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Residents of many faiths convene for National Day of Prayer
Hundreds of people came — from homes and government offices, schools and businesses, Christian churches and Jewish ministries, the military, police and fire stations — to lift up special prayers Thursday at the Courthouse on the Square as part of the 63rd National Day of Prayer.
It was one of two services in Denton, with a second interfaith service held Thursday evening at First United Methodist Church of Denton.
This year, individuals were asked to make prayers for their specific areas of interest, instead of having just ministers leading the prayers as in the past, said Dorothy Smith, coordinator for the Denton County National Day of Prayer.
Prayers were led by a rabbi, a state representative, a military veterans service officer, the Denton police chief, local pastors, a high school senior, a high school principal, a business owner and a radio host.
"It was just effective to have people in the area to pray for that area … because they have a heart for what they're praying for," Smith said.
National Day of Prayer is held on the first Thursday in May to invite "people from all faiths to pray for the nation," according to its website.
"It's very heartwarming to have this many people come together," Smith said. "I think it pulled them together. I really do. You realize you're not alone out there. It just really unites the community."
A cloudless blue sky, the bright sun and a light breeze were the backdrop for Thursday's noontime prayer service on the downtown Square.
As people began to gather shortly before noon, members of the Liberty Christian School Praise Band and the Robby Wright Family sang songs of praise to God.
"For his name is glorious," a group of singers sang. "Hallelujah."
People from various faiths, age groups and walks of life gathered for Thursday's event. Some sat in lawn chairs, some sat on the lawn, and others stood. Some came alone while others brought their children, some in strollers, and even pets. As people joined in prayer, some bowed their heads; one woman elevated her right hand to the heavens. Most prayers offered up Thursday afternoon were rooted in Christian tradition.
Offered to attendees were Bibles, white wooden yard crosses and miniature American flags. People were asked to wave their flags when they agreed with words spoken during the event.
It was something new for Ronnie Pegram of Denton, who was attending the local National Day of Prayer service for the first time.
"I think it's a great thing," she said. "We are a diverse nation, and that is something that I was impressed with today is that it showed the diversity of America. I'd never heard a Jewish prayer so that was eye-opening to me."
She said prayer is what keeps her going.
"No matter what your situation is in life, there's always that hope and belief that things will get better," Pegram said. "God says that we are to pray … and I believe this National Day of Prayer represents what we are to do."
Hank Scheible of Denton said he's attended the annual prayer service almost every year. Prayer is something he said he can't live without — it's his way of communicating with God.
He said it was exciting to see people "abandon" the things that can sometimes divide them to come together for prayer.
"It's encouraging to me to see this many people interested across denominational lines," Scheible said. "Everybody came out here today just to praise God, and that's what's exciting about this."
Students from Texas Education Centers in Denton who attended the event said they enjoyed it and that it made them appreciate the religious freedoms in America. They said they were amazed to see so many people come together for prayer.
Smith said she hopes people who attended the service are reminded of the freedoms afforded to them in America and the opportunity to pray openly.
"I'm just grateful that we have the opportunity in our nation to do something like this … [to] have the freedom to come together and have an appreciation for our God," she said. "That's why we pray."
BRITNEY TABOR can be reached at 940-566-6876 and via Twitter at @BritneyTabor.


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by Roxanne Jones
(CNN) — Growing up, I wanted to be Too Tall Jones, the Hall of Fame defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys.
The way I saw it, I already had the last name. And I was oversized, much taller than the other girls — and the boys for that matter. So in my mind I was Too Tall. No one could tell me different.
It made me feel special to walk around the neighborhood with that nickname. Too Tall was a superstar. So I was, too — and not just the gangly girl some people saw trying to find her way.
My scruffy friends and I would play tackle football for hours in a dusty patch behind my building. And I would charge the field, screaming with unbridled joy, crushing anything in my path.
No pads. No flags. No rules.
Getting injured? Nobody worried about such nonsense.
But those days are long gone. Today, though few things bring me greater joy than football, I am at a crossroads. It's obvious we need new rules to save the game and protect players. No one can ignore the mounting medical evidence that brain damage sustained in football, as well as other contact sports, is linked to serious health problems, including depression, dementia, suicide and death from respiratory problems.
The discussion has even reached the White House. Last week, President Obama weighed in, urging the NCAA to address the serious health hazards in the college game. This week, the NFL players union announced it has given Harvard University a $100 million contract to conduct a 10-year study on concussions and other health issues associated with the game.
For me, it is not only a question of whether the multimillionaire NFL pros are being protected. You don't have to be a sports insider to understand that the tragic death of Junior Seau and the serious health problems of many retired NFL players demand changes in the way football is played. There really is no choice.

subset: commoncrawl


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PixlBit | "There's been a lot of controversy just about everywhere these days regarding how women are portrayed in video games. Frankly, I'm glad to see it. Controversy has a way of exposing us to new perspectives and fresh opinions in a way few other things can. It's given many women a platform to discuss how things like this make them feel sexualized, marginalized, and mistreated. It's also given others the chance to promote the radical idea that perhaps the size of a woman's bust shouldn't dictate how we perceive them; that big boobs don't necessarily mean a shallow character with a tiny brain. It's also indirectly fed Jenn Frank's idea (which has since garnered international attention) for a BoobJam: A call for the creative souls among us whose coding Kung Fu is strong, to create games about boobs, with the caveat that the content show breasts from a more practical or biological angle as opposed to the typical straight male gaze, or sexually gratifying perspective."
Why do people hate Lightning so much?
FYI I haven't played the latest FF game =(
Wait what? Lighting is coming back, why? Couldn't she go away?
I would have prefered Square-Enix back to its rooth, when they made good J-rpg... FF6 <3
I'm playing though ff13 for the first time and I'm really enjoying it, the atb is kind of addicting. Lightning returns battle system looks like something I'll enjoy even more.
I came for Dragon's Crown... wait that didn't sound right.
Ahem: More Dragon's Crown DLC would be great. More quests more characters more boo... er loot new levels. Yeah I want that!


text: I have tried and tried to come around on her and I just can't. I find the character bland and the actress wooden. Please help me look at the positives about all things Kes and maybe I can change my perspective on the character. Currently makes me cringe thinking about watching an episode in seasons one through three.


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Discuss final
exam outline.
In any planning problem, we have a set of predicates which describe the state of the system, and a set of actions, which affect the state of the system (making some predicates true or false). Some actions may be compound actions: they represent sequences of simpler actions. Also, actions have preconditions: predicates which must be true in order for the action to apply, and effects, predicates which become true when the action is performed.
We can represent a plan by a tree, in which a goal dominates an action which achieves that goal, and an action dominates its precondition goals and (if it is a compound action) its constituent actions.
Given a discourse, we ideally seek to create a plan (tree) in which the root (initial goal) is either an explicitly stated goal or is known to be a "plausible goal", and in which each sentence of the discourse can be tied to some action in the goal tree. (In reality we will normally not be able to connect all assertions in the discourse to the plan, but will prefer analyses which have the maximal connection to a plan.)
Trains domain (Allen, p. 484):
"Jack needed to be in Rochester by noon. He bought a ticket at the station."
"Sue bought a ticket to Rochester. She boarded the train at 4PM."
Equipment failure reports.
(The other simple organization is pure "system initiative", where the system asks the questions and only accepts direct answers … a fancy menu system.)
For mixed-initiative systems, we need to maintain some explicit representation of dialog goals in a goal stack. There will be both system (task) goals and user goals
For example, in an information gathering task, the system will have goals corresponding to the information it needs to gather (e.g., slots to fill in a form). If the top goal is such a system goal, the system will ask a question (to fill one slot in the form). The input will be analyzed with respect to this top goal:
Simple dialog systems process questions at "face value". This can lead to "stonewalling" behavior such as (from Waltz):
For example, in the stonewalling above, the literal interpretation does not correspond to a plausible goal, so a cooperative system would seek a more likely goal (actually getting the summaries) and respond to that.
If you ask a train agent "When does the train to Jamaica leave?" and
he answers "3:15, track 27", it's because he inferred that you wanted
get on that train and therefore needed to know where as well as when it
Such interpretation, however, requires a very deep modeling of the
domain, which is feasible only for very narrow domains. More
practical are 'cue-based' systems which explicitly encode rules or
features for identifying the intended communicative act (for example,
that "Can you X" is a request for the system to do X.)


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Novi, Mich. - Friends and family are mourning the loss of a Detroit Catholic Central High School student.
David Widzinski, of Northville, was a sophomore at Catholic Central and a prominent member of their football team.
UNCUT: David Widzinski on the field for Detroit Catholic Central High School
Widzinski passed away in his sleep sometime Sunday night or Monday morning. The cause of death has not been determined.
The school held a memorial service in his honor Tuesday morning.
Viewing for David will be held Thursday at St. Kenneth Church in Plymouth from 12 p.m.-8 p.m.
The school will be closed Friday for students and mass will be held at 10 a.m.
In a statement on the school's website, Father John Huber, C.S.B. principal says, "The hearts of our CC community have been tugged in several different and painful directions over this past year. We are confident in the prayers, love and support of the greater community, as we have already experienced over this past year."
This is not the first time this year Catholic Central students have suffered a loss.
Senior defensive lineman Tanner Cipriano's brother, Tucker, is charged with murdering his dad, Robert, and severely beating his mom Rose in April. Another brother, Salvatore, was also severely beaten.
On November 14th at the Detroit Catholic Central High School football game, the loudest cheers were not for a team, but a family.
Rose Cipriano made her first public debut with her son Tanner, a Shamrocks player, on the 50 yard line.
"When she heard that it was Senior Parent Night, she was feeling good and made the decision to come out," said the Rev. John Huber – CC's principal.
With her brother-in-laws on either of her sides, Rose walked out onto the field wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses and her CC jacket.
---Tanner, No. 99 on the team, stood smiling with his mom.
---Rose spent time watching the band from the sidelines
Rose has spent the last several months recovering from a violent baseball bat beating in April that killed her husband, Bob, and injured her other 17-year-old son, Sal.
--Bob Cipriano
The family's oldest son, 19-year-old Tucker, and his friend, 20-year-old Mitchell Young, are charged in the attack.
COMPLETE COVERAGE: Attack on Farmington Hills family
Other stories you may be interested in:
Read: Authorities: Michigan girl dies in fall during snowboarding accident
Read: Student dies in sand pit
Read: Man faces charges in death of Michigan State University student
Copyright 2012 by ClickOnDetroit.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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One weekend while I was still in college I was hanging out with a friend of mine. He was browsing myspace on my computer and stumbled upon one of the many myspace groups that I belonged to. Next thing I hear is, "Hey man, all these people look like you!" When I looked at the screen I said, "that's because they all have OI" "OI? Whats OI?" OI stands for Osteogenesis Imperfecta – a rare bone disorder that causes bones to fracture easily some times for no apparent reason. One of the common characteristics of folks with OI are similar facial features and blue sclera (which I have both). As my friend continued to browse he would ask me if I knew any of the people on the site. For the most part I didn't know anyone on that site, except for maybe a few. This shocked my friend and he asked me, "Well, why don't you know them?" My response was, "Well, its not like we all come from the same village!" And, then I thought, "but that would be cool!"
Years past and I graduated college with a degree in Political Science. While I looked for an avenue to start my career I began developing web sites for non-profits and small businesses. What started as a small part time way to make extra money, developed into a real business with clients from across the country. As time went on, more of my time was devoted to web development, I started to realize the amazing power of the web. A type of power that can transform individuals' lives. For the first time I wasn't reading how the internet was changing the world, I was experiencing it first hand!
One of the things that I realized is that the internet not only has the power to bring together lots of people. But it also has the amazing power to bring together groups of people that share a similar life experience but are geographically separated and isolated (like people with OI). Many times it is these types of connections that can be truly transformative.
As a web developer I am naturally creative and am always trying different things. So, when it came time for me to try my hand at developing a social networking portal it only seemed natural for me to develop a site that's sole intention is to bring people with OI together.
While brainstorming I remembered the conversation I had with my friend in college. Instantly OIVillage was born!


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The megastar of Bollywood or we can say one who rules 100 Cr club; Salman Khan says, that he is the only best khan in the film industry. Yes, so far Salman was complimented by others but now actor himself says that he is the only best khan of Bollywood.
Yyou must be thinking when & where Salman must have said this, well Salman has personally said this personally on the TV reality show that he host Bigg boss 6. Salman said this when Kareena Kapoor was invited on one of the episode for the promotion of Salman's upcoming movie Dabangg 2 where Kareena has done an item number 'Fevicol Se'.
Salman had asked Kareena that who is the best Khan according to her, the question made Kareena in trouble but actress very smartly answered it as well. Kareena said the best khan is Aamir Khan but Salman were not agree with the answer and said "Aamir's film 'talaash' has just released and you have acted with him so you are naming Aamir but now let my movie Dabangg 2 release, then the world will know who is the Best Khan.''


text:
All quotes tagged Weigh-in
(246 quotes found)
"There isn't a wife in the world who has not taken the exact measure of her husband, weighed him and settled him in her own mind, and knows him as well as if she had ordered him after designs and specifications of her own."
"UNIVAC: a device, which contained 20,000 vacuum tubes, occupied 1,500 square feet and weighed 40 tons; there was also a laptop version weighing 27 tons."
"A full-grown manatee, which can weigh more than 1,000 pounds, looks like the result of a genetic experiment involving a walrus and the Goodyear Blimp."
"We are weighed down, every moment, by the conception and the sensation of time. And there are but two means of escaping and forgetting this nightmare: pleasure and work. Pleasure consumes us. Work strengthens us. Let us choose."
"O sleep, O gentle sleep, nature's soft nurse, how have I frightened thee, that thou no more wilt weigh my eye-lids down and steep my senses in forgetfulness?"
"W called me 'the young Delta Burke.' It's so silly. I weigh 105 pounds and wear a size two, but for some reason I'm a heavyweight."


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A background in massage therapy, repertory theater production and bakery/coffee shop ownership wouldnt seem to prepare one to demolish a crumbling house and build an energy-efficient replacement.
But Maxine Christopher will fool you. She knows a crowbar from a claw hammer.
Christopher helped build a house in Creede and remodel a coffee shop the Café Olé when she moved there from Seattle. When she divorced, she moved to Durango and built a mortise-and-tenon timberframe addition to a ranch house in the Ptarmigan Farms subdivision, northeast of downtown Durango.
So she was undaunted when it came time to replace her 1928 house that hugged the hill at East Fifth Avenue and 11th Street.
The new house will be built according to the guidelines of the Passive House Institute of the United States and will exceed Energy Star standards, said contractor Brian Slaughter, the principal of LiBo Construction LLC.
Passive House is a nonprofit that promotes high-end energy efficiency through research, education and training.
The guiding principles for Christophers new house will be energy efficiency and the use of material and products built in the U.S., Slaughter said.
We estimate we can buy 90 to 100 percent of American-made materials, Slaughter said.
Tim Hannigan is the designer.
A Passive House structure is virtually air-tight and has super-high insulation. The house relies on passive solar heat, helped along by judicious orientation of windows, insulation, triple-pane glazed windows and shading.
They say the difference between a Passive House and a conventional one in energy efficiency is the same as the difference between a Prius and a Hummer, Slaughter said.
In a tightly built house such as Christophers there is little natural ventilation. So the solution is a heat-recovery ventilation system that acts like a lung to discharge used air and bring fresh air into the house.
The unit extracts heat from stale air before expelling it and uses the heat to warm the incoming air before it circulates through the house.
Slaughter said the new 2,100-square-foot house will contain a great room, kitchen, a bedroom and an office on the main floor and two bedrooms upstairs. The single-car garage will be expanded to two spaces.
When Christopher bought the 1,700-square-foot house in 2007, its proximity to routes to Fort Lewis College made it, for all intents and purposes, an extension of the campus dormitories.
Two student renters split the main floor, with other students renting the low-ceilinged second floor and the garage.
The situation reminds her of recent Durango City Council discussions about accessory dwelling units, which cram renters into any available space, Christopher said.
The convenience of the location brought her 60 inquiries when she rented the house a year later. This time it went to a professional couple.
As she prepared for knockdown, Christopher salvaged anything with recyclable value. When she finished, Durango Fire & Rescue Authority used the gutted structure for two days of drills before demolition occurred.
Removed from the house were a wrought-iron spiral staircase, the tin roof, the windows, a cast-iron bathtub and a sink, fireplace bricks, interior doors, stones from the cobble stone/cement retaining walls and worn oak flooring, which she thinks was recycled once before because of the haphazard installation.
What she couldnt incorporate into the new house was donated to Mark Beaudin at Durango Salvage, a warehouse of recyclable items.
A portion of his sales will be passed along to the Southwest Safe House, Christopher said.
Im happy that others could benefit from the reconstruction, Christopher said.


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Statement: Together NC applauds Gov. Perdue's call for revenue
Coalition of 130-plus groups applauds Governor
RALEIGH (January 17, 2012) – Today Gov. Beverly Perdue rightly called for more revenue to pay for the vital public investments that are the engine of our state's economic vitality.
Investing in our state's people and its places—our teachers, firefighters, health care workers, community colleges—is one of the most effective strategies to put North Carolina on the path towards recovery.
Yet the 2011 job-killing state budget passed by the legislature last year failed to maintain these key investments in schools, health systems, and public safety largely because lawmakers refused to consider revenue-raising options like the temporary tax package.
Since the budget was passed, classroom sizes have grown, early childhood slots have shrunk, student tuition has shot up, and access to health care has decreased.
Sadly, our state is on a backwards path.
It's not inevitable that we continue reversing decades of progress. Policymakers can chart a path forward by ensuring North Carolina has adequate revenue to pay for the things that have made this state great. Today, Governor Perdue charted a forward-looking path for North Carolina and Together NC applauds her for her leadership.
Together NC is a collection of more than 130 non-profit organizations, service providers, and professional associations who have come together to promote wise choices for shared prosperity for all North Carolinians. For more information, visitwww.togethernc.org
CONTACT: Together NC coordinator--Louisa Warren, (919) 801-0465,firstname.lastname@example.com or Jeff Shaw, Director of Communications, NC Justice Center,email@example.com, (503) 551-3615.


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CARSON, Calif. -- It was a rare sight to see the LA Galaxy's 2012 Regular Season minutes played leader Sean Franklin removed at the half of LA's 1-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Thursday but LA's coaching staff and Franklin are optimistic that he'll be back in time for Thursday's match.
Franklin was substituted at the 45 minute mark in favor of rookie Bryan Gaul, due to what Franklin described as "tightness in his left hamstring." The match was just the second time that Franklin -- who accrued 2937 minutes this season -- had been subbed out of a match, the first coming during LA's 4-0 defeat to Seattle on Aug. 5.
"Just feeling little tight. Knowing the more important game is Thursday, it's good to be smart about it. I could have gone the (second) half, but its better not to go and be safer for Thursday," said Franklin. "We were going to be in fourth place and we know we were going to play Vancouver, so it wasn't that big a difference to miss the second half."


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A 13-year-old Hervey Bay girl bravely battled through an arduous swim as a way to support people suffering from cancer.
Fraser Coast Anglican College Year 9 student Ruby Elder completed the 16km ocean marathon along the foreshore at Hervey Bay.
Flanked by her family, who followed and supported by boat throughout the epic four and a half hour journey, the talented swimmer was left amazed by some interesting encounters she experienced during the expedition.
"I started and it was only 13 degrees (Celsius) out of the water so my arms just got really cold and didn't warm up for the whole of the swim," Ruby said.
"I was actually really hoping that no sharks would come, there were a few dolphins, I could hear them squeaking under the water and then dad told me after the swim he had seen them out there following us - it was quite a shock."
The long-distance effort was one of the talented sportswoman's first forays into open water after she completed the 3.4km Pier 2 Pub recently in preparation.
She said without the aid of a black line, which she normally follows as part of her squad training, keeping focus and on course had been another testing aspect of the swim.
The fundraising was part of a Fraser Coast Anglican College Year 9 personal challenge assignment that students are encouraged to take part in - although not all took their challenge to the extreme like Ruby.
She said some kids had been making pillows and donating them to raise funds for breast cancer, while others choreographed dance routines.
She said the idea for the challenge came from wanting to use her passion for swimming in a way she had not previously considered.
"I hadn't done many open water swims before and I thought it would be good for training and experience," Ruby said.
She said the swim was met with trepidation by her mother but said she eventually relented and supported her daughter in her fundraising endeavour.
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text:
Chalet L'Arc Reviews
We had a great holiday with lots of snow and sun. Transfers from Geneva to Les Arcs took 3 hours. There was help on hand to carry luggage if needed. The chalet was clean, with plenty of hot water at any time of the day. The food was of a good quality. The chalet staff were friendly and kind. They cleaned the rooms daily. The chalet could do with a makeover to spruce it up, but for the price paid it was good value for money. Chalet staff adapted the menu to fit dietary requirements. Lift passes were purchased on our behalf and delivered promptly. Medical assistance was provided as required and good advice given. All ski reps were knowledgeable and worked hard to cater for our needs. Les Arcs 2000 has a great variety of ski runs to suit all abilities. The slopes are wide and varied. The sledging area was extensive and exciting- not for the faint hearted. The lifts were hardly ever crowded. The lift attendants were helpful and friendly. This is not a resort for those who want to go shopping but you can catch a free bus to Les Arcs 1600 - every 20 mins and from there you can catch the furnicular to B S Maurice, where there are plenty of shops. There are a variety of places to eat, but this can be expensive if you have not chosen a catered chalet option. If you want a ski holiday with lots of great skiing then this is a great resort for you and your family.
Apres Ski: 3/5
Accommodation & Value: 4/5
R Mary Gale
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Food excellent, the hosts were really good — helpful and considerate. Accomodation good but cramped — three flights of stairs to negociate with boots and skis each morning and evening were the only drawback — a skiroom on the ground floor would have been helpful! Resort quiet and expensive, but plenty of bars and restaurants available. Skiing good — link with La Plagne appreciated in the hard snow conditions we experienced. Overall a good week.
Apres Ski: 3/5
Alan Albion
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I always thought that was the intention! At least that's what I told everyone
There was some discussion around generating and working with VM images to use for CPAN testing, so hopefully some of those involved in the discussions will be checking out your latest posts
That is likely to change in the future. Adam Foxson has some ideas in that regard


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The Application Process
- Dental School Application
- Application Essays
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Interviews
Your Dental School Application Essay
Essay... Personal Statement... Statement of Purpose... Candidate's Admission Statement... These terms bring a shiver to the spine of many a potential dental student. You should think of the application essay, however, as an opportunity to show admissions officers what you're made of. They want to know why you want to attend their optometry program and this is your chance to tell them as clearly and compellingly as you can.
Two Basic Purposes
Your application essays can serve two basic purposes. First, they show whether or not you can write a clear, coherent essay that's logically and grammatically correct. These days, students' writing ability is often presumed deficient unless proven otherwise.
Second, they provide you with the opportunity to present the admissions committee with more of a "three-dimensional" portrait of yourself as a deserving candidate than GPA and DAT numbers possibly can. What you choose to write sends clear signals about what's important to you and what your values are. You can explain why you really want to pursue dentistry and the career path it will enable you to follow. Your essay also enables you to explain things like a bad grade or term in an otherwise creditable record.
The essay should provide a 3-dimensional picture of you.
Essays are the best way for admissions officers to determine who you are. So, don't hesitate to go beyond your current experience for essay topics. Feel free to discuss other events that help define who you are. If you have overcome significant obstacles, say so. If you were honored with an award, describe the award and what you did to achieve recognition.
It behooves you to do a good job here. So start early. Go over your goals and aspirations, write several drafts, talk to students and professors. Then give some thought to your goals. How will you accomplish them? What can you contribute to the dental school community? What can you contribute to this particular school or program? If you can answer these questions in a clear, concise manner, the statement will be a relative breeze.
A Few Final Tips...
- Answer questions.
- Follow directions.
- Match yourself with the school.
- Be your unique self.
- Tell stories and make your essays interesting.
- Start with a bang.
- Ask other people to read your essay and give you their impression.


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STARTING 4/8/17: Six Word Saturday is now being hosted by the lovely Debbie at Travel With Intent. If you aren't already following Debbie, please visit her blog for Six Word Saturday and her beautiful photos. I'll continue to participate from time to time but please go to Debbie's for the official posts.
If you aren't receiving email replies to your comments, please see this post.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Comments about comments
On a related note, I need to make a third batch of Fat Ass Soup tonight so back to the store I go. The good news is that I don't need celery this time so hopefully I can avoid causing a scene.
When you comment, do you go back and see if there was a response?
I'm torn on this. On one hand, I think it's a very good idea to respond to your comments. On the other, I often wonder if the intended person ever sees the response. Or is it just that to other people I seem responsive and that's encouraging to them? And while I love to see comments, I sometimes don't know how to respond to them.
I have to say, I do like seeing responses in the comments from the blog author. It says to me that they are interested in what people have to say and that I'm not just commenting into a vacuum. Yet I can't say that I always go back to see if they responded. I don't regularly subscribe to all further comments because I found that was overloading my inbox. I try to remember to go back and check, especially on certain posts. But it doesn't always happen. This is why I had asked earlier if there was a tool that would allow me to see all posts I had commented on. Alas, the consensus is that there is not.
As a blogger, I really love comments and want to keep them coming. They give me a sense of not just talking to myself all the time. I do enough of that as it is. As much as I would love someone to just take the time to say "Oh, hi, I read this", I sometimes feel like I'm reaching for a way to respond to a comment beyond "Oh, hi, I see you there." That's why I checked out SITS and have made it a point to comment on other blogs. And in seeking out interesting blogs to comment on, I've found several that I really enjoy reading on a regular basis.
So what's your position on comments? As a reader, do you expect to see a response from the author? And as an author, what's your take on this? Do you comment always, never, only on questions or particularly interesting comments?
23 comments:
- angi_b72 said...
Sometimes I do go back and see if someone commented on my comment...if I remember whose it was I wanted to see the comment about! lol Lately I have been trying to comment via email if it is somethings i want to respond to...like if someone leaves me a comment and asks me a question, i will email them instead of commenting to their comment....i am confusing myself...too many comments typed in this comment!! lol
- Jan 8, 2009, 1:54:00 PM
- Call Me Cate said...
Thank you, Angie, for your comments about comments. I haven't tried emailing responses to comments. I just comment about comments.
Comments comments.
Wow, any effort I thought I had saved by pulling a post out of my arsenal has been doubled in sorting all the comments. About comments.
- Jan 8, 2009, 1:56:00 PM
- Lyndsay said...
Ah, I could have written this exact post. I hate the thought of the comment vacuum and that somehow people wouldn't comment if I didn't respond (and I love me some comments), but it takes a lot of time and often I wonder if people do come back and read them, or not.
There are a few blogs/posts that I regularly check back for comments to the comments. I only do that on ones that are really funny, or where blog authors always respond. It's a time issue for me though (in both directions ... responding to comments and going to other blogs to check for comment responses).
How boring is this response BTW?
My dream world would be commenters responding to other commenters - sparking conversation and making it less work for me, LOL!
I try to recognize my "regular" commenters by giving them some linky-love on occasion.
I'm done.
For now.
- Jan 8, 2009, 1:57:00 PM
- Call Me Cate said...
Lyndsay - I also try to send out some links to the "regulars". Maybe what we need to do is start making it clear in our comments if we'll be back or not. "I will be back so you better respond or I'll never come back again!!!" or "Don't bother responding, I really don't care." It would simplify things.
- Jan 8, 2009, 2:05:00 PM
- The Blonde Duck said...
I read all my comments and comment back by visiting on their blogs. I figure they like comments as much as I do, and it's more of a conversation that way. I'll always go back about a week to check on blogs that haven't replied to me just to say hi and see what they're up to.
- Jan 8, 2009, 2:28:00 PM
- andrea said...
You know what I do on my lunch break? I come home and blog...not that I don't do it @ work, but I still cannot get enough. I love comments...they are an acknowledgement to my words. Plus I'm in it for the fame. Since I like to get them, I try to give them. And I have my faves too...I'm kind of obsessive about it. Gee, that's surprising Andrea. (there I go in the 3rd person once again)
- Jan 8, 2009, 2:30:00 PM
- •´.¸¸.•¨¯`♥.Erin.♥´¯¨•.¸¸.´• said...
First thanks for stopping by from SITS =)
Second, I've been battling with this as well as a blogger. I try to reply to comments if it's a "frequent" commenter via email. Or I'll respond in bulk in a comment on that post. Or if it's a new commenter I make it a point to stop by their blog and comment {like I have with you}.
As a reader, I leave comments on the posts that I read and like. Though I don't typically go back and check for a response in the comment section.
Maybe I'm making it too hard on myself, but I do enjoy blog hopping and branching out a bit.
- Jan 8, 2009, 2:56:00 PM
- Ryan Ashley Scott@Opitimistic Cyicism said...
I am new to blogging, so I don't know all the etiquette (or how to spell that word). I'm with "The Blonde Duck" on this one, though. Love comments, love to visit commenting blogs and comment back. If there's something so funny that you pee your pants, I'd say it warrants a comment comment. Maybe I'll try comment-commenting. Truthfully, I never thought about it - but I'm new.
- Jan 8, 2009, 5:02:00 PM
- Ryan Ashley Scott@Opitimistic Cyicism said...
On the subject of comments (but off the subject of this blog) I find it entertaining when I am asked to "Choose an identity" before posting my comments.
- Jan 8, 2009, 5:03:00 PM
- A. said...
Comment comment. Comment.
Oh yeah, Cate, I WILL be back to check on this one. I'm serious.
Comment. Comment.
That's a lot of comments.
- Jan 8, 2009, 5:15:00 PM
- Call Me Cate said...
Interesting. In a way that totally means "I appreciate your comments about comments and it's good stuff for me to think about so thank you but my head is too broken to respond individually at this time so I am, for those post, using a blank comment response."
Except for A because I'm afraid if I don't call her out by name she'll hunt me down. I'm scared.
- Jan 8, 2009, 5:34:00 PM
- A. said...
Tell your headache to leave you alone or I will hunt IT down and make it very sorry.
I hope you feel better soon!
- Jan 8, 2009, 8:01:00 PM
- Yaya said...
IMO-if I read it, I comment. So many ppl read my blog (friends and family) and don't comment and I wish they did bc I don't know what they've read so far and then when we get together I wonder what they already know so I don't repeat myself! Lol!
I often return comments by visiting the commenters' blog and commenting. I like to reply to comments if the commenter has their email address reply enabled, but not everyone does.
I do see that some authors go back and comment to the commenters in the comment section, but I honestly don't go back and reread the comment section I already commented in, so I never would see these replies.
Wow...I didn't realize I could just write the word comment so many times....
Good luck w/ your commenting!
- Jan 8, 2009, 8:05:00 PM
- The Wife O Riley said...
I tend to comment on your comment in your comments. Does that make sense?
- Jan 8, 2009, 8:16:00 PM
- Call Me Cate said...
It may be because my headache has finally cleared but I totally follow all of these comments about comments. It seems the answer is that everyone does it differently so you're absolutely no help at all. ;)
- Jan 8, 2009, 8:20:00 PM
- MuseSwings said...
I sometimes will go back to check for comments about my comments. I do like to see the blogger respond to comments - like you said, it shows interest. I respond to comments on my blog. I also comment on all of my visits to other blogs even if it is just to say "Hi, I don't know how I got here, I was just, you know, like, clicking on stuff, but here I am and I find your topic about how you still cry every time you see an Elvis picture, uhm, thought provoking. If it's just the Elvis on velvet ones I can see your point. I cry too.
- Jan 9, 2009, 1:23:00 PM
- Call Me Cate said...
MuseSwings - I'm pretty sure we all cry sometimes. Though I'm not sure I've ever cried over Elvis in any form.
- Jan 9, 2009, 3:31:00 PM
- Debbi said...
I have a thing that says I can get follow--up comments emailed to me. Don't you guys have that when you reply? No? Just me? Anyone else hearing voices? No? Just me?
although I get ALL the follow-up comments (many of which I could truly care less about their opinions.. let's be honest here!) at least I get notified if the blogger commented back. You know?!
- Jan 9, 2009, 6:36:00 PM
- Call Me Cate said...
Debbi - I hear the voices too. I see that options and sometimes use it. But I also sometimes find it to get out of control on popular/busy blogs and then my claustrophobia freaks out at my inbox and I CAN'T HANDLE IT!!!!
Told you I hear voices.
- Jan 9, 2009, 8:32:00 PM
- Cathy said...
It helps if the person has an email address....that's usually what I respond to. And, I always visit their blog and leave a comment. If they ask a question, I will usually answer it on their blog, if they do not have an email address.
- Jan 13, 2009, 8:32:00 AM
- Ali said...
I LOVE comments! Even if the reader only says something like, "Cute picture" I still love 'em! I used to respond to every person in my comments but I've found it much easier to respond by email if their comments are repliable.
Congrats on being saucy!
- Jan 13, 2009, 10:03:00 AM
hello, good luck! http://yannddexx.net - best search engine
- Nov 20, 2012, 10:01:00 PM
very nice site, good luck! http://yannddexx.net - best search engine
- Nov 21, 2012, 1:04:00 AM


text: Steffen Persvold wrote: > Hmm, the NAS application runs in userspace and since this inner loop (FFT code) runs without any communication with > other nodes, why would a SSE patched kernel improve it's memcpy performance. I would believe that the memcpy calls in > the FFT code was either inlined by the compiler, or that a call to libc's memcpy was made. It shouldn't involve any > system (kernel) time at all, right ?? Hi Steffen, Yes, the NAS FT code does not use the "memcpy()" system call. The copy step of the FFT is explicit (loop of assignments) and the PGI compiler is smart enough to use SSE prefetching to optimize this part of the code if SSE is available. But without a specific patch, the Linux kernel does not enable the SSE support (basically the kernel has to save the FP and the SSE registers during context switching), so the SSE optimization for PIII from PGI is useless. Now I am wondering if compiling with -Mvect=sse or -Mvect=prefetch with pgf90 WITHOUT the SSE support enabled in the kernel is not the source of this unstability. Anyway, 50 % of variation for a pure computation piece of code seems too large to be explained by the SSE support. SSE on PIII is single precision only, so it does not help to get more Flops. Maybe there is something else in the patch that they applied, I will look at it. Thanks. -- Patrick Geoffray --------------------------------------------------------------- | Myricom Inc | University of Tennessee - CS Dept | | 325 N Santa Anita Ave. | Suite 203, 1122 Volunteer Blvd. | | Arcadia, CA 91006 | Knoxville, TN 37996-3450 | | (626) 821-5555 | Tel/Fax : (865) 974-1950 | --------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ Beowulf mailing list, Beowulf at beowulf.org To change your subscription (digest mode or unsubscribe) visit http://www.beowulf.org/mailman/listinfo/beowulf


text:
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, July 18, 2012, 9:22 AM
Town Square
City of Palo Alto website gets a brand new look
Original post made on Jul 18, 2012
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, July 18, 2012, 9:22 AM
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Jul 18, 2012 at 10:33 am
I never had a problem with the look or content of the old web site. My problem was that the old web site was impossible to use. The material was poorly organized and the search feature never found what I wanted. I hope that they put more effort into search and organization in this version of the web site.
a resident of Crescent Park
on Jul 18, 2012 at 11:17 am
Could the Weekly include links to prior Weekly articles on the City's web site re-design of several years ago? At the time, much was written about the design's shortcomings. Thanks in advance.
a resident of Fairmeadow
on Jul 18, 2012 at 11:28 am
Recently the Santa Clara County Grand Jury took a short look at the rework of the Santa Clara County web-site--
Web Link
The conclusion of the Grand Jury, expressed clearly in the title of their report, pretty much can be applied to the City of Palo Alto web-site rework.
I did some Beta testing of the V.3 PA web-site, and concluded that while the interface to the V.3 web-site is different, the web-site's content has not changed appreciably:
Review of PA V.3 Web-site:
Web Link
One of the clear problems that any web-site has to deal with is determining the target audience. That might be a little difficult for a local government; However, if that government makes a commitment to providing a first class web-site, it will spend time trying to solve that problem. The human interface is not the key component of the solution to that problem--content is. Currently, the PA web-site does not seem to understand that content is important to people.
a resident of Palo Verde
on Jul 18, 2012 at 1:09 pm
Wayne - excellent points and good letter to the city manager (typo: can also result in a lot of "cohesiveness" - should probably be "loss")
I am encouraged by the readily available Feedback button and the Contact Us links (for suggestions, missign content, etc). I suggest liberal use of them (I just submitted 4 items).
a resident of Menlo Park
on Jul 18, 2012 at 2:17 pm
Aesthetically, the old one was nicer. Too bad they did not just fix the functionality.
a resident of Midtown
on Jul 18, 2012 at 10:33 pm
There is a big difference between "User Interface" and actual content and organization.
I have often bench-marked Palo Alto relative to the city of Santa Clara. Every time I gave up trying to find something on the Palo Alto web site, I found the similar content easily available in the Santa Clara site.
FYI, Santa Clara has had an award winning and competent City Manager while we suffered through the previous two City Managers.
If Mr. Keene gets around to replacing the Palo Alto IT leadership, we may end up with a useful web site instead of a joke.
a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jul 18, 2012 at 10:38 pm
It is hard to tell just by looking to say whether this is an improvement. It is only when you need to find something that you can tell if a website is any good or not. I often found the old one difficult to find the necessary information. I will reserve judgment until such time as I am looking for something and see how long it takes to find it.
a resident of another community
on Jul 19, 2012 at 12:00 am
>>"If Mr. Keene gets around to replacing the Palo Alto IT leadership, we may end up with a useful web site instead of a joke."
He did, and this new website is the result.
Web Link
a resident of Ventura
on Jul 19, 2012 at 11:04 pm
I went to check it out. OMG, another bloated home page that takes forrrrrrrever to load. Bleah.
a resident of Adobe-Meadow
on Jul 19, 2012 at 11:34 pm
Does it have a RICH PIG for a mascot??? fits arrogant Palo Alto
a resident of Barron Park
on Jul 20, 2012 at 11:39 am
I understand that typically the most vocal are those with complaints, but I am surprised there have not been more positive comments.
I tried navigating to the areas of the Palo Alto site that have always been an issue for me - even though I had been to those pages before, they were always hard to find. Without exception, I found these pages without having to do a search. The navigation is far more intuitive than the previous site. I am thrilled by the new design.
It is very difficult to design a site for the masses, especially since everyone would like to see their top few links as the most visible. The IT department did a fabulous job of providing a common sense navigation - the only way to meet the needs of such a large user population. Kudos to whoever was involved!!!
For those of you having trouble, take a few minutes to move around the links, use the A-Z index at the bottom, or the site map. The site map is one area that needs some work though - I tried to find each of the referenced pages on the site map, but was unable to. The site map needs to be built up over time, since it is often used like a "glossary" for those having trouble finding something.
Thank you Palo Alto!!!


text:
I offer into evidence a player by the name of Wayne Chrebet.I further offer into evidence a Player by the name of Victor cruz.
Chrebet got an opportunity because the Jets roster was starved of WR talent and depth.His outstanding practices could not be dismissed forcing the team to give him the opportunity.
Cruz was somewhat different.Dispite his practice display,the Giants were all but ready to part ways with him because the team had a wealth of receiving talent on the roster.As luck would have it,injury after injury allowed Cruz to get his opportunity and the rest is history.
How many players have not received this same opportunity.
Never want to cut a guy in his contract year if you don't have to, but hard to disagree with the premise here. It's been discussed elsewhere - Greene is not a disaster, but he's far from what you want in a #1.
Best case for the Jets this year is that either Powell or Ganaway emerges. I don't think any of the 4 top RBs on the roster are exceptional in any way, but all four (or the best 3 out of those 4) could bring something to the table, especially if they were able to stay fresh by rotating carries.
Don't expect it, but would love to see McKnight steal the starter spot by mid-season. Greene returns to his best role as the 4th-quarter killer.
Reggie Bush: 1st round, 2nd overall.
Darren McFadden: 1st round, 4th overall.
Cedric Benson: 1st round, 4th overall.
Adrian Peterson: 1st round, 7th overall.
Marshawn Lynch: 1st round, 12th overall.
Ryan Matthews: 1st round, 12th overall.
Jonathan Stewart: 1st round, 13th overall.
Rashard Mendenhall: 1st round, 23rd overall.
Willis McGahee: 1st round, 23rd overall.
Chris Johnson: 1st round, 24th overall.
Steven Jackson: 1st round, 24th overall.
Beanie Wells: 1st round, 31st overall.
Matt Forte: 2nd round, 44th overall.
LeSean McCoy: 2nd round, 53rd overall.
Ray Rice:2nd round, 55th overall.
Maurice Jones-Drew: 2nd round, 60th overall.
As you can see, exactly half of the NFL's starting RB's were drafted during either the 1st or 2nd rounds. 50% of teams feature either 1st or 2nd round draft picks as starting HB's.
So, if you're not willing to see our front office spend a 1st round draft pick on a running back, then you have no right complaining about the ability/talent/potential of Shonn Greene. Sometimes you get what you pay for, and in our case? We paid for a 3rd round talent in Shonn Greene who's coming off a 1,000 yard season to go along with an average of 4.2 yards per carry (as a first year starter/3rd year player).
The sky isn't falling...
And a good way to make the point. People always want to say "get an RB or a WR in later rounds," and then lament the lack of talent at the skill positions when guys like Greene and McKnight don't set the world on fire.
If you can only find starters in the 1st round, your team is never going to go anywhere. You need to have success in the other rounds if you want to contend for a Super Bowl.
only 15 running backs broke 1,000 yards last year. Couple that with the fact that we tipped off all of our running plays last year and I think hes a pretty good back.


text:
This dataset is maintained and distributed by the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD), the criminal justice archive within ICPSR. NACJD is primarily sponsored by three agencies within the U.S. Department of Justice: the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Mental Disorder and Violent Crime: A 20-Year Cohort Study in New York State, 1968-1988 (ICPSR 9978)
Principal Investigator(s): Steadman, Henry J.; Robbins, Pamela Clark; Cirincione, Carmen
The objectives of this study were (1) to compare long-term patterns of violent crime for mentally disordered patients and for prison inmates, and (2) to evaluate the predictive validity of a diagnosis of schizophrenia for subsequent arrests for violent crimes. For purposes of this data collection, violent crimes were defined as including murder, manslaughter, rape, assault, kidnapping, and sodomy. The study analyzed individual state mental hospital patients and inmates of state prisons in New York State over a 20-year span. In the process of obtaining information regarding the individuals, three different areas were focused on: hospital, incarceration, and arrest histories. Variables for hospital histories include inpatient hospitalizations, admission and discharge dates, legal status for all state hospitals through 1988, primary diagnosis for target and most recent admissions, and placements in New York State Department of Correctional Services mental hospitals. Incarceration history variables include time spent in adult state prisons, incarcerations through 1988, and dates of release (including re-entry to community on parole, outright release, or escape). Arrest histories include information on the subject's first adult arrest through 1988 (only the most serious charge for each incident is recorded) and out-of-state arrests, when available. Demographic variables include age, race, and date of birth.
Access Notes
One or more data files in this study are set up in a non-standard format, such as card image format. Users may need help converting these files before they can be used for analysis.
The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.
ASCII + SPSS Setup
ASCII + SAS Setup
Study Description
Steadman, Henry J., Pamela Clark Robbins, and Carmen Cirincione. MENTAL DISORDER AND VIOLENT CRIME: A 20-YEAR COHORT STUDY IN NEW YORK STATE, 1968-1988. 3rd ICPSR version. Los Altos, CA: Sociometrics Corporation [producer], 1992. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium of Political and Social Research [distributor], 1994. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR09978.v3
Persistent URL: https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR09978.v3
Export Citation:
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- EndNote XML (EndNote X4.0.1 or higher)
This study was funded by:
- United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. National Institute of Justice (88-IJ-CX-0039)
Scope of Study
Subject Terms: assault, kidnapping, manslaughter, mental disorders, mental hospitals, mental patients, murder, prison inmates, rape, schizophrenia, violent crime
Geographic Coverage: New York City, New York (state), United States
- 1968--1988
- 1979--1989
Universe: (1) Male offenders 18 to 65 years old admitted to New York state prisons in 1968 and 1978, except for within-state transfers, those returning from mental hospitals, and those in city or county jails, and (2) male patients 18 to 65 years old admitted to New York state psychiatric centers in 1968 and 1978, exempting those transferred from other state hospitals and those admitted to special facilities for the mentally retarded or for alcoholics, to the Department of Correctional Services-operated mental health facility, or to special secure facilities.
records from (1) New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, (2) New York State Office of Mental Health, and (3) New York State Department of Correctional Services
Extent of Processing: ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection:
- Standardized missing values.
Original ICPSR Release: 1993-10-11
Related Publications
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text:
No, no ... 2012 is still a couple more years away so no need to worry.
This our date with currently winless New Jersey Nets. Now, in their own defense they have 9 games before we play them which for our sakes I hope they win at least one, but if they remain winless and beat us on the Friday, December 18th, will this ultimately be an all-time low for the Toronto Raptors franchise and should emergency services be on high alert that evening?


text:
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, April 3, 2013, 2:58 PM
Town Square
Fake gun causes real scare
Original post made on Apr 3, 2013
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, April 3, 2013, 2:58 PM
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Apr 3, 2013 at 7:06 pm
Would say that this was a participant in Assassins, but a 16-year-old is a little bit too young.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Apr 3, 2013 at 8:52 pm
Pleasanton and Livermore police should hang their heads in shame...
a resident of Birdland
on Apr 3, 2013 at 9:30 pm
Joe..you should shut your mouth. The parentsnof this misguided youth are the ones who should be ashamed. joe..when you get (Word removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff) slapped don't call the cops.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Apr 3, 2013 at 10:17 pm
I'm always very impressed by the intellectual quality of the contributors to these threads.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Apr 3, 2013 at 10:28 pm
Thank you to the citizens that contacted police AND thank you to all the law enforcement members for doing your job perfectly.
No one should take this type of situation lightly
a resident of Walnut Grove Elementary School
on Apr 4, 2013 at 8:13 am
Thank you to the Pleasanton Police Department!
a resident of Stoneridge
on Apr 4, 2013 at 9:04 am
Nice to see the Pleasanton Police and the citizens of P-town alert and ready to respond to a potentially dangerous situation. I have no idea what Joe was referring to that was shameful in our law enforcement's actions. Air Soft guns from a distance look like the a real weapon, the only easy way to differentiate them from the real thing at a distance is the bright orange tip at the end of the barrel. Unfortunately most kids remove the tips for the sake of realism which poses a problem for a bystander or law enforcement. Bottom line, good job Pleasanton P.D.!!
a resident of Las Positas
on Apr 4, 2013 at 9:38 am
As someone that lives a few houses away from this, I'm am glad that the police reacted the way they did and everything turned out. It could have been a tragedy.
a resident of Stoneridge
on Apr 4, 2013 at 9:47 am
The police had to respond to concerned residents calls.
We watched the entire incident from our second floor bedroom, as it happened, right behind our home.
The police were incredibly professional, very calm, and low key, as they assessed the situation. Some residents may have been alarmed by he incident, but, as a front row witness, be assured, we should be very proud of our police!
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Apr 4, 2013 at 10:22 am
My neighbors and I are armed at home, and so this wayward teen, a potential threat to all of us, might not have been so fortunate had my well-trained neighbors or I shot first and asked questions later. This is why citizens need to be armed, and why we're a safer society as a result.
BTW, I wonder how much overtime pay was claimed for such a silly incident that could have been stopped pronto with a well-armed citizenry?
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Apr 4, 2013 at 10:23 am
Excellent response. Thanks to the Pleasanton PD!
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Apr 4, 2013 at 10:50 am
Well, thank YOU for the compliment, Citizen.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Apr 4, 2013 at 11:46 am
@Charmin - really you or your neighbor would have been shooting an innocent person, and your concerned how much money you would have saved the city for their police deployment? It is against the law to fire/shoot an air soft gun in the city limits. It is not against the law to carry one. The teen was careless and foolish for doing so, but it doesn't warrant him being shot and killed by overzealous neighbors looking to save the City of Pleasanton Police Dept. a few dollars. A life is worth more than the cost of calling out the SWAT team.
I wonder if you have ever speed,not used your turn signal, or lied on your taxes? Those are against the law too...but I don't see you getting shot over it.
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Apr 4, 2013 at 11:47 am
@Charmin - "Citizens" response wasn't to you.
a resident of Amador Valley High School
on Apr 6, 2013 at 10:01 am
DJohns is a registered user.
There has been a failed 20 year effort to build a community/youth center. Many Pleasanton merchants and community members want to ban kids from downtown. There is concern about the limited pro-kid places for kids to gather and the shutdown of the water-slides, an important youth asset. Pleasanton police profile (harass) our youth, an activity that is illegal to do to adults. And for many years youth have asked the city of Pleasanton for a safe place for the benign activity of air-soft battles but kids are instead the target of Pleasanton's SWAT team.
Pleasanton police Lt. Brian Laurence is a nice guy and a good officer. He was the lead officer on the many requests and discussions with Pleasanton youth requesting a SAFE place to participate in this popular activity. He said he agreed that it was a good activity for kids and a safe place is needed. But ten years later guns are STILL pulled on our kids and they are punished. Who is held responsible for letting our kids down once again?
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Apr 6, 2013 at 4:19 pm
nancy s. is a registered user.
I agree that pleasanton needs a community center for our youth. Growing up our local park had a center where we could check out basketballs, volleyballs, footballs, baseball and tennis equipment. The fields/courts were right there. we had ping pong and shuffleboard. We could also check out checkers, chess, dominos, backgammon and other games. While many of us were raised by single parents, this gave us a safe, supervised place to hang out.
I always envisoned that something incorporated around the water slides would be perfect. Bmx track right there. Could put in a skate park too. Run it year round with a concession stand....


text:
That upcoming No. 1 contender's bout may not be one after all.
Today, UFC President Dana White said he's not sure if UFC 154's co-headliner between Johny Hendricks (13-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) and Martin Kampmann (20-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC) will earn the winner a welterweight title shot, as the organization previously announced.
That's because UFC 154's headliner, welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, could temporarily leave the division for a blockbuster matchup.
As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported earlier today, White seems content to move forward on a St-Pierre (22-2 MMA, 16-2 UFC) vs. Anderson Silva (33-4 MMA, 16-0 UFC) super fight if GSP defends his title at UFC 154, which takes place Nov. 17 at Montreal's Bell Centre. St-Pierre meets Carlos Condit (28-5 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in the pay-per-view headliner.
With the uncertainty of those plans, White isn't sure if Hendricks-Kampmann is a true No. 1 contender's bout.
"I have no idea," he said. "I have no idea. We have to see how this thing plays out.
"Like I tell everybody, people are asking me, 'Is the Anderson Silva fight happening next?' Well, [St-Pierre] needs to beat Carlos Condit first. And like I said earlier, people are overlooking Carlos Condit, and that's a bad idea."
However, if victorious, don't expect Condit to take St-Pierre's spot in the super fight, which White said likely would headline a major stadium show. He said St-Pierre vs. Silva makes sense because both fighters have been ranked among the sport's top pound-for-pound fighters for so long.
White said even with a win over St-Pierre, Condit wouldn't be on that same level. And that could be a good thing for Hendricks and Kampmann, who, barring an immediate rematch between Condit and St-Pierre, could be up next for a shot at Condit's belt.
"Carlos Condit … will defend the title against who's next (if he beats St-Pierre)," White said.
It's not just not clear if "next" is Hendricks or Kampmann.
For more on UFC 154, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.
(Pictured: Martin Kampmann)


text:
It was only a matter of time before this topic was addressed by Dale Sveum and the Cubs front office given the roster turnover the last couple of days. Per Sveum it sounds like the organization will get together on Thursday to discuss the possibility of calling up both Brett Jackson and Josh Vitters this month. Sveum was clear in saying that if they did get called up they would play every day, which is awesome to hear. I for one am excited to see what these guys can do at this level, even if it's only over the last month and a half. The logical time for a call up would be September when the rosters expand, so it's news that the organization is discussing this now.
Thanks for reading,
– George


text:
Jean and Joel Low of Lubbock celebrated their 50th anniversary on Dec. 15. They will be taking a trip to Nashville, Tenn., with their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.
Mr. Low and the former Jean Stephens were married on Dec. 15, 1962, in Clovis, N.M.
They previously lived in Amarillo for 35 years and have resided in Lubbock for eight years.
Mr. and Mrs. Low are retired. They are members of Southcrest Baptist Church.
The couple have a daughter, Angie Molina and husband Michael, and two grandchildren, Ralph Molina and Rebecca Molina.
Amarillo-Globe-News, Dec. 16, 2012


text:
same here in SW Missouri
same here in SW Missouri
IBA #44567 Pres. Springfield BMW Roadriders
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
-Albert Eienstein
I made it to Tallahassee! 450 miles of 92˚F, 763% humidity and tons of love bugs. In other words, a fantastic start to the trip. No close calls, no issues with the bike, everything as planned.
It's amazing the thoughts that go through your head on the road. Every time I saw some buzzards flying over I would think, "Are they waiting for me?" Lol.
The one thing I was afraid of turned out to be my best friend, RAIN, just enough to cool my core.
Today also marked a personal milestone, 450+ miles on a single bike ride. I'm not sure if I'll break that mark for the rest of the trip. Got 370 miles to Columbia, SC tomorrow and then after that, no schedule to keep.
In case you were wondering, my daughter made me start capitalizing.
Great start! Weather can be you friend!
Mike Horne
It's been awhile since I've checked in so let me get caught up.
I departed Tally at around 6am on Friday headed for Columbia, SC, with a little light on the horizon. My GPS insisted that I take I-10. No. I'll take the back roads thank you. I crossed the Georgia state line around 6:30. I love the southern Georgia back roads; old farm houses, cotton fields, small towns. It was a beautiful morning so I decided to stop to take some photos only to find that my lens was broken. Not a good start to the day. This is the reason that I haven't been posting pictures but they well come.
Gradually, as I made my way north, the temperature started to climb and when I crossed into SC, the Beemers ambient temp read 96˚! Although this leg of the trip was shorter than the first, it was a bit more of a struggle. I arrived in Columbia at 2:30 to find tons of traffic and road closures preparing for the football game. I came real close to losing the protective riding gear and finishing in shorts and a t-shirt.
Eventually, I found a decent enough hotel with great A/C and with no time to waste, I hauled ass over to the Gamecock Athletic Department with my Dad's ashes.
Jack Wilson, with the USC Athletics really treated me and my Dad right. I was able to spread his ashes all over the east end zone, and surprisingly, all around the Gamecock logo and big "C" at midfield! He's at Williams Bryce Stadium forever.
The next day, in the stadium, walking to my seat was emotional for me and just as I felt a connection with my Dad's spirit, in a sea of thousands of fans, I recognized "Uncle" George Martin, my Dad's teammate and roommate at South Carolina. As a kid, we used to stay at his farmhouse before games, riding horses, feeding the cows, feeding the pigs, etc. A page right out of Green Acres.
Anyway, the Gamecocks won big, and later that afternoon, the rains came. Storms. Great weather for staying in the hotel and watching TV, and looking out my window at the Beemer just getting soaked. She needed a bath anyway. Yup, she's a sweet ride.
Last edited by manwohr; 10-02-2012 at 01:00 AM.
Today I woke up to clear skies, 68˚ and no humidity. I wiped down Ol' Blue and packed her up. By 8am she was fired up and headed west. I eventually jumped on I-26 heading for Spartanburg, SC. The roads gradually evolved into fast sweepers with very little traffic. And all of a sudden I had this strange feeling. My hands were actually cold. After two of the most brutal, hot and humid days of riding, I was using my heated grips!
I couldn't wipe the grin off of my face. No sweating, no foggy face shield and glasses. At a few spots my ambient temp read 53˚, a 40˚+ temp difference.
Just outside of Spartanburg, I got on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is a 450 mile stretch of road that is the exact opposite of the roads in Florida, hardly a straight anywhere. And full of motorcycles. I imagine that for every mile you cover as the bird flies, you cover about 5 miles of road. The maximum speed limit for the entire parkway is only 45mph however; not so good for the sportbikes but perfect for a relaxing ride on the BMW. For the record, I never exceeded the 45mph speed limit. Okay maybe once or a thousand times.
And speaking of the BMW R 1200 RT, it has exceeded all of my expectations. It's surely fun enough on the twisties. It will loaf all day long at 80mph while getting 50 mpg. It's comfortable as hell and it carries a ton of crap. She never hesitates to fire right up every time, even after spending the night getting drenched in a rainstorm. I'm extremely happy with the bike. Yes, I would recommend it to a friend.
The Blue Ridge scenery is spectacular, so much so that I set a personal record for time in the saddle on one ride, 10 hours. With that said, I completed approximately 2/3's of the Blue Ridge today and I plan on riding the rest of it tomorrow.
Ended the day in Roanoke, Virginia. Had a little feast and need a little rest. It's so hard to condense everything I'm experiencing in a just few paragraphs.
Last edited by manwohr; 10-02-2012 at 01:01 AM.
Keep going, I'm with ya! Write a little or a lot, no matter, I'll be reading each entry. And when I ride my bike home from work, I'll imagine I'm riding cross country, even though it's only 12 miles - sometimes I take the long way home (30mi).
Mike Horne
Another great ride today. Almost all of it was in Virginia finishing up the Blue Ridge Parkway and then seamlessly entering Skyline Drive. Now if you might have been a bit leery of the Blue Ridge Parkway with a 45mph max limit, the Skyline is 35mph max...and $10 to enter. It's only 105 miles long so with a few 25mph sections, it does eat up some time. Let me just say that at school zone speeds, both of these roads are a must ride. It turns into a social happening with other bikers gathered at the hundreds of overlooks, talking shop, shootin' the **** and taking in all of the magnificent scenery. If you're a sportbike guy who wants to thrash these are not the roads for you. A few things that the Skyline has that the Blue Ridge doesn't is gas, places to eat and have a beer. Really cool places at that. Another thing that both these roads have in common is they are clean. No trash at all on the roadside. In all those miles, I literally did not see one piece of garbage that wasn't in the trash cans. A big fist pump to keeping it clean.
So all of this "park" riding took about 8 hours, covering about 250 miles. A good deal of time was spent at the amazing overlooks, hanging out with some great people.
And after a stop and a chat with some of my fellow motorcycle enthusiasts, I came to a realization. Not to sound political, really quite the opposite, that no matter who is president of our country, that man or women is not gonna do a damn thing to make a better life for us all. It starts from the common everyday interaction between all of us. Pay it forward. I have come away from conversations where nothing particularly profound was uttered, but it was that I left with a good feeling from the exchange of a few words. And I would take that and pass the good stuff on to the next guy, and so on. Make somebody feel good and things will almost always turn out for the best.
Okay, enough of the "Johnny Appleseed" moment. After leaving the confines of the National Park system, I got on 522. It's a mostly two lane road that took me from Virginia through West Virginia, Maryland (for about 2.5 miles) and into Pennsylvania in about the time it took me to type it. Look at it on a map. It's hilarious! Other than the "Four Corners", it's got to be the easiest way to gather up four states in the shortest amount of time.
Which brings me to my hotel in Breezewood, PA. A major truck stop destination and engine braking is NOT prohibited.
Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania = 8 states so far.
Onward to NJ, NY and into New England.
Today my route took me from central Pennsylvania into northern NJ. Beautiful weather and I'm wondering how long it will last. No point dwelling on it, I'll take it as it comes. Met up with my cousin who I haven't seen in some 40 years. He is my dad's brother's son. In catching up, it was remarkable how our interests and the events of our lives were so similar.
So far I've clocked approximately 1900 miles, averaging 49 mpg and burned 3/4 qt. of oil. I stretched her legs out a bit on the highway this afternoon and she definitely is comfortable running fast.
The previous pic is in Columbia, SC; cooling off in the rain.
Blue Ridge Parkway
BMW R 1200 RT's. "Ol' Blue" in the background
PA hotel
A couple of nice pics. How about a picture of you with the bike?
Mike Horne
Made it to my cousin's place in northern NJ. He is my father's brother's son; my dad's only sibling. My uncle passed away 3 months before my dad. We sat and chatted and then went out for a fantastic Italian dinner. Through my cousin, I learned so much about my father that I didn't know. I won't go into details but some of the stuff was pretty crazy. We went back to his house and uncorked a bottle of Oculus wine. Very nice.
The following morning, I had to head to the Canon camera repair facility to pick up my repaired lens; about a 60 mile trip. I couldn't have predicted the type of ride that was about to unfold. The streets and highways in NJ are crazy all over the place...or maybe it was my route. Not possessing a toll pass, I was forced to pay cash for tolls. And NJ has a lot of toll roads. One instance occurred while trying to get on the Jersey Pike heading south. The cash toll lane was on the far left end of the booth. After paying my toll, as I looked up, the northbound entrance was right in front of me; the southbound entrance was 5 lanes to the right. Now I guess I could've gone north for a spell and eventually turned around at some point but something came over me. If anybody out there has ever surfed a wave and you are desperately trying to stay ahead of the barrel you will understand the feeling. I downshifted Ol' Blue, pulled her hard right and basically surfed the semi trucks heading northbound to make the southbound entrance. Some may say it was a crazy thing to do but it was a beautiful move that got me a thumbs up and a sadistic grin from the guy driving the Carrera.
On the return trip north, I got in touch with some friends that live in Montauk and they said to come on out. This was a "why not" moment. Since my dad was born in Manhattan, I decided to go through the city to get to the Long Island Expressway. I've been through the Lincoln Tunnel probably a thousand times, but never on a bike. With nobody in front of me, I let 'er rip and got a huge rush hauling a** through the tunnel. Very cool. For the record, no i didn't. Crossing the city however turned out to be a big mistake. I mean, what is New York City, 2 miles wide? It ended up taking 90 minutes to get to the Midtown Tunnel. Leaving Manhattan, I was sure my side bags were peppered with yellow taxi paint. A few posts ago, I wrote about spreading the "feel good" stuff. Forget it. In New York City, you have to be out for one thing; yourself. It's you alone in a sea of cars, buses, cabs and pedestrians who are in the same mindset. Kill or be killed. My MV Brutale would've been my first choice, over the Beemer, for those 90 minutes. Hell, the MV would be a blast in the city.
The sun, to my back, was getting low in the sky, laying beautiful light on everything in front of me. The temperature dropped ten degrees from NYC to a comfortable 73˚ for the remainder of the ride. I drove past lot's of the pretty people in the Hamptons and more than a few had a look of envy as I passed by on the loaded down RT. For that moment, I was the richest guy in town.
As I got closer to the point, traffic started to disappear and then there I was, staring out at the Atlantic with Block Island, CT and RI in the distance. I walked down to the beach and gathered some sand. I'll do it again when I first hit the Pacific, God willing.
Last edited by manwohr; 11-12-2012 at 03:21 PM.


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BERLIN — A Salisbury man was listed in stable condition this week after running off the road on Route 346 near Whaleyville early last Sunday morning and striking a utility pole.
Around 2:45 a.m. last Sunday, Maryland State Police responded to a reported motor vehicle accident on Route 346 near its intersection with Route 610 in Whaleyville. The investigation revealed a 1996 Toyota Corolla left the roadway and struck a Verizon utility pole, shearing it off. The pole was located in the roadway and was blocking the travel lanes of Route 346. Delmarva Power lines were also connected to the pole and were damaged in the collision.
The operator and sole occupant identified as Matthew Elliott Lankford, 29, of Salisbury, was out of the vehicle and walking around. MSP troopers reported detecting an odor of alcohol on Lankford's breath. Lankford was transported to PRMC for treatment of injuries not believed to be life-threatening and was listed in stable condition. Lankford has been charged with driving under the influence and related traffic violations.
Fatal ATV Crash
SALISBURY — A 29-year-old Salisbury man perished last week after his ATV left the roadway in the area of West Street and collided with a concrete barrier.
Around 5:20 p.m. last Wednesday, Salisbury Police responded to the area of West Street and Isabella Street for a reported motor vehicle accident involving an ATV. The investigation revealed the driver was operating a Suzuki 4×4 four-wheeler at a high rate of speed when the ATV left the roadway, struck an uneven section of pavement and collided with a concrete barrier in a parking lot.
The driver was not wearing a helmet or any other safety equipment at the time of the accident. The driver, identified as Vincent Alphonso Parker, 29, of Salisbury, was taken to PRMC where he later died from his injuries. Alcohol was not a factor in the incident.
Bottle Assault Sentence
SALISBURY — A Salisbury man arrested last September after smashing a liquor bottle over a woman's head and then punching her again while a Good Samaritan was attempting to rescue her was found guilty this week and was sentenced to 20 years in jail.
On Tuesday, a Wicomico County jury found Keith Alexander Harmon, 56, guilty of first- and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. After the verdict was handed down, Harmon was sentenced to 10 years each for the first- and second-degree assault charges to be served consecutively netting a total of 20 years, while the reckless endangerment conviction was merged for the purpose of sentencing.
On September 22, Salisbury Police responded to the area of Claiborne and Lake Streets for a reported assault and found a female victim bleeding profusely from the head. The investigation revealed Harmon had smashed a liquor bottle over the victim's head and later punched her in the face while another individual attempted to carry the victim to a safe place.
Resort Burglars Convicted
OCEAN CITY — Three suspects arrested last June after breaking into a residence in Ocean City each were found guilty this week of fourth-degree burglary and each received a suspended sentence and were ordered to pay restitution to the victim.
Around 9:20 p.m. last June 5, Ocean City Police responded to the Assawoman Drive area for a reported burglary in progress. When officers arrived, they observed a broken window and witnessed suspects running to the back of the house. After numerous attempts to get the suspects to exit the residence were unsuccessful, OCPD officers deployed the K-9 Jaxx and his handler at the scene.
Once inside the residence, Jaxx came to a locked bedroom in the rear of the unit. After ordering the suspect to open the door, OCPD officers arrested the five hiding suspects. Arrested were Mark Moore, 21, of Odenton; Nikolas Keene, 19, of Gambrills; and Sarah Otis, 19, of Chester. Also arrested were two juveniles. Each was charged with third- and fourth-degree burglary and malicious destruction of property.
This week, Moore, Keene and Otis were each found guilty of fourth-degree burglary and each was sentenced to six months, all of which was then suspended. Moore, Keene and Otis were also ordered to pay $2,305 in restitution to the victim. The disposition of the cases against the two juveniles is not known.
'Most Wanted' Nabbed
SALISBURY — Salisbury's "most wanted" suspect, a man wanted for allegedly attacking a pregnant women several times since last June, was apprehended last week by a Maryland State Police trooper.
In December, Salisbury Police detectives began an investigation into a series of domestic assault incidents that started last June. The investigation focused on Elijah Rashawn Kellam, 22, of Salisbury, who allegedly assaulted a woman pregnant with his child.
According to police reports, Kellam allegedly utilized a broom handle to strike the victim in the legs and back, causing injuries. In a separate incident, Kellam allegedly punched the pregnant victim in the face and body.
Last Saturday, Kellam was located by an MSP trooper and was taken into custody. He had been featured as one of Salisbury's "most wanted" for several months prior to his arrest. Kellam has been charged with second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and the use of a deadly weapon with intent to injure.
Sweepstakes Scam Warning
OCEAN CITY — Ocean City Police this week are investigating a series of telephone scams involving fraudulent sweepstakes winnings.
In the scam, the perpetrators are calling unsuspecting victims and advising them they have won a sweepstakes. In order to receive the large prize, the victims are instructed to go to a convenience store or drug store and purchase either a Green Dot or Money Pac reload card for a certain amount of money usually between $200 and $500. Once the victim has purchased the card they are instructed to contact the scammer, who is pretending to be a sweepstakes representative who will process the winning claim.
The victim is asked to provide the Green Dot or Money Pac reload card information over the telephone as a means of verification the victim has actually completed the task. The result of this is that the scammer will use the information provided by the victim to redeem the value of the card that was purchased and the victim will be out the money.
The Ocean City Police Department is reminding citizens that legitimate sweepstakes require that you enter to win. If one did not enter a sweepstakes, one should not be named as a winner. Legitimate sweepstakes will not ask you for a "processing fee" and federal and state taxes are usually deducted from the sum total of the winning amount prior to the sweepstakes winner receiving the final pay out.
As a reminder, citizens should never provide personal information including Social Security numbers, birth dates, passwords or home addresses to unknown businesses or individuals. Also, never give out banking information or credit card account numbers over the phone to persons or businesses you cannot verify as legitimate. Criminals can take advantage of residents and visitors when they are most vulnerable. By practicing a few easy proactive measures and reporting these types of scams, citizens can make it tough for criminals.


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Fans revel in return trip to Fall Classic
Players celebrate their AL pennant with loyal supporters
By Brittany Ghiroli / Special to MLB.com
"We knew what we had in store for us at home," Joba Chamberlain said, spewing drips of champagne with every punctuation as he took in the emotions following the Yankees' 5-2 American League Championship Series-clinching victory over the Angels on Sunday.
"Our fans have been great for us all year, and they were loud. I hope they are celebrating this one as much as we are, because they were just as much of a part of it."
Chamberlain didn't need to worry. While the Yankees rushed onto the field in childlike glee once Mariano Rivera retired Gary Matthews Jr. for the game's final out, the celebration for the crowd of 50,173 started as soon as their beloved team took a three-run lead in the bottom of the eighth inning.
"Are you kidding me? This is absolutely nuts," Yonkers native Bob Seda yelled in disbelief as he ran up and down section 206, exchanging high fives and hugs as Robinson Cano scored on an error by Angels reliever Scott Kazmir.
Several sections over, season-ticket holders Paul Bratkowski and Joe Rindone lead the surrounding fans in chants of "Hip, Hip, Jorge," an ode to the Yankees' veteran catcher.
"The atmosphere is great," New York native Shaun Ertischek said in between cheers. "There is no place else like New York. What's better than seeing [Game 6 starter] Andy Pettitte becoming the all-time postseason wins leader and watching Mariano Rivera close out the game? What's better? What's better in all of sports today? Nothing."
Ertischek's assertion certainly carried its weight in numbers, as the largest crowd in new Yankee Stadium history was on hand to watch the Yankees secure their first trip to the World Series since 2003.
"I've been waiting years for this, since they lost [four consecutive games] and collapsed against Boston [in 2004]," Queens native Peter Martini said. "It's a great feeling."
Even in a sea of painted faces and fans decked head to toe in Yankees garb, Martini's head -- which was shaved with the "NY" logo on the back -- stood alone as a sign of confidence that this season will restore order to the Bronx. Martini had the No. 40, signifying the Yankees' 40th AL pennant, shaved on one side of his head, while the other side was the No. 27, in reference to the team's next World Series championship.
"This is our year," Martini said.
And fans from all around New York made sure they didn't miss the chance to watch history unfold.
"I drove all the way from Binghamton to see this," said Casey Jussin.
The Brooklyn native made the three-hour drive from her college and would have weathered Saturday night's rain if the game hadn't been called. No matter what Mother Nature did, Jussin was going to attend her first postseason game and watch the Yankees clinch in the process.
"I have class [Monday morning] and I'm probably going to be really tired," she said. "But it doesn't matter, it's worth it."
"This has to be the best game ever," Seda said. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
And as the FOX cameras panned to the crowd hugging, clapping and dancing, it was one sign in particular that stood out.
"The Empire Strikes Back."
"It's as it should be," said Dave McGurian. "Exactly as the baseball gods envisioned."
Brittany Ghiroli is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Peter Fordos
April 1, 2013
As a secondary school student in Bratislava in 1989, Peter Fordos (BAIS '06 / MAIPS & MAITP '07) joined hundreds of thousands of his countrymen taking to the streets day after day, eventually bringing the hard-line Czechoslovakian Communist Party to its knees in the Velvet Revolution. "It changed everything," says Peter who had always dreamt of visiting the West but never before thought it possible. As soon as he could Peter moved to the United Kingdom to study English, starting the path that would lead him to the Monterey Institute.
By the time Peter was 26 years old he had traveled to over 50 countries and worked with people from all over the world. After working on a cruise ship for more than three years, he was ready to formalize his international education and found a perfect match in the Monterey Institute. "I particularly appreciated when students shared their working experience in other countries as well as their cultural uniqueness."
"Growing up in Czechoslovakia as a part of the Hungarian minority, I have always been aware of and appreciate cultural diversity." That interest was a large feature of his education at MIIS and has led to a career in training and advising individuals and organizations in all matters relating to cross-cultural business and communication. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies such as 3M, Audi, Dell, General Motors and Honeywell, among others.
Peter's success is no surprise to any of his contemporaries at MIIS, where his energy, enthusiasm, and communication skills made him a very popular figure on campus as well as off. Now living in Los Angeles, he has established the first MIIS Alumni Chapter in Southern California. Never losing his appetite for learning about new cultures, Peter is currently on a 44-day trip around the world with his wife, visiting nine countries. When we reached him in Saudi Arabia, he was conducting interviews to prepare for future projects for his company Cross Cultural Advisors—and of course finding time to experience the desert culture the traditional way—from a camel's back!


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Allowing Facebook access to track what you're listening to on Spotify, Rdio, YouTube and other integrated music apps has finally yielded some interesting information. Facebook partnered with Stamen Design to create Beatquake, a project that tracked songs through the population of Facebook for 90 days, via the newly-introduced Facebook Graph function.
What they found is that Americans were listening to "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. A lot. Like, pretty much constantly. The fact that the song stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for six weeks total tipped us off, but the geographical breakdown in the video below shows that the whole nation is, in fact, as equally infatuated with the ode to consignment stores.
Read more about hot Facebook tracks on Radio.com.
Read More Music News On Fresh1027.com:


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Is the SRVUSD Solar PV approach too expensive?
Information provided by Solar PV group members, major producers and suppliers outlines new panel and inverter technologies that allow for more efficient distributed panel networks. Such multiple placements on various buildings on the main MVHS campus would allow localized and distributed power. Also using newer thin film technologies rather than the many decades old crystalline technologies would create more power from smaller and fewer panels making placement on main buildings more economical and more efficient.
Thus, as these experts acknowledged, there is no need for a separate structure above the MVHS parking lot in Alamo to be a centralized solar PV power station. By various examples, including the studies by NREL, projects with new and special structures typically have higher costs due to the construction of dedicated structures and excavation for power distribution.
SRVUSD's presentation to CCC-MAC Alamo tomorrow night is informational because it is not the county's decision. SRVUSD is a state-monitored district. MVHS neighbors should certainly attend Superintendent Enoch's presentation at the March 2 CCC-MAC Alamo meeting. But such neighbors should join neighborhoods throughout our region in approaching state organizations, Joan Buchanan's office and SRVUSD board to avoid any new construction in Alamo for MVHS.
Further, neighborhoods should request AIA planning review and direct independent public advisory to SRVUSD Board and the State organizations that provide management oversight. If the cost of new construction is removed, solar PV networks could be affordable for more high schools than MVHS and eliminate the constant preference by SRVUSD board and administration for MVHS.


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Have heard lots of wonderful things about the quilt board so I thought I would join in.
I have been a quilter for 15 yrs and LOVE it along with being a fabric hoarder...LOL.
My greatest enjoyment though is our eight grandchildren .
I'm looking forward to learning tips and getting lots of creative ideas!


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Patricia Krentcil, the slender, leathery New Jersey mom who's pleaded not guilty to bringing her 6-year-old daughter into a tanning bed with her, is heatedly lashing out at those who may criticize her look.
"They're jealous, they're fat and they're ugly," Krentcil, 44 years old, told TMZ, after saying that "there's somebody out there my whole life who doesn't like me." Uh-huh.
She agreed with the reporter's suggestion that she is the victim of a witch hunt, and once again proclaimed her innocence in the matter that has gained national attention: "I'm a great mother, and I would never do that to my child," Krentcil said while loading her shopping into a car.
Krentcil's daughter, 6, apparently showed up to school one day with a sunburn, telling friends she went tanning with her mom. But Krentcil – whose skin is an unnatural shade of dark brown as a result of bronzing under lights – says the whole thing is "preposterous."
Do you believe Tanning Mom's not guilty plea, or do you think she is just a victim of a nationwide witch hunt? Do you think she is really a "great mother" as she claims? Kidding aside, feel free to comment about this issue. Share your opinions with us!
Source: People
Image: Yeeeah!