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September Birthstone Information
September Birthstone Information from Overstock.com. Birthstone jewelry makes a great gift! Learn more about sapphire and lapis jewelry.
ITEM#: 34061128The gold-plated "Vio" ring by Swarovski is set with crystals and weighs 5.5 grams, boasting band thickness of 5 mm. This jewelry piece is offered in brand new condition and includes the manufacturer's box.
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September Birthstone Information from Overstock.com. Birthstone jewelry makes a great gift! Learn more about sapphire and lapis jewelry.
Best Diamond Alternatives from Overstock.com. Our guides provide customers with information about diamond alternatives.
How to Clean Jade Jewelry from Overstock.com. Take care of your jade jewelry and you will be rewarded with a stunning piece that will last a very long time.
How to Clean Opal Jewelry from Overstock.com. Once you understand a few basic techniques, cleaning your opal rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings will be a simple process.
Colored Gemstone Checklist from Overstock.com. Learn about dazzling jewels with this illustrated checklist of popular gemstones.
Jewelry is a great gift-giving option, and Christmas is the perfect time to make her feel special. Check out our list below of the hottest jewelry gift ideas for girlfriends.
The term "treatment" is an indicator of whether a gemstone has been treated or not. Enhancements are the specific changes that have been applied to treated gemstones. Both gemstone treatments and gemstone enhancements have codes that indicate what has been done to the gemstone's appearance. These codes are usually indicated on jewelry product pages if you're shopping for jewelry online.
Gemstones have long held cultural significance in the fashion world as dazzling accessories and signifiers of important milestones. From classic sparkle to exotic hues, gemstone jewelry can amplify personal style, perfect an outfit, and make a meaningful gift or keepsake. Whether you're expanding your personal jewelry collection or giving a gift to someone you care about, keep reading for more tips on how to buy a gemstone.
Pearls evoke a sense of sophistication, style, and opulence. Use this guide to help answer your questions about these types of pearls and find the perfect option for you.
Knowing your ring size is essential to purchasing a well-fitting band. Check out our list below to help find your perfect fit.
Make time to remember the people who will help you celebrate your big day with personalized gifts for the bridesmaids and groomsmen.
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Verimatrix University
Training in Paris
Verimatrix University
Verimatrix University
Training in Paris
We are pleased to announce the next round of Verimatrix University in-person training sessions, this time to be hosted in Paris, France. These VCAS hands-on training sessions will take place between June 17 and 21, and attendees will be certified as VCE (Verimatrix Certified Engineer). The Verimatrix University program is open to all Verimatrix customers and reseller/vendor partners.
The training program is structured into two parts: First a student will complete the online training sessions, which can be done at any time prior to attending the hands-on courses in Paris. Together, these courses provide students with the knowledge required to install and operate the VCAS Platform, as well as maximizing the performance and efficiency of any particular installation.
June 17: VCAS Platform
June 18: VCAS for IPTV
June 19: VCAS for Internet TV
June 20: VCAS for DVB
June 21: VCAS for MultiRights OTT
VCAS Platform
The foundational building blocks common to all VCAS security solutions
VCAS for IPTV
Addressing the challenges of IPTV
and IP-Hybrid networks
VCAS for Internet TV
Addressing the challenges of adaptive streaming and HLS
VCAS for DVB
Working with the challenges
for DVB networks
VCAS for MultiRights OTT
Microsoft PlayReady with
Smooth Streaming and
Google Widevine with

subset: commoncrawl


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The Dispatch used two sources to analyze problems consumers have had with their credit reports: complaints to the Federal Trade Commission and complaints filed with attorneys general in 24 states.
The Dispatch used two sources to analyze problems consumers have had with their credit reports: complaints to the Federal Trade Commission and complaints filed with attorneys general in 24 states.
Using a Freedom of Information Act request, the newspaper collected more than 28,000 complaints filed with the FTC between January 2009 and July 2011 that alleged violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act involving Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The FTC did not provide consumers� names.
The newspaper also filed public-records requests for complaints against the credit-reporting agencies to all 50 attorneys general. About half supplied documents representing more than 2,000 complaints.
Complaints filed with the FTC included more than 60,000 pages, and The Dispatch logged the complaints based on inaccuracies in credit reports or the inability to communicate with the credit-reporting agencies by phone, mail or online.
Nearly a quarter of those complaints were discarded because they were off point or too vague to determine the nature of the problem. Any complaint that cited �inaccuracies� without identifying the source, such as an account error or incorrect demographic information, was not included in the analysis. Duplicates also were discarded.
The Dispatch examined complaints that raised these issues:
� Inaccuracies in credit reports related to demographic information, such as names, addresses, dates of birth or Social Security numbers.
� Inaccuracies about debts the consumers owed.
� Debts that consumers said did not belong to them because they were victims of identity theft or because their report had been merged with one for someone else.
� Problems consumers had accessing free credit reports, reaching customer service at the agencies and disputing errors.
� Discrepancies in credit scores.
In seven states, records were deemed too expensive, despite many attempts to negotiate reasonable prices. Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina and Tennessee were among them. Equifax�s home state of Georgia wanted more than $4,700.
In 17 states, consumer complaints are not public record, including California, where Experian has its U.S. headquarters.
In Alabama, the attorney general�s office refused to comply. New Jersey does not keep records because it sends complaints to the attorneys general in the credit-reporting agencies� home states.
The Dispatch received more than 10,000 documents relating to the 2,000 complaints from 24 states.
About 200 complaints were discarded because they were deemed too vague, off point or erroneous. The remaining 1,842 complaints were analyzed in a manner similar to the review of FTC complaints.


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EDINBURGH (Reuters) - Sunshine welcomed in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on Friday with more than 2,800 shows from comedians to ballet vying for audiences as the world's biggest annual arts festival opened its doors for another record year.
Buskers, comics, acrobats and actors turn Edinburgh's famous Royal Mile, into a vast open-air theatre, as crowds in their thousands flock to a record number of shows through to August 26.
The Fringe links up with the up-market Edinburgh International Festival, International Book Festival, television festival, museum and galleries and the Royal Military Tattoo as the Scottish capital more than doubles in population, with visitors from around the world boosting the Scottish economy.
Every available space is occupied and massive tents erected to accommodate the shows and a record 24,107 artists from 41 countries vying for audiences this year.
The Fringe acts as a global showcase for established and wannabe artists, drawing acts and talent-spotters from across the planet.
"It's a very valuable place for a company or an artist to bring their work for the exposure it can give them, not just to a public audience, but to an industry audience, to the media and to their peers who come from all over the world," Fringe Chief Executive Kath Mainland noted.
Eighty pre-teen Chinese students from Beijing are due to perform their version of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake", while Danish bagpiper Claus Reiss shows his comic side.
Scottish writer and director Kevin Toolis brings political satire in "The Confessions of Gordon Brown" with actor Ian Grieve giving an impressively dour performance of the former British prime minister.
Add to the mix giant puppets, ground-breaking theatre, music and dance for a staggering array of attractions.
The International Festival runs from August 9 to September 2, and the Book Festival - celebrating its 30th year — from August 10 to 26 with over 800 events.
The International Festival and Fringe were both founded in 1947 as an antidote to the biting austerity of the years following World War Two.
Editing by Paul Casciato


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March 3, 2005
Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara's Chandice Cronk scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Broncos (15-13 overall, 8-6 WCC) to a 90-49 win over San Francisco (12-16 overall, 6-8 WCC) in the opening round of the WCC Championships at the Leavey Center on the campus of Santa Clara University Thursday night. The Broncos took a 50-20 lead into the locker room at half and never looked back.
Several WCC Championship records fell in the game between the two Bay Area rivals. Cronk tied the record for highest field goal percentage in a single game by hitting 87.5% (7-for-8) of her shots, while also tying the record for highest 3-pt field goal percentage in a game (100%, 4-for-4), and highest free-throw percentage in a single game (100%, 4-for-4).
Santa Clara broke the WCC Championships record for most points scored in a single game with 90 points, the largest margin of victory at 41 points, and the most three's in a game with 14.
Santa Clara's intensity on the defensive side of the court resulted in easy transition baskets at the beginning of the game that forced San Francisco to call an early time-out. The Broncos opened the game on an 8-2 run and did not slow down as they held a 30-point lead at the half.
Cronk led the Broncos in the first half with 15 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the floor, including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc and 2-for-2 from the line. Junior Michelle Cozad chipped in 10 first half points for SCU, finishing with 12. As a team, Santa Clara was 8-for-11 from three in the first half and 14-for-25 in the game.
Freshman LaShaunte Stephens provided a spark off the bench for San Francisco as she led the Dons with seven points in the first half, but USF shot just 17.6% from the field as a team. Stephens finished with a team-high 18 points for the Dons.
San Francisco senior Toni Russell went down hard driving to the basket with 5:15 left in the first half with the Bronco's leading 39-17, but returned to the game later in the half.
Santa Clara moves on to face Loyola Marymount in the second round of the championships on Saturday, March 5 at approximately 2:00 pm. The match-up will start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first semi-final between Gonzaga and the winner of the Saint Mary's vs. Pepperdine game.


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Part 1, Chapter II - Nothing But The Second Best
Part 1, Chapter II - Nothing But The Second Best
Mar 8 2013, 12:07 AM
Post #1
[ShitKickers] Posse
Group: Admin
Posts: 3,583
Joined: 4-April 07
From: NJ ~ NYC
Member No.: 35,531
PSN Name: therealtreefitty
Checkpoint 1
Some time has passed since the attempted kidnapping. Max is in a helicopter with Marcelo, Fabiana, and her sister Giovanna. Passos is flying the chopper. They are all going to a nightclub to enjoy themselves. They land on a helipad and go down to the club. Max retreats to the bar to avoid the robotic people that doesnt stop Marcelo from annoying him, though. Once again everything is going fine until kidnappers strike again to break up the party. They take Fabiana and Giovanna away so Max needs to jump into action again.
Checkpoint 2
Max pushes a gang member through a window and enters Bullet Time while flying in the air. Take out the enemies below as you fall and any you miss after. Run to the top of the stairs. Max finds the door chained and more kidnappers running around back into the club area.
Checkpoint 3
After Max runs back down the stairs, take out the enemies ahead and make your way back up to the VIP lounge where there are a few more (you can also get most of them from the dance floor). One more will come down the stairs at the far end of the bar. Head behind the bar to find a pain killer and Golden Mini-30 part. There's also a nightclub flyer on the bar to examine. To the left of the hallway is the dead body of football (soccer) player Claudio which can also be examined. Run back down the stairs and get up into the DJ booth for a Golden .38 Revolver part.
Go through the hallway and into the next lounge. Kill the enemies in the area and youll probably get the Last Man Standing tutorial (if not done already) so be sure to have a good shot at your killer. More enemies will run in so be ready. Continue onward from where they came from. Max will make his way past more frightened people as Passos calls. An injured man tells Max where to go.
Checkpoint 4
A gang member is spotted so take him out and continue down the hallway. Youll find more waiting in the next large club area. Clear the initial wave and head towards the far end. More enemies will run in so kill them too. Before you leave, get up into the DJ booth via an upper seating area with a door. There's a Golden .38 Revolver part up there and a pain killer. Also look behind the first bar you pass by on the right for a pain killer. Go through the far doors of the room and there will be a small area with bathrooms. Check the middle door on the left where a retired American cop is hiding. Next to the exit doors is a torn dress piece to examine. Continue on through the next set of doors.
Checkpoint 5
There are pain killers in a locker on the left. Make a right into the kitchen where there are two gang members arguing. Take them out and two more will run in. Examine the newspaper on the counter to your right. Keep moving forward and Max will spot the girls with some kidnappers. They exit and reinforcements enter the round-shaped room.
Checkpoint 6
Make your way around taking out all the enemies in both the inner and outer seating areas. There are windows to shoot into the inner area and also provide cover from those enemies. When they are all dead check the inner area for a Golden Mini-30 part. Get to the back and grab the pain killer on the desk near the doors. Go through the doors.
Max will just miss the elevator and looks for another way to the roof. After some action-movie jumping he ends up on a window washer lift and heads up. Near the top a helicopter shoots at him and nearly cuts him loose but Max manages to get up. He runs from another gang member and jumps at a friendly helicopter with Marcelo on board who helps Max up. Passos is at the helm and argues with Max a little. They spot the girls and kidnappers rushing them into a helicopter on a helipad below. Passos tells Max to grab the large rifle he just happens to have laying on the back seat.
Checkpoint 7
The enemy helicopter takes off without Giovanna and a few gang members left on the pad. Use the rifle to take them all out. It has a laser sight to make it easy. Giovanna gets free and runs onto the roof with you chasing.
Checkpoint 8
Kill the first gang member trying to get Giovanna on the stairs. With him dead she continues running.
Checkpoint 9
Giovanna runs into many enemies from all directions that you need to kill or else shell be killed by them. Many come from the helipad area. The AC units provide obstacles to you.
Checkpoint 10
With the gang members around the AC units no longer beathing, Giovanna head for a door but is greeted by another gun. Quickly shoot him or else he'll shoot her. She ends up on a catwalk of a large lit up sign.
Checkpoint 11
Continue to clear a path for her as gang members try to grab her on the catwalk. One is at the very end. After losing sight, Raul brings the chopper around back above her.
Checkpoint 12
Continue to take out enemies chasing after Giovanna down on the roof. One last enemy comes through a door shes trying to get through so kill him and shell run into the building. Passos brings the chopper around to the helipad but the crew is met with an RPG coming at them. Passos dodges it but Max gets flung out and grabs the skids.
Checkpoint 13
Another RPG is fired and Max enters Bullet Time. Shoot the RPG before it gets to the chopper and blows it up. Take out whoever else you can on the helipad. As Passos brings the chopper in another RPG will come at you so shoot it again. Passos will lower down and Max drops off.
Checkpoint 14
On your feet, head down the stairs to retrace Giovannas steps. There are pain killers on the right and then a Golden Mini-30 part in the room under the helipad. Two enemy gang members are waiting at the bottom (you can get them from on top of the helipad too). More will run in from across the roof among the AC units. Clear them out and head to the big sign where more will greet you. Some are at the far end and others are near the middle where the stairs to the roof are. Go to the end of the catwalk behind the sign to find another Golden .38 Revolver part. Get onto the roof again and be ready for enemies coming around each corner. There are quite a few.
Get to the other side and into the stairwell to go down. There's a necklace on the floor near the bottom to examine. Walk through the doors. Max finds Giovanna hiding behind the small bar of an outdoor seating area. Shes worried about Passos who lands the helicopter nearby with (motion sick) Marcelo. The two embrace and Max worries about facing his boss, Rodrigo, since his wife is gone.
Golden Guns
Pain Killers
Add your thoughts below!
gta 5
|Lo-Fi Version
|Time is now: 18th September 2019 - 02:30 PM


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Denver Nuggets point guard Emmanuel Mudiay — the team's first-round pick at No. 7 — already has his own shoe.
He signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Under Armour prior to playing in China last year. And now, the company has released two limited edition colorways in the Under Armour Clutchfit Drive PE.
The red/gold @UABasketball ClutchFit Drive Low Emmanuel Mudiay PE arrives tomorrow. Stores. | http://t.co/MeC16XnLFi pic.twitter.com/t5TAhclQzD
— Foot Locker (@footlocker) June 26, 2015


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Is Snowden Inspiring A New Wave Of Whistleblowers?
from the courage-is-contagious dept
We noted last week that Japan was bringing in severe new punishments designed to discourage whistleblowing. That might suggest that following Snowden's leaks, there will now be a period of repression where potential whistleblowers lie low to avoid bringing down the wrath of governments on their heads. One person with a better idea than most about what is really going on here is Jesselyn Radack. She's employed by the General Accountability Project (GAP), a leading US whistleblower protection and advocacy organization. Here's part of her biography on the GAP site:
she works primarily with national security and intelligence community whistleblowers, including those from the Defense Department, Department of Homeland Security, NSA and CIA -- with a special focus on torture, secret surveillance, secrecy, and political discrimination.
That clearly puts her in an excellent position to judge to what extent whistleblowers within the intelligence community are intimidated by the actions being taken by the US government against leaks and the people who make them. This is what she says is happening, as told to ABC News:
"I think the government hopes to chill speech by employees in the national security and intelligence fields, especially those at the NSA and CIA, but the unintended consequence is [that] more and more whistleblowers are coming through the doors of the Government Accountability Project (GAP)," said Jesselyn Radack, referring to the organization where she works as the National Security and Human Rights Director. "I think courage is contagious, and we see more and more people from the NSA coming through our door after Snowden made these revelations."
It would be a truly extraordinary development if a new wave of whistleblowers started to come forward now -- not least because they might inspire yet more people to do the same, leading to a cascade of revelations, and bringing an unstoppable momentum to moves to reform the NSA.
Follow me @glynmoody on Twitter or identi.ca, and +glynmoody on Google+
Filed Under: ed snowden, jesselyn radack, nsa, nsa surveillance, whistleblowers


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It's days like this that I think to myself it's time to grow up and stop storing stuff at my parent's house. Case in point, my Bat-Mitzvah album, which is a time capsule of early 90's hilarity, and would have certainly provided some excellent imagery for this post. But I'm too busy organizing the crap I am storing at my house to trek the twenty minutes to Mom and Dad's and grab that particular embarrassing bit of memorabilia from my teen years. So instead, in honor of the (gasp) FIFTEEN YEAR anniversary of the day I became a woman, here's a hilarious book to check out so you can laugh at other people instead of me: Bar Mitzvah Disco: The Music May Have Stopped, but the Party's Never Over. (Oddly, I actually know a few of the people who have their simchas mocked in this coffee table treasure.)
But back to my own torturous rite-of-passage. While our wedding featured a parade of vomiting cougars (I mean that in the best way possible ladies) and a ganja circle 'round the bonfire, my Bat Mitzvah still holds the top spot for humiliating pubescent nightmares complete with party-crashers, wardrobe malfunctions, and Rachel's 75-Year-Old Grandma (my beloved surrogate Bubbie) swapping saliva with my DJ. That's right – Jews know how to fucking party.
Having a Bat Mitzvah, for those of you who weren't subjected to it, is not unlike being kicked in the teeth while naked on-stage in front of your peers and loved ones during the most awkward phase of your entire life. Somehow (and I'm not sure if I owe this to my Mom or myself) I managed to escape having to do it in a frock of technicolor taffeta – a fate which befell most of my friends at the time. And I was spared the horror of having my mouthful of braces immortalized in photos lining the family hall, because like most self-respecting Jewish Moms of her day, my Mom took me to the orthodontist to have the front six brackets removed especially for the occasion. But looking back my simple black dress and hardware-free smile were the only reprieves I was granted by the Gods of the B'nai Mitzvot. I'm tone deaf, but I had to chant the torah portion. That wasn't so bad (terrifying, yes, but not emotionally scarring.) I concluded my super awesome "speech" with a quote from the Lion King (Hakuna Matata.) Apparently my speaking Swahili from the Bima really pissed the Rabbi off, but again…could have been worse.
I'm not sure what the kids are doing nowadays, but in early nineties Los Angeles, if your Bat (or Bar) Mitzvah didn't have a theme (which would then be interpreted in an explosion of metallic tissue paper and glitter on each table as a so-called centerpiece by your second grade teacher who moonlighted as a party planner) you just weren't cool. My theme was The Beatles, which again, sounds harmless enough until you imagine the album cover to Yellow Submarine depicted in glitter 8 feet high, and you're finally starting to get the gist of what being a guest at "Morgan's Magical Mystery Tour" was all about. (Then again, my good friend Becca's special day featured a larger than life – we're talking 10 feet tall here – Cabbage Patch doll to go with her theme; an image which I'm sure any young children who were present are still haunted by at night.)
Other staples of the era not to be forgotten: The inevitable "name in glitter" towering above the dance floor. The sign-in board, usually featuring a photo of the guest of honor in their formative years, possibly either dressed up for a Dance Recital/Little League Game, or with birthday cake smeared on their face. The neon light sticks and jewelry – both of which support my theory that Candy Ravers were just trying to relive their days on the Bat Mitzvah circuit. Inappropriate slutty Go-Go Dancers? I had 'em. Blow up guitars? I had 'em. Rainbow (and/or metallic) Rock-Star wigs? I had 'em. Mom's boobs popping out of her dress while she was lifted up on the chair during the Hora in front of every boy in my 7th grade class? Oh yeah. I had 'em. (The alterations place forgot to re-insert the boning in her strapless dress after they'd taken it in, resulting in a wardrobe malfunction of epic proportions.)
And then there's the issue of the "Party Crashers." I had a crush on this boy Andrew who was a few years older than me, so natch, I decided the way to win his heart was by inviting him to my Bat Mitzvah.
My parents still give me the stink-eye whenever the topic comes up. Much to my delight, Andrew showed. Much to their chagrin, he brought two friends, wore his usual grunge uniform of a plaid/flannel shirt and ripped up jeans, and proceeded to melt candle wax all over the dance-floor in what the "grown-ups" viewed as an attempt to burn down the synagogue.
As far as the 75-year-old woman who made out with the DJ? I was only 13, so no one ever really explained to me how that happened. All I know is that it did. I saw it. And it was amazing.
It's occured to me that there are less years spanning the gap between today and the inevitable Bat Mitzvah of my daughter than years now separating me from my own. My friend Lisa reminded me of that when she announced she had already decided what to buy our baby as a welcome gift. (Seriously, how cute is that onesie though? Clearly I'm going to make my child wear it for an embarassing cake-smeared photo which will inevitably end up on her own bedazzled sign-in board.)


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With Ty Warren back, a look at Broncos' defensive tackle situation
Ty Warren is back at practice, so where does that leave the Broncos at defensive tackle?
The position group won't be complete until next week, when rookie second-round pick Derek Wolfe is finally allowed to join the team after his class at the University of Cincinnati graduates this weekend.
When the team opens that mandatory minicamp on June 12, here's who will be here:
Ty Warren — Warren on Wednesday said he currently weighs 310 pounds, and will likely play at 300 after his inevitable weight drop during training camp. He missed all of 2011 (triceps) and 2010 (with the Patriots, hip surgery) but said he physically feels better than he has in more than a decade. Two years without any contact will do that to you.
Justin Bannan — The former CU star is back for a second stint in Denver and eager to resume his role as a starter here. Bannan, 6-3 and 312 pounds, has been working with the first-team in each of the three OTA practices that have been open to the media.
Kevin Vickerson — Recovered from the ankle injury that forced him to miss most of the 2011 season, Vickerson has added nearly 50 pounds in hopes of being a more stout interior player. He has spent some time with the first team defense during OTAs.
Mitch Unrein — The Wyoming and Eaton High School alum played in 14 games as part of Denver's defensive line rotation last year.
Derek Wolfe — Drafted No. 36 overall, the Broncos hope the rookie from Cincinnati will help provide a strong interior pass-rush presence. He could be an edge player on run downs and move inside in pass-rush situations.
Sealver Siliga — Spent part of the 2011 season on Denver's practice squad but has impressed coaches through the start of OTAs. Siliga, listed at 307 pounds but likely more than 330 pounds, has lined up next to Bannan with the first-team defense in the past two practices that were open to the media.
Ben Garland — His Air Force commitment fulfilled, the Grand Junction native has rejoined the Broncos after spending training camp here in 2010.


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|American Pie (Rated Collector's Edition)
|Tuesday, 21 December 1999
AMERICAN PIE unexpectedly turned out to be one of the biggest hits of 1999; one of the main reasons that it made such a ton of money is that while it's a teen gross-out comedy, it's also surprisingly tender, intelligent and authentic. The presskit said some of the filmmakers were big fans of earlier comedies of this nature, such as PORKY'S and REVENGE OF THE NERDS, but AMERICAN PIE is considerably better than either of those, because it's more ambitious. It owes more to a thoughtful, if funny, movie like FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH than it does to any knockoffs of ANIMAL HOUSE.
Deliberately, though AMERICAN PIE is contemporary, it looks and plays like it's set at some time in the past, maybe as far back as the early 1960s, since it's obvious that even AMERICAN GRAFFITI and played some part in the creation of this movie. It was written by Adam Herz, partly based on his own high school appearances, and jointly produced and directed by brothers Chris and Paul Weitz, making their movie debuts. (The credits cite only Paul as director, but the making-of featurette included on the DVD, plus the boisterous commentary explicitly state that both the Weitzes directed.)
The movie is about raging teenage hormones, mostly male raging teenage hormones, but unlike most of its predecessors, AMERICAN PIE deals quite fairly with high school girls as well (probably helping it at the boxoffice). As their graduation -- and the prom before it -- approach, in the wake of a drunken party, Michigan high school buddies Jim (Jason Biggs), Chris (Chris Klein), Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) and Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas), make a pact: they WILL get laid before they graduate, and they also vow to help each other in this momentous quest.
Kevin is already getting oral sex from his girlfriend Vicky (Tara Reid), but she's reluctant to go all the way until he says he loves her. Chris, often called Oz, is a star lacrosse athlete, but he, too, is a virgin, and like most of his friends, awkward with girls. To the surprise of the others, he joins a glee club jazz ensemble, with his eye on beautiful Heather (Mena Suvari), who's impressed by his voice and his sensitivity.
Finch is not quite a nerd, but he's good in his classes, and even among his friends, is seen as something of an outsider. So he pays Jessica (Natasha Lyonne), the school's most prominent Girl Who Knows Everything, $200 to spread the word that he's extraordinarily well-hung and a sensation in bed. This has dire consequences.
Jim is the most anxious of the four; we first meet him watching a scrambled sex channel; he becomes become thoroughly aroused -- and horrendously embarrassed when his parents walk in. His good-natured dad (Eugene Levy), who's been there himself, begins to offer Jim all kinds of unneeded and intrusive advice.
Jason Biggs has the unusual ability to be at once expressive and to look as if he's just been slugged in the back of the head with a ball-peen hammer. Everything stuns him a little, but he's always ready for more, even if he's quicker on the trigger than he really likes. Chris Klein, who was so memorably and sweetly airheaded in ELECTION is excellent as Oz; he's naive and innocent without ever seeming the least bit dimwitted. He's also a big handsome hunk, the kind of guy who should be on the short list to play Superman 45 notches ahead of Nicolas Cage. Thomas Ian Nicholas is the most sophisticated of the quartet of friends, even though he's still just a high school kid. He's also the most experienced movie actor among the bunch, which might explain why there's something a bit slick about his performance. Eddie Kaye Thomas undergoes an amazing but subtle transformation in the pool table scene at the end of the movie; without any major changes in performance or dialog, he smoothly shifts from high school quasi-geek to a suave, sophisticated man of the world.
There are a lot of first-time-director flaws in AMERICAN PIE, including one rarely encountered in a studio movie: the sound is crummy. Not that it has been recorded ineptly, but rather that there's not enough sound; the scenes have a hollow feel, since there's little "ambient" or even background noise. The Weitzes wanted their movie to have a slightly retro feel, but this problem with the sound makes the film seem cheap as well as anachronistic.
The Weitzes and screenwriter Adam Herz don't integrate the gross-out scenes with the rest of the movie, except for Jim's encounter with the pie and with Nadia. This is especially awkward with Finch, who is given a bathroom phobia (he goes home whenever he has to defecate) that pays off crudely in a scene swiped from DUMB AND DUMBER -- and which was offensively gross even there. It's no better here, and neither relates to Finch's character very well, nor pays off afterward.
But still, Herz and the Weitzes are in there trying, which is more than can be said for most movies of this nature today. They do care about their characters, they do want to say something about the nature of teenage romances and obsession with sex. The last quarter of the film is surprisingly wistful and touching, especially in the relationship between Vicky and Kevin. And the funny stuff is funny far more often than it isn't, and far funnier than one would expect from a medium-low budget no-star movie, especially one released by a major studio. It's not a sleeper classic, but AMERICAN PIE is an amusing, entertaining movie.
The DVD has lots of extras, but most of them don't amount to much; the making-of featurette is the usual sort of thing, slightly more interesting than some, but doesn't add much. The narrative track, with both Weitzes, writer Adam Herz and actors Jason Biggs, Eddie Kaye Thomas and Seann William Scott (memorable in the movie as Stifler) is worth listening to because it's amusing -- a bunch of guys whooping it up -- but not because it's very informative. Otherwise, the DVD is the usual big-studio class act.


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Horror movies under a frightful spell at box office
Here's a tale that chills every studio executive to the bone.
A genre goes gangbusters at the box office, ringing up millions in profits with little investment — only to disappear without warning or explanation from the cinema landscape.
Such is the story line for Hollywood's Horror Hex 2014, a puzzling ticket sales plague that comes just a year after movies like The Conjuring, The Purge and Insidious Chapter 2 delivered solid No. 1 hits.
This year, no horror film has chilled moviegoers, despite formidable entries such as a Paranormal Activity installment and Eric Bana's Deliver Us From Evil. Analysts expect Friday's sequel, The Purge: Anarchy, opening Friday, to breathe some life into the faltering genre.
But little has come from this year's crop of fright flicks except terrifying ticket sales:
-- Paranormal Activity, the found-footage franchise that had never had an installment collect less than $54 million, saw January's Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, scare up just $33 million.
-- Deliver Us From Evil, Bana's $30 million exorcism flick, opened in third place July 2 and has stalled at $25 million.
-- Devil's Due, another found-footage film, managed just seventh place in January and only $16 million.
This "has been one if the scariest years on record for horror," says Paul Dergarabedian, analyst for box office firm Rentrak. "Simply calling something a horror movie doesn't automatically get people running to the multiplex."
Last July, the haunted-house film The Conjuring became the year's fifth No. 1 horror film and one of the few to collect more than $100 million, rattling theaters to the tune of $137 million. The $3 million The Purge rounded up $65 million, Insidious Chapter 2 $84 million, and the $15 million Mama was a surprise No. 1 in January 2013, collecting $72 million.
No horror film this year has hit No. 1.
'The Purge: Anarchy' follows the same principal as the first movie, where all crime is considered legal for 12 hours, including murder. This leads to a terrifying night for one couple stranded by car trouble. VPC
Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations says audiences may be suffering fright fatigue. "Horror is the most cyclical genre in Hollywood. Once something hits big, it doesn't take studios long to jump on the trend and really start churning them out."
The deluge has overwhelmed audiences and may already have made passé horror's "found-footage" subgenre, says Ray Subers of Box Office Mojo. "Five years after (the first) Paranormal Activity, this particular technique has finally worn out its welcome," he says.
"The biggest challenge in horror movies is coming up with ideas that isolate the protagonist, and still giving audiences something new," says Eduardo Sanchez, co-director of the original found-footage movie, 1999's The Blair Witch Project, which made $141 million. "That second part is the trickiest, because audiences want something new."
But he has little doubt that horror will haunt again.
"Because everyone has cellphones, it's tougher to put people in that sense of being alone and danger," says Sanchez, who's directing the upcoming horror film Exists, about a group of friends being stalked by Bigfoot during a party weekend in the woods.
"It's cyclical. Horror movies are like roller coasters: After the first ride, it's not as thrilling. You have to build your coaster bigger and faster. That's what movies are facing: finding that new surprise."
1) Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones
Gross: $32.5M
2) Oculus
Gross: $27.7M
3) Deliver Us from Evil
Gross: $25M
4) Devil's Due
Gross: $15.8M
5) The Quiet Ones
Gross: $8.5M
6) Afflicted
Gross: $121,179
7) Gojira
Gross: $75,917
8) The Sacrament
Gross: $9,221
9) 13 Sins
Gross: $9,134
10) Stage Fright
Gross: $7,078


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Rikio Iwaki
Toyama, Japan
(age 84)
Alan Ruck draws connections between his breakout role in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and his recent work on the Emmy-nominated "Succession."
Join us Sunday, Sept. 22, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT for IMDb LIVE After the Emmys, with exclusive interviews, and more. Plus, see what IMDb editors are watching this month.


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A calendar featuring women wearing nothing but handmade quilts caught Don Dampier's eye — but not for reasons you might think.
Dampier plans to include the calendar and its creators in his upcoming book "The Quilter's Quest."
The calendar was produced by The Gathering Room Quilt Shop in La Grange, and features local quilters posing in different Main Street shops.
None of the photos are revealing; each person is covered with a quilt that both fits the season and the shop setting.
For example, January features an Irish Chain quilt pattern draped over Pam Soto, who is laying on the Irish Rover Too bar with a bottle of whiskey.
Barbara Manley Edds took the photographs.
Michelle Klein, calendar cover girl and owner of The Gathering Room, said proceeds from the 2011 calendar are donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
Dampier said he had planned a "Calendar Girls of Quilting" chapter for his book, but hadn't quite decided on the content when a copy of the calendar arrived in his mailbox.
Dampier and his wife, Pat, are good friends with La Grange residents Cecil and Marcia Crouch. They sent the Dampiers the calendar, since Pat is a quilter and Don was working on a book about the subject.
"It was serendipitous," Dampier said. "I hadn't decided how to do the chapter, and lo-and-behold there was a calendar in the mailbox."
Dampier visited The Gathering Room last week, meeting the calendar girls and listening to their stories about quilting and the shop.
"The calendar has a small-town Americana theme," Dampier said. "I just think that's great."
Dampier said there's a close cross-over between writing and quilting.
"A lot of the activities they go through to create a quilt are the same that writers go through to write a book," he said.
Klein said quilters definitely share stories and ask for advice when they're working together.
And with several quilting clubs meeting at the store and a busy class calendar, The Gathering Room has plenty of opportunities for quilters to connect.
Dampier said the book is nearing completion and should be out soon. For more information on purchasing his book "The Quilter's Quest," call (502) 863-9378 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
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CUSTOM TOPS Page(1)
sold out
Rotor - Copper / Bronze
The Rotor is a two piece top inspired by the brake rotors on an automobile. The stem is a unique helical twist leading down to a beautifully machined round collar with octagon shaped grooves. This spinning top utilizes a ceramic ball.
Dimensions: 1.1" diameter
Spin Time: 8-11 minutes


text:
The assembly of any product requires much more than great electrics. The structural side of putting things together may often be regarded as low-tech and of secondary importance but can make the difference between success and failure. Outer cases are readily available in the form of plastic and metal enclosures, as are PCB boards, but in addition to the essential electrical components, a great number of small structural and mechanical components are also needed to safely keep everything correctly located. Clips for DIN rail fitting, spacer bolts and sleeves are available in various materials, including plastic, snap-fit types for chassis to print or print to print use, and PCB holders are also usually snap-fit. Sheet materials of many types are available, as are bars, rods and channel sections. Ball bearings, castors, hinges and locks may also be needed and some equipment may need vibration dampers or pull-out telescopic slides. Nuts, bolts, washers and screws are often purchased in convenient mixed sets. These small components are essential in prototype work and equally important in the repair shop. Chains, shackles and cables are often required and specialised locks are needed for safety lock-out applications. A great many products are available, making it a simple task to choose the ideal mechanical components.
An error occurred the product could not be saved
An error occurred the shopping list(s) could not be be loaded


text: The JACK & JONES affiliate program is a great way to earn commission through fashion retail. The program accepts European online traffic. Here are a few reasons to join our program: Up to date offers and news for jackjones.com, technical help, should you need it, product feed access, banners, and current content to publish to your users.


text:
Officials say they've linked James Everett Dutschke to the ricin letters sent to the president and lawmakers, having found traces of the toxin in his martial arts studio and in the suspect's trash.
A federal judge said Thursday that a man accused of sending poison-laced letters to President Barack Obama and other officials should remain in jail without bond, and ruled that a grand jury will decide on formal charges, local media reported.
"It appears to the court that there is probable cause to hold the defendant," U.S. Magistrate S. Allan Alexander said Thursday in a preliminary hearing, the Daily Journal of Northeast Mississippi reported.
Everett Dutschke speaks to the media as federal officials search his property in Tupelo, Mississippi, April 23, 2013.
James Everett Dutschke, 41, of Tupelo on Thursday also waived his right to a bond hearing, according to NBC affiliate WMC TV. Monday, the judge also decline to set bond after authorities argued the suspect was a flight risk.
Though prosecutors initially charged the former martial arts instructor with an attempted use of a biological weapon — ricin — Alexander referred the case to an upcoming grand jury to determine formal charges.
The only witness to testify in the Oxford courtroom Thursday was FBI Special Agent Stephen E. Thomason, who wrote an affidavit to the court supporting Dutschke's arrest.
Thomason testified that lab analysis shows the granular substances found in the letters is ricin, the Daily Journal reported. He also said initial testing show the letters are linked to a computer printer owned by Dutschke, though with some uncertainty
Thomason also revealed that the FBI would execute a search warrant at another location where Dutsckhke was believed to keep some of his belongings.
According to the affidavit, the FBI found traces of the nerve agent ricin in a martial arts studio once used by Dutschke and on a dust mask. FBI agents watched as Dutschke threw the items in a trash bin, the affidavit said.
The affidavit, unsealed on Tuesday, also alleged that Dutschke ordered castor beans — used to make ricin — on eBay last November and December.
The FBI is still conducting tests in order to identifying trace evidence, residues, and signatures of production that could provide evidence to support the investigation.
The ricin case originally focused on Elvis impersonator, Paul Kevin Curtis, a man whom Dutschke had feuded with for years. Curtis was arrested two weeks ago and briefly detained but but charges were later dropped. Curtis has said Dutschke framed him.
An FBI surveillance team was watching Dutschke on April 22 when he entered his former dojo, Tupelo Taekwondo Plus, and removed a bunch of things and tossed them into a garbage bin on the street, the affidavit said.
Ricin can be lethal, but an FBI agent testified in court that the variety found in the letters sent to Obama, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Judge Sadie Holland of Lee County, Miss. wasn't very potent.
Dutschke has maintained he is innocent of the charges. His attorney, George Lucas, has said no evidence has shown the letters were dangerous, or used a weapon as initial charges state.
NBC News' Pete Williams and Tracy Connor contributed to this report.
- Feds: Ricin traces found in martial arts studio linked to suspect
- No bond for martial arts instructor charged with sending ricin letters
This story was originally published on Thu May 2, 2013 4:07 PM EDT


text:
September 2008
Title Page
This report was produced under U.S. Department of Education Contract No. ED-01-CO-0012, Task Order D010, with WestEd. Sharon Kinney Horn served as the contracting officer's representative. The content of this report does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Education, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial products, curricula and curricula materials and approaches, or organizations imply endorsements by the U.S. government. This publication also contains Internet Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) for information created and maintained by private organizations. This information is provided for the reader's convenience. The U.S. Department of Education is not responsible for controlling or guaranteeing the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of the outside information mentioned in this report. Further, the inclusion of information or a URL does not reflect the importance of the organization, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered.
U.S. Department of Education
Margaret Spellings
Office of Innovation and Improvement
Douglas B. Mesecar
Assistant Deputy Secretary
Office of Parental Options and Information
Dean Kern
September 2008
This report is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement, Successful Magnet High Schools, Washington, D.C., 2008.
Cover photo credit: Christian Holden.
To order copies of the report Successful Magnet High Schools (order number ED004444P),
write to: ED Pubs, Education Publications Center, U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398;
or fax your request to: 301-470-1244;
or e-mail your request to: email@example.com;
or call in your request toll-free: 1-877-433-7827 (1-877-4-ED-PUBS). Those who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a teletypewriter (TTY), should call 1-877-576-7734. If 877 service is not yet available in your area, call 1-800-872-5327 (1-800-USA-LEARN; TTY: 1-800-437-0833);
or order online at: http://www.edpubs.ed.gov.
This report is also available on the Department's Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/magnet-hs.
On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such as Braille, large print, or computer diskette. For more information, please contact the Department's Alternate Format Center at 202-260-0852 or 202-260-0818.


text:
ChiselStainless Steel Polished with Blue Imitation Opal 8mm Men's Ring
Product Details
There are various grades of Stainless Steel in the marketplace. 316L Stainless Steel is the material used in Chisel jewelry. 'L' stands for low carbon. 316L is used to avoid corrosion problems caused by welding and does not develop surface rust. It is very fashionable in color, can be plated and is easily personalized with engraved sentiments.
Product Information
msrp: $92
style: SR570-10
- Product Type: Jewelry
- Jewelry Type: Rings
- Men's Type: Rings
- Ring Type: Wedding Bands
- Material: Primary: Stainless Steel
- Material: Primary - Color: White
- Sold By Unit: Each
- Band Width: 8 mm
- Finish: Polished
- Gender: Men's
- Item Weight U/M: gm
- Ring Fit: Comfort
- Sizeable: No
- Thickness: >2 mm
- Stone 1 Details
- Stone Creation Method: Lab Created
- Stone Treatment: Impregnation
- Stone Color: Phenomena
Available Sizes
Available in 0.500 size increments from 7.000 to 13.000.


text:
Let $\chi$ be a real nonprincipal Dirichlet's character modulo $m$.
In my answer to the question on $L(1,\chi)$, I explain a trick for showing that $L(1,\chi)>0$ on the simplest examples of the real characters modulo 3 and 4. The proof goes as follows: one takes $$ f(x)=\sum_{n=1}^\infty\chi(n)x^n=\frac1{1-x^m}\sum_{j=1}^{m-1}\chi(j)x^j $$ and uses Abel's theorem to write $$ L(1,\chi)=\int_0^1f(x)dx; $$ since the corresponding function $f(x)$ is positive on $(0,1)$, the latter integral has to be positive.
Clearly, $1-x^m>0$ on $(0,1)$, so that the required positivity of $f(x)$ reduces to the positivity of the polynomial $$ g_\chi(x)=\sum_{n=1}^{m-1}\chi(n)x^n $$ on $(0,1)$. Trying to verify on how generalizable is this method for $m>3$, I was quite surprised to see that it works perfectly further; for example, $$ g(x)=x(1-x)(1-x^2)>0 \quad\text{if } m=5 $$ or $$ g(x)=x(1-x)(1+x^2+2x^3+3x^4+2x^5+x^6+x^8)>0 \quad\text{if } m=11. $$ Honestly saying, the positivity is not so obvious in many other examples (for example, $m=19$) but nevertheless it is always holds for small values $m\le30$.
Question. Given an integer $m>2$ and a real nonprincipal character $\chi$ modulo $m$, is it true that $g_\chi(x)>0$ for $x\in(0,1)$? If not, are there (in)finitely many $m$ for which the positivity does not take place? Is the above strategy for showing $L(1,\chi)\ne0$ discussed in the literature?


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Penryn, CA Music Theory Lessons
Looking for private in-home or in-studio Music Theory lessons? Our Penryn teachers are ready to get you started. Find your teacher today!
Our online tools make booking, managing your schedule and paying for lessons easy and hassle-free.
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About Steve P.Close
About Steve
clarinet and trumpet in band before discovering the French horn in high school.
Though he earned his bachelor of music in horn performance at CSU, Sacramento, he never gave
up the piano, teaching students and accompanying choirs throughout college, and
earning scholarships for both instruments.
Steve has played for a number of musical groups, from orchestras, chamber
groups and community bands to being a pit musician in musical theater and
opera. This year, he will be joining the William Jessup University Wind
Ensemble and playing horn in that group. For the last several years, Steve has
directed the orchestra at his church, and has also arranged hymns and worship music
for church orchestras and smaller ensembles.
Besides teaching piano and hor
*** Lesson Details ***
I have been teaching children and adults for the past 15 years. I have worked
in public schools as a band instructor, choir director, orchestra director and
general music teacher. I have also taught English and Spanish classes. My private
piano and horn students have enjoyed playing from a wide variety of musical
styles from classical to modern.
*** Studio Equipment ***
*** Specialties ***
I choose from a variety of publications, depending on the nature of the student. I strive to have my students become well rounded by learning a variety of music literature and learning theory, scales, chord progressions, and integrate sight-reading as a regular component of lessons.
· Piano · In studio
· Piano · In home
· French Horn · In studio
Steve P.
Steve P.
About Marsha K.Close
My own syllabus covers basic theory as well as an introduction to composing your own musical pieces.
About Marsha
Goals: Since I am also a Life Coach, we really focus on how to accomplish our hopes and desires. We begin by weekly, then monthly and even a yearly goal.
Each week we also focus on something in my STUDENT PAL - mnemonic. Another is TECHNIQUE. Technique is the ability to have proper position, wrist-lifts and finger curve as well as Theoretic knowledge and application.
I started giving out lickable gold stars, you know, the old-fashioned kind? They are for those students who mark their lesson sheet and come prepared... They really seem to enjoy that, and I adore the nostalgia!
It is a great week when students are nearly all prepared and ready for their lessons. This makes both Coach and student more effective and the time together more enjoyable.
Perhaps you are reading
I have been teaching music, performing music and enjoying music since I was a tiny three-year old. My first piano lessons were at age seven. I have since taught the students of former students! How fun is that?
Music has blessed my life in countless ways and given me opportunities I'd never dreamed of. Teaching at the Young Artists Conservatory of Music; Singing in Carnegie Hall, Performing across Europe and teaching the best students for over 25 years has been a delight.
I believe strongly that those who spend their time and resources for musical education are some of the brightest and most intelligent people around. Each of my students have their own individual goals and reasons for taking music lessons, which we revisit monthly. I believe that my role is to be a support and tool for them/you to accomplish the goals set, working with music that delights and educates.
You want the best teacher, who offers information, example, practice and performance opportunities and then gets out of the way of the student's own "voice" (whether playing or singing) so that they can be free to create their own style.
*** Lesson Details ***
In our lessons, we work with a predictable schedule of balance. We have weekly exercises to make strong fingers and or voices, and technique and theory practice to hone skills that will improve our performances, whether they are for others or for our own benefit. Each student of piano can learn how to create and write their own music in time, choose their own pieces to work on, and have a say in their classical and performance goals.
We have a program of advancement, so you and your loved ones can visually see your progress and measure your skills, complete with awards and trophies.
What you learn, has everything to do with your commitment. Practice doesn't make perfect, Practice makes permanent. Only perfect practice makes perfect.
Learning the piano ought to be a JOY. I believe in playing the piano, not 'practicing' it. Enjoy what you do, and you'll do it longer and with celebration instead of duty.
*** Studio Equipment ***
Piano - upright; CD player; Music stands; Dozens of music books and lesson materials; flash cards; computer and music writing program; mic and mirror, syllabus.
*** Travel Equipment ***
No travel.
*** Specialties ***
Over the years I have dabbled in most methods, but finally come to use my own syllabus and musicianship. I can easily adapt to your favourite if that is your desire. I specialize in a total music education, not merely in learning notes. It is like looking in a mirror and only seeing eyes and skin. Music has many facets and we discover all of them.
· Piano · In studio
· Piano · In home
· Piano · In studio
Marsha K.
Marsha K.
About Kimberly B.Close
What's the difference between Music and Sound? Maybe you want to know the rules of composition, the theory, form and analysis of music; or maybe you just want to do things by ear. Either way, I can help you understand the complexities and simple things about the building blocks of music and aid you in finding the song in you.
About Kimberly
I have been in choirs and soloing since I can remember. I have performed and soloed in choirs such as the Yuba-Sutter Oratorio Society, CSUS Chamber Choir, the CSUS Women's Choir and more. I have toured to Victoria, Montreal, Ottowa, Oregon and Washington. I have also been in opera productions such as The Magic Flute, Peleas and Melisande and Die Fledermaus (The Bat) with CSUS Opera. I am a recent recipient of the Saturday Club Scholarship, a prestigious award, and have won many competitions (some repeatedly) both vocally and with violin, such as the Tri-County Competition, Young Artist Competitions, and the California Soloist and Ensemble Competitions. Additionally, I have performed musical theater repertoire and have performed as lead in musicals such as Beauty and the Beast and Into the Woods. I have also soloed repeatedly with the Yuba College jazz band and at churches all around.
I have earned my Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from CSU Sacramento. I have my Associates Degrees in both Music and Early Childhood Education from Yuba College. Additionally, I have obtained my certificate of completion of training from Music Together, an organization which trains teachers to teach Basic Music Competence (both in tonality and meter), and am currently teaching this curriculum.
I have been teaching music privately for over ten years to all ages, genders and abilities. Additionally, I have taught ages 0-5 years in a preschool setting for 7 years and am extremely familiar with developmentally appropriate practices for both preschool and school age, as I am a site supervisor at a child development center with a preschool and after school program. I have had many adult students as well and encourage adults to enrich their lives with music at any age! Additionally, I have experience teaching parent child classes and am familiar with how to teach to the particular needs of each family and student.
I'm extremely excited and looking forward to growing as a professional, both teaching and performing, in both the areas of violin and voice and to be instrumental in your musical growth too; I can't wait to share my passion with you and to ignite your passion for music too!
*** Lesson Details ***
I have been teaching since 2002 and have loved every minute of it! I teach all ages. I tailor my style of teaching to each student's goals and to what works for you. If you want to learn Taylor Swift music, I won't be giving you arias. On the other hand, if you wish to study classically, I have repertoire appropriate for you. I teach fiddle, classical, orchestral, 20th century and more for violin students and have experience with jazz, classical, musical theater, pop, religious, spiritual, choral, 20th century and more vocally.
For violin students, I use the Suzuki method as a pushing off point, a tried and true method used in many countries across the world, though I have other repertoire including fiddle, orchestra, small ensemble, solo, concertos, Christmas, and more. For vocalist, I start with the book, Adventures in Singing. I also have warm ups and exercises to keep you vocally healthy. I will teach you anything you want to learn! I also teach how to read music, theory and harmony, depending on your interest and tailored to your current skill level.
I am encouraging and knowledgeable. I will meet you at your current level, be that beginner, intermediate, or advanced. My students can look forward to being encouraged and growing through their time with me. I don't have preset ideas about where you should be in 3-6 months, nor do I have a one size fits all teaching style. Instead, I will work with you individually so that you will become the best musician you can be, meet your goals, and increase your enjoyment and appreciation for music.
*** Studio Equipment ***
Lessons in open space, upright piano, digital piano, music stands, metronome, violins available for rent, music, staff paper and computer
*** Travel Equipment ***
I expect my students to provide the instrument with all of it's accessories (ie shoulder rest, rosin, bow and case) along with the appropriate level Suzuki book. I have instruments available for rent. My voice students should bring their own music also. I have a piano in my studio along with music stands. Of course, every student must have a pencil and come ready to have fun learning! :)
*** Specialties ***
Suzuki, solfege, art songs and arias, reading music, fiddle, classical, healthy vocal technique and musical theater. I am very good at working with any age.
· Singing · In studio
· Violin · In home
· Violin · Online
I was 30 when I decided to rekindle my love for the violin. I hadn't played since before YouTube was invented, and I was skeptical about learning violin online. By the first lesson, Kim had already corrected poor habits I didn't know I had, just after hearing me play a few scales. She adjusted her teaching style to my personality so seamlessly that I felt I was just getting pointers from a dear violinist friend whose advice is always spot-on. Weekly practice never felt like work, because Kim tailored my assignments to my goals. Before I knew it, I was playing complex concertos I could never do in high school. I started out being able to play just one major scale. Within 10 months, I was in Suzuki Book 4!
I can't say enough about Kim's expert teaching skills. During a sight-reading of a very difficult piece, I became so frustrated that I wanted to stop the lesson and try again later. Kim encouraged me until I had gotten all the way through, and pointed out what I could learn from my performance. When I had time to calm down, I realized that Kim can do this for any student; adults, children, and adults whose inner child throws a tantrum when they're frustrated by a musical challenge. :-)
Teachers like Kim are rare, and worth their weight in gold. I learned so much more than violin fundamentals through my lessons with her. I'm convinced Kim can teach anyone, of any age—even through an online platform.
Kimberly B.
Kimberly B.
About Ronald S.Close
Harmonic approach to playing stressing chord progression. I play all types of music from classical, to ragtime, blues and new age.
About Ronald
*** Lesson Details ***
I believe it's important to create a relaxed, stress free lesson atmosphere to encourage creativity and self confidence. While mistakes are expected I believe building a students self confidence will make those mistakes disappear. We'll start with fundamentals which will build your understanding of what you're playing and be able to apply it to whatever music you wish to play.
*** Travel Equipment ***
*** Specialties ***
I read music and can sight read any style. I specialize in classical, but also play jazz, ragtime and new age music.
· Piano · In home
· Piano · In home
· Piano · In home
Ronald S.
Ronald S.
About David M.Close
View Full Profile
About David
*** Lesson Details ***
Playing music is supposed to be fun. Lessons include playing, so they should be fun as well. My lessons are both focused and fun. I believe you get out of music what you put in. If a student doesn't practice in between lesso
*** Travel Equipment ***
If I travel to a student's home, I will bring my instrument only. I expect the student to provide all other equipment necessary for the lesson.
*** Specialties ***
Folk guitar, rock and roll and blues bass, classical flute, analog and digital recording, music theory
· Guitar · In home
Always On time meticulously prepared
Above and beyond our expectations highly recommend
· Guitar · In home
· Guitar · In studio
David M.
David M.
About Kevin B.Close
I took 4 semesters of music theory in college, I know pretty much anything you could want to know about music theory!
About Kevin
· Singing · In studio
· Singing · In studio
· Piano · In studio
Kevin B.
Kevin B.
About Keith G.Close
Learn how to read music!
About Keith
Offering classical voice lessons for students all ages. I teach bel canto "Beautiful Singing" (Italian classical) voice technique for beginners. This is the fundamental technique to develop proper voice health, pitch, natural tone, strength, range, quality and breath control.
Offering classical piano lessons for students all ages. Piano lessons focus on basic music theory, scales and exercises. Step-by- step method emphasizes correct playing habits and note reading through interval recognition.
Sacramento City College, Sacramento, CA - Music Performance, Theater Arts Acting & Dance Emphasis
Sung at Carnegie Hall, State Capital and World Cup Sacramento International House Show
Music & Theater Skills
Vocal/Performing Arts Instructor for Capital Innovations Academy 2016-Present
Vocal Instructor for The Silver Orange (Teen Center) 2017-Present
Extensive educational and professional background in music performance (voice, piano, upright bass, guitar, bass guitar), production (pro audio, recording, live sound engineer, producer), songwriting, and composing.
Classes and performances in musical theater, choir, theater movement, advanced acting theory and techniques, stagecraft, dance and choreography.
· Singing · In studio
· Singing · In studio
· Classical Voice · In studio
Keith G.
Keith G.
About Heather R.Close
Students will have their current knowledge of music theory reinforced while also learning more advanced theory as they progress.
About Heather
Lessons are taught at the Sacramento Preparatory Music Academy. Please note that while piano lessons are offered for students as young as 5, voice lessons are not offered until students are at least 13.
· Piano · In studio
Heather R.
Heather R.
About Luis L.Close
I am a musician based in the Sacramento area. I have a bachelor's degree in music from CSU Sacramento. I teach and perform on saxophone, flute, and clarinet. In addition, I direct elementary school bands. I am currently working toward earning a teaching credential and I hope to continue teaching professionally.
About Luis
As a teacher, I like to teach good habits as well as musicianship. My goal is to help students become better players and musicians, so that they have the skills necessary to take on new musical endeavors. I also have experience in bilingual education for K-12 students. This also means I have passed background checks for the state and school districts.
· Saxophone · In studio
Luis L.
Luis L.
About Skylar T.Close
I am available to help students that struggle in music theory. Lessons can be at my studio or via skype
About Skylar
I teach piano students of all levels from age 5 and up. I can teach students to read music and pursue classical excellence (that would include technique/exercises), to learn how to play contemporary music using chord sheets, or both depending on student preference. Some of the musical styles I regularly teach include: Classical, Pop, Rock, Hard Rock, Alternative, and Blues.
Though playing popular music is fun, I find that learning tec
Skylar T.
· Piano · In home
Skylar T.
Skylar T.
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Understanding Music Theory Through Colors
Struggling to understand a music theory concept? Sometimes, all it takes is a tweak to the way material is taught for a student to really grasp it. Here, Pittsburgh voice teacher Jennifer V. reveals her unique ROYGBIV method... Has your child ever come home in tears because they just couldn't master a skill they learned in school? You listen, wipe their tears and tell them "Tomorrow is a new day," and "I know you can do it!" But the next day he or she comes home upset about th …


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HILLSVILLE — A private waste disposal company took issue with Hillsville's annexing the busy Interstate 77 Exit 14 and taking business away from them.
But both the town council and Waste Industries worked out a deal to avoid taking the matter to court.
A settlement approved by members of Hillsville Town Council on Monday will pay a one-time sum to Waste Industries to keep the dispute from going any farther.
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Jetty/Feature/Jetty OSGi
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Feature
- 3 Deployment of web-applications via OSGi
- 4 Architecture
- 5 Additional Resources
Jetty on OSGi consists of bootstrapping a standard jetty server from OSGi. It supports the deployment of traditional J2EE web-applications as well as web-applications contained inside an OSGi bundle (RFC66).
The goal of Jetty on OSGi is to offer a migration path for traditional J2EE applications to run inside an OSGi container. It favors J2EE applications currently deployed on jetty: developers and IT administrators familiar with a jetty deployment will found the same folder structure and configuration files.
Jetty-on-OSGi also provides an SDK for Eclipse-PDE that supports the development and debugging of a mix of traditional web-applications and web-applications contained in an OSGi bundle: Jetty on OSGi SDK for Eclipse PDE.
Jetty bootstrapping in OSGi
A single bundle 'org.eclipse.jetty.osgi.boot' acts as an alternative to Jetty's Start.jar. It wires up all the jetty jars that can be located. It locates the ${jetty.home} folder where the configuration files are located. It starts a jetty server according to these configuration files:
It locates a ${jetty.home} folder (or generate one by default) and starts a jetty server according to the jetty.xml file.
The classloader inside which the jetty server is executing is a mix of the OSGi classloader provided by the 'org.eclipse.jetty.osgi.boot' bundle and also the jars and folders found inside ${jetty.home}/lib/ext and ${jetty.home}/resources.
The jetty.xml provided by default in jetty will deploy all web-applications found inside the ${jetty.home}/webapps and will read the jetty context files found inside ${jetty.home/contexts}.
OSGi's HttpService via equinox servlet bridge
Equinox packages a servlet that supports HttpService. Jetty-OSGi is distributed with a bundle that deploys this servlet and hence provides an implementation of HttpService. The URL mapping to this servlet is "/*": it will catch any request not caught by other handlers.
Deployment of web-applications via OSGi
Support for RFC66
RFC66 standardize the format of a bundle that contains a web-application and its lifecycle. Jetty-OSGi takes advantage of jetty's native web-app deployer and context deployers and exposes those as extensions to RFC66.
Manifest headers and access to OSGI in the servlet context
The mandatory manifest header of RFC66 is supported:
Web-ContextPath: /theContextPath
The default behavior when it is missing is also supported: the default context path is the symbolic name of the bundle that contains WEB-INF/web.xml.
The optional header "Jsp-ExtractLocation" is not supported currently.
A web-application deployed by OSGi contains a pointer to the org.osgi.BundleContext object as the attribute 'osgi-bundlecontext' of the servlet context.
Jetty-OSGi does not currently enforce that the WEB-INF/classes folder and the WEB-INF/lib/*.jar must be part of the Manifest entry "Bundle-Classpath". If they are not present, jetty-osgi will still load them in the classloader of the web-application.
"war" URL scheme
The "war" URL scheme specified by RFC66 support the installation of J2EE web archives, "war" files. ON the OSGi shell, it is possible to install a war file with a command like this one:
>install war:file://path/to/pet.war
The corresponding war file is transformed into a suitable OSGi bundle and installed on to the OSGi container.
The support for this protocol is mostly complete. The query string parameters that enable overriding the manifest headers and other settings has not been extensively tested.
Internals and extensions to RFC66
Manifest headers specific to jetty
Jetty-WarFolderPath: /path/to/a/webapp
This entry let's the user define a comma separated list of folder pathes relative to the base folder of the bundle. Each folder will be deployed as a web-application. It is required that each folder contains WEB-INF/web.xml Each of those web-application will use its own classloader which is a child of the bundle's classloader that contains them. Hence each webapp can eventually contain WEB-INF/lib and WEB-INF/classes for libraries specific to that web-app.
Jetty-ContextFilePath: /path/to/a/context/file.xml
Jetty also support the deployment of web-application via context files. Those files use Jetty's IOC format to configure various jetty handlers and resources available to them (TODO is their a doc for the context files?). This header is a comma separated list of such files that will be executed by jetty.
The OSGi service 'org.eclipse.jetty.server.handler.ContextHandler'
The internal mechanism through which jetty manages web-applications is through the OSGi service 'org.eclipse.jetty.server.handler.ContextHandler'. Whenever an instance of that service is registered, jetty-osgi will read the attached service parameters and deploy the corresponding web-application.
When such a service is unregistered, the corresponding web-application is undeployed.
The following static method illustrate how to deploy a web-application in OSGi programmatically:
public static void registerWebapplication(Bundle contributor, String webappFolderPath, String contextPath) throws Exception { WebAppContext contextHandler = new WebAppContext(); Properties dic = new Properties(); dic.put(OSGiWebappConstants.SERVICE_PROP_WAR,webappFolderPath); dic.put(OSGiWebappConstants.SERVICE_PROP_CONTEXT_PATH,contextPath); contributor.getBundleContext().registerService(ContextHandler.class.getName(),contextHandler,dic); }
When deploying a web-application, it is necessary to create a WebAppContext rather than a basic ContextHandler.
All possible parameters are defined as constants in the class org.eclipse.jetty.osgi.boot.OSGiWebappConstants
- SERVICE_PROP_CONTEXT_PATH -> The context path of the installed web-application.
- SERVICE_PROP_WAR -> Path to the web-application folder. Those pathes are relative to the bundle location or to the SERVICE_PROP_BUNDLE_INSTALL_LOCATION_OVERRIDE when it is specified.
- SERVICE_PROP_CONTEXT_FILE_PATH -> Path to the jetty context files.
- SERVICE_PROP_BUNDLE_INSTALL_LOCATION_OVERRIDE -> Base folder inside which all pathes are resolved. By default the location where the bundle is installed.
- SERVICE_PROP_EXTRA_CLASSPATH -> extra jar and folders added to the classloader of the web-application.
Detailed classloader tree
Injecting new server-wide features into jetty-osgi
A common situation for framework developers is to make a set of library installed in the server's classloader and to have a hook in the life-cycle of the server.
This is supported in 2 ways:
- The traditional J2EE way: locate the ${jetty.home} folder and add the libs to lib/ext then configure jetty.xml
- The OSGi way consists of installing a bundle-fragment hosted by 'org.eclipse.jetty.osgi.boot'
This will make the dependencies of the fragment available in the classloader of the server. In order to hook into the lifecycle of server it is possible to define an implementation of BundleActivator that will be invoked by the bundle 'org.eclipse.jetty.osgi.boot'. In order for this BundleActivator to be invoked it must be named following this convention: ${bundle.id.of.this.fragment}+".FragmentActivator"
Jetty-osgi is distributed with a number of optional bundles that illustrate this technique: Support for jsp with the bundle "org.eclipse.jetty.osgi.boot.jsp" Support for centralized logging on logback; "org.eclipse.jetty.osgi.boot.logback"
Additional Resources
(optional) - links, additional references


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Please visit our Endowment Fund page for information on the start of securing Hokoji's future.
Glossary of Terms
Dana Gifts, donations, giving.
Dharma The teaching of the Buddha as an expression of Universal Law.
Gassho A gesture used as a sign of respect and/or greeting with the palms together in prayer position.
Kinhin Zen walking meditation.
Meditation Mudra The way the hands are held when sitting zazen.
Oriyoki The practice of mindful eating using set of bowls.
Sesshin A silent meditation intensive held over the course of several days.
Shikantaza The main practice of Japanese Soto Zen Buddhism, which is "just sitting" or "Only concentrated on sitting," with the goal of achieving a meditative state free from thought.
Zabuton A mat for a zafu pillow.
Zafu A meditation pillow or cushion.
Zendo A hall where zazen is practiced; Zen hall.
Hokoji was founded and survives on generosity. Through the spiritual, material, and monetary contributions — of those too many to mention here — the temple community quietly grows and nourishes. Your dana (donations) and volunteering are welcome.


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Grinnell College is dedicated to environmental sustainability.
The College:
- Has an Environmental Responsibility and Sustainability Advisory Committee.
- Signed the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment to achieve climate neutrality.
- Is one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the United States and Canada, according to The Princeton Review's Guide to 353 Green Colleges: 2015 Edition.
- Preserves and recreates 6 acres of prairie on campus and 365 acres of prairie and woodland in the Conard Environmental Research Area (CERA). CERA's wind turbine provides more than 90 percent of the electricity needed for the Environmental Education Center, Iowa's first LEED Gold building.
- Has several LEED campus buildings, including a Science Center with heat recovery laboratory exhaust systems and rainwater irrigation in the greenhouse, a dining hall that composts all food and paper waste and recycles its waste vegetable oil, an Athletic and Recreation Center that collects rainwater to flush the center's toilets and irrigate the athletic fields and geothermally heats and cools the natatorium and pool. All future College buildings are required to be LEED-certified.
- Has recycling bins for paper, metal, cardboard, glass, plastics, and redeemables at every residence hall.
- Focuses on sustainability at our Center for Prairie Studies and in our interdisciplinary concentrations in environmental studies, global development studies, and policy studies all circle around sustainability. A host of courses address the issue.


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Terence Tao opines that you should move from place to place when you progress from undergraduate to postgraduate to postdoctoral research. I tend to agree, but my sense is that within the UK most students are reluctant to do so.
One obstacle is that departments like to keep their best undergraduate students on their own PhD programmes, another is lack of information about outside opportunities, and which research strengths are located in which departments. New and new-ish web sites that advertise PhD study opportunities may alleviate this problem. Here's a list I made after hunting around; I thought that findaphd.com is probably the best for finding phd studentships, and the discussions on the postgraduateforum will be of interest to most current PhD students. These web sites are mainly geared towards specific projects; to locate general research strengths still requires a prospective student to ask around, or visit individual department web sites.
- jobs.ac.uk
(mainly UK, not specifically for PhD studentships; (Uni of Warwick/Eduserve, Coventry));
- find a PhD.com;
(UK/Europe, (The Science Registry Ltd, Sheffield), also operates find a masters and find a postdoc);
- postgraduate forum
(UK, many online discussions of PhD study issues (The Science registry Ltd, Sheffield));
- postgraduate studentships;
(UK, (online resource pages, North London))
- hobsons postgrad and postgrad.com
(UK, (Hobsons, USA); links to a discussion forum, but postgraduateforum has more traffic);
- find a PhD.co.uk
(UK, links to other sites);
- PhDs.org
(USA, rank institutions based on your own priorities);
- whatuni
(UK, mainly reviews of universities, allows search for PhD courses but not many there (hotcourses.com));
- hotcourses.com
("the UK's largest course finder", but would you want to use a website with a name like "hotcourses"?)
- prospects.ac.uk;
(UK; click on "postgrad study"; the site crashed when I tries to search for CS research programmes)


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Double Switch and Outlet Cover Unpierced in Rustic Tin379DSORT
Product Details
Add a touch of handmade to your wall outlets and switches with tin wall plates that have been created by our dedicated team of craftsmen with great pride and attention to detail.
Rustic Tin Wall Plates with the Chisel design are available in all the popular combinations. Handcrafted in Pennsylvania.
- Measures 4.5-Inches high and 6.5-Inches wide
- Rustic Tin Finish
- Has a dull lacquer protective coating
- Made in the USA


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That got ABC News' Jake Tapper thinking. Carney was not the first Obama administration figure to praise journalists for putting their lives on the line to expose oppression in foreign countries. Vice President Joe Biden, for instance, had also issued a statement lauding Shadid for reporting "at extraordinary personal risk." The very same administration, however, seems bound and determined to prevent anyone from reporting on abuses by the U.S. government, vigorously prosecuting — or at the very least persecuting — those blowing the whistle on such abuses.
When he got a chance to speak, Tapper remarked on the administration's repeated praise for journalists in foreign countries. Then he hit Carney with the $64,000 question: "How does that square with the fact that this administration has been so aggressively trying to stop aggressive journalism in the United States by using the Espionage Act to take whistleblowers to court?"
Tapper reminded Carney that the administration had invoked the Espionage Act of 1917 for the sixth time — double the number of times all previous administrations combined had invoked it — to prosecute a whistleblower: former CIA agent John Kiriakou, accused of leaking information about CIA torture of a terrorist suspect. "Certainly," Tapper added, "that's something that's in the public interest of the United States."
Yet the same administration that is prosecuting Kiriakou for revealing that the U.S. government engaged in brutality has nothing but good things to say about journalists who report on government brutality in foreign lands. Thus, said Tapper to Carney: "You want aggressive journalism abroad; you just don't want it in the United States."
Carney tap danced around the issue, first telling Tapper to talk to the Justice Department and later saying that the cases Tapper had mentioned "involve highly sensitive classified information," and "divulging that kind of information is a serious issue."
In fact, Tapper told the New York Times, while the information divulged in these six cases may have been classified, "it's not like they are instances of government employees leaking the location of secret nuclear sites. These are classic whistle-blower cases that dealt with questionable behavior by government officials or its agents acting in the name of protecting America."
As the Times put it, "The majority of the recent prosecutions seem to have everything to do with administrative secrecy and very little to do with national security."
In case after case, the Espionage Act has been deployed as a kind of ad hoc Official Secrets Act, which is not a law that has ever found traction in America, a place where the people's right to know is viewed as superseding the government's right to hide its business.
Indeed, the paper noted the irony that while Kiriakou is being prosecuted aggressively merely for leaking some information to journalists, "none of the individuals who engaged in or authorized the waterboarding of terror suspects have [sic] been prosecuted."
Another individual prosecuted under the Espionage Act, former National Security Agency (NSA) employee Thomas Drake, was charged with 10 felony counts because he told a Baltimore Sun reporter that the NSA had spent $1.2 billion on a data collection program from an outside vendor when the agency could have developed the program itself for just $3 million — and made it more effective and less likely to violate individuals' privacy. In the end, writes the Times, "the case against him collapsed, and he pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor, of misuse of a government computer" — but not before he had been forced out of his job at the NSA.
The administration doesn't always rely on prosecution to teach whistleblowers a lesson. It has other ways of retaliating against them, as Foreign Service Officer Peter Van Buren learned when he wrote the book We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People. Van Buren is still employed by the State Department, but he has been stripped of his security clearance, transferred to what he calls "a meaningless telework position," threatened with prosecution, and otherwise harassed. As a result, he writes, "a career that typically would extend another 10 years will be cut short in retaliation for [his] attempt to tell the truth about how taxpayer money was squandered in Iraq."
Van Buren documents other ways in which the Obama administration has lashed out at whistleblowers:
In Kiriakou's case, the CIA found an excuse to fire his wife, also employed by the Agency, while she was on maternity leave. Whistleblower Bradley Manning, accused of leaking Army and State Department documents to the website WikiLeaks, spent more than a year in the worst of punitive conditions in a U.S. Marine prison and was denied the chance even to appear in court to defend himself until almost two years after his arrest. Former chief military prosecutor at Guantanamo Morris Davis lost his career as a researcher at the Library of Congress for writing a critical op-ed for the Wall Street Journal and a letter to the editor at the Washington Post on double standards at the infamous prison, as did Robert MacClean for blowing the whistle on the Transportation Security Administration.
Four employees of the Air Force Mortuary in Dover, Delaware, attempted to address shortcomings at the facility, which handles the remains of all American service members who die overseas. Retaliation against them included firings, the placing of employees on indefinite administrative leave, and the imposition of five-day suspensions. The story repeats itself in the context of whistleblowers now suing the Food and Drug Administration for electronically spying on them when they tried to alert Congress about misconduct at the agency. We are waiting to see the Army's reaction to whistleblower Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Davis, who documented publicly … that senior leaders of the Department of Defense intentionally and consistently misled the American people and Congress on the conduct and progress of the Afghan War.
In short, he says, the administration is conducting "an unprecedented assault on government whistleblowers and leakers of every sort." This from a President who promised to operate "the most open and transparent [administration] in history."
Of course, as the Times observes, Obama doesn't have a problem with all leaks, just those that reflect badly on the government: "Reporters were immediately and endlessly briefed on the 'secret' operation that successfully found and killed Osama bin Laden. And the drone program in Pakistan and Afghanistan comes to light in a very organized and systematic way every time there is a successful mission."
What gets under Obama's skin is the leaking of embarrassing information about the U.S. government. He loves when journalists report on foreign governments' misdeeds — particularly when those reports can be used to drum up war fever — but not when they tattle on Washington's abuses. As Tapper aptly summarized it, Obama's opinion is that "the truth should come out abroad; it shouldn't come out here."


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Santa Rosa Beach is known for its outdoor assets.
But now it's known for all the work going on in-doors, where business owners are busy improving websites and social media pages.
"It is very important with any business to keep clients and the public updated with new features you have, never specialties and anything that you do," said Melanie Gordan, owner of Bella Flora.
With business owners like Gordan, Google has named Santa Rosa Beach with its e-city award for Florida.
Google selects cities in all 50-states, with the strongest business communities.
Walton area chamber leaders are proud of the recognition.
"The more we can get out in our community with the things that we do it brings people to our area both tourism and locals around the area so that is what helps promote throughout our county. So we are more than pleased to have won this award and excited to share the news with the world," said Wendy Morton, of the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce.
Some of the deciding factors are that 90 percent of business owners have websites and social media, and are willing to use them all year round.
"It's a platform really for our visitors and guests to the emerald coast to check us out learn a little more about us and as well as people who are far away from us, who are wanting to get into standup paddle boarding or further themselves where they are already with it," said Tresha Brown, of Yolo Board.
Morton says the award itself helps expose the area to more people across the United States.


text: by Sam(antha) Burns, UME Master Gardener, Somerset Beekeepers President Francis Drummond has been keeping bees since he was twelve years old. Now he is a Professor of Insect Ecology and Insect Pest Management at the University of Maine at Orono. As an entomologist, Frank has been uniquely poised to help bees and beekeepers, researching how honeybees, along with native bee species, are being … [Read more...]