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Big Test at School
Today's the day of a big test at school, and you feel awful. Your stomach hurts and you have a headache. Maybe your muscles feel tense and you feel shaky or sweaty. You know you haven't been bitten by the flu bug – but you may have a case of the jitters, also known as test anxiety.
Here's how test anxiety works. Let's say you're worried about your math test because you didn't do so well on the last one. Or maybe you're kind of tense because you did great on the last one and you're the kind of kid who likes to get all As. When you're feeling worried and tense, your whole body can be affected.
Test anxiety is actually a type of performance anxiety. Performance anxiety is when a person feels worried about how they will perform (do on something), especially when it's really important. For instance, you might feel performance anxiety when you're trying out for the school band or for the basketball team.
When you're taking a test, you might feel "butterflies," a stomachache, or a tension headache. Some people might feel shaky, sweaty, or feel their heart beating quickly as they wait for the test to be given out. A student with really strong test anxiety may even feel like he or she might pass out or throw up.
Sound familiar? You're not alone. Ask other people and you'll find that just about all people – adults and other – feel some anxiety before a test. In fact, a small dose of anxiety can be helpful, keeping you sharp and focused. But when your symptoms take over so that you can't function or when you're so anxious that you feel sick, you might not be able to do your best.
Of course, if you didn't study for the test, you might be worried – and for good reason. That kind of anxiety isn't as easy to tackle because even if you find a way to calm down, you still might not know what the right answers are. When you are prepared for a test and you get a handle on your anxiety, you'll be able to let your knowledge shine and score a good grade.
No More Tests?If teachers know that students get stressed out about tests, why do they still give them? Believe it or not, both teachers and students benefit from tests. Tests measure how well students are learning the skills and information their teachers have been teaching them. And tests of all different sorts are a part of life – from the driving test you'll take one day to the test you'll take if you decide you want to be a doctor.
What Makes Anxiety Happen?Well, because we can't outlaw tests, we might as well figure out how to ease test anxiety. Anxiety is a feeling a person gets when he or she expects something stressful to happen. When you're under stress, your body releases the hormone adrenaline, which prepares it for danger, like when you're running away from your older brother! Adrenaline causes the physical symptoms, such as sweating, a pounding heart, and rapid breathing.
These symptoms can be mild or intense. Focusing on the bad things that could happen can make a kid feel more worried. A kid might think, "What if I forget everything I know?" or "What if the test is too hard?" Too many thoughts like these don't leave much room in your mind to concentrate on remembering the answers to the test questions.
People with test anxiety can also feel stressed out by the physical reaction and think things like "What if I throw up?" or "Oh no, my hands are shaking." These thoughts can get the person even more upset, making the anxiety even stronger. Now, the person feels worse and is even more distracted and unable to concentrate.
Who Gets Test Anxiety?Anyone can get test anxiety, but someone who really wants to get every answer right might be more prone to feeling this way. This is called being a perfectionist (say: per-fek-shuh-nist). Kids who worry a lot also might feel anxious at test time.
Perfectionists and worriers find it hard to accept mistakes they make or to get less than a perfect score. This creates more pressure for them. As we mentioned before, not being prepared for a test (duh!) can cause test anxiety. Kids who don't get enough sleep also can be more prone to test anxiety.
What Can You Do?You might be reading this article and saying, "Hey, that sounds just like me!" If so, we're glad you recognize that this happens to you. Now you can start taking steps to lessen your test anxiety. Here are some ways to do that:
Ask for help. Talk to your mom or dad, your teacher, or your school guidance counselor. Just talking to someone about test anxiety can make you feel better. Describe what happens to you when you're taking a test and these people can help you figure out some solutions. For instance, learning study skills can boost your test-day confidence.
Be prepared. Pay attention in class. Do your homework. Study for the test. On test day, you're more likely to feel like you know the material.
Expect the best. Once you have prepared, think positively. Say to yourself, "I studied and I'm ready to do my best."
Block bad thoughts. Watch out for any negative messages you might be sending yourself about the test ("I'm no good at taking tests" or "I'm going to freak out if I get a bad grade"). These thoughts can make anxiety worse and make it harder for you to do well on the test.
Accept mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. Be more forgiving of your own mistakes, especially if you prepared for the test and are set to do your best.
Take care of yourself. You'll feel your best if you get enough playtime, sleep, and nutritious food. This is important all the time, but be extra-sure you get all three the day before a test.
Breathe better. OK, so you already know how to breathe. But did you know that breathing exercises can help calm you down? (Just try not to take in too much air because it might make you feel dizzy.)
Here's how to do it: Inhale (breathe in) slowly and deeply through your nose, and then exhale (breathe out) slowly through your mouth. Do this two to four times and you just might breathe easier the next time you're taking a test!


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Memorial Cat Hospital in Houston Texas
Kitten Care
Newly adopted kittens should visit Memorial Cat Hospital in Houston for a complete physical examination as soon as possible.
The first step is to screen for fleas, ticks, intestinal parasites or any other health problems to ensure that your new family member is healthy and that disease is not transmitted to other animals or humans in your household. Kittens are especially vulnerable to parasitic infections that can threaten their health. Proper screening and preventive products can help protect them against intestinal worms, fleas and heartworm disease.
Juvenile cats also have immature immune systems which makes it difficult to fight off disease. According to the American Animal Hospital Association, vaccinations are the most effective preventive measure you can take for the health of your cat.
A visit to your veterinarian is imperative if you notice any of the following:
Unexplained weight loss
Excessive drinking and/or urination
Loss of appetite or lethargy
Behavior changes
Diarrhea or vomiting
Skin lumps, bumps or irritation
Bad breath, plaque on teeth or bleeding gums
Ear odors, redness, scratching or head shaking
Trouble urinating or defecating
Important Animal Vaccines
Some of the most important vaccines for your young cat include:
Feline Distemper
Feline Rhinotracheitis/Feline Calicivirus
Feline Leukemia Virus
Additional vaccines may be necessary based on lifestyle (indoor or outdoor cat) and regional considerations. Finally, kittens are in a high growth stage therefore they require specially formulated food to meet their nutritional needs. Talk to your veterinarian at Memorial Cat Hospital about the best food for your cat.
Request an appointment to vaccinate your kitten.
At Memorial Cat Hospital, we follow your cat through the many phases of their lives. From specialized and preventative care during their younger years to regular wellness checks as they age in order to prevent and detect problems before they arise. We know your cat is important to you, that's why we work hard to ensure they are given only the best in care through all the years of their lives.
Click below for more information on life stage care for your cat.

subset: commoncrawl


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Resources A-Z
CRL gathers and provides information here about commercial and open access digital resources of interest to the CRL community. This information is intended to inform library decisions on investment in electronic resources and related services.
Bloomberg Law
Bloomberg Law provides access to legal content, integrated with tools and Bloomberg L.P.'s proprietary company and market information and news. More information on the product at: http://about.bloomberglaw.com/product-features/overview. The product incorporates many of the datrabases and content offered previously by the Bureau of National Affairs, which was purchased by Bloomberg L.P. in 2011.
While CRL makes every effort to verify statements made herein, the opinions expressed and evaluative information provided here represent the considered viewpoints of individual librarians and specialists at CRL and in the CRL community. They do not necessarily reflect the views of CRL management, its board, and/or its officers.


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Supreme Court sends affirmative action case back to lower court
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has sent a Texas case on race-based college admissions back to a lower court for another look...
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has sent a Texas case on race-based college admissions back to a lower court for another look.
The court's 7-1 decision Monday leaves unsettled many of the basic questions about the continued use of race as a factor in college admissions.
Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the court, said a federal appeals court needs to subject the University of Texas admission plan to the highest level of judicial scrutiny.
The compromise ruling throws out the decision by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld the Texas admission plan.
Kennedy said the appeals court did not test the Texas plan under the most exacting level of judicial review.
He said such a test is required by the court's 2003 decision upholding affirmative action in higher education.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the lone dissenter.
Justice Clarence Thomas, alone on the court, said he would have overturned the high court's 2003 ruling.
Justice Elena Kagan stayed out of the case, presumably because she had some contact with it at an earlier stage when she worked in the Justice Department.
Abigail Fisher, a white Texan, sued the university after she was denied a spot in 2008. She has since received her undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University.
The challenge to the Texas plan gained traction in part because the makeup of the court has changed since the last time the justices ruled on affirmative action in higher education in 2003. Then, Justice Sandra O'Connor wrote the majority opinion that held that colleges and universities can use race in their quest for diverse student bodies.
O'Connor retired in 2006, and her replacement, Justice Samuel Alito, has shown himself to be more skeptical of considerations of race in education.
Another factor fueling Fisher's lawsuit was that the university has produced significant diversity by automatically offering about three-quarters of its spots to graduates in the top 10 percent of their Texas high schools, under a 1990s state law signed by then-Gov. George W. Bush. The admissions program has been changed so that now only the top 8 percent gain automatic admission.
More than 8 in 10 African-American and Latino students who enrolled at the flagship campus in Austin in 2011 were automatically admitted, according to university statistics. Even among the rest, both sides acknowledge that the use of race is modest.
In all, black and Hispanic students made up more than a quarter of the incoming freshmen class. White students constituted less than half the entering class when students with Asian backgrounds and other minorities were added in.
The university said the extra measure of diversity it gets from the slots outside automatic admission is crucial because too many of its classrooms have only token minority representation, at best. At the same time, Texas argued that race is one of many factors considered and that whether race played the key role in any applicant's case was impossible to tell.
The Obama administration, 57 of the Fortune 100 companies and large numbers of public and private colleges that feared a broad ruling against affirmative action backed the Texas program. Among the benefits of affirmative action, the administration said, is that it creates a pipeline for a diverse officer corps that it called "essential to the military's operational readiness." In 2003, the court cited the importance of a similar message from military leaders.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.


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A good idea for gun ownership
Vermont State Rep. Fred Maslack has read the Second Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution, as well as Vermont's own Constitution very
carefully, and his strict interpretation of these documents is popping
some eyeballs in New England and elsewhere.
Maslack recently proposed a bill to register "non-gun-owners" and
require them to pay a $500 fee to the state. Thus Vermont would become
the first state to require a permit for the luxury of going about
unarmed and assess a fee of $500 for the privilege of not owning a
gun. Maslack read the "militia" phrase of the Second Amendment as not
only the right of the individual citizen to bear arms, but as'a clear
mandate to do so'. He believes that universal gun ownership was
advocated by the Framers of the Constitution as an antidote to a
"monopoly of force" by the government as well as criminals. Vermont's
constitution states explicitly that "the people have a right to bear
arms for the defense of themselves and the State" and those persons
who are "conscientiously scrupulous of bearing arms" shall be required
to "pay such equivalent." Clearly, says Maslack, Vermonters have a
constitutional obligation to arm themselves, so that they are capable
of responding to "any situation that may arise."
Under the bill, adults who choose not to own a firearm would be
required to register their name, address, Social Security Number, and
driver's license number with the state. "There is a legitimate
government interest in knowing who is not prepared to defend the state
should they be asked to do so," Maslack says.
Vermont already boasts a high rate of gun ownership along with the
least restrictive laws of any state .... it's currently the only state
that allows a citizen to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.
This combination of plenty of guns and few laws regulating them has
resulted in a crime rate that is the third lowest in the nation.
"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the
system, but too early to shoot the bastards." This makes sense! There
is no reason why gun owners should have to pay taxes to support police
protection for people not wanting to own guns.
Let them contribute their fair share and pay their own way. Sounds
reasonable to me! Non-gun owners require more police to protect them
and this fee should go to paying for their defense!


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Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.
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For all you royal watchers:
"Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge have bypassed professional photographers and chosen family snapshots for the first official images of their new son, Prince George," as The Associated Press writes.
"Royal officials on Tuesday released photos of Kate holding the swaddled baby while standing beside William — and in one image, the couple's cocker spaniel, Lupo, [and retriever, Tilly]. The pictures were taken by Kate's father, Michael Middleton, in the family's backyard. The casual images are a departure from the royal tradition of hiring professional photographers for baby portraits."
According to Reuters, "some royal watchers were disappointed that the first photos released of Prince George failed to show his face and were not of a professional quality. But the decision to eschew tradition for a more informal approach was seen as true to form for William and Kate, both 31, who have tried to break away from royal traditions of rigid formality, be it by changing diapers themselves or William driving his family away from the hospital."
But the BBC adds that "renowned photographer Terry O'Neill said he thought the pictures were 'absolutely charming.' "
The prince — George Alexander Louis, His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge — was born July 22. He's third in line to the crown.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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The excitement of coming home is often trumped by the reality of an empty fridge. Rarely in my family actually. Back home, we have this tradition to invite the weary travelers for dinner so that they don't have to worry about getting groceries, cooking while unpacking and sorting laundry. They also know that they can start recounting their trip and everyone will listen and partake.
The meal is nothing fancy, nine times out of ten it will be a quiche and a salad, a fruit and some yogurt. There may or may not be a cocktail or aperitif before the meal and a few many pictures looked at after dinner. The whole idea is to get together and pay attention to the ones around us, listen and smile along with them. It's good for the soul.
Bill's family is not like that. Nothing negative in my saying this, it's just what it is. It's not something they do. I am ok with that. When my in-laws were still traveling, I would do it for them. I think they thought it was "another cultural difference". I heard that comment a lot at first, always in a jovial way. And yes…there are lots of things that we do differently. But we like getting together around a good meal just the same, also.
When we travel, I try to have something easy waiting for us in the freezer. That way, I can just put them in the oven or on the stove and start unloading, sorting laundry, and all the fun stuff associated with "home atmosphere re-entry". I am not this organized for everything but I do notice that I am when there is food involved. On se refait pas…one doesn't change!
I know that even if we have great meals while traveling, we will have a hunkering for seafood, plenty of clean and light flavors, a big plate of vegetables, and something sweet to end. It's nothing fancy but it comes together easily while we find our bearings at home again.
I like to fix us something that packs a punch in the healthy department such as salmon. After days on the road, it makes me feel like I am bringing all our levels back up in a flash. By the time we are done unpacking and everything is sorted out, my fish is ready to cook, which takes virtually no time, and the vegetables are just crisp and al dente.
For dessert, while I am completely fine with a piece of fruit and a yogurt, I like something that brings me closer to home, even if only in my thoughts. Something that I know my mother or grandmother would have made for the travelers coming home that day. One of the things my grandmother was an ace with baking was her fruit tarts and her riz au lait (rice pudding). These are comfort food for me.
One day my aunt and uncle were coming back from their vacation, she started preparing a meal for them and plopped me on the stool next to her so I could watch her waltz with pots and pans and work her magic with ingredients. She decided to turn her rice pudding into a rice pudding cake. Gateau de riz is truly a home cook's dessert in France. Almost an institution. She found the recipe and we made it our own. With figs. Lots of figs from the market. And lots of whipped cream. She loved whipped cream. I do too.
To this day, everytime we go away on travel, I either prepare a galette loaded with fruits (so they won't go bad while we are gone) or a "Gateau de Riz Au Lait" and park them in the freezer. Once back home, I just sprinkle either or with some sugar, heat it up in the oven and by the time we are done with dinner, dessert is warm and ready for us. And we are ready for bed!
In about 48 hours, and in between two photo gigs, we are taking another road trip (shorter this time) to Orlando, Florida. On Disney ground. And it's not even a vacation and I've never been to Disney. I am teaching t at the USCPA Annual Conference. They revamped lots of their sessions and asked that I teach a couple of workshops of Food Photography & Styling. I am really honored to be among chefs who are small business owners and entrepreneurs and who get together to share knowledge and information. I am taking an extra day to do "the Disney thing" and get it out of my system though!
This past Sunday, as I poured over both our packed schedules for August and September, trying to secure itineraries, airfares and hotels, my brain just about exploded and I exclaimed "Oh boy, I need a drink!". I like an aperitif once in a while but I was really thirsty was something light on the alcohol content(I did not want to book a flight to Seattle while I was supposed to head out to New Hampshire!) and refreshing against the heat and humidity around.
Luckily, friends were coming over for dinner to celebrate my friend Holly Herrick's Tart Love almost-book release (she had a review copy to show me my photographs "in action")and I had the perfect excuse to try this Apricot and Cherry Breezer cocktail from Bakers Royale. I marinated the apricot juice with dark cherries the first time (depicted above) which made it a really cool shade of red-purple. It hit the spot perfectly! Refreshing, light and not completely boozy that you can't function. I saved the extra in an ice cube tray to thaw and use up as needed, mandated, prescribed or required…! This cocktail will be the perfect thing to have next week when we get home and unpack. To repack almost instantly.
Cheers to you and to August! It is definitely a busy month to us all as we try to wrap up the summer…but nothing that can't be helped with good food, good cheers and good people!
Gateau De Riz Aux Figues, adapted from this one from Elle A Table:
Serves 6 to 8
1 cup short grain rice
1 cup water
1 can coconut milk (14oz)
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
6 large eggs
20 small figs (more if necessary to cover surface of cake, mine were really tiny)
Preheat the oven to 350F and position a rack in the middle. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
In a large saucepan, bring the rice, one cup water and half the coconut milk to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover and let cook until all the liquid has been absorbed (about 20 minutes). Set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, mix together the remaining coconut milk, brown sugar and the eggs until well blended. Add the rice and mix until everything is well incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
Cut the figs in half and arrange them on the cake. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown. Eat warm…it's nicer.
Miso Salmon With Ginger Vegetables:
Serves two
2 teaspoons brown miso paste
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
Two 4-oz salmon fillets
sesame oil
1/2 red bell pepper (I used a couple of mini ones)
1 cup snow peas
2 garlic cloves, minced
In a small bowl, combine the miso, sesame seeds and half the grated ginger. Rub the salmon fillets with that mixture. Heat a large saute pan and sear the salmon for about 4 minutes on each side in a little sesame oil.
In the meantime, prepare the vegetables: in a large saute pan or wok, heat a little sesame oil again and cook the red bell pepper and snow peas along with the garlic and remaining grated ginger until al dente.
Serve with the salmon.
Apricot Cherry Breezer:
Click to get the recipe on Bakers Royale.


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Add space and organization to your bathroom with this simple, traditional style IPE Ironwood Solid Wood shelf.Featuring premium IPE Ironwood and solid brass hardware this shelf is crafted for durability, strength and style.Solid brass gallery rail will keep your items secure.Ironwood is sanded to perfection and protected with a clear topcoat.One of the many coordinating accessories in the Allied Brass Collection, this subtle wood shelf is the perfect complement to your bathroom decor.\NIPE (pronounced "ee-pay") is a large tropical hardwood tree that grows abundantly throughout Central and South America. IPE wood is prized for its durability, strength, and its natural resistance to decay and moisture. It is the wood used on the famous Atlantic City boardwalk!
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Product Description 2013 Watson 135 Wakeboard:
If you're in search of a smooth, consistent, and ultra explosive wakeboard behind the boat, the Liquid Force Watson wakeboard will not disappoint! This proven champ can and will teach an old dog new tricks... It'll be there when you need it, but also keep you progressing and moving forward with your riding. It's got that pop you're in search of, but will land you smoothly on your way down... Take a spin on the Liquid Force Watson wakeboard to see what you've been missing!
Product Features:


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See Spot Wish She Had a Real Name
Okay, we don't actually call this sweet little girl (who you can see as a smiling one-day-old baby here and an accessorizing teenager here) Spot anymore, since her cute brown spot faded away a while ago, but I couldn't resist that title. We now call this guy Spot instead, because his spot is definitely not going anywhere.
This young ewe may be nearly grown up, but she hasn't lost all of her cute—and because it somehow slipped passed us on docking days, she also still has her long tail. Now if she only had an 'F' name as sweet as she is (all the 2009 babies born on the farm get names that begin with F, 2008 was 'E' names, etc.). Any suggestions? (Freida, Franny, and Friendly are already taken.)
We'll start lambing in April. Can't wait? Look back at last year:
4/2/09: Baa Baa Baby Baa Baa! Lambing Season 2009 Has Begun!
4/3/09: Black Babes for Black Beauty
4/4/09: Spotted Beast—or Cutie Beauty?
4/6/09: Whispering Sweet Nothings?
4/7/09: Think Pink
4/9/09: Oh, You Big Baby
4/11/09: This Baby Rests Easy
4/14/09: Too Cute for Words?
4/16/09: Smile for the Camera!
4/16/09: Amendment to Today's Earlier Lamb Count
4/20/09: Morning Traffic Report
4/21/09: Snack Time!
4/22/09: Oops
4/26/09: Lamb Whisperer
4/26/09: An Important Message from the BABS
4/30/09: Reading Lesson
5/1/09: May Day! May Day!
5/21/09: Rest Stop
5/28/09: And She Sleeps
5/30/09: Tiny Tussle
6/3/09: Steppin' Out
6/9/09: Stop, Look, and Listen
7/15/09: Getting Ahead. . .
8/26/09: Smile for the Camera
10/15/09: Seeing Spots
12/12/10: Soft as a Baby's Behind
© Copyright 2010 FarmgirlFare.com, the super wooly but soon to be sheared (this Saturday if everything works out!) foodie farm blog where most of the time sitting sheep magically tuck their legs up underneath their bodies, but once in a while they'll stick their front legs straight out instead, and it always makes me smile (and wonder how they're going to stand back up from that position, but they always somehow do).


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Red Sox - 011 200 410 - 9 12 1Baltimore outhomered Boston 5-4 -- two of them coming during a fifth-inning battering of Matsuzaka -- and took the second game of the series.
Orioles - 100 064 10x - 12 12 0
Dice started with a hiccup (nerves, maybe?) when he walked Adam Jones (only Jones's 3rd BB in 107 PA this year), threw away a pickoff attempt, and allowed an RBI single to Nick Markakis. He recovered to end the inning with a GIDP and a K, and then retired nine of the next ten hitters (the one man to reach base was thrown out stealing on a perfect throw from Victor Martinez).
Through 4.1 innings, Matsuzaka had allowed only one hit and the Sox had a 4-1 lead. He was at only 70 pitches -- but then the wheels came off. Home run, single, walk, fielder's choice, single, single, home run, double. And it was 7-4 Birds and Tim Wakefield was coming in for his first relief appearance in almost six years. Wake allowed three home runs as the Orioles managed to get another run or two every time the Red Sox started to creep back.
Sox Dongs: David Ortiz hit two solo bombs, and Jonathan Van Every and Kevin Youkilis each hit one homer.
Last night, Dave O'Brien expressed surprise when J.D. Drew took five straight pitches, acting as though it was both strange and rare. Well, it happened seven times tonight, including four times in the first two innings. Drew was one of the seven.Daisuke Matsuzaka / Brad Bergesen
Dice makes his 2010 debut. In three rehab starts, he allowed only three earned runs in 16.2 innings, with one walk and 13 strikeouts. His pitch count will be limited to approximately 90. (... so, 3 IP?)
The Red Sox have acquired infielder Niuman Romero from Cleveland for cash. Romero, 25, made his MLB debut last September and played in 10 games (-5 OPS+!).Scutaro, SS
Pedroia, 2B
Martinez, C
Youkilis, 1B
Drew, RF
Ortiz, DH
Beltre, 3B
McDonald, LF
Van Every, CF


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It's Tuesday,
May 28th, 2024
logged in
Paleozoic Trail Runs - Cambrian Spring
Saturday March 22nd, 2014
Bill & Michelle (co-RDs)
Paleozoic Trail Runs
Cambrian Spring
2nd Annual Spring-Season Paleozoic 50-Km and 25-Km
Trail Runs on the Palos Trail System
The winter of 2014, and its polar-vortex-severity persisted deep into the month of March. Indeed, one week prior to race date our racecourse was more than 90% covered under snow and soft-ice. Due to extreme conditions the Forest Preserve District of Cook County had considered suspending our permit. Leading up to
a couple warmish-days reduced the snow coverage to ~50%, but increased the rushing melt-off. One particular stretch of trail included an over-the-ankle, 40-foot stretch of deep cold water... there was no skirting around. Wet shoes and socks would be part of the experience for all runners.
Race-day held with cooler weather, temperature-highs of 39°F, and moderate north winds. Our volunteers, Rich Limacher, Jennifer Leslie, Laurel Childress, Elias, Leslie Jacobi, and Paula Donato reported at sunup, 6:52 am, prepped our primary aid station, Palos Park Woods-North and greeted runners at check-in. Our primary lot filled and spillover parking was directed to McClaughrey Spring Woods (.2 miles south on Kean Avenue), and then Palos Park Woods-South (.4 miles south on Kean Avenue, .3 miles east on 119th St). Co-RD (and wife) Michelle helped shuttle runners between spillover parking.
Paleo-Camb 50-Km
was underway at 8:36 am, followed by
Paleo-Camb 25-Km
at 9:40 am. Spectators cheered as runners splashed through a short
parade loop
before hitting the wide crushed-gravel trails. Our racecourse is an "out -n- back," following segments of the Yellow Trail, Purple Trail, and Green Trail systems of the
Palos Trail System - Region 7
FPDCC police
served as centurions at our two road crossings. Staffed aid stations were set up at our start/finish area, "
Palos Park Woods-North
," and at our turnaround, "
Cambrian Green
" (unofficially named at the west terminus of the Green Trail). A midpoint, unmanned water station was located trail-side at ~4.4 miles outbound, and ~3.3 miles inbound of each lap. Soon after race start reports came in that our two water containers were missing from the unmanned station... we quickly dispatched replacements for those two stolen containers.
Congratulations to our swift runners of
Paleozoic Trail Runs - Cambrian Spring
Paleo-Camb 50-Km
Top Male Open:
Bart Worwa, 41 of itasca - 4:25:37.3
Top Female Open:
Shelley Cook, 39 of Waukegan - 4:54:28.0
Top Male Masters:
David Ulbert, 56 of Palatine - 4:32:54.5
Top Female Masters:
Ann Heaslett, 50 of Madison, WI - 5:30:49.0
Paleo-Camb 25-Km
Top Male Open:
Dan Regalado, 27 of Oak Lawn - 1:50:54.3
Top Female Open:
Lindsey Wagner, 36 of Palos Heights - 2:16:53.0
Top Male Masters:
Alec Bath, 44 of Waukegan - 2:06:19.4
Top Female Masters:
Amy Kerrigan, 42 of Downers Grove - 2:30:22.4
Timing, webcasting, and finish-line scoring... all managed by us through our website at
. Check out Results and our Webcast through the links...
Results on RunRace
Webcast with Checkpoint Splits
Let's give a rousing "shout out" to our race volunteers, many of which are accomplished ultra-runners, all of whom performed "beyond the call!"
Palos Park Woods-North Aid Station
Leslie Jacobi (Captain), Laurel Childress, Elias, Paula Donato
Cambrian Green Aid Station
Rich Limacher (The Troubadour), Jennifer Leslie, Paula Donato
Course Marking /Course Cleanup
Bill & Michelle Thom
Click the "View Photos" tab (above) to see a gallery of photos captured at our start/finish area, "
Palos Park Woods-North
." These photos
(under the "View Photos" tab)
have been optimized for display on the internet... if you'd like a "high-resolution" original contact me and I will reply with an email attachment... be sure to specify which photo(s) you'd like.
Congratulations to all runners of
Paleozoic Trail Runs - Cambrian Spring...
summoned by the primordial instinct to go-long, who toed-the-line and answered-the-call, in these very challenging conditions
Links & Recaps as Generously Provided by Participants of
Paleozoic Trail Runs - Cambrian Spring
Jeni Goodwin
Paleo-Camb 50-Km, #289
Jeni's blog:
Running with a Smile
Krista Rajanen
Paleo-Camb 25-Km, #381
Krista's blog:
Teaching in my Tennies
Tammy Chase
Paleo-Camb 25-Km, #342
Tammy's blog:
Run like a mama
Think Thaw!
Pre-Race Trail Conditions and Information
Saturday March 15th... check out photos from a tour of the racecourse and conditions of the trail taken Saturday morning, March 15th (click the "View Photos" tab above). With race date for Paleozoic Trail Runs - Cambrian Spring only one week away we're all focused on the weather and a "big thaw!"
Regardless of race-day conditions, we expect Paleozoic Trail Runs - Cambrian Spring to satisfy your primordial instinct to "go long," and provide an epic adventure for all
You cannot purchase these anywhere... but you can earn one at
Paleozoic Trail Runs - Cambrian Spring
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It's your car and it's your choice! Your local Repco Authorised Service centre is fully qualified to service your new car and maintain your log book schedule whilst the car is within the warranty period.
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text:
Database Backup and Restore
- 1 Script-based Database Backup and Restore
- 2 Quick Start
- 3 Automating Database Backups
- 4 Database Backup
- 5 Database Restore
- 5.1 Before Running the mythconverg_restore.pl Script
- 5.2 Examples
Script-based Database Backup and Restore
MythTV distributes scripts for performing MythTV database backups and restores. The scripts provided in the source distribution are full-featured, but may be replaced or modified by packagers to make the scripts more suitable for use with the distribution. The following text describes the use of the scripts distributed with the source version.
The scripts were written to work with any version of MythTV. The most-up-to-date version of the scripts are available for download from the source repository (backup and restore). If you cannot find the scripts installed on your system or if you just want the most-current version, download copies from the previous links. After downloading the scripts, save them to a location where you'll be able to find them and make them executable:
chmod a+x mythconverg_backup.pl mythconverg_restore.pl
Detailed help is available by executing either script with the --help argument.
By saving the scripts to a directory in the user's PATH, you can execute them without specifying a full path. If you do not save them to a directory in the PATH, you should execute the scripts from the current directory as:
./mythconverg_backup.pl --help
Quick Start
Both scripts require several pieces of information, much of which can be determined by looking at the MythTV configuration file, ~/.mythtv/config.xml
. However, the backup directory must be specified. While the directory can be specified with the --directory command-line argument, since it's likely to be the same value for every run, it makes sense to add the backup directory to a backup resource file (~/.mythtv/backuprc
). Do so by running the following command from a shell (not in MySQL), replacing the directory, /home/mythtv
, with the desired backup directory path:
echo "DBBackupDirectory=/home/mythtv" > ~/.mythtv/backuprc
If you do not specify the directory as above, the backups will be stored to a directory defined in the DB Backups storage group, falling through to the Default storage group.
At this point, creating a backup should be as easy as running:
(assuming the script is in the user's PATH). If you would like to see what's happening, run the command with the --verbose argument, instead:
mythconverg_backup.pl --verbose
Note that many of the command-line options described below may be added to the backup resource file, as described in the --help output.
Verifying a Successful Restore
In the event that you do not specify the --verbose option, the only output from a successful run of the script will be:
Successfully restored backup.
A full database restore may take up to an hour. If errors occur, error messages will be displayed.
To see more details (for both successful and failed restores), specify the --verbose command-line option.
Automating Database Backups
Once you have verified your backup configuration by successfully creating a backup with the mythconverg_backup.pl script, you may want to automate your database backups by configuring a cron job. To minimize the chances of affecting recordings and to attempt to prevent data-integrity issues, you should choose a time to run the backup script when your system is least likely to be recording any shows.
Alternatively, you may wish to run the backup script from a system start/shutdown script (i.e an init script). When doing so, call the script before starting mythbackend or after stopping mythbackend. Note, however, that checking whether to perform the backup is the responsibility of the init script, not the mythconverg_backup.pl script. Therefore, in a system with multiple frontends/backends, the init script should ensure the backup is created only on the master backend.
If you run mythwelcome on a dedicated frontend/backend then the script Autobackup.sh can be used to perform a daily database backup at final closedown of the day when the system is otherwise idle.
Database Backup
Before Running the mythconverg_backup.pl Script
The mythconverg_backup.pl script will create a database backup, compress the backup using the gzip compression algorithm, and rotate backups (keeping the 5 newest backups).
These defaults should work well for all users. To use the defaults, create a backup resource file that specifies a backup directory, and backup the database using:
See the below examples for information on changing some of the defaults.
Backup database and rotate keeping the 10-most-recent backups
mythconverg_backup.pl --rotate 10
Backup database and compress with bzip2
Warning, compressing MySQL backup files with bzip2 is significantly more resource-intensive than compressing with gzip (taking greater than 7 minutes, compared to 19 seconds, on my Athlon XP 2400+ with a 200MiB (before compression) backup file) but yields only about a 33% space savings (taking about 20MiB versus 30MiB after compression). Therefore, you should be very careful using bzip2 compression as doing so may interfere with your system's ability to record shows and only saves a small amount of space--the equivalent of less than 1 minute of recording of low-quality standard-definition MPEG-2).
mythconverg_backup.pl --compress bzip2
Backup database when mysqldump is not in the user's PATH
While it's possible to specify the location of the mysqldump executable, it's probably easier to add the directory containing mysqldump to the user's PATH or to place a link to the mysqldump executable in a directory that's in the user's PATH.
mythconverg_backup.pl --mysqldump /path/to/mysqldump
Backup xmltvid data (before doing a full channel scan)
Rather than creating a backup of the entire database, the backup script can be used to create a backup of xmltvid's. The backup contains a series of SQL UPDATE statements that can be executed to set the xmltvid for channels whose callsign is the same before and after the scan. Note, also, that the backup file will contain comments with additional channel information, which you can use to identify channels in case the callsign changes. (As a matter of fact, one commented section contains alternate-syntax UPDATE statements that set the xmltvid for channels whose channel number and name are the same before and after the scan.)
mythconverg_backup.pl --backup_xmltvids
The Role of mythconverg_backup.pl When Changing MythTV Versions
When changing versions, (e.g. from 34.0 to 34), the database schema is likely to change. Upgrading the database to the current schema version is done automatically.
To help users who may need to revert to the previous version (and schema), MythTV will attempt to perform an automatic backup of the database. This is done solely as a last resort for those users who didn't properly prepare for the upgrade. You should never rely on the automatic backup. Always manually perform a database backup (using mythconverg_backup.pl) and copy the resulting backup to a safe location before upgrading MythTV versions.
The mythconverg_backup.pl script (or mysql_dump if mythconverg_backup.pl isn't available) is used to create the automatic backup. The backup is stored in the directory with the most available space defined under the DB Backups Storage Group. If DB Backups isn't found, then the Default Storage Group is used. If no accessible directories are found there, the backup will be stored in /tmp.
Savy users will verify that this backup process is working before changing MythTV versions. To prove that the backup will work, it must be tested using the same environment as the user doing the upgrade. That means that if mythbackend requests the upgrade, the user is most likely mythtv. If the user chooses to run mythtv-setup before starting the backend, the user will be themself ($USER.)
If the user selected above has a .mythtv/backuprc file, with an entry similar to:
DBBackupDirectory /var/lib/db_backups
and that matches the DB Backups or Default Storage Group, then manually running mythconverg_backup.pl will fairly test the backup that will be done before the upgrade starts (the .mythtv/backuprc DBBackupDirectory directory overrides the Storage Group entry.)
Obviously, if a manual run of mythconverg_backup.pl puts the backup in a directory other than the one done by the upgrade process, the test is of no value.
Why bother? Discussions on the mythtv-users' mailing list confirm that sometimes the automatic database backup can't be found. Likely causes are write permission problems, or, if /tmp is used and the machine is re-booted before the user realizes the backup is needed, its no longer available. Remember, though, that the automatic backup is only a last resort. You should never need the backup created automatically for you because you will always have a backup you created before upgrading MythTV.
Checking your schema version
Occasionally you may need to check what your schema version is. This can be done in a number of ways
- (easiest) Look at the database setup page of the Web App (v34 and later)
- check in the database:
select data from settings where value = 'DBSchemaVer';
Even more occasionally, you may want to check if the schema version you are on is the correct version. The required schema version for a particular mythtv release is defined in the mythtv code. Make sure you look at the git branch that matches the version you are running. The most likely locations to find it are
- mythtv/bindings/perl/MythTV.pm
- mythtv/libs/libmythtv/dbcheck.cpp
Failing that, git grep
may help you find it.
Database Restore
Before Running the mythconverg_restore.pl Script
The mythconverg_restore.pl script will restore a backup of the MythTV database (as created by the mythconverg_backup.pl script). When restoring, you're simply restoring the database schema and data, so the database itself must be created first, but must remain empty (no tables or data) so do not run mythtv-setup or mythbackend before restoring the database. Also, the MySQL Time Zone Tables must be installed on the MySQL server prior to using MythTV. If they have not yet been installed on the server (it's a new MySQL server install) or you did anything to remove them, ensure you install them first.
When restoring a backup, the script will attempt to choose the most-recent backup file in the backup directory if no backup filename is specified on the restore command line. The script determines which backup is most recent based on the date/time information in the backup filename, not the database schema version or the filesystem timestamp. The script will automatically determine whether the file is compressed and uncompress the file, as needed.
Full restore of the most-recent backup file
The script determines which is the most-recent backup file based on the date/time information in the backup filename and database schema version information is ignored. To ensure you're restoring the desired backup file, you may wish to do a Full restore of a specific backup file
Full restore of a specific backup file
Change the directory and filename, as required:
mythconverg_restore.pl --directory /home/mythtv --filename mythconverg-1214-20080626150513.sql.gz
If you have specified the directory in the backuprc file, you can simply use:
mythconverg_restore.pl --filename mythconverg-1214-20080626150513.sql.gz
Note that when specifying a backup filename, the directory component of the path should be specified separately. If the file does not exist in the DBBackupDirectory specified in the backup resource file (~/.mythtv/backuprc), specify the directory location with the --directory argument, as above.
Replacing an existing database
If you are replacing an existing database with a known-good backup by using a full restore--for example, because your database has been corrupted or a database schema upgrade failed or you're replacing a package-provided database with your "old" database after re-installing your distro--you will need to drop the existing database. You can do this by adding the --drop_database --create_database
arguments to the command-line.
mythconverg_restore.pl --drop_database --create_database --filename mythconverg-1214-20080626150513.sql.gz
Partial restore of a backup
A partial restore restores only the data about existing recordings and recording rules. It is primarily useful as a last-resort when some of the data in the database, or the database schema itself, is corrupt (or, more precisely, a 2nd-to-last resort--as starting over from scratch would be a true last resort). In general, do not do a partial restore--instead do a full restore.
When doing a partial restore, you will need to completely re-configure MythTV (including all MythTV hosts--all frontend and backend systems) and all plugins you wish to use after restoring the database. Even if you uninstall some plugins you had used in the previous version of MythTV, the storage space used by the old plugin data will be negligible compared to the overall database size, and there will be no performance impact from leaving the old plugin data intact. And since MythTV and MythTV plugins automatically clean up the data in the database, even a full restore of a years-old database will be just as clean as a new database into which you've done a partial restore.
Therefore, a partial restore is significantly more difficult and time-consuming than a full restore, leaves significantly more opportunities for problems, and provides no benefits to the user or the system. Note, also, that if data in the tables that store information about recordings and recording rules is corrupt, it will also be corrupt after restore--so a partial restore is not a magic fix for broken data.
Note, however, that a partial restore will only work if the backup schema version is identical to the schema version used by the currently-installed mythbackend. If you must do a partial restore when upgrading MythTV, there are several extra steps to perform--just one more great reason to do a full restore.
Before performing a partial restore, the database must exist and must have (mostly-empty) tables. First, drop the existing database. You can do this from the command line with the command:
mysql -uroot -p -e 'DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS mythconverg;'
then create a new database (and note that doing so may change MySQL passwords/permissions, so may cause authentication problems). Then, start mythtv-setup to create the database schema. Finally, exit mythtv-setup, and then restore the database:
mythconverg_restore.pl --partial_restore
Partial restore when upgrading MythTV
Again, a partial restore is primarily useful as a last-resort when some of the data in the database is corrupt. In general, do not do a partial restore--instead do a full restore. See above for reasons why the partial restore is not necessary and is not recommended.
If you are trying to do a partial restore at the same time as an upgrade, you must ensure that the database backup containing your data is for the same database schema version as the running database schema version. You can not use a partial restore to circumvent the database upgrade process. This makes a partial restore much more complicated than a full restore, so again, you should probably just do a full restore.
To do a partial restore when upgrading your MythTV version, first (before the MythTV upgrade) do a complete backup of your old-schema-version database, then drop the database and create a new, empty database, then start (the old-version) mythtv-setup to create a new, empty (old-version) schema, then exit mythtv-setup. Then do a partial restore of the old-schema-version database backup to the new, empty database schema (that you just created). Then, do a complete backup of the new, "partial", old-schema-version database. Once you've upgraded, rather than doing a partial restore of the old-schema-version database backup with full data, you'll do a complete restore of the partial, old-schema-version database backup (the one most-recently created). Also, if the upgrade involves changing hostname, ensure you change the hostname before starting any MythTV applications. Finally, perform the MythTV upgrade, and then start mythtv-setup to upgrade the "partial" database, then configure MythTV backends, frontend, and plugins.
If you've already upgraded MythTV and did not create a backup of an "empty" old-schema-version database, you will need to do a full restore of your old-version backup. Then, start mythtv-setup to upgrade the schema. If this worked, there is no reason to do a partial restore. If you still feel you must, you may then do a complete backup of your new-schema-version database and then do a partial restore (from the top--you're just now ready to start the partial restore process).
Change the hostname of a MythTV frontend or backend
Before changing the hostname of a MythTV frontend or backend, make sure you create a good database backup, so that you can get back to a known state if things go wrong.
When changing the hostname of your system, you must perform the following actions before you start any MythTV programs. If you start a MythTV program before modifying the hostname in the database, the program will create new entries with the new hostname, meaning that the following procedure will fail because of duplicate entries--and will corrupt the database in the process. Therefore, you will need to restore the database backup you made before attempting the host name change (specifically, one you made before you ran any MythTV programs on the new host name), and then perform the name change.
It is also critical to ensure you do not change the name of a host to the name of another already-existing host in the database--doing so will cause duplicate entries. Instead, if necessary, run the command below multiple times, using a temporary "placeholder" hostname to ensure the different hosts are not improperly merged.
Note that changing the hostname is performed on an existing database and does not restore a database. Therefore, to change a hostname, ensure that the database exists (restore an old database, as above, if necessary) and execute the following command, replacing "XXXX" and "YYYY" with appropriate values for the old and new hostnames, respectively:
mythconverg_restore.pl --change_hostname --old_hostname="XXXX" --new_hostname="YYYY"
Restore xmltvids after a channel scan
To restore xmltvids using a backup created with the mythconverg_backup.pl --backup_xmltvids
, execute the following:
mythconverg_restore.pl --restore_xmltvids
To specify which backup file to use:
mythconverg_restore.pl --restore_xmltvids --filename mythtv_xmltvid_backup-20080626211808.sql


text:
Class Central Tips
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text:
The presumption of a late appearance of AMH in eastern Asia has been largely prompted by a remarkable yet dubious 'gap' between 100 and 40 ka ago lacking any human fossils, specifically between the latest archaic H. sapiens (i.e., Xujiayao, 104–125 ka and Maba, 129–135 ka) and the earliest modern H. sapiens (i.e., Ziyang, 35-40 ka) (data pooled from Wu and Poirier, 1995). In addition, genetic studies of present-day Chinese populations have supported the late appearance of AMH in eastern Asia (e.g., Chu et al., 1998). From this perspective, the AMH fossils from Tianyuan Cave at Zhoukoudian in northern China, dated to 39-42 ka B.P. (Before Present), have been readily accepted as the earliest representatives of modern H. sapiens in China, and the earliest evidence for the influx of African genes into the indigenous population (e.g., Shang et al., 2007; Cartmill and Smith, 2009; Endicott et al., 2009).
However, the credibility of this supposed ~60 ka gap in the hominin fossil record and a late appearance of modern humans in China might have been compromised by the exclusion of a number of hominin fossils claimed to represent AMH from various limestone caves in southern China with more ancient dates, including Liujiang (between 68 and 153 ka, and most probably between 111 and 139 ka, Shen et al., 2002b), Ganqian (94–220 ka, Shen et al., 2002a), Bailiandong (>160 ka, Shen et al., 2001b), and Zhirendong (>100 ka, Liu et al., 2010a) in Guangxi. Based on our work on the sites of H. erectus and of both archaic and modern H. sapiens over the past twenty plus years, we argue that the temporal framework in China has been artificially 'compressed and gapped,' meaning that due to limitations in previous dating techniques and practices, the ages of Chinese hominin fossils have been significantly postdated (compressed), and that a temporal gap between archaic H. sapiens and AMH has been artificially created (gapped). To this scenario of the possible early presence of modern humans in China, here we report evidence from Huanglong Cave, a recently discovered Late Pleistocene hominin fossil- and stone artifact-bearing site, and discuss its impact on the mode of recent human evolution in eastern Asia.I guess a lot depends on whether these teeth are accepted as belonging to AMH; if this holds, the early range of AMH must need to be extended even further east.
Such early dates are often seen as conflicting with the molecular clock (e.g., West and East Eurasians don't appear to have diverged ~100 thousand years ago no matter what assumptions about mutation rate one makes). But, we should not forget that divergence times can be suppressed either due to (i) admixture between the divergent populations, or (ii) due to an expansion of a highly successful population.
Journal of Human Evolution doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2013.05.002
Mass spectrometric U-series dating of Huanglong Cave in Hubei Province, central China: Evidence for early presence of modern humans in eastern Asia
Guanjun Shen et al.
Most researchers believe that anatomically modern humans (AMH) first appeared in Africa 160-190 ka ago, and would not have reached eastern Asia until ∼50 ka ago. However, the credibility of these scenarios might have been compromised by a largely inaccurate and compressed chronological framework previously established for hominin fossils found in China. Recently there has been a growing body of evidence indicating the possible presence of AMH in eastern Asia ca. 100 ka ago or even earlier. Here we report high-precision mass spectrometric U-series dating of intercalated flowstone samples from Huanglong Cave, a recently discovered Late Pleistocene hominin site in northern Hubei Province, central China. Systematic excavations there have led to the in situ discovery of seven hominin teeth and dozens of stone and bone artifacts. The U-series dates on localized thin flowstone formations bracket the hominin specimens between 81 and 101 ka, currently the most narrow time span for all AMH beyond 45 ka in China, if the assignment of the hominin teeth to modern Homo sapiens holds. Alternatively this study provides further evidence for the early presence of an AMH morphology in China, through either independent evolution of local archaic populations or their assimilation with incoming AMH. Along with recent dating results for hominin samples from Homo erectus to AMH, a new extended and continuous timeline for Chinese hominin fossils is taking shape, which warrants a reconstruction of human evolution, especially the origins of modern humans in eastern Asia.


text:
The metal on Zac Vawter bionic leg gleamed as he climbed 103 floors of Chicago's iconic Willis Tower, becoming the first person ever to complete the task wearing a mind-controlled prosthetic limb.
Vawter, who lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident, put the smart limb on public display for the first time during an annual stair-climbing charity event called "SkyRise Chicago" hosted by the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, where he is receiving treatment.
"Everything went great," said Vawter at the event's end. "The prosthetic leg did its part, and I did my part."
The robotic leg is designed to respond to electrical impulses from muscles in his hamstring. When Vawter thought about climbing the stairs, the motors, belts and chains in his leg synchronized the movements of its ankle and knee.
The computerized prosthetic limb, like something one might see in a sci-fi film, weighs about 10 pounds and holds two motors.
Bionic – or thought-controlled – prosthetic arms have been available for a few years, thanks to pioneering work done at the Rehabilitation Institute. Knowing leg amputees outnumbering people who've lost arms and hands, the Chicago researchers are focusing more on lower limbs. If a bionic hand fails, a person drops a glass of water. If a bionic leg fails, a person falls down stairs.
This event was a research project for us, said Joanne Smith, the Rehabilitation Institute's CEO.
"We were testing the leg under extreme conditions. Very few patients who will use the leg in the future will be using it for this purpose. From that perspective, its performance was beyond measure," Smith added.
To prepare for his pioneering climb, Vawter said, he practiced on a small escalator at a gym, while researchers spent months adjusting the technical aspects of the leg to ensure that it would respond to his thoughts.
When Vawter goes home to Yelm, Wash., where he lives with his wife and two children, the experimental leg will stay behind in Chicago. Researchers will continue to refine its steering. Taking it to the market is still years away.
"We've come a long way, but we have a long way to go," said lead researcher Levi Hargrove of the institute's Center for Bionic Medicine. "We need to make rock solid devices, more than a research prototype."
The $8 million project is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and involves Vanderbilt University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Rhode Island and the University of New Brunswick.
"A lot of people say that losing a leg is like losing a loved one," said Vawter. "You go through a grieving process. You and establish a new normal in your life and move on. Today was a big event. It's just neat to be a part of the research and be a part of RIC."
Nearly, 3,000 climbers participated in the annual charity event, called SkyRise Chicago. Participants climbed about 2,100 steps to the Willis Tower's SkyDeck level to raise money for the institute's rehabilitation care and research.


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text:
"I've got to put him in a position where he's uncomfortable and make him quit. Every man has a breaking point and I gotta put him in that position to where he's questioning himself and questioning that he can win this fight."
Saturday night is the latest "biggest night" of Josh Koscheck's life. So if he seems low-key, or quiet before his challenge for Georges St-Pierre's welterweight title, it's because he's been here before, whether it was competing for a National Championship in wrestling, participating in big fight after big fight in the UFC, or just in his mind, where he's probably replayed the scenarios that will present themselves this weekend over and over again.
It's just another night.
"I just look at it as if it's just another fight," he said. "I haven't really looked at it too deeply as if this is a monster fight. I'm being conservative and I'm coming into this fight well-prepared. That's pretty much where I'm at with my mindset right now."
Of course, deep in his heart, Koscheck knows that the UFC 124 main event is not just another fight. A win over St-Pierre will not only net him the 170-pound title, it will change his life forever. When the history of the UFC is written, Koscheck will have his place in the Hall of Champions, something that could never be taken away. He's also talked about fighting for the money in the past, and having a UFC title belt will significantly impact his bank account in a positive manner. So this is far from just a routine trip north of the border, and he's smart enough to realize that. But he won't blink, won't give a look past the wall he's built up over the course of an intense training camp. Not now, it's not time. So when he's asked if he pictured placing the belt around his waist, his resolve remains strong.
"I haven't thought about it yet, and I'm not worried about it," he said. "I've got a fight to worry about, and I don't think about the belt. I don't think about anything but fighting. It's just another fight for me, and it so happens that I get to go into Montreal, Georges' hometown, and fight him, and that's all I'm concerned about right now."
That's what has brought Josh Koscheck to this moment. He's the straightest of straight shooters, whether you like what he has to say or not, and he will not play the game just for the sake of playing it. When he does anything, it's with one goal in mind – to win. And winning has been a habit of his since he was a child. He's got the accolades to prove it – A 2001 NCAA Division I National Championship for Edinboro University, four-time recognition as an All-American, and 17 mixed martial arts wins against just four defeats, with much of that time spent growing up in public in the UFC. You don't reach this point without being tough, without having a measure of resolve that allows you to step into an Octagon and be resigned to the fact that another man will punch you for the next 15 or 25 minutes. Every fighter in this sport has that. Koscheck believes he has a little more, and he definitely believes he has more than the champion he faces Saturday night.
"I think that is the case on Georges," he said when asked whether his 2007 appraisal of St-Pierre being mentally weak still applied today. "But the question is, has anybody put him to that test or put him to that point? A couple guys have (Matt Hughes and Matt Serra), and you saw the results. They put him in a position that he wasn't comfortable with. And that's the same position that I've got to take on this – I've got to put him in a position where he's uncomfortable and make him quit. Every man has a breaking point and I gotta put him in that position to where he's questioning himself and questioning that he can win this fight."
Years of wrestling will build you into a mentally tough, hard to break fighter, and that's what Koscheck expects will take him through his first five round bout. In fact, he expects nothing less than to break GSP and to take his belt. And if that breaking point comes, he'll know it.
"You can feel it and sense it," he said. "It's one of those things where you crack somebody and there's no greater feeling than knowing that you just cracked this guy, you beat him, and you broke him down mentally. That's a great feeling."
Talking about it provides one of the rare breaks in Koscheck's serious demeanor, one free of wisecracks, trash talk, or any other forms of levity. This is a mean business, and Koscheck is getting mean. But any suspicions of him being overtrained or leaving his fight in the gym are unfounded, as he's put in his work while still taking the time to recharge his batteries.
"Sometimes a day off from training and resting your mind is almost as good as a day in the gym working out and riding yourself," he said. "Those things are important for you, and I enjoy being away from the gym because when I go back it makes me hungry and makes me work harder."
'Hard work' was Koscheck's mantra throughout his stint as a coach on the recently completed season of The Ultimate Fighter. And though he didn't place any of his fighters in the finals, he did take away enough good things to make the experience a positive one.
"I took a lot from the show," he said. "One of the things I took from Nam Phan is that the kid runs like crazy. He runs all the time, he's putting five to ten miles a day in, and one of the things that I took back into my training is that I needed to run more. This camp, one week I did 28 miles, so I've been trying to put my time in. I know that you don't really get too many opportunities at a second chance in life, and I just need that second opportunity that I get against Georges St-Pierre on December 11th. So I'm real excited about that, and one of the things that I tried to preach to those kids is hard work, and it does pay off."
Koscheck's 12 weeks on television did little to endear him to fans who already had it out for him though, and as a business man as well as fighter, that was just fine with him, as evidenced by his appearance at the Honda Center in Anaheim when his American Kickboxing Academy teammate Cain Velasquez won the UFC heavyweight title from Brock Lesnar in October.
"I think Osama Bin Laden could have walked in there and got as many boos and yells as I did," Koscheck laughs. "It shows the power of television, and I think a lot of people judge the book before they read it. But it is what it is; I'm here for business, and like I've always said, I've got close people around me who love me and care about me, and when everybody gets to meet me, it's a different story than what they see on reality TV. Plus, it's about making money, so if they want to hate me, I'll just continue to let them hate me, and I'll keep collecting those dollars."
He says that, but you know that it's not all about money for Koscheck. What it is all about is winning, and until Saturday night turns into Sunday morning, he won't have the opportunity to say that he's beaten Georges St-Pierre. Right now, that's the punchline GSP will always have over his challenger, that he defeated him back in August of 2007. Since that bout, St-Pierre has been unstoppable. Koscheck, the last man to take as much as a round from the pride of Montreal, has a theory about that phenomenon.
"I just think that Georges has turned into a wrestler where he just wants to take guys down and lay on them and try to eek out decisions," he said. "Maybe they respected him too much, thinking that he's the best, on the pound-for-pound list and all those types of things. He's been champion for a while, he's Georges St-Pierre, he's fast, he's strong, he's got good wrestling."
Then he repeats his initial thought.
"Maybe they respected him too much, thinking that he's better than what he is."
Josh Koscheck may respect Georges St-Pierre, but he's not going to tell you that. And this weekend, for 25 minutes or less, he's not going to let St-Pierre know it either. Be strong. Be tough. No respect. And maybe when it's over, a new champion will let you know just how he feels putting that belt around his waist.
Free Prelims on UFC.com/Live
For the first time ever, two preliminary bouts will be aired live and free online at http://www.ufc.com/live.
The Dustin Hazelett vs Mark Bocek and Dan Miller vs Joe Doerksen fights
will be available to everyone worldwide at no charge starting at 9pm
ET/ 6pm PT/ 2am GMT.


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Something I've wanted to do really bad... A new sewing tutorial!!
It really makes me happy that you guys enjoyed my sewing tutorials
and made beautiful fabric baskets, camera cases, and pen cases.
My finding is that you like easy & quick projects like I do!
How about this reversible patchwork bags that are easy and quick
to make and can be lovely little handmade gifts?
Cut out 32 of 2 1/2" squares. (I used 16 different kinds of
fabric, 2 squares from each different fabric)
Arrange to make 2 sets of 16 x 16 top layers.
Sew each row consisting of 4 squares.
(Seam allowance: 1/4" throughout the process unless otherwise indicated)
4 rows completed!
Press seams to one direction, making sure ones next to each other
are pressed to opposite directions.
Now let's sew all the 4 rows together.
Press seam open.
Do the same for the rest of 16 squares and now
you have 2 patchwork tops complete!
Sew them right sides together.
Cut out the bottom 2 corners.
Turn the bag out. Yeah! This is a fun part!
Cut out 2 pieces measuring 8 3/4" x 1 1/2".
These will be casing for cords.
Fold the edges like this. Fold 1/4", press, fold 1/4" again, press.
Fold the pieces in middle, wrong sides together and press.
Sew them onto the top part of the patchwork bag like this.
(Sew very close to the edges.)
Cut out 2 squares measuring 8 1/2" x 8 1/2".
This will be a reversed version of the bag, so pick cute one!
Sew them right sides together, leaving an opening in the bottom.
Cut the two bottom corners like you did with the outer bag.
Place the lining inside the outer bag, right sides together.
Sew the top edge so that the lining is attached to the outer bag.
Turn the bag right side out through the lining opening.
Then, press the top edge of the bag. Hand-stitch opening closed.
Prepare two 22" long craft cords. (can be found at Michael's)
Thread one cord through casing and knot ends together.
Thread second cord from a different casing opening and do the same.
Now your reversible patchwork bag is complete! Hooray!!
Enjoy making! And add your pictures of bags to
this flickr group and share with us, if you wish ;)
These bags will be listed in my shop tonight.
When buying these, tell me in the note to seller
that you came from this blog and receive a little
piece of cute Japanese fabric!
Thanks for looking!!


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The Alexandria Police Department is asking for the publics help in identifying the suspects wanted in a robbery that occurred January 11 in the 200 block of South Royal Street.
On January 11, around 7:30 p.m., a 29-year-old woman was walking home from work when two suspects approached her, according to a police spokesperson. The suspects pushed her up against a wall, knocked her down and took her purse and lunchbox before fleeing the area. The victim sustained minor injuries.
A man and a woman used the the victims credit cards at a store in Maryland the next day and were caught on a video surveillance camera.
The suspects in the robbery are described as black with a light complexion and both were wearing dark clothing.
Anyone recognizing the people depicted in the pictures or anyone with additional information about this case is asked to call Detective Chris Whelan at 703-838-4726 or the Crime Solvers tip line at 703-838-4858. Witnesses can remain anonymous.


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Class Central Tips
Are you ready to take an incredible journey around Planet Earth and beyond? In this course, you will delve into a world of innovative science and learn from a team of Biosphere 2 and University of Arizona researchers. From plants and soils, to oceans and rainforests, the Moon, Mars, and more, this course is an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in science and Earth stewardship.
Learn how a unique research station in the Arizona desert is used to investigate big ideas, such as how Earth systems interact, the effects of climate change, and what our future holds. Go back in time thousands of years with information locked in ancient trees, and travel into an imagined future where humans become Martians. Collect and analyze your own scientific data, discuss big questions with participants from around the world, and gain novel insights and understanding about our wonderfully unique planet.


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Strawberries are in season here now and I have a loooong list of recipes to make with them – it's been my favorite fruit even since I was a kid. My mom used to make a wonderful strawberry tart and I loved it so much she would make it all winter long.
I can't wait to try making my mom's tart, but these meringues looked so pretty on the magazine I had to start my strawberry frenzy with them.
Roasted strawberry meringues
from Donna Hay magazine
150ml (about 4) egg whites
1 cup (200g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 cup (240ml) whipping cream, to serve
1 tablespoon icing sugar
Roasted strawberries:
16 strawberries, hulled and halved
1/3 cup (67g) caster sugar
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF. To make the roasted strawberries, place them in a small baking dish (do not use a shallow dish because the juices will bubble away in the oven) and sprinkle with the sugar. Mix well and roast for 10-15 minutes or until the strawberries are soft and syrupy. Remove and set aside.
Reduce the oven temperature to 120ºC/250ºF. Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and vinegar and beat until the mixture is thick and glossy - rub a little of the mixture between your fingertips; when you no longer feel the sugar granules, the mixture is ready.
Place spoonfuls of the meringue onto two large baking sheets lined with non-stick baking paper - I used regular baking paper. Using the back of a teaspoon, make a dent in the center to create a nest and bake for 25 minutes* or until the meringues are crisp on the outside. Turn the oven off and allow the meringues to cool in the oven for 30 minutes.
Place the cream and icing sugar in a bowl and beat until firm peaks form.
To serve, spoon the roasted strawberries into the center of each meringue and top with the cream.
* I halved the recipe, made 6-7cm meringue rounds and ended up with 8 meringues, that were baked for 55 minutes
Makes 30-35


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Outlet Sales Associate
Location: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania US
Job Number: 14464
Position Title: Sales Associate
External Description:
At Talbots, we help our customers look and feel their best. The Talbots Outlet Sales Associate (SA) is responsible for creating and fostering a culture of hospitality through exceptional customer experiences. SAs are responsible for engaging with both new & existing customers to sell in a way that is relevant, timely and meaningful for her.
- Possesses a customer-centric mentality and understands the importance and contribution exceptional service plays in growing store sales.
- Driven to create, build and cultivate relationships.
- Possesses a strong ambition and passion for achieving goals, both as an individual and as a member of the store team, and thrives working in a team environment.
- Passionate about selling and seeks organized and thoughtful ways to maximize all traffic that enters the store.
- Demonstrates excellent verbal communication skills and a high level of integrity.
- Has strong organizational skills and the ability to multi-task in a fast paced, ever-changing environment.
- Professional, assertive and friendly with the ability to make decisions independently.
Sales and Service:
- Seek to understand customer needs & wants with curiosity and confidence through intentional conversation.
- Use company resources to reinforce the brand experience and facilitate/build strong, enduring relationships in order to achieve productivity and sales goals.
- Innate ability to introduce Talbots' products and services to the customer in a relevant and timely manner in order to achieve key sales and service metrics.
- Professionally represent the brand image.
Business Acumen:
- Stay abreast of the business and competitive landscape, fashion trends and key business drivers to strategically identify opportunities that will maximize sales and ensure financial goals are achieved.
- Support areas of operational excellence as needed.
- Plan and prioritize tasks and responsibilities to meet the needs of the customer and business.
- Protect company assets and maintain a safe work environment.
- Follow all company policies and procedures as well as local, state, and federal employment laws.
- Strong sales experience preferred with demonstrated ability to meet or exceed performance standards.
- Ability to work at least (20) hours per week.
- An essential function of the job is the ability to work a flexible schedule including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
- An essential function of the job is the ability to move about in a store including standing, walking, kneeling, stooping, climbing ladders, using stairs, carrying, bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with the body, arms, or legs, pulling and lifting objects up to 40 pounds. Sometimes these movements are made quickly and repeatedly.
- An essential function of the job is the ability to navigate computer/handheld systems with intermediate computer and keyboarding skills.
- Able to work cooperatively in a diverse work environment.
- High school degree required.
Note: This position description is intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by associates assigned to this job. It is not intended to be inclusive of all duties and responsibilities and is subject to change.
Community / Marketing Title: Outlet Sales Associate
Company Profile:
Talbots is a leading omni-channel specialty retailer of women's clothing, shoes and accessories. Established in 1947, the company is known for modern classic style that's both timeless and timely, fine quality craftsmanship and gracious service. At Talbots relationships are the key to our business, we hire individuals who bring new ideas to the table, understand smart risk taking and can enhance an already thriving culture. With a commitment to offer modern classic style for every body type, through a full range of sizes, inclusive to every woman in your life.
EEO Employer Verbiage:
Talbots is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from diverse candidates. Hiring decisions are based upon a candidate's qualifications as they relate to the requirements of the position under consideration and are made without regard to race, sex, national origin, color, age, disability, veteran status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, religion, or any other category protected by applicable law. Talbots is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for job applicants with disabilities. If you require an accommodation to perform the essential duties of the position you are seeking or to participate in the application process please contact firstname.lastname@example.com. Talbots will make reasonable accommodations for otherwise qualified applicants or employees, unless such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operations of the Company's business.
PositionType_Description: Part Time
Location_formattedLocationLong: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania US


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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Members of California's highest court expressed skepticism Tuesday over claims that the state's medical marijuana laws prohibit local governments from banning storefront pot shops.
During oral arguments in a challenge to the city of Riverside's ban on medical marijuana dispensaries, several justices of the California Supreme Court said they were bothered by the fact that neither a 1996 voter-approved initiative that legalized marijuana use for health purposes, nor companion laws the Legislature adopted in 2003 expressly state that cities and counties must accommodate retail marijuana stores.
Justice Joyce Kennard said that just because the laws allow eligible residents to use marijuana without fear of criminal prosecution, they did not necessarily take priority over the authority the California Constitution grants local governments to control local land use and zoning decisions.
"The relevant issue before the court is to note the city's regulatory authority over land use ... and that power does not derive from the medical marijuana program. It's a pre-existing power," Kennard said.
But J. David Nick, a lawyer representing a dispensary Riverside officials have sought to close, told the court that lawmakers clearly intended to make marijuana easily and uniformly available for eligible residents statewide, a goal that dispensary bans thwart.
"The word 'regulation' does not, in any way, signal prohibition," Nick said.
The Supreme Court has 90 days to issue its decision in the case, which will decide the fate of pot shop bans already adopted by about 200 cities and counties. Additional jurisdictions put on hold their consideration of either operating rules for pot shops or outright dispensary bans pending the court's ruling.
Many of the local bans were enacted after the number of retail medical marijuana outlets boomed in Southern California following a memo from the U.S. Justice Department, stating that prosecuting pot sales would be a low priority.
The rush to adopt bans has abated over the last 18 months, since the four federal prosecutors in California launched a coordinated crackdown on dispensaries by threatening to seize the properties of landlords that leased space to them. Hundreds of pot shops have since been evicted or closed voluntarily.
Although some medical marijuana advocates had hoped the state court's seven justices also would determine whether pot's federal status as an illegal drug prohibits local governments from explicitly authorizing its distribution at all, as about 50 California counties and cities have, the court Tuesday deliberately shied away from any discussion of federal versus state law.
Among the judges, only Justice Kathryn Werdegar seemed bothered by the effect that allowing local bans would have on the ability of California residents to obtain medical marijuana.
Werdegar pointed to two sections of the law passed by the Legislature to argue that banning marijuana distribution was implicitly disallowed. One states that the Legislature wanted the medical marijuana laws to be applied uniformly throughout the state, while the other states that eligible medical marijuana users can band together to cultivate pot as a collective.
"The Legislature is allowing the cities and counties to regulate in this area," said Jeffrey Dunn, the lawyer representing Riverside.
"That's assuming we agree with your definition of 'regulate,' which is debatable," Werdegar shot back.
The arguments came in a case where Riverside city lawmakers used their zoning powers to declare storefront pot shops as public nuisances and ban them in 2010. The Inland Empire Patient's Health and Wellness Center, part of the explosion of retail medical marijuana outlets, sued to stop the city from shutting it down.
A mid-level appeals court sided with the city, but other courts have come to opposite conclusions. Last summer, a trial judge ruled that Riverside County could not close medical marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated areas because the move did not give the shops any room to operate legally under state law.
An appeals court in Southern California also struck down Los Angeles County's 2-year-old ban on dispensaries, ruling that state law allows cooperatives and collectives to grow, store and distribute pot.
In a separate case in Long Beach, however, an appeals court said federal law pre-empts municipalities from allowing dispensaries.
Leff can be reached at https://twitter.com/scoopscout


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49ers CB Culliver Offers New Apology For Anti-Gay Comments
NEW ORLEANS (CBS/AP) -- San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver apologized again Thursday for anti-gay comments he made to a comedian during Super Bowl media day, saying "that's not what I feel in my heart."
Culliver had originally issued a statement Wednesday apologizing for the comments.
"I'm sorry if I offended anyone. They were very ugly comments," Culliver said during an hour-long media session Thursday. "Hopefully I learn and grow from this experience and this situation."
He said he would welcome a gay teammate to the 49ers, a reversal of his remarks to Artie Lange two days earlier during an interview at the Superdome.
"I treat everyone equal," Culliver said. "That's not how I feel."
Related Content:
49ers Players Deny Appearing In LGBT Anti-Bullying Video
A Gay Sports Fan's Response To 49er Chris Culliver
KCBS Sports Fans: Culliver Anti-Gay Remarks Not Surprising
Daily Madden: Culliver's Super Bowl Distraction
He added that he realized his comments were especially offensive to many people in San Francisco and the Bay Area, which is home to a large gay community.
"I love San Francisco," Culliver said.
During the interview with Lange, Culliver responded to questions by saying he wouldn't welcome a gay player in the locker room. He also said the 49ers didn't have any gay players, and if they did those players should leave.
San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh met privately with Culliver to discuss the remarks.
"I reject what he said," Harbaugh said. "That's not something that reflects the way the organization feels, the way the rest of the players feel."
The coach would not discuss if Culliver would face discipline from the team, such as a fine or loss of playing time.
"He pledged to grow from it," Harbaugh said.
The interview began with Lange asking Culliver about his sexual plans with women during Super Bowl week. Lange followed up with a question about whether Culliver would consider pursuing a gay man.
"I don't do the gay guys, man. I don't do that," Culliver said during the one-minute taped interview. "Ain't got no gay people on the team. They gotta get up outta here if they do. Can't be with that sweet stuff."
Lange asked Culliver to reiterate his thoughts, to which the player said, "It's true." He added he wouldn't welcome a gay teammate -- no matter how talented.
"Nah. Can't be ... in the locker room, nah," he said. "You've gotta come out 10 years later after that."
The 24-year-old Culliver, a third-round draft pick in 2011 out of South Carolina, made 47 tackles with two interceptions and a forced fumble this season while starting six games for the NFC champion Niners (13-4-1).
He had his first career postseason interception in San Francisco's 28-24 win at Atlanta for the NFC title, which sent the 49ers to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1995. They will face the AFC champion Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
The 49ers participate in the NFL's "It Gets Better" anti-bullying campaign. Three organizations working for LGBT inclusion in sports -- Athlete Ally, You Can Play, and GLAAD -- reacted to Culliver's remarks and later acknowledged his apology.
"Chris Culliver's comments were disrespectful, discriminatory and dangerous, particularly for the young people who look up to him," said Athlete Ally Executive Director Hudson Taylor. "His words underscore the importance of the athlete ally movement and the key role that professional athletes play in shaping an athletic climate that affirms and includes gay and lesbian players."
Calling Lange's questions "real disrespectful," Culliver said he realized he was speaking to a comedian and not a journalist.
"That was pretty much in a joking manner," the player said. "It's nothing about how I feel."
Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo, who made headlines this season with his vocal support of a gay-marriage initiative in Maryland, said Culliver's comments to Lange were reflective of how many players in the NFL feel, even if they don't express it publicly. He hopes the 49ers cornerback will learn from this experience and become a positive role model in the quest for equality.
"You can't fight hate with hate," Ayanbadejo said. "You've got to fight hate with love."
Baltimore safety Bernard Pollard said Culliver should be allowed to express his views, even if some people found them offensive.
"The guy's entitled to his own opinion," said Pollard, who has acknowledged that he disagrees with Ayanbadejo's stand on gay marriage. "I'm not going to sit here and knock him. I'm not going to sit here and judge him. It's freedom of speech. If you don't like it, don't listen to it."
(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)