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As dozens of attorneys general around the country sign on to a multibillion dollar settlement deal with major US lenders related to the companies' role in the country's foreclosure crisis, it is still unclear whether Massachusetts will participate.
Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley declined to comment Tuesday but has long been critical of the talks - which have stretched out for months - saying she doubts any agreement will offer adequate help to struggling borrowers here. Coakley also wants to address problems related to lenders who seized homes without having the proper documentation.
More than 40 states have agreed to the settlement with the top five US lenders - Bank of America Corp., Wells Fargo & Co., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Ally Financial Inc., and Citigroup, according to Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller who is leading the negotiations. Miller said some issues still be to be worked out by federal, state, and bank officials before a deal - estimated at as much as $25 billion - can be finalized. That could happen later this week.
In addition to Massachusetts, other states that have not signed on include California, Nevada, and New York. Ira Rheingold, executive director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates, said Massachusetts probably will be one of the last holdouts. Rheingold said the settlement offers some benefits to homeowners with mortgage troubles, but he trusts Coakley will make the best decision for Massachusetts.
''If she decides to opt out, that will be a well thought-out decision," Rheingold said, calling Coakley one of the nation's top attorneys general.
In December, Coakley sued the five major banks for allegedly illegally taking back properties, filing fraudulent foreclosure documents, and failing to assist borrowers who could have stayed in their homes if they had been allowed lower mortgage payments.
Officials from the banks Tuesday declined to discuss details of the settlement, which appears imminent more than a year after the 50 US attorneys general launched an investigation into lenders, concerned about shoddy and unlawful foreclosure practices.
Housing advocates said the agreement, while useful, probably will not be enough to solve the country's foreclosure crisis.
Even as negotiations between the five lenders and officials are ongoing, details of the settlement have been leaking out. It is expected to provide homeowners whose properties were wrongfully seized with checks of up $2,000, Rheingold said. State attorney general's offices could share $5 billion set aside for foreclosure relief, and some homeowners could benefit from about $17 billion allocated to help them save their properties through principal reduction, loan modifications, and short sales, he said.
The companies also would agree to a set of procedures related to foreclosures and loan modifications, to make sure that suspect past practices will not be repeated, those close to the negotiations say.
Kathleen Engel, a professor and foreclosure specialist at Suffolk Law School, said Massachusetts residents could benefit if Coakley decides to continue her own investigation into lenders' alleged wrongdoing, something many other states cannot afford.
''Between their investigative powers and their legal strength, it may be in Massachusetts' best interest not to join" a settlement, she said.
Meanwhile, other states' attorneys general praised the draft deal. In Rhode Island, Attorney General Peter Kilmartin said he planned to sign the agreement because it will help homeowners and bring needed reform to the mortgage industry. Kilmartin's office said the deal would not prevent individual homeowners or investors from filing suits against lenders, nor would it affect criminal investigations.
''The proposed settlement holds banks accountable for past mortgage servicing and foreclosure fraud and abuses and provides relief to homeowners without sacrificing future opportunities to fix a broken system," Kilmartin said. "The settlement is only one of many steps we need towards a comprehensive, nationwide solution."
Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen applauded the tentative deal saying it would help thousands of distressed borrowers in his state save their homes.
''It would impose tough new servicing standards on banks and hold them accountable for what have become familiar abuses such as lost documents, poor communication, inadequate and poorly trained staff, and endless loan modifications," Jepsen said in a statement. "Finally, the settlement would preserve my office's authority to continue going after the banks for any illegal behavior they engaged in during the recent financial crisis."


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Renteria making sure to keep Starlin engaged
CHICAGO -- Cubs manager Rick Renteria says he and his staff are very talkative, and one of the players they are constantly engaging with is shortstop Starlin Castro.
"It's just part of how we do things," Renteria said Monday. "We're kind of vocal. I think that's our nature. I remember playing for managers who were always talking to us in the infield. I don't think it's abnormal."
Part of the rationale is to keep Castro focused on the game and avoid any mental lapses. Renteria said Castro, 24, who was promoted from Double-A in 2010, is still developing.
"He got here when he was 20 [years old] and we assume he knows exactly everything he's doing, and I think he's still learning," Renteria said. "I think we make a mistake that any player in the big leagues is not still learning."
Castro entered Monday's game batting .395 at home, and has hit safely in all nine home games.

subset: commoncrawl


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On the Monday before Earth Day 2011, at a well publicized press event, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other high-ranking city officials broke ground on a market-rate housing development in south Williamsburg. New luxury rentals in Williamsburg are hardly news these days, but this one is unprecedented. Its developer received funding from the country's first city-funded brownfield program, brought to you by PlaNYC 2030.
Back in 2007, PlaNYC 2030 estimated that there were more than 7,000 acres of brownfields, or vacant or underutilized sites that are likely contaminated with toxic chemicals (such as old gas stations, factories and dry cleaners) across the city's five boroughs. Not only are these sites eyesores, but because developers are reluctant to take them on, they hamstring neighborhood revitalization.
Until now, the city has relied on federal and state funding for brownfield development. But PlaNYC called for the city to establish its own brownfield program, and it set a goal of redeveloping all 7,000 acres by 2030. According to the PlaNYC 2030 update, released last month, the city will distribute $10 million over the next few years to help developers pay for brownfield redevelopment, especially in low-income areas.
However, as brownfield programs in other parts of the country come to fruition, some question how much they actually serve low-income communities in the long-term. An independent study conducted in 2010, for instance, found widespread gentrification and displacement in conjunction with brownfield projects across six of the federal Environmental Protection Agency's ten regions. Will the city be able to build a better brownfield program?
How the Programs Work
The Clinton administration launched its brownfield initiative in the mid 1990s to much applause. Under the program, the Environmental Protection Agency provides funding to local governments to encourage property owners to redevelop contaminated urban properties, especially in low-income neighborhoods. Since then, many states have followed suit with their own brownfield programs. New York state, for instance, began offering technical and financial assistance, as well as liability relief, to brownfield developers in 2003. Extra assistance is available to municipalities or community development corporations that wish to address areas with multiple brownfield sites (known as "Brownfield Opportunity Areas," or BOAs).
But the state's program recently came under scrutiny when the watchdog group Environmental Advocates found that the vast majority of projects claiming brownfield tax credits between 2008 and 2010 were located in predominately white, middle to upper class areas "Most of the tax have gone to high end developments (and many in Manhattan) where the credits were not necessarily needed and where the benefits accrue to already wealthy developers and land owners," a New York-based brownfield project consultant confirmed.
This is partly because only heavily contaminated sites qualified for the incentive. Most non-profit groups could not deal with such complicated and costly cleanups and so were ineligible for the funding. Since 2008, New York state has been trying to rectify that problem by offering technical assistance and other support to community development organizations wishing to redevelop brownfield sites.
New York City's program, which launched in August 2010, seeks to bolster the state's program and boost brownfield development across the five boroughs. The Brownfield Cleanup Program, or BCP, administered through the new Office of Environmental Remediation targets sites with low to moderate levels of contamination and offers a number of incentives to both for profit and non profit developers.
Close examination of the program suggests that the innovation might stop there.
According to Office of Environmental Remediation documents, in addition to cleaning up contaminated sites, the program is meant to "increase job creation in affected communities, add local amenities and generate new revenue." To enroll in the program, developers must have conducted preliminary site investigations and have plans for remediation and redevelopment as well as for ensuring community protection and participation. These include making certain documents publicly available (either online or at local libraries), soliciting public comment on the remediation work plan, and notifying the public at the start and completion of remedial action.
There are no stipulations for the intended uses of these sites, as long as the site is certified as safe for the environment and human health and has received all required city and state building permits. Brownfield projects, then, do not necessarily need community board approval.
Finally, enrollees are "strongly encouraged" to include statements outlining sustainability efforts such as green building design, energy efficiency and reducing waste production. Once accepted to the program, developers pay a $1,000 fee to the city and sign an agreement that they will adhere to the work plans outlined in their application. On successful completion, enrolled projects receive a release from environmental liability from the city and they are entitled to a Green Property Certification.This acknowledges that the site, when put to its intended use, will fully protect public health and the environment. These certifications are issued automatically, regardless of the project's Sustainability Statement, which is requested, but not required, as part of the Brownfield Cleanup Program application.
To help fund these projects, the city offers Brownfield Incentive Grants, called BIGs. These include technical assistance grants to help community-based organizations apply for the state's brownfield program. BIG grants can also provide matching funds for the state program, or cleanup and investigation grants of up to $60,000. On top of that, "Preferred Community Development Projects," or those that provide specific community benefits, such as open space, affordable housing or community health care facilities, can receive bonus funding of up to $50,000. According to the PlaNYC 2030 update, the BIG program has paid out or earmarked $800,000, $76,865 of which as gone to supporting four community development organizations that are developing state-designated BOAs.
As of the release of the update, six projects in the Brownfield Cleanup Program had broken ground. Three of those are considered preferred development projects.
Digging Deeper
Despite the glowing report provided in the PlaNYC update, a close look at these initial projects begins to reveal some tarnish. Of the three preferred projects to break ground, only one is spearheaded by a long-standing non-profit organization. That project, led by the South Bronx's Nos Quedamos, will create 110 units of housing affordable to families earning up to a maximum of 60 percent of the Area Media.
The other three projects are more problematic. For instance, Jiten Hotel Management received a bonus of $75,000 to build a six-story hotel (rumored to be a Fairfield Inn) near Yankee Stadium. Based on the project's preferred status, Jiten also received a low-interest cleanup loan from the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corp. to build the hotel. According to the update, the hotel qualified for bonus funding because "BOA community planners" strongly supported it.
Apparently, those planners did not include the local community board. In fact, Bronx Community Board 1 chair George Rodriguez claimed that the developer never met with the community board. "I'm not against a hotel," Rodriguez told the Bronx Times. "But people from the community should be involved, those of us who didn't walk away when the Bronx was burning." Others have expressed skepticism that the hotel will deliver the 60 permanent jobs that were an important part of its winning preferred status.
A second preferred project has also gotten flack. 1600 Pelham Parkway South in Eastchester, a former commercial site that contains industrial contaminants, is slated to become 91 units of affordable housing. The city, though, has not specified how it will define "affordable," and some local residents are fairly certain that the homes will be affordable only to middle-income families. Some other residents of this long-standing middle class neighborhood have complained that the towers will be unsightly, while still others worry about over-crowding.
One resident said to the Bronx Times, "It's over-development. ... There's no infrastructure to support the residents."
Community Board 11members agreed -- when the project was first proposed in 2008, they voted not to support it because of concerns about already overstrained infrastructure and schools. The project, though, is still moving ahead. Perhaps the problem is that the "preferred project" designation requires support letters from organizations verifying that the project will benefit the neighborhood, but the city does not specify how many letters or what types of organizations should submit them.
The remaining three projects to break ground are considered part of the general brownfield cleanup program, and they do not have preferred status. These are a Church of Scientology on 125th street in Manhattan on a former industrial site, a 168-room Hyatt Place hotel with three levels of retail and space for underground parking in downtown Flushing and a mixed use residential and commercial building in the South Bronx, and the market-rate apartment complex in south Williamsburg that provided the Earth week photo op.
That project has already come under fire from the local City Councilmember Diana Reyna. A spokesperson for Reyna told the Brooklyn Paper, "This district doesn't need another market-rate residential project, and we're not happy that it does not include any open space. … That's what the community wants. This project is not going to do that."
At the groundbreaking, though, Reyna praised the project for spurring redevelopment and creating jobs.
Fixing the Program
Based on its early days, the city's brownfield program seems to be experiencing the same problems affecting brownfield programs across the country. In other words, they seem to be a mechanism for subsidizing development aimed at tourists and affluent residents. Moreover, the city's program includes a vague and toothless public process that can all but ignore community concerns.
Does it have to be this way? It is not to late to ensure that brownfield projects emerge from a deliberative public process, that benefits are evenly distributed across the city to a wide range of citizens, and that they are truly sustainable. The city can re-boot.
First, "Green Property Certifications" are misleading and hint at greenwash. Projects so designated ought to go beyond certifying that sites are no longer toxic and include measures similar to those required of LEED buildings, which must meet specific criteria for being green.
Second, the city might integrate its landmark brownfield program into existing community-developed plans known as 197-a's. Many of these contain carefully constructed visions of equitable economic development but are gathering virtual dust on the hard drives of community board members across the city.
Melissa Checker is associate professor of urban studies at Queens College, CUNY and of anthropology and environmental psychology at the CUNY Graduate Center.


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Marc Schroeder, born 1964 in Luxembourg, joined LuxairGroup in May 2014.
Marc Schroeder started his career as Treasurer of the ARBED Group from 1989-1994 based in Luxembourg.
In 1995, looking for an international challenge, Marc Schroeder moved for 6 years to the United States as CFO and VP Strategy of TrefilARBED Arkansas, Inc., a manufacturing company of the ARBED Group in the US.
From 2001-2003, Marc Schroeder joined the Arcelor Corporate Controlling team based in Luxembourg and in charge of Long Steel products on a worldwide basis.
In 2004, Marc Schroeder was named General Manager Finance & Legal of the Wire Products division of the ArcelorMittal Group with operations in Europe, the US & Asia.
Seeking a new challenge, Marc Schroeder joined LuxairGroup in 2014.


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Tagged: Alaska
Globalizing the American Pastime
Soccer, or football as most people call it, is the global game. People of all ages play the beautiful game from the busy streets of New York City to rural villages all over the world, like this one in Rwanda. Soccer, as Americans call it, is globally popular for a variety of reasons, but I believe the two most important are the requirements to play in terms of people and equipment. Only have one friend to play with? Simple! It's one on one. I hope you can dribble. Live on less than a dollar a day and not positive where your next meal will come from? Here's some rolled up cloth that will work as a ball. The simplicity of the game opens it up to almost every person on the planet.
Baseball has long sought to expand its global reach, and the advent of the World Baseball Classic was part of that vision. The more countries watching and playing baseball would mean a larger talent pool for professional baseball, but also the more money organizations like Major League Baseball can make. FIFA and leagues like the Premier League are about growing the sport, but ultimately they are businesses interested in making more money. The best way to increase income is to reach into every available market, even creating new markets, to sell your product.
Gift Ngoepe is not only the firt South African to make it to the Majors, he is the first person from the entire African continent. (Ronald C. Modra/ Sports Imagery/ Getty Images)
If baseball ever rivals soccer in global appeal it will not happen any time soon. At the most grassroots level baseball requires more than soccer. Finding a stick and a makeshift ball may not sound like much but it can be too much for a game for those living in areas without trees or on the edge of survival. A makeshift baseball has to be harder than a makeshift soccer ball for the ball to travel any distance when struck with the makeshift bat. Baseball can work with just two people. Playing catch or one person hitting and the other pitching means baseball at the most basic level, like soccer can involve a minimum number of people. Baseball is heading in the right direction, but growth will take time and Major League Baseball must remain patient to see the fruits of its labor.
Baseball is the American Pastime All 50 states plus the District of Columbia have sent at least 12 players to the Major Leagues. Alaska ranks last with only 12 Major League players and California is first with 2,191 players. Every state could field a team and have a tournament to determine which state reigns supreme. While this tournament rages on, ignoring time to allow all 16,553 American born players to be eligible for the tournament, the rest of the world could watch and learn. There have been 45 countries other than the United States to have at least one player reach the Major Leagues. The Dominican Republic has the most players with 674 while Afghanistan Belgium, Belize, China, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Honduras, Indonesia, Latvia, Lithuania, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, and Vietnam have all sent one player to the Majors. In addition to countries, there are seven territories which have sent at least one player to the Majors, with Puerto Rico having sent 258 players and American Samoa and Hong Kong sending one player each. The globalizing of baseball would not be complete without Ed Porray, who was born on a ship sailing the Atlantic Ocean.
The globalizing of baseball was noticeable last week with the Major League debuts of Gift Ngoepe (South Africa) and Dovydas Neverauskas (Lithuania). Both players are the first Major League players from their home countries. Ngoepe is the first African born player to reach the Majors. The African continent is home to over one billion people, the talent pool is there, waiting to be found. The careers of Ngoepe and Neverauskas will hopefully be long, but it is doubtful they will be the best player from their home nation. They are the frontrunners who have shown that it is possible. One player makes it to the Majors, teams and scouts may file it away as a place to remember when they have nowhere else to go scout. Two, three, four players, start rising through the minors, suddenly they will begin paying attention and even investing time and resources to developing the talent. What starts as a drip could potentially turn into a river or it could be an aberration.
Dovydas Neverauskas is the first Lithuanian to make it to the Majors, could he be the beginning of an eastern European baseball pipeline? Only time will tell. (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAT Sports)
Only 19 of the 52 countries and territories that have sent a player to the Majors could field a team and join the fictional tournament involving each American state. Another 19 countries and territories have only had one player reach the Major Leagues. There are roughly 233 countries and territories in the world, and only 53 of them have had a player reach the Major Leagues. Major League Baseball is only batting .227. Not every country will become a hotbed for baseball, but expanding the reach of the game is critical for the continued growth and development of the sport. The 2017 World Baseball Classic saw Israel make a surprising run by getting out of pool play. Yes the Israeli team was heavily Jewish-Americans, however the exposure of the team to the Israeli people should help facilitate growth of the game within Israel itself.
Time will tell if the World Baseball Classic is an avenue for growing the game of baseball or if is simply a tournament held every four years. The arrival of Gift Ngoepe and Dovydas Neverauskas in Pittsburgh happen to occur during the same week. Only one person can be the first player from their home country, but the hope is there will be more to follow them to the Majors. Baseball has a long ways to go before it can become a truly global sport like soccer, but Major League Baseball and other professional leagues are on the right track with the World Baseball Classic. Players from the far corners of the globe will not arrive overnight, but the hope is in the coming years the game will have a more global flare. The more people involved in baseball around the world, the better.


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At Diamonds, we pride ourselves on having extremely strict standards for diamond quality - especially when it comes to the cut of our diamonds. We stand behind every diamond that goes into every piece of our jewelry, ensuring that it lives up to the standards we have upheld since 1915.
The best way to ensure that your diamond sparkles for a lifetime is to properly care for the stone. By either bringing your diamond jewelry into your local Diamonds store for a complimentary professional cleaning and inspection, or tending to your stone at home with a jewelry polishing cloth and warm water, you can help your diamond shine bright.


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(Pocket-lint) - Canon, Olympus, and Nikon have announced a new partnership (CON) to create an app store for digital cameras, that will allow you to download a range of applications for your digital camera, while at the same time inviting Samsung and Panasonic to join them.
The new app store is to be called App-e-ture and allows users to force their camera into taking images like a pro and is sure to help gain ground on phone cameras that many believe are damaging compact camera sales.
Apps will range from simple presets, similar to that found in Adobe Lightroom, to more detailed offerings that will even direct how you frame the picture.
Although many cameras are equipped with similar, if not the same offerings available from the service, the new App-e-ture store should mean that users with cameras lacking certain specifications will be able to "upgrade", enabling a better user experience at a fraction of the cost.
The Philip Bloom app will help you time lapse everything for example, while the Mario Testino Royal app will help you frame your shot as if your Nan is a royal subject; complete with black and white settings and making sure she is smiling in the right way.
The three companies are hoping that the new service, which will be available on most cameras over the next couple of months via a firmware update, will bring a new lease of life to photography and photographers who are hoping to do something different without years of experience.
Other apps include Tilt-shift apps and the ability to warn you when you've left a bag or something unsightly in a landscape shot.
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20, What3Words CEO, and Withings Sleep Analyzer reviewed - Pocket-lint podcast ep. 65
"It's amazing", photographer Iver Beanfooled told us. "Even though I'm a pro, I can get my camera to shoot like other pros".
Details on how much the apps will cost haven't been released, although sources we spoke to who had been briefed on the matter suggested around 59p for basic apps and up to £4.99 for more intricate offerings.
Thankfully the three companies have banned games altogether citing that the apps are for those looking to take better pictures, not just for those looking to have fun when on holiday.
UPDATE: You've probably guessed by now - but this is our April Fools for 2010. Sorry if we got you.


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I asked him to open his mouth and stick out his tongue.
So he takes the spit-covered, chewed-up, soggy toothpick out of his mouth, holds it out, and says "Can you hold this for me?"
A Blog detailing the insanity of my medical practice and the stupidity of everyday life.
again, I must ask...where on earth do you practice? The Appalachia mountains?
With all these germs floating around...seriously!
How disgusting!
So gross. Sorry, dude. That's just so nasty. I hope you pointed to the trash can. People are stupid and gross and OMG!
LMAO!!! As a soon to be dental hygienist, I wouldn't even hold it covered head to foot in PPE's and double gloved!
@HeatherLynn... For a girl with such an Appalachian-sounding name, you sure are snotty, aren't you?
Obviously, if he were in Appalachia, it would be a wad of chewing 'backer.
On a completely unrelated note, the word verification for my comment is "pains" - how fitting :)
Looks like he's going to need a GI doc next to get all those splinters pulled out of his ass!
And the H1N1 virus continues it's march.
And you said "not even if MONEY was involved!"?
All I can picture is what Dr. House would do. Maybe that should be a new phrase for such situations: WWHD*. Only problem is, such actions would probably result in revocation of one's medical license, regardless of how funny or deserved the doing might be. ;-)
*What Would House Do?
HeatherLynn...there are no "Appalachia" mountains, dear.
The Appalachian Mountains, however, are lovely. and run through most of the mid-Atlantic states. We have such "hick", backward little towns in the 'holler such as Charlotte, Charlestown, Scranton, and Asheville (home to the Biltmore Mansion).
Perhaps sometime you'd like to come visit us, if you don't hurt yourself getting off your high, urban horse. We have electricity and indoor plumbing now, and are gracious and welcoming to even the biggest snot that graces us with her presence.
Pattie, RN
Dear HeatherLynn aka HosCorners,
At first I was a little put off by your comment here but then I visited your blog. Bless your heart.
Please come visit us here in the Appalachian mountains if you can tear yourself away from the uber hip and happening Ohio.
Little Calf Creamery. Delicious homemade ice cream and food in Thousand Oaks!


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Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller's "Little Fockers" remained the top draw at the weekend box office with .3 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.
It was closely followed by Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon's Western "True Grit," which was No. 2 for the second-straight weekend with .5 million.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: All Access: 'Little Fockers' Junket
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News from around the country and around the globe
"Little Fockers," released by Universal, raised its domestic haul to 3.2 million. Paramount's "True Grit" lifted its total to .8 million, becoming the top-grossing film ever from directors Joel and Ethan Coen, whose previous best was .3 million for "No Country for Old Men."
With no new wide releases out over New Year's weekend, the Hollywood top-10 lined up largely the same as it did over the Christmas holiday.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Access' Top 10 Movies We Can't Wait For In 2011!
Bridges also had the No. 3 film with Disney's sci-fi sequel "Tron: Legacy" at .3 million, while Dan Aykroyd's family flick "Yogi Bear," from Warner Bros., was fourth with million.
After a sluggish fall and holiday season, Hollywood is off to a slow start in 2011. Overall revenuescame in at 8 million, down 28 percent from New Year's weekend a year ago, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.
The holiday season in 2009 was unusually strong, largely because of James Cameron's "Avatar," which was on its way to becoming the biggest modern blockbuster with .8 billion worldwide.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Golden Globes 2011: And The Movie Nominees Are…
A year ago, "Sherlock Holmes" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" also held up well over New Year's weekend.
"What made the difference last year was just that incredible combination of films," said Paul Dergarabedian, Hollywood.com box-office analyst. "That said, I think 2011 is going to be a huge year. If you look at the titles, I think we're going to get our box-office strength back."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Rising Star: Hailee Steinfield
The final "Harry Potter" film is among Hollywood's offerings this year, along with the latest in the "Pirates of the Caribbean," ''Transformers," ''Twilight," ''Cars," ''Kung Fu Panda," ''X-Men" and "The Hangover" franchises.
"Little Fockers" has done good business despite bad reviews for the third installment in De Niro and Stiller's "Meet the Parents" franchise.
"I'm sorry the business isn't better for the industry overall, but having said that, it doesn't make a difference for us. We were the No. 1 film for the holidays," said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for Universal. "Considering it's the third time around, not so bad."
"True Grit" is a rare hit Western — once a Hollywood staple but a genre that has all but vanished. Industry insiders had been skeptical about the film's prospects, especially since the 1969 version of "True Grit" was one of John Wayne's best-known roles from late in his career, earning him the best-actor Academy Award.
But the Coens never considered their version a remake. They did a faithful adaptation of Charles Portis' novel, the source for both movies, and the Coens' version has earned terrific reviews.
"They acted like there'd never been another movie made, that this was the first. You've got to give them credit. It's a stunning achievement," said Don Harris, executive vice president of distribution at Paramount.
While this season's top hits failed to measure up to "Avatar" and other 2009 holiday blockbusters, smaller Oscar contenders continued to score in the top-10.
Paramount's boxing drama "The Fighter," with Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, was No. 7 with million, raising its total to .4 million; Fox Searchlight's psychosexual thriller "Black Swan," starring Natalie Portman, came in at No. 9 with .5 million, raising its haul to .4 million; and the Weinstein Co. historical drama "The King's Speech," with Colin Firth, was No. 10 with .7 million, pushing its sum to .8 million.
Other awards contenders debuted well in limited release. The Weinstein Co. marital drama "Blue Valentine," starring Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling, took in 0,066 in four theaters.
Sony Pictures Classics' British drama "Another Year," from director Mike Leigh and featuring Jim Broadbent, took in 0,390 in six theaters.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.
1. "Little Fockers," .3 million.
2. "True Grit," .5 million.
3. "Tron: Legacy," .3 million.
4. "Yogi Bear," million.
5. "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," .5 million.
6. "Tangled," .01 million.
7. "The Fighter," million.
8. "Gulliver's Travels," .1 million.
9. "Black Swan," .5 million.
10. "The King's Speech," .6 million.
Copyright 2011 by Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
PLAY IT NOW: 'Little Fockers' Unleashed!
PLAY IT NOW: Access Extended: Jessica Alba Talks 'Little Fockers' (Part I)
More from Access: [ Box Office 'Little Fockers' Ben Stiller ]


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Q2 2019 RH Earnings Call
10/9/2019 17:00
RH Conference call will be held on 10/09/2019. During the earnings conference call's session RH will provide updated information and financial status.
Conference call is also referred to as: teleconference call or audio conference bridge. Conferencing service is provided in house or as cloud based teleconference service.
In order to join the audio conferencing dial conference bridge and key in the PIN code, Contact RH for this information
Schedule an online conference with QCONF conference service and get 5 free calls with online conferencing.
Restoration Hardware Holdings, Inc. ("RH" or the "Company") is a leading luxury retailer in the home furnishings marketplace. Our curated and fully-integrated assortments are presented consistently across our sales channels in sophisticated and unique lifestyle settings that we believe are on par with world-class interior designers. We offer dominant merchandise assortments across a growing number of categories, including furniture, lighting, textiles, bathware, décor, outdoor and garden, tableware, and child and teen furnishings. Our ability to innovate, curate and integrate products, categories, services and businesses with a completely authentic and distinctive point of view, then rapidly scale them across our fully integrated multi-channel infrastructure is a powerful platform for continued long-term growth.קרא עוד שיחת ועידה


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I have an amazing chance to travel at the moment. I finished my MSc, have some solid experience under my belt and now saved some cash.. I see it as NOW is the time to go!
I have a few questions for this trip I'm planning to Colombia leaving this Dec. I'd really appreciate any help if anyone who has kited this amazing looking place
So for sure I want to hit Cabo De La Vela and whole bunch of spots on the NE coast (ideally flatwater). What kite sizes do I need? Do I need to buy a 5... Same question for San Andres!! I'll be finishing my trip here..maybe continue into Nicaragua.
I haven't decided if I want to finish the mainland Colombia part of the trip at Cabo or start there because I'd also love to get to Chivor (maybe) and Lago Calima. I haven't figured out how I'm going to get across this largish area yet. I do want to stop at a bunch of spots along the way on that NE coast of colombia. Some look great... What would traveling over land be like (buses would be great (but with kite gear???) I've heard pay a driver is an option but could be pricey).
Those are my questions for now. Thanks for any help!


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Download iCalendar file (compatible with most calendaring software)
Web site: http://www.mechjock.com/
Email: propwash (at) mechjock.com (Address obscured to fight spam. Replace (at) with @ for real address.)
Category: Isle of Misfit Events
Rules: Game system not specified
Cost: $6.00
Duration: 1 hour
Host: Nickolas Smith (MechJock LLC)
Age requirement: Everyone (6+)
Experience requirement: None (You've never played before)
Are materials provided: Yes
Location: Indiana Convention Center, room outside rooms 140--143
Tickets: 12 out of 12 are available (as of 1:30 AM Saturday August 25th, 2012, but this information may be out of date.)
Official site: Check the official site for the most up to date information and to purchase tickets. You must be logged in at the official site for this to work.
Time slot: Sun Aug 19 4:00 am - 5:00 am
Event added: Mon Jun 18 1:30 am
BattleTech: Firestorm in the Virtual World Tesla II cockpit is as close to the 31st century battlefield as you can get. Each mission lasts 7 minutes.


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Students who are actively enrolled in the Snead State Nursing Program, as well as those enrolled in baccalaureate completion programs are encouraged to join the Student Nurses' Association as well as The National Student Nurses' Association (NSNA).
Involvement in the NSNA prepares students for involvement in professional associations upon graduation. Students who join the Snead State Nurses' Association are enabled to make professional contacts, have the opportunity to network with people who can impact the nursing profession and give the student access to new opportunities, friends, jobs, and information.


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OTTAWA — The Mounties believe Sen. Mike Duffy spent the night in hotels instead of his cottage when he travelled to Prince Edward Island during the winter months, newly released court documents show.
The RCMP says Duffy spent 35 nights in Charlottetown hotels between 2009 and 2012 instead of staying at his declared primary residence in Cavendish.
Last week, lead investigator Cpl. Greg Horton asked for and received a search warrant for hotel records.
"I believe that those records will provide evidence of the named offences showing that Sen. Duffy stays in hotels when visiting P.E.I. during winter months, not his declared primary residence," Horton says in the court document.
The RCMP says Duffy's personal calendar shows he stayed at the Charlottetown hotel, the Delta hotel and the Great George hotel during his island stays.
Duffy's assistant told Horton the senator's cottage in Cavendish is not on the main highway and he preferred to stay in Charlottetown during winter storms.
"The house in Cavendish is snowed in," the assistant told Horton. "Also, when his visits are short (for the weekend or something) he prefers to stay closer to the airport to arrive on time."
Horton says he reviewed Duffy's calendar and credit-card statements and found the senator stayed in Charlottetown hotels at other times during the year.
"Sen. Duffy has collected almost $90,000 from the Senate, claiming his primary residence is a cottage that he does not live in for at least four months of each year," says Horton.
"During the 16 winter months that I examined, consisting of 481 days, I could only identify 35 nights that he spent in P.E.I."
Duffy, along with fellow former Conservatives Patrick Brazeau and Pamela Wallin, was suspended from the Senate in early November over expense claims.
Liberal Mac Harb resigned from the Senate in August after paying back $231,000 for ineligible housing and travel expenses.
Harb and Brazeau face criminal charges of fraud and breach of trust, while Duffy and Wallin have not been charged.
In April, RCMP officials said Nigel Wright, former chief of staff to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, would not face criminal charges in connection with the continuing Senate expenses scandal.
Wright resigned as Harper's right-hand man after it was disclosed he wrote a personal cheque for $90,000 to Duffy to allow the disgraced former Conservative senator to repay disallowed housing expenses.


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Teacher with child hides listening to scanner during bombers' Watertown rampage
Wellesley High School teacher recalls terrifying ordeal
Late last Thursday night, Wellesley High School history teacher and Watertown resident Stephanie Cacace was getting ready for bed when she heard a massive explosion.
Just a few minutes earlier, Cacace, 31, had been asleep on the couch when her husband woke her to tell her that a Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus police officer had been shot and someone had carjacked a vehicle on nearby Memorial Drive, the Wellesley Townsman reported
Cacace said her husband was convinced the incidents were related to the April 15 Boston Marathon bombing, because things like that just didn't happen in Cambridge, or Watertown, for that matter.
While preparing to go to bed, her husband kept his attention glued to the police scanner application on his cell phone.
"He was just listening to the events unfolding in Cambridge," she said.
At the time, the Dexter Avenue resident had no idea what the next 22 hours would hold for her and her neighbors.
After noise from the explosions ripped through her neighborhood, Cacace said her husband "looked at me and he said the scanner was saying [the bombing suspects] are on Dexter Avenue and they have explosives."
The two grabbed their sleeping 2-year-old son and rushed into their home's finished basement bathroom, keeping the police scanner nearby.
"While we were running downstairs to the bathroom we heard rapid gunfire…a constant stream of bullets. We went into the bathroom downstairs and listened to the police scanner app describe the events as they were unfolding."
"We heard them say they had captured the first suspect [Cambridge resident Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26]…and they were concerned there were unexploded bombs in the area, and they were going to be investigating. We heard them try to pursue the second brother [Cambridge resident Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19]; they were pursuing several leads in the community…in different sections of Watertown." Cacace later learned that Tamerlan, known the world over as suspect one, had been killed during a shootout with police.
The early hours of Friday morning proved to be terrifying for Cacace.
"Truthfully it was absolutely surreal," she said. "The moment there were explosives, you can't really comprehend there is somebody who has a bomb on your street, and you don't know really where they are…that was probably the most frightening part at first."
Around 3 a.m., the couple decided to the leave the windowless basement bathroom they had been taking shelter in since midnight
"My husband looked out the basement windows and could see police all up and down the street…it was like we had a personal security force or something."
Shortly after, Cacace said she received a robocall from the town informing residents that Watertown was an active crime scene and to stay inside their homes.
When daylight arrived, Cacace said she and her husband felt it was safe to finally leave the basement. They spent the rest of the day following media reports – much like the rest of the greater Boston area and beyond – and staying in a back room just to be safe.
"Our house was searched twice by SWAT teams," Cacace said. "It was like being in a war zone. It was like images of Iraq or the Gaza Strip."
Outside her home, Cacace said she saw police in riot gear with automatic weapons, police officers in standard uniforms with pistols, FBI agents and ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) agents patrolling the area, "looking into different homes, at times seeming more relaxed and at other times more tense," throughout the day.
But she wasn't upset when authorities searched her residence.
"They only searched our first floor (Cacace lives in a three-story home), basement and garage," she said. "They were very friendly."
Authorities asked if she needed anything, if they were OK and if they wanted police to search any areas they had not previously covered.
"They didn't storm into anyone's home and point guns at anyone. It was very professional and amicable."
For Cacace, the most terrifying point was when the lockdown -- which had been in effect in Watertown, Boston, Cambridge, Belmont and Newton since early Friday morning -- was lifted at 6 p.m., but the second suspect had still not been caught.
"That was truly the most frightening moment," she said.
Since residents were no longer required to stay in their homes, Cacace and her husband decided to get out of the city and stay with her in-laws in Connecticut.
"As we were packing up we heard the second round of gunshots," she said. At first, she was panicked, but panic soon faded into relief.
"This is good, it means it's going to end…at least it's not going to be in my neighborhood anymore," she said.
Cacace returned to the basement with her family, and after listening to the police scanner, learned the suspect had been located hiding in a boat about a mile from her home.
"Once we found out he was surrounded, we came back upstairs and watched the final capture on the TV."
Nineteen-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was taken into custody, alive but in serious medical condition, around 9 p.m., ending a day of "being in heightened anxiety" for Cacace and her husband.
Cacace said she was lucky her son was too young to understand what had just occurred.
"Fortunately he never clued into what was happening. I do know there are children in our neighborhood who are traumatized."
And Cacace did not escape the day emotionally unscathed either.
"It's been hard. The hardest part has been that, coming to work here in Wellesley, nobody really understands what you went through, and that's not their fault."
Even though she wasn't injured, her home wasn't destroyed and every image of the day was relayed through either a phone or a TV screen, Cacace said that "nonetheless, the fear is real and the trauma and anxiety is real. It's hard for people to understand that."
But Cacace has found some solace talking about the events with students in her classes at the high school this week.
"In some ways they are much more honest and they don't have this script of 'I'm sorry for you, that must have been scary,' like adults do," she said.
"The genuineness of high-schoolers I've found very comforting; that was an important part of learning to be able to speak about it and move forward."


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NFL TV blackout rule flagged by pols
As Americans loosen their belts and settle on the couch to binge on Thanksgiving NFL football, they can be thankful that no games this season have disappeared from their TV screens.
But that doesn't mean the battle has ended over sports blackouts — where fans have their television access blocked if the local team doesn't sell out. Lawmakers and regulators are pushing back on behalf of consumers, and fans hate the rule.
Just ask fans in Buffalo. Bills owner Ralph Wilson Jr. recently purchased the remaining tickets for the team's game vs. the New York Jets to guarantee a sellout and keep the broadcast on local television.
"The plain and simple fact is that blackouts prevent fans from watching the games they deserve to watch," Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said in an interview.
At the center of the controversy is a 1975 FCC regulation that prevents pay-TV operators from airing a sporting event if it is blacked out on local TV stations.
Such blackouts are drawing increased scrutiny from Washington policy makers concerned that high ticket prices put games out of the reach of many consumers and that the FCC rule isn't keeping pace with the explosion of new ways people consume sports, including on iPads and other devices. Recent "retransmission" disputes between media giants — like the kind that pitted CBS against Time Warner Cable earlier this year — have also threatened consumers with programming blackouts in major cities, sparking further public backlash against the practice.
Blumenthal and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) are leading the congressional fight to end the sports blackouts, testing the relationship between the NFL and the government. They introduced legislation that would repeal the professional sports leagues' antitrust exemption if they continue with the practice.
"It's wonderful that they haven't been abusing fans this year," Blumenthal said. "But they know the legislation is looming if they engage in blackouts. It's a not-so-subtle pressure."
The NFL defends the rule, arguing that it helps to fill stadiums and heighten the professional football experience.
"Professional football is a stadium sport, not a studio sport," explained league spokesman Brian McCarthy. "The excitement that one feels in a packed arena or stadium translates onto television, and thus improves the television viewer's experience. So, for both the fans in the stadium and the fans watching television, a packed stadium matters."
According to the league, the number of blackouts has fallen by the decade with 92 percent of the games going on the air in the 2000s compared with 69 percent in the '90s and 60 percent in the '80s.
While that may be true, there are indications that the NFL is listening to the grumbling. In 2012, the league changed its policy: A blackout can now be avoided if a team sells 85 percent of its tickets.
Even though the blackout rule applies to all televised sporting events, it has, in effect, become the NFL's rule as the league has some of the most restrictive blackout policies and is fighting the hardest to keep the rule.
"They are the only league that blocks out an unsold stadium," said David Goodfriend, executive director of the Sports Fan Coalition, which got the anti-blackout ball rolling.
Goodfriend, who is also a lobbyist for DISH Network, contends that the fight over the blackout rule is tapping into broader concerns over the benefits the leagues get, ranging from publicly-funded stadiums to antitrust exemptions.
"What Senator Blumenthal and Senator McCain are saying is: 'Enough with your free gifts. Enough with the monopoly,'" Goodfriend said. "We need to start demanding positive behavior toward consumers in exchange for these gifts, or they just shouldn't take the gifts."
The rule has a long and tortured history that is rife with government involvement. Congress approved the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961, carving out an antitrust exemption that permits joint broadcasting agreements among the NFL and the other major professional sports leagues. It also gave the league the right to black out games.
Early on, blackouts were so prevalent that Congress took action in 1973 to amend the law so local blackouts could come only when a venue fails to sell out 72 hours before game time. The law's blackout amendments expired in 1975, but the FCC kept them alive at least as far as pay-TV outlets are concerned.
Now the FCC itself is questioning the need for the rule. Commissioner Mignon Clyburn pushed an effort earlier this month when, as acting chairwoman, she circulated a proposal that could have brought an end to the rule.
"Changes in the marketplace have raised questions about whether these rules are still in the public interest, particularly at a time when high ticket prices and the economy make it difficult for many sports fans to attend games," Clyburn said at the time.
It's unclear where newly appointed FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler stands on the issue, and he declined to comment for this story.
Still, it's a popular issue at the commission. NFL representatives have been in to lobby the commission three times in the past two months over various aspects of the rule. And since the Sports Fan Coalition filed its petition in 2011, the issue has generated more than 300 comments.
Some argue that the rules actually help keep the games on free television. The blackout rule is one of a troika of regulations designed to preserve free, local broadcast television. It also acts as a counterbalance to copyright law that allows pay-TV operators to retransmit programming without the express permission of the rights holder by paying a government-set royalty.
"The rule wasn't written to protect the NFL," said a source close to the league. "It was written to protect broadcasters. The NFL will continue to have its blackout policy. It's the broadcasters that are hurt because if the Chargers game is blacked out, the cable operator will bring in [another] signal, so it's the local CBS affiliate in San Diego that gets screwed."
And the source noted that most other professional sports leagues have already taken their games to pay TV platforms.
"Contrast that with the NFL," he argued. "Every game of your team is on over-the-air television. Every single game whether they're playing on NBC or ESPN or the NFL Network, the league has structured its policies such that every game will appear in the local market over the air, so you can pay zero dollars so you can watch every Redskins game, and you can see every playoff game for free."
Broadcasters also are fighting to keep the rule. National Association of Broadcasters President and CEO Gordon Smith said the rule helps local stations remain viable.
"My worry is, if you bring in a distant signal and overcome the contractual relationship that exists, what you do is undermine that local brand, that local station," he said.
Congressional gridlock may conspire against the legislation, but it could also get attached to the renewal of a law that allows satellite TV companies to import "distant TV signals" into local markets for people who can't receive television with an antenna. The law known as STELA expires in 2014 and is considered "must-pass" legislation. Congress extended the blackout rule to satellite TV operators in STELA's predecessor.
Blumenthal admitted the legislation is facing a tough road but said the issue still resonates with Americans as sports is one of the few activities left that brings the nation together.
"Athletics bind us together," he said. "Even in the Senate where we disagree on so much, we can always have a great conversation about sports."


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32 minutes ago
"I didn't know that she was nasty." -- Donald Trump, May 31, 2019
If you're one of the Covidiots who believe that COVID-19 is "just the flu",
you probably ought to leave now.
European Union laws require you to give European Union visitors information about cookies used on your blog. In many cases, these laws also require you to obtain consent.You're here, you've consented. If you don't like it, go read some other goddamn blog. It's not as if you're paying me.


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With the recent announcement of the $149.99 "Ghost Edition" of Destiny, I looked back at all of the collector's editions of titles and ask... why?
Now I am incredibly excited about the release of Destiny, and would be lying if I said that I am not tempted to buy this version of the title, but there is a little voice in my head asking me do I need this, is it really necessary?
I love getting collector's editions of games and looking at all of the cool goodies that they come with. I picked the limited editions of both Oblivion and Skyrim, as well as Fallout 3 and New Vegas. I have Infamous 2, Second Son, Killzone 3, Uncharted 3, and countless others displayed on my bookshelves, but they are now collecting dust. I have finally reached that point in my gaming career where I am thinking about it being a financially sound investment, instead of a cool item to sit on my desk in my office.
$450 later and a 2 week wait, this was happily sitting on my shelf.
But is it because of nearly every game coming out has a collector's edition? Sniper Elite 3, Far Cry 4, Assassin's Creed Unity, Order: 1886, Witcher 3, Dragon Age: Inquisition are just a few that I have found while looking up the new Destiny editions. A lot of these won't include anything more than a statue/figure, maybe some stickers, exclusive DLC, and a metal case. While awesome they may be, I enjoy the ones with extra thought into it. For instance, the Oblivion collectors edition came with a "Pocket guide to the Empire" which went a little more in depth with the different races, areas, and creatures in the game. These are the items I enjoy, the ones that let us take a deeper look into the universe itself.
Out of everything, I bought this for the stupid book.
That is the one thing that is making me consider purchasing this version of Destiny. All of the journals, the weapons guide, the player-folio, and yes... even the Ghost. All of these items bring us closer to the games universe, instead of having a statute of Nathan Drake(Uncharted 3), or a light up Plasma Cutter (Dead Space 2), but literature that explains more about the titles. Limited edition's aren't so limited anymore, and with more titles releasing them, it is hard to tell which ones you want to get.
Edit - It looks like NewEgg has more pre-orders available for Ghost Edition. Check out other deals here.


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In that show,Anitha Kuppusamy was preparing a multi coloured roti.Immediately ,Saras gave me the idea to prepare this dish for the kids friendly theme.At first I was hesitant in materializing her idea.But some how managed to prepare it ,with lot of interventions from rohith.He was very much attracted by the colours of the rotis.I felt the success of the roti on that moment itself.But still had some doubt,whether he will eat it or not.But to my surprise,he had the rotis without any complaints and when his dad arrived,immediately he announced that ,today's dinner is green rotis.
I felt fully satisfied,because I was able to feed my son with all the veges and nutritions.I have taken the theme as our national flag.Orange,white and green.So for orange ,I have taken carrot puree,for white I have taken all purpose flour and for green have taken spinach puree.The original recipe called in for red colour with tomato puree,but my tomatoes were not that much ripen.So prepared orange colour with carrot puree and a bit of orange colour.If u dont feel like adding orange colour then avoid it.Give it a try,kids will surely enjoy the colours, paralelly have the nutritions too.Older kids can co - ordinate with their mom,this preparation as a fun project too.
1.Wheat flour - 1/2 cup-1/2 cup
2.All purpose flour - 3/4 cup
2.Carrot puree - 1/4 cup
3.Spinach puree - 1/4 cup
4.Salt - as rquired
5. butter - for garnishing
* Take the wheat flour ,1/2 cup each in 2 different bowls.
* Take the 3/4 cup multi purpose flour ,in a separate bowl.The reason I have taken 1/4 cup more than other two cups is,maida has the tendancy to shrink.So in order to cope up with the wheat flour,I have increased 1/4 cup .
* Now add warm water and salt to the flour.
* Knead it into a soft dough and rest it aside.
* Now puree the carrot and spinach .
* Add the pureed spinach to second bowl with wheat flour and knead it to a soft dough.
* Add the carrot puree to the third bowl of wheat flour and knead it to a soft dough,using warm water.The carrot colour will not be sufficient ,so to have fun,add a pinch of orange colour.
* Now roll all the three coloured rotis into a medium sized roti.
* Place the the orange colour roti first then,place the white roti and finally the green roti.
* Tightly,fold it like a paper roll and cut it into equal sized balls as shown.
* Now roll the balls again into a roti as shown.
* Cook it on the tava ,without oil.Because,adding oil will discolour the rotis.
* Garnish with butter and Serve it with any chutney or curry.
Kids will surely like these type of rotis.We can add the colours according to our imagination.For example, to get a red colour roti,add tomato puree or to get a purple colour roti,add beetroot puree.Kids will surely like this colourful rotis ,and ofcourse these rotis have normal-rotis taste .I have added multi purpose flour to get a pure white colour roti,you can use normal wheat flour for a cream rotis.So wats stopping u gals,lets pat ur imagination and prepare different kind of healthy rotis for kids.
Check out my blogging marathon buddies in action.
Champa, Divya, Gayathri Anand, Gayathri Kumar, Monica, Padma Dharmaraj, PJ, Savitha, Smitha, Srivalli, Usha, Veena Aravind,
Sending this to Soumya' s "Toddler breakfast Ideas" event
Also sending this to Suma's " CWS- Wheat" started by Priya.


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As for specs, as long as I can run it on high at 60fps I am happy. I tend to turn off grass and flowers since I feels some midget character is going to attack me. >.> damn you paranoia!
i5 2500k
I'm two people now? o_O I guess I'm not in Kansas anymore xD
i5-2500k 3.3ghz
EVGA gtx 570 superclocked edition
6 sticks of ram
I guess it should run fine.
AMD Athlon(tm) II Dual-Core M300
2.02 GHz
AMD M880G with ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200
I may be getting a new computer soon but if not I would like to know if this can run it lol.
I'll be running GW2 on Big Blue with Intel HD graphics.
Poor Big Blue.
Hey There im kind of a noob when it comes to computers heres my pc spec's.
OS: Win 7 home premium x64
Ram: 4Gb
Cpu: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q200 2.33GHz
Gpu: 2x NVIDIA GeForce G210
Can i handle it i been watching guild wars 2 progress for some time and would be anoyed if my pc cant handel it so i want to find out now so i can upgrade if needed.
Also unrelated question but any help with it would be apreicated my PC is a Apsire x3810 micro machine can i upgrade it at all or do i need to buy small parts for it?
Thanks for any help given.
I havent kept upto speed on updating computers for a few years now, so could someone lend a hand please?
I have the following specs:
Operating System:Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit
RAM (Memory) : 6GB
CPUProcessor): Intel Core i7 920 @ 2.67ghz (8 cpus), ~2.7Ghz
Direct X:11
GPU (Graphics card): ATI Radeon HD 4800 Series (3826 MB memory)
What, if anything, do I need to upgrade to run GW2 at 60 fps or thereabouts at medium to high settings?
Either way, with new cards from AMD and Nvidia due out before GW2, older cards will drop a lot in price and you should be able to pick up a card that will run GW2 at damn near ultra for $150 give or take.
If you can buy a computer from 2009+ you're probably fine.
I'd upgrade a CPU over a GPU, since Guild Wars 2 may be CPU reliant.
Last edited by Craind; 2012-02-12 at 09:59 PM.
i7 2600k OC 4.5 Ghz
16 GB Corssair Vengance
From woot i know GW2 will not be a demanding game i don't even know if it supoorts dx11.


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The two companies will deliver state-of-the-art instant dairy analytics on Virtus Nutrition products inside the Farmeron cloud-based farm management platform.
Source: Virtus Nutrition
Farmeron and Virtus Nutrition have announced a joint collaboration to deliver state-of-the-art instant dairy analytics on Virtus Nutrition products inside the Farmeron cloud-based farm management platform.
Farmeron powers a dynamic farm reporting and analytics engine with state-of-the-art technology that enables simple report creation, generation and automation with the user's account data anytime. Virtus Nutrition has created a comprehensive Omega Monitor report inside Farmeron for tracking real-time customer milk production and reproduction analytics while Farmeron brings the bottom line economic benefits to the front.
Producers feeding Virtus omega products (Prequel and Strata) will be able to track real-time improvements in early milk and reproduction, and continuously monitor performance trends on any connected device. Farmeron helps Virtus Nutrition to improve customer retention and continue the progression Virtus Nutrition is making to deliver measurable results with leading edge cloud and mobile technologies. Virtus Nutrition will continuously evolve its Omega Monitor report by innovating new ways to scan data streams and generate instant analysis that the Farmeron cloud-based dynamic reporting technology now provides.
"I've been saying our industry needs dynamic reporting for 25 years," says Dr. Kevin Murphy, Technical Director for Virtus Nutrition. Farmeron "is groundbreaking in what we can now work on with producers. We're developing a next generation look inside a producer's dairy with our Monitor Report, enhancing our sales and retention with Farmeron's cloud-based business management platform while creating whole new potential for producer innovation."
"We believe the time is now for industry to work together with Farmeron to help producers understand what they can do to be the best every single day," says Matija Kopic, Founder and CEO of Farmeron, Inc. "We're proud of the significant time savings and radically improved customer experience we generate for Virtus Nutrition customers who bring their farm data alive inside Farmeron, creating dynamic reports, and we're super excited about the measurable ways producers benefit their business when looking at their Farmeron."
Farmeron is the world's first cloud-based dairy farm business management software that dynamically generates analytics that empower farm business management. Producers can understand their dairy's profitability, undertake business planning and simulation, analyze materials costs, individual animal economics, and efficiencies in real-time. Farmeron brings all of your herd, production and financial data together into one simple to use, simple to manage farm business management platform.
As the industry leader in fatty acid nutrition for dairy cattle, Virtus Nutrition precisely formulates and manufactures innovative dairy feed ingredients that are proven to drive significant improvements in production efficiency and reproductive performance. Virtus introduced the first iPad application for the dairy industry and now continues its progression with Farmeron in utilizing new technology to bring a wealth of information for dairy producers, nutritionists and others interested in the latest on Omega fatty acid technology for improved dairy cattle nutrition.


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Rolex 116710BLNR GMT Master II Ceramic Black & Blue "Batman" SS (33307)
33307 Rolex 116710 GMT Master II 116710BLNR, 116710 BLNR, "Batman" stainless steel case on a stainless steel Oyster bracelet, automatic, date, second time zone, 24-hour hand, COSC, black dial, black and blue ceramic bezel, sapphire crystal, water resistant to 100 meters, scrambled serial, diameter: 40mm, thickness: 12mm. Like New with original box and papers dated January of 2018.SOLD
See similar watches in-stock Have a watch like this? Sell or trade with us
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We ship FEDEX overnight in US, or to Europe by FEDEX International Priority
If you have a watch that you are interested in selling or trading, please contact us.
More about Rolex 116710BLNR GMT Master II Ceramic Black & Blue "Batman" SS
This is a 904L stainless steel Rolex GMT Master II "Batman" 116710BLNR. It includes an integral stainless steel Oyster bracelet with a folding Oysterlock safety clasp and an Easylink 5 mm. comfort extension link. The three-body case is polished and brushed, with a black and blue cerachrom graduated and reeded bi-directional bezel, a sapphire crystal, a protected Oyster Triplock winding crown, and a screw-down back. The bezel measures a second, 24-hour time zone with a green 24-hour hand. The dial is black with luminous baton, round, and triangular hour index markers, and luminous steel skeleton hands with the distinctive Rolex symbol on the hour hand. The date aperture is at 3 o'clock and it's magnified with a Cyclops lens bubble. It's water resistant to 100 meters (330 feet), and it's COSC certified (Certified Official Swiss chronometer).
This Rolex GMT Master II "Batman" 116710BLNR has a mechanical automatic self-winding calibre 3186 movement that's rhodium-plated. It's constructed with 25 jewels, a shock absorber mechanism, and a straight-line lever escapement. It has a monometallic balance adjusted to cold, heat, and 5 positions, and a self-compensating Breguet balance spring. It is equipped with a Rolex blue Parachrom hairspring made from a paramagnetic alloy including zirconium and niobium; it's resistant to magnetic fields, temperature changes, and shock. The case, dial, and movement are all signed.
The Oyster bracelet was first introduced in the late 1930s, and the original GMT-Master debuted in 1955. The GMT-Master II was unveiled in 1955, and Rolex GMT Master II "Batman" 116710BLNR was introduced in 2005 and updated in 2007. The perpetual automatic mechanism is energized by the natural movement of the wrist with a half-moon oscillating weight that pivots freely in both directions. The rotor continuously winds the movement's mainspring, providing a constant and stable source of energy.


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"Life as A Dance"
A New York-based dance company comes to Nebraska to challenge our accepted norms of body image, beauty, and disability.
"Bright Eyes"
While working on NET's new documentary "Standing Bears Footsteps," Associate Producer Princella Parker discovered the story of Susette La Flesche, also known as Bright Eyes. The daughter of Omaha Indian Chief Iron Eye, La Flesche was a highly educated woman who championed the rights of native people at the time when northern tribes were forcibly removed to reservations. Susette's story resonated with Parker, who is also Omaha.
"In Country Again"
The Hagel brothers fought together during the bloodiest years of the Vietnam War. In 1999, U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel and his brother, Tom, made a return trip and our cameras went along to capture their memories. (Clip from the NET's documentary "Echoes of War" produced in 1999.)
"Wicked Paint"
A University of Nebraska college student explores the graffiti counter culture.


text: Since 1994 Washington DC City Pages has been the official web community publication for the District of Columbia. In an online world where everything is global, we try to connect people to what others are doing at a local level. We simply provide the framework for bringing District of Columbia community resources and people together. It is the input from the many cultural aspects of the community that is responsible for driving the life and the content of this site. Read Our Story.


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Pictures have been coming in to www.surfacestations.org from many places. This one is from Fort Morgan, Colorado's USHCN climate station of record. Fort Morgan is in the eastern plains of Colorado, about 100 miles northeast of Denver.
The sensor recording the wide open plains has four air conditioners near it!
In keeping with current observed trends, any weather station with air conditioning also needs close-by parking.
It's not like there's no other open space to put the sensor in Fort Morgan.
The pictures above, courtesy of the Pielke Research Group shows an electronic Min/Max Temperature Sensor placed near the Western Sugar Company office. It appears that cable length limitations on the MMTS sensor have caused hundreds of similar placements in the USHCN network where Stevenson Screens used before could be placed a good distance away from such influences.
Sitings like this aren't truly representative of the surrounding area. These pictures are a few years old, and according to MMS metadata, apparently the sensor has since been moved in 2002 to a new location


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Here we go again.
Taliban declares 'spring offensive'
The Taliban has announced the launch of a spring offensive against foreign troops in Afghanistan as well as Afghan security forces and government officials.
Saturday's declaration comes a day after high-ranking US military officers predicted such a move from the group.
Dubbed the "Badar" offensive, the fresh onslaught "will target foreign forces, high-ranking officials of President Hamid Karzai's government, members of the cabinet and lawmakers, as well as the heads of foreign and local companies working for the NATO-led coalition," the Taliban said in a statement.
See also:
Taliban warns of spring offensive
Afghanistan: Taliban announce spring offensive
Taliban declares start to spring offensive in Afghanistan
Afghan Taliban: Surge to Begin Sunday
Taliban militants declare new offensive
Taliban announce spring offensive in Afghanistan
Taliban announce beginning of its 'spring offensive'
NATO dismisses Taliban offensive as propaganda
Afghan Taliban declare start to spring offensive
Taliban declare start of spring offensive
Taliban announce beginning of spring offensive; NATO downplays it
Let's hope that our troops have rules of engagement that allow them to actually engage and kill the enemy or at least be allowed to carry loaded weapons to defend themselves.
/what a hellhole, is it still even worth being there?
Filed under: Blog Entry | Tagged: Afghan Security Forces, Afghanistan, Badar, Badar Offensive, Cabinet, Coalition, Declaration, Dubbed, Foreign Companies, Foreign Forces, Foreign Troops, Fresh Onslaught, Government Officials, Hamid Karzai, High-Ranking, High-Ranking Officials, High-Ranking U.S. Military Officers, Lawmakers, Local Companies, NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Offensive, Onslaught, Predicted, President, ROE, Rules Of Engagement, Security Forces, Spring Offensive, Statement, Taliban, U.S. Military, U.S. Military Officers | Leave a comment »


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Monday, October 27, 2008
Prescription for a Birthday, on a Monday
-to be taken once with a small, well-chilled Screwdriver:
One friendly and loving person to go out early while One is still sleeping, to find flowers, orange juice, croissants and brown bread. In the light of the croissants the brown bread was ignored, see below.
A friendly and loving hand to make the Screwdriver, while One is poaching brown organic eggs.
11 comments:
Good man, good cat, good food, beautiful flowers ... it don't get much better than that. Happy, happy birthday, Marie!ReplyDelete
Keli'i & Ikaika
- AnonymousOctober 28, 2008 at 12:04 AM
I'm a little late, but Happoy Birthday. And yes, to have your loved ones (human and feline)to share it makes all the difference.ReplyDelete
Happy Birthday! And it looks like you all (including Estorbo) know how to celebrate. :)ReplyDelete
Happy Birthday Marie. Looks like you celebrated in style!ReplyDelete
Ikaika and Keli'i - thank you both...You're right - it's good combination.ReplyDelete
MIT - yes, it does and thank you. How is Sporran?
BP - thank you! Estorbo actually begged to wear a ribbon.
Ms Hound, thanks, Lisa. I love your post about Rhinebeck.
No mention of delicious coffee? hmm? such loyalty ;)ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 28, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Sporran's stitches are out. Sporran is out. Can't keep the rascal indoors a moment longer!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 30, 2008 at 1:23 AM
Maire: Happy Happy (belated) Birthday!!!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 30, 2008 at 1:23 AM
Aaaaaack. It's late.ReplyDelete
Sigrid - 2nd time round was perfect. But thanks for mentioning it.ReplyDelete
MIT - poor Sporran. She needs a bungee rope.
Pritha - thank you. Late is fine.
Happy Belated Birthday. What a perfect idea for the perfect breakfast. And the orange ribbon on a black cat---tres October. This reminds me I haven't had an egg in a while....ReplyDelete


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The Syrian Arab Red Crescent has been working to save lives in the country since the civil unrest began.
By Dr. Abdulrahman Attar, President, Syrian Arab Red Crescent
The Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) is saddened by allegations repeated in various media over the last week that the organisation is "not to be trusted".
We are gravely concerned, and stress that these allegations are not only untrue, but are an affront to the sacrifices our staff and volunteers continue to make to gain access and provide humanitarian aid to all Syrian people in need, regardless of their nationality, religion, or political affiliation.
Since last Friday, SARC volunteers in Homs, alongside the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), have been working around the clock to evacuate wounded from the Baba Amr neighborhood of the city. Their efforts resulted in thirty people being brought to safety – 27 who were rescued on Friday, including 20 women and children, and a further three on Monday.
Together with the ICRC and International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent (IFRC), the SARC has provided medical relief and food aid to people in need in places including Daraa, Idlib, Hama, Homs, Deir al Zour, Madaya, Zabadani, as well as elsewhere.
The repetition of unfounded allegations questioning the neutrality and trustworthiness of the SARC is not only undermining trust in the organisation and putting the lives of our staff and volunteers at risk, it is also hampering our efforts to deliver lifesaving aid on the ground, to all people in need.
Already during the current crisis SARC has lost two members - Alhakam Darq Sbaie, volunteer, and Dr. Abd-al-Razzaq Jbeiro, our Secretary General and President of the Idlib branch - who were killed while simply trying to do their jobs, responding to humanitarian needs.
We would like to express our strong appreciation for the support that is being provided by our partners in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement; the IFRC, ICRC, and national Red Cross Red Crescent societies around the world. Their support, along with the dedicated efforts of our own Syrian staff and volunteers, has enabled the SARC to provide humanitarian aid to thousands of people in need regardless of their nationality, religion, or political affiliation.
It is imperative for all those in need that we are able to continue our work.
Statement in support of the SARC by President Tadateru Konoé and Bekele Geleta, Secretary ...
A propos de la FICR
La Fédération internationale des Sociétés de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge est le plus vaste réseau humanitaire au monde. En tant que membres du Mouvement international de la Croix-Rouge et du Croissant-Rouge, nous sommes guidés dans notre travail par sept Principes fondamentaux: humanité, impartialité, neutralité, indépendance, volontariat, unité et universalité.
Pour le personnel
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Pour les donateurs
Copyright 2020 - International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - Legal Disclaimer


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XML Logbook Data Service
About this Service
Our XML Logbook Data service provides a superior, high performance back-end connection to the QRZ database. It is widely supported by most of the top logging and contest programs . With the XML Logbook Data service, your logging program will automatically fetch detailed name, address, and QSL information from our extensive collection of more than 1.3 million callsigns.
A partial list of programs that use this service include:
The QRZ XML data port provides callsign info, biography information, and QSL image data in a raw streaming format that connects to a variety of third party software products. The XML interface is fully documented so that programmers can easily adapt the interface to their projects.How much does a subscription cost?
A full year subscription to the XML Logbook Data service costs just $29.95. We also offer other features and benefits in discounted packages.
How do I sign up?
Sign up online right now on our subscription page.
If you are a current subscriber, you can check out your XML account using our XML Account Test Page. You can also use this page for accelerated callsign lookups - anytime.
Developer Information
If you are a software developer that would like to add fast callsign lookups to your program, please see our XML Interface Specification.
QRZ has also produced a reference XML lookup application that developers can use for troubleshooting or adding to their own code. The application was written for Windows in two versions using the free Microsoft .NET IDE in both Visual Basic and Visual C#. Both programs (VB and C# versions) are identical in function. Source code is included for each version and may be freely reused or redistributed with any program. Both programs have been verified on Windows Vista 64 and Windows XP (32).
Got questions? Just drop a quick note at The QRZ Support Center or visit our online subscription page.


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Kerosene Heater in Vinton, CA
Kerosene heaters are viewed by most as an archaic, outdated method of heating. But in reality, kerosene is a very cost effective, easy to use source of heat. While most of us picture the ancient glass lamp when we think of kerosene heaters, there are many modern, high efficiency kerosene based heating systems on the market today.
With impressive BTU production, these units are powerful enough to warm a very large living area at a reasonable cost. While many people enjoy the ease of electrical space heaters, the biggest flaw with these units is the very high cost of operation. With electrical bills skyrocketing in recent years, it's a viable option to explore kerosene as an alternative.
Kerosene can be stored for many years, and, contrary to what some might think, it's no more dangerous to store than any of the chemicals that are already kept in your household. Kerosene heaters, in fact, can be considered much safer than gas heating systems. With a gas heating system, even a small gas leak can be catastrophic. kerosene heater in Vinton, CA. Something as simple as a pilot light going out can lead to an entire home filling with gas. In addition to the risk of combustion and fire, these fumes are very hazardous for family members who may be unknowingly breathing them in.
Another wonderful advantage of kerosene heating is the portability. Do you have a garage or workshop that's constantly ice cold in the winter? Having additional duct work run to this area can cost an arm and a leg, and to make matters worse, you're then stealing away valuable heating BTU's from the main living areas of your home. For households with an freestanding structure that's not directly attached to the home, this isn't even an option.
With a kerosene heater, it's as simple as filling it and turning it on. You can use it as needed. Once a day, once a week, or once a month, with kerosene, you pay only for what you use. Kerosene heaters are great for camping trips or outdoor activities as well. There are no wires, no power outlets, no gas lines, and no pilot lights to deal with. Simply set it down and turn it on, and you're enjoying comfortable, efficient heating immediately. An old fashioned kerosene heater in Vinton, CA can be a great conversation piece as well.
Nothing is more relaxing than enjoying a good book during the winter months in a comfortable chair beside an old fashioned kerosene flame. With constantly escalating electricity and gas bills, it's no surprise that people across the world are searching for alternative forms of energy. With the flexibility to heat only a portion of your home, it may be worth investing in a kerosene heater in Vinton, CA. Why turn on an entire central air unit and heat up the entire home when you're only using one room? Try out a kerosene heater in Vinton, CA and enjoy the savings that many people have known about for years!


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Bygones are not bygones in the music industry, and Taylor Swift wants you to know it.
In her latest album, "Speak Now," coming out at midnight on October 25th, the 20-year-old singer reportedly addresses much of the gossip surrounding her career and personal life.
According to the Times, Swift utilizes her music to say what she might want to, dropping her typically whimsical, charming persona to explore a more raw, emotional edge.. "I feel like in my music I can be a rebel," Swift said. "I can say things I wouldn't say in real life. I couldn't put the sentence together the way I could put the song together." One track, "Dear John," touches on some tabloid fodder—Swift's reported romantic entanglement with fellow crooner John Mayer. Swift sings:
You'll add my name to the long list of traitors
Who don't understand
And I'll look back and regret how I ignored when they said
"Run as fast as you can!"
Of course, what Taylor Swift grudgefest would be complete without at least alluding to the Kanye West incident at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, where West famously interrupted Swift's acceptance speech.
Speaking of Kanye, it's been a big weekend for the rapper as well. Yesterday, his 35-minute short film "Runaway" released, which also alluded to the VMAs.
U.S. & World
Swift said via Twitter that she was eagerly anticipating the release, saying "I woke up and realized my album comes out at midnight tonight. Woah. Just.. [sic] Woah."
As of October 24th, four singles have already been released from her album.
Selected Reading: Times, Daily News, MTV