text:
Down, Not Out? Branch Count Shows Shift in Service Delivery
In the call to bring out your dead, don't be so quick to toss branches on top of the heap of abandoned projects.
"If you look purely at the number of credit union branches in operation, there has been a steady decline that is likely to continue into the future. This is being driven by an increase in the number of banking channels to which members have access, including online banking, mobile banking and peer-to-peer lending," said Michael Downs, vice president of marketing at Momentum, a design firm based in Seattle and Pittsburgh. "However, the branch is far from dead."
Rather than going away, Downs said branches are evolving in how they're used by credit unions to deliver services. There are numerous surveys that demonstrate that members prefer to use a branch for certain types of interactions, and in fact, would change institutions if their branches went away, he added.
The $1.8 billion Madison, Wis.-based Summit Credit Union has certainly explored re-imagining the branch with its Fitchburg location. The facility has been transformed into an Inspiration Branch, complete with full 3-D dreams and goals brought to life.
"When we are young, we dream big dreams and sometimes, as we age, they fall by the wayside of our busy lives," said Kim Sponem, CEO/president of Summit. "We have re-imagined what's possible to support our members' financial wellness. In a dramatic, cost-effective and innovative way, we've brought dreams to life in our new Inspiration Branch to remind people of their dreams and to energize and inspire action."
Flowing from one true-to-life scenario to another, the settings inside the branch range from a segment of a home that features a breakfast nook and girl's bedroom, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and a beach scene complete with beach chairs, umbrella and a real sailboat, to a section of a life-sized airliner, featuring real doors and seats from a former working aircraft.
Sponem began brainstorming the ideation for the inspiration concept more than two years ago with Becky Gerothanas, Summit senior vice president of operations, on how they could make the idea come to life. In addition to showcasing quintessential 3-D images of common dreams including home ownership, education and travel, the branch was designed with an open and informal concept. There are no traditional teller lines as a way to further reinforce the feeling of creating a fun, innovative environment for members.
The inspiration façades have been designed by Strang Architects, and built by general contractor Findorff in collaboration with a team of theatre professionals. The facades are completely removable, like a stage set, and do not affect the structure of the branch. Sponem said it has been a cost-effective way to remind members of their dreams and inspire action.
"As a member-owned cooperative, we believe we have an obligation to try new things to support our members' financial wellness," Sponem said. "We know that visual reminders of goals and engaging environments support commitment and stimulate new thinking and action. The inspiration branch helps to build cooperative value for all our members as they envision and realize their dreams."
Downs added that increasingly, credit unions are evaluating their branch networks in a more holistic way.
"When it comes to main operations facilities, credit unions are starting to look beyond the basic performance of the building itself, and are seeking measurement around the potential improvements in productivity, communication, employee satisfaction, employee recruitment and training," Downs said.
Credit unions are starting to pay attention to the growing body of research on workplace design and its impact on an organization's ability to perform at higher levels, Downs noted. This is translating to investment decisions that are more evidence-based, with specific focus on improvements to the quality of member service, employee satisfaction, and overall financial performance, he added. As a result, branches are no longer an all or nothing proposition.
"The branch is now one of several banking options and credit unions should consider how it supports all of its delivery channels and brand identity beyond that one specific location," Downs said.
The emphasis is going away from a place to conduct routine transactions, which are moving to online and mobile channels, and more on places to provide a higher level of engagement with members."
Downs said this higher level of engagement includes things as business services, investment services, and dispute resolution. While Apple and Starbucks are popular retail icons, in reality, those retail models fit the personality, culture and mission of very few credit unions, he suggested.
"Instead, we see credit unions incorporating certain pieces of the Apple of Starbucks experience into something that is more authentic their brand," Downs said. "In the end, the biggest driver of branching in the future will be credit unions' operating strategy."
According to Downs, operations facilities have become centers of communication, training, and community outreach, and can also serve as an effective tool to recruit local talent into the credit union.


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text:
Baseball's best prospect Profar tops strong group
By Zack Meisel / MLB.com
The future success of every Major League team lies largely in its Minor League pipeline. With that in mind, MLB.com is looking at each team's farm system, from the Top 20 Prospects to under-the-radar types.
It seems fitting that in his first Major League at-bat last September, Jurickson Profar clubbed a pitch 388 feet and over the right-field wall at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
At the time, he was a 19-year-old who had never played above the Double-A level, thrust into the starting lineup when Ian Kinsler was scratched with back stiffness shortly before the game. Profar didn't appear fazed as he became the first player in franchise history to homer in his first career at-bat. That's just one example of why MLB.com named him the top prospect in all of baseball, not just the Rangers' organization.
Profar's talent -- he hit .281 with a .368 on-base percentage, 14 homers, 62 RBIs and 16 stolen bases for Double-A Frisco last season -- might make it difficult for Texas to stash him away at Triple-A Round Rock in 2013. But the Rangers' infield is already set, with Adrian Beltre at third base, Elvis Andrus at shortstop, Kinsler at second and Mitch Moreland at first.
"Our stance with Jurickson is if he demonstrates he's one of our best 25 and maybe one of our best nine, if we're convinced he can make an impact on the team and continue his progress, we'll be open-minded," said Rangers general manager Jon Daniels.
The same goes for the club's No. 2 prospect, Mike Olt. The 24-year-old's natural position is third base, which the Rangers hope Beltre occupies for the majority of games this season. Daniels hinted that Olt could see time in the outfield or at first base if he makes the big league club. He hit .288 with a .398 on-base percentage, 28 homers and 82 RBIs in just 95 games for Frisco last season, but hit only .152 in 33 at-bats with Texas after a late-season promotion.
Top 20 prospects
Right-hander Cody Buckel surpassed southpaw Martin Perez as the top pitching prospect in the organization.
Perez, who posted a 5.45 ERA in 38 innings for the Rangers last year, will compete for the fifth spot in the starting rotation during Spring Training. Ranked the No. 6 prospect in the Texas system, Perez went 7-6 with a 4.25 ERA in 22 appearances (21 starts) at Round Rock. Buckel, Texas' second-round selection in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, won the Nolan Ryan Award last season as the organization's Top Minor League Pitcher. He checks in as the club's No. 4 prospect.
Right-handers Wilmer Font (No. 7) and Justin Grimm (No. 10) are the next two pitchers on the list. Font went 4-5 with a 4.03 ERA in 33 outings (19 starts) between Class A Myrtle Beach and Frisco last season. He was a September callup and made three appearances for the Rangers, allowing two runs in two innings. Grimm stymied opposing hitters at Frisco, where he went 9-3 with a 1.72 ERA in 16 outings (14 starts). He compiled a 2-3 mark and 4.59 ERA in nine games and eight starts for Round Rock following a promotion.
rangers' top prospects
|Jurickson Profar
|Mike Olt
|Luis Sardinas
|Cody Buckel
|Jorge Alfaro
Under the radar
Joey Butler, RF: A 15th-round Draft choice in 2008, Butler hit .290 with 20 homers, 28 doubles, 78 RBIs, 93 runs scored and a .392 on-base percentage in 137 games with Round Rock last year. In '11, he hit .322 for Round Rock. Butler turns 27 in March, so he's old as far as prospects go, but he has posted solid numbers throughout his professional career.
Chad Bell, LHP: The Rangers selected Bell in the 14th round of the 2009 Draft, and he has pitched well at every Minor League stop since. He opened last season at Myrtle Beach and earned a promotion to Frisco after four strong outings. At Frisco, he logged a 2.84 ERA in 13 appearances before advancing to Round Rock, where he went 5-5 with a 4.15 ERA in 14 starts.
Hitter of the Year
Joey Gallo, 3B: The 6-foot-5 third baseman slugged 18 homers in 43 games for the Rangers' rookie level team last summer. He was only 18 years old and playing at the lowest rung of the Minor League ladder, and he struggled after earning a promotion to short-season Class A Spokane. But Gallo oozes raw power and could put up eye-popping numbers if he figures out how to flex his muscles against tougher pitching.
Pitcher of the Year
Buckel, RHP: He earned the distinction of Top Minor League Pitcher in the organization last year, and there's no reason to think he can't repeat that performance in 2013. The 20-year-old went 10-8 with a 2.49 ERA and 159 strikeouts in 144 2/3 innings between Myrtle Beach and Frisco last year.
Zack Meisel is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @zackmeisel. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Me personally, I think this is a question of impact and length of service. Let's look at the legit options:
Damon Stoudamire is no doubt the most talented PG the Raptors' have ever seen. He only lasted two and a half seasons though. Over that time he was simply amazing.
Alvin Williams is the next name that pops in my mind. He may be the toughest Raptor in the history of the franchise. The guy played through everything as long as the doctors wouldn't hold him out. He wore Toronto on his chest for eight and a half seasons and was playing the night of "game seven". In fact he was a big reason why they had success that year. He's still serving the Raptors to this day (as a coach) with hard work and integrity.
Jose Calderon would be the next name that immediately comes to mind. He's served the Raptors for six seasons now. He helped them go to the post season twice. He's posted some really nice, conservative numbers in his NBA career but is notoriously horrible on defense. At the end of the day he's always been professional and enthusiastic on the floor. One of the biggest iconic symbols to Raptors fans everywhere is his hand gesture after nailing a long range shot.
There are a bunch of PGs who wore the purple or red, such as T.J. Ford but I think the above mentioned three are the real contenders to the crown. So who is it Raptorsland, Mighty Mouse, Alvin or Jose? Who's the best and where does Jose rank?


text: Seller: drillspot (12,844) 99%, Location: Boulder, CO, Ships to: US, Item: 391559603527 €€ Contact Us About Us Payment Shipping Returns Click here to view full size. Full Size Image Click to close full size. Approved Vendor 1REA5 O-Ring, Silicone, AS568A-001-1/2, PK 50 Model: 1REA5SKU:: 364301 Price: US $7.34 Description O-Ring, Silicone, AS568A Dash Number 001--1/2, Fractional Width 1/32", Actual Width 0.040", Color Red, Cross Section Shape Round, Inside Dia. 1/16", Actual Inside Dia. 0.070", Outside Dia. 1/8", Radius -, Axial Thickness -, Thickness -, Durometer Rating Medium Hard, Durometer 70 Shore A, Temp. Range -65F to +450F, Meets/Exceeds SAE J200, ASTM D2000, FDA Approved, , Includes -, Package Quantity 50 Contact Us About Us Payment Shipping Returns Frooition www.frooition.com | eBay design, eBay store design, eBay shop design, eBay template design, eBay listing design This listing is currently undergoing maintenance, we apologise for any inconvenience caused. Color: Red, Material: Silicone


text:
NouvaLinux backup and rescue is a live CD with some special tools for making backups and system recovery. The main tool is an application made by RyXéo (a free software company): a partclone GUI. Backup is Clonezilla compatible: you can make backups with NouvaLinux backup and restore them with Clonezilla.
A small, non-interactive, shell-like scripting language.
A fast C++ matrix library with an API similar to Matlab's.


text:
OCZ is
putting lots of money and effort into the SSD market. This comes after OCZ
vacated some of the markets it was known for like computer RAM to focus more on
SSDs and other emerging tech. The move has proven to be good for the company
with the popularity of SSDs growing at a very fast pace.
OCZ has announced the addition of two new SSD lines to its portfolio. The new
lines include the 2.5-inch Solid 3 SATA III SSD and the Agility 3 SATA III SSD. Both of the SSDs are
designed to cater to the needs and wants of the computer enthusiast and gamer.
OCZ claims that the new SSDs offer twice the performance of the previous
versions and are more cost effect than current 6Gbps SSDs on the market today.
"With increased availability of SATA III platforms, the demand for the latest
generation SSDs has grown rapidly," said Ryan Petersen, CEO of OCZ technology
Group. "We are addressing this demand with new products that offer both the
best performance and value for consumers. The new Agility 3 and Solid 3 SSDs
make it easier than ever for consumers take advantage of the new SATA III interface.
When coupled with the speed and reliability benefits that our SSDs offer over
traditional hard drives, it makes the two new series the ideal choices for
mobile and desktop applications."
Both of the SSDs use the SandForce SF-2200 SSD processor and have impressive
performance. The Agility 3 SSD is capable of 525MB/s reads and 500MB/s writes
with up to 50,000 4KB random write IOPS. The Solid 3 is a more value oriented
SSD with 500MB/s reads and 450MB/s writes with 20,000 4KB random write IOPS per
second. The new SSDs will come in 60GB, 120GB, and 240GB capacities. Both SSDs
also have TRIM support and a 3-year warranty.
Back in
March, OCZ acquired fabless controller company Indilinx to further bolster its SSD efforts.


text:
Million-Dollar Mark for NEFCU Grants, Scholarships
The $2 billion, 151,700-member NEFCU in Westbury, N.Y., said it has now donated $1 million in scholarships and grants to high school students, student teachers, graduate students and educators.
The Long Island credit union offers four scholarships and grants each year to members for their education and to local educators for innovative projects.
"For 75 years, NEFCU has been committed to giving back in positive ways that truly make a difference in our community. Our scholarship and grant programs provide an opportunity to reward students who will be our future leaders and acknowledge those educators who provide the inspiration, support and resources to help them succeed," said Valerie Garguilo, NEFCU's vice president of marketing and community relations.
"We are extremely proud to have distributed, to date, $1 million in scholarships and grants and we look forward to continuing to support these programs in the future," Garguilo said.
Founded in 1938 to serve teachers, NEFCU now has a community charter to serve Nassau and Suffolk counties.


text:
People Search > Address Lookup > New York > Alcove > J
PeopleFinders can help you find property records for addresses in Alcove, NY. To help you find the exact address you need, we've compiled a list of street names. All of the streets shown below begin with the letter j. So, if the street you're looking for starts with j, you're in the right place.
If you don't see the street name here, simply click the link below for more. You can also use the links above to go back to an earlier page if you'd like to look for a street that begins with another letter.
When you spot the street name you've been looking for, give it a click. Doing so will take you to another page that has a group of addresses, all of which are located on the street of your choosing. From there you're just one click away from some free property records data.
Use this directory every time you want to know the current owner of any address. And when you're seeking even more information, you'll get it with our property records report. These reports include a wide array of useful public records data. Rely on them to get all the facts you want about properties in the United States.


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Johnny Shepherd sits at his ham radio station in his home. The computer program he uses allows him to have a permanent landline to Henderson, Nev. where he can speak with his latest frequency friend or any other ham radio enthusiast, regardless of where they live. Throughout the United States, France, Germany and England, Shepherd can connect to anyone through over 5,000 stations.
Communication is key. It's essential for Shepherd, who deems his ham radio the last line of communication in cases of extreme emergencies. If an disaster emergency where landlines, the Internet or cell phone towers are destroyed, ham radio operators have the solution.
As a part of the Mesa Verde Area Amateur Radio Club, or simpler put, the Cortez Radio Club, Shepherd is in the stages of creating a service tool that will help to effectively communicate with other ham operators. They can then pass on important information to area residents.
"I am experimenting with a HS-MM mesh network (high speed-multi media) to make an emergency network if there is ever a large disaster and the Internet goes down," Shepherd says.
The HS-MM mesh network will consist of wireless routers that will have their program software removed and replaced with rewritten operating software. Shepherd will then place these routers in converter boxes around Cortez so in case of an emergency, he can communicate with other ham operators. This network will also allow the radio operators to pass on information and to connect to other computers within its network. Small Internet-based tasks such as email, texting and picture or video sharing, are a few things Shepherd is trying to perfect in his project.
Shepherd may be onto something.
The group of ham radio operators are licensed to utilize the airwaves to provide emergency communication assistance when needed. They have never been called upon to serve the Cortez area but Shepherd says they helped aid in one of the Durango fires that occurred last year. But it's not just about preparation.
There are many aspects to this group's existence. Community service is one, and it may be more important to one member than it is to another. For Shepherd, being a ham radio operator is not only a hobby, but a hobby he can put to good use one day.
Shepherd has been a ham radio operator since 1982 and a Citizens Band, or CB operator before that.
"A lot of ham operators start as CBers," Shepherd says. "But I got tired of the noise and the impoliteness in CB radio. Hams are a different type of radio operator. There's a rulebook we have to follow."
When the club was conceived in 2000, Shepherd was one of the founding members. He was president of the club for six years before passing the torch. He took a small hiatus, but he's ready to take the reins once again.
Ham radio is Shepherd's gateway to the world. He has two operating stations in his home. The one most used is upstairs and is more computer based, but it is connected to the station directly downstairs, where a slew of radios are strategically stacked on his desk, encompassing a computer monitor.
"Everything has changed (in ham radio)," Shepherd says. "Equipment is smoother, nicer and more sophisticated. And of course prices have gone up too."
Shepherd is a computer whiz. He builds his own radios, repeaters and modifies routers. He also does computer repairs. Ham radio enthusiasts are now communicating with one another via online software. Programs such as Echolink, which runs on the repeater system and works like a landline, or remote hams, a website that allows other ham operators to come in and listen on Shepherd's radio, are producing new opportunities for the club.
Each program is downloadable online for any licensed ham radio operator. The new softwares and programs catered to hams have become increasingly abundant. Shepherd says ham radio is not dead, although some would argue the fact. He knows different.
"There are teenagers on these radios and even younger kids who are seven, eight, nine," Shepherd says in amazement. "If they can pass the test, and they know how to operate it, they can get licensed. There's no age requirement."
Shepherd is glad amateur radio is more popular than it seems. It's an unforeseen hobby these days. People don't realize the extent a ham radio can be used.
Amateur radio is a widespread way to link oneself with someone a world away. In fact, it is probably the largest reason behind an operator. Shepherd has met people from all over the world. He says there isn't one person he has met who wasn't interesting.
The club shares their encounters, projects and knowledge of radio once every month. The social aspect of the group is just as important as the reason they are there. The radio.
But for Shepherd, the challenge of building equipment and fine tuning its inner workings is just as thrilling.
"A radio is much like a computer," he says. "It's a transistor, a capacitator, it does all these other things a computer can do. They are a nice match for each other."
Shepherd continues work on his mesh network project. He excitedly talks it over, throwing around radio lingo and computer jargon, way too advanced for any normal person to comprehend. This man who is all about computers, sounds like he could be one.


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Hawaiian Credit Unions Merge on Island of Kauai
The $17 million Koloa Federal Credit Union in Koloa, Hawaii has merged into the $71 million Garden Island Federal Credit Union in Lithue, Hawaii.
The merger conversion process is expected to be completed by April 1, 2013, said Keith Uyeno, president/CEO of Garden Island FCU, which serves 5,759 members.
Koloa FCU employees will retain their jobs with Garden Island FCU. Koloa FCU had 2,584 members.
"The combined assets and size will position GIFCU to broaden its reach in our community and provide more services to the residents and workers on (the island) of Kauai," Uyeno said. The population of Kauai is about 65,000.


text:
Find reviews all about UPS, power devices and the best power connector on the market
those important parts of your machine that regulate the flow of electricity to the motherboard
as well as the power supply itself and the almost mandatory surge protector. Find UPS devices and related products from Belkin, Sony, APC, Compaq, and many others in our easy-to-use database of member opinions and reviews. Find the UPS battery, notebook battery, laptop battery or surge protector youre looking for within our partner shops
the quick and easy way to get the power supply that you need. Control specs and prices of your favourite Belkin power connector, power adapter and Power supply now!
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text:
3DS has lived a pretty tragic tale since its March 2011 release -- and it doesn't look like that's
changing anytime soon.
Nintendo announced poor first-quarter earnings in July, and largely blamed the poor sales of the 3DS. Between April and
June 2011, only 710,000 units were sold, which brought the total number sold to
4.32 million (830,000 in the U.S. total). This was disappointing for Nintendo,
considering it was hoping to sell this amount in the first few weeks of the
3DS' release. The company blamed a poor initial game lineup for the system's
In an effort to run damage control, Nintendo slashed the price of the 3DS
from $249.99 to $169.99 in August. It also offered a Nintendo 3DS Ambassador
program that allowed users to download certain games for free.
The effort appeared to be working -- Nintendo sold 215,000 3DS systems between August 8 and 14 in
Japan alone. This was pretty significant, considering the company sold 109,000
units in Japan in all of May 2011.
But that's where the success stops -- for now. Nintendo recently saw a 5
percent share slide as well as criticism from analysts who say gamers are happy
playing on mobile devices like smartphones instead, and that Nintendo doesn't
fulfill the gamers' needs anymore.
Nintendo President and CEO Satoru Iwata announced that Nintendo will
release a significant game lineup starting the end of 2011 to the beginning of
2012. But analysts believe a better game lineup won't save the 3DS at this
"Nintendo succeeded by pulling in people who weren't gamers and
their needs now are no longer being fulfilled by Nintendo -- they are happy
playing games on their mobile phones," said Mitsushige Akino, chief fund
manager at Ichiyoshi Investment.
So far this year, Nintendo shares have plunged nearly 50 percent due to
3DS woes and doubts that the Wii U can be as successful as the Wii. Iwata took
a 50 percent pay cut while other executives took 20 to 30 percent pay cuts for
poor performance, and analysts have cut their full-year operating profit
forecasts for Nintendo by about 45 percent in the past month.
Despite the doom and gloom, Iwata marches on with hope that the 3DS
won't be a complete flop after a better game lineup is released.
"From the end of this year to the beginning of next, we are planning
the kind of extensive lineup that has probably never been seen before in the
history of video games," said Iwata. "We will make an all-out effort to see that the 3DS
sells enough to become the successor to the DS."
Rumors also circulated last month
that a second circle pad would be released for the 3DS, and that a whole new
portable system would be released in 2012.


text:
It's two games, 3 new starters, 8 New players, a new focus on offense, against a seasoned team that many expect to be 2nd or 3rd this season (Indiana) and a team that is assembled with two all stars in the back court and that is also expected to finish somewhere between 2nd and 4th. WE WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO WIN THESE GAMES...no sensible objective person in any sports betting arena would have money on the Raptors winning that game.
"This lineup isn't working" - Maybe, maybe not. Please say this after a concrete 15 - 20 game sample size.
"Fire Colangelo" - really already getting these threads two games in? You try and be a GM of a team in Toronto when there are 5 state tax exempt teams (San Antonio, Miami, Orlando, Houston, and Dallas) 4 big city markets with huge sponsorship potential Nets, Knicks, Lakers, Clippers. Every single free agent with a choice and worth a decent pay check is going to to go to those teams. How the hell do you expect any GM who essentially starts with his foot 1/3 in the hole to do? Has been bang on in everything he does...hell no. Has made decisions I thought were terrible at the time that turned out to be right? Several times, (Bargs contract, drafting JV etc.)
If we are going to build a successful team it is going to be in the mold of teams like Indiana, Utah, Detroit. Even though we are a larger market that is the formula we will have to follow.
Remember a season of between 37 - 45 wins with us keeping the majority of the losses close until the final minutes, is a success compared to where we have been. 8th seed is a nice goal, but it won't be a failure if we don't get there.


text:
CO-OP Touts EMV International Test Results
CO-OP Financial Services recently processed six international debit transactions on Visa-branded debit cards equipped with EMV chips, the California-based CUSO said Monday.
The transactions were for members of the $3.5 billion Bank-Fund Staff Federal Credit Union in Washington, D.C., and occurred in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Romania, Peru and Uruguay, CO-OP said.
The 79,300-member Bank-Fund Staff FCU is the credit union for employees and family members of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
The completed test means that CO-OP has CO-OP has passed EMV certification with Visa, the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., processor said.
"We are extremely pleased that the test EMV cards performed so well for Bank-Fund Staff FCU and to have passed Visa certification for EMV," said CO-OP CEO Stan Hollen.
"CO-OP is developing EMV technology in a phased approach and we expect to make our online EMV debit solution generally available to clients later this quarter," Hollen said.
"We have members and staff who work, travel and live overseas, so we have a real need to issue EMV credit and debit cards," said Liang Han, general manager, Electronic Payments, for Bank-Fund Staff FCU.
"We reached out to CO-OP Financial Services and became their beta tester for online EMV transaction processing," he said.
Bank-Fund Staff FCU issued 11 EMV-enabled Visa debit cards to members and staff during the pilot EMV period, which extended from late December to early April.
"The timing for the test was perfect as several of the people we issued cards to were heading overseas," Han said.


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The AllerAir® 5000 Series contains some of the most popular and general purpose air purifiers in the AllerAir® brand. The models in the 5000 Series treat all the various types of pollutants, which contribute to poor indoor air quality. The substantial quantity of activated carbon ranges from 18 lbs to 27 lbs in these units and absorb chemicals, gases and odors. The AllerAir® 5000 Series features a more compact design than the 6000 Series while still offering exceptional chemical, gas, odor and particle filtration. The 5000 Series purifiers also possess a powerful Medical-Grade HEPA filter to remove 99.97% of all airborne particles down to 0.3 microns.
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I know there have been alot of threads about this but wanted to share my thoughts.
The reason why Sakura suckes is because she is the heroine of the series. Sakura has no where near the character development as naruto and Sasuke have and also Kakashi. We doun't even know her back story or even her parants while we know other side charaters parents and some of them are more developed than her. We exppect more from sakura because she is the main character. Hinata has a back story and she is very good character compare to Sakura becasue Sakura is the main heroine while she isn't. I was narusaku fan in part 1 and even in shippuden for a while until i realize she is just too obsessed with sasuke while Hinata has risked her life several times for naruto. Sakura has some character development but as a main character she lacks many qualities. This is just me, you might thing very differently everyone has there own opinion.


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This study is provided by ICPSR. ICPSR provides leadership and training in data access, curation, and methods of analysis for a diverse and expanding social science research community.
Demographic Characteristics of the Population of Detroit, 1850-1880 (ICPSR 31)
Principal Investigator(s): Vinyard, Jo Ellen
This data collection provides information for native-born Americans, Irish Americans, and German Americans living in Detroit, Michigan, between 1850 and 1880. Demographic variables provide information on age, sex, occupation, marital status, marriage patterns, ethnic background, place of birth, and spouse's and parents' place of birth. Additional information is provided on family size, number of children of adults, number of individuals in the house beyond the immediate family, total number of individuals in the nuclear family, position of individuals within the family, number of children eligible to be in school, activities of school-age children, adult male skill level, literacy level, length of time the family had been in the United States, ownership and value of real estate, constitutional and legal status, and physical condition.
Access Notes
Data in this collection are available only to users at ICPSR member institutions. Please log in so we can determine if you are with a member institution and have access to these data files.
ASCII + SAS Setup SPSS Setup
Study Description
Vinyard, Jo Ellen. DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POPULATION OF DETROIT, 1850-1880. ICPSR00031-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [producer and distributor], 1991. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR00031.v1
Persistent URL: https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR00031.v1
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Scope of Study
Subject Terms: census data, demographic characteristics, ethnicity, family, family size, foreign born, German Americans, household composition, Irish Americans, nationality, native born, nineteenth century, occupations, personal wealth, place of birth, population, school age children, urban areas
Geographic Coverage: Detroit, Michigan, United States
- 1850--1880
Universe: Individuals residing in Detroit, Michigan, between 1850 and 1880.
Sample: Irish Americans, German Americans, and Native-born Americans residing in Detroit, Michigan
United States Censuses of 1850 and 1880
Extent of Processing: ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection:
- Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.
Original ICPSR Release: 1984-05-10
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La Maison du Chocolat Assorted Chocolates
Founded in 1977 in Paris, La Maison du Chocolat is world renowned for its exquisite chocolate creations. Among the shop's most coveted treats are its silken pralines and creamy, delicately flavored ganaches. This gift box offers a sampling of both confections.
- Premium chocolate is made from special house blends using carefully selected and roasted cacao beans.
- Assortment includes various milk and dark chocolates; pralines rich with the flavor of roasted almonds and hazelnuts; and luscious milk and dark chocolate ganaches in subtle flavors including lemon, raspberry, fennel, mint, rum raisin and coffee.
- Chocolates arrive artfully packaged in La Maison du Chocolat's signature brown box with ribbon.
- Made in France and shipped fresh weekly to the U.S.
- 1/2 lb. (approx. 28 pieces).
- A Williams Sonoma exclusive.
Use & Care
Receiving instructions
- Upon receipt, remove chocolates from the shipping container and place in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator; do not freeze. Chocolates keep up to 1 month refrigerated, or 2 weeks at room temperature.
- Dark chocolate (cocoa paste, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin [emulsifier], natural vanilla flavoring), milk chocolate (sugar, whole milk powder, cocoa butter, cocoa paste, barley malt extract, soy lecithin [emulsifier], natural vanilla extract), cream, sugar, almonds, butter, hazelnuts, almond paste (almonds, sugar, glucose syrup, sorbitol [stabilizer]), invert sugar, fruit pulp, alcohol (0.3%), raisins, rice, citrus fruit extracts and peels, pistachio paste (sugar, almonds, pistachios, coconut oil, soy lecithin [emulsifier]), natural flavors, colors (tartrazine E102, indigotine E132), flours (wheat, barley malt), spices, coffee, glucose syrup, natural flavorings, herbs, plant oils (coconut, palm kernel), oats, salt, wheat malt syrup, baking powder (sodium acid).
Shipping Information
Please allow up to one week for processing and delivery of perishable items, which are shipped via two-day delivery to ensure freshness. Perishable items are not eligible for rush shipping.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Return Policy
At Williams Sonoma, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction are our priority. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage; we will arrange for a prompt replacement.
We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, custom upholstery, food, items shipped direct from the vendor, or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. Final sale items ending in .97 or .99 cannot be returned. View Full Returns Policy.
La Maison du Chocolat Assorted Chocolates
|Delivery Surcharge
|La Maison du Chocolat Assorted Chocolates


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Agilo for Scrum is a tool that integrates many useful functionalities to support Scrum and more. It is meant for a product owners managing a product backlog and release plan, Scrum masters coaching and supporting a team, and developers tracking issues and sharing knowledge. Agilo is highly configurable to adapt to your specific workflow and provides streamlined and full support for your daily work. Agilo supports multi-project environments as well as small teams and helps them to manage Scrum and the development issues at the same time.
IceScrum is a J2EE application for using Scrum while keeping the spirit of a collaborative workspace. It also offers virtual boards with post-its for sprint backlog, product backlog, and others. The tool offers everything that is in Scrum: role management (Product Owner, ScrumMaster, Team member, and StakeHolder), product backlog management with advanced features for prioritizing stories, Scrum lifecycle including a roadmap view, release planning, sprint backlog as a task board facilitating the Scrum ceremonial management of impediments, and chart production such as burndown charts, velocity charts, and cumulative flow diagrams. It offers others agile practices like a roadmap, vision, user stories, acceptance tests associated with stories, user roles, and planning poker.
Kunagi offers integrated project management, supplementing Scrum by a selection of other best practices to cover all project management needs. It not only offers management of basic Scrum documents, but also a variety of additional data. Furthermore, it includes several features for ease of use and collaboration. Kunagi aims to be accessible and suitable for both professional and non-professional development of projects of any size. Its Web interface uses the latest technology to achieve the usability of desktop software while running in a browser and therefore being accessible from anywhere.
ScrumDo is a Web application to manage your agile Scrum based projects. It gives you the tools to create and track user stories in your project. Some features include automatic burn-up charts, drag and drop iteration planning, the ability to export to Excel, edit your stories, and import your changes back in, a history tool to track where you've been, and a predictions tool for looking ahead. Multiple scrum teams are supported off a single backlog.
KADOS (KAnban Dashboard for Online Scrum) is a Web-based tool for managing Scrum projects. It provides screens on which the user can move a post-it to change one of the attributes of the post-it. It supports artifacts of the SCRUM method, but can also be adapted for other agile methods.


text: Loose Leaf Oolong Tea: The Process Of Fermentation Elena Popec (0) Oolong or Wu Long means "Black Dragon". Oolongs are half-fermented (or semi-oxidized) teas that are in the specialty tea family. Half-fermented because the processing of Oolong tea requires only a partial fermentation (oxidation) of the leaves. Oolongs occupy an intermediate position between non-fermented green teas and fully fermented black teas and are the most diverse and interesting loose leaf teas. Oolongs can have varying degrees of oxidation that ranges somewhere between 10-35% in classic Chinese Oolongs to 60-70% in classic Taiwanese (Formosa) Oolongs. Oolong specialty tea is often made from mature leaves, collected from older tea trees.Processing Oolong is considered the art of tea, where the character of tea is created. Tea masters participate in Oolong tea processing competitions to demonstrate their professional skills at this fine art.Let's take a look at Oolong manufacturing process.There are no standard recipes on how to manufacture oolong tea; it is up to the discretion of each tea garden or tea master to decide on processing and the level of oxidation. Immediately after gathering, the tea leaves are spread in a thin layer on special bamboo mats under direct sunlight for withering that will let most of water evaporate. The withering process time varies depending on the ambient temperature. The next step of processing is very peculiar, withered leaves are placed in a large bamboo basket and put in a shady area. Approximately every hour, the tea leaves are shacked and gently tumbled in order to bruise the edges of the leaves to start an oxidation, at the same time avoiding breaking or crushing them. This procedure has to be done several times, until following effect will be reached: bruised up edges of the leaves due to the fermentation become brown blush (like 'rusty'), while veins and parts of the leaves should remain green.Once the desired level of fermentation is reached, the oxidation process should be stopped immediately. This is achieved through the heat drying phase of raw materials in scorching air called "panning". The pan roasting of the leaves requires extensive experience in Oolong tea processing.Most Oolongs are dried in two stages: first is partially, primary drying and rolling of tea leaves, then a final finish drying. Some highly fermented Oolongs undergo an additional stage of wetting and softening.The partially drying process is carried out manually. This stage is necessary to stop the fermentation. Partially drying can be done in 2-4 steps, when the raw material is taken out of the oven, quickly cooled, then rolled. Then again dried in the oven, rapidly cooled, then rolled again, and so on. Afterwards, the leaves go through a final drying phase, ending oxidation and often followed by baking (roasting). Several kinds of Oolong are not rolled just dried after panning. With such a "multistage" technology, taste and degree of fermentation of Oolongs differentiate. Although, manufacturing Oolong is very intensive and meticulous process, unique aroma and flavor profile of this specialty tea makes this tea worth the trouble.Good quality Oolongs are only loose leaf teas, not tea bags!The most widely known and actively exported Oolongs are Chinese (Fujian and Yunnan) and Taiwanese (Formosa). Among the most well-known are Formosa Oolongs. Grown and manufactured in Taiwan, named after the province in which grown, these teas are considered the best in quality and affordability among Oolong the loose leaf tea family. Taiwanese Oolongs are often called "Champagne of Teas". Typically Taiwanese Oolongs are specifically labeled that indicates the quality of tea:1. Fanciest or Extra Fancy2. Fancy3. Extra Choice or Extra Fine4. Fine5. Fully Superior6. Superior7. Good8. StandardChinese Oolongs are famous for the fact that are used in a Chinese traditional procedure named Gongfu Cha and withstand up to 7 steepings.Brewing Oolong is a very delicate process because it strongly depends on the type of oolong, more precisely, the degree of its fermentation. A lightly fermented Oolong is closest to the brewing of green tea with 190-195 degrees water and the brewing time 1-3 minutes. More fermented Oolong (such as Formosa) is brewing a little longer 4-5 min in hotter water 203-212. After brewing a quality Oolong has pronounced specific characteristics that cannot be mixed with any other kinds of tea. The best quality Oolongs expresses a strong and rich floral aroma and a remarkable peachy flavor with a honey-sweet aftertaste. Oolongs that closer in oxidation to black teas, have a nutty, toasted flavor. Color of brew is very diverse: from light yellow with green notes (like green tea) to a dark red. Oolong specialty teas contribute 2% of tea consumption of all the teas all over the world.Enjoy a great cup of Oolong, happy drinking! facebook twitter google+ email


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Empowering deserving military families with educational support and opportunities.
In our latest installment of the FJ Tour Insider we are covering the Valero Texas Open. Brendan Steele hung tough to win here last year, parring the last eleven holes on his way to his lone PGA Tour victory. Many FJ players are in the field this week
and we chose a couple of our favorite shots for your viewing pleasure.
Enjoy the Slideshow!
[Gallery: valero_texas_open_2012]


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Richie Ramsay would hate to be the man to deny fellow Scot Stephen Gallacher a place in the Ryder Cup, but admits he will have to look after his own interests first.
Gallacher needs to finish in the top two in the Italian Open to dislodge Graeme McDowell from the final automatic qualifying place in Paul McGinley's European team for Gleneagles.
The 39-year-old kept his hopes alive with a 69 on Saturday to head into the final round in Turin in sixth place, four shots behind Ramsay in second and six behind leader Hennie Otto.
Austria's Bernd Wiesberger lies third on 13 under after following consecutive rounds of 66 with a 71, with English duo Lee Slattery and Ross Fisher sharing fourth on 11 under.
"I would hate to be the person to deny him a place on the Ryder Cup but I know if it comes down to it, he plays to win and that's the same attitude I have to have," said Ramsay, who holed from 40 feet for birdie on the 18th to complete a flawless 66.
"Stevie is a fantastic player as he has shown to get into contention. He will perform on Sunday and I wish him the best in getting (the Ryder Cup place) but I have to accomplish my job of getting into the mix and picking up win number three."
Ramsay, who won the South African Open in 2010 and European Masters in 2012, added: "It's a tough one because I know Stevie well and am down at Kingsfield a fair bit where he practises, which is about a mile from his house.
"It's a big, big ask for him but he has shown how good a player he is and if he did not qualify automatically he would be an asset to the team, not only because of his ball-striking but his attitude as well. His record at Gleneagles is impressive too."
European captain Paul McGinley missed the cut in Turin but stayed to watch the final two rounds ahead of naming his three wild cards at Wentworth on Tuesday.
Gallacher has said all week he just wanted to be in with a chance on Sunday and achieved that thanks to a round containing four birdies and one bogey.
"It keeps me in touching distance," Gallacher said.
"The worst thing I could have done was open up a big gap which was insurmountable. I've not done that so a good day on Sunday and I am sti ll right in there. I had about four lip-outs today but they went in on Friday and I holed a couple of good putts at the end so it evens itself out.
"It's all to play for. You never know what happens in this game and guys have won from further back than this. I'll just go out and try and get as many birdies as possible and see what happens.
"It's a tough week obviously. I have done my day job and done it well but it is a long week and will take a lot out of me mentally but I have two weeks off after this and one round to go, so will give it my best shot.
"This is the only time in my career that I would be happy not to win a golf tournament. Second will do me fine on Sunday."
Italy's Francesco Molinari has not given up hope of claiming a second Italian Open title to boost his chances of a Ryder Cup wild card, a third-round 69 leaving him one behind Gallacher on nine under.
"I holed a good putt on the last so maybe that's a sign of things to come tomorrow," the Turin native said. "You need to hole the putts and I haven't done that all week so I'm looking forward to doing that tomorrow."
Otto began the day with a three-shot lead after a stunning 62 on Friday, but struggled to a 71 in just his second tournament back after two back operations.
"It was a rough day to be honest," said the 38-year-old, who carded five birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey seven on the ninth. "My back started to tighten after eight holes but I managed to get it round even though I couldn't swing it properly. I got a little lucky at times as well but you need that in this game if you are going to win a tournament.
"It's uncomfortable but not painful enough to stop me playing. I'm not really worried about it. I was in serious pain before the operations but this is nothing like that and I can get it fixed with some stretching and physio just now."


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There's nothing Vika likes more than exploring old abandoned buildings in the middle of the countryside.
She strips naked and sets off on her expedition, after all, it is summer, the season of the senses, and there is something primitive and primeval, a nude girl set against the crumbling walls of a forgotten past, a scene that touches a wild gene buried in the depths of our secret selves and makes us want to rip off our own clothes and follow
Vika into the hallucinogenic realms of imagination. Pure movie magic!
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Took 80 year old parents for their 1st visit 4/25-4/30 2010 Our 3rd visit, and this time we take "Mom & Dad" for their
Posted 11 May 2010 - 11:09 AM
Arrival Day - Sunday 4/25/10:
Ages: 50, 50, 79, & 82.
We got up at 3:30 am and immediatley went into "travel mode". We flew from Albuquerque to Dallas/Ft. Worth where we switched planes and on to Orlando.
We hopped onto the Magical Express and it stopped at Old Key West, and Saratoga Springs before we got to our resort - Port Orleans French Quarter.
We had only stayed at Port Orleans Riverside for our previous 2 visits, and we thought the French Quarter was a little less spread out for Senior legs. We also wanted them to experience the Water Taxi's to Downtown Disney which we had enjoyed so much. When we checked in, we had asked for a 1st floor room, but they had us in an upstairs room. I asked the cast member if they could fix that for us, and she called and in a few minutes said that she could put us in a room on the first floor, and that we'd probably be pretty happy with it. When we got to the room we were surprised that we had a beautiful view of the Sassagoula River, and it was beautiful!
We settled in, and then headed for the water taxi to take it up to the Port Orleans Riverside, where we had an ADR for Boatwright's Dining Hall. On our last trip, we checked into our room, and had an ADR for Boatwright's and it was so good, we HAD to do it again. Our server was so friendly and he really hit it off with Mom & Dad. The meal was a great start to another great WDW vacation.
We had planned to head over to Downtown Disney on the Water Taxi, but a big storm was brewing, and they stopped running. We showed Mom & Dad around the Riverside's marina area, and then took the walk along the river back to the French Quarter. We had so much fun introducing them to the resort. We just rested up as a big thunderstorm raged most of the night. The weather reports said that the storm would pass, and it would be a great day for our first visit to one of the parks. Epcot tomorrow!
2009 - Port Orleans Riverside (Alligator Bayou)
2010 - Port Orleans French Quarter
Posted 11 May 2010 - 11:15 AM
We woke up and the storm had passed. The weather was nice and we got up early and headed for the bus stop. Our plan called for a visit to Epcot for our first day. We had such good luck with the bus system, it seemed like every time we got to the bus stop, a bus for the place we were heading would pull up on right on time! My parents must think it's always like that, but I assured them that we were just lucky. I really enjoyed playing the role of "tour guide" with my parents, as we rode the busses, I'd tell them facts about WDW and the resorts we'd pass, and the parks we were heading for. We had never done a rope drop at epcot, and it was exciting not knowing how they did it for this huge park. They let us in and held us at the area around innoventions and club cool. The characters came out to welcome everyone, and I really enjoyed seeing Mom and Dad watching so intently at the festivities!
Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto & Donald got us in the mood for a great day. We gently (but briskly) guided Mom & Dad with us over to Soarin' and the line immediatley shot to 15 minutes! It went by in the blink of an eye, and we were buckling in for a hang gliding tour of California (where we are originally from). I told Mom to "hold on TIGHT at the part where we go UPSIDE DOWN!" She looked at me funny, and then I told her I was just kidding! I could tell by the "yee-haw's" that my dad was really enjoying the ride! We missed it last time, and it was really an experience. I can see why this is easily one of WDW's most popular attractions! We then headed over to Test Track and walked right in with no line. Everyone really enjoyed it. The high speed ending always makes me let out a big yell! A short walk next door led us to Mission Space! Of course we did the less intense 'green team' for Mom and Dad's sake, but honestly... I only ride the green team anyway!
From Mission Space, we headed across Future World - back to The Land Pavilion for a ride on "Living with the Land Boat Ride". The line had shot up to 25 minutes, but we got in line. After a little while, the line stopped moving. We were there about 30 minutes when the announcement went out that they were having problems, and the ride had to be closed! We lost a little time there, so we had to adjust our touring plan a bit.
We headed straight for The World Showcase and had some Fish & Chips at the Yorkshire County Fish Shop in the U.K. Pavilion area. Found a great table by the water and enjoyed a very relaxing, shaded lunch! We strolled around The World Showcase then took the Water Taxi back to Future World. Stopped in for some international soda samples at Club Cool!
We were refreshed (and full of soda!) as we headed over to Spaceship Earth. Walked right on and this is one that my Mom really enjoyed. She was enjoying the Audio Animatronic telling of the history of communications, but when she saw us as cartoon characters during the ending screens in the ride vehicle, she was laughing out loud! And I could hear laughing coming from behind us as Tammy and my Dad were cracking up watching their antics in "the future"! We marveled at the beauty of the Flower & Garden festival displays as we wandered the grounds.
Mom & Dad wanted to ride the monorail, so we got on at the epcot depot. We took the tour and just stayed on at the TTC depot. I was told that if we were at Epcot and wanted to ride the entire circuit, that we should just get on, but STAY on when we arrived at the TTC and then just ride back to where we started at epcot. I guess we were "supposed" to get off at the TTC, because a lady stepped in, and then made a remark about people "not getting off". I don't know if we were expected to get off or were allowed to stay on, but I really wouldn't have wanted to make my 80 year old parents walk down and back up to the other side for the next monorail. I don't think they even knew what was said, and I didn't tell them. They were just fascinated with the monorail, and the beautiful view of Walt Disney World from the sky train.
We were all getting tired, and headed back to the resort for a snack and a few hours of rest. After we rested, everyone was ready to head over to Downtown Disney for some dinner & shopping. A chance to show them what we missed on our arrival day because of the thunderstorm!
2009 - Port Orleans Riverside (Alligator Bayou)
2010 - Port Orleans French Quarter
Posted 11 May 2010 - 11:17 AM
After resting, we headed to Downtown Disney via Water Taxi.
That ride is just so beautiful and relaxing! We headed straight for The Earl of Sandwich. Our package included a free $525 in gift cards, and we put them to good use for meals on our trip! Earl of Sandwich was a busy place, and at first we were all a little confused about what to order, and how to order it. But we finally got it figured out, and found a booth to sit down and enjoy Roast Beef Sandwiches and Salad. The price is good by theme park standards, and the sandwiches really are very good!
After dinner, it was time for some shopping for the Grand Daughter! (and Great Grand Daughter!) We had so much fun at the shops looking for things that would be great for our little Grand-Girl back home. Pooh Corner was a big hit and after finding some great goodies there, we stepped outside where the security guard was busily acting as a photographer and she was outstanding as a photographer!
Goofy's Candy Company was a must do
and you can't beat a "Goofy Glacier" for cooling off!
We took the water taxi back to the French Quarter, and called it a day. We enjoyed winding down, and remembering the day's events. I was really looking forward to Tuesday, because I know how much my Dad loves animals, and The Animal Kingdom was next!
2009 - Port Orleans Riverside (Alligator Bayou)
2010 - Port Orleans French Quarter
Posted 11 May 2010 - 11:17 AM
We made it in time for Rope Drop at the Animal Kingdom. We headed straight for the Kilimanjaro Safari. There was almost no wait as we boarded the vehicle for our safari.
The animals were out in force, and Mom & Dad had such a wonderful time, it was just great. We walked next door and did the Pangani Exploration trail. the Gorillas stole the show again!
Mom and Dad made up a big batch of Beef Jerkey, and that was such a great snack for the entire trip. We took Crystal light packets and just filled our water bottles. Another trick we did was to take instant oatmeal packs, and heated water with the in-room coffee maker for a quick breakfast snack to hold us until our lunch reservations would come around in the parks. My Mom really enjoys "saving a buck" wherever possible... we agree! We made it just in time for the start of the Flights of Wonder show. Things like that were great because it would give Mom & Dad a chance to sit and rest while enjoying the entertainment. We then headed over to the Maharajah Jungle Trek. This was a first for us too. We missed it in Sept. and this is a great way to see some exotic animals, including those huge Bats!
Now we had a decision to make... Everest or No Everest????!!! We had debated on whether Mom & Dad should even attempt Expedition Everest. As we approached it, we offered them a shot at it. And they said... "What is it? A Roller Coaster?" and we said... YES! And they said "We've been on Rollercoasters before... Let's ride it!". So we jumped in the line with only a 20 min. standby time. We were feeling a little unsure about it as we noticed everyone in line looked pretty young! But Mom and Dad did great and Loved it! I saw the picture that they take on the ride, and it was a moment I wanted to keep, so i went ahead and bought the picture of us all on the ride... Tammy and I looked terrified, and Mom & Dad were cool as cucumbers!
We headed over to Dinosaur, but there was a 30 min. wait, so we decided to head over to the Tusker House for our 1:05 ADR.
We had the Nemo The Musical seating package, so after lunch we headed for Finding Nemo The Musical, but on the way ducked into It's Tough to be a Bug and were able to enjoy that show, and still make it to the special seating area for the Nemo package on time. It was great, we went in to the special entry area, and were seated right in front near the stage! I highly recommend the Finding Nemo Lunch seating package at Tusker House. After the show, we headed over to Dinosaur and the line had dropped to 10 min. standby, but actually we just walked right on!
My poor Dad hurt his shoulder a little from all of the jerking motion on this rough ride! We were worried about Everest, but it was Dinosaur that got him. He was OK, but a little sore, so we decided not to push it any more, and just grabbed some Mickey Ice Cream Bars and sat on a bench for rest and a treat.
When we got back to the French Quarter, my Dad wanted to go into the Hot Tub for his shoulder, so I went down with him and read one of my Disney Planning books while he soaked. He really enjoyed it. We all just rested up for the rest of the evening, and made plans for tomorrow... The Magic Kingdom.
2009 - Port Orleans Riverside (Alligator Bayou)
2010 - Port Orleans French Quarter
Posted 11 May 2010 - 11:22 AM
We headed across the street to The Hall of Presidents which was a big hit with Mom & Dad! Mom asked me if those were all actors?! I told her "No Mom, they are Robots" and she said "Aw, come on" and I said "Yup! No Actors, all Robots called Audio Animatronics!". She said "Ask Your Dad" and I asked him.... "Dad were those Actors or Robots?".... His answer...."Actors!" They really liked it.
From there, we went over to Splash Mountain packing Fast Passes. At the big Grand Finale drop, Mom got SOAKED! She was a good sport about it and agreed to hop on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to dry off!
Now came one of the big surprises of the trip. We were heading over to Pirates of the Carribean, and I said, I know a little shortcut, so we passed by the Country Bear Jamboree, and it was just going to start, so I asked "do you guys want to see this one as long as we're here?" and they said "sure!". THEY LOVED IT! Both of my parents said that this was the BEST attraction they had seen yet! Who'd-a-thunk-it? Country Bear Jamboree? I'm so glad we took time to see it! I hadn't seen it since 1994, and it really was a fun time, an old classic. We then headed over to the Enchanted Tiki Room. This is a sad one, people were getting up and walking out halfway through the show. The new version just doesn't have the enchanting classic quality of the original show. At least we were able to sit and rest a bit. Next we got on Pirates of the Carribean and I told my parents that they updated it a bit and added JOHNNY DEPP! Mom said... "Who's Johnny Depp?" She looked at my Dad and he just shrugged his shoulders! We sat in the covered bench area of POC and had a snack break. We were heading out of Adventureland and the parade was going on, so we sat on an open bench and watched the parade go by. Mom & Dad really enjoyed that parade!
That part of the park is so beautiful with the water and off in the distance in each direction, just a beautiful view. We hardly wanted to get up and leave after the parade, but we still had some fun ahead of us at Tomorrowland.
We strolled over to tomorrowland and headed right for the Carousel of Progress. We will never miss this one as long as it's around, Tammy and I just never get tired of it. Mom & Dad really liked it too. We then rode the Tomorrowland Transit Authority which is always a smooth and relaxing break from the crowds. We made sure to take Mom and Dad on It's a Small World.
As we were heading out to return to our resort, we passed the Columbia Harbour House and I suggested that we might just have dinner there, and it passed unanimously! Mom wasn't very hungry and just ordered a bowl of Clam Chowder which she really enjoyed. Dad wanted the Fried Shrimp basket while we enjoyed the "Anchors Aweigh" (Tuna) Sandwiches. It wasn't crowded and the break was welcomed by all 4 of us.
When we came out, we were right by the Haunted Mansion with a 5 min. standby wait time, so we could not resist the ol' classic. And we were all glad we didn't.
We had such a great day at The Magic Kingdom. We rode everything that we planned and the wait times weren't bad at all. A nice lunch and dinner. Just a great day! We headed back to the Port Orleans French Quarter, and Mom and Dad rested while Tammy and I washed clothes.
Our Mousekeeping was great. Towell Animals everyday when we returned, and they did a great job of cleaning and leaving plenty of everything we asked for!
We ordered some Begniets from the food court and used our refillable mugs to just sit at an outside table and enjoy being at our favorite vacation place.
It felt so good knowing that Mom and Dad were enjoying themselves and had seen so much! Our planning was really paying off, and it was so nice knowing that such great memories were being created on this trip!
It was a little sad knowing that we had only 1 full day left, and then our departure day, but we looked forward to tomorrow. The Disney Hollywood Studios, and a return trip to Epcot!
2009 - Port Orleans Riverside (Alligator Bayou)
2010 - Port Orleans French Quarter
Posted 11 May 2010 - 11:26 AM
It was our last full day. We had a full day planned, but Tammy and I agreed that the slightest signs of fatigue, and we'd cut it short for Mom & Dad's sake. Today the plan was to take the bus to Disney's Hollywood Studios and then take the Water Taxi over to Epcot so that they could enjoy the sights on the way, and enter at the International Gateway. When my Dad and I stepped outside of our room, we saw an unforgettable show! There was a big black snake in the bushes. He looked like he was posing for us before moving away.
We caught the bus for DHS and went straight for The Great Movie Ride. A gentle ride through classic movie scenes was a perfect start to the day. We took them to see Walt Disney: One Man's Dream.
This way we could tour at our own pace until it was time to head over to the Sci-Fi Dine-In for our lunch ADR.
We had a fun lunch at Sci-Fi, The sandwiches were huge and Mom & Dad could have easily shared one! The corny sci-fi trailers had me chuckling all the way through. Mom & Dad seemed fascinated by the whole thing... being outside - at night - in a car - at a DRIVE IN!
We toured around the Streets of America sets, and then went back in to One Man's Dream to watch the Movie of Walt Disney's life. On the way out, we stopped at the gift shop and found a great toy to take back to our 6 month old Grand Daughter!
Now was a great time to take a snack/water break and then head over to the Water Taxi and cruise to Epcot one last time. (Mom's favorite park). This turned out to be a great idea. Mom and Dad really enjoyed the scenic cruise between parks, and I could tell them about the resorts that we passed by.
The International Gateway is such a beautiful place to enter the World Showcase of Epcot. When we got to the France pavilion the acrobatic chef was performing his daring routine and we enjoyed watching his performance.
We made our way over to The American Pavilion and it was just in time for a performance of The American Adventure. Then it was on to Norway and we set sail on Maelstrom. As we strolled around The World Showcase we saw the Japanese Drummers, and the Chinese Acrobats. We then took them to The Mexico Pavilion for a ride on The Three Caballeros boat ride. We then headed over to Future World and made it a point to see Honey I Shrunk The Audience, we had never seen it ourselves, and also heard that it may be replaced by the return of Captain E-O, so we really wanted to check it out, and it would be a great place for Mom & Dad to rest their feet. A quick left turn and we were walking on Journey Into Your Imagination. We wanted to try the Living with the Land boat ride since it was down on our first visit. We were getting hungry, so we decided to eat dinner at Sunshine Seasons everyone wanted Rotessirie chicken. It was great since the boat ride was right next door with a 5 min. wait.
We were pretty much done for the day, but hit one more attraction on the way out, The Seas with Nemo & Friends.
We had a full day and were ready to head back to the resort to pack and be ready for our departure day.
On the way out we stopped at the photo place to pick a package of photos fromour photo pass card.
We hopped on the bus and headed back. We felt very good about the fun time Mom and Dad had enjoyed during our days at Epcot. We got back to find our newest towel animal, this time it was a penguin. We spent the evening packing everything up and getting ready to head for home tomorrow. The Port Orleans French Quarter had become like home, and we always felt welcomed upon our return to our room.
We didn't have to be back to the Magical Express pickup area until mid-day tomorrow, so we planned one more visit to The Animal Kingdom (Dad's fave) in the morning.
2009 - Port Orleans Riverside (Alligator Bayou)
2010 - Port Orleans French Quarter
Posted 11 May 2010 - 11:29 AM
We then headed to Disney's Animal Kingdom for a leisurley exploration of the trails around The Oasis, and Tree of Life.
We wanted to have lunch at one of our favorites - The Flame Tree BBQ. It was about 15 minutes before it opened, and while we waited, The Village Beatniks were performing, we grabbed a bench and enjoyed a great show!
A few minutes after they finished their set, the Flame Tree opened up and we were in line ordering slabs of ribs. We found our favorite little spot by the water with a great view of Expedition Everest in the distance.
As usual, a few of our little friends came by to see us before we left.
We noticed the signs about not feeding the birds, and obeyed them... but a crumb or two MIGHT have fallen from my plate when I threw it away after finishing!
After lunch with just a matter of hours until we would be flying back, we took a nice stroll around the Tree of Life and enjoyed exploring the trails.
Kangaroos and other animals were spotted and Mom & Dad were fascinated with the up close details of the Tree of Life. I really enjoyed telling them about how it was made and they listened intently, it was so much fun playing "Disney Tour Guide" to my small but receptive audience.
Before heading out, Tammy and I wanted to "scout out" Camp Minnie Mickey for a possible future trip with our Grand Daughter.
We hadn't ever explored that part of the park, so we wanted to check it out. It looks like a great place for little ones!
We headed for the park exit, and stopped to see the newly hatched baby Spoonbill chicks on the way out.
We accepted the fact that we HAD to leave and head for home. The trip turned out to be more than we expected. Mom and Dad had finally got to see Walt Disney World. They enjoyed good food, fun touring, great rides, a beautiful resort. all 4 parks, Downtown Disney and most of all, some wonderful memories that we can all share!
We had a nice return to the airport on the Magical Express Bus. The driver was so energetic and fun. He told us that he wasn't saying anything about a new park, but... Disney had bought Marvel comics and... ? We'll see. We had a nice flight home. And now to help with WDW withdrawl symdrome... Tammy and I can plan for 2011 and maybe Pop Century!
2009 - Port Orleans Riverside (Alligator Bayou)
2010 - Port Orleans French Quarter
Posted 11 May 2010 - 12:06 PM
Posted 11 May 2010 - 03:18 PM
Posted 11 May 2010 - 03:57 PM
QuickGold, on May 11 2010, 02:18 PM, said:
SORRY MATT! ....But did you happen to notice my YELLOW BAG? I don't think it showed up in any of the pics, but it's WDW TODAY! LOL!
2009 - Port Orleans Riverside (Alligator Bayou)
2010 - Port Orleans French Quarter
Posted 11 May 2010 - 06:17 PM
Posted 11 May 2010 - 08:17 PM
The Boxing Guru, on May 11 2010, 04:57 PM, said:
No worries, just busting your chops I saw your shirt but didn't notice the bag so nice job representing!
Posted 12 May 2010 - 08:19 AM
QuickGold, on May 11 2010, 07:17 PM, said:
2009 - Port Orleans Riverside (Alligator Bayou)
2010 - Port Orleans French Quarter


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Phillips to live dream in World Baseball Classic
Batboy at 1996 Olympic Games excited to suit up for United States
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Back in 1996, when he was still a kid living in Georgia, Brandon Phillips lived one of the more unique baseball experiences by serving as a batboy during the Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Phillips worked for both the American and Japanese clubs.
"It was amazing and priceless," Phillips said. "They picked some of the best guys in that area. They picked 12 players from Atlanta. I was one of the 12 -- me and my best friend."
Included on the '96 Team USA squad were future Major Leaguers R.A. Dickey, Troy Glaus, Jacque Jones, Mark Kotsay and Kris Benson.
|Bracket | Full scoreboard
The experience was a motivating factor behind Phillips' decision to play when invited by the United States club participating in the World Baseball Classic
"It was amazing," Phillips said. "I said 'I'd like to do this one day.' Look at me now -- I get to do the same thing by playing on the WBC team. It was a dream come true when [Team USA manager] Joe Torre called and asked me to do it. I'm really looking forward to it."
National pride wasn't everything, though. The invitation became sweeter because the 31-year-old Phillips is coming off of a year in which he received two significant personal snubs. He was left off of the National League All-Star team and was not voted as the NL Gold Glove Award winner at second base.
The Cubs' Darwin Barney, who had a 141-game errorless streak last season, beat out Phillips for the Gold Glove. There was a belief that some managers and coaches who voted have long been rubbed the wrong way by Phillips' flashy style and brashness on the field. That doesn't surprise manager Dusty Baker at all.
"I'm sure he does," Baker said. "But it shouldn't have anything to with like or dislike or personality when it comes to who is best at that position. It's kind of a natural thing -- people vote for who they like. I've talked to him about it and Joe Morgan has talked to him about it. After a while, you quit talking about it. You realize that it's him, but ask him to tone it down some."
Phillips, who is a two-time All-Star, a three-time Gold Glove winner and the owner of a 2011 Silver Slugger Award, has never played with a toned down mentality and likely never will. He maintains he holds no grudges about being passed over.
"They picked who they picked," Phillips said. "Do I feel I should have gotten both of those things? Of course. I feel like I'm one of the best second basemen in the game. I'm at least in the top three. I can't make people vote for me on the All-Star team. I can't make myself win the Gold Glove, even though I should have. When I didn't win, I was surprised. I wasn't mad at all, but surprised. I thought I got 'punk'd.'"
Defensively in 2012, Phillips had five errors and a .992 fielding percentage. Offensively, while batting first, third and fourth in the lineup, he batted .281 with 18 home runs and 77 RBIs in 147 games.
With the acquisition of Shin-Soo Choo, it's expected that Phillips will consistently bat second in 2013.
"If we started right now," Baker said. "That's way down the line. I've thought about different lineups."
Not getting recognized isn't motivating Phillips to do more on the field to prove anything to his naysayers.
"I don't have a chip on my shoulder," said Phillips, who signed a six-year, $72.5 million contract extension last April. "As long as I have one Silver Slugger and one Gold Glove. My goal was to win every award at least one time. I've got at least one All-Star Game, Silver Slugger and Gold Glove. Now I'm playing in the WBC."
Any other hardware needed for the resume?
"I need a World Series ring. MVP would be nice," Phillips said. "I can make that happen if I stay consistent. That could be on there too."
Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Mark My Word, and follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Time for everyone to put their buyer's remorse aside. Whether Gay is having is worst year or he duplicates Derozan...these are crazy times. Remember that Mark Wahlberg movie where he was a huge fan of a band and then he became their lead singer? This is it. For more than a year, a very common thought from many on this forum was "Memphis probably can't afford Rudy Gay and we need a SF like Rudy Gay. Get it done". It made sense to everybody except the actual people who were in charge. Now it's done.
Time to start the "let's get Kevin Durant" thread


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Squrf wrote:
I think I will pick up Taric for the next time we play. Having a hard CC option for Ezreal to get an easy Q hit on will be nice. I really trend toward more active/offensive supports though, like Blitz/Nid/Lux. I'm tempted to try Nautilus support too.
I think you'd like Taric. You can be very aggressive with him - his kit is very bursty and his ult is borderline OP.


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Tuesday, November 13, 2012 - Filip and Martin - Screen Test RAW - FULL CONTACT
Latest Sets at WilliamHiggins.com
It's always good to see Martin Bogdan back in the studio. We brought him in to work with the lovely Filip Cervenka, who was in for a screentest. Filip had previously just done a soft duo with another guy. Sitting on the bed the guys look very good together, but Martin wastes no time in getting things going. He moves over to Filip and begins kissing him. Filip responds well their lips coming together as Martin starts to feel himself in his underwear. Martin quickly moves on to groping Filip who follows his lead. Then Filip's underwear comes off so that Martin can suck on his cock. He has always been very good at sucking and soon has Filip rock hard. His own cock is hard too, as always happens when he gets together with a hot guy. Martin's head bobs up and down on that cock as he savors the taste and feel of it. Filip then returns the favor and begins to suck on Martin's dick, which is big, thick and very hard indeed. Filip's lips close around the cock head and he starts to suck, wanking it as well, and then licking up and down the staft. Then it is hands-free as that big cock stands up so well with Filip's mouth sliding up and down on the shaft. Filip is really having a great time on that cock and then goes the extra step. Martin lifts his legs and exposes his ass, which Filip rims, his tongue licking at the hole. Then a finger pushes into the hole as well. He has a feast in front of him and sucks the cock, nibbles the balls and rims the hole in turn. Then a bit more fingering and he is ready to go further. Up on his knees Filip presents his hard cock to Martin's ass and pushes in. The cock slips past the sphincter and moves deep into the hole. He fucks Martin with nice long strokes, slowly at first. Martin's cock stays fully hard and he wanks it as he feels Filip's dick deep inside him. Then Filip's fucking speeds up and he really pumps his cock into Martin as hard as he can. Martin really loves how that cock feels in his ass and wanks himself hard as he takes it. Changing position the guys continue to fuck, with Filip grabbing Martin's hips to give him more traction as he fucks. Martin continues to wank himself as his hole gets pounded. Filip is really working himself up to a frenzy with his cock throbbing deep in Martin's ass. He is ready to cum and moves to Martin's head to deliver it. Martin wants the cum in his mouth and holds it in place to catch the juice as Filip blows. He then closes his mouth over Filip's dick to drain the last of the cum from him before getting ready to do the same for his partner. He quickly shoots his cum over Filip's face, wiping his cock over it before Filip takes it in his mouth to finish it off. Then the guys kneel to face each other and finish off by kissing each other again. Martin, as ever, shows us what great lover he is and Filip responded beautifully throughout, giving Martin exactly what he wanted.
Jakub Frydl is a very cute guy. We invited him in for a massage and he readily agreed. He comes into the room in just his undies, which he removes and then does a complete turn for us, so that we get to see both and front and back before he climbs onto the massage table. The masseur arrives and gets straight to work. Taking some oil he begins to work on Jakub's back, his hand gliding effortlessly over him. Up and down the hands go, massaging Jakub's back and shoulders. Then he does the arms and moves down to Jakub's legs. Each leg is oiled and massaged and so are the feet. Then it is back up, to the arse this time and that beautiful butt gets some attention. Jakub moves up onto his knees, and his ass spreads very nicely so that we can see his hole. His balls hang down and the masseur takes hold of the cock and wanks on it a little before picking up a vibrator. He lubes Jakub's ass crack and runs the vibtrator up and down it before sliding it into that tight hole. He works it in and out, going nice and deep. Jakub takes it very well indeed and, soon, the masseur takes a thicker one. As the first vibrator is pulled out of Jakub's ass it is quickly replaced by the new one. That slides in too, stretching his tight hole. Then they are used in turn going in and out of that hole. The black one goes in all the way and the orange one is used to tease the head of Jakub's cock. Then he turns over and lays down on the table. Jakub's cock is then wanked, and soon becomes nice and hard, shooting a big, creamy load over him. The masseur uses Jakub's cock to smear the cum in a bit and then leaves him to relax and the end of a very nice massage. Jakub has, since, progressed to full guy-guy to very good effect too.
Radim Valovy is a miner from Novy Jicin. He is 26 years old and enjoys girls and drinking and in his spare time likes ice-hockey and football. Radim is a very good looking guy who, after his interview, stands up and starts his show. He runs a hand under his tee shirt, all over his body. With his jeans open he also feels inside, playing with his cock. Lifting the tee shirt over his head Radim's chest is fully exposed as he feels it. Then he turns around and shucks the jeans down to show off his ass. Pushing them down even more he then kneels on the sofa and bends over, showing that ass more, with his hard cock trapped between his legs. His hands rub over that sexy ass and then, opening his legs a little he starts to wank on his cock. His ass is feeling good and Radim slips a finger inside the tight little hole. Then he takes a vibrator and sucks it suggestively before sliding it into his ass. He really works it in and out of his hole, pushing it in as deep as it will go. But Radim needs something more in there, so he takes a much larger, thicker dildo. After sucking on it as well he presents it to his ass. He pushes it up against the hole, moaning as he feels it. That big thick pole doesn't go in properly so Radim turns over and lifts his legs in the air and induces it into his hole. The thickness really stretches the hole to its limit as it slides inside. Turning onto his side Radim pushes the dildo in even deeper, loving every minute of it. He then needs to shoot his load so he turns onto his back and wanks his big cock until his juice spurts over his body. He milks that cock dry before going off to the shower to clean up.
Filip Cervenka is aged 19 and lives in Ostrava. He works as an electrician and enjoys sports, particularly football. Filip is a very cute guy with a fit looking body. He is has a lovely personality too, as we have found whilst doing several shoots with him. This is his solo shoot, done shortly after his casting session. He looks very good as he poses for the camera, stripping off his clothes. Firstly we see his fit looking body and then he turns around to show a very sexy ass. He bends over to spread his ass to make sure we can see his tight little hole before turning around and pushing the shorts down enough to let us see his flaccid cock. Some more posing ensues, this time he also gets his cock nice and hard for us. He looks great as he stands that with his cock fully at attention. Filip certainly knows how to show himself off very well and does it to perfection in this shoot. I will look forward to his erotic video.


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Perry Ellis International Inc. (PERY) President and COO, 10% Owner Oscar Feldenkreis buys 4,350 Shares
Posted by: insider (IP Logged)
Date: November 22, 2011 06:00PM
President and COO, 10% Owner of Perry Ellis International Inc. (PERY) Oscar Feldenkreis buys 4,350 shares of PERY on 11/21/2011 at an average price of $12.75 a share.
Perry Ellis International Inc. has a market cap of $207.3 million; its shares were traded at around $12.67 with a P/E ratio of 5.6 and P/S ratio of 0.3.
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A rare occasion occurred on Nov. 9, 2012: A young man completed the drug courts long process of changing his motivation of being addicted to drugs, the first one to complete this course , in many years. The drug courts record is dismal, to say the least.
This court is run by a committee that meets in a back room with closed doors. What is the goal of this court? One would think the end results would be when a treated juvenile reaches a point of motivation to leave their addiction behind regardless of the time involved. This appears not to be the case; pushing them until they fail seems to be the norm.
A young lady now enrolled reached that point when she became aware she was going to have a baby, but instead has been ordered to attend a Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center in the Denver area. Based on her drinking two Coors Non-Alcohol Beers over a three-day period, the committee charged her with being highly intoxicated according to their interpretation. Six adults are ready to testify that this never happened, since they observed her before, during and after the tests were taken.
When her parent complained, they would not listen. When first ordered to go, it was because of alcohol, then later reported that she was not sent because of alcohol, then again later it was reported that because she is 19 and has a baby, she needs this training. What is their agenda? Funding? Jobs?
A question was asked in court, how wasshe was to get there; the judge remarked she had several options, such as, take a bu, or a limousine, dodging the questions of who was to pay since she has no money, no car, and a seven-month old baby.
Will this committee put her in jail for not obeying a court order when she is unable? What is the responsibility of this committee? Should they see transportation is provided to and from for the safety of this young girl and her baby?
Gene Clark
Via email


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David West - Toronto Raptors
Inking West could be tempting for the Raptors. This offseason has the makings of a Toronto makeover with some money to burn, a new head coach in Dwane Casey and a desperate need for a franchise player (sorry, it's not Andrea Bargnani).
But West isn't a franchise player. Is his knee OK? Can he thrive without Chris Paul in the pick-and-roll? Can he help anchor defensive-guru Casey's frontcourt? Too many question marks surround West, making it unwise to amnesty Leandro Barbosa to free up the necessary cap room.


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Radaronline reports that Robert was clipped by a cab today trying to avoid fans:
Read the rest of this sad story here.
RadarOnline.com witnessed the Twilight star get clipped by a cab around noon in front of the Strand Bookstore on Broadway and 12th Street.
He was not hurt.
The 23-year-old London-born actor had been inside most of the morning filming scenes for his new movie Remember Me.
A team of five security guards were trying to fend off a crowd of teenaged girls when Robert was leaving the bookstore.
It was pouring rain as they tried to hustle him quickly across the busy street to the safety of his trailer.
Some of the teen girls were hysterical and Robert rushed across the road. As he did so, a taxi grazed him. The cabbie slammed on his brakes as soon as he realized what had happened.
It appeared as if the cab hit Rob in the hip. He stood there for a moment looking stunned. The bodyguard next to him checked if he was okay and then screamed and the fans: "You see what you did, you almost killed him!"
Ok. This story -- if true -- is really disturbing. Please respect Robert's space.


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Seven-time world champion and Chess Grandmaster Anatoly Karpov checks in at INTERPOL headquarters
LYON, France – Chess Grandmaster and seven-time former World Champion Anatoly Karpov met with staff at the INTERPOL General Secretariat headquarters during his visit to Lyon as a delegate at the Technology Against Crime Forum.
Comparing chess to policing, the Russian Grandmaster said; "to beat your opponent you need to create a plan, study the game of your opponent, the way to predict his play and then create a strategy."
A member of the State Duma where he has served as Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy and Entrepreneurship, Mr Karpov met with INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble to discuss a number of issues including how to improve collaboration in combating trafficking in illicit goods, counterfeiting and intellectual property crime.
"Mr Karpov's visit provided staff at the INTERPOL Headquarters with a unique insight into the extraordinary achievements of one of the world's most famous sportsmen," said Mr Noble.
"As the Grandmaster said, there are many similarities between chess and policing, and as the world's largest police organization we will continue to work to be one step ahead of the criminals," added the INTERPOL Chief.


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Orioles vs. Blue Jays 6/4/11-6/5/11 (J.P. Arencibia bat!)
So as I talked about on the blog for Friday's game, I was hoping that on Saturday I would be able to meet up with J.P. Arencibia to return his first career grand slam ball to him, and *hopefully* get something in return.
Well, here goes.
I tweeted at Arencibia when I got home from the game, and got an e-mail the following morning:
Followed by a direct message:
So there it was.
At batting practice that day, I snagged one ground rule double during Orioles BP, and as soon as the Jays started hitting, I jolted over to the Jays dugout.
Arencibia was in the first group, so as I waited for him to finish, Zevi (welcome home from Israel!) took this photo of me with the ball:
When we saw J.P. finish hitting and walking to the dugout, I shouted to him that I had the ball. Right then, the usher let me down into the area by the dugout, I handed the ball of to J.P.:
And as he took it and I said congrats, he said "hold on, I want to go get you a bat." Um, okay!
So he went off:
And came back with a gorgeous new bat. Black, shiny, and brand spankin' new. I had a silver sharpie on me (thank you Tim for randomly having bought them that day and lending it to me!), so he signed it beautifully by the engraved name:
And I got a picture with him (at an awkward angle sorta):
I thanked him a ton and congratulated him again, Then he went off to do catcher stuff.
I got a few more pics with the bat:
And one of Zevi with it, thanking him for taking all the photos while this happened:
Then, with all the ushers eyeing me, I had to go to fan assistance to turn the bat in. They make you do that, then pick it up at the end of the game. The whole "it could be used as a weapon" thing.
Since it was Zevi's first game back, and we both had gotten a baseball (and hell, a bat!), we decided to go chill down the 3B line and talk to Tom the security guy and just hang out.
So… I randomly got my picture taken with Luis Perez:
And Frank Francisco (laughing. He was being hilarious right before the picture, making some funny poses):
Plus, it was getting pretty crowded in LF anyways:
When Arencibia came out to warm up, I thanked and congratulated him again:
And then chilled in left field during the game. I just remember wanting the game to end so I could go get my bat asap.
And I did.
Here it is:
When I got back to my apartment and took those photos, I couldn't help but sit there and hold it for a while. It is a glorious object.
Then Sunday came. I went to the game late. I knew it was Little League Day so there'd be no BP and I'd probably get shut out since the last two days, no Jays players threw pre-game.
But whaddya know. Corey Patterson (high socks-less) and Rajai Davis were throwing:
And I got Rajai to toss me the ball afterward.
Chilled on club level with Zevi, Segev (and his brother), Matt, Matt G (and friends). In the shade. It was nice. And not in foul ball area, mainly because both lineups were all righties and we were on the 3B side, but we didn't care. Was a relaxing day.
And I dropped my spoon eating ice cream, so instead, ate it with a soft pretzel:
That was the excitement of the day.
That, and the nuns Tim and I spotted pre-game:
Along with this guy in an Orioles Laird shirt (LOL):
Oh, and Tim sat out in CF (LF was packed) and got screwed by both Adam Lind HRs that were right near him but in clumps of people that he couldn't get into. Almost got shut out, but I was happy to hear he did get an ump ball after the game.
Mazel tov.
Oh, and the Orioles lost. So they only got Saturday's win in the series. Woo. We won't talk about the Mark Reynolds grand slam I should have had on Saturday. Now THAT would have been a news story.