text:
Celebrating 40 Years of Sesame Streetby Lindsay Hutton
According to the Sesame Street Workshop, Sesame Street was the number one show recalled by mothers of children ages 6 months to 11 years when asked to name any children's program. It's no wonder this incredibly popular and educational program has stayed on the air for 40 years! In honor of Sesame Street's milestone birthday, we've put together a list of fun facts and trivia that even the most die-hard Sesame Street fan might not know.
1 of 12
Grover Wasn't Always Blue
In the very first season of Sesame Street, Grover, the cuddly blue creature everyone loves, was actually brown. In addition, Oscar made his debut as an orange grouch, not the green grump we know him as today.


text:
Dustin R. Grant, 25, Carmi, was booked at the City-County Jail in Carmi around 6:55 p.m. Thursday on a White County warrant alleging a misdemeanor theft offense.
A White County Sheriff's Office incident report said Grant was booked at the City-County Jail where he posted $150 cash bail.
Location, ST | website.com

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Recently Larry used it in one of the OpenWorld keynotes.
Wikipedia says
In computers, sometimes as slang use:
- Sometimes used to refer to a proprietary file standard -- "you can check your data in, but you can't check it out".
I fail to understand the meaning here. In what situations will one not be able to check out the data?


text:
Learn More About State Farm
Want to learn more about State Farm? Find information about the State Farm legacy, the passion of its employees and its mission to be a Good Neighbor, as well as links to the State Farm Newsroom and other resources. From community involvement to disaster response, State Farm is committed to supporting the neighborhoods it serves and the neighborhoods our associates call home by helping to build safer, stronger and better educated communities.
Recovering from the Unexpected
From losing everything, to life's smaller disappointments, State Farm means people who care, with unparalleled experience in getting back on your feet.
Our goal is to serve our policyholders
We're here to help customers
We have a passion for helping people
Being a good neighbour is not just a slogan; its a promise
Related VideosPrevious set of Videos Next set of Videos
Community Involvement
State Farm is there. For our customers and for the neighborhoods where we live and work. Learn how we're building safer, stronger, and better educated communities across the U.S.
Company Overview
We've come a long way since opening our doors in 1922. Yet our success is built on the same foundation of shared values: quality service and relationships, mutual trust, integrity, and financial strength.
Disaster Response
State Farm is there to help our customers recover from the unexpected. Find out how our unparalleled disaster response operation helps people in their greatest time of need.
Fast Facts
"Definition of good neighbor: someone to be trusted; a courteous, friendly source of help when help is needed; someone you can count on; someone who cares."
Edward B. Rust Jr. Chairman


text:
NHMS general manager Jerry Gappens responds to Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup changes
"In my opinion, this is one of the most significant changes in NASCAR history. I love it. The 'wow' factor for our 10-race playoff format just went up tenfold.
Post a comment
You must sign in before you can post comments. If you are experiencing issues with your account please e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Congratulations! If you don't yet have your newborn baby in your arms, you soon will, and your life will be changed forever. Even the longest pregnancy seems unaccountably short when your labor begins, and the reality begins to hit that you'll soon be holding your newborn.
You'll get through the labor; and you'll forget about the discomfort after a few good sessions detailing it to family and close friends. In fact, everything that precedes that moment when you hold your newborn baby for the first time becomes inconsequential when you realize that you have created the most wondrous thing of all: a new life. So good luck and well done! This is only just the beginning of the most amazing years of your life.
58 percent of parents questioned in a recent survey believed that the name they gave their baby would contribute to his or her success in life.
More found it easier to name a boy than a girl, and just 3 percent said they would change the name they'd given their baby if they could.
Excerpted from Pregnancy Day by Day.
Copyright © 2008 Dorling Kindersley Limited.
Buy this book now!
© 2000-2016 Sandbox Networks, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Learn to Fish: Let's Go Fishing!
The Let's Go Fishing Program is part of the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department's Aquatic Resources Education. The program facilitates angler education classes that teach basic ecological concepts, introductory fishing skills, and new ways to enjoy the outdoors.
Classes are designed primarily for first time anglers, age eight and older. They range from four to twelve hours, depending on discipline, and are taught statewide, year round, by trained volunteer instructors. Classes are offered in the following disciplines:
- Ice fishing
- Fly fishing
- Basic fishing (hook and bobber)
- Saltwater fishing
- Fly tying
Are you a school interested in having a program? Go to schools program.
Interested in what it takes to become a volunteer instructor? Find out more.
For more information, call (603) 271-3212 weekdays 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
The Let's Go Fishing program is federally funded through the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act.
This program receives Federal financial assistance from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Under Title VI of the civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education amendments of 1972, the US Department of the Interior and its bureaus prohibit discrimination on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, age or sex (in educational programs). If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility, or if you desire additional information please write to:
The US Fish and Wildlife Service
Office for Diversity and Civil Rights Programs - External Affairs
4041 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 130
Arlington, VA 22203


text:
"I guess 21 hours a day. 21 or 22."
That's how much Andrew Deweese has worked each of the last few days. He's one of hundreds of linemen/women who refused to rest until your lights were restored. And their efforts are not going un-noticed.
"The sign out there first said no power because we had a row of houses here that was without power for what we thought was a long time. But it wasn't really, compared to some," says Lyndell Graven, a thankful Warren County resident.
Graven says it took no time at all for them to get the power back and he owes them a debt of gratitude. Graven has put a sign in his front yard reading, "Thanks Warren RECC."
"They are out in the weather and out in the elements. We're all sitting at home, somewhat snug and somewhat comfortable and they're out doing what we coudln't do," says Graven.
The lineman's job is not easy or safe. They're working with 13 thousand volts installing new poles.
Mike Eastridge, of Warren RECC says, "It is serious and very dangerous. Our employees are very dedicated. They feel obligated to get customers power back on. As a matter of fact, when we asked some of our employees to go home, they didn't want to go."
Andrew Deweese says, "We're just trying to get them back on. We know it's our job and it's our duty to get peopel'es lights back on as soon as we can."
That's why the folks who helped us turn on the lights agian are this week's Hometown Heroes.


text:
Custom Team Clothing Store for the Pitt Women's Lacrosse Team
These are CUSTOM items, and NOT available for immediate delivery.
The order cut-off deadline is 11/30/14. Orders can not be accepted after that date, and orders will take approximately 3 to 4 weeks from that date to ship.
Custom items are made to your specifications. Please make sure you choose exactly what you want, as these items are Non-Returnable, Non-Refundable and Non-Exchangeable.


text:
Let $\langle R,0,1,+,\cdot,<\rangle$ be the standard model for R, and let S be a countable model of R (satisfying all true first-order statements in R). Is it true that the set 1,1+1,1+1+1,… is bounded in S? My intuition says "no", but I am yet to find a counter example. I read something about rational functions, but I cannot verify it is, indeed, a non-standard model of R.
Let $T$ be the set of all true sentences about $\mathbb R$ and construct $T'$ by adding to $T$ a new constant $c$ together with the axioms $c>1$, $c>1+1$, $c>1+1+1$, ...
Every finite subset of $T$ has $\mathbb R$ as a model, so $T'$ is consistent by the compactness theorem, and has a countable model because $T'$ contains only countably many symbols. This shows that a countable $S$ can be non-Archimedean.
On the other hand, there must also be an Archimedean countable model. This follows directly from the downward Löwenheim-Skolem theorem, which produces a subset of $\mathbb R$ that is closed under the operations and is elementarily equivalent to $\mathbb R$ itself.
The (first-order) theory of real-closed fields is complete. So any real-closed field that has the desired properties (countable, non-Archimedean) will do. We can use devices from Model Theory. However, an algebraically natural approach is to start with the rational functions in $x$ with real algebraic coefficients, and the standard lexicographic ordering. Then we extend this to a real-closed field.
This yields the field of Puiseux series with real algebraic coefficients. It is real-closed, so elementarily equivalent to the field $\mathbb{R}$. And it is not Archimedean, since $x>1$, $x>1+1$, $x>1+1+1$, and so on. To get infinitely many non-isomorphic such fields, we can add $n$ transcendentals to the base field, for some positive integer $n$, or countably many transcendentals, and again form the field of Puiseux series.
Your question did not ask for countable Archimedean fields that are elementarily equivalent to $\mathbb{R}$. But they are easy to find. The simplest is the field of real algebraic numbers.
This is not what "non-standard model of ..." means.
You are asking whether non-Archimedean real-closed ordered fields exist. An example is to add some algebraically independent transcendental elements to the real algebraic numbers, or the Puiseux series field over the real algebraic numbers.
Archimedean real-closed ordered fields also exist, such as $R$ or any of its real-closed subfields.
A nonstandard model is one that applies a construction on the positive integers (in this case, using them to build Z then Q and finally R) to the integers in a nonstandard model of arithmetic or set theory, but maintaining the set of sentences that are true in the model (transfer principle). The integers in a nonstandard model of arithmetic are Archimedean when "seen from inside the model" and non-Archimedean "from the outside".


text:
Emilie Cozette appointed Etoile
Posted 08 May 2007 - 01:42 AM
As for Miss BL, I think she should be allowed to get retired early !
Posted 08 May 2007 - 02:13 AM
Well, I'm curious to see what's going to happen for ballet in France. There is the official speech and from another point of view, you can see ballet is still very popular here, especially among teenagers. You can see that through the all the blogs and forums maintained by young people.
As for Miss BL, I think she should be allowed to get retired early !
Is she reaching 65?
Posted 08 May 2007 - 03:41 AM
Posted 08 May 2007 - 06:22 AM
Posted 08 May 2007 - 07:54 AM
Interesting that Thibault and Ould-Braham appear to be audience favourites and (from what I've read) more talented. None of the Paris Opera Ballet followers seems terribly enthusiastic about Cozette's promotion but also about POB's management - do you think Lefevre etc know about/take into account audience's opinions? Should they?
I completely share your opinion about Thibault and Ould-Braham (no possible comparison with Cozette in any way) who are true stars actually, most appreciated by the audience.
Posted 08 May 2007 - 08:14 AM
Sarkozy held in his political program that he will be for MERIT. Let see if he fulfills his promises...
Sorry for mentioning politics, but some decissions are just not fair.
Frankly I don't think that the results of presidential elections will have *any* direct influence on the promotion policy (and also, I don't think I've ever seen a politician saying that s/he is for mediocrity...) It might have a very indirect influence if there is a new minister of culture and if s/he has a influence on changing the director of dance of the POB, but it seems to me that most politicians really don't care about it (and culture has been a topic totally absent from all the presidential campaign). It seems to me that the position of director of the Paris Opera (presently Gérard Mortier and soon Nicolas Joël) is more dependent from political decisions, but they always are opera people and not ballet people, and the position of director of dance is less "visible" and probably depends more on inner policy decisions. After all, Ms Lefèvre has been there for a very long time, with various PO directors and various ministers of culture...
Posted 08 May 2007 - 09:32 AM
Posted 08 May 2007 - 04:31 PM
She will be 65 in 2009 I think but in France you can get retired when you're 60: that's the legal age to do that. 65 is a boundary.
She was born in 1947.
Well well... My Oxford Dance Dictionary says her birthday is 15th November 1944! Let's just hope this is a genuinely accurate, truthful info. (and rejoice!)
Posted 08 May 2007 - 09:06 PM
I found her birthday on Wikipedia... I'll check later...
Posted 09 May 2007 - 03:04 AM
Posted 10 May 2007 - 09:45 AM
Posted 26 May 2007 - 12:25 PM
José Carlos Martínes an "étoile" dancer>> << "Cendrillon"
In fact there are two articles. The first one -split in two parts- is a report on José Carlos Martínez with a rehearsal with Agnes Letestu while they were preparing their roles for Cinderella and an interview with our Spanish "étoile" danser who has two roles in this ballet.
The second in about "Cendrillon" itself with some very beautiful shots of Emilie Cozette in this role.
To be able to read all in English you have to return to the main page cause the links inside the articles are not properly set yet
Hope you like it!
Posted 26 May 2007 - 02:47 PM
Posted 13 June 2007 - 01:16 PM
Here's an interview given by Miss BL to an australian newspaper. Although she's saying she'll leave , it appears it won't happen soon because it's mentionned she'll work with Nicholas Joel
Posted 20 June 2007 - 11:55 AM
0 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users
Help support Ballet Alert! and Ballet Talk for Dancers year round by using this search box for your amazon.com purchases. (If it doesn't appear below, your computer's or browser's adblockers may have blocked display):


text:
- Home
- Cabier
- Grenada
- Activities
- Pictures
A unique romantic Cabier wedding will be exactly as you dreamt.
Sailing-trip combination offer for those who cannot get enough of Pirates of the Caribbean and wish to sail and dive in these beautiful waters.
Your own home in the Island in the Sun.
We have land for sale beside Grenada`s most beautiful beaches.
We are honoured to offer you Grenada's finest, most beautiful ocean spot and perfect wedding planning. Every wedding is personal to you.


text:
Batman and friends descend on LittleBigPlanet with new DC Comics costume packWritten by: / / 3 Comments
If you've ever wanted to morph your Sackboy or Sackgirl into a character from Batman then you'll no doubt be excited to get your hands on this week's LittleBigPlanet DLC update. When the PlayStation Store updates in your region you'll be able to purchase the second DC Comics Costume Pack for £4.79 containing costumes for Batman, Joker, Harley Quinn, Batgirl and Poison Ivy. You can also grab each of these Cross-Buy costumes separately and DC Comics Season Pass holders will be able to automatically download this new content once the PlayStation Store has updated.
The costumes are compatible with LittleBigPlanet 2, LittleBigPlanet PS Vita, LittleBigPlanet Karting, as well as the upcoming LittleBigPlanet HUB which was announced at gamescom last year.
Here's a breakdown of the costume items you'll receive by purchasing each outfit:
Batman Costume: Batman Mask, Batman Suit, Batman Gloves, Batman Utility Belt, Batman Trousers, Batman Boots, Bat Cape.
Joker Costume: Joker Hair, Joker Eyebrows, Joker Teeth, Joker Suit Jacket, Joker Gloves, Joker Suit Trousers, Joker Dress Shoes, Joker Make-Up.
Harley Quinn Costume: Harley Quinn Hair, Harley Quinn Eyes, Harley Quinn Cape, Harley Quinn Corset, Harley Quinn Skirt, Harley Quinn Hammer, Harley Quinn Skin.
Poison Ivy Costume: Poison Ivy Hair, Poison Ivy Suit, Poison Ivy Gloves, Poison Ivy Skin.
Batgirl Costume: Batgirl Mask, Batgirl Suit, Batgirl Gloves, Bat Cape.
Source: PlayStation Blog
Tags: dccomics, dlc, littlebigplanet, mediamolecule


text:
Who Are Student Technology Assistants (STA's)?
STAs are technologically adept undergraduate students who are recruited, trained, and supported by the Student Technology Assistant Program Supervisor (see Contact Us). Qualified students can be identified and recommended by the faculty member or the department. These students will be paired up with faculty members based on proposed projects and skill requirements. We encourage students who are interested in broadening their skills, then pair them up with projects for which they are best suited.
What do STAs do?
STAs work one-on-one with faculty members to complete semester-long projects that will enhance instruction and learning experiences for USD courses. STA's work closely with their supervisor and other ATS personnel to create viable plans and solutions for the projects they are assigned to. They research, manage, and carry out the projects from beginning to end.
What are the benefits to a faculty member?
- One-on-one collaboration with a skilled student trained to carry out the tasks necessary to complete the vision of your project
- Enhanced curriculum that facilitates student learning
- ITS resources and expertise
- Funding to purchase software and hardware necessary to complete the project
Who is eligible to submit an STA project proposal?
- Instructors must be full-time faculty
- Instructors must have attended Blackboard Olé training IF proposing the development of an online course
- Instructors must be available and prepared to begin work on their project at the time of acceptance into the program
What is the proposal criteria?
- Projects must yield results that will enhance the teaching and learning experience in the classroom (virtual or face-to-face)
- The depth and scope of the project should ensure sufficient new learning experiences for the STA
- The number of students who will benefit from the outcome of the project will be considered
- Project timeline to be no more than one semester in duration
How will faculty participants be selected?
Proposals will be reviewed by an Advisory Committee and selected based on the potential benefits to the students in course(s), as well as on the potential learning and collaboration experiences for the Student Technology Assistant.
Other factors to be considered in the project may include:
- Number of students impacted by the project
- Enhancement of instruction usually delivered using traditional teaching methods
- Innovative and creative uses of technology
- ITS services and resources needed to carry out the project
- Feasibility of the project with the time and resources available
What kinds of projects can be developed?
- Blackboard Olé course development and/or redesign
- Creation of interactive learning modules including blogs, discussion boards, wikis, etc.
- Course/departmental web site development
- Audio (podcasting/iTunes U) and video editing (iMovie, Final Cut Pro)
- Basic animation (Flash, Quicktime)
- Conversion of transparencies and slides to digital formats for PowerPoint or web presentations
- Web 2.0 projects - Second Life, Facebook, Twitter
- 3-D modeling
- Create on-demand lectures, tutorials and simulations using Captivate
What happens if my proposal is accepted?
Upon acceptance to the STA Program, a Program Supervisor will contact the faculty member to arrange the initial meeting with the Student Technology Assistant. At that time, the Project Design Agreement will be completed and signed by all parties.
How will the projects be managed?
The Program Supervisor will be supervise the STAs. The Program Supervisor is an ITS employee who will provide technological and other resource support to the STAs. For each project, teams will be formed consisting of a student, a faculty member, the Program Supervisor, and other professionals within the ITS group as needed. An STA Project Agreement will be developed, and will serve as the main planning contract for the project. This agreement will include the following information:
- Project name
- Length of project
- Team members roles and responsibilities identified
- Project goals and objectives identified
- Defining tasks
What will my responsibilities include?
Faculty responsibilities for accepted proposals include:
- Hold regular meetings with the STA
- Provide open lines of communication
- Provide sufficient materials to the STA allowing him/her to work to their maximum potential
- Work with the STA to create clear tasks and goals for the project and due dates
- Provide feedback on STA performance to the Program Supervisor
- Inform the STA Program Supervisor of any changes in project or schedule
- Promote and share STA project outcomes with USD community at upcoming events
How will STA Program successes be measured?
Faculty member participants will be contacted at regular intervals throughout the process and will be asked to complete short evaluations. Faculty members and Student Technology Assistant will also complete evaluations at the end of the project. Informal evaluation, updates, and communication will take place throughout the course of the project in Blackboard Olé, our communication hub. The project deliverables will be shared with other USD community members via the STA web site and at the Faculty Technology Open House in the Spring.
I'd like to submit a proposal! What do I do and what happens next?
- Review the requirements.
- Complete the proposal form.
- If you have any additional questions, contact email@example.com or x7400.


text:
What is it about great APIs that makes them great? I think that adhering to the "do one thing and do it well" mantra is a good sign and being is a good mapping to the problem domain is important, but what do great APIs have in common?
Sign up
- Anybody can ask a question
- Anybody can answer
- The best answers are voted up and rise to the top
locked by Yannis♦ Aug 4 '13 at 10:06
This question exists because it has historical significance, but it is not considered a good, on-topic question for this site, so please do not use it as evidence that you can ask similar questions here. This question and its answers are frozen and cannot be changed. More info: help center.
closed as too broad by gnat, BЈовић, Yannis♦ Aug 4 '13 at 10:06
There are either too many possible answers, or good answers would be too long for this format. Please add details to narrow the answer set or to isolate an issue that can be answered in a few paragraphs.If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
You have to be careful to avoid adding new vocabulary just for the sake of your API. My favorite APIs explain things to me in vocabulary I already understand. Along those lines:
Don't add too many abstractions on top of what you're building on. Keep it simple.
I already have to think about about half-a-dozen layers of abstraction. Dont make me think about extra layers. Don't give me too many new things to learn that won't add value to my end goal. For example, avoid using your own special file class that works differently then the language's file type just cause you think your way is better than the generally accepted way. Stick with the generally accepted way, at least in your interfaces, for better or for worse.
Stick with concrete ideas
For example don't try to hide the fact that the "model" part of your MVC framework is a front end for a database. Take advantage of the well known vocabulary surrounding "databases". I know what foreign keys are. I know what rows and columns are. Talk to me in these terms.
Don't abstract out essential knowledge
Similar to working with concrete ideas. Don't hide the fact that we're dealing with files or databases or rows in databases. I know these things. If I'm dealing with a container, like a List, there's a good chance I need to know the algorithmic complexity of common operations. You can simplify that a lot by just telling me its a "linked list" or an "array". A huge set of ideas will suddenly be brought to bear on what you're doing and it'll all suddenly make sense. Don't create your own set of ideas that I have to learn when I'll already come with a rich and useful set of terminology to apply to the problem.
Reduce the number of terms I need in my vocabulary
If I'm using your API to open an image file of any type, I shouldn't have to think about pngs vs gifs vs jpgs very much. You'll do that for me. Its your core competency, not mine. I have some vague understanding that you have some magic to do this for me.
A useful API has the following:
Great APIs have great documentation.
This question is addressed in "Practical API Design: Confessions of a Java Framework Architect" by Jaroslav Tulach from the NetBeans team.
The simplest useful interface and good naming conventions.


text:
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
Slim-and-Sleek Cover for your iPad Mini. Specially designed to compliment your minimalist iPad Mini. Our slim lightweight leather cover features camera hole in the back and a snap closure. Designed to fold vertically for the ideal angle for viewing. Size 5 3/4" x 8 1/4". Features camera hole in back of case. Handcrafted from our Brights Leather.


text:
The question is very simple:
Why does the Moon or the Earth or any another planet revolve anti-clockwise?
And can any planet (or satellite) revolve clockwise?
What is the physical law for this phenomenon?
The question is very simple:
First, let's settle a terminology issue. "Clockwise" and "counterclockwise" (the latter being known as "anticlockwise" outside North America) refer to the motion of the hands of a clock as viewed by a person looking at the clock face-on. As led to some confusion elsewhere on this site, everything gets reversed if you look at the clock from behind.
The same with the Solar System. Everything appears to go counterclockwise only when looking at it from the "North." If you look from the "South," everything appears to go the other way around. Thus you should always specify which direction you are looking from. "Clockwise" and "counterclockwise" themselves don't mean anything without such a direction specified.
Now on to astrophysics.
While there are still details to be hammered out, we have a reasonably good understanding for how the Solar System formed. A cloud of material began to collapse under its own gravity. Because the gas and dust particles in this cloud could bump into one another, they could exchange energy and angular momentum (important fact #1). Also, the cloud, even though it may have been close to spherical, likely contained some net angular momentum on the whole (important fact #2) - it is just unlikely that all the particles' motions would exactly cancel.
These two important facts, when taken together, mean the material is likely to settle into a disk. Particles whose angular momentum deviates from the average (by going in the wrong direction, by moving out of the preferred plane, by moving too fast in the right direction, etc.) will tend to be brought in line with everything else by these collisions. Gravity alone could accomplish this via dynamical friction, but collisions speed up the process so it occurs in reasonable time. Because important facts #1 and #2 are ubiquitous in so many astrophysical settings, many systems naturally form disks, for example galaxies.
The Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, and everything else then all formed from this disk, where everything was rotating with the same sense. As a result, most objects in the Solar System move in a plane, in the same direction. Furthermore, their spins are aligned the same way.
There are exceptions to this rule, but they are not common. They are interesting because they show the object in question does not have quite the same history as typical objects in the Solar System. Notable examples include:


text:
Puma Drift Cat IV L SF Toddler Shoes
Buy Online & Pick Up In-Store
The Puma Drift Cat IV L SF Toddler Shoes are the perfect slip on casual pair that look great with just about anything. Made with a smooth synthetic leather upper and two midfoot straps for a secure fit. The low profile sole reduces the bulk without taking away the comfort.


text:
Is there a way to directly paste PNG images in Photoshop and keep their transparency? I don't mean dragging them, but directly pasting from, for example, a browser. Transparency is always replaced by black.
I don't think so.
I believe it's the operating system clipboard which kills the transparency so it's more of an operating system issue than an image or application issue.
There is a plugin for Firefox: Open with photoshop that does what you want, and actually does some of the work for you.
The way it works is: You right click an image and choose "Open in photoshop", and that is exactly what happens ( Not to mention pngs maintain their transparency ).
The easiest way to do this would be to save a copy of the PNG and then open it in Adobe Photoshop. This preserves the transparency.
The downfall of this method is that you would have to remember to delete the file afterwords, if you don't want to keep it. Alternatively you could download it to the temp folder.
It is a Photoshop issue.
You can copy and paste from your browser to Powerpoint and even Microsoft word and it will retain transparency all day long. Mac or PC.
Again, it is just Adobe doing a piss poor job on supporting usability again.
The easiest way is to save it as png file into you pc then open it in Ai from there you copy and paste in Ps and just eliminate the background in Ps.


text:
Virginia: Immigrant Entrepreneurs, Innovation, and Welcoming Initiatives in the Old Dominion State
In Virginia, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state's economy. Highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state's innovation industries, and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies. Furthermore, local government, business, and non-profit leaders recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities and support immigration through local "welcoming" and integration initiatives.
Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute significantly to Virginia's economy.
- From 2006 to 2010, there were 53,709 new immigrant business owners in Virginia, and in 2010, 17.5 percent of all business owners in Virginia were foreign-born.
- In 2010, new immigrant business owners had a total net business income of $3 billion, which is 14.9 percent of all net business income in the state.
- Virginia is home to many successful companies with at least one founder who was an immigrant or child of an immigrant, including companies such as Capital One Financial, Advance Auto Parts, and MeadWestvaco. Those three companies together employ over 100,000 people and bring in $30.8 billion in revenue each year.
- Immigrants in Virginia work in all sectors of the state's economy, but they are more likely than native-born Virginians to be business owners. While immigrants comprise about 11 percent of Virginia's population, they represent roughly 17 percent of its entrepreneurs. Immigrants accounted for over 40 percent of the growth in entrepreneurship in Virginia between 2000 and 2010.
- "Virginia's foreign-born population is a critical asset for keeping the Commonwealth's competitive edge sharp," states Michael Cassidy, executive director of The Commonwealth Institute, in Richmond.
Highly skilled immigrants are vital to Virginia's innovation industries, which in turn helps lead American innovation and creates jobs.
- Immigrants contribute to Virginia's economic growth and competitiveness by earning degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields from the state's research universities. In 2009, almost 40 percent of STEM graduates from the state's research-intensive universities were foreign-born, and almost 57 percent of graduates earning PhDs in engineering in Virginia were not born in the U.S.
- In 2011, the U.S. Department of Labor certified 9,757 H-1B labor certification applications in Virginia, with an average annual wage of $69,298, which is higher than Virginia's median household income of $63,302 or per capita income of $33,040.
- An expansion of the high-skilled visa program would create an estimated 11,600 new jobs in Virginia by 2020. By 2045, this expansion would add around $4.7 billion to Gross State Product and increase personal income by more than $4.2 billion. The following are examples of metropolitan area demand for high-skilled foreign-born workers.
- The Richmond metropolitan area had 1,648 H-1B high-skilled visa requests in 2010-2011, with 77.5 percent of H-1B visa-holders working in STEM occupations. Major employers with a need for H-1B high-skilled workers include Capital One Services, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
- The Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News metropolitan area had 560 H-1B visa requests in 2010-2011, with 44.5 percent of visa-holders working in STEM occupations. Old Dominion University is a major employer in the area.
- The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metropolitan area had 14,569 H-1B visa requests in 2010-2011, with 64.4 percent of visa-holders working in STEM occupations. Major employers include several universities in the area.
While the numbers are compelling, they don't tell the whole story.
- Immigrant entrepreneurs not only contribute to large innovative companies, but to small business formation in local communities. In cities across Virginia, immigrant family-owned small businesses contribute to the vitality of their local communities. Although initially aimed at other immigrant customers, many businesses quickly see an expansion of their clientele to include a diverse array of immigrant and native-born customers alike.
- In the Shenandoah Valley town of Harrisonburg, for example, Latino immigrant entrepreneurs open small businesses to cater to the tastes of a newly growing population. The most common types of Latino immigrant-owned businesses include restaurants, retail stores that sell ethnic food and other products, groceries and tiendas, tortillerias, panaderias, personal services, and automobile maintenance.
- In the northern Virginia suburbs of metropolitan Washington, DC, including Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and "edge gateway" suburban communities in Fairfax, Loudon, and Prince William counties, immigrant entrepreneurs from around the world have opened a wide variety of businesses in diverse neighborhoods.
- In Annandale, another suburban community in metropolitan Washington, DC, Korean immigrants opened businesses along Little River Turnpike. Today, these businesses have helped revitalize an aging business district. Indeed, this infusion of new businesses and financial capital into the city was an economic boon for the community. Presently, over 1,000 businesses in Annandale are Korean-owned.
- In the state capital of Richmond, Martin Gonzalez, from Mexico City, owns and operates his La Milpa business. La Milpa began as a store selling Mexican food, crafts, and groceries. Today, it has grown to include a restaurant, market, crafts, bakery, and a catering service.
Some localities have begun recognizing and supporting immigration through local "welcoming" and integration initiatives.
- In Richmond, the Office of Multicultural Affairs is designed to increase access to "city and community-based services, promotes information, education, and civic participation in order to improve the quality of life of diverse cultural and linguistic communities."
- Through this office, the City of Richmond's vision is that the state capital region will be a "welcoming community that celebrates its multiculturalism and offers equitable opportunities and access to services for all."
- Since 2000, the Multicultural Services Initiative in Alexandria has been involved with the growing and changing culturally diverse community. One of the initiative's goals is to "encourage Alexandria's culturally diverse residents to participate in the life of the city and its government."
- Arlington Economic Development, in Northern Virginia, as part of its 2013 entrepreneurship summer series, hosted a Venture Camp program on Immigration and Entrepreneurship. The program was designed to highlight the fact that "America is world-renowned for its entrepreneurial business spirit" fueled in large part by immigrants. The program highlighted the concept that "immigrants are more likely to be self-employed than the native-born population."
Published On: Thu, Sep 05, 2013 | Download File
Make a Difference
This is your chance to take a stand and help us fight for immigration laws that respect fundamental constitutional principles of fairness and reflect our proud history as a nation of immigrants. Please support us today.
In The News
Read Our Blog
Read the latest in immigration news at ImmigrationImpact.com, with new articles published every weekday.
Text FACTS to 51555 to get the latest posts sent right to your phone.


text:
Batman has Lucius Fox man a device that monitors all of the cell phones in Gotham to give Batman an edge in his fight against the Joker. Fox is so against using this device that he says he will resign afterwards if Bruce asks him to use it. Why was this device so dangerous in the mind of Mr. Fox?
Fox believes this device, while in existence, is more evil than the Joker.
This is due to the nature of turning every cell phone, something we can assume every citizen in Gotham owns, into a sonar device capable of mapping the immediate area, spying on every single person in Gotham.
This scene shows Fox's true ideals of being a proponent for individual rights and against spying on people for information. Bruce, however, is desperate enough to put Fox through this stress in order to catch the madman that is the Joker.
This is alluded to by Alfred when Bruce asked how his platoon caught the thief. He stated that they simply "Burnt the forest down". This is Bruce's forest fire, tearing down the walls of Gotham for him to find the Joker.
However, Fox's faith in Bruce gets rewarded, as he enters his name into the console, the machine begins to overheat and self destruct, proving to Fox that Bruce merely needed this cruel and potentially dangerous tool to find the Joker, and for nothing more.


text:
Hillary Clinton is Nominated by 'Acclamation'
Senator Sanders motions to suspend rules and nominate Clinton by 'acclamation' also results in spike in 'acclimation'
Aren't you smart – you've found a word that is only available in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary. To view the full definition of polycross, activate your free trial today.
Why access the complete Unabridged Dictionary?
- 300,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
- Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
- Advanced search features
- Ad free


text:
Marissa Webb
Charlie Tie Blouse
Product Actions
Exclusively Ours!
Silk button front long sleeve blouse with covered button placket, button down collar, and matching necktie. Available in Neon Yellow. Made in U.S. Silk. Dry clean.Style # 502641322
Need Help? Have Questions? Contact Us.
Please call 1.888.222.7639 to speak with a Customer Service Representative.
We're here to help you:
Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 9 PM (ET)
Saturday - Sunday, 10:30 AM - 7 PM (ET)
If you prefer email, we can be reached anytime at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Free Shipping & Returns on all U.S. Orders. See Details.


text:
Are there well-known or interesting applied problems (especially of the real-time signal processing sort) where arbitrarily long time series of small (say $d \equiv \dim \le 30$ for a nominal bound, and preferably sparse) matrices arise naturally?
I am especially interested in problems that can be mapped onto a setup in which for each event of a reasonably nice point process on $\mathbb{R}$ (the simplest two such processes would be a Poisson or discrete-time process) there is an associated pair $(j,k) \in \{1,\dots,d\}^2$. In this case time-windowed sums $N_{jk}(t)$ of the various pairs can be formed in an obvious way (although there may be plenty of subtlety or freedom in the windowing itself): these supply such a matrix time series.
Each such pair $(j,k)$ could be regarded as a transition from server $j$ to another (possibly identical) server $k$ in a closed queue with $d$ servers and infinitely many clients. It is not hard to see that in the setting of communication networks, this framework amounts to a very general form of traffic analysis. Such an application should not be considered for an answer: it's already been covered.
A slightly more restrictive but simpler example is where the pairs $(j,k)$ are inherited from a cadlag random walk on the root lattice
$A_{d-1} :=\left \{x \in \mathbb{Z}^d : \sum_{j=1}^d x_j = 0\right \}$.
Examples of this sort would also be of considerable interest to me.


text:
- Binding: Paperback & Ebook
- Era: 20th Century
- Number of Pages: 240
- Subject: Navy SEALs
- Date Available: May 2012
"Readers will come away with a sense that Kauffman's actions were heroic, making the right man at the right time. He forged a legacy that endures today through our Navy's heartiest warriors. Anyone interested in naval special warfare or special operations, naval history, or stories of inspirational leadership need look no further than America's First Frogman."
—Int'l. Journal of Naval History
* * * * * * * *
Although bad eyesight kept him from receiving a commission in the U.S. Navy when he graduated from the Naval Academy in 1933, Draper Kauffman became a hero of underwater demolition in World War II and went on to a distinguished naval career. Today Admiral Kauffman is remembered as the nation's first frogman and the father of the Navy SEALs. His spectacular wartime service disarming enemy bombs, establishing bomb disposal schools, and organizing and leading the Navy's first demolition units is the focus of this biography written by Kauffman's sister. Elizabeth Kauffman Bush, who also is the aunt of President George W. Bush, draws on family papers as well as Navy documents to tell Kauffman's story for the first time.
Determined to defend the cause of freedom long before the U.S. ever entered the war, Kauffman was taken prisoner by the Germans as an ambulance driver in France, and after his release joined the Royal Navy to defuse delayed-action bombs during the London blitz. After Pearl Harbor his eyes were deemed adequate and he was given a commission in the U.S. Naval Reserve. With his experience, he was asked to establish an underwater demolition school in Fort Pierce, Florida, where he personally trained men to defuse bombs and neutralize other submerged dangers. His men were sent to demolish the obstacles installed by the Nazis at Normandy, and Kauffman himself led underwater demolition teams at Saipan, Tinian, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. His men remember him as an exceptional leader who led by example. He trained and fought alongside them, impervious to danger. Because of the high standards he set for those who became "frogmen," thousands of American lives were saved in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Draper Kauffman's early established UDT traditions of perseverance, teamwork, and a lasting brotherhood of men of extraordinary courage is carried on by Navy SEALS. This is his legacy to the U.S. Navy and his country. Kauffman's life is recorded with a historian's attention to detail and a novelist's flare for storytelling.
Elizabeth Kauffman Bush divides her time between Greenwich, Connecticut and Vero Beach, Florida. This is her first book.
See Related Items:


text:
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Extended 15 Disc) - Blu Ray for $39.99 + free shipping
Actors: Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, John Rhys-Davies, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin
Format: Box set, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Language: English
Subtitles: Croatian, Czech, English, French, German, Hungarian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish
Region: All Regions
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Number of discs: 15
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: New Line Home Video
DVD Release Date: May 1, 2012
Run Time: 681 minutes
31 Comments add a comment
Pretty sweet deal, excellent timing, makes for a good ole film festival before The Hobbit releasing this Friday.
Half the reviews say its the original theatrical release on bluray, but the other half say its the extended version. The product description says extended. Were reviews for an older product merged with this one?
Yes, Amazon always does that and it's stupid. These are the extended versions.
This looks like the collection that I have, and the movies are the extended versions. IIRC from the description, there is like an additional 40-60 minutes of material in each movie. If you're a fan, this is an excellent collection!
Question. The number of discs makes me nervous. Are the individual movies broken up across 2 (or more) discs? Blurays have larger storage capacity so I would be very disappointed (angry, actually) if the movies spanned multiple discs like the previous DVD release.
@dostone: Each film is still on 2 discs - Only the movies are blu ray discs, and the extras are on DVDs, which means 6 blu ray discs are the movies - and the other 9 are DVDs w/extras.
@dostone - They are broken across two blu-rays, but each disc also holds the commentaries over the films as well. The breaks are done quite well, and there is no hesitation to begin the second disc. Also a good time for a snack/restroom break :)
@dostone: from the product page
Q - Why aren't the movies delivered on one Blu-ray disc each?
A - Most Blu-ray players can only read single layer (25GB) and dual layer discs (50GB). Each of the Extended Edition movies require more than 50GB. Compressing them to 'under 50GB' would have degraded the quality of the picture and sound track.
It just went up to $55.99. Like just now. I opened the link and it was 39.99 and when I added it to my cart it became 55.99. Dang it!
Same here. It said one price, but ups it in cart.
Just rechecked, it's now $55.99.
its dead jim.
ya its funny - up top it says $55.99 - but in the middle of the page where it shows you the other options - bluray, dvd, new from, used from etc - it says "Amazon Price $39.99". But when you hover over that price it says $55.99. Pretty lame
Now showing 55.99 for me. I really wanted that set too.
Showing up 55.99 for me too. It's weird when you search for 'lord of the rings' or 'lorg of the rings trilogy' on Amazon, the 39.99 price will sometimes display, but when clicking on the product it goes back up to 55.99.
Amazon has been a tremendous disappointment this holiday shopping season. What few great deals they have are very short lived.
baited and switched
Amazon probably listed it at 39.99 just long enough to get on woot, then jacked up the price.
fyi...best buy also has this for 39.99 w/ free shipping:
@carl669: Great find! Glad Best Buy has been matching online retailers to stay competitive. Now will Amazon match Best Buy's Amazon price match. I feel like this is the start of some type of deal within a deal Inception beginning.
Looks like the deal might be dead. It's listing the price as $55.99. :(
@timmymac23: Best Buy actually had the price first. It was in their ad this week.
Amazon was likely PMing them already, though not sure why it would go out.
@frenat: It COULD fit on a single BD; however, with all of the various commentaries that are included, it had to be broken up.
Just made the purchase on Amazon at $39.99 with free shipping maybe due to my Prime account but still free shipping so it is working as of 2 minutes ago
This deal was up a few months ago for Walmart except they accidently listed it for 11 bucks. I just received it yesterday and I am STOKED!!
@bhiggs301: I got it too. Love the set, but it's the theatrical editions not these, the extended ones.
Still showing as $40 for me (with Prime)
@dlcarst77: You do realize that Amazon owns Woot don't you?
39.99 is back in business! This might just be bought...
Worked for me just now at $39.99. Already have this on DVD but for this price I couldn't resist. These films are a masterpiece.
Thanks for this, perfect companion to my newly purchased Harry Potter Blu-Ray set.
shows 39.99 as of this time, in for 1!


text:
When validating email address on sign-up/login page which is the right grammar?
"Please insert a valid email address."
"Please enter a valid email address."
OR just
"Invalid email address." like the Google does.
When validating email address on sign-up/login page which is the right grammar?
"Please insert a valid email address."
"Please enter a valid email address."
OR just
"Invalid email address." like the Google does.
Mac OS X Human Interface Guidelines:
and Windows User Experience Interaction Guidelines:
which, to me, makes a lot of sense... so i'd go with something like "Invalid email address. Valid e-mail can contain only latin letters, numbers, '@' and '.'" or something more appropriate to your validations...
IMHO what matters most in feedback messages, like error, success, info, and warning messages, are the following items:
Now, if you have all of the other items in place, I think message should be as human-understandable as it can, but at the same time, as short as it can. Directive-like messages can be a good choice, because they both end as a usual sentence, i.e. they're not a phrasal sentence, and they are also more fluent for users to read. Thus, I think Please enter a valid email address. would be the best fit. Also you might become more explicit by showing The email address is not valid. or Please enter a valid email address.
Also I have captured the Firefox message, for an invalid email address for
Keep it short if you can: "Invalid email address".
it is correct to use:
"Please enter a valid email address" is correct.
Either of the phrases you asked about is fine. Personally I prefer the way "Invalid email address" sounds, but that is subjective.
I would consider providing a little more detail to help guide the user - for example "Invalid Email Address - Can't contain '£'" or something along those lines.
"Invalid email address." works well for me. I think if you've introduced your errors at the top of the form you could have a friendlier message, but inline error messages should be to the point, "please insert a" etc... is just not needed filler.
You can inform the user of the error using any of the examples you specified. That said, don't forget the power of a small example! :)
The problem with "Please insert/enter a valid email address." is that the focus doesn't lie on the valid part of this message. It's easy to overlook it, especially when only the first part of the message is read (who likes to read error messages?).
So I think it's better to put the actual problem in focus, and at best near the beginning of the message.
According to this, "Invalid email address." should work pretty well. It's short (hard not to read the full message), and the actual problem is the first word ("Invalid").
Of course, if your system knows why the email address is invalid, you should include the reason in the message, too (e.g., in a second short sentence).


text:
Top 10 Ways to Give Back to Your Child's School
6 of 11
Start a Garden
Do you have a green thumb? Consider helping your child's class start a vegetable garden. This project is two-fold & the students will learn the benefits of sustainable living and organic produce; and at harvest, you can donate your bounty to a local food shelter, or create some healthy dishes to share with the rest of the school.
Next: Lend Your Expertise


text:
JUNCTION CITY, Kan. (WIBW) -- Local veterans, active duty soldiers and members of the community gathered at The State of Kansas Vietnam Memorial Friday to pay tribute to those who fought for our freedom and lost theirs in the process.
A ceremony was held at Heritage Park in Junction City Friday night to commemorate National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
Retired Fort Riley Command Sergeant Major Jim Champagne was the keynote speaker at the event and told the crowd that the observance is a reminder that our freedom comes with a price.
"We gather today to honor all our former prisoners of war, the service members and civilians who remain unaccounted for and their families. Today is a time to remember- to remember the faces of the prisoners of war, to remember the names of those missing in action and to remember and reaffirm the pledge that our nation's leaders made to account for every service member that did not come home… Today we honor our nation's heroes that knew the hostility of war and the anguish of captivity," he said.
"Freedom is not free. Freedom comes with a price. Today, we remember the POWs and MIAs who fought to protect our freedom and lost theirs. At the same time, we pray for those who continue to serve and protect those freedoms," Champagne added.
A ceremony also included a demonstration of the proper setting of the Missing Man Table, a symbolic gesture to show that our country has not forgotten POWs and MIAs. Those in attendance also released balloons in into the air as a tribute.


text:
Sorted by:
Getting to Know Wallpaper-Removal Techniques
New wallcovering can transform a room, going from boring to beautiful. But before you can determine the best approach to removing wallpaper, you need to know the type of wallcovering and the type of wall [more…]
Estimating How Much Paint to Buy
Before you begin painting your home's interior walls, ceiling, woodwork, doors, or windows, you need to estimate the amount of paint you'll use. Estimates require specific calculations for each surface [more…]
Caulking Your Tub and Shower
Caulking the connection between your shower walls and tub prevents leaks and reduces mildew buildup. Removing old caulk and recaulking joints between tiles and your tub is an annual bathroom maintenance [more…]
How to Fix Scratches In Hardwood Floors
Fixing scratched hardwood floors is essential for any homeowner lucky enough to have wood floors. Scratches on hardwood floors mar their beauty, but fixing scratches is easy. You can make your floor look [more…]
How to Fix Large Cracks in Drywall
Fixing cracks in drywall (even if the crack is big) is an inexpensive repair that can make a damaged wall look fresh and new again. Cracks in drywall (also called wallboard, gypsum board, and Sheetrock [more…]
How to Fix Small Drywall Cracks
Fixing cracks in drywall (also referred to as wallboard, gypsum board, or Sheetrock) is essential because drywall damages easily. Repairing small cracks in drywall is also easy. The best way to fix a small [more…]
How to Pick Paint Colors
Picking paint colors can get confusing, but you don't need to hire a decorator. Use these professional tips for choosing paint colors to turn your home into a haven. [more…]
How to Deal with Your Home's Ceiling Popcorn
Popcorn ceilings are textured, acoustic ceilings that are sprayed on and that resemble popcorn or cottage cheese when they dry. Homebuilders put in popcorn ceilings because theyr'e fast and inexpensive [more…]
How to Get an Even Coat of White Paint on a White Ceiling
When applying white paint on a white ceiling, it's hard to identify missed spots. Getting an even coat of white paint on a white ceiling is tough not only because it's hard to see what you've covered with [more…]
How to Recognize Different Types of Pipes
To tackle a do-it-yourself plumbing project, you need to know how to recognize different types of pipes. Recognizing the different types of pipes within your house is vital to knowing the right repair [more…]
Figuring Out Why the Toilet Keeps Running
Take a few minutes to figure out why you have a run-on toilet, and then you can repair it. You have a run-on toilet if each flush doesn't end with a gurgle but instead continues with a hissing sound, with [more…]
How to Choose a Paint Roller
A roller is a roller, right? Not quite. Knowing how to choose the right paint roller can save you time. Choosing the right paint roller requires a good understanding of what your project requires. [more…]
How to Update Your Kitchen Cabinets
Updating kitchen cabinets make tired drab kitchens look fresh again. Knowing how to update kitchen cabinets, can save you the cost of completely replacing them. Most cabinets, no matter how unattractive [more…]
How to Fix Loose Ceramic Floor Tiles
Fix a loose ceramic floor tile before the tile breaks. Loose floor tiles occur if the original adhesive doesn't seal properly or if the grout is chipped or uneven, allowing moisture to get under the tile [more…]
How to Replace a Broken Glass Pane in a Wood-Frame Window
The trickiest part of replacing broken glass panes in wood-frame windows is getting replacement glass that's sized exactly right. To replace a broken glass pane in a wood window, you need to measure the [more…]
How to Fix a Leaky Stem Faucet
Knowing how to fix a leaky stem faucet saves money, and the process is easy. A leaky stem faucet usually means that the packing is worn out or needs tightening. The packing [more…]
How to Clean Latex Paint from Paint Brushes
Savvy DIYers know how to clean a paintbrush to retain its longevity. To clean latex paint from brushes, use just soap and water (latex paint is water-based). Clean paintbrushes before the paint has a chance [more…]
Estimating How Much Paint to Buy for Walls
Estimating how much paint to buy is important whether you paint an entire room or a single wall. Estimating paint depends on the amount of wall you want to cover and how coarse the wall is. Make sure that [more…]
How to Sweat Copper Pipe
Sweating a copper water line is relatively easy. Knowing how to sweat copper pipe allows a do-it-yourselfer to install pipe yourself. A properly sweated joint will last for years [more…]
How to Paint Vinyl Floors
Painting vinyl floors is an inexpensive way to refurbish your stained or outdated floor. Knowing how to paint vinyl floors can make the difference between a stylish statement and a mess. [more…]
How to Repair or Replace Window Sash Cords
Replace window sash cords when the cords fray and break; or repair sash cords if they become disconnected from the weights that give balance to the window. Some windows have chains instead of ropes and [more…]
How to Fix a Squeaky Floor That's Carpeted
Fixing a squeaky floor that's carpeted can be challenging. To fix a squeaky carpeted floor, you might have to try a few times until you get the squeak to stop. [more…]
How to Fix Ripped or Torn Carpet
Fixing a ripped or torn carpet is essential because loose carpet tears easily. Fixing a ripped carpet while the tear is small can prevent accidents and keep the damage from spreading. Sharp objects can [more…]
Tools You Need for a Basic Paint Project
Painting tools come in various shapes and sizes; however, you only really need the following tools for a basic paint project. If you decide that you plan to do a lot of painting, you can start to look [more…]
How to Fix Damaged Pile Carpet
Patching a pile carpet that's damaged or stained can renew its look. Fixing damaged pile carpet with a patch is cheaper than replacing a whole carpet. Just cut out the damaged or stained spot and add a [more…]


text:
Or, is there a cryptosystem that is both order-perserving and additive homomorphic?
In the Paillier cryptosystem, is there a method to judge whether an encrypted number is less than 0 (without the private key)
In Paillier, if it were possible to determine whether an encrypted number is less than 0 (that is, is equivalent modulo N to a value $x$ where $N/2 < x < N$), then it would be possible to decrypt arbitrary encrypted values with only the public key. That is, if someone found such a method, they will have broken Paillier as a public key system.
The details are fairly straight-forward; to compare an encrypted value $E(x)$ against a known value $y$, you compute $E(y)$, use the homomorphic property to compute the value $E(x+y)$, and then use your blockbox to determine from this value whether $x+y<0$
Hence, you can use binary searching, using the above method as the comparison method, to recover the value $x$ given $E(x)$, using $O(\log N)$ probes.
As mentioned above this is not possible in a direct way. However there exists a Zero Knowledge Proof that may do the job. It proofs that a message encrypts one out of a publicly known number of plain text messages. If these known messages only contain values greater or equal 0 this may be what you are looking for but unfortunately message and computation overhead is quite high for large sets.
Have a look at this pdf, page 17 "Proof that an encrypted message lies in a given set of messages".


text:
KILLEEN (October 22, 2012)--Space Week 2012 got underway Monday at West Ward Elementary School.
Students will spend the week participating in space related activities and educational programs.
Some of the projects that have been planned include: shuttle construction, a visit to the planetarium, astronomy guest speakers, mission simulations and an Armed Forces rocket launch.
The events are in collaboration with the CTC Planetarium.


text:
The Mingo Knights of Columbus Msgr. Joseph F. Dooley Council 4361 celebrated its 56th Anniversary, Past Grand Knights and Awards dinner on May 3 at the Mingo Knights of Columbus Hall.
Seated at the head table were the Rev. James M. Dunfee, chaplain and pastor of St. Agnes; Baci Carpico, past state deputy, and his wife, Bernie; Shawn Zarych, grand knight; Bob Byers, state warden and his wife, Peggy; and John Daley, financial secretary and toastmaster, and his wife, Kathy.
Other dignitaries in attendance were Erol Hosdil, district deputy no. 49; Joseph Solomon, Diocese of Steubenville, diocesan membership/retention director; and Guido Evangelista, deputy grand knight.
Past grand knights in attendance included Baci Carpico, Ed Treglia, Bill DennaPenna, Francis DiLoreto, John Daley, Evangelista and Zarych.
The dinner was catered by Leigh and Ray Johnson of Ohio Catering.
Zarych and Evangelista presented certificates and awards.
Monthly knights presented a certificate were James Raymond, Guido Evangelista, Bill DennaPenna, Keith Crispino, Dr. John Balzano, Scott Fabian, John Balzano, John "Wiz" Fabian, Francis DiLoreto, Lou Kakascik and Mike Potenzini.
Lady monthly certificates were given to Josephine Potenzini, Catherine "Kitty" Kakascik and Joanne Raha.
A new award presented was the Larry B. Campbell Merit Award, named after the late Larry B. Campbell who died May 3, 2012. Campbell had served as the organization's financial secretary and district deputy for many years. The award was presented to Bill and Kristen Wheeler of Wheeler Funeral Homes for their kindness and service to the community.
Chaplain of the Year honors went to the Rev. James M. Dunfee, for his dedication to the church, hospital and nursing home visits, and dedication to the Knights of Columbus.
Other awards were:
- Volunteer of the Year: Frances Cutri, owner of Rocky Auto Wrecking, and active with the Mingo Woman's Club, the Jefferson County Fair, American Red Cross, Hurricane Katrina assistance and Mingo K of C Hurricane Sandy Project.
- Blue Coat of the Year: Edward Karovic, a Steubenville Police officer of more than 15 years, who exemplifies a strong work ethic and who saved the lives of two trapped men he pulled from a burning car.
- Lady of the Year: Josephine Potenzini, a member of St. Agnes Parish, Catholic Women's Club, and cooks for funeral dinners and K of C Lenten fish fry.
- Knight of the Year: Louis E. Kakascik, who organized the Hurricane Sandy Relief Project, driving to New York and New Jersey with food and donations. He also is active with the Knights fish fry.
Steve Tancek won the 50-50 drawing.


text:
5 Rulers Whose Idiot Siblings Nearly Screwed the World
No comedy would be complete without the Wacky Screwup Brother, the Zach Galifianakis in The Hangover-type who is there to throw a wrench in everything with some sort of stupid scheme (also see: Gob Bluth from Arrested Development). It's not so funny in real life. Especially if, say, the level-headed sibling is one of the world's most powerful people, and the wacky screw-up brother is in a position to cause an international incident.
OK, so maybe it is funny after all.
#5. Hillary Clinton's Brothers, Tony and Hugh Rodham
While Bill Clinton's coke-addled half-brother, Roger, was a continued embarrassment to his presidency, it can be said he at least caused no major international incidents. The same doesn't exactly apply to his wife's brothers, Tony and Hugh Rodham, who almost cost the United States a crucial ally in Eastern Europe. And, unlike Roger, it wasn't cocaine that screwed everything up -- it was hazelnuts.
Surprisingly, there's no double meaning there. We're talking about the actual nuts.
First off, Tony and Hugh did not exactly have much going for them from the start. While Hillary was off getting a law degree and marrying Bill, her brothers bounced around to various odd jobs such as prison guard and repo man. Then their brother-in-law got elected president in 1992, and they had it made.
At first, Tony and Hugh did little things, like trying to get corporate donations for upcoming election parties, but Hillary had to tell them to knock it off. And then in 1999, they teamed up for a get rich quick scheme to import hazelnuts from the country of Georgia. It doesn't seem like the kind of thing that they could fuck up on an "international incident" scale, but like wacky sitcom brothers, they found a way.
Via Accidentalmommies.com
They're just short of trying to save the local teen center with dance.
The problem was that the U.S. government needed to stay on good terms with Georgia's government, since they were helping out during the war in Kosovo. America was thus friendly with Georgian president Eduard Shevardnadze. But the guy in charge of the hazelnut company the Rodham brothers were dealing with was Aslan Abashidze, Shevardnadze's archenemy.
So when word of this hazelnut deal got out with the Clinton in-laws attached, it made the Clintons look like they were working against the Georgian president behind the scenes.
The Clintons asked the Rodham brothers to drop it for the good of, you know, not destabilizing a former hostile Soviet territory. They actually refused for a while, before finally agreeing to let it go for the good of Georgia. Since then, Hillary has kept the two out of the public eye, despite them wanting to help her campaigns. If she'd become president in 2008, we're thinking that by now at least one of these guys would have come up with a hair-brained scheme to sell the nuclear arsenal to a dude they knew in college.
Fuckin' Gary, man. Guy's a trip.
#4. President Jimmy Carter's Brother, Billy Carter
In the late 1970s, Americans got laughs from two major sources: A coked-up Robin Williams playing an alien named Mork, and Jimmy Carter's beer swilling brother, Billy Carter. Almost immediately following Jimmy's inauguration in 1977, the press started to take an interest in his eccentric family, especially the gas station good ol' boy from small-town Georgia, Billy.
Suddenly finding himself in the nation's spotlight, Billy took advantage of the situation by playing up his redneck roots and marketing his own brand of beer called Billy Beer. OK, that's kind of embarrassing for a president, but it certainly isn't a crime. But Billy would continually act obnoxious around his brother (in front of the press) and was even caught urinating on an airport runway in full view of foreign dignitaries (and again, the press).
Via Falstaffbrewing.com
"Seriously. A lot. It's gotten to be a major problem."
But still, it's not like all of that had any real consequences. But then Billy decided to take it upon himself to visit Libya, to try to expand the oil trade between that country and the U.S.
If you think he wasn't exactly qualified to declare himself a "delegate" on behalf of the U.S. then you're dead wrong, because Billy was in every way, shape and form an oil magnate. And by that, we mean he owned a gas station.
Via Declineofanation.blogspot.com
Not many politicians can boast that kind of experience.
So why would he suddenly get so ambitious? Well, after his visit to Libya in 1978, Billy returned to the U.S. with $20,000, which would eventually become $220,000, ostensibly for a "loan" (according to the CIA, a telegraph showed the payments received were probably closer to $2 million). Amazingly, Libya was apparently paying him off because they thought Billy, as Jimmy's brother, held major sway in U.S. policy.
Via Oldmodelkits.com
He did not.
The whole Libya situation led to a scandal that became known as "Billygate," for which the U.S. Senate wound up holding hearings to grill Billy on the nature of his visit and the purpose of the money he received.
Jimmy was angry at his brother and was concerned that he was now working for an enemy nation, but Billy was ultimately cleared after the Senate investigation in 1980. Throughout the rest of President Carter's term, Billy kept making headlines, but this time for his trouble with the IRS and selling his house to pay back taxes.
Via Mentalfloss.com
"So, me paying for these chicken wings makes us even, right?"
#3. Napoleon's Sister Pauline Bonaparte
Proving that it's not always brothers who can cause damage, Pauline Bonaparte was a prime example of a sister that caused international incidents just by being herself.
The younger sister of the French dictator Napoleon Bonaparte, Pauline was only a minor noble, but she lived like a queen. Not one to care for things like human dignity, she would often have servants lie on their hands and knees and use them as footstools.
Via Oldcameos.com
"Human dignity is the most expensive furniture there is."
Though it's a little hard to tell from this or almost any other old painting, Pauline was incredibly hot, and she knew it. She didn't really aspire to much other than a life of leisure and/or adultery, and she seemed to enjoy the scandals she regularly caused. As her brother was taking control of France, trying to cross the Alps and get pastries named after him, she was begging him for favors, money and positions of power, despite her well-earned reputation as a drunk who would sleep with anyone over middle class.
Via Scandalouswoman.blogspot.com
"Whatever, dickhead, just paint my nipples and then whip out your junk."
With stories of his floozy sister's escapades being spread far and wide, it was finally time to take action. Mulling it over, Napoleon decided to do for her what he did for all his other brothers and sisters wanting more power: He gave her a recently conquered country to rule. And somehow, though he conquered most of the civilized world, he apparently had no foresight for how this scheme would turn out. Hey, remember when we joked that Hillary's brothers would have pawned the nuclear arsenal if given the chance? Yeah, it turned out like that.
Pauline ended up with the country of Guastalla, a small, douchey city-state in Italy. She threw a fit, but Napoleon was relieved and went back to work trying to take over Europe and finally kill his fictional nemesis, Richard Sharpe. But not too long after, Pauline was back in France, simply telling her brother she had grown bored with Guastalla and had, yes, sold the entire country to the neighboring kingdom of Parma for six million francs.
Via Wikipedia
"Hey, the pawn shop was closed, and I was out of booze."


text:
|February 22, 2006
|Does Black History Have a Future?
|by Anthony B. Bradley
|February 15, 2006
|Stewardship and Economics: Two Sides of the Same Coin
|by Jordan Ballor
|February 8, 2006
|A Tocquevillian in the Vatican
|by Samuel Gregg
|February 1, 2006
|Why Johnny Can't Compete with Sanjay
|by Michael Matheson Miller
|January 25, 2006
|A Catholic Alternative to Europe's Social Model
|by Jennifer Roback Morse
|January 18, 2006
|Does American Charity Cheat the Tax Man?
|by Karen Woods
|January 11, 2006
|King's Dream: Beyond Black and White
|by Anthony B. Bradley
|January 4, 2006
|The Education Monopoly and Intelligent Design
|by D. Eric Schansberg
|December 28, 2005
|The Digital Divide and Civil Society
|December 21, 2005
|Christmas Sacred and Secular
|by Rev. Robert A. Sirico
|December 14, 2005
|Would C.S. Lewis Have Risked a Disney 'Nightmare'?
|by Jordan Ballor
|December 14, 2005
|Toward Freedom In The Arab World
|by Anthony B. Bradley
|December 7, 2005
|The State of Flux
|by Jordan Ballor
|November 30, 2005
|God and Man in the Environmental Debate
|by Jay W. Richards
|November 23, 2005
|There has to be a Better Way
|by Jennifer Roback Morse
|November 16, 2005
|Why Not Fair-Trade Beer and Cakes?
|by John Larrivee
|November 9, 2005
|Rosa Parks and the Two Black Americas
|by Anthony B. Bradley
|November 2, 2005
|Compassion -- A Uniquely Human Trait
|by Jordan Ballor
|October 26, 2005
|El Salvador's Secret: Freedom and Opportunity Cure Poverty
|by Francisco Flores
|October 19, 2005
|Sin is Not Cost Effective
|by Jennifer Roback Morse
|October 12, 2005
|Natural Justice, Eminent Domain, and Corporate Welfare
|by Samuel Gregg
|October 5, 2005
|Afterthoughts on the Aftermath of the New Orleans Flood
|by D. Eric Schansberg
|September 28, 2005
|The Nose of a Camel: The Federal Government and Education
|by Kevin E. Schmiesing
|September 21, 2005
|Whining is un-American
|by Jennifer Roback Morse
|September 14, 2005
|Low Marx for Poor Memory
|by Samuel Gregg
|September 7, 2005
|Pascal's Blunder: Miscalculating the Threat of Global Warming
|by Jordan Ballor
|August 31, 2005
|Robertson's Fatwa
|by Rev. Robert A. Sirico
|August 31, 2005
|For Our Freedom and Yours: Remembering Solidarity
|by Samuel Gregg
|August 24, 2005
|Back to School, Back to Parents
|by Anthony B. Bradley
|August 17, 2005
|Benedict and World Youth Day: Becoming Adults in Christ
|by Kishore Jayabalan


text:
Published: Friday, January 11, 2013 at 7:36 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, January 11, 2013 at 7:36 a.m.
Litter in Henderson County is a nasty problem, observes Judy Wellman of Flat Rock, and the billboards, she says, aren't making the views any prettier. "On the way to church last Sunday, I looked around, and sure enough, litter is everywhere," she says. "Twenty-five years ago, my late husband and I moved here so that we would be where we wanted to retire when the time came. I have been fortunate enough to travel throughout the world but mainly in the United States of America. I can assure you we are not doing a good job of getting rid of trash. Along our beautiful, scenic highways and mountain views, we seem to have forgotten what we have, and instead we trash it. Along with that, we seem to be allowing more and more billboards to the point of wanting to cut down even more trees so that we can see the billboards better. What is wrong with the road signs and green information signs? Do we need a 'better view' of billboards? Why don't we work at using taxpayer money for something else besides cleaning up trash? Here's a good word to put into your everyday thoughts — pride. How about we start taking pride in ourselves and the beautiful place where we live? How about setting a good example for the children in our lives? When they see adults throw trash out vehicle windows, that sends a message to them that it is OK. We set so many bad examples for our children of the future. God created a beautiful world, not a trashy one. Let's start putting our trash in wastebaskets and start taking pride in ourselves and the beautiful area of the country we live in."
THE BEST BURGER: John Albree of Columbus is recommending a trip south to a Spartanburg, S.C., landmark that has him hooked. It's the popular Ike's Korner Grille. "Although my wife, Phyllis, and I have lived at Tryon Estates in Columbus since 2003, we had never stopped at Ike's, but Marc Brady, the PGA professional at Tryon Country Club, continually urged me to visit the restaurant. Finally, on Dec. 18, we went to Ike's for lunch. Marc described the hamburger at Ike's as 'the best I would ever have.' He was right!" says Mr. Albree. "I ordered the cheeseburger special with onions and Cheddar cheese. Since we sat at the counter, we could watch everything being assembled right before our eyes. I was fascinated by the whole potato being made into my own french fries. My meal arrived hot off the grill and covered with a mound of sizzling fries. Add a few pickles and a Diet Coke, and I was ready to dive in. Phyllis, on the other hand, ordered as if her cardiologist was watching. She got a plain hamburger, a side of slaw and unsweetened ice tea. She also agreed it was totally filling and an 'experience.' I noted on the menu a Hall of Fame Burger. It costs $24.95 and seemed to me to be three meals in one. If you finish it within 45 minutes, it is free, and they will put your picture on the wall and give you a T-shirt announcing your accomplishment. Trust me, if you have never been to Ike's Korner Grille, don't wait as long as we did. Follow Marc's advice and go there!"
QUIPS A WISEACRE: "To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research."
LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Northview Church in Fletcher is teaming up with the American Red Cross for their biannual blood drive from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 19 at the church at 235 St. Johns Road, Suite 100. Although walk-ins are welcome, appointments are encouraged. Go online to redcrossblood.org/make-donation- sponsor and use sponsor code Northview Church to schedule your appointment. All blood types are urgently needed. Bring your Red Cross or photo ID to help with registration . Also, volunteers are needed. There are two shifts available for volunteers to serve as a greeter, reception-ist, snack provider or tend to other duties. Call Shelley Sprague at 242-1124 to make an appointment or for more information.
Reach Lou Parris at 828-694-7836 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


text:
Like stars strung on a shimmering rope! Crafted in platinum over sterling silver, this stunning bangle bracelet features seven round cut 5mm and 24 round cut 2mm white zircons, all in prong settings.
The total approximate zircon weight is 6.50ct. The bracelet is offered in three choices: 6-1/2"L, 7-1/4"L or 8"L and measures 3/16"W x 1/8"H and secure with a hinged clasp with safety guard.
From the NYC II® Collection. Made in China. Gemstones will vary in color or patterns. Please allow for these natural variations. All weights pertaining to gemstones, including diamonds, are minimum weights. Additionally, please note that many gemstones are treated to enhance their beauty. Click here for important information about gemstone enhancements and special care requirements.
Necklace & Bracelet Clasp Types
Lobster Claw Clasp: As a traditional clasp style found in bracelets and necklaces, the lobster claw is generally reserved for heavier styles that may need added strength. The closure's shape is more oblong, similar to a teardrop shape, and is controlled by a tip that opens and closes the spring in the clasp. This type is also considered a more expensive finding that can add to the overall value of the jewelry piece.
Magnetic Clasp: The popularity of the magnetic clasp has greatly increased in recent years. It is a quick and easy way to secure jewelry while not having to fuss with a tiny clasp, which can be difficult if you have long fingernails, arthritic hands or other mobility challenges. A magnetic clasp relies on a strong internal magnet that works to pull both ends of the clasp together. In most cases, a magnetic clasp is used for light to medium weight jewelry pieces that do not put excessive stress on the magnet.
Slide Insert Clasp: This type of clasp is exactly as it sounds. With a box-like shape that is hollow on the inside, the wearer will slide the nearly-flat tab into the box until it clicks, indicating a secure closure. On some jewelry, a slide insert clasp will be accompanied by a side safety catch, which adds strength and security to the clasp. Although this type of clasp is found on both bracelets and necklaces, it is particularly popular on bracelet styles. These types of clasps are often reserved for more expensive jewelry.
Spring Ring Clasp: One of the most common closure types, the spring ring clasp is typically used for light to medium weight bracelets or necklaces. It is round in its design and features a small tip which controls the opening and closing of the spring. The circle then closes around another smaller loop or link at the other end of the strand.
Toggle Clasp: A toggle clasp is a narrow piece of metal, usually designed in the shape of a bar, which is then pushed through a circular ring to act as a fastener. Unlike the lobster claw or spring ring clasps, a toggle clasp is not controlled by a spring. The pretty design is less secure than other closure types, but is usually meant to be a big part of the design and is meant to "show". The clasp is an attractive way to secure a chunkier link bracelet or necklace.
Platinum Plating:
Platinum can be used as a finish coating over sterling silver or copper alloys. Its bright, pure luster enhances the brilliance of gemstones and does not discolor or oxidize. Platinum plating is also characterized by its good resistance to surface abrasion, making jewelry pieces more durable against everyday and long-term wear. Over time, platinum plating will wear off and therefore will require re-plating.
To care for your plated jewelry items:
Zircon often suffers for its name's similarity to "cubic zirconia," the simulated diamond. The stone zircon, however, is actually a beautiful natural gemstone. It is named from the Persian word "zargun," meaning "gold-colored." This is despite the fact that it comes in a wide range of rainbow colors. The majority of zircons are brown or yellow-brown, while pure red and green are the most valuable colors. The yellow-red to reddish-brown variety is called "hyacinth."
For many years, the most popular type of zircon was the colorless variety. More than any other natural stone, colorless zircons produce a brilliant sparkle similar to diamonds. The most popular color today tends to be the bright pastel blue variety. Sometimes called "starlite," blue zircon has recently become considered an alternative birthstone for December.
Zircon is one of the heaviest gemstones, meaning that it will look smaller than other varieties of the same weight. It ranks a hardness between 6.5-7.5 on the Mohs Scale and is mined in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar and Australia.
Travelers during the 11th century wore zircon amulets for protection and to encourage welcome greetings on their journeys. In the Middle Ages, the stone was said to bring wisdom and prosperity to its owner. Hindu mythology even mentions the gem when referencing the Kalpa Tree, which was a glowing tree covered with gemstone fruit and leaves of zircon.


text:
Create your Technogym account
Private individual
If you are a private customer, receive suggestions on Wellness Lifestyles, create your training program, access our communities and much more.
If you are a company, specify your business sector (fitness facility, hotel, spa, etc.) and access communication and promotional content for supporting your business.
Freelance professional
If you are a professional (doctor, physical therapist, architect, personal trainer, journalist, etc.), access the tools and services dedicated to your career. Download the documents and do not miss our dedicated events section.


text: More from SI New Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniform features throwback ora... New Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniform features throwback ora... 'More menacing skull' highlights Tampa Bay Buccaneers g... 'More menacing skull' highlights Tampa Bay Buccaneers g... NFL now has three legitimate Los Angeles stadium sites... NFL now has three legitimate Los Angeles stadium sites... Everything you need to know about the footballs that wi... Everything you need to know about the footballs that wi... Peyton Manning, other NFL Sports Illustrated Sportsmen... Peyton Manning, other NFL Sports Illustrated Sportsmen... Fans celebrate Halloween at stadiums around league in W... Fans celebrate Halloween at stadiums around league in W... NFL unveils new Pro Bowl uniforms NFL unveils new Pro Bowl uniforms Close Tweet0 Share0 Comment0 Share0 Share0 Stumble It0 Print0 More Audibles 2012 NFL Announcer Rankings by Chris Burke Add Favorite Favorite Added Twitter Email Posted: Fri Feb. 8, 2013 Chris Collinsworth and Al Michaels just finished their fourth season in the booth on Sunday Night Football. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)With the passing of each NFL season, the tradition started by Sports Illustrated's Dr. Z was to take a look back and break down pro football's best and worst announcing teams.We at Audibles, with the utmost respect for Dr. Z's work, took up the torch for that task last year. And what follows below is this blog's second crack at trying to sort through hundreds of hours of game broadcasts to figure out which play-by-play announcers and color commentators turned out the finest product over the past year.This version ranks the top 10 teams that called games on either CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN or the NFL Network.Feel free let us know about any disagreements you may have (and we know you'll have them), either in the comments or on Twitter.10. Marv Albert and Rich Gannon, CBSQuite frankly, I thought this was the most improved announcing team from last year to this one. Albert, 71, and Gannon definitely seemed more comfortable with each other during their second go-round.As such, their games were much more enjoyable to listen to and less littered with head-scratching mistakes -- in 2011, for example, Albert asked Gannon if he had ever played overseas and Gannon replied, "Yes, I played in Mexico."Others may disagree here, but I appreciate that Albert brings a bit of a lighthearted touch to his games. He'll make fun of himself, if he notices a screw-up, but he also occasionally drops a solid one-liner. His best of 2012? When the Jets and Dolphins went to overtime in Week 3, and after the OT coin toss, Albert remarked: "Tim Tebow with the critical calls of heads!"9. Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots, CBSThe NFL hands out earpieces now at the Super Bowl, so the media can listen in to a broadcast while watching the game. This year, those in the press box had three options: the CBS' TV feed, a Spanish-language broadcast or a Kevin Harlan-Boomer Esiason pairing on Dial Global radio.For me, the choice to stick with Harlan was obvious. The fact that Harlan had that opportunity proves his announcing chops, as SI's Richard Deitsch examined last week, and Harlan even delivered during the blackout by broadcasting via a land-line phone.Whether general football fans realize it or not, Harlan remains one of the best announcers out there. He would be higher on this list, too, if he were paired with a more dynamic color commentator.That's not necessarily a knock against Wilcots -- he does a decent job in the booth, and actually performs very well as a sideline reporter, where CBS used him during the playoffs. Wilcots simply is not on the level of, say, Cris Collinsworth or Mike Mayock.Still, you could do much worse than drawing this tandem for your team's game.8. Jim Nantz and Phil Simms, CBSI enjoy listening to Nantz, so much so that I'm even willing to brush aside his occasional screw-up. His most noticeable error this season came when he mistakenly had the wrong team winning a Week 6 Jets-Patriots game.More often than not, he's solid, if slightly docile. The problem is he's paired with Simms, who needs his own blooper reel.Late in Super Bowl XLVII, for example, Nantz asked Simms if the Ravens should take a safety rather than punt to Ted Ginn Jr. Simms' response: "I'm thinking ... no, I would not. I would punt it."The Ravens, of course, then took the safety.7. Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf, CBSThis is a pretty similar setup to Nantz-Simms -- a reliable play-by-play man paired with a bit of a loose cannon. The main critique of Dierdorf is the same as it was in last year's rankings: He hits only the most basic of concepts, rarely giving the viewer much more than meets the eye.Dierdorf also did himself no favors in the Ravens-Broncos playoff game, when he barely let Gumbel get a word in edgewise. After Trindon Holliday's kickoff return TD to start the third quarter, Dierdorf rattled off a nearly 100-word explanation of the replay, spanning nearly 40 seconds. When the Ravens lined up for the ensuing play from scrimmage, Gumbel and Dierdorf tripped over each other two or three times, as Gumbel tried to retake the reins.6. Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston, FOXThis is almost unfair to Albert. If we were doing straight play-by-play rankings, Albert would be in the top five, possibly for multiple sports. Unfortunately, FOX has teamed him with the Daryl Johnston-Tony Siragusa dog-and-pony show.With just Albert and Johnston, it would be much more enjoyable -- even if Johnston loses the count sometimes, as in Week 10, when he suggested that the Saints, up 31-27 at the time on the Falcons, take a safety to go up by six (a safety would have made it 31-29).Siragusa does not bring much to the table from his vantage point on the field, often dipping into the tired "body language" reports to gauge a team's mentality.5. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, FOXIf Troy Aikman were not Troy Aikman, would he be on FOX's top team? Doubtful. And that's kind of a shame, because Buck is better now as a football play-by-play guy than he ever has been in the past -- a transformation that began last year, when Buck became noticeably more excitable during his calls.Aikman, however, is closer to Dierdorf area than Collinsworth/Mayock land, in that he gets you the nuts and bolts, but often little else. For an ex-quarterback with Aikman's resume, the expectations are higher than that, especially as higher quality audio allows networks to pick up just about every call made by QBs at the line.If FOX ever presses Aikman to step up his X's-and-O's game, this duo might ascend higher.4. Mike Tirico and Jon Gruden, ESPNTirico is a phenomenal play-by-play guy. He is constantly dropping both critical information and interesting tidbits to further his broadcasts, and he has not been fazed at all by working with the often cartoon-like Gruden.Plus, on the fly, Tirico has a knack for expressing exactly what the viewer is thinking. When the Titans and Jets played a brutal Monday night game this season, Tirico's call on the Jets' game-deciding fumble was spot-on:"That's the way this game should end, that's the way the Jets seasons should end. Ugly! And a loss."As for Gruden ... take him or leave him. He's not changing. Personally, I find him enjoyable most of the time, even if his "This guy! What a guy!" shtick gets old. His pre-draft QB camp features really spotlight his personality at his best. During the broadcasts we see that more reserved Gruden only when the games are out of hand or boring -- and that's usually when he is most tolerable.3. Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts, CBSIf you read last year's announcer rankings, nothing at the top of this list should come as a surprise. This is basically how I had the announcing teams rated following 2011, and no one's really broken through to change the status quo.But that status quo is perfectly acceptable when it comes to Eagle and Fouts. This is technically the No. 3 team at CBS, but it easily could leapfrog Simms/Nantz or Gumbel/Dierdorf and get the job done, if the network were ever so inclined.Eagle's voice is unique and recognizable, and it pairs well with the homespun Fouts. Sure, you'll get a random Fouts statement of the obvious here and there -- "You're not a winner until you win a game," for example (courtesy of Awful Announcing's entertaining "Straight Outta Stockton" feature from 2012).More often than not, those are harmless. And there may not be an NFL announcing duo with better chemistry overall.2. Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock, NFL NetworkMayock kicked off the 2012 season by singing "Play That Funky Music" during a play in the Hall of Fame Game. In his second year with Nessler on the NFL Network's broadcasts, Mayock again proved himself to be more knowledgeable than just about any announcer out there. But the knock from those who were critical hearkened back to that karaoke moment -- Mayock seems to love hearing himself.Honestly, that trait is far more problematic during NBC's Notre Dame broadcast, when Mayock even adopts a little "Rah Rah!" quality.Even if the path of Mayock's rising star flattened out a bit this year, there may not be another analyst out there capable of picking so much out of a play. Even before replays roll, Mayock seems to know which blocks hit, where defenders vacated spots and so on.Nessler, meanwhile, leaves himself almost nothing for which to apologize. He steps back to let Mayock do his thing, all while maintaining the proper enthusiasm for the moment.1. Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, NBCWhen it comes to must-follow NFL player Twitter accounts, linebacker Justin Durant's is at the top, especially if you're a music aficionado. On Sunday nights during the season, though, Durant has waged a personal Twitter war against Cris Collinsworth's commentary.Durant is not alone. There are plenty of people out there who cannot stand Collinsworth.And I do not get it.Yes, he'll get a little preachy from time to time, but he's also arguably the best in the business at his job. Look no further for evidence of that than the Saints-Chargers game, when Collinsworth said that a clearly injured Jared Gaither needed help blocking Martez Wilson or "Wilson's going to get a sack to end this game."Next play: No one helped Gaither and Wilson sacked Philip Rivers to clinch a Saints win.Collinsworth also has the good fortune to be alongside Michaels, one of the best announcers ever. Michaels can run the gamut from a controversial moment to, say, casually referencing a game's spread without ever sounding out of place.Unranked: The announcing teams that did not land in the top 10, for various reasons ...Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick, Bill Macatee and Steve Tasker, Spero Dedes and Steve Beuerlein, Don Criqui and Randy Cross, Dick Stockton and John Lynch, Chris Myers and Tim Ryan, Ron Pitts and Mike Martz, Sam Rosen and Heath Evans, and Gus Johnson and Charles Davis.In the cases of, for example, Macatee/Tasker, Dedes/Beuerlein, Criqui/Cross, Rosen/Evans and Johnson/Davis, there was not a complete season of work to go on -- those pairings only worked when either CBS or FOX had a full slate of games in a given week.Among the rest, the toughest omission was Brennaman. He is better calling baseball than football, in my opinion, but even when he sometimes hops up on his soapbox, he's strong with NFL work. Billick, on the other hand, was extremely inconsistent this year. That's right up to and including the Seahawks-Falcons playoff game, in which Billick talked about how the game's result "legitimizes the Seahawks as the number one seed" (Atlanta won). That flub came moments after Billick wondered aloud if, down by six with 44 seconds left, Seattle ought to kick a field goal and try to recover an onside kick rather than, you know, go for the game-winning touchdown.Of the remaining three play-by-play guys (Stockton, Myers, Pitts), Pitts has the highest upside in that role -- Stockton's best days are behind him. But Pitts needs to free himself of Martz.As stated earlier, feel free to leave your comments below. DEITSCH: Simms struggles in Super Bowl broadcast | BURKE: NFL Draft Big Board More Audibles


text:
Popular Applications:
ECOS For Educators
TEA Secure Applications Information
TEAL Login
TEASE Login
A - Z Index
Sign Up for Updates
TEA Correspondence
Home / Texas Educators / Investigations
TEA conducts a national criminal history check on all applicants for certification. Texas Education Code (TEC) §22.0831 states "The board shall review the national criminal history record information of a person who has not previously submitted fingerprints to the department or been subject to a national criminal history record information review."
1. Will having a criminal history prevent me from becoming certified?
Possibly. Criminal histories are evaluated on a case by case basis by considering the following factors:
2. Will TEA provide an opinion about my eligibility if I am not currently an applicant for certification?
Yes. As a service, TEA will provide a Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation for a non-refundable fee. For more information review the FAQs for the Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation.
3. What are my privacy rights as a noncriminal justice applicant?
You are afforded certain privacy rights if you are the subject of a national fingerprint-based criminal history record check for a noncriminal justice purpose (such as an applicant for educator certification). Review your privacy rights at http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/cc/library/noncriminal-justice-applicants-privacy.