text:
Sir Ken Robinson calls for a revolution in education, the massed crowd rises to its feet and applauds. We remain seated, somewhat skeptical. We have had a little experience of revolutionary groups outside the field of education, and we are suspicious of a movement calling itself revolutionary but led by a man who has been knighted by the Queen of England for his services to the establishment – to the ancien regime, still clad in wigs and gowns. Of course, the knighthood could have been a mistake – a case of the Queen failing to spot the Castro in her midst – so perhaps we should not jump to conclusions.
[Sorry! We've moved this to our Digital Counter-Revolution website. Click the link below.
Ken Robinson's dubious revolution contd..]


text: It's a good book, Baboon. One of his great "pamphlets" from the 90s, alongside The Trial of Henry Kissinger and The Missionary Position (which he had wanted to title 'Holy Cow'). The best book ever published in the name of Hitchens, though, was For the Sake of Argument, the Verso collection of 90s essays that really displayed the art of essay writing at a peak.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
News & Notes
Tokyo Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Supports Reforestation Efforts in Tsunami-hit AreasMay 22 (Tue ), 2012
Japanese Non-Life Insurance Company Supports Reforestation Efforts in Tsunami-hit Coastal Area
Tokyo Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. announced on February 24, 2012, the company's decision to support and participate in the "10-Year Restoration Project for the Coastal Forests of the Tohoku Region," initiated by The Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement-International (OISCA), from March 2012 as part of its efforts to promote post disaster reconstruction.
A maritime forest in Sendai Plain, Miyagi Prefecture, used to protect local communities from drifting sand and salt, serving as an important natural levee for the region's environmental protection, but was seriously damaged by the catastrophic tsunami accompanying the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011.
In order to revitalize the forests, OISCA has initiated a decade-long project to not only increase production of seedlings, planting and nurturing of forests, but also restore farmlands and create employment opportunities for local citizens that will lead to comprehensive regional development and require long-term efforts.
The company will take part in the initiative by providing both economic and personnel resources, in terms of a 10 million yen (approximately US$125,000) donation, fund-raising through a charity concert, and volunteer activities by employees to assist the project.
Source: JFS


text:
Science Friday® is produced by the Science Friday Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Science Friday® and SciFri® are registered service marks of Science Friday, Inc. Site design by Pentagram; engineering by Mediapolis.
In this segment, Ira talks with Scott Kirsner, author of "Inventing the Movies: Hollywood's Epic Battle Between Innovation and the Status Quo, from Thomas Edison to Steve Jobs." We'll look at how Hollywood became a driving force in the invention of new technologies -- from Technicolor to the rise of digital special effects -- and how new ideas and technologies, such as the Internet, are still shaping the movie industry today.
Movie Timeline
1894 – The world's first Kinetoscope Parlor opens in New York City: customers paid 25 cents to watch ten, 20 second films such as "Rooster," "Trapeze," and "Barber Shop"
All information gathered from Scott Kirsner's book "Inventing the Movies: Hollywood's Epic Battle Between Innovation and the Status Quo," from Thomas Edison to Steve Jobs. Timeline compiled for web by Molly Webster.


text:
The Very Beginning:
One day as I was reading a biography about John Bunyan, I ran across a reference to his second wife, Elizabeth. I loved the brave way she defended John during one of his trials when he was under arrest for his "unlicensed" preaching.
Elizabeth's strength to face a court of persecutors and her determination to faithfully support her husband touched me so deeply, I decided her little-known story needed to be told to the world.
The Research & Planning Phase:
I spent about 6 weeks reading biographies and any other time-period books I could find. I sifted through plot ideas, wanting to stick as closely to the facts as possible but also knowing I would need to dramatize the story to bring it to life.
A large part of my planning involves the process of getting to know my characters. I use an extensive character worksheet (available on my blog for free). I tried to use what history knows about the real characters, but then fill in the rest and make them larger than life.
The Writing:
I started writing The Preacher's Bride in September 2007 and finished in May2008—so altogether it took me nine months, writing mostly in the evenings after the kids were in bed and occasionally in the afternoons or on weekends. (Since then, I've been able to work out a writing schedule that allows me more regular time.)
The Editing:
I spent a summer self-editing the book, and eventually I hired a freelance editor to read through it. Her suggestions helped me polish my first chapter so that I was able to final in the ACFW Genesis contest in May of 2009.
The Querying Stage:
During the months before I finaled in the contest, I had started querying The Preacher's Bride to agents. I received rejections from all of them except one—Rachelle Gardner. She requested a full manuscript within days of the query, but then my book sat in her slush pile for months.
My contest final perked her attention and not long after that she offered me representation.
The Proposal Shopping Phase:
Rachelle immediately went to work shopping my book. She pitched the idea to a Bethany House acquisitions editor at a conference she was attending. When she got home, she called me, told me Bethany House was interested, and we got busy writing a proposal to send to them.
We talked back and forth with Bethany House for two to three months before we finally settled upon a 3 book contract. They bought The Preacher's Bride and also asked me to write two additional books, which I'm currently working on.
The Preacher's Bride is currently available for order on Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and other internet sites. It's also for sale in most bookstores.
You can connect with me in LOTS of ways. Please stop by and say hi!
Website: JodyHedlund.com
Email: email@example.com
Blog: jodyhedlund.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJodyHedlund
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JodyHedlund
Question For Readers:
Did anything about the start-to-finish writing journey of my book surprise you? If you'd like to sign up to win a free copy of The Preacher's Bride, please tell us your favorite candy bar (because don't you know, a writer's favorite food is always chocolate?!) And don't forget to leave your email address. The drawing will be held on Monday the 4th of October, 2010.
Bio: Jody Hedlund is a debut historical romance novelist who was a double finalist in the 2009 ACFW Genesis Contest. She received a bachelor's degree from Taylor University and a master's from the University of Wisconsin, both in Social Work. Currently she makes her home in Midland, Michigan, with her husband and five busy children.


text:
Dear Reader: Do you think you are related to the individuals listed in this post? Please drop me a note! I love hearing from cousins and others researching my family!
My great-grandmother Della HAYES' maiden name was CROW (I've found alternative spellings of Crowe and Craw in various records so far). Her parents were:
30. Daniel B. Crow (1854-?)
31. Mary L. GOURLEY (1855-?)
Daniel's parents are as yet unknown to me. He raised his family of seven kids in Carter County, Tennessee. That is where Della stayed to raise her fam as well — in Elizabethon/Elizabethtown, specifically. In the 1880 U.S. census, young Daniel and Mary, with their first child, Elizabeth (Bessie) H. Crow, can be found living with Mary's mother and a few of her siblings.


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Returning to Chicago
Following their Honeymoon, Edward and Bella return to Chicago to live in his family's home. Yet Edward and Bella aren't the only ones residing in 254 Cherry Lane--Elizabeth Masen's resides in the home and is not just welcoming Edward home, but a mysterious girl who seems to have captured her sons heart. Sequel to 1918, pre-Breaking Dawn. Now Complete. only adult for profanity when appropriate, and used sparingly.
Following their Honeymoon, Edward and Bella move into his former home in Chicago where their are more than vampires wandering the halls, Told from the Point of View of Elizabeth Masen, with Bella in Italics. Chapter Nine, Walking Two Worlds, now updated!
1. A Very Happy Deathday
Rating 3.5/5 Word Count 2432 Review this Chapter
It is a universal truth that all humans die. It's like breathing, all that live someday will die, Father Michaels taught me as a little girl in Sunday School. It is something that I have experienced. I buried my little William and Anna when they where babies, and I then would experience it for myself.
I, Elizabeth Sophia Taylor Masen, of 254 Cherry Lane Chicago , died September 30th, 1918 of the Spanish Influenza. The obituary, put out by my Cousin, Carslise Cullen reported that I was thirty-nine, and proceeded in death by my most beloved husband of twenty years, Edward Andrew Masen, by three days and was survived by one son, my dearest Edward Anthony.
I didn't have a Funeral service, just like countless others who died during the epidemic of 1918. I was quiet alright with that. Rather I shared a service with the others, my husband, our servant girl Sherrie, neighbors and total strangers. I remember that day it rained on Chicago. The papers would say it was God's way of washing the city of it's illness when rather it was Mother's tears falling from heaven for the children and loved ones we left behind.
But that day was along time ago. Chicago is still a bustling city. Sky-scrappers taller then I could ever have dreamed decorate downtown, but nothing has the power to take away from the beauty of the remaining Victorian homes on Cherry Lane, especially on a September afternoon like today, I believe as I look out from the roof of my former home.
The roses are enjoying their last bloom, just like they had the week I died. And my Husband. And our dearest Sherrie. The air is crisp and warm, showing that the sun is still present in the day.The sun is setting again. I could feel the warm rays leave the roof. Twilight, yet again, falls on the city. I feel an eerie peace, a quiet sensation as I feel something stir within me.
My ninetieth anniversary of that death is today, in a hour or two to be exact.
As allowed in my new residence, the Heavens, Nirvana, Afterlife—however people term it, I am allowed to return to my former residence for three days on the anniversary of my death. Eddie, my husband, doesn't understand why I keep such a constant vigil at our old home on Cherry Lane. After all, I can see everyone, they can't see me; and regardless to wither or not I'm alive or dead, I don't like being alone. That's why we kept Sherrie for most of those years.
They have joined me on my returns in the past, but not this time. This time I wander alone, my sadistic ritual has become a bother to say for the two of them.I am alone, just wandering the upstairs of my Chicago home. I am, after all, a ghost. Normally, these days are boring. Little of anything has ever truly happened in these ninety years that causes me to mourn when my three days are up and I'm called up to have a book discussion with Edna Whiticker, my sisters and mother.
There have been a few various days in which I wished I could stay, and those would be the days that I saw my son, my darling little boy, my Edward.I haven't seen Edward since 1959; in that year, he and his new family had briefly stayed at the house while Carlisle made the necessary arrangements to move to a new location in Washington State. There was a girl that appeared Edward's age and her bulky husband that stayed in the guest room that had last been occupied by Sherrie Keeley. Also, there was the one that I knew and loved deeply, Carlisle, and his new mother Esme. I was wary at first of this woman, but I have been the mother of her little boy that died since she took my son into her care. It's not an even trade, but I suppose it will do, and I love little Thomas. He is very different from Edward as a baby, his golden curls and compassionate eyes have always won me over.
I hadn't seen anyone since 1990 when a team that specialized in Restoration of the turn of the century homes came by on orders of Mrs. Esme Cullen and her son Edward. It had been a very boring three days, and loud as the team restored the floor tiles, the foundation, and dusted everything from the chandelier to the door knobs, only sparing what had been my study. Edward didn't want anything touched in that room for some reason, so I find my dreaded typewriter keys frozen in the same way they have been for nearly a century. I believe that was the one year I voluntarily left early, construction humor and the noise being too much for me.
I hadn't held my son since we both lay dying in the hospital, 1918. The events of those two weeks between September and October had left their marks on us permanently. While I floated between the heavens and my last residence, my son was forever halted; trapped , despite his age, in the body of a seventeen year old. It is hard enough for a mother to think that she'll never see her son alive when there is a world war going on, as I had begun to worry my last days in mortality.
However, it isn't as unbearable as living through out the eternities when you wouldn't be reunited nor could he remember. That was the cross that all mothers of vampires had to bare.
I take part responsibility for Edward's current state. On my deathbed I had demanded that Dr. Cullen do all in his power to raise my son from his falling state. It had been some of the last words I spoke in that life, 'Save him;' those had been my words. Save him from dying. Save him from having life stolen from his grasp. Save him from the angel of death.Carlisle—that heavenly saint—had listened to my dying words. I hated, and loved him for it, everyday of my afterlife.
I hated that I wouldn't see him again, till the end of all things had come to pass and all be restored under the hand of the Lord. As soon as Lion and the Lamb actually happened, I'd see my Edward again.
I loved that he lived, that he was able to continue on with his stilled heartbeat, but I had been there for the dark years. When he had rebelled, as any young man would. It was September30th of 1935. He walked into the house, and up the stairs to my sitting room where he realized that he couldn't "hunt" humans anymore; His tearless sobs of hatred and weakness in himself seemed to tare not only him, but myself as well. I did try my best to comfort him that night, but then we reach the true hardship of my afterlife, he can't see me.
But none of this matters because it is September 30th 2008 and the familiar sound of Edward's voice can be heard outside the front door in the cool Chicago night. The sun has set, and a light, musical laugh accompanies his own deep one. I stand atop of the stairs, dressed as I was before I left for the hospital all those years in a Sapphire evening gown, looking down and waiting for the doorknob to turn.
My Son is finally home, the excitement is rushing through me. The door knob jiggles slightly and then opens to show a smiling young man, his hair glowing with warm off the setting sun, his perfect teeth showing through that crooked smile I love best; the only thing that will be missing is his green eyes—but that isn't what captures my attention. No, what does that is the young woman who's in his arms being carried bridal style over the threshold.
" I am perfectly capable of walking Edward," I started as I looked up at Edward's jovial eyes, feeling the blissful security of being held in his arms. I wouldn't trade this opportunity for anything, even if my stubborn independence begs otherwise. There is nothing better, more blissful, jovial, heartwarming than being held in his arms.
"I know you can my dearest Mrs. Masen," Edward returned with a continuing smile, "Just let me keep on doing this right," he started, beginning to set me down on my two feet as he went back to the cab to get our two suitcases.
I look at this new building I've found myself in. The entry way, seems to be stuck in an Anne of Green Gable's world. The lace curtains and thick navy draperies, the cold oak wood floors and wall paneling. It is nearly empty of all furniture, save a Victorian chair sitting next to the winding staircase, a end table on it's other side.
Casually I walk over to discover the bouquet that Charlie had sent, probably under Renne's counsel, of Wildflowers and Freesia. However, it isn't the flowers that capture my eyes, it's the black and white photograph sitting next to them. I look casually at frist; its a little boy at the beach , possibly at the nearby lake. He's dressed in a little sailor out fit, shorts and hat to complete it's desired direction. A woman, his mother, sits near him in the picture, both of them smiling over a sand castle.
" You wouldn't believe how badly mother sunburned that day," a voice started behind me, as the owner's arms wrapped themselves around me. "This is you?" I asked looking at him with raised eyebrows looking at the honest face he always portrayed.
"I was a little boy once too," he smiled, taking the picture from my hands and looking at it himself. " You know I can't remember my human life well, but Mother wrote diaries and wrote about this expedition. Would you believe that I dumped sand on a little girl who came over and wanted to build the castle with me?"
I snickered, "Possibly, depends, you thought she had cooties right?" My hand went up to reach his face. His cool left hand pressed mine into his cheek. "I honestly didn't think anything of her. Who ever she was, she knew I was friends with Quincy Whiticker."
"With no ill feelings towards this friend, from what I've heard from you makes me think he was a 1918 Mike Newton," I grin trying to soak in yet another great moment as this. Edward's face seems unchanged, save his eyebrows that are pondering my diagnosis. "Bella, do you really think that I would ever be friends with someone like Michael Newton?" he asks, sarcasm rolling in every word.
"No," I answer with a smile, as he takes my hand from his face and drops it to his side. "But I can if you'll hold my hand again," I start, wondering what has led to its fall from his face. "Come on," he starts, grabbing my hand again, pulling me close into his arms as he whispers in my ear "Let me show you our home."
I follow these two down the halls of my home with eyes trying to soak in everything. What's her name? I long to know. They're married? I realize, gathering the context of their conversation when they entered the home. Is she a vampire too? Is this their honeymoon? How did this happen? Who is she?
In 1917, shortly after Edward turned sixteen, Edna and I began having conversations about when our sons married. Edna had two grown sons that had already been joined in matrimony to two lovely girls of high class.
She was more than welcome in counseling me on how to select a good bride for my Edward. She loved her son Derek's bride Melinda, the daughter of a prominent judge in Philadelphia, but she had only wished that she had been more selective when her son Samuel had been stubborn enough in marrying his Charlotte. 'Nothing,' Edna spoke as I had drank my tea, "Was more heart wrenching then knowing that your son had married below his class."
I had given a quiet nod. I knew Edna was one not to be trifled with on the matters of her son's happiness. I knew very well that Quincy, a month senior than Edward, had matches already going through Edna's mind. She wouldn't let the same mistake that hit Sam hit her youngest son. However I didn't think that there was anything wrong with the match. Sam and 'Charlie' as she liked to be called, were in love. Yes, Charlie was the daughter of immigrants that had come to Chicago from Ireland, but they were an established business family. If anything, she brought just as much as Sam to the marriage.
"When your Edward marries," Edna continued on as though she was a Queen deciding on the matter, "You will need to find a Melinda for Edward. You only have one shot dear Elizabeth, to have a child marry well. I have a great-neice that would suit very well for Edward—"
"I trust Edward's judgment. She just has to love him as much as I and all will be well with me." I answered in full honesty. After all, Edward's judgment was sound and I did trust him more then I would most people of his generation.
"As would we all like to say Elizabeth. However judgment can be clouded in the realms of love, and you could someday find yourself eating those pretty little words you just spoke."
I cared less for Edna's counsel at the time. I tried to dismiss the images of me being the dreaded Mother in Law and cast Edna's talk to be out of the stress of the upcoming marriage for her niece.
However, that morning I began to wonder what it was going to be like when Edward walked in to St. Anthony's Cathedral with a girl dressed in white and lace cover face. Would I be judgmental as Edna was to my new daughter in law, would i be the vain of her existence? Would Edward's opinion of me drop as it had with Sam Whittaker?
A year later, as we lay dying in 1918 I had made my last request because I wanted Edward to experience love. And now, as I climbed the stairs in my afterlife, following the two I realized that he finally had.
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WILSONVILLE, Ore. (AP) -- Mentor Graphics Corp. said Thursday that it will start paying regular dividends.
The company, which makes software and other products for engineers of chips and other products, will pay an annual dividend of 18 cents in quarterly installments. The first dividend of 4.5 cents will be paid April 10 to shareholders of record on March 22.
Mentor shares closed down a penny at $17.05. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has traded between $12.85 and $17.91.


text:
flab is a valid word in this word list. For a definition, see the external dictionary links below.
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Words formed by adding one letter before or after flab (in bold), or to abfl in any order:
e - fable s - flabs
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ab al alb ba bal fa la lab
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Now Available! Feeding trays. These trays are made using textured aluminum. Each tray is 9 x 9 x 1 1/2 inches tall.
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Jeff Anderson's signature orange beanie as worn in tribute by his friends, family, and supporters at the first JLA Banked Slalom. L to R: Peter Stowe, Jared Slater, Blackie, Aaron Vujicic, Robert "Sticky" Shaw, Cory Lake, Neil Goss, Steven Brown, The Dingo, Tom Pelly, Danny Kass, Pat Moore, Desiree Melancon, Pat Bridges, Alex Lopez, Eddie Wall, Danny Davis, Oren Tanzer, Ryan Boyes, Seth Huot, Scott Blum, Yale Miller, Dan Crouch, Dustin Del Guidice, Joel Muzzey, Billy Anderson, Mike Bierman, Andrew Marriner, Macy Price, and Gigi Rüf.
The JLA Banked Slalom
Words: Gerhard Gross
Photos: Peter Morning
Ten years ago snowboarding lost Jeff Anderson, one of its most passionate and influential riders. To honor Jeff's memory and to give back to the community he cared so much about his brother Billy created the JLA Banked Slalom at Mammoth Mountain on Saturday, February 23, the 10th anniversary of Jeff's death. In an era of big air, slopestyle, and halfpipe contests that represent a seemingly unattainable level of riding for the average person, Billy wanted to put on an event that anyone from groms to some of the world's best pros could take part in by bringing the act of riding back to it's most basic form—simply turning. To Billy and his family it was this type of contest, that puts the emphasis on fun, raw riding, that best represented Jeffy's spirit.
As news of the contest spread, the 150 spots filled up in a matter of days leaving a wait list over 100 long the night before race day. Long after his passing, Jeff's name still has plenty of pull. Riders like Gigi Rüf, Danny Kass, Pat Moore, Harrison Gordon, and Kelly Clark showed up to ride along with industry heads such as Chris Owen, Evan LeFebreve, Dave Downing, and Andrew Mariner. But Jeff's legacy is more than just the ability to bring the snowboard community and industry together. Money raised from the contest entries goes to the JLA Project, which helps maintain the Volcom Brothers skatepark, and to support a new direction for the Project—education. Since Jeff and Billy grew up traveling to snowboard as sponsored riders, they had to balance their globe trotting with their schoolwork. With Billy as its new CEO, the JLA Project will help make it easier for the next generation of riders to both pursue their snowboard goals and get educated.
Now about that supposedly simple act of turning. The course that ran the length of Dry Creek gulley was fast, bumpy, and unpredictable, filled with blind corners and quick edge-to-edge transitions that saw a good chunk of the field blowing out of turns or generally eating shit. The word "rowdy" was thrown around by many of riders to describe it all, which had a lot to do with the way the course was put together. In contrast to the groomed berms of the Baker Banked or Dirksen Derby, the JLA location was chosen for the natural contours of a run that Billy and Jeff grew up riding and was shaped more by running it in rather than using shovels.
"Billy picked the lines by riding down and setting the gates," Volcom Team Manager, Alex Lopez says. "Then we just started riding it and it naturally started to shape in two or three runs. At the end of each day we went in and fixed holes and mellowed out the berms. For the most part it was probably 85 percent riding and 15 percent shoveling."
Here's who rode it best.
Open Class
(Rider and course time in seconds.)
1. Scott Blum 81.33
2. Alex Rodway 82.06
3. Rob Kingwell 82.76
4. Alex Lopez 83.5
5. Gigi Rüf 84.29
6. Luke Mitrani 84.59
7. Jack Mitrani 85.13
8. Jared Dawoud 85.15
9. Greg Bretz 85.45
10. Eric Meyer 85.84
Women's Class
1. Kelly Clark 89.19
2. Bryn Valaika 89.7
3. Mariah Dugan 90.91
4. Macy Price 92.93
5. Karleen Borlia 94.11
6. Desiree Melacon 97.47
7. Valerie Cobian 103.49
8. Coralee Phillips 106.34
9. Scheyne Brooking 114.44
10. Monica Prelle 119.39
17 And Up
1. Grey McCalla 86.32
2. Joss McAlpin 87.98
3. Andre Escobar 88.88
4. Julian Lecorps 89.37
5. Michael Ramirez 90.89
6. James Tully 91.37
7. Jimmy Goodman 91.59
8. Brent Anklam 92.05
9. Sasha Berwin 92.34
10. Forest Schmist 93.25
16 And Under
1. Brock Crouch 87.21
2. JJ Rayward 89.46
3. Justus Henkes 90.37
4. Devin Tubbs 90.49
5. Matt Williams 91.19
6. Drayden Gardener 91.43
7. Jed Sky 95.33
8. Odin Weir 97.94
9. Cody Beavers 99.92
10. Zeb Judge 101.16
See Jeff's 2003 TransWorld interview here: snowboarding.transworld.net/1000197611/photos/jeff-anderson-snowboarder-i-am-snowboarding-interview/


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|Minnesota Vikings
|The Minnesota Vikings teased another part of their new soon-to-be-unveiled home jerseys.
Inch by inch, the Minnesota Vikings are revealing their new look.
We told you last week about the team's plans to update the organization's traditional purple and gold uniforms. The Vikings plan to raise the curtain on their new duds during a Miller Lite Vikings Draft Party at Mall of America Field on April 25. Until then, the tease is on.
This week, the team uncovered a close-up of the Vikings' new purple home jerseys, specifically the gold stitching above the numbers and below the collar.
Want more? Then check out the "Vikings Uniform Insider," a limb of the team's official site inviting fans to unlock a string of 12 sneak peeks at the new garb. You can sign up here.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.


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$tandings: Yankees first, Sox third.
Forbes said Wednesday it estimates the Yankees are worth $2.5 billion, up 9 percent from last year. The Dodgers are next at $2 billion, a 24 percent hike and matching their actual sale price in 2012.
Boston was third at $1.5 billion, followed by the Chicago Cubs ($1.2 billion), San Francisco ($1 billion) and Philadelphia ($975 million).
At the bottom were the Rays ($485 million), Kansas City ($490 million), Oakland ($495 million) and Miami ($500 million).
Major League Baseball's average team value rose 9 percent to $811 million.
Forbes says values rose primarily because of increased media rights fees.
Pirates, Marte have 6-year deal
The Pittsburgh Pirates plan on keeping promising left fielder Starling Marte playing alongside National League MVP Andrew McCutchen for years to come.
A person with knowledge of the agreement says the Pirates and Marte have agreed to a six-year contract that will keep the 25-year-old in Pittsburgh for remainder of the decade. CBSSports.com reported the new contract has a total value of $31 million.
Marte hit .280 with 12 home runs, 35 RBIs and a team-high 41 steals during his first full season in the majors in 2013. Marte was scheduled to make $516,000 this season. The new deal takes him through 2019.
Harper tossed from exhibition
Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper was ejected from a spring training game against St. Louis after being called out at first base.
Harper led off the fourth inning Wednesday with a slow roller that second baseman Mark Ellis barehanded and flipped to first. The throw appeared to beat Harper and umpire Jeff Gosney called him out.
The 21-year-old Harper kept his head down, screaming his displeasure as he passed Gosney on his way to the third-base dugout. Gosney threw out Harper, who didn't seem to initially realize he'd been ejected.
Harper turned in apparent disbelief to argue with Gosney, and Nationals manager Matt Williams joined in.
The game was delayed a few moments while Harper gathered his belongings and walked to the visiting clubhouse beyond the left-field wall.
Scutaro to start year on DL
San Francisco Giants second baseman Marco Scutaro says he will begin the season on the disabled list.
Scutaro has been sidelined for most of the spring with back problems. The 38-year-old Scutaro says he is likely to remain in Arizona for more treatment when the team breaks camp. Scutaro was plagued by back stiffness for most of the 2013 season. He had a couple of epidural injections earlier this spring and recently had a cortisone injection.
Scutaro's situation likely will leave Joaquin Arias as the starting second baseman. Arias started at third base on Wednesday, with Pablo Sandoval nursing a small cut in his hand.
Blanton gets rich release
The Los Angeles Angels have granted right-handed pitcher Joe Blanton his unconditional release, but will still have to pay him $8.5 million.
The 33-year-old Blanton struggled in spring training with a 7.08 ERA in five appearances over 20⅓ innings. He was 2-14 last year and sent to the bullpen in midseason.
The Angels will absorb Blanton's contract and pay him $7.5 million this year, with another $1 million to buy out the $8 million club option for 2015.
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|Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA)
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|Mar 27, 2014
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|Wilson's parting gift to Buffalo.


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Earlier this season, Colts owner Jim Irsay took to Twitter to vow better protection for quarterback Andrew Luck. Seahawks owner Paul Allen won't need to; his head coach already has acknowledged the problem.
"Both of the last two weeks, Russell has taken what they're giving him," Carroll said Monday, via the team's official website. "There have been a considerable amount of issues in protection that have let guys show up quickly in the pass rush, and he's had to make a decision what to do with it."
The issues have arisen in large part from injury. Carroll told reporters that center Max Unger is expected to return to practice this week, after missing the last two games with an injury to his triceps muscle. Carroll was less optimistic about tackle Breno Giacomini. Left tackle Russell Okung remains on injured reserve, with the designation to return.
"He knows," Carroll said of Wilson using his legs more quickly than usual. "He knows what's going on. He realizes that that's happening. But he's taken full advantage of it and he's made it difficult on opponents. It's not exactly the way we like to do it — how to pick them up and throw the football and let him take off at a later part of the rhythm of the play. But he's been as resourceful as you can be and he's been very effective."
The problem for quarterbacks who display their resourcefulness by running is that they can get hit and, in turn, get hurt.
"Russell is going to keep doing it until we settle it down in the pocket," Carroll said. "I'm a little concerned about that, because he's so resourceful. He is doing what we have to do right now. And in that regard, he's done a really good job managing this."
Carroll is right. Wilson's mobility allows him to buy time to make a throw or, if necessary, to take off with the ball. His uncanny instinct for self-preservation also means he'll know when to get out of bounds, when to hit the deck, and how to turn his body the right way to absorb a hit that otherwise could inflict injury.


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Miss New Jersey To Be Crowned In Ocean City
Twenty-three contestants from around the state are vying to become Miss New Jersey.
A six-panel judge will choose the winner Saturday night in Ocean City. The competition began Thursday night.
The winner will receive an $11,000 scholarship. Pageant officials say they are handing out about $35,000 total in scholarships overall.
Miss New Jersey will also have a chance to compete in the Miss America pageant, which returns to Atlantic City Sep. 15.
This woman who takes the crown will succeed last year's winner,Lindsey Petrosh of Egg Harbor City.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved)


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Red Sox trip on Okajima's slip
Manny on his high-5 double play
Manny Ramirez talks about his highlight-reel sequence in which he made a great catch at the wall, jumped to high-5 a fan in the stands, then threw the ball into the infield to complete a double play.
BALTIMORE - Like tourists having a grand time until they discovered their wallets had been lifted, the Red Sox returned home last night wondering how the wheels suddenly came off on a trip that began with such promise.
Then they walked in the front door to discover that while they were away, somebody had started foreclosure proceedings on the place they'd occupied for the better part of the last month, first in the American League East.
After five Sox losses in their last six games, including a 6-3 defeat to the Baltimore Orioles yesterday in which they gave away a three-run lead for the third straight game, the top spot in the East has been wrested away by the Tampa Bay Rays, who in the past have never been allowed in the neighborhood. A lead that had reached 3 1/2 games in Detroit is now a half-game deficit after the Yankees defeated the Rays, 2-1, last night.
The next thing you know, those devilish Rays are going to be demanding John Henry's yacht, too.
That fan in a Boston jersey who high-fived Manny Ramírez after the Sox left fielder's terrific catch at the wall in the fourth inning, which Ramírez turned into a double play? The fan couldn't reach Hideki Okajima after the Sox reliever gave up a grand slam to Jay Payton in the seventh that erased what was left of the lead the Sox had built behind Jon Lester (six innings, two runs). Just as well, because instead of the lucky necklace he customarily wears, Okajima might have found someone's fingers wrapped around his Adam's apple.
"I'm not real concerned," said catcher Jason Varitek, who had complemented the first-inning run Jacoby Ellsbury crafted with his feet (infield hit, stolen base, sprint home on Dustin Pedroia's single) with one of two solo home runs the Sox hit off Daniel Cabrera, Varitek's coming in the fifth, Mike Lowell's in the sixth. "We've been playing better than the losing. We just need to find a way to grind out a win."
Varitek's words were apt to inspire some eye-rolling on a day when the Sox hit into four double plays and Okajima gave up Payton's slam, the Orioles having loaded the bases with two outs and nobody on against Javier Lopez and Craig Hansen. Last season, Okajima treated inherited runners as if they were a personal heirloom, not to be trifled with. Of the 28 runners he inherited in 2007, only four scored.
So far this season, Okajima has treated inherited runners like junk you get rid of at a flea market: Of the 14 runners on base when he has entered to pitch, 11 have scored. That's 78.6 percent, the worst rate in the majors.
"Jay did a good job of staying back on a changeup," Varitek said of Payton's slam, the first by an Oriole since Scott Moore took Daisuke Matsuzaka out of the house last Sept. 8.
Okajima, who has gone mum even around the Japanese media, put up another figurative "Do Not Disturb" sign on his locker after the game.
The Sox, who won three of four in Detroit to start the trip, wound up with four one-run losses. Errors by shortstop Julio Lugo figured prominently in two of those defeats. Jonathan Papelbon had his first two blown saves, one after a Lugo bobble. Clay Buchholz was lit up twice, then yesterday went on the disabled list with a torn fingernail (Yes, you read that right). Outfielder J.D. Drew hurt his wrist, Coco Crisp developed a migraine, Lugo suffered a concussion. Manager Terry Francona missed the last two games to attend a family funeral. Julian Tavarez never made it to Baltimore, as he was designated for assignment.
And yet Varitek's observation had merit, too. The club hit 17 home runs in 10 games, including five in seven games by Kevin Youkilis. Lowell hit four home runs on the trip and drove in his first dozen runs of the season. Ellsbury continued to electrify with his speed (15 for 15 in steals on the season).
Until yesterday's meltdown, the pen had held the opposition to three runs in its last 22 1/3 innings. Tim Wakefield, Josh Beckett, and Matsuzaka made quality starts. Ramírez made highlight defensive plays, his lunging catch yesterday robbing old pal Kevin Millar of extra bases.
"He's a great entertainer," said center fielder Jonathan Van Every, who has spent eight seasons in pro ball, was invited to his first big league camp this spring, and yesterday had a single in three at-bats in his debut. "That was a phenomenal play to catch the ball, give a high-five to a fan, and turn a double play, all in one.
"I don't think that ever happened before and I don't think it will happen again."
Ramírez's catch helped keep the Orioles scoreless until the sixth, when Lester was touched for a couple of runs on Guillermo Quiroz's single, a double by Brian Roberts, Payton's infield out, and an RBI single by Nick Markakis. Lester recovered to strike out Aubrey Huff and Millar to end the inning, but substitute manager Brad Mills decided that after such a strenuous inning, it was best to turn to the pen.
Lopez looked like he might have a 1-2-3 seventh until Pedroia fumbled Freddie Bynum's grounder at second just long enough for Bynum to beat out a hit. Hansen entered and gave up a ground single to Quiroz and walked Roberts on a full count before Okajima served up Payton's slam.
"I was playing him straight up," Pedroia said of the ball hit by Bynum, which required him to range far to his left. "He broke his bat, so it had some messed-up spin on it. I took a deep angle to get to the ball, and it was right at the lip of the grass. I figured my best chance was a popup slide, but when I caught it, my glove hit my knee.
"A tough break. It was unfortunate everything happened after that."
Pedroia straightened his sports jacket and adjusted his tie. It was time, after 10 games on the road, to go home.
"We've had a tough batch of luck," he said, "but we'll regroup. We'll get our day off, then get back at it. We'll be fine."
Gordon Edes can be reached at email@example.com.


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Ava Thursday: Mommy and Ezra
Ava's been on a drawing tear recently, and whenever this happens, new developments are sure to be evident in her work. She drew this the other day. It is of Mommy and Ezra, out for a walk on a nice, sunny day. Ava tells us that Mommy has a "pretty little hat with special things that hang off it." She's particularly proud of the colorful swirly pattern on the dress there. In Mommy's hand is a "rainbow seed that grows rainbow flowers," she tells us. Now, who wouldn't want a flower like that? On the ground is a seed with a flower sprouting out from it. (I thought it was one of the "rainbow flowers," but I was wrong.)
Not only are Ava's attention to details impeccable (the hat, the tassles on Mommy's poncho, the fun swirls in her dress), but I notice that she's trying something out with the arms and hands. When Ava usually draws hands, she draws them as simple three-fingered stick-like hands -- generally when she's drawing on a whim, not ready to tackle the difficult task of drawing out all the fingers, and such. But here, Ava focused more on the thickness of the arms, hands, and especially, the fingers. Notice that there are five fingers on each hand. This is something new in her artistic development, in my eyes. She's thinking about volume and density here.
But why would she slight Baby Ezra in the finger department over there on the right? My guess is that he's smaller, therefore the details of the fingers would've been very difficult to render. But I do enjoy all the details that's she's given him still: the way that his feet have a few toes, and especially his blue cast, complete with doodles (we all signed and drew on his cast before it was taken off).
A fun, cheerful drawing. Makes me happy.
5 comments:
Ava keeps getting better and better! I really like the design of this piece... I especially like the way she drew Andrea's arms and hands and her choice of color throught the drawing. Fantatsic!ReplyDelete
very fun and cheerful! i like how ezra is favoring the uncasted leg! so very creative and fun to watch her development. nice piece.ReplyDelete
really, she was so pleased with the pattern on my dress... and you should have heard her talking about that special rainbow seed!ReplyDelete
Yay! Ava's drawings always make me cheerful whenever I feel unconfident about today's situation. Ezra definitely looks a bit weird especially with his LONG right arm and Mom just looks pretty fashionable in such a sunny day!ReplyDelete
- Glen!
Rainbow Seeds!! That just says so much about 'our' lovely, lovely Ava :DReplyDelete


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In this workshop, we will begin to explore the features available to VoiceThreaders with a full license. Participants will learn how to create groups and subgroups, set sharing permissions within those groups, and privately share VoiceThreads with individuals.
VoiceThread Basics 2- groups and secure sharing
When: January 15, 2019 7:00 pm (Eastern Standard Time)


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Events in Florence
Discover events in Florence while you're here!
There are 4 events in Florence from 2018 July 12 to 2018 July 22
Florence event | Odeon Original Sound Cinema
When: 1 September 2017 - 1 September 2018Where: Odeon Cinema
A wonderful cinema "Stile Liberty" in the center of Florence. A great program of original sound movies.
Florence event | The birth of a Nation
When: 16 March 2018 - 15 July 2018Where: Palazzo Strozzi
A mesmerising journey through art, politics and society in the shape of work by such artists as Renato Guttuso, Lucio Fontana, Alberto Burri, Mario Schifano, Mario Merz and Michelangelo Pistoletto explores and reflects on the clashes, the changes »» read article
Florence event | 81st Festival Musicale of Florence
When: 1 May 2018 - 31 July 2018Where: OF Opera di Firenze
81st Maggio Musical Festival. Umissable for all the Opera lovers of the planet!»» read article
Florence event | Rockin 1000 Concert in Florence!
When: 21 July 2018Where: Stadio Franchi
The biggest rock band in the world will perform live in Florence the 21st of july 2018.»» read article


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14 Things You Don't Want to Hear in the School Cafeteria
School lunches were never something we looked forward to when we were younger.
Sure, we were hungry, but we knew we could eat pencils if we had to and they probably had a more organic taste and better nutritional value than the cafeteria's "meat loaf surprise" (the surprise being that anyone would consider it "meat").
The worst part was waiting in that long line that led to the inevitable chamber of horrors that was the food service area. These are the exclamations that made us wish we could run home screaming for our mommies.
1. "Man, these things really put up a fight when they know you want to eat them."
2. "Of course it's edible. At the very least, it won't kill them."
3. "Whaddaya mean those stray dogs won't eat it?"
4. "It looks like meat loaf, but it tastes like broccoli and it sounds like a duck."
5. "You know that won't fit in the meat grinder with the head still on it."
6. "Hello, I'm from the Health Inspectors' Office and we've received several complaints about scabs in the chowder…"
8. "What are you doing over there? Get back in that pot!"
9. "The recipe book said two cups of flour but the closest thing we have is this ground-up chalk."
10. "Hair net, schmair net…"
11. "Standing over this hot chili really makes me sweaty."
12. "I've told you we're on a schedule and we don't have time for 'washing hands.'"
13. "So just as we were baking the chicken, the biggest rat I ever saw jumped in the oven…"
14. "Define 'edible.'"


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'Here is a wonderfully clear, concise piece that puts to rest the "zombie lie" that in the 1970s climate science was predicting global cooling--a lie that Big Carbon and its fellow travellers tell in an effort to de-legitimize climate science's warnings about climate change. Any time you hear that lie, jump on it with this history, these facts.'You can't spend long in forums full of ditto-heads without coming across a medley of zombie lies on climate change. One of the more underhanded claims you'll see put forth by people who absolutely know better is that climate scientists were predicting another ice age back in the '60s and '70s, but now they're claiming we're in a warming trend, so they obviously have no idea what they're talking about! They can purportedly even back it up with peer-reviewed material from the time.
This "argument" for lack of a better word is utter nonsense, but it's also quite clever in its construction. It depends on youthful memories and conflating two distinct items in climate research that went on back then. One concerned the analysis of Pleistocene ice ages; the other was the effect of sulfate aerosols vs greenhouses gases emitted by human activity.[The truth about ice ages and the anatomy of a zombie lie http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/0...f-a-zombie-lie via @dailykos ]What actually happened in the '60s and '70s with respect to ice ages and aerosols is a lot cooleryou see what I did there?than anything you'll see on a denier site.
"Here's the important thing: The study of Milankovitch Cycles that produced the scientific papers at the time and thus drove those popular magazine articles did not take man-made greenhouse gases into account."
I would think there would be more carbon and polution in the air during this period?
I guess this climate was in a period of change some 111 years ago in Delaware.
1905 One of the coldest winters ever, there were 44 days below freezing and 44.7 inches of snow.
How do you explain all this to the people who just know for a fact that the earth is only 6,000 years old? HA!
There is also a huge difference between seasonal weather and true climate change.Look what has been learned about El Nino and La Nina for the US. Learning is still happening and isn't perfect. Some of the world's volcanic activity of the past is thought to have affected weather too.
Some on this forum may be too young to remember the big deal about eliminating fluorocarbon propellents and coolents that were thought, in large enough quanities, to harm the earth's ozone layer.That in turn could affect radiation reaching earth and to some extent, weather.I find it all very interesting and nothing to argue"Truth"about.
1918 With excessive heat andhumidity in neighboring cities, Delaware temperatures soared over 100 degreesF.
I don't think their were that many automobiles and coal fired power plants in the world in 1918. I wonder how this could have happened?
Easy... Wood burning was big then ,as was kerosene. Great Britain also burned peat. Lots of trains out there too. Also weather is weathe One hot time does not mean climate change. It takes measurements over a period of time to predict actual climate change.One step forward and two steps back. Note we aren't having true hurricanes?Very dangerous.Lots of population that would be clueless, have moved into hurricane prone areasup and down the east coast. I'm afraid they will eventually get a big one and get into real trouble.
How come subsistence villages in Alaska are having to move inland, or are making ready to, and their deep under- the- permafrost- refrigeration is melting. I saw it myself.The ice packs the polar bears depend on have changed as the frozen periods are shorter now and they are having a hard time getting enough food. Some are coming into towns, more than ever, desperate for food.
There are even changes in fresh and salt water % mixing in the oceans right now, and also underground. Fish are changing their migratory patterns and the critters that eat them are having to change their feeding patterns and migratory routes.The polar ice caps are melting fast and the glaciers are receding faster than ever. Haven't you read about the things that are now being uncovered? Fascinating! Even the Russians are worried.Things long buried, on purpose, in Siberian deep ice are being uncovered, including viruses "germs" and bacteria are being found. Let's hope they aren't still strongly viable. It is even known now that winds from Africa, et al carry diseases too. Much research is going on into that also. Read.... There is so much to learn. Right Joe?
Actually it appears as though the earth is in a cycle that is returning to where it was some 18 million years ago when Delaware was tropical and most of Kent and all of Sussex were underwater. At the time it was also much warmer in the northern climes or those artifacts that are being uncovered along with the viruses would have never existed. I wonder what the dinosaurs were burning for fuel back then? Hmmmmmm.....
This Day in Delaware History: September 2
1775 Caesar Rodney wrote from New Castle..."They had one of the worst storms he ever knew last night...Some persons were obliged to stay upstairs till breakfast time; the tide heavily covered the lower portions..."
Sounds like a hurricane struck Delaware 241 years ago. Must have been all of those pesky coal fired power plants in Ohio and West Virginia causing this climate change.
That is hardly an example of climate change.There have always been and always will be awful storms.True climate change is a whole other thing. There is plenty of science based, non political, to read if one just looks for it.
The proponents of manmade climate change actually claim that these violent storms nowadays are a result of man's interference with nature and greenhouse gasses. I just like to point out that these storms have always occurred and have nothing to do with a changing climate.
Man's inferference does make a difference, as it has in many areas throughout the ages. It is most certainly not the only thing effecting climate, however. Let's just not hurry it along though.
People have caused the extinction of animals both directly and indirectly. DDT almost wiped out a great many birds, including eagles. Water pollution is another that we caught just in time.Are you old enough to remember when the Columbia River actually caught fire?
It all makes for great discussion from extrememsts on both ends to moderates like me in the middle.
Unfortunately (or fortunately) I am old enough to remember, but it was the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland wasn't it? I agree that mankind has caused certain species of animals to become extinct, but it has nothing to do with climate change. Same for water pollution and air pollution. I am not a radical denier, I am just a radical anti-Progressive Liberal, LOL.
Yes,it was.I got the 'C' right,but my old head got the rest wrong.HA! Thanks.


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Romanowski Lecture @UofGuelph
September 16, 2014
Prof. Giesy has affected your life and that of every living thing on the planet. This is the story of how he applied state of the art chemical methods of mass spectrometry and molecular biology to determine the status and trends of concentrations in the environment and worked out the mechanisms of toxicity and thresholds for effects. Ultimately, through a global assessment of risk the chemicals were banned. This is the scientific and political story of how a very valuable chemical used in many processes was ultimately banned and the public hardly knew anything had happened.


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Speed Lust - Mustang Performance Parts - March 2014
Axles And Spool
If you take your Mustang to the track enough, you are going to break an axle sooner or later. Once you get that out of the way, you'll be able to call up Strange Engineering and order its 35-spline axle and spool package (from $528.70) for 8.8 rearends. Or you can do a pre-emptive strike and get one now. The S-series 35-spline axles are forged from SAE 1550 modified steel, and when combined with a deeper heat-treat that is designed to increase torsional strength, they're able to handle your Mustang's power and torque. The package also includes a Strange lightweight, Pro Race, chrome-moly spool; C-clip eliminators or axle bearings; and your choice of 1⁄2-inch or 5⁄8-inch studs.
Dominating Effort
Holley Performance Products' Dominator carburetor has been around since 1969 when it was developed for NASCAR. These days, the Gen 3 Ultra Dominator features an all new main body, all new calibrations, high-capacity fuel bowls, and larger sizes. The Gen 3 Ultra is available in a variety of sizes, including 950, 1,350, 1,425, and 1,475 cfm. The standard Dominator is also still available in 1,050, 1,150, and 1,250 cfm. The Gen 3 Ultra is 5⁄16-inch taller than the previous generation, which allows for larger radius air entries that have been optimized using Computational Fluid Dynamics software. The new calibration is optimized for today's larger engines and newest fuels, while the new body also features a throttle position sensor mount, and a sensor is available separately.
Steel Or Aluminum
Paul Lee, owner of McLeod Racing and NHRA funny car driver, should know a thing or 12 about clutches. McLeod's new SFI-approved, billet steel and aluminum flywheels for '10-'14 Mustang Shelby GT500s feature a stock clutch pattern and a pattern for McLeod's RXT twin-disc clutch. The steel flywheel is made from billet alloy for incredible strength, with a 1045 hardened-steel ring gear for long life. It's designed for street applications needing the added inertia only a steel flywheel can offer. The aluminum version is made from 6061-T6 for the body of the flywheel, while the friction plates are all Blanchard-ground and stress-relieved. The Blanchard grinding gives the clutch disc a much better surface to bite into. This stress-relieving procedure eliminates the potential for warpage.
Super Damper
ATI Performance's new Super Damper should wear a cape since it's designed for Ford's current supercar, the Shelby GT500. The 7.81-inch damper application is a direct replacement for the stock OEM unit, and features a 10-rib, 10-percent overdriven supercharger drive on the outer shell, as well as a removable OEM-size, six-rib accessory pulley. ATI's Super Damper is designed to provide balanced dampening of torsional crankshaft vibrations through all rpm ranges, and exceed SFI 18.1 Safety Certification for competition use. As with all ATI dampers, this GT500 Super Damper is fully rebuildable and tunable.
Relocation Plan
If you own a Fox or pushrod powered SN-95, no doubt you've been bitten by the bad TFI module bug. What happens is heat breaks it down, causing your Mustang to have a crank, no start issue until it cools down. Fatfoxx has the fix with its TFI relocation kit. This kit enables you to relocate the TFI module to a cooler place within the engine compartment. The standard kit is a 9-foot, 6-inch relocation kit (from $52), while the upgrade is a 12-foot kit ($85) capable of mounting your Mustang's TFI module up by the hood latch, where it'll stay cooler than Tech Editor Jones wearing a 5.0&SF bucket hat.
Hour Power
The boys at Power By the Hour are at it again. They know the Cobra Jet intake makes power on '11-current GTs and Bosses, so they designed and built a cold-air induction for the combination. The CAI comes with a 41⁄2-inch intake pipe with a mass air flange, PCV bung, heatshield, S&B filter, a silicone coupler, and all installation hardware. The pipe is powdercoated in a satin-black finish. The kit requires a custom tune, but Power By the Hour reports 500-plus horsepower at the wheels on modified Coyote- and Roadrunner-equipped Mustangs.
Top Shelf
We've seen plenty of '05-'09 Mustang door panels coming apart at the seams, discolored, and peeling. Predator Mustang has the fix to bring them back to life with its 12-piece, $399 door-panel kit, which is made from form-fitting ABS, is easy to install, and is available in a variety of finishes. The kit will breathe new life into your Mustang's interior, and if you so choose, bring a custom touch to the inside as well.
Stay Cool
From the heart of NASCAR country comes a product designed to keep your Mustang's underhood temps at a bearable level. With turbo applications, heat is the enemy of everything around the turbo and its piping. Performance Plus Connection's new Titanium-Plus Vulcan Dual Tone Ultra Exhaust Wrap is an insulating wrap designed to give you a custom look, while reducing heat and increasing horsepower. The wrap is 2 inches wide, available in a variety of rolls, is 1⁄16-inch-thick, and capable of withstanding 2,000-degrees continuous and 3,000-degrees intermittent. It's said to be 25-percent stronger than fiberglass wraps, and is intended for headers, turbos, and turbo downpipes.
Fuel Sipping
No one buys a Mustang for its fuel economy—we buy them to have a fun, fast car. However, that's not to say we don't want the best possible fuel economy at the same time. Fitch's Fuel Catalyst is designed to transform pump gas into a superior fuel, allowing your Mustang's engine to extract the maximum amount of energy with minimal emissions. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is an inline fuel treatment said to reformulate and resuscitate fuel molecules of gasoline, and other fuels, to supplement the refining process. The idea is that gasoline and diesel is at its most optimal quality when it's first refined, but during storage and transportation, the fuel quality diminishes. Sacrificed horsepower, torque, and efficiency, is said be the result of this poorer fuel quality. The Fitch Fuel Catalyst is designed to boost octane in gasoline, increase cetane in diesel, and re-refine the fuel quality, returning it to a superior refinery-fresh state.
Big Small-Block
Ford Racing's new Z460 crate engine gets its size from a Boss 9.5-inch block bored to 4.150-inch with a 4.25-inch stroker crank. What's more, both the crank and rods are from Scat, with Mahle forged pistons and Clevite bearings. To this foundation is added Ford Racing's high-port/high-flow Z-heads featuring 2.02/1.60 valves, 1.65:1 roller rockers, and cast-aluminum valve covers. The 10.0:1 compression engine arrives at your door with a SFI-approved damper, a steel front or rear sump oil pan, a standard-rotation water pump, and a hydraulic-roller cam. The engine is rated at 575 hp and 575 lb-ft of torque, with those numbers coming courtesy of an Edelbrock Super Victor intake with a Holley 850-cfm carburetor.
Modern Trim
The center stack has been home to billet and chrome upgrades since the Fox era. AmericanMuscle.com continues that trend for '05-'14 Mustangs with a full line of chrome and satin radio and HVAC control-knob covers. These knob covers and bezels aren't compatible with '10-'14 models equipped with navigation, but they present an easy and inexpensive way to dress up your Mustang's interior.
Stop Shaking
Most threadlockers come in a tube, but STS/Tectorius' Vibra-Stop thread locker, sealant, and anti-vibration compound comes in an aerosol spray. Vibra-Stop reportedly eliminates curing limitations and instability barriers, while further extending the capabilities of the product. Using Vibra-Stop, coated pieces can be removed and reused multiple times, and installation can occur either immediately or at a later date. The formula is said to be effective on metallic and non-metallic surfaces, and works on both threaded and non-threaded fasteners.


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MWC 12: NVIDIA Roadmap Outlines Tegra's Future Including 4G and Die Shrink
Subject: Mobile | February 27, 2012 - 01:53 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: wayne, tegra 3, tegra, tablets, nvidia, MWC 12, mobile, grey
This year is a big one for smaller silicon manufacturing processes with Intel's 22nm Ivy Bridge, and NVIDIA and AMD moving to 28nm GPU processes. According to a report on VR-Zone, NVIDIA is already planning their next move for Tegra, including a die shrink to 28nm.
They managed to get their hands on a road map (shown below) for NVIDIA's Tegra SoC (system on a chip) lineup that extends into 2013. With Tegra 3, NVIDIA began by sampling the chip to Asus and the Transformer Prime. After that success, other partners and devices are starting to pick up the mobile chip, and they expect the situation to be the same for future Tegra iterations.
They company allegedly taped out a Tegra 4 (T40) SoC at the end of December 2011, and is starting to sample it to OEM partners to find someone to do a Tegra 3 like launch, with one device/platform to debut first and others to follow in later months.
The Tegra 4 chip is code named "Wayne" and will be comprised of multiple ARM Cortex A15 CPU cores and a new GPU on a 28nm process. The company alos plans to show off a dual core 28nm SoC that uses two Cortex A15 CPU cores, a revamped GPU, and an Icera 4G LTE radio at Mobile World Congress 2013 next year.
Further, the roadmap details a new Tegra 3 chip that is intended to be used with Windows on ARM powered notebooks and tablets. While the new Tegra 3 (T35) SoC will not be a die shrink, it will have higher clock speeds due to less restrictions placed on the maximum TDP (thermal design power) allowed for the devices. VR-Zone estimates that the T35 chips will run somewhere between 1.6 GHz and 1.7 GHz.
Currently there are some incompatibilities with Tegra and 4G LTE radios which has caused some LTE devices to go with Qualcomm SoCs, so it is good to see NVIDIA working on improving compatibility and then integrating the basebands into their future SoCs to rectify the issue.
As far as this year is concerned, we should see the updated Tegra 3 chip and a new version of Tegra 2 that integrates a Icera 4G LTE baseband. The Wayne and Grey chips will likely not be released until 2013 at the earliest. The expanded Tegra portfolio should help them to gain some market share, though exactly how much remains to be seen.
Video News
So glad you said what SoC means. Since I am a newb and don't know how to use Google, that is the first time I have seen it explained.
Haha, apologies, I have been using that term in the last couple of weeks without regard. We'll be sure to be more direct in the future. :)


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Uncle 'K' Kopitiam located in Shah Alam City Centre Mall or more known as SACC Mall in Shah Alam serves delightful breakfast. The 'K' in Uncle 'K' Kopitiam stands for Kemaman, a district in Terengganu, which is popular for its coffee. Uncle 'K' Kopitiam has an extensive menu for food and drinks.
Uncle 'K' Kopitiam Tosai Masala
Tosai Masala which consists of potatoes and tosai is surprisingly appetizing.
Uncle 'K' Kopitiam Roti Cheese + Telur
Roti Cheese + Telur is unique but is delicious even though the amount of cheese is quite insufficient, otherwise, it would be perfect.
Uncle 'K' Kopitiam Black & White Coffee
Black & White Coffee doesn't only look good, but taste just as good as it looks. The coffee tastes quite strong.
Uncle 'K' Special Kemaman Coffee
Uncle 'K' Special Kemaman Coffee is true to its name — special and has a mesmerizing coffee flavor that last in your mouth after you sip it.
Overall, Uncle 'K' Kopitiam may be slightly overpriced for kopitiam standard but the food and coffee are definitely worth every cent.
- Tosai Masala – RM 3.20
- Roti Cheese + Telur – RM 3.50
- Uncle 'K' Special Kemaman Coffee – RM 3.80
- Black & White Coffee – RM 5.90
Uncle 'K' Kopitiam,
Lot 33 & 33A, Shah Alam City Centre (SACC) Mall,
40000 Shah Alam, Selangor, MALAYSIA
My Ratings (1-5)
- Food – 4.0
- Service – 3.0
- Ambiance – 4.0


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We pride ourselves on not being your typical attorneys. Find out what set our firm apart.
Our goal is to secure the maximum disability benefits you are entitled to under the law.
From the initial consultation until the conclusion of your claim, we keep you informed.
Unsure if you need an attorney? You cannot receive less than you would receive on your own. You have nothing to lose by contacting us.
Good question. Find out the difference a skilled attorney can make in your case.


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Foreign Policy: The UN Takes On The Internet
Rebecca MacKinnon is a Schwartz senior fellow at the New America Foundation, a former CNN bureau chief in Tokyo and Beijing, co-founder of the citizen media network Global Voices, and author of Consent of the Networked: The Worldwide Struggle for Internet Freedom.
On Aug. 2, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution urging the White House to stop an obscure U.N. agency from asserting greater control over the Internet. It is the "consistent and unequivocal policy of the United States," the lawmakers affirmed, "to promote a global Internet free from government control and preserve and advance the successful multistakeholder model that governs the Internet today."
President Barack Obama's administration sometimes finds itself at odds with members of Congress who oppose nearly everything the United Nations does on principle. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently complained of "black helicopter" conspiracy theorists harming the national interest after they blocked U.S. ratification of the Law of the Sea treaty for the second time.
When it comes to the Internet, however, Congress, the White House, technology companies, and civil liberties groups are all on the same page: All agree that the United Nations — a body representing the interests of governments — should not be given control over a globally interconnected network that transcends the geography of nation-states. The Internet is too valuable to be managed by governments alone. Yet there is less agreement over how well the alternative "multistakeholder" model of Internet governance is working — or whether it is really serving all of us as well as it might.
The immediate threat to the Internet as we know it is the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) scheduled for December in Dubai by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a U.N. body whose remit has thus far been limited to global telephone systems. Members meet behind closed doors. Their policy proposals were until recently accessible only to members — until activists forced transparency upon them through a website called "WCITLeaks." The leaked documents reveal how a number of governments — in league with some old-school telecommunications companies seeking to regain revenues lost to the Internet — are proposing to rewrite global international telecommunications regulations in ways that opponents believe will corrode, if not destroy, the open and free nature of the Internet. (For readers wanting to delve into details, a number of nonprofit organizations including the Center for Democracy and Technology and the Internet Society have published analyses of the leaked documents and other recent ITU statements.)
A number of countries, including Russia and China, have put forward proposals to regulate aspects of the Internet like "crime" and "security" that are currently unregulated at the global level due to lack of international consensus over what those terms actually mean or over how to balance enforcement with the protection of citizens' rights. Other proposals focus on changes to who handles technical coordination and the setting of standards that enable all the devices, networks, and software across the Internet to communicate and connect with one another. Most of those technical coordination functions are currently handled by a constellation of institutions whose doors are open to all groups with a "stake" in the Internet's future: engineers, activists, unaffiliated individuals, and corporate and government representatives.
These institutions are not exactly household names. Only a tiny fraction of the billion-plus people on the planet who increasingly depend on the Internet have ever heard of the U.S.-based nonprofit Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which coordinates the global domain-name system, the collection of regional Internet registries that coordinate IP addresses, or the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), which develops global technical standards so that devices and software all around the world can interoperate with one another — let alone any of the other organizations that coordinate Internet-related resources and standards.
This governance ecosystem has worked astonishingly well in managing the Internet's exponential growth, largely because the system is so open and decentralized that any person anywhere on Earth with engineering or software-programming skills can invent new software applications, devices, and other networked technologies that can all interconnect with one another without needing to obtain permission or buy a license from anybody.
Some other ITU proposals would shift some of these organizations' roles to the ITU itself, which — because it primarily serves the interests of U.N. member states and excludes other stakeholders in its decision-making processes — will reflect a bias toward centralization, bureaucracy, predictability, and control. This would inevitably corrode if not destroy the Internet's openness and permission-free qualities that have made the Internet such a powerful platform for innovation and empowerment.
This is by no means, however, the first attempt by powerful governments to assert power through the ITU. China, Russia, and many developing countries have complained for nearly two decades that the new, nongovernmental multistakeholder institutions are dominated by Americans and Western Europeans who manipulate outcomes to serve their own commercial and geopolitical advantage. These critiques converge with the interests of former and current state-owned phone companies wanting to restore revenues of yore before email and Skype wiped out the need for most international phone calls. "There is still a continual theme that the glories of the past in terms of the telco monopolies of decades ago can somehow be reconstructed within the landscape of the Internet," writes Geoff Huston, chief scientist at the Asia Pacific Network Information Center. Doing so might also raise government revenues in some places, and thus a number of developing-country governments have lined up behind Russia, China, and other authoritarian regimes in support of empowering the ITU.
To continue reading this article, visit ForeignPolicy.com.


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NATURE ZONES NUDIST MUSIC VIDEO from TON DOU on Vimeo.
My blog to share, embed, or post my favorite nudist or nude related videos. Some will be shared professional videos of others and some will be videos of my personal self too. Hopefully I'll have a great variety of videos from all to share here. This blog will contain videos related to nudism and nude art as well.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Nature Zone - By: Ton Dou
Posted by Nudamerican Wade at 3/02/2012 04:13:00 AM
1 comment:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Editor's Note: This is the first of a four part series that we will be running on successive days at Catholic Exchange. Yes, we think it's that good. Cari Donaldson's journey takes us through a teenager's doubts, a stint among New Agers, an encounter with the South's Christ-hauntedness and finally to the miracle of new birth, times two.
There are parallels between conversion stories and birth stories. Both start with a tiny seed, planted in darkness, result in the birth of a new creation, and involve blood, sweat and tears. And while I resisted writing the story of my conversion to Catholicism for a long time, it seems fitting that when I finally did so, it would be toward the end of my sixth pregnancy.
While writing this has involved slightly less blood than the birth of my children, it was accompanied by yelling and tears. There is nothing more frustrating than trying to convey your experience with the Word when it refuses to fit nicely into any words. So I ask you, like all mothers presenting their newborn to the public for the first time, please overlook defects of style and appearance, and focus instead on the potential, the innocence, the love that created, sustained, and labored to bring the finished product into the world.
On My Way to "The Triple Goddess"
I was raised, in no particular order:
- With both mother and father, who modeled what a strong marriage can look like
- With one sibling, my brother, who used to be younger than I am, but since I've stopped aging, he's now older
- In a suburb of Detroit, in a dark brick ranch my grandfather helped build and my mom grew up in
- Going to the same Presbyterian church my mom went to when she was a child
We went to church regularly, and I attended both Sunday school and youth group. Any other religious expression was an individual pursuit. I don't remember reading the Bible as a family, but I do remember my gold foil "Good News Bible," with stick figures and crinkly onionskin paper. I don't remember praying much as a family, outside of grace before Thanksgiving dinner, but I do remember, from a very early age, talking to God.
Specifically, I remember talking to God every night, and asking Him to "put my Grandpa on." I'd wait, imagining God going to get my Grandpa Bob, who had died when I was five. I'd sit patiently in silence, until I imagined Grandpa coming to the prayer line, and we'd chat for a bit. Then God would get back on, and we'd say our goodbyes for the night.
I remember my childhood religious formation being strong enough to forge that vital element—a prayer life, something I never ever lost.
I remember the rest of my childhood formation being tenuous enough that I had slipped it off by college.
My best friend in high school gave me a book to read right before I left for Michigan State. It was called Judas My Brother, by Frank Yerby. Briefly, it is a book that strives to strip Jesus, and by extension, Christianity, of anything divine or mystical. It has footnotes and endnotes galore, and to a 17 year-old girl with little grounding in theology, it was a revelation. With no education in Christian apologetics to help me critically consume the book, I was happy to embrace the whole thing. The ability to toss aside some Bronze-age set of patriarchal ethics all while spouting off quotes from a historical novel is extremely attractive to a new college student.
So, convinced that at its heart, Christianity was nothing more than a monstrous tale of a monstrous God who sacrificed His own Son to Himself to appease His monstrous anger, I chucked it all.
More or less.
I still prayed. Every night. There was that remnant of my childhood faith that I couldn't even begin to shake. Even if the prayer was nothing more than, "Thank you for this day, goodnight," I still said it. I didn't think too hard about who was on the receiving end of my prayer, but I always knew that there was Someone to whom I was grateful for another day of life.


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Linux Job Market Trends On the Move - page 3
Upwardly Mobile
Linux job openings are, of course, a direct reflection of how the open source OS is used in business environments. Some of the user polls conducted by Dice shed light on how Linux is used in corporate data centers. For example:
What virtualization software are you using to run your business server environment (July 20-27, 2007):
VMWare: 55%
Virtualization in production? Are you crazy?: 19%
Microsoft Virtual Server: 15%
Xen (Red Hat, SUSE or XenSource): 6%
Other: 5%
Although the virtualization sector is dominated by proprietary software, virtualization (especially the Linux-friendly VMWare) enables greater ease of use for Linux in the enterprise.
Where is Linux deployed in your business? (July 27-August 3, 2007)
No Linux for us. We've got a different solution: 35%
A mix of servers and desktops: 19%
Servers are all Linux, desktops are all proprietary: 18%
A few specific computers here and there: 18%
Desktops and servers, we're Linux all the way: 10%
Perhaps most noteworthy is the 10% of companies that use a Linux-only solution for their desktops. This statistic might surprise observers who know that Linux desktop use in the overall population is about 3 percent.
But in fact it's not that surprising, Melde says. "There have long been a few stalwarts," on the Linux desktop in the business environment. Moreover, in the last couple of years the Linux desktop has made great strides in terms of usability, he observes, pointing in particular to Ubuntu, which he calls the "most usable."
It's gotten to the point where you don't have to be a geek to run Linux on your desktop--even regular people are doing it. "My 80-year-old father runs Linux," Melde says. "He didn't set it up, but he runs it just fine."
- Skip Ahead
- 1. Upwardly Mobile
- 2. Upwardly Mobile
- 3. Upwardly Mobile


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January 28, 2013
National Survey on Drug Use and Health—Have You been Contacted?
William A. Estrada, Esq.
Director of Federal Relations
Will Estrada has been leading our efforts to defend homeschooling on Capitol Hill since 2006. As the oldest of eight kids, and a homeschool graduate who married a homeschool graduate, he has a passion for protecting homeschool freedom. Read more >>
You may have recently received a letter in the mail addressed to "RESIDENT." This letter was sent from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and asked you to take part in the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Roughly 200,000 households were randomly selected to take part in this survey, which consists of an in-person interview with a government contractor. If you were chosen to participate and answer all of the questions, you will receive $30 in cash.
Some HSLDA members who received this survey have expressed concern about their privacy. You can find out more about this survey online.
There are two important things to remember about this survey. First, it is not mandatory. However, if you do decide to participate, federal law requires HHS and the Research Triangle Institute which is conducting the survey to keep your information strictly confidential.
Federal law prohibits HHS or any government or private employees from sharing your personal information with any other government or private entity under the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002 (CIPSEA). Any violation would make the individual subject to criminal penalties, including a prison term of up to five years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both.
The purpose of this voluntary survey is to help researchers and policy makers find out more about drug use and public health. The results of this survey will be helpful to the medical community, policy makers, and others.
HSLDA encourages you to research this survey and make your own decision about whether you or a member of your household is interested in participating. If you do decide to participate, this may be a very interesting homeschool opportunity for your family.
You are also well within your rights to decline to participate in this survey.
One concern to note, if you do decide to participate in this survey, is that it is likely you will be requested to have your teens interviewed absent a parent being present. One of our member families experienced an interviewer who insisted on questioning the teenagers in private and separate from the presence of parents. The parents then refused the interview.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact HSLDA's Federal Relations Department at firstname.lastname@example.com or 540-338-5600.
Support HSLDA on Capitol Hill!
To make a tax-deductible gift to the Homeschool Freedom Fund, which will fund litigation and public education, click here. If you're not a member, join now! For more information about opportunities to support the work of HSLDA see the FAQ here.


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Just when I thought I'd truly heard it all, I read a story about a woman in China who went into labor nine days before she was due, and ultimately wound up giving birth to her baby girl after insisting on making a stop to use the bathroom on her way to the hospital. You know -- because she probably thought she was feeling pressure "down there" because she had to poop, not push the baby out! OMG.
This definitely isn't the first time a baby has been born in a restroom, but it is the first time I've heard about a baby being born in a public toilet pit. Yes -- a toilet pit, which is basically a small hole on the bathroom floor that you -- well, kind of squat and "hover" over in order to do your business.
If you still aren't getting a good visual of what I mean, then you'll get a much clearer picture after checking out the photo of the actual toilet pit where the little girl was born. It's not entirely primitive, but it's definitely not what we're used to here in the States. I did have the pleasure of using something similar in Paris once, and trust me -- it was no picnic. I can't imagine actually being hovered over that thing and pushing out a baby -- especially when I expected to be going #2!
After the woman gave birth, her husband called for help, and rescuers came and could see the baby lying in the pit and could hear the poor little thing crying too. They wound up ripping out the other pits nearby so that they could get the baby out. She was in there for about 30 minutes, and rescuers reported her as "a little pale and stiff."
Miraculously, the baby survived and is being monitored by doctors in the hospital for a little while longer just to make sure she is ok. Her aunt says that the family will bring her home as soon as the doctor says she's ready to go.
If nothing else, this story really makes you appreciate living somewhere with modern facilities, and up-to-date toilets, doesn't it? I think I'll be a little more appreciative and less whiny the next time I complain about having to put down toilet paper on a public seat before using it. Doing that sure beats giving birth (or pooping) into a hole.
What is the strangest place you've ever heard a baby being born in?
Image via Micheal Melchiorre/Flickr


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The 2011 Strange Horizons Fund Drive
This fund drive has now closed! If you're looking to support Strange Horizons, please see our main donate page.
Our 2011 fund drive has been a success! Thanks to everyone who donated. We'll be in touch with those who've won prizes soon.
For over a decade, Strange Horizons has pursued a number of goals: to encourage and support new writers of speculative fiction from diverse backgrounds; to provide a home for readers looking for fiction that expands the possibilities of sf, and discussions of the same; and to offer content free of change while still paying contributors professional rates, without being dependent on advertisers or corporate interests.
We've been proud to publish work by such writers as Saladin Ahmed, Charlie Jane Anders, Christopher Barzak, Elizabeth Bear, Bruce Boston, Cecil Castellucci, Matthew Cheney, John Clute, L. Timmel Duchamp, Hal Duncan, Amal El-Mohtar, Carol Emshwiller, Karen Joy Fowler, Lisa Goldstein, Theodora Goss, Gavin J. Grant, Karen Healey, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, N.K. Jemisin, John Kessel, Meghan McCarron, Farah Mendlesohn, David Moles, Tim Pratt, Adam Roberts, Benjamin Rosenbaum, John Scalzi, Nisi Shawl, Vandana Singh, Sonya Taaffe, Genevieve Valentine, Greg van Eekhout, Jo Walton, Liz Williams, and too many others to list. Stories published at Strange Horizons in 2010 were shortlisted for the Theodore Sturgeon, Locus, Tiptree and Aurealis Awards; six of last year's stories have been reprinted in four Year's Best volumes.
A huge part of our success has been down to you, our readers. Strange Horizons relies on donations from readers to stay in business -- our staff are all volunteers, but your donations enable us to continue to publish weekly issues, and pay contributors professional rates. Each year we hold a fund drive: this year we're trying to raise US$8000.
Donating to Strange Horizons is easy!
Just click the link below to send us a donation through Network for Good, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping other nonprofit organizations with online donations.
If you'd rather donate through PayPal, click this link:
And you can send a check or money order to our post office address:
Strange Horizons, Inc.
P.O. Box 1693
Dubuque, IA 52004-1693
Note: Contributions to Strange Horizons are tax-deductible in the US. Strange Horizons has received 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the US Internal Revenue Service.
Fund Drive prizes
Everyone who donates to the fund drive this year will receive a free ebook collecting some of the magazine's best content from 2010, including stories by Saladin Ahmed, Theodora Goss, John Kessel, Meghan McCarron and Sandra McDonald, poems by Bruce Boston, Emily Jiang, Lisa Nohealani Morgon, Marge Simon and Sonya Taaffe, and criticism by Orrin Grey and Abigail Nussbaum.
In addition, donors will be entered into a draw to win one of our fantastic fund drive prizes. This year we have signed and limited edition books, artwork, and more—be sure to check out the prize page throughout the month, as we add more prizes.
Where does my money go?
Strange Horizons is staffed entirely by volunteers, so everything you donate goes towards the running of the magazine. At the moment, our costs break down something like this:
- Your $5 donation will cover our administrative overhead costs for one week
- Your $20 donation pays for one poem or one review
- Your $50 donation pays for one article
- Your $100 donation allows us to sponsor a convention event
- Your $250 donation is the average amount we pay for a new story
- Your $400 donation pays for an entire week's worth of material at Strange Horizons
How can I spread the word?
Please mention the fund drive on your social networks! We've included buttons for Twitter, Facebook and other networks at the bottom of this page for convenience. If you'd like to blog about the fund drive, you can now embed our progress rocket in your page, to keep up with how the fund drive is going and make it easy for your readers to donate. Thanks in advance for your help!