text:
The Dinka Blista Compact is a two-door hatchback available in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, Grand Theft Auto IV and GTA Chinatown Wars. In GTA Chinatown Wars Blista Compact is simply named the Blista. In GTA V, Blista Compact wrecks appear. In the HD Universe, the Blista Compact is manufactured by Dinka.
The Blista Compact is a separate vehicle to the Blista in GTA III, GTA LCS, and GTA V.
The Blista Compact is a common car in the games it appears in, and is generally considered to be a satisfactory car, particularly useful for quick getaways and general evasive purposes. Its above-average speed, acceleration and handling make it a useful car in almost any situation. It is also the only vehicle in the games with front wheel drive.
3D Universe
Unlike many other vehicles, the Blista Compact's design has remained almost exactly the same in all its appearances, apart from different engine sounds and minor cosmetic differences.
Like its design influence, the first generation Honda CR-X, the Blista Compact sports a hatchback design and a very small curb weight; in fact, the Blista Compact is easily the smallest and lightest passenger car in GTA Vice City. The car has a two-tone paint job in GTA Vice City, with an always-black bottom half, but in later games was remodeled to feature a variety of colors in all-over and two-tone styles.
HD Universe
In GTA IV the Blista Compact becomes the second lightest car, (the Uranus being the lightest in GTA IV). The Blista Compact may spawn with any combination of optional extras, including a spoiler (body colored or matte black), sunroof, side skirts, twin exhaust tips, or a body colored windshield banner.
3D Universe
Since its introduction in GTA Vice City, the Blista Compact has usually been an impressive small sports car, capable of outrunning more rare and more expensive performance cars. In GTA Vice City Stories, however, the Blista Compact is slightly slower, and suffers from moderate oversteer. Blista Compacts all use front wheel drive, except in GTA Vice City Stories. This could be due to the fact that it is based on a 1984 model in GTA Vice City Stories, rather than a 1986 model. In GTA San Andreas, it is possible that the Blista Compact is turbocharged, as evidenced by its engine sound characteristics.
HD UniverseIt is powered by a high revving, twin cam 1.4L four-cylinder engine in an FF drivetrain layout, giving it a top speed of 150 mph (241 km/h). This makes the Blista Compact the seventh-fastest car in GTA IV. The smooth 5-speed transmission and light weight (weighing as much as an Air Tug at 1400 kg, but being beaten out by the Uranus) means it accelerates from 0–100 km/h in 7.4 seconds, tying it with the Cognoscenti. The stiff suspension gives it taut handling, and paired with the fast acceleration and top speed. Braking is relatively good, partly due to its light weight, but ABS is unavailable due to its age. Its turning radius is 35 degrees. Due to its small wheels, stiff suspension, and light body construction, the ride is that of which you'd expect in a sports car. It is very firm but still somewhat settled, but is somewhat unstable as it can roll over from obstructions easily. The body is relatively resistant to collisions, and for its size and age the engine is durable, however it still cannot sustain much gunfire or collisions before the engine dies out or catches fire. All in all, the Blista Compact is one of the best two door vehicles in the game due to its performance and accessibility. It is also very easy to park due to its high maneuverability, and can spin around with one rear wheel in place, while in reverse, and is able to execute the Spin and Go maneuver.
In GTA IV, the Blista Compact is worth $1,500 at Stevie's garage, where Niko can bring the vehicle after completing all of his missions.
Modifications (GTA San Andreas)
The Blista Compact can only be modified in a TransFender garage.
|Car Color 1 (64 different colors)
|$ 150
|Car Color 2 (64 different colors)
|$ 150
|$ 220
|Oval Hood Vent
|$ 150
|Large Exhaust
|$ 250
|Twin Exhaust
|$ 300
|2x Nitrous
|$ 200
|5x Nitrous
|$ 500
|10x Nitrous
|$ 1000
|Roof Scoop
|$ 80
|$ 550
|$ 200
|$ 350
|$ 250
|Side skirts
|Side Skirt
|$ 500
|$ 820
|$ 770
|$ 1000
|$ 620
|$ 1140
|Off Road Wheel
|$ 1000
|$ 1030
|$ 1230
|$ 1200
|$ 1560
|Car Stereo
|Bass Boost
|$ 100
|$ 1500
Notable owners
- Jimmy used to own a silver Blista Compact in GTA IV until it was stolen by Niko for Vlad in the mission Clean Getaway.
- Jeff gives Niko the keys to a Blista Compact (with his dead wife's body laying in the rear seat) in his second random encounter. Jeff tells Niko to dump it in the Humboldt River.
- A Blista Compact can be found in Rockstar North's Manhunt.
- In GTA IV, half-built Blista Compacts appear as wrecked and undrivable props in a few garages, such as Brucie's Garage, Stevie's Garage, and inside an Auto workshop just north of the Sprunk warehouse in Bohan. They can also be found in junkyards and other abandoned places around Liberty City.
- There is a glitch present with the Blista Compact, where you cannot shoot through the back hatch glass to kill the driver or passenger.
- The Blista Compact is one of four cars in GTA IV to be referred to by name, as a "silver Blista" during Clean Getaway. The other 3 being the "shitty beige Willard" from It's Your Call, Gracie Ancelotti's pink Feltzer and the Romero used in Undertaker.
- A car similar to the Blista Compact is shown in the trailer for Grand Theft Auto V.
- In GTA IV, on the back of the Blista Compact, there is a badging that says "Invariable Valve Timing".
- Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is the only game from the GTA IV Era that indicates the hatchback as "Blista", instead of "Blista Compact".
- The GTA VC rendition has the same engine sound as the Taxi. The GTA VCS rendition has the same engine sound as the Sentinel.
GTA Vice City
- Can be found at the parking lot in Hyman Memorial Stadium
GTA San Andreas
- Next to one of the radar towers at Easter Bay International Airport in San Fierro (only when wanted for export)
- Usually seen in San Fierro and Las Venturas regions. Very frequently found in all of Los Santos.
GTA Vice City Stories
- Parked by Sunshine Autos in Little Havana.
- Found at the parking lot by the Hyman Memorial Stadium.
- Parked at the car park, next to the Chunder Wheel, Vice Point.
GTA IV + Episodes from Liberty City
- A white Blista Compact is always found in front of the Comrades Bar at the beginning of the mission Ivan The Not So Terrible. This is most likely Jimmy's car from the previous mission for Vlad. It can be moved to the player's parking space just across the street, and the mission can be completed with another car.
- Spawn all around Broker, but mostly Hove Beach, East Hook and BOABO.
- Spawn commonly when driving a Comet
- Spawn around Chinatown, Algonquin.
- Spawn around Bohan Industrial and Chase Point, Bohan
- Spawn around Acter, Acter Industrial Park and Tudor, Alderney.
- Spawn around Westdyke.
- Spawn in traffic in Multiplayer.
- Spawns when driving another 2-door.
- Spawns at night while driving a beater Sabre or a Marbelle.
GTA Chinatown Wars
- In the Rusty Schit Salvage yard in Northwood.
- Spawns quite commonly in traffic.
- Parked near the South Slopes Safehouse.


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Sam's Drunk Dog wrote:Jagr hat trick
1. Score goal
2. Pull groin
3. Lose $1M at blackjack
Sam's Drunk Dog wrote:Jagr hat trick
1. Score goal
2. Pull groin
3. Lose $1M at blackjack
Tomas wrote:Today, from the "celebrities" section:
This time, it lasted 6 years (his "personal best"):
http://www.blesk.cz/clanek/celebrity-ce ... etech.html
"Career path":
http://www.ahaonline.cz/clanek/sport/79 ... jkova.html
Lesky wrote:Tomas wrote:Today, from the "celebrities" section:
This time, it lasted 6 years (his "personal best"):
http://www.blesk.cz/clanek/celebrity-ce ... etech.html
"Career path":
http://www.ahaonline.cz/clanek/sport/79 ... jkova.html
So Jagr breaks up with his girlfriend and there is Q & A?
Would the same happen in Pittsburgh if Crosby broke up with his girlfriend?
HELLO! I quite laughed. Sportsbook Fortuna announced 8000:1 course that will be my next partner Iveta Bartošová.To it's worth it! I'll try to arrange something with her, or with her current boyfriend magistrate, if they do not want it to jít.Pokud we agreed, I would give you time to know each bet a hundred crowns would have brought nearly MILLION! Most of the money we give to charity, but even so, I think that we were still the richest hockey family! Perhaps not pluck Fortuna, it will have to pay ) And if this fails, we still have in reserve Halina Pawlowská with odds of 1000:1. And it's still good! I will keep you informed as the situation develops
Ahoj.Jak promised, here is the latest information: from 16.15 to 19.15 is still trying to call Iveta-one takes it or obsazeno.Mezitím Fortuna collided rate from 150:1 to 8000:1 (kur's not ... good). My next plan: send a driver to Iveta home, perhaps caught her and arranges everything ). Hope it Iveta taking it easy, it's just to show Fortuna, it should not irritate cobra bare feet ) ).'s more: Iveta'm rooting for you.
Here we have further information in this plot, which we will call "dirty trick 2" (instead of Robert Redford starring Jaromir Jagr). A little while ago he returned from the driver Iveta and does not look good at all It's to be expected, probably not the deal But even disregarding the towel. My next plan: just pick the two new courses with potential female partners that have gone up in the meantime. And send your manager
with a huge sum of money to one of the branches Fortuny to bet these courses. Meanwhile I will not name who I chose ... My aim will be to contact them overnight and preferably straight and talked! I hope that these negotiations nepotáhnou as long as the one in the NHL, I had so much time Tomorrow I will inform you how everything dopadlo.Držte me luck, this is also your "smiley"!
Lesky wrote:Tomas: Any Jagr comments on the lockout ending?
Lesky wrote:Jagr see both sides of NHL lockout as owner of Kladno:
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nhl--owner ... ckout.html
There is a merchandise shop, and there are signs with Jagr pointing the way, but when a fan tried to enter during the first intermission Sunday, the door was locked. It was closed – closed during a sold-out game.
"You don't make money," Jagr says.
Lesky wrote:And Jagr plays for Kladno tonight. Maybe time for some drama with the Stars? What happens if hes injured?
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subset: commoncrawl


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"There's nothing more painful than losing the f—— game against Bruce Chen once again," Guillen spat. "F—— pathetic. [We had] no f—— energy. We just go through the motions. We take the day off today instead of tomorrow."
"If we go to Cleveland [beginning on Friday] and play the way we did in Kansas City, it's going to be a f—— long-ass, God—— July. Nothing against Bruce Chen, I have a lot of respect for this kid. But our approach at the plate, that's not a good club out there. F— it. I'm tired of protecting people … I take my s— back, what I said in Detroit. I take it back. This thing about 'one day at a time.' One day we're good, three days we're bad. We don't have energy in the dugout. [We had a] horses— approach at the plate for the 90th time."
"F—. If we go to Cleveland the way we go [in Kansas City], good luck. We're wasting our money on this club if we go to Cleveland the way we were here," Guillen said. "That's the team we've had all year long—that's the club. [People think] I talk s— because I 'have' to talk s—. No, I don't. I talk s— because of what I see. All I see is very bad. Nothing against Chen, nothing against the Kansas City pitching staff—they're good. They've got a young ballclub.
"But the way we go about our business here [was] horses—. [The team] can say whatever they want to say. If we go to Cleveland that way, and [then] we've got to play New York, Boston and Detroit? Good luck."
"Oh, and John Danks pitched well."
If only the White Sox had Ozzie as their coach…
Other White Sox links: James says the White Sox are fixing the problems they don't have because those are easier and links to many Sox-centric stories. The Brandon Allen video is depressing. colin looks at Gordon Beckham, Dan at FutureSox looks at Dayan Viciedo's progress, and Ramon Castro will be out for 2-3 months, so Tyler Flowers will probably be with the Sox the rest of the year.


text:
Documentation/OOoAuthors User Manual/Impress Guide/Adding and Formatting Text
Template:NeedsWork This page was created by converting ODT to Mediawiki using Writer2MediaWiki.
This is Chapter 3 of OpenOffice.org 2.x Impress Guide (first edition), produced by the OOoAuthors group. A PDF of this chapter is available from the OOoAuthors Guides page at OpenOffice.org.
<< User Manuals page
<< Impress Guide Table of Contents
<< Chapter 2 Using Slide Masters, Styles, and Templates | Chapter 4 Adding and Formatting Pictures >>
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Working with text boxes
- 3 Inserting text
- 4 Formatting text
- 5 Creating bulleted and numbered lists
- 5.1 Creating lists in AutoLayout text boxes
- 5.2 Creating lists in other text boxes
- 5.3 Creating a new outline level
- 5.4 Changing the appearance of the list
- 5.5 Changing the order or the outline level of bulleted or numbered lines
- 6 Using fields
- 7 Using hyperlinks
This chapter describes the different ways to add text to slides and format the text.
Text in slides is contained in text boxes.
There are two ways to add text boxes to a slide:
- Choose a predefined layout from the Layouts section of the Tasks pane, as described in Chapter 1. These text boxes are called AutoLayout text boxes.
- Create a text box using the text tool.
This chapter describes how to create, modify, use, and delete text boxes; discusses the various types of text that can be inserted; and explains how to format the text, how to insert a numbered or bulleted list. and finally how and when to use fields.
Working with text boxes
Using text boxes created from the Layout pane
In Normal view:
- Click in the text box that reads Click to add text, Click to add an outline, or a similar notation.
- Type or paste your text in the text box.
These text boxes are known as AutoLayout text boxes. See also Creating bulleted and numbered lists.
Using text boxes created from the text box tool
In Normal View:
- Click on the Text icon inline:graphics1.png on the Drawing toolbar. If the toolbar with the text icon is not visible, choose View > Toolbars > Drawing.
- Click and drag to draw a box for the text on the slide. Do not worry about the vertical size and position—the text box will expand if needed as you type. To reposition the text box to a different part of the slide, see Moving a text box; to change the horizontal size, see Resizing a text box.
- Release the mouse button when finished. The cursor appears in the text box, which is now in edit mode (gray hashed border with green resizing handles).
- Type or paste your text in the text box.
- Click outside the text box to deselect it.
Selected text box showing the green resizing handles and text toolbar.
Note: In addition to the normal text boxes where text is horizontally aligned, it is possible to insert text boxes where the text is aligned vertically. This choice is available only when Asian languages are enabled in Tools > Options > Language Settings > Languages. Click on the inline:graphics29.png button in the drawing toolbar to create a vertical text box. Note that when editing the contents, the text is displayed horizontally.
Moving a text box
In Normal view, notice how the pointer changes from an arrow to an I-beam as you move it over the text in a text box.
- Click when the pointer becomes an I-beam. The text box is now in edit mode, with a gray border and green resizing handles.
- Move the I-beam (or pointer) over the gray border. Notice how it changes shape, becoming a four-headed arrow (or a similar shape depending on the operating system and user's settings).
- When the four-headed arrow appears, click and drag to move the text box. An empty dashed-line box shows where your text box will be placed.
- Release the mouse button when the text box is in the desired position.
Resizing a text box
In Normal view, when the green resizing handles are displayed, move the I-beam (or pointer) over any handle. Notice how the pointer changes shape, indicating in what direction the text box will be resized. The corner handles change the two dimensions of the text area simultaneously while the four handles in the middle of the sides modify only one of the dimensions.
When the two-headed arrow is displayed, click and drag to resize the text box.
Tip: To maintain the proportions of a text box while resizing, press and hold the Shift key, then click and drag. Make sure to release the mouse button before releasing the Shift key.
OOo also provides a different type of text box which resizes horizontally to automatically fit the text as it is inserted. To insert an auto-resizing text box, click on the inline:graphics30.png Icon in the text toolbar (see Figure 1) and then click on the place in the slide where you want the first letter of the text to appear. If the text toolbar is not visible, choose View > Toolbars > Text.
For more accurate control over the shape, size and position of the text box, instead of using the mouse, use the Position and Size dialog. Select the text box, then press F4 or select Format > Position and Size from the menu bar. The use of this dialog is explained in Chapter 2.
Deleting a text box
- Click the text once to display the gray border and green resizing handles of the text box.
- Position the pointer anywhere on the gray border so that it becomes either a four-headed or two-headed arrow.
- Click once. The gray border disappears, leaving only the green resizing handles.
- Press Delete.
Tip: Sometimes it is faster to to delete a text box by dragging a selection rectangle around the text box and then hitting the Delete key. Take care to avoid selecting and accidentally deleting other text boxes or shapes.
Inserting text
Pasting text
Text may be inserted into the text box by copying it from another document and pasting it into Impress. However, the pasted text will probably not match the formatting of the surrounding text or that of the other slides in the presentation. This may be what you want on some occasions, however in most cases you want to make sure that the presentation does not become a patchwork of different paragraph styles, font types, bullet points and so on. There are several ways to ensure consistency; these methods are explained below.
Pasting unformatted text
It is normally good practice to paste text without formatting and apply the formatting later. To paste without formatting, either press Control+Shift+V and then select Unformatted text from the dialog that appears, or click on the small black triangle next to the paste symbol in the standard toolbar inline:graphics37.png and select Unformatted text. The unformatted text will be formatted with the outline style at the cursor position in an AutoLayout text box or with the default graphic style in a normal text box.
Formatting pasted text
If pasting the text into an AutoLayout area, then to give the pasted text the same look and feel of the rest of the presentation apply the appropriate outline style to the text. To do so:
- Paste the text in the desired position. Do not worry if it does not look right: it will in a minute.
- Select the text you have just pasted (see Selecting text for details on how to do that).
- Select Format > Default formatting from the menu bar.
- Use the four arrow buttons in the Text Formatting toolbar inline:graphics7.png to move the text to the appropriate position and give it the appropriate outline level. The button with the arrow pointing left promotes the list entry by one level (for example from Outline 3 to Outline 2), the right arrow button demotes the list entry by one level, the up and down arrow buttons move the list entry.
- Apply manual formatting as required to sections of the text (to change font attributes, tabs, and so on).
If you are pasting text in a text box, you can still use styles to quickly format the text. Note that one and only one graphic style can be applied to the copied text. To do that:
- Paste the text in the desired position.
- Select the text you have just pasted (see Selecting text for details).
- Select the desired graphic style.
- Apply manual formatting as required to sections of the text.
Tip: Presentation styles are very different from Writer styles and are applied in quite a different way. Refer to Using styles to format text for details.
Inserting special characters
To insert special characters, such as copyright, math, geometric, or monetary symbols, or characters from another language:
- Click in the place in the text where you want to insert the character.
- Choose Insert > Special Character. The Special Characters dialog appears. Alternatively if the inline:graphics34.png icon is visible, you can click this to bring up the Special Characters dialog.
- Choose the font and character subset from the Font and Subset drop-down menus.
- Click the character you want to insert. You may have to scroll to find the one you want.
- Click OK.
Tip: To show toolbar buttons that are not visible, click on the small down-arrow on the right end of the tool bar, move the cursor over Visible Buttons and then click on the icon you wish to make visible.
Selecting more than one character will insert all those characters. Characters to be inserted are displayed below the character section in the order they were selected. They will also be inserted in this order. If you accidentally click the wrong character, clicking another character will only add it to the ones being inserted. Click Delete (all the characters selected will be deleted), then click the correct characters.
Inserting non-breaking spaces and hyphens
Where it is not desirable for words separated by a space or by a hyphen to span over two lines, or where an optional hyphen is desired, you can insert a special formatting mark.
To access the Formatting marks options, select from the menu bar Insert > Formatting marks. Impress supports three formatting marks:
- Non-breaking space: A non-breaking space between two words prevents these two words being separated over two lines. Press Control+Space bar on the keyboard to insert a non-breaking space.
- Non-breaking hyphen: A non-breaking hyphen keeps the two words separated by the hyphen on the same line.
- Optional hyphen: An invisible hyphen that is activated (thus breaking the word) only when the word is too long to fit on one line.
Caution: In OOo Writer a non-breaking hyphen can be inserted by pressing Control+Minus sign. This shortcut does not work in Impress.
Formatting text
Formatting text can give a presentation a consistent look and a dynamic feel. The appropriate use of formatting can even enhance the audience's understanding of your message by holding their interest.
Whenever you enter text, either in an AutoLayout text box or in a normal text box, it already comes with an underlying style. Generally this style is the outline level of the point where the text was entered for AutoLayout text boxes or the Default Graphic style for text boxes. Sometimes, as seen also in the "Pasting text" section on page 3, it is very useful to re-apply the baseline style to a selection of text, thus eliminating any manual formatting applied to it (particularly if you made a mistake and you do not know how to undo it). On these occasions, select the manually formatted text, and then select Format > Default formatting from the menu bar.
Using styles to format text
This chapter describes ways to apply manual formatting, but you are encouraged to use styles to really get the best out of Impress. The good news is that all the information given here can be immediately reused for applying styles. Chapter 2 describes how to use styles efficiently and the difference between the presentation and graphic styles available in Impress.
Modifying a style
In Impress there are two categories of styles: presentation styles and graphics styles. When inserting text in an AutoLayout area, the presentation styles become available, while when inserting text in a text box or a graphic object it is possible to apply the graphic styles.
It is possible to create new graphics styles, but not the presentation styles which are fixed and can only be modified.
To modify a style, follow these steps:
- Open the Styles and Formatting window by pressing F11 or selecting Format > Styles and Formatting from the menu bar.
- Select the style category by clicking on either the Presentation Styles icon or the Graphic Styles icon at the top of the Style and Formatting window (see ).
- Right-click on the style to be modified and select Modify from the pop-up menu.
If you have selected a presentation style, this dialog is shown:
The dialog for making modifications to a graphics style is shown below.
The Graphics Style modification dialog.
The Presentation Style dialog shares five pages with the Graphics Style dialog; these are the ones that determine the formatting of the text.
There is no difference between the parameters that characterize a style and the attributes given manually to portions of text: in fact the same dialogs are used in both cases. Therefore once you master the formatting of text, you will know how to create and modify a style. In particular:
- For the Font page of a style refer to Formatting characters.
- For the Font Effects page of a style refer to Formatting characters.
- For the Indents and Spacing page of a style refer to Formatting paragraphs.
- For the Alignment page of a style refer to Formatting paragraphs.
- For the Tabs page of a style refer to Formatting paragraphs.
The other tabs of the Presentation Style dialog are all related to bullets and numbering and are described in Creating bulleted and numbered lists.
For additional details on the other tabs in the Graphics Style dialog, please refer to Chapter 6 (Formatting Graphic Objects).
Note: When Asian typography is activated (Tools > Options > Language Settings > Languages), the dialogs above contain an additional page to set some high-level options for Asian typography, the Fonts page contains additional information and the Alignment page is slightly different.
Selecting text
Text must be selected before it can be formatted manually.
- To format all the text in a text box, click once on the text, then click once on the border of the text box. Only the green resizing handles are displayed. Now any formatting changes will apply to all the text in the text box.
- To format only part of the text, click once on the text, then select the text to be formatted by clicking and dragging (highlighting) over it. You can also use keyboard combinations to select text: move the cursor where you want to begin your selection, press Shift and then use the arrow buttons to extend your selection. Formatting changes will apply only to the selected text.
Tip: Pressing the Control key along with the Shift key while creating a selection is useful to speed up the process. This combination highlights the text word by word instead of character by character. To speed up the selection even further, you can combine the Shift key with the Home key or the End key to extend the selection up to the start or end of the line in which the cursor is positioned, respectively.
Formatting characters
To view the character formatting options, select Format > Character or click the Character button inline:graphics3.png on the Text Formatting toolbar. (If a toolbar with the text icon is not visible, choose View > Toolbars > Text Formatting.) The Character dialog appears.
Font page
Use the Font page to select the desired font type, its base attributes (Italic, Bold, etc.) as well as the size. A sample of the font is displayed in the lower part of the dialog. You can also specify the language of this style.
The Font page, to set the basic font attributes.
Tip: When writing a presentation in multiple languages, you can make the best of the language setting by creating two styles that only differ in the language but are otherwise the same. This allows you to check the spelling of all of the contents without affecting the appearance.
This page is available when creating or modifying a presentation style or a graphics style.
If Asian Typography has been enabled, the Font page looks like this:
The Font page when Asian typography is enabled.
The page is divided into three parts. The top and bottom parts have the same functionality as described above, while in the middle part you can specify the Asian text font and its attributes.
Font Effects page
Use the Font Effects page to apply special effects to the text, such as underlining, color, shadow and so on. As for the Font page, a sample of the text is displayed in the lower part of the dialog allowing a quick visual check of the effects applied.
This page is available when creating or modifying a presentation style or a graphics style.
Advanced options for the character can be set in the Font Effects page.
Position page
The Position page has advanced options to customize text. This page is not available when creating or modifying a presentation style or a graphics style.
Use this page to set the text position relative to the baseline when you need to insert subscripts or superscripts.
To create a superscript or a subscript do the following:
- Select Superscript or subscript as applicable.
- Specify the amount by which the text should be raised (superscripts) or lowered (subscripts).
- Specify the dimension of the character relative to the baseline character size (in percentage).
The amount by which the text is raised or lowered can be set to automatic by selecting the Automatic checkbox.
Dialog to set the character position attributes.
Two more position attributes can be set on this page:
- The (width) scaling of the text, which specifies the percentage of the font width by which to compress or expand the individual characters of the selected text.
- The spacing between the characters of the font, which can be defined in number of points. Selecting the Pair kerning checkbox causes OOo to automatically adjust the spacing between certain pairs of characters to visually improve the appearance. For example, when writing a V followed by an A (VA) the spacing between the two letters is reduced (strong kerning) as can be easily seen when compared with, say, VS which is not a kerning pair.
Formatting paragraphs
To view the paragraph formatting options, select Format > Paragraph or click the Paragraph button inline:graphics6.png on the Text Formatting toolbar. If a toolbar with the text icon is not visible, choose View > Toolbars > Text Formatting. The Paragraph dialog is shown.
This dialog contains three pages that are described in detail below. If Asian Typography has been activated, a page called Asian Typography is also displayed.
The paragraph formatting dialog.
Indents and Spacing page
The Indents and Spacing page has four sections:
- Indent: modifies the indentation of the text (before and after) as well as the indentation of the first line.
- Spacing: defines the space before and after each paragraph formatted with the style.
- Line spacing: determines the spacing between two lines formatted with the style. Note that selecting Proportional spacing requires specifying the percentage of a line to be used as spacing; 100% corresponds to a single line, 200% to a double line, 50% to half a line. If Leading is selected, specify the amount of line spacing in your default unit of measurement.
- Preview area: provides a visual representation of the settings before you apply them.
Tip: Setting the line spacing to less than 100% is a good method to cram a lot of text into a text box, however care must be taken as too small a value will make the text hard to read.
Tip: You can change the default unit of measurement, for example from inches to centimetres, from Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org Impress > General.
Indent and spacing settings for the selected paragraph or style.
The Indents and Spacing page is also available when creating or modifying a graphics style, or modifying a presentation style.
Alignment page
Use the Alignment page to determine the text alignment: Left, Right, Center, or Justified. A preview shows the effects of the changes. The same choices can be accessed from the Text Formatting toolbar. inline:graphics24.png
This page is also available when creating or modifying a graphics style, or modifying a presentation style.
Tabs page
Use the Tabs page, shown in the style modification dialog in Figure 11, to set tab stops. To delete one existing tab stop, select it in the list and click the Delete button. To delete all the tab stops, click the Delete All button. To create a new tab stop:
- Set the size of the tab stop in the edit box on the left.
- Select the type. If you set the type to Decimal. specify in the box below the character to be considered the decimal point.
- Select a fill character which will be drawn from the tab insertion point up to the tab stop. You can choose any character to act as fill character.
- Click the New button to apply the new tab stop.
This page is also available in the Format > Paragraph dialog, as seen in Figure 9.
Dialog to set tab stops in a paragraph or style.
Asian Typography page
Use the Asian Typography page to set the following properties relative to line changes:
- Apply list of forbidden characters to the beginning and end of lines
- Allow hanging punctuation
- Apply spacing between Asian, Latin and Complex text
Their use is self-explanatory.
Asian Typography page options.
Creating bulleted and numbered lists
The procedure to create a bulleted or numbered list is quite different depending on the type of text box used, although the tools to manage the list and customize the appearance are the same.
In text boxes created automatically by Impress (called AutoLayout), the outline styles available are by default bulleted lists, while for normal text boxes an additional step is required to create a bulleted list.
Creating lists in AutoLayout text boxes
Every text box included in the available layouts is already formatted as a bulleted list, therefore to create a bulleted list the only necessary steps are:
- From the Layout pane, choose a slide design that contains a text box. Those are easily recognizable from the thumbnail.
- Click in the text box that reads Click to add an outline.
- Type the text, then press Enter to start a new bulleted line.
- The default list type is a bulleted list. The mechanisms to change the list from bulleted to numbered and vice versa are explained in Changing the appearance of the list.
Tip: Press Shift + Enter to start a new line without creating a new bullet or number. The new line will have the same indentation of the previous line. Press instead the button bullets on/off on the text formatting toolbar for a line without bullet. If the text formatting toolbar is not showing, enable it selecting View > Toolbar > Formatting in the menu bar.
Creating lists in other text boxes
To create a list in a text box, follow these steps:
- Place the cursor in the text box.
- Click the Bullets On/Off button inline:graphics15.png on the text formatting toolbar. If the text formatting toolbar is not showing, enable it by selecting View > Toolbar > Formatting from the menu bar.
- Type the text and press Enter to start a new bulleted line.
- The default list type is a bulleted list. The mechanisms to change the appearance of the list are explained on page 16.
Creating a new outline level
- If necessary, press Enter to begin a new line.
- Press Tab. Each time you press Tab the line indents to the next outline level. Pressing Enter creates a new line at the same level as the previous one. To return to the previous level, press Shift+Tab.
In the AutoLayout text boxes, promoting or demoting an item in the list corresponds to applying a different outline style, so the second outline level corresponds to Outline 2 style, the third to Outline 3 style and so on.
Caution: Unlike styles in Writer, do not try to change the outline level by selecting the text and then clicking the desired outline style. Due to the way the presentation styles work, it is not possible to apply them in this way.
Changing the appearance of the list
You can fully customize the appearance of a list, changing the bullet type or numbering for the entire list or for single entry. All the changes can be made using the Bullets and Numbering dialog, which is accessed by selecting Format > Bullets and Numbering or by clicking on the Bullets and Numbering icon inline:graphics12.png on the text formatting toolbar.
Selecting the entries
For the entire list:
- Select the entire list or click on the gray border of the text box so that just the green resizing handles are displayed.
- Select Format > Bullets and Numbering or click on the Bullets and Numbering icon. inline:graphics9.png
- The Bullets and Numbering dialog contains five tabs: Bullets, Numbering type, Graphics, Position, and Customize.
- If a bulleted list is needed, select the desired bullet style from the six default styles available on the Bullets page.
- If a graphics style is needed, select one from those available on the Graphics page.
- If a numbered list is needed, select one of the 6 default numbering styles on the Numbering type page.
Later in this section is an explanation on how to add further bullets and numbering styles to the existing ones.
The Bullets and Numbering dialog.
For a single line in the list:
- Click anywhere in the line to place the cursor in it.
- Follow steps 2-4 of the previous instruction set.
If the list was created in an AutoLayout text box, then an alternative way to change the entire list is to modify the Outline styles. Changes made to the outline style will apply to all the slides using them. Sometimes this is what you want; sometimes it is not, so some care must be taken. Follow the procedure to change the Presentation style described in Modifying a style. The tabs related to list management in Figure 3 are the same ones described below.
Bullets, Numbering type and Graphics pages
These three tabs contain predefined formatting for either the bullet type (Bullets and Graphics tabs) or for the numbering. To apply a specific one, it is sufficient to click on the image. A thick border will indicate the selection.
Position page
Use the Position page to fine tune the indentation and spacing of the bullet point and its text. This page is particularly effective when used in combination with the Customize page.
The Position page used to set list indentation.
To set up an outline level, first select it from the list on the left hand side of the page. Then set the Indent, which is the spacing between the bullet or number and the text. If you select the checkbox Relative next to the indent, the indent value will be measured relative to the previous level and not from the margin.
The numbering alignment is only useful when creating a numbered list; use it to specify the alignment of the numbers. For example, you may want to align them to the right to line up one- and two-digit numbers in a pleasing way.
Tip: To fully appreciate how the Numbering alignment works, try to create a numbered list with more than 10 elements and make sure that enough room has been made for a two (or more) digit number.
The Position page is not available if you are modifying a presentation style or graphics style, however the same effects can be obtained by using the Indents and Spacing page of the dialog for creating or modifying a slide (see Figure 10).
Customize page
Use the Customize page to alter the style of all the outline levels. The options available on this page depend on the type of marker selected for the list. Select first the level you want to modify on the left hand side of the box. To modify all 9 levels at once, select 1 - 9 as the level. Because the levels are arranged in a hierarchical structure, changing for example the font attribute of one of the levels ripples through all the lower levels.
The Customize page for the list outline.
Depending on the numbering style selected in the Numbering box (bullet, graphic, numbering), some of the following options become available on the page:
- Before: Enter any text to appear before the number (for example, Step).
- After: Enter any text to appear after the number (for example, a punctuation mark).
- Color: Pick the color for the list marker (number or bullet character).
- Relative size: Specify the size of the number relative to the size of the characters in the paragraph of the list.
- Start at: Enter the first value of the list (for example, you might want the list to start at 4 instead of 1).
- Character button: Click this button to select the character for the bullet.
- Graphics selection button: Opens a list of available graphics (Gallery) or allows the selection of a file on the hard disk to be used as marker.
- Width and Height: Specify the dimensions of the graphic marker.
- Keep ratio checkbox: If selected, the ratio between the width and the height of the graphic marker is fixed.
The right hand side of the screen shows a preview of the modifications made.
To revert to the default values, click the Reset button in the bottom right corner.
Using the Customize page, you can create complex structured layouts, for example a nested list with numbering followed by bullets, as shown below.
Nested list with mixture of numbers and bullets.
Changing the order or the outline level of bulleted or numbered lines
Click once in a line of text to place the cursor in it, then click on the Outline tab (to the right of the Normal tab) in the Workspace and use the Promote/Demote buttons in the Text Formatting toolbar to move the text to the appropriate position and give it the appropriate outline level.
inline:graphics32.png The button with the arrow pointing left promotes the list entry by one level (for example from Outline 3 to Outline 2), the right arrow button demotes the list entry by one level, the up and down arrow buttons move the list entry. Numbering adjusts automatically.
Tip: You can also use the Tab key and Shift + Tab keys to promote and demote the outline level of a line in a list.
Using fields
Fields allow the insertion of text automatically in the slide. Rather than text, think of a field as a kind of formula which is calculated when the document is loaded or printed, where the result of the formula is written to the document.
Inserting a field
To insert a field in a slide, move the cursor where the field will be and then select from the menu bar Insert > Fields followed by one of these choices:
- Date (fixed): inserts the date at time of inserting the field.
- Date (variable): upon loading the file, the field is updated and contains the date at the time of opening the file.
- Time (fixed): a field displaying the time of insertion.
- Time (Variable): a field which is updated at time of opening the file.
- Author: The author of the presentation. This information is derived from the value recorded in the general options. To modify this information go to Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org section then select User Data.
- Page number: inserts the page number of the slide.
- File name: a field with the name of the file.
By default, the fields are displayed with a gray background. To remove the shading, go to View in the menu bar and deselect Field Shading; alternatively, press Control+F8.
Customizing fields
The appearance of all the fields, excluding the page number field, can be customized from the corresponding field editor. To access the field editor (Figure 17):
- Move the cursor to the field and select it.
- Select Edit > Fields from the menu bar.
- Select the desired format in the dialog that appears.
- Click OK when satisfied.
Dialog to set up the Time format for a time field.
Tip: A similar list of format choices can be accessed by selecting the field and right-clicking.
Modifications to the page number fields can be done in two different ways:
- Select the field and apply the formatting manually.
- Switch to the slide master editing mode (View > Master > Slide Master), then modify the Background object style as desired. Once back in Normal view, insert the page numbers from the Insert > Page Number box. See Chapter 2 for more information about editing a slide master.
Tips on use of fields
When you want to have the same field appearing on all the slides of the presentation (for example the page number), it is faster and more convenient to add the field to the slide master, as explained in Chapter 2.
Some fields, such as the file name or the author, are often more suitable to be inserted in a single slide such as the first or the last.
Using hyperlinks
When inserting text (such as a website addresses or URL) that can be used as a hyperlink, Impress formats it automatically, creating the hyperlink and applying to the text a color and underlining. If you do not want OOo to do that, select Edit > Undo Insert from the menu bar or press Control+Z immediately after the formatting has been applied.
Tips: To prevent OOo from automatically turning website addresses (URLs) into hyperlinks, go to Tools > AutoCorrect > Options and deselect the URL Recognition checkbox. To change the color of hyperlinks, go to Tools > Options > OpenOffice.org > Appearance, scroll to Unvisited links and/or Visited links, select the checkboxes, pick the new colors and click OK. Caution: this will change the color for all hyperlinks in all components of OpenOffice.org—this may not be what you want.
You can also insert hyperlinks manually.
To insert a hyperlink, or to customize the appearance of a hyperlink, select Insert > Hyperlinks from the menu bar. The dialog shown below opens.
On the left hand side, select one of the four types of hyperlinks:
- Internet: a web address, normally starting with http://
- Mail & News: for example an email address.
- Document: the hyperlink points to another document or to another place in the presentation.
- New document: the hyperlink creates a new document.
The top right part of the dialog changes according to the choice made for the hyperlink type. A full description of all the choices, and their interactions, is beyond the scope of this chapter. Here is a summary of the most common choices used in presentations.
For an Internet type hyperlink, choose the type of hyperlink (choose between Web, FTP or Telnet), and enter the required web address (URL).
For a Mail and News type hyperlink, specify whether it is a mail or news link, the receiver address and for email, also the subject.
For a Document type hyperlink, specify the document path (the Open File button opens a file browser); leave this blank if you want to link to a target in the same presentation. Optionally specify the target in the document (for example a specific slide). Click on the Target icon to open the Navigator where you can select the target, or if you know the name of the target, you can type it into the box.
For a New Document type hyperlink, specify whether to edit the newly created document immediately or just create it (Edit later) and the type of document to create (text, spreadsheet, etc.). For a presentation, Edit now is the more likely choice. The Select path button opens a directory picker.
The Further settings section in the bottom right part of the dialog is common to all the hyperlink types, although some choices are more relevant to some types of links.
- Set the value of Frame to determine how the hyperlink will open. This applies to documents that open in a Web browser.
- Form specifies if the link is to be presented as text or as a button. See "Working with hyperlink buttons" for more information.
- Text specifies the text that will be visible to the user.
- Name is applicable to HTML documents. It specifies text that will be added as a NAME attribute in the HTML code behind the hyperlink.
- Event button: this button will be activated to allow OOo to react to events for which the user has written some code (macro). This function is not covered in this book.
Editing text hyperlinks
To edit a text hyperlink, select it (by dragging across the text, not clicking on it), then choose Edit > Hyperlink from the main menu bar. Make changes as needed and click Apply when done. If you need to edit several hyperlinks, you can leave the Hyperlink dialog open until you have edited all of them. Be sure to click Apply after each one. When you are finished, click Close.
A hyperlink button is inserted in the center of the current slide. In most cases, that is not where you want it to appear. To edit the text or size of a hyperlink button, or to move it to another place on the slide, first display the Form Controls toolbar (View > Toolbars > Form Controls). Select the Design Mode On/Off icon (upper right corner of the toolbar).
Form Controls
Form Controls.
Now you can click on the button and drag it to another position, or right-click to open a dialog where you can change the text on the button, the size of the button, and other properties.
When you have finished editing the button, click the Design Mode On/Off icon again to make the button active again.
|Content on this page is licensed under the Creative Common Attribution 3.0 license (CC-BY).


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Whether you're crafting, blogging, drawing, or drafting, we've got the DIY desk for you. Check out ten of our faves below and let us know which worktop has you worked up!
1. The legs of an old treadle sewing machine make for a pretty great base on this DIY desk! See more on Emmas Designblogg.
2. A beat up street find got a second life as the drawer unit for this mod desk! Check out how it was done over on Manhattan Nest.
3. What the what? Is that a bookshelf I see? Yes! Turns out you can transform just about any bookshelf into a fold-out desk!
4. The worktop on this desk is made from a hollow-core door! Pretty brilliant, yes? See how it's done on Martha Stewart.
5. This adjustable DIY drafting desk can be made in a snap from just about any worktop!
6. Seventeen-year-old Joel Vardy created this loft bed/office combo from scratch. How did he do it? See his tutorial over on LifeHacker.
7. If you've got some hairpin legs and a slab of wood, this simple DIY desk from For Me, For You could be yours in an afternoon!
8. Woo-wee! Check out the pipes on that baby! Turns out plumbing materials have all kinds of uses. See more over on ApartmentTherapy.
9. This DIY floating desk is the perfect solution for small spaces or making use of long hallways! Check out how on Design*Sponge.
10. And finally, our very own Chris Gardner created this mid-century inspired looker from common hardware store finds! Check it out in our Make It! Hardware Store Decor book.
Have you spied any other creative DIY desks or worktops recently? Share you faves in the comments!


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Pure DWTS – Derek Hough Speaks Out On New Movie Role & DWTS Season 13
I will let these excerpts from People do the talkin'!!
"I'm taking season 12 off," three-time champ Derek Hough tells PEOPLE. The Dancing pro, 25, will be busy playing the lead role in the upcoming dance movie Cobu 3D, which is slated to film in New York and Toronto this spring.
Hough will play a New Orleans street dancer who moves to New York and falls for an Asian drummer (played by Korean pop recording star BoA). The Romeo and Juliet-style love story (their dance groups are rivals) will be accented by "some incredible dance numbers," says Hough. "People will see a much edgier side of me and these other styles of dance I'm capable of doing."
Hough has already started training for the film by working out in the gym and brushing up on his tap dancing skills. He says he's put on "about 10 lbs. of muscle" for the film, "which is a lot for me."
A "more edgier" and "musclier" Derek? Sounds good to me. 😀
And Dancing fans can expect Hough to come back to the ballroom better than ever for season 13.
"I will be making it back to Dancing with the Stars in the fall. I'm just taking a little break and taking this chance to grow and expand a little bit as an artist," Hough says. "It's like I told one of the producers on the show – I'll come back with a whole new set of skills."
That is such a relief to know he will be back for Season 13 and with a 'whole new set of skills'. I love how Derek is never afraid to learn more.
For all things Derek even more in depth and this new movie project, be sure to check Pure Derek Hough daily. To pacify us a little for now until this project is released and to see who Derek is working with, here is BoA dancing….
Heidi's Note: For anyone interested, Cobu is a NYC dance troupe who does a fusion of Taiko Drumming and Funk Tap Dance


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Welcome to my blog! I'm a Sr. Software Development Engineer in the Seattle area, who has been performing C++/C#/Java development for over 20 years, but have definitely learned that there is always more to learn!
All thoughts and opinions expressed in my blog and my comments are my own and do not represent the thoughts of my employer.
Print | posted on Thursday, September 17, 2015 9:26 AM |
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Copyright © James Michael Hare


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Lost in Translation [1]
Write about a time when you traveled to a place where you didn't speak the language—either literally or figuratively. It could have been a foreign country or simply a different city, state, or group of people among which you felt like an outsider. As an ethnographer might write about a different culture, focus on how the people around you spoke and behaved, how you felt as you listened and observed, and the ways in which you were able—or ultimately unable—to assimilate and communicate.


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Payment must then be arranged by directly contacting Admissions at
Professional Development Course:
"Getting ready for July 1, 2010"Instructor: Dee RogersSFU Harbour Center (View Map)515 W. Hastings St., Vancouver, BC(Room number to be posted at main entrance)
Description:Course Prerequisite: Module One
module series is designed for those who have worked in the civil
litigation practice area for at least 5 years. Each module is half a
day long. The modules ought to be taken sequentially.
When possible, each module will help the participants develop their own precedents.
registering to take the entire series, the participant will be able to
book their sessions in advance. The registration is not transferable.
Those who successfully complete all six modules will earn a Certificate of Completion.
If you can not make this session, check in again for future dates or contact Dom Bautista at email@example.com.
View Module One course outline and prerequisites.
Cost:Series Rate:$1260.00 CAD
Single Seat Rate:$220.50 CAD
(View cancellation policy)
For more information contact:In Vancouver: 604.685.2727Toll-free within BC: 1.866.685.2727


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Reporter's dark days with transplant give way to hope
- Bowles was diagnosed with two post-transplant illnesses
- Cyclic vomiting syndrome is characterized by recurring nausea%2C vomiting
In January 2000, USA TODAY's Scott Bowles had a kidney and pancreas transplant to treat his juvenile diabetes. He kept a journal of the experience, which ran as a series in the newspaper and in his book, The Needle and the Damage Done.
Bowles, 47, a film writer based in Los Angeles, chronicles life after diabetes and the surgery, a radical treatment that poses complications that can be as bleak as the disease's. He was in the throes of two of them when the devotion of friends and a bout with pneumonia suddenly changed his medical outlook.
Sept. 22, 2012
Maybe I don't get out of the shower this time.
It's been a half-hour now, and the hot water that normally settles the nausea that's visited me since my transplant does nothing. I'm on my third shower of the night, and every time I turn off the water, try to get back in bed, the queasiness returns.
I put myself at the edge of the tub, prop my head against the corner. If I pass out, I don't want to drown here. If I die, I want it to be from surgical complications, not stupidity.
But the complications, I'm beginning to realize, are bigger than I thought.
Sept. 24
My mom and aunt Leslie are visiting for an early Thanksgiving. I'm excited for their visit, though a little down because I know why they're visiting Los Angeles from across the country.
I won't make it to the East Coast.
More than a decade after undergoing a pancreas and kidney transplant to treat my diabetes of 20 years, I'm still adjusting to life off the insulin needle. My diabetes may be a thing of the past, but doctors have diagnosed me with two post-transplant illnesses: cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) and atrial fibrillation. CVS is a powerful wave of nausea that hits without warning, with no discernible prompt, and can last hours.
The nausea depletes me of electrolytes and minerals, which sends my body into the more dangerous complication: atrial fibrillation, a condition in which the heart pumps twice as fast as normal but circulates only 60% of the blood, raising the risk of a blood clot and stroke.
The nausea has gotten so acute that I haven't left the state in months. My last vacation day was two years ago. Where am I going to go? A trip to the grocery store has become problematic. I regularly turn around in the middle of the drive there, the thought of food enough to make me sick.
I've got no fear about their visit. Just guilt.
Sept. 28
Mom and Leslie are having a great time in L.A. They've hit the studio tours, caught tapings of Dr. Phil and Ellen, even auditioned for The Price Is Right. I've tried to keep their schedules full; I don't want them to feel like they need to stay home and watch me.
I have asked for one favor: Cook a Southern dinner for me and life-long friend Michael Ingram, who I consider a brother.
Mom and Leslie don't hesitate. Ever since Michael offered to donate a kidney, Mom considers him an adopted son.
And Michael considers her a doting foster mom. His own mother died of kidney failure when Michael was in his 20s. He lost touch with his father and brother, who disappeared and died after battles with drugs and alcohol. Michael rents a car to drive the 2½ hours from San Diego to L.A to see Mom.
He arrives and the house feels warm, familiar. The way it did when we all lived in Atlanta. Laughter and the smell of barbecue chicken and grits take us back. My golden retriever, Teddy, gets too excited and leaps on Michael, who loses his balance and falls back on the couch. Mom and I notice him sway, ask if he's OK.
Michael brushes it off. He's been wobbly since surgery months ago took care of a brain tumor caught in its early stages. He's in full remission but speaks and walks slower than he used to. But by dinner, we are joking again, recalling our teenage years, when Michael and I worked the box office at a mall theater.
I walk Michael to his car, thank him for making the drive. He hugs me, starts the car, shakes his head, waves off the thank-you. "She's family," he says.
So is he.
Oct. 1
I'm awakened by a dog howl. When I get to the living room, Teddy is curled on the floor, trembling, foaming at the mouth, urinating himself. I know this shake, because I had another dog with it. Epilepsy.
I take him to the vet, who confirms the condition. Teddy will have to be on phenobarbital the rest of his life.
I don't know if the vet expects me to be shattered, but I take it in stride. Teddy, now 6, has been with me since my divorce six years ago. When I'm sick, he shares the bed, sits outside the tub. Maybe this is sympathy illness. We'll take our meds together: his with a slice of American cheese, mine with a swig of Diet Coke.
Oct. 3
I'm writing at home when a good friend of mine and Michael's, Jocelyn Tabata, calls. Michael's tumor is back and ravenous. He has, perhaps, weeks.
I'm speechless. Michael was the healthiest in our circle of friends, the one who never touched a cigarette and for whom a beer was binge drinking.
Jocelyn says that she and another close friend, Mikki Daughtry, will drive to San Diego to visit him regularly. He was losing the ability to speak, but they will be in the room with him, simply so he can hear their voices, their conversations, their laughter. We should all have angels who sing us to sleep that way.
I begin stammering. How will I get there? What can I do? Jocelyn knows my condition, has taken me to the hospital too many times to count. She tells me not to worry, that they will connect us by phone when they're there.
I thank her profusely and muffle my self-loathing. This isn't what I signed up for.
Nov. 11
Jocelyn and Mikki call from Michael's room. He can't speak, but he can smile, nod, muster a friendly murmur.
They put me on speakerphone, and I try to make small talk with Michael. I tell him about the latest movie we'll catch, the silly story I'm writing. I hear his voice stir in the background.
"I love you, brother," I tell him, trying not to betray the fear in me. "This is not goodnight. Or goodbye."
But I feel like I'm likely lying on both fronts.
Nov. 14
Michael is gone. He passed in his sleep, Jocelyn tells me.
We have to make arrangements. He wants his body donated to science, which is pure Michael. When he offered a kidney but learned doctors found a closer genetic match in a stranger who died in Fargo, N.D., Michael apologized. "I feel like I let you down," he told me.
I now know the feeling. I know I got to say goodbye, got to tell Michael he was the brother I never had.
But a phone call and an embrace are worlds apart.
Jan. 12
I awaken unable to breathe again. I drag myself back into the shower, convinced this transplant wasn't worth it.
I call my friend, Michelle Brown, uncertain what to do. It's not even 7 a.m., but she hops in her car and takes me to the emergency room. She has to leave in a few hours but sits with me until I have a blanket, wheelchair, warmth.
She apologizes for leaving, but she has matters that can't wait; she was laid off the night before.
Now I feel like a heel. Michelle wouldn't have said a thing if I hadn't pressed. Michael is dead, Michelle is jobless, and I'm the one asking for help.
The ER docs tell me I have pneumonia, but I couldn't be less concerned. On the taxi drive home, I'm furious at everything. At my lousy body, at the lousy economy, at a lousy world that takes Michael. For once, I'm more angry at my health than concerned about it.
Jan. 17
Something is happening with my body. The doctors have tweaked my nausea regimen and added a medication for my heart.
And I've stopped fretting so much. When I feel sickness coming, I think of Michael. He would have given anything for a chance to fight for his health. At least I have that.
Something is having an effect. I've gone four days without nausea. I'm not breathing any better, but I can eat a meal without mentally mapping the nearest bathroom.
The docs are puzzled, too. They know the dosage change has helped, but I've had dozens of those. I'm looking better, gaining a little weight, they say. "You're getting healthier," my doctor of 13 years, Michael Brousseau, tells me.
I've seen hope fade quickly since the transplant. But I know something is at work inside me.
Feb. 7
The producers of the show Breaking Bad have offered the paper a chance to visit the set in Albuquerque, to write about the final season.
I'm going to try this, I decide. I used to fly on assignment all the time. That was more than three years ago.
But if I don't try this, why get the transplant? I book the travel, the hotel, and begin assembling my meds. The trip isn't for a week, but I'm already packing.
Feb. 10
Jocelyn calls. Michael has left me, her and Mikki in his will. The guy couldn't have had more than $20 in his bank account when he died, but his life insurance policy left several thousand dollars apiece.
Michael once said he would change his name to "Plus One" because he was a permanent guest at the movies I covered. He promised that, one day, he would be the one to pay for an evening out.
He'll do more than he could have known. Within the next three weeks, I'm to have hernia surgery, complicated by its location over the new kidney. The recommended surgeon is out of my insurance network. Now I won't have to worry about a deductible that's going to run in the thousands.
I can't help but feel like I did Jan. 11, 2000, when I got the call that a 21-year-old man from Fargo, Samuel Flegel, my near-exact genetic match, was on life support, giving me 24 hours to hop a flight for surgery at Fairview Medical Center in Minnesota. Like winning a grim lottery. My hope stems from their tragedies.
I try to shake it off. Michael would laugh at my finding the clouds within silver linings.
Suddenly, I'm not worried about the trip. This is small beans. Michael's passing. The pneumonia. I'm more prepared for life than I've felt in years. I'm not big on karma or destiny. But it's hard to feel the world is not telling me to get up. Dust off.
Feb. 16
The trip couldn't go better. I visit the set, stay for hours, have no struggle with illness. I wake at 4 a.m. the day of the flight back, not for illness but because I'm not used to getting five hours of uninterrupted sleep.
On the flight back, as passengers are sleeping and reading, I can't take my eyes off the ground miles below, a vantage point I hadn't seen in years. I have Samuel in my body, Michael in my heart. Warriors in my corner.
I decide that when I get home, I'll take a vacation day. I thought I had learned a lesson years ago from Samuel's death, one I clearly had let fade until Michael re-taught the one life lesson I have to commit to memory: that we get more todays than tomorrows.
Time to take today off. And on.


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For Hamas, the intervention of US special envoy George Mitchell may have come just in time.
Nearly six months after Israel launched a blistering offensive to undermine the militant group, destroying thousands of homes and lives, Gazans are growing increasingly restless under Hamas rule.
Many privately complain that Hamas's hard-line approach with both Israel and the rival Palestinian party, Fatah, has intensified their suffering. Israel has blockaded the coastal strip, making it virtually impossible for Gazans to rebuild their lives.
Under pressure from the visiting Mr. Mitchell, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet met in Jerusalem Monday to discuss easing the two-year blockade.
Hamas also responded to the Obama administration's recent overtures. Top leader Khaled Meshaal, in Cairo for Egyptian-led talks on forming a unity government with Fatah, said Hamas would not obstruct any effort to establish a Palestinian state along Israel's 1967 border – a position that contradicts its charter, which claims all of historical Palestine for Palestinians.
But Gazans, impatient with stalled peace efforts, have taken matters into their own hands.
Jihad Saher rebuilt his home in the wake of Israel's January military offensive here entirely with mud. Because of an Israeli ban on the import of construction materials like cement and steel, a handful of others, including the Hamas-led government, are following suit.
But while Mr. Saher and many other Gazans boast of their symbols of perseverance – mud homes, subterranean tunnels ferrying in consumer goods, animal-drawn carts collecting rubbish – others are beginning to blame their deepening economic plight as much on the political wrangling of the two major Palestinian factions as on Israel's clenching of their borders.
According to recent polls, the majority of Gaza's 1.5 million inhabitants believe they are worse off now than before the war and that the formation of a coalition between the Western-backed Fatah movement and Hamas Islamists is the best way to solve their crisis.
Sixty-five percent of Gazans now live under the poverty line, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) says.
"We know Israel is the source of the blockade, but the problems between the Palestinian factions are the primary reason it has been able to continue," says Osman Shawa, a restaurant owner and mid-level leader of the leftist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) in Gaza. "In Gaza, we are the ones that suffer from the inability to overcome these differences."
Only 1 in 4 Gazans would vote for Hamas now
The West Bank and Gaza Strip have been politically divided since June 2007 when Hamas, after winning Palestinian legislative elections in 2006, violently seized control of the Gaza Strip and routed Fatah-led Palestinian Authority (PA) forces loyal to current Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Israel and Egypt subsequently sealed their borders with Gaza, allowing only a trickle of food and humanitarian aid into the territory for the past two years. Since then, the governments of both countries have said the creation of a coalition that puts PA forces in control of the Gaza side of the crossings would persuade them to lift the blockade.
But five rounds of Egyptian-mediated reconciliation talks in Cairo over the past four months have failed to produce an agreement that would pave the way for a Palestinian unity government. A recent spate of clashes between PA security forces and members of Hamas's military wing that left eight dead in the northern West Bank town of Qalqilya is likely to make a Hamas-Fatah accord even more elusive.
And while the parties squabble, Hamas's popularity appears to be dropping.
According to a poll conducted by the West Bank-based Bir Zeit University in May, just 23 percent of Palestinians in Gaza would vote for Hamas in a new parliamentary election, as opposed to the 37 percent who said they would opt for the Abbas-led Fatah movement. Nearly two-thirds of Palestinians in both territories believe a Hamas victory in future elections would lead to a tightening of the blockade, says another survey published by the Palestinian Center for Survey and Policy Research (PCSR).
"People who voted for Hamas did not know their real policies. And if they knew the consequences of these policies, they wouldn't have voted for them," says Abu Khaled, a Gaza City shop owner.
"It is not simply their duty to stay in power because they were elected, but to protect the interests of the Palestinian people," he says. "And that doesn't mean shooting rockets, but making sure we live decent lives."
Ahmed Yusuf, adviser to deposed Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, says he agrees that Palestinian unity needs to move forward in order to improve the daily lives of Gazans, but dismisses reports his Islamist movement is losing support among the local population.
"The division between the West Bank and Gaza certainly deteriorates the situation. It's our obligation, here and in Ramallah, to unify the people, reconcile our rift, and create a transitional government to prepare for the next election," says Mr. Yusuf.
"Yes, there is suffering in Gaza because of the lack of many things we used to enjoy. But people here are benefiting from a type of security they did not have before," he says. "For that reason they will stand behind us no matter what kind of hardship they are facing."
'The people will explode'
But aid agencies say the Israeli blockade is pushing the territory deeper into despair, particularly in the wake of Israel's three-week military offensive that destroyed thousands of homes and much of the Gaza Strip's infrastructure in January.
Food security is on the decline, reconstruction is stalled, and international organizations continue to face difficulties in their efforts to bring much-needed aid to Gaza.
A June 4 report from the Organization for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), a UN disaster relief body working in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, says everything from wheelchairs, dry food items, and crayons, to stationary, soccer balls, and musical instruments is currently being stopped at the border without explanation.
Palestinian medical patients seeking specialized treatment in Egypt or Israel are now barred from exiting Gaza, after a Hamas-Fatah power struggle at the territory's health ministry in March prompted the PA-led government in the West Bank to refuse to approve medical referrals for patients abroad.
Ibrahim, a Gaza resident and university graduate, says if the situation does not change soon, Hamas is one day going to find itself the target of the anger and frustration beginning to build now among Gaza's population.
"As Palestinians, we can handle pressure. But we can't live like this forever," Ibrahim says. "If it continues like this, it will explode. The people will explode against the government, because we have nowhere else to turn."


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Linen Playsuit Black
Our cute and sassy Linen/Cotton Playsuit is so relaxed and comfortable.
Featuring a button down front, V Neck and tie waist.
Available in 3 colours White, Black and Green.
Style Guide
Here at Lulubelle's we love to help you look and feel your best. Should you have a question re what of style dress or top would suit body type, simply send a recent photo of yourself to firstname.lastname@example.com and we can make some suggestions for you.
xxxx Beck & Team
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By Dave Sheek and Dot Wong
The West Coast Collegiate Championship (WCCC) hosted by University of California, Irvine Cycling Team, and the SCNCA CX District Championships hosted by Team Velocity:
Fall weather finally showed for an historic two days of racing in Southern California "cooling" off the memories of two weeks ago and the "heated" Prestige Series' UCI Dam Cross Weekend battles. SoCal'Crossers were filled with excitement, many participating for the first time ever as part of the West Coast Collegiate Cycling (WCCC) and the 2008-09 SCNCA cyclocross championships. The two days brought incredible racing with local battles, new collegiate 'crossers and names to town everyone should know, "The Lung" That's right Ned Overend. THE Mountain bike legend was visiting and decided to come out to play at the State Championship race on Sunday!
Oak Canyon Park nestled in the hillside of Irvine Lake was a picturesque, family friendly and the perfect setting to have the SoCal 'cross family hanging-out, having beers, talking 'race' leading up to the final awards… it was a cool site to see, and even better to be part of!
The championship course, now touted as the best course of the season, was a laberynth of challenging tight grassy and loose gravel turns, lots of accelerations, taxing run ups, fast pavement, even a set of steps built into the hillside! Racers twisted, turned, bumped up and down, jumped over barriers and rolled along the 1.5 mile course!
Saturday, November 22, 2008: SCPS #8, WCCC First Ever West Coast Collegiate Championships
It was day one of the Championship weekend and the UC Irvine Cycling Team (UCI) with some help from their sponsor, Bike Religion took on the challenge of bringing cyclocross to a lot of new riders out on course for their first experience many wearing tennis shoes and riding flat pedals and 'cross bikes for the first time. The number of Collegiate B racers filled almost half the men's 3-4 field. The Single Speed and Collegiate B races were exciting as college students rode their way onto the first ever WCCC podium. The Occidental women, led by Rebecca Siegel swept the women's B podium while the Men's B saw three different schools represented with Jason King, SDSU Cycling taking the gold, Bryan Larsen of UC Irvine silver, and Joseph Patterson, UCLA taking the bronze. Thanks to SRAM for providing neutral support for the weekend, racers who may have rolled a tire or crashed in a corner were treated to Orbea CX bikes and Zipp wheels.
Sunday, November 23, 2008: SoCalCross Eco-Sportfest '08, and the 2008-09 Southern California Nevada Cycling CX District Championships:
Day 2 at Oak Canyon started off with low fog and significantly cooler temperatures… a chilling start for the third stop of the SoCalCross Eco-Sportfest '08 presented by Landmark Insurance. The day began with a 5k 'cross country (XC) run followed by a full day of CX racing. The SCPS leads the charge to promote and support green living and is striving to become the greenest sports series in the nation. Each Prestige Series event is Solar Powered thanks to Energy Efficiency Solar. Voler Team Apparel has provided the series with GoGreenRacer custom sublimated jerseys and awarded to weekly green racers. The Best Team trophies will be made from donated used bike parts. YUBA Transport has donating a bike for series transport use and will be given away at the end of the series as a fundraiser for CICLE.org as the series supports their mission of transportation bicycling. The Green Truck run on BioDiesel served lots of organic treats and the best veggie oil french fries ever known!!! KreativeShots.com captured the day for the racers while Kool N Fit Sport warmed up the racers and Fluid Recovery drink was there after the race.
Racers were loving the course improvements, plus the grass and sand had packed down to become much more smooth from day one of the weekend. Slight modifications to the course increased lap times by almost a minute. The Shimano Barriers were moved and a much faster approach. The Ellsworth Stairway saw more loose dirt taking racers quickly downhill. The Fluid S-TURN in gravel… still proved tricky and the edge coming to the smoothest racer.
Championships were handed out in 20 categories throughout the day. Thanks to: Lightning Velo, KreativeShots.com, The Green Truck, Bear Naked Granola, Shimano, Planet Bike, Protech Skincare, Voler, Crash, Fluid, Kool N Fit, Clif Bar, Adidas, Hutchinson, Athletic Unlimited, Banning's Bikes for supporting the day with lots of goodies for the podium.
The Juniors took to the course first showing the future 'cross stars of So Cal. Although young, many were more than experienced cyclists and 'crossers with a number of years of competitive cycling under their belt, including 15-18 year old champion, Peter Morris of Bike Religion. In the 10-14 Men it was up and comer, Duncan Reid of Bike Palace/Back-on-Track taking the title. In the Junior women, new to cross yet veteran of the road and track, Tara McCormick (Ouch Pro Cycling) took the 10-14 title and Echelon Santa Barbara's Somersby Jenkins took the Women 15-18 title. Somersby is new to CX this season and we look to see her challenge the elite women in the coming years!
Jim Pappe of Bakersfield (Action Sports) took the men's 45-49 title, national medalist, Jon Miller (Sho¬Air/Rock N Road took the 55-59 title with ease. Sue Thompson in her first season rode to a commanding victory in the women's 45+ title. Genna McMahon of Lake Forest (Team Velocity) won the Women's CX4 title with her podium contenders finishing close behind. Singlespeed titles were handed out with Matt Masters of Thousand Oaks (Mafia) winning his first ever SS4 Championship. The SS1/2/3 saw Noah Holcomb of the Cannondale Factory Team taking another gold, followed by Charles Morris and Andy Anderson of Bike Religion in silver and bronze.
The Elite Women's Championships (CX1/2 and CX3) was fast from the start as it seemed all ladies were saving it up for the Championship race. Dot Wong (CICLE/Voler/Jamis) took the "Crash Innovations" hairpin turn with ease getting ahead of Coryn Rivera (Redline Bicycles) with a better line, but it was not long before Coryn took back the lead continuing her dominance on the ladies of SoCal.
Making her debut this weekend, MTB Pro, Pua Sawicki (Ellsworth/Ergon) motored her way into second place looking to make the podium both days. Junior sensation, Kendall Ryan took up the chase moving her way into third place overall in the race and first in the CX3 championship event. All rode clean races and as the gaps grew, the podium was solidified. Coryn winning her third straight elite women's CX1/2 title, Pua her first silver and Dot Wong 4th overall took the bronze in the CX1/2 race. Kendall Ryan finished 3rd overall but first in the CX 3 was awarded a co-championship title along with Lisa Crowe (CICLE/Voler/Jamis) in a gesture to award both on their merits and deal with the inconsistencies of the new CX cat system.
The elite CX1/2/3 men's field was stacked again like it was another UCI weekend as Brent Prenzlow (Celo Pacific/Alan), Sid Taberlay (RockNRoad), Ned Overend (Specialized), Chance Noble (Cal Giant/Specialized), Mark Noble (Bailey Bikes) and others took to the start. It was an exciting field and was interesting as many of the riders saved themselves for Sunday, the main event. From the start it was Prenzlow and Taberlay battling again similar to the prior day. It did not last long as Taberlay found himself unfortunate suffering a flat tire in the first two laps and out of the race.
From this point it was battle after battle as riders worked their way through the field. The day brought more phenomenal efforts as more riders presented themselves with a new force this season. It was Chance Noble on his A game again, like the recent UCI weekend, as he tore after Prenzlow for the title. And, while the two where battling it out they also brought themselves up to a stunning pace to gap themselves from the field. Close behind it was Chances father, Mark Noble, putting in an outstanding effort himself as he too dropped the chase group on his way towards the leaders.
The excitement was phenomenal in the lead groups but the most impressive racing was that of young Morgan Ryan, 17 of Team CICLE/Voler/Jamis, just returning from his USGP effort in the mudfest of the Mercer Cup vying for a spot on the Junior World Championship team. His experience there, gained him new confidence as he battled it out with master rider and legend, Ned Overend throughout the race. The two were taking turns pushing the pace until they finally broke off from others going back and forth to the end, where Ryan was able to stay with Overend to take the CX3 Championship.
The final laps were exciting everywhere on course, no rider ever giving up. Mark Noble put in some impressive efforts to grab the leaders but it was just not enough as the younger Noble and Prenzlow battled to the finish. It was Chance who looked good for a final attack on Prenzlow with about 10 turns to go and then Prenzlow was back. It was a yo-yo as the two fought, until Prenzlow took off for the win once hitting the cement for the final sprint. In third it was Mark Noble taking the bronze in the CX 1/2.
It was another fantastic weekend of SoCal racing with more exciting events soon to come. Next on the schedule is the classic, Gene Galindo Memorial Turkey Trot, hosted by the Pasadena Athletic Association. Don't miss this one. Work off the Turkey and look for some Turkey Gobblin' loot on course. This year a new design will be introduce including stream crossing bridge, a new run up and tricky off camber fun!
For more information, go to: www.socalcross.org
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Lieberman to Iran: Negotiate or expect strike
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Joe Lieberman is leading a congressional move to push U.S. policy toward a more belligerent stance against Iran by urging President Obama to take action to "prevent the Iranian government from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability."
The key policy change would shift the U.S. objective from preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons to that of preventing Iran from having the "capability" to make the weapons.
The resolution is sponsored by Lieberman, Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Bob Casey, D-Pa., and signed onto by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and 28 other senators.
Tough rhetoric about Iran usually invokes a "red line" that the Teheran regime would cross at its peril.
For example, any Iranian move to shut down shipping through the Straits of Hormuz would be a vivid red line that would trigger a quick U.S. military response.
The red line on nuclear weapons is murky.
Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, testifying before a House panel, described the red line this way: "We will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon." That, he said, "is the red line that would concern us and that would ensure the international community, hopefully together, would respond."
Lieberman's non-binding resolution, which has been endorsed by 16 Democrats and 16 Republicans, may get a full Senate vote in coming days. It would move the red line into a squishy realm where Iran's "nuclear weapons capability" would trigger an undefined U.S. response. The elastic word "capability" is undefined and is without a time frame.
Lieberman took a stab at defining "capability."
"To me, nuclear weapons capability means that they are capable of breaking out and producing nuclear weapons -- in other words, that they have all the components necessary to do that. It's a standard that is higher than saying 'The red line is when they actually have weapons.'''
His resolution, Lieberman says, is to tell Iran: "You have only two choices -- peacefully negotiate to end your nuclear weapons program or expect a military strike to end that program."
Blumenthal, freshly returned from a trip with other senators to Israel, said the line between "possessing'' nuclear weapons and having the "capability" to make the weapons "is very unclear."
"The ability to assemble a nuclear strike may be unacceptably close to the potential to use the weapon,'' he said in an interview Friday. "Capability is so close to the actual ability to strike that what's really required is for Iran to renounce nuclear weaponry."
Lieberman's resolution also blasts an alternative policy of containment of Iran, a policy that would accept the fact that Iran has nuclear weapons but that would seek to deter their use.
"I know that containment might have been viable for the Soviet Union during the Cold War, but it's not going to work with the current fanatical Islamist regime in Tehran,'' Lieberman said. Containment of a nuclear-equipped Iran was a "dangerous and deadly illusion," he said.
On the other hand, a military solution appears illusive.
Panetta recently told the Wall Street Journal that the largest "bunker buster" bombs in the U.S. inventory wouldn't work against Iranian nuclear facilities buried deeply underground.
The Obama administration's red-line policy is based on the assessment by James Clapper, the director of National Intelligence, who recently told Congress that Iran "is keeping open the option to develop nuclear weapons, in part by developing various nuclear capabilities that better position it to produce such weapons, should it choose to do so. "
"We do not know, however, if Iran will eventually decide to build nuclear weapons," he said.
Graham questioned Clapper about that conclusion. "So you're not so sure they're trying to make a bomb?" Graham asked.
Clapper replied: "I think they're keeping themselves in a position to make that decision, but there are certain things they have not yet done and have not done for some time."
Iranian leaders have repeatedly threatened to attack Israel. For example, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called for Israel to be "wiped off the map." The supreme Iranian leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has called Israel a "cancerous tumor."
Tensions over Iran's nuclear ambitions have led to speculation in Washington that Israel might launch a strike on Iran's facilities, a possibility the Obama administration has publicly downplayed and discouraged.


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Simon Cowell's baby-on-the-way news got a bit more tawdry Thursday, with words like "adultery," "surprise" and "gold digger" starting to swirl in the mix.
Cowell, 53, is reportedly expecting a child with New York socialite Lauren Silverman, 36, the estranged wife of the "X Factor" host's friend Andrew Silverman, 37. The question being raised now is, was the married couple estranged before or after the the unmarried couple made the baby?
"It is an unbelievable story of betrayal. It is a sad story and a tragic story," Andrew's brother, Alexander, told the New York Post.
In divorce papers filed two weeks ago in New York, a no-fault state when it comes to ending a marriage, Andrew Silverman chose to go the fault route instead. He alleged adultery, and along with his future ex-wife listed Cowell as a co-respondent, the Post reported.
What does that mean? Well, if the matter went to trial, Cowell could be called to testify in court about his relationship with Lauren and his financial situation (he's estimated to be worth $350 million), and there might be DNA tests involved to officially determine the father of the child, according to TMZ. The Silvermans have a 7-year-old son together — and Dad is seeking sole custody.
But despite the recent nature of the divorce filing, "Lauren and Andrew have been unhappy in their marriage for some time, and their divorce has been in the works for a while," a source told Us Weekly. "As their marriage deteriorated, she and Simon became close." The three have known each other for years, and have been repeatedly photographed together on Cowell's yacht.
The former "American Idol" meanie was keeping mum when accosted by paparazzi as he left an "X Factor" taping Wednesday.
"The pregnancy has taken [Cowell] by surprise. He assumed she was using birth control," a source close to the entertainment mogul told the New York Daily News. "Simon thought this was a casual relationship — friends with benefits. The pregnancy was not planned."
Sources told the Daily News that Cowell only found out about the baby around July 10.
"She is a total gold digger," one friend of the Silvermans told the Post, with another adding, "The pregnancy was by design."
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