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On a warm and muggy day in early April, Paul Blackketter cruised the murky waters of the 500-acre man-made lake at Nathan Benderson Park in a power boat, his eyes on the lookout for trouble behind a pair of tinted Oakley sunglasses.
Suddenly, he spots it: trash at the lake's edge, near one of two bridges that have been built to connect to a man-made island.
Grabbing a walkie-talkie off the boat's center console, he calls to Benderson Development Co. employees volunteering on shore and requests that the litter be removed.
For the former military man and Benderson executive, anything amiss becomes something in need of a solution. But on that particular April weekend, the stakes for Blackketter -- and for Southwest Florida's bid to attract major rowing competitions -- had rarely been higher.
That is because April 15 marked the day officials from rowing's international governing body were inspecting the park, in advance of awarding the 2017 World Rowing Championships.
Blackketter will be center stage next month, too, both when he, Benderson executives and Sarasota County government and tourism officials submit a final bid package to the International Federation of Rowing Associations, and again when the group makes a formal pitch in Switzerland to to host the 10-day event.
If this courtship is successful, a vast team of public and private partners will have transformed a former shell excavation pit used for construction fill into a world-class rowing center -- one that could have major tourism implications for decades to come.
For Blackketter, the trips also will cap a long and unlikely journey that began far away from water and rowing.
"I was a football player; I didn't know a thing about rowing outside of those motivational posters you used to see in classrooms," Blackketter said. "But I saw an opportunity here."
Blackketter, a former Benderson retail planner, is now chief operating officer for the Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center Association, a nonprofit that is directing development at the park that bears the name of the Benderson family business' late patriarch.
In that role, Blackketter is leading volunteers, together with county and tourism officials, in what has emerged as Southwest Florida's greatest sports tourism venture to date.
It all began about a decade ago, when a high school rowing coach saw potential in the large body of water that ran alongside Interstate 75 east of Honore Avenue and south of University Parkway.
In time, Benderson Development President Randy Benderson would personally tap the rowing novice to captain the project -- and make it a reality.
"Paul has demonstrated a unique expertise in working with diverse constituencies, including municipalities and neighborhood groups, while heading the planning of our development projects," Benderson said. "His dedication, enthusiasm and community-mindedness made Paul the perfect candidate to lead the efforts to develop Nathan Benderson Park and bring world-class rowing to Sarasota."
Once ordained, Blackketter set off on a decadelong, globe-trotting trek to study the sport, other rowing centers, water quality and necessary amenities -- all with the intent to create a facility unlike any other in the U.S.
Unlikely choice
On the surface, there was hardly a more unlikely choice to lead the effort to bring championship rowing here.
A Bradenton-born military brat who grew up in Arkansas, Blackketter, 46, freely acknowledges he knew little or nothing about rowing.
But through the years, Blackketter had amassed key knowledge, and used organizational and other skills that would prove valuable when applied to developing a rowing center.
"He was always that tough, big-brother type," said Donna Garrett, his twin sister, who lives near Dallas. "I was lucky to have the protective brother in high school."
At 18, he followed in father into the service and joined the Army, where he was an enlisted infantry mortar man. In 1991, he attended officer candidate school and attained the rank of second lieutenant in branched infantry.
"He was always a natural leader and never afraid to take charge," Garrett said.
During his extended stint in the Army, Blackketter was deployed to 15 major natural-disaster sites to assist those in need.
He returned to Florida in the 1990s after Hurricane Andrew devastated the southern part of the state. Following the 9/11 terror attacks, he ran security operations at Orlando International Airport for six months.
In 2003, he was deployed to Iraq, where he spent a year developing relationships with local leaders and assisting in the reconstruction of the city of Ramadi.
For his service there, he received a bronze star and a combat infantry badge.
To this day, Blackketter is a major in the Army Reserves, where he is responsible for a brigade's logistical operations.
"The military has always been such a big part of who he is," Garrett said.
Throughout his military career, Blackketter attended the University of Arkansas, though he ultimately earned a degree in urban planning from the University of South Florida after moving back to Southwest Florida permanently.
Out of the service, he began working at a series of engineering and construction firms before landing a job as a project manager with Benderson seven years ago, eventually rising to executive director.
Blackketter has been focused solely on rowing since 2007, when Nathan Benderson Park plans began to gel and the Great Recession pushed retail plazas and self-storage facilities to the shelf.
As he did in the military, he charged in, not letting a lack of knowledge about the sport deter him.
"I was up for the challenge," Blackketter said. "Although this was something I had never done before, and Benderson Development had never done before."
In the years since, rowing has bled into his family life, too.
Blackketter's oldest daughter, Chloe, took up the sport while in high school, and is now rowing at Florida's Stetson University.
First time
Blackketter vividly recalls the first time he knew Benderson Development's fate -- and his own -- would be tied to rowing.
The moment came during a meeting in 2007 with Randy Benderson, while Blackketter was still dividing his time between retail projects and the park's development.
"We were discussing whether or not it was worth the extra $1 million it would cost to move Cattlemen Road back in order to make the lake a true 2,000-meter course," Blackketter said.
The 2,000-meter measurement was critical because that's the distance amateur rowers and Olympians alike tackle at top meets.
But moving the road to accommodate the lake would be complicated -- and expensive.
"I was surprised at how easily Randy came to an answer," Blackketter said. "His response was, 'Just do it.' When Randy does something, he does it right and has every angle covered."
So when it came time to start drafting what the rowing center would look like, he put Blackketter on a plane. And then another one. And another.
Early conversations with U.S.-based rowing groups and teams, like Harvard's mens' crew team, led to meetings with athletes and organizations worldwide.
Over the past decade, Blackketter has visited every rowing course -- in the world.
He has been to former Olympic Games venues in Sydney and London, and to man-made lakes as far away as South Korea.
Back home, Blackketter studied public-private partnerships.
"I remember early on when Paul would come to the county meetings about Ed Smith Stadium," said Pat Calhoon, the sports development coordinator for Sarasota County and former general manager of the city of Sarasota's Ed Smith Stadium.
"He was watching how sport venues created relationships with the county."
Blackketter also began attending planning association conferences across the country, often with Tom Polk, Sarasota County's director of planning and development. Along the way, he convinced Polk and others that the vision for the park and rowing in the area was possible.
"We had never really done anything like this before," Polk said. "But Paul was convinced we could do it."
Blackketter also created ties to the International Federation of Rowing Associations, or FISA. In time, the organization's architect, Svetla Otzetova, would help design what the course looks like today. In April, she was also part of the FISA contingent charged with judging the course and its ability to host the 2017 world championships.
Under Blackketter's leadership, the park hosted two regattas in 2009 and twice that number in 2010. In 2011, seven were held, with another seven in 2012.
But Blackketter is quick to note that his involvement is only one thread in a larger tapestry.
"None of this could have happened without the help from all the volunteers," he says.
The volunteers number in the hundreds, and range from Benderson employees to parents and friends of young rowers and community advocates -- even county commissioners -- all of whom make the events come off seamlessly.
"We have such a strong core group who supports this," Blackketter added.
That support will be critical later this summer -- the park is scheduled to host its biggest regatta to date, the 2013 U.S. Masters Rowing Championships, this August.
For their part, volunteers and community supporters alike consider Blackketter the linchpin for the entire facility.
"Paul is the greatest advocate for Sarasota and this park," said Bob Weiss, who has been volunteering and officiating at regattas since 2009. "He's set the tone for something great and has done a great job."
Weiss is not the only volunteer who think so.
Mary Marryott, a mother of two rowing Sarasota teenagers, has watched Benderson Park transform over the years under Blackketter's leadership.
"The lake was nothing, and then Benderson came in and before you know it, the plans made it look like Disney World," Marryott said.
"Paul always wanted us to look at the bigger picture," she said. "He kept telling us we were thinking too small."
A firm hand at the oars
On a warm and muggy day in early April, Paul Blackketter cruised the murky waters of the 500-acre man-made lake at Nathan Benderson Park in a power boat, his eyes on the lookout for trouble behind a pair of tinted Oakley sunglasses.


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This year Barbour celebrated its 125th year anniversary, the family-run brand which is based in North England was founded by John Barbour in 1894. Recently showcasing the latest AW19 looks at the Lanchester House during London Fashion Week Men's.
To celebrate the special mile Stone reached by the business, Barbour collaborated with Sir Ridley Scott designing a unique directors jacket. Hand drawn illustrations are featured on the back labels of the garments personally drawn by Ridley himself, a collectable 125-anniversary pin and a short film which was also apart of the collaboration produced by Sir Ridley Scott with the film being privately displayed to guest during the presentation at Lancaster House.
The limited edition range was inspired by the Iconic Barbour archive, designed for both men and women. The collection includes quilted shapes, waxed fabrics, and detachable linings.
An earthy colour pallet was merged with a variety of textures including functional garments such as military collars and draw away hoods. The distinctive Barbour style was carried through the collection with British heritage producing looks perfect for both city and countryside.
The brand continues to stand strong having built a reputation on quality designed garments that are made to last. Originally created for mariners and sailors Barbour has adapted to fashion trends over time whilst still keeping a recognisably modern British look and country heritage.
Written By Eshe Mitchell

subset: commoncrawl


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Charles Ramsey wants no part of the fame and (fast food) fortune that has come with his role in the rescue of three women who were held captive in a Cleveland home for more than a decade.
Ramsey, who was mid-Big Mac when he heard the screams that led him to help Amanda Berry, Gina deJesus and Michelle Knight escape the clutches of Ariel Castro, was awarded free burgers for life from a dozen nearby restaurants.
His colorful interview rocketed him to viral fame and spurred Taiwanese video makers NMA-TV to create a video game in which Ramsey tosses burgers at Castro.
But Ramsey says he hates the game, hates the attention, and wants nothing to do with any of it.
"I want everyone to know that I have nothing to do with this trash," Ramsey said in a written statement through his attorney, Patricia Walker.
He also asked Hodge's restaurant, where he worked as a dishwasher, to stop using his name for the Ramsey burger named in his honor.
"He is encouraging people to do things that will help the victims," Walker said. "He was never asked about authorizing Ramsey Burgers."
After Ramsey's complaint, Hodge's co-owner Scott Kuhn released a statement saying the restaurant and the others in the Driftwood Restaurant Group would pull the new menu item.
"The Ramsey burger was named to honor an employee at a time he indicated he would be returning to his job at Hodge's," the statement said. "It was not developed to generate additional revenue for the restaurant -- nor has it."
"We are saddened to hear that Chuck did not take this -- or the offer of so many Cleveland restaurants to give him free meals -- in the spirit we intended," Kuhn said.
Walker said Ramsey hired her in an attempt to regain control over his name and likeness after his right-place-right-time heroics turned him into a sensation.


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"The cruelty and brutality against the rhino, as symbol of our ecology and rich heritage, has gone too far," she said in a statement.
"Recent incidents dictate for extraordinary measures to protect our tourism and biodiversity."
Modise was reacting to the poaching of seven rhinos at the Klipkopspruit Farm, near Rustenburg, on Friday.
The Hawks confirmed on Monday that another rhino was poached at the weekend, but could not immediately provide details.
Modise said there was also a need to clamp down on illegally issued hunting permits.
Communities in the proximity of gameparks and farms also need to be educated and actively involved in nature conservation, tourism and anti-poaching strategies.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said this weekend's killings showed the "relentless and bloody onslaught" against African wildlife for profit.
Of the eight rhino killed, seven were adults and one a calf.
"Shockingly, the animals were also mutilated for their eyes and ears, while one female had her genitalia cut off," IFAW said in a statement.
The latest killings bring the total number of rhinos killed in South Africa this year to 558, up from 448 in 2011 and 333 in 2010, it said.
"The killing of rhinos for their horns does not exist in a vacuum, but is a complex problem where values of tradition and culture have been corrupted in the name of commercial exploitation," said IFAW director Jason Bell.
"Be it elephants and ivory, tigers and tiger parts, rhinos and rhino horn, the endpoint is the same – profit. And that profit is being chased down in the most brutal fashion by organised crime syndicates who are fearless in their pursuit of the prize."
Bell said the last 24 months had been the most "deadly ever" for elephants and rhino.
The biggest market for rhino horn is China, where it is used mostly in the manufacture of traditional medicine. – Sapa


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To make matters more confusing, the IT vendor community has muddied the information-sharing space by offering products with names that have similar but not equivalent meanings like federated search, federated query, enterprise search, data virtualization, data aggregation, data integration, entity resolution, master data management and business intelligence. You get the picture.
Nevertheless, I boldly (some may say foolishly) ventured into this zone of ambiguous customer requirements compounded by confusing vendor terminology to guide the client through to safety and success. To help with the architectural selection, I used a four-part process: survey the architecture landscape, refine the requirements, analyze the dependencies and, finally, recommend an architecture.
Here are 4 steps for how to choose the right information-sharing architecture for your agency.
1. Survey the architecture landscape. It is important to educate all customers about their architectural alternatives and how their requirements affect each option. The two key elements here are understanding the various architectural perspectives in a project (loosely where, what and how) and the notion of "linchpin" requirements that tilt the architectural direction in one way over the others.
The three main architectural perspectives (or views) we examined were the physical architecture, the functional architecture and the technical architecture. The physical architecture perspective concerns itself with "where" processing should occur or where data should be located -- for example, centralized, distributed or a hybrid. The functional architecture perspective is the "what" the end-user wishes to achieve, like federated query or decision support. The technical architecture perspective focuses on "how" to achieve a particular end, for example, via an enterprise service bus or a data warehouse.
2. Refine the requirements. After understanding how requirements affect the architecture, customers are more willing to narrow and clarify their requirements. The best way to encourage this conversation is to derive key business outcomes via use cases or user scenarios. Given use cases, customers can derive the linchpin requirements that drive the architectural direction. In that analysis, I subscribe to the "form follows function" philosophy.
3. Analyze the dependencies. Once we understand the customer's linchpin requirements and key outcomes, we can trace them back to specific capabilities in the information management stack and then understand their dependencies. Nothing exists in a vacuum, and the client must understand the cost of each capability. The information management stack for the data/information sharing space has roughly the following layers: data asset awareness, data asset availability, data aggregation, data quality, data governance, data transformation, data integration, change data capture, decision support, business intelligence and predictive analytics. This information stack (with predictive analytics being the top layer) shows the layered dependencies, and those dependencies equate to increased cost and complexity.
4. Recommend an architecture. At this point the customer is seeing the lay of the land and the cost of the possible architectural paths. It is easy to offer at least three alternatives and let the customer decide. In my case, the customer chose wisely based on defining the minimal requirements, reducing risk and reducing cost.
So, although vendors offer a confusing array of products and product suites in this space, the four-step process outlined here can guide you to the right information-sharing architecture.
About the Author
Michael C. Daconta ([email protected]) is the Vice President of Advanced Technology at InCadence Strategic Solutions and the former Metadata Program Manager for the Homeland Security Department. His new book is entitled, The Great Cloud Migration: Your Roadmap to Cloud Computing, Big Data and Linked Data.
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For ages Oia was called Epano Meria (Upper Side), since it is built in the northern side of the island. It is an impressive settlement known all over the world for the magnificent sunset from its Goulas. In recent years the buildings have become hotels, restaurants, cafes, stores.
The settlement is very popular and therefore from dawn till dusk it is filled with visitors. Nights in Oia remain peaceful though, and walking in the centre marble laid road, loitering the impressive and exquisitly lit buildings is a real pleasure.
Carved-in buildings and captains' houses


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Volvo XC40 | 2.0 D4 [190] R DESIGN 5dr AWD Geartronic
Volvo XC40 Overview
I would like all maintenance and service costs included
Initial Rental (Personal)
£3,204.47 inc VAT
Initial Rental (Business)
£2,670.39 ex VAT
Contract Length
48 Months
Processing fee
£199.99 ex VAT
Standard Options
- Dark tinted glass for rear windows rear screen side luggage area window
- Front and rear electric windows
- Rain sensor windscreen wipers
- Rear wiper
- DSTC-Dynamic Stability and Traction Control
- Electronic parking brake with auto hold
- Hill descent control
- Hill start assist
- Vehicle deceleration control with Anti-lock Brake System, Electronic Brake Distribution and Emergency Brake Assist
- Sports floor mats
- Sports chassis
- Bluetooth hands free telephone kit
- Voice control system
- Volvo on call
- Adjustable steering wheel force
- Cruise control
- Drive mode selector
- Lane keep assist with driver alert control
- Oncoming Lane Mitigation
- Rear Park assist
- Speed limiter
- Speed sensitive steering
- 12.3" Active TFT crystal driver's instrument display
- 9" centre console portrait touch screen
- Sensus navigation with European mapping and traffic information
- Auto dimming interior mirror
- Black stone door mirrors
- Colour coordinated auto folding and heated power door mirrors
- Electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors
- Cutting edge aluminium inlay
- DAB Digital radio
- Sensus connect with high perfromance sound, USB, 8 Speakers/250W
- Steering wheel mounted remote controls
- Black stone roof
- Dual integrated exhaust pipes with high gloss black surround
- Embossed rear side roof pillar
- Front tread plates
- High Gloss black front and rear skid plate
- High gloss black lower front bumper
- High gloss black mesh front grille with high gloss black surround
- High gloss black roof rails
- High gloss black window trim
- Roof antenna
- Roof spoiler
- Solid paint
- Visible VIN plate
- Adaptive brake lights with high level LED brake lights
- Automatic headlamp levelling
- Home safe and approach lighting
- LED front fog lights
- LED Headlights Active high beam incorporating daytime running lights
- 2 zone electronic climate control with Clean zone air quality system pollen filter cooled glovebox
- 12V socket in front tunnel console and cargo compartment
- 3 spoke leather steering wheel with chrome trim
- A-pillar parking ticket holder
- Black headlining
- Bright metal luggage threshold
- Centre console cupholders and storage
- Driver's side lower dashboard credit card storage compartment
- Front door pocket and front cupholder illumination
- Front tunnel net pocket and integrated waste bin
- Glovebox bag hook
- Height/reach adjustable steering column
- High gloss centre tunnel deco
- Illuminated tailgate
- Leather coloured key integrated remote
- Leather/nubuck upholstery
- Load protection net
- Lockable/illuminated glovebox
- Perforated leather gearknob
- Perforated leather steering wheel with gearshift paddles
- Rear armrest / integral cup holders / storage tray
- Sports pedals
- Underfloor stowage compartment
- Ambient front door and instrumental panel lighting
- Front footwell illumination
- Illuminated luggage compartment
- Multicolour theatre lights
- Rear reading and courtesy lights
- 3x3 point rear seatbelts
- Child proof door locks
- City safety
- Drivers knee airbag
- Dual stage Driver/Passenger Airbags
- Fasten seatbelt reminder
- First aid kit
- Inflatable curtain
- Passenger airbag cut-off device
- Road sign information display
- Run off Road Mitigation
- Run off Road Protection
- Seatbelt reminder and pretensioners
- SIPS (Side Impact Protection System)
- SIPS airbags
- Slippery road and hazard light alert
- Tyre pressure monitoring system
- Warning triangle
- WHIPS whiplash protection system - front
- 60/40 split folding rear seat
- Driver seat height/tilt/lumbar adjust
- Extended front seat cushions
- Front and rear headrests
- Isofix attachments on rear seats
- Passenger seat adjustable for lumbar support
- Anti-theft alarm including immobiliser/volume sensor level sensor
- Fuel flap with deadlocking system
- Key integrated remote control central locking
- Keyless Start
- Locking wheel nuts
- Private locking for tailgate
- Illuminated vanity mirrors ticket holder
- 18" 5 Double Spoke diamond cut/matt black alloy wheels
- Tyre sealant kit 12v compressor
Technical Options
- Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6
- Catalytic Convertor: True
- Cylinder Layout: IN-LINE
- Cylinders: 4
- Engine Layout: FRONT TRANSVERSE
- Fuel Type: COMMON RAIL
- Gears: 8 SPEED
- Number of Valves: 16
- Valve gear: DOHC
- EC: True
- EC Combined: 56.5
- EC Extra Urban: 61.4
- EC Urban: 49.6
- WLTP - MPG - Extra High: 7.8
- WLTP - MPG - Extra High - Max: 8.9
- WLTP - MPG - Extra High - Min: 6.3
- WLTP - MPG - High: 7.1
- WLTP - MPG - High - Max: 5.4
- WLTP - MPG - High - Min: 6.1
- WLTP - MPG - Low: 6.6
- WLTP - MPG - Low - Max: 7.2
- WLTP - MPG - Low - Min: 6.4
- WLTP - MPG - Medium: 7.1
- Any aspect of the vehicles safety cause concern?: Data Not Available
- Based On ID: N
- Coin Description: D4 [190] AWD
- Coin Series: R Design
- Man Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years: 12
- Manufacturers Paintwork Guarantee - Years: 3
- NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: 76
- NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: 5
- NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: 190
- NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: 2.0
- NCAP Safety Assist %: M1
- Service Interval Frequency - Months: 97
- Special Edition: Data Not Available
- Special Order: Data Not Available
- Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 60000
- Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 3
- Timing Belt Interval Frequency - Months: 71
- Timing Belt Interval Mileage: 87
- 0 to 60: Data Not Available
- 0 to 62: 7.9
- Engine Power KW: 140
- Engine Power RPM: 4000
- Engine Torque LBS.FT: 295
- Engine Torque MKG: 40.8
- Engine Torque NM: 400
- Engine Torque RPM: 1750
- PS: True
- Top Speed: 130
- Alloys?: True
- Space Saver?: Data Not Available
- Tyre Size Front: 235/55 R18
- Tyre Size Rear: 235/55 R18
- Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT
- Wheel Style: 5 DOUBLE SPOKE
- Wheel Type: 18" ALLOY
- Height: 1658
- Height (including roof rails): N
- Length: 4425
- Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 11.4
- Wheelbase: 2702
- Width (excluding mirrors): 1910
- Width (including mirrors): 2034
- Boot Capacity Saloons: 586
- Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 54
- Gross Vehicle Weight: 2250
- Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 1336
- Max. Roof Load: 75
- Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 2100
- Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 750
- Minimum Kerbweight: 1698
- No. of Seats: 5
- Payload: 552
Volvo Xc40 BEGINNING AGAIN AT FORTY (76/100)
Volvo has never made a small SUV but it needed one. Hence some new beginnings with this XC40. Jonathan Crouch reports.
Ten Second Review
Volvo's XC40 is much more than just a smaller version of the brand's larger SUVs. It gets its own all-new 'CMA' platform and a very distinct design to set itself apart. The result is a slightly unusual alternative to premium-branded compact SUVs like Audi's Q3 and the Mercedes GLA.
Volvo has taken its time in developing a contender for the industry's fastest-growing market segment, that for compact family hatchback-based SUVs. Unless you count the gussied-up V40 Cross Country model - which we don't - the Swedish brand has never had a car in this class. The XC40 puts that right. Under the skin lies a freshly developed 'Compact Modular Architecture' platform that Volvo has created with its Chinese owner Geely. It's a chassis that will in future be used by a whole range of new compact Volvo models, but it's hard to believe that many of them will be much more significant than this one. Established premium brand compact SUV contenders like BMW's X1, Mercedes' GLA and Audi's Q2 and Q3 crossovers are all within this XC40's sights. So it'll have to be good.
Driving Experience
The XC40's 'CMA' platform has been based around provision for a whole range of future cutting-edge Volvo powerplants, including three cylinder engines plus a Plug-in hybrid and a fully-electric version. At the moment for buyers, there's mostly a choice of the Swedish brand's efficient 2.0-litre 'Drive-E' petrol and diesel units. If you want to fuel from the green pump, the range starts with the three cylnder 1.5-litre 156hp T3 variant, which is only offered with front wheel drive and a choice of either manual or auto transmission. Alternatively, there's a 2.0-litre 190hp T4 derivative, with the same engine offered in 247hp guise in the top T5 variant. Both these more powerful versions come only with auto transmission and 4WD. As for the 2.0-litre diesels, well things kick off with the 150hp D3, which comes with front or four wheel drive and manual or auto transmission. Or there's the 190hp D4, which comes in auto 4WD form only. Available driving systems include the brand's 'Pilot Assist' autonomous set-up which can steer and brake for you on the highway.
Design and Build
It's an interesting combination this. A Swedish-branded product, financed by a Chinese conglomerate, styled by a British designer and built in a Dutch factory. We'll start with the penman, a young Englishman Ian Kettle who says that the look of this car was inspired by robots he'd seen in sci-fi movies. In styling this contender, his brief was to give the XC40 its own identity, rather than simply making it a down-sized XC60. So while this car shares its bigger stablemate's 'Thor's Hammer' LED headlights and clamshell bonnet, it also gets unique touches like an inverted front grille and coupe-like rear styling. To some extent of course, the XC40 had to be different because it rides on quite different underpinnings, a 'CMA' ('Common Modular Architecture') platform that'll be seen on a whole range of future small models from Volvo and its Chinese parent Geely. What it means here is that for the first time, Volvo has a range of three SUVs; other brands have that too of course but in this case, the three products are each quite distinct in character. The Swedish brand hopes that'll be significant.
Market and Model
Prices are likely to start at just under £28,000 and range up to just under £40,000. There are three main levels of trim - 'Momentum', 'R-Design' and 'Inscription', with plusher 'Pro' variants of each. Every version of the XC40 is very well equipped. As standard, even entry-level 'Momentum' variants come with LED headlights with optional active high beam, two-zone climate control with a 'CleanZone' air-filtration system, rear parking sensors, a 12.3-inch TFT instrument binnacle display and 18" alloy wheels. If you upgrade to sporty 'R-Design' trim, you additionally get gloss black styling details including a contrasting colour black roof, plus diamond-cut or matt black alloy wheels, part-leather seats and aluminium dash inlays. Top-spec 'Inscription' variants meanwhile, enjoy fill-leather upholstery, an electric tailgate, wood detailing and a crystal glass gearlever. As ever with Volvo, a key focus is safety. An autonomous braking system is standard-fit and this system can specifically detect people and animals. There's also an 'Oncoming Lane Mitigation' set-up that not only stops you from pulling out into the path of an oncoming vehicle but can also steer you away from such an impact. Pilot Assist, Volvo's innovative semi-autonomous drive feature, is an optional extra on every XC40, as is 'Run-off Road Protection and Mitigation'. And Cross Traffic Alert with brake support', which warn you of oncoming vehicles when you're reversing out of a space.
Cost of Ownership
The 150hp D3 variant most will choose offers combined fuel consumption of up to 58.9mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions from around 127g/km - that's in front-driven manual form. If you go for the pokier 190hp D4 AWD auto variant, you'll be looking at 56.5mpg and 133g/km. The petrol-powered 156hp T3 offers combined fuel economy of up to 42.8mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions from 152g/km. Go for the top 190hp AWD T5 auto derivative and you can expect the figures to be 39.8mpg and 166g/km. Maintenance should be relatively affordable for a car of this kind, with three or five year pre-paid servicing packages are available to help you budget ahead. If you pay extra for the useful 'On Call with App' remote connectivity system, this Volvo can be programmed to autonomously realise when a service is due, then automatically book it for you at a dealership of your choice. Finally, we'll tell you that the warranty is the usual three year, 60,000 mile package.
Volvo clearly felt that to break into the premium brand compact SUV segment, it had to offer something distinctively different to its German rivals, so that's exactly what we've got. Not everyone will like the looks but there's no doubt that they will help the brand to target buyers who would never previously have considered a Volvo. Will these people pass up a premium German-branded alternative to own this car though? Well, the class-leading safety standards may be tempting for some. And the personalisation options a deciding factor for others. Overall, if you're looking for a quality option that's a bit more unique in this segment, Volvo thinks it has a car that'll interest you very much.
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Every once in a while I find myself on a dance floor trying to moonwalk; sadly I have not been able to master it. Michael Jackson wasn't in fact the first one to do the moonwalk. It was actually first recorded by a tap dancer named Bill Bailey in 1955, then it was redone by the mime Marcel Marceau and later by David Bowie, then by James Brown all before Michael Jackson made it his own. But Michael Jackson did indeed make it popular. Not only did he reinvent the moonwalk, but he reinvented himself so many times over the years that it caused concern. But what the King of Pop will always be remembered for is his amazing ability to write so many passionate songs that touched millions of people over so many generations. He won 13 Grammy awards and had 13 number 1 singles and sold over 750 million records. Up to one billion people watched his recent memorial service. I have definitely been moved by many of Michael's songs, I'm pretty sure my two favorites are "Earth Song" and "Will You Be There". My favorite part of "Earth Song" has always been the simple ah aah aah's Michael sings. There is so much passion seeping out of that recording. It's songs like that that make the listener not only feel but also feel like they know the artist. Michael was so naked (open and bearing all) in the way he performed, which is why I believe he had so many die hard fans. I would even say to the extent that thousands, perhaps even millions, were borderline psychotic fans. But perhaps that is also due to the fame and the fact that some people believe that because someone is famous they are untouchable and god-like in a sense. Anyway, enough about psycho fans who would literally cry in their eagerness to touch Michael Jackson's arm. I first heard "Will You Be There" when I saw Free Willy in 1993. I was 10 years old. I think the reason I wanted to see that movie so much was due to the hype that the song "Will You Be There" triggered in the previews. The song really brought to life the fact that Willy was finally free and that because of it Jesse was too. Michael's songs had a lot of diversity, but most of his hits were pretty uplifting. He promised to be there along with his brothers in "I'll Be There", he encouraged us to make the world a better place in "Heal the World", and he truly cared about bonding the human race in "Black or White". I believe that through hearing those songs people were motivated to make a change in their own lives for the better. Wherever you are today know that God is right over your shoulder and has created you for a specific purpose, to make a specific change…and while you're at it try and do the moonwalk, some of you may not have to try as hard as me.
Posts Tagged 'King of Pop'
Just Look Over Your Shoulder Honey, ooh!
2 Comments "Black or White", "Earth Song", "Heal the World", "I'll Be There", "Will You Be There", Bill Bailey, David Bowie, Grammy awards, human race, James Brown, King of Pop, Marcel Marceau, Michael Jackson, Michael jackson's memorial, mime, moonwalk, number 1 single, number one single, psycho fans, pyscho fan, pyschotic fans, records, tap dancer


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A 34-year-old Florida woman apparently killed her two children in their house and then committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said Saturday.
Deputies responded to a house in unincorporated Clearwater, west of Tampa, shortly after 2 a.m. after receiving a call for help. They discovered Dawn Brown and her two children, ages 5 and 9, dead in the house.
It's believed that Brown killed her two children and then hanged herself with an electrical cord from a bedroom ceiling fan, the sheriff's office said.
No details were revealed on how the children were killed. Their cause of death will be released after an autopsy, the sheriff's office said.
Authorities did not give a possible motive for the killings.
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This is the idea.
Here's our Mimi on the beach in Australia after performing three shows there over the holidays. She's home now but this photo was released yesterday, just making sure you know that she's fit...if, ahem, you believe that this image is completely untouched.
Guess what?
Just one more week.
ONE MORE WEEK until Mimi's American Idol!
One more week until the release of Tommy Mottola's new memoir, Hitmaker, is released. Mimi called him abusive, said he was too controlling and possessive. He counters in the book that:
"If it seemed like I was controlling I apologize. Was I obsessive? Yes. But that was also part of the reason for her success."
Another part of her success, according to Mottola, was apparently not giving Mimi a lot of time off. I think he actually made her walk sometimes, unassisted.
"My feeling was that there'd be plenty of time for Mariah to celebrate just a little ways down the road. I'm not talking 10 years, just a few."
Sounds like my ma -- you have your whole life to go out after you study hard.
That, naturally, was the problem. She was a child. She IS a child.
And she will not appreciate that he's taking some credit for career. In Mimi's mind, she's the butterfly of destiny, always meant for this life, no matter who was managing her. Please, please someone ask her about Mottola's claims this week if she's on press for Idol, please, please, please.
After Mimi left Mottola, he married Thalia. Thalia met Mimi in 2005 at the 20th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. How is it that I have never seen these beautiful, amazing pictures before...?
Look at our Mimi graciously extending a hand to her successor, with a head tilt and all the condescension she's ever learned in her entire life. I could look at these all day.
"Or, whatever."
This is why I'm not leaving my house when Mimi Idol is on. NEVER.


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The days leading up to the 2013 NHL Draft generated a lot of hype for the extremely talented players slated to be taken at the top of the draft as well as for the possibility of some blockbuster trades given the NHL's salary cap dropping from $70M in 2013 to just over $64M in 2013-14. Well the first several selections lived up to the billing but as far as deals went, outside of the Cory Schneider to New Jersey trade for the 9th overall pick, there wasn't much that was done to impact the rosters of many clubs.
Center Nathan MacKinnon, as expected, went first overall to the Colorado Avalanche, but surprisingly the Florida Panthers chose forward Aleksander Barkov with the second pick and Tampa took winger Jonathan Drouin with the 3rd choice sending defensemen Seth Jones, who many had rated as the top player in the draft, to the Nashville Predators with the 4th pick. So former Capitals GM David Poile was the winner in this draft, in my opinion. Jones, who is big, can skate, and has offensive talents, gives the Preds another great right handed defensemen to go with the powerful Shea Weber down in Music City.
As for the the Caps, General Manager George McPhee stated that he tried hard to trade up into the top third of the first round but was unsuccessful. Thus Washington selected Austrian born/Swedish left winger Andre Burakovsky with the 23rd pick in the draft. The early line on the Swedish forward who reportedly has excellent offensive skills is mixed. TSN's Bob MacKenzie listed him 24th on his board while Craig Button had Burakovsky as far down as 58th on his final list. McPhee and Director of Amatuer Scouting, Ross Mahoney, have not had a first round bust since Anton Gustafsson in 2008. Over the period of 2008-12, they've picked up John Carlson, Marcus Johansson, Evgeni Kuznetsov, Filip Forsberg, and Tom Wilson in the first round. Certainly one would hope that Burakovsky fits in with that last group but one scout I talked to, who called the 2012 1st round picks "home runs" for Washington, had him more in the Gustafsson camp. Guess we'll find out over the next few years who is correct on that front? McPhee did state that he believes Burakovsky will take time to develop, so he is likely several years from the NHL, at this point.
In the second round, the Capitals took right handed shooting defensemen Madison Bowey from the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League with the 53rd pick and then traded their 3rd (84), 4th (114), and 5th (127) round selections to move up to the 61st spot to take forward Zach Sanford from Derry, New Hampshire. Sanford will play in the USHL this year and then is currently committed to Boston College in 2014-15. Bottom line, the NHL draft is a crap shoot since you are choosing 17 and 18 year olds and many selections take years to develop.
Going back to the trade front, it's pretty easy to figure out that Washington wants to upgrade the left side of its defense. Specifically, they need a left handed shooting d-man to play with John Carlson on the second d-pair. In addition, with center Mike Ribeiro slated to test the free agent waters, the Caps will likely need to add a number two center once again. There was hope that perhaps one or both of those voids could be filled with trades in New Jersey but despite the buildup, there were no big deals for top 6 forwards or top 4 defensemen at Sunday's draft. But there are still four more full days until free agency begins on Friday, July 5th.
The biggest news of the weekend was Tampa Bay using its' compliance buyout on 1998 1st overall pick Vinny Lecavalier. Naturally there is interest galore in the 2004 Stanley Cup winning center and he'd be a nice fit in Washington. But he'd be great for a lot of teams. McPhee noted that Adam Oates met with Lecavlier, facilitated by the fact that Oates was an assistant with the Bolts back in 2009-10, and that the Caps coach thinks highly of him. At the end of the day though, this is likely to come down to money and Washington just might not have enough salary cap room to land Lecavalier.
The next two weeks will do a lot towards shaping the Capitals roster for 2013-14. The GM has not decided if he will use a compliance buyout or not, routinely scratched Jeff Schultz is slated to count $2.75M against the Capitals salary cap, but he says he has ownership's support to use that mechanism, if necessary. McPhee still has to sign restricted free agents Karl Alzner and Marcus Johansson but the only questions there are pretty much the dollars. It will be interesting to see what the GM does to fill what look to be two holes heading into a season in which they move into an extremely competitive new division. Is Dmitry Orlov ready to be an NHL second pair defensemen? The Devils improved themselves by adding Schneider in goal while the Flyers have lost Ilya Bryzgalov and Danny Briere to costly compliance buyouts. In addition, Philly signed 35 year old defensemen Mark Streit to a long term deal for four years at $21M. So Paul Holmgren and company continue to do some crazy things and don't appear to be any better, at this point.
But there are a couple of more weeks where the big action still looks to take place via trades and free agency, so stay tuned!
Notes: The Caps will hold development camp at Kettler Iceplex from July 8-13…Team USA will holds its Olympic orientation camp at Kettler as well from August 25-29 in preparation for the 2014 Olympic Games that will be played in Sochi, Russia. Poile is USA's GM while the Penguins Dan Bylsma will coach the squad. This is a big deal for the area to host this type of event.
PROGRAMMING NOTE: I will be on the Morning Reaction with Drew Forrester talking NHL and Caps draft at 7:25 am Monday morning.


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After brainstorming the different changes, the students decorated a tree to correspond to the season and drew themselves in the right clothing doing an activity of that season. After making all 4 trees the students had to put them in order starting with their favorite season.
Anyway, I thought they turned out so cute and wanted to share with you all!
|What the cover looks like
|Here is a sample page
You can grab the PDF version here
and the Word version here.
I added a thermometer to the pages (wish i did that for my class) so the students can roughly show the temperature of that season. Fonts used: DJ Fat Chat, Abcprint, DJ Light.


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Block Life - 17.5 (Artist From KC) [Submitted Vid]
Universal/Bungalo's Block Life is putting KC on the map with its smah hit "17.5". Shout out to E-40, Rich the Factor, and Shawty Lo for the remix. Directed by the young gun McKinley!
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New Book, 99 Ways to Die, Drops in October!
Well, it's been four years, and so I figured I'd write another post. As you can guess, there's a new book along with a new trailer. 99 Ways to Die drops Oct. 9. I have a few events coming up, so check out my updated events tab! If you're in New York on Oct. 11, it would be great to see you at the night-market book launch! Publishers Weekly summed it all up in a starred review for 99 Ways to Die: At the start of Lin's stellar third Taipei Night Market novel (after...Read More
My West by Southwest Book Tour: The Film
Me and Barry Freaking Gifford! This what I did for the readings for Ghost Month. I flew out to the Bay Area and then took Greyhound buses to Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston and New Orleans–and I lived to tell the tale and show it, too. Check it...Read More
New Book Plus Book Tour
Word has been out about Ghost Month for a while, but here I am lagging the prepub reviewers. Well, shucks, this Taipei-based mystery is my best-reviewed book yet, garnering stars from both Publishers Weekly and Library Journal! Check out the trailer I made here: I can't describe the book any better than PW: "For a guy who scoffs at the ghosts revered by so many of his fellow Taiwanese, droll everyman Jing-nan, a night-market food stall manager, ironically finds himself spending...Read More
My Awesome Trip to Singapore!
Refreshing! In early November, I was fortunate enough to attend the Singapore Writers Festival. It was my first trip to the country and I had a fantastic time. I met some awesome writers from all over the world and the staff who put the festival together were on top of their game. Thank you Cheryl Tan for suggesting me as a panelist! Man, it was hot down there. I asked people how early Singapore settlers coped with the heat and humidity. They said that it wasn't as bad in the early days...Read More
My Awesome Bouchercon Trip to Albany
Like most trips I take, this one begins and ends with Amtrak. There seems to be an unwritten rule that Bouchercon, the fantastic annual mystery convention, has to be held in a city just getting back on its feet. This was my third Bouchercon, after Indianapolis and Cleveland, both of which have been hammered by the recession. Albany was no different. One of my favorite things to do, though, is take a day to walk through the city, ride a public bus down the main thoroughfare and eat at a local...Read More
Bootleg Audio of Ed Lin at Litcrawl NYC
I sorta slouch when I read because I lose myself in the words. (photos by Cathlin Goulding) Chances are you missed my reading at the Three of Cups in New York on Saturday, Sept. 14. But you can listen to it! I ran the voice memo app on my phone as I read and it sounds great! It's a short piece called, "Rich." Thank you Hyphen Magazine, Karissa Chen, LitCrawl, my fellow awesome readers and to you maniacs who made it out! Rich They call us the dirty bunch (well, the...Read More


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Off-duty police officer Mikaela Kellner was sunbathing with a group of friends in a park in Stockholm when a man stole the phone of one of her friends. After chasing him, she tackled him and pinned him to the ground.
A great collar to make dressed in only a bikini!
(Photo by Jenny Kitsune Adolffson)


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NJ town plans to use rainforest wood on boardwalk
Environmental groups say they'll launch a boycott drive against a Jersey shore town that refuses to back off its plan to use tropical rainforest wood to rebuild a boardwalk destroyed by Superstorm Sandy.
The groups calculate that 766 acres of old-growth tropical rainforest needed to be cut down to provide materials to rebuild just one small storm-damaged boardwalk at the Jersey shore, and they're promising a tourist season boycott if the town goes through with its plan.
Activists on Monday called on the small shore town of Avon to use something other than ipe (pronounced EE'-pay) to rebuild the boardwalk destroyed by the October storm but were rejected.
"There is a consensus to move ahead," said Commissioner Frank Gorman after hearing nearly two hours of objections from residents and out-of-town environmentalists.
Tim Keating, director of Rainforest Relief, urged the Borough Commission to reconsider its plan to use the old-growth forest wood.
"These are forest crimes," he said. "The logging of the forests, the vast majority of it is done illegally."
Because Avon expects to get 75 percent of the cost reimbursed by the federal government through Sandy relief funds, Keating said, "Every citizen of this country is paying for this boardwalk."
Georgina Shanley, an anti-ipe crusader from Ocean City, helped dissuade her town from using the wood for its boardwalk in 2007.
"Twenty years ago, we made ivory jewelry, until we found out it came from elephants that were slaughtered for their tusks," she said. "What you are doing is contributing to another round of storms through deforestation."
The commission awarded a nearly $1.5 million contract earlier this month to rebuild its boardwalk, which spans a little more than half a mile between Belmar to the south and Bradley Beach to the north.
That decision has already been irrevocably made, Avon Administrator Timothy Gallagher said Monday afternoon.
"The contract has already been awarded, the wood has been cut and shipped, and it's sitting in a warehouse in North Carolina already, waiting for us," he said.
Of the environmentalists' boycott threats, Gallagher replied, "It's America. Anyone can say anything they want."
Avon's boardwalk project is already a month or two behind some other Jersey shore towns due to a combination of legal woes, a political dispute and protests from environmentalists over its plans to use ipe.
Avon officials have said their contract requires certification that the wood was harvested in a responsible and sustainable manner.
But Keating said there are real questions about whether the wood was harvested responsibly. Even the most widely accepted certification, issued by the Forest Stewardship Council, has divided environmentalists.
Steven Fenichel, of Ocean City, said the harvesting of ipe is more destructive than is widely known.
"These are trees, generally one or two per acre, that are 500 to 1,000 years old," he said. "In order to get those two trees, the whole acre has to be clear-cut for the trucks to get these carcasses from the raped rainforest."
Richard Fuller, of the Green Party of Monmouth County, also asked the council to use something else.
"Your destruction of the rainforest has undisputed repercussions," he said.
Mayor Robert Mahon said he was told by the borough's engineering consultants that ipe "was the best product for our boardwalk that was available."
Environmental activists say domestic hardwoods that are plentiful and easily replaceable, or planks made from synthetic materials, are preferable for boardwalk projects.
Many coastal towns, including Avon, like the tropical hardwoods for their durability, their strength and their resistance to rotting in salty environments. But they've encountered the same pressure as Avon.
Ocean City placed an order for ipe in 2007 but canceled amid a buzz saw of criticism. It ultimately paid more than $1 million to settle a suit brought by the lumber company.
Wayne Parry can be reached at https://twitter.com/WayneParryAC


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T-Shirt Planet Mens Vibe dark marl
Fresh threads for 2016! Get the all new 2016 Planet Eclipse T-shirt collection. Those high quality made shirts are an must have for every Paintballer. These T-shirts are made of 100% cotton and guarantee an high level of comfort.
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Casual clothing


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OBETZ, Ohio – Columbus Crew manager Robert Warzycha likes to keep his starting lineup a secret from the media, but it wasn't too hard to figure it out for a few weeks when he went with the same XI for four straight matches earlier this season.
However, speaking after Thursday's practice, it's apparent even two days before the game at Toronto FC (Saturday, 5 pm ET, watch on MLS Live) that he is not sure who to put on the field because of injuries.
Center back Chad Marshall is out for sure after straining a hamstring last week vs. Colorado, but his replacement could depend on the health of Danny O'Rourke, the midfielder/defender who missed the last match with a sprained ankle.
"We'll see," Warzycha told MLSsoccer.com of O'Rourke's availability for Saturday.
READ: Crew's Tchani on Edson Buddle suspension: "I could have broken my leg"
He had the same reply when asked about Agustín Viana, the central midfielder for the first seven matches alongside O'Rourke, who was 20 minutes into his first start at left back on April 27 when he was replaced because of a hamstring injury of his own. Viana has not played the last two games.
If O'Rourke and Viana aren't cleared for Saturday, the muddied picture becomes a little clearer.
Matías Sánchez made his first MLS start in midfield for O'Rourke against the Rapids and gave a good account of himself, partnering with Tony Tchani. Warzycha likely would stick with that combo for a second straight week.
The possibilities for Marshall's spot include a healthy O'Rourke, right back Josh Williams or third-year player Eric Gehrig, who has not appeared in a game this season.
READ: Crew players take to Twitter to showcase talents
"Obviously not getting any first-team minutes, or even being on the bench, is not ideal, but that's the cards that have been dealt," Gehrig told MLSsoccer.com. "Last year I had good experiences with these kind of situations and not just last year, but the year before. They have helped me prepare for Saturday if called upon."
Gehrig has 20 career appearances with 12 starts, including eight last year.
"He's here every day in practice and doing well," Warzycha said. "He plays the reserve games in that same position.
"Gehrig is ready to play. If he does his job, he'll be fine. If Josh Williams goes over there and does his job, he'll be fine, too."
A Williams start at center back could mean an MLS debut for Homegrown rookie right back Chad Barson.
Craig Merz covers the Columbus Crew for MLSsoccer.com.


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Undertaker Comic #5: August '99
Publisher: Chaos
Date Published:August 1999
Chaos Comics official WWF comics featuring the Undertaker.
Written by Beau Smith. Illustrated by Manny Clark. Colored by Jason Jensen.
The Undertaker - The most mysterious being ever to leap from the top rope of the World Wrestling Federation has now entered the world of Chaos! Comics. In this new monthly full color series you will learn the secrets of the Undertaker that the WWF couldn't tell you. He has to come to claim his rightful place as the ruler of Hell's prison- Stygian. A place so bad the devil won't visit. REMEMBER...In Hell You Can Trust No One!
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We're very excited to announce that Machinarium, an award-winning, point-and-click adventure and puzzle game developed with Flash technology is now the #1 iPad app in all paid categories in the U.S. and 12 other countries after just one day! This popular app comes on the heels of other top rated, Flash-based apps on iTunes, Android Market and BlackBerry AppWorld like Politifact (#1 news app on iTunes, Top 100 app in all of iTunes), Dr Stanley's House (#1 most popular gaming app on iTunes China) and apps from ESPN, Coca-Cola, Facebook, California Academy of Sciences and others.
Previously available as an in-browser game on desktops via Flash Player, Machinarium was ported as a Flash-based app for the iPad 2 and is coming to Android Market and BlackBerry AppWorld soon – all with the power of Adobe AIR. Machinarium is gaining traction worldwide as the top app in iOS App Stores in several other countries as well, and is also the iPad Game of the Week. The game was designed by Amanita Design in the Czech Republic and one of our gaming evangelists, Tom Krcha, has posted an interview on his blog with Machinarium designer and director, Jakub Dvorský. Check it out, and you can download the game here!


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U.S. Navy Fitness is looking for a few good men and women. Okay, not just a few — more like 150 fitness professionals to staff its fitness facilities on ashore bases in the next three to five years and another dozen to work on ships.
It's no surprise. With roughly 10,000 sailors in the Middle East as part of the global war on terrorism and an already stressed Army and Marine Corps, fitness demands are high.
"As times change, we're still evolving both on the ashore and afloat side," says Kelly Powell, head of the Navy Morale, Welfare and Recreation's (MWR) Mission Essential Branch. "You're going to see us do different things [to keep our sailors fit]."
As more ships are being used in abroad conflicts, the Navy is recognizing the importance of having a dedicated fitness director on board. Although most large Naval ships are already staffed with a fitness director, or fit boss, smaller ships typically aren't. Fitness directors not only run group exercise classes on board, they also meet with sailors and Marines one-on-one to develop exercise plans that can be performed in small spaces — a necessity during deployment.
"We're actively recruiting waterfront fitness specialists," Powell says. "Their job is to help, and they're dedicated solely to the smaller ships."
Prior to the mid 1990s, the military invested little money on fitness equipment both afloat and ashore unless it was related to sports. That all changed when the aerobic dance movement began and overall fitness began to gain in popularity. By the early 1990s, Navy Sports had evolved into Navy Fitness, Powell recalls. In recent years, stricter physical readiness tests and the obesity epidemic have increased the importance placed on fitness.
Today, the Navy puts its money where its mouth is. Navy MWR spends an average of $2.5 million-$3.5 million a year on upgrades or replacement of fitness equipment in its ashore fitness facilities and will provide $5 million a year for fitness equipment for about 281 ships.
The Air Force has also seen its funding for fitness increase greatly in the past 10 to 15 years. The additional funding has translated to an increase in the quantity and quality of equipment at deployed locations, says Danielle Taylor, Air Force fitness and sports branch chief.
"Most fitness centers operate out of hardened buildings or pre-fabricated buildings versus the tents from 10 to 15 years ago," she says. "Furthermore, group exercise classes were rarely offered and fitness center staffs weren't trained to offer specialized classes or personal training [in the past]. Programming for fitness centers has increased greatly, and personnel are expected to remain in shape while deployed."
As the military pursues a fitter force, this trend in fitness spending is seen across all services, says one military and government sales representative for a manufacturer of cardiovascular and strength equipment. He couldn't provide hard numbers, but the representative has seen military sales increase a "tremendous amount" in the last few years, especially since the war began in Iraq, he says.
Creative Combat
Funding isn't the only thing increasing. Creativity in developing exercise plans and programs has also been on the rise.
The conflict abroad means military personnel don't always come back to bases — often they come back to base camps, which don't allow for full-blown fitness centers. This makes fitness professionals' jobs challenging but not impossible. Resistance bands and other exercises using body weight such as push-ups and lunges can help service members get in their physical conditioning, Powell says.
In the Air Force, all deployed locations offer a fitness center with cardio, selectorized and free-weight equipment available for self-directed fitness. Often, fitness staff at these locations organize 5K and 10K runs, lifting competitions, sports tournaments and other special events throughout an 120-180 day deployment, depending on the training of the fitness center staff and volunteers. Programming options usually include aerobics, circuit training, spinning classes, and occasionally karate, cardio kickboxing, specialized abdominal classes and more. Most locations also have at least one certified personal trainer to facilitate workout programs for airmen.
Even when a deployed location is a "bare base" with no or little equipment, self-contained fitness kits including treadmills, bikes and weights can be delivered and be ready for use within hours of arrival, says Alan Ray, chief of recreation support for the services at reserve command headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, GA.
Air Force fitness professionals also make sure airmen have the tools and knowledge to stay fit regardless of their location.
"Air Force Services personnel pass on their training and knowledge as a fitness professional to the customer through group training or one-on-one training, whether in deployed locations or at a home station," Ray says. "Additionally, we provide pocket-size training, instruction and workout log books to help the customer."
Out to Sea
Admittedly, working in military fitness takes a certain type of person. That's particularly true when serving on a deployed ship, Powell says. With limited space and an endless view of ocean, the job takes creativity, skill and a sense of adventure.
Jodie Byrkett had that sense of adventure. After interning in the Naval Hospital Oak Harbor in Oak Harbor, WA, Byrkett developed a taste for fitness. The satellite physical therapy department she worked in at the hospital was in the MWR fitness center, and she enjoyed working there so much that she changed her major, interned with MWR and, after earning her master's degree in exercise science, became a full-time fitness assistant.
After eight-and-half years as a hospital corpsman, she signed up for two deployments as an afloat fitness director — a three-month surge deployment to support Operation Enduring Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism, and a six-month deployment to support Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism.
Lack of space on any ship is a challenge, especially when you're out to sea with a full complement of Marines on board, Byrkett says of her time on the USS Kearsarge.
"However, it forces me to be creative and extremely flexible. I have to be a master at keeping our workouts as efficient, effective and as enjoyable as possible with the space available," she says.
Byrkett is the ship's fitness expert — answering questions, creating personalized workouts and leading group exercise classes. During her most recent deployment, she offered a 16-week Body Transformation Challenge, in which sailors and Marines lost weight and decreased their body fat through exercise and healthy eating. She awarded prizes to all that participated. The top two winners lost 33 pounds and 14 percent body fat and 29.5 pounds and 10 percent body fat, respectively.
There's no doubt though that being a command fitness leader on an out-to-sea aircraft carrier for half a year isn't for everyone. Although most ships are relatively safe from direct combat, being away from friends and family and living in a confined space for months can be tough.
The pay also deters some, Powell says. The average fitness specialist makes $30,191 a year, and the average fitness director earns $46,815 a year.
"When you work for the government, then you're tied into a pay scale, and you have to live within those means," Powell says. "There are not the outside opportunities you'd have in a commercial setting."
However, the job has its pluses — no sales quotas to fill and the reward of serving the country. Not to mention that with the title of fit boss comes complete freedom — Navy Fitness is open to anything as long as it's safe, legal and within industry standards, Powell says.
"We've spent a tremendous amount of money on equipment. Part of that is fitness equipment and part of that is recreation and sports," he says. "We want any deviation sailors can take to lower their stress levels."
Flying High
Although the Air Force isn't looking to add personnel to its MWR program, it is increasing its training through a tiered system of continuing education that includes on-the-job training and specialized courses.
"The Air Force considers its fitness mission essential for its personnel to be able to perform their job — at home or during deployment," Ray says. "It's not just quality of life. The training a fitness professional receives is as important as the fitness equipment or state-of-the-art facilities."
The Navy also recognizes the importance of a well-educated staff — especially in times of conflict.
"While there are a lot of physical demands on a ship, it's much more demanding when you take on a role on the ground in a very hot, stressful environment where the physical demands increase tremendously," Powell says. "Leadership is much more attuned to what we need."
And what the Navy needs are more qualified fitness professionals. Byrkett knows it's not a job for everyone — it's hard to be away from her daughter and son for months at a time — but it's worth it, she insists.
Running for More than Fitness
In a country at war against Taliban extremists who banned women's education, more than 900 runners and walkers in late August participated in a Women's Equality Day 5K fun run and walk at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.
Congress designated Women's Equality Day in the United States on Aug. 28, 1971. The date commemorates the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote.
The men and women deployed in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom see the run as more than just a fun run.
"There have been a lot of changes in Afghanistan since Taliban extremists are not in a position of authority," says Caryn Kirkpatrick, the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing's sexual assault response coordinator.
Women can now go to school in Afghanistan, says Kirkpatrick, who also helped the Army organize the event. During some site visits, she met with Afghan women who were learning basic math.
"It's really amazing," Kirkpatrick says. "It made me proud that the United States is over here to give other people freedoms that many take for granted."
Afghanistan held its first election in its history in 2004. Of the 10 millions votes, 40 percent were cast by women.
"To me, this is the reason we're here — to fight for the freedoms of Afghans, especially women who you see suffering still to this day," says Melanie Boswell, who manages forces for Combined Joint Task Force 76. "I participated because of the basic symbolism of it — equality for all women, in and outside the military. This is just one small part in trying to make a bigger difference."
All Aboard
If you know of someone who is interested in working for Navy Fitness, tell them to contact the local Naval base's MWR department (for a listing of bases visit www.navy.mil/navydata/bases/navbases.html) to see if positions are available.
For general information about working in a Navy fitness facility or installation, contact Marc Meeker, program manager of Navy Fitness, at [email protected].
To learn more about the Navy's afloat program, contact Sharki Stielper, civilian afloat program manager, at [email protected].
Fit Forever
Navy Fitness is also looking to de-stress its sailors' families and cultivate a healthy, fit generation of sailors for years to come. Its new family fitness program, which is in the pilot stages and includes physical activity options for families and a circuit, is doing well. Powell hopes to eventually have a full family fitness program operating at bases across the country. To run the program, more fitness professionals with an expertise in families are needed over the next three to five years, he says.
"I think it's certainly a possibility to fund the program — the case is there to make it happen," he says. "You can't afford not to. Youth obesity and inactivity are costing us a lot of money, and we have to stop it."
Youth are also the future of the military — and a future the Navy wants to keep healthy and in shape, especially as the Navy takes on a larger role in the global war on terrorism and helps relieve pressure put on the Army and Marine Corps, Powell says.


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Filters: First Letter Of Title is O and Author is Anand Subramanian [Clear All Filters]
"Optimal power and reserve capacity procurement policies with deferrable loads." 2012 IEEE 51st Annual Conference on Decision and Control (CDC). Maui, HI, USA: IEEE, 2012. 450 - 456..


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Few people are aware of the existence of a castle at Cresswell, which is now a tranquil backwater leading off the Cleddau Estuary, but where Cresswell Quay was once the centre of the Pembrokeshire coal trade.
The castle ruin lies buried in the woods a quarter of a mile north of the bend in the River Cresswell, where two coal quays and an acre-sized coal fold survive as reminders of its industrialised past.
Pevsner describes the former mansion of the Barlow family as "a miniature imitator of the romantic early 17th century sham castles such as Lulworth in Dorset (1608) or Ruperra, Glamorgan (1626)," although the word 'miniature' belies the fact that the ruins are quite extensive.
William Barlow of Slebech, High Sheriff in 1612, one of whose descendants married Sir William Hamilton and had strong associations with Lord Nelson, inherited the castle from his father John Barlow, who died in 1600, and he settled there in 1636. With the Allens of nearby Cresselly, he had extensive interests in the local coal trade. Sir William Hamilton, in fact, owned the castle in 1786, with Mrs Elizabeth Barlow as occupier.
The ruins reveal a large rectangular courtyard with four corner towers, giving the impression of a fortified house, but there are no signs of standing medieval remains. The antiquarian Major Francis Jones, in his book "Historical Pembrokeshire Homes and their Families," found the ruins "engulfed in undergrowth and difficult to examine,' when he visited it in the 1940s. One of the buildings has a massive inserted 18th century fireplace and it is recorded that the castle was abandoned around 1800, when Sir William was very much involved in the building of the new town and docks at Milford Haven.
Just down river from Cresswell Quay is a network of man-made channels cut into the southern bank of the Cresswell River where it is joined by the Carew River flowing down to the Daucleddau Estuary near Jenkins Point.
These are legacies of the great limestone quarrying activities that took place at West Williamston in the 19th and 20th centuries.
A look at a map gives a vivid picture of the extent of this trade, the corner of the confluence of the two rivers carved with the finger-shaped creeks and locks, which allowed large barges to berth alongside the quarry workings to load the limestone, bound for ports all round the Bristol Channel area, and particularly upriver to Haverfordwest. Right round the peninsula, from New Shipping Point in the south to New Park in the north, the fingers poke into the river bank like holes in a gorgonzola, and people messing about in boats on the river take great delight in exploring these deep inlets, some of them joined up to allow short passages through.
At the turn of the 19th century these extensive quarries, employing up to 150 men, provided the building material for the construction of Pembroke's Royal Dockyard a mere three miles down the estuary.


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Disloyal? Okwerdz Shows Myspace Message Of Arsonal's Cameraman Congradulating Okwerdz For The Win + Responds To T-Rex
Okwerdz reports "So after countless exchanges T-Rex has now decided he wants to battle me on Smack DVD in NY, this is me accepting....again."
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February 22, 1928 - March 3, 2013
Poughkeepsie, NY
Theresa Varga, age 85, of Poughkeepsie, died Sunday, March 3, 2013 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, NY. Theresa was born February 22, 1928 in Yugoslavia. She is the daughter of the late Anton and the late Theresa Wagner. She married Frank Varga on August 20, 1950 in Austria. Frank predeceased her August 21, 2011.
She was a homemaker who loved to cook, knit and can foods. Theresa's family meant the world to her.
She is survived by one daughter, Maria Varga of Slate Hill, NY; two sons: Josef Varga Sr. of Poughkeepsie, NY, Anton Varga of Poughkeepsie, NY; son and daughter-In-law, Karl and Jessica Varga of Puyallup, WA; brother and sister-In-law, Joseph and Eleanor Wagner; grandchildren: Josef Jr., Steven and Karl Jr.; great-grandsons: Andrew and Austin and several nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 9th, at Timothy P. Doyle Funeral Home Inc., 371 Hooker Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY. Burial will follow at the Sacred Heart Cemetery, Stamford NY.
Calling hours will be Friday, March 8th, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Timothy P. Doyle Funeral Home Inc., 371 Hooker Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY.
If you would like to leave an online condolence or to light a memorial candle, please visit www.doylefuneralhome.com


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William P. LaPiana
Associate Dean
Rita and Joseph Solomon Professor of Wills, Trusts, and Estates
Director, Estate Planning, Graduate Tax Program
William P. LaPiana believes that one of the best ways to analyze a society is to examine how its legal system deals with people's most personal concerns.
And what is more personal, he asks, than how people choose to pass on their assets?
"Trusts and estates is one of the most dynamic areas of law today," he says. "The law of trust investing has been completely reinvented by insights gained from economics; the idea of family has been transformed by the recognition of same-sex marriage and by medical technology allowing conception to be separated from intercourse, and perhaps most significantly of all, society's view of accumulated wealth seems to be more favorable that it was a generation ago." All this change challenges the teacher to help students understand the state of the law today and to appreciate the possibilities for change, which, he adds "is what a law teacher must always do: we have to prepare our students for a lifetime of learning." "Professor LaPiana holds both a Ph.D. in History and a J.D. from Harvard, where he also received his B.A. and an M.A. After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1978, Professor LaPiana, who is originally from suburban Buffalo, spent four years as an associate at Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York. It was, he explains, all part of a plan to someday obtain an academic position.
"I thought every law school would need professors who had actual practice experience and who could teach something as central to the legal system as wills and trusts," he recalls, "and I was right!" "What I didn't foresee," he adds, "were all the ways a professor of wills and trusts can work in cooperation with the practicing bar to make the law better. Over more than thirty year of teaching some of my happiest memories and proudest accomplishments involve working on law reform in a variety of contexts"After four years spent at the University of Pittsburgh Law School, Professor LaPiana joined the faculty at New York Law School in 1987. In 1993, he was named the Rita and Joseph Solomon Professor of the Law of Wills, Trusts and Estates.
His doctoral dissertation was published as Logic and Experience: The Origins of Modern American Legal Education (Oxford University Press, 1994). An analysis of the intellectual roots of the case method and of the reasons for its success, it is widely cited in discussions of legal education and, as Professor LaPiana notes, still sells enough copies to buy one average bottle of wine per year. In 2012 he published Inside Wills and Trusts: What Matters and Why, part of the "Inside" series of student study aids published by Wolters Kluwer. Prof. LaPiana's other major publication is Drafting New York Wills and Related Documents, 4th edition, published by LexisNexis of which he is co-author with Prof. Ira Mark Bloom.
Professor LaPiana also has been active with the trusts and estates sections of both the New York State and the American Bar Associations, and is an academic fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, serving on its Committees on State Laws and Legal Education. He is also a member of the American Law Institute and served on the Members Consultative Groups for the Restatements (Third) of Trusts and of Property (Donative Transfers). Since 2009 he has been a member of the Office of Court Administration Surrogates Court Committee and has served on the New York City Bar Associations Surrogates Court and Trusts and Estate Committee since 2011.
Prof. LaPiana was the reporter for the revised Uniform Disclaimer of Property Interests Act, which was promulgated by the Uniform Law Commission in 1999 and has been adopted in fifteen states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands. He was the American Bar Association advisor to the drafting committee for the Uniform Power of Attorney Act promulgated in 2006. Professor LaPiana has been a frequent speaker at continuing legal education events, including several conferences sponsored by the Real Property Trusts and Estates Law Section of the ABA and the Trusts and Estates Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, the Heckerling Institute, and the New York Estate Planning Institute. He has also been a regular participant since 1987 in the New York University Law School Legal History Colloquium.
Drafting New York Wills and Related Documents (4th Edition). (LexisNexis, 2010) (with I. Bloom) (Supplements 2010 – ).
Logic & Experience: The Origin of Modern American Legal Education. Oxford University Press, 1994.
Disclaimers in Estate Planning: A Guide to Their Effective Use. American Bar Association, 1990 (with R.A. Brand).
New York Wills and Trusts. 3rd ed.(Lexis Law Publishing, 1990) (with J.G. McQuaid & F.W. Streng) (Annual Supplements).
Post-Mortem Planning, Chapter 5 in New York University Seventy-Second Institute on Federal Taxation at 5-1 to 5-88 (LexisNexis, 2014).
The Beneficiary, Chapter 8 in Drafting New York Wills: Law and Forms 3rd ed. at 8-1 to 8-88 (H.D. Klipstein & I.M. Bloom, eds., Lexis Nexis Matthew Bender, 2003).
Fiduciaries, Chapter 16 in Drafting New York Wills: Law and Forms 3rd ed. at 16-1 to 16-56 (H.D. Klipstein & I.M. Bloom, eds., Lexis Nexis Matthew Bender, 2001).
Powers of Appointment, Chapter 13 in Drafting New York Wills: Law and Forms 3rd ed. at 13-1 to 13-51 (H.D. Klipstein & I.M. Bloom, eds., Lexis Nexis Matthew Bender, 2002).
Principal and Income, Chapter 14 in Drafting New York Wills: Law and Forms 3rd ed. at 14-1 to 14-47 (H.D. Klipstein & I.M. Bloom, eds., Lexis Nexis Matthew Bender, 2002).
Rights of Surviving Spouse, Chapter 10 in Drafting New York Wills: Law and Forms 3rd ed. at 10-1 to 10-146 (H.D. Klipstein & I.M. Bloom, eds., Lexis Nexis Matthew Bender, 2003).
State Responses to the Repeal of the State Death Tax Credit, Chapter 7 in 37th Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning at 7-1 to 7-52, (T. Portuando, ed., Lexis Nexis Matthew Bender, 2003).
"Difficult Non-Tax Estate Planning Issues." Chapter in Estate Planning in Depth (American Law Institute – American Bar Association Continuing Legal Education), at 137–156. Philadelphia, PA: American Law Institute, 2000 (with J. Pennell).
"Recent Non-Tax Developments." Chapter in Estate Planning in Depth (American Law Institute – American Bar Association Continuing Legal Education), at 117–136. Philadelphia, PA: American Law Institute, 2000.
"Estate Taxation." Chapter 5 in Taxation for the General Practitioner, at 189–217, edited by R.V. D'Alessandro. New York State Bar Association, 1999.
"Victorian from Beacon Hill: Oliver Wendell Holmes's Early Legal Scholarship." Chapter 76 in The History of Legal Education in the United States: Commentaries and Primary Sources, at 1052–1068, edited by S. Sheppard. Salem Press, 1999. Originally appeared in 90 Columbia Law Review 809–833 (1990).
"Fiduciary Income Taxation and Planning for the Complex Estate." Chapter 2 in Valuation, Taxation and Other Planning Techniques for Large Estates, at 103–179. Practising Law Institute, 1997.
"Powers of Appointment." Chapter 20 in The Handbook of Estate Planning, at 349–370 (D.L. Crumbley, ed.). Dow-Jones Irwin, 1988.
The Geography of Marriage, 39 Estates, Gifts, Trusts Journal 3-10 (January, 2014).
"Merit and Diversity: The Origins of the Law School Admissions Test (Childress Lecture Symposium)." 48 St. Louis University Law Journal 955–990 (2004).
"Some Property Law Issues in the Law of Disclaimers." 38 Real Property, Probate and Trust Journal 207–239 (2003).
"Uniform Disclaimer of Property Interests." 14 Probate & Property 57–61 (January/February 2000).
"Modern Coverture: Old Wine in Old Bottles (Symposium:Women, Equity and Federal Tax Policy: Open Questions)." 16 New York Law School Journal of Human Rights 181–184 (1999).
"Thoughts and Lives." Book Reviews of Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes: Law and the Inner Self, by G. Edward White; and Learned Hand: The Man and The Judge, by Gerald Gunther. 39 New York Law School Law Review 607–635 (1994).
Book Review of The Documentary History of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1789–1800; Volume IV: Organizing the Federal Judiciary: Legislation and Commentaries, edited by M. Marcus. 37 New York Law School Law Review 467–473 (1992).
"Jurisprudence of History and Truth." 23 Rutgers Law Journal 519–559 (1992).
"Just the Facts: The Field Code and the Case Method." 36 New York Law School Law Review 287–336 (1991).
"The Legal Culture of the Formative Period in Sherman Act Jurisprudence (Conference: Observing the Sherman Act Centennial: The Past and Future of Antitrust as Public Interest Law)." 35 New York Law School Law Review 827–855 (1990).
"Victorian from Beacon Hill: Oliver Wendell Holmes's Early Legal Scholarship." 90 Columbia Law Review 809–833 (1990). Reprinted as Chapter 76 in The History of Legal Education in the United States: Commentaries and Primary Sources, at 1052–1068 (S. Sheppard, ed., Salem Press, 1999).
"Dusty Books and Living History: Why All Those Old State Reports Really Matter." 81 Law Library Journal 33–39 (1989).
"'A Task of No Common Magnitude': The Founding of the American Law Institute." 11 Nova Law Review 1085–1126 (1987).
"Swift v. Tyson and the Brooding Omnipresence in the Sky: An Investigation of the Idea of Law in Antebellum America." 20 Suffolk University Law Review 771–832 (1986).
Contributing Author, Keeping Current: Probate, PROBATE & PROPERTY (Section of the Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section of the American Bar Association, 1994 – ) (with G. Beyer, D. Cornfeld, K. Griffin & C. Hargrove).
Contributing Author, Recent New York State Decisions, TRUSTS AND ESTATES LAW SECTION NEWSLETTER (New York State Bar Association, 2005 – ) (with I. Bloom)
Carryover Basis-Have We Learned from History?, 19 Probate & Property 38-41 (with M. Beckerman) (2005).
Book Review of William E. Nelson's In Pursuit of Right and Justice: Edward Weinfeld as Lawyer and Judge, 231 New York Law Journal 2 (October 26, 2004).
Book Review of Harold Hyman's Craftsmanship and Character: A History of the Vinson and Elkins Law Firm of Houston, 1917–1997, 20 Law and History Review 215–216 (2002).
"The Diversity of Merit." Book Review of Beyond All Reason: The Radical Assault on Truth in American Law, by Daniel A. Farber and Suzanna Sherry. H-Law, H-Net Reviews (August 1998). Availiable from http://www.h-net.msu.edu/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=25935902341120.
"Langdell Laughs (Forum: That Impecunious Introvert from New Hampshire: Re-Imagining Langdell)." 17 Law and History Review 141–144 (1999).
"The Private and the Public Faces of Realism." Book Review of Roscoe Pound and Karl Llewellyn: Searching for an American Jurisprudence, by N.E.H. Hull. H-Law, H-Net Reviews (May 1999). Availiable from http://www.h-net.msu.edu/reviews/showrev.cgi?path=27042927145926.
Book Review of A Nation Under Lawyers: How the Crisis in the Legal Profession is Transforming American Society, by Mary Ann Glendon. 15 Law and History Review 419–420 (1997).
Book Review of Patterns of American Jurisprudence, by Neil Duxbury. 41 American Journal of Legal History 127–128 (1997).
"The Income Taxation of New York Resident Trusts." 68 New York State Bar Journal 30–35 (March/April 1996) (with E.C. Schwab).
"Honor Langdell (Commentary)." 20 Law & Social Inquiry 761–764 (1995).
Book Review of Our Lady The Common Law: An Anglo-American Legal Community, 1870–1930, by Richard A. Cosgrove. 35 American Journal of Legal History 225–227 (1991).
"Final Disclaimer Regulations Offer Flexibility in the Use of General Powers of Appointment for the Marital Deduction." 65 Taxes 133–142 (1987) (with R.A. Brand).
"Logic and Experience: American Legal Thought and Legal Education, 1800–1920." [Ph.D. Dissertation] (Harvard Law School, 1987).
Book Review of Malice and Falsehood: Six Issues of the 'New York Weekly Journal' 1733–34, by Mr. Zenger. 69 Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine 263 (1986).
Software Review of Aardvark/McGraw-Hill's "Estate Tax Planner." 6 Journal of Law & Commerce 411–417 (1986).
"Using Disclaimers Adds More Flexibility to 'Escape Clauses' for Taxable Insurance." 13 Estate Planning 278–281 (1986) (with R.A. Brand).


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Tulle Bloom Gown
SALE | The Tulle Bloom Gown in Graphite / Pink. This beautiful gown is embroidered in textile artwork, inspired from Victorian parasols. Developed from kisses tulle with contrasting gathered tulle ruffles, creating a romantic texture. Decorated with shimmering sequins adorned all-over adding a glistening effect. Designed with a multi-layered skirt lined with tulle netting, creating a flattering ballerina inspired silhouette. Make an entrance in the Tulle Bloom Gown.
- Tulle frill with contrasting soft pink tulle frills, floral embroidery and sequin embellishments
- 100% Nylon
- Adjustable shoulder straps
- Bodice partially lined. Skirt fully lined
- Multi-layered tulle skirt lined with tulle netting
- Concealed zip at centre back
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- Delicate dry clean only
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- Cool iron on reverse
- Due to the delicate nature of the embellishment on this garment please handle with care
- Form fitted bodice, fitted waist with a multi-layered full skirt
- Floor length ( size UK 10 / US 6 / EU 38 - 154cm / 60 inches side neck to hem) * Length varies 1cm between sizes
- Model is 175cm / 5ft 9in and is a UK 8 / US 4 / EU 36
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Felicia Day Writing, Starring in Dragon Age Web Series [Updated]
[Original Story] Felicia Day is now officially a part of the marketing blitz for Dragon Age 2. USA Today reports that Day has written and stars in an upcoming six-episode web series entitled, Dragon Age: Redemption.
Day will play Tallis, an elven assassin who "fights dirty" and has a sarcastic wit. She sets out to capture a renegade magician, and forms alliances with other Ferelden residents along the way. The series is set to premiere later this year, but an exact date wasn't set. Our bet is riding on sometime in March, to cross-promote Dragon Age 2.
Day is accustomed to web series, having made her mark with The Guild and Dr. Horrible. BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk said her "passion and appreciation for the content and a really good history of quality" made her right for the job. Peter Winther (Independence Day associate producer) directs the shorts, and John Bartley (Lost) serves as the cinematographer.


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Haven't found anything yet?
Filigree romantic - The non-woven wallpaper 6932-01 has a very beautiful plain pattern that brings quiet and serenity in your rooms. Due to the colouring in white the detailed designed pattern gets completed in a pleasant way. With this wallpaper you generate an atmosphere of relaxation. Except an good ligthfastness the wallpaper is characetrized by a good wash resistance. Furthermore it is completely dry strippable.


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O26 Weekly Awards: Princeton, Augustine Rubit, Joe Scott & NDSU…Posted by Tommy Lemoine on December 17th, 2013
It was final exams for many schools across the country this past week, meaning a relatively light college hoops schedule leading up to Saturday. But once the weekend kicked into gear, there proved to be plenty of intriguing match-ups, weird semi-neutral court games played in NBA arenas, standout performances and altogether surprising results to pass out weekly awards to deserving O26 performers. Heck, even the thinly-populated weekday slate offered up a noteworthy upset and a fine example of early-season coaching.
O26 Team of the Week
Princeton. It is official: the Ivy League has two legitimate contenders in 2013-14. For all the recognition Harvard has received nationally — which is certainly well deserved, considering the team's loaded roster and excellent start to the season — there has been another Ivy squad lurking under the radar, playing great basketball and looking like a bona fide threat to challenge the Crimson this year. That team is Princeton, and last week was its 'hello, world' moment. It started Wednesday night in Piscataway when the Tigers took on Route 1 rival Rutgers, a team starving for a victory in the wake of three straight losses. After trading leads for much of the contest, Princeton took firm control of things at around the 10-minute mark by doing what it has done so often this season — calmly finding seams in the opposition, penetrating and kicking out for open threes on the perimeter. In all, the Tigers hit 16 of their 34 attempts from behind the arc, and T.J. Bray — the senior point guard who was suspended for the previous game — scored 15 of his 23 points in the final nine minutes to put the game away for Mitch Henderson's seasoned group. The 78-73 victory was a nice one, moving Princeton to 7-1 and furthering its case as the best team in New Jersey. Yet, it was Saturday's win at Penn State that turned the heads of many college basketball fans.