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Flawed though it was, I was a huge fan of Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed, a game that allowed players to climb tall buildings with fluid grace and introduced the world to the joys of shanking an unsuspecting target with a hidden wrist blade. Despite the fact that the combat didn't have much variety and the mission structure could be painfully repetitive, the game's remarkably life-like setting and stunning visuals helped to make it one of 2007's biggest hits.
So big, in fact, that a sequel was practically a sure thing, especially given that the original was developed to be the first part of a trilogy. While we've officially known about Assassin's Creed II for months now, Sony's E3 press conference gave us our first look at the gameplay. Simply put, Assassin's Creed II should make even the most ardent hater stand up and take notice.
The game's biggest change comes in the setting. Gone are the dusty cities of the Holy Land (Damascus, Acre, and Jerusalem) circa 1191, replaced by the Renaissance-era Italian cities of Venice, Florence, and Rome. You'll also be able to explore the countryside linking the three major cities, an area the developers are calling Tuscany despite the fact that it doesn't make much sense geographically. The only area I saw during my time with the game was Venice, and it appeared that the city's denizens were celebrating Carnival in 1486, literally dancing in the streets while fireworks exploded gloriously overhead.
The demo kicked off as our new hero, Ezio Auditore di Firenze, sat on a bench receiving directions from a shadowy figure. When a guard came by to investigate, Ezio struck with his wrist blade and slowly lowered him into a seated position on the bench. This brief sequence actually showed off a few of Assassin's Creed II's new gameplay mechanics. Guards will now investigate you even if you're "hidden" on a bench or in a hay cart, but you can also now assassinate them to keep yourself from being exposed.
After performing a few feats of derring-do (it appears that most of the climbing and jumping actions are identical to the first game's), Ezio made his way to the top of a tall building and looked down over the city. As was the case with the first game, you'll be able to enjoy some stunning urban vistas in Assassin's Creed II, scoping out the entire city from whatever perch you choose. However, unlike the original, there will be times when getting from one side of the city to the other is a breeze, thanks to Leonardo DaVinci's fantastic flying machine.
Yes, Ezio's good buddies with the Mona Lisa painter and all-around Renaissance man, and the bearded one is kind enough to leave his lightweight flying machines all around the city. Once you hop in you can glide around, but you'll need to find the fires that your support team has lit if you want to stay in the air. While you're soaring through the city, you can target and eliminate any enemies attempting to shoot you down. The developers declined to say if the flying machine stuff comprises a lot of the gameplay or if it's simply a quick way to get around the city.
For many people, the biggest (and best) difference between the first Assassin's Creed and AC2 will be the fact that you no longer need to spend hours picking pockets and eavesdropping. I wasn't told exactly how the missions will play out and how you'll pick your target but this is welcome news nonetheless. Also welcome is greater variety in combat, as Ezio can wield everything from swords to axes to halberds. I didn't see much combat in the demo, so it'll be tough to judge this element until it's time for a hands-on.
It still remains to be seen if Assassin's Creed II will be a better game than its predecessor, but it's certainly shaping up to be one hell of a ride.


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|2012-12-21, 11:41
|Link #641
Kana Hanazawa ♥
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: France
Age: 32
Inconclusive ending as expected, but I'd rather have that than one of those awful anime original ending Madhouse is so familiar with.
The anime hasn't gotten me interested enough to read the manga, but I'll watch season two if they ever make one.
|2012-12-22, 14:59
|Link #644
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: where magic is reality
|2012-12-23, 01:45
|Link #646
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Hmmm, not sure what to think of the show. The animation and music are great, but that was expected of Madhouse. The adaptation is high quality, but the story is obviously incomplete, and it didn't go past where I've read up to in the manga. The setup requires that most of the characters are not good people, even before they got dumped onthe island. Ryouta in particular was a gamer with no life and a total ass to his poor mother, which limits the sympathy I can feel towards him as a main character, even at the end. Taira was positioned as a hopeless victim type right from the start. All of the antagonists are sociopaths. Himiko is basically the only true sympathetic character (since the "friends" who got her banished were all wrong for hating her from any rational standpoint), but she's poor in battle and a constant damsel in distress. I liked the series, but without further story I can't really give a sincere score.
Made-up score: 8/10, since from where we ended I can see it swinging anywhere from 7 to 9.
|2012-12-23, 12:55
|Link #648
Kamen Rider Muppeteer
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Unknown
Age: 34
Ahahaha! That ending was great.
Way to drive home the fact that the possibility of a second season is uncertain.
That takes guts you know? To NOT weave some kind of "original ending" but stay true to the story (almost) to the letter.
At the very least, this will make some people interested in the manga to know what happens next.
|2012-12-24, 06:28
|Link #650
Join Date: Oct 2009
wooh...the crazy kid is with those guys?.....i only read the manga up to the part the kid is fighting those guys...and now he is with them?..
also i cant find anymore translated btoom manga after chapter 51.....
so my guess...Season 2 will take a while....n i mean a WHILE....
|2012-12-24, 08:02
|Link #651
Kamen Rider Muppeteer
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Unknown
Age: 34
|2012-12-24, 08:17
|Link #652
|2012-12-26, 12:34
|Link #654
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
as expected this nearly caught up to the manga, i think they chosen a good point to end it
overall this show is not bad, its OP and ED songs are nice, the flaws of the story mostly due to being following closely to the source, the way Ryota keeps surviving bomb attacks is not the anime's fault either
sadly some of Kousuke's fights were cut maybe due to saving for season 2, those are more interesting fight scenes
|2012-12-29, 07:13
|Link #657
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: stuck between galaxies
|2012-12-30, 02:19
|Link #658
Overall, underwhelming... the manga special (parts of it made it as daimakura in C83) was the most interesting part of the franchise, plus I don't see many artists interested enough to draw potentially delicious doujinshi
|action, seinen
|Thread Tools

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Style # 217249
AVAILABILITY: Unavailable for immediate shipment.
With pops of color, 3/4 sleeves and a seamless fit, this BEBE SPORT hoodie is sure to amp up your workout ensemble. Made from soft, lightweight fabric that dries 10 times faster than cotton.
- 77% nylon, 23% spandex
- BE-FIT fabric
- Center back to hem: 22" (56 cm)
- Machine wash according to care label
- Made in USA with imported materials
- Model is 5'9" and is wearing a US size S


text:
This hotel offers peaceful accommodation in a garden setting with an outdoor pool and tiled terrace. Guests can stay in hotel rooms or in dome-shaped suites with a thatched roof.
Naries Namakwa Retreat features warmly decorated rooms in red and gold tones. They are luxurious in style and include a private bathroom. The suites have traditional African features like cowhides.
For the rooms and suites, breakfast and dinner is served at Naries Namakwa in the hotel's manor house, which is classical...ly decorated with red curtains and chandeliers. Meal options, for the self-catering cottages can be arranged for a surcharge.
During the day, guests can relax by the pool and have a drink in the charming setting of a garden. It is also possible to visit Springbok, 27 km away from Naries Namakwa Retreat.
|27km Outside Springbok (N7) towards Kleinzee (R355)
South Africa


text:
American Airlines said Tuesday that the airline has found six planes with loose seats in its continuing inspection of Boeing 757 aircraft.
The Fort Worth-based carrier began inspecting Boeing 757 aircraft after improperly secured seats were reported on two flights. A third flight was found to have loose seats on Tuesday.
An American Airlines representative said Tuesday that the airline had identified six planes that each had an individual row of seats that were improperly secured. The issues were corrected, and the planes were back in service, the company said.
The airline is still inspecting 11 planes. The inspections are expected to happen Tuesday night and Wednesday.
The New York Post reported that Flight 685 from Boston to Miami made an emergency landing Saturday in New York City after three seats on the Boeing 757 came loose shortly after takeoff. On Monday, Flight 433 had to return to New York's Kennedy Airport after reporting a similar problem.
NBC News has learned that a Sept. 26 flight from Vail, Colo., to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport also had an issue with loose seats and that it was the same 757 aircraft that was diverted to New York on the way to Miami Saturday.
American Airlines spokeswoman Andrea Huguely said Tuesday that there could be a problem with the way certain seats fit into tracking on the floor of the aircraft and issued the following statement:
"Overnight, a group of engineers, tech crew chiefs and inspectors from American's Tulsa Maintenance Base evaluated airplanes at New York's John F. Kennedy Airport while other airplanes were inspected at other facilities around the country. Originally, American planned to evaluate the seats on eight Boeing 757 airplanes, but out of an abundance of caution, the decision was made to proactively evaluate a total of 47 Boeing 757 airplanes that have the same model Main Cabin seats with a common locking mechanism. Thirty-six airplanes were evaluated by maintenance personnel overnight and another 11 airplanes will be evaluated to finish the inspection.
American's internal investigation has focused on one of three types of Main Cabin seats on the 757s and how the rows of these three seats fit into the track that is used to secure the rows to the floor of the airplanes. Our maintenance and engineering teams have discovered that the root cause is a saddle clamp improperly installed on the foot of the row leg. These clamps were used on only 47 of our 102 Boeing 757 airplanes.
The issue does not seem to be tied to any one maintenance facility or one workgroup.
The FAA is aware of our internal review and its findings, as well as the steps we are taking to proactively address the issue. We continue to work closely with the FAA.
American regrets the inconvenience that this maintenance issue may have caused customers on affected flights. Safety is -- and always will be -- American's top concern."
Some union leaders blame outsourcing for the problem with the seats.
"You lose control of your product," said Larry Pike, president of Transport Workers Union Local 567. "When you outsource it, you lose control of your product. You have no quality control. If it was done in-house, it would have been checked three times."
Additionally, on Tuesday, the Associated Press reports the airline said the loose seats are not an act of sabotage by angry workers.
The snafus are just the latest headache for the bankrupt airline, which is embroiled in a bitter fight with its pilots' union and whose operations are in disarray amid a rash of flight cancellations.
NBC 5's Scott Gordon and Ray Villeda contributed to this report.


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The Essential Horror Movie Calendar of 2012
Happy October!
I'm Professor Weinberg, head of horror cinema studies for my cat and maybe a few friends. In order to help get you ready for Halloween (and to help make you become a more well-rounded horror genius), we offer this handy little October calendar of "required viewing" for any self-respecting horror freak. There's a little bit of everything, and our hope is that, while nobody would actually follow the schedule to the letter, that it gives you a bunch of fun ideas for what to watch as Halloween draws near.
Suggestions, comments and pumpkin pie recipes? Cool. Hit us up on twitter at @moviesdotcom and/or @scottEweinberg. Now get busy!
Note: We'll be adding little tidbits of info to each film as the month goes on, so make sure you click on the titles.
Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more! Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com.
Copyright © 2018 FANDANGO MOVIES.


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* The Brood Mother Returns
o After years of lurking in her lair battling the many brave adventurers who travelled from afar to challenge her, Onyxia returns stronger than before to commemorate World of Warcraft's five-year anniversary.
+ Onyxia has been scaled to offer new challenges to level 80 players and is now available for testing in 10- and 25-player modes.
+ Adjusted for modern raiding, but with the fundamental experience of fighting the Brood Mother still in effect, including the horrors of her Deep Breaths!
+ Onyxia will now drop level 80 item versions of some classic loot items from the level 60 encounter.
+ Brood of Onyxia, a very rare 310%-speed mount modeled after Onyxia herself will be available for the luckiest of challengers.
* Armor Penetration Rating: The amount of armor penetration gained per point of this rating has been reduced by 12%.
* Copied Test Realm characters will no longer be copied with their achievement history in order to better facilitate the character copy process.


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — U.S. stocks closed higher on Wednesday, shaking off a dip that came after Federal Reserve minutes indicated that policy makers talked at their last meeting about a sooner-than-anticipated hike to interest rates.
The S&P 500 SPX, -0.04% rose 4.91 points, or less than 0.3%, to finish at 1,986.51. The benchmark index turned negative shortly after the minutes came out at 2 p.m. Eastern, but it bounced back and even briefly traded above its July 24 record close of 1,987.98.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -0.22% tacked on 59.54 points, or nearly 0.4%, to finish at 16,979.13, while the Nasdaq Composite COMP, +0.16% edged down by 1.03 points, or less than 0.1%, to 4,526.48. The S&P and Dow have advanced for three days in a row, while the Nasdaq snapped a five-session winning streak.
Fed officials debated at their July meeting whether to move faster than expected to start raising interest rates in light of an improving job market and rising inflation, said a Wall Street Journal report on the minutes. But the officials decided they needed more evidence before concluding that was the right approach. Read: Fed more divided on U.S. labor market gains
"The center of gravity is moving gradually to the hawkish side," said Jerry Webman chief economist at OppenheimerFunds. The stock market "likes accommodation," so it gave up a little ground after the minutes, he told MarketWatch. But there wasn't a more extreme negative reaction because the minutes don't give a reason to get pessimistic about corporate earnings, which are the market's main driver, he added.
While investors are reading the minutes for clues about the Fed's strategy, they may quickly move past them to focus on Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen's speech at 10 a.m. Eastern Friday in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Read: Yellen to stress patience on rates at Jackson Hole
Staples Inc. US:SPLS helped keep a lid on the S&P 500's gains, becoming the index's worst performer of the day after the retailer reported a drop in quarterly profit and sales. Apple Inc. AAPL, -0.57% gained less than 0.1% to close at $100.57 for an all-time split-adjusted closing high. It also hit an intraday split-adjusted record of $101.09.
Possible 'speed bump' ahead: The Fed minutes didn't contain "anything shocking," and there wasn't a big drop by stocks, so the market resumed its two-week uptrend, said Joe Bell, senior equity analyst for Schaeffer's Investment Research.
The S&P 500 could face resistance in the short term as the benchmark nears its record close, Bell also said. Prior highs "generally act as some sort of speed bump," he told MarketWatch.
The S&P 500 finished less than 0.1% below its July 24 record close, as well as 0.2% off its intraday record of 1,991.39, also achieved on July 24.
Movers & shakers: Hertz Global Holdings Inc. HTZ, -4.50% shares slumped 3.9% after the rental-car company said it expects to be "well below the low end" of guidance. Losses had been steeper, but then activist investor Carl Icahn disclosed a stake in Hertz. Also read: It's 'difficult to find any positives' in Hertz warning
Apple scored a record close for the second day in a row. Read: 7 reasons why this product cycle will be different for Apple
Lowe's Cos. LOW, +0.06% rose 1.6%, while Target Corp. TGT, -2.25% finished up 1.8%. Each retailer had dropped earlier Wednesday after cutting its guidance. Read more about today's jumpiest stocks in the Movers & Shakers column
Other markets: The Stoxx Europe 600 SXXP, +0.93% closed lower, halting a two-day rally. In Asia, stocks finished with moderate gains, outside a small loss for the Shanghai Composite SHCOMP, +0.31%
Providing critical information for the U.S. trading day. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Need to Know newsletter. Sign up here.


text:
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MACON, Ga. (Nov. 13, 2012) – With the Atlantic Sun Volleyball Championship gearing up later this week in Nashville, the league office released their postseason awards on Tuesday afternoon and the ETSU Buccaneers had a lot to be happy about.
The Bucs saw three players land on the A-Sun postseason teams, including junior Megan Devine (Kingsport, Tenn.) receiving Player of the Year and unanimous First Team All-Atlantic Sun accolades. Joining Devine on the First Team was sophomore Meredith Hardy (Kingsport, Tenn.), while Khadijah Wiley (Columbus, Ga.) was voted to the All-Freshmen Team.
Devine – who was also named the Preseason Player of the Year in the A-Sun – becomes the first ETSU volleyball standout to receive Player of the Year honors since Carey Cavanaugh took home the SoCon award in 2001. The junior outside hitter started all 32 matches for the Blue and Gold in 2012 and compiled an A-Sun best 23 double-doubles, while also breaking three conference records. Devine broke A-Sun records in conference-only matches for double-doubles (15) and attack attempts (839), and set the single-season record for attack attempts (1,432). In addition, Devine led the league in kills per set (3.99), while ranking eighth in service aces per set (0.27) and 10th in digs per set (3.37). The Kingsport, Tenn. native registered double-digit kills in all but one of the 32 matches played and finished the regular season with 10 straight double-doubles. Devine generated 20-plus kills six times this year, while her 25-kill performance in the win over Akron tied the single-match high among conference players. The 2012 campaign was also a special one for Devine as she reached two historic milestones, joining the prestigious 1,000-kill/1,000-dig club at ETSU. Devine registered her 1,000th career kill in the four-set win against Marshall back in September and notched her 1,000th dig in the sweep over Stetson on Nov. 3. Meanwhile, Devine also recorded a 20/20 game in the victory over Mercer, as she tallied 21 kills and a career-best 26 digs over the Bears.
"Our entire team is so proud of Megan being named Player of the Year," said head coach Lindsey Devine. "I have set the bar exceptionally high for Megan, and for her to receive this recognition from the Atlantic Sun coaches is a credit to her hard work all season. She is very lucky to be surrounded by such a great team who supports her, while together striving for success of the ETSU volleyball program."
After receiving All-Freshmen Team honors a year ago, Hardy continued to dominate on the court as she led the A-Sun in blocks per set and ranks 15th nationally (1.45) in the statistical category. Hardy was a blocking machine in 2012 as she set new A-Sun records for blocks in a season (180) and blocks in conference only matches (113), while her 12-block effort at Stetson tied the league record for most blocks in a conference match. Not only was Hardy etching her name into the A-Sun record books, but she also made her mark in the ETSU books as well. Hardy – who finished with a 10-kill, 10-block effort in the sweep at Presbyterian – tied the Buccaneer record for total blocks and block assists (7) in a three-set match. In total, the middle blocker provided the Blue and Gold with three double-doubles on the season after accomplishing the feat against North Florida (12 kills/10 blocks) and Jacksonville (13 kills and 11 blocks) as well. In total, Hardy has posted at least one block in 58 straight games for the Bucs and has one block in all but one of her 61 career matches. Along with the impressive blocking numbers, Hardy also ranked fifth with a .309 attack percentage in 18 conference matches and tallied double-digit kills in 19 of the 32 matches played. Hardy set a career high with 25 kills in the five-set win at Northern Kentucky back in Oct., and followed that up with a 20-kill, 9-block (career high four solo blocks) performance in the win over FGCU, snapping the Eagles' 15-match winning streak. In the end, Hardy received her first career A-Sun Player of the Week honor after her play against FGCU and Stetson, as the Buccaneer sophomore averaged 4.12 kills and 2.12 blocks against the two conference foes.
"This is a well-deserving honor for Meredith to be named to the first team," Devine said. "The strength she provides to our front line with her blocks and kills is so valuable to our team. She gives this team 100-percent effort every time she steps out on the court."
Meanwhile, Wiley played in all but five of ETSU's 32 matches during her rookie campaign and led the Bucs with a .333 (112-35-231) attack percentage in conference play. Wiley ranked third in the A-Sun in blocks per set (1.02) and fourth in blocks per set in A-Sun only matches (1.00) – topping all A-Sun freshmen in both marks. The Buccaneer middle blocker had a career match in the five-set win over Northern Kentucky on Oct. 5 inside Brooks Gym, as Wiley registered 18 kills on a .696 attack percentage – marking the highest attack percentage with a minimum of 20 attempts in ETSU history. Also, the .696 clip was the highest among all A-Sun players in a five-set match, while ranking the third highest all season overall. The native from Columbus, Ga., recorded at least one block in each of her 27 matches on the year – including a season-best 8-block game at South Carolina. The eight blocks against the Gamecocks tied for the fourth highest total in the conference during the year, while also hitting .571 (9-1-14) in the five-set match at South Carolina. Wiley totaled three games with two solo blocks and finished with at least five blocks eight times.
"I am glad to see Khadijah named to the All-Freshmen Team," said Devine. "I knew she had the potential to be an impact player for this program once we recruited her. Throughout the season she continued to get stronger, and now opponents see her as a threat that must be watched."
In the other awards, North Florida's Nicole Baran was tabbed Libero of the Year, while Jacksonville's Sammie Strausbaugh received the Freshman of the Year honor. Florida Gulf Coast's Dave Nicholas was pegged Coach of the Year.
ETSU fans wanting to receive Buccaneer news, score updates, in-game promotions and much more sent to their mobile device can do so by signing up for "Buc Updates." Click here to sign up today!
For more information on Buccaneer volleyball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the volleyball page.


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The Father
Duke of York's Theatre
Tony Award nominee, Kenneth Cranham reprises his unforgettable performance for thirty eight performances only. Now eighty years old, Andre was once a tap dancer. He lives with his daughter Anne and her husband Antoine. Or was he an engineer whose daughter Anne lives in London with her new lover, Pierre? The thing is, he is still wearing his pyjamas and he can't find his watch. He is starting to wonder if he's losing control... The Father is the winner of France's highest theatrical honour, the 2014 Moliere Award for Best Play, and in Christopher Hampton's crisp and witty translation, has dazzled audiences and critics alike at the Theatre Royal Bath and the Tricycle Theatre. It has received an unprecedented eight five star reviews from major national newspaper critics.
The Father Reviews
"Stunning…quietly devastating"
Evening Standard
"My play – and production – of the year. Devastating drama"
Mail on Sunday
"The Father is a revelation, as sharp and surprising a play as you'll see all year"
The Times
"A marvel…an unqualified triumph"
Daily Telegraph


text: The movie that inspired Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys, Chris Marker's La jetée is a landmark of science-fiction filmmaking, a 28-minute masterpiece told almost entirely in still frames. Set in a post-apocalyptic near-future, it tells the story of an unnamed man whose vivid childhood recollections make him the perfect guinea pig for an experiment in time travel. After a lengthy and nightmarish period of conditioning, he is sent into the past, where he falls in love with a woman whom he once saw on a pier. At the experiment's conclusion, he is visited by an advanced race, who offer him the opportunity to journey into their future world, but he instead requests that they send him permanently into the past, where he can remain with the woman of his dreams. A singular experience.~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide


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Following trouble with the Australian ratings board, all versions of Fallout 3 have been modified to tone down incentives for drug use, and all references to real-world drugs have been removed.
Bethesda's highly anticipated post-nuclear adventure, Fallout 3, has been under fire by the Australian Office of Film and Literature Classification, the down-under equivalent of the ESRB. The game was initially refused classification by the board, effectively banning it from sales, but has recently been granted a rating thanks to changes that have been made to the game's approach to drug use.
Originally, players would be able to dull the pain inflicted by life in the wasteland with real-world painkillers like Morphine. This was objectionable material according to the OFLC, as "material promoting or encouraging proscribed drug use" is grounds for refusal of classification.
In a move likely made to avoid similar debacles with other ratings boards, all versions of Fallout 3, including those to be released in North America and the UK, will be modified accordingly to remove these real-world drug references.
According to Pete Hines in a recent statement to Edge Magazine, "An issue was raised concerning references to real-world, proscribed drugs in the game, and we subsequently removed those references and replaced them with fictional names. To avoid confusion among people in different territories, we decided to make those substitutions in all versions of the game, in all territories."
While real-world drugs are freely integrated into fiction in the realm of film, literature, and television, videogames are often taken to task for including such content. Those looking forward to a mature role-playing adventure in Fallout 3 should remain confident that the game's gratuitous violence is unlikely to create as much of a stir.


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Browse our brands for the eyepiece and lens combinations that meet your needs.
Unfortunately our dealer agreement with most of our telescope vendors only permit us to ship to addresses inside the United States of America.
Fortunately this is NOT true for VIXEN brand telescopes. Those we can ship to anywhere you are willing to pay the shipping to.


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Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Letter to Swee'pea: 19 months
Today you are 19 months old. It's been a year since I started writing these letters to you and I still haven't gotten sick of them, of pausing to consider the ways you've changed in the past month and catalogue your current interests.
Over the past year, you've learned to climb up (and eventually down) stairs, walk and run. You've learned to chew real food and feed yourself. You've learned to use signs, body language and vocal utterances to bring our attention to things that interest you and make your wishes known. For example, just yesterday when I dropped you off for your second day at the new daycare centre, you wrapped all your limbs around me but one arm, which you extended towards the exit, index finger outstretched insistently, and repeated plaintively, "Bye bye bye bye," with increasing cadence and pitch. Your message was clear: "Let's get the hell outta Dodge, Mama!" It broke my heart that I couldn't just do as you wished and leave. I worry it might have broken yours just a bit too. I cried all the way to work, noticing only the dark and nasty parts of the world, like the dead squirrel flattened to the tarmac, its still-fluffy tail flapping around helplessly in the backdraft of all the cars passing it by. But enough of that nastiness.
Your vocabulary is growing so fast and furiously, I can barely keep up. Indeed, sometimes, I just have no idea what you're trying to tell me; your enunciation can occasionally be just a teensy bit... ambiguous. For example, "bebe" can mean any one of: baby (meaning anyone under 12), airplane, playground, sleepy or sleeping, sweeping, strawberry, raspberry (the whoopie cushion variety not the fruit, which you don't like), grapes, chickpea, green bean, or, as I discovered other day, ice cream.
(Do I need to state that you are a hearty eater? Or is it already obvious from the epicurean evolution of your vocabulary?)
You are very friendly, calling out hello to every person we encounter on our walks. Sadly, it comes out as "whoawhoa" and not everyone realizes that a) you're talking to them or b) you're saying hello. I try to translate for you, and usually people then reciprocate, which makes you happy. I think your friendliness brings warmth and a bright spot to the day of everyone you encounter. (Of course I'm your mom, so I could be a little biased. Who knows? Maybe you annoy the heck out of them.)
Our friend, Warren, who helps us in the garden, is one of your favourite people. You call him Na and talk about him all the time. Needless to say, Na loves his new name (mostly) and that you think so highly of him. You love being in our backyard and digging in the dirt with him.
Another word/concept you've discovered this month is rain. One day when it was raining and we were going stircrazy in the house with no car to go somewhere more fun, I took you out on the porch and held your hand out to feel the cold raindrops. "It's raining," I said, and you repeated, "naynay." Intriguingly, you've expanded the word from the water drops that fell from the sky that day to puddles, both indoors and out, condensation on windows, dew on flowers, and even teardrops rolling down my cheeks once.
You're still kind of boring on the playground, collecting sticks, leaves, and/or pine cones, exclaiming, "ah nana" (which could mean another one, lasagne, banana, or Granny, depending on the context) with each one. If you're not collecting sticks then you'll be climbing stairs and sitting down on them with a contented sigh or grunt of exertion like an old person. I can't think where you've learned that. Except for yesterday, when I took the camera to the playground with us to take pictures of your "play," and you decided to try climbing up some monkey bars, and barely sat on any of the stairs, which just goes to show me -- you will not be pigeonholed.
This month has seen some less than stellar moments from me, leaving me remorseful and drained: tears (the double whammy came when you, frightened, pointed at my tears and said, "naynay," piercing my already sad heart like a knife), loss of patience, even yelling at you once or twice (like when you grabbed a colander of freshly washed and trimmed green beans from the sink and dumped them all over our dirty floor -- what if it had been a knife handle that you grabbed?). Now that I'm trying to make dinner every night before your daddy comes home, the dinner hour -- when we're both tired and hungry -- can be a bit fraught to say the least. But I think things are getting better now that we're adjusting to our new routine (thank goodness!).
This month you also went through a hydrophobic phase when you refused to sit down in the tub and just wailed at the injustice of bathtime. Most times we just gave up and put you in your pajamas, but once or twice you were a bit whiffy and in desperate need of a some cleansing so we washed you standing up while you made your misery clear. Eventually I figured out that you would tolerate a "raining bath" where I let you stand in the tub with the water running. Finally, I bought you some new bath toys. Ever since you saw the new bath toys -- a basketball hoop (or boo as you call it) that sticks to the tub and three colourful balls to put in it and a little waterwheel that also sticks to the tub that you can pour water over to make it spin -- you've been back to your hydrophilic self, once again crying when we take you out. Only the promise that you can play with the bath toys again tomorrow night and the distraction of your toothbrush will quiet you.
This morning you have little purple half-moons under your poor little eyes, the result of too much crying over the last two days of adjusting to your new daycare centre. I hope things get easier for you soon. I don't know how much more I can handle. If I had the power, I would choose a life of sunshine and light for you, a life with no unhappiness. But I don't have that power, and life isn't like that anyways. I've resigned myself now to just trying to offer what comfort I can, and to foster resilience and for when I can't.
Love always and forever,
14 comments:
- niobe said...
I'm sure that others have made similar comments on earlier letters (I dunno, maybe it was me who said something like this before), but it's nonetheless absolutely true: Swee'pea is very lucky to have a mom who is recording his baby and toddlerhood so vividly and beautifully in both words and pictures.
- Mimi said...
Ah yes. He's getting bigger, and developing, and being his own little self. I love his ambiguous words and his old-man grunting.
I know the purple half moons, and the crying, and the fraught supper hour, the heartbreak at daycare. But it does all come together sometimes, eventually, ususally. It'll be okay.
Beautiful photos, of a beautiful boy.
- slouching mom said...
The second and the fourth photographs -- my God, woman. Gorgeous.
This month's letter, as always, is breathtaking.
- Kyla said...
Oh my, the photos this time, GASP. Pure beauty. Or rugged handsomeness, I mean. ;) The photos, like Swee'Pea, are just breathtaking!
And what a little boy he is becoming. I love it.
- Mad Hatter said...
Look at little SD looking out of SP's face. His resemblance to his father is, at times, uncanny.
Beautiful, as always, and the line, "the epicurean evolution of your vocabulary" is delicious.
- Suz said...
I am constantly amazed at the beauty of the pictures that you take of Swee'pea. I can see the visible love in each and every one.
- flutter said...
if he said "whoawhoa!" to me, I would be thrilled.
- Beck said...
He's a cutie!
The Boy was scared of the tub too at that age. It lasted for A YEAR. I don't think he sat down in water for A YEAR.
- Bon said...
such a beautiful expressive series of photos, especially the watchful, puffed up little man at the end.
i love these.
- thirtysomething said...
Such a touching letter to your little one. He is so wonderfully cute!
My youngest also rebelled at bathtime a couple months ago--out of nowhere. Like one day she loved it and the next HATED the very idea. These times can be very trying, but the precious times when they talk to you, look into your eyes, hug you, those moments last forever!
I also keep written journals for my four kids, began them during each pregnancy, but no longer have the time to write each month. Now the journals are more a record of special accomplishments and high moments...what you are doing for your little guy is something to cherish for sure.
- Christine said...
oh the injustice of bathtime! what a great phrase...
and i am coming to so love these letters to see'pea. they are beautiful.
- Aliki2006 said...
I'm so sorry things have been tough...
What a beautiful letter--again. I always find them so touching.
- Jennifer said...
This is so sweet and tender and the mama love is so beautifully expressed. This sentence of yours: I cried all the way to work, noticing only the dark and nasty parts of the world... completely captured how I have felt, many times, when I've had a difficult morning with my kid(s)... *sigh*.
Swee'pea sounds like such a fun and happy little guy. And I adore that photo of him attempting to climb the big "ladder" with his little legs trying to stretch tall. That's an award-winner!
- Lisa b said...
Aww what a sweet little man.


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Minutes after the market close on a Tuesday in September, a number of bankers in Asia received a phone call from Temasek Holdings looking to unload a big chunk of shares in Singapore Telecommunications.
The bankers were given just one hour to assess whether they could take on a $1 billion risk by underwriting the Singapore state investor's sell down in Southeast Asia's largest telecommunications firm by market value.
A flurry of meetings followed as bankers gathered their risk and compliance, sales and trading teams and top management to determine how aggressively they could bid.
(Watch Now: Is Investment Banking in Decline?)
Such so-called block deals have become the mainstay of Asian investment banks this year, bringing relief to IPO-starved equity capital markets (ECM) bankers in the region.
The surge in block deals to a record $57.3 billion this year has shifted the focus from IPO origination teams to the syndicate desks, as pressure to execute these deals smoothly, at a profit, has risen dramatically.
The push to win mandates has led banks to propose selling shares at small discounts - a move that will please vendors but makes it harder to draw investors in and increases the risk that banks will be left holding unsold stock.
"You can't continue to do it for the league table and either not make money or lose money because after a couple of years you'll be looking for another job," said an equities banker who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. "You can't keep doing things at a kamikaze price and not make money."
Historically, equity deals in the Asia-Pacific accounted for nearly two-thirds of investment banking revenues, compared with under 20 percent in Europe or the United States. Overall, deals have fallen sharply as initial public offerings receded, with ECM fees in Asia ex-Japan comprising slightly more than one third of total investment banking revenues in 2012.
As a result, bankers have been forced to broker block deals to offset the more than 50 percent slump in IPO volumes this year.
To put it simply, a block deal, also known as accelerated bookbuilds, involves the sale of a large chunk of publicly traded shares after market hours. Banks buy the block of shares from sellers including private equity firms or corporates, then procure buyers among pension funds, hedge funds and asset managers, usually at a discount to the market price.
But to stay competitive in the cut-throat ECM business, banks are prone to offer slim discounts, with sometimes unhappy consequences.
(Read More: Is This as Bad It Gets for Hong Kong IPOs?)
Morgan Stanley was stuck with a portion of the $350 million block of China Resources Gas Group Ltd stock it failed to sell last month, Thomson Reuters publication IFR reported. Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse AG were left with some shares on a $720 million sale of China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co Ltd. in July, according to IFR.
"There is always a risk that banks that are behind on the curve, behind on the game, may lean into a trade more than might be prudent," said an equity capital markets banker, who was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter. "That's where eagerness to win clouds judgment."
Goldman Sachs Group led in underwriting blocks this year in Asia ex-Japan, working on 39 deals worth $9.7 billion, closely followed by Citigroup, which handled 24 deals totaling $9 billion. UBS ranked third with $7.7 billion from 38 deals, Thomson Reuters data showed.
Hong Kong accounted for nearly half of the region's blocks business, with volumes inflated by American International Group's $14.5 billion sell downs in AIA Group. India stood at No. 2 with $5.8 billion of deals.
"If you haven't been a leading participant on block trades and made money on them, then you had a tough year," said Jonathan Penkin, head of equity capital markets for Asia ex-Japan at Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong.
Block Party
Banks typically make money on blocks by charging a straight fee, similar to IPOs, or by buying the stock from the vendor at an agreed price and then selling it at a higher price. Such deals can be very profitable, but come with high risk, as underwriters often commit their balance sheets to win business as they seek to climb league table rankings.
Citigroup, for example, earned between $12 million and $15 million on Cairn Energy's $924 million block sale of Cairn India shares in September, according to Thomson Reuters estimates.
(Read More: Private Equity Investors Hope to Strike Cheaper Deals in India in 2012)
Still, volatile markets and aggressive risk bids can make block deals particularly tricky to price at a profit, as was the case when Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and UBS underwrote Vodafone's $6.6 billion offering of China Mobile shares in 2010, which is still the biggest ever block deal in Asia ex-Japan.
"There are very few banks that can actually do this type of transaction and very few that have the ability to commit this sort of capital," said an equity capital markets banker who has worked on several large block offerings in the region.
"The only reason to do this is we're in the business to generate revenue for the firm."
Domino of Events
A call from a client seeking to sell a block of shares usually sparks some frantic footwork.
Banks gather some of their top personnel, including heads of sales and trading, ECM and syndicate bankers. Depending on the size, some deals may require approval right from the top at headquarters in Europe or the United States.
In the case of Vodafone, Goldman's then chief financial officer, David Viniar, and Chief Operating Officer Gary Cohn had to sign off on the deal, according to sources with knowledge of the transaction.
While making a bid, banks usually agree to a backstop price, or the minimum price at which to sell the shares, and commit to buying any unsold stock at that price. To lure investors, stocks are normally sold at a discount, which averages around 10 percent or less.
The larger the discount, the easier it is for banks to find buyers, reducing the risk there will be of any unsold stock in the block deal. But to win block mandates and please vendors, banks sometimes offer very low discounts.
(Read More: Investment Banks Now Turn to Psychologists for Help)
As an incentive, banks often have an "upside sharing mechanism" whereby they agree to share part of the profit with the vendor if shares are sold above the backstop price. Banks typically keep one-third of the profits, with vendors taking the rest, under that arrangement.
After winning a block mandate, banks send notes with details of the offering to their equity sales desk and those in private banking teams, who then blast the so-called term sheets to their clients. Pretty soon, orders start coming in.
"An hour after launch you have pretty good visibility if your deal is going to work," said an ECM banker, who was not authorised to speak about the matter publicly.
To mitigate potential losses, banks hedge the long positions on the stock by taking short positions on a basket of comparable companies or a benchmark index or future contracts.
Even if the underwriter loses money on a block deal, due to a drop in stock price or lack of demand, it still earns brokerage and foreign exchange commissions. The bank also dominates trading in the stock for days after the block is done, bringing in more revenue.
The banks also tend to profit by selling residual shares if the market goes up after a selldown.
"We're simply not actively lowering our standards of risk management. We're being more aggressive in how we originate, source these block opportunities," said Rupert Mitchell, head of equity syndication for Asia-Pacific at Citigroup.
Busy Year Ahead
A key measure of the success of blocks is how the stock trades immediately after a placement is completed. Any hint of unsold stock sitting with underwriters or a whiff that they struggled to generate enough demand meets with intense downside pressure when the stock resumes trading.
Underwriters are mindful not to be left holding more than 5 percent of the stock as they are then required to disclose it to the market. That gives traders a chance to short the stock, anticipating a decline when the underwriter eventually offloads the stake and creates a sudden supply of shares.
Last month, China Resources Gas tumbled 10.5 percent a day after placing new shares at an 8.2 percent discount, bruising sole underwriter Morgan Stanley. IFR reported the U.S. bank was left holding a chunk of the stock, even as sources close to the bank said the deal was fully allocated.
In July, when Carlyle Group sold a $720 million stake in China Pacific Insurance, the stock fell as much as 11.7 percent the next day, double the discount offered on that sale. Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse managed the Carlyle selldown.
Yet, banks are expected to aggressively pursue blocks, set to keep bankers busy next year.
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, which has built a string of minority stakes in Asian banks, may off-load some non-strategic stakes due to stringent new capital rules, sources added.
Singapore's Temasek and Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional are also expected to keep bankers busy as they continue to churn their portfolios.
Other non-strategic stakes that bankers say are ripe for a sell down include BNP Paribas' 6 percent holding in South Korea's Shinhan Financial Group, though the French bank has shown little interest in paring its position yet.


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The Heaviest Cross »
YC The Cynic x Homeboy Sandman – The Heaviest Cross 2.0 (Prod. by Frank Drake)
Bronx hip-hop artist YC The Cynic links with Homeboy Sandman for the remix to his single "The Heaviest Cross". Listen to YC The Cynic featuring Homeboy Sandman "The Heaviest Cross 2.0" produced by FrankRead More »


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Pat Robertson - Alzheimer's - Reaction
Disability advocate: Robertson wrong to justify divorce for Alzheimer's
< U.S. A.G. Considers Children In Marajuana Legalization Debate
Apr 19, 2013 06:53
Category: General News
Category: General News
Access To Health Records For People With Mental Health Issues For Gun Screening
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration has begun a process to remove barriers from health privacy laws that prevent the reporting of people with mental health problems to the background check system for gun purchases. They action comes after the Senate blocked an effort to expand background checks. Not all states are providing mental health data due to privacy requirements.


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A Visit to the Apartment Therapy Office
The Goal: $10,000 by December 20th
For What: Public school classrooms around the country
What We've Raised So Far: $7,183
Why? Because it's good to give back! And if we make our goal, you'll see a side of the Apartment Therapy Staff you've never seen before.
As a reminder: if we make our goal of $10,000 by December 20th, Maxwell and the Apartment Therapy core team (our managing editors, tech guys, and advertising gurus) are going to bust out a 3-minute dance video. Yes, we are willing to undergo the embarrassment, all for the good of DonorsChoose and for our readers who've helped us by donating.
You've already seen some of Maxwell's moves, but if you want to get to know the rest of the core team behind all the blogs (Apartment Therapy, Re-Nest, Unplggd, The Kitchn, and Ohdeedoh), now's your chance.
Give $5, $10, $25 - whatever! Just help us get to $10,000 by December 20th!
>> Go To Our DonorsChoose.org Page


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Posted on November 1, 2012 in Miscellaneous Strings
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the magic of Babolat RPM Blast …
….with its innovative cross-linked silicone coating, vicious snap back and otherworldly spin. I also appreciate the miracle that is Luxilon, especially on the professional tour, where strings like Alu Power have enabled the tornadic angular whip of the modern topspin game, allowing for exponentially higher levels of spin and control. Indeed, it only takes a few topspin forehands with either of these strings to realize why consumers shell out top dollar.
Does this mean you have to spend over $10 to get a good string?
If a polyester string costs less than $10 will it not snapback? Will it prevent me from reaching my personal best tennis? I humbly submit that the answer is "no". Savvy consumers who are willing to poke around can find great performance for a low price.
For the love of Gosen
Of course, if you don't feel like poking around, just go to the Gosen string page. There you will find the sorts of low cost/high performance strings that make home stringers giddy. More specifically, you will find the original Polylon, which prompted our resident polyester expert, Chris Edwards, to declare, "This string is legit. Sweet as a nut right off the stringer." Needless to say, after a few sessions with Polylon, it's easy to conclude that the $2.95 price tag is a typo.
For a softer feeling poly at a great price, there is the technology advanced Polybreak which provides the incredible spin and control of the original Polylon but with a slightly more flexible response. Finally, no mention of Gosen is complete without paying homage to OG Micro, an extremely responsive synthetic gut which has long been the standard-issue reel for stringers in need of reliable hybrid parts.
And Tourna . . .
Poly players who have not experienced any of Tourna's co-polys are hereby advised to make some room on their demo list for Big Hitter Silver and Big Hitter Blue (which both come in Rough versions for added grip). These innovative co-polys are not only loaded with control, spin and feel, they are steals at under $8. For players who like comfy (yet crisp) polys, Tourna Big Hitter Black 7 offers a combination of bite, comfort and control that is near impossible to beat for under $10. As someone who ran lab tests on the early prototypes of this string, I can safely say that the Tourna crew is extremely serious about meeting their design goals. They also have an ultra-comfortable multifilament called Quasi-Gut which is softer than NXT and NRG2 (at half the cost).
MSV and Topspin
Big hitters on a budget do not have to sacrifice liveliness or comfort as long as Topspin keeps making Cyber Blue and Cyber Flash. The results from our TWU lab tests place these amongst the softest polys on the market. Another company with some impressively playable low cost polys is MSV. You can start by reading our string review of Focus Hex, a medium-firm co-poly with incredible control. After that, give both Co-Focus and Hepta-Twist a serious look. These meticulously engineered co-polys fit perfectly inside the growing ranks of elastic, user-friendly monofilaments, offering advanced players a friendlier response without sacrificing any spin or control.


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(Reuters) - Merck & Co Inc (MRK.N) reported lower sales of its Januvia diabetes treatment, fresh evidence its biggest product is losing ground to newer drugs, and also spooked investors with falling quarterly sales of its animal health products.
The company's shares dropped 2.6 percent, or $1.19, to $45.33 in afternoon trading.
Merck's animal health brands, which typically prop up results, suffered a 2 percent sales decline in third quarter, hurt by the recent decision to suspend marketing of its Zilmax weight-gain feed supplement amid concerns it was causing lameness in cattle.
"The fundamentals of the business remain solid despite what we saw in the quarter," Chief Executive Ken Frazier told analysts on a conference call, referring to the animal health unit.
Global sales of Januvia fell 5 percent in the quarter to $927 million. Combined sales of the pill and a related drug called Janumet fell 1 percent to $1.4 billion, versus 5 percent growth in the prior quarter, and marked a return to declines in the first quarter.
"It looks like Januvia might be plateauing," said Morningstar analyst Damien Conover, adding the trend could continue to put pressure on Merck's profits as it strives to develop new medicines.
ISI Group analyst Mark Schoenebaum said combined U.S. sales of Januvia and Janumet were $91 million short of Wall Street estimates, and may force Merck to back off its earlier prediction that the Januvia franchise will grow by the "mid-single-digit" percentage range this year in the United States.
Januvia sales have grown by leaps and bounds since the drug was approved in 2006 - the first member of a new class of oral diabetes treatment called DPP4 inhibitors.
But three similar drugs have been introduced since then and are taking market share from Januvia, including Bristol-Myers Co's (BMY.N) Onglyza, and Tradjenta from privately held Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Co (LLY.N).
Merck said the falling number of Januvia prescriptions in the quarter was a surprise and cause for concern.
"If the volumes continue to decline, definitely it will be a problem for us," Adam Schechter, head of global human health at Merck, said on the conference call.
Merck shares have risen 11 percent this year, only half the gains seen for the ARCA Pharmaceutical Index .DRG of large U.S. and European drugmakers, on worries about Januvia and failures or regulatory setbacks for a handful of its most important experimental drugs. Its shares have also been held back by plunging sales of its former top product, Singulair for asthma, which began facing cheaper generics last year.
In the meantime, rivals like Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) have launched a crop of new medicines and have high hopes for others in clinical trials.
Faced with Januvia's stall and setbacks for its drug pipeline, Merck said early this month it will cut annual operating costs by $2.5 billion and eliminate 8,500 jobs, or more than 10 percent of its global workforce.
Like other drugmakers that have slashed costs in the past three years, most notably Pfizer, Merck said it will narrow its focus to products with the best chance of winning regulatory approval and achieving substantial sales. That means it will scrap some drugs already in late-stage trials, while licensing products from other drugmakers.
The company earned $1.12 billion, or 38 cents per share, in the third quarter, compared with $1.73 billion, or 56 cents per share, in the year-earlier period.
Excluding special items, Merck earned 92 cents per share. Analysts, on average, expected 88 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Merck said the better-than-expected earnings was largely due to efforts to manage costs across the board. Research and development spending was lower in part because costly late-stage trials of some medicines had been delayed until the fourth quarter.
Company sales fell 4 percent to $11.03 billion, below Wall Street estimates of $11.12 billion. They would have fallen 2 percent if not for the stronger dollar, which lowers the value of sales in overseas markets.
Merck's Gardasil vaccine to prevent cervical cancer was a bright spot in the quarter, with sales rising 15 percent to $665 million, helped by additional sales to government healthcare providers. And sales of Remicade, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, rose 12 percent to $574 million.
Merck expects full-year earnings of $3.48 to $3.52 per share, excluding special items. Early this month, it forecast $3.45 to $3.55 per share.
Reporting by Ransdell Pierson in New York; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Bernard Orr


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DURHAM — Rural children in the child welfare system who authorities suspect have been abused are significantly more likely to have been prescribed psychotropic medication than their urban peers, according to new research from the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire.
The new research is presented in the Carsey Institute brief "Psychotropic Medication Use Among Children in the Child Welfare System" conducted by Wendy Walsh, research associate professor of sociology at the UNH Crimes against Children Research Center and research associate at the Carsey Institute, Marybeth Mattingly, director of research on vulnerable families and research assistant professor of sociology at UNH.
Psychotropic medications usually are given to children to address emotional and behavioral problems. Some disorders treated with these medications include attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, autism spectrum disorder, mental retardation or developmental delay, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.
The key findings are as follows:
■ Among children age 4 and older with a report of maltreatment, rates of psychotropic medication use are significantly higher in rural (20 percent) than urban areas (13 percent).
■ Children age 4 and older with a maltreatment report in rural areas were significantly more likely to take more than one medication than children in urban areas. In rural places, 28 percent took two medications and 33 percent took three or more medications. In urban places, 23 percent took two and 14 percent took three or more medications.
■ In addition to emotional or behavioral problems, a number of other factors predicted which children were given psychotropic medication, including whether they had received counseling, were 12 years old or older, and were male.
■ In rural places, children living in poor households were more likely to be given psychotropic medication.
■ Twenty percent of children in rural areas with a child maltreatment report who remain in-home received medication compared to 12 percent in urban areas.
"The significantly higher rates of psychotropic medication use among children in rural areas and the significantly higher rates of taking multiple medications point to the need among child welfare professionals in rural areas to closely monitor use," the researchers said.
"There were several significant differences in the characteristics of children receiving medication in rural and urban places. In rural places, children receiving medication were more likely to be older, girls, living at home, and poor compared to those receiving medication in urban places," they said.
The researchers are hopeful that these research results will help professionals working with children involved with the child welfare system to ensure that effective treatment plans are in place for them.
The complete Carsey Institute report about this research is available at http://carseyinstitute.unh.edu/publication/674.
This analysis is based on data from the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW II).


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Welcome to our website. We look forward to having you visit in the store as well as online.
Lori's Pins 'n Needles opened for business in 1980. Lori's is located at the north edge of Paris in a historic building, built in the early 1900's. The building was originally built as a horse barn and has housed several other businesses since its original day.
At Lori's you will find a knowledgeable and very helpful staff and a full range of classes in a friendly atmosphere. Once you have made the trip to Lori's, you are sure to want to visit time and time again. If visiting Lori's in person is not on the schedule, we hope you will enjoy the online ordering available through our website.
What's Coming!Fall 2-Day Bus Shop Hop
Saturday & Sunday, October 13 & 14, 2018
Click here for details
Anniversary Sale Days
Starting November 16, 2018
Lori's will be celebrating 38 years in business (details to follow)


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... She has put her entire arm into a cow's stomach, made butter, extracted DNA from strawberries and competed in a wheelchair race with one eye covered. The things she has learned are already having an impact in her daily life and will be invaluable to her in the future!" Marce, Collinsville, VA
"My son really enjoyed his KTU experience. The hands-on activities exposed him to technologies that he wouldn't have seen in his normal school classroom. The enthusiasm of the Virginia Tech students who assisted with these events made them all the more memorable." Donna
"KTU is a fantastic program that is motivational, experiential, and provides that building blocks for career exploration. KTU was certainly worth driving two hours and a half to expose my daughter to other kids, college students, and professionals. I can't wait for the next program year to begin." Lonnie
"I loved the Antactica lecture. I had never met someone who went to Antarctica! After the lecture, I wanted to find out more about Andrill and we watched the PBS NOVA episode that was suggested. I really liked the idea of doing research with the drill, and I think I may want to be a scientist and do fun things like going to Antarctica." Christopher grade 5, Blacksburg
"The KTU program made learning about science cool and interesting." Clare, will be a fifth grader in the Prince Edward County Public Schools, Farmville, VA
"I liked the afternoon activities because I love hands-on activities and there was lots of those. My most favorite one was designing fractals. I didn't know very much about fractals before (Kids' Tech University) and I now know much more about them because of Kids' Tech University. P.S. I love fractals!" Nicholas, grade 3, Blacksburg
"Hey Mom, I'm a VT Sophomore!" Allyson, 5th grader, Tazewell County, VA
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Ford Ranger rear spoilers and accessories offer
you a sporty look that you can install yourself in no
time flat. And, because we carry California Dream
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theme for a price you won't be able to refuse.
Spoilers for your Ford Ranger may be a dime a
dozen but that is why now, more than ever, choosing the
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the envy of your friends and a laughing-stock. But, when
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Whether your Ford Ranger is dying for an
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Rear wings and spoilers for the Ford Ranger
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Ford Ranger Dash Kits
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Port Washington Ghost Walk
When: Friday, October 29, Saturday, October 30 and Sunday, October 31, 2010 first tour starts at 6pm, last tour starts at 9pm. 2 tours to choose from.
Where: Meet at the Port Washington, WI marina. Email for details.
Cost: $13 to $19 per person pre-paid
Ages: 13 and up. Email for guidance on younger children.
Directions From Milwaukee:
Take I-43 N for 20.9 miles
Take exit 93 for WI-32 N/County Hwy V toward Port Washington/Grafton for 0.5 miles
Turn right at WI-32 N for 3.7 miles
Turn right at W Grand Ave for 0.8 miles
Park in the Port Washington Marina parking
Contact information: Susan Scot Fry firstname.lastname@example.com
Telephone: 262-498-5777
Web site: http://capercompany....loween2010.html
Other details: Be the first to hear about newly discovered haunted history. Most of the ghost stories you will hear on this tour have never been included in any of the on-line listings.
Port Washington, WI Ghost Walk October 29, 30 and 31, 2010
Started by Caper Company , Sep 24 2010 10:22 AM
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Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
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I had Sylvia picked all week, then at the last minute changed to Earl. Drat.
I'm tied with two others for the #1 spot in Extreme Pool at Lancers:1 LuvRudy 51 - (the maximum possible points!!)
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Hello ladies. My son was born on Sunday, and I am looking for a little advice. I have large breasts, and my areolas are pretty large, causing my nipples to become really flat and hard for my son to latch on to when soft. Sometimes, it's hard for him to get onto the breast and he pulls away even when I get the breast tissue in his mouth. Are there any tips on getting him to latch on in these situations?
My other concern is that my nipples are cracked and sore. I know that this should clear up as time goes on, but I'm afraid if I continue to have latch issues, the pain from the cracking and chapping won't go away. When we are done feeding, often my nipples are in the shape of a new lipstick. Any latch tips to prevent this?
Thank you so much.


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Cooks plug in your Crock- Pot. The annual Snowdown Chili Cook-Off will be held Saturday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds.
Each year people cook their favorite chili of all varieties to be judged by discerning palates. The only stipulation is that you need to enter in one of two categories: red or green.
Besides vying for a first, second or third place, the cook-off will offer free beer and other drinks for cooks. Organizers also will serve a biscuit-and-gravy breakfast at 9 a.m. for the cooks.
Event organizer Greg Yucha encourages entrants to bring props or costumes.
Last year, the cook-off raised $4,000 for Snowdown. The money is used to help defray costs for the annual winter celebration. Also last year, 75 gallons of chili were served in less than two hours.
Here are specifics about this years cook-off:
Chili must be cooked at the Fairgrounds. Cooking will begin at 7 a.m. Green chili must be ready for judging at 11 a.m. Red chili must be ready at 11:30 a.m. Chili will be served to event-goers from noon to 2 p.m.
There is no entry fee, but you must provide your own chili fixings.
The public must pay 50 cents for samples.
You must provide your own stove, Crock-Pot or fryer.
The event is open to restaurants and to home cooks.
More than $2,000 in cash and prizes will be given. There will be first-, second- and third-place awards given in each category. First-place winner will receive $250. There will be a judges choice and a peoples choice.
For more information, call Yucha at 382-0788.


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Welcome to the University of Hartford. You are embarking on an educational, social, and cultural journey that will forever change your life. If you find that you need support, guidance, or just a simple answer to a question during this journey, the Student Affairs staff, along with the entire faculty and staff of this institution, are ready and anxious to help in any way possible.
The University of Hartford provides many fine opportunities for you to get connected with activities, cultural events, government, and community services, all designed to help you get the most out of your journey and have fun!
A great way to get connected and stay connected by using your smartphone is to download "UH Mobile" a free app that will enable you to access many parts of the campus, stay up to date on what is happening on campus, and even tweet with your fellow students and me at #UHartHawkLife.
We like to say that "Great success stories start here, where giving up ends." I encourage you start your success story by connecting and taking full advantage of the opportunities provided by the University of Hartford. Get started by checking out the links on the left side of this page.