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As a Big Data Manager, you will focus on managing the information supply chain from acquisition to ingestion, storage and the provisioning of data to points of impact by modernizing and enabling new capabilities. Information value is enhanced through enterprise-scale applications that enable visualization, consumption and monetization of both structured and unstructured data. Big data is becoming one of the most important technology trends that has the potential for dramatically changing the way organizations use information to enhance the customer experience and transform their business models.
Work you'll do
A Manager at Deloitte will manage and deliver components of client engagements that identify, design, and implement technology and creative business solutions for large companies. Key responsibilities will include:
- Manage teams in the identification of business requirements, functional design, process design (including scenario design, flow mapping), prototyping, testing, training, defining support procedures.
- Formulate planning, budgeting, forecasting and reporting strategies.
- Manage full life cycle implementations.
- Develop statements of work and/or client proposals.
- Identify business opportunities to increase usability and profitability of information architecture.
- Experience with program leadership, governance and change enablement.
- Develop and manage vendor relationships.
- Lead workshops for client education.
- Manage resources and budget on client projects.
- Assist and drive the team by providing oversight.
The Team
Analytics and Information Management
At Deloitte Consulting LLP, our Analytics and Information Management team is responsible for transforming numbers and statistics into actionable information for our clients. We help them predict, plan, and adapt their business strategies to meet real-time challenges and confidently help navigate past whatever obstacles come their way. We take a holistic approach to data and offer a broad range of integration and analytics capabilities, including: Information Delivery, Data Management and Architecture, Performance Management and Advanced Analytics Enablement. Learn more about our Analytics and Information Management practice.
- 6+ years of relevant technology architecture consulting or industry experience to include Information delivery, Analytics and Business Intelligence based on data from hybrid of Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS), non-relational (NoSQL, MongoDB, Cassandra) and relational Data Warehouses.
- 3 or more years of hands on experience with data lake implementations, core modernization and data ingestion.
- At least 3 years hands on working experience with Big data technologies; MapReduce, Pig, Hive, HBase, Sqoop, Spark, Flume, YARN, Kafka, Storm etc.
- Experience working with commercial distributions of HDFS (Hortonworks, Cloudera, Pivotal HD, MapR)
- 1 or more years of hands on experience designing and implementing data ingestion techniques for real time and batch processes for video, voice, weblog, sensor, machine and social media data into Hadoop ecosystems and HDFS clusters.
- 1 or more years of hands on experience with data integration products like Informatica Power Center Big Data Edition (BDE), IBM BigInsights, Talend etc.
- Bachelor's Degree or equivalent professional experience
- Willingness for weekly client-based travel, up to 80-100% (Monday — Thursday/Friday)
- Experience designing and implementing reporting and visualization for unstructured and structured data sets
- Experience in designing and implementing scalable, distributed systems leveraging cloud computing technologies like AWS EC2, AWS Elastic Map Reduce and Microsoft Azure
- Experience designing and developing data cleansing routines utilizing typical data quality functions involving standardization, transformation, rationalization, linking and matching
- Knowledge of data, master data and metadata related standards, processes and technology
- Experience working with multi-Terabyte data sets
- Experience with Data Integration on traditional and Hadoop environments
- Ability to work independently, manage small engagements or parts of large engagements.
- Strong oral and written communication skills, including presentation skills (MS Visio, MS PowerPoint).
- Strong problem solving and troubleshooting skills with the ability to exercise mature judgment.
- An advanced degree in the area of specialization is preferred.
How you'll grow
At Deloitte, our professional development plan focuses on helping people at every level of their career to identify and use their strengths to do their best work every day. From entry-level employees to senior leaders, we believe there's always room to learn. We offer opportunities to help sharpen skills in addition to hands-on experience in the global, fast-changing business world. From on-the-job learning experiences to formal development programs at Deloitte University, our professionals have a variety of opportunities to continue to grow throughout their career. Explore Deloitte University, The Leadership Center.
At Deloitte, we know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and offer employees a broad range of benefits. Learn more about what working at Deloitte can mean for you.
Deloitte's culture
Our positive and supportive culture encourages our people to do their best work every day. We celebrate individuals by recognizing their uniqueness and offering them the flexibility to make daily choices that can help them to be healthy, centered, confident, and aware. We offer well-being programs and are continuously looking for new ways to maintain a culture where our people excel and lead healthy, happy lives. Learn more about Life at Deloitte.
Corporate citizenship
Deloitte is led by a purpose: to make an impact that matters. This purpose defines who we are and extends to relationships with our clients, our people and our communities. We believe that business has the power to inspire and transform. We focus on education, giving, skill-based volunteerism, and leadership to help drive positive social impact in our communities. Learn more about Deloitte's impact on the world.
Recruiter tips
We want job seekers exploring opportunities at Deloitte to feel prepared and confident. To help you with your interview, we suggest that you do your research: know some background about the organization and the business area you're applying to. Check out recruiting tips from Deloitte professionals.
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USA Police Radio
NYPD Special operations
Chicago Police
LAPD LAPD Los Angeles Police Valley Bureau
LAPD LAPD Los Angeles Police Valley Bureau
LAPD Los Angeles Police South Bureau
Los Angeles Police Department South Bureau
Washington Police
NYPD Brooklyn 72nd 76th
NYPD Brooklyn 66th 70th
NYPD Manhattan – 1st, 5th, and 7th Pcts
NYPD Manhattan – 1st, 5th, and 7th Pcts
NYPD Manhattan – 17th, Midtown North and South Pcts
NYPD Manhattan – 17th, Midtown North and South Pcts
Cambria Police
Colorado State Patrol
New Orleans Police
Virginia State Police
Common Codes:
10-1 Call Your Command
10-2 Return To Your Command
10-3 Call Dispatcher By Telephone
10-4 Acknowledgment
10-5 Repeat Message
10-6 Standby
10-7 Verify Address
10-10 Possible Crime
10-11 Alarm
10-12 Civilian/Security Holding Suspect
10-13 Assist Police Officer
10-14 License Plate Check - Unoccupied
10-15 License Plate Check - Occupied
10-16 Vehicle is Reported Stolen
10-17 Vehicle is Not Reported Stolen
10-18 Warrant Check Shows An Active Warrant
10-19 Warrant Check Negative
Past /In progress Crime:
10-20/10-30 Robbery
10-21/10-31 Burglary
10-22/10-32 Larceny
10-33 Explosive Device or Threat
10-24/10-34 Assault
10-25/10-35 Child Abuse
10-29/10-39 Other Crime
10-44 Suspicious Substance Reported
Non Crime Incidents:
10-50 Disorderly Person/Group or Noise
10-51 Roving band
10-52 Dispute
10-53 Vehicle Accident
10-54 Medical Call (EDP = Emotionally Disturbed Person)
10-55 Ambulance Case No RMP required
10-56 Possible Medical Call
10-58 Assist Ambulance
10-59 Fire Call
10-60 Broadcast/Pursuit
Administrative Codes:
10-61 Precinct Assignment
10-62 Out of Service - Other
10-63 Out of Service - Meal
10-64 Quality of Life Incident
10-65 Utility Trouble
10-66 Unusual Incident
10-67 Traffic/Parking Condition
10-68 See Complainant
10-69 Other Non-Crime Incident
10-75 C Community Visit
10-75 D Directed Patrol
10-75 F Family/Home Visit for Domestic Violence Officers
10-75 P Park, Walk, Talk
10-75 V Vertical Patrol
10-75 W Warrant Check (Switching to Citywide)
Assignment Status (interim):
10-80 Cancel
10-82 Verificaton/Arrest
10-83 Report/Notification at Station House
10-84 Arrived at Scene
10-85 Need Additional Unit (non-E = non emergency)
10-86 Female In/Female Out of Vehicle
10-87 Unit to Hospital
Final Dispositions:
10-90 F1 Domestic Incident Report (no offense of domestic violence is alleged)
F2 Domestic Incident Report (unfounded report of domestic violence)
J1 Domestic Incident Report (no offense of child abuse is alleged)
J2 Domestic Incident Report (offense of reported child abuse is unfounded)
N Unfounded Alarm
N3 Unnecessary Alarm
U Unable to gain entrance
V2 Unsuccesful Home Visit
X Unfounded
Y Unnecessary
Z Gone on arrival
10-91 Non-crime corrected
V Successful Home Visit
10-92 Arrest
C Crime Arrest
F Family Offense Arrest Made
J Child Abuse Arrest Affected
Q Other Arrest
10-93 C Complaint Report prepared for a crime
F Complaint Report/Domestic Incident (for Family Offense)
J Complaint Report/Domestic Incident (for Child Abuse)
Q Other report prepared (no arrest)
10-94 Handled by previous tour
10-95 Non-crime referred by another agency
10-96 Summons served
10-97 H Patient removed to hospital
R Patient refused medical aide
10-98 Resuming patrol/available
10-99 Other final disposition
T4 Vehicle Accident - no tow truck required
T5 Vehicle Accident - DARP tow required
T6 Vehicle Accident - other tow service
T7 Vehicle Accident - DARP and other tow service
T8 Vehicle Accident - authorized tow service
T9 Vehicle Accident - DARP requested
Level One Responding Borough Task Force
Level Two Task Force - City Wide
Level Three Local Borough Precinct Personnel
Level Four Precinct Personnel - City Wide
Precinct # followed by Sector letter. IE: 44 Adam
RMP = NYPD's term for a Police Car. Stands for Radio Motor Patrol.

subset: commoncrawl


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a couple of my apple thoughts in the other thread…
a couple of my apple thoughts in the other thread…
My last load of DDD was 14 trading days ago when it bounced off the lower trend line (reference lessons from "Stikky Stock Charts") at $45. This morning when it hit $53 I placed a trailing stop down $2.50, so if it shows a crazy dip, at least i'll be out with a quick 10% gain (and looking for the next available entry point)........PS. And I have a similar story to tell about GMCR which I purchased 7 business days ago at $74, placed a $3 trailing stop on it this morning when it hit $87.79 (17+% gain so far), so I should be able to stop out with decent gains if/when it decides to take a break. BTW, I'm using proceeds from my SIRI sales/gains of a couple months ago........ and so far the gains have outstripped what they would have been had I left them in SIRI............But I did take a new position in SIRI last week, so it'll be interesting to see how it might grow............ AND Finally, thanks to the Bassman (again) for bringing that "Stikky" book to our attention.........I think I'm batting about 75% success using only the lessons from that little book...... Wonder what might happen once I get those three new TA books in the mail.
just breaking a new 52 week high on huge volume, i am not selling any DDD until possibly the end of this week after this run ensues….
it sounds like you are doing well SLY….
not to brag, but I have been doing quite well myself lately…...in the last 10 months, my portfolio has grown 159% and counting…..my goal is 200% and I have 2 more months……c'mon FB, daddy needs a new fishing pole!
Last edited by Limit5Bass; 08-26-2013 at 01:05 PM.
I'm quite pleased with my results too, Bass, but I can't hold a candle to your gains. My mistake was that I bought my new fishing pole on credit so I've had to scramble to pay for it, and consequently have made some knee-jerk decisions which cost me
Good going. Keep up the good work.
Following cut and paste is from Seeking Alpha today:
3D printer makers fly higher following Citi's coverage launches • 2:02 PM
• 3D Systems (DDD +9.3%) and Stratasys (SSYS +5.7%), which were started at Buy by Citi's Ken Wong, are shooting higher, and so is rival ExOne (XONE +4.6%).
• Wong has set a $60 PT for 3D Systems, and a $125 PT from Stratasys. He sees the 3D printing market growing over 3x over the next 5 years to $6B+, and thinks the industry is nearing a tipping point with regards to wider consumer adoption.
Bass, I think I see how it is that your performance out performs mine........... My $3 trailing stop on DDD triggered right near the closing bell, yielding a cool 14% gain is just three weeks. Ironically, I had that trailing stop set exactly at the upper trend line, so it couldn't have been better If I had been watching for it to bounce down............Now, all I need is a good bounce so I can jump back in and ride it back up.................. likely that won't happen however, as you and others are indicating the target price will be in the near future............. So here you are with a boat load of DDD ready to ride upward, and I must await a dip to be able to get back in.
Something wrong with that picture.
looks like I bought some of your shares SLY, but don't ever fret taking profits. I may be wanting to hold these shares longer term than you. 14% in 3 weeks….if you keep that up on every transaction, you will be rich faster than you know it
and in all fairness, after reviewing a prior article of mine here, my initial target range was $55 to $71, and I mentioned that the truth was somewhere in the middle….by all math that I know, that leaves me with an initial target of $63….I overstated my initial target on my prior post by a few $, but it was still within my range
the hardest part i learned about investing is knowing when to sell, and I am still learning there. But when a stock I am expecting to breakout does just that on huge volume, I am buying more on the pullback and riding it higher to my target prices because it is acting exactly how I wanted it to… but you will never go broke locking in 15% gains, ever….keep it up SLY
Last edited by Limit5Bass; 08-26-2013 at 05:18 PM.
Hey Bass, you posted a couple of Ebooks for the Kindle a while back, one on options trading, and the other I can't remember, think it was about candlesticks. If there's anyway possible can you re-post them. Just got a new Tablet, the Galaxy note, and I think I can read them now. Thanks for all you contribute. Unless we get news, something like, " AT&T and SiriusXM join forces to offer new hardware utilizing cutting edge telematics technology to the masses" We are dead in the water, imo. It's coming tho!!! GLA
It appears MACD is converging on the threshold...
Last edited by Redcloud; 08-26-2013 at 07:19 PM.


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Chinese authorities have certified Sony's (NYSE:SNE) PlayStation 3, potentially signaling a shift in Chinese policy regarding home video-game consoles.
Gaming consoles were banned by the Chinese Ministry of Culture in 2000 over concerns that the devices could have a deleterious effect on Chinese youth, Reuters noted.
Despite that ban, the China Quality Certification Centre certified the PlayStation 3 back in July. The certification is required before products can be sold in China.
While gaming consoles are banned, online and mobile device gaming is permitted.
Though the certification could be read as a suggestion that China may be reconsidering the ban, an analyst noted that only the Ministry of Culture could rescind the ban. If the ban were to be lifted, it's likely Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Nintendo (PINK:NTDOY) would also attempt to have their gaming consoles certified for sale in China.
Sony declined to comment on the implications of the PlayStation 3's certification or whether it would attempt to enter the Chinese market. Japanese products are currently experiencing a boycott by Chinese consumers over a territorial dispute between the two countries regarding a chain of rocky islands in the East China Sea.
Shares of Sony slipped fractionally in Wednesday midday trading in New York.


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The Plastic Surgery Center Educates Patients on Breast Augmentation Options
SARASOTA, FL--(Marketwire - Nov 13, 2012) - Dr. Jeff Scott and Dr. John Leikensohn offer two types of breast implants at their Sarasota plastic surgery practice. They feel the decision between silicone or saline implants is an individual choice for each patient, depending on her goals and personal circumstances. At The Plastic Surgery Center, Dr. Scott and Dr. Leikensohn educate their patients on the distinct advantages of each type of implant so women considering breast augmentation can make an informed decision that best aligns with their goals.
While the current generation of saline and silicone implants are both equally safe, each possess different characteristics:
Dr. Scott and Dr. Leikensohn would also like to educate their patients on the longevity of implants after breast augmentation surgery. Breast implants -- both saline and silicone -- only need replacement if some type of complication arises. There is false information circulating among prospective patients suggesting that implants should be replaced every ten years. Dr. Scott and Dr. Leikensohn, each a Sarasota plastic surgeon, believe patient education about breast augmentation is essential to a successful surgery and achieving results that meet the individual goals of each unique patient.
About Jeff Scott, MD, FACS
Dr. Jeff Scott is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and earned his medical degree at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Afterward, Dr. Scott completed a five-year residency in general surgery and trauma followed by two additional years of training in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the Medical College of Virginia. He is dual board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Surgery. He is also a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Florida Medical Society, and the Manatee County Medical Society.
About John Leikensohn, MD, FACS
Dr. John Leikensohn is a graduate of Duke University and earned his medical degree at Georgetown University. After two years of general surgery, he completed training in otolaryngology and maxillofacial surgery at the University of Cincinnati, followed by two years of training in plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of California in San Francisco. He is dual board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery. Dr. Leikensohn is a member of the Florida Medical Association, the American Society of Plastic Surgery, the Lipolysis Society, and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
To contact The Plastic Surgery Center, visit their website at floridacosmeticsurg.com, call their Sarasota office at 800-305-2450, or call their Bradenton office at 800-941-4302. The center's Sarasota office is located at 1219 East Ave South, Suite 201, Sarasota, FL 34239. The center's Bradenton office is located at 5807 21st Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34209.
Contact Information:
Rosemont Media
(858) 200-0044


text:
Here are the
Daintie Floral Accessories
Daintie Designs is a home based company that specializes in daintie hair designs, decor for your own creations, greeting cards and tags, favors, and many other gifts to give when you need something in a pinch. We are here to help you make someone smile. Daintie Designs is proudly owned and operated by a wonderful blind woman, Jennifer K. O'Hara. Please support the blind.
We offer the best c...Read more
We offer the best customer service possible and take great pride in our talent and business tactics. We care about making you and those you gift to pleased with our creations.
We ask that you be a bit patience with us as our number one employee, our Daintie Creative Director, Jennifer Karen Corkrey O'Hara, is blind most of her day. She is our key team member. So things may go a little slower than we would like at times, but it doesn't stop us from being able to deliver our best to you.
We have a fun time and learn a lot here at Daintie Designs. The biggest thing we know is all we have is THIS moment so we enjoy it & we hope you do too! Remember; there is nothing that can stop you from following your dreams!
Enjoy THIS moment, for it is all we have!
Thank you for taking the time to visit us here. We hope to have new products up real soon. Thank you for your patience. We wish you the best always.
~The Daintie Designs Team~
146 Academy Lane
Sonoma, CA 95476-4303
United States of America
Tel: 866.800.2901
Fax: 866.800.2903
email: firstname.lastname@example.com
web: www.daintiedesigns.com
blog: www.daintiedesigns.blogspot.com
Our Sister Shops:
Show less
Oh Happy Day Greeting Card
Dragonflies Greeting Card
Yellow Dragonfly Greeting Card
Blue Dragonfly Greeting Card
Yellow Flower on Black Greeting Card


text:
You don't have any saved vehicles!
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CARFAX 1-Owner, GREAT MILES 2,135! EPA 26 MPG Hwy/21 MPG City! Heated Seats, Nav System, Moonroof, Back-Up Camera, Power Liftgate, Onboard Communications System, iPod/MP3 Input, CONVENIENCE PACKAGE, REMOTE ENGINE START SEE MORE!
Navigation, Sunroof, Panoramic Roof, Power Liftgate, Heated Driver Seat, Back-Up Camera, Turbocharged, iPod/MP3 Input, Onboard Communications System, Aluminum Wheels, Cross-Traffic Alert, Smart Device Integration, Blind Spot Monitor, Heated Seats. BMW sDrive40i with Black Sapphire Metallic exterior and Black Vernasca Leather interior features a Straight 6 Cylinder Engine with 335 HP at 5500 RPM*.
CONVENIENCE PACKAGE 4-Zone Automatic Climate Control, WiFi Hotspot, complimentary 3-month or 3GB trial, SiriusXM Satellite Radio w/1 Year All Access, Enhanced USB & Bluetooth, Wireless Charging, REMOTE ENGINE START. Rear Spoiler, Keyless Entry, Privacy Glass, Remote Trunk Release, Child Safety Locks.
CARFAX 1-Owner
Established in 1982, Pacific BMW has grown to become the premier Los Angeles auto dealer in the Southern California region. Throughout our tenure we strive to include the best possible customer service with top-notch repair/maintenance work and comprehensive new and used car, and SUV inventories.
Horsepower calculations based on trim engine configuration. Fuel economy calculations based on original manufacturer data for trim engine configuration. Please confirm the accuracy of the included equipment by calling us prior to purchase.
Our family owned dealership has been serving the Glendale area since 1982. For over 3 decades, we have remained devoted to our customers. We want you to have the best car buying experience possible, and we are always looking to individualize the shopping process. Our attention to detail is the reason we attract customers from all over SoCal. Los Angeles and Orange County customers count on us every day for both BMW sales and service. So if you live or work in Los Angeles, Alhambra, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Pasadena, or any of the surrounding areas, then you should come down to see us or browse our website today!
New vehicle pricing includes all offers and incentives. Tax, Title and Tags not included in vehicle prices shown and must be paid by the purchaser. While great effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this site, errors do occur so please verify information with a customer service rep. This is easily done by calling us at (818) 582-8560 or by visiting us at the dealership.
**With approved credit. Terms may vary. Monthly payments are only estimates derived from the vehicle price with a 36 month term, 4.9% interest and 10% downpayment.
*Number of views in last 30 days
† Based on 2020 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.
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(818) 246-5600Call Now
800 S Brand Blvd • Glendale, CA 91204Get Directions
Open Today! Sales: 9am-9pm
Open Today! Service: 7:30am-7pm


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We'll email you a transcript of this conversation for your records.
For simple questions about your order,
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DesignSpark by RS Components is a progressive engineering community dedicated to providing an interactive outlet to the engineering world that will be featured at the Singapore Mini Maker Faire this year!
About DesignSpark
DesignSpark is an online engineering community sponsored by RS Components that provides a gateway to online resources and design support for engineers. Created two years ago, DesignSpark.com is an interactive environment for all types of engineers to express their ideas, share their knowledge, and learn from others. Upon free registration to this conducive community, one also has free access to the award winning PCB Design Tool, thousands of free 3D models, and the eTech (a digital and tablet edition electronics magazine), all of which will be featured at DesignSpark's Mini Maker Faire booth and workshop, so be sure to check out these free DIY tools to amplify your engineering experience!
Raspberry Pi: A Demonstration
The Raspberry Pi is a credit-card sized bare board that operates many of the functions of a PC, featured by RS Components DesignSpark. Add a keyboard, a mouse, and plug it into a TV, and then it functions just like a basic computer! These days, with society's ever progressive technology it is almost impossible to see the computer at its bare working basics; however, the Raspberry Pi allows us to take bring technology back about 20 years to its bare essentials. Aspiring engineers everywhere are now able to learn about computer programming interactively—using the Raspberry Pi system, students are able to program their own codes and see how the computer responds to them. It's all about discovering the world of computers in its most simplistic and beneficial form! DesignSpark will be demonstrating the Raspberry Pi at the Mini Maker Faire, so stop by at the faire to check out this new and innovative way to learn engineering!
DesignSpark is Amplifying Ideas
Upon speaking with the members of the DesignSpark community, I found the organization to be very dynamic—DesignSpark is dedicated in inspiring engineers to fuel their passion and in turning ideas into realities. In both their booth and workshop, they will demonstrate how their free design tools, such as the DesignSpark PCB and the 3D cad model can help makers turn their conceptual ideas into a concrete design. The tools DesignSpark is presenting will break the barriers in designing and spark new ideas for inspired makers everywhere! Currently, DesignSpark is working on the DesignSpark PCB verion 4, which will be the introduction of industry open source hardware platform to its community members. DesignSpark is certainly enthusiastic about sharing knowledge and creativity to help the maker community of Singapore thrive!


text:
NJ cop builds custom tablet for police work
The officer was tired of the usual mountain of paperwork, so he joined a tech start-up and did something about it
By Police1 Staff
NEW JERSEY — A New Jersey cop tired of the endless paperwork that comes with being an officer found a greener, more efficient way to do his work: he built a custom tablet meant for police officers that eliminated the need for most paper on the job.
Officer Marc Costa joined the start-up company MIR Systems (Mobile Incident Reporting), which produces an Android-based tablet that allows officers to quickly file reports and search license plate information, according to FastCompany.com.
Three primary apps that appear on the tablet's main screen allow officers to search through old police reports, create new reports, search plate information, and search through a custom-designed database, like citizen contacts, for example.
A fourth app features extras like a translator and navigation system, according to the article, as well as texting and video chat capabilities. All of it can be navigated by touch screen or voice commands.
"The tablet is as easy to use as your smartphone," Costa told Fast Company while demonstrating the technology recently.
MIR claims that law enforcement agencies can sharply reduce their paperwork, logistics, and bookkeeping costs while cutting down on the hours officers perform administrative duties.


text:
From Sidewalk to Workplace
Teaching Appropriate Language
I teach in a high school across the state line from the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. We have a unique mix of students from a small town, farms, and the nearby urban area. We have White, Hispanic, Hmong, and Black students in our classrooms and hallways, and we recently hired a full-time ESL teacher. Break dancing and the urban youth culture are evident on the sidewalks in front of the high school, and with it, the accompanying language of the streets.
As an English teacher, I have a responsibility to prepare students for college and working life. In some of my junior and senior English classes, the focus is on students who will work after high school or attend a one- or two-year technical or vocational program. Typically, these students come with emotional baggage, and many of them have not been successful in high school, need additional credits, and are at risk of not graduating.
The way they speak to one another is not the way they will be required to speak in the workplace. Their speech reflects the general decline of language and increased use of vulgarities in all popular culture. Slang terms, swear words, and vulgarities pepper their speech much as it adorns the lyrics of their favorite rap and hip-hop tunes. In many cases, the language they hear from adults in their lives, as well as from their peers, supports their use of such off-color speech. Many of my students have only a vague idea of the difference between workplace language and street language.
Introducing Poetry
To help develop a civil tongue, I teach poetry. I flummox them by insisting that they bring their favorite song lyrics to class the next day. Those who still care about "being in trouble" grow concerned, and wonder if they can bring rap lyrics. Others look forward to the chance to share their favorite rap and hip-hop lyrics.
Many students have actually memorized lyrics from their favorite artists. Some students surprise me by producing notebooks of their own dark, brooding lyrics. As we read them and talk about them, they begin to see that the song lyrics they listen to, memorize, or write are poetry. I demonstrate with some classic examples. My favorite lesson is when we analyze the meter and rhyme of Shakespeare after we've done the same with some rap lyrics.
Addressing Language in Neutral Terms
Invariably, the discussion leads to the use of language. Rap and hip-hop are notorious for their use of vulgarities, racial slurs, swear words, and other uncivil language. My students and I discuss how language of this sort can be hurtful and harmful in many contexts, but especially in the workplace where another level of language is required for them to maintain employment. They grasp the importance of this idea quickly.
I believe this approach works because from the outset, I am accepting (with some exceptions) the legitimacy of such language in art. I am not approving of it, and certainly I express my opinions about the use of such language even in song lyrics. But I recognize and respect that in their music, such language has its place as part of free expression and art. This approach allows me to address the use of language in neutral terms since it is the language of the song lyrics, not their own, and the students seem to recognize that much of the language is in fact inappropriate and uncivil.
Making the Connections
They make the connection to their own language, and understand that it is not that such language is bad or wrong. It is simply ineffective, or worse, in most workplaces or other more formal environments.
The unit doesn't prevent uncivil language, but it gives me a way to talk meaningfully about language and the practical implications of using the wrong words in the wrong place at the wrong time.
About the Author
Paul Hambleton has been teaching in various roles for over twenty years. He currently teaches English in grades 9-12 at Baldwin-Woodville High School in Baldwin, Wisconsin, and serves on the NEA Board of Directors. Hambleton attained National Board Certification in 2000.


text:
DURHAM — Construction for the completion of the new public library continues to be on schedule.
"It's obviously coming along," director Thomas Madden said.
The facility now has shingles on its roof, windows being installed and the exterior of the new portion of 49 Madbury Road has been sheathed in with plywood, Madden said.
Inside, many of the rooms have been framed and door frames have been installed into some of the offices.
While he said there are "other things to come down the pike" such as staircases and elevators, Madden said the project, slated to be finished sometime in July, should stay on track with its timeline barring any major weather setbacks that would halt construction.
Madden said the 10,500 square foot library is intended to serve as the community's "living room," addressing the various needs of researchers, readers, and the space needed for its patrons.
"We worked hard to make it the right size to be functional and comfortable for people," he said.
Currently housed in 3,000 square feet of space in the Mill Plaza, the new facility will be quite a bit larger than the current library offering visitors 33,000 materials.
Of the $4.8 million project, $1,083,470 has been raised and donated as of Nov. 15, 2012, toward the project. In total, the library's board of trustees and the community will have raised a total of $2.2 million toward the new library, reducing the bond request of the town. In March 2012, 74 percent of voters approved the construction of a new library facility by passing a $2.6 million bond as the town's share of the project costs.
Just a couple weeks ago, Madded said library staff were taken to the site to view progress and they were thrilled with it.
You can see rooms such as the children's room opening up, he said, so things are really starting to come together nicely.
"You just feel good," he said.
Upon its planned opening in July, Madded said there will likely be tours held "so people get comfortable with where things are and know their way around."


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Christmas at Tag Tuesday
1 minute ago
How many of you can burn boiled eggs, then????? I did today :( I put them on to boil, set the timer and came upstairs to check email and promptly forgot – duh!!!! Didn't even hear the timer…
There is a first time for everything - don't they stink - at least they didn't explode all over the walls - as happened to me once a very very very long time ago - when my then young sons distracted me in the garden.
yep - done that - mine exploded all over the ceiling ROFL


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There are period films that tell true stories while picking sides. There are period films that tell fictitious stories and pick no sides. And then there are period films that tell these fictitious stories so well, they are easy to believe because of the ease with which we can relate to them, a product inherent in the portrayal of realism. 1947 Earth (also referred to as Earth) was one such film.
Starring Aamir Khan, Nandita Das, Rahul Khanna, Maia Seth, and others. Directed by Deepa Mehta (whose Fire-Earth-Water trilogy this was part of), and with music by A. R. Rahman, Earth was based on a novel titled Ice Candy Man by Bapsi Sidhwa . The film released in 1998. Saw this first a couple of years ago on a flight back from Denver (speaking of Denver and politics, I'm looking forward to the Democratic National Convention next week, and am hoping for a Joe Biden announcement tomorrow). Have since been in shock and awe at the film's brilliance. Here is theme music from the film (play it as you read along)...
1. The story was set in 1947, prior to partition, and based in Lahore (of Punjab province in Pakistan). Shabana Azmi narrated for Lenny Baby, a Parsi child. It was through her that we saw the goings on at the time. The introduction was striking, and laid the platform for the film in fantastic fashion:
2. Bunty Sethna (Kitu Gidwani) played Lenny's mother. Of all the actors in the film, she was the biggest surprise for me. You might recall she also had a role in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008), as Meghna's mother. Beautiful and articulate in Earth, she played her part to perfection.
3. Shanta (the fabulous Nandita Das) was the aaya (maid servant) at Lenny's home. She was worried about how the British would divide India.
4. Imam Din (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) played a significant role, especially in the second half (more on him later).
5. Gulshan Grover appeared in an important and rather uncharacteristic role:
6. A scene at the park was used to introduce a group of friends, with representation of various faiths.
While each was important, two were integral to the film. There was Hassan (Rahul Khanna) the masseur. Yes, he is Vinod Khanna's son, and won a Best Debut Filmfare Award for his performance in this film.
Then there was Dil Nawaaz (Aamir Khan), a.k.a Ice Candy Man, who made an entrance with a sher (a couplet). Much like he's made the discotheque his own, he has made this his own too, and several films feature him with similar memorable shers.
7. The scene was crucial in setting the stage, and the conversation representative of the setting.
8. Of course, Dil Nawaaz often made sense too. Loved this bit. Also see #17 (c) below.
9. This frame makes it because the same punitive position will be highlighted in the next movie in the Aazaadi Sawaari series.
10. There was a great scene that captured the festivities of Basant (festival marking the beginning of spring -- read about its cross-cultural appeal at this link). The attention to detail shone here, e.g. Dil Nawaaz's dresser was representative of its era, and those bottles of fragrance -- itar -- were well used!
And the chemistry between Nandita and Aamir was excellent. They are good friends in real life, and their acting here validated this very convincingly.
11. The scene featuring Allah's (God's) Telephone was fantastic.
Dil Nawaaz the sufi saint for a bit was effortlessly pulled off. And well, too. The way in which he said the sentence with Bismillah... (in the name of God...) and Allahu Akbar (God is great) were very accurate depictions of the (non-Arabic) accent with which saints of the demographic tend to say it. Well researched!
It provided effective comic relief too. Lenny agreed.
Again, the dialogue was fitting:
12. The song Banno Rani doubled as an excellent, excellent wedding song, and a chance for Dil Nawaaz and Shanta to share another memorable moment.
Of course, Hassan wasn't too pleased. They had quite a love triangle going.
This is one of my favorite wedding songs in a film. With it, A. R. Rahman managed to once again capture the essence of the moment. The song also reminded me of the song Yeh Ladki Haaye Allah in Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham a few years later (2001), for two reasons: 1) the ambiance; 2) Banno.
13. References to the Mughals are always welcome (here's why). Although as Mangal Pandey had rightfully said in his film, the Mughals deserved blame in India being overtaken by the British, because they got complacent, too comfortable, and too self-centric. Not the context in which it was used here, but relevant.
The dinner conversation got more intriguing, of course.
And then began the migration that would re-shape the subcontinent and scar its history forever.
We were shown how deeply the partition affected the region, through the eyes of Hassan, Shanta, Dil Nawaaz, and Lenny. How would the love triangle play out?
What would Shanta do?
Why was Mr. Singh so worried?
Why did Mrs. Sethna find it difficult to fall asleep?
Aside: I wouldn't be sleeping if I were Mr. Sethna...seriously ;)
Would some people talking sense make a difference?
Discover the rest for yourself. It was gripping, disturbing, shocking, and simply brilliant, complemented with fantastic performances. I had seen Nandita Das in Fire prior to this. She was fantastic there. And here, given what I thought was an equally complex role (if not more so), she did even better. Rahul Khanna was excellent in his debut.
Aamir Khan delivered yet another fine performance. As of 1998, this was probably among his top-three ever, which is saying a *lot* (several suggested it was his best at the time). And one could see why. He rode an emotional roller-coaster in the film, and played his roles brilliantly. The plot demanded a versatile actor for the major role of Ice Candy Man (that was the title of the book, too), and who better to showcase the many faces of Dil Nawaaz than Aamir?!
14. The dialogue throughout the film was carefully placed. Most of it was used extremely wisely to allude to partition. Sample these:
15. The film included four Lagaaniites too. Two of them were discussed above. Here are two more: Aditya Lakhia (who played Kachra in Lagaan):
Raghuvir Yadav (Bhura in Lagaan):
16. The art direction and cinematography were top-notch. In the scene at the park (#6 above), the artwork on this case was splendid, with the classic Jawaan Hai Mohabbat by Noor Jehan (watch the original song at this link) playing in the background.
In the Basant sequence (#10 above), the rooftops of neighboring buildings were full of activity, and the people focused on their kite-flying (which can be a lot of fun on the rooftops of Lahore, as noted in point 5 of my review of Tashan (2008)). Add to that a song by Sukhwinder Singh (Rut Aa Gayi Re) playing in the background, and the ambiance was just very real.
A scene in which Lenny and her parents drove through this street was beautifully placed, the surroundings once again realistic.
17. Each of the brilliant individual performances combined for an even better whole. Yes, the film was a love triangle, but its impacts on the viewers transcended the love story. I don't believe I'll ever forget the sights and sounds from this, particularly from the second half. Painful. Vivid. Powerful. Perhaps the biggest compliment I can give it is that I do not believe I have seen a film that has come as close to capturing the hopelessness, helplessness, and tumult of the partition of 1947 (bringing to life the narratives of our elders, or what we know through documented evidence).
The film is not for the faint of heart. Loyalties to the viewers' country (India or Pakistan) and religion (whether you are Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Parsi, or even Christian) will most definitely be questioned. And one who is offended easily will be tested. But all of this will be done without preaching much, and in a matter-of-fact style of story-telling that I found appealing. And that was because at its core, Earth is about the politics of life. Here are three buckets I would categorize them in, at a very top level:
a. Politics of Love: The word 'politics' is often (unjustly, I believe) used in a less than ideal light. I am reminded of the first words my first Political Science professor said to his freshman class, "Whenever you have more than two people interacting, you have politics involved". Earth showed this, at a very foundational level, with its love triangle, which was used to remarkable effect. Full credit for this was earned by the the three actors for incredible performances. The politics of love, especially when coupled with the politics of religion, were portrayed very effectively. The silver lining to the politics of romantic love, the film told us, is that it is least likely to have a major impact (relative to the other kinds) on the masses (unless you're Jodhaa or Akbar :)
b. Politics of Geography: Given that the film was centered around partition of the Indian sub-continent, this was the context in which everything was said and done. Of course, the land mattered. There was a sense conveyed that the British hastened partition (which they did), and that had they not, there might not have been well over a million people killed during it. Yet, the film broke new ground here, and focused more on reminding us that the accountability for the massacre that accompanied partition was as much a product of the politics that propagated hatred, much of which stemmed from within.
c. Politics of Religion: This was the most sensitive of the three. As with the other two, the film dove head-first into the issue, not once letting it distract the viewer from the politics of geography while emphasizing the blindness with which people sought to kill in the name of religion -- a grave injustice to any God or Prophet or Saint of any religion. Loved how the message was the common good taught by all religions.
The screenplay shone here. And so did the song that played with the end credits. Here is a post with the lyrics and my translation of the song Ishwar Allah.
18. Aside: The politics of religion was the subject of this drawing I did a few years ago. Titled 'For Hope of Love', the piece (5 feet by 4 feet) is a sentimental favorite, although technically not worth much. The structure to the bottom-right is intended to serve the purpose of any place of worship, a mosque, temple, or church, for example. The idea being, harm one, and the others are equally hurt along with it, for in essence, they symbolize the same thing.
There is a fire to the bottom-left (its black and white colors are hardly a coincidence), and that was finger-painted by one of my best friends (a gori) who believes in the message. She went on to medical school, and today, helps children with disabilities in Kolkata.
For the entire sub-continent to foster a culture of understanding will require patience and a heck of a philosophical shift on the politics of life. This was the biggest takeaway from Earth in my viewing experience. It begs us to hope and pray, say 'never again!', and ask: has much changed since 1947, and what have we done at an individual level to contribute to fostering a community more appreciative of its diversity?
Have you seen it? What did you think?
Movie rating: 4.25/5 (Outstanding!)
Music rating: 4/5 (Excellent!)
My classification: R (for violence, theme)
On a personal note
And if you've read this far (thank you!)...to end on a light-hearted note. In retrospect, this is not a film I would recommend one see aboard an airplane, given the theme (and that tears escape every once in a while, no matter how hard one tries). I almost felt like wearing Aakaash's expression (you know the film, I assume) for the passenger sitting next to me, for she couldn't take her eyes off my screen.
For the record, we exchanged business cards before going our ways :o)
Jai Hind.


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By Marcus B - June 27th, 2018, 6:14 pm - Posts: 138
I was talking about some of their other projects. Like I said, I have no idea the history of this pack.
The quality concerns sound familiar to me, though.
I don't think venkman71 is sketchyAgreed. Also, no one involved in the research or creation of both this kit as well or the legacy pack are "sketchy". They are all loving fans who've become loving professionals. We are acrhivists and preservationists. No shenanigans. I've been told the build video may still be back on.
I'm currently building the anovos pack and have a question for anyone that has built theirs with electronics.
The red button at the end of the handle/barrel for the particle thrower, how did you install it and route the wiring?
The only way I can think to do it and keep the functionality is to drill through from the side into the barrel. Then run the wires through the inner barrel. The initial hole would have to be filled in with bondo or epoxy then repainted.
Any thoughts?
Is anybody painting/adding texture to this pack? I'm wanting to start putting mine together soon but I thought it'd be best to do painting/texture before I start. Any good guides to what parts need this detail?I plan to. This is tutorial I'm following.
What's the appeal of Anovos pack kits? I've been browsing the GBFans shop and it seems to me most of the bits and bobs can be bought here.Exactly. Even better parts IMO.
sooooo......how about that build video?Never gonna happen. Anovos has been exposed for the scam they are.
That's why I think afterlife will be a parallel ti[…]
I just came by to say it's about damn time. This i[…]
I've seen that too, but at the moment I think afte[…]
Looks amazing sir. I love the attention to detail[…]


text:
Politicians and Election, Vote in Freedom, Actively Participate in Democracy, Vote for Change, Online referendum
Conservative Party of Canada
> Canada > Parties > Conservative Party of Canada
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Click, if you do not support the Conservative Party of Canada. Say why. / Cliquez, si vous ne soutenez pas ce candidat. Dire pourquoi.
Related polls > Liberal Party of Canada, Progressive Canadian Party, Marijuana Party of Canada, Communist Party of Canada, Christian Heritage Party, Canadian Action Party, BC Conservatives, Communist Party of Canada (ML), PC Alberta, New Democratic Party, Green Party of Canada, BC Marijuana Party, Bloc québécois, Alberta Liberal Party, Alberta\'s New Democratic Party, BC NDP, BC Social Credit Party, BC Liberal Party, (Conservative Party of Canada) and more...


text:
This package of four stories follows the death of Illinois State Police Trooper Brian McMillen, who was killed early Sunday in a traffic accident while en route to help Sangamon County deputies control a fight in the parking lot of a rural bar. The stories deal with memories of McMillen by his friends, a profile of the troubled Illiopolis bar to which McMillen was driving, the arraignment of the alleged drunken driver who hit McMillen's squad car and possible action by the Sangamon County Board against the bar.
(Story 1)
By Amanda Reavy
GateHouse News Service
Whether he was blocking football players twice his size as an offensive lineman or guarding the opposing team's best player in basketball, Brian McMillen was an athlete focused on the good of his team.
"He was the type of kid that didn't care about his stats. He was a good shooter, capable of scoring, but that wasn't what mattered to him…. He was a kid that knows what it takes to win and was wiling to do whatever his role may be," Pana High School varsity basketball coach Gary Bowker recalled Monday.
He said McMillen's work ethic and sacrifice played a major role in the basketball team's second place finish in the Class A State Tournament in 2001, his senior year.
"How he played basketball carried over his entire life. He was unselfish, always doing whatever to help out. He went from high school to the military… he continued serving as (an Illinois) state trooper. It's just the way he was," Bowker said.
Therefore, he said, it's not surprising that the 24-year-old trooper was en route to assist fellow law enforcement officers handling a bar fight when he was killed in a three-vehicle collision near Illiopolis. The two other drivers were allegedly driving drunk.
"You watch movies with gladiators and warriors. The only thing warriors like that fear is a dishonorable death… They want to die on the battlefield; a captain wants to go down with his ship. For Brian, he was hustling his tail off to help someone in need in an unselfish manner and that's just so typical."
A day after his death, McMillen's family and friends as well as former coaches and teammates continued to mourn the loss of the officer, soldier, standout scholar and competitor.
"Brian was a true model of the student-athlete, an outstanding young man and just a pleasure to have in our athletic program," University of Illinois at Springfield Athletic Director Rodger Jehlicka said in a news release. "It is sad to see someone like Brian taken from this world way too soon."
McMillen received his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the UIS and was a member of the basketball team from 2004 through 2006. He was also twice named to the dean's list and Academic All Conference Team.
A member of the Illinois Air National Guard's 183rd Fighter Wing, McMillen transferred to UIS from Lincoln Land Community College.
He approached Coach Kevin Gamble and tried out for the men's basketball program, then only in its third year, the news release said.
He was accepted and in 2006, McMillen was named the team's Champion of Character during its first trip to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics basketball tournament in Kansas City, Mo.
As part of the honor, McMillen made a presentation to three groups of elementary school students about the five values of a NAIA Champion of Character: sportsmanship, integrity, servant leadership, respect and responsibility, the release said.
Former UIS student Brad Ward, who now lives in Indianapolis, met McMillen at UIS' open gym sessions, where they started to play basketball with a group several nights a week.
"He was a unique kind of competitive. You knew he was there to win, but he would never drop his head, get upset, criticize a teammate or give up. He was a leader by example on the court and off the court," Ward wrote in an e-mail to the newspaper.
Ward, who was president of the UIS Blue Crew student cheering section, said McMillen was always a crowd pleaser with his tight defense and ability to hit three-pointers.
Ward and McMillen married their wives, Jennifer and Angela, respectively, in July 2006, and before the nuptials, both couples found themselves in the same dance class.
"I think Brian and I were both a little embarrassed when we saw each other at the first lesson, but that didn't last long. He always made it a great time, even when we were tripping over ourselves or our brides-to-be," Ward wrote.
Bowker recalled becoming Pana's head basketball coach in 1999 and learning McMillen was also a lineman on the football team.
"This kid is not that big, but he was a strong kid and tough. He's blocking guys that weigh 100 pounds more… He liked to get up in the trenches and bang around with the big guys," Bowker said. "He then turned around and was a guard on the basketball team."
In addition to being named to All-Conference teams in both sports, McMillen was Defensive Player of the Year and Top Linebacker in football as well as the First National Bank Senior of the Year, UIS' news release said.
Bowker praised McMillen's parents, Terry and Jane McMillen of Pana, for instilling a good work ethic in McMillen and his 10 brothers and sisters, several of whom play sports as well.
"He was just a great human being, a great role model," Bowker said. "Somebody like that always makes somebody better. A guy that leads by example, showing what to do and how to do it, and it carries over with everybody involved in anything he was a part of – the military, the state police. He makes everyone around him better."
(Story 2)
By Bruce Rushton
GateHouse News Service
ILLIOPOLIS — JD's Tavern is no ordinary neighborhood bar.
A quarter-mile from the nearest occupied building, the tavern opens at 9 p.m., and then only two days a week: Friday and Saturday. Save for a 12-inch-square pane of glass on a door and an opening just big enough for an "Open" sign, there are no windows. Admission costs $5 before 1:30 a.m. and doubles to $10 afterward, according to a sign on the door.
There are numerous rules, according to the sign.
No purses. No coats. No hoodies. No gang activity. No violence. No drugs. No weapons. No violent acts or fighting. Hats must be worn straight. Charges will be pressed.
"You will be barred or go to jail!!!!!!" the sign reads. "This is your warning!!!!"
The warnings have done little good, say police who are mourning one of their own after Illinois State Police trooper Brian McMillen died early Sunday while rushing to help Sangamon County sheriff's deputies who were struggling to quell a melee at the bar.
McMillen was hit by a pair of suspected drunken drivers. And police are fed up.
The bar has logged 32 calls for police since Dec. 26 of last year, according to county sheriff's records. The calls range from complaints about noise to a stabbing that occurred in August. There have been at least eight fights that required police intervention and five disturbances. Shots have been fired. Mace has been sprayed.
Sunday's fracas broke out after one of the bar's owners called police and asked that cars be towed from the tavern's lot. When the owner decided to close early, more than 10 men began fighting outside, right in front of deputies, according to police reports.
Sheriff's Capt. Jack Campbell estimated that deputies have responded to 50 calls for service since the bar changed ownership in September 2006. As many as 20 have been serious enough to warrant notifying the county board's liquor committee, which issues liquor licenses, he said.
"Way too much manpower has been dedicated to that one location 20 miles from Springfield," said Campbell. "It's ridiculous, the amount of manpower it costs us."
There might have been even more trouble at JD's if deputies didn't visit the bar on their own and babysit the parking lot at closing time, Campbell said.
Donyal Banning, an owner of the bar, did not return a phone call from The State Journal-Register.
The bar, previously known as Jukebox Junction, had had trouble before changing hands. In March of 2005, sheriff's deputies responded to a shooting and arrested an Illiopolis man on suspicion of attempted homicide and aggravated battery with a firearm. The victim was from Riverton.
Most of the trouble since the bar changed ownership has involved patrons from Decatur, where bars close at 2 a.m., Campbell said. Police believe parties that start in Decatur simply cross the county line and end up at JD's.
"There's nobody from the Illiopolis area who's ever out there," Campbell said.
Police aren't alone in their frustration.
"I get lots of phone calls," said David Mendenhall, county board member who represents the area. "There's all kinds of traffic. There's been people run into the ditch. Loud music and loud tires squealing and screaming and yelling. Out in the country in the summertime, noises travel a long way."
Bonnie Peyton, president of the Illiopolis Board of Trustees, said she fears the bar is giving her town a bad reputation, even though it is outside city limits.
"At one time, it was a place where you stopped after work and had a beer and farmers visited after working in the fields," Peyton said. "That's long since passed. Now, the place doesn't come alive until after 12:30 or one o'clock. Every Monday morning, I go into the office and hear about brawls that went on there."
On Sept. 12, a sheriff's sergeant and a county liquor inspector toured JD's with bar owners and recommended several improvements, including more lighting outside and surveillance cameras in the parking lot, the interior and at the entrance. The owners said they wanted to take photographs of customers as they entered.
County officials said they thought that would be a good idea, but that the owners should check with a private attorney to see if taking pictures of patrons would expose them to lawsuits.
Klaus Hemmer, who lives about a half-mile away, said he's never heard any noise, but it's hard to miss JD's when the sun goes down and parking-lot lights switch on.
"At night, it lights up like a candle," Hemmer said.
The bar hires private security, Campbell said, and has agreed not to allow anyone to enter after 2:30 a.m.
"There are things they've tried to do on their own that we're aware of," Campbell said. "It's just not working."
(Story 3)
By Sarah Antonacci
GateHouse News Service
SPRINGFIELD -- When Justin L. Taylor walked into a Sangamon County courtroom Monday afternoon to face charges in connection with a weekend traffic accident that killed a state trooper, he faced a line of tan shirts in the front row.
Five uniformed Illinois State Police officers sat in the front row, hats balanced on the divider between them and attorneys, and a handful of other law enforcement officers sat behind them.
"We made a promise to (Trooper Brian McMillen's) family that we'd represent them in court today," said state police District 9 Capt. James Wolf.
Taylor's family was there, too, sitting across the aisle from the law enforcement officers. They listened as the 22-year-old Decatur man was charged with aggravated drunken driving, reckless homicide and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle.
The charges are not Taylor's first related to alcohol.
According to records discussed in court, he's currently serving 12 months of court supervision for a Macon County DUI charge he pleaded guilty to on May 25.
Taylor's driver's license has been suspended twice — once for having three or more moving violations, and once before that when he was a teenager. That case involved an underage liquor violation that fell under Illinois' zero-tolerance law, said Sangamon County State's Attorney John Schmidt.
Taylor's family refused to comment about the case, but his attorney, Tim Timoney, said the weekend crash has affected Taylor immensely.
"He's very sad right now and saying prayers for his family and the trooper's family. There's lots of remorse and sadness about these circumstances," Timoney said.
State police would not release details of the crash Monday. The agency referred questions to Schmidt, who said he routinely does not discuss cases.
However, it appears that McMillen was headed south on Dye Road, on his way to a call at JD's tavern near Illiopolis, when McMillen's squad car collided with a 1997 Ford Crown Victoria driven by Taylor.
No information was available on whether Taylor had been at JD's before the accident, but he was coming from the direction of the late-night bar, which attracts many weekend patrons from Decatur.
A third vehicle in the crash involved in the crash was driven by Shai-Tan L. Cook, 28, also of Decatur. Cook was still hospitalized Monday. He has not been charged with anything related to the crash so far, although authorities said Sunday that both Taylor and Cook were driving drunk.
Sangamon County Coroner Susan Boone reported Monday that McMillen died of blunt force injuries to the body.
(Story 4)
By John Reynolds
GateHouse News Service
The Sangamon County Board member who represents the Illiopolis area would like to see a local bar voluntarily give up its 3 a.m. liquor license due to ongoing problems, such as a fight early Sunday in the bar's parking lot.
"I would like to see them voluntarily either surrender their license, which is pretty harsh, or at very least roll it back to 1 a.m.," said David Mendenhall. "I think if they rolled it back to 1 a.m., that would solve a lot of problems.
On Sunday, deputies were called to JD's Tavern, 938 Mount Auburn Road, because of a parking complaint. After deputies arrived, a fight broke out in the parking lot, and the deputies called for help.
One of the officers who answered the call was Illinois State Trooper Brian McMillen, who was killed in a three-car crash on his way to the bar. The other two drivers involved in the crash reportedly were intoxicated.
Sunday's incident wasn't the first time deputies have been called to the business. In September, county liquor commissioners talked to the bar's owner after two people were stabbed in the bar's parking lot.
Donyal Banning, owner of J.D.'s, told the commission she would take such measures as improving lighting and barring admissions after 2:30 a.m.
Mendenhall said Monday he would like to believe Banning is trying to clamp down on problems, but he doesn't think that will be possible as long as the bar is open until 3 a.m. He said the bar draws people from nearby Macon County, where bars close at 2 a.m.
Sgt. Lydell Kallenbach of the Macon County Sheriff's Office agreed that deputies routinely see cars heading west when bars close in Macon County.
"We do see an exodus to Sangamon County," said Kallenbach, who cautioned that he could not say the drivers are specifically going to JD's.
The Sangamon County Board's liquor committee hadn't received any official reports Monday on the incident that led to McMillen's death.
"We are going to have to wait and get the report. Until that happens, I can't say much," said Tom Fraase, who chairs the committee.
The liquor committee has the authority to revoke JD's license if the bar is found to contribute to ongoing police problems, such as fights. The owners would be able to appeal that action to the state.


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By now, you know well the story of Falcon Heene, the little boy who had America worried sick to death Thursday afternoon when he untethered his father's giant jiffy-pop balloon and let it soar thousands of feet over the Colorado landscape.
If you were like me, you watched the potentially devastating footage of Heene's balloon listing through the air and worried that the boy was either trapped inside, or had presumably fallen to his death after tumbling out mid-flight at some unknown point beforehand. Or you thought it might be a hoax perpetrated by the Mylar Producers of America. They're a nefarious lot.
Once it was discovered that young Heene was never in the balloon, but rather alive and well and hiding in his parents' attic after the ordeal, everyone watching was placed in the same situation as Heene's parents. You were relieved the boy was alive. And you wanted to slap him silly for scaring you to death like that.
Simultaneously, it was hard not to hear the news and feel like YOU were six years old again, hiding in a corner, hoping to avoid your parents' wrath after you did something you KNOW was bad. Really bad. Burn-down-the-house bad. Every kid on earth has been in that position at one time or another.
I personally broke at least 75% of my father's tangible assets when I was a child, and subsequently would hide in various places around the house, hoping he wouldn't find me until he either A) Forgot about the incident entirely, or B) I died of dehydration. That's how kids' brains work. Which is why they go to school.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
Falcon got his parents into hot water again when he appeared on CNN hours after he was discovered hiding in the attic. He told the show the stunt was done for a TV show. The next day, the boy appeared to get sick on live TV and inexplicably vomited into a container while filming a segment for NBC's "Today" show.
Falcon's dad, Richard, told the "Today" show Friday morning that speculation the ordeal was a deliberate made-for-TV stunt was "absolutely not" true. "What do I have to gain from this?" dad asked on the morning show.
So the story of Falcon Heene, in the end, turns out to be a rather sweet one. You can practically picture the little boy cowering in the corner of the attic, crying his eyes out because he knows he's gonna get it.
But that's one of the surprising things about being a kid. Sometimes, you screw up so incredibly badly that your parents are just grateful you're alive. Instead of castigating you, they're more likely to grab you and smother you to death with kisses (which, for a six-year-old, may be worse than a spanking, but I digress). And that's reassuring on some level. For us adults, it's nice to know a big news story like this turns out to have a rather comical, relatable, and nonviolent ending.
And for kids, it's proof that if you're gonna screw up, you better make sure you do it big. Big as a hot air balloon.
Drew Magary is a co-founder of Kissing Suzy Kolber, a writer for Blue Star and Deadspin, and author of Men With Balls, now in bookstores.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy


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General STK discussion and support.
Moderator: STK Moderators
QwertyChouskie {l Wrote}:There are a lot of structure issues with the current GUI as features were pasted in over time. This is especially an issue with user/achievement related screens.
QwertyChouskie {l Wrote}:Plus if STK 1.0 were released with a new GUI AND networked multiplayer, it would bring a lot of good attention to the project.
QwertyChouskie {l Wrote}:The old GUI is fine, but a new one could be a lot better. And if someone is willing to do the work, why not?
Wuzzy, then why is UI not this now:
- It's impossible to play on small screen, button sizes aren't uniform and hard to press on smaller screens (and misclicks are annoying)]
- Style of the game is different from style of interface, something that is quite natural in a game that has existed for more than 10 years
- Style of interface along isn't consistent, using elements of Tango as icons (which are way more detailed then the rest of icons)
- UI is optimized for mouse and keyboard and is hard to navigate with controller
- On-screen keyboard is a mess
Because it is crap. Duh! What a silly question!
I am not familiar with STK on Android (does it exist?). Are small screens even targeted. Define "small screen"(....) It might be too difficult to have a GUI which works both for small and big screens.
I don't really understand this one.
PLEASE be more specific about problems with the current GUI.
WTF?! I can absolutely not understand the criticism about controllers. I have played STK with controller extensively and I felt no inconvenience in the main menu at all. I can go through the main menu with only the controller just fine, thank you very much.
If you felt inconvenience with controller, again:
Please pinpoint SPECIFIC problems. Otherwise we are getting nowhere.
This basically just sounds like a bug. Probably fixable without nuking.
Of course the current GUI can be improved, just in smaller steps.
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So, we're fairly hard on articles that are incomplete mechanically, but we give a lot of leeway to projects like Campaign Settings, Quests, Sourcebooks, and other things that are made up of a collection of articles. The first time someone put an incomplete setting up, I said I'd feel like a jerk sticking an incomplete on it (it was a complete outline and some small sections at the time) because we'd never get any big projects up ever our standard incomplete procedures. And I still pretty much feel that way.
Since then I've updated the policy to include seperate guidelines for projects, but we never talked about it or how to deal with big projects in a way that both encouraged them and kept wiki usability high. So I thought I'd finally start a discussion on it. May as well lay out my position -
- A project is different from an article in that it is generally made up of articles. Which means that it might require substantially more work than a standard article, and we could cut it some slack with that in mind.
- I think at least the following should be classified as projects: Campaign Settings, Sourcebooks, and Quests. Campaign settings have lots and lots of subpages, each of which could easily be their own articles, and may include new monsters, new races, new equipment, etc. The same could be said of sourcebooks. Quests generally contain new NPCs, and may contain new monsters and new equipment as well. Others might fit in there as well if they generally use a substantial amount of subpages or individual articles.
- I think our incomplete policy is generally good at keeping the wiki free of unusable drift and empty pages, and that it should be applied to projects in some way as well. I also think that it's completely unreasonable to demand that a project be entirely complete before it's posted here, as I doubt that we'd ever get any of them at that point. I think that a complete outline, even lacking content, is a good minimum to require for projects to remain on the wiki and that allowing them up to 30 days to do it is fair. If it's not at least outlined in that time, we delete it like we do with incomplete articles. I'm not actually sold on the 30 day thing, as I don't think it's really hard to do an outline regardless of size, but that's what I'm going with for now.
- To track the completeness level of projects, as well as provide a standard link to completeness policy, we should use something similar to the old CS Completeness template and it's 5 point scale. It works well to provide a general sense of how usable the project is, allows a nice place to set a property (so users can search for more complete projects or exclude less complete ones), and it's pretty obvious when you first open it up so it helps keep our usability cred high. I think that specific template should be retired (as well as the new quest one Hannack just wrote, sorry bro :-/ ) in favor of a generic one used for all projects (I already wrote one back when I was thinking about this the first time, I just got distracted with other wiki stuff). It has the advantage of making text consistent across all of the projects, and limits changes that we need to make if something comes up in the future, but I may be missing some really nice feature of having separate ones.
Anyway, that's what I think we need to do to allow for big things while maintaining our wiki goals. It means that there will be works in progress in a few areas of the wiki, but they can be made easily identifiable for our users. Community thoughts? - TarkisFlux 00:17, January 4, 2010 (UTC)
- I have to say that this seems perfectly reasonable to me. Though I think you might want to change the thirty days to more of something along the lines of so much time without activity. I know I plan to log into my setting at least once a day and do something, but some day's that might only be a sentence or two while other days will be pages worth of work.
- What I am thinking is something like this...
- From the time the project first shows up you have to show activity at least once a week (or more or less), if you go longer you will be sent to deletion.
- Just a thought. --TheGrizz 00:44, January 4, 2010 (UTC)
- If it just meant more time spent keeping an eye on the pages that might work. I'd be personally frustrated by such a schedule, but that doesn't make it unworkable. I think it has other issues though, and I don't like what it means for partially completed works. If someone is writing a campaign setting and has a continent or whatever written up and really well done, but then gets distracted and drops it, what should we do with it? Delete the whole thing, including the completed good parts? Scale the main article back to just include the completed bits? I don't like either of those options very much, though there's probably others I'm not thinking of. I guess I'd just rather have a complete framework with some completed bits than nothing at all or a scaled back version. Still, if that's what enough people want then that's what we'll do. - TarkisFlux 01:17, January 4, 2010 (UTC)
- I see where the problem comes in and I too would have to think about that a bit. I mean good content is good content no matter if it is just one piece of a whole, or the entire thing and we don't want to lose any of that. Honestly for me I think if we notice a "dead" project we should keep it up but marked incomplete and maybe encourage others to work on it a bit? Again just a thought or two.
- --TheGrizz 01:26, January 4, 2010 (UTC)TheGrizz
- Good thoughts, and good points. Guess we should probably deal with questions about adoption of abandoned work and even working with multiple contributors while we're at it. Ugh. I'll leave that as an excercise for the reader for now though, as I need to kick that around for a while. Might even toss it in a separate forum later, as those might be equally important, but slightly tangential, issues. - TarkisFlux 01:33, January 4, 2010 (UTC)


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Skidmore College and the University at Albany (SUNY) are both seeking help and support for their international students. These are two great opportunities to return the hospitality we received as PCVs and to introduce students to your corner of America and NYS.
Skidmore's Office of Student Academic Services is looking for applicants for its International Friendship Family Program (IFFP). This program connects international students with families in the Saratoga area and is non-residential. Families and students plan activities together and help the students learn about and integrate into the community and American culture. There is an application online here: http://cms.skidmore.edu/academic_services/international/iffp/upload/Friendship-Family-Application-Form.doc. For more information, contact Darren Drabek at 518.580.8155 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
The University at Albany's International Student & Scholar Services office is looking for short-term host families for the month of August. See the flyer/image below for more information.


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Ladybug Baby Costume Photo 8 of 8
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This homemade costume for babies entered our 2015 Halloween Costume Contest.
A word from Megan, the 'Ladybug' costume creator:
Lacey 2 years old My daughter's name is Lacey and her Papa calls her Lacey bug and she loves ladybugs. We thought it would be a great costume for her. Her costume is pretty simple, I... Read more »


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>Behind the Scenes>Cool Running log import
Runners run.
Awesome job with the import, Eric! I can now graph my running by month all the way back to 2002 and see just how far I've fallen off the wagon. This will be the best motivator for me on my comeback trail.
Country Fried
I would be interested in importing just the runs themselves but I don't care about shoes, weather, weight, time of day etc., especially if those details are a hassle.
I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.
Poor baby
what about batch entries? If I want to enter log data from 2 or 3 years of paper logging?? Is there a simple format for batch adding?
Happy Camper
Determination: The feeling you get right before you try something incredibly stupid.
Head Procrastinator
Speculum Wrangler


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Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling (30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936 / Bombay)
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Back To The Army Again
I'm 'ere in a ticky ulster an' a broken billycock 'at,
A-layin' on the sergeant I don't know a gun from a bat;
My shirt's doin' duty for jacket, my sock's stickin' out o' my boots,
An' I'm learnin' the damned old goose-step along o' the new recruits!
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Rob Riggle's classroom taser scene in "Hangover" was one of the highlights of last year's breakout comedy.
But he's not expecting the sadistic Officer Franklin to hang up the Las Vegas police badge anytime soon to follow the cast for the upcoming sequel.
"I'd love to," Riggle tells PopcornBiz. "But I don't think they are going to write Officer Franklin back into the screenplay."
Besides, Riggle has been following the trades and knows "The Hangover 2" will likely have an exotic location -- with reports of Mexico and Thailand both being discussed and disputed on the internet.
That's a little tough for even the most worldly Las Vegas cop.
"It would be a little hard for me to show up overseas and be like, 'Hey, now I'm working for Interpol,' " says Riggle.
He's more than happy to work on his obnoxiousness in projects which include the "Killers" -- where he plays a drinking buddy of Ashton Kutcher.
"I like my character since he's obnoxious," says Riggle of the movie opening Friday. "And I get to do some fighting and some driving."
"Being obnoxious and fighting and driving is not far from me, so I really enjoyed it."
Rob Riggle Will Change Jurisdiction for Part in Next "Hangover"
Rob Riggle's classroom taser scene in "Hangover" was one of the highlights of last year's breakout comedy.


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Career Journal: Managing Multiple Bosses
As if having one boss wasn't tricky enough, employees nowadays have to report to multiple managers. This comes with its own set of problems.
Ask Niharika Rathore, 21-year-old employee in the sales department of a Mumbai-based firm. Ms. Rathore had to report to two bosses, and they often told her to do different things. For instance, they would ask her to focus on different clients on the same day. The managers would often fail to communicate with each other on new clients the company had taken on board.
Ms. Rathore felt frustrated and confused, not knowing whose instructions to follow. She often ended up doing what she thought was best. Her problem was eventually resolved when one of her bosses left and wasn't replaced.
But not everyone can be so lucky, so employees need to figure out a way to balance their multiple managers, say human resource experts.
They add that there are some benefits of having more than one boss. For one thing, it makes the office more "democratic," says Madhavi Lall, the South Asia head of human resources at Standard Chartered PLC.
Also, having more than one boss gives you the chance to learn from their expertise and experience. This is particularly useful for younger employees.
Here are a few tips on how to manage multiple bosses:
If there's too much work: One of the biggest problems employees face when they have many bosses, is too much work and conflicting deadlines.
The key is to prioritize – figure out what needs your urgent attention, and what can wait. You could ask your bosses, "What should I do first," says Sunil Goel, chief executive of Delhi recruitment firm GlobalHunt India Pvt. (You can click here for more tips on how to manage your time more efficiently.)
To avoid conflicts, keep your bosses apprised of what you're working on, by e-mailing them your to-do list every morning. If they still give you similar deadlines, you need to inform them about what you already have on your plate.
If one of the managers gives you additional work that you won't be able to complete on time, learn to "say no," says Ranga Reddy, chief executive of Maveric Systems, a Chennai-based software testing firm. Be polite but firm in informing the manager that the quality of your work could suffer if you take up more work. (Here are some tips on how to say no without upsetting your boss.
After you have worked with your managers for a while, you'll know which bosses are flexible and which ones are rigid, so you can use this knowledge to tackle them. For instance, you can approach the flexible manager to get an extension for a deadline, or for guidance on how to proceed in case of conflict.
If your bosses don't get along: If your managers don't agree with each other – say on how to complete a particular project or on your priorities – it can get awkward.
If they generally get along well and this is a one-off problem, experts suggest talking to them together. You could say "I am slightly confused but if this is the goal, then I suggest that the solution might be to use this method," says Mr. Reddy of Maveric Systems.
"If your bosses don't like each other at all, try to sell one person's idea to the other without confrontation," says Ms. Lall of Standard Chartered. Talk to them separately and see if there are some goals of the project that the two can agree on. Put down these goals in an email, and ask for the managers' inputs.
If none of your bosses is ready to listen, don't push too hard. Do the best work you can in that situation.
Whatever you do, never take sides. Do not ignore one boss's work because you like him or her less than the other.
Who to ask for help: If the situation gets out of control, or conflicts arise very often, consider discussing the broader issue with the managers who you think is more flexible and willing to listen.
Maybe the manager doesn't realize how often you are being given conflicting deadlines. If such a conversation is not an option, consider going to your managers' superior. "Seek help rather than complaining," says Mr. Reddy.
Don't create a situation where the superior has to take the side of one of your bosses. Explain the situation, your efforts to resolve it and ask for guidance. Another option is to approach the human resources department, asking them to intervene. But this is best avoided, and should only be the last resort.
If none of this works, and tensions arise with your bosses, changing department is something you or your managers should consider.
Readers, tell us how you deal with multiple managers, in the Comments section.
Follow India Real Time on Twitter @indiarealtime.


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PASADENA >> To capture billions of dollars, companies are coming out of the closet with rainbow ads blazing to court lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender consumers.
Allstate has a cartoon commercial of an ostracized man with a giant hand who finds a partner just like him. General Mills uses Lucky Charms in a Web video that says, "We're lucky we live in a colorful world full of colorful people." And Nike is in its third year of releasing a #BeTrue collection to celebrate the LGBT community.
During Pride Month in June, Apple, Honey Maid, AT&T, Levi's, Ben & Jerry's and Nordstrom all launched marketing or social media campaigns advocating equality and acceptance.
When people put LGBT-related terms such as "Human Rights Campaign" or "marriage equality" in a search box, Google — America's most popular search engine — adds a rainbow border. And for the first time in history, Starbucks last month mounted a 19-foot-tall rainbow flag atop its headquarters in Seattle.
The LGBT tide has shifted and progress gained over the years isn't going to unhappen, said Bob Witeck, president of strategic communications firm Witeck Communications. Companies that want to stay relevant and contemporary can't ignore changing demographics and mass opinion migration, he said.
"What we're witnessing is the idea that you don't have to isolate gay ads and messaging to markets only intended for gay people," Witeck said. "Families all look different from the traditional family Americans grew up with 50 years ago. They are far more multiracial, more single parents, more gay couples raising kids. If you start leaving them out, you're not only erasing gay people, but you're also erasing people who are part of people's family."
The total buying power of LGBT adults in the United States was estimated to be about $830 billion in 2013, according to Witeck Communications. Ad spending in the gay press reached an all-time high of $381 million, up about 18 percent from a year ago, according to the 2013 Gay Press Report.
More than 8 million adults in the U.S. identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual. They comprise 3.5 percent of the adult population, according to The Williams Institute, a UCLA Law think tank. With transgender people, the LGBT number jumps to about 9 million.
There are many reasons why the previously risque market segment is alluring. Changing viewpoints is one of them, said Ira Kalb, assistant professor of clinical marketing in the USC Marshall School of Business. Millennials are more accepting and many don't care if someone is from the LGBT community, he said. The other reasons have to do with this group's characteristics.
"The LGBT community tends to be more affluent. They spend more," he said. "They're more loyal to brands that use LGBT people in their ads and have LGBT-friendly policies. They also tend to be more influential — especially for certain products."
The household income of typical married or partnered gay men is $13,400 higher than that of a heterosexual man who is married or partnered, according to Experian Marketing Services. Gay men live in households that devote $6,794 per capita annually to nonessentials, which is $753 more than what heterosexual men spend in the same category.
Married or partnered lesbians, however, earn less household income — about $12,300 less, according to Experian Marketing Services.
Former Sgt. Tracey Cooper-Harris, a married lesbian who lives in Pasadena, said she is pleased to see more LGBT-friendly ads even though she knows some companies are looking out for their bottom line. Seeing these advertisements prompts her to visit company websites and review their scores on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, Cooper-Harris said.
"If you're invisible in the media, then you're basically invisible in society, and how the media portrays you is how society is going to see you," she said. "(The ads) make me look a lot more into those companies. … What kind of discrimination policies do they have? What kind of policies do they have with same-sex partners and the Family and Medical Leave Act? What type of equal opportunity policies do they have? What do they do for celebrating diversity?"
Groups such as One Million Moms, however, have reacted negatively to LGBT-inclusive ads. The activist organization recently pushed supporters to protest against Hotwire and Nabisco's Honey Maid and Teddy Grahams because of commercials that it said is an "attempt to normalize sin."
The American people "will put up with a lot of garbage before they react," said Bryan Fischer, spokesman for the nonprofit American Family Association, which maintains OneMillionMoms.com. But said advertisers are tempting people's patience and generosity, he said.
"I think eventually this LGBT advertising push is gonna trigger a blowback from ordinary Americans," Fischer said. "I think that ordinary Americans are getting fed up with having the homosexual agenda shoved down their throats when they're watching TV with their families. … What American families are gonna begin to react to is that they are recognizing that this is no longer about advertising a product. This is about propaganda for a sexually deviant lifestyle."
Corporations have to be socially responsible and not promote a lifestyle Fischer called immoral, unnatural and unhealthy.
"Less than 4 percent of the American population is LGBT," he said. "What that means is that if you run an ad that pushes a lifestyle that is only practiced by a tiny minority of the American population, every time you run an ad, you run the risk of offending 96 percent of the people that you hope will buy your product. That's just not a smart move."
Yet Bill Duggan, spokesman for the Association of National Advertisers, said LGBT-inclusive ads are more prevalent because society is more LGBT-friendly, partially thanks to influencers such as Barack Obama, Ellen DeGeneres and NFL player Michael Sam.
Society's perception is changing. While 32 percent of Americans favored same-sex marriage in 2003, a decade later, a record 51 percent of those surveyed said they wanted states to legalize same-sex marriage, according to the Pew Research Center.
Witeck, who has worked for the inclusion of diverse LGBT communities for 20 years, said there is very little data saying people with strong religious views truly avoid companies that support the LGBT community. LGBT-friendly advertising, he said, may alienate older consumers but these people won't be future clients.
Worry over antagonizing more conservative or religious consumers is a natural but old-fashioned concern, Duggan said.
"I'm sure that's an argument that has been debated in many corporations with the door closed, but I think that it's become a world that is increasingly accepting," he said. "And companies that (advertise to the LGBT community) are recognized as braver companies and are applauded by the LGBT community and by many in the mainstream community as well. Sure there is some lost, but I think there is so much more to gain."


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On March 7, 23-year-old Justin Alesna went into a Detroit gas station to buy cigarettes. He left, instead, with a fractured skull—thanks to a hateful, gay-bashing stranger. Justin begged for help. Nobody listened. Here, he tells his story.
Note: The above video contains pervasive strong language.
Why did I post this video? Why should you pass it on? It's simple: untold hate crimes occur every day across this country—not to mention the rest of the world—and, more often than not, the victims of these attacks remain anonymous. They don't fall off of the radar, because they were never on it in the first place.
But a first-person testimonial from the victim of a hate crime?
Try sweeping that under the rug.
Stop the hate.


text:
Peaches Geldof's sad story just took another tragic twist.
The model and TV presenter died of an accidental heroin overdose, information that will officially revealed Thursday at an inquest, according to a report from London's Times newspaper.
Geldof was found dead April 7 at the home she shared with husband Thomas Cohen and their two children in Kent. At the time, authorities did not indicate that they were close to declaring her death the result of an overdose, though she had a history of drug use.
U.S. & World
Eerily, Geldof's mother, Paula Yates, died of an accidental heroin overdose in 2000 at only 41 years old.
Geldof, 25, had posted a photo on Instagram of her as a child in her mother's arms just hours before she died.
Per the Times, police used drug-sniffing dogs during the course of their investigation but found no evidence of drug paraphernalia in the house, leading them to conclude that items were removed before authorities arrived. That part of the investigation--what happened to what Geldof would have needed to shoot or snort heroin--is still open.
Officials were waiting until the results came back ofrom toxicology tests performed during the autopsy to judge the need for an inquest. A brief hearing is scheduled for Thursday afternoon in Gravestead, Kent, after which the proceedings will reportedly be adjourned till July to ensure that Cohen and Bob Geldof are able to attend a full hearing.