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One way of predicting how Health Management Associates would operate Munroe Regional Medical Center is to look at what HMA has done at other facilities it has bought or leased.
ROCKLEDGE — One way of predicting how Health Management Associates would operate Munroe Regional Medical Center is to look at what HMA has done at other facilities it has bought or leased.
On Wednesday, nine Munroe trustees and administrators took just such a look. They trekked to Wuesthoff Health System Rockledge, which HMA purchased 2 1/2 years ago along with sister hospital Wuesthoff Health System Melbourne.
There they met with Rockledge staff and HMA leadership for a frank discussion about Munroe's future if it accepts HMA's $200 million lease offer and written pledge to pump another $200 million into facility upgrades and equipment.
HMA is proposing a combined HMA/Shands operation, with HMA overseeing the lease and Shands offering support as a research, academic and specialty care facility.
During a five-hour gathering, Munroe officials met with HMA and Wuesthoff staff, toured the pristine hospital, and discussed HMA intentions for Munroe. If Munroe trustees take the lease money, they would invest it in Marion County health-related services.
Nothing was off limits as Munroe, HMA and Wuesthoff administrators discussed:
• A recent "60 Minutes" segment during which former HMA staffers accused the health care company of pressuring them to admit ER patients to make more money.
• Complaints from some Munroe-affiliated doctors that Shands at the University of Florida is more competitor than potential partner.
• Fears that Munroe would be a patient clearing house, sending patients to Shands.
• Concerns that HMA would eliminate unprofitable services and not invest enough in Munroe.
• Concerns that Ocala, as a relatively small community, would get lost in HMA's large network, and that its needs would often lose out against the goals of the larger corporate group.
Also during the gathering, small groups broke off for more discussions: administrators with administrators, doctors with doctors, Munroe trustees and board members with HMA and hospital advisory board members.
Afterward, some Munroe leadership said the face-to-face gathering helped clear the air about how some HMA hospitals are run, how doctors and patients are treated, and how a potential Munroe/HMA/Shands partnership could shake out.
"To my satisfaction, these are people who will complement the hospital (Munroe)," said Dr. Ravi Chandra, a vascular surgeon and vice chairman of the Marion County Hospital District board of trustees.
The 421-bed Munroe still provides excellent medical service and isn't financially drowning — yet. It does rely on investment income and annually dips into savings to help make ends meet.
Munroe is owned by the state-sanctioned Marion County Hospital District and is overseen by seven trustees who are appointed by the County Commission.
The trustees lease the hospital to Munroe Regional Health System Inc., which is overseen by a 13-member board, some of whose members also are district trustees.
Without property tax support — a ballot measure failed in November — Munroe leadership says it needs an outside leasee to invest and keep the hospital competitive.
HMA/Shands and Duke/LifePoint are the final two suitors. Next week, Munroe leadership will visit a LifePoint hospital in Danville, Va.
HMA bought the Rockledge and Melbourne hospitals for $145 million in 2010. At the time, they were struggling; today, HMA's turnaround efforts have met with good reviews from the community on Florida's East Coast.
Chandra said if HMA is allowed to lease Munroe for the next 40 years, he believes the company would work to "grow the facility to … the betterment of the community."
Chandra said his concern was whether HMA's acquisition had helped Wuesthoff become a better hospital.
The message he got from other doctors led him to conclude: "Yes, (the purchase) has helped us."
"I feel pretty good about it (the HMA meeting)," Chandra said.
The "60 Minutes" piece alleged HMA pressures doctors to admit patients to make more money. HMA Senior Vice President Alan Levine said the charges, which also have been levelled by former employees, aren't true.
He painted the accusers as disgruntled, fired employees bent on discrediting HMA for money.
He pointed out that while a handful of former employees made the accusations, patient data for HMA hospitals doesn't bear them out.
Citing several health care analysts who conclude HMA admittance rates are typical for the industry, Levine predicted the accusations will be proven false.
Sheryl Skolnick, a health care analyst with CRT Capital Group LLC in New York City, conducted a lengthy study of HMA hospitals and compared its admittance rates to that of area, competing hospitals. She concluded 64 percent of HMA hospital markets had lower patient observation rates than competitors.
Keeping patients at "observation" status costs hospitals because they can't charge insurance carriers and the patients themselves nearly as much as they could if the patients were admitted.
During a telephone interview, Skolnick said Munroe's choice — HMA/Shands or Duke/LifePoint — comes down to which corporate culture fits best.
"The folks at LifePoint are really lovely people, but they're a little sharper and edgier at HMA," she said.
That edgier approach can be seen in aspects like bill collections, Skolnick said.
"HMA doesn't mess around. Two weeks (late in paying your bill) and it's off to collections," she said.
"They don't run them (the hospitals they buy) into the ground," she said. "Quite the opposite."
Every hospital lease or purchase is different, but typically during an HMA operation, the health care company targets struggling, non-urban hospitals that it thinks can be turned around with cash infusions and can benefit from the help of a large, health care group.
It's a strategy that HMA has invoked many times. It has grown to 70 hospitals in 15 states and become one of the country's most profitable health care conglomerates.
"They buy (the hospital), they fix it, grow it and do it again (with the next hospital HMA buys)," Skolnick said during the interview. "It's a very simple strategy."
Skolnick, who has a Ph.D in economics from Washington University, said "fixing" means aligning the hospital's services to the community's needs and "fiercely protecting" that market share.
Levine said Skolnick's conclusions about HMA admittance is wrong, and said Skolnick used tainted data that didn't accurately reflect competing hospitals or the issues that led to the patients' admittance.
"You can't pressure a doctor to admit. That's ridiculous," he said.
He also supplied a copy of a letter from Dr. James D. Ford, medical director the medical Center of Southeastern Oklahoma Durant, which was mentioned in the "60 Minutes" piece.
"As an emergency room medical director who has worked at the same HMA hospital for 25 years I can say, unequivocally, that I have never been asked to admit any patient to my hospital in order to meet any established goals or quotas," Ford wrote.
As for Shands: Levine said the plan isn't to send Munroe patients to Gainesville. Rather, HMA would establish comprehensive criteria to allow local doctors to send patients to Shands if those patients need advanced, specialized care.
"We're not going to invest this kind of money (in Munroe) to send patients to Gainesville," he said.
As for concerns about HMA taking over Munroe and firing staff, Levine said "the ultimate goal is to grow the hospital" and that's not possible with too many changes at once.
At Wuesthoff, some IT people were no longer needed after HMA's purchase. But they found jobs at other HMA hospitals, according to HMA Vice President Pete Lawson.
As for concerns that Ocala would be lost amid the other HMA hospitals, Levine said, "Munroe would instantly be one of our larger hospitals … and we would make a capital commitment."
"We're a very capital focused (group). That's why we've been successful," he said.
HMA spent $27 million for improvements to the Wuesthoff Rockledge facility since buying it in 2010.
Dr. Ricardo Henriques, a Rockledge internal medicine physician, told Munroe officials the HMA buyout has helped him help patients, and HMA's financial infusion is apparent. He has a private practice and is not employed by HMA.
"These guys have been extremely attentive … It's been a serious pleasure to work with these guys," he said.
Melvin Mills is now a member of the Rockledge advisory board. The board only makes suggestions to HMA about the hospital's needs; it has no final say. Mills also sat on the previous Rockledge board and pushed for the HMA sale.
"They always ask for our input," he said of HMA. "They want to be the best hospital they can in the community."
"And any suggestions we've made (for the hospital), they've never said no," he said.
Rockledge City Manager Jim McKnight did not attend Wednesday's gathering. But during a telephone interview he said his family has ties to the original Wuesthoff founders, who established the hospital more than 60 years ago. McKnight's wife works at a competing hospital.
No hospital services were cut after the takeover, he said, and he has not heard community complaints about HMA's oversight.
When McKnight's mother was critically ill and a patient at the HMA hospital, she received "impeccable" care.
Toward the end of the gathering, Lawson asked his Munroe visitors to carefully consider the HMA/Shands and Duke/LifePoint proposals.
But remember, he said: The longer you wait, the more competing hospitals will eat into Munroe market share.
"It does come down to pulling that trigger if you're going to move forward," he said.
Dr. Ken Marino, a Marion County Hospital trustee, said at least one thing is certain.
"I don't see the days of independent hospitals standing alone ever again," he said, citing the financial difficulties hospitals such as Munroe were facing.
"They are dinosaurs ..."
Contact Fred Hiers at 867-4157 or fred,email@example.com.


text:
TDK announced this week that it has
developed the smallest in its class solid state NAND flash memory drive.
The drive is roughly the size of a typical notebook hard drive but does not
rely on mechanical rotating platters and read/write heads for operation.
Instead, the tiny drive uses high-speed NAND flash memory and can store up to
32GB of data using sixteen 16 gigabit chips.
According to TDK, the drive is 20% smaller than 2.5.-inch notebook drives. It
also consumes less power and isn't prone to the same failure factors as traditional
drives. TDK's Japanese press release claims:
Along with TDK's "GBDriver RA5" NAND flash memory control LSI,
this semiconductor disc features four super capacitors (optional) for the power
supply interruption assist circuit and a 2.5-inch ATA interface. The GBDriver
RA5 supports "UltraDMA mode2" data transmission mode that boasts a
maximum data rate of 33.3 MB per second.
TDK isn't the only company looking to flash technology. DailyTech
previously reported that Toshiba was also on
the road to releasing its own line of solid state disk drives. The
technology overall has progressed significantly over the past several years,
with prices falling from the thousands of dollars for a 1GB solid state drive
to much more consumer affordable prices. Samsung is also hard
at work on solid state drives as well. No release dates have been set

subset: commoncrawl


text:
LOL, found this pic somewhere on Twitter:
LOL, found this pic somewhere on Twitter:
This post (as with MANY others) makes you look like a hypocrite in addition to being uninformed. I believe you didn't even watch the very games you commented and debated about (because of the Time Warner dispute). That equals fail.
The fact that you have chosen to document your position which includes doubt and making yet another coaching change, without providing a valid reason as you attempted to do so with D'Antoni, equates to blatant hate.
Additionally considering that at this point (when you wrote this) we were undefeated under our new better coach can only be regarded as an epic fail where your credibility has plummeted into the abyss.
Just delete your account. You are a hypocritical hater who dosen't deserve to witness our transformation. I bet deep down inside you want us to fail. Either give Woody the same benefit of the doubt as you did with Italian league Star D'Antoni or beat it.
Pathetic, blatant, and apparent.
Last edited by Red; Mar 22, 2012 at 12:42. Reason: Haters gonna hate!
I'm as surprised as the next person of the Knicks passion and energy in these past 5 games. I thought we were toast, done, goodnight.
While I am loving the way things are going, I think we owe it to ourselves to hold off on any excessive jubilation so as to allow this thing to come full circle. We have had gritty road wins, double digit wins, superstars playing defense, and a point guard growing before our eyes.
Really hard not to be so proud of our guys right now, and I think they deserve all the credit in the world. I just pray, pray, pray, that they can keep up this energy and intensity.... or else I may be destroyed lol.
Also, unlike a societal rodent like you....when I don't have Time Warner for a few weeks....I.....go to a friends house or walk outside my apartment and pick one of 100 bars in a 1/2 mile radius showing the game
It's mad funny (and fairly pitiful) you still remember and cling on to a few posts I had a while back about not watching a game or two because of Time Warner.
Nice try, though?
Now hop off my dick and get back on your fathers.
Save the basketball discussions for men and people with some brains. You can keep being a good cheerleader for your causes du jour. I will keep rooting for my team's success regardless of coach, and enjoying myself along the way.
I like Woodson, he's obviously doing a great job with our team at the moment.
Prior to yesterday I was on the fence about his coaching (I can't say I'm an expert on Woodson), but vs the Sixers he appeared to make pretty much all the right decisions down the stretch to help us eek out the win. I was really worried about the non-use of Chandler but it worked so what can I say?
A lot of people have been saying that the main difference then and now, is that the players are actually giving 100% now and weren't for MDA. Obviously some of that is true. But it's not only that. Woodson's accountability stance has clearly made the difference if not for getting Melo to play a better all around game, then most definitely for getting STAT to actually play defense.
And in regards to how the players should have been giving their all for MDA I think people are seeing things very black and white.
Of course on one hand, when you're getting paid $100 million you should give it your all. However if we consider that Melo and STAT DO actually want to win in the NBA (something people have doubted of late), it was clear to most people that it was not going to happen while our roster was hamstrung by an incompatible coach.
I called it down the stretch last year and specifically during the playoffs that MDA had lost the players. He may have got most of them back for this year but it was never going to end well. I'm honestly not surprised that a couple of our players were not playing up to scratch when there was a clear rift there.
So in summary, yes the players actually giving 100% is a big part of our recent success but without doubt Woodson is an improvement in terms of:
- Running plays (especially out of dead balls)
- Substitution patterns
- Demanding defense
- Calling timeouts (was probably the reason we called better timeouts under MDA this season)
The last thing I want to see is John ****ing Calipari in here again.
College coaches who move into pro sports generally suck ass, and Calipari is probably no exception. He's a great recruiter and bleh coach in college, and most college coaches wouldn't even come close to being able to handle their **** here in the NBA.
If Woodson blows it in the playoffs, then I want to see either Phil Jackson or Ron Adams (currently an assistant with the Bulls) as our HC. I'd rather have MDA over John Calipari frankly.
That's a really interesting call on Ron Adams. I gotta look into more myself. But there really is a clear trend of high caliber assistant coaches getting groomed on top tier franchises and then exploding (now that I think about it, Popovich himself actually was an assistant coach, a la Thibs, who then catapulted as elite head coach).
Our only chance of Jackson coming, IMO, is if we perform very respectably as a franchise, and we end our season/playoffs with Amare and Melo not looking shot in the slightest. Jax really could be the ultimate coach for this team. He possesses what I liked about D'antoni (and which most coaches don't have, IMO, which is a true intelligence for basketball and cutting edge theories), but is elite in the areas which D'antoni has weaknesses in, and which were a brutal fit for this current squad.
The truth hurts doesn't it? Well young man (or woman) that's what happens when you lack accountability, just like your beloved (jettisoned) coach. No one respects you. Only real men can admit when they're wrong.
Here's more truth:
After reading the garbage you posted in the past, I had a feeling you didn't even watch. I didn't openly question you, but I had my suspicions.
I kept saying, "damn, did this guy (or girl) watch the game?", and that was strictly based on your responses; they seemed vague and just way off base.
Then I said to myself, "who would argue so much, try and put their two cents in, and be so desparate without watching?"... "it can't be true, it would make no sense"
Then one day in a game thread I thought I read that you couldn't watch the games (Time Warner). And there you were rambling on and on (see above)...
Then it occured to me... the reason why you sounded so ignorant and off-point was because you didn't even watch. My suspecions confirmed.
You sir are so desparate to interject in a discussion, so hell bent on being included, that you began arguing on something you didn't even see.
"Watch the throne, don't step on our robe...
It's bad enough we let you step on our globe"
Fellow KOL posters, Isayughh has been exposed. Take a look back at some of his ignorant posts (pre-time warner dispute) and take it with a grain of salt...
This dummy didn't even watch the game.
Thanks Ughh!
I'm laughing so hard at you right now! Good Lookin'
Knicks #5 defensive team in the league #1 since woodson took charge... Thank you tyson and shump thank you
Woodson got Amar'e and Melo to actually try on defense...he solved the problem that George Karl and Mike D'Antoni simply could not
Copy/paste from Knicksnow (cos I'm lazy)...
I hope Woodson can continue on as coach. I think he has a great rapport with the players and has their respect. He's also very well spoken and clear about what he's trying to get across to the players and press.
I don't want to kick a man when he's down but D'Antoni wouldn't do that, he'd roll off catch phrases like "We've just got to play harder".


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Despite some improvements over the last 12 years, Afghanistan remains one of the poorest countries in the world, affected by decades of conflict and disasters.
It is estimated that 36 per cent of all Afghan's live below the poverty line, or nine million people who can not meet their most basic needs. One out of every five Afghan children will not live to see their fifth birthday and Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world.
Government institutions are weak and struggle to deliver basic services. Women's participation in public life is limited and Afghanistan remains one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman. Only half of all school age children go to school, and the figure is considerably lower for girls, with only 38 per cent of all girls in the country attending any school at all. One in three Afghans continue to suffer from hunger.
Oxfam in Afghanistan
We provide aid to families affected by humanitarian crisis, supports rural development and sustainable livelihood programs and helps to raise Afghan's voices by focusing on poverty alleviation, strengthening civil society organisations and changing policy.
Our projects focus around the themes of:
- The right to be heard, good governance and accountability.
- Gender justice such as inclusion of women in peace building, justice and women's empowerment.
- Saving lives through humanitarian response.
- Sustainable food and fair distribution of natural resources in communities.
- Education.
Aid makes the difference between life and death in Afghanistan, and over the last 11 years aid has improved the lives of millions of people in the country, despite the challenges. Specifically, aid to Afghanistan has helped 2.7 million girls enroll in school. More than 80 per cent of districts now have access to basic health care, and life expectancy in the country has risen dramatically from 47 to 62 years for men and 50 to 64 years for women.


text: The Volunteer State theater program is alive with opportunities and possibilities. Each semester live productions give you the chance to perform or learn how to make the show a success from backstage. You'll learn how to train your body, voice and mind as an actor and you'll learn the "behind the scenes" arts of stage building, costume design and make-up. Recent productions have included the "Perfect 36" and the "Vagina Monologues."


text:
Why does a company that brings in so much money need a bailout from Congress?
http://www.brownbailout.com UPS lobbyists have buried a short 230-word legislative bailout deep inside the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009 currently before Congress. It's worth billions to "Big Brown" at the expense of today's American economy that thrives on next-day commerce, competitive shipping options and ready access to markets around the world.
Read more here: http://www.brownbailout.com/buried-bailout/
What's in a bailout?
The bailout bottom-line is this: What's the difference between a 100-year-old trucking company and a modern airline that flies packages around the world every night? Answer: everything. Yes, both carry parcels and packages, but how they do it is obviously and vastly different.
UPS' bailout would shoehorn FedEx Express — an airline created in 1971 focused on next-day delivery of essential goods and documents around the world — into the same operating rules as a 100-year-old trucking company. FedEx Express and other airlines operate just fine under airline regulations, but UPS doesn't like competition. Keep in mind, UPS chose to form as a separate trucking company for its pickup and delivery operations.
So "Big Brown" is throwing around its political weight and seeking a bailout from Congress, so that it can saddle its only remaining U.S. competitor with the effects of its own decisions. And at the end of the day, all of us who rely on overnight-deliveries — medicines, paychecks, critical replacement parts, essential inventory, and the like — pay the cost.
Duration : 0:2:36


text:
In the cavalcade of characters in 2016's Captain America: Civil War, it was hard to pick one stand-out character — but for many, Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther stole every scene he was in. Between his awesome fight scenes and his surprisingly touching character development, by the time Marvel fans left theaters, we couldn't wait to visit Wakanda in the Black Panther movie.
We still have a while to wait until Marvel's Black Panther is released in February 2018 — but in the meantime, here's everything we know out T'Challa's first solo outing. Check back here for regular updates about Black Panter news and our first cinematic adventure into the land of Wakanda!
'Black Panther' News & Rumors
[Updated 04/21/2017] — Thanks to a tweet from Black Panther himself Chadwick Boseman, we know that filming has wrapped on Black Panther.
The wrapping on principal photography follows an event earlier this week where members of the press got a first look at some Black Panther footage. Reportedly, highlights of the footage included the costumes, the blend of technology and tribalism, and the Dora Milaje. For those who need a refresher, the Dora Milaje are T'Challa's personal detail of ass-kicking guards, and they'll be brought to life in the movie by the likes of Star Wars's Lupita Nyong'o and The Walking Dead's Danai Gurira.
Speaking of Lupita Nyong'o, she posted a very cryptic photo of herself on Instagram a while back, which might relate to her role as Nakia in Black Panther. The picture features Nyong'o with purple goop slathered all over her; we assume this is so they can make a cast of her face. The only other role Nyong'o is currently prepping for is her reprisal of Maz Kanata in Star Wars: The Last Jedi — Nyong'o is hooked up to a motion capture rig to bring Maz Kanata to life, and it's possible that a cast of her face is involved in this process. However, given the CGI-heavy nature of her Star Wars role and the fact that Black Panther is in the midst of filming, it seems more likely that this picture is a behind-the-scenes snap from the latter.
There are number of reasons why the Marvel crew might need a cast of Nyong'o. Chiefly, after being romantically spurned by T'Challa in the comics, Nakia is beaten and tortured by Black Panther villain Achebe. She's rescued by Erik Killmonger, and drawn into his plan to take down T'Challa for good. With Michael B. Jordan bringing Killmonger to life in the movie, it's possible we'll see a version of this storyline — and that this purple cast will be the basis for some gnarly prosthetics of an injured Nakia.
As an early Valentine's Day present for MCU fans, Marvel's Phase 3 preview was released online. Undoubtedly one of the preview's highlights is the plethora of Black Panther concept art, which gives us our first in-depth look at T'Challa's kingdom in the MCU.
The image feature a selection of different locations, from jungle to city, and all promise Wakanda will be like no other Marvel setting we've seen yet. Given our only experience of Wakanda thus far was the Captain America: Civil War post-credits scene, Ryan Coogler and co. have had almost unlimited freedom in bringing their vision of Wakanda to life — and it looks like they're taking full advantage of it. Check out more of the art below:
#Marvel released our first official synopsis for Black Panther in January. In true Marvel fashion, the fate of the whole world will hang in the balance. However, the idea of T'Challa try to negotiate the roles of both hero and King at once promises something new from the House of Ideas:
Black Panther follows T'Challa who, after the events of Captain America: Civil War, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to take his place as King. However, when an old enemy reappears on the radar, T'Challa's mettle as King and Black Panther is tested when he is drawn into a conflict that puts the entire fate of Wakanda and the world at risk.
'Black Panther' Release Date
The Black Panther release date for the U.S. is February 16, 2018; filming began in late January 2017. The next #MCU movie after Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, is filming concurrently with Black Panther in Atlanta, but won't be released until May 2018. The double filming schedule means it's been difficult to decipher who from the Black Panther cast will return for Infinity War (but we hope it's pretty much all of them!)
'Black Panther' Trailer
With a full year left to go until Black Panther premieres, we still have a while to wait until we get to see a full Black Panther trailer. We'll likely see a trailer during 2017's summer blockbuster season; with Spider-Man: Homecoming aiming for a July 7 release date, we may see the Black Panther trailer attached to Spidey's theatrical release.
'Black Panther' Characters
- T'Challa / Black Panther - Often credited as the 'first mainstream black superhero', Black Panther has a been a mainstay of Marvel Comics since his first appearance back in 1966. In the MCU, we got our first look Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War, which showed us a young ruler torn by grief and a lust for a revenge — complete with a truly badass clawed suit.
- Zuri - In the comics, Zuri was a loyal companion and warrior for T'Chaka, T'Challa's father and the former King of Wakanda. As you may recall, we saw T'Chaka's untimely death in Captain America: Civil War, so we can expect to see Zuri shook by this shocking death in Black Panther.
- W'Kabi -W'Kabi is another Black Panther character who's integral in the comics; he is T'Challa's Head of Security and second-in-command. He also has a pretty sweet bionic arm, which we're dying to see in the MCU. Winter Soldier, eat your heart out!
- Nakia & Okoye - Nakia and Okoye are both members of the Dora Milaje; an ancient order who once served as wives-in-training for the King of Wakanda. These days, the Dora Milaje have evolved to become the Black Panther's deadliest and most kickass warriors. Black Widow's got nothing on these women.
- Everett Ross - First appearing in Captain America: Civil War, Ross is the Deputy Task Force Commander of the Joint Counter Terrorist Centre. In the comics, Ross is an envoy to T'Challa on his Stateside visits, and becomes a dearly trusted friend. Although his job title may have changed, we hope to see Ross get into some comics-inspired hijinks (such as that time in Black Panther #3 where a particularly disastrous day ended in Ross pants-less in a strip club).
- Ulysses Klaue - Klaue's last MCU appearance saw him lose an arm in a skuffle with Ultron. A shady arms dealer and smuggler, Klaue stole large amounts of Vibranium from the technologically advanced nation of Wakanda — and he has a long-standing blood feud with the Wakandan royal family.
- Erik Killmonger - With a name like that, I probably don't need to tell you that Erik Killmonger isn't one of the good guys. Born as N'Jadaka, Killmonger isn't your average supervillain; indeed, one of his motives for taking over Wakanda is to rid it of its 'white colonialist' influences and restore its ancient culture. Killmonger is both a physical and mental match for T'Challa — he once even managed to best T'Challa in battle, and claim the Black Panther mantle as his own.
- Ramonda - Ramonda is the wife of T'Chaka and the stepmother of T'Challa. Unfortunately, Ramonda was widowed after T'Chaka's tragic death in Captain America: Civil War.
- N'Jobu - Not a name recognizable from the comics, N'Jobu is described as a 'figure from T'Challa's past'. We can't wait to see how this mysterious figure fits into the history of The Black Panther.
'Black Panther' Cast
Perhaps the most critically lauded aspect of the movie so far, the Black Panther cast reads like a who's-who of black acting talent today. Marvel's always been known for seducing A-list talent into their corner (Anthony Hopkins and Cate Blanchett, for example), but the Black Panther cast is there most impressive ensemble yet. Expect big things!
- Chadwick Boseman - After his pitch-perfect performance in Captain America: Civil War, Boseman will return to play Black Panther once more. If you want another sample of Boseman's acting chops before Black Panther hits theaters, I'd heartily recommend his turn as a young Jackie Robinson in 42.
- Forest Whitaker - An Oscar-winning Walk of Fame inductee, Whitaker needs no introduction. His performance in The Last King of Scotland won him no less than twenty-eight major awards; Whitaker was most recently seen bringing rebel extremist Saw Gerrara to life in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
- Angela Bassett- Another actor who requires no introduction, Bassett has a long history on-screen, which has won her a Golden Globe, and nominations for both an Emmy and an Academy Award. Best known for biopics, Bassett has played Tina Turner, Rosa Parks, and Betty Shabazz, among others. Recently, Bassett has appeared in four seasons of American Horror Story, most notably taking our breath away as voodoo Queen Marie Laveau.
- Lupita Nyong'o - The second Academy Award winner on this list, Nyong'o captured hearts and minds across the world with her portrayal of Patsey in 12 Years A Slave. The nerdier folk among you might also recognize her as the actor behind Maz Kanata's giant goggles in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
- Michael B. Jordan - Fantastic 4 aside, Jordan has had a fantastic couple of years, starring in Fruitvale Station, Chronicle and Creed. Jordan will be continuing his superhero movie streak when he appears as Erik Killmonger in Black Panther.
- Danai Gurira - Most well-known for playing Michonne on The Walking Dead, Gurira is also a highly decorated stage actress, activist, and writer of the Tony Award-winning play Eclipsed. As her time on The Walking Dead proves, Gurira will fit right in with the deadly and badass ladies of the Dora Milaje.
- Martin Freeman - A name known by every nerd, Freeman is known for playing Bilbo Baggins in the Hobbit Trilogy, and Dr. Watson on the BBC adaptation of Sherlock. He also played Lester Nygaard in the critically acclaimed Fargo.
- Sterling K. Brown - Fresh from winning an Emmy for his star-making turn in American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson, Brown will be portraying the mysterious N'Jobu.
- Andy Serkis - The man behind 1,000 CGI creations, if you don't know Serkis's name, you've certainly seen him before. He's brought to life characters such as Supreme Leader Snoke in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Caesar in the Planet of the Apes movies.
- Daniel Kaluuya - Having appeared in 2015's Sicario and the critically acclaimed British drama Babylon, Kaluuya joins the Black Panther cast as T'Challa's right-hand-man.
- Phylicia Rashad (Rumored) - A household name thanks to her iconic maternal role on The Cosby Show, Rashad has enjoyed an illustrious career on stage and screen — and might be about to add Black Panther to her resume. Sterling K. Brown recently stated:
"I just worked with Chad [Boseman] on a film called 'Marshall,' about Thurgood Marshall. He's such a talented human being and a deep soul... He's the perfect personality to fully inhabit T'Challa. So, to rejoin him, and to work with Academy Award winners… to be with Michael B. Jordan after the incredible work he's done in 'Creed.' Danai Gurira, Phylicia Rashad, Forest Whitaker — like, it's embarrassing. I'm good at what I do — I don't try to do any sort of false modesty — but, 'Wow! I get to be with all of you people!?!'"
Regardless of the verity of this rumor, Sterling K. Brown fanboy-ing all over the place about the phenomenal cast is all of us.
'Black Panther' Theories
The plot outline's been released, the villains are confirmed, and the stage is pretty much set for our long-overdue foray into the world of Black Panther. Still, there's a few Black Panther theories out there, hoping to clear up some of the more nebulous aspects of the film:
- Will Ulysses Klaw & Erik Killmonger team up? Given Klaue and Killmonger's... erm... rocky comic book history, it's unclear whether they'll team up to take down T'Challa — or end up destroying each other.
- What New Genre Is Marvel Set To Explore In 'Black Panther'? Given Marvel's proclivity for exploring other genres (see: space opera in Guardians of the Galaxy, political thriller in The Winter Soldier), will they explore a specific genre in Black Panther? And if so, which one?
- Will the Winter Soldier Appear in 'Black Panther'? Another Marvel mainstay is their fondness for having major characters cameo in each other's movies, and there's compelling evidence The Winter Soldier will be defrosted just in time for a Wakandan jaunt.
Watch 'Black Panther' Online
Since Black Panther won't hit theaters for another year, we're going to have to cruelly dash your hopes as you won't be able to watch Black Panther online any time soon. However, given the wide range of Marvel movies currently available on Netflix, we anticipate Black Panther will eventually end up joining its MCU counterparts in the streaming behemoth's portfolio.
So, between two major villains, royal drama, some undoubtedly kickass fight scenes and the most award-winning ensemble Marvel has probably ever assembled, Black Panther is shaping up to be one of the most promising films the MCU has ever produced. Be sure to check back here for all of the latest updates, right until 2018 finally arrives and the universe bestows glorious gift of Black Panther upon us all.


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By Amanda Wicks
When Taylor Swift turned 27 yesterday (December 13th), her squad came big with the birthday wishes. After all, she's always one to bring some serious birthday love to her crew. But one man from her past didn't seem particularly thrilled with the date.
Related: Taylor Swift's Squad Wishes Her Happy Birthday
John Mayer tweeted a rather harsh stance on December 13th, and many thought he was taking a stab at Swift. "Tuesday, December 13 may be the lamest day of the year, conceptually," he posted yesterday. Mayer quickly deleted the tweet, but not before someone captured a screen shot and continued circulating his words.
Today (December 14th) Mayer admitted he went about things wrong. He didn't apologize for what he said, but he did cop to handling the aftermath poorly by deleting what can never be deleted. "Looks like I shouldn't have deleted this tweet…" he shared along with a screen shot of a defense he tried to mount after his initial comment which reads in part: "Absolutely no shade," followed by a heart emoji.
Perhaps Mayer is angling to get Swift to write "Dear John Part 2." The two dated briefly beginning in November 2009, and when all was said and done with their quick back-and-forth love Swift wrote the song "Dear John." It didn't exactly paint him in the most flattering light.
Check out the tweets below followed by Swift's song, "Dear John."
Uh. John Mayer just tweeted and deleted this. But thank God for screenshots 😁 #HappyBirthdayTaylorSwift https://t.co/VPUqCX8eJ1—
Katie Krause (@Katie_Krause) December 14, 2016
Looks like I shouldn't have deleted this tweet… https://t.co/ujWhDkMY2H—
John Mayer (@JohnMayer) December 14, 2016


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Name: Nicole Truesdell'03
Occupation: Director of the McNair Scholars Program and adjunct assistant professor in anthropology.
Hometown: Hazel Crest, Ill.
What brought me to Beloit (as a student): The anthropology program.
What brought me back to Beloit (as staff): The McNair Scholars Program.
You may have seen me: Initially living in the 609 apartment and walking my blonde German shepard (named Whiskey) around campus with my husband.
What's on your bucket list? Write and publish at least one fiction book, travel everywhere, run an ultra-marathon, open a wine and blues bar, to name a few.
Favorite meal? Pho (a Vietnamese noodle soup).
Who are your top-three fantasy dinner party guests? W.E.B. DuBois, Oprah Winfrey, and Stephen King.
Proudest moment? Finishing my Ph.D.


text: That's one of the scenes I hated in the film. Logan, Berman and Baird completely whitewashed that whole galactic milestone. The Enterprise went to Romulus! That's more important for the Federation's foreign relations than what happened in TUC (there the Enterprise just met the Chancellor's ship, it didn't actually go to Qo'noS). Such a let-down.


text:
North Branch
Milwaukee River
Kettle Moraine, WI
Barn on the horizon
Wooden Bridge
West Bend
North Branch
Milwaukee River
Kettle Moraine, WI
Barn on the horizon
Wooden Bridge
West Bend
Southwest Wisconsin
Compare the roof line profiles of these three barns
A-frame, compound A-frame and a hip roof
Bouvier crossing
Wisconsin Rustic Road #4
Buddy is 13 years old and still loves to ride. He doesn't get much riding in any more as he has become a lap dog. We are giving home care for Barb's 91 year old mom and he is her constant companion
Eat Ice Cream
for daily happiness
Plymouth Wisconsin
Photo Assignment: Weekend 11/19/07
(Someone need to start the Photo Assignments
for this summers riding season)
Antique Steamer
displayed next to a metal resided barn
Holy Hill Road
Rural Art
Fond Du Lac, WI
(this barn came down in a storm last summer)
Fond Du Lac,
Wisconsin Farm
Hobby Barn
Cedarburg, WI
sometimes it is the barn's silo
(wood - stone- modern)
that catches the eye
Stone barn style building
Saint Killian, WI
Wisconsin Rustic Road # 82
Saint Killian, WI
Take note of the large white object in the field opposite from the barn,
this is a grain storage bag
It has rendered the silo useless


text:
Health Effects Of Drugs And Alcohol Boqueron PR 00622 Click To Call Now 844-291-0669
4741 Inverness Drive
Boqueron, PR 00622
How to Help Those You Love Who Have an Addiction Problem
When someone you love has a problem with addiction, it can be devastating. A series of consequences inevitably accompany the addicted person which affect everyone around him or her.
Financial devastation, legal troubles and health usually go hand-in-hand with the addict or alcoholic. They will constantly turn to loved ones for solutions to problems they have created as a result of their addiction. This is financially, emotionally and mentally draining to those around him or her. Watching someone you love slowly engage in risky behaviors robs you of your peace of mind and your sense of security; it will also undoubtedly keep you up at night worrying.
While it is difficult to understand, the addicted person has become powerless to stop their chemical dependence on their own. They have been taken hostage by a consuming mental obsession to do drugs and unable to control the physical compulsion to use more and more once they start. Typically, the addict is in complete denial that there is a problem and wonder why everyone is "making such a big deal" out of their alcohol or drug use.
It is not uncommon for loved ones to grow resentful because of their irrational behavior and complete lack of regard for the damage they are causing. The addict may have stolen from those closest to him or her, had violent episodes or destroyed property as a result of their addiction, invoking an apathetic attitude in those who have been victimized because of the addiction. At the very least, being around the addict is uncomfortable because they are incoherent, keep poor hygiene or are totally self absorbed, making social interaction next to impossible. Usually, loved ones end up washing their hands of the person altogether and want little to do with them.
Don't Give Up
At times, it may seem impossible to reach the addict or alcoholic but if you truly want to help them, you must not give up hope. Educating yourself is paramount. There is help available and the one you love can learn to live a productive life without mind-altering substances. No matter how angry you may be, temporarily set aside your feelings and get serious about helping. Chemical dependence is a life-threatening condition and it cannot continue to go ignored.
The first step in helping an addicted person is getting them to recognize they have a problem. One of the most effective ways of doing this is to stage an intervention. This is when family members, friends and loved ones join forces and collectively confront the addict in an attempt to strip them of their denial. In this case, the use of a certified interventionist or substance abuse counselor is recommended. These are trained specialists who can ensure the intervention is successful. Bringing in a professional is not a requirement. The family can perform an intervention independently but extensive research should be performed to fully understand how to engage the addict and ensure they get the help they so desperately need.
In most situations, addicted people cannot get sober without the supervision and guidance offered in a rehabilitation facility. Stopping certain drugs and especially alcohol can create serious health risks. Withdrawal symptoms can cause seizures, psychosis or even death. Research drug and alcohol rehabs and be armed with information when you confront the addicted person. There are plenty of places that accept insurance, operate on a sliding scale or cost absolutely nothing. Encourage the addicted person to check themselves in to an in-patient rehabilitation program.
At minimum, someone with a drug or alcohol problem should begin attending 12-step meetings immediately. Alcoholics, Narcotics or Cocaine Anonymous meetings are available in almost every city in the United States. Be ready with meeting information and be prepared to drive your friend or family member to their first meeting. There, they will find recovering people who will help them feel less alone and begin the recovery process.
Set clear boundaries. One of the greatest gifts you can give to an addicted person is to tell them "no." Learn to exercise tough love. Explain that you will no longer bail them out, accept their inappropriate behavior or allow them to create chaos in your life. Do this with love but be serious and follow through. If they are unwilling to check themselves into treatment or go to a recovery meeting, you will have to detach and stop enabling their behavior. Only when they have nowhere else to go will they go get help.
Finally, be very cautious in the way you communicate with an addict or alcoholic. Always speak kindly and lovingly, never harshly or judgmentally. They are looking for every reason to rebel and resist. If they feel loved and cared for, they are more likely to see the truth and get help.Stop suffering with addiction! Located a few minutes from the US border and one hour from Montreal, Canada, Heritage Home Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center offers a tranquil and therapeutic environment to begin your recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. Our team has worked together in drug rehab for many years and will give you a personal, unique, and individualized approach to emotional healing and sobriety. Visit us online today.
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text: Re: Interesting blog on younger people not connecting with older movie Are there really that many Musicals released at the cinema these days. There's wha maybe a couple a year. True maybe on TV, but is that down to shows like X Factor, Pop Idol, American Idol etc... being popular


text:
|International Space Station Imagery
high res (1.4 M) low res (79 K)
|ISS024-E-006721 (28 June 2010) --- The Soyuz TMA-19 spacecraft relocates from the Zvezda Service Module's aft port to the Rassvet Mini-Research Module 1 (MRM1) of the International Space Station. Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin; along with NASA astronauts Doug Wheelock and Shannon Walker, all Expedition 24 flight engineers, undocked their Soyuz spacecraft from Zvezda's aft end at 3:13 pm. (EDT) on June 28, 2010, and docked it to its new location on the recently installed Rassvet module 25 minutes later.
Curator: JSC PAO Web Team | Responsible NASA Official: Amiko Kauderer | Updated: 10/30/2012


text:
Laughter isn't just curative for their patients. Massive doses of humor got Kyle Jeanne Dalton and Adam Gray through medical school.
They met in Detroit's Club Gold Coast on April 28, 1985, and soon they were a couple. Mark Cichewicz was a graphic designer for the Chrysler Corp., and Michael Grillo was a hairdresser. Both Michigan natives, they started coming to Florida to visit Michael's parents, who spent the winters here.
TAMPA — As her father's health worsened, Sheena Swartz widened her search for the perfect wedding gown. She didn't know if he'd live to see her marry Nick Bentley, but she promised that he would see his only child in the dress of her dreams.
ODESSA — The Rev. Rick Lackore gave Gregory Edwards permission to kiss his bride, and Edwards took the moment to show all 40 of his guests the feelings he doesn't often put into words.
They took the day off to attend the funeral of one of J.'s clients. Afterward, with several more free hours left, and three days after it became legal for them to marry in Florida, they headed to the old Hillsborough County Courthouse in downtown Tampa to apply for a marriage license.
TAMPA — The big box wrapped in Christmas paper didn't impress Patricia "Trish" Cvejkus as Joshua Candamo kept ribbing her to open the gift he'd bought her.
TAMPA — As the owner of five construction equipment dealerships, Alexander "Sandy" MacKinnon set specific goals to attain success in business, a practice he carried over in times of bereavement.
A mountaintop proposal in Montenegro. A wedding in Florence, Italy.
CLEARWATER — It was only their third date, but Brandon Golden wanted to make it special. He whipped out his rarely used cookware and invited Christina Chin to his home for a romantic Valentine's night 2012 meal of chicken fettuccine.
NEW YORK — Helen Bradley isn't one of those women who fantasized about her wedding as a girl, so when the time came to tie the knot on the 10th tee of a golf course, she wanted to be relaxed, comfortable and economical.


text:
Williamstown's Images Cinema latest to embrace digital projection
WILLIAMSTOWN - Dave Blair, the projectionist at Images Cinema on Spring Street since 1985, is standing at the brink of a digital wave that is changing the way movies are presented around the world.
Beginning next week, his job is going to be very different when the one-screen nonprofit movie theater switches to programed digital movies, leaving the 35 millimeter film projectors behind.
It is the same digital wave that has taken many movie lovers out of the theaters and into viewing motion pictures delivered digitally through Internet streaming to their iPads, computers and big-screen televisions.
Blair acknowledges the coming wave with good humor and a healthy attitude.
"I just happen to be standing directly in the path of it," he said, chuckling.
According to Sandra Thomas, executive director of Images Cinema on Spring Street, the theater has secured enough funding to move to digital presentation starting next week.
While the new digital format will offer movie goers better picture and sound, the fact is that Images had little choice if it wants to stay in business.
With the digital system, rather than shipping movies on spools of 35 mm film, distributors send data hard drives containing digital versions of the movies, which are then downloaded into the theater's projection system.
It will allow the showing of both 2D and 3D movies and enhanced features offered for the hearing impaired.
"This is the biggest change in film exhibition since the talkies," Thomas said. "The movies will be cleaner and crisper with a better audio experience.
"And today, it is already logistically harder to procure film versions of current movies."
The technology also offers other opportunities, such as simulcasts of live events and special documentary series, she said.
Images will be showing "Life of Pi" on film through Tuesday, Thomas said. The theater will be closed Wednesday and Thursday to install the new projector system and screen, and reopen Friday showing the digital version of 'Life of Pi.'
Being able to change to digital is a significant achievement for Images, as most nonprofit movie houses are finding it a real challenge to procure enough funding for the changeover.
Thomas said the transition was made possible through a $16,000 grant from the Mass achusetts Cultural Council and donations from Williams College and private donors.
"We absolutely needed this to keep the organization going," Thomas said. "It's something we need to do to survive, but it means a different livelihood for [Blair] and other projectionists everywhere.
"So we have to be able to make the transition and move into the next phase respectfully."
Projectionists like Blair, who until now would sit in the projection booth during each movie showing, will now just download the feature, program the system to show the movie at the appointed times, and go home. Larger movie houses might be able to find other duties for their projection staff, but smaller cinemas like Images have fewer options.
Blair, who is often seen helping with repair and renovation projects at the theater, hopes that repair and maintenance might become a part of his job description.
Otherwise, he'll have more time to spend at home or at his full-time job as assistant manager at the Greenberg & Sons hardware store in North Adams.
For Blair, his part-time projectionist job will go from three to five days a week to a couple of hours once or twice a week.
"It's just not necessary to have someone stay in projection booth through the whole movie," he said. "With film, we'd have to watch to make sure the gears don't slip or the film doesn't break. Not anymore."
For movie makers and distributors, this will be a sea-change in the amount of money it takes to manufacture and deliver a production to theaters.
With no more pricey film to purchase (the 13 billion feet of 35 mm film sold in 2008 will plunge to 4 billion feet in 2013), and no more bulky movie reels to ship, the savings are significant.
According to a study released by IHS, formerly known as Information Handling Systems, by early next year, digital projectors will be used in most theaters.
It will be the first time since motion pictures were developed in 1889 that film-projected movies will be in the minority. In 2004, film projectors were regularly used in 99 percent of theaters.
By 2015, the study predicts, film projectors will be in regular use in only 17 percent of cinemas around the world.
Some movie distributors have notified their customers that they will no longer be offering film versions, moving to strictly digital formats in the coming months and years.
For movie houses, the cost of the changeover - roughly $70,000 to $80,000 per projector - is slightly offset by the marginal savings in labor costs with projectionists' hours being reduced, Thomas said.
Despite all the advantages offered by digital, Images is hanging on to its two 1950s-era 35 mm projectors, Thomas noted, so they will still be able to show classics or specialty productions on film.
"It's all well and good," Blair said. "Technology is going to change everything anyways. And this digital system is supposed to present perfection from one end of the movie to the other. We'll see how it goes."
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


text:
NOTICE OF SALE Notice is hereby given that on 05/12/08 at 1:30 P.M.or thereafter, at U-STORE-IT #322, 200 S.R. 206 East, in the city of St. Augustine, state of Florida. The undersigned, U-Store-It #322 will sell at Public Sale by competitive bidding, the personal property heretofore stored with the undersigned by: All items in storage contain household items unless otherwise mentioned. Space # 0333 - Environmental Dynamics Inc, Shawn McDonald - Household Items/Misc. Items Space #0934 - Corey Fuller - Household Items/Misc. Items Space #0727 - Palm Coast Garage Door/Shutter, George Wierda - Household Items/Misc. Items L1184-8 Apr 26, May 4, 2008
Posted from 26-Apr-08 to 4-May-08
© 2018. All Rights Reserved. Contact Us


text:
San Saba County Texas Jail, circa 1884, still serving its original purpose. Now that is what I call fiscal conservative!
San Saba County Texas Jail, circa 1884, still serving its original purpose. Now that is what I call fiscal conservative!
Located in the center of Llano's historic square, the courthouse was built in 1893. It is one of 68 that remain of Texas Courthouses built before 1900
The Historic Llano, Texas ÔÇ£Red Top JailÔÇØ (1895)
The CountyÔÇÖs prisoners were housed in the building until the late 1970s
Llano River Bridge
Nice town with a great city park with showers and a one dollar camping fee
This area of Texas is in an extreme drought. With a little rain this road would be a challenge.
The Slab
On FM 3404, 1.5 miles west of FM 1431 in Kingsland, Texas
The Slab is a spot in the Llano River where the water runs over large granite outcroppings and sandy beaches have formed. It is a popular swimming, tubing and picnicking site. The water is perfect for both wading and deeper swimming. The Slab is open to the public, but not maintained as a city park.
Some of the locals told me it gets pretty wild on warm days!
Texas tips:
1. Stop down at the local cafe, you know the one the locals hang out at. Pull up a chair at the table next to the table that the group of locals sit at. Pull out your maps and then ask the locals which roads to ride. The locals will always ask "where you wanna go". Just tell them you want to ride their favorite roads and you don't care if the road ends back where it started, as long as it is their favorite.
That is the way I found the Swinging Bridge and the Slab, there were just local favorites.
Now when I got to the slab, I stopped back for coffee, and asked for directions to the Enchanted Rock. I was told "you can't get there from here, unless you want to take about 30 miles of dirt, water crossings and be out in the middle of a 5 thousand acre ranch by yourself. You don't want to be out there on a motorsackle".
Texas tip:
2. The locals told me many area roads were made of "Caliche".
Caliche (mineral)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Caliche is a sedimentary rock, a hardened deposit of calcium carbonate. This calcium carbonate cements together other materials, including gravel, sand, clay, and silt. Caliche occurs worldwide, generally in arid or semi-arid regions, including in central and western Australia, in the Kalahari Desert, in the High Plains of the western USA, and in the Sonoran Desert. Caliche is also known as hardpan, calcrete, kankar (in India), or duricrust. The term caliche is Spanish and is originally from the Latin calx, meaning lime.
Caliche is generally light colored but can range from white to light pink to reddish-brown, depending on the impurities present. It is generally found on or near the surface, but it can be found in deeper subsoil deposits as well. The layers can vary from a few inches to feet thick, and multiple layers can exist in a single location.
Your pictures were great. I have seen those sights many times. Ride that way anytime that I can get away from the DFW metroplex
Texas Tip:
In the Hill Country these fences are popularly known as "German fences,"
Although most of them are only 3 or 4 feet tall, they will keep cows in
Most stone walls you see are close to 100 years old
Farmers had to get the rocks out of the fields so they could plow,
serve as a place to put the rocks as they were cleared from the fields
marking boundary lines
The stone walls were built without mortar
Some of the rock has been taken away to build buildings
Sometimes in remote areas, the rocks are stolen
and as the saying goes, It's not the destination, but the journey
Enchanted Rock, Tx
Enchanted Rock was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1970 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The Rock is a huge, pink granite exfoliation dome, that rises 425 feet above ground, 1825 feet above sea level, and covers 640 acres. It is one of the largest batholiths (underground rock formation uncovered by erosion) in the United States.
It is the second largest such granite monadnock in the United States after Stone Mountain in Georgia.


text:
Speakers are being sought for a conference which hopes to "stimulate dialogue and spark deep conversations and connections on technology, education, and design." Called TEDxSweetAuburn, the conference is an offshoot of TED, a 25 year old nonprofit organization started in California devoted to "Ideas Worth Spreading."
Atlanta's TED conference is being planned for early 2013 at the King Center on Auburn Avenue. Interested speakers are invited to request a speaker proposal packet via firstname.lastname@example.com. Packets will be available until Friday November 16, 2012 and speakers will be announced at the launch of TEDxSweetAuburn.com Monday November 29, 2012.
"TEDxSweetAuburn will connect the leading thinkers, entertainers, educators, innovators and artists from metro Atlanta to share ideas that will shape our future event themed 'Freshwater Legacies'," said conference organizer Stephen N. Lackey. "The event explores the ways in which adults filter life and culture to future generations and asks a pivotal question: 'Are we leaving our children with fresh resources, fresh ideas, and fresh innovations?'" he continued.
TED started as a four-day conference in California 25 years ago and has grown to support world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. The annual TED Conference invites the world's leading thinkers and doers to speak for 18 minutes. Their talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Al Gore, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Nandan Nilekani, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
"After participating in a TED event, I immediately formulated a plan to bring this truly inspirational and life-altering event directly into my community," said Lackey. "I want to tap Atlanta's well of creativity and bring us together for a day of sharing and networking so that attendees leave TEDxSweetAuburn thinking, saying and doing the things necessary to leave our children and future generations with a fresh social ecosystem."
Listed as one of Black Entertainment Television's 2012 "Republicans toWatch," Lackey is an Atlanta businessman, fundraiser, philanthropist and social entrepreneur.


text:
Anybody know what's up with this guy? A few questions for the crowd:
- Do Raps still own his rights? If so, what are the conditions & how valuable is he as a trade asset?
- Has the Euro experience improved him as a player & matured him as a person a la Anthony Parker?
- Would you want him back on the team & if so, where would he rank on the current wing depth chart?


text:
I love Susan Boyle. I've never watched any of those "Idol," "Model," or "Talent" shows. The only reason I know of Susan Boyle is that she has hit the news big time. For those of you, like me, who don't keep up with these shows, Susan Boyle made a big hit on "Britain's Got Talent" as a singer.
Unfortunately, the news was two-fold: boy, is she ever unattractive, and boy, can she ever sing.
Susan Boyle is 47, overweight, flabby, and has graying, frizzy hair, bushy eyebrows, and a blubbery face. Susan Boyle also has the singing ability of an angel, giving a performance of the Les Miserables tune "I Dreamed A Dream" that has made her an instant star with more than 20 million views on YouTube.
Now the debates rage: should she or shouldn't she get some kind of makeover to look prettier on camera? The United Kingdom's Guardian published a "no, she shouldn't; she should stay natural" comment from one of their most "done over" women stars. Others are repulsed by her looks, and can't imagine that beautiful voice coming from such a plain, frumpy woman.
Many of those 20 million plus YouTube views very likely occurred simply because of that incredible contrast. For many, it was like watching a geek or freak show, so they could laugh at her lack of physical attributes, without, of course, looking in the mirror themselves.
Me? I give her lots of credit for being more focused on her voice than on her lack of beauty. She is definitely not attractive. Should she get face work to match the scores of women who all look like they came out of the same factory: the puffed-up face, abnormally protruding cheeks, and lips that look like the rump side of an orangutan? I wouldn't advise it.
Clearly, this is not a woman of means…yet. So, getting her hair colored and calmed down, learning some makeup tips, and having clothes which best compliment her ample figure is something that is probably in the works now, which means that she'd be spiffing up what she has, and not getting surgically transformed into a vision which will make the snide snickers go away. Making the best of what you have is admirable and advisable; getting re-made into something nobody is, is not admirable nor advisable.
And the main point is that she has a beautiful voice, and a tremendous amount of talent. If she were "pretty," I wonder how many YouTube hits there would have been. Gosh…I long for the days before television and the Internet, when only the quality of what a person had to offer was revealed.


text: Ah, but that pain-stick scar makes you look so cool! And your humble moderator got to see the film almost spoiler-free. An unspoiled moderator is a happy moderator. As for dredging up old threads, as long as you're adding something substantive to the discussion, we're fine with a thread that has lain dormant for a few months. A year is a bit long in the tooth, but y'all jumped right in with interesting discussion, so it's all good. That being said, now that the threads can last almost forever without being pruned, I think a new thread that has less pages to backtrack through might be more appealing to newer posters who haven't weighed in on the topic. New voices and fresh opinions are always welcome. I enjoyed "Carbon Creek." Jolene got to do a different character, and the fish out of water stuff was fun. I think it's the kind of change-of-pace episode we would have seen more of in Seasons 5-7, when a show is comfortable and well supported by TPTB and there's room to play around... but alas. I guess we're lucky we got shows like "Carbon Creek" and "North Star" early on, before the ax fell. I'll miss that musical ep they would have done in Season 6, tho. Plus this episode was filmed up in the San Bernardino Mountains where some of my relatives lived, so I got a kick out of seeing the locations.


text:
American tackle football – leather helmets, no facemask…nuff said.
Powered suitcase speaker system with dual 6.75″ coaxial speakers in a vented enclosure. Vintage grey plaid suitcase that's not quite houndstooth with decoupage front. AC power and battery power capable.
Available at LifeBytes, Apple Specialists. 3800 Gulf Shores Parkway, Suite 218, Gulf Shores, AL 36542 http://www.lifebytesstores.com 251-923-2100


text:
World in Brief
Obama, Boehner meet at White House to discuss 'fiscal cliff'
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner met Sunday at the White House to discuss the ongoing negotiations over the impending "fiscal cliff," the first meeting between just the two leaders since Election Day.
Spokesmen for both Obama and Boehner said they agreed to not release details of the conversation, but emphasized that the lines of communication remain open.
The meeting comes as the White House and Congress try to break an impasse over finding a way to stop a combination of automatic tax increases and spending cuts scheduled to kick in at the beginning of next year.
Obama met in November with Boehner, as well as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. The president spoke separately by telephone with Reid and Pelosi on Friday.
Obama has been pushing higher tax rates on the wealthiest Americans as one way to reduce the deficit -- a position Boehner and other House Republicans have been steadfastly against. Republicans are demanding steeper cuts in costly government entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security.
Syria's civil war spills into Lebanon again, 4 killed in gun battles
BEIRUT (AP) -- Syria's civil war spilled over into neighboring Lebanon once again on Sunday, with gun battles in the northern city of Tripoli between supporters and opponents of President Bashar Assad's regime that left four dead.
Nine Syrian judges and prosecutors also defected to the opposition. It was the latest setback for the regime, which appears increasingly embattled with rebels making gains in northern Syria and near Damascus, the capital.
The defecting judges posted a joint statement online urging others to join them and break ranks with Assad's regime. There have been several high-level defections over the past year, including Assad's former prime minister.
In Geneva, the United Nation's Special Representative for Syria and the Arab League, Lakdhar Brahimi, met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns to discuss the crisis in Syria. They said in a joint statement that the situation in Syria was "bad and getting worse," adding that a political process to end the conflict was "still necessary and still possible."
Russia and the United States have argued bitterly over how to address the conflict, which began with peaceful protests against Assad in March 2011 and escalated into a civil war that has killed an estimated 40,000 people. Activists said another 45 were killed on Sunday.
As Nelson Mandela is hospitalized, his South Africa finds itself at political crossroads
JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- Inside a Catholic church that once served as a major rallying point for anti-apartheid activists, the image of a gray-suited Nelson Mandela appears in stained-glass window that also features angels and the cross.
Worshippers here prayed Sunday for the hospitalized 94-year-old former president, who remains almost a secular saint and a father figure to many in South Africa, a nation of 50 million people that has Africa's top economy.
Mandela's admission to the hospital this weekend for unspecified medical tests sparked screaming newspapers headlines and ripples of fear in the public that the frail leader is fading further away.
And as his African National Congress political party stands ready to pick its leader who likely will be the nation's next president, some believe governing party politicians have abandoned Mandela's integrity and magnanimity in a seemingly unending string of corruption scandals. That leaves many wondering who can lead the country the way the ailing Mandela once did.
"When you have someone that's willing to lead by example like he did, it makes things easier for people to follow," said Thabile Manana, who worshipped Sunday at Soweto's Regina Mundi Catholic church. "Lately, the examples are not so nice. It's hard. I'm scared for the country."
Egypt's constitution is going to a referendum, but it's not unifying the country
CAIRO (AP) -- President Mohammed Morsi is unlikely to worry if Egypt's Islamist-leaning draft constitution passes by only a small margin in a Dec. 15 referendum, since he and his backers tout his 51 percent election victory in June as a "popular mandate" that is beyond any challenge.
Still, an idea taking root among many secular Egyptians is that a constitution requires a reasonable degree of consensus to qualify as a charter for all -- and that it is fundamentally illegitimate to ram one through by a simple majority despite opposition from key sectors of society that oppose giving religion such a major role in the affairs of state.
"It is irrational to have a constitution that does not genuinely represent everyone," said Kahlil al-Anani, a British-based expert on Egypt. "It is important that a constitution is passed with a comfortable majority, but it does not make the document less credible if it is a modest majority."
The proposed constitution is at the heart of the nation's worst political crisis since the overthrow nearly two years ago of authoritarian President Hosni Mubarak. The charter has divided Egypt, with Morsi and his Islamist backers, including ultraconservative Salafis, in one camp, and secularists and leftists, including minority Christians and women, in the other.
At least six civilians have been killed in street clashes and several offices of the president's Muslim Brotherhood torched in the unrest.
Chavez to undergo cancer surgery again, wants VP to succeed him if illness worsens
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was heading back to Cuba on Sunday for a third cancer surgery after naming his vice president as his choice to lead the country if the illness cuts short his presidency.
Chavez's Saturday night announcement cast a shadow of uncertainty over the country, and his supporters poured into city plazas across the nation to pray for his recovery from what appears to be an aggressive type of cancer.
Some wiped tears, while others held photos of him and chanted in unison: "Ooh-Ah! Chavez isn't going away!"
Chavez acknowledged the seriousness of his health situation in a televised address, saying for the first time that if he suffers complications Vice President Nicolas Maduro should be elected as Venezuela's leader to continue his socialist movement.
Several outside medical experts said that based on Chavez's account of his condition and his treatment so far, they doubt the cancer can be cured.
Georgia investigations detail stream of radioactive materials on black market
BATUMI, Georgia (AP) -- On the gritty side of this casino resort town near the Turkish border, three men in a hotel suite gathered in secret to talk about a deal for radioactive material.
The Georgian seller offered cesium, a byproduct of nuclear reactors that terrorists can use to arm a dirty bomb with the power to kill. But one of the Turkish men, wearing a suit and casually smoking a cigarette, made clear he was after something even more dangerous: uranium, the material for a nuclear bomb.
The would-be buyers agreed to take a photo of the four cylinders and see if their boss in Turkey was interested. They did not know police were watching through a hidden camera. As they got up to leave, the police rushed in and arrested the men, according to Georgian officials, who were present.
The encounter, which took place in April, reflected a fear shared by U.S. and Georgian officials: Despite years of effort and hundreds of millions of dollars spent in the fight against the illicit sale of nuclear contraband, the black market remains active in the countries around the former Soviet Union. The radioactive materials, mostly left over from the Cold War, include nuclear bomb-grade uranium and plutonium, and dirty-bomb isotopes like cesium and iridium.
The extent of the black market is unknown, but a steady stream of attempted sales of radioactive materials in recent years suggests smugglers have sometimes crossed borders undetected. Since the formation of a special nuclear police unit in 2005 with U.S. help and funding, 15 investigations have been launched in Georgia and dozens of people arrested.
Plane carrying Mexican-American singer Jenni Rivera missing in Mexico
MEXICO (AP) -- A small plane carrying Mexican-American singer Jenni Rivera went missing early Sunday after taking off from the city of Monterrey, authorities in northern Mexico confirmed Sunday.
Jorge Domene, spokesman for the Nuevo Leon state government, told Milenio television on Sunday that the plane left Monterrey about 3:30 a.m local time after a concert there and aviation authorities lost contact with the craft about 10 minutes later. It had been scheduled to arrive in Toluca, which is located outside Mexico City, about an hour later.
Domene said a search for the plane was launched early Sunday, with helicopters from the local civilian protection agency flying over the state. He said seven people including the crew were believed to be aboard the U.S.-registered Learjet 25.
The 43-year-old who was born and raised in Long Beach, California, is known for her interpretations of Mexican regional music known as nortena and banda.
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


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U.S. Army Spc. Chris Tarte, along with his wife Natalie and three children, Hattie, 5; Sam, 2 and Gracie Beth, 6 months, were flown from San Antonio, Texas, free of charge to the Arkansas River Valley via the VAC program so the five could visit Natalie's family in Dardanelle.
The VAC provides free air transportation to wounded veterans and their families for medical and other purposes through a national network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots.
Hattie was the first to depart the plane and she gave an excited wave to her grandpa Jerry Don Woods, her aunt Teresa Bland and her great-grandmother Ruth Bland before she exited the ramp.
Spc. Tarte was the last to exit the plane and for the first time since being injured during an IED explosion in Afghanistan in Oct. 2011, he didn't have a special medical device on his left leg.
He was in the Army less than a year and only in Afghanistan for two months, when on Oct. 29, 2011, the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle he was riding in was hit an IED. The four-man crew was injured with no fatalities, and Tarte was the most severely injured.
He lost his right leg and his left leg was badly broken in 10 places.
Until two works ago, Tarte wore an external fixation device on his left leg that adjusted as his bones slowly grew back together.
After the external fixation device was removed, Tarte wore a cast, which was removed two days prior to the flight.
Tarte is stationed at Fort Sam Houston and said he expects nine more months of physical therapy.
He said the Wounded Warrior Project has helped his family a great deal.
Woods said that the Wounded Warrior Project began assisting Tarte and his family immediately after he was injured.
"They are truly a phenomenal organization," Woods said of the organization. "By the time Chris arrived in the U.S., he already had clothing, blankets and water bottles that weren't standard issue. They immediately began helping Natalie also. She had found out she was pregnant with their third child just two weeks before Chris left. It was a difficult and trying time for them, and the Wounded Warriors have helped them each step along the way."
Woods said the significance of the VAC flight was about more than just the cost that made traveling on a private plane to Russellville easier for Chris and Natalie.
With three kids and a wheelchair, navigating at a traditional airport can be difficult, Woods said.
"The flight and the support are all really powerful and wonderful reminders that people care," Tarte said.
Tarte said that having the external fixation device removed from his leg allowed him to actually feel and see the progress he has made in one year's time and gives him hope for the future.
"When the device was on, I never felt like it would ever be over," Tarte said of the healing process. "Now, I can't believe how much better I am. Every day I can see and feel improvements."
The best medicine and therapy Tarte said came from his wife.
"Natalie's been the biggest help in my recovery," Tarte said with a big smile as he looked at Natalie. "I'm still the luckiest guy in the world that she said yes."


text:
- 18 & over
- Two item minimum
Rory Scovel
Performing Artists (Click on Artist for Reviews and Previews)
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Rory Scovel
Friday, December 20, 2013 8:00 PM
DC Improv, Washington, DC
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- Door Time: 6:30 PM
- Show Type: Stand Up
- Showroom: Main Showroom
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Two items minimum
Seating Policies
The first show of any night is the "early" show. All other shows are "late" shows. Early shows are seated by time of arrival. The earlier you get to the club, the better your seat will be. Late shows have assigned seating by time of ticket purchase. The earlier you buy tickets, the better your seats will be.
DOOR TIMES: Doors usually open at 6:30 for an early show. (When the early show is at 7, we open at 6.) Seating for late shows usually begins 30 minutes before showtime. If you purchased tickets to a late show and would like to be seated together with another party, call the Improv at 202-296-7008 and inform us ahead of time.


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Dr. Vini Khurana, a top British neurosurgeon and medical
researcher, is trying ardently to grab people's attention about what he sees as
a grave risk to health. He has published over 30 papers; his specialty --
cell phones and their links to disease. He has reviewed over 100 papers
on the links between cell phones and cancer.
His latest research, currently under peer-review prior to journal publication,
emphasizes a strong
link between cell phones and tumors.
Not one to shirk from using strong language on the topic, Dr. Khurana states
controversially, "Mobile phones could have health consequences far greater
than asbestos and smoking."
The number of users is the first aspect to look at, says Dr. Khurana.
Over 3 billion people worldwide use a cell phone, according to Dr.
Khurana. Only about one billion people worldwide smoke, evidence to his
claims. The smoking population incurs approximately five million
worldwide smoking related deaths a year.
The doctor expresses no uncertainty about whether cell phones cause
cancer. He states emphatically, "there is a significant and
increasing body of evidence for a link between mobile phone usage and certain
brain tumors."
Government action is a necessity says Dr. Khurana, but he declines to elaborate
on possible measures. The cell phone industry meanwhile scoffs at the
research. Britain's Mobile Operators Association, a major telecomm
collective commented that the new study was "a selective discussion of
scientific literature by one individual."
In the U.S. last September, a research study by the Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research
Programme indicated that there was no cell phone-cancer link. However,
the normally conservative National Academy of Sciences reporting at the
bequest of the Food and Drug Administration ruled that there was a possible
link, but more research was needed. The National Academy of Sciences
suggested studies on the effects of use on children and pregnant women and a
comparative study of heavy users and the general population.
In February, DailyTech reported in a study appearing in a U.S. medical
journal, which indicated that heavy
cell phone use raised the risk of some tumors as much as 50 percent.
Cancers of the salivary gland in particular were found to be the most commonly
induced type. This study differed in that it looked at the effects of
long term use. Also it was among the first studies to examine cancer
rates in other organs besides the brain.
Many doctors have expressed concern since the 1980s, when cell phones came into
widespread use, that the electromagnetic
radiation from the cell phone transmissions might increase mutation rates,
upping individuals' cancer risk. With evidence mildly supporting such
conclusions mounting, similar concerns have recently been voiced about
Wi-Fi. Sir William Stewart, chairman of Britain's Health Protection
Agency, demanded a thorough investigation of possible cancer/Wi-Fi
correlations, based on the fact that Wi-Fi exposure to electromagnetic fields
is often even more prolific than that from cell phones. Allegedly, some
people are sensitive enough to Wi-Fi that it causes them headaches. The
Austrian Medical Association is lobbying for a countrywide ban on Wi-Fi.
The new research from Dr. Khurana also follows in the conclusions of other
European studies. A study in Finland found that cell phone users of 10
years or more were 40 percent more likely to get a brain tumor on the side of
the head they usually hold their phone. A follow up study in Sweden
indicate this risk to be closer to four times as great.
Cell phone use is currently banned
on planes due to interference dangers, however, most analysts agree that a
national level ban in any industrialized nation is impractical.


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Plenty of sites and publications offer "best of" lists and top ten awards, but how many let YOU vote on the best businesses and locations around your town? After all, it is YOUR town. Who else is more qualified to choose?
Chapelboro.com's Short List is a monthly award decided entirely by the readers and residents in our community. This month, the category is THE BEST PLACE TO DINE OUTSIDE. In the form below, submit all the locations that YOU think deserve to be on the Short List. We'll compile your entries and let the community vote on the best to see who makes the top 5! Check back soon to vote and see the winners!


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>Running 101>Advice on form from Active.com
Runners run.
dropped 30 seconds per mile off their 5k time in just 3 weeks
Abs of Flabs
"Pounding the ground" doesn't sound right for me.
At the same time, I think better posture comes with stronger muscles. As a new runner, your body is not geared for running. Through training, your running muscles (and that include the tiny stabilizing muscles) get stronger and you improve on your posture.
Roads were made for journeys...
I take it you're not a big fan?
CPT Curmudgeon
Gotta Flee Em All
I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.
Poor baby


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Cable Television Archive
How Digital Television has Changed Society!
May 4, 2012
I'm going to explain to you the role cable television has played in shaping our society, from live cannibalism to the confessions of a toilet paper eating addict. It's been a long day and you've just come home, collapsed on the sofa with a glass of something nice in one hand and the TV remote


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Topic: Stuck>Dovecot not creating Maildir under /var/vmail/vmail01
Using 0.5.1 version of iredmail, I really appreciate your work.
Everything seemes to work fine, I can connect to my new mailboxes over thunderbird, but I didn't manage yer to login with roundcube.
The thing is that the Maildir structure is not being created under /var/vmail/vmail01. It remains blank...
I suppose that's a dovecot.conf issue, but I didn't manage to figure out the problem yet...
Any help very appreciated.
Thanks in advance for your great work!


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Almost inconceivably, they have been forced to reconsider the integrity and iconic status of the late Joe Paterno, the longtime football coach whose program helped turn a school focused on agriculture into one of the nation's biggest and most respected research universities.
In the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal — and a report that said school officials hid accusations against him — the school is bracing for civil lawsuits and perhaps NCAA sanctions. Meanwhile, Penn Staters are trying to protect Happy Valley, the almost-too-good-to-be-true nickname for the campus enclave at the foot of Mount Nittany and the protective veil the community feels in its central Pennsylvania home.
"I think it's one of the finest universities around and the crimes of a few doesn't dictate the university's reputation," said Craig Lehnowsky, whose son just finished getting three degrees in eight years. "If today was the day to decide where my son would go (to college), he'd be coming here."
Sandusky, Paterno's one-time top defensive coach, was charged in November with sexually preying on boys, some on campus, and was convicted last month on 45 charges.
Paterno died of cancer in January and wasn't charged, but he was fired by trustees days after the Nov. 5 grand jury report came out and Pennsylvania's state police commissioner said Paterno failed his "moral responsibility" to do more.
On Thursday, former FBI Director Louis Freeh, who was hired by the university's trustees to investigate, issued a report that said Paterno, former university president Graham Spanier and two other school administrators buried allegations against Sandusky out of a desire to "avoid the consequences of bad publicity."
Their inaction allowed the retired assistant coach to continue molesting boys, Freeh's report found.
On Saturday, artist Michael Pilato removed a halo he had added to Paterno's image on a large mural in State College after the coach died in January. He said he usually puts a halo over one of his subjects when they die, but felt after release of the report that it should be removed in Paterno's case.
"It's one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life, but I'm glad I did it," he told The Associated Press.
Instead, Pilato added a large blue ribbon on Paterno's lapel symbolizing support for child abuse victims — an idea he said Paterno endorsed before his death. Pilato earlier removed Sandusky from the mural. He said he hasn't made a decision on the image of Spanier but will make some kind of change.
"People are doing it for me pretty much — there's eggs being thrown at him, and different things like that," he said. "I was thinking about putting a blindfold on him or something."
Initially, Penn Staters were stunned by the allegations in the grand jury report, especially that it could happen at the place they loved and under the watch of Paterno. Students rioted over Paterno's firing, and then they held an emotional candlelight vigil in the days afterward to tell victims, and the world, that Penn State was sorry.
Even Thursday, several undergrads — some of them freshmen — cried in the student union while watching the live TV broadcast of Freeh discussing his report at a news conference.
After all these months, many have come to the conclusion that the school is still the same tight-knit, happy place they imagined it to be.
Lauren Shevchek's sister, an alumna, encouraged her to go to Penn State, even more so after the scandal broke in November with charges against Sandusky.
"The second you walk on campus, you feel right at home," she said.
Briana Marshall, a junior from East Stroudsburg, Pa., said: "I love this school. This is my dream school. ... There's so much Penn State has to offer. It's a bump in the road, but student-wise, we're still family."
Others contend that the Happy Valley image is a construct and that the Freeh report confirmed the way Penn State has been run for years: to protect the school at all costs to avoid negative publicity.
"There's almost a little bit of relief in it for me to see those who have been abusing this power for so long" exposed, said Jennifer Storm, 37. She calls the campus her "second home" but remembers feeling like the school didn't do enough when black students and gay students, including herself, received death threats in 2001.
Blue ribbons and fundraising jars for child abuse awareness have sprung up around town and school leaders say they are taking aggressive steps to ensure it doesn't happen again. Shevchek, 18, said she believes no such crime will ever happen again at Penn State — or any other college, for that matter.
But Penn Staters have also tired of the scandal, and the media's treatment of the school and Paterno.
It's "tedious," Marshall said.
The actions of a few should not define the rest, they repeatedly say. Then there's the damage to the school's reputation some worry about.
What will prospective employers think when they see Penn State on the resume? What about the scorn they'll get from strangers for wearing a Penn State sweatshirt in another part of the country?
Then they worry about the NCAA punishing their beloved football program, or even shutting it down.
Penn Staters also want to move on.
"It's a new coach, it's a new team," said Christian Beveridge, 40, a masonry restoration worker who grew up near the campus and was working on a building there Thursday. "We're going to keep on going."


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Looks like Ashley's arriving in LA for the Teen Choice Awards tonight (aired tomorrow - vote here!) - anyone know when this is aired in the UK?
See more over at TwiFans thanks Ashley TWA :)
- Lorabell
August 9, 2009
"Fresh Faced" Ashley at LAX
3 comments:
- AnonymousAugust 9, 2009 at 3:05 PM
i was wondering the same thing about the UK. I've tried searching on the internet but can't find anything about it being aired over here.ReplyDelete
i have voted though ;) x
- AnonymousAugust 9, 2009 at 4:16 PM
she looks great. can't wait to see her there (hopefully with Jackson, dressed amazingly and winning an award)ReplyDelete
Ashley for the win<3
Hope it has the full show online so we can watch it in the UK.ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Alice-Jean "A.J. McFarlin, of Longboat Key and formerly of St. Louis Park, Minn., died May 31. She was 82.
Mrs. McFarlin was born June 24, 1929, in Detroit, to Charles C. and Alice C. Brandon. She received her degree in elementary education from the University of Delaware in 1951. She married Robert McFarlin in 1952, and they settled in 1960 in Minnesota. In 1976, she received her master's degree in library science from Mankato State University.
Mrs. McFarlin had a distinguished 20-year professional career as the audio-visual and computer librarian at the Blake Schools in Minneapolis. She retired in 1995, and the McFarlins established permanent residence in Florida in 2007. In retirement, she tackled the challenge of developing and directing the library at All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church, where she was hard at work 10 days prior to her passing.
Mrs. McFarlin was an active volunteer in organizations, including PTA, Girl Scouts, the Minnesota Capitol Rotunda Club and the Sarasota Historical Society. She had an interest in family history and was a skilled genealogical researcher. She was also a gifted "crafter" as a seamstress, knitter and in needlepoint, leaving behind a collection of beautiful projects.
She was preceded in death by her grandson, Jeffrey Sepeda Jr.
She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Robert; sons Charles and Robert Jr.; daughters Nancy Diener and Judith Murray; and 11 grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. June 20, at All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church, 563 Bay Isles Road. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the All Angels by the Sea Legacy Fund, or to a charity of the donor's choice.


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Could California Handle a 6.4 Quake?
Earthquakes don't kill people. Buildings built on earthquake fault lines kill people, unless they are built specifically to handle severe earthquakes.
The twin quakes of magnitude 6.4 and 6.3 that struck Iran within 11 minutes of each other over the weekend is a devastating example of how important this understanding of geoengineering is to life on a fault zone.
The scary question for Californians and the Pacific Northwest is: Are they ready?
Let's be honest. Californians eat magnitude 4's and 5's for breakfast. And yes, the state can survive a magnitude 6.0 practically unscathed. But, ramp it up to a twin 6.4 and 6.3, and the outcome really depends on where the quakes strikes. I would expect there may be a few fatalities.
Article continues at Discovery News
Earthquake Damage image via Shutterstock


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Discussion in 'Pros' Racquets and Gear' started by dirtballer, Jul 4, 2009.
Anyone see the T-Shirt Serena was wearing during her ESPN interview? Are You Looking At My Titles
Yes. My future father-in-law who is new to tennis was watching the interview earlier & said: "I'm surprised Wimbledon officials allow things like that even in the interview room especially since they're so anal retentive about anything resembling an advertisement."
Should read the back of her booty shorts.
I noticed that. I can't believe they let her wear that, I mean, Sharapova or Ivanovic can get away with it but not her.
I seriously hate her.
Well she does bring WMD on-court while Maria and Ana.........need help. Don't hate the playa
ha i missed this interview, but never unerestimate getty images
Great shirt. No wonder tennis fans are considered pu**ies when something like this irritates them. Get a life.
Wait till a tennis player gets sponsored by Affliction. May wait a looooooooooooong time. http://cdn.afflictionclothingstore.com/store/images/Couture_Blck.jpg
It's not that I think it's inappropriate, it's that I think it's arrogant that only a horrible woman would wear that and get away with it. Tennis players don't do ****ty things like that, and she's making a horrible example.
Players are allowed to wear their sponsors stuff, logos/band names have a size to meet to be allowed on court, but i think thats the same everywhere.I laughed when i saw this last night.
I spoke to her yesterday just inside the centre court corridor they walk down to get from the dressing room, she was polite, seems nicer in person than many give her credit for.
Huh? Get out of here if all you got is hate man. You first sentence doesn't even make sense. It is arrogant that only a horrible woman would wear that?
She shoulda wore the 'Are you looking at my ASSETS' sweatpants.
I'm not a fan of hers- her constant bad-mouthing of opponents/excuses after a match is well documented.
You can't dispute the record, tho- hers is outstanding, one of the best womens records ever.
But it's inappropriate wear for post-match at Wimbledon. Period.
the shirt is a little arrogant but still pretty cool
I think she can get away with it as she has more TITles.
As serena said in an interview. She's an animal on court but nice off court.
Serena has great titles.
Chump change
Way to go on the Wimbledon title. But the rest of her? Chump change...that's all she has...that's all she brings to the table. Wish she had a bit more substance - it would back up her on-court performance.
Maybe she can get sponsored by Alpa Chino. Bustanut energy bars and BootySweat energy drink.
^^ i can see why you're name is photoshop
Did this subject really deserve it's own thread
who cares what she was wearing.
The T-Shirt said Are You Looking At My Titles...
Maria and Ana don't have titles :lol:
Serena has more than them two can ever dream of having.
It doesn't matter, we can all use our imaginations:twisted:
Serena's Titles
Her Titles are bigger than Safina's...
still sharapova has superior titLes
Evidently you did, because you came in to read the thread and reply to it.
The topic maker needed to be told.
Separate names with a comma.


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Enroll as a first-year in January, complete first-year requirements by the end of the summer and join your peers in your major as a sophomore in the fall.
The first semester of the spring summer accelerated program begins in January and follows the structure of a traditional semester, including all first-year studio requirements as outlined in the catalog. Then, complete the second semester with six (6) required first-year courses running in three sessions through August. Generally, each session lasts four weeks. Please note that you will be attending classes throughout the summer.
- An intensive program ideal for students with previous life or college experience.
- Our distinguished faculty work closely with students in an intimate class setting.
- Generous financial aid packages are available including merit-based scholarships.
- On- and off-campus housing is available.