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To listen to the reaction from the college basketball establishment, you'd think that Barack Obama's secretary of education has just asked them to climb Mt. Everest barefoot in their boxer shorts and T-shirts.
What Arne Duncan actually did ask was that college basketball teams have a 40 percent graduation rate. Players in good academic standing who leave early for the NBA or to transfer to another school aren't counted in figuring that rate.
Any team that can't meet that minimum standard wouldn't be allowed to participate in March Madness.
If that rule were in effect this year, 11 of the 65 teams that began the NCAA tournament would be out, including one of the No. 1 seeds, Kentucky, whose graduation rate is 31 percent. The only way that can be considered good is by comparison to Maryland's rate, which is 8 percent. You would think the school could graduate that many kids just by accident.
I like this rule. It requires that the kids the TV announcers insist on calling student-athletes and even scholar-athletes actually be required to learn something during their years in college. (They get six years to graduate under Duncan's proposal.) It demands that colleges actually educate athletes instead of using them to fill the coffers of the athletic department and to make the alumni proud.
The NCAA doesn't like it. Nor do many basketball coaches. Of course they wouldn't. It holds them to a standard. It demands that they do their jobs.
The NCAA argues that it has its own standards, which it does. As with everything the NCAA does, it's not as simple as seeing how many kids graduate. It measures a bunch of factors and spits out a score. If a school doesn't meet the baseline score for two straight years, it can lose scholarships or even be banned from postseason play.
But where Duncan's 40 percent graduation rate would keep 11 schools out, the NCAA's stringent criteria has kept just one school out, and it's not one many people know of: Centenary. Three more — Georgia Tech, Tennessee and New Mexico State — have had scholarships taken away.
And even the NCAA's minimal standards draw complaints.
Coaches love to whine that any rules that establish academic standards deny the chance to get an education to a poor — and highly talented — kid. But it's the coaches who don't want to be denied the opportunity to put a uniform on a kid who has no interest in getting an education. If the coaches were worried about poor kids being shut out of college, they'd be raising money for scholarships for disadvantaged kids of every stripe, including those who can't play the kazoo, let alone basketball.
Nobody's saying kids can't go to college anyway. Colleges can admit anyone they wish. Duncan's just saying if you're going to exploit kids for the betterment of the athletic department, you have an obligation to educate them.
But listen to Bruce Pearl, the Tennessee coach who has lost scholarships because he can't meet even the NCAA's minimal standards.
"I share the pain in not having student-athletes graduate," Pearl told the Associated Press. "But I don't want to deny the opportunity to students that aren't prepared. And I'm going to stand up here and I'm going to fight for the student-athletes that come in and aren't as prepared."
Puh-lease! Pearl's going to fight to get kids into school who have less interest in going to class than a cat has in taking swimming lessons. He's going to fight for the right to give a college scholarship to kids who couldn't locate Russia from Sarah Palin's front porch.
And he could still do that. Although Duncan would raise the bar slowly over time, he's not asking that every kid graduate or even go to class all that often. Under his proposal, all kids who leave early for the NBA don't go against the count. And six of every 10 kids don't have to graduate. So Pearl or any other coach can have nine academic failures and six actual students on a 15-man roster.
That means every starter and four subs can screw off. Where's the hardship in that?
NCAA spokesman Bob Williams said the NCAA wants to improve academic performance. Then came the big "but," which is that they don't want to do it Duncan's way.
"What we want to do at the end of the day is change behavior so that when people come to college, they have to be prepared to do the work and institutions are prepared to support them academically," Williams said.
It sounds good, but the nation's institutions of higher learning have had infinity years — or close to it — to raise their standards for athletes. And still there are 11 schools in this year's tournament that can't graduate 40 percent of their players in six years.
The 11 and their rates, according to the AP, are: Maryland (8 percent graduation rate), California (20 percent), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (29 percent), Washington (29 percent), Tennessee (30 percent), Kentucky 31 percent, Baylor (36 percent), Missouri (36 percent), New Mexico State (36 percent), Clemson (37 percent), Georgia Tech (38 percent) and Louisville (38 percent).
There are some big programs in there, programs that make a lot of money by giving scholarships to kids who either can't do the work or aren't asked to. Either way, it's gone beyond shameful.
Normally, I don't like it when Washington meddles in sports, particularly the professional variety. But this is one time when a bureaucrat is right.
Arne Duncan knows from hoops. He played varsity ball at Harvard. He also managed to graduate. It shouldn't be unreasonable to ask that four out of 10 athletes do the same.


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They're still shooting the Spider-Man reboot, and already they've hired the writer to bang out another chapter. This is a good thing, right?
James Vanderbilt, who's also written "Zodiac" and "The Losers," has been asked to write a follow-up to "The Amazing Spider-Man," reported Heat Vision.
The latest chapter of your friendly neighborhood webslinger, starring Andrew Garfield in the title, with Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy and Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard, finishes shooting in April with an eye toward release on July 3, 2012.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
We know that a sequel to director Marc Webb's Spidey saga was inevitable, but the fact that Vanderbilt is being brought back for the next one is a pretty strong indication that the studio is happy with what they've seen thus far.

subset: commoncrawl


text: DescriptionIt's not always enough to pry a bottle cap off a bottle. Sometimes, you have to utterly humiliate that feeble bottle cap, and that's exactly what this magnetic bottle opener allows you to do. This little device is a bottle cap's worst nightmare. Fit it over a capped bottle, give it a firm push, and the spring-loaded mechanism activates to yank the cap right off. Faster than standard bottle openers and exceedingly more ruthless, this baby will be the talk of the party.


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You receive two versions - one for regular stitching only and one to use Angelina Film or Fibers for the seven swans. You will also receive full instructions to make the project shown including how to make a very fancy background fabric! The embroidery is designed for a 10 inch block in the medium size, a 12 inch block in the large and a 14 inch block in the jumbo not including the sashings.
4 Designs each in 3 sizes MLJ Check Sizes
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All of our machine embroidery Fun Set designs will come in any or all of the following hoop sizes: (You will receive links to download all sizes available and all formats)Small for 4 x 4 inch hoop, Medium for 5 x 7 inch hoop, Large for 6 x 10 inch hoop, and Jumbo 8 x 12 inch hoop.Each design description above will state the sizes the set comes in: S, M, L, J standing for Small, Medium, Large and Jumbo. These will be written SML, meaning Small, Medium and Large, or perhaps MLJ, meaning Medium Large and Jumbo, or even SMLJ meaning the set comes in all four hoop sizesFormats Available: ART3, ART4, DST, EXP, HUS, JEF, PES, VIP, XXXIf your format is not listed email us.
These designs are copyrighted and are the property of Susan Makalinaw and BFC Creations.


text: It's easy to send beautiful birthday flowers to someone's home or office and delivery can be arranged for any time Monday - Saturday. Below are our most popular birthday gifts that you can have delivered to celebrate someone's special day. Don't forget to add a balloon, box of candy to make your gift extra special. We guarantee freshness, quality, and on-time delivery.


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NOTTINGHAM - India number 11 Mohammed Shami embarrassed England with the bat and then ensured home captain Alastair Cook's poor run of scores continued as the tourists seized control of the first Test at Trent Bridge.
India piled up 457 on Thursday's second day on the back of a record last-wicket stand against England of 111 between Bhuvneshwar Kumar (58) and last man Shami (51 not out). Both batsmen scored maiden fifties at this level as they exceeded their previous Test-best innings of 39 (Kumar) and 11 (Shami) respectively. Shami then made it 25 innings for Cook since the last of his England record 25 Test hundreds when he bowled him round his legs for five after the ball deflected off the left-handed opener's thigh pad.
Cook's exit left England nine for one, with both Kumar and Shami, who took one for 15 in five overs, finding a degree of swing with the new ball that largely eluded the home pacemen. However, Sam Robson (20 not out) and Gary Ballance (15 not out) saw England to 43 for one at stumps. England had looked like dismissing India for under 400, which would have been a decent effort on such a sluggish surface when the tourists slumped to 346 for nine after several self-inflicted wounds. But for the second time in as many Tests at Trent Bridge, England found themselves on the receiving end of a huge last-wicket stand after Australia's Phil Hughes and Ashton Agar put on a world record 163 last year, in a match Cook's side won nonetheless.
England might have been expecting some runs from Kumar, who has a first-class hundred behind him. But the batting of Shami, who prior to this match had a Test average of 3.33, was something else. Their stand comfortably surpassed India's previous highest tenth-wicket partnership against England of 73 shared by Anil Kumble and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth at The Oval in 2007.
It also emphasised what a good toss it had been for India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni to win and how tired England's seamers had become after charging in on a 'shirt-front' pitch.
In the circumstances, Stuart Broad's economical return of two for 53 in 33 overs on his Nottinghamshire home ground was especially creditable.
Meanwhile new-ball partner James Anderson extended his own record for most Test wickets at Trent Bridge to 52 with three for 123 in 38 overs. But England's lack of a specialist spinner, and the workload problems this could lead to in a five-match series crammed into six weeks, was emphasised by part-time off-break bowler Moeen Ali's expensive return of one for 97 in 18 overs.
India resumed Thursday on 259 for four with opener Murali Vijay 122 not out and Dhoni unbeaten on 50. Given the conditions on another sunny day, England could ill-afford to spurn chances. But when Dhoni, still on his overnight score, edged a full-length Broad delivery, wicketkeeper Matt Prior, diving to his right, dropped the one-handed catch. Vijay's near eight-hour innings eventually ended when he was lbw to Anderson, having faced 361 balls, including 25 fours and a six. He also put on 126 for the fifth wicket with Dhoni.
India were well-placed at 342 for five at lunch. But shortly afterwards they lost four wickets for two runs in 21 balls thanks to a mixture of poor shots allied to Dhoni's needless run out for 82. But England, without a win in eight Tests, then ran into Kumar and Shami. Cook's unusual field settings and the seamers' efforts to 'rough up' the last-wicket pair came to nothing. Kumar completed a 133-ball fifty with a single off Anderson. And the very next ball saw Shami reach the landmark in style with a straight six off the England spearhead, having faced just 73 balls including six fours. Shami eventually chipped Ali to mid-on but the damage to England had long since been done.
M Vijay lbw b Anderson 146
S Dhawan c Prior b Anderson 12
C Pujara c Bell b Anderson 38
V Kohli c Bell b Broad 1
A Rahane c Cook b Plunkett 32
MS Dhoni run out 82
R Jadeja c Prior b Stokes 25
S Binny c Root b Stokes 1
B Kumar c Root b Ali 58
I Sharma b Broad 1
M Shami not out 51
EXTRAS: (b1, lb8, w1) 10
TOTAL: (all out, 161 overs) 457
BOWLING: Anderson 38-10-123-3; Broad 33-13-53-2; Stokes 34-6-81-2; Plunkett 37-8-88-1; Ali 18-0-97-1; Root 1-0-6-0
A Cook b Shami 5
S Robson not out 20
G Ballance not out 15
EXTRAS: (w1, nb2) 3
TOTAL: (1 wkt, 17 overs) 43
BOWLING: Kumar 4-0-12-0; Shami 5-1-15-1; Sharma 5-1-12-0; Jadeja 2-1-3-0; Binny 1-0-1-0
TOSS: India
UMPIRES: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI), Bruce Oxenford (AUS)
TV UMPIRE: Ian Gould (ENG)
MATCH REFEREE: David Boon (AUS)


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Threads for December 2007
December 2007
[2] Re: Raith Free Today (Sunday Dec 2) 14-19, tomorrow (Monday Dec 3) 8-9
[2] Re: 8:30am-1p tomorrow free
[1] Raith free tonight 8-10pm
[1] I will be late to my session but I NEED it. 10pm session.
[1] REMINDER: "Take A Spin with Me" -- Ebeam Resist Handling Training on the Headway. Tuesday December 4, 2007 from 10:15 - 12:30
[1] Read Me: Warning for ALL USERS on the HEADWAY2 coater. Be sure to return bottles to solvent storage and also be sure to clean spinner chucks after use.
[1] Raith free now till 4am
[1] Please return all RAITH off line dongles to me
[1] Please remove all samples from the Ebeam Lab Pass Through by Friday December 14th.
[1] raith released Friday 2-6am
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[1] raith done early, free until 14;30
[1] robot arm error; raith not usable right now
[1] Please return the RAITH Dongle to me ASAP
[1] Re: Shutdown raith SNF 2007-12-07 18:14:42: need a second replacement loader belt]
[1] Raith will be off line for users through Wednesday AM for repairs.
[1] Raith Holiday Shutdown Schedule and Maintenance Plan
[2] RAITH is up!
[2] Re: share raith time today 18:00-24:00?
[1] Raith time today 7:30-13:00 released
[1] Problem raith SNF 2007-12-18 16:53:31: load problems resurface -- Transfer arm encoder errors at inner position
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Doodle Jump full review
Back in summer 2009, before Rovio's animated heroes even contemplated crossing wing with snout, another mobile game was storming the App Store. It enjoyed incredible success on the iPhone, and versions quickly sprung up for the larger-screened iPad, plus Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Symbian and Xbox 360 - too quickly, you might suggest, since developer Lima Sky has now taken the original iOS version and properly optimised it for Android, replacing that offered by GameHouse. It's now available for free, we might add. See Best Android Apps.
Of course we're talking about Doodle Jump, a delightfully hand-drawn jumping game that takes a simple sheet of graph paper as its stage. You play Doodler, an odd-looking creature who uses his long nose to shoot monsters when you tap the screen. The phone's accelerometer lets you move between platforms, dodging black holes, UFOs and broken or disappearing platforms to get as high as possible, at no point falling below the visible screen area. You'll notice lines sketched in the margins to mark your earlier achievements. See Android Advisor.
Power-ups are offered by springs and trampolines, propeller hats and jetpacks, which change their appearance in accordance with the selected theme. Easter, for example, might see you strap a pair of carrots to your back and blast up the page, whereas Space seats you in a rocket. There are 10 themes in all, including Jungle, Soccer, Underwater, Snow, Halloween and Ice, which help to keep the otherwise repetitive game fresh.
But while Doodle Jump is repetitive, it's also insanely addictive. The tilt controls worked faultlessly on our Sony Xperia P, making one-handed gameplay on the commute to the office an absolute doddle, and leaving us concerned only with reaching that next platform.
A global scoreboard lets you challenge other Doodle Jumpers on a daily, weekly or all-time basis, although you'll need to know your friends' handles to directly compete with them. Facebook or Twitter integration may have been useful here, although the ability to challenge the best-ever Doodle Jumper may make more sense if you're the most competitive player within your circle of friends.
With the best score of all time (at least on Android) currently sitting at 539,137, attempting to reach the top of the Doodle Jump leaderboard could easily become a source of frustration. There are also 20 achievements to complete, from jumping on three springs in a row to surviving a UFO abduction; combined with the various themes, Doodle Jump is the game you just can't put down.
We have only two gripes: one concerns the game's lengthy loading time, and the other the necessary evil that is ads displayed at the end of each game. Skipping some of these made our screen go blank, and we had to switch off and on the display to access the Play again button. If you can't put up with these, pay 99p to remove the ads.
Doodle Jump: Specs
- Varies with device


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Chef Michel Quissac is standing in a galley kitchen in an Air France A-340 Airbus, 30,000 feet over the Atlantic between Paris and Montreal. The corporate chef of Servair (Air France's catering firm), Quissac is staring down into a metal tray of vegetable bâtonnets. He never actually utters the word "Zut!" but there's no missing the crush of anxiety on his brow.
"The vegetables have gotten watery," he says while swirling them around the container, "which means the sauce around the duck filet in the final dish will be diluted."
He takes the elements of the dish over to Chef Michel Roth, who shares his concerns. Roth, the oh-so charismatic executive chef of the two-Michelin-starred L'Espadon restaurant at the Paris Ritz, conceived the dish along with five others to be launched in February for Air France's business-class customers. He, along with Quissac and Servair's executive chef, Roger Passet, flew from Paris to Montreal to test out Roth's new signature menu.
It's not every day you see chefs dish up duck, veal and shrimp in an airplane, but to determine whether the duck's vegetables would be watery, the veal would become tough or the spinach underneath the shrimp might turn grey, this white-jacketed trio did just that.
Some eight French and Canadian journalists, including yours truly, were on hand to test the results. We weren't expecting a replica of Roth's Ritzy cuisine in an airplane, but the results were impressive. And the road from the conception of an airline dish to sampling the end result was fascinating.
I have travelled business class on rare occasions, but most of the time I'm that person in coach sitting in the last row next to the washrooms, near that crying baby, beside the snoring guy drooling on my shoulder. Lovely. Yet as much as I dislike flying for all the reasons we all dislike flying, I cannot deny I'm a sucker for airplane food.
I still recall that unexpectedly delicious penne Alfredo I wolfed back on an Air Transat charter in the '90s, that awful turkey roll stuffed with green peppers on a bed of watery rice with insipid carrots I ate on CP Air in the '70s and that indigestion-inducing hot pocket handed out on an Air Canada flight from London this summer. So when Air France invited me to come test its new menus on the Paris-to-Montreal flight, this closet airline-food aficionado was intrigued.
Airline food isn't just something we all love to hate, it's a huge enterprise. On a daily basis, Air France serves 250 first-class meals, 2,500 business-class meals and a whopping 10,000 coach meals on 51 routes across the planet. Think about it: That's 3,650,000 little triangles of President camembert placed on that plastic tray each year. Whoa.
In an obvious effort to woo the business-class customer, Air France has turned to one of its country's great strengths — food! — to up the experience. For the past three years, some of the country's most celebrated chefs, including Joël Robuchon, Jacques Le Divellec and Guy Martin, have created dishes for both first- and business-class travellers.
When planning his menu, Roth said his first goal is to stay true to his style, which he describes as "evolutive classic French."
Said Roth: "My aim here was to make sure the dishes had real, authentic flavours."
Considering the shall we say less-than-stellar reputation of airplane food, does Roth worry his creations will suffer when he's not around to make sure the sauce on the duck dish isn't diluted by the vegetables?
"Definitely," he answered. "There's a great deal of trust involved. It's teamwork. You have to create that complicity. We're all giving 100 per cent."
So what goes into creating a dish like, say, Roth's stewed veal with verbena and vegetable fricassée?
"Every detail is a big deal," Quissac said. "The timing is a big deal. The choice of dishes is a big deal. And with Air France, people expect more because we're French. But a flight isn't just about the food. A flight is also whether the plane was on time, if there was turbulence and if you received your luggage. But the business-class fare from Paris to Tokyo is 11,000 euros, so the food had better be good. From what we hear, people compare notes on the food in business-class lounges. That said, many people who travel in business class just want to sleep."
When planning the dishes, Quissac says everything from the chosen spices to the food's texture to being sure you're serving crowd-pleasing dishes come into play. As does the way the food will be reheated.
"You can't serve a quenelle on an airplane," Passet told me. "They tend to explode."
I don't think quenelles could be considered a terrorist threat, yet for an airline chef, such culinary catastrophes must be taken into consideration.
"Saffron is off limits," Quissac said.
"Too expensive?" I asked.
"No," he answered, "when you reheat dishes with saffron it smells up the cabin and bothers passengers. The same goes for garlic."
As for ingredients, Quissac explains the choices there are crucial as well.
"If a chef we work with suggests a dish with deer or rabbit, we know he's not the right person for us. We'll serve those meats in first class, but we can't use ingredients that are too expensive, too fragile or whose availability is limited. And the fish must only be sustainable varieties."
Though happy to discuss the challenges of serving bouillabaisse on an airplane, the chefs become a little tight-lipped when asked about food cost. Though they will not mention numbers beyond saying the airline has upped its investment in food recently, they will acknowledge the business-class meal costs two-thirds of that of the first-class meal and the economy tray costs one-fifth.
All economy meals are produced with industrial-quality foodstuffs (ready-made, as in frozen vegetables), whereas business-class meals are a mix of ready-made and fabricated by the catering company (such as the sous-vide cooked veal on Roth's dish).
For first-class meals, everything — foie gras terrines included — is made in-house and dishes are assembled on the plane, whereas dishes are reheated directly on the serving plates in business class. And we all know about those plastic trays in economy.
When asked whether there were any major failures over the years, Quissac shook his head then looked up and said, "Wait, yes, shark, we served it years ago on one of our Caribbean flights and it was considered too lowly a fish by many of the local business-class travellers. And there were problems in first class with dishes like pot-au-feu and braised beef cheeks that weren't 'status' enough. Few opted for it, but then we changed the name to 'mignonette de boeuf braisé' and it worked."
When evaluating the business-class meal later in my seat, much of what the chefs explained came into play. The lettuce leaf between the scallops and the foie gras on the starter plate was there to separate two dishes that were once served separately but then placed together to shorten the meal time (in business class, it's all about lights out and sleep time). The shrimp on my main course was kept tender by a treatment in which they are first brined in salt water, and the red rice served underneath was ideally portioned: copious without being overfilling (overstuffing is undesirable in air travel).
Though the promised tarragon seasoning was too slight and the calamari was more of a garnish, on the whole, Roth's "calamari with shrimp, lobster sauce with tarragon, red rice and baby spinach" (his favourite of the plates) was seriously delicious. OK, it wasn't the last word in fine-dining, but we're miles away from the pepper-filled turkey roll doused in brown sauce here.
Alas, this all-too-brief foray into high-altitude fine-dining was a rare treat. But for those of us unable to fork over some $6,000 for a Montreal-Paris return Air France business ticket, good news: The airline will soon be offering a series of five different food trays for those willing to go above and beyond the standard economy meal. Priced from $23 to $32, the trays can be ordered at the time you book your ticket.
The priciest tray comes via the chic Parisian catering outfit Lenôtre, yet one of the lesser-priced trays, "Tradition," includes foie gras and duck confit.
Already, the option is popular on test flights, and Air France officials expect to offer this meal option within the next six months. It may not be the shrimp dish I lapped up in business, but it's nice to have an alternative to that overpriced sandwich we pick up in the departure lounge, a little something to make that long flight less tedious and more delicious.


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Dose of love? Writing your own future
The Background
Twenty-five-year-old med student Erin applied for the Challenge way back in the fall, but getting a date scheduled seemed darn near impossible: Just as Matchmaker made her a match, Erin left for Guatemala for several months; when she came back, her match was no longer available.
But Matchmaker persisted, and it wasn't long before another hot prospect popped up.
Stephen, a 27-year-old writer and MFA candidate at UVA, told Matchmaker he was tired of quiet nights spent at home pounding away on his old Underwood he wanted love (or was it lust?) and he wanted it tout de suite...
The Date
Stephen and Erin met at The Ivy Inn on Old Ivy Road. After dinner, they planned to stargaze at the McCormick Observatory.
How did you get ready for the date?
Stephen: I ran six miles that morning because my roommate told me it would make me calmer all day. I was calmer than usual afterward, but also never wanted to run anywhere ever again.
Erin: I've had my fair share of problems with finding places. So I made sure to locate the Ivy Inn while I was out on Friday afternoon.
Were you first or second to arrive?
Stephen: Second! I was late! It's a curse. I swore to myself, hours before I left, I wouldn't be late. I'm late for everything. But for a blind date? Unacceptable. Then I was late. Only five minutes, I think. I felt very guilty.
Erin: First. I tried to take in the surroundings– the Inn is really cute; it's obviously an old farmhouse but now very stylishly decorated with subtle lighting and antique furniture. I also eavesdropped on a little old lady in the next room. She was dining alone and chatting with the waiter. Rich old ladies are so interesting!
Were you nervous?
Stephen: Terrified, but I calmed down very quickly. Erin and I were talking comfortably in a matter of minutes.
Erin: I was nervous when I first walked in, but having time to sit by myself a little bit allowed me to get it together.
What did you think of your date?
Stephen: I was attracted to Erin right off the bat. They had a lovely corner of the restaurant reserved for us, dim lighting, very nice.
Erin: I was very pleasantly surprised! All I knew was that he was a writer, and having a pessimistic streak, I decided he was probably going to be melodramatic and brooding, with scrungy hair and a goatee. Steve is definitely handsome, with a friendly presence that put me at ease quickly. He greeted me with a hug.
How was your date dressed?
Stephen: Hmm... Purple top, black pants. Simple, pretty.
Erin: This reminds me of one of those "eyewitness" testimonies, where all of the people who supposedly saw a crime remember something slightly different. So, I think I remember he was wearing a button-up navy blue shirt, maybe with some little white lines in it? And a dark shirt underneath? Whatever the details, my gestalt was that he looked very put together, in a relaxed way.
What did you order at The Ivy Inn...
Erin: I'm practically a teetotaler, so I'm dumb as a post about wines. We ordered a bottle, and I gave a valiant effort at drinking some of it, but then I thought I felt dizzy, so I decided to stick to the water.
Stephen: Erin was drinking a Coke when I showed up. We got a bottle of wine. She barely touched her glass, and I, of course, was knocking mine back. I felt a little self-conscious about this. Until maybe the third glass.
Erin: The Inn outdid itself. We didn't order off the menu; their chef had a special menu for us. We counted it up, and there were actually eight different things brought out over the evening! I'm a vegetarian, so my main entrée was fresh green beans, sautéed spinach, curried sweet potatoes, and little roasted potatoes. We also had had a teeny demitasse of soup (black bean for me), green salad with walnuts, a mushroom and cheese appetizer.... Everything was in small portions, which was perfect– we could sample lots of neat things but not feel stuffed at the end.
Stephen: The eight-course "something special" the cook had prepared for us was spectacular, indescribably delicious. Soup in an espresso cup, a little salad, some kind of mushroom patty, delicious beef... it got better and better.
Erin: Dessert was dee-lish! They brought out a plate with samples of all of their desserts: warm banana bread pudding, a tiny creme brulée, a profiterole (cream puff) with cappuccino ice cream. And that wasn't the end. After dessert was gone, they brought out a little chocolate pecan praline! Our waiter did a good job of being available but not intrusive. With the secluded corner, the special menu, and the personalized service, I felt like some sort of royalty.
Stephen: I spent a good part of the night wishing I were a restaurant reviewer so I could give the place its due.
So while you were gorging, did you manage to talk?
Stephen: We talked about so many things. Her globe-trotting childhood, travel, medicine, writing, lots more.
Erin: We covered childhood pizza fantasies, kayaking mishaps, embarrassing fathers, the dearth of radio in Charlottesville, "Car Talk"– all the important stuff.
Did you have a lot in common?
Stephen: Yes, and more came out the more we talked.
Erin: On the surface, no. A medical student who likes to run marathons and is going into the Army, and an MFA student who writes plays and is going to Russia. But somehow I felt like we had a lot in common– maybe that's good-enough to have things be interesting.
Stephen: I was very impressed with the marathons. And also that she's willing and even eager to spend some eight years of her life in Army medicine once she's done with school.
Erin: In preparation for leaving, he's sold his car and walks or bikes around. I don't know if I could be that un-materialistic! I love my car. The other interesting thing was that, before knowing that he was going to do this, he had written a play for Barhoppers. The play was about a blind date. Not only that, he wrote it about a blind date with a med student! Premonition?
Was there anything you really disliked?
Stephen: Just her habit of digging in her molars with a fingernail between courses. No, I'm kidding. There was nothing.
Erin: Nope.
How was the body language?
Stephen: There was some flirting. By the end of the meal, we were both leaning in a bit.
Erin: I don't think I ever learned how to flirt. At least not when I wanted to. So I don't think so, although often that stuff goes right by me.
Did you go to the Observatory?
Stephen: By the time it finally occurred to us to head to the Observatory, it was already closed. We realized we'd been at The Ivy Inn for three hours. Passed like 20 minutes. That's a very good sign.
Erin: We stayed at the restaurant till about 10.
How did it end?
Stephen: Very interesting. Erin drove me home. I wasn't sure I was ready to go home, and wasn't sure she wanted to drop me off, but it was late-ish, and it seemed clear we'd see each other again, so...
Erin: Steve got my number, said he hoped to see me again soon, and we thanked each other for the lovely evening.
How did it really end?
Stephen: She put the car in park. She may have just been getting ready to back out, but my heart was pounding. We kissed in the car for a while. Very nice.
Erin: MYOB ;)
Did you have fun?
Stephen: To say the least.
Erin: Yes– much more than I expected! It was a pretty singular evening. I've had nice dinners before, and I've met cool new people before, but I don't think I've ever had both at the same time. It far exceeded my expectations– made me glad I'd gone out on a limb.
Would you see this person again?
Stephen: No question.
Erin: Already have.
Overall date experience?
Stephen: 9
Erin: 10
Well, it looks as though the little delay for the Guatemala trip didn't make any difference. Now we'll have to wait and see if this budding romance can survive Stephen's upcoming Siberian winter.


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Since the scandals have appeared, I've been reading up on the issues at play and much of what I've got to say in this post is based on the knowledge that I gleaned from these sources. The sources include The Juice by Will Carroll, Game of Shadows, the Last Nine Innings, and various other articles/books.
HISTORY OF IPEDs
The usage of IPED's isn't exactly a new phenomena. In fact, they have existed pretty much throughout human history in one form or another. In the ancient Olympics, Spartan "coaches" gave their athletes various herbs and mushroom concoctions to give them the competitive edge. The substances dulled their pain and brought about psychotic like effects. In ancient
So, all in all, perhaps it shouldn't have been unexpected to see the emergence of IPEDs in professional baseball. Sadly, baseball seems to be a sport in which IPEDs provide a wide range of heretofore unseen advantages. Fans, myself included, laughed when Alex Sanchez was caught using IPEDs. We were incredulous when pitchers were discovered to have used IPEDs. But, in reality, the benefits of IPEDs extend through to the minutest elements of the game.
Power: Clearly, IPEDs can make a hitter stronger and enable him to hit the ball farther.
Speed: Olympic sprinters certainly aren't doping so they can hit 500 foot homers.
Plate Discipline/Batting Eye: There have been reports that some IPEDs (HGH, etc) actually improve eyesight. I tend to think that that's more likely a psychosomatic effect, but at the very least a quicker/faster swing means that the hitter can let the pitch get much deeper before he has to commit to a swing. If you can react a split second later and let the pitch get a foot closer, but still get around on the pitch, then you'll have a much better chance to recognize the pitch type and its chances to end up in the strike zone.
Arm Strength: Pitchers can benefit by getting stronger legs, core, and arm, which will obviously lead to improvements in velocity.
Recovery Time: IPEDs enable people to recovery much faster from the damage done in workouts. While this is one of the main reasons for the impressive bulk, it also can help pitchers. Pitchers who would typically be in substantial pain the day after working can now reduce the pain and recovery time, which would enable them to work more frequently at a higher performance level. This especially helps relief pitchers, who may have to work on back to back days.
Obviously, the impact of IPEDs is not limited to only the hulking power hitters. In fact, there is hardly an aspect of the game that couldn't conceivably be aided by IPEDs. And, the next wave of IPEDs will likely only become more effective and less detectable.
Unfortunately, the ever increasing popularity of sports has led to always rising revenue streams. That of course means that there are vastly higher rewards for elite athletes. In and of itself, that's not a bad thing, but it has led to athletes who are always looking for an advantage. They are willing to risk everything for a chance to play at the highest level, which means that there are people out there who are willing to provide what they need to get there. Sadly, neither MLB nor the Players' Association was able to step up and prevent the inevitable. Maybe they wouldn't have been able to stave off the inevitable, but it would've been nice if they had stepped up to the plate.
Ultimately, the Players' Association chose to protect the rights of drug users over the well being of non-users. By refusing to be proactive and cooperate with a drug testing program, the union instead chose to continue to hold its power in a death grip. The union would rather face any cost than to give up even a shred of power to MLB. The union cared more about maintaining its power, than it did about privacy concerns of its players submitting to drug testing. As such, it made protecting its own power a priority over protecting its members. People who chose not to cheat were left at a competitive disadvantage against those who were willing to cheat. Sadly, I'm sure there are countless examples of honest ballplayers losing their jobs to chemical enhanced ballplayers. The emergence of IPEDs left the players to decide whether to risk losing their jobs, dreams, and livelihood to chemical enhanced players who may have had inferior skills prior to using IPEDs. In the end, the union failed to protect the right of its members to be clean, instead choosing to protect the right of its players to be dirty.
As much as I despise Barry Bonds, I think it has become clear that he took IPEDs in order to get the big money contract and fame that were being afforded to Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. He was jealous of the attention and money being lavished on the two sluggers, while his own prodigious accomplishments were being overlooked. Not to say that he has ANY justification for cheating, but a case could easily be made that he wouldn't have used IPEDs if the playing field had been level.
Unfortunately, despite its hand wringing in public, MLB never seems to do more than necessary to look good in public. It took heavy, heavy congressional pressure before both sides would agree on a deal. And, I'd certainly be willing to bet that throughout the years Selig and company view steroids as nothing more than a bargaining chip to gain a greater piece of the revenue pie in the collective bargaining agreement. At the very least, they never pressed very hard for a drug testing policy. In fact, MLB continues to send mixed messages on just how serious they are about ridding the game of IPEDs. Recently, Selig ignorantly stated that amphetamine usage was the greatest problem in the game today; overlooking the fact that Human Growth Hormone seems to be used throughout the game and still is undetectable to current testing methods. And, perhaps even more madding is that MLB recently used both Bonds and Giambi in a commercial to promote the All Star game. How serious can they be about punishing cheaters when they still use their images to promote the game? What kind of message does that send to potential users? We'll punish you when we need to look good, but will turn around and use you to sell tickets down the line? It's these types of things that make me wonder if MLB is actually serious about the elimination of IPEDs. Even if they don't care about anything more than money, they should certainly see that IPEDs aren't exactly a way to ensure strong profits.
THE ACTUALLY FINANCIAL IMPACT OF IPEDs in BASEBALL
While MLB was undoubtedly thrilled by both the revenue and positive publicity generated by the home run record chases, you'd think they'd have the foresight to look at the big picture. While homeruns may have sold more tickets and created a buzz in 1994, they have also brought about significant financial problems and terrible publicity over the past five years or so. If MLB doesn't take a serious stance against IPEDs, then the game's popularity may indeed be weakened in the next decade, which will reduce revenue streams.
Already, I don't think anyone actually cares about Barry Bonds's homerun chase, despite ESPN keeping a running tally on its baseball score ticker. And, the single season homerun record is also tarnished. How is anyone ever to get excited about a homerun chase again? Who is the single season record holder? Does anyone care?
Even if baseball doesn't choose to look at damage to the game's integrity and popularity, they should at least be aware of the rising financial cost of IPEDs. The American Journal of Sports Medicine completed a study of MLB and IPED usage to determine the financial impact. It found that the number of days lost to injuries increased by 60% from 1989 to 2001. MLB teams paid $1BN for players on the DL between 1997 and 2001, with $317M spent in 2001 alone. This is undoubtedly due in no small part to the use of IPEDs, which increase muscles past the point where the ligaments and tendons can support them. This has led to a dramatic increase in football style injuries, including muscle tears and strains.
Cleary, MLB still needs to get serious about testing. They need to get EXTREMELY proactive and implement the most stringent testing program in the world. Each team should ante up a sizable amount of money each year to fund a testing and research program. And, the players/union should contribute as well. It is in the best interests of all parties in baseball to clean the sport up. Testing is a very difficult process. The users will ALWAYS be a step ahead of the testers, because a drug has to be identified before it can be tested. Testers have to target certain drugs in order for testing to even work and they clearly can't do that if they don't know that a specific illegal performance enhancing drug even exists.
Regardless of the problems inherent in testing, baseball MUST continue to clean itself up. They've taken very reluctant steps towards doing so, but it will not work until they are serious about doing it themselves. Given the ever changing nature of testing programs, Congress isn't going to be able to stand over MLB's shoulder and ensure that they are performing stringent testing. MLB must itself take the initiative to have very proactive, comprehensive testing. But, sadly, it seems like they are already turning their focus in other directions.
The big test will be what happens when Barry Bonds retires and the career homerun record spotlight is no longer cast on a cheater everyday. When that happens will MLB step up and continue to clean up the game? Or will the reduced negative attention allow them to finally sweep it back under the rug until the next scandal breaks?
While Barry Bonds may slip away, the problem of illegal performance enhancing drugs NEVER will. As such, MLB must continue to be diligent in fighting it. If they don't, then they will be continually subjected to PR disasters and drug scandals, which may ultimately ruin the game's popularity. I, for one, don't want that to happen, but if they don't improve the situation, then the next Jason Grimsley, Jose Canseco, or Mets' clubhouse employee will always be right around the corner.


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- Say no to a chance to speak? Absolutely--if it's not going to work. This month's top post offers 7 times you should turn down a speaking gig.
- Learn from your audience via Twitter: I pulled a bunch of tweets from one observer of a conference--a well-known NPR staffer on Twitter--to illustrate what your audience can tell you. All I really need to know about public speaking I learned from Andy Carvin is the result, and this month's top post.
- How social media remixes public speaking looked at what's changing for speakers and the audience, and what you need to keep in mind when speaking these days.
- Should you be able to come up with a message quickly? I don't think so, and this popular post on why crafting a message should take some time explains why. You can apply it to many situations, not just formal speeches.
- How to lose your starting advantage as a speaker looks at the need for a strong start from a new perspective: the don'ts, rather than the do's.
- Are you in your message house? We talk a lot about crafting messages, but here's a simple strategy for making a message "house" to put your key points in context.
- Still struggling with ums? Based on recurring questions on Facebook, I've pulled a series of posts on "ums" to create the all-in-one on ums -- a post that drew lots of comments, especially from those who advocate eradicating ums entirely, or trying to.
- Speaker quest: In search of the shared experience used an impromptu conference thrown together with speakers stranded by the Icelandic volcano to share tips on how speakers can bring the crowd together by acknowledging situations larger than the group.
- Working on a short talk or timing in general? The TED website now lets you search for its popular talks by length, so you can practice your speech timing with them.
- This collection of readers' shared speaking tips rounds out this month's top 10. Be sure to leave your own best tip in the comments!
New! Sign up for The Eloquent Woman's free monthly newsletter, Step Up Your Speaking
Shop for books, technology and supplies for speakers at The Eloquent Woman's Speaker Resources Store


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Recent Memories we have recorded for our clients
Louise & Andrew – Wedding HighlightsNomadUK2017-01-15T21:36:53+00:00
Emma & Sean – Wedding HighlightsNomadUK2016-12-28T14:37:44+00:00
Laura & Tom – Wedding HighlightsNomadUK2016-12-28T14:37:44+00:00
Danny & Emma – Wedding HighlightsNomadUK2016-12-28T14:37:45+00:00
Chad & Hannah – Wedding HighlightsPeter Hine2016-12-28T14:37:45+00:00
Ross & Nichola – Wedding HighlightsPeter Hine2016-12-28T14:37:45+00:00
Some Words From Our Clients
We were married on the 24th August 2013 and we had the privilege of both peter and Jacqui filming the special day. We were both extremely happy with the service and would absolutely recommend to anyone. Perfect service.. many thanks..
We just had to say thanks so much for our amazing wedding video. You have completely captured the atmosphere and special moments of the day. The quality of the video and editing was just superb and all our friends and family have absolutely loved it! Thanks so much again we would have absolutely no reservation in recommending Butterfly Films to anyone.
VIDEOGRAPHER- calling all brides if your looking for that perfect footage of your wedding look no further!!!! Why because there is no need. butterfly films based in Keighley dual production team husband and wife Peter Hine are all you need. I recently got married and I left the whole day in their capable hands. Was I amazed oh yes!!!! the footage, stills, and dedication and the overall finish were breath taking. not only did I receive an absolute outstanding service, I also added Marryoke as part of our package, this was the most enjoyable hilarious pieces of our wedding, this will put a smile on anyone face after watching our wedding film and using a box of Kleenex. the packages and prices are affordable after places I was contacting were into the £1000's. The amount of time, effort, dedication, processing & editing there prices for the overall finish are worth it I definitely would recommend to anyone wanting something so breath taking and beautiful. I would like to thank butterfly film and peter and Jackie for making our day perfect and wonderful xxx
We cannot praise Jacqui and Peter at butterfly films enough. Their hard work, dedication and commitment they have put in whilst filming and producing our wedding DVD has been brilliant. Although Jacqui was suffering from a foot injury at the time of our wedding, she still came to help with the filming of our wedding day along with peter and they really are a fantastic team, and partnership which shows in their work. Butterfly films have gone above and beyond what was expected, our expectations, (and what we paid for) we cannot thank them enough for all they have done.The wedding DVD they have produced has been fantastic, initially we were not going to have a wedding DVD but thank goodness we did, we've watched it time and time again and it has been in much demand from our family and friends. As well as having us in streams or tears it has had us in fits of laughter and will continue to be a brilliant memory for years to come. We cannot recommend them more highly.
Thanks to Butterfly Film's fantastic video, we are able to relive our wedding day whenever we want. Peter really captured the atmosphere of the occasion and the location, as well as lots of things we didn't get the chance to take in on the day – every time we watch it we spot something new. Peter really blended into the background-none of our guests felt they were "in the spotlight". He captured all the significant moments of the day but we'd also asked for a bit of humour and we certainly got it! Pete will deliver exactly what you want – he even composed much of the music for our video which makes it unique." They are both very talented.
OMG Peter Hine you are so so talented!!! We have just seen our wedding video for the first time and it has amazed me! (and set me off in tears, along with Mum and Grandma) Thank you so much for all the added extras, ha ha so creative and comical. The best purchase out of everything from our day and I will certainly recommend you and your team for future weddings!!! Speak soon, thanks again x
Just watched the screener for our wedding dvd and am reminded of what an awesome day it was. We are blown away by the quality and thought that has gone into it from Butterfly films…can't recommend them enough. X
We are both feeling quite emotional as we have just relived our wedding thanks to the wonderful Peter N. Hine. He and his wife, Jacqui, filmed our wedding and they dropped the edited DVD off today and it was worth so much more than we paid! The creativity and attention to detail is superb! We are very grateful! Thanks guys!!x Sorry this is late at night but WOW !!! THANK YOU SO MUCH THE DVD IS AWESOME!!! x
'Magnificent, overwhelming, absolute brilliance are the only words I can find to describe the professionalism, enthusiasm and effort put into making this fantastic film! We are absolutely delighted by it, and are amazed at how you managed to capture so much! We have put it on repeat as it brings back fond memories of what was one of the happiest days of our lives, memories that we will cherish and remember with great fondness, even more so with the film you have produced, which has surpassed and exceeded our expectations! I would recommend Butterfly Films to anyone who wants to capture special moments by a special company! Sheer brilliance!'
We would like to say a massive thank you to Butterfly Films for an absolutely magnificent wedding DVD… Peter and Jacqui were at our wedding for the full day and they captured everything beautifully! They worked with extreme professionalism and the passion they have is wonderful… Right from the first meeting we had with them we knew we were going to get an outstanding account of our wedding day and we certainly did. Every time we watch the DVD we smile, laugh and cry – Butterfly Films captured all the emotion of the day perfectly, giving us a lifetime of memories that we will cherish forever!
Watched it tonight, breathtaking – simply brilliant! Feel like I have underpaid for this – utterly superb. Thanks to you and Jacqui – awesome!
We watched the DVD version on Saturday night at my Mums with friends and family and it was superb – thank you so much. We laughed and cried the whole way through.
We have watched our wedding DVD at least half a dozen times now with various family members. We are really happy with it and just want to thank you both once more for all your hard work and the time you put into it. we are so happy we chose you guys and we will definitely be recommending you to friends in the future!
Peter & Jacqui On behalf of myself and Ben I would like to say Thank you so much for the finished product of our wedding day. We relived every moment together on Saturday night, we laughed, I cried…and we really felt that we got chance to be guests at our own wedding. The thing is, you forget so much about what happens on your day because of everything else that's going on…so it was lovely to watch and be transported back to it and we were on an emotional roller coaster. When people say everybody is good at something…. then you definitely found your something.. beyond good …. fantastic..perfect …brilliant…amazing. You and Jacqui have definitely got it right… your funny ..your professional… your respectful of everyone's wishes and you really try your best.. and worked tirelessly to achieve exactly what we wanted. Nothing at all was too much trouble from booking you, to receiving our CDs and even then, you still made us aware that you would change anything we wanted if it wasn't right after we had viewed them. I wouldn't change a thing, they are perfect and we are now officially forever friends. A million thank you s wouldn't be enough to show our appreciation …I know your heart and souls went into every minute of it. Thank you again


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Tigers enter the week in second-place in the CAA
WILMINGTON, N.C. — The Towson men's basketball team will play its first road game in over two weeks on Monday as the Tigers travel to UNC Wilmington to take on the Seahawks at 7 p.m. inside Trask Coliseum.
Towson (16-8, 7-2 Colonial Athletic Association) has won four straight games and nine of its last 11 contests, including a thrilling 68-61 overtime victory against College of Charleston on Saturday.
The Tigers downed the Seahawks, 60-53, when the squads met inside SECU Arena on January 11. Senior forward Jerrelle Benimon led the Tigers with 20 points and 17 rebounds in the first meeting.
UNC Wilmington (6-19, 0-10 CAA) is still searching for its first league win despite numerous close calls. Eight of UNCW's 10 league losses have come by single digits or in overtime.
Junior forward Cedrick Williams leads the Seahawks in both scoring (13.4 ppg) and rebounding (7.0 rpg). Guard Ben Eblen ranks seventh in the CAA by dishing out 2.9 assists per game. Senior guard Chris Dixon led the Seahawks with 17 points on 6-for-12 shooting in the meeting between Towson and UNCW earlier this season.
Towson is 4-0 against UNC Wilmington under head coach Pat Skerry.
Fans can listen to Monday's game on the Towson Sports Network (TSN) with Spiro Morekas and Damon Lewis on the call.


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Filed under: News | Tags: Asking for Help, Locating Missing Student, Marizella Perez, Missing Person
(click each picture to enlarge) (See previous post here)
Michelle Malkin"s young cousin, Marizela Perez, a University of Washington student, is still missing in the Seattle area. She has been missing since Saturday March 5, 2011. Puget Sound area residents, please keep an eye out for her. If you live in another part of the country, but have friends or family in the Seattle area, please send them a link to this post, and to Michelle Malkin's website.
The most updated flyer information being passed out by the family:
Name: Marizela Perez
Date Missing: Saturday March 5, 2011
Last Seen: 1-2 P.M. at the Safeway in University District
(4732 Brooklyn Ave NE Seattle, WA 98105) (this is CONFIRMED)
Possible Routes: Sound Link Light Rail stations, downtown/Chinatown areas, UW Seattle campus, U-district
Description – Asian female, 5'5" tall, 110 lbs, skinny build, asymmetrical bob with short bangs and brown/red highlights hairstyle, tattoo on left inner arm with the words 'lahat ay magiging maayos' (Tagalog, meaning 'all will be well'), last seen wearing a dark hooded jacket, denim jeans, light brown suede laced boots, possibly wearing green eye contacts, possibly carrying a denim drawstring bag with rainbow butterfly screenprint (not the plaid backpack that was before mentioned) with a Macbook Pro laptop, taking medication for depression
Please contact if you have any information regarding this person:
Edgar: 609 – 646 – 0905
Jasmin: 609 – 742 – 2360
Mel: 206 – 760 – 1822
Joy: 609 – 742 – 2336
UPDATE: Here is a PDF link to the latest flyer that Michelle and friends are distributing. With pictures of Marizela captured by surveillance cameras at the University District Safeway that show what she was wearing when she disappeared. Feel free to print up and distribute/post the flyer or send the link to anyone you know in the Seattle area.
Here's an image of the flyer and the latest update from Michelle, in case anything looks familiar:
Leave a Comment so far
Leave a comment


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My name is Missy and I am also a member of the Mom Bloggers Club. I have a blog,www.luxurybeautyproducts.blogspot.com and I also run the blog hop network.
I wanted to let you know that I am following you, and hoping when you get a chance you can follow me back. I also want to invite you to join my groups, The Blog Hop Network, Beauty Bloggers, and Children's businesses. Also, I would love to place a link to your site on my blog if you want to do the same with my blog on yours. Please let me know by sending me an email regarding this and it has been nice meeting you via the web.
Hi! I'm following you now. Love your site! Please stop by when you get a chance.
Thanks for the welcome! Your blog is so cute!
I'm a new follower!
You're talented!! I checked out your website. Decided to put your badge on my website...thanks for the welcoming comment...
Thank you for the welcome, I appreciate it. If you would like to follow my blog I will do the same as well. Please check it out at http://thecryptocapersseries.blogspot.com
Good luck to you!
Hi! Thank you so much for the warm welcome!! I checked out your site and LOVE it!!
I am officially a follower :-)
Thanks you for the welcome to MBC! I checked out your Blog and "liked" it on FB! I am hooked! The refrigerator Clothes pin Magnet is so darling! Ive got a ton of wooden rulers in our back to school stash and my daughters birthday is Friday so Im going to use your idea and have the girls make them! youve really got some fantastic ideas! - Sue
That's an AWESOME tutu! Welcome to MBC! Blogging is so much fun I hope you like it as much as I do! I love DIY so I will definitely like what your typing :)
Also I saw you are a TMC member! Heather was one of my first blogging friends. Actually, I was her first follower!
I am now following you!


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Guest Student Programme on Scientific Computing
from 3 August to 9 October 2020
In order to give students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with various aspects of scientific computing as early as possible, the Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC) is once again organizing a programme for guest students in the 2020 summer vacation. The programme is supported by CECAM - Centre Européen de Calcul Atomique et Moléculaire. It targets students of science and engineering, computer science and mathematics who have already completed their first degree but have not yet finished their master's course.
The programme will run for ten weeks from 3 August to 9 October 2020. The students will be able to use the supercomputers at JSC, including the JURECA installation. They should naturally be familiar with computer-oriented areas of their subjects.
The programme will be held in English. Applications should be submitted in English or German and can be submitted online through 14 April 2020.
Further information can be found below.
Copyright: Forschungszentrum Jülich
"A very challenging experience, shaped my future plans for research" (Ricardo Kennedy, London)
"Profitable programme with interesting people -- would definitely apply again" (Stefan Maintz, Aachen)
"Experienced modern-research first-hand, during this most productive and worthwhile summer of my life" (Stilianos Louca, Jena)
"Sehr lehrreiches, interessantes Programm und eine schöne Zeit, an die ich mich gerne erinnere" (Christoph Honisch, Münster)
Our Programme
This programme targets students of science and engineering, informatics and mathematics who have already completed their first degree but have not yet finished their master's course. The students will work together with scientists from JSC on topics of current interest in research and development. Depending on their previous experience and interests, they will be involved in various fields of work, for example:
Computational Science, Applied Mathematics
- Modelling and simulation in physics, chemistry and biophysics
- Techniques of parallel MD simulations
- Modelling, simulation and data analysis in neuroscience
- Parallel computational procedures in quantum chemistry and structural mechanics
- Performance evaluation of parallel algorithms in linear algebra
- Mathematical modelling, statistics and data mining
Computer Architectures, Distributed Computing
- Distributed computing, uniform and secure access to IT resources
- Cluster operating systems & network management
- High-speed data networks & data management
High-Performance Computing, Visualization
- Performance analysis and optimization of parallel programs
- Programming of hierarchical parallel computer systems
- Distributed applications, interactive control and visualizations
- Data management
- Virtual reality techniques for visualizing scientific data
The students should naturally be familiar with computer-oriented areas of their subjects. In addition, they should also have practical computer experience including a good knowledge of programming with C, C++ or Fortran on Linux systems.
Programme Schedule
The programme starts with an introductory course concerning the techniques of parallel computing and use of the Jülich supercomputers. The course consists of lectures and practical exercises. Each student will then be assigned to a supervisor, who is a member of staff. The students work on a topic of the supervisor's active field of research. In a colloquium at the end of the programme, the students will give presentations on their work and discuss their results with other students and scientists. They will also prepare a final report on their work. Information on the topics and results of previous guest student programmes can be found on the website given below. Information on the topics and results of previous guest student programmes can be found in our archive.
Compensation & Accommodation
The students will receive an expense allowance and are supposed to reside in Jülich for the entire duration of the programme. On request, Forschungszentrum Jülich will provide assistance in finding accommodation. Participants will be expected to fund their own travel and accomodation.
Further InformationIvo Kabadshow
Jülich Supercomputing Centre
Institute for Advanced Simulation
Forschungszentrum Jülich
52425 Jülich (Germany)
Tel.: +49 2461 61 8714
Fax: +49 2461 61 6656
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Well Hello There!
It seems that I've got my Blogging/Youtube hat on after a very long time. I do apologize for this. 2014 has been one crazy year for me and Mark. Our life has been hectic and it's only really now that it's began to settle down. We've been to several weddings all across the country, many birthdays (including Mark's 30th), 2 holidays to Majorca and Italy. AND we've bought our own house!
It was my 24th Birthday a couple of days ago and we decided to take a trip to York. I live in Chester which is a little Roman city, York is slightly bigger and has more to offer so we thought a weekend break there would be perfect for us. Oh my! It's a beautiful place, with lovely quirky shops and very old pubs. The minster is incredible, we went up the tower for a better view of the city. York itself is very atmospheric and I would definitely recommend going and I would certainly stay there again.
Anywhoo, I thought I'd show you some of the things that I was given for my Birthday along with other bits and bobs that I picked up on our trip...
Light (Next), Frame (Paperchase), Tea light Holder (Craft Store)
Jars (Next)
Brogues (Clarks)
"Spanky" Bear (America)
Owl Doorstop (Sass & Belle)
Wishing Drop (The Glass Shop)
Bra, Knickers, Perfume (Victoria Secret)
I've also filmed a YouTube video to go with this blog post :).
Harriet x


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Let's face it: For a least a century, Baltimore has had something of an inferiority complex. Maybe it's because our location makes it too easy to compare us to those bigger places, like D.C., Philly, Beantown, and, of course, the Big Apple. And through the years, we've cooked up lots of catchy mottos to look a little better in their shadow: Charm City, The Land of Pleasant Living, The City That Reads (that seems to set the bar a little low), and the most eyebrow-raising park-bench claim ever, "Greatest City in America."
But what's the real story on America's 20th largest metro area? If, for instance, San Diego is the sunniest city, New York the biggest, and St. Louis the most dangerous (we came in at a better-than-you-might-think No. 8 on the "most-dangerous-city" scale), then where does Charm City stand? We've paged through dozens of national rankings from as many sources to find out. So, drum roll, here it is: the good, the bad, and the ugly about Baltimore, from bedbugs to baseball stadiums.
View PDF of July 2012's How We Rank feature.
How thin is your skin, Bawlmer? In this category, it's a mixed bag of good and not-so-good news.
Baltimore is No. 2 of the Top Ten Towns For Working Toward a Home Purchase, behind Washington. [Move Inc.]
Best Cities for Recent College Graduates: No. 9
Rankings were based on average rents, the concentration of young adults, and inventory of jobs requiring less than one year of experience:
1. Hartford-New Haven
2. Cleveland
3. Boston
4. Denver
5. Minneapolis
6. San Francisco
7. Washington, D.C.
8. Philadelphia
9. Baltimore
10. St. Louis
Best Cities to Find Work: No.5 [careercast.com]
Best Cities to Find Tech and Biopharmaceutical jobs: No.2 [Forbes]
Top 10 cities for singles: No.4 [Kiplinger]
And in the "most attractive people" rankings? We didn't do so well, at No. 34. "But that doesn't mean you can't have a good time here: The city ranked in the top 20 for wild weekends," says Travel + Leisure.
Forget the car: Believe it or not, Baltimore has the 11th highest percentage of commuter walkers and bikers among major U.S. cities (Alliance for Biking and Walking). And Walk Score ranked Baltimore the ninth best city in the country for public transportation, based on frequency, type, and distance of transit routes.
The Baltimore area ranks No.17 on a list of top 50 cities for working mothers. Buffalo ranked No. 1 while Las Vegas was last. [Forbes]
Second worst city for wage growth: -0.1% [Payscale.com]
Maryland tops all millionaire rankings with a slightly higher percentage of millionaire households, 7.22 percent, than Hawaii. [Phoenix Marketing International]
Hold your nose: Baltimore is No. 5 on a list of cities with the most toxic air pollution from power plants. [National Resources Defense Council and Physicians for Social Responsibility]
Gibson Island is No.23 on Forbes magazine's list of the most expensive ZIP codes in the country. (The median home price is nearly $2.8 million)
In most ways, the metro area's business landscape looks pretty lush by national standards:
The taxman cometh: We've all heard lots of whining here about too much regulation and too many taxes. And some of it is justified: Out of 50 cities, we have the:
9th worst tax climate for doing business
5th worst individual income-tax rate
6th worst unemployment insurance tax rate
11th worst property-tax rate. [Tax Foundation]
Is my Rolls here yet? The Port of Baltimore is No.1 in the nation as an international auto-shipping hub for the first half of 2011, beating out New York. [U.S. Census]
We're the Third Best Shopping City. Yes, we were a little surprised, too, but the only thing that matters is that we left New York in the dust: Baltimore, with its 9,536 retail locations and 21 shopping centers, ranks No. 3 on the best shopping cities list from Forbes magazine, behind Houston and Dallas.
Bon voyage, baby: Baltimore ranked No. 5 on the East Coast for cruise-ship passengers in 2010. Baltimore ranks 12th among all U.S. ports for its cruise passengers. [U.S. Department of Transportation]
Best City For Minority Entrepreneurs: No.2
We've always been unrecovered sports freaks, so it's no surprise that Baltimore does well by this measurement:
Best arena of its size: 1st Mariner - No.1 [Billboard]
Local boys make good: On the National Football League's rankings of greatest NFL players of all time, Johnny Unitas is No. 6 and Ray Lewis is No. 18.
The Baltimore Orioles' value rose 12 percent to $460 million in the past year, but dropped one spot on Forbes magazine's annual list of the most-valuable baseball franchises, going from 18 to 19.
The Ravens are worth $1.088 billion, which ranks them No. 10 most-valuable NFL team. [Forbes]
Baltimore ranks No. 29 for best sports cities, according to Sporting News.
This is it: One of our strongest areas. Turns out we're a great place to eat, drink, or make like a tourist. But we knew that already.
The South's Tastiest Towns: No.9
When Southern Living magazine ran an online poll to determine the answer to this, more than 500,000 readers responded. Lafayette, LA. was No. 1 (where?), New Orleans was No. 3. Hey, with everything from crabs, rockfish, and barbecue to our high-brow Zagat-rated restaurants, it would have been a dumb list without us.
Baltimore's Inner Harbor area ranked No. 21 for top Labor Day destinations. [Priceline.com]
Best city to see holiday lights: No.10 [Yahoo Travel]
50 Best Chocolatiers in America: Baltimore-based Glarus, No. 6:
1. Jacques Torres Chocolate Heaven, NYC
2. Grocer's Daughter Chocolate, Empire, MI
3. Cero's Candies, Wichita, KS
4. Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolates, San Francisco, CA
5. Leonidas Chocolates, Washington, D.C.
6. Glarus Chocolatier, Baltimore
(Online style guide for men, Complex)
Ladew Gardens is recipient of the "Top Five North American Gardens Worth Traveling For" award, presented by the Canadian Garden Tourism Council for 2012.
National Geographic ranks O.C.'s boardwalk as the fourth best in the country, and the water's fine, too: Maryland beaches rank 16th and Delaware beaches are fifth, based on cleanliness of water samples, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Baltimore's system of parks is rated 15th among the nation's 40 largest cities. [Trust for Public Land]
Biggest cities for art:No.9 [American Style]
We're pretty happy with this score: A tip of the hat goes to The BMA, The Walters, the American Visionary Art Museum, and many other players.
We're home of the "Most Influential Film of the Last 30 Years": Diner [Vanity Fair] as well as "Best TV Drama": The Wire [vulture]
Hey, we're surrounded by great hospitals and 10,700 scolding doctors to remind us to eat an apple a day and not run with scissors. How could we not be healthy?
You want health care? It's one of our strong points: Baltimore-area hospitals rank highest for patient care in the country. Nearly half of the area's hospitals (nine out of 16) are in the top-five percent of all of the hospitals in the U.S. (HealthGrades). And The Johns Hopkins Hospital is routinely named the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, which also ranks the Hopkins medical school No. 3 in the nation behind Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania.
Baltimore ranks 10th in the top 50 U.S. cities for bed bugs. [Pest control firm Orkin]
Highly regarded public schools in both Howard and Baltimore counties helped move the needle in our favor on the smarts gauge: For the fourth year in a row, Maryland ranks No. 1 in the nation in the percentage of its graduating seniors who successfully passed the Advanced Placement (AP) exams, with 29 percent of last year's graduating seniors having passed one AP exam by the time they graduated. [Advanced Placement for the College Board]
And that, of course, means we're brainy: Ellicott City, Columbia, and Towson are among the smartest U.S. towns with populations between 50,000 and 99,999. Ellicott City ranked No. 15, Columbia No. 16, and Towson No. 21. [U.S. Census Bureau]
After reading this section, you might want to take Southwest Airlines to work instead of driving:
Maryland drivers are among the dumbest in the nation, according to a GMAC insurance study. Maryland drivers ranked 49th in the country for their driving knowledge. Insurer Allstate seconds that, ranking Baltimore drivers among the most dangerous in the country, second to last in the U.S. for safety. Only D.C. is worse.
BWI ranks No.1 (tied with Boston) for shortest security wait time, No.6 for on-time departures, and No.9 for tech travelers [farecompare.com; FAA; PCworld]
We all know we have some quirks in Charm City, and it turns out some of them are a tad annoying in the nation's eyes:
Worst Dressed City: No.3 [Travel + Leisure]
Travel + Leisure named Baltimore the ninth rudest city in the country, saying it's "not terribly safe" and "maybe it's just a different sense of humor."
1. New York City
2. Miami
3. Washington, D.C.
4. Los Angeles
5. Boston
6. Dallas
7. Atlanta
8. Phoenix
9. Baltimore
10. Orlando
We're the 28th Manliest City. Maybe we're just not man enough: In a survey by Combos (the pretzel company), Baltimore was ranked No. 28 on the third annual "America's Manliest Cities" list, dropping 23 spots from last year (as measured by the number of home-improvement stores, steak houses, and motorcycles).
We don't know whether to laugh or cry: When it comes to America's happiest and saddest cities, Baltimore ranked 52 out of 100 (with No. 1 being the most cheerful and 100 being the most depressing). The happiest city is Honolulu. [Men's Health magazine]
Fifth Most Tolerant City. We'll take this as a compliment. [The Daily Beast]
Some rankings just don't fit into some neat little box. Here are a few of those:
Did you lock up the backhoe, hon? Maryland ranked No.8 for heavy equipment theft. The worst state was Texas. [National Insurance Crime Bureau]
Some of us did well at Forgery 101: Maryland has the third-highest number of fraud reports per capita in the country, including identity theft, employment-related fraud, and fraud in debt collection. [Federal Trade Commission]
Baltimore's John F. Steadman fire station is the busiest in the nation. In 2010, Steadman's nine vehicles made 21,921 runs—–3,000 more calls than any other firehouse. [Firehouse Magazine]


text:
Breton - PoppyEmthunzini
- 100% polyester machine knitted
- Hand washable
- Size: 58cm
- Internal drawstrings adjusts fit
- Cancer approved
- Product code: EH-ER35C-Poppy
FREE Standard Shipping in South Africa with purchase exceeding R499. Colourbox offers one method of delivery of Goods to you, which is via courier. Most of our orders to Main Centres are delivered within 48 hours. If you are in outlying areas, the delivery might take little bit longer. Regrettably, we cannot deliver to PO boxes.
We want you to be happy with your purchase. If you are not completely satisfied, you can return the product to us and we will either replace it, or issue a refund, subject to Returns policy. Items marked Final Sale are not eligible for return or exchange. Items from Cape Island, Skin Creamery, Jangi and Face Masks are not eligible for return.
Please email email@example.com to acquire an Authorisation Number and form for your return. See our complete Returns Policy here.


text:
"According to the former head of the Vatican's highest court, Cardinal Raymond Burke, Muslims and Christians do not worship the same God, since Allah is a "governor," whereas Christianity was "founded on love."
The modern belief that Islam and Christianity are fundamentally the same "is very much influenced by a relativism of a religious order," the Cardinal said at a recent press conference.
"I hear people saying to me, well, we're all worshipping the same God. We all believe in love. But I say stop a minute, and let's examine carefully what Islam is, and what our Christian faith teaches us.""
Full story


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Friday, July 22, 2011
PFF and Sepia Saturday - BIG Step For Mankind
22 comments:
- Little Nell said...
Wha a wonderful souvenir and what a thoughtful father you had. A very interesting post - and I love the two men in the moon on the last postcard!
- July 22, 2011 at 1:43:00 PM EDT
- Bob Scotney said...
That's a souvenir to cherish. In addition I liked the story of the Hornet - I would not have ever been aware of its role without this post.
- July 22, 2011 at 1:53:00 PM EDT
- Coffeedoff said...
Wow what a lovely post. I rember watching the moon landing too. It was so amazing.
- July 22, 2011 at 3:49:00 PM EDT
- Snap said...
Wow! How cool is that?!!!! A souvenir to treasure and memories to cherish. Mr. Dragon and I were lucky enough to be invited to a shuttle launch ... an amazing experience. So sad they are no more ... the only real research and development the US did. Happy PFF!
- July 22, 2011 at 4:08:00 PM EDT
- Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...
Wonderful memories and the paperwork to back it up! :) I can remember the moon landing very clearly.
- July 22, 2011 at 6:28:00 PM EDT
- Heather said...
Thank-you for sharing such a timely post. Very thoughtful of your father to arrange for the envelopes for you.
- July 22, 2011 at 7:54:00 PM EDT
- Funoldhag said...
What a great post! Nice to have my old mind nudged to remember some of the awesome things that have gone before. And thanks for deciphering the message on the card I found. Happy PFF and a good weekend! Carol
- July 22, 2011 at 7:58:00 PM EDT
- Tsang said...
These are really nice pictures. Interesting post, I sure learn something today. Thanks for the post
- July 22, 2011 at 8:24:00 PM EDT
- Alan Burnett said...
I just love the way you take us on a tour - starting with the theme and then moving from stage to stage, post to post, issue to issue : like joining the dots to create a wider picture.
- July 23, 2011 at 10:52:00 AM EDT
- Jinksy said...
I liked that last image best...Nostalgic!
- July 23, 2011 at 11:18:00 AM EDT
- Christine H. said...
What a collection. I particularly like the first-day cover.
- July 23, 2011 at 1:32:00 PM EDT
- 21 Wits said...
Oh thank you, my goodness your post read like a magic carpet ride as well, but can you guess my most favorite of all the great photos is of the two men on the moon...the last closing photo is awesome! So awsome if it were me, I'd probably open the post with that one...it's great!
- July 23, 2011 at 2:01:00 PM EDT
- Tattered and Lost said...
Visited the Hornet a couple years ago. They have an old capsule on display (not the original) and the trailer they were kept in upon their return. It's docked permanently in Oakland, California.
- July 23, 2011 at 3:34:00 PM EDT
- Dorincard said...
Cool post, and funny, too! :) Lunar germs, eh?
- July 23, 2011 at 4:22:00 PM EDT
- Coffeedoff said...
The pink fountain card was sent from USA but is a picture of St Georges Cathedral in Russia (I think Moscow)
- July 23, 2011 at 5:27:00 PM EDT
- Aimee Dars said...
What a great memory and great souvenir!
- July 23, 2011 at 5:56:00 PM EDT
- PattyF said...
What a fantastic souvenir! Your father was indeed thoughtful and insightful. He knew it was history in the making and he gave each of you a piece of it. How marvelous! Thanks so much for a delightful post!
- July 23, 2011 at 6:28:00 PM EDT
- Mike Brubaker said...
Nicely done. Brought back the memory of listening to the radio when Armstrong walked on the moon. Our family was on summer vacation and camping. The radio report let my imagination see the event and made it that more vivid.
- July 23, 2011 at 11:40:00 PM EDT
- Postcardy said...
Your envelope is a great souvenir. I remember being fascinated by the TV coverage.
- July 24, 2011 at 8:41:00 AM EDT
- Bruno Laliberté said...
and here's a different angle to Alan's prompt!! very nicely done.
i love those first issues.
- July 24, 2011 at 2:12:00 PM EDT
- tony said...
The Hornet's Life Had A Pleasing Symmetry.Both World War 2 & The Moon Landings! A Knack For Being In The Right Place At The Right Time!
- July 29, 2011 at 5:09:00 AM EDT
- ChaChaneen said...
HI Cindy-Loo,
Came by for a visit and was happy to see your post about the Hornet! If you've read my blog this summer you'll see that I did a post about our day trip there and LOTS of photos! We thoroughly enjoyed it and I plan to return again.... without the kids, so I can really take my time and read all the exhibits because we didn't get to really do that with the kids in tow. ha ha
Have a great day!
- September 12, 2011 at 11:13:00 PM EDT


text:
At PPD we would like
to see all pool owners simply enjoy their pool. With today's
active lifestyle, finding the time to test and chemically
treat your pool water is very difficult. It seams that more
often then not, pool owners are doing something wrong and
ending up with a cloudy or green swimming pool. If this sounds
familiar, then you also realize that once the pool is "Cloudy"
or "Green", clearing the water up takes a lot of
time and money. PPD's solution is to have us take the responsibility
of keeping the pool water crystal clear and properly sanitized
so all you and your family has to do is swim.
Standard Weekly Services Performed
Our program is designed for a single
weekly visit. Our Guarantee to you is that with our weekly
visit we will keep your pool properly sanitized. We will supply
free additional treatments on any pool that does not remain
clear and sanitized. Our Service is designed to Maintain Clear
This "Guarantee" is based on the
customer following the "Customer Responsibilities."
How this Service Works -
Our Pool Chemical Service season operates from the week of May 11, 2020 through the week of September 7, 2020. This equates to "18" Weekly Treatments. We will inform you of your specific treatment day (M-F) by May 1st.
Program Pricing and Payment Options:
NOTES: Both plans include any/all algaecides, mineral treatments, pH & Alkalinity, specialty chemicals.
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Salt Pools - will NOT have Chlorine Products added but WILL include any/all salt required.
*For those customer's choosing the "payment" option please understand that we will automatically charge your credit card used to sign up for this program on July 1 when the second and final payment is due. If you want to change the payment form it is your responsibility to email us the updated credit card information for this payment.
Customer Responsibilities


text:
A Perpetually Hungry Shanghai Food Blogger
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A master sculptor and painter, artist Jim Shore uses a variety of media to complete his creations. Jim's nostalgic memories from his southern country upbringing, and his love for intricate patterns blend to create truly charming collections.His genuine, down-to-earth personality and excellent eye for details gives every piece its heart-warming appeal.
Jim Shore's birth month angels feature the flower of the month and a crystal birthstone featured on the butterfly's wing. For the October Angel, this means lovely calendula and a sparkling pink tourmaline gem.
Please contact us for more information
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text:
If you are looking to add a final delicate touch to your party wear, hair accessories are something that you can definitely opt for. They come in an array of attractive shapes, size and styles like cute pins, clips, ruffles, beads, diamonds and many more which helps in lending a bright finishing touch to your lookup.
As suggested above, they come in various types and styles. So, it is important on your part to make the correct selection as every product is not suited for every occasion. It should differ as per the occasion. Just for instance, feathers, tiaras etc. are the perfect complement to western style outfits like evening gown or cocktail dresses and others of the similar variety. It may really look clumsy if you happen to use these with a traditional Indian outfit. Thus, it is essential to know what to use and where to use.
To add to your looks, try to use a hair accessories which color is matching with that of your outfit, purse and footwear. Another key point to remember is to ensure that these accessories fit comfortably and are not too tight or rough and do not pull your tresses too hard.
Headbands- They can be used for almost every style, whether it is a ponytail or a bun or something else. They are ideal for holding back any pieces of hair that will not go up. Some of the modern day innovations like a thick headband are of great value to those having long tresses and intending to wear it down. They are available in different colours and styles ranging from white to black.
Barrettes-Functionally, they are quite similar to headbands. They, too are available in different fashionable shapes and design.
If you want to use one to hold a part of your hair to the side or the center, you can use a clip. These hair clips serve as ponytail holder. Irrespective of where you plan to use them, barrettes do play an instrumental role in adding to your style statement.


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Cameron Diaz and Sean "Diddy" Combs' recent work dates have taken a romantic turn – the couple was reportedly spotted kissing as they partied together in New York.
The Charlie's Angels star sparked speculation of a budding romance with the rapper after they were seen dining together numerous times last month.
A spokesperson for Diaz dismissed the rumours, insisting they were simply working on a film project, but now gossips have gone into overdrive after they enjoyed a late night outing to the Dream Downtown Hotel in New York on Saturday – and onlookers insist it was clear the two stars are very much a couple.
One eyewitness tells Life & Style magazine, "They were making out like teenagers."
The actress reportedly started dating the rapper and entrepreneur in October, shortly after she split from baseball player Alex Rodriguez. Diddy was previously said to be dating his R&B protegee Cassie.


text:
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – Coral Springs Police say three people who robbed a T-Mobile store and stole 25 smartphones and cash checked out the store the night before the robbery.
The robbery happened at 1327 N. University Drive about 9:22 p.m. Friday.
Photos released by police showed the trio at the store prior to the robbery.
A man and a woman were inside the store acting as customers when the man pulled out a handgun and ordered all the employees to the back of the store, say police. A second man then came inside the store and used zip ties to restrain the employees.
The trio stole 25 Samsung Galaxy III S cellphones and cash. They also stole video surveillance equipment.
The first man is described as 20 to 30 years old and 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall. He had short, black hair, and was last seen wearing a black leather jacket, a blue button-down shirt, blue jeans, and black dress shoes.
The woman is described as 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 5 inches tall and 120 to 140 pounds. She had long, wavy black hair, and was last seen wearing a blue and white dress and a gray New York Yankees hat.
The second man is described as 20 to 30 years old, 5 feet 11 inches to 6 feet 1 inch tall and 180 to 200 pounds. He had short, black hair, and was last seeing wearing a white t-shirt.
Anyone with information on the robbery is asked to call Coral Springs Police at 954-346-1262.


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Samsung - Enforcement of ETSI standards essential patents (SEPs)21 December 2012
by eub2 -- last modified 21 December 2012
The European Commission has informed Samsung of its preliminary view that Samsung's seeking of injunctions against Apple in various EU Member States on the basis of its mobile phone standard-essential patents ("SEPs") amounts to an abuse of a dominant position prohibited by EU antitrust rules. While recourse to injunctions is a possible remedy for patent infringements, such conduct may be abusive where SEPs are concerned and the potential licensee is willing to negotiate a licence on Fair, Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory (so-called "FRAND") terms. The sending of a Statement of Objections does not prejudge the final outcome of the investigation.
What is an injunction?
An injunction is a court order aiming at preventing the continuation of a patent infringement. Generally, it includes the prohibition to sell the product infringing the patent. Such injunctions can be preliminary – as a precautionary measure typically for the time of the assessment of the case on the merits by the court. Injunctions can also be permanent as a result of the decision on the merits by a court.
What are the Commission's concerns in this case?
In industries such as the IT sector, industry standards are key and bring benefits to consumers and businesses alike in terms of interoperability and innovation. However, once a technology has been chosen and the standard has been set, it is important that the standard is accessible to all interested parties. In order to ensure such access and to prevent patent hold-up, standard-setting organisations generally require that members commit ex ante to license their standard essential patents (SEPs) on Fair Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) terms. Against this backdrop, the Commission is concerned that the use of injunctions can be anti-competitive.
How does Samsung's announcement of 18 December 2012 that it is withdrawing injunctions in Europe affect the case?
The Commission takes note of Samsung's announcement. This does not alter the Commission's preliminary conclusions about the anti-competitive nature of Samsung's conduct thus far.
Is the Commission generally questioning the use of injunctions by patent-holders?
No. Recourse to injunctive relief is generally a legitimate remedy for patent-holders in case of patent infringements. The case is therefore not about eliminating the use of injunctions by patent-holders. Rather, the Commission takes the preliminary view that the seeking of an injunction for SEPs can constitute an abuse of a dominant position in the exceptional circumstances of this case - where the holder of a SEP has given a commitment to license these patents on FRAND terms and where the company against which an injunction is sought is willing to negotiate a FRAND licence.
Is the Commission not intervening in a simple patent dispute between private parties?
No. The Commission takes no position on the validity or infringement of the patents in question which is to be determined by national courts. The Commission's intervention aims to protect the public interest that commitments given during a standard-setting process are respected so that consumers and businesses can enjoy the benefits of standardisation.
Does the Commission take a position on what a reasonable royalty rate is?
No. National courts or arbitrators are generally well equipped to do this. The Commission's preliminary view is that in the specific circumstances of the case, the seeking of injunctions may unjustifiably distort FRAND licensing negotiations where a commitment to license the SEPs in question on FRAND terms has been given.
What are the general implications of the case for patent protection?
Intellectual property rights are one of the cornerstones of the single market and therefore have a key role in promoting innovation. This case is about the potential misuse of certain SEPs in the specific standardisation context. The Commission will continue to attach high importance to effective patent protection and an efficient patent system.
What about the right of a company to access a tribunal?
The right of access to a tribunal does not constitute an unfettered prerogative. According to the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, it may be restricted, provided that the restriction (i) corresponds to objectives of general interest, (ii) is proportionate, and (iii) does not infringe upon the very substance of the right. The Commission's preliminary view is that these conditions are fulfilled in the case at hand.
Samsung's right to seek damages and other corrective or alternative measures for an infringement of its SEPs remains untouched.
Does the Commission's Statement of Objections affect lawsuits pending before national jurisdictions?
National courts remain free to decide lawsuits pending before them as long as EU law is respected. Regulation 1/2003 sets out the basic principles that should be followed to ensure the uniform application of EU competition law in the event that the Commission opens proceedings to investigate a certain conduct. In particular, Article 16 provides that national courts "must avoid giving decisions which would conflict with a decision contemplated by the Commission in proceedings it has initiated. To that effect, the national court may assess whether it is necessary to stay its proceedings."
How did this case begin?
The Commission initiated the case on its own initiative.
What is the relevance of the fact that Apple first sought injunctions against Samsung?
Apple launched injunctions against Samsung on the basis of non-SEPs, i.e. patents for which no commitment to license on FRAND terms had been given in a standardisation context. The Commission's case derives from the specific standardisation context and the associated commitment to license SEPs on FRAND terms.
What about other cases relating to SEPs?
The Commission is investigating a number of other cases relating to SEPs but cannot divulge details at this stage. In April 2012 the Commission opened proceedings against Motorola.
Is the Commission liaising on these issues with the antitrust authorities in the United States?
The Commission is in close contact with both the US Department of Justice and the US Federal Trade Commission on issues relating to SEPs.
What are the next steps?
A Statement of Objections is a formal step in Commission investigations. The Commission informs the parties concerned in writing of the objections raised against them and the parties can reply in writing and request an oral hearing to present comments. The Commission takes a final decision only after the parties have exercised their rights of defence. The sending of a statement of objections does not prejudge the final outcome of the investigation.
Source: European Commission


text:
Welcome Back
Over the last few months I've been making gift boxes and cards, this month I've been sharing the results with you. Here is a quick pic of the projects all together, and some links to the posts where you can find more details of how to create your own versions.
- 2012 Card
- Small Gift Box; suitable for fairy cakes or mince pies/sweets etc
- Tall Gift Box: Great for hand-made gifts
Later this week I'll share details about the gift bag seen in this picture and add a link back here.
Hope you have a peaceful, happy holiday
Best wishes and thanks for reading, see you soon
Billie 🙂


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DescriptionJammy strawberries and tropical, tangy mangos make Mimi a fruity treat for the taste buds. Sunflower seeds add a nutty flavor, but the nuts in this bar are hardly missed. It's an updated version of your favorite PB&J, and with chia seeds, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds from our felicitas granola. It's a snack your body will thank you for. (from 18 Rabbits)Claims
- Organic
- Nutrition
Felicitas Granola* (Whole Rolled Oats, Honey, Sunflower Oil*, Maple Syrup*, Sunflower Seeds*, Pumpkin Seeds*, Sesame Seeds*, Chia Seeds*, Vanilla*), Tapioca Syrup*, Mangoes* Strawberries (Strawberries, Sugar, Rice Flour).
*Certified Organic Ingredient.
18 Rabbits Jr. Granola Bar, Mango Strawberry with Organic Mango and Chia Seeds
Availability Note
Item is temporarily unavailable.


text:
Four seasons in one drawer
The CoolDrawer™ has been designed to change from a refrigerator to freezer at the touch of a button. It is built on the concept of distributed refrigeration, combining ActiveSmart™ Technology with a drawer-based design that can be placed anywhere in the kitchen, home or entertainment area. The CoolDrawer™ provides five temperature settings to deliver total flexibility - freezer, chill, fridge, pantry and wine modes, merging intelligence with convenience.View


text:
Corrections officer steals $100K of NASCAR merchandise, deputies say
Shannon Wiggins accused of selling items on eBay
Police in Daytona Beach said a corrections officer at Tomoka State Prison, who also worked part-time as a security officer at Daytona International Speedway during the races, stole more than $100,000 worth of NASCAR gear from souvenir trailers.
Shannon Wiggins, 44, was arrested Wednesday, however no jail booking photo is available because as a law enforcement officer, he can opt out of having his picture posted.
Police said Wiggins worked as a security supervisor during the Daytona 500 in 2012 and 2013.
In 2012, NASCAR items were stolen from a company called Racing Electronics that had a trailer and booth on site and during the 2013 race. Items were also stolen from two trailers owned by Americacrown.
Investigators said a large amount of brand new merchandise was discovered in Wiggins' home when they served a search warrant on Tuesday.
More items were found with a friend of Wiggins, who was selling the merchandise for Wiggins on eBay for a fraction of the real cost.
Speedway officials released a statement, saying "We applaud the efforts of the Daytona Beach Police Department and Chief Mike Chitwood in apprehending the suspect. At Daytona International Speedway, we take the security of the facility very seriously and continue to take every measure possible, in partnership with local and regional law enforcement agencies, to ensure that this situation doesn't occur again."