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When Brendan Emmett Quigley of Brookline found he didn't have the drive to be a rock star, he made what, to him, was a logical career move. He opted for celebrity status among cruciverbalists — crossword puzzle enthusiasts.
When Brendan Emmett Quigley of Brookline found he didn't have the drive to be a rock star, he made what, to him, was a logical career move. He opted for celebrity status among cruciverbalists — crossword puzzle enthusiasts.
"Music and crosswords are mathematical in the same way that Sudoku puzzles are mathematical," Quigley, 34, said, because they are about seeing patterns. In the case of crosswords, the patterns are in the black and white squares and in the series of vowels and consonants. Crossword puzzles are about seeing how the different elements interact, he said.
Quigley has constructed crossword puzzles for The New York Times, The Onion and The Wall Street Journal. At the beginning of December, he began posting three crossword puzzles every week on a blog called "Can I Have a Word With You?" (www.brendanemmettquigley.com).
Though busy building puzzles for his blog, The New York Times and Paste Magazine, Quigley has been helping puzzlemaster Will Shortz plan the 32nd annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament which begins Friday in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Quigley calls the tournament his "other family reunion."Building blocks of a puzzle
When Quigley begins creating a new puzzle, he first picks a theme, though usually themes are inspired, rather than selected. If a theme comes to him, he will pull out a Moleskin notebook with a decal of actor Don Cheadle on the cover and write it down. He will also pick themes from popular culture, like the "Twilight" series, or the "25 Random Things About Me" Facebook fad.
Once he has a theme to work with, Quigley comes up with a few entries relating to the theme. For one theme, the "Twilight" series of young adult novels by Stephanie Meyer, he used the book titles: TWILIGHT ZONE, ECLIPSE AWARD, NEW MOON ON MONDAY; he said he threw in character names, BELLA, EDWARD and CULLEN; and author name MEYER for "extra spice."
Next, Quigley creates the pattern of black and white boxes on the puzzle grid. The American puzzle grid has 15 boxes by 15 boxes. The top half and bottom half of the grid are symmetrical, so that it has the same pattern upside down.
Quigley puts the longest themed entry in the middle, and then adds the other themed entries to form the grid. Quigley usually follows the American format for crossword puzzles. Each entry must have at least three letters. None of the 78 entries can repeat.Evolution of the crossword
Quigley said The New York Times first defined the American style format to weed through the number of submissions. Between the 1920s and the late 1970s, puzzles were mostly academic, Quigley said. Then a "new wave" of cruciverbalists began emphasizing humor and including contemporary TV and movie references. They also broke the taboo of using brand names.
Quigley said he takes it upon himself to start the next "new wave" of crossword puzzles. Part of the reason for bringing puzzles online, he said, was to make them more interactive and available. Quigley said he wants to bring puzzles to the Internet crowd and to "embrace the next generation."
Part of appealing to the Internet generation means picking themes that will attract them, such as the "Twilight" series, and using other entries that a younger audience will appreciate.Making puzzles 'pop'
Once Quigley has placed the themed entries in the new crossword puzzle, he works to fill the other entries. He tries to come up with unusual entries, especially for those longer than six letters. The availability of slick puzzle-making software has speeded up the process in the past 12 years.
Quigley uses his own database to sort through boring words and find the "good words" — which usually have a lot of consonants in a row — and filler entries with easy vowel-noun-vowel patterns. Quigley will also include unusual letters like X, or uncommon letters like W or J. The crossword software will list possible entries using the letters he has already placed. Quigley tries to find the cleverest one, "every single entry, one-at-a-time," he wrote in an e-mail.
Quigley said the availability of software has watered down the selection of available crossword puzzles. Finding unique words to fill the puzzle is what "separates the men from the boys," he said. Novice constructors don't realize that finding unique, original entries and clues are what give a puzzle "pop," he wrote.
Clues are the last thing Quigley writes for a new crossword puzzle. He mentioned the "constructor's constructor," Bob Klahn.
"Every inch is brand new," in Klahn's puzzles, Quigley said, "We're all trying to emulate his freshness."
Brookline TAB


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'American Idol' Contestants Receive Spiritual Support From Pastor Linda Bellesi
"American Idol" contestants often endure long days and harsh criticism from judges and audiences. During that time, one may wonder if their spiritual needs are being tended to. Linda Bellesi, though, is determined to take care of contestants and minister to their needs.
Bellesi has worked with contestants from the past seven seasons, opening up her home to their family members and assisting both financially and spiritually to those who appear on "American Idol." A private website has been established for the exclusive use of the contestants' families, that they may receive spiritual guidance and stay in contact with Bellesi.
She and husband Danny, a preacher, founded the Orange County ministry Kingdom of Assignment, which has a mission statement "to turn heads and hearts into the hands and feet of Christ." Though it is not associated with any particular denomination, the organization's vision statement says it is "to use Kingdom Assignment stewardship principles to encourage others to use their God-given Talents, Treasures and Time."
It is described on its website as being an "organic and growing movement among hundreds of churches and thousands of people around the world."
Bellesi decided to get involved with "American Idol" during season five.
"Here I am, Lord, send me to the backstage of 'American Idol,'" she prayed. She describes her calling "to minister to the needs of the people on that show," Bellesi told the Orange County Register. She did get a chance to meet Katharine McPhee after she walked into the Lake Avenue Church, where Danny was serving.
According to Linda, Katharine asked her for prayer, as she was about to go on "American Idol." Then, a few months later, Linda was able to give McPhee a silver bracelet engraved with the words of Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you a hope and a future."
During the next season, Linda was able to meet Paula Abdul, then a judge for the show, and Abdul invited her backstage. Linda then met Jordin Sparks, who handed her a ticket with the same verse, Jeremiah 29:11, written on it.
After seeing that verse yet again, Linda knew she had to send Sparks a bracelet like the one she had given McPhee.
Sparks wore the bracelet for the remainder of the season and went on to win the competition. Linda's name became circulated among the contestants, many of whom were away from their families for the first time.
"For a lot of people, that's a very, very tough position," she told the Register. "For those first few weeks, financially, it's a scary thing. Obviously when you're not making a salary, that can be difficult paying bills back home."
"Seeing God put the pieces together, there's no way I could have made all of that happen," she explained. "This is our message. We're all on assignment every day of our lives."
What does Bellesi think of this season's contestants? So far she has worked with Colton Dixon, who has spoken publicly about his faith.
"Colton is the Tim Tebow of 'American Idol,'" she told the Today show. "I have had some really unique opportunities to pray over him and give input where I can."

subset: commoncrawl


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400 Benedict Avenue
Tarrytown, NY 10591
Fax: 914-631-4612
[email protected]
With breathtaking ambiance, stunning interior design and award-winning cuisine, Equus is the Zagat-rated winner of Five Stars by The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (AAHS). Equus features unique and creative Auberge-style natural French cuisine based on locally sourced ingredients presented with innovative seasonal menus. A distinctive gourmet experience is consistently presented in three unique dining rooms, rich in distinct character, decor and atmosphere. Dining options include our celebrated seasonal Prix Fixe Tasting Menus and the carefully designed a la Carte offerings. A full array of creative and seductive desserts is always available.
The Garden Room has exquisite views of the lush gardens, the historic Hudson River Valley, and the majestic Manhattan skyline. The Oak Room, with its rich wood panel accoutrements first owned by Louis XIV, was brought intact to New York when the Castle was first built a century ago and the popular Library features rich Mahogany bookcases and a dramatic paneled ceiling in Neo-Classical style which adds to the room's old-world beauty and charm.
The General's Bar and Tapestry Lounge are great places to relax, socialize and enjoy your favorite libation or a light meal. The spectacular outdoor seasonal Terrace and Pool Grotto Bar is an inviting setting for romantic dining and cocktails.
Business casual attire is appropriate in Equus.
Equus is designed to provide a complete dining experience that includes superb cuisine, attentive service and celebrated ambiance for discerning adult guests. To maintain this atmosphere, we do not offer children's menus or portions as it is difficult for young children to enjoy the experience.


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Ok so where are your 2 cents when I need it? Folks always want to put in their 2 cents when they are not asked. Well, here's your opportunity....
Predicament: You have a color palette in mind for a party, right? So now you want to give your client a choice, but they choose the colorway that you weren't so crazy about. What do you do? What's your 2 cents??
I don't have a solution and lesson learned for this one, because I didn't actually experience it full on. But if you have, please share experience.. Solution and Lesson Learned if any.
So here's...My 2 Cents:
I would make a suggestion and say why I like one over the other. But ultimately it's the clients decision.
Which color palette do you like best for a little girl's Rockstart party? What's your 2 Cents!?
Want to share your experiences for 2 cents Tuesday? Email me at email@example.com with your experiences. Please include the predicament, solution, lessons learned(if any) and your 2 Cents! Can't wait to hear from you!


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Sao Tome and Principe Afrobarometer
Website: http://afrobarometer.org/countries/sao-tome-and-principe
Description: The database provides access to questionnaire and data code books as well as data on democracy, governance, economic conditions, and related issues in Algeria . Available data on are in Microsoft Word format, PDF and SAV. The data portal has a data analysis tool that can be used for online analysis of the datasets.
Publishing Organization: Afrobarometer
Access policy: Public Use Data
Country: Sao Tome and Principe
Sao Tome Data Portal
Website: http://saotome.opendataforafrica.org/
Description: The repository contains data on the country's agriculture, population, GDP, energy, education, health and food security. Data can be downloaded as interactive charts or converted into other file formats such as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Publishing Organization: Statistics Department, African Development Bank Group
Access policy: Public Use Data
Country: Sao Tome
Global Health Observatory Data Repository
Website: http:// http://www.who.int/gho/database/en/
Description: The World Health organization's data repository containing health-related statistics for more than 1000 indicators for its 194 member states. Data are organized to monitor progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Publishing Organization: Congo-WHO Regional office for Africa
Access policy: Public Use Data
Country: African countries


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This model of the fictional Starship Enterprise was used in the weekly hourlong "Star Trek" TV series that aired September 1966 to June 1969. It is now on display in the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.
If the Death Star went up against the Starship Enterprise, who would win? When it comes to White House petition drives, it's the Death Star.
The petition calling on the federal government to build a fully operational "Star Wars" battle station attracted more than 34,000 signatures, forcing the White House to issue a hilarious response. But a similar petition supporting a real-life version of Captain James T. Kirk's favorite ride fell far short of the 25,000-signature requirement when the one-month deadline passed on Monday.
At last count, the Enterprise petition had 7,200 signatures, according to its creator, a Trek fan known publicly as BTE-Dan. "I'm disappointed that it didn't reach 25,000, because I would have genuinely liked to have seen the Obama administration respond to it," Dan told NBC News in an email.
Dan is the webmaster behind the "Build the Enterprise" website — and he says he's serious about wanting NASA to do a feasibility study for an Enterprise-like spaceship.
"I really do think that building an interplanetary spaceship that follows the form of the USS Enterprise would be uniquely inspirational to Americans, and people around the world, too," he wrote. "Once its construction started in space, people would be fascinated by it, and it would constantly be in the news. And it might well inspire a new generation of Americans to study the STEM subjects [science, technology, engineering, math]."
Dan likes the basic idea behind the Obama administration's "We the People" program, which provides an opportunity for petitioners to get a response from the White House if enough people sign on.
"Unfortunately, having a short 30-day window to gather signatures makes the petition system geared to getting high signature counts mainly for the most emotionally charged current events of the moment, like pro-gun control, or anti-gun control, or the desire of some to deport Piers Morgan," he said. "People are motivated by humor, too, like in the Piers Morgan case and for the Death Star petition, and there is nothing wrong with having some fun with the petitions. But I'd like to see the system changed so that more substantive petitions get considered."
Maybe the problem was that BTE-Dan's proposal was too substantive, especially for a concept that sounds like classic science fiction. The same issue might be working against another space-themed petition, calling on the federal government to build a nuclear thermal rocket. (NASA actually pursued a nuclear-rocket development program in the 1960s, and may do so again.) That campaign has attracted fewer than 2,300 of the required 25,000 signatures with 10 days to go before the deadline.
One thing's for sure: It'll be even harder for slightly wacky petitions like the Death Star plea, or an earlier effort to crack the alien conspiracy, to make their way into the spotlight in the future. That's because the White House raised the signature requirement from 25,000 to 100,000 last week. BTE-Dan's effort just might stand as the most ambitious effort to build a real-life Starship Enterprise until the year 2063 — when eccentric genius Zefram Cochrane achieves the first warp drive flight and brings the Vulcans in for first contact.
More about starships and petition drives:
- Scientists say warp drive is more feasible than they thought
- Empire strikes back with response to Death Star petition
- Video: White House petition calls for VP reality TV show
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.


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A new trailer for director Walter Salles' (The Motorcycle Diaries) adaptation of Jack Kerouac's On the Road has landed online. This trailer starts off pretty fast and loose, but then slows down a bit to give us a better sense of the characters and story. It also features critic quotes from the film's Cannes premiere and a peek at the scene where Kristen Stewart's character, um, "services" Garrett Hedlund and Sam Riley's characters in the car. I'm really impressed by what we've seen of Hedlund as Dean thus far, and this more character-driven trailer gives me hope that Salles found a way of translating Kerouac's seminal novel for the big screen.
Hit the jump to watch the trailer. The film also stars Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst, Amy Adams, and Elizabeth Moss. A U.S. release date has yet to be announced.
Trailer via MSN UK.
Here's the synopsis for On the Road:
After the death of his father, Sal Paradise, an aspiring New York writer, meets Dean Moriarty, a wild and infectiously charismatic ex-con. They hit it off immediately. Determined to avoid the pitfalls of a narrow, prescribed life, Sal hits the road, joining Dean on what evolves into a life-changing physical and emotional odyssey. Thirsting for freedom, they discover the world, the ecstasy of experience, the connectedness of humanity and ultimately themselves.


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Dress to impress by sliding this hauntingly perfect steling silver lilac wonder tulip solitaire ring on your finger to complete your evening wear at your next black-tie affair and feel like royalty as the room lights up in awe. Featuring an elaborately inspired design, this sterling silver ring displays an exceptionally cut citrine center stone flanking a well-presented sterling silver band to elevate any evening ensemble flawlessly. This breathtaking lilac wonder tulip solitaire primise ring is the picture-perfect accompaniment to any type of outfit.
Offering a powerfully elegant design with a bold finish, this silver ring is sure to brighten the dullness of any room. With timeless style that lasts for decades, this ring exhibits supreme craftsmanship for enduring beauty. If you're looking to buy a solitaire ring online, this exquisite piece of jewellery is exciting, not only for its finish but also for its wallet friendly low price. Slip this gorgeous citrine ring on your finger and you're sure to earn an excited greeting every time.
Gemstone : Natural Untreated Citrine
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January 24th, 1989, fell on a Tuesday. It was day 24 of 1989. The decade was the 1980s.
31 years, 6 months and 14 days have passed since January 24th, 1989.
Events that occurred on January 24th, 1989:
Songs that were on top of the music singles charts in the USA and the United Kingdom on January 24th, 1989:
What movie was on top of the box office?
The date is January 24th, 1989 and it's a Tuesday. In America, the song Two Hearts by Phil Collins is on top of the singles charts. Over in the UK, Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart by Marc Almond & Gene Pitney is the number one hit song.
George W. Bush Snr. is currently the President of the United States and the movie Rain Man is at the top of the Box Office. It's 1989, so the airwaves are being dominated by music artists such as Madonna, The Bangles, Phil Collins, Roxette, Milli Vanilli and The B-52s. American serial killer Ted Bundy was executed recently.
People are watching popular TV shows such as "Dallas", "Cheers", "The Golden Girls" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles". Meanwhile, gamers are playing titles such as "Tetris", "Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar", "Maniac Mansion " and "Mega Man 2". Children and teenagers are currently watching television shows such as "Growing Pains", "ALF", "Married... with Children" and "Noozles".
If you're a kid or a teenager, then you're probably playing with toys such as "My Little Pony (figures)", "Transformers", "Sylvanian Families" and "Popples".
Trending news stories and fads that were prevalent throughout this time period. These are news stories and events that would have been in the media on January 24th, 1989.
During this period, the mini skirt became extremely popular. Shoulder pads became increasingly smaller. Popular clothing included reversible inside-out coats, bright-colored shoes with thin heels, berets, lacy gloves, rugby sweatshirts, sweater dresses, jumpsuits, capri leggings, bike shorts and skirts worn with leggings. Colors included neon hues, plum, gold, and bright wines.
"Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler would go on to win a Grammy for 1989's Song of the Year.
Mikhail Gorbachev was named as the Time Person of the Year in 1989 after overseeing the Soviet Union's first free elections.
"Driving Miss Daisy" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1989.
Movies released in 1989 included Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Batman, Back to the Future Part II, Look Who's Talking, Dead Poets Society, Lethal Weapon 2, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Ghostbusters II, The Little Mermaid, Uncle Buck and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
Popular music artists in 1989 included Def Leppard, Paula Abdul, Bon Jovi, Tone Lōc, Debbie Gibson, Milli Vanilli, Rod Stewart, Roxette, The Bangles, Fine Young Cannibals, Madonna, Jody Watley, Donny Osmond, Bette Midler, Simply Red, Martika, Love and Rockets, Gloria Estefan, New Kids on the Block, Cher, Janet Jackson, Bad English, Billy Joel, Phil Collins and Soul II Soul.
Notorious serial killer Ted Bundy was executed by electric chair on the 24th of January, 1989. Hundreds of people celebrated his death by singing, dancing and letting off fireworks.
Basic facts and information about this date:
Notable events that occurred around January 24th, 1989:
Zodiac & Birthstone information:
TV shows that you might have been watching around this time.
Children's and Teen TV shows that would have been airing on this date in 1989.
"Noozles" - "Roseanne" - "Garfield and Friends" - "Count Duckula" - "The Wonder Years" - "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" - "Fireman Sam" - "Full House" - "DuckTales" - "Adventures of the Little Koala" - "21 Jump Street" - "Married... with Children" - "ALF" - "The Real Ghostbusters" - "Pingu" - "Growing Pains" - "ThunderCats" - "Thomas the Tank Engine" - "The Cosby Show" - "Muppet Babies" - "Alvin and the Chipmunks" - "Danger Mouse" - "The Smurfs" - "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" - "The Bugs Bunny Show"
Toys and games that would have been popular on this date in 1989:
Celebrities and historical figures that were born on the 24th of January:
Weather information for January 24th, 1989:
Who was the US President on this particular date?
Interesting facts about conception dates.
Popular video games that you might have been playing around this time.
Enter your date of birth below to find out how old you were on January 24th, 1989.
Looking for some nostalgia? Here are some Youtube videos relating to January 24th, 1989. Please note that videos are automatically selected by Youtube and that results may vary! Click on the "Load Next Video" button to view the next video in the search playlist. In many cases, you'll find episodes of old TV shows, documentaries, music videos and soap dramas.
Here are some fun statistics about January 24th, 1989.
A list of random dates that you might be interested in:


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My friend Joey will not commit to a relationship with a woman. He's over 40 now and he still won't settle down. He's tried but something always distracts him.
"Bro, I fall in love on every block," he told me one day. "It's the city, Dude. It's this place. I can't help it."
Gotta love this town.


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in single player mode I cannot increase game speed above level 5 (1 min = 4 month). Is there a way to go faster ? I have the feeling that it should be possible to increase it to level 8.
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When Keepin It Real Goes Wrong Pt .2: Mother Shoots Boy After Finding Him In Her 16yr Old Daughters Bedroom!
Boy argued with the moms when she told him to leave
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Epigraphische Datenbank Heidelberg
- Director: Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Géza Alföldy
The Epigraphische Datenbank Heidelberg (EDH) is a searchable resource that provides texts, bibliographic citations, descriptive data and images for Latin and Greek inscriptions of the Roman Empire. EDH forms an essential component of the Electronic Archives of Greek and Latin Epigraphy (EAGLE), functioning as the primary repository for inscriptions from the Roman provinces. It is directed by Christian Witschel, who took over in 2007 from the project's founder, Géza Alföldy. Witschel is assisted by a research team at Heidelberg, and a growing number of external collaborators worldwide. The project was founded in 1986, and put its first data online in 1997. The project website provides a full history.
As of January 2009, EDH contained texts for over 53,000 inscriptions, together with full records for over 12,000 bibliographic items and over 17,000 images of inscriptions in addition to about 5,000 images linked from other online databases. Many of the texts in EDH are revised or corrected from previous print publications on the basis of autopsy, or with reference to a squeeze or photograph. An increasing number of print-oriented epigraphic projects are simultaneously providing EDH with electronic copies of newly edited inscriptions slated to appear in their publications.
The current database and its interface permit users to discover content by searching on a combination of the many descriptive, bibliographic and full-text fields in the three databases that house the project's data: the Epigraphic Text Database, the Epigraphic Bibliography and the Photographic Database. Crosslinks in the text database provide easy access to corresponding bibliographic and photographic information in the other databases. An array of "simple," "complex," and "expert" search interfaces support these actions.


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Lot 2170
Seaside Street, Seaford Meadows
373 m² $200,000 Lot width: 12.54m*
On Hold
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Head Office08 8112 3133 email@example.com
Rob Brereton0412 738 017 email@example.com


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ALBANY -- Two Saratoga County men -- from Saratoga Springs and Clifton Park -- were indicted by federal prosecutors on 29 felonies Thursday accusing them of mail, wire, securities and tax fraud. Timothy M. McGinn, 63, of Clifton Park and David L. Smith, 66, of Saratoga Springs were each indicted Thursday on one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 19 counts of mail and wire fraud, six counts of securities fraud and three counts of filing a false income tax return. The two were originally indicted in January on 27 charges, but Thursday federal prosecutors handed up a superseding indictment, adding two charges related to new allegations and expanding the scope of the conspiracy charge and specific allegations. The defendants were the founders of McGinn, Smith & Co. Inc., a financial broker-dealer firm in Albany that operated for nearly 30 years. A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office outlines a Ponzi-like scheme in which the two allegedly paid investors "lulling payments" to cover up bad investments. In one case, prosecutors say the firm raised $2.4 million from investors for Firstline Security Inc. without telling investors that Firstline was facing litigation and had filed for bankruptcy, defaulting on its loans. Instead, prosecutors say they paid those investors "lulling payments" from other investments. Similarly, the two allegedly sold $600,000 in one of the Firstline investments without disclosing anything about the bankruptcy or defaulted loans. At the same time, McGinn and Smith allegedly took money from one set of investors to pay another group of clients who made unrelated investments. In another case, they allegedly took money from investors to pay McGinn, Smith & Co. employees. In addition, they also are accused of filing false accounting entries with federal regulators to cover up their alleged misdeeds. Prosecutors say McGinn and Smith diverted $4.1 million in investments into their own bank accounts and that of another person and did not divulge that income to the Internal Revenue Service. Attorney E. Stewart Jones, who represents McGinn, said there is nothing illegal about what the men did and attributed losses to the global financial meltdown nearly five years ago. "I don't believe the prosecutors understand this business," he said. "We wouldn't be here today if 2007-2008 hadn't happened." Beyond that, Jones said the indictment was significantly expanded only a month before trial, which is scheduled for Nov. 13. "It makes it very difficult to prepare for a trial," he said, calling it "wrong and unfair." He will be filing a motion to push back the case to a later date. William Dreyer, who represents Smith, also contends the company and men's activity was legitimate and "did not rise to the level of criminal activity." Dreyer said because of the expansion of the case and the charges, he too will be making a motion for a continuance of the case. If convicted, the two face up to 30 years in prison for the top charge.
Pair of Saratoga County men face 29 charges each in Ponzi-like fraud scheme
- Lucian McCarty
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The literal translation of "Chichen Itza" is
This is the restored side of the Pyramid of Kukulcan, which is the focal point of the ruins and is 75 feet high. The pyramid has a square base with steps (now closed to the public) that lead to the top.
This side has not been restored. The pyramid was built for astronomical purposes and during the vernal equinox (March 20) and the autumnal equinox (September 21) the sunlight bathes the western balustrade of the pyramid's main stairway. This causes seven (isosceles triangles if you want to be precise) triangles to form imitating the body of a serpent. The body creeps downwards until it joins the huge serpent's head carved in stone at the bottom of the stairway. See the head below? Not my head. The serpent heads.
Proof that I was there, trying to catch every square inch of shade I could find.
This is inside the Great Ball Court. See the "hoop" upon the wall? The captain of the victors team "got" to be sacrificed. Sounds like a fun game to me. No stress, right?


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Musicians Friend
Open in the Musicians Friend app
Starting out in the world of drumming is a daunting task. Cymbal packs are an easy way to introduce yourself to the artistry and get a feel for drumming at its core. For the enthusiast who may want to experiment with a new genre, cymbal sets are a useful tool to see if a gig in heavy metal may be right for you. Full cymbal sets have been used in popular music since the 1950s, each type offers a unique sound that can be incorporated into your favorite music genres. With a full range of tones and crashing capabilities, cymbal sets were used to enhance and produce more elaborate musical arrangements, especially in the 1960s when experimental music was at its peak. When you're listening to your favorite tunes, listen for the consistent hi-hat that keeps the entire song on beat. It's the most classic pair of cymbals and has always been included in a standard drum kit. It is the high end of the percussion section that rings through in virtually all modern music. The ride cymbal brings a subtle sound that pulsates throughout a good rhythm. Most sets include this crucial element for good reason. Maintaining a sustain throughout a silky jazz solo or a garage band's bridge is crucial to the overall sound. Riding through the song, without much fanfare is what makes this cymbal so unique. Crash cymbals on the other hand, are the cherry on top, the accent, the loudest guy at the party. They bust in, make a lasting impression and leave before you know it. It brings the listener back into the moment to celebrate all of the elements of a carefully crafted song. All of these components form a truly accessible and hearty section of your drum kit. Adding in extra crash reminiscent of Bohemian Rhapsody or enjoying a more simplistic hi-hat experiment with a Weezer tune is gift that a full cymbal set brings.
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Two training workshops will take place November 4 at Covenant Theological Seminary which are open to all BibleWorks users in the region.
Please pass this information on to anyone who might be interested in either of these workshops. We have contact information for only a fraction of our users so we're dependent on word of mouth to let people know of these opportunities.
Covenant Theological Seminary
Library Building; Room B111
12330 Conway Road
Saint Louis, MO 63141
Click here for driving directions and a map.
Saturday, November 4, 2006
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon -- BibleWorks Essentials Workshop
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. -- BibleWorks Intermediate Workshop
Click here for help deciding which workshop to attend.
$25 per workshop
The Essentials workshop will be designed to accommodate users of any version of BibleWorks but the instructor will do all teaching in both workshops from BibleWorks 7. Most of the material in the Essentials Workshop will apply to all other versions of BibleWorks, however, the Intermediate Workshop will spend a considerable amount of time discussing tools unique to BibleWorks 7. You are not required to own BibleWorks 7 to attend the Intermediate Workshop but we recommend users of earlier versions attend only the Essentials Workshop.
Click here for a brief description of what each workshop will cover.
Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop with BibleWorks installed. Each workshop will include several short hands-on exercises to give you an opportunity to practice what you learn. A laptop, however, is not required to attend either workshop.
To register for the BibleWorks Essentials Workshop click here.
To register for the BibleWorks Intermediate Workshop click here.
If you have questions call 888-747-8200.
The Director of BibleWorks Technical Support, Charlie Gibson, will teach these workshops. Charlie has been doing tech support for BibleWorks since 1998 and has helped thousands of people learn to use BibleWorks more effectively. He counts it a privilege to serve those involved in the ministry of God's word. Charlie is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and before coming to BibleWorks he worked as a schoolteacher in Maryland. He is married and is the father of four children and lives in Norfolk, Virginia.
Other Workshop Sites:
Information regarding other BibleWorks training opportunities this year will be posted at https://www.bibleworks.com/training as workshops are scheduled. If you are interested in hosting workshops at your school contact us.


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Dear God,
Give us a taste of our favorite things:
Good Health,
Great Friends,
Grateful Family,
And A Giant Faith.
Thanks God.
Today's Photo by Glenn Sackett
Today's Prayer by Sam Miller
WordsWorthRemembering is a project of the Spiritual Care office at Porter Adventist Hospital, in collaboration with Porter's Spiritual Ambassadors. WordsWorthRemembering combines inspirational, thought-provoking quotations, prayers and photos. All content is copyrighted.


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Alexander Wang Fall 2013 Collection – The Street Goth Ninja Rises
Having just shared Alexander Wang's T by Alexander Wang offering for Fall 2013, we can now give you a look at his mainline Alexander Wang label collection for the same season. We think Alexander kills it every season but with the increasing prevalence of the "Street Goth" look (we actually prefer the term "Black Metal Serfwear") Mr. Wang's dark, loose take on fashion is more relevant than ever.
This season's facemasks and scarves harken back to 2009's "Goth Ninja" trend and, mixed with the likes of backpacks, caps and nylon cargo pants – as ridiculous as it may be – we're dubbing this look "Street Goth Ninja." Check the full range in our gallery.


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Explore our range of certified, informational courses and webinars.
Asset integrity & reliability training
Our aim is to increase the understanding and application of effective asset care management, by providing training services to our clients and industry.
Coal quality training
Our world renowned coal courses examine, in depth, the issues affecting the quality of your end product, its attractiveness to potential clients and its impact on the environment.
Environmental industry training
Join our environmental teams as they demonstrate and educate the industry on a range of testing, equipment and compliance matters. More great events coming this year.
Oil, fuel & coolant training
Providing the tools you need to improve your maintenance program.
Training enquiries
Interested in attending one of our courses?


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The next version of Android will be Android 4.1's Jelly Bean, according to reports, and it should be available from the Google Play app store soon.
Sharp-eyed readers spotted the information in a Google Play store listing for the Galaxy Nexus, according to the Verge. It's likely that Jelly Bean will be featured at Google I/O, the search titan's developers conference in San Francisco next week.
However, some aren't as excited about the upgrade to Android because they were expecting more. Blame it on the rather eventful week or the increasingly unrealistic expectations of technology writers and lovers, but apparently a few are underwhelmed by the announcement.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
"Anyway, if Jelly Bean is JUST Android 4.1, then maybe I have to adjust my expectations a little," wrote Computerworld's Matt Hamblen. "It is probably an important release, to somebody anyway, and certainly the engineers who created it."
Ouch! I feel bad for the Googlers and I rarely feel badly for the well-fed and well-paid techsters. Granted, we know little about what Android 4.1 can do (although it seems more focused on media,) but it's asking a lot to want a whole new Android environment only a year after Ice Cream Sandwich.


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Military building boom that buoyed Texas comes to a halt
WASHINGTON — Military construction that buffered the Texas economy during the recession is coming to an end as Pentagon officials ponder budget cuts and a shrinking force structure.
"It looks to me like the big building boom from the military is screeching to a halt," said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, who has overseen a decade of defense-related growth in San Antonio.
President Barack Obama's budget blueprint for the 2013 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, contains $450 million in military construction projects in Texas. That compares with less than $640 million in the current fiscal year and $1.1 billion in the previous one.
Obama also has proposed two rounds of base closures as the Pentagon withdraws from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"In some cases, that left us unsure where we need to make the 'milcon' investments," said Lt. Gen. Larry Spencer, the Pentagon director for force structure and resources.
Military construction proposals have shrunk in response to last year's debt-limit deal between the administration and Congress.
The Defense Department also is finishing the last round of base closures, from 2005, which prompted building booms in San Antonio and Bethesda, Md., where the armed services consolidated military medical operations.
Last year, Obama sought $331 million for military medical consolidation in San Antonio alone.
The 2013 budget includes $80 million for the ongoing construction of a hospital at Lackland AFB to replace Wilford Hall Medical Center.
Overall, the Air Force military construction budget shrank by $900 million, said Maj. Gen. Edward Bolton Jr., Air Force deputy assistant secretary for budget.
"This one-year pause will give us time to ensure proper investment of limited resources in light of the ongoing budget reduction pressures and potential force structure changes," Bolton said during a Pentagon budget briefing.
The Army saw a similar building spree at Fort Bliss near El Paso when the 1st Armored Division was moved from Germany. In the current fiscal year, Fort Bliss was granted $286 million in construction projects. In the next fiscal year, Obama proposes that it receive $214.6 million.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told the Senate Armed Services Committee that further reductions are being considered at overseas bases.
The Defense Department announced the removal of two of four combat brigades in Europe. That would still leave 70,000 U.S. military personnel stationed abroad, where facilities could be pared.
"Finding further reductions and consolidations in our overseas force posture should be our first priority," Panetta said.
The Obama administration's budget blueprint for military expansion at domestic bases for fiscal 2013 will impact the economies of states with multiple military installations.
The Texas Military Preparedness Commission, a panel appointed by Gov. Rick Perry, reviewed the president's budget last week in Austin.
"It's about being prepared, because the DoD budget plays a big role in our state's economy," said state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, chairwoman of the Texas Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and Military Installations.
Texas has more than 131,500 active-duty military and 48,000 civilian employees, according to the Census Bureau.
State officials estimate the economic impact of the military payroll for active-duty troops, reserves and civilians to be more than $77 billion. The impact in San Antonio is estimated at $15 billion.
Military contracts totaled more than $60 billion for the state.
Federal military spending is one of the reasons Texas was able to replace all 433,400 jobs shed during the recession as the state economy rebounded more quickly than that of the United States as a whole, according to Texas Comptroller Susan Combs.
Nationally, through January, only 36 percent of recession-hit jobs had been recovered, Combs said.
Two of the largest projects for Texas are the construction of hospitals at Lackland and Fort Bliss.
Wolff said the San Antonio area has been "very lucky" in terms of military expansion, mainly because of the 2005 base closure round and consolidation of military medicine at Fort Sam Houston. That created thousands of construction jobs.
Texas lawmakers are hopeful that state installations will be key to future expansion.
They point to expanding high-technology missions at Lackland, where Air Force cybersecurity operations are conducted, and at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston, where MQ-1 Predator drones are remotely manned.
And Texas lawmakers say they will oppose additional rounds of base realignment and closure, commonly called BRAC.
"Strategic needs have changed, and we certainly can't afford to maintain nonessential overseas bases," said U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, noted that the 2005 closures were completed just last year.
"Congress is not ready for another BRAC, and neither is the military," he said.
Wolff, meanwhile, is bracing for the possibility.
"You can't expect Congress to meet spending guidelines without cutbacks," he said.


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Quentin Bacon
Lamb with anchovy herb paste is a classic Italian preparation. The anchovy doesn't come across as fishy tasting — it simply lends a savory note that blends beautifully with the meat.
- Yield
- Makes 6 servings
- Active Time
- 30 min
- Total Time
- 3 1/2 hr (includes marinating)
- 6 garlic cloves
- 9 flat anchovy fillets, drained and patted dry
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 (6- to 7-lb) semiboneless leg of lamb (aitchbone removed), all but a thin layer of fat discarded and lamb tied
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Special Equipment
- a 17- by 11-inch roasting pan (or larger) with a rack; an instant-read thermometer
- Marinate lamb:
- Mince garlic and anchovies and mash to a paste with a large heavy knife, then stir together with oil and rosemary in a small bowl. Pat lamb dry and transfer, fat side up, to rack in pan. Make several small 1-inch-deep slits in lamb with a paring knife, then rub marinade over entire surface of lamb, pushing some marinade into slits. Marinate lamb, loosely covered, at room temperature 1 hour.
- Roast lamb:
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
- Sprinkle lamb all over with salt and pepper, then roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of lamb (almost to the bone but not touching it) registers 125°F for medium-rare, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours (temperatures in thinner parts of leg may register up to 160°F). Let stand 30 minutes before slicing.
Cooks' note:
Lamb can be marinated, covered and chilled, up to 5 hours. Bring to room temperature, about 1 hour, before roasting.


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there is nothing!
#footer content
Making music is fun. Aspire to be Awesome. Just Get Up & Play! Check out the First Act learning zone to help you become an expert musician! See what real musicians can show you with the First Act Instruments.
Check Out the videos with the Callbacks Band and learn from young musicians how to start your own rock band. Wanna Rock? Join the Music Craze!


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My Talking for furniture At first, I was looking for a trendy furniture, but ended up getting this & let me tell you I don't regret it! I loved this furniture as soon as I saw it, It look just like the picture and it great! thing I love!
|1 star
|2 stars
|3 stars
|4 stars
|5 stars


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'Third-party experiences are seriously lacking.'
'It's of middling quality and distorts at higher volumes, but for general use is pretty good. '
'Disappointing camera'
'Support for Android apps will please the rest of us, too.'
'most robust BlackBerry smartphone'
'Display is extremely bright and highly detailed, with accurate colors.'
'Sluggish camera'
'Lack of apps.'
Latest BlackBerry OS (version 10.1), smooth performance
Good physical QWERTY keyboard
Unparalleled hardware keyboard, Excellent messaging
Full physical keyboard, Impressive web speeds
'exceptionally sleek and feature-rich smartphone package'
'impressive 1.2GHz processor'
'full QWERTY keyboard'
'The display is bright and vibrant, and boasts superb viewing angles and clarity.'
'very sturdy phone'
'This is truly appealing business-oriented cell phone that comes with compact size, but emanates reliability.'
'Nokia phones work just fine with inexpensive feature phone data plans on AT&T and T-Mobile (and other GSM carriers).'
'efficient phone'
Terrifically responsive dial pad
Hard, plastic case is not conducive to a ruggedized device
'Thought-out UI.'
'Landscape screen can feel cramped.'
'Viewing angles are adequate, and the quality of the screen itself is fine.'
'Dedicated Facebook button.'
'The Nokia N900 includes Skype and Google Talk clients integrated into the phone application and the messaging interface is excellent.'
'The smartphone will also be capable of video and audio playback, and offers up to 32GB of internal storage as well as a microSD memory slot capable of holding 16GB cards.'
'The Nokia N900 includes Skype and Google Talk clients integrated into the phone application and the messaging interface is excellent.'
'Its bulk combined with its black body gives the impression of a serious, serious phone and not one that will draw attention with flashy colors or cute design. '
'The Cliq, with Motorola's Motoblur software for gathering information from social networks, is a decidedly consumer-friendly phone that makes the Droid feel deadly serious in comparison. '
'The keyboard is decent-- a good thing for a social networking and messaging oriented phone.'
'reliable mobile Web experience'
'And despite the sliding keyboard, the phone still feels fairly slim. '
ReviewGist helps you find the best products to buy by making sense of online reviews. We are currently aggregating 376,500 reviews covering over 29,474 products.


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IntPiPoMo - Number 37 - A glimpse of history
Ang of Revive and Rejuvenate is doing screenshot posts again, and has invited us to join her for International Picture Posting Month (IntPiPoMo), to post 50 screenies for November.
The quest in Jaedanar which started at Feronas Sindweller leads you to watch a whole series of Lore of Illidan. Illidan and Arthas. Illidan and Tichondrius. This questline allows us to relive a great Night Elf's fall into darkness.


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Europe is the worst enemy of the US? You cannot be serious. Islamism, Russia, illegal immigrants . . . whatever, but surely not Europe! Are we not still together in NATO? Do we not conduct huge amounts of trade every day? Do we not share the same cultural roots, the same civilization, the same vision of the future? Did France not give the US her famous Statue of Liberty – "Liberty Enlightening the World?"
Not anymore. In a sense, Europe looks like a continent where American Democrats have been in power for 30 years, not only in the European states, but also at the level of the European Union. (Gatestone Institute, 20th July).
Wanted: US ambassadors in Europe
The Trump administration's slow pace in appointing ambassadors, which has left major posts vacant around the world, is hampering the ability to carry out US policy. "Now is a bad time not to have an ambassador in Germany," the top US Army commander in Europe said. (Politico) (FT 7/20)
Melanie Phillips writes on Brexit:
Good gracious! Someone tell me I'm not dreaming! A Eurocrat has spoken the truth about Britain's negotiations with the EU.
In an article in The Times Hans-Olaf Henkel, a senior German politician who is deputy head of the European Parliament's industry, research and energy committee, accuses the European Union's chief negotiator Michel Barnier of trying to punish Britain by making a deliberate "mess" of key elements of Brexit.
You don't say!
Mr. Henkel writes that the European parliament's Brexit negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, was responsible in "no small part for the disaster of Brexit" and "now wants to punish the British, full stop."
"He says he doesn't want to, but I'm afraid he does. My impression is that Mr. Barnier wants to do the same. The reason is simple. They would seek to make sure that Brexit is such a catastrophe that no country dares to take the step of leaving the EU again."
("So just who is really messing up Brexit talks?" 7/20)
The King and Queen of Spain were on a state visit to the United Kingdom last week. Predictably, the King brought up the question of Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory at the southern tip of Spain. It's been under British rule for over three centuries, far longer than it ever belonged to Spain.
There's an element of hypocrisy here.
Spain rules two enclaves in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, which are both claimed by Morocco. They are the only African territories still ruled by Europeans.
UNESCO is an Immoral, Anti-Semitic Organization - Decent Countries Should Leave
by Guy Millière • July 19, 2017 at 5:00 am
Although Europe claims to respect human rights and the rights of peoples, it has been a party to violating the most essential right of the Jewish people: the recognition of its existence for more than 3,000 years, and the anchoring of this existence to its sacred monuments. Worse, Europe does so in the name of a people fictitiously invented less than 50 years ago. No serious scholar can find any trace of a "Palestinian people" before the 1960s. Europe has apparently been all too happy to accept lies.
While claiming to fight terrorism, Europe complies with the demands of a terrorist movement that does not even bother to hide its terrorist nature. When Mahmoud Abbas speaks Arabic, he continually incites the murder of Jews. He recently repeated that he would not stop paying tried, convicted and imprisoned murderers of Jews, and still calls these murderers heroic "martyrs." On all maps used by the Palestinian Authority and in Palestinian textbooks, Israel does not exist; it is called Palestine.
Europeans, imbued with a generic sense of guilt, began attributing all that is wrong in the world to Western civilization. Because they had colonized parts of the Muslim world, they failed to note that Muslim culture had, in fact, colonized Persia, the Byzantine Empire, the Middle East, Greece, Cyprus, the Balkans, North Africa, Southern Spain, and, more recently, northern Cyprus. (Gatestone Institute 7/20)
Turkish schools drop Darwin
Turkey's new school curriculum drops the theory of evolution and adds the concept of " jihad as patriotic in spirit". The move has fueled fears that populist President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is subverting the republic's secular foundations. (Independent)
a. A white Australian woman was shot dead by a policeman In Minneapolis over the weekend.
Headlines around the world announced that she was shot by an American cop.
The cop, it turns out, was a Somali immigrant, a Muslim named Mohammed Noor.
Was the fact that he is a Somali Muslim a factor? Possibly.
What was certainly a factor is that he is an immigrant from Somalia, one of the most violent countries in the Islamic world, a country famous for its mistreatment of women.
Once again, an innocent victim would still be alive if there were stricter controls on immigration.
b) I'm looking forward to going to see the movie "Dunkirk" which begins this weekend. The movie tells the true story of the 1940 evacuation from the French coastal town of Dunkirk of 330,000 British troops who were about to be captured by the German army.
USA Today gave it a good review. However, the reviewer fell victim to political incorrectness when he ended his review with these words: "… the fact that there are only a couple of women and no lead actors of color may rub some the wrong way." ("Dunkirk an immersive look at heroism," 7/18).
It wasn't until 1948 that non-whites started arriving in Britain in significant numbers; and women were not used in combat until fairly recently.
But how would a generation raised on political correctness possibly know that?
Note the following from a review of the movie "Atonement" (2007) which featured the evacuation from Dunkirk. The same problem perplexed the historical adviser to the movie.
"She said that as a historical advisor on Atonement (2007), there was a decision that had made her uneasy – the depiction of a black soldier appearing with Robbie (the main character) in Dunkirk. She asserts: "In fact, it was almost impossible for there to have been a black soldier in the British Expeditionary Force in France." She suspects this was done "to reflect today's multicultural society" and "gave a misleading impression of how Britain was at the time." The film did prompt discussion."
(Presenting the black past – how history must change the media,11/14/13).


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Physical Environment
The spaces where we work, learn, heal and live critically impact our perception of personal safety, comfort and ultimately our Quality of Life. In fact, researchers have pinpointed certain elements – from the lighting in a room to the air we breathe and the upkeep of our surrounding environment – as key factors of Quality of Life.
Further Researches
At Universities, the design and layout of a classroom, including the color of the walls and the position of the furniture, can have a 25 percent impact on a student's academic performance. In the workspace, studies have shown that maintaining optimal room temperature reduces errors by 44 percent. Even basic improvements such as adding a plant or increasing the amount of natural light have been shown to lower blood pressure and increase staff well-being and productivity.
Our high standards in regards to maintenance and cleanliness translate into increased safety in the healthcare sector and on remote sites. In healthcare settings, adequate cleaning protocols can prevent 20 to 30 percent of deaths caused by hospital-acquired infections. On offshore platforms, promoting the understanding of proper safety protocol can reduce injury and even death.
A truly sound physical environment also requires sustainable elements. We make it a point to work with our clients to reduce the amount of waste they produce, shrink their carbon footprint and give preference to local, sustainable suppliers. With all of these benefits in mind, we tailor or services to meet the specific needs of each of our clients.
Learn more on the Quality of Life Observer.


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See all markets below
Our mission is to enhance the competitive performance of aerospace and defense companies through a broad range of technology and manufacturing services. These services include the design, engineering, manufacture and support of high-reliability electronics systems that provide operational control, monitoring, communications, and information superiority in rigorous commercial aerospace and military environments.
Eltek medical manufacturing capabilities meet and even surpass the most stringent standards that regulatory bodies mandate. Quality and reliability is critical in this field, and Eltek is structured to support the high-mix, low-volume needs specific to the industry.
Eltek specializes in the production of mixed material boards and uses low Dk / low Df materials. in order to achieve the performances needed by the customers. Mixing different materials allow us to reduce the costs and maintain the high performances.
Eltek, a leader in the field of electronics manufacturing, serves more than 300 customers in diverse markets, such as the communications, medical, defense, aerospace and automotive sectors.
Eltek is a trusted partner to leading electronics and technology companies across a wide variety of industries.


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Brought To You By The Cape Ann Chamber's Government Affairs Council
Congressional Debate
"Advocacy In Action"
Friday, October 26
Cruiseport Gloucester
6 Rowe Square, Gloucester
$30 (Advance)
$35 (Week/Day of)
7:00 to 7:30 am – Check In & Networking
7:30 to 8:00 am – Breakfast
8:00 to 9:30 am – Debate
Join us for a Congressional Debate among the three candidates for United States Representative for the 6th Congressional District of Massachusetts.
The debate will be open to Chamber members and the general public and will be moderated by Robert Visnick. Questions will be posed by a panel of Cape Ann journalists. If you have questions that you would like considered for the candidates, please submit them to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Preregistration is highly recommended as this event will fill up quickly.
To make a reservation, contact Robert Heidt at
firstname.lastname@example.com or call 978-283-1601.


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Wal-Mart shoppers seen overrunning Black Friday protests
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. workers demanding better pay and benefits vow to mount 1,000 protests online and outside stores up to and including Black Friday. The strategy risks showing the company's strength not vulnerability.
To work, the approach will require protest leaders to turn out significant numbers of strikers and persuade deal-chasing shoppers to go elsewhere. Similar protests in recent weeks have had little perceptible impact on the world's largest retailer.
The Black Friday protests are unlikely to be any different, said Zev J. Eigen, an associate professor at Northwestern University School of Law who specializes in labor relations.
"Shoppers in the parking lot will say 'Oh, that's terrible – OK, where do I get my discounted electronics,'" said Eigen, who is based in Chicago. "That's one of the big challenges for the labor movement. We'll sign online petitions, but we won't vote with our wallets."
For years, the United Food & Commercial Workers union has tried and failed to organize Wal-Mart workers. In recent months, the union has adopted a new tactic: backing two groups, OUR Walmart and Making Change at Walmart, and waging a media campaign and mounting protests comprised of activists and Wal- Mart workers at stores and warehouses around the U.S.
The protest organizers have declined to say how many Wal- Mart associates they expect to be involved in the latest round of actions. About 30 workers from six Seattle-area stores went on strike Nov. 15, and others plan to do so, the groups' members have said. Wal-Mart has more than 4,500 stores and clubs and 1.4 million employees in the U.S.
While Eigen compared the movement to "a few drops of food coloring in a giant vat of water," he added a caveat: "It is significant because Wal-Mart has such a strong reputation of shutting down even the tiniest, tiniest labor actions."
On an earnings call Nov. 15, Wal-Mart Chief Financial Officer Charles Holley said he was "not aware of any major disruptions that are going to happen Black Friday."
Still, later that day Wal-Mart fired a warning shot, filing a complaint against the union with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board. Wal-Mart accused the group of violating federal labor laws by inappropriately picketing, demonstrating, trespassing on company property and intimidating customers and employees — or making threats to do those things.
The union has tried to force Wal-Mart to the bargaining table even though it does not officially represent employees, according to the complaint. Wal-Mart asked the board for an investigation and immediate injunction.
"We are taking this action now because we cannot allow the UFCW to continue to intentionally seek to create an environment that could directly and adversely impact our customers and associates," David Tovar, a Wal-Mart spokesman, said in an e-mailed statement. "If they do, they will be held accountable."
The protesters are demanding more-predictable schedules, less-expensive health-care plans and minimum hourly pay of $13 with the option of working full-time. The average hourly full-time wage at Wal-Mart is $12.57, Kory Lundberg, a company spokesman, said in an e-mail.
Wal-Mart's refusal to improve working conditions ultimately will be self-defeating, Lynsey Kryzwick, a spokeswoman for the non-profit Making Change at Walmart, said in a Nov. 16 telephone interview.
"Under-staffing going on in stores leads to low customer service leads to lower sales," she said.
On Nov. 15, Wal-Mart forecast fourth-quarter profit that trailed analysts' estimates after economic conditions slowed U.S. sales gains. Fourth-quarter profit will be $1.53 to $1.58 a share, the Bentonville-based company said in a statement. The average estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg was $1.59.
CEO Mike Duke has been reducing prices to lure U.S. shoppers that are still suffering amid sluggish economic growth and 7.9 percent unemployment. Discount chains such as Dollar General Corp. and Dollar Tree Inc. have attracted some of those customers with smaller-format stores that allow for quicker trips and by adding food items.
The shares fell the most in more than six months after the earnings report on Nov. 15 and by the next day had lost a combined 5 percent to close in New York at $68.03. The shares have risen 14% this year.
For Wal-Mart to acknowledge the union's demands, many more employees will have to be willing to walk off the job, said Ross Eisenbrey, vice president of the Economic Policy Institute, a Washington-based non-profit group that researches issues for American workers.
"If this is as big as the strikes and protests ever get, it's not going to amount to much," he said.


text: Pubdate: Sat, 20 Apr 2013 Source: Wall Street Journal (US) Copyright: 2013 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Contact: http://www.wsj.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/487 Author: Ana Campoy THE POT BUSINESS SUFFERS GROWING PAINS DENVER - Like any farmer, Elliott Klug understands the highs and lows of living off the land. But his crop requires a rigorous effort. To keep output going, it is harvested every week. It is also grown only indoors. And though you won't find this tip in the Farmer's Almanac, his workers believe that blaring Grateful Dead songs boosts productivity. "We were the bad guys," says Mr. Klug, chief executive of Pink House Blooms, a 70-person operation that produces and sells marijuana to people who have a prescription for it. "Now we are still the bad guys, but we pay taxes." Across the country, the business of growing pot is fast becoming mainstream. Eighteen states and the District of Columbia have approved the use and production of marijuana for medicinal use, including two states, Colorado and Washington, that also allow recreational use. That has spurred on a cottage industry of professional growers, with an estimated 2,000 to 4,000 businesses now producing the plant for legal purposes. Total sales: $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion last year, according to the National Cannabis Industry Association. But it turns out that trying to make a profit in this business is harder than expected. When grown and sold legally, marijuana can be an expensive proposition, with high startup costs, a host of operational headaches and state regulations that a beet farmer could never imagine. In Colorado, for example, managers must submit to background checks that include revealing tattoos. The state also requires cameras in every room that has plants; Mr. Klug relies on 48 of them. Prices for pot, meanwhile, have plummeted, in large part because of growing competition. And bank financing is out of the question: Federal law doesn't allow these businesses, and agents sometimes raid growers even in states where it is legal. Still, a hearty group of weed producers are coming out of the woodwork""or their basements, where they used to grow pot""to have a go at it. That includes outfits in Colorado, which hosts the first-ever High Times U.S. Cannabis Cup this weekend. The state passed a new law that next January will allow anyone 21 and older to buy marijuana from retailers, which is expected to dramatically open up a market currently limited to some 110,000 patients with prescriptions. Indeed, the industry publication Medical Marijuana Business Daily forecasts a tripling in annual sales in the state in 2014 to at least $700 million. Already, that potential growth spurt has changed the game for Mr. Klug, 36, who sports a long mustache and a dragon tattoo that stretches down one arm. Four years ago, he used to cultivate about 40 plants in his basement, as a side business while he was working in private equity. Harvests were for anyone with a prescription for pot, which included Mr. Klug, who says he uses it for pain from a gluten intolerance. Today, Pink House Blooms is a $3 million-a-year business, with 2,000 plants in a converted warehouse in an industrial part of Denver. During a recent tour, he discusses the operation in dry business terms as his product's distinctive scent fills the air. Stencils of marijuana leaves and a Pink Floyd poster adorn the walls. Potted plants take up almost every inch of floor space, hallways included, while workers listening to piped-in hip-hop music carefully remove stems and leaves. Their harvest is stored in a custom-made vault, with walls reinforced with three-quarter inch steel. To get started on this scale, Mr. Klug says he sank more than $3 million""some of it borrowed from family""into the operation. He says Pink House Blooms is profitable, with demand up 30% some months. But the costs of doing business, including a $14,000-a-month electric bill, and the need to make investments to boost production, have kept him from making back any of the borrowed money. Producing marijuana on an industrial level, he says, is "exciting and exhilarating" and "in a way it's terrifying." Another outfit, La Conte's Clone Bar & Dispensary, formed a partnership with another marijuana firm to share some costs. But it produced a profit margin of only 6% on revenues of $4.2 million last year, according to Chief Financial Officer Jeremy Heidl, who says he considers that an unacceptable return given the financial and legal risks. To expand the business, the firm has branched out to sell everything from smoke-free dispensers to body salves and brownies infused with pot. Still, he says, "the economics of cannabis are so difficult." A major drag on earnings for marijuana growers is the labor-intensive nature of the business. Payroll can make up more than a third of production costs, says Jason Katz, chief operating officer of Local Product of Colorado. Managing workers is challenging too, he adds, in an industry where many learned their trade by growing clandestinely. His company went through six growers in three years before one worked out. "They aren't used to being part of regular society," he says. Costs and management issues aside, the biggest shock to most marijuana growers has been pot prices. As the industry becomes more competitive and there is more pot available, the price for a pound of high-quality weed in Denver has slid from $2,900 at the beginning of April in 2011 to $2,400 in the same period in 2012 to $2,000 this year, according to Roberto's MMJ List, a service that connects wholesale sellers and buyers. At the height of summer demand in 2011, a pound sold for as much as $3,900. To be sure, some experts say it is possible to do well. Roberto Lopesino Seidita, who runs the price list and consults for the industry, says some growers are pulling in double-digit margins by focusing on price, not just quality. They have developed ways to produce large amounts of pot cheaply, and offer it at unbeatable prices, driving hundreds of customers through the door every day. "It's run like Wal-Mart, " he says. Illegal growers, of course, have been producing and marketing large quantities of marijuana""often at a sizable profit""for decades. Most of the pot consumed in the U.S. is grown outdoors in Mexico by low-wage laborers, with no need for lights or air conditioning, says Jonathan Caulkins, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University who studies marijuana legalization. And street prices for pot in places where there is no legal outlet for it are generally higher than in regulated markets, Mr. Caulkins says. Toni Savage Fox, a former owner of a landscaping business turned marijuana entrepreneur, doesn't have all those advantages. She and other legal growers simulate summer in their warehouses with powerful lights that can run for more than 18 hours a day. Then they move the plants to a darker environment to encourage flowering and the formation on the surface of its buds, leaves and stems of trichomes, tiny resin-filled glands resembling sea anemone. That is where delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the active ingredient mainly responsible for marijuana's intoxicating effects, is concentrated. As with many plants, spider mites and mildew can wipe out a marijuana crop. A single mistake in planting can also doom a harvest, or lower its quality and value. Ms. Fox says she lost about 100 plants last year when a plan to boost weed production backfired. Ms. Fox planted about 100 seeds instead of starting new plants from female-plant cuttings, which are normally used to prevent pollination. But she overlooked one male seedling. It fertilized a roomful of plants, causing their flowers to go to seed and making them unsalable in a market where consumers demand to examine products under magnifying glasses. "When you're dealing with a living plant there are so many variables that can go wrong," says Ms. Fox, who lost some $40,000 in the operation. "We're still perfecting our growing spaces." Ms. Fox, who sometimes wears a golden marijuana-leaf pin on her lapel, is looking for an investor to pump $150,000 into her company, 3-D Denver's Discreet Dispensary, to ramp up production ahead of the spike in demand she expects next year. The more than $500,000 of her own money she invested to convert a dilapidated party hall into a marijuana factory wasn't enough to set up a reliable production line, she says. Setting up growing spaces costs at least $100 a square foot, and often twice that, industry experts say. Though rarely in Colorado, federal agents still raid growers regardless of state laws when the businesses are too close to schools or lax in other ways. Last December, President Barack Obama said his administration had "bigger fish to fry" than going after recreational users. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Justice said the agency is reviewing the new laws in Colorado and Washington state. There are other legal headaches. After a marijuana strain called Bio-Diesel won a quality competition in 2009, the name started appearing in dispensaries around Denver, says Ean Seeb, owner of Denver Relief, the outfit that produced the prized variety. Prices are below his, but Mr. Seeb has no way of legally challenging his competitors; the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office won't register cannabis-related products, he says. While copying a name is relatively easy, obtaining the most valuable pot varieties isn't. The chances of a seed sprouting into a worthwhile plant are the same as those of winning the lottery, says Mr. Klug of Pink House Blooms. Bringing in cuttings from out-of-state is illegal, so he says his company obtained some of the 100 strains it grows from a local grower named Charles Blackton, aka "The Lemon Man," a six-time winner of the Cannabis Cup that is held in Amsterdam. Offering an assortment of marijuana varieties with different flavors and prices, Mr. Klug says, has been key to building a client base. In the wood-and-metal displays at one of his stores, Mr. Klug offers high-end strains such as Phantom OG for $70 a quarter ounce, and cheaper ones such as Andy's Blue Dream, at $50 a quarter ounce. But clever marketing can only go so far, so he continues to work on improving quality. Instead of outsourcing trimming, or the process of removing leaves and stems from harvested flowers, Pink House Blooms has in-house workers he has trained to do the job for $11 an hour and up. (He also keeps employees satisfied by selling pot at cost to those with prescriptions.) Meanwhile, he says he still can't find a supplier to provide large amounts of high-quality dirt at wholesale prices. He pays just a little under retail to a company that won't deliver to his warehouse""the company's managers don't want to be associated with a pot enterprise, he says. His advice for anyone who wants to become rich by legally dealing pot: "Start with lots of money." A version of this article appeared April 20, 2013, on page A1 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: The Pot Business Suffers Growing Pains. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D


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White Wine
Our vast selection of white wines is made to be as comprehensive as possible to ensure that your desired bottle is available. The numerous delectable wines we offer encompass many varietals and styles. Whether you're searching for a wine aged with oak or a white wine with a light body, you'll find the perfect bottle at a fantastic price.
Chardonnay & Pinot Grigio
There are many white wines in our inventory. Chardonnay is an exceedingly popular choice due to its slight hint of vanilla and pleasing aromas. Pinot grigio is stocked in both Italian and Alsatian varieties to provide you with the exact wine you're looking for. The former of these is known to have a lighter body and less acidity while the latter is a full-bodied wine with a high alcohol level.
German Riesling
German Riesling wines are some of the sweeter white wines available. When tasting this variety, you will notice a hint of apple. The high acidity makes it the perfect wine to pair with seafood or even dessert. These wines are also known to age very well.
Sauvignon Blanc
When pairing white wine with cheese and garlic dishes, you might choose sauvignon blanc. Though it's now made all over the world, this wine originated from grapes found in the region of Bordeaux, France. These wines are known to be tangy with a wide flavor range that includes tropical.
White Burgundy
The white Burgundy available on our site is a wine made from chardonnay grapes but with a higher acidity than standard chardonnay. No matter what type or vintage you choose from our wide selection, you can be assured that you'll receive high-quality wine to please you or someone special.
If you're looking for a light, crisp wine, explore our endless varieties of white wine and find your new favorite bottle.
White Wine
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Clos Du Bois Chardonnay$11.99
Simi Chardonnay 750ml$15.99
St Francis Chardonnay 750ml
Regular Price: $15.99
Special Price $12.99
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Minimal Price: $1.99


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By Christopher S. Rugaber
AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Two reports Wednesday showed that U.S. service companies grew more slowly in March and private employers pulled back on hiring. The declines suggest businesses may have grown more cautious last month after federal spending cuts took effect.
The Institute for Supply Management said that its index of non-manufacturing activity fell to 54.4 last month. That's down from 56 in February and the lowest in seven months. Any reading above 50 signals expansion.
Slower hiring and a steep drop in new orders drove the index down. A gauge of hiring fell 3.9 points to 53.3, the lowest since November. That means companies kept hiring, just at a slower pace.
The ISM report covers companies that employ roughly 90 percent of the work force.
A separate report from payroll processor ADP also pointed to slightly weaker hiring in March. ADP said private employers added 158,000 jobs in March, down from 237,000 the previous month. Construction firms didn't add any jobs after three months of solid gains.
Economists were not overly concerned with the weaker reports. Several noted that ADP's figures are less reliable than the government's more comprehensive jobs report, which comes out today.
Still, most say the pace of hiring has almost certainly dropped off from the previous four months, when employers added an average of 200,000 net jobs a month. And a few reduced their forecasts for March job growth after seeing the two reports.
Jim O'Sullivan, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics, now expects just 160,000 net jobs, instead of 215,000. Jennifer Lee, an economist at BMO Capital Markets, said her group has lowered its forecast to 155,000, down from 220,000.
Lee said businesses may have temporarily suspended hiring because they want to see the impact of $85 billion in government spending cuts, which began on March. 1.
"It appears that businesses aren't seeing the impact (of the spending cuts) just yet but are obviously concerned about the economy going forward... and are thus holding back on orders or hiring," Lee said in a note to clients.
Still, most economists say any slowdown is likely temporary. Most say growth accelerated in the January-March quarter to a 3 percent at an annual rate, buoyed by a resilient consumer and a steady rebound in housing.
And even if growth slows in the April-June period to roughly 2 percent, as some predict, that that would still leave the economy expanding at a solid pace in the first half of the year.
"For now, there is still a lot of good news on the economy," said Paul Edelstein, an economist at IHS Global Insight. "Home construction and demand are growing, and jobs are being added."
The ISM report measures growth in industries that range from retail and construction to health care and financial services.
Even with March's decline in the service-sector growth, the index nearly matched its 12-month average of 54.5.
Fifteen of the 18 industries covered by the ISM survey reported expansion, including construction, transportation and warehousing, retail, finance and insurance, and utilities.
And other reports suggest consumers are still spending, despite an increase in Social Security taxes that has reduced take-home pay.
In February, consumer spending rose by the most in five months. And consumer confidence improved in March from the previous month, according to a survey released last week by the University of Michigan.
The housing recovery has also boosted home prices, which makes homeowners feel wealthier. That can also lead to more spending.
Published: Fri, Apr 5, 2013


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