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America & the French bulldog
As we reach the middle of July, I suddenly realized… I never shared these from the 4th! I apologize. It was Jasen's first 4th driving and he wanted to decorate his truck… With a giant American flag. Bean, as usual, wanted to help and be all up in the mix. Happy Friday to all of you. I hope your 4th was a safe and happy … Continue reading America & the French bulldog
Movie night with the human kids
Can you guess what we saw??? Naturally, it was dog-themed… Or rather pet themed! Yep! The Secret Life of Pets! Great movie by the way! Took both Jasen & Scarlett along with mom, and we all enjoyed it! "You aren't doing great but you aren't drowning and that's something." -Duke (Secret Life of Pets) Continue reading Movie night with the human kids
Bean and my favorite tattoo
In October of last year, I got this tattoo below… ⬇ This is what it looked like right after Austin finished. Austin McCullough is the tattoo artist who does most of my tattoos and will hopefully do all my future tattoos. He took this picture of Bean (below) and created this amazing sugar skull of my actual dog's face. It doesn't get more awesome than … Continue reading Bean and my favorite tattoo
Our remodeling assistants
While the bathroom is coming along, we're having a little help from our furry assistants… Continue reading Our remodeling assistants
Cobbler and dog ice cream
Today, I made my very first cobbler ever. Jeff loves porter peaches, and he loves peach cobbler even more. It turned out great! Now, I believe in equality… That is equal desserts for all. I couldn't very well enjoy ice cream while the pups looked on. And I have a bad habit of sharing my food with my pups a little too much. So naturally, I … Continue reading Cobbler and dog ice cream
Sweet potatoes for my sweet potatoes!
So, I am all about homemade dog treats. Scarlett & I like to make these below for the pups… They turn out pretty great! The pups seem to like them a lot! But today, I wanted to try something new. Change it up a bit and give them a great cold treat to chew on during these hot summer months! I found this post by … Continue reading Sweet potatoes for my sweet potatoes!
Almost caught up and my belated Father's Day tributes…
Whew! It's been a long couple of weeks but the bathroom remodel project is coming along nicely! Thought I would share a few pics below, including a great pic of Jeff & Scarlett from Father's Day! What you are seeing below are photos of our shower walls. We are tiling them in poreclain wood tiles! I'm loving how it's are turning out! Today, we had … Continue reading Almost caught up and my belated Father's Day tributes…
Jeff had an assistant.
While working on the bathroom remodel, I walked in to find Jeff didn't need my help after all.. He already had an assistant… Bean! "Everything I know, I learned from dogs." -Nora Roberts Continue reading Jeff had an assistant.
Kevin shopped at Lowe's today.
Bean is commonly seen at Lowe's with us but Bean sometimes gets a little too shy around strangers. Kevin, however, is that kid who would walk off with a complete stranger if they'd take him. Which he tried with several employees. He also he made a dog friend named Freud. On the whole, good trip. We got what we needed. Kevin proved once again, he … Continue reading Kevin shopped at Lowe's today.
Pugs and Crochet
I love to crochet. A few years back, I began making dolls. First for my daughter and next for my friend, Jenny's daughter. I have now made one doll for each year of Desa's life and countless others for my daughter. Below are a collage of some of my favorites. For awhile now, I have been wanting to make a pug. And finally, I got … Continue reading Pugs and Crochet


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Special Order
Beloved children's book author and speaker Pat Mora has written an original collection of poems, each with a different teen narrator sharing unique thoughts, moments, sadness, or heart's desire: the girl who loves swimming, plunging into the water that creates her own world; the guy who leaves flowers on the windshield of the girl he likes. Each of the teens in these 50 original poems, written using a variety of poetic forms, will be recognizable to the reader as the universal emotions, ideas, impressions, and beliefs float across the pages in these gracefully told verses.
Also included are the author's footnotes on the various types of poetic forms used throughout to help demystify poetry and showcase its accessibility, which makes this a perfect classroom tool for teachers as well as an inspiration to readers who may wish to try their own hand at writing.
"From the Hardcover edition.
About the Author
Pat Mora is an award-winning author and the founder of the family literacy initiative El dia de los ninos/ El dia de los libros, Children's Day/ Book Day, now housed at the American Library Association. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Pat Mora es una autora premiada y la fundadora de El dia de los ninos/ El dia de los libros, un programa para promover la lectura entre familia. El programa es auspiciado por la Asociacion Americana de Bibliotecas, American Library Association (ALA). Ella vive en Santa Fe, Nuevo Mexico.

subset: commoncrawl


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Albemarle County (Va.) Public Schools delays plans to install the cameras on its buses and mail tickets to motorists who illegally pass them. A new law does not authorize the DMV to release car registration information to the camera supplier.
The Alabama School Bus Safety Act lets school systems place the cameras on their buses and penalizes motorists who illegally pass the buses with a fine of $300. It went into effect on July 1.
Randy Allen Payne of Washington pleads guilty to striking two girls in May after they exited their school bus, leaving them severely injured, and is sentenced to one year and one day in prison.
The San Antonio ordinance will create a civil penalty for unlawfully passing a stopped school bus and authorize school districts to install cameras to capture violators.
The Mercer Island City Council votes unanimously to adopt an ordinance that allows stop-arm cameras to be installed on Mercer Island School District buses. A citation fine would cost $394.
A-3798 would allow school districts to deploy school bus stop-arm cameras and requires the video to be reviewed by law enforcement, who would determine if a citation should be issued to the driver.
The second edition of School Bus eXchange brings school bus operators and suppliers to Colorado to share solutions for key issues facing the industry.
NYAPT's May 18 survey of illegal school bus passing finds that 2,001 bus drivers reported they were passed a total of 1,480 times, resulting in the highest number of estimated violations since the NYAPT started conducting the survey.
Randy Allen Payne of Washington allegedly hits two teenage girls with his SUV as they cross the street. He faces several charges, including DUI. The girls are being treated for serious injuries.
The South Carolina Senate Transportation Committee gives S946 a favorable report with an amendment that cuts the fine for violations, if video footage does not positively identify the driver of the vehicle, from $500 to $250.
The 30-second video educates the public on the need to stop for school buses that are loading or unloading students.
A review found that the province's previous fine, $167 for a first offense, was one of the lowest in Canada and was not enough to deter illegal passing of school buses.
NYSBCA hosts an event to draw attention to the importance of motorists stopping for school buses and to call for tougher laws against illegally passing stopped school buses.
Get the latest news and most popular articles from SBF delivered straight to your inbox. Stay on top of the school bus industry and don't miss a thing!


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Aruba Chair
Returns & Guarantee
Aruba Chair
Color: Graphite
Product Details
The Aruba outdoor dining chair by EMU is made for enduring quality and comfort. This commercially rated dining chair has a durable powder-coated finish and a steel mesh design that allows water to drain. Comfortable for nearly anyone, Aruba's wide seat and back and contoured shape invite you to linger outside. This modern chair is light enough to easily move and stack, but substantial enough to stay put in windy conditions.
Details of Aruba Chair
- Dimensions: 22"w 23"d 33"h
- Arm Height: 26"h
- Seat Height: 19"h
- Features: stackable
- Product Origin: made in Italy
- Item Number: 612024
- Material: steel See full material details
- Finish: powder-coat
- Color: graphite
- Material Description: Steel is exceptionally durable and eco-friendly thanks to its ability to be made from recycled material and then recycled again at the end of the products life. Artisans hand-craft the steel using innovative technology and age-old techniques to shape the steel into pieces of almost any shape and size.
Reviews (23)
Product Care


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quote: Why would anybody use Safari on Windows? It has absolutely nothing going for it.
quote: and might possibly get a fix out in 8-10 months.
quote: The only problem 99% of actual attacks occur on Windows is because the majority of people use Windows
quote: I don't think the reason that the mac platform has less malware than windows (by an order of magnitude) is because of market share but even if it was - so what? If you want a computing experience that's free from malware, viruses, trojans and all that sort of crap - get a mac. If you are happy with all the malware shit then stick with Windows. The choice is pretty simple.


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The Experiment by EUKEEWatch
Mr Bear finds himself in trouble again, this time being cloned with an octopus...
Freaking awesome!!!
Love the gears and cogs man
haha can't say i've seen gears/cogs like those. Lovin the originality of all your work man. Totally supreme
nice ^w^
wow love this mate what marker did you use?


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Help please!
I am using a child theme in Twenty Eleven, and was trying to register a new widget in my functions.php file. When I uploaded it I got: Fatal error: Cannot redeclare mysql2date... so I tried to upload a fresh functions.php and get this now:
Fatal error: Cannot redeclare twentyeleven_excerpt_length() (previously declared in /home/content/23/6755123/html/fhnb/wp-content/themes/FHNB/functions.php:335) in /home/content/23/6755123/html/fhnb/wp-content/themes/twentyeleven/functions.php on line 337


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Genworth Bets on Long-Term Care as Insurers Flee Market
Genworth Financial Inc., the biggest U.S. seller of long-term care coverage, is betting on a rise in interest rates to boost profits as other insurers flee the business.
Genworth, ranked by trade group Limra among the top five long-term care insurance providers since at least 2007, stayed focused on the market as the U.S. population ages and a hedging strategy guards against declines in bond yields. Long-term care was its biggest business last year, generating 29 percent, or $3 billion, of the Richmond, Virginia-based company's $10.3 billion in revenue.
"If we were in a high interest-rate environment, you wouldn't see any of them leaving the industry," said Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. For every 0.5 percentage point drop in investment return, he said insurers have to increase premiums by about 15 percent to maintain net income projections.
Rivals retreated as low interest rates cut returns on funds set aside to back policies. Prudential Financial Inc., the second-biggest U.S. life insurer, said this month it will stop selling individual long-term care policies amid "challenging economics." Unum Group announced its exit from sales of the product to groups in February after reporting a $425.4 million fourth-quarter loss. No. 1 MetLife Inc. said in 2010 it would stop sales of new long-term care coverage.
"We hedge that interest-rate risk," Buck Stinson, president of U.S. life insurance for Genworth, said in a phone interview. "We'll try to take that risk off the table."
Rates Near Zero
The Federal Open Market Committee raised its assessment of the economy on March 13, repeating that interest rates are likely to stay low at least through late 2014. The central bank in December 2008 lowered its target overnight interest rate to a range of zero to 0.25 percent.
Genworth fell less than 1 percent to $8.74 yesterday in New York. It has risen 33 percent this year, the second-best performance in the 24-company KBW Insurance Index.
Long-term care policies provide coverage to help pay for home-health aides or residence in nursing homes or assisted-living facilities. Genworth invests its premiums and relies on portfolio returns to pay claims and book profits.
Genworth Chief Executive Officer Michael Fraizer said in 2009 that he was directing resources to life insurance and long-term care after losses on retirement products and mortgage guaranties. U.S. mortgage insurance has been unprofitable for the company for four straight years through 2011.
Shut It Down
Mark Meiners, a professor of health administration and policy at George Mason University, said some insurers felt "stuck" because they're facing elevated risk on long-term care and can't get regulatory approval for higher rates.
"It's easier to just shut it down when it's a small part of your business," Meiners said in a phone interview from Fairfax, Virginia.
MetLife CEO Steven Kandarian said this month that the retreat from long-term care and the decision to scale back offerings of variable annuities will help "strike the right balance between growth, profitability and risk." MetLife has been focusing on expansion in Latin America and Asia after the purchase in 2010 of American Life Insurance Co. for about $16 billion.
The number of Americans age 65 and older may more than double to 71 million by 2030, and about 70 percent will require some form of long-term care, according to a 2010 industry research report by Prudential. "We see the underlying consumer need as being undeniable," Genworth's Stinson said.
The insurer said last month that it had received approvals to charge policyholders more in 39 U.S. states as of Dec. 31.
"Genworth's people are looking at this and saying, 'Down the line, this could be an exceedingly profitable business for us,'" said Slome.


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Ah, Christmastime. What a wonderful time of year. In our nation's capital, a record snowfall has blanketed the city, creating a beautiful backdrop for a legislative disaster of epic proportions that is unfolding within the hallowed walls of the U.S. Capitol.
In the spirit of the holidays, I thought I'd write a light-hearted tribute to the season, but then, around 1 a.m. Monday, the Senate secured its 60 votes needed to move forward with healthcare reform, derailing any hopes for jovial Christmas prose or sugarplum fairies to dance in my head.
Each year, The Brunswick Beacon highlights some of the community's most interesting people in its annual 10 Most Interesting feature. Once a year, a single issue of the paper is devoted to telling the stories and featuring photos of those readers suggest are among the most interesting in Brunswick.
This year, when we made a call for suggestions, we received more than we anticipated. With so many good suggestions, we wondered how we could do more than just feature 10 people this year.
To the editor: I am not a scientist, just a logical thinker, however, I do rely on what scientists have said in decades before we ever coined the phrase global warming.
I want to you to ask yourselves something, a simple question and then answer it with a logical answer. Ten thousand years ago we 'supposedly' had mammoth glaciers covering most of North America and elsewhere. Answer me this, where did they go?
There were no people to speak of, no industrialized nations, etc. They just simply went away, part of the continuing cycle of the Earth.
We all know TV commercials are easy targets for sarcastic comments and putdowns, especially today with all the direct marketing spots for "ShamWOW" and the like.
For my first worst-of-the-year list, I'm going after commercials, but not the "But Wait! There's More!" variety that are so bad they're almost good.
To the editor: The Shallotte Inlet is becoming increasingly dangerous. The buoys are out of place and it is shoaling drastically. Those factors make for a deadly combination.
Recently, my son and I returned from sea and almost became victims of the Shallotte Inlet. Thanks to his boating skills, we avoided disaster. We opted to enter via the Lockwood's Folly Inlet, which has its own set of problems.
To the editor: There are two essential differences between Bush's military surge in Iraq and that of President Obama's in Afghanistan.
President Bush, despite enormous political opposition from all quarters, was wholeheartedly committed to victory in Iraq. When he explained his rational for the surge in Iraq, President Bush used the word "victory." Nowhere in his speech did Obama speak of victory. He spoke of a successful "conclusion."
To the editor: To residents of Carolina Shores: I wish to offer a formal apology for what appears to be an error in judgment with regards to last month's closed session. I was under the impression everything talked about was connected to the personnel issue.
The issues that have faced this town over the past months are so intertwined it's hard to figure out what is a personnel issue and what is not. The last thing we as a council want to do is have personal issues as well as personnel issues talked about in open session.
To the editor: Regarding Norm Harding's editorial tribute to his best friend Bob: While I'm sorry for his loss I wonder if his "free spirit" best friend also visited my yard, depositing the results of his feedings in my flowerbeds and/or driveway.
I also wonder if Bob parked himself by my bird feeders and birdbath much to the consternation of my feathered friends.
Copyright © 2016
The Brunswick Beacon is your source for local news, sports, events and information in Brunswick County, North Carolina and surrounding areas.


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For many ESL students learning to write good English is much more difficult than learning to speak. Even advanced level students face this problem. There… Continue reading
The summary of a passage is the passage in its shortened form. In a summary, we only express the main ideas. And to keep it… Continue reading
How to summarize a given passage
In the busy world of today people have little time to read long winding reports and documents. Summaries, on the other hand, are easy to… Continue reading
Paragraph writing tips
A paragraph is the smallest unit of prose composition. It may be defined as a group of sentences relating to a single topic. Every form… Continue reading
A precis is a summary. Precis writing is an exercise in compression. A precis is the gist of a passage expressed in as few words… Continue reading


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When you die in Dungeons of Dredmor and permadeath is enabled the game gives you a score. Any ideas how the score is calculated?
I think it's based entirely on monsters killed and experience earned. I don't know if they've reset it, but when the game first came out you could actually load up the files with monster stats in them and change the score value of the monsters. This is how people were posting scores of like 4 billion... they'd just change the value of a blobby, kill it, then die to have Steam record the score. So I know for sure kills play a major role.
I can't remember whether or not simply earning earning experience outside of kills (such as through the Archaeology skills) raised score, but if they did, it was a very insignificant percentage.


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Optimist's Shakespeare: Try it, you'll like it
Two weeks ago, director Tom Reed had fully intended to make another round of cuts to Shakespeare's "As You Like It" — slimming the run time to just over two hours — before Optimist Theatre opened its production in Riverwest's Kadish Park. Am I ever glad that he had second thoughts.
When Optimist's press preview performance ended Thursday night — two hours and 45 minutes after it began — my aching body was screaming for a seat cushion and the ground on which I was sitting was wet with dew. »Read Full Article
Trail of Dead rides the edge of intensity at Cactus Club
Chaos, wildness, freedom, anarchy: Rock 'n' roll doesn't really embody these states of being; it only simulates them. Some bands are simply better at verisimilitude than others.
At the Cactus Club on Friday night, ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead created an extraordinary 3-D simulation of lighted fuses, anticipatory countdowns and shrapnel-filled explosions. »Read Full Article
'Born to Royalty' movie offers history of royal baby-watching
If there's two things America loves about Britain at the moment, it's "Downton Abbey" and the impending royal baby.
There's a movie that can feed both passions while we wait for Prince William and Catherine Middleton's firstborn to take center stage. »Read Full Article
Off to a hungry start? Find a farmers markets — and great eats, too
The oppressive heat has fled, but your need for good eats hasn't.
Good thing so many farmers markets are open Saturday mornings. »Read Full Article(1)
Crazy Water on the Cooking Channel's 'America's Best Bites' Saturday
Crazy Water, 839 S. 2nd St., will be in the spotlight on Saturday; that's when Peggy Magister and Anthony Betzhold's restaurant will be on the Cooking Channel's "America's Best Bites" show.
It airs at 3:30 p.m. and focuses on Crazy Water and Magister, the chef, for the entire episode. »Read Full Blog Post


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Lillie McCloud, the 54-year-old grandmother belted out "A House is Not a Home" and brought the "X-Factor" judges to near tears with her performance.
Mrs. McCloud is teamed up with Kelly Rowland for her "Over 25″ team.
What do you think about her performance?
Celebs Who Are Getting Better with Time
28 photos Launch gallery


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Cricket Australia Orders Two Reviews After 3-1 Home Ashes Loss
Cricket Australia ordered independent reviews of the governance of the sport in the country and national team performance following the 3-1 Ashes loss to England last month.
The Melbourne-based governing body said today the two separate reviews would begin later this month and wants them completed by its annual general meeting in October.
"We will confirm the names of review participants once the scoping has been agreed and before they start discussions with the wide range of stakeholders involved in the respective issues," Cricket Australia Chairman Jack Clarke said in an e-mailed statement.
The move mirrors that made by the England and Wales Cricket Board in 2007 after England lost an Ashes series 5-0 for the first time in 86 years. While it's not yet known who will conduct the review into team performance, former Australian Football League commissioner Colin Carter and David Crawford, who led a government-funded inquiry into soccer in Australia in 2002, will assist with the governance review, Clarke said.
Australia's 3-1 Ashes defeat was its first home loss to England for 24 years and worst series reverse since 1988-89. The touring team only had to bat once in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney as Australia lost three matches in a series by more than an innings for the first time in 134 years of Test cricket.
"The reviews will get underway once the terms of reference, scope and timelines have been finalized by the independent consultants to be engaged by the board," Clarke added.


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Eastman expansion: plans & groundbreaking
POSTED: 5:43 PM Oct 29 2013
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More jobs are coming to Kingsport and Tuesday officials broke ground on the new Eastman Chemical corporate headquarters building, bringing hundreds of jobs closer to becoming reality.
The views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use.
Popular now on WCYB.com


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Warrior Upper-Body and Abs Challenge
Up your fitness with an easy-to-install pull-up bar
Get up everyone — it's time for a fitness challenge! We are going to work your upper body and abdominals using only three basic (but effective!) exercises. You will need only two things for this body-weight series: a pull-up bar and your muscles.
Be sure to warm up first, then complete the series of exercises a total of 3-5 times. Don't forget to stretch when you're done!


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The New Batman Adventures (TV Series)
Mad Love (1999)
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Darkspell. The world on the other side.
Darkspell is an Extraplanar world that collides with all of time. People shaped this so thoroughly, so precisely, so powerfully, that it cannot be reshaped, except by the original creators. People roam here with the technology of all times. Many use swords and energy weapons, with an Ak-47 on their back and magic ready to destroy. This world is isolated, alone. The people roam, and some are taken out of the Extraplanar to the real worlds. But most of the few drifters end up on a different Darkspell. Darkspell takes up 7 dimensions, each of which is looked over by one of the creators. Or so they though. What is really known as Darkspell is the one that most closely mirrors the real worlds. There is no known ruling higher begin, no known "god" of sorts. The difference here is, people are occasionally granted the powers of the elements that only the 6 creators can use, and are made of. In what is known as "True Darkspell", wars for power rage. Resistance rise. Armies fall.
And you live. You are a very powerful person. You live how you want. You die how you want. You are not immortal, but you are powerful. Your advantage over everybody else is magic. Yours is stronger than all others. And magic… magic is might in this world. So, how do you use your power? That… is up to you.


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Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc. (ULTA)
Industry: Consumer Services
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Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc. (ULTA)
Q3 2011 Earnings Conference Call
December 01, 2011 5:00 PM ET
Allison Malkin – ICR, Inc.
Chuck Rubin – President and CEO
Gregg Bodnar – CFO
Ike Boruchow – JPMorgan
Neely Tamminga – Piper Jaffray
Daniel Hofkin – William Blair & Company
Erika Maschmeyer – Robert W. Baird
Christina – Oppenheimer & Company
Jason Gere - RBC Capital Markets
Evren Kopelman - Wells Fargo Securities
Jill Caruthers - Johnson Rice & Company LLC
Elizabeth Howell - Raymond James
Shreya Jawalkar – Jefferies & Company
Previous Statements by ULTA
» Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance CEO Discusses Q2 2011 Results - Earnings Call Transcript
» Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrances, Inc. Q3 2009 (Qtr End 10/31/09) Earnings Call Transcript
» Ulta Salon Cosmetics & Fragrances, Inc. Q2 2009 Earnings Call Transcript
It is now my pleasure to introduce your host, Allison Malkin of ICR. Thank you, Ms. Malkin. You may begin.
Allison Malkin
Thank you. Good afternoon. Before we get started, I would like to remind you of the Company's Safe Harbor language, which I'm sure you're all familiar with.
The statements contained in this conference call, which are not historical facts, may be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual future results may differ materially from those projected in such statements, due to a number of risks and uncertainties, all of which are described in the Company's filings with the SEC. We will make references during this call to the metrics free cash flow, a non-GAAP financial measure defined as cash provided by operating activities, minus the purchases of property and equipment.
Now, I would like to turn the call over to Ulta's President and CEO, Chuck Rubin.
Chuck Rubin
Thanks, Allison. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us to discuss our fiscal 2011 third quarter results. On the call with me today is our Chief Financial Officer, Gregg Bodnar.
Following my opening remarks, Gregg will review our third quarter financial results and provide our outlook. I will then offer some closing comments and turn the call over to the operator so that we can answer the questions you have for us today.
We are very pleased to continue our positive performance and deliver better than expected third quarter sales and earnings. Briefly touching on our results for the third quarter, net sales rose 21.8% to $413.1 million from $339.2 million last year.
Comparable store sales grew 9.6%. This is on top of last year's 12.2% for a two-year comp gain of 21.8%. Comparable store sales were driven by traffic growth, but also included an increase in average ticket.
Gross profit margin rose 100 basis points including 60 basis points of merchandise margin expansion. Strong sales growth, combined with expansion in gross profit margins and leverage in SG&A, led to an 82.1% increase in operating income, with operating margin up 350 basis points to 10.7% of net sales.
Net income increased by 88% and income per diluted share increased to $0.42 from $0.23 in the third quarter last year. Our strong performance resulted in us capturing additional market share during the quarter with our comp sales led by strong gains in prestige color and skin.
We introduced to all stores new brands including Laura Geller Cosmetics and Art of Shaving for men. In addition, we introduced new products from existing brands, including Urban Decay's anniversary palette, Book of Shadows 4, Tarte's True Blood, MIA 2 from Clarisonic and Sally Hansen Nail. We also saw a strong growth from brands recently introduced such as Philosophy. All of these product elements combined to fuel our sales growth.
Our new fragrance introductions also performed well. These included Coach Poppy Flowers, Jennifer Aniston, Estee Lauder Sensuous Nude and Taylor Swift Wonderstruck. We believe our strong third quarter fragrance sales bodes well for fourth quarter sales given the category's importance during the gift-giving season.
During the quarter, we successfully completed the introduction of Lancome to 29 stores across four markets and have been very pleased with the initial performance.
In store, we continue to focus on our customer service levels and are proud that our service scores are reaching new highs. We remain committed to providing the best environment and experience within the beauty industry for our guests.
The successful expansion of our store base continued with the opening of 28 new stores in Q3. We ended the quarter with 442 locations. Early in the fourth quarter, we completed our 2011 store program with the opening of seven additional new stores. This brought our new store openings to a total of 61 for the year, representing a 16% expansion in square footage. We continued to be pleased with the performance of our new stores which are performing above our expectations.
We are also pleased with our 2012 of new store pipeline and now expect to accelerate the pace of our new store openings next year to include square footage expansion at the upper end of the 15% to 20% long-term goal we have previously communicated.
Our site selection process continues to maintain the same rigor as you have come to expect from us. The expected acceleration in our 2012 square footage growth is the result of a very good flow of high quality existing retail locations. We are confident that these new 2012 store sites are of the same high quality as our sites over these past years.
Read the rest of this transcript for free on seekingalpha.com


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I went and saw "Step Up 4: The Revolution" last night. I went, after having watched all three of the previous movies in the franchise, expecting an epically terrible movie with amazing dancing. And that's exactly what I got.
But, I was so excited when I saw the trailer for the movie "The Perks of Being a Wallflower." I haven't even read the book, and yet I still feel that it shaped my high school years, at least in some way.
I'm excited for a movie that doesn't necessarily have to be "about" anything. I'm excited to see Emma Watson in a role that doesn't have a long black robe and a talented wand included. But I'm really excited for the writing of this movie.
Some of my already favorite lines include "Be. Aggressive! Passive. Aggressive!" and "I got a C-! I am below average! BELOW AVERAGE!"
It's stories like this that inspire me to go home and also write good stories. And it's movies like Step Up 4 that inspire me to go home and write better ones.
But the dancing is really quite fantastic.


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A lot of people liked this one, and the color scheme was well received. Sadly, this is as far as the brand would go in that direction.
Done late October, 2006.
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House Republicans Agree to Pass Payroll Tax Cut Extension
After an unsuccessful standoff, they will accept the two-month extension.
Republicans in the House of Representatives are prepared to cave in and accept a two-month extension on the payroll tax cut after a days-long standoff rejecting the Senate's version of the bill. The National Journal reports that the House's version will include "a technical correction to the language designed to minimize difficulties businesses might experience implementing the short-term, two-month tax cut extension," but it won't be the one-year alternative that tea party Republicans in the House were pushing for.
Despite the Senate passing the bill 89-11 and then going home, the House adjourned after voting to send the bill to a bicameral committee. "We've done our work for the American people," said House Speaker John Boehner earlier this week. "Now, it's up to the president and Democrats in the Senate to do their job as well." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reluctantly agreed to appoint people to the committee, but pressure from the White House and a boatload of bad press seem to have made more negotiations unnecessary for now.
Even fellow Republicans were pushing Boehner to make a move. "I don't think that my constituents should have a tax increase because of Washington's dysfunction," said Representative Sean Duffy. "An 'all or nothing' attitude is not what my constituents need now," concurred Representative Rick Crawford in a letter to Boehner. "We are now in a position ... that requires Republicans to not only demand a willingness to compromise, but to offer it as well."
Now, it seems, the holdouts have agreed to retreat. Merry Christmas, President Obama, and to those whose taxes won't be going up for now.


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5 Reviews
If you really want to get cajun = buy some fresh sweet potatoes, and bake them at 425 degrees, till the juice starts running out of them. Then let them cool to room temperature for the gumbo meal that night. After your guest serve themselves the gumbo & rice, suggest that they cut a sweet potato into 1 inch chunks, and add it to their gumbo. Oh it's so heavenly it'll make your teeth chatter. Another optional thing to add to your gumbo is a little vinegar. Start with a teaspoon full, then gradually add a little at a time if you need more. Be very careful though, a little too much vinegar, and that will be all you taste = it will overcome the taste of the gumbo.
This dish is very good. It is basically the exact way that I have always made mine except I add seafood instead of the chicken. It is also good with a bit of cayenne pepper for heat. My daughter and husband even sprinkle a bit of Old Bay Seasoning on theirs.
Very easy and very good! I kept second guessing myself, but everything turned out great! Not to sound cliche, but I did add some of Emeril's Essence and that "kicked it up a notch"! ;)
This is the best stuff in the world. Thank God for instant roux. I made this stuff from scratch once and I was in the kitchen ALL day. I made this recipe for a dinner party and everyone loved it. I was living in Mobile, AL at the time and you just cant fake gumbo down there. Great recipe! Thanks!
I loved this dish! It made an awful lot, so bring your appetite.


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|Boxing Champions | Boxing Schedule | Boxing Video | Boxing History | Pound For Pound | Lounge | The Wire | Arcade
Join Date: May 2011
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Tonight! Britain's Best: The Gloves are Off (David Haye, Carl Froch, Amir Khan)
On Sky Sports 1 at 10pm (UK).
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Got it on record should be good
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Looking foward to this , want to hear Hayes answer to froch asking him about the toe lol . Not sure why agogo is on there but should be good
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Froch and Khan really hate each other, so this should be fun
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Yeah I got nothing against Ogogo but he was hyped for the olympics and only got a bronze, and he's still on TV telling me to eat a Subway sandwich.
No thanks, I'll have what Carl Froch is having.
Khan and Froch are always a bit frosty towards each other which should be good.
They should have had kell brook on though...
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Anybody know where this dislike for each other came from. Why don't khan and froch like each other. Was it certain incident or something?
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it's not britains best without gavin rees
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either way ogogo is a very good prospect just starting his career and it will be interesting to see what advice some of the other fighters have for him not to mention his view on amateur boxing being much closer to it than the others.
i wish they had degale, groves or eubank in there as well though and another olympian. then you would have a great mix of fighters in various stages of their careers.
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1. Art supplies look like chalks, except you don't use it on blackboards.
2. Best video game babe ever. She is from the game TwinBee.
2. Best video game babe ever. She is from the game TwinBee.
1. We take this pastel, and color your drawing with it.
2. Pastel is the hottest video game babe ever.
2. Pastel is the hottest video game babe ever.
by ChoujinkiMetalder June 17, 2005
Trending Now
Top Definition
A color so bright its not a color it becomes a way of life
This is so pastel its not even a color
by Megan Spooner July 14, 2003
when something is so amazing you have to use a more colorful word to describe it.
did you see that dance move? it was so pastel.
by jonny t-shirt April 26, 2009
a term referring to high school, soon-to-be college frat boys who possess the confidence to wear pastel, button-down shirts in an effort to show off their year-round tans achieved through their jet-setting parents who travel frequently throughout the year to exotic destinations most people only dream about.
I witnessed Brittany hanging with a group of pastels at the high school pep rally.
by pubjunkie February 27, 2016
Slang for Asleep or passed out
Dude look at your dog that run made him so tired hes Pastel as fuck
by Mcgruff the dog January 18, 2010
lacrosse stick
"go some spoons(lax sticks) in my closet....gotta get rid of some of those pastels"
by Brantford May 21, 2009
I love going to math class, my teachers got nice pastels.
by Brick Riggid November 08, 2009


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All around player looking to take it up to the next level. Has catching experiance, plays 3rd and outfeild. Geting pitching and batting lessons at this time. Located near Anderson IN. 7655771453
Bump for a 2001 player needing a team!
01 with a strong bat!
ACTIVE is the leader in online event registrations from 5k running races and marathons to softball leagues and local events. ACTIVE also makes it easy to learn and prepare for all the things you love to do with expert resources, training plans and fitness calculators.


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ODT Online
ODT /directory
A minute's silence has been observed for the 185 people who
were killed in the 2011 Canterbury earthquake, as hundreds
gathered to mark the third anniversary of the tragedy.
It marked a "turning point" for Christchurch, mayor Lianne
Dalziel said during her speech at a memorial service held
today at the Archery Lawn in the city's Botanic Gardens.
"We have been through a lot as a city and there is still much
healing to be done," she said, adding that "sensitivity and
empathy will help guide us through this fourth year".
"Let us unite as we did after the earthquakes. For those of
us who have been able to move on, let us reach out to those
who are still struggling.
"For those who cannot move on, please do not be afraid to ask
for our help... We can get through this together."
Ms Dalziel said she had recently met with families of some of
those who died during quake which devastated the city, who
said they wanted lessons to be learned from the disaster.
"Their overriding message is that we honour the people lost
in the earthquake by learning lessons from what happened and
using the rebuild as an opportunity to make Christchurch a
better place and an example of a truly safe city," she said.
"When someone dies in circumstances that might have been
prevented, one of the only things that can create meaning
from the loss is the knowledge that someone in the future has
been saved from going through the pain of losing someone in
such circumstances.
"It is the best way to honour those whose lives were lost."
The legacy of the quake and its aftermath would be how the
city had come together to "do something" to help, she said,
saying it was a "spirit we must encourage".
"It is this sense of optimism and creativity that can be a
legacy of our experience, making Christchurch not only a safe
city but one which enables each one of us to create the life
we want to lead," she said.
"Let us claim our future - remembering our past, honouring
those whose lives were lost or changed forever, acknowledging
the significance of Christchurch being the final resting
place of many from overseas and what that means for their
families, respecting all who make Christchurch their home and
creating for ourselves a sense of place where we all belong.
- Patrice Dougan of APNZ
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Rose Royce exploded on the music scene in the summer of 1976 thanks to "Car Wash," a No. 1 song from the movie soundtrack of the same name starring the iconic Richard Pryor. Considered by many to be one of the most underrated groups to hail from the 1970s soul music era, Rose Royce is back.
A resurgence of their music, through continued airplay and steady covers by admiring artists, has kept the group's classy funk and soul flowing well into the 21st century.
Rose Royce and special guest Slave will appear in concert March 15 at the Celebrity Theatre. Kenny Copeland, the group's co-founder and trumpet player, spoke exclusively to GetOut to promote what promises to be a special night of music.
Q: There's nothing quite like funk and rhythm and blues music from the 1970s. Why was that sound and that era so special?
KC: At that time in the industry, you really had to have talent. When we recorded our music, it was pre-electronic, and everything you heard on the record was the real deal. Real songwriters, real musicians, real singers, no double tracking or machines. When you heard a trumpet or saxaphone, we were blowing that sound, and no machine was correcting us. There was a human element to everything, which made the music stand out.
Today, you can take a person who doesn't know how to play an instrument or sing properly and make them sound almost perfect because of technology. When we first recorded the album 'Car Wash,' which was a double album, it took us about six months. Because of today's technology, we could record that album in probably about 45 days. But there was a lot of heart and soul in our work, and I think that's why Rose Royce has stood the test of time.
Q: I was surprised to learn that Rose Royce was an instrumental band before you broke through.
KC: We were primarily a show band with lots of instrumentals, but I'd do a few vocals here and there. But if you recall, Kool & The Gang were an instrumental band, too. Once (producer) Norman Whitfield came to South Central to see us, he said, 'You guys are good but you need a lead singer.'
He actually gave us a choice, asking if we wanted a guy or girl. Well, there were already eight of us guys, so we decided on a female. That's how we ended up with Gwen Dickey as our first lead singer.
Q: Who were your musical idols growing up?
KC: Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & The Gang, and of course, James Brown, who was everybody's idol. And let me say this — they were not only talented and professional but hard workers. They blazed the path and gave people a hand up in the business. What annoys me about this younger generation is that they don't have as much respect for us as we did for the artists who came before us. Their attitude is, what we did in the past doesn't count if we don't have a three or four million dollar house today.
Q: The song 'Car Wash,' your biggest hit, is one of the quintessential songs of the 1970s. I heard Whitfield pushed you to do something like 75 takes before calling it a wrap.
KC: We spent about two weeks at Norman Whitfield's house, thinking about the concept of the album and how we should start it off. Near the end of the stay, we finally came up with the hand claps that you hear in the intro of the song, 'Car Wash.' From there we started building the parts of the song, and it was very intricate. We recorded it so many times that it go to the point where it was monotonous. At some point, you have to walk away and say, 'This is the way it's going to be.' Finally at 3 a.m. in the morning, we all agreed that we weren't going to do it anymore. We did about 75 takes, and guess which one was the master? The first take! But we put in the hard work and were rewarded. The song exploded all over the world.
Q: From 'Car Wash,' the hits came one after the other, most notably 'I Wanna Get Next To You,' 'Wishing On A Star' and 'Love Don't Live Here Anymore.'
KC: Yes, but there was a downside to all of that ... you do one album that's a smash and everybody expects you to duplicate that success. You start getting into that mindset where every album that follows has to sell a million copies or it's a failure. For us, our first three albums were platinum or gold, but trust me, it does not always go that way. So even though we had great success, every time we recorded an album, we had to act like it was our last one because the bar was set so high with 'Car Wash.'
Q: Rose Royce has a tremendous reputation as a live act. Can you describe it?
KC: Tell Phoenix that we 'bring it,' baby!
• Read more at PressPassBlog.com, the source for Phoenix metro concert news.


text:
Tie Bar, Dual Cylinder - SeaStar Solutions
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Steve Morgan
I'm a bit of an old-timer, having been 'in the business' since the early 80's.
These days, I work for a 'large global IT organisation' in the UK architecting some fairly grand solutions. They're principally around Microsoft technologies which I've been specialising in since the early 90's. And when nobody's looking, I cut some code, too.
If I have any spare time, I often spend it in my photographic studio.
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FILE - In this Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012 file photo, Syrians search for the bodies of two girls thought to be under the rubble of a building hit during an airstrike by Syrian government forces in Aleppo, Syria. Its forces stretched thin on multiple fronts, President Bashar Assad's regime has significantly increased its use of air power against Syrian rebels in recent weeks, causing mounting civilian casualties. The shift is providing useful clues about the capability of the air force as Western powers consider the option of enforcing a no-fly zone over the northern part of the country. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra, File)


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This is a split board - You can return to the Split List for other boards.
Bronzor.I pretend not to be the date and walk back out of the diner. <.<
You show up at the diner, and text the number given to you, notifying that you've arrived. This pokemon stands up and waves you down. What do?http://www.wyncorporation.com/pokemon/Minccino, I got lucky~Hope she likes me! Maybe we can cuddle and watch netflix later.
You are not allowed to request a sticky.


text:
Catford and Bromley Macc.
Welcome to the Catford & Bromley Maccabi homepage.
COMPETITIONS ENTERED: Division Two, Peter Morrison Trophy and Cyril Anekstein Cup
HOPES FOR THE SEASON: We are aiming for a top two finish to secure promotion and are looking to put Catford back to where they should be.
NEW SQUAD ADDITIONS:We have made no less than 17 new signings with one or two still to come in. We have a squad of around 23 players. Will not be revealing to much but we have a lot of talented youngsters who will bring pace and excitement to the team.
PLAYERS OUT: Only four players have remained from last season
WHAT WILL YOUR TEAM BRING TO THE LEAGUE THIS SEASON? excitement, youth and a brand of football only known to those in the higher ends of the leagues
MAIN RIVALS: I predict that Scrabble, Lions and L'Equipe will all prove to be decent outfits.
CAPTAINS:Richard Adams and Guy Ben Aroya will both be our leaders
HOME GROUND: Meadow Park, Borehamwood


text:
Hi all
In the Twenty Twelve theme in the HEADER, I want to add someting and also align or justify it to the right of the page.
Almost like having a table with the Site Title and Tag Line in the left cell, and then the other stuff in the right cell.
I want to add a picture or perhaps "Addthis Follow" buttons there.
Can somebody help me with the code for the header to be able to do this please?
Currenlty my addthis follow buttons goes underneath the site title and tag line, instead of to the right of it. (it's a one liner php call, but I don't have a clue how to align it NEXT to other things)


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text:
Parity Time: Large-Scale Solar Power Plants Now Cost Effective in Oregon
The Oregon Solar Energy Industries Association has just published a major new peer-reviewed study, Vision to Integrate Solar in Oregon (VISOR). Bonneville Environmental Foundation was the principal sponsor of this work by Chris Robertson & Associates. The VISOR report can be found here.
The key findings are that:
- Large scale PV power plants are now cost effective in both PacifiCorp and Portland General Electric service areas, using PURPA avoided cost rates as the revenue stream for the plants.
- Oregon could produce 20% of its electricity from 65 square miles of land. If this was all agricultural land it would be 1/4 of 1% of Oregon's farm land. Agricultural production (e.g. grazing small animals, honey production) could be maintained on the land.
- Building-level distributed generation is not yet cost-effective. This is due mainly to a market design that is small, fragmented and does not enable contractors to get to economies of scale.
- Remaining market barriers will need to be addressed. These include finance, land use, improved interconnection processes, transmission and distribution upgrades, permit streamlining, and others.
- A Feed-in-Tariff regime should be designed to accommodate both utility scale and building level PV DG so as to drive down costs in both market segments and achieve a "reasonable" long term average cost of solar energy resources for the grid.
- Monetizing the carbon value from installing solar makes it even more cost-effective (see figure).
The economic performance of a solar power plant built in Central Oregon and interconnected to PacifiCorp's transmission and distribution system. The energy would be sold to PacifiCorp via a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA). PPA revenue is based on the utility's 2012 avoided cost rates as regulated by the Oregon Public Utility Commission (PUC). The levelized $/MWh is shown for the production cost (red bars), PPA revenue (blue bars) and PPA revenue plus the value of avoided carbon emissions (green bars).
The full study is here.
— Chris Robertson is a business consultant, innovator and entrepreneur in the clean energy technology industry. For more than thirty years his work has been focused on how to accelerate the transition to a sustainable energy economy powered by renewable energy systems. Robertson can be contacted at email@example.com
4 Responses to Parity Time: Large-Scale Solar Power Plants Now Cost Effective in Oregon
I actually worked on a related study, looking at the economic impacts of implementing electric-vehicle adoptions and other low-carbon fuels in the state of Oregon. The electric-vehicle adoption scenario produced by far the most eocnomically positive outcome for the state. These benefits came from the spending on EV infrastructure and from lower per-mile vehicle and fuel costs to individuals and businesses. That study can be found here: http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/committees/advcomLowCarbonFuel.htm.
The synergy of these two effects – cost-effectiveness of clean generation that you talk about and adoption of vehicles that have lower per-mile costs to consumers – present a real opportunity for the "win-win" scenario of large-scale environmental and economic benefits.
You mention "avoided cost rates". That means that for this to actually be cost effective that there have to be ACTUAL costs that are avoided. In practice this means that there need to be dispatchable power plants which can be turned off when the solar plants are producing power.
Sounds like an interesting and positive report.
I have a couple of quibbles. Since the piece here is written by the report author, I'd prefer to see the piece written in the first person, so the sourcing is really clear.
And I'm not convinced that the august term "peer-reviewed," applied prominently in the first sentence, is meaningfully appropriate.
The report does not appear to be peer reviewed research, in the sense of "published in a major peer-reviewed journal" – but all those words are used to give that kind of impression.
I see something that looks similar with government agency reports from time to time. They get sent around to a bunch of connected people in the field, who reliably say, "great report, Joe!" And then they call it peer-reviewed.
When this watered-down meaning is repeated, the ttruly important meaning of peer-reviewed science starts to get lost in the PR undertow.
Kevin good catch. I agree, "peer-reviewed" seems to be used quite loosely here.
It may be best to delete that wording from the post.
Reading the report it looks like the economic analysis includes all current federal subsidies. (See report page 15).
It also assumes an all-in installed cost of $2.40/Watt-dc (page 27). I'm not an expert in utility-scale solar so don't know if this is appropriate (though the report presents several cases to suggest it is).
Finally, the post's author (and report author, as you Kevin point out) does not seem to have very much of a background posted on his website. Not even a brief bio. I'd recommend to the author Chris that s/he put something up!
Overall, this report looks very encouraging and I'll be bookmarking it for future reference.


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Reelabilities Film Festival presents Reel Encounters 2012
February 11, 2012
Program Locations:
Reel Encounters 2012
Various / Various / Various / 60 min
A selection of award-winning films from around the globe.
I Don't Want to Go Back Alone
Daniel Ribeiro, Brazil, 2010, 17 min, Narrative
A 15 year-old blind teenager and his best friend face issues of jealousy and other new feelings when they befriend a new kid in their class.
Rudi Rosenberg, France, 2010, 20 min, Narrative
When Benoit loses a schoolyard bet he must invite Aglaee, a girl with CP, to go out with him.
10:4 (Ten to Four)
Guy Natanel, UK, 2010, 5 min, Documentary
Blindness portrayed through the textures, colors, and sounds. Can the sighted fully comprehend what it means to be blind?
Sound Shadows
Julie Engaas, Norway, 2008, 7min, Documentary
Enter a world where sound gives shape to space.
Anything You Can Do
Emma Buckley, Australia, 2009, 7 min, Narrative
Two boys face off. But when the stakes are at their highest will victory be sweet?
This event is part of the 4th Reelabilities Film Festival
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WATCH: Dick Clark's Rockin New Years Eve 2011 (VIDEO)Sunny Chanel
I'm in the west coast, we still have a couple hours until the stroke of midnight when we say goodbye to 2010 and say a great big hello to 2011. But with kids, we play a little fast and loose with the rules of when midnight – the transition from 2010 to 2010 happens. We celebrated the new years at nine pm. Yes, it's cheating a bit. But if, for whatever reason you want to celebrate midnight again, or what to celebrate it a little early, you can see the video of the ball drop from Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve 2011 right here.
Oh, and happy new years!
Article Posted 6 years Ago


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I take my son here often, and he loves this place! It's great for all ages! The people who work here are wonderful and the place is always neat and clean. The exhibits change frequently so you are never bored with the same old things. They have a wonderful outside area for sunny days. The fee to get in is very cheap, but I would recommend a membership if you live nearby because more than likely you will want to visit all year!
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.


text:
M&S CEO Bolland's Honeymoon May Be Over as Clothing Sales Drop
Marks & Spencer Group Plc Chief Executive Officer Marc Bolland pledged in November to revamp his clothing business by becoming more fashionable. He won't have much to show for the push when he reports sales tomorrow.
The retailer, which Bolland has led for less than a year, may say fourth-quarter sales at stores open at least a year fell 6 percent in the general merchandise unit, according to the average estimate of 15 analysts compiled by Bloomberg. That would be less than the prior quarter's 3.8 percent increase and the worst performance since the third quarter of fiscal 2009.
The 52-year old Dutchman has sought to update his clothing department by eliminating underperforming brands and increasing marketing at others, including the Limited Collection. The line, which includes items such as a 49.50-pound ($80) halterneck jumpsuit, is aimed at winning younger customers who have shopped elsewhere for trendy items. With the "Only at Your M&S" campaign, which features models like Twiggy dancing at a pool party and on yachts in Miami, he's promoting image and style.
"It's not happening fast enough, they are still behind the curve, appealing to an older market," James Monro, an analyst at Standard & Poor's equity research, said by phone. "The more famous faces the better." Monro rates the shares "sell."
Bolland has also been hit by an increasingly cash-strapped shopper. The U.K. consumer has been less willing to spend since January, when a value-added tax increase took effect, and as higher oil prices knocked back spending power. Competitor John Lewis reported a sales decline of 3.8 percent in the week ended March 26, with fashion ranges being the hardest hit.
Late Easter
"From a macro point of view it's tough," said Jan Meijer, an analyst at ING Wholesale Banking. Focusing on brands "is a really good strategy, I'm excited about it and the multi-channel approach looks really amazing. Whether he can prove it remains to be seen."
Sales growth will also be hit by this year's late Easter, which will push business related to the holiday into the first quarter of the new fiscal year, and the fact that most of the post-Christmas sales fell in the prior quarter, analysts said. Those factors combined will reduce same-store sales by about 5 percent, Deutsche Bank AG's Rod Whitehead estimates. He expects Marks & Spencer to say same-store revenue in the general merchandise unit declined by 8 percent.
Expanding Abroad
Bolland is making other changes to boost the business. He announced last week that Marks & Spencer is returning to France this year with a flagship food and clothing-department store on the iconic Parisian boulevard Champs-Elysees. He also hired former Tesco Plc executive Laura Wade-Gery to develop its online platform as the retailer seeks new ways to bolster sales.
The changes haven't yet helped the stock. Marks & Spencer shares have slumped 7.2 percent this year, compared with the 6.3 percent decline of the FTSE 350 General Retailers Index.
"You could say the honeymoon is over because it's time for him to prove his mettle," John Stevenson, a retail analyst at Peel Hunt with a "sell" rating on the stock, said by phone.
Sales at the food unit have also stumbled. Growth probably slowed to 1 percent, the estimates suggest, from 1.8 percent in the prior quarter, the slowest rate in more than a year.
Marks & Spencer, which sells upmarket meals like a 3.99-pound beetroot and goat's cheese risotto, has been among the hardest hit in grocery-store sales growth, which almost halved in the past four weeks, according to Nielsen research. Sales advanced 1.4 percent in the past 12 weeks, the second-slowest pace of the nine major food retailers, Nielsen said.
'Value Perception'
"There is still a value perception issue at M&S relative to peers," said John Guy, an analyst at Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc in London. "It seems to me, unfortunately, that consumers are voting with their feet and shopping elsewhere."
Waitrose Ltd., which offers similar quality produce to Marks & Spencer alongside its cheaper "Essentials" line, performed better than the larger chains, alongside discount stores Aldi Group and Lidl, the Nielsen report shows. Bolland, whose last job was turning around William Morrison Supermarkets Plc, is widening the food range by focusing on innovations such as the "Taste East" range of Asian-inspired nibbles, alongside the "Dine In for 2" dinner promotions for 10 pounds.
Marks & Spencer, whose products are mostly own-brand, appeals to shoppers seeking special meals with its focus on high quality food. That may have weighed on recent sales, along with the lack of an event such as Mother's Day or Easter which attracts shoppers looking to buy a special treat, according to Mike Watson at Nielsen research.
'Too Niche'
"M&S are once more exposed as being too niche for most shoppers," Watson said. The next eight weeks may show a rebound as promotions increase around events like Easter, he said.
Bolland said in January that promotions were at roughly the same level as last year. RBS's Guy estimates that the company is running promotions on as much as 45 percent of goods sold, compared with an industry average of about 39 percent, and that that will weigh on margins.
Still it's not all bad news, according to Tom Gadsby at Matrix. "The newspaper headlines following the M&S update will undoubtedly refer to blood on the high street and a total retail collapse in the U.K.," he said. "We prefer to keep a sense of perspective. This quarter is the least important for M&S, we expect a rapid rebound."


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Improvements may be coming to the Dothan Regional Airport.
Dothan City Commissioners are ready to vote on an issue concerning the airport. It is for whether they will request to cooperate with the airport authority in applying for funding assistance.
The money will go toward building ramps and drainage improvements. The work will benefit the commercial jet facility.
"Were probably looking at an 18 month period to make that work out and that'll have to be timed with commercial jet but were real excited about being able to put that together," said Matt Parker of the Dothan Area Chamber Of Commerce.
Officials say the funding should cover the entire project.


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You can set photo alerts for individual shows or the entire season.
Send photo alerts for all fashion shows this season
Sarah Burton's debut outing as creative director
How to have fun in the sun
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Video Industry News Video Company News Technology Industry News Technology Company News Novelty Industry News Novelty Company News Gay Industry News Gay Company News Legal Industry News All Company News
Released: Aug 01st, 2001
Running Time: 85
Director: Jim Powers
Company: JM Productions
Cast: Patricia (I), Kinky, Mickey G., Valentino (I), Rafe, Flick Shagwell, Rick Masters, Nick East, Summer Storm, Herschel Savage
Critical Rating: AAA 1/2
Genre: All-Sex
With other volumes of the series.
Some good stuff here if you ignore the opener. Okay, we couldn't ignore the opener and it warrants a mention because it's incredibly irritating. Why, oh why are male performers not known for their humor allowed to ad-lib? In fake English accents? Whatever heat manages to build in box cover blonde Kinky's d.p. with Valentino and Rafe vanishes amid the guys' constant barrage of witticisms involving Sherlock Holmes and strumpets.
However, ad-libbing actually works well in the scene that follows, as Mickey G. invites pal Herschel Savage over to help him sodomize his sweet, little "step-daughter" Flick Shagwell. Nasty little games abound, and Mickey's contention that Shagwell is "making Daddy so hard" by sucking his friend off rocks the whole sordid, pseudo-incestuous house.
Also worth watching is Nick East as Summer Storm's "foster father." She's a brat who's busy punching holes in the ceiling with a stick when East asks her to clean up her room. "I'm doing what your daddy should have done a long time ago," he snaps, yanking her little yellow overalls down, whipping out his dick and shoving it into her teenage cooch and ass. She agrees it's the sort of behavior modification she needs. She really seems to enjoy the experience, too.


text:
Compounding makes results much better
Published: Monday, March 7, 2005 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, March 7, 2005 at 12:00 a.m.
To The Editor: The Tuesday writer who said he "doesn't see how Bush's plan helps anyone" doesn't understand the "miracle of compounding."
You have to do the math. I used his number of $1,000 per year for 45 years and multiplied it by 11 percent per year, the average return for the U.S. stock market since the year 1900. His $45,000 becomes $1,095,168.
If he begins withdrawing a safe 4 percent per year beginning after the 45th year, his annual income would be $43,807, plus what he gets from Social Security. That amount should increase each year as the other 96 percent remains invested. He should still have a tidy sum left at his death to leave to his heirs.
In my opinion, AARP is on the wrong side of reality. It calls the stock market a "gamble." An average return of 11 percent a year for the last 105 years sounds closer to a sure thing than a gamble.
Some will answer by pointing out Enron and Worldcom. If you live your life only considering the worst case scenario, then no one would ever own or ride in an automobile because thousands of people die each year in accidents.
James W. Bailey
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text:
Shares in a Bankrupt Electronics Company Are Soaring Because Dumb People Think It's Twitter
Efficient markets!
Tweeter, an electronics chain that went bankrupt in 2008, is having a great day today. Tweeter's stock was up more than 1,000 percent earlier today, not because the market is suddenly optimistic about its prospects for a comeback, but because its ticker symbol, TWTRQ, is one letter away from Twitter's eventual symbol, TWTR, and because "Tweeter" sounds enough like "Twitter" to confuse a few very dumb and/or elderly stock-market investors.
As a reminder, Twitter has not gone public yet.


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Spanish ConjumaniaFree
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ODT Online
ODT /directory
Trustpower's $400 million Mahinerangi wind farm has been
approved by the Environment Court, the Otago Daily
Times has been told.
No official details were available yesterday.
Upland Landscape Protection Society legal co-ordinator Ewan
Carr said in Cromwell yesterday the wind farm had been
approved by the court, "subject to conditions".
"But we don't know what the conditions are.
We will reserve comment until we've a bit more understanding
of the decision," he said.
The project was originally approved by a joint committee of
the Clutha District Council and the Otago Regional Council
late last September, with 178 conditions.
The wind farm, on 1723ha of land about 50km west of Dunedin,
will have 100 145m-high turbines capable of generating 200MW
of power - enough to supply about 100,000 average-size homes.
The Upland Landscape Protection Society was the main
appellant in a subsequent appeal to the Environment Court,
which was heard in Dunedin in May.
Clutha District Council planning and environment manager
Murray Brass said yesterday it was the council's
understanding consent had been granted.
"It is an interim decision with further details yet to be
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Black New York city councillor wants to ban the 'N' word, wants to take it out of use permanently.
Two comedians visit him to take the piss. Hilarity ensues. City councillor doesn't seem to notice; stick too far up his arse. Video here at You Tube.
Thursday, 12 April 2007
What about the rhyme scheme?
3 comments:
The Daily Show strikes again. If more TV was consistently that good, I'd watch it more...ReplyDelete
Thanks for the link, that was awesome.ReplyDelete
Daily Show is far and away the funniest thing on TV. Only God (i.e. Jon Stewart) knows why its relegated to 10pm on C4.
"If more TV was consistently that good, I'd watch it more..."ReplyDelete
Snap. :-)
Say what you mean, and mean what you say.
(Off-topic grandstanding, trolling and spam is moderated. If it's not entertaining.)
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SACRAMENTO - A Modesto man who conveniently dropped clues to his identity as if they were bread crumbs has been sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution for bank robberies in Stockton and Modesto, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner.
Troy Foster Mitchell, 47, admitted to robbing two banks, one in Stockton and another in Modesto, authorities said.
Foster also just happened to give authorities a virtual blueprint to catching him in both of those robberies.
According to court documents, on May 14, while on supervised release after serving a prison term for a previous conviction, Mitchell entered the Valley First Credit Union in Modesto and passed a note to a bank teller demanding $5,000 in cash. While the teller was complying with Mitchell's demand, another teller who recognized Mitchell walked by and said, "Hi, Troy." Mitchell acknowledged the second teller and left the bank with $5,000 in cash.
Authorities said Mitchell had filed an auto loan application with the bank on April 3. The application included a copy of his driver's license. Immediately after the robbery, a bank employee retrieved the application and gave it to the Modesto Police Department, which matched surveillance photos of the robber to the picture on Mitchell's driver's license.
On May 31, Mitchell entered a Bank of the West branch in Stockton and passed a teller a note demanding $100 bills. The teller gave Mitchell more than $5,100 in cash. Mitchell then left the bank, leaving behind the note, which was written on the back of a voided paycheck made out to Troy F. Mitchell. The paycheck listed Mitchell's home address.
"It's pretty obvious that this bank robber assisted our investigation by leaving his personal information on the back of the demand note that he gave to the teller," Officer Joe Silva, a spokesman for the Stockton Police Department, said when Mitchell pleaded guilty in October. "This just indicates that some of these suspects are not very good, because they are usually desperate or have some type of an addiction. Most bank robbers like to spend their money quickly and have to resort to this type of crime again, which increases their odds of getting caught."
Location, ST | website.com


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Green Fee Savers :: Thanks for using Green Fee Savers over the years.
We regret to advise that Green Fee Savers coupons can no longer be purchased or used anymore. However, if you still want to get great-value discount golf, why not become a member of the bunkered Golf Club, the UK's fastest growing golf club. It aims to bring you the best deals on green fees and golf breaks throughout the country, as well as much more besides. Interested? Log-on to www.bunkeredgolfclub.co.uk to find out more!
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- Welcome
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All applicants will participate in the Australia Student Teaching program from mid-June through mid-September.
Teacher candidates will have the choice to be registered for:
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Please refer to AST/U.S. Student Teaching Schedule for clarification.
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Flight information will be available at the first orientation meeting.
Number of credits awarded varies by student major and/or home campus.
Email our program alumni to learn more about Australia Student Teaching from a student's perspective!
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Page 2
Well, I hope you were paying attention during what has become the second most hyped week of the season (just behind the Super Bowl) because, as it turns out, there is going to be a quiz after all.
Books on the floor. Eyes on your own papers. Please use only well-sharpened No. 2's.
Best of luck to you all. And begin.
1. Detroit Lions wideout Roy Williams recently guaranteed (sort of) a W for the Motor City Kitties against the Bears in Week 2. My reaction to this is:
A. Hey, at least the guy was wearing pants at the time, that's major progress for the Lions;
B. Yeah, after defensive line coach Joe Cullen's recent naked NASCARin', the only thing the Lions should be guaranteeing is a season full of Wendy's drive-thru puns and late-night TV jokes;
C. After opening the season with three catches for 36 yards, two costly flags and the worst make-believe blocking this side of Briscoe High, Williams might want to start a bit smaller with something like, "After my 22 catches and nine special teams tackles, I promise to shield my teammates from Halley's Comet after the Super Bowl in Miami by deflecting the rays with both the Lombardi Trophy and the engagement ring of my fiancee, Jessica Alba."
D. This kind of bulletin board material can mean only one thing for Bears fans MORE FREE FURNITURE!
2. What I like the most about Carson Palmer is:
A. He's the only one in the world who can actually get Chad Johnson to shut up;
B. The guy is still so accurate, he aims for either the upfield nipple or the downfield nipple, honest;
C. He's refreshingly candid. When he was unsure of himself as a rookie, he admitted it. When he was unsure of his knee in the preseason he admitted it. Honesty and humility, what an interesting concept;
D. His knee is held together by the donated Achilles tendon of Julie De Rossi, an organ donor who was killed in March 2004 by a drunk driver.
3. The most amazing thing I saw in Week 1 was:
A. Fergie's over(under)alls;
B. My neighbor Jak, a Purdue grad, learning that he'd have to mow my lawn in a Speedo after my Lil' RedHawks from Miami of Ohio covered against the Boilermakers;
C. An eye-popping 72-yard punt return for a TD by Wingate's Donald Brown against my new hometown team, Davidson;
D. Steelers running back Willie Parker's ability to learn, in one offseason, how to rechannel his explosive speed from a more instinctive, natural outside burst to one right up the gut and into the heart of the defense.
4. The thing that scares me the most about Jake Plummer is:
A. He's looking over his shoulder so hard now he might start throwing it sideways;
B. If this keeps up he might, gulp, grow another beard;
C. Brad Johnson throws a better ball with his left hand;
D. In an era of the game when the throws you don't make are becoming more important than the throws you do make, this guy is a square peg in a round hole.
5. Brett Favre is to quarterbacking what:
A. Joe Cullen is to leather car seats;
B. Nick Saban is to red flag tossing;
C. Jerry Porter is to camaraderie;
D. Home-field advantage is to the NFL. (The last time three road teams won in shutouts was 1926, when Jeff George was a rookie and Duke Ellington did the opener for MNF.)
6. Bart Scott. Hmm. Bart Scott. Oh yeah, isn't he:
A. A weatherman on the Simpsons;
B. A former undrafted rookie free agent from Southern Illinois who got a $500 signing bonus and yet another example of Ozzie Newsome's genius;
C. An outside linebacker with 119 tackles last year who now may be the best player on the Ravens' defense;
D. Nicknamed Mad Backer because the guy makes Ray Lewis seem shy.
7. The thing I still can't shake from my mind during the preseason is:
A. How is it that Dane Cook can become a famous comedian without actually being the least bit funny, insightful, interesting or entertaining?;
B. Watching myself in the Invincible DVD "making of" featurette on a monitor above the urinal at the Times Square ESPN Zone. (I actually said this out loud, "Oh God I think the universe has just folded in on itself'";
C. Seeing new Miami Dolphins GM Randy Mueller furiously thumbing his Blackberry just outside the team's locker room;
D. Just how advanced knee surgery and recovery have become in the last 10 years. You got nothing but skin holding your shin to your thigh? No problem, we'll have you ready to play in 10 days, maybe nine. Guys today fear an Achilles blowout more than a triple knee ligament shred.
8. I could watch a 0-0 tie in triple overtime -- and I might have to if seven more teams get shut out of the end zone this week -- as long as this guy was playing:
A. Joey Porter;
B. Zach Thomas;
C. Shaun Rogers;
D. John Abraham.
9. I'm happy for Donte' Stallworth and his great start in Philly, because a year ago he was actually:
A. Living in the shadow of Joe Horn;
B. Living out of a hotel in San Antonio;
C. Living with Aaron Brooks as his quarterback;
D. Spending his days off delivering stuff to displaced Katrina victims at an air force base in San Antonio.
10. Drew Bledsoe under pressure reminds me of:
A. Vinny Testaverde, only less composed;
B. A statue, but with less accuracy;
C. A respectable, stand-up guy and a warrior who has done nothing but honor the game and battle through horrific injuries for the love of the sport you son of a biscuit, I mean, it's not his fault the position's requirements changed from cement-shoed and cannon-armed to pocket-mobile and hyper-accurate on short routes just as he reached his prime;
D. How we never hear how the pear-shaped "genius" Tuna has twice missed badly on several high draft picks spent on lineman.
11. Randy Moss' huge 'do on Monday night?
A. New 'do? I thought he was going old school with his granny's pillbox hat;
B. Man, don't criticize, moisturize;
C. That Darth Vader helmet 'fro is so big, it actually counts against the salary cap;
D. Say what you want about Randy's elephantine locks, but it has more personality than Don Shula in those Nike ads.
12. I think the Dolphins, Bucs and the Panthers just proved:
A. Looking tough in orange, teal and pewter is like trying to road rage on someone while drinking from a juicebox;
B. The last place teams want to spend money on, the interior line, is always the first thing that defenses attack;
C. Defensive ends get all the pub, but pressure up the gut is what really rattles quarterbacks;
D. If a guy wound up as dangerously tight as Nick Saban didn't freak out then, trust me, no one else should be freaking out right now.
13. This is my new all-time favorite thing:
A. Minnie safety Dwight Smith, who politely invited me to light my hair on fire during training camp, has now added the word "stairwelling" to our lexicon, a term second only to naked NASCARin' if you ask me;
B. TIE: Frisbee golf and the new Budweiser Real Men of Genius ad on fantasy football;
C. "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia";
D. The NFL's leading passer, Charlie Batch. He was a MAC QB long before it was cool to be a MAC QB.
14. 71 sacks in one week means:
A. There are a lot of anonymous defensive tackles, guys you'll never hear about, like Casey Hampton, Luis Castillo and John Thornton, doing great jobs with the dirty work inside;
B. Maybe the new trend of keeping only two QBs isn't such a good idea after all;
C. Right now the NFL suits are discussing a new rule that would require defenses to get written permission in triplicate from the league to touch a quarterback, no seriously;
D. A cause for celebration if you're a member of the Texans' offensive line.
15. I used to think our culture's obsession with celebs such as Tom Cruise and his offspring was far weirder and uglier than anything he had done, but that was until:
A. He wore a business suit to a football game;
B. On Monday night I collapsed on the floor in front of my TV in the fetal position, convulsing in tears while yelling at the TV, "LET GO OF KATIE'S HAND ALREADY, JUST LET GO, LETGOLETGOLETGO, SHE'S NOT A HELIUM BALLOON AHHHHHH."
C. Dan Snyder paid more attention to him than his kicking game;
D. I realized he makes a lot less money than Al Saunders.
16. This will help you put all the Week 1 hype in perspective. If the season ended today:
A. The Rams would be Super Bowl champs;
B. Brad Childress would be Coach of the Year, which would be cool;
C. Warrick Dunn would be league MVP, which would also be cool;
D. I would have just gotten in from the Playboy Super Bowl party.
17. The Panthers shouldn't be worried at all because:
A. Keyshawn Johnson is one of the all-time greats at his position, just ask him;
B. They always start slow;
C. If they become the Barry Bonds of NFL franchises, that would be a lot worse than losing a home opener;
D. Like the Carolina fan who got a truck in exchange for getting him's whittle feelwings hurt on national TV, maybe they too can extort a win or two from FOX.
18. Is it me, or:
A. At the quarterback position, does good old-fashioned dim-wittedness often get mistaken for poise?
B. With the Manning Bowl behind them, don't the Colts seem like they're gonna fly under the radar?
C. Did John Mayer break up with Jessica Simpson because he was jealous of her musical talent?
D. Is new Minnie guard Steve Hutchinson the most dominant player in the NFL? No. I'm serious. Watch the film.
19. Bill Belichick:
A. Wore, like, an actual shirt on the sidelines;
B. Is trying to prove he can win the Super Bowl with a CFL roster;
C. Will always be OK because he has a quarterback who is the best all time at making the hardest throw in the game: a 7-yard down and out on third and 6.
D. Should at least be given credit for saving Junior Seau from "Dancing With the Stars."
20. I wrote this column while listening to:
A. My new favorite authoritative, honest and non-condescending announcer, Dick Vermeil;
B. Death Cab for Cutie's "Soul Meets Body";
C. Andy Reid's 10 simple steps to mega-explosive abs DVD;
D. The Who, which seems like a natural progression back to basics after all the time I spent enjoying the last Townsend-inspired Pearl Jam album.
David Fleming is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. His first book was "Noah's Rainbow: a Father's Emotional Journey from the Death of his Son to the Birth of his Daughter". His next book, based on the controversial 1925 NFL Pottsville Maroons (ESPN Books 2007) has been optioned as a movie by Sentinel Entertainment. Contact him at email@example.com


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Mehdi Salmani Jelodar
Mehdi Salmani Jelodar received his BSc in Computer Engineering from Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Tehran, Iran; in 2003. His final project was on employing Morphological...