text:
Short Corner
Extra Time
The Locker Room
Top Flight
Weekend C-League Action
German Cup Action
Weekend English Action
Weekend Turkish Action
Weekend Danish Action
Weekend Dutch Action
Weekend French Action
Weekend Belgian Action
What's stood out so far in the Copa?
Michael Bradley was bad but maybe that isnt his fault
Which player scored the most impressive goal over the weekend?
Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen)
Haji Wright (SonderjyskE)
Giovanni Reyna (Borussia Dortmund)
Tyler Boyd (Besiktas)
Julian Green (Greuther Furth)
Nicholas Gioacchini (Caen)
EDGAR ZUNIGA - Monday, December 7, 2009
After a few harrowing moments through the dark, tangled forest that was the FIFA World Cup 2010 draw, the US has emerged into the light and see before them a tough, but manageable road.
And, yes, Bob Bradley is blinking in the sunlight.
Almost every prognosticator, soothsayer and automated drawing program had the US thrown into a difficult group. For a while, it seemed almost inevitable that the US was going to have to face Ivory Coast, Netherlands or France, maybe even Brazil.
Almost everyone was hoping to somehow land in Group A with host South Africa, which - no offense - are, arguably, the weakest host nation in World Cup history. When Mexico was chosen first, you could hear the gnashing of American teeth echoing across the land.
But, as it turns out, playing England, Algeria and Slovenia is a lot better than what Group A has in store for the Mexicans, who are slated to play South Africa (a host has never been eliminated in the first round - why would FIFA let that happen now?), seemingly shaky but very physical Uruguay, and everyone's public enemy number one France - the US in that group? No thanks....
It isn't going to be a walk through the Smurf village, but at least the US won't have to worry about soccer superpowers, until at least the second round. And, no...England is not a soccer superpower.
So, what's in store for our boys in the World Cup? Let's break it down.
First up, you couldn't ask for a better first opponent than England. You can bet the guys at ESPN are drooling over the production that will go leading up to this matchup. Jump onto any soccer forum and the heckling and chest-pounding from both sides of the pond began almost immediately.
When you take into account the Los Angeles Galaxy-factor, with teammates David Beckham and Landon Donovan clashing in the World Cup, it's so perfect - it's Hollywood.
Just this past summer, Donovan was ripping Becks in Grant Wahl's much-discussed tell-all The Beckham Experiment. Upon the return of the Englishman from Milan, they kissed and made up, taking Galaxy to the brink of MLS glory. Now, they'll be going head-to-head again, but on the world's biggest stage.
For causal American soccer fans, it will be a sumptuous feast, with Beckham biscuits and Landycakes for all. It has the potential to be the most watched US soccer match in history. You can bet ESPN will milk it for all it's worth.
But what about the game? Oh, yes...there's a game to be played.
Yeah, England did great in qualifying, taking their group with nine wins, no draws and a single loss. England prepared well for the challenges of Ukraine and Croatia, two decent teams. However, you look at the rest of the group...Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra. They're not exactly world class, you know.
But, that's what the qualification process is for - to separate the best from the rest - and England is a team whose pride has been hurt so many times since 1966, that supporters will expect - no...demand - a victory over the inferior Yanks and anything less will be seen as a failure for the English.
For the US, it will be a huge opportunity to not only upset the "mighty" English team, but proclaim to the world that the American team will no longer just be an also-ran.
And think of the media fallout from that...
Can the US beat England? It's a definite possibility.
Will the US beat England? Probably not - definitely, no, if the US plays with their tails between their legs like they did in Wembley Stadium in 2008.
Next up for the US will be Slovenia, who, to be honest, came out of a weak qualifying group. Slovakia edged them for first place by two points, the Czech Republic isn't what it used to be, Northern Ireland and Poland are weak, and San Marino is a joke - even the Vatican put a team together that beat them.
What Slovenia did well, though, was lull the Russians into a false sense of confidence, and edged them by the slimmest margin to earn their passport to the World Cup. Andrei Arshavin is probably making funny faces in a mirror somewhere, right now.
It's a wonder how a team like Slovenia, which could only manage to push eight goals past San Marino, in two qualifying games, made it this far. Still, the US better watch out or the Slovenians might put them to sleep and slip past them.
Can the US beat Slovenia? Yes.
Will the US beat Slovenia? The Magic 8-Ball says: Outlook good.
Finally, the US will have to deal with Algeria, another team that made it this far by the slimmest of margins. Algeria just barely got past Gambia and Senegal in an earlier qualifying stage, and, after tying with African Cup of Nations champions Egypt on everything in the final round, won a tiebreaking playoff, 1-0, to qualify.
This is only the third time that Algeria has qualified for a World Cup and there's no telling how they will fare. Some have argued that Egypt slept on their laurels as African champions, allowing Algeria to sneak by. Others will argue that Algeria will be a darkhorse in the World Cup and can't be taken lightly.
Well, it is the World Cup and you can't take anyone lightly, but the US has the chops to beat a team of this caliber. Algeria showed a lot of grit after being attacked by Egyptian fans prior to their qualifying playoff. It's grit that drives Team USA, more than anything. So, you can bet this will be a battle of wills.
Can the US beat Algeria? Yes.
Will the US beat Algeria? The Magic-8 Ball just broke, but, yes, they should beat Algeria.
Okay, now, hold on...in this scenario, did the US just win two matches and possibly draw with England? That's enough to finish second or even take the group.
However, before you go get a tattoo of Bob across your chest and run screaming through the streets naked, for anything positive to happen for the US, all the players must be in good form and healthy.
We already know that Charlie Davies will be missed. Even if Oguchi Onyewu rushes back to competition, it's not like he's a starter with Milan and will get the necessary playing time to get back to playing form.
Bob has some holes to plug, and fast. Blink, Bob, blink!
While there are some loose ends that need to be tied before the US sets off on the meandering road to World Cup glory, at least for now, let the warm glow of a favorable World Cup draw keep you warm throughout the holiday season.
Let the English know how much you love them and invite them over for a Boston tea party.
On the bubble Part II
Bradley, captains analyze draw
Kind draw for US begins with England
David Beckham
Landon Donovan
World Cup
Tuesday January 12, 2010 7:34 am
I live here in Switzerland, so I will not have much support come 12th of June. But what I plan on doing is going out with some friends, some are English, and have a lot of beer, good grilled food and enjoy the company of my friends. I don't expect that the U.S. beats England, but if we do, I will be very happy and drunk. The rest of the games I will be supporting my friends and their teams, till the day comes when we have to face each other down the road. I just hope everyone enjoys the World Cup, and has fun, no matter where you are. Good Luck to you all.
Friday January 8, 2010 4:43 pm
As an American football fan - wearing my Yanks Abroad t-shirt as I write this - living/working in Slovakia let me give you my perspective. This will NOT be a 'walk in the park' folks. Having just returned from 12 days in England, they are suffering from the same mistakes the author (and several of the commenters here) are suffering from.
ANYONE who underestimates Slovenia and/or Algeria is going to get beat (you can ask Andrey Arshavin, as the author suggests). Living here I have the possibility to see many games that those of you back home may not see. Some examples: I saw the Slovakia v. Slovenia WC qualifier - the Slovaks were dreaming of qualifying in front of their home fans - lost. I saw the Slovakia v. USA friendly - USA lost (yeah, yeah w/out Donovan - NOT relevant!). And, I saw both Algeria v. Egypt games - believe me, "gritty" does not BEGIN to describe the Algerian side.
Can we win? YES, if we play hard/well. WILL we win? NOT a given. BTW, the same goes for England, but they don't know that yet either from what I saw/heard/read over Xmas.
For my part, on the YA website poll, I chose 1W, 1D, 1L. Probably not in the order you might think. I hope we do well; I have to defend USA Soccer more than you do!!
Best wishes to the MNT....
Sunday January 3, 2010 12:20 pm
I have to differ with the author of this article and agree with several of the posters above who put our chances of advancing much lower. I think highly of our team and Bob Bradley, but how many times have any of us prognosticating fans even watched Slovenia or Algeria play? I saw part of the Slovenia-Slovokia world cup qualifier in March and both teams were very strong and looked much better on the ball than the US. I do not think we "should" win any of these matches. However, should be bring our best game, should we find a way to score goals despite having single international-caliber forward in form, should we arrive with three of our four backline getting playing time for their clubs, my best guest (understanding that I know little about Slovenia and Algeria) is that we will still lose to England and may win one or both against Slovenia and Algeria. I am guessing Bob understands this better than anyone and will do his best to make sure his players do as well. But us fans should adjust our expectations accordingly or prepare to be frustrated.
Friday January 1, 2010 9:45 pm
robbie findley??? geoff cameron??? geoff cameron wont sniff the world cup roster nor should he... if gooch was gone which he wont be... demerit,boca, and spector... would be cbs... no comp.... then parkhurst,marshall, goodson, and conrad... would be their... parkie should be higher up then the others because he is a smarter defender but then again bob isnt smart... you think denmark was bad englnad will be worse... algeria and slovenia dont have players as taleneted as gooch dempsey or donvoan but every other field player they are better and better in on the bench... two wins thiers no chance were lucky if we get 4 points and go through on goal diff... this is the easiest group in the world cup the best we couldve wished for (actually that england couldve)thats why everyone thinks england got the easiest draw... but we will hopefu
Friday December 11, 2009 1:40 pm
We're definitely losing a lot by not having CD in the starting line-up but Bob never used him properly and whenever he started Ching next to him it offset any advantage we gained with CD. The ideal thing to do is play Dempsey and Jozy up top, Dempsey has been scoring for Fulham playing up top and he has a knack for scoring when it matters. Then in the midfield go with Edu-DM, Bradley-CM, Jones-RM and Donovan at LM as the play-maker. Jones is a versatile player, originally a striker, I've seen him play as a RM for Schalke several times. The defense is a completely different thing, but DeMerit really stepped up last year and will no doubt come through again I think.
spooky lugbolt
Thursday December 10, 2009 1:01 pm
someone referenced CD9 as the US x-factor (now non-factor). i believe this is/was spot-on. davies was the first american in recent memory to play with back to goal in a commanding fashion. he completely changed the performance of other forwards around him. who will BB put in CD9's place? dempsey may be our only option at this point and, as many pointed out, his style of play will be different than that of CD9.
losing davies was a terribly unforgiving blow to this team. the gods are cruel.
Wednesday December 9, 2009 3:32 pm
Robbie Findley could be our answer to the no CD9 dillema.
Tuesday December 8, 2009 10:50 am
That's my point,, USA ,the coach ,the media try to sale that USA is a super power,,or is almost there ,,,,we have no coach ,, and if you only depend on Donovan,, is like the coach never work in any tactic game ,, they going to try to stop donovan ,, and them what ,, is like argentina ,, Maradona was a good player ,,but as a coach he is not worth it he depend in Messi,,,,,,,in the gorup of USA the others 3 countries have better players than the USA ,not only that ,,they have better coach ,,that's going to make the diferent,, except Donovan ,Densey( if BB find densey's real position) and howard(lucky he is a gold keeper,he don't has to worry about playing in a diferent position) ,,please be realistic ,,
Monday December 7, 2009 7:00 pm
we american will never learn, after a stroke of luck at the conf cup now we think we are a superpower, every country including spain, brazil are givng respect to their opponents, is there anybody who doubts thier worth? but every american has seen a possible draw against england and 2wins. good coaches play it safe, "it will be a tough group but we expect to go through". those clouds at ESPN keep talking trash about stuff they have no idea about, if you listen to them you get brain washed. we are an average term on any given day and lets forget about the conf cup its past glory. but i see a punishment from the english and you could say what ever you like but the US is not ready for this cup.
we saw our last friendlies and im short of words, please i dont want to hear Dovovan wasn't there this wasn't there, they are not always going to be there and don't you think other countrries already know him (Donovan) and will work on stopping him, what if they do, then are we screwed or what. lets respect this other countries and fight for every point and not have big heads talking about the US is in an easy group. thats what killed spain, they thought it was going to be ABC with the US, lets not copy them. believe ESPN will blow out the game against the english as everybody is already going. the finals before the finals. Americans get over yourselves.
Monday December 7, 2009 5:01 pm
I have no issues with the fact that BB will be the manager is South Africa. From the games I've watched, there is something missing in my opinion. We will see what we will see. We need as few distractions as possible if we want to be successful.
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Jesse Marsch has claimed a personal accolade as he's been named Coach of the Year in Austria.
American Trio Wins 3. Liga Title
Konrad Commits To Barcelona
Matarazzo, Stuttgart Eye Promotion
EPB Returns To Action In Austria
Llanez Completes Heerenveen Loan
Werder Bremen
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Arduino Forum
Using Arduino
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Topic: BATRON BT62005P LCD
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Posts: 20
Karma: 7
Oct 28, 2013, 03:31 pm
I have been playing around, off and on, for some considerable time, trying to get my 6 line Batron BT62005P LCD to work on a UNO.
The display has an 18 pin connector which, for the first 14 pins corresponds exactly with a standard HD44780 2 and 4 line style displays.
The difference occurs with pin 15 & 16 not being the back light (that is on 17 & 18)
Pin 15 is designated as E2 (enable 2) and P16 as Vee which the minimal data sheet I have been able to find says is not connected.
I wondered if anyone has come across these displays and has successfully got one working.
I know the displays are good as I saw them working before the equipment they were in was scrapped and in a simple LCD test circuit I can get all the cursor positions to show as black squares briefly on power up (I assume its a self test) and then they go blank.
Any help welcomed
Dale H
Tesla Member
Posts: 6,749
Karma: 313
Re: BATRON BT62005P LCD
Oct 28, 2013, 11:31 pm
...Pin 15 is designated as E2 (enable 2) and P16 as Vee which
the minimal data sheet I have
been able to find says is not connected....
By withholding the information that you have, however little that is, you are limiting the number of people who can possibly help you. Someone who has not gotten that specific display to work might still have some good ideas.
Posts: 20
Karma: 7
Re: BATRON BT62005P LCD
Oct 29, 2013, 01:45 pm
I'm not sure what you mean by withholding information as I have given you basically all that I have.
The datasheet I mention holds no timing information nor similar data and the pinouts declarations are the same as the normal HD44780 based displays barring, as I stated, the additional enable pin at position 15.
There is a possibility that the Batron is driven by a Samsung KS0073 driver chip however I can't confirm that and Batron won't respond to requests for information.
However if you think it will help then I suggest you try going to http://www.datasheetarchive.com/dlmain/Datasheets-315/513304.pdf and downloading and reading that even though it's a single sheet with, as I say, no salient timing information
I have tried a partial rewrite of a version of LiquidCrystalFast. h also with no success.
As a point of interest, so far I have discovered many people having problems interfacing Batron LCDs to various processors so at least I'm not unique.
Dale H
Tesla Member
Posts: 6,749
Karma: 313
Re: BATRON BT62005P LCD
Oct 29, 2013, 02:13 pm
The data sheet in your link indicates that the controllers are KS0073 compatible. The KS0073 appears to be an enhanced version of the HD44780. The basic instruction set is the same although some of the bits that are unused on the HD44780 do have some significance for the KS0073. The KS0073, being a newer chip, should be faster than the HD44780 so using the timing parameters for the older chip should not be a problem.
There are two controllers (hence two enable pins) on your board to handle the extra characters. You will probably find that one of the enables deals with the upper 3 or 4 lines and the other deals with the remainder.
I think that if you want to modify an existing library you should start with LiquidCrystal1 which is an update of LiquidCrystal440 which was designed for devices with two enable pins. To get a copy start here:-->
and follow the
link to get to the latest version.
Posts: 20
Karma: 7
Re: BATRON BT62005P LCD
Oct 29, 2013, 11:14 pm
I have already tried LiquidCrystal1.0 and had no joy with it.
Having nothing to lose I'll give 440 a try.
I have also tried the system suggested by Julyan Ilett for identifying intelligent LCD operations and even that hasn't helped so far.
It is also interesting how few (apparently none) 6 X 20 displays there are on the market now so there's nothing to compare it to.
If I manage to crack it I will post the information in the vague chance it will be of any use to anyone else.
Dale H
Posts: 20
Karma: 7
Re: BATRON BT62005P LCD
Nov 09, 2013, 06:42 pm
A very brief update.
LiquidCrystal440 wasn't even accepted by the IDE when I tried to compile and yes I had spotted the spelling error and corrected it in the .h filename. The problem was with the deprecated expression it was using.
Having managed to get a display (of sorts) running using LiquidCrystalFast, the problem appears to be timing related to the read/write times required by the display as I can get line 1 to display, the last character of line 1 repeated on line 2, what should be on line 2 on line 3 and similar problems.
So unless I get the time (and inclination) to start a major rewrite of the library code, I'm sticking with either a single 24x4 display or possible a pair of them running on I2C addressing which I know works fine on my multi-role GPS system.
Batron did finally respond with no more information than I already had.
Interestingly they don't even make a 6 line display any more.
Dale H
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
All News Releases By Date
Stop the Drops! EPA's National "Fix-a-Leak Week" Kicks Off in Seattle
Release Date: 03/19/2013
Contact Information: Bevin Horn, EPA/Seattle, 206-553-1566, email@example.com
(Seattle, WA – March 18, 2013) Every year, more than 1 trillion gallons of water leak from U.S. homes nationwide. That's equivalent to the total annual water use of Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami combined! Experts estimate that leaks in almost 10 percent of American homes drip away almost 90 gallons of water a day. The usual culprits: leaky toilets, faucets and showerheads.
The U.S Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense program is again teaming up with local partners to promote the fifth annual National Fix a Leak Week, March 18-24, 2013.
In cities like Seattle, that can mean up to $200 per year in utility charges literally going down the drain. Finding and fixing leaks is easier than most people think. Most replacement parts can be installed by do-it-yourselfers and quickly pay for themselves. Don't waste money AND natural resources, fix your drips and leaks and make your wallet watertight!
Here are some ways people can get involved in the Seattle area:
FIX-A-LEAK CLASSROOM CHALLENGE – Students in participating (Seattle & Shoreline) schools will receive a "Fix-A-Leak Week Challenge" form in class from their teacher, who will explain how the program works. Each student will be encouraged to help their families perform the home toilet dye test. The Classroom with the most students participating will earn a private Pizza Party sponsored by SWP (at a place and time of the students'/teachers' choosing). The School with the highest participation rate will be featured on the Saving Water Partnership website. Contact: Arece Hampton, 206-733-9137, email@example.com website: http://www.savingwater.org
TRY "FRUGAL FLUSHING" - Seattle Public Utilities is also holding a "Frugal Flushing" event – aimed at helping apartment building managers, plumbers and larger commercial facilities save water & money - at Ferguson Plumbing (4100 West Marginal Way) on March 20th Contact: Arece Hampton, 206-733-9137, firstname.lastname@example.com
TOILETS TO "DYE" FOR - Cascade Water Alliance (King County) is
Inserting free dye test kits in a Fix-a-Leak Week mailing so ratepayers can test for toilet leaks. They are also continuing workshops to promote water conservation such as drip irrigation and organic gardening. Contact: Mike Brent, 425-453-1810 firstname.lastname@example.com
For more information about EPA's WaterSense Program:
Search this collection of releases | or search all news releases
View selected historical press releases from 1970 to 1998 in the EPA History website.


text:
Posts Tagged 'J. David Petruzzi'
New Acquisition – The Complete Gettysburg Guide
I made a number of new acquisitions over the past month. The latest arrived in the mail today and has been added to my virtual bookshelves here. I'm actually pretty excited by this purchase.
The Complete Gettysburg Guide: Walking and Driving Tours of the Battlefield, Town, Cemeteries, Field Hospital Sites, and other Topics of Historical Interest
Format: Hardcover
Price: $39.95
Published: 2009-06-01 by Savas Beatie
Language: English
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 320
Dimensions: 7 X 10
J. David Petruzzi (Author) who blogs at Hoofbeats and Cold Steel here.
and Steven Stanley (Maps and Photography) 62 photos and 70 full color maps


text:
So what are the real reasons for the battle? There is no question that the Union and Confederate armies collided unexpectedly at Gettysburg (in what, in military terms, is called a "meeting engagement"). It is also true that Heth's men—indeed, much of the Army of Northern Virginia—were short on shoes. A rumor had even been circulating that shoes were to be found in Gettysburg, despite the fact that Jubal A. Early's men had been through the town a few days earlier, demanded a ransom that included 1,500 pairs of shoes, and come away empty-handed. It is not true, however, that there was a shoe warehouse or shoe factory in Gettysburg—only a carriage factory, a college, and a finishing school for girls. Finally, shoes were only part of the reason that Heth's men, in his own words, "stumbled into this fight" on July 1.
True, the army was footsore; but, more importantly—figuratively speaking—it was also blind. Confederate cavalry under J. E. B. Stuart had been missing for almost a week on a long ride around the Union army. As a result, Heth and his boss, A. P. Hill, had no idea what was in front of them. (Cavalry, not infantry, were the eyes and ears of an army. They were used both to gather intelligence about the enemy and to shield one's own movements.) After Pettigrew encountered Union troopers on June 30, Hill sent Heth back to Gettysburg the next day to reconnoiter. His mission: to find out whether the soldiers in town were harmless home guard troops or the more fearsome Army of the Potomac. Heth was not supposed to start a battle; in fact, he was under specific orders from Robert E. Lee not to do so. The Virginian—new to his command and an old favorite of Lee's—started one anyway, a "reckless act," according to historian Stephen W. Sears, and perhaps even an insubordinate one.
Why, then, the focus on shoes? For some early historians, it may have been a sleight of hand, a way of distracting readers from more prickly questions surrounding the Confederate defeat. Besides that, the largely accurate, if sometimes exaggerated, image of shoeless soldiers conveniently underscored the Lost Cause notion of nobility achieved through suffering. By calling attention to the ragged state of Johnny Reb, these writers also called attention to how the Confederate army, time and again, had managed to triumph in battle without nearly the numbers or materiel of its adversary. Such a state of affairs could not last forever, of course; Gettysburg was proof of that. And while no one argued that Lee lost the battle because his men did not have enough shoes, the image speaks for itself.
Finally, from a literary standpoint, "shoes especially" represents the perfect detail, quickly translating abstract historical forces into blisters on aching feet and the smell of new shoe leather. The Battle of Gettysburg readily lends itself to being read as a three-act tragedy, dominated, as many have argued, by Lee's hubris. ("The fundamental fault that disfigured his conduct of the campaign," historian Brian Holden Reid has written, "was that Lee was overly confident and expected too much of his marvelous troops.") That it started by accident, over something so "pedestrian" as shoes, is too perfect for writers to ignore. Shelby Foote certainly did not, crafting a scene in The Civil War: A Narrative (1963) in which A. P. Hill airily dismissed the possibility that the Army of the Potomac was in Gettysburg:
In Foote's dialogue, Heth was quick to take him up on that. "If there is no objection," he said, "I will take my division tomorrow and go to Gettysburg and get those shoes."
"None in the world," Hill responded.
- Civil War, American (1861–1865)
Further Reading
Cite This Entry
- APA Citation:
Wolfe, B. Shoes at Gettysburg. (2015, November 19). In Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved from http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Shoes_at_Gettysburg.
- MLA Citation:
Wolfe, Brendan. "Shoes at Gettysburg." Encyclopedia Virginia. Virginia Humanities, 19 Nov. 2015. Web. READ_DATE.
First published: February 11, 2009 | Last modified: November 19, 2015
Contributed by Brendan Wolfe, editor of Encyclopedia Virginia from 2008 to 2019.


text:
A Pastime Passed Over
Baseball as a sport spends a lot of its time playing catch up. It used to be the national pastime but arguably it has lost that title to either the NBA, the NFL or NASCAR. It hasn't captured the world's attention in the same way that soccer has and even cricket has more global adherents (although that is admittedly due to its huge popularity in India and Pakistan).
I think a lot of it has to do with the habits of baseball players. It's easy to relate to NASCAR because they're the children of former booze-running outlaws. Add in it's rowdy, beer-swilling redneck fanbase and you have a populist's wet dream.
The NBA has a different kind of allure. It's a mix of the hard-scrabble blacktop game along with the finesse and graceful elegance of of today's elite players. Is there any other league that has more marijuana violations than the NBA? I'm guessing no and that reflects an America that has also grown more lenient towards the "devil weed."
Baseball? You've got PED's and frat boys drinking overpriced beer. That's the America we laugh at, not the America we want to be part of. We like our sports to have a bit of an edge. The reason people hate Mark Sanchez isn't because he's a sub-par quarterback with a questionable work ethic. We'd put up with that if he inspired us. But he spends more time posing for magazines than he does winning football games. Yes, I know he's led his team to the AFC Championship game twice but I think we can all agree that it wasn't so much that he led them as it was him following them there.
Baseball right now is kind of like Mark Sanchez. It doesn't have the edge. It doesn't make you believe. That's why it's fun to hate the Yankees but its so much more fun to hate the Heat. My solution? Bring back Manny and give him lots of weed.


text:
Newsmap. Monday, January 4, 1943 : week of December 25 to January 1
Description: Front: Text describes action on various war fronts: North Africa, Command, Libya, New Guinea, Solomons, Burma, Russia, Fr. Somaliland. Large world map is keyed to text and illustrates time zones around the world. Includes inset maps: Indonesia -- Rostov region [USSR]. Photographs: Blimp patrol -- Supplies for Guadalcanal -- Along the road to Tunisia. Back: The Nerve System of the Army: text, illustration, and photographs show contributions of the Signal Corps to the war effort.
Date: January 4, 1943
Creator: [United States.] Army Orientation Course.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department


text:
Banks behaving badlyAugust 7, 2012: 12:55 PM ET
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul R. La Monica. Other than Time Warner, the parent of CNNMoney, and Abbott Laboratories, La Monica does not own positions in any individual stocks.
Happy days are here again for the stock market. If you love round numbers, then today is your day. The Dow is back above 13,000. Nasdaq has vaulted above 3,000 again. And the S&P 500 has topped the 1,400 level.
Is the enthusiasm (some might call it greed) misplaced? Perhaps. But there is one aspect about the market rally that clearly stands out as a bona fide head-scratcher. Bank stocks are leading the way.
Related: Beware of investor complacency
Say what? Big banks have done nothing to restore confidence in the market over the past few months. This is just a quick recap of some of the more egregious sins, scandals and shortcomings.
British banking giant Standard Chartered (SCBFF) was just accused by New York regulators of illegally concealing transactions for Iran. Barclays (BCS), another British financial behemoth, settles charges tied to fixing a key bank lending rate known as Libor with regulators in the U.S. and U.K. Yet another British bank, HSBC (HBC), is said to have laundered money for Mexican drug cartels, according to a recent report by the U.S. Senate.
JPMorgan Chase (JPM) reports a massive trading loss (or is it hedging?) resulting from bad bets in its London-based chief investment office. Morgan Stanley (MS) gets sued by investors for its role as lead underwriter in the bungled Facebook (FB) IPO.
Related: Small bank takes on giants in Libor lawsuit
I haven't even mentioned last week's Knight Capital Group (KCG) trading glitch debacle. Or the fact that a former executive at Goldman Sachs (GS) wrote an op-ed earlier this year in which we learned that the investment bank thinks customers are "Muppets." Or that Barclays, despite getting most of the blame for the Lie-bor scandal, is only one of just 16 U.S. and European banks being looked at for rate-fixing.
But check out how well bank stocks have done in the past month! Shares of Barclays and JPMorgan Chase are up about 10%, easily outpacing the S&P 500's 4% gain.
Citigroup (C), another of the banks involved in the Libor investigation, has gained nearly 15%. And Citi, I'll remind you, is a bank that has yet to take any action regarding the executive compensation package of CEO Vikram Pandit even though shareholders voted against Pandit's $15 million pay raise back in April.
It's unfortunate that investors are rewarding the bad behavior of the big banks by bidding their shares higher and higher. But it also is a bit strange. For one, the possibility that the European and U.S. economies may slow further is not good news for banks.
Still, even if you put aside macro concerns, shouldn't investors be more nervous about what other skeletons may lie in the closets of the world's financial firms? One of the main arguments against owning large banks for the long haul is that tougher rules may be on the way that could eat into the sector's mighty profits. And the case for more regulation grows with each new appalling headline about more shocking allegations lobbied against a big bank.
Related: The Wall Street machine is broken
Of course, big banks are not all being run by nefarious villains out to make big bucks off the backs of the little guy. But it certainly does seem that way, doesn't it? And until that changes, this is a sector where negative headlines will remain a major risk.
You don't need to take a high and mighty, Occupy Wall Street-esque moral stance if you want to avoid big banks. It's simply a smart investing strategy to do so.


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Board of Directors
Alan Thomson
Alan Thomson
Senior Partner and Managing Director , The Boston Consulting Group
Alan Thomson is the global leader of BCG's Energy practice and is based in Houston, Texas. Alan has more than 30 years of experience working across the oil and gas value chain and more than 18 years with BCG. He specializes in strategy, operational effectiveness, and organization transformation. He serves major oil companies, upstream independents, national oil companies, service companies, and governments around the world.
Prior to joining BCG, Alan worked for the international energy consulting firm of Purvin & Gertz, Shell Canada, and Novacor Chemicals.


text:
(416) 619-5349
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The eMail Guide is the ultimate resource for email marketers and anyone interested in #emailmarketing.
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text:
Listings in Contract Store Planners, Safety and Security and Case/Under-cabinet lighting in Wilkes Barre and Philadelphia
Trion Industries, Inc.
in Grid Systems, Hardware, Pegboard/Slatwall, Custom Metal Fixtures, Food Service: Bakery/Refrigerated, Metal Fixtures, Slatwall Fixtures, Wire Fixtures, Alarms/Anti-Theft Systems, Locking Systems, Literature Holders, Literature Holders
Trion®, a top-50 North American fixture maker, is the world's leading manufacturer of display & scan hooks. Other lines include WonderBar® tray & bar merchandisers; shelf divider & pusher systems; label holder systems; & cooler/freezer merchandising.
297 Laird Street
Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania 18702
United States
Fax: 570-823-4080
AREA Interior Design
in Contract Store Planners, Architects, Interior Design, Visual Merchandising
620 Christian St.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19147
United States
Is this your company? Claim it here.


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Selected Clear All
Analyst - Abel Nevarez Analyst - Blake Kozak Analyst - Dominic Williams Analyst - Kelson Astley Analyst - Matthew Kieffer Analyst - Michael Howard Analyst - Michael Markides Analyst - Silvia Presello Geography - Africa and Middle East Geography - Argentina Geography - Rest of South and Central America Service - Access Control Intelligence Service - Asia-Pacific
By Attribute
- Research Type
- Research by Market
- Category
- Analyst
- Geography
- Date Published
- Services
North America Access Control Growth to Outpace Latin America through 2016June 10, 2015For many years, access control suppliers have been looking to diversify and invest in new countries to expand growth opportunities, and for many years, high growth and opportunity was on threshold of being realized. However, IHS has found that the North American market (including Mexico) will outpace the Latin American market until 2018.
Middle East and Africa forecast for strong growth opportunity in Access Control, with CAGR of 14.8%May 15, 2014The EMEA region continued to make strides toward recovery in 2013 and is expected to see moderate growth from 2014 through 2015 for traditional electronic access control. For traditional access control, IHS has estimated growth of about 3.1%in 2014. When including electronic locks (mechatronic, digital cylinder and electromechanical), IHS estimated a growth of about 7.4% in 2014. According to IHS's 2014 report on access control, the Middle East and African regions are forecast to be worth about $180 million in 2014, which combine to have a CAGR of about 15% from 2013 through 2018.


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A Mouse in the House
Today, the folks from Hillcrest Labs visited me at my home to show off their latest version of what they call an "operating system for the television," which they had first shown off as a demo at the D3 in May 2005. The Rockville, Md.-based company is one of many trying to reinvent the television navigation experience, complete with a remote control that is a round, motion-controlled device called the "Loop," pictured here (and you can also see the pictures and video of the Hillcrest demo at D3 here).
Their visually based navigation system, which swoops in and out like a helicopter, is an attempt to free the consumer from the onerous and frustrating grid system that has used up too many minutes of consumers' life. The centerpiece is obviously the Loop, which is moved about in the air somewhat like a mouse on a desktop and with only a few buttons and scroll wheel. It is certainly a welcome change from other remotes, most of which require you to have a degree in astrophysics to understand properly. I will be interviewing Hillcrest CEO Dan Simpkins again with others at a panel at the National Cable & Telecommunications Association's annual show next Monday afternoon in Las Vegas, called "Everything I Need to Know I Learned from the iPod: Defining the Consumer Experience."
There and in this column, I will be particularly focused on the ongoing issue of making television more interactive. It has been a minor obsession of mine, since I sat in on the pitch meeting the founders of TiVo did before venture capitalists back in 1997. At the time, after a day of sitting through a series of inane dot-com ideas, I was thrilled when this groundbreaking concept of control of the television experience was offered, even if TiVo's business success has not been as profound.
That feels like an eon and a lot of false starts ago (oh, I had and then didn't have WebTV). But, perhaps because consumers are finally comfortable watching video on the Web, it seems like the idea of truly incorporating these ideas may have finally come. TiVo has recently unveiled cool new abilities to put personal and Web videos on the television, big players like Apple and Microsoft are deep into the game with major offerings (after years of efforts) and small outfits like Slingbox (which allows you to "sling" content to a myriad of devices) are gaining traction. And, of course, despite the problems with its straps coming undone and minor mayhem following, consumer enthusiasm for the Nintendo Wii system is part of the same trend.
"This is about consumer choice and simplicity," said Hillcrest's Simpkins to me today. As it always has been.


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When you learn online with Walden, you have access to a dynamic learning experience that will expose you to real-world scenarios presented by faculty who are experts and practitioners in their fields. Throughout your coursework, you will explore the latest theories and best practices in your industry and be able to put your new knowledge to work immediately in your organization. You have the opportunity to work with individuals from across the United States and possibly from around the world. Thanks to our engaging online learning model, you can learn on your schedule and participate in classes on a weekly basis whenever it's convenient for you.
Eligible South Carolina State Head Start Association employees may receive a 15% tuition reduction when enrolling as a new Walden student in approved degree programs. This reduction will remain in effect for the duration of the student's enrollment at Walden.
New students who qualify for an existing 15% U.S. partnership tuition reduction may combine that reduction with any one quarter or semester-based offer. Unless otherwise specified, the 15% U.S. partnership tuition reduction is the only offer that may be combined.
Walden offers many degree and certificate program options that can help your employees move ahead in their career, no matter where they are on their educational journey. Choose "Find Your Degree" from the top of the page and start exploring your options.
Walden University is an accredited institution that has been serving the higher education needs of working professionals for more than 40 years. The university promotes lifelong learning by offering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees online in areas of study ranging from health and education to management and public administration. It is distinguished by high academic standards, experienced faculty, and a rigorous curriculum. Using an array of technology, the university delivers an online education experience when, where, and how students need it. Walden programs help students achieve their goals so that, as graduates, they can help advance the lives of others.
Accreditation is a mark of quality. Walden has been accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1990. The HLC is a commission of the North Central Association, one of the six regional accrediting associations recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
Walden also holds specialized accreditations from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the Project Management Institute (PMI)® Global Accreditation Center for Project Management Education Programs (GAC), and ABET.
Walden University provides a diverse community of career professionals with the opportunity to transform themselves as scholar-practitioners so that they can effect positive social change.
Walden University envisions a distinctively different 21st-century learning community where knowledge is judged worthy to the degree that it can be applied by its graduates to the immediate solutions of critical societal challenges, thereby advancing the greater global good.


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Faro's Sé with its Eccentric Organ: Faro's Sé stands in the square that's called Largo da Sé. The Sé is a cathedral and the seat of the bishop. The Sé stands on a site that was formerly a mosque. The first Christian church in Faro was built on the site but when the English attacked in 1596 … [Read more...]
You are here: Home / Archives for faro photo images


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stints on AI and Project Runway but this one is a little bit different, being with a group of children who are preparing to put on a performance of WWFM:
I'm not one for going goo-goo over kids but it warmed the cockles of my heart to see all the flailing and squeeing so commonplace in this fandom, in miniature. They seemed quite precocious and perceptive, hitting the nail on the head when it came to describing Adam's poise and presence. Dressed as a casual rock star, he was very attentive towards them, giving much of that furrowed brow expression of intense concentration while imparting his wisdom through useful and supportive advice. I think his advice brought to the fore the fact that like any instrument, there are many intricacies to master when it comes to singing, such as using emphasis in phrasing and intonation to create an emotional connection to the audience, and how confidence and using your body can up your performance level. Adam makes it all seem so instinctive and easy. When he sings WWFM, he makes his voice sound so sweet that he's sure to always get whatever he wants with it, however major (or minor).
Here's something I made specially for the occasion:
Monday, 14 November 2011
Majors and Minors
Posted by Lambosessed at 17:02 2 comments
Labels: Adam Lambert, TV Appearance, Video
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Crowning the EMAs
What a voice.
What a frontman.
No one else could.
Global Icon.
I got my wish.
There may be some more thoughts tomorrow after repeated viewings.
Also, weird red carpet wide forehead hair with fugly clunky blue shoes that remind me of '80s wallabies. But I don't give a fuck when has a voice like that and performs like that.
Did I mention that he's a fucking megastar?
Posted by Lambosessed at 22:55 37 comments
Labels: Adam Lambert, Exclusive Performance, Queen, Video
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
A Voodoo Halloween
The opening chords of Voodoo often come entwined with a spinetingling moment as the dramatic silhouette of Adam against a full moon heralds the beginning of an excitedly anticipated set. This one is my favourite from Glam Nation for going that extra mile through the costume additions. Not only does he have the voodoo staff but the creepy troupe hide mysteriously behind their elaborate masks. Much attention to detail is paid through the snaky Brooke, creeping Sasha, marionette Taylor and undead Terrance choreography. The way that witch doctor Adam uses his voice at times is quite ghostly, seducing you into a trance at your pleasure and peril.
For more seasonal treats, visit the quotes and gallery of Adam's Halloween costumes through the years and Adam's Party City set, sung as a vampire with fangs in and all. And if you fancy a cute spooky T-shirt inspired by his Glam Nation Voodoo visuals, click the pic.
One other thing I want to write about is my belated flail which is fitting to mention at this time of year:
When Adam's tweet appeared in my feed during a twitter party, I had to do a double, triple, quadruple take to make sure it really was a reply to my tweet. I still find that I have to look at it occasionally to believe it happened. That tweet was just wonderful because he gave me much more than a simple answer. He fucking winked at me! He also complimented my choice of avatar (I guess it's also a compliment to himself) which is Adam in my favourite costume of his that I've cropped to focus on his commanding stare. I love that he looks so alien in it, like a Glamazonian ice queen. I really want to see him go all-out with his beautiful Halloween creations again. I guess it's not really surprising that he's a friendly drunk, all the more reason why he's someone I'd want to go out on the lash with and see what zany shenanigans would ensue. Sometimes I think he divulged a little more about that Halloween than initially suggested. With that random capitalisation, I do think that perhaps he didn't just have a good one, but an Ebeneezer Goode one, if you know what I mean. Anyway, I'm thrilled that my avatar reminds him of crazy fun times. If I'm not too late, have yourselves a crazy fun Halloween!
Posted by Lambosessed at 02:38 8 comments
Labels: Adam Lambert, Downloads, Glam Nation, Video
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Michael Jackson shattered the record for most-honored artist in American Music Awards show history, but couldn't break Taylor Swift's streak as this year's most celebrated performer.
The late King of Pop won four of five categories in which he was nominated, topping out his AMA career total at 23 awards on Sunday in Los Angeles, The Associated Press reported. But country star Taylor Swift stole the show's coveted top artist of the year prize.
"The message that Michael had will live on forever," Jermaine Jackson said in accepting an award on his brother's behalf. "He saw good in everyone and he wanted everyone to do good. He always started with love."
U.S. & World
In accepting her award via satellite from London, Swift also paid tribute to Jackson.
"Music has never been ultimately about competition," the 19-year-old pop sensation said. "To even be mentioned in a category with Michael Jackson, who we will miss and love forever, is an unimaginable honor."
Swift and Jackson weren't the only music stars notably absent from the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday. Swift's one-time taunter, Kanye West, and defender, Beyonce, were also M.I.A.
In their absences, the performance-heavy program delivered plenty of YouTube worthy moments: Adam Lambert's lewd dance routine, J-Lo's fall, Lady Gaga's flaming piano and Rihanna and Whitney's comeback performances.
Janet Jackson kicked off the AMAs by performing a medley from new greatest hits album "Number Ones."
Rihanna and Lambert also took to the stage to promote new CDs.
Dressed in a skintight bodysuit and sporting blonde hair, Rihanna covered her neck with a tattoo of the name of her new album: "Rated R."
Lambert also turned heads during his S&M-inspired performance, where the ex-"Idol" pushed a male dancer's face into his crotch, and locked lips with his androgynous keyboard player when performing a song from "For Your Entertainment."
Jennifer Lopez's boxing-themed performance fueled buzz online, and became a trending topic on Twitter, when the singer briefly fell after jumping off a dancer's back.
Lady Gaga, who did not win any AMAs, nevertheless thrilled fans when performing songs from her new album "The Fame Monster." The performance artist somehow managed to dodge flames from her piano while continuing to sing.
Finally, music industry veteran Whitney Houston, who has struggled in some recent public performances since launching a comeback album, delivered a steady rendition of "I Didn't Know My Own Strength." Later she dedicated her International Award for Excellence to her daughter, music producer and fans.


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Excellent job with the new version. At 1700 files in my largest library (mostly large pdfs) I was beginning to notice lags, but they are now gone. Furthermore, with the ability to drag and drop between libraries, it will be easier to compartmentalize topics if I ever need to.
General comment to anyone thinking of switching to EagleFiler: do it. Compared with alternative managers of unstructured files, EF handles more data types, well beyond PDF and web pages. It stores all files using the native Mac file structure, so other programs can work with them transparently. (That is, you can still access your files without going through EF.) This is also safer with respect to multi-year storage. I don't know about robustness of other applications, but EF seems very robust, and has never lost a spec of my data. The developer responds to questions/problems within hours, on average.
Finally, EF seems to scale well, with techniques like nested folders, keywords, and very fast searches. In contrast, I can't imagine how some of the other apps will work after a year of daily use - once you get past 200 records or so, flat folders just don't cut it anymore.
Academics: I used to put everything I read into EndNote. I barely touch EndNote now; instead I just download the actual documents into EagleFiler. (A bibliography program is still necessary for citation formatting, of course.)
Made a variety of changes to improve EagleFiler's speed and responsiveness, especially for libraries with many files.
You can now copy from one library to another via drag and drop. All of the EagleFiler metadata will be preserved.


text: The La Quinta Inn & Suites Dalhart TX hotel is located in the NW corner of the Texas panhandle; approximately 30 miles south of the Oklahoma border. Our ideal location at the intersection of Highways 87, 54 and 385 makes it easy to get to any destination planned during your stay. The Dalhart Municipal Airport is a short 7 minute drive from our hotel in Dalhart, TX. We strive to meet the needs of business travelers with supporting amenities such as a 24-hour business center, free high-speed Internet, copy and printing resources. In addition, we are close to corporate areas, such as Hilmar Cheese Co., Gustin Equipment, Cargill and many agricultural enterprises. Our close proximity to area attractions makes our Dalhart, TX lodging ideal for leisure travelers, as well. You can explore the XIT Museum, enjoy a performance at La Rita Performing Arts Theatre, have a picnic at Rita Blanca State Park, or pay tribute to our cowboy heritage at the Empty Saddle Monument and enjoy the XIT Rodeo and Reunion. When deciding among the hotels in Dalhart TX, consider amenities such as our free Bright Side Breakfast - an assortment of hot and cold items, a well-equipped fitness center, and a sparkling indoor pool. Our knowledgeable staff is happy to supply you with information about the area or answer any questions you may have about the hotel. Whether you are in town for business or leisure, we have the choice amenities and attentive staff to make you feel right at home. We look forward to serving you here at the La Quinta Inn & Suites. To ensure availability during your travel dates, book your accommodation at the La Quinta Inn & Suites Dalhart TX hotel today.


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Kawachi Safe Shampoo Shower Bathing Protect Soft Cap Hat for Baby Children - K158
Vendor: Kawachi Group
Features & Specifications :: Easy, comfortable and flexible to use Makes bath time less of a drama and more fun Protects your baby or toddler's eyes from shampoo and water ...
Features & Specifications ::
Package Includes ::
- Easy, comfortable and flexible to use
- Makes bath time less of a drama and more fun
- Protects your baby or toddler's eyes from shampoo and water
- Helps get your baby used to having his or her hair washed
- Material: EVA foam
- For head circumference 40cm or over
- Outer diameter: 26cm
- Inner [head size] diameter: 13cm
- Colour: Blue/Pink
Package Includes ::
1 × Baby Shower Bath Shampoo Eye Shield
• 7 Days Replacement Policy
Validity - 7 days from delivery
Covers - Damaged, Defective, Item not as described
Type Accepted - Easy Exchange
If you have received a damaged or defective product or it is not as described, you can raise a replacement request thru mail ( email@example.com ) or call (09326110110) within 7 days of receiving the product. We shall help by verifying and trying to resolve your product issue as part of the return verification process. The seller will arrange for a replacement if the issue has not been resolved
Successful pick-up of the product is subject to the following conditions being met:
o Correct and complete product (with the original brand/product Id/undetached MRP tag/product's original packaging/freebies and accessories)
o The product should be in unused, undamaged and in original condition without any scratches or dents
Cash On Delivery available
How do I place a Cash on Delivery (C-O-D) order?
All items that have the 'Cash on Delivery Available' icon are valid for order by Cash on Delivery. Add the item(s) to your cart and proceed to checkout. When prompted to choose a payment option, select 'Pay By Cash on Delivery'. Once verified and confirmed, your order will be processed for shipment in the time specified, from the date of confirmation. You will be required to make a cash-only payment to our courier partner at the time of delivery of your order to complete the payment.
Terms & Conditions
o The minimum order value for C-O-D is ₹ 700.
o The maximum order value for C-o-D is ₹20,000.
o e-Gift Vouchers or Coupen Code cannot be used for C-O-D orders.
o Cash-only payment at the time of delivery.


text:
| 2.9°C Belfast
Almost one in seven children have missed out on their first choice of primary school amid a continuing squeeze on places, it has been revealed.
Hundreds of thousands of families across the country have been learning which school their child will be attending from this September, in the first ever primary National Offer Day.
Early figures indicate that a child's chances of getting their top choice depend heavily on where they live, with almost all getting their first preference in some places, and more than a third missing out in others.
A survey conducted by the Press Association, based on responses from more than 50 councils, found that nationally, 86.99% of four-year-olds have won a place at their first preference school this year.
But this means that 13.01% - almost one in seven youngsters - have missed out.
Councils and schools have been facing an increasing squeeze on places, particularly for primary-age children in recent years, caused partly by a rising birth rate and the impact of immigration.
Earlier, one teachers' leader warned that England is facing a "growing crisis" in primary school places.
Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), accused Education Secretary Michael Gove of relieving himself of his first key responsibility - to provide school places for the nation's children.
Government reforms, which have made it increasingly difficult for councils to open schools that are not free schools or academies, have fuelled a crisis in places, she argued.
"We know that there is a growing crisis in primary school places and we know that the Government, for all the money they say they are throwing at the problem, they simply haven't got the mechanism, they haven't got the ability, to plan school provision where it's needed," Dr Bousted said.
"They have divested themselves of the levers to manage this situation.
"As soon as they prevented local authorities from building primary schools and they left it to the market, to free school providers and academy sponsors they've come across two main problems.
"The first is that there's not been any national place planning. Local authorities say that despite the extra money, there isn't enough money, and because of the land prices, it's very difficult for free schools to get established.
"The biggest problems that free schools have is finding a place for the school."
She added: "It's no surprise that there's a crisis in primary school places, because the Secretary of State, Michael Gove, has divested himself of his first key responsibility, which is to provide school places for children. He's divested himself of his second key responsibility which is to put qualified teachers in front of those children.
"Whatever you think of the rest of his policies, those, to me, seem to be two quite big catastrophes for our nation's children and young people."
The Department for Education (DfE) said it has given councils more than £5 billion to establish new school places, with more than 260,000 created already.
Individual council figures suggests that many have received more applications this year from parents for primary school places compared to last year.
At the same time, the data also indicates that in some areas, fewer pupils are getting their first choice of place, compared to 2013.
In Rutland, around 97% of children got their first choice of primary, along with 96.7% in Doncaster and 96.97% in North East Lincolnshire.
But at the other end of the scale, almost two fifths missed out in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea, where 61.6% got their top preference.
A DfE spokesman said: "We are increasing the number of good school places by tackling underperformance and opening new free schools and academies. We have also more than doubled to £5 billion the funding available to councils to create new school places, and are allowing good schools to expand without the restrictions and bureaucracy they faced in the past.
"This has already led to the creation of 260,000 new school places - all of which are in areas where there is a shortage of places, while seven out of 10 new places created under the free schools programme are in areas of basic need. Thanks to our reforms, the number of children in failing secondary schools has already fallen by a quarter of a million since 2010."
Figures published by the Pan London Admissions Board showed that across the capital, almost one in five (19%) of children did not get their top preference school.
In total, 92% of pupils in London offered one of their top three preferences.
Chair of the Pan London Admissions Board Helen Jenner said: "The London-wide system ensures parental preferences for primary schools and available school places are distributed in the fairest way. The system managed a record 102,441 primary applications and 81% have received an offer from a school of their preference.
"The London admissions system is very proficient but not all parents can be offered their first preference. It cannot create places in schools that are already at capacity."


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25,374 shares
A Real Best Friend
167,093 shares
A Dog's life...
125,134 shares
I think Noah is going to have a little trouble breeding the lions...
126,951 shares
Element of surprise!
138,187 shares
Black Friday
117,212 shares
They're Not Quite As SMART As They Think They Are
110,821 shares
Get to tha shoppar!
124,418 shares
Important meeting taking place across the street...
38,151 shares
When the waiter asks how the food is...
22,519 shares
I love manatees because they are so majestic.
20,957 shares
Laugh more daily


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We love that Applebee's has put a new spin on the classic wedge salad, but WHY must it be so loaded with fat? Worry not, hungry friends. We've got a guilt-free remake straight ahead... Dressing 1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise 1/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt 1 tbsp. chopped parsley 1 tbsp. chopped chives 2 tsp. lemon juice 1/8 tsp. garlic powder 1/8 tsp. each salt and black pepper Salad 4 slices center-cut bacon or turkey bacon 1 large head iceberg lettuce 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese 1/4 cup chopped pecans Directions: Place all dressing ingredients in a small blender or food processor. Add 1 tbsp. water, and blend until smooth. Cook bacon until crispy, either in a large skillet over medium heat or on a microwave-safe plate in the microwave. (See package for cook time.) Cut lettuce head into quarters, leaving you with 4 wedges. Remove the core portion of each wedge and any limp exterior leaves. Chop or crumble bacon. Plate lettuce wedges, and top with dressing, blue cheese, pecans, and bacon. Dig in! MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Serving Size: 1 salad (1/4th of recipe) Calories: 142 Fat: 10g Sodium: 456mg Carbs: 9g Fiber: 2.5g Sugars: 4.5g Protein: 6.5g PointsPlus® value 4*
HG Tip! Dining solo? No prob! Top one wedge with 1/4th of the dressing (about 2 tbsp.), 1 tbsp. blue cheese, 1 tbsp. pecans, and 1/4th of the chopped/crumbled bacon (about 1 tbsp.). Then store the remaining ingredients separately for next time!
It's a common misconception that green salads are inherently guilt-free. And when you're looking at a big ol' quartered head of lettuce on a plate, it's even easier to make that mistaken assumption. But top anything with bacon, cheese, candied nuts, AND fatty dressing, and you've got a serious calorie catastrophe on your hands. Let's end the salad injustice, people! That poor iceberg lettuce deserves better. We had fun with this one. We made our own creamy green goddess dressing, and it's mind-meltingly good. The rest is about little modifications: using just the right amount of blue cheese crumbles, choosing leaner bacon, and opting for a sprinkling of plain pecans rather than too much of the candied kind. Even mere mortals can pull off a miraculous swap like this... Sorry, Applebee's. You lose!
Serving Size: 1 salad Calories: 560 Fat: 53g Sodium: 1,290mg Carbs: 12g Fiber: 3g Sugars: n.a. Protein: 9g PointsPlus® value 16*
Time to share this recipe with all your pals... Click "Send to a Friend" NOW!
Today, August 20th, is National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day. Celebrate by adding a few mini chocolate chips to these Crispy Pecan Pie Bites!
SmartPoints® value not what you expected? Click here for more info on how the values are calculated, plus more FAQs about PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® values on our website.


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Solid silver throughout!
The Jupiter 711 Series Intermediate Flute is a solid silver flute throughout. This step-up model takes
the advancing student to new levels all while giving brighter sound quality and greater projection. The hand detailed embouchure
hole, riser and lip plate give precise professional sound with maximum expression and dynamic contrast. Features include
solid sterling silver head, body and foot joints, and silver plated, open hole keys.
Jupiter Quality and Design
Jupiter Commitment to ExcellenceThe quality of Jupiter flutes is recognized
worldwide. Because flutemaking is a combination of science and art, Jupiter constantly seeks the latest innovation in design
and engineering to achieve ever higher standards in the manufacturing process. Leading players, teachers and artisans collaborate
in the design and artistry that makes each Jupiter flute a truly great performance instrument.
heritage of JUPITER began in 1930 when KHS International, its parent corporation, opened as an educational products company
in Taipei, Taiwan. The letters KHS stand for "Kung Hsue She" meaning "a company helping schools and culture". This simple
definition still represents the primary goal of the JUPITER brand.
Attention to DetailsEach Jupiter flute
has a precise feel, response and key action. Skilled technicians hand seat all pads and hand adjust all mechanisms. This includes
final detailing of embouchure hole, riser and lip plate of each headjoint
Dedication to DialogueJUPITER
maintains constant contact with performing artists, educators, repair technicians, instrument designers and our network of
dealers to better respond to the requirements of music education and performance.
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Hieromartyr Theodotus, Bishop of Cyrenia - Troparion & Kontakion
Troparion — Tone 4
By sharing in the ways of the Apostles, / you became a successor to their throne. / Through the practice of virtue, you found the way to divine contemplation, O inspired one of God; / by teaching the word of truth without error, you defended the Faith, even to the shedding of your blood. / Hieromartyr Theodotus, entreat Christ God to save our souls.
Kontakion — Tone 3
You denounced the depths of false belief. / With the Orthodox faith you wounded the delusion of idolatry. / As a godly, whole burnt sacrifice, / you refreshed the ends of the earth with your wonders! / O holy hierarch Theodotus, our father, / entreat Christ God to grant us great mercy!


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This article is part of our DFS College Basketball series.
New Announcement: For those looking for advanced player stats, we've added an Advanced Daily Lineups page for our DFS subscribers, which displays information such as starting lineups, player usage, opponent stats & more.
Below is our college basketball cheat sheet, which details a quick breakdown of the highest implied totals of the day. For the larger slates, we'll include player recommendations and game breakdowns as well (usually in a separate preview article). Any and all feedback is appreciated in the comments section, and for additional discussion among RotoWire College Basketball subscribers, I highly recommended joining our Discord channel to keep the conversation going.
Here is the cheat sheet for the Friday slate on FanDuel & DraftKings:
Note: Efficiency & tempo metrics taken from KenPom.com.
As always, don't forget about our regular DFS features for college basketball:
DFS Lineup Optimizer
Value Report
And brand new, you can now save lineups and get alerts for players in your lineup that get breaking news updates prior to tipoff. Those can be set up here.


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A Killer Play by Any Other Team & Ugly Angels Weekend
I love my Angels, as you have all probably guessed by now. But I don't think you can be a diehard fan of one particular team without being an equally passionate fan of the game itself. As such there is no disloyalty in admiring feats of greatness performed by teams and players other than your own, quite the contrary. Baseball is one of our favorite museums and every diving catch, robbed homerun, clutch line drive, wicked change-up to strike out the side, and perfectly executed six-four-three double play is a work of art we would be philistines not to appreciate.
But how do you react when the not-your-team's oh wow, any true baseball fan can appreciate how awesome this is play/catch/hit happens in a game against your team? It's a real conundrum. Of course, you always root for your team. But for me, the pure baseball fan side of my brain is thinking Wow! Wow! That was amazing! I can't believe I just saw that! What a play/catch/hit/whatever! and wants my body to stand up and cheer. While the Angels fan side of my brain is swearing a blue streak and wants my fist to shake angrily in the air or pound on the table.
Usually the reaction that actually bubbles from my mouth is very loud, starts out with a tone of grudging genuine admiration, finishes with a tone of passionate anger and anguish and sounds a little something like this (Note: Sections in quotations have been edited to make my more sailor-like proclivities safe for a general audience.):
Great catch, "when two people really love each other"er
Oh, nice play, "notoriously stubborn beast of burden" hole
Great hit, you "I question whether your mommy and daddy really made everything official before you were born."
I think it's an understandable reaction, and a one I find myself having several times a week. When we lose because of situations like this, that censored part above gets louder, longer and more creative. Every once in a great long while, a lost game might have so many of this sort of play that there is nothing you can do but calmly accept defeat with an understandable explanation along the lines of: Okay, my guys really need to be better about RISP but what can you do? Josh Hamilton was a human highlight reel, that "when two people really love each other"er.
This. Was not. One of the those games. Nor was yesterday's game. In fact, seriously, nor was this whole Red Sox series. Oh, I had a few Nice play, "notoriously stubborn beast of burden" hole moments, especially where Dustin Pedrioa was concerned. But even though the Red Sox swept the Angels this series, keeping us to a measly five runs in four games with back to back shutouts to finish things off, I don't think they played unbeatable baseball by any means. This is not a sour grapes, poor loser post. I am not knocking the Red Sox at all. Everyone knows they started out the season on the wrong foot…or, like, five of them. But there is no denying they are heating up, as I always assumed they would. They played pretty good baseball during this four game series. Very good at some points, but never lights out. Prior to this series, after the debacle that was opening weekend in Kansas City, the Angels were playing pretty good baseball. Very good at some points and occasionally lights out. There was no reason we couldn't have at least split this series if we'd kept that up.
It's not even a question that the Angels can play better ball than we did the last four games. How many Angels highlights from the Texas series were in the MLB Tonight Plays of the Week this evening? A lot. And Peter Bourjos' amazing dead sprint to jump up and rob Dave Murphy of a homerun at the centerfield wall was the #2 play of the week, and deservedly so. I think the Boston series play was the fluke, not the Blue Jays, Indians, White Sox and Texas series. So, come on Angels. Pick yourselves up. Dust yourselves off. Get it together. Wake up the bats. Make your pitches. Score some runs. And, pretty please with sugar on top, call the darned ball. There's a lot more baseball left to play and you can do this.


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Advance Scout: Columbus Clippers
The Bisons posted a 5-3 mark against the Clippers last year. The teams split a four-game series at Coca-Cola Field (May 21-24) with Columbus taking the first two games and Buffalo winning the last two contests. Last season at Hunington Park, Buffalo dropped the opener before taking the final three games against Columbus last August (Aug. 6-9).
Upcoming Probables for Buffalo at Columbus:
7/27 LHP Bobby Livingston (3-8, 5.28) vs. LHP Eric Berger (0-0,-.–) 7:05 pm
7/28 RHP Dillon Gee (9-6, 4.82) vs. RHP Jeanmar Gomez (7-8, 5.37) 7:05 pm
7/29 RHP Tobi Stoner (5-8, 5.67) vs. LHP David Huff (5-0, 3.28) 7:05 pm
7/30 RHP Ramon Ortiz (1-3, 4.62) vs. RHP Carlos Carasco (9-4, 4.00) 7:05 pm
Clipper Quick Clips
THE LAUNCHING PAD: The Clippers had their Huntington Park homer streak snapped at six games Sunday (homered in 19 of the last 22, 38HR) but added three more dingers Monday night. The PawSox failed to homer, Sunday for just the second game this season in which no long balls were hit at HP (5/31 vs.Louisville; 12 homerless games last season). With 20 games to play at HP, there have been 135 homers hit (130 hit all of last year).
TEAM EFFORT: Columbus leads the IL in hitting at .288 (14 points higher than 2nd place, Durham), but has only three players that qualify for the league batting title. Michael Brantley is currently leading the IL at .315, but is set to drop off the board after tonight's game and Jose Constanza sits in a tie for 3rd (.307) after qualifying last night (Wes Hodges is the other qualifier).
CORD UNPLUGGED: Cord Phelps lost the longest active hitting streak in the IL (also a Clipper best) Monday at 13 games. Phelps has batted .408 (20×49) on the stretch, scoring 12 runs with 2HR and 4RBI. In his last 27 games, he has collected a hit in 25 of them (13 multi-hit games). Between Akron and Columbus, he is hitting .326 (106×325).
JB GETS JOB DONE: Jordan Brown picked up his 28th RBI with the bases loaded last night (15PA, 0HR) with a 2-run base knock. He leads the IL in bases loaded RBI this year (Durham's Dan Johnson is in 2nd with 14 in 14PA, 1HR). Since 2005, only two IL players have had as many as 28RBI with the bases loaded in a season, Durham's Justin Ruggiano in 2009 (17PA, 3HR) and Toeldo's Mike Hessman in 2007 (19PA, 2HR).
2ND GO-AROUND: Since ending their affiliation with the Yankees after the 2006 season, the Clippers have seen 13 players wear a Columbus uniform with two different organizations. Saul Rivera, who pitched in one game for the Clippers in 2007 (Washington), became #13 with his appearance on 4/9. Shelley Duncan, who played in 12 games for the Clippers in 2006 (New York), was the 12th (4/8).
Looking back at Buffalo v Columbus in 2009
May 21: COL 6, BUF 4
The Bisons lose to the Clippers, the new Triple-A affiliate for the Cleveland Indians, 6-4. Sixteen former Bisons players return to Coca-Cola Field as members of Columbus. Javier Valentin hit his second home run of the season in the first inning for Buffalo.
May 22: COL 10, BUF 4
The Clippers jump out to a 9-0 lead after four innings to paste the Bisons, 10-4, at Coca-Cola Field. Jonathon Niese struggles in his return to the Bisons rotation, yielding 12 hits and nine runs in 3.2 innings. Nelson Figueroa rejoins the Bisons from New York and Michael Antonini is transferred to Binghamton before the game.
May 23: BUF 4, COL 3
Javier Valentin's eighth inning home run unties a 3-3 game and gives the Bisons a 4-3 victory over the Clippers. The Herd gets another solid outing from Nelson Figueroa, who strikes out seven in six innings in his first start for the Bisons since May 10.
May 24: BUF 5, COL 3
The Bisons earn a split of their four-game series vs. Columbus thanks to a strong start from Fernando Nieve, who allows two runs in six innings and strikes out four.
August 6: COL 9, BUF 6
A late-innings Bisons rally falls short as Buffalo drops their sixth in a row, 9-6, against Columbus at Huntington Park. The Herd plates four runs in the eighth inning, highlighted by a two-run homer from Nick Evans, cutting the Clippers lead to 7-5. But two runs in the bottom half of the inning thwarts the comeback. Evans now boasts a 14-game road hitting streak.
August 7: BUF 4, COL 3
Three Bisons home runs account for all four runs as the Herd snap their six-game losing skid with a 4-3 victory over Columbus. Mike Lamb, Rene Rivera and Chip Ambres all hit home runs for Buffalo. Nick Evans' 14-game road hit streak ends with an 0-for-3 night.
August 8: BUF 2, COL 1
Adam Pettyjohn strikes out seven and allows just six hits and no walks in eight scoreless innings as the Herd squeak past the Clippers, 2-1. Argenis Reyes and Jesus Feliciano pick up RBI for the Bisons.
August 9: BUF 12, COL 8
Robinson Cancel's three-run homer caps a six-run sixth inning as the Herd out-slugs the Clippers, 12-8, to take the series and win their third straight. Five Bisons have multi-hit nights, including Nick Evans who goes 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in the first.


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Although the city has offered to provide Metrocards and reimburse parents who have been forced to pick up where the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) 1181 bus drivers left off, parents now have one less reason to trust the system protecting and supposedly obligated to the protection of their children in this bargaining period.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg declares the union's demands unfeasible, saying their "decision to strike has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with job protections that the city legally cannot include in its bus contracts."
Earlier this month, the Teachers Union spent $1.1 million on a television ad to attack Mayor Michael Bloomberg's rant comparing the teacher's commitment to their union with the NRA, when he said, "The NRA's another place where the membership, if you do the polling, doesn't agree with leadership."
One has to wonder where the unions' heart really is when dealing with the education system in the city, or wonder why they're even wondering?
While it is understood that there will always be financial and contract disagreements between unions and their employers, and mayors will often say things that cause a hullabaloo, does this mean that the people who are most vulnerable, yet most fundamental in the web of the system should be left to suffer?
In a time when parents are forced to work two or three jobs to put food on the table and the looming threat of gun violence continues to threaten schools across the country, parents shouldn't have to worry about a system breakdown also compromising the safety of their children.


text: The APG Vasario Series: 1616 is the perfect solution for applications that can be addressed with a standard duty cash drawer. The Vasario Series: 1616 is also the cost effective choice that doesn't sacrifice quality or dependability. The Vasario Series: 1616 is competitively priced and includes features, such as multifunction locks and drawer status reporting, found in more expensive cash drawers. A variety of configurations with a wide range of size, style, color, interface and till options are available to meet your specific requirements.


text: There are so quite a few choices for medium duration hair. That means it is possible to type it inside your personal way.Long hairstyles are always a great look. For those of us with long hair, it is very precious to us and hopefully most of us keep good care of it with shampoos, conditioners, and special treatments. Although it is harder to take care of than short hair, longer hair offers a variety of lengthened hairstyles to chose from.days with long, flowing, soft tresses that gently move with the breeze of the wind to those classy dinners with your hair bundled up in a classy manner, long hair styles are just perfect ways to show off your lengthy, beautiful hair.


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MOORESVILLE, N.C. - A chartered bus carrying U.S. Army reservists went off a road north of Charlotte and overturned Friday, injuring at least 28 soldiers, one seriously, authorities said.
The North Carolina Highway Patrol said the bus was carrying 45 soldiers around 3 p.m. when it crashed in Mooresville, which is about 25 miles north of Charlotte.
Police said the bus had slowed for turning traffic, slid to the right and ran off N.C. 150. The bus toppled over onto its right side and came to rest in front of a storage facility.
A statement from the highway patrol said one person was airlifted from the scene with serious, non-life threatening injuries to Carolina Medical Center in Charlotte.
Sixteen other soldiers were transported with minor injuries to Carolina Medical Center in nearby Huntersville, and at least 11 soldiers were taken to two other hospitals, also with minor injuries. The bus driver was not hurt, according to the patrol.
The reservists are members of the Army's 991st Transportation Company, which is based in Salisbury.
Randleman-based Holiday Tours operated the bus. A company spokesman said the bus was one of two carrying reservists from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to Salisbury. Another spokesman said the company is investigating the wreck.


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Thursday, June 21st 2018, 9:02am
Thursday, February 22nd 2018, 12:28pm
Wednesday, February 21st 2018, 5:49am
Monday, February 19th 2018, 10:06am
Sunday, February 11th 2018, 8:21am


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Umegaki briefly introduces the current as well as past research
projects, and basic policy interest of the three instructors of the
course. The introduction will be followed by a brief outline of what
this course is meant, supplemented by a simple account of what
"policy management" (sougouseisakugaku) is about. We will also
give the "must" readings for you to consider throughout the
a) Human Security: Discussion of the beginnings and changing
conception of human security. This will be followed by the
elaboration on what the key conceptual as well as policy issues
involved in the "human security" research.
b) Umegaki will survey some of the preceding research on
"human security."
a) Development: An examination of the contextual background of
"human security" issue. Though historical in nature, the
examination should turn up some concepts for both heuristic and
analytical purposes.
b) Policy Research and Management: We will discuss how a
"research" requires a certain degree of neutrality – commitment to
context-free explanation – and equally acute sense of its
consequences of (or responsibility for) what it produces in the
actual context of life.
The class will discuss the development cooperation to developing
countries under the UN Development Decade and recent new framework
of the development cooperation decade of United Nations.
a) UN Development Decade: The first UN Development Decade was
launched by the General Assembly in December 1961. The UNDD had been
revised every 10 years and continued until the year 2000 (UNDD-
b) Recent UN Decade: Replacing the earlier UNDD, UN resolved
new framework of the decade in 1999, called as the first United
Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (which technically
began in 1997 and extended through 2006), and related to it, the
period from 2005 to 2015 was designated as the UN Decade of
Education for Sustainable Development (UN-DESD) by the General
Assembly in 2002.
a) As one of the case studies, the class will take the international
cooperation process on reconstruction for the Bangladesh flood
disaster in 1989, in which the lecturer was also directly involved.
But not only that, this case definitely represented the most typical
conflict and coordination process among international societies.
b) Based on the case study, the class will then discuss about the
relationship between development and vulnerability to disasters, and
conclude the need for integration of disaster management with
a) Through the comparison of ODA between DAC member countries, the
class will try to bring the characteristics of Japanese
international cooperation policy in sharp relief.
b) Highlighting the multilateral cooperation, the class will
try to point out problems of Japanese Government on lack of human
resources and strategic project choice, institutional barrier, and
so on.
As one of the pioneering methods to approach the "field" of policy
issues, we examine what is generally known as GIS. Highly techonolgy-
oriented, still GIS respects the onsite observations of "life as
lived" in a given and changing environment. What are the merits of
Two weeks will be used to examine how GIS works, during which some
of the ongoing research in China under Yan's direction will offer
the concrete contexts of GIS performance. I encourage the students
to contrast GIS with other, perhaps a little more familiar, methods
of approaching the "field," identifying the issues, and evaluating
the outcome of the past policy performance.
Using two cases of policy issues, we critically test some of the
orthodox approaches which have occupied the prominent positions
within the development studies. Two cases are drawn from Umegaki's
recent research in Vietnam.
Using this and the following weeks, students present "research
By this week, all students are required to make their
presentation material available on the net.
We examine the contending claims of different "policy studies"
within Social Sciences for their past achievements in "solving
problems." The key points of examinations and comparisons include:
1) levels of observations; 2) methodological innovations; 3)
normative stances; 4) the feedback "paths" for observations,
analyses and evaluations.


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I suppose it would have represented unavoidable carnage to most observers. Yes, just another pathetic victim of the modern, mechanized world. But to me, the mangled painted turtle said much more, some of it unprintable in old-fashioned news.
It's spooky in a sense. I had been on the lookout recently for turtles I annually pass down by the river, the shelled creatures seeking sandy plateaus on which to bury their spring eggs. I discover the critters by watching the dogs, recognizing their cautious demeanor upon detecting a turtle in their rambunctious rambles. It seems to me that, for the most part over the past three or four springs, we've been dealing with the same four turtles — a medium-sized snapper down by the beaver pond on the south end, two painted turtles, one on the north end, the other along the east-side woods, and a big box turtle with its distinctive humped shell. I have over the years seen far fewer of the latter than its two aforementioned cousins. Maybe I'm wrong. Perhaps that other creature is just an oversized painted turtle. But I don't think so.
Something interesting about the place where I annually intercept the spring turtle pilgrimage is the fertility of the floodplain. I have only once in 15 years witnessed the maybe 10-acre field underwater, the tips of only the tallest Christmas trees exposed in what appeared to be a small lake during Tropical Storm Irene a few years back. Afterwards, you would have thought from looking at the fine sandy silt left behind that it was barren but, believe me, it was anything but. The hayfield above, sitting on a plain some 15 feet higher and out of harm's way during floods, is manured a couple of times a year yet always behind the fertile riverside meadow in clover and rye growth, proving once again that there is no substitute for natural fertilizer deposited by Mother Nature.
Because of the height and density of the grasses on that bottomland plain I walk, wet after rain and sticky humidity, I was reluctant to walk the dogs Monday morning and get my fresh jeans sopped to the knee. But I knew the dogs were rarin' to go after breakfast, so I rolled up my pant legs to the knees, threw on a pair of Keen Keeks (my grandsons call theirs "water shoes"), and decided to pick my may through the seedy tangles. Then, to my delight, friend Mark Blanchard was down there mowing behind a smallish John Deere tractor that in some 30 years has been swamped only twice by Sunken Meadow floods. So it's not like the place is often underwater, just enough to keep it more fertile than the plain above, which natives claim is composed of deep, rich "Hadley Loam." At least I think Greenfield Meadows is blessed with Hadley Loam. Yes, I'm almost certain I've heard it referred to as such. But I'm not from Greenfield, just a temporary transplant from nearby South Deerfield, where I know Hadley Loam exists on both sides of the Connecticut. I also know there is no soil in god's kingdom that grows better asparagus, which I go out of my way to purchase when the time is right. Ah, yes, then the native strawberries, no comparison in my mind to those sad Driscolls we're forced to eat in the offseason. I wouldn't be surprised if Isaac and Penny prefer those store-bought berries. That's OK. To each their own. They can have them.
But, back to Sunken Meadow on Monday, my pal mowing as I kept the dogs distant, we took a quick buzz all the way around the piece, plowing through mostly high, wet, unmowed fields, flushing a pair of ducks back by the beaver pond before circling back, ascending the short ramp to the hayfields above, and heading for the waiting truck.
It was on the next morning, Tuesday, when I came across the mangled painted turtle, broken eggs strewn about, scavenging flies swarming and buzzing. I had walked mowed grass all the way around that first leg of my daily route and stopped at the back to talk with Mark about the fertility difference between the upper and lower levels. He was in agreement, said he wouldn't have to mow the upper tree-farm rows for many weeks, and could actually let the job go till fall because the grass grows that much slower there. It didn't surprise me. I see it with my own eyes, and happen to pay attention to that kind of stuff.
I wouldn't have noticed the dead turtle had I walked my customary route but, instead, I cut the daily walk short, staying on mowed ground and circling back rather than swinging wide toward the beaver pond, through high, wet, uncut cover. Just before I reached a tall, handsome smooth-bark or pignut hickory, I noticed Lily sniffing at something, then saw the crushed turtle. When I yelled back to Mark that he'd killed it, he yelled back, "Yeah, I know. That was yesterday," and my wheels started spinning, my mind jumping from one place to another, mimicking the flight of that green hummingbird I recently watched feeding on the red front-yard quince blossoms.
I thought about that turtle's demise under the aggressive tire of a John Deere and thought that perhaps it was a better world when farmers cut hay with a scythe, maybe even later by horse-drawn contraptions. It got me thinking about "progress" and its many victims. When I got home and went to the mailbox, my newest Orion magazine awaited, in it a short, insightful Wendell Berry essay on his kind of simple farming, a literary gem accompanied by old-style sepia-toned photos showing stewards of small organic Hudson Valley farms who reject mechanized farming and pesticides and mass-production.
I read on and found an essay by a 20-year-veteran journalist who became an activist, bravely fled conventional routine and went off on his own to start a nonprofit focused on saving the earth from global warming. He wrote about camping in a parched Southwestern desert with his teenage son and lamenting what will soon become of this once viable arid land lived on by proud, respectful Indian tribes. From there, I found in a section of essays titled "Voyages" a gripping piece about ancient western-Kentucky Mound Builders, written by a descendant of that prehistoric Mississippian Culture that eventually became the displaced Chickasaw Tribe, driven west during "Old Hickory's" vengeful reign to Oklahoma wastelands and tumbleweed.
Inspired by my reading, I grabbed the phone, dialed a young lady photographer I work with and asked if she was in the mood to take a ride and get a quick shot of my mangled turtle. The timing was right. She was just getting started, and thinking about potential photo opportunities. "Do me a favor," I promised, "and I'll take you for a little ride through the hills behind my house." She came. We went.
The impetus was that pathetic smashed turtle, an image I just couldn't shake. I wish that painted pregnant lady could have escaped the tractor wheel. Who knows? Had it done so, it may well have outlived me. I'm not sure how long turtles like that live but suspect they can survive for decades.
Yeah, yeah, I know what Isaac and Penny would probably say. They'd tell me to get over it. Sunken Meadow will do just fine without that turtle. Others will soon appear to replace her. Maybe so. But I still think that peaceful meadow was a better place with her presence.
I must be a little weird, I guess.


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It really helped me out when I first started using linux. I hope that you can find it helpful.
You'd be amazed how many people make this complaint.
They come to Linux, expecting to find essentially a free, open-source version of Windows.
- Quite often, this is what they've been told to expect by over-zealous Linux users.
However, it's a paradoxical hope.