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Activity note: Hotel check in is available from 3:00 p.m
Afternoon: Program Registration: 3:00 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, and other important information. If your arrival is delayed, please ask for your packet when you check in.
Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.
Evening: Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures including contact numbers for key staff, and answer any questions you may have. Guest speakers for Road Scholar AFSA (American Foreign Service Association) programs are active or retired diplomats who are experts in their fields. To ensure that the subjects and areas being discussed will be as current and relevant as possible, speakers are not finalized until a few weeks before the start of the program. Scheduled free time is reserved for your personal independent exploration. Please be aware that program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. We'll begin our Road Scholar educational program with an introductory lecture on the American Foreign Service. From the U.S. Department of State website: "As the lead U.S. foreign affairs agency, the U.S. Department of State represents the United States at more than 270 diplomatic locations around the world, including embassies, consulates, and missions to international organizations." AFSA began working with Road Scholar in 1996 (when the organization was known as Elderhostel). The goal was and is to educate participants about the work of the U.S. Foreign Service. AFSA programs for Road Scholar have reached some 10,000 participants in Washington DC and elsewhere around the country. These educational programs feature retired and active diplomats and focus on particular themes of current interest as well as more general presentations of U.S. diplomacy.
Activity note: Getting on/off the motorcoach. Standing for up to 1 hour at a time.
Breakfast: At the hotel
Morning: We will have two lectures this morning with a short break in between. The general theme of this program is "The Middle East-Conflict and Controversy." Speakers will be finalized a few weeks before the start of the program. The mission of U.S. diplomats in the Foreign Service is manifold: to promote peace, support national security goals, advance U.S. business and agricultural interests, and protect American citizens. As we examine U.S. foreign policy issues in action, gain in-depth, behind-the-scenes knowledge of life in the Foreign Service from active and retired officers and ambassadors who will share their personal experiences firsthand. Lectures are enhanced by Q&A sessions.
Lunch: In the hotel.
Afternoon: We will depart the hotel via motorcoach for a field trip to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), the Federal government's primary training institution for officers and support personnel of the U.S. foreign affairs community. The FSI is part of the State Department's campus known as the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center. Led by an expert, we will learn more about the FSI and its work preparing American diplomats and other professionals to advance U.S. foreign affairs interests. The FSI provides more than 600 courses, including 70 foreign languages, to more than 100,000 enrollees a year. Next, we will go for a motorcoach exploration through our nation's capital with expert commentary on-board as we drive through and learn about the history of "Embassy Row"— in and around a stretch of Massachusetts Avenue — and more. There are more than 170 foreign embassies in Washington.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: Evening lecture. Enjoy another stimulating presentation on topics relevant to the program theme.
Activity note: Getting on/off the motorcoach. Standing for up to 1 hour at a time.
Breakfast: At the hotel
Morning: Our first field trip this morning takes us on a privileged visit to a foreign embassy. We will meet with their diplomats to gain a deeper understanding of how an embassy functions. Due to variable schedules, the particular embassy will be finalized shortly before the program. We'll then transfer to the historic DACOR Bacon House in downtown Washington for lunch.
Lunch: At DACOR Bacon House. This unique private organization for foreign affairs professionals fosters professional and social networking and provides opportunities for candid dialogue in the trusted environment of a stunning historic mansion (1825) just two blocks from the White House.
Afternoon: Returning to the hotel, we'll have two more lectures and discussions with foreign service professionals.
Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening: At leisure. You might like to go out and see more of the city on your own, spend time with new Road Scholar friends, or simply relax.
Breakfast: At the hotel
Morning: In two expert-led presentations this morning gain more in-depth information about the program theme and hear from diplomatic staff about their personal experiences.
Lunch: At the hotel
Afternoon: Another stimulating presentation on topics relevant to the program theme.
Dinner: In the hotel, we'll gather for our last dinner together as a group. Share your favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends.
Evening: AFSA's programs for Road Scholar provide unparalleled opportunities to learn directly from American foreign service professionals who were "there" in person. Tonight we will view a film from the AFSA archives "America's Diplomats."
Activity note: Hotel check out is by 12:00 Noon. Bags may be left at the front desk until departure.
Breakfast: Hotel buffet.
Morning: We'll have two closing lectures and a brief "wrap up" to review program highlights and address any lingering questions.This concludes our program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!


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News & Events
For the Media
England's Old Science Cafes at Clarkson University Science Cafe
"England's Old Science Cafes" will be discussed by Clarkson University History of Science Instructor Karen Buckle at the Science Cafe on Tuesday, October 30, at 7:15 p.m. in the Park View Common Room, above the Blackbird Cafe, 107 Main St. in Canton, N.Y.; and on Wednesday, November 7, at 7:15 p.m. in the Potsdam Civic Center Community Room in Potsdam, N.Y.
In the early 18th century, English people went to public science lectures to witness the chemical bangs, flashes and electrical sparks formerly available only to elite men of science. But, like today, the 18th century had its share of "science deniers," who denounced the events as an immoral pursuit of empty entertainment.
Join Buckle as she revisits this fascinating world of England's old "Science Cafes," and ponders how the audience could tell whether these public talks imparted real knowledge, or whether they were quackery, as detractors would have it. Did it matter if they could? And why should we care about it today?
Science Cafes bring together engineers, scientists and townspeople in a relaxed, informal setting, such as coffeehouses and pubs. The speaker makes a short presentation about a topic in his or her field, and then opens up the floor to discussion.
Find out more about Clarkson's Science Cafe at http://www.clarkson.edu/sciencecafe.
E-mail Daniel ben-Avraham at firstname.lastname@example.com with any questions or suggestions for future Science Cafe topics.
Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in five alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a company. Located just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam, N.Y., Clarkson is a nationally recognized research university for undergraduates with select graduate programs in signature areas of academic excellence directed toward the world's pressing issues. Through 50 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, arts, sciences and health sciences, the entire learning-living community spans boundaries across disciplines, nations and cultures to build powers of observation, challenge the status quo, and connect discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise.
[A photograph for media use is available at http://www.clarkson.edu/news/photos/kbuckle.jpg .]

subset: commoncrawl


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Get help with your Graflex questions here
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6x9 backs for the XL
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Joined: 13 Oct 2002
Posts: 15
Location: Massachusetts, USA
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2002 1:12 pm
Post subject:
I'd like to get a 6x9 roll holder for my XL and was wondering what are the options (other makers) to consider in addition to the Graflex RH-8?
Also, how about size; does it matter? What I mean is, I realize that these backs all give a less than 6x9cm image, but which ones are closest to this nominal size?
One more thing: I'd like to get a 2x3 Speed or Crown, or a Century Graphic in the future, does anyone know which non-graflex backs will fit these cameras, as well as the XL?
Thanks in advance for any advice,
Ps- This site is great!
My wife asked me what I gave the urchin begging in the street. "f8 at 1/125th," I replied.
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Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 2682
Location: Detroit, MI
Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2002 4:31 pm
Post subject:
The back for the original Mamiya RB67 is a direct copy of the Graphic roll film holder. These come in 120 and 220 variations, but give a 6x7 image not a 6x9. Now unless you print your own work, or pay for custom prints, 6x9 gets cropped to 6x7.
The later Mamiya back, called a Pro back or maybe a Pro S adds an interlock feature that you can't use. It still fits, but you'll be paying for bells you can't ring.
As long as you get a roll film holder that fits a Graflok back and not a Graflex back the holder will fit both the XL and either of the Crown Century or Speed with a Graflok back or even a Mini Speed with the adapter springs.
The first time I tried to put this combination together I couldn't get the back to fit the camera (a Speed I think) later I didn't have any trouble at all. I don't have a clue as to why, but I suggest you try before you buy.
Suydam also made a 120 back that is very simple and uses the red windows to check the film advance.
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Joined: 27 Dec 2001
Posts: 42
Location: MA, USA
Posted: Mon Oct 14, 2002 3:54 am
Post subject:
I have Graflex, Horseman and Wista 6x9 backs and I think they're all fine. The Horseman and Wista are a lot smoother to operate, and are really impresssive in terms of build quality. I also think they are a little longer in the 9cm direction than the Graflex, but neither gives a full 9cm wide exposure.
I find that the Horseman ONLY fits on the XL Graflok back, while the Wista will also fit my Century (it doesn't 'slide' in like the Graflex backs, but has to be kind of 'centered' and placed onto the Graflok back). For some reason, neither back fits my 2x3 Speed.
Despite the super quality of the Horseman and Wista backs, I actually mostly use the knob-wind Graflex back! (No flames, please!) The one I have has the 'pin rollers', so I suppose it is an older insert in a newer, RH-8 shell. The reason I like it is that when I am doing close-up/macro work (a recent favorite of mine) advancing the film via the knob puts less force (torque?) on the camera/tripod set-up and minimizes the chances that my carefully, precisely, back-breakingly, ground glass-composed image will not be shifted by the action of advancing the film (still gotta be careful when switching from the ground glass to the roll holder, though). As smooth as the Horseman and Wista backs are, the knob wind Graflex back is a little better in this regard. I have not noticed any film flatness problems, either. I also have a lever wind RH-8, which is not as suitable as the Graflex lever takes quite a bit of force to operate, relatively speaking.
Of course, if I'm walking around shooting with my XL the lever wind backs are preferable. I prefer the smoothness and, mostly, the silence of the Horseman and Wista backs when I'm out with the XL, but since they were so expensive I do get a little paranoid about scraping them against my belt buckle, etc.
I also find that while the shells of the Horseman and Wista backs are longer than the Graflex backs (you'll see what I mean if you compare them), they are a little less deep, which helps a bit in getting your eye close to the XL viewfinder.
I do, however, find that all these backs work about the same when I forget to take the dark slide out!
Hope this helps!
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St. Mary's Church in Hesse "Gelnhausen" is the symbol of the former imperial city. It dates from the 12th Century. The nave and west tower are built in the Romanesque style. The original Romanesque aisles were also modified during the construction period and still finished in the Gothic style.
Nikon D5000 | Sigma Fisheye 8mm | Panoramic Tripod Head homemade | 4 Pictures | ISO 250 | 1 sec. | F9,5 | 8mm | PTGui | PaintShop Pro
Germany? Before the beginning there was Ginnungagap, an empty space of nothingness, filled with pure creative power. (Sort of like the inside of my head.)And it ends with Ragnarok, the twilight of the Gods. In between is much fighting, betrayal and romance. Just as a good Godly story should be.Heroes have their own graveyard called Valhalla. Unfortunately we cannot show you a panorama of it at this time, nor of the lovely Valkyries who are its escort service.Hail Odin, wandering God wielding wisdom and wand! Hail Freya, hail Tyr, hail Thor!Odin made the many lakes and the fish in them. In his traverses across the lands he caused there to be the Mulheim Bridge in Cologne, as did he make the Mercury fountain, Mercury being of his nature.But it is to the mighty Thor that the Hammering Man gives service.Between the time of the Nordic old ones and that of modern Frankfort there may have been a T.Rex or two on the scene. At least some mastodons for sure came through for lunch, then fell into tar pits to become fossils for us to find.And there we must leave you, O my most pure and holy children.Text by Steve Smith.


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BRONX, NEW YORK, February 2014 – Margaret M. Pelkowski has joined Calvary Hospital as Vice President for Hospital Patient Care Services. She has overall responsibility for the: 1) the nursing department's care of all inpatients admitted to Calvary's 200-bed Bronx hospital and 25-bed Brooklyn Satellite at Lutheran Medical Center; and 2) professional growth of more than 500 nurses, cancer care technicians and ward secretaries. "Calvary has earned an international reputation as a premier end-of-life care provider. Our dedicated and experienced nursing staff is one of the main reasons we provide such great care for patients at this sacred time," said Frank A. Calamari, President and CEO, Calvary Hospital. "We are delighted to have someone on board with Maggie's expertise and commitment to the Calvary mission. We are confident that with her at the helm of our nursing department, Calvary will continue providing the best possible care to our patients and families." Ms. Pelkowski came to Calvary after a 13-year stint at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center (Brooklyn) where she was most recently the Vice President of Nursing. She has also served as a Director of Nursing at Lenox Hill Hospital (Manhattan), Beth Israel Medical Center (Manhattan), and Saint Barnabas Medical Center (NJ). In addition to being a graduate of Mount Saint Mary College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, Ms. Pelkowski was graduated from Seton Hall University with a Master of Science degree in Nursing. She is a current member of: American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), and a former member of the New York Organization of Nurse Executives; Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses; and the New York State Nurses Association. She resides in New York City.
Voices of Calvary,
an inspirational collection of patients, patients' families and staff experiences at Calvary HospitalLearn More >>


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Here are stocks that gapped down today with opening prices significantly lower than the previous trading day's close:
Continue Reading Below
- With an opening price of $11.27, Staples (SPLS) gapped down from its previous close of $13.46. Shares are down 14.2%, trading at a volume of 23 million. Shares are down, having dropped $1.78 (-13.4%) from a price of $13.33 on August 8, 2012. The stock has moved down across its 50-day moving average of $12.84 today.
- Canadian Solar (CSIQ) opened at $2.69, gapping down from its previous close of $3.04. Shares are trading at a volume of 389,519 at a price decrease of 15.6%. Over the last month, the share price has dropped $1.29 (-33.4%) from $3.85 on July 17, 2012. The stock is trading at 79.3% of its 50-day moving average and 77.8% of its 200-day moving average.


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Hands on with "Dead Island"
Dead Island came out of nowhere earlier this year; its announcement trailer - the scariest set of reverse-chronology vacation snapshots you've seen in a while - went viral and now has more than 4.7 million hits on YouTube. And then for months we heard nothing. What was it, exactly?
Well, I played it the other week at E3 and can tell you exactly what it is: A first-person action-RPG with a focus on melee combat and weapon crafting. Oh, and you can play it online with three buddies, with drop-in/drop-out co-op.
What should hold Dead Island back instead ends up being its greatest strength. Yes, on paper it looks like you've seen this all before. The core mechanics - killing zombies online with pals, weapon making, special-powered undead, RPG elements in a shooter - have been done in other games, but somehow once I played it for myself, none of that mattered.
What did it for me was upgrading the living crap out of my barbed-wire-wrapped baseball bat. Javelining my electro-charged machete at a zombie's skull, thereby separating it from its rotting trunk won me over, too. I'm a huge fan of not using guns in games when I have other means of killing, and in this respect Dead Island didn't disappoint. There are firearms here, but they definitely take a backseat to the improvisational arsenal.
While playing with strangers is not the ideal environment for teamwork, my compatriots and I did a decent job progressing through the zombie horde. Actually, it was like joining a room of randoms online. You need to help one another by reviving each other when downed, but based on my demo it was hard to tell if Dead Island will require the same amount of teamwork as the Left 4 Dead series.


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WEST OCEAN CITY – The local horseshoe crab population appears to be in good shape, according to the annual spawning survey conducted this summer.
"Locally it seems to be doing well, particularly at Skimmer Island," said Maryland Coastal Bays Program (MCBP) technical coordinator Carol Cain. "It was just covered this year at certain times when they finally did show."
MCBP enlisted volunteers to survey eight beach sites, which yielded 86 surveys, in the 7th Annual Spawning Horseshoe Crab Count.
Volunteers counted 10,690 horseshoe crabs in total, the most so far tallied in the annual survey.
The spawning season got off to a late start this year, with just one male horseshoe crab counted at the survey sites during May. The survey was extended through July to offset the delay.
Cain said the late spawning is a mystery for scientists.
"I don't know what it was that delayed them this year. It's a puzzle," Cain said.
MCBP plans to begin future surveys in late May and continue counting through July, instead of early May through June.
One conclusion drawn from the survey is that the local horseshoe crab population should be genetically diverse, with three males counted for every female. Volunteers counted 8,391 males and 2,299 females this year.
Sites included three sections of Skimmer Island, which is located just north of the Route 50 bridge, the shore near the Oceanic Motel at the Inlet on the southwestern tip of Ocean City and Gudelsky Park in West Ocean City. Three sites on Assateague Island, with one on the Inlet and the other two on the bay side, were also surveyed.
Volunteers also found new spawning areas and saw more crabs than ever at less well-favored beaches. Wave energy, wind direction and temperature have some effect on where horseshoe crabs spawn, but the connection between those factors and the beaches selected by the reproducing crabs is not clear.
One unexpectedly well-used area was the southern tip of Skimmer Island, which had not been so popular with the horseshoe crabs in the past.
The survey also turned up 14 tagged horseshoe crabs at the Skimmer Island spawning sites. Thirteen of those animals had been tagged in 2007 or 2008, with one tagged in 2006. The crabs were tagged by either Salisbury's Cambrex Labs or Virginia Tech University and were released off Ocean City and Tom's Cove, Va., respectively.


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CBS3 Shines Spotlight on Cheyney University
September 17, 2012
CUNAA President Junious "Rick" Stanton and Cheyney University President Dr. Michelle Howard-Vital talk with hostess Pat Ciarrocchi on the set of CBS3 TALK PHILLY on Monday morning.
CBS3 shined the spotlight on Cheyney University Monday, September 17th, as Talk Philly Host, Pat Ciarrocchi, sat down for an interview with Cheyney University President, Dr. Michelle Howard-Vital, and Cheyney University National Alumni Association (CUNAA) President, Junious Stanton. Dr. Vital talked about CU's rich 175 year history and how the Cheyney academic experience has evolved from a school that offered a couple of disciplines to one that now covers two campuses and helps students excel in many fields including science, technology, and business.


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Sol 91 Update on Curiosity from USGS Scientist Ken Herkenhoff: Dry Run6 November 2012
I made it home to Flagstaff last night despite being detoured by a fire that closed I-15 near Cajon Pass. I verified that the web tools and phone access to the MSL tactical planning meetings worked well, and followed the SOWG meeting planning Sol 91. The tools are similar to those we have been using for the Opportunity rover, so it was easy for me to get connected. So while it would be nice to still be working operations at JPL, it's good to be home and I'm confident that remote operations will work well. I'm not staffed in a tactical shift until Friday, so was not fully engaged in planning today. But it's clear that all is going well. The focus is on preparing SAM for delivery of its first solid sample, which involved a "dry run" that went well and preconditioning on Sol 91. Most SAM activities require a lot of power, as expected, so there wasn't much room for other science. But the science team squeezed in some ChemCam and Navcam observations, along with the normal background REMS, DAN and RAD measurements.


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A comprehensive collection of jazz recordings covering thousands of artists, ensembles, albums, and genres, from all over the world, from the beginnings of jazz to today. Includes recordings from over two-dozen record labels.
Classic Catalog | OhioLINK | Lane Public | WorldCat |
More Options:
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Staff Spotlight: Stefanie Hilles
New in Leisure Reading!
Staff Spotlight: Ginny Boehme
New in Leisure Reading!


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November 4, 2009
TayStew in Mexico: Love KStew's Suspenders!
Thanks, Adar!
10 comments:
Uh, that's not a flattering look on anyone..don't like the boyshoes OR the waistline on the jeans. She looked so cute before!ReplyDelete
hehe. @illyria -- you're probably right. I must be on crack or something. heheReplyDelete
wow - that look is a trainwreckReplyDelete
I love her top!ReplyDelete
Not feeling the rolled up pants.
He's delish as usual :)
Did Kristen steal Rob's sexspenders?ReplyDelete
@Wen: Riiiiight?!ReplyDelete
- Lorabell ;)
Is there a problem that all I care about are the clothes they are wearing. I love the shoes she is wearing, and the boyfriend jean but just not that capri style. But adore the shoes and the suspenders, but I just like suspenders in general. Wish I knew where Taylor got that belt - I want the belt.ReplyDelete
Love that outfit! She looks so young here, doesn't she. I always loved suspenders. Taylor always looks nice. I bet he smells nice.ReplyDelete
@TJB hahaha. i know, why do we care at all? (but i do, obviously...hehe)ReplyDelete
I do suspect the suspenders are the infamous sexpenders and those sort of look like Rob's jeans to me. I love the look. Yeah it isn't fashion but she looks so curvaceous in man clothes. A long time ago fashion used to be about style and making a woman look great. Something happened and it became about wearing some one elses wacko art project and altering your natural female shape to fit into it and being extremely uncomfortable and able to move while in it. I don't need what fashion has become.ReplyDelete


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Starting today you'll be able to purchase Spotify Premium months in over 500 Pressbyrån and 7-Eleven stores in Sweden. You can purchase either one, three, six or twelve months of Spotify Premium directly from the store counter, just like you would top-up a mobile or buy a train ticket.
You'll receive a receipt that contains a code. Log into the Spotify website and enter that code on the premium purchase page and your account will be immediately upgraded so that you can start enjoying the benefits of a premium subscription.
Having in-store purchases is the first of many new payment options we plan to role out in the near future to make it as convenient as possible for you to subscribe to Spotify.
Note: A 5 SEK service charge will be added to the price.


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* Prices may differ from that shown
This phone is great in terms of size, palm feel and looks. The screen is large (approximately 1 1/2 inches by 3 inches) and easy to use. I have found that as the phone has ages the sensitivity of the touch screen is not quite as good but it is still perfectly functional.
I mainly got this phone as it comes with a built in 12mp camera which is absolutely brilliant as I am a random photo taker and do not want to carry a digital camera in my handbag just in case. The picture quality is fabulous and it is very easy to print you images out using a kiosk or to connect the phone to our computer and transfer your images that way.
I have found that occasionally the camera will freeze and stop working until I turn the phone off and on again but that seems to be an intermittent fault and only when I am using the camera or video settings for long periods of time.
I especially love the lock slider on the side of the phone as I can lock the phone as I talk to people thus making me unable to cut people off accidentally with my ear.
There is also a function where you can add a few quick contacts with photos on your homepage which is great especially seeing as I use this my phone in emergencies and searching through an endless phonebook is not ideal.
All in all I give this phone 2 happy thumbs up and will most likely buy another of the same model if anything ever goes wrong with this one.
If want/need a phone with basic functionality, you will have no problems with this handset whatsoever. Making calls, texts, emails and even using some of the many free internet/wifi messenger services will work well. It also boasts an 8 megapixel camera with a Zenon flash. The camera itself works excellently in normal full light settings, though fails in evening shots (even with artificial lighting) with extremely poor quality. There however is where the good points end. The handset itself runs on Symbian and as such you will have a hard time finding apps that will run on the phone. Indeed, Nokia have had to make their own store with only apps that have been dedicated to this operating software will work (though some big name apps such as whatsapp for example will work). I have experienced problems with the phone''s internal memory (which is very small and moving installed apps etc onto the phones mass memory is a nightmare) as well configuration setups for internet and wifi (many a times I have had to manually reset settings to get apps to work on wifi and not just your carrier''s internet). The home screens become cluttered very quickly with shortcuts and widgets that just do not fit or take up half a screen. The battery itself is encased within the phone and therefore any future replacements will be near impossible. This phone was obviously launched to rival the IPhone 4 and there is just no comparison. Overall, good for basic functionality, but if that is what you are looking for you can get many handsets that do just that for a much more reasonable price. Myself mainly using it for business purposes, have found it to be a nuisance as well as a liability.
Having used my Nokia N8 mobile phone for over 2 years now I have found it suits me perfectly.
If you want a phone for basic tasks such as making calls and sending texts, as well as having a great Camera that out performs almost all other camera phones since then this is a great phone to buy.
The interface is very basic, but I find this good as it is easy to use and nicely layed out.
The GPS broke on mine after a year of use so unable to use the phone now as a Sat-Nav, was unable to find much information on this fault on the internet so don't think this is a common problem.
The phone has a nice slide switch on the side of it that is perfect for when my 2 year old wants to talk to Mummy. You can call the phone number, slide the switch and this then locks the screen so he is unable to press any other buttons.
The Nokia N8 almost certainly looks the part. With a 12mp camera, a sleek body design and its price, why wouldn't you want to buy it. The memory is decent, capable of storing many, many songs and photos. The interface is also quite modern and cool. There was, however a problem experienced with the layout of your apps. When you choose to add some shortcuts to certain applications on your home pages, you can only do so in groups of 4, which is rather irritating if you were looking for just the one app to put there. The phone itself though is quite sturdy, and after having fallen on the floor numerous amounts of time, it only has an indent on the corner and a scratch on the back as any record of those falls. I feel that while the phone strives to keep the Nokia name fresh and going, the phone ultimately disappoints itself with its rather dated Symbian OS, often lagging, working slowly or completely giving up and freezing the phone during moments like when you're playing a game and you receive a call.
Before i acquired the iphone5, i had a Nokia N8 for close to two years and thought i should share with you my experience of using it. I was very excited about this phone when it first came out in 2010 because i have been a lifelong Nokia fan. Sizewise, the phone is compact and small enough to disappear in your pocket although i preferred Samsung Galaxy S's thinnness. The 3.5'' screen to me is overcrowded with a home screen, menu screen and app screen which makes userbility cumbersome as you have to switch in between different screen modes; a time killer. Web browsing experience is a let down compared to other smart phones but it supports all the major email applications. If you are looking for a phone with seamless social media integration and web apps, the N8 is not the phone for you. However in terms of features, this is still one of the best out there. The video and picture quality is perfect and you can upload your pictures to Facebook and Twitter directly. 3D games has to be one of my favorite features on the phone. The maps are pretty good for navigation and you dont have to worry about getting lost when the phone looses connection as you can store the maps on the OVI Maps. N8 comes with 16GB internal memory which you can upgrade to 32GB through a micro SD card. I like the power adaptor with the central pin that slides in and out particularly useful if you are a frequent traveller. The headphones stream in decent music and also the built in speakers provide good audio quality. With the arrival of more advanced smartphones like iphone5, the N8 has been left behind.
I was eager to get my hands on this phone back in 2010 and I remember then I was disappointed, so much so that a month later I took out another contract to get rid of the phone. This could be partly down to me being in my mid-20's and liking the 'gadgets' that were available at the time. I was bitterly disappointed, the Symbian OS that these nokia's runs on is way behind the navigation, speed and responsiveness of any other phone at that time. The software offered through the Ovi store is quite dated as well.
On paper the phone is brilliant, i.e. WAP, HD 12mp camera, radio transmitter, document viewer, 3G calls etc however the operation of all these items is slow and is prone to just shutting down at random moments. From the web this seems to be an issue with all Symbian OS at this time.
I you want a slow responsive phone, just to make calls and to view basic web pages that there is a deal for you, if you want to be in the 21st century then choose another phone then a nokia.
Nokia has a lot to prove with the N8. Not only is it the company's latest flagship device but it's also the new poster boy for its latest iteration of the Symbian platform, Symbian^3.
The chief purpose of Symbian^3, despite what many Nokia fan-boys will say, is to bring the platform inline with what consumers now perceive as an 'operating system' per se.
Specifically, it has to try and get to a level that allows it to compete with both Android and Apple iOS, for Nokia to remain relevant amongst the newly appointed rulers of the smartphone market.
Looks wise the Nokia N8 is a fantastic looking device, with its entire body crafted from Anodized Aluminum. This gives it a solid, robust feel in the hand, which is something of a departure from Nokia's design characteristics of old.
A quick glance at the forthcoming Nokia E7 illustrates that this style is set to be something of a trend with its new high-end smartphones.
Self contained
Fortunately, the aluminum unibody does not bring with it any weight issues, so on comparison the 135g N8 feels no heavier than either an iPhone 4 or BlackBerry Bold 9700 in the hand. Nevertheless it is bulkier than both the aforementioned devices, with its protruding camera lens and ever-so-slightly raised volume, phone lock and camera keys, located along the right-hand side of the device.
This one of my favourite phone, the sleek nature and durability, it has a lot of function, easy to use, downloading of any kind of games is easy, any application opens on it. It has a fast downloading speed. The picture is very clear and the battery is long lasting, when using it to play music I am assured it will definitely last.
Whether you think the Nokia N8 is great, or merely good, depends on what you are looking for in a phone. If you want all the newest and latest apps, stop now. This is not the phone for you. Nokia has a far more limited range of apps available for this phone (running on Symbian Bella) than (for example) Android, iPhone or Windows. If you want a large screen - this is not your phone either.
However if you want a compact, robust phone, with good battery life and a reasonable amount of functionality (internet, basic sat nav, and a smaller selection of apps) this this could be exactly what you are looking for.
If you also want an excellent, easy to use, high quality camera - this is the place to be. Better than the iPhone, better than the Samsung Galaxy S2, the N8 has a 12mp camera, Carl Zeiss lens and HD video. And if the N8 is a little less responsive on screen than most of its smartphone peers - you will still be able to feel superior when you download those ultra-high resolution photos and video.
The Nokia N8 can be likened to the second coming, not because it's necessarily salvation in a phone, but more so because it's taken a really, really long time to get here. Since it was officially announced back in April 2010, with leaks out in September 2009, we've all been waiting for Symbian Foundation's follow up to S60 V5, and Nokia's follow up to the Nokia N97. Finally, here it is, in all its anodised aluminium glory, with a 12MP camera with Xenon flash and an OLED screen, the new Nokia flagship phone for 2010/2011 - the Nokia N8.In the box, as well as the phone itself there is a charger, a miniHDMI to HDMI connector, two microUSB to USB cables (one female USB, one male USB), a set of headphones, a power charger and some literature on the phone.
It's strange how times change. There was a time where the best mobile phone manufacturer was undoubtedly Nokia. The phones they producted were good quality and reliable. And that's what people wanted.
But then the SmartPhone revolution came. Mobile phones nowadays are more like personal PCs that just a phone. And Nokia have fallen well behind in this market. The N8-00 is a perfect example of this...it highlights exactly what Nokia good at and shows exactly where they have gone so wrong.
So we'll start with the good points. Nokia have always made good quality models from a physical point of view and this is no exception. It has a lovely aluminium finish and is a nice shape to hold. When you hold it, it feels like a quality phone. The battery life is very good. The screen resolution is quite good. Unfortunately, this is about as far as it goes.
So the main downfall is the OS. The whole user interface is annoying and doesn't work properly. Spending 5 minutes with this phone, I got extremely annoyed by trying to hold down slide bars on the side of the screen to scroll down; on any Android or iOS device, you just swipe up or down the center of the screen which is much easier! Also, you have to double touch the menu items to get them to open...which seems pointless. The desktop widgets also leave a lot to be desired....initially there are loads of them squidged into a small space...and people may not know how to remove some of them.
Another big part of smart phone technology now is the ability to be able to download apps. iOS and Android have their own AppStore/Android MarketPlace respectively which are fairly similar and work well. Nokia has Ovi. Not only does that not work, but it is mostly more expensive than it's competitors. And people generally aren't developing for Ovi...so be prepared to be jealous when everyone else has really nice apps and you can't get them for your N8-00.
Nokia has now lost a lot of market share and I can understand why. I went from Nokia to my iPhone and I probably won't ever look back. Even if an iPhone is out of someones budget, there are so many good quality Android devices coming out from manufacturers such as ZTE and Huawei now that are really well priced that Nokia are just fighting a losing battle. They still make really good simple candybar phones, but as far as smartphones go, and in this case the N8-00, you should look elsewhere before considering this one.
I have had this phone for quite sometime now and I think its great not to big in size but not so small that you lose it all the time with its sleek black frame and large scratch proof touch screen it really does look the part, it is very easy to use and to set up.
I mainly got this phone for the 12MP camera and I was not disappointed it is by far the best camera I have had on any phone Ive ever owned and you have so many settings its just like a professional camera squeezed into a phone, the close up setting is fab for if you want to get really sharp pictures at a close distance it will show a red square when taking a photo this tells you it is not quite in focus it will turn green when it is ready which I find very helpful, you also have portrait, landscape, sport great for capturing on the move shots, night portrait, custom and automatic, the front camera I have to say is absolutely terrible, unclear and dull colouration, however, you can edit photos and this phone had a wide ranch of tools for editing from choosing the right colours, tones, sharpness, adding clip art, making people heads look like they are aliens etc its great fun and you can store so many photos which is great.
The video function is great and crystal clear HD you will be amazed at the difference compared to a normal phone, you can edit and chop any video once done so you have just how you want it.
I have five different home screens all can be customized with your own pictures or the Nokia pictures that come stored in the phone already you can also add widgets, contacts etc onto each one of these.
The touch screen can be quite tempremental at times and will decide to stick every now and then which can be rather frustrating but the screen is large and is very clear also my phone does tend to freeze which is resolved with turning it off for 5 minutes and then turning it back on not ideal but I have had the phone along time now.
The dolby sound that is built in really is amazing, you wouldnt believe a phone was capable of sounding so good its just as good as any stereo if not clearer and the sound feels like it surrounds you, every type of music sounds great on this from Drum and bass to reggae etc but beware you may blow your speakers if you have your phone too loud.
With writting messages I have to say this is the worst feature for me as the buttons for the letters are so small and situated so close together that you end up hitting the wrong letter alot of the time which is so frustrating and I have small fingers it takes forever to send a text sometimes as the signal is low or just the fact that you have to keep checking you've actually wrote the correct words.
I would advise not to download games onto this phone it struggles with them and ends up causing your phone to freeze alot this is resolved by uninstalling the item however.
For someone who is interested in photography but cant afford the expensive camera this is absolutely brilliant I would say better as a camera than as a phone but that is the reason I brought it.
I've had this phone for little over a year now and my opinion thus far is that its a great phone. the phone boasts a 12mp camera which in my opinion can not be appreciated by viewing the photos on the phone but on higher res screens such as pc's or tv's. the phone has excellent internal memory to store all your photos which take alot of space up around 3mb each photo. the internet browser is nothing special and isnt really user friendly , it has a big screen which you can enjoy movies and photos on and play games and use applications but the feel and responsiveness of the touchscreen lets you down here and the games can not be fully enjoyed due to the lack of responsiveness of the phone. rival phones like the iphone 4 are much quicker and easier to navigate around. in conclusion i believe this phone is a excellent buy giving you a high quality camera and a hi tech phone to boot downside is the responsiveness of the touchscreen and lack of design of interface, other then that its a amazing phone and i would give this phone a 4/5.
I have a monthly mobile phone contract with Virgin Media and when my contract was last un for renewal, just over a year ago, I decided to go with the Nokia N8, I didn't have to pay anything extra on top of my usually monthly contract charges for the phone. I pay around £20 a month for unlimited texts, unlimited virgin to virgin calls, 1gb Internet and 500 mins.
Personally when looking for a new phone, the most important feature to me (besides the standard calling and texting ability of course) is to have a decent camera. I am always taking photos of my son so the fact that the N8 has a 12mp camera and hd video made my decision on which phone to choose very easy.
The Nokia N8 arrived well packaged in the box packaging that most mobile phones come in. Included in the box was the phone, a charger, headphones, USB cable an a hdmi cable (which you can use to connect to a hd tv and view your phones contents, such as photos and videos). Most phones that I have owned in the past have arrived without the battery installed but with the Nokia N8 the battery is already installed and can't actually be removed. You can hold the power button down for a few seconds to completely reset the battery, which acts the same as removing the battery.
It took me a short while to get used the N8 as it's the first Smart Phone I have owned. You can set several "desktop" screens on the phone which is very useful if you like to have lots of shortcuts, each screen can also have it's own individual wallpaper. The phone has a touchscreen, with one button the the front of the phone, a volume control button on the side of the phone, along with a camera button and a sliding switch for locking and unlocking the phone. There are also connections on the sides, top and bottom for the battery charger, USB and hdmi cables and slots for your sim card and a memory card.
As previously mentioned, you can set you many shortcuts on several desktop screens, however, when the phone is in the unlocked mode you can press the button on the bottom left hand corner of the screen for the main menu, where you can access all areas of the phone, such as applications, messages, contacts etc. There are quite a few useful shortcuts that I like to use, such as notifications, which shows if I have any messages or missed calls, an email shortcut, favourite contacts, social networks and photos. You can easily tailor the phone to your own needs and preferences.
Nokia phones come with Ovi software, which I use regularly to back up my phone, including photos, videos and contacts, you can also back up your text messages if you like to keep them. Updates are also regularly available for both the ovi software and the N8 phone. The ovi store also provides many free and paid for apps, there is a large choice but not as many available as for iPhone or android phones.
I do like this phone, I am very happy with the layout and customisation, the battery life is decent (I charge it over night every couple of days) and I have been very impressed with the camera and hd video and memory space. However, i have experienced several irritating problems with this phone, which seem to come and go with updates. For instance, my phone occasionally states I have no photo's stored, which really panicked me the first couple of times but I now know they will reappear when I restart my phone. I have also had problems where the message alert tone stopped working for a while, my notifications shortcut sometimes decides to stop letting me know I have received messages and sometimes my shortcuts won't work until I have restated my phone! For these reasons I wouldn't recommend buying this phone unless the camera feature is very important to you, for me the camera and hd video do make up for all the other little problems I have had. My Mom and one of my friends also have this phone and both have experienced similar problems.
For more information, such as technical specs visit http://www.nokia.com/gb-en/products/phone/n8-00/


text:
Tribe follows bats with arms
Day 2 brings Dennehy, Cleveland run on pitchers
By Justice B. Hill / MLB.com
"The Draft was very strong in position players," said Mirabelli, Indians scouting director. "And that's the way it unfolded for us in the first four rounds with those premium selections."
With his 52 picks in total, Mirabelli took 24 position players, 22 right-handed pitchers and six left-handers. Of his "premium" selections, he went solely for position players.
He kicked off the Draft Tuesday by using the No. 14 pick overall on Trevor Crowe, 22, a switch-hitting outfielder from the University of Arizona.
In its predraft report, Baseball America said this about Crowe: "[He] is an ideal leadoff man with a .500 on-base percentage, above-average speed and the kind of fiery personality that can light a fire under a team. He can be undisciplined at times at the plate and lacks raw power, but has juice in his bat and can hit almost anything thrown at him."
That evaluation echoed Mirabelli's. He called Crowe one of the most seasoned hitters in a deep pool of hitters, and Mirabelli had hinted that he would favor a college hitter over some of the high-profile high school hitters in the draft.
But Mirabelli didn't turn his back on high school talent altogether. While he might have had reservations about using his No. 1 pick on one, he did use his next pick on a high school player.
With pick No. 33 overall, Mirabelli took speedy John Drennan, a high school outfielder from San Diego. Drennan was a pick the Indians received as compensation for losing shortstop Omar Vizquel to the Giants in free agency.
"He had the attributes and the prerequisites we're looking for in a high school player," Mirabell said of Drennan. "There aren't a lot of 'em; they are few of them on the board.
"He's a center fielder; he's an athlete; he's been in all the premier showcases; he comes from one of the best programs in the whole country."
Baseball America ranked Drennan as the No. 32 best prospect in the Draft, but that was a ranking made before shortstop Stephen Drew and right-hander Jered Weaver, two unsigned picks from the 2004 Draft, signed a couple of days before this Draft.
"Drennan is extremely strong, and he can flat-out hit," Baseball America wrote in its predraft analysis. "He has excellent bat speed and the ball jumps off his bat. He leaves nothing in the tank."
Mirabelli said Drennan, who has signed to play at UCLA, has expressed an interest in foregoing college to begin his professional career. Crowe, who was drafted but didn't sign in 2002, has expressed a similar sentiment.
"I still have my eligibility and everything," Crowe said. "But if you look at the percentages, the majority of first-round picks sign.
"I can't see myself doing anything other than that. But, on the other hand, you just have to keep the option there." The selection of Crowe and Drennan reflected the trend Mirabelli had spoke about before the Draft.
"It's also a very unique draft in that it is very position-player oriented -- lopsided in position players, both high school and college," he said. "In 16 years, I can't really remember that, maybe one other time.
"It's usually, just because supply and demand, harder to find position players than pitchers. But the draft is always usually dominated by pitchers. This Draft is unique; it's clearly position players."
With his pick after Crowe and Drennan, Mirabelli selected Stephen Head, a power-hitting first baseball/pitcher for the University of Mississippi.
Head, the No. 62 pick overall, has drawn comparisons to Todd Helton and Brad Wilkerson, two Major League players who planted their baseball roots in the Southeastern Conference.
Of Head, Baseball America wrote: "[His] body isn't great, but some scouts expect him to firm up as he focuses on hitting as a pro. ... Most scouts expect him to become a better hitter after he gives up pitching. He's also a good fielder at first base with soft hands."
After Head, Mirabelli took the following players:
Round 3: First baseman Nicholas Weglanz, Lakeshore Catholic High School in Canada: Very young, only 17. A lot of upside. He's big and strong kid, but he'll play in the outfield. Has a lot of international experience.
Round 4: First baseman Jordan Brown, a teammate of Crowe's at Arizona: A very accomplished hitter. More "hit-ability" than Head; a very athletic player. Plan to move Brown to the outfield. Good fielder.
Round 5: Kevin Dixon, right-hander from Minnesota State-Mankato: Big strong, power arm. Has been a closer more in college, but can become a starter. Has three pitches.
Round 6: Roger Ness, right-hander from Ball State: Big, strong with arm strength. Didn't face great competition in Mid-American Conference. He needs to develop.
Round 7: James Deter, RHP, Calvin College (Mich.)
Round 8: Ryan Edell, LHP, College of Charleston
Round 9: Roman Pena, OF, Montgomery (Calif.) High School: Quick, compact swing. Sprays ball to all fields. An intense, aggressive player with strong, accurate arm.
Round 10: James Schutt, RHP, Central Missouri State: Aggressive, attacks hitters. One of three pitchers from school to go in draft. Rapidly developing changeup. His fastball settles in around 92 mph.
Round 11: Nicholas Petrucci, 3B, from College of Canyons (Calif.): Aggressive hitter with power. Big, strong and muscular. Plays hard, makes all plays with glove.
Round 12: Matt Fornasiere, SS, Univ. of Minnesota: Pro-style swing. Player with mature, filled-out frame. Comparisons to Major Leaguer Rich Aurilia. Smart hitter who makes contact.
Round 13: Barry Laird, 1B, from Lee (Texas) High School
Round 14: Michael Finocchi, RHP, Louisburg College (Pa.); Large, tall and sturdy frame. Throws fastball in low 90s. Shows a slider and changeup.
Round 15: Chase Phillips, RHP, Monterey (Tex.) High School: Very long, loose arms. Throws a fastball that tails into right-handers. Curveball his best breaking pitch.
Round 16: Aaron Shafer, RHP from Troy Buchanan (Mo.) High School: Throws fastball in high 80s with sink. Long arms and long legs. A good athlete whose body projects to Major Leagues.
Round 17: Eric Barrett, LHP, Marion (Ill.) High School
Round 18: Desmond Jennings, OF from Pinson Valley (Ala.) High School: Tall, athletic with streamlined build. Draws comparisons to former Major Leaguer Devon White.
Round 19: Timothy Dennehy, left-hander pitcher from River Forest (Ill.) High School: A well-developed, athletic frame with broad shoulders. Unafraid to pitch inside, and tries to work both sides of the plate. His fastball has moderate tail.
Dennehy was the first pick in Day 2 of the draft. The Indians went heavily into other pitchers after him.
Round 20: Scott Sumner, right-handed pitcher from Louisiana College
Round 21: Neil Wagner, right-handed pitcher from North Dakota State
Justice B. Hill is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Thirty years ago, the land behind Mountain View's Fire Station 1 was a basketball court for the Police Officers Association. Three years ago, it was just a blanket of tall weeds. "A forgotten land," said Mountain View firefighter-paramedic Mike Robbins.
Robbins was in the process of building some large container gardens on the back patio of Station 1 at 251 S. Shoreline Blvd., where he worked. But one day, he looked over the fence beyond the patio.
"I saw the full southern sun-exposed lot with a bunch of weeds," the Santa Cruz resident said. "As I looked over, I thought: 'This would be a good place for a garden. ... A quarter-acre is sitting here.'"
His excitement grew as he toured the city property. He said he was hesitant at first, but that he then invited his friend to bring his tractor and rototiller to go over the area. Robbins said he pulled out rocks, concrete, pavement and other crud.
"It's tough to make tomatoes grow in rocks, right?" he said, chuckling. While on a call one day, Robbins saw some old wood heading to the dump. With permission, he took the wooden planks and created some raised beds in the fire station's garden. "Then, you start planting," he said.
But it wasn't an easy job. He toiled during his free time at the station -- between 7 and 10 p.m. and after his shift in the morning -- in his "civilian clothes." For the first six months, nothing in the garden would grow. It began to "catapult into a different league" after Robbins took some gardening classes at Love Apple Farms in Santa Cruz.
And soon enough, city officials were willing to help, supplying wood chips to inhibit weeds, removing a lot of dead brush and trimming the trees, he said. "When you put a plate of watermelon or honeydew or cherry tomatoes that are sweet, sweet, sweet like sugar, the smiles on their faces -- there was no need for permission."
Now, his lush garden has taken a life of its own, full of watermelon, onions, garlic, tomatoes, basil, lettuce and more. With a scarecrow in a firefighter's uniform, the garden provides ingredients for the chili verde, pesto spaghetti squash, caprese salads and other meals the firefighters cook.
"If you've ever tasted the difference in these vegetables, you would see it as well. It's not a watery tomato from the grocery store. It's like a steak when you cut into it. And you can taste that freshness," Robbins said.
The team switches off cooking responsibilities each night. One of the firefighters has made a beet cake several times that "is out of this world," Robbins said. He said he has seen others at the station become inspired to begin their own gardens, asking him for tips.
"You get to see your little baby grow and then at the end, you literally get to pick the fruit of your labor and put it on the plate and see people enjoy it," he said. "It's fun to nurture something like that."
While he spends time chasing off squirrels gnawing on his prized possession, the garden has become bigger than Robbins, bringing him some local fame. Recently, community members were invited to visit the garden and try the cherry tomatoes and lemon cucumbers as part of a Mountain View library event. Robbins' garden was featured in "California Bountiful," two radio shows and a TV news spot. But most significantly, Robbins received a congratulatory letter from U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Menlo Park, mentioning that she had forwarded the coverage to First Lady Michelle Obama.
"I thought someone was messing with me," he said. "I was like, 'What?' I just wanted to grow a garden ... Before you know it, the First Lady is getting wind of it." Robbins said Obama hasn't come to visit but that if she does, he will be there.
Robbins said he has no idea why people are hungry for his story, but he recalls his chief, Richard Alameda, telling him "gardening is really sexy right now. It's chic."
Robbins -- who's been given the nicknames Green Thumb, Green Jeans and Farmer Mike -- does understand the apparent irony of the story: the macho firefighter devoted to gardening. "It kind of deviates from the stereotypic role of a firefighter," he said. "But I'm okay. I'm comfortable with that. It's all good."
If anything, he feels this hobby allows him to relate to the public because people begin to see him as an average Joe.
"I think there is a sense of a wall when people see a uniform," he said. "They think that maybe they're not human or that they can't talk to them. But when you come to them and say: 'Hey, how are ya? You like to garden, too?' their defenses go down."
Gardening is something Robbins has been around his whole life, as it was important to his parents. He has a garden at home, where he lives with his 5- and 7-year-old sons.
"I think you can taste the difference and it's getting back to the basics," he said. "The cool thing is you get to take control of what you eat. And you know what's been in there, whether it's 'Ethel Methyl' stuff or just sunlight and love."


text:
When is a Young Horse Ready to Ride?
- Aug 24, 2016
- Topics:
For many breeds, 3 to 4 years old should be an adequate age to start a horse under saddle.
Photo: iStock
Q. I have a fine-boned 3-year-old Welsh/Quarter Horse cross that I would like to start in regular work and training, but I'm reluctant for fear of placing too much stress on her young spine. When is it safe to start and ride her on a regular basis?
Anita Covelli, Homosassa, Florida
A. In the performance horse world and with many breeds, 3 to 4 years old should be an adequate age to start a horse under saddle. In the racing breeds we start a little earlier (around 2 years of age) and the data doesn't show that starting these horses early is a problem. But, generally, 3 to 4 years old is a good age and the horse should be plenty mature skeletally for some riding.
Horse aren't completely physically mature at this point and are still growing, and certainly a 3-year-old Warmblood will look different than a 6-year-old Warmblood. You have to play it by ear and use common sense, and you won't use the same training regimen for all breeds and all horses for that matter, even within the same breed.
If you have any questions or see any possible conformational problems, it's fair to have the horse evaluated by a veterinarian before starting training.
About the Author
Alan Ruggles, DVM, Dipl. ACVS
Alan Ruggles, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, is a surgeon and partner at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., where he specializes in orthopedic surgery and lameness. Previously he taught at the New Bolton Center at the University of Pennsylvania and The Ohio State University. He is the author or co-author of more than 20 peer reviewed papers and eight book chapters concerning equine orthopedic problems.
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text:
The American Civil War Overview
THE EASTERN THEATER: 2nd MANASSAS, ANTIETAM AND FREDERICKSBURG
On June 26, 1862, a "western" general, John Pope, received command of the newly created Federal Army of Virginia which was formed by the consolidation of the commands of McDowell, Banks, and Fremont (the Federal commands that Jackson had bested during his Shenandoah Valley Campaign). By July 12, this army had moved south to a point that threatened Richmond's access to the Shenandoah Valley. Although McClellan was still a potential threat to Richmond, Lee felt he had to deal with this new development and sent reinforcements to Jackson with orders to "suppress" Pope. By August 3, McClellan was ordered to evacuate the Peninsula, thus removing the dual threat to Lee and allowing him the opportunity to concentrate on Pope exclusively. The opposing armies maneuvered through mid-August, and by August 22 were facing each other across the Rappahannock River near Sulphur Springs, Virginia. Pope's lines were too strong for a frontal attack, so Lee directed forces around Pope's unsecured flanks to cut his supply lines. The first raid in Pope's rear, by Stuart's cavalry, failed in seriously damaging his supply line, but did net Pope's payroll of $350,000 and captured the headquarters' copy of all the week's dispatches. The second raid was carried out by Jackson's "foot cavalry" and this time was much more successful. Jackson neutralized Bristoe Station and Manassas Station and destroyed Federal supplies distributed over almost a square mile.
Despite these setbacks, Pope still believed he was in a position to destroy Lee. Lee had split his army and the Federals were in position between Lee's two wings with superior forces to destroy either one. Pope hurried his command to Manassas hoping to smash Jackson, only to discover that he had apparently vanished into thin air. Eventually Jackson was discovered at Sudley Mountain near the now year-old battlefield of First Manassas. Jackson grimly held his position against Pope's attacks through August 29. On August 30, Longstreet's wing of Lee's army arrived and turned the tide of battle. During the late afternoon, after Pope had committed his last reserves to the attack on Jackson, Longstreet launched a massive assault into the flank of the Federal army, routing it from the field. Pope had indeed been "suppressed" at Second Manassas, losing some 16,000 casualties, 30 artillery pieces, 20,000 small arms and mountains of other supplies. Pope was relieved of command on September 2. McClellan was placed in command of all the forces around Washington, D.C.
Although Lee had gained another victory, it was unclear as to the best way to press his advantage. His forces could not stay in this area of northern Virginia, but to fall back would be to negate the advantages of his recent victory. His decision, therefore, was to invade Maryland. He hoped to gain support from the local populace of the state, and he also saw an opportunity to sway foreign opinion if he could win another victory on Northern soil. Washington, D.C. itself Lee knew was too strong to attack, but he hoped to be able to capture the 12,000 man Federal garrison at Harper's Ferry during his advance. To do so, he would have to take the risk to divide his army in enemy territory, but he felt that the Army of the Potomac was still demoralized from its recent defeats and McClellan, if remaining true to form, would react with all the speed of a tortoise.
The Army of the Potomac however, was not demoralized; it was to the contrary, still full of fight. Maryland did not welcome the Confederates with open arms, as had been hoped, and worst of all, McClellan had come by a copy of Lee's entire plan of operations for the Maryland Campaign. With this information in front of him, even McClellan was capable of moving fairly quickly.
Lee learned that McClellan had come into possession of a copy of his orders from an informer. His Army of Northern Virginia was now split into five segments. Lee desperately needed time to concentrate these elements to defend himself from the attack he knew McClellan would be planning. It was a near-run thing, but D.H. Hill, with reinforcements from Longstreet, was able to hold McClellan's army at bay at Turner's Gap in South Mountain long enough for Lee to form a defensive position at Sharpsburg, Maryland, behind Antietam Creek on September 15, 1862. The 12,500 man garrison at Harper's Ferry surrendered that same day. On September 16, McClellan was facing, at most, some 18,000 Confederates in line of battle. If he had attacked that day, he almost certainly would have crushed this small force. However, he did not attack, but instead spent the day planning and investigating the terrain; all this time, more and more Confederate reinforcements were arriving.
On September 17, McClellan finally attacked. Though Confederate reinforcements, in the form of the divisions of McLaws, Anderson, and A.P. Hill would be arriving throughout the day, McClellan at no time faced odds worse than two to one in his favor. Believing faulty intelligence estimates of Lee's strength, McClellan was unwilling to fully commit his army to the attack for fear of a Confederate trap. The result was a bloody see-saw battle that saw Lee and his outnumbered Confederates put in one of their best tactical performances and fight McClellan's army to a draw.
Lee retreated the following night and despite repeated urgings, McClellan failed to press forward a pursuit of Lee's forces. Antietam went down in history as the bloodiest single day of the war, with over 23,000 total casualties. Although a tactical failure for McClellan, he could count it a strategic victory since the Confederates had to retreat. This gave Lincoln the opportunity to issue his Emancipation Proclamation on September 23, 1862.
Despite continuing urging from Lincoln, McClellan could not be induced to advance and during the period of October 10-12, Stuart's cavalry again rode completely around the Federal army and did over $250,000 in damages, causing the government much embarrassment. Lincoln had had enough -- he fired McClellan and replaced him with Ambrose E. Burnside.
Major General Burnside did not want command of the Army of the Potomac, feeling that he was not competent to hold such a responsibility. He was ultimately overruled and forced to accept the assignment. To Burnside's credit, he did not suffer from false modesty -- he was incompetent. Burnside's offensive began well enough, stealing a march on Lee and moving rapidly down the Rappahannock River, planning to cross over to Fredericksburg on December 19, 1862. The pontoon bridges he had ordered, unfortunately, failed to arrive on time. This gave Lee the opportunity to shift his forces to cover the crossing. Excellent defensive terrain overlooked Fredericksburg on the south bank and Lee proceeded to construct prepared positions for his troops. Burnside should have seen that it was now an obvious mistake to attempt to assault Lee's lines. He did so anyway. The results were as might be generally expected under these conditions. Federal troops were rapidly cut down before they even came near the Confederate positions. Luckily for the Federals, Lee did not have the strength to launch his own counterattack after the attack was repulsed. Union heavy artillery on the opposite bank of the river served to protect the retreat of the surviving Federals back across the Rappahannock. In late January, 1863, Lincoln replaced Burnside with "Fighting Joe" Hooker to the command of the Army of the Potomac.
This Page last updated 11/22/03


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In your March, 2010 issue of BTP, I wrote an article on clozapine induced hypersalivation. In it I mentioned oral anticholinergics or alphaadrenergics as potential remedies.
Reader Dr. Jaymie Shanker writes of her solution for this problem: 1% Atropine eye drops sublingually. Dr. Shanker shares:
"I start with one drop SL before bed. For some people, that is all they need. Other people need 24 drop SL qhs; some, in addition to their one drop SL qhs, put one drop into a small amount of water next to the bed, so if they wake at night drooling, they can drink that water and control the drooling for the remainder of the night. Most people don't need it during the day, but some do use one or a few drops SL in the morning as well. The only side effect is dry mouth, if too much is used. No systemic side effects! People love it! They feel so much better getting off their oral, systemic anticholingic…Of course, it ALWAYS prompts a call from the pharmacy before the first Rx is filled, because giving an eye drop sublingually is pretty unusual."
I thank Dr. Shanker for sharing her experience.


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Cozart breaks out of hitless rut with RBI
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
ST. LOUIS -- Reds shortstop Zack Cozart isn't off to a good start, but the worst hitless streak of his career is at least over.
With the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning, Cozart hit an RBI single to center field off of Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal. It snapped an 0-for-22 skid, including an 0-for-3 day to that point, but the Reds still fell short in a 5-3 loss. He entered the day with the most at-bats in the Majors without a hit in this young season.
Cozart's previous longest hitless streak was 0-for-20, which he did from Aug. 24-29, 2012.
"You look around the league and see a lot of good hitters that are hitting .200, under .100 or still looking for their first hit," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "I don't have any lack of confidence in his ability to hit. I talked to him the other day and let him know to, 'Keep doing your thing, keep taking your at-bats and doing your work.' He's our shortstop. He's going to play."
Cozart's hitless streak to start a season was the longest for the Reds since Corky Miller's 0-for-29 stretch in 2004. Miller didn't get his first hit that season until Sept. 11, but his streak was spread over four separate callups.
"Of course, everybody wants to get out there and do better," Price said. "Offensively, we haven't gotten into full gear yet. I just don't want him to get exasperated through any self-induced pressures. There is enough pressure in this game to begin with."
Mesoraco activated; Pena starts vs. Cards
ST. LOUIS -- Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco was activated from the 15-day disabled list on Monday before a three-game series with the Cardinals. However, Mesoraco didn't make the start.
Brayan Pena was behind the plate to catch Reds starter Tony Cingrani. They formed the battery on Wednesday, when Cingrani pitched seven scoreless innings vs. St. Louis.
"He's not in there because of the way things worked between Brayan and Tony the first time through," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "I think familiarity is important in this particular case. Our intentions are for Devin to get the bulk of the playing time. That's not going to change. He's just not starting today."
Mesoraco suffered a strained left oblique muscle near the end of Spring Training and had to start the season on the DL. He went on a three-game rehab assignment at Double-A Pensacola and went 0-for-5 with two walks and a sacrifice fly.
"It went good. There were no problems. I am 100 percent healthy and ready to go," Mesoraco said. "I think it was important to go down and play a couple of games just so that I know there are no problems in there and I won't have any worries when I'm up here. Everything went well."
To make room for Mesoraco on the 25-man roster, the Reds optioned rookie catcher Tucker Barnhart to Triple-A Louisville. Barnhart was 2-for-8 in three games, including two starts.
Mesoraco took no issue with not being in Monday's lineup.
"I can get my feet under me today and go from there," he said.
Broxton rejoins Reds in St. Louis after rehab
ST. LOUIS -- Reds reliever Jonathan Broxton was back with the team on Monday but wasn't activated from the disabled list. Broxton, who got a late start to Spring Training because he was working back from August right forearm surgery to repair a torn flexor mass tendon, spent two games on a rehab assignment at Double-A Pensacola.
"Everything is good," Broxton said. "I felt good. I bounced back good."
Broxton pitched on Friday and Saturday for Pensacola, totaling two scoreless innings with one hit and one hit batter.
"Our intentions are to activate him over the course of the series here with the Cardinals," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "There's a good chance he will be activated tomorrow. He pitched back-to-back days. We wanted to give him at least two days off of recovery time after that, and then he will be in our mix."
There's a strong chance that Broxton will become the Reds' primary closer until the injured Aroldis Chapman returns from the DL. Chapman, who was struck in the head by a line drive, just resumed light throwing over the weekend.
When asked if he was ready to close games, Broxton deferred.
"That's up to them. They're going to tell me when to pitch. We've got Chappy down. I'll pitch the fifth, sixth, seventh or 12th, I don't care," Broxton said. "It doesn't matter to me. You still have to get three outs no matter where you pitch."
Worth noting
• The Reds re-signed infielder Chris Nelson to a Minor League contract and assigned him to Triple-A Louisville. Nelson was released on March 29 as one of the final cuts in camp after he batted .317 in 25 games.
• Monday marked the 788th time that Reds first baseman Joey Votto and second baseman Brandon Phillips started together, which is the most on the right side of the infield for any tandem in franchise history. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it's the second-most total among active players behind Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard and second baseman Chase Utley (950). First baseman Frank McCormick and second baseman Lonny Frey rank second in Reds history with 774 starts together.
Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Mark My Word, and follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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If anyone was overlooking Sam Cronin's offensive potential because of his position as the San Jose Earthquakes' holding midfielder, they couldn't miss his contributions Saturday in the Quakes' 3-0 road romp against Toronto FC.
Cronin notched an assist on the Quakes' first goal, delivering a pinpoint cross for Chris Wondolowski to punch home with an open back-post header in the ninth minute.
More subtly, Cronin's looping pass put Rafael Baca behind a porous TFC defense in the 67th. With Reds goalkeeper Milos Kocic coming off his line to close the angle, Baca cut a pass across the goalmouth, where Wondolowski pounced for his third score of the season and sixth in his last three trips to BMO Field.
WATCH: Full Match Highlights
"I think that's a huge, underrated part of Sam's game," Wondolowski said. "He does a great job of covering so much ground and tackling, it kind of goes unnoticed how good his passing is. He put it on a platter for me on the first goal, and he's got great vision to see Rafa going through and have that chipped ball."
Throw in some critical tackles as San Jose weathered Toronto's comeback attempts, and Cronin had arguably the best all-around performance in the Quakes' most complete match of 2012.
"Sam is playing in that position for a reason. He's clean on the ball, he's got a great engine, he feels the game well," Quakes coach Frank Yallop said. "Sam's played well in the three games that we've had. He played well today, obviously, so I'm very happy for him."
OPTA CHALKBOARD: Track Cronin's day
Cronin's work helped San Jose improve to 2-1-0 and gave the Quakes a win in their first road match this year -- an important milestone in advance of next weekend's early bellwether game against Seattle at CenturyLink Field.
"First of all, we got the win, which is much-needed," Cronin said, referencing the Quakes' disappointing 1-0 loss to Houston last week. "It's our first road win of the year, which is big for us. We wanted to set the impression, continue it next week in Seattle and this whole season, [to] be a tough team to play on the road."
Cronin said he wasn't specifically targeting Wondolowski -- who closed to within one goal of Seattle's league leader, David Estrada -- when Marvin Chávez cycled the ball back to him on the left wing after San Jose regained possession of a half-cleared Quakes corner kick. Cronin struck a right-footed, in-swinging cross from the left wing and the unmarked Wondolowski converted easily past the pinned-down Kocic.
"Marvin played a smart little ball back to me," Cronin said. "I just tried to put the ball in a dangerous spot and Wondo was there for a good finish. I was just trying to make the back four turn around a little bit."
Cronin doesn't feel like his offensive prowess gets taken for granted, but it's easy to write off the attacking abilities of a guy who has one career MLS goal and averages 785 minutes between assists.
"Obviously it's a stat-driven sport, where if you don't seem to get any points, it seems like you're not one of the better players," Yallop said. "But I don't look at that at all. I look at the performance, and I look at the way he held his own in the middle of the field."
Geoff Lepper covers the Earthquakes for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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This week Lady Antebellum released their brand-new single "Downtown," a funky song that takes the group's sound in a fresh new direction. It's the first taste of the music they've been working on for their new album, which is due later this spring.
It turns out, though, that "Downtown" was almost recorded by another country superstar.
"It was one of those songs that we heard and fell in love with and then found out that someone else had that song on hold," says Hillary Scott in an interview with the morning show team at Detroit's WYCD. "That someone was actually a girl by the name of Miranda Lambert, who I consider a good friend."
But Miranda, it turns out, didn't stand in the group's way.
"She very very selflessly said 'let Lady A have it,' so we owe her a huge thank you."
"She really went above and beyond, and that's what you find in our amazing genre of country music. That the artists really do love each other and support one another."
Listen to the full Hillary Scott interview on WYCD
Now if the tables had been turned, and it was Miranda who was asking about one of Lady's A's song–say "Need You Now"–would the band have given it to her? "You know what? Probably so," says Hillary, "because we did not know what we had, until we cut it."
Written by Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, and Natalie Hemby, "Downtown" is the first single from Lady A's upcoming fourth album, which according to Hillary is coming this spring. "We don't have an official date yet, but we're really excited."
– Kurt Wolff, Radio.com


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escort service did not receive significant attention until the globalization, liberalization, and privatization were introduced and successfully implemented in the UAEn soil. As the consequence of it, a cosmopolitan culture started across the globe.
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A vast majority of these girls offer services in two ways. One is incall where their clients meet them at their place. Another is outcall where independent escorts in meet their men at their clients' private chambers. Naturally, formerly is cheaper than later.


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Visiting with the Bronx Bombers
It's early February, the Super Bowl just ended and we're riding out the seemingly endless winter months.
Even though at 52 degrees — it feels like springtime.
Still, with Opening Day just two full months away, the reality is that we all must play the waiting game for our pastime. Spring Training will soon fill the void and the Grapefruits and Cacti of Florida and Arizona will be ripe. But I like to prepare for baseball with some reflecting.
My favorite lyric of West Virginia's unofficial state anthem, "Take Me Home, Country Roads," is "all my memories gather 'round her." I have many memories with baseball. So many summer nights spent watching the game I love. Here's a tale of last summer's adventure with my family to New York City where we crossed yet another stadium off our list. Yankee Stadium would be our 27th of out 30 big league ballparks, but our day in mid-July started in Hoboken, New Jersey. The world-famous Carlo's Bakery was our breakfast stop. Made popular by the TLC show "Cake Boss" Carlo's is a bustling bake shop in the heart of Hoboken. The line to get in wrapped around the corner of the shop and you needed a number just to get in. Us, along with hundreds of other fans, waited just for the chance to sample some desserts and rub it in our friend's faces that we actually experienced it. After over an hour wait, we finally made it in. Part of the feeling of the bake shop was the crazy fans just there to catch a glimpse of it all — much like the Peaslee family. It was jam-packed in the tiny bakery. There was no sign of the infamous, Buddy, but there was plenty of merchandise with his face on it. We left with a nice haul of delicious cupcakes, cookies, pastries and a coffee mug. All for less than 30 bucks, not bad for a breakfast in one of the most famous reality TV show sets in one of America's most bumping metropolitan areas. As we ate on the drive over, our next stop was Yankee Stadium. It's more than a stadium, though. While new Yankee Stadium doesn't, I'm sure, have the charm of the old — it's a baseball mecca. There was an aura about it that I've never felt before entering a ballpark. I had the feeling that I was going to something special, that it was a limited invitation that only a select few receive. Maybe I just take for granted that I get to go see Pirates games whenever I want, but the Yankees aren't the Pirates. Love them or hate them, there is no in between. And there really is something romantic about the Yankees. They're the most successful sports franchise ever and, believe it or not, they're fans have earned a sense of entitlement. Yes it might be easy to be a Yankee fan, but there's a lot of history, tradition and a legendary aspect you have to uphold. It's a title that bears great responsibility. The sights and sounds were enough to give you chills. Although if you actually got chills, there's something wrong with your health. Temperatures reached the high 90 and I'm pretty sure they even cracked 100. Wrapping soaked paper towels around our neck came in handy and so did the many water stations like this one. Free, unlimited water was available throughout the whole game. It was the first time I've ever seen such a table at a game. Definitely thoughtful and, honestly, the staff was courteous and helpful around the large spacious concourses.
The Yanks hosted the Oakland A's on that hot Saturday afternoon. Zach, my brother, was all set in his Athletics attire. It was also kid's truck day. I thought it was a great promotion and judging by his reaction here, Zach didn't.
Our seats were in the last row, nearly behind home plate. Leaning up agains the final chain fenced was comfortable and a timely breeze cooled us off every once in a while. The best part of our seats was the perfect head-on view of the jumbo, and I mean JUMBO, jumbo-tron.
Hideki Matsui made his return to the Bronx after his first season away. He received a large ovation from the sellout crowd at each plate appearance.
He was only upstaged by Jorge Posada.
Recently retired here in the offseason, Posada played sparingly during the season and every time he was seen was special for the fans who cheered him throughout 17 years. He pinch hit for Gerald Laird in the eighth inning and got a base hit.
Some other special moments happened during inning breaks, too.
I was looking forward to this tradition from the start. During a sixth inning break, YMCA plays and the grounds crew dragging the infield dirt go insane. You won't find personalities like this anywhere else in the MLB. It was pretty cool to see them, and the fans, get excited.
Sundays are always reserved for the playing of God Bless America during the seventh inning stretch. Not in New York. Every game is an opportunity to honor the country and, even on a Saturday, they still played it before Take Me Out to the Ballgame. It was the most moving part of the game, because I'm sure a lot of the people in attendance were in some way affected by 9-11. The only thing that would've made it better would be if Ronan Tynan was there to belt it out.
Just the week before our trip, Derek Jeter blasted a home run for his 3000th career hit. Jeter-fever was still in the air.
Like I said before, everything about this ballpark is amazing. It's a pristine stadium big enough to house the masses of fans, but small enough to still let you know that the game on the field is the most important thing going on. I rank Yankee Stadium in the top five of my favorite ballparks, probably behind San Francisco's AT&T Park and, of course, Pittsburgh's PNC Park.
After a late rally in the bottom of the ninth, the Yankees still lost, 4-3.
We still had plenty of Saturday evening ahead of us and some of Sunday morning to check out the rest of what NYC had to offer. For my family, it was their first time in the city. Me, well I spent an evening there back in 2007, my freshman year of college. Along with some other friends, I took a bus trip to Piscataway, NJ for a WVU football game against Rutgers. That night, we had a few hours to roam about the city. This weekend was a nice refresher on the city that never sleeps.
A New York City Subway ride jumpstarted the rest of the night. An experience in itself, we were small fish in a big pond. It's crazy to figure it all out. Yet it was still a beginning gateway to the Big Apple.
We started with a great dinner at Mickey Mantle's Restaurant.
Just like Pit Bull said, go to Times Square and take a picture of me…
I ran into some more buddies at the FAO Schwartz store.
The Plaza Hotel, New York's most exciting hotel experience.
We didn't wake up early enough to see the Today Show live. But we were right there, live from studio 1A in Rockefeller Plaza on a Sunday afternoon.
What's the next best thing to exploring the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island? Posing by a sign for the two national landmarks!
While a mass —in Spanish — was going on, the back of St. Patrick's Cathedral was a bustling tourist destination. It was a beautiful worship place and the fanciest church I've ever been in. In shorts and t-shirts, we were surely underdressed for mass and late, no less. Nonetheless, ushers encouraged any Catholic tourists to go receive Holy Communion. So, we did.
With our vagabond shoes still longing to stray, our final stop of the evening was at the MLB Fan Cave. I tweeted (follow me @pittpeaswv!) mercilessly to its account to see if somebody would let us come take a tour to no avail. From the outside looking it, it looked like a cool place that any baseball fan would love to spend a season in..
Maybe next year I'll sen in my application to be the next Mike O'Hara and whoever wins for this season.
Until then, I'll enjoy my travels and I'm already planning 2012 trips.
Only Seattle's Safeco Field, Toronto's Rogers Centre and the other New York team, the Mets' Citi Field are left.


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OFA DC Heads to Clarendon!
Last weekend OFA DC took a trip to Clarendon to help out our friends in Virginia. On what turned out to be a terrific Saturday afternoon volunteers registered voters and got the word out about the President's record.
Noah D., a resident of the Dupont Circle area, spoke about the significance of the event:
"Virginia is extremely important to the general election. I feel passionately that President Obama will continue to make America better. We all have to help out on days like this to make that possible."
Ellen C., a Core Team Member in Washington D.C.'s 3rd Ward, echoed Noah's sentiments:
"It's important to raise visibility and stress the importance of participation—every vote counts!"
To meet volunteers like Ellen and Noah and find out how you can get involved come out to a future event. A full list can be found at dc.barackobama.com.


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Jeff Vespa/WireImage
Soon you'll be able to channel style icon Nicole Richie from head to toe — at least as far as accessories are concerned. Following the success of her line of headbands and jewelry, the star has just inked a deal to design footwear, WWD reports. Partnering with the manufacturers who produce Modern Vintage shoes and Earnest Sewn jeans, Richie will add a line of around 20 shoe styles to her House of Harlow 1960 label for spring of 2010, as well as bags, belts and small accessories. And according to business partner Rick Cytrynbaum, Richie will have creative control at every level of the design process. "Nicole is designing everything herself," he says. "She's totally devoted to this, and we're creating a whole lifestyle around her aesthetic and what is true to her." Click here to check out her current collection at shopkitson.com. Tell us: What do you think about Richie's latest design venture?