text:
Birther-curious Bennett playing games in Arizona
We talked last week about Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett (R) raising questions about President Obama's citizenship and saying it's "possible" he'll exclude the president from the ballot. The nonsense isn't going away quickly.
To briefly recap, Bennett is demanding that Hawaiian officials verify that that Obama's birth certificate is authentic. The Republican has said the documents that have already been released do not meet his standards, and though he doesn't want to take the president's name off the 2012 ballot, he won't rule it out.
Did I mention that Bennett is the co-chair of Mitt Romney's presidential campaign in Arizona? Well, he is – Romney's top ally in a battleground state is also the man responsible for overseeing the state's elections, and the official threatening to keep Romney's opponent's name off the Arizona ballot.
In any case, TPM reports state officials in Hawaii seem to find all of this rather annoying.
One of the more amusing things revealed last week when Arizona's secretary of state came out as birther curious was that Hawaii officials just simply don't believe he's qualified to investigate Barack Obama's birth certificate.
Sure, Ken Bennett says he's the man in charge of deciding whether President Obama is eligible to be on Arizona's ballot in November, but the response from people in Hawaii's government has been: Prove it. In essence, they're giving Bennett a taste of his own medicine, making him jump through a series of hoops to prove he has the legal authority to investigate the matter, much the same way the birthers have made Hawaii prove time and time again that the president is indeed a natural born citizen of the United States.
In case this wasn't already obvious, Bennett's request for more documentation is absurd. As TPM's report added, "Hawaii officials have passed laws and filed sworn affidavits to deal with the matter. The White House has even gone as far as to release a copy of the president's long-form birth certificate to the public. Yet requests like Bennett's still keep coming."
Worse, the nonsense is spreading: the new Iowa Republican Party platform is also "intentionally questioning" Obama's citizenship.
At the national level, this garbage probably isn't what GOP leaders want to talk about, but there's a deep strain of madness running though Republican politics in 2012, and there's not much the party's leadership can do about it.


text:
This Glenn Aire Unequaled Elegance...What better way to describe the beauty and sophistication of the Glenn Aire Series. The clean lines and detailed lid will complement almost any style of architecture and provide a strong accent to any outdoor landscape. This item is ready to ship to you within a couple of days..
- Part # F-3995-ORB-SG
- Weight: 3 lbs
- Height: 31 inches
- Width: 11.75 inches
- Depth: 15 inches
- Material: Cast Aluminum
- Finish: Oil Rubbed Bronze
- Item Type: Out door Lighting
- # of Bulbs: (3)25w Candelabra required
- Assembly Required: no
This beautiful piece is from our Glenn Aire collection. This outdoor piece will make a nice addition to any outdoor style decor. We have a large selection of lighting to match your style. If this is not what you were looking for, feel free to browse our other styles and collections.

subset: commoncrawl


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text:
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Before and After: Herringbone Dresser
13 comments:
- Kerri @ Holly Muffin said...
This looks amazing!
- July 17, 2013 at 11:12 AM
- MyMoonSalvage said...
Love it! Very talented! What color of white do you like to use?
- July 27, 2013 at 9:52 PM
You're on my blog! :) http://pillowsalamode.wordpress.com/2013/08/25/caterpillar-onesie/
- August 25, 2013 at 7:01 PM
- taylor said...
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- September 5, 2013 at 6:39 PM
Love it!!
- November 21, 2013 at 9:12 PM
I love your blog!!! Are there going to be any new projects uploaded soon? I can't wait for garage sale season to be here...(so I can find treasures!)...Your blog is such an inspiration. Thanks!
- January 23, 2014 at 7:52 AM
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text:
BatchUninstall: Easily uninstall apps on your S60 device
If you want uninstall multiple apps on a S60 device you can do it only one after the other, not several at once. This is without a doubt a pain and takes some time. With BatchUninstall, developed by Think Change, you can uninstall multiple application at once. You just need to select all apps you want to uninstall and click 'Delete Selected'. Batch Uninstall works on all S60 5th and 3rd edition devices.
Download BatchUninstall


text:
Prince Harry Vacationing in Majorca Without 'Girlfriend'
The royal is seen on the Mediterranean island – minus Florence Brudenell-Bruce
Days after another royal wedding, Prince Harry has been spotted relaxing in Majorca.
The royal, 26, who stepped out solo for cousin Zara Phillips's nuptials in Scotland, is vacationing on the Mediterranean island, reportedly keeping close company with an unnamed, bikini-clad female, as well as some close friends. He also was seen dining out at the Villa Italia restaurant in Port Andratx, on the southwest end of the island.
"The small group sat on the terrace, which is very quiet and beautiful," chef Christian Catrina tells PEOPLE, adding that a family friend who frequents the restaurant recommended it to Harry and his companions. "They had dinner, and then left quite early."
Meanwhile, his rumored girlfriend, Florence Brudenell-Bruce, 25, has been home in London, where she was seen out and about riding her bike, and photographed gardening outside her apartment.
"There's not much to say," the swimwear and lingerie model told the U.K.'s Sun newspaper in June about her relationship with the prince.
Earlier that same month, Harry said he was "100 percent single."
According to recent reports in the U.K. tabloids, Brudenell-Bruce is pushing Harry to join her on a summer trip to Ibiza.
"He and Flee are enjoying a real summer romance," a source told the Daily Mail.


text:
Come Together to Raise Awareness!
The LBD Awareness Movement is a national, grass roots effort to increase LBD awareness in the general public and medical profession. Though some programs and activities are limited to the United States, we are pleased to receive inquiries about participation from across the globe.
Every person CAN make a difference. Remember, it all begins with awareness!
All international participants who want to distribute LBDA materials (which are available only in English) to their physicians will receive materials via postal mailing.
In addition to delivering new campaign materials to the largest practices that provide care for older adults in your area, here are some suggested activities for raising LBD awareness in your country:
- Translate LBD awareness materials into your country's language – we suggest LBD Awareness Flyer, as it is a perfect introduction to LBD for the general public.
- Create a personal fundraising page through Firstgiving.org – creating a page is simple and easy to share with your friends worldwide.
- Distribute the LBD Awareness poster to physicians in your local community or post it in a public location. This new resource is now available for self-printing. Be sure to adjust your print instructions to "print to fit" on a single page.
- Show your support for LBD Awareness Month by sharing the LBD Awareness Movement logo far and wide with your family and friends.
- Like us on Facebook – Connect with LBDA's fans on facebook and raise awareness. Like our page and share it with your friends on Facebook.
- Share your story in your local media – No one can tell the story about LBD better than you. Sharing your story will help make LBD an important cause to the people in your community and will bring comfort to LBD families who no longer feel so alone.
- Make a donation to LBDA – Build new hope for the families who are affected by this devastating disease by donating online. Your support allows LBDA to develop new programs and resources to bring LBD out of the shadows.


text:
Day Forty-two: A Mother's Curse
"Did you bring it?"
Michael took the handsaw out of his bag and brandished it. "Yup. You?"
Alec walked around to the back of his car, his flashlight still off. He popped open the trunk, and gestured to the aluminum case that was inside. "I got it," he said. He took the case out, closed the trunk, and then switched on the flashlight. "Let's go," he said. He set off with a quick stride. Michael hefted his bag on his shoulder and followed.
In the summer, Lakeside Park would have been full of people, even as midnight drew near. They'd be having moonlight picnics, romantic get-togethers, maybe just lying back and counting stars. But as winter drew near, the park emptied out. Tonight, there was no one around, and that suited Michael and Alec just fine.
About a hundred feet from where they parked, in a clearing where people gathered for their barbecues on the Fourth of July, they set the case down and turned off the flashlight to let their eyes get used to the darkness.
"You ready for this?" Michael asked.
Alec nodded, and wondered how he had let five years go by so quickly. How he had allowed things to go this long. "Yeah," he said. "I'm ready."
"If you're not, we can still-"
"I said I was ready, man." Alec swallowed hard. This would be the night. This would be the last break he had to make, the final string to cut. After tonight, no one would ever be able to hurt him again.
When he could make out Michael's face in the darkness Alec pulled the case towards him. He undid the latches on the front, and each one sounded like a gunshot. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and flung the top open.
The ventriloquist dummy inside was a masterpiece. Its face was hand-carved, with barely visible seams for the mouth. The eyes had been painted with large, blue irises that glowed in comparison to the doll's short, dark hair. The overall effect was that of a strange intelligence, made only slightly more unsettling by the carefully cartoonish proportions of the head.
He sat in front of the case for a minute, looking at the doll. It seemed lifeless, carefully folded into its carrying case. For a moment, he worried that the tuxedo was getting wrinkled, but then remembered what they were there to do.
"You okay?" Michael asked.
"Yeah," Alec said, holding up the saw. "It has to be this. He… It has to be unmade." Quickly, without thought, he grabbed the dummy out of the case and lay it on the ground in front of him.
This was the present his mother had sent him when he graduated from high school. The day after graduation, when he was looking forward to one last summer of fun with his friends, this large aluminum case arrived in the mail. When his father saw who it was from, he walked out of the room without saying a word.
The case contained, along with the dummy, a videotape and an envelope. The tape was labeled, "Watch me first."
Hello, Alec. His mother's face on the screen looked older than he remembered, but ten years would do that. She wouldn't look right at the camera, but kept shifting her eyes to the left and right, up and down as she spoke.
I know we haven't talked much since I left, and I'm sorry about that. I meant to get in touch, I really did. She ran a hand through thin, graying hair. I guess there's no time like now. Okay. She took a deep breath and let it out. By now, of course, you've seen the dummy. Its name is Mister Woobles, and it is your birthright. Whatever plans you have made, Alec, it is absolutely essential that you put Mister Woobles first. She finally stopped glancing around and looked right into the camera. Guard him with your life, Alec. Protect him from all harm, and he will protect you. Until-
Alec paused the tape and looked at the tuxedo-clad dummy in the box, then at his mother, frozen in mid-sentence. He was thinking so many things, had so many questions, that his mind could only focus on one thing – Mister Woobles?
He wanted to call his father into the room, to ask him what the hell was going on, but he knew that wouldn't work. His father hadn't so much as mentioned his mother's existence in the last decade. As far as he was concerned, she never existed. Whether Mister Woobles was an element of madness that pre-dated her abandonment or not, Alec couldn't even imagine. He looked at the dummy again. Its eyes were open, looking at him.
He turned away and resumed the tape.
-you're ready to pass him on to someone else, you have to keep Mister Woobles with you. She paused, blinking. I know how this sounds, Alec, but it's very important. I've done… I've made decisions I'm not proud of, Alec, and leaving you is at the top of my list. Sending the dummy to you doesn't change anything or make things better, but I really do believe it's something that needs to be done.
She stopped here, and hung her head for a moment. That's all I can really say, she said. Take a look in the envelope now. She looked up, into the camera again. I do love you, Alec. Remember that. She reached towards the camera, and the screen went blank.
Alec shut off the TV and looked in the case again. The dummy was still staring at him, and it occurred to him that he had no idea how to make it close its eyes. He snatched the envelope from the case and slammed the lid shut.
It looked like it was some kind of hotel stationery, and his name was written on the front in large, uneven letters. When he opened it and started reading, he had to sit down.
If you're reading this, it said, I'm dead. Well, I'm dead whether you're reading this or not, but that isn't really the point. By now, you should have watched the video, so you know that you have to keep the dummy with you from now on. It's my last wish for you, Alec, and I know he'll do right by you. He certainly did right by me. Until now, anyway.
Please let your father know. I would send him a letter, but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't read it and that's fair. If he'll listen, tell him that I'm sorry, and if I could explain, I would.
I only ever wanted the best for you, Alec. I just never knew how to do it until now.
Stay well,
The letter and the video and the dummy had been from a crazy woman. That was the only explanation. He took the case up to his room and left it under his bed. He did show his father the letter that night. He read it, folded it up, and asked Alec what he wanted for dinner.
In the next few months, Alec only opened the case twice more. The first time was to close the dummy's eyes. A quick Googling showed him how to do it, and he rested slightly easier after that, but not much. The case – Mister Woobles — was always in the back of his mind. It was like Tolstoy's polar bear. The more he tried not to think about it, the more often it showed up.
He wouldn't explain it, either. His father didn't want to know what was in the case, and Alec made sure none of his friends found out about it. Those who had known him long enough were aware that his mother had run away. The fact that she had gone crazy and probably killed herself was more than they needed to know. Mister Woobles would be his alone.
When he moved away to college, he brought it with him. Not because he needed it, not even because he necessarily believed his mother's words about the dummy "doing right" by him. He found that he couldn't bear to let it go. The case called to him, lurked in the corner of his mind, and until he knew where it was, he wasn't able to relax. His stomach tied itself in knots, and leaving the case alone by itself became harder and harder.
Michael was the one to set him on the path to freedom. He was Alec's first roommate, and was naturally curious about the case when they moved in together. On the first day, Alec shoved it as far back in the closet as it would go, and when Michael asked what it was, all he'd say was, "Nothing." He never mentioned it, never explained.
When he came back from class one afternoon and saw Michael playing with Mister Woobles, he erupted in rage.
His scream was wordless and furious. He dropped everything on the floor, ran over and grabbed the doll from Michael's hands. By the time he managed to stuff the doll back into the case, he was weeping openly.
Michael watched him for a moment, and then said, "Dude." He approached Alec gingerly and rested a hand on his shaking shoulder. "What's going on?"
Everything came out that night. The tape, the note, the dummy. His father, his mother, five years of wondering what was going to happen next. Five years of carrying that case around from place to place, carrying it in his mind.
It took all night for Michael to convince Alec to destroy Mister Woobles. He skipped his classes and made sure Alec didn't shove the case back into the closet again. It was Michael who came up with the plan, the location, the time. "Tonight," he said. "Tonight and it's done."
He chose the park because of its serenity. The city had spent millions putting it together as a sprawling natural area, intended for the citizens to use as a way to recharge and refresh themselves. It had countless little streams and pools and fountains, green groves of trees and vibrant flower beds. There were barbecue pits and a small skateboard park, playgrounds for children and walking trails for the elderly. Very few people agreed on anything the city government did, but nearly everyone loved that park.
Michael had a streak of mysticism about him. He read books by long-dead practitioners of magick, had crystals on pendants and was known to dabble in tarot reading. He did rituals before tests – little things on a portable altar he had brought with him from home. When Alec asked about it once, he said, "Humans need rituals to keep the world in order. And without order, what are we?"
He was full of lines like that.
The saw was Alec's idea. He needed to see Mister Woobles undone, to become something other than what it was. If he buried it, if he threw it in the lake, the dummy still existed – it still was. But in pieces, it would finally be dead.
There, in the darkness, Alec began to saw at the neck of Mister Woobles. The saw slipped at first, and he held his breath. But once the teeth bit into the wood, he started to saw faster at it. The eyes were still closed, and he expected them to burst open, for the mouth to move and to scream in his mother's voice about the terrible thing he was doing.
But it didn't. The saw blade cut quickly through the whole thing, and Mister Woobles' head dropped onto the grass. Alec breathed a sigh of relief and looked up to Michael, who was holding a large pair of sewing shears. Alec cut through the dummy's costume with ease. The tiny tuxedo lay in tatters on the ground, taking the arms and legs with it. All that was left was the hollow torso, with its intricate levers and rods.
Alec stood up, raised the remains of the dummy above his head, and dashed it to the ground. It cracked, but did not break. He started to stomp on it, bringing heavy boot heels down on the shell, and it shattered in moments. He did the same to the head, and pieces went spinning away. The dummy's face was his face, was his mother's face, his father's. One of those blue eyes cracked in half and he stepped on it again and again until it was nothing but a pile of powdered glass.
He didn't realize he was crying until Michael grabbed him by the arm. "It's done," he said. "It's done. You can relax now."
"No," Alec said. "We still have to burn it. Then it's done."
Michael had a can of lighter fluid in the bag. They picked up all the pieces they could find, dumped them into one of the barbecue pits, and saturated them. Michael handed Alec a box of matches. He lit one, set the flame to the remains of the dummy, and stepped back as they exploded in flame.
He wanted to feel relief. All that was burning there was a pile of wood and fabric, and with it his mother's madness, his father's rage, his own terror and responsibility. He wanted the fire to burn away at him as well, to eat away those parts that had been so badly damaged and to renew him.
He just watched it burn, and tried not to think about what it all meant. That would be for tomorrow.


text:
Boar-Headed Bhuta, possibly Panjurli
Artist/maker unknown, Indian
Made in Dakshina Kannada District, Karnataka, Tulu Nadu Region, India, Asia
c. 18th - 19th centuryMedium:
Copper alloyDimensions:
11 1/2 x 8 x 7 inches (29.2 x 20.3 x 17.8 cm)Curatorial Department:
South Asian ArtObject Location:
Currently not on viewAccession Number:
2004-169-2Credit Line:
Purchased with the Stella Kramrisch Fund, 2004
Social TagsThere are currently no user tags associated with this object.
[Add Your Own Tags]
Metal "masks" like this one are used in bhuta worship practiced in Tulu Nadu, the Tulu-speaking coastal region of Karnataka state in southwestern India. Bhutas are supernatural beings or divinized ancestor spirits. Hundreds of different bhutas are worshiped, each embodied by a particular metal animal- or human-face mask. Boars, buffalos, and fierce forms of the god Shiva or his attendant ganas are especially popular.
Koola (spectacular, all-night theatricals featuring ritual possession) are held to propitiate and communicate with bhutas. An elaborately made-up and costumed medium invites a specific bhuta into himself. The medium can wear the bhuta mask over his face or on top of his head, or he can hold one in his hands during the performance. The bhuta then sings, dances, tells stories, gives advice, and solves problems for the sponsoring family or village group.
Bhuta masks may be reused but sponsors often commission new ones for a performance, while older pieces are stored in temples and auctioned off when no longer needed. Bhuta worship in Tulu Nadu probably dates back at least to the fourteenth century, although most extant metalwork is significantly more recent.


text:
There are a multitude of governance models across the world, but they can all be divided into one of two broad categories – "Western Democracy" or "National Democracy". The first one is exemplified by the political systems in the US and most of the EU (with Hungary and increasingly Poland […]
Day: September 30, 2016
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- The Peace Treaty of Westphalia (1648) and its Consequences for International Relations (64,025)
- shopiee on The Arctic And The US Air Force
- Kevin on Trump Lame Duck Bodes Well For International Security
- Arhikles Salvador on The Albanian Question At The Turn Of The 20th Century (II)
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Support our contributors
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text:
American Silver Eagles
Silver Eagles are the official silver bullion coins of the United States. Continuing with the 2019 Silver Eagle and first released in 1986, American Silver Eagles have a face value of one dollar and usually trade at a percentage above spot silver price. They feature the Walking Liberty design that was originally used between 1916 and 1947 on the obverse of the half-dollar coin. This design by Adolph A. Weinman was deemed such a coinage classic, as well as public favorite, that it was revived for the modern Silver Eagle years later. On the reverse of these beautiful coins is an eagle design by John Mercanti.
We offer a variety of coins including the US Mint bullion issue Silver Eagles in both single coins as well as rolls of 20 coins and 500 count boxes or 'Monster Boxes'. Each year the US Mint issues Proof Silver Eagles which are double struck to give the coins a mirror-like finish. These coins come in a deluxe box with certification. We also offer special releases such as the 10th, 20th and 25th anniversary sets as well as many other related products.
- Silver Eagles 1986-Date
- Silver Eagle Rolls Rolls & Monster Boxes
- Proof Silver Eagles Original Mint Boxes
- Certified Uncirculated Silver Eagles MS69 & MS70
- Certified Proof Silver Eagles PF69 & PF70
- Raw and Certified Burnished Silver Eagles Featuring - W - Mint Mark
- American Silver Eagle Anniversary Sets 10th, 20th & 25th


text:
|Version 124 (modified by 12 years ago) (diff),
Twisted 8.0.1 tar
Twisted 8.0.1 for Python 2.4
Twisted 8.0.1 for Python 2.5
Mac OS X 10.5:
Twisted 8.0.1
The Twisted Book
Want to help Twisted, but don't have any spare time? If you appreciate Twisted and want to help the community and future development, consider a tax-deductible monetary donation.
Act Now: Be a Founding Sponsor
Do you want your name, or your company's name, to be immortalized as one of the first sponsors of the Twisted project? Find out about the benefits of sponsorship today!
What is Twisted?
Twisted is an event-driven networking engine written in Python and licensed under the MIT license.
See the FAQ for commonly asked questions about Twisted.If you want to get started with Twisted, the first thing you should do is read the Twisted Core Documentation.
Twisted projects variously support TCP, UDP, SSL/TLS, multicast, Unix sockets, a large number of protocols (including HTTP, NNTP, IMAP, SSH, IRC, FTP, and others), and much more.
Quick Links
General Information:
More Useful Pointers:


text:
I've seen this on a few servers now, so thought it could do no harm trying to start one up here!
A few guidelines for using this thread:
1) Please feel free to post and thank people for any good 1v1s you have had recently. This could have been an organised 1v1, or a nice open field fight that was uninterrupted.
2) This is a thread for 'Good 1v1s'. If you feel a recent 1v1 you had with someone was not good, then don't post it. Lets try and refrain from complaining and keep it 100% positive.
3) I'd like to try and keep this thread ongoing if possible, to maintain something positive on our forum, involving both freeps and creeps, please help to try and keep it this way.
I'll start by thanking Govno and Trytofarmme for our recent 1v1s, they've been pretty close and I can't wait for you both to hit rank 9! Also had a great 1v1 with stop, which ended in a double KO, can't beat those


text:
Homeless Veteran In $400,000 GoFundMe Scam Sentenced To Probation
By Bill Galluccio
April 12, 2019
The homeless veteran who was involved in a $400,000 GoFundMe scam was sentenced to five years of probation for his role in the scheme. Johnny Bobbitt Jr. will also have to enter into a drug treatment program and will be expected to cooperate with prosecutors in their case against the New Jersey couple who worked with him to concoct a feel-good story to raise money on the crowd-funding site.
Bobbitt was accused of conspiring with Katelyn McClure and her then-boyfriend Mark D'Amico to raise money based on a false story that he gave McClure the last $20 that he had so she could buy gas. Thousands of people donated money online and over $400,000 was raised based off of the bogus story.
The story began to fall apart when Bobbitt accused the couple of stiffing him out of the money raised in his name. Instead, they allegedly used the money to buy expensive luxury items and go on lavish vacations.
McClure pleaded guilty to one federal count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in March and is facing up to 20 years in prison when she is sentenced on June 19. McClure and D'Amico are also facing charges in New Jersey.


text:
"Biret grasps the size of Beethoven's style. The polyphony is laid out in a relaxed way with little indulgence in point making. She keeps the big line and yet is thankfully sparing in her use of fortissimos. The piano tone is sumptuous. Biret's gentle and almost sensuous sonorities are really captivating. One is reminded that her mentor has been Wilhelm Kempff."
"Idil Biret gives an impressive performance. A supreme mastery of tempi, sonorities, polyphony and technique permits Biret—a disciple of Alfred Cortot—to embrace all the moods of Beethoven and gives her a playing a symphonic depth rarely heard until now."
Le Nouvel Observateur
"Idil Biret has recently recorded Liszt's transcriptions of Beethoven's nine Symphonies for EMI. Her superbly authentic performance of the 5th Symphony, heard at her Herkülessaal recital in Munich, received a thunderous reception."
Münchner Merkur
Beethoven, Ludwig van
Beethoven, Ludwig van
Biret, Idil
Label: Idil Biret Archive
Genre: Instrumental
Period: Classical
Catalogue No:
Boxset: 8.504055; 8.501053; 8.501901
Release Date: 02/2009


text:
Hundreds gather at lakeshore to swim, fly kites
The coldest day since February 2011 couldn't keep hundreds of Wisconsinites from the Lake Michigan shoreline to either fly a kite or take a swim.
Hundreds of people braved the coldest day of the season thus far by taking a swim ... in Lake Michigan.
"It's a head freezer," said David Kirkpatrick, who has taken the plunge for the last 19 years. "It's cold."
The Milwaukee Polar Bear Club hosts the unofficial plunge every New Year's Day at Bradford Beach. Shirts and apparel were sold to benefit Children's Oncology Services, but the plunge itself was more about providing a mind-over-matter experience.
Nik Sanczyk said this year the water was warm enough compared to the air temperature that he went in for a second plunge.
"I just went for round two," he said. "There's no wind out here, but it's cold."
A short way down Lincoln Memorial Drive, cold weather could not keep kite enthusiasts from catching the breeze at Veterans Memorial Park at the 26th annual Cool Fool Kite Festival.
Kites, food, ice carvers and free hot chocolate were part of this year's festivities.
Despite temperatures in the teens, one kite flyer said that everyone knew what they were getting into.
"It's Wisconsin. You got to live with this stuff," said David Piotrowski. "Today it's really pretty nice. If you dress adequately, it's warm."


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Canada Kicks Ass (CKA) T-Shirts & ClothingCKA is an acroymn for "Canada Kicks Ass".
This is where it all started, I started the "Canada Kicks Ass" site as a fun hobby site because I loved my country and have always been very patriotic, the same is true today. But Canadaka.net has grown from a small hobby site to a fairly large growing internet community. The purpose of Canadaka.net is to promote Canadian patriotism, nationalism, Canadian sovereignty and democracy.
Gradually the Acroymn CKA started to catch on as a branding for the site, and now most members of www.canadaka.net refer to the site as CKA. I like CKA, its short and iconic. So that's why I have started to plaster the CKA logo on the site to try and brand it. I also thing it makes for a great t-shirt logo, so I have several designs featuring CKA.
So the "Canada Kicks Ass" design line continues with many new designs!
|CKA Flame
|CKA Mascot
|Canada Kicks Ass
|Canada Kicks Ass (Original)
|Canada Kicks Ass Plain
|CKA Shield
|Canada Kicks Ass Maple
|Canada Kicks Ass 1


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Type Qualifiers and Wild Cards
Type qualifiers are modifiers applied to data types. The most useful one in D is the immutable qualifier,
which creates a new type from type
T that cannot be written to, and is guaranteed to never change. The immutable type qualifier is transitive, meaning any data reachable through an instance of type
immutable(T) is itself immutable. In the vernacular this is called transitivity, or more simply, it's "turtles all the way down."
Immutable types are particularly useful when doing multithreaded programming, as no synchronization is necessary for immutable types.
When using immutable qualifiers in the real world, however, one runs into some unexpected issues. For example, given a simple function to add a constant to an indirect value:
int func(int* p) { return *p + 7; }
What happens if we try to pass it an
immutable(int)* argument (which is a pointer to an immutable int)? It will fail to compile, as a pointer to immutable cannot be implicitly cast to a pointer to a mutable (if this was possible, there'd be no useful static type-checking of immutability). Our hapless programmer is reduced to writing the function twice:
int func(immutable(int)* p) { return *p + 7; }
Meanwhile, he curses the designer of the language as he is forced to commit the cardinal sin of copypasta'ing his code. To add further insult, the compiler generates exactly the same native code for each of those two functions.
This miserable state of affairs is addressed by adding a new type qualifier:
const. A const type cannot be written to, but also it does not guaranteed the data is immutable. The data could be changed via another mutable reference to it. Like
const is transitive.
The beauty is that both
T and
immutable(T) can be implicitly cast to
const(T), so only one version of the function needs to be written:
int func(const(int)* p) { return *p + 7; }
and everyone is happy, the angels sing, but hmm, an evil stench still lingers here. What about the identity function:
int* func(int* p) { return p; }
Throwing in a
const(int)* func(const(int)* p) { return p; }
That doesn't really work. An identity function should return the same type that it was given, not that type converted to
const. What about using templates? We can write:
T func(T)(T p) { return p; }
which will solve the problem, won't it?
T can take on
const(int)*, and
immutable(int)*. Sure, for that function and similar ones. But template functions:
- Can't be used for virtual functions
- Can't be used for a binary interface
- Will generate multiple copies of a function that are the same except for the type signature (arguably, this should be fixed by better compiler technology)
But worse, consider:
struct S { T p; } T* func(S)(S s) { return &s.p; }
or even some fiendishly complex compound type built out of
T. We want the type qualifier of
S transferred to
T. If a
const or
immutable S is passed, then the code won't compile, as the return type is
T*, not
const(T)* or
immutable(T)*. Attempting to enhance the template system to create a "type qualifier parameter" consumed many gallons of coffee and many hours at the coffee shop. All the ideas were rejected as too painfully ugly. It was either a bad fit for templates, or we weren't smart enough. A new approach was needed.
We found it by simply coming up with a new type qualifier. I know, I know, too many type qualifiers will sink the boat. Adding them is a dangerous game.
It looks like:
inout(T)* func(inout(S) s) { return &s.p; }
It isn't a template, and
inout can only be used on function parameters and the return value.
Inout is set to the type qualifier of its corresponding argument when it is called, and the return type is constructed out of that qualifier. Inside the function,
inout behaves similarly to
const. Voila, one function in source code and in generated code. The argument
s can be
const, or neither. Let's try it out with a program that prints the type of the return value of
import std.stdio; inout(int)* foo(inout(int)* p) { return p; } void main() { int x = 1; const int y = 2; immutable int z = 3; writeln(typeid(typeof(foo(&x)))); writeln(typeid(typeof(foo(&y)))); writeln(typeid(typeof(foo(&z)))); }
Compiling it and running it prints:
int* const(int)* immutable(int)*
And looking at the object file reveals that there's only one
foo(). Victory!
With a template
inout function, we also get the benefit of reduced instantiations:
import std.stdio; inout(T)* func(T)(inout(T)* p) { writefln("instantiated with %s", typeid(T)); return p; } void main() { int m; const(int) c; immutable(int) i; writeln(typeid(func(&m))); writeln(typeid(func(&c))); writeln(typeid(func(&i))); }
instantiated with int int* instantiated with int const(int)* instantiated with int immutable(int)*
func is instantiated only once with
T==int, instead of the three times one would get if it were declared as:
T* func(T)(T* p)
There is a little more to it than that. Suppose there's more than one
inout parameter, and their qualifications differ?
import std.stdio; inout(int)* foo(inout(int)* p, inout(int)* q) { return p; } void main() { int x = 1; immutable int z = 3; writeln(typeid(typeof(foo(&x, &z)))); }
Furthermore, inside the function,
const, and unqualified types cannot be implicitly cast to
inout, and
inout can only be implicitly cast to
const. This plugs any "leaks" where immutable data could get infiltrated by mutable references.
Having an immutable type qualifier allows for static type checking of many desirable qualities in data. But to have both mutable and immutable typed data in a program, there need to be mechanisms where single functions can be used for both.
Const provides this for function parameters, and
inout provides it for return values. Both have an aura of inevitability about them: Once that string gets pulled, the behavior they must have can be derived.
Thanks to Kenji Hara and Steve Schveighoffer for their helpful comments on this article.


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CARSON, Calif. -- Landon Donovan is well aware that when the LA Galaxy take on Chivas USA on Sunday, the Rojiblancos will be a far improved side from the one that LA defeated in late-July.
Much of that improvement stems from Chivas' recent acquisition of tenacious midfielder Shalrie Joseph from the New England Revolution on August 1st. Long considered -- alongside Donovan -- to be one of MLS' finest players over the last decade, Joseph is expected to make his Chivas debut during Sunday's SuperClásico. With Joseph most-likely attempting to ignite a recently stagnant Chivas attack, Donovan admits that his teammates must be cognizant of the midfielder on Sunday.
"He is my opinion has been one of the best probably 10 or 15 players in this league for a long time now, and we fully expect him to play, to start. How they use him, we're not quite sure, and maybe they're still finding out, too. But he's an influential player and a good leader ... I think he's going to give an influence on their team in a very positive way.So he's someone that we have to be aware of."


text:
Check items to add to the cart or select all
Product Description
Martingale dog collars virtually eliminate the ability for dogs to accidentally slip their collar making life much safer for the pups out there. Plus, they are comfortable to wear around the house as everyday wear!
Martingale dog collars are also known as no-slip collars, greyhound collars, limited or humane choke collars. For more about martingale collars, read our What are Martingale Collars? page.
Fabric or Chain Loop?
Pink Puppy offers martingales with a fabric or chain loop. The chain loop option is a combination fabric collar and metal chain for the martingale loop. Fabric loops are softer and more like a standard collar. Chain loops are heavier and especially recommended for larger dogs or for training purposes. Both options offer the no-slip security of a martingale collar and are safer and more humane than choke or prong collars.
Add a Plastic or Metal Buckle?
Collars with a plastic or metal buckle feature a side-release buckle which makes it easy to get it on and off your dog. It's as handy as a regular collar with all the features of a martingale collar! Buckle martingales are especially useful for dogs who don't like things being slid over their head or dogs that have a much larger head than neck. Metal buckles are not recommended for smaller breeds due to the weight of the buckle.
Additional Information
|Pink Puppy Designs
|Green, Red
You may also be interested in the following product(s)
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Christmas Dots Dog Harness
Black Bone Waste Bag Holder
Air Kong Squeaker Tennis Ball - 3 Pack


text:
Richard Gillam - Trilogy, Inc.
Richard Gillam is a senior development engineer at Trilogy Software, Inc., a leading developer of e-commerce solutions for the Global 2000. He is a former member of the IBM team that developed and maintained many of the Java i18n APIs under contract to Sun, where he had specific responsibility for the ResourceBundle and BreakIterator frameworks. His book, "Unicode Demystified: A Practical Programmer's Guide to the Encoding Standard", is slated to be published by Addison-Wesley in late 2001.
|When the world wants to talk, it speaks Unicode
International Unicode Conferences are organized by Global Meeting Services, Inc., (GMS).
GMS is pleased to be able to offer the International Unicode Conferences under an exclusive
license granted by the Unicode Consortium. All responsibility for conference finances and
operations is borne by GMS. The independent conference board serves solely at the pleasure
of GMS and is composed of volunteers active in Unicode and in international software
development. All inquiries regarding International Unicode Conferences should be addressed
to firstname.lastname@example.com.
Unicode and the Unicode logo are registered trademarks of Unicode, Inc. Used with permission.
12 May 2001, Webmaster


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The intent of Women's History Month is to make people aware of the contribution women make to the world they live in.
Overall, their contribution has been important and valuable, but oftentimes unheralded.
Activists over the years worked earnestly to increase appreciation for the accomplishments and abilities that women possess. They pressed for acceptance and inclusion in a "man's world" and they made great progress. Because of the efforts of those spokeswomen in the past, expanded venues are now open to women of all nationalities and backgrounds, and success in many cases has been remarkable.
Women's History Month is observed worldwide. In 1911, March 8 was designated as International Women's Day. In 1981, the observance expanded to the entire week of March 8, and in 1987 our Congress designated March as Women's History Month in the United States.
From the beginning, the emphasis was on education - encouraging students and the public to learn about the role women had played throughout history and how much more they were capable of doing.
The theme this year is Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. It's a broad canvas and will include many accomplished women.
Pequot Lakes has been home to inspirational women of its own over the years. While they might not fit precisely into the categories designated in this year's theme, they deserve recognition for their work in their chosen fields.
The Pequot Lakes Area Historical Society will have a display in the Pequot Lakes Library highlighting some of the noteworthy women who have called Pequot home. They, and many other women who have touched lives in a positive and inspiring manner, deserve the recognition and respect that is intended with Women's History Month.
Please stop by the library beginning Friday, March 1, and become acquainted with a sampling of the women who helped make Pequot Lakes a good place to live. While you're there, select a biography from the shelves and get more of the story.
(Karen Bye is president of the Pequot Lakes Area Historical Society.)


text:
On Friday, when Colin got home, the boys began begging me to go outside and play. It was a beautiful day, so we all headed out the front door. I got comfy, and, all of a sudden, not a minute and a half later, Colin yelled:
"Let's play hopscotch!"
which was greeted with a squeaky chorus of "Yeah! Yeah!!" by his brothers.
That translated (albeit, silently) into:
"Mom, will you puh-lease drag yourself up off of that comfy chair, put your book and your ice cold sweet tea down, and come over to the driveway and bend over your seemingly-gigantic-and-very-cumbersome-belly for at least five minutes while you draw us up a huge hopscotch on the ground?"
Moaning and groaning With a half smile on my face, I obliged. Colin wanted not a regular hopscotch drawn, but an 'extra huge' one. That meant, in Colin terms, going past the number ten and all the way to 20.
So, that's what I did. I even used two different colors of chalk. *grin*
And I ended up with heartburn from being bent over so long, too, in case anyone was wondering.
The boys were excited, so it was worth it.
What made it even more worth it was hearing and seeing Cameron, as I was headed back over to my comfy chair, wheel his bike around to the start of the hopscotch, look directly at Colin, and say:
"Okay. This will be called 'extreme hopscotch'. I hope you can handle it."


text:
Gone Girl - Hope Studios' Book Club
First of all, I think Gillian Flynn must be all kinds of messed up to think of this amazing story of Nick and Amy's relationship!! I would seriously sleep with one eye open if I was her husband.
I was OB. SESSED. with this book during the 2 days it took me to read it. I love books that hook me and keep me off guard and this book did both. I was on such an emotional roller coaster from section 1-3 that after a while I didn't know what was what! Insane.
Here are some good questions to get the discussion rolling...
**How did you feel about Nick during the first section of the book? Did you doubt his innocence?
**Did you have any clue about what would be revealed when you turned the page into the second part of the book?
**Did you feel like Nick was absolved from cheating when more of Amy's personality was revealed or is cheating always wrong?
**Amy is psycho! But isn't Nick, too???
**How did you feel when the pregnancy was revealed at the end? Did you figure out this last card she played before it was revealed?
**Did you wish the book ended differently or was it fitting for the type of relationship Nick and Amy had?
I'm looking for suggestions for our next book! Let's get through Christmas and plan to discuss a new book around the end of January.
Check back here on Sunday for an Elf on the Shelf Party! We can share all our silly, funny, creative Elf ideas so we're all set for all the Elf craziness in December!
12 comments:
Okay, let's get the ball rolling here...ReplyDelete
I loved this book, like I mentioned before and actually would stare at it in the passenger seat while I was driving someplace and long to pull over to read it!
During the first section of the book I was so pissed at Nick. I seriously thought he was a total a$$hol* and felt so bad for Amy. In fact, I have a friend who didn't like the direction of the book at this point and stopped reading it. BIG mistake!
Once part two began I seriously started to think I'd gone crazy! Nothing was as it seemed and I realized the depth of Amy's crazy...which translated into Gillian Flynn's crazy for thinking of this twist! I never saw it coming. Not at all.
I still think that this does not absolve Nick from cheating. Just end this thing. But, I guess that is revealed later that these two feed off each other and fuel both their crazy tendencies.
I felt like an idiot for not picking up on the pregnancy because once I read it I remembered the clinic calling and saying they needed to make a decision about the eggs. Can't believe she snuck another one in on me!
It's so sick that this is how the book ended and many of my friends hated this ending, but it just had to end with one more twisted thing. It kind of played out that BOTH Nick and Amy are screwed in the head. They both stuck it to each other in the end, which is fitting because it's the only way this relationship could survive.
It might be interesting to see how this child's life plays out in the future. Poor kid.
Okay, I'm curious what you think of the ending b/c a friend and I completely disagree on what the ending meant. Did Amy kill Nick? Or is she just keeping him around longer to torture him? I need definitive endings to books and this one bugged me. I really really liked it and have downloaded her two other books but I just need to know what the ending meant! Argh!ReplyDeleteReplies
Well, I didn't get that she killed Nick. But she's crazy, right. It definitely alluded to the fact that more craziness was probably in their future. How is that woman going to raise a child???ReplyDelete
I loved the first section of this book. I literally could not put it down and could not figure out what was going on. Nick's version of events and Amy's diary just didn't mesh. At one point I thought these people all have multiple personalities! Ha, that actually may have been less crazy than what was actually going on.
I guess I tended to side with Nick throughout the book. I felt like he was manipulated by a psychopath and got into a situation that he couldn't get out of. Yes, he cheated but I sort of think being married to a psychopath lets you get away with it. I know, he could have just left. Which is probably what he should have done. But, now knowing that she's completely nuts, who knows what she would have done to him if he'd tried that!Replies
You're right, he might have been killed in his sleep!Delete
I figured from the beginning that she was setting him in some way and had left him to pay for a crime he didn't commit. I knew in the next section it would be revealed that she was still alive. I did not, however, realize how bat sh... insane she was until I started reading that part.ReplyDelete
I get why Nick had the affair, but it wasn't justified. Two wrongs don't make a right. Plus he didn't do it because she was all nutso. He did it to make himself feel better about getting older and not having the life he wanted.
I still don't get Amy didn't just swim away from the house she where she was trapped. She was on a lake for Pete's sake. Not really all that hard to escape. You don't have to stab a man to death.
I thought it ended too abruptly and all of the sudden was just, okay. We're done.
I didn't like this book at all. I'm into justice, and I felt like Amy did not get what she deserved for everything she did.
For some reason, I really wanted to the dad to play a bigger part. Like he had seen her do what she did or saw her do something and from his mutterings the police pieced together and in the end he saved his kid, even if it wasn't intentional.Replies
I agree with the infidelity because while he was carrying on his affair he had no idea how crazy she was - he just thought he was married to a bitch who changed after they got married.Delete
- AnonymousDecember 2, 2012 at 3:47 AM
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.ReplyDelete
Just finished this book tonight. CRAZY! I had my Sherlock Holmes pipe in since the beginning of the book, just trying to figure out what was going on. I didn't believe Nick "did" it, probably because it was so early in the book and I was unwilling to let myself get duped right away :) But when the 2nd part started, I had to read and re read the first 2 pages. Amy dead, but not dead ~ HUH! The girl is way crazy! Perhaps it's weird, but I was rooting for Nick and his crazy, crabby ass. Partially because of all the wacked out, crazy things Amy had done ~ even as a young girl. The one thing I did keep waiting for was for something to happen with the guy in the bar where Amy met Desi when she called him to help her after she was robbed. The guy kept staring at her and Amy was getting weirded out. I'm sure it was just because Flynn was trying to portray her as paranoid, but I was hoping for more out of that little encounter. And yes, Nick is crazy on his own level, but the thought of the two of them raising a child ~ watch out!ReplyDeleteReplies
- AnonymousJanuary 6, 2013 at 9:11 AM
I thought the scene in the bar (of a casino I believe) would pan-out in Boney trying to catch her too, especially since casinos are full of cameras. I also thought Desi comment about saving all the letters Amy sent him over the years (I imagine she did send him letters to keep him hanging on) would be found by his mother.Delete
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The East Georgia State College softball team is off to a great start in the conference, going 5-1 in their first six games and are 20-7 overall this season, showing that the program is continuing the growth that it showed last year with good veteran leadership and great pitching.
All six conference games have been on the road, with the Lady Bobcats sweeping ABAC, splitting a series with Aiken Tech, and then sweeping Georgia Military College earlier this week.
Sutton Appling is leading the team with a .405 average, having also hit two homers with 16 RBI, and 14 runs. Brinsley Screws follows her with a .312 average, four homers, 20 RBI, and 21 runs scored.
Laura Cardell leads the team with five homers while hitting .300 with 12 RBI and 21 runs scored. Nikki Sims is hitting .265 with two homers, 15 RBI, and 13 runs.
Brittany Middleton is having one incredible sophomore season, posting an ERA of 1.38 with a 7-3 record over 76 innings pitched, striking out 51 batters, walking 18, and only allowing 15 runs on 64 hits. Mallory Riner has posted a 3.25 ERA with a 5-2 record over 56 innings, striking out 58, walking 13, and allowing 26 earned runs over 58 hits.
The Lady Bobcats are currently third in the conference and are among the favorites to win the title, with the way the team is pitching, if the bats can keep up they will easily make the conference tournament and have a chance to make a run.


text:
Senior advocates are calling on state lawmakers to preserve a program that allows nursing home residents to keep their rooms after brief absences, such as hospitalizations.
Senior advocates are calling on state lawmakers to preserve a program that allows nursing home residents to keep their rooms after brief absences, such as hospitalizations.
Both Gov. Deval Patrick and the House included no funding for the so-called bed hold program in their budget proposals for next year.
The Senate's initial budget proposal includes funding for bed holds, but could significantly cut payments nursing homes get from the program.
Bed holds were the center of a funding battle last year, when Patrick vetoed $6 million for the program from a supplemental budget. Defying the governor, lawmakers put the money back into a final version of the budget Patrick ultimately signed in the fall.
The "ping-ponging back and forth" puts vulnerable people at risk, said Bill Johnston-Walsh, state director of AARP Massachusetts.
"We had hoped after last year's fight that we wouldn't be fighting for it again this year," he said.
Medicaid pays nursing homes an average of $200 a day per patient, but the money stops flowing while the resident is away, according to W. Scott Plumb, senior vice president of the Massachusetts Senior Care Association, which represents providers.
The bed hold program pays a much lower rate of $80.10 a day for nursing homes to hold a patient's room for up to 10 days, Plumb said.
"We don't like getting paid $80.10 to hold a bed, but we hold the bed because in our view, it belongs to the patient," he said.
The Senate budget, which has yet to go before the full chamber for a vote, would change the reimbursement rate to "no less than $30 a day."
Without the bed hold program, the home receives nothing, giving some little choice but to fill a bed with another patient in order to keep funding operations, Plumb said.
Federal law says nursing homes must readmit seniors or disabled people who leave temporarily, whether for a hospital stay or to visit family. But it does not require the facility to place the patient back in the same room – just the first available spot.
Returning to an unfamiliar bed with different staff and a new roommate can be jarring and stressful for residents, especially those with dementia or others who have lived in the same room for years, Johnston-Walsh said.
"To the individual, it feels more like an eviction than a room transfer," he said.
In vetoing the funding last year, Patrick cited an audit that found about 4,000 empty beds in nursing homes across the state.
Johnston-Walsh said he understands tough budget decisions need to be made, but "to me, it's a rights issue for the individual." He also said the state receives matching federal funding for the money it puts toward the bed hold program.
More than 30 state representatives sought an amendment to freeze bed hold funding at 2011 levels, but the measure did not make it into the budget the chamber passed April 24. Johnston-Walsh said he hopes to see level funding for the program at $6 million.
Plumb said it was surprising the House, traditionally a supporter of the program, bypassed it this year. He called the sum "chump change" in the state budget.
"It just seems to us cruel, frankly, and unnecessary," he said.
Plumb said he hopes to see the Senate boost funding for bed holds.
"Our feeling is that this is a home," he said. "What kind of a home is it if you leave if you have to go to the hospitals for two days and have to come back with a different roommate, a different staff, a different everything?"
(State House News Service material was used in this report. David Riley can be reached at 508-626-4424 or firstname.lastname@example.com.)


text:
LONDON (AP) — Without a doubt, Grand Slam tournaments bring out the best in Sloane Stephens, the last American singles player still around at the All England Club.
Take a look at what she's done this season.
After her career-best run to the Australian Open semifinals in January, and before her second-week appearances at the French Open in June and at Wimbledon — where the 17th-seeded Stephens reached the quarterfinals with a three-set victory Monday — she went through quite a rough patch: a four-month stretch in which she failed to win more than two consecutive matches at any tournament.
"It was a bad time," Stephens said.
How did she turn it around?
"Just knowing that I am a good tennis player. I'm top-20 in the world for a reason. I didn't, like, all of a sudden, snap my fingers and I got good," Stephens said. "I put in a lot of work. (It) took a lot of sweat (and), like, 'bad hair' days, all that other stuff, to get to where I was. I realize that I just couldn't let that go to waste. I had to get back to work."
At Roland Garros last month, she reached the fourth round before losing to 2012 champion Maria Sharapova. At Wimbledon on Tuesday, Stephens will take on 15th-seeded Marion Bartoli, the 2007 runner-up, with a chance to reach her second major semifinal of the year — and of her nascent career.
"Everyone asks, like, 'Why do you only play well in the Slams?' ... I mean, I don't know," the 20-year-old Stephens said. "It just happens."
Playing at Wimbledon for the second time, Stephens got through the fourth round Monday by beating 19-year-old Monica Puig of Puerto Rico 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.
Stephens wrapped up her 2-hour, 4-minute victory on Court 18 shortly after defending champion Serena Williams' 34-match winning streak ended with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 loss to Sabine Lisicki on Centre Court.
For the first time in 101 years, no men representing the U.S. even made it to Wimbledon's third round, and Williams and Stephens were the only women from the country in the fourth round.
Williams was asked who she thinks will win Wimbledon now that she's out.
"Sloane has a really good chance of winning. She has a great draw. I think she can take it," said Williams, who lost to Stephens in the Australian Open quarterfinals. "It would be really nice to see her win."
Earlier this year, Stephens found herself in a bit of a brouhaha over less-than-flattering comments she made to a reporter about Williams.
Young as she is, and even though she has yet to win a title on tour, Stephens already knows what it feels like to play in the latter rounds at Grand Slam tournaments. Wimbledon is her ninth major, while Puig was only in her second, and that might have made a difference Monday.
"Sloane's been in this situation many times before, so she has a little bit more experience in this type of stage than I do," Puig said. "That ... definitely helps her a little bit."
Stephens' next opponent, France's Bartoli, is 28, owns seven career titles, and will be appearing in her sixth major quarterfinal overall, third at Wimbledon. Bartoli was a 6-2, 6-3 winner against 104th-ranked Karin Knapp of Italy 6-2, 6-3 on Monday.
Bartoli lost to Williams' sister, Venus, in the 2007 final at the All England Club. Two years before that, Stephens recalls tuning in on TV for what she called an "epic final" at Wimbledon, when Venus Williams beat Lindsay Davenport 9-7 in the third set.
"I was not good at tennis then, obviously. I was a non-factor," said Stephens, who was 12 at the time. "So it's crazy just thinking that I went from watching that to actually here in the quarters. It's definitely crazy, but it's good."


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Oregon Tech Portland-Metro suggests you visit campus before applying. This visit will allow you to get more detailed information about Oregon Tech Portland-Metro, admissions requirements, and answers to your general questions. If you have already applied and been admitted, please call 503.821.1250 for an advising session to map out the most direct path to reach your educational goals and objectives.
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Jays part ways with Towers
TORONTO — After publicly saying they were considering bringing Josh Towers back, the Blue Jays opted instead to cut ties with the right-hander on Wednesday night.
Toronto non-tendered the 30-year-old Towers (5-10, 5.38 ERA last season), who is now eligible to become a free agent. Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi was not available for comment.
Towers was chilling in his hot tub in Las Vegas when I got him on the phone to talk about his newfound freedom. He said he had "mixed emotions" when Ricciardi delivered the news, but obviously Towers knows this move could be a good move for him:
"I get a new opportunity, just like I did when I came to Toronto. I get to go start over and prove myself to a whole new organization and a whole new bunch of people that I don't know. I kind of like that situation. Maybe I can try to go to the National League. You never know where I'm going to end up, but it's just a new opportunity, being a free agent in a not-so-good pitching market."
That "not-so-good pitching market" was one of the reasons Ricciardi talked about bringing Towers back. Then again, Toronto would've had to shell out at least $2.4 million to retain the righty. The Jays could still bring him back, but only if he'd accept a Minor League contract.
Towers sounded more keen on testing his worth on the market. He said he'd love to pitch in San Diego, which showed interest in him at the Winter Meetings. Towers' style might work well in Petco Park and he said he'd love the chance to be teammates with Greg Maddux.
"Just about every National League West team I'd like to play for. Obviously, San Diego would be ideal. They've got a huge ballpark and that West coast weather at night and I'd get an opportunity to play with Greg Maddux. That would be pretty unbelievable. I think I could learn a lot from him."
Towers said he would've liked to come back to Toronto to try and redeem himself after a 7-20 showing with a 6.50 ERA over the past two seasons. But, he's a realist and being the type of person he is — one never known to bite his tongue about himself or the team — Towers worked in a shot at himself.
"I haven't really done much the last two years. So, I understand why. I would've parted ways with me, too.
"I believe it's a good thing. But in the end, I think I really would've preferred to stay. I'm not too happy about the way I left Toronto. I really didn't feel like I did them justice and I kind of wanted another crack at it. That's not how it's going to be."
Towers has been working out this offseason with Reed Johnson, who did receive a contract offer along with Toronto's other unsigned players. Exchange of arb figures comes in January and the arb hearings are later in February.
CATCHER WATCH: Ricciardi indicated that the Jays wanted to see what catchers were non-tendered on Wednesday and if they might figure into Toronto's quest to find a backup backstop.
Well, the Marlins parted ways with Miguel Olivo and the Mets non-tendered Johnny Estrada. Olivo, 29, made $2 million last year and Estrada, 31, made $3.4 million — both as starting catchers for their respective clubs (Estrada with the Brewers).
With the Jays, Toronto needs someone who can backup Gregg Zaun (switch hitter), who is better as a left-handed hitter. So, ideally, the Jays could use a right-handed hitting catcher with a decent arm to help snuff out the running game.
Olivo (.237 AVG, 16 HR, 60 RBIs in '07) threw runners out at a 33-percent clip last year and hit .295 vs. lefties, but he had 12 errors and 16 passed balls — yikes. Estrada (.278-10-54 as a switch hitter) hit .313 vs. lefties and had six errors and five PB, but had a 13-percent caught-stealing average — not good.
Of the two, Olivo would probably fit into the picture. Sal Fasano is still an option, too. Ricciardi said there could be news on the topic by the end of the week.
Now, about that Mitchell report…tomorrow should be fun. Goodnight all.
7 Comments
So the 5th starter battle looks to be between Jansen, Litsch and Chacin. I'm hoping they try out a guy like Clement or Benson to compete for that spot with the money they just saved on not offering Towers. My choice would be Benson provided he and Clement are of the same health.
Not sure what happens in spring when/if Jansen and Litsch have solid springs as starters. My opinion is Litsch is needed in AAA to fill in when an injury happens. These days (especially with any rotation with Burnett) almost requires 6 starters. Lets say Litsch breaks with the team and Jansen goes back to the pen… Who then fills the 1st starter call up??? You can't bounce Jansen back and forth or you will hurt him and I don't see another major league ready starter in their system. I say get rid or Chacin he carries no value as far as i'm concerned.
Foxsports is reports the Jays are close to signing David Eckstein!
I think that's an indication that Johnson isn't going o be playing a lot since Eckstein can leadoff.
Losing Towers isn't necessarily a bad thing, as his numbers have been pretty terrible over the past couple seasons.
As a Phillies fan, I know a lot of other fans who would love the Phillies to give Towers a shot. Personally I hope they stay away from him. He's numbers are worse then Adam Eaton.
Cubs didn't offer a contract to Prior… I would put him in the group with Benson and Clement of potential reclemation projects.
I like the Eckstein deal (if there is one) Jonny Mac is the best utility guy in baseball but saying that he isn't a starter… Why did we get Scutaro if Mac is going to be the super utility??? I don't see a need of having Mac and Scutaro both on the bench when one would suffice.
He's a good kid, that Towers. Hopefully a change of scenery helps him out.
As for the Rios-for-Lincecum deal, I guess now we'll have the opportunity to see how well that elbow ligament holds up, if in fact it is an issue.
Too bad about the dead Rios-Lincecum talks. I'm not sure what the Giants are thinking giving Rowand five years. Sure, he's one of those good attitude/hustling guys, but he also had his career year at the age of 30 while playing in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the Majors. I think he'll continue to put up decent numbers, but he's hardly the kind of bat you want to centre a lineup around.
As for Towers, it'll be good for him to get a change in scenery. I really hope he gets picked up by some N.L. team, or else his big league career might be a short one.
I wouldn't say Chacin has no value. He is 15-8 as a starter for the Jays, so when he is healthy he is nothing to sneeze at. Don't forget that he's a lefty, so he will have a job as long as he cqn climb up on the mound. I think if he doesn't nail down a starting spot, he would do well as a long reliever, since his first time through the order is always better than his second and third pass. This would leave Downs to be a lefty specialist. There is always a good chance that one or more of our young arms is going to suffer from the sophomore blues, in which case we will need all the starting pitching we can get.


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In her first TV interview since the death of her brother, Janet Jackson will sit down and open up with ABC's Robin Roberts in a new interview, set to air on November 18.
Janet, who recently shared her memories of her late brother, Michael Jackson, to Harper's Bazaar, will sit down with the TV journalist for "In the Spotlight With Robin Roberts: Janet Jackson."
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Michael Jackson: The Life Of An Icon
According to ABC, Janet is allowing cameras into her Malibu, Calif., home for the first time ever.
Variety, which first reported the news, wrote that Janet is expected to talk about the loss of Michael, who died on June 25 as a result of acute Propofol intoxication.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Michael Jackson: The King Of Pop
The interview will air on November 18 at 10 PM on ABC.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Janet Jackson
PLAY IT NOW: Access Extended: Janet Jackson's Sexy Lingerie Line
PLAY IT NOW: Access Extended: Janet Jackson
MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Janet Jackson - Michael Jackson - TV One - News - Celebrities


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To get its Core 2 Duo systems to market in the shortest possible time, AJP has built the technology into an existing model in its range. Providing dual-core gaming power from a desktop replacement chassis is the AJP M575U (£1585 inc. VAT).
Despite using one of the lower-powered processors in the Core 2 Duo range, performance is still strong. The T5500 chip runs at 1.66GHz and is backed up by 2048MB of memory. Even the 100GB hard drive spins at the fastest possible speed of 7200rpm.
With the technology so new to market, benchmark software has yet to be optimised. As a result, test scores were below what we were expecting. With a MobileMark 2005 score of 201, performance is adequate, but less than we've seen from Intel's dual-core chips.
Equally, dual-core Cinebench tests showed power far below expectations. Day-to-day performance proved competent, but it should be noted that the full power of dual-core technology won't be realised until more software utilises the twin processors.
Gaming ability represents the core goal of the AJP. Using nVidia's GeForce Go 7900 GTX graphics card, 3D performance is outstanding. Scoring 15,364 points from 3DMark tests, all gaming and multimedia applications run with ease.
The 17-inch screen provides a stunning canvas for such 3D power. With its Super- TFT coating, colours are vibrant. A high resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels ensures images are sharp and games can be played at full resolution.
Predictably, mobility is secondary. With dimensions of 398 x 275 x 58mm, the AJP weighs 4.3kg. Impractical for daily travel, its battery life of just 113 minutes ensures this is a laptop best suited to a life at home or in the office.
As a result, usability is enhanced. With a keyboard that measures 338 x 107mm, there's ample space for comfortable typing and a full number pad is included for gaming and data input use. All keys are responsive, but too firm for long periods of speed-typing.
Rounding out the comprehensive specifications of the system is high-speed network connectivity. Gigabit Ethernet suits home networking and LAN gaming, while 802.11a/b/g Wi-fikeeps users wirelessly connected in the UK and even abroad.
At this early stage in the life of Core 2 Duo, its full power is yet to be seen. As more software is optimised for dual-core processors, we will begin to see its full potential. For now, the AJP M575U is a strong gaming laptop with an eye on the future. Alex Bentley & Michael Browne


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Opposite the NBA and MLB, the NFL had an amazing decade. Whereas those sports combined to produce three Game 7s in 20 championship series, the NFL saw five Super Bowls come down to the final two minutes. It avoided major scandals while providing us with a likable upstart turned detestable villain, one of the best rivalries the sport has ever seen, featuring two historically transcendent players at the game's most important position. Oh, and it cleaned up its logo.
It might even be the Golden Age of the NFL.
As for my list, you'll notice that the common theme uniting all 10 games is fourth-quarter drama. And not like, one-team-drives-for-one-late-TD-to-win drama, but back-and-forth-for-all-15-minutes-with-multiple-scores drama. And even having that high standard and far fewer games to choose from than in the other sports, I had to make some tough cuts. The final ones included the Steelers' comeback win over the Browns on Wild Card Weekend in 2002 (the same day as a game that made our countdown), the Steelers' upset of the Colts in the 2005 Divisional Playoffs, and the Colts' incredible fourth-quarter comeback on Monday Night against the Buccaneers in 2003.
On the other end of the spectrum, the worst game of the decade was Super Bowl XXXVII, the Buccaneers' 48-21 romp over the Raiders. If you don't know why, you're a Bucs' fan.
10. 2000 Regular Season: New York Jets 40, Miami Dolphins 37 (OT)


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Animal Rights Reserved (ARR) is perhaps Kenya's newest animal charity. Beginning its operations less than a year ago - in March 2012 - it is already saving lives and making a good impact on the wildlife and community around Lake Naivasha and a wide surrounding area of the Great Rift Valley, and as far away as the Maasai Mara.
Now there is a 24-hour mobile veterinary unit ready to help wildlife in distress 24/7. It has been established and works hand-in-hand with the powerful Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) which protects wildlife around the country and strives to resolve human-animal conflicts. Ephantus Ndambiri, the KWS wildlife vet on call with ARR, is one of only 12 veterinarians in the country who has been certified to take care of wildlife problems, analyze medical problems, work with the extremely powerful drugs needed to anesthetize a large animal when it needs medical attention, and also conduct forensic and post-mortem investigations.
Together with Rob Mills, manager of ARR, and a KWS lab technician, three KWS rangers, and a driver, Ephantus is often called for anti-poaching, such as removing snares from animals that have been caught by crude traps and are suffering. Hopefully these animals are not terminally wounded or infected.The team is also on call to investigate unusual problems and behaviors which have been noticed and reported by people in the community. Sometimes those issues require lab forensics as well. The team seeks to find out what is ailing the animals. And they must put down the animals whose suffering is too far along.
Sometimes the ARR team must relocate animals that are causing fear and disruption in the homes and farms of the exploding human population in the area. For example, a a python or a water buffalo might come too close. There are also those helpless baby animals that are found alone - lost and separated from their mothers and herds, that cannot survive on their own. They are brought back to the rescue center on the property of the Kongoni Lodge. A stationary vet unit would help them as well as other animals that need longer term care, and setting up this unit is currently in the works. (Please see my article on Kongoni Lodge in LASplash.) In this unit, the animals will be nurtured and eventually released back to the wild on the recommendation of the KWS. Another project of ARR is helping to reestablish the numbers of the Somalia ostrich, which have almost vanished in the area. A fine young male lives on the lodge property, and the ARR team is searching for a few possible mates.
ARR was founded and is subsidized by the big-heartedness and generosity of Margaret and Ola Zak, mother and daughter philanthropists from Poland who have always had a soft spot for animals and conservation. In Poland, Margaret set up a children's charity in the '90s, which has become one of the most successful in that country. Over 19,000 children have been helped through her fundraising for high-tech medical equipment along with aid to sick children of impoverished families. In 2010, Margaret was gifted the Kongoni Lodge property on 1,000 acres of land by her television-mogul husband Zygmunt Solorz-Zak. She has since stepped down from her children's charity and immediately started working towards improving conditions for wildlife in peril in the area surrounding Kongoni Lodge.
Ola has a masters degree in conservation and will soon start studying for her PhD in Kenyan wildlife conservation. As research manager and director of ARR, she has also brought on her partner Edward Winter to help out with the marketing aspects of Kongoni Lodge and to help sustain the charity operation.
One of the first projects the Zaks undertookhas been to purchase another thousand acres down the road from the lodge exclusively for wildlife. This area is Mundui Reserve, which they saved from being developed. Next they had erected 10 kilometres of electric fence, which separates the wild animals from the nearby farms where strays were always getting into trouble.
Margaret sat down with Rob Mills, a native Kenyan whose grandparents emigrated from the U.K. He grew up on a dairy farm in western Kenya. Rob has always a had a passion for wildlife, although before he got together with Margaret, he was using his business skills, running a multimilliondollar horticultural enterprise nearby. There are over 500,000 people employed by the flower industry in the Lake Naivasha area. The climate is perfect. Greenhouses are lined all around the shore of the several lakes in the region that grow flowers and ship to countries globally, including Holland, India and others.
Rob says because the wages paid in the flower industry are relatively good, many family members and friends of the employed are coming to the area to get work. But there are not enough jobs for everyone. So parts of the community fall into poverty, and people end up poaching animals to feed their families. "Poaching cannot be separated from what's going on in the country," he says.
In addition to these family poachers, there are the commercial poachers who hunt wildlife and send the meat in trucks to Nairobi and other large towns. The third type of poaching is the criminal-syndicate type. With this type, international syndicates are involved. They are poaching elephants and rhinos, which generally requires an insider, a middleman, and a big-money man - typically from China or the Far East.
Because there are no elephants in the Lake Naivasha area and almost no rhinos, big-syndicate poaching had not occurred - until recently. During our visit in early December of 2012, the one rhino sanctuary - which is located adjacent to the Kongoni Lodge and which harbors about 14 rhinos - had one of its precious charges slaughtered, its horns and face cut brutally from its body. The facts surrounding the incident, as always happens, according to Ephantus, are unclear.
Supposedly rangers saw the rhino at 9AM, and at 11AM in the middle of an open field, it was dead. More than 7 shots with an automatic weapon were fired - unheard by anyone. In 80 - 90 percent of cases, someone on the inside has aided the killers. A helicopter brought in a team with sniffer dogs from Nairobi to hunt for the poachers. As of this writing, the smaller horn had been recovered in a bag.
Conservancies that keep wildlife, especially rhinos, have to pass security test criteria established by the KWS. If compliance is found lacking and not brought up to standards in a short time, the rhino can be taken away to what is deemed a safer area. People in the conservation community have been shocked by the rhino murder. The KWS director came to inspect, and there is an ongoing investigation of a crime that is happening far too often in Kenya and all around Africa. It is harder and harder to keep the precious animals safe - their horns and tusks are worth more than gold.
When I asked Rob what he thought local residents would be thinking of this, he replied that the average struggling local has never even seen a rhino and so probably would not think much about it. And this of course is part of the integral societal problem and why these horrible poachings can exist in the first place. The extreme poverty, lack of employment, and lack of education suffered by so many are partly to blame. Overly tempting to some will be the free meat, a few shillings, a chance to make ready cash for information reporting when the animals are vulnerable, or simply looking the other way. Many do not realize the treasures of wildlife they have inherited. They feel that they have never been able to enjoy or get anything they can see out of others' conservation efforts.
Large tracts of land in Kenya are owned by wealthy Europeans. These owners often do care about conservation, but they are not usually very involved with the community. Nor are they necessarily aware of the latest problems or security requirements. This is why ARR's mission is not only to help animals but also to help develop sustainable efforts for humans. One really cannot exist without the other. Some of the most successful conservation groups in Kenya are those that have banned together with other like-minded people in their area. Working together, they have developed programs to help the community. For example, they've created school programs that teach about nature and have provided school buses to bring in children to the conservancies to learn about animals and their importance.
In a country like Kenya where there are so many tribes with differing and often primitive traditions, sometimes with inhumane practices, educating children is essential. ARR has been active in the community for only three-quarters of a year, and the majority of people in the region still do not know much or anything about ARR and its work. This needs to change. Ephantus explained, "Without embracing the community, the project will not have a life."
This is why one of the two most pressing needs of ARR is to add trained personnel able to reach out to the impoverished in the community, find out what their most dire needs and wants are, and build bridges. This person would also hopefully reach out to other conservation groups in the neighboring area and create forums to discuss the issues and pool resources.
Rob emphasized, "We must all come together and get the communities involved so they have a sense of ownership of the animals as well." A local public-relations-trained person could also help spread news of ARR's work to institutions and even to corporations that might find effective ways to use their charity dollars by helping this foundation grow.
To be more effective in their work, Ephantus and Rob feel their second pressing need to acquire a huge flatbed 4-wheel-drive truck. It shoud have a crane with capacity to lift 12 tons or more. The vehicle and crane are very much needed when there is a large problem animal that needs moving, such as four buffalos that recently came near a residence, Having the truck would also save money and resources because, without it, the team must round up 30-plus men to try to move a darted animal. Rob thinks they could find this equipment for a donation of $70,000.
Rob and Ephantus wanted to express their sincere gratitude to the KWS for supporting their work. And especially to their gracious founders, Margaret and Ola, without whom they wouldn't be able to do their valuable work. Ola currently works as the research manager. ARR is a charity that deserves watching and supporting. They are welcoming of volunteers from around the world - especially vet techs and IT people who are good on the computer for research. If you are interested or know someone who might be, you can apply to the KWS and ask to work with ARR. As an added bonus, the volunteers will be able to receive food and lodging at the fabulous and luxurious Kongoni Lodge at minimal cost during their stay.
Ola is very optimistic about the growth of ARR in the future. "There is nothing more important to me than animals - every rescue, any collected snare, is a personal victory for me which cannot be compared to any other feeling in the world. It's what I live for and intend to do for the rest of my life. I really do think that we have the opportunity to make something really great that can truly make an impact, a difference - we just need time and lots and lots of work, which we are all very willing to deliver."
Photos courtesy of ARR and Georja Umano.
Georja Umano is an actor and animal advocate.
For more details and to make a contribution, please visit the ARR website:
and Kongoni Lodge: