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Getting exact numbers is difficult because not every gun has to be registered and many that should be aren't. The government estimates there are more than 300 million guns in America.
A recent Gallup poll shows nearly half of all U.S. households have at least one. Click here to view the study on Gallup.com. There are about 114 million handguns, the easiest to carry and conceal; 110 million rifles, often grouped in the category of "assault-style weapons;" and 86 million shotguns, that fire shells containing metal pellets.
One of the major issues surrounding the debate is how much ammunition guns can fire, as well as how fast it can be fired.
Most gun crimes in America are committed with semi-automatic pistols (seen below). Semi-automatic means every time you pull the trigger a bullet will fire until your magazine is empty. Rifles can also be semi-automatic (seen below); again, one pull fires one bullet.
|Semi-automatic pistol
|Semi-automatic rifle
|Automatic rifle
With a fully automatic weapon like a machine gun (seen above), you pull the trigger one time and hold it. It will fire every bullet in your magazine until it is empty. Fully-automatic machine guns are considered military weapons. They're highly regulated and hard to find. Click here for a photo gallery that shows and explains the different types of guns.
The mass shootings in Aurora, Colorado and Newtown, Connecticut have renewed calls for new regulations on guns and ammunition.
They also prompted a gun violence summit in January at Johns Hopkins University. Twenty experts from the U.S. and other countries presented research and offered solutions.
Daniel Webster (pictured at left) of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy took part in the discussion. "We think we have a set of recommendations that not only will be effective in reducing gun violence in America, but will be constitutional and have wide support with the public and gun owners," Webster said at the meeting. "We need to fix our system of background checks. It is really indefensible that we have a system that allows people to sell firearms with no background checks, no record-keeping and no accountability."
Among the panel's other recommendations: universal background checks for all gun buyers, setting a minimum age of 21 for all handgun purchases or possession and restricting anyone with a violent misdemeanor record from buying guns for 15 years. Finally, on the big issue of gun bans, this expert panel recommends banning future sales of assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines that hold more than ten bullets.
The possibility of government action has many gun owners up in arms; it has also created a run on guns according to gun store and range owner Don Reimer (pictured at right). "There's panic buying going on, both in ammunition and guns," he said. "Instead of going to the store and buying hundreds of rounds, [they] buy thousands."
Sales of guns and ammunition are at all-time highs. The FBI says in 2012, more than 19.5 million background checks were performed -- almost 2.8 million in December alone. Click here to view a PDF of the study on background checks at FBI.gov.
Gun and ammo maker Brownells, Incorporated said in a December 2012 forum post on AR15.com that it sold three-and-a-half years' worth of magazines in just 72 hours. Click here to view the post.
While much of the public attention is on assault-style weapons, the fact is they are not used in most gun crimes, including murders. The FBI's latest uniform crime report shows of the 12,664 murders in 2011, 8,583 involved firearms. Click here to view that study on FBI.gov. Handguns were used in 6,220 of those, just over 72 percent of the total. By comparison, rifles were involved in 323 murders, about four percent. Shotguns were involved in 356, also about four percent. About 1,700 other murders, the other 20-percent are listed as using "unspecified guns."
Florida State University criminology professor Dr. Gary Kleck (pictured at left) has researched gun violence for decades. He says data is clear on the most deadly weapons. "The most common gun used in murders is a handgun, and the most common handgun used these days would be a semi-automatic 9mm pistol," he explained. "They would rarely involve large-capacity magazines and certainly assault weapons have nothing to do with the violence problem in America."
Kleck says his research shows the need for more thorough background checks for felons or the mentally ill, plus an enhanced licensing system.
We asked Dr. Kleck if other gun restrictions, including bans, would reduce gun crime. "For the most part, most gun controls don't work. Registration doesn't work, waiting periods don't work," he responded.
Kleck and colleague Don Kates (pictured at right), a retired criminal law professor and NRA member, have similar findings on gun restrictions. "They work with law-abiding people, but law-abiding people, you don't need them for. They don't work for criminals," he said.
That's a sentiment shared by UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh (pictured below), an expert on firearm regulation. "Even if you somehow managed to politically enact a total ban on guns, there would be many, tens of millions, left out there that American criminals would find very, very easy to get their hands on," he said.
While lawmakers consider if any steps should be taken, one thing is certain: the heated public debate over guns in America will rage on long after Congress makes its decision.
A recent Associated Press poll shows almost 60 percent of those questioned want tougher gun laws, while 35 percent say they shouldn't be changed. Five percent say they should be loosened.
Here are more facts to the gun story -- Dr. Kates says personal protection often gets overlooked. He says there are three million incidents each year where a person is able to prevent themselves from being hurt or killed because they have a gun.
Finally, the largest number of gun-related deaths is suicides. Guns were used in about half of all suicides in 2011 according to the CDC. There were over 38,000 suicides that year. 19,392 of them involved a gun.


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One of the original six NHL teams, the Chicago Blackhawks have become one of the most successful franchises in the league. The Blackhawks have made the Stanley Cup Finals 12 times since they began playing in 1926; victorious in five of those appearances. Chicago went nearly 50 years between their third championship and their fourth. After winning in the 1960-1961 season, Chicago did not win again until 2009-2010. Although Chicago went so long without winning a championship, they were still highly successful over the years. The organization went through a stretch of not missing the playoffs for 28 straight seasons. The Blackhawks have won a division title in every decade since their first one in the 1969-1970 season for a total 15. One of the best players in league history Bobby Hull, top center Stan Mikita, and hall of famer Denis Savard have all had their numbers retired by the Blackhawks after finishing their great careers in the NHL. Score with TicketCity - the place to go for Chicago Blackhawks hockey tickets.
1. Scan through the 2016 Chicago Blackhawks Schedule and select the game that you would like to attend, or use the opponent or date filters beside the Chicago Blackhawks ticket listings to find the perfect matchup. 2. Click "Select" to reveal all available Chicago Blackhawks tickets, the United Center interactive seating chart, ticket quantity, and ticket price filters. Use the ticket price filter, and ticket quantity filter to quickly refine your search to the available Chicago Blackhawks tickets that are in your price range. You can also utilize the "eTickets Only" filter to find all Chicago Blackhawks tickets that will be delivered electronically. The United Center interactive map can be employed to reveal all tickets available for a preferred section. Select the perfect tickets and click "Go" to proceed to checkout. 3. Review the checkout page to ensure that the correct Chicago Blackhawks tickets have been selected, and read through any ticket notes or delivery information. If everything looks correct, fill out the checkout information, and purchase your Chicago Blackhawks Tickets!
Our Sales are Service team is available 7 days a week at 1-800-880-8886.
The Chicago Blackhawks had a dream season a year ago, pounding their way to a 3rd Stanley Cup title in only 6 years. The win put this Blackhawks team in the category of a dynasty, something that the team will try and cement in 2015. The Blackhawks have yet to win back to back titles during their historic run, and will turn to a familiar group of veterans to get them back to the finals. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane will be the focal points for the Hawks, and Corey Crawford remains the everyday goaltender. The biggest loss from last season's Stanley Cup team is Patrick Sharp, who will be replaced by proven defenseman Trevor Daley. It is hard to imagine the 2015 Chicago Blackhawks falling out of the playoff hunt, and the team should remain among the elite teams in the NHL. Looks for the 2015 Blackhawks to pick up right where they left off, and be a dangerous team in the NHL Playoffs.
Check out our Chicago Blackhawks Season Preview History page for previews of previous Blackhawks seasons.
The Blackhawks play their home games at the United Center, located in Chicago, Illinois. After 65 seasons in the historic Chicago Stadium, the Blackhawks moved to the United Center for the start of the 1994-1995 season. During their inaugural season in the United Center, Chicago became the first team to average over 20,000 fans for one season. Between the state-of-the-art amenities and the strong fan support, the United Center always features the ultimate fan entertainment. The Chicago Blackhawks home bench is on the United Center rink side in front of section 101. United Center parking information is covered in our Blackhawks event guide.
Detroit Red Wings, Vancouver Canucks
Playing each other since both clubs had their inaugural seasons in 1926, the Blackhawks and Redwings have faced off in the regular season more times than any two teams in NHL history. Detroit holds the all-time advantage, but the Blackhawks have become the team to beat in recent years – culminating in two Stanley Cup victories in 2010 and 2013. As part of the original six, the rivalry will only continue to grow as these two great hockey cities battle over the years to come.
These two hockey titans met each other three times in a row recently in the playoffs, helping spark a rivalry that spills into the stands just as much is it hangs over every player's head on the ice. The Blackhawks rebuilt the club with young players in the 2000s, culminating in a berth in the second round of the 2009 playoffs where they came back from a 1-2 deficit to beat the Canucks and secure a berth in the West Conference finals. The rivalry will only heat up as both clubs continue to dominate in the conference.
Members of the original six, the Chicago Blackhawks have won an incredible four Stanley Cups dating back to 1926. With three regular season Western Conference Championships and 58 playoff appearances, the Chicago Blackhawks are NHL royalty.
Gates open 90 minutes before game time for the general public. The Blackhawks are one of the original 6 NHL teams and have one of the best fan bases of any team in any sport. Attending a Blackhawks game is on the list of any hockey fan and we recommend getting to there early to enjoy as much of the atmosphere as possible.
TicketCity offers a big selection of Chicago Blackhawks hockey tickets which include some of the lowest priced seats on the market. Blackhawks tickets fluctuate based on demand and opponent. Marquee Western Conference opponents, like the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks, can drive up home game prices. While cheap tickets are more plentiful for, non-conference or non-divisional opponents. Those games may offer best opportunity to purchase Chicago Blackhawks tickets near face value.
The Blackhawks have such a loyal following that there is actually an official Blackhawk's sports bar list. There are many great places on the list, and all are full of as much Blackhawks spirit as you can handle. We recommend checking out Hawkeyes, Roadhouse 66, or Brownstone Tavern. If you are more interested in trying some unbelievable Chicago style pizza, try Pauly's Pizzeria, Root's Handmade Pizza, or Spacca Napoli Pizzeria. Other great places close to United Center are La Lagartija, Angel's, or Cobra Lounge.
The Blackhawks 2016-2017 hockey schedule is listed as soon as it is announced by the NHL. The Blackhawks plays in the Central Division, which means games against the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators. Game times are announced by the NHL as soon as the TV schedule is set. Chicago Blackhawks home opener is typically one of the most popular games. If you are looking for Blackhawks news or scores, then visit our partners at CBS Sports. They are also a good source for the official Chicago Blackhawks team roster.
There are parking lots surrounding the UC ranging from $24-$40. We recommend trying the north or east sides of the arena, because that is where the largest lots are located. Purchasing a parking pass lets you park closest to the stadium. Chicago also has tremendous public transportation, with buses dropping off close to the stadium until 30 minutes before game time. Just make sure to plan your route before you leave.
The United Center does children's tickets a little different than many other arenas. If your child is under 36' tall they will be allowed to sit on a parents lap for the duration of the game. Any other child regardless of age will require a ticket to enter the arena.
Chicago Blackhawks season tickets are available to buy until kickoff of their home opener. Check our listings above or call us if you would like to purchase Chicago Blackhawks season tickets. Let us know if you want a particular section at United Center.

subset: commoncrawl


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STEUBENVILLE - Kent Tekulve has been around Major League Baseball for a long time.
He signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates after graduating for Marietta College in 1969, made his major league debut in 1974, is currently President of the Pirates Alumni Association and is also working as a television broadcaster.
He's seen many ebbs and flows in the game.
Article Photos
Kent Tekulve
"For the longest time there were players using PED's and the game was you have to have something that's not on the list or you have to have something they can't test for," said Tekulva, who was the guest speaker at the Steubenville Rotary Club luncheon Friday at the YWCA. "The last four or five years, they've really got a handle on it - getting it removed from the game.
"As we saw the other day with the Hall of Fame ballotting, it's still there and we're still having to deal with it. It's been a tough 15 years or so dealing with all of that stuff.
"On the other side of the coin, during that period of time, what Major League Baseball was able to do with their marketing and promotions and everything else, the industry as a whole has grown unbelievably big than it was 15 or 20 years ago.
"Yes, there's a bad part to the last 15 or 20 years, there's also been a really good part for everybody who shares in that increased revenue. There's been a great increase in the game over that same period of time in a different area."
Tekulve played for 16 seasons in the majors, from 1974-85 with the Pirates, 1985-88 in Philadelphia and was with Cincinnati when he retired in July, 1989.
"I was not surprised at all that any of those guys who played during that period of time didn't get in, especially the ones that are now known to have been involved, or there's a pretty good reason to believe they were involved," Tekulve said of the Baseball Writers Association of America's Hall of Fame balloting, where no one received enough votes to be enshrined in Cooperstown.
Former Houston Astros second baseman Craig Biggio had the most votes in his first year of eligibility. The man who finished with 3,060 hits appeared on 68.2 percent of the ballots. He was 39 votes shy.
Jack Morris finished second with 385 votes, only three more than 2012.
"Guys like Morris, who had continued climbing the ladder, typically they would continue on from what they had last year (in votes)," said Tekulve. "This is one of the rare times where a player had the percentage that they had a year ago, who didn't get enough votes to get in this year. That part of it did surprise me.
"The steroid-era players, no, that's going to take a long time for the writers to get their heads around it and figure out what to do with it."
Former all-time saves leader Lee Smith was sixth with 272 votes, an 18-vote drop from a year ago.
"I will say this in defense of the baseball writers, relief pitchers are probably the hardest group to judge," said Tekulve, who finished his careeer with 184 saves and appeared in 90 or more games three times, including being the oldest in major league history to do so at age 40.
"In the last 50 years or so, there's been so much evolution in, No. 1, just having relief pitchers - guys who are designated to do so and that started with Elroy Face back in the 50s, one of the rare guys who was actually a reliever.
"The role has continued to evolve. When I was playing in the 70s, the closer was the guy who pitched from the seventh inning on, anywhere three runs up or under. Things were different then and it evolved into something else.
"When Bruce Suter came along, the one-inning save became popular, and it has continued to evolve. Teams have seven relievers instead of five.
"To make comparisons for the writers, relievers, even in different decades, is really tough to do and feel your doing justice to guys in each one of those decades. It's a hard thing to figure out."
Relief pitching has now evolved into a seventh-inning guy, a long reliever, a set-up man and the closer.
"I think specialization came about because it was necessary for baseball," said Tekulve, whose three saves in the 1979 World Series tied the mark set by Face in the 1960 World Series. John Wetteland in broke the record in the 1996 Series. "Baseball doesn't get all the good athletes anymore. The talent pool, particularly in the pitching area, has dropped down a little bit. The only way you get those guys who are kind of in the middle to be able to perform better is to give them the match-ups.
"So, when you went from five relievers to seven, it changed the game and changed what was expected in each and every player. Before, we got match-ups, but it was the first player you faced in the game, after that, you were on your own.
"If I came in against a right-hander and the left-hander was up next, I didn't take the walk and the left-hander came in. You would have been out of pitchers by about the fourth inning if you did that.
"I think the way they do it now is the best way to do it considering the talent pool who have to work with across Major League Baseball and inside each individual organization."
The Pirates are facing a season in which giant steps were made back to respectability the previous two years, both under manager Clint Hurdle.
Each year, though, the Buccos went into a tailspin they could not get out of.
"He gets it," Tekulve said of Hurdle. "But, there have been other guys along the line who got it. We've reached the point where we think the mangers, front office people and coaches are the ones who win games and we've lost the view that the fact the players are the ones who go out on the field and play.
"Clint Hurdle can be the best in the world at what he does, this team is not going to get any better until the players play better. He can't do that because he can't swing the bat anymore. He can't throw the ball. Yes, they're valuable, but no one, no one is more valuable than the players on the field.
"You've got to have a lineup nowadays that is solid top to bottom. Everybody in the lineup contributes something, then you have to put all those pieces together to make the picture work the right way. It's the same thing you have to do with the pitching staff. You've got to get all those pieces lined up so that they work together.
"What we've had here over the past two years - the lineup has been getting better. There hasn't been enough bench, though, that the depth has been very good. When you have to make a pinch-hitting move, you really don't have anybody to send up there that is going to scare anybody.
"If you have to make a pitching move early on, you don't have anybody that is really going to scare anybody.
"The depth of the organization needs to continue to get better and right now, of premier importance, is the starting players who are out there - the McCutchen's, the Walker's, the Alvarez's - they have to stay healthy."


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Ismael Zamilpa, MD, is a physician at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in the Department of Urology and at Arkansas Children's Hospital. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
He completed his urology residency at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. From 2004 to 2008 Dr. Zamilpa was on faculty at the University of New Mexico, Division of Urology. He then completed a pediatric urology fellowship at Seattle Children's Hospital in Seattle, WA. Dr. Zamilpa is certified by the American Board of Urology.
Besides enjoying all aspects of pediatric urology, his areas of interest include complex genitourinary reconstruction and robotic applications in pediatric urology.
Call Us: 501-364-1100 or TDD 501-364-1184


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Switch up the look of your favorite timepiece with Android's Two-Piece 24mm Genuine Alligator Strap Set!
Please note: These interchangeable straps will fit on any of the Android watches that feature a 24mm quick change pin strap configuration. The length measurement is obtained by lining up sections of the strap end to end and measuring the strap from tip of the buckle to end of the strap.
Additional Features: One black alligator strap and one brown alligator strap come packaged in a black Android carton box. Handmade in the USA.
To view the actual case size, Click Here.
Alligator is the crème de la crème hide of the crocodilian species. Found in southern parts of the United States and in areas of China, alligators have a hide that is pliable, durable and typically softer than crocodile. They thrive in fresh water alone and have scales that are relatively flat with a few wrinkles around the edge. If you see many lines or dots in the scales, or notice a drastic change in the adjacency of scales, you are probably looking at caiman hide, a crocodilian counterpart of substantially lower quality.


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10 Ideas to Naturally Bring on Labor
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Castor Oil
Castor oil acts as a powerful laxative. While there isn't evidence that it will help kick-start contractions, the idea is that since it will affect your bowels, it will indirectly stimulate your uterus since it lies in close proximity.
Just keep in mind that this trick is quite unpleasant. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are likely to occur. You also run the risk of becoming dehydrated, so consult your doctor about the risks and consider the side effects before deciding to give it a try.


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WHEELING - Moundsville resident Harry Burge said he has been donating blood for the past 15 years because "it helps people out."
"I try to donate whenever they call me. I think it's good to come out and donate to help people," he said.
Burge was one of the many people who turned out Monday for the 27th-annual Ohio Valley Media Day Blood Drive at WesBanco Arena. Burge was accompanied by his friends Bill Jones and Steve Derrow, both of Moundsville, who also believe donating blood is important.
Article Photos
HELPING OTHERS — WesBanco Arena was busy with people donating and waiting to donate blood during the Ohio Valley Media Day Blood Drive on Monday. - Shelley Hanson
Derrow said he usually gives during smaller drives and it was his first Media Day experience. He noted the wait to give was a little long. American Red Cross spokeswoman Cheryl Gergely said organizers encourage people to make appointments for drives because it is supposed to speed up the process. But sometimes people do have to wait longer than they like, she conceded.
"We've had a good turnout so far. We appreciate people in Wheeling supporting this blood drive," she said, noting they collected 319 units of blood. The drive's goal was 400 units.
"It was a little disappointing, but we are still grateful for those who came out," Gergely said, noting the cold temperatures may have prevented some from coming to donate.
Jones said he realized the need for donated blood after his nephew had an organ transplant.
"It makes you feel good when you come up here and do this," Derrow said. "Ones that are closer to my house I'll go to. They need more (blood drives) closer to Moundsville."
While giving a double red donation of blood, which is equal to giving two units, Triadelphia resident Mandy Lawrence was bundled in her coat and jacket trying to keep warm.
"When they put the white cells back it feels cold. It doesn't help we're on top of ice," Lawrence quipped, referring to the hockey ice covered with pieces of wood at the arena.
Lawrence said she has the universal type of blood, O negative, which is why she likes to use the double red donation method.
"It doesn't hurt. It's not that bad," she said.
Gergely noted in addition to O negative, B negative also is in high demand.


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6 Slacker Behaviors That Science Says Are Good For You
#3. Sleeping in is Good for Your Health
Your whole life you've been told the early bird gets the worm, which is totally true, if that worm happens to be a metaphor for death. Because contrary to what your parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches and ridiculously motivated roommates have told you, sleeping later is better for you than hopping out of bed at the crack of daylight.
So How is This Helpful?
While it's true that too much sleep can be bad for you, it's worse to not get enough. There's a reason you feel like shit at the moment you crawl out of bed to kill your alarm clock. You're killing yourself.
Studies show that people who only sleep six or less hours a night have a 70 percent higher risk of dying younger. Part of the reason for this is that less sleep means more stress, worse driving and significant weight gain. Humans need at least eight hours of sleep in order to produce hormones that regulate the appetite, and to heal from workouts. And it goes without saying that the less sleep you get, the less focused and alert you are, which means the more likely you are to do something stupid, like causing the Exxon Valdez oil spill. In the end, waking up at an ungodly hour to take a jog might actually be worse for your body than sleeping in.
You're killing yourself with jogs!
Oh, and after you finally roll out of bed, don't bother making it. There are these little buggers called dust mites, insects that live inside your mattress and sheets, and they can cause asthma and trigger allergies. A recent British study discovered that an unmade bed is a much harsher environment for the critters, effectively killing them off.
More proof that your mom was secretly trying to kill you.
Apparently, when you make your bed in the morning, you kind of seal the little guys in, keeping them warm and cozy-like. So college students around the world can rejoice that their slovenly lairs are actually fighting the good fight against asthma. Still no word on the benefits of leaving your three-day-old underwear on the floor, though.
#2. Wasting Your Life on the Internet May Stave Off Dementia
It only seems logical that spending hours upon hours surfing the abyss of the Internet will eventually destroy your brain. Five minutes of reading YouTube comments alone should probably wipe out your capacity to do long division without a calculator.
The logic behind this assumption seems sound; it's like when you watch trashy television, right? Your brain is less engaged than if you were, say, reading a book or doing a crossword puzzle. And because you're not exercising your brain muscles, they must be atrophying.
Actually, no. Because some science guys are beginning to find out that those hours of surfing the interwebs might actually be making us smarter.
So How is This Helpful?
According to this UCLA study using Google (or any other search engine) can stimulate your brain more than reading a book. To be fair, the experiment was conducted on older people, and these guys weren't exactly using the Internet to find horse porn. They were probably researching the best plum juice. Nonetheless, the findings were significant enough that researchers declared that regular Googling can fight off dementia.
Fight that brain deterioration, Pop-Pop!
Don't get us wrong about Google. They're obviously the next great supervillains, the likes of which we've never seen, and will never see again, because they're definitely going to become the masters of the planet and subjugate the rest of us to death. It's not Google itself that's magically healing old people noggins. It's the rapid exposure to new information that's doing the trick. Surfing the Internet stimulates the brain and increases neuron activity. So basically, by visiting various sites you find unexpected information that fires up your brain, preventing it from rusting down.
All of this sounds great for grandpa, but what about the rest of us? According to the authors of iBrain we're all smartening up from our hours on the Web tubes. Apparently, the World Wide Web is forcing all of our brains to evolve and improve their neurological paths. Humans are becoming faster and more capable of handling a larger number of tasks, while losing some focusing and face-to-face interaction skills. Also it makes authors everywhere put a lowercase "i" in front of their book title in hopes of sounding hip.
The book is backed up by some studies which claim that Internet sites like Facebook are already changing the way we deal with memories, improving our short-term retention. A Scottish study discovered that using social media sites can help increase IQ as well as train us how to manage new information quicker. Not surprising, using YouTube has been proven to lower one's IQ, we weren't kidding when we said reading those comments is bad for you.
#1. Spoiling Yourself Can Fight Stress
Considering all the negative effects of stress, from erectile dysfunction to heart disease, it's no wonder stress.org calls it America's number one problem. It definitely sounds like we're not stressing out as much as we should about this whole stress issue.
#2 problem in the U.S.: Screaming men stuck in exploding concrete blocks.
Nothing on this list will reduce stress more efficiently than enjoying all those dirty pleasures everyone says you shouldn't enjoy. An Australian study discovered that skipping work or buying that solid gold ice cream scooper is exactly the kind of irresponsible behavior that keeps you stress-free, happy and healthy. Almost everyone engages in this behavior and it seems to be the best way to release steam.
So How is This Helpful?
According to the author of Everything Bad is Good for You, everything from watching trashy reality TV to playing video games can reduce your stress level. Not only do these activities improve chemical and neurological reactions inside the brain, but they release calming hormones that regulate our bodies. On a less biological level, "bad" habits prepare us for interactions with our culture, increasing the efficiency of socialization. Basically by watching American Idol you have something to talk about at work, and smoking breaks are the place to be for the best company gossip.
"That Lambert kid sure had some pipes, huh?"
As for spending all your money on crap and not bothering to work hard? It turns out that it might be the healthiest behavior in your life. A recent study showed that Swedish people are the happiest in the world, but not because they are all blond-haired, furniture building ex-models.
The secret to their happiness seems to be the fact that their socio-economic classes are very close to each other. Basically no one in Sweden is really "rich," which makes everyone (including the rich people) healthier and happier. Interestingly enough, this holds true on a larger scale: Countries that are going through a depression tend to report higher well-being among their population. Sure, people are going to grumble about not affording three plasma screens, but they will secretly be happier because they know everyone is just like them: miserable. So let's keep this recession going, guys!
Do you have an idea in mind that would make a great article? Then sign up for our writers workshop! Know way too much about a random topic? Create a topic page and you could be on the front page of Cracked.com tomorrow!
And find out about how video games are actually benefiting us, in 6 Ways Video Games Are Saving Mankind. Or find out how 2010 is bad for our health, in 7 Reasons the 21st Century is Making You Miserable.
And stop by our Top Picks (Updated 04.30.10) to see what God looks at on the Internet.
And don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get sexy, sexy jokes sent straight to your news feed.


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Google have started to warn me that I am almost out of space in my Gmail account. How can I sort my messages by size to identify any expendable large emails in my account?
This is not possible at the moment. If you look at the list of search operators, you'll see that the closest thing you can do is filter out all mails with an attachment.
An alternative would be to use an IMAP client (such as Thunderbird) and then use that interface.
Since you want that feature, express your needs over at the feature-suggestion site of Gmail.
Update 2014-02-20: Gmail has now
When I had to search for a large e-mail, I went for the try-and-see-if-it-works method, and used the search term
Even though this operator isn't documented in the advanced search options, it worked for me. :)
As of November, 2012, this is now an officially-supported search operator. The syntax is a little different than it was.
Sadly you can't sort by size so you might find this article at Lifehacker on how to clear down your Gmail account useful.
One of the recommendations is using the
This isn't exactly the quickest way, but you could search by file types first, which might help you narrow down large e-mails. For instance, you could do a search for video file types (which are huge) first, like this:
or zip files, like:
Etc., etc. Hope that helps!
FindBigMail will label all your large quota-killing messages. Just click the various labels to show messages that are greater than the size indicated by the label.
... or this is a very round-about way, but you can:
I am using Gmail Backup to migrate my mail to a new Gmail account. Also, I am fixing the timezone on several emails. (They got the wrong timezone because I imported an Outlook IMAP store from a computer with a different timezone.)
Someone has worked out a way to do this with Google Docs. The beauty of this method is that you don't need to rely on a third-party; everything stays within the Google ecosystem.
I have not tried it yet, but I'm going to. I'll report back.
Download them all to Outlook and sort the emails by size. Using IMAP should download them (e.g. headers only) quicker.
If you don't like Outlook, then you can use Opera's email IMAP client. It works wonderfully with Gmail's IMAP implementation. (Well, not with Google Apps, but that's a different story.)
I found a cool iPhone app that handles this smoothly: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/search-mail-by-size/id388632871?mt=8
I do most things from my iPhone anyway, so I really liked this solution when I needed to make some space in my mailbox.
There is a Chrome Extension for sorting emails by attachment size:
There is searchgmailbysize.com which claims to list your at least attachments by size. Personally I wouldn't trust the site with my credentials as it is not even using OAuth.
Here's a simple Google Script that will help you sort your mailbox by size.


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This is a part of a bigger problem I was solving.
Problem: $N$ is a positive integer. There are $k$ number of other positive integers ($\le N$) In how many ways can you make $N$ by summing up any number of those $k$ integers. You can use any integer, any number of times.
For example: $N = 10$, $k=1: \{ 1 \}$
then there's only $1$ way of making $10$ using integers in braces: $1+1+1+1+\cdots+1 = 10$
another example: $N = 10$, $k = 2: \{ 1, 3\}$
number of ways $= 4$:
The question is to derive a generalized logic/formula to calculate the number of ways.


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It is well-known that the universal cover $\tilde G$ of a connected Lie group $G$ has a Lie group structure such that the covering projection $\tilde G\to G$ is a Lie group morphism. Of course $\tilde G$ might not be linear even though $G$ is, but this is not the point here.
My question is: assume that $G$ is a not necessarily connected Lie group. Does there exist a Lie group $\tilde G$ and an onto Lie group morphism $\tilde G\to G$ whose restriction to the identity component of $\tilde G$ is the universal cover of the identity component of $G$?
I assume that the answer is "no" in general, but I could not find any counter-example.
@Jim: Of course, the terminology "universal cover" would have been inappropriate even though such a cover existed (which as you and André pointed out, is not the case).
I came to this question from some other direction. Namely, the $PSL_2(R)$ action on $RP^1$ lifts to a $\widetilde{PSL_2(R)}$ action on the universal cover of $RP^1$, and this action extends to an action of a two-sheeted cover of $PGL_2(R)$. It is tempting to denote this cover by $\widetilde{PGL_2(R)}$, and I wondered whether such a construction was standard.


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National Guard names local recruiter best in the country
(WEAU) - Western Wisconsin is home to the National Guard's best recruiter.
Sergeant First Class Joshua Mannel from New Richmond won the national competition. The Army National Guard recruiter earned the honor this month in Nashville and will be formally recognized in our nation's capital this spring.
Wisconsin National Guard
Wisconsin's top Army National Guard recruiter is now officially the best in the nation.
Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Mannel, a Wisconsin Army National Guard recruiter from New Richmond, Wis., advanced to the national competition for the National Guard's Recruiting and Retention Noncommissioned Officer of the Year award in Nashville. He brought home the ultimate prize.
After advancing to regional competition, which included the top recruiters from Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa and Minnesota, Mannel was named one of the nation's Expert 7, a distinction reserved for the top recruiting noncommissioned officer in each of the nation's seven recruiting regions.
When he arrived in Nashville for the Jan. 15 board, he was well-prepared.
"I felt confident, because I'd been there before, and I did the regional one. But you never know what they are going to ask you," he said. "You don't know if they're going to throw you a curveball, so I was touching up on the (noncommissioned officer) creed, the Soldier's creed and all the questions they've asked in the past and just trying to stay proficient on some questions I thought they might ask."
Mannel's wife, Jill, quizzed him on potential board questions each night before the couple went to bed, and Master Sgt. Jason Meyers, Mannel's platoon sergeant in the Eau Claire-based Detachment 1, Company A of Wisconsin's Recruiting and Retention Battalion, setup a mock board with command sergeants major from Wisconsin to help prepare him for the board he'd face in the national competition.
Meyers is an award-winning noncommissioned officer himself. He and Mannel became the first duo from the same state in recent history to win both major recruiting command awards. He was named as the region's top noncommissioned officer in charge.
Their hard work paid off in the end as Mannel cruised to victory in Nashville. He had advanced to the national competition once before in 2010 and came up short of the ultimate prize. That experience set the stage for his victorious return trip, where he became the first National Guard Recruiting and Retention Noncommissioned Officer of the Year from Wisconsin in recent memory.
"It's a big accomplishment just to know that Wisconsin can do it, and it just paid off - all the hard work over the last three or four years," Mannel said after the competition.
"We are extremely proud of his accomplishment," remarked Brig. Gen. Mark Anderson, Wisconsin's deputy adjutant general for Army. "We recognize that this honor is the result of a lot of hard work on his part. His success in recruitment and seeing his new Soldiers through their training is a reflection of not only his professionalism, but the type of Soldier and noncommissioned officers we have in the Wisconsin Army National Guard."
Each competitor was judged based on their performance before a board of command sergeants major representing each recruiting region. The judges also assessed each candidate based on a review of their backgrounds, their recruiting prowess, and the total Soldier concept. Each candidate was judged on the number of recruits they signed and the number that made it through the Army's training pipeline.
Mannel was judged to be the best.
He will be formally recognized as the nation's top National Guard recruiter at an awards ceremony in Washington D.C. in April.


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Hot Dots® Reading Comprehension Set
Educational Insights • Temporarily Out of Stock • 21345
Grades 2 - 5. Help students practice comprehension skills with the fun element of Hot Dot-powered excitement! Each 50 card box contains 10 passages for each of the 5 ability levels (2.0-6.0). Stories include many genres aligned to reading standards. After reading the story on the front of the card, the student flips it over to tackle 4 multiple choice questions designed to test specific reading comprehension skills. The student can either touch his answer choice with the Hot Dots® Pen for immediate feedback or can write his answers and check them against the included answer key. This complete set includes 6 pens and the following 6 boxes: Getting the Main Idea, Noting & Recalling Details, Drawing Conclusions/Predictions, Using Context Clues, Finding the Sequence/Cause, and Making Inferences. The perfect tool for challenging young students!


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Cornell Professor Takes New Approach to Autism Research in Quest to Answer Questions that Go Back to His Childhood
His research is totally personal – because his older brother has autism and because he has always been intrigued by order and regularity.
Cornell University Assistant Professor of Human Development Matthew Belmonte is using a grant from the National Science Foundation funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to expand his research into autism through a suite of science-fiction-themed video games. Belmonte developed the games with computer sciences collaborators at Cornell to help find order within the wide range of ways autism manifests in young people.
Belmonte designed the user-friendly video games with embedded tasks that test users – children with autism or Asperger syndrome ages 10 to 15, along with their unaffected siblings – across multiple domains. Much of the current research on autism isolates and tests a single domain.
"Autism has been characterized as a fundamental perceptual abnormality; it's been characterized as a fundamental attentional abnormality; it's been characterized as a failure of theory-of-mind," he says. "We each have our individual pet theories, and we each – me included – have designed experiments within these narrow theoretical apertures to confirm or refute hypotheses that are stated along our single tracks."
Belmonte hopes to find links between social and nonsocial theories and between behavioral and physiological data.
The computer games are also intended to overcome a confounding factor common to autism research – the very high level of anxiety that is a hallmark of autism. According to Belmonte this makes it difficult for researchers to determine whether what they've observed in the lab is due to autism itself or simply heightened anxiety.
By giving the games to subjects on laptops to take home and play at their own pace, this problem is averted. While the subjects grapple with asteroids, pilot spacecrafts, intercept pirates and salvage hidden cargo, the computer logs how rapidly they shift attention and engage or inhibit motor responses; how well they perceive coherent motion; and whether they can intuit the motivations of other characters.
Once the subjects are comfortable with the game on their own, Belmonte uses electroencephalography (EEG) in the lab to measure patterns in neural connectivity as they play.
Earlier research has shown that while autistic children and their unaffected siblings share some physiological traits, including frontal lobes that are slower to activate, the overall patterns of neural connectivity are weaker in autistic children compared with their unaffected siblings. "We're going to be looking at that in much larger numbers now using EEG," Belmonte says.
Belmonte's research is personal. His older brother has autism, and his niece was recently diagnosed with the disorder. He is optimistic about the prospects for a treatment in the coming decades – but also acutely aware that for many it will not come soon enough.
However, he entered autism research in part to answer a more universal question: how the human mind, with or without autism, tries to find or impose order on the world.
"I was always fascinated by order and regularity," he said; and as a child, he shared that fascination with his brother.
"There was always a certain empathy between me and my brother. It was always clear to me, even before I had words for it, that he and I thought in the same way and saw the same things," he said.
Belmonte's NSF Faculty Early Career Development Award is for $700,000 over five years. Along with the technical and administrative costs of the research, the ARRA grant funds one full-time research assistant in Belmonte's lab. Several undergraduates are also involved in the project. Learn more >>


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George R. Burns III Avid Red Sox fan; devoted to his family
OAKVILLE — George R. Burns III, 49, formerly of Orange, entered into peaceful rest at his home with his devoted wife by his side on March 13, 2013. He was the beloved husband of Sarah (Smith) (DiFiore) Burns.
Mr. Burns was born Sept. 6, 1963, in New Haven, loving son of George R., Jr. and Ann C. (Cowan) Burns of Orange. He was employed by Dichello Distributors of Orange where he was a shop steward and proud member of the Teamsters Local 443. He had fought a courageous battle with cancer for nearly two years with the support of his wife and his dedicated oncologist, Dr. Joseph Bowen.
George lived a peaceful and happy life and loved the spring/summer seasons. He endured intensive chemotherapy, determined to survive long enough to start his vegetable garden, see the migrant birds return, and watch the Red Sox opening day game with his wife by his side. Sadly, he realized that his brave fight was over. He called family members to express his love and appreciation for them.
George was devoted to his family and generously sacrificed to assure their well-being. When he moved to Oakville, George sorely missed his nieces and nephew: Amanda (his goddaughter), Gerald and Cynthia of Orange. He adored those children wholeheartedly.
George was a natural comedian and great imitator. He had a gift for making people laugh. He was a talented photographer, enjoying the challenge of capturing lightening on film. When Dichello Distributors locked-out their Teamsters in early 2011, George led shift members, picketing 12 hour days, 7 days a week, for a fair contract. After three months on the picket line, the Teamsters finally won their battle. George was exhausted and felt very ill, but was excited to return to his job. Two days prior to his long-anticipated return, he was diagnosed with cancer.
George was an avid Red Sox fan. Because of the generosity of a Facebook friend, George enjoyed a VIP night at Fenway Park, seated three rows behind the press box. He often spoke of that night, calling it, "A high point of my life." He also liked the Chicago Bulls and Bears. Throughout his illness, George's favorite cat, Papelbon, stayed by his side at all times. Pap became more possessive of George as the illness progressed and swiped at anyone who tried to approach them.
In addition to his wife, and his parents, George leaves his loving family, including a stepson, Alexander DiFiore of Watertown; a stepdaughter, Alison DiFiore of Oakville; his brother, Edward S. Burns and his wife, Lisa, of W. Haven; his sister, Kelley Meadows and her husband, Eric B. Volkmann, of Green Oaks, Ill.; two nieces, Amanda Burns (his goddaughter) and Cynthia Burns; and a nephew, Gerald Burns.
Calling hours are 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Ralph E. Hull Funeral Home, 161 W. Church St., Seymour. A memorial service in celebration of George's life will be 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
Memorial gifts may be sent to the CT Humane Society, 701 Russell Road, Newington, CT 06111.
For directions, or to share a memory, please only go to www.hullfh.com.
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Andrew Medichini, AP
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican's penchant for secrecy has won out over American-style transparency.
The U.S. cardinals in Rome for the conclave to elect the next pope canceled their popular daily press briefings Wednesday, purportedly after some details of the secret proceedings under way ahead of the election were leaked to Italian newspapers.
The Vatican denied it had exerted any pressure on the American cardinals to keep quiet. But the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, made clear that the Holy See considered this week's pre-conclave meetings, in which cardinals are discussing the problems of the church, to be secret and part of a solemn process to choose a pope.
"The College (of Cardinals) as a whole has decided to maintain a line of an increasing degree of reserve," he said.
The spokeswoman for the U.S. cardinals, Sister Mary Ann Walsh, said Wednesday's briefing was canceled after other cardinals expressed concern in the morning "about leaks of confidential proceedings reported in Italian newspapers."
She said that, as a precaution, all interviews had been canceled.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Walsh said Italy's La Stampa newspaper had on Monday and Tuesday reported details of comments individual cardinals made in the closed-door meetings that were cited as a violation of their oath of secrecy. That prompted the decision to observe a media blackout.
She dismissed speculation that the Vatican and cardinals from other countries simply didn't appreciate the openness of the Americans, saying, "I don't think anyone was angry at the Americans. They were angry at La Stampa.
"In true old-style Catholic school teacher fashion, someone talks and everybody stays after school," Walsh said. She added that the Americans had been assured that the Vatican was pleased with their briefings.
Perhaps. But Lombardi suggested he was irritated with the American briefings in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday, when asked whether he had considered inviting cardinals to his briefings to provide journalists with first-hand information from the participants.
Lombardi said he had decided against it because of the vow of secrecy and the natural reserve that is supposed to accompany the cardinals in these days preceding a conclave.
"If some cardinals think it's useful to communicate, naturally preserving the reserve they've committed themselves to concerning the election, I have no objections," he wrote. "I do my part helping journalists."
Italian media speculated that Vatican-based cardinals and Italian cardinals in particular were displeased with the popular American briefings — they were the only ones holding press conferences — and the U.S. openness about wanting to delay the start date of the conclave.
Cardinals Daniel DiNardo of Texas and Sean O'Malley of Boston said in Tuesday's briefing that they favored taking a longer time for pre-conclave discussions to gather more information about the problems of the Vatican bureaucracy and discern who among them should be pope.
"We need to give it the time that's necessary," O'Malley told the packed press conference at the North American College, the U.S. seminary up the hill from the Vatican. "I believe the feeling of the cardinals is that we want to have enough time in the general congregations so that when we go to the conclave itself it's a time of decision."
Drawing laughs, O'Malley added: "And it is hard to get a bad meal in Rome."
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Your order must total $99.00 before tax and shipping. Free Shipping on Ground Deliveries only going to one delivery location in the continental U.S. only, additional locations are $8.95 each. May not be combined with other coupons or promotional offers. Coupon not valid on our selection of Tervis or Louisville Slugger products. Offer not valid on previous orders.
Expiration: December 31, 2015 Code: SHIPPING99
Exclusive to The Stationery Studio! Set of 50 plain white flat correspondence cards, sized 5.25" x 4". You select your favorite raised ink color for note cards. Bullet design will be automatically added between your address and city. Flat printed return address available. Uppercase typestyle, format & positioning only as shown.
There is no border around the cards - what is shown in the image around the card is just a background.


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I'm trying to root Kindle Fire but it always show "ADB status: Offline" when I start "run.bat". Could you help me out of this problem? :( I tried to plug, unplug, connect, disconnect the Kindle many times but nothing changes. I'm using Windows 7 x86.
I had the same problem with Kindle Fire Utility, and I actually figured this out.
Then, it finally worked -- both drivers were in place -- then ADB showed up as online and I could get root, and do all the other stuff with KFU.
For those who tried many attempts in re-installing and rebooting but to no avail. This may be an alternative you can consider. This applies to those who ran install_drivers.bat and saw an error message regarding "./android/adb_usb".
This error is caused by our user name in windows which has one or more spacing (e.g. "Home User"). This one or more spacing breaks the batch file written to assist you in installing the relevant drivers.
Solution is simple, edit the install_drivers.bat and include double quotations (" ") to all file paths which has %userprofile% (line 9 & 10)
Before re-installing your drivers, kindly ensure you removed the existing drivers via Device Manager -> Android Phone -> "Android ADB Interface" (or) "Android Composite ADB Interface"
Re-run install_drivers.bat and then run run.bat
Your kindle should be ready for rooting :)
IF you have run the install_drivers.bat file, and still have this.. Few things to do :
1) Reboot computer/Kindle 2) Re-install drivers through KFU 3) Re-install drivers manually.


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I currently have a 3 monitor setup, which is working wonderfully.
I have a 4th monitor which matches the other 3, and think I should incorporate it into my setup (mostly "because I can"). I've read that having 4 monitors actually doesn't help productivity, and experienced first hand the annoyance of having to shift my head too much.
What I would like to do is place the 4th monitor on top of my middle one, however I need recommendations on what to do. A wall mount isn't likely to be an option, has anyone seen some kind of "double high monitor stand" that they could recommend? stability's not a huge issue, as the stand would be resting against the wall (that I can't use the mount on).


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Ravens cheerleaders' calendar shoot in Jamaica
Members of the Baltimore Ravens' 2014-2015 cheerleading team participate in a swimsuit calendar photo shoot in Jamaica. While there, the team stayed at Jewel Paradise Cove Beach Resort & Spa, a new all-inclusive resort in Runaway Bay.
This photo gallery is featured in these articles:


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Thumbprint Mice
- Stamp pad
- Paper
- Crayons or markers
- Have your child press her thumb on a stamp pad and then press it onto paper.
- Show your child how to draw a mouse tail and ears on the thumbprint to complete each mouse.
- Do this several times to make a mouse family.
- Use your own thumb and perhaps one of an older or younger sibling, then compare the different sizes each makes.
More on: Activities for Preschoolers
Copyright © 1998 by Patricia Kuffner. Excerpted from The Preschooler's Busy Book with permission of its publisher, Meadowbrook Press.
To order this book visit Meadowbrook Press.


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The interdisciplinary Honors Program allows students to go beyond the classroom and regular course work to study one-on-one with faculty through enrichment tutorials, Honors Abroad (PDF), internships, research and classroom-to-community outreach. Led by a distinguished faculty, students are challenged to aim higher and go farther in their lives, communities and careers."Challenging Mindsets" is the theme around which the Honors Program is centered. Each year, a variation on the theme is explored through an array of special courses, films and guest speakers. Sample course topics include: "Roots and Contexts of Ideas," "Revolutions," "Conflicting Perspectives: Learning through the Clash of Ideas," and "The Cutting Edge."Honors Program students thrive in a close-knit atmosphere among the most inquisitive, intellectually spirited and enterprising students. They enjoy specialized classes on stimulating topics, produce an Honors Literary Journal (Respond), attend symposia and participate in the Harvard Model United Nations program and state, regional and national Honors conferences. The Honors Program Newsletter (PDF) describes current courses, activities and seminars.Honors students also compete for opportunities to study at Oxford University in England, semester-long internships in Washington, D.C., and paid undergraduate research fellowships at UT. Other benefits include access to a specially-equipped Honors lounge and an option to live on an Honors floor in University residence halls. Students must be full-time to be eligible for these opportunities
Students are automatically considered for the Honors Program when they apply to the University. No separate application is required.


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Getting to starting line major issue
New York Marathon goes on
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Budget 2013-14
Budget and Council ObjectivesA new administration and new priorities
Following the local elections in May 2012, Birmingham City Council had a change in administration and, with it, a new vision and a new set of priorities for the city.
The council's vision is to make Birmingham:An inclusive city in which many more people can play their part – a fair chance for everyone in Birmingham.
The council has three key priorities:
- Tackling inequality and deprivation; promoting social cohesion across all communities in Birmingham; and ensuring dignity, particularly for our older people; and safeguarding for children.
- Laying the foundations for a prosperous city, built on an inclusive economy.
- Involving local people and communities in the future of their local area and their public services – a city with local services for local people.
Key aims for the city include making Birmingham an 'entrepreneurial city', a 'smart city' and a 'green city'.
Birmingham's budget challenge
Birmingham City Council is facing an extremely tough financial challenge.
In 2010, as part of the Spending Review, the government announced its plan for reducing the national financial deficit with further announcements as part of the 2012 Autumn Statement and March 2013 budget. Funding to local authorities will be reduced by at least 28% from 2011 to 2015 after taking account of inflation and, in fact, some grants have been stopped altogether. Some large cities, including Birmingham, have been hit hard.
In the last two years, the Government has reduced its grants to Birmingham City Council by over £140m. That is a reduction of 14%.
For 2013/14 general grants have been cut by a further £27m. Over a six-year period, from 2010/11 to 2016/17, it is forecast that the general Government grants to Birmingham City Council will reduce by at least £300m.
At the same time, the council has to pay for unavoidable cost increases due to inflation, changes in legislation, the changing needs of local people and financing costs. These are expected to cost at least £315m extra by the end of 2016/17.
Based on information available at the time of setting the Council's budget for 2013/14 the combined impact of grant reduction and rising local costs means the council will have to make cuts of around £615m by 2016/17.
The task for 2013/14 is to save around £102m in addition to the £275m saved in the previous two years.
In order to decide where budget cuts should be made the council carried out a consultation with local people, employees and other organisations. Hundreds of comments were received and these were all passed to councillors to help them make decisions on the budget for 2013/14.
Council Tax
There will be no increase in the city council's element of Council Tax for 2013/14.
The council has chosen to accept a Government grant to freeze Council Tax at the same level as 2012/13. This will produce the best financial outcome for the city council this year, as well as for the city's taxpayers.
Planning for the future
In recent years, efficiency savings have been made and these have helped to bridge the financial gap. This is no longer enough. Over the next few years services will need to change and, indeed, some may need to be discontinued.
This means that Birmingham City Council will need to continue to adapt and make changes to services and how they are run. The council will look at involving citizens much more in shaping and delivering services where possible, and in some areas decommission services altogether.
However, despite any cuts that need to be made the council's key aim will be to ensure that it makes the best use of resources for those most in need – protecting those local people who are the most vulnerable.
Council Business Plan 2013+ (Size: 2.88 Mb Type: PDF )
Copyright: 2013 Birmingham City Council
Council Tax Booklet 2013-14 (Size: 1.04 Mb Type: PDF )
Copyright: 2013 Birmingham City Council
Budget Book 2013-14 (Size: 2.11 Mb Type: PDF )
Copyright: 2013 Birmingham City Council
Budget Book 2013-14 (Size: 429 Kb Type: Excel Spreadsheet )
Copyright: 2013 Birmingham City Council


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Oak Creek Salvation Army open for those in need of warm place to spend time
Oak Creek — With dangerously low temperatures Monday and Tuesday, the Salvation Army has been open to those who do not have a warm place to stay.
While the temperatures have been so low, many staff members of the Salvation Army were asked to stay home. But Business Administrator Ken Tregellas stayed on deck to assist.
During the day, the Salvation Army is open as a refuge from frigid temperatures.
"They can come here, have a place to hang out, stay warm, get a cup of coffee and something to eat," Tregellas said.
The cold has filled area shelters, so Tregellas arranged for a hotel room for one family that has no place else to stay. Other than that family, he's only had a handful of people ask for assistance, he said.» Read Full Article
Live coverage: 2016 WIAA State Summer Baseball Tournament
UPDATE: Menomonee Falls and Marquette won their semifinal games and are playing in the state title game.
A WIAA state summer baseball title is up for grabs at Kapco Park today.
The field has been whittled to four teams: Marquette, Oak Creek, New Holstein and Menomonee Falls.
Marquette (26-6) and Oak Creek (31-2) square off in the first semifinal game, set for 9:05 a.m.
New Holstein (20-10) and Menomonee Falls (23-10) will battle in the other semifinal approximately 30 minutes after the opener is complete.» Read Full Article
Big inning leads Marquette past Oak Creek in state semifinal
A six-run sixth inning propelled Marquette to an 8-3 victory over Oak Creek in a WIAA state semifinal Friday, July 22 at Kapco Park.
Oak Creek issued four walks and made two errors in the sixth inning, as Marquette turned a 3-2 deficit into a commanding lead.
"We just didn't execute pitches when we needed to," Oak Creek coach Scott Holler said. "They are too good of a hitting team to give freebies to. They made it hurt. With their team speed and hitters up and down the lineup, they create all kinds of problems. That was the difference in the game."
The Knights scored three runs in the third to take a 3-0 lead. A balk plated Oak Creek's first run, and D.J. Ellifson added an RBI triple and Alex Binelas an RBI single.
Marquette scored single runs in the third and in the fourth against Ellifson to pull to within 3-2. The Hilltoppers scored their second run without the benefit of a hit after a pair of walks, a double steal and a wild pitch.» Read Full Article
Sue Haislmaier's watercolor paintings on display at botanical gardens
Hales Corners —The Garden House at Boerner Botanical Gardens, 9400 Boerner Drive, will have watercolor paintings by Wisconsin artist Sue Haislmaier on display from July 23—Aug. 14.
Haislmaier's work will be available to view 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.
According to a news release, Haislmaier is inspired by the outdoors throughout the four seasons. Her love of nature can be seen in her close up views of native plants and waterscapes.
Admission to the Botanical Gardens, which includes admission to the Garden House, is $5.50 for adults age 18 and up. Admission is $4.50 for students of any age with IDs, Milwaukee County seniors age 60 and up with IDs, and people with disabilities, and $3.50 for youths age 6-17.
Free admission is offered to Milwaukee County residents with ID and proof of residency on the first Tuesday of the month during the summer.
Franklin community shows support for local police officers
Franklin —Members of the Franklin community have been showing their support in droves for the Franklin Police Department in light of the recent events around the US.
The weeks of July 11 and 18, the department received lots of cards, drawings from children, a fruit basket, cookies, a cake, a box of chips, and a bouquet of flowers on the front steps of the building, all thanking the police officers for what they do.
Since sometimes officers can be more used to criticism, explained Chief Rick Oliva, he wants to make sure residents know how much this means to the police officers in Franklin.
"We don't expect anything since it's our job," Chief Oliva explained. "But it's good to see what we do is supported in the community."
Chief Oliva posted a public thank you on the department's Facebook page Wednesday, July 20.» Read Full Article
Traveling Beer Gardens coming to Hales Corners Park
Hales Corners — The Traveling Beer Garden will be at Hales Corners Park, 5765 S. New Berlin Road, from 4-10 p.m. Wednesday, July 27. Free Sprecher beer and root beer will be available while supplies last.
To kick off the event at 4 p.m., County Supervisor Steve Taylor will tap the keg. Music by Vern & the Originals also starts at 4 p.m. and the band will perform until 8 p.m.
Ten on-tap Sprecher beers will be served in souvenir glass pints and steins, with refills offered at reduced prices available at any of the Traveling Beer Garden stops. Flights of five beer samples will also be served.
In addition, other Sprecher beverages will be available, including hard root beer, hard ginger ale, gourmet sodas, and root beer floats. Wine and food items will also be for sale.
Families are welcomed to bring their own picnic dinners with non-alcoholic beverages, as license restrictions prohibit carry-in of alcohol.» Read Full Article
Moth Night at Wehr Nature Center July 29&30
Franklin —During National Moth Week, Wehr Nature Center, 9701 W. College Ave., will host two Moth Nights, July 29 and 30, where attendees will learn more about moths and moth sampling, then participate in an outdoor moth sampling survey.
The program Friday, July 29 is for adults and runs from 8-10 p.m. The program Saturday, July 30 is for families with children age six and up, and runs from 7-9 p.m. Retired Director of Nature in the Parks Pat Fojut will lead both programs.
To attract moths for sampling, the groups will use a bait station with "moth mush," a black light, and sheeting. Participants will also learn how to gather and record relevant information on their own for citizen monitoring.
Data collected during Moth Night will be sent to the Butterfly and Moth Information Network. After verification, the information will be posted on the Butterflies and Moths of North America website.
Since the first Moth Night in 2013, the number of moth species sighted and confirmed in Milwaukee County has grown from 12 to 20, according to scientists at the Butterfly and Moth Informational Network.» Read Full Article
Oak Creek hangs banners at Drexel Town Square in honor of local military heroes
Oak Creek — The city installed 10 local military hero banners at Drexel Town Square this week which will be displayed until Labor Day when they'll be taken down and presented to the honorees or their families.
Mayor Steve Scaffidi will present the banners at a special Veteran's Day Remembrance ceremony. The banners were hung to "encourage our community to honor and recognize currently serving military personnel that call Oak Creek their hometown," according to a news release from the city July 20.
The recipients were chosen by a committee based on military and community service, the release states. The banners display the name of the recipient, their rank and branch of service as well as their official military photo.
Social media story on the storms rolling through Milwaukee area
A social media story of the storms that moved through the Milwaukee area during the morning of July 21.
Youth soccer program at Hales Corners Library July 28
Hales Corners —The Hales Corners Library, 5885 S. 116th Street, will host a youth soccer demo with the Milwaukee Kickers FC and Polonia Youth Soccer Club 3-4 p.m. Thursday, July 28 at the library and neighboring Hales Corners Park.
After a brief pep talk in the library's Hunt room, team members from the Milwaukee Kickers and Polonia Soccer Club will teach kids soccer tips and practice drills at Hales Corners Park next door.
Registration is required for this event, but it is free to attend. Register online, at the library, or by phone, 414-529-6150.
This program is for children in 1st through 6th grade.
Children's musician Duke Otherwise to perform at Hales Corners Library
Hales Corners —Children's musician Duke Otherwise will perform at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 27 at the Hales Corners Library, 5885 S 116th St.
Duke Otherwise is a Madison-based singer, musician, and tap dancer who writes silly songs for kids using a variety of instruments. His show will include audience participation and dancing.
No registration is required for this event. As a part of Wide-Awake Wednesdays at the library, this program is geared toward younger children.
Gas leak in Franklin causes traffic stop, evacuation
Franklin —The Franklin Fire Department responded to a gas leak on Crystal Ridge Dr. the morning of July 20, evacuating the area up to a half a mile downwind from the leak and stopping traffic on Crystal Ridge and west bound on Rawson Ave.
A contractor digging test holes had accidentally ruptured a six inch gas line owned by We Energies, prompting a nearly three-hour shut down of the roads.
The issue was resolved around 2 p.m. by pinching off the gas line a few yards up. FFD metered nearby businesses to make sure they were not experiencing high gas levels, and as far as they are aware, no businesses in the area are without gas supply.
Southridge Mall adding 5 new attractions
Greendale —Southridge Mall announced five new attractions coming soon including the previously announced Marcus Cinema and the Explorium Brewpub.
In addition, Burger King, Windsor Fashions and O Chi Reflexology will be joining the mall's offerings soon according to a news release July 20. These openings are following other additions to Southridge including the recently-opened Sephora in J.C. Penney, Torrid, and Nancy's Travel. Some existing stores were also recently renovated, according to the release.
"We're thrilled to welcome these first-in-market concepts and popular national retailers in the upcoming months," said Mary Mokwa, general manager at Southridge Mall. "Upon the completion of our mall-wide renovation, we committed to our shoppers that we'd continue to evolve and now, nearly four years later, Southridge Mall continues to attract exciting names in retail and dining to meet shopper demand."
Marcus Cinema was approved in January to be built in portion of the Sears parking lot, 5210 S. 76th Street. It will feature eight screens and a dine-in restaurant and lounge with seasonal seating outdoors. It's scheduled to open in the summer of 2017.
The Explorum Brewpub is a 6,000 square foot full-service brewery and restaurant which will open on the upper level near Buca di Beppo in the fall. There will be a "10-barrel brewhouse and a full-service bar with 24 craft beers on tap including eight family recipes and eight original Emplorium beers," the release states.» Read Full Article
Emmanuel Church will hold car show at Augustfest event
Hales Corners —Emanuel Church and Parks Preschool will host their first annual car show at their Augustfest event 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sunday, August 7 at the church, 10627 West Forest Home Avenue.
Those interested in displaying a car at the show are encouraged to register by July 23, and the first 20 registrants will receive a free car plaque. Showing a car is free this year and two prizes will be given at the end of the show: a people's choice and a pastor's choice award.
The car show is a part of the church's Augustfest event, a family event with games, food, a bouncy house, and other activities.
The preschool will be putting on a variety of games that younger children can play with the purchase of a $15 wristband. The wristband price also includes a free hot dog and chips.
For adults, there will be bingo, a dunk tank, and a tug-of-war.» Read Full Article
Traffic blocked for gas leak near Old Loomis Rd and Rawson Ave
Franklin —There is a gas leak near Rawson and Old Loomis Rd. in Franklin as of 11:30 a.m. July 20, according to the Franklin Fire Department.
Police are currently blocking traffic in and out of the area.
The Franklin Police Department said that they are not releasing any more information at this time about the leak or how much traffic is blocked off.
According to the FFD, a construction crew was on site at the location of the leak. They also noted that the leak is not at the Rock Sports Complex.
Initial Reaction Podcast: Wisconsin Badgers football, WIFCA All-Star game
Lake Country/Now sports director JR Radcliffe and Time Warner Cable Sports Channel's JP Cadorin chat about the Wisconsin sports scene, with an emphasis on Milwaukee-area preps. Find the podcast on Stitcher and iTunes.Future football stars in Wisconsin were on the table this week when Ben Worgull of the Badger Nation stopped by to talk about the state of the Badgers gridiron team, which begins in earnest Sept. 3 with a battle at Lambeau Field against LSU. Ben also talked Badgers basketball recruiting and JP and JR discussed the WIFCA All-Star game, featuring a couple future Badgers last weekend. Plus, the baseball state-tourney field is set. Each week,


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Kentucky's former lieutenant governor and his wife, a former Miss America, are teaching Bowling Green kids a thing or two about their health.
Steve and Heather French-Henry were at St. Joe's Catholic School Tuesday. Steve Henry is a doctor and has written an article with six other physicians about childhood obesity.
Steve Henry, MD, says, "First, we're going to talk with the children about how they don't need oversized french fries and they don't need soft drinks in their lives. We're very concerned about the amount of milk our children are drinking versus the number of soft drinks."
Heather French-Henry also spoke to children about veterans in Kentucky and read to them about her soon-to-be-released children's book.


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Explore the exciting updates and new features in the iOS 8 SDK, including playgrounds, unified storyboards, app extensions, and the HealthKit and HomeKit frameworks.
Start learning with our library of video tutorials taught by experts. Get started
Introduces the Kindle Store and explains how to take your existing applications and tailor them to the Kindle environment.
A project-style course that teaches how to build a Flash-based game with Flash Builder 4.6, Flash Player 11, and the Starling framework.
Shows Flash developers how to create dynamic content in the browser using HTML5, CSS, and other related technologies.
Teaches how to set up a system for development and testing, and highlights a number of the useful advancements to this version of the Flash Player.
Shows how to combine motion graphics from After Effects with interactive applications from Flash.
Learn how to combine the appeal of video with the rich interactivity of Flash.
From project management enhancements and fine-tuning animations to using the new Script Editor.


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10 Nut-Free Lunch Ideas
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Pasta Salad
Pasta salad offers endless nut-free lunch possibilities. Try different flavor combinations — from hearty minestrone pasta salad to bowties with tuna and tomatoes — to see which starchy blend will become your child's favorite.
Next: Bean Salad
More on: School Lunch Ideas and Information


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When I try to publish a new master page in SharePoint Designer 2010, the publish options are missing.
Also, I can't do anything from the Master Page gallery within SharePoint as the needed options are greyed out:
Troubleshooting thus far:
In central Administration | SharePoint Designer Settings | All services are enabled
Site Actions | Site Settings | Site Collection Administration | SharePoint Designer Settings | All services are enabled
I am Site Collection Administrator
SharePoint Server Publishing and SharePoint Server Standard site features are active
In Library settings | Versioning settings, 'require content approval for submitted items' and 'create a version each time you edit an item' are both turned on
Any suggestions as to what else to check?
Thank you!