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NBA owners speak out against alleged Sterling comments
Lakers, Sixers, Kings, Spurs, Mavericks and Rockets owners release statements condemning comments, among others.
More: Sterling issue Q&A | Latest updates | NBA findings uesday | NBA news
In the wake of the scandal surrounding the alleged racist comments from Clippers owner Donald Sterling, there was a cacophony of public demand for the owners to denounce Sterling and push for substantial punishment.
There is apprehension that if Sterling is indeed the person caught on tape in the remarks, that ownership will once again go easy on him as they have done in the past, sweeping the matter under the rug to avoid setting a precedent that could harm them in future scandals by empowering broad punitive strength from the commissioner's office.
Many have even pre-emptively criticized NBA ownership, with the widespread belief being that Bobcats owner Michael Jordan is the only one who has spoken out on the issue. But Jordan actually inititally declined comment on the matter before later issuing a harsh public statement. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban aso initially declined comment.
But Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive was actually ahead of the pack, tweeting Saturday night:
If @TMZ recording is true, we must have zero tolerance. Fully support commish Silver @NBA.
— Vivek Ranadivé (@Vivek) April 27, 2014
Spurs owner Peter Holt also spoke Saturday, saying that he didn't want to jump the gun on the investigation... and then pretty much jumping the gun anyway.
"I want to be very careful," Holt said. "The league is doing its own investigation and I don't want to jump the gun.
"I don't know the context, but from what I've heard it sounds bad and it isn't like this is the first go-around for him."
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was more direct.
"The comments are obviously disgusting," he said.
Holt lamented the fact Sterling's alleged comments distract from his own team's accomplishments this season, the NBA in general and the playoffs now underway.
"They've got a great team and the problem with it for him, in my opinion — forget the NBA — is that it takes away from the success of the team and the focus on the team, which is unfortunate," Holt said. "That's where the focus should be, in my opinion. That's my issue with any owner when they take away from what's real, which is the games, the playoffs, the team, the hard work the team has done and where they are today, in any way, shape or form, negatively or positively, and put the spotlight on themselves.
"I just think the spotlight needs to be where it should be, and that's the teams and the games. That's what our fans are interested in. Some owners believe they're interested in the owners. I don't buy that, personally, and after being in the league 18 years I think I've figured out some of it."
via San Antonio Spurs News, Scores, Stats & Analysis – Spurs Nation » Spurs CEO Holt weighs in on Sterling controversy.
And after Jordan's statement, on Monday came a cavalcade of criticism in the form of official statements from NBA ownership. Rockets owner Leslie Alexander brought out the hammer when discussing the situation with clear outrage:
Calling the comments "disgusting," Alexander said he told Silver he should stab "a sword" into the heart of Sterling's ownership of the Clippers.
"I thought that there's got to be a way to disrupt him from owning the team," said Alexander, who after 20 years owning the Rockets is one of the longest tenured owners in the NBA. "I gave him the sword to deal with this. I said, 'Let the players become free agents.'"
Alexander said the goal of his suggestion was not to break up the Clippers, considered among the league's top teams, or even to punish Sterling. He said the objective was solely to back Sterling into a corner from which he will choose to sell the Clippers.
The NBA constitution does not allow the league owners to remove Sterling, Alexander said. But he added that the NBA needed to take steps to drive Sterling from the league.
"This kind of behavior can't be allowed in the NBA by owners, players or anybody," Alexander said. "This guy has no place in the family of the NBA. Whatever it takes, we have to make sure this kind of event never happens again."
The first step to ensuring that, he said, was to get Sterling out of the league.
"I mentioned that to Adam," Alexander said. "I told Adam I don't think he can be removed because the constitution (of the NBA) only allows him to be removed except for gambling. I'm not sure that legally can be done. But if he loses his players, nobody is going to want to go there. He'll only be able to get a player that is worth $2 million and will play for $12 (million.) And who is going to want to coach there?
"If you're a player in the NBA you don't want to play for somebody like that. If you worked for a company, you would walk away and say, 'I'm gone." I think the players should have that right."
Though Alexander had referred to the NBA "family," and said that he and Silver did discuss if there was anything that could have been done sooner to sanction or even remove Sterling, he was especially dismayed by the suggestion that he and other NBA owners are in any way represented by Sterling. Though they share inclusion in a 30-member club, and an even smaller group of owners with decades long place in the league, Alexander said theirs is more of a forced association.
"I'm really upset that some of the press has lumped us together as one," Alexander said. "We are 30 different individuals and most of us are not even friends. We are business associates. To lump us together is beyond the pale."
Still, as "disgusting" as Alexander said Sterling's comments were, there was something missing from his reaction that revealed much of what he thought of Sterling.
"I wasn't," Alexander said, "really surprised."
via Ultimate Rockets » Calling Sterling comments disgusting, Leslie Alexander seeks to drive him from NBA.
From Lakers president Jeanie Buss:
"The comments and sentiments expressed on the tape are reprehensible and disturbing, and certainly are the opposite of how the Lakers feel about the league's players and fans. I have full confidence that Adam Silver and the NBA will handle this situation appropriately."
From Pacers owner Herb Simon:
"I want our players, our coaches, and everyone in our community to know that I believe statements attributed to Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling are appalling, offenseive, and totally contrary to my core beliefs and everyone in our entire organization. I am confident that Commissioner Adam Silver, who will speak tomorrow, and his staff wll exercise due dilligence on behalf of the National Basketball Association,its players and our fans and arrive at a solution that addresses the seriousness of the situation."
From Wizards owner Ted Leonsis:
As I have stated, there should be zero tolerance for hatemongering.
Hate speech demonstrates an ignorance that is unacceptable, and I implore all of us to help eliminate any form of discrimination.
I have full confidence that Commissioner Silver will conduct a thorough investigation and act accordingly upon his findings.
via Zero Tolerance for Hatemongering.
From the San Jose Mercury News, speaking with Warriors owner Joe Lacob:
Q: What is your reaction to the comments on the Sterling recording and comments?
LACOB: Clearly inappropriate. It's very sad that we have to all go through this.
Hopefully we can get through this and resolve the issues and put it behind us. But clearly very inappropriate behavior.
It's just something that I think no matter who you are, racism doesn't belong period, in any way, doesn't matter, black, white, whatever color. Inappropriate.
I wish we didn't have to do this today. I wish our game didn't have to be the centerpiece of all this today. I feel bad for our fans and players and everybody who will have to deal with this.
via Joe Lacob on the Donald Sterling comments: "Clearly inappropriate–it's very sad that we have to all go through this" – Talking Points.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban maintained his position of relative no-comment, wanting to condemn the comments without actually commenting on the matter.
Sometimes people think you have to comment on everything in this day and age," Cuban said. "When somebody says something, it's better to just let what's been said be the headline, because that sends a far greater message."
The comments, made public when TMZ released a recording of an argument with Sterling and his girlfriend, are being investigated by the NBA. Cuban deferred to the league office when asked about potential discipline for Sterling.
San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich called the comments "disgusting." The usually outspoken Cuban felt it was unnecessary for him to weigh in on the issue.
"They stand on their own, just because they're pretty self-evident on the surface," Cuban said. "There's no reason to add any commentary or headlines to it. ...
"The obvious is the obvious. There's no reason for me to repeat the obvious."
Cuban did acknowledge the severity of the issue, but he repeatedly said it's an issue for commissioner Adam Silver and the league to address.
"Obviously if any business or entrepreneur says and does things that aren't congruent with what the organization's trying to convey, that's a problem," Cuban said.
"But it's not my problem. Not my chair, not my problem. I'm not going to offer any opinions. It's just not appropriate."
via Mavericks owner Mark Cuban on Sterling: 'The obvious is the obvious' - ESPN Dallas.
From Heat owner Micky Arison:
In a statement, Heat owner Micky Arison calls Donald Sterling's comments "appalling, offensive and very sad."
— Joseph Goodman (@JoeGoodmanJr) April 26, 2014
From Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf:
Jerry Reinsdorf statement on Sterling: "The issue is now in league hands and I'm confident the Commissioner will act quickly, appropriately"
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) April 28, 2014
Petatements attributed to Clippers owner Donald Sterling, if true, are abhorrent, and not acceptable for the owner of an NBA franchise or anyone in professional sports. We at the Trail Blazers reject any and all such sentiments, and believe NBA leadership should take swift and impactful action in this case."
From Sixers managing owner Josh Harris:
"Without question, discrimination in any form is unacceptable and has no place in the National Basketball Association or anywhere else in society. The comments were hurtful and outrageous, and in no way reflect the values and beliefs of myself, our ownership group or the Philadelphia 76ers organization.
I am confident that Commissioner Silver will undertake a thorough and thoughtful investigation into the matter."
From Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert:
"It is shocking that anyone could hold the kind of offensive and feeble minded views that are being attributed allegedly to the Clippers owner, Donald Sterling. The diverse staff members of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise are unified in encouraging Commissioner Silver and the NBA to respond with swift and appropriate action consistent with a strong zero tolerance approach to this type of reprehensible behavior."
The outcry comes in the wake comments released first to TMZ and then Deadspin over the weekend from a recorded conversation between Sterling and his girlfriend.
Adam Silver said over the weekend that the league intends to find a resolution before Game 5 of the Clippers-Warriors series Tuesday night. It's not known as of yet whether the NBA is ready to issue punishment in the event that Sterling is identified as the person on the tape.
The outrage over the comments grew like wildfire after the recording was first leaked Friday. Players from all across the league, current and former, spoke out against it. Kevin Johnson met with Silver on Sunday to represent the players' union. Sponsors began pulling their support from the Clippers Monday morning. The Clippers players reportedly considered boycotting Game 4, and they staged a silent protest on Sunday before Game 4 vs. the Warriors by turning their warmups inside out.
NBA All-Star Game: Past Winners, MVPs
A dive into the NBA history books for every result from every NBA All-Star Game
James wouldn't let Team LeBron lose
James set the tone during practice that this year's All-Star game was going to be differen...
Embiid proves he can hang with All-Stars
The 76ers center handled 'mismatches' like they were nothing
LeBron: 'I will not shut up and dribble'
LeBron James says he will continue his social activism no matter what people say about him
Redick denies using racial slur in video
The 76ers guard is in hot water after a controversial video surfaced showing him using a racial...
All-Star Game: LeBron wins MVP
LeBron James earned his third career All-Star Game MVP award


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Carolyn Mahaney identifies with the challenges facing women in today's world and meets them with the guidance of God's Word. The feminine virtues described in Titus 2 have transformed her life and the lives of countless other women. This book will show you the appeal of being a woman who lives for God and helps others do the same.

subset: commoncrawl


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Note: Rates above are rental rates prior to addition of taxes and fees. Rental rates are subject to change and may increase or decrease depending on availability. Existing reservations with prepayment are excluded.
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Zynga Contributed 15% of Facebook's Revenue In Q1, Down From 19% A Year Ago
Netflix Beats Q1 2012 Expectations, Reports Losses Of $.08 Per Share On $870 Million In Revenue
Zynga and Facebook are ever gradually trying to separate from each other. It's working — sort of?
Facebook said today that 15 percent of its revenue in the first quarter came from either advertising or payments tied to Zynga games.* That's down from 19 percent during the same time a year earlier.
About 11 of the 15 percent in revenue was from the 30 percent revenue share Facebook takes from transactions in Zynga games on the platform or advertising that Zynga directly paid Facebook for. Another 4 percent comes from advertising shown alongside Zynga content.
Facebook continues to emphasize that any bad blood between the two companies could hurt financial results. Zynga recently overhauled its site as a web destination for gaming that it hopes will attract users away from the Facebook canvas. The social network is still powering payments for the site, however, meaning that Zynga is still paying Facebook its 30 percent share.
"Zynga may choose to try to migrate users from existing Facebook-integrated games to other websites or platforms," Facebook said in an updated filing for an initial public offering. "We may fail to maintain good relations with Zynga or Zynga may decide to reduce or cease its investments in games on the Facebook Platform. If the use of Zynga games on our Platform declines for these or other reasons, our financial results may be adversely affected."
Overall, Facebook's payments and fees revenue is pretty much double what it was a year ago at $186 million, up from $94 million. It makes up 17.6 percent of Facebook's overall revenue, up from 12.9 percent in the first quarter of last year. But this isn't a perfect comparison since Facebook's 30 percent revenue share for transactions on the canvas only became mandatory last July. Payments and fees revenue is basically flat on the quarter too.
*Note: There was a 12% figure that was widely reported a few months ago when Facebook first filed for an initial public offering. But that was Zynga's share of Facebook's revenue for all of 2011 and it excluded advertising bought by other companies that shows up alongside Zynga games.
Here's the exact text if you want to read it yourself:
In 2011 and the first quarter of 2012, we estimate that up to 19% and 15% of our revenue, respectively, was derived from Payments processing fees from Zynga, direct advertising from Zynga, and revenue from third parties for ads shown on pages generated by Zynga apps. If Zynga does not maintain its level of engagement with our users or if we are unable to successfully maintain our relationship with Zynga, our financial results could be harmed.
In 2011 and the first quarter of 2012, Zynga directly accounted for approximately 12% and 11%, respectively, of our revenue, which was comprised of revenue derived from Payments processing fees related to Zynga's sales of virtual goods and from direct advertising purchased by Zynga. Additionally, Zynga's apps generate pages on which we display ads from other advertisers; for 2011 and the first quarter of 2012, we estimate that an additional approximately 7% and 4%, respectively, of our revenue was generated from the display of these ads. Zynga has recently launched games on its own website and on non-Facebook platforms, and Zynga may choose to try to migrate users from existing Facebook-integrated games to other websites or platforms. We may fail to maintain good relations with Zynga or Zynga may decide to reduce or cease its investments in games on the Facebook Platform. If the use of Zynga games on our Platform declines for these or other reasons, our financial results may be adversely affected.
More big Facebook news from today:
Facebook's Amended S-1: 901 Million Users, 500M Mobile, Paid $300M Cash + 23M Shares For Instagram
Facebook Buys AOL Patents From Microsoft For $550 Million In Cash
Rather Than Pay Off Yahoo, Facebook Built A Fortress 1400 Patents Strong


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Third Time's The Charm Episode May 18, 2004
9:30am - 11:30am
No description available for this episode.
Track Listing:
Don't Know Why
Mr. Airplane Man · C'mon DJ
the night
andre ethier · w/Christopher Sandes...
i've lost my heart to you
dexter romweber · blues that defy my soul
orphan boy
half pint and the fifths · v/a-back from the grave 7
that's my girl
great scots · arrive!
no reason to complain
alarm clocks · v/a-back from the grave
that's the bag i'm in
the fab
bad little woman
fuzztones · live in europe!
remind me
mono men · wrecker!
keep on trying
outsiders · best of the...
The Hurt Is Over
DT's · Hard Fixed
the dap dip
sharon jones & the dap kings · dap dippin' w/...
the swim
mach kung fu · teach a chick to dance
my baby likes to boogaloo
don gardner · v/a-whip it on 'em
the samedi strut
baron samedi esq · live...no overdubs!
shikasta · v/a-trans canada beaver cook off
filthy part of town
nasty on
double gemini
this moment in black history · midwesterncuttalistick
no natural law
catheters · howling...it grows and grows!
does compute
division of laura lee · das not compute
misty rowe
young heart attack · mouthful of love
saw it comin'
ends · s/t
walks the streets
clorox girls · s/t
nobody's fool
orphans · everybody loves you when you're dead
cut your feet off
tyrades · s/t
kiss on the lips
sick fits · are we the young savages?
go go island
urban surf kings · surf vs. the flying saucers
luger 3
jucifer · war bird


text:
Extra-large painted metal letter 'S', mid-1900s
Salvaged from the facade of an office building, the extra-large, hollow letter is made from folded metal painted in red and white enamels (older coats of paint underneath), several screw-on brackets at top and base. 63cm high x 33 x 8cm. With age wear and some paint losses
See all letters currently in stock
Price: SOLD
Delivery to Mainland UK: FREE
Europe: 25.00 GBP
Rest of World: 55.00 GBP


text:
Another cool video by OK Go.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Amazing Young Musicians
Look what these passionate young musicians are doing. What about you?
Tina S. – 15yo
The Kanneh-Mason family. Ages 8-17!
We're back!
The TPMS music website is back up and running meaning that chorus students can access practice tracks, general music students can access history info and music, and we can all share cool music and videos with each other.
First up: student requests!
From Juliana Ingram – OK Go
From Lily Zhou – Lindsey Sterling
Rest in Peace B.B. King
This morning B.B. King, one of the premier blues guitarist of the past generations died at age 89 in Las Vegas. Check out the videos below to hear an amazing performance on his legendary guitar "Lucille" and a documentary about this monumental force in Blues Music.
Rest in Peace.
Best Day of My Life: The Rock in Schools Story
A number of middle school in Montgomery County are featured in this upcoming documentary about using rock and pop in music education as a viable, exciting, and fun way to approach the curriculum. Though the trailer doesn't feature us much, Takoma general music classes will be featured in the full length documentary.
The original idea for the movie came from Ms. Randi Levy at Roberto Clemente Middle School who started the Rock in Schools program at her school. A number of other teachers around the school system (including us) have also started using pop and rock instruments and the teachers at these schools wanted to find a way to help spread the word about these programs, raise money to help other schools afford instruments and equipment, and to provide training to teachers to implement similar programs.
Please watch the trailer below, like it on youtube and share it with your friends and family. Let's do our part to help other schools bring programs like these into the culture of their schools. Our goal is to get 250,000 likes on Youtube. Rock on Takoma!
Video of the Week – 2/2 "We Are the Champions"
In honor of the Superbowl, Jimmy Fallon and the Roots invited some friends to join them in an a cappella version "We Are the Champions" by Queen. Check it out!
Journal: What do you think? What is a cappella music? What did these singers need to think about to create their version of this song? Explain your answer.
Video of the Week 12/15 – Music, the internet, and possibility
Usman Riaz discusses his use of the internet to learn how to play music in unconventional ways and how this inspires him to wonder how it could be used to learn anything the world offers.
Journal: What do you think? Does a teacher have to be someone you know? Have you ever used the internet to learn something new? Have you ever used the internet to learning something musical?
Spotted! Takoma park musicians!
This week was full of Takoma music.
I spotted 6th grade chorus member Anna Grace O'Malley performing during the intermission of The Washington Revels Holiday Concert. I didn't know she fiddled! You go Anna Grace!
Then on Tuesday and Wednesday nights the band and orchestra from Takoma, under the direction of Mrs. Holly Pasquale, performed for their families, friends, and the Takoma community. I was able to make it to the Wednesday performance to see the beginning band, intermediate band, intermediate orchestra, and the jazz band. Here are two excerpts from the intermediate bands and orchestras. Congrats on a great performance!
Fête de l'Escalade: December 11-12
Casharelle Bonard in 6th grade chorus clued me in on festival celebrated in Geneva, Switzerland where she used to live and asked if I'd share a little about it with you all.
Every year, the Swiss celebrate the defeat of a surprise attack on Geneva by the French Duke of Savoy (Charles Emmanuel I) in 1602. According to legend, Catherine Cheynel who lived with her husband and 14 children above the Gate of Geneva seized a large cauldron of boiling soup and poured it on the top of the attackers. According to legend, this caused such a commotion that the citizens of the city rose up and defeated their attackers.
Every year on Fête de l'Escalade, schools serve vegetable soup to students and families, students go door to door singing for money, there is a parade through town and teenagers participate in a mock fight in which they throw flour, eggs, and shaving cream at each other in the central square of Geneva (which she found really funny!).
Here is a video showing some of the sights and sounds of the festival including a song that tells the story of Fête de l'Escalade. Enjoy!
"I Lived" OneRepublic – Inspiring music video about living your life to it's fullest each and every day
Lukabed Bati in 6th grade general music sent this to me. Inspiring!


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Solvent Based Industrial Paints Datasheets
from FORREST Technical Coatings
Stove Bright ® 1A62H290 Satin Black is a high heat coating formulated with a unique blend of heat resistant pigments in a silicone polymer resin that provides excellent color retention and film integrity in working temperature up to 1200 °F (650 °C). This coating is designed for rapid... [See More]
- Form: Aerosol; Solvent
- Cure / Setting Technology: Thermoplastic; Film Drying
- Chemistry: Resin; Silicone
- Coverage: 125
from Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine Coatings
4060 FasTop ™ Cove Base Resin. A broad range of solutions for virtually every Industrial Flooring and Wall system application [See More]
- Form: Liquid; Solvent
- Chemistry: Fluoropolymers; Resin
- Type: Base Coat
- Cure / Setting Technology: Film Drying
from Aervoe Industries Incorporated
Cost-effective, provides good visibility in the two-month range [See More]
- Form: Aerosol; Solvent
- Cure / Setting Technology: Film Drying
- Chemistry: Alkyd; Resin
- Cure Temperature: 50 to 100
from Chemical Strategies, Inc.
Chemical Strategies offers all Krylon products. If you are unable to locate a paint or coating you need, our sales department can custom source any needed materials for you directly. [See More]
- Form: Solvent
from DuPont Performance Coatings
DuPont 13206STM provides a chromate conversion coat on aluminum and aluminum alloys. The coating formed by DuPont 13206STM is gold to tan in color and provides for adhesion of subsequent primer as well as corrosion protection. [See More]
- Form: Solvent
- Cure Temperature: 100
- Cure / Setting Technology: Film Drying; Multicomponent
- Dispensing Method: Sprayable
from PPG TrueFinish
No lead or chrome [See More]
- Form: Liquid; Solvent
- Chemistry: Alkyd; Resin
- Type: Primer
- Cure / Setting Technology: Film Drying


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Courses and salary for the IT/IS field
I am currently a senior in college and will be graduating in two years. I'm majoring in Management Information...
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Systems and Economics. The courses required for the MIS major are as follows:
- Advanced Business COBOL
- Systems Analysis and Design
- Database Systems in Business
- Networking and Telecomm Systems
- Application Software Design
- Distributed Projects
- Object-oriented Business Systems
All lot of the classes seem to focus on client/servers systems. I understand that the field is becoming increasingly tight in the way of jobs that are available. My question is: With this major and the above classes taken will it be difficult to find a job in the IT or IS field? What is the average starting salary for someone with my education? I do have experience working for the University's Management Information Office as a technician.
Carl,It's impossible to project what the job market will be like when you graduate two years from now. While all knowledge is a positive thing, my question is: Why set your goals at MIS/IT? If you're in school now, and you like technical stuff, why not Engineering? Combine Engineering and Economics, or English and Business and you'd be much more employable. Approximate average salary in MIS might be $30,000 (rough); however, in Engineering it may well be $36,000-$40,000, depending on the state of the economy, need at the time, etc.
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Results 1 to 6 of 6
Thread: Make a class that does this:
- 12-08-2012, 08:02 PM #1Member
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Need help on this
Ok, here's what I need to do:
Part 1:
Create an abstract class named "Customer".
Add 2 private fields to the class, "name" and "id".
Add a constructor that takes 2 arguments, "aName" and "aId".
Add the following abstract method "public abstract double discount();"
Part 2:
Create a Child class of Customer named "OnlineCustomer".
Add a constructor that takes 2 arguments, name, id.
Write the body of the inherited abstract discount method.
Online customers get a 10% discount.
Part 3:
Create a JFrame class for your user interface named "CustomerJFrame".
I can create the button, but have trouble with the text fields and JLabels. I need the first JLabel and text field lined up on the first row, then a second jlabel and text field on the row below it.
I then add a button below that does this:
When the button is selected, create the OnlineCustomer object using the name and id from your JTextFields. Display the name, id and discount in the OnlineCustomer object in the message JLabel.
In the end, it should look like these pictures:
I think I've got the right code for part 1, but I need help on part 2 and 3. What I got won't run.
Last edited by darthvader45; 12-09-2012 at 05:37 PM. Reason: More info
- 12-14-2012, 07:37 AM #2Member
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Re: Need help on this
What errors do you have, it would be nice to have a starting place because creating the whole GUI for demonstrative purposes is kind of a pain.
Re: Need help on this
Create this in Eclipse: Create an abstract class named Customer - JustAnswer ?
dbIf you're forever cleaning cobwebs, it's time to get rid of the spiders.
- 12-14-2012, 05:18 PM #4Member
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Re: Make a class that does this:
What is 'advanced' about this question?
kind regards,
JosBuild a wall around Donald Trump; I'll pay for it.
- 12-21-2012, 05:21 AM #6Senior Member
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The Philippine government is courting Ford Motor Co., hoping to convince the auto maker to put additional production facilities in the country. Gregory Domingo, Philippines Board of Investments chief, reportedly visited Ford's Dearborn headquarters recently to lobby for production of more models in the Philippines Ford Motor Co. Philippines is the first local car maker to export a completely built-up (CBU) unit, the Ford Escape model to Thailand. Domingo says in reports Ford is waiting ...
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As an American citizen with left leaning politics I am trapped in a small box. I have no real political choices. I have no chance. Between the American Taliban and the pragmatists, we have shut down the voice of a legitimate American left. Yes, we still have Bernie Sanders, but where are the other voices? Buried down in the layers of the noise machine. The 200 Tea Partyers get first page New York Times coverage and the thousands who fight to protect the safety net, get little notice.
- I can vote for a Neo-Liberal free market centrist, Barack Obama;
- Not vote; or
- Vote for a marginal third party, or an independent candidate who emerges.
In truth, these are not choices. In a Parliamentary system, I would be a member of a party that mirrored my political leanings. I would vote along my party line and the winner, would have to probably enter a coalition with my party, the lefty party of my choice. In the American political system, I am held captive. I could choose a Green Party, or a Socialist Party in German, Greece, Italy, or France. Cripes, Egypt will have more political parties in this election round. In the end, yes the muddy middle wins and Neo-libearal (corporatist) economics prevail.
Vote for the Democratic candidate, or the American Taliban will be elected. Your rights, actually your daughter's rights at this time in life, the social safety net, the environmental policies, the human rights, in sum all your core values will be abolished by the fanatics. So, unless I capitulate to the corporatist Neo Liberal economic policies and centrist social policies, of the incumbent, I will have to shoulder the responsibility for the catastrophe. People still blame the Nader voters in 2000 for the Gore loss. How democratic of you.
The political blackmail barrage will start:
- It's about the supreme court.
- Save Social Security.
- The last drips and drabs of environmental policy.
In truth, I will get a mediocre Supreme Court, Obama will most likely overhaul Social Security to satisfy the big donors that will help him raise the 1 Billion, all the money will be spent to woo the "Independent" voters, the great bipolar middle, the right will get a chunk of Congress, and the left, will still be on the sidelines diddling with lofty notions of "reason", "pragmatism", "the excellent is the enemy of the good", drone, drone and drone.
The left, by throwing its early support behind Obama, gave him a tremendous win. In the process, it failed to create a left base, or voice. In that respect, the right-wing, from the margins, was somehow better at patching together a voice via the Tea Party. We can laugh all we want, but they got their distorted populist message out and ours, the real populist message, languished on the inter webs in meek voices.
Representative Democracies need multiple viable political parties. This two-party system is killing our democracy. It is merging all the voices into the status quo. Without parties that offer real political agendas, we get this mish-mash of delirium and confusion. Meanwhile, the guys who fund all the candidates, the corporatist, get all the access.
Workers have power via unions. Voters have power via parties, voter blocks. We, of the American left, were put in the dunce corner and told to be good citizens. Our pragmatism and reason limits us to the role of saps.
Let me introduce myself: I am Stella, an American lefty. I could never be a card carrying lefty. I always have to apologize and compromise. Just once, let me vote my politics.


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Mental Health
Noura's story
How one Syrian in Iraq trained to provide mental health support to other refugees
breadcrumb navigation:
A hidden health issue worldwide
Mental health care|Trauma support|Psychosocial training
Mental illness is one of the great invisible health issues in all societies, accounting for four out of the ten leading causes of disability worldwide.
Yet in low-income countries, there is an average of just one psychiatrist for every two million people and psychologists or social workers are also in short supply. During emergencies the percentage of those suffering common mental disorders doubles from 10 to 20 per cent, while those with pre-existing and severe mental illnesses often have no access to care.
International Medical Corps is one of the very few organisations to make mental health care a priority. We have the capacity to respond to mental health and psychosocial needs of people who have been caught up in conflicts or natural disasters. Our world renowned experts also specialise in training and strengthening mental health systems in low resource countries.
In the Middle East we recently launched a regional initiative that will bring mental health and psychosocial support to displaced Syrians in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Syria and Iraq. Strengthening national health systems by training medical and non-medical professionals to handle increased demands for mental health and psychosocial services triggered by the Middle East's biggest refugee crisis.
In West Africa our teams of psychosocial support workers are helping survivors of Ebola to reintegrate into their families and communities. By addressing their feelings of grief, guilt and the helping them to overcome the stigma associated with Ebola, we are helping survivors to rebuild their lives.
Explore Mental Health
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We can only be there to help others because our supporters are there for us. Be one of them.


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Technology has advanced so fast that it would fair to say that these days everything is available just by using your smart phone, or rather by apps, to be more precise. We use apps for everything, be it personal training, diet advice or even booking a flight. That is why appreneurship is the business of the hour. One app that is discretely making its mark in the world of apps is the escorts on demand app. An app that uses smart technology to give users the best escorting experience and owners a meal ticket for life.
Such apps operate on Uber on demand technology and provide all the users with that perfect seamless synchronization of the service that the on demand concept is so popular for. Continue reading "The Smart Way with Escorts On Demand App"


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Look online for requirements to be an interior designer in your state.
Make sure you follow the steps per the state you will be practicing interior design since each state is slightly different .
Researching and understanding your state's requirements will help you determine if you are willing to commit to this career path.
It would also be wise to speak with several professional interior designers near you to get an idea of their day to day activities as well as the pros and cons of being an interior designer.
Get educated at a CIDA, formerly FIDER, accredited school or university if required by your state.
There are many online options available, but make sure a degree from the school of your choice will qualify for your state.
Learn as much as you can in your free time about interior design from school, TV, magazines, internet sources, and anywhere else you can.
Get interior design experience working for a licensed interior designer.
Learn as much as you can about designing and about all the aspects of running a business.
Depending on your state's requirements, you will probably be required to work 6 months to two years before you take your licensing exam.
Take the NCIDQ exam, a difficult 2 day long exam that is comparable to lawyers taking the bar exam.
The exam changes about every 5 years.
Join a study group and take practice tests because the exam is quite pricey to take.
Currently only 60%-70% of people pass the exam.
Once you pass the entire NCIDQ exam, you can register with your state to be an interior designer.
Once approved by the state, you can call yourself a licensed or registered interior designer.
You will probably be required to stamp drawings, pay dues, and do continuing education in order to keep your license active.
You can join professional organizations such as ASID or IIDA in order to advance your career.


text:
Welcome to eduLanka.LK, Largest online education web site in Sri Lanka & most popular educational web site among Sri Lankan students. EduLanka, Best nonprofit & educational website is provided large numbers of online lessons, education related course information, teachers information, E books, examination result alerts, goverment job alerts, tuition class information, career guide for school leavers and more resources related to education in Sri Lanka. Edulanka provides education related resources from primary education, O-Level & A-Level education, University & Postgraduate education and vocational training education.
EduLanka IDN Domains - http://එඩියුලංකා.ලංකා http://எடியுலங்கா.இலங்கை
A.Rathnayake Madya Maha Vidyalaya, Walala,Mennikhinna A.Rathnayake Madya Maha Vidyalaya is Situated in Walala,Mennikhinna,Kandy District, central Province of Sri Lanka. Also called as A.Rathnayake central Collage. Both of Girls & Boys are educated in Rathnayake M. M.V.There are classes from grade 1 to Grade 13.
Principal of this School is Mr. H. M. D. A. Herath
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This post is syndicated (?) from WhiskyIntelligence.com
Loch Fyne Whiskies Stocks Ardbeg Supernova 2010 – Scotch Whisky News
Ardbeg OB Supernova 2010 60.1%alc.
Very limited and so strictly maximum of 2 bottles per person.
Official Tasting Note
Colour: Deep gold
Aroma: Big and powerful with peaty, earthy and deep herbal notes.
With the first sniff, encounter deep earthy peat oils and cr…


text:
ANCHORAGE (AP) The Anchorage Assembly on Tuesday unanimously approved a $10.4 million contract to upgrade the city's 911 system.
The 10-year contract has been awarded to Alaska Communications Systems to install, support and maintain the system.
The upgrade will include improved network services, better work stations for dispatchers and better map display equipment for the Anchorage Police Department and the Anchorage Fire Department.
The new system will provide more timely and accurate routing and transfer of 911 calls and more accurate determination of caller locations, including when people call from cellular phones.
Problems with the current system were brought to the forefront when former state public safety commissioner Glenn Godfrey was shot and killed at his Eagle River home. The woman who shot Godfrey then shot Godfrey's wife, Patti Godfrey, four times before turning the gun on herself.
Severely wounded and in danger of bleeding to death, Patti Godfrey spent 48 minutes on the phone with 911 dispatchers before police finally located her home.
The 911 dispatcher ignored Godfrey's instructions and sent police to the address suggested by the computer. But the address suggested by the computer didn't exist.
© 2018. All Rights Reserved. | Contact Us


text:
Beautiful trail that follows the river through the historical city. Take time to explore the main street too — beautiful fountains on every block. GREAT city trail !
Trails in Georgia
Locate Georgia biking trails, hiking trails, rail trails & long distance trails on Trailsnet.com
Permanent link to this article: http://trailsnet.com/trails/columbus-ga-riverwalk/
Silver Comet Trail
I felt like a Hell's Angel sitting on my low-slung, bad-boy Harley. I looked like a dork. (See 4th picture on carousel for proof.) I didn't care. The bike I rode was a recumbent, and I probably didn't ever exceed twenty mph. But that's okay. The weather was perfect; the trail was incredible. According to …
Permanent link to this article: http://trailsnet.com/trails/silver-comet-trail/


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Did you know that you can't drive or camp on Magnetic Island beaches, especially during the turtle nesting season?
(85 votes)
The Game (Source: geocaching.com)
What are the rules of geocaching?
1. If you take something from inside the geocache (or "cache"), leave something of equal or greater value and NEVER remove a cache from it's original position.
2. Write about your find in the cache logbook - and replace the cache in the same place.
3. Log your experience at www.geocaching.com
There are three sites, south, east and west on Magnetic Island for geocaching enthusiasts. Each will direct you to a very special and different part of the island.
Some sites are accessible by car, but if you're walking remember to take lots of water, a hat and sunscreen.
WEST (Degree of difficulty: 2):
Geting there: By 4WD or a long bicycle trip - remember to take drinking water with you.
Access: Limited access during wet season due to high creek levels (Mid to late Dec - March approx. Check with locals before you venture west during these times.)
NB: Sometimes this cache is moved by 'non-geocach aware' campers. Please return it to it's original coordinates if you find it out of place, thanks.
Happy treasure hunting!
Photo: mygeocachingadventures.com
This project was sponsored by TOBMI (Tourism Operators & Businesses Magnetic Island), for the Magnetic Island Bay Dayz Festival (Sept 2011).


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- Esclatec
- R&D&I Department
- Corporate Services
- Assembling Electronic Devices
Esclatec is a referral Special Employment Centre for the inclusion in the labour market of seriously disabled people. The range of products and fields covered and the centre's workers make of Esclatec a singular centre.
R&D&I Department
Esclatec's Department of Research, Development and Innovation is willing to collaborate in creating and enhancing products in the field of assistive technology and electronics in general. Our R&D&I Department can solve any of your company's difficulties regarding development in electronics and engine control.
Corporate Services
Esclatec has a department specialised in fulfilling works in electronics and mechanics for other companies. We have the necessary equipment and ability to adapt to carry out high-quality jobs. We are currently working in electric panel boards, wiring, assembling bicycles, adjusting bicycle spokes and balancing bicycle wheels, among other works.
For many years, Esclatec's section for assembling electronic devices works at the service of different companies that partially outsource manufacturing, such as MES Engineered Solutions, Bicing and Ecobike. We are specialised in assembling electric panel boards, electronic boards, and all types of wiring.


text:
Chapter 15: I am ZEUS!
Melodious tones reverberated through the area. A round flower-covered archway gave way to a gallery, upon the floor a red carpet stretching fifty meters until it reached the ministerial residence.
On either side of the flowery arch were row upon row of chairs blanketed in white. Every one was occupied, the multitudes of party-goers each with their cameras ready to commemorate this grand occasion.
The Austin family was Christian, while Minister Zhou's was atheist. As a result the wedding was designed to respect the Austin family belief. A priest already stood before the congregation, praying quietly with two others.
Richard Austin stood beside the priest, desperately trying to maintain an air of decorum. With the wedding about to commence, all he wanted was to see his new bride.
The Master of Ceremonies' pleasant voice rang out, "Let the wedding begin!"
An almost musical hiss filled the gallery as ranks of mechas rose into the air from either side of Tianshan Mountain. On the left, the machines had been coated in red, whilst the right was in blue. Twenty-four mechas in all flew overhead.
They spiraled into the heavens, then each broke off to draw ranks on either side. The execution was perfectly uniform, and it was clear each mecha was operated by masterful Mecha-pilots.
The two sets of mechas gathered into heart formations, drawing closer to one another until they merged in to one.
At the same moment, a brilliant flash of golden light shone forth, piercing the two hearts like a golden arrow. In that split instant the two hearts both seemed to shimmer golden light, completing a wondrous pattern in the skies above.
"Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests; We are gathered here today, before the eyes of God and men, to join Richard Austin and Zhou Qianlin in holy matrimony. Marriage is precious, a sacrament ordained by our Lord. In the Bible it is recorded that Jesus Christ attended a wedding at Cana in Galilee. It is also written: no matter the man, the holy bonds of marriage are of the highest importance. And so you must not act in haste or neglect, but instead with reverence, with piety, and with faith adhere to the will of our Lord. Then will your marriage be true." The priest's voice hung gently in the air.
"Next, we request the bride make her entrance," the Master of Ceremonies called.
To one side of the assembly a choir let their voices be heard, a group of thirty-six young women between the ages of eight and twelve singing We Are One in the Bond of Love.
Minister Zhou Xue emerged, having changed in to a snow-white suit. Beside him, her face half hidden beneath a veil, Zhou Qianlin held on to his arm. The veil prevented anyone from seeing her fetching blue eyes. Her magnificent dress shone with a hundred thousand starbursts in the natural light.
The bride is the focus of any wedding, and this one was no exception. Zhou Qianlin, twinkling with light, was an unparalleled bride.
The Minister's face wore a slight smile. Gently he patted her hand as they walked in tandem, peering down the red carpet to the priest and Richard waiting at the opposite end.
If it were possible, Richard would have rushed down the isle to meet them, taking his wife from Minister Zhou Xue on the spot. Each diamond on Zhou Qianlin's dress reflected her beauty, and he was absolutely dazzled by her.
But he couldn't, of course. He could desecrate this lovely wedding with his impatience. He was a representative of the Western Alliance. And so he could only wait.
Minister Zhou Xue moved steadily, each step the same as the one before, the expression of his face amiable and reserved.
Thus, with the choir singing beautifully, Minister Zhou delivered his daughter down the aisle. Richard made as though to step forward, but he immediately felt the hard gaze of his father.
Old Sylva was helpless. He was an intelligent man, and recognized the light of obsession in his son's eyes. It appeared it wasn't so easy to force the Minister to lose his daughter and riches.
Minister Zhou led his daughter towards the altar, pausing two meters before Richard.
"Richard, from this day forward I entrust my daughter to you. I hope you will love her truly, look after her, and protect her."
"Absolutely, I promise you." Richard's response was somewhat hurried. He felt as though his heart was going to burst from his chest.
As he looked on in anticipation, Minister Zhou finally relinquished Zhou Qianlin's hand to him.
Quickly Richard advanced two steps, one hand behind his back and the other extended forward, employing the most traditional of Western noble etiquette.
Closer and closer the two hands drew. With baited breath the guests watched, each with their cameras and recorders poised to capture this wonderful moment.
Two hands joined!
Zhou Qianlin's frail frame trembled visibly. Minister Zhou looked on dumbfounded. Richard, his face red, was likewise stupefied.
Zhou Qianlin's diamond-studded, gossamer-clad hand did not embrace Richard's.
It was a slender hand, fair-skinned and forceful.
None were able to tell where he had come from, and to all it seemed as though he simply appeared before their eyes, half a step beside Richard.
Gently did the man stroke the dual coiling dragons of black hair, tenderly saying, "Let's go home."
"W-who are you? Let go of her!" Richard howled, raising his hand to grab the intruder's shoulder.
The man did not move, allowing himself to be grabbed. Serpentine tendrils of blue electricity burst to life, and Richard suddenly felt as though a high-voltage current had torn through him. His entire body was encased in dazzling arcs of electricity which raced over and out of him.
One of the man's hands reached out to embrace Zhou Qianlin's waist, lifting her up.
Now, shaken from their stupor, people began to take closer note of the man.
Tall and thin, his head wash covered in golden hair which hung freely to his ankles. He was clad in brilliant golden robes, with a collar concealing his neck and conforming to the contours of his face. A mask concealed his features below the eyes. But most notable, were those two glittering, impish blue eyes.
His lifted his left hand, over his head and pressing towards the skies.
The sunny skies rang with the abrupt sound of thunder, one after another, until the sky grew dark. Angry clouds converged from all directions, and lightning surged freely in their depths, as though the end times were nigh.
Minister Zhou had begun to react, the Chief Minister of the Eastern Alliance was surprised but not shaken. Retreating not a step, his deep voice bellowed, "Who are you!"
"I am ZEUS!"


text:
June 21, 1998
I Was a Gorilla's Bunkmate
By ELISABETH BUMILLER
By Atsuko Morozumi.
Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $15; ages 3 to 5
tsuko Morozumi's ''My Friend Gorilla'' is an elegant and charming picture book about friendship and tolerance. Morozumi's spare text and her luscious pictures will move just about any preschooler from giggles to sadness to a measure of understanding about how good friends are always a part of us. Adults may get teary-eyed. When a gorilla comes to live with the zookeeper's family, the zookeeper's son is at first scared of the huge creature who sleeps on his bottom bunk. But the gorilla is nice, and soon the boy has a new friend. Together boy and gorilla go to the park, read books and dream in the trees. The gorilla even goes to the boy's birthday party, where he is the largest guest. Then the cold weather comes, and it is time for the gorilla to go back to Africa. The boy cries when he says goodbye. He stays sad until a letter comes one day with a picture of the gorilla in the African jungle. The gorilla has a baby on his back! He looks happy, and so the boy is happy too. ''I still remember him,'' the boy says on the last page, gazing out his window, looking past the gorilla's photograph on the sill. Thumbtacked to the wall is a picture the boy has drawn of himself and his friend, holding hands. Everyone will adore the illustrations; the best is of the gorilla sitting at the boy's birthday table alongside nonchalant little girls in party dresses. Friends, of course, don't have to look at all like us.
Return to the Books Home Page


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Pelvic Floor and Continence Rehabilitation Program
Hallmark Health's Pelvic Health Center offers a specialized rehabilitation program for individuals who are diagnosed with pelvic floor and continence disorders. The Pelvic Floor and Continence Rehabilitation Program is led by a specially trained and experienced physical therapist certified in pelvic floor and continence physical therapy. The program provides high-quality, personalized care for women and men. By age 55, nearly half of all women will develop some type of pelvic floor, bladder and/or bowel condition. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to retaining normal function and quality of life as quickly as possible.
After being diagnosed, usually by a specialty physician, patients often are referred to physical therapy for further evaluation and treatment. The Pelvic Floor and Continence Rehabilitation Program's physical therapist works closely with patients and their referring physicians to develop the most appropriate treatment plan. The program offers a comfortable, private and compassionate environment. Patients have access to the most up-to-date therapies for pelvic floor disorders, including biofeedback, electrical stimulation, vaginal dilators, manual therapy and visceral mobilization techniques.
The patient is encouraged to check with their health insurer, but usually the insurance plan's coverage, deductibles and co-pays that apply to physical therapy will also apply to pelvic floor physical therapy.
The Pelvic Floor and Continence Rehabilitation Program is conveniently located at Hallmark Health System's Stoneham Outpatient Campus at 41 Montvale Avenue. The phone number is 781-224-5829. For more about our program, please read our pelvic floor brochure.


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Brandon Backe and Chris Sampson both threw bullpen sessions on Tuesday, giving fans reason for optimism that both of those pitchers might be ready by September.
Backe is scheduled for three more rehab starts. Barring a setback, he might return when rosters expand on Sept. 1. He's one of the biggest fighters in the Astros' clubhouse, and it will be nice to see this guy rewarded for his hard work.
Sampson, who broke out in a terrible rash Monday and wasn't even allowed to participate in the pitchers' meeting because they thought he was contagious, had a solid 25-pitch bullpen. He threw all fastballs.
By the way, the Astros have until 11 p.m. Wednesday to sign their 2007 draft picks or lose negotiating rights. General manager Tim Purpura and director of scouting Paul Ricciarini appeared cautiously optimistic about being able to reach a deal with third baseman Derek Dietrich, a third-round selection, and righthanded pitcher Brett Eibner from The Woodlands, picked in the fourth round.
Dietrich was the Astros' top pick this June because they gave up their first and second-round picks as compensations for signing free agents Carlos Lee and Woody Williams. They didn't gain any compensation picks after they refused to offer Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens and Russ Springer salary arbitration before they left via free agency.
Per the new collective bargaining agreement that was reached last October, MLB and the union agreed to set midnight EST on Aug. 15 as the deadline to sign draft picks.
"Particularly we had good indications on both players when we drafted them (in June) that they wanted to go out and play," Purpura said. "And now obviously the negotiating part of it comes into play. You certainly want to get them out there, but you also want to do it in a prudent manner and not do anything that's going to be harmful. And frankly I'm disappointed that they're not playing.
"That's my biggest disappointment. Money aside, negotiating aside, they're two young guys who should be playing. So it's unfortunate from that point of view most. To me that's most important."
For a team with such a poor farm system, the Astros really cannot afford to miss out on their top two picks after not having a pick until the third round.
Here's another interesting stat from our brilliant pal Sally Gunter: Heading into Tuesday night, the Astros ranked first in the majors in extra innings played, not extra-inning games, but the number of innings. They have played 45 extra innings this season over 16 extra-inning games.
They are 7-9 in extra innings heading into Tuesday.
Fortunately for me, Brian McTaggart has covered most of the extra innings this season.
Heck, he and I taunt each other when it seems as though one of us must cover extra innings. Just this weekend, I sent him a text message saying I hoped he got more extra innings.
He wrote back: "I hope you get shot."
With the NFL starting up, let's play some mix and match.
Who is the Astros' Mario Williams?
Who is the Astros' DeMeco Ryans?
Who is the Astros' Tony Dorsett?
Did you know that the Dallas Cowboys are the greatest sports franchise in America?
Here are my top three sports franchises in America:
No. 1: Dallas Cowboys.
No. 2: Los Angeles Dodgers.
No. 3: New York Mets.
Here are audio clips from Brad Lidge and Brandon Backe:


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Trip to Denmark, 10-14 April, 2012
I had looked forward to this trip to Copenhagen with sheer enthusiasm! First, it was to be my first visit to Scandinavia, second, I always wondered how a Nordic city looks like, feels like and acts like as a society.
Our plane landed at Copenhagen airport in the afternoon. As the taxi was taking us to our hotel, I was struck by the big expanses of land and wide boulevards around the city. Big buildings distantly spaced from each other! Space, that's the word! Coming from Paris where the city is quite compressed that you can get to the most famous sites on foot in a day….I found Copenhagen a bit overpowering…if you are a walker!
From our hotel window, I could see the towers and the roofs of the historic buildings that make up the Old Town. Exciting …. but when I look down at the mammoth size boulevard below, I heard myself screaming! Argghhh! How can I walk all that? And I'm practically a passionate walker, mind you!
I went to look at the view on the habour side and was mesmerized. The buildings are truly Scandinavian, exactly how I saw them in travel magazines……but can I really "walk" up to it?
But I must not fret! There is one fast, cheap and healthy way of seeing Copenhagen in all its splendour! And that is, by cycling!
Thirty-six percent of Copenhagen residents commute by bicycle. Yet, in the early 1960's this was very much of a car town. In 1962 the city created its first pedestrian street, the Stroget, and every year since then Copenhagen has allocated more and more of its public space to bicycles, pedestrians and people who just want to sit and take a load off. The result is a remarkably pleasant city. Danish urban designer Jan Gehl says that the single biggest key to the change has been the development of the city's extensive bicycle network and that the Copenhagen of great public spaces that we see today would not be possible without bicycles. Indeed, there are bicycles everywhere. (streetsblog)
Copenhagen is the Cycling Capital of the World. There are more bikes in Greater Copenhagen than its 1.2 million inhabitants. Roughly 500,000 Copenhageners cycle to work every day, come rain or shine.
Up to 30,000 cyclists pedal through the busiest streets each day. The rush hour looks like a bike parade of various people with different agenda: business suit wearing yuppies, mothers with their kids on bike prams, grandmas with their food baskets, youth with a cell phone on one hand and the bike handle with the other.
Chic ladies with their equally chic bikes
In Copenhagen, traffic lights are synchronised during rush hour traffic to allow for the continuous flow of cyclists at 20 kilometres per hour —creating the so-called "green waves".
Copenhagen bikes are world famous and the city makes it easy for visitors to get bikes. Numerous cycle shops throughout the city offer rentals
… and most hotels provide rent-a-bike facilities for your sightseeing.
The city also offers the use of free bikes such as this. It's called the City Bike.
Just insert a 20 Kroner coin, release the bike and it's yours. A map will show you the boundaries of the City Bike. If you leave it outside the zone, a passerby might call the authorities and report you and you will pay a steep fine.
Return the bike on a City Bike stand and retrieve your coin.
There are loads of bicycle parking provided both by public and private companies.
There is always a bike park near you.
They are usually installed near bus stops or train stations.
And they are usually pretty orderly.
There are nearly 240 miles of bike paths in the city.
Never have I seen a city so keen on getting fit! Not only bikers but also joggers and walkers all over the place.
People find the freedom and convenience in cycling.
Bikes come in different types such as this electric version which is ideal for those who cannot or don't want to exert too much pedalling effort.
People have all kinds of different bikes and they use them for everything;
– delivering mail such as this postman
– running their business such as this mobile clothing repair shop.
This bike with a crate is called the Christiania bike, named after the inventor who lived in the district of Christiania in Copenhagen. He was a blacksmith originally manufacturing furnaces. Sometime in the 70's they turned to supplying means of transportation in the car free community. In the 80's the first crate bike was launched.
Another Christiania bike complete with canvas cover. It reminds me of convertible cars…:)
– for carrying kids. From babyhood to toddler age till childhood, there are bikes for every age.
– It's also great for window shopping.
…. and no problem about parking.
One can bike to the coffee shop even in his business suit.
Jan Gehl, the Danish architect who paved Copenhagen's bicycle infrastructure, once said, "every Copenhagener must have two bikes; one for the rain and a nice one as well."
Young children are obliged to wear helmets, but adults don't have to.
A bicycle is a personal possession so the owner can express her creativity through it.
Or make her bike a showcase of her collection of ghost dolls!
For tourists, going sightseeing on a bike is the best. They can explore the major tourist sites as well as venture through secret courtyards and little hideaways without getting knackered. My only hesitation is, my photographic passion of snapping at objects and subjects every two minutes won't go well with biking….
The word "copenhagenize"was coined by Jan Gehl. It means the practice of adopting Copenhagen-style bike lanes and bicycle infrastructure in cities. He has already advised London, Melbourne, and Dubai on how to "copenhagenize".
There are also traffic regulations on cycling and one of them is not to bike on sidewalks.
"Don't bike on sidewalks"….Copenhageners are indeed disciplined bike drivers.
But I saw in Copenhagen a large number of cyclists biking with mobile phones on their ear. I suppose the biking authorities are lenient on this since every single person now owns a mobile phone.
This is the bike lane infront of Rosenberg palace.
Bikes make a picturesque scenery.
..especially when parked next to a statue.
But beware, there are also bike-rustlers even in wealthy cities!
This bike owner decided to park his bike at the iron-grilled and poster-decked wall of Vor Frelsers Kirke (Church of our Saviour Church) in the Christiania district.
I went in as I wanted to go inside the famous corkscrew spire of the church but it was closed for renovation. Nobody was there except a priest who probably owns this bike.
Turning to another street, I saw this bakery and was tempted to buy some pastries
But my attention turned into this fruit and greens grocery
A beautiful graffiti on the outskirt of the city
I discovered that online matchmaking is a big thing in Copenhagen
I went to a Lego shop along the famous shopping road, Stroget, and saw this man-size bike all assembled in Lego bricks.
We set aside a day for visiting Legoland park in Billund, 3 hours drive south of Denmark and were amazed to see a lot of world attractions and day-by-day facilities duplicated in miniature version, including bikes!
That bike, like the others, is like 1 – 2 inches in length.
I was suddenly transformed like a child again after seeing Legoland with all its miniature creations!
Biking in the country…complete with tiny sheeps..
And the miniature train station with its bike park.
After my few days in Denmark, I think I have turned into a bike-convert!


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Messages from The Bird Tribe
In March of this year (2013) I arrived at the Breitenbush Hotsprings and Conference Center in the mountain forests and of northern Oregon to teach a week-long Visionseeker workshop to a group of spiritual seekers. These gatherings are designed to assist non-tribal western people in achieving expanded states of awareness, bringing them into connection with those inner sources of wisdom and power and healing that traditional peoples call spirits.
This is a known experience for me having been involved with the shaman's path for more than 30 years. I have been teaching at Breitenbush since 1999, and I love to be there as the center is embraced within a forest of great trees, some of which are 120 feet high or more. To spend a week in this locality is magical for me as the transpersonal forces of the place respond to our work. It's like we are feeding the land with our journeywork, and the spirits of Nature make their presence known to me from the moment I arrive. It's usually then when I sing one of my songs to the forest to announce my return.
This year was no exception. As I walked alone through the great forest toward the cleared meadow that fronts the historic lodge, softly singing my song, I heard a sound from the trees above me… a sound I recognized as the throaty chuckle of a raven.
Looking up, there she was watching me with her black shiny eye from a branch overhanging the trail. As we made eye contact, she clucked again "tick… tuck-tuck-tuck…" When I made no response, she repeated her message "tick… tuck-tuck-tuck…"
She was obviously conveying something, and considering the fact that I had just arrived, I took it as a greeting of 'welcome back.' So mimicking her as best I could, I marshaled my tongue and responded with "Click… cluck-cluck." In response she stared at me at some length, then replied with more force "TICK… TUCK-TUCK-TUCK!"
I suddenly got it. I had only responded with two clucks rather than three and she had corrected me. So I returned her greeting with a click, followed by three clucks. She continued to stare at me for long moments, then she repeated her greeting – a tick plus three tucks-and flew off into the trees.
I took this interaction as contact with the spirits of the place, and throughout the magical week that followed, whenever ravens were in proximity, I offered them the raven greeting. They, in turn, always paused in their raven pursuits, staring at me with intensity, and then returned the greeting. By weeks end, I had a dozen new feathered friends, yet I still had no clear idea of exactly what they were saying. I knew from my academic studies that the Corvids—ravens, crows, magpies and jays—have an extensive vocabulary, especially ravens, and are very, very intelligent.
Two months later, my lady Jill and I were at the Westerbeke Ranch in Sonoma, California, where we were offering two week-long workshops in a row to our advanced students. When we arrived, a pair of ravens promptly joined our group, approaching us each day, perching in the ancient oak trees above us as we ate lunch and dinner on the broad deck fronting the picturesque tile roofed old California adobe of the dining room. They showed up on the very first evening during the orientation and started vocalizing at me while Margaret, our host, talked about logistics.
I was more than a little surprised given my recent raven encounters in northern Oregon, yet I immediately discerned that their clucks were different… more of a "tuck-tuck-tuck-tucktucktucktuck-tuck-tuck-tuck." I suddenly wondered if they had gotten the word, so to speak, from their northern cousins of my connection with their tribe… and I understood in a flash that they were attempting to teach me to speak raven…
However… it was also immediately apparent that the southern dialect of the Westerbeke ravens was distinctly different from that of their northern cousins and when I replied to them with the northern greeting, they stared at me for long moments then corrected me forcefully, repeating their own greeting several times until I repeated it back to them correctly. Then satisfied, they flew off.
I might add here that the ranch staff has actually given this particular raven pair names— Richard and Muriel—names that reflect their sense that these birds could be the ancestral spirits of two of the Westerbeke family members now in the other world.
Throughout our time there during the next two weeks, the big black birds approached us daily and our raven dialogue continued, beginning with that curious series of clucks achieved with the tongue. I repeated the series back to them and as always, the ravens kept correcting me until I got it just right. Yet I had still no idea of what it meant. But I continued each day… and they continued to teach me.
On the last morning, as I was loading our car with our baggage, from the trees above me came that distinctive series of clucks. I looked up and there they were—the two of them, Richard and Muriel. We looked deeply into each others' eyes and then...unexpectedly… the female reached back to preen her feathers with her heavy, gleaming beak and a black feather detached itself from a wing, spiraling down… down from the tall eucalyptus in which she was perched… and I caught it before it touched the ground.
Holding her feather, I looked up at the raven and she gave me that series of clucks that I now repeated to her satisfaction. Then after another long look, they flew off.
I tucked her jet black feather into my drum and brought it home to Hawai'i where it now resides in a place of honor with other feathers from others of the bird tribe with whom we have come into relationship across the years.
Now… It is of more than just passing interest to me that in the old mythology of the Norse peoples, the god Odin, who was also the archetypal shaman and who was the embodiment of wisdom, was in relationship with two ravens. This implied in a shamanic sense that he could understand their language.
Their names were Huginn (Thought) and Muninn (Wisdom), representing in Norse mythology two helping bird spirits which Odin, the great magician, sent to the four corners of the world to gather information, an intention that the scholar Mircea Eliade has described as a true shamanic act.
As birds, the ravens are Nature's representatives, and because they can fly like shamans engaged in soul flight, they can transcend the ordinary world, penetrating into the worlds of things hidden and symbolizing the potential for our human conscious awareness to achieve this as well. The fact that ravens can also communicate in an articulate bird language that resembles human speech implies that to be able to speak their language conveys the understanding of their considerable wisdom.
The ravens' flight also suggests the symbolic transition from our conscious mental soul to the 'subconscious' physical soul, creating a link directly to our higher spiritual oversoul and giving us a freedom of experience that is so needed by the human psyche in our own time. Odin, the old Norse shaman, blazed the path for us to follow as he underwent his own initiations and his mystical journeys with his ravens, creating a symbolic relationship between humans and the bird tribe that we find repeatedly in our mythology and in our literature.
Because the wizard Odin was capable of understanding bird language, he is thus revealed as a master shapeshifter capable of literally becoming a bird, both psychologically as well as physically, allowing the wisdom of the birds to be understood as Odinnic knowledge available to all humans with the desire to understand it. This suggests that Odin, in a metaphorical sense, is a bird man.
Understanding this, we are able to comprehend the deep truths embodied within the old myths… truths that reveal that we are not really becoming animals once again; rather we are becoming ourselves… especially in relationship with our transcendent overselves… with the support of our old friends from the natural world… and this takes place through soul flight, in an expanded bird-like way.
Two months later, back home on our farm on Hawai'i Island, I had an interesting dream one morning just before dawn… a dream in which I was in a castle, a big, stately chateau in which I was standing on a long stone stairway, one that was reaching up into the light and descending down into darkness, with me standing on the broad steps in between.
Above me I saw movement, and glancing up, a woman approached me down the stairs. She was dressed in a long flowing black gown and had long jet black hair, black lipstick, black nail polish and black eye makeup, offsetting her very white skin. On descending to my level on the staircase, she stopped and looked long into my eyes. Then, with a dramatic gesture, she opened a folder she was carrying under her arm… and reaching into it… she withdrew a single black feather which she then gave to me with a flourish and a bow. She glanced up at me and smiled as I accepted her gift… then she turned and re-ascended the stairs once again until she moved into the light beyond my vision.
Did we click to each other in the dream? I do not now recall, but in sharing this story with you, allow me to affirm that this is part of what it means to walk the shaman's path...
With warm thoughts ~ Hank Wesselman
Two last quotes:
"Once upon a time when women were birds, there was the simple understanding that to sing at dawn and to sing at dusk was to heal the world through joy."
— Terry Tempest Williams…
"Body, like the mountain,
Heart, like the ocean,
Mind, like the sky."
— Dogen…
For more:
The Language of Birds in Old Norse Tradition (PDF)
I love this article about ravens and the bird tribe. I know I'm in the bird tribe, having written Flying Lessons, and having birds appear to me all my life. Interestingly enough, now I'm in the part of the process where I am coming more fully into embodying the lower chakras, where I've been more reluctant to live. Your teachings are helping me do that.
Hi Hank,
Thank you for sharing your Raven story. They are powerful animals to say the least. My web site is tlinkimo.com, I specialize in mythology interpretation. Some times I refer to Jesus as the head shaman. Studying the shamans of the northwest, I noticed that a shaman master puts his apprentices through the dying experience, after teaching them life other than love is really an illusion. If when the apprentice in his last test thinking that anything in the world is real including his body, he fails the test and dies. If he knows that his body is really an illusion, he survives and is assigned his spirit helpers.
I apologies, being a shaman your self, I'm probably speaking to the choir. I give a full presentation on my web site. Check it out sometime. It was done in 2008 and been updated considerably since then but it will give you and idea of what I do.
Thank you for the work you are doing, Walter
Aloha Hank
I was introduced to a Raven while in trance at your workshop in Sacramento in 2011. I had forgotten the Raven until I read this wonderful message. I recently have been revisiting my trip to Hauula April 2013, meeting you on the plane : ) and your workshop last April. I feel the Ravens had to find some way of reminding me of the introduction. How cleaver! They come to you in dreams to reach us. Thank you. Thank you.
On this Christmas morning, I was desiring to re-read one of your posts, Hank, and I'm thankful to have chosen to read this one in particular because it resonates within me so powerfully. My personal connection to birds has become so strong over the past couple of years and I'm now reminiscing about some of the bird synchronicities that I've experienced. I'm soon leaving to go to my grandparents' house for a family Christmas gathering and coincidentally, Odin, will be in attendance. Odin, my adorable young second cousin, that is. He's about 2 years old now. My cousin and his wife chose to name their son after the Norse god that you mentioned in this post. It was an awesome surprise to find out that they chose the name Odin. I'll keep my eyes peeled and ears tuned for any ravens that may greet me today at my grandparents' farm. Mele Kalikimaka!


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& get a glimpse of what happens when 40 sexy women get together @ a pool party!
when we throw a party we tell everybody to bring very little. the crew will be taking off pretty much everything they bring anyways. this party was compacted, but it had one big impact. there was naked bodies all over the place almost instantly. the crew filled the pool, the little water fall spot, every room in the house, and just about every tongue was exploring. there was more wetness at this party than just the girls coming out of the pool.
if you liked these...
then you're goin to blow your stack when u get inside!!!!
enter vip crew.com!


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I am at Comic Con again today and so I decided to share some outfit pictures from our vacation to Maui that somehow never made the cut. I think it was because I was burnt out about talking about that trip.
By the way, this skirt is Free People's Colorblock Skirt and I love it. I previously wore it here.
What did you do this weekend? Did it involve the beach? I am traversing around a convention center with giant blisters on my heels and looking for new art. Wish me luck! : )
P.S. I think the gnome hidden on this one is pretty tricky. Did you spot it?
*these photos were edited using the App Afterlife's Bloom Filter.


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Yr Wyddor Gymraeg/The Welsh Alphabet
Nol I Dudalen Gartref Gramadeg
1. There are no 'k' and 'q' in Welsh and 'y' is a vowel
2. There is no 'z' in Welsh, but the sound occurs in some borrowed words, in which case it is represented by 's', e.g., "sw"
3. Two consonants, 'n' and 'r', are sometimes doubled in written Welsh, e.g., "tynnu," "torri." Note that 'dd,' 'ff' and 'll' are not doubled, but are consonants in their own right.
4. When 'f' occurs at the end of words it is frequent silent, e.g., "ara" for "araf", but it is not incorrect to sound it.
5. A vowel is sometimes interposed between pairs of consonants at the end of words, e.g., "llyfyr" for "llyfr" and "cefen" for "cefn."
6. All vowels except 'y' have two sound only.
7. Sometimes the long vowel is marked by a circumflex, e.g., "cân" or "pêl"
8. Apart from the obscure sound of 'y', 'i', 'u' and 'y' are pronounced in essentially the same way in South Wales. There are, however, differences between the three in North Wales.
9. The rules for the pronunciation of 'y' are as follows"
10. The diaresis is sometimes used to indicate that a vowel must be sounded separately, e.g., "gweddïo"
© Cymdeithas Madog


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About Me
I got into genealogy and the search to find my ancestry many years ago when I was trying to find out who REALLY were my Swedish ancestors. If any of you have any Swedish ancestors, you will know that they used to change their names each generation depending on father's name, mother's name, favorite color, family dog and/or where they were living. No kidding, if you are American, you get lost in this search — FAST. And this was WAY before we could use the Internet….yes, it was by routine mail….hoping for some kind of answer in a few weeks. My cousin and I even tried using a Ouija Board! As I said, this was a LONG time ago…
In the last several years, it has gotten easier and easier with more and more records being available. I hit the jack pot and ended up finding more cousins than I ever imagined. I had always thought that I came from a small family, but once I started looking, I found so many living relatives by going up one chain and down another, that I was astonished. Makes sense if you think about it, but I was still surprised.
During all this time, I was having so much fun, I started doing searches for others. I have found many relatives, photos, facts, proof of ancestry for an inheritance, missing family members, etc., that I decided to do it for real. I have logged hundreds and hundreds of hours working as an ancestry detective, and I love it.
While exchanging information with one relative I found that my father, brothers and I were supposedly descendants of John Alden, a leading Mayflower pilgrim. So, I found all the birth, marriage and death certifications to prove that lineage from 1620 to present time. Full approval was gotten and we are members of the Mayflower Society. I also got the proof for my brother's and father's membership in the Sons of the American Revolution.
Meanwhile I kept at it and my ancestry family tree kept growing. I really enjoy traveling and meeting new people. It is a passion. Once I had found the exact names and places where my British relatives came from, I took a trip to England and Scotland to meet all my relatives there. It was one of the best trips of my life. Besides the fact that I love all my family there, I was able to see the sites and walk the walk of my ancestors who lived in The Midlands. It was incredible just thinking that I was in places that my ancestors had likely been. I went, of course, to Plymouth to see where the Mayflower set sail. What an experience!
And, as to my Swedish relatives? Well, I got smart on this one and now have a good friend in Sweden, who has his own genealogy business, and he helped me sort all that out – and we found my Swedish cousins.
If this interests you at all, or if you have ever had that question "who are my ancestors?", then just go to the Write me tab on the top menu above and send me a communication about you and your family and we will get started on your ancestry family tree.
Who knows, maybe we'll find out we are somehow related…
Lisa Hamilton


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Our Mixed Chicks History Month person of distinction today is Naya Rivera. As one of the cast members on the FOX hit TV show "Glee", Rivera is a mixed race actress on the rise! Rivera is half Puerto Rican, a quarter African American and a quarter German. Along with her acting skills, the multi-talented entertainer is also a singer with her ambitions set on dominating the music charts.
This multiracial beauty has been linked with several top celebs including Big Sean whom she recently ended a year-long engagement with.
Rivera is primed to take her career to new heights with the release of her first feature film "Home" due out later this year.
We salute up and coming multiracial celebrities like Rivera as she is yet another positive example of the changing face of American media.