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- Steps to Consider Before Setting Up the Connection:
- The price and availability details of all rooms must be identified on the "Calendar" section of HotelRunner extranet before setting up this connection. After connecting, HotelRunner will upload your full inventory on İstanbulHotels.com.
- When your İstanbulHotels.com connection is set up, you will be notified by HotelRunner with an e-mail showing the reservations you receive through İstanbulHotels.com. You can also view your bookings from the Bookings field on the upper menu of HotelRunner panel.
- The payment details for bookings will be retrieved from the HotelRunner extranet.
- Obtaining Approval from the Channel for XML Connection
- No approval is needed for connection. Simply request your hotel code, username and password required for XML connection from your İstanbulHotels.com representative.
- Connection
- Once you receive your IstanbulHotels.com connection details, please go to Channels / Online Travel Agencies on the upper menu of HotelRunner panel.
- Please follow the instructions by selecting Connect to the IstanbulHotels.com agency.
- Please check your IstanbulHotels.com hotel id, username and password, and then click "Next".
- Mapping
- At this stage, your Room / Rate Types on İstanbulHotels.com will appear respectively on the HotelRunner Room Type Mapping page. If not, please contact your HotelRunner representative.
- At first, please select the relevant from the "Availability" field for your rooms on the channel and map main availabilities. Secondly, map the rooms you will assign rates corresponding to the rooms under "Rate Types for Rooms in the Online Travel Agency".
- After completing the mapping, please click "Next Room Type" and then follow the aforementioned steps for other room types as well.
- To complete detailed mapping for rooms on the channel, please click Advanced Settings. You can make additional amendments from the Advanced Settings field and set channel commissions. Also, if you are not willing to assign rate or availability of the relevant room to the channel, you can set a list of limitations and rules regarding the mapping by checking the Read Only field (Sending Updates Is Unavailable).
Base Availability: If you have a base availability for this room type on the channel, you can define the number of base availabilities here.
Additional Editing: If you would like to assign a rate different than the rate type mapped with the channel, you can edit it in this field.
Commission: If you wish to assign gross rate to the channel, with the exclusion of commission, you can type the commission rate to be deducted in this field. If you are entering a rate in the channel, with the inclusion of commission, please do not perform any actions in this field. Example: When the "Commission included" option is available and you enter "20%" as the rate, "$100" to be retrieved from the calendar will be treated as "$83,33" on the channel extranet. Example: When the "Commission included" option is unavailable and you enter "20%", "$100" to be retrieved from the calendar will be treated as "$80" on the channel extranet.
Stop Sale: When this option is checked, sales will stop for all the dates for your relevant rate type on the channel.
Read Only (Sending Updates Is Unavailable): If you do not wish to send any updates for this rate type on your channel (rate, availability, min-stay, stop-sale etc.), please check the "Read only" option. When this option is checked, your bookings will be still displayed on the HotelRunner platform.
Main Rate: If you check "Main Rate" for this rate type on your channel, it will display on the top of calendar.
Once you complete room mapping, please click the "Complete & Send Room Mapping" button.
- Activation
- After completing Room Type Mapping, please click "Save".
- After this process, please tap "Activate" in the final step of the İstanbulHotels.com link in HotelRunner panel.
- After the XML connection is completed, all the inventory (rate, availability) information on your HotelRunner calendar will be uploaded on your İstanbulHotels.com extranet.


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The Big Knob is a simple yet powerful desktop audio control center that lets musicians and engineers get right to the business of making music in four major ways: Level Control, Studio Monitor Selection, Input Source Selection and Talkback & Headphone Control.
Precise Level Control:
Using a big, convenient volume knob, Big Knob lets you adjust volume levels the way our ancient audio ancestors (Analogus Engineerus) did - with a simple, intuitive knob, not with a mouse and screen. The end result is a higher degree of precision and much quicker level adjustments.
Monitor Selection:
When it comes to mixing, pros know it's best to get a second, and third, opinion. So Big Knob lets you quickly switch between 3 pairs of studio monitors, or 2 studio monitors and a subwoofer, or studio monitors and a home stereo, or any other combination of powered speakers.
Source Selection:
On the input side, Big Knob lets you connect up to 4 stereo input sources at once. This means you can simultaneously connect to your computer/DAW outputs, CD player, cassette deck and even a turntable using the premium onboard RIAA preamp. You can even connect keyboards, guitars, drum machines, samplers - anything you?d like to hear - through your monitors. This makes Big Knob great for comparing your mixes-in-progress to your favorite CDs, for archiving your old LPs, jamming along to your favorite tune, and lots more.
Talkback Section & Headphone Control:
With its built-in Talkback mic and spring-loaded activation switches, Big Knob lets you quickly communicate with musicians in both the studio and tracking room - no more hand signals through the glass! Big Knob also sports two high-powered headphone outputs with a discrete headphone mix bus, solving the communications needs of most computer-based studios.
All the Right Connections:
Although its shiny silver knob is a head-turning feature, Big Knob's rear panel is equally impressive. There you?ll find three distinct Monitor outputs with individual level control; 2-Track A and 2-Track B stereo outputs with level selection switches; a DAW stereo output for your computer; a Studio output with level control; a Phones Mix input with level selection switch; 2-Track A and 2-Track B Stereo Source inputs with level control; a DAW Mix input from your computer with level control; and even a Phono input with level control for direct connection to your turntable.
Sound Quality:
Because Big Knob plays a crucial link between recording output(s) and studio monitors, we placed the utmost importance on pristine, no-compromise sound quality. For this reason, Big Knob features ultra low-noise op amps, extremely low-tolerance components and state-of-the-art surface mount technology. All of this ensures superb sound in critical listening environments and long-term reliability - even under daily, and nightly, studio use.
- Tabletop level control / monitor switcher / source selector & talkback box
- Big, convenient volume knob for precise level adjustments
- Switch amongst 3 sets of studio monitors
- Built-in Talkback microphone for easy communication with musicians
- Monitor 4 independent Stereo inputs including one for your
- Dual Headphone outputs with independent volume controls and headphone mix bus
- Phono preamp for direct turntable connection
- High-end studio sound quality and robust construction
- Perfect for computer-based studios

subset: commoncrawl


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{Quad Squad} Gender Reveal!!!
11 comments:
The little guy looks like he's pouting. His lower lip is stuck out. LOL That's what it looks like to me. The girls must be giving him a bad time already.ReplyDelete
Wow what a procedure. I don't think any ultra sound back when Pam was born could do all that. Then again maybe it could and I just didn't know it. By the time I had an ultra sound close to my 9th month it was crowded and couldn't see anything so I got have an amniocentesis.
YEAH- We love the 3 girl/1 boy mis- LOL! Ours started out ggbg but came out gggb- so the little guy let all the little ladies out first- true gentleman! :)ReplyDelete
Congrats and keep up the good work! :)
I usually don't comment, but this is such exciting news! Congrats :)ReplyDelete
I don't normally comment, but I wanted to congratulate you and your H! (o: God Bless you both and your blossoming family!!!ReplyDelete
So exciting, Amber. I have been keeping up with you on FB with your Momma. She is so happy and proud for you!ReplyDelete
such exciting news...I know your Mom is so excited..ReplyDelete
I can't imagine how exciting this journey must be for you all. I'm only expecting one and I'm over the moon. I can't imagine how overwhelmed but blessed you must feel!ReplyDelete
- BlaireMarch 08, 2012
Wow!! Sounds like a busy and exciting day! My husband (Russell) grew up with your hubby, so I've been following your story, and was so excited to hear your news. We are praying for your growing family and enjoy reading your updates. Thanks for sharing this part of your life with us. :)ReplyDelete
-Blaire Reagan
Congrats on finding out the genders! Can't wait to see more photosReplyDelete
Congrats on the genders! :) Not sure if you've joined the triplet+ group in Houston (Space City Triplets) .. there are a TON of triplet mommies, I *think* 10 quad moms, 2 quints & supposedly a mom preggo with SEXTUPLETS in Pearland (not sure if she's joined yet or not). Can't wait to hear what names you come up with! We decided to do ABC names (Alyssa, Brandon & Cassandra) since that's what we'd call them in each appt/ultrasound & I can go back & follow them at each appt! :)ReplyDelete


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Website Disclaimer & Privacy Policy
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Thank you for visiting the Town of Orange's Website.


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The San Antonio Spurs look to become the NBA's only four- win team tonight when they host the Indiana Pacers at the AT&T Center.
The Spurs toppled the Utah Jazz, 110-100, on Saturday night in a rematch of last season's first-round playoff matchup. With wins against the Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Hornets, the Spurs are already the only team in the league with three wins and will be looking for the first 4-0 start in team history.
The Spurs earned last-second victories against New Orleans and Oklahoma City, but the win against the Jazz was more balanced. After a disastrous third quarter that saw San Antonio get outscored, 35-17, the Spurs won the fourth quarter 31-21 for the 10-point victory.
"Our guys were really embarrassed by that," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of his team's third-quarter performance. "Together playing good individual and team defense; holding them to 21 (points) was the key and they knew it. I thought our guys really executed in the fourth quarter."
Perhaps more important than any victory on Saturday was the return of Manu Ginobili to the lineup. The Argentinean star didn't even play 16 minutes, but had eight points, two rebounds and two assists and Popovich indicated after the game that Ginobili was able to return to the game if needed late in the fourth quarter.
"Of course, very satisfied that I was able to play for a few minutes," said Ginobili, who missed the first two games of the season with a nagging back issue. "I felt better than I expected. I'm a little out of rhythm."
The Pacers come to San Antonio after some very hard-fought nights lately. On Friday, the Pacers fell to the Charlotte Bobcats, 90-89, in Charlotte, then needed two overtimes to dispatch the Sacramento Kings in their home-opener, 106-98.
"Not the prettiest game in the world but we got a W," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said after the overtime win. "Like early last season our defense is carrying us. For the most part, we got stops on the defensive end and that���s the more important thing."
With due respect, the Bobcats and Kings don't figure to be playoff contenders in their respective conferences. The Pacers do, and maybe the absence of Danny Granger has hurt more than anticipated, even against some of the NBA's lesser teams.
And Granger, a former All-Star, isn't expected back in the near future.
"It's going to be a couple days for them to gather all the information and make a decision on a course of action," said Vogel.
These games are also taking a toll on the starters. David West, Roy Hibbert, Paul George and George Hill each played over 43 minutes on Saturday. The Pacers also are the only team in the league averaging more than 20 turnovers a game.
The Spurs have won the last nine matchups and the Pacers haven't beaten San Antonio since April 1, 2007. Indiana hasn't won in San Antonio since Jan. 4, 2002, losing its last 10 trips to the Alamo City.


text: West Side Chicago street soldier Yung Stakks is definitely feeling like 'ballin' today as the first single off his recently released full-length, "In My Own Lane", the Zaytoven-produced "Ballin", entered Billboard's Hot Single Sales Chart at #6 this week and it holds the #3 spot on the Hip Hop/R&B chart as well. To celebrate, he is unleashing the follow-up video to "Ballin", entitled "Ignorant", throughout which the Chine Music artist takes you on a visual journey of the two hoods in which he grew up; North Lawndale and Austin Community, giving us a glimpse of how he gets his hustle on even while surrounded by the perils of the streets. "Ignorant" was produced by KingzOf.And to top all this great news off his mixtape "In My Own Lane" will now be available for download/stream for you all to see exactly what this artist is made of. Support is greatly appreciated. http://www.datpiff.com/Yung-Stakks-In-My-Own-Lane-mixtape.800637.html Spinrilla Link: https://spinrilla.com/mixtapes/yung-stakks-cm-in-my-own-lane Live Link: http://indy.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/40781/yung-stakks-in-my-own-lane.html Connect w/ Yung Stakks: Twitter: @1yungstakks_ Instagram: 1yungstakks_


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As an emergency room doctor, Hawaii Sen. Josh Green sees homeless patients suffering from diabetes, mental health problems and an array of medical issues that are more difficult to manage when they are homeless or do not have permanent housing.
That's why Green says he wants to homelessness classified under Hawaii state law as a medical condition.
If homelessness is a disease, he reasons, then doctors should be able to write prescriptions for the cure: Housing.
"It is paradigm shift for sure, but the single best thing we can do today is to allow physicians and health care providers in general to write prescriptions for housing," Green said.
Green last week introduced a bill in the Hawaii Legislature to classify chronic homelessness as a medical condition and require insurance companies to cover treatment of the condition.
But if a doctor wrote a prescription for six months of housing, where would the patient fill the prescription?
That's where Green wants Medicaid to step in.
He wants to redirect some of Hawaii's $2 billion annual Medicaid budget to pay for housing.
He says the state could spend less Medicaid money by dedicating some of it to housing instead of paying for frequent visits by homeless people to emergency rooms. A recent University of Hawaii survey found health care costs for chronically homeless people dropped 43 percent when they had decent housing for an uninterrupted six-month period.
"Housing is health care, because it does afford a person a much greater chance of sustaining their health," said Connie Mitchell, executive director for the Institute for Human Services, Hawaii's largest homeless services provider.
But she cautioned that choosing who qualifies would be a challenge.
"You need to really look at when that's appropriate, because there's a lot of people that become homeless," Mitchell said. "Just because they become homeless doesn't mean it entitles them to write a prescription for a unit."
Hawaii had the highest rate of homelessness of all U.S. states in 2015, with 53 homeless people for every 10,000 residents, according to The National Alliance to End Homelessness.
The isolated state's high food and housing costs have prompted thousands of locally-born residents and transplants to erect tents and makeshift structures for homes in parks and sidewalks on Oahu, the state's most populated island.
Concerned about impacts on tourism, city officials have banned sitting and lying down in public spaces in the beachfront neighborhood of Waikiki and other parts of Honolulu.
The prospect of Green's proposal passing is unclear, but Hawaii officials appear receptive to offbeat solutions. State officials last year directed more money than ever to homeless support services.
And this week, 20 state senators proposed issuing $2 billion in state-backed bonds to build affordable housing, public housing renovations and homeless shelters.
Representatives from the state's two largest insurers — Kaiser Permanente and Hawaii Medical Services Association — and the chairwoman of the legislative committee that will first consider the bill declined comment, saying they have not had time to review it.
National homelessness experts said they are unaware of any other U.S. state attempt to classify homelessness as a medical condition.
But more than a dozen states — including California, Louisiana, New York and Texas — have found alternative ways to use Medicaid money for social services to help people stay in housing, like employment services or counseling, according to the Corporation for Supportive Housing, a New York-based group.
And New York is searching for ways to redirect the state-funded portion of its Medicaid budget toward housing payments.
"To date, no one is able to pay for rent using Medicaid. That's the line in the sand," said Barbara DiPietro, senior director of policy at the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, referring to federal Medicaid money.
Green's idea is in line with an ongoing push in in Hawaii to expand Medicaid coverage so it will pay for services such as social workers who help people secure housing.
"The state realizes there's a strong intersection between housing and health care, and I think that really is a critical component of our efforts to address homelessness here locally," said Scott Morishige, the homelessness coordinator for Gov. David Ige, a Democrat.
Illness and injuries can lead to homelessness, through loss of income or inability to pay medical bills. When people become homeless, chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes and mental health problems are more difficult to manage, according to the National Health Care for the Homeless Council.
"If you don't have stable housing, if you don't have a stable place to live, how are you managing medications and going to doctor appointments?" said Marcella Maguire, a director at Corporation for Supportive Housing.
The Queens' Health System, a Honolulu hospital, billed $80 million for treating homeless people in 2014 and $89 million in 2015, said Lyndsey Garcia, a hospital legislative analyst. More than $10 million goes uncompensated annually, she said.
Some homeless patients visit emergency rooms dozens of times per year, Green said.
"I've heard it described as you go to Queens as a two-day vacation," he said. "It's going to cost probably $2,000 to $3,000 per day, so Queens is going to eat that cost, just for basic shelter."


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Posted by Editor on 05/11/10
Tara Whitten, the Canadian rider who won two world titles at the Track Worlds this past Spring was a late withdrawal from the Pan Am Road Championships after it was discovered she had broken her elbow during a recreational ride.
Tara explained to us what happened, via e-mail:
I injured my elbow a month ago while mountain biking the Amasa Back trail in Moab with my family (while I can now beat my Dad and my brother UP the hills, they can still beat me back down!). I had it x-rayed at the time and nothing turned up. Another x-ray two weeks later and my diagnosis was a possible radial head fracture, but this did not require a cast and I was told I could continue training and racing.
Last week I was in LA training for the Pan Am Championships, and things just didn't feel right. I went to see Dr. Howard Marans, the orthopedic surgeon who fixed Travis Smith's pelvis a few years ago. He suspected something more was going on, ordered a CT, and sure enough the scan showed a large (1.5 cm) chip off my humerus that was displaced and required surgery. He got me in for surgery two days later, and everything went well. He removed the chip and I am now recovering with a little less bone in my elbow.
Recovery should be quick - I can already ride on a trainer, and I can start working on my elbow mobility right away. It is unfortunate that this injury meant I had to pull out of the Pan Am Championships at the last minute, but I am sure the team will do well in my absence.
Our best wishes for a speedy recovery.
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NIV Devotions for Couples - Week of July 19
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- 2023 Jul 19
Loving Beyond Limits
Verse: 1 Corinthians 13
Love never fails. — 1 Corinthians 13:8
Perhaps you've heard someone in a failed relationship say, "We always loved each other, but we just couldn't get along." They may have loved much, but they didn't know how to love well.
First Corinthians 13 is great counsel on how to love well in marriage. Loving well is the most essential ingredient for even the most spiritual people. For one thing, loving well brings music to our words (see verse 1). In times of trouble, we can be suspicious of the things our spouse says to us. If our actions don't show love, words of love will only clang in our hearts. But loving behavior makes even our most mundane conversations melodic.
Similarly, loving well adds muscle to our faith (see verse 2). It doesn't matter what kinds of obstacles we overcome or what kinds of insights we have; without acting in love toward those closest to us, even the greatest spiritual accomplishments turn to dust.
Finally, loving well brings value to our sacrifices (see verse 3). In marriage, we often sacrifice for our partner, but there can be a point at which we start keeping track of what those efforts cost us. When we love well, even the smallest sacrifices become treasures rather than points scored.
Verses 4–7 are practical reminders for marriage.
Verse 4: When he is thoughtless and inconsistent, "love is patient." When she hurts you, "love is kind." When other couples have what you want, love "does not envy." When you were right and he was wrong, love "does not boast." When you did a better job than she did, love "is not proud."
Verse 5: When you know your spouse hates it when you are habitually late, love "does not dishonor others." When no one thinks of you—your needs, your feelings, your desires or your rights—love "is not self-seeking." When you've had a long day and you're tired, or when she seems to be taking potshots at you, love "is not easily angered." When your spouse doesn't say "I'm sorry" for some offense, love "keeps no record of wrongs."
Verse 7: When he or she is taking a pounding from the world, your love, like a roof overhead, "protects." When you've been hurt or disappointed or betrayed, love "trusts." When no one notices how much you care or how often you cry, love "hopes." And when your love has been abused and questioned, when the door has been slammed in your face, when you've been completely ignored, love "perseveres."
Of course, if we're honest with one another, we have to admit that none of us measures up to the kind of love described in 1 Corinthians 13. No matter how much we love our spouse, loving well is too hard for us. That is why our relationship with Christ and the infilling of the Holy Spirit are so crucial. The Lord expects us to do our best—to throw our hearts and wills into all aspects of loving well. But when we've reached the limit of our ability, stunted by our sinfulness and weakness, we can pray for grace to do better. God can dial down our selfishness, release us from our insecurities and scorekeeping, and refresh our delight in our partner, so that we can begin to know the blessing of loving well.
—Lee Eclov
Let's Talk
• What is one verbal expression of love that is most like music to each of us?
• What one sacrifice of love is especially hard for each of us?
• What sacrifices do we make for each other that are especially meaningful?
This devotion is from the Couples' Devotional Bible by Zondervan. Used with permission.


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Biden talks to Iraqi prime minister
WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden spoke by phone Monday with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his frequent parliamentary critic, in a show of U.S. angst about escalating, Al-Qaeda-linked violence in Iraq two years after the U.S. pulled out of Iraq.
As al-Maliki was urging residents of Fallujah to expel al-Qaida fighters or face all-out battle, Biden lent his support to Iraq's fight against the local Al-Qaeda branch, and said he was concerned about those suffering from terrorism. He spoke positively about recent cooperation between Iraq's military and tribal forces in Anbar, on the Syrian border, where Al-Qaeda fighters are among the most formidable trying to topple President Bashar Assad.
"Prime Minister Maliki affirmed the importance of working closely with Iraq's Sunni leaders and communities to isolate extremists," the White House said in a statement.
With the U.S. concerned about the sectarian nature of the growing violence, Biden also spoke with Parliament Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, a Sunni leader and frequent critic of al-Maliki's Shiite-led government. The two discussed ways to sustain cooperation between Sunni communities and the Shiite-led government, and al-Nujaifi said he was committed to fighting terrorism, the White House said.
For Biden, who was President Barack Obama's point-man on the Iraq war, the phone calls reflected the unpleasant reality that two years after American forces departed, violence tied to religious extremism in Iraq has spiked. Late last year, al-Maliki came to the Oval Office requesting weapons and intelligence help to fight insurgents but left without any new announcement by Obama.
Meanwhile, the White House has come under criticism in the U.S. by those who question whether Iraq would be better off today had the United States left a military presence in Iraq, as it is attempting to do in Afghanistan while it winds down its war there.
On Monday, White House spokesman Jay Carney pushed back, saying such violence in Iraq took place even when there were 150,000 U.S. troops there. He said the U.S. can assist, and will deliver more missiles and surveillance drones to Iraq this year, but insisted Iraq must take the lead.
"If members [of Congress] were suggesting that there should be American troops fighting and dying in Fallujah today, they should say so," Carney said. "The president doesn't believe that."


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During Spain visit, UN Chief kicks off Real Madrid/Levante soccer match
Sporting a white jersey with the number 1,000 on his back, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today kicked off the Real Madrid-Levante match at the Santiago Bernanéu stadium in the Spanish capital of Madrid.
Mr. Ban was all smiles as he performed the ceremonial kick-off on the 30th day of the Spanish La Liga.
The 1,000 number on his back represents the number of days remaining to take action before the deadline of the anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The eight MDGs address poverty and hunger, education, gender equality, child mortality, maternal health, combating AIDS, malaria and other diseases, environmental sustainability and a global partnership for development.
"I've watched Real Madrid matches for years and its one of the best teams in the world," Mr. Ban said in an interview. "I particularly like Casillas, who is a good United Nations ambassador for the Millennium Development Goals."
With today's kick-off Mr. Ban sought to raise awareness not just of the importance of achieving the MDGs, but also of the role that sports can play in tackling poverty, as well as promoting education, health, development and peace.
Yesterday, Mr. Ban launched the campaign, "MDG Momentum – 1,000 Days of Action" and called on governments, international organizations and civil society groups to work with the UN and its partners to achieve greater gains by the 2015 target date.
"The MDGs are the most successful global anti-poverty push in history," Mr. Ban said. "[They] have helped set global and national priorities, mobilize action, and achieve remarkable results."
According to UN figures, since the MDGs were adopted by all UN Member States in 2000, global extreme poverty rate has been cut in half and two billion more people have gained access to safe drinking water. In addition, according to those figures, maternal and child mortality have dropped. The world continues to fight killer diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS.
Following his visit to Madrid, Mr. Ban will travel to The Hague, Netherlands. He then heads to the Vatican City in a trip announced today by his spokespeople. Mr. Ban will meet Pope Francis on 9 April to discuss the continuing cooperation between the United Nations and the Holy See.
He will also meet Italian officials in Rome, including the President, the Prime Minister, the President of the Senate and the President of the Chamber of Deputies.


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Emmy-Nominated Series Continues Wednesday, October 3 at 8:00 PM ET
Former Browns Personnel Bill Belichick, Ozzie Newsome, Michael Lombardi, Nick Saban, Scott Pioli Interviewed
"Those years in Cleveland, those teams, those people impacted the NFL. It impacted a lot of football." – Scott Pioli
On December 17, 1995, the Cleveland Browns played their final game at Cleveland Municipal Stadium before relocating to Baltimore. The latest installment of NFL Network's Emmy-nominated series A Football Life chronicles the Browns' final season in Cleveland under head coach Bill Belichick, looks at the immediate impact the relocation had on both the city and the organization, and discovers the roots of a football lineage seeded during that time which has reverberated throughout the football world in the 21st century.
Airing Wednesday, October 3 at 8:00 PM ET on NFL Network, Cleveland '95: A Football Life details the coaching staff and front office executives who took what they learned during their five years under Belichick and applied it throughout their football careers. From current NFL general managers Ozzie Newsome, Scott Pioli, Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Tannenbaum, to three-time national championship head coach Nick Saban, to former NFL head coach Eric Mangini and current Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz, the Cleveland Browns under Belichick consisted of football's next generation of leaders who continue to impact the game today.
In all, Belichick's staff in Cleveland included nine future NFL head coaches and general managers, and three head coaches at major college programs.
The one-hour episode includes never-before-seen footage including Belichick meeting with his former staff in team meeting rooms and of Belichick at home. Additionally, pre and postgame footage from the Browns' final home game is showcased.
Emmy-nominated actor from CBS' The Good Wife, Josh Charles, narrates.
The story of the 1995 Cleveland Browns is told through interviews with the following people:
Bill Belichick – New England Patriots head coach
Ozzie Newsome – Baltimore Ravens general manager
Nick Saban – University of Alabama head coach
Michael Lombardi – NFL Network analyst and former Cleveland Browns front office executive
Scott Pioli – Kansas City Chiefs general manager
Jim Schwartz – Detroit Lions head coach
Eric Mangini – ESPN analyst and former New York Jets/Cleveland Browns head coach
Thomas Dimitroff – Atlanta Falcons general manager
Phil Savage – Former Cleveland Browns general manager
Mike Tannenbaum – New York Jets general manager
Kirk Ferentz – University of Iowa head coach
Matt Stover – Cleveland Browns kicker, 1991-95
Steve Everitt – Cleveland Browns offensive lineman, 1993-95
Earnest Byner – Cleveland Browns running back, 1984-88; 1994-95
For the first look at Cleveland '95: A Football Life, visit:
Following are select quotes from Cleveland '95: A Football Life:
– "We wanted a tough, hard-nosed, blue-collar football team. That's what Cleveland is and that's what we wanted our football team to be." – Bill Belichick
– "We had a great group of people there and we were all committed to trying to bring that franchise back [to prominence]." – Nick Saban
– "There was that sense of we had turned the corner. All of that time, all of that work, all of that effort – we were poised to make that next jump." – Eric Mangini
– "I felt bad for that team, the players and the coaches that were working so hard with less than no support. The owner was nowhere to be found; he was in Baltimore. It kind of felt like you were on a deserted island fending for yourself." – Belichick
– "When I won in 2000 [with the Baltimore Ravens], I owe a lot of that to Bill Belichick." – Ozzie Newsome
– "Those years in Cleveland, those teams, those people impacted the NFL. It impacted a lot of football." – Scott Pioli
– "We got better every year, our program improved every year. I wish that it would have turned out a bit differently, but we tried to do what we could and the best that we could for ourselves, for the team and for the city of Cleveland. I have no regrets about that." – Belichick
Below is the remaining broadcast schedule for A Football Life, airing on Wednesday nights at 8:00 PM ET:
- October 10 – Fearsome Foursome
- October 17 – Steve McNair
- October 24 – Eddie DeBartolo
- October 31 – Chris Spielman
- November 7 – Jimmy Johnson
- November 21 – John Riggins
- December 5 – Barry Sanders
- December 12 – Marcus Allen
- December 19 – The Immaculate Reception
Airing throughout the NFL season, A Football Life examines the iconic individuals and subjects that have had an undeniable and profound impact on the history of the National Football League, offering an inside look into their untold stories.
Every episode of A Football Life and all NFL Network programming is streamed live on NFL Mobile from Verizon, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the only television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football. For more information, log on to www.nfl.com/nflnetwork. NFL.com is the exclusive internet home of NFL Network.


text: Main Content Act 278 of 1909 friendly link printer friendly bills affecting mcl index link Search within this Statute for Jump to the first occurrence of "home"THE HOME RULE VILLAGE ACTAct 278 of 1909AN ACT to provide for the incorporation of villages and for revising and amending their charters; to provide for the levy and collection of taxes, borrowing of money, and issuance of bonds and other evidences of indebtedness; to validate bonds issued and obligations previously incurred; and to prescribe penalties and provide remedies. History: 1909, Act 278, Eff. Sept. 1, 1909 ;-- Am. 1913, Act 95, Imd. Eff. Apr. 21, 1913 ;-- Am. 1973, Act 80, Imd. Eff. July 31, 1973 ;-- Am. 1998, Act 148, Eff. Mar. 23, 1999 The People of the State of Michigan enact: DocumentTypeDescription Section 78.1SectionShort title; corporate existence of villages to continue; village subject to general laws; seal; suit. Section 78.1aSectionConducting business at public meeting; notice of meeting; availability of certain writings to public. Section 78.1bSectionEmergency financial manager; authority and responsibilities. Section 78.2SectionIncorporation, detachment or addition of territory, or consolidation; petition; signatures; incorporation of summer resort association; proceedings; certification; appointment, oath, duties, and compensation of enumerators; sworn statement; "qualified electors" defined. Section 78.2aSectionViolation of MCL 168.1 to 168.992 applicable to petitions; penalties. Section 78.3SectionPetitions; contents. Section 78.4SectionPetition; presentation; action of county board of commissioners; resolution; vote; review. Section 78.5SectionIncorporation, consolidation or change of boundaries; affected district; referendum; authorizing vote. Section 78.5aSectionAnnexation; petition; vote; approval of adjoining city, village or township. Section 78.6SectionPetition and resolution; certified copies, transmittal to local clerks, time; election notices. Section 78.7SectionVillages in more than 1 county; incorporation, consolidation or change in boundary; procedure. Section 78.8SectionReturns canvass. Section 78.9SectionProceedings; copy filed with secretary of state; recording; change effected; certificate to state treasurer; time. Section 78.10SectionAnnexation of entire village or township; incorporation of village from part of township; annexation of part of city, village, or township by village. Section 78.11SectionNew village; charter commission, election, manner, duties, oath; proposed charter, vote, manner; notices. Section 78.12SectionVillage charter; rejection; effect; president de facto; resubmission; revert to prior status. Section 78.13SectionVillage charter; new charter commission, petition, procedure, duties; eligibility; expenses, payment; territory, control. Section 78.14SectionVillage charter; revision. Section 78.15SectionElection of charter commission; details fixed by legislative body. Section 78.16SectionCharter commission; quorum. Section 78.17SectionCharter; amendments, submission. Section 78.18SectionCharter commission; prosecuting attorneys to give advice; charter vote prerequisites. Section 78.19SectionCharter; publication prerequisites. Section 78.20SectionCharter of amendment; approval; filing time. Section 78.21SectionElection; expenses; manner of conducting. Section 78.22SectionPolice officers of village; powers. Section 78.22aSectionDistrict court or municipal court; hearing and determining cases. Section 78.22bSectionPolice officer; authority to execute bench warrant. Section 78.23SectionVillage charter; mandatory provisions. Section 78.24SectionVillage charter; permissible provisions. Section 78.24aSectionCodification of ordinances. Section 78.24bSectionEnergy conservation improvements; acquisition or financing; resolution; payment; scope of improvements; acquisition of improvements by contract, lease-purchase agreement, or notes; reports; forms; terms of lease-purchase agreement. Section 78.24cSectionAcquisition of land for disposal of sewage or protection of water supply. Section 78.24dSectionStaggered terms of office; resolution; length of initial terms; applicability of subsection (1). Section 78.25SectionStatutory provisions; adoption. Section 78.25aSectionOrdinance; designation of violation as civil infraction; civil fine; act or omission constituting crime. Section 78.25bSectionRecreational trailway; posting of ordinance; prohibited violation of ordinance as municipal civil infraction; penalty. Section 78.26SectionProhibited powers; computation of indebtedness. Section 78.26aSectionLocomotives; enforceability of ordinance prescribing maximum speed limit. Section 78.27SectionVillage charter; prohibited conflicts. Section 78.28SectionConstruction of act.


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An Occupy Oakland protester who was detained during Monday's police sweep of the movement's encampment outside City Hall is being held without bail as federal immigration authorities determine whether to move forward with deportation proceedings.
Francisco "Pancho" Ramos Stierle is a 36-year-old Mexican immigrant who came to the United States six years ago to study astrophysics at UC Berkeley, friends told the San Francisco Chronicle. He's been living in the country without legal status since he overstayed his student visa.
Stierle was one of 32 people detained during Monday's sweep, but he's the only one being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin because he's an undocumented immigrant. The San Francisco Chronicle has more details:
Stierle was booked on suspicion of two misdemeanors, refusing to disperse and loitering – charges that would carry a $10,000 bail if not for the immigration hold. Alameda County sheriff's Sgt. J.D. Nelson said his agency had no control over federal immigration holds.
Virginia Kice, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, confirmed her agency had "lodged an immigration detainer against Mr. Stierle," but declined to comment further. The detainer requires Alameda County to give immigration authorities a chance to take custody of Stierle before he is released.
Stierle was actually meditating when he was arrested on Monday. Friends say he's a very spiritual person who "practices silence" every week. Video of his arrest shows Stierle sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed and communicating with a police officer by writing on a notepad.
Stierle detainment is just the latest and more high profile instance in which the federal government's controversial immigration enforcement program has come under fire. The program, Secure Communities, allows immigration officials to check the fingerprints of everyone who's booked into local or county jails against federal immigration records. The administration has touted the program as an initiative that's successfully led to the deportations of violent criminals. But advocates argue that many of the people who end up being deported are people convicted of non-violent offenses, like Stierle.
Several counties have tried to opt of the program, but it's an effort that's proved difficult. The program has become a cornerstone of the Obama administration's immigration agenda, as record numbers of immigrants have been deported since the president took office in 2008.
Supporters have started a Change.org petition calling on Congresswoman Barbara Lee to intervene and force ICE to drop the immigration hold on Stierle immediately.
"Pancho has become an icon of peaceful protest against the unnecessary force the city of Oakland is using against the 99 percent," supporters wrote on the petition.


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Portal SPI_cursor_open(const char * name, SPIPlanPtr plan, Datum * values, const char * nulls, bool read_only)
SPI_cursor_open sets up a cursor
(internally, a portal) that will execute a statement prepared by
SPI_prepare. The parameters have the
same meanings as the corresponding parameters to
Using a cursor instead of executing the statement directly has two benefits. First, the result rows can be retrieved a few at a time, avoiding memory overrun for queries that return many rows. Second, a portal can outlive the current procedure (it can, in fact, live to the end of the current transaction). Returning the portal name to the procedure's caller provides a way of returning a row set as result.
The passed-in parameter data will be copied into the cursor's portal, so it can be freed while the cursor still exists.
name for portal, or NULL to let the system select a name
prepared statement (returned by
An array of actual parameter values. Must have same length as the statement's number of arguments.
An array describing which parameters are null. Must have same length as the statement's number of arguments.
If nulls is NULL then
SPI_cursor_open assumes that no parameters are
null. Otherwise, each entry of the nulls
array should be ' ' if the
corresponding parameter value is non-null, or 'n' if the corresponding parameter value is null.
(In the latter case, the actual value in the corresponding
values entry doesn't matter.) Note that
nulls is not a text string, just an
array: it does not need a '\0'
true for read-only execution
Pointer to portal containing the cursor. Note there is no error
return convention; any error will be reported via


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Program Organization and Description
JP Disciplines/WHOI and MIT Department Organization
Applied Ocean Science and Engineering (AOSE)
Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering (AOPE) at WHOI plus Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), Mechanical Engineering (Mech E), or Aeronautics and Astronautics (Aero-Astro) at MIT
Biological Oceanography (BO)
Biology at WHOI plus EAPS (Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences), CEE, or Biology at MIT. Prospective students should discuss with potential advisors or the Biology Education Coordinator the best MIT department for their interests.
Chemical Oceanography
Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry (MC&G) at WHOI plus CEE or EAPS at MIT
Marine Geology and Geophysics
Geology and Geophysics (G&G) at WHOI plus EAPS or CEE at MIT
Physical Oceanography
Physical Oceanography at WHOI plus EAPS at MIT
Program Description
The MIT-WHOI Joint Program provides a high quality education leading to an internationally-recognized doctoral degree awarded by both institutions. The Joint Program is organized within five sub-disciplinary areas, each administered by a Joint Committee consisting of MIT faculty and WHOI scientists: Applied Ocean Science and Engineering, Biological Oceanography, Chemical Oceanography, Marine Geology and Geophysics, and Physical Oceanography. Cutting across the Joint Committees are interdisciplinary themes including "climate and climate impacts" and "coastal processes". In addition to the cross-cutting themes, many students choose research topics which overlap two or more of the sub-disciplines, and Joint Program leadership works to support and accommodate students with interdisciplinary interests (see interdisciplinary statement and thesis examples). Thesis committees involving biologists and engineers, chemists and geologists, physical oceanographers and biologists are common.
The Joint Program offers a master's degree program for U.S. Naval Officers, and more than 85 officers have received this degree dating back to the first award in 1970. With the exception of the U.S. Naval Officers program, students are not admitted to the Joint Program for a Master's degree. However, a Master's degree can be awarded in all programs on the way to a doctoral degree or as a terminal degree.
The Joint Program is an ocean science program in the broadest sense. Student research projects extend beyond ocean science into earth science, hydrology, glaciology, marine conservation, and environmental chemistry, to name a few. Coursework in marine policy is not mandated by any of the Joint Committees, although there are opportunities to take policy courses at MIT and Harvard. In addition, WHOI has a Marine Policy Center, and its faculty lead informal seminars on marine policy as well as serve on thesis committees.
Joint Program students have access to courses, programs and resources at one of the top oceanographic research institutions in the world (WHOI), one of the top research universities in the world (MIT), and they have the opportunity to take courses at Harvard. In addition to seminars and lectures by visiting scientists from all over the world, students can expand their intellectual horizons by taking courses or participating in programs well outside their main area of focus. For example, MIT's Technology and Policy Program housed in the Engineering Systems Division offers courses such as Global Environmental Science and Politics.
The Joint Program is committed to providing five years of tuition and stipend support to every student who is admitted, assuming satisfactory progress in the program. The Joint Program also has funds to help students attend scientific meetings, conferences, and special courses and to support student research. The Joint Program provides transportation options between the two campuses as well as housing at MIT and at WHOI for qualified students.


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Which Hanukkah Article from The New York Times Will Your Mom Email You?
The New York Times' list of most emailed stories is the Times' favorite barometer for what's buzzing on the web. Certain things always seem to float to the top of the list, no matter if the content in the articles is actually good or not: all of Maureen Dowd's columns, stuff about summer camp, and anything that has to do with being Jewish.
The Gray Lady is surely making gains on December traffic goals this week by hosting four stories about Hanukkah on its site. But which one will your mom forward to your inbox this weekend, so that you can read it first thing at work Monday morning? This is a guide to understanding your Jewish mother and don't forget about the influence a good rabbi can have on her.
"All He Wants for Hanukkah Are In-App Purchases"
The Spiel: A mother wrestles with the decision of whether or not to gift her son the in-app purchases, video game level-ups you pay for, he so strongly desires. She's wracked with Jewish guilt to the nth degree over this. She eventually caves, but also buys him tickets to a Broadway show and a model airplane to make sure she's not just wasting her money on fake stuff.
Would Your Rabbi Use It In A Sermon: Rabbi's love including stuff about Apple products in their weekly adresses, especially if they don't understand what they're talking about. The whole thing is about tradition vs. modernity, which is always a veritable slam dunk.
Her Added Message: "Hi Eric, I thought you'd enjoy this. Remember when you wanted Creepy Crawlers for Hanukkah but I didn't get you them? This reminded me of you. Be at dinner at 7:30."
Chances Your Mom Will Forward It: 6/10 odds, mostly for nostalgic reasons
"How to Be a Jew at Christmas"
The Spiel: A mother is forced to watch her four-year-old son face that awkward moment when someone asks the Jewish boy what he's getting for Christmas. He politely answers, "I celebrate Hanukkah." What a little mensch. The mother is left full of pride that her Jewish teachings have left an impression on her son and that she has beaten Santa Claus.
Would Your Rabbi Use It In A Sermon: This is the stuff that makes rabbis go nuts. A little child embracing hebrew teachings. It's coming to a bima near you.
Her Added Message: "Hi Melissa, this is why you need to find a good hebrew school for Sean. It's not funny and it wouldn't hurt you to go to Friday night services with him either. I love you."
Chances Your Mom Will Forward It: 9/10, mostly to bug you to go to shul.
"Gifting, or Not, on Hanukkah's Eight Nights"
The Spiel: A writer reflects on the strange conventions associated with Hannukah gift-giving. The holiday lasts eight nights, so does one really need to buy eight presents? Kitschy memories are shared.
Would Your Rabbi Use It In A Sermon: Probably not. "You should give the most to your children" is a message that could be used pretty well though.
Her Added Message: "David, there's no reason that you shouldn't be sending me eight presents this year. I am disappointed in you."
Chances Your Mom Will Forward It: 4/10, mostly to make you feel guilty about your gifting habits.
"The True Meaning of Hanukkah"
The Spiel: The NYT explains how the Hanukkah story changed from representing war and religious freedoms, to a holiday about gift giving and magic oil. It's a longer piece with the perfect headline to get your mother hanging blue tinsel around the house. This is the big one folks.
Would Your Rabbi Use It In A Sermon: You rabbi probably has this printed out and is rereading it over and over again. This is his white whale.
Her Added Message: "Rebecca, during this holiday I really want you to think about what it really means. I know you don't want to come home and see me, but you really should. Also, do you need a menorah? I have extras."
Chances Your Mom Will Forward It: 10/10, mostly to get you to actually celebrate Hanukkah.


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July 4, 2010
Patterns: A spot of deja vu
I couldn't resist another look at this lovely embroidery, especially as I noticed on Etsy recently that it is now a pattern by Joey's Dream Garden! So you too can now get some orange tigery goodness!
Hi, I'm Jo - I feature new embroidery patterns Sundays on Feeling Stitchy. I also post on our Twitter and Pinterest.
Is there a new pattern you'd like us feature? Email me!
Posted by Mrs.Lacer
3 comments:
I didn't know this was an original design she submitted! It's fantastic, and definitely deserves a double post!ReplyDelete
Hiya! Thank you so much for featuring my Little Tiger again! Yes it is indeed my own little drawing, and Little Tiger is badgering me to do more designs featuring him, his face, his exploits etc etc so watch this space! :DReplyDelete
Warmest wishes
Joey xx
oh cuuuuute! It's the year of the tiger too, isn't it??ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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BUFFALO, N.Y., Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Emerson Etem and Corey Perry each recorded a pair of goals Saturday and the Anaheim Ducks kept Buffalo winless at home with a 6-3 victory.
Ryan Getzlaf supplied a goal and two assists as Anaheim recorded a fourth win in five road games.
Sami Vatanen added a goal and Jonas Hiller made 14 saves for the Ducks.
Tyler Myers, Cody Hodgson and Henrik Tallinder each scored for the Sabres, who tumbled to 0-8-1 at home this season.
Jhonas Enroth notched 23 saves for Buffalo.


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Christopher Hitchens dies at 62
WASHINGTON - Christopher Hitchens, the author, essayist and polemicist who waged verbal and occasional physical battle on behalf of causes left and right and wrote the provocative best-seller "God is Not Great," died Thursday night after a long battle with cancer. He was 62.
Hitchens' death was announced in a statement from Vanity Fair magazine. The statement says he died Thursday night at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston of pneumonia, a complication of his esophageal cancer.
"There will never be another like Christopher. A man of ferocious intellect, who was as vibrant on the page as he was at the bar," said Vanity Fair editor Graydon Carter. "Those who read him felt they knew him, and those who knew him were profoundly fortunate souls."
A most engaged, prolific and public intellectual who enjoyed his drink (enough to "to kill or stun the average mule") and cigarettes, he announced in June 2010 that he was being treated for cancer of the esophagus and cancelled a tour for his memoir "Hitch-22."
Hitchens, a frequent television commentator and a contributor to Vanity Fair, Slate and other publications, had become a popular author in 2007 thanks to "God is Not Great," a manifesto for athiests that defied a recent trend of religious works. Cancer humbled, but did not mellow him. Even after his diagnosis, his columns appeared weekly, savaging the royal family or reveling in the death of Osama bin Laden.
"I love the imagery of struggle," he wrote about his illness in an August 2010 essay in Vanity Fair. "I sometimes wish I were suffering in a good cause, or risking my life for the good of others, instead of just being a gravely endangered patient."
Eloquent and intemperate, bawdy and urbane, he was an acknowledged contrarian and contradiction - half-Christian, half-Jewish and fully non-believing; a native of England who settled in America; a former Trotskyite who backed the Iraq war and supported George W. Bush. But his passions remained constant and enemies of his youth, from Henry Kissinger to Mother Teresa, remained hated.
He was a militant humanist who believed in pluralism and racial justice and freedom of speech, big cities and fine art and the willingness to stand the consequences. He was smacked in the rear by then-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and beaten up in Beirut. He once submitted to waterboarding to prove that it was indeed torture.
Hitchens was an old-fashioned sensualist who abstained from clean living as if it were just another kind of church. In 2005, he would recall a trip to Aspen, Colo., and a brief encounter after stepping off a ski lift.
"I was met by immaculate specimens of young American womanhood, holding silver trays and flashing perfect dentition," he wrote.
"What would I like? I thought a gin and tonic would meet the case.
`Sir, that would be inappropriate.' In what respect? `At this altitude gin would be very much more toxic than at ground level.'
In that case, I said, make it a double."
An emphatic ally and inspired foe, he stood by friends in trouble ("Satanic Verses" novelist Salman Rushdie) and against enemies in power (Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini). His heroes included George Orwell, Thomas Paine and Gore Vidal (pre-Sept. 11).
Among those on the Hitchens list of shame: Michael Moore, Saddam Hussein, Kim Jong il, Sarah Palin, Gore Vidal (post Sept. 11) and Prince Charles.
"We have known for a long time that Prince Charles' empty sails are so rigged as to be swelled by any passing waft or breeze of crankiness and cant," Hitchens wrote in 2010 after the heir to the British throne gave a speech criticizing Galileo for the scientist's focus on "the material aspect of reality."
"He fell for the fake anthropologist Laurens van der Post. He was bowled over by the charms of homeopathic medicine. He has been believably reported as saying that plants do better if you talk to them in a soothing and encouraging way. But this latest departure promotes him from an advocate of harmless nonsense to positively sinister nonsense."
Hitchens was born in Portsmouth, England, in 1949. His father, Eric, was a "purse-lipped" Navy veteran known as "The
Commander"; his mother, Yvonne, a romantic who later kill herself during an extra-marital rendezvous in Greece. Young Christopher would have rather read a book. He was a "a mere weed and weakling and kick-bag" who discovered that "words could function as weapons" and so stockpiled them.
In college, Oxford, he met such longtime friends as authors Martin Amis and Ian McEwan and claimed to be nearby when visiting Rhodes scholar Bill Clinton did or did not inhale marijuana.
Radicalized by the 1960s, Hitchens was often arrested at political rallies, was kicked out of Britain's Labour Party over his
opposition to the Vietnam War and became a correspondent for the radical magazine International Socialiam. His reputation broadened in the 1970s through his writings for the New Statesman.
Wavy-haired and brooding and aflame with wit and righteous anger, he was a star of the left on paper and on camera, a popular television guest and a columnist for one of the world's oldest liberal publications, The Nation. In friendlier times, Vidal was quoted as citing Hitchens as a worthy heir to his satirical throne.
But Hitchens never could simply nod his head. He feuded with fellow Nation columnist Alexander Cockburn, broke with Vidal and angered freedom of choice supporters by stating that the child's life begins at conception. An essay for Vanity Fair was titled "Why Women Aren't Funny," and Hitchens wasn't kidding.
He had long been unhappy with the left's reluctance to confront enemies or friends. He would note his strong disappointment that Arthur Miller and other leading liberals shied from making public appearances on behalf of Rushdie after the Ayatollah Khomeini called for his death. He advocated intervention in Bosnia and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in Iraq.
No Democrat angered him more than Clinton, whose presidency led to the bitter end of Hitchens' friendship with White House aide Sidney Blumenthal and other Clinton backers. As Hitchens wrote in his memoir, he found Clinton "hateful in his behavior to women, pathological as a liar, and deeply suspect when it came to money in politics."
He wrote the anti-Clinton book, "No One Left to Lie To," at a time when most liberals were supporting the president as he faced impeachment over his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Hitchens also loathed Hillary Rodham Clinton and switched his affiliation from independent to Democrat in 2008 just so he could vote against her in the presidential primary.
The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, completed his exit. He fought with Vidal, Noam Chomsky and others who either suggested that U.S. foreign policy had helped caused the tragedy or that the Bush administration had advanced knowledge. He supported the Iraq war, quit The Nation, backed Bush for re-election in 2004 and repeatedly chastised those whom he believed worried unduly about the feelings of Muslims.
"It's not enough that faith claims to be the solution to all problems," he wrote in 2009 after a Danish newspaper apologized for publishing cartoons of the prophet Muhammad that led Muslim organizations to threaten legal action. "It is now demanded that such a preposterous claim be made immune from any inquiry, any critique, and any ridicule."
His essays were compiled in such books as "For the Sake of Argument" and "Prepared for the Worst." He also wrote short biographies/appreciations of Paine and Thomas Jefferson, a tribute to Orwell and "Letters to a Young Contrarian (Art of Mentoring)," in which he advised that "Only an open conflict of ideas and principles can produce any clarity." A collection of essays,
"Arguably," came out in September 2011 and he was planning a "book-length meditation on malady and mortality." He appeared in a 2010 documentary about the topical singer Phil Ochs.
Survived by his second wife, author Carol Blue, and by his three children (Alexander, Sophia and Antonia), Hitchens had well crafted ideas about posterity, clarified years ago when he saw himself referred to as "the late" Christopher Hitchens in print. For the May 2010 issue of Vanity Fair, before his illness, Hitchens submitted answers for the Proust Questionnaire, a probing and personal survey for which the famous have revealed everything from their favorite color to their greatest fear.
His vision of earthly bliss: "To be vindicated in my own lifetime."
His ideal way to die: "Fully conscious, and either fighting or reciting (or fooling around)."


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It's not every day a train route is so revolutionary, it can change travel plans all over Europe. Yet, with standard operating speeds of nearly 200 mph, that's what the TGV Est/Alleo lines did with their expansion in 2010. Now travelers can enjoy eastward connections from Paris to the Champagne-Ardenne, Lorraine and Alsace regions, and then continue with direct service to Ile-de-France, Northern, Western and Southwestern France, as well as Germany, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
Today's TGV Est/Alleo trains have reduced travel times to almost 30 destinations by up to 50%, allowing for more frequent departures. You can go from Paris to Munich in just over 6 hours, or Paris to Stuttgart in 3 hours, 46 minutes on the TGV. Paris to Frankfurt takes just 3 hours, 48 minutes, and Paris to Geneva is a mere 3 hours, 5 minutes. And the TGV isn't just fast, it's uber-relaxing: whether you're in Economy Class with its reclining seats and adjustable head and footrests, or Comfort Class which surrounds you in Lacroix designed indulgent interiors. Premier Class offers additional amenities, full-on luxury, and a silent car option.
All in all, it adds up to a chance to really appreciate the views from the windows and the company you're with, whether it's family, travel companions, or your new rail car friends. And it's a journey over 11.5 million people have enjoyed, which can mean only one thing. It's not just the train that goes fast, but the seats. So book now.


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
The North Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (NEMLEC) and regional school officials have come together to ensure safe and secure school environments conducive to learning.
The mission of School Threat Assessment and Response System's is to prepare, assess, respond, and strive to prevent threats of violence in our schools through a regional program that recognizes the individual uniqueness and integrity of each community.
This is a multi-tiered assessment and response system and is designed to provide local officials access to specialized resources developed through a collaborative effort. Utilizing the STARS System Protocol, incidents and threats are addressed through response classifications involving varying degrees of consultation, readiness, and intervention.
Once STARS is initiated, local systems and efforts are augmented by NEMLEC's regionally coordinated resources including access to personnel and experts with specialized skills, planning and training opportunities, communications systems, equipment and advanced technologies, and protocols for program and technique evaluation.
The STARS program makes certain resources available to member communities. At this time in the program's development these resources include the following:


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Rose to Host NFL GameDay Highlights, NFL GameDay Final and the Thursday Night Edition of NFL Total Access
NFL Network has added veteran on-air talent Chris Rose to its ranks, it was announced today. Rose will host NFL Network's signature Sunday night shows NFL GameDay Highlights and NFL GameDay Final, as well as the postgame edition of NFL Total Access following the network's Thursday Night Football telecast.
"We're happy to have Chris on board and he will serve as yet another valuable addition to our talented roster of hosts and analysts," said NFL Network Executive Producer Eric Weinberger. "Both NFL GameDay Highlights and NFL GameDay Final have shown tremendous growth over the past few seasons and we have no doubt Chris will build on the success of these shows."
NFL GameDay Highlights airs on NFL Network on Sunday nights at 7:30 PM ET during the NFL regular season and features analysts Steve Mariucci and Deion Sanders joining Rose to recap all of the day's action with game highlights, post-game press conferences and commentary, as well as preview the upcoming Sunday night matchup.
Rose will also host NFL GameDay Final at 11:30 PM ET with a trio of Hall of Famers, joining Sanders, Marshall Faulk, and Michael Irvin to dissect all of Sunday's action. With video of post-game press conferences, game highlights, player/coach interviews, expert analysis, a preview of Monday's game and more, NFL GameDay Final provides everything viewers need to know about the week in the NFL.
In addition to his work for NFL Network, Rose hosts Intentional Talk on MLB Network. Previously, Rose served as an on-air host and play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports between 2000-2012 covering MLB, NFL, College Football and hosting The Best Damn Sports Show for nine years.
Chris can be followed on Twitter at: @ChrisRose.
NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the only television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football. For more information, log on to www.nfl.com/nflnetwork. NFL.com is the exclusive internet home of NFL Network.


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Engaging with criticism
If you need to find out how your audience is receiving your work, it's worth considering how you've structured the interactions around criticism. Sometimes a customer has a one-off problem, a situation that is unique and a concern that has to be extinguished on the spot. More often, though, that feedback you're getting represents the way a hundred or a thousand other customers are also judging you.
Some random ideas:
- If you defend yourself to the customer, quickly explaining precisely why the policy is the way it is, why the product is the way it is, you are pushing the criticizer away because you're telling them they're wrong about their opinion. And they might indeed be wrong, but it's certainly not going to encourage more feedback.
- If your front line people restate the criticism in their own words and are grateful to the customer for sharing it, everyone will benefit. You can always choose to ignore the input later.
- If there's no way for your staff to easily send the criticism up the hierarchy, it dies before it reaches someone who can do something about it.
- If senior people follow up with the customer with specific acknowledgment and thanks, you multiply the benefits.
Not every company needs to do this right to succeed (Apple succeeds and does not do any of these things–and as far as I know, Bob Dylan is in the same camp), but if you believe you can benefit from a cycle of feedback, it's worth a try.


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GIFTS FOR GAMERS - A weekly column at Cold's Gold Factory that focuses on bringing you some of the coolest new games and gifts for gamers of all types.
Two Awesome Video Game Releases
Borderlands 2
Borderlands 2 has just released and the buzz I've been seeing has all been very positive. Brand new players and returning Borderlands fans have both been raving about how great the Borderlands 2 sequel turned out. Borderlands 2 is a hybrid 1st person shooter / RPG that offers new characters, new classes, and online play which allows you to play with your friends. The new Badass Gun System allows millions of weapon combinations and the new Gunzerker class can dual wield any 2 weapons in the game!
My good buddy Wes, from Capped By Cata and the Auction House Junkies Podcast, had this to say about his recent Borderlands 2 purchase.
Borderlands 2:
If there was ever a game that could drag you out of your MMO Prison, or well, for us your palace lined in gold, it's Borderlands 2. For the first time in years Borderlands 2 literally stole time from me like so many games use to do. Mixing First Person Shooter glory with loot and level goodness, it has something no matter what your taste is. With 4 different classes and skill trees for each, the game offers plenty of customization and replay ability. The best part for me though is really the story. Hilarious dialog and plenty of nerd memes hidden throughout. It truly is Epic. So grab your copy and get going. But be warned, you'll need plenty of Mountain Dew and you better set your Auctions to 48 hours. It might be awhile before you get back to them.Check Out Borderlands 2 At Amazon Now
(Check out the Standard Edition and the Various Limited Editions as well as the Season Pass.)
Resident Evil 6
If you pre-order Resident Evil 6 with Amazon, you will get a $10 Amazon credit for your next purchase as well as a unique bonus code for downloading the Amazon exclusive Mercenaries stage, The High Seas Fortress. So you can get the $10 code and use it on Borderlands 2 after your copy of Resident Evil 6 ships! Resident Evil 6 will be available on PS3 and XBox 360. The PS3 version comes in the Standard Edition or the Anthology Edition and the XBox 360 is available in Standard and Archives Editions.
Check Out Resident Evil 6 At Amazon
Don't forget to pre-order before the bonus offer expires.


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Do Teens With Happy Home Life Have Happier Marriages?
Positive early family experiences may influence relationship satisfaction in adulthood, study says
URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_133981.html (*this news item will not be available after 05/14/2013)
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 13 (HealthDay News) -- People who experience positive family relationships as teenagers may be more likely to have a better marriage as adults, according to a new study.
Researchers found warm, supportive family interactions and effective communication in adolescence may be connected to relationships later in life. They noted the effects of early positive family engagement, such as greater relationship satisfaction and reduced hostility, extends to teenagers' future spouses as well.
For the study, released online Jan. 10 in advance of publication in an upcoming print issue of the journal Psychological Science, researchers led by Robert Ackerman, from the University of Texas at Dallas, analyzed the family interactions of 7th graders. Five signs of positive engagement were used to assess participants' family life: listener responsiveness, assertiveness, prosocial behavior, effective communication, and warmth-support.
The young people who had the most positive interactions in their families had the most positive engagement in their marriages 17 years later, the investigators found. They also were less hostile toward their spouse. The researchers noted the participants' spouses were also more positively engaged in their marriage and expressed less hostile behavior.
"Perhaps one of the most striking results from this work was that the quality of one marital partner's family climate during adolescence was associated with marital outcomes for the other partner," the researchers wrote.
In a news release from the Association for Psychological Science, the study authors noted that it's possible that teens who experienced positive family interaction may seek out partners with similar behaviors in relationships.
SOURCE: Association for Psychological Science, news release, Jan. 30, 2013
Health News Copyright (c) 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
- More Health News on:
- Family Issues
- Teen Development


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|Ridpath, Julia
|Falkenberg, Shollie
|BAUERMANN, FERNANDO - Universidade Federal De Santa Maria
|Vander Ley, Brian
|DO, YOONJUNG - National Institute Of Animal Science
|FLORES, EDUARDO - Universidade Federal De Santa Maria
|RODMAN, DIANE - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
|Neill, John
Submitted to: American Journal of Veterinary Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/15/2012
Publication Date: 3/1/2013
Citation: Ridpath, J.F., Falkenberg, S.M., Bauermann, F.V., VanderLey, B.L., Do, Y., Flores, E.F., Rodman, D.M., Neill, J.D. 2013. Comparison of acute infection of calves exposed to a high-virulence or low-virulence bovine viral diarrhea virus or a HoBi-like virus. American Journal of Veterinary Research. 74(3):438-442. DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.74.3.438.
Interpretive Summary: Infections with bovine viral diarrhea viruses (BVDV) result in significant economic losses for cattle producers in the United States. BVDV infections are associated with respiratory and reproductive disease. Recently, infection with a group of newly recognized viruses, referred to as HoBi-like viruses, has been reported in cattle and water buffalo in South America, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Affected animals developed reproductive or respiratory disease. HoBi-like viruses appear to belong to the same family tree as BVDV but on a separate branch. Thus far, infection with HoBi-like viruses has not been reported in the United States. The purpose of this study was to compare infection of cattle with BVDV strains to infection of cattle with a HoBi-like strain. It was found that the disease that followed infection with the HoBi-like strain while similar was milder than that observed with the BVDV strains. Because the disease was mild there is a question of how quickly introduction of HoBi-like strains into a cattle population would be noted. Having HoBi-like virus strains and BVDV strains circulating at the same time in a cattle population could confuse diagnosticians and hamper BVDV control programs.
Technical Abstract: The objective of this research was to compare clinical presentation following acute infection of cattle with either a high virulence (HV) BVDV or a low virulence (LV) BVDV to clinical presentation following infection with a viral strain that belongs to an emerging species of pestivirus. The viral strain D32/00 HoBi is a member of an emerging species of pestivirus that infects cattle. It is antigenically related to BVDV and classical swine fever virus and has been isolated from water buffalo and/or cattle in South America, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Clinical presentations, in field cases, include reproductive and respiratory disease and persistent infection. It has also been found as a contaminant of fetal bovine serum batches. In this study, infection of colostrum-deprived calves with the D32/00 HoBi strain resulted in a clinical presentation, marked by a decrease in circulating lymphocyte numbers and low grade pyrexia, was milder than that observed with a LV BVDV.


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OC Needs To Keep Costs To Visit Down
I am upset that Ocean City has once again entertained the idea of raising costs to business owners with a proposed room tax hike that will certainly be passed on to our tourists.
I wish that someone would listen to why people are not coming to this resort anymore. I have owned and rented several properties in this town for the past 12 years and the reason is easy to see for those who care. Ocean City used to be a town where vacations were affordable to the average family. Every time you increase taxes and expenses to business owners they must increase costs to vacationers to stay in business. You take away long time favorite places like "Shantytown" to build million dollar homes, threaten family ride legend Trimper's and tear down family "affordable" motels like the Beachcomber and Chalet where the same families come back to every year. You never had a problem filling these two places every season. The list is endless and shameful. Did anyone ever think to send questionnaires out to ask tourists what is important to them about this beach resort so rich in beauty and tradition? I think not.
The heart and soul of Ocean City's visitors was once made up of working class families that looked forward to coming here each year. Now they are looking elsewhere. You can advertise a $50,000 car all you want but you will sell a lot more at $20,000.
A logo on a recent Ocean City ad said, "More fun here". Why don't we work on "More value here" and bring the families back to stay?
Bruce Johnson
All For Guard Parking
The subject is designated street parking for lifeguards.
I was amazed to read Council President Joe Mitrecic's statement, "I don't want designated spots" reported in the Aug. 17 issue of The Dispatch. I assumed any resident of Ocean City would support our lifeguards without reservation, I was wrong.
My telephone conversation with Mitrecic to understand his position ended with our agreeing to disagree on this issue. His reasoning as I understand is a lifeguard arriving for a shift, finding someone parked illegally in the designated space would be faced with the problems of notifying the police, arranging towing and finding another space possibly delaying their beach arrival. Now, by planning ahead, they know where spaces are available.
As a north OC resident, I see the lifeguards often walking two blocks or more lugging all their equipment from a space. I believe a clearly signed and possibly red lined designated space next to the beach is appropriate as is the ticketing and towing of space violators. I do not believe the lifeguard needs to deal directly with space violators but could find another space and later notify their sector supervisor and let the OCPD take care of the violator.
Perhaps other residents and OC visitors should express their opinion to the Mayor and Council about this issue.
Mike Glynn
Ocean City
It's All In The Figures
It's called, "do the math." The city needs to unload at least a couple of money losing ventures; namely, get out of the convention business by contracting out the convention's facility – a constant money shortcoming. Get the money up front rather than relying on an agency to draw groups, then showing debit figures. Next, dump Eagle's Landing Golf Course. How many years has it been that this operation has been an Albatross on O.C.'s budget and a burden on taxpayers? Now, according to sources, Pam's Golf Getaway is in debt to O.C. big time.
Herein, I submit a proposal that can alleviate some drain on our coffers: have your Mayor and Council members become dollar a year employees. I'd wager Mayor Rick Meehan is a millionaire plus. How much money does he make with selling real estate? Then, as far as I know some of the council's people are independent business owners – Jim Hall sells real estate, Lloyd Martin is a business owner, Pillas too, etc.
They all love Ocean City and live here or nearby. Certainly, they're endeared enough to give up their wages for their hometown and the good they can do for the area. After all, do they want to have these jobs because of the money or is it due to their genuine devotion for serving the people of Ocean City?
Use the money saved in this new approach to fiscal responsibility and allow our police chief, Bernadette DiPino, to hire the criminalologist she needs for a safer resort. She was willing to give up a police position months ago for the specialist she wanted. I urge you, voters, to get behind these novel ideas to save our dollars and put them to better usage.
Further, with the hotel, motel and restaurant owners, plus other businesses crying the blues over not having enough money to sell Ocean City through advertising, it's their responsibility to fund the project. And I don't really think that loss of visitors can be solely attributed to insufficient promoting. Potential visitors along with those who have been here are constantly being made aware of so many hazards that are prevalent. – read the papers, week in/week out that tell about muggings, all types of vandalism, car thefts, embezzlement, drunken driving, drugs, alcohol violations, the cannibalism by the Sifrits, a few years ago. Now, recently, a gory horror strory detailing information about a local business woman and the police finding fetuses.
Another deterrent is the fact that O.C. is a trash sty. On any given morning during a mile and a half walk, yes, in Caine Woods and Coastal Hwy, I'll pick up three to five grocery bags of plastic bottles, beer bottles, cans, discarded food items, cigarette boxes, and much more – even condoms. Don"t believe me? Come walk with me. Having observed for many years, the closer one travels south into O.C., the more ugly the litter picture is. Is this what vacationers want to come to? I doubt it. They can see and have all of this where they live.
Jerry Courtney
Ocean City
AGH Applauded
On behalf of my husband and myself, I would like to publicly thank the staff of Atlantic General Hospital for the wonderful care they delivered to my husband during his recent stay at the hospital.
He was in the Critical Care Unit for most of that time but from the moment the ambulance arrived to the time he was discharged, his medical care could not have been better.
The nursing staff in the CCU was not only knowledgeable and professional but so caring and considerate of his needs that I could not have asked for better care. From the doctors to the nurses to the tech staff and the aides, I was impressed and will be forever grateful.
Thanks AGH.
Pat Schrawder
West Ocean City
Product Is Worth Worrying About
So figures show that the number of vacationers is going down. Maybe it is the high prices for rooms, food, drinks, etc. So what you do is raise your price, i.e. room tax that will bring them back. You would think Ocean City has the only beach on the East Coast.
A couple of hours south, there are plenty of beaches with cheaper prices. I bet their occupancy is going up while O.C. goes down. We don't want slots anywhere in Maryland because people will spend their O.C. money on them instead of bringing their money here. Well Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia has slots and their tags are seen here.
The powers to be should be more worried about their product than where people spend their money. No slots then I see the mayor touring the Funcade casino. Sure they don't pay off in money, they pay off in junk. Come on in little kids play our poker machines we will give you a pencil. Have you noticed how the town wants all the advertising dollars? The buses can have it but cabs can't, the trash cans have it but an EZ Cruiser can't even advertise on the back of their seats where only the customer would see it. The Kite Loft can put kites on the beach advertising their store. Why can't Thrashers have a giant French fry balloon or Bull on the Beach a roast beef balloon on the beach. The answer is greed.
Bill George
We Need The Money
Slots, Slots and more Slots. An issue which has been around quite some time and still catches the views of many. Just this morning in the local newspaper were some views from readers on slots. And after reading your "freebie" with comments, I just had to make myself heard.
In visiting out of state, Delaware, Virginia and New Jersey and seeing automobiles with Maryland tags parked in their parking lots, why not on Maryland casino or racetrack lots? The revenue could help with the deficit. We need that money and keep Marylanders in Maryland.
As for crime that may come with slots, look at the number of pages with Cops & Courts in your freebie now.
Besides Ocean Downs or Havre de Grace are not Ocean City nor are slots proposed for O.C. Just more development of condos depending on what Trimper's decides in October.
Just my thoughts for keeping Maryland in the green.
Arthur "Otts" Trabert
Thanks For Support
With great pleasure and humble gratitude, we would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the Lower Shore community for its generosity in helping to make a difference for so many of our neighbors in need. We recently had the opportunity to announce a record United Way impact of $1,248,500 for health and human services programs in Wicomico, Worcester, Somerset, and Dorchester Counties. Outside of government, this is the largest program funding announcement ever on the Lower Shore, and the largest for United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore since the organization was founded 63 years ago.
We know that this historic announcement would not have been possible without the kindness and compassion demonstrated by many local businesses, organizations, and individuals. From someone donating one dollar per week through payroll deduction to the donor contributing $25,000, our united effort toward improving people's lives is making a strong and lasting impact in our community.
As we embark on our 2007 United Way campaign, we extend our sincere and heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped make the 2006 campaign so successful. We are looking forward to building on this success and continuing to make a difference for so many in our community.
Kathleen Mommé
Constance Strott
Bill Middleton
Thanks To Community
To all of you in Ocean City, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for your many prayers and acts of love and support for my son, Raymundo Martinez of the Dominican Republic, and for our family. You have shown us the love of God and his loving presence that is everywhere in a very special way, here in Maryland.
In particular, I cannot help but mention Anne Marie Conestible, who represents the CETUSA student exchange program. She is a wonderful human being who has practically been a second mother to Raymundo after his accident. I would also like to mention Father Robert Wojtek, the pastor of the Catholic community of St. Michael/St. Patrick in Fells Point, Baltimore. Both of them have walked with us through this experience that has radically changed our lives and deserve our love and respect.
I would like you all to know that God's love is flowing through each one of your hearts and it's that same love that is healing, cleansing and binding the pains and wounds of my son Raymundo. Thank you for opening your hearts and allowing that love to flow to our family. Please know that all your help and collaboration will be blessed and multiplied by God. Once again, many thanks to all.
Ramon Martinez
Rude Comments Not Fit For OPA Leader
(The following letter was written to OPA Board President Bill Zawacki.)
In regard to your comments during the recent Organizational Meeting of the OPA Board, I feel it was most inappropriate and inaccurate of you to read out of context from a series of emails regarding my respectful response to an inquiry on the bylaws. The email that I sent to the directors was in response to a breakdown in communication and follow up between the by-laws committee and the board on an agreed upon and approved process for soliciting feedback on the proposed Bylaw changes. Your email response to me on why and how this happened is somewhat different than what was reported to me by staff. For you to further infer that I disrespect the advisory committees of Ocean Pines is totally absurd and could not be further from the truth. My board resolutions and actions of the past three years as well as my parting remarks at the July meeting speak of an entirely different story.
Regardless of what transpired between these emails, I didn't think it was worth any further discussion. Or so I thought until you decided to use portions of it to support your campaign for president of the board. While you did not mention me specifically by name, you made it quite obvious to whom you were referring. This surprised and concerned me.
Is this the caliber of a president who will be receptive to the diverse opinions and concerns of his constituents if they differ from his? Will this president resort to misrepresentation and snide remarks if someone dares to challenge his opinion or position? You say you are a man of few words, but are the words you choose to use, words that are intended to demeanor and disrespect an individual?
Your choice of words to support your campaign for president of the board were completely unnecessary and uncalled for. But they were indicative of your true nature as an individual.
I hope you will be able to overcome this nature in order to better serve our community as president of the Board of Directors.
Heather Cook
Ocean Pines