madrigal Dinners.
• BSU Department of Music; (218) 755-2915
• Dr. Brad Logan, professor of music; (218) 755-2918


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Federal attorneys announce that they will be shutting down their probe into whether Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio abused the power of his office. KPNX's Kevin Kennedy reports.
The federal government has closed a criminal probe of alleged financial misconduct by Arizona lawman Joe Arpaio, who styles himself as "America's toughest sheriff," and no charges will be filed, the U.S. Attorney's Office said on Friday.
A separate federal investigation relating to allegations of civil rights abuses by Arpaio's office is continuing.
The announcement on Friday marked the end of an investigation that began in November 2010 at the behest of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors to examine alleged financial improprieties by the county sheriff and his deputies.
A federal criminal inquiry into several of those matters was concluded last summer with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Arizona declining to initiate criminal charges.
Maricopa County authorities were informed on Friday that federal prosecutors had likewise declined to bring charges in connection with allegations that the sheriff's office had misused county credit cards or misspent money from jail facilities excise taxes.
In addition, the U.S. Attorney's Office declined to prosecute two former officials of the county attorney's office who were accused of wrongfully prosecuting a local judge.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Birmingham Scheel said in a statement that her office "is closing its investigation into allegations of criminal conduct by current and former members of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and the Maricopa County Attorney's Office."
Arpaio, who returned from the Republican National Convention on Friday night, said he was "very happy" with decision.
"I send my appreciation to the federal government for their hard work in clearing my office," he said in a news briefing.
Arpaio, 80, who is seeking re-election to a sixth term as sheriff in November, has been under a separate federal inquiry since 2008 over allegations that he and his deputies engaged in an extensive pattern of civil rights abuses.
Watch US News crime videos on NBCNews.com
Arpaio denied any wrongdoing, and said he would cooperate with investigators.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Birmingham Scheel, acting on behalf of the United States due to the recusal of U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo, commended the joint investigative efforts of the prosecutors and the FBI special agents who conducted the investigation.
Scheel said her office advised Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery of the decision.
Arpaio, first voted into office in 1992, has been elected five times and is seeking a sixth term.
The federal government today sued Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the state's most populous county, accusing them of racial profiling directed at Latinos. Pete Williams reports.
In July, Arpaio said that volunteer investigators working for him concluded that President Barack Obama's birth certificate is not legitimate.
"At the very least," he said at a news conference, "I can tell you this, based on all of the evidence presented and investigated, I cannot in good faith report to you that these documents are authentic."
Also in July, Arpaio denied in testimony in a class-action lawsuit that his deputies targeted people because of the color of their skin.
He was testifying whether police can target illegal immigrants without racially profiling Hispanic citizens and legal residents.
"I am against anyone racial profiling ... today as in my 50 years in law enforcement," Arpaio told the court during cross-examination.
Arpaio is also known for outfitting county jail inmates in pink underwear, claiming the pink shorts are less likely to be smuggled out of jail and sold on the black market, and for housing inmates in a Tent City jail in Phoenix, even when Sonoran Desert summer temperatures soar to 115 degrees.
NBC's Jim Gold and Reuters contributed to this report.
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- Isaac outages add to La. heat; twister alerts inland
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Sha Yang-Movable Wooden Animals Toy
At Design Interviews
Interview with Sha Yang : Frank Scott: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?. Sha Yang : My inspiration come from children, I am looking for how to design some toys let children play happy and stimulate their immaginations. I hope I can create some toys which they can move freely rather than static like a sculpture in one place. .Frank Scott: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?. Sha Yang : Fun, playful and moveable, humorous .Frank Scott: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?. Sha Yang : Around half year. .Frank Scott: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?. Sha Yang : My oringinal intention is insimulating children's immagination, my work just abstract animal shapes are good gor children to immgine anything, and also the diversity movements in animals are full of fun, children play them to look for their own happiness. I hope my work can be mass production, I am looking for a producer who will be interested in my project. .Frank Scott: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?. Sha Yang : I am looking for a producer that might be intherested in produce them. .Frank Scott: What made you design this particular type of work?. Sha Yang : Children' play and behaviors, and children's immaginations, all from children's deminds .Frank Scott: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?. Sha Yang : Toy artist- Robert Race, Ian Mackay. .Frank Scott: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?. Sha Yang : the moveable aspect, the original wooden materials and humorous animals' face. .Frank Scott: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?. Sha Yang : the wooden drill machine and wooden lathe .Frank Scott: What is the most unique aspect of your design?. Sha Yang : Playful,humorous , high aesthetic value and craftsmanship .Frank Scott: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?. Sha Yang : yes, in UAL 3D resorce center. .Frank Scott: What is the role of technology in this particular design?. Sha Yang : in the very key position .Frank Scott: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?. Sha Yang : the book references .Frank Scott: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?. Sha Yang : I just what to try and test where my work will be, and want to know my design level. I am very glad to share with international .Frank Scott: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?. Sha Yang : I have improved how to overcome my limits. .Frank Scott: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?. Sha Yang : It is a pity I couldn't participate with the exhibition in Italiy as it is long traveling. Hope one day I can come to have a look at it. Thank you for your helpful organizations .
Sha Yang-Movable Wooden Animals Toy Images:
End of the article, click here to go back to previous page, or alternatively go back to Design Honor Magazine homepage.


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TESDA Offers New Curriculum for Ships' Catering Services
Many Filipinos wish to work as a chef, food servers or any jobrelated to catering in a ship because it is perceived as an exciting job that offers one the opportunity to travel, mingle with people of different cultures and receive high salary.
The good news is that seabased workers from the Philippines are in-demand in international shipping companies. This is probably the reason why the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is encouraging Filipinos who wish to work in a ship to check out courses on Ship's Catering Services.
The government agency announced that they they have rolled out new curriculum on Ships' Catering Services NC I, NC II and NC III and it is now available to training providers and technical vocational schools.The new curriculum aims to develop potential workers skilled in preparing, handling and serving the food and drink requirements of the seafarers, delivering basic housekeeping services, practicing food safety, sanitation and hygiene.
The circular that deployed the new Training Regulations on Ships' Catering Services was signed by Secretary of TESDA, Joel Villanueva and it took effect on July 19, 2013.
The course on Ships' Catering Services would cover the following units: practical cookery, food and personal hygiene,food storage,stock control, environmental protection and catering and health and safety.
The new Training Regulations on Ships' Catering Services was developed in compliance with the requirements of Regulation 3.2 of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006.
Villanueva said, "In line with this, all TVET institutions offering programs related to Ships' Cook, Ships' Catering and Ships' Culinary must align their programs to conform to the new Training Regulations."


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During your visit to Boston, you'll no doubt learn about Samuel Adams and the role he played in the American Revolution. Of course, you should also know he was a brewer, and the Boston Brewery sporting his name put American craft brewing on the map in the mid-1980's. When you visit the Samuel Adams Brewery, you will sample a taste of American brewing history.
Experience the brewing process by tasting the special malts and smelling the Noble hops that give Samuel Adams' beers their superior flavor and aroma. Visit the Brewhouse to learn exactly how Samuel Adams Boston Lager is made, take in the rich history of one of America's first craft breweries, and of course, sample a few of their award winning beers. Experience lasts approximately 1 hour and is a short 10 minute T ride from Back Bay station. Tours run Monday-Thursday: 10-3, Friday 10-5:30 and Saturday 10-3. Tours are free with a recommended $2.00 donation which goes 100% to charity.


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Dr. Karen Vieira
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text:
Sunday Marks The Premiere Of The Three Part Mini-Series "Sons Of Liberty" From The History Channel
" SONS OF LIBERTY, the three-night, six-hour event, follows a defiant and radical group of young men–Sam Adams, John Adams, Paul Revere, John Hancock and Dr. Joseph Warren–as they band together in secrecy to change the course of history and make America a nation."
" The Sons of Liberty sparked a revolution, the cast depicting them includes: Ben Barnes(The Chronicles of Narnia) as Sam Adams, a natural born leader with charisma and a penchant for mischief; Ryan Eggold (The Black List) as Dr. Joseph Warren, a doctor and man of conscience and integrity; Michael Raymond-James (Jack Reacher, Terriers, True Blood) as Paul Revere, a veteran who wholeheartedly joins forces with Sam Adams; Rafe Spall(Prometheus, Life of Pi) as John Hancock, the wealthiest man in Boston at the time; andHenry Thomas (E.T. The Extraterrestrial, Gangs of New York, Legends of the Fall) as John Adams, a lawyer and the conservative, smart cousin of Sam Adams. Additionally, Marton Csokas (Equalizer, The Lord of the Rings, Rogue) plays the ferocious General Thomas Gage who is sent to handle the colonial unrest in Boston; Emily Berrington (24: Live Another Day) as Margaret Gage; Jason O'Mara (The Good Wife, Terra Nova, Life on Mars) as General George Washington and Dean Norris (Breaking Bad, Under the Dome, Men, Women & Children) as the brilliant yet mischievous diplomat Benjamin Franklin."
" Calling themselves the Sons of Liberty, they light the spark that ignited our revolution. While many of their names have become legendary, this group of young rebels didn't start off as noble patriots. They were a new generation of young American men from varied backgrounds, struggling to find purpose in their lives. They were looking for equality, but they found something greater: Independence."
" SONS OF LIBERTY is a dramatic interpretation of events that sparked a revolution. It is historical fiction, not a documentary. The goal of our miniseries is to capture the spirit of the time, convey the personalities of the main characters, and focus on real events that have shaped our past. For historical information about the Sons of Liberty and the dawning of the American Revolution, please read the Historian's View section on history.com/sons. "
There is a wealth of information to be had on the upcoming show including more videos , actor biographies , historical data , infographics and much more if you visit the webpage .
We applaud the History Channel for creating this event and feel that , regardless of the political biases that will undoubtedly reveal themselves to some faction(s) of the viewing public , any piece of widely received entertainment that fosters conversation about some of our defining moments as a people around the dinner table and water cooler is a great thing indeed .


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November 2014-August 2015
View online exhibit
A year of big dreams, big burns and big politics,1889 captured a place in our history as a time of great prosperity and adversity. The face of Washington changed. Pioneers arrived and townsfolk rebuilt from the rubble. Finally, on November 11, 1889, Washington rose as the 42nd state in the union.
Eight Stories that Changed the World
September 2013 - September 2014
Online Exhibit
From a Starbucks store in Malaysia to a 747 on a tarmac in Antarctica, Washington is everywhere. We built "the biggest thing on earth." We ended a world war. We introduced air travel and helped put man on the moon. The fruits of our labor appear on dinner tables around the globe. Even Northwest grunge became iconic worldwide.
Through the ages, big dreams and big risks tell the Washington story.
July 1-31, 2013
Beautiful handmade quilts created by volunteer quilters from around Washington State will be on display in the Office of the Secretary of State July 1-31, 2013. The quilts are part of the national Quilts of Valor program.
The Quilts of Valor program was started in 2003. Blue Star mom Catherine Roberts, began the Quilts of Valor Foundation from her sewing room in Seaford, Delaware. Her son Nathanael's year-long deployment to Iraq provided the initial inspiration, and her desire to see that returning warriors were welcomed home with the love and gratitude they deserved, provided the rest.
QOV's are stitched with love, prayers and healing thoughts. Combat troops who have been wounded or touched by war are awarded this tangible token of appreciation that unequivocally says, "Thank you for your service, sacrifice and valor." The 13 quilts on display represent only a fraction of the quilts created and awarded by Washington volunteers since 2003.
Quilts are awarded at many different levels. But no matter how a Quilt of Valor is given, the impact it delivers is unequivocal. As one recipient said "My quilt isn't another military medal to be placed in a box and sit on my shelf. I was moved to tears." – SSgt RC, US Army, Iraq '05
Secretary of State Kim Wyman, from a family of quilters and wife of an Army retiree, enthusiastically supports this exhibit in her office.
Mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation:
Our mission is to cover all our warriors and combat veterans who have been touched by war or wounded with our healing and comforting Quilts of Valor.
Because no matter where we stand politically, we accept our warriors and veterans with open arms and open hearts. One only has to talk to the veterans of previous wars and conflicts to get a glimpse that the profound effects of war never really leave.
See photos of the exhibit launch.
Online Exhibit »
April 24, 2012 - June, 2013
In recognition of the first footprints across Washington, the Heritage Center presents a rare, privately-funded exhibit: "We're still here." The Survival of Washington Indians. While the exhibit is no longer on display at the Secretary of State's office, view the online exhibit and watch the Traveling Exhibits Schedule to see where it will be next.
Washington's story begins thousands of years ago, before the historic journey of Christopher Columbus, the arrival of American settlers and statehood. "We're still here." acknowledges the early and continuing story of Native Americans in four major themes: the relationship with earth and the struggle over land; assimilation practices and the conflict over Native identity; the century-long battle for treaty fishing rights; and the cultural revival of Indian customs and language in our world today. The exhibit is supported and vetted by many Washington Indians.
His era has long passed, but the name Isaac Stevens can still be heard from the coastal towns of Washington State to the arid plains of Idaho. Cast as both a brilliant war hero and a slick negotiator with a brazen approach, the complex Stevens is a well-studied and controversial figure in Pacific Northwest history.
The exhibit explores the fascinating life of Washington's first Territorial Governor through rare maps, images, detailed illustrations and artifacts.
While the exhibit is no longer on display at the Secretary of State's office, watch the Traveling Exhibits Schedule to see where it will be next.
Railroad Survey
You can still find Stevens' footprint across the West. One of the most studied chapters of his life is the railroad survey, a cross-country exploration through the wilds of the last frontier. Already appointed Washington Territorial Governor and Superintendent of Indian Affairs, Stevens pushed for a third responsibility: to command the North Pacific Railroad Survey.
In 1853, Stevens and multiple survey crews set off for the last frontier, conquering mountain peaks and valleys in search of an ideal railroad route. The first transcontinental railroad, dubbed the iron highway, would connect both coasts for the first time and transform the nation. As commander, Stevens explored terrain between the 47th and 49th parallels. He produced a comprehensive report documenting the land, interaction with Indians, plants, and animals.
Indian Treaties
Stevens earned a reputation as a contentious negotiator after he was appointed Superintendent of Indian Affairs. The Superintendent persuaded Indians of Washington Territory to cede their land to the federal government, but promised to protect their right to hunt and fish in their "usual and accustomed" places. Tribes were taken aback by Stevens' quick pace and conduct during the negotiations. War broke out. Eventually, the language in the treaties triggered court cases, the first in 1905, as Indians and non-Indians clashed over fishing rights. Finally, a landmark decision in 1974 awarded tribes 50 percent of the harvestable catch. But the decision spurred violence on the water and outrage. The United States Supreme Court upheld Judge George Boldt's opinion in 1979. Although major issues of the case have been settled, aspects of the "Boldt Decision" remain in court to this day.
Isaac Stevens lost his life during the bloodiest conflict ever fought on U.S. soil. Roughly 620,000 soldiers died. Some of the war's highest ranking generals, including Ulysses S. Grant and George McClellan, served in Washington Territory before the war.
Civil War resources relating to Washington
Isaac Stevens resources
Curriculum: Washington State Historical Society
"The history of this nation… could not have been written without the contribution of women."
- Catherine May
When Congresswoman Catherine May faced a chamber full of men to persuade the sitting president to appoint more bright women, she'd come a long way from producing the Betty Crocker Show for NBC. When a pre-school teacher heard a demeaning quip from a sitting legislator that she'd never make a difference "as just a mom in tennis shoes," Patty Murray made a run for the U.S. Senate and won.
Since 1913, fourteen pathfinders have pushed the limits, stood for election, and won offices never before held by women. Their landmark elections show progressive Washington – a unique state that empowered women with the fundamental right to vote a decade before the nation; the only state with a sitting female Governor and two women in the U.S. Senate.
But the gender gap remains. Washington has yet to elect a female Speaker of the House, Lieutenant Governor, State Auditor, or State Treasurer. No American woman has claimed the presidency or vice presidency. In 2006, the U.S. had awarded only 14 of its 100 Senate seats to women.
Many of these officeholders, now at the height of their power, remember a world that judged and denied based on gender --- when colleges turned them away at the door – when voters held women to a different standard, and when issues related to childcare were considered wholly a "woman's problem." Moving Forward, Looking Back celebrates 100 years of the women's vote in Washington and the journey that continues today.
Celebrating this year's Centennial of Women's Suffrage in Washington State, the Washington State Supreme Court, the Supreme Court Gender and Justice Commission, and the Washington State Heritage Center present the First Washington Women in Law exhibit. The exhibit recognizes Washington women who have held significant positions in the law in our State over the past 100 years. From Reba Hurn, first woman to be admitted to the Bar in Washington in 1913 to the first female majority on the State Supreme Court in 2003, this exhibit recognizes the ground-breaking achievements of women as leaders in the law profession over the years.


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If you enjoy Lifehacker and Hackerspace, you're probably a pretty smart cookie. Hackerspace is your area to post full, big-kid size articles. The bar for entry is pretty low; as long as you have a commenter history and that history is not filled with malice and/or poor judgement you're totally qualified! Drop one of the user admins a line and we'll give your account the juice.
Admins are geekgirlbarbie, TheOtherHalf, wickedcupofjoe, huh989, and DustinLuck.
Get out there and show us your special thing.
Image - memebase.com


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The following is a guest post by Anil Kottoor, president and CEO of MedHOK.
The need for improved data management and quality reporting is increasing exponentially as various healthcare reform measures take effect. From hospitals and physicians participating in Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) to Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans looking to improve their Star ratings, it seems that no healthcare sector is exempt from this litany of change.
Take for instance ACO participants. While the newly formed care model promises to improve care coordination and cut costs, doing so requires that providers invest in patient population management platforms capable of collecting and sharing patient information across the continuum of care.
Similarly, Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans are seeking out platforms capable of monitoring and tracking quality metrics. That is because under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS') continually evolving Five Star Rating System, the pressure is on to improve quality or miss out on incentives such as year-round enrollment under a newly created special election period.
Despite the system-wide need for these advanced technology tools, few organizations have the resources necessary to invest in the hardware and software required to manage and track patient information and quality metrics. Small- to medium-sized businesses in particular are finding that they simply do not have the space or technical expertise to house and manage additional servers in-house.
As a result, many providers are seeking alternative solutions to their data management needs.
Software-as-a-Service Model
Perhaps the most well-known alternative to purchasing costly hardware and software is the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model, which provides organizations with the software they need via intuitive web interfaces. By eliminating the need for upfront hardware investments and ongoing maintenance costs, cloud-based software eliminates the hefty cost barrier that many providers face with their IT infrastructure investments.
Further, unlike traditional software, SaaS-based solutions do not require the purchase of multiple licenses across the organization. Most subscriptions can be tailored to the organization's user needs and customized as staff size fluctuates. In addition, because software is hosted by a vendor or service provider and made available over the Internet, users can access information anywhere with Internet access.
However, while the SaaS model has experienced a rise in popularity over the last several years, the reality is that it does not provide the holistic approach to care and quality management that healthcare organizations desire. That is because many organizations must subscribe to a number of SaaS-based solutions to meet their data management needs. As a result, information is stored in multiple silos across their various vendor networks.
Platform-as-a-Service Model
This has given rise to the Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) model. In essence, PaaS provides users with both the SaaS-based solution and industry-specific application platform or operating system they need to manage data needs. For healthcare organizations that utilize various software solutions, this means that all of their solutions and the accompanying information can be found within the same user-friendly interface, thus removing the silos inherent in the SaaS model and streamlining information management and sharing.
In other words, PaaS provides all the benefits of SaaS with the added convenience of having all products within the same platform. Because these solutions are compatible with most existing software solutions, including electronic medical records (EMRs), they also eliminate the need to "rip and replace" systems that providers have grown comfortable using.
Unlike traditional IT infrastructures, PaaS solutions can be rapidly deployed to meet healthcare organizations' comprehensive patient population management and data tracking needs. In fact, where traditional software solutions may take up to two years to implement, PaaS-based solutions can take as little as 90 days. Further, because PaaS providers manage both the software and the infrastructure, organizations can easily scale offerings to manage an increase – or decrease – in patient population.
Finally, because the PaaS models allows software to be deployed as individual modules or comprehensive end-to-end solutions, providers can easily add or remove products as the customer's needs change. This also eliminates the need for investment in long-term technology strategy that may be outdated before the phase ever goes live.
The Future of Healthcare
The reality is that healthcare reform is rapidly changing the business of healthcare as new regulations and requirements continually roll out. To remain competitive in today's market, health plans must remain extremely agile, and be willing to upgrade their software and reporting solutions before requirements are fully defined. However, doing so often requires a hefty upfront investment and a great deal of risk for those organizations that do not have the internal resources to manage the evolution of the required technology.
PaaS removes both of these obstacles and provides organizations with the agility and flexibility needed to rapidly respond to regulatory and market changes. Further, by leaving all of the heavy lifting up to a software vendor who specializes in holistic healthcare data management on a single platform, providers can focus their time and efforts on what matters most – the patient, who at the end of the day is the true consumer of healthcare.


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Ramon Alcoseba Abellana
(5-Feb-1911 – 5-Nov-2001)
Son of Teofilo Regis Abellana and Filomena Laorden Alcoseba.
Dentist, sculptor, composer, musician;
As sculptor, did the figures surrounding the Carcar Rotunda (in collaboration with his brother Manuel) and the Lapu-Lapu and Don Sergio Osmeña Monuments at the Cebu Capitol grounds among other commissioned works; collaborated with father, Teofilo, and brothers Manuel, Martino and Sindolfo; organized and taught various rondalla ensembles and choirs, and twice won second prize in the Cebu Pop Music Festival for his compositions Katahum sa Yamog in 1985 and Sa Lapiyahan in 1989. With Monsignor Cesar Alcoseba* (incidentally his mother's first cousin) may have been the most prolific Carcaranons exhibiting excellence in a variety of fields.
Married to Emiliana Parano Elemento of Samar with 6 children.
*since taken out from Carcaranon page. Monsignor Alcoseba was born 19-Mar-1914 in Barili (source: Barili Tourism Office).


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DETROIT – A person was rescued early Thursday morning from a crash on I-94 in Detroit.
Sky 4 was over the scene, which was just before I-96 (Exit 213), as firefighters worked to extricate the person from a pickup truck that had crashed into another car in the eastbound lanes.
Sky 4 video shows the person being put into an ambulance.
Traffic was clogged in the left lanes but the interstate was cleared within an hour.
More details on the circumstances of the crash or the victim were not immediately available.
Stay with Local 4 News and ClickOnDetroit.com for updates as more information becomes available.


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997 St. Sebastian WayAugusta, GA 30912706-721-6597
1446 Harper StreetAugusta, GA 30912706-721-5437 (KIDS)
1003 Chafee Ave.Augusta, GA 30912 706-721-2426
1447 Harper StreetAugusta, GA 30912-5536706-721-CARE (2273)
1120 15th StreetAugusta, GA 30912706-721-2273 (CARE)
1411 Laney Walker Blvd.Augusta, GA 30912706-721-6744
821 St. Sebastian WayAugusta, GA 30912706-721-2971
1220 West Wheeler PkwyAugusta, GA 30909
6135 Roosevelt Highway Warm Springs, GA 31830
2011 Westend DriveGreensboro, GA 30642
Everyone knows that health-conscious meal planning can be difficult, especially when eating out. That's why Augusta University Cardiovascular Center helps to identify heart-healthy menu items to provide you a healthful variety of food choices when dining.
Professional dietitians at Augusta University Health can assess menu items to recommend heart-healthy options. To meet our heart-healthy standards, items should have no more than 20 grams total fat and no more than 10 grams of saturated fat. So when you choose a heart healthy menu item, you can rest assured that you are making a better choice for your heart and overall health. Consult your physician or nutritionist for specific nutritional needs.
Eating right has tremendous benefits, from helping to keep your body trim to giving you more energy. Research has also shown that enjoying a healthful diet considerably decreases your risk of dying from heart disease, stroke and cancer. By incorporating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products in your diet, you can decrease your risk by as much as 30 percent.
At first, changing your diet may seem overwhelming, but, by making small, manageable changes now, you can make big changes in the long run. Start by substituting healthful choices for foods with less nutritional value. For instance, when dining out, try to follow healthy choice guidelines. You can still enjoy a nice meal at your favorite restaurant while making important changes in your diet that will make a difference for your health.
Eating a healthy diet is a great way to reduce your risk for heart disease. To learn how to select the right types of food in the right portions for optimal heart health, call 706-721-8637 to make an appointment to meet with a dietitian.
Heart and cardiovascular disease are leading killers of both men and women in the United States. Some people are born with heart disease, but others build up risks over their lifetime - risks that can be prevented, and even reversed, with the proper measures.
Augusta University Cardiovascular Center provides complete cardiovascular services including the evaluation of your heart health. For more information or to make an appointment, please call 706-721-2273 (CARE).
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:30pmMore contact info
Augusta University Medical Center
1120 15th Street Augusta, GA 30912


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Some viewers of Good Friday service from the Vatican got a little more than they prayed for early Friday morning.
While watching the broadcast on Comcast, a Bucks County woman said the service suddenly turned into a "Girls Gone Wild" commercial, according to the Daily News.
Talk about a leap in faith...
U.S. & World
The paper reported that Comcast was required to run an emergency alert test, and that the test channel that was switched to just happened to be in a commercial break. And the commercial just happened to be for a sexy video series.
Comcast said one person called to complain to the cable operator.


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I've used only VMWare on my Windows 7 machine, but I'd like to use something on Ubuntu.
What software would you recommend to create other Linux and Windows virtual machines?
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I've used only VMWare on my Windows 7 machine, but I'd like to use something on Ubuntu.
What software would you recommend to create other Linux and Windows virtual machines?
You also may use VirtualBox, which is named
virtualbox-ose in the repositories.
From the package description:
VirtualBox is a free x86 virtualization solution allowing a wide range of x86 operating systems such as Windows, DOS, BSD or Linux to run on a Linux system.
In case you like to install an OS that uses XServer 1.10 (e.g. Ubuntu 11.04) you need Virtual Box version >= 4.0.6 available under GPL v2 licence for download or in a repository maintained by Oracle. For full support of features we also need to install Guest Additions. For USB 2.0 or RDP support we can download and install the Extension Pack. This will make Virtual Box closed source (PUEL-version).
The other option is
virt-manager which is a gui for kvm.
I previously used VMware on Ubuntu/Fedora (and shared VM's across Linux & Windows), for several years, but about a year ago I totally gave up on VMware. It just became too much of a hassle to get it to work after kernel upgrades. Now I just use VirtualBox everywhere (Winows, Ubuntu, MacOS X). (Note: this is assuming you want to use a free virtualization solution, and that you're not using one of the various paid versions of VMware.) I especially liked the (paid) version of VMware Fusion for MacOSX... but now I also just use VirtualBox there, too... and it works just fine.
But, back to Linux: Let's say you can actually manage to get VMware running on Linux -- after downloading custom 3rd party VMware source patches, uploaded to various internet forums, then recompiling odd bits of VMware to get it to properly install... Well, you still will have a slim to none chance of getting the VMware viewer (browser plugin) to properly work on Linux. The issue seems to be that it requires an older version of Firefox to run. You can use IE or possibly Firefox on Windows to "view" your running VM's on Linux, but, you know, what's the point.
Long story short, the free versions of VMware no longer seem to be supported or maintained, and this is especially evident & painful on Linux.
However, all is not lost... You can take your existing VMware images and actually open them in VirtualBox without converting the images to VDI (..or, you can convert them to VDI if you want, too.) (Frankly, for non-Windows VM's, it is probably just as simple to create a new image, since installing Linux from scratch is so simple. It's all the other software (databases, etc) that can be a pain to re-install, though.)
The one issue that I ran into when opening my VMware images in VirtualBox was that I originally split my VMware images into 2GB files; this won't work when opening them in VirtualBox. But you can use the VMware tools to convert them back to a single disk, e.g.:
c:/> vmware-vdiskmanager -r multipart.vmdk -t 0 single.vmdk
Then this "single.vmdk" can be designated as your disk for your VirtualBox VM. Odds are that any Windows image will have to be re-verified as "genuine"; it's easiest to do this online when setting up the VM, assuming networking is working. I think I first removed VMware tools from my image, and then installed the VirtualBox add-ons on the VM, and I think that was basically it.
Im case you are used to VMWare from your Windows machine you can run the VMWare Player on your Ubuntu box. Although I do agree with previous answers that Virtual Box is a very good Open Source alternative there is no need to switch systems. This is even more so as you can use your preexistent virtual machines by also running VMWare Player in Ubuntu. However if you want to create new machines you would need to run VMWare Workstation.
Despite Michael's problems with VMWARE I would absolutely recommend it for a number of reasons:
I use virtualbox as well, and I would say for most purposes it is as good, but you'll need to learn it.
To add to the list of solutions there also is a Linux version of the commercial Parallels Desktop.


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As families struggle to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives in the wake of the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., some are clinging to bits of solace from the grim details that emerge.
The family of six-year-old Dylan Hockley, one of the 20 children killed in the shootings last Friday, revealed in a statement Monday that their child's favorite teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary cradled him as they both died in a hail of bullets.
"We take great comfort in knowing that Dylan was not alone when he died but was wrapped in the arms of his amazing aide, Anne Marie Murphy," Dylan's family said in a statement. "Dylan loved Mrs. Murphy so much and pointed at her picture on our refrigerator every day."
Murphy, 52, a mother to four children with her husband, Michael, was a special education teacher in Dylan's classroom at Sandy Hook. She was a 14-year resident of Sandy Hook and formerly of Katonah, N.Y., according to her obituary.
"She will be remembered for her love of the arts, walks in the outdoors and most importantly: her family," her obituary said.
Authorities reportedly told Murphy's parents, Hugh and Alice McGowan, that their daughter helped shield some of her students from the rain of bullets.
"A first responder said she was a hero," her 86-year-old father told Newsday. "You don't expect your daughter to be murdered. That's sort of a shocker."
Murphy's mother, also 86, said she grabbed her rosary and cried when she got the news.
Dylan's parents, Ian Thomas, who is British, and Nicole Marie (Moretti), both 42, had lived in England for 18 years before moving to a house on the same street as Nancy Lanza, the gunman's mother and first victim, in January, The Telegraph (U.K.) reported. They said they chose Newtown specifically for the tight-knit community and the Sandy Hook school.
"We do not and shall never regret this choice," they said. "Our boys have flourished here and our family's happiness has been limitless."
The family also praised other staffers and teachers who died at Sandy Hook.
"We cannot speak highly enough of Dawn Hochsprung and Mary Sherlach, exceptional women who knew both our children and who specifically helped us navigate Dylan's special education needs," Dylan's family added. "Dylan's teacher, Vicki Soto, was warm and funny and Dylan loved her dearly."
Both Hochsprung, 47, the school principal, and Sherlach, 56, the school psychologist, died while lunging at the gunman, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, in an attempt to overpower him. Soto, 27, a first-grade teacher, shielded her students and ushered them into a closet, putting herself between them and the gunman. She was found huddled with the children.
"Though our hearts break for Dylan, they are also filled with love for these and other beautiful women who all selflessly died trying to save our children," the family said.
In the statement, the Hockley family said Dylan loved to cuddle, bounce on his trampoline and play computer games. He also looked up to his older brother, Jake. He was learning to read and "was so proud when he read us a new book every day."
"We will always be a family of four," they said. "He is forever in our hearts and minds."
More content from NBCNews.com:
- Gun control offers no cure-all in America
- 'They started talking about blood': Neighbor comforted kids who fled shooting
- 'We're broken': Newtown begins burying its littlest victims
- Police: Second person injured in Connecticut school shooting survived
- Video: After Sandy Hook shooting, schools address safety
- 22 arrest warrants issued after alleged fraternity hazing death
Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook


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Dayum! That is some caarrrrrrrazzzzy hair! Like it's hair that doubles as shelter. It's like your own little portable room. Photographed by Takahiro Ogawa for the Asian Beauty Expo and hair creations by Peter Gray & Masa Honda, these gems are sure to make anyone with Hirsute jump for joy. It's like a Supermodel Sasquatch! I appreciate all this artistry though, because I have .081847% of the hair above and I still can't get it right sometimes. Like this morning,I woke up with my ponytail on top of my head and bits of Mr. Marmar fur lodged within it. Damn cat keeps burrowing in my hair at night. But I have to say Mr. Marmar has the most luxurious fur in all of time! It's like a cloud of cotton candy and the fanciest silk spun together to make this magical fur that is… Mr. Marmar. I can't hate him for having luscious fur, therefore I can't be mad that he wants to bond with my hair like that dragon thing in Avatar! Mr. Marmar tames Roxy , NOT Roxy tames Mr.Marmar! And just like that Mr. Marmar gave me a 'b*tch, recognized!' look.
photos : Haute Macabre


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For our World AIDS Day 2010 section, we wanted to capture the diversity of the AIDS community. So, we reached out to people across the world -- mostly those who have never written for us before -- and asked them to guest blog. These columns are written by people who are living with HIV, have been affected by HIV, or work in the field.
This World AIDS Day, some of the most followed celebrities have sacrificed their digital lives, in one of the more interesting campaigns to raise money for HIV/AIDS, known as Digital Death. The celebrities, including Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake, will stop using online social media until US$1,000,000 is raised via Buy Life for Keep a Child Alive, singer Alicia Keys' foundation that provides HIV/AIDS treatment and services for millions of people in Africa and India.
So basically, the celebs "die" digitally and you buy their lives back by donating to Keep a Child Alive. Many of them took casket photos -- looking very glamorous, I might add -- and prepared "Last Tweet and Testament" videos explaining their personal reasons for signing off Twitter and Facebook on World AIDS Day.
Ironically, some of the celebs still sent out tweets to remind fans that they are dead.
For example, around 7 p.m. last night, Alicia Keys tweeted, "@aliciakeys is deaddd. Watch Alicia Keys' last Tweet and Testament here -- http://bit.ly/a1wqi6 #BUYLIFE," while Serena Williams wrote, "[Serena Williams] is digitally dead, but you can buy her life back. Text SERENA to 90999 right now and join the fight against HIV/AIDS buylife.org."
While I appreciate their effort and admire the concept, it would have been nice for these same celebrities -- who have so much visibility, popularity and influence -- to focus these efforts on the domestic HIV epidemic as well. Given that their collective fan base is mostly comprised of young people (ages 13-24), a population whose HIV rates are steadily rising in the U.S., one can imagine the impact of having singer Jay Sean remind young people that they are at risk and need to get tested for HIV.
However, because this campaign is missing that component, I fear it might inadvertently perpetuate the misconception that HIV/AIDS is solely a problem for the developing world. Fans may be less likely to donate money, especially during a recession, if they think HIV is not their problem, a notion that may be supported by the low donation amount so far ($105,319 after 24 hours). That's a little disappointing given that combined, these celebrities have an estimated 30,000,000 followers around the world. So let's do the math: Looking at the total amount raised, if each person only donated the $10 minimum, that means at most only 10,532 people donated. That's a mere 0.35 percent of their followers.
Let's hope that more people start donating soon. If not, the Kardashian sisters might never tweet again ...
UPDATE 1: The donation minimum was lowered to $1 and the donation total reached $420,248 as of Dec. 6, 2 p.m.
UPDATE 2: At around 7 p.m. on Dec. 6, the campaign reached its $1,000,000 goal. However, half of the goal came from pharmaceutical billionaire and philanthropist Stewart Rahr, who brought the celebrities back to life with a $500,000 donation. According to the New York Post, a source close to the campaign said, "It's the worst mismanagement of star power I've ever seen in my life." The organization had expected to raise the $1,000,000 in a week, but after only raising about $450,000 in six days, the celebrities grew frustrated.
R&B crooner Usher, in an obvious slipup, forgot he was supposed to be dead, tweeting on Dec. 5, "Twit fam, I'm whack for being late, I need your help. Twit, Happy Birthday Rico Love!!! He is the man that wrote you 'There goes my baby.'" He continued tweeting the next day, before the goal had been met, messages unrelated to the Digital Death campaign.
Maybe it was an overestimation of the stars' social media sway or simply a lack of caring on the fans' part as to why the campaign didn't live up to expectations. I think it would have been better if Rahr had made his donation directly to the Keep a Child Alive foundation, to keep the campaign and the HIV epidemic present in people's minds. Or even better, if he had come out and encouraged the public by promising to match the $1,000,000 if they reached it on their own.
Instead, I worry that this will make people think HIV is a problem someone else will solve. If their attitude is, "Now that that's over with, we don't have to worry about it anymore," I'd say they're dead wrong.
Read more of The Viral Truth: Making Sense of HIV/AIDS News_, a TheBody.com blog._


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Pumpkin, cranberry & red onion tagine
Comfort food without the calories, easily doubled or tripled to feed a crowd
Nutrition and extra info
- Vegetarian
- kcal449
- fat16g
- saturates2g
- carbs67g
- sugars23g
- fibre6g
- protein13g
- salt1.93g
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Olive oilol-iv oyl
Probably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It's…
- 2 red onions, thickly sliced
- 3cm piece fresh root ginger, grated
- 500g/1lb 2oz pumpkin or squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into large chunks
Pumpkins are the most famous of all the winter squashes, and are most associated with Halloween…
- 1 tsp each cinnamon, coriander, cumin and harissa paste
A fragrant spice which comes from the inner bark of a tropical tree. When dried, it curls into…
- 1 tbsp clear honey
Honey is made by bees from the nectar they collect from flowers. Viscous and fragrant, it's…
- 700g bottle tomato passata
- 50g dried cranberries
A tart, ruby-red coloured berry which grows wild on shrubs throughout northern Europe and North…
- 400g can chickpea, rinsed and drained
- 200g couscous
Consisting of many tiny granules made from steamed and dried durum wheat, couscous has become a…
- 2 tsp vegetable stock granules
- zest and juice 1 lemon
Oval in shape with a pronouced bulge on one end, lemons are one of the most versatile…
- 3 tbsp toasted flaked almonds
Almondarr-mund or al-mund
Sweet almonds have a subtle fragrance that lends itself well to baking and also works well with…
- handful coriander, roughly chopped
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the onions until lightly coloured. Add ginger, pumpkin and spices, stir, then add honey, passata and cranberries. Bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat, cover, then simmer for 20 mins until the pumpkin is tender. After 10 mins, stir in the chickpeas. (If the mixture is a little thick, you can loosen it with some vegetable stock.)
Meanwhile, tip the couscous, stock granules and lemon zest into a heatproof bowl. Pour over 300ml boiling water, stir briefly and cover with a plate. Leave for 5 mins. Tip in the lemon juice, almonds and remaining tbsp oil and fluff up with a fork. Scatter the coriander over the tagine and serve with the couscous.
Recipe Tip
Is pumpkin healthy?Pumpkin is rich in vital vitamins and minerals. Discover what makes pumpkin so good for you by reading our guide to the health benefits of pumpkin, plus the best healthy pumpkin & squash recipes.


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By KATE SAMPLE
Kate Sample is a writer and Jew-by-choice living in Chicago.
You can check out her blog at http://challahbackgirl.com
and her e-book, challah back girl, on Amazon.com.
Goodbye "Shabbos hair" — I want a wig!
By Kate Sample
All the single ladies (All the single ladies)
All the single ladies (All the single ladies)
All the single ladies (All the single ladies)
With the Shabbos hair
Now put your hands up
I love me a play on a good Beyonce lyric, but the truth is that Queen Bey would never feel me or any other single Jewish girl on this, as evidenced by her Instagram. One day, to everyone's amazement, she debuted a chic new pixie 'do. World leaders cancelled their entire days to marvel at it. Special committees convened to discuss. And then, just a few days later, the artist formerly known as Sasha Fierce was spotted with a bob. Uh huh. Several months ago, as my birthday was approaching, I decided on a whim to have three inches of my hair lopped off, and it was not long before I regretted it. I have been straight up Valley of the Dolls with hair growth pills ever since, and trust me; no one's hair grows that quickly.
No, it is quite obvious that along with my married peers, Beyonce is getting wiggy with it. None of them face the mirror on Saturday mornings with the hope that their hair will tend more toward a bad perm and less a full-on electrocution. (There is no hope for smooth, silky strands. Don't even think about it.) Well, I am here to bring awareness to the epidemic that is Shabbos hair. There is not yet a known cure for this affliction—except, that is, marriage. If only the gents could get past the Shabbos hair and stop asking me if I need a ride to the homeless shelter after nightfall.
I anticipate that some kind souls out there would gently point me toward the Shabbos brush. For those who are unaware, a brush must meet three important criteria in order to avoid the melacha of gozez and thus render it safe for Shabbos. First, it must be a soft-bristle brush, e.g. a baby brush. Second, the brush must be set aside for Shabbos use only. Finally, one cannot brush the entire head, but only use the brush to lightly touch up the hair. Ha! My Shabbos hair laughs in the face of such a brush. I really and truly appreciate the effort, dearest Rabbis, but to attempt to remedy my situation with the soft stroke of a baby brush is akin to keeping Iran in line with diplomacy. In all likelihood, it would get lodged in there, leaving me looking like a Jewish, female version of Questlove.
I know I'm not supposed to covet anything that is my neighbor's, but oh, I have sheitel envy. It just doesn't seem fair that women who have already landed their beshert get to have better hair, too. Make no mistake, I am not looking to take anyone's sheitel from them, chas v'shalom. But even on days other than Shabbos, when I've had a blowout to make up for my Shabbos hair, I look around at other women during Jewish events and see gorgeous, glossy wigs of every length, style, and color. What really gets me, though, is their enthusiasm. It's contagious. Jewish women love their sheitels. And I find myself thinking, "Wow, I cannot wait to wear a wig."
I should probably confess here that I really had a problem with the idea of wearing a wig when I began studying for my Orthodox conversion. I knew people who had had all manners of plastic surgery, which I didn't blink at, but the thought of covering my hair, and with more hair, to boot, was just so weird to me. As I grew in my observance, my education, and my contact with Orthodox Jews, however, I realized that I had been projecting my negative associations with religion onto these women. For so many years, I had viewed organized religion as oppressive and restrictive. So, even as I was falling in love with Judaism, it took a while for me to realize that the mitzvot are not taken on grudgingly, but with excitement for the opportunity to fulfill a commandment of Hashem. For this reason, we aim to perform each mitzvah as beautifully as we can. A wig not only allows a married woman to perform the mitzvah of covering her hair, it also reflects the beauty of her devotion to her family. I finally got it: It's not about who's on the market and who isn't. A married woman should look even more beautiful than a single one, because she has the beauty of more mitzvot on her side.
In a way, it's very fitting that my beshert will see my Shabbos hair in all its tangled glory before he puts a ring on it. One, if it doesn't scare him off, he's a keeper. But more importantly, Judaism teaches that a person can transform even their greatest weakness into their greatest strength. My husband, as my partner in life, will accept me and all my flaws—physical and spiritual—and then he will help me turn each one into something beautiful.


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Paul Bosley is the national marketing director for First Financial. His health club industry experience includes working for Titan Management Co., Healthclubexperts.com, Q Sports Clubs and Bally HTCA/Holiday Health & Fitness Centers. He has a bachelor's degree in health science and recreation management and is studying to get his associate's degree in accounting. He has spoken at the Club Industry and International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association conferences. For more information about leasing, please contact Paul at 800-956-7313 or by e-mailing [email protected].
With many health club owners unable to qualify for a traditional loan, accessing working capital is a serious challenge. A cash advance is one option that club owners can consider, as long as they are aware of its advantages and disadvantages.
Dan Lenchner of Merchant Cash and Capital manages a division of the company that specializes in health clubs.
"Health club owners, like most small business owners, are having a very difficult time attaining capital in these economic times," Lenchner says. "Now, with a cash advance, club owners have the ability to access capital that could be used to meet payroll, acquire new equipment, pay taxes, open a new location, advertise or simply get through a slow period. There is no easier or faster way to access working capital."
Since a cash advance is relatively new to our industry, many club owners are not familiar with this financial product. Simply put, a cash advance allows business owners to access working capital now in exchange for sales to be made in the future. A cash advance should not to be confused with a loan, a lease or a factoring agreement because the lender is purchasing your club's future sales at a discount with no fixed repayment schedule.
Since the majority of club members pay their retail transactions and their monthly dues by credit card, this financial vehicle is perfect for our industry. The amount of the cash advance is based on your club's average monthly credit card volume. Typically, the cash advance amount allowed will be any amount up to 125 percent of your club's average Visa and MasterCard monthly processing volume. As an example, if your club averages $40,000 per month in MasterCard and Visa transactions, you may receive any cash advance amount ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.
What is unique to cash advances is that there is no fixed time or schedule of repayment and no fixed interest rate. Alternatively, a mutually agreed-upon fixed percentage is deducted from the club's daily credit card batch. Therefore, the club is not writing checks and is repaying only a percentage of the MasterCard/Visa sales.
Some key benefits of cash advances are:
- They do not require a personal guarantee.
- The approval process is not based upon personal credit scores—a major criteria for lease and loan approvals.
- The approval process is the fastest and easiest way to access working capital.
- Cash advances are off balance sheet financing and do not appear on the owner's personal credit reports or the company balance sheet.
- As an alternative to equity financing, your company receives a cash infusion without soliciting new business partners.
- The repayment agreement is a percentage of future sales, not a fixed payment. Most repayment agreements are for one year, but if sales are slow, your payment automatically reduces and the term to repay can be extended beyond a year.
Two down sides exist to cash advances. Until the future sales purchased is fully repaid, you can't determine the interest rate you will end up paying. Since the club company is selling X amount of future sales for Y amount of an advance today, the loan term cannot be predicted (even though many are set for one year) because no one knows for sure how long it will take for those future sales to be generated. The repayment is based upon an agreed percentage of each future sale ranging from 10 percent up to 30 percent, and it continues until the cash advance amount has been repaid. Because cash advances are unsecured and the lender could lose some or all the cash advance amount if the club goes out of business before repaying, the lender is making a high-risk loan. That usually means the interest rate will end up being higher in the long run for the borrower.
Another caution on cash advances is that since the use of capital is totally unrestricted unlike a loan or a lease, club owners receiving cash advances should be discriminating with the use of funds. As with any debt instrument, the club owner should use the funds wisely and be sure that receiving a cash advance will improve the business. Like any other form of debt financing, the key to success in business is to use capital wisely to create profit and net income.
To qualify for a cash advance approval, a health club owner must have been in business for more than six months and must have accepted credit cards as a form of payment for at least three months. On a personal basis, the owners cannot have open bankruptcies within the past seven years and cannot have outstanding judgments or pending litigation. The underwriting process is not credit driven, which means that owners with credit scores of less than 700 are approved regularly.
As stated earlier, the application process is simple compared to applying for a lease or a loan. In order to apply for a cash advance, you need to provide complete bank statements and merchant processing statements for the last three months, a copy of your articles of incorporation, your driver's license, your building lease agreement and a voided check. For transactions of more than $35,000, you need to provide a copy of your most recent tax returns or interim financial statements. Since the application process is simpler than with a lease or a loan, the funding can take place within seven to 14 days. In time sensitive business situations, receiving the funds quickly may be an important feature to the club owner.
Since the funding and repayment is conducted through your credit card terminal, your merchant account will be switched over to a new credit card processor. An additional benefit to your company is that your new merchant fees paid on MasterCard/Visa sales will probably be less than your current merchant account rates. As a result, your company will save money on all future MasterCard/Visa sales, which will add to your bottom line—a nice long-term benefit.