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Pedroia, Kinsler shining at second base
Two AL infielders battling for starting role in All-Star Game
By Doug Miller / MLB.com
The two have spent the past two months battling each other every week for the top spot in American League All-Star voting at their position, and it's going right down to the wire. Taking a look at their impressive career resumes and 2009 statistics, it's not surprising that the race has narrowed to a mere 6,830 votes, with the Rangers' Kinsler holding that slim lead.
Pedroia, who won the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2007 and also got a World Series ring with the Red Sox that year, followed those accolades with an All-Star appearance, Gold Glove Award and AL Most Valuable Player Award in 2008. Now, before his 26th birthday in August, he's a proven team leader.
Pedroia has heated up again after a brief slump and raised his batting average to .288. He's also scored 54 runs in 73 games, and he's drawn 37 walks while striking out 22 times in 292 at-bats. All of this despite a recent 1-for-28 skid in early June.
"I'll be fine," Pedroia said right before busting out of that skid. "You go through tough times during the season when you play so hard and so many games. You're going to have tough bumps in the road, but you get back on track."
Kinsler, meanwhile, has been on track all season.
A first-time All-Star with the Rangers last year, Kinsler has already belted 18 homers in 74 games this season after compiling the same number of long balls over a 121-game season in 2008.
Kinsler's slugging percentage is at a career-high .517, too, making him a legitimate middle-of-the-order threat for any lineup, even though he usually leads off in Texas' slugger-stocked batting order.
And most important, the Rangers are in a battle for first place in the AL West, something Kinsler's contributions have been a big part of. All of it adds up to a race to the finish for the top slot at second base for the 80th All-Star Game, which will be played July 14 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
"That's awesome," Kinsler said of still maintaining a slim lead. "I'm still up. I'm sure there will be 2,000 people in Boston who will vote for Dustin. Hopefully 8,000 more will vote for me. We need New York but they've got their own second baseman. Who knows? I'd love to be in St. Louis rather than the lake, whether I'm a starter or not."
Kinsler remained humble, though, when asked if he deserved to be ahead in the voting.
"It's tough to say," he said. "There are a lot of second basemen who have had very good first halves. I'm not saying anybody deserves or doesn't deserve to go. I want to go. I don't know what else to say."
In-stadium voting has ended, but fans can still vote online for starters up to 25 times with the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Online Ballot at MLB.com and all 30 club sites until Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Starting rosters will be announced during the 2009 All-Star Game Selection Show presented by Pepsi on TBS on July 5. Baseball fans around the world will then be able to select the final player on each team via the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote at MLB.com.
And the voting doesn't end there. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in the official voting for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet at the Midsummer Classic via the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint MVP Vote at MLB.com.
The All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX and around the world by Major League Baseball International. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio play-by-play, while MLB.com will offer extensive online coverage.
Doug Miller is a reporter for MLB.com. T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com and contributed to this article. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Students Rack up Record Pro Bono Hours Over Winter Break
by Rob Seal
Law School students volunteered more than 6,000 hours of pro bono work over winter break this year, an increase of more than 2,500 hours from last year.
The Mortimer Caplin Public Service Center helped 157 students find pro bono work over the break, and about 80 percent of those students had reported their time as of March 1. Student pro bono efforts over winter break have increased substantially in recent years: Last year's total of about 3,500 hours was more than double the total from the previous year.
"We are just absolutely thrilled to see this uptick. It could of course be connected to the legal market, and students are realizing they need to get as much experience as possible, but the amount of hours that they put out there makes me think it's beyond a strategic move," said Kimberly Carpenter Emery, the assistant dean for pro bono and public interest. "I think there's a lot of altruism involved. We had students volunteering over 100 hours during their break."
The achievement is particularly impressive considering that to qualify, pro bono hours must be spent on legal work supervised by an attorney, Emery said.
"We're very strict in what we count toward the Pro Bono Challenge. It's only law work, no community service or fundraising," she said.
First-year student Lindsey Brooker spent part of her winter break working for in the housing unit at the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, where she logged almost 40 pro bono hours. Brooker, who said she is interested in criminal prosecution, worked on issues regarding sex offenders who apply for public housing.
"I'm a first year, so I had no legal experience at all coming into legal aid, and I loved it. It was really neat to see what my limited legal knowledge and the guidance of others would allow me to do," she said. "I also got to see the real-world implications of people seeking legal services."
First-year student David Perez logged 50 hours with the New York County District Attorney's Office, where he conducted legal research on a self-defense case for a prosecutor about to go to trial.
Perez said he was also able to observe a prosecutor interview a witness, and said the experience gave him a deeper appreciation of the skills trial attorneys need to develop.
"One thing that I learned that I was a little surprised about was the necessity of interpersonal skills when it comes to dealing with people like victims and officers — especially if you are a prosecutor in a big city office," Perez said. "A lot of it has to do with more than the law, and you don't get to see a lot of that when you are in school and reading cases."
Jessica Boluda completed about 60 hours of pro bono work in the legal department of the Young Women's Christian Association in Annapolis, Md. Boluda helped the attorneys there work to get protective orders for victims of domestic violence.
The clients were typically women who had already received a preliminary protective order from a judge, but would have to go back to court within a week to attempt to secure a permanent one, said Boluda, who is also a first-year student.
"I was able to see a lot of victims come in, we'd do the interview, and then we'd go to court," she said. "I got to see the interview part and then kind of shadow the attorney in court and see them try to do a negotiation with the opposing party's attorney."
Pro bono work helps students get real-world experience in a short amount of time while working on important issues, Boluda said.
"I got to do client interviews, and the attorneys helped me figure out what are the right questions to ask somebody in a client interview, and identify the information needed to build a strong case," she said.

subset: commoncrawl


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On the Road with Allergies & Asthma
For millions of Americans with allergies & asthma, summer travel concerns extend far beyond rising gas prices and airline security waits. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology estimates that more than 20 million Americans have asthma and 50 million have allergies. Those traveling this summer will face unique challenges.
"Vacations bring people outdoors to explore new sights or enjoy the weather. But more time outdoors means increased exposure to common allergy and asthma triggers – including pollen, mold spores, stinging insects, and air pollution," says Estelle Levetin, PhD, FAAAAI.
"Vacations bring people outdoors to explore new sights or enjoy the weather. But more time outdoors means increased exposure to allergy & asthma triggers."
The resulting reactions – which can be bothersome or, at worst, life-threatening – can quickly sap the enjoyment from summer travel experiences. "But with proper preparation, you can minimize your risk of a severe allergic reaction or asthma attack," Dr. Levetin says. The AAAAI recommends people with allergic disease take the following steps to ensure their vacations are fun, not frustrating:
- Air out vehicles before a lengthy road trip, and travel with the windows raised. Plan to drive in the early morning or late evening to avoid high midday air pollution levels and idling traffic.
- When traveling by airplane, pack all medications according to federal security regulations. Food allergic people should bring snacks onboard and avoid eating unlabeled airline food.
- Request allergy-free hotel accommodations, which can include special rooms, pillows, and linens.
- Visit your doctor before the trip to discuss your treatment questions.
Find more tips for summer travel with allergies & asthma at AAAAI.org.
This article was originally published in Coping® with Allergies & Asthma magazine, May/June 2009.


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Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/02/12/iss_spacewalk/
Brit-born astronaut completes first spacewalk
Tranquility node mated to orbiting outpost
Posted in Science, 12th February 2010 11:02 GMT
British-born astronaut Nicholas Patrick (pictured below) yesterday exited the International Space Station on his first spacewalk, accompanying Bob Behnken on the 6-hour, 32-minute EVA to attach the US's Tranquility node and cupola to the orbiting outpost.
Once Tranquility was successfully mated to the station's Unity module, "the spacewalkers connected heater and data cables that will integrate the new module with the rest of the station's systems".
NASA continues: "They also pre-positioned insulation blankets and ammonia hoses that will be used to connect Tranquility to the station's cooling radiators during the mission's second spacewalk that begins Saturday night. The station's new room with a view, the cupola, will be moved from Tranquility's end to its Earth-facing port on Sunday."
Patrick, 45, was born in North Yorkshire's Saltburn-by-the-Sea, and became a US citizen in 1994. Prior to blasting off aboard Endeavour on STS-130 mission, he told the Times: "All the training we do is tricky but training for spacewalks is much more physical - it's a bit like learning to ski because you have aches and pains and constant falls, but after practice it starts feeling natural. What I'm really looking forward to most of all is going out the hatch for the first time and looking at the Earth below."
Patrick previously travelled to the ISS on Discovery's STS-116 mission in December 2006. ®


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March 28, 2010
Nikki (not so pale) at Kids Choice Awards
How different does this gal look with a tan?
Love the shoes!
Via Team Twilight
- Lorabell
4 comments:
So are her and Kristen not best friends anymore? They used to be attached at the hip and I know that they have busy schedules but they haven't been photographed together for AGES!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 28, 2010 at 2:50 AM
@DarlingV: I think they're still good buds but it must have been awkward after Kristen split with Oregano - wasn't he friends with Nikki before?ReplyDelete
@ Anon - OOOOOOOOO See I had no idea, I just always remember thing how cute Kris and Nikki were as best buds I really like both of them so that was nice to see.ReplyDelete
It was kinda sad to see all the rumors flying around.. Nikki was messing around w/ Organo or Kris stopped being friends w/ her over Robert.. I was like 'that cant be ture if they were good friends they wouldn't stop being that cuz of a guy.' That would be childish lol.
I just thought that it was interesting that she did not attend the premier of the runaways in LA... after all Taylor did... in any case, it would be awkward, she is friends with both Kristen and Organo...so I am sure that the nature of there friendship has changed since Kristen and Robert started dating. Nikki has a new sort of jet setting life with her new boyfriend, she quit smoking and seems to be growing up into quite a nice mature woman. Kristen stills smoke like its about to go out of style and needs to get her head out of her ass.ReplyDelete


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To be honest, I cut and paste File::Tail options out of a two year old program a co-op developed. I have little (retained) knowledge of what they do. I do know that the module doesn't work exactly the way I expect if I don't use those options, and I do seem to recall that the options that make it do what I want are not the options I would expect.
By the way, while you're thinking about writing your own, I have a File::Tail::Seekable subclass I created for one application. That might be a common desire in any language.
Here's a brief example of usage in case you're interested:
t = Tail.new("somefile.txt")
# To imitate 'tail -f', use a block
t.tail do |line|
puts line
# To simply grab the last X lines, don't use a block
a = t.tail(20)
puts a


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Adam Levine beamed for just about an hour straight Monday night on "The Voice" live semifinals, and you couldn't blame him — with a team as strong as his heading into the finals, who wouldn't?
The reasons are plenty. Not only is Team Adam still three members strong, while Teams Blake and Christina are each down to just one singer apiece (and CeeLo's long empty), but even the members who might once have been his weakest seemed Monday to be bouncing back with a vengeance.
And Tessanne Chin, the powerhouse Jamaican pop singer whose vocal chops are matched only by her simpatico charm, managed to top even her reliably stunning performances.
Not to be outdone, however, were the lone denizens of Teams Blake and Christina, even if they did struggle to compete with the three Adam proteges left standing.
The night's performances kicked off with one by James, who narrowly escaped elimination last week thanks to the Twitter instant save. Adam assigned him to sing U2's 1989 anthem of yearning "With or Without You" — calling it "one of my favorite songs" and saying it has "that bravado [James] really likes."
James took Adam's advice on how to perform the song ("think anthemic!") to heart, giving a rendition that matched Bono's vocal power and restraint but stripped out his Irish dramatic flourishes. As he wrapped up the song, his coach was grinning unabashedly.
"I don't even care about the competition at this point," he said. "James, that was even beyond what I thought you could do."
His teammate Will Champlin was up next, tackling the feel-good, inspirational song "Carry On" by the indie pop band Fun., looking starkly different without his thick-rimmed glasses — and with a light-hearted smile, perhaps inspired by his coach's, but to his coach's mind inspired by his infectious performance.
"I don't think I've ever seen this happen with you before. Look at that smile!" Adam remarked, despite Will's sheepishness. "I don't see that smile very often, and that delights me." Blake echoed the praise and predicted that "letting your heart open up a little bit" would "go a long way" for Will.
Next up, Jacquie Lee — Team Christina's 16-year-old belter — was singing the Sarah McLachlan ballad "Angel," and although it was a prettier and more subdued song than the fiery teen was used to singing, she managed to let loose toward the end and imbue it with some of her trademark bluesy riffing.
"You showed the most dynamic and the best vocal performance that you actually ever have on this show," her proud coach told her, after a string of "wow" remarks. "Honestly, you straight up won tonight in my heart."
"It was wonderful, and just when I'm thinking I'm jaded," CeeLo admitted. "I was affected by that performance tonight. Great job."
Blake's only singer left in the running, the resilient bearded folk-rocker Cole Vosbury, was tasked Monday night with singing — what else? — a country hit, the Garth Brooks song "Shameless," in what might have been an effort to replicate Team Blake's success last season on the strength of straight country artists.
The gravelly rendition of the song won over Cole's former coach CeeLo. "What you do is very special, because every song that you perform, you perform it like it's yours," CeeLo noted.
That meant the last performance of the night, a slot that boded well for vote-getting, belonged to Tessanne Chin, who rendered her coach Adam somewhat speechless with her take on "Bridge Over Troubled Water" — an unusual song for her talents, but one that she managed to close with an undeniably powerful final note.
Her song came as she acknowledged that her emotions were running high heading into the show's finals. Her coach, after a few moments of stunned and inarticulate bumbling, acknowledged the personal struggles she was facing as he praised her performance.
"That's probably the most flawless and graceful performance I've ever heard on this show," Adam told her, before she mouthed "I love you, Mom" at the camera as the show ended.


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Valentine's Day is a day designed to show yourself or the person you are involved with some level of appreciation. Yes it does get a bit "overdone" with trinkets, gifts and other types of craziness. However, mistakes are accepted as long as the effort is there. What it really boils down to is sharing. I feel the best way to share is through cooking. Our relationship with great food is what connects all of us. Everyone can remember a great meal. Going out or staying in, Valentine's Day is the best day to put that effort forward. Elevate the at home experience of making dinner for that special someone by pairing with wine. You can follow a few simple rules about food and wine that will make you an expert… for the night at least.
First, stick with 3 courses. It's no fun being in the kitchen the entire time. My 1st Course is a soup or bisque. This will be served hot, which requires the other person to cool it off and there is slurping, so it's sexy. Remember to keep this light and try to make it vegetarian. It will pair easier with light wines:
Roasted Red Pepper & Sun-dried Tomato Bisque – Pair with Amado Sur Torrontes or Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc
The 2nd course is where you can flex a bit more. This is a steak course. If you want to go with chicken, use dark meat. If fish is the choice, go with something really rich…and the sauce MUST be a bold one.
Peppercon Crusted Ribeye Steak or Balsaminc & Brown Sugar Roasted Chicken or Lemon Curry Salmon with Truffle Honey Drizzle…plus Duckfat Roasted Fingerling Potatoes & Charred Broccoli – Pair with Amado Sur Malbec or ANY Concha Y Toro Carmenere
For my 3rd course, I don't play around. It's chocolate ALL DAY! I like to make dessert, cover it and hide it in the refrigerator. Dessert on Valentine's Day has the strongest lasting power and CHOCOLATE always works. unless the person is allergic J
This might a bit adventurous for the average home cook, order from us, visit a local bakery or Mariano's and pick up a dessert like this.
Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Compote & Chocolate Mousse – Pair with Casillero del Diablo "Late Harvest" Sauvignon Blanc
There are plenty of ways to have a meal like this at home. You can order our "Valentine's Day Take Home Menu". You can also check various food websites for recipes. Still I encourage not to do too much, too fast. And if you want to just go out and not deal with the clean-up after making a meal like this, visit us at www.taleof2chefs.com and purchase tickets to our Valentine's Day Pop-Up Restaurant.
Happy Cooking and Happy Valentine's Day from Chef Julius and A Tale of Two Chefs…


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Polioptila caerulea
IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern
Bryan Hix
A tiny, long-tailed bird of broadleaf forests and scrublands, the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher makes itself known by its soft but insistent calls and its constant motion. It hops and sidles in dense outer foliage, foraging for insects and spiders. As it moves, this steely blue-gray bird conspicuously flicks its white-edged tail from side to side, scaring up insects and chasing after them. Pairs use spiderweb and lichens to build small, neat nests, which sit on top of branches and look like tree knots.
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are tiny, slim songbirds with long legs; a long tail; and a thin, straight bill.
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are pale blue-gray birds with grayish-white underparts and a mostly black tail with white edges. The underside of the tail is mostly white. The face is highlighted by a thin but obvious white eyering. In summer, male Blue-gray Gnatcatchers sport a black 'V' on their foreheads extending above their eyes.
The energetic Blue-gray Gnatchatcher rarely slows down, fluttering after small insects among shrubs and trees with its tail cocked at a jaunty angle. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers often take food from spiderwebs and also abscond with strands of webbing for their tiny nests, which are shaped like tree knots.
In the East, gnatcatchers breed in deciduous forests and near edges, often in moister areas. In the West, look for them in shorter woodlands and shrublands including pinyon-juniper and oak woodlands.
The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is the only gnatcatcher species in most of the United States. The Black-tailed Gnatcatcher of the Southwest and California Gnatcatcher of Southern California both are overall darker, with much less white in the tail, than Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. In summer males of both Black-tailed and California have entirely black crowns. Gray Vireos of the arid West are very active like gnatcatchers, (and unlike typical vireos), but they are larger, thicker birds with fairly thick, gray bills compared to the gnatcatcher's thin, black bill. Other vireos, such as Plumbeous Vireo, are also bulkier than gnatcatchers, and typically forage slowly and methodically rather than the gnatcatcher's quick, flitting movements. Kinglets have wingbars, shorter tails, and are a greenish-gray compared to the Blue-gray Gnatcatchers' bluish-gray shade. Golden-crowned Kinglets have a golden yellow patch of feathers on the crown of their heads and Ruby-crowned Kinglets have an often concealed red patch on their crowns. crowns.
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers from the Rocky Mountains and westward are generally drabber than gnatcatchers of the East. Western females tend to have a brownish cast to their upperparts and summer males have a shorter and wider black forehead "V." They also show black at the base of the underside of the tail, unlike the eastern birds' entirely white underside to the closed tail. The calls and particularly the songs of the two forms differ as well.
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are widespread but not abundant. The nasal, wheezy, rambling song and insistent, squeaky calls are great first clues to finding them, particularly as these tiny birds can get lost in the generally taller habitats used in the eastern part of their range. It's a bit easier to find gnatcatchers in the West because they tend to occur in shorter, more open habitat. During fall migration, eastern Blue-gray Gnatcatchers can accumulate on the Gulf Coast, particularly the Texas coast, in huge numbers.
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Ethan Miller/WireImage; Byron Purvis/AdMedia/Sipa Press
Ethan Miller/WireImage; Byron Purvis/AdMedia/Sipa Press
Sound off with a "Sk8er Boi" scream if you knew Avril Lavigne and Chad Kroeger were even dating.
Silence? Yeah, we thought so. But don't feel too bad, because the duo's done a fabulous job keeping their relationship under wraps, and it came as quite the surprise when the pop star and Nickelback rocker announced they are engaged to be married after only six months of dating.
But hey, that's how things work here in Hollyweird so it shouldn't shock you that Avril and Chad are definitely not alone. Here are five more quickie celebrity engagements, but read fast—before Lavigne and Kroeger can say "I do."
Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic
1. Khloé Kardashian and Lamar Odom: Our beloved Khlomar is one of the most solid celebrity couples, so it may come as a surprise that the duo wed only one month after they first met. Khloé infamously gave her momager Kris Jenner nine days notice to throw together the lavish nuptials, but the love at first sight approach has worked for the reality TV twosome—they will celebrate their three year anniversary in September.
Dave Hogan/Getty Images
2. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes: It only took two months after Tom and Katie started dating for Cruise to pop the question (and less than that for the actor to jump on Oprah's couch). And this former couple is still living in the fast lane. TomKat's now officially divorced after five years of marriage, and their divorce proceedings all went down even faster (one and a half months) than their engagement.
Ben Rose/Getty Images
3. Britney and Everyone but Jason Trawick: Third time's the charm (we hope!) for Britney Spears, but the X Factor judge hasn't always been so lucky in love. She infamously walked down the aisle with her hometown hunk Jason Alexander during a wild weekend in Las Vegas, only to get it the marriage annulled 55 hours later. Unfortunately, Ms. Spears didn't seem learn her quickie engagement lesson. Brit Brit got engaged to her second hubby Kevin Federline after less than a year of dating and the chaotic couple wound up divorced two years later.
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
4. Katy Perry and Russell Brand: This kooky couple took their romance public in October 2009, were engaged by the end of December and already married by October 2010. The former duo wed in a lavish ceremony in India with elephants, jugglers and acrobats, but it seems even a circus act couldn't save their marriage. Brand filed for divorce in December 2011, after a mere 14 months.
Christopher Sadowski/Splash News
5. Carey Mulligan and Marcus Mumford: It only took five months for Marcus Mumford to know Carey Mulligan was "the one," and the effortlessly cool couple wed last May in London. Despite the quickie engagement, the newly weds were in fact childhood pen pals who reconnected as adults. Talk about a cute story to tell the kids!


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"How is it that we never have time to do a job right, but we always have time to do it over?" (Anonymous)
"I sit at my desk /
Writing haiku to ThinkGeek /
My boss does not see." (Anonymous, from a ThinkGeek.com customer)
"I think modern science should graft functional wings on a pig, simply so no one can ever use that stupid saying
again." (Anonymous, from a ThinkGeek.com customer)
"I want to die like my grandfather; peacefully in my sleep. Not screaming like his passengers." (Anonymous)
"If a cow and a half and a calf and a half can eat a bale and a half of hay in a day and a half, how many waffles does it take to shingle a dog house?" (Anonymous, from a ThinkGeek.com customer)
"If at first you don't succeed, assassinate everyone who knows you failed." (Anonymous)
"If everything appears to be going well, you don't know what the hell is going on." (Anonymous)
"If passion drives you, let reason hold the reigns." (Anonymous)
"If the dogs are barking at your heels, you know you're leading the pack." (Anonymous)
"If you know you're going to look back on today and laugh, you might as well start laughing now." (Anonymous)


text:
Ideas you can use in your own home — The transformation by designers, contractors and suppliers is amazing. Visitors admire and critique the creative efforts while providing thousands for worthy causes. The $30 you spend is worth it if you come away with at least one idea or the name of a product or service provider you can use.
I always take a sketch pad on my visits to capture creative ideas I can use in my own home (photography is usually not permitted). I look for clever, inexpensive and easy-to-implement ideas. Some of my favorites from the past:
* In the bath, a Zen-like arrangement of river pebbles placed on the top of the commode and vanity
* In the bedroom, a simple window treatment employing a thick bamboo pole as a curtain rod and yards of cheesecloth wrapped and draped around it as a soft valance
* In the entry, a huge, bushy flower arrangement in a large, clear glass vase filled with fresh lemons, a few with green leaves still attached. The lemons anchor the flower stems and add a blast of yellow.
* In a hallway, a row of equal-sized color photographs, all matted and framed in white. My eye went to the beauty of each image, rather than to the frame, and their regularity gave the hall a peaceful, gallery-like look.
Let me tell you about irritating ... I love touring a showcased home, but there are a few things I find, well, ummm, irritating:
* An average home is rarely showcased: It's usually a huge estate in a ritzy neighborhood. Ninety-eight percent of us couldn't afford to buy such a home, much less furnish it. How about a tour of three-bedroom, two-bath homes, fully furnished and decorated for $10,000 or less? I think people would stampede to see frugally, yet creatively decorated ordinary homes.
* Most of the living rooms are filled with over-scaled furnishings, upholstered in white. The people who live in these homes must not have children or a dog. Some of the couches are so big, they wouldn't fit into my living room with a shoe horn. Most end tables and coffee tables are so crowded with delicate-looking knick-knacks that there's no place to put a coffee cup.
* The window treatments, the window treatments! Big, voluminous, fancy-dancy. Scarlet O'Hara would love to make a dress out of some of these window treatments.
* I think I'd get bad dreams if I had to live in a room with all four walls and the ceiling painted bright red, or dark pink, or orange yellow.
* Some of the exotic flower arrangements are so large they require a room of their own. My estimate of the cost of one particularly stunning display was $250.
* I wish I had a whole room set aside to use as a closet. Wouldn't it be nice?
What: San Francisco Decorator Showcase 2012
Where: 2020 Jackson St., San Francisco
When: April 28-May 28 (closed Mondays)
Tickets: $30 ($25 for seniors, 60 and older); benefits Financial Aid Program of San Francisco University High School
Info: www.decoratorshowcase.org or call 415-447-5830
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Potomac Horse Fever Cases Seen at UKVDL
- Aug 25, 2011
- Topics:
Between May and July, the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (UKVDL) confirmed three deaths and 14 positive cases of Potomac horse fever (PHF) in Kentucky.
In June a Thoroughbred mare from a Lexington clinic and a Saddlehorse mare from a West Liberty clinic both died from PHF. In July a 9-year-old Thoroughbred mare from a Lexington clinic also died. These three animals were submitted to the UKVDL for necropsy after showing clinical signs and/or lesions consistent with PHF and testing positive on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a technique used to amplify a single or a few copies of a piece of DNA.
This acute disease is seen in spring, summer, and fall in Kentucky and can cause high fever, anorexia, colic, laminitis, abortion, diarrhea, and death in horses of all ages. It is caused by Neorickettsia risticii, a Gram-negative, intracellular bacterium with a liking for white blood cells. This organism is closely related to N. helminthoeca, the agent of salmon poisoning in dogs. N. risticii's vector is a fluke that develops in freshwater snails, then is released as the parasite metacercaria, which are ingested by aquatic insects. A horse can become infected if he ingests an infected insect inadvertently. Outbreaks are often associated with horses turned out in pastures bordering creeks or rivers.
If PHF is detected early, veterinarians have reported treatment with oxytetracycline to be successful. If you suspect your horse has PHF, send 10 ml EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetate) blood and 5 g feces to UKVDL for PCR testing. Results will be available the same day or next day, thereby facilitating rapid, appropriate treatment. The charge for testing is $35 in-state and $52.50 out-of-state plus a $10 accession fee. Also, please consider submitting to UKVDL for necropsy horses that have died after showing clinical signs consistent with PHF (costs $90 plus a $10 accession fee).
Several inactivated PHF vaccines are on the market, and vaccination trials have demonstrated protection as high as 78%. Treating low-lying areas inhabited by snails can reduce the vector's impact. Any and all efforts to reduce horses' insect exposure can also be helpful as a preventive measure.
To stay abreast of what the laboratories are seeing in submitted cases, visit www.vdl.uky.edu and click on Animal Health Risk Outlook. An interactive Kentucky map will appear. Place your mouse cursor over counties in your practice or living area to see a 30-day moving window of diagnoses rendered at UKVDL and the Breathitt Veterinary Center in Hopkinsville, Ky.
For more information, contact Craig Carter, DVM, PhD, UKVDL director and professor of epidemiology, at email@example.com or Jackie Smith, MS, UKVDL section chief, scientist II-epidemiology, at email@example.com.
Craig Carter, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVPM, UKVDL director and professor of epidemiology provided this information.
Want more articles like this? Sign up for the Bluegrass Equine Digest e-Newsletter.
More information on Gluck Equine Research Center and UK's Equine Initiative.
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Warren Co., N.J., Horse Tests Positive for EHV-1
- Apr 4, 2013
- Topics:
Photo: Alexandra Beckstett, The Horse Managing Editor
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture has quarantined a Warren County farm after a 22-year-old horse was diagnosed with the highly infectious equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM), the often deadly neurologic form of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1). The horse had not left the premises in years.
The Thoroughbred mare was euthanized March 31 after she exhibited a rapid progression of neurologic signs typical of EHM; she was subsequently tested positive for EHV-1. There are a number of other horses present at the facility, none of which have shown signs of the disease.
This is the third case of EHM in New Jersey this year. An EHM-positive horse in Somerset County prompted quarantines at two farms in January, and two other farms were quarantined in February due to a sick horse in Gloucester County. No other horses in the two unrelated cases showed signs of the illness and the quarantines were lifted after 21 days of quarantine.
"The department took swift action to prevent the disease from spreading to other horses by enacting a quarantine, which stops movement of horses in and out of the farm and puts in place preventive measures to contain the virus," said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher
The EHV-1 virus spreads quickly from horse to horse, has a high morbidity, and can cause a wide range of clinical signs, ranging from a complete lack of clinical signs to respiratory problems, especially in young horses, and spontaneous abortions in pregnant mares. The neurologic form of EHV-1 can cause an acute paralytic syndrome, which results in a high mortality. The incubation period of EHV-1 is typically two to 10 days. The virus spreads readily through direct contact with infected materials. While highly infectious, the virus does not persist in the environment and is neutralized by hand soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizers. The virus does not affect humans and other domestic animals, with the exception of llamas and alpacas.
Concerned owners should consult with their veterinarian prior to taking any action as the clinical signs of infection with the neurologic form of EHV-1 are common to many other diseases. EHM is a reportable disease in New Jersey. If an owner has a horse that is exhibiting neurologic signs or suspects EHV-1, they are directed to call their veterinarian immediately.
Related Content
2013 EHV-1 Tracker Map
Equine Herpesvirus-1 Refresher
EHV-1 Inactivated Vaccine Efficacy Tested (AAEP 2011)
Neurologic EHV-1: An Overview
Diagnosing Neurologic EHV-1: Back to Basics
EHV-1 Outbreak: Case Total Holding Steady
EHV-1 Outbreak: Additional Cases Reported Over Weekend
EHV-1 Outbreak: Veterinarians Still On Alert
EHV-1 Outbreak: Several New Cases Reported
EHV-1 Outbreak: The Watch for Cases Continues
POLL: Checking for Gastric Ulcers


text:
MCA appeals for partner to draw the nation's children across digital divide
THE Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, which turned 21 at the weekend, admits it will need a strong financial partner to provide ''digital excursions'' for schools nationally.
Six months after the revamped museum's much-vaunted National Centre for Creative Learning began offering children in NSW classrooms the chance to connect with artists in the central digital studios at Circular Quay, more than 600 students at 40 schools have taken part. But so far, no metropolitan Sydney schools, which are charged $100 a class for a digital excursion, have taken up the opportunity. Instead, city schools bring their students into the physical museum.
Digital demand from metropolitan Sydney schools is expected to grow, says the centre's head of creative learning, Heather Whitely Robertson.
''We know it's increasingly difficult for primary schools to get their students out of school for the day and the cost of bus fares can sometimes be prohibitive,'' she says.
The 45-minute sessions, run twice a month and booked solid until the end of the year, are free to regional and remote NSW schools, which have keenly taken the offer up thanks to a grant from the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation for the centre's first year.
Artists trained as educators, such as Tom Polo and Cara MacLeod, guide students through the making of contemporary art, while back in their classrooms, children dance and make shapes with their bodies.
The centre has conducted digital excursions as far afield as Norfolk Island and with Aboriginal students in Arnhem Land.
But the museum admits that as Victoria rolls out Polycom technology in state schools and the national broadband network forges ahead, it lacks the resources to greatly expand its digital excursions nationally while maintaining them at a low charge or free.
Ms Whitely Robertson says the museum is seeking a ''partner'' to help finance its digital plans.
''We've got the infrastructure, the trained staff and the quality programs to deliver,'' she says.
''What we hope to do is secure further funding. The judgment will need to be at some point [whether] we have to start charging for programs to cover just the on-costs of the program. And we have kept those on-costs at a very sustainable level.
''What we'd love to do is secure a partner who will enable us to continue to offer free or very heavily subsidised programs to make sure we can support our student community right across Australia.
''That will be particularly important when the national curriculum comes online - that we're able to offer the rich resource that we have within the museum across Australia. But, equally, that we can enable students to connect from one side of Australia with students here.''
To maintain quality, only one class interacts at one time with the artist educators, ''so we can have a dialogue with the students and we can get them moving in their seats, making artwork together and talking'', Ms Whitely Robertson says.
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text:
Dodgers avoid arbitration with Ellis, Belisario
Catcher set to earn $2M in 2013; reliever's contract worth $1.45M plus incentives
By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com
Ellis, 31, is coming off his first year as a regular, hitting .270 with 13 homers and 52 RBIs and throwing out 36 potential basestealers, second in the league. His 131 games caught were third in the league, as were his 11 passed balls. He made $490,000 last season.
Belisario, 30, is coming off a remarkable comeback season after missing the entire 2011 campaign because he tested positive for cocaine. He went 8-1 with a 2.54 ERA, despite serving a 25-game suspension at the start of the season for the failed test and posting a 6.60 ERA in July. He received $480,000 last year. Belisario also will receive $50,000 if he makes 70 appearances.
Both players are Super Twos, qualifying for arbitration with at least two years and 139 days of Major League service. Both players have two years and 151 days of service.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Marketplace Morning Report for Friday, October 5, 2012
From closed-down steel mills to the sprawling modern Cleveland Clinic, Ohio's economic past, present, and future is a window into the state of our nation. When it comes to all of the different indicators used to measure the country's economic health, especially during the election year, the unemployment rate is the Big Man on campus. Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is reporting that unemployment has fallen to 7.8 percent -- the lowest in almost four years -- with 114,000 jobs added last month.


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New report calls for immediate action to tackle aviation emissions
A new scientific report released today highlights the critical importance of taking early action when implementing measures to reduce the climate impact of rapidly increasing emissions from aviation.
With a decision expected shortly on how and when to tackle international aviation emissions, today's report increases the pressure on the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) (the United Nations agency responsible) not to defer a decision on the adoption of a market-based measure (MBM).
Over the past 2 years momentum had been building towards a decision at the 38th ICAO General Assembly, scheduled to begin in Montreal in late September, on the need for an effective global MBM. But political differences amongst key states now threaten yet again a decision this year on how and when the sector should address its growing contribution to climate change - the next Assembly is not until 2016.
The report by Manchester Metropolitan University's Centre for Air Transport and Environment (CATE) "Mitigating future aviation CO2 emissions - timing is everything" shows that the real climate benefit of any action depends on the cumulative emission reductions between now and a future date, and not just on achieving a certain amount of emission reductions by a specific year (as ICAO has focused on): CO2 has a long lifetime so concentration levels are determined by cumulative emissions over time. Early reductions result in a lower emissions trajectory than equivalent annual savings made at a later date.
The report shows that while the technology, operations and alternative fuels measures that are ICAO's focus have the potential to make significant reductions in the climate impact of emissions from aviation, these will only come in the longer term given the lead times needed to develop and bring to market whereas immediate reductions from effective market based measures implemented now far outweigh the climate impacts of ICAO's approach.
The report shows that a global MBM such as emissions trading introduced in 2012 and the existing European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) for aviation provide the largest single incremental improvements in radiative forcing (RF) and temperature response by 2050 (a 30.1% improvement in RF for a global MBM and around 15% in RF for the EU ETS compared to a business as usual scenario based on technology and operational improvements).
Based on best estimates of likely future uptake, biofuels would have a minimal climate impact by 2050.
Continue reading at ENN affiliate, ClickGreen.
Airplane image via Shutterstock.


text:
Toorox 03.2008-KDE4 releasedDetails
- Details
- Parent Category: News
- Created on Friday, 07 March 2008 21:40
- Kernel 2.6.24-gentoo-r2
- Xorg-Server 188.8.131.52
Now you can test the new KDE 4.0.1 with Toorox.
The emphasis however still lies here on testing, because it
cannot yet replace the 3.5.9. Some programs and functions
are still not included (kprinter, kontact, kmail...).
For example - the printer must be configured within
a browser, Evolution replaces Kontact and to configure
WLAN as well as LAN over a graphical user interface, you can
use kwlan.
But if you like, you can install also this version to your
hard disk.
Now have much fun with the " look and feel " of KDEs very early
version 4.0.1 in Toorox 03.2008-KDE4.


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A Radiation Biology Strategy for Long Term Human Space Exploration
Percival D. McCormack, Professor of Biophysics, Physiology and Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago
Friday, September 23, 2011, 3:30pm
Spanos Auditorium
This seminar is part of the Jones Seminars on Science, Technology, and Society series
For flights beyond the earth's magnetic shield, galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) predominates. This is comprised of high energy (Bev) particles from protons to iron ions. These are biologically very damaging and cause double-strand breaks (DSBs) in DNA, leading to genetic mutation and cancer induction. These effects on humans form the major risk and limitation on long term space exploration. Transport calculations for the GCR spectrum in various metallic shielding materials, like Aluminum, show that after a small decrease in flux in the first thin layers, thicker absorbers do not produce a net reduction of the biological damage. An alternative DNA method must be developed to protect the astronauts. Natural evolution has resulted in a method of repairing DSBs via the direct ligation of the broken DNA ends. This is called the non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) mechanism, and has been identified as the DNA Repair Nanomachine. Five gene products bind directly to the broken DNA ends and have a direct enzymatic role in NHEJ. The proposal here is to modify the NHEJ nanomachine so as to increase the rate of DSB repair and so increase the possible stay-time of astronauts on the Moon and Mars, for example.
About the Speaker
Dr. Percival McCormack received his M.D. in 1978 from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland and prior to that obtained a Ph.D. in nuclear physics. From 1979 to 2000 he was a US Navy doctor and flight surgeon and for 6 years was assigned to NASA as Chief of Operational Medicine. He also served for 6 years as Chief of Environmental Medicine at the Navy Medical Research Institute, Bethesda, Maryland. In 2000 he took up his present post at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He works on imaging techniques such as ultrasound and MRI. Nanofluids is a topic of special interest for him and he is writing a textbook on "The Vortex, Molecular Spin and Nanovorticity" for Springer-Verlag. He has been a Fellow of the American Association of Aerospace Medicine for many years and recently was appointed to the Advisory Council for the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB).


text:
After Harper, no sure bats on deck for Draft
Increase in high school signings leaves college ranks bare
By Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com
Of course, that's true of every First-Year Player Draft. Everyone hopes to find an impact bat or two every year, and finding advanced college ones are a priority. And every year, there aren't that many to go around.
This year, though, it seems like the lack of hitting depth is even more pronounced at the college level. Presumed No. 1 pick, 17-year-old junior college phenom Bryce Harper, is an entity unto himself. After that, the "sure-thing" college bat doesn't seem to exist.
As a result, hitters from schools not typically on the radar when it comes to top first-round talent are getting much more attention. Last year, University of North Carolina's Dustin Ackley was the top college hitter in the class. This year, there's general consensus that there isn't an Ackley in this class.
And he's definitely not at North Carolina or the ACC, SEC or PAC-10. This year's top college hitters come from places like Middle Tennessee State, University of Texas-Arlington and Ball State. It's not that these schools are completely off the beaten track. Most feel that Bryce Brentz, Michael Choice and Kolbrin Vitek would be first-rounders anyway, but that they're the top three advanced bats is a little surprising.
"I wouldn't consider them smaller schools," one scouting executive said. "Middle Tennessee is in a regional every year, and it's been on the scouting trail for years. Texas-Arlington is, too. They're not LSU or [Cal State] Fullerton, but those are guys from strong programs. Those guys would be there, period."
That might be true, but where is everyone else? Where have all the bats gone? The 2008 class had Pedro Alvarez, Yonder Alonso, Gordon Beckham, Jason Castro and Justin Smoak in the top 11 picks alone. A look back at the Class of 2007 provides some big hints as to why there aren't those kinds of college guys this time around.
In the opening round of the 2007 Draft, there were nine high school hitters taken. The top two were Mike Moustakas and Josh Vitters, taken with the second and third picks overall. Had they not signed, they would've proudly been representing USC and Arizona State. No. 12 pick Matt Dominguez would be coming out of Cal State Fullerton. Everyone knows all about No. 14 pick Jason Heyward now, but imagine if he had spent three years at UCLA instead. Devin Mesoraco (15), Kevin Ahrens (16), Pete Kozma (18), Ben Revere (28) and Wendell Fairley (29) all could've made the 2010 college hitter class really special.
Instead, they all signed, and while they have had mixed results, it points to a growing trend, with teams looking for, and finding, those bats before they get to college.
"I think the industry has done a better job at identifying, and signing, the top hitters earlier," a scouting director said.
"If you take a look at where the dollars have gone for high school players, and that teams are willing to overpay for the round a player is selected, the best high school bats typically sign," another scouting executive added. "That leaves the college ranks with a depletion of premium bats. There are a few each year who were prospects when they arrived on campus and there are a few that develop over the three years in college. However, the majority of the premium high school bats sign out of high school."
There have always been high school hitters taken in every Draft, but it will be interesting to see if what's happened this year will be a trend that continues. To date, it's been up-and-down in terms of college talent. The 2005 Draft saw five high-end high school bats taken in the first round: Justin Upton, Cameron Maybin, Andrew McCutchen, Jay Bruce and Colby Rasmus. Even so, that 2008 class had plenty of advanced college hitters to choose from, with Jemile Weeks, Brett Wallace, David Cooper, Ike Davis, Reese Havens, Allan Dykstra and Lonnie Chisenhall joining the aforementioned list as college hitters selected in the first round.
There does seem to be a sentiment that teams would rather have players in their systems younger. That way they can begin working with them sooner rather than later. And while there are definitely some raw talents who would benefit from a big college program, more than one scout expressed the thought that colleges do not do a good job of developing hitters.
That might not be simply a condemnation of college programs and their teaching skills. Much might have to do with what they get to hit with. Major League teams might prefer to have a young hitter start facing professional competition with wood in their hands, regardless of how long it might take, rather than let them go to college and hit with metal for three years.
All of this has contributed to what's going on with this year's Draft class. Brentz was drafted back in 2007, but as a pitcher in the 30th round by the Indians. During his time at Middle Tennessee State, his offensive skills have passed his abilities on the mound. Choice wasn't drafted out of high school and really jumped on the map when he excelled last summer with Team USA. Vitek, also, was undrafted three years ago and has split time on the mound. He also doesn't have a set defensive spot as a position player, which may have made it a little more difficult to place him.
While these aren't the "household names" from the big-time schools most are looking for, it's not as if there isn't the expectations that they'll be big leaguers. That comes with anyone taken in the first round, regardless of the circumstances. If Draft history has taught anything, it's that impact can come from unlikely sources. Years from now, people will look back at the 2010 Draft and there will undoubtedly be quality big leaguers who came from this class, both from that trio and from other sources.
"There are position players that are going to be Major league players in this draft and have an impact on a big league team," the scouting executive said.
Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Adam Levine is bringing his signature sexiness to "Saturday Night Live"!
In some just-released promo clips for this weekend's show, the superhot "Voice" coach and first-time "SNL" host brings the funny and, of course, the steamy.
"You were a musical guest earlier in the season, now you're hosting--what's next?" "SNL's" Bobby Moynihan asks the Maroon 5 frontman.
Adam Levine launches clothing line
"Sleep with a castmember," Levine quips, to which Moynihan responds, "That is a very firm yes!"
Levine also called in to "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" this morning to plug his "SNL" gig and to promote the upcoming season of "The Voice" with new coaches Shakira and Usher.
"I had never met Shakira before," Levine dished. "I had met Usher; we had just kind of crossed paths and we have friends in common. He's always been nothing but wonderful, a supernice guy, obviously a great talent, and it's great to have him on the show."
Shakira I really only met the first day of shooting, who is so wonderful, so sweet, so rad, so amazing; she's a badass."
Check out the rest of Levine's "SNL" promos below.
(E! and Saturday Night Live are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
See some notable Saturday Night Live alumni


text:
A kidney transplant may be a treatment option for ESRD.
Kidney Transplant
Kidney transplant is an alternative to dialysis in individuals who have severe renal disease. A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure that inserts a healthy kidney from a donor into your body. Your kidney(s) are left in place, unless they are causing problems like an infection or high blood pressure. The donor may be a living relative, a close friend or anonymous donor whose tissue closely matches yours, or someone who has died and donated their organs. One transplanted kidney does the work of both failed kidneys.
In a kidney that fails, rejection of the transplanted kidney occurs within 3 to 4 months after the surgical procedure. The symptoms of rejection include: fever, weight gain, reduced urine output, and an increase in blood pressure. Blood tests will also show deteriorating renal function. Drugs that keep your immune system from rejecting the kidney can keep the transplanted kidney working. There have been major advances in the development of immunosuppressive agents, including the following:
- Tacrolimus
- Mycophenolate mofetil
- Anti-interleukin 2 receptor antibodies
- Antithymocyte globulin
- Muromonab-CD3
- Alemtuzumab
- Sirolimus
Complications from kidney transplantation and using immunosuppressive drugs include:
- Surgical complications, such as pain, infection, and scarring
- Obstruction of the ureter requiring operation
- Failure of the new kidney to function properly
- Coronary artery disease
- Osteoporosis
Adverse effects from immunosuppressive drugs:
- Infection
- General cancer risk increases 10-15 times, the risk of cancer of the lymphatic system increases 30 times.
- Diabetes risk increases much more among African Americans than other ethnic group.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: Adrienne Carmack, MD
- Review Date: 11/2016 -
- Update Date: 05/20/2015 -


text:
Googleville, USA, here we come.
With Google in the midst of a donation-spree that seems timed to counter it becoming a symbol for Bay Area gentrification and under-funded public transit, Mountain View City Council members took action Tuesday night to make sure the city doesn't miss out on more corporate funding.
To be fair, the council never mentioned Google as the specific reason for the policy change, which sets the stage for companies to buy naming rights to city parks and city buildings, and sponsor city events, such as outdoor concerts.
Council member Mike Kasperzak said he wanted to make sure the possibility existed. He raised the hypothetical scenario where a company bought the city enough land for a relatively large park -- would council members really want to turn that down if it required naming the park after that company? After all, the council would still have to approve any name change.
"If we don't have the policy to permit that, no one is really going to try anything," Kasperzak said. "It's a lot easier to get people to think about it if it might be permitted."
Council members Jac Siegel and Ronit Bryant were the only council members to vote against the policy change, citing concerns over the naming rights issue. Member John McAlister said he liked the event sponsorship aspect. The rest of the council was silent.
"I don't want people to be able to buy the names of parks -- it just doesn't seem right to me," Siegel said.
"I don't want to visit my neighborhood park and find it called AT&T park or ... not to mention the names of any Mountain View companies," Bryant said. "We are so surrounded by advertising all the time. Naming rights I absolutely cannot support. It's the Mountain View Community Center, not company XYZ Community Center."


text:
Do you follow Smockity Frocks on Pinterest [2]? A while back, while I was surfing Pinterest, I saw a homemade vinegar citrus cleaning spray and I thought I had pinned it so I could go back later and take a closer look. Only later I never could find what I had seen before. So I decided to experiment with making my own.
It turns out that my children hate the smell of equal amounts plain vinegar and water in a spray bottle. I tried adding a small amount of dish soap, but they still didn't like the smell.
That's why I was anxious to try this homemade citrus vinegar cleaner.
It is super simple and only requires 2 ingredients, plus the clean citrus scent is much nicer than plain vinegar!
Homemade Citrus Vinegar Cleaner
- Citrus peels (I used grapefruit.)
- White vinegar
- Mason jar
1. Quarter and peel 2-3 citrus fruits, making sure to remove all pulp from peels.
2. Place the peels in a quart Mason jar and fill with white vinegar. (In the photo above, I had already used some of the vinegar mixture in a spray bottle.)
3. Allow the mixture to "steep" for 3-4 weeks. (The longer you let it steep, the stronger the citrus scent will be.)
4. Fill half an empty spray bottle with the vinegar mixture.
5. Fill the rest of the bottle with water.


text:
DescriptionWe recommend Elegant Theme :
IMPORTANT: Support is offered exclusively on our Support Forum not here in the comments section. We do however answer pre sale questions in the comments so feel free to ask them.
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Charlotte Bobcats
by: XCO Software LLC • 54
All Android applications categories
by: XCO Software LLC • 54
The Official Mobile App of the Charlotte Bobcats
Stay connected to the Bobcats anywhere and anytime. Get the official info on all the Bobcats news, player profiles, stats, standings and schedule. Watch the best of Bobcats TV, access all the team's social media feeds and participate in contests and sweepstakes, all right from your Android smartphone.
Key Bobcats Mobile App features include:
-Bobcats game scores, schedules, and team news
-Player Profiles: Official profiles of the every Bobcats player
-Dynamic Videos: Interviews, feature stories, Lady Cats
-Special Deals: Access to ticket and promotional offers
-Social Media: Team Twitter and Facebook
-Share: Check out official team photo gallery and text the scoreboard
-Seat and Concession Finder: Find food, merchandise and facilities
-Suggest: Email your own ideas and suggestions directly to the Bobcats
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We can say this about the recent NFL coaching cycle, which concluded with eight teams finding new leaders: It was not boring.
Chip Kelly's flirtation with Oregon and the NFL captivated most people's attention, but there also was a CFL-to-NFL jump (Marc Trestman), a surprise hire from the college ranks (Doug Marrone) and the move of a recently-fired coach to a new franchise (Andy Reid).
All that on top of several intriguing hires from the league's coordinator pool (Mike McCoy, Bruce Arians, Gus Bradley and Rob Chudzinski).
Unlike in past seasons, none of the hires feel like disasters waiting to happen, either, even if some come with more question marks than others. Each new head coach has a very clear selling point -- most relating to the offensive side of the football.
So, which teams made the best decisions? With the admission that it's way too early to issue any definitive verdicts, we hand out some early grades:
Chip Kelly, Philadelphia Eagles
Whether you like or dislike Kelly, you're kidding yourself if you do not see the potential of his offense stockpiled with the likes of LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin.
This was a move made more for Kelly's proven program-building abilities and his football smarts than his use of an up-tempo attack. Kelly was noncommittal on Michael Vick's future -- a nod to the everything-on-the-table approach Kelly will take at QB. He's said that he does not necessarily need a running quarterback to control his offense, so it will be intriguing to see where the Eagles go from here.
The Eagles' full starting lineup, save for pending free agents Vick and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, could be back. That is a plus when you think of the team's potential, but a bit scary given its consistent underachieving in the past couple seasons.
Could this backfire? Sure. Kelly could flop and greatly set back the NFL's interest in college coaches. But this is a swing-for-the-fences hire … and Kelly is a smart enough coach to make it work.
Grade: A-minus
Mike McCoy, San Diego Chargers
This hire strikes a lot of the same chords as Chicago's addition of Marc Trestman (see below).
McCoy has a strong offensive pedigree, buoyed by success calling plays for both Tim Tebow and Peyton Manning in Denver, but it is fair to wonder if he will be able to push San Diego forward on both sides of the ball. Retaining defensive coordinator John Pagano ought to help -- the Chargers' D showed improvement under Pagano in 2012. That defensive unit could lose a host of players in free agency, though, most notably Quentin Jammer and Shaun Phillips.
McCoy and new GM Tom Telesco must find Philip Rivers some more reliable weapons and upgrade the Chargers' offensive line. Assuming Rivers still has a few good years left in him, McCoy could spark big bounce-back year for the veteran QB.
Grade: B-plus
Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
Reid traded in one team with headaches at quarterback for another. Unfortunately for him, there is no candidate here with the upside of Michael Vick ... or even of Nick Foles. The overly-pricy Matt Cassel appears headed out the door, so who will run the show in 2013?
Reid will call the Chiefs' plays -- which is both good and bad news, as frustrated Philadelphia fans (and LeSean McCoy fantasy owners) can attest -- and he will have running back Jamaal Charles to lean on early. But wide receiver Dwayne Bowe could leave in free agency, as could starting left tackle Branden Albert.
Kansas City will stick with the 3-4 defense, which makes sense since OLBs Justin Houston and Tamba Hali thrived in that scheme and the team spent a 2012 first-round pick on NT Dontari Poe.
The No. 1 pick will give us some idea where Reid feels this team needs the most help. Is he the right guy for the rebuilding project, though?
Grade: B
Gus Bradley, Jacksonville Jaguars
Kudos to Bradley on landing a hard-earned head coaching job. This, however, is a dire situation. Bradley has inherited arguably the least-talented roster in the league, starting with QB Blaine Gabbert and trickling down to just about every position. Based on his work in Seattle, Bradley should give the Jaguars' defense a fighting chance, even with cornerbacks Derek Cox and Rashean Mathis potentially headed out via free agency.
He will need help to kick-start the offense, however, whether Gabbert sticks as QB or not -- Jedd Fisch, as the new offensive coordinator, has been tasked with turning around that unit. The saving grace may be RB Maurice Jones-Drew, if he can stay healthy.
This will take some time.
Grade: B
Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals
The entire NFL has to respect the masterful job Arians did with the Colts in 2012, after stepping in as the interim coach while Chuck Pagano underwent leukemia treatment. The situation could have unraveled the young Indianapolis team; instead, Arians helped guide the franchise back to the playoffs.
The foundation is not nearly as stable in Arizona.
One thing is for sure: Andrew Luck won't be walking through the desert door to save a team that started four different (and equally disappointing) quarterbacks throughout the season. The Cardinals' offensive line was the worst in the NFL in 2012, and aside from Larry Fitzgerald, the talent level is mediocre. Arians brought Colts O-line coach Harold Goodwin along with him to be the Cardinals' offensive coordinator, and somehow that duo must put this unit back together.
Despite their 11-5 mark, too, the Colts struggled defensively under Arians' watch -- he has no other NFL experience directing that side of the ball. With Ray Horton bouncing for Cleveland, the Cardinals will be starting over, to some extent, on that side of the ball as well.
Arians' only previous head coaching experience came during a 21-45 stretch at Temple from 1983-88. This will be, at age 60, his first NFL head coaching job. Is he ready for it?
Grade: B
Marc Trestman, Chicago Bears
The shift from Lovie Smith's defense-first approach to the offense-centric stylings of Trestman could pay big dividends for Jay Cutler. Trestman worked wonders as an NFL assistant on QBs less talented than Cutler (see: Mitchell, Scott), and his Montreal Alouettes lit up CFL scoreboards, too. Already, Trestman has said he'd like to take advantage of Cutler's athleticism.
But will the defense suffer under Trestman's watch? On top of Smith's departure, the Bears also have 18 potential unrestricted free agents, including key defensive names like Brian Urlacher, Henry Melton and Israel Idonije. The Alouettes were up and down, defensively, with Trestman at the helm.
The hire of ex-Jacksonville defensive coordinator Mel Tucker might help, if only because Tucker favors a 4-3, Cover-2 look that will be similar to what Smith employed. Still, the Bears' identity may be totally different going forward.
Grade: B-minus
Rob Chudzinski, Cleveland Browns
Perhaps Chudzinski's greatest advantage, as he embarks on his debut season as a head coach: the presences of new offensive coordinator Norv Turner and defensive coordinator Horton.
The book will be out on Chudzinski's head-coaching abilities for some time -- and possibly even longer on Michael Lombardi's tenure as the new GM -- but the NFL world knows that Turner and Horton can call plays on offense and defense, respectively.
As for Chudzinski himself, this was another hire made with offense in mind. Brandon Weeden, Trent Richardson and the Browns' young weapons could get a boost from Chudzinski, who did yeoman's work during his time as Cleveland's offensive coordinator in 2007-08. Of course, the Panthers' offense never quite hit its ceiling under Chudzinski, despite Cam Newton's presence.
The Browns' comfort level with Chudzinski pushed this move, even if there were flashier names out there.
Grade: B-minus
Doug Marrone, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo's best hire this offseason may not have been Marrone, but rather new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, whom the Bills swiped from the Jets. The Bills have enough talent on that side of the ball to greatly improve the league's 22nd-best defense, so that's a nice starting point for Marrone.
Marrone did a fine job at Syracuse, and he comes back to the NFL, reportedly with Bill Parcells' blessing. Still, there is reason to wonder if Marrone can hit the ground running, especially since the Bills are built to win now. This team could return close to 20 of its starters in 2013, assuming safety Jairus Byrd re-signs or gets the franchise tag.
To compete, though, Buffalo needs Marrone and new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett (also Marrone's O.C. at Syracuse) to fix Ryan Fitzpatrick.Grade: C


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The STEYR AUG/A3 SA USA is the civilian version of the world-famous STEYR AUG. It is a gas-operated semi-automatic sporting rifle with a changeable barrel and a picatinny rail (Mil. Std. 1913 rail) which allows quick attachment of various optic devices.
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text: I've got about 80 pages left of The Eternal Tide and I'll tell you. However at this point I really doubt it because.. Spoiler: the Entire Borg Story set in Treklit's VOY relaunch the Borg are gone, magically transformed into super nice super beings. So I was reading it as an alternate timeline to the books.


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Authorities said Denico "Nico" Jeffrey, 20, was found dead Wednesday night from a single gunshot wound.
Investigators took Calvin Jackson, 39, of Jonesboro into custody, though police would not say what specifically led to his Thursday arrest. Jackson was expected be formally charged on Friday. It was unclear whether he had a lawyer.
The Jonesboro Sun reported the shooting took place near Jackson's home and detectives found bullet holes in an exterior wall.


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For the past two months, judging committees have been working their way through the Quicksilver Quill nominations, deciding which stories represent the best writing produced by MNFF authors over the past 12 months. I am now pleased to say that all committees have come to a decision, and I can announce the 22 stories that have been given awards this year.
I am also excited to reveal this year's winning banner, designed by the very talented, the opaleye. You can see a preview here:
The banners have all been edited with the winner's details and I'll be sending them out in the next hour or so. Please let me know if you notice any spelling errors (they'll all be my fault.)
Okay, enough waffling from me. Just a couple more notes - two categories have joint winners, where the judges simply could not choose between them. Not every category has a chaptered and one-shot winner but most do. Judges will be thanked in a separate post. Here is the list of the 2011 QSQ award winners:
Best General Story: Glass Ginny by WeasleyMom
A realistic portrayal of difficult emotions. I was drawn in, even wishing for more at the end. The depth of emotion suppressed and then unleashed in the story was exceptional. The characterisation is excellent and believable –Ginny's gradual break-down was incredibly moving and it was handled so well. This was an incredibly emotional and wonderful story.
Best Dark/Angsty Story:
- One-shot: What Lies Behind by C_A_Campbell
The story was incredibly well-written. The author definitely brought Theo alive in my eyes. She gave him a backstory, and made him more three dimensional than he appears in the books. This is one of the best uses of second person I've seen. The characterization was beautiful and kept the story moving from the beginning. At the end I found I had tears in my eyes.
- Chaptered: Lacuna Mentis by hestiajones
I just LOVE the mystery here. The entire time I was reading the fic I was attempting to piece things together, reformulating my theories constantly, and it kept me guessing pretty much up to the end, which was just brilliant. This was quite riveting to read. It captured my imagination, and I couldn't stop reading until I got to the end. The characterisation was excellent - Theo's character is flawed and lonely, confused, depressed and occasionally angry, and he propels the Darkness of the story forward.
Best Humor Story:
- One-Shot: The Seven Potters by Gmariam
In this fic, Gmariam introduces us to the various aspects of Harry's personality in such a way that can be appreciated both as a character analysis and as a parody of other fan fictions where Harry's characterization is based solely on just one of those aspects of his personality. It is a nice change from the Harry we normally see, as well as being very well written and well structured. It was subtly humorous and unlike anything the panel had ever read. Hilarious and creative, this story is definitely deserving of the Best Humor One Shot QSQ.
- Chaptered: Taking Direction by WeasleyMom
Taking Direction is a fresh and hilarious look at book vs. movie canon. This fic shows the differences between the books and movies in a way that makes the book-loving reader snort with laughter rather than the usual reaction of grumbling and ranting. This piece was laugh-out-loud funny in many places, and quite a few judges find themselves eagerly awaiting updates. It was a creative and original idea and leaves the reader wanting more.
Best Canon Romance Story
- One-Shot: How To Wait by WeasleyMom
I believe this might be my favourite story nominated. This truly is a powerful story. Weasley Mom managed to write something about this pair that is so often unstated, and that's that they really understand each other despite the fact that they're pretty different. The characters are very in-character, and the situation is so real, such a normal problem for a couple, but it's something that hurts and I feel like that was portrayed so well here. Throughout the books we see a lot of Hermione and Ron fighting, and I feel like this one-shot really solidified the reason of why they stayed together.
- Chaptered: Because You Came by hestiajones
This fic encompasses one of the main things a good canon romance should have: we know how the ending goes, so it's up to the author to make the journey still intriguing and unique. This story definitely did that. The characterisation of Draco is fabulous. He's not the leather trousered fanfic version, but still the rather selfish, snide and petty boy from Hogwarts and yet we can see that he's growing up. Also, as a miscellaneous character piece - I like how even Goyle, a supporting character, was really fleshed-out and true to what we see in the books.
Best Non-Canon Romance Story
- One-Shot: The Substitute by hestiajones
This piece is written extremely well. The emotion is just so amazing, and the story was fascinating. The plot is fresh, it is creative, and furthermore, it is very well rounded in terms of being well written and believable. The pairing is a bit shocking at first, but it isn't unreasonable, really. It's dealt with well, and the age gap is really reflected in the way they interact.
- Chaptered: In the Ashes by ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor
This story is raw and it's intense. The plot moves and the characterisation is complete and really great. Oliver and Katie are really well characterised by the author, and it all feels very natural. In the Ashes is emotionally involving and has well rounded characters. It is very well written and immediately engaging.
Best Same-Sex Pairing Story: It Takes Two To Tango by lucca4
I thought this was a very realistic approach to how two girls who are best friends realise that they are attracted to each other. The problems in their relationship were dealt with very well. The "tango" metaphor was also beautifully written. The author chose missing moments in canon to explore a relationship of sorts between Parvati and Lavender, and made it quite realistic at that too. The author had spot-on characterization of both Lavender and Parvati.
And: Monochrome by Equinox Chick
Carole made an often overused Marauder Era pairing believable with stellar characterisation, solid plot and poetic style. There was so much emotion packed into this piece and you could really feel the sexual tension. She also added a gut-wrenching plot twist that left readers gasping. It has all the awkwardness of two boys who lust/love each other but can't truly act on due to society pressure. The complexity of the teenage 'love triangles' added quite a lot of depth to the story.
Best Alternate Universe Story
- One-Shot: Going Against Salazar's Grain by hestiajones
I think this fic is amazing and despite its short length, there is a lot in there. It left me quite in awe. One, the writing is impeccable, and two, the way in which the premise is explored really makes sense. Natalie peels back Albus's traits slowly and carefully until we finally get to see his Sorting. AU is notorious for its poor characterisation and yet this fic proves it is possible to explore an AU premise and keep the character in a recognisable state. I just think this is so wonderfully done.
- Chaptered: Halfway to Infinity by Eponine
The world building is amazing, and the characters are real and relatable to me. Lottie is a great main character in that I want to root for her, but I shake my head at her behaviour quite often. I really connected with the characters even though Lottie isn't always a very likeable person. She is flawed and human. I love that. The plot was very clever and obviously planned out in so much detail. I loved all the twists and turns, and sudden cliff-hangers. Halfway to Infinity is a really excellent example of how good Alternate Universe can be.
Best Poetry: The Lady Hufflepuff by minnabird:
This poem both retains the influence of the poem which it mirrors, yet works in its own right. The rhyme and rhythm is effortless, the story epic and tragic. It's a brilliant ode to Hufflepuff house as well as a clever, beautiful piece of writing.
And: The Lost Weeks by the opaleye:
This poem is an amazing work of art. The language and imagery are gorgeous, the story beautiful and emotional. The challenging sestina form flows wonderfully and leaves the reader with the feeling of having read something both difficult yet simple, deep and moving.
Best Marauders' Era Story:
- One-Shot: Whatever Happened to Saturday Night by Simply Being
I love the fast pace of it all, the drunkenness of it and how the Marauders are portrayed. This fic is so unique and manages in under a thousand words to capture so many emotions. Saturday Night is a great tribute to the end of the Hogwarts era, the time when the Marauders were the kings of their world. This fic is so different from any other ME fic I've read. It captures the spirit of the Marauders so well and makes you feel off balance just like the characters would in a time that is so uncertain. The tone makes so much sense considering the age of the Marauders.
The Marauder judging committee would also like to give a special mention to Doubt by lucca4. They had a tough time picking between the two, and really wanted this fic to be given recognition for its unique structure and excellent characterisation.
- Chaptered: Juggling by Equinox Chick
This is a beautifully written story and it manages to fit so well with canon. Carole has done a lovely job with the group dynamic as usual. It's a brilliant story both in terms of plot and the characters. The Marauders are spot on, and it's also interesting to see their dynamic from a different perspective. Dita is a wonderful character, really different from your typical Marauder OC. I liked how the tone of the piece changes throughout as the characters and the world around them changes, first starting off childlike and gradually getting darker. Carole wrote a believable and loveable OC and almost made me wish that James had run away with Dita. As a diehard James/Lily fan, that's the best compliment I could give.
Best Post-Hogwarts Story
- One-Shot: All the Time in the World by ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor
I really love how this story was built. Everything tied up wonderfully, and I loved the ending as well. It's very realistic. The characterisation is perfect. I could see the Harry from the books in this adult version, and his character was very well developed by the author. The emotion of this fic was very real, and I found it completely heart-breaking. I thought it was well-paced and was completely drawn in from beginning to end.
- Chaptered: In the Ashes by ToBeOrNotToBeAGryffindor
The characterisation in this fic is very good and really makes the story. The dynamic between the pair of them feels real. There are various elements to this fic that give it a nice feel of balance: at times it is heartwrenching and yet at others it's very lighthearted and amusing; there's romance but also the intrigues and backstabbing of the world of professional quidditch. It's a story with a little bit of everything, but it doesn't feel fragmented for that. The world building is excellent and though this may seem like a romance fic at times, it definitely has a place in the Post-Hogwarts category.
Best Next Generation Story:
- One-Shot: The Bookshop Owner's Gift by h_vic
This is a very refreshing take on Rose/Scorpius. As the nominator said, this pairing has almost become a cliché yet Hannah has avoided that and written something completely original. The Bookshop Owner's gift was just magical and the characterisation was excellent. It was almost as much about the romance between books and readers as that between Rose and Scorpius. That said, the romance aspect of it was very masterfully woven in. It was quite realistic, and also very sweet.
- Chaptered: High by Equinox Chick
Carole certainly weaves an excellent story that fits into canon, her characterizations are wonderful and her plot lines intriguing. Carole does a really excellent job of characterizing these characters. We hardly know them from canon, apart from who their parents are, but they seem like really logical extrapolations of what those characters' children would be like. The way she has weaved multiple character arcs and plotlines is brilliant - there is so much in this fic and it is written so vividly that it feels real.
Best Original Character:
- Chaptered: Dita from Juggling by Equinox Chick
Though we never even learn her last name, Dita is such a rich and fulfilled character. So much of her feelings and passions and ways of thinking are artfully woven into a relatively short story. As a Muggle, she adds an interesting view to the world of magic, and her relationship with James provides a fascinating contrast between Lily and Snape's friendship. This character also adds a different-than-usual take on what had changed the James Potter from Snape's Worst Memory to the man who Lily fell in love with and married.


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Chernaudi wrote:So it's the fans' fault as much as anything else? After all, they go to pap and gossip sites, and generate ad revenue for them, the look at the photos and read the stories. I just hope that they have the ablility to separate the truth from BS and know that these people are human and have the same rights under law that you and I do.
If there wasn't some demand for the stuff, it wouldn't exist.
Certainly demand drives supply. Each time someone views a papz pic or video on a papz site, it is counted. Each time it is purchased by or for and/or posted on a blog, there's a count. That count allows them to drive up the price the papz charge for the pics, as well as the price they charge advertizers to place their ads on that specific link. So, yes, in a way the fans share a piece of the blame. But, we are all responsible for our own behavior. A photographer has just as much right to stand up and say, "you know what, I'm going to act like a human today." They are in it for the money. I get that. But, at the same time, change starts with the smallest steps. It's up to each of us to treat everyone with the same respect we would wish accorded to ourselves if we were in the same situation. The most irritating attitude I have come across is the attitude that so many have in saying, "they are celebrities, it's a part of their job", or, "they are in "the business", they know what to expect." Its the worst type of excuse because it completely ignores the most basic respect we should have for people.