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|2011-08-23, 16:10
|Link #3081
Join Date: Jul 2009
Suddenly this tomboy wing_woman pal of pals is a delicate damsel in distress ?
This story was cobbled hastily... it feels hasty...
Sometimes I think mangaka should develop their stories in prose format for at least a year (beginning to end) before they start to draw.
Since I know very little of the art...
The need to draw is what drives the story and not the other way around.
I surmise that the need to tell the story in a visual way should drive the art... not the other way around.
I suggest that if they write prose only short stories to get the plot holes bugs out of their skill set whilst they are learning to draw... they quality of manga and eventually anime will sky rocket.
|2011-08-23, 19:14
|Link #3083
Itadaki-nyaaa !!
Join Date: Apr 2008
Yuki's statement about what the situation between her and Utsumi is like is to be taken with a huge grain of salt. It seems like the real meaning differs from translator to translator and according to their individual "interpretation" (read: preference). Even with Imanga's translation, whatever it will be, one will probably never be sure about this specific part.
Rather, we'll have to wait for Yuki's next reaction. (wish it was Yuki's next move)
|2011-08-23, 19:36
|Link #3085
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
just wanted the masses' opinion on the gift.
it was a ring on a necklace right? so for now she'll wear it on her neck, but when she finally realizes her stupidity, and chases him, will she wear the ring?
are rings a big deal in relationships in Japan?
|2011-08-23, 20:56
|Link #3086
Itadaki-nyaaa !!
Join Date: Apr 2008
Last edited by Waven; 2011-08-23 at 21:08.
|2011-08-23, 21:16
|Link #3087
❤Ichigo 100%❤
Join Date: Jan 2011
But I like to see something changed about it, like a plot twist, just "if", Shou develops a better coupling w/ Utsumi, than Yuki afterwards, this would be very powerful, because how he has already presented the ring to Yuki and its only half way through the series (speculation of course).
|2011-08-24, 03:46
|Link #3088
I am a Boxer
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Where hot girls are fighting!
My opinion...
Utsumi x Shou (first love)
........................................ = G.E good ending....nhaaa..just kidding...
Yuki x Thouro (first love)
However i'm glad to see the author make the character of Utsumi more mature..
I think in this arc,there are many chances to see Utsimi with Shou...
and to see Thouro...
|2011-08-26, 12:58
|Link #3094
I am a Boxer
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Where hot girls are fighting!
Last edited by Merilyn Mensola; 2011-08-27 at 05:21.
|being good sucks, drama, kento boss, romance, shoukento, shounen, slice of life, yukiumi
|Thread Tools


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More Variety Means More Efficiencies for Confectionery Manufacturers
Sanitary pumps and other clean in place equipment are the key components to modern candy-making.
Confectionery manufacturing involves turning a fairly complicated group of ingredients into a somewhat fragile product designed to melt (or sometimes explode) into a mouthful of sweet, delightful flavors.
That sounds simple, right? But just take a look at the candy selection in any kind of retail establishment, whether it's a drug store, a traditional supermarket, or a big box like Walmart or Target, and you will see there is nothing simple about it.
Chocolate bars, gum, mints and other kinds of confections are merchandised in a multitude of locations and an array of packaging configurations ranging from single bites to multi-packs. And perhaps only ice cream is driven by flavor trends to the extent that candy is. While classic iconic brands enjoy loyalty, confectioners are constantly throwing brand extensions, size options, additional flavors and seasonal color into the mix.
Confectionery plant managers had better be prepared for changes and changeovers, while working to keep quality up — all within the demands of the bottom line.
Clean and flexible
Confectionery manufacturing is a sticky business, and the folks who run those operations have been confronted with some of the same challenges for years. Depending on the individual plant, flexibility can be very important. But more than anything, candy makers are striving for a new level of clean, says David Kirk, market manager-hygienic, with PSG Dover, Oakbrook Terrace, Ill.
"I think the challenges faced by confectioners fit into three categories," Kirk says. "One is being efficient; two is being clean; and three is being able to move from product to product and from flavor to flavor. Following cleanliness, I would say they are looking for more flexibility and to be able to shift gears more quickly."
Dover PSG sells a variety of pumps that are used by candy manufacturers, but primarily they are positive displacement pumps used to move blended slurries from mixing to filling and forming.
Newer pump technologies offer performance improvements that are finding some practical applications in candy plants, and Kirk points to the company's Mouvex C series eccentric disc line as an example. It has no mechanical seals, offers extremely low shear and is clean-in-place (CIP) compatible.
"For chocolate, because of its viscosity, nearly every positive displacement pump in the market is fitted with special self-cleaning chocolate rotors, which makes the pumps less efficient," he says. The Mouvex C Eccentric Disc line, which works without the special rotors, can provide more efficient operation, and do so over longer runs, Kirk says.
Those efficiencies assist a company in meeting those bottom line requirements, which never go away.
"With some of the added flavorings and just the cost of quality ingredients being used in confections, higher efficiencies can lead to a very big savings for companies," says Kirk.
Other equipment manufacturers are responding to industry demands for higher levels of hygienic design and cleanability.
"Probably the biggest driver in confectionery manufacturing over the past 10 years is to go to CIP-able equipment," says Bill Rice, technical product manager at SPX Flow Technology, Charlotte, N.C. "A lot of the confectionery manufacturers have historically used industrial grade rather than sanitary. But in the last 10 years, more and more are coming over to sanitary — the kinds of equipment that meets 3A standards."
Both regulatory and retailer pressure have moved manufactures toward sanitary equipment, which typically features stainless construction, hygienic design and higher documentation of all component materials.
SPX offers a broad variety of pumps (including APV and Waukesha brands) for all kinds of candy operations. Rice says that in his career he has worked in an array of plants, including everything from high-volume plants that produce single SKUs (he points to a Mars Co. Snickers plant in Waco, Texas, that is known as "the mile of chocolate") to small companies that have the flexibility to produce almost anything in the candy aisle.
Small shifts in consumer preferences and product development trends do have some measurable impact on the processing floor, Rice says.
"We have seen some shift from high-fructose corn syrup back to liquid sugar," Rice says. "But I don't think that makes a huge difference. Some have gone to alternate sweeteners, and some of those are thinner, so they might need to make some adjustments to the thickening process, because they certainly do not want it to be runny."
Dover PSG's Kirk notes that pumps use less energy than ever. Even if a company does not have a particular green technology program, they are buying pumps that are already more energy-efficient due to regulatory mandates placed on the equipment manufacturers.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Pool Kit Shapes
Hot Tub Spas
Hot Tub Accessories
Heatwave Infrared Saunas
1 Person
2 Person
3 Person
4 Person
6 Person
Sauna Resources
Grills & Accessories
Grill Islands
Pergola Kits
Patio Umbrellas
The Pretium Pool, with its 52" wall, 6" top seats and 5" uprights coated in premium Texture-Kote, is built to last. The Texture-Kote treatment provides incredibly long-lasting, all-weather protection. Pretium also features a self-supporting stabilizer bar developed to make installation simple and easy for the DIY Homeowner!
The top ledges and uprights on every Pretium Pool undergo a state-of-the-art protective treatment process. In addition, they are coated with Texture-Kote. This combination provides added resistance against corrosion, scratching and damaging UV rays. Pretium's unique quadra-fold system and bolting pattern provides maximum wall joint strength. Pool walls are corrugated for increased durability and resistance to ice and impact damage. Only Pretium pools feature the self-supporting omega stabilizer bar developed to simplify homeowner installation. The ease of assembly has made Pretium poos the number one choice of many professional installers. Pretium pools are available in an array of attractive colors and patterns.
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A: Using the options above, you can customize this pool to meet your exact needs!
Copyright © 2018 Royal Swimming Pools Inc.


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Recently, I had the privilege of test-driving the new Ford Flex when I was treated to a night on the town, courtesy of The Ford Motor Company. The evening began when I was picked up at my home and chauffeured to Beverly Hills. There, eagerly awaiting my arrival was a fleet of 2009 Ford Flex's. We were broken up into groups (ours was the coolest) and given the opportunity to drive the Flex to our first destination, the Corey Helford Gallery in West Los Angeles. As we sipped Champagne and noshed on sumptuous appetizers, we watched the Artist (Manone) hand paint an original one-of-a-kind piece of art on the roof a Flex.
From there, we made our way to one of LA's hottest new eateries on La Cienega's restaurant row, STK. It's a Steak House, get it? We then sipped martinis and dined on an assortment of gourmet cuisine as we discussed the Flex, of course. Here are my thoughts. The Flex has a distinctive new design with signature side grooves, all black greenhouse and distinct two-tone roof which is like no other vehicle on the road. I was surprised by the space and comfort inside, with it's upscale details and features, that combine to give Flex a contemporary interior environment under an available multi-panel Vista roof.
The Flex is powered by Ford's award-winning 3.5-liter V-6 engine delivering 262 horsepower and uses advanced engine technology. Variable intake valve timing and a six-speed transmission delivers fuel economy of up to twenty-four miles per gallon highway, among the best in it's class. Flex incorporates an intelligent all-wheel drive system tuned to provide confident driving in all weather conditions. By constantly monitoring and predicting traction, the system can deliver torque to all four wheels, even before the wheels begin to slip. Paired with standard Advance Trac with RSC (Roll Stability Control), intelligent AWD can transfer torque front to rear and from side-to-side.
Flex is packed with innovative technology solutions that empower, not over power the driver. Ford SYNC (a Ford exclusive), voice-activated, hands free, in-vehicle communications and entertainment system offer even more functionality for the 2009 model year, with a 911 Assist and Vehicle Health Reports. Voice-activated navigation that integrates several functions, including destination entry, climate control and SIRIUS satellite radio into one easy-to-use system with information displayed on an eight inch touch-screen display. Again, almost everything is voice activated so you can access the features you want and still be able to concentrate on your driving.
The Flex also comes complete with a SIRIUS Travel Link that when combined with voice-activated navigation will provide users with a suite of data services including real-time traffic, coast-to-coast weather conditions, fuel pricing, and movie listings and sports scores. No matter where you are, the Flex will tell you where you can find the least expensive gas station. With continually rising fuel costs, that feature alone will help pay for itself. And with the EasyFuel capless fuel filler, which replaces the traditional fuel-filler cap, it provides a better seal and reduces the release of smog-forming vapors making it environmentally friendly as well.
Now lets get to the Flex sound system. The Sony audio system features 700 watts of power, 5.1 surround sound and ten speakers that deliver a rich, unique and dynamic sound that blew me away. As an available option, Flex offers a rearview in-dash video display when the vehicle is in reverse, so you can see what is directly behind you when backing up. There is also lighting controls inside, which can be programmed for seven different ambient colors depending on your mood. Oh and did I mention the refrigerator hidden in the console which can hold up to seven twelve ounce beverages? With all these exclusive features, it feels like your riding in a limousine rather than an SUV.
The Flex seats six adults comfortably, seven if you put up the arm rest in the middle. The leather seats are wide and roomy, (equivalent to business class seats on an airline). Here's the best part. The Flex starts at only $28,000. Did your jaw just drop? Mine did. With all new technology, style and luxury you won't even find in much higher end vehicles, the Ford FLEX is a no-brainer. So if your going on a road trip with the family or just cruising around town with your friends, THE FLEX IS IT!
For more information on Flex or any Ford product go to the website at
Published on Dec 31, 1969


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December 18, 1913 - September 25, 2012
Narrowsburg, NY
Edward W. Kraus, a lifelong resident, passed away on Tuesday, September 25, 2012. He was 98.
He was born in Narrowsburg, NY on December 18, 1913 to the late Anthony and Elizabeth Korn Kraus.
Edward attended school in a one room school in Lava, NY. He grew up on his father's farm and boarding house in Narrowsburg. The farm was also a training camp for many well known boxers of that day. Ed was quite busy working on the farm and serving as a sparring partner with many well known boxers of that day including: Gene Tunney, (Heavyweight Champ of the World) who was at the farm in 1927. Ed served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. His career included operating a poultry farm, working for Rudy Reers Gas Service, driving school bus for many years for Narrowsburg Central School and was also a superintendent of Highways for the Town of Tusten, in addition to serving on the Tusten Town Board as a councilman. Ed was instrumental in bringing cable television to Narrowsburg when he partnered with Dr. John Stirna and Josephine Gerrity on that venture. It was called NCTV. In later years he mowed many lawns in the area and was seen by many faithfully caring for the Glen Cove Cemetery. He also plowed snow.
He was predeceased in death by his first wife, Rita Kraus; son, James Kraus; brothers, Joseph Kraus, Charles Kraus and his sister, Catherine Downey. He is survived by his second wife of many years, Dorothy Kraus; his son, Michael Kraus and his wife, Monica of Ft. Myers, FL; grandchildren, Rita Kraus and great-grandchildren, Kathlin and Jasmine, Michael and the Late Misty Kraus and great-grandchildren: Michael and Destiny, Charles and Amanda Kraus, and Lora and James Farrell, all of Ft. Myers; his son, Edward Kraus and his wife, Doreen of Narrowsburg, granddaughters: Cindy Odell and her husband, Chip and great-grandchildren: Brittany and Lauren of Bethany, PA; Susan Jones and her husband, Harold of Binghamton, NY and great-grandchildren: Harold, Morgan and Megann; grandson, Douglas Kraus of Wyoming; Dot's daughters, Diane Cortese Daly, grandchildren: Mike Daly and his wife, Tisha, great-granddaughter, Mia, and daughter, Debbie Cortese, granddaughters: Erin Inglis and Jenna Samuel. Several nieces, nephews and cousins.
A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, October 20, 2012 at 11 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier R.C. Church, Narrowsburg, NY. Rev. William Scully O.F.M. will officiate. Burial of his cremains will be in St. Francis Cemetery, Narrowsburg, NY.
Donations may be made in his name to St. Francis Xavier R.C. Church, 151 Bride St., Narrowsburg, NY 12764 or the Tusten Vol. Ambulance Service Inc., P.O. Box 34, Narrowsburg, NY 12764.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Rasmussen Funeral Home, Narrowsburg, NY. 845-252-3901.


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The most chilling part:
Utterly inexcusable if true (arguably hard to get your facts wrong when it comes to whether or not the person was in the robes of a Buddhist monk and whether or not they were threatening you, and with what), and in my view this is more than a case of 'it's just a few bad monks, ignore them and focus on the good ones'."Journalists said they feared for their safety after Buddhist monks, one of them wielding a sword, forced them to hand over the memory cards in their cameras.
On Thursday, Buddhists, including monks from nearby monasteries, led a rampage through the Muslim quarter of the city of Meiktila seeking to avenge the death of a monk the day before, according to a news photographer who witnessed the fighting."
Remember that in Myanmar monks are influential and hold significant sway with the majority Buddhist populace. If it's true that some local monks are inciting and spearheading the violence, this is not something that can be ignored by any side.
Whilst so far I've read of several prominent monks calling for calm (with Aung San Suu Kyi so far only telling the police to 'act in accordance with the law' and making no public statement, which is par for the course for her these days), I've not seen any read of the senior Sangha of any order specifically denounce the actions of these idiots (and that's what they are - they're not deserving of the title of 'monk'). I'd imagine, however, that once these reports are verified and more widely circulated, action will hopefully be taken.
Outside in my street tonight they're laying preparations for a senior monk to give an outdoor talk - the whole street will sit on mats and listen. I'm in a majority Muslim neighbourhood so I'm very keen to attend, take my friend who will translate and listen to what the senior monk will teach.
EDIT: Twitter reports are that many local monks have taken in hundreds of homeless/hurt people from all sides into their monasteries. That's more like it and we need to be seeing these engaged and shining examples of compassion being reported as well.


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1999 Mazda B-Series 2WD Truck Values
Select a 1999 Mazda B-Series 2WD Truck trim level
The 1999 Mazda B-Series 2WD Truck is a compact pickup offered in a range of styles and trims. The base engine is a 2.5L four-cylinder engine which is rated at 119 hp. A 3.0L V6 engine is also available and produces 150 hp/185 lb-ft of torque, and a 4.0L V6 which generates 160 hp/225 lb-ft of torque. The B-Series 2WD is available with a regular cab, Cab Plus and Cab Plus4 body styles.


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Martin Keith Guitars are fine, handmade instruments - designed and built by a player for maximum comfort, versatility, and response.
From acoustic guitars to electric basses, this line of instruments seeks to define the perfect balance between all the various elements that give an instrument its personality.
A one-on-one relationship with each customer allows me to fine-tune every aspect of the instrument to suit his or her needs.
Along with the meticulous attention to detail all my instruments receive, this collaboration between player and builder creates instruments that feel, play and sound 'just right', and are as unique as the musicians that use them.
See how I build my guitars.


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April 23, 1919 - October 27, 2013
Rock Tavern, NY
Naomi L. (Vandermark) Specht, age 94, of Rock Tavern, NY died Sunday, October 27, 2013 at Orange Regional Medical Center, Middletown, NY.
She was born April 23, 1919 in Grooville, NY to parents, Harry and Hattie (Soules) Vandermark.
Naomi loved and spent much of her time in Beaverkill, NY with her grandparents that she adored. Naomi married Clarence Specht on January 30, 1938 in Livingston Manor, NY. She was a housewife and worked for the Washingtonville School as a cook until her retirement in 1980.
Naomi could always be found in the kitchen at home cooking and canning and helping out at the church and grange dinners. She enjoyed reading, sewing, crocheting afghans and being active in the church, grange and her love for playing dart ball. She always had a smile and a kind heart to all who knew her.
Naomi was a 60-plus year member of the Blooming Grove United Church of Christ, the Blooming Grove Kings Daughters and Women's Fellowship. She was a 48-year member of the Hamptonburgh Grange # 950, Silver Star member, holding the offices of Ceres and Women's Activities for many years. She was also active in the Hamptonburgh Home Extension. Naomi worked in the Town of Hamptonburgh on Election Day. She helped in the planning of the Hamptonburgh Memorial Day Program and serving parade attendees refreshments.
Naomi is predeceased by her husband, Clarence, of 42 years, and the loss of her daughter, Joan, passing in 2009; son, Clarence H. in 2013; loss of her parents, and sisters: Amy Young and Charlotte Nead.
Surviving her are four children: son, Henry L. and his wife, Nancy of New Windsor, NY; daughter, Carleen and her husband, John of Canandaigua, NY; son, Gary F. and his wife, Marianne of Wallkill, NY; son, Douglas W. of Rock Tavern, NY; daughter-in-law, Janet Specht of Beverly Hills, FL; 11 grandchildren: Dennis Jr. (Cris), Tracy (Brian), Henry (Stacey) Jr., Brenda (Joe), Katherine (Joe), Michelle (Rick), Barbara Jean, Gary Jr. (Allyson), Michael, Gwen, Marlena (Matt); 20 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews and sister-in-law, Eleanor Johanaman of Willowemoc, NY and many longtime friends.
The family would like to thank all who cared for our mother.
Visitation will be held at the Blooming Grove United Church of Christ, Blooming Grove on Wednesday, October 20th from 10 a.m. to 12 noon with the service at 12 noon with Dr. Lise Worthington, Minister and the Reverend William Ellsworth officiating. Burial will follow in Hamptonburgh Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Veterans Window at the Blooming Grove United Church of Christ, 8 Old Dominion Road, Blooming Grove, NY 10914.
Arrangements are under the care of the Donovan Funeral Home, Inc., Goshen; to leave the family a personal condolence, please visit www.donovanfunerals.com


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TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) -- Shawnee County Election Commissioner Elizabeth Ensley Deiter announced that in the afternoon of the election, she relieved a voting place Supervising Judge of her duties for failure to give out the correct ballots. This is the first time in twenty years that the Election Commissioner has experienced this situation.
A morning phone call to the election office reported a potential problem of an incorrect ballot being handed to a voter at the Light of the World Christian Church, 3301 SW Gage Blvd. After an extensive discussion with the Supervising Judge, an election official was dispatched from the office to the voting place. The election official observed the action in the voting place, heard the board worker tell the Supervising Judge which ballots to give and observed the correct ballots on the table. It appeared that the correct ballots were being handed out and the situation was resolved.
In the afternoon, the Election Commissioner visited the voting place and discovered that the supervising judge was not following the protocol that she had been taught, and was not giving some of the voters the correct ballot. Ensley Deiter intervened at that point, insisted that the board workers follow the procedures from their training school, relieved the Supervising Judge of her position and appointed another election worker in her place. Ensley Deiter believes that only a portion of the ballots were affected.
The races affected are those for the state House of Representatives, 52nd and 56th districts and the Ward 12 Precinct 8 and Ward 12 Precinct 9 precinct committee officials. She stressed it does not affect any of the other races including the County Commission or State Senate races since those were the same on both precinct's
Election Commissioner Ensley Deiter says her office is reviewing the poll book to determine the total number of ballots involved. Additional information will be released when that process is completed.


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ACLU drops challenge to Kansas abortion law
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union ended its legal challenge Friday to a Kansas law restricting private health insurance coverage for abortions.
A court filing shows the parties have agreed to dismiss all remaining claims, with each side bearing its own costs and attorneys' fees.
The agreement follows a federal judge's Jan. 7 ruling that, as a matter of law, the ACLU failed to provide any evidence that the Legislature's predominant motivation in passing the 2011 law was to make it more difficult to get abortions.
The Kansas law prohibits private insurance companies from offering coverage for abortions in their general plans except for when a woman's life is in danger. Kansas residents or employers who want abortion coverage must buy supplemental policies, known as riders.
"We are disappointed that the court's decision will stand, despite the fact that the American public believes that politicians have no place interfering with a woman's personal and private medical decisions," ACLU attorney Brigitte Amri said. "A woman should have the peace of mind of knowing that her insurance will cover her medical needs no matter what happens during her pregnancy.
"Although we are not able to continue with this case, we will continue to stand up for a woman's right to make the best choice for herself and her family."
The Kansas attorney general's office did not immediately return a phone message and email seeking comment on the court filing.
The case had been scheduled for trial in March to determine the larger question of whether the significant costs for abortions many women must now pay for themselves create a substantial burden on the federal right to an abortion. The joint stipulation of dismissal — which prohibits the ACLU from raising the claims again or appealing the judge's earlier ruling — effectively ends the case.
Women seeking an abortion in Kansas need to buy the insurance rider or pay for the procedure out-of-pocket if their insurance policies are new or were renewed after the law took effect in July 2011.
Before the law's passage, companies comprising 70% of the insurance market share in Kansas included abortion coverage in comprehensive policies, the judge noted. Between July 2010 and July 2011, the three major health insurers paid claims for 137 abortions.
The cost for an abortion at a clinic ranges from $450 to $1,675, and hospital abortions can cost upwards of $10,000.
The law was among several major anti-abortion initiatives approved by Kansas legislators and signed into law by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, who called on lawmakers to create "a culture of life" after he took office in January 2011. Supporters of the insurance restrictions contended that people who oppose abortion shouldn't be forced to pay for such coverage in a general health plan.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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As much as this might sound like an odd week for downloadable games on Nintendo platforms, it's actually on par with the same mishmash of content we're regularly given. I want to believe that someone is literally drawing names out of a hat to determine these release dates, but the truth is surely much more mundane.
The 3DS eShop has gotten Ketzal's Corridors ($6.99), which looks to be a game about the Aztec adventures puzzle pieces go on when we aren't playing Tetris. On DSiWare, the new game is Anne's Doll Studio: Tokyo Collection ($4.99). I feel creepy looking at the screenshots, so let's just leave it at that.
Finally, there's a music video -- Death Cab for Cutie's "Underneath the Sycamore" -- but it isn't coming to the eShop until April 14. Not like I had plans for Saturday anyway.
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S&P 500 breaks through 1,500, first time since '07
By MATTHEW CRAFT
Associated Press
NEW YORK - The Standard & Poor's 500 index is trading above 1,500 for the first time since December 2007.
The S&P has risen for the past six days. Thursday's gain followed a sudden drop in claims for unemployment benefits, another sign that the labor market is healing.
A plunge in Apple's stock pulled the Nasdaq composite index lower. The electronics giant predicted slower sales.
The Dow Jones industrial average was up 69 points at 13,849. The Standard & Poor's 500 index inched above 1,500 in early trading, and was up four points at 1,499 as of 10:15 a.m.
The Nasdaq fell nine points to 3,144. A sharp drop in Apple, one of the country's most valuable companies, is enough to pull down the technology-heavy index.


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(Panthera leo)
Facts about this animal
The Lion is an unmistakable, large and powerfully built cat with a uniform coat and a black tuft at the end of the tail and a mane (males). The head-body length is 140-250 cm with a shoulder height of 80-110 cm. The weight is 150-250 kg in males and 120-185 kg in females. The lioness is notably smaller and lighter than the male and maneless. Lions have a broad face with a relatively long muzzle.
The face of the male is framed by a yellow, brown, or almost black mane. The ears are short, rounded and with black marks on the basal part on the backside. The fore limbs are more powerfully built than the hind limbs. The coat is short and uniform. The colour is varying from ochraceous silvery-grey to dark ochre-brown. The young are marked with ochraceous rosette-like spots mainly on the belly and legs. The coat is woolly and they are maneless.
Did you know?
that, if a young male lion fights off an older lion and takes over his pride, he will immediately kill all the cubs in the pride? This forces the lionesses to go back into season and they soon mate with him and have his cubs.
|Name (Scientific)
|Panthera leo
|Name (English)
|Name (French)
|Name (German)
|Name (Spanish)
|CITES Status
|Panthera leo - all African populations: Appendix II. Panthera leo persica: Appendix I
|CMS Status
|Not listed
Photo Copyright by
Valerie Abbott
|Africa, India (Gir forest)
|Savannas and forests
|Wild population
|African lion:30,000 to 100,000 (1996) (Red List IUCN 2011)
|Zoo population
|Panthera leo:1138 reported to ISIS (2005) Panthera leo persica: 106 reported to ISIS (2005)
In the Zoo
How this animal should be transported
Transport crates should be sufficiently large to meet legal requirements, sufficiently strong to prevent escape or damage to the crate and animal, and have an adequate number of handles. Basic design should allow free flow of air through multiple sides of the container. A double door design on each end of the crate should be used. The "inner" door on each end should have bars to contain the animal, and the "outer" door should consist of a thin panel of expanded metal that provides safety for the handlers. The doors on each end of the crate should travel vertically to facilitate animal transfer and contain a secure locking system. The crate should drain well, and absorbent bedding should be used to prevent the animal from being exposed to or lying in urine or excreta. The crate should be of a size that allows easy lifting, transport and movement through doorways.
The shipment should be organised in a way to minimise stress. The animal should have access to its transport crate for 2 weeks before shipment, preferably being fed within it. If an extended trip is anticipated, water and eventually food should be provided while the animal is in transit. Ideally one of the animal's keepers should accompany it during transport, providing for its care and helping it adjust to the new environment.
For air transport, Container Note 72 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.
Find this animal on ZooLex
Photo Copyright by
THomas Jermann
Why do zoos keep this animal
The lion, King of the animals, is one of the most charismatic species kept by zoos. Apart from serving as a model for art classes and being of great educational value for biology teachers, it is a top ambassador species for the ecosystems it inhabits, and many of which have become threatened.
The Asian lion, surviving only in a small part of India, is critically endangered. Therefore an International Studbook was set up in 1971 under the WAZA umbrella and there are regional conservation breeding programmes operated by AZA and EAZA. AZA and ARAZPA have also programmes for maintaining self-sustained African lion populations in their zoos.


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Peterson Seeks Guarantee Before Tackling Farm Bill
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rep. Collin Peterson says he's dismayed Congress passed only a short extension to the 2008 Farm Bill. And the Minnesota Democrat says he's not willing to put in any more work on a five-year farm bill without assurances it will get a vote.
The House never took a floor vote on a five-year farm bill that passed out of the House Agriculture Committee in July with bipartisan support from Peterson, the ranking Democrat on the panel, and its chairman, Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla.
Peterson tells The Associated Press he and his staff are crafting a letter to Speaker John Boehner demanding a guarantee that if the committee passes a farm bill this year, it will be allowed to come to the floor. Otherwise, he says he'll stay on the sidelines.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.


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An erupting volcano on the horizon
It was Saturday, May 21, and I was returning from a tour with nine friends. We had spent 15 hours climbing a 1420 metre (yard) high peak named Midfellstindur near Iceland's Skaftafell national park. While driving back along route 1 from Skaftafell towards our hotel, the organizer of the trip Hans Kristjansson said "This is a strange cloud just above the glacier".
As a hang glider and ultralight pilot I knew right away that this was no ordinary cloud and said to Hans: "My friend, this is not a ordinary cloud but the start of an eruption". We stopped the car and I tried to use well the last seven frames that I had on my memory card in my Canon D300 DSLR camera. I took seven frames in about 20 minutes. I always take my photos in RAW format to be able to post-process them. It paid off this time. The pictures were taken at N 63° 56.712 W 17° 23.729.
When I got back to the hotel I was unable to view my pictures as my laptop was at home in Reykjavik along with my card reader. The lesson of the trip is that I will never ever travel again without my MacBookPro and my Lexar card reader. And I will make sure that I have ample space on different memory cards!
We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/
So wait, you're a stringer at Reuters?


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The Dodgers' opened a two-game set with the Yankees. While we didn't know at the time, Mark Ellis would hit the walk-off single that gave the Dodgers their 27th win in 33 games. This team is fun to watch right now.
Brian Wilson signed with the Dodgers. I think it's a good, low-risk move while Jared has some reservations about it. We'll see how it goes. He could boom or he could bust.
Zach Mortimer of Baseball Prospectus (#FollowMort) drops by to give us his insights on some prospects in the Dodgers' system, namely Joc Pederson, Zach Lee and Julio Urias. It's nice to hear someone else's perspective about the Dodgers' prospects.
Then we talk a little about the trade deadline that just passed. I can't officially say the Dodgers didn't do anything, but they basically didn't do anything. They acquired catcher Drew Butera from the Minnesota Twins for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Here's hoping it's the latter.
As usual, we close with listener questions.
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Look for new episodes of "Dugout Blues" every Wednesday. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and review us on iTunes. We want to make this the best podcast we can so we're always looking for suggestions and ways to improve.
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Image credit: Joe Martin


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View of farm buildings, Towie Barclay Castle.
Description View of farm buildings, Towie Barclay Castle.
Date 5/1963
Collection Scottish National Buildings Record
Catalogue Number SC 1587553
Category On-line Digital Images
Copy of AB 996
Scope and Content Written on the back of the mounted print: 'Shire: Aberdeenshire. Building: Towie Barclay - Farm buildings'. Photographer: 'J.P.' Date: 'May 1963'
External Reference MW/BR/TOW/21
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1587553
Attribution: © Crown Copyright: HES
Licence Type: Educational
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Under these conditions: Display Attribution, No Commercial Use or Sale, No Public Distribution [eg by hand, email, web]


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Box Office Report: 'Skyfall' Breaks Records, 'Lincoln' Starts Big, and Signs of a Record Year at the Box Office
Here's your weekend box office returns (new releases bolded):
1. Skyfall - $87.8 million
2. Wreck-It Ralph - $33.0 million
3. Flight - $15.1 million
4. Argo - $6.7 million
5. Taken 2 - $4.0 million
6. Here Comes the Boom - $2.55 million
7. Cloud Atlas - $2.52 million
8. Pitch Perfect - $2.50 million
9. The Man with the Iron Fists - $2.49 million
10. Hotel Transylvania - $2.35 million
The Big Stories
Whether you were the biggest release of the week or the smallest, you had a pretty solid weekend. Two worldly icons opened films and both exceeded expectations. The 23rd entry in the James Bond franchise posted its biggest numbers to date. Over $20 million higher than any opening weekend in its history and is easily on pace to cross $200 million and be the biggest film in the series. It is already more than halfway to the $160+ million posted by each of the three previous films. Meanwhile, Steven Spielberg's Lincoln started its preview run in extraordinary fashion, adding promise that the next seven-and-a-half weeks could add up to the biggest domestic box office year of all time.
"Bond like you've never seen him before." - Peter Travers
Well he still looks like Daniel Craig, drinks martinis, kicks ass and beds down women (even if they're emotionally damaged from the sex trade as a youth), so we're not sure what the hell Travers is talking about. Box office, on the other hand, is another story. Quantum of Solace took a pretty steep fall in 2008, grossing just $27 million after the five-day Thanksgiving weekend. That was its third weekend in release and it will be the same for Skyfall. Quantum's December competition in '08 was hardly inspiring either. Between the two holidays that year it had to face off against Punisher: War Zone, The Day the Earth Stood Still remake, Yes Man, Seven Pounds and The Tale of Despereaux and it still shrunk down to the 10th spot with the lowest multiplier the Bond series had ever seen. Yet, it remains the highest-grossing Bond film ever at $168.3 million. Skyfall will have passed that by the end of Thanksgiving weekend. Maybe even the beginning.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon ($142.83 million), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 ($138.1), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 ($125.0), Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ($102.6), Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone ($90.2), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ($88.3), Skyfall ($87.0), The Incredibles ($70.4), Twilight ($69.6), Quantum of Solace ($67.5)
What we know is this: November has now been co-opted by three major franchises. Nine of the top 10 November openings belong to Twilight, Harry Potter and James Bond. The idiotic Twilight series will come to a close next week, taking the number-one slot and reducing Bond's presence on that list to a single title. It is unlikely that Silver Linings Playbook, Life of Pi or Red Dawn can overtake it over the holiday (as word of mouth will be very strong) leaving it to be third behind Twilight and Rise of the Guardians. The next two weeks after that its challengers will be a Brad Pitt film that the Weinsteins have all but written off (Killing Me Softly), a sequel to a horror film that about eight people have seen (The Collection) and a film with Gerard Butler (Playing for Keeps). Funny how those descriptions could be interchangeable. There is little chance Skyfall will fall out of the top three until The Hobbit comes along on December 14. Of the 42 films to open to more than $75 million, only one (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) failed to gross $200 million. If Skyfall takes to the average multiplier of the Bond series since Pierce Brosnan took over it would find itself with over $330 million. Though only 59% (25-of-42) films in that range have mustered that magic number.
How Many Scores In a Single Year?
Lincoln only opened in 11 theaters this weekend, prompting even many in big cities like Chicago (where it played at one) to wonder where they could see it. Apparently those able to find these phantom playhouses flooded it with attendance. Per-screen average is a pretty meaningless statistic in this regard. Remember all the fuss made over The Master's $147,262 back in September? Not even $16 million later and another Weinstein film is practically forgotten about. Lincoln's per-screen is about half that in twice as many screens. Supply, demand and roughly the same percentage of extrapolated patrons.
Pocahontas ($2,689,714), The Lion King ($1,586,753), Lincoln ($900,000), The Princess and the Frog ($786,190), The Master ($736,311), Memoirs of a Geisha ($682,504), Mystic River ($640,815), Midnight In Paris ($599,003), Dances with Wolves ($598,257), Brokeback Mountain ($547,425), Moonrise Kingdom ($522,996), A History of Violence ($515,992), Annie ($510,632)
Those are the highest grosses for openings on less than 15 screens and Lincoln clearly rose to the occasion. Only one of those films failed to gross $30 million. (Guess which one.) And only three failed to hit at least $55 million. When Lincoln begins a real release pattern on November 16 chances are it is going to have a very successful run as it makes a play to be Argo's biggest challenger for the Best Picture Oscar.
Chances of a Record-Breaking Year Increases
We have been promising a breakdown of this for the past few weeks now and it is time to start delivering. 2012 hit the $9 billion mark this week and is in no danger of hitting 10 for the fourth straight year. 2009 currently owns the highest calendar year on record. That is registered grosses from January 1-December 31 which means that $466 of Avatar's $749 million was actually grossed in 2010 (and it still came up $30 million short of '09's record.) So looking at that we have to consider what is possible between now and New Year's Eve. Basically that comes down to 23 films on this year's calendar compared to 24 released at the same time from last year. Why last year and not 2009? Work with me here.
As of last weekend the box office needed approximately $1.658 billion to overtake 2009. Making assumptions about the final grosses of Wreck-It Ralph, Flight and Argo that would put us only $1.442 billion without even factoring in every other film in the top 10 and beyond from last week. The 24 films we have our eye on from last year (from the second weekend of November on) grossed about $1.394 billion. That's only a $48 million difference from our goal and at least half of that should be made up by the stragglers we have not even considered yet.
Matching up genres, comparable titles and release patterns we can take to matching up Skyfall with last year's Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. The latter opened up far later and only had 16 days to make its $122 million, so we know Bond will have at least that much by next Friday. MI-4 was the third-highest-grossing film of the holiday season (up to December 31) of 2011. Second place by less than $2 million was the Sherlock Holmes sequel. The highest was Breaking Dawn -- Part I, which ended the year with $274.8 million. The finale should have no problem matching that and thus the box office should already be ahead of the game. If Lincoln can manage to unite the country into outgrossing 2011's already forgotten Immortals to the tune of $82.6 million or more, then watch out because 2012 could be the new gold standard for the box office to reach. Stay tuned right here for further analysis as it will start to get trickier as we get closer to the end of the year.
[box office figures via Box Office Mojo]
Erik Childress can be seen each Thursday morning on WCIU-TV's First Business breaking down the box office on the Movies & Money segment.
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
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Virtual Tours
Artists/Heaney/Books: An Exhibition is shown to coincide with the celebration of Seamus Heaney's 70th birthday, and is presented in association with the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism and RTÉ. Throughout his career Heaney has developed friendships and collaborated on imagery with a variety of artists, including Barrie Cooke, Felim Egan, Barry Flanagan, T.P. Flanagan, Martin Gale, Cecil King, Sol LeWitt, Hughie O'Donoghue and many others. The exhibition features an extensive display of the poet's book collaborations, as well as selected artworks from IMMA's Collection by the artists in question, with loans from the Ulster Museum and other sources.
In Heaney's honour, Barrie Cooke has worked with Stoney Road Press to produce a new IMMA limited edition print, with passages in the poet's own hand, which will be included in the exhibition. A short interview with Christina Kennedy, curator of the exhibition and Head of Collections at IMMA, with Seamus Heaney on his thoughts around art and poetry will accompany the exhibition.
Seamus Heaney was born in 1939 near Castledawson, Co Derry. The eldest of nine children he won a scholarship to St Columb's College in Derry and later attended Queen's University Belfast where his first books of poems were written. He was a teacher in Belfast from the 1960s and has since held many positions including Professor of Poetry at Oxford and Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard University. A Saoi of Aosdána, he is one of the most admired and popular writers of our time. Best known for his poetry, his works also include plays, translations and essays. Among his many achievements is the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995.
Related Links Press Release IMMA Edition: Seamus Heaney and Barrie Cooke
Irish Museum of Modern Art, Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, Dublin 8, D08 FW31, Ireland
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Those of you that have -or- watch NASA TV, you have seen that tracking software they show us. It has 3 screen area's and it is 3d. If any of you know what i am talking about, e-mail me and tell me where i can dwnload it. Thanx, James ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866] ---- Via the sarex mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA. To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe sarex" to firstname.lastname@example.com
AMSAT Home


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Bicycle Accessory Company Strengthens Resources
Golden, CO – 12/3/2010 – Feedback Sports(www.feedbacksports.com) announced today that Jeff Nitta has joined the company to further develop the company's sales and marketing efforts. Jeff comes with a wealth of experience within the sporting goods industry, having spent several years with various companies including Schwinn Cycling & Fitness where he was instrumental in the growth of sales and the broadening of market awareness.
Jeff joins Feedback Sports as Director of Sales & Marketing to continue Feedback's strong tradition of providing high quality precision bicycle products to many of the top bicycle dealers in the US as well as International. Jeff comments "I am excited to start a new challenge with Feedback Sports and look forward to working with the team in an industry that possesses a lot of passion. I am fortunate to be joining such a respected company that prides itself on superior customer service, top quality and innovative products."
Doug Hudson, founder of Feedback Sports said "Jeff's broad experience in the industry will allow him to have an immediate impact on our growing business and we are excited to have him on board."
About Feedback Sports:
Feedback Sports is a specialty bicycle accessory company which offers customers a range of high quality bicycle maintenance and storage products.
Rob Reedy
Echos Communications


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Pop superstar Beyonce has stepped up her security over fears about an obsessive fan, according to a U.K. report.
Editors at The Sun claim staff at London's Twickenham Stadium have been told to be on the lookout for Bassey Essien at the Crazy In Love hitmaker's gig at the venue on Saturday.
Beyonce won an anti-harassment order against Essien, who began sending threatening letters to the star in 2009, at Britain's High Court in 2011, prohibiting him from pestering her.
The newspaper reports that the singer has been sent threatening notes ahead of The Sound Of Change concert, and an insider adds, "Staff have been briefed on the situation and pictures of him have been passed round. They've been told to keep their eyes open and be extra vigilant.
"Security has been increased on a few engagements now, especially for her U.K. promo. It is believed similar letters to the ones that Essien sent have been received."
Jennifer Lopez, John Legend and Timbaland are also among the stars set to perform at the charity concert, which aims to raise awareness of women's issues around the globe.
Pop superstar Beyonce has stepped up her security over fears about an obsessive fan, according to a U.K. report.


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EUREKA, Ill.-- The Panthers could not top the Eureka Red Devils on the road and lost with a final score of 75-60. Daniel Anderson and Tim Daniel led GC in scoring with 12 points each.
Greenville fell early, with Eureka going on an 11-0 run to start the game. The Panthers tried to come back but were unable to gain the lead and went into the locker room at halftime down 37-26. The second half would go to the Red Devils 38-34, which brought the game to a final score of 75-60, Eureka.
The Panthers were led offensively by Daniel Anderson and Tim Daniel, who recorded 12 points each. Defensively, GC looked to TodD Albertson and Ben Giertz. Albertson had 4 rebounds and 2 steals and Giertz grabbed 7 of the 29 Panther rebounds.
The loss brings Greenville's record to 8-11 (3-7 SLIAC). The Panthers play on the road once again Saturday, Feb. 2 when they take on Webster at 3:00pm.


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SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The first time Jarrett Grace saw Manti Te'o in front of him, Grace was a high school sophomore seated on his living room floor. On the television was a wildly anticipated national signing day event in Hawaii, and like many others, Grace watched Te'o reach to the right and pull on a Notre Dame cap.
Grace had two more years at Cincinnati's Colerain High School. So he kept watching.
"I knew he was a tremendous player," Grace said. "That's something I looked for: 'OK, if I go here, I'm going to have this great mentor.' "
Ultimately, Grace arrived at Notre Dame to play linebacker. Ultimately, that meant more watching. But two years of idol time behind an admired, snap-hoarding star such as Te'o finally has reached the payoff stage, with Grace ascending into the spot he had been waiting for.
A defensive shakeup resulted in Grace, a 253-pound junior, starting at inside linebacker against Michigan State. He posted 18 of his team-high 28 tackles in the last two games. Enhanced comfort with an enhanced role might allow coaches to nudge senior Dan Fox back to the Will linebacker spot as Grace seizes an opportunity he never had.
"Even last year, if something were to happen, he was ready to go," cornerback Bennett Jackson said. "He knew all of his assignments. ... He worked day in and day out knowing that he wasn't going to get the reps he wanted in a game. That didn't slow him down any."
Te'o did. A three-down, All-America dervish left precious few reps for any understudy.
Grace's initial sensation was anxiety, adjusting from high school luminary to in-the-shadows backup. He rationalized his predicament via a lack of expectations, figuring he "had that bubble where I could just grow," sponging up knowledge from Te'o and honing his craft.
"The one thing he taught me was to focus on one thing at a time," Grace said. "Obviously he was at the top of that pyramid. You can't get to the top by putting that peak down first. You have to lay the base layer. He told me to go about my game mastering one thing at a time, just being a workman."
So Grace zeroed in on footwork, on using his hands to destroy blocks. Then, from spring practice through the 2013 opener, he worked on settling down.
"Back then, I was just a ball of energy," Grace said of his first non-Te'o spring. "I've definitely matured in my game a lot since then, being able to harness that energy in the right direction and not necessarily just burn gas all the time."
He has been more instinctive and less robotic each week. What's left is Grace taking hold of a unit when he's squarely in the middle of things.
"Even though he was behind our best leader in our program, and that has a tendency, obviously, to overshadow you, he led in community service," coach Brian Kelly said. "He led in fellowship. Now he's starting to become more vocal as well."
A year ago, the Oklahoma game supercharged Te'o's Heisman Trophy hopes. There is nothing as incandescent at stake for his replacement when the Sooners visit Saturday.
But it is a potent offense on a klieg-lit stage. And it is Grace's job to do something about it.
"You kind of feel like the new guy sometimes, but you recognize, I have just as much invested in this team as these guys do," Grace said. "We all have the same goal. So if I'm going to do something to help the team win, I better do it."
Twitter @ChiTribHamilton


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- Show: Apr 22, 2010 @ Regency West Supper Club
Jammin Foundation and Linda Morgan, Ms. SmoothAhead Jazz Presents Living Legends & More Jazz Panel Discussion & Jam Session. As we celebrate "Jazz Appreciation Month" Moderated by Bubba Jackson & Tommy Hawkins. Panelists: Larry Nash, Ndugu Chancler, Bennie Maupin, John Daniel Stephens & James Benson. Honoring, Multi-Instrumentalist, Buddy Collette, & Violinist, Michael White. Jammin Jazz Ensemble will be in the house with it's Music Director, Jacques Lesure. "The Status of Jazz" & "Protecting The Legacy of Jazz & Jazz Musicians". Early Arrival is strongly suggested!


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Northern Michigan Morning Hikes and Afternoon Beach Spots
It's the perfect combination: Northern Michigan hikes and beaches paired for the perfect day. Northern Michigan beaches summon bare toes for summer strolling. Yet, if you are looking for a more strenuous hike before you set up your beach chair, we've got the perfect pairs for you from Sleeping Bear Dunes to Harbor Springs. Take a morning hike through one of these trails, then pass the afternoon lounging at the gorgeous Northern Michigan beach your trail is paired with .
Thorne Swift Preserve
You don't even have to get in the car for this one. Hike the mile or so of easy trails and then head straight to the water.
This sweet Lake Michigan beach is a bit of a secret, tucked away in a pretty 30-acre preserve near Harbor Springs. It's just 300 feet of frontage, but on most days you're likely to have it all to yourself. Bonus: There's also 1.5 miles of easy hiking trails and boardwalks through dunes and cedar swamps, and an interpretive nature center the kids will adore. On Lower Shore Drive, off M-119 four miles north of Harbor Springs. 231.526.6401, landtrust.org.


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The market for solid-state drives has been growing quick for years, and that trend doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon! An analyst over at IHS iSuppli expects global shipment of solid state drives (SSDs) to more than double in 2013. The driving force behind this growth, according him, is "a new generation of lower-cost and more appealing ultrabooks" that will be launching later this year. Could these be Intel Haswell processor based products that will spur the increased demand? The SSD data used in the report includes both traditional SSDs,as well as cache SSDs that are paired with a hard drive. SSDs really boos overall system performance and responsiveness, so it makes sense that SSDs will continue to see such impressive growth. It is still one of our favorite bang-for-buck system upgrades that one can do for any PC that doesn't already have an SSD! IHS believes that 83 million SSDs will be shipped this year, up from 39 million in 2012!
"The fate of the SSD business is closely tied to the market for Ultrabooks and other ultrathin PCs that use cache drives," said Ryan Chien, analyst for memory and storage at IHS. "While SSD shipments rose by 124 percent last year, growth actually fell short of expectations because ultrabook sales faltered due to poor marketing, high prices and a lack of appealing features. However, if sales of the new generation of ultrabooks take off this year as expected, the SSD market is set for robust growth."
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When I came across a story about a dad getting time off work for breastfeeding, I thought it was the premise of some strange David Lynch flick for the forthcoming OWN Network (working title: Not Without My Nipples). But it was in fact a news item out of Europe. The short version: earlier this year Pedro Manuel Roca Alvarez, a new dad in Galicia, Spain, fought a law stating that men are not given short breaks from work to care for their newborns if the mother is self-employed. The European Union Court of Justice backed Pedro up, stating that the current law "caused an unjustified discrimination on grounds of sex." And so Pedro and thousands of other Euro dads have since been granted "breastfeeding leave."
Is it me, or is Europe always ahead of us in trends (tight pants, shag hairdo, Vespas, David Hasselhoff)? And sure enough here comes Pedro, sans lactating breasts, fighting for the right for new dads to go home and give mom a much needed break. Pre-Pedro, the law said that because mom is self-employed (read as: probably working from home), she's in a place where she can handle both her professional and motherly duties. But as any mom will tell you, breastfeeding is more calculus than basic addition. It takes real work, and can be exhausting. Considering that breastfeeding is only one of a new mom's duties, having dad there can actually be life-saving. Paid family leave has been shown to reduce infant mortality by as much as 20 percent. The U.S. ranks 33rd of all countries in infant mortality; the U.S. also provides no paid leave for men. Coincidence?
Look across Europe, and you'll see the kinds of paternity, maternity and family leave policies that make bleary-eyed new moms and dads across America drool: 28 weeks maternity leave in the Czech Republic; 120 days fully paid leave in Portugal, which can be shared between the mother and father; Sweden's paternity leave can be extended up to 480 days (you still have four months off after the kiddie's first birthday) with up to 80 percent of your salary. Last month, the EU decided that all 27 nations must give new dads two weeks paid leave. In the states, where family leave policies are as tight as a pair of jeggings, parents have to resort to other strategies. In the U.S., 49 percent of moms use sick days, vacation days, and disability leave to extend their maternity leave.
Many would argue that America's greatness is due to our collective dedication to hard work. I have a better way of putting it: America's greatness is due to our collective worry that taking too much time off work could mean losing our jobs.


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For the second time this year, Camden High School teamed up with UNITE International's Arrive Alive Tour to inform teens about the dangers of drinking -- and texting -- and driving.
The Kershaw County School District (KCSD) held its first in a series of public meetings on Phase II of its Facilities Equalization Plan at Lugoff-Elgin High School (L-EHS) Tuesday evening. KCSD Superintendent Dr. Frank Morgan said he thinks the district has proved it knows how to manage money and time with all of the extra projects it completed that were not originally a part of Phase I.
In one week, Camden and Lugoff-Elgin high schools raised $38,779.25 for the United Way of Kershaw County. Camden High School (CHS) took the lead in this year's United Way challenge versus Lugoff-Elgin High School (L-EHS).
A Lee County man will serve 25 years after a Kershaw County jury found him guilty of molesting his stepdaughters.
Local and state representatives told students at Lugoff-Elgin High School (L-EHS) that education is the key to the future during a Sept. 17 legislative forum at the school. The L-EHS Student and School Improvement councils, with the help of L-EHS school improvement council member Robert Price, hosted the forum to encourage juniors and seniors to engage in the political process and register to vote.
The Kershaw County School District (KCSD) met or exceeded state averages in 22 of 24 areas on Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS) testing this year.
Terrie Hall, 53, a real life anti-smoking ad in the flesh died this week after a 13-year battle with mouth and throat cancer.
Camden Police Department (CPD) officers assisted the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) with removing an alligator from a Camden motel room on Monday, Sept. 9.
A special rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner led off the dedication of Leslie M. Stover Middle School's (LSMS) new wellness center Monday night. Music teacher Brian Heyward led eighth-grade students Anna Boyce and Jessica Britt through the song to welcome guests to LSMS.
Add some fuel to the fire by helping students at Lugoff-Elgin High School (L-EHS) and/or Camden High School (CHS) raise money for the United Way of Kershaw County this week.
A Kershaw County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) deputy found more than 60 grams of marijuana, less than 1 gram of crack and some other pills in a vehicle after he lawfully stopped a driver and two passengers for not wearing seatbelts or using a turn signal.
Camden City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to award a bid to place electric lines underground on Broad Street in Dusty Bend to Sumter Utilities.
An emergency team responded to the scene of a three-vehicle collision involving a school bus full of West Wateree Elementary children Thursday afternoon.
Caring, compassionate, loving, loyal and hardworking are the words used to describe Camden-native Vera Ferguson last Friday.
A Bishopville man died in a one-car collision Sept. 3 after he ran off the road and struck a tree on Black River Road near Camden.
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October 23, 2012
What's next, now that video and audio are everywhere on the Web?
By K. William Gibson
Legendary NFL football coach Dick Vermeil has compiled a volume of leadership lessons that he has learned over his many years of leading teams to NFL success. In a recent "Maximum Impact Lesson" (Vol. 11, No. 1), leadership expert John Maxwell references Vermeil's views on organizational unity. Vermeil believes that there are three things that can ruin any organization.
· The first is the organization's competition. If your own product or service cannot compete, your organization is in jeopardy.
· The second is public perception, which may be shaped by the media. Morale and performance in the organization, as well as client impact, suffer if the organization is consistently viewed in a negative light.
· The third, and the greatest threat, is division within the organization. If members of the organization are not unified in vision, or are not working well together, then breakdown can occur at any time, even in the event of seemingly minor pressures.
Thinking about Vermeil's perspectives brings to mind my favorite scene in the movie Remember the Titans, which occurs when Coach Boone (played by Denzel Washington) requires his entire team to wake up at 3 a.m. to take an early morning training run through the battlefields of Gettysburg. Boone's is a team of high school football students who at the time are wrought with disunity. Upon arriving at a battleground cemetery, Boone makes a memorable speech where he expresses his vision of unity for his organization. "If we do not come together on this hallowed ground," he implores, "we too will be destroyed." The character's realization that unity among all the members of an organization is critical to attaining success is quite striking.One of my primary goals for the Law Practice Management Section this year is to encourage more unity in purpose and vision. Whenever so many individuals are teamed into separate entities, involved in so many significant and important endeavors, there is always a risk of individually being too specifically focused. So much so that we might not understand or regularly remember that we all need to have the same vision of success, and that vision needs to be the whole organization (and not just our team within the organization) achieving its mission. Every endeavor of every entity within the Section should constantly focus on this true meaning of success and be vigilant against focusing on many different personal or entity-related purposes. "Success" must always be viewed by dedicated individuals and teams as success for the whole organization, with all goals related back, and subordinate, to the mission of the whole. I commend this principle to every Section member as advice not only for Section-related activities, but also as something that your partners, associates, employees and staff might take to heart regarding the success of their own law firms or law-related organizations.


text: Sending your child off to summer camp can be a little nerve racking for both you and your camper. Here is a fun activity booklet to help your child get prepared to go to asthma camp! The booklet helps your child understand what to expect at camp and also provides some asthma education.


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Search motorhomes
El Monte: Mileage Special
El Monte: Mileage Special
Book an El Monte camper for a minimum of 4 days travel between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019 and receive 50 miles per night free of charge. This special is only available if selected during the booking process online prior to your departure. Exclude rentals that start in, end in or cross over period 22 August 2018 to 04 September 2018.
Booking valid from 1 January 2000 to 1 January 2050
Travel valid from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019
Coupon Terms and Conditions
- A minimum hire length of 4 days applies.
- Special cannot be combined with any other special offers.
- The supplier reserves the right to withdraw the offer from sale at any time.
- Normal terms and conditions apply.
- Offer is subject to vehicle availability.
- Offer applicable for new bookings only.


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Column: NFL needs to step up, provide incentive for Washington to change that hideous name
- Image 1 of 2
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We can argue ad nauseam over whether nicknames such as "Braves" and "Chiefs" are slurs against Native Americans.
There are valid points on both sides of that issue.
But there is no gray area when it comes to the name of the NFL team in Washington.
That term is racist — pure and simple.
It's time for the NFL to take a stand on something besides its bottom line, to take whatever steps are necessary to force the team's petulant owner, Dan Snyder, to change that horrific name.
Rest assured, it will happen at some point. Washington's NFL team is on the wrong side of history, not unlike those who argued for segregation or against gay rights.
But what about the team's history? Doesn't that account for something?
Not at all (especially since the owner who came up with this name in the 1930s, George Preston Marshall, was clearly a racist).
"It is hard to justify keeping a team name purely for tradition when that name has ties to a time in our nation's past when there was a bounty on each (offensive term deleted) an 'Indian fighter' brought in to a military outpost," said Dennis Deninger, a longtime production executive at ESPN who now teaches sports communication at Syracuse University. "The time to break with that past is long overdue."
Seriously, this should be an easy one for the NFL. Those who actually study the origins of our language and define what it all means are in complete agreement on this word. The Oxford Dictionaries describes it as "dated" and "offensive." Merriam-Webster says the word "is very offensive and should be avoided."
Snyder keeps insisting that he won't be pressured into changing his team's offensive moniker.
In many ways, he reminds me of former Augusta National chairman Hootie Johnson, who famously said the home of the Masters would not be forced into accepting women members "at the point of the bayonet."
Well, look what happened a couple of years ago. Augusta National doled out green jackets to a pair of females. The world went on. The Masters wasn't the least bit affected.
In a letter to season-ticket holders last month, Snyder addressed the issue at length for the first time with such nonsense as the name being a "badge of honor," going back to the franchise having a Native American coach during its early days in Boston.
Of course, he didn't mention research that questions whether William "Lone Star" Dietz was an actual Indian or stole the identity of a missing man from the Oglala Sioux tribe. Snyder also cited polls and anecdotal evidence that indicate support for the name from Native Americans, though activists have questioned the validity of those surveys.
Actually, it doesn't matter whether they're accurate or not. Snyder's campaign is merely a smoke screen to cover the real issue — the millions and millions of dollars he worries about losing if he changes the name.
On that issue, he might have a point.
David E. Johnson, the CEO of Atlanta-based Strategic Vision, a public relations and branding agency, said the Washington franchise could take a huge financial hit by reversing course now on the issue of a name change.
"It they do rename it, it's going to take time to win back the old fans who get angry because the name was changed," Johnson said Friday. "When the sponsors look at that, do they really want to be in a rebuilding process when there are others teams they could go advertise with? Even if they are in the D.C. area, they could go up to the Baltimore area and advertise with the Ravens."
This is where the league needs to step up.
Commissioner Roger Goodell needs to tell Snyder, privately but in no uncertain terms, that there will be a change — three to four years from now, to allow for a smooth transition.
Snyder's legitimate financial concerns must be addressed, perhaps from a special fund set up by the other 31 teams. Think about it: If each team contributed just $10 million — basically, pocket change given the value of NFL franchises — there would be a rather tempting financial incentive to dangle in front of the Washington owner. Of, if can show he's lost significant revenue after the name is changed, the NFL could commit to making up at least part of the difference.
Perhaps Snyder could leverage a name change into getting that new stadium he wants in the District of Columbia, which is unlikely to happen as long as the team carries its current nickname. President Obama recently suggested that it might be time to consider a change. The mayor of Washington goes out of his way to avoid using the offensive term.
Fans are overwhelmingly in favor of keeping the name, evidenced by a poll released over the summer by The Washington Post. It showed 61 percent of city residents liked the name, and support was even higher among self-described fans; about eight in 10 said the team shouldn't change its name.
But more telling was this part of the survey: Among those who want to keep the name, 56 percent said the word is inappropriate in apparently every context except naming an NFL team. Only 28 percent believed it was acceptable to use.
Enough said.
That name has to go.
Paul Newberry is a national writer for The Associated Press. Write to him at email@example.com or www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963


text: Converse sneakers are the quintessential hybrid of athletic and street style, and so are Converse eyeglasses. The History of Converse Converse was founded in the early 1900s, and by 1915, the company was manufacturing athletic shoes for tennis. Shortly after, the celebrated Converse All-Star basketball shoe was introduced, and n 1932, the signature star was added to the high-topped sneakers. While the brand only intended to market shoes for athletes, the brand began showing up on the streets, worn by people living on the edge - rock stars, celebrity icons and everyday people. Converse now also offers clothing and accessories, like socks, hats, bags and, yes, eyewear.


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|South Central Judicial District
Cases reviewed
Lawyer record
Born in 1944, Kenmare, ND. Ph.B, University of North Dakota; J.D., University of North Dakota School of Law, 1970. Served in U. S. Army. Engaged in private practice in Dickinson for ten years. Served two years as county judge of Stark County. Elected Judge of the Southwest Judicial District in 1984, reelected 1990. Transferred to South Central Judicial District with chambers at Linton in 1995. Reelected in 1996, 2002 and 2008. Active as a member of the National Juvenile and Family Court Judges, served two terms as Chairman, Rural Courts Committee, National Juvenile Judges. Married: Wife, Caroleene. Three children; Damon, Heather, and Heidi. Retired July 3, 2014.
Biographical Sketches of the North Dakota District Court Judges


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BRISTOL, Tenn. – King University's women's wrestlers continued to compete across the world this weekend as Alli Ragan and Sarah Hildebrandt competed at the World University Games in Kazan, Russia while Samantha Klingel and Kayla Brendlinger traveled to Santiago, Chile to compete in the Pan American Junior Championships. Ragan turned in a silver medal performance on Sunday while Klingel took home gold on Saturday.
Wrestling in the 59-kilogram weight class, Ragan defeated Japan's Ayaka Ito 4-2 before topping Canada's Elizabeth Kate Milovitch-Sera 7-0 on a tech fall to advance to the semifinals. The Carbondale, Ill., native kept the roll going in the semis, defeating Hungary's Emese Barka 9-3. However, Ragan's run came to an end in the finals as she fell to 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Yuliya Ratevich of Azerbaijan by the score of 7-0, giving her the silver medal.
Hildebrandt also competed at the World University Games in the 55-kilogram weight class and won her first bout 11-4 over Burcu Kebic of Turkey. Nevertheless, Hildebrandt dropped her next match 4-2 to North Korea's Sun Byol Hwang.
Meanwhile, in Chile, Klingel and Brendlinger helped Team USA take home the title at the Pan American Junior Championships. Wrestling at the 51-kilogram weight class, Klingel was one of two Americans to take home an individual gold medal from the event. Brendlinger finished eighth in the 55-kilogram weight class.
Overall, the United States took the gold while Venezuela finished with the silver and Canada took the bronze at the Pan American Junior Championships.


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Heroik Labs necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 469 diseños de 102 diseñadores freelance.
Thrive Baby
Thrive Baby is a forthcoming service aimed at helping new parents track and understand their baby's unique patterns to discover what leads to the happiest and healthiest baby.
Our service is aimed at new parents who have just had a baby. For most, this will be their first child. We anticipate 80% of the user base will be female, and 20% male. We expect most will be in their early 20's to early 40's.
Our audience is most likely sleep deprived, stressed out, and worried that they are "doing something wrong". They are looking for some help, reinforcement, and a bit of fun.
We want the Thrive Baby brand to represent the idea of "doing what's best for your baby, and having fun along the way".
In other words, the logo should suggest either a happy (or sleeping) child, but it should also be somewhat whimsical and fun (possibly even irreverent).
Note that the page on http://www.thrivebaby.com today is just a placeholder, and is not the current design. We have a new site design, and we'd like the logo to work well with the color palette in the new design.
You can see a screenshot of the new design here: http://www.thrivebaby.com/images/tbhome.jpg
Thanks, and we look forward to your seeing your designs!
UPDATE: Based on some of the first few entries, we should clarify a couple things:
* We are looking for a simple and clean logo, that uses something subtle (and preferably) clever to indicate a sleeping or happy baby.
* Please DO NOT include something that uses canned clip art and/or detailed illustrations. These will likely be eliminated.
* Please use the colors included in the above screenshot (probably the green and purple colors).
* Please read through the comments we've posted on the contest for other suggestions/guidelines about what we like.
Thanks, and good luck!
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Kiwi 2 Bluetooth Android Phone Car Diagnostic/ Performance Kit
Check Engine? WTF does that mean?
- Connect your Android device to your car wirelessly
- Run diagnostics, check fuel economy, tons more
- Works on any vehicle model 1996 or newer
If you're not a car geek, the light that says "CHECK ENGINE" might as well say "PC LOAD LETTER." Sure, we can open the hood and verify that indeed, the engine is still present, but beyond that, we're a little lost. Best we can do is drive it to the garage and hope that we don't get totally bamboozled by the mechanic again. We already bought the anti-unicorn disinfectant treatment once! It's supposed to protect the air filter from glitter for life, right?
The Kiwi 2 Bluetooth Android Phone Car Diagnostic/Performance Kit is a plug and play wireless device that connects to your car's OBDII port (right below the steering wheel). Kiwi 2 Bluetooth comes attached with a 3 ft OBDII cable for cleaner installation (previous version had 6 ft.). It also comes with a power switch built-in to prevent the need for having to constantly disconnect your unit from the OBDII port, and a new power saving circuit allows the device to enter a low-power sleep mode after 5 minutes of inactivity. The 2 also has an 8-pin port on the back designed to be mated with the PLX iMFD Adapter to allow connection to high-performance aftermarket sensors. And the 2 has improved antenna performance over the previous version.
You can use it in any vehicle born in 1996 or later, whether it's a sedan, truck, SUV, or even a hybrid. Once the device is connected, you can download one of half a dozen recommended car diagnostics apps from Google Play and begin to monitor all sorts of stats about your car. Next time you go into the mechanic, you'll avoid the unicorn charge. That's for sure!
Product Specifications
- Wirelessly connect your car to your Android device (also Smybian, N9, Linux, or PC)
- Multiple compatible applications from Google Play work with Kiwi 2 Bluetooth
- Compatible Vehicles: 1996 and later
- Monitor: Fuel efficiency, check engine trouble codes, real time gauges, horsepower and torque, and more
- New features in the 2: iMFD Aftermarket Sensor Interface, Power Saving Circuit, improved antenna performance, and shorter cable for cleaner permanent installation
- Comes with user manual
- OBDII/CAN Protocols: ISO-9141, VPW, PWM, KWP 2000, 11-Bit CAN, 29Bit CAN
- Wireless Standard: Bluetooth versions 2.1/2.0/1.2/1.1
- Range: 50 ft (Line of sight)
- Power Consumption: 1.24 Watts (in-use), 0.1 Watt (sleep mode)
- Dimensions: 2 3/4" long x 1 1/4 high x 3/5" deep, 3" long cable
- Kiwi SDK available


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Evil Hero Infernal Gainer:
During your Main Phase 1, you can remove this card from play and select 1 face-up Fiend-Type monster you control. That monster can attack twice during each Battle Phase. Special Summon this card in face-up Attack Position during your second Standby Phase after you activate this effect.
SP = Short Print (Common);
SSP = Super Short Print (Common);
DNPR = Duel Terminal Normal Parallel Rare;
DRPR = Duel Terminal Rare Parallel Rare;
DSPR = Duel Terminal Super Parallel Rare;
DUPR = Duel Terminal Ultra Parallel Rare;
|No comments yet for this card.


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a corse fan of hairs that protrude from one's ass crack and become apparent after one shaves their genitals.
would you like to rub my asshawk for good luck?
by l'charles March 17, 2005
The tuft of hair that grows from between a woman's butt crack. An extension of a woman's bush that crosses the taint and extends to the anus. A rectal mohawk. Today, overweight women and older women are more likely to sport an ass hawk than younger, hotter women. However, in the 1970s, more than one Playmate or Pet could be found gracing the pages of gentlemen's magazines while sporting the ass hawk. Careful attention must be paid to the upkeep of the ass hawk so that dingleberries or toilet paper balls are not amassed.
Henry said that the girl was pretty hot but he saw her ass hawk when she gave him the leg over.
by guinness67 July 16, 2009
Having really long hair in the crack of your ass and not much hair on the ass cheeks
Looks like your shitting out MR T.
by 1234567asdffgh April 06, 2010


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I was recently reading through David Embury's "Fine Art of Mixing Drinks", specifically the sections on Vermouth.
One of the more amusing, and interesting, sections I ran across was in regards to his disapproval of the new popularity of clear Dry Vermouth from the Chambery region of France, especially as it compares to his favorites, Noilly Prat Orignal Dry and the mysterious Lillet Vermouth.
"I cannot leave the subject of current brands of French vermouth without comment on Boissiere (pronounced bwa -see-air), made by Ets. Chambery-Comoz of Chambery France, "Inventors of the White Vermouth." Actually, while there are others better it is not a bad vermouth. The trouble is that, however horrified the manufacturers may be at this result, it has been a godsend to gyp bars. A 3-1 or even 2-to1 Martini made with Boissiere will be lighter in color than a 7-1 made with most other vermouths. Unfortunately all too many untrained drinkers judge the dryness of their Martinis, not by the flavor, but by color. Who, then, can blame the bar, in business primarily for profit, for copping an extra dime by taking advantage of their lack of sophistication and educated taste? Other vermouth manufacturers are now copying this trick and, to my taste, have completely ruined their products thereby."
So, in 1948, here we have David A. Embury, King Cocktail Nerd if there ever was one, decrying the lack of color and flavor in Dry Vermouth.
Fast Forward 60 years, or so, and the supreme cocktail nerds of our time have the exact same reaction of horror when Noilly Prat decides to standardize their vermouth formula and reintroduce color and flavor into the Dry Vermouth they sell in the United States.
You really can't ever win…


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Pac-12 head of officials cleared after investigation into incentives against Arizona's Miller
PHOENIX – The Pac-12 said Monday that coordinator of officials Ed Rush was joking when he told officials to target Arizona coach Sean Miller during internal meetings before the conference tournament.
Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said the conference investigated a CBSSports.com report that Rush offered a group of officials $5,000 or a trip to Cancun if they hit Miller with a technical foul or ejected him during the tournament.
It concluded that Rush was not serious in offering the incentives.
"I consider the integrity of our officiating program to be of the highest importance and immediately ordered a review of the matter," Scott said in a statement. "Based on the review, we have concluded that while Rush made inappropriate comments that he now regrets during internal meetings that referenced rewards, he made the comments in jest and the officials in the room realized they were not serious offers. Following our review, we have discussed the matter with Rush, taken steps to ensure it does not happen again, and communicated our findings to all of our officials."
Miller was hit with a technical foul during the semifinals of the Pac-12 tournament against UCLA for arguing a late double-dribble call against Wildcats guard Mark Lyons.
Arizona lost the game 66-64 and Miller went on a memorable postgame rant about the technical foul, waving his arms while repeating, "He touched the ball" five times in a row. He was later hit with a $25,000 fine from the Pac-12 for what the conference said was for confronting an official on the floor and acting inappropriately toward a staff member in the hallway.
Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne said the school contacted the Pac-12 office after learning of Rush's alleged offer against Miller.
"On Sunday, March 17, we first learned of the allegation of the events that occurred during the conference tournament," Byrne's statement said. "Due to the serious implications, we immediately shared our concerns with Commissioner Scott and the conference office. We know that an investigation was held and any further issue is a matter for the Pac-12 office."
Rush is a former NBA official who also served as the league's director of officiating. He was a consultant to the Pac-12 before becoming conference coordinator of officials last year.


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Car Review
2014 Mazda6: 1,200-Mile Road Trip
We try to drive our long-term test cars as you would, and for most people, that means the occasional road trip. So we recently handed off our 2014 Mazda6 long-term test car to a staffer who was planning a long trip with lots of highway driving. Now that he's back, here are some of his thoughts.
Excellent Cruise Control
When you're on a long road trip, there's nothing you'll find more appealing than cruise control. Not only does our Mazda6 tester have it, but it goes one step further: It has adaptive cruise control, which is highly unusual for the segment and allows drivers to set a following distance from the car in front and let the Mazda do the rest.
Before we get to the adaptive part, let's just cover the cruise control, as the Mazda6 allows you to use regular cruise control separately from the adaptive system. Our staffer says it works great, noting that it's the best cruise-control functionality he has ever used. Not only is it easy to program, but the system lets you set the exact speed you want through a digital readout on the dash. That means there's no more guesswork when it comes to reaching the speed you want and setting the cruise control.
As for the adaptive cruise, it too works flawlessly. It's often hard to design systems like these because they can be difficult for drivers to program. After all, you have to set a speed and following distance on one small screen. But the Mazda makes it easy, and the system works great, always keeping the intended distance from the car in front. Our staffer reported that the cruise control seriously helped to minimize exhaustion on the long drive.
A Few Flaws
When you take a car on a road trip, you become very familiar with it and you start to notice flaws that you might not otherwise find. Case in point: Our road-tripping staffer says the horn alert when you lock the doors is too loud. He also says that the turn-signal stalk doesn't feel especially substantial -- a minor complaint, maybe, but one you notice when you spend an entire day in the car.
A more serious complaint relates to the center console in our 2014 Mazda6. Our staffer reports that the center armrest feels flimsy -- a charge we've heard before. He also says the same thing about the parking brake. And should you pull the armrest forward, say, to rest your muscles on a long drive, one of the front cup holders is blocked.
Good Overall
In his 1,230-mile trip, our staffer returned nearly 34 miles per gallon -- a strong figure, though not quite in keeping with the Environmental Protection Agency's 38 mpg highway rating. Still, between the good fuel economy, the excellent cruise control and other comments about our Mazda6 that we've noted before, such as the compliments for its comfortable seats and stylish interior, this is a good road-trip car. In fact, we'd happily take it on another one, though we might cover our ears before we press the lock button.