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Discussion in 'General Trek Discussion' started by LeadHead, Mar 13, 2009.
Infinite Regress?
Still haven't hit it.
Clue: If your lucky and observant in this episode something appears that will appear again in Star Trek Enterprise.
'The Fight'?
And we close out the thread with this right answer. The ship they find in the Chaotic Space will later be used as the DRONE Ship in Enterprise's Fourth Season.
So should I post a new one, or let LeadHead tally and start a new thread, and then post?
I'm about to create a new thread, just hang on a minute.
The New Thread has been set, here's the link!
Oh yes, and here are the final scores for this thread.
Praetor: 8
LeadHead: 39
KaiClark: 11
Tuln: 7
mr.peany: 1
Galactic Squirral: 1
brian: 7
orac: 12
Xeris: 3
Saratoga NX-3842: 2
Saito S: 4
KirkPicard: 1
Phlox's Tongue: 2
NickInABox: 1
Our Top 5 : (6 this round)
LeadHead: (Also the winner of the "Got waaaay too much time on his hands" Award)
orac: ( Is that Klingon for 2nd place? )
KaiClark: (Teaching us about the prophets, one screencap at a time)
Praetor: ( Can I borrow one of your Warbirds? Turns out the Klingon Bird Of Prey isn't the chick magnet I was hoping it to be. )
Since Tuln and brian both had the same score, they both are in the top 5, or 6.… whatever
Tuln: (I'm sorry but after looking your name up in my joke books, I still can't find any Tuln jokes!)
brian: (Love the Spock picture in your avatar)
Congratulations to all our players! See you in the New Thread!
Separate names with a comma.


text: looking to relocate the battery on my 1991 R100 (hide it in the tail section)...most folks seem to be using the Shorai units...anyone try the Ballistic batteries? Other than the outta this world cost, any downsides to running lithium batteries anyone is aware of??(...could only find a few relevant threads...) thanks!

subset: commoncrawl


text: Five years ago today, "Silence in the Library" aired, and in honor of that occasion, the BBC has declared today River Song Day. (Really? Five years? Where does the time go...?) River Song Day does not come without backlash, however, and the Guardian looks at why she's a divisive character. It wasn't until a few months ago that I discovered that there are corners of Who fandom where River Song is utterly despised. I knew people thought she was smug in "Silence"/"Forest," but that's just who she was and, to be fair, the Doctor was stupidly thick in that episode. Why he couldn't fathom that there would be people who knew him in the future whom he hadn't yet met I don't know. I'd have thought it would have happened to him at least a couple of thousand times before "Silence"... I admit, I don't find the character particularly deep as she's written because she doesn't exist independently of the other characters in Doctor Who (which, ironically, is why I would like to see the River Song/Captain Jack spin-off that both Alex Kingston and John Barrowman have said they would do, because it would divorce River Song of her narrative attachment to the Doctor), but I enjoy Alex Kingston's performance. True, I probably read some of her other roles into River to fill in the character's gaps, so where I see a bit of shallowness or fuzziness in the character, another Kingston role reads in its place. (The Warrior Queen, where she plays Boudicaa, is particularly good for this.) It's probably too late to do anything about the character now -- "The Name of the Doctor" reads like the final River Song appearance, though there are some disturbing implications to her appearance in that episode that should really be addressed -- but the thing that I think would really help the character in the future? Have someone other than Steven Moffat write her, in a non-timey-wimey, routine adventure. Maybe a companion-lite episode, where Clara (or her successor) has gone to study graphology, and the Doctor and River run into each other not by choice but by chance. She didn't try to draw his attention, he's just there. It could be a bit "Captain's Holiday," come to think of it. (Oh, damn, I didn't realize until now that River Song equals Vash.) Let the audience see River in a "normal" setting so they can see how she functions when she's not a walking plot point, and I think the response to the character would be different. However, like I said, it's probably far too late for that. Spoilers!


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Back in 1991, my baby sister (18 months younger than I am) got married. For whatever reason, my mom hired a "professional" videographer (a fixture nowhere near as common back then as they are today). I was in college, mainly deejaying in techno clubs, and I had a mild interest in video since many of the night clubs were into psychedelic clips such as The Mind's Eye. I always loved graphics, and the mixture of graphics and video intrigued me.
Anyway, the "pro" at my sister's wedding (whom I never encountered again) did the shoot, but when we got the edited footage, we saw that he hadn't included any of the main parts of the reception (such as their first dance, etc.) … he literally left his camera by the food table and that was about it. I remember seeing this video and thinking, "I could blow this away, and I don't know a thing about video."
From that day forward my journey started to move toward video. And it wasn't just the sense that I could do it better. That video, deficient as it was, made me realize that even bad video provided a way to look into the past by seeing smiling faces and hearing the voices of times long gone. Sometime around then I was introduced to my very first Video Toaster editing system from NewTek. I fell in love the second I realized that you didn't need a Cray computer the size of a house to create really cool stuff. Over the years I've become great friends with many of the NewTek players. And while my NewTek system moved from an Amiga to a PC, the concept remains still the same.
Fast-forward to the morning of Oct. 4, 1993. At exactly 5:45 a.m. that Monday morning, I received a call that would forever change the course of my life. That morning my mother called to tell me that my brother-in-law, Casey Joyce, had been killed in Mogadishu, Somalia. Immediately after their wedding in Dallas, my sister and her husband had headed to Ft. Benning, Ga., so Casey could become an elite Army Ranger. If any of this sounds familiar, it's because in 2001, Ridley Scott and Jerry Bruckheimer made a movie about the Battle of the Black Sea called Black Hawk Down. Casey was one of the 18 American soldiers killed that day. When his death left my sister a 22-year-old widow, it radically changed my perspective on pretty much everything I thought I knew about life. That was 15 years ago this month, and I can still feel the effects to this very day.
So as a tribute to Casey, I thought I'd show you how to create a memorial type of graphic using a slick Photoshop Frame Border Action from the good folks at ActionFX.com called ActionFx_Framing-SamplePack-001 (found in the "free stuff" area of their website). This action, with just one click, will create a very nice frame around a photo.
Step 1: Select a Photo and Load the ActionFirst, go ahead and download the Zip file of the Action and put it in a place you can find on your computer. Within Photoshop, navigate to the top File menu and choose Open, then select your photograph. I've picked an image with Casey (Figure 1, left) and Matt Eversmann (Figure 1, right). Matt Eversmann is actually the tall guy whom Josh Hartnett portrayed in Black Hawk Down.
With the image open you'll want to load the Photoshop Action "into" Photoshop. To do this, simply open your Actions Palette open (Window > Actions) and click in the upper right corner to reveal the drop-down list. Choose Load Actions, then select the file you downloaded from ActionFX.com. Once loaded, you'll have your choice of five different framed borders. Try them all and see what you think. (Note: If you are a paid subscriber to ActionFX, it has lots more to choose from—definitely one of the best deals around for awesome Photoshop material!)
Step 2: Select a Frameborder ActionTo use the ActionsFX frame border selections, just make sure your photo is open, then select the frame border action you like and click the Play arrow button at the bottom of the Actions Palette to let it work its magic. I opted for the first choice, which creates a nice wooden frame with a bit of a glossy sheen to it (Figure 2).
Some of the other free options create some very realistic metal textures as well. The best part is that the Action creates many different layers so you can make adjustments or changes as needed.
Step 3: Expand the Canvas and Complete the LookSo there you have it: a very slick border that you can use with any photograph, and it's all created right before your eyes. To finish out the design, I've gone ahead and dropped the frame into a larger canvas and added text and photos to complete the look with very minimal effort (Figure 3).
Fifteen years later, both graphics and video have become a way of life for me, and I'm grateful for Casey's and the other soldiers' sacrifices they made for our country. I've learned a lot about many things, but there is no doubt that without video, I'd never quite be able to remember the sound of his voice or clearly see his mannerisms. So with that bittersweet memory that I still carry with me, I have to give a shout-out to Casey and the boys: Rangers Lead the Way!
Lance Gray (lance at pixelpops.com) is the chief creative pixelmonkey at PixelPops Design, LLC. For questions, thoughts, or ideas simply email him.


text: Is the Nadal-Djokovic rivalry greater than the Sampras-Agassi rivalry? Currently, Nadal leads Djokovic 19-14 in the h2h, and Sampras leads Agassi 20-14 in the h2h (Nadal is only one win away from tying the Sampras-Agassi h2h). Stats- Nadal-Djokovic Nadal leads 12-2 on clay (4-0 in clay slams) Nadal leads 2-1 on grass (1-1 in grass slams) Djokovic leads 11-5 on hard-courts (leads 2-1 in hard-court slams) Nadal leads 19-14 overall, 6-3 in slams Sampras-Agassi Agassi leads 3-2 on clay (1-0 in clay slams) Sampras leads 2-0 on grass (2-0 in grass slams) Sampras leads 5-2 on carpet Sampras leads 11-9 on hard-court (4-2 in hard-court slams) Sampras leads 20-14 overall, 6-3 in slams Is the Nadal-Djokovic rivalry a lot like the Sampras-Agassi rivalry, and if so, is Nadal-Djokovic better?


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Biden: Gun laws offer no guarantees
Vice President Joe Biden conceded on Thursday that gun regulations aren't going to end every murder or eliminate the possibility of another mass shooting, but argued changes are needed to save lives.
"Nothing we're going to do is going to fundamentally alter or eliminate the possibility of another mass shooting or guarantee that we will bring gun deaths down to a thousand a year from what we're at now," Biden told reporters after meeting with Senate Democrats in the Capitol. "But there are things that we can do demonstrably can do that have virtually zero impact on your Second Amendment right to own a weapon for both self defense and recreation that can save some lives."
Story Continued Below
As a staffer tried unsuccessfully to cut Biden off repeatedly, the vice president argued to reporters that none of the proposals would infringe on constitutional rights.
"This is not a difficult equation, if I can prove that there is no Constitutional impact on your right to bear arms and the action I'm suggesting can in fact demonstrably show some people could be saved then this seems to be a no-brainer to me," Biden said.
Biden said he made the case to fellow Democrats that now is the time to act on guns.
"The point I was making was, you know, the visual image of those 20 innocent children being riddled with bullets has absolutely not only traumatized the nation, but it has caused, it's like the straw that broke the camel's backs," Biden said.
Biden said the change in opinion is so stark that there is now an expectation for Congress to act.
"I believe that the American people will not understand and I think everyone in there, I know everyone in that caucus agrees with me, will not understand if we don't act," Biden said.
Biden urged his fellow Democrats to pass all of the president's gun control proposals, including the assault weapons ban, which faces the highest odds of all the proposals.
"My message was to lay out for our colleagues what our game plan was, what we thought needed to be done," Biden said. "I made the case for not only assault weapons but for the entire set of recommendations the president laid out. Secondly, I asked that we sit down the interested parties and get some sense of how they wanted to proceed, the time frame they wanted to proceed."


text: Fati Kabuika is a comic book artist and painter. He is a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kinshasa, the city where he resides. He is studio chef and founder of BD Kin Label, and has published his comic 'Andolo' in the magazine released by this association. He has also contributed to collective projects like 'Conte Afrique' of the Algerian publisher Dalimen, and 'Congo 50' of the Belgian publisher Roularta Books. His graphic novel 'La Chiva Colombiana', about drug traffickers, was published by Les Enfants Rouges in 2011.


text:
So what's ahead at NYI Fan Central?
I will be taking a few days off here and there but between the pre-written blogs and the old updates from Islanders-Sound Tigers mailing list there will not be too many summer gaps in terms of updates here.
New York Islander Fan Central is a year-round blog. I work under the premise there is always something going on with this team on some level and of course I'm always looking to add things to the blog itself so you will see some changes as I find things that I think will improve this blog.
As for what's upcoming:
Prospect camp is next week, the Canadian Junior camp is coming up in late July with team USA camp in early August and about eight or more Islander prosects should be participating, no doubt there will be plenty of other things to write about.
In terms of the club's schedule which should be released by the end of this week I will change the schedule links and put back in the widget when it's released.
I will not be adding another message board for next season unless a lot of folks tell me they want one here which leaves it in my readers hands, if the response is as strong as the chat response it may become necessary.
I'm not sure how/if I can replace Mr Prospects updates without a board but if
possible or if he is interested maybe I can just find a way to give him limited access to posting in some manner otherwise I will have to come up with something so we have updates on our prospects statistics.
As I have written several times no one does this as well as he does.
Perhaps a link to each prospects team website under their primary profile, a lot of work but I can do that?
Of course folks are always welcome to contract me if you would like to add your blog or Islander-related website here. I have some basic criteria for adding a site nor will I do personal seperate blog entries to advertise anyone's work or talk about their content aside from crediting some folks efforts on rare occasion.
I do not comment on news articles unless it's from members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association or from the NHL itself for the same reasons no one should take my commentary here and treat it as professional insiders content because it's not.
Of course as always, comments, suggestions are always welcome as the e-mail is always open for you to contact New York Islander Fan Central.
My thanks to everyone.
4 comments:
I recommend more live blog/chat for the season.ReplyDelete
Hi MM,ReplyDelete
When the games start I intend to do more live blogging than I did a year ago now that it can be
I do not want to take advanage of the readers by having too many of these during the summer. I think for now we hit the two most important times.
I'm guessing the next best time to have one is before the season opener or at some point during training camp.
Of course I'm open to suggestions on this.
Thank You.
- bigislesfanWednesday, July 9, 2008 at 12:08:00 AM EDT
Great Blog, extremely insightful and well-writtenReplyDelete
Quick Question regarding RFA's:
I see in this post that you mention how Gervais might be expendable on the D side. I was wondering what your opinion is on the Isles trying sign an RFA to an offer sheet or trying to acquire the rights to a player?
Right now as I write this, there is some quality talent still available and after what happened today with Bernier, I don't see why the Isles should not take a chance. They just re-stocked the farm system and could give up a 2nd round pick in next years draft considering they still have Toronto's.
Dan Paille, the young winger on Buffalo, is still available as is Patrick O'Sullivan on LA. I'd love to make an offer to Colorado to negotiate with Svatos. Dynamic young winger who would fit perfectly with us rebuilding. So would Fippula on Detroit or Vermette on Ottawa.
I'm not even going to mention the D-men as I think we are pretty much set with that.
Would enjoy your opinion on this...
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
No profanity permitted under ANY circumstances. Please agree or disagree respectfully, however make any hockey point (hopefully somewhat related to the entry) you would like. No advertising, link exchanges, or promotion of this site or yours anywhere.
Non-profit/publicity site.
Thank You


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Jen Aniston and Oprah?
Sounds like a match made in ratings-heaven.
That's the idea behind a rumored talk show co-hosted by Aniston and Winfrey, according to London's Daily Express.
Apparently, the show was Aniston's idea. She got the notion after hanging out with pal Chelsea Handler, who has her own show on E!.
"Jen became fascinated with the format after spending time with Chelsea," a source at OWN, Oprah's production company, told the Express. "When she saw Oprah she mentioned that it would be fun to do a chat show and Oprah seized the moment and suggested they front one together for her network."
But before you break out your bon bons and set your Tivo for a weekly gab fest a rep for Aniston denies the report. The rep told Radaronline.com that rumors are "false" and the two have no "immediate plans in the works."
Then again, a rep for Aniston denied that she was breaking up with Brad Pitt until the very end, so you just never know.
While Aniston will be talking alongside Oprah, she won't command her fortunes. Aniston's salary is yet to be determined.


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Innovation can boost recycling rates — and a little blue bag is proving it.
A recycling service in the Twin Cities' west metro is pioneering a way to recycle food scraps into compost. Customers of Randy's Environmental Services put their leftovers in special blue bags and toss them in their trash. Randy's then picks up the trash and pulls out the bags at the processing plant. The trash is thrown away, and the bag and its contents are composted.
"You can recycle organics without buying extra trucks, carts, etc.," said Randy's spokesman Jim Wollschlager. "Any hauler could do this."
The blue-bag approach would be one way to jump-start Minnesota's recycling rate, which has been stalled at about 43 percent for more than 15 years. Because organic material is about 13 percent of what Americans throw away, recycling food scraps would be one way to increase overall recycling.
Experts say the blue-bag technique is one of seven strategies that would work. A glance:
Single-stream recycling, which allows customers to put all recyclables into a single bin, has spread across the metro area, including Shoreview, Woodbury, New Brighton and parts of Minneapolis.
Since New Brighton started single-stream in 2010, the volume of recycled material has increased by 12 percent, according to city administrator Dean Lotter.
The number of houses participating increases, too. Single-stream recycling can boost participation rates from 20 to 40 percent, according to Rich Hirstein, senior area municipal services manager for Allied Waste Services.
That's what happen in Fridley. When Allied started the single-stream service, the number of households recycling leaped to 91 percent from about 55 percent in four months.
"You have to make it easy for people," said Hirstein.
For homes, centralized organics recycling is catching on slowly. But recyclers have had success by concentrating on schools and businesses.
The best example is RiverCentre in downtown St. Paul.
Three years ago, it was a recycling slacker — with only 15 percent of its garbage recycled. Today, it's a recycling rock star, recycling 59 percent of its trash.
The center reclaimed 1.4 million pounds of material last year, said Bill Huepenbecker, senior director of planning and public affairs.
The center bought bins for bottles and cans, plastic and organics, which is mostly leftover food. It bought an organics recycling compactor. It shopped for — and found — compostable wrappers, plates, cups and silverware. And when an event is over, its workers sort through the regular trash containers, sifting out the food mistakenly thrown away.
Land O'Lakes has done something similar in its facilities in Shoreview and Arden Hills. The company recycles 45 percent of its waste output.
About 9 percent of the total, or 15,000 pounds, is recycled organically, said Rebecca Kenow, the company's director of sustainability.
More organics recycling is on the way. Troje's Trash and Recycling of Inver Grove Heights announced last week that it had started food-scrap recycling services for businesses in Ramsey and Washington counties.
Organics recycling faces a "chicken or the egg" challenge, said Zack Hansen, environmental health director for Ramsey County.
Participation is low because of lack of infrastructure, such as trucks, bins and composting sites. But there's a lack of infrastructure because participation is low.
If the public investment is made, said Hansen, homeowners will find it easier to recycle everything, including food scraps. Then, he said, participation rates will rise.
Only a limited number of customers will seek out a recycling hauler and pay separately for curbside food-scrap composting service. But when everyone must pay, participation rates soar.
For example, Eureka Recycling wants to start single-stream and organics recycling services in St. Paul in 2013. Every customer would pay an additional $1.90 each month — whether they used the organics recycling or not.
Eureka CEO Tim Brownell said he believes the additional services would boost the participation rate from 47 percent now to about 75 percent.
The metro area is a hodgepodge of rules for trash pickup.
In the Twin Cities and its suburbs, 1,600 trucks and 240 companies are devoted to hauling solid waste, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. That doesn't include the trucks and companies devoted solely to recycling.
"When you have multiple trucks servicing the same neighborhood, and each company has different materials to collect, it's confusing for residents," said Peder Sandhei, recycling specialist for the agency.
Regulations make it difficult to build compost centers. Currently, the primary one in the metro area is in Eureka Township, 26 miles south of downtown St. Paul.
Sending fleets of trucks that far is wasteful, said Anne Ludvik of Specialized Environmental Technologies, which operates the site. Composting substations could reduce the miles the trucks have to travel.
Ten states now charge a deposit for bottles or cans, usually 5 to 10 cents. Consumers pay the deposit at the store, then take their empties to a redeeming center to get the deposit back.
Nationally, about 35 percent of bottles and cans are recycled, according to the Container Recycling Institute. But in states with deposit laws, that jumps to 60 percent to 95 percent.
With the blue-bag system, homeowners toss their food scraps into the trash. It's more convenient than keeping food scraps in a separate container and wheeling it to the curb, said Randy's spokesman Jim Wollschlager.
He said the blue bag also cuts down on smells, because a homeowner may take the bags to their trash as often as they need to.
Randy's charges about $100 a year for the service, including the bags.
The program was started in 2005 and has spread to communities including Wayzata and Maple Plain. The business has 5,200 customers in Minnetonka alone.
Wollschlager said 35 percent of his customers participate in the blue-bag program.
Bob Shaw can be reached at 651-228-5433. Follow him at twitter.com/BshawPP.
Recycling comes in shades of green — some benefitting the environment greatly, some a little, and some not much at all.
— Aluminum recycling comes closest to paying for itself. It saves 96 percent of the cost of making aluminum cans, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Recycling 1 ton of aluminum cans saves more than 207 million BTU, the equivalent of 1,665 gallons of gasoline, the EPA reported.
— Plastic is second-best. Depending on the type, recycling plastic saves 60 percent to 90 percent of the energy of making a new product.
— Paper is third. Savings vary by type, but recycling newsprint saves 45 percent of the cost of producing it new.
— Glass is the least beneficial non-organic item to recycle. It's made of sand — and the world will probably never experience a sand shortage. Recycling glass saves about 21 percent of the cost of manufacturing new.


text:
Even better than the real thing it's not.
But Bill Clinton's impression of Bono was a valiant, if ultimately cringe-inducing, effort--at least in our humble opinion.
The 42nd president offered up his take on the U2 frontman's Irish brogue, including donning a pair of shades in a nod to Bono's signature sunglasses, while being interviewed by CNN's Piers Morgan for his Clinton Global Initiative Wednesday.
WATCH: Bill Clinton sings "Blurred Lines" in viral hit
This after the rock star gave a spot-on impersonation of Clinton--Arkansas drawl and all--which drew big laughs just a day before at another CGI panel.
Bono did so after the erstwhile Commander-in-Chief was running late and when the latter finally did show, he and the activist-singer got down to business discussing this year's CGI theme Mobilizing for Impact and how NGOs can create strategic partnerships to leverage their resources.
We guess turnabout's fair play.
NEWS: President Barack Obama reveals why he quit smoking: "I'm scared of my wife"
PHOTOS: Bill Clinton's Decade of Difference Concert


text:
i was curious about this.
personally, i don't usually think much of horoscopes or anything like that -- sure, all geminis in the world are going to have a great week...
but I find the side of it that analyzes personality and relationships (i'm not necessarily talking about compatibility here) really interesting. you can look into other aspects; it's very subjective and can become quite addictive.
obviously i don't think all the people born under one sign will have similar personalities, or that only those born under that sign will have that personality, or anything like that. but i do think it's reasonable to say that certain signs will share certain traits...
i was bored the other day, and i found this description of my sign (gemini)... it was like two pages long, so it wasn't one of those things that you can read and say "that is the type of thing you can interpret so it applies to anyone". and as i was reading it... i dunno. it was like a better description of me than i could have given.
i just find it interesting, and wondered how close to their descriptions bella and edward are.
bella -- september 13, virgo
edward -- june 20, gemini
i saw edward as more of a capricorn-type person, but again...what do you all think? bella's, though, seems to be very accurate.


text:
By Mary Bergin
Special to TravelWisconsin.com
The workshop choices are unlike any mix that I've seen: gut a pheasant or build a birdhouse, shoot a rifle or design a wreath, ice fish or dogsled, camp or cook. I choose one indoor (birdhouse building) and one outdoor (dogsledding) activity.
When classes begin, no question seems too elementary – and no one who arrives clueless about how to handle a bow and arrow, sewing machine or power drill faces ridicule. The goals are to try, tinker, relax and go your own way.
Every course has this in common: some aspect will heighten your interest, awareness or connection to the outdoors. The students have this in common: we are all women. You could call it a girls' weekend, but these three days together seem far more like a campout or pajama party than a pampered escape to plush surroundings. About 100 of us happily sleep in bunks, share bathrooms and eat cafeteria food when we're not in one of the 20 classes that are offered. Before bedtime each evening, most of us will end up standing silent on frozen marshland, hoping to hear an owl hoot. Something beyond the falling temperature makes this feel very cool.
Teaching Rugged Pursuits 'Without the Intimidation'
At a 1990s conference of conservation and state agency leaders, it was suggested that women didn't hunt, fish or otherwise get involved with the outdoors because they didn't know how. Would that change if women had a way to learn?
Those conversations led to the creation of Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW), a program offered through the UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources. Since its inception, the program has been a great success. Today BOW has programs in 41 states, six Canadian provinces and New Zealand.
"Growing up in Michigan, I knew how to fish and shoot because my father was willing to teach me," says Christine Thomas, BOW founder. Thomas says that women who don't have that influence from a father, brother or husband are less likely to feel comfortable about outdoor pursuits. "From day one, BOW has offered a broad range of activities that appeal to women, without the intimidation of having to live up to a family member's expectation," says Thomas, dean of the College of Natural Resources since 2005.
The mix of "non-harvest activities" – like building a quilt rack or learning to snowshoe – with shooting and fishing instruction has been deliberate. That means BOW attracts a wide mix of women: some have long been at ease in camouflage attire; others prefer pink parkas. According to Thomas, most of the first BOW participants were middle-aged, white and had an income that could support a hobby like hunting or fishing. Today, BOW activities attract a wider demographic, including more young women, while scholarships help the low-income participate.
BOW Boosts Numbers of Sporting Women
The number of women who hunt has increased 75 percent in five years, according to the National Sporting Goods Association, which attributes the spike to programs such as BOW and expanded lines of hunting clothes and gear for women.
For some, BOW becomes a rite of passage. Hunting instructor Tammy Koenig of Fall Creek has harvested more than 70 deer, six wild hogs, five black bears, an alligator and an elk. She wanted to share her passion with her daughter Brittany, who attended her first BOW event with her mom when she turned 18 (the minimum age requirement for registrants). Tammy's interest in hunting may not rub off on Brittany, but mothers who feel at ease in the natural world will teach their children to respect, conserve and understand what they might otherwise ignore or abuse.
BOW teachers take pride in being considerate of personal comfort levels and encouraging students to explore at their own pace. The format is relaxed, conversational and there is plenty of "hands-on" time. At a dogsled session, for example, students spend 90 minutes of classroom time learning about their teacher's equipment, animals and philosophy. Then they each mush solo, several times, with a team of dogs.
More than 20,000 women attend at least one of 80 BOW events per year. For some the experience will be a life-changer. "We can teach someone how to paddle a canoe, read a compass, shoot a bow or cook their own meal outdoors – but those things are minor compared to the value of having women come together in a supportive community. We see an increase in self-esteem and confidence as they discover new things about themselves," says Thomas.
For more information about the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program, visit UW-SP College of Natural Resources.
Find more outdoor fun across the state in our directory, and subscribe for the inside scoop on Wisconsin's natural attractions.


text:
Michelle Obama has a new look, both in person and online, and with the president's re-election, she has four more years as first lady, too.
That's got many people wondering: What will she do with them?
Take on a new cause? Travel more? Trace the path of another first lady and keep the Obama political brand alive by running for office?
The answers are to be determined.
The first lady is trying to figure out what comes next for this self-described "mom in chief" who also is a champion of healthier eating, an advocate for military families, a fitness buff and the best-selling author of a book about her White House garden.
For certain, she'll press ahead with her well-publicized efforts to reduce childhood obesity and rally the country around its service members.
"But beyond that, the first lady is exploring ways that she can make a real difference for Americans, not just for these next four years, but for years to come," said Kristina Schake, Mrs. Obama's communications director.
Here are five areas to watch.
Will she take on a new cause? It's possible.
When Parade magazine asked last year whether she'd take up any new issues, Mrs. Obama identified women's health issues. "How do we strengthen families and make them healthier, an issue not just in America but around the world," she said.
Her marquee causes — the "Let's Move" campaign against childhood obesity and the "Joining Forces" effort to help military families — took a back seat last fall as she campaigned doggedly for President Barack Obama's re-election.
Look for her to begin publicizing those efforts anew.
Do not expect to see Mrs. Obama push more contentious issues such as gun control or immigration, both second-term priorities for the president. Her public approval rating was 73 percent in a December poll by CNN and she'd like to keep it there.
Some feminists remain unhappy that the Ivy League-educated lawyer hasn't used her position to champion what they view as more substantive issues.
Robert Watson, an American studies professor at Lynn University, said he hopes Mrs. Obama will use her popularity to pivot away from the "velvet-glove" issues first ladies typically embrace and say, "I'm swinging for the fence."
CLICK HERE to read story
article courtesy of Joy105.com


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Dai was amazing as always. Such and extrovert. Love the choices Abbott made with his programs this year. I can see his LP progressing with time.
I can see both of them doing well at worlds.
Florent Amodio is an amazing jumper and skater. However, for someone with his abilities, I found the choreography of his standstills LP somewhat cheap and gimmicky. He can do better, but I that's the work of the choreographer so I won't put the blame on the skater.
Shawn Sawyer (my alltime favorite skater, ever). Loved his improvement with the short program. It was back in 2005 when I randomly turned on the TV and behold! Canadian Nationals was on. And Behold! There was this short guy skating a tango with heart, movement and flair that I have never seen before. Never even seen his face yet but I was mesmerized. Then I saw his spins and flexibility that not many men have managed before. I think Tangos bring out the true dancer in this skater so I hope he doesn't loose the "dance" in his skating. His exhibitions in CSOI this year seemed fun, but a bit gimmicky and I hope Sawyer doesn't go to that style permanently when he turns professional because he is NOT a gimmick. His spins, spirals and backflip are all amazing but his all around movement and dance abilities on the ice are what bring it all together. Even with some jump issues he doesn't fail to capture my imagination. Just fabulous!
Speaking of Spirals. Is that an extended spiral I see in his LP? I love that he has it and performs it better than most of the women! As for the LP. I hear that Marie France Dubriel coreographed most or maybe all of this? Kudos to her. I REALLY want Sawyer to bring this program to its full potential. Not sure about all the cuts in the music but I suppose I was just nuts for "Alice's Theme" alone. And I agree with other statements that the ending is somewhat anticlimatic. A tweak in the music here or there can improve it. I like the beading he has going on with the costume. But it still clear that it's from 2008 and not psychedelic enough to convince me of the Mad Hatter. I hope to see him change at least the top half to something eccentric like deep purple or magenta. I know that Sawyer's SP costume is from as far back as 2004, but that still works.
And since Mr. Extrovert Ryan Bradely will be returning with a Willy Wonka LP (last year he also had Amadeus music in his LP, coincidence?) Sawyer's really going to have to do everything to stand out. Understandably so, Sawyer was eclipsed by many of the younger Canadian men over the years. Since this is probably his last year with no more "maybe next year's" ahead, this is it for him so I am hoping he ends it memorably. <3
I know this is an NHK thread, so sorry about the over ranting about Shawn Sawyer. I had to stick it somewhere.


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Location: Subtropical Horticulture ResearchTitle: An EST-SSR based linkage map for Persea americana Mill. (avocado) Author
|Borrone, James
|Brown, James
|Tondo, Cecile
|Mauro-herrera, Margarita
|Kuhn, David
|Violi, Helen
|Sautter, Robert
|Schnell Ii, Raymond
Submitted to: Tree Genetics and Genomes
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/14/2008
Publication Date: 5/6/2009
Citation: Borrone, J., Brown, J.S., Tondo, C.L., Mauro-Herrera, M., Kuhn, D.N., Violi, H., Sautter, R.T., Schnell Ii, R.J. 2009. An EST-SSR based linkage map for Persea americana Mill. (avocado). Tree Genetics and Genomes. 10.1007/s11295-009-0208-y Interpretive Summary: Genetic linkage maps provide the basic framework for the dissection of complex traits in agriculturally important species such as avocado. The most efficient way to produce a genetic linkage map is using molecular markers. A significant number of new molecular markers called microsatellites have been developed in the past few years and these were used to generate a genetic linkage map from progeny of two Florida cultivars 'Simmonds' and 'Tonnage'. Using 715 progeny and 163 markers a linkage map consisting of 12 linkage groups was created. The basic chromosome number for avocado is 12, so each linkage group has been identified. Distances between genetic loci are similar to mile markers on a highway. These distances are called centi-morgans (cM) and the distances ranged from 157.2 cM for linkage group 2 to 2.4 cM for linkage group 12 with a total map length of 1088 cM. This is the first moderately saturated linkage map produced for avocado and it will allow the identification of areas on each linkage group that control horticulturally important traits, such as yield and fruit quality, in the future.
Technical Abstract: Recent enhancement of the pool of known molecular markers for avocado has allowed the construction of the first moderate density genetic map for this species. Over 300 microsatellite markers have been characterized and 163 of these were used to construct a map from the cross of two Florida cultivars 'Simmonds' and 'Tonnage'. The F1 population consisted of 816 individuals that were analyzed using 135 primer pairs. The microsatellite primers amplified 163 usable loci with 20 amplifying more than one locus. 'Tonnage' was heterozygous for 154 (94%) loci, whereas 'Simmonds' was heterozygous for 66 (40%). Null alleles were identified at several loci. Map construction was accomplished with JoinMap 4.0 using the regression algorithm and Kosambi's mapping function, with a maximum possible recombination coefficient of 0.5. Sub-composite maps were produced for both reciprocal crosses. A composite linkage map was generated for the F1 population by combining data of the reciprocal crosses. The composite map, referred to hereafter as the Florida F1 map, contains 12 linkage groups. Linkage groups ranged in size from 157.3 cM (LG2) to 2.4 cM (LG12) and the number of loci mapped per group ranged from 29 (LG1) to 2 (LG12). The total map length was 1088cM. Only seven markers were observed to have segregation distortion (a=0.05) in common across both sub-composite maps. Phenotypic data from traits of horticultural interest are currently being collected on this population with the ultimate goal of identifying useful quantitative trait loci (QTL) and the development of a Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) program.


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ICD-10 Diagnosis Code T62.1X
Toxic effect of ingested berries
Diagnosis Code T62.1X
Short Description: Toxic effect of ingested berries
Long Description: Toxic effect of ingested berries
This is the 2018 version of the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code T62.1X
Not Valid for Submission
The code T62.1X is a "header" and not valid for submission for HIPAA-covered transactions.
Code Classification
Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00–T98)
Toxic effects of substances chiefly nonmedicinal as to source (T51-T65)
- Toxic effect of other noxious substances eaten as food (T62)
- Toxic effects of substances chiefly nonmedicinal as to source (T51-T65)
Information for Patients
Foodborne Illness
Also called: Food Poisoning
Each year, 48 million people in the U.S. get sick from contaminated food. Common culprits include bacteria, parasites and viruses. Symptoms range from mild to serious. They include
- Upset stomach
- Abdominal cramps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Dehydration
Harmful bacteria are the most common cause of foodborne illness. Foods may have some bacteria on them when you buy them. Raw meat may become contaminated during slaughter. Fruits and vegetables may become contaminated when they are growing or when they are processed. But it can also happen in your kitchen if you leave food out for more than 2 hours at room temperature. Handling food safely can help prevent foodborne illnesses.
The treatment in most cases is increasing your fluid intake. For more serious illness, you may need treatment at a hospital.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
- Food poisoning (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Foodborne Illness-Causing Organisms in the U.S.: What You Need to Know (Food and Drug Administration)
- Gastritis (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Poisoning - fish and shellfish (Medical Encyclopedia)
- Shigellosis (Medical Encyclopedia)
[Read More]


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i just got infected with "live security platinum". i first manually deleted that spyware. at first, i wasn't able to get connected to the internet at all. then i realized that it might be due to zonealarm.
so i changed the firewall setting to med. to both areas. then i was able to get online again. now it seems that i can't set both areas to high at all, zonealarm automatically blocks my entire internet access.
when i click on "view zones", 192.168.1.254 is listed on there.
so what is going on here? is it ok if i set those two settings to "med" instead of high?


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As I mentioned in the cleanout thread, a new feature is coming to the Beta Services, For Sale or Rent forum: a Beta Directory. This tool will greatly assist members who are looking for the right beta for their story and to help them not have to sift through droves upon droves of beta threads to find the one they need. One simple perusal, and they can find who can help them best.
How will this directory work? It's easy. There will be a locked thread with lists of certain criteria commonly sought by beta-seekers. These criteria will be: alphabetical listing, by warning, by rating, by category, by experience, and by turnaround time.
Below is a form that I will ask all betas who wish to be part of the directory to fill out. If you do not wish to be part of the directory, then that is fine, but I really recommend it. This will ensure that you don't end up with that icky feeling of having to say no to someone who is in a pinch because you may not have been clear about what you will and won't do. This won't replace the first post in your thread (that should always be up-to-date and as detailed as possible), but it will help those seeking betas greatly.
In addition to this, I would like to reiterate that using the Change of Status thread is VERY IMPORTANT. This lets potential clients know whether you are available at a glance, and not keeping it updated can be frustrating for new authors who may not know you or your personal workload well enough to ask elsewhere.
Please fill out ALL of them, and make sure you read the descriptions (as listed on the archives) for the rating levels and warnings before answering if you are at all unsure about what they mean on MNFF. For each section, please use only the following answers:
Yes: You are available and willing to complete the applicable theme or task. Your name will go on a list below the criteria in question.
No: You are either unwilling, uncomfortable, or incapable of reliably completing this theme or task. Your name will be excluded from the affected list.
Negotiable: You don't inherently object to a certain warning/theme/rating/genre but have certain stipulations about it that are further specified in your beta thread. Each rating, warning, category, and turnaround time will include a Negotiable listing so that any interested parties can at least consider you for this option but know that you should not be a first choice in that aspect.
Here are the forms:
Information for Alphabetical Listing
PHP Code:
[B]Preferred name:[/B]
[B]How long you've been a member of MNFF:[/B]
[B]Why you want to beta:[/B]
By Rating
1st-2nd Years: "All Audiences" - this fiction, typically has little to no profanity. Romance and relationships should be innocent--minimal sexual innuendo. Mild violence is permissible.
3rd-5th Years: Inappropriate for younger readers, this fiction may include some limited profanity (or "worse" words) and some limited sexual innuendo. Mild to moderate violence is permissible.
6th-7th Years: For more mature readers, this fiction may include more profanity and more advanced sexual innuendo, although no blatant sexual overtones. More descriptive violence is permissible.
Professors: This fiction is inappropriate for underage wizards and readers. It contains more profanity and violence. It may also contain sexual innuendo, but may not be graphic in nature.
PHP Code:
[B]1st-2nd Years: [/B]
[b]3rd-5th Years: [/b]
[B]6th-7th Years: [/B]
[B]Professors: [/B]
By Warning
Abuse: Stories featuring physical and/or Emotional Abuse.
Alternate Universe: Stories that go against canon and explore "What-if" scenarios.
Book 7 Disregarded: Stories that were written before Book Seven was released, and/or stories that follow canon through Book Six but divert from canon in Book Seven.
Character death: This warning is attached to warn readers of the death of a character, especially when it is unexpected.
Dubious Consent: Sex scenes where one or both partners have not given their express consent or may be under the influence.
Epilogue? What Epilogue?: Story does not follow canon as set in the epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Mental Disorders: Whether inflicted by a Death Eater's curse or by nature, stories with extreme Mental Disorders MUST contain this warning.
Mild Profanity: If your story contains mild profanity, this warning must be attached. These include terms that would not normally be censored on television and are not used heavily.
Non-Consensual Sex: Stories where it is clear that someone is not a willing participant in sexual activity — more specifically, rape. Any stories with Rape MUST have this warning.
Self Injury: Scenes where a character does bodily damage to themselves, whether by mental illness or as part of a ritual act.
Sexual Situations: Any stories with allusions to sexual activity.
Slash: Stories featuring romance or sexual situations between characters of the same gender. This includes both canon compliant and non-canon pairings, and both male/male (yaoi) and female/female pairings (yuri, femmeslash, etc).
Strong Profanity: Stories featuring language commonly censored on television OR stories with heavy saturation of profanity (regardless of severity). Please note overuse of profanity is not tolerated and WILL result in your story being rejected even with the warning attached.
Student/Teacher Romance: Stories featuring a student and teacher romance.
Substance Abuse: Recreational drug use, Muggle or magical, and alcohol abuse
Suicide: Stories which feature a character taking his or her own life OR earnestly contemplating it. Any story where a character dies by their own hand MUST contain this warning.
Violence: Stories featuring weapons use, violent spells and excessive physical violence.
PHP Code:
[B]Abuse: [/B]
[B]Alternate Universe: [/B]
[B]Book 7 Disregarded: [/B]
[B]Character death: [/B]
[B]Dubious Consent: [/B]
[B]Epilogue? What Epilogue?: [/B]
[B]Mental Disorders: [/B]
[B]Mild Profanity: [/B]
[B]Non-Consensual Sex: [/B]
[B]Self Injury: [/B]
[B]Sexual Situations: [/B]
[B]Slash: [/B]
[B]Strong Profanity: [/B]
[B]Student/Teacher Romance: [/B]
[B]Substance Abuse: [/B]
[B]Suicide: [/B]
[B]Violence: [/B]
By Category
Some categories simply aren't everyone's cup of tea. As a beta, you have the right to specify which ones you feel comfortable working on and which ones you don't. Below is a list of every category on the archive, and as potential clients have to submit to at least one of these, it gives you yet another means of opening or closing certain doors. They will be sorted as they are on the submission page.
Het Romance FicsPHP Code:
[B]General Fics: [/B]
[B]Post-Hogwarts: [/B]
[B]Next Generation: [/B]
[B]Marauder Era: [/B]
[B]Mystery: [/B]
[B]Historical: [/B]
[B]Poetry: [/B]
[B]Humor: [/B]
[B]Alternate Universe: [/B]
[B]Dark/Angsty Fics: [/B]
Slash PairingsPHP Code:
[B]Ron/Hermione AND Harry/Ginny: [/B]
[B]Ron/Hermione: [/B]
[B]Harry/Ginny: [/B]
[B]Other Pairing: [/B]
[B]Harry/Hermione: [/B]
[B]Hermione/Draco: [/B]
[B]Hermione/Snape: [/B]
[B]Various Pairings: [/B]
[B]Ron/Other Character: [/B]
[B]Harry/Other Character: [/B]
[B]Hermione/Other Character: [/B]
[B]Draco/Other Character: [/B]
[B]James/Lily: [/B]
[B]Severus/Lily: [/B]
[B]Draco/Ginny: [/B]
[B]Remus/Tonks: [/B]
PHP Code:
[B]Same-Sex Pairings: [/B]
[B]Harry/Draco: [/B]
[B]Remus/Sirius: [/B]
[B]Femmeslash: [/B]
By Experience
This is the number of pieces you have betaed for authors on MNFF (please exclude experience not based upon our submission criteria). For chaptered works, each chapter betaed shall count as a separate piece (i.e. a twenty-chaptered story counts as twenty pieces betaed). Stories betaed by multiple betas still fully count for both betas. Stories that you have betaed but were not accepted still fully count.
0-10: Blank Word doc. You are quite new to betaing in this forum. However, this does not mean that you do not have the skills to help, but heavy communication may be required between author and beta to ensure a good experience for both parties.
11-20: Drabble-rabble. Though you are learning the ropes and have moved past some of the growing pains of beta-hood, there is still much to absorb. You have, by now, established that you are reliable (hopefully).
21-50: Track Changes Champion. You are becoming a veteran of beta work, and you've had your hands in several stories from several authors and genres.
51-100: In Demand! Not onhave you established yourself, but you've accrued quite a loyal following of clients. You must be good if they keep coming back to you.
101+: Beta Hero. To hit this prestigious mark, you have to be dedicated to your work, quick, efficient, and just generally fabulous. In this case, the word 'awesome' is permissible.
PHP Code:
By Turnaround Time
While most beta clients understand that betas work for free, in their spare time, and out of the goodness of their hearts, but sometimes, such as for drabble competitions and down-to-the-wire challenge entries, they need swift assistance to make the deadline. This is a great way to let people know just how available you can be in a pinch.
All responses should be one of the following five answers: No, Possibly that quickly, Yes, Possibly that long, Not that long. No means either you cannot do it that quickly or you know that you will not take that long. Please be honest when filling this out.
One-shots/single chaptersPHP Code:
[B]Same day:[/B]
[B]1-2 days:[/B]
[B]3-5 days:[/B]
[B]6-7 days:[/B]
[B]1-2 weeks:[/B]
PHP Code:
[B]0-2 days:[/B]
[B]3-5 days:[/B]
[B]6-7 days:[/B]
[B]1-2 weeks:[/B]
[B]2-4 weeks:[/B]
[B]Over a month:[/B]
That's it for the forms. Please fill all of them out if you wish to be part of the directory. Any incomplete forms will not be listed, so please fill them out carefully and thoroughly. If, for any reason, you need to update the information in your listing, please fill out the affected forms (the ENTIRE section) again in this thread but in a new post so I can find them in order to update. Once the directory is online, all the forms will be deleted from this thread, leaving rooms for these updates, which will also be deleted upon completion of the update.
You can pose any questions about this directory here. I'm contemplating adding a new segment to the directory, which would consist of common issues beta clients typically as for help with, but that will be in a separate thread, so do not post them here.
With that, go forth and sign up!


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As well, the company has acquired and began retrofitting the former Commodore Homes Corporation building on Highway 220 in Candor, N.C.
"Our Vice President of Mechanical Dale Parks has been building the locomotive, freight railcar, and passenger car repair part of our business for over five years. " ssays ACWR President and CEO Rob Menzies. "We have exceeded capacity at our facility in Star, and we are already attracting interest from companies wanting to know when we will be ready to start to working on their locomotives."
The company plans to create 25 new jobs and invest $3.3 million over the next five years in the facility. Currently, ACWR employs 34 employees in Montgomery County, N.C.
ACWR has already begun the first phase of retrofitting the 91,000-square-foot warehouse facility to turn it into a locomotive repair shop facility that will include 4,600 feet of new track and a modern locomotive pit. The building will primarily be occupied by the newly established subsidiary, but will also house ACWR corporate headquarters when the second phase of retrofitting is complete.
This project was made possible in part by state Department of Transportation. For the short line, the funding will be applied toward the necessary 4,600 feet of new track infrastructure.
ACWR operates in south-central North Carolina from Aberdeen westward to Charlotte and eastward to Gulf, serving businesses in six counties. Incorporated in 1987, ACWR purchased the former Norfolk Southern branch from Aberdeen to Star. ACWR interfaces with both NS and CSX Corp.


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Discussion in 'Pro Match Results and Discussion' started by tennis_pro, Jan 27, 2013.
RG and Wimbledon will be very tough for him, if he wins RG then I will take notice.
I agree. If Nadal does not make a strong comeback, then Djokovic will have no serious threat stopping him from winning the FO, but I'm hoping Nadal does make that successful comeback on clay and we see a big showdown at RG.
The other thing is that Fed/Nadal has never been a major hard court rivalry. They've played in 1 AO final and 0 USO final. That is not enough to talk about a rivalry. Murray/Djokovic (as well as Nadal/Djokovic) is much more recent but has already happened in 3 slam finals (1 USO, 2 AO or 2 USO, 1 AO). So, I fail to see the comparison. Fed/Nadal happened on clay and grass exclusively (4 finals at RG and 3 at W) and Djoko/Murray is not happening at all on those surfaces. So, the comparison makes no sense.
Fed made 5 finals at AO, got 5 different opponents (Safin, Baghs, Gonzalez, Nadal, Murray). What rivalry? He made 6 USO finals, got 6 different opponents (Hewitt, Agassi, Roddick, Djokovic, Murray, Delpo).
The truth is this is the 1st time in ages that we have a significant rivalry developing on hard court. Before that, what we had was a domination by 1 player (Fed) and no rivalry to speak of.
Well, Federer and Djokovic did play five consecutive years at the U.S. Open. Four of them just happened to be semifinals.
Why thank you, kind sir! That means more to me than you know!
That's true but because it didn't happen in finals (2 AO and 4 USO semis), it was never really in the spotlight (for that reason I wouldn't call it a major one). But yes, at least it happened, unlike Fed/Nadal which didn't happen at all.
Nah, I don't think so. Nadal, if he is back and plays the S. American swing is still the favorite to win the FO. Murray, even though he choked in that AO final has still improved a lot and he will come back and beat Djokovic at maybe W or the USO. Federer is a question mark for W? So no, I don't think Djokovic will win the calendar slam in 2013. People always get carried away after a player wins one slam at the beginning of the year.
He's not the favorite at either RG or W but of course he will be a contender for both, especially RG where he will be 2nd favorite after Rafa.
Get real, he hasnt won anything outside clay since Tokyo in October 2010
If federer dosent play well in Wimbledon Murray will be have the best chance, but on grass i would pick 32 year old federer over novak and if it rains its really a no contest
I'm still backing Rafa at the French.
There was a similar discussion this time last year, and it didn't happen. But I agree with another poster, if it's ever gonna happen, this is the year. You need a bit of luch to win 28 slam matches in a calendar year. Nadal not being at the FO or sub-par Nadal being at the FO is the first bit of luck Djok needs.
LMAO! Has to go 12-10 in a fifth set to the #15 seed on his favorite surface and he's a candidate for Laver status???
If Nadal returns healthy, Djok the Ripper isn't even the co-favorite at RG. Even without Nadal, he's not a clear favorite at Wimby (Fed/Murray final wouldn't be out of the question there).
It's January...start this CYGS talk in June or July.
It depends heavily on Rafa. If Rafa returns healthy and fit, Novak has to wait for another year.
And it's too early to talk about CYGS at this moment. Bookmark this and come back after FO.
No he didn't, but safe for a bad line call at 4-4 in the fifth, he certainly might. Which proves my point: things are not as black and white as you make them out to be.
And 2011 was a pretty big upset at the French considering Nole had just beat Nadal twice.
French open - Not unless he gets another lucky draw
Wimbledon - I expect Murray or Federer to take this
US open - Yeah he'll prolly win this.
Highly amusing stuff.
Interesting how the last 3 years have seen a Nadalovic domination of the slams. Djoko played the last 3 finals at AO and USO, Nadal the last 3 finals at RG. Nadal also made 2 of the last 3 at W.
I can't see Djokovic doing the CYGS in 2013. The AO surface and Australian climate (or lack thereof) clearly favor his style. The grass at Wimbledon and clay at RG, have very different properties which don't help him.
I think Wimbledon is his real challenge. At Wimbledon, even mediocre movers can blow beastly-grinders like Djokovic off the court. At Wimbledon, you really don't need a ton of fitness -- like the other slams. You need solid serving and the ability to constantly rally with low bouncing balls.
If there's a guy who can do it, I think he could... but I would be highly surprised if he pulled it off. As good as he is, I just don't see him having enough variety in his game, yet.
He is not winning Wimbledon again. That was a fluke.
No way, he managed to win his most successful slam and now he has less pressure than he had in 2012 so I expect some very successful wins but a calender slam is just too difficult. Rafa will await him on clay, Fed and Andy on grass and USO is wide open for breakthroughs. There's just too little of a chance that he'd be able to overcome all of this.
You realize that since Novak is the greatest thing the world has ever seen (2011), they are 3-2 in slams meetings? Yes that is right, 3-2. And it could be 3-2 in favour of Fed just as easily. Actually, he is the worst machtup Djokovic has by far in the top 4 (barring Nadal on clay, he is a terrible matchup for anyone there). I am not saying by any means that Fed is a favourite in a slam meeting against Djokovic, well in Wimbledon he is, but in RG and the US Open if Fed plays somewhere close to his best he can beat him there no doubt. Try not to make this bolds statements, or you will look really stupid when proven otherwise
He admitted that Fed could beat him at W which you agree with. I also have a feeling Fed won't beat Djoko again at RG. In 2012, Djoko distanced himself from Fed on red clay imo.
The tough path ahead for Djokovic if he actually wants the Grand Slam is that he is not even an outright favorite anywhere. He is the co-favorite with Nadal at RG, with Federer at Wimbledon, and with Murray at USO, in a way. He will likely fail to sweep the field in at least one of those slams. So he cannot think of that now.
who knows really?
he could very well win all 4 and we would hype him to heavens with bunch of threads saying how djokovic gonna win 20 slams.
he could very well stay on this AO alone where you could see people bashing on him saying he will never reach nadal count.
who knows...
How do you come up with this crap? 2010 and 2011 yes. 2012, no. Not at all.
Murray was in the last 3 grandslam finals, where was Rafalito?
Exactly. Of course Federer always has a chance against Djokovic at Wimbledon, until he is no longer a top 5 caliber player, in fact atleast 7 or 8 guys have a decent shot vs Djokovic on grass, which is why his win at Wimbledon 2011 was so remarkable, and why winning the Grand Slam which would have to include both his first RG and a Wimbledon title would be so amazing if he achieved. However most outside of overzealous Fed fanboys agree a repeat of the 2011 RG upset is highly unlikely to ever happen again. Federer deserved his win there and IMO it wasnt even that big an upset at the time (Djokovic had won only 2 majors, he wasnt really confirmed as the new dominant player until he won Wimbleodn). Federer is now going onwards into his 30s (he wasnt even 30 yet at the time of that match) and clay is not a surface that rewards age, and Djokovic is only growing in confidence on clay all the time. Furthermore Djokovic is 6-1 vs Federer on slow surfaces dating way back to starting in 2009 (when Federer was only 27 and Djokovic nowhere near his prime form), which indicates the 2011 RG result was a lightning in bottle kind of thing at this stage of Federer's career.
hard, but not impossible. we'll see.
it's just to early for predictions
I meant in the last 3 years OVERALL. Murray has only made 1 W final and 1 USO final. He may make many more than that in the future but for now in the last 3 years Nadal has made more than Murray: 2 at W and same at USO. (Notwithstanding the French). So, he's been more dominant.
ETA: and actually, now that I think about it, how do YOU come up with that "not at all"?? Even if I isolate 2012, Nadal is still 2nd most dominant player in slams tie with Murray: # 1 = Djoko with 3 finals, #2 = Nadal and Murray with 2 finals each.
Actually Djokovic`s level on clay was considerable superior in 2011 compared to 2012. So in a way he went backwards. If Fed had beat him at RG 2012, it would be less of an upset than their 2011 encounter (Djoko was in the form of his life previous of that match). In 2012 he was pushed to 5 sets by Seppi and Tsonga (who choked that match badly) , so i fail to see how on earth is Fed hopeless against Djoko in RG. It is true that he was beaten hard in their last match at RG, but Fed had his chances so it wasn`t a one way affair. In their Rome match Fed couldn`t hit a forehand to save his ass and he pushed Nole to a tiebreak. If he is in form he has a decent shot. I give him about 30% chances of victory depending on the draw, injuries, etc. It could be more (for example if Djoko has to go trough Nadal first) or less if Fed is pushed hard in his previous matches. After all, nobody thought possible that he could beat Nadal ever again on a slow, high bouncing court and he toyed with him at IW last year.
eh, no , djoker played much better on clay in 2011 than in 2012 ... it was federer who distanced himself from djoker backwards on clay in 2012 as he didn't play well @ rome or RG ....
yes, this ....
one thing that remains to be seen if fed's level on red clay in 2012 was a blip, if he can pick up his level again this time ....even if it is only for one tournament, RG ..
We will see what happens but all I can say is I totally disagree with you on 30% for Federer beating Djokovic at RG. 30% is what I would give Federer to beat Djokovic at Wimbledon or the U.S Open at this point (well a bit more than 30 at Wimbledon, and a bit less at the U.S Open). French and Australian Open would be nowhere near that at this point IMO. It would be a huge upset if Federer beats Djokovic in a slow court slam ever again.
Lol a bit more than 30% at Wimbledon? Ridiculous, Djokovic was beaten by Federer last year in a straightforward 4 setter at Wimbledon (MUCH less close than the last time they played at the US Open) and then creamed by Murray and Del Potro at the Olympics. A great grass courter he is not....he is the worst of the top 4 on the surface by a good margin and should thank his lucky stars for his Wimbledon title because it won't happen again!
don't be so sure why so aggresive attitude?
Because he hates Djokovic
It's really strange how people hate Novak just because he ended Fedal era.
They can make excuses and say it's not because of that but because of some other things, but the fact is that's the main reason
I doubt it.....FO....hard to overcome Nadal in any shape or form on clay. and Federer is a 50 percent match.
Wimbledon....his worst surface...not a natural mover....2011 played his best Grass tennis of his entire life in the semifinals and final....No one saw that coming. Federer, Murray and Nadal are far better than him.....will beat him in 4.
US Open.....Djokovic is the fav here....and should win it unless Hurricana Andy decides to show up.
I'm fine, everything is ok. Just can't escape the fact that it might be political hatred?!? Dunno, it's really strange that some people hate one player so much. It's really maybe the Balkan problem (Serbia, Croatia, Albania etcetc)... and if its so, it's really really stupid.
What did Nadal win?
Yeah, He Boss
Nadal will win Clay Slam in South America
Well, I didn't ask you, but since you answered, I will say he won't even win that.
Murray will spoil the Djokovic party at Wimbledon. Maybe even at the USO.
How about:
AO Djokovic
RG Djokovic
Wimbledon Murray
USO Murray
First year since 1967 that two players split the slams winning two slams each of them. It is due after 46 years.
Could happen.
What about 2014?
Separate names with a comma.


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Mark Pennington
Thu, 10/20/2016
Robert K. Fleck, F. Andrew Hanssen
Thu, 10/20/2016
Shawn Regan
Thu, 10/20/2016
Terry Anderson
Mon, 03/16/2015
Millennials want results, not regulations. Younger generations care about the environment — over 80 percent are concerned about global warming and resource scarcity — but they want environmental bang for their buck.
Shawn Regan
Tue, 04/22/2014
When environmental groups buy ranchers' permits, there's no need for the feds to start rustling up trouble.
Roger Meiners
Wed, 03/19/2014
With central planners promising such extraordinary economic returns from regulation, what could possibly go wrong?
Terry Anderson, Shawn Regan
Sat, 10/12/2013
In the Wall Street Journal, Terry Anderson and Shawn Regan explain how Washington rules prevent tribes from developing resources that could help lift them out of poverty.
Shawn Regan
Thu, 07/25/2013
PERC research fellow Shawn Regan provides testimony for the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing on "Funding the National Park System for the Next Century."
Fri, 03/01/2013
PERC senior fellow Randy Simmons writing on the sequester as an exercise in the Washington Monument strategy.
Andrew Morriss
Sun, 01/13/2013
For more than two decades, special interests have persuaded Congress to mandate Americans buy ethanol whether they want to or not. As a result, 40 percent of the U.S. corn crop is now used for ethanol rather than food.


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Traveling Artist with Lisa Kowieski
Lisa Kowieski – Traveling Artist Materials Used: LUKAS 150th Anniversary Watercolor Wood Box Set of 70 Half Pans Mimik Kolinsky Synthetic Watercolor Brushes Arches 140 lb. Cold Press 20 Sheet Block 9×12″ Staedtler Technical Pencils Strathmore Mixed Media Sketchbook 5.5×8.5" Last summer I had the opportunity of a lifetime to go on a two week…..
Jerry's Blog Team -- 08/06/2017
Jerry's LIVE – A New innovative Step to Promote Fine Art Instruction
Jerry's LIVE – A first of it's kind and new commitment from Jerry's to further fine art education, product knowledge, how to's and to most of all create an interactive experience.. and it's all a LIVE broadcast! Details: Jerry's LIVE on Facebook are "interactive live events and workshops" shown through Facebook where you can participate in…..
Jerry's Blog Team -- 15/02/2017
2017 Artful Gathering Blog Hop
Art Share and Blog Hop Destination Cristina Zinnia Galliher, Director Artful Gathering Online Art Retreats When I first began experimenting with Turner Gouache Paints, I started out with just a few tubes that included some primary colors and a tube or two of metallics and pearls. I was accustomed to painting with acrylic paints, which…..
Jerry's Blog Team -- 07/02/2017
Painting on AlumaComp Aluminum Panels by Eric Armusik
Painting on AlumaComp Panels by Professional Artist Eric Armusik Products used: 11 x 14 AlumaComp Aluminum Panel Chelsea Classical Studio Mediums Set Hamburg Premier Professional Brushes For over 15 years I've painted on wood panels that I prepared by myself. I've made the cuts, built the cradles and frames by hand. Everything I've done over…..
Jerry's Blog Team -- 31/01/2017
LED Lighting That Changes They Way You See Art
Method Lights- LED Lighting That Changes They Way You See Art The Challenge for Artists… See Video Below There's long been a void in art studio lighting, and the art lighting industry as a whole. For artists, the optimal scenario is usually natural light, but that can be problematic on cloudy days or when it's…..
Jerry's Blog Team -- 29/11/2016
A Revolutionary Bright Idea for Oil Colorists
Most experts will agree that linseed oil is the most flexible of all the oils used in the production of oil color. The reason pale oils are used is because linseed oil was not all that pale and tended to give a slight yellowish cast when the painting was finished. Additionally, it would darken over time,…..
Jerry's Blog Team -- 16/11/2016
Pop Art Painting DIY – Using Acrylic Paints
DIY Pop Art Painting- Acrylic Pop Art Tutorial Designer: Lindsay "The Frugal Crafter" Weirich Media: Acrylic Skill Level: Beginner Level of Difficulty: 2 (out of 5) Supplies Needed: Soho Acrylic Paint Set of 24 – # 86457 Soho Gloss Gel – # 87656 Creative Inspirations Dura Handle Flat Brush – # 87620 Artist's White Tape – # 11821…..
Jerry's Blog Team -- 12/10/2016
Artist Spotlight- Artist Eric Armusik
Article: Artist Eric Armusik – Artist Spotlight Helen and Paris, oil on birch, 48 x 60" 2016 (Painted in 13 days – 178 hours in preparation for this year's Art Renewal Center International Salon) Products used: Charvin Extra Fine Oils Black Swan Creative Mark Filberts, Rounds and Flats First, let me say what an honor…..
Jerry's Blog Team -- 26/08/2016
How Do I Clean An Oil Paint Brush?
Products Used in this Video NOTE: Click on images to go to product pages Chelsea Classical Studio Lavender Brush Cleaner A Safer Natural Alternative To Turpentine That Actually Smells Like Lavender! Made from 100% natural distilled fruits and flowers, featuring lavender, Chelsea Classical Studio's Lavender Brush Cleaner is a safer natural alternative to turpentine, petroleum…..
Jerrys Blog Squad -- 27/05/2016
Artist Spotlight- Lisa Marie Kowieski
Lisa Kowieski Multi-disciplinary Artist and Designer from Chicago. "My work is influenced by nature and storytelling with themes of adventure and passion. More than anything, I strive to create work that inspires others to explore their passions and live their best lives. As a multi-disciplinary Artist and Designer, I'm trained in both traditional and…..


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largest telecommunications company, Verizon Wireless, is hoping to take a leap
ahead in the next-generation mobile communications arms race. Brian
Higgins, executive director for ecosystem development at Verizon Wireless, revealed to CNN that
the carrier would be debuting a new 4G powered voice and video chat service,
sometime early next year.
Dubbed "Voice Over LTE" (VoLTE), the technology uses data length to
transmit voice and video, similar to voice-over-IP services like Skype.
The only difference is that the signal has to make the wireless jump
across the air, before being relayed along the network's fiber data backbone.
VoLTE will be powered by Verizon's Long-Term Evolution network, the company's
4G pick of choice. So far Verizon has been the biggest backer of the
tech, with its current 4G LTE network covering about a third of the U.S. population, almost
entirely in cities. That's roughly in line with the coverage of Sprint's rival 4G
technology, WiMAX.
Sprint already is offering phones that use the 4G-link to relay data and video
chat (though it doesn't offer first party support for 4G voice calls).
Verizon's first LTE-capable phone, the Android-powered LG Revolution 4G, will
be demoed next week at the annual Mobile
World Conference (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain.
The LG Revolution 4G could be a huge hit for Verizon, particularly when it adds
VoLTE mid-lifespan. That could mean a bit of redemption for LG, who has
struggled in the smart phone race. The phone is expected to launch this
summer, with 4G data only. It will be powered by the upcoming
Android 3.0 "Honeycomb" operating system.
The Revolution will come with a video chat service from Skype, according
to Marni Walden [profile], Verizon's marketing chief.
Rival AT&T, America's second largest carrier, plans to start
deploying its own 4G LTE network in H2 2011. The company is
working with Verizon to offer a coherent VoLTE standard, which the two
companies call "One Voice". The key focus will be to leverage
LTE to improve voice quality and reliability.
Currently, Verizon's
new iPhone 4, which launches in stores
Thursday, can only make FaceTime calls over Wi-Fi, like the iPhone 4 on
AT&T. Verizon engineers are testing a software update that will allow
3G FaceTime. And then early next year, 4G FaceTime will finally go live.
Once that happens, Verizon (and the iPhone) will finally have caught up
to Sprint, whose Android smart phones come with the 4G capable Qik video chat
Subscribers to Verizon's
LTE data service can already make wireless VoIP video chat calls on
services like Skype on their computer.
Verizon and other carriers are currently grappling with how to deal with
existing wireless VoIP services like Skype and Google Voice. Those
services often allow users to ditch more expensive higher minutes plans, by
transmitting calls directly over data networks. That's a huge threat to
the large monthly premiums carriers charge for voice traffic.
Verizon insists that it will simply try to outcompete these services, not ban
them. States Ms. Walden, "We're not going to run away from the
innovation that's happening out there. We're going to make sure we innovate it
better or integrate it better on our devices than anyone else, as opposed to
putting up a walled garden. With the data capabilities that the 4G LTE network
is going to provide, there are opportunities to grow revenue."


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We love spotting the creative videos visitors to London make while they here.
Here's a particularly cool example from Michael Sokil, a musician from Merion, Pennsylvania who's made something of a pilgrimmage to the Abbey Road Studios while in London!
Don't forget to share your London videos with us www.youtube.com/visitlondonvideo


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Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate
Community involvement: Board member of Southeastern Guide Dogs; advisory board member of Child Advocacy Center; and involved with West Coast Black Theatre Troupe, the Ringling Museum of Art, Forty Carrots Family Center and Child Protection Center
Roger Pettingell's first business venture was a lemonade stand in his native Manhattan, N.Y.
He was 6, and his parents loaned him the start-up money. Even then, he had a strategy.
"I did have a special way of marketing myself," Pettingell said. "I got these dog biscuits, because a lot of people have dogs that they would walk in that area."
Pettingell earned enough to pay back his parents and turn a profit.
Still, it's safe to say that his revenue has increased since that first foray into sales.
Pettingell, a sales associate for Coldwell Banker's Longboat Key office, was the No. 1 agent for the Sarasota-Manatee Multiple Listing Service in 2012. It's the third time in five years he has achieved the distinction.
He is also the top Coldwell Banker agent in Florida for the third time.
Arvida Corp. hired Pettingell in 1983 to work in marketing after he graduated with a degree in biology from Guilford College, in Greensboro, N.C. Pettingell originally thought he was just taking a year off before medical school.
Disney bought Arvida in 1984, and Pettingell moved to Boca Raton to serve as marketing liaison between Disney and Arvida, but returned in 1989 to Longboat Key. By then the company had become Waterside Properties.
Coldwell acquired Waterside properties approximately 14 years ago.
He likes the fact that real estate offers him a new experience every day.
"You meet new kinds of people, you have flexibility, and you're completely in control of your own destiny," Pettingell said. "When I started, I was working my way to the top, but that's within anyone's reach if you're willing to put in the time and the effort."
Describe the real estate market in 2012 on Longboat and its outer keys.
2012 was definitely a turning year. We got to the point where people collectively agreed that we had reached a bottom, while years before there was some disagreement. When that happened, the tide turned pretty quickly.
The average second homebuyer isn't comfortable with losing money on their homes. I think people would rather buy just off of a bottom than search for one.
How do you think 2013 will be different?
In 2013, the momentum has clearly shifted. Some of the negotiating power is back into the hands of sellers. People who might have been desperate to sell have probably sold. It's difficult for buyers to have more choices, and as uncertainty goes away, we're going to see more price appreciation.
We're still 20% to 25% off the highs we hit in 2005, which is still great news for the buyer.
What do buyers want today on Longboat Key?
I think they would love to see new construction, because we haven't seen new construction in so long. They will always gravitate toward something that was recently remodeled. They'll often consider in their price that they will be renovating. If it's not new construction, they're going to make it into something that will be like new.
How does selling real estate on Longboat Key today differ from when you first got started?
When I first started, there was lots of new product. I think the biggest difference is that we used to sell the dream with floor plans, and now we sell the reality.
Top Realtors
The following four Realtors round out the top five Longboat Key-based agents, as ranked by the Sarasota-Manatee Multiple Listing Service in 2012 total volume.
Here, they sound off on what they saw in 2012 and what they predict for 2013.
Barbara Ackerman
Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate
Community involvement: Active with the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center; chairwoman of the 2013 Women's Resource Center's Renaissance Luncheon, featuring Anne Marie Slaughter; Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation board member Longboat Key is an enigma, for sure. Even before the general marketplace was gaining recognition of a real-estate recovery, Longboat Key was well on its way. The simple economic rule is: Less inventory creates price stabilization and gradual price recovery. I say "gradual" because that truly is the case, even for Longboat Key in 2013.
Many of the properties were developed in the '90s and are in need of updating in 2013. The buyers are taking that into consideration as values are being created for the property. The Longboat Key motto for real estate is, "The last to go down and the first to go up."
Judy Kepecz-Hays
Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate
Community involvement: I have two assistants and we work seven days a week — that doesn't leave much time for socializing or for community work. This is Sunday, and one of my assistants and I worked all day and wrote two contracts. My husband is on several boards of directors and handles our social life, but I also keep him busy in the business.
(When we married he had just retired from his law practice and thought that he would finally have a chance to learn to play golf. Boy, did he get a surprise.) I don't think he is going to get to play much this year, either.
I saw a lot more confidence. Those who were looking at property were no longer looking for something they might buy in the future. They were looking to buy now. High-end buyers were looking for a place to invest, and retirees saw the low-priced real estate as a good investment.
The new tax situation has a lot of buyers confused. I see them taking money out of other investment funds and putting it in real estate.
They see growth opportunity for real property to be safer than the uncertain tax prospects of the market.
I believe that 2013 will not just be better than 2012, I think it will be much better. The only thing that could slow things down is that those who own good properties are not placing them on the market.
Everything that my clients give me sells. There is just not enough of it.
Lynne Koy
Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate
Community involvement: Volunteer driver for Meals on Wheels; West Coast Black Theatre Troupe advisory board; sponsor of the Sarasota Film Festival; involved with Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center; Bird Key Yacht Club Regatta; H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation; Make-a-Wish sponsor and volunteer I would describe 2012 as a year of "hopeful anticipation."
We began to see a decline in the inventory of available properties on Longboat Key, which we hoped might eventually result in modest appreciation. We began to see international buyers return to the market, and we saw movement in the luxury market.
These factors fed the perception that the real-estate market, at least on Longboat Key, was beginning to turn the corner and that brighter days were ahead.
I think 2013 is already shaping up to be a banner year for the real-estate industry in our area. Multiple offers on the same property are becoming quite common. I had two offers on a vacant lot on Bird Key a week ago, and the seller realized a 5% gain over his original anticipated selling price.
Buyers understand today they cannot wait to make a decision. A fairly priced renovated property will be sold within a couple of weeks, which will leave buyers with few selections. I am optimistic that the boomers are looking once again toward retiring on our beautiful Key, and they are anxious to buy now before prices begin to rise on a consistent basis.
Deborah Beacham
Michael Saunders & Co.
Community involvement: Supporter of Girls Inc.; involved with Asolo Repertory Theatre; The Players Theatre; LaMusica; All Faiths Food Bank; Ringling College of Art & Design
As I reviewed my prior predictions as reported in the Longboat Observer for 2012, I think my statement, "2012 is going to be the year we return to strong sales in the luxury market" came true as evidenced by the sales data: 276 single-family homes sold between $1 million and $7 million. Only two were short sales; one was bank-owned.
Forty single-family homes sold in December alone, at $1 million-plus; 10 of these were more than $2 million.
There were 11 pending sales of single-family homes as of Dec. 1, at $1 million-plus; an additional 11 are pending as of Jan. 1, at $1 million-plus, indicating a continuing steady and sustained lower end of the single-family home luxury market for Sarasota/Manatee counties.
Presently, there are 590 single-family homes actively listed for sale at $1 million-plus. In the upper end of the luxury market, there are 140 homes listed at $3 million-plus and 83 homes listed at $4 million-plus.
Longboat Key has 77 single-family homes actively listed for sale at $1 million-plus, with three pending listings. In 2012, there were 39 sales of single-family homes from a low of $1 million to a high of $3,675,000.
Predictions for 2013 remain positive, because the Sarasota-Manatee area continues to receive great press on our fabulous community to live and work; great beaches; first-class educational opportunities; and arts organizations galore. As sellers continue to realize well-priced properties will sell and the inventory continues to increase, buyers will have some great opportunities to invest in long-term security with Sarasota-Manatee real estate.
No. 1 for Longboat Key sales
Bruce Myer, of Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, sold more Longboat Key property than any agent, both for volume and the total number of homes sold on the island, in 2012.
I've been out here for almost 33 years. I would say it was almost as active as any year here.
After six or seven years of a decline and with interest rates being low, buyers who had been on the fence realized it was a good time to buy. Properties that were priced appropriately moved.
In 2013, inventory is lower than it was, so I think it will just depend on how much we have to sell. Demand is still there. As long as interest rates stay low and the stock market stays strong, I think it will be as brisk as it was last year.


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Gravitational lensing
Gravitational lensing arises from the bending of light by a gravitational field. If light from a background object passes close to a foreground mass (in practice, a foreground galaxy), it is possible for this bending effect to cause us to see multiple images of the background object. We can use these gravitational lens systems to probe the masses, and mass distributions, of the foreground galaxy; we can measure variations in the background object in such a way as to determine the Hubble constant; and statistics of lens systems can be useful in studying galaxy evolution for a large fraction of the age of the Universe. The lensing effect also magnifies the background object, providing a natural telescope which allows us to see very faint objects.
The first gravitational lens was discovered in 1979 by Dennis Walsh of Jodrell Bank Observatory and collaborators. Since then, nearly 200 further cases of lensing have been identified, nearly 30 of them by collaborative programmes led from Jodrell Bank.
Areas of active research include
- Discovery of new lens systems
- Followup of the CLASS survey to investigate galaxy masses and dark-matter structure in galaxies
- Planning for e-Merlin surveys to study the central regions of galaxies


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Fatigue after Ovarian Cancer Treatment
My mother has stage 4 Ovarian Cancer. She can no longer eat and has a feeding tube. Since coming home she seems very tired, frustrated, and does not wish to engage in any activities. Do you have any hints how we could help her? It is a real exercise in tact.
Thank you.
Lora Packel MS, PT, Coordinator of Cancer Therapy Services for the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, responds:
It is important for family members to recognize two things. First, the treatments for ovarian cancer can be quite debilitating and may cause fatigue. Your mother should discuss her feelings of fatigue with her physician to rule out a medical cause of this symptom. It is also important to try to engage your mother in some form of physical activity so that her muscles do not weaken.
Secondly, many activities that your mom previously enjoyed are probably linked with eating. From simple "get togethers" to going to the movies. This can be a constant reminder of the fact that she can no longer take food orally. This is especially true around holiday times, where food and family are the main focus.
One idea is to ask your mother her goals or desires. What is it that she wishes she could do? Often times the perception of what we feel is important to someone is different from his or her own ideas. Another thought is to try to bring the activities to her. Have a small group of friends over to play cards or to watch her favorite show. Take her to a park to watch the kids and dogs run around. Take a short family walk around the neighborhood. Keep it simple and easy for her to participate. Finally, it is extremely important to convey your concerns to your mother. Perhaps she could speak with her cancer care team about the availability of a counseling service to help her and the family work through the physical and emotional challenges that come with a diagnosis of cancer.


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Victoria College submits re-accreditation plan
Sept. 7, 2013 at 4:07 a.m.
Victoria College recently submitted its Quality Enhancement Plan, a required component of the college's accreditation renewal by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Campus officials are now preparing for an on-site visit by a commission committee later this month.
The focus of VC's plan is to improve critical thinking skills. This will be accomplished by enhancing student engagement through the incorporation of active learning strategies in the learning environment.
Last fall, the college selected the plan's topic - Students Engaged in Active Learning - after seeking input from faculty, staff, students and the community. The plan's development committee took that initial work and prepared a comprehensive plan, which includes three main components: basic training, boot camp and Students Engaged in Active Learning academy.
Basic Training will be introduced to all new VC students in mandatory New Student Information Session. The training will help students understand their role as engaged and prepared partners in active learning while providing important information about how VC supports student success.• Boot Camp will provide professional development opportunities for all VC employees. Faculty and staff will be able to participate in a series of courses introducing them to active learning and learner-centered environments in order to enhance their role in student success.
SEAL Academy will give selected faculty an opportunity to participate in a structured, year-long development program. Participants will research active learning strategies and collaborate with professionals experienced in curriculum, design, and technology to implement active learning strategies in their classes.
A 10-person commission reaffirmation committee will visit Victoria College on Sept. 24-26.
On Sept. 24, the group will look at Victoria College's compliance certificate.
"We had four areas where we didn't provide the appropriate evidence to prove that we actually do what we say we do," said Patricia Vandervoort, vice president of instruction at Victoria College. "The team will verify the information we provided in our focus report addressing those areas."
The committee is also required to confirm VC's compliance with 10 selected core requirements and comprehensive standards as well as nine federal requirements, such as distance education, program curriculum and student achievement, Vandervoort said.
Sept. 25 will be devoted to reviewing the Quality Enhancement Plan. During the review, committee members will examine five general areas:• The institutional process
• The plan's focus
• VC's capacity to initiate, implement, and complete the QEP
• Broad-based involvement in developing the plan
• Assessment of the QEP
Exit interviews will be conducted Sept. 26 as the committee prepares a preliminary report and discusses what it will include in the final report to commission, which will be submitted to the commission's board in June.
In the meantime, the college has hired a new instructional design specialist to round out the professional staff at the Betsy Wright Center for Academic & Professional Excellence. That group will begin to develop the components of the SEAL Academy and other plan activities.


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From A To Z: 26 Style Rules For Spring
VIBE presents a style glossary for a more handsome, prettier, sexier, well dressed, healthier you
A- Accessorize Artfully
The perfect piece(s) can swing your profile from good look to masterpiece. Wrong, random or too much accentuation can turn your Rembrandt into an oil mess. Paint wisely.
B- Black Tie Remixed
In these liberal fashion times, today's Black Tie code can now be bent (never broken). Not into bow ties? Try a skinny tie. Bored with jet black? Add some paisley to that jacket. Play within the parameters and you'll bring home the gold.
C- Cocktail sophistication
Choose your spirit with as much discernment as you would a pocket square. There's appropriate (armagnac post red wine, salmon dinner) and inappropriate (Long Island Iced Teas at the CEO's power lunch).
D- Disobey the Rule… Sometimes
As with any worthy gamble, the odds of being fashionably disobedient and successful are slim with the payoff mammoth. This is a master's game; the unimaginative should only spectate.
E- Etiquette
True owners score the correct move in any setting. Instead of diving into a glass of Pinot, they first twirl the stem to release their sip's full potential; their theater ETA isn't CPT; when visiting museums, their fingerprints remain home. It's deeper than salad forks.


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Tonight I took a beautiful woman to dinner and a movie, and I chose (with assent) Argo based on the recommendation of friends. I have good friends.
I won't actually review the movie, that's what Rotten Tomatoes is for.
I will tell you a funny story.
We were driving away from the theater (all of 6 in the hall on a Tuesday night) when I said: "Hey, a movie where the Americans are the good guys",
to which my lovely wife said
"Well, it's about actual Americans".
There ya go. A movie review.
PS: I need to learn to write with fewer I's.


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Next Episode of People's Choice Awards is
The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing the people and the work of popular culture, voted on by the general public.
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But don't worry - it can happen to the best of us,
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San Quentin Scheduled for Medical Facility Makeover
San Quentin, Calif. — A proposed new medical center at San Quentin State Prison is one of many changes that could improve the prison's beleaguered medical facilities.
The medical center would provide medical and dental services and mental health care, and it would house a pharmacy and inmate medical records.
The new center is one of many proposals to improve health care at state prisons, following U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson's decision to put the state's prison health care system in federal receivership because of inhumane conditions.
San Quentin will be the first prison in California to receive an overhaul of its prison in California, and the prison will be used as a model for other facilities, according to reports.
Medical treatment facilities in use at the prison include a shower area that was converted into makeshift examination rooms and emergency rooms that are not big enough for medical staff to comfortably perform procedures. Medical staffers are often forced to create makeshift areas to see inmates.
Inmates are often forced to wait for medical treatment because of overcrowding at the prison, according to reports.
The prison's medical facilities serve about 70 new inmates a day because San Quentin is a processing center for inmates entering the prison system. Each inmate requires a physical exam before he is sent to other prisons to serve his sentence. The basement of the proposed medical center would be used for processing these inmates.
The five-story medical center would replace an existing three-story building that was decommissioned after the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 due to seismic problems.
The proposal includes several other structures and renovations, including two new modular buildings for office training and recruitment, and medical offices.