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It's on the cusp of spring but below zero in wind-whipped Buffalo, where the Tonawanda Creek rowing lanes are still ice-locked and the old metal boathouse at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, is shrouded in snow. Still, a little cold doesn't stop Justine Bottorff and her Buffalo teammates from another grueling indoor rowing practice as they prepare for a challenging season. "We raced in a blizzard once," Bottorff says with a laugh.
Relentlessly rowing on the sliding erg machine, sweat-sheened Bottorff stares at the performance monitor that's demanding yet another ounce of effort and accomplishment, pulling together with her teammates in a long, mirrored workout room, pulling, pulling, in quest of perfectly synced power. "Hang, Justine," the coach calls to correct a stroke. "Hang your body weight – that's it!"
But no matter how hard the workout, it's nothing compared with Bottorff's last practice, as an 82nd Airborne Division medic in war-ravaged Iraq, where she spent her days on harrowing missions with vulnerable convoys and in frontline emergency rooms treating gunshot wounds and victims of improvised explosive devices, who were, in her words, "burned and mangled beyond repair – missing all limbs." She adds, ruefully, "If you have a choice, always get shot. Don't get blown up."
A former high school athlete from Herkimer, New York, Bottorff served 14 months in the cauldron of the Iraqi insurgency. "There's no way you can go over there for a year and not be different," she says. "You get so used to everything being life and death. I felt so old."
So Bottorff did feel old when, as a 23-year-old freshman, she arrived at Buffalo in 2011 after her service ended. Determined to build on her medical experience, she majored in biomedical science, in hope of being a doctor. It was a rough re-entry. Like many post-deployment vets, Bottorff struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. She had trouble coping with academic education after the military's hands-on training. Being part of the 1 percent of Americans in military service, Bottorff had little in common with younger and less worldly civilian students. And after enduring the pain and dysfunction of war, she just didn't trust anyone.
Then, she got an email inviting her to a rowing team tryout.
As the U.S. military slims down after the long, post-9/11 wars, increasing numbers of former soldiers will be using the GI Bill to attend college, and some are choosing to use athletics' structure and teamwork to replace military discipline and camaraderie. It's a trend that offers extraordinary opportunities to veterans and universities, as well as unique challenges. While military vets playing college sports are a small subset of the nation's 460,000-plus NCAA student-athletes, Bottorff and other vets who became college athletes provide a lens for examining these complicated transitions.
Since its inception in 2009, more than 700,000 veterans and family members have returned to college using the post-9/11 GI Bill, which provides opportunities for both the soldiers and the institutions they attend. Colleges are eager to have vets on their campuses and athletics teams, in part to offset demographic declines in the numbers of traditional college-aged students.
R. Britton Katz, dean of students at Millsaps and a member of the Division III Management Council, notes that veterans and campuses both have something to offer each other. "It's an exquisite marketing opportunity," he said. "We anticipate vigorous recruitment as vets return to Mississippi and the Deep South." Beyond the vets' capacity to bring "maturity and worldliness to campus," Katz sees them as "amongst the fittest adults in American society, ready for NCAA athletic competition."
With such a symbiotic relationship, it makes sense for the two organizations to cooperate. Representatives from the military and Division II schools met in December at Georgia Regents Augusta for a Military Summit, with the goal of building connections, particularly between college athletics departments and the military. The community-engagement pilot program will be between Georgia Regents Augusta and nearby Fort Gordon.
"We want to have a meaningful relationship," Georgia Regents Augusta Director of Athletics Clint Bryant said. "We're researching such things as facilities, having games on bases and military teams playing on campus, the culture of the military," he said.
He envisions the day when colleges are actively recruiting vets as student-athletes, including wounded soldiers with special needs. "The possibilities are endless."
Col. Sam Anderson, the Fort Gordon garrison commander, likewise sees potential synergies. "It's a natural progression, to expand on our current partnership for our mutual benefit," he said. "We're going to see if this is viable, then try to see if this can be applied nationally."
Anderson has discussed the pilot program with other commanders with bases close to Division II schools. "They're excited by the opportunity," he said. "It's a way to offset fiscal restraints, but more important, the military-college link will give service members the opportunity to realize there are great opportunities outside of the military. It will take away the fear."
Karen Stromme, senior woman administrator at Minnesota Duluth, notes that a high percentage of Division II campuses are in proximity to military bases, a fact buttressed by an NCAA spreadsheet that lists myriad Division II schools near military bases. "Our core values align," Stromme said. "We relate very well together."
Returning military veterans playing college sports are nothing new. After World War II, a massive wave of 7.8 million GI Bill soldiers engulfed America's colleges and universities. In search of competition and shared goals, many joined college teams, like the vets Ohio State football coach Carroll Widdoes incorporated into the 1945 Buckeyes team that went 7-2.
Another group of five World War II vets joined together to upend a traditional athletic hierarchy, and in the process wrestled themselves into NCAA sports history. In 1947, the vet-heavy wrestling team of Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, defeated all of the day's major wrestling powers on the way to winning both the NCAA and AAU national championships. Called "The Dream Team of 1947," the Cornell College squad was the first team inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa.
While the five vets were hardly unique at Cornell College, they were particularly valued as athletes. "Half the class were returning vets," said former Cornell College wrestler Richard Small, though not a veteran himself. "But with those vets having the GI Bill, the school didn't have to give them wrestling scholarships."
One of the wrestling vets was Al Partin, a garrulous Navy gunner who had survived numerous passages on the perilous Arctic supply route to the Russian port of Murmansk. Partin had been an Illinois state wrestling champ before joining the Navy. After the war, he was working out in a New York City YMCA when Cornell College coach Paul Scott recruited him.
Partin was a 24-year-old heavyweight freshman wrestler on a Cornell College team composed of five older vets and three talented wrestlers just out of high school. "The mixture, age, it didn't seem to matter," Partin said. "After World War II, there were lots of vets playing college sports."
The Cornell College team made history, first defeating the perennially powerful teams from Oklahoma and Iowa to win the NCAA championship at the University of Illinois, Champaign, then traveling to San Francisco to win the AAU championships against strong competition. After the judges reversed their decision to give a close match to his opponent, AAU officials awarded Partin an outstanding sportsmanship award because, Partin said, he didn't complain about losing.
"The war and the GI Bill changed my life, and my whole family's life," said Partin, now a vibrant 90-year-old professor emeritus from Knox College, where he coached football for decades. "If the war hadn't come, I'd probably have worked in the railroad yard," he said. "But college changed me a lot, being around my peers, geniuses really. I thought, this is the kind of world I want to be in."
After the World War II years, vets continued to rejoin civilian life as collegiate athletes. During his 1980s Navy service, Willis Bevelle III's obsession with playing Alabama football powered him through four years of workouts and studies. "I slept in Alabama pajamas, carried a football," he laughed. "They thought I was weird."
In the spring of 1988, Bevelle walked on as a 22-year-old freshman. "I had a shaved head; very focused. I went from being a freshman to 'Grandpa' overnight."
One of Bevelle's Alabama teammates was Dabo Swinney, now Clemson's football coach. "We called him 'Pops,' 'Old Man,'" Swinney said. "It was neat to watch Willis maximize himself."Bevelle went on to win a full scholarship and numerous awards as part of Alabama's SEC and national championship teams. "Pray hard, work hard. Be of service," Bevelle said. "The military drilled it into me."
The 9/11 attacks and the wars that followed inspired a whole generation of military volunteers. Marine Brian Stokes was among them. After serving two deployments in Iraq, where he survived more than 200 combat missions, including one that earned him a Purple Heart, Stokes joined the Appalachian State football team as a 26-year-old freshman in 2005. Both he and fellow Marine Wayne Norman were part of Appalachian State's second-straight national title team.
Appalachian State continued its military tradition in 2010, when Chris Aiken joined the team after two tours with the U.S. Army in Iraq. "I never thought I'd meet men that I'd bond with like I did with my brothers in war," Aiken said. "But going on the field with the team on Saturdays was like going to war." Inspired by Aiken, the Appalachian State conference championship rings were inscribed with "Brothers in Arms."
During the wild days when Fallujah and Ramadi were aflame with the Iraqi insurgency, Sgt. Josh Butts was serving in the 503rd Air Assault Infantry Regiment as a chaplain assistant. "The chaplain's mission is to nurture the living, care for the wounded and honor the dead," Butts said, remembering helping with mass casualties after IEDs and firefights; ministering at memorial services; and serving as a critical stress counselor after battles. "I was a combat multiplier, needing to be sure no one committed suicide – we needed them for the fight." He broke off a moment, then added, "This is a little hard to talk about."
Before he joined the Army in 2003, Butts was an outstanding high school distance runner in western New York. "I had to put my running career on hold," he said. Though not on a college team, Butts was still fleet enough to run with the Jenks America Track Club and the All-Army Cross Country Team while stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
But on a bermed-up Ramadi firebase, Butts' running really got serious. "We were shelled every hour on the hour," he said. "When you're fighting, you really can't go for a 10-mile run." So he figured out another training plan: "If I hugged the berm at the base perimeter, I could get in some training runs. I had this commitment to running."
One day Butts was assigned to a vehicle control point. "We were under a mortar attack, when one mortar landed about 10 feet from where I was sitting and, miraculously, did not detonate." But the rock and debris kicked up by the near-miss still caught his foot, causing severe bruising and a large calcium deposit. Compared with the horrific wounds suffered by his comrades in arms, Butts considers his a minor injury, dismissing it as "a boo-boo." But when he returned to his 100-mile-a-week training regime after mustering out, the chronic pain was a reminder of a close call in Iraq.
Like many vets returning from the post-9/11 wars, Butts found re-entry to civilian life was difficult. But as he grappled with survivor's guilt and PTSD, his running again helped him out: "The University of Tulsa honored my scholarship offer," Butts said. "It was humbling to me."
By 2006, he was running on the school's cross country and record-breaking distance relay teams, eventually dropping from his "Army Strong" combat weight of 162 pounds to a whippet-like 134 pounds. "It gave me something to focus on while I was making a rough transition," he said. "Without that, I could have just gone away. It saved my life."
Butts gave back to Tulsa, inspiring his teammates with his service-burnished tenacity, determination and teamwork. "He got our program going," coach Steve Gulley said, "because he brought a lot of maturity. He brought an attitude to the practices. We'd have a 10-mile run, and he'd say, 'Hey, I'm going.'" And Butts also brought a hard-won equanimity to the team: "The young guys, they can get tense before races. It affects their performance. I put it into perspective – I told them, 'This isn't a battle. So enjoy it.'"
Butts graduated from Tulsa in 2008. Married with two small children, he's still getting in 30 miles of running "in a good week." After his run of luck in Iraq, Butts now owns a successful graphic design company. "It's a lot different from hosing out a Humvee after a battle," he said, "if you know what I mean."
Bottorff was struggling her first year at Buffalo. The large college classes were daunting to her. Barely scraping along, she lost her academic scholarship because of low grades. PTSD, brain trauma, the abrupt transition from her adrenaline-soaked war life were wreaking havoc. "I knew I was different," she said. "I didn't know the army had messed up my mind."
Loud noises scared her; she got mad a lot. She was bottled up, keeping her military life hidden from her civilian classmates. "It's hard for people in the military to trust anyone who's not in the military," she said.
Therapy for her war-related injuries and new learning tools began to make a difference in the classroom. Her grades began to climb. Rowing brought the opportunities to stay fit, get a scholarship and begin building relationships. "It was good for me to be connected to other people," she said. "I got to do something that is so team-oriented, and it was good for me to be around students."
Tall and muscular, Bottorff was experienced in a way that only a war vet knows. Buffalo rowing coach Sandy Calfo was looking for strong, fit, confident women. "If you see Justine," Calfo says, "she's all of that. Here's someone who's open-minded, ready to learn, with a little bit of maturity."
But she was still an outsider. One day during her freshman year, the rowing team was in a van on its way to a race. Older, still-uncommunicative Bottorff was in the front seat with the coach, who was driving.
One of Bottorff's teammates finally got the nerve to ask why she was a 23-year-old freshman. "I'm huge from lifting weights," Bottorff thought to herself. But then she turned to her teammates and said: "I've been in jail."
"Justine," the coach sputtered, "you can't tell them that."
Casey Carroll's book-ended sports career provides him a unique perspective. He first played on a storied Division I team, then served with distinction as an Army Ranger, then returned to college athletics after his military career ended.
Carroll first joined the Duke lacrosse team in 2004. In his senior year in 2007, he was a first-team All-America lacrosse player, and the team was the NCAA championship runner-up. Carroll had been a Long Island high school junior when the 9/11 attacks happened. "My dad is a New York City fireman. I always knew I wanted to serve," he said.
When he graduated from Duke in 2007, he joined the Army. Inspired by Duke alumni James Regan, who died in Iraq, Carroll joined Regan's unit, the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Charlie Company, serving in Special Operations like Regan did. After his February 2012 discharge, Carroll returned to Duke to get a Fuqua School of Business master's degree with the assistance of the GI Bill and the Yellow Ribbon program.
His passion for competition undiminished, Carroll re-joined the lacrosse team. "It's a dream situation for me," he said. Though he tore a knee ligament in early 2013 and is now a 29-year-old dad with two kids, Carroll was back playing with the team again in spring 2014. "I tell them, it's all about teamwork, whether it's in athletics or in the military. Teamwork, being there for your buddy, it's universal in a team environment."
For vets and colleges both, there are as many challenges as opportunities. Of the 2 million soldiers sent to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, studies indicate that 20 to 30 percent came home with debilitating PTSD – half a million soldiers suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder. With the inherent dangers of the battlefield and IEDs as the insurgents' weapon of choice, traumatic brain injuries are rampant.
No generation of American soldiers has ever been asked to endure so many war-zone deployments, particularly multiple rotations in places where the front line is everywhere—the "360-degree War" in the strategists' term. There's a price for unending alertness, for months and years of over-revved adrenal glands: Counselors report many vets return with altered brain chemistry. Families say their soldiers are not the same. Many vets wholeheartedly agree.
Accustomed to the military's rigorous, hands-on methods of training, some veterans find it difficult to adjust to more abstract university educational modes. As Bottorff said, "The Army trains you; college teaches you."
Even styles of leadership are different. Bernard James had been a staff sergeant in Iraq leading 300 military police before he became a star basketball player at Florida State. Now with the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, James was a mature, imposing 6-foot-10 former sergeant when he joined the Seminoles. He quickly realized he had to amend his command style. "I had to learn how to talk to guys," he said. "Some guys don't respond to in-your-face, military-style talk."
Older, not uncommonly war-shocked vets typically distance themselves from campus life, remaining psychologically connected to their military compatriots and experience. "There's just something about being shot at that bonds you to someone," said Sgt. Luke Boyd, a 27-year-old safety at LSU.
The only active-duty soldier playing college sports, Boyd is the LSU team's oldest player. A father with a 14-month-old daughter, Boyd is like many older student-athletes, juggling university commitments, work and parenthood. But college sports allowed him to also form strong ties with his teammates. "I fell back into that same camaraderie, being able to trust someone next to you."
To assist with the transition, many colleges are expanding their veteran support programs. Some schools are already ranked as military friendly by organizations such as GI Jobs and Military Friendly Schools, which lists campuses delivering the best veteran experience. Middle Tennessee is an example. With its comprehensive veteran-dedicated infrastructure, office, support staff, recognition programs and veterans committee, the university is ranked as a top veteran-friendly school. "The university is strategically positioned to support our vets when they return from hostilities," said Sidney McPhee, president at Middle Tennessee. "It's the least we can do."
Waving the American flag like he was heading into battle, the football player came charging down Clemson's legendary Hill into Death Valley as 85,000 Memorial Stadium fans chanted "USA, USA," and then bellowed the university's climactic cheer: "Clemson, Clemson, Fight, Fight, Fight!" It was Clemson's Military Appreciation Day on Oct. 20, 2012. For Daniel Rodriguez, the wide receiver entrusted with the flag, the journey down Clemson's Hill began half a world away in another valley of death during another fight, one that profoundly changed his life.
Scarcely three years before, Rodriguez was a soldier in Bravo Troop, 3rd Battalion "Destroyers," 61st Cavalry Regiment, assigned to small, isolated Combat Outpost Keating in remote eastern Afghanistan. Deep in a bowl surrounded by towering mountains, the base was essentially indefensible, already scheduled for closure. "We knew it was a hot spot," Rodriguez said. "We heard rumors. We got attacked every day. It was toe-to-toe."
On Oct. 3, 2009, about 350 Taliban fighters attacked the tiny outpost with its contingent of 53 American soldiers. "We got overrun pretty bad," Rodriguez said. It was a vicious 18-hour battle. "I threw 50 grenades; we were killing them everywhere. It was nuts." After air support finally turned the tide, the insurgents withdrew. It was the bloodiest battle of America's war in Afghanistan. Eight soldiers died, including Rodriguez's best friend, Kevin Thomson. Twenty-two soldiers were wounded, including Rodriguez, who received a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for valor. "That day was pretty bad," he said. "It was a life-changing event."
Rodriguez came home with traumatic brain injury, PTSD and survivor's guilt. He had night terrors and flashbacks, started drinking and smoking. "I was on the verge of suicide, really," he said. "Had a gun, was trying to figure out, do it in the mouth or the temple?" But then he remembered the grass needed cutting, and that started him on his road to the Hill. "I knew I needed to change drastically. I quit drinking, found a therapist, and decided to get in shape and play football."
Before joining the military, Rodriguez had been a talented high school player, though only 5 feet, 8 inches. While in Afghanistan, he had pledged to Thomson that he would play college football. With a newfound resolve to honor his battlefield promise, Rodriguez embarked on an arduous training program. He spent six hours a day in the gym, honing his body into a remarkable instrument. He said, "I was an athlete my whole life. I knew I was good enough to play; I knew I had the motivation; I knew I was going to play."
With $1,500 he'd saved doing odd jobs, Rodriguez commissioned a promotional YouTube video, which commingled his high school highlights and military experience with scenes of his remarkable workouts. His voiceover was a moving testimony to his desire play football. Tens of thousands viewed the video. "The damned thing went viral," he said. The link eventually found its way to the desk of Clemson football coach Swinney, who said, "I was just blown away by his commitment to go to school, to play ball, by his work ethic." Swinney remembers, "I thought he might be a good little scout-team guy, a special-teams guy, a leader."
So Rodriguez was a walk-on to the Clemson football team, an undersized player with a big heart and a tough story. Some wondered about Swinney's decision, including wide receivers coach Jeff Scott, who worried Rodriguez might be a distraction to his players. Scott said, "My initial expectation was he really would not be much of a factor on the football side – maybe he was just a guy looking for attention."
But within a short time, Scott realized Rodriguez was going to be a hard worker. "I just busted my ass every day," Rodriguez remembered. "I wanted to prove to them I was a contender, not just a feel-good story."
And he has. With his determination and focus, Rodriguez has become an integral part of the championship Clemson team. A stalwart on special teams, he scored his first touchdown against The Citadel on Military Appreciation Day in 2013. The Memorial Stadium crowd went wild.
He has excelled not only athletically, but as a leader. "Daniel's set a great example," coach Swinney said. Joey Batson, Clemson director of strength and conditioning, said, "Daniel likes it hard, fast and tough." Calling him "an encourager," Scott said, "He's been one of the best leaders from the start. Daniel's enthusiasm for practice became contagious."
The university delivered on its part of the bargain. "I definitely think Clemson has been part of Daniel's therapy," Swinney said. With world-class coaching and facilities, Rodriguez is certainly quicker and stronger than when his workout tools were dirt-filled ammo boxes in Afghanistan. He also has seized the opportunity to excel at one of America's top academic institutions.
"Effort is my equalizer," said "D Rod," as he's affectionately known. With his 3.7 GPA, Rodriguez made it to the all-ACC academic football team. He gives back to veterans organizations. A book about his life comes out next October; a movie is in the works. "My military career was my past life, another chapter of my life," he said. "I'm a student-athlete now."
At Buffalo, Bottorff's life continues to improve. She changed her major from pre-med to nursing. Her semester GPA now averages around 3.6. "I'm doing so much better than before," Bottorff said. She's planning to use the GI Bill to attend graduate school. "I am a very driven person," she said. "There are things I want to do with my life."
She's a valued leader on her rowing team. "We respect her and look up to her. Justine brings another kind of leadership to the team," teammate Kate Koscielniak said about Bottorff's exemplary work ethic – and her whimsical nature. "She knows how to have fun." Koscielniak said, remembering Bottorff leading "the wave" during a strenuous abs session. But above all, there's teamwork. Rower Meghan O'Brien quickly affirms, "You don't want to disappoint Justine."
And Bottorff now has a good support system: her teammates. When she had boyfriend troubles this year, the younger rowers stepped up to help. "They were trying really hard to help me. It surprised me." One after the other, her teammates invited her to crash at their places a week at a time. "I didn't expect it from 19- to 21-year-olds," she said. "It was almost, like, comforting."
Formerly wary, formerly untrusting, formerly traumatized soldier Bottorff now said about her teammates, "They always come through for me."


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LOS ANGELES (AP) - Bobby Brown has pleaded not guilty to drunken driving and other charges stemming from his arrest last month in Los Angeles.
City News Service says an attorney entered pleas Monday on Brown's behalf to misdemeanor counts of DUI, driving with an illegal blood-alcohol content and driving on a suspended license. He could face up to six months in jail if convicted.
Brown didn't attend the Superior Court arraignment in Van Nuys.
The 43-year-old singer is the former husband of the late Whitney Houston. He was arrested by the California Highway Patrol on March 26.

subset: commoncrawl


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Celebrate 100 Years of Forest Preserves of Cook County Conservation with a Golf SpecialFriday, September 25th
$19.15 Green Fees
Since 1915, The Forest Preserves of Cook County has been protecting and restoring land , but preserving nature is only half of the story. The other half is written by you, and how you choose to explore and connect with your preserves.
The Forest Preserve Golf Courses are celebrating 100 years of conservation efforts of The Forest Preserves of Cook County by offering a golf special on Friday, September 25th. We are always happy to offer an opportunity for our guests to have an enjoyable round as well as enjoying the environment the Forest Preserves of Cook County has created around the golf courses.


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Wyoming College Hoops Rant (2/3 — 2/17)
BY WADE MCMILLIN, Couchsideshow.com editor
Another two weeks have unfolded in Wyoming community college men's hoops and it looks like one team is starting to separate itself from the pack of eight seven squads in the Cowboy state.
Sheridan College is rolling right now, collecting votes for the NJCAA top-20 poll and piling up five wins in a row. The General have the most wins in Wyoming with 22 and only trail Otero Junior College for the overall lead in the Region IX standings.
While Sheridan appears to be at the top of its game, the four inner-state teams below the Generals are still battling each other in attempts to climb up the standings. Northwest College, Western Wyoming Community College, Casper College, Central Wyoming College and even Gillette College look like they could still make noise at the end of the season and fight it out until the end to be Wyoming's No. 2 team.
So without any further holdup, here is another biweekly blog of the Wyoming College Hoops rant:


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Today's post is about a reader who I secretly named as "Doubtful Chalyn" or "Doubting Chalyn". Chalyn or Lyn as she is called emailed me sometime late April of this year. According to her she has to email me seven (7) times because I responded to her. I don't think I saw her first 6 emails but the last one where I replied sounded like she was a little desperate. And so when I replied, I decided to give her my contact number.
Doubtful Chalyn called me up while I was in a meeting and so she got a little disappointed and sent me a message asking as to why I would give her my number, she called 3 times. I returned her call that same evening and explained that during daytime, I'm usually busy and is unable to reply right away to messages and most of the time, I'm unable to take a call.
Anyway, she said she needs my help and insisted that she needs the Vajrapani Ruel. She also clarified that it was both she and her husband who reads my blog, but it was her husband who really wants and is desperate to get the Vajrapani Ruel. During our conversation, she kept on asking me whether the Vajrapani Ruel really works and that whether it will work for her. I already sense at that time that she was a doubtful reader or and believer. And so I told her not to get the Vajrapani Ruel if she is not sure.
I was surprise when she called again the following day and insisted that we meet that day because she and her husband really wants to get the Vajrapani Ruel. We met at a mall and I further asked them about their concerns, Doubting Chalyn has shared it with me already during our conversation but wanted to hear it from her husband and I want to know whether the Vajrapani Ruel is really for them.
Lyn has gave me the reason why they desire the Vajrapani Ruel and that is because her husband's business is not doing well and that money has been tight since July of 2016. But it was Ranran, Lyn's husband, who concretizes everything for me. According to Ranran, his business was largely affected by the steady weakening of the Philippine peso against the US dollar, and because of this a lot of his customers has left him for more affordable, although not necessarily better, alternative supplier. This happened at a really fast rate, and since a lot of his customers are also foreign mid –scale businesses, when they left the country and close shop, his income was greatly affected.
Ranran also said that another reason that he wants to get the Vajrapani Ruel is for Lyn to get her long time wish. Lyn hasn't mentioned anything about her wish to me during our phone conversation but I learned that day about her estranged relationship with her family because she eloped and married Ranran, a man who is 7 years younger than her, and who used to be her father's employee. They have been married for more than a decade and not once did she get to her parents and siblings, and it is only a cousin that would tell Lyn of some news about her family. When Lyn's father passed away 7 years ago, she was not allowed to go to the wake, and was only allowed to attend the funeral provided that she doesn't join them before and after the main funeral. This obviously has constantly become a pain in the chest for Lyn. Even they had two kids her parents, refused to see the kids. Some of siblings of Lyn but only briefly and they certainly don't have any kind of relationship with her kids.
Again, during our conversation at the mall, Doubtful Chalyn will always ask me whether the Vajrapani Ruel will work. I again told them not to get it if they are very anxious about the whole thing. It was then that I mentally branded her as "Doubtful Chalyn" or "Doubting Chalyn". Ranran then explained that they are decided in getting the Vajrapani Ruel and that Lyn is only like that because she was desperate for the Vajrapani Ruel to work for them.
Note: I have since admitted to Lyn that I branded her has "Doubtful Chalyn" or "Doubting Chalyn". And she and Ranran really laughed about it.
That was 4 months ago, as Lyn's message indicates. Now allow me to share the miracle base on Lyn's very own words.
According to Lyn and Ranran, they since had a reunion and getting to know the cousins (of Lyn's kids) party with Lyn's family. When they asked what happened why the sudden turn around, as it turn out, Lyn's youngest sister has been convincing their mom and other siblings to reach out to Lyn and rekindle their family relationship with her.
Going back to their initial reason for getting the Vajrapani Ruel. As mentioned, one of Ranran's biggest and old times went back to him. Obviously this is a big deal for Ranran because getting the client back is a big financial help and also reputation builder. Things have started to get better. And the inheritance of Lyn is a big help but is simply a bonus to the first two miracles!
Now "Doubtful Chalyn" is now a term of endearment for Lyn, but she is insists it is a name no longer apt for her. She said she is now "Lyn the Believer".
By the way, she now also chants the mantra of Bodhisattva Vajrapani, OM VAJRAPANI HUM, everyday!
You can also read the following posts about the Vajrapani Ruel:
- The World's Most Powerful Amulet in the Buddhist Pantheon Called the Vajrapani Ruel.
- The Vajrapani Ruel Stories: The 17th Karmapa's Relatively Easy Escape; The Miraculous Release of a Tibetan Monk from Chinese Prison and Labor Camp; and The Wealth Luck Bestowed Upon a Repentant Prodigal Son.
- The Vajrapani Ruel Stories (2): How A Man Got His Land Back After A 20 – Year – Old Legal Bottle.
- The Vajrapani Ruel Stories (3): Early Karmic Death Was Erased with Good Deeds and the Vajrapani Ruel.
- The Vajrapani Ruel Stories (4): Received the Needed Financial and Wealth Blessing to Solve Money Problems.
- The Vajrapani Ruel Stories (5): In the Nick of Time and Money Problems Solved with the Help of the 'Hated' Gift.
- A Reader Receives A Precious Gift from the Abbess of the Lotus Temple and Some Quaint Vajrapani Ruel Stories.
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (6): Getting to Work Abroad.
- The Kuan Yin with Heart Sutra and the Vajrapani Ruel Helped an Entrepreneur Solved Her Problems.
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (7): Miraculous Healing and An Unexpected 'Miraculous' Financial and Wealth Luck.
- Coincidence or Another Vajrapani Ruel Story?
- Did the Vajrapani Ruel Triggered a Past Life Recall?
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (8): Amazing Financial Luck and 5 Condo Units All Because of the Vajrapani Ruel.
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (9): Two Bags Full of Money Helps Solve Family Financial Problem.
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (10): Simple Miracles But Miracles Nonetheless.
- Vajrapni Ruel Stories (11): Acquiring A Property, Avoiding Problems Brought About A Natural Calamity, and Life Simply Becomes Easier All Because of A Wonderful Gift of Luck.
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories(12): Finding Long Lost Father With A Bonus of Finding True Love!
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (13): Migrating to Canada and Breaking – Up with the Live – In Partner.
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (14): Winning A Contest On A National Television!
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (15): 90 Million Pesos Mutual Fund Deal Closed Without A Sweat!
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (16): Chased After By Jobs.
- Understanding the Vajrapani Ruel Stories: Clarifying the Difference in the Miracles and Why The Anonymity of Those Who Experienced It.
- Expecting A Good Harvest and Temporarily Acquiring A Much Coveted Property: Another "Vajrapani Ruel Stories" and A "Wish Fulfilling and Buddha's Blessing Mantra Pendant" Personal Testimony.
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (17): How A Man Helped His Mother Get Her Land Backed After More Than 20 Years of Trying!
- Did the Vajrapani Ruel Manifested It's Power to A Person Even Before She Received It?
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (18): Borrowed Luck Lands Him A Job In A Japanese Company!
- Did the Vajrapani Ruel Make Him See the Future that Helped Save His Life?
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (19): A Difficult Pitch That Ended in a Totally Different But Wonderful Way!
- Be Grateful for Miracles No Matter How "Small": Two Simple Vajrapani Ruel Stories and How Those Who Experienced It Are Teaching Us A Lesson About Gratitude.
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (20): When A Sales Clerk Unexpectedly Became An Entrepreneur!
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (21): Fulfilling the Dream of Having An Uber Car Service Business!
- A Simple Wish Fulfilled Thru A Simple Vajrapani Ruel Miracle.
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (22): Winning A Court Case Against An Influential Family.
- Correct Diagnosis Because of the Vajrapani Ruel.
- Vajrapani Ruel and Surangama Mantra Amulet: A Comparison
- The Amulet From Within: A Story About How The Vajrapani Ruel Failed to Work and How Forgiveness Did.
- Counting Money and Counting More Money: Simple and Short Vajrapani Ruel Stories About Readers Who Increased Their Wealth Luck!
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (23): Carnapping Case Dismissed Without Prejudice!
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (24): Miraculous Wealth Gift Received In Time of Need!
- Is the Vajrapani Ruel Really An Amulet for Financial Luck and Wealth Luck?
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (25) : Illegal Detention and Murder Cases Against An Underdog Politician Dropped! (How The Vajrapani Ruel Saved A Person Without Him Knowing.)
- Vajrapni Ruel Stories (26): Raising Enough Money to Finish One's House and an Unexpected Additional Business!
- A Short But Heartwarming Vajrapani Ruel Miracle Shared By A Reader.
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (27): An Actor Experienced A Downpour of Financial Blessing.
- Another Simple Vajrapani Miraculous Story: How A Simple Request to the Vajrapani Ruel Revealed Evidence of Deceit!
- How the Vajrapani Ruel Helped Fixed the Flight Problem of the Personal Plane of My Business Client and Publisher!
- What is the Next Best Thing If You Can't Have the Vajrapani Ruel?
- Financial Blessing, Recuperation of Career, Justice from Maltreatment of School Officials – A Story of A Family Who Received Several Miracles: A Vajrapani Ruel and Ing Deng Pay Personal Testimonies of A Reader.
- The Vajrapani Ruel Brought Blessings to the Children of a Loving Mother.
- Meeting a Long Time Friend Who Happens to be A Generous Actor: How The Vajrapani Ruel Created An Opportunity that Helped Solve a Financial Problem!
- Wealth and Money Luck "Delivered Right At the Doorstep": A Simple Vajrapani Ruel Miraculous Story!
- How to Enhance the Eight Aspiration Energy of Your Vajrapani Ruel Using Crystals (1): Wealth Luck!
- How to Enhance the Eight Aspiration Energy of Your Vajrapani Ruel Using Crystals (2): Love Luck!
- How to Enhance the Eight Aspiration Energy of Your Vajrapani Ruel Using Crystals (3): Mentor Luck and Family & Descendant Luck!
- How to Enhance the Eight Aspiration Energy of Your Vajrapani Ruel Using Crystals (4): Fame Luck and Health Luck!
- How to Enhance the Eight Aspiration Energy of Your Vajrapani Ruel Using Crystals (5): Career Luck and Education Luck; Plus How To Strengthen the Protection Energies!
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (28): Financial Blessing, A New Job – An Overseas Filipino Worker Received Some Miracles!
- Chanting the Mantra of Bodhisattva Vajrapani Creates A Powerful Energy Akin to the Wish Fulfilling Mantra and Negative Karma Cleansing Mantra!
- Combined Power of the Vajrapani Ruel and the Surangama Mantra Amulet Brought Some Financial Blessings and Mended A Family Broken by Financial Problems!
- Breezing Through the German Language Exam (A1 – Start Deutsch 1) With the Help of the Vajrapani Ruel – A Personal Testimony of A Reader!
- Money Comes In With A Simple Wish While Holding A Vajrapani Ruel: Another Personal Testimony of A Reader!
- Financial Blessing By Way of A Mysterious Money Deposit Received Two Days After Receiving the Vajrapani Ruel: A Personal Testimony of A Reader.
- Vajrapani Ruel Stories (29): Twelve Million Pesos Deal From An Online Lead!
- A Reader Shares Her Stories About the Vajrapani Ruel, Illness Suppression Amulet, Buddhism, and Other Things…
- A Permanent High Paying Job in Singapore Bought About By the Vajrapani Ruel: A Personal Testimony of A Very Vocal Non – Believer!
- Financial Luck One After the Other; Wish Fulfilled; And Saved From A Definite Harm or Even Death: Another Overseas Worker Shares Her Miraculous Personal Testimony About the Vajrapani Ruel.
- Buying A Desired Property for Her Mother 3 Days After Receiving the Vajrapani Ruel: An Overseas Filipino Reader Shares Her Miraculous Story About the Vajrapani Ruel.
- A Mother's Financial Problem Miraculously Solved And Her Wish For Her Daughter Came True – A Personal Testimony of A Reader!
- Half – A – Million Pesos Financial Luck for the Husband; A Career Luck of Promotion for the Husband; And Continuous Flow of Money Luck and Wisdom Luck of Creativity for A Reader Who Got the Vajrapani Ruel and the Illness Suppression Amulet: A Personal Testimony of A Reader!
- 900K Development Fund Released After Experiencing Some Hardships: A Reader Shares His Personal Vajrapani Ruel Miraculous Story.
- From Miserable to Charitable: A Transformation of A Reader Who Experienced Some Blessings Because of the Vajrapani Ruel and Surangama Mantra Amulet!
- A Different Kind of Vajrapani Ruel Miraculous Story.
- Financial Problem of An Illegitimate Child Solved When He Was Able to Claim His Inheritance Thru the Help of the Vajrapani Ruel: A Personal Testimony of A Reader.
- A Problematic Businesswoman Experienced Her First Vajrapani Ruel Miracle Within Three Days of Acquiring It: Vajrapani Ruel Miraculous Personal Testimony of A Reader.
- Financial and Wealth Blessings from A Problematic Sale of A Property: A Personal Testimony About the Vajrapani Ruel and Other Amulets in the Words of A Reader!
- The Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating and Sometimes We Should Realize that Simple Can Be Quite Good: Some Vajrapani Ruel Miraculous Stories and the Lesson We Can Learn from the People Who Experienced Them.
- "Suffering" May Be a Form of Cleansing; A Miraculous Pay Raise After More than 19 Years; And Other Miracles: A Personal Vajrapani Ruel Miraculous Stories of A Reader!
- There Are No Simple and Small Miracles: A Lesson from the Personal Testimony of A Reader!
- Money Luck or Financial Luck Blessings Received in About 15 Days Upon Receiving the Vajrapani Ruel and A Copy of the Traditional Sutra Amulet: A Reader from Dubai Shares Her Personal Miraculous Testimony!
- A Mother's Wish for Her Children to Have A Secured Future Granted By the Vajrapani Ruel (An Unusual Financial Blessing): A Personal Testimony of A Reader!
- A Financial Blessing or Miracle for the Born – Again Christian Who Is Not A Believer of Amulets: How A Simple Miracle Turned A Woman into Believing that there is Indeed Something with the Vajrapani Ruel!
- Financial Luck Received After Receiving the Vajrapani Ruel and Descendant Luck Activated by the Traditional Sutra Amulet: Two Different Personal Testimonies of A Reader and How She Still Saw the Simple Miracle As A Miracle!
- Retirement Pay Withhold for 4 Years Released, Dream House Finally Within Reached, Debt Paid Off – Three Different Problems Solved With One Significant Financial Blessing: A Personal Testimony of A Reader About the Vajrapani Ruel!
- Academic Excellence; A Promotion with A Small Raise in Salary; A More Peaceful Work Environment: A Reader Shares the Joy of Having Simple Miracles from the Vajrapani Ruel!
- Count the Living and the Good News: The Lesson of My Nephew's Death and the Story of A Reader Who Experienced Health and Financial Miracle from the Vajrapani Ruel and the Avatamsaka Traditional Sutra Amulet!
- Becoming A Full Fledged Lawyer and Academic Excellence Attributed to the Traditional Avatamasaka Sutra Amulet and the Vajrapani Ruel: Simple Miracles Shared by EV.
- Somehow Money Comes In When It Is Needed; Dream Project Became Attainable; And A More Peaceful Marriage: Blessings of Wealth Luck, Financial Luck, and Romance Luck – A Vajrapani Ruel Miraculous Story Shared By A Reader!
- After A Series of Failed Business Attempts, A Father Finally Becomes Successful: A Story of Business Luck, Wealth Luck, and Financial Luck, Brought About by the Vajrapani Ruel!
- The Discovery of A Very Negative Entity: A Reader Shares His Experience After Getting the Vajrapani Ruel, Surangama Mantra Amulet, and the Ing Deng Pay!
- Money and Financial Luck Flows In; A Court Case Was Avoided; Moving In to Their Dream Home: A Personal Testimony of A Reader About the Vajrapani Ruel!
- Unexpected Money for Treatment of Cancer and Other Miracles: A Personal Testimony of a Non – Reader and Non – Believer About the Traditional Sutra Amulet, Illness Suppression Amulet and Vajrapani Ruel.
For questions, comments, and suggestions please email email@example.com


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Fitness and Freshness graph for Run activities
I, as most use Strava for running and cycling. I don't know the actual calculation, but the tool Training Peaks allows you to map your TSS, IF and training stress balance for running. This would be a great feature to add in to help with training for events.


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Marsden Write Out Loud
Updated: Fri, 16 Nov 2018 06:29 am
Marsden Write Out Loud open-floor poetry group meets on the third Wednesday of each month at Marsden Library, with post-poetry chat in The Riverhead pub on the left bank of the Colne. Or is it the right? We also hold a fantastic Poetry Jam as part of Marsden Jazz Festival, each October. The photo shows the audience at our latest. To receive mailings about our events or to keep up to date with what's going on, please 'join' this group. We shall put photos up here too, and eventually we would be able to hold our own group discussions here. Full venue details can be found here: http://www.writeoutloud.net/public/eventview.php?day=21&month=11&year=2012&eventID=7927
What we do
All poems are copyright of the originating author. Permission must be obtained before using or performing others' poems.
- 2014 - 2017 (45)
Group Discussions
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Marsden Write Out Loud renga 17the Feb 2016
Our group 'poem' ready for you to create a new poem
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Thu, 25 Feb 2016 04:06 pm by Julian (Admin)
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hillary davidson
Thu 29th Jun 2017 09:57
Really, i appreciate the effort you made to share the post. The http://www.dissertationwritinguk.co.uk topic here k i found was really effective to the topic which i was researching for a long time.
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World food output is on track to meet the needs of a growing population after a decade punctuated by supply concerns, the OECD and U.N. food agency (FAO) said on Friday.
Global agricultural production and consumption will rise in the next 10 years, as people in emerging countries become wealthier and eat more protein, but the increases will be slower than in the previous decade, the agencies said.
Surplus stocks and rising production should keep commodity prices stable after the "roller coaster" of the last decade marked by a record high in 2008 and global recession in 2009.
"We are recovering from a period of marked turbulence in the agricultural markets but there is no room for complacency," said OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria, presenting the OECD-FAO 2014-2023 agricultural outlook in Rome.
"The world can grow enough food over the next 10 years and it can respond to the broader challenge of feeding 9 billion people by 2050," Gurria said.
He added, however, that waste remained a threat to food security, saying around one third of crops produced in developing countries were lost post-harvest.
Agricultural markets are still unstable, after near-record prices in 2012 prompted increased production which led to surpluses for wheat, rice, sugar and vegetable meal.
Bad weather and concerns over export restrictions were blamed for the 2012 price surge, which stoked fears of a return to the conditions that led to violent protests in countries including Egypt, Cameroon and Haiti in 2007-2008.
Global food price inflation now appears lower and more stable than it has since the 2008 crisis, the OECD and FAO said.
Crop prices would drop for one or two more years before stabilising above pre-2008 levels, but below recent peaks. Wheat prices are projected to slide about 1 percent a year in real terms for the next 10 years, staying around 13 percent below the previous decade's average.
Strong demand for meat from an expanding middle class in the Middle East and Asia will keep meat prices from falling as much as feed grain prices, and meat prices in real terms will average higher than the previous decade after general price inflation.
FAO director-general Jose Graziano Da Silva called on governments to invest in roads, transportation and storage, saying only a few countries had made progress.
"India is one good case for that ... also China but I would not be able to add too many more," Da Silva said.
Gurria also said governments needed to rethink their policies on biofuels, which opponents say contribute to price inflation by consuming feedstocks that could be used for food.
"Part of the reason why we had the spikes and hikes in the prices was because we were burning food. Now I think we have gotten wiser about that," Gurria said.
Biofuel output growth is expected to slow by 2023.
In line with lower growth in production and consumption, trade will rise more slowly in the next decade. Grains and meat trade are set to advance 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent in volume terms each year, half the rates of the previous decade.
While the Americas will remain the dominant export region globally, Ukraine will become Europe's biggest exporter of grains and oilseeds.
Worries about conflict in Ukraine stopping shipments helped force prices higher this year, but Gurria said there had been no substantive effect on markets, prices, availability or stocks.
The outlook is based on assumptions about government policies, markets, weather and macroeconomics, but some areas of uncertainty, including animal diseases, are not included.
© 2010 Ahram Online.


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2006 Hot Prospects #30 Tatum Bell DENVER BRONCOS NFL Football Card ***IMPORTANT---Currently, WORLDWIDE shipping is just .10 cents per card, PLEASE to keep shipping this low, if a USA customer, order TWO(2) or more items and if an International customer, order FOUR(4) or more items within ONE (1) cart, thank you! For LARGE orders of 30 or more cards, we will ship for FREE, just request it prior to completing checkout! (Subject to change without notice)*** You receive the item shown in the title and the picture, our pictures are of the actual cards we sell! NO STOCK PHOTOS USED EVER!! (if you need a backside picture, please message us) We ship ALL orders in the best supplies to protect your card(s). Thank you for looking ;-) (BTW cards are Nrmt/Mint or better unless otherwise noted in the title)
- Brand Hot Prospects
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Shipping USPS, $0.10
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Please pay via Paypal at checkout, thank you :) If the invoice multi charges for shipping, please message me to create an invoice for you. Currently, our shipping is set @ too low of a value so please message us for a correct invoice so we can honor your order, thank you!
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We generally ship within 24 hours with the exception being weekends/holidays
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Order as MUCH as you want, BECAUSE...... Just $.10 cents per item in shipping WORLDWIDE! Keep in mind, we can really only honor this on common/cheapie card purchases if you could PLEASE order at least a few items within one cart, thank you!
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Professional safety shoes for the catering industry, designed for use in professional environments: kitchens, school and company cafeterias, food-processing facilities, etc.
Upper: Water resistant microfibre (S2 rating).
Outer sole: Polyurethane, slip resistant and antistatic.
Inner sole: Antistatic latex, washable and removable. Antibacterial treatment.
Inner lining: Breathable, wear-resistant fabric.
Elastic strap across the instep for optimal comfort.
Toecap: Internal steel protection, resistant to 200 Joule impacts.
European standard: ISO ISO 20345:2011
Care instructions: Clean with a wet sponge and soap
Sizes availables: 35 to 48 (UK size 2 to 13)
Sold by: Pair


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(May 29, 2007)
Contact: David Williams, Liaison to Centenary Muses, 318-869-5162, or Centenary News Service, 318-869-5120
Spring-Summer Cleaning Out? Donate Books, CDs, DVDs, Videotapes
June 11 to Benefit September's Annual Centenary Book Bazaar
SHREVEPORT, LA — The Centenary College Book Bazaar will hold an assisted-donation day on Monday, June 11, at the bazaar's Book House at 108 East Kings Highway, across the street from George's Grill. Volunteers will be on hand from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. that day to unload books from donors' vehicles.
Donors who can't give on that day can take advantage of the large protected book bins in front of the Book House. Volunteers unload the bins at least twice a week, more often at peak times.
Additional assisted donation days are scheduled on July 9 and Aug. 13.
The Muses accept books, CDs, DVDs and videotapes in good condition. Condition is important to the resale value of a book. Not requested are textbooks over five years old (other than literature and history), Reader's Digest Condensed Books and National Geographic magazines.
The 21st anniversary Centenary Book Bazaar is scheduled for Sept. 7 and 8 at the Gold Dome on the Centenary campus. It is sponsored each year by the Centenary Muses.
Funds from the bazaar go toward student projects and activities that are sometimes not covered by the college budget, including student travel through the Carolyn Flournoy International Travel Fund. For more information on the Book Bazaar or to donate books, call the Book House at 318-219-3409 or Centenary at 318-869-5162.


text:
Home (Beaverton)
Home Insurance
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- We will provide a quote from at least 4 different insurance companies. There are likely to be slight differences in coverage, limits and deductibles.
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- The quote process will take approximately 6-8 minutes.
Click Here for a Quote!
Or Contact Us for additional information or a quote on the other types of insurance.


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The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend. Click here for the full box office estimates of the top 12 films and then check back on Monday for the final figures based on actual box office.
James Cameron's Avatar (20th Century Fox) continues to be one of the biggest box office phenomenons of the decade–much like Titanic in the prior decade–having grossed $350 million after just 17 days and crossing the one billion mark worldwide. It set a new Near Year's Day weekend box office record with its estimated $68.3 million, down just 10% from Christmas weekend and making it the highest third weekend gross for a movie domestically (surpassing the $45 million made by Spider-Man in 2002).
By next weekend, Cameron's comeback will hit the $400 million mark and by next Sunday, it should pass Michael Bay's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen to become the highest-grossing movie of 2009, as well as breaking into the Top 10 highest-grossing movies (domestically) of all time.
Internationally, Avatar has grossed $670.2 million which brings its worldwide total to $1.02 billion, making it the fourth-highest grossing movie worldwide EVER, and that's after being in theaters for only 17 days, too. It has surpassed the worldwide gross for The Dark Knight and only needs $46 million more to beat Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. (Currently, Cameron's Titanic still holds the worldwide grossing record with $1.84 billion with $600 million of that domestically.)
What's so remarkable about the movie's success, besides how much of that money is being made in 3D and IMAX venues (with many daily sell-outs still being reported ), is that Avatar is also the biggest non-sequel since George Lucas' original Star Wars and Steven Spielberg's E.T.: The Extraterrestrial. By the end of January, it should have surpassed both of their non-adjusted box office takes. It's still a few days behind Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, which had the benefits of opening in summer, while Avatar will be facing moviegoers' return to school and work starting tomorrow, so we'll have to see whether it can cross the $533 million mark to become the second-highest grossing movie after Cameron's own Titanic.
In non-Avatar box office news, Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros.), starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, remained in second place with $38.4 million, but it took the biggest hit in the Top 10, dropping almost 39% from its opening Christmas weekend. It has grossed $140.6 million so far after ten days in theaters.
Also remaining in place at third, the family hit Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (20th Century Fox) brought in an estimated $36.6 million in its second weekend, bringing its total to $157.3 million.
Essentially, the top 7 movies remained the same with the Nancy Meyers romantic comedy It's Complicated (Universal), with Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin, staying in fourth, adding an estimated $18.7 million to its ten-day take of $59.1 million.
Sandra Bullock's hit drama The Blind Side (Warner Bros.) crossed the $200 million mark over the weekend, bringing in another $12.6 million – one of two movies that grossed more than it did over Christmas weekend.
Jason Reitman's Up in the Air (Paramount), starring George Clooney, made $11.3 million for sixth place with $45 million total. Disney's animated fantasy tale The Princess and the Frog placed seventh for the weekend with $10 million, also up over 10% from its Christmas weekend take. It has grossed over $86 million since opening in exclusive releases over Thanksgiving weekend.
The romantic comedy Did You Hear About the Morgans? (Sony) took eighth place with $5 million and $25.5 million total. (It was the only movie to move up one place.) Rob Marshall's musical Nine (Weinstein Co.) ended up at #9 (!), with $4.25 million and $14 million to date, followed by Clint Eastwood's Invictus (Warner Bros.) closing off the Top 10 with $4.1 million and $30.8 million so far.
The Top 10 grossed $209 million, up 70% from the first weekend of January last year. On top of that, it's been reported that the domestic box office amassed $10.5 billion in 2009, up nearly 10% over 2008, showing that the box office hasn't been affected by the economic crash as some may have expected.
Click here for the full box office results of the top 12 films.


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theatARGHthoughts and frustrations on Melbourne theatre through bright young eyes
Archive for Andrew Gray
Review of The Winterling, Red Stitch Actors Theatre
Red Stitch are carving a niche for themselves in the theatre scene south of the river. Juggling their blue-rinse subscribers and St. Kilda yuppies, the company is developing something of a predisposition, a sadly predictable penchant, for choosing plays which appear edgy and confrontational on the surface, but are really stylistically, thematically and dramatically conventional. They're also all written by American and British men. The latest of these is Jez Butterworth's The Winterling – a very wordy, very old-fashioned drama sheathed in a cool, British mobster aesthetic, directed by Andrew Gray. But unlike the Guy Ritchie films, the McDonagh plays and Butterworth's first work Mojo, which all helped inspire the resurgence of the gritty, blackly comic crim in the 90s, The Winterling, first performed in London in 2006, never warms.


text: Hello, How concerned should I be with the increase in the Ethanol percent in fuel? I have a 1994 525i and a 2006 Mini Cooper S. Our local club had a meeting with a BMW tech who indicated that if it went over 10% we would be in trouble. A bit concerned. Thanks, Kristen


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Yep, just like you I am totally aware that the Tribune Company and the rooftop owners signed an agreement that says the Cubs can't block the rooftop owner's view.
It's legal and all that.
One time I took in a game in Anaheim up in their cheap seats, which weren't really cheap.
I bet they're about the same distance the rooftop seats are, and you need binocs to see the batter.
Any boob that wants to pay to go watch a game from the next block, I don't care.
But what I do care about is the Cubs.
I care about their ability to win a series.
They want to put up the scoreboard, and that will bring in millions of dollars annually to be spent on the team.
And these rooftop guys holding up the construction of the scoreboard is really annoying.
The Cubs have the city of Chicago's blessing to build.
Tom Ricketts has said he won't do it til he gets a signed statement from the rooftop people that says they won't sue.
Hey man, it's Chicago politics and as usual it's kind of a mess.
But you don't need to be in some smoke-filled backroom meeting to conclude that our favorite team might sign some decent pitching with the money from the scoreboard.
Free Wrigley, rooftop people.
Somehow, figure it out and free Wrigley.
Lastly, Ted Lilly retired.
Ted if you read this I would like to thank you for the years of hard assed joy you brought to us Cub Fans.
And now I hope you and your family can move to the next phase of your lives together and be happy.
Lastly lastly, you know my inner Beavis and Butthead won't let me pass up a chance to do a boner joke.
You shoulda seen the drawing that I mercifully cut out...


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Renegade Row Weightlifting
Olympic Lifting
Coach Burgener knows more about Olympic Lifting than anyone on this planet. If you want to improve your snatch and/or clean & jerk then you NEED to attend the CrossFit Specialty Course: Weightlifting. If you haven't heard of Coach B then you should slap yourself. Check out these CrossFit Journal articles for more info: The Burgener Warmup, The Stance, Clean & Jerk, Receiving The Bar, and Snatch Grip Position
Power Lifting
Improve your Deadlift, Bench Press and Backsquat with the CrossFit Specialty Course: Conjugate Methods. If Louie Simmons is good enough for the various NFL and NCAA football programs then he's good enough for you. Check out these CrossFit Journal articles for more info: Louie on the Conjugate System and Dynamic-Effort Day


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What is Business Elite Services?
Owning your own business can be hard and finding ways to decrease costs while increasing profits can be even harder. Do you find yourself trying to compare services from a number of different vendors just to cover your essential business needs? Trying to arrange separate contracts for multiple services can be tedious and time-consuming. Wouldn't it be easier if you could get all of your external business services from a single, trusted provider?
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text:
An interesting article from Popular Science talks about new procedures that will path the way for more humane animal lab tests, such as using artificial skin grown from human cells, microchips coated with enzymes and living cells, and so on…
"Kill Cells, Not Mice – Here's another device animal lovers can get behind. A liver-on-a-chip will reveal how new drugs react in the body, without killing animals in the process. The system pairs the MetaChip, a glass slide coated with liver enzymes, with the DataChip, a slide covered with live human cells from various tissues, to test whether new drug candidates will become toxic in the liver. The tech, developed by Solidus Biosciences, has received federal funding and will launch next year."
(except from article)
This is a definitely a promising start towards pushing for newer techniques and methods that will lessen the need and intensity to use animals for testing in labs.
Read more details of this article from Popular Science.
Meanwhile, you can play your part in giving animals a better life, by looking for and using products that declare that they do not perform tests on animals while developing the product.


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PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen. It is a protein produced by prostate cells.
This article discusses the blood test to measure the amount of PSA in a man's blood. The PSA test is done to help diagnose and follow prostate cancer in men.
Prostate-specific antigen; Prostate cancer screening test
A blood sample is needed. For information on how this is done, see: Venipuncture
Make sure your doctor knows all the medications you are taking. Some drugs may cause your PSA levels to be falsely low. These include finasteride, dutasteride, saw palmetto use, and antiandrogen drugs, such as flutamide, nilutamide, and bicalutamide.
No other special preparation is usually needed.
When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain while others feel only a prick or stinging sensation. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a bruise.
Reasons for a PSA test:
For information about prostate cancer screening, see the "Considerations" section below.
PSA test results cannot diagnose prostate cancer. Only a prostate biopsy can diagnose this cancer.
Your doctor will look at your PSA results and must consider your age, your race, medicines you are taking, and many other things to decide whether your PSA is normal and whether you need more tests done.
Older men typically have slightly higher PSA levels than younger men. Commonly used ranges are as follows:
The examples above are common measurements for results of these tests. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
A high PSA level has been linked to an increased chance of having prostate cancer.
In general, the following results need further follow-up and testing:
PSA testing is an important tool for detecting prostate cancer, but it is not foolproof. Other conditions can cause a rise in PSA, including
Your doctor will think about the following things when deciding on the next step:
People at higher risk may need to have more tests. Your doctor may recommend:
For someone who has been treated for prostate cancer, the PSA level can show if a treatment is working or if the cancer has come back. Often, PSA levels will begin to rise before there are any symptoms, sometimes months or years beforehand.
Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.
Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight but may include:
Measuring PSA levels can increase the chance of finding prostate cancer when it is very early.
However, the value of PSA screening for prostate cancer is controversial. There is not a single answer that fits all men. Before having the test, it is best to discuss both the reasons to have and the reasons not to have a PSA test with your doctor.
Some questions you may ask your doctor when discussing having a PSA test include:
If a man chooses to be tested, the PSA is most often done every year to screen:
PSA testing is not recommended for screening men over age 75.
There are different recommendations about screening tests for prostate cancer. For more information, check with:
American Urological Association.
Lin K, Lipsitz R, Miller T, Janakiraman S; U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Benefits and harms of prostate-specific antigen screening for prostate cancer: an evidence update for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Ann Intern Med. 2008;149:192-199.
Lim LS, Sherin K; ACPM Prevention Practice Committee. Screening for prostate cancer in U.S. men ACPM position statement on preventive practice. Am J Prev Med. 2008;34:164-170.
Walsh PC, DeWeese TL, Eisenberger MA. Clinical practice. Localized prostate cancer. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:2696-2705.
Walter LC, Bertenthal D, Lindquist K, Konety BR. PSA screening among elderly men with limited life expectancies. JAMA. 2006;296:2336-2342.
Wolf AM, Wender RC, Etzioni RB, Thompson IM, D'Amico AV, Volk RJ, et al. American Cancer Society guideline for the early detection of prostate cancer: update 2010. CA Cancer J Clin. 2010;60:70-98.
Review Date: 9/19/2011
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright ©2003 A.D.A.M., Inc., as modified by University of California San Francisco. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
Information developed by A.D.A.M., Inc. regarding tests and test results may not directly correspond with information provided by UCSF Medical Center. Please discuss with your doctor any questions or concerns you may have.


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Pima's Record Request
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IWTBAA Black Tee
IWTBAA Black Tee
American Apparel Baby Rib Basic Short Sleeve Tee (Style 4305). Women's shirt. Made of 100% fine ring-spun combed cotton, this fine rib knit features a comfortable stretch with excellent durability through repeated washings. Form-fitting. Shrinkage: will shrink an average of one size when put in the dryer. Color: black.
© 2013 Kellina de Boer. All Rights Reserved.
Small (equivalent to US size 0-2)
- Chest (inches): 30-32
- Waist (inches): 25-26
- Sleeve length (inches): 5-1/2
- Front body length (inches): 23-3/4
- Chest width (inches): 13-1/2
Medium (equivalent to US size 4-6)
- Chest (inches): 32-34
- Waist (inches): 27-28
- Sleeve length (inches): 5-3/4
- Front body length (inches): 24-3/8
- Chest width (inches): 14-1/2
Large (equivalent to US size 8-10)
- Chest (inches): 36-38
- Waist (inches): 30-32
- Sleeve length (inches): 6
- Front body length (inches): 25
- Chest width (inches): 16
XLarge (equivalent to US size 12-14)
- Chest (inches): 40-42
- Waist (inches): 33-35
- Sleeve length (inches): 6-1/4
- Front body length (inches): 26-1/2
- Chest width (inches): 17-3/4
Chest: Measure under arms around the fullest part of the bust. Be sure to keep tape level across back and comfortably loose.
Waist: Measure around natural waist with a measuring tape.
Each item is made to order so please allow 10-20 business days for production. All tees ship domestically at the United States Postal Service (USPS) First-Class Mail Parcel Rate and internationally at the USPS First-Class Package International Service Rate. Insurance is automatically added to the domestic shipping rate. Please allow 5-10 business days for domestic shipping and 10-15 business days for international shipping. If you have questions about an item, please email before purchase as all sales are final.
International buyers note: Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility; check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to buying.


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Announcing PRINZ Awards finalists and international Supreme Award judge
Wednesday 1 May, 2013
The Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) announces 23 finalists in its annual industry awards. PRINZ is also making a special announcement of the addition of Daniel Tisch, CEO of Argyle Communications in Canada, and Chair of the Global Alliance, to the Supreme Award judging panel.
Category winners and the coveted Supreme Award winner will be revealed at an evening event in Christchurch on 30 May during the PRINZ Annual Conference.
Chief Judge Anna Radford says that having an international judge of Daniels standing joining the Supreme Award judging panel is testament to the high calibre of entries and the excellent standards being achieved by New Zealands public relations industry.
Dan is a highly experienced and professional practitioner, having won more than more than 150 major communications industry awards, and we are delighted to have him on this years Supreme Award judging team, she says.
Daniel and Anna will be joined on the Supreme Award judging panel by Cedric Allan, partner at Boag Allan Pirie and a former president of PRINZ.
The 2013 awards attracted 58 entries from the corporate, consultancy, not-for-profit and government sectors. Changes to the number and type of categories have been made this year in order to reflect ongoing evolution within the industry.
One new category was added - Crisis, Issues and Emergency Management and the former Marketing Communications category was split into two categories: Marketing Communications (PR) and Marketing Communications (Integrated). This brings the total number of categories to 13.
All winners and highly commended entries will be named at a special event in Christchurch on Thursday May 30 during the PRINZ Annual conference. The coveted Supreme Award winner will also be announced.
39th PRINZ Awards finalists 2013(in alphabetical order by entry title)
- ANZs New Zealand Simplification Project Peter Parussini and the ANZ Corporate Affairs team
- Auckland Youth Orchestra - Tom Frankish and Charlotte Milton, AUT University (Outside the Square)
- Buddy Day 2012 Jacqui Humm and Heather Claycomb, HMC Communications
- Changing the Give Way Rules - Jamie Sitzia and Andrew Knackstedt, New Zealand Transport Agency
- Communicating global change on a shoestring Amanda Schaake, Freelance Communications Consultant, Fonterra
- Driving Dogs - Angela Spain, Eloise Hay and Kate Barlow, DraftFCB PR & Activation
- Feast - Dana Kirkpatrick, Express PR
- Helping an organisation through transformational change - Sarah Knowles, Michael Dunlop, Adelle Foster and Amy ORourke, Acumen Republic
- Kelly Tarlton's SEA LIFE Aquarium Retainer - Jenna Edwards and Matthew Vogts, Spark PR & Activate
- Letters to my hero - Luci Marshall, Spark PR & Activate
- Lindt Creamy Milk Launch - Mary-Louise Dare and Alisha Thomas, Draft FCB PR & Activation
- Manawatu Gorge project - Anthony Frith, Nicky Chilton, and Barina Barrett, New Zealand Transport Agency
- McDonald's Serious Lamb Launch - Sean Brown of Mango and Simon Kenny of McDonald's
- Number One Shoes 'Catwalk to Sidewalk' - Karen Maurice O'Leary and Angelina Farry, Starseed PR
- Once upon a story - bringing Kiwibank's future to life for employees Juliet Montague, Ideas Shop
- PAK'nSAVE Rescue - Eloise Hay and Angela Spain, DraftFCB PR & Activation
- Paymark - leveraging the power of data with PR - Kelly Bennett, Amber McEwen and Julia Rogan, Eleven PR
- Pink Ribbon Calendar Project: Baring All for Breast Cancer Awareness - Rebecca Oliver, Freelance PR Consultant
- The McCain School Veggie Patches Programme - Stephanie Lowe, Fuse
- We make the people who make it to the finish line - Paul Weeks, Deepti Bhargava, Catherine Kemp, Bev Armstrong and Darren Horsman, Unitec Institute of Technology
- What's My Duty? - Aaron Hailwood and Katie Mathison, New Zealand Customs Service
- Sally Logan-Milne Young Practitioner of the Year finalists
- Alasdair Johnston - Otago University Students' Association
- Erin Roberts McDonalds NZ


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Sympathy over US school shooting stretches globe
LONDON -- As the world joined Americans in mourning the school massacre in Connecticut, many urged U.S. politicians to honor the 28 victims, especially the children, by pushing for stronger gun control laws.
Twitter users and media personalities in the U.K. immediately invoked Dunblane -- a 1996 shooting in that small Scottish town which killed 16 children. That tragedy prompted a campaign that ultimately led to tighter gun controls effectively making it illegal to buy or possess a handgun in the U.K.
"This is America's Dunblane," British CNN host Piers Morgan wrote on Twitter. "We banned handguns in Britain after that appalling tragedy. What will the U.S. do? Inaction not an option."
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard called Friday's attack at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, a "senseless and incomprehensible act of evil."
"Like President Obama and his fellow Americans, our hearts too are broken," Gillard said in a statement, referring to the U.S. leader's emotional expression of condolence.
Australia confronted a similar tragedy in 1996, when a man went on a shooting spree in the southern state of Tasmania, killing 35 people. The mass killing sparked outrage across the country and led the government to impose strict new gun laws, including a ban on semi-automatic rifles.
Rupert Murdoch recalled that incident in a Twitter message calling the shootings "terrible news" and asking "when will politicians find courage to ban automatic weapons? As in Oz after similar tragedy."
The mass shooting in Connecticut left 28 people dead, including 20 children. The gunman, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, killed his mother at their home Friday before beginning his deadly rampage inside the school in Newtown, then committed suicide, police said.
Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Union's executive Commission, said: "Young lives full of hope have been destroyed. On behalf of the European Commission and on my own behalf, I want to express my sincere condolences to the families of the victims of this terrible tragedy."
British Prime Minister David Cameron, said he was "deeply saddened" to learn of the "horrific shooting."
"My thoughts are with the injured and those who have lost loved ones," he said. "It is heartbreaking to think of those who have had their children robbed from them at such a young age, when they had so much life ahead of them."
Queen Elizabeth II sent a message to President Barack Obama, saying she was shocked to learn of the "dreadful loss of life" and that the thoughts and prayers of all in the U.K. are with those affected by the events.
The Vatican said Pope Benedict XVI conveyed "his heartfelt grief and the assurance of his closeness in prayer to the victims and their families, and to all those affected by the shocking event" in a condolence message to the monsignor of the diocese in Connecticut that includes Newtown.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her "deepest sympathy" is reserved for relatives of the victims.
"Once again we stand aghast at a deed that cannot be comprehended," she said in a statement. "The thought of the murdered pupils and teachers makes my heart heavy."
But amid the messages of condolences, much of the discussion after the Connecticut rampage centered on gun control -- a baffling subject for many in Asia and Europe, where mass shootings also have occurred but where access to guns is much more heavily restricted.
In messages to Obama, French President Francois Hollande said he was "horrified" by the shooting while Prince Albert II in the tiny principality of Monaco expressed sadness over the "unspeakable tragedy."
Russian leader Vladimir Putin called the events "particularly tragic" given that the majority of the victims were children. "Vladimir Putin asked Barack Obama to convey words of support and sympathy to the families and friends of the victims and expressed his empathy with the American people," the Kremlin said in a statement.
Father Giuseppe Piemontese -- an Assisi-based official of the Franciscan order, founded to further the cause of peace -- lamented that there are "so many, too many" tragic shootings that "raise the question about the ease with which you can legally procure arms in the United States, to then use them in a murderous way."
The attack quickly dominated public discussion in China, rocketing to the top of topic lists on social media and becoming the top story on state television's main noon newscast.
China has seen several rampage attacks at schools in recent years, though the attackers there usually use knives and not guns. The most recent attack happened Friday, when a knife-wielding man injured 22 children and one adult outside a primary school in central China.
With more than 100,000 Chinese studying in U.S. schools, a sense of shared grief came through.
"Parents with children studying in the U.S. must be tense. School shootings happen often in the U.S. Can't politicians put away politics and prohibit gun sales?" Zhang Xin, a wealthy property developer, wrote on her feed on the Twitter-like Sina Weibo service, where she has 4.9 million followers.
Some in South Korea, whose government does not allow people to possess guns privately, also blamed a lack of gun control in the United States for the high number of deaths in Connecticut.
Chosun Ilbo, South Korea's top daily, speculated in an online report that it appears "inevitable" that the shooting will prompt the U.S. government to consider tighter gun control.
In Thailand, which has one of Asia's highest rates of murder by firearms and has seen schools attacked by Islamist insurgents in its southern provinces, a columnist for the English-language daily newspaper The Nation blamed American culture for fostering a climate of violence.
"Repeated incidents of gunmen killing innocent people have shocked the Americans or us, but also made most people ignore it quickly," Thanong Khanthong wrote on Twitter. "Intentionally or not, Hollywood and video games have prepared people's mind to see killings and violence as normal and acceptable," he wrote.
Condolences poured in also from Baghdad.
"We feel sorry for the victims and their families," said Hassan Sabah, 30, owner of stationary shop in eastern Baghdad. "This tragic incident shows there is no violence-free society in the world, even in Western and non-Muslim countries."
Samir Abdul-Karim, a 40-year-old government employee from eastern Baghdad said the attack "shows clearly that U.S. society is not perfect and the Americans do have people with criminal minds and who are ready to kill for the silliest reasons."
Afghan President Hamid Karzai expressed his condolences to the American nation at the start of his remarks in Kabul on Saturday about Afghanistan's foreign policy.
"Such incidents should not happen anywhere in the world," Karzai said, adding that Afghanistan frequently witnesses such tragedies and can sympathize with those affected.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed those sentiments in a letter to Obama expressing his horror at the "savage massacre," saying that his country knows the "shock and agony" such cruel acts can bring.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda sent a condolence message to Obama for the families of the victims.
"The sympathy of the Japanese people is with the American people," he said. In Japan, guns are severely restricted and there are extremely few gun-related crimes.
In the Philippines, a society often afflicted by gun violence, President Benigno Aquino III said he and the Filipino people stand beside the United States "with bowed heads, yet in deep admiration over the manner in which the American people have reached out to comfort the afflicted, and to search for answers that will give meaning and hope to this grim event."
Close to 50 people gathered Saturday on Rio de Janeiro's famous Copacabana beach to mourn the victims as part of a demonstration organized by an anti-violence group called Rio de Paz, or Rio of Peace.
Twenty-six black crosses were planted on the white sands of the beach -- one for each victim at the school. Messages of solidarity written in English hung from some the crosses.
One of them read: "In Brazil we understand the pain of senseless violence. We grieve the pain at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut."