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Tarleton State Bands
Future Members Info
Frequently Asked Questions, (Including Audition Questions for Incoming Students, Scholarships, etc...)
Complete a Prospective Form to Let Us Know About You
Want to audition for the Tarleton Band Program?
A Message from Tarleton President, Dr. Dottavio
Dear Prospective Tarleton Texan:
Thank you for your interest in Tarleton State University and our band program. Tarleton's outstanding academic reputation and uncommon spirit are enhanced by our music program that includes professional performance, music education, and band opportunities for music majors and non-majors.
Tarleton is the right size for you: small enough to feel as warm and personal as a liberal arts college, but with the resources and stature of a public university that is the second-largest in the Texas A&M System. Tarleton offers a rich array of academic, social, and cultural opportunities to complement the curriculum.
Our music program brings internationally renowned conductors and composers to campus to work with our students as well as invited high school musicians and band directors at the Tarleton Invitational and the Jazz Festival.
These and other hands-on experiences for music education majors prepare them to become leaders in the field.
The Homecoming Parade, the May Fete, the Commencement Ceremony, and many other favorite Tarleton traditions feature student performance groups. The Texan Marching Band electrifies the crowd supporting our nationally-ranked football program. They truly are "The Sound and the Fury of Tarleton!" The Basketball Pep Band is an important part of the game-day experience and contributes to the success of our women's and men's teams. The athletic bands are open to students from all majors on campus.
In all of our performance groups, students develop leadership skills, life-long friendships, and lasting memories. From the personal attention of the faculty to the thunderous applause of a stadium crowd, students involved in our band program have many extraordinary opportunities at Tarleton. I invite you to complete the Prospective Band Member form and then come visit and see why we are proud to be part of this remarkable university!
F. Dominic Dottavio, Ph.D.
A Message from Dr. Kelly Lemmons
As the Interim Head for the Fine Arts Department, I want to welcome you to one of the fastest growing programs on campus, the Tarleton State University Bands. Over the past few years we have seen steady improvement in the quality of the performing ensembles and the band program is no exception.
We have one of the finest facilities in North Central Texas with the Clyde H. Wells Fine Arts Center. The facilities are warm and inviting and you will find the same true of our faculty. The band staff are working hard to ensure that all students, regardless of major, have a tremendous experience. Whether you are interested in jazz, athletic bands, concert ensembles, or a chamber group, the Tarleton Band program has a home for you.
Please continue to view the band's website as content is constantly updated. If you are a prospective student, I encourage you to complete the Prospective Band Member Form. Completing this form does not obligate you to Tarleton nor the Band Program. It does, however, allow us to know what interests you have so one of the band staff can easily address any questions you may have.
We know that you have a choice when it comes to choosing where you attend college. The experiences you will get as a Tarleton student will easily propel you to the top of your chosen field of study for your future endeavors.
Dr. Kelly Lemmons
Department of Fine Arts
List of Music Scholarships Available for both Music Majors and Non-Majors
- Scholarship Application for Freshmen
You may use the link above to also make an application for admission to the university.
- Scholarship Application for Returning Students
All returning students must reapply by February 15. Decisions on renewing scholarships are typically made after Spring semester juries/final exams.


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Groundworks in Tolleshunt Knights
If you are looking for groundworks in Tolleshunt Knights then use the expert service of Oddy Fencing. Oddy fencing is a family run business with over 25 years of experience and is managed by a 4th generation family member. The work we offer is first class, giving customers top quality fencing panels in Chelmsford, Colchester, Brentwood, Witham, Billericay, Braintree and throughout the Essex area. Offering you a quality service for a competitive price that can not be matched.
Oddy Fencing offers the best groundworks in Tolleshunt Knights. We work and cover the aspects of anything to do with groundworks from domestic to commercial. As a highly regarded company, we only use the best equipment and materials to give you the best results. Trust Oddy Fencing to create a perfect outdoor area for you. Any desires you have, we can help. All features are professionally fitted by us, from the foundations to the finished product. Our skilled team work alongside your to ensure that there is minimum disruption whilst the work is being completed.
If you require our service for groundworks in Tolleshunt Knights or wish to find out more about groundworks in Tolleshunt Knights then Oddy Fencing will be happy to help.

subset: commoncrawl


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Please stop by my newest project:
My goal with this web site is to share the global activities that I have used in my classroom and with my 4 children. You will find games, recipes that please even the most discerning tummies, art projects, endless reviews on children's literature related to world cultures, games, and other activities that help enrich little minds. Whether you are a teacher, a parent, a homeschooler or a scout leader, you will find an ever-expanding database of age-appropriate, fun activities gathered from around the world and organized by topic, and by country.
1 week ago


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Rise of the Tomb Raider Supposedly Coming to Xbox 360, PS3
Crystal Dynamics' and Square Enix's E3 trailer for Rise of the Tomb Raider at E3 presented a beautifully rendered scene that viewers immediately recognized as new-gen footage. This led some to believe that the game would be exclusive to Xbox One and PlayStation 4, leaving 360 and PS3 owners without an opportunity to experience the next chapter in the life of Lara Croft. Two listings found online, however, reveal that the game will, in fact, come to Sony and Microsoft's previous consoles.
The official Rise of the Tomb Raider trailer page on Xbox.com shows off the gripping trailer and gives a brief synopsis of the game's premise. More importantly, though, it lists the platforms for the game as Xbox One and Xbox 360. Corroborating evidence of a last-gen release can be found on Amazon.co.uk, where Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game are listed alongside the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC editions.
2013's Tomb Raider reboot first appeared on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but received Xbox One and PlayStation 4 upgrades with January's Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition. We're assuming that the Rise of the Tomb Raider is being similarly developed for the less powerful systems, then up-scaled to the new consoles rather than two separate versions for the different console generations. Tomb Raider made the transition beautifully, and we're hoping for the same results when Rise of the Tomb Raider launches next year.


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New Products from Le Creuset, Full Circle, Chef'n, Prepara, and More
A water bottle that squeezes lemon? An all-in-one oil and vinegar dispenser? An ultra convenient mushroom slicer? These are just a few of the new and upcoming products we saw last weekend at the 2012 Home + Housewares show in Chicago. Read on for more:
Full Circle: A favorite around these parts, I was very excited about their Lemon Water On The Go bottle. How refreshing does that sound? Full Circle also introduced a glass water bottle, a compact, foldable dish rack and a foaming dish brush. (A platform-spring construction base generates foam when you dip or push down on the brush.)
Le Creuset: We already showed you Le Creuset's newest color Marseille Blue, and hinted at another big product launch for them: the Cafe Collection, their first foray into coffee and tea. The collection, available in Cherry, Truffle, and Marseille Blue, centers around a stoneware French press, with accompanying cappuccino and espresso cups, mugs, teaspoons, a sugar and creamer set, and a stoneware coffee canister.
Art+Cook: This relatively new kitchen tools company is the brainchild of Allan Ben, author of the 2004 book Art and Cook: Love Food, Live Design, Dream Art. These are kitchen tools for the design-inclined. A clean aesthetic, sleek packaging, and innovative tools (like the dual salt and pepper grinder) had me sufficiently intrigued. I'm anxious to review these tools to see if the quality matches up to the presentation.
Chef'n: A few years ago we reviewed Chef'n's Citrus Juicer, and while we were generally positive, our one con was the size: it was too small to juice larger citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits. Well, Chef'n has finally addressed that problem with the launch of their new Orange Juicer. Hurray! I was also excited about their new silicone pinch-squeeze bowls and the mushroom slicer. (I'm sorry, slicester.) Interested in knowing more about Chef'n? We toured their design studio here.
Prepara: You may be most familiar with Prepara's Herb Saver and their Tabletop Oil Mister, but they've been hard at work this past year developing a whole new line of products for the home chef, including the Topper Chopper (a kid's dream - put anything in and it chops it into sprinkles!), basting bottle and bowl sets, and a dish drying mat.
More Home + Housewares 2012 Posts
• KitchenAid Debuts Newest Colors: Crystal Blue and Frosted Pearl
• Huge Cookware News: Dansk Kobenstyle Is Coming Back Into Production!
• Staub's Newest Color: Saffron
• Kitchen Trends 2012: Juicy Neon Colors
• Le Creuset's Newest Color: Marseille Blue
(Images: Cambria Bold)


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The exiles who wowed America
How exiled European artists reacted to the energy and freedom of the US
By Clive James
Imagine Balanchine watching a bunch of cheerleaders and you've got this book in a flash. Vignettes are its basic strength, as was bound to be true. The subject of the twentieth-century European artists in exile is too big for one book. Jean-Michel Palmier proved it by publishing his pioneering compendium Weimar en exil (1988) as two books, one of them called Exil en Europe and the other Exil en Amérique. Since there could easily have been others – Exil en Australie would have been interesting – it will be appreciated that Palmier himself felt obliged to limit his purview.
Joseph Horowitz gets the story into a single volume, Artists in Exile, by concentrating on a single destination, America, and even then he trims the field. His subtitle "How refugees from twentieth-century war and revolution transformed the American performing arts" leaves out the writers, painters, photographers and architects, which means we aren't going to hear much about any of the Mann clan, and nothing at all about Mondrian, Ernst, Léger, Moholy-Nagy, Mies, Gropius, Andreas Feininger, Lyonel Feininger … but let's stop. Horowitz gives us mainly those exiles who worked in music, theatre and film. Even then, there are more than enough names to be going on with: Balanchine, Stravinsky, Koussevitsky, Toscanini, Stokowski, Kurt Weill and Rouben Mamoulian are only the most prominent.
Read the complete review at The Times website:


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Week two of the preseason finds the San Jose Earthquakes in sunny, but cold, Tucson for a pair of preseason matches against fellow MLS competitors Houston Dynamo and Colorado Rapids. Interspersed between the two friendlies will be a number of training sessions that are expected to increase in intensity as the team prepares for its home opener on March 3.
The squad is heavy with second teamers and trialists — evident in the side that took down the Dynamo 2-0 in yesterday's match — as well as the veteran core that captured last season's Supporters' Shield. Many are still rehabbing from offseason surgeries and ailments, but most are expected back before too long. And so, with the preseason in full swing (the Earthquakes still have visits to Oxnard and Portland on the agenda), what are some of the storylines to follow over the next four weeks?
Mending the infirm: By all accounts, if the MLS season started today, head coach Frank Yallop would be pressed to field more than half of his preferred Starting XI players. No more is that evident than at the forward position, where Steven Lenhart and Alan Gordon — the new Bay Area Bash Brothers — are still working their way back to full fitness. Each has the unenviable job of mixing it up with opposing defenders when on the field, and that wear and tear built up over the long 2012 season. Playing through pain is nothing new to professional athletes, and the two biggest characters on the Quakes were certainly not going to let a little, or big, injury get in the way of them suiting up, but now both need proper rest and rejuvenation ahead of another tough MLS season. Lenhart is projected to fully integrate into the squad by mid-February and Gordon a month later, so perhaps there is no need to ring the alarm bells just yet. However, the Earthquakes may look a whole lot different on First Kick night against Real Salt Lake without at least one of their target forwards.
International bright young things: One price of success is that you get a whole lot more attention than perhaps you want, but it also can lead to new and exciting opportunities. For the Earthquakes in 2012, being in the headlines pushed up the stock of some of the team's best contributors, and now they are reaping the rewards with call-ups to play at the international level. Chris Wondolowski, Justin Morrow, and Steven Beitashour for the United States and Victor Bernardez and Marvin Chavez for Honduras have had busy Januarys with their national teams. Not being with their club team to start preseason camp perhaps only had the effect of making for less crowded training sessions for the rest of their Quakes teammates, but all five will need to quickly mesh in with the group upon their returns. Given that all five are key components to the Starting XI, getting some training time together could be crucial.
Redemption and opportunity: In 2012, amid the success and excitement of the Quakes run to the top of the MLS table, two players dealt with what could at best be called frustrated campaigns. Returning Earthquake Shea Salinas started the season on fire, but saw that momentum crushed by a dirty Rafa Marquez rugby tackle in New York. The winger struggled to get back to health only to suffer a hamstring injury in a Reserve League match. Salinas remained upbeat throughout, but he will certainly target 2013 as a chance to put together a complete successful season. Another winger, rookie Sam Garza also suffered through a difficult year, as ailments limited his ability early on. Garza did shine in the early rounds of the U.S. Open Cup tournament, but injuries limited his production the rest of the way. The Generation Adidas and first round Superdraft selection came to camp looking as fit as ever, and he will look to turn on its head any notion that he will deliver a "sophomore slump."
Making the grade: The annual rite of the trialist parade in the MLS preseason is one not to be missed, and the Earthquakes will be participating full-bore in 2013. With possibly 7-8 roster spots still up for grabs, the mix of draft picks and trialists currently in camp have an opportunity to grab the attention of the Quakes technical staff. Yesterday's match against the Dynamo was a great chance for many of these fringe players to state their case for a contract, and it provided a wonderful window for fans to make their own assessments, but it is the day-to-day dedication to the team that the coaches will be monitoring carefully. The Earthquakes ethos is one of hard-work and sacrifice for the good of the whole team. Soccer skills are, of course, important, but so too is being compatible with the current Quakes. These metrics will all be under consideration when deciding who makes the cut and who moves on.
Building for the future: In terms of the long-term view, many of the young rookies and trialists in camp, even if signed, may never see minutes with the first team. Instead, they will be looked at as building blocks for future seasons. In parallel to the on-field forward vision, the club will also cast an eye toward moving into their new home one season from now. On the lot adjacent to the Quakes training field will soon rise a symbol of the club's future in San Jose. The groundbreaking ceremony has come and gone, and the next stage of visible construction is expected to start in late February. Fans and players alike will definitely be keeping track of the progress on the Earthquakes new stadium throughout 2013.


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v w wrote:Scrivet wrote:Just what would be the purpose of having a sickle mower pulley attached to this?Redcub wrote:
Just to make people ask questions like - what is hanging on the rockshaft?
I wondered about that as well, but decided it may have a use to actually lift something, or is a place to hold onto as you climb up.
Rudi wrote:Vern:
Looks like a Cub-144 Cultivator rear lift rod.
The bar looks like it mounts in some sort of clamp, not the welded on flat piece with two holes like the cultivator lift rod would have, although it may serve the same purpose.
While we're wondering........Why does the left angle brace for the add on fender(?), with the slot, have a bolt in it while the right one doesn't?


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Stories by Muse [0] Series by Muse [0] Reviews by Muse [2] Challenges by Muse [0] Favorite Series [0] Muse's Favorites [2]
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|The authors own nothing. Joss, UPN, WB, etc. own Buffy, the show, the characters, the places, and the backstory. The authors own any original plots.


text: Share this page: Share on facebook Share on twitter Chuck Berry and Keith Richards Hail! Hail! Rock and Roll Written by: Ivan Sheehan Monday, October 22, 2012 Become a member Buy a ticket Sign up for E-news The concert held on October 16, 1986, to celebrate Chuck Berry's 60th birthday and later released as the rock documentary Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll, directed by Taylor Hackford, featured a spellbinding lineup of musicians, including Eric Clapton, Etta James, original Berry keys man and blues-piano virtuoso Johnnie Johnson, sax extraordinaire Bobby Keys and Julian Lennon. It was a powerful show of reverence for rock and roll's poet laureate, a tribute as could only be orchestrated by the film's musical director and Berry fan: Keith Richards. In his 2010 autobiography, Life, Richards shared a letter from April 1962 to his aunt Patty that recounts his introduction to Mick Jagger, writing: "You know I was keen on Chuck Berry and I thought I was the only fan for miles but one mornin' on Dartford Stn. … I was holding one of Chuck's records when a guy I knew at primary school 7-11 yrs [sic] y'know came up to me. He's got every record Chuck Berry ever made and all his mates have too, they are all rhythm and blues fans, real R&B I mean… he is called Mick Jagger." The letter goes on to explain how Richards had started going to parties with Jagger, who he characterized as "the greatest R&B singer this side of the Atlantic." He talks about the band they form, how he plays guitar "Chuck style" and how he recently purchased a Chuck Berry LP "straight from Chess Records Chicago." By his own admission, Richards wanted to play like Scotty Moore and Chuck Berry when he first began playing guitar. More than two decades later, in 1986, Richards was tapped to induct his "numero uno hero" into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, during the Rock Hall's inaugural awards ceremony. "It's very difficult for me to talk about Chuck Berry 'cause I lifted every lick he ever played," half-joked Richards during his induction speech. "This is the gentleman who started it all, as far as I'm concerned." Over the years – and in spite of a mutual admiration and respect between the two – Berry and Richards have had some memorable spats. This year, during an episode of his Ronnie Wood Show on Absolute Radio, the two-time Hall of Fame inductee talked about an incident that left Richards with a black eye. "I used to play with [Chuck Berry] quite a lot, and he'd always have to have the money up front in his guitar case, and he'd leap straight from the stage with the guitar case full of money, throw it offstage and into the cab," he recalled. "Once Keith was there in the audience, and Chuck came off stage, and Keith ran up behind him, tapped him on the shoulder, at which Chuck turned round and went whack and smashed Keith in the eye, gave him a big black eye." Ultimately, the pugilistic misunderstanding was amicably resolved, and Richards was left with another dubious claim to fame. After hours of rehearsals and careful planning, Berry's reputation for quite literally playing to his own tune came to fruition on stage at the Fox Theater in Saint Louis, on the first night of the 60th birthday concert. The provocative rock and roll innovator played in different arrangements and keys than had been planned, according to Richards, though it came as no surprise to him: "And he sure pushed me hard — you can see it in the film. It's very difficult for me to allow myself to be bullied, and that is what Chuck was doing to me and to everybody else." In the clip below, taken from Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll, Berry schools Richards on guitar technique, creating a palpable tension in the room as Richards tries to keep his cool as the Berry-led band work through "Oh, Carol." Check out the Rock Hall's Rolling Stones exhibit in Cleveland! Keith Richards Inducts Chuck Berry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Chuck Berry Inducted: 1986 Category: Performers The Rolling Stones Inducted: 1989 Category: Performers


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SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As tomorrow marks the sixth annual Data Privacy Day, ADT (NYSE:ADT) and McAfee released the results of a survey that takes a look at the important parallels between personal and online security. When asked, 39% of respondents said they use technological devices to control their home security systems and 34% use smartphones to do so. Alongside our appetite for such advanced technologies, so grows our need for protection of the digital devices that control them. Data from this survey suggests that our digital and physical lives are now fully intersected.
As technological advances enable us to control products in the home from within or from afar, we will need to ensure that both our physical and digital selves are strongly protected. The purpose of Data Privacy Day (DPD) is to remind smartphone users, who do not use password protection to prevent unauthorized access, to take simple steps toward protecting their devices.
Commissioned by The Futures Company, the joint survey of over 1,000 consumers shows that more than 51% of respondents reported having their personal security compromised through both physical and online breaches. When asked to define "personal security," about 77% of survey participants consider it to intertwine both physical and online security, providing further insight that our digital and physical lives have merged into one.
Leaving the Door Open to Security Risks
Device proliferation has made digital security increasingly important - critical even - as our identities and personal devices are more susceptible to security breaches. While 31% of respondents of the survey said their smartphone presented the most potential for security risk and 49% stated that their computers are more vulnerable, 41% still fear losing smartphones most in a public setting. Though this is the case, respondents did not seem too concerned with protecting them, and many are comfortable sharing their passwords with others. Two in three smartphone users (67%) and tablet users (65%) report that they protect their devices with a password, yet nearly half (49%) admitted to sharing their password with at least one other person, risking their personal security and all the data found on their device.
Since over 33% of people use their devices to control to their physical alarm systems, and more than half of them fail to secure their devices with basic protection like private passwords, it seems our need for awareness in security is great as the need for security itself.
Among those who have experienced a home break-in, 59% reported a computer or mobile device among stolen items – leaving their personal data in the hands of thieves. Reportedly, an estimated 1.6 million Americans have their smartphones stolen in 2012.1 This is especially important considering 30% of Android and Windows smartphone users and 50% of iPhone users don't lock their mobile devices.
"In today's always connected digital world, our entire lives are managed and are accessible across our devices," said John Giamatteo, senior vice president and general manager of McAfee consumer business. "With the Internet of Things rapidly evolving, our partnership with ADT marks a critical advance in protecting consumers' property and information in more ways than ever before."
This survey further emphasizes the importance of the ADT and McAfee's partnership, announced earlier this month at the Consumer Electronics Show. In initial phase of the security collaboration, ADT will be bundling ADT Pulse®, a complete security and automation solution that uses mobile technology, with McAfee LiveSafe™, an award-winning data, identity, and digital device protection service. Together, the two services will provide an additional layer of protection for a customer's home or business, accessible through any web-connected smartphone or tablet. The ADT and McAfee partnership will develop a cohesive platform where users can easily protect their digital and physical domains from a single and centralized, easy-to-use portal. Together, ADT Pulse and McAfee LiveSafe service will establish new security standards and best practices that protect homes, properties, data, and personal identities.
"We are constantly seeking ways to increase protection for our customers in an increasingly connected and complex world," said Arthur Orduña, Senior Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at ADT. "Partnering with McAfee adds another vital layer of security to our Pulse solution with McAfee LiveSafe service, and opens up innovation opportunities for our platforms and products."
Quantitative Methodology
The Futures Company conducted a total of 1,228 online interviews in the U.S. among consumers ages 18-54 between December 4 – 15, 2013. Interviews were distributed evenly by age and gender. The sample was comprised of 18% Hispanic and 18% African American respondents and achieved geographic distribution according to the US census. The interviews were 15 minutes in length. All respondents were required to own a mobile device (smartphone and/or tablet). The total sample of 1,228 yields a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
Additional source:
1 Consumer Reports, June 2013
About ADT
The ADT Corporation (NYSE: ADT) is a leading provider of electronic security, interactive home and business automation and alarm monitoring services for residences and small businesses in the United States and Canada. ADT currently serves more than six million residential and small business customers, making it the largest company of its kind in both the United States and Canada. Its broad and pioneering set of products and services, including ADT Pulse interactive home and business solutions and home health services, meet a range of customer needs for today's active and increasingly mobile lifestyles. ADT employs approximately 17,000 people at more than 200 locations. More information is available at www.adt.com.
About McAfee
McAfee, a wholly owned subsidiary of Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), is the world's largest dedicated security technology company. McAfee delivers proactive and proven solutions and services that help secure systems, networks, and mobile devices around the world, allowing users to safely connect to the Internet, browse and shop the Web more securely. Backed by its unrivaled Global Threat Intelligence, McAfee creates innovative products that empower home users, businesses, the public sector and service providers by enabling them to prove compliance with regulations, protect data, prevent disruptions, identify vulnerabilities, and continuously monitor and improve their security. McAfee is relentlessly focused on constantly finding new ways to keep our customers safe. http://www.mcafee.com
Note: McAfee, the McAfee logo, and McAfee LiveSafe are registered trademarks or trademarks of McAfee, Inc., or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. ©2011 McAfee, Inc. All rights reserved.


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Between our Baltimore and Washington, DC, venues, more than 17,500 animals representing 900 species call the National Aquarium home. There are constant changes, additions, and more going on behind the scenes that our guests may not notice during their visit. We want to share these fun updates with our community so we're bringing them to you in our weekly Animal Update posts!
Check our blog every Friday to find out what's going on… here's what's new this week!
We've added three lumpfish to our Stellwagen Bank exhibit!
Lumpfish can be abundantly found in the cold waters of the North Atlantic – from Norway and Iceland to the New England coast. While the species has been an important food source for European countries, it is seldom consumed in the United States.
Lumpfish are primarily bottom-dwellers. Their pelvic fins are modified into a suction disk so you will most spot them attached to one of the vertical walls.
In many cases, lumpfish have been successfully trained by institutions to perform behaviors like swimming through a hoop. As our lumpfish become more comfortable in their new home, we hope to begin working with them on these types of enrichment.
Endangered Texas blind salamanders!
Recently, we introduced you to our new Texas blind salamanders. We're happy to report that they are progressing well through the quarantine process!
Be sure to check back every Friday to find out what's happening!


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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema has agreed to become the new coach at Arkansas, taking over a program that stumbled from scandal into an awful season that had begun with hopes of challenging for a national championship.
Bielema has agreed to a deal between 5-7 years with the Razorbacks, according to a person familiar with the situation, which was first reported by Yahoo! Sports. The person, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because the school had not announced the hire, said a news conference was planned for Wednesday.
The move was the second stunning hire at Arkansas, which brought in John L. Smith after firing Bobby Petrino this year after he hired his mistress to work in the football department. Arkansas went 4-8 this season and athletic director Jeff Long announced after the season that Smith would not return.
Bielema is in his seventh season as Barry Alvarez's hand-picked successor at Wisconsin. He's 68-24 with the Badgers, with four double-digit win seasons, and he coached Wisconsin to a 17-14 win over Arkansas in his first season at the Capital One Bowl.
"He's the guy Jeff was after all along," the person said of Long. "It's hard to get these coaches to sit still."
The Badgers were down a bit this season, losing five close games. But they won the Big Ten championship game on Saturday in a 70-31 romp over Nebraska to secure their third straight trip to the Rose Bowl. They will play Stanford on Jan. 1.
The 42-year-old Bielema was the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin for two years before being promoted to head coach in 2006. He played for Iowa and started his coaching career there as an assistant under Hayden Fry and later Kirk Ferentz.
Bielema takes over an Arkansas program still reeling following the April scandal.
The Razorbacks had improved their win total in four straight seasons under Petrino, including a 21-5 mark in 2010-11, and finished last season ranked No. 5. They had talked openly in the spring about competing for the school's first SEC championship and perhaps a national championship.
Then came the April 1 motorcycle accident that led to Petrino's downfall. The former Atlanta Falcons' coach initially lied about being alone during the wreck, though the married father of four later admitted to riding with his mistress -- a former Arkansas volleyball player he had hired to work in the athletic department.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press


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posted by Thom Holwerda on Sat 25th Feb 2012 00:54 UTC
"Microsoft appears to be killing off two of its key user-facing brands with the upcoming Consumer Preview release of Windows 8. Windows Live applications have been rolled into preinstalled apps that work as the core 'Windows Communications' applications for Windows 8, and this lack of Windows Live branding is only the tip of the iceberg. 'Microsoft Account' will replace Windows Live ID in Windows 8, and the software giant has also removed traces of Zune from its Windows Store, Music, and Video applications, although Zune Pass functionality remains." They're actually getting it. Amazing.


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Consensus Report
Critical Issues in Weather Modification Research (2003)Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate
Each report is produced by a committee of experts selected by the Academy to address a particular statement of task and is subject to a rigorous, independent peer review; while the reports represent views of the committee, they also are endorsed by the Academy. Learn more on our expert consensus reports.
The report examines the status of the science underlying weather modification in the United States. It calls for a coordinated national research program to answer fundamental questions about basic atmospheric processes and to address other issues that are impeding progress in weather modification.
Key Messages
- Additional advances in observational, computational, and statistical technologies have been made over the past two to three decades that could be applied to weather modification. These include, respectively, the capabilities to (1) detect and quantify relevant variables on temporal and spatial scales not previously possible; (2) acquire, store, and process vast quantities of data; and (3) account for sources of uncertainty and incorporate complex spatial and temporal relationships.
- Despite this lack of scientific proof, operational weather modification programs to increase rain and snowfall and to suppress hail formation continue worldwide based on cost versus probabilistic benefit analyses.
- There have been substantial improvements in the ice-nucleating capabilities of new seeding materials.
- There still is no convincing scientific proof of the efficacy of intentional weather modification efforts. In some instances there are strong indications of induced changes, but this evidence has not been subjected to tests of significance and reproducibility.


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We have talked a lot about Brant's every expanding vocabulary and it has improved so much we can actually have a conversation. Well, as much of a normal conversation as you can have with a 2-year old who drops face-first to the floor crying if you don't get the right mix of Kix and Reese's Puffs together for his snack.
He likes to point things out and for the most part is pretty good at saying what they are. He knows motorcycle and bicycle (although he uses them interchangeably), copter, pains (planes), bus, big truck, Meeeekey Mouse and more.
Brant also knows Buzz Lightyear, but I think he's confused on what Buzz says. "To da sky," Brant says when playing with Buzz. I tell him that is Woody's line, Buzz says "To infinity and beyond!" He looks at me, cries, and we move onto next thing.
The best Brant-ism in the world came via Mrs. Bowman (Happy Birthday!) to her Facebook peeps last night: "The world according to Brant: 'Scary Potter' is the book his dad and sister read at bedtime."
Each night I crash on one end of my daughter's bed and we read some Harry Potter. Brant has watched about 2 minutes of the first movie and knows it's scary. But so are George Washington and Thomas Jefferson on Biography. He doesn't say "scary" quite correctly, however. It comes out as S-car-ee, not S-care-ee. So when he walks in and sees us reading the book, he gets a frown, points and asks "Scary Potter?" Yep, want to come up and read with Daddy and Maren? "No, too scary. Scary Potter too scary."
He's sticking to Elmo and Clifford books for now. There not quite so scary.


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GLOB is a platformer where you can change the level as you go. Switch between levels states and dodge enemies to collect all the orbs and complete each level. Can you get a gold medal on all 50 levels?
Only registered members can share their thoughts. So come on! Join the community today (totally free - or sign in with your social account on the right) and join in the conversation.


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Below is a list of Tractatus Logico-philosophicus Cliff Notes and Tractatus Logico-philosophicus SparkNotes. Not looking for a Tractatus Logico-philosophicus summary? Search above for 5000 other chapter summaries, curated from popular sites like SparkNotes and Cliff Notes.
Review: The most popular website for book notes. SparkNotes was created by students for students, and their summaries are accessible and extremely well-written. Besides the usual plot overview, chapter summaries, and character analysis, SparkNotes differentiates itself with a section discussing themes, motifs, and symbols.


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Theo's Dream Come True Construction Party
It turns out that Jessica's birthday crown is just the tip of the iceberg of her party skillz. She is the mom to a construction-infatuated son, Theo, and threw him one heck of a birthday party.
There are plenty of great DIY ideas here to inspire you if your little one is begging for a construction party. From the painted work barricade sawhorse and caution tape garland to the yummy food and favor buckets not to mention all the fun to be had with the sand tables and themed coloring pages, Jessica covered all her bases. One idea you might not be able to steal, however, is a visit from "Bob the Builder" himself - aka a local landscaper who treated the kids to rides on his backhoe.
For lots more photos of Theo's amazing party, visit Jessica at her blog Juicy Bits (here and here).
Thanks, Jessica!
(Photos: Christianne Ebel)


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All News Releases By Date
Public Availability Meeting Scheduled Thursday, Sept. 5, for Chicago Heights Boulevard Site in St. Louis County, Mo.
Release Date: 09/03/2013
Contact Information: Chris Whitley, 913-551-7394 (office), 816-518-2794 (cell), firstname.lastname@example.com
Environmental News
(Lenexa, Kan., Sept. 3, 2013) - EPA Region 7 will host a public availability meeting this week to share information about the most recent round of environmental sampling and future plans for investigation and cleanup of the Chicago Heights Boulevard Site in St. Louis County, Mo.
The meeting will be held from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5, at the First Baptist Church of Elmwood Park, 1452 Dielman Road, St. Louis, Mo., 63132. EPA representatives will present information and will join representatives from other partner agencies, including health experts, to answer questions.
A primary focus of the meeting will be to share information about a recent round of sub-slab and indoor air sampling that was conducted at several residences in the Elmwood Park neighborhood.
The Chicago Heights Boulevard Site involves a contaminated groundwater plume located in an unincorporated area of north St. Louis County. At some time before 1988, an unknown quantity of the industrial chemical trichloroethylene (TCE) was released at an industrial property located at 9970 Page Avenue, just northwest of the Elmwood Park neighborhood, and traveled through the soil and into the groundwater. Since then, TCE and other contaminants have been detected in groundwater beneath the residential area of Elmwood Park, and TCE vapors have been detected at levels of concern in some of the residences situated adjacent to the industrial site.
PerkinElmer, Inc., which purchased the industrial property in 1988, has worked with EPA and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) to identify the extent of the groundwater contamination plume at the site, and has installed vapor mitigation systems in homes where sampling found vapors at harmful levels. MDNR transferred regulatory oversight for the site to EPA Region 7 in September 2012. Since November 2012, PerkinElmer has been subject to an Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent that requires the company to perform various steps related to the investigation, mitigation and cleanup of the contamination.
Learn more about EPA's work at the Chicago Heights Boulevard Site
More about the site is available from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources
View all Region 7 news releases
Locate this and other Region 7 news items on the News Where You Live interactive map
Connect with EPA Region 7 on Facebook: www.facebook.com/eparegion7
Search this collection of releases | or search all news releases
View selected historical press releases from 1970 to 1998 in the EPA History website.


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Spark 700 & 900 Series Reviewed
The 2014 Spark 700 & 900 Series were reviewed by the most important Mountain Bike Magazines in the business. Check out what the editors wrote.
MountainBIKE GER: "The geometry of the Spark 720 is exceptionally good: Sportive, slightly stretched but still comfortable enough for long rides on the trails. With a full carbon frame the Spark 720 only weighs 12 kilos which turns every uphill into pure pleasure. Also with 27.5" wheels the Spark 720 is made for racing, fun and what lies in between."
"The Spark 700 SL is more versatile than ever before but it doesn't stop there: The Spark 700 SL offers unprecedent riding comfort and turns even the most challenging trails into pure pleasure. Simply a dream bike!"
"Tremendously efficient in uphill sections and surprisingly quick in the downhills. The lively Spark 740 is a great bike for marathon and tour riders."
World of MTB GER: "The SCOTT Spark 700 SL comes pretty close to what we would call the perfect full suspension bike. The full carbon frame is not only super light and stiff but simply looks great! Visually and with regard to riding performance the Spark 700 SL is amongst the best in this category."
Bike Mag US: "Scott also spruced up its Spark 700, 120-millimeter travel bike. The new 27.5-wheel option includes a revised downtube for better bottle clearance, redesigned seatstay bridge to improve clearance, a 5 percent stiffer headtube and a 5 percent stiffer bottom bracket. It's spec'd with SRAM XX1, Fox 32 Float Fork and Fox Nude rear shock. It's a sweet ride, but it'll cost you. The top-end 700 SL and 900 SL (29er version) both retail for $9,200. Gulp. But, you can get onto a Spark 29er or 27.5 for as low as $1,900 with seven pricepoints and spec packages in between."
Source: Bike Mag US
Feed the habit: "The 700 SL is the top-of-the-line Spark 27.5 model. It comes equipped with the finest components available on the planet. I can't think of anything more anyone could ever want in a 120mm XC race machine that's capable enough to be a daily driver. (…) Giving the 700 SL a thorough inspection, I was in awe of the sheer beauty of this stealth black machine. Donned in Syncros carbon from the cockpit to the wheels and topped off with the superb SRAM XX1 drivetrain, there's little wonder if the 21.12 lb stated weight is a reality or not. This bike is light. Much of that weight reduction is due to the HMX NET carbon fiber frame. (...) The most impressive feature of 27.5 bikes and this one especially is the quickness throughout tricky, off-camber switchback ascents.(...)the Spark simply whipped around them like it was on rails. (...) The Good:120mm front/rear is an awesome sweet spot for 27.5′sThis full-carbon beauty is lights-out fastCan fit a full-size water bottle in there21 lbs with tubed tires!TwinLoc remote is useful on long climbsFox shocks front and rear offer smooth, reliable performanceLateral stiffness is phenomenalHooks up well and feels comfortable in all terrainLoves to climb — especially those off-camber uphill switchbacks
If I were to ditch my 29er ways, this would certainly be the type of bike to do it. It hooks up well, has a ton of traction and rolls over stuff. In this ultralight package, there's little to quibble about."
Source: Feed the habit
Flow Mountain Bike "Our time aboard the bike was a real pleasure. Of course a bike so light is an advantage, but the low weight didn't come with any negative traits, at all. The balanced suspension feel is superb, and when the trails became unpredictable and rough, we held our confidence high and pushed the limits without any problem. Hitting the Twinloc lever constantly, we climbed with the upmost efficiency and would be able to quickly engage the mode to suit the terrain without any effort; the thumb actuation of the lever is so easy."
Source: Flow Mountain Bike
Bicycling "Spark 900: With the vastly improved damping of the Fox Nude shock, there's a huge difference in the suspension performance in Trail mode (the middle setting), and in turn, pedalling efficiency seems to have improved.
Spark 700: The 650b 'felt just right'. Despite the initial sensations, it didn't take long to get use to, especially since the bike seemed to have just a little extra turbo boost when accelerating – helped by the lighter, stiffer (and smaller) wheels. Handling-wise, it did indeed feel nippier and lighter.
Riders now have a straight choice between the two, spurring on the fierce debate as to what's best. Some liked the 650b version's nimble handling; others enjoyed the 29er's superior stability, grip, and frankly, speed. The 650b may feel faster, but this is often just perception – the 29er insulates the rider better from the feedback of a rugged trail surface. Let's face it, the Spark is intended for marathon racing, which most often involves a steady grind over rough terrain, with only a few hard accelerations and even fewer of the tight switchbacks that are said to hinder the larger-wheeled bikes. Granted, the 700 series is a little lighter, but in long-haul racing, that should be less of a concern than rolling resistance and forgiving handling when the rider is fatigued. It's all about putting each attribute into perspective. Weight plays a role on the lower-end models, with the specced wheels on the larger-wheeled 29er being noticeably heavier (taking rotational mass into consideration). At this end of the range, an equivalent 650b might be a savvier choice. Chiefly though, the bike must fit; and many shorter riders prefer the lower front end of a 650b."
Source: Bicycling
Dirt Rag Spark 700: "Designed for light trail and marathon racing, it could also make for a good general-purpose XC bike. The Spark 700 SL was the first bike I rode at Deer Valley and though the stock Schwalbe Thunder Burt tires were a bit mismatched for the loose-over-hard and rocky Utah trails, it still showed that it can get up and move. This is the shortest travel 27.5 bike I've yet ridden—hell it was the shortest travel bike of any kind I've ridden in a while— and it is incredibly quick and aggressive. (...)"
Source: Dirt Rag Mag
Bike GER: "If Jackie Chan had to choose a bike he would take the Spark 700 SL. It's light, fast and a winner. A bike for the capable and fearless!"


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Things felt curiously quiet after 'Supernatural' aired its climactic season 8 finale "Sacrifice," as few interviews from either cast or crew painted a portrait of where the long-running CW series would pick up in season 9. So before we head to Comic-Con 2013 to get the latest on the Winchester brothers, let's find out where the season 9 premiere episode will take us, and who we'll meet along the way!
According to a new report from SpoilerTV, 'Supernatural' season 9 will pick up on Tuesday, October 15 with all-new episode "Devil May Care," and feature the introduction of several new hunters, new to us anyway. Producers are reportedly looking to cast the roles of Tracy a "gorgeous bad-ass" hunter, and Irv, a manly hunter type and old friend of the Winchesters.
Elsewhere, little is known of 'Supernatural"s ninth and likely penultimate season other than that Misha Collins' role as the (formerly) angelic Castiel was returned to series regular status after two seasons, though his recent comments about the nature of the writing may have landed him in hot water. Curtis Armstrong will mostly likely reprise his role as the duplicitous angel Metatron, though no official deals have been announced. Frequent series star Mark Sheppard (Crowley) is expected to return as well.
We'll likely learn more from the coming weeks at Comic-Con, but in the meantime what say you? Are you excited to see Sam and Dean hit the road again in season 9? What new 'Supernatural' scares will the CW series conjure?


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Mom2Three needed a new t-shirt design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 154 designs submitted by 38 freelance designers.
We are looking for several great t-shirt designs to launch next month for Saints football fans. We can't use the word "Saints" in the design. However, we can use the fleur de lis symbol and the team colors. We want something for women to wear so we'd prefer the design to be feminine rather than masculine. We want the shirt to use the colors black and vintage gold. Also, the fleur de lis, (google it if you are unfamiliar), is the symbol of New Orleans which could also be incorporated into the design. We are looking for several shirt designs so there will probably be several designs that are chosen.
Female Saints fans who love New Orleans who want something to wear to support the team that doesn't look like typical NFL licensed merchandise and is more artsy than usual sports-affliliated t-shirts.
We'd like to use black shirts for this particular shirt. It would need to be the vintage gold color in the design. If a second color is used in the design, white would be ok.


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One of the things I love about Problogger.net is the value of the comments my readers make here.
Although the days when I could reply to many of those comments are now, sadly, long gone, I do read comments on the blog, and frequently get ideas and inspiration from them. Not only are they encouraging, they're one of the best sources of thoughtful, spontaneous insight I have.
Not all bloggers feel this way—you probably know of at least one or two big-name bloggers who don't allow comments on their blogs. And it's certainly true that comments come with a range of challenges:
- time: it takes time to wade through comments, sift the diamonds from the dross, and then compose thoughtful replies
- trolls: there's no shortage of trouble-makers online, and it can be wearing to have to deal with trolls on a daily basis
- critics: some bloggers find criticism made in comments difficult to handle in such a public sphere
- stalkers: while this problem isn't often discussed, inappropriate comments can be a problem—especially if they persist
- spammers: if you're an experienced blogger, you probably rolled your eyes when you read that word!
Of course, these aren't the only issues you need to consider in terms of comments on your blog. Which commenting system will you use? Will you set standards for accepting and rejecting comments? How can you use comments to enhance your blog—and your blogging?
We'll be answering three of these questions today and tomorrow, in a series of posts that explore the issues of:
- blog comment marketing
- comment systems and technology
- blog comment value.
Before we get started, I'd love to hear your approach to blog comments (Do you have them on your blog? Do you comment on many others' blogs?) in—you guessed it—the comments!
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ProbloggerHelpingBloggersEarnMoney/~3/VL3ZVdPKSCE/
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.


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Rockets rout Blazers
Portland, OR – James Harden racked up 33 points with seven rebounds and six assists as the Houston Rockets won their fourth game in a row with a 116-98 decision over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.
Jeremy Lin chipped in 22 points with eight assists and Greg Smith scored 19 for Houston, which has its longest winning streak since a five-game run from Dec.31-Jan.8.
Francisco Garcia added 11 points to fill in for Chandler Parsons, who sat with a calf injury. Houston remains one game out of sixth place in the Western Conference behind Golden State, which defeated the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
LaMarcus Aldridge's 32-point, 13-rebound performance in his return from a four-game absence with an ankle injury wasn't enough to keep the sputtering Trail Blazers from dropping a seventh straight game.
Wesley Matthews scored 18 and Damian Lillard had 11 points with seven assists in the setback.
"We need to check our hearts at the door," said Matthews. "We have six games left, we just lost seven. We're better than that."
Harden got going early, burying three from beyond the arc and scoring 17 in the first quarter to help Houston take a 35-31 lead into the second.
The Rockets then opened up a double-digit edge following the completion of a 9-0 run to start the frame and led by as many as 19 in the quarter following a driving score from Harden.
Aldridge, though, got Portland back into it as he recorded a double-double by halftime. With a pair of three-point plays, he spearheaded a quarter-closing 16-4 run and his jumper near the end of the period had Portland within 63-56 at the break.
Lin helped keep the Rockets in control, however, scoring seven straight points early in the third to put them back ahead by 12.
"We felt like they could do a good job on one side of the floor, but if we moved it to the second side they would struggle to shift their whole defense and have everyone be in position," said Lin. "We had everyone just trying to attack, attack the close out."
Portland got its deficit down to 88-77 with under a minute left in the third, but never came any closer. Smith scored Houston's first nine points of the fourth quarter to create a 101-86 spread.
The Rockets led by as many as 22 before the final buzzer.
Game Notes
Portland's Nicolas Batum sat for a second straight game with a labral tear in his shoulder ... The Trail Blazers were 2-for-20 from 3-point range ... The Rockets outscored Portland on the fastbreak 28-14.


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University of Alabama: Faculty Senate 'Hate Speech' Resolution
Category: Free Speech
Schools: University of Alabama
The University of Alabama (UA) Student Senate passed a "free speech" resolution that directly opposes a "hate speech" resolution previously passed by UA's Faculty Senate. The students' move comes after close consultation with the FIRE, and the resolution follows an open letter FIRE sent to the UA community to protest the faculty's proposed regulations. After UA's Faculty Senate resolution condemning hate speech, FIRE wrote an open letter to UA in opposition to the hate speech resolution reminding UA that the policy restrictions were unconstitutional and recommended the Faculty Senate rescind the resolution. Heeding FIRE's advice, the Student Senate unanimously passed a resolution in support of free speech, demonstrating that many individuals on campuses still believe in upholding free speech despite the possibility of offense.
University of Alabama Student Senate (2004-2005) Resolution #R-98-04
University of Alabama Faculty Senate "Hate Speech" Resolution
FIRE's Open Letter to the University of Alabama Community
10 great cigars and why I smoked them
June 13, 2005
By Mike Adams at Townhall.com For years, communism has been preventing me from enjoying a lot of good cigars. That used to bother me, until I found a way around the problem. As many of my readers know, there are more communists teaching on the average American campus than there are teaching in all of Cuba. And, of course, these communist professors do a lot of stupid things, most of which violate the United States Constitution. I have learned that fighting American communist professors is fun, largely because they are so easy to beat when challenged. That's why I smoke […]» Read More
Speech resolution draws ire
November 15, 2004
The UA Faculty Senate is a free speech violator and created a "speech code" with its resolution that condemns hate speech, officials at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education say. In response to an incident at an event sponsored by University Programs where a comedian directed homosexual jokes toward a student, the Faculty Senate passed a resolution condemning "hate speech" and advised that UA administration institute policies that UA sponsored speakers should not be able to make racist, sexist, anti-Semitic, anti-Islamic, homophobic or ethnic statements. Officials at FIRE are concerned that the resolution will limit freedom of […]» Read More
An illiberal left
March 15, 2005
IT ISN'T often that a group of college professors is soundly and thoroughly embarrassed by a collection of mere students in an intellectual arena. But that's exactly what happened at the end of February, when the University of Alabama's Student Senate passed a sharp resolution directly opposing a heavy-handed, short-sighted and illiberal "hate speech" resolution that their Faculty Senate had already passed. The Faculty Senate's original resolution called for the creation of a series of new regulations which threatened to drastically curtail First Amendment rights at their public university. With their remarkably independent and sophisticated response, UA's students have schooled […]» Read More
Students Frown on UA Faculty's Free-Speech Shutdown Attempt
March 3, 2005
University of Alabama students are reacting to a perceived attack on their First Amendment rights. Last fall the Faculty Senate at the University of Alabama passed a resolution banning school-sponsored speech that could be considered homophobic, sexist, or racist. In response, the Student Senate passed a free-speech resolution that directly counters the so-called "hate speech" resolution. David French, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), describes the students' move as brilliant. He says he had sent an open letter to the UA community, protesting the faculty's policy. The problem with the school's resolution, French says, […]» Read More
Students Fight Back: Free Speech Resolution Targets Faculty Push for Speech Code
February 28, 2005
TUSCALOOSA, Ala., February 28, 2005—In a remarkable display of intellectual independence and moral courage, the University of Alabama (UA) Student Senate last week passed a "free speech" resolution that directly opposes a "hate speech" resolution passed by UA's Faculty Senate last fall. Recognizing that the faculty's "hate speech" resolution was a thinly veiled call for a speech code, the students' resolution urges the UA administration and faculty "to adopt policies that explicitly protect free speech for all students at the University of Alabama." The students' move comes after close consultation with the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) and […]» Read More
FIRE Protests So-Called "Hate Speech" Resolution at University of Alabama
November 11, 2004
TUSCALOOSA, Ala., November 11, 2004—Freedom of expression is once again under assault at the University of Alabama (UA). In September, the UA Faculty Senate responded to public controversy about a UA comedy event by passing a resolution that threatens to severely restrict free expression on this public campus. The Senate's proposed policy would regulate speech in approved university activities and contractually restrict outside speakers whose speech might be deemed to be "demeaning." Yesterday, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) submitted an open letter protesting this policy to hundreds of members of the UA community. "UA students […]» Read More
FIRE's Open Letter to the University of Alabama Community
November 11, 2004
Dear Faculty Senate, Student Leaders, and Administrators of the University of Alabama: The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) is deeply concerned that freedom of expression is once again under assault at the University of Alabama. Last September, in response to a controversial incident at a comedy event sponsored by University Programs, the UA Faculty Senate passed a resolution that threatens to severely restrict free expression on campus. The resolution seeks to eliminate speech that might be deemed "offensive" from any approved university program or activity through regulation of and contractual restrictions upon speakers who may potentially engage […]» Read More


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True Blood: Season Five (US - BD RA)
Gabe thinks this series' streak of anemic subplots may have just turned critical...
True Blood is back for a fifth time around the horn. Since the show's inception, each subsequent season has been a step down from the last and it appears that the diminishing returns have finally caught up with season five – the first season that spends more time being boring than entertaining. Since I already discussed the series as a whole during my season four review, I've taken time to briefly sum up and review each episode. Huge spoilers for those that haven't seen the season yet.
Turn, Turn, Turn
The new season picks up where the last one left off with Tara (Rutina Wesley) taking a shotgun blast to the head and the Vampire Authority capturing Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) for murdering Nan Flanigan. Before the credits even roll, Sookie (Anna Paquin) and Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) convince Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten) to turn Tara's brainless body into a vampire. Eric and Bill are rescued by Eric's sister, Nora (Lucy Griffiths), but the rescue plan heads south and all three are taken into Authority custody. Alcide shows up at Sookie's place while she's cleaning the gore out of her kitchen and tells her that Eric and Bill never killed the super powerful vampire villain from season three, Russell Edgington (Denis O'Hare) and that the monster is loose. Meanwhile, Sam (Sam Trammell) is attacked by a wolfpack on suspicion that he killed Marcus (it was Alcide), newly vampired Rev. Steve Newlin (Michael McMillian) 'glamors' Jason (Ryan Kwanten) and reveals that he is in love with him, and, with Bill missing, Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll) is put in a position of temporary queen. A lot happens this episode, as is the tradition for the first episode of a season, and not all of it is good (what's the point of having an escape plot if it's going to fail in the first episode?), but it's hard to complain when plot is being thrown at your head at a million miles a second. It's nice to see Eric and Bill coupled (they always work better as shifty allies than enemies) and personal favourites Pam and Jessica are given plenty to do.
Authority Always Wins
Eric, Bill, and Nora enter Authority headquarters, which looks more or less as expected (a clean, sterile environment with ancient artistic influences and lots of dark corners), but a new piece of the mythology is introduced – the Vampire Bible and the concept that Lillith was a vampire (Adam and Eve were made to feed her). The people in charge, lead by Roman Zimojic (Christopher Meloni), have based their political cabal around the same set of 'mainstreamer' rules Bill lives by, but they've taken it to an extreme. The problem is that in trying to paint them as hyper-liberal hypocrites, the writers seem confused. I think the audience, who have been trained to root against the hyper-conservative rednecks, is supposed to be uncomfortable with these apparent good guys being such douche bags, but it comes across as conceptually underdeveloped (which we learn it is in later episodes). Sookie and Lafayette's plan to resurrect Tara works, but Pam has little interest in the project and leaves the pair alone with the newborn vampire. Not surprisingly, Tara is an angry, aggressive vampire who spends the episode screaming and throwing things. Meanwhile, the werewolf and shapshifter subplot quickly turns dull yet again, as Alcide and Sam continue to be the series' most boring characters (which is a huge bummer, because I really like both actors) and their troubles in love continue to serve no purpose over the greater plot. Terry's (Todd Lowe) season story also starts to unravel. An old Marine friend named Patrick visits and reminds him that their platoon was cursed by a fire demon in Iraq. It sounds more interesting than it is and ends up just taking time away from the vampire plots. It's only the second episode and I'm already I'm losing interest. Thank goodness for the glimpses at Pam's history and strong performances.
Whatever I Am, You Made Me
At this point, the writers are spending time linking up all of their boring/troublesome storylines, which is nice in terms of structure, but does nothing to make these plots any more interesting. Tara runs to Sam for assistance with her vampire problem so they can be conveniently boring together, while Sookie tries to get Pam to care about her new brood (thank God for the flashbacks or else Pam would also be boring at this early point in the season), Jason starts the road to self-discovery when he runs across an old teacher (zzzzzz) and Terry leaves home with Patrick to fight the fire demon, or something. Meanwhile, the Authority storyline still works. Eric and Bill reveal that Russell Edgington isn't as dead as the Authority assumed he was. They are allowed to live on the assumption that they'll stop and kill Russell… or at least die trying. Alas, they don't take to the road immediately and are both sex-terrogated by Authority Chancellor Salome (Valentina Cervi) with very little purpose.
We'll Meet Again
Eric and Bill are finally released to find Russell, which involves interrogating the only two other people that knew where he was buried at the end of season three – Pam and Alcide. This involves two genuinely dramatic/moving scenes where Pam is so hurt by the accusation that she asks Eric to 'release her.' He accepts in the sweetest way possible. The process leads Pam to take an interest in 'raising' Tara, which I'll admit makes for an interesting and unexpected pairing. Back at the Authority headquarters, it's beginning to look like Eric's sister is a real 'Sanguinista,' not just claiming to be one in a misguided effort to save her brother. She also reveals one of the characters we don't care about is also a Sanguinista traitor. Meanwhile, Sookie feels super-guilty about murdering Debbie (Aliced's ex) and her part in turning Tara into a vampire. She disappoints Alcide and Lafayette (who curses her car…), tries to turn herself in to her brother, who, naturally, refuses, and struggles with hearing the disgust of the people she serves at Sam's bar. Then it turns out that there's a sort of pocket dimension Fairy brothel, because, why not?
Let's Boot and Rally
The search for the person that freed Russell leads Eric and Bill to Sookie and Alcide pre-coitus. Poor Alcide. Anyway, the four characters join forces to figure out exactly what happened to the ancient, super-powerful vampire and, with their powers combined, find him nearly 100% recovered, Hellraiser's Uncle Frank style. Tara takes a job at Fangtasia as a bartender and almost becomes friends with Jessica, which would've been a really interesting twist for the characters. Alas, their connection is wasted by the end of the episode. Meanwhile, Lafayette is sad and saddled with disturbing visions, Jason is also sad and also saddled with disturbing visions, and it turns out that Terry's sad and disturbing visions are definitely coming true. In other words, the writers are taking the supporting cast back to where they were season two. Oh, and Sam's shifter friends are mysteriously killed, but who cares about Sam?
So Russell is finally discovered and, with unsolicited help from the Authority, take him into custody (…perhaps a little too easily). Surprised that Eric and Bill have actually succeeded in leading them to Russell, the Authority showers them with affection, though Bill is much better at placating Roman and his friends than Eric. Then the writers whip out their big, mid-season 'twist' – Russell kills Roman. Deleting Christopher Meloni so early in the season after building so much of the pre-season advertising around him is definitively a True Blood-esque shock that helps kick up the fading momentum. Not so surprisingly, the Authority also murders all the non-vampire witnesses, besides Sookie and Alcide, who are 'glamored' by Bill and Eric respectfully. Of course, Sookie isn't actually glamored – she fakes it and takes Bill's advice to stay away, then un-glamors Alcide (which, apparently, she can do now). While pouting about the situation, she's taken to the Fairy brothel by Jason to learn about their parents' death (which I'm sure will be an interesting plot point eventually, but not this season). Meanwhile, Pam and Tara bond a bit (sorta), Terry and Patrick learn the 'Ifrit' fire demon is definitely real (and a lame special effect), and, having been shot by anti-shifter bigots, Sam and his girlfriend Luna (Janina Gavankar) develop a shaky alliance with Marcus' mother.
In the Beginning
At this point, anything not involving Eric and Bill is becoming a chore, but the deliriously goofy adventures of the Authority and the Sanguinistas remain entertaining. It turns out Salome is the Sanguinista traitor and that she was the one that freed Russell, who is a born-again Lillith worshiper. The surviving Authority chancellors join up with Salome because she 'controls' Russell, and drink the sacred blood of Lillith. The blood causes them to trip balls and kill a bunch of humans in a karaoke bar. While hanging out with the stripper Fairies, Sookie learns that her fae powers are limited, because she's half-human. Instead of fearing her loss of fairy-ness, Sookie's eyes light up at the prospect of being a 'normal human.' Meanwhile, Alcide trains for his werewolf fight with his new girlfriend, Terry's wife Arlene (Carrie Preston) pouts while watching their wedding video, Lafayette visits the home of his dead warlock boyfriend (who, by the way, has been sort of haunting him), and Tara's mother shows up at Fangtasia to disown her, bringing her and Pam closer together.
Somebody that I Used to Know
Still tripping balls, the vampires return to the Authority base. Only Eric, who was visited by the ghost of his mentor/father Godric during the feeding orgy, realizes how badly everyone has fallen apart. He reminds Bill that things are bad, but ever the plotter, Bill opts to hang out with the blood-crazy, newborn Sanguinistas a little longer. The hallucinations convince most of the Authority types that Lillith is real or at least that feeding on humans is fun and that it's pretty easy to justify eating them in her name. This continues the theme of religious vampires being hypocrites, no matter what their political beliefs are. Sookie decides to 'dump' all of her 'fairy light' in an effort to be a regular human being, much to the chagrin of Jason, who, even in this cast, is an incredibly inconsistent character from episode to episode. With the magic-dumping plot-point done away with, Sookie and Jason participate in a fairy séance and discover the name of the vampire that killed their parents. Meanwhile, Luna is so enraged by the attack that she inadvertently becomes a 'fleshwalker,' transforming into Sam and leading to some cute Sam talking to Sam moments, Alcide finally takes on his rival/packleader, Hoyt (Jim Parrack) is put in an awkward situation by his new vampire-hating friends, and Lafayette escapes Jesus' tio (why he went to visit him in the first place is never adequately explained), only to be confronted by Arlene begging him to help Terry with his medium powers.
Everybody Wants to Rule the World
During its initial run on HBO, I gave up on season five after episode eight didn't strike my fancy, so the last five episodes on this disc were new to me. The vampire story starts kicking into high gear here, extending the Sanguinista battle plans to an epic scale as they begin toward burn Tru Blood factories. The plan is to drive the mainstream vampires to drinking humans again to survive, thus inciting a civil war. Eric calls Bill out on his behavior and, having been locked in the Authority compound for security purposes, the two begin to develop an escape strategy. With the help of Lafayette's medium powers and her dead Gran, Sookie discovers a box of pictures that might give her a clue as to what vampire killed her parents. This leads her to ex-sheriff Bud Dearborn (William Sanderson) and a bizarre twist that must've been pulled out of a hat at random. I suppose it serves the writers' heavy-handed political allegories pretty well. The reveal is also pretty funny, but is incredibly convoluted and severs only to close the season's least interest loop. Meanwhile, Luna seems to have recovered from her stint with skinwalking, Jason and Andy get clues to help the shifters to find the people killing them (and innocent vampires, it turns out), Pam worries about Eric, and, after learning from the fire demon that one of them has to die, Patrick turns on Terry and his family. This episode effectively brings three subplots to an end and puts the major plot into turnaround.
Gone, Gone, Gone
With minor subplots out of the way, the Authority's plan appears to be working. Vampire violence is up 50% and humans are packing heat with wooden bullets. With Bill officially in cahoots, they kill safety technician Molly (Tina Majorino) and try to force Eric to accept Lillith by feeding him more of her blood. After taking the blood, Nora and Eric see Godric, who begs them to remain righteous and is then 'remurdered' by Lillith (I believe this is only a vision?). Russell then reveals his master plan to drink fairy blood and walk in the sun, which is suspiciously similar to his master plan in season three. Meanwhile, Sookie takes a second look under her bed with the help of Jason and finds the correct clue to their parents' murderer, Hoyt recovers from his season long ordeal by moving to Alaska to drill oil, Pam and Tara are forced to deal with a new vampiresheriff and his scary new rules, Bill sends a security detail to collect Jessica, then freaks her out with his newfound religious fervor, and Sam and Luna start a suicide mission to save Luna's daughter…who has been kidnapped by Russell in an effort to keep the shifters and werewolves a relevant part of the main storyline.
The wind up for the season finale is good enough to really make you regret wasting time with the non-vampire characters for so much of the season. Russell Edgington has now officially left the ranks of the Authority/Sanguinistas and is running wild along the countryside with Reverend Steve. Their exploits draw attention from the US government, who send an army general to the Authority to investigate. Bill is visited by Lillith's spirit, who tells him to drink all of her blood and lead her followers to victory. He refuses, but continues acting pious, otherwise. Fortunately, it seems that not only has Eric not turned, but that seeing Godric has 'fixed' Nora and, after a bit of sexy make-up (because it's True Blood), they develop another escape plan. Meanwhile, Sookie and Jason learn that Sookie was actually sold to a vampire by her parents, Sookie meets a wacky elder fairy (Erica Gimpel) and develops a plan to destroy Russell, Jessica warns Jason about Russell, Tara is scolded by Pam for killing the new sheriff, Luna and Sam run around the AVL headquarters, and, to ensure he still has anything to do the rest of the season, Alcide is attacked by a gang of 'baby vamps.'
Save Yourself
Even the 'off' seasons of True Blood usually end with a big bang of a climax. With every convoluted plot twist, the writers have managed to gather most of the main cast in two places for two epic climaxes. Well, except one isn't as epic as we've been led to expect, since, instead of fighting Sookie and the surviving fairies, Russell is staked by Eric before the credits even roll -– all very much in keeping with the show's sense of humour. After killing Russell, Eric gathers Tara and Sookie to stop Bill and the Authority. Bill, by the way, has gone A+, unforgivably insane, which is actually a nice turn for the series. It appears that he will be the primary villain next season. I hope they stick with it, because, bereft of his relationship with Sookie, he's only really interesting as Eric's sidekick. I'm not sure how the producers are going to maintain the epic plotline they've been setting up with their nominal TV budget, but there at least appears to something to look forward to, even if almost all the other characters have regressed to the same places they were previous seasons (especially Jason, who is a militant vampire hater yet again). Oh, and some stuff happens with the werewolves and the shifters. You know, the usual baby-rescuing and Alcide chasing his honor type stuff. Actually, my favourite bits of the entire episode are the largely inconsequential sequences of the most unnecessary characters hanging out in Merlot's Bar, getting drunk, and helping deliver Andy Bellefleur's (Chris Bauer) fae babies. Oh, did I forget to mention that Andy impregnated a fairy? Andy impregnated a fairy.
It appears that True Blood is still shot using 35mm film, an increasing rarity for big budget television ( The Walking Dead is still shot 16mm, I believe). This 1080p, 1.78:1 Blu-ray transfer looks more or less the same as the season four collection I reviewed last year. The filmstock shows in the crushed blacks, uneven grain levels, and minor edge enhancement. A couple sequences look like they've been optically zoomed, which punches up the grain texture and edge haloes quite a bit. Otherwise, the look is mostly consistent. The palette tends to skew dark in tone, but eclectic in the number of differentiating hues. Warmth and coolness depends on location, though I suppose the default look is either bluish (night and darker interiors) or green and orange (daylight outdoor locations). The fairy brothel is an especially colourful location, brimming with pinks and lavenders that bloom out of the screen, thanks to diffused focus. The flashback sequences stand apart visually. Pam's flashbacks to her early 20th century life are soft and warm with far less contrast, Jason's childhood flashbacks are massively blown out, and Terry's war flashbacks are super grainy and harshly contrasted with saturated colour highlights. The black levels are rich and pure throughout the season, though the severity of the contrast does mean the blackest shadows tend to eat up some the finer details. My biggest problem with this entire transfer is some unattractive motion blurring peppered throughout the episodes. I'd expect this from digital product, but it's rare that 35mm looks as if it has been smeared when the camera tracks too quickly (usually such things are jittery, instead).
Like most HBO shows, True Blood sports a very impressive uncompressed DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack. Every channel in the system is given its proper workout. The centered dialogue is natural and consistent without being overwhelmed by effects and music. Ambient sounds are strong, especially anything involving the Louisiana bayou wildlife and any sequence involving more than one werewolf usually features some nice surround growling/howling. Directional highlights usually pertain to the occasional action sequences, especially those that involve vampires zipping at super-speed while they attack people. The 'Ifrit' fire demon and any blast of 'fairy light power' also gives the surround and LFE channels a powerful rumble. The musical soundtrack is consistently given a stronger rear channel influence than I'm used to, especially for a television series. The surround enhancement usually matches the stereo enhancement, though, creating more of a dual wall of sound than a proper directional influence. The club music in the fairy brothel, on the other hand, is given something more of a specific directional placement.
The extras begin with an 'enhanced viewing mode' for each episode. These in-episode features include Authority Confessionals: footage of Authority actors speaking to camera about the history of their order (accessible via branching), Flashback/Flashforward: footage from previous episodes available (accessible via branching), and Histories/Bios/Hints/FYIs: a series of pop-up factoids that fill in the blanks (though sometimes they create new ones). I didn't notice any substantial spoilers here, so, unlike just about every in-film/in-episode viewing mode, this one is actually meant to be watched the first time around. Unlike many similar features, this one can be turned off and on during viewing without breaking away or stopping the footage. Each disc also features Inside the Episodes featurettes for each episode of the season. Most of these run around three or four minutes and feature interviews with various cast and crewmembers.
Some episodes feature cast and crew commentaries, which can be accessed via clicking on the episodes in question, not from the special features menu (I really hate this practice). These include "We'll Meet Again" with actor Chris Bauer (Andy), writer Alexander Woo and director Romeo Tirone; "Somebody That I Used to Know" with actor/director Stephen Moyer (Bill) and writer Mark Hudis; "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" with director Dan Attias and actors Denis O'Hare (Russell) and Carrie Preston (Arlene); "Sunset" with co-executive producer/writer Angela Robinson and director Lesli Linka Glatter; and "Save Yourself" with actor Anna Paquin (Sookie), creator/executive producer Alan Ball and director Michael Lehmann.
More extras begin on disc three with True Blood Episode Six: Autopsy (63:40, HD): a behind-the-scenes featurette that acts as an in-episode pop-up experience (similar to the extended viewing experience seen on the Game of Thrones season one Blu-ray). It covers writing, characters, stunts, special effects, production design, costumes, the original books, and the complexity of shooting the brothel sequences. It includes interviews with Ball, director Dan Attias, costume designer Audrey Fisher, cinematographer Romeo Tirone, production designer Catherine Smith,
And cast members Alexander Skarsgård, Denis O'Hare, Debra Ann Woll, Rutina Wesley, Todd Lowe, Kristin Bauer van Straten, Peter Mensah, Scott Foley, Anna Paquin, Janina Gavankar, Ryan Kwanten, Nelsan Ellis, Carrie Preston, Sam Trammell, Chris Bauer, Christopher Heyerdahl, Carolyn Hennesy, Valentina Cervi, and Christopher Meloni.
The extras end on disc six with True Blood Lines: an interactive, text-based appendix of the series' characters, and Authority Confessionals (31:00, HD) for those of you that don't want to sit through the enhanced viewing mode.
The quality drop over each season of True Blood has been subtle enough that I hadn't really become frustrated until now. Even the other weaker seasons usually had enough vulgar and sensationalistic cheese to keep me entertained through the blander subplots. At this point, the bulky cast is wedging huge chunks of boring subplots between the actually interesting vampire-based superplot. True Blood doesn't have the same excuses as Game of Thrones when it comes to broadening their scope and I think it may be time to either trim some of the fat or do a better job of limiting character locations. Or maybe it's time for spin-offs. I know I'd watch Sheriff Bellefleur and His Fairy Babies. This Blu-ray looks and sounds as good as you'd expect, based on previous seasons, and the extras are plenty solid.
* Note: The images on this page are not representative of the Blu-ray image quality.
Review by Gabriel Powers
Existing Posts
entertaining review that will make me rethink what I thought of season five even though I enjoyed season five better than the last two seasons
This product has not been rated
Disc Details
Release Date: 28th May 2013
Discs: 7
Disc Type: Blu-ray Disc
RCE: No
Video: 1080p
Aspect: 1.78:1
Anamorphic: No
Colour: Yes
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 English, Dolby Digital 5.1 French, Dolby Digital 2.0 Spanish
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish
Extras: Enhanced Viewing Mode, Cast and Crew Commetaries, Inside the Episodes, True Blood Episode Six: Autopsy, True Blood Lines, Authority Confessionals, DVD Copy, Digital Copy
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Various
Cast: Anna Paquin, Alexander Skarsgård, Stephen Moyer, Ryan Kwanten, Deborah Ann Woll, Jim Parrack, Kristin Bauer van Straten, Rutina Wesley, Sam Trammell, Nelsan Ellis, Todd Lowe, Denis O'Hare, Deborah Ann Woll
Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery and Romance
Length: 730 minutes
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text:
Mr. Crackerz wrote:I tried pawno, and it didn't seem to work for me.
Hobbes modified it, so No stinky Raider fans get any rep
Moderators: Mr. Crackerz, JREED, Guybrush, 32
JREED wrote:Mr. Crackerz wrote:I think the system is pretty good. I feared that there would be people negatively ranked, which we haven't really seen, so that is good.


text:
WETUMPKA, AL (WSFA) - Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange filed a lawsuit Tuesday morning in an Elmore County Circuit Court to stop the operation of what his office considers illegal slot machines at casinos owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.
Strange contends that the Poarch Band has an obligation to comply with state laws that prohibit slot-machine gambling in Alabama.
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley said he learned about the lawsuit around the time it was filed Tuesday and said he agrees with the attorney general's position.
State authorities cannot enforce state law on Indian lands or execute a search warrant due to the federal protection guaranteed to Native American reservations. But even though the AG conceded that state police can't seize the machines, he still feels the Indians are 'violating state law.'
Dana Dunn feels somewhere along the line this business of trying to close Indian gambling operations has got to stop.
"Federal law trumps state law and the Indians were here long before we were," said Dunn, a Wetumpka resident.
Wetumpka Mayor Jerry Willis says that Wetumpka learned long ago the city didn't have a legal case against the Indians in their desire to have gambling.
In 2000 city leaders at the time tried to do the same thing Strange is doing now. The law firm representing Wetumpka strongly advised them not go forward with the its 2000 lawsuit because the U.S. Department of Interior had given the Indians permission to have gambling.
"It just seems to me you got a lot of people who benefit from these jobs at the casino," said Rhonda Williams, also a Wetumpka resident.
The Poarch Band Creeks tell WSFA 12 News their slot machines are legal under federal law. The Indians added the 'attorney general has no jurisdiction or enforcement over Tribal land or Tribal gaming operations.'
For now construction continues at the Wetumpka casino and it shows no signs of slowing down in the face of the lawsuit by Strange.
"Unlawful gambling is a statewide problem, and I have worked with local authorities to enforce Alabama law consistently and fairly throughout the state," Strange said. "I have sent two letters to the National Indian Gaming Commission, asking them to stop the Poarch Band's unlawful gambling, but the Commission has refused to do anything about it. The Commission's inaction has left me with no choice but to file this lawsuit," Strange said. Attorney General Strange sent letters to the National Indian Gaming Commission on Feb. 11, 2011, and again on April 25, 2012, which asked the Commission to take action against the Poarch Tribe.
Strange also stated that he has lobbied Congress to stop the expansion of Indian gaming to new areas within the state.
Attorney General Strange's lawsuit comes at the same time as Alabama State Troopers were ordered to raid Victoryland casino, a non-Indian gaming facility in Macon County. A search warrant was served in Macon County by law enforcement agents from his office as well as the Alabama Department of Public Safety. That raid ended with the seizure of several hundred gambling machines and an undisclosed amount of cash.
Attorney for Victoryland, Joe Espy, III, while addressing the actions surrounding the facility he represents, called the attorney general's lawsuit on Indian casinos a "smokescreen" and a waste of taxpayer money because he says the AG knows he can't go after the Indian casinos.
Copyright 2013 WSFA 12 News. All rights reserved.


text:
Inspired by editor Gretchen R. Crowe's recollection of an African priest who influenced her life — and readers' response to it — the newsweekly staff decided to ask for more stories. This is an official call for readers to share stories of priests who have made a positive impact in their lives. The best submissions will be published in an upcoming spring issue of OSV Newsweekly.
Our Sunday Visitor Priest Profile
200 Noll Plaza Huntington, IN 46750
Jennifer Rey is the web editor of Our Sunday Visitor Publishing. Follow her on Twitter @JenReyOSV.
Copyright © 1996-2018 Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.


text:
Ann Coates 6/18/2012 3:04:03 PMThe best critique of your image has just come from the BP Judges. There is nothing wrong with this photo and everything right with this photo. It's just delightful. Congratulations on your selection as a finalist and good luck in the next round. #1469835
maria Warren 6/18/2012 3:06:46 PMvery cool congrats!!!! #10185993
Shannon Whit 6/18/2012 6:16:05 PMWell, thank you very much! I wasn't looking to get judged... Just some feedback on what I could do better, what I should've/shouldn't have done, etc. as I continue to practice my craft. I thank you! #10186737
Mary K. Robison 6/19/2012 2:20:05 AMCONGRATULATIONS on your charming finalist, Shannon! #10187857
Marijana Fajgl 6/19/2012 9:21:01 AMYour focus is just where is should be and the timing is perfect. Big congratulations on your cute finalist, Shannon! #10189017
Terry Cervi 6/19/2012 9:40:39 AMThis is wonderful, Shannon! Your composition, dof and your timing is super! Well done! Congrats on your finalist! #10189095
Sherran Andersen 6/20/2012 10:28:08 AMCongrats Shannon. This one made me smile... beautiful cat. #10191626
JO ANN CLEVELAND 6/20/2012 11:00:59 AMBig congratulations on this awesome 2nd Place Gold Winner Shannon! Think you could give US some lessons..:-)
Absolutely fantastic!
jo ann c. #10191783
Ann Coates 6/20/2012 11:36:50 AMHuge congratulations on placing Gold. #10191893
Terry Cervi 6/20/2012 12:39:44 PMCongrats on your terrific win, Shannon! #10192109
Vik Orenstein 6/20/2012 1:43:54 PMHEY!!! KUDOS, shannon, on an DELIGHTFUL image! #10192244
Merna L. Nobile 6/20/2012 2:48:10 PMDo what you love, and it will make your soul rich. CONGRATULATIONS, for being an award winner for the month of May, 2012. Merna #10192413
Shannon Whit 6/20/2012 8:51:46 PMI am quite surprised! I honestly never expected it. Thank you very much! #10193255
David M. Montero 6/23/2012 9:33:09 AMCongratulations on your Gold medal Shannon! #10196817
Randy D. Dinkins 6/25/2012 4:33:59 PMI think that you've received some "very good" feedback. Keep up the great work. Congratulations! #10200049
Kathryn Wesserling 6/27/2012 4:59:17 AMWhen you asked for feedback, I'm betting you didn't expect what you got! lollll First, the Winner's Gold and now the featured picture in Snapshot# 583. This is such a delightful image and deserves all the honors! Congratulations, Shannon. #10202232
Shannon Whit 6/27/2012 5:19:51 AMThank you very much Dave, Randy and Kathy. When I asked for feedback I was never expecting a win NOR these compliments. Thanks! #10202255
JO ANN CLEVELAND 6/27/2012 6:48:54 AMJust saw this featured on Betterphoto.com [firstname.lastname@example.com]...go check it out!
jo ann c. #10202397
Anthony G. Comella 6/27/2012 8:34:22 AMSuper congratulations!!! #10202574
Clare Wise de Wet 6/27/2012 10:38:13 AMWhat a TRULY WONDERFUL photograph. I just love it. Purrrfect all round. Congratulations. #10202678
Mary K. Robison 6/28/2012 4:11:32 AMCongratulations on your richly deserved Second Place Winner, and now POTD, Shannon!! #10203902
Carol Flisak 7/12/2012 5:50:23 AMI love this image, shannon... makes me smile! #10226334
Shannon Whit 7/12/2012 6:18:33 AMThank you everyone!! #10226368
Toni Riggs 7/15/2012 12:13:30 AMGreat capture, congrats! #10229768
Jen F. Petritz 7/18/2012 5:11:59 PMLOL....I LOVE THIS! Such a great capture! :) #10235501
I really am interested in hearing from you about the quality of this photo I shot of my Maine Coon cat with my new 85mm camera. He was just awakening from napping and in the midst of him stretching and yawning I was able to snap this. It was shot at 2PM with lighting from a window facing west in the background, f/1.8, ISO 1000, 1/100, AWB, handheld. I'm really hoping to learn from your feedback. Thanks so much.
Exif: F Number: 1.8, Exposure Bias Value: 0.00, ExposureTime: 1/100 seconds, Flash: did not fire, compulsory flash mode, ISO: 1000, White balance: Auto white balance, FocalLength: 85.00 mm, Model: Canon EOS 7D
Uploaded on 5/31/2012 7:20:14 PM
Camera: Canon EOS 7D Digital SLR Camera
Copyright for this gallery photo belongs solely to Shannon Whit. Images may not be copied, downloaded, or used in any way without the expressed, written permission of the photographer.
Log in to follow or message this photographer or report this photo.


text: We're looking for some information on a company in the Bay area called DataGenetics. Has anyone heard of them? Do they have a web site? They offer genotyping services at prices well below the competition and we're interested in learning a little more about them. Please e-mail me. Jim Golden goldenjb at ctrvax.vanderbilt.edu Vanderbilt School of Medicine


text:
Automattic (Wordpress) States Explicitly That It Won't Claim Copyright Over Its APIs
from the free-'em-up dept
[Update: 5.12.2014] One more thing – APIs like ours enable the kind of collaboration that makes the Internet great. We don't think APIs are copyrightable subject matter, and don't claim copyright in our APIs.This is good to see, and hopefully we'll see other companies with APIs doing the same thing. It will help separate out companies that want to encourage open innovation -- from those who want to lock things down. In the end, perhaps this whole thing will even backfire on Oracle, as it makes people that much less interested in working on technologies from a company looking to lock up innovation.


text:
This is the new life of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick: He was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated this week and recently saw a girl "Kaepernicking" on a horse. Yup, things have changed.
Over the course of the season, Kaepernick has gone from Alex Smith's backup to one game from leading San Francisco back to the Super Bowl. He celebrates touchdowns with a flex of the biceps, which has been titled "Kaepernicking." The horse incident sounds like something from a novel with Fabio on the cover.
Despite the newfound fame, Kaepernick continues to fight the stigma of being labeled a running quarterback.
"Pretty much my whole life I've been categorized as a runner," Kaepernick said during his news conference Wednesday.
Kaepernick studied Vince Young, Michael Vick, Donovan McNabb and Randall Cunningham in high school and college and wants to accomplish something none of them could -- win a title. Kaepernick set an NFL record with 181 rushing yards by a quarterback against the Packers last week, but he also threw strikes to the tune of 263 yards and two touchdowns.
The Packers barely laid a finger on Kaepernick, something the Atlanta Falcons don't plan to repeat in Sunday's NFC Championship Game.
"If you get the opportunity to blow up somebody and make a statement, that's what you want to do," Falcons safety William Moore told USA Today's Jim Corbett. "They're a physical team, too. Their receivers block down the field.
"We're going to go out there well-prepared. Keeping the quarterback in the pocket, we have to go in there and keep contain on him."
Safety Thomas DeCoud added, "You definitely want to set the tone and send a message if he's a guy that likes to run the ball: 'We're going to be here.' "
The Packers didn't seem prepared for everything Kaepernick brought to the table. The Falcons won't be surprised.
Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.


text:
Moderator: Mod's
monKevski wrote:Yes, he deserves *Dribbling, I also think Speed Merchant would fit to him. When he gets the ball already behind the mid-circle, he mostly immediately starts to run off and turn to his full speed and sometimes he shows some useful tricks and fints to get past the opponent.
About *Post Player I'm not really sure, according to some explanation it is rather for taller and stronger players like Kuranyi for instance. You're right that Marica walked a bit more back in the last games, but he isn't this sort of player who holds the ball, so that his team-mates can join the attack.
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