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Author Claire Cook hosts workshop at university
Bestselling author Clair Cook will host her Reinvention Workshop and book signing of her latest novel, "Seven Year Switch," on Thursday, June 17, 2010 in the Russell House Theatre at the University of South Carolina.
Sponsored by USC's Continuing Education and Conferences Department, the workshop is set for 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Cook fans know her for her witty, inspiring and somewhat quirky perspective on life woven through her novels, "The Wildwater Walking Club," "Summer Blowout," "Life's a Beach," "Must Love Dogs," "Ready to Fall" and "Multiple Choice."
Her latest tome is about Jill Murray, who used to have it all: a loving husband and a promising career as a training executive. But her husband left her to raise their daughter alone, and as "Seven Year Switch" opens, her career has devolved to answering phones for a travel agency and teaching community center cooking classes. When a handsome bicycle entrepreneur becomes more than a business opportunity the same week her estranged husband asks her to take him back, Jill is forced to decide what she wants once and for all. Claire Cook fans will be enormously entertained by Jill's can-do spirit.
The cost of the course is $35 and includes a hard copy of her newest release, "Seven Year Switch."
To register for the workshop, go to https://saeu.sc.edu/conted/crm/index.php.


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STARmeterTop 5000
Down 1,567 this week
Stephen Baldwin (I)
Stephen Baldwin was born on May 12, 1966 in Massapequa, Long Island, New York, USA as Stephen Andrew Baldwin. He is an actor and producer, known for The Usual Suspects (1995), The Young Riders (1989) and Born on the Fourth of July (1989). He has been married to Kennya Baldwin since June 10, 1990. They have two children. See full bio »
More at IMDbPro » Contact Info: View manager, publicist, legal and company

subset: commoncrawl


text:
'"We had a lot of fun growing up," Drew said. "We played ball hockey in the basement. We played street hockey. We played video game hockey. We played every kind of hockey. We are real good friends. We talk all the time and we hang out in the summers. We spend as much time together as we can in the summer."'
The Sabres Report - February 26, 2010


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Tuesday, March 6, 2012
One Car Family
That would so not be me. I like my car and I like getting places quickly and enjoy riding my bike on occasion when it's nice out.
Well, it's now March and the manfriend has been car free for eight months! So how has it been?
Actually, it's been great - a lot better than I expected. I wanted to be sure that him going carless didn't mean I was missing a lot of workouts/runs because I was picking him up. More importantly, I didn't want the car to be a reason we had arguments and thankfully, it hasn't!
In total, I think I've picked him up a handful of times and usually because I offered and we were going somewhere together after work (to run club, dinner, etc).
Moral of the story is, having one car has worked pretty well for us so far. The manfriend works about 3 miles away from home and I work about 5.5 miles away, both are pretty direct and easy to ride to.
If we lived in a bigger, less bike friendly city and worked further away from home, one car might be a bit more difficult. At this piont, the only issue is that it's about time for my 1995 Toyota Corolla to be upgraded so we've been looking at new cars, which is both exciting and stressful.
Have you ever thought of giving up your vehicle to bike everywhere?
I've thought about it, but probably wouldn't ever do it 100% because I pack my days so full and need 2-3 outfits and pairs of shoes for all my activities. I'd need some kind of serious trailer to bring all my clothes and be able to go grocery shopping too!
13 comments:
- Leigh said...
I think that's awesome that manfriend went carless! It personally wouldn't work for my city and for Brian & I. I could bike to work as it's easy to get to on the pathways, but I would not want to do it when it's -40C and really snowy. Glad that you guys could make it work though!
- March 6, 2012 at 8:22 AM
- Jessica J said...
We are also a one-car family right now. We keep talking about getting another car, but it's obviously not that important to us, seeing as how it has been 3 years that we have only had 1 car. Doing our part for the environment :)
- March 6, 2012 at 8:23 AM
- missris said...
We went from being a zero-car family in Chicago (where you can get anywhere by public transit) to being a one-car family in Pittsburgh, and it works out really well. The city is compact and we live close to work so we either walk, bike, or take the bus. The car gets used for activities on the weekend but other than that, stays parked for days at a time. I love it! We're still fairly car-independent but have it to use for big trips to the grocery store, going somewhere far away or inconvenient, etc. Although I do end up schlepping a lot of stuff back and forth to work at the gym every day.
- March 6, 2012 at 9:59 AM
- Redhead Running said...
Congrats for 8 months! I think that is so awesome! I wish we could get away with that, but there's no way... I drive over 80 miles roundtrip everyday and Spike travels all over the state for his job.
- March 6, 2012 at 11:05 AM
- Lauren @ Running Wild said...
* months is impressive! Imagine all the calories burned and $ saved! :)
I totally wish I could go car-less. Unfortunately, I live 20 miles away from work (it's pretty horrible) so a car is a must.
I try to ditch it on the weekends since I spend so much time in it during the week!
- March 6, 2012 at 1:55 PM
- Kyria @ Travel Spot said...
I was a no-car family for a long time. But most of that time, I lived in a city where the public transit was really good. I have never been a biker though. I used to love my train ride to work, since it meant I got a lot more reading (and studying!!) done that I would if I drove/walked/rode a bike.
In San Francisco they have the Zip Car, where you have cars all over the city that you can use whenever you want. I think they cost about 20 dollars for 4 hours and 50 dollars for a whole day...so if you only need a car once in a while, it works out great!
- March 6, 2012 at 4:42 PM
- thethinksicanthink said...
I'm sure with gas prices, it's saved money! I don't have a car (live in NYC), but I do wish sometimes I had a bike to get around the city quicker. I do love being able to walk places and such here.
- March 6, 2012 at 6:20 PM
- jen said...
It looks like this could be a permanent situation for you guys! In a small, bike-friendly town like Eugene (or even Portland!), one car is enough in my opinion.
We have been a one-car family for years. Since 2002! It doesn't even occur to me to get another car- that would seem excessive. We've organized our lives around the one car and it works great. Most days Zach bikes to work and I ride the bus- neither of us use it that much! Plus, a second car would be a huge expense!
I would, however, love to replace our car with something newer/bigger since we have a baby coming!
- March 6, 2012 at 6:31 PM
- findingblissforme said...
I don't have a car... or access to one. In Seattle I don't need one day to day but I would be really nice for things like running quick errands and big grocery shopping trips. But I am a STRONG advocate for driving as little as possible!!
- March 6, 2012 at 7:34 PM
- Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...
I could be a one-car family easily since I walk/bike to work every day and tend to walk/bike to get groceries, etc when the weather is nicer. I will drive even less this summer as i am planning on buying a bike this summer (a road one). :)
- March 7, 2012 at 4:40 AM
- Ricole said...
That is truly awesome. I would love to be carless, if I could walk anywhere I definitely would. But we live in te burbs and Seattle is a rainy place (I'm also a fair weather rider) so its just not possible now. But go you guys!
- March 7, 2012 at 7:51 AM
- Kate said...
Hmm, my own "manfriend" and I have been considering downsizing to one car. I'm glad to see it's working out for you!!
- March 7, 2012 at 11:28 AM
- Amber (Girl with the red hair) said...
We are a one-car family in the winters while Eric goes to school and it works out well! He takes the bus everywhere and I occasionally drive him or pick him up also usually because I offer. He also borrows the car from time to time!
Glad it's worked out so well for you guys! Hope you're having a FABULOUS vacay!
- March 9, 2012 at 5:32 PM


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woooooooo some hot canvas' in here...
ZOT is a badass........................those are so smooth...
imma re-post when I get these clear photos re-sized..that was just horrible lighting and angles. poo
woooooooo some hot canvas' in here...
ZOT is a badass........................those are so smooth...
imma re-post when I get these clear photos re-sized..that was just horrible lighting and angles. poo
R.I.P Mistah 12
...not knowing must be something like forgetting...
the george wubya bush is...it's a picture...yeap...i couldn't draw that devil...the rest is just spraypaint and paintpen...
and he wasn't on this from the start...I added him once I gave it to a bush despising friend.
I will re-post betta shots..I can't even look at those and kick my own ass for posting such shitty pics...ahh well......................
R.I.P Mistah 12
...not knowing must be something like forgetting...
liking that psych and that last one
those are so nice...............
I need a new imagehost and resizer err compression errr photoshop errrr...haha while I am wishing...my own laptop would be nice...
R.I.P Mistah 12
...not knowing must be something like forgetting...
posted b4 but i dont care im workin on abunch of new canvases
one geasr did for his girl^^
thats no fair that i have to post on the same page as Chillen, Selm, Zot, and "all stolen" by clam-boy. but oh well.
just made it today. it is the SNES controller for all the dumbasses who cant figure it out and were going to bitch about that
quickie from friday.
lust the rust.
dang bee i wanna see............. i didnt get too.....
signatures suck...... ass..............they suck some seriouse ass.................................(ass suckers)
why did you draw that...
..... that shit is wack
very ugly DNA...very ugly. keep trying.
^WhoaThat's why AA is my fuckin American Idol
witty comments like this makes this guy a star
^FoeOneheh, it's funny cuz his name is alcoholics anonymous, and we're speaking as if it was a...
oh hell, you all know why it's funny
yo you gotta problem today, hit up AA, he got more shit then a pharm-ma-say
sucka ass fools!
whut whut
yo theme song
^E Terror sonnndid you seriously just spell lion with an e
dna i think its dopeness... keep it up mango
nice backround, reminds me of some other works....
new canvas's, not finished, i can do some characters, or do someones name in a piece, or whatever, if you want one, contact me.......
signatures suck...... ass..............they suck some seriouse ass.................................(ass suckers)
my free canvas project i been doing... i been settinh 12 of there a week allover in areas where theres alot of people walking... some stop and look at it for a few mins some track them home or where ever there going... i seena few people take them and put them up in other spots.....
there these thick 12X15 peice of plastic i saw while i was bombing a dumpster... ima start bolting them to sign once i get some dope ones painted out
ANSER the chancellor----> esp crew biyaaaaatch

QUOTE

did you born like that or is the poluation of your town makes you like that

another BIGMOE canvas
i posted them before.Originally posted by DEVILEFK+Jan 22 2005, 05:40 PM-->

QUOTE (DEVILEFK @ Jan 22 2005, 05:40 PM)


text:
US Airways Shareholders Approve Merger With American Airlines
Combination Remains Subject to Antitrust Review, Vote by AMR Creditors
American Airlines parent AMR Corp. and US Airways Group Inc. moved a step closer to completing their planned merger Friday as US Airways shareholders voted to approve the combination, giving them a 28% stake in the world's largest carrier by traffic.
The $12.8 billion stock deal, announced in mid-February, would serve to take AMR out of bankruptcy-court protection, where the company landed in late 2011. AMR's creditors, who would get 72% of the new company, currently are voting on that plan of reorganization. If they...


text:
The only ones that I saw mentioned in the forum as "working 100% right out of the box" are the Alfa 500mW and the Senao 2511CD, but I had figured they're everyone's favorite not because they're the only ones that work, but because the Alfa has such a high power output and the Senao is a PCMCIA with diversity.
So, I decided not to get either of those because I didn't want to drop $70-$130 for a single card (since I hadn't found a single page that said that different cards using the same chipset will have different injection abilities). Also, I wasn't a big fan of the Senao (diversity or not) since it had MMCX connectors and I wanted to avoid the dB loss of using the tiny LMR-100 (or even smaller) on a pigtail. I like to stay at LMR-195 or above, so RP-SMA is about as small of a connector I want to go.
To *further* complicate things, I'd like to get a card that can work in my laptop (meaning not PCI) or on a PC (meaning no PCMCIA). That leaves mini-PCI (because I have a PCI-to-mini-PCI converter) or USB. You can't change mini-PCI on the fly, so USB is very, very much preferred.
So, is there someplace I should be looking to find the USB, RP-SMA, capable of injection with BT2 interface that I need.
- Joe


text:
Coffee Cleaning Products
Coffee Maker and Espresso Machine Cleaning Supplies
We recommend a cleaning regime for every espresso machine we sell, and whether you're looking for a simple brush or a container of decalcifying fluid, we have the cleaning products you need for your espresso machine. Coffee just tastes better when you take the time for regular maintenance. Show you coffee maker or espresso machine some love, keep a clean machine!
Learn More about Coffee Cleaning Products
Pallo Caffeine WrenchPop it, twist it, scrape it, screw it, the Pallo Caffeine Wrench will let you do all that and more. This black-and-steel barista tool will not only save space in your kitchen, but it will also help you manage common espresso brewing tasks. Learn More$10.00
Pallo Grindminder Grinder Brush and Counter SweepMake it a clean sweep with this Grindminder Grinder Brush and Counter Sweep from Pallo. Simply brush the grinds from the grinder, flip it around and sweep them off the counter. Pallo's Grindminder features a generous reach and a low-profile design to get down underneath your machine. Learn More$11.95
Pallo Coffeetool Group Head Cleaning BrushWe get it. Keeping your espresso machine clean, no matter how much you love it, isn't the most entertaining element of espresso-making. That's why Pallo created this clever little tool to make espresso machine maintenance a lot easier. The Coffeetool Group Head Cleaning Brush is angled just right for cleaning, long enough so you won't burn your fingers and offers plenty of innovative features such as strong bristles that are also replaceable. Learn More
Full Circle Single-Cup Brewer Cleaning and Descaling LiquidFull Circle Single-Cup Cleaning and Descaling Liquid is biodegradable, phosphate free, and odorless. Full of naturally occurring ingredients and free of harmful (and hard-to-pronounce) chemicals. Urnex Full Circle Cleaning and Descaling Liquid works on all brands of ever popular single-cup coffee brewers. C'mon! We know you've never cleaned your single-cup coffee brewer. It is quick and easy to do and your coffee will taste so much better. Learn More
Full Circle Espresso Machine Cleaning Tablets - 8 Ct.Full Circle Espresso Machine Cleaning Tablets are the smartest, most sustainable choice for cleaning your semi-automatic or superautomatic espresso machine. Made of phosphate-free natural ingredients, these tablets are versatile and easy to use: simply drop them into your superauto, or use them in your portafilter to backflush your semi-automatic espresso machine. Learn More
Full Circle Descaling PowderFull Circle Descaling Powder cleans the mysterious inner-workings of your coffee and espresso making devices. Why descale? Descalers are designed to break down the lime scale and mineral build-up inside your brewer to ensure great, consistent, coffee and espresso shots. The first line of defense is to use fresh filtered water. Then follow up with a descale regimen once every 3-4 months depending on usage. Learn More
Full Circle Coffee Machine Cleaning PowderFull Circle Cleaning Powder gives you the power! Tear into the packet, add 32 ounces warm or hot water and get a clean machine. This ccleans away oily residue that can lead to bitter tasting coffee and unnecessary wear on machine. Learn More
Full Circle Descaling LiquidHere is the solution! Full Circle Descaling Solution that is! Bust it open, add 32 ounces warm or hot water and get a clean machine. This formulation works for coffee makers and espresso machines. Why descale? Descalers are designed to break down the lime scale and mineral build-up inside your brewer to ensure great, consistent, coffee. The first step is to use fresh filtered water and then follow up with a descale regimen for the best tasting coffee and espresso. Learn More
Full Circle Milk Cleaning SolutionMade to break down proteins and fat, Full Circle Milk Cleaning Solution keeps automatic milk frothers and traditional steam wands free from residue build-up. Use this biodegradable and phosphate-free cleaner regularly to prevent "blue cheese" cappuccinos and lattes. Learn More
Grindz Burr Grinder Cleaner - 430gOne of the most important aspects in creating the best coffee is ensuring your grinds are as fresh as possible. Running this Urnex Grindz Cleaner through your Burr Grinder every few weeks will work wonders and give you only the freshest tasting coffee or espresso. Learn More


text:
Lovely stuff, Enter Shikari have added a second London date to their upcoming UK/Euro tour!
With just over 100 tickets currently left for the band's first night in the capital, the St. Albans mob have added a second show at the iconic Camden Roundhouse, set to take place on February 27. Nice!
The mix-metallers announced this week that they'll be releasing The Mindsweep, the highly-anticipated follow-up to 2012's A Flash Floor Of Colour, on January 19 next year, through Ambush Reality/Play It Again Sam. Pre-order the record on entershikari.com now!
We've got a world exclusive interview with frontman Rou Reynolds about all things Enter Shikari – in the new issue of Kerrang! – which is currently on sale until Wednesday. Pick it up now, and get excited for what's coming…
Catch Enter Shikari on tour at the following:
January 2015
9 Brussels AB Box
10 Amsterdam Melkweg
11 Hereford X
14 Nuremberg Hirsch
15 Berlin Kesselhaus
2 Paris La Cigale
3 Solothurn Kofmeal
4 Lyon Transbordeur
5 Milan Magazzini Generali
7 Leipzig Hellraiser
8 Vienna Arenan
9 Munich Muffathalle
10 Wuerzburg Posthalle
11 Cologne Live Music Hall
13 Hamburg Docks
14 Frankfurt Batschkapp
16 Portsmouth Pyramids
17 Cardiff Yplas
18 Wolverhampton Civic
20 Manchester Academy
21 Glasgow Barrowland
22 Middlesbrough Town Hall
24 Cambridge Corn Exchange
25 Norwich UEA
26 London Camden Roundhouse
27 London Camden Roundhouse
Get your tickets from the Kerrang! Ticket Store now.
Don't forget to read the world exclusive interview with frontman Rou Reynolds in the new issue of Kerrang! out now!


text:
Garmin-Asus has launched the Android-based Nuvifone A10 smartphone in Taiwan.
Asustek Computer vice president and general manager of mobile device business, Bensen Lin, pointed out that the Nuvifone A10 features Android 2.1 operating system, 512MB RAM, a 3.2-inch HVGA touch panel and a 5-megapixel camera.
Its main selling point is its GPS function, and it carries a price tag of NT$13,900 (US$434).
- Wireless broadband developments in Southeast Asia markets
As of 2013, the 10 ASEAN nations had a total of over 700 million mobile subscriptions, with the CAGR from 2003-2013 reaching 24%. This Digitimes Research Special Report analyzes the various mobile broadband markets in ASEAN and looks at the respective trends in 4G LTE development for those markets.
- 2015 global tablet demand forecast
This Digitimes Research Special Report provides a 2015 forecast for the global tablet market and analyzes the strategies of key market players such as Google, Apple, Intel, and Microsoft.
- 2015 China smartphone panel trend forecast
This Digitimes Research Special Report analyzes the strategies of key China-based major panel makers BOE, Tianma and IVO for attacking the different market segments through technology and pricing, and their relationship to local vendors Huawei, Lenovo, ZTE, Xiaomi and Coolpad.


text:
On View
Joseph Chinard
Bust of Madame Récamier
Joseph Chinard
French, 1756-1813
Bust of Madame Récamier, after 1801
60.6 x 33.7 x 23.5 cm (23 7/8 x 13 1/4 x 9 1/4 inches)
Gift of Mrs. Harold Brown 37.201
Juliette Récamier (1777–1849) was a renowned hostess of French society during the decades following the French Revolution and through the rise of Napoléon I. Married at a young age to a man thirty years older, she lived a privileged social life, but her primary interest was to encourage exchange of opinions among a diverse circle of artists, politicians, and partisans of both the Monarchy and the Empire. Visitors to Madame Récamier's salon marveled at her charm and intelligence. This marble bust, which belonged to Madame Récamier, portrays her in the full flower of her beauty. Her downcast eyes and the faint smile on her lips were intended to communicate her modesty, while her upswept hair, encircled by a wide bandeau and held with a jeweled comb, represents the classicized elegance of feminine style during the Napoleonic era.


text: NAEDA and our legal counsel Siegfried Bingham, continue to be extremely busy reviewing proposed changes by various manufacturers to their dealer agreements. Many of these reviews are being funded by the NAEDA Industry Relations Fund for the benefit of all dealers. NAEDA's Industry Relations Taskforce (IRTF) has future meetings set with John Deere (July 17-18). Additional requested meetings include Briggs & Stratton, Kubota, New Holland and AGCO. If you are a dealer for one of these particular brands, please feel free to contact NAEDA or your regional affiliate with any issue you would like to addressed by the IRTF in their meetings.


text:
Count Alexandre de Lur Saluces has followed in his Uncle Betrand's footsteps since 1968. Highly motivated to perfect this prestigious product while respecting tradition, he is determined to offer maximum quality. All those who love this inimitable wine, from Jefferson to Pamela Harriman, former U.S. Ambassador, by way of great Duke Constantine, have approved this philosophy from vintage to vintage.
Yquem is the result of painstaking efforts by everyone who works on the estate. However, nature is the major factor in making the most of the rare soil of Yquem. View all Chateau d'Yquem Wines
About Sauternes and BarsacView a map of Sauternes and Barsac wineries (saw-TURN & BAR-sak)
Liquid Gold
The regions of Sauternes & Barsac are both located southeast of Graves, almost directly south of St-Émilion, and hug the Garonne River as it curves. Both areas are dedicated to producing sweet, white wines. The rains, the mists, the humidity and the climate, all help foster the necessary mold that leads to the unfortified, but lusciously sweet wines produced there.
Notable Facts
Semillon is the primary grape here as it takes well to bortrytis, also known as "noble rot." Sauvignon Blanc is used in the blend to add acidity to the richer, thicker Semillon. The process for making the sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac is long, labored and costly. After it has reached maximum ripeness, the Semillon grapes are left on the vine until they are infected with botrytis. This helpful mold then shrivels the grapes, concentrating the sugars but maintaining the acids. Weather is not always agreeable and berries must be picked at just the right moment, all by hand. The grapes yield less juice than dry wines, due to their shriveled and concentrated state. Some houses, like the famed Chateau d'Yquem, will not make a wine in a less-than-perfect year. All these factors lead to highly prized, and often expensive, wine. However, the taste is well worth it. In the palate the wines of Sauternes & Barsac are luscious and sweet, yet with the balanced acidity to keep them from being too cloying or candied.Wines with the Sauternes AC must be sweet - dry wines are labeled under the Graves or Bordeaux AC. Barsac wines may be labeled either Barsac AC or Sauternes AC. Typically, Barsac wines are a little lighter in body and less intense than Sauternes.
About France - Other regionsWhen it comes to wine, France is a classic. Classic blends, grapes and styles began in the country and they still remain. Think about it - people ask for a Burgundian style Pinot Noir, they refer to wines as Bordeaux or Rhone blends - Champagne even had to pass a law to stop international wineries from putting their region on the label of all sparkling wine.
The top regions of France are: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire, Rhone. And these regions are so diverse! It makes sense that wine regions throughout the world try to emulate their style. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah are no longer French varieties, but international varieties. They may not be the leader of cutting edge technology or value-priced wines, but there is no doubt that they are still producing wines of great quality and diversity.


text:
My boss has a home office and brought in his MCI bill to the office for payment. I usually peruse these bills to see if there is anything unusual. He made a call to Asia in a semi-emergency situation for which he was charged $4.40 at the "Economy Rate" but this is beside the point. They started billing for sending out bills last month and I told him to call and request them to remove the charge. It was my experience with IDT when they started this practice last year that prompted me to tell him. IDT promptly and apologetically removed their $1.00 fee and I told them to go "Paperless". They still send paper without charge. I also filed a complaint with the FCC on IDT.
My boss called MCI Cust Svc and nicely asked them to remove charge. Cust Svc rep became nasty and the supervisor became extremely attitudinal and kept repeating "No sir, you must pay this fee" and "have a nice day". When my boss became a little upset with this, she kept repeating "Have a nice day- no I cannot remove charges sir, Have a nice Day" over and over. My boss hung up.
He's going to disconnect MCI but in the meantime he's afraid not to pay in fear of being turned over to collection of the 1.99 charges because he thinks his credit will then be ruined. This is ridiculous, I know but he's in such fear of "authority". What should he do? I've filed complaint on his behalf with FCC and they will probably send MCI a letter stating their charges are unethical as they did with IDT.
CAN YOU TOP THIS??? I accepted a long distance call from MY SON in the marines!!! At FT Leonard Wood, MO was charged $2.00 a minute by MCI and I AM NOT NOR HAVE I EVER been an MCI customer.. Where do they get off charging me for that call? I never knew I was dealing with anyone other than my carrier AT&T. I've read about families who have a loved one in prison that's being TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF - it's our US MARINES TOO.
Maybe instead of worrying about the enemy in Iraq maybe OUR GOVERNMENT could spend a little more time on protecting us from sleazy companies here at home who want to terrorize the poor people LIKE ME. People in prison or US MARINES who get scammed on their phone calls - it's still wrong. When will the govt and the FCC do something? I for one have complained to them. We'll see what happens.
At least once a month Global Tel which used to be MCI, bills me incorrectly. On several occasions I speak to customer care who is extremely rude and always interrupts with hearing everything I have to say. They have taken my money and put it on whatever account they want, either the prepaid account or regular billing account. I have asked them several times to remove my prepaid account and they tell me that they will and simply do not. They are constantly hanging up on me and telling me not to yell at them when I am not. I can NEVER speak to a manager or a boss either.
I spend 600 dollars monthly and there is simply nothing I feel I can do because I have no other choice but to use this phone company. However, we can all write our congressmen and make him aware of this problem. The customer care headquarters is in El Salvador.
PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT -- I am trying to get some help on a complaint I am trying to file against MCI. My boyfriend is currently serving time at a correctional institution in Connecticut and I am no longer able to receive collect calls from him due to a 'block' MCI has put on my phone. I will back up a little bit so you can understand my outrage. I've been in contact with my boyfriend via the telephone for about 1 month now. As you know, in order for him to call me, he has to call me collect using MCI.
In the recording, it asks you to press 5 to accept...which I've been doing all along until Saturday, April 15, 2006 when MCI put a block on my phone. (Just so you know, I am in great standings with SBC/AT&T and pay my phone bill every month.) They informed me that in order to get the block off my phone, I have to set up an account with them by faxing my current telephone bill to them. First, I feel it is none of their business what is on my telephone bill and I feel that this is an invasion of my privacy. Secondly, I feel that they are forcing me to do business with them because that my boyfriend and I are currently in a situation that we have no control over.
I also feel that they are taking advantage of inmates and their families by forcing them to do business with them.... that is unethical! I was also told that what they are doing is unlawful and there was an attorney in Connecticut fighting this with a class action lawsuit. I've tried to contact my local carrier, SBC/AT&T and they simply stated they could not help me because that MCI has a contract with all the correctional facilities in CT and they have final say as to how things are done.
Personally, that is not my problem that Connecticut has chosen 1 carrier to handle all the collect calls from these institutions. They have no right to regulate how many phone calls I wish to receive in the privacy of my own home! I feel I still have a legal right to choose whom I do business with... If not, then this is an injustice! I have no interest in doing business with MCI due to fact of how they are making me feel. If I don't go with them, then I will no longer hear from my loved one... That is outrageous! This is NOT a positive step in the direction of trying to get inmates to do what they can to stay out of trouble and so on.
I feel that when they have the ability to communicate to someone on the outside helps them do their time in more of a productive manner. I feel outraged that this is going on and no one is doing anything about it! I am speaking out for all the family members and inmates that think they don't have a voice! I will be their voice! As an American citizen, I have rights and I will not sit back and let this happen. Something has to be done! I will not stop here. I have a letter into the attorney general's office and also to the DPUC. We'll see who wins this battle!
DALLAS, TEXAS -- I've been an MCI Small Business customer since July of 2002, you would think after nearly 5 years of being a customer, they would value your business... Unfortunately they have a poor way of showing their appreciation. On May 7th, I called MCI to arrange for our phone service to be moved to a new location. The service rep informed me that this move would take up to 10-15 days to process. We weren't officially moving for a couple weeks so I went through with the order and the rep said to call on the 17th to get the actual date, service would be moved.
The following day, due to some airconditioning units not working our move to the new location had been postponed, so I called MCI to cancel our move order. I spoke with a man named ** who informed me the original move order had been cancelled and none of my service would change. Well on May 9th, I get a call from one of my employees stating our phones weren't working. I immediately called MCI and they sent me to the Repair department. The first person I spoke with ran a test on the lines and said they were all testing good so we went through the troubleshooting of the lines, still no phones.
She said she'd contact home office and call me back, I'm still waiting for her call back. In the meantime, I called MCI yet again on May 9th. This time I explained my whole situation asking if the move order had gone through - "No, your service is still at the original location the move order was cancelled - let me transfer you to Repairs." I speak with yet another MCI rep who again runs line tests, this time the "outside line" is testing bad... "We will get a technician out there by 4 PM May 10th."
On May 10th, after nearly 48 hours of no telephone service for our business, a MCI technician show up at our business at 3 PM - states that we need to have our service re-established because it had been moved already. Why couldn't any of the MCI customer service reps, or repair reps or priority service reps tell me this bit of information? I immediately call MCI and after being passed around to 3 people I finally get a hold of a woman who tells me, after calling home office, the service had already been moved to a new location. Really? She said I would need to move the service again to my original location.
My question to her was "Why wasn't I told this on the 9th when I called about my phones not working? I would have placed another move order then." Her reply was that their system didn't update quickly enough. So I tell her I need the service back at my original location. She says she'll have to call home office and validate my address and phone numbers. I'm still waiting for her call back. On May 11th, I call MCI again - we're now going on 72 hours without phone service. I speak to a priority service rep - she says "No new move orders have been placed". My service is still active at the new address.
She then proceeds to tell me that it will take 10-15 days to get the service moved back to my original location. What? I've been trying to get this taken care of for 3 days and now I have to wait another week to 2 weeks? I ask if she can expedite the order or something as I've been given the run around for 3 days. "No, I'm sorry we can not give priority to any of our customers as all our customers are equal." I ask for home office's phone number, she says she doesn't know what I'm talking about, they don't have a home office. OK, so who were all the other reps calling?
Anyway, I ask for a manager's phone number and she won't give me a number but says she'll have one call me. I'm not holding my breath. As I wait impatiently for MCI to move my service to my original address, I hope and pray that my business can recover from 3 days and possibly a week more of no phone service. As soon as I finish this review I plan to contact a new phone service provider.
GEORGIA -- I switched to MCI for my local and long distance to save money. I was with them for 2 months and had to move because my apartment flooded. I called them to transfer my service and was told that it could take up to 3 weeks but it should be transferred in 3 to 4 business days. After 5 business days without phone service I again called to find out when my service would be transferred. I was told that there was a problem with the line and that they had fixed it, but it would still take a couple of days to process the order. I was told that it should be done in the next 3-4 days. Another week goes by and still no phone service.
I again call them to find out what is going on. They told me that the order was rejected b/c of the turn on date and that the order would be resubmitted. I was told to call back on Friday to confirm that the order would be processed and they could tell me when my service would be working. I called on Saturday from my parents' house because I was visiting them for the weekend. This has now almost been a full 3 weeks without service. First of all I was told that the order was AGAIN rejected because of the turn on date and it would have to go to "special teams" to figure out why it was being rejected.
I was very confused at this point b/c the women just told me that it was rejected b/c of the turn on date. When I asked to speak to her supervisor I was told that she was a supervisor and that her supervisor was not working, but that she would have her call me first thing Monday morning. I told her that I would be filing a complaint with the PSC in Georgia. When the supervisor had not called me back by Tuesday morning, I again called customer service and was told the same thing and that a supervisor would call me back. I told them that was unacceptable b/c a supervisor was supposed to call me the day before and never did.
I told them that I wanted to speak to a supervisor immediately. I was put on hold for another 5 minutes to wait for a supervisor. I finally was able to speak to the floor supervisor who was very sorry for all of my trouble and would see what could be done to get my service turned on. My service was transferred within 2 hours of my talking the floor supervisor. I have since transferred back to my old phone company. I thought my trouble was over, and then when I received my final bill my account was charged for the full amount even though I was without service for 19 days.
I again called customer service to request the credit that I was promised I would receive for the time I was without service. I was told the money would be put back into my checking account. A month later when the money was not back into my account I again called customer service about the credit. They told me that I needed to contact financial services because my account was closed and "they couldn't help me."
I contacted financial services and was told that they "showed no record of payment on my account" because it was set up on direct debit. They said that would submit the request for a refund but that it would probably be denied and I would have to send them a copy of my bank statement showing that I had paid my bill. I told them that was unacceptable and asked for the supervisor. The immediate supervisor told me the same thing and also said that if the refund was denied that I would have to call customer service to have them credit my account.
At this point I am very confused and frustrated because customer service had told me that they could do nothing to help me. I then asked to speak to her supervisor who tried to give me the same run around. I finally spoke to the Regional Financial Services Manager who told me that she would contact the department that processes refunds and see what could be done because she did show that they owed me a refund. I was only told this after I told her that I was going to file a second complaint with the PSC in Georgia.
Amazingly enough she called me back within 30 minutes to tell me that the refund had gone through and that I should have a check within 5-7 business days. My biggest complaint other than I was without service for 19 days is that no one takes responsibility and no one wants to fix what is wrong.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK -- When my roommate and I decided to change our local phone services to MCI, I asked if voicemail was available. I was told that it was not available, but we could use the call-forwarding feature and have our calls forwarded to a voicemail box. The representative gave us the number for American Voicemail and we immediately signed up. We were told it would take up to three weeks to activate our call forwarding. After three weeks, we called MCI to see if our call forwarding was hooked up. At that point, we were told that we had never signed up for call forwarding. So, we signed up for it and were told that we would have to wait up to three weeks for activation.
At this time, I also gave the phone number that our calls were supposed to be forwarded to. After about three weeks, I called MCI again. We were told that we had signed up for the wrong call forwarding and that we needed call forwarding busy and no answer. So, with much frustration, we signed up for this feature and waited three more weeks. When calling this time, we were told that, due to heavy volume, our job would not be finished until December 12th, 2000. On December 13th, I called and got a representative who told me I had to wait two days after the finish date to find out what was going on with the account.
After calling two weeks later, I reached a representative that told me that our call forwarding busy and no answer had gone through the customer service computer system, but it had not gone to the system where the jobs were actually done. And that I would have to wait another three weeks to have call forwarding. At this point, I decided that I wanted to cancel this service from MCI. I realized that it would be much easier to go and get an answering machine than to wait for three more weeks to have voicemail. I spoke with a representative and asked to be reimbursed for the payments I had made to American Voicemail.
I offered to send a copy of my bill to MCI for me to receive payment. She informed me that I was to wait on the line while she got American Voicemail on the phone. American Voicemail would refund my money, since I had never used their services. Since, it was a weekend, she told me I had to call back MCI when American Voicemail was open. At this point, I asked to speak to a supervisor. After being on the phone with MCI for almost two hours, the representative told me that all supervisors were busy and they would call me in the next 72 hours.
Before hanging up, I asked how many times I had called MCI. She said that since November 27th, 2000, I had called TEN times. I called MCI on Wednesday, January 10th, 2001 to get a refund for American Voicemail. I admit that my patience was at its limit at this point. I told the representative about my situation and he explained to me that I was now signed up for call forwarding. How could this be? I had just called the previous week and cancelled the call forwarding, and now I have the service? After explaining everything I had been through, the representative said that he would refund the call forwarding and give me a $38 credit for American Voicemail.
He also said that in the next 7 to 10 days I would receive a $100 gift certificate from MCI. I finally felt that all of my grievances had been heard and I was getting compensated for all of my trouble. Then I realized that I never got the representative's name and that may be everything was not fixed. The fact that we could have bought an answering machine and avoided this entire mess really bothers me. Also, another factor that bothers me is that no representative ever called us to tell us what was going on with our service. In addition to this, when we asked someone from MCI to speak with us, they never returned the call.
I don't know if our trust will ever be fixed with MCI. We still are using MCI for local and long distance, but we are looking for other options. I recommend that you provide better training for your customer service representatives to avoid problems like these in the future.
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA -- I am sick of MCI putting block on my phone line when they are no longer the long distance provider for correctional inst. I think it is very unfair for them to do this. I have only a local service with MCI and yet when the block is place it's only on the calls coming from the correctional inst. Not my local calls. How are they able to do this? It is very unfair what MCI does and they should be stop.
I have a loved one in a correctional facility. I have no choice, in the matter, if I want to receive phone calls from my loved one, (Collect calls) but to use MCI, as they have the contract with the correctional facility. I do not, and would never use them as my local phone carrier. When MCI first got the contract, at the correctional facility, they tripled the prices of the calls, from the previous company that had the correctional facility contract. Inmate families complained to the utility commission, in our state, and they made MCI lower the cost of the calls, from the correctional facility, they were violating tariff laws.
I've been receiving collect calls, from the correctional facility, from my loved one, for several years. My bill with MCI, exceeded $100.00 for the month of March, by about $1.00, and without warning, they put a block on my phone, preventing my loved one from calling. I called Correctional Billing Services, and they said my line wasn't blocked. The next weekend, when my loved one called, I immediately got a computer call, from MCI, that someone from a correctional facility had called me, and my phone line had a block on it (Placed by none other than MCI).
It gave a number to call, and when I called it, was told that all accounts were being re-evaluated, and that MCI was going to be billing everyone directly for correctional facility calls, and that I had to set up an account. Said I'd get a warning, before reaching $100.00, my limit per month, that they set (sounds like something they might set up for a new customer, not a 6-year customer). I reported them to the utilities commission again, and some executive from MCI called me, told me a bunch of lies. Two other people are receiving calls from a loved one in a correctional facility, and have received no notice that they will be direct billed by MCI.
I called the utilities commission back, and they had closed the file. I told them the story again, and was told the person I was speaking with would get back with me, the next day. No one from the utilities commission called me back. I recently received my bill from my local service provider, and guess what? The correctional facility calls are still being billed through my local carrier. But, I can call the number I was given to pay my bill directly, and guess what? It has a different balance. I'm being double-billed. I'm going to call the utilities commissioner on Monday, and see if I can get something done about this. MCI IS DOUBLE DIPPING!!!
NEW JERSEY -- About 8 years ago I received a solicitation call from MCI to switch over my long distance service. Since they offered a better rate and I really do not make many long distance calls, I said "what the heck" and agreed to sign up. I used their service for about 8 months and then one day, without warning or notice I went to make a LD call and received a recording that I did not have a long distance provider. This is where the drama began. I must have spent 2-3 hours going from one customer service rep to the next to find out what happened.
Finally a rep was able to help me and told me that I owed 4 months of past due bills, which was impossible. I had the cancelled check for every monthly payment that was made not to mention their own monthly statements which showed the payment amounts applied each month. It took them a week to "research the problem" only to get back to me and say that they made an error and then inform me that they notice that I have another provider and asked if I could give them permission to switch me back to MCI. I was done with them and told the rep to cancel me completely from their system as a customer.
The false billing started about 6 months after I cancelled my service with MCI. I suddenly began to receive monthly bills for $4.50 each month. After the second bill came, I called MCI and asked them why they are billing me and they claimed that I still had their line or something. I told them that I cancelled the account, refuse to pay and that they can clearly see that this so-called account has no activity. They cancelled the bills. For the last 6 years, approximately twice a year MCI randomly starts billing me for this same monthly service fee. I just received a bill last week from them showing a current balance of $6.50 plus a past due balance of $6.50.
The bill also states that MCI is now my new long distance provider. I have not switched my service and my current provider has no knowledge of a switch. MCI's charges are for some mediocre service fee and of course, there is no activity detail (I know I've made calls.) Why does this continue to happen? I have even had this exact same experience with them at my place of business. Are they pulling up old customers or somehow obtaining phone lists and sending out false bills? Just imagine the money they stand to make if people just pay the $6.50 without dispute.


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Here's a short interview with Stacy Kirages, creator of Modernizm and Zine Fest Houston participant. Look for her table at Zine Fest Houston 2012.
How long have you been creating zines?
I've been creating zines for about two years now, ever since I graduated from school and moved back to Houston in 2010. I just can't seem to get enough, so I keep on making them. I'm constantly brainstorming for new zine ideas and when I think of a good one, I'll immediately write it down because I don't want to forget. You should never let a good zine idea go to waste!
Why do you like zines?
Zines appeal to me because they are the exact opposite of anything that is mass-produced and drastically different from digital media. They are such unique and personal objects, sometimes only having a run of ten editions. In this day and age, I think it's awesome that there are still people who are enthusiastic about creating small-scale handmade publications. Holding a zine in your hand is not like holding an iPad or a Kindle. This is about connecting with something more tangible and DIY. I also enjoy the endless possibilities of subject matter when creating zines. A zine can literally be about anything you want it to be. From what you had to eat that day, your grandmother's Tupperware collection, that one time you went to the beach or things that start with the letter R! There is no right or wrong way to make a zine, and that, I believe, is truly the beauty of self-publishing.
What are your favorite zines/minicomics/etc?
Lately I've been interested in food zines, such as The Runcible Spoon based in Washington, D.C., and Remedy Quarterly and Put A Egg On It, both based in Brooklyn. The Runcible Spoon is fun because it's half-collage, half-illustration, filled with tons of color and 100% handmade. I have Issue #7: Mad Science, which features recipes for mooncake, occult jam and home cured bacon. Remedy Quarterly has a great design aesthetic – very clean and easy to read. Put A Egg On It is printed on green paper and has superbly written essays about food and the memory of eating certain foods. There's also an amazing zine about pizza called Slice Harvester, but I haven't had a chance to pick up a copy just yet.
What is your favorite part of zine fests?
I'd have to say that my favorite part of participating in and going to zine fests is definitely the trading aspect. It's exciting getting to see what other kinds of zines are out there and what everyone else is creating. There is also that nervous feeling you get right before a trade. Are they going to say yes to trading with you? Will they like your zine or not? These are some of the questions that go through my mind before I ask someone to trade with me. I've had a pretty good experience with trading though because I think the zine community is open and receptive to exchanging and collaborating as much as possible with other zinesters.
What new projects are you working on this year?
This year I'm planning on applying for a Houston Arts Alliance grant to help with the production costs of a zine called The Zinester's Guide to Houston based off Ayun Halliday's (creator of the East Village Inky) zine/city guide to New York. As much as people hate on the Bayou City sometimes, I am proud to call myself a Houstonian and I think the city has such a great art scene and artistic community. I haven't worked out all the details, but I hope that local writers will be willing to contribute essays and/or fictional stories about their experience living in Houston and their favorite places around town. Other than that big project, I am going to continue working on my Modernizm zine series and collaborate with as many creative people as possible.


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Andrew Luck has joined the shaved squad, too.
Nearly three dozen players on the Indianapolis Colts have shaved their heads in a show of support for head coach Chuck Pagano, who is undergoing treatment for a form of leukemia.
Luck became a new member of the no-hair club Wednesday morning. Players and coaches were not available for comment because they were headed to Jacksonville, but a team spokesman confirmed that Luck will indeed look quite different when he takes off his helmet Thursday night.
"Buzzed heads and orange locks in honor of Chuck," team owner Jim Irsay tweeted. He also included a link to a photo showing many of the players who had gotten buzzed.
Indianapolis (5-3) has gone to great lengths to give their ailing coach encouragement.
Reggie Wayne wore orange gloves against Green Bay, the ribbon color used to raise awareness for leukemia. Nameplates above player's lockers at the team complex now include orange stickers with Pagano's initials in the middle of Indy's trademark horseshoe. They sent Pagano a game ball after their surprising win over the Packers on Oct. 4. Irsay has placed signs reading #Chuckstrong in each end zone of Lucas Oil Stadium, and the team has been trying to raise money to support leukemia research.
Quinn tried to play through concussion
Brady Quinn had waited three years for another chance to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. He wasn't going to let a concussion put him back on the sideline.
That's why the Chiefs quarterback admitted Wednesday to attempting to play through his second concussion of the season, which he believes happened when a defender's knee struck the back of his helmet in a game against the Oakland Raiders on Oct. 28.
Quinn remembers having vision problems after the blow, but decided to remain in the game, even though he was dazed enough to put on the wrong helmet on the sideline between possessions.
He never saw the Raiders' Rolando McClain while getting sacked later in the first quarter, perhaps augmenting the severity of the initial concussion, and recalled having "tunnel vision" and being unable to see the Oakland defensive backs when he threw an interception.
It was at that point Quinn was removed from the game.
"That's why I tried to stay in the game, because it was the first opportunity for me in a while," said Quinn, speaking for the first time since the injury. "I tried to play through it, and that's my fault for not being smart about it."
Quinn has already been ruled out for Kansas City's game Monday night at Pittsburgh. It will be the second straight game he's missed since becoming the starting quarterback.
Ravens LB approves of gay marriage vote
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo was delighted to learn that the majority of Maryland voters shared his opinion on same sex marriage.
"I'm so stoked. It's like I woke up and it's Christmas," Ayanbadejo said Wednesday, one day after gay marriage in the state was approved at the ballot box by a narrow margin.
Baltimore's locker room reflects society, so not all of Ayanbadejo's teammates shared his enthusiasm about the historic decision.
"When it's all said and done, there are a lot of guys on this team that stand firmly behind what the Bible says that a man marries a woman and a woman marries a man," safety Bernard Pollard said.
The strong, opposite viewpoints have not divided the Ravens' locker room. While players on both sides are passionate about their stances, they haven't let their differences get in the way of the team's unified quest for a playoff berth.
The Ravens (6-2) host Oakland (3-5) on Sunday.
Before Tuesday, gays and lesbians had been granted the right to marry by courts and state legislatures, but proponents of gay marriage had been defeated in voting by more than 30 states.
The Ravens have continued their business-like approach to football during the political discourse, but their convictions about the issue run deep within the testosterone-filled environment.
Ayanbadejo spoke out in favor of same-sex marriage on several occasions prior to Maryland's vote on Question 6.
"It's something I've been passionate about a long time," he said. "Even though it doesn't affect me directly, it affects a lot of my friends. It affects my family. It affects Ravens fans. It affects Marylanders. I've worked very hard on it; I'm especially proud of the Marylanders who went out and voted and made a difference."
• Vikings punter Chris Kluwe says he dislikes politics and doesn't plan any more activism, following his high-profile efforts to encourage defeat of Minnesota's marriage amendment.
Voters narrowly rejected a proposal Tuesday to amend the state constitution by defining marriage as between one man and one woman. Fifth-one percent voted against the amendment.
Kluwe said Wednesday he's pleased by the outcome and hopes he helped. He also said he had "no inkling" he would become such a spokesman for the amendment opposition campaign. He said he simply says what's on his mind "and apparently a lot of people listened."
Kluwe says he received support from the Vikings about speaking out and staying focused on his job.
Chargers fined $20K for sticky-towels incident
The NFL has fined the San Diego Chargers $20,000 because it said a member of the equipment staff failed to immediately surrender towels when ordered to do so by a game official against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 15.
The NFL also said in a statement Wednesday that after investigating the Chargers' use of towels that included an adhesive substance, it was determined that San Diego did not violate any rules.
After consulting with the Competition Committee, the league said it has advised all clubs that the use of towels or other products that contain any type of adhesive substance is prohibited on game days until further notice.
Jaguars owner doesn't want 'knee-jerk reactions'
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan doesn't want to have any "knee-jerk reactions" to his team's losing ways.
The Jaguars (1-7) have dropped five in a row and are 0-4 at home this season heading into Thursday's game against Indianapolis.
Khan, who stayed in town for the short week, made it clear Wednesday that he won't make any changes before the end of the season.
He says the "most important thing is not to have knee-jerk reactions when things get tough not to add drama to uncertainty."
There had been speculation that Khan might fire general manager Gene Smith and maybe even coach Mike Mularkey, but the owner put that to rest.
He says it "will be something for me to reflect on at the end of the season."
Around the league
Packers • The promising rookie season of first-round pick Nick Perry is over after the linebacker had surgery to repair a wrist ligament and was placed on injured reserve.
Eagles • Right tackle Todd Herremans was placed on the season-ending injured reserve list after suffering a dislocated bone and ligament damage in his right foot in Monday's loss to New Orleans. He is the fourth Philadelphia lineman lost to injury this season.
Bears • Star cornerback Charles Tillman might miss Sunday's game against the Houston Texans because of the pending birth of his daughter. "The wife is due any day, so hopefully this baby can stay in until after the game on Sunday," Tillman told Chicago radio station WSCR-AM.
Dolphins • The team and owner Stephen Ross are donating $500,000 to the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York to support Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. The Dolphins will also donate to the American Red Cross net proceeds from the sale of tickets for Sunday's game against the Tennessee Titans purchased beginning Thursday.
Week 10 schedule
• Indianapolis at Jacksonville, 6:20 p.m., NFL Network
• Atlanta at New Orleans,11 a.m.
• Detroit at Minnesota,11 a.m.
• Denver at Carolina, 11 a.m., Ch. 2
• San Diego at Tampa Bay,11 a.m.
• Tennessee at Miami, 11 a.m.
• Buffalo at New England,11 a.m.
• Oakland at Baltimore, 11 a.m.
• N.Y. Giants at Cincinnati,11 a.m., Ch. 13
• N.Y. Jets at Seattle, 2:05 p.m.
• St. Louis at San Francisco, 2:25 p.m., Ch. 13
• Dallas at Philadelphia,2:25 p.m.
• Houston at Chicago,6:20 p.m., Ch. 5
Open • Arizona, Cleveland, Green Bay, Washington
• Kansas City at Pittsburgh, 6:30 p.m., ESPN


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Archaeologists conclude spring operations at Mars Bluff
Archaeologists at the University of South Carolina will conclude their spring operations today (Thursday, June 18) along the Pee Dee River, where they have located the Mars Bluff Naval Yard and two of three cannon from the gunboat C.S.S. Pee Dee.
Since the researchers began their work in late April, the site has been open to the public each Friday. There will be no public viewing day Friday, June 19.
The university archaeology team, under the joint direction of Dr. Christopher Amer and Dr. Jonathan Leader, will return in October to locate the final Brooke rifled cannon and continue the land search for navy yard foundations and the smithy. Until then, the researchers, which include students from East Carolina University, Francis Marion University and the University of South Carolina, will analyze the artifacts recovered from the naval yard and the river and prepare for the conservation of the cannon once they are raised. Conservation of the smaller finds is under way under Leader's supervision.
The fall underwater archaeology operation will push back the raising of the cannon to early spring 2010.
The project of the S.C. Institute for Archaeology and Anthropology (SCIAA) at the University of South Carolina is funded in part by a $200,000 grant from the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation in Florence. SCIAA, part of the College of the Arts and Sciences, was established in 1963 as a university research institute and a cultural resource management agency for the state of South Carolina.
To learn more about SCIAA, its research projects and outreach programs, visit the Web site – www.cas.sc.edu/sciaa/ – or call 803-777-8170.


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Sad and misguided wee guy, glad he is nice and safe over the water, confident he wouldnt say that to Chris' face.
Dunno bout that, I would consider snapping someones arm an effective technique, you're not Cecil Peoples are you?
I would think Chris did as well, otherwise why would he have tried to crawl out the ring when I had it locked on?
In REALITY!!11 I did beat him, thats a loss for him, therefore I beat him, so I don't quite know what you're getting at there?
Nice observation to end on, yes, I would be scared to talk shit to someone who I beat in under 2 minutes in a one sided affair, makes alot of sense...you spacker.
Some would argue that the only reason the arm snapped was the leverage applied by chris' bodyweight as he moved about and not by the superhuman strength you have gained by jagging up the "juice"
In REALITY!!!!! the only thing the juice has given you is a delightful set of bitch tits, your constant tensing up fools noone.
The point was win or no win its not something to be proud of wee sacks.
P.s If i was as ugly as you id wear a towel over my head when I enter the ring aswell. Also Jim Brown wants his patter back. Sad Act.
any win in any competition is worth being proud over.lets cut out the childish bickering.close this thread and let the police deal with this
6 posts...joined in October...only posted in this thread...who did you think you were gonna fool chris? Stay off the charlie son, didn't do you any good in that fight and has clearly made you think you can fool people with this account.
P.S I know it's not something you do much, but winning IS something you're meant to be proud of...
Who is "TheJuice"?
tell yea something boyz if anybody started on me fan i was playing fitba id hiv choked the guy righ ott
Who is the juice?? I want to look him up on youtube and see his tits


text:
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Hitting Home: Businesses still feeling effects of downturn
Monday, 08/03/09
Ross Sneyd
The economic downturn that began in the fall deepened into a recession that some compare to the Great Depression. As VPR reported in a series in February, jobs were being cut, incomes were falling and the recession was Hitting Home. So now, six months later, what's changed?
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text:
He looks like the before photo in one of those old charles atlas weight-training ads.
1580s, Titan, son of Iapetus and Clymene, supposed to uphold the pillars of heaven, which was his punishment for being the war leader of the Titans in the struggle with the Olympian gods. The name in Greek perhaps means "The Bearer (of the Heavens)," from a-, copulative prefix, + stem of tlenai "to bear," from PIE root *tele- "to lift, support, weigh." Mount Atlas, in Mauritania, was important in Greek cosmology as a support of the heavens.
"collection of maps in a volume," 1636, first in reference to the English translation of "Atlas, sive cosmographicae meditationes de fabrica mundi" (1585) by Flemish geographer Gerhardus Mercator (1512-1594), who might have been the first to use this word in this way. A picture of the Titan Atlas holding up the world appeared on the frontispiece of this and other early map collections.
atlas at·las (āt'ləs)
The top or first cervical vertebra of the neck, supporting the skull and articulating with the occipital bone and rotating around the dens of the axis.
In classical mythology, a Titan famous for his strength. After the defeat of the Titans by Zeus, Atlas was condemned to support the Earth and sky on his shoulders for eternity.
Note: Since the sixteenth century, pictures of Atlas and his burden have been used as decorations on maps. Accordingly, the word atlas is used for a book of maps.
Note: An "Atlas" or "atlas" is an incredibly strong person or one who carries an enormous burden.
A bound collection of maps. Atlases are named after the Greek god Atlas.


text:
Another week of landscape links from the web
Koningin opent Maximapark in Leidsche Rijn [Queen Máxima of the Netherlands opens Maxima Park]
On Friday July 5, 2013, Her Majesty Queen Máxima opened Maxima Park in Leidsche Rijn, Utrecht, Netherlands. The park is a 300-hectare green area in the middle of the Leidsche Rijn designed by West 8.
Designers Stretch Out Imaginations on Park Benches | Lisa W. Foderaro | New York Times
""When I came to New York in the 1970s, at client told me, 'Do whatever you want, but no benches,' " said Tom Balsley, a prominent landscape architect who designed Riverside Park South,"
Palm Springs airport plans to save money with desert landscaping | Skip Descant | mydesert.com
"The airport plans to replace some 80 percent of its lawn areas with desertscape, according to a landscape plan"
Greener landscapes through design, maintenance | Larisa Brass | knoxsvillebiz.com
"Sustainable landscape design "means different things to different people," says Sara Hedstrom Pinnell, founder and principal of Hedstrom Design, a Knoxville landscape architecture firm."
When it comes to lawns, the natural way is here to stay | Alex Bozikovic | The Globe and Mail
Landscape architect Scott Torrance, who designed the garden with Levitt Goodman Architects, says the design makes a point: "Nature is luxury. … We took out a lawn and replaced it with a garden;
Chenshan Botanical Garden launches orchard plan | China Daily
Chenshan Botanical Garden Shanghai recently launched a plan to set up a 22,500-square-meter orchard, which will be one of the largest orchards for horticulture and fruit-picking in Shanghai.
Architekturbüro aus Krefeld gestaltet Platz am Bürgerhaus | Wa.de [German]
Ein Architekturbüro aus Krefeld hat den Wettbewerb zur Gestaltung des Platzes vor dem Nordkirchener Bürgerhaus gewonnen.
IMAGE CREDIT | © ANP; foto/image: Robin Utrecht. Image Courtesy of Het Koninklijk Huis


text:
RED BULLISH ON LONG BEACH: Flugtag, the mammoth collection of hilarious aeronautic failures, will once again take to the skies, however briefly, in Long Beach in August 2013.
Long Beach was one of five cities that hosted the Red Bull Flugtag (German for air day, or air show) in 2010, drawing more than 100,000 visitors in what was termed the biggest one-day event attendance in the city's history.
John Sangmeister, owner of Gladstone's at the Pike at Rainbow Harbor, tipped us to the news, which was confirmed by a Red Bull spokeswoman.
It's great news for Sangmeister, whose seafood restaurant is right next to the launch ramp that three dozen crews of human-powered flying machines use as a runway as they push their craft - anything ranging from a grand piano to a giant pig to a mock-up of President Obama's head - and invariably crash into the sea after a few seconds of glorious flight.
It's great news, in fact, for everyone running a business anywhere near the event, because in 2010 sales soared a lot loftier than the Flugtag gizmos, with local businesses reporting numbers rivaling or surpassing the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Anything close to the venue in 2010 had crowds lined up outside, and its was practically impossible to move around anywhere on South Pine Avenue.
The event was a successful marketing tool, too. The Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau hosted two dozen current and potential clients aboard a yacht docked within splashing distance of the doomed aircraft.
Red Bull's famed semiflying event has been an international spectacle since its initial launch in Vienna in 1991. Since then, it's been held in about 50 cities around the world.
The aircraft, if you can call them that, are built to Red Bull specs by teams from colleges, businesses and elsewhere and are launched from a pier that's 30 feet high - in Long Beach's case, it will be at the foot of Pine Avenue at Rainbow Harbor.
Competitors are judged by distance, creativity and showmanship.
In the early stages, teams submit rough drafts of their plans, which are judged by experts (we were a judge in 2010, to give you an idea of the level of expertise) and winnowed down to three dozen contestants
Details will be released closer to the event, but start having your big ideas now.
ROCKY ROAD DE-ROCKED: Closer to the ground, the stretch of Wardlow Road between Los Alamitos Boulevard and Stevely Avenue on the city's east side is as smooth as a baby's bottom again.
For about six months, 3,000 "raised pavement markers" were studded on both sides of Wardlow Road in an attempt to slow cars as they crossed over the San Gabriel (605) Freeway heading west into the Plaza or east into El Dorado Park Estates.
We went through six sets of teeth and two sets of shocks driving over the things. Driving on top of the breakwater was a smoother ride. And for all that, the 3,000 punishing dots failed to do their job and were removed.
"We were experimenting with the dots," says city traffic engineer Dave Roseman. "We were hoping for a 5 mph reduction on the stretch, and we didn't accomplish that task."
Motorists regularly exceed the 45-mph speed limit on that part of Wardlow.
So, now what do we do?
"We keep trying. We've reduced the width of the lanes. They were more than 13 feet wide - most roads downtown are 10 feet wide and even freeway lanes are 11."
Narrower roads equal slower traffic, says Roseman. And, even if that fails, there's more in the speeding-stifling arsenal, including new gadgetry that will be able to spot speeders and stop them with a traffic signal that would turn red briefly. That signal would be installed, if necessary, at the firehouse at El Dorado Regional Park, about midway between the bridges over the San Gabriel River and the 605 Freeway.
NEW KIDS IN THE HALL: As a member of the Long Beach City College Hall of Fame, we take great glee in congratulating the 2012 inductees, who probably haven't been told yet that they have to put on goofy costumes and sing to us hall members as part of a brutal weeklong hazing process. The inductees, who will be honored at the Long Beach City College Alumni Hall of Fame luncheon on Nov. 2, are Lori Brault, retired nurse and community healthcare volunteer; Jim Choura, owner of Choura Events (including the Grand on Willow Street); Ernest Mitchell, U.S. Fire Administrator and former Pasadena fire chief; and John Molina, trophy husband of Michelle Molina and CFO of Molina Healthcare.
Now go get us some coffee.
firstname.lastname@example.com, 562-714-2116, http://twitter.com/grobaty


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Random slopes for SEM?
Mplus Discussion
Multilevel Data/Complex Sample
posted on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 7:00 am
I wonder if it is possible to model random slopes for level-1 variables within Mplus multilevel SEM options when the data are cross-sectional and the level-2 variables do not represent level-1 equivalents?
Best, John
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 11:30 am
Yes, this is possible.
posted on Thursday, December 23, 2004 - 11:07 am
Dear Dr. Muthen,
am I right that here's a contradiction between the first and the two last statements? The first is quoted from your introduction on ML modelling, I found the other ones concerning ML SEM in this forum:
1. "The disaggregated multilevel models estimated by Mplus contain random intercepts but, except for growth models, not random slopes."
2. By john on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 07:00 am:
I wonder if it is possible to model random slopes for level-1 variables within Mplus multilevel SEM options when the data are cross-sectional and the level-2 variables do not represent level-1 equivalents?
Best, John
3. By Linda K. Muthen on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 11:30 am:
Yes, this is possible.
Many thanks in advance,
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Thursday, December 23, 2004 - 11:24 am
Things have changed in Mplus such that it is now possible to have random intercepts and random slopes. When the first post was made, only random intercepts were available except for growth models.
Scott Colwell, PhD
posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 5:53 am
Is it possible to model a random slope in TYPE=COMPLEX? There doesn't seem to be any examples of TYPE=COMPLEX examples in the manual. If it is possible to do, how would I write the syntax in the MODEL command if Y is regressed on X and I suspect that it has a random slope that is moderated by Z how?
Thank you,
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 8:05 am
No, we don't have examples of TYPE=COMPLEX because TYPE=COMPLEX can be added to most examples. If you look at the table under the ESTIMATOR option in the Mplus User's Guide, you can see which analysis types can be used together. You will see that COMPLEX and RANDOM can be used together.
Carmen van der Zwaluw
posted on Friday, December 05, 2008 - 1:27 am
Dear professors,
What is the difference between type=complex and type=random complex? And why are there less subjects included in the analyses in the type=random complex command?
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Friday, December 05, 2008 - 6:28 am
TYPE=RANDOM is required when the model contains random effects defined using the | symbol. See Chapter 16 of the users' guide for more information.
The difference in sample size is likely due to cases with missing on covariates being removed from the analysis with TYPE=RANDOM. With TYPE=GENERAL COMPLEX, this is not done because the results are the same if the model is estimated conditioned on the covariates or not. With TYPE=RANDOM, this is not the case.
K�tlin Peets
posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 5:34 am
I am running a two-level CFA. We are interested in examining how covariance/correlation between two within-level factors varies across the 2nd level units. I understand that we can run a random slope analysis where we regress one factor on the other but we would like to examine the between-level variance of the covariance/correlation (as we don't assume that one factor has an effect on the other. Instead, we assume that they covary, and the strength of covariation/correlation might be different across the 2nd level units). Is there a way to do it?
Thank you
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 - 12:26 pm
The only way I can think that you could look at covariances across clusters would be to use mixture modeling and a between-level categorical latent variable where the classes consist of clusters.
K�tlin Peets
posted on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 - 7:20 am
My question concerns the same data (two-level CFA).
Is it possible to save covariances/correlations between two factors for each 2nd level unit? Or, can I only save factor scores?
In addition, what is saved under the name b_variable name and b_variable name_SE?
Thank you again!
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 - 10:53 am
No, the model is estimated assuming psi is equal across clusters. You can save only the factors scores.
The two values you see are the between part of the latent variable decomposition of your observed variables that are not on the WITHIN or BETWEEN list and their standard errors.
Lucy Morgan
posted on Monday, January 21, 2013 - 12:26 pm
I am running a multilevel model using care assistant variables at level1 (N = 186) and manager variables at level 2 (N = 37). I am trying to add random slopes for level 1 variables and keep getting the following error message for CAIDIM, and CAIjG:
An example of my code is
wealth BY S1_1 S1_5 S1_12 S1_14 S1_18;
relat BY S1_2 S1_4 S1_13 S1_15 S1_19;
fame BY S1_6 S1_8 S1_9 S1_11 S1_16;
commun BY S1_3 S1_7 S1_10 S1_17 S1_20;
CA_Inter ON commun wealth relat fame CAExt2 CAIjG CAIjB;
b1 | CA_Inter ON CAIDIM;
I have checked through the forum but cannot find any replies to the same problem, so I was wondering if you could help me as I *think* I have specified the model correctly but don't have a clue how to go about changing starting values!
Many thanks
Bengt O. Muthen
posted on Monday, January 21, 2013 - 8:10 pm
Please send your output to
, including Tech1 and Tech8.
Mason G Haber
posted on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 - 12:55 pm
I'd like to examine both within and cross-level effects in a two level longitudinal model in which there are several level 2 predictors, a level 1 predictor, and a level 1 covariate. I am familiar with example 9.2 in the M plus manual for estimating cross level effects. However, this example only models one cross-level effect. Two issues, the first related to the example, and the second related to interpreting output when there are cross-level effects:
1) In estimating cross-level effects involving the Level 1 predictor (level 2 predictor * level 1 predictor), can you control for the cross-level effect involving a level 1 covariate (level 2 predictor * level 1 covariate), rather than simply controlling for the level 1 effect of the covariate?
2) For some reason, the code for cross-level effects seems to be incompatible with the code used for modeling level 1 effects. Is that because the code for the cross-level effects automatically calculates level 1 effects (and thus, a statement to model level 1 effects would be redundant)? Also, where would I find statistics for the level 1 effects, since these do not seem to be included in the output when cross-level effects are modeled? Would be the intecepts for the level 1 variables?
Bengt O. Muthen
posted on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 - 5:16 pm
1) Yes. You would define 2 random slopes.
2) If you say for example
s | y on x;
you cannot also say
y on x;
- the effect is either random or fixed. If this is not what you are asking in 2), please re-state.
For random slopes like s above, you find its mean and variance on level 2. If s is regressed on a level 2 variable, you get its intercepts and residual variances on level 2.
Mason G Haber
posted on Thursday, January 24, 2013 - 6:03 am
Thank you for your response. To make sure that I understand re: #2, the statement "s | y on x" defines a random level 1 effect, and "y on x" in the level 1 (within) portion of the model statement defines a fixed level 1 effect, correct?
To clarify, which coefficient in the output represents a random level 1 effect (the beta for a random effect of a level 1 variable)?
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Thursday, January 24, 2013 - 6:17 am
s | y ON x; define a random effect.
s is the random coefficient. Its mean and variance are found on the between level.
y ON x; defines a fixed effect.
See Example 9.1 and 9.2 in the user's guide for further information.
Mason G Haber
posted on Thursday, January 31, 2013 - 1:08 pm
Where can I find the mean and variance of slopes in a random coefficients model, and is the mean the appropriate representation of these level 1 effects? In other words, if I am interested in assessing the significance of a slope, where do I find this information?
I appreciate your patience with my questions.
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Thursday, January 31, 2013 - 1:39 pm
The mean and variance of a random slope are found in the between part of the model.
Mason G Haber
posted on Thursday, January 31, 2013 - 1:48 pm
Examining the between level output, I see cross-level coefficients, correlations, intercepts, and residual variances. I suppose you are speaking of the intercept and residual coefficients when you refer to the mean and variance (since the intercept would be the value of the slope at the average value of all grand mean centered level 2 variables?)
Again, thank you for your patience.
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Thursday, January 31, 2013 - 2:08 pm
If you have regressed the mean and variance of the random coefficients on a covariate, then the model parameters are an intercept and residual variance. If this does not help, send the output and your license number to
so I can see what you are looking at.
Lisa M. Yarnell
posted on Thursday, August 08, 2013 - 4:42 pm
1) Is it possible to have the random slope code (e.g., s1 | m ON x) in the BETWEEN section of a two-level model if x is a level-2 variable?
m is a level-1 variable. But since x is at level-2, it can have only between-level effects; yet the effect of x on m can differ across level-2 units, hence the random slopes.
Is this plausible?
2) If the answer to #1 is YES, would the mean and variance of the s1 random slope also be defined in the BETWEEN section of the model?
3) Further, is this setup plausible if x is a dichotomous (dummy) variable?
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Thursday, August 08, 2013 - 5:45 pm
In a TWOLEVEL model, random slopes are specified in the within part of the model. They cannot be specified in the between part of the model.
Lisa M. Yarnell
posted on Thursday, August 08, 2013 - 6:10 pm
What if one of the variables in this random slope regression is a level-2 variable? Wouldn't the entire effect then be on the BETWEEN level and not the WITHIN level?
Can you clarify the reasoning for putting this code in the WITHIN section?
Bengt O. Muthen
posted on Thursday, August 08, 2013 - 6:30 pm
The Mplus approach is in line with standard formulas for twolevel modeling. You write a level-1 equation where some coefficients are designated as random and then on level-2 they are variables (varying across level-2 units) for which you can estimate variances and relationships. Same if you have a 3-level situation. You can on level-2 designate some coefficients as random and they are then variables on level-3.
It follows that if you designate a slope for a level-2 predictor to be random you need to have a level-3 on which that random slope varies.
See the Raudenbush-Bryk 2002 book; this background should be active knowledge when using the more general multilevel modeling of Mplus.
You won't see the R&B book showing a two-level model with a level-2 equation that has random coefficients.
Lisa M. Yarnell
posted on Thursday, August 08, 2013 - 6:38 pm
OK, thank you. This actually makes a lot of sense, particularly this point:
"It follows that if you designate a slope for a level-2 predictor to be random you need to have a level-3 on which that random slope varies."
That does make sense.
posted on Monday, August 12, 2013 - 6:06 am
I am running a two level model for count outcome, but when I add random slopes for four level-1 variables, mplus takes a lot of time. I have tried to add them one by one to see if they are significant, and they are.
my command is below:
resid intnum intage intgdr resage resgdr resedu resint nopin;
USEVARIABLES ARE intnum resage resgdr resedu resint nopin;
WITHIN = resage resgdr resedu resint;
CLUSTER = intnum;
COUNT IS nopin;
ANALYSIS: TYPE = twolevel random;
randoms1|nopin ON resage;
randoms2|nopin ON resgdr;
randoms3|nopin ON resedu;
randoms4|nopin ON resint;
would you please help me to see what is the problem? thank you so much!
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Monday, August 12, 2013 - 9:45 am
Your model has five dimensions of integration. If your computer has multiple processors, you can speed up the analysis by using the PROCESSORS option, for example,
Alexandre J.S. Morin
posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 2:45 am
I am estimating a 3-level model with latent aggregation of manifest variables (i.e. all my variables are observed, measured at L1, and I use latent aggregation to bring that up to L2 and L3).
I want to test if a Level 3 predictor has an impact on the slopes of L1 and L2 regressions (i.e. random slopes) but for some reason cannot use random slopes for similar effects modelled at both L1 and L2... For example:
s1 | x on y;
%between L2%
s2 | x on y;
%between L3%
s1; s2; [s1]; [s2];
s1 on w;
s2 on w;
It also seems that I cannot have y and x only at 2 levels and need to model their variances at L3. Also, for some reasons, the model does not work when I have missing values on y.
Linda K. Muthen
posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2014 - 2:21 pm
Please send the output and your license number to
Bengt O. Muthen
posted on Thursday, August 14, 2014 - 2:41 pm
These restrictions are correct except the one about specifying variables on level 1 and 2 only. You have to use the command
within = (cluster1) Y X;
You can use observed aggregation for the covariate.
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Bosch 4100 Specs
Weight: 60 pounds; 99 pounds with stand
Table size: 29 inches by 21 1/2 inches
Cutting depth at 90 degrees: 3 1/8 inches
Cutting depth at 45 degrees: 2 1/4 inches
Maximum rip: 25 inches
Amps: 15
No-load speed: 3,650 rpm
Street price: $500; $600 with stand; $680 with stand and digital rip fence
Bosch Tools
Late last year Bosch introduced the Worksite Table Saw (model 4100), an improved version of its Benchtop Table Saw (model 4000). I'd tested the earlier model shortly after it came out and found it to be one of the best 10-inch portables on the market (see "10-Inch Portable Table Saws," 8/03). The new saw is very similar, but with a few added features.
Like its predecessor, the 4100 has a smooth, powerful soft-start motor, an accurate rip gauge, and a fence that's easy to use. The mechanisms for raising and tilting the blade operate cleanly, as do the slides that extend the right-hand side of the table for wider rips. The only notable differences from the first version are the construction of the base and the guard assembly, and the addition of an optional digital rip gauge.
Stronger Base
The base of the earlier model had hard edges and no reinforcement, making it vulnerable to damage when not attached to a stand. The new saw's base is tougher: Its bottom curls under to form a thickened edge. The saw I tested (4100DG-09) came with a Gravity-Rise Stand (see Toolbox, 7/06), which helps with transporting and setting up the saw but takes up a lot of space in the back of a truck.
Thanks to a pair of grips built into its base, the 4100 is relatively easy to carry when not on a stand.
Electronic Rip Gauge
Carpenters who don't want to use the saw's built-in rip gauge can buy the electronic version, which Bosch calls a "digital carriage." It works like this: A thin steel cable in a channel under the rail spools in and out of the carriage as the fence is moved; to gauge the width of the rip, an internal device tracks the spool's rotation and displays that distance on an LCD screen. Below the screen are three buttons: "on/off," "units," and "reset." Calibrating the scale is simply a matter of sliding the fence against the blade and hitting the reset button; the "units" button sets the scale to read in fractional or decimal modes. In fractional mode the screen displays dimensions to 1/16 or 1/32 inch; in decimal mode, to .01 inch or .5 millimeter.
Accuracy. According to Bosch, the electronic scale is accurate to the nearest 1/32 inch in all modes. That squares with my experience using the tool; it measures to the nearest 1/32 inch and then rounds to the nearest unit. To verify this I calibrated the scale, set it to the 1/16-inch mode, and used a machinist's rule to measure between blade tip and fence. With the tip set at the 6-inch mark on the rule, the screen displayed "60/16" inches. I moved the fence away but the display continued to read "60/16" inches until the measurement on the rule was just beyond 6 1/32 inches; at that point it changed to "6 1/16" inches. The reverse was also true: The screen displayed "51 5/16" inches as soon as the measurement on the rule dropped below 53 1/32 inches.
Pros and cons. My initial feeling about the electronic rip scale was that it was a gimmick. But now, after using it for several months, I'd be willing to spend the $90 it costs to put one on the saw. Reading dimensions from the screen is easier than reading them from the built-in scale, especially in poorly lit work areas. And the accuracy is fine for most carpentry and cabinetmaking tasks.
I do have a couple of minor complaints. The scale is powered by a 9-volt battery and automatically shuts down after about a minute of inactivity; this extends the life of the battery but means you're constantly turning the unit on.
Also, when you turn on the scale it displays the dimension of the last rip you made. That's fine if you don't move the fence — but if the fence moves while the unit is powered down, the wrong dimension will be displayed when it comes back on. Recalibrating the scale is simple enough — but you have to remember to do it.
To prevent kickback, the saw has a riving knife (above) that can be raised and lowered without tools. In the photo at right, both the barrier guards and the anti-kickback pawls are in place.
Smart Guard System
It's hard to get excited about blade guards: Every table saw comes with one, but as far as I know nobody's ever worn one out. That's no surprise given that most guards make it harder to use the saw. Bosch's Smart Guard System, however, is different — it's easy to remove and reinstall and doesn't seriously interfere with the saw's operation. The system consists of a riving knife, barrier guards, and anti-kickback pawls. When not in use, the barrier guards and pawls store on a bracket below the table.
Riving knife. The riving knife extends up from the table in line behind the blade. If the kerf closes up, the wood will pinch against the knife instead of the blade — thereby preventing kickback. The riving knife can be used with or without the barrier guards and pawls, and can be raised and lowered without tools.
Barrier guards. The barrier guards clip into a notch on the riving knife by means of a cam-activated lever. A cast metal "fork" at the top of the assembly and plastic guards at the sides protect the operator from the spinning blade.
The barriers move independently: You can lift the right one to bring the fence close to the blade and the left one will remain on the table. If you need to measure or adjust something, you can lift the guards and a retaining clip will hold them up and out of the way. I like being able to see the blade through the gap between the barriers. The downside, though, is that chips and splinters come flying back as if there were no guard, so you still need to wear safety glasses.
Anti-kickback pawls. The anti-kickback pawls are a separate part of the assembly and are attached to the riving knife with a spring-loaded pin. They prevent kickback by digging into the stock if it starts to move backward — which is most likely to happen when a piece is captured between the fence and blade.
The large numbers on the digital display (left) are easy to read. To calibrate the device, you slide the fence against the blade (below) and then press the reset button. The retaining clips hold the plastic side guards up and out of the way.
Usability. The ease with which this guard can be removed and installed eliminates the main problem with most guards: If it's hard to install, no one will put it on. I made a point of using the guard on this saw. It certainly wasn't a hardship — the difficult part was breaking the habit of thinking that guards greatly reduce productivity.
My one concern about the guard assembly regards its durability. The retaining clips that hold up the guards seem delicate, and on the saw I tested the pressed-in pin that secures the riving knife's release lever fell out for no particular reason. I found it and glued it back in with epoxy. If it had been lost, I'd have retained the lever with a split pin — which is how Bosch should have connected it in the first place.


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By Ellen Gray Philadelphia Daily News
TV viewers may well continue to argue for decades about whether Tony Soprano is dead, but it won't feel the same, now that the man who brought him to life is gone.
James Gandolfini, the burly — and surprisingly shy — actor who shot to stardom in HBO's "The Sopranos" as an up-and-coming mobster suffering a midlife crisis, died Wednesday in Italy of a possible heart attack, and never wanted to see his character go that way.
Killing the panic-attack-prone Tony off with a heart attack would be "kind of lame," he told reporters in 2006, back when speculation about how the show would end was all the rage.
But then he claimed to prefer the nuclear option: "That would be good. Boom!"
A character actor who was already 37 — and looked even older — when "The Sopranos" premiered in January 1999, Gandolfini never seemed entirely comfortable with the sudden fame the show brought him. I remember his deer-in-the-headlights look at a Television Critics Association awards event early in the show's run.
The next time he won a TCA award, I'm pretty sure he sent us all thank-you notes.
But I also remember him years later at an HBO press party, the kind of event no amount of arm-twisting could have forced him to attend.
The ambiguous ending of "The Sopranos" was still a hot topic, but I don't recall anyone having the nerve to ask him about it. Not when he was accompanied by several young, wounded veterans, some of them amputees, who'd participated in a documentary he'd produced for HBO, "Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq."
"I went to Iraq (the first time) because I was playing this tough guy on TV, and I guess I wanted to go meet a few real ones or something like that," he said during a news conference on the project.
"I was angry about the lack of attention that was being paid. I wanted to do something."
Gandolfini followed that up with another documentary for HBO, "Wartorn: 1861-2010," which looked at the psychically shattered veterans of America's wars.
"He was a genius," "Sopranos" creator David Chase said Wednesday. "A great deal of that genius resided in those sad eyes."
Gandolfini brought a sadness, and a humanity, to Tony, a man in the process of becoming a monster, that struck a chord with millions.
Gandolfini was preparing to return to HBO in a new, seven-episode limited series called "Criminal Justice," in which he was to play an unsuccessful lawyer. His death leaves that project in limbo, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
It's unlikely, in seven episodes or 70, that Gandolfini could ever have surpassed his work on "The Sopranos," whose first season alone is among the very best television ever made.
It would have been wonderful, though, to see him try.


text:
Denque Fever Update
Martin County health officials now say there are 18 confirmed cases of dengue fever, stemming from people living in Jensen Beach and the Rio community.
County officials, giving an update on Thursday, say they have never seen an outbreak of dengue fever like what they've experienced this summer. Residents who live in Rio or Jensen Beach might receive a knock on the door beginning Friday from health officials wanting to take blood samples.
Health officials say dengue fever is typically contracted by people in other countries. You can catch the disease by being bitten by a mosquito carrying dengue fever.
Residents are being urged to protect themselves from mosquitoes and to get rid of any standing water on their properties.
Meanwhile, the local OneBlood blood bank is temporarily halting donations, employees saying they will not take any more blood in Martin or St. Lucie Counties until the denque fever threat has minimized.