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The NHLPA filed a grievance against the NHL for rejecting Ilya Kovalchuk and the New Jersey Devils' mammoth 17 year contract. After an arbitration hearing for both sides, today the ruling was in favor of the NHL, thus making Ilya Kovalchuk a free agent.
Excerpt from Michael Stephens Added
This does bring up some concerning facts. The first is in regards to the NHL now winning a legal case over their control for player contracts. There is an incredible loop-hole in the current CBA which confirms that players who sign a contract at the age of 35 or over will stay on the cap regardless of retirement. Meanwhile, teams can sign players like Kovalchuk to ridiculous long-term contracts, well beyond the reality of when he will retire, in order to drop the cap hit average per year while still complying to the player's high price demands. Should he retire, his contract will not count against the cap as he signed it prior to the age of 35.
The NHL's attempt to address this increasing issue, which up until this point made a farce of the league, was successful and thus the odds of a new layoff to negotiate another Collective Bargaining Agreement could be put on the back burner as the NHL has the ball in their court (or puck on their side of the red line).
With the league now having the arbitration in their favor, they can address several further issues that may arise simply by rejecting the incidents and allowing the NHLPA to take them to another arbitration hearing. The more events that go to arbitration, the more power the NHL receives. The NHLPA may want to pursue another CBA, but with the legal courts favoring the NHL's perspective on this issue, it's difficult to have any hopes of winning the debate in negotiations.
But questions do remain on behalf of fans and players alike on why it took the league so long to attack one of these heavily front-loaded, long-term deals. The simplest answer is that up until now, they never had to. With contracts taking players to the age of 40, the NHL left it in the hands of the teams and general managers knowing that each franchise would eventually have to deal with it should the player continue to play. Now that the deals are reaching ages beyond 40, the odds of that player ever accommodating his contract is slim, and thus the NHL felt it necessary to step in before the 25 year deals start popping up, and until today, who is to say those deals would not present themselves?
The NHL now has more power to review future deals that might attempt a similar line of contract offers. With one arbitration hearing under their belt and in their favor, the NHLPA will have to reassess themselves and their situation with the debate on how to move forward. Perhaps this is a time to bite the bullet and let it go or fans could be in for another long break.
From Michael Stephens:
The renouncement of this deal helps to give some credibility to the league's salary cap system. In theory the salary cap should have the ability to act as a measuring stick for the general talent level and value of players relative to each other. In a cap system where Mikko Koivu is worth $6.75 Million a season, how can a perennial 50 goal threat like Kovalchuk be 'worth' $750 000 less than him in the theoretical ledger? One of the most dynamic and competent offensive threats in the league, his own 'value' on ice was more than the proposed cap hit could ever be. This is not to insult the valiant efforts of Saku's little brother, but Mikko is no Ilya. Of course, when Chris Drury and Scott Gomez are worth 7 mil, you can clearly see that I am a deluded, foolhearty idealist.
I have in previous articles and posts decried the nature of front loaded contracts so I feel that this is a victory for the entire league. I argued that the nature of the deal wasn't being met in good faith and thankfully both the league and Mr Bloch saw through the paper-thin pretense. I wholeheartedly agree with Bloch's verdict, and hope that this announcement will be the precursor to a more adroitly formulated and less exploitable set of rules surrounding the construction of contracts in the next CBA. Unfortunately, the existing contracts (Zetterberg, Luongo, Franzen, et al.) will all but assuredly be grandfathered in the new CBA.
This is not to suggest, however, that the Devils won't re-sign the star left winger. I have every belief that the Devils brass will offer the same or similar money on a shorter term. A 14 year, $102 Million deal would see an annual cap hit of $7.29 Mil. Still not of adequate value for a player of Kovalchuk's worth in my estimation, but it's a little less transparently veiled on the part of the Devils.
Micheal A. Aldred


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Under Rule 2-9.3 (b) - (e), Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, active members of the Bar may file a specific objection to any legislative position adopted by the Board of Governors.
Objections properly filed within 45 days of this News issue will be considered for a refund of that portion of mandatory membership fees applicable to the contested legislative position, within an additional 45 days. The Bar's governing board has the option to grant the appropriate refund to an objector or to refer the matter to arbitration.
The arbitration process will determine solely whether the legislative position is within those acceptable activities for which compulsory membership fees may be used under applicable constitutional law. The objecting member's fees allocable to the contested legislative position will be escrowed promptly upon receipt of the objection, and any refund will bear legal interest.
Any active member may provide written notice to the executive director of The Florida Bar, setting forth an objection to a particular legislative position. Failure to object within 45 days of this News issue will constitute a waiver of any right to object to a particular legislative position within this notice.
The policy requires the Bar to notice such legislative positions in the next available News issue following their adoption.
Pursuant to Standing Board Policy 9.21, on February 18, 2013, the Executive Committee of The Florida Bar Board of Governors approved the following positions of The Florida Bar:
14. Supports amendment of Article V, Section 8 of the Florida Constitution, to increase the mandatory retirement age for justices and judges, from 70 years to 75 years of age.
15. Supports a merit based process for selecting Florida judges through independent judicial nominating commissions and opposes any changes to the current JNC process that would impair the independence of the commissions.
[Revised: 09-05-2017]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The man who has led the University of Minnesota's intercollegiate athletic program for the last decade announced Thursday that he is stepping down this summer. Joel Maturi said it was time for him to leave the high profile position.
Maturi choked back tears as he told reporters his tenure as athletic director would end when his contract expires at the end of June.
"We have a new president, and an old athletic director," Maturi said. "And rather than stay on one more year, allow the president to bring in his person and work with him during this transitional time, it makes a lot of sense."
Maturi conceded he'd been wondering if he was still up to the job.
"Eighteen months ago, I was for the first time in my life, feeling a little tired. As I turn 67 next week, that tiredness has not gone away," Maturi said. "I do not know how to do this job differently. Fourteen, 16-hour days have become more difficult for me."
Over the last 10 years, Maturi has overseen the merger of the men's and women's athletic programs, putting them both on an equal footing, at least administratively. And during that time, the university has avoided the kind of academic and recruiting violations that brought down former men's basketball coach Clem Haskins and women's basketball coach Cheryl Littlejohn.
Perhaps Maturi's most visible achievement is the new stadium that brought football back to campus two seasons ago.
But the football team hasn't made a serious bowl bid during Maturi's tenure and a return to respectability still appears a ways off. The Gophers went 3-9 last season despite bringing in new coach, Jerry Kill, to revive the program.
Kill acknowledged the concern over the football program.
"He probably lost a few hairs over me, I can tell you that. I probably wore him out," Kill said. "He said he's gotten tired, it's probably 'cause of me wearing him out."
The Gophers' difficulties at TCF Bank Stadium have been joined by more problems at Williams Arena, across the street. Maturi lured one-time national champion coach Tubby Smith from Kentucky, but the basketball Gophers have struggled. They have a 4-6 conference record so far this year after last season's 6-12 finish in the Big 10.
Smith is currently negotiating an extension of his seven-year contract. As he announced Maturi's departure, university president Eric Kaler said coaching contracts would be on hold, as well.
"I think that makes sense. The new person is going to have to manage those transitions, but we're not talking about a long time here."
The university will conduct a national search for Maturi's replacement and expects to name a successor by July, Kaler said.
That person will have the challenge of reassuring Gopher fans like sophomore Tristan Rowley.
"Freshman year — a lot of people going to games and stuff. We weren't winning a lot, but there were a still a lot of people going to games. By the end of this last football season, the student section didn't even make it through halftime. People weren't even coming any more," Rowley said. "It was getting old, it was getting sick of losing."
Much of the talk on campus today reflected Maturi's accomplishments, not the university's shortcomings.
Wrestling coach J. Robinson won a national championship just three years ago, and said Maturi's real legacy is lost in the struggles of the high-profile sports on campus.
"Twenty-three of the 25 teams under Joel, OK, got a 3.0 [grade point average]," Robinson said. "You want student athletes, and everything else, and when everything else breaks bad, everybody's got a story. But here's a great story, okay, there's no dumb jocks."
The university's president acknowleged Maturi's success as he announced the departure as a "mutual decision."
"Throughout his tenure, Joel's priority has been, first and foremost, has been to make sure that student athletes got an education and earned a degree,"Kaler said. "Secondly, he worked tirelessly to make sure they had a meaningful and positive athletic experience. And finally, that everything would be done with integrity, candor, compliance, and making the hard decisions that go with that."
Although Maturi will step down as athletic director, he won't leave entirely. Maturi will stay on for another year as a special assistant who will teach and raise funds for the athletic department.


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Classes Make Bicycling in Los Angeles Easier
It is 9 am and traffic is crawling on the 101 freeway...and on the 405, and on the 118. Sunshine pours through the windshield, turning your mind to thoughts of walking through the Santa Monica Mountains and biking down to the beach. Minutes are ticking by, marked only by the occasional horn honking loudly behind you. As for the gas you put in the car earlier? It is working its way towards "E."
There is a way to reduce your fossil fuels consumption and make daily commutes enjoyable: bicycling. And a new organization is here to help make biking in Los Angeles easier.
If you are new to biking or if the thought of peddling down crowded LA streets intimidates you, Sustainable Streets offers free safety courses to help ease your transition into biking. Courses are available in Burbank, West Hollywood, and along the beach in Santa Monica. Classes start with four hours in the classroom, followed by one hour on a simulated road, and then almost five hours of actual street riding. Simulated road, designed by city engineers and painted by city painting crews, give apprehensive riders an opportunity to practice real-word riding without fear.
Sustainable Streets' goal is to build knowledge and confidence in biking to reduce miles spent behind the wheel. Why is it important? Bicycling has the potential to reduce traffic congestion, lower noise levels, and reduce airborne pollutants. Replacing driving to work or quick trips to the grocery store with bicycling is a fun way to live a healthy and environmentally-sustainable lifestyle.
Ron Durgan, President of Sustainable Streets, has dedicated countless hours to creating a program which will change the assumption that living in Los Angeles requires a car. Don't think it is possible? Ron hasn't owned a car in 16 years. He instead uses a combination of zip cars, public transit, and his bicycle to transverse Los Angeles. During the workweek his commute starts in Beverly Hills and ends in Santa Monica. He makes the trip with his bike and a little help from the subway.
Article continues: http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/homepage/classes-make-bicycling-in-los-angeles-easier/
Image credit: work the angles via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr


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Im just wandering if any of your guys' teams made it?
I go to Mechanicsburg, we went 10-0, first time in history, but we have made the playoffs 7 out of 8 years, we play Maria stein marion local sat at 7
Im just wandering if any of your guys' teams made it?
I go to Mechanicsburg, we went 10-0, first time in history, but we have made the playoffs 7 out of 8 years, we play Maria stein marion local sat at 7
Let's make some noise!
Originally Posted by Sean_CaseyRules
Good luck to you guys. The MAC is perenially the toughest small school conference in the state. Marion Local is down a little bit this year but they've had alot of success in the past and are battle tested. Don't let that 7-3 record and #8 seed fool you.
Marion's three losses are all to tournament teams (Versailles, Coldwater and Delphos St. John's). The winner of this game gets Delphos (Covington will make their annual first round exit).
Last edited by paintmered; 11-04-2005 at 02:36 PM.
What if this wasn't a rhetorical question?
All models are wrong. Some of them are useful.
They play good football up in that neck of the woods. Good luck to all the teams.
Mason is hosting the Colerain-Glen Este game. We're about equi-distant between Glen Este and Colerain. They're expecting 8000+ fans at the game (SRO). My wife and I are working the concession stand. Wish us luck.
Butterflies and zebras and moonbeams
And fairytales
Centerville plays Northmont tomorrow night.
Elk Pride.
'When I'm not longer rapping, I want to open up an ice cream parlor and call myself Scoop Dogg.'
-Snoop on his retirement
Your Mom is happy.
I kinda like that they play Northmont in something other than soccer these days. I also remember the schools used to not get along, I wonder if it has changed now that they are in the same league.Originally Posted by Red Leader
Elks Pride from '95
I thought league average bullpen arms looked better than this
Mariemont at Valley View.. Go Warriors
Go Bellevue
Go Gators!
Hillsboro at Columbus DeSales. Go Hillsboro! Although it'll probably get ugly, I've heard that DeSales dresses 92 kids, and this is D-III we're talking about.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." - H. L. Mencken
Wyoming vs. Clinton Massie...go Cowboys
Elk pride, Red Leader & Lincolnpark? Let's go Thunderbolts!!!! Oh.... I am a Northmont alum. You'd think Centerville should roll as they beat Northmont earlier at Northmont this season.Originally Posted by LincolnparkRed
Back in the days when I was in HS, Centerville and Northmont were no longer allowed to play each other in soccer unless it was in the playoffs. It all stemmed from a game in 1983 that was called with 20:00 still left to play... b/c of all the fights (on the field and in the stands). Both teams were the top-dogs in Dayton (and Ohio) in soccer, but it just fueled the rivalry. North vs. South, etc, etc. All silliness really.
Small market fan... always hoping, but never expecting.
Columbus Grove (OH) missed out by 0.05!!!! We won state 2 years ago.
"I'm virtually free to do whatever I want, but I try to remember so is everybody else..." - Todd Snider
here in texas its a big deal
my hs is like 7-2 and the final game is tonight, we clinched a first round birthe last week.
My home county, Licking County is well represented this year with three teams: Div I Newark is making its first playoff appearance since 1975; Div III Hanover Licking Valley is making its third or fourth playoffs since the turn of the century and in Div VI, Newark Catholic is making its 28th playoff appearance overall. I'll root for all 3 of 'em!
A couple of other Licking County teams finished 9th in their region or it would have been a banner year for playoff football there.
gc, it seems like here in Texas, they're playing HS football until Christmas. I can't get used to that.
I'll be at the Newark game tomorrow night. A friend of mine coaches for Gahanna.Originally Posted by Unassisted
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong." - H. L. Mencken
My alma mater, Kings, recieved a home game versus Dayton Carroll. It will be the first game in our name stadium that was built after lead was found and needed to be removed per Federal Gov't. The Enquirer had a stroy in today's paper of the game and recent football success, that was built during my time there ('97-'01).
Larkin is a First-Ballot HOFer in my book...
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Scouting Report Standing at just 5'11", he's considered undersized by many. However, he's stout, he's a sure tackler, and he's superb against the run. He is very good at shedding blocks and locating the ball carrier. And He's also good in space vs. the pass and does a good job of diagnosing lays as they develop.
BigEasyTider's Take Love Hamilton for the intangibles he brings to the table, notably his leadership ability and his overall intelligence (very smart kid who was valedictorian of his HS class). Also brings a strong work ethic and was a productive player on the prep level.
The concern? He is actually a fairly limited player physically. He's got a very short frame and isn't exactly big enough to be an interior clogger at linebacker. Lateral movement is good, but he's not going to be blow anyone away with athleticism either. Physically, in a lot of ways he reminds me of Petey Smith from a few years back, though he's a bit lighter and moves a bit better.
Hamilton should play early on special teams and at ILB (the latter being just because we are something thin at Mike and Will), but I'm not sure exactly what the ceiling is here. I do think he'll contribute, and he'll be an asset in a lot of ways, but I don't necessarily see the physical skill set here to truly become a star.
runtheoption22's Take On NSD, this is where I felt he would fit in our class rankings. The size is a negative. But, when you are as smart as he is, sometimes size takes a backseat to being the right spot every single time. You know CNS loves cerebral kids, especially from an ILB position. SDH may make noise sooner, rather than later.
WMack4Bama's Take Named after Alabama legend Shaun Alexander and pointing to CJ Mosley as his idol and role model, Hamilton has put himself in good company. Possessing the same high character as Alexander and the film room addiction as Mosley, Hamilton will be a welcomed addition the locker room.
He has good range, sideline to sideline. His relatively low center of gravity gives him very good body balance, and he uses his hands very well to shed blocks and find the ball carrier. His lateral quickness is stellar. His size and skill set remind me a lot of former NFL great Zach Thomas of the Miami Dolphins. Thomas was also listed at 5'11" (and that was generous), but he played like a giant. Hamilton has that written all over him.
Hamilton probably won't start this season (although he was running with the 1s alongside Reggie Rangland as recently as today (8/6/14)), but he'll play a lot based on a number of factors. (1) He enrolled early [he's good friends with Dee Milliner, and he witnessed how Milliner's early enrollment contributed to him having an immediate impact], (2) he'll at the very least, play special teams, and (3) the lack of depth at the ILB that Coach Smart mentioned over the weekend. Behind DePriest, Ragland, and Foster, Hamilton is pretty much it, although others have shuffled in and out of there. Hamilton is a more natural fit.
I think he'll be a leader on this defense no later than his junior season (possibly sooner) and he'll have a highly productive career.


text: The oil leak from the left hand pushrod tubes is getting worse and I don,t want to fix it untill winter. Is there any thing I can do in the interm I find if I use the center stand the drip is less. Were is the best place to buy a exhaust nut wrench as I will need one to do the repair?


text:
Logging may destabilize carbon in forest soils
Logging in temperate zones may release more greenhouse gases than previously thought by destabilizing carbon stored in forest soils, argues a new paper published in the journal Global Change Biology-Bioenergy. The research involved analysis of carbon released from forest management practices in the northeastern United States. It found that while most models assume carbon stored in mineral soils to be relatively stable, in fact intensive logging operations, like clear-cutting, trigger release of carbon from various pools above and below ground.
"Our paper suggests the carbon in the mineral soil may change more rapidly, and result in increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, as a result of disturbances such as logging," said Dartmouth Professor Andrew Friedland, a co-author on the paper. "Analysis of forest carbon cycles is central to understanding and mitigating climate change, and understanding forest carbon cycles requires an in-depth analysis of the storage in and fluxes among different forest carbon pools, which include above ground live and dead biomass, as well as the below ground organic soil horizon, mineral soil horizon and roots."
Pacific Northwest image by Rhett Butler via Mongabay.


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By Amanda Wicks
Demi Lovato showed up to the Kid's Choice Awards 2017 yesterday (March 12th) sporting a new look.
Related: Demi Lovato to be Honored at Gala for Mental Health Awareness
The singer stunned in a simple peach dress, but it's her hair that has everyone talking. She chopped off her normally long hair into a lob or long bob. Lovato shared two photos of her new hairstyle on Instagram. "Selfie from yesterday ❤," she wrote.
Besides stunning with her chic hairstyle, Lovato got a surprise when she walked onstage during the broadcast. She got slimed.
Lovato isn't the only pop star to go short lately. Katy Perry shared her new super short hairstyle last week when she premiered her fade on Instagram.
Demi Lovato before and after getting slimed at the #KCAs 🤣😂😃 #D6 @Nickelodeon @SmurfsMovie @ddlovato https://t.co/4kn4Pv6Wbb—
DL6 👀 (@ddlovatosix) March 12, 2017


text:
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text:
A car accident in the parking lot of a church in Daly City left one dead and two injured this morning, the North County Fire Authority said.
Crews responded to a call of a car accident involving several victims in the parking lot of St. Andrew Catholic Church at 1571 Southgate Ave. at about 9 a.m., the fire authority said.
Medical personnel treated the three injured victims at the scene and then transported them to San Francisco General Hospital, according to the fire authority.
One of the three victims succumbed to the injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital, the fire authority said.
The condition of the other two injured in the crash was not immediately available.
The crash is under investigation by the Daly City police.
Copyright 2012 by Bay City News, Inc. … republication, re-transmission or reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.


text:
The Darkest Worlds
by Seth Shostak
Imagine a world where the Sun doesn't shine -- ever. A place where there are nights but no days, and where the term "year" has no meaning. On such an unlit world, you'll never see anything in the sky brighter than the puny sparkle of the stars.
Welcome to orphan planets -- worlds that have been ripped from the bosom of their birth and flung into the dark expanses of interstellar space. While such perpetually sombrous locales may sound like freakish oddities, the truth is that planetary orphans could be as common as carbuncles.
This surprising possibility has been suggested by theoreticians working to understand how stars and planets are born. Their models reveal that infant planets -- freshly hatched from the swirling disks of gas and dust that accompany star birth -- don't always play nicely. They often have highly eccentric orbits that provoke strong gravitational interactions with their nest-mates. The resulting tug-of-war accelerates some of them to high speed -- sufficient to kick them out of their natal homes altogether.
Consequently, a newly minted planetary system is soon purged of some of its members. And recent results from astronomers who study the occasional gravitational lensing of unknown worlds by intervening stars suggest that orphan planets could be at least as numerous as the stars.
In other words, there could be hundreds of billions of orphan worlds shuffling through our galaxy. Finding and studying these rogue objects is clearly worthwhile.
But it's stunningly hard. The planets and moons of our solar system are blatantly visible because they reflect sunlight. Without the nearby Sun, these planets would be cryptic and dark on the sky. Nonetheless, and with the right instrument, they might still give away their presence because they're slightly warm. Consequently, they emit a dull, infrared glow. Earth, for example, is slowly leaking the energy of its molten innards into space. The heat flux is only about 0.1 watts per square meter -- miniscule in comparison with the roughly 700 watts per square meter of sunlight bathing the landscapes of our planet. But to a sensitive infrared telescope, even this tepid flush might be detectable.


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Showalter hopes Flaherty can regain confidence
By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com
BALTIMORE -- Orioles infielder Ryan Flaherty, who was optioned following Saturday's loss, will get consistent at-bats in a variety of positions at Triple-A Norfolk as the organization tries to get him back on track.
"There's just a ... I don't want to use karma, but he needs to go get his legs back under him; offensively, his confidence, everything," manager Buck Showalter said of Flaherty, who hit .133 in 30 games. "Probably the first time in his offensive career that he feels that frustrated with the way things are going for him. He's better than that. We saw it this spring, we saw it at times this year.
"You know what happens is it snowballs. He has a good game and the next day hits two line drives at somebody and you starting getting that mentality of, 'Geez, what's going to happen next?' and you got to change that. How do you change that? I'm hoping this helps him. I talked to [Triple-A manager Ron Johnson] about it and they will be perfect for him for what he needs, because they are certainly not going to let him feel sorry for himself down there. In a good way."
Flaherty, the team's Rule 5 Draft pick last year, never really got going this year after enduring an 0-for-17 slump to start the season. The 26-year-old played solid defense at second base, getting the bulk of the time with Brian Roberts on the disabled list, and he will get a chance to work out his offensive struggles at Triple-A.
"I'm OK with him playing everywhere," Showalter said of the versatile Flaherty, who can play the infield and outfield and was replaced on the roster with Danny Valencia. "I just want him to get the at-bats. Who knows where he might return at? I hope it's not because somebody has been injured. But I think it might be good for him to play all around."
Valencia recalled from Triple-A Norfolk
BALTIMORE -- The Orioles recalled infielder Danny Valencia prior to Sunday's game, and the right-handed hitter got the start at designated hitter in the team's series finale against Rays lefty Matt Moore.
Valencia, who found out about the promotion before Triple-A Norfolk's game on Saturday, has a slash line of .306/.339/.600 with 14 doubles, 11 home runs and 35 RBIs in 40 games for the Tides this season, including seven home runs in his last 10 games and a line of .324/.381/.838 against left-handed pitching.
"Danny's got a chance to play two of three days," said manager Buck Showalter, with the Yankees expected to have a lefty starter in either Monday or Tuesday's game. "See what he does. [He] was doing well down there, as are a lot of guys. We had two or three guys between who to [call up]. As usual, [Norfolk manager] Ronny [Johnson] was the deciding factor."
In his Major League career, the 28-year-old Valencia has hit .316/.359/.472 in 326 plate appearances against lefties, and he said Sunday morning he hoped to carry over the recent success from Norfolk.
"The streak that I was on down there was probably one of the better streaks I've ever had in my career," said Valencia, who will wear No. 35 for the Orioles. "I felt good. I felt like any time they gave me a mistake to hit, I hit it pretty hard. It was a good feeling, and hopefully it carries over."
Valencia is primarily a third baseman, although he can play some first and appeared in a couple of games in the outfield recently for Norfolk. With Ryan Flaherty's demotion, the Orioles had Yamaico Navarro making his third consecutive start at second base on Sunday. Navarro, who was recalled from Norfolk last week, figures to get the bulk of the playing time over Alexi Casilla.
"When [Chris] Dickerson is in the lineup, I want to keep a runner on the bench," Showalter explained when asked about Casilla's limited look. "So some of it is to have some versatility on our bench. And we've already seen it can impact a game. So that has something to do with it.
"And like I told you when I started Yami [on Friday], I want to get a feel for what he is and what he may be able to do. And the only way to do it is to run him out there."
Worth noting
• Freddy Garcia will start Monday's game on his scheduled turn, with Miguel Gonzalez still on track to be activated from the disabled list and start on Tuesday. The team will need a roster spot for him, and right now it looks like they'd send out a pitcher, particularly with Valencia slated to start two of the next three games against a lefty starter.
• Taylor Teagarden (left thumb) will start a hitting and catching program in Sarasota, Fla., on Monday.
• Brian Roberts will have the sutures removed from his leg on Monday. It was originally scheduled for Friday, but his right hamstring wasn't healed enough at the time.
• Wei-Yin Chen (right oblique) will head down to Sarasota at the end of the homestand on Wednesday, and manager Buck Showalter said he wasn't sure if Nolan Reimold will join him or be ready to go get some at-bats at an affiliate.
• The Orioles started bunting and hitting with their pitchers prior to Sunday's game to get ready for the upcoming Interleague play in Washington D.C. next week.
• More than 14,000 fans were in attendance Sunday for the second Little League Day of the season. Youth from around the area participated in a pregame parade around the warning track and gave high-fives to Orioles players as they passed the dugout.
Brittany Ghiroli is a reporter for MLB.com. Read her blog, Britt's Bird Watch, and follow her on Twitter @britt_ghiroli. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Dialysis, by Kyle Reed
The human kidney is an essential organ, playing vital roles in both the urinary and endocrine system. The kidney maintains the chemical and water balance of the body with the help of nephrons, which are the functioning units that remove waste from the blood. Nephrons accomplish this through filtration and both active and passive transport; each kidney has approximately 1 million nephrons. Figure 1 shows a nephron and the processes that occur [1][2][3].
It is important to note that the blood enters the nephron at the glomerulus, which filtrates solutes up to 60,000 Da. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) for an average person is roughly 125 mL/min, or 180 liters/day. The resulting fluid and solutes then enter the renal tubes, where different types of transport occurs [1][2].
In the proximal tube (first part of the renal tube), water is reabsorbed back in the blood stream: around 178 liters/day. Other substances are also reabsorbed, such as sodium and glucose. Glucose is always fully recovered while sodium is regulated; depending on the salt concentration within the body, sodium is either reabsorbed or secreted [1].
The substances that were not filtered out in the glomerulus, like hydrogen and potassium ions, ammonia, and certain drugs, enter the peritubular capillaries. These components are then secreted into the distal tubule (second part of the renal tube). The toxins are then sent to the bladder with the ~1% of water that wasn't reabsorbed [1].
The kidney also has other important functions by sensing the composition of the blood and secreting substances that aid in bone metabolism, red blood cell production, and blood pressure regulation. When kidneys are no longer able to function as intended, renal failure occurs and can be classified as acute or chronic. Both can be treated with dialysis if there is not a donor organ available [2].
1854 - Thomas Graham developed an apparatus that held urine and water separated with a membrane. After several hours, sodium chloride and urea were found to have transported across the membrane. Set the basis for dialysis. [4]
Current Technology
There are two types of dialysis used to treat kidney renal failure, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis is performed on about 85% of patients, with the remainder being peritoneal dialysis [2].
Peritoneal Dialysis
Future of Dialysis
Nephron Regeneration
Human nephrons can only regenerate partially; they are not able to grow new ones. Fish are able to grow new nephrons however, and zebrafish have been extensively studied in order to try and emulate their kidney cells ability to self-replicate. Research has found that the zebrafish kidneys probably contains self-renewing nephron stem/progenitor cells. Future research into this field can allow scientists to try and replicate the growing of new nephrons in humans [10].
Artificial Kidney
There has been long debate about whether the technology would be created that will allow humans to bypass dialysis and "wear" a artificial kidney that is cheap in the near future [11]. The University of California, San Francisco (USCF) is looking to end that debate as soon as possible. They were able to create an artificial kidney that requires no power source and is projected to be equal or less in cost then a kidney transplant. It will have an operational lifetime of around a decade; it can filter blood and respond to some chemicals in the system with feedback. The first clinical trials for this device are planned for 2017, and the device itself is on a accelerated track for FDA approval [12]. (See source for video on the device).
It is apparent that the both of the research approaches described above can have a drastic impact on the lives of those that require dialysis. Whether it be allowing them to regrow an entire kidney, or have an artificial one instead, it would allow people to live their lives without the worries of having to spend countless hours near a dialysis machine to survive. However, these technologies could prove to be even more important for those that are not even able to have dialysis due to financial restrictions.
Figure 6 shows the global market for dialysis as of January 2013. The "Rest of World" portion has been amplified with the growing market in India. Currently, there are 52,000 Indian patients on dialysis, but this is no where near the amount of people that require it. While dialysis in India costs 4 to 33 percent of the cost in the U.S., more then 90 percent of the 230,000 that develop chronic kidney failure each year are unable to acquire treatment [13].
[1] Space Biomedical Research Institute. http://home.bway.net/rjnoonan/humans_in_space/fluid.html (accessed February 6, 2013).
[2] Ratner, B.D.; Hoffman, A.S.; Schoen, F.J.; Lemons, J.E. Biomaterials Science: An Introduction to Materials in Medicine, 2nd ed.; Elsevier Academic Press: San Diego, 2004; pp. 514-518.
[3] Saltzman, W. Tissue Engineering: Principles for the Design of Replacement Organs and Tissues; Oxford: New York, 2004; pp. 387-391.
[4] Advanced Renal Education Program. http://www.advancedrenaleducation.com/Hemodialysis/HistoryofHemodialysis/tabid/177/Default.aspx (accessed February 6, 2013).
[5] The Kidney Doctor. http://www.thekidneydoctor.org/2012/02/remembering-willem-kolff.html (accessed February 6, 2013).
[6] $100 Dialysis. http://100dialysis.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/a-brave-beginning/ (accessed February 6, 2013).
[7] DaVita. http://www.davita.com/kidney-disease/dialysis/motivational/the-history-of-dialysis/e/197 (accessed February 6, 2013).
[8] VascularWeb. http://www.vascularweb.org/vascularhealth/Pages/dialysis-access.aspx (accessed February 6, 2013).
[9] National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/peritoneal/
[10] Diep, C.Q.; Ma, D.; Deo, R.C.; Holm, T.M.; Naylor, R.W.; Arora, N.; Wingert, R.A.; Bollig, F.; Djordjevic, G.; Lichman, B.; Zhu, H.; Ikenaga, T.; Ono, F.; Englert, C.; Cowan, C.A.; Hukriede, N.A.; Handin, R.I.; Davidson, A.J. Identification of adult nephron progenitors capable of kidney regeneration in zerbrafish. Nature. 2011, 470, 95-100.
[11] Ronco, C.; Davenport, A.; Gura, V. A wearable artificial kidney: dream or reality?. Nature Clinical Practice. 2008, 4, 604-605.
[12] medGadget. http://www.medgadget.com/2012/11/an-implantable-artificial-kidney-interview-with-ucsfs-dr-shuvo-roy.html (accessed February 6, 2013).
[13] The Kidney Doctor. http://www.thekidneydoctor.org/2013/01/global-nephrology-dialysis-in-india.html (accessed February 6, 2013).


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All quotes tagged Compressed
(27 quotes found)
"Everything is being compressed into tiny tablets. You take a little pill of news every day - 23 minutes - and that's supposed to be enough."
"One is happy to report that Israel Shenker is still at the aerosol stage. His energy is still compressed. The result distinguishes him both as a Jew and as an observer of Jews."
"With digital compression, and the growing number of channels available, the cable companies are evaluating the number of stations they carry, and I cannot imagine the basis for this decision was anything other than technical efficiencies."
"Basically they're water sprays that release compressed air and water. The compressed air expands and releases energy as it is sprayed, and that causes the cooling to cause the water to form snow."
"The miss on earnings is mostly because of margin compression and increased costs. They run this company really fat to begin with, and if they are getting even fatter, it's absurd."
"In addition, on the issue of grade compression, employees who meet or exceed their performance targets will receive an additional fixed amount to their basic salaries if their annual salaries fall below a specified threshold."
"Up there, we were able to show a very significant impact because the economies are more compressed around the beach, ... The local (Manatee-Sarasota) economy is not as diverse."
"Financial consolidation plays a lead role at a corporate level for performance management. Our consolidation capabilities compress the time to close and give users an automated method to make decisions and report with confidence in spite of the fast-changing business environment and regulatory scrutiny. Combining financial consolidation with our leading planning and business intelligence capabilities provides decision makers with consistent information, an effective, transparent system of controls, accountability and measurement, and an automated, systemic means to increase performance effectiveness."
"The price range of $350,000 to $450,000 is getting very compressed. The sellers with the smaller homes in this range are going to have a real problem selling."


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Why do people prefer windows to linux, just wondering. I dont wanna start an argument, so if you dont like windows please dont comment in this thread, I wanna know why people who use windows prfe it over *nix.
Why do people prefer windows to linux, just wondering. I dont wanna start an argument, so if you dont like windows please dont comment in this thread, I wanna know why people who use windows prfe it over *nix.
Where I am....nobody uses linux......In work we use windows...and everyone I know uses Windows........I sometimes have to explain to people what Linux is.....
let me restate, why do people use windows over other operating system.
I use windows because that is what I started on so it feals familiar and most of my software doesn't run on Linux without a hassle. And Windows works well. Haven't seen a crash for a long time now.Linus doesn't feal intuitiv to me(sp) and I don't really care for tweaking my OS or software..I want it to work out of the box. I know later versions of linux is better then it used to be
I agree with Barjor and Fordy.
The average user in my network has no idea what *nix is. As network admin I got a copy of RedHat just for me to play with on a seperate system and "give it a test run", but the average user in the market place just barely gets by with Windows. Most of my end users (approx. 300 people/end user pc's) know how to surf the 'net, use one or two MS Office apps and send an email. That's about all they are comfortable with and most don't want to learn any more. In other words, moving out of the windows "comfort zone" to a *nix OS is out of the question for them. Not that they couldn't adjust, they just don't/wouldn't want to.
That coupled with the fact that I haven't seen a BSOD in about 2 months and we almost never have trouble with the OS's we use (Win 98SE, Win 2K Pro, Winnt 4.0 SP6), we don't really have a reason to switch.
No point in writting for an OS my customers don't use (for the reasons stated by the other replies).
"Man alone suffers so excruciatingly in the world that he was compelled to invent laughter."
Friedrich Nietzsche
"I spent a lot of my money on booze, birds and fast cars......the rest I squandered."
George Best
"If you are going through hell....keep going."
Winston Churchill
The reasons above are generally good, but novacain hit the nail on the head. The paying customers want Windows solutions. If you tender a non Windows solution, you will not win the contract.
Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity unto the dream.
hence windows wins and the cycle continues!!
::edit:: but i cannot argue with economics, nor do i try! buisness wins, anyone who expects a buisness already developing for windows to suddenly turn all the way around and start from scratch for arguable ideals with potentially small profits IS INSANE!
develope for both!(i know i know).
::edit 2::
to ask even this hints at insanity!
Last edited by no-one; 04-04-2002 at 01:38 AM.
ADVISORY: This users posts are rated CP-MA, for Mature Audiences only.


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Reviews of the latest releases from Amy Black, Pokey LaFarge, Neko Case, Elvis Costello and The Roots and Sting.
Amy Black, "The Muscle Shoals Session" (Reuben Records) On the heels of her stellar live album "Live from Johnny D's," Somerville country chanteuse Amy Black whets our appetite for her upcoming full-length album with an EP of covers perfectly suited to her sultry-smooth vocals.
Black makes the most of a soulful vibe on Arthur Alexander's "You Better Move On" (most famously covered by the Rolling Stones), and shuffles through Wilson Pickett's "You Left The Water Running" with a smoky verve. And her slow-groove country makeover of Mel and Tim's R&B chestnut "Starting All Over Again" is a stunner. STANDOUT: "Tighten Up," a Black Keys track spotlighting a bluesier Black that we'll hopefully see again on her next original set. (Download the EP at http://bit.ly/ABMuscleShoals.)
Pokey LaFarge, "Pokey LaFarge" (Third Man Records) You've got to have a certain respect for an artist who doesn't seem the least bit concerned about commercial viability, and Pokey LaFarge's self-titled LP, chock full of ragtime, jazz and Western swing that sounds straight out of the 1930s, would seem to fit that category. Get past its anachronistic facade, though, and it's impossible not to lose yourself in its punchy, archaic charm.
LaFarge, 30, croons and plucks his way through an impressively rootsy melange here -- consisting mostly of vivid, original songs populated by one-horse towns, Kentucky gals and bowlegged women, the album is bursting with jaunty life. STANDOUT: "The Devil Ain't Lazy," the album's one cover, an ode to Beelzebub originally by Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys that captures the album's wonderful weirdness.
Neko Case, "The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You" (Anti/Epitaph) Case's voice, and what she does with it, remain a small miracle. Her lyrics on "The Worse Things Get…," her sixth full-length studio album, are as off-kilter as ever, full of murdered brothers, rotten mothers, last breaths and skewed angles, but her hearty vocals and tremulous harmonies raise every song to something more transcendent than the sum of its parts.
Case's musical mixture of good, bad and ugly gives the album album a feel of messy reality. Some songs evoke a sweet nostalgia -- "I've got calling cards from 20 years ago," she sings on "Calling Cards" to an old lover she used to call from payphones from the opposite coast -- while others, like the almost a capella "Nearly Midnight, Honolulu," about a heartbreaking overheard remark from a mother to a daughter, are desperately poignant. STANDOUT: "Man," a rollicking slapdown of a certain type of weak-kneed male specimen.
Elvis Costello and The Roots, "Wise Up Ghost" (Blue Note) Costello's collaboration with the hip-hop/neo soul favorites (and Jimmy Fallon's house band) was supposed to be a covers EP of Costello classics, but given Elvis's long history of not resting on his laurels, it's probably not surprising that it evolved into a different and ultimately more satisfying animal. Riddled with samples and passages from his older songs but ultimately original, "Wise Up Ghost" feels like it was beamed here by some Bizarro-universe Costello, a tad funkier than the original but just as cynical.
In fact, if you prefer pessimistic Costello to sentimental Elvis, you won't be disappointed by this album's forays into the darker sides of human nature. "Stick Out Your Tongue," a shadowy re-imagining of 1983's already acrid "Pills and Soap," is typical of the new album's worldview: "In time you can turn these obsessions into careers," Costello spits, "while the parents of those kidnapped children start the bidding for their tears."
All through, Questlove and The Roots provide spooky, riveting beats that buoy the acidity under Costello's lyrical indictments -- they prove potent companions to his angry old man finery. STANDOUT: "Walk Us Uptown," a winkingly apocalyptic stew of crushed souls and sins that refuse to wash away.
Sting, "The Last Ship" (A&M) You can be forgiven if you rolled your eyes when you heard that Sting was releasing a concept album built around a dying shipyard for an upcoming Broadway musical, because I know I did. But darn it if the old actor doesn't nail it – "The Last Ship" is his most engaging effort in years, maybe since his 1985 solo debut, "Dream of the Blue Turtles."
Armed with an array of brogues and accents, Sting inhabits characters desperate for a lost sense of community, and struggling with estranged fathers, unrequited loves and haunted vessels. But it's far from a dreary affair: Ballads are set off by sparkling waltzes and upbeat jigs, and Sting – making some impressive vocal stretches – makes it feel deep and hummable at the same time. STANDOUT: "Dead Man's Boots," a poignant (yet catchy!) dialogue between a father and his rebel son.
Peter Chianca is the author of Glory Days: Springsteen's Greatest Albums. Follow him on Twitter at @pchianca.


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So now that the PCA nominations are out, hopefully you've begun your own personal online voter assault to let us know who you want on that stage winning that "Favorite BLANK" trophy come January. And if you're the slightest bit tech savvy you're Tweeting your votes like crazy. Today, let's begin a closer inspection of some of our nominees. For purposes of balance and fairness, let's look first at one of my favorite categories: Favorite Movie Actor. The nominees are Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Downey Jr., Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. I think it's fair to say that there's a healthy age spread among PCA voters, on account of the even healthier age spread among nominees. Ever notice – with few exceptions like when they throw in a Tatum O'Neal or an Anna Paquin — that Oscar nominees tend to be far more closely grouped in age? This is because Academy voters tend to like many of the same things, and lots of them tend to have been born around the same time. Result? Less diversity. Less of what fans like. Nothing on Oscar – it's absolutely my second favorite awards telecast of the year. This does however, tell us a bit about what Hollywood likes vs. what the people it creates entertainment for like. Now each of the five guys in this category has any number of elements in common. They're all ferociously handsome, they've all starred in movies that a) make tons of money, b) make tons of girls scream, and c) make tons of men feel hopelessly inferior /super-envious, or both. People around the world have seen their films repeatedly, and most of the fellas are behind massive movie franchises involving sequels that won't ever die. None of these men can walk into a restaurant without inciting anything from furious texts to all-out riots, no matter how hard they might try. All of them have adorned bedroom walls around the globe. Collectively these five elicit more fan mail on an annual basis than most heads of state have in all of history. Two of these actors have children (that we know about). One of them cannot vote or drink alcohol yet. So let's take a peek at the first one in today's poll. In case you're wondering, we're going alphabetically. Johnny Depp goes first. Wildly popular for decades, he's starred in countless movies and he's not afraid to take chances in any of them. He has the respect of both peers and fans, and he is as solid on dramatic ground as he is atop a swashbuckling high-seas comedy. He appeared at last year's People's Choice Awards and you could feel the electricity in the air (and hear the deafening roar) the second he walked on stage. He's starred in so much that there is literally no way to toss out a sampling of four movies without glaring omissions. Which is why we have a comments section. With this in mind voice your choice in today's featured poll and tell us which of these Johnny Depp films (or series of films) is your favorite:
1) Alice In Wonderland
2) Edward Scissorhands
3) Pirates of the Caribbean
4) Sweeney Todd
For the latest pop culture news and voting, make sure to sign up for the People's Choice newsletter!


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Admit it. You got nervous in the first half, when the Bears went into the locker room at halftime with a 3-3 tie to the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bears were clearly nervous, too, because they came back and... Read »
Despite shaky play from the offense, the Chicago Bears' defense led the team to a 23-6 win over the St. Louis Rams at Soldier Field on Sunday. Read »
Chicago overcame a slow start beat the Indianapolis Colts 41-21 at Soldier Field on Sunday. Read »
The Bears will have a chance to end a rough season with a win over Minnesota. Follow us for in-game updates. Read »
Here's what you need to know before kickoff. Read »
Chicago hangs on for a 27-20 victory on the road. Read »
Nailbiter 19-14 win over the Lions goes down to the wire. Read »


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An interesting "go" at Gregory Schopen, with some pointed critques on a scholatic level, but overall it is an attack not from a position that, at least from others who have made it, I see as unassalible from self serving assumptions itself. After 25 years with a Tibetan Buddhist Sangha I have a grim opinion of "practicing Buddhists" as regards having a transcendental advantage in interpreting texts "hidden truths and unseen dimensions" unavailable to shallow non Buddhist scholars. But then again my Lama, who remains the one for which I retain the most respect, always told us to not read Lesser Vehicle texts because we would be confused and misled by them.
What do you think?
A sample:
Please see Wynn's original critique:Compared with the situation in Bible studies, the quantity of Buddhist literature is so vast, the subject matter so obscure, and the amount of serious research so small, that it is premature to discard any methodology. While the early scholars may not have given due weight to the archaeological evidence, they must be forgiven, in consideration of the sheer time and effort it takes to learn the Buddhist languages and read the texts. They have at least given us a reasonably coherent and satisfying working model of Indian Buddhism. If we were to accept Schopen in his more radical moods we would be rendered incapable of saying anything about the Buddha or his teachings, and would be left with no idea as to why there were, in the later periods, such widely spread religious schools claiming inspiration from a common Teacher, sharing a similar lifestyle, and borrowing wholesale each other's scriptures, at the same time as vigorously arguing with each other over what the scriptures mean.
"How old is the Suttapiñaka? The relative value of textual and epigraphical sources for the study of early Indian Buddhism." © Alexander Wynne, St John's College, 2003
Located at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/106702425/Wyn ... uttapitaka


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The dot maps, below, are a product of a merged land surface and sea surface temperature anomaly analysis. Temperature anomalies with respect to the 1971-2000 mean for land and ocean are analyzed separately and then merged to form the global analysis. Note that BLUE is BELOW normal and RED is ABOVE normal, and the size of the dot is proportional to the magnitude of the anomaly. Temperature anomalies are noted in degrees Centigrade. The maps and data analysis are from the National Climatic Data Center. This page was produced within the Applied Climate Science Group of the School of Natural Resources, UNL.
The global data set has 127 years of data (1880-2006). Scroll down to see all of the months for Year 2006


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After serving four years in the Air Force, Lena Blankenship returned to her hometown of Hayesville only to fall into a life of drug addiction and physical and mental abuse.
ASHEVILLE — After serving four years in the Air Force, Lena Blankenship returned to her hometown of Hayesville only to fall into a life of drug addiction and physical and mental abuse.
The ex-Air Force captain with a master's degree saw her life spiral downward, until she eventually landed at the Charles George VA Medical Center, waking up in the rehabilitation center in June.
Fortunately, Blankenship, who served from 2001 to 2005, found her way to The Steadfast House in Asheville, where she is turning her life around.
She's seen first-hand how important it is for homeless veterans to have the community's support. Henderson County's veteran advocacy organization HonorAir, the Ashville-Buncombe Community Christian Ministry and American Legion Post 77 also recognize the need for support and are organizing the Homeless Veteran Christmas Fund Drive to benefit homeless veterans such as Blankenship in Western North Carolina.
Many homeless do not have new clothes or similar much-needed items, which is why initiatives such as the Homeless Veterans Christmas Fund Drive help tremendously, Blankenship said. Money raised will be used to buy new coats, boots, shoes, gloves, linens, towels and other everyday items for homeless veterans as they work their way toward reintegrating into society.
"Some women come here with only the clothes on their backs," she said.
Blankenship, 34, said the idea of owning something that has not been worn by someone else can build self-esteem.
"It makes you feel so special," she said. "It sounds so simple, and it is."
That is why the former officer appreciates a community that lends a helping hand.
"It makes you feel special and loved. Like you are worth something," she said. "I am eternally grateful for the community's support."
ABCCM houses homeless veterans in two Asheville facilities — The Steadfast House for women and The Veterans Restoration Quarters for men.
ABCCM provides homeless female veterans at The Steadfast House stability, skill building, education and training opportunities that lead to employment and housing. Veterans Restoration Quarters runs a similar residential program, with more than 240 beds in a former 125-room motel.
Blankenship got clean and sober and in July moved into The Steadfast House, where she and 10 other female veterans are beginning new lives.
Blankenship earned her master's degree in public administration with a concentration in nonprofits at Appalachian State University. She said she would love to work for an organization like the ABCCM after she completes her transition in January.
"I am grateful that this place exists," she added.
Although it is difficult to gauge, the ABCCM said there are about 800 homeless vets west of Charlotte. Staff members also know the importance of the community's role in helping the homeless regain focus in their lives.
"Our community does not realize how many homeless vets we have," said Donna Wilson, director of The Steadfast House.
The Homeless Veteran Christmas Fund Drive will do more than help the immediate needs of homeless enrolled with ABCCM, Wilson said.
"It lets them know that someone cares and that means a lot," she said.
The fund is set up so people can sponsor a homeless veteran for $50, said Jeff Miller, founder of HonorAir and Hendersonville resident.
"People can certainly give more or give less," he added.
Two years ago, Miller organized a coat drive for ABCCM's homeless vets that raised more than $20,000. The amount surpassed the goal set for new coats, and extra money went toward buying gloves and other winter clothing for 250 veterans in the dead of winter.
"The need is great," Miller said, adding that he wants homeless veterans in the community to know they are not forgotten. "We can all share a little bit and make a big difference in their lives, and let them know we are here."
In 2012, VA Healthcare for Homeless Veterans officials saw 843 homeless veterans enter the program from October 2011 to September 2012, according to the VA.
Donation checks can be made out to: American Legion Post 77 HonorAir Fund. Note "Christmas Fund" and mail to: HonorAir, 423 N. King St., Hendersonville, NC, 28792.
For more information, contact Jeff Miller of HonorAir at 828-693-7426, or Kelley Freeman of ABCCM the Veterans Restoration Quarters at email@example.com or 828-398-6615.


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Small Business Lending Fund Participants Boost Loans by $6.7 Billion
The U.S. Department of the Treasury said participants receiving capital through the Small Business Lending Fund continued to increase their small business lending in the second quarter, in total by $6.7 billion over the baseline and by $1.5 billion over the prior quarter.
Established as part of the Small Business Jobs Act that President Obama signed into law in 2010, the fund was set up to encourage community banks with less than $10 billion in assets to increase their lending to small businesses, help those companies expand their operations and create new jobs.
The Treasury Department said Tuesday it has invested more than $4.0 billion in 332 institutions through the SBLF. Collectively, these institutions operate in more than 3,000 locations across 48 states.
The fund's latest figures come shortly after the first anniversary of the SBLF, Treasury said. Some within the credit union industry have accused banks of misusing the fund saying the money is not being funneled to small businesses but is actually being used by banks to repay debt acquired through the Troubled Assets Relief Program.


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When i just watched a Assassin's Creed 3 Tyranny of King Washington,i discovered there was no sound.
I checked but it wasn't muted so try a lot of solutions but didn't work.
I believe that my AMD HDMI was unplugged but i am using latop,there was no such thing as an AMD HDMI cable.
I am hopeless to post this thread!!I need your help!
I will rep anyone who found the solution.


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ravenGirl2468 wrote:Do you think if Carlisle had the chance to become human again that he would take it!
No. Even though he preys on animals, so do normal humans. His improved senses allow him extra ability in his medical career. Overall, being a vampire just came in handy!
Your Mother wrote:What if Carlisle hadn't been changed? How would his life have turned out?
He probably would of continued his lifestyle, but honestly, hunting for vampires, he had to get bitten eventually. There isn't much hope of outrunning a thirsty vampire.
What do you think Carlisle's point of view is of his father's work?
He didn't like the violence or the killing people for no reason. I bet most the people Carlisle's dad killed weren't beasts, he just wanted to appear more powerful. I'm betting Carlisle thought this whole operation was wrong, even if they were monsters, they weren't hurting the people.


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i went there today and saw my only Robert! omg ! i was shaking! so starstruck but couldnt get a pic coz the bulky bodyguards are everywhere! once they see you with a camera they would look at you like you're some kind of a murderer! such a piercing look. so I just watched and look at "our" only Rob! ahahha. I got a closer look at him when they did the still photos at the lobby, on the stairs and on the foyer! i went home happy. I definitely saved the best for last! ahahahah.. it looks like they were only filming biology class and cafeteria scene.Oh, lucky Hush! Thanks for letting us live vicariously through you. :-)
Were they taking promo pics??? I can't wait!


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I don't think comparing Melo to Lebron is fair. First, Lebron is a better player. Second, Lebron gets everyone involved. He has no problem making the right basketball play at the expense of attempting a game winning shot. Lebron has taken less talent deep into the playoffs because he's played a whole season with them vs Melo playing 2 and a half months with the Knicks' second unit.
JR Starks is a nod to John Starks' infamous playoff game in '94 when he couldn't buy a shot against Houston. JR Smith is a streaky shooter and if he's your second go to guy we're in trouble.
Bright lights or not, to expect Melo to do it by himself is a failure in itself. He knows he can't do it by himself and has publicly called out his team for guys to step up.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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(if they were supported, you wouldn't need to get a driver from the vendor in the first place) If a vendor is providing you with a driver, I think you need to first contact them for instructions for using that driver. The drivers I distribute do not include a Realtek CardBus driver, and I have not tested any such cards. -- Dave
[ Edit This Forum ]


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Game of Thrones Catspaw Blade
A blade of Valyrian steel that Catelyn Stark recovered from the assassin sent to finish her son Bran. It was taken to Kings Landing by Lady Stark and shown to Petyr Baelish, who identified it as belonging to Tyrion Lannister. This adult collectible is officially licensed from HBO®'s hit series Game of Thrones® and is an edition strictly limited to 2500 pieces.
The Game of Thrones® Collection is a series of collectible weapons and armor painstakingly recreated from the actual props used on HBO®s hit fantasy epic Game of Thrones®. The officially licensed collectibles are made from the highest quality materials and have been crafted with special attention to reproduce the authentic details found on the props.
This item is not a toy, please keep out of the reach of children. This replica is intended solely for display purposes as a collector's item.
Overall Length: 19.5"
Blade Length: 10"
Blade Material: High carbon damascus steel
Handle: Faux "dragon bone" grip with 24k gold plated metal parts.
Plaque: Silkscreened wood with Game of Thrones® motif.
- Dimensions: 19.5" x 3"
- Made In: Imported
- Weight: 1 pound
(This product includes a shipping surcharge of $9.99.)
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®by PowerReviews
Best Uses
- Was this a gift?:
- No (3)
Reviewed by 4 customers
Comments about this product:
Bueatiful piece
- Was this a gift?:
- No
- Thought Provoking
Best Uses
- Adults
Comments about this product:
It was given to me as a gift.
My immediate impression was a positive one, as it is a very unusual and interesting piece of weaponry.
However, on closer examination it was extremely disappointing.
It just looks cheap and tacky right down to the presentation plaque which is far too 'busy'and clashes horribly with the ornateness of the dagger itself. It just seems completely inappropriate as it adds an unnecessary distraction and cheapens the over-all effect. It also looks like a 'production-line', mass-made item rather than a hand-finished rare and 'painstakingly' crafted ornament.
The'gold-effect on the handle - far from 'gold-plating' looks as though it was rendered using a few squirts from a tin of gold paint and the plastic 'faux dragon-bone' handle is ghastly.
Sadly it will only be 'displayed' when the American friend who gave it to me visits, to spare their feelings.
Perhaps it's a blessing that there are only 2499 more of these dreadful items remaining in the world.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
- Created From Actual Props
- Very Aesthetic Display
- Plastic Handle
Best Uses
- Adults
- Display
Comments about this product:
As mentioned in pros and cons, the dagger is a very close replica of the original as it was crafted using actual props from the show. The only drawback is the plastic handle (dragon bone in the show's lore, antelope horn in the actual show knife). This was obviously done to keep costs/price low and the replicas all the same. The dagger still looks very nice and is a great addition to my collection.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
- Comes With Wall Mounts
- Looks cool
- Sharp
- Cheaply made
- Looks Fake Up Close
Best Uses
Comments about this product:
It's is ok don't get me wrong, but for the price I wasn't expecting ok. It is really cool looking, if you don't examine it too closely. The gold parts look spray panted and the jewel in the hilt is obviously fake, (not that I was expecting a real ruby, but maybe a more convincing fake, nor was I expecting sold gold, but gold plating yes). The blade may or may not be actual Damascus Steel, but it looks silk screened to me. All that aside I love the look of it on my wall and my friends thought it was cool, all and all I'm satisfied, but it was not as awesome as I expected it would be.
- Was this a gift?:
- No


text:
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Building knowledge of both private sector business needs and the public sector transportation planning process supports the effective integration of freight into many statewide and metropolitan transportation plans and investment decisions. Developing and sustaining relationships, either formally or informally, with key private sector stakeholders is critical to effective freight transportation planning. Upon completion of this workshop participants will be able to develop an action plan that will engage freight stakeholders in their agencies' planning processes.
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The target audience for this course includes practitioners and others involved in transportation planning, project development, and project implementation specifically, State DOT Planners, Freight Transportation Specialists, MPO Staff, City/County Engineers and Planners, Economic Development Agency staff, Quasi-public Agencies (such as ports), FHWA Employees, and other Federal Employees. Private sector entities are considered a secondary audience; however, their participation in the workshop can be extremely beneficial to them and the public sector participants.
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Closet Organization – Free DownloadFebruary 24th, 2009
Today I was feeling especially motivated to organize (one of my favorite thing to do). So I finally bit the bullet and got some great clear bins at Costco. Although I live in a small apartment in San Francisco, I have 2 really nice big closets. Since moving here they have become increasingly more frightening to open. So I took a little time this evening and I went through both of my closets and organized everything that I could into bins:
The next step in my organization was to make some cute labels! My second favorite thing is to make cute labels! What a good day! So I designed these labels (Available for free download at the end of this post), printed and cut them out:
Once they were all cut out, I ran them through my xyron 250 machine. If any of you don't know what this is — its the most amazing invention to come to paper crafting. you basically slide your paper (or buttons or ribbon anything thin enough) through the front and turn the wheel, and it comes out the back A STICKER! I'm being completely serious here. You have to see it in person, but whatever you put in, comes out with the perfect amount of adhesive adhered to the back. Get one!
Once the labels were all made into stickers, I just threw them up on the containers!
And some up-close shots:
I am so so happy to have this done. The closets look amazing and with the labels, everything now has its own little home! Hopefully this will motivate you to do a little bit of spring cleaning and organizing. Be sure to download some labels so that you can keep all your stuff straight! I'd love to hear about your organization methods and be sure to leave a comment if you do download the labels. xoxo Jen Allyson
Download PDF Labels>> Label Page 1 & Label Page 2


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Follow The Fellowship Road.
There are a few well-known don'ts when it comes to game design. Don't use technology that is older than your mom. Don't claim that your game is more addictive than Tetris. Don't name your mascot after a famous Nazi (though who wouldn't want to jump around as a talking pie named Himmler?).
And of course, don't make a game based on a movie.
Despite our efforts to make it clear to game designers, this last rule is broken more often than jaywalking. Almost every movie-to-game translation has sucked, such as this, this, this, this, and this. Call it the Curse Of The 2-Hour Screenplay.
So we're rarely excited when we hear that a game based on a movie is under construction... except when we saw The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers at the E3 video game convention last May. The terrific presentation had us pulling 180 degrees on our instincts. It looked like the Curse was destined to be broken.
After spending some time with the final version of the game, though, I think maybe we should have listened a little more closely to our gamer guts. Any self-respecting hobbit will tell you that looks aren't everything; and while the game is prettier than an Elven queen, the beat 'em up button pressing of this all too short journey through Middle Earth is only about as notable as a sunny day in The Shire.
LOTR: Two Towers is based very specifically on the Peter Jackson movies rather than the J.R.R. Tolkien books. The second movie has yet to be released, but that didn't stop EA from putting their version out nearly two months in advance. Seems strange to me that they didn't tie this in with the movie's release, as they'd probably triple their sales and not have to compete quite as directly with the Balrog-sized monster that is GTA: Vice City.
Release date issues notwithstanding, LOTR: Two Towers follows the action-packed exploits of Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli through the first two movies (happily, you don't have to play as stupid Frodo.) You can choose to play as any of the three across 12 levels representing memorable scenes, including Balin's Tomb, the plains of Rohan and Helm's Deep.
And represent they do, thanks to the outstanding graphics and sound. Each level features live-action snippets from the movies, which blend into in-engine cut scenes (or vice versa). The modeling and movement of the characters coupled with the simply beautiful scenery create a game that's exploding with atmosphere. Orcs, Cave Trolls and Uruk-Hai enemies looks spot-on, flame effects are terrific and the game's framerate is rock solid.
But perhaps the most impressive aspect of the game's delivery is the sound, which is some of the best ever. In addition to the rousing film score, you'll get plenty of dialogue from the actual actors from the movies - no fake doubles here. You'll also get sound effects that ring true, capturing every clang and clank of steel on steel. Most impressive of all is the moody music that matches the action. As things get crazy, the music swells; as things mellow out, the music does as well.
It's a little hard to believe, but LOTR: Two Towers does justice to the film's terrific look and at times makes you feel like you're playing through the picture. Kudos to EA for nailing the presentation.
However, those kudos do not extend to the dated gameplay, which is older than Sauron himself.
The game reminds me a bit of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance, but it's not nearly as interesting. You can play as three different characters but do not get different stories - it's the same game regardless of whom you choose. And unlike BG: DA, this game will take only a single night to complete.
Each character has a bunch of unlockable moves, which are bought with experience points gained by completing levels. It's a nice try to add some depth, taking the game a step beyond its Streets of Rage/Final Fight forbears. Unfortunately, many of the moves are done the same way; the button combinations tend to be repeated from character to character. This really stifles the desire to play through as each guy.
The three do play differently. Gimli is the brute, high on damage and low on speed. Legolas plays the archer to a tee with quick movement and low strength. Aragorn is the ubiquitous all-around hero. I found Gimli to be the easiest as his bullish moves coupled nicely with the constant melee action, while Legolas is probably the toughest.
And when I say melee, I mean it. There is very little subtlety in this game. You go from battle to battle just beating the crap out of whatever bad guys they throw in your way, with the occasional boss fight to break up the flow. The boss battles, unfortunately, look much better than they play, requiring simple repetition rather than creative solutions.
Still, there's some fun to be had the first time through. The levels are well directed and the action can get very chaotic. Taking on a gang of orcs looks and plays like it should - scary and intense, thanks again to the sound and graphics. A few camera issues get in the way, but that's fairly common in this kind of action game.
Yet I find it saddening that the game is the same regardless of the characters. The levels are brutally linear - you cannot stray from the path at all - and though some missions make you deal with a couple secondary objectives like saving villagers or protecting a gate, they don't really keep you guessing. Why not have three separate adventures rather than making us play through the same levels over and over again with different guys? Enemies even appear in the same spots. It severely limits the replay value.
At least there's stuff to unlock, like photos from the film and interviews with the actors, the developers and Peter Jackson himself. Most of this, though, will only really interest the biggest LOTR geeks out there. For the record, I think that Ian McKellan is a fantastic Gandalf, but I don't really care what he thinks about video games. He knows as much about gaming as I know about feminine hygiene products.
LOTR: Two Towers just barely manages to beat the Curse of the Movie License. It's a great rental, but even hardcore fans of the movie will probably tire of the gameplay after a few sittings. The extras, while plentiful, really only exist to hold you over until the movie and/or DVD come out. It looks like the film and feels like the film, but it does not rule them all.


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There are many small upright canister stoves on the market with Western brands on them, and after a while one gets to recognise not just the basic designs used but also, in many cases, the Chinese or Korean factory the stove probably came out of. This stove is not one of those. It is made in Japan and the quality of the stove is uniformly high. The weight is at the lower end of the spectrum, the power output is good, and it has an integrated piezo-igniter system. Its chief claim to fame however is the unique 'valve' system used. It does not have the conventional needle valve: it has a miniature pressure regulator instead. We will review the various features in turn, with the pressure regulator given extensive coverage at the end.
The piezo-igniter seems well made. The interesting bit is that the insulated high voltage wire goes up the inside of the burner column to emerge at the top of the burner. You can see a small, bright, pointy bit right at the top of the burner head: that's the spark gap. This means that the wire and spark gap are well protected from damage. The metal housing around the piezo mechanism itself seems tight and compact. How long the spring mechanism inside the housing and behind the button will last – that I do not know.
It has been claimed that a piezo-igniter (any brand) will only work up to 2,000 – 2,500 meters (6,000 – 8,000 feet). Part of the reason for this is that there is only so much energy in the spark, and if the air and the gas is very cold, the spark may not be able to ionise the gas and break the molecules down. Whether or not this is strictly correct, there is no denying that it might be a smart move to always have a spare lighter (or two) at any altitude.
In use the stove has to be operated slightly differently from other stoves. With a conventional needle valve, you turn the valve off by screwing it in until it comes to a firm stop. With the pressure regulator, there is no firm stop. Instead, you screw the valve in until the flame goes out, then just a little bit further. To start a needle-valve stove, you open the valve from its easily-sensed closed position by a fraction of a turn. With this pressure regulator valve, you have to start winding the valve open and use the piezo many times as you go. Since you can overshoot on the shutting off (no hard stop, remember), it may take a turn or two before gas comes out. This can be rather alarming the first time you experience it (help, it isn't working!), but it's something you get used to after a few starts. For the rest of the control range, there is no real difference in behaviour.
Morning tea on the banks of the Colo River, Wollemi NP, Australia.
The power output is claimed to be up to 3,260 W. I think that may be possible with a new canister on a warm day (when the canister pressure is high). Many other canister stoves claim similar power output – but need the same caveat. The claim by Soto that the stove will continue to perform just fine at -5 C (23 F) is seriously misleading however. The claim only works if the canister has an iso-butane/propane mix. If your canister does, then most any upright stove will perform just the same.
Not all brands of canister contain iso-butane: many contain n-butane instead. If your canister has n-butane then, just like any other upright stove on a new canister, it may work at -5 C (23 F) for a while – until the propane in the canister has been almost all used up. Then this stove will die, just like any other upright stove, leaving a canister two-thirds full of n-butane. The claim that owing to the regulator the Soto stove will boil water faster than any other upright stove at -5 C (23 F) flies in the face of basic physics and can be dismissed as marketing spin.
The pot supports are rather cute. You have to slide them up and down to open them out and lock them in position. There is even the word 'SLIDE' with a bidirectional arrow stamped on each arm to remind you. The sliding mechanism seems to work just fine. However, I do wish they held the pot a bit further from the burner, because of the CO emission.
CO emission behaviour for the OD-1R stove
The CO emission spikes very high at start-up: almost 300 ppm when measured in the test system we have used for the CO series. It decays steadily, but even after a long time, it is still sitting over 100 ppm. The problem is the usual one of inadequate clearance between the burner and the base of the pot. Vendors often minimise this clearance in order to get slightly higher power output: marketing drive versus customer safety. The graph here shows that CO emission can be reduced by increasing this clearance.
It is worth looking at this problem in slightly more depth. A high level of CO means not enough oxygen (or air) is getting to the flame. Normally most of this air is sucked in through the air holes in the burner column by the high-speed jet of fuel coming out of the jet. The more powerful the jet, the more air gets sucked in. In most stoves the jet is quite small, allowing a high inner pressure P (see next section) to get the right amount of gas coming out – at high speed. But in this case it seems the range for the inner pressure P is lower, owing to design requirement of having the regulator work down to a low canister pressure. The lower pressure drop across the jet requires a large jet hole to get the needed gas flow, which means the jet speed is lower, which means that less air is dragged in through the air holes. To cut a long story short, the design decision to use a fixed regulator with a low output pressure range seems to have resulted in a slightly inadequate amount of air being sucked in, and a higher CO emission.
The instructions do mention The stove can produce carbon monoxide which has no odor and may cause death. The instructions do warn against using the stove in an enclosed space: a warning which should be heeded I think.
The instructions also say NEVER cover the stove with rocks and a windscreen while in use and NEVER surround the unit with wind shields. There is a diagram of the stove with a windshield half way around it and a big cross. I am not sure what 'cover' means, but any stove which cannot be used with a windscreen is pretty much useless in the field. I smell lawyers…
The Pressure Regulator – Reviewed
The novel pressure regulator used as the control valve is interesting. This regulator works well as a control valve, but there has been a lot of misleading marketing spin put about by various distributors selling this stove. The claims seem to be based on the marketing claims made by the Soto company – claims which, while not false, do tend to confuse reality. A lack of knowledge at the distributor end has compounded the problem. We will examine what is really going on here.
The control system.
Inside the canister, there is gas pressure, which is a function of the composition of the fuel and the temperature of the canister. This pressure is far too high to go direct into any stove jet: it has to be reduced. This is normally done by the (needle) valve which presents a huge restriction on the gas flow, creating a pressure drop (down to 'P'). The greater the restriction or pressure drop at the valve, the less pressure there is left to push the gas through the jet, and so the less power comes out of the stove.
In other words, there are two places where the pressure is dropped between the canister and the outer face of the jet (which is at atmospheric pressure): across the control valve and across the jet. If there is a lot of pressure drop across the valve there is little pressure drop across the jet. If there is little pressure across the fixed-size jet there is little flow through it. It is identical to having two resistors in series or two taps on a hose.
It is crucial to understand here that the details of how the pressure is reduced (to P) by the control valve simply do not matter. All that matters is how much pressure is across the jet. A conventional needle valve varies the restriction or pressure drop across itself by varying the area of the hole around the needle in the valve, but this is not the only way this can be done. A more sophisticated diaphragm arrangement can be used for this: one which actually is designed to control the output pressure P per se. This latter is what is done in the Soto stove.
The marketing claim made by Soto is that the stove can maintain a constant power output as the canister pressure varies, and this is technically correct up to a point. The pressure P is regulated, and the flow through the jet depends directly on P. The claims made by some retailers and reviewers imply that the regulator will maintain a constant power output no matter what the pressure in the canister falls to, and this is seriously misleading (or false). The pressure regulator will only work while the canister pressure is high enough: it has to be a fair bit above P to be able to regulate. At this higher canister pressure, it does not matter whether a needle valve or a pressure regulator is used to get P. Below that, canister pressure the power output WILL fall.
The big difference is that using a pressure regulator rather than a needle valve means that P, and hence the flow of gas through the jet, and hence the power output, will be fairly constant despite a falling canister pressure. When using a needle valve, the intermediate P and hence the power output will vary. What the marketing claims do not examine is whether this constant power output matters in practice. I don't think it matters at all.
If I want high power (to bring water to the boil for instance) I open the valve so the stove is roaring away. If the power output varies a bit – who cares? If I am simmering, I turn the stove right down, but any small variations don't worry me either because I am usually monitoring dinner fairly closely and may be varying the power output as I go. To be sure, if I was running the stove for half an hour straight there might be some significant changes in the power output which might need correcting – but I never run the stove for that length of time.
The bottom line then is that the stove is nicely built, the piezo igniter works well, and the pressure regulator valve works very smoothly, but the CO emission is a bit higher than I am really comfortable with. The performance in the field does not show any special advantage to the unique pressure regulator valve.
Specifications and Features
|Country of origin
|Power output (claimed)
|Brass, aluminium, stainless steel, plastics
|Size, packed
|78 H x ~55 D mm (3.2 x 2 in)
|Pot support diameter
|110 mm (4.3 in)
|Weight (claimed)
|73 g (2.6 oz)
|Weight (measured)
|72 g (2.6 oz)
|n/a, but retail US$65 has been seen
What's Good
- Well made
- Light
- Compact
What's Not So Good
- High CO emission
- Excessive and misleading marketing spin
Disclosure: The vendor provided this product to the author and/or Backpacking Light at no charge, and it is owned by the author/BPL. The author/Backpacking Light has no obligation to review this product to the vendor under the terms of this agreement.


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Scandinavian delights ... all in one book
I've often wished I could find one cookbook that would hold all of the traditional Hungarian recipes my grandma and my mom used to make. How nice it would be to reach for one book from the shelf rather than having to search through several Hungarian cookbooks to find the recipe for flaky crescents filled with plum jam that my mom loved or the light and fluffy raised donuts my grandma would spend a whole day making.
If you happen to be of Scandinavian descent, you are in luck. Minnesota author Pat Sinclair has collected, tested and perfected treasured recipes that have become a tradition in many Scandinavian families.
"The recipes in my new book, 'Scandinavian Classic Baking,' have been prepared for generations in many families," said Sinclair. "One woman paged through the book and was so excited to find all four of her family's favorite recipes."
One glance at the cover photo of Danish Almond Tea Ring will get you salivating. Flip through a few pages of the book and you'll not want to put it down. You'll want to get into the kitchen with your own copy of "Scandinavian Classic Baking," and a supply of butter close at hand.
In her book, Sinclair explains that in Scandinavia, almost every occasion is celebrated around a "coffee table" containing yeast breads, buttery cookies and delectable cakes. The recipes in the book are arranged in the order they would be served, beginning with yeast breads and ending with simple pat-in-the pan pastry filled with seasonal fruit to the more complex Danish pastry. Light, delicately flavored cakes and buttery cookies are tucked into the middle of the book.
Beautiful photographs, educational and interesting cultural information and a sidebar with every recipe offering baking tips and techniques makes "Scandinavian Classic Baking" more than just a cookbook. It's a travelogue, as well. And, with recipes ranging from those requiring little baking experience all the way to more complex recipes, "Scandinavian Classic Baking" becomes a gift anyone will treasure.
I had a terrible time trying to decide which recipe to try first. I was tempted to purchase frozen rhubarb to make tarts that look divine. The Swedish Kringle was alluring. But finally, it was Sinclair's recipe for Scandinavian Apricot Almond Bars that won me over.
It didn't take much time to mix flour, powdered sugar and butter together before patting it into a foil-lined baking pan. After just a short time in the oven, the rich shortbread crust is slathered with apricot preserves, then topped with egg whites whisked together with more powdered sugar and flavored with almond extract. A sprinkling of toasted slivers of almonds finishes off the pan of irresistible flavors. Another trip into the oven and the bars are ready to eat. Well, I had to taste one while they were still hot, blowing it first to cool off the hot apricot preserves. Pat Sinclair would have admonished me. Her recipe clearly warns to allow the bars to cool completely before removing from the pan and cutting. I only ate one little corner. I waited for more until they were cool. And then, I couldn't eat just one.
With a tummy-full of Scandinavian Apricot Almond Bars, I can tell you from the bottom of my German-Hungarian heart, you don't need to be Scandinavian to enjoy Pat Sinclair's "Scandinavian Classic Baking."
Scandinavian Apricot Almond Bars
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup apricot preserves
2 egg whites
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 13-x 9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, extending the foil over the long sides of the pan. Lightly spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine the flour, confectioners' sugar and butter for the crust in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into the baking pan, pressing about 1/2 inch up the sides.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.
While the crust is baking, toast the almonds. Place the almonds on a small baking dish and bake about 8 minutes.
Beat the egg whites with a whisk until foamy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and almond extract.
Spread the apricot preserves over the crust. Spoon the egg whites over the preserves without covering the preserves completely. Sprinkle with the almonds.
Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Run a metal spatula along the short sides of the pan to loosen the pastry. Cool completely on a wire cooling rack. Using the foil, lift the pastry from the pan and cut into bars.
Makes 24 to 30 bars.
Recipe from "Scandinavian Classic Baking," by Pat Sinclair. Pelican Publishing Company. 2011.


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Over the past nineteen months, Syria's opposition has failed to overcome President Bashar Al Assad's regime [2]and put an end to the bloody civil war. Although there have been signs of success along the way, the fractious groups have lacked the united front needed to triumph on the battlefield or in the conference room.
Many Syrians want change in their country but it is difficult to get behind a squabbling, divided opposition that align themselves with extremist groups. Assad's supporters might be defecting [3]but the rebels have been unable to convert their opponent's loss into their gain.
Former Syrian prime minister, Riyad Hijab [4], who defected in early August, hit the nail on the head last week, saying: "The regime fears most that the opposition unifies."
After a series of failures in Cairo and on the international stage, the old Syrian National Council (SNC) [5]has been subsumed into a new umbrella organization.
On Sunday - after four days of heated negotiations that came close to derailing - the National Coalition for Revolutionary Forces and the Syrian Opposition (NCRFSO) was formally established.
In theory this new body will manage the political and military affairs of the whole opposition, uniting them in one group. But critics fear that in practice the National Coalition will end up as nothing more than a new face to the same old divisions.
Already the signs of spats are coming to light. The group running popular opposition Facebook page, Syrian Revolution General Commission (SRGC), nearly came to blows over the new coalition this week.
According to online reports, administrators of the page who opposed the new NCRFSO temporarily changed the password to ensure others couldn't post news of the new group. It is the same kind of pettiness that has hindered the opposition for months.
The new coalition has reportedly been told they must give up on dreams of international intervention but without the divisions and small-mindedness, perhaps it might still not be too much to ask.
Do you think the coalition will work or will divisions within the opposition continue? Will the opposition be able to overcome the regime without being united? Share your comments with us below!
[1] http://www.syndigate.info
[2] http://www.albawaba.com/news/assad-expects-long-war-450169
[3] http://www.albawaba.com/news/seven-syrian-generals-defect-over-100-killed-450045
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riyad_Farid_Hijab
[5] http://www.syriancouncil.org/
[6] http://www.albawaba.com