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I can't say it's over. But this movie is closing in on the climax. This is the story of Greg Oden's NBA life: On Monday, he went in for a minor procedure to clear out debris in his left knee when the surgeon discovered two defects and ended up performing microfracture surgery. For those of you scoring at home, that's now two microfracture surgeries on the left knee, as well as one on the right. In the past, he also had surgery to repair a fracture left kneecap.
"Initially, Greg was undergoing a procedure similar to the one he had a couple of weeks ago to have debris cleared from his right knee," said Acting General Manager Chad Buchanan. "However, once the doctors were inside Greg's left knee, they unfortunately found articular surface damage and determined microfracture was necessary."
Oden's season is now over, and while the Blazers weren't exactly praying for his return, this has to hurt. LaMarcus Aldridge already reached out to Oden, and gave him a shout out on Twitter.
"This is not the news we were hoping for Greg or the organization," said Trail Blazers President Larry Miller. "It's hard to put into words the heartbreak for everyone involved, but especially for Greg. He's a young man who has experienced a great number of physical challenges in his playing career and today is yet another significant setback for him. We have a lot of empathy for Greg and his family during this difficult time."
It wasn't supposed to go like this. By this point, five years after being drafted, Oden was supposed to be headlining the All-Star Game, leading the Blazers to deep postseason runs and going back and forth with Dwight Howard for the Defensive Player of the Year.
The worst part of this might be people labeling Oden a bust because of his play rather than his injuries. The dude could really BALL. Despite all the time off, the chemistry issues, the injuries and the minute limits, the big man's career averages (per 36 minutes) are 15.3 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks a night.
To remind people he wasn't ALWAYS hurt, here are the top five highlight mixes of Greg Oden when the man-child was right. Hopefully we eventually get to see this again…


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Please could you help me identify these sections of jaw bone and teeth. They were found in a local field and I would like to know what animal they belong to !
I think they have to be pig, Sus scrofa, and a young one by the looks of it.
I agree
Thanks !

subset: commoncrawl


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State Police Superintendent Joseph D'Amico announced that Service arrangements for Trooper David Cunniff have been set for today and tomorrow. Calling hours will be today from 3:00 to 8:00 PM at the Grace Fellowship Church in Watervliet, the Funeral Service will be tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM, also at the Grace Fellowship Church in Watervliet. Trooper Cunniff died from injuries sustained while conducting a traffic stop on the Thruway Monday night in Amsterdam.
State troopers of Sidney, Oneonta and Richfield Springs conducted an Underage Drinker Initiative detail, checking 8 convenient stores in Otsego County, the City of Oneonta, and in the towns of Oneonta, Otsego, Hartwick and Otego. All 8 stores were in full compliance with all State laws, they were Hess Express, Main Street in the City of Oneonta, all Mirabito Quickways, in the Towns of Hartwick, Oneonta & West Oneonta, the Pit Stop in Cooperstown, Taylor's Mini Mart in the Town of Laurens, & Sunoco in the Town of Otego.
Delaware County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 28-year-old Amber Armstrong of Walton for 2nd degree Harassment & on an arrest warrant from the Walton Village Court for 2nd degree Coercion. The charges stem from an incident with a male acquaintance in the Town of Walton. Armstrong will appear in Walton Town Court at a later date.
State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced his office completed an audit of the Village of Deposit. The audit found that the village board did not effectively oversee and monitor their financial operations. The board did not have accurate information for their financial decisions and did not adopt reasonable budgets for the general, water and sewer funds. The report also said that the board cannot be sure that only authorized disbursements were made, that all moneys received were properly deposited, or that all transactions were properly recorded and reported.
New York State's unemployment rate decreased from 7.7% to 7.4% in November, the lowest level since January 2009, according to the preliminary figures released today by the State Department of Labor. the state's economy added 4,300 private sector jobs, to a record high of almost 7.5 million.
Governor Cuomo signed a law to increase state oversight of special education programs for preschoolers with disabilities. The law authorizes the state comptroller to audit all of the independently run programs at least once in the next 5 years. It establishes new reporting requirements for committees that place children in programs and for providers. Comptroller Tom DiNapoli says fraud in the $1.3 billion program has cost taxpayers millions of dollars while depriving children of needed help.
It took just a fraction of New York voters to approve private casinos in the state. About 14.3 percent of the state's 11 million registered voters cast a ballot in favor of the Nov. 5 casino referendum, according to the state Board of Elections. Nearly 1.19 million New Yorkers voted against it, or about 10.8 percent of the total electorate. More than 512,000 ballots left the casino section blank or void. The casino referendum, which allows the state to permit up to seven private casinos, was the first of six proposals on the back of all the ballots and received the most total votes
The American Red Cross of the Southern Tier will host a Babysitters Training Class for youth ages 11 to 15 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM this Saturday, at the Red Cross office at 620 East Main Street in Endicott. The cost of the class is $75, which includes a certificate from the American Red Cross, handbook and CD ROM. Space is limited and advanced registration is required at 1-800-733-2767, or at redcross.org.


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Kelly Miller
The focus of research in my laboratory is the study of the systematics of insects. Systematics is the subdiscipline of biology that documents the diversity of living things... no small task when it comes to insects. Systematists are concerned with establishing what species exist and how those species are related to each other as larger groups, and our activities result in a classification system (taxonomy) and historical context (phylogeny) that provides a foundation for all of biology.
Work by members of the lab have involved several groups of insects including slime-mold beetles (Agathidiini, Leiodidae), fungus beetles (Cucujoidea), diving beetles (Dytiscidae), whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae), longhorned beetles (Cerambycidae), band-wing grasshoppers (Oedipodinae) and webspinners (Embioptera), among others.
We use a variety of data to test relationships including DNA sequence data, adult and larval morphology, and behavior. Phylogenetic analysis is heavily theory-underladen with a variety of methodologies based on alternative viewpoints on their philosophical and practical ramifications. Whereas we prefer parsimony analysis of combined data, we are aware of the alternatives and regularly publish likelihood or Bayesian analyses. We are also aware of alternative DNA sequence alignment strategies and are actively involved in experimenting with these alternatives to develop reasonable alignments.
A primary goal of our results is to improve insect classification, but we also have interest in examining the evolution of various phenomena within a phylogenetic context including sexual conflict (diving beetles), mating behavior (diving beetles, band-wing grasshoppers), sound production, karyotype and habitat choice (band-wing grasshoppers) and silk spinning behavior, maternal care and silk gene sequence features (webspinners). Many of these projects are collaborative with other laboratories.
"I suppose you are an entomologist?"
"Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name. No man can be truly called an entomologist, sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp."
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
, The Poet at the Breakfast Table
Kelly Miller Lab, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, 167 Castetter Hall, MSC03 2020, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001 USA
Contact the website coordinator
with questions or comments regarding this website.


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July 9, 2009
Adorkable Edward & Bella Crocheted Yarn Dollies
You can buy crocheted Edward & Bella here from Homer424.
15 comments:
Ummmm, you know what? I kind of want them too. And I don't eve like cute stuff like that! But... they are REALLY cute.ReplyDelete
Don't worry Twi - you're not alone!
I too am 30ish, childless, and feel compelled to buy one. Do they have a Jacob?ReplyDelete
- thparkleJuly 9, 2009 at 5:21 PM
I'm 22 and have a huge Hello Kitty plush in my bedroom, so now you see my maturity level :) But they're so cute, I want them! And like Juju said, I wonder if they do have a Jacob, that would be awesome!ReplyDelete
Ok, maybe it's because I have 3 bedrooms full of stuffed animals and the like, but I have to say, honestly, wtf?ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 9, 2009 at 6:20 PM
awww the bella is especially cuteReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 9, 2009 at 7:09 PM
I'm 30 and I totally want them...Do you think they will make all the characters?ReplyDelete
They are cute, but Edward's hair is the wrong color and a Jacob would be nice too.ReplyDelete
Cuteness. He has golden eyes! =DReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 10, 2009 at 1:06 AM
The person who made the "Bella Bag" on ESTY has made approximately $30K selling the bags JUST SINCE FEBRUARY (and that's just by looking at the # of people who have actually left feedback and doing the math). Good for her! Such a cute bag!ReplyDelete
I so must have!They're kind of cheap and affordable , too! 15 dollars each , not badReplyDelete
Of all the funny, weird, and plain creepy Edward and Bella dolls - these are the cutest!ReplyDelete
They are so freak'n cute! I would totally get these or have a friend make them!!ReplyDelete
Hello-this is Donna, I am the homer424 that made these. Thanks for featuring my stuff on your site and saying such kind things about them! I don't know much about Twilight, I actually made these as a request for someone. I know his hair is the wrong color LOL and i think I have found the proper color yarn to get as close as possible. Thanks again! :)ReplyDelete
I am in love iwht them!!!ReplyDelete
it's like we are the same person, twicrackaddict. i may even crochet stuff like this as soon as i find yarn that sparkles in sunlight ;)ReplyDelete


text: iamlost 1,154 Posted February 22, 2012 Apache HTTP Server announces v2.4: in time to halt defections to nginx? Numerous enhancements make Apache HTTP Server v2.4 ideally suited for Cloud environments. They include: • Improved performance (lower resource utilization and better concurrency) • Reduced memory usage • Asyncronous I/O support • Dynamic reverse proxy configuration • Performance on par, or better, than pure event-driven Web servers • More granular timeout and rate/resource limiting capability • More finely-tuned caching support, tailored for high traffic servers and proxies. Additional features include easier problem analysis, improved configuration flexibility, more powerful authentication and authorization, and documentation overhaul. Listing of new features. I've been reading Apache HTTP Server Version 2.4 Documentation until my eyes bleed and my head pounds. So far so good. I suspect that I'll request an initial server upgrade next week once I have a handle on how I want what configured. The days between now and then will probably seem like exam cramming... Then I'll just watch that server and tweak for at least a month before upgrading a second. Note: nice to see that after six years Apache simply moved from v2.2 to v2.4... quite refreshing after all the silly browser 1, 2, quite a few, 99, 100 versioning recently. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text: Scary, but not really scary! A half a million miles long 'solar whip' is on the surface of the sun. The radiation from the eruption will create a geomagnetic storm. It will hit earth today. We are the audience. We watch big games. No, we do not play with fire. Share this:TwitterFacebookPrintEmailPress ThisGoogleMoreLinkedInReddit


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SACRAMENTO - Many California courts fail to tell state justice officials when someone is determined to be mentally ill, undermining efforts to take guns away from potentially dangerous owners, according to a state audit released Tuesday.
State law requires courts to tell the Department of Justice when it makes certain mental health determinations.
The department uses that information as part of a program unique to California that seizes guns from people who are prohibited from having them, including the mentally ill.
Auditors discovered that many courts were not aware of the reporting requirements.
They surveyed 34 of California's 58 superior courts and found that only five knew of the law. The 34 courts collectively failed to report at least 2,300 mental health determinations over a three-year period ending in 2012.
Other courts only reported some of the information required by law.
The audit said San Bernardino County failed to report all 15 cases involving defendants deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial. Los Angeles County Superior Court failed to report nearly half the 27 cases reviewed by auditors, while Santa Clara County's largest courthouse made just nine of 15 required reports.
"We support the audit's findings relative to our court and have instituted new procedures to help ensure we comply with our reporting requirements," Santa Clara County court spokesman Joe Macaluso said in an email to NBC Bay Area on Wednesday. "Meeting our obligations is terribly difficult in view of the fiscal reductions. We have 200 fewer staff since 2008 and it is having an unfortunate impact."
Courts are required to report the information immediately, but auditors found some took up to seven days. They recommended that state law be changed to require reporting within 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Justice Department officials failed to remind courts of their responsibility, even when they knew reports were missing.
The department also failed to keep proper track of mental health facilities that also are required to report problems, and employees' judgments on who should be prohibited from owning firearms were sometimes flawed. Of eight decisions reviewed by auditors, three were incorrect.
The audit also criticized the department's backlog of cases, though the state this year allocated $24 million to eliminate the delays by 2016.
The Justice Department agreed with every finding, but spokesman Nick Pacilio declined further comment. The department sent a notice in August reminding courts of their responsibilities.
Court officials generally agreed with the findings, according to responses in the audit. However, the Administrative Office of the Courts raised concerns about changing state law to require reporting within 24 hours, citing budget cuts and court closures on nights and weekends. A new law gives the courts two days to report.
Republican Assemblymen Katcho Achadjian of San Luis Obispo and Allan Mansoor of Costa Mesa had sought the review by the nonpartisan Bureau of State Audits.
The audit "confirmed our worst fears," Achadjian said in a statement. "The safety of our communities relies upon government at every level doing better job of reporting this information."
NBC Bay Area's Lisa Fernandez contributed to this report.


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After months of negotiations and 24 days of floor debate, Senate Democrats passed a sweeping health care bill on Christmas Eve morning over unanimous Republican objections. Pols and the chattering class say the historic vote could represent the culmination of a century-long struggle or the end of Christmas as we know it:
- The vote moves America one step closer "toward the end of a nearly century-long struggle" to overhaul health care and "includes the toughest measures ever taken to hold the insurance industry accountable," President Obama said.
- "Not even Ebenezer Scrooge himself could devise a scheme as cruel and greedy as Democrats' government takeover of health care," House Minority Republican Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) fumed in a statement. He predicted higher health insurance costs for families and small businesses and criticized raising taxes during a recession.
- Ted Kennedy may be gone – but not forgotten, Dana Milibank writes for The Washington Post. "More than anything, it was his memory, and his final exhortation, that allowed the Senate Democrats to overcome considerable differences between moderates and liberals in drafting a compromise," he argues. Milibank acknowledges only being able to "guess what the liberal lion would have thought of the bill," but says it doesn't matter because so many of his colleagues credited him as their inspiration. "By all accounts, the senior senator from Massachusetts, Edward M. Kennedy, voted present," he writes.
- A big bet on the "success or failure of Barack Obama's presidency, and the success or failure of a newly expanded role for government in the lives of Americans," journos at The Politico write. "On the left, the bet is that health care reform, even a version most liberals see as flawed, will give the middle class and those clamoring to break into it a greater sense of personal security—enhancing the reputation of and popular support for a dynamic national government," they argue. For conservatives, "the hope is that their nearly blanket opposition to Obama's and Democrats' ideas will position the GOP as the party of sobriety and realism—ready to reap the benefits if people conclude this version of health care reform was a grand mistake."
- A big win for drug companies, the health insurance industry and some pols, but a big loss for progressives, blogs John Walker for FireDogLake. "Our broken health care system will remain broken and costs will continue to rise at an alarming rate. Things like drug re-importation and a robust public option, which would have helped bring down prices for millions of Americans, were stripped from the bill at the request of powerful industry lobbyists," he writes. "This is not progressive reform. This is a perverse Democratic version of Reagan style trickle down economics… The only 'check' on the industry will be new regulations, but with extremely weak to practically non-existent enforcement, it is basically no check at all."
- The end of Christmas, laments a CSPAN caller from Kansas. "I am so disappointed. I have taken my Christmas tree down. I have taken my Christmas wreath off my house. I have taken all the lights off my house," she said, angry that the health debate had caused a rift between her and her son. "They absolutely have ruined Christmas!"


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Batters box looked perfect from overhead view.
Batters box looked perfect from overhead view.
Izturis walks
Welsh finally noticed the batter's box
Leake's really only hitting .122 this year?
No one expects the butterfly
According to Giants announcers, Reds have gone down in order four times this entire series.
Can't be right. Maybe he forgot that yesterday was a double header.
Leake strikes out. 1-0 Reds mid 2nd
No joy this time. Reds strand two.
Votto boots a ground ball
Seems like that would be a much easier play for BP.
Way easier for Phillips but Votto tries it on a tough hop.
Red Raindog (07-24-2013)
Jim Maloney - my favorite Reds pitcher when I was a kid
The older I get - the better I was
and yes - I hate the Cardinals (Reds fan since 1958)
Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.


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Beginning Aug. 1, Michael P. Hanlon will lead Chardon Schools as the new superintendent.
The Chardon School Board met Saturday morning to discuss the final three candidates, and selected Hanlon as the most qualified to replace Joseph Bergant.
Board President Karen Blankenship said that an experienced candidate was something the board sought in order to hit the ground running with the upcoming, state-wide educational changes.
Those changes include a new Common Core Curriculum, new tests for students and new teacher and administrator evaluations.
Blankenship said that Hanlon was the best of all who applied.
"We figured that based on his experience as superintendent and his proven leadership capabilities stood out during the selection process," she said.
Hanlon has served as the Painesville City superintendent for the past 15 years. He started in the PCLS district 18 years ago.
He previously told The News-Herald that he believes his experience in leading a diverse and growing district and developing professional learning communities among staff are some of his key strengths.
"I'm looking forward to the opportunities presented in Chardon," he said Saturday. "Chardon is an excellent district with strong student achievement, community involvement and a very focused board of education."
He also said that student achievement is the number one priority.
Painesville City Schools performance dropped on the latest report card issued by the state.
The district fell from Continuous Improvement to Academic Watch.
Chardon maintained its Excellent rating from 2010-11.
Hanlon's salary information was not immediately available Saturday, but Blankenship said a contract is complete and in the hands of the district treasurer.


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BRISBANE, Australia - When Serena Williams and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova made it to the final of the Premier-level Brisbane International last month, it wasn't just a big achievement for them, it was a big achievement for the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, which had brought both of them to its training camp in Mauritius over the off-season. But while the two of them didn't actually take the courts together there, they did do something else together - yes, you guessed it - they took the microphone.
Since enlisting the help of Patrick Mouratoglou and his academy, Williams has been almost unbeatable on the WTA, dropping just two matches since the French Open - to Angelique Kerber in Cincinnati and to Sloane Stephens at the Australian Open - and the World No.2 thoroughly enjoyed the Mauritius trip.
"It was fun," the former World No.1 said. "I went in with the attitude that I was going to wake up at six in the morning and practice, and then have the rest of the afternoon to myself. Obviously I didn't do that - I woke up around 10 o'clock and just had a late practice, and then I had the rest of the afternoon to myself. I don't know. I always have these big, grand goals, and I can never really stick to them.
"I ended up being really afraid of everything in Mauritius. I was afraid of the ocean. Everyone swam with the dolphins; I thought they would bite me, so I refused. I ended up barely being able to snorkel because I was afraid of the fish that were this big, literally. So yeah, I don't know if that's for me."
Martina Hingis was also at the training camp, and Pavlyuchenkova was particularly happy to work with her there. "It was interesting for me to hear how she felt during matches and what she was going through - we were talking about that during the pre-season," Pavlyuchenkova said. "And the fact that she's a woman too - I think the mentality of women and men are different, especially on the court.
"It's very interesting talking to Martina - she's very passionate about tennis, she loves tennis."
While Williams and Pavlyuchenkova may not have sparred together, they did join forces for karaoke.
"We actually sang together - I didn't get the chance to hit with her there, but I had the chance to sing with her," Pavlyuchenkova said of Williams. "She loves karaoke and I love karaoke. I've been singing since I was little. I'm not as good as she is, but I like to sing and I'm trying to do it well!
"Martina was also there. It was, you know, group singing. But they're much older than me so they were singing songs from the '90s that I don't really know that well. Me, I'm more in 2011 and 2012 songs."
Williams begged to differ.
"No - that girl knew some old songs. She knew Fame, word for word," Williams said. "I was like, 'How in the world do you know Fame?' I didn't even know Fame. I had to go back and learn it. That was just last year I learned the lyrics, but she knew them already. It was just really, really hilarious."
Williams also gave props to her fellow former No.1, Hingis. "She's a good singer. She ended up being one of my favorite people to duet with. We're the same age so we wanted to sing all the same songs. I was like, 'Martina, do you want to sing this song?' She was a great plus one. Great karaoke buddy."


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A cricket landmark: Graeme Smith to be first captain to lead in 100 Tests
However the distractions of playing on home turf would be harder to deal with in Friday's test, he said, with Cricket South Africa encouraging a special celebration of Smith's achievement among the Proteas' fan base. Smith also announced this week that he was expecting a second child with his Irish pop singer wife Morgan Deane.
South Africa's Graeme Smith will become the first cricketer in history to captain in 100 tests on Friday, when Pakistan begins its attempt to end the Proteas' lengthy unbeaten run.
On his 32nd birthday, Smith will lead South Africa out for the 99th time when the first test gets under way at the Wanderers, having also captained a World XI in a test against Australia in 2005.
South Africa is unbeaten in 11 test series, and has won its last five on the way to the top of the world rankings. But an improving Pakistan team is expected to present a significant challenge to that record.
Smith's latest milestone will be the focal point of the opening day, and he drew generous praise from South Africa's sports minister Fikile Mbalula on Thursday.
"He is in a league of his own," Mbalula said. "All South Africans are proud of him.
"Nothing was given to him; he had to work very hard for what he has. Graeme Smith represents what I call a paragon of human perfection."
Smith has a tendency to stand up to the big occasion, and scored a century in his 100th test last year during South Africa's resounding win over England at The Oval.
However the distractions of playing on home turf would be harder to deal with in Friday's test, he said, with Cricket South Africa encouraging a special celebration of Smith's achievement among the Proteas' fan base. Smith also announced this week that he was expecting a second child with his Irish pop singer wife Morgan Deane.
"Being in South Africa, the outpouring of emotion and love from fans and people wherever I've gone has been incredible," Smith said. "It's so difficult to put into words. I've been walking around in a constant buzz."
Pakistan has been slowly rebuilding its side after a match-fixing scandal in England in 2010 saw three of its players banned, and has lost just one of its last eight series since.
However the solitary defeat came in its last series, against Sri Lanka in June 2012, and it will come up against South Africa's much-vaunted pace attack on a testing surface.
"It's a challenge and I think this team has been able to take on challenges," Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said on Thursday. "We need to stand up and have some good performances."
Pakistan was dealt a blow in the lead-up to the series when it was confirmed that opening batsman Taufeeq Umar had been ruled out by a leg injury. Imran Farhat was promoted up the batting order in a warm-up match, and will fill in for the first test.
With the Wanderers pitch expected to provide its trademark pace and bounce, even after much of the grass was shaved off on Thursday, the tourists are expected to hand a debut to 7ft 1in fast bowler Mohammad Irfan.
"If you speak to any batters around the world, a guy that is two meters tall and the amount of bounce he can get is a scary thing," South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel said. "It's not about the amount of pace but it's the awkward bounce from quite a fullish length."
South Africa have reported a clean bill of health after batsman Hashim Amla and left-arm spinner Robin Peterson both overcame injuries, and will consider fielding an all-pace attack.
All eyes will of course be on Smith, to whom the crowd will sing 'happy birthday' during one of the breaks in play on Friday.
"If I can help to motivate and encourage youngsters today to grow as big leaders tomorrow in their communities and societies and on the sports fields, that will be a really positive thing to come out of my experiences and the role that I've played," he said.


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RICHMOND — Between the long procession of admirers, young and old, who thanked him for his service, George R. Coles took a moment to reflect as he stood tall on the deck of the SS Red Oak Victory.
"I'm just amazed right now that I'm alive and able to enjoy this," said the two-time Bronze Star recipient and 91-year-old veteran who survived several island landings in the Pacific during World War II.
More than 250 people flocked to the city's historic waterfront to celebrate Veterans Day on Monday, where organizers put on a celebration at the site of one of the world's most productive wartime shipyards that blended nostalgic touches from the 1940s with nods to restored attractions that have become the hub for the city's Homefront National Park.
The event was billed as a salute both to the military and Bay Area homefront heroes, including the women who supported Richmond's vital role in World War II history. The celebration featured a reflection on Richmond's wartime contributions, a memorial flower toss, tours of the historic Riggers Loft, Red Oak Victory ship and surrounding attractions, musical entertainment and an advance look at how the Richmond waterfront is starting to be reborn.
Preceding the ceremony was a ribbon-cutting to dedicate the newly restored Riggers Loft, one of the historic buildings of the World War II Kaiser shipyards. The historical restoration represented a collaboration by the Rosie the Riveter Trust, Port of Richmond, the city and Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez.
Dignitaries including Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia and Chevron Richmond General Manager Kory Judd addressed the crowd, many of whom were aging veterans in crisp uniforms.
"It's awe-inspiring to be surrounded by American's greatest generation," Judd said.
Judd went on to pair adulation for the sacrifices made at home and abroad during World War II with what he called "a rebirth" of the Richmond waterfront, thanks in part to cultivating assets developed during wartime.
After the presentations, revelers scaled the wobbly, suspended steel stairs to the SS Red Oak Victory, an ammunition cargo ship built during World War II and berthed in 1944 that now serves as a floating museum.
Veterans tossed a wreath of red flowers into the Bay in memoriam for the lives lost in war.
"It's really a time to remember, to bring attention to what this country can do," said Cliff Warren, a 65-year-old U.S. Army veteran. "(World War II) was a time when we were organized and came together as a nation for a purpose, and that is something that we've lost some of but we can get it back."
Coles, still standing on sturdy sea legs in his tenth decade of life, looked on as children scampered around the war vessel's deck. A U.S. Army veteran who served as a medic in some of the most hellish fighting of the war, Coles wore his impeccably pressed green "Eisenhower Jacket" and a persistent smile on his ruddy face.
"Why is it important to remember the history of the war?" he said. "Maybe so that we don't get ourselves in another one."
Contact Robert Rogers at 510-262-2726 or email@example.com. Follow him at Twitter.com/SFBaynewsrogers


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What happen to my man Shandon Anderson?
What happen to my man Shandon Anderson?
Haha Shandon Anderson.
Funny story. I was with a girl back in 02/03 and me and my man are both Knick fans and the name of the girl was actually Shannon, but we always called her Shandon, because of Shandon Anderson. She was pissed about it, but we didn't care and had a good laugh about it all the time. Damn, 10 years....good times that. Back when I was in High School in the States, before I went to Germany.
That's my Shandon Anderson story bro
LOL...my boy hated Shandon Anderson...I was a Shandon Anderson fan and defender back in the day.
What happen to Lavar Postell, former future of NY player?


text:
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Posted on March 26, 2015 by taylortoowen
I went to SXSW in Austin. Man, I should live in Austin at some point. Stars Pulse to the Golden Mean Not all stars, actually just a certain type. This story starts with a theory, that intelligent civilizations might communicate … Continue reading →
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text: I would like to add an FRS radio to my Autocom SPA, but there seems to be a lot of options. This will get only occasional use so I am not too excited about the expensive path. I have been told that most any FRS radio will do, but I would guess there are specific features required to work hands free with the Autocom. I don't even know what I don't know yet. Any help will be greatly appreciated.


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CITY OF HUDSON: Ad For Bids - 2013 Wheel Loader
The City of Hudson will receive sealed bids at the office of the City Administrator located at 505 3rd St. Hudson, WI until 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 25, 2013 for 2013 Wheel Loader and will be publicly opened and read immediately thereafter.
Copies of the Specifications, Instructions to Bidders, Forms of Proposals, and other contract documents are on file at the City Administrators Office or on the City website:
www.ci.hudson.wi.us and may be obtained without charge.
Any proposals shall be submitted in an opaque envelope, on the forms provided, and marked with the name and address of the bidder. If the proposal is sent through the mail, or other delivery system, the sealed envelope shall be enclosed in a separate envelope marked with the notation "BID ENCLOSED" and addressed to City Administrator, located at 505 3rd St. Hudson, WI.
The City of Hudson reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive any informalities in the bids received, and to accept any bid which it deems most favorable.
Nancy Korson, City Clerk
City of Hudson, Wisconsin
_________________________ (Pub. 07/11/13, 07/18/13) WNAXLP


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Press Releases
Committee Hearing to Launch Surface Transportation Reauthorization Process
Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) on Tuesday will hold the first hearing in the Committee's efforts to develop new legislation to reauthorize federal surface transportation programs.
The federal programs were last authorized under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which was signed into law in July 2012 and expires at the end of September.
The hearing of the Full Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, entitled "Building the Foundation for Surface Transportation Reauthorization," is scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 14, 2014 in 2167 Rayburn House Office Building.
More information about this hearing, including testimony, additional background information, and the live webcast, will be posted here as it becomes available.
# # #
Tags: Highways and Transit


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[si_cvp_video id="video_223AC17E-2AFB-36EC-D3B0-82B40E63187B" height = "620"]
After discussing the matter at this week's quarterly owners meetings, Major League Baseball has announced its plan to expand instant replay. According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, starting in 2014, MLB will implement a challenge system via which managers will ask for replay reviews but be limited to three challenges per game, one in the first six innings and two for the later innings. According to ESPN's SportsCenter, the reviews will be done by a crew at MLB headquarters.
The need for expanded replay is long overdue, and it shouldn't be overlooked that MLB is finally ready to move beyond the current system of boundary calls to cover fair/foul, trapped balls and outs on the basepaths, but not balls and strikes. Nonetheless, the creation of an NFL-style system with its artificial limits on the number of calls that can be reviewed in a game appears to be a less-than-ideal solution. It shifts the burden of being correct away from umpires and onto managers while squandering the rich technological capacity to ensure the proper calls are made as often as possible -- calls that can have multimillion dollar consequences. Bad call after you've exhausted your challenges? Tough luck.
On Wednesday, MLB executive vice president Joe Torre and subcommittee members Tony La Russa and John Schuerholz made a presentation to an executive committee headed by commissioner Bud Selig. On Thursday, it was presented to representatives of all 30 teams. The final proposal, of which full details haven't been reported, will require the unions for the players and umpires to sign off as well before the system is put into place for 2014. The New York Post's Ken Davidoff does have some of the specifics:
Upon a manager's challenge, the decision would fall to a crew of umpires positioned in the MLB Advanced Media headquarters in Manhattan. If the umpires' ruling is upheld, then a manager would lose his challenge. If the ruling is overturned, then the manager would retain his challenge.
Schuerholz said that 89 percent of umpires' calls -- including apparently all safe/out calls -- would be reviewable. The 11 percent of "unreviewable" plays includes balls and strikes and whether or not a pitch hit a batter.
Home run calls, currently the only play subject to replay, would still be driven by umpires, and therefore a manager wouldn't have to use one of his challenges for disputed home runs.
The idea of limiting challenges comes from a fear that implementation of the new system will slow down the pace of games. That's a reasonable concern, even though the current system, which has been in place since 2008, hasn't significantly done that. Via data from Baseball Prospectus, the average time of a nine-inning game vacillated between two hours and 51 minutes and two hours and 52 minutes between 2007, the last year with no replay, and 2011. That time shot up to two hours and 56 minutes in 2012, according to the Boston Globe, but the roots of that increase appear to have more to do with enforcing existing rules regarding players dawdling between pitches rather than excessive use of replay.
It's possible to envision a situation where without some artificially imposed limit, a manager could abuse the system by requesting an excessive number of reviews, either as a means of being vindictive against an umpiring crew that he finds disagreeable or as a way of covering for a lack of a completely warmed-up pitcher. But the latter could happen even with a limited number of challenges, because getting the right reliever into the game may trump the chance to review a call later in the game. One way or another the bigger problem with a challenge system -- particularly one that effectively penalizes a manager for questioning a call that's upheld -- is that it shifts the burden of getting the play right away from the umpires, turning it into a question of managerial strategy like the deployment of a given pinch-hitter or reliever. Once that card is played, it's gone.
The impulse to steer reviews toward higher-leverage situations instead of more frivolous ones is on target. But the implication of a limited challenge system is that once the umpires have done the "heavy lifting" of reviewing a given allotment of calls, they're let off the hook for the remainder of the game, even if they make egregious mistakes in the later innings -- or in extra innings, if they're tied after nine. Those mistakes can turn games, and under the new playoff format, a single game in the standings can be the difference not only between going to the postseason or not, but between playing in a single elimination game as a wild-card winner, with no margin for error, and a five-game series as division champion.
Those are multi-million dollar consequences for each franchise, and they shouldn't hinge on whether an umpiring crew is free to go back to an older standard where they can't take advantage of advanced technology. It's not as though the replay system should be treated like a rechargeable cell phone, where once the battery expires, all access to electrical means of restoring power disappear and further communication is limited to telepathy, smoke signals and shouting.
You want shouting? Tell Jim Leyland that the call the umpire blew at home plate isn't subject to review, because one time earlier tonight he was wrong to question you, and because of that you'll be damned if you're going to work an extra two minutes. You'll spend those two minutes and more arguing with Leyland over something you're no longer empowered to change, and the replays of your error will run around the clock among the day's "highlights."
In other words, such a system has the potential to increase tensions between umpires and uniformed personnel rather than defuse them, to worry about who is right or wrong, and who's being shown up in front of thousands or millions of onlookers, rather than making sure that the action proceeds according to what transpired on the field as best as possible.
A better way, and one that could do more to encourage umpires to buy into the plan by creating additional jobs, would be to add a replay umpire -- an "eye in the sky" -- to each crew. Armed with the best technology (whether on site or at a centralized headquarters) and trained appropriately on its use, that umpire would identify plays where calls (again, not including ball and strikes) are close enough that they may be disputed, a number that for each game should still be rather small. If there's enough video evidence to overturn a call made on the field, that umpire would communicate with on-field officials so that appropriate action could be taken to correct the situation before play continues. Alas, that doesn't appear to be the route MLB has chosen.
On the positive side, putting the reviews in the hands of a centralized crew at MLB headquarters (presumably the same headquarters where MLB Advanced Media is based, on the west side of Manhattan) instead of the on-field umpires does appear to be the right call. The biggest umpire-related controversy this year remains the blown home run call in a May 8 game between the A's and Indians in which a crew led by the always-controversial Angel Hernandez reviewed video of a potentially game-tying ninth-inning home run by Oakland's Adam Rosales and still made what MLB conceded was the wrong call. Given that both teams are vying for playoff berths, that screw-up still looms large.
Wednesday's report suggested that implementation of a new system in time for this year's postseason was possible, and such an in-season change already had a precedent given that replay for home run calls was added late in the 2008 season. The implication from Nightengale's series of tweets is that such an idea was ruled out, which is understandable given that costs for implementing the new system are estimated to be $25 million to $40 million. An eye-in-the-sky system certainly would have needed an offseason to put in place.
No matter what route is taken, for change that's so long overdue, it's worth getting right with proper implementation and training rather than rushing a glaringly imperfect system into being for the sake of expediency. It's disappointing that MLB didn't opt for a system that puts the emphasis on the right call above the strategic deployment of an artificially scarce resource, and it's certain that the challenge system will have its critics, its conflicts and its controversies. Perhaps it will evolve over time, reviewed at this point next year and tweaked if there's widespread dissatisfaction.
The good news is that there's a new system headed our way that should drag Major League Baseball further into the 21st century, but it remains to be seen whether it goes far enough.


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Watch the New U.S. Trailer for Denzel Washington's 'The Equalizer'
Columbia Pictures released the U.S. trailer for its coming film "The Equalizer," in which shadowy former commando McCall, played by Denzel Washington, uses his deadly skills to defend the defenseless, in this case a girl named Teri, played by Chloe Grace Moretz.
The film reunites Washington with his "Training Day" director Antoine Fuqua and is set for release Sept. 26. In the story, McCall has faked his death as a way of hiding from his past. He lives a quiet life in Boston until he encounters Teri and concludes that she needs his help. This leads him into conflict with brutal Russian organized criminals.


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Grassroots economic development is topic, Nov. 29
Nov. 15, 2007 5:30 p.m.
"Strengthening Grassroots Business: Innovative Approaches to Empowering the Poor and Disadvantaged" is the title of a lecture scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, in 16 Robertson Hall.
The talk will be presented by Harold Rosen, director of the Grassroots Business Initiative, an organization started by the World Bank Group's International Finance Corp. to support sustainable economic opportunities for poor communities around the world. Rosen has led the Grassroots Business Initiative since 2003.
The talk is sponsored by the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and the Davis International Center.


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FRISCO, Texas. –The following quotes are Bruce Arena's post game thoughts following the LA Galaxy's 1-0 victory over FC Dallas.
(On the result…)
ARENA: "It was a good result for our team tonight. We've played awfully well over the last month so we're getting ourselves in good shape and making progress."
(On players stepping up without Landon Donovan or Bruce Arena…)
ARENA: "That's all part of it. It's issues that we deal with all the time and it's not an excuse. It's not an excuse. I think [FC Dallas] played the LA Galaxy tonight so whatever 11 shirts are on the field, it's the Galaxy. You always miss players so that's all part of the challenge.
(On Robbie Keane and Mike Magee combination up top…)
ARENA: "It was okay. I think that, obviously, the goal was big but they were pretty dangerous. They did a good job, no question about it."
(On Omar Gonzalez's first 90 minute performance…)
ARENA: "Remarkable. We didn't think that he'd quite make it to 90 minutes so it was a good week for him with 65 minutes against Tottenham and 90 minutes tonight. He's well on the road to recovery."
(On the defensive performance...)
ARENA: "The guys did well. We just did well. They hit a lot of crosses. And you know when we have two big centerbacks and big goalkeeper in there.. It's a little bit easier for us when we haven't had that situation this year. In a lot of ways those are balls that, you know that fall in our favor. It's a good effort. [Bryan] Gaul had another good game and A.J. DeLaGarza continues to play well in defense [Sean] Franklin played well at right midfield and Keane's leadership was critically important for us tonight."
(On how the team managed the heat…)
ARENA: "How do I think that the team managed the heat? Survived. It's very difficult playing in these conditions tonight. Our guys hung in there and they were pretty efficient with the way that they played. They handed the heat pretty well.


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What are the job responsibilities of a Director of Accounting? What does an individual in this position get paid in Ohio?
Here is the position summary for Director of Accounting as found in BLR's Salary Finder:
Plan, direct, and coordinate accounting, investing, banking, insurance, securities, and other financial activities of a branch, office, or department of an establishment.
In Ohio, the midpoint of salaries reported for the position (50th percentile) is $103,131. The 75th percentile (the rate below which 75% of salary data falls) is $136,793. The 25th percentile (the rate below which 25% of the data falls) is $78,779.
Get full salary data for Director of Accounting, including data for your industry, geographic region or metro area and employer size. Get full access to your detailed salary information now!
How much should you pay a Director of Accounting?
Compensation.BLR.com, a leading provider of compensation data, scores this job as exempt (not entitled to overtime). According to Compensation.BLR.com's rate ranges, grade 38 has a minimum of $70,130. The midpoint is $93,507, and the maximum is $116,884.
How much should an employer be paying a Director of Accounting in Ohio? It depends on many factors, but the most important are the experience and skills of the employee or applicant. Answer these questions: How much experience does he or she have? How highly skilled is he or she? Then, use the table below. Interpolate as necessary.


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Wednesday, 12th December, 2007, 03:33 AM #1
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Modern/Delta Green - The Beginning of the End (COMPLETED)
This story hour is an ongoing account of our D20 Modern conspiracy game. It follows the missions of Majestic-12 agents battling Lovecraftian horrors in a world rife with conspiracy and the occult. I also write a column about action horror gaming in general at RPG.net titled The Horror! and I'm the National RPG writer for the Examiner. If you're waiting for updates and want to read more from my gaming group see the completed 3.5 D&D story write up: http://www.enworld.org/forum/story-h...completed.html.
UPDATE: I didn't create the below video, but the fact that we both chose the same name for our campaigns is a kind of awesome synchronicity that deserves to be recognized here:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3OoN1VN4pQ"]YouTube- Delta Green: The Beginning of the End Teaser[/ame]
Rules Systems
- D20 Modern: This is our primary rules set. Were trying to stick to just the core rulebooks for now.
- Character Statistics: The characters' statistics in all their ugly glory.
- [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0786926392/michaeltrescaA/]Call of Cthulhu d20[/ame]: I created a cultist advanced class, which covers most of the bad guys. All the monsters and spells have been converted to d20 Modern.
- Delta Green: Many of the scenarios the agents encounter are Delta Green or Cthulhu Now scenarios. However, in this universe, Delta Green has merged with Majestic-12. Majestic-12 is now a lot like Delta Green, broadening its scope to include preternatural phenomena.
- Alien Invasion: The structure of Majestic-12 has its roots in the organization I created for Alien Invasion. And of course, there will be aliens. Im the author.
- Conspiracy X: Since the agents work for a much larger organization, I use many of the pulling strings rules from Conspiracy X to represent what Majestic-12 can do for them.
- Blood & Blades: The Profilers Guide to Slashers: Were using these insanity rules from this book as well as some other bad guys as the mood strikes me.
- GURPS Black Ops: This book provides much of the background for the agents training.
- Dread: I use a variant of Dread with Jenga, which I like to call the Pillar of Sanity. I basically require all PCs to pull from the Pillar when sanity points are lost. This keeps sanity-tracking to a minimum, means only one investigator will go completely nuts in a scene at a time, and keeps the tension high.
- [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000GBA60W/michaeltrescaA/]Jenga[/ame]: Jenga's wooden blocks hold up well, despite having fallen in a couple of full glasses on more than one occasion.
- Blacknet: Our wiki for the agents.
- Delta Green: Because Delta Green is THE place for conspiracy fiction.
- Black Ops: GURPS Ops took Men in Black, gave it a dose of steroids, threw in the Colonial Marines from Aliens, and then set them loose on the worst the paranormal world has to offer.
- Bureau 13: If occasionally this game gets a little silly (*cough* Guppy *cough), I blame Bureau 13. This took the concept of stalking supernatural entities and made it fun and funny, because...because "preternatural" can also be pretty ludicrous when you think of it. In a laugh out loud, oh my god my head is going to explode Joker kind of way.
- Game Master: Michael Tresca
- Joseph Archive Fontaine (Dedicated Hero) played by Joe Lalumia: A licensed private detective and master of the mystical arts, Archive wanted to be a priest once. He freelances for X-investigations, a glamorous private detective agency that specializes in the occult. When he crossed paths with the Traveler and mistakenly identified it as a body-hopping demon, Majestic-12 recruited him for some much needed mystical backup.
- Jim Jim-Bean Baxter (Charismatic Hero) played by Jeremy Ortiz: A former British SAS and PISCES agent, Jim-Bean lost his partners to what can only be called "brain spiders." Although he's also psychic, Jim-Bean loathes his abilities and considers the majority of supernatural events to be bunk. He's also a wiseass.
- Hank Guppy Gupta (Smart Hero) played by Joseph Tresca: An American-born Indian, Guppy was abducted by aliens once, or so he believes, on an expedition to South America. He has never recovered, losing his girlfriend and his promising degree. Majestic-12 sprung him from the Van Dyson Institute for reasons known only to them. Guppy's the first one to panic, but fancies himself a kind of McGyver.
- Kurtis Hammer Grange (Fast Hero) played by George Webster: One of the agents who had a former government affiliation, Hammer was on a mission for the CIA when he encountered the "brain spiders." He lost both his partners. Hammer's the most level-headed of the group, and the only trained investigator among them.
- Jake Blade Iron Shirt (Strong Hero) played by Matt Hammer: A Native American bruiser and former Ultimate Fighting Champion, Blade is the only famous agent on the team. Unfortunately, he's famous for all the wrong reasons: his romance with the woman he was assigned to protect, Christine Dee; the birth of their child, Alex; his subsequent divorce and spiral into alcoholism. Blade is desperate to get visiting rights to see his son. Stephen Alzis has an unhealthy interest in Blade's family dynamics as well.
- Sebastian Caprice Creed (Fast/Smart Hero) played by Bill Countiss: An American engineer, Caprice is the closest agent who was "normal" before he joined Majestic-12. His fast thinking on his feet has proved useful on more than one occassion, especially when hunting down body-hopping aliens.
Inspiration and Ideas
- [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1934506192/michaeltrescaA/]Fall of Cthulhu[/ame]: The league of Cthulhu super villains that Mister Arkham put together will make an appearance for sure.
- [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000W3ODBW/michaeltrescaA/]Lori Lovecraft [/ame]: Thats right, Christine Dee is based off of Lori Lovecraft. Many of her misadventures will find a place in my story hour. Shes the ex-wife of one of the agents, after all.
- [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312868677/michaeltrescaA/]Titus Crow[/ame]: Probably the closest parallel in fiction to heroic characters fighting the minions of Cthulhu.
- [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0747240590/michaeltrescaA/]Cold Print[/ame]: Because I met Ramsey Campbell at World Fantasy Con and he kicks ass. His concept of horror is truly terrifying and modern in ways that traditional Lovecraft sometimes lacks.
- [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000QUEQ4U0/michaeltrescaA/]The Dresden Files[/ame]: The inspiration for Joe "Archive" Fontaine.
- [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000QDLSR0/michaeltrescaA/]Heroes[/ame]: Jim-Bean talks just like Takezo Kensei (and looks like him too).
- [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000AP04L0/michaeltrescaA/]Office Space[/ame]: Guppy is a lot like Samir Nagheenanajar, only less angry and more terrified.
- [ame=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000MR8W92/michaeltrescaA/]24[/ame]: Curtis Manning is the inspiration for Hammer.
- Reaper: To get Stephen Alzis down just right, think the Devil from Reaper.
Welcome to the show. Get ready for a wild ride...
Last edited by talien; Saturday, 5th April, 2014 at 03:24 PM. Reason: Story Hour Update
Wednesday, 12th December, 2007, 04:04 AM #2
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Chapter 0: Welcome to the Show - Introduction
This scenario uses Delta Green and Delta Green: Countdown by Pagan Publishing as sources. Please note: This story hour contains spoilers!
Our cast of characters includes:
- Game Master: Michael Tresca
- Joseph Archive Fontaine (Dedicated Hero) played by Joe Lalumia
- Jim Jim-Bean Baxter (Charismatic Hero) played by Jeremy Ortiz
- Hank Guppy Gupta (Smart Hero) played by Joseph Tresca
- Kurtis Hammer Grange (Fast Hero) played by George Webster
- Jake Blade Iron Shirt (Strong Hero) played by Matt Hammer
- Sebastian Caprice Creed (Fast/Smart Hero) played by Bill Countiss
After the birth of my son, I took a three-month hiatus from role-playing. During that time, the fourth edition of Dungeons & Dragons was announced at Gen Con, which made me glad that we decided to go in another direction and this time play a modern conspiracy game. The game is a hybrid uniquely tailored to our tastes: we use d20 Modern rules and the campaign setting is as an unholy combination of the Black Ops GURPS supplement and the Delta Green setting.
This setting follows what seems to be the general consensus on the Internet: the cell style structure of the Delta Green conspiracy would never last in our post 9/11 age. Instead, Delta Green infiltrated Majestic-12, co-opting its resources and broadening its scope to include all preternatural phenomena. Enter our heroes.
Whats refreshing about these characters is that they all eminently flawed. Hank was committed to a mental institution, while Jake is divorced from his wife and estranged from his son. Kurt and Jim both lost their partners, and Joe struggles with the flashy glamour of his pimped up paranormal detective agency. I will of course exploit these flaws to their fullest. There are scenario seeds in all these backgrounds that will be much more relevant to the campaign in the future.
In addition to the background fiction, I compressed the training outlined in Black Ops into torturing the PCs with Project Outlook and a danger room style free-for-all that helped warm the players up to getting back into a d20 game after three months. Ive got a good feeling about this story hour. I hope youll join us for the ride!
Relevant Media
- Delta Green Countdown: Jim-Bean and Kurts background are a revision of the short story from Delta Green: Countdown. This is also the source of the Outlook Group tests.
- Delta Green: Jakes background draws on Puppet Shows and Shadow Plays.
- Uttati Asfet: Sebastians background in the Sudan.
- The Stars Are Right: Hanks background draws on Nemos Solus Sapit and Jakes is from Loves Lonely Children.
- Unseen Masters: Jakes background is tied to The Wild Hunt and Coming of Age. Hanks background is tied to The Truth Shall Set You Free.
- Resection of Time: Also Hanks background.
- Ladies and Gentlemen: by Saliva (AKA "Welcome to the Show"). Its also the theme song to Last Man Standing.
- Mutants & Masterminds Beginner's Guide: The Doom Room in this supplement served as inspiration for Satan's Playroom.
- The Rock: Drake is pretty much Sean Connery from this film, only instead of being imprisoned in Alcatraz (that's just a cover story), he's been drafted into Majestic-12.
- Extreme Encounters: A great source for first-hand encounters of all kinds of torture. I used it as a template to describe the awful things that happen as a result of the Outlook mental endurance tests.
- Ground Zero Radio: Ground Zero Radio and Clyde Lewis are real, but he was gracious enough to be part of the Alien Invasion supplement. Consider him a replacement for the Conspiracy X television show. For the record, I actually did have a bizarre conversation with Clyde at 12 a.m. one night, just like Sebastian does (only it wasn't about my brother, it was an interview).
- Mad, Mad House: Palmer is referenced in a conversation with Simon Magnus; I took the inspiration for Palmer from Don the Vampire on this show.
- X-Investigations: Yep, it's a real agency.
- Fallen: Joe's hair-brained scheme about the body-hopping bad guy is the plot of this movie.
Last edited by talien; Sunday, 26th June, 2011 at 01:28 PM.
Wednesday, 12th December, 2007, 04:05 AM #3
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Welcome to the Show: Part 1a Kurt and Jims StoryLadies and gentlemen please
Would you bring your attention to me?
For a feast for your eyes to see
An explosion of catastrophe
--Ladies and Gentlemen by Saliva
Thank you for agreeing to meet with us, Mr. Coleman, said Grange in a voice that sounded like he was gargling gravel. I hope you can tell us something more than what you told the U.S. Marshall.
Edgar nodded. Youre here because of Lee.
Were here to talk to you about the Army of the Third Eye. Young flipped out a note pad.
Edgar forced a smile. Of course you are. But Im afraid that the government executed a search warrant. All of Lees belongings and correspondence with his family was seized.
Surely you remember something, said Yolanda. It was difficult to resist a brunette with a husky voice like Yolanda. Granges means of persuasion were much more painful. But there was no need to tell that to Edgar. Yet.
The old man leered at Yolanda. He wasnt THAT old, decided Grange. There was a phone call. He escaped from the hospital after his self-trepanation. Most of what he said was unintelligible, and the words I could understand didnt make any sense. My boy told me that he couldnt come home until he had killed all the ghosts from space.
Grange paused. Did you tell the U.S. Marshall this?
Edgar shook his head. I didnt tell the Englishman who accompanied them either, a Mr. Cotton. They wont let me visit him, you know. They cited security precautionssaid that Lee is too violent and unpredictable to have visitors or maintain normal communication.
Sorry to hear that, said Yolanda. Thank you for your time, youll be appropriately compensated. After Edgar answered a few more questions and Young took down a few more notes, they left the old mans residence.
His story matches Chief Inspector Alvas account, said Young. According to Alva, they were given a script to memorize by a man from MI-5 named Cotton. They used it in their trial testimony.
Yolandas cell phone rang and she answered it. After a few nods and uh huhs, she slapped the phone shut. We got a fingerprint off of the tray we smuggled out of Lee Colemans cell at Dartmoor Prison.
And? asked Young.
Its not a match, replied Yolanda with purse lips.
So whoever is in that prison isn't Lee. Young sighed. We dont have any other leads.
We do have one other thing we can try, said Grange.
Whats that? asked Yolanda.
I think its time to bell the cat.
Last edited by talien; Sunday, 16th December, 2007 at 03:00 PM.
Wednesday, 12th December, 2007, 06:54 PM #4
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Woohoo! My popcorn is on the desk along with my beverage of forced choice, water. I'm looking forward to this.
Saturday, 15th December, 2007, 05:00 AM #5
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Welcome to the Show: Part 1b Kurt and Jims Story
Agent Jim Baxter waited patiently inside a land rover outside of the Cullen residence.
I dunno, mate, said his companion, Agent Hugh. This seems like a bunch o baby sittin tah me.
Thats exactly what it is, said Baxter. What of it?
Whats so special bout this Wade Cullen, anyway? Hugh held one earphone to his ear. Hes a wheelchair-bound invalid. Hes not exactly going to run away.
Its orders from The Gods, smirked Baxter. That was the term they used for MI-5 men with lofty positions in British Intelligence. And the orders are to catch whatever comes after our important friend here.
And just wots gonna come after im?
Irish Nationalist Republic. Baxter caught Hughs expression. He shrugged. Ours is not to question why and all that.
Hugh snorted in disgust. Before he could begin another sarcastic comment, he put up one finger to silence Baxter, even though Baxter wasnt talking. The mics are picking up something. Theyre whispering in there.
People whisper sometimes, ya know.
I know that, muttered Hugh. But three good-looking Americans walk into this guys house? Somethings up.
Baxter tapped the mic on his headset. This is Agent Baxter. Rat is in trap. Repeat, rat is in trap. He listened for a second.
Two men and a woman exited the Cullen residence.
Well? Hugh asked impatiently.
HQ says follow them.
The three people got into their car.
Follow em? Hugh was angry enough to toss his cigarette out the window. Are you pissing me?
Nope. The traps not finished bein' laid yet I guess.
Fine. He started the car up as the other vehicle passed.
They tailed it for a while. Hugh wasnt good at many things, but he was great at tailing. The foliage in the Cornwall countryside was so thick that it bent in an arc over the dirt roads. Far from any city, lights were few and far between. Even the sky was invisible under the heavy overgrowth.
Baxter hated Cornwall.
Theyre turning off there, said Baxter. It was the Hunting Fox pub.
By the time they arrived, the three terrorists were already inside the pub.
Yah, I see it, I see it. He cut the lights and parked the car.
The Hunting Fox was the only pub for miles around, so it was crowded.
Professionals, said Baxter. They know what theyre doing.
Hugh cocked his pistol. So were going in then, ya? Not waiting for backup or anything like that?
Baxter grinned. Hell ya were going in! He gestured with his own pistol towards the front door. You go take the front, Ill go round back in case they try to run for it.
Aye. Hugh winked at Baxter. Watch yourself mate. These INR chaps can be slippery. He holstered his pistol and swaggered towards the front door.
Baxter, pistol low, snuck around the side. Inside, a good time was being had by all. The place was loud enough that he doubted even gunfire would attract much attention.
As he turned the corner, Baxter caught the metallic glint of a pistol aimed at his forehead. He whirled and slapped the weapon aside.
No shot went off, which meant Baxter was facing off against someone who didnt want to kill him. Right away, anyway.
He rolled to the ground and came up to his feet before the man could react. Baxter stretched one leg out, sweeping his opponent off his feet.
Baxter drew his SIG-Sauer P245. He pulled out his ID card from a chain around his neck. MI-5, ya terrorist bastard his voice trailed off as he realized the African-American man he had kicked to the ground was pointing another pistol, a Glock, at Baxters stomach.
Stand down! shouted the man prone on the ground. He spoke with all the authority of a man standing on his own two feet. Im CIA! His own ID badge was visible, hanging from around his neck just like Baxter.
Baxter squinted. Youre pissin me.
A pistol clicked at Baxters forehead. Hes not kidding, said Yolanda. Put the weapon down. Now.
Baxter put his gun down. Grange picked it up as he got to his feet.
There was the sound of gunfire in the pub. Hugh always was a trigger-happy bastard.
Young came puffing out. I think we caught our
Tail? asked Yolanda.
I was going to say cat, but yeah, said Young.
Where is your vehicle?
Baxter shook his head in disbelief. You INR boys are awfully cheeky, impersonating the Yanks. They dont take kindly to that.
I dont have time for this. Grange walked over to the parking lot. Throw him in the car, hes coming with us. We need to straighten this out before we have an international incident.
"BEFORE we have an incident?"
Grange shot Young a withering glare. He ran off to get the car.
What are you doing? asked Yolanda. She still had her pistol pressed against Baxters head.
Young pulled the car up.
Im going to shoot out the tires so theres no pursuit.
Yolanda shoved Baxter inside. Theres got to be a dozen cars here!
Grange popped the trunk and pulled out a sub-machinegun. I know, he said matter-of-factly.
Last edited by talien; Sunday, 16th December, 2007 at 03:01 PM.
Tuesday, 18th December, 2007, 12:37 AM #6
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Welcome to the Show: Part 1c Kurt and Jims Story
Do you believe us now? asked Grange.
Baxter handed the diplomatic passports and federal law enforcement identification back to Yolanda. We were told that you were a group of Irish Nationalist Republic terrorists recruited from America. He rolled his eyes. Great, another Whitehall wank-fest.
Who cut your orders? asked Yolanda.
I dont bloody know, muttered Baxter. Why?
Does the name PISCES ring a bell? asked Grange.
Again with the bell metaphor, said Young over his shoulder.
Baxter blinked. Maybe. Im surprised you know it.
What about the Army of the Third Eye?"
"Third Eye?" Baxter looked out at one of the endless farms that dotted Cornwall's roads. "Nutty blokes, they go around trepanning people, something about exposing bugs in the brain to sunlight or something."
"Sounds pretty crazy," said Young with a straight face.
"If the Army is so harmless, why is PISCES targeting them?"
"Targeting them?" asked Baxter. "Whatcha mean?"
Grange turned around from the passenger's seat to face Baxter. "We believe that the members of the Army who were captured are either dead or have been moved to another facility with some anonymous mental deficient left in their place."
"And we believe that a Mr. Cotton is being controlled by one of these brain spiders," added Yolanda.
"What you trying to get at, exactly?" Baxter's tone was icy.
"What I'm trying to get at, Agent Baxter, is that your agency has been infiltrated by a foreign intelligence," said Grange.
"Are you"
"No, we are not pissing you," said Yolanda.
"Well," said Baxter. "Seems you've got it all figured out, eh? What's next?"
"We're going back to the U. S. Embassy." Grange rummaged through the glove box. "But we might have to make a stop along the way."
"For what?"
Grange handed Baxter back his SIG Sauer. "Because two land rovers are following us."
Wednesday, 19th December, 2007, 01:37 PM #7
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Welcome to the Show - Part 1d Kurt and Jims Story
"Get down!" shouted Grange.
Young hit the accelerator, lurching the car towards the U.S. embassy gates as the two land rovers tried to cut them off. Machinegun fire raked the pavement behind the vehicle.
"What the hell?" shouted Baxter.
"You MI-5 boys do things differently here, huh?" asked Yolanda. She pointed her pistol out the window.
There was a loud burst and the car lurched to the side. Two of the tires had been shot out.
Blood spattered Grange as Young jerked in the seat. "Son of a bitch!" he shouted, one hand clutching his neck.
Grange, ducking down, held the wheel with one hand, pistol in the other. "Aim for the gates!'
Young leaned into the wheel, half-falling onto the gas pedal. The car shrieked sideways as they struck a car at the curb. They were twenty yards short.
A dozen men in commando gear wearing black ski masks opened fire on their car.
"I'm Security Service you wankers!" shouted Baxter. He waved his ID out the window and then screamed as a bullet pierced his hand. "What the hell is wrong with you people?"
"They're not MI-5!" shouted Grange. "Go, go!"
Agent Yolanda made a break for the gate. She screamed as gunfire cut her legs out from under her, falling just ten feet from the gate.
Yolanda threw her ID to the Marine guards at the gate. "I'm with the Department of State!" she shouted.
Grange handed Young his pistol. He was bleeding from wounds in his right arm and neck, saved only by his bulletproof vest. Young brandished a Desert Eagle in one hand and Grange's Glock in the other. "Lay down as much cover fire are you can!"
Grange half-dragged Young out the door on the passenger's side. Young blazed away with the pistols as they attempted to leave the cover of the car.
The commando opened fire. Young's body spasmed as a half-dozen gunshots found their target. Grange dropped Young's body and maneuvered to the front of the car for cover.
Baxter was still there. "Back so soon?" He blind-fired several shots over the edge of the car.
"We're pinned down," snarled Grange. He quickly cocked the sub-machinegun. "We've got to get to that Embassy."
Gunfire echoed all around them. The Marine guards, spooked by the ricocheting shots so near the embassy grounds, also opened fire.
"SAS!" shouted one of the commandos. "Hold your fire!"
"Oh now they want us to hold our fire," muttered Baxter.
The Marines hesitated.
Agent Yolanda, crawling her way to the Embassy gate, suddenly jerked. She was killed instantly by a well-placed headshot.
The Marines resumed their fire.
The battle raged for what seemed like an eternity. Grange and Baxter did their best to return the SAS fire, but were pinned down as their vehicle was shot to pieces.
Suddenly a smoke grenade bounced over the agents' car.
"Go!" shouted Grange. "Go!"
Grange and Baxter half-crawled from the car to the gate as the smoke billowed around them.
"Don't let them in, you idiots!" shouted one of the commandos. "They've got a bomb!"
Three of the SAS troopers rushed the gate, triggering another brutal exchange of gunfire in the smoke cloud. They were cut down by fire from the Marines.
Grange made it to the gates despite being hit in one arm. Baxter fell to the ground as he was hit in both legs.
"Cease fire!" shouted Hugh, who had finally caught up with the SAS commandos. "Cease fire!"
The SAS CO turned and fired his pistol into Hugh's face.
"Cor!" shouted one of the other commandos. "He shot Hugh!"
The SAS commandos began firing on each other as the CO rushed the gate.
"Traitorous bastard," shouted Baxter. He took careful aim with his good arm and placed a shot right between the CO's eyes. He fell down, dead.
As the CO fell, something flew out of his head. It buzzed right toward a Marine private's face. The Marine screamed, stumbling backwards as he clutched his head.
Baxter found his footing and rose. "You all right, mate?"
The Marine straightened and turned his weapon on Baxter.
Grange slapped the rifle barrel out of the way as it went off, just missing Baxter. Baxter killed the Marine with another pistol shot.
"Thanks for coming back for me mate," said Baxter. "I think I'm deaf now in that ear, but at least you Yanks are good for something."
Grange pointed his pistol towards Baxter's head. "What the ?"
The thing that flew out of the SAS CO's head flew out of the Private's ruined face. It was about to fly into Baxter's when Grange shot it out of the air.
Grange and Baxter stared down at the three-foot long thing on the ground.
"Looks like " began Baxter.
"A brain spider," finished Grange.
In the firefight at the embassy gate, three SAS troopers were killed, four were wounded. One Marine guard was killed and five were wounded. Agents Young and Yolanda were declared dead on arrival. In the minutes following the shootout, London Metropolitan police arrived on the scene, along with an army of journalists.
The medic on staff placed Grange and Baxter on stretchers.
Baxter was already unconscious from his wounds.
"We'll take you to London hospital " said the medic.
"No," growled Grange. "We are to be airlifted by Marine helicopter to the base hospital at RAF/USAF Bentwaters." He flashed his badge. "That's an order. Do you understand me?"
The medic stared at him for a moment. "Yes sir."
"I also want the remains of that thing brought along. It is to be kept frozen and stored as hazardous material. Do you understand me?"
The medic hesitated.
"Do you " Grange grabbed him by the collar. "Understand me?"
"Yes sir!" shouted the medic.
"Good," said Grange. He promptly lost consciousness after that.
Last edited by talien; Saturday, 22nd December, 2007 at 03:43 PM.
Thursday, 20th December, 2007, 04:23 PM #8
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Good stuff!
Friday, 21st December, 2007, 01:38 PM #9
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Welcome to the Show - Part 1e Kurt and Jims Story
Grange struggled to open his eyes. They were crusted over. A man in a USAF uniform swam into a view.
"How long " he swallowed. His throat felt as scratched as it sounded. "How long have I been out?"
"Over a day," said the man. "I'm Colonel Robert Coffey. Nice to meet you."
Grange looked over. Agent Baxter was on a bed on the other side of the room. It was hard to tell if he was awake.
"I've read the report about what happened at the U.S. embassy. But I'd like your version of the story."
"About the bug, you mean?"
The man's eyes betrayed no hint of emotion. "What bug, Mr. Grange?"
"You know bloody well what we're talking about," croaked Baxter. "The brain flea that was hopping from body to body."
"Brain spider," said Grange.
"Whatever," said Baxter. "Can we see it?"
"That depends on the answer to your next question," said Coffey. "Your IVs have been injected with a mild sedative, so please, don't try to get up."
Grange tried to lift one hand and found he couldn't.
"I belong to an organization dedicated to dealing with these anomalies you experienced."
"Anomalies?" asked Baxter. "There were dozens of witnesses!"
"According to the papers that was a terrorist attack by the Irish Nationalist Republic," said Coffey calmly. He fished a newspaper clipping out of the folder he was holding his hands and placed it on Baxter's chest. "You can read it when we're finished here."
"A cover up," said Grange.
"I didn't say that," replied Coffey. "If you wish to learn more, I will be happy to recruit both of you into a new organization, an organization of the highest level of secrecy. Its a clandestine taskforce that deals with the elimination and obscuration of preternatural phenomena that pose a threat to our citizens and their country."
"And if we decline?" asked Baxter.
"Then we'll up your dosage, you will fall asleep, and in another day you will wake up with no knowledge of this event except perhaps a hazy dream of some fellow that doesn't exist."
"Why don't I believe we'd wake up?" asked Baxter.
Coffey said nothing.
"I'm in," said Grange. "Those things killed my partners."
"Mine too," said Baxter. "'sides, I don't think I want to go back home, all things being equal."
Coffey nodded. "Good choice. As soon as you recover from your wounds, you'll begin training." He started to leave and then paused at the door. "Oh, one other thing. You two are under a loose form of quarantine, because we don't know how far the alien contagion might spread. Since you were both exposed, we can't risk other agents being infected. You two are now partners for the foreseeable future."
"Bloody hell," muttered Baxter.
"Yeah, great," said Grange.
Coffey smiled. "Welcome to Majestic-12, gentlemen." Then he closed the door behind him.
Monday, 24th December, 2007, 04:48 AM #10
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Welcome to the Show: Part 2a Sebastians Story
CHICAGO, IL -- Sebastian was having dreams of a telephone ringing when he finally realized that it was actually ringing and woke up.
He shoved a tissue box out of the way to bathe in the scarlet illumination of his alarm clock. It was twelve in the morning. After fumbling with the phone for a minute he brought it to his ear and pressed the talk button. "Hello?
"Mr. Creed?" asked a deep, pleasant baritone.
"Mr. Creed, you don't know me...
"Do you have any idea what time it is?
The voice hesitated. "What time is it there?
"Oh, I'm sorry. It's only ten o'clock here in Culver City. The only reason I'm calling you at this hour is because it's about your brother.
Sebastian sat bolt upright in his bed. "You've heard from him? He's alive?
The voice was uninterrupted. "When was the last time you saw Michael Creed?
Sebastian rubbed his eyes with one fist, trying to clear the sleep. "He was leaving to do humanitarian work in Darfur.
"Is that what he told you?
Sebastian was losing his patience. "Who the hell is this?
"My name is Clyde Lewis. I work for Ground Zero Radio. Your brother was one of our freelancers.
"What happened to him?
There was a deep breath on the other line. "Your brother was on assignment for us in Sudan when he disappeared. He was investigating the supposedly cursed city of Napata. I'm concerned the city's curse...
"What kind of curse?
"In 1911, a Dr. Garstand from Oxford University began excavations in Karima, nearby to Napata. He lost five diggers in a sandstorm and lost six more to disease within the week. His hired labor abandoned the site and was forced to leave within thirteen days.
"I don't see how--
Clyde spoke more urgently. "1938: Dr. Torok from the Budapest Academy of Sciences runs into similar hardships, losing three members of his survey team the day after he reached the site.
"Look--" began Sebastian. But Clyde wasn't finished.
"1968: Dr. Richard Kalkhe of the National Museum and two of his assistants were killed in the north of Sudan. Napata may have claimed Michael Creed for its own.
"Do you have information as to where he was last?
"I do.
"Send me an email with everything you have." He gave Clyde his email address.
Clyde's voice softened. "I called you, Mr. Creed, to give you some closure. What do you plan to do?
"I'm going to go find my brother," snarled Sebastian. Then he hung up.
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text:
And the Rich Get Richer: Janet Jackson Engaged to Billionaire Businessman Wissam Al Mana
Janet Jackson is worth an estimated $150 million — but she just got engaged to a dude who looked at her bank account, laughed and said, "Awww. Isn't that cute?"
Janet's brothed is 37-year-old billionaire businessman Wissam Al Mana, who — with his two brothers — runs the Al Mana Luxury Company. It has a retail fashion portfolio including Hermes, Sonia Rykiel and Agent Provocateur, and it's a shareholder in the Saks Fifth Avenue stores in Dubai, Doha, Bahrain and Kuwait. His family's businesses also include a slew of different companies in the Gulf region.
Wissam reportedly popped the question to Jackson a few months ago and gave her an engagement ring so huge and so expensive that she keeps it "locked up" for fear she'll lose it.
The couple are planning to tie the knot next spring in Al Mana's homeland of Qatar in a wedding that "will cost millions," partly because he's "flying in all of Janet's friends and family on private jets." Hope he has lots of pilots on the payroll, because Jackson has seven siblings and 20 nieces and nephews alone.
He also wants to get a "top chef to create a custom menu," a source said, with another comparing the upcoming wedding to a "circus." (Too bad Michael will miss it — he'd have enjoyed that.)
Jackson is supposedly happy to be settling down again after her 2009 split with Jermaine Dupri, with an insider saying the 46-year-old star "wants kids … if she can't have them, she will adopt."
And if she can't birth or adopt them, she's about to be rich enough that she could probably just start buying them from random strangers off the street.


text:
Sharp SD 2075F DUPLICATOR Service Manual
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Product Reviews
|This is a SHARP SD-2075F - DUPLICATOR Service Manual. These are the same manuals used by the Technitians to repair or service your SHARP Copier. Manuals are provided to you in 100% clear & crisp PDF format. These manuals are written in a manner that makes it easy for anyone to clearly understand and follow. This is a Factory service manuals are an excellent source or reference for anyone either for their home or the office.
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These manuals are a must for anyone who wishes to setup, install, repair, troubleshoot, operate and maintain their SHARP Copiers.
FIND IT...PRINT IT...USE IT...then Trash it.
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text:
Patriot Eagle Tonneau Cover RFEAG-TDDC07-6T8
- Constructed from fiberglass
- Painted to match using DuPont paint
- Heavy duty hinges
- Easy pull down strap
- Weather seals around the whole cover
- Rotary latch system
- Many optional accessories
- Manufactured in the USA
The Patriot Eagle is constructed of hand laid fiberglass mixed with a fast-hardening resin for structural durability. Once constructed, the Patriot Eagle is painted with OEM quality DuPont paint to match the exact specifications of your truck. The Eagle wraps around the outside of the bed of the truck preventing weather from entering. To operate, use the provided key to unlock the rotary latch system, then the cover easily opens with gas struts and heavy duty hinges. A carpeted headliner, LED light, cargo net, and keyless entry remote, are all able to be added to the Patriot Eagle
The Patriot Eagle comes with a limited lifetime warranty on any manufacturing defects on workmanship, and a one year warranty on the paint.
Limited Lifetime Warranty / 1 Year Finish Warranty
The Patriot Eagle comes with a limited lifetime warranty on workmanship and manufacture defects. The Finish and paint comes with a one year warranty.
The Patriot Eagle is very easy to install but does required some help from a family member or friend because of its size and weight. No drilling is required for the installation of the Patriot Eagle SE.


text:
Apply Now!
WKU geoscience student interns at GIS international conference
|Date: Tuesday, July 16th, 2013
A WKU geoscience graduate student was selected for a scholarship to participate in the 34th Annual Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) International User Conference in San Diego this year. This marks the 12th year in a row that a student from the Department of Geography and Geology has been awarded the scholarship.
Luke Miles of Nashville, Tenn., was awarded the scholarship in March 2013 and is completing his master's thesis titled Remote Sensing Techniques for Terrain Analysis in Nepal. His interests in geographic information systems (GIS) are raster analysis, enterprise GIS and web mapping development. Esri selects 60 graduate and fourth-year undergraduate students from a pool of applicants for the competitive scholarships from universities and colleges throughout the United States. The scholarships require students to work half-days for a week at the conference in exchange for their conference registration, workshops, meals and lodging.
More than 15,300 attendees from 118 countries attended this year's Esri User Conference in San Diego, Calif. Esri is the largest vendor of GIS software and hosts the biggest GIS conference for GIS users to meet, share ideas and discuss the latest technologies and innovations in GIS. There were more than 900 sessions, 300 technical demonstrations, and 275 exhibitors at this year's conference.
Five of the department's former GIS students work for Esri in Redlands, Calif., and in St. Louis, including recent GIScience graduate Matt Payne, who received the Esri scholarship last year. Also attending the annual GIS User's conference was Kevin Cary, WKU's GIS Center Director.
"GIS is the dominant spatial analytical technique globally, with business, planning, transportation, resource, military and exploration applications," noted Dr. David Keeling, head of WKU's Department of Geography and Geology. "Congratulations to our GIS teaching team of Kevin Cary, GISP, Dr. Katie Algeo, Dr. Jun Yan, Amy Nemon and Scott Dobler who offer a very high level of instruction. The department plans to offer a GIS-focused Master's in Professional Studies starting in 2014-15 to meet the growing needs of business and industry."
For information about applying for an Esri student assistantship, or about GIS, WKU's GIS programs and GIS applications in business and industry, contact Kevin Cary in WKU's Center for GIS at (270) 745-2981 or email@example.com.
Contact: Kevin Cary, (270) 745-2981.
Twenty-five undergraduate and graduate students from the Ogden College of Science & Engineering earned honors at the research competition held during the Kentucky Academy of Science's annual meeting in November.
Western Kentucky University undergraduate students Meghan Rice, Amanda Poole, and Tradesha Chatman were honored in their University Experience classes for winning undergraduate research awards.
Ava Fergerson, a senior Psychological Sciences major at WKU, received the Student Poster Award from the Women's Special Interest Group at the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Annual Convention held in San Diego, CA.
Students, faculty, and staff from the Center for Human GeoEnvironmental Studies (CHNGES) and Department of Geography & Geology recently attended national conferences in Arkansas and Washington state.
Shelby Bandel, a graduate student in Psychological Sciences at WKU, is a recipient of a 2017 Graduate Research Scholarship from the American Psychological Foundation (APF) and the Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology.
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text:
General Motors has officially
announced pricing for its 2007 Saturn Aura Green Line hybrid sedan. The
vehicle will retail for $22,695 including destination charge and will also be eligible
for a $1,300 tax credit from the federal government for 2007 tax returns.
For comparison, the Honda Civic Hybrid, Nissan Altima
Hybrid, Toyota Prius and Toyota Camry Hybrid are priced from $22,985, $25,015, $22,975
and $26,820 respectively, including destination charge.
The 2007 Aura Green Line is considered to be a "mild
hybrid" since it cannot move forward under electric power alone. The Aura
Green Line hybrid powertrain (164HP 2.4 liter 4-cylinder plus electric
motor/generator) is capable of providing mild electric assistance under acceleration,
stopping the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop and starting it back up
again when the gas is pressed. The car also takes advantage of regenerative
braking to help recharge the battery pack.
The Aura Green Line boasts EPA ratings of 28MPG/35MPG
city/highway compared to 20/30 for an Aura with the 224HP 3.5 liter V6 and
20/28 for the Aura with the 252HP 3.6 liter V6.
A more viable comparison may be with the Pontiac
G6 base sedan. This vehicle is the Saturn Aura's platform-mate and also
uses the 2.4 liter 4-cylinder engine and transmission without the hybrid
add-ons. EPA ratings for the G6 are 23/33 city/highway which means that the Aura
Green Line's hybrid system affords the driver an additional 5MPG in the city
and 2MPG on the highway.


text:
Beloit College has found itself on another list of college rankings, though not one you might expect--though, given the weather the past couple of days, you wouldn't be surprised.
According to "The 21 Coldest Colleges In The Country," posted last week on Huffington Post:
The ranking is based on "student reviews of weather on campus, average high and low temperatures during summer and winter, and average summer and winter precipitation amounts," the website explained. "If a school is not listed, it's due to a lack of student reviews and weather data available to ensure accuracy in evaluating the colleges," according to the website's parent company, Niche.
Click here to see all 21 schools, and where Beloit falls on the list.