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Daala on Wheels
Daala is the current working name of a next generation video codec— to be renamed once someone insists on something better. So far the best proposed alternative is PatentCake.
For now the purposes of this page is to collect notes about things which have been discussed in informal public IRC discussion about the next generation initiative. Participants in these discussions have included Timothy Terriberry, Jason Garrett-Glaser, Loren Merritt, Ben Schwartz, Greg Maxwell, and others.
See also: https://xiph.org/daala/
Getting started
Discussion and development primarily happens on the #daala IRC channel on Freenode.
The main git repository is located at https://git.xiph.org/?p=daala.git.
Patches can be submitted for review at http://review.xiph.org.
Weekly meetings are on Mumble at mf4.xiph.org at 9AM PST on Tuesdays.
Work in progress
- 2014 Roadmap
- DaalaRoadmap
- 2014 February meetup
- 2013 November meetup
- 2013 September code party
- August task tracking
- July tasks
- June tasks
Weekly meetings
We've been having weekly progress meetings on mumble.
- 2012 June 4 minutes (actually a work week)
- 2012 June 22 minutes
- 2012 June 29 minutes recording
- 2012 July 6 minutes
- 2012 July 13 minutes
- 2012 July 20 minutes
- 2012 July 27 minutes
- 2012 August 3 minutes recording
- 2012 August 10 minutes
- 2012 August 17 - no meeting
- 2012 August 24 - minutes recording
- 2012 August 31 - no meeting
- 2012 September 7 - no meeting
- 2012 September 14 - no meeting
- 2012 September 21 - minutes
- 2012 September 28 - minutes recording
- 2012 October 5 - recording
- 20120 October 26 -
- 2012 Novemeber 2 - no meeting
- 2012 December 7 - minutes
- 2013 September 11 - logistics, status updates, coding party agenda
- 2013 September 17 - summit plans, research talks, coding party agenda, monty's TF ideas
- 2013 September 24 - training results, 32x32 code, and 2nd stage TF
- 2013 October 8 - pvq status, training, chroma from luma
- 2013 October 22 - even/odd quantizer, determinant 1, IETF, chroma from luma
- 2013 October 29 - gstreamer conf, ietf, chroma from luma
- 2013 November 12 - chroma from luma, pvq
- 2013 December 3 - chroma from luma, pvq, misc
- 2013 December 17 - luma intraprediction, pvq decoder, interns
- 2014 January 07 - reviews, pvq projects, and det1
- 2014 January 14 - pvq, det1, new projects
- 2014 January 21 - project planning
- 2014 January 28 - pvq, work week
- 2014 February 11 - 32x32, activity masking, current issues
- 2014 February 18 - input scaling, prediction error
- 2014 February 25 - det1, pvq, fastssim
- 2014 March 4 - det1, quant matrix, metrics
- 2014 March 18 - det1, fastssim, activity masking
- 2014 April 1 - crushing jpeg, pvq
- 2014 April 8 - reviews, pvq presentation
- 2014 April 15 - pvq experiments, activity masking
- 2014 April 22 - block size switching, gpu jpeg
- 2014 May 6 - workweek debrief, trained vq
- 2014 May 13 - trained vq, intraprediction
- 2014 May 20 - dc encoding
- 2014 May 27 - standard metrics
- 2014 June 3 - deringing filter
- 2014 June 24 - deringing filter
- 2014 July 1 - multi-frame motion compensation, jean-marc crazy ideas
- 2014 July 8 - intrapred ideas, journaling, rd_collect issues
- 2014 July 22 - demo progress, video results, edi, deringing, new intra
- 2014 July 29 - edi, intra paint
- 2014 August 5 - edi, intra paint
The discussed overall structure so far has been a variable size lapped-DCT block based codec with lapping done via pre/post filtering with a specially structured (lifting) linear phase transform along the edges along with overlapped block motion compensation and the expected trimmings. The lapping can be optimized for energy compaction and other useful properties, including invert-ability, and yields excellent results with efficient finite precision math.
Other components which have been discussed include:
Techniques applicable to all frame types
- Multisymbol arithmetic coding
- Timothy has some trial code showing speed-up proportional to the number of bits coded at once. (ec_test.c)
- Mode prediction using the previously decoded data, e.g. coding the mode using a probability function derived from trained predictors on the surrounding blocks.
- This will be terrible for robustness but may significantly reduce signalling overhead, allowing many more modes, and provide continuous adaptation between signalling free and fully signalled modes.
- Explore legendre polynomial basis transforms instead of DCT
- May have better perceptual properties and/or result in 'less compromised' efficient implementations.
- Coefficient domain prediction to allow efficient energy preserving quantization.
- Variable partition size/shape and the use of good predictors appears to remove most of the benefit of directional transforms.
- Perhaps 45deg is still useful?
- How does this change with partition sizes? Directional transforms are clearly not that useful with 4x4.
- Transform-post filtering to allow merging smaller transform blocks (like TF merging in CELT) may allow more flexible partitioning then outright using mixed block sizes.
- Perturbed quantization mode-signalling has been discussed but mostly laughed at. ;)
- Special block modes well suited to solid color/cartoon like content— avoiding ringing.
- Are pixel prediction modes too slow?
- In general— what markov random field techniques can be applied with acceptable performance. Any?
- Designed for parallel encode and decode within each frame
- Important because
- the proposed techniques need a lot more CPU than H.264 and VP8 for both encode and decode
- Moore's law for single-threaded throughput is dead. Future hardware is all multicore/GPU.
- Implies
- Getting the order of application right for the lapping filters.
- Mandatory slicing? Maybe some kind of multilevel entropy coding to reduce redundancy between slices while minimizing the single-threaded portion of decode.
- Important because
- Using PVQ and energy conservation: see http://jmvalin.ca/video/video_pvq_v3.pdf
Techniques applicable to inter frames
- Using x264 as a test-bed Jason and Loren demonstrated 15% rate/distortion improvements from using 10-bit intermediaries and references, estimated as being 1/3rd from quality calculation in the 10-bit space, 1/3rd from the higher precision references, and 1/3rd from higher intermediate precision in calculations (e.g. MC filter processing).
- Increased reference precision competes for memory with increased number of references. The improvements demonstrated appear to be a greater win than increasing the reference count once there are four references or so.
- Super-resolution techniques for motion-compensation references have been discussed— in particular it appears that the half-pel location is where intelligent filtering matters the most so staged computation could be effectively used to allow more expensive filtering at that level.
- Edge-directed interpolation techniques might be effectively applied to increase motion compensation accuracy, but most of the techniques known to be very effective are too slow.
- Speculation has been offered that a significant part of MC inaccuracy may be due to blending in a physically incorrect (gamma-corrected) space, though no real conclusions were made. Academic papers on motion compensation accuracy seem to have ignored this issue.
- Timothy has an example code base for a variable partition size blocking-free motion compensation scheme which merges OBMC (overlapped block motion compensation) and CGI (control-grid interpolation) with an interesting prediction/sub-division scheme and whole-frame trellis optimization of motion vectors. (daala-exp)
Basic features
- YUV 4:4:4, 4:2:2 , 4:2:0 subsamplings, 8-bit, 10bit.
- Alpha channel — need testing material!
- 8-bit RGB compatible mode? (e.g. YCoCg, internally or at least flagging for it)
- Efficient 3D? — need testing material!
- Lossless?
- The value of this is disputable. If nothing else it's arguable that stuffing lossless into a lossy format may be the only way to get lossless into many people's hands. Also, see below
- Good support for decode side droppable frames?
- Hopefully the referencing structure will be flexible enough to enable this even if it's not an intentional feature.
- Optionally storing a checksum of the expected decoded frame for decoder/encoder mismatch detection.
- Expose the number of referential descendants of a given frame (or even the whole reference DAG) for most efficient allocation of FEC.
Crazy crap that might be interesting or at least fun to make fun of...
- >10bit?
- Use cases don't seem well enough defined yet. Significant complexity. Any prospective hardware developer may hire assassins.
- Possible compromise: the video reference structure contains a backbone that can be decoded at only N bits of depth (e.g. 10), and higher precisions are only supported outside of this reference chain.
- Precision by truncation: decode is performed twice on each frame, identically, at low and high precision. The only difference between them is the bit-depth of the transform, or possibly of the transform and MC filters. Only low-precision outputs can be referenced by subsequent frames. Useful if high-precision content is still worth watching at low precision.
- Precision by gamma: decode is performed once at low precision as normal. Then the output frame is converted to linear-light at high precision, after which another layer of residuals is added. The second layer can be permitted to reference previous high-precision frames... tricky to use both sets of references though. Useful if high precision is used for storing linear data, but people still want to watch it on "low-end" hardware.
- Some high end digital cameras are operating jpeg-derivatives in a special mode that keeps the image in the native linear RGB bayer format in order to avoid lossy/slow demosaicing on the camera. In particular this allows white balancing in post without excessive loss. Probably out of scope for Daala itself.
- Bayer, 4:2:0, 4:2:2, and Interlacing are all special cases of a more general pattern in which the output frames are decimated/subsampled in a regular fashion. All such subsamplings could be supported by a unified framework in which the video is always stored with all planes fully sampled, with a header indicating the recommended subsampling for display. In such cases, the encoder can regard the transform as highly overcomplete, and simply ignore unneeded coefficients (presumably by leaving high frequency residuals coded as zero). This structure would in effect turn the codec into a motion-compensated interpolating/deinterlacing filter. Whether this approach is sensible presumably depends in part on how the transform is structured. It would be especially easy if the transform's highest-frequencies were coded by a wavelet-like layer.
- Lossless intra-ability: The ability to losslessly rewrite any frame as an intra frame (perhaps with significant bitrate overhead) in order to make frame accurate cuts possible.
- Or best handled by making sure that containers have working pre-roll, but presumably common GOP sizes will be greater than the number of references so even if losslessly reencoding the references is expensive it may be cheaper than pre-roll. Do both?
- Can be had for 'free' if lossless is supported, plus the right header flags to restuff the references from lossless copies in a packed hidden frame.
- Use of explicitly (rather than staged) super-resolution and/or deeper references may make this functionality unattractive due to increased overhead.
- Internal overlays which could be swapped without re-encoding? (e.g. advertising, station ID). Could also be automatically generated by a Sufficiently Advanced™ encoder to improve efficiencies for static sprites over moving backgrounds.
- Complicates making the complexity bounded. No Sufficiently Advanced™ encoder likely to ever exist. But perhaps the station id/advertising uses fully justify this.
- Could be done externally to the video codec, but if so it's no likely to be useful for anyone ever.
- A secondary reference implementation in OpenCL, maintained throughout development, to make sure that the codec is GPU-friendly and can be done efficiently using OpenCL primitives.
- SWAR-friendly arithmetic. For example, choosing transform coefficients so that no intermediate product overflows 16 bits (tricky for signed values) can sometimes enable (e.g.) 4 parallel operations in one uint64_t. This can allow a pure C reference implementation to run faster, which is valuable for initial adoption and ports to new platforms.
- Parametric decode-side blur.
- Symmetrical blur in regions that are smooth on scales longer than the block size. Could be signaled or derived from observed DC values.
- Motion blur so that moving objects are blurred along the motion vector. May require coding a shutter speed parameter (0..1 as a fraction of the inter-frame interval).
- Fancy block property prediction. (Not clear how these prediction interact with intra pred)
- Predict block properties (quantizer, energy, etc.) from MV. (0,0) probably means small delta. Larger MV's may correspond to larger deltas ... although at low shutter speeds large MVs may correlate with reduced overall HF energy.
- Predict delta spectral shape from source block spectral shape. HF/LF ratio of the delta may be correlated with the same ratio in its source blocks. Works well with decode-side fDCT.
Negative results
- Using Kurtosis for detecting text in a frame
- The idea was to detect a Bernouilli distribution but it's not robust and too noisy


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Link to this comic: Yall hmmmm pretty. Natalie Dee Machine is a site that makes comics in the style of Natalie Dee, the comic. Natalie Dee Machine was created by Natalie Dee. All words and images here (c) Natalie Dee 2014. The font used in Natalie Dee Machine was custom-made by Typodermic Fonts. Comics on the official Natalie Dee site may make more sense. Subscribe to RSS feed. | Get some what's up! Thought. Sandwiches! :(! Is so fucking! Vegetable is. I no haircut. Sniff!! pillows!! internut...? The rabbit. |
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Steve Barthelemy
Steve received his B.A from Calvary Bible College and his Master's of Arts in Biblical Counseling (MABC) from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Before Steve came to FBC, Steve spent 9 years in Turkey as a missionary. Steve is married to Doris and have five children: Elizabeth, Ben, Hannah, Abbie, Zach. Steve is responsible for Counseling, prayer ministry, and overseas missions. Steve also teaches an adult Sunday School class.


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Wiki - Help Wanted List
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
- Add categories to articles—20 outstanding
- Add categories to images
- Add more data to device pages
- Intro to metadata in DVB-T (program information etc): What metadata is in the stream? In which format? Which programs can be used to catch it?
- Tighten the integration of the two wikis and, where appropriate, make articles as agnostic as possible (i.e. so that they are oriented towards a shared audience; both V4L and DVB)
- Is there a graphics designer in the house? See the Main Page Mockup. Currently, depending upon your screen resolution, you might have to scale your browser window so that the page design renders as it was intended; for the mockup currently does not use Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG). Also please see the Graph Banner Idea for some further background information.


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Complete with a pieced backing and hours of quilting straight lines. Most of the quilting lines were straight lines on either side of a seam line, or diagonal lines through the large blocks. I also ended up doing some "in the ditch" quilting which still requires a high level of effort and concentration!
And there was lots of it (machine stitched, as usual):
Thank you for stopping by,


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Arabian nights! Think of sultry dancers, exotic foods and tents! We have all you need including decor and costumes to create a memorable and exciting Arabian night themed soiree! Search here for Arabian Nights in your local area.
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Today's Names to Know: Michael Vick (ugh: still?), DeAngelo Hall, Deuce McAllister, Rex Grossman, Barry Bonds, Prince Fielder, Mike Gundy, Carl Edwards, Bill Wirtz and More.
Michael Vick indicted (again), cont'd: (Why do I feel like I should apologize for leading with Vick? Feel free to skip right ahead.) So grand jurors didn't stick Vick with an indictment on the killing of dogs, which could have brought 40 years of jail time. Apparently, the local DA Poindexter completely screwed up the process. This was a lay-up: Vick had already confessed to killing dogs! Yet somehow the jury didn't come back with any indictments about that. Vick could still do another 10 years, which ain't puppy dogs and ice cream. (What: Hits too close to home?)
DeAngelo Hall's teammate beat-down: There's no justice like the kind dispensed by teammates, behind closed doors. This was no dorky "Kangaroo Court" or standard hazing; that's apparently the beat-down Hall got for being such a complete dolt both on the field and off of it during Sunday's meltdown.
Deuce McAllister is out for the season: As mentioned yesterday, this means that it's put-up-or-shut-up time for Reggie Bush and his legion of fanboys. Is he an every-down running back in the NFL? I suspect not. And how much will increased carries impact his ability to do things as a receiver? Bush has yet to prove he's the next coming of Marshall Faulk.
Rex Grossman to be benched by the Bears: The QB affectionately known around the blogosphere as the "Sex Cannon" (h/t: KSK) will now become the league's most virile backup. I'm just not sure how much Brian Griese will change things. However, I'm willing to trust the market: What do Griese's "Added" percentages look like in the fantasy leagues? Personally, I remain a fan of Grossman's, going back to college – he was the QB at
(* - Standard disclosure: Utterly shameless and nominally humiliating bandwagon
Barry Bonds' final home game in
MLB Playoff Chase:
(If I had my preference, I'd like to see the Cubs win the NL Central, the Phillies win the NL East, the D'backs win the NL West – because they're so freakish, see link below – and the
Meanwhile: Mets lose, but Phillies lose, too. The Cubs lost, and the Brewers won –
MLB Stud: Prince Fielder, who hit 2 HR and at 23 became the youngest player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs. I don't think this should be understated: He's one of baseball's true phenoms – I mean, just look at his body – and has the chance to be a Face of Baseball.
MLB Must-Read: Great WashPost article about the how the D'backs have defied the Pythagorean theory about runs scored relating to expected winning percentage.
MLB Hiring: Are Pirates fans excited about the team hiring Neal Huntington as GM?
Upon further reflection, Milton Bradley's season-ending injury is quite possibly the most effed-up on-field-ish injury I have ever heard of. Not only was he hurt being held back by his coach during a tirade on an ump, but apparently the ump went rhetorically batshit crazy on Bradley to incite him.
Jenni Carlson vs. Mike Gundy, Cont'd: He wants to put his YouTube moment behind him; she wants to know where the errors were in her column. I think Gundy was a moron to blitz Carlson like that. It had to have been intentional and premeditated; in the age of YouTube, only a moron would do something like that not understanding the consequences. (It doesn't help that I suspect his tirade was based in part on misogyny, not entirely on a dislike of sports media.) Now, Gundy is forever best-known as the college coach who freaked out; unfortunately for Carlson, when you're a top Google search for the day, she will forever be best-known as his target.
Kudos to reader Jason H., who called me on ripping AP voters for having
(Also: Settle another email question I had about my BlogPoll rankings – who should be ranked higher this week:
Notre Dame SuckWatch (TM): Quote from
NASCAR Cheatin': Carl Edwards drops from 3rd to 6th in the Nextel Cup standings, both because of -- and despite -- winning in
NHL: Bill Wirtz, longtime owner of the Blackhawks, is dead at 77. Condolences to his family, friends and Blackhawks fans. The team may have been frustrating to its fans in the last few seasons, but that's not the point today.


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Cement Paint
"Cement paint" is one of the common names for a family of special paint coatings made for masonry and cement-based materials, including concrete, mortar (and brick), concrete block and stucco. Similar coatings may be called "masonry paint" or "concrete paint." (For the record, cement is merely the binder in many masonry mixes; it's not synonymous with concrete or mortar.)
When painting masonry around your house, the keys to success are using the right paint for the material, preparing the surface properly and applying the paint as directed (yes, you really do have to read the directions this time). Find out more below.
Paint, Not Stain
Most people understand the difference between paint and stain when it comes to wood, but there's still a lot of confusion about paints versus stains for concrete. Similar to regular paint, concrete paint is an opaque surface coating that essentially blankets and adheres to the concrete surface. Concrete stain, like its counterpart for wood, is a thin, semi-transparent liquid that soaks into the pores of the concrete and changes the color of the material itself-permanently.
In general, concrete paint is a better choice if you want a completely new-looking surface; it hides stains and discoloration and creates a plastic-like finish in the desired color. That's why most people use paint for renewing old garage floors. Concrete stain is appropriate for both indoor and outdoor applications and offers a more natural coloring and texture than paint. It won't hide color variations in the original surface. Stain is great for concrete countertops or patios, to name 2 examples.
Types of Paint for Masonry
Cement paint and other masonry coatings come in a range of types and, in many cases, a relatively narrow range of colors. Each formulation is designed with specific performance characteristics. Exterior wall paints are available in both water-base and oil-base versions. For many applications, a premium, 100% acrylic masonry paint is recommended. If you're painting a poured concrete or block basement wall, you might want a waterproofing paint that resists moisture penetration from the outside. Elastomeric paint is often recommended for masonry walls that have a lot of hairline cracks and porous surfaces. It goes on thick and is highly flexible and does of good job covering pinholes and other imperfections.
The ideal paint for garage floors is epoxy paint (see below). For every other type of surface, your best bet is to talk with knowledgeable staff at a few good paint stores. They can steer you toward the right products for your material and application.
Cement Paint for Garage Floors
Like the heavy-duty glues, epoxy paint is a two-part liquid that's mixed prior to application. It sticks like crazy and creates a tough, plastic-like layer that's resistant to oil, gasoline, antifreeze, tar, salt and other crud tracked in on your car's tires. It also won't stick to road-heated tires like regular paint can. Epoxy paint is available in DIY-friendly kits that include a cleaning solution. Many products can be used with optional colored chips or non-slip additives such as quartz crystals.
Cement Paint Dos and Don'ts
- Do follow the manufacturer's instructions to the letter. Thorough cleaning and other prep work plus a careful application are critical to a long-lasting paint job.
- Do apply a primer or sealer, if recommended by the paint manufacturer. Primer and paint from the same manufacturer are specifically formulated for a good bond.
- Don't use regular paint. Masonry needs to "breathe" more than other building materials. Standard paints trap moisture and will soon bubble and peel due to water vapor trying to escape.
- Don't paint new concrete until it has fully cured. The standard minimum wait is 28 days, but check with the paint manufacturer for recommendations.
- Don't make a hasty decision to paint. Unpainted exterior masonry, such as brick siding and concrete patios, is essentially maintenance-free. Painting creates a maintenance issue for the life of the house.
There's a reason cement paint is different from regular paint. Apply your new coating carefully, if indeed you do decide to paint your masonry. Hire a concrete specialist for a professional paint job.
Updated February 15, 2018.
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I've been traveling a lot lately. (That's an understatement.) Recently, going through security at some airport, I saw a woman who looked like the epitome of cool to me. She was wearing a flannel shirt, skinny black jeans, and slouchy motorcycle boots. Granted, I have a serious devotion to Grunge; so it might have been my inner Riot Grrl responding to this ensemble. The 90s was an awesome decade, as far as I'm concerned. Hole, Doc Martens, slips as outerwear; I love it all.
Anyway, this airport sighting has left me with a motorcycle boot obsession. As I've written about before, being a vintage devotee can sometimes make you feel like you have an obligation to dress vintage at all times. But lately, I've been feeling the urge to dress, well . . . cooler.
You're welcome, fellow Pony fangirls. |
Anyway, my new motorcyle boots are set to arrive tomorrow. (Stop the presses!) I will update you accordingly.


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US pushing local cops to stay mum on surveillance
US pushing local police departments to keep quiet on cell-phone surveillance technology
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration has been quietly advising local police not to disclose details about surveillance technology they are using to sweep up basic cellphone data from entire neighborhoods, The Associated Press has learned.
Citing security reasons, the U.S. has intervened in routine state public records cases and criminal trials regarding use of the technology. This has resulted in police departments withholding materials or heavily censoring documents in rare instances when they disclose any about the purchase and use of such powerful surveillance equipment.
Federal involvement in local open records proceedings is unusual. It comes at a time when President Barack Obama has said he welcomes a debate on government surveillance and called for more transparency about spying in the wake of disclosures about classified federal surveillance programs.
One well-known type of this surveillance equipment is known as a Stingray, an innovative way for law enforcement to track cellphones used by suspects and gather evidence. The equipment tricks cellphones into identifying some of their owners' account information, like a unique subscriber number, and transmitting data to police as if it were a phone company's tower. That allows police to obtain cellphone information without having to ask for help from service providers, such as Verizon or AT&T, and can locate a phone without the user even making a call or sending a text message.
But without more details about how the technology works and under what circumstances it's used, it's unclear whether the technology might violate a person's constitutional rights or whether it's a good investment of taxpayer dollars.
Interviews, court records and public-records requests show the Obama administration is asking agencies to withhold common information about the equipment, such as how the technology is used and how to turn it on. That pushback has come in the form of FBI affidavits and consultation in local criminal cases.
"These extreme secrecy efforts are in relation to very controversial, local government surveillance practices using highly invasive technology," said Nathan Freed Wessler, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, which has fought for the release of these types of records. "If public participation means anything, people should have the facts about what the government is doing to them."
Harris Corp., a key manufacturer of this equipment, built a secrecy element into its authorization agreement with the Federal Communications Commission in 2011. That authorization has an unusual requirement: that local law enforcement "coordinate with the FBI the acquisition and use of the equipment." Companies like Harris need FCC authorization in order to sell wireless equipment that could interfere with radio frequencies.
A spokesman from Harris Corp. said the company will not discuss its products for the Defense Department and law enforcement agencies, although public filings showed government sales of communications systems such as the Stingray accounted for nearly one-third of its $5 billion in revenue. "As a government contractor, our solutions are regulated and their use is restricted," spokesman Jim Burke said.
Local police agencies have been denying access to records about this surveillance equipment under state public records laws. Agencies in San Diego, Chicago and Oakland County, Michigan, for instance, declined to tell the AP what devices they purchased, how much they cost and with whom they shared information. San Diego police released a heavily censored purchasing document. Oakland officials said police-secrecy exemptions and attorney-client privilege keep their hands tied. It was unclear whether the Obama administration interfered in the AP requests.
"It's troubling to think the FBI can just trump the state's open records law," said Ginger McCall, director of the open government project at the Electronic Privacy Information Center. McCall suspects the surveillance would not pass constitutional muster.
"The vast amount of information it sweeps in is totally irrelevant to the investigation," she said.
A court case challenging the public release of information from the Tucson Police Department includes an affidavit from an FBI special agent, Bradley Morrison, who said the disclosure would "result in the FBI's inability to protect the public from terrorism and other criminal activity because through public disclosures, this technology has been rendered essentially useless for future investigations."
Morrison said revealing any information about the technology would violate a federal homeland security law about information-sharing and arms-control laws — legal arguments that that outside lawyers and transparency experts said are specious and don't comport with court cases on the U.S. Freedom of Information Act.
The FBI did not answer questions about its role in states' open records proceedings.
But a former Justice Department official said the federal government should be making this argument in federal court, not a state level where different public records laws apply.
"The federal government appears to be attempting to assert a federal interest in the information being sought, but it's going about it the wrong way," said Dan Metcalfe, the former director of the Justice Department's office of information and privacy. Currently Metcalfe is the executive director of American University's law school Collaboration on Government Secrecy project.
A criminal case in Tallahassee cites the same homeland security laws in Morrison's affidavit, court records show, and prosecutors told the court they consulted with the FBI to keep portions of a transcript sealed. That transcript, released earlier this month, revealed that Stingrays "force" cellphones to register their location and identifying information with the police device and enables officers to track calls whenever the phone is on.
One law enforcement official familiar with the Tucson lawsuit, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak about internal discussions, said federal lawyers told Tucson police they couldn't hand over a PowerPoint presentation made by local officers about how to operate the Stingray device. Federal officials forwarded Morrison's affidavit for use in the Tucson police department's reply to the lawsuit, rather than requesting the case be moved to federal court.
In Sarasota, Florida, the U.S. Marshals Service confiscated local records on the use of the surveillance equipment, removing the documents from the reach of Florida's expansive open-records law after the ACLU asked under Florida law to see the documents. The ACLU has asked a judge to intervene. The Marshals Service said it deputized the officer as a federal agent and therefore the records weren't accessible under Florida law.
Associated Press writer Brendan Farrington in Tallahassee, Florida, contributed to this report.
On Twitter, follow Gillum at https://twitter.com/jackgillum and Sullivan at https://twitter.com/esullivanap


text:
Your body can't make or store Vitamin-C on its own, so you should supplement the amount of Vitamin-C you need for a healthy immune system.* Especially since the majority of people don't eat enough fruits and vegetables that are the main source of Vitamin-C, it may be beneficial to supplement with Vitamin C.
Vitamin-C aids the formation of collagen, the support structure for bones, teeth, skin and tendons.**
Vitamin-C is a super antioxidant that helps fight cell-damaging free radicals.**
Helps immune system health.**
Above Statements not applicable to all products
Learn More About Vitamin C


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21/22 The Quadrant, Romford, Essex RM1 3ED
24 North Street , North Street , Hornchurch, Essex RM11 1QX
26 Courtenay Gardens, Upminster, Essex RM14 1DD
2a Newmarket Way, Hornchurch, RM12 6DS
3 Elgin Avenue, Harold Park RM3 0YP
35A Maylands Ave, Hornchurch RM12 5BB
52 North Street, Romford RM1 1BH
ACS Dance Centre 66 Albert Road Romford RM1 2PP
All Saints Church Hall, Ardleigh Green Road, Hornchurch RM11 2LG
Arcade Place at the junction of South Street, Romford
Ardleigh House Community Association, 42 Ardleigh Green Road, Hornchurch RM11 2LG
Atik nightclub, 108 South Street, Romford RM1 1SS
Barking and Dagenham College, Rush Green Campus, Dagenham Road RM7 0XU
Barking Learning Centre, 2 Town Square, Barking IG11 7NB
Bedfords Park Visitor Centre, Broxhill Road, Havering-atte-Bower RM4 1QH
Belhus Woods Country Park, Aveley, South Ockendon RM15 4XJ
Benhurst primary school
Berlin, Germany
Betty Strathern Centre, 41 Myrtle Road, Harold Hill, Romford RM3 8XS
Boothroyd Hall, Castle Green, Gale Street, Dagenham RM9 4UN
Bower Hall
Brady Primary School, Wennington Road, Rainham. RM13 9XA
Branfil Primary School, Cedar Avenue, Upminster
Brenda Blakemore Hall
Brentwood Road Gallery, Frances Bardsley Academy, Brentwood Road, Romford RM1 2RR
Bretons Outdoor Centre, The Barn, Rainham Rd, RM13 7LP
Brittons Centre, Ford Lane, Rainham RM13 7BB
Brittons Park, Ford Lane, Rainham RM13 7AT
Brookside Theatre, 21a Eastern Road, Romford RM1 3NH
Brunswick Court, 24 Brunswick Avenue, Upminster, RM14 1ND
Campion School, Hornchurch RM11 3BX
Canvey Wick nature reserve, Northwick Road, Canvey Island, Essex, SS8 0PT
CEME Conference Centre, Marsh Way, Rainham RM13 8EU
Central Library, St. Edwards Way, Romford RM1 3AR
Central Park (By the Skate Park), Harold Hill RM3 8PU
Central Park Harold Hill, Gooshays Dr, Romford RM3 9LB
Chadwell Heath Railway Station, Romford RM6 4BU
Collier Row Children's Centre, Clockhouse Lane, Collier Row RM5 3QJ
Collier Row Gospel Hall, 158 Collier Row Rd, Romford RM5 2BD
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Collier Row Library, Collier Row, Romford RM5 3NR
Collier Row Methodist Church, Clockhouse Lane, Collier Row, Romford RM5 3QP
Collier Row Town Centre
Coopers' Coborn School, St Marys Lane, Upminster RM14 3HS
Corbets Tey Road, Upminster RM14
Coronation Gardens, Main Road, Romford RM1 3BL
Cranham Baptist Church, Severn Drive, Upminster RM14 1SW
Cranham Community Centre, 115a Marlborough Gardens, Cranham, Upminster RM14 1SR.
Cranham Social Hall, 103 Front Lane, Cranham RM14 1XN
Crown Farm Stables, Crown Corner Road, Brentwood
Crumpled Horn Pub, 33-37 Corbets Tey Road, Upminster, Essex RM14 2AJ
Damyn's Hall Aerodrome
Ed's Place
Education 4 Independence, The Walk, Hornchurch RM11 3TL
Elm Park Assembly Hall, Eyhurst Avenue RM12 4RA
Elm Park Baptist Church, Rosewood Avenue, Elm Park RM12 5ES
Elm Park Bowls Club
Elm Park Children's Centre, Diban Avenue, Hornchurch RM12 4YH
Elm Park Library, St Nicholas Avenue, Hornchurch RM12 4PT
Elm Park Town Centre RM12 4RW
Emerson Park Hall, Slewins Lane, Hornchurch RM11 3BU
Explore Learning, 35 High Street, Hornchurch RM11 1TP
Eyhurst Avenue, Elm Park RM12 4RA
Fairkytes Arts Centre, 51 Billet Lane, Hornchurch RM11 1AX
Fairlop Waters Country Park, Forest Road, Ilford IG6 3HN
FETE Lounge, 6 Station Road, Upminster RM14 2UB
Fielders field park and recreation ground
First Step, Tangmere Crescent, Hornchurch RM12 5PP
Forest Row Centre, Lodge Lane, Collier Row, Romford RM5 2LD
Frances Bardsley Academy for Girls, Brentwood Road, Romford RM1 2RR
French's Cafe, 3 North Street, Hornchurch RM11 1RL
Gemino Photography Unit 136 Romford Shopping Hall 43 Market Place Romford RM13AB
Gidea Park Cricket Club, RM2 6NP
Gidea Park Library, Balgores Lane, Romford RM2 6BS
Gidea Park Methodist Church, Brentwood Road, Gidea Park, Romford RM2 6DH
Gidea Park Sports Ground, Gallows Corner RM2 6NP
Girls Allowed Studios, Blenheim Court, Northolt Way, Hornchurch RM12 5RX
Grenfell Park, Rush Green Road, Romford RM7 0PH
Gubbins Lane, Harold Wood, Romford, RM3 0PU
Gwillcoo, 25/27 Brookdale Avenue, Upminster RM14 2LT
Hacton Hall, Haydock Close, Hornchurch RM12 6EA
Hacton Parkway, Newmarket Way, RM12 6DS
Hall Mead School
Harold Hill Community Centre, Gooshays Drive RM3 9LB
Harold Hill Community Hub, Chippenham Road, Harold Hill RM3 8YF
Harold Hill Library, 19a Farnham Road, Harold Hill RM3 8ED
Harold Hill Shopping Centre, Hilldene Avenue RM3
Harold Wood Library, Arundel Road, London RM3 0RX
Harold Wood Memorial Hall, Gubbins Lane, Harold Wood RM3 0PU
Harold Wood Neighbourhood Centre, Gubbins Lane
Harold Wood Primary School, Recreation Avenue, Harold Wood RM3 0TH
Harris Academy, Lambs Lane RM13 9XD
Harrow Lodge Park, Hornchurch RM12 4QU
Harrow Lodge Primary School, Rainsford Way, Hornchurch RM12 4BP
Harrow Lodge Sports Centre, Hornchurch Road, Hornchurch RM11 1JU
HASWA, Greenfields, Kilmartin Way, Elm Park RM12 5NB
Havering Association for People with Disabilities, Whittaker Hall, 1a Woodhall Crescent, Hornchurch RM11 3NN
Havering College, Ardleigh Green Road, Hornchurch RM11 2LL
Havering Council Facebook Page
Havering Indoor Bowls Club, Harrow Lodge Park, Hornchurch
Havering Mind, Harrow Lodge Park, Hornchurch, RM11 1JU
Havering Museum, 19-21 High Street, Romford RM1 1JU
Havering Road Methodist Church Hall, Moray Way, Rise Park RM1 4YD
Havering Town Hall or online
Havering Town Hall, Main Road, Romford RM1 3BD
Havering Volunteer Centre, 32-34 High Street, Romford RM1 1HR
Haverstock School, 24 Haverstock Hill Chalk Farm Camden NW3 2BQ
Headcorn Airfield, Shenley Road, Kent TN27 9HX
Heart and Soul Romford, 80-84 Market Place RM1 3ER
High Street, Hornchurch RM11 3YB
Hildene Avenue / Farnham Road Harold Hill RM3 8EB
Hilldene Children's Centre, 267 Straight Road, Harold Hill RM3 7JP
Holiday Inn Dubai Al Barsha 1
Holy Cross Church, 260 Hornchurch Road, Hornchurch, RM11 1PX
Hornchurch Baptist Church, 21 North Street RM11 1RL
Hornchurch Country Park, Squadrons Approach, Hornchurch RM12 6DF
Hornchurch Fire Station, 42 North Street, Hornchurch RM11 1SH
Hornchurch Football Club, The Stadium, Bridge Avenue, Upminster. Essex RM14 2LX
Hornchurch High Street RM12 6QP
Hornchurch Library, 44 North Street, Hornchurch RM11 1TB
Hornchurch Methodist Church, High Street, Hornchurch RM11 1TP
Hornchurch Town Centre High Street RM11 3XS
Ingrebourne Children's Centre, Ashbourne Road, Harold Hill RM3 7YT
Ingrebourne Valley Visitor Centre, Hornchurch Country Park, Squadrons Approach Hornchurch RM12 6DF
Jobber's Rest, Upminster, St. Marys Ln RM14 3LT
Kensington Town Hall, Hornton St, Kensington, London W8 7NX
Kim's Hall, Vicarage Road, Hornchurch RM12 4AT
King George Hospital, Goodmayes IG3 8YB
Kingsbridge Circus, Harold Hill, RM3 8NL
La Salette Church, Rainham Road, Rainham RM13 8SR
Lambourne End Centre for Outdoor Learning, Manor Road, Lambourne End, Essex RM4 1NB
Langdon Hills Golf Club, Lower Dunton Road, Horndon on the Hill, Essex RM14 3TY
Langtons Gardens, Billet Lane, Hornchurch RM11 1XR
Langtons House Billet Lane Hornchurch RM11 1XJ
Langtons Register Office, Billet Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 1XJ
Large Hall, 24 North Street, Hornchurch, RM11 1QX
Local pick-up points
Location to be confirmed
Lodge Farm Park, Main Road, Gidea Park RM2 5AD (opposite Raphael Park)
London East UK, Yew Tree Avenue, Dagenham East RM10 7FN
Mardyke Community Centre, South Street, Rainham RM13 8PJ
Market Place, Romford, Essex RM1 1XP
Marshalls Park Academy, Pettits Lane, Romford RM11 4EH
Masonic Hall, Deyncourt Gardens, Upminster, Essex
Memorial Hall, Gubbins Lane, Harold Wood RM3 0FB
Mercury Mall, Romford RM1 3EE
Most Holy Redeemer Church Hall, Petersfield Avenue RM3 9RB
Mothercare Romford, Rom Valley Way, Romford RM7 0AF
Mullis and Peake's Romford Office, 8-10 Eastern Road RM1 3PJ
MyPlace Centre, 343 Dagnam Park Drive, Harold Hill RM3 9EN
Nelmes Church Hall, Burntwood Avenue, Hornchurch RM11 3JA
New City College, Ardleigh Green Road, Hornchurch RM11 2LL
New Life Church Emerson Park 13-15 Butts Green Road Hornchurch RM11 2JR
New Manor Hall
New Windmill Hall
New Zealand Way, Rainham, RM13 8JP
Noak Hill Sports Complex, Harold Hill, Romford RM3 7YA
Norfolk Road Allotments, Derby Avenue RM14 2NS
North Romford Community Association, Clockhouse Lane, Collier Row RM5 3QJ
North Street Halls, 24 North Street Halls, Hornchurch RM11 1QX
Oakwood Sun Club, Off Chequers Road RM3 7NA
Online - Zoom Call
Online / Virtual
Oslo, Norway
Park Drive, Upminster
Park Lane Playground, Hornchurch, RM11 1EL
Park Lane Recreation Ground Hornchurch, RM11 1EJ
Parklands, Corbet's Tey Road, Upminster
Petersfield Avenue, Harold Hill, Romford
Queens Theatre, Billet Lane, Hornchurch RM11 1QT
RAF Hornchurch Heritage Centre, Sutton's House, 119 - 121 Suttons Lane, Hornchurch, Essex RM12 6RU
RAFA Club, Carlton Road, Romford RM2 5AA
Rainham Hall, Broadway, Rainham RM13 9YN
Rainham Library, 6 Celtic Farm Road, Rainham RM13 9GP
Rainham Marshes Nature Reserve, New Tank Hill Road, Purfleet, Essex RM19 1SZ
Rainham Village
Rainham Village School Children's Centre
Rainham War Memorial
Rainham Working Mens Club, 74 Upminster Road, Rainham RM13 9AA
Raphael Park, Romford RM2 5EB
Redden Court School, Cotswold Rd, Romford RM3 0TS
Redden Court School, Cotswold Road, Harold Wood RM3 0TR
Renaissance London Heathrow Hotel London, UK
Rise Park, Beauly Way, RM1 4XH
Romford Bowls Club, Lodge Farm Park, Carlton Road, Romford RM2 5AA
Romford Care Home, 107 Neave Crescent, Harold Hill RM3 8HW
Romford Library St Edwards Way Romford RM1 3AR
Romford Market, Romford RM1 3ER
Romford Royal British Legion, Western Road, Romford RM1 3LP
Romford Shopping Hall, 43 Market Place, Romford RM1 3AB
Romford Start-Up Hub, 205 South St, Romford RM1 1QX
Romford United Reformed Church, Western Road, Romford RM1 3LP
Royal British Legion, 205 High St, Hornchurch RM11 3XT
Royal British Legion, Maylands Avenue, Elm Park
Royals Youth Centre, Viking Way, Rainham RM13 9YG
RSPB Rainham Marshes, New Tank Hill Rd, Purfleet, Essex RM19 1SZ
Rush Green Community Centre, Rush Green Road. Romford RM7 0LB
Sacred Heart of Mary Girls' School, St. Mary's Lane, Upminster, Essex RM14 2QR
Sapphire Jubilee Community Centre, Collier Row RM5 3BW
Scout Hall, Abbotts Close, Romford RM7 8QU
Sofitel London Heathrow Hotel, London Terminal 5 London Heathrow Airport, Wallis Rd, London, TW6 2GD, United Kingdom
South Hornchurch Library, Rainham Road, Rainham RM13 7RD
South Street, Romford
St Alban's Church Hall, Princes Road, Romford RM1 2SR
St Alban's Hall Elm Park, Ullswater Way RM12 5LA
St Alban's Church Hall in Langdale Gardens, Elm Park RM12 5JX
St Andrew's Church, 222 High Street, Hornchurch RM12 6QP
St Edward's Primary School
St Edward's C of E Academy, London Road, Romford RM7 9NX
St Edwards the Confessor Church Gardens, Market Place, Romford
St Georges Church Hall,
St James Church, Chase Cross Road, Collier Row RM5 3XL
St John The Evangelist Church, The Green, North Road, Havering-atte-Bower, Romford RM4 1PL
St John's Church, Broadway, Stratford, London E15 1NG
St John's Church Hall, Southend Road RM13 7XT
St John's Hall, Pretoria Road, Romford RM7 7BB
St Kilda's Children's Centre, 90 Eastern Road, Romford RM1 3QA
St Laurence Church Hall, Corbets Tey Road RM14 2BB
St Michael's Church, Main Road, Gidea Park, Romford, RM2 5EL
St Nicholas Church Centre/Hall, Eyehurst Avenue, Elm Park RM12 4PT
St Nicholas Church, Woodcote Avenue, Elm Park RM12 4PY
St Peter's Church, Gubbins Lane, Harold Wood, RM3 0QA
St Thomas Church, Noak Hill, Romford RM4 1LD
St. Edward's Church, Market Place, Romford RM1 3AB
St. Edward's RC Church, Park End Road, Romford
St. James Church, 173 Chase Cross Road, Romford RM5 3YR
St. John's Church, Broadway, Stratford, London E15 1NG
St. Peter's Church, Gubbins Lane, Harold Wood RM3 0QA
Starbucks in the Liberty Shopping Centre, Romford, RM1 3RL
Station Lane, Upminster
Station Road Car Park 51 Station Road Harold Wood RM3 0BS
Station Road, Harold Wood
Stewart Avenue Allotments, Upminster RM14 2AF
Stock Brook Manor, Billericay
Stubbers Adventure Centre, Ockendon Road, Upminster RM14 2TY
Suttons Primary School, Suttons Lane, Hornchurch RM12 6RP
Sycamore Trust's Sensory Room, The Liberty Shopping Centre, 11 Western Rd, Romford RM1 3RL
Tandoori Lounge, 185 High Street, Hornchurch
Tesco, Gallows Corner, Bryant Ave, Romford, RM3 0LL.
Thames Chase Forest Centre, Broadfields, Pike Lane, Upminster RM14 3NS
The Baptist Church Hall, Main Road, Romford RM1 3BL
The Barn (left of manor House), Brettons Outdoor Recreation Centre, Rainham Road RM13 7LP
The Brewery Waterloo Road Romford RM1 1AU
The Broadway, Hornchurch RM12 4RN
The Castle Cinema 64-66 Brooksby's Walk Hackney, London E9 6DA
The Cocoon
The Community Reach House, 32-34 High Street, Romford RM1 1HR
The Crown Inn at Roneo Corner, 360 Hornchurch Road, Romford RM12 4TW
The Elm Park Assembly Hall, Eyhurst Avenue, Elm Park RM12 4RA
The Elm Park Assembly Hall, Eyhurst Avenue, Elm Park. RM12 5RH
The Friends Meeting House, Balgores Crescent, Gidea Park.
The Golden Lion, 2 High Street, Romford, Essex RM1 1HR
The Golden Lion, Romford, at the junction with South Street, North Street and High Street RM1 1HR.
The Goose
The Green, Havering-Atte-Bower, Romford RM4
The Learning Tree, Romford, The Learning Tree Nursery School, 2 Carlisle Rd, Romford, RM1 2QZ
The Liberty Shopping Mall, Romford RM1 3RJ
The Little Theatre, Methodist Church Hall, The Drive, Harold Wood RM3 0DU
The Millennium Centre, The Chase, Dagenham Road, Rush Green RM7 0SS
The New Windmill Hall, St Mary's Lane, Upminster RM14 2QH
The Old Barn
The Pavilion at Orsett Hall
The Poppy Lounge, Royal British Legion, Legion House, 205 High Street, Hornchurch RM11 3XT
The Retailery, 80-84 Market Place, Romford RM1 3ER
The Romford Brewery Trust, Unit 10 Brewery Walk, Waterloo Road, Romford RM1 1AU
The Salvation Army, 50 High Street, Romford RM1 1JJ
The Stadium, Bridge Avenue, Upminster, Essex RM14 2LX
The Walled Garden, Bedfords Park, Romford RM4 1QL
The Willows Banqueting Suite, Forest Road, Hainault IG6 3SL
Theydon Bois Golf Club
Thomas Simms Court, Wood Lane, Elm park, RM12 5NN
Time 107.5 FM
Towers Federation of Schools, Hornchurch, Osborne Road (infant) and Windsor Road (Junior), RM11 1HP
Trinity Church, Gaynes Road, Upminster RM14 2YS
Trinity United Reformed Church, Station Road, Upminster RM14 2UD
Tweed Way Hall
Unit 6 177-181 Hornchurch Road Hornchurch RM12 4TE
United Kingdom
United Reform Church, 58 - 60 Western Road, Romford RM1 3LP
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Vicarage Road, Hornchurch RM12
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Wantz Community Hall, Rainham Road North, Dagenham RM10 7DX
Warley Park Golf Club, CM13 3DX
Warren Drive Car Park, Harrow Lodge Park, Hornchurch, London, RM12 4QU
Westley Height Country Park, High Road, Basildon SS16 6HU
YMCA, Rush Green, Romford RM7 0PH
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text:
neFlorist is a premier retail florist store based in Selangor. We bring our customer unique-personalized flowers and gifts for any occasions that develop and enchance relationships with the special and important people in their lives.
13-1-1, Jalan Setia Prima D U13/D, Setia Alam Sek U13, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor D.E., Malaysia.
Tel: +6016-560 5626
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
© 2024 ne Florist. All Rights Reserved. Website designed by Midaz Orion


text:
Regular price MRP Rs. 6,600.00 Sale price MRP Rs. 2,310.00 Save 65%Chhabra 555 Green Chanderi Brocade Traditional Saree with Meenakari Floral Motifs
Color: Green
Type: Yes
Pattern: Woven Design
Pattern Type: Floral
Ornamentation: Zari
Border: Woven Design
Fabric: Silk Cotton
Saree: 5.30 mtr., Width: 1.10 mtr, Blouse: 0.90 mtr
Dry Clean Only
The CAD image gives a detailed look of the actual blouse piece that comes with this saree. The blouse used by the model in the pictures is only for styling purpose.
Additional Notes:
We are proud to be 100% Made in India. We believe in supporting our local karigars and artisans and strive to make a better future together.
We believe in providing high quality products to make long term repeat customers. We take great pride in dressing up our third generation brides.
We offer international shipping as well as 100% return for domestic customers. Do reach out to us if you are looking for some customized services.
10% discount on your first order for joining our mailing list.


text:
DETROIT – General Motors is recalling 51,640 SUVs because the fuel gauges may show inaccurate readings.
The recall involves the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia from the 2014 model year. All of the affected SUVs were built between March 26 and Aug. 15 of 2013.
GM says the engine control module software may cause the fuel gauge to read inaccurately. If that happens, the vehicle might run out of fuel and stall without warning.
The company doesn't know of any crashes or injuries related to the problem.
GM says dealers will reprogram the software for free, starting immediately. The company will also notify owners by mail.
The recall was posted Saturday on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Web site.


text:
Every person must cope with loss of a loved on his or her own terms.
The emotional upheaval these trying times can cause is sometimes so overwhelming that even the support of friends and family may not help relieve the amount of sadness and grief you feel.
At Anderson-Goodale Memorial Homes we offer the following aftercare grief sessions:
» Center for Loss & Transition
A leading provider of information and inspiration in the areas of illness and dying, loss and grief, healthy caregiving, life transition, and spirituality.
» GriefNet
GriefNet is an Internet community of persons dealing with grief, death, and major loss. They have many email support groups. Their integrated approach to online grief support provides help to people working through loss and grief issues.
» National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
Committed to improving end of life care and expanding access to hospice care with the goal of profoundly enhancing quality of life for people dying in America and their loved ones.


text: If you're going to have a new brother or sister, you'll want to know some baby facts. Answer this question — A new baby is: smelly funny annoying great all of the above The answer is #5, of course! Babies are wonderful, but they can also wake you up at night. They dribble, spit, and make lots and lots of dirty diapers. They can't talk, walk, or go to the bathroom like you do! Because they need so much care, your mom and dad will be busy making sure the baby gets the rest, food, clean diapers, and love he or she needs. But just because your parents are busy with the baby doesn't mean they love you any less — they just love the baby too! It can be a lot of fun to have a new baby in the house, but it can be tiring, too. You might love the baby right from the start. But it's also OK if you miss the way things were before the baby came. If you feel left out or need some attention, tell your mom or dad. Also be sure to tell a parent if you're having trouble getting your homework done or you're not getting enough sleep. Before the Baby Arrives A baby takes 9 months to grow big enough to be born. Before the baby comes, ask your parents any questions that you have. Where will the baby sleep? Who will take care of you while everyone is at the hospital? Some hospitals offer classes for kids who are about to be big sisters or big brothers. These classes help kids learn about babies so they know what to expect. You also can learn about babies by getting books out of the library. But the best way is to spend time with a real, live baby. Maybe your mom or dad can arrange for you to visit a friend who has a young baby. Then you'll get to see how a baby looks, smells, and sounds! Who Is This Little Person? When it is time for the baby to be born, your mom will probably spend a few nights at the hospital. After the baby arrives, you can visit her in the maternity ward where the babies are delivered. There you can get your first look at the newest member of your family. Expect your brother or sister to be small, squirmy, and sleepy. When they're first born, babies are too little to play with toys or play peek-a-boo with you. They're just getting adjusted to the world. In time, your baby sister or brother will be able to smile at you, laugh, and play. But for now, babies mostly want to sleep, snuggle, and eat. The Baby Comes Home So what can you do at home with the baby? Early on, you can be a wonderful help to your mom and dad. If you're old enough, you may be able to hold or feed the baby. Your mom and dad can show you the right way to care for your brother or sister. You'll have to learn the rules for what you're allowed to do on your own and what you need to have another grown-up help you with. For instance, only grown-ups can give the baby a bath. But you might be able to do some important jobs, like put on the baby's little socks! Kids also can help in many other ways, like being a personal assistant to your mom or dad. What does a personal assistant do? You run all over the house getting the stuff your mom or dad needs for the baby. Diaper? You got it! Pacifier? You got it! Paper towel because the baby just spit up again? You got that, too! Kids also can fold baby clothes, answer the phone, or get their dear, sweet mothers a drink from the kitchen. That is so helpful, especially if she feels busy and tired. And if the baby is cranky, you can work your magic by smiling at the baby and trying to cheer him or her up. You could even read the baby a book. The baby won't know what you're talking about, but will like hearing the sound of your voice. Maybe the story will help the baby drift off to sleep. When that happens, everyone can relax a little. And it might be a good time to ask your mom or dad to spend a little time together — just the two of you. When a new baby joins the family, you're in for some changes. But so many of them are good ones. Not only do you have this cute little bundle around the house, before you know it, that little bundle will sit up, crawl, walk, run, and even play hide-and-seek with you. In other words, this baby just might grow up to be a lifetime pal! Back to Articles Related Articles Kids Talk About: Siblings (Video) What do kids think about their brothers and sisters? Hear what they had to say. Read More Living With Stepparents Do you have a stepmom or stepdad? Lots of kids do. Find out more in this article for kids. Read More Getting Along With Brothers and Sisters Brothers and sisters might not always get along. How can you keep the peace? Find out in this article for kids. Read More Things to Expect When Your Mom Is Pregnant Kids have lots of different feelings when they learn that a new brother or sister is on the way. Find out more in this article. Read More Why Do I Have a Belly Button? A belly button, also called a navel, is something everyone in the world has! You can find out why in our article for kids. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.


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I see that child - the small one, the dirty one, the odd one, the fat one, sitting in the corner of my classroom desperate for a friend.
I know him, the child who smiles and laughs at jokes that are taken at his own expense, the child desperate for attention, for friendship, for acceptance and love.
These are the children that I take particular care with; the ones I try to boost with an offhanded positive comment meant for others to hear.
I was once that child – and so were many of you. I was called "small-fry" or "short-stuff" – the shortest one of the class who looked years younger than my age. Yeah, it could've been worse, but my heart didn't know that.
Each year I search for those souls in my room- they're not hard to find. I wrap them as best I can in my protective arms, all the while praying that the coming years in school will treat them kindly – but I know in my heart that they won't. I try show the rest of the class by example what is important - their character, their humor, their intelligence and their special talent.
And that child who is too big for his age? The one who might be the youngest in his class, but because of size his parents decided to send him to kindergarten anyway- in order to help him avoid the taunts of the other children? The one they call fat? I know him intimately.
He's my son.
I pray for him every night as we cuddle in his bed and he shares his heartbreak of the day, for I know that the coming years will be so very difficult to navigate. The doctors tried to tell us that he was going to be a big man, not to worry, he would be a tall man, and each year we kept a close eye on his growth.
I try not to cringe every time he eats a meal, or grabs a snack, or tells me he's hungry because I know he's a growing boy. Every other boy his age can eat like a monster and still be a beanpole. He has no such luck.
He plays each day and night outside with the "Do-Good Brigade". They race their bikes down the bike-path to a school a short distance away. They shoot hoops upon their return, or play "Let's crush whoever has the football" and then kill each other on the trampoline for hours.
He comes in every night long after dark, reeking of sweat and dirt.
And as he showers and walks to his room wrapped in his towel, I notice the stretch marks lining his stomach and armpits and my heart aches.
Still, we continue to encourage him. We talk about healthy habits and we incorporate them into our daily lives. The thing is- we are not unhealthy people. We DO eat fresh fruit; we DO eat tons of veggies; we ARE active people. This is what I don't understand. But, I'll just add that to the list of 5 BILLION other things that perplex me.
So now I not only love that chubby fat boy that sits in the back of my classroom, but I also love the one that sits at my kitchen table.
And I pray hard every single night for both of them.


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More About the DoodleMark:
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It's a time for adventure and creativity, where a child's confidence in reading and writing is built one "Doodle Step" at a time.
You can purchase your very own DoodleMark here for only $8.00!
Thanks to DoodleMark, one lucky Adventures of a Thrifty Mommy reader will win a DoodleMark of their choice! (US Residents Only)
You MUST be a follower of Adventures of a Thrifty Mommy via Google Friend Connect (located at the right) for your entry to count. And you MUST include your email address with each entry.
Mandatory Entry:
Follow Adventures of a Thrifty Mommy via Google Friend Connect. AND Visit DoodleMark and comment on which design you'd pick if you are chosen as the winner. (both combined = 1 entry)
That's all you have to do! But, if you'd like to receive extra entries you can:
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This giveaway ends October 21, 2011 at 11:59 pm. Good luck!
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Disclosure: I received the products mentioned above for this review. No monetary compensation was received by me. This is my completely honest opinion above and may differ from yours. Because I do not directly ship most giveaways from my home, I cannot be held liable for lost or not received products.


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Striking your eardrums from the word "go", Memoirs at the End of the World is a cinematic multi-instrumental dream, but with three core band members: Tim Yehezkely, Chris Moll and Jonathan Wilkins, how much of this huge sound is a collaboration?
First to hit you might be the awe inspiring string arrangement that begins the opener, No One Said This Would Be Easy. However, it is the sweetly sultry voice of female lead singer, Tim Yehezkely, that really ensures this album's magnificence. Keen to shrug the Florida stereotypes of indie-rock and rock and roll covers, Yehezkely wanted to "be something a bit different." The band certainly achieve their aspiration.
This album encompasses electronic, futuristic elements, along with their orchestral arrangements that sound from beginning to end like a journey through a Film Noir spy epic. The first self-titled album had aspects of the soundtrack influences, but didn't capture it as much as Memoirs. Tim reflects: "This album has definitely become more epic, cinematic, intense and full than the first." Of course, with the success of a first album, there is immediately an expectation from fans of what the second will hold. As pressure on The Postmarks mounted, Tel Aviv-born Yehezkely realised they had "expectations to fulfil and didn't want to scare away the fans completely, so we had to try and go down this road first." For Tim there was a feeling of absolutely needing to make this record, combined with a focus on moving in a different direction. The exploration of the cinematic sound was a push to its conclusion in preparation for new things, "to grow that sound before the band took any other direction."
To bring together three band members from such different musical backgrounds to create one consistent sound is an accomplishment in itself. Gelled by their appreciation of film scores, other influences include 1970s soul, dub and folk. Finding places for these inspirations is more apparent on this album than the first, while appreciating the need to come together under one coherent sound and The Postmarks name. Front woman, Yehezkely, penned Go Jetsetter, initially encompassing her minimalistic personal style, influenced by bands such as Kraftwerk, though she's adamant to point out, "it doesn't sound anything like that anymore." Having been given the Postmarks' trademark multi-instrumental arrangements and vintage sound, it still retains its ironic look at the pursuit of material pleasures, imagining a Thelma & Louise style getaway. Gone brings the album to a close, with a gun-shot like sound that ends the narrative and starts the credits rolling. From start to finish this is an album that works fully as a whole. The rise of free and downloadable music means that albums are often split into single tracks, and while understanding that, The Postmarks create music that seamlessly weaves an entire narrative. Chris Moll "is one of the few people left who really appreciates an album for its wholeness," says Yehezkely. So while you can listen to the tracks individually, the band have made an investment into the concept of the album.
Memoirs At the End of the World is by no means all The Postmarks has to offer. Yehezkely is hoping that the band will move into a new direction with their next project, and she " has always liked the electronic side of things," however she's "putting that on the side burner, to do what the band has to do now. Hopefully we'll have more room to explore new opportunities in the future. But, it's something I definitely want to do."
Memoirs at the End of the World is out now. www.thepostmarks.com.
Sophie Gordon


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Homes for rent Azle Texas
Eager to get a fresh start in a new locale? Well rest easy because finding Azle apartments for rent has never been simpler and Azle apartment living has never been this fun! Hi, I'm Trey, your Official Azle apartment living guide. I've assisted hundreds of residents find Azle apartments for rent and I'm looking forward to helping you too! As your Azle apartment resource I want to make your apartment shopping experience stress-free by showcasing the most apartments in Azle, TX and providing you with accurate information on each one, updated every single day. So I invite you to explore Azle apartments!
Of course, Apartment Home Living is about so much more than just helping you find the right space to match your needs - it's also about helping you love your apartment life! Let's face it, apartment living is AWESOME! Why get locked into a mortgage for the next three decades, deal with ever-rising property taxes, or risk being married to neighbors whose hobbies include nude sunbathing, loud polka music and questionable 'lawn art'? Apartment life is all about freedom and fun, and living in Azle apartments only adds to the appeal. Attractions, excellent night-life, shopping and dining options can be found in almost every corner of this cultural mecca, all located within a few miles from the doorstep of your Azle apartment.
Looking for high class amenities to go with the newfound freedom your Azle apartment grants? No worries, as most Azle rentals offer spacious floor plans, onsite laundry facilities, beautiful and well-maintained swimming pools, and even state-of-the-art fitness areas. Of course, you can always grab a few of your new favorite neighbors and spend a day exploring the area's natural beauty, because let's face it - somehow it's that much more relaxing to lie in the local park's grassy field knowing you'll never need a lawn mower again!
Remember, just because you aren't anchored down with a never-ending mortgage and homeowner upkeep headaches doesn't mean your new apartment isn't still YOUR place! Get creative with this fresh blank canvas, and take advantage of the artistic freedom your new Azle apartment offers by choosing furnishings and décor that truly represents your personality. Heck, this might even be the time to finally shoot for that 'jungle themed' bedroom layout you've always secretly envisioned (although you might want to skip the spider monkeys).
In this day and age, everyone knows saving money matters more than ever. With a large number of apartments in Azle to choose from, you'll be firmly in the economic driving seat when it comes to having a wide variety of lease options, floor plans and convenient services at your fingertips. With all of the money you'll be saving, odds are good you'll be able to splurge on tickets to the big game, take that special someone out for a fine dining experience they'll never forget, or just sleep that much easier at night knowing you've got the financial security that Apartment Home Living allows.
So what are you waiting for? With so many awesome Azle apartments waiting to be discovered, the possibilities are practically endless...which still hasn't stopped us from compiling some of the best of the best just below! So dive into the multitude of Azle apartments for rent and discover just how amazing Apartment Home Living can truly be.


text: The William Blake Tarot explores the mystical vision and artistry of the renowned English painter and poet. Through rich interpretations focused on creative undertakings, it has long been the deck of choice for artists, writers, musicians, and thinkers. For more information about this deck, or to buy your own personal copy, go to www.blaketarot.com.


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No donut pan required! Hot out of the oven and ready for breakfast, these baked cinnamon sugar doughnuts are soft, sweet bites of heaven.
How is it that a doughnut can cure just about any ail? Oh, you had a rough day? No worries, here's a glazed. A not so great review at work? Help yourself to a chocolate frosted. A sack full of worries heavy on your back? Just top 'em with sprinkles.
WHYYYYY must doughnuts tempt us away from the Kashi and closer to the ooey, gooey custard filling?
It's been just enough time that I've been pouring over making a batch of delicious homemade doughnuts and not doing anything about it, until I just had no choice. So, the day has come. Lucky you.
It's been about 2 weeks, 3 days, 8 hours and 5.238 seconds since I made these doughnuts, but the inner pastry fiend in me thinks that's way too long. My primary care physician, however, would disagree.
A little in-motion donut dunking action to further whet your appetite! Just TRY to stop watching.
This recipe from Mel's Kitchen Café, is sensationally simple for a baked doughnut and just as tasty as the two-buck ones at your local bakery. Banish your bulky fryer and all the calories that come with it for these sweet and fluffy doughnuts made at home!
The texture is cakey and terrifically moist, and worth every ounce of effort you put in. As a special treat for someone or just to hog them all to yourself (oink!), these doughnuts are an absolutely delicious way to welcome any morning!
Baked Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts
- 1 1/3 cups warm milk, 95 to 105 degrees
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 2 large eggs
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- A pinch or two of nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- Place warm milk in the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir in the yeast and sugar. Add the butter, eggs, flour, nutmeg and salt. Beat the dough with the dough hook attachment (or with a wooden spoon and eventually your hands) for 2-3 minutes at medium speed. Adjust the dough texture by adding flour a few tablespoons at a time or more milk. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and be very soft and smooth but still slightly sticky – don't overflour! Knead the dough for a few minutes (again, by mixer or by hand) and then transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for about an hour or until it has doubled in size (the exact time will depend on the temperature of your kitchen).
- Punch down the dough and roll it out to about 1/2-inch thickness on a lightly floured counter. Using a doughnut cutter or a 2-3 inch circle cookie cutter, cut out circles in the dough. Carefully transfer the circles to a parchment- or silpat-lined baking sheet and stamp out the smaller inner circles using a smaller cutter. Be sure to make the holes large enough that as the doughnuts rise again and bake, they don't fill in the doughnut hole with the puffiness of the dough. Cover the tray with lightly greased plastic wrap. (At this point, you can refrigerate the doughnuts overnight or proceed with the recipe.) Let the doughnuts rise for about another 45 minutes, until they are puffed and nearly doubled.
- Bake in a 375 degree F oven until the bottoms are just golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Start checking the doughnuts around minute 8. They should still be pale on top, not golden and browned, and just barely baked through.
- Remove the doughnuts from the oven and let cool for 1-2 minutes. Dip each one in the melted butter and toss or sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar. Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!


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Updated: 2:00 p.m. EDT
WASHINGTON — In a major gay rights case, the Supreme Court indicated Wednesday it could strike down the law that prevents legally married gay couples from receiving a range of federal benefits that go to other married people.
Justice Anthony Kennedy, often the decisive vote in close cases, joined the four more liberal justices in raising questions about a provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act that is being challenged at the court.
Kennedy said the law appears to intrude on the power of states that have chosen to recognize same-sex marriages. Other justices said the law creates what Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg called two classes of marriage, full and "skim-milk marriage."
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The federal law affects a range of benefits available to married couples, including tax breaks, survivor benefits and health insurance for spouses of federal employees.
It still is possible the court could dismiss the case for procedural reasons, though that prospect seemed less likely than it did in Tuesday's argument over gay marriage in California.
The motivation behind the 1996 federal law, passed by large majorities in Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton, was questioned repeatedly by Justice Elena Kagan.
She read from a House of Representatives report explaining that the reason for the law was "to express moral disapproval of homosexuality." The quote produced an audible reaction in the courtroom.
Paul Clement, representing the House Republican leadership in defending the law, said the more relevant question is whether Congress had "any rational basis for the statute." He supplied one, the federal government's interest in treating same-sex couples the same no matter where they live.
Clement said the government does not want military families "to resist transfer from West Point to Fort Sill because they're going to lose their benefits." The U.S. Military Academy at West Point is in New York, where same-sex marriage is legal, and Fort Sill is in Oklahoma, where gay marriages are not legal.
Opposing Clement was the Obama administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, Donald Verrilli, who said the provision of DOMA at issue, Section 3, impermissibly discriminates against gay people.
"This statute is not called the Federal Uniform Benefits Act," Verrilli said. The administration wants the court to apply a level of scrutiny it applies to discrimination against other disadvantaged groups and that makes it harder for governments to justify those laws.
Both Verrilli and Roberta Kaplan, the lawyer for the 83-year-old New Yorker who sued over DOMA, told the court that views about gay people and marriage have shifted dramatically since 1996.
"Why are you so confident in that judgment? How many states" allow same-sex unions? Justice Antonin Scalia asked Kaplan.
Nine, she said.
"So there's been a sea change since 1996," Scalia said, dou btfully.
But Chief Justice John Roberts jumped on the idea of a rapid shift in opinion to suggest that perhaps gays and lesbians do not need special protection from the court.
"As far as I can tell, political leaders are falling all over themselves to endorse your side of the case," Roberts said.
The justices stepped into the dispute after lower federal courts ruled against the measure.
The DOMA argument followed Tuesday's case over California's ban on same-sex marriage, a case in which the justices indicated they might avoid a major national ruling on whether America's gays and lesbians have a right to marry. Even without a significant ruling, the court appeared headed for a resolution that would mean the resumption of gay and lesbian weddings in California.
Marital status is relevant in more than 1,100 federal laws that include estate taxes, Social Security survivor benefits and health benefits for federal employees. Lawsuits around the countr y have led four federal district courts and two appeals courts to strike down the law's Section 3, which defines marriage. In 2011, the Obama administration abandoned its defense of the law but continues to enforce it.
Same-sex marriage is legal in nine states and the District of Columbia. The states are Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and Washington. It was legal in California for less than five months in 2008.
The justices chose for their review the case of Edith Windsor, 83, of New York, who sued to challenge a $363,000 federal estate tax bill after her partner of 44 years died in 2009.
Windsor, who goes by Edie, married Thea Spyer in 2007 in Canada after doctors told them that Spyer would not live much longer. She suffered from multiple sclerosis for many years. Spyer left everything she had to Windsor.
There is no dispute that if Windsor had been married to a man, her estate tax bill would have been zero.
The U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in New York agreed with a district judge that the provision of DOMA deprived Windsor of the constitutional guarantee of equal protection of the law.
Like the Proposition 8 case from California, Windsor's lawsuit could falter on a legal technicality without a definitive ruling from the high court.
The House Republicans, the Obama administration and a lawyer appointed by the court especially to argue the issue spent the first 50 minutes Wednesday discussing whether the House Republican leadership can defend the law in court because the administration decided not to, and whether the administration forfeited its right to participate in the case because it changed its position and now argues that the provision is unconstitutional.
If the Supreme Court finds that it does not have the authority to hear the case, Windsor probably would still get her refund because she won in the lower courts. But there would be no definitive decision about the law from the nation's highest court, and it would remain on the books.
Roberts and Scalia seemed most interested in this sort of outcome.
On Tuesday, the justices weighed a fundamental issue: Does the Constitution require that people be allowed to marry whom they choose, regardless of either partner's gender? The fact that the question was in front of the Supreme Court at all was startling, given that no state recognized same-sex unions before 2003 and 40 states still don't allow them.
But it was clear from the start of that argument in a packed courtroom that the justices, including some liberals who seemed open to gay marriage, had doubts about whether they should even be hearing the challenge to California's Proposition 8, the state's voter-approved gay marriage ban.
Kennedy suggested the justices could dismiss the Proposition 8 with no ruling at all.
Such an outcome would almost certainly allow gay marriages to resume in California but would have no impact elsewhere.
Developing story, check back for updates.
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Did you really think the Colts were finished for the season, putting the "AFterthought" in AFC? Last night's win over the Bengals should put them back near the top of most everyone's league rankings.
(And how many fantasy playoff games were won by the owner who came from behind with Peyton Manning's 4 TD passes? Or the owner who came from behind with Marvin Harrison's 3 TD catches?)
NBA: For Knicks and Nuggets, things are "fine." If suspending top players is wrong, who wants to be right? Short-handed, the Knicks beat the Jazz at the buzzer (to tie the Celtics, Raptors and Nets for the most wins, 10, in the Shitlantic Division). Meanwhile, the Nuggets -- without Carmelo Anthony or JR Smith – beat the previously sizzling Wizards in
College Hoops Parity Watch: Unbeaten
MLB Hot Stove: Credit the Tigers for locking up young starter Jeremy Bonderman (4Y, $38M). No need to troll the free agency depths looking for quality starters when they can re-sign the sick young bunch they already have.
Meanwhile, Pete Rose is going to get the star treatment from the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. At least it's A Hall of Fame, if not THE Hall of Fame. What does it say that it took the Reds HOF this long to honor him? (It says they obviously need an attendance spike.)
College Football Coaching Carousel: Stanford hires Jim Harbaugh, and B.C. has reportedly hired Packers O.C. Jeff Jagodzinski, who apparently finds coaching Brett Favre so monumentally unsatisfying that he'd rather coach college kids.
Sports Business: ESPN's new ownership stake in Arena Football League is the best thing to ever happen to the sport – and it's a smart play for ESPN.
The deal gives the network a way to expand its "Monday night" football (small "n") presence without "Monday Night Football" (big "N") by creating weekly Arena games on Monday between March 12 and June 25, satisfying the football fans' jones for the sport.
Arena was so excited by the distribution opportunity that it delayed the start of its season. Plus, the league can take advantage of all of the distribution channels of ESPN. Meanwhile, the deal helps ESPN find more programming it can own, as the major sports leagues take (back) more and more ownership of their products.
Fans and critics who don't understand Arena mock it a little bit for the funky look and pinball scoring, but it's one of the great sports-league success stories of the last 25 years. (Compare the AFL's growth to, say, the NHL.)
But for a league that is revolutionary as much for its fan-friendly marketing as its rulebook, it's the most significant step yet to come that much closer to its existing fans, and – most importantly – create new ones.
(And, yet, somehow I don't think that Tony Kornheiser will be in the booth calling the games...)
Oh, and DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP for this blog's Bowl Pick 'Em contest. We're using the ESPN.com Bowl Pick 'Em interface. Groupname: Daily Quickie Readers. No password needed. You can enter whenever, but to get credit for tonight's bowl-season opener, be sure to get in now. Poinsettia Mania!


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Amber D. found these two from The Cake Fairy:
Check out the floppy ears on this guy:
Here's one from The London Cake Company, found by Brian & Melissa W.:
This was for little Joseph's SECOND birthday?!? Dang, I really missed out during my childhood. (And adulthood, come to think of it...)
And lastly, Kate J. found some of the most adorable figure sculpting I've seen:
I love the simple-yet-ingenious "bushes", and the knight and princess are just spot-on perfect. Great stuff.
Found on Manray3's Flickr stream. I've been told this may be from The Cake Shop in the Covered Market of Oxford, England.


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This decorative vase from Nicaragua is 6 inches tall and 5 inches in diameter, featuring a parrot design. This is low fired and not designed to hold water.
Working with the fair trade organization Esperanza en Accion, men and women artisans in Nicaragua produce traditional pottery pieces that are world renowned. Artisans in San Juan de Oriente make the pottery using a manual kick wheel and finish the pieces using natural mineral oxides for the earthen colors. The fantastic flora and fauna of Nicaragua are the basis for stunning vase designs and novel wind instruments. The pottery is fired using a low-temperature technique so the vases are decorative as they do not hold water.


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How do rates of return affect my retirement income from an IRA?
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