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— A new Illinois General Assembly was inaugurated Wednesday, but lingering beyond the flowers, family and speeches was a host of unfinished business.
The old Legislature adjourned Tuesday without fixing the state's broken public pension system. Also left unresolved were the divisive issues of same-sex marriage, gun regulation and gambling expansion. It'll be a while before such problems are tackled — the part-time lawmakers are scheduled to go home for a few weeks before returning to the Capitol.
In the House, Speaker Michael Madigan remains in charge, as he has for all but two of the past 30 years. In the Senate, President John Cullerton starts his fifth year running the show. Both Chicago Democrats now wield veto-proof majorities after many voters throughout the state opted against the Republican alternative in November legislative races.
That new Democratic power brings added pressure to perform was not lost on Cullerton, who said his party's 40-19 advantage over the GOP is the largest in the nation and in state history.
"I know a lot of you are thinking, 'This is great. We've got 40 members. I don't have to take any tough votes,'" Cullerton told his Democrats in a decorated Senate chamber as family members were entertained by a rendition of the 1960s tune "Feeling Good."
"But if everybody thought like that, we wouldn't get anything done, would we?" he said.
Madigan, the longest-serving speaker in state history, told House members that key issues remain "terribly contentious, terribly divisive."
"We have to call upon our inner resolves to dedicate ourselves to the solution of these problems, working cooperatively with the other members of the House of Representatives and the Senate," said Madigan, who leads a 71-47 Democratic majority.
Still, Madigan gave a grave assessment of the poorly funded pensions, saying he would "emphasize the absolutely serious nature of the fiscal condition."
In the waning days of the legislative session that concluded Tuesday, Madigan made what he said was a good-faith effort to spur pension talks by lifting a demand that suburban and downstate teacher retirement costs be shifted from the state to local school districts. That's now back on the table for Madigan, who called it a "free lunch."
"Serious, serious problem, and if we're serious about solving the problem, that must be addressed," Madigan said.
The cost-shift provision is adamantly opposed by Republicans and some suburban Democrats who maintain that it will lead to local property tax increases.
After failing to come up with a pension solution before the clock ran out this week, Cullerton said that Senate Bill 1, legislation often symbolizing the top agenda item, would be a pension measure combining aspects of unresolved Senate-passed and House-sponsored plans.
"The finances of our pension system have to be addressed in a fair and constitutional manner. The issue has lingered for generations and threatens to doom future generations if something isn't done," Cullerton said.
"We are on the verge of our state budget being turned into a financial plan that funds pension benefits, not essential services. Our investments in higher, elementary and secondary education and human services are increasingly crowded out — some might say, squeezed — by our pension costs," Cullerton said in a nod to Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, whose grass-roots pension reform movement used a cartoon mascot, Squeezy, the Pension Python.
Though Cullerton cast a vote for Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno of Lemont for Senate president, as she did for him in a symbolic display of bipartisanship, Radogno said "many people in Illinois really don't have a lot of confidence in us and hopefully we can turn that around."
"We have to come to grips with some of the very real problems that we have," she said. "The underlying pillar that will allow us to begin to address them is solving the pension problem."
House Republican leader Tom Cross of Oswego called for "incredibly bold ideas and incredibly bold solutions."
"We're facing challenges in the state that we probably haven't seen as a General Assembly since the Great Depression," Cross said.
Quinn's call to act on pensions before the lame-duck session ended was ignored. On Wednesday, the governor renewed his call for a solution.
"I hope we can get members of the Legislature of both houses to agree on a bill — that is the ideal situation," Quinn said as he left the Capitol. "But this is an emergency, and we cannot just meander along when you're in an emergency. This can cause great harm to our state's credit rating and to our economy."
In the House, there were 19 lawmakers who had never been sworn in. And then there were a few others who moved in early or made comebacks.
Most notable was Derrick Smith, the Chicago Democrat who in August became the first lawmaker tossed from the House in 107 years following his indictment on charges that he took a $7,000 bribe in exchange for supporting a state grant.
Smith is one of two House Democrats, the other being Rep. LaShawn Ford, under federal indictment. It would take both of their votes if Democrats ever needed to come together to exercise their veto-proof majority of 71, or three-fifths, of the 118 House lawmakers.
In the Senate, taking the oath was Donne Trotter, a Chicago Democrat who gave up his bid to fill the congressional seat vacated by longtime U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. after Trotter got caught boarding a plane with an unloaded pistol. All three lawmakers have pleaded not guilty.
With their families present taking plenty of photos, some new lawmakers were caught up in the moment, one that soon might be overcome by stark political realities.
"It's an honor just to know that 62,029 people cast their vote for me," said freshman Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Orland Hills.
Aware that the issues of pensions, gay marriage and gun control are on the horizon, Hastings set his sights on the high-minded notion of "working on both sides of the aisle to make the best-informed decision — and not just only for my district but for the people of Illinois."
Newly minted Sen. Melinda Bush, D-Grayslake, agreed the pension issue is "huge" but wants to hear the various ideas before taking a position.
"It really hangs over all of us," Bush said. "Obviously, we are going to look at the pension issue with everyone else and bring in all those ideas to solve our huge pension issue."


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5 Jun 2014 05:51:43 AM
Who's the Real "Father of MMA"? — 10 Fighters More Deserving of the Title Than Bruce Lee
Though current bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw will not be a playable character in EA Sports UFC when it hits the shelves two weeks from now, Bruce Lee will be. Perhaps equally ridiculous is that Bruce Lee isn't being treated as a novelty addition to the roster, but rather as "the father of Mixed Martial Arts," something Dana White has also called him. Giving credit to only one person for the creation of MMA is absurd enough, but painting Bruce Lee as that person is just preposterous.
Then again, it really isn't hard to understand why Zuffa would want to make someone like Bruce Lee an ambassador for our sport. Lee was — and still is — an instantly recognizable celebrity. His body was ripped and athletic. He knew how to wrestle, sure, but also understood that most people would rather watch him throw flashy kicks. His affirmations were deep enough to look good on playing cards and posters, but not too profound for the bros curling in the squat rack to comprehend. In other words, he appeals to a much larger audience than Edward William Barton-Wright and Tommy Tanaka do.
Even with all that in mind, there are figures in combat sports history who not only did more to mold modern MMA than Bruce Lee, but can also be worked into the charmingly revisionist Zuffa account of history just as well. The following list will focus on the accomplishments of these individuals, as well as the arguments for why they should be repackaged as the fathers of MMA. Let's start with the oldest candidate, and work our way towards the modern era…Read More DIGG THIS

subset: commoncrawl


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Captain's ReportA Purest MachineBy Capt. Ron SvobodaSlipping behind the LXi's low profile helm and windshield, I started to wonder what driving a world championship pro ski boat was going to be like. Admittedly, I don't have a lot of exposure to a boat like this in my line of work. So I asked myself, was it going to be quick? Probably. Was the boat going to handle differently than other vessels? Probably. Was I going to enjoy the ride? Oh yes!The LXi is a purest machine, designed to do one thing very well. Actually designed to do three things very well. Its goal in life is to tow the best water skiers, jumpers and tricksters to world fame. It all starts with a 20 foot, 6 inches long, low freeboard hull that's meticulously wrapped around a high-tech Indmar inboard engine that's coupled to a direct drive transmission. This configuration maximizes the boat's balance and towing efficiency and delivers a nimble feel while tracking a solid line around buoys. Standard fare is a multi-port fuel injected motor that dishes-out 320 horsepower. For high altitude lakes and others with the need for more power, a 340 horsepower version is available, along with a 400 horsepower, Hammerhead 383 mill. All these motors meet CARB regulation standards so you can ski at various California spots where others cannot. Layout and FeaturesInside the boat, the narrow beam offers ample room for up to eight people to sit comfortably. But don't expect to move about the boat while others do, as floor space is minimized to maximize seating. There is even a pair of optional jump seats that can be placed on either side of the engine box for two more bodies. When not in use, they can be simply removed without the need for tools and stashed at the dock. The back of the boat gets a wide bench seat and a decent sized transom sun pad. This tanning bed conceals a fully carpeted storage compartment below the cushions, and ensures adequate storage space for the day's activities. Even though the gunwales are low, built-in side coaming panels are beautifully integrated into the sides of the LXi and provide quick access to towels or ski vests. Up at the front of the boat, is a thoroughly padded seating area designed for two people to stretch out and catch some rays. A centerline filler cushion can be removed to convert the area for seating instead of lounging if you choose.Two more people can sit at the observer's bench seat that's fitted to the port side across from the helm. Here you will also find a large glove box and massive compartment behind the seat's flip-up back cushion that hides more storage and access to the stereo head unit.Control FreakPutting forth the ability to control this deluxe tow machine is Malibu's innovative helm. At the center of the dash is the Precision Pro Speed control that allows you to dial in the perfect speed, plus memory inputs let you set predetermined speeds for different skiers and conditions. Malibu also incorporated their unique LCD switch panels that control all accessory power switching while adding a sleek look to the helm. A JBL stereo system integrated with a special Malibu controller and Rockford Fosgate speakers finishes off the modern pilot station.With corvette like performance, virtually-flat wake characteristics and an unlimited pallet of color customization options, there is no reason why the LXi won't be able to improve your slalom, trick and jumping routines and ensure you'll perform at your best time after time.
Test Result Highlights
- Top speed for the Malibu Response LXi (2009- ) is 49.6 mph (79.8 kph), burning 28.4 gallons per hour (gph) or 107.49 liters per hour (lph).
- Best cruise for the Malibu Response LXi (2009- ) is 27.4 mph (44.1 kph), and the boat gets 4.34 miles per gallon (mpg) or 1.85 kilometers per liter (kpl), giving the boat a cruising range of 340 miles (547.18 kilometers).
- Tested power is 1 x 400-hp Indmar 383 Hammerhead.
Standard and Optional Features
|CD Stereo
|Power Steering
Exterior Features
|Carpet: Cockpit
|Outlet: 12-Volt Acc
|Swim Platform
|Tower: Watersports
Hull Warranty
Lifetime Limited
Engine Warranty
|Limited 3-Year
Powertrain Warranty
Limited 3-Year
Gelcoat Warranty
Limited 2-Year
Accessories Warranty
|Limited 3-Year
(It's quick and FREE!)


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Yeah google are so smart that some dipshit with the domain *.copyright-notice.com is submitting copywrite infringement notices to youtube and youtube are removing the videos.
This just happened to me, I got 1 strike on my account. The way I found out was I had a look who submitted it via the Counter-notification section in youtube.
When you go to the Counter-notification section it gives you this notice:
"To submit a copyright counter-notification, you must be certain that you have the legal right to post the video to YouTube.
By submitting a counter-notification, you consent to disclosing the information provided below, including your name, address and phone number, to the claimant.
A counter-notification is a legal notification to YouTube that the claimant has made a mistake or misidentified your content. To prevent your content from being reinstated to YouTube, the claimant must sue you. If you are not prepared to face the claimant in court, you should not proceed with a counter-notification. If there is any part of this process that is unclear to you, please consult a lawyer"
Pretty full on. Anyway his email address Is in there and name
"[email protected]"
I sent an email to him and it bounced back:
"Hi. This is the qmail-send program at u15366585.onlinehome-server.com.
I'm afraid I wasn't able to deliver your message to the following addresses.
This is a permanent error; I've given up. Sorry it didn't work out.
<[email protected]>:
Mail quota exceeded.
--- Below this line is a copy of the message."
wait..what the fuck? onlinehome-server.com ? yeah that seems legit. Ends up being some ISP for home users haha ok yeah well case closed.
I chose to submit the infringement counter notification. Told google to be smarter than that fuck.
Youtube Are Retards
Internet, Two-Way Radio Communications, WIFI, 3G, etc
Post Reply
4 posts • Page 1 of 1
- Zero-Fear
- Loyal
- Posts: 90
- Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 1:08 am
- Contact:
Youtube Are Retards
- Nick
- Respected
- Posts: 182
- Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 9:34 pm
- Location: 127.0.0.1
Re: Youtube Are Retards
It's a hard situation, they have to rely on trust becuase otherwise the big copywrite owners, with their dicks inside America's arse will have the laws changed and make them responsible...
- landau
- Big Maggot
- Posts: 51
- Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 8:02 pm
Re: Youtube Are Retards
I didn't know that was how the system worked. I don't use youtube at all. they might not even be prepared for a spoof
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2017 4:54 pm
Re: Youtube Are Retards
It is very good. I have read about this thing and feel that it is very useful.
Post Reply
4 posts • Page 1 of 1


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Register for an account
Our free registration to join Independent.com, in 2 Quick steps.
All you need to do is enter your E-mail address, and provide a username and a password of your choice; you may remain anonymous if you wish.
Why register?
Because it's free, and you'll be able to...
Post comments on stories.
Have access to any part of the website and all user tools.
Post your comments on local bands, movies, and local restaurants.
Use a bunch of nifty features we've got, and new features as they are released.
We will not spam you or give your E-mail address to anybody. Registration is our method of keeping spam and other undesirable visitors off our site. (Note to AOL users: sometimes your Spam filter is overly aggressive in our registration process. We explain further down).
1. Enter a username (numbers and letters only, and no spaces!), your email address, and a password in the fields provided.
2. We will mail you back, with a click-able link. Follow the link.
If you forget your password at any time, the Website can mail you a new one.
Let's get started:
(Our automated system sends out the confirmation immediately so you should get an email response very quickly; sometimes Hotmail and Yahoo Mail and other email programs can be slow in processing E-mails. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about this on our end.)
Further information for The Curious:
Note: If your E-mail provider, to control spam, does not allow incoming messages from senders you have not approved beforehand, you will need to set up your E-mail account to allow messages from firstname.lastname@example.com. Our system sends out a confirmation E-mail, but we can't determine whether your e-mail provider allows the confirmation E-mail to be accepted.
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AOL might consider the registration E-mail we send out to be spam and prevent you from receiving it. Unfortunately, until AOL changes their E-mail mechanisms, the only work-around is to sign up for an independent.com account using a non-AOL E-mail account, such as Yahoo! or Gmail.
Even more information:
We thought long and hard about whether to require registration on certain parts of this site. Like most people, when we're surfing the Web and get smacked with a "please register" message, it's a pain in the neck.
But we ended up deciding to require registration on certain features of this site because we felt the features wouldn't be nearly as useful without it. Restaurant reviews would be practically worthless if we didn't make people own up to their words. Some blog comment threads would degenerate into anonymous name-calling without a registration requirement. And some of our upcoming customization features just plain wouldn't work without it. You get the point.
So, here's our policy: We're doing this registration thing wherever it makes sense. And we hope that makes sense to you.
Of course your information is only used in the registration process, and not used by us or anyone else for any other purpose.


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You can actually send a message now to a non-Facebook friend, but it will go into that person's Other folder, rather than his or her inbox. But Facebook announced in a blog post yesterday that it is starting an experiment to test the usefulness of "economic signals" to determine message relevance. For a fee of $1, Facebook users can pay to have a message deposited in any user's Inbox--friends or not.
Facebook is presenting the option as a way to more effectively filter messages. "Several commentators and researchers have noted that imposing a financial cost on the sender may be the most effective way to discourage unwanted messages and facilitate delivery of messages that are relevant and useful," states the Facebook blog post. "This test is designed to address situations where neither social nor algorithmic signals are sufficient."
The feature will be available only for messages between individuals. This prevents, it would seem, a major brand from spamming multiple users' mailboxes. Spam is in the eye of the beholder, however, and one message from an unknown entity may be one message too many for Facebook users.
Facebook has recently made several changes to its messaging system, including new filtering mechanisms announced last month. Users can choose Basic Filtering, which shows mostly messages from friends and friends of friends, or Strict Filtering, which allows only messages from friends in users' inboxes.
Follow Deb Donston-Miller on Twitter at @debdonston.
Attend Online Marketing Summit San Diego, Feb. 11-13, and gather the insights and strategies you need to make the right online marketing choices to deliver the most value for your business. OMS San Diego offers three days of inspiration, connections, and practical learning. Register using code WETW01 and to secure the early bird rate on Conference Passes or a free Expo Pass.


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Equine RC3 GPS Trotting
Essential features in one compact package. Records instant heart rate, speed, distance and much more, and comes with integrated GPS. Plan, analyze and share your training sessions with the polarpersonaltrainer.com web service. Includes a separate soft strap for the owners so that they, too, can use RC3 GPS in their own workout.
Please note that this product is optimized for human athletes. Some features in the device, such as calorie tracking, may not give reliable readings when used on animals.


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10 Awesome, Adjustable, Wall-Mounted Task Lights
There's really nothing a great task light can't do. Literally bringing you light where you need it most, it helps you focus on your project (and sometimes even your thoughts). How does a task light become even greater? When you make it adjustable and a space saver by being wall-mounted. We gathered ten that fit those parameters and that are good-looking, too.
We could seriously wax poetic about adjustable, wall-mounted task lights all day. They're just such awesome inventions. Perfect for bedside reading, workspace working and a million other places (bathroom? dining room? All kinds of rooms!), the hardest part about finding the perfect task light is choosing from all the awesome ones that have been designed so far. We've chosen ten with a pretty modern aesthetic, in a variety of price ranges, but we'd also love to know what your favorite adjustable, wall-mounted task lights are, so do tell us in the comments if you have suggestions!
1) West Elm Industrial Sconce $79 – $139
2) Flos model 265 $1,024
3) Bestlite BL10 wall lamp
4) FontanaArte Falena Wall Lamp $595
5) Design Within Reach Nelson Wall Sconce $375
6) Design Within Reach Tolomeo Wall Mount Lamp $340
7) Clamp Lights (adjustable in that they are affordable and easily moveable!)
8) Wall-Mounted LED Mini Light
9) Y Lighting FlexiLED AP Wall Light $723
10) Circa Lighting Classic Swing Arm with Diffuser $210
Want some inspiration of how these good-looking wall-mounted task lights look in spaces? Check out the post: Wall-Mounted Task Lamps in Real-Life Homes.


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Access to finance - Greater Manchester and Lancashire
Access to finance is a scheme for businesses who need help raising finance for growth.
AD:VENTURE - Leeds City Region
Provides free business development support and guidance.
Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative - West Midlands and Liverpool
Loan and grant fund to support automotive and aerospace projects in the West Midlands and Liverpool.
Advice for new and existing businesses - Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire
Advice and support for businesses in southern England.
Advice for start-ups - Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire
Business advice and support for individuals starting a business.
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) - UK
Advice on good practice in employment and employment relations.
Agri-tech Cornwall - Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
Grants and support to increase research, development and innovation in agritech.
ART Business Loans - West Midlands
Loans for new and existing small businesses to create and safeguard jobs in the West Midlands
Arts University Bournemouth Innovation Vouchers
Vouchers to access external expertise, facilities and equipment to help your business innovate and grow.
Barking Enterprise Centres - London
Free support, help to access low-cost flexible workspace for new and existing small or medium businesses in Barking and Dagenham.
BCRS Business Loans
Loans to help small and medium-sized businesses develop and grow.
Be inspired at Staffordshire University
Offers free support and guidance for graduates of any university in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to start a business.
Better Broadband Subsidy Scheme - UK
Subsidised broadband installation for businesses that can't access an affordable broadband service with a speed of at least 2MB per second.
Better Business Finance - UK
Free, quick and easy access to a directory of approved finance suppliers for UK businesses.
Big Issue Invest - UK
Big Issue Invest helps social enterprises and charities by providing loans and investments.
Biorenewables Development Centre (BDC) – Yorkshire
Support for scientists and business specialists to solve a process, material, or product development challenge.
Boost Business - Lancashire
Advice and support for businesses across Lancashire: including coaching, mentoring, skills training, funding and start-up support.
Buckinghamshire Business Growth Grants
Grant funding to the value of £1,000 available to invest in projects that will help grow your business.
Buckinghamshire Business Growth Programme
Free business support and advice tailored to your business needs.
Building Legacies - London
An enterprise growth and procurement support programme for London-based businesses.
Built Environment Climate Change Innovations - West Midlands
Free support for small and medium-sized businesses in the development of products and services that reduce carbon usage.
Business advice - Oxfordshire
Free one to one advice for pre-start and new businesses based in the South East of England
Business advice and masterclasses - East of England
Advice, workshops, loans and innovation grant services for start-up and trading businesses in Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk
Business advice and support - South East England
Free advice, planning and on-going support for business start-ups in south-east England
Business advice, training and support services - North Somerset
Information, advice, training and support for businesses based in North Somerset
Business advisers and start-up services - Colchester
Start-up advice and support for businesses in Essex
Business and Intellectual Property Centre - British Library London
Advice, databases, publications and workshops for business owners, innovators and entrepreneurs who want to grow.
Business Assist - The Midlands
One-to-one advisory sessions and specialised workshops available for businesses in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Greater Lincolnshire.
Business Cash Advance - UK
Alternative financing for UK small business owners.
Business centres - East Riding of Yorkshire
One-to-one and online business advice from 6 business centres on starting, growing or relocating your business in East Riding.
Business Compass Start Up programme - Tees Valley
Free advice and possible grant funding for residents thinking of starting a business in certain priority sectors.
Business Continuity Forum - Manchester
Increases awareness of business continuity management in Manchester's business and voluntary sector.
Business Development Grant Scheme – Scarborough Borough
Grants to help start-up and established small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in North Yorkshire to grow.
Business Energy Efficiency Programme - West Midlands
Energy reviews and grants to help businesses in the West Midlands manage and reduce energy costs.
Business Enterprise fund - North East England
Financial support for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Yorkshire and the North East.
Business growth - Calderdale
Supports West Yorkshire businesses that are aspiring to grow, become more competitive or develop new products and services.
Business Growth Grant Scheme - Mansfield
Grants for established businesses in Mansfield that can produce a growth plan leading to job creation.
Business Growth Hub and Rural Growth Network - Cumbria
Advice and training for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Cumbria.
Business Growth Loans - Sussex, Kent, Surrey, Essex and Hampshire
Business loans for companies that can't get funding from banks and other mainstream providers.
Business Growth Programme
Grant support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) ready to invest, grow and create jobs.
Business loan scheme (CWRT) - Coventry and Warwickshire
Loans for companies in Coventry and Warwickshire that can't get finance from mainstream lenders
Business loans, grants and funding - Scotland
Finder to help businesses based in Scotland find funding from private and public organisations.
Business Northumberland
Coaching, one-to-one advice and classes to help businesses with growth potential attract investment and increase sales.
Business Solutions - South West England
A range of business growth programmes to help businesses start, succeed and grow.
Business start-up grant scheme - Mansfield
Grant to fund new businesses in the Mansfield area.
Business start-up support
Free business advice, workshops and support for new businesses in Cheshire West and Chester.
Business start-up support - North Tyneside
Free start-up and ongoing support for businesses in North Tyneside
Business start-up support programme - Cumbria
Free business advice, support and training for new and existing businesses in North West England.
Business support - West Berkshire
Planning, marketing strategy, investment and general guidance for businesses in or looking to relocate to West Berkshire.
Business Support and Development - Yorkshire and Humber
Free and subsidised advice, seminars, networking and training for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in North Yorkshire


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SALEM – Damage inflicted on rural Oregon's economy during the recession will "soon become irreversible" if it continues to lose talented young workers to the state's urban areas, the state economist said.
The state's rural areas are stuck in a "negative, perpetuating cycle" in which young people leave because they can't find jobs and companies don't move in because the workforce is leaving, said Mark McMullen, with the state Office of Economic Analysis. In some rural counties, deaths now exceed births, and an aging demographic dim economic growth.
Counties that have resisted that trend, such as Hood River, Marion and Morrow, have done so by attracting Latino families, which tend to be younger, McMullen said.
Speaking Thursday to the board of directors of the EO Media Group, McMullen said Portland and Oregon's rural counties each lost about 8 percent of jobs during the recession, but Portland has largely recovered. Rural areas are just now beginning to regain jobs, McMullen said.
Portland's advantage has been its more diverse economy. While rural areas rely heavily on government employment and construction, "Portland also has advertising executives and ballet dancers," he said.
The city attracts high tech and other ambitious, skilled workers – many of whom came from rural Oregon, he said.
"Rural Oregon is a tremendous place to raise workers," McMullen said. A study showed that a person born in John Day in 1970 had a one in seven chance of being in Oregon's highest income group today. A person born in east Portland at the same time, however, had only a one in 11 chance.
Workers from Oregon's rural areas come to Portland looking for opportunity and with expectations of success. "You might be poor, but you have examples of (successful) folks to follow," he said, while disenfranchised groups living in Portland's impoverished neighborhoods don't see such prospects.
Northeast Oregon – Baker, Grant Morrow, Umatilla, Union and Wallowa counties – surprisingly weathered the recession better than the rest of the state, even better than Portland, McMullen said.
Three factors made that so: Federal spending, especially the millions spent to destroy chemical weapons at the Umatilla Depot; extensive wind farm development; and the high price of wheat, which in turn triggered farmers to buy new equipment. "As goes the price of wheat, so goes Pendleton, I've been told," McMullen quipped.
But the bloom is off that rose, McMullen said. The cleanup project is finished, wheat prices have slipped back toward normal and wind energy development is stalled.
"All those tailwinds have kind of gone away, so they're coming back to earth," McMullen said of the northeast counties.
McMullen pointed out some economic bright spots. Agriculture has been "surprisingly strong," he said, and a January report by the land-use group 1000 Friends of Oregon backs that up, estimating that $5.8 billion worth of farm and ranch products induces $22 billion in goods and services annually.
The same report showed the staying power of food processing in particular. From 2007 to 2012, during the depth of the recession, Oregon's manufacturing sector as a whole lost 15.8 percent of its jobs. But food manufacturing jobs increased 7.8 percent during that same period.
"That's something we're having hard time getting a grip on," McMullen said during his talk. "The conventional wisdom is that they were dead. But then something happened in terms of competitiveness, a change in crops, and now they're bigger then ever and there are more operations in the off-season, which is encouraging."
Oregon's north coast kept going with an increase in exports, he said. Commercial fishing, a high value-added industry, did well in bad times but in terms of raw numbers is not a big part of the state's economy, he said. Also, a growing number of professional service jobs can be done remotely from rural areas, but the impact at this time is unclear, McMullen said.
Japan's economic growth rate, projected at 7 percent after years of stagnation, is good news for segments of Oregon's exporters, such as wheat ranchers.
Economic recovery is spreading to rural areas, McMullen said, but Oregon may not regain all the jobs it lost until the end of 2014 or 2015.
"Although the situation is dire, it's not hopeless," he said.


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The Most Reverend Robert Guglielmone, Bishop of Charleston, was in Bluffton on Thursday at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church to celebrate the Solemn Mass and Blessing marking the naming of SGG pastor, Reverend Monsignor Ronald R. Cellini, Chaplain to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.
All parishioners and students of SGGCS were invited to attended this special Mass.
After the Mass, Monsignor Cellini was surprised with a new Chrysler 200 car. Parishioners and students of SGGCS held fundraisers to help raise the money for the car which was provided by Hilton Head Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram.
To see more pictures from the event, visit Spotted.


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Owned and operated Wheelhouse Marina
Ralph M. Keeney Jr., 90, departed peacefully on Monday, April 22, 2013.
He was born in St. Louis, February 26, 1923 to Ralph M Keeney, Sr. and Frances (Hertz) Keeney, both of whom preceded him in death along with Sister Gloria McGill and grandson, Shawn Worley.
He is survived by his daughters Karen (Chris) Worley, Diane (Ken) Clancy, Sandra Keeney, Paulette Worley, and son Ralph M. (Jennifer) Keeney III.
Also surviving are sisters Melba Wiedel, JoAnn Keeney, Marianne Muehlenbrock and Brothers Robert (Elma) Keeney, Jerome (Joan) Keeney, and Lawrence (Lynn) Keeney.
12 Grandchildren
11 Great-Grandchildren and 1 on the way.
1 Great-Great-Grandchild
Also surviving are several nieces, nephews and other extended family and friends.
Ralph loved and cherished his family and his loss will be felt by them and his many friends and associates.
Fellow Masons, Shriners and Members of the Scottish Rite will also feel the loss of a brother who worked tirelessly over many years riding in the Moolah Mounted Patrol.
Raising money for Shriners Childrens Hospital serving as Potentate in 1981.
A Navy Seabee, helping to pave the way for our troops during World War II
A hardworking man who started out digging ditches, operating heavy equipment for family businesses, RM Grading, Forest Hills Construction Company, building many subdivisions, selling Real Estate for Keeney-Toelle Real Estate and finally President of Northwestern Savings and Loan.
Upon retiring in the early 1980's, Ralph relocated to Lake of the Ozarks as owner/operator of Wheelhouse Marina until 2011.
Ralph was known to fellow Seabees as "Digger", to his family as "Sonny", to business associates as "R.M. or Ralph"…. But to my sisters and brother he was and always will be…. Dad.
We love you Dad.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, 10 am at STYGAR FLORISSANT CHAPEL, 13980 New Halls Ferry Rd.
Visitation Thursday 3-8 pm
Interment private.
Memorial donations may be made in his name to Shriners Childrens Hospital of St. Louis, and organization near and dear to his heart.


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Friday Favorites: Crosley Speaker, Dansk & Utility Cart
It's the end of the week, which means my list of favorites from our Classifieds. Have a wonderful weekend, and happy scavenging!
• Brooklyn, NY: Crosley iPod Speaker - $50
• Austin, TX: Antique Milk Crate - $28
• Los Angeles, CA: Stainless Utility Cart - $150
• Brooklyn, NY: Dansk Casserole Dish - $50
• Washington, DC: Tulip Table - $130
Shoppers, check out the Classifieds for many more listings. Sellers, gather up your goods and list them in our Classifieds to turn them into a little extra spending cash.
Go To: Classifieds Main Page
Apartment Therapy is not the seller of these items. This is an edited selection of our favorite offerings from our Classifieds. For more information, see How it Works. Happy Scavenging!


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CHICAGO, Ill. (March 19, 2013) – The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced Tuesday that the club has signed USL-PRO goalkeeper Alec Kann. Per league and team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"We're pleased to add Alec to our roster," said Fire President of Soccer Operations Javier Leon. "We had the opportunity to observe Alec's game for the past two seasons and he is a solid addition to our goalkeeping corps."
Kann joins the Fire from USL-PRO side Charleston Battery where he spent the 2012 season. A four-year standout at Furman University, Kann, a native of Decatur, Ga., compiled a 37-16-10 record, 18 shutouts and a 1.00 goals against average in 65 starts during his collegiate career.
The 6'4" 'keeper earned National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-South Region honors, All-Southern Conference honors and NSCAA Scholar All-America accolades in 2011 after guiding the Paladins to a 14-4-4 record and NCAA Tournament berth.
The Fire return to action when they welcome Chivas USA to Toyota Park on Sunday, March 24 at 4:00 p.m. CT live on My50/UniMas and 107.9 La Ley. Tickets for the match are available by calling 888-MLS-Fire or by visiting www.Chicago-Fire.com.
Name: Alec Kann
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 190 lbs.
Date of Birth: August 8, 1990
Place of Birth: Decatur, GA
Hometown: Decatur, GA
Citizenship: USA
Last Club: Charleston Battery (USL-PRO)
College: Furman University
Acquired: Signed on March 19, 2013


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Randy Lee Martin, 61, Oregon, died Friday, May 10, 2013.
He was born June 2, 1951 in Oregon, the son of Howard and Florence Bolthouse Martin.
He worked in the Bindery Department at Quad Graphics, Mt. Morris.
Survivors include his daughter, Lisa (Tracy Fleck) Martin, Chadwick; sister, Valerie Foxley (Ed Wehmhoefer), Oregon; and brothers, Larry (Jan) Martin, Polo, and Scotty Martin, Oregon.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
A gathering of friends will be held Saturday May 18 from 1 to 8 p.m. at Randy's residence, 1330 S. Ridge Rd., Oregon.
Farrell-Holland-Gale Funeral Home, Oregon, assisted the family with arrangements.
Visit www.farrellhollandgale.com to leave online condolences.
Randy L. Martin
Randy Lee Martin, 61, Oregon, died Friday, May 10, 2013.


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- Insulation
- Energy Audits
- Basement Encapsulation
- Windows & Doors
- How We Can Help You
- Financing & Rebates
There's something special about welcoming friends and family into our homes - this week and throughout the year. At Evergreen Home Performance, we're thankful to all the Maine homeowners who have invited us in, whether for an hour-long Energy Consult or for a comprehensive energy upgrade. It's an honor to sit at your kitchen tables discussing fuel costs and home comfort, and it's an honor to do air sealing and insulation in your basements and attics. We're thankful for you, and we're proud that the work we do makes your homes more comfortable and energy efficient.
Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at Evergreen Home Performance!
We'd love to hear from you!


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Gunmetal is an edgy dress and blouse with figure flattering ruching and ruffled trim. Made completely out of stretch fabrics, it is surprisingly comfortable while being flirty and fun. This pattern can be used with a variety of unique sheers and laces as the overlay resulting in fun color combinations. View A has contrasting panels with matching ruffles, sheer sleeves, and buttons down the center front. A softly draping circle skirt finishes the bottom of the dress an inch above the knee. View B has a gothic lolita vibe and features ready-to-wear hardware details and faux corset accents. The blouse has a fashionable peplum that finishes at the high hip and the sleeves are finished with clear elastic in the hem.
This is my leopard print version that I made for the Jungle January theme going around the sewing blogosphere.
Full blog post with tons of photos and description here: http://www.lolitapatterns.com/gunmetal-for-jungle-january/


text: On Tue, Jan 18, 2005 at 12:30:57AM -0500, Robert G. Brown wrote: > > This is even MORE useful than floppies in so many ways. I have a nice > little list of what I can boot on a node. A kickstart install. A > "redhat install" where I can select packages. In principle, a "rescue" > kernel and image, although the interactive install kernel and image can > be used for most rescue purposes if you know what you are doing. A > choice of architectures and revisions. A DOS floppy boot image for > doing certain chores. memtest86. All via PXE. > > Most of how to do this is in HOWTOs on the web. > Can you give a pointer to a good memtest86/PXE setup? What I would love to have is a memtest86 (or something similar - maybe PC Doctor) that I could periodically have some of my nodes boot and go into diagonstic mode for a while. I've even got everything on serial console, so I could screen scrape and watch for results. memtest spits out so much ANSI crap that it's kind of a mess to do, so I was hoping someone out there has already done it. Are there good alternatives to memtest - maybe something with an easier-to-parse output? It'd also be nice if there was a way to say "Run for an hour", but if need be we've got Baytech PDUs with remote-control power, so I can script a hard reboot if need be. Right now we periodically run a set of scripts that reads and writes files in /dev/shm to "test" memory - we've been able to find nodes with bad memory by using 'cmp' on those files. Thanks, -Erik _______________________________________________ Beowulf mailing list, Beowulf at beowulf.org To change your subscription (digest mode or unsubscribe) visit http://www.beowulf.org/mailman/listinfo/beowulf


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Vienna, Austria: Swan Lake, Schnitzel and Strudel
Vienna, Austria: Schnitzel, Strudel, and Schwanensee
By Olga Volobuyeva
It all started as a familiar feeling, universally known by travelers as we-need-to-go-somewhere-new yearning. And travelers know: there's no remedy for that other than giving in to it.
There were some restrictions though: it had to be in Europe; we were on a budget. We had only six days and it had to be culture, beautiful sights and a romantic place in one.
At the last minute, we spotted cheap airline tickets to Vienna, Austria, and the destination question was sorted. Budget restriction also prompted us to choose a 7.5 rated three-star hotel at booking.com and off we went.
We tried to learn a lot about the sights and places of interest in Vienna beforehand: we searched the Internet and read reviews and advice of those who have already traveled there, and made our own list of things we wanted to do and see in Vienna during the six days period.
I even started to remember my German course, and scared my friend by reading out loud some useful words and phrases, with proper pronunciation.
Getting Around:
On arrival, we bought a Vienna Card at the airport Wien-Schwechat. We paid 18.50 euro each, and it gave us a right to use metro, trams and buses for 72 hours, and offered discounts in a number of museums, exhibitions, tours, cafes and shops.
Together with the Vienna Card we got a coupon book, with all benefits listed, as well as instructions on how to use it. This coupon book got us a small discount when we bought tickets to Prater, Vienna's big Ferris wheel, and Albertina museum. When those 72 hours expired, we bought a Netzkarte for another 72 hours. It was 13.60 euro, without any additional bonuses.
Besides metro, trams, buses, taxis and bicycles, there is one specific means of transportation you won't miss in Vienna: plenty of horse-drawn carriages. They are organized in lines in the most popular central places, waiting for their turn to make a city round.
This is a costly affair meant for tourists only, but if you have always wanted to be carried away right into the past centuries by the time machine, the patter of hoofs and carriage rocking will do that for you.
Twenty-minute excursion is the most expensive, about 40 euro at Stephanplatz. Forty- and sixty-minute excursions were also available. Don't be surprised if the coachman speaks only German and doesn't care whether you get a thing out of his random excursion: that's the part of the adventure.
The end of October to the beginning of November is a beautiful time in Vienna. The trees are magnificent in their gold and red and yellow, the air is transparent and fresh, and the chilly weather is just right for sightseeing, dropping into cafes now and then to have your mélange with a new dessert each time.
November can be fairly cold, so make sure you take a warm coat and a scarf, especially if you stay outdoors most of the day, as we did.
Viennese Food:
As I've mentioned mélange and desserts, I just can't help extending the Viennese delicacies theme to some other tasty things we tried there.
First off, there are those famous Wiener sausages (Wiener Würstchen, Würstel). They may be similar in taste to hot dogs or frankfurters, but they are much longer, served with generous amount of spices, sour cabbage and pickles.
Sausages are different in color and texture, and it will take you several days to try them all and compare. To make things easier for you, my friend claims the dark one is the best-tasting, but you have to be very hungry to be able to eat it all up.
Proceeding with fast and relatively cheap ways to eat in Vienna, there are "Billa" and "Spar" supermarkets, where you can buy everything from a chocolate bar to a bottle of Laurent-Perrier brut.
Coffee and Deserts:
Coffee is great in Vienna, at least, in those few places we tried it. It is always served with a glass of water. They say that Austrians are so proud of the quality and purity of their water that they always offer it to their guests. It is ordinary tap water, which is not only drinkable but very good-tasting indeed.
Vienna is famous for its cafes and confectionaries. You can check out legendary and expensive "Demel" or "Sacher," but we stuck to more democratic "Anker" and "Ada" cafes, which you could see at every turn.
Apfelstrudels or Nussbeugels, hot milk or any variety of coffee, the aromas are so tempting that you just find yourself indulging in coffee and sweets even if you normally prefer tea without sugar.
My special tip is to visit guest houses and traditional places in Vienna. I remember gorgeous schnitzels and salads we had in a guest house right as we left the metro on Gumpendorfer Straße. Cozy and very home-like, with elderly Austrians, policemen and service men customarily having their dinners there, it made a great impression of tradition and history.
I will never forget a Topfenstrudel, a melting-in-the-mouth dessert with a quark [curd cheese] filling and a warm vanilla sauce, we were served at Cafe Restaurant "Bellaria," at Bellariastrasse 6. The restaurant dates back to 1870! The owner has photos of famous Austrians who have eaten there, including Arnold Schwarzenegger.
There is a chain of "Nordsee" fish and sea food restaurants, with take-away snacks available. The food is fresh and tasty, and the service is quick, but the prices are rather high.
A small Italian restaurant "La Norma" at Franziskanerplatz 3 made us believe we were in Italy for one evening. Very nice Italian dishes and nice atmosphere.
As you pay your bill, say how much you want to leave as a tip. We didn't know this was a custom there, and as the waiter asked if it was OK as we handed the bill, we happily and absent-mindedly nodded. As a result, we didn't receive any change, which was too generous a tip. But we had such a great time and such delicious food that we didn't really mind and kept happily nodding as the waiter passionately thanked us at the exit.
Places worth Seeing and Visiting:
St. Stephen's Cathedral in the Stephansplatz, the heart of Vienna, was the first amazing sight we headed for when started exploring Vienna. This is the most important religious building in Vienna. Its multi-colored tile roof is one of the city's most recognizable symbols.
Among other outstanding palaces and churches we managed to see in 6 days were:
– Hofbur, a palace in the center of Vienna, which housed the Habsburg dynasty, rulers of the Austro-Hungarian empire. At present, it is the official residence of the President of Austria;
– Karlskirche (the St. Charles's Church), situated on the south side of Karlsplatz, 200 metres outside the Ringstrasse;
– Neo-gothic Kirche Maria vom Siege (Maria of the Victory Church), not far from the Westbahnhof station;
– one of the oldest (1217) Romanesque churches in Vienna – Michaelerkirche (St. Michael's Church);
– and the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Museum of Art History) on Ringstrasse, with a beautiful park and topiary garden.
Using a Vienna Card, we paid 7.50 euro for Prater Ferris Wheel and made some wonderful pictures of the city views from it. Prater is a large public and amusement park. It is located near the city centre and is an ideal area for walking, jogging, cycling or resting etc.
The actual giant Ferris Wheel in Prater is called Riesenrad, and is one of the Vienna's true symbols. It was built as far back as 1897 in honor of the 50th anniversary of the reign of Franz Joseph I, and was called a masterpiece of engineering of the 19th century.
The wheel of 15 cabins spans 200 feet (about 60 m). Surely, it is nothing like the London Eye, but it is over hundred years old and has a lot of history and charm to it.
Vienna is known for its palaces. Belvedere Palace is a wonderful baroque palace complex situated to the southeast of the city center in the third district of Vienna. Though quite far from the old inner city, it is easily reached with public transport.
So breathtakingly beautiful and properly organized, the Belvedere palaces and gardens are worth an early visit so that you can appreciate its beauty in the daylight. We spent most of the day there, and would spend even more if it were summer.
The Belvedere Palace complex consists of the Upper and Lower Palaces. The Lower Belvedere was the summer residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy, and The Upper Belvedere houses an extensive collection of Austrian art, including the world's largest Gustav Klimt collection.
Albertina, located at Albertinaplatz, 1, is a museum which we visited mainly to see the works of world-famous impressionists. Besides, the museum houses modern graphic works, photographs, architectural drawings, and early 20th century art displays.
Hundertwasser House:
Hundertwasser House is an apartment house designed by a famous Austrian artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. It's one of Vienna's most visited buildings, a must for a tourist in Vienna who likes everything unusual.
We walked a long way until we found it in the Kegelgasse 34-38/ Löwengasse 41-43. If you start your walk from Landstrasse-Wien Mitte station, the signs on Marxegasse and Löwengasse must help you find the place.
Though rather controversial, Hundertwasser's creation is brave and bight, in a way, reminiscent of Antonio Gaudi's heritage. No strict rules or monotony, but a creative freedom and interesting philosophy instead.
The roof of the house is covered with earth and grass, and large trees grow from inside the rooms, right from the windows. Hundertwasser house contains 52 apartments, 4 offices, a number of terraces, and a total of 250 trees and bushes.
If you go from Stephenplatz to Kärtnerastrasse, right in the center of the city, you will see a Vienna State Opera House, which is as magnificent outside as it is inside. Its history dates back to the mid-19th century.
Opera was high on our list of must-dos in Vienna. Associated with classical music, Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert, Strauss, etc., our Vienna tour could not be complete without a visit to their world-famous opera house.
It was easy to buy fairly cheap tickets for the next day even though the ticket offices were already closed.
We were lucky to get to the great Russian ballet "Swan Lake" by Tchaikovsky. We got seats in Box 4, Row 2, which was rather far from the scene, and we could see the ballet only if we were standing and craning the necks.
But it was a hundred times well worth it. This music and ballet is something magical. The odds are you will become a fan of ballet and Tchaikovsky after you've seen it in Vienna, and this devotion is rather costly.
On our way back we nearly missed the flight as the train to the airport suddenly stopped halfway and turned back. It still remains a mystery to me why. And I wonder how we noticed it at all, as we were involved in discussing the things we did and saw and Vienna, and were relaxing before the flight.
When we finally noticed we were moving backwards, we ran out from the train with our baggage at the nearest stop, and in a mix of English and German tried to explain the staff which train we needed.
Then we changed trains and still worried, ran out at every station to make sure we were moving in the right direction and tried to figure out if we still had time to make it by train.
Every time we were fussing on the platform, a member of the staff patiently urged us to get on the train again and showed us with his fingers how many stops we had left till our destination. We must have looked really dumb.
Everyone was very helpful, beginning with an Austrian girl who didn't speak English, but still volunteered to help and showed us on the map where we should change, to the conductor who was the next to patronize us when we finally got to the right platform and on the right train.
Vienna is definitely one of the cities you can explore endlessly, due to the abundance of cultural heritage, historical places, outstanding architecture, unique atmosphere, great coffee, schnitzels and strudels, and of course, classical music. Besides outstanding views, Vienna offers wonderful smells and sounds.
Olga Volobuyeva, a Russian-based translator, editor and copywriter, keen on traveling, writing and photography. Loves her country and wants to see many others.
If you like the articles we publish, maybe you can be one of our writers too! Make travel plans, then write a story for us! Click here to read our writer's guidelines.


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Swimming Pool Blog
by Rob, December 19, 2008
If your in ground pool develops a thin sheet of ice across the surface, chances are there is nothing to worry about. If you don't winterize your pool, be sure to keep the pump running, moving water through the pipes and equipment, so that it won't freeze within the pool plumbing. If the ice sheet becomes thick, then it may put pressure on your in ground pool tile and skimmers, or above ground pool walls.
Most pool tile is frost free, built to withstand chipping from ice damage, but best practice is to keep the water beneath the tile band if it freezes more than 1/2" thick. Pool Skimmers can crack from expansive pressure on the inner walls of a skimmer. Use a Gizzmo or fill a algaecide bottle 1/2 full with antifreeze or small pebbles.
Ice sheets can be damaging to vinyl liners if your pool has a leak. If a liner pool loses several inches of water beneath an ice sheet, the sheet can fall, and damage the pool liner. Add water if necessary, and don't pump out pool water beneath an ice sheet.
Mesh Safety Covers can look as if they are going to break under a heavy snow or ice load. It won't. The cover itself actually freezes to the surface, and will spring back to a taut fit after the thaw. Do not attempt to shovel snow off of a mesh pool cover. Lower the water level before a deep freeze, never during. This hotel pool in Boston above, should keep the water lower than in the picture. Lowering the water level after the pool has frozen may cause damage to the cover, or a vinyl liner, as mentioned above.
After the ice and snow melts, a good method to lower water level in a winter pool is to place a small pump in the pool skimmer. This will pump down to the bottom of the tile band, a good place to be. Another option is to place the pump on the first step. If the pool is already frozen more than slightly, wait for a bit of a thaw.
For safety pool covers, be careful not to lower the pool more than 12" below the tile line. This could damage a safety pool cover which needs the water level to help support the snow load. The best place for the water level in a safety cover on an in ground pool is 1-10" below the tile. Depending on how wet the winter is ~ you may need to lower the water level several times.
For Above Ground pools, the practice is different. Use an Ice Equalizer or Air Pillow to keep the ice from freezing very solid in your pool. Above Ground pool walls can only take so much ice expansion, and if ice sheets form in the skimmer, and the water level is pump or leaks out, it can cause real damage. Another practice is to use Floating milk jugs, 1/2 filled with an antifreeze mix or with small pebbles. (Do Not add pool antifreeze directly to pool water). Use Air Pillows to prevent a continuous ice sheet, and use skimmer covers to keep pool water out of the skimmer.
All pool types need to keep water in the pool during winter, do not drain your pool to avoid the ice! Pools can pop out of the ground. You don't want to end up like this guy!
OK, now for some fun - found this video of some teenage hooligans ~ really, I don't know them! Enjoy.


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February 27
So often when we deal with difficult people, it's easy to form judgments about them based on their behavior or attitudes. But have you ever stopped to wonder what has made that person so disagreeable or foolish? When the Bible says God "repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children" (v. 18), it is speaking about generational cycles of sin. Unless someone in the family line makes a deliberate choice to change, sinful and dysfunctional behavior will be passed from parent to child for many generations.
This is really just a confirmation of the principle of sowing and reaping. We pass down standards for conduct and character traits that we received from our parents. If we are unwilling to change our sinful habits and attitudes, they will very likely find their way into our children's lives.
What is true for sin is also true for wounding. When a child is emotionally bruised in the home, his behavior and character may be negatively affected. With this in mind, think about a difficult person that you know. What hurts do you think shaped his or her life? A heart of compassion originates from a willingness to empathize with those who have been wounded. This doesn't excuse someone's sin, but it does aid in opening our hearts toward the individual.
What about you? Have childhood wounds contributed to who you are today? How have they affected your life? If you haven't dealt with them, you'll probably pass similar hurts down to your children. But with God's help, you can break this cycle and begin a new one that will benefit future generations.
For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.


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|"Hitesh Shah (Updated) (JIRA)" <j...@apache.org>
|[jira] [Updated] (MAPREDUCE-3240) NM should send a SIGKILL for completed containers also
|Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:48:32 GMT
[ https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/MAPREDUCE-3240?page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels:all-tabpanel ] Hitesh Shah updated MAPREDUCE-3240: ----------------------------------- Attachment: MR-3240.2.patch > NM should send a SIGKILL for completed containers also > ------------------------------------------------------ > > Key: MAPREDUCE-3240 > URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/MAPREDUCE-3240 > Project: Hadoop Map/Reduce > Issue Type: Bug > Components: mrv2, nodemanager > Affects Versions: 0.23.0 > Reporter: Vinod Kumar Vavilapalli > Assignee: Hitesh Shah > Fix For: 0.23.0 > > Attachments: MR-3240.1.patch, MR-3240.2.patch, MR-3240.wip.patch > > > This is to address the containers which exit properly after spawning sub-processes themselves. We don't want to leave these sub-process-tree or else they can pillage the NM's resources. > Today, we already have code to send SIGKILL to the whole process-trees (because of single sessionId resulting from setsid) when the container is alive. We need to obtain the PID of the containers when they start and use that PID to send signal for completed containers' case also. -- This message is automatically generated by JIRA. If you think it was sent incorrectly, please contact your JIRA administrators: https://issues.apache.org/jira/secure/ContactAdministrators!default.jspa For more information on JIRA, see: http://www.atlassian.com/software/jira
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By Thomas Hauser
An athlete's life is characterized by peaks and valleys.
When Sergio Martinez was seventeen years old, he played forward in the #7 slot for a team called Defensoris in a junior amateur football (soccer) league in the province of Buenos Aires.
"We were playing against a team called Sportman," Sergio said, sitting in his suite at The Wynn Resort and Casino two days before his September 15th middleweight championship fight against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. "It was a tournament that was important for me to play well in. There were a lot of professional scouts in the stands. If I did well, it could take me places."
"I was very inspired that day," Sergio reminisced. "We won 4-to-0, and I scored three goals. On the first goal, there was a free throw from one of my teammates and I lifted it in an arc with my right foot over the goalie. That put us ahead in the score. The next goal was my best of the game. I stopped the ball with my chest, dribbled it past four defenders, and scored on a finesse kick with my right foot. The third goal was at the end of the game. Their goalie was at midfield. I got the ball, dribbled all the way in, and scored on an empty net. After each goal, everyone was celebrating and hugging. It was an incredible feeling."
"I wasn't born with the instincts that a great football player has," Sergio continued. "My technique wasn't good, but I was fast and strong. My emotions were my Achilles heel. I was very emotional when I played football. The next game was for the championship. There was a tie and the game went to penalty kicks. If I make my kick, we play on. If I miss it, we lose.
"I placed the ball down in front of the goal," Sergio recalled. "Then I got nervous. The goalie got bigger and bigger in my mind and the goal got smaller and smaller. I kicked the ball and it went slowly to the goalie, right to his hands. He didn't even have to move to field it. I was humiliated and embarrassed. It was one of the worst moments of my life. Because of my failure, we lost the championship game. I was so devastated that I quit the team."
Martinez has come a long way in the world of sports since then. Three years later, at age twenty, he walked into a boxing gym for the first time. He's now thirty-seven years old with a record of 50 wins, 2 losses, and 2 draws. For the past two years, regardless of the games that sanctioning bodies play, he has been widely recognized as THE middleweight champion of the world. He won the crown on April 17, 2010, with a twelve-round decision over Kelly Pavlik and successfully defended it with knockout victories over Paul Williams, Sergeiy Dzinziruk, Darren Barker, and Matthew Macklin. With roots in Buenos Aires, Madrid, and California, he gives special meaning to the phrase "world" champion.
Boxing is blessed with a cadre of champions who are superb fighters and carry themselves with dignity and grace. Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko are on that list. So are men like Tim Bradley and Andre Ward. Martinez ranks among them.
Sergio has been hardened by his journey through life, but there's a warmth about him. He's comfortable in the spotlight but doesn't seek it out. He's an advocate for women who have been subjected to domestic violence and for children who've been the target of bullying in school.
"A world-class fighter doesn't have to act like a thug," Martinez says. "As a professional athlete who is in the public eye, I have a duty to speak out on behalf of people who need help and are not heard. When I was a boy, I had a pale face and was small. I always tried to do the right thing and stay out of trouble, so I was picked on a lot."
Sergio also has a sense of humor. Recounting the many jobs he held as his ring career moved slowly forward, he notes, "Working on roofs helped a lot with my footwork. You have to be very careful not to fall off."
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr has traveled a road very different from the one traveled by Martinez. He was born in Culican, Mexico, on February 16, 1986. His father, is widely regarded as Mexico's greatest fighter. Julio Cesar Chavez Sr finished his career with championships in three weight divisions and 107 victories to his credit.
Julio Jr grew up wealthy, a child of privilege. As the "son of a legend," he wasn't held accountable for his actions to the same extent as his peers. But if life was a bed of roses, there were a lot of thorns. His parents divorced when he was young, which is difficult for any child. And his father, in addition to being a Mexican ring icon, became an alcoholic and a drug addict.
"I thought he was going to die," Julio Jr said recently of his father's substance abuse problems. "I was getting used to the idea. I was expecting that call any time."
The development of a fighter is a marathon, not a sprint. Top Rank (which promotes Chavez in conjunction with Fernando Beltran) does it better than anyone.
Julio Jr turned pro in 2003 with no amateur experience on his ledger. His ring career was nurtured on weak opponents who were only marginally trained in the art of hurting. Sean Gibbons, who was hired by Beltran to facilitate matters in the Chavez camp, observes, "Julio's real growth as a fighter began when he started working with Freddie Roach for the John Duddy fight [in 2010]. That was the turning point. Julio wasn't sure if he could fight or not because so many people said he couldn't. That's when he got serious about training and conditioning. And at the same time, his father began dealing constructively with some of his own demons."
By mid-2011, Chavez's record stood at 42 victories and 1 draw in 43 fights. Then the powers that be engaged in an ugly sleight of hand.
Martinez was the WBC middleweight champion by virtue of his victory over Kelly Pavlik and a brutal one-punch knockout of Paul Williams. But Chavez is the godson of WBC president Jose Sulaiman, whose ego and love of sanctioning fees knows no bounds. In undue course, Martinez was stripped of his title and a WBC "world championship" bout was arranged between Chavez and Sebastian Zbik with the understanding that the winner would fight Martinez.
Except after Chavez beat Zbik, he refused to fight Martinez. Instead, he defended his belt in succession against Peter Manfredo Jr, Marco Antonio Rubio, and Andy Lee.
"Of course, Chavez was being protected," Top Rank CEO Bob Arum acknowledges. "He didn't know how to fight. I had an obligation to the young man. We weren't going to make the fight until we knew he was capable of beating Martinez. If we had, it would have been like leading him to slaughter, and that's not how we do things at Top Rank."
By the time Martinez vs. Chavez was signed, the fight made far more sense economically than it had a year earlier. In the preceeding fifteen months, Julio had earned respect as a fighter and exceeded the expectations that many knowledgeable boxing people had for him. Martinez was the true middleweight champion, but Chavez had come to be viewed as a credible challenger.
That said; a lot of things stuck in Sergio's craw. He was deeply resentful of the fact that his championship was unfairly taken from him and handed to Chavez. Then there were the economics of the promotion. Instead of worrying that Martinez doesn't speak English, the powers that be might have pushed harder in the past to market him to boxing's huge Spanish-speaking fan base. As it was, Chavez had averaged more than 1,600,000 viewers for his three previous fights on HBO, while Sergo had averaged slightly under 1,100,000. Chavez-Martinez was a pay-per-view promotion. That put Top Rank and Julio in the driver's seat.
Chavez got top billing in the promotion. Worse; Martinez and his promoter, Lou DiBella, were on the short end of a 60-40 purse split.
Martinez is not a trash-talker. Over the years, he had steadfastly avoided demeaning opponents. The build-up to Chavez-Martinez was something different.
"I've known Sergio for a long time," Sampson Lewkowicz (Sergio's advisor) said. "I've never seen him this motivated or this angry. He has always treated his opponents with respect. But he feels that something was stolen from him and given to Chavez and that Chavez let it happen."
The trash-talking began on the kick-off media tour. It continued on HBO's Face Off and tele-conference calls to promote the fight. Among the thoughts that Martinez offered were:
* "Chavez has been hiding in the hen house. Now it's time for the chicken to come out. The chicken will go out on its plate. I will take all the feathers off the skin of Chavez Jr."
* "I do not respect Chavez as a champion. The only reason he is called a champion is because of his last name and who his father is. You have certain duties as a champion. You must defend your title against the best and never take the easy road. Chavez was supposed to fight me for two years, but he kept avoiding the fight. A victory for me would be justice because Chavez is a lie."
* "Take a picture of him now because, after the fight, you will not recognize him. I will really beat him up. He won't be eating solid food with the few teeth remaining after I get through with him. The judges can be present, but I won't give them too much work to do."
* "Some ask me why I antagonize Chavez Jr. I'm not insulting him. I'm just saying what will happen. I'm telling the truth."
Then there were the direct verbal exchanges between the two men. Chavez was expected to enter the ring on fight night with a significant weight advantage:
Martinez: "If he weighs twenty pounds more than me, I'll have a bigger target to hit."
Chavez: "My size will be important. But I am not relying on my weight to win the fight. It will be my boxing and my intelligence."
Martinez: "So you are lost, then. How are you going to catch me, Julio?"
Chavez: "The ring is a square like this [pointing to the table.] You can't get out."
Martinez: "Neither can you. I hope your corner protects you. I hope the referee protects you. I hope the doctor protects you. Because I am going to hurt you. I will probably make you retire from boxing because I'm going to beat you up. You're living in a delusion based on your father. When will you start being your own person, not just the son of so and so?"
Chavez: "I will never stop being my father's son."
Martinez: "Of course not. But once you're in the ring, it will be just you alone, and not with your father."
Shortly before the July 12th press conference in New York, the fighters posed on the second floor of the Edison Ballroom for photographer David Drebin in conjunction with the pay-per-view promotional campaign. For almost an hour, they stood under bright lights, wearing only their shoes, socks, and boxing trunks. A championship belt was their sole prop. From time to time, a photographer's assistant sprayed water on them to simulate perspiration and give them a glow. There were staredowns, fistic poses, smiles, and glares on command.
It's natural time at a time like this for a fighter to measure his foe.
"What are you learning about Chavez?" Martinez was asked.
"I'm not learning anything," Sergio answered. "I'm just having fun."
Chavez was having less fun.
"He has been talking a lot of bullshit," Julio told the media after the press conference began. "His ego is too big. On September 15th, all that bullshit he's been talking, he's going to have to eat it."
Later, in a more pensive mood, Chavez added, "It's always the same story. They don't give me credit. I will always be criticized for being seen as riding on my father's coattails and I have learned to live with it. I will let my record speak for itself on whether I should be taken seriously or not. I've been sitting them down with the facts, one by one. He's just the next one."
There was a buzz in the media center at The Wynn in Las Vegas during fight week. Chavez-Martinez was a fight that fans wanted to see; not one that was being force-fed to them. There was no opponent that boxing aficionados preferred either man to fight. Stylistically, the match-up all but guaranteed excitement.
If there was a cloud on the horizon, it was a same-night Showtime telecast at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino headlined by Canelo Alvarez vs. Josesito Lopez. Golden Boy was promoting that card, and HBO had raised the possibility of buying it for a Friday night telecast. That would have made for an extraordinary weekend of boxing with the two shows complementing each other. But Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer declined HBO's overture on grounds that he'd planned a fight card for September 15th in Las Vegas before Top Rank slated Chavez-Martinez.
"This is pure evil and bad will from Bob Arum," Schaefer told BoxingScene.com. "Typical Bob Arum bullshit. Why is he going to the same city? What is his excuse? He is just a miserable old guy who doesn't give a shit. And I have to tell you, anybody who aligns themselves with him are being taken for a ride. And by the way, HBO knows, if they are going to go and play those games, going against us and supporting that kind of behavior, I'll take notice of that."
In the weeks leading up to Alvarez-Lopez, the MGM Grand was offering a package deal: two nights in the new Grand Tower, two tickets for the fight, and two VIP passes for the weigh-in; all for $499. That suggested weak ticket sales and Arum poured more fuel on the fire, maintaining that the MGM Grand had asked to buy tickets from Top Rank to accommodate its high rollers who wanted to see Chavez-Martinez, not Alvarez-Lopez.
By Tuesday of fight week, Chavez-Martinez had sold out, producing a live gate of $3,052,475. Press releases claimed a sell-out for Alvarez-Lopez, but one was hard-pressed to find a boxing insider who took that claim seriously. There was a widespread belief that Golden Boy had bought thousands of tickets from itself and paid the six-percent state ticket tax as a face-saving measure.
Martinez and Chavez each seemed confident and relaxed as fight week progressed. Julio sat through the obligatory media interviews and appeared to be on an even keel; concerned with the level of the challenge in front of him but ready to face it. Chavez-Martinez would be the first time in his career that he'd entered the ring as an underdog. But Freddie Roach (Julio's trainer) said that the issue hadn't come up in conversation between them.
Meanwhile, Martinez continued to be openly disdainful of his foe. Part of that was sincerely felt scorn and anger. Part of it was designed to get into Julio's head and raise self-doubts by sending the message, "Don't enter the ring with the confidence of a champion because you are not a champion."
"I want to fight the best, not like Junior," Martinez said. "He hasn't fought anyone who ranks in the top one hundred pound-for-pound. He has shown progress in his fights since he won the belt. That will make our fight better, but I will still knock him out."
Three days before the fight, at the final pre-fight press conference, Sergio threatened to "break Julio's face in a thousand times."
That brought an angry response from Chavez. Earlier in the week, Julio had declared, "Sergio says a lot of things about me that are not true. He is an ignorant person and a snob. He is underestimating me, both as a person and as a boxer. He will pay for it in the ring."
Now, looking directly at his tormentor, "Chavez declared, "I'm going to send you into retirement on a stretcher."
The following day, Martinez was in a reflective mood. He receives several hundred text messages a day. Sitting in his suite at The Wynn, he was answering them as he spoke.
"Chavez seems like a nice guy," Sergio said. "I don't hate him. Maybe, after the fight, we can be friends. But now there is animosity between us because he stood back and allowed a shameful thing to happen. I respect every fighter. It takes courage to enter a boxing ring. But I cannot respect Chavez as a champion because he didn't earn his title. The belt was taken away from me and given to him outside the ring. I will take it back inside the ring. That is where a true champion gets his title."
The odds favored Martinez by a 7-to-4 margin. The assumption was that his southpaw stance and feints would give Chavez trouble; that Julio had never been hit as hard as Sergio would hit him; that Chavez would be unable to adjust during the course of the fight from Plan A to Plan B; that Martinez was the hungrier fighter.
"Chavez is very strong and durable." Sergio said as he texted. "He has become more mature as a fighter and learned how to control distances. But nothing about him as a fighter worries me. He has a good body shot, a good chin, and a lot of bad habits. He is taller than me, but that was true also of Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams, and Sergeiy Dzinziruk. He can weigh whatever he wants on the night of the fight. Kelly Pavlik was much bigger than me. My speed, movement, and intelligence in the ring will be my advantage. I'm very patient. I will wait to do what I have to do, find the right distance, feel the tempo of the fight, and control him."
Chavez's training regimen was also a factor for those who thought that Martinez would win the fight.
Rather than train at Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, Julio had insisted that he and Roach relocate to the Top Rank gym in Las Vegas. Freddie agreed. Then Julio upped the ante, demanding that they train at the hours he wanted and, after that, missing a half-dozen training sessions. There were also times when Roach was called upon to make "house calls" and train Chavez in the living room of the mansion that Top Rank had rented for him.
"We've had an unusual training camp," Freddie conceded. "Julio works when he wants to. As long as we get the work done, I'm happy. Put me wherever and I'll do my job. But it does bother me a bit."
Two days before the fight, Roach elaborated on that "bit." He was exhausted, having worked with Chavez from one until four o'clock that morning.
"The worst thing in the world for me is to wait, not knowing," Freddie said. "Julio doesn't want to train during the day, so we plan to do it at night. Eight o'clock . . . Nine o'clock . . . I'm waiting and he's sleeping. And of course, the guys in camp won't wake him up because they're afraid he'll fire them if they do. Then I get a call. Julio is on his way. Once I get the call, I'm fine. Until then, it drives me crazy. I sit there, thinking of the best way to kill myself."
"Maybe he needs the sleep," Roach continued. "I get more out of him in the gym when he's rested. But we're in the gym half the time, and half the time we're in the living room of the house he's staying in. We move the couches and we have imaginary ropes. There's a reason fighters train in the gym and not in someone's living room. For strategy, we have to be in the gym. It was different with Julio before he won a championship. Up until then, he did everything I asked him to."
It's axiomatic that, if a fighter doesn't give one hundred percent in training, he won't be at one hundred percent during a fight.
On January 22, 2012 (thirteen days before Chavez fought Marco Antonio Rubio), he'd been arrested in Los Angeles for driving while intoxicated. He entered into a plea deal pursuant to which he was placed on three years probation and ordered to attend thirty sessions of Alcoholics Anonymous. Six days after Chavez-Martinez, the Nevada State Athletic Commission would announce that drug tests had detected traces of marijuana in Julio's's urine.
"What would Eddie Futch [Roach's mentor] do in this situation?" Freddie was asked two days before Chavez-Martinez.
"He'd quit. He wouldn't put up with it."
"Why do you stay?"
"The father and Top Rank asked me to," Roach answered. "It's partly out of respect for them. And it's a different world today from the way things used to be. I can get Julio ready this way, but it's harder for me to get him there. I don't know. When this fight is over, I'll have some thinking to do."
Still, Roach was optimistic regarding his fighter's chances on Saturday night.
"Sergio is a great athlete and his speed will be hard to deal with," the trainer acknowledged. "He has faster feet and faster hands than Julio and will dictate whether it's a war or a boxing match. But we're just starting to see how good Julio can be. He fought the best fight of his life in his last fight [against Andy Lee] and he's getting better all the time. The time is right now for him to fight Martinez. We'll deal with whatever Sergio brings."
Chavez echoed those thoughts, saying, "I've been working while Martinez has been talking. He said I wasn't at his level. But I've worked very hard to get to his level."
And Bob Arum put his two cents in, declaring, "Martinez is going to take body shots like he never felt before."
The biggest worry some Martinez partisans had was that Sergio's disdain for Chavez was such that he wouldn't fight smart and might take unnecessary chances in the ring.
Gene Tunney once posited, "There is nothing more dangerous for a boxer than to underestimate his opponent." Lou DiBella sounded a comparable theme, referencing Sergio's trashtalking and noting, "Whenever you see a guy act differently than he usually does, you worry a bit."
More significantly, Martinez is thirty-seven years old with a lot of wear and tear on his body. There had been no "easy" fights for a long time. Throw out his perfect one-punch knockout of Paul Williams, and he has looked like a gifted but vulnerable fighter.
Chavez, clearly, had room for improvement over past performances. Moreover, despite his unconventional training schedule, he appeared to be in excellent condition. After struggling to make weight for recent fights, Julio weighed-in for his confrontation with Martinez at 158 pounds; two pounds under the middleweight limit and one pound less than Sergio.
A prizefight is about two men trying to beat each other up. Neutralize an opponent's offensive arsenal; penetrate his defense to do damage; and protect yourself at all times. The greatest practitioners of the art of boxing are known as "champions."
Chavez wanted recognition as a true champion. But wouldn't get it unless and until he beat Martinez. Both men knew that.
* * *
Sergio Martinez arrived at his dressing room at the Thomas and Mack Center on the night of September 15th at 5:30 pm. Red-cushioned folding metal chairs ringed the room. The walls were cream-colored cinderblock. The three man and one woman who would be in Martinez's corner were with him: trainer and chief second Pablo Sarmiento, Naazim Richardson, Dr. Roger Anderson (Sergio's cutman), and physical therapist Raquel Bordons. Sebastian Martinez (Sergio's brother), Miguel Depablos (a friend), and Nathan Lewkowicz (Sampson Lewkowicz's son) rounded out the group.
At HBO's request, Martinez went next-door to be weighed on "the unofficial HBO scale." Chavez refused a similar request. Sergio had gained eight pounds since the weigh-in. The assumption was that Julio would enter the ring at close to 180.
Returning to his dressing room, Martinez took a smart phone from his pocket and began texting. Normally, he listens to music in the hours before a fight. But the speakers he'd brought with him weren't working.
The next few hours were spent in conversation with members of team Martinez, communicating electronically with well-wishers, and tending to the rituals of boxing. For much of the time, Bordons massaged Sergio's upper body.
Bordons is a doctor who teaches and practices physical therapy in Spain. She was in Martinez's camp for the last few days prior to his victories over Darren Barker and Matthew Macklin. This time, she'd been summoned ten days before the fight and worked with Sergio multiple times each day. She had become an indispensable member of the team; so much so that she would be in Sergio's corner.
Nathan Lewkowicz went next-door to wish Macklin well in his undercard fight against Joachim Alcine and returned with a prize. Matthew had offered his speakers to Team Martinez.
Soon, Latin rap sounded in Sergio's dressing room.
Macklin and Alcine appeared on a large flat-screen television mounted on the wall at one end of the room. Their encounter was brief. Macklin stopped Alcine in the first round.
"I am happy for him," Sergio said. "I like Matthew. Tonight he is my friend."
Referee Tony Weeks came into the room to give Sergio his pre-fight instructions. The Martinez camp was comfortable with Weeks, who has a reputation for being even-handed and competent. That was particularly important here, since Chavez was perceived as "the house fighter."
Macklin entered the dressing room, fresh from his ring triumph.
Sergio's face lit up. "Matthew!" he exclaimed.
The two men embraced.
Macklin offered a quick "good luck" and left.
Martinez began moving slowly around the room in rhythm with the music. Then he lay down on the industrial gray carpet. Bordons stretched his legs and massaged his upper body. When she was done, Sergio rose and moved around the room again; this time, jabbing and shadow-boxing.
At eight o'clock, Sarmiento gloved Martinez up.
Sergio hit the pads with Pablo for the equivalent of three rounds with a minute between each segment.
Dr. Anderson greased Martinez down.
Bordons massaged Sergio's upper body one last time.
Sarmiento helped the fighter into his ring jacket.
One consideration to be factored into determining whether a fighter will win or lose is whether he really wants to be in the ring that night.
Sergio had the fight he wanted for the largest payday of his career. There was no place on earth that he would rather be.
The atmosphere was electric inside the arena. It was a pro-Chavez crowd, but Martinez had his followers.
Prior to the bout, Roach had cautioned, "I've told Julio again and again, 'You can't just follow Martinez around the ring. If you do, you'll walk into a left hand. You have to cut the ring off.' Julio doesn't miss a beat in the gym. In the gym, he has the strategy down perfectly based on the way Martinez moves. But the gym and the fight are two different places."
"And another thing," Roach continued, "We've watched the tape of Sergio's fight against Pavlik a lot. He took some of the middle rounds off. Julio can't let him rest. When Sergio tries to rest, Julio has to make him fight."
Chavez had echoed that theme, saying, "I have to stay on top of him all night long; don't give him room to move or time to think."
But on fight night, those plans didn't come to fruition.
Chavez fought cautiously in the early going, allowing Martinez to circle, dart in and out, and control the distance between them. Also, Sergio threw punches – a lot of punches, mostly jabs and straight lefts – that landed consistently. His jab, in particular, discouraged Julio from coming forward aggressively. When Chavez did manage to work his way inside, rather than tie him up. Martinez drove him off with punches or pushed him back with the superior strength of his legs and upper body.
In round three, a left uppercut opened a cut inside Chavez's mouth. By round five, the skin around his left eye was discolored and swollen. Round six saw him bleeding from the nose.
Round after round, Martinez potshotted his opponent and rested when he wanted to. The only difference between one round and the next was that Chavez got beaten up more badly in some rounds than others. The fight had the look of a matador versus an overmatched bull.
There were times when Sergio chose to trade punches. Almost always on those occasions, he got the better of the action. Chavez showed a good chin but not much more. He might have made a greater effort to take the play away from Martinez. But that's easier said than done when an adversary is getting off first and throwing seventy-five punches a round. Julio simply couldn't solve the puzzle in front of him.
In the late going, Martinez was standing in the center of the ring at the start of each round, while Chavez was slow to get off his stool. After round nine, Roach threatened to stop the fight if his charge didn't show him something in the next three minutes that indicated he could win.
But the boxing lesson continued with Martinez circling, jabbing, getting off first.
A clash of heads in round ten opened a gash on Sergio's scalp to go with a cut above his left eye. But Chavez looked far worse for wear than Martinez.
In round eleven, Julio managed to corner his foe on several occasions. But each time, Sergio's punches drove him off.
Going into the final round, Martinez had outlanded Chavez by a 314-to-141 margin. The fight was a shutout on two of the judges' scorecards with Julio winning a solitary round on the third. Chavez could have won the last stanza 10-0 and it wouldn't have mattered.
Then the matador got gored.
Chavez started slowly in round twelve, moving forward with his hands held high. His left eye was swollen shut. His right eye was ringed by abrasions and his lips were puffy.
Martinez kept circling, jabbing. Twenty-eight seconds elapsed before Julio threw his first punch of the round, a tentative stay-away-from-me right hand. Ten seconds later, he offered a meaningless jab. Both punches missed.
One minute into round twelve, Chavez had thrown three punches and landed none. Then he stepped up the pace and forced Martinez against the ropes. With 1:28 left, Julio scored with a sharp left hook up top that hurt Sergio. Two more hooks landed flush.
Suddenly, with 1:23 left in the fight, Martinez was on the canvas and in trouble.
There was pandemonium in the arena. For Martinez, that pandemonium translated in classic Greek to "the region of all demons."
Getting up off the floor comes from pride and a fighter not wanting to go back to that place in his life where he came from.
Sergio crawled to the ropes and lifted himself up at the count of six.
Referee Tony Weeks beckoned Chavez in. Julio had seventy seconds to finish the job. Those seventy seconds showed why many people (this writer included) feel that boxing at its best is the greatest sport of all.
Chavez now loomed very large in front of Martinez, and the ring seemed very small.
Julio went for broke. Sergio, too dazed and weak to tie Chavez up and with his legs too unsteady to move out of danger, hurled punches back at his foe.
With one minute left in the fight, Martinez tried to clinch and Julio dismissively threw him to the canvas. Sergio staggered to his feet. Weeks, appropriately, chose not to give him extra time to recover and ordered that the action resume immediately without wiping Sergio's gloves.
Fifty-two seconds remained. But now, Chavez too was exhausted.
At the final bell, both fighters knew that Martinez had won.
In the dressing room after the fight, Martinez and Raquel Bordons embraced; then broke down in tears. During the fight, she had worked on him in the corner after round four and again after round seven.
"Without you, this wouldn't have been possible," Sergio told her.
Martinez had bruises beneath each eye. Two staples would be needed to close the gash on his scalp. Five stitches were necessitated by the cut above his left eye. He'd also suffered a hairline fracture of his left hand (most likely in round four) and torn ligaments in his right knee (when knocked down in the final round).
Naazim Richardson stood in a corner of the dressing room, observing the scene.
"The thing that made Sergio win is the thing that made him almost lose," Richardson offered. "When Chavez got in close, Sergio drove him off with punches instead of tieing him up. That slowed Chavez down, but it also meant that Sergio was more likely to get hit if Chavez punched with him."
Naazim paused for a moment, then noted, "Probably, in the gym they aren't allowed to hit Chavez too hard. So when Sergio hit him hard, it played with his mind and slowed him down."
As for Chavez, regardless of what his critics said, he'd salvaged his honor in the final round.
"It is an important experience for my life," Julio told the media at the post-fight press conference. "In life, you lose and you win. But I Iost with dignity and I tried my best."
The unanswered question, of course, is, "Would Julio have won if he'd trained more diligently and fought more aggressively in the early rounds?"
A rematch to answer that question is in order. Chavez-Martinez caught fire as a promotion in the final two weeks. When the fight was signed, there was a projection of 300,000 pay-per-view buys. Based on early reports, that number is now 475,000.
Boxing has a new rivalry.
It should also be noted that Tony Weeks did an exemplary job of refereeing Chavez-Martinez. He let the fighters fight, cautioned them when appropriate, and most importantly, handled the situation correctly when Sergio went down.
During round twelve, a lot of people had flashbacks to March 17, 1990, when Julio Cesar Chavez Sr, trailing badly on the judges' scorecards, scored an improbable twelfth-round stoppage over Meldrick Taylor. On that night in Las Vegas, referee Richard Steele halted the action after the first knockdown of the fight with the fighters on opposite sides of the ring and only two seconds left on the clock. A lot of people felt that Steele had a pro-Chavez agenda.
The only agenda that Weeks evinced in Chavez-Martinez was to do his job as fairly and competently as possible.
One might also reference Chavez Sr's February 20, 1993, victory over Greg Haugen in front of a record 132,247 fans in Mexico City. Prior to that bout, Haugen derided Chavez's 84-0 record as having been built against "Tijuana taxi drivers that my mom could whip." After being knocked out in the fifth round, Haugen acknowledged, "They must have been very tough taxi drivers."
At the July 12th kick-off press conference in New York, Chavez derided Martinez for appearing on the Argentinean version of Dancing with the Stars and proclaimed, "I think he has found his real profession as a ballerina."
Martinez is one tough ballerina.
Thomas Hauser can be reached by email at email@example.com. His most recent book (And the New: An Inside Look at Another Year in Boxing) was published this month by the University of Arkansas Press.
© 2000 - 2011 Knockout Entertainment Ltd & SecondsOut.com


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Car News
The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Is Reaching Dealers
- 2014 Corvette Stingray reaching dealers across the country
- First example went to NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick
- Convertible will follow, likely by the end of the year
The first 2014 Chevrolet Corvette units are reaching dealers. That's the latest from Chevrolet, who announced that it delivered the very first all-new 2014 Corvette last month to NASCAR team owner -- and Chevrolet dealer -- Rick Hendrick.
Hendrick picked up his Corvette at the General Motors Design headquarters, located near Detroit. He won the right to buy the first car, with vehicle identification number 0001, earlier this year at the Barrett-Jackson auto auction. Hendrick paid $1.1 million for the privilege.
But shoppers interested in a new Corvette don't need to spend anywhere near that figure to get the sports car sometime soon. The Corvette starts around $52,000 with shipping, and Chevrolet says it has already built around 1,000 units. Dealer deliveries are starting now, meaning some lucky customers may pick up their sports cars by the end of October.
Of course, most Corvette models won't cost anywhere near the $52,000 price tag when they reach dealers. The V8-powered coupe is offered with a host of enticing options, ranging from special paint to a navigation system, an automatic transmission and a performance exhaust system. The Corvette's most expensive option package costs nearly $10,000.
Revealed in January at the Detroit Auto Show, the 2014 Corvette (officially called the 2014 Corvette Stingray) boasts 455 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. For the first Corvette, Hendrick picked black with a red interior. Hendrick also purchased the second Corvette, choosing a red exterior with a red interior. Both of Hendrick's 'Vettes use a 6-speed manual transmission.
With the coupe reaching dealers, Chevrolet will likely turn its attention to the launch of the 2014 Corvette Stingray convertible. The droptop Corvette was revealed at this year's Geneva Auto Show and should go on sale by the end of this year or early in 2014. And who's getting the first one? Rick Hendrick, of course. He paid $1 million for the first Corvette convertible at a separate auction several months after his first 7-figure purchase.
What it means to you: Though waiting lists are common right now, it won't be long before you can get your hands on a 2014 Chevrolet Corvette.


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Jaime Hernandez: The 1996-D Uncirculated Tennis Silver Dollar was struck to commemorate the XXVI Olympiad in Atlanta, Georgia. The Mint struck sixteen different coins to commemorate this special event.
Obverse: The obverse features a female tennis player participating in the Olympiad Games. She is holding a tennis ball racket in her right hand, while swinging to hit a tennis ball. It has the inscriptions, Liberty, 1996, Atlanta, In God We Trust. It also has the USA Olympic logo next to the female tennis ball layer.
Reverse: The reverse of the coin shows the Olympic torch. Underneath the torch it has the Olympics logo and the number 100, representative of the centennial and Olympic logo. The reverse also has the inscriptions, United States of America, E Pluribus Unum, Atlanta 1996, Centennial Olympic Games.
Pre-Issue Price: $27.95
Regular Issue Price: $31.95
© 1999-2018 Collectors Universe NASDAQ: CLCT


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The Harry Potter Top 10
Many of the weird and wonderful creatures which inhabit the wizarding world are drawn from myth, imagination and the realms of fantasy.
However, our own muggle world is host to many scary and weird creatures who would not be out of place amongst the trolls, centaurs and werewolfs which haunt the corridors of Hogwarts.
So... is fact stranger than fiction?