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Rip asks:
Q) Given a choice between being a zombie in the next George Romero film, a soldier in the next Michael Bay film, or a pirate in the next Pirates movie, which would you pick and why?
And if you have no idea what that means, go with this (next) one instead:
A) OK, I admit it… I have no idea. Need to spend some more time watching movies…
Q) Which would you rather see in a movie? Undead getting dispatched with great dispatch, buildings getting dispatched with great dispatch, or seagoing wooden structures getting dispatched with great dispatch?
A) Zombies are great, Buildings a bit overdone. seagoing wooden structures… That I need more of in my life, and not just in the movies… I want it in WoW!
Q) QUICK! The king of the universe is about to pay you a visit! What do you serve him for lunch?!
A) Gnomes! Errh… no, not Gnomes… ummm Elves, lots of Elves, the whole Elven kingdom… both of them, Night Elves and Blood Elves… Of course if the King of the Universe isn't into white meat, and prefers a diet of red meat… well, there's the whole zone of Mulgore for his finger food pleasure.
Q) And finally: Have you ever considered letting your son write a blog post? Even if it's total gibberish?
A) Ha, yes, I have considered this… I took a shot at this from his perspective a week or so ago, but I intend to let him write an entire post in future, ala Ratshag (Well, Galertruby)
Larisa says:
OK, Gnome, you prefer gifts from non-bloggers, but here are a few lines from me anyway.
Couldn't leave my favorite blog without birthday gifts, could I?
To which I say.. It's not a preference… I luvs you all! I just didn't want to disturb your own creative energies… luckily you have more than enough to share!
Larisa Asks:
Q) You seem to have a blast every single second in the game. Is that your blog image or is it true? Are you entirely honest on your blog? Don't you ever feel bored, pissed off or even a bit sad and lonely? If you do, how do you handle it?
A) Honest… generally. Bored… Often. Pissed off.. Frequently. Sad and lonely… don't know if I want to admit to that one, but yes, definitely lonely on occasions.
How do I handle it?
The blog gives me an outlet to amplify the "blast" and reduce the "pissed off" by getting it out there and sharing it… or getting it off my chest.
I am frequently frustrated in game, and the various chat channels just don't give me enough opportunities to shout:
I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it any more!
The blog on the otherhand allows me to rant in the 1,000's of words and provide images to emphasize my anguish (as well as breaking up the walls of text).
I am lucky as I play with friends, and have been a member of a few great social raiding guilds. I often note that the random instance invite actually contains a current or ex-guildy, so that helps. The biggest frustration is when I want to play with my mates (outside of regular Fridays) and I am either the 6th, or they are already tied up… Ulduar is a curse.. lucky them!
Q) I guess there will be one day in a distant future when you'll quit WoW. Will you keep playing MMOs or is it the end of your gaming career? Is there any other MMO – existing or upcoming – that you'd like to try out?
A) A big question, with a bigger question mark. Ultimately it will depend on my reason for quitting WoW. If I quit for real life reasons, then most likely I wont go hunting for another MMO. If something else/better comes along, ultimately I will follow my mates. I play to catch up with my long term real life friends, if they are playing something else, even Diablo (I was never a huge fan), then I would move too.
I haven't seen anything that grabs me but I know my mates will frequently check out options. I don't have the time to experiment, so I will just wait for the call.
Theerivs Writes:
Thought I would forget. I am Forsaken, we do not forget, nor do we forgive…sorry just watched the Wrathgate movie for the 800th time. That said here's your blog gifts.
I say… lol, how could you forget… you have been listening to the gleeful chatter of Gnomes for decades in your shallow grave… and why would for forgive that?
Theerivs Asks:
Q) How is it looking at peoples crotches all day?
A) At times a little smelly, in a bad way, but generally it's smelly in a nice, inspiring way. It also allows for easy upskirting, which I particularly enjoy around the female toons I run with…
It also give me an incentive to bring the mobs down onto their backs faster… thus my passion for fire… A couple of fireball to the crotch and we are all eye-to-eye!
Q) Are there some crotches you do enjoy?
A) Human females are nice, any variety of Elf.
Taurens are great, I get milk and meat (well, once I cook it!)
Q) When you fall off a very tall building does it take you longer to fall then say a Tauren?
A) Well, ultimately we all reach the same terminal velocity, it just takes Gnomes a little longer to reach that velocity. This is great for me as it allows me some extra reaction time to fmble for the Slowfall button. Unfortunately I can never catch my Dwarven mates, they drop like rocks!
Q) When a gnome goes into a Barber shop do you have to ask for those haircuts?
A) Last time I went to the Barber shop, I went looking for a Perm… what I got was a bald patch and a mohawk. I really don't recommend messing with your hair!
Q) Gnomes seem happy all the time, Why?
A) We drink the water… it's just water, but while water may make others want to pee excessively, it is like nitrous oxide mixed with a little Helium for Gnomes, we get high and squeaky!
Well, that's about it for this installment of Ask da Nome a Kwestion. I still have some doozies from Prelimar and Syrana, but I will tackle them next week.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Gnomer's Friends and Out!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.


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Did you ever have the desire to help a friend find somebody? How about trying to locate a young child who was adopted? That is what I did, and my quest began in February 2006 when I responded to a query from Linda, she was looking for her great-uncle, John Scramlin, born on March 2, 1904, in Michigan, the youngest of eight living children. When his father died in 1908 (in a sawmill accident), young John was adopted by Charles and Susan Shoemaker, and John then became George Shoemaker and the new family moved to New Mexico. Not long after, Charles died, and Susan remarried a Mr. Hockman. This is pretty easy to follow, and it is basically what my friend and 6th cousin told me 7 years ago. In her initial letter to me, she said, "For 90 years our family has wondered about and prayed for John/George. We could like to know if he was happy, did he marry, did he have a family and where is he buried?"
Over the seven years, I tried to find George Shoemaker or George Hockman, and even George Scramlin in the 1940 census. Linda and I stayed in contact, even though there wasn't anything new to give to her. Fast forward to a few weeks ago, I rediscovered newspaper collections online. My blog post explains several sites HERE.
One of the first searches I did was for all the above names, then I threw in his original name of John Scramlin. Wow, a legal notice appeared From the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper Feb. 9, 1978. That indicated to me he had gone back to his original name, and was still living in New Mexico. Through Ancestry, I found him in the 1930 and 1932 city directories for Santa Fe. Three new sources within 1/2 hour! I've never done research for New Mexico, so went to the San Miguel County site, and what a page that is...the top 3 tabs provided everything I needed...where John died, the date and his listing in the 1940 census! Why couldn't I find him in the 1940, well his name is spelled incorrectly, instead of Scramlin, it was Scromlin, now 34, single, and living in a state hospital.
I mailed the information to Linda, and even called her to discuss the next step. In her email to me, she wrote, "Miracles of Miracles! This time it came through. THANKS!!!!!! Our family has looked for him for over one hundred years. At least now we know, even though it appears he had a pretty difficult life. He must have had some functioning skills because he had been a laborer and janitor at the hospital. I hope he was content there. Thank you so much for all your work. We've been wanting to know what happened to him for over a century. I'm very disappointed, not for me, but for him. We had hoped better for him."
But, I wanted to know more....so, stay tuned for the next post.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Vredens Dag-1943
Based on a novel by Hans Wiers-Jenssens, Carl Th.Dreyer's Day of Wrath remains an intense, unforgettable experience. The credits against the score of Dies Irae, chanted by a solemn choir on the background set the tone. One might expect the film to be a moral play from a casual reading of the plot. Consider the plot: Anne, the young second wife of a well-respected but much older pastor, falls in love with her stepson who has come home. The film could easily have slid into the other extreme judging by the bare storyline. The film is not for those who approach a film to satisfy their prurient interests. Carl Dreyer is in full command of his material never swerving to please either. He leaves the film open ended and it makes it all the more compelling drama somewhat like Daphne du Maurier's My Cousin Rachel. Was Anne similarly guilty or not is left to the viewer and there are no easy answers.
Set in Denmark in the 1600s Dreyer's austere narrative does not let off the aged, devout minister, Absalon (Thorkild Roose) for marrying a far younger wife, Anne (Lisbeth Movin). His moral authority places him head of the religious council and in power over life and death of members of his parish. But is he what he seems to profess? All his professed piety is negated by his foolish May- December marriage. As the film progresses we know his gravity and condescending concern for her is more a manifestation of the aridity of his soul. He can well dispatch a helpless woman to her death who knows too well the circumstances by which he claimed the young bride. With her death the minister has merely bought time. None of his fellow clergymen shall know he conspired to release Anne's late mother, an accused witch, in return for Anne agreeing to marry him. This is the moral dilemma number one.
Abaslon's unmarried son (and Anne's stepson), Martin (Preben Lerdoff Rye) poses the second. In the final scene we feel with Anne in the manner her last remaining support is cut off. Martin is as much guilty of lust but having tasted stolen bread in secret, the gravel that he spits out is his lack of moral compass. He gives in too easily to 'religion' of his departed sire and superstition. The shot where Anne stands by her husband's coffin abandoned and accused by her peers is all the more keenly felt since it is a commentary of Martin's betrayal. It breaks her will so much as to let her tormentors do what will. But was she really guilty of Absalon's death?
Whether Anne is really guilty or not is left unanswered as the scene in the first half where Absalon reveals about her mother. She was a witch who could with her powers work with the dead and the living to bring anything to pass. He shares this piece of news concerned that she as her child possessed the same powers, and in the perilous times when witches were hunted and burned she should be very careful. Next shot we see her enunciating the name of Martin clearly and trembling with desire. The viewer knows the name is spoken with all her being. Was it the desire of a woman awaiting for a physical union with one who is in his prime? Or is the cold power of a witch manifested here? In whichever case Martin responded because of his human fraility. Whether Martin answered her call on incantation or by his own physical desire makes him equally guilty. But he is not punished. Moral dilemma of man answering his natural urges is solely on his own human condition: in other words witches or demonic possession are simply labels to paper over one's moral lapses.
While largely Dreyer's essay deals with a forbidden love triangle there are two characters whose formidable presence delineate the moral ambit of the three characters. Anne's tragedy is what imposed by hereditary. Herlofs Marte (Anne Svierkier) at the beginning of the film comes to Anne in fright; her appeal for refuge is on the basis she is the daughter of a witch of her own coven. Anne in helping her has already placed herself on the wrong side of the powerful Council.
Marte who is accused of witchcraft knows society for what it is. She knows what beats behind the straitlaced minister and his ilk. She is unrepentant and is not taken in by the moralizing prig whose heart is all angles as sharp as the scythe of Death. She cries out "I fear neither heaven or hell; I am only afraid to die," and it is merely admission of her human fraility that is beyond pretensions or need for redemption. When she falls along with the burning stake it is as she falls on us. It is an unforgettable cinematic moment.
At the outset we witness an intimate domestic scene that is a commentary on the household. It is not Absalon or his wife but his mother who is in charge. She is a veritable Gorgon. Naturally Anne could not do anything right and when her mother-in-law accuses her of engineering her son's death we are left with no doubt as to the motive. Mother of the minister and in her dress and conduct a matron of unassailable virtue she is unrepentant and unredeemed as much as Herlofs Marte occupying the other end of local community in Norway.
Filmed during the Nazi occupation of Denmark, Carl Dreyer's Day of Wrath (Vredens dag) is a harrowing account of individual helplessness in the face of growing social repression and paranoia. Exquisitely photographed and passionately acted, Day of Wrath remains an intense, unforgettable experience.
Lisbeth Movin
Albert Høeberg
Preben Lerdorff Rye
Sigrid Neiiendam
Director Carl Th. Dreyer
Screenplay Carl Th. Dreyer
From a novel by Hans Wiers-Jenssens
Producer Carl Th. Dreyer and Tage Nielsen
Cinematography Karl Andersson
Editing Anne Marie Petersen and Edith Schlüssel
Music Poul Schierbeck
Memorable Quotes:
Rev. Absalon Pederssøn: There is nothing so quiet as a heart that has ceased to beat.
Martin: Shall we ever find each other again?
Anne Pedersdotter: Who shall prevent it?
Martin: The dead.
Anne Pedersdotter: I see through my tears, but no one comes to wipe them away.
Though the film is outwardly a chronicle of a religious witch-hunt, it contained many subtler comparisons to the behavior of the Nazis (torture and questioning) and Carl Theodor Dreyer fled Denmark for Sweden where he remained until the war was over.
'Much of Dreyer's austerity in dissecting the frailities of human heart and psyche without sitting in judgment of moral compulsions he is more a coroner than a surgeon. Hysteria of witchcraft and heresy of 17th Century had given way to Eugenics and racial purity demanded by the Nazism. Looking at society conditioned by Luther or Calvin authority of the godly required scapegoats. The church leaders based their policy on the Holy Writ while the Nazis policy of lebensraum drew their own conclusions from Spencer and Darwin. Dreyer's concern was for those who made up society, Everyman on whom was the burden of making the policy of powers- that- be work. In locating the areas of putrefaction he didn't make them monstrous or innocent. Absalon, Jeanne d'Arc, one mythical and the other historical, were victims of greater forces.
Dreyer's upbringing was neither strict nor Lutheran. Born out of wedlock in 1889 to a Swedish servant (who died horribly a year and a half later trying to abort a second child), he was adopted by the Dreyers in Copenhagen, who gave him a nonreligious upbringing and whom he grew up despising religiosity. Absalon's mother must have touched a familiar chord in him to make her as instrument of hatred masquerading as propriety. 'The slow pacing is necessary for the intensity and the sexiness under the gloom to register. Freely adapted from a Norwegian play… Anne Pedersdotter that Dreyer had first seen in 1909, Day of Wrath looks today more cinematically advanced than any other movie released in 1943.
The film's handling of period is unparalleled, achieving a narrative richness that may initially seem confusing. Set in 1623, when people still believed without question in witches, the film views that world from a contemporary perspective without for a moment dispelling our sense of what it felt like from the inside. Dreyer pulls off this difficult task through his singular style, involving a sensual form of camera movement he invented: the camera gliding on unseen tracks in one direction while uncannily panning in another direction. It's difficult to imagine—a three-dimensional kind of transport that somehow combines coming and going in the same complex journey—but a hypnotic experience to follow. The film's first real taste of it comes fairly early, when we follow Anne in her sinuous progress towards the torture chamber where Herlof's Marte is being interrogated. The camera tracking with Anne around a pillar prompts our involvement while its simultaneous swiveling away from her establishes our detachment. And enhancing the strange sense of presence that results is Dreyer's rare employment of direct sound rather than studio post-synching—giving scenes an almost carnal impact..' ( Ack:Figuring Out Day of Wrath- Jonathan Rosenbaum/Criterion collections, 20 Aug 01)


text:
You'll Never Guess What Derek Jeter Gives His One-Night Stands
Future Hall of Fame Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter's personal life has come under the spotlight recently but this new story proves he is one of the all-time greats and it's got nothing to do with baseball.
The New York Post is reporting that Jeter has been hooking up with multiple, no doubt ridiculously hot, girls since his split with the gorgeous Minka Kelly. Hot girls love Derek Jeter? Stop the presses! The newsworthy part of this story is the manner in which Jeter gives those one night flings the ol' heave ho.
Apparently after a night of Sweet-Jeet love, 'the Captain' sends them packing via the secret back exit of his apartment building away from the flashbulbs of the paparazzi. Jeter leaves a gift basket in the back of the car with a slew of autographed memorabilia as tokens of his affection so the ladies don't go home empty handed.
The usually guarded Jeter slipped up recently when his usual routine was compromised: he gave one young lady the same gift twice because he forgot that he had hooked up with her earlier this year. That's an E-6 for those scoring at home.
Come on dude, that's bush league. Our suggestion would be to mix it up a little bit and have a new gift basket each month. Maybe throw in autographed stuff from other teammates. Possibly be a team player and just let them have AJ Burnett. Kidding. The Yankees can't give that dude away.
[Via NY Post]


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Shopping is a sport, and everyone knows we take our sports very seriously in Massachusetts. Warm up by finding treasures at one-of-a-kind places like the country's first mobile vintage shop, Haberdash Vintage; the antique stores of Essex; or the world's only Curious George Store in Harvard Square. Score huge deals shopping in Massachusetts' many awesome outlets, and then go into shopping overtime at Yankee Candle's flagship store that's so epic, it's an entire village. Then hit the big leagues shopping in Boston, from the cobblestone streets of the world famous Faneuil Hall Marketplace to the chic store windows on Newbury Street. If you're planning on going shopping in Massachusetts, you're clearly going home a winner.
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text:
A Snohomish County auto repair shop has been charged with insurance fraud after charging for repairs it didn't do and parts that it never installed.
Northwestern Collision, of Lynnwood, was charged Dec. 14 in Snohomish County Superior Court. Arraignment is set for Jan. 9.
In 2009, Farmers Insurance investigators inspected 11 vehicles that had been repaired by the shop between 2007 and 2009. Of the 11, 10 "had substantial and specific" deviations from the repair estimates that Farmers had agreed to.
Among the problems: parts missing and not replaced, repairs not performed, and repairing items that were supposed to be replaced.
On Dec. 8, 2010, officers from the state insurance commissioner's Special Investigations Unit, the State Patrol and the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office served a warrant at the company's Lynnwood office. They gathered up paper files on 10 of the 11 vehicles.
The records indicated that in some cases, new parts that were supposed to be installed were instead returned to the parts dealer.
The insurer was overcharged nearly $11,000, and had to buy one customer's car, which had been rendered unsafe to drive, for another $15,446.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
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text:
Great Planes
Coverite CoverLite Orange 19-1/2x36" (COVQ1802)
This is CoverLite Iron-On Orange Synthetic Tissue Covering from Coverite.
A strong, tough, synthetic material to replace tissue and dope.
++Additional Technical Information Will Be Added As It Becomes Available.++
- Ideal for covering light-weight or Park Flyer models.
- Extremely light weight of only .89 ounce per square yard (28g per square meter).
- CoverLite is sealed to a model with heat, and is factory "doped" with a totally fuelproof resin. It is not only resistant to glow and diesel fuel, but is also airproof and waterproof. Very easy to apply to a model with Coverite Balsarite or CoverLite Adhesive-(see COMMENTS).
- Stronger and more puncture-resistant than normal doped tissue, and can be painted with Coverite 21st Century spray paint.
- Comes folded in a bag (5"x 5.5") with a hangable header card.
- 90 day warranty.
- One CoverLite Iron-On Orange Synthetic Tissue Covering
- One Instruction Sheet
- -Preapplying CoverLite Adhesive (COVR ) or Fabric Balsarite (COVR2500) onto the surface to be covered, and then applying heat to tighten the covering.
- Miscellaneous covering tools.
- Length: 36" (915mm)
- Width: 19.5" (495mm)
- Weight: 1 oz/sq yd (28 g/sq m)
- -The CoverLite Adhesive is not yet available at the time of writing. Preparation before using CoverLite Covering: Fill all cracks and hollows. Sand all parts to be covered to remove bumps or unevenness which would show through the covering. Wipe away all sanding residues. There are two methods of applying CoverLite, depending on whether the part being covered is an open framework or is a solid surface, such as sheet balsa.
Method #1, Open Framework:
- With a small piece of plastic sponge apply a very thin coat of CoverLite Adhesive or Balsarite to the framework. Pay particular attention to the outer edges (leading and trailing edges are longerons). Areas of sheet balsa should be coated all over. Allow the CoverLite Adhesive or Balsarite to dry (15-30 minutes). Cut a panel of CoverLite at least 1" (25mm) larger all around the frame-work to be covered and lay the CoverLite on the framework. Set your iron between 195-212°F (90-100°C) and tack the Coverlite in place at a few points around the edges, using the toe of the iron. While tacking, gently pull the CoverLite to get a smooth fit without wrinkles. Do not try to get the CoverLite drum tight, just smooth and wrinkle-free. Reheating and peeling back while hot allows the CoverLite to be repositioned. Then seal the Coverlite all around the edges of the frame with the iron. Trim excess from around the edge with a sharp blade and reseal the deges. Where panels of CoverLite meet and overlap, the overlap has to be coated with CoverLite Adhesive or Balsarite (and dried). so it can be ironed down. It is best to apply this CoverLite Adhesive or Balsarite with a fine brush BEFORE trimming away the excess CoverLite.
Method #2, Solid Surfaces:
- Solid surfaces such as sheet balsa, ply and veneer. With a scrap of moistened plastic sponge, apply a thin coat of CoverLite Adhesive or Balsarite all over the surface to be covered. Cut a panel of CoverLite oversize and tape it down on a smooth surface and apply a very thin coat of CoverLite Adhesive or Balsarite. Allow to dry. Place the coated side of the CoverLite onto the coated surface and iron down with a cool iron (about 195°F, 90°C). Start at the center and iron outward toward the edges to avoid trapping air under the CoverLite. If the CoverLite wrinkles around the iron, lower the iron temperature. CoverLite can be contoured around slight double curves by heating and gently pulling. For large area of double curvature, it is easiest to cut the CoverLite into "fingers" which are ironed down in succession.


text: Andy Moore took a fantastic win with his HPI Pro4 at round 2 of the BRCA National Series at Snetterton on the 23rd May. This win follows a strong performance at round 1 of the BRCA series which saw both Andy Moore and Kevin Brunsden qualify in the Top 10, and unlucky not to win. At round 2 Andy drove super smooth and consistent from 4th on the grid to take the win over the 2 leg A Final format. Andy could only manage 4th in qualification due to missing the ideal early morning cooler track conditions when many of the Top 10 put their best times in, Andy had to wait for his 2nd set of tyres before being in as position to put his best run in, and joined his fellow Team Mates Kevin Brunsden and Darren Styles in 4th, 5th and 6th on the grid respectably. The A Finals are run over 2 legs so consistent finishes are very important in both Finals to take the top spot. From the start of Leg 1, Andy was able to follow Craig Drescher and Teemu Leino (who had made the trip over from Norway for the race) until a mistake from Craig resulted in a retirement and leaving just Andy chasing Teemu at the front. Come the last few laps of the race Andy was applying pressure to Teemu trying to force a mistake or a pass which ended up coming on the last lap as Teemu drifted a little wide onto the main straight and Andy nipped inside to make the pass stick, nice work!! Onto Leg 2 and again Andy followed the lead pack from the start, but it wasn't long before Teemu tried an unsuccessful move on Craig that resulted in both spinning off and losing time. Andy avoided the trouble to drive past and remain in the lead until the end of the race for the overall win. Kevin and Darren finished in a very respectable 3rd and 5th place overall making it the most successful BRCA weekend for HPI so far…… Well-done guys!! Here are the BRCA Top 10 positions from Snetterton. 1. Andy Moore 2. Teemu Leino 3. Kevin Brunsden 4. David Spashett 5. Darren Styles 6. Craig Drescher 7. Chris Grainger 8. Richard Barton 9. Adam Rogers 10. Olly Jeffieries The Mirage RC Enterprise Team use the following equipment in their BRCA winning cars:-


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[New York News]
The Black Star News, New York's leading African American investigative newspaper honors 11 outstanding individuals from the community at its 2007 Annual Awards Dinner at Harlem's famed Nubian Heritage, on November 30.
This year's lineup of stellar honorees include Lillian Roberts, who heads District Council 37, New York's largest municipal employees union, and legendary journalist Gil Noble, host of "Like It Is," news and current events show on ABC Television.
"We are gratified that some of the most successful pioneers in their respective fields will join us as we celebrate our 10th anniversary," says Milton Allimadi, CEO of Black Star News Publishing Co. Past Annual Awards Dinner honorees have included Camille Cosby, Charles Barron, Amiel Larriuex, Imhotep Gary Byrd, Herman Edwards, Rep. Cynthia McKinney, Marian Wright Edelman, Kermit Eady, and others.
"This year's theme is 'workers' rights and empowering our people through information.' Ms. Roberts has been at the forefront of union organizing for decades and Mr. Noble defines the essence of bold and fearless journalism," Allimadi adds. "Both are leaders whom many people look up to and we are proud to recognize their achievements."
The Black Star News Publishing Co. was founded in 1997 by Allimadi and two former partners, Ben Otunu and Dr. Mana Lumumba-Kasongo, with seed capital from Bill and Camille Cosby. The company publishes The Black Star News, a weekly newspaper focusing on investigative news in New York City. The paper, distributed on newsstands in New York City, Long Island, and parts of New Jersey, also has a national and global outreach through its popular website, www.blackstarnews.com.
The Black Star News has landed several major news scoops and garnered coverage in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Daily News, The New York Post, The New York Observer, Brill's Content Magazine, New York Press and The Village Voice.
Allimadi has also appeared on CNN financial news as a "news maker," and has been a guest on "Like It Is," on ABC Television in addition to numerous appearances on local New York radio.
Allimadi also publishes Harlem Business News magazine, a monthly publication found on newsstands and also online at www.harlembusinessnews.com . Brenda Jeanne Wyche is Managing Editor of both The Black Star and Harlem Business News; Chichi Nwoko is General Manager. The company also operates an online music publication The Groove, which is found online at www.thegroovemag.com and edited and published by Ocen Allimadi.
Lillian Roberts was overwhelmingly re-elected to a third term as executive director of District Council 37 on Jan. 23, 2007. The powerful union represents 121,000 members and 50,000 retirees. Roberts enjoys a rich history in the labor movement and has earned the reputation of a tenacious leader and brilliant organizer. Her reputation as a courageous, fighting labor leader resonated with the Delegates Council, which in 2002 unanimously elected her to run and rebuild DC 37 after scandals rocked its reputation.
Gil Noble is recognized locally and nationally as a dedicated journalist whose work has been a part of the struggle of African Americans for advancement. Noble spends long hours of research and investigation to ensure consistently high quality programming through "Like It Is," and has received over 650 community awards, numerous industry awards including seven Emmys, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Black Journalists, and five honorary doctorates.
Over the years, Noble has interviewed many prominent figures in our society, including the following heads of state: Sekou Ture (Guinea), Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe), Julius Nyerere (Tanzania), Michael Manley and P.J. Patterson (Jamaica), Maurice Bishop (Grenada), Sam Nujoma (Namibia), Kenneth Kaunda (Zambia), and Thomas Sankara (Burkina Faso). In entertainment, his interviews have included Bill Cosby, Erroll Garner, Sarah Vaughan, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Carmen McCrae, Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson, Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Nipsey Russell, Lena Horne, Wynton Marsalis, Milt Jackson and Jackie Mclean.
In sports, Noble has interviewed Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Arthur Ashe, and Jim Brown. Noble has interviewed such political figures as: Jesse Jackson, David Dinkins, Harold Washington, Louis Farrakhan, Andrew Young, Stokley Carmichael (Kwame Ture), Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., and Bruce Wright. He has also done the following documentaries: W.E.B. DuBois, Malcolm X(3), Paul Robeson(2), Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, Decade of Struggle, M.L. King Jr., Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Jack Johnson, Charlie Parker, Essay on Drugs.
Dominic Carter, one of New York's best political reporters with New York 1 News Television and author of "No Momma's Boy" will be honored. Carter hosts NY1's nightly political show, "Inside City Hall." In 2006. he received widespread acclaim for his role as the moderator of series of state-wide debates for governor, U.S. Senator and state attorney general. During the first debate with Senator Hillary Clinton, he made international headlines when Clinton said for the first time that she was thinking about running for president.
One of New York's leading columnists, The Daily News' Errol Louis, is honored this year for his columns on a wide range of political and social affairs. Louis is a member of the Daily News editorial board, which won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing. He is a frequent guest on television and radio, including New York 1, Regional News Network, WNYC radio, WABC-TV and CNN.
As Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs at Columbia University, La-Verna Fountain, serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Columbia's Office of Communications and Public Affairs. She is the public affairs liaison on the University's top initiative—the expansion of the University. Ms. Fountain has been instrumental in building a strong marketing relationship between the University and New York's African American publishers.
Leading business coach, author and renowned motivational speaker, Andrew Morrison is founder of Small Business Camp—an entrepreneurial training and marketing services firm.
Morrison built a multi-million dollar company by providing innovative direct marketing services to Fortune 500 companies. Morrison is featured in November 2007's Black Enterprise Magazine. He has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur Magazine, Crain's Magazine 40 Under 40 and Advertising Age. He also appeared as a "Young Millionaire" on the Oprah Winfrey Show. Andrew hosted the "Money Making Mondays" radio show heard on 98.7 KISS-FM and serves as an adjunct faculty member at New York University and the Fashion Institute of Technology.
Public relations leader Phil Andrews is CEO of PA Public Relations Company and Founder of the Power Networking Business Series. Andrews has lectured throughout New York State at various colleges and universities. A native of Brooklyn, New York, he was Vice President and Marketing Director of the Haircut Hut franchise for over a decade. He is listed in Who's Who in Black America and International Who's Who.
At the tender age of 20, Pernon Dunston is already Vice President of two companies, National Allotment Insurance Agency and Dekalb Funeral Home. As if those weren't enough to fulfill this young dynamo's life, he also owns his own company and is working to make his mark as a fashion designer. Elegance and style is synonymous with the Dunston name, and Pernon lives up to that name in every way. His intelligence, strength and discipline are a combination of his father's no-nonsense, Southern home-training and on-campus study at the New York Military Academy where he was educated from age 9 through 17, and from which he graduated with numerous honors.
Anthony "Tony" Herbert is CEO of The Professionals Network Organization. In December of 1996, Mr. Herbert, together with several business associates and I helped form The Professionals Network Organization. The key function of this organization is to provide, upwardly mobile minorities with opportunities to obtain access to resources and information that will allow them to grow and to bring them closer to realizing the American dream of becoming part of an "Ownership Society". The Professionals Network Organization members and supporters get together for monthly social mixers at various hot spots around New York City, with 10,000 members.
Honoree, London-born Michelle Mitchell is revolutionizing the way women of color communicate and interact with each other on a daily basis. Concerned with the lack of love and sisterhood among African American women, Mitchell created The Phenomenal Women Group, a virtual forum that would serve as a conduit by which women of color could come together to share their joys, sorrows, experiences and resources as a means to empower and support one another. The Phenomenal Women Group started out as an E-Group on Yahoo! but quickly grew into a social network that connects to women throughout the entire world.
Renee Daniel Flagler is a freelance writer who has served in marketing, promotions and events for more than 10 years. Under the divisions of Aspicomm Media, Flagler has been able to marry the things she enjoys the most, marketing, events and writing, into one fulfilling personal career.
Flagler is founder of The Self-Publishing Symposium, a business conference for self and independent publishers, The S'Indie Awards, which honors the works and accomplishments of self and independent publishers and the Divas of Literature Tour, a multi-city book tour in malls across America. Flagler is a recurring guest and one of the resident "Literary Leaders" for WBAI Radio's weekly talk show, Off the Page. Additionally, Flagler has been profiled in Literary Divas, The Top 100+ Most Admired African American Women in Literature, among literary greats such as Tony Morrison, Terry McMillan and Oprah Winfrey.
This year's Black Star News Annual Awards dinner kicks off with a cocktail hour at 6:30 at Nubian Heritage, located at 2037 5th Avenue in Harlem, on 126th Street, followed by dinner, which will be accompanied with the awards presentations, and musical entertainment from a surprise musical guest— Amiel Larriuex was the last surprise guest artist at BSN's annual dinner.
"We want everyone to support The Black Star News by enjoying a great meal and evening in the company of some of the best New Yorkers," Allimadi adds. "Make sure you come with a business card for networking."
Dinner tables for 10 are priced at $2,500, corporate rate and $1,250 small business rate; individual tickets are $75.
Advertisement rates in the Black Star News 2007 Annual Awards Dinner Commemorative Journal are:
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RSVP and ticket or dinner table reservation required. Tickets can also be purchased in person at BSN's offices at 11 Broadway, Suite 519, New York, N.Y., 10004.
For more information about The Black Star News 2007 Annual Awards Dinner or to purchase tables or individual tickets please call (212) 481-7745. Also remember to visit www.blackstarnews.com, www.harlembusinessnews.com and www.thegroovemag.com
To comment or to subscribe to or advertise in New York's leading Pan African weekly investigative newspaper, or to send us a news tip, please call (212) 481-7745 or send a note to firstname.lastname@example.com
Also visit out sister publications Harlem Business News www.harlembusinessnews.com and The Groove music magazine at www.thegroovemag.com
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Black Star News has been producing stellar investigative journalism since 1997, including focusing on police brutality and other abuses targeting marginalized communities. We have broken several major stories. We welcome news tips to email@example.com and firstname.lastname@example.com
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Black Star News has been producing stellar investigative journalism since 1997, including focusing on police brutality and other abuses targeting marginalized communities. We have broken several major stories. We welcome news tips to firstname.lastname@example.com and firstname.lastname@example.com
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Export 2 results:Author Title [ Type] Year
Filters: Author is John Romankiewicz [Clear All Filters]
Lessons Learned from Microgrid Demonstrations Worldwide. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2012. LBNL-5825E..
Conference Proceedings
"International Microgrid Assessment: Governance, INcentives, and Experience (IMAGINE)." the European Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's 2013 Summer Study on Energy Efficiency 2013. LBNL-6159E..


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If last year saw the Berghain resident sketching out the poles of his sound—greyscale clangour ("Iso") at one end, elegiac electro ("Landscape") at the other—then these two tracks sit more or less in the middle. The slowly evolving synth and periodic offbeat claps of "Linux" bear more than a passing resemblance to "Deluge," though Mills-esque sci-fi bleeps are replaced with a far less distinctive loop in this instance. "Ellipse" exhibits marginally more character, its muted pads concealing an oddly off-grid bleep pattern that surfaces briefly in the breakdown. Still—and in spite of a kick drum that splits the air with impressive force—it's hard to consider it much more than a palette cleanser. Dettmann has in the past found ingenious compromises between flair and function, but here he strays a little too far towards the latter.
Published /
Thu / 17 Jan 2013
Words /
Angus Finlayson
Tracklist /
A Linux
B Ellipse


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Buried in the media frenzy that is Sandra Bullock's interview in People magazine is a section about her career which reached new heights with her Oscar win -- just before her husband's infidelity scandal sent the star reeling.
Bullock, filing for divorce from Jesse James and with a new adopted boy, tells the magazine that the movie career is on pause.
"The career will have to wait for a bit," she said.
Pre-Oscar Bullock was talking about how her award buzz for "The Blind Side" had blessedly prolonged her career. But she's stepping back due to motherhood and the glare of the unwanted media attention.
"I don't want to step into that world until I can find what room I left my armor in. You need tough skin to be in this business. I don't have tough skin right now and I don't want it."
Instead Bullock will let the furor die as she focuses on being a mother.
Her near future plans include: "Telling everyone I meet about the most beautiful man I know (infant Louis Bullock), including his poop schedule."
"I have no plans other than what is happening right now. I can't control anything other than what is right under my nose and that needs my attention right now."
Now that the word of her adoption is out there, "I might know what it is like to be like other mamas who are proud to show the world their son."


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Last time the name Gelex crossed TMA, we were busy getting you to shout "I want Gelex for free!â€. Well, just two weeks and a few days later, Gelex has been released at the App Store and thanks to all of your hard work, is FREE for a limited time. Seller Pavel Barak has released Gelex for the hefty discount of 100% for this weekend only, but fortunately, the good cheer doesn't end there.
Handjoy, the Granny Coder, and the gods of grace and mercy have conspired for one last bit of good news: a contest in which entrants can win some nice App Store loot. The catch? There is a catch: you have to download Gelex, do damn well in it, add its author as a friend on Facebook, and if that isn't enough, brag to your friends how well you did. Whew!
Handjoy, Gelex, FREE till 7 December, 2009, 9.2 MB
Full contest details, prizes, and screens after the gap:


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Mackinac Bridge Will Turn Blue For Autism Awareness Tuesday Night
Tuesday is Global Autism Awareness Day, and a popular Michigan landmark will be turning blue tonight to bring more awareness to the cause.
Named "Light it Blue Michigan," this will be the second time that the state will be participating in this international event. Michigan has the fourth-largest number of autistic children in the U.S. (15,000 kids) and advocates hope that this will help bring light to those children.
Michigan Lt. Governor Brian Calley, who has a daughter with autism, will be one of five featured speakers at the event at the Kewadin Casino in St. Ignace Tuesday night. Before becoming the youngest Lieutenant Governor in the country, Calley was an Ionia County Commissioner.
In addition to the Mackinac Bridge, other locations participating in "Light It Blue Michigan" include the GM Renaissance Center, DTE Energy offices, the Motor City Casino, Madonna University, and Wayne State University.
The lights on the Mighty Mac will remain blue through the month of April.


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Newsflash: Kim Kardashian wants a $7,500 Baccarat Cosmos extra large vase – and another $165,000 or so in wedding presents.
This nugget came via breathless reports detailing the bridal registry of a woman who offers nothing, yet seems to need everything (including a $375 candy jar).
While it's impossible to know the true intensity of the love between the non-celebrity celebrity and her betrothed, basketball player Kris Humphries, it is as clear as the 20.5-karat diamond engagement ring on Kardashian's finger that the hoopla surrounding the couple's planned nuptials is as manufactured as cubic zirconium.
Don't blame Kardashian, who, with her family, has hit on a magic formula for making money – a reported $65 million last year – by simply being their spoiled and shallow, if generally harmless, selves. While the Kardashians are a guilty pleasure who don't ordinarily inspire introspection, perhaps we should ask ourselves some questions: Why, especially at a time when economy is staggering, do we celebrate those with dubiously earned fortune and fame? Is the impulse voyeuristic? Misguidedly aspirational? Escapist? Masochistic?
From the times of fairy tales, big weddings have captured the imagination – only the attention paid these days is as outsized as Kardashian's ring and registry (which add up to about $2.2 million, for those keeping count). We're seemingly suckers for the lure of spectacle and the illusion of happily-ever-after – and we've gone from living vicariously through so-called royalty whose money came from accidents of birth to getting our glitz fix from so-called stars who gained notice through the train wreck that's much of Reality TV. Even the called-off wedding of an 85-year-old pornographer is big celebrity news.
Reports of Kardashian's laughable wedding registry ($150 napkin ring, anyone?) bring to mind a parody video we discovered recently, via The Huffington Post. The short uses the form of a late-night TV plea to save starving children and turns it into an appeal for the well-to-do, on behalf of the fictional Imagine a World Foundation.
"Imagine a world where a child grows up without nanny or a kid being forced to wear last year's clothes," whines a red wine-sipping hipster dad, topped by a knit cap. "For as little as $6,000 a month, you can sponsor a child."
A mere $6,000 won't get Kim her vase. But it would sure be nice to imagine a world without a "Keeping up with the Kardashians" wedding – let them elope and live happily ever after, out of our view. That would be their present to us.
Meanwhile, check out the video, a gift from the Selwyn Brothers, below – the only thing it will cost you is a few minutes.
Atom Exclusives Channel
Tags: Atom.com | Funny Videos | Tournament | Upload
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.


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Lyndey Milan Baking Product Launch|Blueprint Potts Point
For over 25 years Lyndey Milan has a trademark style of summer baking and what a perfect way to share her exciting secrets on the Lyndey Milan's Summer Baking Secrets on Channel 7. Lyndey's six week delicious adventures begin with mouth-watering baked goods, all which can be easily re-created at the heart of your own kitchen, then comes with a fair few of time-saving tips, baking secrets, and her personal insights. Not only does she make the most simple recipes look heavenly rewarding but so does her first-ever bakeware range, the culmination of 30 year's experience and a two-year collaboration with Margaret Butler, founder of Anasazi.
That summer themed high tea spread at Lyndey Milan's Bakware Launch.
You'd want a slice or maybe the whole cake in your stomach as the chocolate naked cake is filled with outer layer of buttercream. It's not your traditional cake as it has a colourful texture of smooth creamy chocolate cream and oh the fresh flowers and leaves adds a nice floral surprise.
Eyes on this Chocolate Naked Cake prize decorated with fresh flowers
That inner shot of the layered cake…HMMMMMMmmmm…
The Mexicans are in town with these adorable child size jalapeno mini muffins. These sweet, crumbly muffins are unbelievably easy to finish and might I say would be perfect compliment to any soup. I didn't have portion control for this as it was a nice spicy kick to my tastebuds.
Jalapeno Mini Muffins
With the success of Summer Baking Secrets Tv Series, it's only right for Lyndey to release her first-ever bakeware range. If you've been secretly watching Lyndey Milan's top tips about baking and easy peasy recipes then you would have easily noticed her bakeware ranges. It's hard to forget where you've placed each piece of these products as there's a variety of modern cream ceramic-coated tinware, new-age silicone bakeware, clever double seal storage containers and let's not forget Lyndey's signature hot-pink baking accessories.
Truly the new-age silicone bakeware
The TV series is based around Lyndey's collection as it brings the best out of every home cook even if you're clueless about cooking. It's definitely your bake range heroes. All Lyndey's Bake Range is available to purchase in store from Blueprint Retail in Potts Point. Better get those silicon heart shaped chocolate mold, it's too sweet to resist in your kitchen.
Now I need this and this and that in my kitchen. OH AND that knife as well 😀
If you're a cheesecake fan then you'd wouldn't want to miss out on this. It is dainty and light topped with honeycomb caramel crumbles.
Bite-size Cheesecake
Now now before I start telling myself I need to control my sugar diet these orange and lime marmalade trifle filled in a cup screams summer more than a bright citrusy dessert.
Cute cups filled with Orange and Lime Marmalade Trifle
Now if you don't like eating veggies then why not hide them in a cake? The gluten-free carrot and zucchini slab cake knows how to disguise it's healthy looks and taste. There's a great scent of ground cinnamon and orange grind. By the way you wouldn't miss it for the world that lemon icing and to garnish the toasted fragrant of sunflower, pumpkin seeds and pine nut mix.
Gluten-Free Carrot and Zucchini Slab Cake
Who needs assistance to eat the simple chocolate fudge cake topped with fresh rasphberries when you can certainly have it all to yourself. This cake is delicious on its own but even better topped fresh pieces of rasphberries. This might be one of the most heavenly bakes to devour and with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream on the side, it would be 110% perfect.
Simple Chocolate Fudge Cake topped with fresh Raspberries
Thumbs up for tasting so good!
A selection of bite-size cakes. Now which one should I eat first? 😛
Simon from SimonFoodFavourites says "Take a selfie with Tetsuya"
Had to join the Tetsuya Wakuda selfie line
Oh who is this CUTIE PIE?! Baby Noah and Jackie M and also HELLO Christine from Cooking Crusade
This extraordinary dessert, made Simon from SimonFoodFavourites eye on it for an hour at least before it was time to cut. Made with crisp hazelnut meringue and whipped cream then topped with fruit pieces, I had leverage over Simon. Teehee.
Perfect Layered Hazelnut Meringue Cake splashed with fresh fruit pieces.
Now that's one crazy meringue cake I wouldn't mind taking home.
You're my five spice plum and almond crumble pie. It contains a rich taste and that hit of salt balances out the sweetness of the stone fruit with some luscious plums in between.
That long log of Five Spice Plum and Almond Crumble Pie
Like Lyndey's vibrant personality, it's only right her collection is warm and inviting with each baking piece featuring her recipes. With inspirations from her friends and family, she explains it's important we don't waste our time washing and cleaning in the kitchen after a long days work cooking and baking, so every piece is dishwasher safe. For her silicone non-stick and the utensils have eco friendly, sustainably sourced bamboo handles.
Say goodbye to grey coloured bakeware ranges.
Need this in my kitchen cabinet, please.
With all the flavor of a traditional tomato pie, these tiny tarts was a big hit at the party. It was a lovely stylish starter and an appetising savoury. Made with ripe cherry tomatoes and fragrant herbs, this tart is both delicious and beautiful.
Tomato Tarts
It's the Vanilla verison of the Naked Cake topped with beautiful fresh flowers
OH MY! Pink show bags to take home.
Such a pleasure to finally meet Lyndey Milan
It was a fun floral high tea filled with gorgeous fresh flowers all scattered around the cakes and mini tarts. I just couldn't quite point out which slice of cake I heart the most, but I do know I wanted it all to myself. It was lovely to finally meet a Lyndey as well a few surprise guests like Jackie M and Tetsuya Wakuda. Till then keep baking more sweet treats!
Lyndey knows how to HIGH tea!
Photos by Vanny Tang
Disclaimer: Nessy Eater attended High Tea hosted by Lyndey Milan, thanks to AC Verve.
Opinions are however, Nessy Eater's own.
Like to know more about Nessy Eater food adventures?
You can follow Nessy Eater on Instagram / Facebook / Twitter or feel free to leave a YUMMY comment 😀


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Related Menus
Viking Rotisserie Turkey with Gravy
Oven-roasted, smoked and fried – there are multitudes of ways I've experimented with cooking the holiday turkey. But my family's favorite way to enjoy the ubiquitous bird is rotisserie-turned on our Viking Outdoor Grill.
With minimal preparation a turkey is cooked to succulent perfection practically unattended. An olive oil rub and some dry seasonings are all you need to ensure a bird with skin that's crisp and meat that's tender and juicy. Stuffing some onion quarters, celery and carrot chunks into the cavity of the bird and under the skin adds extra flavor to the meat.
Cooking the turkey over a disposable foil pan ensures that you won't miss out on the delicious gravy that is a must-have accompaniment to the holiday meal. I like to add some aromatic vegetables to the pan, which roast as the turkey cooks and then become a flavorful addition to the gravy.
Viking Rotisserie Turkey with Gravy
Remove giblet and back packets from turkey and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Drizzle turkey all over with the olive oil and rub in with your hands. Sprinkle with the poultry seasoning and salt blend and rub in well. Stuff half of the onion, celery and carrots inside the cavity and under the skin of the neck of the turkey. Place the remaining onion, celery and carrots in a disposable foil pan.
Slide one of the rotisserie forks onto the rotisserie rod. Slide the turkey onto the rod and secure with the second fork. Tighten the forks, secure the legs and wings with butcher's twine and secure the skin at the neck of the turkey with picks. Place the rotisserie attachment on the grill. Place the foil pan under the turkey, turn the rotisserie burner on medium-high and cook for 16 to 18 minutes per pound or about 3 to 4 hours, checking turkey half way through cooking time.
Remove the turkey from the grill when an internal temperature of 170 to 175 is reached. Place the turkey on a baking sheet, remove the rotisserie forks and rod, cover with foil and set aside for 20 minutes before carving, during which time the turkey will continue to rise in temperature by 5 to 10 degrees.
Remove the vegetables from the foil pan and place them in a blender. Puree the vegetables, adding a bit of water or broth if the mixture is too thick to puree. Defat the drippings in the foil pan and pour the remaining drippings into a large saucepan or skillet. Add the flour and stir over medium heat, until a thick roux is formed. Whisk in the pureed vegetables and the chicken or turkey broth and cook, stirring, until medium-thick gravy is formed, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Makes 10 servings.


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Release dates for the BlackBerry Z10 in the U.S. have been a pretty hot topic for the past few days now and it seems as though until all the carriers involved actually put that information out there, the rumored dates will just keep coming. This time around, Hugo Miller over at Bloomberg has added some details to the mix and it's falling in line with what we've heard in the past as well.
According to the article, those on AT&T should be looking at a March 22nd on sale and in store date for the BlackBerry Z10. As we mentioned previously, the March 15th details that have been put out there is most likely when AT&T will declare something official on the matter and possibly even start taking preorders vs. it actually being the day customers can walk in to a store and pick up a BlackBerry Z10.
In any event, AT&T declined to comment further on the matter and at the time of posting BlackBerry had not confirmed the details either. We'll just have to sit back and play the wait and see game for a little bit longer. The BlackBerry Z10 will be coming to AT&T at some point in the very near future as well as T-Mobile and Verizon but until something official from each carrier is put out there, everything is subject to change.
All I know for sure is, it will be a gloriously pleasing day for BlackBerry fans in the U.S. when they can finally pick up a BlackBerry Z10 of their own.


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HARRISBURG, Pa. -- John Haddad explores the 1784 first voyage to China by Americans who were seeking wealth, to convert China to Christianity and even to command a Chinese army in his new book, "America's First Adventure in China."
Haddad, associate professor of American studies and popular culture at Penn State Harrisburg, provides a colorful narrative history of how China and America first met, focusing on the lives and experiences of American traders, missionaries and adventurers as they traveled to a foreign land unaware that the United States even existed. What followed this meeting was a long, complicated, fruitful trade relationship and a history of cultural exchange and interactions between these two dominant countries.
The book is a culmination of the research Haddad conducted during his 2010-11 Fulbright grant experience in China. It's his second book about the relationship between China and the United States.
Using special collections, 19th century travel accounts and missionary accounts of southern China, Haddad was able to trace the steps that these Americans followed to recreate the American experience in China.
He recounts how American expatriates used savvy business skills, religion and opium to establish a unique presence in China. He shows how those adventurous men built their own American dreams in this completely alien culture.
"I wanted to explore what America was doing on the ground in China and how we met the Chinese for the first time in the years spanning 1784-1870," Haddad said.
As a part of his Fulbright, Haddad also taught American studies, pop culture and literature at the University of Hong Kong. He said that it was interesting to teach American studies in a city that received most of its information about American culture from the media.
"While the students were more interested in Apple computers, movies, television and video games," he said, "I wanted to show them the rest of America – the Amish, Gettysburg – they didn't know rural America at all."
He said his teaching experience also proved to be a learning experience for him as he worked to overcome cultural barriers and adapt to the contrasting learning styles of the students.
"These were high caliber students," Haddad said. "The students from Hong Kong were quiet and reticent in class; in contrast, the Chinese students were very outspoken and vocal. I had to be more sensitive to the backgrounds of the students and develop classroom strategies to engage them to participate."
He added that he had to not take their reticence as disinterest in the topics that he was teaching.
"These students came from a different educational model than what I was used to," Haddad said. "I thought that I was failing at first until I saw how outstanding their papers were. I knew then that I had to develop a strategy to get them to talk."
He did so by providing visual imagery and working in small groups, adding, "There was always something going on in their minds."
"America's First Adventure in China" was published by Temple University Press. The book complements Haddad's first book, "The Romance of China: Excursions to China in U.S. Culture, 1776-1876," published by Columbia University Press in 2006.


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Relationships with
Photo Credit: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's picture is courtesy of Gulnara.net. Photographic illustrations of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn are copyright © by their respective holders. The images are published with permission or as allowed by the copyright law's fair use or quotation provisions. If any copyright holder objects to an image being included, please notify us and it will be removed immediately.
Disclaimer: This information about Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is derived from astrological interpretation of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's date, time, and place of birth.


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News Release
<< Back
BETHESDA, Md., Dec. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- American Capital Agency Corp. (Nasdaq: AGNC) ("AGNC" or the "Company") announced today that it priced a public offering of 8,000,000 shares of common stock for total net proceeds of approximately $219 million. Citi and Deutsche Bank Securities acted as underwriters for the offering. In connection with the offering, the Company has granted the underwriters an option for 30 days to purchase up to an additional 1,200,000 shares of common stock to cover overallotments, if any. The offering is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close on December 14, 2010.
AGNC expects to use the net proceeds from this offering to acquire additional agency securities as market conditions warrant and for general corporate purposes.
The offering will be made pursuant to AGNC's existing effective shelf registration statement, previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The offering of these securities will be made only by means of a prospectus and a related prospectus supplement. Copies of the prospectus and prospectus supplement may be obtained from Citi, Brooklyn Army Terminal, 140 58th Street, 8th Floor, Brooklyn, New York 11220; telephone: (800) 831-9146 or Deutsche Bank Securities, Prospectus Department, Harborside Financial Center, 100 Plaza One, Jersey City, New Jersey 07311-3988; telephone: (800) 503-4611.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy shares of common stock, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
AGNC is a REIT that invests in agency pass-through securities and collateralized mortgage obligations for which the principal and interest payments are guaranteed by a U.S. Government agency or a U.S. Government-sponsored entity. The Company is externally managed and advised by American Capital Agency Management, LLC, an affiliate of American Capital, Ltd. ("American Capital").
American Capital is a publicly traded private equity firm and global asset manager. American Capital, both directly and through its asset management business, originates, underwrites and manages investments in middle market private equity, leveraged finance, real estate and structured products. Founded in 1986, American Capital has $18 billion in capital resources under management and eight offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia. American Capital and its affiliates will consider investment opportunities from $5 million to $100 million.
This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements," including with regard to the closing of the Company's securities offering and the anticipated use of the net proceeds. These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. No assurance can be given that the securities offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described, or at all, or that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Completion of the securities offering on the terms described, and the application of net proceeds, are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including, without limitation, changes in interest rates; changes in the yield curve; changes in prepayment rates; the availability and terms of financing; changes in the market value of our assets; general economic conditions; market conditions; conditions in the market for agency securities; legislative and regulatory changes that could adversely affect the business of the Company; and other factors, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Copies are available on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release.
Investors -- (301) 968-9300
SOURCE: American Capital Agency Corp.


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LOS ANGELES (AP) Having wrapped up December with just the third 16-0 month in NBA history, the Los Angeles Clippers face tough challenges starting the new year.
They'll play four games this week, with two opponents having winning records and the other at .500. The Clippers take their franchise-record 17-game winning streak into Denver on Tuesday, where the Nuggets are 9-1 at home.
``It'll be a big test for us,'' Blake Griffin said.
Denver is the first game of a back-to-back, with a visit to Golden State on Wednesday. The Warriors handed the Clippers their first loss of the season on Nov. 3. The Clippers return home on Friday to host the Lakers, a team they've already beaten once and who are back to .500. Then comes the second game of another back-to-back against the Warriors.
``We're going to lose at some point, but this is a magical run,'' said Caron Butler, who had 29 points in a 107-96 victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday that maintained the league's best record at 25-6.
The Clippers haven't lost since Nov. 26.
``I want to do this every year,'' coach Vinny Del Negro said. ``This has got to be a staple of how we go about doing our business. We're thinking bigger than the streak.''
They have proven they can win on successive nights during the streak, having done so on Dec. 8 against Phoenix and the next night against Toronto, then again on Dec. 11 at Chicago and the following night in Milwaukee.
``We're just trying to build as many wins as possible,'' Chris Paul said. ``Last week was a tough week (wins over Denver, Boston and Utah twice). We don't look past anybody.''
The Clippers went 16-0 in December to join the 1995-96 San Antonio Spurs, which included Del Negro, and 1971-72 Lakers as the only teams to go undefeated in a month. Their franchise-record winning streak is the longest since Boston won 19 in a row four years ago.
``I am amazed because I haven't done it since I've been in the league,'' said Paul, a seven-year veteran who had 19 points and nine assists against Utah.
The Clippers kept their streak alive despite Griffin scoring just seven points due to foul trouble. Their bench came through again, with Jamal Crawford scoring 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter.
Butler sat in the fourth quarter after playing ``out of his mind'' as Griffin put it in the opening quarter, when the veteran scored 17 points and hit five of his six 3-pointers.
``It's a tribute to everybody in here,'' Griffin said. ``Everybody has been a huge part one night or the other. It's a selfless attitude the team has taken on. This is the most fun I've ever had playing basketball.''
Against the Jazz, Crawford keyed a 10-5 run to open the fourth, highlighted by a 3-pointer and a fast break pull-up jumper that helped the Clippers extend their lead to 89-81. Paul and Griffin didn't join the second unit until 5:55 remained and Utah had closed within four on a basket by Derrick Favors.
That was as close as the Jazz got. The Clippers made 9 of 10 free throws down the stretch and their defense held Utah to one field goal in the final 3:38.
The Clippers have been winning without injured veterans Chauncey Billups and Grant Hill.
``We really haven't had an opportunity to see what it looks like,'' Paul said of the entire team.
Still, they've won 11 of their 17 games by 12 points or more, and their defense has allowed 100 points just three times during the streak. They've been winning so handily that Paul and Griffin rarely have to play in the fourth quarter. Both are averaging career low minutes in the final period this season.
``We expect to win every time we step out on the court,'' Butler said. ``We have a good mixture of young guys and veterans, and we do a good job of policing ourselves. Coach lets us control the environment. We do a great job being unselfish on and off the court.''
After putting away the Jazz, Butler headed out to join his teammates at a dinner organized by Ryan Hollins. And no, the streak wasn't going to be part of the conversation.
``It's something that kind of keeps happening,'' Griffin said. ``It's not something we talk about.''


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Kenny Nevermind & Madlock Zay - Crazy [Unsigned Hype]
"Crazy" - Artistry at its finest. Born to live our life through art. A modern day Leonardo Da Vinci and Michaelangelo. Produced by Kenny Nevermind and Madlock Zay. Romance Part 2 the mixtape coming soon.
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"Pay Roll of Slaves Employed by the Commonwealth"
Pay Roll of Slaves Employed by the Commonwealth of Virginia, for Coast, Harbor and River Defenses, on the Defensive Works at Gloucester Point in the Month of April 1861, Slave Rolls, May–October 1861, Records of the Engineer Department, 1861–1865, Record Group 46, Library of Virginia.
This is the second page of a two-page itemized list of the expenses that the state's engineer department incurred in renting slaves and horses to work on defensive works at Gloucester Point, on the north bank of the York River, in the month of April 1861. It is filed with other lists for Gloucester Point submitted later in the year and with similar lists for the same period compiled at nine other sites in the greater Hampton Roads and lower James River region.
In January 1861, the General Assembly appropriated $1 million for the defense of the state and employed a military engineer to direct the work. This printed form, with the place, month, and final digit of the year left blank to be filled in when completed, indicates that the state and the engineer planned to rent slaves by the day for heavy work and suggests that a printer or state official anticipated that the defensive works might require laborers beyond the year 1861. This page also records the renting of several horses from the owners of the enslaved laborers and indicates that the rate for hire of laborers and of horses was the same, $0.50 per day.
The printed text contains spaces for the owners to sign when they received their pay, but this copy contains no signatures.


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Life in the slow lane: midweek traffic the worst for Sydney drivers
If Wednesday morning feels like a grind, here could be your reason why: Sydney's traffic is at its worst heading into the middle of the working week, new data has found.
The information, collected across last year, also supports what many drivers may have already long suspected - traffic in the harbour city is the worst in the country, and among the worst in the world.
The GPS maker TomTom used live traffic data and GPS information from mobile devices - more than 92 million vehicle kilometre's worth, in total - to monitor how long it takes to travel through Sydney. It found a typical driver on an average trip was in the car for 34 per cent longer than the same journey would otherwise take in free-flowing traffic.
That converted to an additional 38 minutes longer per hour, or almost 90 hours a year based on a 30-minute commute.
Melbourne and Perth recorded an average congestion level of 27 per cent, under the annual index, which recorded a figure of 23 per cent for Brisbane.
Wednesday mornings edged out Tuesdays and Thursdays to generally be the worst time to be on the road in Sydney, while Friday mornings usually promised the most free-flowing traffic of the working week. But those same drivers heading home to start their weekends encountered the worst evening traffic of the five days analysed, it found.
Sydney's most notorious stretches of road were also among the most congested. The Eastern Distributor south of Moore Park Road, Old South Head Road and the Pacific Highway at Chatswood all made the list. As did the southern portion of Lady Game Drive; Military Road between Neutral Bay and Manly; and Parramatta Road in Camperdown, as well as the start of the M4. The Princes Highway through to King Street in Newtown and on to City Road and Broadway was also included.
NRMA president Wendy Machin said the results were not surprising, but could be addressed by closing gaps in the road network or improving traffic management. ''All-day clearways in some areas, maybe that has to be considered,'' she said.
But the University of NSW's Professor of Sustainable Urbanism, Michael Neuman, said Sydney needed to address its ''third-world'' public transport.
''The most cost-effective solution is excellent and varied public transport,'' he said, adding the congestion findings were in line with that of other studies.
The data found the worst day to be on the road last year was November 22 – a Friday marked by thunderstorms.
''If you have bad storms, most cities nearly shut, or close down for a period, as the network recovers,'' said TomTom's Asia Pacific vice-president, Chris Kearney.
Mr Kearney said the company collected the data to use in its GPS navigation devices and transport services, but it was also being used by governments for traffic planning and management.
On a global scale, Sydney was 17th on a list of the world's most congested cities measured in more than 40 countries - narrowly placing behind London and Athens.
Moscow, Istanbul and Rio de Janeiro, in that order, secured the top three spots.


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Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
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You all know who i'm rooting for to win.
Quote from: Joab on December 18, 2009, 01:24:12 PMYou all know who i'm rooting for to win. The one with the boobies?
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94% Lake and mountain picture
Welcome to our website with the latest solutions of 94% game. Here you can find the answers for 94% Lake and mountain picture. Sometimes finding all the answers is not easy and you can get stuck on a certain level, without having the ability to go to the next level and thus not enjoying this game fully.
Below you can find all 94% Lake and mountain picture answers, so you can win 3 stars and move on to the next level.
94% Lake and mountain picture
- Water – 31%
- Mountain – 25%
- Cloud – 16%
- Reflection – 13%
- Beautiful – 6%
- Peaceful – 3%
Other questions that can be asked at this level:
- 94% Art movements
- 94% Ireland
Some of the Lake and mountain picture answers may change as time passes, so in order to get the right ones, you have to visit this website often.
If you find a new answer that is not on the list for "94% Lake and mountain picture", please let us know by commenting in this article or as an alternative you can contact us by using this form here.
94% game is developed by Scimob, the same company that created one of the best games in the recent months: Word academy. By following this link you can find all word academy answers.
Share this level with your friends on facebook or any other social network. They can help you with the answers.


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This week's Carnival of the Mobilists is over at Xellular Identity which includes a fascinating post on the South Korean mobile market. There is also a post that discusses the US mobile internet penetration – I was surprised to learn that several off-deck US publishers such as The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Reuters, ESPN and others are all generating over 1m page views. The downside however has been the inability of the publishers to monetise this traffic. Read the post to find out why!
Would like to thank Xen for including my post on 3G embedded netbooks in this week's Carnival!


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Flat Roofing in Castle Point
For all your Flat Roofing needs in Castle Point
If you are looking for a flat roof company in Castle Point then Alpha Team Rubber Roofing are pleased to be at your service.
Flat roofers in Castle Point
As your flat roofer in Castle Point we offer flat roof installations, flat roof repairs and flat roof replacements.
High quality flat roof installation in Castle Point
All installed flat roofs are LIFETIME guaranteed.
Superior roofing product for all roofs in Castle Point
The flat roof systems we use in the Castle Point area are made by Firestone. The product is made from an EPDM rubber which is perfect for flat roof applications. More on the product we use. It has been used by commercial architects for over 40 years.
Leaking flat roofs in Castle Point
If your flat roof is leaking or you suspect a leak have a look at the sorts of flat roof problems you can expect to get from felt flat roofs.
Would you like a free online estimate?
Fill out our online form with details of your roof for an estimated cost of installation.
Would you like to book a free site survey and written quotation?
Request a survey by filling out a short form online or alternatively you can get in contact with us by email or telephone.
If you have a question...
...you can contact us and a member of the team will be happy to answer them.


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Accelerated, or rush, immunotherapy is done very quickly to increase
your tolerance to an allergen. There are different schedules for the shots that
try to achieve a maintenance dose more quickly than standard immunotherapy. For
example, a rush immunotherapy schedule might include:
All immunotherapy should be done in a doctor's office or clinic so
that emergency care is available.
Rush immunotherapy may be done if:
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Geek obsession: Paul Weller
Why it's daunting: The punchline Paul Weller has been dragging around for more than 30 years is this: Despite the fact that he's been a seismic hitmaker in England for decades, he's barely registered on American ears. The reason often cited for this disparity is the A-word: anglocentrism. Sound specious? It is. After all, Weller was at the height of his popularity in the early '80s, at a time when a full-scale, new-wave British Invasion was taking place. And if anything, his songs with The Jam, The Style Council, and currently as a solo artist are accessible and universal—and, unlike most of his peers, pretty much timeless.
Granted, Weller has been called The Modfather, and he almost singlehandedly revived a sort of rousing (yet no less self-lacerating) British cultural pride in the late '70s—just as punk was doing its best to trash such sentimentality. But even the most myopic American should be able to take the long view. Weller's discography is full of aching love songs, screeds against inequity, and celebrations of the rich lineage of rock and soul. (Yeah, there's also a tune or two about London.) The fact remains, though, that his oeuvre is a sprawling one, and there's a lot of output of varying quality to comb through. It doesn't help that some of his best songs—like his first chart-topper, The Jam's ironically anti-populist 1980 anthem, "Going Underground"—never appeared on a studio album. Even his catalog of greatest-hits collections is a rambling mess, another dubious mark of distinction that shows just how perennially marketable he remains in his homeland.
Possible gateway: The Jam, Snap!
Why: Normally it's a bit of a copout to recommend a best-of package as a gateway. But The Jam's Snap!—released in 1983, just a year after Weller walked out on the trio—is one of those rare anthologies that has enough consistency, character, and brilliant non-album tracks to be considered an essential record in its own right. But Snap! has a lot more going for it than excellent music. It starts with the band's debut single—"In The City," a Who-meets-Sex Pistols rallying cry released at the height of the punk boom in '77—and ends with its 1982 swan song, "Beat Surrender," a horn-spiked homage to '60s soul. Between those bookends lie 27 cuts of the most superb songwriting of the post-punk era. Weller was just 18 when "In The City" came out, and already he'd mastered the choppy R&B and bellowing passion for which he'd become known.
But as Weller's chops grew into his ambition, he began tinkering. Single after single, album after album, he'd attempt to top himself by exploring everything from acoustic balladry and psychedelia to funk and power-pop. Meanwhile his lyrics—informed greatly by his hero, The Kinks' Ray Davies—began to probe poetry, ideas, and emotion in a way that still telegraphed working-class grit. Lean and lush at the same time, his many triumphs include the catchy yet chilling tale of racist brutality, "Down In The Tube Station At Midnight"; his scalding take on war (class and otherwise), "The Eton Rifles"; and the Motown-esque "Town Called Malice," an upbeat yet melancholy hit that was one of Weller's few singles to scrape the U.S. charts, if barely. Not only is Snap! the ideal entrée into the world of Weller, it's a working model of everything he'd later accomplish in The Style Council and solo.
Next steps: As a testament to either his integrity or his volatility (or both), Weller quit The Jam at the height of the group's popularity and immediately formed The Style Council. Featuring a revolving cast of musicians centered on Weller and keyboardist Mick Talbot, the outfit's fluidity allowed Weller to explore a broader, less rock-oriented sound. The Council's debut full-length, Café Bleu (given a slightly different track listing and named My Ever Changing Moods in the States), shook Weller's devoted fan base and kicked off a difficult decade in his career. While the album itself is a brave and bracing foray into slick, at times even silky soul and jazz, it never quite jelled with soulful contemporaries like Simply Red and Sade, both of whom had far greater success with a similar formula. As sophisticated as The Style Council sounds, Weller's angst and anger always show through—a friction that works to the group's advantage as often as against it. Of the two versions of the debut album, My Ever Changing Moods is the winner by a nose; unlike Café Blue, it includes one of the band's most exuberant tracks, "A Solid Bond In Your Heart" (which started life as a demo by The Jam).
After a string of mostly fantastic albums (and membership in the leftist Red Wedge coalition of pop acts Weller cofounded with Billy Bragg), The Style Council fell apart after its label, Polydor, rejected the album Modernism: A New Decade for being too much of a departure. Enamored of the new house and acid-jazz scenes, Weller went solo. But after a brief flirtation with dance music, he forged boldly forward—and back—with his two breakthrough solo albums, 1993's Wild Wood and 1995's Stanley Road. As the Britpop movement ushered in a new age of musical patriotism, Weller reclaimed his throne as a British rock icon; worshipped as an influence by everyone from Blur to Oasis (the latter of which enlisted Weller as a guest on (What's The Story) Morning Glory?), he suffused Wild Wood and Stanley Road with gorgeous, classic songcraft that called to mind everyone from John Lennon to Steve Winwood to Nick Drake. And his voice, as gruff as ever, continues to erode into a smoky croon.
Where not to start: Honestly, there isn't a single album Paul Weller has put out—in any incarnation—that isn't worth owning. Up to and including 2010's Wake Up The Nation, he continues to deepen his comfortable and comforting groove while showing up with at least a few new tricks each time around. There are, however, a handful of Weller albums that don't serve as worthy introductions to his body of work. The Jam's sophomore album, This Is The Modern World, documents a young and unsure Weller clearly too worried about appeasing the punk movement to be able to strike out in a new direction. There are some great songs on the album, as well as some stinkers, but hesitancy has never looked good on Weller. Likewise, The Style Council's aborted final album, Modernism: A New Decade—which eventually saw the light of day in 1998—is intriguing as a glimpse into Weller's take on London club music circa 1988, but it feels forced and self-conscious, as well as a little dated. As for his solo discography, Studio 150 isn't at all a showcase for Weller's stellar songwriting, simply because it's an album of covers. That said, he's been a faithful interpreter of his influences' songs since day one, and Studio 150's unexpected renditions of classics like Neil Young's "Birds" remain worth hearing.


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Economic Impact Study Presentation
Completion of Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation represents another important milestone in Oklahoma's statewide preservation program. The Center for Urban Policy Research, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, produced the study. Dr. David Listokin and Dr. Michael Lahr, et al of Rutgers, were the principals, and Dr. Dan S. Rickman, Oklahoma State University, worked closely with them to complete the property valuation analysis portion of the study. Rutgers developed, under contract to the National Park Service's National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, the input/output model used for this and many similar studies across the nation. It is known as the Preservation Economic Impact Model.
The study included a detailed analysis of the economic impacts of general rehabilitation work in Oklahoma; of redevelopment completed under the federal and state rehabilitation tax credits programs; of the Oklahoma Main Street Program; of heritage tourism initiatives; and of local historic district designation. The executive summary will provide a concise statement about how these activities are contributing to our statewide and local economies and places our efforts in a national context (hard copies will be available).
The full report is now available on this website by clicking on the link below. We believe that the study offers community leaders in the public and private sectors the data they have long needed to support improvements in public policy that will not only stimulate our economy, but will result in improved preservation of the buildings, structures, sites, districts, objects, and landscapes that represent Oklahoma's unique heritage.
Economic Impact Study - executive summary only (PDF)
Economic Impact Study - complete (PDF)


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The speaker's audiences, though, can be more difficult...like, say, herding cats? Try these tactics that act like catnip for audiences to pack an irresistible punch in your next presentation or talk:
- Include the improbable: Think about all the presentations and speeches you've endured. Which ones surprised you? When the speaker can unpack a surprise, especially an improbable reality, a great contrast, an unlikely pairing or eventuality, the audience will be more likely to pay attention.
- Tell a story on yourself: If you can share your embarrassment, hesitation, mistakes, missed opportunities and aha! moments, we'll feel like we've gotten to know you better. Audiences love connecting with you in this way.
- Show me an invisible visual: Forget the slides. Show me a picture I can see in my mind's eye--something you describe so vividly that it sticks with me--and I'll remember your talk long after the applause, and enjoy it more while it's happening.
- Toss your script: Sorry, speechwriters, but there's little that can be more electric to an audience than a speaker who puts her script aside. This takes planning, but when it's done right, it's a crowd-pleaser.
- Give it dimensions: Props can bring abstract ideas into physical reality, and if you're brave enough to wield an unusual prop, one that makes the audience suddenly think about what it would be like to hold such a thing, so much the better. Think neuroscientist Jill Bolte Taylor holding a human brain while she talked about her stroke, or Bill Gates opening a jar of mosquitoes during a talk about malaria. Help us think and see in three dimensions.
- Be quiet: Too many speakers fill up all the time allotted. The speaker who can let me hear the spaces between the sounds she's making, and who uses silence to advantage, has my full attention.
- Come to me: Get out from behind that lectern or get down from the podium and walk toward and into the audience. Your presence in and with the audience makes the speech come alive, more like a real conversation than a talking-to.
There's one more trick to using any of these catnip tactics: Use them with discretion. Remember, catnip is strong, so a very little of it will do.


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I would like to thank everyone who assisted us in this transitional year of our Secret Santa program. We were overwhelmed with individuals and groups looking to sponsor families.
Thank you to all who sponsored children, with an extra special thank you to the Pepperell Business Association (PBA). Not only did the PBA once again hold the "Merry Rockmas Benefit Bash" to raise money for the Secret Santa program, but several PBA members also sponsored families on their own!
Thank you also to everyone within the police department who helped gather and match sponsors to families and made it so that everyone got their gifts before the holiday.
A special thanks to Eileen who quietly asked for a little less responsibility this year, yet took on more than ever.
Thank you again to everyone involved.
Pepperell Police Department


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Discussions on various software tools (C, C++, Perl, Python, Unix shell, R, Matlab, SAS, SPSS, Excel, databases, Hadoop etc.) used in data analysis. Szilard Pafka (founder and co-organizer of the Los Angeles R users group) presents an overview and discusses the survey results regarding their usage by the members of the Los Angeles R users group. A plan for possible talks in the future (at LA RUG meetings) with more details on some of these tools and how they can be used with R is also discussed.
(Also have a look at the discussions on the same topic here: Comparison of data analysis packages: R, Matlab, SciPy, Excel, SAS, SPSS, Stata.)