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A large part of the country didn't have to dream of a white Christmas. It got one. Mike Seidel of The Weather Channel reports.
A major winter storm pummeled large parts of the U.S. on Tuesday, killing two people as it dropped heavy snow on the Southern Plains and spinning off damaging winds and tornadoes in warmer areas southward. A state of emergency was declared in Mississippi.
Treacherous holiday travel was expected to become even more of an ordeal by the time the storm arrives in the Northeast later this week.
A weather map of the U.S. looked like a child's coloring book, with a variety of advisories, watches and warnings spreading across the middle and the southern half of the country:
- Blizzard warnings were in force for parts of Indiana, Texas and Oklahoma. Two people were killed Tuesday when high winds toppled trees in Tomball, Texas, near Houston, and in Richland Parish, La., while 21 cars and tractor-trailers crashed in a massive pileup on roads coated with freezing rain in Oklahoma City.
- Winter storm warnings stretched from those states north and east to Arkansas and Ohio. Almost 150,000 customers were without power late Tuesday across Arkansas, Entergy Arkansas said.
- At least 31 tornadoes were believed to have been spotted across the South from Texas to Alabama, the National Weather Service reported. Numerous tornado-related injuries were reported in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, but, remarkably, none of them were believed to be serious, according to preliminary reports.
View more videos at: http://nbcdfw.com.
Hundreds more flights canceled as Christmas storm moves east
The worst of the tornadoes hit Tuesday afternoon in Mobile, Ala., where about 21,500 customers remained without power Tuesday night, Alabama Power said.
Witnesses report significant storm damage in Mobile, Alabama. WPMI's John Dzenitis reports.
"The people of Alabama are strong," state governor Robert Bentley said in a statement released by his office. "We will recover together. First responders are doing a tremendous job helping people in areas impacted by the storms, and those efforts will continue."
The statement added: "I also want to offer my prayers for everyone impacted by these storms. We will work on the state level to do everything we can to help communities across the state."
Rick Cauley's family was hosting relatives for Christmas when the tornado sirens went off in Mobile. Not taking any chances, he and his wife, Ashley, hustled everyone down the block to take shelter at the athletic field house at Mobile's Murphy High School in Mobile.
It turns out, that wasn't the place to head.
"As luck would have it, that's where the tornado hit," Cauley told The Associated Press. "The pressure dropped and the ears started popping and it got crazy for a second." They were all fine, though the school was damaged, as were a church and several homes, but officials say no one was seriously injured.
Mike Kittrell / AP
Firefighters go door-to-door on North Carlen Street in the Midtown section of Mobile, Ala., after a tornado touched down Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012.
Suspected tornadoes also damaged homes and other structures Tuesday in or near Centreville, McNeill, Maxie and Janice in Mississippi; and in or near Luverne, Wilmer and Riderwood in Alabama, according to The Weather Channel.
A state of emergency was declared in Mississippi late Tuesday by governor Phil Bryant, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency told NBC News in a statement. Homes, roads and businesses were damaged in at least nine counties.
Gov. Phil Bryant declared a State of Emergency today for the severe weather system that affected parts of the... fb.me/1LV7QLbJR— MSEMA (@MSEMA) December 26, 2012
Greg Forbes, a meteorologist with The Weather Channel, said thunderstorms with damaging winds and hail would make their way across the Deep South into Wednesday.
By the time it leaves the New England coast Friday, the storm will have left snow from coast to coast.
The National Weather Service said blizzard conditions were possible in parts of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky, which could get 4 to 7 inches of snow. Whiteout conditions were forecast for stretches of Interstate 44 in Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas into the evening.
Ten to 15 inches of snow was expected in parts of Indiana. In Indianapolis, Mayor Greg Ballard ordered "non-essential" workers to stay home Wednesday.
With more than 93.3 million people expected to take to the road during the holiday season, according to AAA, many travelers made last-minute changes of plans and decided to hit the road before the snow hit.
"You definitely have to worry about everyone while you're driving, especially out here," Dallas resident Jerdal Whitaker told NBC 5 of Dallas. "We're not used to the weather that comes, especially when it's ugly, so you definitely have to drive slow."
Travel delays could persist into Thursday morning along the East Coast because of "low clouds, wind, and potential changeover to light snow," The Weather Channel reported.
More than 500 U.S. flights had been canceled by 11 p.m. ET, the travel site flightaware.com reported. Many of them were into and out of Dallas, where as much as 3 inches of snow fell Tuesday, NBC 5 of Dallas reported.
NBCDFW.com: White Christmas brings delays, cancellations to DFW airport
A low-pressure system intensified as it moved across the Southern Plains toward the Lower Mississippi Valley on Tuesday. That sucked in arctic air from the north and the west to mix with warmer, wetter air in the southern half of the country, the National Weather Service said.
The system is forecast to track east-northeast, getting stronger by the hour, as it moves into the Mid-Atlantic. From there, snow and freezing rain are expected to spread quickly northeast, reaching New England by Thursday morning. As much as a foot of snow was forecast later in the week across western and upstate New York.
Ioanna Dafermou and Meredith Placko of NBC News, Jim Cantore, Greg Forbes and Scott Kurtz of The Weather Channel and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More content from NBCNews.com:
- Christmas storms spread snow, tornadoes across US, snarling travel
- 4 firefighters shot, 2 killed, in apparent trap
- Video: Police officer jumps in frigid water to save woman
- Residents consider future as demolitions begin in Breezy Point
- Emotions run high as Newtown splits over gun control


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Kaushik Ragunathan, News Bureau Intern
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — U. of I. researchers have taken the first steps toward understanding how an enzyme repairs DNA.
Enzymes called helicases play a key role in human health, according to Maria Spies, a University of Illinois biochemistry professor.
"DNA helicases act as critical components in many molecular machineries orchestrating DNA repair in the cell." she said. "Multiple diseases including cancer and aging are associated with malfunctions in these enzymes."
Spies' laboratory undertook a recent study of an enzyme, called Rad3, which defines a group of DNA helicases characterized by a unique structural domain containing iron. The findings appear in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Helicases are a special category of molecular motors that modify DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid, the fundamental building block of genes and chromosomes). They do so by moving along strands of DNA, much the same way cars move on roads, using an energy-packed molecule, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as a fuel source. Their primary function is to unzip double-stranded DNA, allowing replication and repair of the strands.
DNA is a fragile molecule that undergoes dramatic changes when exposed to radiation, ultraviolet light, toxic chemicals or byproducts of normal cellular processes. DNA damage, if not repaired in time, may lead to mutations, cancer or cell death. Many helicases in the Rad3 family are key players in the cell's elaborate machinery to prevent and repair such damage. Mutations in the human members of this helicase family impede DNA repair and may contribute to breast cancer, Fanconi Anemia and Xeroderma pigmentosum.
The researchers studied the archaeal version of Rad3. Archaea are microbes whose DNA repair systems are closely related to those of human cells.
"(The archaeal Rad3) is a very good representative of a unique family of structurally related DNA repair helicases, all of which have the same motor core and share an unprecedented (for helicases) structural feature – an accessory domain stabilized by an iron-sulfur cluster," Spies said.
Working with archaea has the advantage of allowing the researchers to increase the amount available protein and also permits easy genetic manipulation.
Like other helicases, Rad3 is composed of a chain of amino acids. It also contains an ancient prosthetic group called an iron-sulfur cluster, an assembly of four iron and four sulfur atoms incorporated into the protein structure through interaction with four cysteine residues of the amino acid chain.
"DNA helicases, which belong to the Rad3 family, have an auxiliary domain inserted within a conserved motor core. The structure of this domain is stabilized by an iron-sulfur cluster, whose integrity seems to be essential for proper function of these enzymes in DNA repair," Spies said. By mutating the cysteine ligands to the cluster, the researchers probed its role in the molecular mechanism of Rad3 enzymes. Some of these mutations uncoupled DNA translocation and ATP hydrolysis, meaning that the engine of the protein could still use the ATP fuel but was no longer capable of moving along the DNA.
This analysis also revealed that the integrity of the cluster and the iron-containing domain is crucial for recognition of specific DNA structures believed to be physiological targets for this helicase. "On making these mutations, the helicase no longer behaves like it's supposed to," said graduate student Robert Pugh, lead author on the study. "The cluster is still there but the environment around it is somehow changing."
This research was performed in collaboration with Isaac Caan's group from Animal Sciences whose lab is engaged in the study of nucleotide metabolism in archaea.
Editor's note: To reach Maria Spies, call 217-244-9493; e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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A rivalry is brewing between American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq -- over pop music.
A week after troops in Afghanistan released a video spoofing Lady Gaga's "Telephone," their counterparts in Iraq re-imagined Ke$ha's "Blah Blah Blah" while making a statement about the debate over the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.
While the video shows soldiers engaging in almost every cliched act of over-the-top homosexuality, the producer of the spoof claims he is not taking a stance for or against the repeal of DADT.
U.S. & World
"The video is an EXAGGERATED act of a possible future military that is open to any sexual preference," writes Codey Wilson, who takes credit for the video and claims to be a student film maker and soldier. "Please don't try to cause us any problems. We're just a few good guys trying to enjoy ourselves and get this deployment over with. No one is gay... that we know of. Not that there is anything wrong with that! (political correctness) I am NOT saying it IS ok to be gay in the military. I am not saying it's NOT OK."
Wilson also claims that he and his "elite step team of volunteers" were forced to release the video early after the "Telephone" gag from Afghanistan dropped -- garnering more than 4 million views on YouTube and countless breathlessly positive reviews from viewers and pundits alike.
The soldiers in Afghanistan made the video for entertainment and never mention DADT explicitly. Neither video reveals the command under which the troops are serving.
Military officials did not comment on the latest instance of soldiers dancing in a war zone.


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Real Estate Survey Template, designed by a team of expert real estate researchers, can be used to increase business opportunities by understanding what exactly do property buyers needs. Stay well informed by deploying this survey template, to know how satisfied they are with their current agents, what property type are they looking to invest in, would they recommend their agent/company to their family/friends etc. Use this questionnaire to find out more from respondents and use this feedback to stay ahead of your competitors in this ever-increasing real estate market. This sample survey template can be customized to suit the needs of business/companies/organizations.
Conjoint Analysis Survey Template is one of the widely used survey templates. This sample survey template measures preferences for retirement housing and to learn from the various options (apartment type) provided to the survey takers as to which option will be best suited to them. This survey template most likely should be sent to people nearing the retirement age to understand their preferences regarding the living facilities they would want to avail upon retirement if they want to move into such retirement homes.
Consumer Product Registration Survey template has questions regarding product registration, product information, purchasing habit, demographic questions etc. In this age of technology and sophisticated gadgets, there is a boom in consumers purchasing goods online. However, the charm of brick and mortar store still pleases a good percentage of the crowd. By deploying consumer product registration survey to the targeted audience, researchers can understand the preferences and purchasing habits of consumers. By asking key demographic questions, researchers can know reasons for purchasing a product and for whom was the product purchased.
Sale Training Meeting Satisfaction Survey Template is designed to obtain feedback from participants engaging in sales trainings. This survey template can be sent to attendees of sales training with the objective of getting valuable feedback about the training session, what they found most useful and if it will help them improve their overall sales skills to generate more revenue. In this survey, there are a number of relevant questions regarding training material, skill-set covered during the training, questions related to giving feedback on the training sessions that were attended by the participants and similar questions. This is a short survey but can be customized to suit the needs of a researcher.


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wear yourself to a shadow
wear (oneself) to a shadow
To make oneself exhausted and anxious through too much work. I wore myself to a shadow trying to accommodate all our relatives over Christmas. It was nice having them here, but I'm so glad they're gone! My brother is wearing himself to a shadow trying to run his own business.


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Yesterday the pavement on our driveway was oozing and bubbling. Today the weather was slightly cooler – just enough to solidify the lava flow – but it was still blazing. My feet burned stepping out on the wooden planks of the porch and the metal clip of Owen's leash was hot to the touch.
We're Mainers. We're supposed to be prepared for any weather, so we did what we do best: we coped. (Actually, Owen is reportedly from Arkansas and I was born in Massachusetts, but we've got squatters rights.)
Owen sat by the pool to beat the heat.
I sat next to him, dunked my feet and ate a wonderfully refreshing Pineapple Pomegranate Popsicle. And played Angry Birds.
Now, you know you want to be as cool we are (or at least as Owen is), so you need the popsicle recipe.
First, you need these:
Because store-bought popsicles are full of sugar, high fructose nastiness or other bad-for-your-body sweeteners. Not that I'm judging. Except that I am.
Pineapple Pomegranate Popsicles
- 2 c. cubed fresh pineapple (canned won't yield the right amount of sweetness)
- 1 – 1-1/2 c. Pom juice
- 1/2 c. ginger beer (I use Reed's Extra Ginger Brew, which is sweetened only with pineapple juice and honey)
- 2 Tbs. lime juice
1. Place pineapple chunks in a blender. Pour in Pom juice until just covered. Add ginger beer and lime juice. Blend until smooth.
2. Pour into ice pop molds. Leave a little room at the top for expansion as the pops freeze. (Also, the ginger beer makes it frothy. You may need to scoop out some of the foam and pour in more of the mixture.)
3. Freeze for four to six hours.
4. Enjoy! You may need to run the molds under cool water to get the popsicle out.
But it is so worth it!
Sorry. This picture is actually of a watermelon-mango popsicle I made a few weeks ago (it sounds better than it was). I didn't take any pictures of the Pineapple Pomegranate ones because I was too busy eating them, but they are a deep red with swirls of pink froth running throughout.
Beautiful on the inside and the out!
Like this guy:
Stay cool!


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Splash Magazines Worldwide
(323) 650-0084
LOS ANGELES – Splash Magazines Worldwide is proud to be a media partner of L.A. Fashion Weekend at Sunset Gower Studios, October 19 – 21, 2012.
Splash Magazines Worldwide has been heavily involved in the fashion industry since it's inception over ten years ago. From New York, to Miami and of course Los Angeles, Splash Magazines has covered some of the biggest events in fashion while also focusing on some of the newest and hottest designers before they hit it big.
"Splash Magazines is a great media partner for L.A. Fashion Weekend at Sunset Gower Studios because of their trend-forward coverage. We're excited for them to partner with us and help reach an extensive network of fashion minded people across the country," said Mikey Koffman, Executive Producer, L.A. Fashion Weekend at Sunset Gower Studios and Founder, The Gallery L.A.
Founder, publisher and editor-in-chief, Lawrence Davis and his trusted journalists, travel the world to bring their millions of readers content that live up to their promise of "adding style to your lifeTM".
With magazines in 21 cities, Splash Magazines has a wide reaching audience and over the last decade has become one of the leaders in the online magazine industry.
For more information on Splash Magazines Worldwide, you can visit: www.lasplash.com
About The Gallery Los Angeles/Mikey Koffman:
Mikey Koffman, Founder of The Gallery Los Angeles and Executive Producer of L.A. Fashion Weekend, has been a mainstay in L.A.'s fashion world for over 10 years as both a producer and innovator. In its eighth season, L.A. Fashion Weekend continues to be one of L.A. Fashion Week's most sought-after events and sets the stage for high-level brands, products, and services.
For more information on Mikey Koffman and L.A. Fashion Weekend, please visit www.thegalleryla.com and www.losangelesfw.com.


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CNN reportedly hires radio host Glenn Beck
CNN's Headline News has reportedly hired radio host Glenn Beck in spite of his history of making controversial comments.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on January 17 that CNN's Headline News has hired Glenn Beck -- a nationally syndicated radio host known for making controversial statements -- "for a new prime time program." Media Matters for America has compiled some of Beck's more notable comments:
- On families of the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks: "[T]his is horrible to say, and I wonder if I'm alone in this -- you know, it took me about a year to start hating the 9-11 victims' families? Took me about a year."
- On Hurricane Katrina survivors who remained in New Orleans: "And that's all we're hearing about, are the people in New Orleans. Those are the only ones that we're seeing on television are the scumbags -- and again, it's not all the people in New Orleans. Most of the people in New Orleans got out! It's just a small percentage of those who were left in New Orleans, or who decided to stay in New Orleans, and they're getting all the attention."
- Discussing disclosures from a caller who claimed to have tortured prisoners in U.S. custody: "I've got to tell you, I appreciate your service. ... Good for you. Good for -- I mean, good for you. Is it because you did it for the country? ... I have to tell you, when all is said and done, I'm glad people like you are on our side."
- On filmmaker Michael Moore: "Hang on, let me just tell you what I'm thinking. I'm thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I'm wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it. No, I think I could. I think he could be looking me in the eye, you know, and I could just be choking the life out -- is this wrong?"
- On the father of Nick Berg, American civilian executed in Iraq: "The want to be a better person today than I was yesterday says he's a dad, he's grieving, but I don't buy that. I'm sorry, I don't buy it. I think he is grieving, but I think he's a scumbag as well. I don't like this guy at all."
News of Beck's hiring follows a recent report that CNN has hired radio host and former Reagan administration Secretary of Education Bill Bennett, who said in September, "[Y]ou could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down."


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Last week in Washington, D.C., David Gray and Lisa Guernsey from the New America Foundation's Workforce and Family Program and Early Education Initiative, led a panel discussion entitled, "Speaking Up: What the Presidential Candidates Should be Saying about Child Care and Early Learning."
In looking at data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), one thing about mothers with children is really clear: they are working! And, they are working in record numbers compared to 20, 30, or 40 years ago. While the workforce participation rate today is higher for mothers with school-age children (76.1 percent) compared to mothers with children under age 6 (64 percent) or mothers of infants (55.8 percent), the bottom line is that mothers are working and their income is essential to the support of their families and to this economy. Just how many working mothers is that? That's about 12.6 million mothers with children age 6-17 and another 8.1 million mothers with children under age 6.
Despite the fact that so many mothers with young children are working today, there is no talk by the Presidential candidates about the most critical factor that enables mothers to obtain and retain a job. Neither candidate has yet to talk about child care, about the importance of affordable, quality child care to ensure that mothers can work, which helps strengthen our economy and that while they work, their children are safe and in a setting that promotes their healthy development.
That's just wrong.
Nearly 11 million children are in child care today – on average for 35 hours a week. Child care is hard to find. It's even harder to afford. And, too often, the quality of child care that is available in communities is questionable. The forum sponsored by the New America Foundation heard from child care experts about the need for:
- children to be safe in child care
- quality child care to ensure that children are nurtured to promote their growth and development ultimately leading to their ability to succeed in later school years
- understanding that turning schools around won't work without also focusing on the settings children are in during their earliest years
- assistance for low wage workers so that they don't turn to welfare
Watch the New America Foundation forum.
Let the Presidential candidates hear from you! Visit our action center and send an email to the candidates today! Ask them what they have to say about child care. Tell them working mothers are listening!
If you agree that it is time for affordable, quality child care, join the Child Care Aware® Parent Network. Let your voice be heard that it's time to strengthen the quality of child care… and, that not just the Presidential candidates should be talking about child care, but all candidates – those running for Congress, for Governor, and state legislative positions. Together we can make a difference!


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What Are You Doing?
"What are you doing?" asked Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik of his visitor.
The great Torah Sage who served as rav of Brisk was visiting the city of Minsk and a former student of his had come to meet him.
"I opened a shop," replied the student, "and am doing very well."
After a little while the rav repeated his question and received the same reply. When this happened a third time it seemed obvious to the student that he had not been understood.
"I fully understood you," the rav assured him, "but you did not understand me. Everything is determined by Heaven, say our Sages, except for the fear of Heaven. Your success in business is not your doing but that of G-d. But what you are doing in the area of serving G-d is what I have yet to hear from you."


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Class Challenges
Each of the main 12 classes have three challenges for you to conquer. They come in Bronze, Silver, and Gold challenges. Completing a Silver challenge unlocks an item. If you beat all the gold challenges in the Guild, Thief Den, Church, or Wizard Tower you can veto one item, preventing it from appearing in a shop.
You cannot earn any gold in class challenges excluding what you bring out of the dungeon.
List of Class Challenges
|Flavor Text
|Bleat It
|Fighter Bronze Challenge
| Gorgons have broken into the Kingdom's petting zoo, spreading madness and petrification. Fight your way through the enraged goats and put an end to the gorgon leader!
(Defeating this challenge will grant you 150 gold.)
|Medusa (Level 8)
|Goat and Gorgon
|No preparations
|Fighter Silver Challenge
| A particularly troublesome djinn thinks it's being smart by harassing our northern caravans with illusion magic and wild beasts. Mere guards cannot hope to defend against this: this matter needs someone made of sterner stuff.
(Defeating this challenge will earn you the Platemail.)
|All unlocked monsters and Desert Troll
|The Arena
|Fighter Gold Challenge
|Okay Fighter, it's time to do what you do best! Can you survive the trials of the Quaking Arena and emerge as champion?
|Mister Goat
|All unlocked monsters
|Blacksmith, Witch, and Alchemist
|Berserker Bronze Challenge
|Punycrush McSissywiz
|Desert Troll, Goat, Warlock and Zombie
|No preparations
|Again! Again!
|Berserker Silver Challenge
| RWARWRUURGAR! (*mouth-froth*)
(Defeating this challenge will rarghlblarrghlblarghablargh! (earn you the Whurrgarbl.))
|Fodder Von Flee
|Bandits, Djinns, Dragon Spawn, Plants (Erosive Eelroots, Corrosive Creepers, and Poisonous Pods), Snakes, and Zombies
|Berserker Gold Challenge
|Doom Armours, Goo Blobs, Steel Golems, Succubi, and Thralls
|No preparations
|Terror Begins
|Warlord Bronze Challenge
|The great and terrible Bleaty has ravaged our lands for too long. Only a hero capable of defying death itself can stand up to him and rid us of this bearded terror!
|Goblins, Gorgons, and Terror Goats
|No preparations
|Terror Grows
|Warlord Silver Challenge
| Your sleep has become fitful, and your dreams torment you. Your battle against the terrible Bleaty did not end in his lair ... you can feel it. A strange force compels you to go adventuring in the south.
(Defeating this challenge will earn you the Trisword.)
|Goblins, Goo Blobs, Gorgons, Meat Men, Naga, and Snakes
|Thief Den and Mage Tower
|Terror's End
|Warlord Gold Challenge
|The ancient stone labyrinths to the north call you. There is something final about them, you can feel it. Whether this means an end to the nightmares or an end to you is uncertain.
|Super Bleat Man, Tormented Bleat, Tower of Bleat, Bleaty
|Dragon Spawn, Golems, Goo Blobs, Rock Trolls, Wraiths
|No preparations
|The Dark Project
|Thief Bronze Challenge
|In the Kingdom's seedy criminal underworld, not even the faintest whispers of fortune remain unheeded. It is said that Lord Sillyname possesses a mighty and unique treasure, and it is your plan to take it.
|Groundskeeper (Level 5)
|Grounds Watchers and Trapped Chests
|No preparations
|The Metal Age
|Thief Silver Challenge
| You've infiltrated Lord Sillyname's castle, but the keep is swarming with well-equipped guards. You'll have to be superbly opportunistic if you want to get through this situation alive.
(Defeating this challenge will earn you the Balanced Dagger.)
|Guard Captain (Level 9)
|Castle Guards and Trapped Chests
|No preparations
|Deadly Shadows
|Thief Gold Challenge
|You've decided to lay low in the depths of Sillyname's keep, but now is the time to claim your prize -- and your acclaim as a master thief.
|Castle Guards, Mercenaries, Spellslingers, Trapped Cheasts
|No preparations
|Going Rogue
|Rogue Bronze Challenge
|A group of renegades has been discovered near one of the Kingdom's outlying villages. Military forces are being sent to clear the camp, but there's always room for an opportunistic hero to sneak in first.
|Lord Lüt and Mr Treshar
|Bandits, Goblins, Meat Men, Minotaurs, and Snakes
|No preparation allowed
|Wrath of Midas
|Rogue Silver Challenge
| A map you claimed from the bandit camp highlights what appears to be the primary outlaw stronghold. You have a nose for opportunity. You also have a nose for danger. Right now, the air stinks of both.
(Defeating this challenge will earn you the Gloves of Midas.)
|Burn Vipers, Foyter, Goblins, Golden Statues, Meat Men, Minotaurs, Prist, and Wheeze-hard
|Thief Den, Alchemist, Witch, and Church (Dracul only)
|The Orcish Mines
|Rogue Gold Challenge
|In addition to Midas' hideout, your plundered bandit map points out an abandoned sludge mine. Although it's known to have been flooded out long ago when the goblin miners got careless, it seems another group has crept in and started secret renovations.
|Animated Armours, Bandits, Goblin Miners, Minotaurs, and Zombies
|No preparations allowed
|Winter is Coming
|Assassin Bronze Challenge
|A cruel and powerful troll-beast patrols the Eastern Peaks, terrorising local settlements and stealing people in the night. Now warrior can stand up to the creature, but a quick blade and silent feet may just prevail.
|Frigid Corpses, Fronzen Trolls, and Meat Men
|No preparation allowed
|Creeplight Contract
|Assassin Silver Challenge
| It seems that your prowess in the Eastern Peaks has attracted the attention of some important people. A local lord whose family was slain by the Creeplight death cult has asked you to accept his revenge contract. The conditions stipulate thoroughness above all else -- all creatures must be slain.
(Defeating this challenge will earn you the Venom Dagger.)
|Cultists, Golems, Snakes, and Zombies
|In Cold Blood
|Assassin Gold Challenge
|The ultimate assassin's challenge awaits you. One of your own kind, a veteran stalk known as "Draugi", has discarded the vows of the fellowship to carve out an icy kingdom in the east. Stop the oathbreaker, and you'll be greatly rewarded.
|Shard and Draugr
|Berserkers, Burn Vipers, Frozen Trolls, Wraiths, Zombies
|No preparations allowed
|The Deadites
|Priest Bronze Challenge
|Legends of the Zompocalypse tell of one brave priest's struggle against the neverending army of darkness. It's a pretty vague prophecy, but it's good enough for you.
|Bad Ash
|Heretics, Vampires, Wraiths, and Zombies
|No preparations allowed
|The Evil Zombie
|Priest Silver Challenge
| The Zompocalypse is upon us! A very, very evil zombie has risen from the dead and terrifies pretty much everyone. It's up to you to use your unique undead-killing powers and put a stop to its evil scheme!
(Defeating this challenge will earn you the Stone Sigil.)
|Mister Evil
|Golems, Meat Men, Snakes, Warlocks, Zombie
|Bazaar, Witch allowed
|Priest Gold Challenge
|Meat Beat
|Monk Bronze Challenge
|It's raw, squelchy and its very existence is an affront to the monk order. It's a common creature known as the Meat Man, and you've been sent on a traditional pilgrimage to present your bare-fisted wrath to as many of them as possible. Your journey begins on the Isle of Blegh.
|No preparation allowed
|Way of the Open Fist
|Monk Silver Challenge
| Your pilgrimage continues into the swampy depths of the south. There, a foul mirror of the holy one's skill and resolve awaits.
(Defeating this challenge will earn you the Martyr Wraps.)
|Alchemist, Witch allowed
|Monk Gold Challenge
|Path of Light
|Paladin Bronze Challenge
|The Glowing Guardian demands a champion to fight for his cause against a particularly galling undead lord. Since paladins are naturally quite good at championing things, it falls to you to get the job done.
|No preparation allowed
|Honour and Glory
|Paladin Silver Challenge
| It's not only the Glowing Guardian who seeks spiritual champions, and the Paladins answer a wide range of calls -- paying homage through humility and kindness, or steel and glory. right now, Taurog seeks the latter sort of champion to dispose of some heretical dragonspawn.
(Defeating this challenge will earn you the Agnostic's Collar.)
|Blacksmith, Alchemist allowed
|Paladin Gold Challenge
|Magic, Woo!
|Wizard Bronze Challenge
|Ancient texts report a great and mysterious source of magical power in the Deadly Death Bog. Unfortunately, a barbarian class has constructed an impenetrable stone fortress on the site. They also hate all that 'magic stuff'.
|No preparation allowed
|Wizard Silver Challenge
| After a few more futile attempts at correctly translating the ancient text, you decide that there's only one place that can unlock the true secrets of such a garbled script: the aptly-named Malfunctionarium. It can only be hoped that nothing will go horribly wrong while you're there.
(Defeating this challenge will earn you the Mage Plate.)
|Mage Tower allowed
|Wizard Gold Challenge
|Bloo Hoo
|Sorcerer Bronze Challenge
|The blobby, sentient jellies known as the Bloo Goo have been studied as a magical curiosity for centuries. Your Kingdom's mages believe that they've discovered something new and valuable about these creatures, but they'll need to collect some fresh samples.
|No preparation allowed
|Damp Darkness
|Sorcerer Silver Challenge
| Examining the Bloo Goo itself has provided little information, but evidence points to a nearby flooded tomb that may hold the answers you seek.
(Defeating this challenge will earn you the Blue Bead.)
|Blacksmith, Mage Tower allowed
|Sorcerer Gold Challenge
|A Taste
|Bloodmage Bronze Challenge
|Those who seek the darkest of power can only rise by stepping on those who have sought and failed before. You are ready to begin treading the path. By wary of the sacrifices you must make ... and be strong enough to accept the rewards.
|No preparation allowed
|Bloodsoaked Blade
|Bloodmage Silver Challenge
| It is said that the druids of the western forest guard a sinister artifact, stolen long ago from the sanctum of Dracul the Undying and hidden from those who would use it for evil. The opportunity to study this blade cannot be passed up, and as a newly-inaugurated member of the Bloodmages, it has been decided that you shall embark upon the perilous task of claiming it.
(Defeating this challenge will earn you the Vampiric Blade.)
|Mage Tower, Bazaar allowed
|Bloodmage Gold Challenge


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I hope the Thunder did a little something special for the Velvet Hoop last night after he – again – pulled his team through to another victory for the second time in as many games. Maybe the coaching staff picked all the red pepper off his DiGiorno pizza, or perhaps they should reupholster one of the locker room lounge chairs with bright turquoise fabric and paint a face on it so Kevin Durant has his own Pee-Wee's Playhouse Chairy to relax on after games like last night's. Even when they go on the road, Eric Maynor and Nenad Krstic should have to be in charge of packing Chairy on to the team jet, if for no other reason than because they're both terrible at geometrically fitting oblong objects into tiny spaces. Durantula didn't hit another game-winner, but he did score more than 35 points in the final 29 minutes of regulation and overtime. Never mind the two steals and two blocks. Never mind the quartet of threes or the fact that he only turned the ball over twice in 50 minutes of play. Durant scored 47 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, both of which were career-highs. One of the best players in the league literally has a career night in a game that went down to the final shot in overtime, his team better make him a cartoonish stuffed lounge chair, gosh darned it!
Here's what else went down in a busy night of fantasy basketball:
Nene Hilario – Missed last night's game with a minor calf injury. Though the game was in Detroit, so his injury status has been upgraded from "missed" to "avoided."
Al Harrington – Harrington figured between 'Melo chatter and Nene's injury, no one would notice if he chucked nine three-pointers (2-for-9). This was the seventh game this season in which he attempted eight or more treys, but only the first in which he didn't make at least 40 percent of 'em. Jrue story.
Marvin Williams – Played in his first game of 2011 and dropped 7/5 in 13 minutes. He'll be back to playing 23 minutes and dropping 7/5 in no time!
Carlos Delfino – Ended with 15/5/4 while Earl Boykins (20/1/3) and Corey Maggette (22/4/1 with 6 tovs) both had fine games themselves. The only exciting thing about the Bucks is predicting who will have a good game and who will flop. Just wait until Michael Redd returns! As Journey sang – and I co-opted in a weak attempt at humor – The wheel in the Skiles keeps on turn-in'!
Garrett Temple – 8/3/3 in 18 minutes. He actually looked better than this line would suggest, but I'm not betting on young Bucks until the established Bucks can be counted on.
Paul Millsap – Dude averaged 18.4/8.5 on .566 shooting through November and I was all, "Woot!" This month, he's averaged 14.8/7.3 on .489 shooting and I'm all, "What!?!" I wouldn't get rid of him for a signed photo of Punky Brewster (sweet, sweet, Punky Brewster!), but his thumb injury makes his name recognition more appealing than his output and you might be able to swap him for a boat with fewer barnacles hidden under the hull.
Peja Stojakovic – Won't play Thursday. Even if he did, I wouldn't roster him until he shows you a little of that Peja spunk from a few years back. I'm talking about his spunk on the court. If Stojakovic offers to show you some of his "spunk" anywhere else, you run and tell the authorities.
Trey Johnson – The NBADL points leader has 10 games to prove he belongs in Toronto. He ended with a 3/0/0 line in 2 minutes, so he's well on his way.
Sonny Weems – Played in second game after missing 19 straight. 6/4/0 with a steal in 14 minutes.
DeMar DeRozan – He's averaging 25.2 ppg in his last six. He doesn't really offer much else, other than solid percentages and the occasional steal. He's Nick Young after a trip to the barber.
Brandon Rush – Left the game early with a sprained ankle. Better than having a chained ankle, which is what Jim O'Brien will put him in in favor of Paul George (10/7/2/2 stl in 32 minutes). I'm not against this move, but Brandon Rush isn't even in Indy's top 5 as far as problematic issues go. Why does he get the stick? Is it because of his 1998 fade? Because that would make a little more sense. Anyway, any league that is rostering Rush should roster George.
Rodney Stuckey – Left after contusing his right shoulder. At least he didn't transfuse his right shoulder. Last time he did that, the only viable match belonged to an 8-foot Hungarian. For three games, Stuckey ran around with one arm dragging on the ground. His arms looked like the uneven strings of a hoodie sweater after it just got out of the wash.
Will Bynum – 19/4/4 in 21 minutes as Stuckey's replacement. Up until this point, I wouldn't own Bynum with your team and as Stuckey's injury isn't serious, this point continues.
Jrue Holiday – Ninth double-double of the season (15/5/11 including a steal and two blocks) as he helped himself to a Toronto-style stat-line: It's friendly, covered in molasses and the United States would never consider letting it happen in its borders.
Anthony Morrow – 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting, including three threes in 27 minutes. He might be forgotten on a few waivers. Go check yours. I'll wait. No, it's totally cool. I've got a sodoku to finish up.
Danny Granger – 3-for-11 from the arc. Attempted a season-high 11 threes. Why? Because he started out the game 1-for-1. He went on to miss 80 percent of his attempts after that and helped the Pacers shoot themselves right out of a win against the Magic. Eleven!?! What makes a man, standing at the arc, knowing he's 2-for-8 or 2-for-9, think, "naw, I got this." He didn't have that.
Darren Collison – 21/2/4 last night. He went from 12/4 in December to 16.3/5.8 in January and he's one of the 10 best free throw shooters in the league. If that's not enough to convince you to get him in your lineups than you, my friend, have trust issues.
Randy Foye – 20/1/1. Looks to be edging out Bledsoe (5/1/6) for the Gordon stat-vulture pickup.
Kevin Martin – Only played 21 minutes. Then again, he only shot 3-for-11 in those 21 minutes. I'm hoping that's the connection.
Kwame Brown – 12/10 in 27 minutes. Second straight dub-dub and his fourth in seven games. Well, now I'm just confused.
Marcin Gortat – Cheesy Gortata Crunch dropped a 16/5 line in the first half of last night's game. Sadly, he only grabbed two boards in the second and ended the game with 16/7. Which is why I've decided to start a league that only counts first-half stats. Also, I get first pick. And with my first pick, I will choose Marcin Gortat … and lose to whoever chooses Kevin Durant.


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Halloween: How stuff really isn't.
via the fabulous Fucknosexisthalloweencostumes.
Take a minute to check it out. And realise that for men, Halloween choices are virtually infinite. And that for women, the choice is 'woman in sexy outfit'.
Seriously? THE WOMEN'S 'COSTUMES' DON'T EVEN LOOK LIKE WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE!
Seriously, check it out.
Ever seen a pilgrim look like that bloke? Why, yes, indeedy. Ever seen a fucking pilgrim dressed like that woman?? Are you frickin' kidding me? No wonder they burnt them as witches.
The bloke looks like a fucking Angry Bird, right? You get that the woman is just a woman wearing a dress with an Angry Bird on it??? Right?
And scary? Because excuse me, but aren't Halloween costumes supposed to be scary? Sure, the male mummy is scary. The female mummy looks like she's just stepped off a Lanvin catwalk. Scary, yes, but not in the traditional sense.
And quite apart from anything else: DO YOU KNOW HOW FUCKING COLD IT IS THIS TIME OF YEAR?? I know which Melon I'd prefer to be and I'm Northern.
And just in case you think the kids are left out of this idiocy, check this out. No prizes – no, none at all – for guessing which type of 'child' is hiding behind that werewolf mask. And no, no prizes for guessing the same for the Reaper mask. Oh, and just in case you were really confused, no prizes for guessing which type of 'child' is wearing the pretty dress, complete with swirling skirt and out-turned leg. Because nothing says scary like a pretty dress and an out-turned leg.
Fuck's sake.


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New-age/hi-tech: Astec Center offers both
ADDRESS: Avon Court
SIZE: 30,000 fin. sq. ft.
NEIGHBORHOOD: Avon Street Ext.
CURB APPEAL: 2 out of a possible 10
LISTED BY: Bill Howard Real Estate III 817-1240
Mindful that it's nearly April and our readers are about to reap big windfalls from the Bush tax cuts, On the Block went looking for a creative place for you to sink your bundle. An investment property seemed like just the ticket.
The Astec Center isn't just on the block, it is the block. It's out on Avon Street, which presents many advantages, especially for certain kinds of high-tech businesses: places that need lots of space (30,000 square feet), quick access from major highways for delivery trucks, and state of the art security and fire systems, among others.
Right now, the place, zoned "light industrial," is 60 percent leased, so potential buyers will probably be either businesses that want to own the building and use the remaining 8,000 square feet for their own work, or investors who want the rental income and can spend time trying to fill that empty space. Most of the current leases are multi-year, which should ease the burden of drumming up tenants.
What about the building itself? The brick, metal, and stucco "clear-span" structure was built and occupied in 1984; a 20,000 sq.-ft. addition went on in 1989. The standing seam metal roof is rated MR-24. It's "fully sprinkled" and wired for "redundant fiber optics." All this is important if you're in the biotech biz, which is what most occupants in the past have been.
It's heated by natural gas and heat pump, fully air conditioned, and the five "built-out wet labs" have chemical resistant counters and sinks, benches, and exhaust hoods, just like that chemistry lab back in high school. Here's a biggie: The extra-reinforced flooring is industrial rated, and can bear 200 pounds/square foot of live load.
So. You have this huge industrial-strength building sitting on over two acres just minutes from downtown. (According to the agent, the only equivalent is miles up Route 29 in Northfork.) So what? Well, if you're into bioengineering, electronics, or pharmaceuticals, as several recent and current tenants are, those "built-out labs" are the draw.
But what really goes on here? Apparently, all manner of exciting research and development. "Bath production" of pharmaceuticals is one intriguing activity. More ominously, one of the spaces offers a walk-in vault with "class A safe door," "SCIF security shielding," and "bullet resistant walls, windows, and door."
Tenants have included companies with such sci-fi names as Humagen, Biotage, A-Systems, BioSep Tec, Setagon, and Stereotaxis, as well as the more prosaic and decidedly un-hi-tech Mr. C's and Kappa Sigma (can they need the bullet-resistant walls?).
But the really interesting thing about the place is that in the midst of all this state-of-the-art 21st century science, the owner claims that the Astec Center also offers something new-agey and quasi spiritual: a "synergism" that has provided not only a solid, functional place for discovery and innovation, but also an aura or zeitgeist that almost assured that the undertakings would be successful.
In support of that dualism, Astec Center workers who need a break from their wet-sink experiments under those fume hoods can have lunch at a picnic table out back or take a walk on the Rivanna Trail just over the hill.
If you buy this place, we suggest you find a tenant who can do the science and bottle that synergism. Now, that would make millions!


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Ariana Grande's Ex Jai Brooks Accuses Her of Cheating in Lengthy Twitter Rant
The digital saga between Ariana Grande and her Aussie ex, Jai Brooks, rages on. Brooks and his brothers took to Twitter and intimated that the songstress cheated, moving on too quickly with Nathan Sykes of the Wanted. Grande's brother then chimed in on Twitter, defending his sister, claiming that it was she who was done wrong. It was a Twitter war.
As Grande and Sykes have slowly revealed their relationship, Brooks has taken to addressing things in the very public digital space.
Below is his latest rant, where he paints a decidedly different story. He claims to still love Grande and even addresses Sykes directly. After saying that Sykes didn't respect his relationship, Brooks tells him to take care of Grande, and it seems to be an effort to stop her fans and his from spewing hate at him due to other tweets that were issued.
Drama, drama, drama! It appears that Brooks is in the mourning part of the breakup phase and is taking it hard, all the while revealing that he was done wrong. He requests that fans stop asking him about it so he can move and put this pain behind him.
Yes I was cheated on. Yes it does suck. Yes I was left for another man. And this happens everyday to so many people of every age, gender, race. I happen to be one of those people and I'm in a situation where I am constantly reminded of it every day. Like anyone who has been cheated on, it has been tough for me but I'm finally ready to move on. Once you are cheated on you should never go back and I did because I wasn't ready to give up on love and something that was everything to me. I wasn't ready to give up on something that was causing me to smile and be happy day in and day out. That's what relationships do, they make you the happiest person in the world and all of a sudden a miserable wreck. That is why if you know someone who is in a relationship, I'm begging you to please not interfere with that, because you are going to destroy someone and crush their world. Nathan may be a top bloke or a sweet person, but what he did was just completely wrong. He interfered with my life and did not respect my relationship, his actions caused me to not be able to sleep at night and not see the world as a beautiful place. Nathan if you read this, when you hold her hand you better hold it tight because you are holding my world. I do wish you two happiness and a good life and hope everything works out. Through all of this I have been able to mature as a person and grow up and have learnt a lot about myself. I have learnt how to find happiness on my own without relying on anyone else. I'm not going to go into the full story of what happened because it isn't anyone else's business and I'm just not ready to. Today was supposed to be our one year anniversary but instead I'm writing this. Do you know how shit this makes me feel? How crushed it makes me feel? But I'm doing this to protect myself from the endless hate I am getting and for those who have lost respect for me when I haven't done anything wrong. I'm seeing this post as moving on, ending peoples continuous questions to me which keeps reminding me about what happened. I hope you can read this and it is enough for your questions to stop because I really can't keep being reminded of it every single day of my life and it is not healthy. It's better to end everyone's questions now than to keep it going for the rest of my life which will slowly destroy me and not allow me to move on. I'm starting to get back on my feet and smile again. Yes I do miss her and still love her but I need to start thinking of myself and do what is best for me. You may or may not believe me, that is up to you and I'm not going to force you to, but just know I would never make up a lie about something like this, it's far too serious. She may not respond to this post, may ignore it, may deny it or may own up to it, she is going to do what's best for her and do what she thinks is right, which is what I'm doing, doing what I think is the best for me- I hope you can respect that. Please stop the endless questions to me and move on with me and let's put everything behind us. Thank you to those who have been supporting me, helping me smile and being there for me through a day to day basis. Like I said this post does make me feel like shit but I feel it's the best thing for me, I'm looking out for myself. Thank you everyone. Here is to a great life.


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Over the years I have meditated quite often, that is going into a quiet state and letting thoughts flow by without reacting to them. After a time the mind gets into a state of openness and is able to receive extraneous informative thoughts, as many of you already know. This certainly is not a new idea, and it has been known for millennia. The only problem that arises is the loss of control of what approaches the mind, and can have undesirable effects. Now, I take a little time to contemplate for a while on an idea, sort of an incubation period, and then move into a meditative state which usually results in a desirable end. This acts as a safety device, and allows one to increase spirituality and oneness with the "Source of Creation." Our desire is to ascend not descend. Just some morning thoughts to consider. Love one another with kindness and tolerance.
Related articles
- Ascend or Descend (cvictorposing.wordpress.com)


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Internal affairs investigators arrested a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy Monday on suspicion of rape and other sex crimes, along with bribery of victims, authorities said.
Deputy Jose Rigaberto Sanchez, 28, faces 11 felony counts stemming from incidents when he was on duty in 2010, according to a Sheriff's Department statement. The patrol deputy, most recently stationed at the Palmdale station, has been on paid leave since someone reported the alleged crimes that year.
His paid leave ended Monday, the statement said.
Local news from across Southern California
Charges against the seven-year veteran of the department include: sexual penetration under the color of authority, soliciting a bribe from alleged victims and rape under fear or duress.
"On duty, the deputy allegedly was trying to elicit favors from individuals that he was threatening to arrest," said Los Angeles County sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore. He did not elaborate on what the favors included.
Sanchez also is accused of coercing a woman into having sex, threatening to arrest her if she didn't comply.
Investigators arrested Sanchez at 5:30 p.m. at his home, according to the statement. He was booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station and held on $1.4 million bail, according to sheriff's records.
The Sheriff's Department had turned over the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office in January 2011, according to the sheriff's statement.
The statement said Sanchez's arrest followed a six-month internal affairs investigation. However, the department remained silent about what, if any, actions were taken in the two years between the District Attorney's office becoming involved and the six-month investigation that would have begun this year.
Sanchez was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles.
The Sheriff's Department declined to release additional details or a booking photograph of the deputy.


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CladdaghRing.com - Order by 2 pm (EST) Mon-Fri for SAME DAY SHIPPING! FAST and EASY RETURNS - EXCHANGES within USA!
EASY RETURNS - EXCHANGES within USA!
EASY RETURNS - EXCHANGES within USA!
Gift wrapping is an added feature you can add to your order. Gift bags are made with heavy glossy paper and a cardboard reinforced bottom. All feature a gift tag and matching decorative rope..
The outside packaging for our orders does not detail what is inside. We try to use non-descript packaging as well as generic labels. Rest assured if you are having this delivered to your house and you live with the recipient of the gift they will not know what is inside the package unless they open it!
If you are sending this to the recipient they will receive a packing slip but it does not contain any pricing information. It will have your name and address and their name and address as well as a description of the contents.


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List of parishes in the South Island (NZ)
The South Island of New Zealand is in one archdiocese, one metropolis, one diocese, one vicariate and one deanery.
- Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand: V. Rev. Fr Jack Witbrock is the Dean of the Deanery of New Zealand, under the omophorion of Metropolitan Archbishop Paul of Australia and New Zealand.
- Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Australia: His Eminence, Amphilochios of New Zealand, is the ruling metropolitan of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Zealand.
- Romanian Orthodox Vicariate for Australia and New Zealand (Romanian Patriarchate): Rev Fr Dumitru Coman is the vicar of the Romanian Orthodox Vicariate for Australia and New Zealand, under the omophorion of Patriarch Teoctist of Romania.
- Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia: His Grace, Archbishop Hilarion (Kapral) of Sydney, is the ruling bishop of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand.
|This article forms part of the series
Orthodoxy in
New Zealand
|Orthodoxy in NZ - Timeline
Antiochian Orthodox
Gk Orthodox Archd. of ANZ
|Greek - Met Amphilochios
Antiochian - Apr Jack Witbrock
ROCOR - Apr Vladimir Boikov
Serbian - Apr Velibor Bojičić
Romanian - Bp Mihail
|Holy Archangels
|Edit this box
- Antiochian Orthodox Parish of St Simon and St Jude. Rector: V. Rev. Archpriest Fr. Jack Witbrock (Dean of New Zealand). Language: English (Western Rite).
- Antiochian Orthodox Church of Christchurch. Rector: Rev Fr Victor Didenco; with Fr Dcn Max Perkins. Language: Romanian, Slavonic, Moldovan and English.
- Greek Orthodox Church of the Dormition of Our Lady. Rector: vacant. Language: Greek.
- Romanian Orthodox Church of St Mary. Rector: Rev Fr Emanuel Crainic. Language: Romanian & English
- Russian Orthodox Church of St Nicholas (ROCOR). Rector: Priest Arkady Trashkov. Language: Slavonic.
Diamond Harbour
- Antiochian Orthodox Chapel of Saint Gregory of Nyssa & Saint Macrina. Rector: Rev Fr Michael Elder. Language: English.
- Antiochian Orthodox Church of St Michael the Archangel. Rector: V. Rev. Fr. Ilyan Eades. Language: English, Greek, Slavonic.
- Antiochian Orthodox Mission. Rector: V Rev Fr Ilyan Eades. Administrator: Subdeacon Andrei Grenfell. Language: English.
|Parishes in Australasia and Oceania
Categories > Church History
Categories > Church History
Categories > OrthodoxWiki > Articles in a series
Categories > OrthodoxWiki > Articles in a series
Categories > OrthodoxWiki > Articles in a series
Categories > OrthodoxWiki > Links > Parish Directory (Australasia and Oceania)
Categories > Places > Churches
Categories > Places > Orthodoxy by country > Orthodoxy in Australia
Categories > Places > Orthodoxy by country > Orthodoxy in New Zealand


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Located in the southwestern part of Inner Mongolia, in Ordos City, the Kaokaoshina New District is an emerging art and cultural district organized by Ai Wei Wei. Kaokaoshina is positioned to be a thriving tourist destination, in anticipation, the development calls for a series of villas for people to live and visit to experience this incredibly unique part of the world.
The concept of Villa I is based on a hybridization of the traditional housing of the Mongols – the yurt – and the Chinese – the use of a central courtyard. The yurt is suited for nomadic life, and like the Chinese, Mongols live within the boundaries of a village. Additionally, the experience of building is embodied in three ideas: circulation, metamorphosis and lightness.


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- This event has passed.
CORC Dirt Crits – Round 10 – Mt Taylor Hill Climb
December 15, 2016 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
The 2016/17 CORC Dirt Crits will be held on most Thursday afternoons from 13 October 2016 to 06 April 2017. Dirt Crits are a fun, participation based event for riders of all ages and skill levels. Registration will open from 5:30pm with children's racing commencing from 6pm, adults from 6.30.
Round 10 is at Mt Taylor and is a Hill Climb
More details can be found on the Dirt Crits page.


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UNC says P.J. Hairston, Leslie McDonald to miss opener
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina coach Roy Williams knows he won't have leading scorer P.J. Hairston and senior Leslie McDonald for at least the season opener. The Hall of Fame coach is still waiting to find out how long the two will be out.
The school said Hairston and McDonald would sit out for the No. 12 Tar Heels' game against Oakland on Friday night due to NCAA eligibility concerns, which have lingered over the program since a trouble-filled offseason.
"It's an ongoing issue, a compliance issue with the university and the NCAA," team spokesman Steve Kirschner said Thursday. "We're working together on that, but they're not playing. Really that's all we can get into at this point."
Authorities cited Hairston in May and June while driving a rental vehicle linked to a felon, raising the possibility of an improper benefits violation.
The school hasn't specified McDonald's issue, though UNC had to send a letter this summer ordering a company that makes designer mouth guards to stop using McDonald on a website promoting its brand.
McDonald had made at least one social media post last year about wearing one of the company's mouth guards. NCAA rules generally prohibit athletes from endorsing or promoting a company or product.
Kirschner announced both players' statuses shortly before Williams' already scheduled news conference in advance of the first game.
Williams had hoped to have any lingering eligibility questions resolved by now. During the team's media day on Sept. 26, Williams said a decision on Hairston's status would come "before the season starts, there's no question."
A month later, he first publicly acknowledged the school was conferring with the NCAA about McDonald's status after the team's annual preseason "Late Night With Roy" show and has been noncommittal on when decisions would come ever since.
Williams said Thursday both Hairston and McDonald have been practicing well, though neither had been on the first team in drills for the past week or so.
"Well, you know, it is frustrating, but it's also a long process," he said. "We're trying to do what we can do. The NCAA is trying to do what they can do. But it's what it is. I'm sure they - they meaning the NCAA - would like to settle all their cases in five minutes, too. We've just got to try to continue working with them and working with our student-athletes and do the best job we can do and see what happens."
Hairston, a 6-foot-6 junior, averaged about 15 points and shot 40 percent from 3-point range, with most of that production after he was elevated to a full-time starting role in a four-guard lineup that sparked a late surge for the Tar Heels.
McDonald, a 6-5 guard, averaged 7.2 points and shot 36 percent from behind the arc last year in a reserve role.
Their absences Friday, along with the early departure of Reggie Bullock to the NBA, will be a big blow to the Tar Heels' perimeter depth and outside shooting. Both players sat out last week's exhibition game against UNC Pembroke, with the Tar Heels - who also played without sophomore swingman J.P. Tokoto - looking disjointed while committing 23 turnovers and shooting just 3-for-15 from behind the arc.
Williams said Tokoto and freshman point guard Nate Britt would likely join sophomore point guard Marcus Paige and junior forward James Michael McAdoo in the starting lineup, with Paige playing more off the ball. Williams said he wasn't sure on a fifth starter.
"It hasn't been a distraction at all for us," McAdoo said. "We just come in every day ready to work, ready to practice and get better as a team, and that includes P.J. and Leslie, in practice and off the court."
The Tar Heels have a week off after Friday's game. They don't play again until Nov. 15 against Holy Cross in the Hall of Fame Tipoff Tournament.


text: Spain Clubs in Spain. Can't find your club? Add it [here] Go to top LATEST CLUB UPDATE Below is the most recent clubs to update their information: Posts not found ADD / UPDATE YOUR CLUB & STUDENTS INFO Senior Instructors; use the link below to add your club and your students grading details. Add / Update Your Club Go to top


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Recently visited this super fun 'garage' full of fancy, old hot rods! YAY! I was in heaven…
I *love* cars, and old cars at that, my dad is an Auto Body guy after all.
Dano really liked this place also … so so so so many great cars to look at… so so so so many great and fun memorabilia to look at!
They have an old 50's diner, an old 'gas' station, a juke box, and vintage Coke machines…. and a row of pinball machines.
It's available for Corporate and Special Events.
Why were we there?
A special event involving Celebrating the Life for our neighbor and friend, Deb.
As you all know, we've only lived in the Bay Area since April… but Deb, her partner Kat, and their sweet little doggies were instant friendly neighbors!
We learned that Deb was undergoing Chemo for Breast Cancer… though she always looked well and full of vibrant energy.
Sadly, a kind of infection claimed Deb's body last month… though her energy, spirit and love lives on in her family and partnership with Kat, including a new little baby girl they had finally been able to adopt!
Deb had Triple Negative Breast Cancer… I had not heard of this strain before… so at her Life Celebration the Triple Step organization was present to education, accept donations, and honor Deb's life.
We'd never been to a Celebration of Life before, but have heard people speak about them.
It was so different than a wake after a funeral.
It was a beautiful event with gorgeous photos of Deb & Kat smiling and in such true love
… Dano and I got an opportunity to learn a bit more about who Deb was, what she liked to do, and what she was passionate about.
It was really sweet, and though people were sad, there were tender memories in their smiling faces.


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EDMONTON - I have never done anything like this before.
Heck, I don't have a driver's license, but in a few minutes, I was about to be stuffed inside Alex Tagliani's No. 18 Dodge Challenger.
I'm not sure how I convinced my editors to give me the opportunity to ride along in a real-life NASCAR vehicle. Maybe they just wanted visual evidence of an intern shamefully crying in fear at over 160 km/h. In any case, I jumped at the chance to go on the ride along.
Tagliani set up the event, but CanTorque Inc. owner Colin Livingston was behind the wheel. I hopped into the vehicle and as the engine roared to life, more than 500 horsepower rocked the car's frame. You can feel how powerful the machine is as you accelerate through the turns.
The tires struggle to grip the sun-soaked asphalt as the car slips sideways ever so slightly. The vehicle is quickly brought back under control, in direct contradiction to my racing heartbeat. The engine screams as Livingston tears through the straightaway. The vibrations from the motor reach my ears and shake the contents of my skull. The earplugs Tagliani's wife offered would have been a wise decision.
Two quick laps around the track at Castrol Raceway and the experience is over. The engine putters a parting gasp and I exit the car.
"It's bringing you into our office," said Tagliani, who set up the media event with the hope of shedding more light on the NASCAR Canadian Tire series.
Now that I've been to their office, I think I will continue to watch it from the sidelines.
Tagliani is coming off a disappointing outcome in the Alberta Has Energy 300 on Friday, when he held the pole position until the 269th lap. The speed of the race slowed as 11 cautions were issued for 94 laps, including two red flags. One of the incidents involved Tagliani being spun out of position, causing him to finish in 13th place.
"In my humble opinion, NASCAR has to be more strict and severe with their penalties," said the Montreal racer.
Tagliani is concerned that Canadian NASCAR's leniency in calling penalties has fostered an environment where racers benefit from eliminating the competition. If allowed to continue, NASCAR racing could degrade from a trial of endurance and skill into a glorified demolition derby, he said.
The success of Canadian racing is an issue dear to Tagliani's heart. He is working with the media as well as meeting with the series director to offer his opinions on how to help the sport thrive in the long term.
Talking with Tagliani is a joy. The man is so high energy and deeply passionate about the sport. He greatly cares for the success of Canadian racing.
"The Indy Car, Champ Car split (in 2007) really hurt us. Maybe Paul Tracy and myself should have gone to the oval (Indy Car) and we could have been established and in a better position long term," he said. "But we decided to stay Champ Car. We decided to stay true to ourselves as Canadians, and we were attracted to Canadian races. Once Champ Car collapsed and we were out of the sport, it created a lot of confusion for Canadian fans."
Canada has always produced an abundance of racing talent, including the likes of Jacques Villeneuve, Patrick Carpentier, Paul Tracy and Greg Moore. It's bringing this talent to the track that has been the issue in the last few years.
"Being involved in the sport and making the sport better, that's what will give the upcoming drivers a chance and that's what we at Tagliani Motor Sports are trying to do."
One of the young drivers Tagliani was talking about is Edmonton native Stefan Rzadzinski. The 21-year-old finished ninth in the second NASCAR Canadian Tire series race of his career on Friday.
"I had 15-20 family members here at least," Rzadzinski said. "Possibly more I didn't even get to talk to.
"You pick up a lot from a guy (like Alex) who has that much experience. Me being only 21, I have a lot to learn."
Although young and relatively inexperienced, racing with veterans has provided Rzadzinski with an abundance of confidence.
"I know I have the pacing, I know I can run with those guys," he said.
Tagliani and Rzadzinski resume their season on Wednesday at Saskatoon for the Velocity Prairie Thunder 250.


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Learn how to create chord progressions by looking at how chords relate to one another. You'll find out which chords work well together and how to join them together for that perfect flow!
Taught by Michael Ripoll in Life Of The Party seriesLength: 9:58Difficulty: 0.0 of 5
Learn the fundamental building blocks to be able to play any song from beginning to end with confidence and the ability to actually entertain those around you while doing so!
Lesson 1
Learn the fundamental building blocks to be able to play any song from beginning to end with confidence and the ability to actually entertain those around you while doing so!Length: 4:13 Difficulty: 0.0 FREE
Lesson 2
Learn how to pick out and create many different types of rhythmic sounds on your guitar. You'll also get your perspective set on how important rhythm guitar is to your guitar playing.Length: 7:26 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Lesson 3
Melody just might be the most important building block in music! It's debatable, but certainly worth pondering. What are some of the first melodies you remember getting stuck in your head? In this lesson,...Length: 6:25 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Lesson 4
Harmony is simply the support of a melody. Harmony can exist in several different forms. It can be in the rhythm instruments or a supporting vocal, or a single note harmony from any number of instruments....Length: 5:49 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Lesson 5
We're looking at how lyrics and melody work together from a guitar player's perspective. Lyrics are an important part of song form and it is an art to get them to work together to compliment one another...Length: 7:15 Difficulty: 0.0 Members Only
Lesson 6
Using the original song example from the last lesson, we're going to get a better feel singing and playing along with yourself as well as honing in on different parts that make up a complete song.Length: 10:02 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Lesson 7
We'll look at other musical examples from Nomad's world that will further drive home the importance of identifying and working with different parts of popular songs. We'll start off by looking at the...Length: 9:23 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Lesson 8
Learn to march to the beat of your own... Guitar? Yep! In this lesson, you'll learn how to harness that inner groove that is inside all of us and just waiting to be discovered and shared with others....Length: 8:36 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Lesson 9
Understanding how the groove works within the time signature is so important when it comes to really getting in the zone with a song. You don't have to be able to count every little subdivision as you...Length: 6:06 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Lesson 10
Once you unlock the little mystery contained in the value of notes, learning and performing songs will be SO much easier! There's a bit of theory involved, but don't get scared It's pretty straight forward....Length: 12:34 Difficulty: 0.0 Members Only
Lesson 11
The drums, the bass line, and the entire arrangement of a song feeds the whole groove and feel. Learn how to capture that energy with your guitar in a performance that doesn't necessarily have all those...Length: 16:38 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Lesson 12
The strum pattern can be the hardest aspect of a song to capture because trying to be too precise can actually make you play less like how you really want to sound... Comfortable and awesome! Nomad breaks...Length: 7:19 Difficulty: 0.0 Members Only
Lesson 13
In this lesson, we'll hone in a bit more on the actual subdivisions that make strumming what it is. Now that you know how to sound natural, this is the next step in becoming a great strumming machine....Length: 24:39 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Lesson 14
...You should sing a little! Why? Because even a little singing makes vital connections between your brain and your ears! Singing is a way to massively train your ears and will make you a better all...Length: 11:40 Difficulty: 0.0 Members Only
Lesson 15
What's the first thing you remember about a song? That's right... It's the melody. If it doesn't have a great melody that you can remember and hum while you're driving or in the shower, it probably isn't...Length: 9:41 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Lesson 16
If you can get a head start on figuring out the key you're playing in just by listening to a song, you'll be in much better shape when you actually go to sit down and learn the song. Nomad gives some...Length: 19:58 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Lesson 17
How do we build chords from a Major scale? This is extremely helpful when song writing but also is great to understand how any chord progression works. Nomad will break down how the Major scale and basic...Length: 7:42 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Lesson 18
In the previous lesson, we looked at how the guitar harmonizes with itself in the context of how chords work. If you're playing chords, your always harmonizing. Now, we'll take a look at how harmony...Length: 9:09 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Lesson 19
Learn how to create chord progressions by looking at how chords relate to one another. You'll find out which chords work well together and how to join them together for that perfect flow!Length: 9:58 Difficulty: 0.0 Members Only
Lesson 20
Work on adding passing chords to your chord progressions and how to identify a passing chord when you're figuring out a song. They can be kinda sneaky, but if you know what to listen for, you'll get them...Length: 7:08 Difficulty: 0.0 Members Only
Lesson 21
There are so many great ways to use a capo. You can dial in the right key for a singer, you can add interest by playing chords or lines in a completely different part of the neck than your jamming partner,...Length: 14:34 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Lesson 22
Lots of bands have two or more guitar players. You need to know your role as you start to play with others. It's important that you not only know the difference between rhythm and lead playing. Maybe...Length: 10:49 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Lesson 23
We're nearing the end of the series and you have done well if you've come this far! Hone in on how to dial in the sounds and tones you hear in the songs you're trying to learn. In many cases, getting...Length: 13:38 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Lesson 24
In the instructor's humble opinion, the SOLO is where every guitar player gets to have the most fun! As we near the end of course, and you learn how to save your cool stuff for just the right moment,...Length: 23:42 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Lesson 25
Nomad talks about the process and order you should go through when sitting down to figure out a song. What should you focus on first? Where should you devote your attention when it comes to the tiny...Length: 12:04 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Lesson 26
Once you've figured out the song, you can look at the chord shapes and then mess with them! Nomad goes over how to give your basic shapes new life.Length: 13:54 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
About Michael Ripoll
View Full Biography
Michael "Nomad" Ripoll is a consummate professional in the music industry with a list of credits and accomplishments that span decades. Best known as a masterful guitar virtuoso who has played with a seemingly endless list of the most respected names in the music world, Michael has always strived to exceed the boundaries of a traditional musician's career by proactively seeking and securing opportunities to excel in other facets of the industry.
While he remains an artist and singer-songwriter first, Michael also operates as the Musical Director for world renowned artist and friend Kenny 'Babyface' Edmonds, has launched an innovative online format for guitar instruction, and has even contributed to major motion picture film scores. Working with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Sting, Natalie Cole, the American Idol Tour, the Pussy Cat Dolls, India Arie, and countless others, Michael is regarded as one of the industry's most sought after session players and touring musicians.
Michael earned the nickname "Nomad" after he started posting pictures and videos of his travels around the globe on his website and YouTube. Follow Nomad everywhere his guitar takes him here at JamPlay and at
Our acoustic guitar lessons are taught by qualified instructors with various backgrounds with the instrument.
Lesson 7 is all about arpeggios. Danny provides discussion and exercises designed to build your right hand skills.Free LessonSeries Details
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JamPlay is proud to introduce jazz guitarist Peter Einhorn. In this lesson series, Peter will discuss and demonstrate a way...Free LessonSeries Details
Marcelo teaches the eight basic right hand moves for the Rumba Flamenca strum pattern. He then shows you how to apply it...Free LessonSeries Details
Playing fingerstyle requires the ability to play different techniques at the same time. This of course, is not always an...Free LessonSeries Details
Jim discusses the importance of setting goals. He provides some tips that will help steer your practicing in the right direction.Free LessonSeries Details
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Allen shows you the 24 rudiments crucial to developing finger dexterity. This is a short lesson but the exercises here can...Free LessonSeries Details
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Now that we have explored the various distances needed to sound artificial harmonics, will learn how to move between artificial...Free LessonSeries Details
Learn a variety of essential techniques commonly used in the metal genre, including palm muting, string slides, and chord...Free LessonSeries Details
Tom Appleman takes a look at a blues in E with a focus on the Chicago blues style. The bass line for Chicago blues is very...Free LessonSeries Details
Born in 1986 and hailing from Brazil, Andre showed musical inclination at an early age. Influenced by native Brazilian Jazz...Free LessonSeries Details
Eric Haugen discusses the goals of his "Six String Problem Solver" lesson series and what kind of material it covers.Free LessonSeries Details
Now that we've set ourselves up to be in a soloing mindset, let's break down an actual solo. For this exercise we are...Free LessonSeries Details
Kris analyzes different pick sizes and their effect on his playing. Using a slow motion camera, he is able to point out the...Free LessonSeries Details
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I am 66 years young and I still got it! I would have never known this if it had not been for Jamplay! I feel like a 12 year old kid with a new guitar! Ha! I cannot express enough how great you're website is! It is for beginners and advanced pickers! I am an advanced picker and thought I had lost it but thanks to you all, I found it again! Even though I only play by ear, I have been a member a whopping whole two weeks now and have already got Brent's country shuffle and country blues down and of course with embellishments. Thank you all for your wonderful program!
Greg J."With Jamplay I can fit in a random session when I have time and I can go at my own pace"
I'm a fifty eight year old newbie who owns a guitar which has been sitting untouched in a corner for about seven years now. Last weekend I got inspired to pick it up and finally learn how to play after watching an amazing Spanish guitarist on TV. So, here I am. I'm starting at the beginning with Steve Eulberg and I couldn't be happier (except for the sore fingers :) Some day I'm going to play like Steve! I'm self employed with a hectic schedule. With Jamplay I can fit in a random session when I have time and I can go at my own pace, rewinding and replaying the videos until I get it. This is a very enjoyable diversion from my work yet I still feel like I'm accomplishing something worthwhile. Thanks a lot, Greg
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I am commenting here to tell you and everyone at JamPlay that I believe this is the absolute best site for guitar students. I truly enjoy learning to play the guitar on JamPlay.com. Yes, I said the words, ""enjoy learning."" It is by far the best deal for the money.


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In the front lobby of Pearl Izumi's Colorado headquarters, just left of the receptionist station, are a series of architectural renderings. The pictured building is what will be Pearl's new home, a sleek, modern looking structure that's already under construction in the sprawling lot across the street from the current building. Scheduled completion date is sometime next fall.
But talk to people who work at this well-known apparel company, and it's clear these renderings represent more than just bricks and mortar. After admittedly losing its way for several years, Pearl Izumi is undergoing a company wide revitalization that's just now taking root in its product line.
In late January, RoadBikeReview.com got an up close and personal look how this change is being implemented now, and a sneak peek of what's to come. Here's our own sneak peek gallery and quick video of what we saw. We'll have a full detailing of our time at Pearl Izumi in the coming weeks.
Sneak Peek at the sublimation process at Pearl izumi
[youtube width="600″ height="361″]
Read the Exclusive Factory Tour: Pearl Izumi – Broomfield, Colorado.


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We have a large range of beautiful knitting and crochet yarns from well known brands such as Rowan, Debbie Bliss, Sublime and Rico Design as well as other brands you might not have tried before including Zealana, Adriafil and Fyberspates.
You can browse our selection of knitting yarns and wools by brand or by yarn weight (e.g. 4 Ply, DK, Chunky)
Anchor Artiste Metallic
Starting at: £2.49


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The Board of the New Hampshire Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (NHASCD), the state's largest professional development organization, supports the Common Core State Standards.
Jan. 6 — To the Editor:
The Board of the New Hampshire Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (NHASCD), the state's largest professional development organization, supports the Common Core State Standards.
The Common Core Standards outline what students should know and be able to do in reading and mathematics from kindergarten through 12th grade. They align with the knowledge and skills that New Hampshire high school graduates need to be fully ready for college and careers.
They are benchmarked to the standards of top-performing countries and states, and mark the first time that states share a common set of educational goals and expectations for the nation's students. States and local districts develop their own curriculum and instructional activities to address these standards.
To develop these standards, state governors and state commissioners of education collaborated with educators and subject matter specialists. The federal government was not involved with their development, and state adoption is voluntary.
NHASCD is a nonprofit organization of more than 850 members that sponsors educational conferences and workshops, and is the co-sponsor of the N.H. Journal of Education.
NHASCD joins organizations such as the N.H. Business and Industry Association and the N.H. Coalition for Business & Education in supporting the Common Core. We appreciate and value the Common Core's rigor and its emphasis on critical thinking, deeper understanding, and more personalized teaching and learning. As New Hampshire schools thoughtfully plan to implement these standards, we believe that all students will become far more successful in college and in their future careers.
The NHASCD Board urges New Hampshire's families, educators, community members and local school boards to learn more about the expectations of the Common Core standards and then work to actively support their implementation.
Judith Adams, Manchester
Bethany Bernasconi, Windham
Gerard Buteau, Plymouth
William Carozza, Hopkinton
Kim Carter, Manchester
Rebecca Gagnon, Hopkinton
Christopher Harper, Derry
Stephanie Pike, Derry
Roberta Tenney, Concord
Marianne True, Plymouth


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AfriGeneas Genealogy and History Forum Archive
Re: African American coal miners
In Response To: Re: African American coal miners ()
Hello everyone,
I also found your web site very interesting, my gr grandfather Silas Woodruff was a coal miner in Pennsylvania around the 1920's he was also listed as a farmer.
I also found grandpa Silas WW1 draft card he was in his 40's at the time, i've never seen his picture but it described him as tall and thin with a finger missing on his left hand.
Messages In This Thread


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Any WTAMU employee involved in an accident while operating a university-owned vehicle must complete the attached Motor Vehicle Accident Report (MVAR) and fax (#806-651-2968)/e-mail (email@example.com) to the Risk Management Office within 24 hours of the accident.
Also fax any police reports and additional supplemental information to the number above, as soon as possible.
The A&M System Auto & Motorized Vehicle Insurance
The Texas A&M University System auto and motorized vehicle coverage does not cover any loss for accidents involving personal use. A state-owned fleet vehicle should not be used for personal reasons and would likewise not be covered.
Regarding students, student groups, or any users of WTAMU vehicles, the A&M System has no liability coverage unless they are WTAMU employees in course and scope of employment.
All state vehicles need to have the following letter of financial responsibility from the Texas Attorney General's Office included in the vehicle at all times.
AG Financial Responsibility Letter
As a state entity, West Texas A&M University has an obligation and responsibility to ensure employees using automobiles for state business are appropriately licensed and safe drivers. Please refer to the following Vehicle Driver Guidelines for additional information. Vehicle Driver Guidelines
Approval to Drive University Vehicles
Addition to the Approved Drivers List
In order for employees to qualify to be approved drivers of WTAMU vehicles, Safe Driver Training must be taken at the Old Sub Building Safety Office (#806-651-2134 for reservations). Next, a motor vehicle report must be obtained from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) for drivers with an in-state license. The employees/student employees that do not have a valid Texas driver's license must obtain a copy of the past three years motor vehicle report from their state. While the out-of-state motor vehicle record is being processed an employee may be temporarily approved to drive a University vehicle by completing the "Temporary Approval for Out-of-State License" form with the Risk Management Office (#806-651-2961).
Each approved driver must be recertified every year with the Office of the Vice President for Business & Finance. Previously approved employees, with out-of-state license, must provide an updated copy of their driving record for the past three years every year.
These procedures should be followed in case of an auto accident:
>Stop immediately and notify the proper law enforcement agency to respond and document the accident.
>Take defensive-driving measures to prevent another accident.
>Call 911 for Emergency Medical Services (EMS), if needed, and render aid to the injured, if able.
>Do not make any statements, oral or written, regarding fault. Appropriate legal authorities will decide fault or liability.
>Provide all required information to the law enforcement officer.
>Record the names and addresses of any witnesses.
>It is the responsibility of the vehicle operator to obtain a copy of the police report. A copy of the report should be submitted to the Risk Management Office, along with the MVAR (above).
The driver of a motor vehicle that is involved in an accident resulting in injury or death of any person, or damage to any property with a value of at least Five Hundred Dollars ($500) or more, must complete and forward, to the Texas Department of Public Safety, DPS Form ST-2 (Driver Confidential Accident Report) within ten (10) days of the accident.
Mobile Equipment
Departments that use or house utility vehicles, golfcarts, tractors, forklifts, riding mowers, or any other type of mobile-vehicle equipment, need to have a 16" x 14" triangle safety emblem attached to the rear (see picture below).
Golf cart driver training is also provided through the Old Sub Building Safety Office, and all drivers must be approved, paid employees of WTAMU to drive.


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Work has started on $1.7 million in energy efficiency upgrades and building envelope renovations to Briarwood, a 70-unit public housing complex for seniors and persons with disabilities in Shoreline, Wash.
The project is being funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, intended to provide or preserve jobs across America. Nationwide, the Obama administration dedicated $4 billion to housing authorities to preserve and improve the country's public housing stock.
The project will replace exterior siding, windows, and roofing at Briarwood, which was constructed in 1970. The current building envelope has reached the end of its useful lifespan, is tremendously energy inefficient, and encourages moisture and mold issues.
This "Green Communities and Energy Efficiency Upgrade" project encompasses building envelope renovations on the three-story building, including replacement of:
The installation of new energy-efficient windows will complete the improvements to the building envelopes. Utility consumption will be reduced by an estimated 28 percent for fixed-income residents when the work is finished. Additionally, three units will be converted to provide fully handicap accessible housing.
As the unemployment rate in the Puget Sound region hovers around 8.2 percent, these well-paying jobs will help reinvigorate the local economy. A study by the Econsult Corporation has measured the economic impact of investing in public housing. It showed that every construction dollar generates $2.12 in economic activity through job creation, spending by vendors and suppliers, purchase of goods and services, and consumer spending by workers.
Chris Davies, president of CDK Construction Services, Inc., the general contractor for the building envelope project, agrees. "This recession has caused a severe downturn in the construction sector," Davies said. "In the last year-and-a-half, we shed more than half our workforce — going from a peak of 80 in early 2009 to a low of 34 employees, just two months ago. The three building envelope/energy efficiency projects we're executing on behalf of [King County Housing Authority] have contributed significantly to CDK's ability to hire more workers. We're currently back up to 58 employees and still hiring."
Architectural services are being provided by ORB Architects. The plumbing contractor is United Plumbing, and Alside Supply Center will install the new siding. Accurate Painting is the painting contractor. SQI, Inc. will install the new roof. Carpentry and drywall work on the accessible units will be provided by Westcoast Contracting. Approximately 35 workers from a variety of trades and occupations will be employed on the project. Work is expected to be completed by January 2011.


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WorldNetDaily has some facts and figures for the state of "global warming".
Shocker: 'Global warming' simply no longer happening
Temperatures dropping, fewer hurricanes, arctic ice growing, polar bear population up
Posted: March 22, 2009
9:56 pm Eastern
© 2009 WorldNetDailyWASHINGTON – This may come as bad news for Al Gore.
The modest global warming trend has stopped – maybe even reversed itself.
And it's not just the record low temperatures experienced in much of the world this winter.
For at least the last five years, global temperatures have been falling, according to tracking performed by Roy Spencer, the climatologist formerly of NASA.
"Global warming" was going to bring more and more horrific hurricanes, climate change scientists and the politicians who subscribed to their theories said. But since 2005, only one major hurricane has struck North America.
A new study by Florida State University researcher Ryan Maue shows worldwide cyclone activity – typhoons, as well as hurricanes – has reached at least a 30-year low.
Two more studies – one by the Leibniz Institute of Marine Science and the Max Planck Institute of Meteorology in Germany and another by the University of Wisconsin – predict a slowing, or even a reversal of warming, for at least the next 10 to 20 years.
The Arctic sea ice has grown more on a percentage basis this winter than it has since 1979.
The number of polar bears has risen 25 percent in the past decade. There are 15,000 of them in the Arctic now, where 10 years ago there were 12,000.
"The most recent global warming that began in 1977 is over, and the Earth has entered a new phase of global cooling," says Don Easterbrook, professor of geology at Western Washington University in Bellingham, confidently. He maintains a switch in Pacific Ocean currents "assures about three decades of global cooling. New solar data showing unusual absence of sun spots and changes in the sun's magnetic field suggest … the present episode of global cooling may be more severe than the cooling of 1945 to 1977."
Climatologist Joe D'Aleo of the International Climate and Environmental Change Assessment Project, says new data "show that in five of the last seven decades since World War II, including this one, global temperatures have cooled while carbon dioxide has continued to rise."
"The data suggest cooling not warming in Earth's future," he says.