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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW)-- A Washington Post wpo executive says it's unlikely the firm will use $350 million from the sale of Cowles Media to establish itself as a national newspaper by buying The Wall Street Journal.
There's been long-running speculation the Washington D.C. publisher would buy New York-based Dow Jones dj, or at least the Journal, to better compete with other national papers like The New York Times and USA Today.
But Post Chief Financial Officer Jay Morse said the company's not interested in publishing a national paper. "The economics don't support (a national paper)," said Morse. "I'm sure every major paper has looked at the idea at one time or another, but it's a very difficult thing to justify in terms of being able to make a return on the investment."
A more likely scenario is that the Post will buy a newspaper publisher with a major local presence. Morse confirmed the Post tried to buy the 78 percent of Cowles Media it didn't own, but lost the bidding war to McClatchy MNI, -10.00% ; Cowles owns the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
The Post could use the $350 million it will receive for its Cowles stake to purchase another newspaper, something the company hasn't done for a long time. "We're looking at many, many areas," Morse said, declining to name specifics.
'Most unlikely thing'
Analysts also played down the possibility of the Post buying the Journal. John Morton, president of the Silver Springs, Md.-based Morton Research, said the rumor was started a while ago by money manager and Dow Jones shareholder Michael Price, "who wanted to pump up the stock price."
"But it's the most unlikely thing I could ever imagine," Morton added.
The Washington Post buying Dow Jones "is the most unlikely thing I could ever imagine."
John Morton Morton Research
Alex. Brown media analyst Peter Appert said he couldn't see the Bancroft family, which controls the majority of votes in Dow Jones, letting go of its flagship paper or selling the entire company. "I have a hard time envisioning that happening," Appert said. "The Washington Post couldn't orchestrate that deal absent the support of the Bancroft family."
Morton agreed with Morse that creating a profitable national paper is a difficult task. Despite robust sales, The New York Times still doesn't make money on its national edition because of high distribution costs, Morton said.
Morton was doubtful the Washington Post would buy any other paper, national or local. "They don't step up and offer much for newspaper companies," he said. "They can't seem to make the numbers fit, even though everybody else seems to do it."
Shares of the Post rose 2 1/8 to 455 1/2 Tuesday afternoon. The stock is trading nearly 40 percent above lows reached earlier this year.


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TRIPOLI, Libya — Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi was nowhere to be found Monday as his 42-year rule teetered on the brink of collapse.
Months of NATO airstrikes have left his Bab al-Aziziya compound in Tripoli largely demolished. Most of his security forces fled or surrendered when rebel forces rolled into the capital Sunday night and took control of most of the city. And three of his sons are under arrest.
A mood of joy mixed with trepidation settled over the capital, with the rebels still fighting pockets of fierce resistance from regime loyalists firing mortars and anti-aircraft guns. Rebel spokesman Mohammed Abdel-Rahman, who was in Tripoli, said the "danger is still there" as long as Gadhafi remains on the run.
"The real moment of victory is when Gadhafi is captured," Mustafa Abdel-Jalil, head of the rebel National Transitional Council, told a news conference in the opposition's de facto capital of Benghazi, hundreds of miles east of Tripoli. He said the rebels have no idea where Gadhafi is and whether he is even in Tripoli. An Obama administration official said the U.S. had no indication that Gadhafi had left Libya.
President Barack Obama said the situation in Libya reached a tipping point in recent days after a five month NATO-led bombing campaign. However, he acknowledged that the situation remained fluid and that elements of the regime remained a threat.
The Obama administration official said U.S. officials and NATO partners had not been in contact with Gadhafi during the siege on Tripoli. However, the official said American and NATO representatives, as well as Libyan rebels, had all been in contact with people around Gadhafi, mostly those looking for a way out.
NATO vowed to keep up its air campaign until all pro-Gadhafi forces surrender or return to their barracks. The alliance's warplanes have hit at least 40 targets in and around Tripoli in the past two days — the highest number on a single geographic location since the bombing started in March, NATO said.
A day after the rebels rode into the city of 2 million, the situation remained volatile. Even though rebels claimed they were in control of most of Tripoli, they still appeared to be on the defensive, ducking for cover during frequent clashes with regime fighters. Throughout the day, the rebels sent reinforcements to the city from the north, south and southeast, and a rebel field commander said more than 4,000 fighters were part of the final push to bring down the regime.
The Obama administration official said the U.S. believes 90 percent of the capital is under rebel control, while regime loyalists still control Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte and the southern city of Sabha.
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publically.
Intense gunbattles erupted throughout the day and city was too unstable for any mass celebrations in the streets.
Clashes broke out early in the day at Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound when government tanks emerged from the complex and opened fire at rebels trying to get in, according to the rebel spokesman Abdel-Rahman and a neighbor.
Moammar al-Warfali, whose family home is next to the Gadhafi compound, said there appeared to be only a few tanks belonging to the remaining Gadhafi forces who have not fled or surrendered.
"When I climb the stairs and look from the roof, I see nothing at Bab al-Aziziyah. It is totally deserted except for the house which was raided by U.S. in 1986. Nothing else is there. Gadhafi can't be there," he said. "NATO has demolished it all and nothing remained."
But Abdel-Rahman said Gadhafi still has forces to be reckoned with.
"We know that until now, Tripoli is encircled by Gadhafi brigades positioned at the outskirts of the capital, in camps, such as al-Yarmouk in the south of Tripoli. They can be in the middle of the city in half an hour."
Still, revelers flocked to Green Square, the symbolic heart of the fading Gadhafi regime. They flashed the "V" for victory sign and motorists circled the plaza, honking horns and waving rebel flags.
"We came out today to feel a bit of freedom," Ashraf Halati, a 30-year-old Tripoli resident, said as he and four of his friends watched several hundred people celebrating at Green Square. "We still don't believe that this is happening."
Late Sunday night, rebels took over Green Square, which they have been calling Martyrs' Square, restoring the name it had before Gadhafi's regime took power more than four decades ago. Google's map of Tripoli has already adopted the new name. The opposition also took up the pre-Gadhafi flag of Libya as their own at the start of their uprising six months ago.
On Monday, rebels manned checkpoints on the western approaches to the city, handing out candy to motorists and inquiring about their destinations.
Most of the city, a metropolis of some 2 million people on the Mediterranean coast, was on edge. Stores were shuttered and large areas were lifeless, including the old gold market, in the past a draw for tourists.
Around midday Monday, rebel fighters took over a women's police college near the Mediterranean and declared that they would set up their new headquarters there.
"We are going to protect the city of Tripoli from all attacks and threats," fighter Munir al-Ayan said after kneeling and kissing the ground in the compound.
"I was bowing down to the Almighty God who helped us get rid of this brutal dictator," he later explained.
The compound's previous inhabitants appeared to have left in haste, and their belongings were not touched.
In one office, women's green police uniforms dangled from hangers, and black dress boots stood nearby. A computer and a TV screen were still in place. Pictures of Gadhafi adorned the wall. In another room, the police marching band's instruments were stacked next to a wall, including drums and a trumpet.
But the rebels' optimistic mood of the morning quickly changed. By mid-afternoon, the college came under heavy fire. Snipers from nearby high-rises aimed at motorists speeding by. An anti-aircraft gun pounded the compound, creating a deafening noise. A handful of rebel fighters inside seemed jumpy and unsure what to do.
Gadhafi loyalists also launched attacks in two other areas of Tripoli, said Ashraf Hussein, a rebel fighter who sat pressed against an inner wall of the compound for safety.
Drivers trying to evade sniper fire ducked into side streets, or stopped at rebel checkpoints to find out whether the next stretch was safe. Booms of mortar rounds and small rockets reverberated across the city, mixed with battle cries of "Allahu akbar," or God is Great.
Later Monday, another battle erupted around a school where rebels and journalists had set up camp. Rebels fired small rockets, and Gadhafi troops responded with mortar shells.
The fighting made clear that taking full control of Tripoli will be difficult, especially as long as Gadhafi has not surfaced.
There were also signs of tension between rebels and residents at a gas station in the neighborhood of Gourji, with heated arguments over who should fill up first after rebels cut in line. Opposition leaders urged people to protect public property, and no looting was reported.
The Rixos hotel where foreign journalists are staying also remained under the control of Gadhafi forces, with two trucks loaded with anti-aircraft machine guns and pro-regime fighters and snipers posted behind trees.
About 30 journalists remained in the hotel where armed pro-Gadhafi youths kept a close eye on them and did not allow to them to exit the building. Journalists began to worry that food, water and fuel that powers the hotel's generator were running low.
Some of the journalists attempted to walk out of the hotel but were met with hostility by the armed guards, who said they were put there to "protect" them. Journalists said they felt like they were being held hostage.
Outside of Tripoli, almost all of eastern and western Libya is now under rebel control. The east of the country from the Egyptian border to Benghazi fell into rebel hands at the beginning of the uprising. In the weeks leading up to Sunday's lightning advance on Tripoli, the rebels consolidated control of the western Nafusa mountain range near the border with Tunisia. It was from there they staged the run on the capital. Most of the rest of the country was quickly falling into their hands.
The city of Sirte, Gadhafi's hometown to the east of Tripoli, was the most important loyalist bastion to remain fully under his control.
On Monday, the city was without power and full of heavily guarded Gadhafi checkpoints, said Hassan al-Daroui, an official with the rebel council in Benghazi who was in touch with people there by satellite phone. Many people there were not even aware that rebels had pushed into the capital, 250 miles (400 kilometers) to the northwest, he said.
On Saturday rebels said they gained control of the oil refineries and airport at the oil terminal of Brega, on the road heading out of Benghazi west toward Tripoli.
The rebels' startling breakthrough on Sunday, after a long deadlock in Libya's 6-month-old civil war, was the culmination of a closely coordinated plan by rebels, NATO and anti-Gadhafi residents inside Tripoli, rebel leaders said. Rebel fighters from the west swept over 20 miles (30 kilometers) in a matter of hours, taking town after town and overwhelming a major military base as residents poured out to cheer them. At the same time, Tripoli residents secretly armed by rebels rose up.
When rebels reached the gates of Tripoli, the special battalion entrusted by Gadhafi with guarding the capital promptly surrendered. Its commander, whose brother had been executed by Gadhafi years ago, was secretly loyal to the rebellion, a senior rebel official, Fathi al-Baja, told The Associated Press.
"It does appear that a lot of the Libyan forces themselves inside Tripoli either stayed at home or put down their arms — and that may bode well for a diminishing level of violence during the transitional period," Abdel-Jalil said.
Libyan state television was off the air Monday amid reports it had been seized by rebels.
Abdel-Jalil said rebels have now captured three of Gadhafi's sons. He said they detained al-Saadi Gadhafi on Sunday night along with his brother Seif al-Islam, the one-time heir apparent to his father.
Gadhafi had seven biological sons and a daughter who all played roles in their father's regime, some in diplomacy and others in business. Al-Saadi and his brothers Mutassim and Khamis all headed military brigades. One of his sons was killed in the civil war.
The International Criminal Court has confirmed the capture of Seif al-Islam, who along with his father faces charges of crimes against humanity. Another son, Mohammed, was under house arrest.
Abdel-Jalil began to look ahead to the task his council might face in shepherding a transition in power.
"We have much challenges and responsibilities, starting by healing the wounds, " he said, adding the rebels wanted to ensure safety, security, peace and prosperity.
"Gadhafi will be remembered through the acts he committed in Libya and the world, by political assassinations, arrests and executions and oppression of all the Libyan people who wanted to oust him from the beginning of this revolution."
Associated Press writers David Stringer in London and Slobodan Lekic in Brussels contributed to this report.

subset: commoncrawl


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Adjustability is the dominant trend in drivers these days, and the new R1 driver continues TaylorMade's mastery of this current generation of custom-tunable drivers.
The R1 model offers the greatest range of adjustability of any driver in TaylorMade's history, as well as in the industry today. It gives the golfer 12 loft settings and seven face-angle positions, and includes two movable shot-shape weights. These three features allow the driver to be tuned 168 different ways to optimize distance and accuracy – and, importantly, allow a golfer to adjust the loft and face angle independently of each other.
''Offering a wide range of loft settings is imperative, because our research indicates that 80 percent of golfers are playing the wrong loft, which costs them distance,'' said TaylorMade Chief Technical Officer Benoit Vincent. ''The R1 offers 12 positions to help golfers find the loft that delivers the launch conditions that deliver maximum distance.''
That stat – that 80 percent of golfers don't play the correct loft – seems incredible, but TaylorMade says that many of us typically choose the wrong loft when we buy a driver off the rack. We usually opt for too little loft because too many of us believe that a lower-lofted driver will provide longer distance, but that typically costs the average player carry and distance by promoting a too-low launch angle.
In addition, recent advances in driver design to create less (such as moving the Center of Gravity lower and more forward in the clubhead) help achieve a blend of higher loft and lower spin, making it logical for many players to switch to a higher loft. And because it is so adjustable, the R1 can be tuned for players of almost every type and skill level.
The R1's 12 loft settings mean it can be set anywhere from 8 degrees to 12 degrees of loft (seven of the settings are at the standard lie angle, and five at an upright lie angle). The seven face-angle settings include: neutral/square, slightly open, more open, maximum open, slightly closed, more closed and maximum closed. And the two shot-shape weights allow the Center of Gravity to be shifted by five millimeters to promote either a draw or a neutral/straight trajectory.
This new driver also includes TaylorMade's Inverted Cone Technology – in which an inverted cone is milled into the inner side of the clubface – which expands the sweet spot for extra distance, even on off-center hits. The head is covered with a white matte finish to reduce glare and contrast with the black face to make alignment easier. The new gray and orange crown graphic is eye-catching, and the triangular white space immediately behind the face acts as an alignment aid.
The R1's standard shaft is the Aldila RIP Phenom 55, which, at 55 grams, helps produce a faster clubhead swing than heavier models yet is strategically weighted to deliver the feel of a heavier shaft. It also features Aldila's Hyberbolic Flex Technology, which incorporates a stiff tip section to aid launch and spin control, a very firm butt section for a stable feel and a softer center section that promotes an added kick through impact for maximum ball speed.
The R1 carries a suggested retail price of $399, while the hotter R1 TP model retails for $499.


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"Winter Lines"
"Winter Lines"
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by Tessa Tinney
Every day, your dad and I are humbled by the responsibility of parenthood. Not only by the needs of feeding you and making sure you don't bump your head on the corner of the coffee table. (I'll admit, we've failed at that a few times.) But we're also humbled by the role of raising you to be free-thinking, conscious and deliberate individuals in a society that's on religious autopilot.
Faithful people often ask your dad and I how we'll raise you without religion as our guides. They seem to think that we're rudderless, listing with life's current and without purpose. They ask how we'll teach you to be moral without lessons from God. But we have a plan. We're atheists by a lot of thinking, reasoning and choosing and we will be your parents with as much deliberateness and thought.
Hereafter is my commitment to you.
I promise that by example I will teach you kindness, justice, cooperation, respect and tolerance. Because morality is part of what it means to be a responsible member of society and the world.
I promise to help you see other people's perspectives, consider their experiences and be tolerant of their differences. I'll encourage you to see beyond the labels of good and evil to understand the complexity of human existence.
I promise that as you grow and as I get to know you, I'll accept you for who you are rather than any preconceived notion of who you "should" be.
I promise to teach you that you're an agent of change in your own life and in this world. You aren't a victim of circumstance and you don't need to wait for unseen forces to bring you miracles. You're your own creator — of fulfillment, joy, love and peace.
Alongside science, history, philosophy and the arts, I promise to teach you about all religions and give you the intellectual freedom to wonder, question and come to your own conclusions. And if your conclusions are different from my own, as many inevitably will be, I promise to respect them.
I promise to tell you the truth as much as I know it. And encourage a lifetime of curiosity, questioning and exploration in pursuit of more knowledge and your own truth.
I promise to show you that this moment right here is all the heaven we need. This life is our gift and our purpose. It's our opportunity to live richly and to make lasting and meaningful change for society and humanity.
And in guiding you through life, I promise to talk to you about death — as much as I understand it — without euphemisms or fables, but as a natural part of this complex and enduring world. And I'll talk to you about how brief a time we have in a world that existed before us and that will exist far after we depart.
I promise to love you fiercely, honestly and courageously.


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While adventuring in Cyrodiil, you will come into contact with Vampires. Fighting them can cause you to contract a disease known as Porphyric Hemophilia. If it goes untreated, you will become a full blown Vampire!
Vampire Basics[edit]
First of all, it's worth understanding the rules of vampirism. If you've just recently come out of a cave where you fought vampires, be sure to check your Active Effects spells page. If you see that you've got the beginnings of the vampire disease, simply use a Cure Disease potion to rid yourself of the virus. Going to an altar will cure your disease, too. However, if you go three days without curing the sickness, you'll wake up from your next nap as a vampire.
Once you're a full-blown vampire, there are essentially four stages of the disease. At the first stage (Vampirism 25), your character earns some stat boosts and turns a bit ugly. You can still move about in daylight, and people are only mildly bothered by your appearance. At stage two (Vampirism 50), you start taking damage while in the sun. However, to minimize sun damage, or to not recieve any at all, you can wear the armor you recieve from the dark brotherhood questline as a means of shielding yourself. Although some sunlight damage does occur around the 12-5 p.m. mark, regardless of shielding or not. Also, if you take off your gear in the sun, you instantly die. Don't use fast travel unless it's going to be night throughout your journey! You'll earn some more powers, however, as many of your stats see increased boosts. The next two levels of vampirism (Vampirism 75 and 100) increase both the damage you take by sun and the stat boosts you gain from the disease. It's also worth noting that as you progress through the stages of vampirism, your character looks older and older. Some players report that these aging effects are permanent, though in our experience it was hard to tell after we cured the disease.
Don't want to be damaged by the sun while you seek out the cure for vampirism? There is a way to hold back the evolution. To stay at the first stage of vampirism, you must feed once every 24 hours (Oblivion hours, not your real-life, mother-terrorizing hours). If you fail to feed within 24 hours, the next time you sleep or wait will end with your progression to the next stage of the disease. After you've evolved, you can simply feed again to instantly revert back to the very first stage of vampirism, no matter at which stage of the disease you started. However, some of the aging effects will always remain.
You can only feed on sleeping people. To do so, simply sneak up to someone that's asleep and access their body to feed. Feeding does not kill people and you can feed on the same person as many times as you'd like. However, feeding is a crime if you're caught. Be sure no guards are around to see you. You may find it hard to get access to sleeping residents. Most people lock up their homes before sleeping, forcing you to break in. However, it is generally easy to feed on homeless people. There are two homeless people that sleep in Skingrad, and they make great targets.
Curing the Disease =[edit]
The first step in curing the disesase is talking to Raminus Polus at the Arcane University, just south of the Imperial City. He hangs out in the lobby, so you don't need access to the inner-depths of the building. He'll refer you to the Count of Skingrad for further help in seeking the cure. Travel to Skingrad and enter the Castle Skingrad County Hall. Once there, talk to Hal-Liurz and she'll in turn get the Count. The Count does not know the cure for vampirism, but suspects he knows someone who does. He'll then refer you to Melisande who lives in a cabin directly east of Imperial City and south of Cheydinhal.
Talk to Melisande and she'll help you cure your vampirism...for a price. She first wants you to bring her five Grand Soul Gems. Now you can find Grand Soul Gems in various caves and dungeons, but the easiest way to secure them is to go to the Mages Guilds of the main cities. Most of the Mages Guilds have them for sale for between 300 and 350 gold. Gather up five and bring them back to Melisande. She'll then finally give you the recipe for the vampirism cure.
You will need to gather the ingredients yourself, including two (2) Bloodgrass blades, six (6) cloves of garlic, five (5) Nightshade plants, the blood of an Argonian and the ashes of a specific vampire. Bloodgrass can only be found within Oblivion gates, but it's very abundant there and easy to find. You can find garlic for sale in lots of shops, or hung in homes. Bandits that set up camp often have garlic hanging from their tents, and most residents of Skingrad have garlic hanging over their fireplaces. Nightshade is a relatively rare plant, but there is a load of it south of Skingrad. In fact, just southwest of Skingrad, between the city and the map's border, you can find a large rock that's surrounded by Nightshade plants. You can still see the castle from the rock, so if you've lost sight of Skingrad then you've gone too far. The rock is located on a hill that's about fifty yards south of Fat Ramp Camp.
To acquire the blood of an Argonian, Melisande gives you a blade with which to stab an unwitting lizard. For this endeavor, we went to the Waterfront District of Imperial City where we found an Argonian behind the shacks. We raised his disposition as high as possible and stabbed him afterwards (just once). Strangely, he didn't seem to mind much and didn't attack or send guards after us. You can take your chances with other Argonians and we suspect the result will be the same, but if you want to be safe then just mimic our method.
The final ingredient to secure is the ash of a specific vampire who dwells (or is locked) in a cave to the southeast, just north of the Panther River. Melisande should mark the location on your map, so you shouldn't have trouble locating it. Now Hindaril isn't the only vampire in this cave, but he's certainly the most difficult to fight. There's a number of vampires inside, but as long as you move through the tunnels slowly you shouldn't have to fight more than one at a time. None of them are particularly difficult, though Hindaril himself can be a challenge. He didn't seem to have any weapons when we fought him, instead relying on hand-to-hand combat. Be ready to restore your fatigue with spells and potions if needed, or watch for him to run into the nearby tunnel to grab a weapon from a vampire you previously killed. To prevent him from grabbing weapons, you can simply pick them up and hold onto them.
Once you've killed Hindaril, be sure to grab his ashes by looting his corpse. Return to Melisande and give her all of the ingredients. She'll ask you to wait 24 hours while she brews up the cure. Talk to her after 24 hours and she'll give you two doses of the cure, one dose for you and one cure for the Count's wife.
Travel back to Skingrad and speak with Hal-Liurz again in the Castle Skingrad County Hall. She'll bring you to a secret tunnel inside which you'll find the Count and his wife. Talk to the Count to give him the cure and wait for the gruesome finale to the Countess's ailment. The Count will tell you that he needs time before he can deal with you further. Simply leave the tunnel and return to the Castle Skingrad County Hall to wait for 24 hours.
After waiting 24 hours, talk to Hal-Liurz again. She'll go summon the Count who will in turn thank you for your efforts. You can talk to him about "Reward" and he'll reward you with 1,000 gold, effectively ending the quest. (In our experience, we were able to repeatedly talk to the Count about "Reward" and were given 1,000 gold every time we did. This is likely a bug in the game that may be patched later. Take advantage of the bug now if you wish, 'cause the Count will soon return to his chambers where he locks himself away.)
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Rocker Peter Frampton, best known for pioneering the talkbox, demon guitar solos, and flowing golden locks, was rear-ended by a texting driver.
And thankfully, he has taken to Twitter to shout out loud about what went wrong. We hope he wasn't driving and tweeting.
Frampton was also about to set off on a trip, but he didn't let that interrupt his journey at all, electing to visit the hospital after he landed.
But soon after the crash, Frampton loosened up and used his new tour name to get a little punny about what happened to him.
Like he said in his hit song "Rock The Casbah" off of that great album The Wall, "obladi oblada, life goes on, ra." Then again, that might not have been him.


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PETERSBURG, Ky., May 23 (UPI) -- The Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky is set to open an unusual new exhibit this weekend -- a dinosaur skeleton, named Ebenezer.
The Creation Museum -- like its name suggests -- is dedicated to Young Earth Creationism, and among another things, defending the word of God via alleged scientific evidence.
Ebenezer, the impeccably preserved skeleton of an Allosaurus, is to be unveiled on Monday, Memorial Day. Ebenezer's skull is one of the most pristine fossils ever collected. In addition to his neatly intact skull, ninety-seven percent of the rest of his bones were unearthed.
The dinosaur was discovered in northwest Colorado and donated to the museum. The remains date to roughly 150 million years, B.C.E.
Ebeneezer's curators say the intact and complete nature of his skeleton is proof that he died and was preserved quickly, all in one place. It's evidence, they say, that the dino was the victim of a catastrophic flood -- Noah's.
As museum founder Ken Ham -- the same Ken Ham who debated Bill Nye -- said: "For decades I've walked through many leading secular museums, like the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., and have seen their impressive dinosaur skeletons, but they were used for evolution."
"Now we have one of that class for our museum," Ham added.
Museum officials have invited so-called secular scientists to come examine the 30-foot long, 10-foot high Allosaurus skeleton, a species similar in appearance but slightly smaller than a T. Rex. The offer has yet to find any takers.


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Iran Interview: Daughters of Opposition Leader Mousavi Speak Out...and Take Risks Doing So
The country is in crisis. In addition to denying this crisis they seek to hide it through creating diversions. In reality they should be resolving the issues facing the nation and allow the citizens to live in peace. Behaviour such as raiding people's homes and creating terror and fear amongst families is neither ethical nor will it lead to any positive results. They sow the seeds of anger and hatred with their behaviour and this type of condition will not lead to positive results for them in the long run.


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Thursday, September 22, 2011
Harvesting herbs
In the summer I picked up a lemon balm plant at the end of someones driveway. I planted it in the garden and it grew like crazy! I really love the smell of lemon, and when you rub the leaves it releases an amazing aroma of citrus. I Googled it and found out a bunch of cool stuff about this particular plant. It is related to the mint family, a calming herb and you can dry it and use it in tea. So I thought I would try to dry some and see how it does. I also read that you can make pesto with it too! What herbs do you harvest?
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| A Venipede Stampede!
First broadcast
English themes
Japanese themes
A Venipede Stampede! (Japanese: ヒウンシティ!フシデパニック!! Hiun City! Fushide Panic!!) is the 22nd episode of the Best Wishes series, and the 679th episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on March 10, 2011 and in the United States on July 2, 2011.
|Spoiler warning: this article may contain major plot or ending details.
On their way to the Castelia City Gym for Ash's next Gym Battle, our heroes encounter Gym Leader Burgh, who says he can't answer Ash's challenge until he figures out what's been bothering his Bug-type Pokémon. Ash and friends pitch in to help him investigate. Together, they discover a Venipede in distress, and of course Ash wants to help it!
Upon further investigation, the gang learns that the whole city is being overrun by a gigantic colony of angry Venipede! The townspeople are in a panic, and the mayor of Castelia City declares that something must be done at once. Ash's rival Trip is also in town, and he suggests that battling the raging Venipede is the only way to stop them. Burgh counters with a plan to round them up and herd them into the city's Central Plaza until Professor Juniper can figure out what's going on.
Working together, the three Trainers find every last Venipede and bring them all to the plaza. Soon, Professor Juniper discovers an unusual energy emanating from the Desert Resort, just outside Castelia City! She concludes that the underground energy flow must be what disturbed the Venipede. The professor and Officer Jenny take off to find out exactly what's happening in the desert, while Burgh stays behind to look after the Venipede—and Ash's thoughts turn to his next Gym Battle!
As Ash and his friends admire the scenery of Castelia City, they bump into Burgh and he explains something is not right. Just then, Pikachu hears weird sounds coming from the sewers. They go down to investigate when they find a Venipede stuck in a pipe. Ash pulls it out and the scared Venipede immediately Screeches to harm everyone, but stops because of injury it has on its head. Ash then notices the injury and explains that he wants to help the Venipede, but it attacks Ash instead. Ash holds the confused creature and tells it he still wants to help with its injury. Venipede finally seems convinced as Ash falls to the floor not feeling so well. Ash wakes up when Cilan feeds him some antidote and Venipede is bandaged by Iris and Burgh. Iris then sprays Venipede with a Super Potion and feeds it an Oran Berry which it happily sucks the juices from. They then notice a huge swarm of Venipede marching through the sewers.
The Venipede use Screech to harm everyone, and they then attack with Sludge Bombs that Ash and his friends narrowly avoid. The swarm of Venipede start chasing after them as the bandaged Venipede decides to stay behind in the sewers. When everyone gets out, they realize the Venipede are invading the city. Officer Jenny appears and explains that the Venipede came out from the sewers. They suddenly hear an explosion coming from downtown to which they immediately run to. They see a group of Trainers attacking the Venipede with their Fire-type Pokémon. One of the Trainers is Trip, who is using his Lampent to take on the Venipede. Ash tries to tell the Trainers to stop attacking the Venipede, but the Mayor of Castelia City comes and tells Ash that the Venipede need to get cleared out, and that battling them is the only way. But, Burgh suggests that they somehow get all the Venipede into the central part of the city so that they can find out why the Venipede are in the city. Ash, Cilan, and Iris all insist on this idea and Burgh says that they could find the Venipede leader and have it follow them. The Mayor agrees to this idea, and Burgh has Cilan stay at the Pokémon Center to go get Nurse Joy and her Audino. Burgh, Ash and Iris head off to find the Venipede leader as Trip ponders about the Venipede's leader. Back at Professor Juniper's lab, the data from the EXA Satellite is received, as one of Juniper's assistants asks why they need it to diagnose the Venipede's actions. Professor Juniper hypothesizes that since Venipede usually nest underground, a reaction within the ground has caused the Venipede to move into Castelia City.
Back in Castelia, Burgh, Ash, and Iris run through the streets as Ash asks how they'll find the leader of the Venipede. Burgh replies that since wild Pokémon stand side by side in times of danger, they will find a lot of Venipede crowded around one Venipede that's the leader. He also says that the leader will be at a certain place where they can monitor their way with the swarm. Iris spots a larger Venipede on top of a building, which has a bunch of other Venipede around it, making itself the leader, and it jumps down onto the street to challenge them. Burgh advises the leader that lingering in the city will place them in danger, and says to follow him. The leader responds with a Sludge Bomb which Burgh dodges. Suddenly, Trip appears on the scene and tells his Lampent to attack the Venipede leader with Flamethrower. Ash tells Trip to stop, but Trip says that if the leader were to be defeated, the swarm would fall apart. Trip has his Lampent use Shadow Ball on the leader, but Ash jumps in the way and takes the hit instead. Then, the Venipede that was stuck in the sewer pipe from before appears and crawls towards Ash. Ash tells Trip that the Venipede can be gentle Pokémon if they don't attack them. Burgh supports Ash's statement by saying that their hearts have yet to reach them. Cilan then returns along with Nurse Joy and her Audino. Trip recalls his Lampent and agrees to stay out of their way in their plan and walks off. Burgh tells Nurse Joy's Audino to use Heal Pulse on the Venipede, and Burgh pulls out a Bug Flute. He plays it, and all the Venipede start to follow him. Ash and friends are awed by this and Burgh tells them to go round up the remaining separated Venipede.
Ash runs towards an alley and calls out Pidove and has her use Gust to get the individual Venipede with the others. Iris heads towards some Venipede on the roof of a building and tells Axew to use Dragon Rage. Axew fails at Dragon Rage yet again, but it scares the Venipede into joining the herd. Cilan has Pansage help with Bullet Seed as well. However, one of the Venipede uses Sludge Bomb on Ash's Pidove! However, Trip has his Tranquill save Ash's Pidove from the attack as he decides to help the Venipede as well. Through these series of events, Ash's Pidove starts to evolve! Ash's newly evolved Tranquill works with Trip's Tranquill to get the last of the Venipede reunited with the swarm. Back at Professor Juniper's lab, a strange energy signal is received, and she traces it to the Desert Resort, as two unknown energies begin to fuse. Meanwhile on a plane, Giovanni is informed by a Team Rocket Grunt that they'll be arriving shortly in the Unova Region. Giovanni exclaims that with the Meteonite's power, Team Rocket will achieve power and glory. Night has now fallen on Castelia City, as all the Venipede have gathered in the central plaza. The Mayor of Castelia City thanks Burgh, Ash, and the others for their help. Trip starts to walk off saying that his Gym challenge probably won't come any time soon, and that he's headed to the next city for his Badge. Professor Juniper then arrives and tells Ash and friends that she's discovered a strange energy flow that leads to the Desert Resort. Burgh says that the energy disturbed the Venipede, and caused them to flee towards Castelia in fear. Officer Jenny volunteers to come with Professor Juniper to investigate the Desert Resort. Burgh has to stay in Castelia City in order to keep the Venipede swarm in safe condition. With that, Juniper journeys to the Desert Resort on a helicopter, while Ash is looking forward to his next Gym battle.
Major events
- Team Rocket locates the Meteonite in the Desert Resort.
- Ash and his friends arrive in Castelia City and meet up with Burgh again.
- Ash encounters Trip again.
- Trip is revealed to have obtained a Lampent.
- Ash's Pidove evolves into a Tranquill.
- Giovanni heads to Unova as Team Rocket's plan for the Meteonite enters its final stages.
- Ash, Iris and Cilan meet up with Professor Juniper and leave to investigate the unusual activity caused by Team Rocket in the Desert Resort*.
- For a list of all major events in the anime, please see the timeline of events.
Pokémon debuts
- Ash
- Iris
- Cilan
- Jessie
- James
- Burgh
- Giovanni
- Pierce
- Dr. Zager
- Professor Juniper
- Nurse Joy
- Officer Jenny
- Trip
- Mayor of Castelia City
- Team Rocket Grunt
- Unnamed Trainers
- Pikachu (Ash's)
- Meowth (Team Rocket)
- Axew (Iris's)
- Pidove (Ash's; evolves)
- Tranquill (Ash's; newly evolved)
- Pansage (Cilan's)
- Audino (Nurse Joy's)
- Tranquill (Trip's)
- Lampent (Trip's; debut)
- Herdier (Officer Jenny's; ×2)
- Darmanitan (Trainer's)
- Pansear (Trainer's)
- Pignite (Trainer's)
- Venipede (multiple; debut)
- Professor Oak's Pokémon Live Caster: Yamask
- This episode references the story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, when Burgh uses his bug flute to lead the Venipede out the city at the request of the mayor.
- Another episode had a similar episode title to this one. Coincidentally, both episodes featured an evolution.
- Burgh's bug-flute closely resembles an ocarina.
- This is the first episode where Iris's Axew appears to be hit with recoil from its unmastered Dragon Rage.
- Because of the postponing, retconning, and later banning of the next two episodes, this episode marks the final appearance of Pierce. It is also the first and — due to the skipping of the next two episodes, only — time his unique Team Rocket uniform is seen in the anime, albeit only from the back.
- Right after Burgh puts the bandage on a Venipede, the gold buckles on Cilan's shoes are missing.
- While Cilan and Nurse Joy are running to Burgh, one of the Venipede climbing the lamp post in the background falls off. As it does, the shadow beneath its feet is shown while in midair.
- Burgh's white undershirt in the scene where they confront the Venipede leader is missing.
- When Trip commands his Tranquill to use Air Cutter, he is shown with six fingers on his right hand. This error was fixed on Japanese DVD releases.
- When Ash and his friends leave the sewer, Cilan's eyes have sclerae.
Dub edits
- To maintain consistency of the planned BW023 and BW024 being skipped, the scene where Ash, Iris, and Cilan insist to accompany Professor Juniper to the Desert Resort has been removed. The narrator's lines are also changed to say that Ash looks forward to his next Gym battle rather than saying that he and his friends would accompany Professor Juniper to the Desert Resort.
- As of Team Plasma's Pokémon Power Plot!, it appears that the dubbed edit is true as the skipped episodes are retconned out of continuity, although it creates a plot hole in the dub of what happened to Professor Juniper's research for what caused the strange energy signals that angered the Venipede, what happened to the Meteonite, what happened to Pierce, why Team Rocket went back to their white uniforms, and why Giovanni was suddenly away and busy after being seen arriving in Unova with the intent of claiming the Meteonite.
- However, since the original ending is still kept in re-broadcasts of this episode in Japan and the following episode preview is retained, it is possible that the events of the deleted scene and the removed episodes that followed are still to be viewed as canon despite being retconned later on.
- In the first edition of the rental DVD containing this episode, the preview for the postponed episode was replaced with the preview for the actual following episode. However, subsequent printings of the DVD have restored the original preview for an unclear reason. The original ending to the episode itself remains unaltered in all printings.
In other languages
|Mandarin Chinese
|Når Venipede bisser!
|Een stormloop van Venipede!
|Ansturm der Toxiped!
|Η Εισβολή των Venipede!
|Venipede की भगदड़! Venipede ki Bhagdadh!
|Kota Castelia! Venipede Panik!!
|I Venipede in fuga!
|구름시티! 마디네 공포에 휩싸이다!
|En Venipede flykter av sted!
|Inwazja Venipede'ów!
|A Debandada dos Venipede!
|Uma Invasão de Venipede!
|Нашествие Венипидов!
|Latin America
|¡Una estampida Venipede!
|¡Una estampida de Venipede!
|En Venipederusning!
|เมืองฮิอุน! ตื่นกลัวฝูงฟุชิเดะ!!
|This episode article is part of Project Anime, a Bulbapedia project that covers all aspects of the Pokémon anime.


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FreeBSD Manual Pages
Audio::M4P::Decrypt(3)User Contributed Perl DocumentatioAudio::M4P::Decrypt(3) NAME Audio::M4P::Decrypt -- DRMS decryption of Apple iTunes style MP4 player files DESCRIPTION Originally derived from the DeDRMS.cs program by Jon Lech Johansen SYNOPSIS use Audio::M4P::Decrypt; my $outfile = 'mydecodedfile'; my $deDRMS = new Audio::M4P::Decrypt; $deDRMS->DeDRMS($mp4file, $outfile); METHODS new my $cs = new Audio::M4P::Decrypt; my $cs_conparam = Audio::M4P::Decrypt->new( strHome => '~', sPfix => '.', dirSep => '/' ); Optional arguments: strHome is the directory containing the keyfile directory. After running VLC on a .m4p file under Windows, MacOS X, and Linux, this should be found by the module automatically (APPDATA dir under Win32, ~/ under OS X and Linux). sPfix is '.' for MacOS/*nix, nil with Windows. dirSep is the char that separates directories, often /. For debugging purposes, use eg: my $cs_conparam = Audio::M4P::Decrypt->new( DEBUG => 1, DEBUGDUMPFILE => 'm4ptree.html' ); DEBUG turns on debugging output. DEBUGDUMPFILE is an output file name to dump an html picture of the m4p data structure. DeDRMS my $cs = new Audio::M4P::Decrypt( forceclean => 1 ); $cs->DeDRMS('infilename', 'outfilename'); Decode infilename, write to outfilename. Reading slurps up an entire file, so output can overwrite the same file without a problem, we hope. Backup first. 'forceclean => 1' will also attempt to remove residual personal data from the file. DecryptFile $cs->DecryptFile('infilename', 'outfilename'); More descriptive alias for the DeDRMS method. SEE ALSO LWP::UserAgent::iTMS_Client iTunes::Sid NOTES This software is designed to allow different but fair use of music by the purchaser of the music. In no way is this software intended to facilitate use of digital music files by parties other than the purchaser of the originally DRM-protected material. That is Fair Use, corporate entities. If you need to locate your iTMS keys, look for compatible versions of JHymn or FairKeys, or use the LWP::UserAgent::iTMS_Client Perl module. Class Internal Functions Decrypt GetUserKey AUTHOR Original C# version: copyright Jon Lech Johansen B<firstname.lastname@example.com>. Perl version: William Herrera B<firstname.lastname@example.com>. SUPPORT Questions, feature requests and bug reports should go to <email@example.com>. COPYRIGHT Copyright (c) 2003-2005 William Herrera. All rights reserved. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself. perl v5.24.1 2014-01-03 Audio::M4P::Decrypt(3)
Want to link to this manual page? Use this URL:


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Kenneth MacMillan first choreographed Le Baiser de la fée in 1960; twenty six years later he revisited the ballet, making changes for a new generation of dancers. The first performance of the revised work was at a gala for the Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund along with two works from his years in Berlin, Concerto and Anastasia. The performance was dedicated to the memory of Barry Kay, who had recently died of complications caused by AIDS and who had designed Anastasia along with seven other of MacMillan's works.
To Mary Clarke of The Guardian who had seen the original ballet in 1960 it seemed that MacMillan had "retained much of what was written for Lynn Seymour – those swirling, circular lifts, those limpid descents when the foot melts into the ground above a bent knee, the sorrow of her exit after desertion. And how marvellous to see MacMillan writing again in a purely classical style." John Percival of The Timesalso noted the close resemblances to the 1960 version. "I cannot understand why the earlier version was unsuccessful. It had only 24 performances between 1960 and 1965, yet it was blessed with superb performances and one of the most beautiful decors ever created for the Royal Ballet, a set of marvellous abstract landscapes by Kenneth Rowell." In fact, Kenneth Rowell's designs, which had been destroyed, were themselves the reason why the earlier production was set aside. They were so complex that there were few other ballets with which for technical reasons it could be programmed.
In his earlier production, MacMillan's preoccupation was with the betrayed Bride, the figure in the ballet left truly alone ("she's the one who is lost") after the fairy entices her husband away. But in the 1986 version, MacMillan aligned himself with Stravinsky's original intent; that the ballet is an allegory, the Fairy's fatal kiss marking out the artist from other mortals.
There was little warmth for Martin Sutherland's designs. In The Observer Jann Parry dismissed the set as 'unimaginative'. "He succeeds in evoking neither the Fairy's 'Land beyond Time and Place', nor the village from which she claims her initially reluctant hostage."
By common consent Le Baiser de la fée is Kenneth MacMillan at his most exquisitely classical. But the production did not last long in repertory. Maria Almeida, who danced the Bride, has coached Isabel McMeekan in The Bride's Solo; the video is on this site's Media area.
A new production is to be performed by Scottish Ballet in 2017 and designed by Gary Harris.
First performance: Covent Garden, London, 8 May 1986
Company: The Royal Ballet
Cast: Fiona Chadwick, Sandra Conley, Jonathan Cope, Maria Almeida
Music: Igor Stravinsky, Le Baiser de la fée
Design: Martin Sutherland
2017 Design: Gary Harris
Benesh notation score: Vergie Derman (1986)


text:
Men's Premium T-Shirt is in stock. We will print it as soon as you order it.
Ready to ship in 1-2 days
Classic cut T-shirt for men, 100% cotton (Heather gray and heather ice blue are 95% cotton/5% viscose. Heather blue & charcoal gray are 80% cotton/20% polyester. Heather burgundy is 60% cotton/40% polyester. Heather oatmeal is 99% cotton/1% viscose) Brand: Spreadshirt
Product dimensions measured on a flatly laid out product.
Tip: measure an item of clothing at hand to compare.
4.5 Total stars
Toy Story Explorer Badge from the hit mobile Disneyland photo guessing app, MiceSpy. Think you know Disneyland? Think again! MiceSpy with your eye!


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Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs has torn his Achilles and his 2012 season now is in jeopardy, a source with knowledge of the situation said Thursday. Suggs, however, said via text message, the injury is a partial tear and that he is aiming to return to the field by midseason.
Suggs was working out and doing drills in Arizona, which is his normal offseason plan. It's a huge blow for the pass-rush hungry Ravens, who will be without the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Suggs said that a previous ESPN report stating the injury occurred while he was playing basketball is "false."
The linebacker was maintaining his usual offseason workout routine in Arizona, his home. "We have a conditioning test, and I was practicing for it," Suggs said via text.
He said he felt the injury during a "stop-and-go" exercise. He will visit a specialist on Tuesday.
To all my loyal and true fans, know that everything the can and needs to be done, WILL BE DONE!!!!!! I WILL BE IN A RAVENS UNIFORM IN 2012!!
- Terrell Suggs (@untouchablejay4) May 3, 2012
Ravens top officials became aware of the injury on Monday, according to a team source. Suggs suffered the injury over the weekend.
The Ravens did not immediately confirm the injury, but released a statement via their official Twitter feed.
"We are in contact with Terrell," the Ravens' statement read. "He will see a specialist early next week, and we'll know more at that time."
Ravens' second-round draft pick Courtney Upshaw tweeted, "I keep getn these "it's time to man up" tweets...I mean it's the NFL...with T. Sizzle healthy I wud have to man up its big boy ball..."
Upshaw could be called upon to fill in and replace Suggs' production.
Suggs had a career-high 14 sacks during the 2011 season along with two interceptions. Suggs was a first-team All-Pro selection for the first time last season and has made the Pro Bowl five times in his nine-year career.
Follow Jason La Canfora on Twitter @JasonLaCanfora.


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Polycom to Announce First Quarter 2013 Financial Results on Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Polycom, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM), the global leader in open, standards-based unified communications and collaboration (UC&C), plans to report financial results on Tuesday, April 23, 2013, for the quarter ended March 31, 2013. Financial results will be announced following the close of market, followed by a conference call and webcast at 5 p.m. EST, hosted by Andrew Miller, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Eric Brown, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer.
To participate from US/Canada, please call 1.800.404.5245, and outside US/Canada, please call 1.303.223.2680. The passcode for the call is "Polycom." Polycom will also provide a live video webcast of the call on www.polycom.com.
For callers unable to attend, a replay of the call and webcast will be available. The replay number for US/Canada callers is 1.800.633.8284, and for callers outside US/Canada, 1.402.977.9140, using passcode 21654613. A replay of the webcast will be available on www.polycom.com/investors for approximately 12 months.
About Polycom
Polycom is the global leader in open, standards-based unified communications and collaboration (UC&C) solutions for voice and video collaboration, trusted by more than 415,000 customers around the world. Polycom solutions are powered by the Polycom® RealPresence® Platform, comprehensive software infrastructure and rich APIs that interoperate with the broadest set of communication, business, mobile and cloud applications and devices to deliver secure face-to-face video collaboration in any environment. Polycom and its ecosystem of over 7,000 partners provide truly unified communications solutions that deliver the best user experience, highest multi-vendor interoperability, and lowest TCO. Visit www.polycom.com or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to learn how we're pushing the greatness of human collaboration forward.
© 2013 Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved. POLYCOM®, the Polycom logo, and the names and marks associated with Polycom's products are trademarks and/or service marks of Polycom, Inc. and are registered and/or common law marks in the United States and various other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
- Investor Contact:
- Laura Graves
- Polycom, Inc.
- Tel: +1.408.586.4271
- firstname.lastname@example.com
- Press Contact:
- Shawn Dainas
- Polycom, Inc.
- Tel: +1.408.586.3768
- firstname.lastname@example.com
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text:
Take a tour - hope you find something you like :)
All of the artwork you see here are images from areas of the world that I've travelled. Some are considered studies, others are full paintings. Descriptions (upon clicking) will reveal a little more about the artwork inc aprox size and title, and, when applicable, a history of the area.
Shipping arrangements can be done at time of purchase- email me a note to arrange shipping or pick up time (IN THE COMMENT BOX at time of purchase)
Thanks again!
Much love to you all.
Crystal Beshara is an award winning Canadian contemporary realist painter working in oils, watercolours, pencil, pastel. She accepts commissions for personal, graphic design or commercial work. She teaches art classes in Ottawa and offers painting excursions internationally.
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text:
Wife of
Decemr 21st 1844,
aged 19 years,
9 mos and 21 ds.
The open Bible at the top of the gravestone shows a familiar passage from Ecclesiastes. Note the interesting detail of the dog-eared page on the left.
The uplifting epitaph is from "Funeral Hymn" by Sir John Bowring (b. 1792, d. 1872).
Look aloft the spirit's rising,
Death cannot the sowl imprison,
Tis in heaven that spirits dwell,
Glorious though invisible.
Lithopolis Cemetery, Fairfield County, Ohio


text:
PITTSBURG — The city is ready to play ball as the home of an independent minor league baseball team, according to a proposal that will come before the City Council next week.
City Council members will be asked to approve a resolution on Monday that calls for making $350,000 in improvements to a baseball field at City Park in anticipation of the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs' proposal to add a Pittsburg team to its Bay Area roster, which includes teams in Sonoma, San Rafael and Vallejo.
"It's a little bit of serendipity. It's the right place and the right time," said Lafayette resident and former Major League pitcher Wayne Franklin, who along with his wife, Cris, and business partner Tom Macari make up the Backwards K Group, the team's owners. (a backward K is a symbol used in scorekeeping to show when the batter does not swing at a pitch that the umpire calls as strike three.)
"(Pittsburg) was ready to do something. We happened to be crossing their path at the right time," said Franklin, whose Major League career included a stint with the San Francisco Giants in 2004 before playing his last year in the majors with the Atlanta Braves in 2006.
The team's name is the Pittsburg Mettle. Franklin says the name pays homage to both the city's being an industrial town and its ambitious future as seen in the way the downtown has been rebuilt.
"It kind of defines the direction that Pittsburg is going right now," he said.
No general funds are involved with the resolution that calls for making the improvements and approving a licensing agreement with the Backwards K Group. The $350,000 in funds that would be used to bring one of City Park's seven ball fields up to league standards would come from a reserve account of the Pittsburg Power Co., a city-owned entity that uses revenues from energy projects it develops to promote economic development in the city. The annual maintenance of $15,000 would be paid through the city's Economic Development Fund, which was originally Pittsburg Power Co. funds.
The Pacific Association, which plays at the level of A and AA baseball, is an outgrowth of the North American Baseball League that ceased operations in November 2012.
Pittsburg is a great fit for having a minor league baseball team, said Cris Franklin.
"In the East Bay, it's sort of hard to find baseball fields," she said. "(City Park) does accommodate baseball. That was one of the great things about it," she said.
There is also free parking and access to state Highway 4.
"It's a great setting and we think that Pittsburg is a baseball city," she said.
Pittsburg also shares similarities with some of the successful East Coast city teams that are part of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball Clubs, she added.
"The Atlantic League is what the Pacific Association hopes to be. It's huge and they have unbelievable stadiums," she said.
This will not be the first time that Pittsburg has been home to a minor league baseball team. Between 1948 and 1951, the Diamonds played here, according to a staff report that recommends City Council members approve the resolution as a way to improve an existing infrastructure and the quality of life for residents.
The proposed improvements to be made at Field 1 at City Park include fencing, seating replacement and additional bleachers, safety netting, grass infield improvements, installation of a pitcher's mound and scoreboard, and improvements to the dugout and sound systems, among other changes. Field 1 is the only full-sized baseball field in the park.
If all goes according to plan, the team could be playing its first home game at City Park on June 17, the report said. Ticket prices are expected to range from $5 to $10.
Contact Eve Mitchell at 925-779-7189. Follow her on Twitter.com/EastCounty_Girl.
What: Pittsburg City Council to consider a resolution to bring minor league baseball to the city
When: 7 p.m Monday
Where: City Council chamber, 65 Civic Ave., Pittsburg


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For a great family meal, try this easy-to-prepare pasta dish.
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 25 mins
Yield: 8 x approx. 1 cup servings
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water, until al dente, following package directions.
Meanwhile, spray a large frying pan with olive oil spray and set on high heat. Add mushrooms and garlic. Cook, stirring often for 4 to 5 minutes or until mushrooms are golden. Set aside.
Drain pasta and return to the saucepan or bowl. Add mushrooms, pasta sauce, bocconcini, and parsley. Stir well to combine. Season with black pepper.
Spoon pasta mixture into a 10-cup capacity deep baking dish. Combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan. Sprinkle over the pasta mixture. Spray lightly with olive oil spray. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot and bread crumbs are golden.
Note: This recipe's ingredients have been adjusted from the original Australian measures to the U.S. measures.


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House leaders try to avoid shutdown
The House only finished its second day back in session. The GOP Conference has met just once. But one thing is already clear: The fiscal fights ahead are going to be a mess.
Angst is rippling through the House Republican Conference — from rank-and-file lawmakers to GOP leadership — as the chamber is already struggling to fully coalesce around a plan to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month.
Story Continued Below
Republican leadership's plan to fund the government with a provision attached to a continuing resolution that would defund the health care law is meeting resistance in pockets of conservative lawmakers, who are threatening to oppose a procedural motion that would prevent leadership from bringing the bill to the floor.
( PHOTOS: The day in photos, Sept. 10)
It's another show vote, many House Republicans say. The Senate can easily strip the language out, leaving Obamacare fully funded when it reaches President Barack Obama's desk.
"That's certainly being contemplated and discussed," Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.) told POLITICO, when asked about voting against the bill that sets parameters for debate. "There are a lot of members that are in that position that they will vote against the rule."
With no Democratic support expected, just 17 Republicans need to oppose either the rule or the bill to blow up the entire plan. Conservatives said they have already locked up enough opposition to prevent the bill from moving to the floor. Of course, they say that a lot.
Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) said he would vote against the rule — a position echoed privately to POLITICO by other lawmakers. Club for Growth, which is already active against a member in a GOP primary, said it is urging a "no" vote on the rule and includes it in its congressional scorecard.
( Also on POLITICO: The United States of weakness)
There is a lot of teeth gnashing in Republican leadership, as well. They think their strategy, which was has been discussed for months, is the only way to avoid a government shutdown, lock in low government spending and force the Senate to vote on stripping Obamacare of its funding. Lawmakers and outside groups who oppose it don't have an alternative plan, they say.
"The members need an up-or-down vote defunding Obamacare," said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.). "They also need a vote to continue the government, keep the government operating and to avoid a shutdown. This strategy satisfies both needs."
He added, "I don't want to see a shutdown of the government. And I don't think anyone believes the president would sign a bill that defunds Obamacare under that kind of scenario."
( PHOTOS: 25 unforgettable Obamacare quotes)
But in quiet conversations among senior Republican aides, other motivations are becoming clear, as well. They say passing the defunding resolution along with the CR and sending it to the Senate is a dare, of sorts, to Senate Republicans.
If figures like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) call the plan chicanery, and other conservatives say the House is weak, GOP leadership wants to see him and others stand up and filibuster the CR. In short, the House is sick of getting blamed for being weak on Obamacare.
Asked whether they are trying to put pressure on Senate Republicans to filibuster, Rogers said, "You can say that."
A senior GOP aide said, "They should be preparing for a two [to] three week filibuster, to prevent the Senate from adjourning ." The aide added that there are enough Senate Republicans to prevent a funding bill from reaching President Barack Obama's desk.
( Also on POLITICO: Hill leaders to meet on shutdown)
"By any objective measure, that is 100 percent their failure to defund Obamacare because they can't even achieve unity amongst Senate Republicans," the aide said. "If they could tell us that they could do that, we would be in an entirely different strategic situation, but they have failed to even try, and now their plan is to blame everyone but themselves."
It's with these intraparty feuds, divergence of opinions and uncertainties on strategy that Congress is kicking off a frantic three-month stretch, during which it will deal with several high-stakes fiscal battles that will shape the contours of another year of Barack Obama's presidency, and the 2014 midterm elections.
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will meet Thursday to discuss in depth the debt ceiling and government funding — the defining battles of the next 90 days.
( PHOTOS: John Boehner's life and career)
The funding battle in the House — the first shot in this three-month legislative brawl — is likely to begin late this week, or early next week, when the House votes on what has become known as the Cantor plan.
The continuing resolution itself, - the centerpiece of the plan - was filed late Tuesday by the House Appropriations Committee. It would fund the government through Dec. 15, spending at an annual rate of about $986.3 billion. Within that total, select increases are allowed including $636 million for wildland firefighting in the West. But in general the measure represents a freeze at slightly below the estimated $988 appropriations levels after the first round of sequester cuts last March.


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Hindsight is 20/20 as this year's Deadline looms
Would've, could've, should've.
We hear it a lot in life, and this time of year, it seems we start hearing it more than usual when we're talking about baseball trades.
Would've, could've, should've.
We hear it a lot in life, and this time of year, it seems we start hearing it more than usual when we're talking about baseball trades.
June and July are the traditional months when the trade season reaches its annual apex. Contenders are looking to stock up for pennant races, while clubs that aren't in the thick of things are already trying to better position themselves for the following year and beyond.
The non-waiver Trade Deadline of July 31 is when it all comes to a head, and after the waiver deals of August fade away to the grind of September and the adrenaline of October and the World Series champion is crowned, then and only then can we sift through the smoke and figure out who did well and who didn't.
With that in mind, as we look forward to the next week of wheeling and dealing before the non-waiver clock runs out, here's a list of some of the more significant deals of June and July 2012 and how they panned out:
June 24
The deal: Red Sox trade infielder Kevin Youkilis to White Sox for infielder Brent Lillibridge, pitcher Zach Stewart and cash.
The reasoning: The White Sox still thought they could make a playoff run, so they took a swing at the veteran, albeit injury-prone, Youkilis while sacrificing a bit of young pitching in Zach Stewart and a versatile guy in Lillibridge.
The winner: Tough to say. Youkilis wasn't very effective for Chicago, which failed to make the postseason. Lillibridge was traded to Boston a month later and hasn't stuck in the big leagues since. Stewart was traded to the Pirates in November and claimed off waivers by the White Sox in January, but hasn't pitched in the bigs in 2013.
July 20
The deal: Rockies trade right-hander Jeremy Guthrie to the Royals for left-hander Jonathan Sanchez.
The reasoning: This was a change-of-scenery trade on both sides. Both pitchers weren't at their best during the 2012 season, both were headed for free agency, and both teams were looking for some starting-rotation magic and were willing to take a chance.
The winner: Kansas City. Guthrie righted himself with the Royals in the latter part of 2012, going 5-3 with a 3.16 ERA, re-signed with the improved team in 2013 for three years and $25 million, and has been rolling along this year with nine victories. Sanchez couldn't throw strikes for Colorado, was signed and released by Pittsburgh, and is now struggling for the Dodgers' Triple-A team.
July 23
The deal: Marlins trade right-hander Anibal Sanchez and second baseman Omar Infante to the Tigers for right-hander Jacob Turner, catcher Rob Brantly and left-hander Brian Flynn.
The reasoning: By this time, Miami had realized it wasn't going to contend and decided to shed payroll and go young. Detroit was making a serious playoff push and wanted one more good starting pitcher and veteran infielder, and the Tigers got both for the cost of their top starting prospect, Turner.
The winner: Too soon to tell. Sanchez had a losing record down the stretch for Detroit but compiled a 1.77 ERA in three postseason starts and re-signed for five years and $80 million. He's responded this year with a 2.85 ERA and a WHIP of 1.184 that would be a career low if he keeps it up, but he has a lot to live up to with that monster deal. Meanwhile, Turner is only 22 years old and has looked very good this season, going 3-2 with a 2.44 ERA and already looking like he's in the Miami rotation to stay. The Marlins also like young catcher Brantly, who is starting for the big club.
July 23
The deal: Mariners trade outfielder Ichiro Suzuki and cash to the Yankees for right-handers D.J. Mitchell and Danny Farquhar.
The reasoning: Ichiro himself requested the trade because he knew Seattle was going young, and he is getting up there in years and wanted another shot at the postseason.
The winner: Both teams. The Mariners needed to literally and symbolically close the door on the Ichiro era and fully embrace their youth movement, and the Yanks got a bit of a spark from the still-speedy outfielder. Farquhar has become a useful piece of the Seattle bullpen in the meantime, with an intriguing strikeout ratio.
July 25
The deal: Dodgers trade right-handers Nathan Eovaldi and Scott McGough to the Marlins for shortstop Hanley Ramirez and left-hander Randy Choate.
The reasoning: Once again, Miami's payroll purge was on, big time, and Ramirez had $37.3 million left on his contract. Los Angeles was taking on gobs of salary in an attempt at October and was more than glad to welcome Ramirez and what the club hoped would be plenty of thunder in his bat.
The winner: The Dodgers, for now. Sure, they began 2013 with almost $240 million in player salaries for this season alone, but their new ownership group is flush with television contract money and made moves to indicate that they were serious about trying to win the World Series. Ramirez has been hurt this year, but he's been terrific since returning and Los Angeles is back in first place after early-season struggles. Eovaldi is showing promise in the Majors and McGough is doing well in the Minors, so the Marlins could have something to say about this deal in the years to come.
July 27
The deal: Angels trade shortstop Jean Segura and right-handers Ariel Pena and Johnny Hellweg to the Brewers for right-hander Zack Greinke.
The reasoning: The Halos were trying to catch the Rangers and A's and needed a starter, so why not grab the best one on the board, even though he was headed for free agency? The Brewers knew they had to trade Greinke because he was priced out of their range moving forward. It was a no-brainer to try to get as much as they could for him.
The winner: Milwaukee, by a lot. Segura was a prospect when the deal was struck and is now an All-Star at the age of 23. Hellweg throws very hard and is knocking on the door, having already made a big league start. Greinke, of course, wasn't enough to get the Angels in the playoffs and signed with the Dodgers in the offseason.
July 28
The deal: Rockies trade infielder Marco Scutaro and cash to the Giants for second baseman Charlie Culberson.
The reasoning: Colorado wanted to get younger and Scutaro was 36. San Francisco needed some veteran presence in the infield and a bit of pop in the lineup.
The winner: San Francisco. Scutaro not only solidified second base for the Giants but hit .362 with 44 RBIs in 61 games down the stretch as Bruce Bochy's club stormed to the top of the National League West. Then all he did was win the NL Championship MVP Award and re-sign for three years and $20 million. Culberson, meanwhile, is 24 years old and is having a very good season for Triple-A Colorado Springs.
July 31
The deal: Mariners trade right-hander Steve Delabar to the Blue Jays for outfielder Eric Thames.
The reasoning: Seattle wanted cost-controlled hitters and was dealing from a position of strength. Delabar was a 29-year-old former substitute teacher who touched upper 90s with his fastball and had a high strikeout and homer rate. Toronto wanted a power arm.
The winner: Toronto. Delabar fixed his weaknesses and made the All-Star team. Thames couldn't get on base, never found a permanent roster spot with Seattle, and was traded to Baltimore on June 30 for another Minor Leaguer, Ty Kelly.
July 31
The deal: Giants trade outfielder Nate Schierholtz, reliever Seth Rosin and catcher/first baseman Tommy Joseph to the Phillies for outfielder Hunter Pence.
The reasoning: San Francisco needed bats for its postseason push, and Pence was a good one who was available. Philadelphia figured it was going to owe Pence a bundle in arbitration at season's end (the Giants ended up paying him $13.8 million for 2013) and got three players out of the deal, including Schierholtz, who had shown promise while jockeying for a full-time shot with San Francisco.
The winner: San Francisco. Most players on that team will tell you that Pence's inspirational speeches when the club faced elimination in its first two playoff series last season did more than his bat, although he hit a little bit, too.
Doug Miller is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @DougMillerMLB.


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How Burner Protects Your Real Number
We reroute calls coming to your Burner temporary phone number and send them to your cell phone so your personal number stays private.
Burner is your number for...
Hustling Coaching Rentals Dating Twitter Customers Tasks Dogwalking Instagram Work Spam Fans Random Teaching Safety Events Secrets Tinder Shopping Car Dealers Contracts Airbnb Craigslist Ghosting Dudes Web Forms Small Business Moving Gigs Lyft Comedy Frenemies Amazon Two Factor Auth Bumble Volunteering Postmates Software Archiving Podcasting Coworkers
Only give your personal number to people you trust. For everyone else, there's Burner.
How It Works
Create as many simultaneous local numbers as you need, in any U.S. or Canadian area code.
Calls and texts work similarly to how they do on your main cell phone number but route through your fake phone number.
Keep numbers as long as you want, and burn them whenever you like.
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Choose The Plan That Works for You
Grab as many Burner numbers as you want! We've got two options when it comes to new lines.
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Prepaid Burners are temporary phone numbers—great for salespeople, dating or Craigslist. They're available to purchase in the Burner iOS and Android apps. Download the app to get a free temporary phone number for a week.
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Frequently Asked Questions
+ How does Burner protect my personal phone number?
We reroute calls coming to your Burner and send them to your cell phone so your personal number stays private. This is why it looks like your Burner is calling you when you receive a call and why it looks like you are calling your Burner when you dial out.
The recipient on the other end of a call or text will only see your Burner temporary phone number on their phone.
If someone calls your Burner and you don't answer, the call goes to your Burner voicemail. If you do answer, you'll hear "press 1 to accept this call." Pressing 1 puts the call through to you. This functionality acts like a barrier that prevents callers from hitting your personal number's voicemail.
You create text messages from within the Burner app. The texts appear to the receiver just like they would a normal text message. The recipient only sees your Burner fake phone number.
+ Does Burner use the texts and minutes on my phone plan?
Texts sent or received count against your data only (and don't use much data at all). Calls made or received on Burner count against your cellular phone plan voice allowance -- though unlimited phone plans are common these days, so this may not be an issue.
+ How does Burner show up on my phone bill?
Calls made through Burner show up on your phone bill as calls between your Burner number and your personal number. The end numbers you are calling through Burner are not shown. Incoming calls show up as calls from your Burner number.
+ How long can I keep a Burner number?
As long as you want. Prepaid Burners need to be extended manually before their expiration date. Subscription lines auto-renew, and you can have up to 3 of those.


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Only two weeks after Apple announced it was getting into digital textbook publishing, the Obama administration is urging schools and companies to put digital textbooks in students' hands within the next five years. So is this simply serendipity or is there a little something between the White House and Apple?
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski made the challenge Wednesday saying that e-books are viewed as a way to provide interactive learning, save money and get updated material to students faster, according to the Associated Press.
The administration also released a 67-page booklet that promoted the use of e-books and basically said it hoped districts would spend its dwindling money on iPads and e-books rather than expensive traditional books. Unfortunately, the Obama administration didn't actually offer any grants or financial incentives for cash-strapped schools to adopt the new technology.
Clifford Stoll, the author of "Silicon Snake Oil: Second Thoughts on the Information Highway," may have made the best point for the opposition when he compared computers to the filmstrips of his youth. "We loved them because we didn't have to think for an hour, teachers loved them because they didn't have to teach, and parents loved them because it showed their schools were high-tech. But no learning happened."
It's true that new technology causes a buzz and frisson of excitement, but in the long run is this what children need? The problem is that we can't even get to that question because school districts are so poor, investing in a $499 iPad -- or even a $99 Android tablet -- for each student isn't going to happen. Unless Apple or some other company offers huge discounts or the government offers grants, we don't see digital textbooks catching on as quickly as the administration would like.


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Feel-Good Fashion: The New Black
Farm-to-table has begotten factory-to-closet. Companies are laying bare everything you could ever want to know about the making of your T-shirts and tote bags.
A FEW WEEKS AGO, Michael Preysman, the founder of fashion label Everlane, and his head of creative, Alexandra Spunt, went on a seven-day road trip through China to visit the factories where their silk blouses and cashmere sweaters are made. The purpose of the sojourn: to check in with their factories, and share their findings with customers via videos and photos to be posted on the Everlane website.
An earlier video series showing their T-shirt factory in Los Angeles had been quite popular with online visitors, said Mr. Preysman. "So we said, 'Hey why don't we tackle China?' "
The reason for the journey was partly to address skepticism surrounding Chinese facilities. "We wanted to clear up this misconception around China," said Mr. Preysman. "You can actually work with really great factories over there. And for silk, China is the best in the world." Videos and detailed images of the trip are now on the company's Tumblr page and will soon appear on its website, alongside products made there.
Everlane isn't the only fashion brand to make transparent production central to its philosophy. Just as the Slow Food movement prizes practices that are gentle on the land and the body, a wave of labels and retailers are focusing on socially responsible methods. These companies appeal to the growing number of consumers who want to know what kind of impact their purchases will have—both on the environment and, now more than ever, on other human beings.
Sweatshop labor—and the ethical issues surrounding it— is nearly as old as the Industrial Revolution. In more recent history, Nike was widely criticized for its factory practices in the '90s and early '00s; but the company has made efforts to improve its methods. Since 2005, Nike discloses the name and address of every factory it uses.
However, the issue has exploded in the past year after two major factory disasters in Bangladesh together killed more than 1,200 garment workers who were making clothes for Western companies. In response, many large companies—including H&M; Inditex, which owns Zara; and PVH, which owns Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger—recently signed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, an unprecedented agreement between companies and labor unions. "It's binding and enforceable; it isn't a voluntary program," said Scott Nova, the executive director of the Worker Rights Consortium, which helped develop the Accord. "There's an actual commitment from the brands and retailers to pay for the cost of making factories safe, which is a commitment they've never made before."
" 'It's the smaller companies who are able to provide true transparency to consumers.' "
Still, wary consumers tend to flock to businesses that are small and independent. "The fashion industry is so globalized and uses such convoluted supply chains," said Elizabeth L. Cline, author of "Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion." "It's really the smaller fashion companies who are going to be able to provide true transparency to consumers."
Bringing many of those companies' products together in a single stylish, information-crammed location is the goal of Zady, an e-commerce site set to launch Aug. 27. Zady (pronounced zay-dee, which is both Yiddish for "grandfather" and an Arabic girl's name meaning "prosperity"), is the brainchild of Maxine Bédat, a former law clerk for the United Nations, and Soraya Darabi, a former digital media strategist and co-founder of the app Foodspotting. The site will carry some 40 labels, both American and international, including Steven Alan, Imogene + Willie denim and the English heritage brand Gloverall—a roster the owners plan to keep expanding. "We're not trying to be the neighborhood shop," said Ms. Darabi. "We want to be a global destination for people who care about the origins of products."
Ms. Bédat has some experience in ethical retailing. In 2010, she co-founded the Bootstrap Project, a nonprofit site, while working in Tanzania at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which was prosecuting perpetrators of the genocide. In her free time, she would explore markets where she noticed that many so-called "local crafts" were made in China, while real artisans had trouble finding customers. "In globalization, those jobs and traditions were getting lost," said Ms. Bédat. "The idea behind Bootstrap was to revive them and bring jobs back to the community." On its website, you can buy a printed clutch bag from Zambia or provide a microloan to its maker—or both.
Ms. Darabi, who worked for the New York Times, was an adviser for Bootstrap. But in the pair's conversations, said Ms. Darabi, "we realized there was a for-profit venture we needed to talk about."
Enter Zady. The site uses icons to let shoppers know at a glance if something is locally sourced (to qualify if an items' raw materials come from within 100 miles of where it's made), handmade, made in the U.S., made from high-quality raw materials, environmentally conscious (e.g. made with vegetable dyes) and whether it's affiliated with the Bootstrap Project.
The site's vetting process is a work in progress. Ms. Bédat and Ms. Darabi, who are based in New York, research the practices of every brand they carry in different ways. They've visited some factories, but in many cases rely on the brands to disclose the information, requiring owners to sign contracts verifying the authenticity of their claims about sourcing and production.
"We're a small team," said Ms. Bédat. "We don't have people who are able to fly out and report back." As a result, they've turned down brands that work in countries with a known record of human-rights abuses. Instead, said Ms. Bédat, they've focused on American and European products, often from vertically integrated designers who don't outsource, making traceability a simpler prospect. As they branch out to developing countries, their plan is to work with labor organizations and human rights groups to verify that workers are safe and well-compensated.
One part of this quest for transparency is storytelling, which plays a major role in marketing strategy. Shoppers browsing Zady for Imogene + Willie's slim-cut indigo denim jeans ($225) or winter coats by Gloverall ($625) will be able to read a short brand history that the site's creators hope will provide a greater incentive to click "Buy."
The power of the story is something clearly understood by Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo, the duo behind Of a Kind, a New York-based e-commerce site that sells limited-edition apparel and accessories by independent designers. Each label gets an introduction, often followed by related featurettes, like one on bag designer Clare Vivier's favorite Los Angeles haunts and another on a vintage shopping trip she took in her hometown of St. Paul, Minn.
For Ms. Mazur, a former arts consultant, and Ms. Cerulo, who was an editor at Details and Lucky magazines, the stories have been essential. "How do you convince someone to spend $300 dollars on a designer they might not have heard of, on a product they've never touched?" said Ms. Mazur. "If you can tell them that story and give them that emotional attachment, we think that's going to work." Last year, Ms. Mazur said, the company's revenues were up 300% from the previous year, and the site has been turning a profit for the past nine months.
Another factor in the decision to buy is trust in fair pricing. Certainly this new conscious consumer doesn't want to save money by exploiting third-world labor, but she also doesn't want to be fleeced. That's an area where Belgian designer Bruno Pieters's venture, called Honest By, which was founded early last year, might be unmatched.
Mr. Pieters's company provides painstakingly detailed information for each item it sells: the source of every material, trimming and thread; the address and owner of its production facility; its cost breakdown and markup, as well as its carbon footprint. "I never thought about transparency or things like sustainability. You just assume it will be fine," said Mr. Pieters, who used to design for his own luxury label, as well as Hugo Boss, before taking a sabbatical in 2009.
Everlane, too, publishes the cost breakdown of each piece on its blog. The San Francisco-based company said it is able to offer high-quality basics like Supima cotton T-shirts and silk button-down blouses at prices lower than those of luxury competitors by selling only online, which keeps overhead to a minimum. Everlane products are sold at a markup of about 220% versus the industry norm of 500% to 800% times the cost-to-manufacture price.
Unlike Mr. Pieters, however, Everlane's Mr. Preysman doesn't disclose the names and addresses of factories, explaining that he doesn't want competitors moving in on his turf. However, the company uses third-party auditors to ensure its living-wage and safety standards.
Experts in the field of ethical sourcing and trade still encourage skepticism, no matter how warm and fuzzy a website makes one feel. "There is a lot of consumer concern, and there is a tendency for smaller companies to want to exploit it," said Mr. Nova of the Worker Rights Consortium. "That can be a very positive motivation, but the concern is that there are people who, out of cynicism or lack of understanding, are not making verifiable claims."
A WORLD OF GOOD GOODS // A Few Well-Intended Brands
Ex-private equity investor Michael Preysman set up the online-only label in 2011, with the intention of making beautiful essentials for men and women that are ethically produced and affordable. The look is casually elegant, like a little sister to the label the Row.
Former arts consultant Claire Mazur and ex-magazine editor Erica Cerulo founded this multi-brand site in late 2010. The duo works with indie designers on limited-edition merch (the cast of "Girls" would love it) and publishes features introducing the designers to their clientele.
Belgian designer Bruno Pieters's online-only label, Honest By, founded in early 2012, is honest and then some. There's a detailed accounting for every component in its supply chain. Mr. Pieters also invites other young European designers to do small collections with the same transparency. The overall aesthetic is sophisticated: avant-garde for the ethical set.
Digital strategist Soraya Darabi and lawyer Maxine Bédat want to make conscious consumption effortless, eventually on a global scale, through their e-commerce boutique, Zady (set to launch Aug. 27). The prevailing style can be described as "grown-up hipster," à la Steven Alan, one of the 40 some labels that the site will stock.
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Phone: (412) 268-3818
Personal Homepage
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My area of expertise is three dimensional (3D) computer vision, specifically using high accuracy range sensors such as laser scanners for problems in the areas of modeling, recognition, and visualization. My goal is to make progress toward solving the problem of scene understanding using 3D computer vision. I am particularly interested in methods that combine image-based approaches from traditional computer vision with 3D computer vision algorithms. I am interested in methods to extract high-level semantics from 3D models, such as models of buildings. The ability to reverse engineer buildings has enormous potential benefit in a variety of fields, ranging from robotics to civil engineering to homeland security. I am also interested in methods for processing and visualizing 3D data in real time for high-speed teleoperation telepresence applications. Finally, I am studying the effects of sensor noise and data artifacts on the accuracy of 3D models for precision measurement applications.


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Space fever13 May 2015
ESA > Science & Exploration > Human and Robotic Exploration > PromISSe
Latest News
Space fever13 May 2015 It started with a simple question that ended with a surprising answer and new technology that is being used in cutting-edge heart surgery and could save millions of euros in hospital bills.
Welcome home, André!31 August 2012
Welcome home, André!31 August 2012 In July, ESA astronaut André Kuipers landed on Earth after a bumpy ride in a Soyuz capsule. Yesterday, he landed by helicopter on the beach near ESA's technical centre in the Netherlands to loud applause from the large crowd gathered to welcome him ho...
The worm that feels at home in space11 July 2012
The worm that feels at home in space11 July 2012 Astronauts return to Earth weakened and unsteady after weightlessness and radiation in space take their toll on the human body. New research now shows that the humble nematode worm adapts much better to spaceflight.
ESA astronaut André Kuipers returns to Earth01 July 2012
ESA astronaut André Kuipers returns to Earth01 July 2012 PR 19 2012 - ESA astronaut André Kuipers, together with his Russian Commander Oleg Kononenko and NASA astronaut Donald Pettit, has landed safely on the steppes of Kazakhstan at 08:14 GMT (10:14 CEST) in Soyuz TMA-03M.
Wrapping up six months of work26 June 2012
Wrapping up six months of work26 June 2012 ESA astronaut André Kuipers is scheduled to leave the International Space Station and land on 1 July. André is finishing experiments and packing his bags ready for departure. One of the last experiments is looking at how a human body stays warm.
Delving inside Earth from space12 June 2012
Delving inside Earth from space12 June 2012 ESA astronaut André Kuipers is running experiments on the International Space Station that are shedding light on conditions deep inside Earth. Orbiting some 400 km above us, Geoflow is offering insights into the inner workings of our planet.


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PRC-148 MBITR PC Programmer
This is a forum to discuss Thales / Racal radios such as the Thales Liberty, T25, PRC-148.
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Re: PRC-148 MBITR PC Programmer
Yes, the PRC6809 is the "Clear" MBITR with only DES encryption but they will only sell it to agencies, not individuals.
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