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Anti-doping agencies have dropped the ball
IT IS beyond doubt that Essendon adopted unusual and irresponsible practices in transforming so much of its football program into a body-building laboratory during 2012.
While the Bombers remain determined in their belief they did not feed performance-enhancing drugs to their players, there is genuine fear at Windy Hill that those practices could still prove to be anti-doping rule violations under the ASADA code. Even if the players escape punishment, officials guilty of those violations face two-year bans.
It appears beyond doubt that personnel who worked at Essendon last season are among those referred to in Thursday's occasionally explosive report put forward by the Australian Crime Commission. While the AFL cannot reveal what it was told, the league is aware it has an issue with performance-enhancing drugs.
Essendon is one club being investigated, as are Geelong and the Gold Coast. High-performance manager Dean Robinson worked at all three and Stephen Dank briefly at the Gold Coast as well as Essendon. Suspicions have been placed on individuals across several clubs.
Which raises the question: What has the Australian Sport Anti-Doping Agency been doing for the past four years? AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick emerged from Thursday's hastily convened commission meeting and confessed he had suspected about a year ago the drug-testing regime was not working.
In isolation, this is damning. The AFL famously resisted joining forces with the World Anti-Doping Agency's illicit drugs policy because of the number of indigenous players testing positive for marijuana. Federal government pressure to the tune of $3 million a year in annual funding saw Andrew Demetriou back down in 2005.
Since then, the AFL has complied with WADA testers for illicit drugs and ASADA testers for performance-enhancing drugs. It is by far ASADA's biggest client and pays the agency close to $500,000 a year for the privilege. On all available evidence, it has been a privilege that has gone all one way.
If the highly paid ASADA had suspicions about performance-enhancing drugs infiltrating the AFL as it now believes became a big problem again three or four years ago, it failed to communicate that to the AFL. And yet WADA boss John Fahey has accused Australia's leading sporting bodies of dropping the ball.
We would suggest the anti-doping agencies charged with keeping them clean dropped the ball. Sport was being corrupted on their watch. And that includes illicit drugs. The league's self-reporting loophole might have provided an escape valve for players but that alone surely doesn't explain so few positive tests in 2011.
On Friday, ASADA met officials from Essendon for the first time. It now seems that while the Australian Crime Commission had suspicions regarding certain individuals at Essendon, ASADA only moved to investigate the club after it reported itself to the AFL this week.
In 2008, the AFL established what has become by far the most vigilant integrity unit in Australian sport. Thursday's grandstanding press conference in Canberra revealed that doping in sport has moved far beyond the testing regimes. It spoke of sharing information and an expanded intelligence database and increased communication with all law enforcement agencies. It took its time.
Thursday's revelations are damning and frightening and horrific. The public statements that accompanied it, however, proved largely rhetorical given there have been no arrests and, certainly in Victoria, match fixing has not yet been outlawed.
To square the blame at the sports themselves and indirectly put suspicion on every key competition and its competitors seemed a bit rich given the lack of detail.
So it is Essendon that continues to find itself the face of the scandal while the NRL appears to be braced for a match-fixing scandal and soccer in this country remains in naive denial.
There is no doubt the club has made some terrible mistakes. That chief executive Ian Robson allowed people to take positions of responsibility at the club with such dubious connections has damaged his credibility and could cost him his job.
That the same practices went on under the noses of James Hird and Mark Thompson does not reflect well on them, and Thompson certainly must be stripped of his autonomous position within the footy department if he hasn't been already. And that is if both men survive.
Veteran Essendon doctor Bruce Reid put a stop to some of Dean Robinson's and Stephen Dank's more experimental or foolhardy plans for the players but his authority, too, must be scrutinised for the players have reported that the club doctor was in the room when they signed those crazy consent forms.
The AFL appears ahead of the game where gambling and match fixing is concerned and has taken appropriately drastic measures to fight drug cheating and rid the game of the more cowboyish sport scientists.
And the true message for footy this week is that while it does have a problem it is better placed than the dopey drug agencies to take care of its own backyard.
Caroline Wilson has been chief football writer for The Age since 1999. She was the first woman to cover Australian Rules football on a full-time basis and the first woman to win the AFL's gold media award. She has won the AFL Players' Association's football writer of the year (1999) and the AFL Media Association's most outstanding football writer and most outstanding feature writer (2000, 2003, 2005). In 2014 she won the Melbourne Press Club's Graham Perkin award as Australian journalist of the year. She also won a MPC Quill Award in 2003.
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text:
Get Birds of Prey Guide
Buteo swainsoni
IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern
Gerrit Vyn
A classic species of the open country of the Great Plains and the West, Swainson's Hawks soar on narrow wings or perch on fence posts and irrigation spouts. These elegant gray, white, and brown hawks hunt rodents in flight, wings held in a shallow V, or even run after insects on the ground. In fall, they take off for Argentine wintering grounds—one of the longest migrations of any American raptor—forming flocks of hundreds or thousands as they travel.
Swainson's Hawks are buteos, meaning they are large hawks with fairly broad wings and short tails. However, Swainson's Hawks are less hefty than many other buteos. They are slimmer and longer-winged, with their wings typically held in a shallow V when soaring.
Though they can be quite variable, most Swainson's Hawks are light-bellied birds with a dark or reddish-brown chest and brown or gray upperparts. They have distinctive underwings with white wing linings that contrast strongly with blackish flight feathers. Most males have gray heads; females tend to have brown heads. Dark individuals also occur; these vary from reddish to nearly all black, with reduced contrast on the underwings.
Swainson's Hawks are social raptors, nearly always being found in groups outside the breeding season. You may see them soaring in a kettle of migrating birds; strung out on the ground, fence posts, and utility poles when foraging on grasshoppers; or chasing swarms of dragonflies on winter quarters in Argentina.
These hawks spend summers in the wide-open spaces of the American West. They are the typical nesting buteo of grasslands, but also use sage flats and even swaths of agriculture intermixed with native habitat. Nests are placed in trees, often in the only tree visible for miles.
Light-plumaged adult Swainson's Hawks are distinctive because of the contrast on their chest and belly and also on their underwings. Darker birds and immatures can be tricky. Light adult Red-tailed Hawks have shorter, wider wings without the strong light-to-dark wing contrast and dark trailing edge of Swainson's Hawk. Light Ferruginous Hawks typically are entirely light from breast to belly, and the wings are white from below. Rough-legged Hawks (even light adult males) have an obvious black-and-white tail pattern and their legs are feathered to the toes. Dark Red-tailed, Ferruginous, and Rough-legged hawks typically have dark wing linings and paler flight feathers, where dark-morph Swainson's show either the opposite pattern or, rarely, entirely dark underwings. Immature Red-tailed, Ferruginous, and Rough-legged hawks also sport a translucent panel in the outer wing, unlike Swainson's Hawk. The White-tailed Hawk of coastal Texas has an obviously white tail with a distinct black band. Immature White-taileds are mostly dark, but usually have a white patch on the chest, unlike Swainson's.
Nearly all Swainson's Hawks breeding in the eastern half of the range (east of the Rocky Mountains) are light in appearance. Darker-plumaged birds are more common in the West, although still in the minority, accounting for upwards of 10 percent of individuals.
Your best bet for finding Swainson's Hawks is during summer in open country west of the Mississippi River. They are perch conspicuously on utility poles, fence posts, and isolated trees in areas that otherwise lack such elevated perches. In perch-deprived areas, look for them standing on the ground in grassland or tilled agricultural fields. No other buteo species can be found in large numbers in such situations. During migration, they don't move along ridgelines or lakeshores nearly as much as do other raptors. Instead, look for large flocks of soaring raptors over open country within their range, especially in April and September. If these are not Turkey Vultures, they are almost certainly Swainson's Hawks. At a few select migration spots including Hazel Bazemore Park (Corpus Christi, Texas) and a few sites in Middle America (Veracruz, Mexico; Kèköldie, Costa Rica; and Panama City, Panama) you can reliably see very large numbers of them passing south in fall. You can also see fairly large numbers in spring at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge hawkwatch in south Texas.
eBird Occurrence Maps, Swainson's Hawk.
Raptors and Rat Poison, Living Bird, Summer 2015.
ID Tips for Raptor-Watching Season: Use Tail and Wing Shape, Living Bird, Autumn 2016.
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subset: commoncrawl


text: Shade v. Wright. (Michigan Court of Appeals) By: Edward Wesoloski December 6, 2010 Open the PDF in a new window Lawyers Weekly No. 07-74701 Full-text Court Opinions Shade v. Wright. (Michigan Court of Appeals) (concurring opinion) Michigan Lawyers Weekly Family Law – Parenting Time – Modification 9:27 am Mon, December 6, 2010 Full-text Court Opinions Edward Wesoloski


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The 12th overall pick in the 2012 Raptors Republic Mock Draft belongs to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks have all-world point guard Brandon Jennings and scoring machine Monta Ellis. Aside from those two, they could use some help in a lot of areas.
Raptors Republic, who do you think the Milwaukee Bucks will take with the #12th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft?


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Most Pizza shops in my area(central pa.) I have talked to use the same dough for regular pizza and Sicilian.
Same here, in NYC, from what I've seen; however, the baking process is different. For regular, round pizzas, they stretch the dough, top it and put it in the oven. For Sicilian, they stretch the dough out in a large, flat rectangular pan and let it sit - and, presumably, rise further - in the pan before topping it. Generally, you'll see the pan sitting on top of the oven (to get some warmth from the oven and rise faster?) and every so often, a guy would take the pan down and poke the dough with his finger to test whether the dough has risen sufficiently.
Why make three different doughs when one dough will do
I would love to find a dough formulation that makes a stellar NY and at least a great Sicilian (or vice versa).
A hydration around 65% is probably a good starting point. Use of a poolish or culture would help with the flavor profile. Other than that it basically comes down to dough management after the mix. The NY style could be balled for a long ferment while the Sicilian would be oiled/panned and cooked in a few hours.
Have already run the gamut from 60-75% and it either makes a proper NY or a proper Sicilian, but not both. For the next attempt I'm going to remove half the dough for a 70% DS and then keep the remainder on the dough hook for another 5-6 minutes to develop the gluten.
They just combined two NY pizza doughballs into one for a tray of Sicilian.
Yes, lots of places do it this way, but I have yet to find one where they can make a great Sicilian with their regular NY dough.
Well I suppose that is subjective, because I thought it was great. All depends on what you're after though.


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Topic: Add sftp to iptables
==== Required information ====
- iRedMail version: 0.8.4
- Store mail accounts in which backend (LDAP/MySQL/PGSQL): MySQL
- Linux/BSD distribution name and version: Ubuntu 12.04
- Related log if you're reporting an issue:
Seems like our old mail server isn't just hosting email services, it's also hosting another webiste and ftp service to a remote client (and they don't have an static IP address).
I'm sorry for such a noob question but my question is this, how do I add an entry to the iptables that will allow them to access the a certain folder in the new mail server?
They are using FileZilla to transfer some files that are needed for their website. We have tried FileZilla to connect from our local LAN to the Mail server and transfers are successfull (I have added "ignoreip" address to fail2ban in our local LAN), however the remote client says they cannot connect at all. The only way they can connect is to disable the IPtables temporarily and let them do their transfers, then enable iptables again.


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City of Norfolk Chooses EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. for Video Surveillance System
Irving, TX — EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: EFJI) announced today that it has received an order from the City of Norfolk, Virginia to provide a video surveillance system. The system will utilize the company's secure FIPS 140-2 Validated™ broadband access points and integrate Pan/Tilt/Zoom (PTZ) camera technology for first responders in the city.
"Our secure video surveillance solution features military grade encryption that is FIPS 140-2 Validated, and is similar to the technology we have implemented for our Federal government customers," said Michael Jalbert, president and chief executive officer of EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. "Our secure broadband access points are built for extreme environmental conditions; customers can easily add access points for special events or a surge in activity in a particular area. The secure wireless system allows additional portable surveillance locations to be added in a few hours to provide video surveillance where it is needed most. First responders can access live video with encrypted wireless devices such as personal data assistants (PDAs) and laptop computers."
Added W. Randy Wright, Councilman representing Ward 5 on the Norfolk City Council, "The system will extend the reach of first responders into troubled areas. This is a tool that will help us keep our city safe."
The company expects to implement the system in the fourth quarter, Jalbert added.
About EF Johnson Technologies, Inc
Headquartered in Irving, Texas, EF Johnson Technologies, Inc. focuses on innovating, developing and marketing the highest quality secure communications solutions to organizations whose mission is to protect and save lives. The Company's customers include first responders in public safety and public service, the federal government, and industrial organizations. The Company's products are marketed under the EFJohnson, 3e Technologies International, and Transcrypt International names. For more information, visit www.efji.com.
Request more product info from EFJohnson Technologies, Inc..
Thank You!


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2013 Watch: Auto Lending in the Year Ahead
With a combination of used vehicles reaching their maturity mark for some car drivers and record financials from manufacturers that have emerged from a dismal scene, 2013 may shape up to be a solid year for auto lending growth.
Through September, the latest credit union industry data on record, vehicle loan growth at credit unions was estimated to be close to 9% with new vehicle loans up 8.3% and used vehicle loans up 9.4%.
More 2013 Watch
- Dec. 17, 2012 Student Lending in the Year Ahead
- Dec. 18, 2012 Bank Conversions in the Year Ahead
- Dec. 18, 2012 Low Income Service in the Year Ahead
- Dec. 19, 2012 Mortgage Lending in the Year Ahead
- Dec. 19, 2012 Cards in the Year Ahead
- Dec. 20, 2012 NCUA Board in the Year Ahead
- Dec. 20, 2012 CUSOs in the Year Ahead
- Dec. 21, 2012 Credit Union Taxation in the Year Ahead
- Dec. 26, 2012 Human Resources in the Year Ahead
- Dec. 26, 2012 Member Business Lending in the Year Ahead
- Dec. 27, 2012 Member Investments in the Year Ahead
- Dec. 27, 2012 Gen Y in the Year Ahead
- Dec. 28, 2012 Marketing in the Year Ahead
The differences are stark compared with the same period in 2011 when credit unions were in the midst of a negative 0.1% contraction when a 9.3% drop in new vehicle loans was offset by a 5.6% increase in used vehicle loans.
Roughly 48% of all credit union loan growth since August 2011 has been attributable to vehicle loans. Currently, 29.5% of all credit union loans are vehicle loans, up from 28.8% at this time last year
Those record stats bode well for the industry in 2013, as some may see a renewed focus on building dealer relationships and service particularly as independent dealers boost their efforts to form partnerships.
Indirect loans helped to boost credit unions' overall vehicle loans in 2012. That trend is expected to continue next year as point-of-purchase financing is poised to help grow loan portfolios.
Industry experts have also said there may be continued pressure to make money on ancillary products, which could potentially favor lenders who allow higher carries.
Leasing is also expected to continue to grow with a large number of leasing customers return to the same dealership where they got their last car.
Despite the financial hardships that members and other experienced over the past few years, auto loan delinquency rate reached its lowest level since TransUnion began tracking the data in 1999. That trend may continue in 2013 as the demand for both new and used vehicles and higher used vehicle values is most likely to carry over into the New Year.


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Great Marine Protection Areas
The Pacific Island nation of Kiribati has established the world's largest marine protected area of coral reefs and fish populations, but both of which are threatened by overfishing and climate change. The Phoenix Islands Protected Area conserves one of the world's last intact coral reef archipelago ecosystems with eight coral reefs, two submerged reef systems and underwater mountains, over 415,000 square kilometers of nearly uninhabited islands with abundant marine and bird life. A Marine Protected Area (MPA) is a protected area whose boundaries include some area of ocean. "MPA" is often used as an umbrella term that describes a wide range of marine areas that restrict human activity to protect living, non-living, cultural, and/or historic resources. Protections in various areas range from limits on development, fishing gear types, fishing seasons, catch limits, moorings, to complete bans on removing marine life of any kind.
MPAs are established to protect a certain species, to benefit fisheries, rare habitat, or nursing grounds for fish or to protect entire ecosystems. MPAs are also established to protect historical sites such as shipwrecks and cultural sites such as aboriginal fishing grounds. MPAs can be very large (such as the Great Barrier Reef) or very small (such as the Area Marina Protetta Capo Rizzuto).
Typical restrictions in MPAs include ones on fishing, oil and gas mining and tourism. Other restrictions may limit the use of ultrasonic devices like sonar (which may confuse cetaceans), development, construction and the like.
The degree to which environmental regulations affect shipping varies according to whether MPAs are located in territorial waters, exclusive economic zones, or high seas. The law of the sea regulates these limits.
The Phoenix Islands are a group of eight atolls and two submerged coral reefs, lying in the central Pacific Ocean east of the Gilbert Islands and west of the Line Islands. They are a part of the Republic of Kiribati. This nation is small and relatively poor. Kiribati is expected to be the first country in which all land territory disappears due to global climate change.
Using new boundaries, Kiribati has almost doubled the size of the Phoenix Island protected area since 2008: "Kiribati has taken an inspirational step in increasing the size of PIPA well beyond the original eight atolls and globally important seabird, fish and coral reef communities," said Greg Stone, the New England Aquarium (NEAQ) vice-president of global marine programs. "The new boundary includes extensive sea mount and deep sea habitat, tuna spawning grounds, and as yet unsurveyed submerged reef systems."
The Phoenix Islands area is pristine and an important migration route for marine and bird life. Three NEAQ research expeditions since 2000 have found 120 species of coral and 520 species of fish, some new to science. It also has some of the most important sea bird nesting sites in the Pacific Ocean.
In the case of Kiribati, and most nations that set aside marine areas for conservation, they are restricting commercial fishing while allowing subsistence fishing (Kanton Island is the only inhabited island in the chain, with ~30 people) and sustainable development. As they are giving up the revenue that could be accrued if they did not give protected status, an endowment system has been set up by Conservation International and the New England Aquarium (NEAQ) to both manage the area and compensate the people and government for any losses.
There are many other MPA's and plans for such around the world. Some include:
American Samoa - 20% of reefs to be protected by 2010.
South Australia - 19 Marine Protected Areas by 2010.
Bahamas - 20% of the marine ecosystem protected for fishery replenishment by 2010.
Chile - 10% of marine areas by 2010.
Micronesia - 30% of shoreline ecosystems by 2020.
Fiji - 30% of reefs by 2015.
Germany - 38% of water managed by the Marine Protected network. (no set date)
Grenada - 25% of nearby marine resources by 2020.
Guam - 30% of nearby marine ecosystem by 2020.
Jamaica - 20% of marine habitats by 2020.
Marshal Islands - 30% of nearby marine ecosystem by 2020.
New Zealand - 20% of marine environment by 2010.
Palau - 30% of nearby marine ecosystem by 2020.
Senegal - Creation of MPA network. (no set date)
Tanzania - 10% of marine area by 2010.
USA – California 29 with MPAs covering 18% of state marine area.
For further information: http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-phoenix-island-protected-area-pipa-largest-marine-protected-area-world


text: Submitted by wvangler on Tue, 2014-04-15 08:36 Groups audience West Virginia - 9WV Sal Font -191 Vote Up Down +572 + Saturday, April 26th, 2014 - 5:00pm to Saturday, April 26th, 2014 - 7:30pm sftulogo2.png The Sal font Chapter of Trout Unlimited announces its Bluegill Fishing Derby at Charles Fork Lake slated for April, 26 2014. It will be a day of fun and fishing for kids of all ages. Prizes for all children under age 13. Prizes will be awarded to kids and adults for catching the most bluegill, the largest bluegill, and the biggest "anykinna" fish. Additional prize for the child who picks up the most trash. The derby will begin at 10:00 am and finish at 12:00 pm. Announcements will begin at 9:45. All participants encouraged to arrive early to register. An entry fee of $5 will be charged to children under 13. Big "kids" ages 13 to 99 must pay an entry fee of $10. Children must be accompanied by an adult. West Virginia law requires a valid fishing license for any adult or child over the age of 15. West Virginia DNR Police may be in attendance to enforce lawfulness and encourage safety. Funds raised go to support the Sal font Chapter of Trout Unlimited for the purpose of conserving, protecting, and restoring the trout streams of central West Virginia. Sal font Chapter of Trout Unlimited is a 501(c)3 charitable organization and your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Rules include: One rod per angler Honor system for all anglers fishing within sight of the dam, digital photos or live fish required for fish caught from boats not within view of the dam (photos may be analyzed for digital date imprint to ensure ethical entry) All children must be accompanied by an adult No alcoholic beverages Pack it in, Pack it out - no littering Required to have fun The Sal font Chapter Bluegill Tournament is now officially on the WV REAP Make It Shine April Statewide Cleanup as we help our local community of Spencer to clean up Charles Fork Lake. While not a trout fishery, SFTU believes in giving back to the community while raising funds and while encouraging fishing with our youth. Funds raised from this event will be used toward trout conservation and restoration projects in Central West Virginia. In addition, the Spencer Cub Scouts Pack 437 will be involved in the SFTU Bluegill Tournament as they earn their Fishing Beltloops and engage in a watershed service project in assisting SFTU with the trash cleanup. On Friday, April 25 (Arbor Day) they will also be engaging in a watershed service project by planting trees to stabilize streambanks on Spring Creek near Spencer - Way to go Pack 437! It is important for us to engage and involve these future conservation champions in TU as some of them may go on to become great anglers and TU leaders. If you are interested in attending the April 26 SFTU Bluegill Tournament in Spencer, feel free to contact Randy Ash for more information at firstname.lastname@example.com Who's attending this event? There is no one currently attending this event. Log in or register to post comments


text: Scope: This course focuses on the neuronal and neurochemcial mechanisms underlying the behavioral response to psychoactive drugs. A basic understanding of neuronal function is required; some background in chemistry is helpful but not essential. Course materialhas been chosen to provide detailed, up-to-date information that canserve as both a guide for following research in the field and a basisfor understanding current approaches to drug therapy for various neurological and psychiatric disorders.


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Parents outraged when Attleboro kids denied lunch
ATTLEBORO (AP) -- School officials say as many as 25 students at an Attleboro school were denied lunch or told to throw out their food this week because they either could not pay or their pre-paid accounts did not contain enough money.
Outraged parents say some students at Coelho Middle School cried when they were told by a worker they could not eat on Tuesday.
Superintendent Pia Durkin tells The Sun Chronicle that a worker for the contractor that provides lunch service at city schools has been suspended. She has also scheduled a meeting with officials at the company, Whitsons.
Meanwhile, workers have been told not to deny any child a meal.
Holly Von Seggern, vice president for marketing and community relations for Whitson's, says the company apologizes and is investigating.
Information from: The (Attleboro) Sun Chronicle, http://bit.ly/10yXr6y
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


text: Or more specifically, please select actors who are still living to portray potential members of the Avengers team who, barring last-minute surprise cameos, are not expected to appear in the May Marvel movie. These can include any or all of the following: Ant-Man/Giant-Man/Goliath/Yellowjacket The Wasp The Vision The Scarlet Witch Wonder Man The Swordsman Mantis Captain Marvel II (female, 1980s) Ms. Marvel The Falcon Hercules The Black Knight The She-Hulk Rage The Black Panther Quicksilver Crystal Rick Jones Starfox and, just for laughs, the live-action Jarvis the butler. Some newer members are left out of this group. Feel free to add them as you please.


text:
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text:
Report: Gio did not get PEDs from clinic
Substances Nats lefty reportedly did receive are not on MLB's banned list
By Bill Ladson / MLB.com
VIERA, Fla. -- More than once, Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez denied using performance-enhancing drugs. Several weeks ago, The Miami New Times linked the pitcher to Anthony Bosch, who reportedly supplied PEDs to professional athletes.
However, according to a report from ESPN's Outside the Lines, two sources told the company that Gonzalez did not receive banned substances from Bosch or the anti-aging clinic, Biogenesis. Gonzalez reportedly received glutathione, intramuscular shots and amino acids, but none of those substances are on Major League Baseball's banned substances list.
The Miami New Times reported that Gonzalez had a $1,000 order for Aminorip, a muscle-building protein. However, none of the ingredients listed in Aminorip is on MLB's list of prohibited substances. The paper later released a new document that listed Gonzalez's name next to a list of ingredients for "pink cream," a synthetic testosterone.
On Wednesday afternoon, Gonzalez didn't take any questions about the report, but he made a statement to the local media at Space Coast Stadium.
"I'm going to be honest with you guys: I haven't heard anything officially from MLB. I do plan on sitting down and cooperating with them," Gonzalez said. "I want to get this all done before the season starts. This is all new to me, guys. I do plan on getting ready and looking forward to Spring Training. I feel confident this is going to come out good."
Last week, Gonzalez acknowledged that his father, Max, was a patient of [Anthony] Bosch's.
The Nationals haven't received any official word from the league office regarding Gonzalez, according to general manager Mike Rizzo.
"We are not going to comment until we hear something official," Rizzo said.
Gonzalez was able to focus on baseball Wednesday. He had his first batting-practice session at the Nationals' Minor League complex. At one point, pitching Steve McCatty wanted him to stop throwing after time was up, but Gonzalez threw a few more pitches.
"I felt great," Gonzalez said. "The velocity is still there. You hear some good news from the guys telling you how your fastball looks. It's coming out there for the first time, pitching to live hitters. You tend to try and do too much, and I think my job is to control that and keep it composed. I was grateful enough to talk to [McCatty] about my pitching mechanics. He doesn't feel there is too much to work on. He feels confident that I'm going to make the adjustment for my next start. I feel good."
Gonzalez is coming off his best season, having gone 21-8 with a 2.89 ERA and 207 strikeouts and earning a third-place finish in the National League Cy Young Award vote. He is expected to pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, All Nats All the time. He also could be found on Twitter @WashingNats. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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"Shabby chic," "country," "primitive," "repurposed," "French" and "farmhouse" are all names used to call a popular decorating style. Yet there's just a single word that describes it: cool. And perhaps no other event in the Bay Area promotes this trend as well as the Goat Hill Fair happening May 18-19.
Another reason throngs attend this show is the idyllic setting — a working goat farm tucked away in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The 50 participating vendors hail from up and down the West Coast, and they will be scattered about the property under great trees, in tents, or around the porch of a cheery, whitewashed cottage.
Inspect carefully the way dealers set out their goods. This is an artful extravaganza, where you'll see garden statuary juxtaposed next to a 1920s-era china cupboard painted chalk-white. Nearby, there might be a colorful globe once used in a classroom, jewelry created from a hodgepodge of mismatched pieces, even highball glasses and other funky vintage barware.
Besides the fabulous merchandise and food, you can hear guest speakers. Cathe Holden, a contributing editor at Country Living magazine, will give a talk and sign her latest book at 1 p.m. May 18. And at 1 p.m. May 19, garden guru Vicki Petulla, owner of the Creeping Fig, will present a demonstration.
I'll be onboard May 18 at 11 a.m. to visit with folks as I discuss "My Life With Antiques." This will be an excellent chance to catch up with my longtime readers from Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.
A few tips: Remember, this is a working farm with chickens, goats and other critters. Wear shoes with good support, because the ground can be uneven. Since it might be foggy early in the day, bring a jacket. Later, it turns warm. Don a hat to avoid getting sunburned.
The fair, organized by interior designer Cyndi Garofalo and antiques dealer/goat farmer Becky Yoder, is held at Yoder's Goat Farm, 24915 Soquel-Old San Jose Highway in Los Gatos. Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. May 18 and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. May 19. Admission: $5. No pets allowed.
Park in a lot in the lower meadow, or use the free shuttle bus from the Loma Prieta Elementary School on Summit Road. Details: 408-221-5054; www.goathillfair.com.
A golden show
It's worth the three-hour journey to picturesque Nevada County for the 14th annual Grass Valley Old West Antiques Show slated for May 10-11. Objects exhibited at this bash simply don't appear elsewhere.
You'll encounter Gold Rush-era artifacts, firearms, gambling and saloon items, country store and barbershop collectibles, early cowboy antiques, mining and railroad paraphernalia, plus Native American works of art.
I know people who head to this show for another reason — the fine food. It's where to-die-for barbecue and homemade ice cream are dished up to crowds.
Join the fun at the Nevada County Fairgrounds, 11228 McCourtney Road in Grass Valley. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 10 and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. May 11. Admission: $7. A two-day pass runs $10. Parking is free. Details: 530-272-3243.
Button, button
I'll unbutton my lip and tell you all about the California State Button Society's Button Bazaar taking place May 18-19.
Buttons have been fashioned out of material as varied as precious metals and stones, teeth, insects, shells and even tiger's toenails. At the show, attendees get to see thousands of examples used in quilting, sewing and crafting.
Scads of buttons will be on display in a competition that's part of the scheduled hoopla. And novices surely will gain a greater appreciation for the hobby when they view the assortment of educational exhibits.
The excitement happens at the San Mateo Marriott, 1770 S. Amphlett Blvd. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 18 and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. May 19. Admission: $5. Details: 408-245-1630; www.cabutton.org.
Shopping alert
Mother's Day (May 12) is just around the corner. And one of the best places to find Mom a nice present is Holy City Glass in Los Gatos.
For 37 years, noted glass artist Tom Stanton has made a variety of wondrous objects that are considered by many to be future heirlooms. And I think they're spot on. This time of year, Stanton turns out delicate spring blossoms — some encased in paperweights — tagged $45 and up.
You'll find Holy City just off Highway 17 about six miles beyond Los Gatos. Watch for the blue and white signs. If possible, plan a visit to the studio while the glass is being crafted. It's a sight to behold. Details: 408-353-4426.
Mr. TV memorabilia
The scripts, show biz memorabilia and even the trademark cigar of the legendary comedian Milton "Uncle Miltie" Berle (1908-2002) go under the gavel Sunday at Bonhams in Los Angeles.
Berle began his career in vaudeville at age 5. By the late 1940s, he became a household name when he hosted the "Texaco Star Theater." The entertainer — credited with selling millions of television sets — also became known as "Mr. Television."
Among the treasures going across the block is a photo inscribed to Berle by President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jackie, estimated to garner $1,500 to $2,000. A sterling humidor by Tiffany & Co. may fetch from $5,000 to $7,000. Find an illustrated online catalog at www.bonhams.com.
Contact Steven Yvaska at email@example.com or 750 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95190.


text:
Gonzalez, Inge receive top awards
Rockies outfielder, Tigers infielder honored by peers
In a season marked by extraordinary performances on and off the field, Major League Baseball players bestowed their highest honors on two players -- Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is Player of the Year and Detroit Tigers infielder Brandon Inge is the Marvin Miller Man of the Year.
The Major League Baseball Players Trust will honor Gonzalez and Inge, the top Players Choice Award winners, with donations of $50,000 each to the charities of their choice. The awards announcements were made this morning on the Mike & Mike in the Morning Show during the finale of ESPN Radio's exclusive five-day Players Choice Awards broadcast special, presented by Majestic Athletic and 2K Sports and benefiting the Major League Baseball Players Trust.
Gonzalez, 25, helped keep the Rockies' playoff hopes alive for most of the season with an offensive performance worthy of one of the game's rising young superstars. In a career-high 145 games played this season, he led all National Leaguers in average (.336), hits (197) and total bases (351). In just his third Major League season, Gonzalez finished second among National Leaguers in RBIs (117) and slugging percentage (.598), third in runs (111) and fourth in homers (34). Earlier this week, Gonzalez captured his first-ever Players Choice Award when he was named the National League Outstanding Player. The Players Trust will contribute a total of $70,000 to the charity (or charities) of his choice in honor of his two Players Choice Awards.
Inge captured the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award, named for the founding executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association and awarded to the player whose on-field performances and community outreach most inspire others to higher levels of achievement. Inge displays as much passion to give back to others as he shows on the diamond as one of the game's most sure-handed infielders. Inge, 33, and a 10-year veteran of the Detroit Tigers, works closely with C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich. Inge frequently visits C.S. Mott and other local hospitals to form lasting bonds with children and their families. In 2007, Inge and his wife, Shani, made a $100,000 donation to Mott Children's Hospital to fund an infusion center to help treat pediatric cancer. On the field, this season Inge finished with 127 hits, including 28 doubles, in 144 games. In 1,226 2/3 innings played, Inge committed just nine errors to give him the third-best fielding percentage (.977) among all American League third basemen.
The Players Choice Awards annually honor the outstanding player, rookie, pitcher and comeback player in each league, and the Player of the Year and Man of the Year awards bestow top honors without regard to league. Balloting for the Players Choice Awards was conducted in September under the supervision of accounting firm KPMG.
The 2010 Players Choice Award winners in all categories will designate charities to receive grants totaling $260,000 from the Major League Baseball Players Trust, the charitable foundation created and run by the players themselves. (Individual league winners receive $20,000 grants, and Player of the Year and Man of the Year receive $50,000 grants.)
The Players Trust raises funds and attention for issues affecting the needy and promotes community involvement. Since 1992, the Players Trust has recognized the outstanding on-field and off-field performances of Players Choice Awards winners by contributing $3 million to charities around the world. For additional information, please visit www.MLBPLAYERS.com or visit the Players Trust channel on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/MLBPlayersTrust.
Please visit http://mlbplayers.mlb.com/pa/programs/choice_winners.jsp for a complete list of previous Players Choice Awards winners.
2010 Players Choice Awards finalists (winners in bold, underlined)
American League:
Outstanding Player: Jose Bautista (Toronto), Miguel Cabrera (Detroit), Josh Hamilton (Texas)
Outstanding Pitcher: Felix Hernandez (Seattle), David Price (Tampa Bay), CC Sabathia (NY Yankees)
Outstanding Rookie: Wade Davis (Tampa Bay), Neftali Feliz (Texas), Austin Jackson (Detroit)
Comeback Player: Freddy Garcia (Chicago White Sox), Vladimir Guerrero (Texas), Francisco Liriano (Minnesota)
National League:
Outstanding Player: Carlos Gonzalez (Colorado), Albert Pujols (St. Louis), Joey Votto (Cincinnati)
Outstanding Pitcher: Roy Halladay (Philadelphia), Ubaldo Jimenez (Colorado), Adam Wainwright (St. Louis)
Outstanding Rookie: Jaime Garcia (St. Louis), Jason Heyward (Atlanta), Buster Posey (San Francisco)
Comeback Player: R.A. Dickey (NY Mets), Tim Hudson (Atlanta), Aubrey Huff (San Francisco)
Either league:
Player of Year: Carlos Gonzalez (Colorado), Josh Hamilton (Texas), Joey Votto (Cincinnati)
Man of the Year: Torii Hunter (LA Angels of Anaheim), Brandon Inge (Detroit), Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado)
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Savannah native Amanda Barrow, a June 10 graduate of Lawrence University, has been awarded a 2012-13 Fulbright Fellowship to Taiwan.
The daughter of Alan and Gale Barrow will begin a 12-month appointment to teach English as a foreign language in Kaohsiung, Taiwan's second-largest city, and act as a unofficial goodwill ambassador.
Barrow is considering a career in teaching following graduation. She graduated with a degree in music and Chinese language and literature and began studying Chinese as a freshman at Lawrence.
She attended public schools here, including the Savannah Arts Academy and Coastal Middle School, before graduating from Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan in 2008.
The Fullbright Program was established in 1946 to provide opportunities to study, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to international concerns.


text:
I pointed out a couple of weeks ago on a thread you started [1], that Any::Moose really doesn't seem to be able to solve the problem that I perceive is claimed of it.
Under what circumstances will a CPAN module switching to using Any::Moose help?
[1] http://lists.scsys.co.uk/pipermail/html-formfu/2009-March/001834.html [scsys.co.uk]
Take the instance that one of your dependencies starts using Moose: unless you get really lucky and it happens to load before anything using Any::Moose, then the only way to ensure Any::Moos


text:
July 20, 2009
TwiGuy Joel Sends Me a Gift: London Film and Comic-con Pics
Everybody seems to know that I have a soft-spot for hunky werewolves. :-) With that in mind, TwiGuy Joel took some extra pics of Alex Meraz at London Film & Comic-Con and sent them to me, along with these others.
Thanks, Joel!
6 comments:
Oh, Joel is too cute. I just want to pinch his cheeks. Hmph, I think I'm turning into my grandmother - yep, it's true, there is a tissue tucked in my sleeve.ReplyDelete
Agh!I'm so jealous!I <3 me Alex (Paul)!Yummy!ReplyDelete
Alex (Paul) looks so smexy , cute! =)
Too cute indeed!! It is nice not see a screaming girl, but a nice young man!!ReplyDelete
Man Alex is hot.ReplyDelete
woah that last pic. rarrw!ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Superheroes Are the New Shakespeare
Screw Hamlet and Henry and regular Hero. Who Kenneth Branagh should have been focusing on all this time are superheroes. Superheroes like Thor, who has brought him by far the biggest of his directing career.
1) Thor — $66M
Behold! Bow before the mighty blond, bearded foreigner! No, not Thor. Kenneth Branagh! Who knew, right? Who knew that an English Shakespeare dork could take the reins of a behemoth superhero explode-a-thon and make it work? Good for him! I'd kind of thought the blossoming trend of having smaller artsy directors do big, grand event movies like this was snuffed out when Ang Lee managed to make a movie about a quiet, pensive Incredible Hulk, but I guess not. I know, I know, several of Branagh's earlier films, like Henry V and Frankenstein, weren't exactly tiny, but they weren't exactly Michael Bay movies either. I say we go further down the list of indie directors and do some really against-type hiring. Think about Mike Leigh bringing us a chatty, ambiguously ended Jubilee movie, or an acerbic-yet-wistful take on Aquaman from Nicole Holofcener! They could just work.
2) Fast Five — $32M
Dropping a steep sixty-something percent from last week's dizzy debut, this quiet Brazilian travelogue film from John Sayles is still a certified hit. It seems likely that a lot of last week's Fast Five audience was this week's Thor audience, and they can't be in two places at once. We'd say that this coming weekend their poor eyeball-tired girlfriends might get a break to see something they might want to see, namely Bridesmaids, but alas that futuristic vampire movie Priest also comes out on Friday, so there could be a fight. Sorry, ladeez!
3) Jumping the Broom — $13.7M
What's harder, taking the ferry and booking some expensive B&B and renting a car (or bikes) and having to buy a gift and a new dress for a Martha's Vineyard wedding, or plopping down thirteen bucks and buying some ten-dollar popcorn and seeing a Martha's Vineyard wedding in the comfort of your own local movie theater? The second one! The second one is definitely easier, hence this small movie's success this weekend. It's already doubled its production budget! This is how all (real) weddings should be done. Just call up Fathom Events and have them broadcast your wedding on movie screens rather than forcing everyone to spend $600 in a single weekend to watch you kiss and say dopey things to each other like weirdos in person. Your wedding isn't all about you, you know. Don't be so selfish.
4) Something Borrowed — $13.1M
A considerably more expensive, but also slightly wedding-themed, romantic comedy, Something Borrowed still did decently enough. Though for all the PA-barking, cord-dodging nuisance they caused yours truly by filming outside of our offices last year, the movie really should have done a lot better. This movie isn't all about you, Kate Hudson! It's about me too. And if I want to walk down the street to get to work, I don't want some uppity New York Film Academy graduate PA on a bad walkie-talkie power trip telling me I can't. They were almost as bad as the Eat Pray Love PA who once walked into my apartment building to tell me (and others) that we couldn't stand in our hallway while they filmed their silly movie. Jerks, all of you!
11) Insidious — $1.3M
With a budget of $1.5 million and so-far receipts of a little over $50 million, this is basically this year's most profitable movie so far. Way to go, everyone! I can't wait for all the knock-off movies like Irredeemable and Repulsive and just plain old Disgusting. That'll be a good one. Disgusting, starring Greg Kinnear and Kate Beckinsale. "There's a ghost in this house and it is... disgusting."


text:
Hello all, (first post here, be nice please, Thanks)
I own an XFX 6870 (dual fan edition, woot) and I have also purchased a second 6870. The strange part about it though, is that it has no branding manufacturer other than ATI (or AMD, I forget at the moment). It's very long board, has a full size displayport connection (not through an adapter, literally on the card instead of two minis) and it has TWO CROSSFIRE fingers. I don't currently own a third 6870, but I was wondering if it would function in Tri fire (assuming a standard crossfire cable and a long one would work together to get the strange setup to work as described below) or if the fact that this seems to be a freak card would have issues with drivers and would be a waste of time and money to try to acquire a third card. Thanks for the assistance
Standard cable here between left two (above and below)
long cable from right finger of above to left on card below


text:
The annual expo -- to be held October 7-9 in New Orleans -- offers something for everyone.
This year, the Specialty Graphics and Imaging Association Expo (SGIA) is swinging through New Orleans, offering big opportunities in The Big Easy. No matter your print
trade, the expo—to be held October 7-9 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center—has you covered.
Though New Orleans is often known as a town that can take its toll on the expense report, you don't have to break the bank to experience the 2009 edition of the expo and
have a good time. SGIA understands the current financial crunch under which most print providers find themselves. Offering a handful of free educational sessions, SGIA believes attendees should use the event as a source to explore future opportunities.
"The SGIA community is on a positive track for future success, but it will be a fast and ever-evolving ride," says Michael Robertson, SGIA's president and CEO. "I encourage
you to stay informed and hold your position on the leading-edge as new opportunities emerge. You'll see many new opportunities and the innovative technologies to make
them happen at the 2009 SGIA Expo."
Application zones and inspiration
SGIA is projecting attendance at 15,000 people. Luckily, like the Crescent City, the SGIA Expo has something for everyone, and has created three special "Expert Advice Zones" for specific areas of applications/opportunities that print providers may want to explore:
• The Graphics Application Zone, hosted by SGIA's Professional Decal Application Alliance (PDAA), will showcase in-person demonstrations of graphics by vehicle-wrap
experts to various objects and surfaces: truck trailers, autos, tables, brick, glass, concrete, walls, and floors. Attendees will also be able to try their hand at various types
of install work, utilizing films, pressure-sensitive media, inks, etc.
• The latest apparel concepts will be on display in the Digital Apparel Production Zone, where technologies such as dye-sub, direct-to-garment inkjet, heat transfer, print-and-cut vinyl, drying, and more will be on display. Apparel experts will be on hand to provide
info on technology, profi ts, pricing models, tips and tricks, and more.
• There's also the Digital Textile Finishing Zone, where attendees can meet leading industry suppliers and see digital textile-finishing concepts such as sewing, grommeting, seaming, edge-welding, trimming, and dye-sublimation transfer.


text: I have have of a set of head rip control lying around, and I need a recommendation on what to hybrid it with. I want to use it in the mains, but I am unsure of what to use in the crosses. Should I use poly, or syn gut? Help would be appreciated. Thanks.


text:
Lady Gaga Asserts Her Dominance Once More With 'ARTPOP' Announcement
She's back!
Lady Gaga broke her Twitter silence to announce her 'ARTPOP' release date and drop some of the album's artwork. The brunette beauty rocks some weird white and clear plastic half-mask, but that's no here no there — she still looks fantastic.
Mother Monster revealed that 'ARTPOP' will drop on Nov. 11 as both an album and an app, calling the effort "a rage of electronic passion and fury." Alright.
Gaga broke the news via a somewhat baffling statement on her Little Monsters site, describing the project as "a musical and visual engineering system that combines music, art, fashion and technology" and claiming that the listener/user will feel the "adrenaline of fame" through their veins.
At least when she broke her hip she didn't break her sense of overwhelming pretension.
Further driving that point home? Gaga also insists that 'ARTPOP' "alters the human experience with social media in a Warholian way."
To further sell her third record, Gaga's hosting an 'artRAVE' with Dutch fashion photographers Inez & Vinoodh as well as balloon artist Jeff Koons on Nov. 10. Because Gaga.
The first 'ARTPOP' single is out Aug. 19. Here's hoping it can live up to the hype. Considering she can actually sing her ass off, it shouldn't be this hard of a sell.


text:
Macmahon receives 'strike' despite pay cuts
Macmahon shareholders have delivered a ''first strike'' against the company's remuneration report, despite staff and executive pay cuts.
Proxy votes lodged at Macmahon's annual general meeting on Friday showed 43 per cent of shareholders voted against the report. The company said 149 million shareholders had voted in favour of the report, while 116 million shareholders were against it, and three million abstained.
A quarter of shareholders are needed to vote against a company's remuneration report to register a ''first strike''. If at least 25 per cent of shareholders vote against the company's remuneration report again in 2013, it could pave the way for a board spill.
However chairman Ken Scott-Mackenzie said votes by the company's major shareholder Leighton Holdings, which owns a 19.5 per cent stake in Macmahon, were not included among the proxy votes.
The final tally of all votes is expected to be announced to the ASX later on Friday. Mr Scott-Mackenzie said the final remuneration vote would be very close, but he would not comment on individual shareholders.
Ealier at the AGM, newly appointed chief executive Ross Carroll said staff and pay cuts hade been made since a company review was completed on October 31, but did not say how many staff lost their jobs.
The review began in August as market conditions began to tighten, he told shareholders at Macmahon's annual general meeting today.
''This has, unfortunately, meant that some roles were made redundant,'' he said. ''While this has not been an easy process for our people, the changes we have put in place will be essential to driving business improvement and cost efficiency.''
The company has also introduced a hiring freeze, reduced its office space and cut discretionary spending, Mr Carroll said.
In addition, executives have agreed to take a 10 per cent pay cut for the remainder of the 2012-13 financial year.
''It was essential that the executive management team lead from the top as we strive to reduce costs,'' Mr Carroll said.
The changes are expected to save more than $10 million, but that will be partially offset by redundancy costs, he said.
In September, Macmahon said cost overruns with a rail project in Western Australia, as well as the expectation of fewer contract wins, meant its profit for 2012-13 would be about half that of the previous year.
Former chief executive Nick Bowen quit on the same day the company cut its earnings guidance.
Chairman Ken Scott-Mackenzie told Friday's meeting the company would record a loss for the first half of the financial year.
''We expect a return to regular profit margins in the second half to achieve the company's earnings guidance,'' he said.
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Sign up for our daily wrap of the news you need to start your day.


text:
How did you pick your screen name?
- I've played a few Vampire games, Casanova was always the alias I went by in those instances, just sounded like a good vampire name.
How did you come to read Twilight and which book is your favorite?
- I was at the Customer Service desk in Barnes & Noble reserving a book when I noticed her wearing a button that read "I was *bitten* by Breaking Dawn". I asked her about it as well as a few other employees and they said it was amazing.
Who do you like best: Edward, Bella, or Jacob?
- So far, Edward, I haven't finished the first book yet but he is just the way he displays his vampire strengths while at the same time showing this infinite love for someone he can barely resist, it just amazes me.
Who is your favorite minor character?
- Not quite sure, I mean like I said I haven't finished Twilight. None of the other characters are as likable to me as the Cullen family. I'll just say Emmett (and I might get flamed for saying he's a minor character), he's just this bear of a man that fears nothing.
What are your hobbies?
- Strength and Conditioning, Yoga, Film Acting, Video Games, and Reading.
Where are you from (general area like Montana, not exact town!)
- Michigan
How old are you? (In general, like teen, 20's, 30's, 40's etc)
- Early 20's
Anything else you would like to share?
- (Might contain a minor spoiler if you haven't read the first book) Heh, yes in fact. I only really started delving into novels a few years ago. That being said, I restricted myself purely to medieval fantasy novels, R.A. Salvatore above all others.
Don't get me wrong, I loved ninety percent of the novels I read, they excited me and stirred emotions of all kinds, things I didn't think a book could accomplish.
Now I've always been a sucker for love movies (I know I'm a guy and that's weird), but nothing prepared me for what was waiting behind the cover of "Twilight." When I first started reading it, I didn't think much of it, mainly because it was written in the first person and for a younger audience, so it seemed simpler than the books I'd been reading. However as I read on, I began to really feel for Bella's story, finding a particular interest in the Cullen family and why they acted the way they did. Then, I read as Bella and Edward revealed their feelings for each other for the first time. The love between these two was so passionate, so strong, that it stirred my heart in ways nothing else has. How many of us long to find our Bella/Edward? Longing to love someone so deeply and to have that love returned equally.
This book was so good that I almost finished it in one sitting. I can only hope that the rest of the novels are just as good.
I searched for this forum specifically to find people like you guys; like minded readers who aren't afraid to jump into books like these and surrender their emotions to the fate of the pages.
I'm looking forward to this community.


text:
> Most of the new people are probably casual CPAN::Reporter users
That could be true if they've handcrafted their own script, but CPAN::Reporter does the RightThing(tm) as far as formatting the distribution file name, which should be what is passed. However, it doesn't do any validation, so that might be something worth patching, just to ensure we get the right thing.
Thanks also for the updated address.


text:
Thanks for helping us sort this video!
Thanks for helping us associate the correct Pornstars to this video!
Help Us: Do these Pornstars appear in this video?
Pornstar Name:
whenever im watching porn and i see someone like this, i imagine seeing her in the street wearing normal clothes and thinking ohhhh ma god what i would give to see that girl naked and then im really seeing it!!! makes me all the more turned on
Auf sie hab ich schon vor 10 Jahren gewixt. Und heute tu ichs immer noch. Love you babe.
This Veronica Zemanova has one of the hottest bods I have ever seen.Absolutely perfect.Even my girl friend likes this babe.We rate her a 10/10+.
how does it feel veronika to know you were the hottest lay to anyone you ever fukt?
the video doesnt work ;(...
is nice
Hottest body ever !!! I love her !!!
i wanna fuck her
cazzo ragazzi, e tutta la sera che non faccio altro che cercare tutti i video di veronica zemanova sul web e segarmi su di lei...non riesco a smettere...i'm veronica addicted! dio quanto mi eccita...ti fa venire con uno sguardo...e una vera dea del porno...la amo sul serio...ora ho un cazzo enorme e una voglia sfrenata di un 69 con lei...aaaaaahhhhh che figata spaziale!
yes, it's one of my favourite pornstars! i'm so hooooornyyyyy aaaaahhhhh
Shes not perfect, her tits are too seperated from each other and her ass is too small. Almost perfect though.
I could imagine, that she is Jade or Kitana from The Mortal Kombat Game, just with short Hair
trop bonne
ohne worte nur spritzen
or is she TOO hot? might be my low self esteem talking but... too hot..
awesome boobs!!
prosto super telka!
oh men.. i love her!!She is so hot!!!!!!!!!!!
ovo kuci imat pa j... cijeli dan kad nisi zauzet je drama
i like your boobs
i'm crazy for her!!
Idon't think they're natural but they look great anyway...
wow are those natural?
Hottest body in history ....unbelieveable example of perfection
love her. she's got the hottest boobs all over the world
one of the sexiest ive seen. come visit me .
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text:
Type: Defect
Status: Closed
Priority: Minor
Resolution: Completed
Affects Version/s: Release 1.5
Fix Version/s: Release 1.6
Component/s: None
Patch:Code and Test
clojure.java.io/resource corrupts path containing UTF-8 characters without issuing warning. (The behavior in the example below is not specific to JDK 8 or Clojure 1.5.0. It is seen with the latest Clojure master as of Sep 15, 2013, and with JDK 6 and JDK 7.)
user=> (System/getProperty "java.runtime.version") "1.8.0-ea-b79" user=> (clojure-version) "1.5.0" user=> (System/getProperty "user.dir") "/dir/déf" user=> (clojure.java.io/resource "myfile.txt") #<URL file:/dir/d%c3%a9f/resources/myfile.txt> user=> (slurp (clojure.java.io/resource "myfile.txt") :encoding "UTF-8") FileNotFoundException /dir/déf/resources/myfile.txt (No such file or directory) java.io.FileInputStream.open (FileInputStream.java:-2)
The implementation of method as-file of protocol Coercions for class java.net.URL transforms each occurrence of '%xy', where x and y are hex digits in ASCII, to a separate character in the result. The correct behavior is to treat sequences of more than one '%xy' as a byte sequence encoded in UTF-8, where single Unicode code points (i.e. 'Unicode characters') are encoded with anywhere from 1 to 4 bytes.
Patch: clj-1177-patch-v2.diff
Change method as-file for class java.net.URL to use method java.net.URLDecoder.decode to decode the contents of a URL string.
The only issue with java.net.URLDecoder.decode's behavior is that it changes plus-sign characters to spaces, which according to at least one of the existing unit tests should not happen in as-file. To work around this, first explicitly encode any plus-sign characters in the given URL string, using method java.net.URLEncoder.encode. After that, pass the result to method decode.
Other approaches:
Patch clj-1177-patch-v1.txt represents an alternate approach that does its own 'unescaping' of UTF-8 encoded URL strings, without relying on class java.net.URLDecoder. As a result, it is longer and more detailed.
Screened by: Alex Miller
Below is a workaround, at least. I don't know, but perhaps the as-file method for URLs in io.clj of Clojure, the part that converts %hh sequences to a character with code point in the range 0 through 255, is at least partly at fault here. I don't know right now if it is possible to modify that code to handle the general case of whatever character encoding munging is going on here to when .getResource creates the URL object.
clojure.java.io/resource is documented to return a Java object of type java.net.URL, which seems like it does %hh escaping of many characters. Reference [1] to a Java bug from 2001 where a Java user was surprised by the then-recent change in behavior of the getResource method [2].
Doing a little searching I found this StackOverflow question [3], which has what might be a workaround. I tried it on my Mac OS X 10.6 system running JDK 1.6 and it seemed to work:
(slurp (.getContent (clojure.java.io/resource "abcíd/foo.txt")))
That getContent is a method for class java.net.URL [4]
[1] http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/view_bug.do?bug_id=4466485
[2] http://docs.oracle.com/javase/1.5.0/docs/api/java/lang/Class.html#getResource%28java.lang.String%29
[3] http://stackoverflow.com/questions/13013629/best-international-alternative-to-javas-getclass-getresource
[4] http://docs.oracle.com/javase/1.5.0/docs/api/java/net/URL.html#getContent%28%29
Hi Andy,
Thanks for the background and suggestions, that's very helpful.
I'm gradually learning Clojure with no Java experience. In this case I was searching for the preferred Clojure way to access items in directories declared under :resource-paths in a Leiningen project.clj file. Perhaps clojure.java.io/resource isn't the best way to do this as it's possibly too tied to the expectation for a URI instead of a more general IRI.
You're suggested workaround did work for my use case:
(slurp (.getContent (clojure.java.io/resource "abcíd/foo.txt")))
but hopefully there would be more native/direct Clojure way to accomplish the same eventually.
I don't know if java.net.IDN would be useful internally as a fix in clojure.java.io/resource — I'm assuming not since it wasn't added until Java 6.[1]
user=> (import 'java.net.IDN) java.net.IDN user=> (java.net.IDN/toASCII "/dir/déf") "xn--/dir/df-gya" user=> (java.net.IDN/toUnicode "xn--/dir/df-gya") "/dir/déf"
[1]: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/net/IDN.html
user=> (import 'java.net.IDN) java.net.IDN user=> (java.net.IDN/toASCII "/dir/déf") "xn--/dir/df-gya" user=> (java.net.IDN/toUnicode "xn--/dir/df-gya") "/dir/déf"
Patch clj-1177-patch-v1.txt dated Mar 8 2013 is an attempt to solve this issue, in what I think may be a correct way. As specified in RFC 3986, when taking a Unicode string and making a URL of it, it should be encoded in UTF-8 and then each individual byte is subject to the %HH hex encoding. This patch reverses that to turn URLs into file names.
Tested on Mac OS X 10.6 with a command line like this (it doesn't work without the -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8 option on my Mac, probably because the default encoding is MacRoman):
% java -cp clojure.jar:path/to/resource -Dfile.encoding=UTF-8 clojure.main
user=> (require '[clojure.java.io :as io])
user=> (io/resource "abcíd/foo.txt")
#<URL file:/Users/jafinger/clj/clj-ns-browser/resource/abc%c3%add/foo.txt>
user=> (slurp (io/resource "abcíd/foo.txt"))
"The quick brown fox jumped over the lázy dög!\n"
I think the original code and all of these suggestions are missing more obvious answers already in the JDK (and better).
1. URLs can be converted to URIs which can be passed to the File constructor:
(java.io.File. (.toURI (io/resource "abcíd/foo.txt")))
2. Or we could also leverage URLDecoder instead of that nasty escaping mess currently in the code.
(java.io.File. (URLDecoder/decode (.getFile (io/resource "abcíd/foo.txt")) "UTF-8")))
(java.io.File. (.toURI (io/resource "abcíd/foo.txt")))
(java.io.File. (URLDecoder/decode (.getFile (io/resource "abcíd/foo.txt")) "UTF-8")))
One big caveat: the alternatives I gave above only work for absolute URLs. Relative URLs would need some massaging. I think to cover those, #2 would be better as it gives you a hook to look at the output of getFile and decide whether it's relative.
On my system (Mac OS X 10.8.4, JVM 1.7.0_15):
#1 has the same problem of munging characters as the current code does. At least, I got errors trying to open a file with an accented "a" in it, because it tried to open a file with a name that had two characters in place of the accented "a".
#2 is better, but it fails with one of the tests that calls (clojure.java.io/as-file (URL. "file:bar+baz")). With your version #2, URLDecoder/decode changes the plus to a space, and the test comparison to the expected result of (File. "bar+baz") fails. I don't know if that is a good test or not, but if it is, the documentation I read for URLDecoder/decode suggests that it will always change plus to space, regardless of whether it is an absolute or relative URL.
Patch clj-1177-patch-v2.txt dated Sep 1 2013 uses URLDecoder/decode to do the decoding of the URL, but only after encoding any plus signs in the URL first, so that they remain plus signs in the returned file name, and are not changed to spaces.
This patch also adds one new test for as-file.
I'm a little late to this party, but is there a reason not to use .getResourceAsStream() (which returns an InputStream) instead of .getResource() (which returns a URL).
We wouldn't have to worry about reversing encoding if we avoided encoding in the first place. This change is compatible with io/reader, though a more conservative approach would be to add a new stream-resource function.
Chris, I may be missing something in your question, but this bug was due to clojure.java.io/resource returning a value that was incorrect when the resource name contained non-ASCII characters.
After getting a correct return value form clojure.java.io/resource, you can choose to call clojure.java.io/reader on it if you want to read it as text, with UTF-8, UTF-16, etc. encoding, or you can choose instead to call clojure.java.io/input-stream on it if you want to read it as a byte sequence.
However, neither of those second steps can work unless the resource can be found by name somehow.
If that doesn't address your question, please try again.
Hi Andy,
My understanding of the reason for io/resource returning a bad value is that the file path is URL-encoded in the return type, which of class Url. This is because the Java .getResource() (http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/lang/ClassLoader.html#getResource(java.lang.String)) method called by io/resource returns a URL, so the encoding happens even before we get back to Clojure-land.
.getResourceAsStream() (http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/lang/ClassLoader.html#getResourceAsStream(java.lang.String)) is a similar method to .getResource(), but it returns an InputStream. As it doesn't return a Url, the URL-encoding that causes our issue never happens, and so does not need to be decoded.
As it happens, io/reader works with either an InputStream or a Url, so it happily consumes both the output of .getResource() and .getResourceAsStream().
Avoiding unwanted encoding seems like a more robust solution than encoding and decoding, especially in cases where e.g. the path appears to already have been encoded, perhaps already containing a %20.
I checked whether there would be a problem with paths already containing escape sequences e.g. "strange%20namespace.clj", but Clojure 1.6 does the right thing.
Here's a proof-of-concept for how we could use .getResourceAsStream():
(defn ^java.io.InputStream stream-resource "Returns an InputStream for a named resource. Use the context class loader if no loader is specified. Based on clojure.java.io/resource" ([n] (stream-resource n (.getContextClassLoader (Thread/currentThread)))) ([n ^ClassLoader loader] (.getResourceAsStream loader n))) (-> "file_encoding/strange%20namespace.clj" stream-resource io/reader slurp)
(defn ^java.io.InputStream stream-resource "Returns an InputStream for a named resource. Use the context class loader if no loader is specified. Based on clojure.java.io/resource" ([n] (stream-resource n (.getContextClassLoader (Thread/currentThread)))) ([n ^ClassLoader loader] (.getResourceAsStream loader n))) (-> "file_encoding/strange%20namespace.clj" stream-resource io/reader slurp)
So you are not saying that there is a bug in the current implementation in Clojure 1.6.0, but that with some new functions implemented and published as part of the API, a developer could get from a resource name to an input stream more efficiently than with the current API?
I'm not sure why this discussion is here - if there is a request for enhancement, please file a new ticket that we can assess and target.


text:
Secret wedding mission
The meeting
"In 2006, at my sister's engagement party I saw this super cute and super confident guy strutting his stuff," says Danielle. Dane and Danielle started dancing together later in the evening and she was hooked. "I'd never met a guy that I was so confident and witty around! There was definitely something there." They went on their first date but it ended soon after as Danielle's dad wasn't happy about the age difference (18 and 23). "One secret date to see a gig and one year later, at my sister's wedding rehearsal we got together! Life from then on has been fun, crazy and full of adventure," says the 23 year-old.
The proposal
Dane popped the question while they were on an eight week four-wheel driving adventure in Central Australia. They had spent the day quad biking around Kings Creek Cattle Station near Kings Canyon. At the end of the day, Chris, one of the workers on the station, asked if Danielle minded going for a longer ride. "I said no, as I was having a great time and completely unaware of what was about to unfold...We hit a steep climb on the bikes, then arrived at a plateau looking out at desert bush for miles," she says. Dane had arranged for kerosene candles, a bonfire and a double swag to be set up. Dinner was to be a three course meal cooked by Chris, which they ate as the sun set. "In front of the fire and pink and blue skies, Dane got down on one knee and proposed. We had a beautiful night under the stars, both unbelievably happy."
The wedding day
"Walking down the aisle to Dane, made me cry a lot!" says Danielle. They wrote their own vows for the day and made sure they chose music that was significant to them – Lisa Mitchell, Eddie Vedder and Gotye. Dane had had a motorbike accident earlier in the year and was still on crutches so it was a real highlight to see him walking out of the church and dancing at the reception says Danielle. They created a 1940s vintage feel by making bouquets out of vintage brooches that belonged to Danielle's grandmother, having the men dressed in uniform and using an old typewriter as a guestbook. "Very fun!" she says.
The dress
Danielle wore an ivory, strapless tulle gown with a sweetheart neckline and lace overlay. It was the Pronovias Alcanar gown which she had altered by Heather Sellick.
The cake
It was a two-tiered orange, poppyseed and jaffa cake. It was decorated with ivory icing and was made by Danielle's sister.
The photography
The photos were taken by Daniel Sheehan Photography.
The honeymoon
They went on a surprise trip organised by Dane – touring the Victorian High Country for a week in an Mx-5 convertible. They went through Myrtleford, Bright, Mt Hotham, Omeo and Lakes Entrance.
If you are from VIC, NSW, QLD or WA and would like your wedding to be featured on Wedding of the Week, please click here to provide us with the necessary information and pictures.
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text:
Judging Apple CakesMonday, April 7th, 2008
I want to warn you that should someone ask you one day to judge an apple cake recipe, you would be wise to think it over before saying yes. Because while visions of fluffy sponges and caramelized apples and layered cakes dusted with powdered sugar might tease your taste buds, the reality is something else.
I was asked if I would be available to judge an apple cake competition on the final day of the Girls Day Out event held in Auckland recently. I replied nonchalantly 'sure', as you do, and didn't think any more about it until the day of judging.
This is how we get ourselves into trouble. Saying 'yes' to things we haven't fully listened to or investigated.
A dozen or so apple cakes appeared in my peripheral vision some time in the afternoon. Mmmm. I remembered I had something to do with them. I did my demonstration, cleaned up, then the cakes were brought up onto the demonstration bench. Now this is tricky. Judging in the back kitchen where you can poke and prod proffered specimens unseen, where you can say what you truly feel, and even spit out anything revolting (and, there's always one!), is different to being on stage with the cameras rolling and everyone hanging on your every word!
Picture this: There was a kind of hush as I cut into my first cake. My stomach threatened a revolt when I realised that I would have to eat a little of each one. That's when I regreted agreeing to do the judging. The cake-makers were in the audience, too, and I could hear little intakes of breath, and feel their eyes boring into me as they awaited my pronouncements. You could hear a pin drop. The first cake looked attractive and was nicely cooked – a shallowish sort of sponge covered with sliced Granny Smith apples, which have just come into season, and dusted with icing sugar. Looks can be deceiving, but not this time, the cake was quite delicious. What a relief. An assortment of cakes followed, some not so successful and others good family standbys, and one or two more exceptional cakes. It probably took me about 15 minutes to judge a dozen cakes. The judging was compered by the event's MC, and every so often I made a comment, trying not to spit bits of cake over everyone (well, you try and talk with your mouth full of cake!) and for the entire 15 minutes, I kept a smile on my face, in order not to offend anyone or to give anything away.
Luckily, this time there were three good cakes, and a clear winner, though none of them hit the highs of my German sister-in-law Dolores' apple cake, a soft pillowy sponge with apples embedded throughout in layers, and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar on the top. Perfection. Anyone want the recipe?


text:
Your location: Home > > National Communications (Non-Annex I) > Consultative Group of Experts
Workshop on exchange of experiences and good practices among non-Annex I Parties in preparing
At SBI 25, Parties endorsed the work programme of the CGE for 2007 and in particular the workshop on exchange of experiences and good practices among non-Annex I Parties in preparing national communications and on cross-cutting issues. The workshop aims:
1. To improve the process of preparing national communications through exchange of good practices among experts in areas such as establishing a system for managing the preparation of national communications, promoting South-South cooperation, national communications in the context of national development planning and building capacity to ensure continuity of work on national communications; and
2. To train experts from non-Annex I Parties on how to report information under the section "other information considered relevant to the achievement of the objective of the Convention" in the national communications using the template prepared by the CGE.
Programme (115 kB)
List of Participants (140 kB)


text:
- Home
- Apple Cases
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- iPhone 4 | 4S Cases
- SwitchEasy (Mican) Colors Silicone Case for Apple iPhone 4 / 4S - 124234
SwitchEasy (Mican) Colors Silicone Case for Apple iPhone 4 / 4S - 124234
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SwitchEasy believes that the nature of silicone is already good for gripping, and any cheese grater lines or embossed logo would sabotage the beauty of the material. With colors, you will just see a plain case, which is made of the best silicone combined with the most vibrant colors you will see on any silicone product in the market.
Colors is the definite eye candy accessory for your iPhone 4. With Colors for iPhone 4, SwitchEasy scoured the world for the best silicone on the market. From the eco-friendly smooth coating to the rigid silicone material used, the case will protect your iPhone 4 for years to come.
SwitchEasy pays substantial attention on the tactility of all the buttons on their cases. All the button elements are meticulously engineered to allow easy access and ultimate tactile response.
Colors is one of the first full covered cases in the market. In addition to their traditional connector protector, SwitchEasy have also included a color co-ordinated 3.5mm jack protector for users just wanting to use it as a plain phone. With Colors, dust and grime are the problems for the past.
Included in the package is everything you need to protect and accessorize your new iPhone 4:
- One Colors unit
- Two anti-static Screen Guards
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Cases.com offers 90 days warranty. Manufacturer's warranty applies.
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text:
U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet said Wednesday that before he makes a decision on military intervention in Syria, he wants to be assured that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was behind the use of chemical weapons that killed 1,400 Syrian civilians, and that any U.S. response would be of a limited nature.
Bennet spoke to Post editorial writer Alicia Caldwell on The Roundup, a public affairs discussion conducted by The Post's editorial board.
"I think we have a series of lousy options," Bennet said.
Bennet said he will receive an intelligence briefing when he returns to Washington Thursday and he expects to get the information he'll need to make a decision. Generally, Bennet said he favors military action, but said it should be carried out in a way that doesn't entangle the U.S. in another Iraq or Afghanistan.
During the interview, Bennet also discussed prospects for passage of the farm bill, important to Colorado farmers, and the impending debt ceiling debate in Congress.


text:
Vs Indiana
@ Washington
@ Miami
@ Indiana
Realistically I only expect us to win two of these games at most. That being said this team has pulled off shockers all season so who knows.
The key will be to somehow win the home game against Indiana and make sure we win against Chicago and Washington. Those away games against Miami and Indiana are going to be close to unwinnable.


text:
Boozman pledges to help constituents 'any way he can' By Adam Franks Reporter
Area officials and civic leaders met with U.S. Rep. John Boozman Thursday morning at the Freedom House in Russellville to discuss community services and development in the Arkansas River Valley.
Franklin County Judge Joe Powell presented an economic stimulus award to Bobby Jones, general manager of Love's Travel Stop in Ozark.
"Our slogan is making a difference," Jones said. "I realize and my team members realize that the way we treat our customers is a direct reflection upon the community we are in. We love Ozark; it's a great community."
Love's Travel Stop was the first business to locate at the Ozark exit on Interstate 40 as part of a public-private community partnership with the city of Ozark and Franklin County government. The Arkansas River Valley Area Council (ARVAC) qualified as a Community Economic Development Corporation to receive a federal Urban-Rural Economic Development Grant in the amount of $275,000 in 1992 from the Office of Community Services. ARVAC executive director Bob Atkinson said the grant funds were matched through donations by several local organizations, bringing the total funds for the project to approximately $600,000.
"The creation of 56 jobs for low income people is the biggest impact of this project," Atkinson said.
Atkinson said ARVAC has received more than $13 million since 2004, and approximately 22 percent of those funds have come from a Community Services Block Grant.
"The important thing is wealth management," Atkinson said. "We're doing a good job, and I'm saying that sincerely. We're getting good mileage out of our resources."
Dr. Jo Alice Blondin, chancellor of Arkansas Tech University's Ozark campus and the chairperson for the Single Parent Scholarship Committee in Franklin County, discussed the importance of providing financial aid to single parents seeking higher education.
"This a community-based scholarship," Blondin said. "The goal of the Single Parent Scholarship Fund is to assist single parents in completing post-secondary education and obtaining employment. It's an economic development activity. It is funded to ensure we break the cycle of generational poverty, and we model good behaviors for children.
Brooke Biggs, a special education major at the University of the Ozarks and scholarship recipient, said the extra money helps with the little things.
"The biggest impact I've gotten from the scholarship is that extra money I just set aside to use for my girls, and they can have those extra things they need," Biggs said. "The most important thing I've gotten from the scholarship is a little bit of time that it's allowed me. The less time I spend at work, the more time I get to be with [my daughters]."
Several Low-income Energy Assistance families and Food Bank Commodity Distribution volunteers discussed the impacts of the programs which are both part of the Community Services Block Grant on the everyday lives of participants and the community.
Boozman said election-year politics are influencing appropriations activities for community services, but meeting in a dialogue environment helps maintain relationships with local leaders.
"I get to meet a lot of people I normally wouldn't get to meet," Boozman said. "We're caught up in the politics of the election year, and the leaders may be waiting until after the election for appropriations. I'll help anyway I can."


text:
Open CBD shops on Saturday night, says sector
Online shopping and tourists' expectations give weight to the argument for new laws to allow longer trading hours in Brisbane, especially on Saturday night in the city, industry figures say.
State legislation requires organisations to make applications to trade beyond allowable hours to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, which considers issues such as locality and public interest before making a ruling.
The system is "antiquated and outdated" according to National Retail Association chief executive Trevor Evans who advocates the "relaxation" of trading hours in southeast Queensland, particularly for competitive urban "hot-spots" such as inner-Brisbane.
But Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie says the current system, which splits Queensland across a range of different trading zones and sees most stores shut by 6pm on weekends, doesn't need to change.
His position was supported by Premier Campbell Newman earlier this year after United Retail Federation general manager Bruce Mills indicated small businesses would cease to stand in opposition.
Mr Newman said he was surprised by the URF's about-face – which deviates from the anti-deregulation position held by IGA - and ruled out making changes.
However his administration has also promised to reduce red tape and regulation by 20 per cent by 2018, and a report released Queensland Competition Authority earlier this year recommended a review.
Despite his opposition to change, Mr Bleijie acknowledged the report and said it estimated a potential net benefit from reform at $200 million per year.
"The Government considers the current system to be both fair and independent," he said.
"Any moves to deregulate trading hours will need to be a more considered and deliberative review, with a thorough consultation process."
Mr Evans said the NRA didn't support the full deregulation but was currently advocating extended trading for several inner-Brisbane zones affecting the city and suburbs including New Farm, Newstead, Petrie Terrace, Hamilton, Kelvin Grove and Spring Hill.
"We would say that increased urban development in those areas - the retail hot spots – has lead to growing demand among consumers to have more trading hours," he said.
"The world is changing, the retail sector is undergoing a once-in-a-generation structural change with globalisation and digitalisation, and it's redefining what retail means.
"The trading-hours regime we have at the moment is antiquated and outdated and it puts a lot of our retailers at a disadvantage.
"Certainly, in southeast Queensland, we want to see a relaxation – which would be gradual but ongoing – to minimise the shock."
The idea of developing new economies to boost local business was also raised by Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk last year as part of a plan to "fix" Fortitude Valley.
In July, Cr Quirk recommended to the Valley Chamber of Commerce that developing night-time economies in the CBD and Fortitude Valley so that people could "buy a drink or shop for shoes" would improve safety.
Long-time independent fashion retailer Julie Tengdahl, who sells her eponymous label from her stores in Fortitude Valley and Brisbane city, said longer trading hours were a good idea if there were people willing to shop.
Ms Tengdahl said a shake-up could also make shopping in Brisbane more appealing to foreign visitors who were used to longer trading hours.
"It would be a bit embarrassing to have delegates here for G20 and not being able to serve them for example," she said.
"Brisbane might not yet have enough density to support longer hours or late-night trading on a Saturday across the board, but in the city I think it could be a good idea, even if it's just on a temporary basis around big events."
Katherine Feeney is a journalist with the Nine Network Australia. She is also one of Australia's leading commentators on sex, love, dating and relationships via her popular blog CityKat.
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