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The new Volkswagen up!
Greenwheels has begun replacing the Peugeot 107s in our fleet with Volkswagen up! models. For logistics reasons, the process will be carried out in phases. Therefore, it may take a while before the entire fleet is replaced, but chances are you will come across the new up! soon. Greenwheels is committed to ensuring your driving experience is as carefree as possible. For your information, we have therefore listed the main differences between the Peugeot and the up! below.
More comfortable
The Volkswagen up! comes standard equipped with air conditioning. In addition, the boot size of the up! is almost twice the size of the Peugeot 107. In fact, its 251-litre boot is among the biggest in its class.
More efficient
The Volkswagen up! is equipped with BlueMotion start/stop technology, which lowers fuel consumption especially for drivers who drive in stop-and-start city traffic or congested areas. The innovative start/stop system automatically stops the engine when you come to a standstill and ensures that you can resumes driving simply by engaging the clutch, reducing CO2 emissions by 8% in city traffic. In fact, with its BlueMotion engine technology, the up! has the lowest CO2 emissions of any non-electric vehicle in its class.
The Volkswagen up! was evaluated for its safety performance under the Euro NCAP assessment scheme, and it achieved a five-start overall rating – the highest possible score in the ratings system. Most up! models also have all-season tires for extra grip in the winter months.


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After having a line drive turned into a double play and watching Ichiro Suzuki jump over the right-field fence to take away a home run Monday, Mark Kotsay and his White Sox teammates went a non-traditional direction Tuesday to bring the left-handed hitter some luck on offense.
They set up a fire pit during batting practice and burned his bats, in a salute to Pedro Cerrano from the movie "Major League." According to Kotsay, the ritual was executed by Mark Teahen.
"I walked out and saw what was going on, and obviously I wanted to find out what was going on, but I had nothing to do with it," Kotsay said. "There are quirky things like changing your uniform or your undershirt or your shoes, but never burning bats."
July 27, 2010
Strange way to break a slump…
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Loosely translated from the Yiddish, tzimmes means "a fuss over something," but in culinary terms, it's commonly a casserole of various fruits, vegetables and/or meats.
- Yield
- Makes 8 servings
- 2 large red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams; about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted matzo meal
- 5 large eggs
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted pareve margarine
- 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 3/4 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
- 3 cups apple juice
- 1 6-ounce package dried apricots
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
- 1/3 cup apricot jam
- Chopped fresh mint
- Pierce potatoes with fork. Microwave on high until tender, turning once, about 10 minutes. Cut in half. Scoop out enough potato to measure 1 1/4 cups; cool.
- Process 1 1/4 cups potato and matzo meal, eggs, 2 1/2 tablespoons margarine, sugar, salt and ginger until blended. transfer mixture to bowl. Cover and chill until firm, about 4 hours or overnight.
- Drop matzo mixture by generous teaspoonfuls onto sheet of foil. Using wet hands, roll dropped mixture into balls.
- Cook 1/3 of matzo balls in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to clean sheet of foil. Repeat with remaining matzo balls in 2 batches. Let stand until firm, at least 30 minutes.
- Melt 5 1/2 tablespoons margarine in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of matzo balls; sauté until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Repeat with remaining matzo balls.
- Bring juice and apricots to boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Cover; steep until apricots are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain juice into medium saucepan; add cinnamon. Add 4 tablespoons margarine and jam. Simmer over medium heat until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 15 minutes. Return apricots to sauce. (Matzo balls and sauce can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover loosely; let stand at room temperature.)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spoon sauce over matzo balls. Bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Top with mint.


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Let's call this week's review of FocusOnStyle's 15th anniversary online post, the anti- Mommy Chic battle of those who overdo and those who purposely schlump out, and the relvelation that comes from their "sameness," even though they may think they are light years apart.
As we gear up to Mother's Day let's look back at the neighborhood of the mom's at my son's elementary school, the ones I called the YUMDAF's and the OAFH's. –S.H.
Mommy (Un)Chic: Mommyheads Blowin' In The Wind…
Dear Diary: One of the more interesting aspects of motherhood is that you find yourself thrown into a pool of people whose interests and social makeup are as dissimilar to yours as a bee is to a baby elephant.
But that should make it interesting, right?
A group of people blending together in a way that they would probably never meet, let alone socialize, other than having the common bond of being parents.
>> RELATED: Ways to get your Mommy Chic going
The YUMDAF:
In NYC's West Village, there are predominately two schools– not only in the educational way– of characters, neither overlapping the other.
There are the young upwardly mobile and desperately acquiring fashionistas (YUMDAF) who lollygag feverishly around the slew of Marc Jacobs shops.
YUMDAF's have honed their fashionability from a steady diet of "Sex and The City" with a fresh sprinkling of "Gossip Girl."
From their spray tans to their MJ Stam bags, daddy or new hubby has the gelt to keep little missy always looking flawless, fabulous, fresh, and very much alike.
The OAFH:
Then there is the Birkenstock and socks crowd of overage faux hippies (OAFH). The OAFH suffers from a continued saga of arrested development in terms of grooming, a deliberate schlelpiness with a frazzled crunchy-munchy granola attitude.
They wear their slovenliness as a badge of courage to avoid pedestrian grown-up responsibilities and, instead, proffer wide-eyed exuberance for the otherwise mundane, blended with a certain amount passive-aggressiveness.
OAFH's made up a good part of my son's previous school. Interestingly, like the YUMDAF's, they too all look very much alike.
I learned to put the mommy muzzle on and tried to accept some of the OAFH's for who they were and not what their disheveled appearance suggested.
Frankly, I really didn't give their schlepitious much thought only to be subjected to ongoing sidebar comments of what they think about the appearance of others.
Looking like you didn't leave the house in pj's was a biggie. Weird, I know.
Last year, the film trucks pulled up outside my son's school to film Motherhood. I saw shots of Uma Thurman frumped-down and in character. Most of those schlumpy references were accounted for. All the tokens for what become the visual sight gags for those needing a clue from the mirror:
- Unkempt hair, check.
- Appears to have not used hair conditioner in the last decade, uncheck.
- Wrinkled baggy clothes, check.
- Lack of bra since puberty, don't think so.
- Ethnic fabric shoulderbag, check.
- Comfort shoes, check.
- In need of a Bic razor, doubtful anyone wants to see stubble.
Albeit a rather reasonable facsimile, Uma still looks sensibly glam as opposed to the real "mommy" thing. More of a "Hollywood" urban make-under like the suburban mom that Jamie Lee Curtis portrayed in Christmas with the Cranks rather than a spot-on schlepper.
After a grade school's worth of OAFH's and YUMDAF's, here's the ironic thing– they are really are alike in their effort to belong to the unique little tribe that they follow.
Whether their tribe prescribes to the artifice of the latest 'It' something or the legion of the unkempt, it is still a gimmick to belong. Whether follower or leader, we all need to belong somewhere.
Motherhood, the film
Exclusive engagements start October 23, 2009
In charcter photos, via Motherhood, the movie
Uma Thurman at the NY screening of Motherhood, Janet Mayer / PR Photos
Originallly Published on October 23, 2009


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Medicare's open enrollment period for prescription drug plans (Part D) and Medicare Advantage plans is Oct. 15 - Dec. 7. This is the time when you can enroll in a new plan or sign up for coverage.
If you need assistance understanding your options, we have trained volunteers in your community. Our Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) program offers free help to people with Medicare questions and can help you search for plans online. We even have free Medicare workshops across the state.
Remember, if you want to enroll in new plan, you must contact Medicare. You cannot sign up through the state's new health benefit exchange, www.wahealthplanfinder.org.
If you have limited income and need help paying prescription drugs, check out Medicare's "Extra Help" program. To see if you qualify, contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 or go to www.socialsecurity.gov.
For more help, contact a local SHIBA office in your area.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
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If you live life following these good money habits, you'll never find yourself facing debt.
We're all individuals, each with our own reasons for living frugally — but we're alike in some very important ways.
By spending less than you earn, you can much more easily achieve big goals in life, from retiring early to finding a job you really love.
Had trouble sticking to your monthly budget? Try this method for looking at your finances daily — and maybe you'll avoid buying that unnecessary popcorn.
I hope you'll permit me to speculate a little on what it means to live below our means. When you think about it, there are various ways to address our financial goals, which I'll c
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Latest COVID-19 precautionary measures taken by Fisher & Paykel. Find out more
The Fisher & Paykel CoolDrawer™ has been designed to change from refrigerator to freezer at the touch of a button and can be placed anywhere in the home. The CoolDrawer™ provides five temperature settings to deliver total flexibility - freezer, chill, fridge, pantry and wine modes, merging intelligence with convenience.
Check with your local retailer for pricing, availability and stock of this model. The product dimensions and specifications in this page apply to the specific product and model. Under our policy of continuous improvement, these dimensions and specifications may change at any time. You should therefore check with your retailer or Fisher & Paykel's Customer Care Centre to ensure this page correctly describes the model currently available.


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NYC SK8 BOOK – Full Bleed: New York City Skateboard Photography by Alex Corporan, Andre Razo and Ivory Serra. Skateboarding in New York City is a singular experience. It is impossible not to feel the magnitude of the landscape, and with the city in constant motion, skateboarding is both exhilarating and extremely dangerous. There is no right or wrong way to navigate this vast terrain. Only one thing is certain – the skaters and images produced in New York City are wholly unique. The shots in Full Bleed span 30 years, with contributions from over 40 photographers. This is the first-ever comprehensive overview of the one of the most diverse and rich skating locations in the world, bringing together legendary skaters and iconic photographers. Featuring the work of: Giovanni Reda, Jessica Bard, Ivory Serra, Tobin Yelland, Miki Vuckovich, Thomas Campbell, Larry Clark, Ed Templeton, Jerry Hsu, Atiba Jefferson, Bryce Knights, Angela Boatwright, Athena Currey, Kenneth Cappello, Charlie Samuels, Andy Kessler, Mike OMeally, Sammy Glucksman, Allen Ying, and more.
Check out the video to see the show and party warp up and buy the book now.


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The launch of the "Harry Potter" e-books has been delayed by at least several months, the creators of the Pottermore website that will sell them just announced.
The seven books about the heroic British boy wizard were due to finally debut in electronic form in October – four to 14 years after they took the publishing world by storm in print – but that rollout has been pushed back to "the first half of 2012," the managers of "Pottermore" said in a blog posting on their site.
Pottermore.com – a mix of an interactive reading experience, role-playing game, and online Harry Potter community – was unveiled by author J.K. Rowling in June after a week of feverish speculation. It has been operating in beta form for a million users so far.
U.S. & World
But a key part of the site will be the "Pottermore Shop," where the series' e-books and audio books will be sold for the first time – with Rowling essentially acting as her own publisher, instead of selling the titles through industry retailers like Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. That decision drew substantial criticism from booksellers.
Delaying the store's opening, Pottermore's managers said, will "allow us to focus on our first priority: opening Pottermore to as many people as possible and making the experience as good as it can be."
They said use of the site has been "phenomenal" thus far, with "really high levels of activity."
A running total of some 450 million copies of the Harry Potter novels have been sold, making Rowling Britain's richest woman, with a fortune estimated at $1 billion, The Associated Press noted.
Selected Reading: The Associated Press, The Hollywood Reporter


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An icon European bird species needs farmers' support to survive.
The Red-breasted Goose (Branta ruficollis) is listed as Endangered on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. Around 37,000 remaining birds use farmland for their wintering ground in Europe. Farmers receive no compensation for crop damage caused by grazing geese. As a consequence, to protect their livelihoods, farmers use pesticides and poisons to harm the feeding birds.
The IUCN Sir Peter Scott Fund supports a project established in Romania to address these issues. The country supports 20 per cent of the European population of Red-breasted Geese, including their main winter feeding ground in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. Given their dependence on farming habitat, agricultural policy is crucial for the conservation of the species. Engaging with and supporting farmers is a key focus of this project, particularly in encouraging the adoption of more sympathetic farming methods that avoid harming the geese.
Recent talks with Romanian Ministry of Agriculture staff indicate that the agri-environment schemes promoted by the project have been taken up by many farmers in Romania. A management plan has also been submitted to the Ministry of Environment for the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve to provide a secure future for Red-breasted Geese at the heart of their existing range. This project is supported by the IUCN SSC and Wetlands International Goose Specialist Group.


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Gabriel Basso doesn't have any movies playing in theaters.
If you feel like heading out, check out other movies in theaters.
The Kings of Summer
Super 8
Alabama Moon
All Gabriel Basso photos
All Gabriel Basso films
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
Copyright © 2020 FANDANGO MOVIES.


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This week's intended series of posts have been condensed into this one mega-post, but that doesn't take away any of the awesomeness of the subject. It's all up in the air for today, literally speaking as all of these photographs here were taken from a higher than usual altitude. Featured here are the works of Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Vincent Laforet, Bryan Solarski and Alex Maclean. All of these talented photographers and artists are at the top when it comes to examples of awesome aerial photography.
The first of today's featured aerial photography masters is Yann Arthus-Bertrand. Veteran blog readers may already be familiar with his name as he's already been presented on this blog before for his portraiture work with prize-winning farm animals. Arthus-Bertrand's name is also well known because of his 2009 film, Home, which focused on the environmental impact of rapid industrialization and urbanization of all countries.
Arthus-Bertrand's aerial photography (the four example images above) has a strong emphasis on patterns, both man-made and natural. He has visited over 100 countries in order to document them from above, and the best part is that many of his images are available for free on his website.
The preceding four pictures were taken by our next featured photographer, Vincent Laforet. Laforet's work has been featured in dozens of publications, including National Geographic, Time and Vanity Fair. Aside from his aerial photographs, he is well-known among video enthusiasts for his cinematography work using modern DSLRs.
Laforet uses both traditional and tilt-shift lenses for his aerial work (although only his straightforward pictures are presented here).
The third of today's photographers is Bryan Solarski. His photography stands out from the rest in that he uses tilt-shift lenses to achieve his desired effect. In tilt-shift photography, the lens is, as the name suggests, tilted and shifted relative to the camera's sensor or film to produce the blurred, miniature effect. To illustrate this point using traditional photography, the image passes through the lens which is parallel to the sensor, thereby ensuring that the each portion of the scene has an equal chance of being in focus in the final image. In tilt-shift photography, the lens is maneuvered in such a way that only one portion of the image is in focus relative to the sensor.
If the explanation is a bit mind-boggling, don't worry about it and just enjoy Solarski's images.
The last of the featured aerial photography masters is Alex Maclean. His images (including the cover photo at the top) show complete mastery of the field. As wuth Arthus-Bertrand, his images show strong contrasts and lines, as if the structures and landscapes in his images were meant to be seen from above. This may come from his training in architecture. It's interesting to see how he selects certain parts of the scene below him to frame; through his lens they become little landscapes of their own and exist in a reality that can only be seen from above.
If you want to see more high-flying action shots, check out the websites of each of the photographers presented above. There's Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Vincent Laforet, Bryan Solarski and Alex Maclean. There's more awesome examples of aerial photography from three of the mentioned photographers through their published books. There's Earth from Above Tenth Anniversary Edition by Arthus-Bertrand, Over: The American Landscape at the Tipping Point by Maclean and Visual Stories: Behind the Lens with Vincent Laforet (Voices That Matter) by Laforet. Prints by Solarski can be purchased from his website.


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- Home
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Freeholders' Meetings & Events
2015 Freeholders' Reorganization Meeting
The 2015 Cape May County Freeholders' Reorganization meeting was held on January 5th in the Freeholders' Meeting Room, in the County Administration Building, Cape May Court House.
Board of Chosen Freeholders Reorganization Meeting
The Reorganization Meeting of the Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders took place on January 3, 2014.
Employees Recognized at Freeholders' Meeting
At their regular meeting on Tuesday, June 24, 2014, the Board of Chosen Freeholders recognized the Cape May County Employees who successfully completed the Atlantic Cape Community College Management Training Course.
Freeholders' Meeting December 9, 2014
Freeholder Kristine Gabor and the Board of Chosen Freeholders along with the Cape May County Mental Health Alcohol and Drug Abuse Board (MHADA) recognized the work for this meeting.
S. New Jersey Freeholders' Association Meeting
The Southern New Jersey Freeholders' Association's (SNJFA) Annual Reorganization meeting took place on January 27, 2014, in Sea Isle City.


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Community service WOW! Work Out World-Style
WOW! Work Out World, a family-owned and -operated health club with five locations in New Jersey, held a community drive during the holiday season. Mary Jo Musselman, charity relations Wowzer, implemented an idea that would not only benefit the community, but would create excitement and fun amongst employees and members.
Charities in each club location, from family shelters to local food banks, were contacted, and a list of needed items was put together in a "scavenger hunt" theme. Each item received a "point" and the team that received the most "points" via their donations would earn the bragging rights to the "coveted" WOW! trophy. This resulted in a spirited competition between the clubs, encouraging everyone from staff through members to keep the donations piling up and the "team" focused on their charities.


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DJ Pauly D thinks it would be unwise to recast the "Jersey Shore" with a new bunch of tanned twenty-somethings looking for a little fun on the seaside.
"I think we're irreplaceable," Paul "DJ Pauly D" DelVecchio told People in Las Vegas on Friday, of reports suggesting the GTL gang would be replaced.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: 'Jersey Shore' Invades Italy!
U.S. & World
The reality star, who is getting his own spin off show, suggested that if MTV were to replace the current cast, it wouldn't measure up.
"I don't think they could replace us. They'd just be people trying to be like us, anyway," he said.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Hot Shots of 'Jersey Shore' Star Jenni 'JWoww'
Late last week, Us Weekly quoted a source who claimed the "Shore" cast would be replaced.
"After this group comes back from Italy and shoots Season 5 this summer, that will be the end for them," a source told the mag.
TMZ also ran a similar report, but on Friday MTV shot down the rumors.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: It's T-Shirt Time! Hot Shots Of 'Jersey Shore' Star Pauly D
A rep for the network told People, MTV has "no plans to recast the show."
The next season of "Jersey Shore," which was filmed in Italy, premiers on MTV on Aug. 4.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: We Did It All For The 'Snooki'! Hot Shots Of The 'Jersey Shore' Star!
Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: 2011 BET Awards: Nelly & Ashanti Stay Mum On Their Relationship
PLAY IT NOW: Jennifer Hudson Shares Details About Designing Her Own Wedding Dress
More from Access: [ 'Jersey Shore' MTV DJ Pauly D ]


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Ann Street Animal Shelter and SPCA Shelter at Christmas time, 1954
Caption slip reads: "Photographer: Olmo. Date: 1954-12-21. Reporter: Sid Bernstein. Assignment: Before Christmas at Ann St. Animal Shelter and SPCA Shelter. 19: Young pups available at SPCA group behind wire. 20: Smooth hair terrier, six weeks old, at SPCA. 23/26: Sad and lively team at SPCA, smooth terrier and black and white mixed breed. 21/22/24: At Ann St. Animal Shelter pair of mixed Samoyede, found in East Los Angeles, 8 weeks old, and tiny mixed brown pup. 28/29/30/31/32: Same with one of new kittens available. (this is off season for cats.) 33/34/35/36: Mixed brown pup. at Ann St. 37/38: Samoyede pups at Ann St Animal Shelter. (Hold for Riblett)".


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BEIJING (Reuters) - Benign inflation data for September offered further evidence on Monday that China's pro-growth policies are gaining traction while leaving scope for further tweaks, giving officials breathing room as they approach a once-a-decade leadership transition.
Subdued consumer prices, signs that lending is finally perking up and the approaching end to the destocking cycle, along with stable employment, could allow policymakers to argue that steps taken earlier this year have worked, while leaving plenty of space to spur faster growth in the winter after a new generation of leaders takes over the ruling Communist Party.
China's consumer price index eased to 1.9 percent in September from August's 2.0 percent, while producer prices dropped 3.6 percent from a year earlier. Both numbers matched the forecast of economists polled by Reuters.
That followed weekend data that showed export growth had rebounded to nearly twice the rate expected in September alongside broad increases in credit and money supply.
"Alongside the positive turn in September exports, slowly accelerating broad money and credit growth will, we believe, keep Premier Wen's administration from further monetary accommodation," said Tim Condon, head of Asian research for ING in Singapore.
"We reiterate our view that incoming (Premier) Li will have more scope to increase accommodation and that he will use it."
Wen Jiabao is expected to be succeeded as China's top economic policymaker by Li Keqiang after the party's congress in November.
Quarterly data due on Thursday is likely to confirm that China has just completed a seventh successively slower quarter of annual growth.
Full-year inflation should come in about 2.7 percent, well below the government's 4 percent target, with economic growth around 7.8 percent, Yi Gang, deputy governor of the People's Bank of China, said in a speech at last week's annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund [ID:nL1E8LC2GU].
September marked the seventh straight month of producer price deflation, reflecting China's cooling growth and weak demand for its exports. The deflation has hurt corporate profits and underpins expectations that consumer inflation will stay tame in the coming months.
The month-on-month drop in producer prices continued to narrow, however, suggesting that the business destocking cycle is coming to an end as the economy stabilizes, according to Guotai Junan Securities Chief Macroeconomist Jiang Chao.
Taken together, the current numbers relieve the urgency for further tweaks, at least until the November meeting of the 18th Party Congress, when China's new party leaders will be anointed.
"For now, growth is crab-walking. Those looking for concrete signs of momentum and policy support will have to wait until after the Congress," said Alistair Thornton, senior China economist at IHS Global Insight in Beijing.
Policymakers will keep an eye on the two areas where prices are rising - wages, which pushed up service sector prices in September, and pork, which is down sharply compared with last year's spike but showed a 2.3 percent rise compared with August.
That helped push September CPI up 0.3 percent on the month.
But they can relax thanks to global oil and commodity prices, which in general are flat or lower than this time last year as major economies struggle with the continued aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis, the eurozone debt crisis that followed and a devastating 2011 tsunami in Japan.
"One future positive factor, other than growth stabilization, is that PPI inflation was significantly negative and lower than CPI inflation in the past year thanks to the big fall of raw material prices," said Ting Lu, China economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Hong Kong.
"China as the world's largest commodity importer could benefit from this improving terms of trade and a number of China's corporate sectors could see improved margins."
On a volume basis, China reported healthy commodity imports in September - albeit tame compared with previous years' double-digit rises - indicating the economy is still humming along.
"China's 7.7 percent growth is still an envious level ... When all the world is doing bad, it's hard to assume that Asia will continue to enjoy double-digit growth," Changyong Rhee, chief economist at the Asian Development Bank, said in a speech in Tokyo on Monday.
"As long as China achieves mid-7 percent growth in the next couple of years, they may not use aggressive fiscal and monetary policies in the way (they did after the Lehman crisis) ... The focus would be more on the quality rather than the quantity of growth."
Still, economists impatient with China's slower rate of growth are calling for still more monetary easing.
China's central bank is widely expected to ease policy further, having cut interest rates twice since June and trimmed banks' required reserves three times since November.
The outright falls in factory gate prices are signs that the world's second-biggest economy is struggling to escape the tug of a global slowdown that has set China on course for its weakest full year of growth since 1999.
"On monetary policy, we can only say that there is a little more room for further policy easing," said Zhou Hao, an economist at ANZ Bank in Shanghai.
"Exports have showed signs of stabilisation, but the economy still needs some policy loosening."
One tool at the new administration's disposal could be a calibrated relaxation of property curbs, already sought by local governments reliant on land sales for revenue. Real estate directly affects about 40 different business sectors in China and credit curbs designed to deter speculation has put an extra brake on the economy.
If the curbs are relaxed the challenge will be to prevent a new price spike that could lead to a new round of over-heated investment.
Yi Gang said signs of resurgence in property prices, which the government has fought for more than two years to rein in, posed a dilemma for policymakers.
Additional reporting by China Economics Team and Leika Kihara in TOKYO; Editing by Alex Richardson


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February 22, 2012 + Great Lent is Coming!
by Fr. David Barr
from The Word, February 1991
Once again we will enter into Great Lent, the season of fasting and preparation for the Feast of Feasts, our Lord's Resurrection from the dead. As Orthodox Christians, Great Lent is an important time of the year, for this is when we make an even greater effort to pursue the spiritual life. It is the time when our attention returns to repentance and self-denial. We have additional Church services, and they tend to be longer than normal. Kneeling and prostrations become a greater part of our liturgical worship. In order for you to participate in this important time of the year, perhaps it is good to look at the origins of Great Lent and how it developed into what we experience today. Knowing why we do things is often helpful in participating in the life of the Church.
What we experience today as Great Lent is the result of a long and complex development. In the middle of the second century the Church knew a short fast before Pascha, however the length and nature of this fast varied from place to place. The fast before Pascha was probably one to three days in length. By the middle of the next century it seems as though this fast extended in several places to the entire week before Pascha, what we call Holy Week. In the Didascalia Apostolorum we read: "... therefore you shall fast in the days of Pascha from the second day of the week (i.e., Monday) and you shall sustain yourselves with bread and salt and water only up to the ninth hour until the fifth day (i.e., Thursday) ... But on Friday and Saturday fast wholly and taste nothing" (ed. RH. Connolly 1929, p. 189). The next historical information we have on the lenten fast comes 75 years later in a brief reference to Lent in Canon 5 of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicea. By the fourth and fifth centuries, it is easy to see that the pre-paschal fast sometimes called the Forty Days was an institution within the Church.
Although there are different theories as to how Great Lent developed, we know that it is found very early in Church history. It also seems evident that there are two themes that come together in Lent: education of the catechumenate and preparation for the Resurrection of Christ. The first is seen particularly well in the Presanctified Liturgy. This service contains several prayers for the catechumens, those who are preparing for baptism. Great Lent was an important time of preparation and education for those waiting to be baptized on Holy Saturday. Lent was the final intensive period of education (catechesis) before being initiated into the Christian community through baptism. Those preparing for this would fast and pray for a period of time before their baptism. It appears that the Church, in their support for the catechumens, would join with them in this time of fasting and prayer.
The second theme of Great Lent is found in preparation for the Feast of Feasts. Within Orthodox tradition, the concepts of preparation and fulfillment go hand-in-hand. Fulfillment results from intensive preparation. In the same way we find great fulfillment in a gourmet meal that has required substantial preparation, we can expect to find fulfillment in the Feast of Christ's Resurrection only if we have prepared for it. One of the main reasons people find little fulfillment in the Church is that they have done little preparation. True joy and celebration come out of intense preparation. Great Lent offers each of us the opportunity to prepare ourselves to see the true and real significance of the empty tomb of Christ. The fast gives us the chance to behold things that cannot be seen with unprepared eyes. Lent enables us to rejoice and participate in Christ's Holy Resurrection in a mystical way that is beyond words.
Great Lent is much more than giving things up that we like (like chocolate, soft drinks, potato chips, etc.). Inasmuch as the Fast prepares us for the Feast of Christ's Resurrection, it also helps prepare us for our own death and resurrection as well as the great Day of Judgment because self-denial is the beginning of the Christian life. Our Lord instructed his disciples: "If any one would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me" (Mark 8:34). To follow Christ is to practice self-denial. In fact, we cannot follow Him or take up our cross unless we first deny ourself. It is so obvious, and yet so difficult. We cannot do whatever we want and still follow Christ. Great Lent enables us to get a grasp on this and realize the need of self-denial and discipline in our lives.
St. Polycarp of Smyrna - February 23
Troparion of St. Polycarp, Tone 4
Thy name was verified by thy works, O wise Hieromartyr Polycarp. Thou wast a fruitful olive tree in the house of the Lord, and dost nourish the Church with the spiritual bounty of thy words and deeds. Thou dost intercede for our souls, O hierarch and steadfast Prize-winner.
Kontakion of St. Polycarp, Tone 1
Through thy virtues, O wise Polycarp, thou dost offer spiritual fruits to the Lord and prove to be God's worthy Hierarch. We who have been enlightened by thy words today praise thy memory and glorify God.


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For the first time South Australians can track their state's greenhouse gas emissions each and every week, thanks to an initiative launched in Adelaide today by The Climate Group.
The Weekly Greenhouse Indicator, which was unveiled at Premier Mike Rann's Adapting to Climate Change Forum, provides real-time information on greenhouse gas emissions produced from energy use - coal-fired electricity, natural-gas-fired electricity and all petroleum related products. This accounts for about 60 per cent of all emissions in South Australia.
Launching the initiative alongside Premier Rann, Rupert Posner, The Climate Group's Australia Director, said the initiative is designed to provide up to date information, but also to help people to better understand where our greenhouse emissions come from.
"The launch of the SA Indicator means everyone can follow how much South Australia is emitting each week from energy use. Because we can't actually see these emissions, and don't feel their effects on the environment immediately, it can be difficult to understand the importance of how much we are producing. The Indicator will make this task easier.
"Hopefully it will encourage South Australians to start reducing their own energy-use through actions such as installing energy efficient light globes and appliances or switching to a greener electricity tariff. If they do, they will be helping to change the world for the better."
South Australia's Premier, Mike Rann, said: "The Indicator is an important contribution to this state's efforts to confront climate change and I am pleased to be launching it alongside The Climate Group. Tackling climate change is critical to the future wellbeing of this state, its economy and its people.
"The South Australian Government is doing its part: we have set a target to produce 33 per cent of the state's energy from renewable sources by 2020, way ahead of other states, and we're undertaking a major upgrade of the public transport network which will help reduce car use and related emissions," Mr Rann said.
"These and other initiatives will ensure we start to use cleaner energy, more efficiently. I look forward to watching the Indicator record a continued fall in South Australia's greenhouse gas emissions as the impact of these policies kick in."
The Indicator also runs in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, which, along with South Australia are the only regions anywhere in the world to receive such up to date information on their emissions levels.


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Firefighter recovery
Long road to recovery for Upstate firefighter in plane crash
AUGUSTA, Ga. — No one should have survived.
Patrick Schultz' wife, Jessica, recently stood in a rehabilitation room explaining the horrors surrounding a fiery plane crash that killed three family members in Bay County, Fla., May 25.
"If you saw pictures you would understand why I say that. Nobody should have walked out of that," his wife said.
What went wrong, how it happened and why he was the only one to walk away from the wreckage are no longer questions that cloud their minds.
For Schultz, it's a matter of moving forward.
The Upstate firefighter was severely injured when a small Piper PA-28 airplane he was piloting crashed near Panama City, Fla. Among the passengers: his mother, Kathleen Schultz, aunt Nancy Moore and 13-year-old nephew Nicholas Hoang, who were all pronounced dead at the scene.
Patrick Schultz was rushed to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center at Doctor's Hospital in Augusta, Ga. where he spent the next nine weeks being sedated, undergoing surgeries, grappling with the events that unfurled and fighting through recovery and rehabilitation.
Friday marked a breakthrough in his road to recovery when he was released from the burn center and returned to South Carolina, stopping first at his fire station to see — and thank — his fellow firefighters for their continued support.
The Florida native has been a firefighter with the Pelham-Batesville Fire Department in Greer for a year. He has also spent the past decade as a volunteer firefighter for Cowpens Fire Department. Patrick Schultz, Jessica Schultz and their two daughters, 13-year-old Randi and 4-year-old Kara, have lived in Cowpens for the past 11 years.
The family had been vacationing in Florida when the plane went down that Sunday morning in May. It was a vacation they had taken numerous times before, and it was a plane ride that was not uncommon, either. The National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the crash.
Intensive care
"Success," "Perseverance" and "Determination" could be seen recently on Patrick Schultz's face as clearly as those words were displayed on posters that line the rehabilitation floor of the burn center.
Since being admitted May 25, he went through 14 surgeries and skin grafts to repair his internal injuries and replace skin tissue that had burned.
There were times when he would have to sit in a bed without movement for 10 straight days, Patrick Schultz recalled.
He sustained third-degree burns to 40 percent of his body.
The Joseph M. Still Burn Center is the largest burn center in the U.S. and the third largest in the world, said Dr. Fred Mullins, the center's president and medical director. About 3,000 inpatients and 40,000 outpatients come to the center for a broad range of burn injuries. Each are treated and put through recovery programs until they are able to live independently.
By July 16, Patrick Schultz was moved from the intensive care unit to the rehabilitation floor.
"I'm ready to get out of here," he said while walking confidently down hallways Monday afternoon.
Between an overflow of letters and fundraisers held in his honor, firefighters from both of his fire departments have made multiple trips to Augusta to see him through his recovery. It's been uplifting, he said, and it has given him the determination needed.
"That's really blessed me and gave me even more incentive to keep digging," he said of the firefighter bond he calls a brotherhood.
The sixth floor
Patrick was moved to floor six after weeks of surgeries and treatments in the intensive care unit.
He immediately began showing signs of improvement, said Bethany Falde, his occupational therapist.
"He's done exceptionally well," she said while Patrick Schultz peddled on an exercise bike in a nearby room.
In her line of work, it's easy to spot determined and motivated patients out of ones who are discouraged with virtually no drive to improve, she said.
"Anything I've done I've given 100 percent. … And this is no different."
"Anything I've done I've given 100 percent. … And this is no different," Patrick Schultz said.
His daily rehab consisted of about five hours of physical and occupational therapy, from biking to using straps to lift and stretch his legs.
Additional "homework" involved resistance grips and other devices for repetitive exercises to regain maneuverability on his off time.
Patrick Schultz's right arm and right leg were the most badly burned parts of his body and required the most therapeutic attention.
In the large room of exercise equipment and colorful ropes, cones and items used for improving motor skills, he worked on personal progress. He was immersed with other patients, each recovering from a variety of injuries. His expressions exuded determination through most of his routines and repetitions on various muscle-building and stretching machines.
The exercises work out the stiffness and rigid textures left by burn scars, Falde said.
"His grip is really limited, but he's getting a lot of motion back," she said.
Falde said when not in rehab, Patrick and other patients are given non-slip socks and loose, nylon belts for therapists walking with patients to hold onto to prevent them from falling.
Most patients who first enter the rehab floor are considered to be at risk of falling, she said.
Patrick Schultz donned a green wristband he was given Monday, signifying that he was no longer a fall risk after about five days into rehab. Parts of his body were still wrapped in protective coverings and silicone gel pads that Falde said help compress and mold grafted skin back to normal conditions.
At times, past patients revisit the rehab floor and help build confidence in current patients, she said, and added that learning and talking through the emotional aspects of an injury are part of the therapy.
"Sometimes adversity can bring about good things," she said.
The love and support from those in the community have been instrumental to Patrick Schultz's recovery.
He received hundreds of "get well" letters, many from those whom he had never met but who had heard of his trying experience.
The handfuls of cards that filled his hospital room's mailbox each day have been another telling image explaining how he is alive today, he and Jessica Schultz said.
"This one is from Canada. Here's one from California," said daughter Randi Schultz, looking through their growing collection of cards. "We're going to need a bigger box if they keep coming."
Randi Schultz said she is proud of her father, and called him a "go-getter" numerous times while he was in rehab.
Patrick Schultz emphasized the gratitude — and at times, burden — he has felt having so many reach out to him with prayers and financial and emotional support.
As a firefighter, Patrick Schultz is typically the one helping others. Receiving the support is foreign to him.
"I enjoy helping people and that's where my heart is and that's what the fire service is all about," he said. "It's getting down and helping people at all costs."
News of the plane crash spread quickly, first within the fire service community, and soon after within the region and in media outlets in Florida and South Carolina.
The Belvedere Fire Department in North Augusta is one example of the extension of support that has come to light since the crash. Belvedere Fire Chief Chad Hyler said he offered up his fire station as a place for firefighters visiting Patrick Schultz to stay after they heard the news.
"Being this close to the burn center, we wanted to be able to reach out and help however we can," Hyler said. "Our doors are open."
Now Patrick Schultz's name is well-known in Spartanburg County communities, including where he serves as a firefighter in Cowpens and Greer.
Fundraisers of all kinds — from cold water challenges, to barbecue lunches, to T-shirt sales — have been held by local fire departments and organizations and are ongoing.
"He's a family man, and we know he's going to recover," said Tony Blanton, Patrick Schultz's fire chief at Cowpens Fire Department. "I've never seen him when he didn't give anything other than 100 percent."
The outpouring of support has been a tremendous help to his healing process, Patrick Schultz said.
"God bless them for being obedient to the call of helping out a fellow brother," he said. "It's overwhelming to see so many people, people I don't even know, giving financially and helping out in ways I couldn't fathom."
Firefighters at the Pelham-Batesville department have donated their sick leave to Patrick Schultz to help cover for his time in recovery, said Capt. Brandon McNeil, who called Patrick Schultz "one of a kind."
A fundraiser through First Citizens Bank is still set up to help raise money to cover medical costs for the family. Donations can be made to the "Firefighter Patrick Schultz Relief Fund."
'God pulled him out'
Patrick Schultz remembers everything about the crash, but he has no interest in dwelling on the past.
He never lost consciousness throughout the traumatic event, he said. His family died instantly, while he awaited emergency responders.
Patrick's brother, Tom, is also in the fire service as a firefighter and paramedic for Jackson County Fire and Rescue. The crash site was in his brother's service area, and although Tom Schultz was off-duty at the time, he was still first to respond and was the first one to administer aid to his brother.
"He told you it was OK. He gave you medicine and he kissed your head and you were off," Jessica Schultz said to her husband.
The memories Patrick Schultz took away from that fateful Sunday morning are not ones he wishes to recount, and he largely credits his pastor's guidance for being able to move beyond the negatives.
Mountain View Baptist Church pastor Steven Griffith had visited Patrick Schultz at least once a week while he was recovering in the burn center. Griffith told him that even if he could understand why it happened, it still would not change the fact that it has already happened.
"The Lord works in ways that are foreign to us, but all I know is that he's done a miracle in my life."
"The Lord works in ways that are foreign to us, but all I know is that he's done a miracle in my life," Patrick Schultz said. "He saved me on Sept. 25, 2012, spiritually, but you know, he saved me out of that airplane for reasons I can't explain."
After being admitted into the burn unit, he was in a coma for nearly a week. Even then, Jessica Schultz said she began reading his "get well" letters at his bedside during visiting hours.
Jessica Schultz went immediately from the crash site to Augusta where the two had been until he was released Friday.
She recalled the moments before traveling to Augusta, getting the initial phone call from a relative stating that his plane had gone down.
"My daughters were with me when I get a phone call and I'm thinking, 'What? Are you being serious?'" she said while standing near colorful cards and letters strewn about Patrick Schultz's hospital bed. "Then they hear me just trying to ask everybody if he's dead or alive. … I didn't handle it the best."
She had opted out of the plane ride and stayed back to prepare things for a boat ride they were planning for the afternoon.
She hasn't left his side since.
"I miss my bed, my house, but my priority is him. He's first," she said, holding her husband's hand.
The two kissed outside room 637, Patrick Schultz's rehab room, after a morning of exercises Tuesday. His T-shirt was sweaty as he sat down into a chair, his family around him.
"I was just told today that I may actually be out of here by Friday," he announced and cracked a smile.
Impacts of a burn injury
"When people think of burns, most people think that just the skin is affected," Mullins said.
The skin is affected, but when someone is burned to 50 percent of their body, it's systemic, he said.
The immune system, lungs, kidneys and liver can be severely damaged. Merely surviving a severe burn injury is no small feat, Mullins said.
"When the immune system shuts down, it leads to infection, and that's the number one cause of death with patients."
Weakness sets in almost immediately with burn injuries.
Removing dead tissue in an operating room is the burn center's initial priority with incoming burn patients to prevent spreading infection.
Apart from crippling physical effects, burn injuries are associated with some of the greatest psychological impacts.
Mullins explained that about 55 percent of those suffering from burns go into depression and struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Scarring and deformities are common with such injuries, which is why part of the burn center's primary goals are to direct their efforts toward reconfiguration, second to their primary goal of saving lives.
"Injuries can be to the body and mind, too," he said.
The center, for that reason, employs a full-time psychiatrist to improve patients' mental states.
Patrick Schultz praised the center's medical personnel for their efforts to save him.
"I wouldn't be this far along if it wasn't for the staff that's on site here," he said. "They've gotten me well on my way to recovery."
"It just takes time," Mullins added. "You'd be amazed at what the end product is."
Coming home
Patrick Schultz wasn't the only one ready to move on from the hospital stay.
"This one says, 'Daddy's coming home,'" 4-year-old Kara said, holding up one of the cards that contained a lengthy hand-written note Tuesday.
It is clear what's on her daughter's mind, Jessica Schultz said, who added that their 4-year-old only knows that "daddy is sick."
Apart from reuniting with his firefighters, a home-cooked country meal, perhaps chicken casserole with green beans and mashed potatoes, was on Patrick Schultz's mind while in Augusta. Weeks of hospital tray meals or Subway sandwiches were tiring.
Jessica Schultz said he and the children are ready to return to a normal life.
At the same time, there's no telling the power of his testimony, Jessica Schultz said.
"There's not going to be one person who's not going to want to hear his story and listen to him. Maybe that's why. … Maybe he can change somebody's life," Jessica Schultz said.
The Schultz's point to God when lost in thought about how and why he was saved from the wreckage and came out alive.
"That was our thing. We kept wanting to know why, why. But we can't think of it like that," Jessica Schultz said. "God saved him for a reason."
"I'll do my best to honor him and do what I can to serve him the rest of my days," Patrick Schultz added.
Jessica Schultz held up her iPhone in Patrick's rehab room Tuesday morning.
A photo of Patrick's face after he was admitted to the burn unit shows his entire head wrapped in white bandages and gauze. A half-dozen medical tubes were seen extended from his face.
Gradual photos show the bruising and scarring, though his face's condition about eight weeks after the crash show almost no sign of an accident, apart from several patches of hair loss on the back of his scalp.
His road to recovery will continue through out-patient treatments and in-home therapy in Cowpens now that he has returned from Augusta.
He expects to go back to the fire department soon and be assigned to administrative "light duty" as his body is still healing. Just being in the fire station, among his peers, has given reason behind his perseverance.
"The circumstances have changed, but I'm doing the best I can to get where I need to go," he said. "I'm ready to get back to work."


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Alrighty, time to get back into the swing of things! Today's Pokemon, as chosen by the community, is Roserade, an extremely viable special attacker with a couple of tricks up her sleeve. Of course, don't forget to vote on this week's poll to decide what Pokemon is featured next week (I swear!) on Pixelmon of the Week!
- Sableye Stats | Show
- Type: Grass / Poison
Location: Flower Forest, Sunflower Plains (as Roselia / Budew)
Abilities: Natural Cure, Poison Point, Technician (H)
Egg Group: Fairy/Grass
Hp: 60
Atk: 70
Def: 65
SpAtk: 125
SpDef: 105
Spd: 90
Roserade is far from being the most competitively viable special attacker, but falls into a unique niche of it's own thanks to it's Grass / Poison typing and access to Toxic Spikes. Roserade's high special attack gives it offensive capabilities, while it's Sp.Def is high enough to withstand a couple special attacks. With that being said, let's move!
Roserade is an offensive special attacker that is extremely close to being a sweeper, bar one move - Toxic Spikes. Roserade works extremely well as a hazard user, which creates an additional use for the already powerful Pokemon. Coupled with some strong STAB moves for some coverage, Roserade can be a threat on the battlefield.
As a hazard user, Roserade should be brought in near the start of the battle (lead is possible, but risky) and set up Toxic Spikes / Spikes quickly. From there, Roserade is a simple special attacker that has reliable recovery through Black Sludge.
On the other hand, move passive moves such as Synthesis and Sleep Powder can turn Roserade into a specially defensive power that has relatively strong offensive capabilities. However, Roserade is still incredibly feeble on the physical side, and won't be able to take many hits - espeically with a weakness to Earthquake.
- Offensive Lead | Show
- Roserade @ Black Sludge
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe (HP Fire)
- Toxic Spikes (or Spikes)
- Sludge Bomb
- Leaf Storm / Giga Drain
- HP Fire
This set is the core set behide Roserade and makes use of Roserade's speed, special attack, and special defense capabilities to control the battlefield from the start. Toxic Spikes is generally prefered over Spikes, but note that this means the majority of your opponent's Pokemon thus cannot be burned, paralyzed, etc. - plan your play style accordingly. Sludge Bomb and a special Grass move (both Leaf Storm and Giga Drain are good options) should be a staple on any Roserade set. Lastly, HP Fire is a strong coverage move to deal with Bug, Ice, and particularly Steel types that would otherwise cause issues.
Alternatively, Roserade can run Sleep Powder (typically over HP Fire) to allow Toxic Spikes to get fully set up, but note the low accuracy of the move. Life Orb is also a good item choice, however most teams have another Pokemon that could use it more and Roserade make excellent use of Black Sludge.
- Specially Defensive | Show
- Roserade @ Black Sludge
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 254 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Synthesis
- Toxic Spikes / Spikes
- Sludge Bomb / Giga Drain
- Giga Drain / Sleep Powder
This set is quite simple for and allows Roserade to take a couple hits on the special side, heal off any damage, and dish some out in return. With four reliable healing methods (Black Sludge, Natural Cure, Synthesis, and Giga Drain), Roserade should have no trouble outlasting any special attack Pokemon that doesn't have a type advantage. At the same time, this set is a lot more situational than the hazard set above, which is much more common. Using this set is very similar to the explanation above, and while this set is more defensive Roserade is still a bit of a glass cannon, especially on the phsical side.
What Pokémon do you want to see as the next Pixelmon of the Week? Here are our choices based on earlier suggestions and polls!
- Arcanine
- Kingdra
- Gardevoir
- Honchkrow
- Golurk
Vote for as many as you would like! I'll remove those with few votes to get some fresh options in there, so keep that in mind!
As a last note, check back Tuesday for the next episode of Tactics Tuesday. Enjoy!


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Operatives Include Former U.S. Army Delta Force and Green Beret, U.S. Navy SEALS, U.S. Marines and Police Officers
Series Stars Laila Ali, Dean Cain, Terry Crews, Nick Lachey, Todd Palin, Picabo Street, Dolvett Quince and Eve Torres for Premiere on August 13
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - July 2, 2012 - NBC announced the military and first-responder service members who will serve as the operatives in its new, action-packed competition series "Stars Earn Stripes." Accomplished and fearless, the special operatives will train their celebrity teammate and compete alongside them in a fierce competition that will benefit national veterans, service and first-responder charities.
The impressive list of former and current military and law enforcement members spans a variety of disciplines including elite forces within the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, Marines Corps and local police. Hosted by General Wesley Clark (ret.), former Supreme Allied Commander Europe for NATO, and television personality Samantha Harris ("Entertainment Tonight"), "Stars Earn Stripes" will premiere with a special two-hour edition on Monday, August 13 (8-10 p.m. ET) and will air regularly Mondays (9-10 p.m. ET).
The operatives include Dale Comstock, a former U.S. Army Master Sergeant Delta Force and Green Beret; J.W. Cortes, a former U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery; Brent Gleeson, a former U.S. Navy SEAL; Chris Kyle, a former U.S. Navy SEAL sniper and best-selling author of "American Sniper"; Andrew McLaren, a former U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant; Grady Powell, a former U.S. Army Green Beret; Tom Stroup, a SWAT Commander; and Talon Smith, a U.S. Navy Specialist.
They will be paired with previously announced celebrities Laila Ali, Dean Cain, Terry Crews, Nick Lachey, Todd Palin, Picabo Street, Dolvett Quince and Eve Torres.
The announcement was made by Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Late Night Programming, NBC.
"We are honored to have such an extraordinary gathering of our nation's military and first-responders join us on 'Stars Earn Stripes' to participate, mentor and challenge our celebrity competitors," said Telegdy. "It is humbling to think what these men have endured in their efforts to protect us and we cannot thank them enough for their service to this country."
The eight competitors on "Stars Earn Stripes" will gather at a remote training facility where they will tackle complicated and difficult missions that are inspired by real military exercises. Each is paired with one of the operatives, who coaches them in their training and competes alongside them in the missions. From helicopter drops into water to long-range weapons fire, the competitors are will be tested physically and emotionally as they play to win and earn cash for a military, veterans or service related charity of their choice.
Additional details about the operatives follows:
Dale Comstock - A retired Master Sergeant who spent 20 years in the U.S. Army, Comstock was twice decorated for valor and spent half his tenure as a Delta Force Operator and five years as a Green Beret. After his retirement, he spent nine years as a freelance soldier in support of the global war on terror. Comstock currently resides in Panama City Beach, Fla., and is a vice president for a security consulting company, a university professor, martial arts instructor and competitive body builder.
J.W. Cortes - Cortes served in the U.S. Marines Corps for 13 years, rising to the level of Gunnery Sergeant. He is an Iraq war veteran, having served in the beginning phases of the war in 2003. Also during his time in the Marines Corps, he served at U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and in Canberra, Australia. He is currently an officer with the New York MTA Police Department and lives in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Brent Gleeson - A former U.S. Navy SEAL stationed at SEAL Team Five, Gleeson currently lives in San Diego, Calif., with his 6-year-old son. He has completed his enlistment in the service and is now a busy entrepreneur, public speaker, and co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Internet Marketing, Inc.
Chris Kyle - Kyle is a decorated former U.S. Navy SEAL and author of The New York Times best-selling book "American Sniper," which details his experiences in Iraq. Kyle's expert marksmanship during his four tours of duty earned him the nickname "The Devil of Ramadi" from the Iraqi insurgent forces. Kyle currently lives in Texas and runs a military training company, Craft International.
Andrew McLaren - McLaren, whose father was also a Marine and former Vietnam veteran, is a former U.S. Marine Sergeant. During his time in the Marines, he was with the Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team and served in Iraq and Liberia. He is currently a contractor for various governmental and security agencies. He resides in Staten Island, N.Y.
Grady Powell - During his time as a Green Beret, Powell served as a Senior Detachment Weapons Sergeant in the U.S. Army Special Forces. Powell followed in the footsteps of both his father, a Vietnam-era Green Beret, and his grandfather, a decorated World War II combat veteran. Powell recently completed his five-year enlistment in the Army and has since returned to his hometown of St. Louis, Mo., spending his free time traveling the world in search of his next adrenaline fix.
Tom Stroup - A current member of the Orange County (Florida) Sheriff's Department and a SWAT Commander, Stroup is a five-time world champion of international SWAT competitions. He is a fitness trainer and he is also a Gold Medalist in the "Toughest Cop Alive" competition, a national competition held annually in Florida.
Talon Smith - Smith, whose father served in the U.S. Air Force, is currently a U.S. Navy Corpsman 1st Reconnaissance, stationed in Camp Pendleton. He just returned from deployment in Afghanistan in April. Smith has nearly completed his enlistment in the Navy and is currently attending college and awaiting the birth of his first child.
"Stars Earn Stripes" is executive-produced by Dick Wolf ("Law & Order," "Law & Order: SVU"), Mark Burnett ("The Voice," "Survivor") and David A. Hurwitz ("Fear Factor"). The series is a production of Universal Television, One Three Television, LLC, Wolf Reality, LLC and Bill's Market & Television Productions.
For more information on "Stars Earn Stripes," please visit NBC.com's official show site: www.nbc.com/stars-earn-stripes/.
Please like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/StarsEarnStripes and follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/NBCStarsStripes.


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Hi all,
I have an Ajax popup control on a form
When the form loads, I populate a standard combo box. There is an option for the users to add more entries into the Database. When the user selects this option I present them with my ajax modal popup control. The user uses the modal popup to add entries into the DB. This all works fine. The problem is that at the end of the update, I call a sub that repopulates my dropdown which is on the main form. It seems to go through the motions, but when I select the dropdown I cannot see my new entry in the list. If I kill the page and start again, then my new entry appears.
So, how can I cause my dropdown to update after I have used the Ajax control?


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In the seven years I've lived in New York City, this is by far the worst winter I have ever seen. The snow is relentless and is clearly overstaying its welcome. While stuck inside today I am sorting through spring plantings from past seasons. If you have spring fever like me, it's never too early to treat your symptoms and begin planning your first seasonal planting of the year. Check out these ideas and tips to create a fresh look once warmer weather rolls around!
Instead of using every available color in your planting try picking one or two hues and stick with them. We used Heather and Hellebore in the above planting as neutrals to balance out the yellow and purple in the Pansies (Viola x wittrockiana) and Grape Hyacinth (Muscari). I feel plantings that have flower colors of the same value or saturation are more pleasing than those of high contrast. The more contrast there is between light and dark colors the more attention the planting draws. More often than not I prefer plantings that are easy on the eye, not ones that scream "look at me!"
In spring, when deciduous trees and shrubs are just beginning to leaf out and the landscape is just waking up, a spring planting can add a ton of visual interest. Use plantings of different heights, or in planters of different heights to draw your eye through the landscape. Your eye will follow the spots of color and if repeated throughout a garden, the color will create movement in an otherwise dull space.
If in doubt, keep your planting simple. White Hydrangeas create a very clean and soothing look for spring. However, it's my job as a landscape designer to create unique planting combinations. Don't be afraid to use perennials in a planter for a seasonal planting. You can always replant the perennials into a planting bed once the display is changed out. Columbine (Aquilegia), Caladiums and Alyssum were combined to create a muted look for this late spring/early summer transitional planting. The texture of the broad heart-shaped Caladium leaves against the tiny white flowing flowers of the Alyssum is divine.
I hope some of these pictures help you look past the current blizzard and start dreaming of spring. There is no better cure for spring fever than planning your garden and picking out plants that inspire you!


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From Matthew Yglesias, on a lunatic proposal for a liquor license moratorium in the neighborhood where I lived before I got married:
People sometimes seem to have this fantasy that if they reject enough liquor license applications they're going to magically recreate a 1950s local retail ecology out of The Death and Life of Great American Cities but you can't actually do that without reverting to 1950s technology and demographics. Nobody's giving up Amazon, and nobody's giving up their ability to take a Zipcar out to Ikea. What you get are empty storefronts, lower tax revenue, and fewer employment opportunities.
I grew up with that retail environment. I would love to still live in it. But unless you've got a secret plan to outlaw not only Walmart, but also Amazon and the internet, you should probably start thinking about viable plans for second-best. And in the District of Columbia, that's food, alcohol, dry cleaning, and a very limited number of high-end goods distributors.


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A federal appeals court has ordered "Making a Murderer" subject Brendan Dassey to remain in prison during his appeal, granting an emergency motion filed by the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
The Thursday ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit means Dassey will remain in prison until a decision on his appeal or potential retrial is reached.
The ruling follows a judge's order that Dassey be released from prison by Friday pending the outcome of that appeal.
U.S. & World
U.S. Magistrate Judge William E. Duffin, who first ordered Dassey released pending his appeal, had denied a motion earlier this week filed by the Wisconsin DOJ seeking to block Dassey's release.
[NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More
But Attorney General Brad Schimel said he intended to file an emergency motion in the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit "seeking a stay of this release order and requesting relief by Friday."
A federal magistrate judge ruled in August that investigators tricked Dassey into confessing he helped Avery, rape, kill and mutilate photographer Halbach in 2005. Dassey, who turned 27 Wednesday, was 16 at the time. The magistrate ordered that Dassey be freed unless prosecutors appealed or decided to retry him.
The granting of Dassey's release this week outlined several conditions, including that he can only travel in the court's Eastern District of Wisconsin, cannot obtain a passport, cannot possess a gun or any other weapons or possess any controlled substances.
He also was not allowed to contact his uncle Steven Avery, or the family of Teresa Halbach.
"We are in the process of making arrangements for his release and hope that Brendan will be reunited with his family by Thanksgiving, if not sooner," Northwestern University's Center on Wrongful Convictions of Youth said in a statement at the time. "We urge everyone to respect Brendan's privacy during this time of transition."
In a brief filed with the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Schimel urged the appeals court to reject Dassey's claim that his confession was coerced.
"Substantial police coercion" is required for any confession to be ruled involuntary, Schmel said. And he said the Wisconsin Court of Appeals was right to affirm in 2013 that Dassey's confession was voluntary.
Duffin held that investigators made specific promises of leniency to Dassey and that no "fair-minded jurists could disagree." He cited one investigator's comment early in the interview that "you don't have to worry about things," plus repeated comments like "it's OK" and that they already knew what happened.
But the magistrate's ruling "ignores both the facts and the law," the attorney general said. Investigators didn't promise leniency, he said, and specifically told Dassey they couldn't make any promises.
The teenager willingly spoke with investigators and was properly informed of his rights, Schimel said. The interview took a few hours in the middle of the day, while Dassey sat on a couch and drank a soda, the investigators spoke in normal tones, and did not threaten him or make false promises, he said. And Dassey confessed to most of the important details within an hour, in response to open-ended questions, he added.
"The state courts' conclusion that Dassey's confession was voluntary is not only reasonable; it is entirely correct. Accordingly, Dassey is not entitled to relief," the attorney general said.
Halbach was killed on Halloween 2005, after she visited the Avery family's salvage yard in Manitowoc County. Investigators allege Avery lured her there by asking her to take photos of a minivan. Dassey was sentenced to life in prison in 2007. Court documents describe him as a slow learner who had poor grades and has difficulty understanding language and speaking. Avery was convicted in a separate trial and was also sentenced to life in prison. He's pursuing his own appeal.
Their cases gained national attention after Netflix aired "Making a Murderer" last year. The series spawned widespread conjecture about the pair's innocence. Authorities who worked on the cases said the series was biased, but it generated a myriad of calls from the public to free both men.


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Fried fish & tomato curry
Nutrition and extra info
- Freezable
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal432
- fat19g
- saturates7g
- carbs33g
- sugars9g
- fibre5g
- protein30g
- salt0.8g
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus 2 tsp
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
- 8 large vine tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- thumb-sized piece ginger, roughly chopped
Mainly grown in Jamaica, Africa, India, China and Australia, ginger is the root of the plant. It…
- 3 tbsp Madras curry paste
- 165ml can coconut milk
Coconut milkko-ko-nut mill-k
Coconut milk is not the slightly opaque liquid that flows from a freshly opened coconut –…
- large handful coriander, finely chopped, plus extra sprigs to serve
- 500g pollock fillets, skinned
- 6 tbsp plain flour
- basmati rice, to serve
Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan. Tip in the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 8 mins until soft and golden.
Meanwhile, blitz the tomatoes, garlic and ginger in a food processor to a smooth purée. Add the curry paste to the onions and fry for 3 mins more. Stir in the tomato mix and simmer for 10 mins until thickened. Add the coconut milk and chopped coriander. Simmer again to thicken.
Dust the fish fillets in some seasoned flour. Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan. Cook the fillets, in batches, over a high heat for 1 min or so on each side, until they begin to brown. Carefully place fish in the tomato mixture and simmer until just cooked through. Scatter over coriander sprigs and serve with rice.


text: Team Pages Now OnlineWednesday, August 1st 2007 The team pages for SI07 are now online! Please head over to the Teams page to view them now. SI07 Visits the Center for Automotive ResearchMonday, July 23rd 2007 SI07 students visited the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) on Friday for a tour of CAR's 35,000 square ft. facility located on OSU's west campus. CAR offers advanced experimental facilities that include engine and vehicle dynamometers, vibration, noise and acoustics laboratories, intelligent and autonomous vehicle laboratories, engine fluid mechanics and combustion research facilities, and electric, hybrid-electric propulsion, fuel cell and electrochemical energy research facilities. Additionally, students were able to see the world's fastest electric vehicle, the Buckeye Bullet, and its currently in-development successor, the Buckeye Bullet II, which will be competing to set a new world record in a few short weeks. A video walk-through of the Center for Automotive Research trip is available on our Videos page. Images of the trip are also available on our Gallery page. Video filmed and edited by Justin Grisamore of Southwest Career Academy. Step Into Virtual Reality @ Summer Institute 2007 Thursday, July 19th 2007 Click image to view SI07 Gallery Earlier this morning students attended a lecture given by OSC's own Don Stredney on the biomedical applications of supercomputing. The students were then let loose on OSC's Interface Lab where they were able to experience the latest in surgical training simulation technology and simulated virtual environments. Images now available on the Gallery page. Students Swing Into Fun at the AEC Tuesday, July 17th 2007 Click image to view SI07 Gallery Teamwork and problem solving were at the forefront today as students worked together to overcome numerous challenges and puzzles presented at the Outdoor Adventure Education Center (AEC). Students were divided into two groups and took to the ropes course for some highflying fun in the morning. There they were challenged to go outside of their comfort zone and attempt to complete the course that had students suspended over 30 feet above the ground! Shortly after the ropes course students set about the task of completing various team-building exercises. After a long day of fun in the sun the students were brought back to their dorms for an evening of rest, relaxation, and tie dying shirts! We have some great new content planned for you over the next few days in the form of a video blog update, as well as a gallery chalk full of the students' exploits over the past few days. Please check back with us often for the latest information and media covering OSC's Summer Institute 2007! UPDATE: The Adventure Education Center video is now online! Please view it after the break. Video filmed and edited by Justin Grisamore of Southwest Career Academy. Welcome to OSC's Summer Institute 2007 Web BlogSunday, July 15th 2007 Over the next two weeks we will be updating the site with information about the latest happenings at SI07, including pictures and video of the student's activities and events. We have some exciting events planned for the students of SI 2007, including trips to Byrd Polar Research, the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), and also a ropes course at the Outdoor Adventure Education Center (AEC). During the students' stay at SI07 they will be engaged in a task oriented learning experience in which they will be grouped according to their interests to achieve a common goal. This year's projects include: Kinetic and Statistical Descriptions of Matter Molecular Dynamics of the Bird Flu Virus Network Forensics Retro SI Programming Game Programming and Motion Capture The Comet Project Please check back with us often as we update the site and keep you informed on the latest information from OSC's Summer Institute 2007. The OSC Summer Institute program is sponsored in part by:


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Facts Are Stubborn Things, Mr. Reid
Every individual who has told the press that they have had a bad experience with ObamaCare is either lying or are too stupid to know how to use the Internet. This is the latest line by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), anyway. Perhaps it's these kinds of accusations that gave one Colorado woman the presence of mind to record her phone call with the "Connect for Health Colorado" navigator due to her own problems with the website.
Rebecca Ryan of Fort Collins has a preexisting condition but until recently, she was covered by a different government healthcare plan called "Cover Colorado." The reason for changing her plan? As it turns Cover Colorado did not meet the requirements of ObamaCare and some 14,000 plans were canceled as a result. Rebecca liked her healthcare plan but wasn't able to keep it. Sen. Reid wants Americans to believe Rebecca is lying about this "horror story" but this is only the beginning of Rebecca's experience so far with ObamaCare.
As it turned out, Rebecca could save $15 a month with the new plan with one little caveat: she would lose her doctor whom she has received care from for the last 9 years. If, however; Rebecca wants to keep seeing this doctor she can do so if she is willing to pay an additional $140 a month:
Rebecca: So, the lowest monthly premium is, um, way higher than I was paying before and I thought this was supposed to be lower.
Rep: Now this could be way higher if it's a doctor, if you have a doctor that's (??) in there. So, often, if you have a doctor that you work with, you can be picking plans that are higher, if that doctor is a more specialized doctor.
Rebecca: She's just a general family doctor. She's not specialized.
A few minutes later, Rebecca was looking for dental coverage but was having some trouble with the website. The navigator explained that she needed to remove the filters Rebecca had in place for her doctor (stupid citizen!):
Rebecca: Do I have to go through the whole filter thing again?
Rep: Is your doctor listed when you hit 'Find a Dental Plan'?
Rebecca: I don't know why she would be. She's not a dentist.
Rep: But she was put in as a provider? (pause)
Rebecca: Ok, my hospital was listed too, so I removed them both [as search filters]. However, what if I want to keep her? I've been with her a long time, and I don't want a different doctor.
Rep: If you want to keep her then you're looking to pay the 515 dollars a month.
Rebecca: So they're going to penalize me because I want to keep my doctor?
Rep: Yes.
There you have it Mr. Reid. One individual whose experience is that 1. she lost the healthcare plan she liked, 2. can keep her doctor if she wants to pay a higher price, and 3. had some difficulty with the website (I'll leave it to the readers and you to decide if its the fault of Rebecca or the website).
And lest you believe, Mr. Reid; that Rebecca, the original reporter on this story, or I have taken this call out of context, please feel free to listen to the entire 24 minute conversation in the player below.
You see Mr. Reid, no amount of smearing of the groups which oppose ObamaCare, no amount of calling people liars, and no amount of repeating "billionaire Koch brothers" can change the objective fact that some people are now worse off than before ObamaCare. Perhaps many others will also record these phone calls to expose your lies. I'm quite confident that Rebecca Ryan of Fort Collins, Colorado is but one person being hurt by this boondoggle.


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Sue Frause is an American writer and photographer. She's had a major crush on Canada ever since she visited British Columbia as a young girl. Even if your heart doesn't pitter patter over all things Canadian, read on. You'll find photos, travel tips, road notes and the latest news and thoughts about our friends north of the 49th parallel. Cool idea, eh?
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text: Severe drought conditions threw Georgia forage producers another curve this year. The lack of timely rainfall means hay supplies could be short in many areas this fall. The University of Georgia's Dennis Hancock says growers will need to take advantage of the rainfall and, hopefully, warmer temperatures in the next few days to establish winter annuals this fall. Hancock was interviewed at this year's Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie in south Georgia.


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Just last month jaws dropped when the Wall Street Journal reported that the former chairman and CEO of Citigroup hoisted onto the market his elegant Manhattan penthouse for an astounding $88 million. Perhaps even more surprising was Weill's proclamation that he would donate proceeds of the sale to charity.
While some hedged bets that Weill's penthouse, which he picked up in August 2007 for $43.7 million, would linger on the market for an indefinite amount of time, behind the scenes the Rybolovlev family was busy making moves to buy the glamorous crib. Dmitry Rybolovlev, the patriarch of the Russian family and a man worth around $9.5 billion, has a colorful background that includes formal medical training, part ownership in the AS Monaco soccer team, and a stint in jail for murder (he was acquitted a year later for lack of evidence).
While it makes sense that Rybolovlev would need a posh place to stay while in New York, Forbes suggests that it's Rybolovlev's daughter Ekaterina who is the real new owner of the full-floor penthouse. The 22-year old is reportedly studying at an undisclosed American university and plans to stay in the apartment when she visits New York.
Regardless of who bought the ridiculously swanky apartment, the sale goes down in New York City history as the most expensive residential real estate deal, ever. Business Insider breaks down the numbers and calculates that the buyer is paying $13,048 per square foot. Now, that's one happy holidays for the lucky charity that Weill chooses to receive the proceeds.
Copyright LXTVN - LXTV


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There will be a summer exhibit called The Great War: The Persuasive Power of Photography, and it will begin June 27, coinciding with Canada History Week, which starts July the 1st, and will run until the 17th of November.
This exhibit brings together a diverse and remarkable selection of photographs drawn from national and international collections in an effort to illustrate the many important roles that photography played in the First World War.
The website for that National Gallery of Canada is http://www.gallery.ca/en/


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Just in case you didn't get your USDA recommended daily allowance of track and field beefcake in Thessaloniki over the weekend, here is another helping. Outsports and Trackpic went to the European U23 Track and Field Championships held in Lithuania. The temperatures were close to 100 degrees for the annual event that featureds the top European track athletes under 23 years old.
Spotted were British 100 meters champ Rion Pierre, who looks quite fit in all the right places. Below is Rod 2.0 crush object and Team Great Britain's Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, who recently took bronze at the World Athletics in Berlin. Harry AA is stretching ... or doing ... something with his muscles.
Another image of Rion Pierre's bulging singlet and one more of this French sprinter, WHEN YOU JUMP.
More at Outsports.


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