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Rock candy has a special charm which adds that extra flair to just about anything it's used for. I try to incorporate it where I can when designing sweets displays. It gives a touch of colorful sparkle to the table. I am currently working on a little rock candy project for this weekend's Wedding Party Bridal Event. So I decided to share some pretty neat ways you that you can use rock candy for that extra special touch!
How cute is this rock candy cake?
Ok this chandelier is just amazing! DIY instructions on Once Wed
Rock Candy Trees
My own Rock Candy piece...I just heart this. ;-)
Rock candy is so pretty! I'll be sure to share the results of my rock candy project next week.


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As mentioned in my previous post we have restructured the Youth Support and Development Service (YSDS) to deliver primarily across Targeted Youth Support (TYS), Specialist Services and Early Intervention & Prevention whilst working to support other organisations to deliver more universal, generic youth work.
This week has seen the launch of our Targeted Youth Support pages on our Website and the start of TYS programmes across the county. With a new request for service process, forms and monitoring & evaluation this is a huge change of our service. After 3 days of key training for staff we have a rolling programme throughout the Autumn term to bring everyone up to date with the programmes on offer. Time will tell concerning the response to the programmes although we have already had a good uptake by many services.
In the meantime we are out to consultation concerning the future of the YSDS with another £2 million reductions due to be made in the next year! All in all changing and testing times for all!

subset: commoncrawl


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Montgomery police were trying on Monday to locate the ashes of a newborn baby contained in a purse someone snatched from his mother.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) ? Montgomery police were trying on Monday to locate the ashes of a newborn baby contained in a purse someone snatched from his mother.
Monica Thomas of Montgomery was carrying the cremated remains of son Jamar Simmons Jr. when she was knocked down by a robber who took her handbag Friday night, said police spokeswoman Martha Earnhardt.
The child only lived a couple hours after his birth, and the woman was carrying the remains in her purse because she planned to bury them at her mother's gravesite the following morning, on her 20th birthday, Earnhardt said.
The ashes were in a small box with the child's name and birthdate on the front, along with the name of the crematorium that handled the body.
"Just bring my baby's ashes back. Put it on the porch or either just call and tell me where it is, and I'll be grateful," Thomas told reporters. "I just want my baby back."
The person who grabbed the purse probably didn't know the ashes were inside, Earnhardt said.
"There's no reason to believe this is anything other than a purse snatching with contents that were unanticipated," said Earnhardt.
Police Sgt. Mike Myrick said investigators are asking for the public's help in locating the suspect and the stolen purse.
"Even if, at best, we just get the urn back," Myrick said.
Thomas was walking outside when she was approached by a young man wearing a black shirt and red shorts, Myrick said. He grabbed her purse, the two struggled briefly, and then he fled.
The young woman was knocked down but wasn't injured.


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6202.0 - Labour Force, Australia, Dec 2010 Quality Declaration
Previous ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 13/01/2011
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Australia's unemployment rate decreased 0.2 percentage points to 5.0 per cent in December 2010 (seasonally adjusted)
The Australian unemployment rate decreased 0.2 percentage points to 5.0 per cent in December, as announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics today.
The ABS reported the number of people employed increased by 2,300 people to 11.417 million, seasonally adjusted, in December. The rise in employment was driven by an increase in full-time employment, up 1,700 people to 8.034 million and an increase in part-time employment, up 600 people to 3.383 million.
The number of people unemployed decreased by 25,400 people to 598,700 in December, reported the ABS.
The ABS seasonally adjusted monthly aggregate hours worked series showed a decrease in December, down 3.4 million hours to 1,599.0 million hours.
The ABS reported labour force participation in December of 65.8 per cent, a decrease of 0.2 percentage points from November.
More details are available in the December 2010 issue of Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0) available for free download from the ABS website <www.abs.gov.au>
Media note: When reporting ABS data you must attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or the ABS) as the source.
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Beliebers are making sure their boy gets through his public breakup with Selena Gomez.
Pop star and newly single Justin Bieber took to Twitter today to thank his fans for continuing to show support during his Boston concert last night, where he also covered Justin Timberlake's famous hit, "Cry Me a River."
"thank u Boston. focused on the positive.
#30MillionBeliebers with me. Im never leaving u because u r always there 4 me. love u. Night," he tweeted Saturday night.
He also tweeted earlier today, "MUCH LOVE to everyone over in German at the EMAs. good luck to all the nominees. #MTVEMAs," and added, "regardless of what happens i see all of the tweets and all the love you guys are sending me. thank u. love u too
#SUNDAYFUNDAY #MTVEMAs."
"I don't know what to say," he said in an interview with the Open House Party radio show on Saturday, neither confirming nor denying the news. "I don't know what's going on in my life. To even assess that it doesn't make sense 'cause I have not made any comment."
The famous young Hollywood couple broke up about a week ago, a source exclusively told E! News. "Because of their crazy schedules, it was getting harder and harder to maintain a relationship," the source says.
Are you still shocked by the split?! Sound off in the comments!


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Though uncommon in shops, killifish have been in the hobby longer than almost any fish one could think of. Sailors brought back killies from distant ports as early as the mid 19th century, trading the glittering little fish for necessities, with the first international killies kept in the US arriving just after the first world war. Most killies available are native to West Africa and the United States, with a handful from Southeast Asia and South America.
And glittering they are. Some are so brilliant to put marine fish to shame. And though they range in size from a bit over an inch to nearly six inches, killies, given proper environs and foods, can be easily kept. But the potential keeper must keep the killie tank tightly covered, since many of these fish jump, some of the larger species over 12 inches above the water level.
In this primer we'll cover several species and their care. There are but a few tenets before one delves into killie keeping; though a few are common, finding a quality source for them can be a challenge, most will only take live foods initially, and many must be kept in a tank by themselves.
But, killie keeping is a deeply rewarding experience, as generations of killies can be raised by a keeper. And there's also a thriving national organization: The American Killifish Association, in which members can trade fish, eggs, the latter even internationally. Much knowledge can be gained in the art of killie keeping, and the annual AKA national convention is not to be missed.
There are two types of killies available - annuals and perennials. Annuals evolved in pools that dry up in the dry season, thus they grow fast, lay their drought resistant eggs, and the adults die as the pools evaporate. Though annuals don't necessarily live just a year, a keeper is both fortunate and skilled to keep them past two years. Most aren't really tropical, so 72 to 76 would be the proper temps.
Perennials can live quite some time, many easily five years, some of the larger species as many as eight or nine. In this list we'll start with the perennials.
Native to the southeast corner of the US is the Florida Flag Fish; Jordanella floridae.
Male Flag Fish reach 2.5 inches and possess the majority of the colors, like nearly all killifish do. Native to Floridian swamps, males sport a metallic, silvery body, moving toward a blueish top. Red stripes along the fish with the blue give it its common name. The unpaired fins are greenish to blue green and marked with red striping. She is a little smaller, her silver is greenish, stripes are dark and unpaired fins sport an orange cast near their bases. Her dorsal has a dark spot below it, and more dark spots are usually scattered about her. Both sexes can change colors at will, so she can be barred occasionally with varying levels of green and silver, and he can look uncannily like an American flag when at his best when morning sun hits the tank,
In feeding, Flag Fish MUST have real, green algae in their diet, and they'll make short work of any algae that may crop up. Given the algae, Flag Fish are quite hardy, and will happily take live, and eventually even frozen, foods. It isn't uncommon for Florida Flag fish to live five years and more. This is one fish that should be moved to a species tank, as the male is too combative toward his mate and tankmates when spawning, for the community aquarium. Though Flag Fish are killies, or more properly, American pupfish, the males behave almost Cichlid-like fanning and vigorously defending the eggs. Younger specimens that are below spawning age should be kept in a group, and do well in a peaceful community setup.
Flag Fish can and should be kept in a well planted tank, though they may nibble the plants, but daily feedings of soft green algae cultured on stones usually prevents that. They eschew the bright light of well planted aquaria, so floating plants over the main swimming area will keep your Flag Fish group continually visible. Flag Fish prefer their water slightly alkaline; pH 7.2 is best, and moderately soft, with temps between 68 and 75. You'll want to keep your tank very well planted, because once they mature, Flag Fish always breed, usually at the base of a plant. He drives the female hard, and he guards the eggs and fry with vigor. The plants are necessary so she can get out of his line of sight, and one night she should be removed to another container to escape his attentions.
The eggs hatch in a week at 75 degrees, longer at warmer temps. He's an attentive father, and keeps his flock close by at all times. The youngsters are easily raised, taking live baby brine shrimp as soon as they are free swimming, transitioning to larger foods and algae as they grow. If you swipe the fry to raise them yourself one evening, he'll promptly look for another female and spawn again.
Florida Flag Fish are among the easiest killies to find, and better fish stores usually have them on their lists.


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This 9.7 inch tablet caseiscrafted by the selection of high quality PU leather and microfiber velvet, with built-in hook and loop fasteners locator, perfect fit for your love PC while give your PC secure protection.
- PU leather case for 9.7 inch tablet PC
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- The external PU leather cover can protect your love PC from shocks and bumps
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- Come with elastic strap which fasten your front cover when closed
- Compatible with universal 9.7 inch tablet PC
- Material: PU Leather
- Size (L*W*T): Approx. 10.1*8.31*0.94inch / 256*211*24mm
- Color: White
Package Includes:
- 1 x PU Leather Case Cover for 9.7 Inch Tablet PC
Note: Please be reminded that due to lighting effects and monitor's brightness/contrast settings etc, the color tone of the website's photo and the actual item could be slightly different.


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DMB's Moore remains in hospital, will miss rest of tour
July 9, 9:22am update: Dave Matthews Band announces on its website that doctors have upgraded LeRoi Moore's condition from fair to good.
July 8, 12:35pm update: Bela Fleck saxophonist Jeff Coffin has announced on his website that he will fill in for LeRoi Moore for the rest of Dave Matthews Band's North American tour this summer.
A week after an accident with an all-terrain vehicle left him in serious condition, Dave Matthews Band saxophonist LeRoi Moore remains at UVA hospital, where he is in fair condition, according to a band spokesperson. "Nothing has changed since the last statement on the website," says DMB publicist Ambrosia Healy, "but we will put new information up there as things change."
Local blogger and longtime DMB fan Waldo Jaquith says that going back to DMB's early days as the house band at Trax, he's never known Moore to be reckless in the pursuit of fun. "He's no dope," says Jaquith. "He's not a kid. He's 46 years old, and I've always known him to be a level-headed guy who wouldn't be going off ramps or anything like that."
Not that such stunts would be necessary to result in a serious injury. According to Karl Woerner, a salesman with Virginia Tractor who has both owned and sold ATVs, the risk of serious injury on the four-wheeled vehicles is high. "If you're going 60 mph and you go into a sharp turn, you could lose control and go into a tree," he says. "If you accelerate too quickly, these things have such good traction that they'll do a wheelie and come over on top of you. If you're going downhill too fast and try to stop, you could go over the handle bars. If you're going up a hill and you turn too quickly, it could roll over on you."
Still, Woerner says that although he no longer sells ATVs because John Deere canceled its line, they're still "safe vehicles if used properly."
The band continues its full slate of summer tour dates– minus Moore– with Jeff Coffin from frequent DMB openers Bela Fleck and the Flecktones handling sax duties. It would seem that the band hasn't missed a step in Moore's absence: Rolling Stone raved about the band's Saturday performance at the Rothbury Festival in rural Michigan.
"Surprisingly, as [Matthews'] stage presence grew more unhinged, the group's musical explorations tightened," reviewer Andy Downing writes. "'So Damn Lucky' built to a dizzying, horn-fueled climax; a true-to-its-source take on Peter Gabriel's 'Sledgehammer' proved a smart selection, as violinist Boyd Tinsley sawed at his instrument as if he was trying to start a fire."
Tonight, the band plays in Atlanta at the Lakewood Amphitheater– its fifth show in the six days since Moore's accident.
The original post misstated one of Jaquith's recollections. It has been corrected here.
3 comments
I hope you get better soon LeRoi! We'll miss you this year at the Mile High Music Festival!!!
A member from the DMB fansite antsmarching.org made "Get Well Soon LeRoi" T-shirts to show the group's support for the 2008 summer tour. A link to the shirts is provided here: http://search.ebay.com/search/search...2008&category0=
The link above is a wrong link.
Here is the proper link


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Spacey: Inside and out, plenty to spare
ADDRESS: 1620 Far Hills Road
BUILDING: 3,535 fin. sq. ft., 1700 unfin.
LAND: 2.0 acres
NEIGHBORHOOD: Far Hills
CURB APPEAL: 9 out of 10
LISTED BY: Anita Dunbar, Montague, Miller & Co. 973-5393
The sale of Fred Scott's 1800-acre Bundoran Farm to a preservation-friendly developer made big news last week, in part because the concept seemed so novel– and so welcome.
Around here, we've become numbed to cheek-by-jowl housing developments like Cory Farm and Wayland's Grant, and super-dense shopping hives like Short Pump and Potomac Mills– to the point that news of a developer who intends to leave 80 percent of a large rural tract untouched makes headlines.
However, Qroe (pronounced "crow") Farm Preservation Development, the New England purchasers of Scott's North Garden property, is not the only group building houses with an eye to aesthetics and open land as well as profit.
The Patricia Jones Edgerton Trust, former owners of the 250-acre Far Hills development off Old Ballard Road, blazed the trail with use of Virginia's Open Space Land Act when they decided to open the tracts for development. Just as at Bundoran, over 80 percent of the original tract of this development will never be built on.
For a potential buyer, that means "What you see is what you get." No worry about some design nightmare cropping up across the road– or anywhere else within sight, for that matter. That has to be a relief to someone willing to pay premium prices not only for a huge house, but for views and ambience as well.
So, knowing that the surrounding land will look in the future pretty much as it looks today, what would make someone buy this house as opposed to the 15-20 others in the county currently on the market in the same price range?
For one thing, the size. As we ambled around during a bright Sunday open house, not only did we not hear the voices of other groups of visitors, but we never even crossed their paths. Such spaciousness is a boon in bedrooms, dining rooms, and kitchen/family rooms, where people gather, in other areas– and we find this to be a problem with most new construction– but often there just seems to be space for the sake of space, huge open areas that have to be heated (and cooled) but have no real use.
The upside is that the unusual layout of the house– and lots of windows– contribute to a welcome airiness. In addition to the typical large (and, in this case, gracefully designed) front stairway rising from an enormous entrance hall (there's some useless space), the builders have added a back staircase. From the wide upstairs hall connecting the four bedrooms and a large open sitting or office area (at the top of the stairs, with a loft feel), residents can descend directly to the kitchen just like maids used to do in the old days of live-in help.
Another unusual feature is a sitting area attached to the master suite– with its own fireplace, surrounded by the same beautiful green marble as the main one in the living room. In fact, that marble and the tile (four bathrooms) and granite (counters) in the house are some of the elegant touches that set the place apart from some other high-end subdivision spreads.
Woodwork is another allure. If the sellers need to justify their asking price, they could probably do it with the woodwork alone: chair rails, crown molding, the staircase banisters, hardwood floors in every room (no nasty wall-to-wall upstairs as in so many new places), and a very unusual "tray ceiling" in the master bedroom. The only other place we've seen something like this was in a faux Victorian in Dunlora a couple of years ago. There, the unpainted oak had a depressing, leaden effect, but here high-gloss white paint helps moderate so much wood while accentuating the beauty of the design.
The bathrooms, alas, fall victim to the fiberglass-surround syndrome (except in the master suite, where pretty tiles enclose the shower), but considering the other good things about the house, we'll forgive them this unfortunate economy.
Views from huge windows in the breakfast room, master suite, and dining room are of pine forest which is thin enough in the dead of winter to provide views of two other houses. But lots of shrubs and deciduous trees will surely block those when spring arrives.
Further plusses like a built-in sound system and a first-floor bedroom/bath suite (for visiting grandparents who don't want to climb stairs) are great, but they're just garnish for the real richness of this offering: the guarantee of no more development.


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Has anybody seen this yet?
Talkin' to your toothbrush...and other Cass Elliot friends!
Rbcsoup wrote:I have
And a propos this board will remind folks that Cass said at the time of the record's release that it was one of the group's albums that she genuinely liked to listen to...
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yourdreamsgirl video. More videos (4)yourdreamsgirl webcam
yourdreamsgirl webcam
From a classy lady that opens the door for you, to a bitch in the bedroom, I enjoy every bit of it. I am a single woman, ,charming and well educated, with a huge sexual imagination and a very friendly personality ,who wants to be loved . Tetyana


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Oroville >> A Magalia man suffered major injuries Monday morning in Oroville when the motorcycle he was driving was hit by a pickup on Garden Drive off Highway 70.
Jeffrey Duane Simmons, 56, was listed in critical condition late Monday at Enloe Medical Center in Chico, according to hospital spokeswoman Christina Chavira.
The collision happened around 9:44 a.m. on Garden Drive between the north freeway offramp and onramp.
At the scene, California Highway Patrol Lt. Al Sanders said the 2004 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck was coming up the offramp onto Garden Drive and had slowed down, but didn't stop at the stop sign before turning left.
At the same time, Simmons was crossing east on Garden on a 1993 Harley Davidson. He saw the truck make a left turn and steered to avoid hitting it, but was struck, Sanders said.
The motorcycle and Simmons landed under the pickup.
Simmons had severe injuries to his right leg and other injuries, said CHP officer Brad Logan. He was rushed by ambulance to Enloe.
Logan later said Simmons underwent surgery.
The driver of the truck was identified as Ronald Graves, 75, of Oroville.
Graves wasn't injured, Logan said.
Logan said some witnesses said Graves didn't stop, and that Graves said he didn't see the motorcycle until he hit it.
There was no indication drugs or alcohol factored in the collision. Also, Simmons was wearing a helmet, Logan said.
No one was cited at the scene, but there may be one later, depending on further investigation.
Contact Reporter Barbara Arrigoni at 533-3136.


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This thing is grand.
Yikes! $679.99 CDN or $499.99 US. Oy! Ultimate Collector's Millennium Falcon
Hey, there's a five per customer limit. What's up with that crap
Might be more receptive than my wife was to the Death Star Didn't help that my niece (23 and in the military and an avowed mega-blocks fan ) was crapping on it as a big, grey ball. Maybe the Falcon will go over better.
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I've went through a somewhat irrational journey last month that started with me completely dismissing the sound quality of the Bose Soundlink Mobile Speaker II — and ended with me shelling out $349 for the premium/leather edition and even starting a Spotify Premium subscription. While my cognitive dissonance is still fading, I thought I'd share the journey in case there are others out there looking for similar audio solutions.
It all started when a friend demoed his Bose SoundDock Portable in his appartment. That's a relatively small sound dock for the iPhone, but it produced impressively rich sound quality. I already have a pretty sophisticated home cinema system in our living room that I've proudly owned for the last ten years, so I consider myself spoiled with very high fidelity audio at home. The only problem is that this system is limited to the living room. I don't have any reasonable way of playing music anywhere else like the bedroom or in my office — other than cranking up the volume of the home cinema downstairs to insane levels. Seeing and hearing this SoundDock Portable system made me compelled by the basic idea of having a secondary sound system that I could use to enjoy music and radio when I wasn't in the living room.
Inspired by the SoundDock Portable, I started to look for an equivalent sound system that wasn't tied to Apple's proprietary standards but used Bluetooth instead. The two Bluetooth speakers that kept coming up everywhere in online reviews described as the "best" portable speakers were the Bose Soundlink II and the Jawbone BIG Jambox. I read countless of reviews and I really didn't like that both of these systems seemed to be optimized for size and weight, rather than sound quality. These speakers are actually quite expensive when you consider the limited fidelity they output, but what you're paying for is the portability factor — including built-in battery, microscopic footprint, and rugged durability. Well, I wasn't really looking for that at all — I wouldn't mind a slightly larger system that wasn't as portable, but was still "carryable" so I could move it across different rooms in our house.
I then found systems like the Samsung DA-E670, which is in the same price range as the comparatively tiny Bluetooth speakers, but less portable and supposedly higher fidelity. However, the more I looked at those options, the more I started to actually like the idea of ultimate portability. My wife (who is surprisingly supportive when I have an urge to buy new gadgets — maybe because she knows that makes me more forgiving about her own shopping habits?) started to talk about how nice it would be to be able to bring a speaker like this with us on vacations. Also, there was something with the look of the Bose speaker that clicked with me on an emotional level already the first time I saw it — it reminds me of those old radios that people had in their garage or kitchen back in the days.
So I decided to go to a store and test both the Soundlink II and the BIG Jambox — and I was immediately disappointed with both of them. Just like I had feared, they sounded great for their size, but ultimately nowhere near hifi quality. The salesman was quick to demo a larger machine that only supported Airplay (the Bose SoundLink Air) and it definitely sounded better but was out of question for me since I specifically wanted a Bluetooth speaker (Bluetooth is far more universal than Apple's proprietary wifi solution and I have no plans to ever buy an iPhone). I got so upset about the fact that it was so hard to find something relatively portable that didn't sound like crap and wasn't coupled with Apple's proprietary solutions that I had to post that rant about bluetooth speakers a month ago.
But even after being disappointed with the Bose Soundlink II in the store, there was still this emotional urge left in me that made me want to give it another try at home. After all, the speaker probably would sound better at home than in the large store where I tried it. And besides, Bose offers you to try their products out at home for 30 days, so I figured I had nothing to lose. So I brought one home and tested it without all the noise in a busy store — and yes, the difference was definitely noticeable, it sounded better. What's more, when placing it close to a wall in the bedroom and putting on some music at a moderate volume level, the sound quality was what I'd call good enough. I enjoyed discovering new and old music via a trial of Spotify Premium, and after over two hours of listening, the best testament of the sound quality is that I sometimes forgot that I was playing it from a TINY battery-powered bluetooth speaker!
So let's talk about sound quality. The soundstage is definitely limited/narrow, and just like many other reviews point out, it lacks a bit of clarity in the mids and treble. As I was experimenting with a trial of Spotify Premium for Android, I found that just increasing Spotify's built-in 5-band equalizer to (0, 0, +1, +1, +1) made the sound just perfect for my taste. That said, I also noticed that the sound quality depends on the device you're playing from too — if I stream audio from my MacBook Pro, the mids and treble sound clearer than when streaming from my Galaxy Note. Another thing I noticed is that the speaker sounds better if you step back a few meters and let it fill the whole room. If you stand too close to it (e.g. a meter or less), the stereo sound is rather narrow and directed — the sound feels more natural and wide/rich if you take a couple of steps back.
The bass? It's incredible considering the size of the speaker. If you place it up against a wall, it's boomy all the way down to around (I'm guessing) 50 Hz, but below that there's nothing — definitely no subwoofer magic hiding in this book-sized speaker here, but still impressively deep bass. For certain genres like classical music, this speaker can sound almost as good as my home cinema system (though with a much narrower stereo sound). As I was enjoying some scores by Hans Zimmer (Inception movie soundtrack), I even forgot that I was playing it from the same speaker that I completely dismissed when testing it in the store. If you listen to house or pop, it's easier to tell that compromises had to be made in order to make the speaker this small — but it still sounds good.
Let's get real though: although I was never able to actually test the Samsung DA-E670 and similar systems, I'm pretty sure that those sound better than the tiny portable speaker I ended up buying. It's just that as I went through this research journey, I started to actually like the idea of being able to bring the speaker with me to more places than just between the bedroom and home office. Case in point: I wrote the bulk of this blog post from a hotel room in San Francisco while listening to Swedish podcasts, thousands of miles from home!
As a side note, this speaker is also what made me decide to get Spotify Premium. As I was listening to music when testing this speaker, I started to really see the benefits of having access to almost all the music in the world. It even works while offline since you can use its download feature to store songs and play them when in flight mode. The combination of this Bose speaker and Spotify has changed the way both my wife and I listen to music and podcasts in very real ways. (The only problem is that I now have to come up with a solution for when at the gym, because using an mp3 player with actual mp3s suddenly feels very old and fiddly — does anyone know of a good Android-based music player that is tiny and lightweight?)
Btw, for those interested in the differences between the BIG Jambox and the Bose Soundlink II, my impression in the store was that the Jambox had a more even/flat EQ curve, while the Bose had slightly weaker treble but richer bass. With richer, I don't just mean louder — the Bose seems capable of reproducing lower frequencies than the Jambox (i.e. like the Bose gets down to 40 Hz and the Jambox only to something like 60 Hz). The Bose sounded slightly better in my ears. The thing to keep in mind is that the slight loss in treble/clarity of the Bose can be fixed with a small tweak of the EQ of your phone/tablet/computer, but you can never get the same deep bass back in the Jambox since the frequency range just isn't there. So for me, the choice was very simple, especially since the Bose is also about ten times more attractive (in my very subjective opinion).
The bottom line is that there are two ways of describing the Bose Soundlink II: it's either OUT OF THIS WORLD, if you consider the small size and design of the speaker — or it's simply "good enough" as a secondary sound system in your house if you close your eyes and judge it based on sound quality alone. Given the added benefit of portability that this form factor enables and the remarkably sleek design, the Bose Soundlink II really deserves the highest marks.
If you're still not sure why you need this speaker, check out this awesome video that I found as I was downloading the internet to go through all reviews of it (yes, I'm still 100% a nerd in that sense).


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First things first . . .
I DO NOT HAVE GOOGLE+ INVITES TO SEND . . . yet 😉
But in lieu of an invitation, I shall simply taunt you will the knowledge that I did get one from someone who knows that when it comes to beta testing social media platforms I have "sucker" tattooed on my forehead. I am so easy.
So with a whopping 4 hours of Google+ experience under my belt, I think it is fair to say that after the Wave and Buzz hiccups Google has had in the past, Google+ might actually be the next big thing to hit social media. Clearly going after Facebook, Google might have found the right timing to ensure some success, capitalizing on some general Facebook fatigue and leveraging their huge following of users who are looking for even more ways to integrate all of their google services.
Build around what Google+ are calling "circles" (pictured above) it is a way to separate your list of contacts much like "lists" do in facebook. "Circles" is much more user friendly with an interface that encourages filtering of what are growing numbers of connections that we are all building up. After you separate people into the circles to which they belong, through Google+'s "stream" you will see photos, updates, links and other things that are shared by members of your "circles." Again, much like a facebook newsfeed, but with a much cleaner and larger interface and and more functional way to filter who's info you see and when.
One of the features that seems interesting is what is called "sparks," basically a news aggregator that will connect you to web happenings of interest. While it is pretty and could lead to some interesting ways to find information – that Google deems important, of course – there is clearly some work that needs to be done as illustrated by the pics below: the "sparks" interface, my "sparks" search for "presbyterian social media" and then the results that were actually helpful via a traditional Google search.
Sparks first page . . .
Sparks unhelpful search for "presbyterian social media"
. . . as opposed to the actual helpful google search for "presbyterian social media"
Now if you are one out there that sees Google as just another evil in the world, this is a blatant attempt to further suck more souls into the Google family. No argument there from me. Guilty as charged. But, what will this turn into in terms of the social media world? Who knows, but I would think that the Google people are smart enough to figure out a way to use the wave and buzz failures to fuel a more successful venture into the social networking world. I won't be abandoning my facebook life anytime soon, but Google+ has certainly piqued my interest.
And again, I have no invites, but if you want one when/if I am giving the ability, feel free to leave a comment with your gmail addy and I'll do my best. And if you wish to add me to a circle, feel free to add me using me "breyeschow" google profile.
Here is another great review, from Engadget, Google+ inviate received, we go hands on and a very funny comic from XCXD XKCD that was sent to me by @meghanf.
UPDATE: Apparently no invites yet. Sorry Adam.


text:
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international / economics and finance / press release Thursday April 09, 2020 19:37 by Kate Zeller
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops and Jubilee USA Network, an interfaith religious group, is urging President Trump to lead the G20 on coronavirus global debt relief plans. read full story / add a comment
international / health / disability issues / news report Monday April 06, 2020 17:35 by anon 1 attached file
In an appeal to the European Union, more than 180 scientists and doctors from 36 countries warn about the danger of 5G, which will lead to a massive increase in involuntary exposure to electromagnetic radiation. The scientists urge the EU to follow Resolution 1815 of the Council of Europe, asking for an independent task force to reassess the health effects. read full story / add a comment
international / rights, freedoms and repression / feature Sunday April 05, 2020 23:11 by 1 of indy 16 comments (last - friday august 07, 2020 15:33) 8 images 3 video files
The current shutdown of the economy and lockdown of society all around the world is unprecedented and it is very clear that the media are talking up the number and trying to instil panic and fear in the people. This is true not just in Ireland but everywhere else. What all the media reports have in common is that not a single one of them puts the numbers into perspective. All we see are league tables of infections and deaths for this country and others and how it is all going to get worse. Update: The common flu causes up to 5 million cases of severe illness worldwide and kills up to 650,000 people every year, according to the World Health Organization
THIS IS HUGE: Stanfords Antibodies Study Wraps Up, Shows Covid-19 Is 50x More Prevalent and 50x Less Deadly Than Believed
https://youtu.be/jGUgrEfSgaU read full story / add a comment
international / health / disability issues / other press Friday March 27, 2020 14:54 by 1 of indy
This story by Pepe Escobar which appeared on The Saker blog is being reported here because it clearly demonstrates in this particular instance, in France how the government is suppressing cures for Covid-19 available today so as to delay matters so that Big Pharma can come in with their own solutions in a few weeks time. It makes no sense that governments around the world appear so concerned about their populations as they rarely are, so it kind of make sense that they are doing things to promote the profits of Big Pharma over the welfare of citizens. There is little doubt the same or similar things is occurring in other countries.
The French government is arguably helping Big Pharma profit from the Covid-19 pandemic
Whats going on in the fifth largest economy in the world arguably points to a major collusion scandal in which the French government is helping Big Pharma to profit from the expansion of Covid-19. Informed French citizens are absolutely furious about it.
My initial question to a serious, unimpeachable Paris source, jurist Valerie Bugault, was about the liaisons dangereuses between Macronism and Big Pharma and especially about the mysterious disappearance more likely outright theft of all the stocks of chloroquine in possession of the French government. read full story / add a comment
international / economics and finance / press release Thursday March 26, 2020 19:26 by Kate Zeller
Saudi Arabia chaired an emergency virtual G20 meeting for Presidents and Prime Minsters as the coronavirus wreaks havoc on the global economy. read full story / add a comment
international / economics and finance / press release Wednesday March 25, 2020 18:00 by Kate Zeller
The International Monetary Fund asked G20 countries and other lending countries to stop collecting debt from poor countries due to the coronavirus pandemic. read full story / add a comment
international / economics and finance / press release Tuesday March 24, 2020 15:03 by Kate Zeller
On Monday the heads of the IMF and World Bank stated support for debt relief for very poor countries as the coronavirus spreads. African Finance Ministers called for suspension of debt payments to free up $44 billion to fight Covid-19. Ecuador's Congress also demanded its government stop paying debt. read full story / add a comment
international / anti-war / imperialism / event notice Thursday March 19, 2020 21:46 by Paul 2 images
The olive harvest time in Palestine is a wonderful time for a visit. The trees are full of ripe olives and in solidarity with the Palestinian land owners we will be part of this traditional experience. You can either climb a tree or work down on the ground. We collect the olives on the tarps and then in buckets and bags. We will have traditional Palestinian lunch on the fields and we will visit an olive press. Besides volunteering on the land you will have the chance to discover Palestine and travel around with your guide Baha, to understand the reality of the geo-political situation. There are excursions to Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Lifta, Hebron and the South Hebron hills, Ramallah (the Arafat Museum) and Nabi Saleh, known for its continuous non violent resistance. read full story / add a comment
international / rights, freedoms and repression / opinion/analysis Sunday March 15, 2020 07:11 by Anthony Ravlich
The following shows how domestically you can have a left-wing totalitarianism or right-wing totalitarianism and both are compatible with the UN's One World Government and its new globally dominant ideology, neoliberal absolutism. I consider human rights truth is more important than any so-called national security. read full story / add a comment
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Chelsea?Julian - the Truth read full story / add a comment
international / rights, freedoms and repression / news report Friday March 13, 2020 00:09 by Justin Morahan
Chelsea Manning is a truth teller, The US lied about the Iraq war; She should be released and compensated read full story / add a comment
international / rights, freedoms and repression / other press Sunday March 01, 2020 22:31 by 1 of indy
This report from the World Socialist Websites reports on the vindictive and appalling treatment of Julian Assange which has been lost in all the hype about the Corona virus which is blotting out all the other news. Even prior to the virus scare there was little coverage of Julian Assange by the main stream media. Hence the reason we are bringing this to your attention.
Julian Assange was handcuffed 11 times and stripped naked twice by Belmarsh prison guards on the opening day of this weeks extradition trial in London, his lawyers revealed in court yesterday.
read full story / add a comment
international / rights, freedoms and repression / other press Monday February 24, 2020 23:02 by 1 of indy 1 image
The relentless campaign by the US and UK government to silence and torture Julian Assange for the so-called crime of exposing their murderous crimes in Iraq and elsewhere, continues with the first day of the extradition hearing where they plan to stitch him up and send him to the US where they will put him away for the rest of his life.
The farce is that he is being held in prison for breaking bail on another trumped up charge from almost a decade ago and which has long since been dismissed. This is purely a political show trial and a warning to real journalists to shut up and do not dare report on the crimes of the elite and powerful. read full story / add a comment
international / economics and finance / press release Monday February 10, 2020 19:14 by Kate Zeller
The leaders of the World Bank and IMF discussed concerns of global debt levels at an event held today at the World Bank Preston Auditorium. read full story / add a comment
international / sci-tech / news report Sunday February 09, 2020 15:39 by anarquistes conta la devastacio
Since 24 till 27 of February the featured event of the ICT industry- the MWC is going to be held in Barcelona. This gathering is arranged by GSMA, one of the most important organization in the world and more powerful than many governments. This year more than hundred thousand of CEOs and businessmen will attend MWC. All of them are ready to pay around the 800 -5000 euros for each access ticket. read full story / add a comment
international / anti-capitalism / press release Wednesday February 05, 2020 19:46 by Kate Zeller
Pope Francis addressed a small group of Finance Ministers, the head of the IMF and noted economists urging the creation of new global debt and tax policies that can reduce inequality and end poverty. read full story / add a comment
international / rights, freedoms and repression / other press Sunday January 26, 2020 21:20 by 1 of indy
This is an important story published on the World Socialist Website and as usual got little coverage in the mainstream media
Today, hundreds of yellow vests from France and protesters from other countries across Europe, including Belgium and Britain, are protesting outside Belmarsh maximum security prison in London to demand the freeing of WikiLeaks founder and journalist Julian Assange. read full story / add a comment
international / arts and media / opinion/analysis Tuesday January 21, 2020 01:30 by Caoimhghin Ó Croidheáin 3 images
Quentin Tarantinos new film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, is a 2019 comedy-drama set in 1969 Los Angeles and features a large ensemble cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. The story centres around veteran actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), star of the 1950s Western television series Bounty Law, and and his stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Dalton is worried that his career is in decline and is reticent to take advice to travel to Italy to make Spaghetti Westerns. Cliff Booth also struggles to get work in Hollywood due to rumors that he murdered his wife on a boating trip. read full story / add a comment
international / anti-capitalism / press release Friday January 17, 2020 18:03 by Kate Zeller
IMF Head Kristalina Georgieva warns of a return of the Great Depression driven by inequality and financial sector instability in a speech delivered at the Peterson Institute of International Economics. read full story / add a comment
international / arts and media / opinion/analysis Monday December 30, 2019 18:18 by Caoimhghin Ó Croidheáin 1 image
The Factory
And such should childhood ever be,
The fairy well; to bring
To lifes worn, weary memory
The freshness of its spring.
But here the order is reversed,
And infancy, like age,
Knows of existence but its worst,
One dull and darkened page;
by Letitia Elizabeth Landon The Vow of the Peacock and Other Poems (1835)
read full story / add a comment
UK Indymedia Features
Tue May 02, 2017 01:55 UK Indymedia Features
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Hi I am thinking of making a spreadsheet like program with JTable using custom Table Model. I googled for tutorials but most of them are related with sql which I don't really understand at this level of learning java. I read the oracle's tutorials on jtable but those tutorials don't explain how to implement abstract table Model in much greater detail as you'd expect for a newbie.
any help?


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KALAMAZOO--Some of West Michigan's most noted musicians will perform at a memorial concert service for Franklin G. (Greg) Fisk, Western Michigan University professor emeritus of science studies and a passionate fan of classical music. Fisk died Dec. 28 at age 80.
The free, public performance is Saturday, March 10, at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Kalamazoo, 315 W. Michigan Ave.
Classical musicians, all with connections to the University, include music faculty members Lin Foulk, French horn, and Karl Schrock, organ; Elizabeth (Betsy) Start, cello; and pianist Phyllis Rappeport, professor emerita of music
The program features the first movement of a work by composer Elizabeth Start for cello and piano based on the work of Hildegard von Bingen, "Air Swiftly Flies" (2004). Other works on the program include those by Barber, Bach, Saint-Saens, Krol, Beethoven and Widor.
Fisk was an enthusiastic supporter of classical music, especially contemporary classical, both in the Kalamazoo area and elsewhere. He was a long-time supporter of the Fontana Chamber Ensemble and was a fundraiser for First Baptist Church of Kalamazoo's Le Tourneau organ and Fazioli concert grand piano.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Franklin G. Fisk Composition Award in the WMU School of Music. Contributions may be made online through the WMU Foundation, or mailed to Fisk Composition Award, WMU Foundation, 1903 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo MI 49008-5403.
Visit gregfisk.org for more information.


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UISStudy Abroad Policies and Procedures
I. Course Proposals
A) Proposals for new UNI 460 – Global Experience Seminars or for repeating previously approved UNI 460 seminars should be submitted to the Office of Study Away Programs at least 12 months prior to the start date of the seminar.
B) Proposals for new or repeated departmental study abroad offerings should be submitted to the appropriate Dean's Office in October for summer and fall offerings and in April for winter/spring offerings.
C) Proposals for either UNI 460 seminars or departmental study abroad offerings should include the following information in addition to information required by the appropriate college for any new course:
1) Course title
2) Course description
3) Course objectives
4) Location
5) Travel Itinerary, if appropriate
6) Budget
7) Minimum and Maximum Enrollment
II. Course/Seminar/Program Finances – UNI 460 and Departmental Study Abroad Offerings
A) Each course/seminar/program will have a separate fund and program designated to collect and disburse program fees
B) Program fees exclusive of tuition shall include all 'out of pocket' expenses associated with the study abroad course/seminar/program. 'Out of pocket' expenses may include but are not limited to: international airfare; airport shuttles; local transportation; lodging; entrance fees; local salaries as appropriate; meals; and faculty director's expenses.
C) Program fees are charged to students/participants.
D) Program fees may also be financed through fund raising activities and donations provided the necessary vending license has been obtained for the activity.
E) Separate funds will be established to record fund raising activities and donations for each course/seminar/program.
F) Funds awarded to students must be processed by the Office of Financial Assistance and will be treated as an aid resource which may impact eligibility for other aid resources awarded to the student. The award will be posted to the student's account and only the amount in excess of any current balance on the account will be refunded to the student.
G) Program fees may not be financed by transferring funds from other University funds with the exception of University gift and fund raising accounts.
H) Faculty salaries will be charged to the appropriate department/college.
III. Student/Participant Application – All Study Abroad Programs/Courses/Seminars
A) Individuals applying to study abroad through UIS, either through UNI 460, 470 or 480 or through a departmental study abroad offering must complete a Global Experience Program Application. The complete application consists of a form for data collection germane to the applicant, two letters of recommendation, an official transcript and an essay. Students must also obtain the signatures of their academic advisor, the Dean of Students or designee and the Financial Aid Office if applying for financial assistance.
B) Students intending to use study abroad credit towards their major or towards university requirements are encouraged to have a course equivalency form and transfer waivers approved before they begin their program.
C) Students/Participants are required to sign and return a form acknowledging the risks of studying abroad and their responsibilities and a form acknowledging the conditions of their participation on a study abroad program.
D) Applications will be reviewed by the Office of Study Away Programs and the Faculty Director.
IV. Billing and Payment
A) Upon approval students/participants will be given/sent a financial agreement detailing: the program fees, tuition and university fees; the payment schedule; and the refund schedule. The financial agreement will also state that participants will be billed and be responsible for any additional trip-related costs that are over and above the estimated program fee.
B) Students/participants must sign and return the financial agreement within ten days of receipt along with a program deposit (non-refundable). Deposits may be paid at the Office of Study Away Programs via cash, money order, personal or cashiers check made payable to UIS.
C) Students are responsible for the payment of tuition, university fees and program fees for the program/seminar/course for which they have registered.
D) In-person payments may be made via cash, money order, personal or cashiers check made payable to UIS at the Office of Study Away Programs. The receipt must include the name of the participant.
E) Tuition and university fees will be assessed using the Banner registration process and billed by the Office of Student Accounts.
F) Students studying abroad through UNI 460 or departmental study abroad offerings are charged UIS tuition and university fees plus program specific fees.
G) Students studying abroad through UNI 470 (exchange program) pay UIS tuition and fees.
H) Students studying abroad through UNI 480 have their UIS tuition waived. Their UIS university fees are waived, provided that they are not enrolled in any other UIS courses at the same time. Students who are enrolled for any additional UIS courses while they are registered for UNI 480 will pay the standard UIS tuition for the additional courses and will not have their university fees waived.
V. Financial Aid
A) Students enrolled for study abroad courses/program/seminars should consult with the Office of Financial Assistance to determine their eligibility for assistance.
B) To be considered for financial aid students must be enrolled full-time during the term/semester they are studying abroad.
VI. Registration
A) Electronic approvals (formerly WPIs) for UNI 460/470/480 are issued by the Office of Study Abroad Programs, once applications are completed and approved. Students are then free to register.
B) Registration controls for departmental offerings are at the discretion of the instructors.
VII. Credit Transfer
A) Students participating in a UNI 460 course/seminar or a departmental study abroad offering will have their coursework assessed by UIS faculty and will have their grades posted directly to their transcript.
B) Students participating in a program through UNI 470 (exchange program) will have their UNI 470 grade marked as credit/no credit on their official UIS transcript based upon transcripts received from the host institution.
C) Students participating in a program through UNI 480 (study abroad through another institution/university/agency) will have their UNI 480 grade noted as credit/no credit based upon transcripts received from the host institution.
VIII. Course/Seminar/Program Accounting Procedures
A) Disbursement of all program fees will be recorded by the Office of Study Abroad Programs and the Faculty/Director.
B) International airfare will be arranged by the Office of Study Away Programs including final booking of and payment for tickets in accordance with all appropriate University purchasing policies and procedures.
C) The Faculty/Director will be responsible for keeping a detailed accounting, with receipts, of the disbursement of all program fees used to support the students/participants of the course/seminar/program.
D) A statement of fund disbursement with receipts will be submitted to the Office of Study Away Programs within 10 business days after the completion of the course/seminar/program.
E) The Office of Study Away Programs will, in turn, submit this statement and receipts to Accounting.
F) If gift or agency funds are available to support the costs of a specific trip, expenses will be transferred from the self-supporting fund to the gift and/or agency fund.
Questions about any of the policies and procedures related to study abroad at UIS should be directed to the Office of Study Away Programs, BRK 483, 206-8319, email@example.com.
Fund Raising Guidelines
I) Procedures for selling items purchased for resale
A) Work with the Office of International Programs (OIP) to select vendor
B) Items should be purchased using the university tax-exempt letter
C) Items should be purchased using the OIP's P-Card whenever possible
D) If using the OIP P-Card is not possible purchase should be made using an invoice voucher which will be paid by check – expect some delay, particularly if the vendor is not in the system
E) During and after the sale the following information must be tracked
1) all sales including number of sales and amount of each sale
2) names and addresses of each buyer who pays over the market value of the item for sale
3) funds received must be deposited with the Bursars Office within one working day of the sale
4) the group organizing the sale should appoint two members to count and deposit the funds raised
5) notify OIP that funds have been deposited with the Bursar
6) information regarding sales and names and addresses of buyers needs to be submitted to OIP, electronically, within 24 hours on OIP's fundraising form
F) OIP will validate the deposit and transfer the funds into the appropriate account
II) Procedures for selling items by auction
A) An OIP Auction Form will need to be filled out for all donated and purchased items (this form is not needed for bake sale items or for food sale items)
B) For items purchased for the auction follow the steps in I
C) For each donated item the following information will need to be tracked
1) name and address of donor
2) what was donated and its fair market value
3) names and addresses of each buyer
4) how much each item was purchased for during the auction
D) Following the sale:
1) All funds received must be deposited with the Bursars Office within one working day of the auction
2) the group organizing the auction should appoint two members to count and deposit the funds raised
3) notify OIP that funds have been deposited with the Bursar
4) information regarding donations, values, purchases, sales and names and addresses of donors and buyers needs to be submitted to OIP, electronically, within 24 hours on OIP's auction form
5) OIP will validate the deposit and transfer the funds into the appropriate account
III) Procedures for Meals (pancake breakfasts, chili cook offs, etc.)
A) Work with the Office of International Programs (OIP) to select vendor, if appropriate
B) Items should be purchased using the university tax-exempt letter
C) Purchase should be made by the organizing group which will be reimbursed through a completed and signed travel employee reimbursement voucher. Original receipts must be attached and forwarded to OIP for processing
D) For each donated item the following information will need to be tracked
1) name and address of donor
2) what was donated and its fair market value
E) Calculate the fair market value of the meal taking into consideration all of the costs of the event, such as facility and equipment rental, etc.
F) Keep track of:
1) the name and addresses of each attendee
2) how much over the fair market value of the meal they pay
G) Following the sale:
1) All funds received must be deposited with the Bursars Office within one working day of the auction
2) the group organizing the meal should appoint two members to count and deposit the funds raised
3) notify OIP that funds have been deposited with the Bursar
4) information regarding donations, purchases, sales and names and addresses of donors and buyers needs to be submitted to OIP, electronically, within 24 hours on OIP's special form
5) OIP will validate the deposit and transfer the funds into the appropriate account
IV) Raffles
There are several procedural issues that need to be resolved involving the raffle license which must be secured from the Sangamon County Clerk. Until these issues are resolved no raffles will be authorized.
V) Solicitation of gifts
A) All gifts from donors with the exception of those being given directly to an individual for their personal use must be properly recorded
B) Gifts can include cash or checks as well as the underwriting of events, brochures or services provided by the donors.
C) All gifts and non-gift fundraising proceeds for the University of Illinois at Springfield are processed through the University of Illinois Foundation (UIF).
D) Other types of Gifts and related procedures:
1) Events and non-gifts – Typically with events or other outings, there is a portion of the contribution that is directly tied to benefits/goods or services received by a donor. This portion is called a non-gift. For example, if a fundraising dinner is held, the contribution to attend is $100; the FAIR MARKET VALUE of the dinner (not the cost of the dinner) is $25. The tax receipt will acknowledge the $100 contribution; $75 as a gift and $25 as the non-deductible portion. It is important that the non-gift portion be determined BEFORE the event and clearly identified to donors. UIF should process these types of fundraising activities (via the UIS Gift Processing Office in Central Development.)
2) Gifts in kind (GIK) – Non-cash personal or real property gifts, such as, securities, buildings, farmland, equipment, computers, artwork, collections, and bargain-sales/purchase discounts are defined as gifts-in-kind. They may also include other intangible non-cash gifts such as royalties, patents, life insurance, retirement plans, limited partnerships, etc. Services may be recorded for gift credit, but are generally not tax deductible. With events, typical donated services may include catering, speaker fees, room rentals, etc. The donor determines the value of contributed items; generally, non-cash gifts over $5,000 require an appraisal provided by the donor (UIF will require a copy for valuation documentation). Donors are required to submit to the IRS Form 8283 for certain non-cash gifts; the UIF generates this form for inclusion with the tax receipt sent to the donor.
3) Sponsorships – The IRS stipulates sponsoring an event or display within a brochure does not constitute advertising, but is a tax-deductible gift in the following instances (1) where the message does not contain qualitative or comparative language, price information, or other indications of savings or value; (2) there are no endorsements; (3) there are no inducements to purchase, sell or use the products or services. Any inclusion of the above constitutes advertising, rather than sponsorship, and is not a tax-deductible gift. Common forms of sponsorship are hosting a booth at an event or listing the company/donor name in a brochure. The value of a sponsorship is reduced by any goods or services provided to the donor in exchange for the gift (e.g. free tickets to the event, parking passes, etc.)
4) Donation – The most common form of gift in support of the Global Experience Program and the study abroad programs therein are monetary donations. These are submitted to the university is several different manners:
a) directly to the UIF
b) to a student, staff or faculty member
i) in this instance the funds need to be deposited in the Bursars Office
ii) at that time the deposit should be noted in the UIF receipt book noting the amount of the deposit, its source, and the account into which it should be deposited
iii) the UIF will then collect and process the funds
This guide is not meant to be exhaustive. All questions regarding fundraising related to study abroad programs should be brought to the attention of the Office of Study Away Programs which will consult with the appropriate offices should the answer to the questions not be straightforward.
Office of Study Away Programs
217 206 6678


text:
Bellevue, WA: Wibbley's Burgers, Satisfying Pub Grub For Your Lunch Hour
Burger reviews in the Seattle area.
Wibbley's Burgers
2255 140th Ave NE, #B, Bellevue WA 98005 (map); 425-747-7818; wibbleys.com
Cooking Method: Charbroiled
Short Order: English pub-style restaurant is a local favorite and a burger haven for those wanting a good, affordable quarter-pound burger
Want Fries with That? Fries come in half or full-sized orders, but skip fries and go for onion rings
Price: Wibbley's Gourmet Burger, $4.69; extra beef patty, +$1.49; 1/2 order fries, $1.49, full order, $2.49, onion rings, $3.29
Note: Cash or check only; restaurant has an ATM
You wouldn't expect to find an English pub-style hamburger joint along a busy street dotted with car dealerships and chain stores, but sure enough, as you drive by an old stripmall off 140th Avenue NE east of Seattle, a funny name on a sign may catch your eye: Wibbley's Burgers, a popular local lunchtime burger joint.
When you walk in the cozy and narrow space, you're immediately faced with the ordering desk framed with shelves of quirky collectibles and a view into their kitchen, sizzling with the sounds of charbroiling meat and cracking with the sounds of frying potatoes. Surrounded by dark mahogany wood, this quick-serve hamburger joint definitely feel more like an ale house, but don't try to order a pint of Guinness—they don't serve liquor.
What's New On Serious Eats
Wibbly's burgers feature a charbroiled, quarter-pound, fresh beef patty on a large sesame seed bun, in variations like the South of the Border with green chile and pepper jack cheese, or the Century Burger with blue cheese, bacon, and sprouts. But since I've found that too many toppings overwhelm the flavor of the patty, I'd recommend the signature Wibbley's Gourmet Burger—the least fussed-over burger on the menu—served with shreds of iceberg lettuce, tomato slices, a hefty layering of pickles, and a slathering of Wibbley's dressing, a tangy mayonnaise-based sauce mixed with relish that's like tartar sauce with more vinegar. The pickles and tart sauce gives a distinctive tangy flavor and cut nicely through the richness of the beef. Simply seasoned with salt and pepper, it's got the flavor of a good classic hamburger and has a smoky bite thanks to the layer of char on the patty, but the dressing is what really heightens the burger.
By default, they cook the burgers to medium, bordering on medium well, but the meat manages to stay moist. They'll offer to cook it to the doneness you want if you're looking for a rarer burger, but they're less likely to get it right during the busy lunch rush between 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. when the kitchen is swamped.
They offer fries in half and full-sized orders, but skip the fries and get their onion rings. The onions are cut thick, dipped in a light batter, and fried perfectly to a crisp golden brown. The batter stays crisp for an impressively long time and sticks to the onion.
Having a satisfyingly classic burger with onion rings in what feels like a dark, cozy English pub isn't a bad way to take a break from the cubicle world.
Love hamburgers? Then you'll Like AHT on Facebook! And go follow us on Twitter while you're at it!
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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A Car Loan for a Toyota Sienna Is Available At Charles Maund Toyota Near Leander 78641
Buying a new vehicle can a hefty investment, which is why at Charles Maund Toyota we offer Toyota Sienna car loans near Leander. With our experienced finance representatives and helpful online tools, we have the perfect resources for your new car purchase. With our loan, you will be able drive home in the vehicle you have always wanted at an affordable rate.
What exactly is a car loan? Instead of paying for a vehicle out of your own pocket, you are able to borrow money from a lender, financial institution, or bank that is associated with our dealership, to which you pay agreed-upon installments for the duration of the loan. Since your car payment will be tailored to what you can afford, your monthly payments will fit nicely within your budget. Once you pay back the money that was borrowed, the car is officially yours.
When you meet with our finance department about a Toyota Sienna car loan near Leander, they will work with you one-on-one to help you choose the best-suited plan for you and your lifestyle. For a better approximation of where you stand in terms of finance, our Payment Calculator helps you determine your purchasing power and potential monthly payments based on your current budget. Regardless of what kind of credit you have, our finance representatives are happy to sit down with you and help steer you in the right direction to the best car loan plan.
To make things convenient, you can apply for pre-approval right here on our site. Our Finance Application allows you to see what kind of loan you are eligible for and how much you are able to afford. Once you are pre-approved, you can choose the vehicle that suits you and your needs best within our inventory. If you are unsure of where to start, make an appointment with either our Sales or Finance Department to discuss what your options are and ask any questions you may have.
Here at Charles Maund Toyota, obtaining a Toyota Sienna car loan near Leander is easy and convenient for all of our customers no matter what your financial background may be. Our staff is always happy to assist you with all of your questions and concerns. Contact us today for more information.
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Austin, TX 78758 Get Directions


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CHANNELED MESSAGE from Malakai of the Pleiadian Collective and a Brief message from 'RA' through Isaac
Website: http://www.psychicaquarius.com
"Isaac offers channeled messages from the Galactic Federation of Light, as well as Chakra readings, Tarot Readings and Astrology Readings. He is working to help prepare the planet for first contact with Extra-Terrestrials and wishes to help uplift the overall consciousness of humanity. Starseed and Truth-seekers alike, we all have a roll to play.
You can find more Channeled messages on his YouTube Channel – Starseed Communications: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZhPLYRHeytKgYKn4HyfAPQ
He also has a second YouTube with videos on basic metaphysics and General Self-Help at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfNDmAnlkHSJ7nUqjYt-nMw
Visit his website for info on Readings at http://www.psychicaquarius.com
Malakai of the Pleiadian Collective and a Brief message from 'RA' was originally published on Awakening Our Truth


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Hot off the heals of the Tampa Pro success, Split is proud to welcome Johnny Layton to its skate team.
Johnny is one of the top ams in the country and he fits the split image perfectly. If you caught his part in Toy Machines Good & Evil you know exactly what we mean.
Johnny Joins, Billy Marks, Jim Gagne, Anthony Shetler and Mathias Ringstrom on the skate team.
Johnny also rides for Toy Machine, Vans, Thunder trucks, Ricta wheels and Active.
Split, based in Southern California has a full line of progressive Mens and Womens apparel. As a cross-boardsport brand, Split continues to emphasize the relationship between lifestyle, fashion and action. Split has always been known to be unique in its image and product offering, and continues to support full Skate and Surf teams of top athletes including: Billy Marks, Jim Gagne, Anthony Shetler, Mathias Ringstrom, Shea Lopez, Mikala Jones and many more. For more information check out www.splitusa.com


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1. SRM Licenses...David J. Easter Jun 6, 2011 12:14 PM (in response to Matt Gee)
Hi Matt,
Yes. SRM user licenses are required to use the SRM application. Please contact your BMC sales representative to discuss your particular environment and determine the proper number and type of licenses.
David J. Easter
Product Line Manager
Remedy Platform
BMC Software, Inc.
2. SRM Licenses...Roger Jakobs Jul 12, 2012 3:55 AM (in response to David J. Easter)
Hi David,
does users, that already have an Incident-license, need an additional SRM-User-license?
I guess not, but I cannot find a clear statement.
3. SRM Licenses...Carl Wilson Jul 12, 2012 6:30 AM (in response to Roger Jakobs)1 of 1 people found this helpful
yes, SRM is licensed separately from Incident Management.
Take a look at the below document for further clarification:
4. SRM Licenses...Roger Jakobs Jul 12, 2012 6:53 AM (in response to Carl Wilson)
Hi Carl,
yes, the confusing part is that you can administer SRM with a Specialist license, but cannot use the front end with it...
If this sentence from 2009 is still valid, the SRM-Admins also need an additional SRM-User-license:
"For people working in the back end of SRM – working on Work Orders, in the Service
Catalog manager console, in the Service Coordinator console, etc. – they need AR write
licenses (fixed or float); they do not need an SRM application license to do work orders
or to access the other back end consoles.
(Of course, they will need one if they will be putting in requests on the front end so they will probably have one.)"
Best Regards,
5. SRM Licenses...Carl Wilson Jul 12, 2012 8:08 AM (in response to Roger Jakobs)
Hi Roger,
this is true, it also applies to the new RKM application added to the ITSM Suite with respect to Administering and using the Search - 2 licenses are required.
It can be quite confusing, best to contact your BMC Sales rep to discuss the current licensing model and requirements.
6. SRM Licenses...David J. Easter Jul 12, 2012 9:59 AM (in response to Roger Jakobs)
Keep in mind that there is the technical license (e.g. the AR System fixed/floating user) and the entitlement that you purchase (e.g. the BMC Remedy Service Management Specialist license bundle) - the use of the AR System User license is governed by the entitlement, not the other way around.
While technically the AR System fixed/floating user license is required to act as an SRM administrator, analyst or technician; it is the entitlement that is provided with purchasing the Service Management Specialist license bundle (or ITSM Suite user bundle) that provides you the rights to use it within SRM.
For end-user activities (e.g. submitting a service request through the front end), again technically it is an AR System read user license that is required to perform the action, but it is purchasing the Self-Service end user licenses that provides the rights to those users to use SRM as a consumer.
Think of it like fishing. If I have a fishing rod, I can technically catch fish. But I need to get a fishing license to have the rights to use it. And even with that fishing license, I am only allowed to catch fish that aren't endangered...
David J. Easter
Product Line Manager, AR System
BSM & Atrium Solutions Mgmt
BMC Software, Inc.
7. SRM Licenses...Roger Jakobs Jul 12, 2012 10:09 AM (in response to David J. Easter)
Hi David,
thank you, this answers precisely my question.


text:
Main drdteam.org news.
[Home] [Hosted & External Links]
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Post Reply
3 posts • Page 1 of 1
- Developer
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This site will have to be shut down over the course of several days while I do the migration. It will likely happen this weekend. I don't think I am going to be able to do a "live" migration as I have done in the past where the site can stay running even while everything transfers, and I also want to do it a little bit more carefully as well.
- Tiger
- Siberian Tigers Rule All~!!!
- Developer
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Re: Downtime
Thank you for the letting us know. I have one request for you - once all of this migration is finalized and whatnot, stay active here
Nicholas 'Tiger' Gautier
- Paul
- an' a bit of white
- DRD Team Admin (Inactive)
- Posts: 1058
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Re: Downtime
Aww... I was going to update my site this weekend. Won't have time next week
Oh well, I'll have to do that the 2nd week from now.
Oh well, I'll have to do that the 2nd week from now.
Post Reply
3 posts • Page 1 of 1


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Research conducted by University of California, Davis (UC Davis) scientists could turn the tables to partially solve herbicide resistance management issues in establishing rice stands without reducing yields.
Herbicide resistance management is a gargantuan problem for rice growers impacted by fewer available herbicides and related modes of action or plant detoxification routes. Some herbicides including the workhorse Molinate are no longer available. California rice fields have a plethora of weeds including broadleaves, grasses, sedges, and others.
"Rice is heavily dependent on herbicides for effective weed control," said Albert Fischer, UC Davis associate professor of weed ecophysiology. "Herbicide reductions and related weed resistance is a pretty serious problem."
The weed science team led by Fischer is seeking solutions to minimizing weed populations in rice by experimenting with alternative stand establishment techniques. At the California Rice Experiment Station in Biggs, Calif., researchers conducted five alternate stand establishment trials about a quarter-acre in size each and replicated four times from 2004 to 2007.
Research objectives included diversifying weed species that emerge with rice through alternate aerobic and anaerobic seeding to create unfavorable conditions for certain weeds that built a resistance to available herbicides. Another objective was testing herbicide options to control herbicide-resistant weed biotypes including pendimethalin in drill seeding and glyphosate in stale seedbeds.
"We wanted to identify the ability of these systems to control herbicide-resistant weeds by diversifying management practices," Fischer said.
About 95 percent of California's rice crop is grown within 100 miles of the Sacramento Valley. The remaining acreage is located south of the Valley in the Delta.
The tested stand establishment systems included: conventional water seeded; conventional drill seeded; spring tillage-stale seedbed-water seeded; no spring tillage-stale seedbed-water seeded; and no spring tillage-stale seedbed–drill seeded.
Conventional water seeded: The aquatic, conventionally water-seeded rice ground included spring tilling followed by field flooding and seeding by airplane. Propanil was the most commonly applied herbicide.
Conventional drill-seeded: Spring tilling was followed by drilling into a dry seedbed, the method currently utilized in the Southern rice-growing states. The field was flooded at the four-leaf stage. The switch from traditional water seeding to dry seeding created a weed shift from aquatic weeds to grasses.
Spring tillage-stale seedbed-water seeded: The field was dominated by the weeds smallflower umbrella sedge, redstem, and ducksalad, but glyphosate (Roundup) used with the stale-seedbed technique provided good weed control. The grass seed bank decreased over four years.
No spring tillage-stale seedbed-water seeding: Spring tillage was replaced by tillage the previous fall that incorporated residue into the soil. Irrigation in the spring led to weed sprouting controlled with Roundup. Flooding and water seeding followed. No weeds existed during the growing season.
No spring tillage-stale seedbed-drill seeded: This aerobic system favored grass development which occurred along the drill furrows. Grasses were controlled with Roundup in the stale seedbed application, but other herbicides were also needed. No aquatic weeds emerged with the rice.
The field experiments proved that weed species change from water seeding to drill seeding; the aquatic weeds, and their resistant biotypes disappear.
Grass problems increase particularly with barnyardgrass and bearded sprangletop. If the problem is too severe, switching back to an aquatic system with no till and a stale seedbed is an option to reduce grass and resistant barnyardgrass infestations.
Rice yields were similar across the alternative stand systems. Fertilization was modified for water and dry seeding schedules.
In the fifth year, the researchers decided to make a switcheroo. Plots that were under four years of water seeding were no-till drilled following a Roundup stale seedbed or were moved back to the conventional water seeded system. Aerobically-established plots were converted to no-till water seeding after a Roundup-treated stale seedbed.
"The results were good stands of rice and few weeds without the use of herbicides in the water seeded treatments where stale seedbeds were involved," Fischer surmised.
"This is a remarkable demonstration that growers can invest in a stale seedbed treatment to control resistant weeds with glyphosate or another similar compound for a brief period of time, and then return to the conventional rice production with the added bonus of dramatic reductions in weed control inputs that year," Fischer said.
Bottom lines
Fischer calls the trial results extremely encouraging. "Alternating stand establishment techniques may be an effective approach for diversifying weed management in California's monoculture rice production."
The four-year trials demonstrate that alternating weed establishment environments creates a shift in weed species and can reduce herbicide-resistance pressure, Fischer said.
A stale seedbed without spring tillage reduces the weed population. In the stale seedbed-no till-water-seeded treatment, one pre-plant application of glyphosate provided almost total season-long weed control. The herbicides glyphosate (Roundup) and pendimethalin (Prowl) reduced weed densities in the stale seedbed and drill-seeded systems, respectively. The herbicides control herbicide-resistant weed biotypes.
Alternating from aerobic to anaerobic rice stand establishments with a stale seedbed successfully reduced weed infestations. Yields did not change between the tested alternative stand establishment systems. "This strongly demonstrates the potential for controlling resistant weeds and lowering herbicide use," Fischer said.
The single exception was rotating from a conventional water-seeded rice system into a drill-seeded, no-till application where the stale seedbed did not completely eliminate heavy grass infestations. "We advise against the continuous use of only drill seeding given the strong infestations that occur in this system and the opportunities for weedy red rice infestations," Fischer said.
While drill seeding diminished aquatic weed pressure, the seeding practice should only be used in rotation with water-seeded rice using a stale seedbed treatment with glyphosate, Fischer says.
Future research will focus on farm implementation, predicting weed emergence in stale seedbed irrigation, and the long-term economic benefits to farmers.
In addition to Fischer, scientists on the team, all from UC Davis, included: Randall Mutters, farm advisor, Butte County; Jim Hill, Extension specialist, Department of Plant Sciences; Bruce Linquist, project scientist, Plant Sciences; Chris Greer, rice farm advisor, Sutter, Yuba, Placer, and Sacramento counties; Luis Espino, rice farm advisor, Colusa, Glenn, and Yolo counties; and James Eckert, staff research associate.
Fischer shared the research findings with pest control advisors and others attending the California Weed Science Society annual conference in Sacramento, Calif.
e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Alex Poythress and Archie Goodwin each scored 15 points to help lead Kentucky past Portland 74-46 on Saturday.
The Wildcats (6-3) won their second game in a row after a series of losses, which culminated with a 64-55 loss to Baylor Dec. 1 and dropped them from the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time under fourth-year coach John Calipari.
Four Wildcats finished in double figures: Poythress, Goodwin, senior Julius Mays (13) and sophomore Kyle Wiltjer (12).
Ryan Nicholas finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds for Portland.
The Pilots (3-6) held court at Rupp Arena early in the first half. But Poythress scored two quick baskets to spark a 16-0 Kentucky run from which the Pilots did not recover.
Freshman center Nerlens Noel suffered a left leg injury and limped around in pregame warm-ups, but he still played 32 minutes in the Wildcats' win. He finished with seven points, nine rebounds and seven blocks.


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a handle to (one's) name(redirected from a handle to his name)
a handle to (one's) name
A sobriquet, title, or designation. Big guys always seem to have things like "Tiny" as a handle to their name. Now that you've got your PhD, you've got a handle to your name, doctor!
handle to one's name
A nickname or title, as in He was knighted and now had a handle to his name, or His gluttony earned him a handle to his name, Big Mouth. [First half of 1800s]


text:
If news reports are to be believed, Florida is the craziest and most dangerous place on earth. From bath salts to alligators to women who act very inappropriately in traffic, the state has a lengthy history of making places such as Texas seem like cultural meccas on par with Paris or London.
Which is why even though the TruTV reality show "South Beach Tow" has been accused of being staged, the mere fact that it is set in Florida makes this clip within the realm of possibility.
Watch as this Lexus owner resists the tow by performing kung fu on the South Beach Towing employee, as well as an innocent bystander, before he is put down with a ratchet to the head.
It looks staged to me. Then again, this is Florida we're talking about. Plus, Jennifer Lopez produces the show — and would she lie to us?


text:
Mustad DM Icelandic
Designed for Icelandic horses
The DM IS, a new addition to our successful DM range is specifically designed for Icelandic horses.
With this addition the farrier has the best possible option when shoeing Icelandic horses that are competing, as the DM IS meets the FEIF requirements.
Ask the expert
Questions about this product?Let us know
Where to buy
Find your nearest dealer
Product summary
- Model
- Front and hind, typical left and right
- Clips
- Front toe clip. Hind side clips
- Sizes
- Front 0-3. Hind 2*0-2
- Weather
- All weather
- Indoor
- Winter
- Terrain
- Sand
- Activity
- Dressage
- Icelandic equitation
- Leisure
Find your nearest dealer
Good to know
- specifically designed for the Icelandic horse
- slightly longer and oval shape
- meets the FEIF requirements for competition
- only available in front toe clip
Aksel Vibe, farrier in Norway
I'm shoeing the horse, not only the feet
Every horse deserves the best possible shoeing
German farrier Errol Wernike shoes 400 horsesRead story


text:
While its reach and appeal have proven vast, the Seinfeldian Universe is ultimately a very small world.
It's a place where the minutiae of seemingly ordinary human interaction and behavior are dissected, laid bare and responded to in off-kilter ways, usually to great comic effect. A cranky soup-making genius is likened to modern history's most infamous madman. A "double-dipper" is ostracized. The most private of acts becomes fodder for a contest.
It's a universe of expanding nothingness that began two decades ago with Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David's "Seinfeld," took on a more bawdy and curmudgeonly bent with David's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," and edged toward gentleness with Seinfeld's new reality/comedy show "The Marriage Ref."
Now we're happily bracing for a collision of planets: repeats of "Curb" set to air on the TV Guide Channel are going to be followed by panel discussions about the episodes, The New York Times reports.
It sounds like a great idea – kind of "Curb" meets "The Marriage Ref." Why not add a post-mortem to a show that's already about excessive autopsying of human interaction and etiquette?
Larry David, playing an exaggerated version of himself, has given viewers plenty to pick apart over the past 70 episodes on HBO. He's rude and is obsessed, with, among other things, race, physical disabilities, food and death.
Over the last decade, he's insulted an African-American doctor, accused a TV executive of stealing shrimp from a Chinese food container and stolen a golf club from a casket.
Much of this seems like material for the psychiatrist's couch – except Larry stopped going after seeing his shrink wearing a thong on the beach.
The post-"Curb" panel discussions, expected to run seven-to-10 minutes, The Times reports, will be hosted by comedian Susie Essman, who plays Susie Greene, the volatile, foul-mouthed voice of common sense on the show.
The Times said David would assemble the panels, which could include show business and sports figures, and even rabbis. But it was unclear whether David would be on hand to defend his character's anti-social actions, which in the past season alone included juggling dates who use wheelchairs, fighting Rosie O'Donnell over who should pay a restaurant check and refusing a piece of pie from Ted Danson.
Some of us go to bars to settle the world. The Seinfeldian approach means hitting the booth at Monk's Diner, enlisting a panel of celebrities to help arbitrate marital disputes or a ordering up a group discussion on the misadventures of a misanthrope.
And nothing, appropriately enough, is ever straightened out in this world: the Seinfeldian Universe, thankfully, remains a hilariously absurd and unsettling place.
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.


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U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced in Vermont on Thursday that his agency will double the pace of spending on efforts to reduce farm runoff entering Lake Champlain.
Vilsack, Sen. Patrick Leahy and Rep. Peter Welch, both Vermont Democrats, announced that the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service will provide about $45 million to address a problem seen as a big contributor to the blue-green algae blooms that have clogged parts of the lake in recent years.
"This historic USDA investment will help improve water quality while assisting producers in establishing and expanding sound conservation practices," Vilsack said. He said the agency would provide $45 million for lake cleanup efforts in the next five years, following $46 million in investments during the past 10 years.
At the same time, state officials announced they would be sending in extra staff from the Vermont agencies of Agriculture and Natural Resources to educate farmers, and take enforcement action against violators, in northwestern Vermont's Franklin County, where some of the most severe runoff problems are said to originate.
The lake's Missisquoi Bay and St. Albans Bay, which form parts of Franklin County's western border, this summer have had what Environmental Conservation Commissioner David Mears called some of the worst algae blooms his department's scientists had ever seen.
Mears and state Agriculture Secretary Chuck Ross said it wasn't clear what was causing this summer's extraordinary algae blooms, but speculated that the state may be seeing what Mears called an "echo" from Tropical Storm Irene, which hit three years ago Thursday and whose intense rainfall briefly caused a huge spike in runoff into the lake.
"Things can get worse very badly and very quickly when you have that kind of storm," Ross said of Irene. But, he added that there were initial indicators that the amount of runoff flowing into rivers feeding the lake on a longer-term basis was lessening.
"We think we're starting to see some positive signals," Ross said.
The hope is that those signals will grow stronger, thanks in part to the increased federal funding announced Thursday.
Much of the money will go to educate farmers about the best practices to reduce runoff from their farms. It will be focused on three geographic areas on the Vermont side of the lake that forms much of the border between Vermont and neighboring New York state.
USDA officials offered copies of some of the educational materials they hope farmers will take to heart. Among the tips in one of the flyers:
— Disturb the soil as little as possible.
— Grow many different species of plants through rotations and a diverse mixture of cover crops.
— Plant cover crops around harvest to keep living roots growing in the soil for as much of the year as possible.
— Keep the soil surface covered with residue year-round.
Ralph McNall, who milks 200 Holsteins on his farm in Fairfax and is president of the St. Albans Cooperative Creamery Inc., said he was pleased with the stepped up efforts to help farmers correct their pollution problems.
"A lot of us know what the problems are but don't have the resources to take care of them," he said of dairy farmers in his area. Among the problems: Many farms lack enough land to spread manure adequately to dilute its impact on the environment.


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THE SPORTS DOCTOR- October blues: A month-long sad sports story
T.S. Eliot claimed that April is the cruelest month, but Eliot was no sports fan. Born in 1888 and an immigrant to England in 1914, Eliot wouldn't have associated April with preseason baseball; for him it would have been just wet. For those of us who are sports fans and still live stateside, there's no month more cruel than October.
Some people say the dreariest time of year for sports fans is the day after baseball's All-Star game. I beg to differ. There may be no baseball game, but the prospect of fall sports is laid out like a banquet. There are wild card races in the offing, fantasy football drafts to organize, and college t-shirts to buy. The All-Star break is nothing if not a cornucopia of promise.
Sports fans luxuriate in September. Baseball finally gets really interesting, college football is just starting, and basketball is still months away. There's no better time to be a sports fan than September, when dreams can still come true.
And then comes October, the dream killer.
Let's be honest: even the most dedicated baseball fans are ready to slit their wrists by mid-October. Does any other sport reduce its fan base as effectively as baseball? By World Series time, 90 percent of baseball fans don't have any interest in who's playing, much less who wins. For non-baseball fans, the World Series is an exercise in torture: five-hour games with players no one's ever heard of, all neatly wrapped in an advertisement for Chevy trucks.
It's enough to make one watch the news.
So October is bad for baseball– what of it? Everybody knows that World Series or no World Series, God and the BCS intended college football to rule October. People who turn on baseball after September get what they deserve. Why watch the World Series when you can watch UCF vs. Tulsa on ESPN2?
If there's one thing more disappointing than October baseball, it's October football. For all but a handful of schools, October is little more than a death knell. By the time the leaves change, college football fans who at the beginning of the season would rather have "had an accident" on the sofa than miss a second of the game are stalking away from the television to see if they can help with supper.
It's a sad state of affairs.
The NFL offers no respite either. Everybody knows professional football doesn't get interesting until the playoffs, as is evidenced by fantasy football. Without money at stake, the NFL regular season may as well be arena football.
I have bad news. As boring as sports is right now, it's going to get worse before it gets better. Even the World Series will be over by the end of the week, and college basketball is still weeks and weeks away. There's a reason colleges schedule their big rivalry games so late in the season: it's the only way to wake sports fans from their comas.
I wish I could offer a cure for the October blues, but I'm afraid you're just going to have to take it. October is the time when all sports fans have to pay the piper for March Madness, opening day, and the Orange Bowl. Nothing comes free in the world, and sports are no exception. For every time you frantically switched the channels to catch three ball games, you have to choose between the World Series of Poker and NFL Europe.
Don't worry too much, though. This too shall pass. October is almost over, and all those Thanksgiving Day bowl games are just around the corner. Soon enough, we'll be back to frantically switching channels from game to game.
But as we get caught up in all the excitement to come, we need to remember that come February, the piper will have to be paid again.