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Big Trouble
For a change, the Phillies got a great outing from a starting pitcher; JA Happ went 7 innings and only allowed 2 runs. However, Ryan Madson, who has been nothing short of awful lately, was still sent out to pitch the 8th inning, despite his troubles. Madson gave up 3 runs and threw away any possibility of a win for the Phillies. Madson has made a habit out of blowing games in the past month and manager Charlie Manuel is doing him no favors by continuing to put him on the mound. Clearly, Madson has issues to straighten out and during tight games is not the time for him to "work" on his pitches. Manuel cannot keep putting the same guys out there and expect different results; especially when the team is on the verge of being swept and coming off a horrible road trip.
Well, they got swept alright, and it was ugly. Not only that, but as I predicted, they are now nearly out of 1st place (tied with Marlins) and quickly plummeting down the ranks of the NL East. Manuel needs to deal with the players that are not producing and dealing with them should not include putting blind faith in players when things have gotten this bad.
Jimmy Rollins did attempt to turn his season around tonight; he went 2 for 4, but it was all for nothing. The entire game, the entire road trip, has been an exercise in futility as the Phillies cannot seem to win a game. The only real entertainment tonight was watching Chase Utley impersonate a charging bull, as he slammed into the Braves catcher, Brian McCann, to score the first of only 2 runs for the team on the day. Greg Dobbs had a nice day as well, but again, it did not matter.
The Phillies struggled in the first half of last season, and they still won the World Series. However, the struggles this year are a completely different animal. Mental errors, lapses in judgment and very bad pitching have thrown 2009 into a much different level of awful. It is officially time to be worried, Phillies fans. This team has let a potentially big lead in the division wander on by and now, nothing is going right.
Injury Update
Raul Ibanez was supposed to play in a rehab game yesterday in Reading, but the start was pushed back to today. Then, today's appearance was pushed back as well… Is this reason for concern or are the Phillies just playing it really safe? Ibanez has been sorely missed in the line-up and everyone is anxious to get him back. Of course, the Phillies need him back healthy. And so we wait…
One Last Time – Vote!
Only a few hours left! Please ignore how bad this team has gotten and keep VOTING for your Phillies All-Stars! (I need something to look forward to) VOTE up to 25 times. Voting ends at 11:59 PM ET tonight! Utley & Ibanez should be locks for a spot, but Howard, Victorino and Rollins are still teetering on the brink…so, keep on voting!
Utley Photo by Jenn
*Read more about the Phillies at my other home page, Phightin' Phils Phorum in the My Team Rivals network*


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Mindful Eating
The New Year offers plenty of opportunities for festive gatherings, but don't lose your will to keep your waistline in check!Whether socializing or watching the big game, mindless snacking will ruin the best of resolutions.
Keep track of fat and calories with mindful eating—selecting healthy options, stepping away from the food after putting a few items on your plate, and relishing each bite.
NUTS Packed with good unsaturated fat, nuts are a delicious and satisfying alternative to potato chips. A handful of hazelnuts is 94.7 percent fat free! Put just a few on your plate; you will be surprised how they curb your appetite.
HEALTHY PARTY DIPS Dips like hummus or fresh salsa are loaded with nutrients and are low in calories and fat. Combined with raw vegetables and pita chips, these dips are a tasty alternative to dips laden with sour cream or mayonnaise.
AIR POPPED POPCORN One cup has only 30 calories and provides more than one gram of fiber. Sweet and savory popcorn seasonings add just the right flavor without the fat. From apple cinnamon or caramel to barbeque or white cheddar, a quick shake of these delicious popcorn seasonings transforms popcorn from a guilty pleasure to a guiltless treat.
FISH Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids (an essential fat the typical American diet lacks), fish can be presented in a number of ways, such as a smoked salmon dip made with fat free cream cheese, red onions and a touch of dill.
WATER Refreshing and calorie-free, water keeps you full and hydrated—the perfect drink before and during gatherings. Add a little lemon for flavor, and skip the caffeinated beverages.
ITALIAN-STYLE GRILLED CHICKEN 1/4 cup sun-dried tomato vinaigrette dressing, divided 4 boneless chicken breast halves 1 medium tomato, finely chopped 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves) 4 oz. cherry tomatoes, cut in half Place large sheet of heavy duty foil over half of grill grate. Pre-heat grill. Place chicken in re-sealable plastic bag. Evenly coat chicken with 2 Tablespoons of vinaigrette. Refrigerate 10 minutes to marinate. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Place chicken on uncovered side of grill for 6 minutes without turning. While chicken is grilling, combine chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese and remaining 2 Tablespoons of vinaigrette in a small bowl. Turn chicken, placing it cooked-side up on the foil-covered portion of the grill. Top evenly with tomato mixture. Close lid. Grill an additional 8 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Garnish each piece with halved tomatoes. Makes 4 servings. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATIONCalories per serving: 200 Protein: 28 grams Total Fat: 7 grams Saturated Fat: 2.5 grams Dietary Fiber: 1 grams Cholesterol: 75 mg
PEACH MELBA SPREAD 1 15 OZ. can peach slices in light syrup 4 OZ. fat free cream cheese, softend 1 CUP light whipped topping, thawed 1/4 cup raspberry jam or preserves Drain peaches, reserving 1/4 cup of syrup. Pour reserved syrup into medium bowl. Add cream cheese. Mix on medium speed until well blended and set aside. Coarsely chop peaches. Reserve 1/3 cup of chopped peaches; cover and refrigerate. Gently stir remaining chopped peaches and whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Spread into 9-inch pie plate. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Spoon jam onto center of the cream cheese mixture and spread to within 1 inch of edge. Place reserved peaches around edge. Serve with graham cracker sticks. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons of spread Calories per serving: 110 - 150 Protein: 2 grams Carbohydrate: 19 grams Total Fat: 1 grams Dietary Fiber: 1 grams Cholesterol: 2 grams

subset: commoncrawl


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June 3, 2009
More Pics of Rob Looking Bummed in NYC
RPattz was spotted in NYC last night. Recently all these pap pics are making me feel sicky, because as much as I love seeing Rob updates, Rob looks so sad in such pics. So, I tiny-fied this pic above, but if you wanna see the rest, you can view them here.
18 comments:
- AnonymousJune 3, 2009 at 1:57 PM
Yes, well most newlyweds are sad to be apart. She'll be with you soon Rob.ReplyDelete
lol anonymous above :)ReplyDelete
he does look very very very sad :(
- AnonymousJune 3, 2009 at 2:31 PM
I think the photographers need to leave him alone. He is actually working, it is a job. Its not likes he is one of those celebs that goes to The Ivy to be noticed. How many pictures do they need of him exiting a car or going through security at the airport. Enough, leave him be.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 3, 2009 at 2:54 PM
I'm glad I amuse you Hayley, but I really wasn't joking. Soon, everyone will see what I mean, but it will be on their terms. These two are very private people.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 3, 2009 at 3:12 PM
I agree, he does look sad and very unhappy, I think a lot of this is because the press keeps following him around all the time. They need to let up on him and give him some privacy.ReplyDelete
He does look sad and sort of sick of it all.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 3, 2009 at 4:45 PM
where is his hotel? i don't recognize the streetReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 3, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Who wouldn't look mad. The man can't even take a bathroom break without it being mention. The Adwards did a play by play of the ceremony even mentioning this break. He has no privacy and people are obsessed with the characters that he portrays but no with him per say. He isn't Edward in real life he is Rob and people need to understand that. Hell he may have the worst bad habits in the world and people are expecting him to be Edward with no flaws other than he is a vampire. Come realize under neath it all he is an ordinary man not a piece of meat. Yes, he is sexy but he still deserves privacy. If he never acted no one would care what he did.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 3, 2009 at 5:59 PM
I'm swearing off links to stalking photos of him. It's starting to make me feel creepy and sad for him. I thought celebs could be left alone in NY but apparently he's the exception. Poor guy.ReplyDelete
This really DOES bum me out... That pic taken the other day where he was mobbed at the airport? UGH! It's too much - he needs a break, or he's gonna go all Marlon-Brando-weird on us before filming for Eclipse even wraps.ReplyDelete
And can we not swarm his hotel? Please? This is New York City, people: we are supposed to be capable of tactfully hiding our celebrity obsessions and letting the beautiful live in peace among us.
[Or maybe "anon" is JJ in disguise?? In which case, TwiCrack, please email me privately with the deets - lol...]
- AnonymousJune 3, 2009 at 8:24 PM
Seriously NY is usually not this tough with the paps. This is a great city and you may get a little bit of craziness but this is absurd. I really do feel for him. I don't think I ever seen him look this tired. You can usually get a smile at him regardless of the mobs but not this time. You think it would have been better for him here. I feel like of the LA Paps got on a plane and followed him here. Really sad...I hope he gets some needed rest. His people should make sure of that. He is obviously a workaholic but he needs to rest for a couple of days...see family...have a drink...stay away from crowded areas. Goodness!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 3, 2009 at 9:21 PM
"Yes, well most newlyweds are sad to be apart. She'll be with you soon Rob."ReplyDelete
"I'm glad I amuse you Hayley, but I really wasn't joking. Soon, everyone will see what I mean, but it will be on their terms. These two are very private people."
I am rolling my eyes...can you see that?
I am sure whatever it is you "know" these "very private people" would have rather you kept your mouth shut about it all together.
Not that I think you really "know" anything.
- BobinaJune 3, 2009 at 10:24 PM
He looks pissed or annoyed to me.. but that is my own personal opinion.ReplyDelete
All I have to say is one of these days he is going to crack.
I agree with what everyone has said and he needs his space. (sad face)
Poor guy. I swear, we Twi-hards need to form a circle of protection around him and beat the crap out of the paps.ReplyDelete
- BobinaJune 4, 2009 at 1:16 AM
I am game for that Kerri! They don't want to "fuss" with the Twi-hards!ReplyDelete
Just looks deep in thought or tired to me. Still cute as hell. The pain in the ass of being famous.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 4, 2009 at 4:26 AM
Well, he DID just come from Italy to LA which was an 8 or 9 hour difference, probably with little to no sleep (and if any, at 'weird times' that wouldn't agree with the body) so he's jet lagged, had to go to the MTV movie awards, go through all that, do all the press for that, be mobbed at the airport the next morning and then in NY . . . and now he lands in NY which is another 3-hour time difference . . . I'm surprised he's still UPRIGHT.ReplyDelete
Awww poor Rob. I felt awful seeing those pics. In one he looks like he's going to cry - and who wouldn't blame him. I was think the same thing Keri said about keeping people away. I think its up to his agents to start spreading the word they need to give him a break before he cracks. Plus the agents are the ones probably pushing him to never stop and I think they need to wise up and tell him to take a break. I love RPattz like the rest of you, but I would be willing to stop robsessing if it means he'll be happier. I think a lot of us would.ReplyDelete


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user experience, and to be able to place an order on our website, you must have
All sales final on clearance items.
The women's ABEO B.I.O.system® Sloane sandal with neutral support features the "all-day" comfort of a customized 3-D fit. Digitally fit to your foot, ABEO B.I.O.system® premium sandals incorporate state-of-the-art digital foot scanning technology which calculates the optimum footbed construction for your individual foot.
A neutral footbed provides enhanced arch support and is designed to match most foot types, providing all-day comfort, support, and stability. Neutral Footbed


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May 22, 2009
Must. Buy. Entertainment Weekly New Moon Scan
17 comments:
:O So pretty!ReplyDelete
Mwahaha! Super pleased that I have a subscription to EW. Can't wait to see the high quality version of the Bella/party dress/papercut photo.ReplyDelete
Any idea when it's coming out?ReplyDelete
- HannahMay 22, 2009 at 3:01 AM
wow that is incredibly exciting. not gonna lie -- fangirling!!!ReplyDelete
OME OME OME!!!! I can't wait for HQ scans and I want to read that artical!!!!ReplyDelete
- bunbun81May 22, 2009 at 3:37 AM
I've already told my husband to BOLO for it. i was like..."that's a new edward/bella picture!" "that's the birthday party scene!" "that's bella and laurent!"ReplyDelete
i'm such a spaz
DEFINETELY getting that!!!ReplyDelete
When can I buy thiss???????ReplyDelete
When is it coming out? Im so fricken excted I'm bouncing in my chair! Squeeeeee!!!!!!!ReplyDelete
I LOVE TCA! I leave you guys fn hour to shove my kids in bed and I come back to this. YOU ROCK!
- bunbun81May 22, 2009 at 4:20 AM
agreed kerri. this is my fave twilight related site. has the most info!ReplyDelete
Woo hoo!! I can't wait to receive my copy in the mail tomorrow!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 22, 2009 at 5:13 AM
Oh God!!!! I swore to myself I wouldn't look at these pics b/c I was ruining the movie for myself! Damn my nonexistant willpower!!!!!!!!!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 22, 2009 at 10:10 AM
OH WOW! Can someone please post some scans of all the pics? i cant buy that magazine here in germany:-(ReplyDelete
Cool! I can't wait!ReplyDelete
now i REALLY cant wait!!!
why must the entertainment industry dangel drugs in front of us like that?


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The city already handles condemned trees in the city's right of way but Ward Director Londell Williams asked if something could be done to address problem trees on private property. Public Works Director Paul Hackleman set up a meeting to discuss how to condemn trees, remove them or replant them but remained concerned about finances.
"I'm not opposed to this, but you shouldn't add a service unless you know how to pay for it," Hackleman said, according to the Texarkana Gazette (http://bit.ly/19ioAjG).
Members of the panel discussed the ordinance Tuesday and have it on their agenda again for Sept. 10.
Commission vice chairman Jason Dupree said fees ranging from $1 to $5 monthly could be added to city water bills to fund a tree program, though he would want residents to weigh in during the November election.
"This is a thorny issue, and I don't want to impose a tax on the people without a vote," Dupree said.
Mayor Wayne Smith told commissioners he opposed a tree ordinance that would charge residents any additional fees. He said city residents on a fixed income would be hurt by the ordinance.
"I don't want to have to pay $1 a month to have someone cut a tree," Smith said. "We can't get weeds cut around here. We don't have the money and staff to do it. Give us an ordinance that we can go after irresponsible homeowners. Give us an ordinance where we can take them to court."
Hackleman told commissioners people could be fined, arrested and go to court for not taking care of trees on their property, but said the reality of them really being locked up was unlikely. Having a fee for the city to take down problematic trees added to the water bill might put some teeth in the enforcement.
"If you can turn off their water, you are going to have an enforcement tool," Hackleman said.
He said the idea had not been discussed with the water utility.
Lisa White, a retiree, told commission members she opposed passing along costs to homeowners because homeowners aren't always at fault for where trees grow.
"I didn't plant the trees in the right-of-way, the squirrels did," White said. "I have cut three this year, and six were cut before the ice storm."


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Congrats to our former Chicago major league baseball players who earned World Series rings when the San Francisco Giants topped the Texas Rangers in Game 5 of the World Series last night. Former Cubs players Mike Fontenot and Mark DeRosa and former White Sox players Aaron Rowand and Juan Uribe each won world series rings with the Giants win. It was the 1st World Series rings for each of Fontenot and DeRosa. Rowand and Uribe each played pivotal roles in the White Sox World Series win back in 2005.
Uribe started all 5 World Series games for the Giants – he had 3 hits (including a home run in Game 1), 3 runs scored and 5 RBI's.
Rowand played in 2 World Series games for the Giants and had a pinch-hit 2-run triple in Game 1. He also scored a run in Game 1.
Fontenot came into the Giants' Game 2 9-0 win as a defensive replacement and did not earn an at-bat.
DeRosa has been hampered by injuries each of the last 3 seasons. He played in only 26 games for the Giants in 2010 because of a wrist injury.
Congrats guys – you all deserve it!!!


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The Department of Electrical Engineering places a strong emphasis on "hands-on" learning, both in and out of the classroom. By graduation, over 90% of our graduates have worked in a technical job in industry.
The department has a very active co-operative education program. Among the advantages of co-op are a greater understanding of opportunities for EEs, and the increased likelihood of job offers upon graduation because of strong resumes reflecting work experience.
- Students pursue a five-year program that includes two nine-month paid (typically $16-$18/hour) full-time assignments in an industry setting.
- Some students focus on graduating in four years; most of them are able to find a summer position in a technical company, often between junior and senior years.
Raytheon and National Grid are examples of locations where our cooperative education students work full-time.


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Five arrested in customs drug sting
Employees of Australia's biggest airport baggage and cargo contractor have allegedly been working with a cell of corrupt customs officers to smuggle millions of dollars worth of drugs through Sydney Airport.
Fairfax Media can reveal that David Harb, a former Sydney Airport baggage handler from global cargo handling giant Menzies Aviation Services, was arrested on Tuesday along with two allegedly corrupt customs officers. At least one other Menzies employee is under scrutiny.
A total of four customs officers and one quarantine inspection service official are among the 17 people so far arrested by Operation Marca, a two-year federal anti-corruption and organised crime probe into suspected drug trafficking at Sydney Airport's international terminal.
Members of the cell are suspected to have been involved in multiple importations worth tens of millions of dollars since 2009.
Mr Harb is the cousin of Joseph Anthony Harb, who was charged last year by Operation Marca with drug trafficking and bribing a customs official.
Joseph Harb is allegedly a central player in the trafficking cell and it is his relationship with suspected corrupt customs officers which underpinned the cell's operations. It is also understood that the Comanchero outlaw bikie gang has suspected links to Joe Harb and has profited from the drug trafficking allegedly carried out by the cell.
On Tuesday, the federal police and corruption watchdog, the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity, arrested five people across Sydney in connection to four alleged importations of pseudoephedrine, which is used to make ice.
''It will be alleged that these customs officers held trusted positions within the airport environment and allowed the syndicate to facilitate corrupt and criminal behaviour with relative impunity for some time,'' the federal police commissioner Tony Negus, told a media conference on Tuesday. He also flagged further arrests.
Mr Negus said that the two customs officers arrested on Tuesday included a supervisor and that they allegedly ''directed resources and monitored CCTV to allow the importation to take place''.
David Harb is alleged to have taken drug-filled suitcases from planes while working as a baggage handler. The bags were allegedly then smuggled past customs.
It's alleged that the four imports took place in March and June last year, with the final drug load smuggled by two couriers - who were both arrested at the time - on a plane from Vietnam on June 6. When police intercepted this fourth shipment, they found 40 kilos of pseudoephedrine, enough to make about 28 kilos of ice, worth up to $9.5 million.
The arrested customs officers are a 40-year old Kingsgrove man and a 38-year-old Blacktown man. Arrested along with Mr Harb, 29, of Petersham, was a 30-year-old Earlwood man and a 35-year-old Oxley Park man, who is the brother of one of the officers and is facing charges of dealing with the proceeds of crime.
It is expected that the men will be charged with drug trafficking and bribery offences.
Acting customs CEO Michael Pezzullo put customs officers on notice. He said tougher rules were being introduced last Friday with required officials to report any illegal activity and misconduct.
''It's quite evident that in this case at least, under those basic supervisory checks and balances, have either been neglected, have fallen apart or have not been undertaken. That's just the straight facts of the matter.
''That is being remedied. I've given directions to the relevant senior managers that everyone along that chain needs to lift their game . . . they'll be held accountable.
''It's my intention . . . to drop the disciplinary hammer on any officers who have neglected to perform that basic legal duty.''
with David Wroe
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text:
Please join CDT for A Breakfast Panel Discussion on
Implementation of Health IT: The Payoff for the Patient?
The panel will explore the potential for health information technology to empower consumers and patients in taking greater control of their health care. Specifically, the panel will discuss whether national and California state efforts to spur greater adoption of electronic health records are sufficiently focusing on consumer/patient engagement and putting individuals at the center of care. What are the obstacles to a truly patient-centered health care system and how do we overcome them? What federal and state policies are needed to ensure consumers and patients are not left behind?
8:30 a.m. Breakfast
Jim Dempsey, Vice President of Public Policy,
Deven McGraw, Director Health Privacy Project,
Jonah Frohlich, Deputy Secretary of Health Information Technology, California Health and Human Service Agency
Julie V. Murchison, Managing Director, Manatt Health Solutions
David Lansky, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer,
Lisa Suennen, co-founder and Managing Member, Psilos Group
RSVP to Catherine Brack, firstname.lastname@example.com or 202-637-9800 x 104
Sponsored by Manatt Health Solutions, a division of Manatt, Phelps and Phillips LLP, and Gemalto


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Hungarian inventions
Márta Fenyő's invention, just like the well-known and widely spread Bioptron lamp operating on the principles of the Sensolite-treatment, has a thirty-year history. The localised light treatment technology was developed at the beginning of the 1980s has been extended to the use on the whole body.
Its operation is as follows: the polarised light invades the body into a 1 cm depth, reaches the blood circulation through the capillaries, thus the biologically vitalising effect immediately gets to all the cells and organs of the human body. Due to the effect of polarisation, the oxygen-trapping ability of the red blood cells increases, bringing more vital oxygen to each cell, organ or organ system enabling a more effective development and operation.
The polarised light therapy has a boosting effect to the immune system. The T-lymphocytes (white blood cells), which play an important role in recognising and neutralising the faulty cells generated every minute and later being responsible for serious illnesses, are activated due to the polarised light immensely, therefore enabling the prevention of serious and less serious illnesses, also, they can boost or fasten the healing of existing ones.
• boosts the natural protection mechanism
• increases circulation
• has an anti-inflammatory effect
• perfectly enables health protection
• healing acute illnesses
• healing chronic illnesses (improved symptoms, improved condition, the improvement of life-quality)
• boosts the patient's condition, he/she will feel more energetic
• it is successfully used by Paediatrics, Dermatology, Allergology, Immunology. Sport Traumatology, Orthopaedics, Rheumatology, Psychiatrics, Pulmonology and Otolaryngology
Light has been used in healing for thousands of years, and light therapy had success recently in modern medicine. The main effects of the Bioptron light therapy: increases the regenerative ability of the body, therefore expediting the system's own self-induced healing processes, increases micro-circulation, harmonizes metabolism and strengthens the immune system.
Essence of Paprika
Contour-enhancing and detoxifying body treatment
We start off the treatment with a goat-milk bath, which boasts metabolism. Next comes the cherry stone-essence peeling, preparing the skin for the detoxifying massage. The pleasant massage milk rebuilds the tired, aged skin with the power of paprika, cleanses the blood veins and the lymph system. Paprika essence oil is medically proven to help dissolve and remove fat deposited in connective tissue. Playing a major role in skin tightening processes, it is the number one herbal essence used in curing lifeless, serous skin. It is also well used during treating rheumy and artiosclerosis. After massaging the pack onto the body parts to be treated (hip, thigh, rear) we apply a body-wrap to avoid the pack from drying so that the contents of the body-pack can penetrate the skin even deeper. The Rekongem-pack, besides the paprika, has beneficial components, some which also provide an anaesthetic effect.
At the end of the treatment, we soothe and cool down the skin with our special herbal products. These may not be used by Guests who show allergic reactions to Capsaicin or Methyl Salicylate! The body-pack has a warming, slightly prickling effect.
Combat the Vasoconstriction With a New Hungarian Invetion
Mr. Lajos Nagy, Hungarian naturopathic doctor's method is known as Sonoterápia® (Sonotherapy). The inventor is the patentee of this new treatment in many countries worldwide. The aim of the process is to stimulate the metabolism of the cells of the veins with sound waves, and activate the organism's resilience to combat against vasoconstriction and arteriosclreosis. Sonotherapy®: pain-free application of pulsating, low frequency, low energy sound waves.


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Mort Crim Communications Inc. — which does business primarily as MCCI — has spent $500,000 to retrofit 9,000 square feet of the fifth floor of the Murphy-Telegraph Building, with a two-year option for an additional 5,000 square feet across the hall, said Oprea, president and CEO since buying the company from its namesake founder in May 2008.
The agency signed an eight-year lease for the location at Congress and Shelby avenues — also home to the reopened London Chop House, where Oprea said he now holds client lunches and dinners. MCCI staff began moving in May 26 from its longtime, 5,000-square-foot Southfield office.
The Detroit architectural firm D Met Design custom-created the open floor plan and its aesthetics, said Oprea, 62, a longtime TV journalist before moving into marketing.
In a few areas, there also are elevated wooden floors that come from Reclaim Detroit, which specializes in reconstruction materials collected from vacant houses in the city.
A massive conference room table that seats 20, made from sustainable forestry lumber, came from Detroit's Ali Sandifer Studio.
In addition to studio space, editing bays, a sound-recording "dead" booth and glassed-in modules for private calls or conversation, there is an open kitchen and a large meeting area.
The six-story building, at 155 W. Congress, was constructed in 1903 and is actually two buildings that now share a common set of floors. It once housed a Western Union office — hence, the telegraph name — and Oprea is delighted by that history tidbit about one of the early forms of mass communications.
The building is owned by Maria Gatzaros, widow of longtime Detroit businessman and Greektown Casino-Hotel co-founder Ted Gatzaros.
"I wanted to have a developer-owner where we weren't going to get lost. They were very collaborative with us," Oprea said.
The Detroit Economic Growth Corp. spent months helping MCCI find a downtown space, Oprea said. No tax breaks or financial incentives were part of the deal, he said, just advice.
Also instrumental in the move was Rick Ruffner, president and CEO of greeting card maker Avanti Press. Avanti moved into the building in 2000, and Oprea said Ruffner pitched the location to him over drinks.
Locations in Birmingham, Royal Oak, Ferndale and Southfield were considered but eliminated for lack of contiguous space, cost, lack of walkability or other reasons, Oprea said.
MCCI will keep a satellite office in Southfield and its multimedia in the Renaissance Center office that it serves its largest client, General Motors Co.
On the rebound
The recession struck the marketing and public relations industry hard, and MCCI was no exception. It didn't shrink during the recession, but everyone, including Oprea, took a pay cut, and open positions were not filled.
As things have rebounded, he's repopulated the ranks and added management. In the past 18 months, the firm has increased staff 25 percent to 25 full-timers, Oprea said.
The turnaround began in 2011. "We got our sea legs back," Oprea said.
Revenue is improving. Last year, it was $3 million, and Oprea estimates it will be $3.5 million this year. In 2012, it was $2.8 million.
MCCI has 44 active clients, including 13 new ones in the past 12 months. Among those are Atlanta-based SunTrust Banks Inc.; Anklesaria Group, a San Diego-based international supply chain consulting and training firm; and auto suppliers Faurecia North America Inc. in Auburn Hills and Federal-Mogul Holdings Corp. in Southfield.
Other new clients are in human services, workforce development and health care: Detroit Employment Solutions Corp., Runaway & Homeless Youth Alliance, Starfish Family Services, VFW National Home for Children and the Children's Hospital of Michigan Auxiliary.
After GM, the agency's largest clients are the Tempe, Ariz.-based Institute for Supply Management; Henkel North America in Bridgewater, N.J.; and I-CAR, a Chicago-based national collision repair certification and training association.
The firm also does work for the Wayne-based Rush Group family of companies, Detroit-based Ally Financial Inc., Troy-based Meritor Inc., the city of Southfield and the local social service organizations Focus: HOPE and Forgotten Harvest.
MCCI has added social media and digital services, along with traditional public and media relations services, a full range of advertising and branding options and whatever else a client might need.
"The whole world is changing in the past 48 or 50 months," Oprea said. "We like to think we are ahead of the curve on that."
Matt Friedman, a local TV veteran and co-founder of the Farmington Hills-based public relations firm Tanner Friedman, had kind words for his competition's business philosophy: "Our industry has been hampered because of a collective bad reputation of big fees and low standards. Having a respected firm like MCCI in the Detroit area helps all of us here who strive to provide a high level of service to clients and operate with values and integrity."
Friedman said he's impressed with how Oprea has run MCCI.
"Before they were forced to by market changes, they made a bold strategic decision to diversify their scope of services far beyond their roots in high-end video production. That seems to have paid off for them," Friedman wrote in an email.
"When it comes to video production, they are still considered the gold standard, boasting some of the most talented and experienced producers anywhere. But now they are a credible firm in virtually every aspect of communications."
Oprea worked for many years in broadcast news, doing investigative and documentary pieces.
He was a minority shareholder at Mort Crim Communications and became its president not long after joining the firm just after it launched.
What's in a name?
Oprea, who started work at WDIV on the same day in 1978 as Crim, was Crim's first hire in 1993.
"He and I had discussed the prospect of creating a communications company for nearly a year before we did it," said Crim, now 78 and retired to Florida. "I had such confidence in him that I'm not certain I would have launched the company had he not been available."
An increasing number of people are too young to remember Mort Crim on local TV news. That, and the company's nationwide client base, made the transition to MCCI logical.
The shift to the MCCI name was a good business strategy, Friedman said.
"They have been smart in evolving their name," he said. "Mort Crim still enjoys a fabulous 'Q-score' but only with a segment of the audience. He has been off TV news since 1997, before many of today's business decision-makers can even remember."
The firm's logo was redesigned last year and almost exclusively uses MCCI.
That's not to suggest the company is abandoning its heritage.
"We're not going to hide the fact our company is Mort Crim Communications," Oprea said.
"Mort's legacy as a high-integrity journalist is very reflective in our organization," Oprea said. "But I think over the years, the name MCCI and the MCCI Integrated Marketing logo/brand has become great shorthand for what we represent in the marketplace."
Bill Shea: (313) 446-1626, [email protected]. Twitter: @bill_shea19


text: Went for a ride with the wife yesterday and took a road home that i know well. Nice road two lane out in farming country. This streach of the road as we were traveling, Hwy 250 between I 65 and Paris Crossing, has two 90 degree turns then it straightens out but then comes a rather large hump in the road that i have on a few occasions in my younger days ramped over to get a little air born, nice little rush. You cannot see over it. As i crested the hill way less than fifty feet away there sit a hay mower\ conditioner with the person backing up the tractor to hook up to the machine, it must of come unhooked when he came over the hill. The right lane was blocked with the mower and the tractor had 2\3 of the left land blocked with it's ft end. OMG no time to be scared, on the brakes and go for the little bit of space i did have to the left. I know i heard two different noises from my tires,Anakees, ft and rear, but no squealing and i was able to steer around with no contact. Anyone that knows what a mow conditioner is knows the rear part of the machine has a nice deflector on it made out of sheet metal that would of cut us into, is what i was thinking at the time. Never want to go through that again. If i would of been on another bike i have without ABS i know it would of been a sliding.


text:
TROY INDUSTRIES INC 3-Pack Battle Mag
Feed lips and anti-tilt follower are reinforced for strength. A bolstered floor plate is set flush so that it will not catch on other magazines when pulled from a pouch. The Troy magazine is as sleek as it is strong. Operators will save crucial seconds when executing magazine changes.
SPECIFICATIONS:Mfg Item Num: SMAG3PKBT00 Category: FIREARMS - CLIPS & MAGAZINES Caliber :M4, M16/AR15, HK416 & FN ScarCapacity :30 rdFinish :BlackModel :M4, M16/AR15, HK416 & FN ScarMaterial :PolymerType :ReplacementFit :Number :


text:
|Almeida, Nalvo
|Yan, Shuangchun
|Cai, Rongman
|Morris, Cindy
|Schaad, Norman
|Schuenzel, Erin
|Lacy, George
|Sun, Xiaoan
|Jones, Jeffrey
|Castillo, Jose
|Bull, Carolee
|Leman, Scotland
|Gutman, David
|Setubal, Joao
|Vinatzer, Boris
Submitted to: Journal of Phytopathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/2/2009
Publication Date: 3/1/2010
Citation: Almeida, N., Yan, S., Cai, R., Morris, C.E., Schaad, N.W., Schuenzel, E., Lacy, G.H., Sun, X., Jones, J.B., Castillo, J.A., Bull, C.T., Leman, S., Gutman, D.S., Setubal, J.C., Vinatzer, B.A. PAMDB, 2010. A Multilocus Sequence Typing & Analysis Database and Website for Plant-Associated Microbes. Phytopathology. 100:208-215. Interpretive Summary: In understanding of bacterial pathogen diversity and rapid identification of pathogens are important to prevent the spread of new and emerging diseases. These usually require comparison of the novel pathogens to formerly characterized pathogens. The cost and government regulations prevent scientists from maintaining large collections of plant pathogens for comparison purposes. DNA sequencing and web databases hold promise to increase the study of plant associated bacteria because data generated in one laboratory can be compared to data generated in another. This manuscript reports on the generation and evaluation of a database with web interface specifically designed for plant-associated and plant-pathogenic bacteria. The database, called PAMDB (Plant Associated Microbes Database) is comprised of the DNA sequences for several genes that are useful in identifying plant associated bacteria and studying diversity among bacteria. This database is usable by scientists world-wide and will become more valuable as scientists can add their novel results. The database should allow for more rapid identification of plant pathogens and reduce duplication in research efforts since data can be shared.
Technical Abstract: Although there are adequate DNA sequence differences among plant-associated and plant-pathogenic bacteria to facilitate molecular approaches for their identification, identification at a taxonomic level that is predictive of their phenotype is a challenge. The problem is the absence of a taxonomy that describes genetic variation at a biologically relevant resolution and of a database containing reference strains for comparison. Moreover, molecular evolution, population genetics, ecology, and epidemiology of many plant-pathogenic and plant-associated bacteria are still poorly understood. To address these challenges, a database with web interface was specifically designed for plant-associated and plant-pathogenic microorganisms. PAMDB (Plant Associated Microbes Database) is comprised, so far, of data from multilocus sequence typing and analysis (MLST/MLSA) studies of Axonopodis avenae, Pseudomonas syringae, Ralstonia solanacearum, and Xanthomonas spp. Using data deposited in PAMDB, a robust phylogeny of Xanthomonas axonopodis and related bacteria has been inferred and the diversity existing in the Xanthomonas genus and in described Xanthomonas species has been compared with the diversity in P. syringae and R. solanacearum. Moreover, we show how PAMDB makes it easy to distinguish between different pathogens that cause almost identical diseases. The scalable design of PAMDB will make it easy to add more plant pathogens in the future.


text:
Zim parties split by Young Turks
30 Nov 2012 00:00 | Jason Moyo
President Robert Mugabe is eager to hold elections in March, but first he has to manage a growing row between his old guard and an emerging younger crop seeking to stand for the party in the next elections.
It is a problem shared by Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who also faces criticism that he is trying to protect senior allies by not subjecting them to party primaries ahead of next year's general election.
Although neither Mugabe nor Tsvangirai faces any challenge to his position, they are both caught between protecting their longstanding lieutenants and allowing the new blood they need to appeal to the all-important youth vote.
Zanu-PF expects to hold primary elections in December. Its annual conference next week is expected to debate growing controversy over proposed rules that may restrict the entry of a growing group of young aspiring candidates.
Zanu-PF, whose presidential candidate, Mugabe, will be 89 in March and which is led mostly by ageing struggle veterans, has struggled to attract young voters. But it has attracted several young businesspeople eager to stand as Zanu-PF candidates for Parliament.
This is part of Zanu-PF's plan to appeal to younger voters, but it also means many of its veteran politicians may have to give way, which they are not ready to do.
Young guns
"We welcome all these young and enterprising people who are coming from the corporate world to invigorate the party," Zanu-PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo said. The "young guns" needed only to show loyalty to the party, he said.
But party administration secretary Didymus Mutasa is proposing rules that would bar any candidate who had not served in the party for at least five years. This would freeze out many of the new candidates.
Mutasa said the Zanu-PF leadership would determine whether each candidate was suitable or not.
"We have to stand as a party and choose who can stand for us. We want people who can represent us well, people who are well cultured. We won't pick just any fool," Mutasa said last week.
In some constituencies, there are up to 10 aspiring Zanu-PF candidates, party officials say.
Jonathan Moyo, a member of Zanu-PF's politburo who is considered a top strategist for the party, said the proposed rules were meant to guard the party from "the nefarious machinations of opportunists, infiltrators, merchants and agents of regime change" who would use elections to "derail, demoralise, destabilise or destroy the party".
New aspirants
But Moyo said the new blood, drawn mostly from security organs and business, should be allowed to stand even if they had not served Zanu-PF for long.
In the MDC, supporters accuse the leadership of trying to protect senior officials from the challenge from new aspirants.
In a recent interview with the Zimbabwe Independent, Tsvangirai said he was seeking a balance between not imposing candidates on supporters and avoiding having to "start with a Parliament full of new, inexperienced people".
Nelson Chamisa, the organising secretary of the MDC, said a sitting MP would not directly face a primary, but must go through a "confirmation process", which involved party members voting on whether to keep their MP or not.
"If they fail to garner the required support, they will go for primary elections," said Chamisa.
Confirmation process
Brian James, hoping to stand against a veteran MDC MP in the Mutare constituency, is opposed to the proposed "confirmation process" and insists primaries must be held in all constituencies.
"People must be given the chance to choose who they want to be led by," said James.
But MDC spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora said a primary election was not the only democratic way to choose leaders, saying: "In some cases, it has produced undesired outcomes."
Political commentator Tanonoka Whande said the leadership of both parties was deliberately stifling newcomers.
"Youngsters in both parties are clamouring not only for recognition and inclusion, but [also] for accommodation and space.
"They see the shortcomings of the old-timers and how their non-performance is hurting their parties. But the leadership of both parties is reluctant and afraid to let go," said Whande.
Zanu-PF and the MDC have agreed on new regulations compelling candidates to produce a "certificate of authorisation" from their party proving they are its official candidate.
In the last election, both parties suffered split votes after candidates from the same party stood against each other, protesting the results of party primaries.
View the original online publication here


text:
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 4:38 PM
Town Square
Stay safe in traffic with Street Smarts
Original post made on Sep 26, 2013
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 4:38 PM
Comments (1)
a resident of Alamo
on Sep 26, 2013 at 6:26 am
Excellent idea. I recall when this was a common practice in schools back in the day.
Nowadays, those who use the Iron Horse Trail dont know what the four letter word:
They mostly just bike or run through without any consideration to the cars on the road which dont have a STOP sign to obligated them
The Trail users have the obigated STOP sign but that doesnt matter.
They cross with the one letter salute to drivers, the One middle finger.
They rarely STOP for they believe they are exempt from stopping; they expect cars to stop.
How to change this attitude?
Paint S T O P bigger and in red?????
Salami, Salami … Baloney
By Tom Cushing | 28 comments | 824 views


text:
The tutorial is available as a download or on CD-ROM from Safe Harbor Computers. The video is set up for familiar DVD navigation with chapters, and is viewed in Windows Media Player. The opening chapter is an overview of what is covered on the disc. The next two chapters cover the specifications of HDV and the other HD formats that are utilized by the RT.X2.
With the basics out of the way, Pulera goes into detail on setting up project presets to ensure that you are choosing the best preset for the type of HD editing and authoring you will be doing. The next chapter talks about setting up your camera's VTR for capturing. Because most cameras allow you to down convert in-camera, it is important to have the proper settings before attempting to capture your HDV footage. Even one wrong setting, such as TV Type, will have you scratching your head as to why you aren't seeing your footage in the capture window. This is by far the No. 1 troubleshooting issue that people have when trying to capture or export to HDV. Pulera shows both Canon and Sony cameras along with the various settings that should be selected based on the type of project. This information alone is worth the cost of the tutorial ($49.99).
The next few chapters go over HD workflows, various types of mixed-format editing, HDV zoom and pan, upscaling and downscaling in HD and DV projects, as well as monitoring your HD project on an HD television or compatible computer screen. Pulera includes a useful tutorial on bringing HDV material into a DV project, and then scaling the image to allow zooms and pans within the larger HDV frame size. This adds another dimension of creativity when working in DV projects that include HDV material.
The final chapters discuss export options for DVD, HDV, and Blu-ray. Several chapters go into detail on how to export your HDV project directly into Adobe Encore, create your menus, and burn to Blu-ray Disc. This is must-have information for those who are looking into authoring their first Blu-ray Disc. Speaking of encoding options for Blu-ray, the chapter titled "Encoding for Blu-ray" goes over the difference in encoding MPEG-2 versus H.264. Each setting the of Matrox Media Encoder is carefully reviewed to provide the best encoding workflow based on the output format desired.
Also included is a work-around for a color-space issue that Adobe Premiere Pro has when creating a DVD from HDV source material. There have been reports of jagged edges and flickering horizontal lines on some material when an HDV timeline is exported to MPEG-2 for DVD creation. Pulera offers a few solutions to eliminate those issues.
Overall, this tutorial is an excellent resource for any Matrox RT.X2 user wanting to get the most out of HDV and Blu-ray production. It greatly helps the viewer get up to speed and learn the various encoding and export options for HDV Blu-ray projects. I would recommend it to anyone who uses the Matrox RT.X2 card with Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Encore.
Chris Randall (info at edit1media.com), a 2006 & 2007 EventDV 25 honoree, is co-owner of Seattle-area studio Edit 1 Media with his wife, Laura.


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Mercury Backpackers Hostel
Mercury Backpackers' Hostel was introduced with a group of business partners which wanted to cater cheaper and much better accommodation for Backpackers/tourists. They personally have surveyed numbers of Backpackers Hostels in Singapore and finds that such visitors deserved to have a much better accommodation environment. This led to the setting up of Mercury Backpackers' Hostel.
Mercury Backpackers' Hostel is the largest backpackers' hostel in the vicinity of Lavender Street of Singapore. The hostel located in the heart of Singapore, which convenient to get to any parts or tourist attractions in Singapore. The nearest MRT station - Lavender MRT station is just 2-3 minutes walking distance from the hostel. The hostel is just beside the main road of Lavender Street, thus flagging for cab is easy task and even there are public bus-stops at both sides of the road that can fetch you to various parts of Singapore.
The hostel is a new hostel establishment and it's a 4 ½ storey building painted with fresh and lively colour. Our theme of colour is Orange; it's symbolizing "Brightly life". The hostel can easily accommodate more than 90 patrons; entire premise are equipped with security cameras and is fire safety certified. The hostel is newly opened; majority stuffs are brand new conditions. It's rooms are designed with different theme and can accommodate 3 to 6 persons. Special rooms are also reserved for Small family and Female patrons only. All bedding set used is equivalent to the standard of 4-5 stars hotel. Wooden bed frame was introduced to prevent noise disturbance and patrons will be issued with individual cupboard for safe-keeping of belongings, the cupboard came with a special Magnetic Key Tag scan lock. Furthermore, personal Reading light, shelves and charging socket was given too. The hostel constructed plenty of shared showers & toilets on every level and there are equipped with hot/cold water, the washing basin does attach with Hair-blower devices, coin-operated washing machine was attached too. The reception lobby was catered vending machines for Cold/Hot drinks, snacks & convenience items for purchase, thus we do provide Cold/Hot water and used of our microwave oven for free.
The hostel reception is operating round the clock; 24 Hours and unlimited Questions & Advices can be probe to our super-friendly staffs. There are phone-intercom services to reception on every level.
CCTVs parts. The premise are equipped with 'WIFI' and unlimited FREE internet access available, additional of desktop computers was catered for those who did not bring along their computer. To create more interaction, we created bonding corner/area on all levels. Our delicious & Simple American Breakfast will be provided daily at our designed roof-top garden.
The most attraction from the hostel is the 6 person's Relaxation Jacuzzi Pool on the roof-top garden, besides the garden was specially designed with Sun-Tanning beds and BBQ equipments also available.
We may have the best accommodation, security system and facilities provided but the most important for us is to provide the best services to ensure you have the best, cozy, clean and comfortable stay with us during your visit.
Disponibilidad y preciosPara ver la disponibilidad y los precios, selecciona las fechas y pincha "Actualizar fechas"
Instalaciones & Políticas de Albergue
- Seguridad 24 horas
- Adaptadores
- Aire acondicionado
- Barbacoa
- Desayuno no incluido
- Se aceptan tarjetas de crédito
- Mapas de la ciudad gratis
- Acceso gratuito a Internet
- Wifi gratuito
- Secadores de pelo
- Duchas de agua caliente
- Jacuzzi
- Limpieza
- Acceso a Internet
- Lavandería
- Incluye ropa de cama
- Taquillas
- No fumadores
- Terraza al aire libre
- Aparcamiento
- Luz de lectura
- Baño de Vapor
- Máquinas expendedoras
- Lavadora
Política de cancelaciónEsta propiedad cuenta con una política de cancelación de 3 días. Si no se realiza la cancelación dentro de ese plazo se aplicará un recargo de anulación igual a la primera noche de tu estancia.
IndicacionesMostrar mapaOcultar mapa
By Cab/Taxi : Alight along Lavender Street, off Penhas Road. Our Mercury Backpackers Hostel is just beside the Hotel Fragrance Lavender.
By MRT : Alight at Lavender MRT station - EW 11, (abt 2-3 mins walk) Exit 11 to Kallang Rd > Walk straight turn Left into Horne Rd > Walk Straight after Jellicoe Rd, right turn into Penhas Rd > Walk till the end of the road then turn left, u will then see us -Mercury Backpackers' Hostel.
From Changi Airport : Proceed to Changi Airport MRT station - take East West Line train to Tanah Merah Station. Alight and proceed towards platform B - take East West Line train towards Joo Koon direction and then alight at Lavender MRT Station.
From Woodland Checkpoint : Proceed to the bus-top near to the Taxi Stand, take Bus no.950, alight at Marsiling MRT station - NS 8, along Woodlands Avenue 3, then take North South Line train towards Marina Bay direction and then alight at City Hall Interchange Station - NS 25/EW13 or Raffles Place Interchange Station - NS26/EW14, then proceed to East West Line train, took the train towards Pasir Ris, then alight at Lavender MRT Station.


text:
1. Does ZoneAlarm Antivirus Monitoring feature recognize my antivirus software?
Currently, the Antivirus Monitoring feature will recognize the following antivirus products:
SYMANTEC<ul>[*]Norton Internet Security 2005[*]Norton AntiVirus 2005[*]Norton Internet Security Pro 2004[*]Norton AntiVirus Pro 2004[*]Norton Internet Security 2003[*]Norton AntiVirus/AntiVirus Pro 2003[*]Norton AntiVirus 2002[/list]
MCAFEE<ul>[*]Internet Security 2005[*]VirusScan 2005[*]VirusScan ASAP[*]Internet Security 2004[*]VirusScan/VirusScan Pro 2004[*]Internet Security 2003[*]VirusScan/VirusScan Pro 7[*]VirusScan Pro 6[/list]
TREND MICRO<ul>[*]Pc-cillin Internet Security 2005[*]Pc-cillin Internet Security 2004[*]Pc-cillin 2003[*]Pc-cillin 2002[/list]
COMPUTER ASSOCIATES<ul>[*]eTrust EZ Antivirus 7[*]eTrust EZ Antivirus 6.0[*]eTrust EZ Antivirus 6.1[*]eTrust EZ Antivirus 6.2[/list]
The Antivirus Monitoring feature is designed to keep your computer safe by detecting installed antivirus software products and alerting you to lapses in protection. This feature can be considered a second line of defense in the event your antivirus auto update feature has been disabled, we will notify you that there is an update for your antivirus program available.<hr>Here is the official list, if your anti-virus is not listed - not to worry, as long as you know it's running you can shut-off ZA 'Anti-Virus Monitoring' on your Control panel. Anti-virus monitoring is more of convenience rather than an essential security concern. No worries.NaiveMelody NYC
2-4-08 - Soak Up The Sun - Sheryl Crow
Operating System:
Windows XP Home Edition
Software Version:
Product Name:
ZoneAlarm Anti-Spyware


text:
Trailing 2-0 to Mountain Home in the semifinals of the Class 6A state volleyball tournament Thursday night, Russellville put away the Lady Bombers by winning the next three sets and earned a berth in Saturday's 6A state championship match at 5 p.m. at Valley View High School. RHS won 26-28, 18-25, 25-14, 25-18, 15-13.
Russellville (24-11), the No. 4 seed from the 6A-East, will play Greenwood, the fifth seed from the East and tournament host, for the 6A state title. The Lady Bulldogs beat Marion to advance to Saturday's championship volleyball match.
Both teams went back and forth in the opening set and wouldn't let one get ahead by more than two points. The Lady Cyclones had two opportunities to win the first set, but Mountain Home was able to tie both times, 21-21 and 26-26. The Lady Bombers scored to take a 27-26 lead, then RHS was called for a violation that gave the deciding point to Mountain Home, 28-26.
The Lady Bombers took control from the opening point of the second set, until the Lady Cyclones tied it at 8-8. But Mountain Home was able to extend its lead to 14-9, 21-15 and eventually won the set 25-18.
Down 2-0 in the third set, Russellville stormed back and took a 16-8 lead, then held Mountain Home scoreless until they were a point away from the win, 24-11. The Lady Cyclones went on to win the set 25-14.
Russellville, which got to the semifinals by beating Sheridan (25-13, 25-13, 25-14) and Benton (25-17, 25-20, 26-24), took the lead at 4-3, led by as many as 14-8 and never trailed until it was 25-18.
Mountain Home, which defeated Lake Hamilton (25-17, 25-23, 25-23) to get to the semifinals, never led in the fifth and deciding set. The Lady Bombers tied the Lady Cyclones 2-2, then had to fight back from a 13-8 deficit and pulled within 13-12, but Russellville held off the surge and won 15-13 to earn a berth in the state volleyball match for the first time since 2006 — the year the Lady Cyclones won the Class 7A championship at Cabot High School.
Look for more on Russellville's state title match in Saturday's edition of The Courier.
Russellville vs. Greenwood
What: Class 6A state championship volleyball match
Where: Valley View High School, near Jonesboro
When: 5 p.m. Saturday
On the Air: KCAB 980 AM.


text:
if anyone can help, it would be appreciated.
i have opened up a file for input. this input file is then read from byte 1000 til the end, and then a byte count is calculated (x). After this, i have calculated a few other things using the final byte count. i.e. (x - 44).
Then, i have opened up output and written a file header there using the calculations (x - 44).
how do i go about reading the input file again after already having written to output ? I want to start at byte 1000 again, and write from byte 1000 til the end AFTER the header i just wrote in output. I have tried this:
but it only seems to work BEFORE i have written to the output file. I can write each byte of the input file before the header, but have had no luck after the header, which i need. is it possible to open the input file twice and get what i need?
any ideas/suggestions?


text:
Boeing is already
locking horns with Northrop Grumman/EADS over the U.S. Air Force decision
to choose
an Airbus A330-based tanker over a design based on the Boeing 767. It now
looks as though Boeing may be in for another fight in a military segment in
which it has dominated for some time: unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the Navy
and Marine Corps.
Popular Mechanics is reporting that Raytheon
is stepping into the ring with its Killer Bee. The Killer Bee, thanks to
the Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System program, is taking direct
aim at Boeing's ScanEagle (and its many variants) which is a military favorite.
versions of the Killer Bee have been used to track icebergs according
to Popular Mechanics. The Killer
Bee has a wingspan of ten feet and has a range of over 100 miles. The vehicle
can carry
a payload of 30 pounds, can reach a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet and
travel at 105 knots. Raytheon also brags that its militarized Killer Bee can
carry more cargo that Boeing's competing ScanEagle and has provisions for infrared
feeds and precision munitions.
Unmanned vehicles are becoming more commonplace in today's
U.S. military. The computerized platforms can perform many of the same tasks
performed by manned platforms and have the advantage of keeping human soldiers
out of harm's way.
The Army has already seen its use
of UAVs skyrocket over the past year. The vehicles have even taken part in
military operations including one
well-publicized incident where a Hunter MQ-5B/C "took out" two enemy
insurgents in September 2007.
Other unmanned vehicles in the military's fleet include the
iRobot SUGV Early with its REDOWL
system and the BAE
Systems Black Knight Armored Combat Vehicle (ACV). Northrop Grumman also
has a $636 million contract to develop
its X-47B into an unmanned bomber.


text:
* Prices may differ from that shown
When I moved into my first home I was adament that I wanted a dyson cleaner - good suction, reliable and bagless. However, on a tight budget an expensive vacuum cleaner no longer seems a priority. Therefore, after some research I purchased what I thought to be a cheaper - but useful - replacement: the Hoover Hurricane.
The hoover has many good qualities:
1. Good suction - the setting can be adjusted for short, medium and long carpet, and hard flooring. If carpet is new be careful - the suction is very strong and can pull your carpet.
2. Useful hose with attachments for more difficult crevices (includeds a hand roller for curtains/ stairs, and thinning tool for corners and cracks)
3. Easy kick on/ off power buttons
4. Easy to wrap wire
Slight disadvantages:
1. Although relatively easy to manoeuvre, not as easy as a roller-ball model
2. Can fill up quickly (but then is easy to empty)
3. Re-clipping the cylinder after emptying can be difficult - it must be lined up very carefully
Definately a reliable and useful model for those on a budget looking for an effective upright vacuum cleaner.
I bought this Hoover vacuum cleaner purely based on the brand name, and having moved into a new property, needed some basic gadgets pretty darn quick. So no time for review, I just went with a known Brand name.
There's some positives as well as negatives about this model, and as you can see from the picture, it is indeed bright red.
I do really like the fact that its 'bagless', and that's much of the reason I went with an upright vacuum rather than a cylinder version. With this model, you can easily see when the dust container is full, and its simple to detach so no hassle when it comes to emptying. The only small snag is that some dust tends to escape in this process, so the vacuum itself can get a bit messy.
I have carpets, rugs and laminate flooring, and there's settings on the vaccuum that allows it to work fine on each.
The reasons why I'd only rate this as average are that the switches are a bit 'clunky'. The on/off button and the handle release need a firm press with your foot, and I'm a little worried how long they'll last. And the other major issue I have is with the extendable hose. In the user instructions, there's a picture of a lady vacuuming the top stair using the extendable suction hose, and the vacuum is sitting nicely at the bottom of the stairs. In my experience, that is not possible as the hose does not stretch that far. You have to carry the vacuum in one hand whilst vacuuming the stairs with the hose in the other hand. Not easy. And I've also had problems using the hose to get to the corners of a room. In one situation, the vacuum fell over onto my foot causing some nasty bruising.
In hindsight, for anyone with stairs to consider, make sure you choose a model with sufficient hose length.
Hoover Hurricane: 1900w
I am not even going to attempt to write a review with as much knowledge and complexity as our resident vacuum expert Nar2, I don't have the knowledge, experience and to be honest, the inclination. I am quite an admirer of his reviews in this department and after reading his review of the model down from this particular model, I was very, very unsure as to whether this Hoover should be purchased at all.
So, why did I purchase it?
Okay, long story cut short. We have had a Dyson for nearly 7 years and it gave up the ghost recently, so we set out to get a new Dyson. The model we were after was not in stock at either Comet or Curry's so in both shops we tried to 'barter' a few quid off the next model up, to be told, £10 off on each attempt.....now when I am purchasing anything electrical, I expect a minimum of 10%, especially in this climate, no joy, so we decided to get a model that would not be as good, would not last as long, but would be much cheaper.
So let's assess this Hoover in a few categories:
* Aesthetics
* Quality
* Usability
* Suction
This is not a pretty Hoover; it is garish red with yucky plastic silver look attachments. It looks cheap, well it is. In fact it really looks like a toy Hoover that one might buy a child as a present, only bigger.
There is a see through cylinder, a la Dyson which does not seem to contain an awful lot and needs emptying after two vacuums of the house (we have a five bedroom house).
The outside of the Hoover states 'Hoover' in three places in case you forget who has made it, along with the legend, on the cylinder of 'Hurricane' & 'Cyclonic System', so now you know!
The attachment pipe/hose is cheap plastic too, as are the attachments, though at least they are colour coordinated.
Looks: 3/10.
It looks poorly built, though with a one year warranty and the 'Hoover' brand it cannot be that bad. The whole thing is quite unsteady to the feel and I worry about breaking bits, though so far, so good.
The switches and releases are really, really cheap plastic and remind me of a budget end car from Korea.
All the bits come off easily and go back together easily, so that is quality of sorts, I used to regularly do battle with the Dyson trying to put it back together after emptying the cylinder. In fact, to empty the cylinder is simplicity itself, the switch marked 'release' does what it should and the cylinder lifts easily from the main body, it goes back easily too. This is just as well as I do not think it would take a lot of shoving to break.
There are all the replacement part codes in te instruction booklet should they be needed (they may well might be)
Finally, not enough attachments to do all I want.
Quality: 3/10.
Here is where we have some really good points and really bad points.
The worst thing about it is it's unsteadiness, extend the handle to far and the whole thing topples very easily.
Good points are that; it cleans right up to the edges, the cylinder is very easy to empty, the handle extends to the users desire, again very easily (good for storage too). It is also quite light and the two 'pedals', left to change the position, and right to turn the power on and off are very accessible.
The filters are washable filters which is a new one on me, seems easy enough and seems to work, though I have my doubts about long term usability of these filters.
Finally, all the switches and releases are well marked as I have mentioned, and the bits come off and reconnect easily.
Usability 7/10.
The best point of this model by far, really good cleaning power, very impressed. In fact I will go so far as to say it is better than our old Dyson, now this might be due to the age of the old Dyson, I don't know, and don't care. It works really well in getting stuff up from even hard to get places such as between the keys on a computer keyboard, or between the wooden floor slats in one of our rooms. Very happy with this aspect.
Suction: 9/10.
~~~What else~~~
It's quite noisy.
The extension cable is not long enough, nor is the pipe/hose.
It's cheap; at £77 it was a third of the price of the Dyson we wanted, so if it lasts a third of the time, fair enough.
The instruction booklet which comes with it is clear and easy to understand.
A decent enough budget vacuum, but if you are looking for quality and longevity, look elsewhere.
Short name: Hoover HU4197T


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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.
LEADERS: Azerane Bam BinkyBunny JerseyGirl LBJ10 LittlePuffyTail LongEaredLions RabbitPam
i decieded to post this here becuase the Lounge still doesnt work for me... =( oh well. =)
well, i finally got a myspace (again... before i had one to view others). well its not really me but Mochi and Emo. =P i use it to keep in contact with friends and create new layouts (hobby i picked up in high school.... way back when, and now ive seen to have gotten better... finally) so if any of you have one, add me. =) we can chat on there too. =)
its still under construction though till finals are over. =P
Yeah, so sorry about the lounge. We are actually going to be working on the site again this Monday. Updating everything, and we hope that will fix the lounge too. If not, then we'll create another forum, and just transfer everything over from the old lounge to the new lounge.
Very cool space! I also sent you an add request on myspace. My space space is from my bunny Jack's point of view.


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This seems like a lot of work guys. I wish I had the time to do all this. I'm getting into a trend of microbrews now.
This seems like a lot of work guys. I wish I had the time to do all this. I'm getting into a trend of microbrews now.
When you use extracts, the brewing time is only 60-90 minutes. On a rainy weekend afternoon, what else are you going to do?
If you move to all-grain brewing, it obviously will take a bit more time and work.
The only part that's really time-consuming is cleaning and sanitizing bottles. I just got a keg to eliminate that. I plan on getting a second one in the very near future.
I just doughed-in for a batch of Haus Pale Ale. The mash is sitting at a comfortable 152
My shiny new Perlick taps will be arriving tomorrow, along with some more kegs...homebrew life is grand right now
When do you add the flavoring in the fermenting process
Many recipes call for hops in the fermentor (dry-hopping) as well. Many, many things affect the flavor...even time itself will affect the flavor.
Last edited by OrangeJet; 02-18-2010 at 03:06 PM.
The local homebrew shop has some refurbished cornies for $40. I'm probably going to buy one in the next week or so.
I'm going to try force carbing in the keg that I got for Christmas. From what I've read it's easy to do and gets your beer ready to drink faster.
On top of that my friend told me he's not using his brewing kit anymore, so I'm taking it off his hands. My brewing capacity is about to double.
I used whole hops on the beer that I made that came out bad (I even dry-hopped with them). Is there anything that you have to do to them before using them?
Even though I doubt that's what ruined the brew, I've stayed away from them since.
Well, I'm going to have an interesting beer. I opened the cupboard above the stove, and a bag of brown sugar falls out...I caught it...but not before at least one clump made it's way into my beer ( and about half a pound all over the stove)...
Fudge! oh well...I guess this one will be my Brown Sugar Haus Pale Ale. It will probably end up being my best beer ever...and I'll never be able to duplicate it...
gonna brew my spring beer next weekend.... my first batch of blonde ale came out awesome
Last edited by BigJet85; 02-19-2010 at 07:43 AM.
You might be able to find something here. Do a little research.


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Oscars Audience Grows by 3%
The Oscars scored its biggest audience in three years, bolstered by a crop of widely seen movies and a closely contested race.
The 85th Academy Awards rounded up 40.3 million viewers, a 3% rise from last year when the scantly-seen "The Artist" won best picture, according to ratings data from ABC. In the key 18-to-49-year-old category for advertisers, the ceremony delivered an 11% rise from last year.


text: Specifically, I have a few PC600's, don't feel like paying $50 for an original TK-52 grommet set, and would rather not use new grommet models instead. So has anyone ever tried to mold his own grommet set? What material would the mold be? And the mixture for the plastic? Thanks.


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- Admissions
- Academics
- Campus Life
- Athletics
- Cost & Aid
- News & Events
- About Plattsburgh
SUNY Plattsburgh has once again been named one of "America's Best Colleges — Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report. READ MORE
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (April 25, 2013) – SUNY Plattsburgh's Gospel Choir will present its annual GospelFEST 5 p.m. Sunday, May 5, in E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium, Hawkins Hall.
The show will feature performances by the Praise Team, Praise Dance Team and Step Team, as well as a special guest performance by the Bluegrass Gospel Project. Anthony English will emcee.
Tickets are $12 general admission in advance or $15 at the door; $5 students in advance or $8 at the door; and free to children under five. They are available in Plattsburgh at the Angell College Center desk, Great Adirondack Soup Company, North Country Cultural Center for the Arts and, in Burlington, Vt., at Advance Music.
For more information, call 518-564-2704.
Contact Information
If you would like more information on any of the following news releases, please contact:
Gerianne Wright, Assistant Director of Communications
SUNY Plattsburgh
Phone: (518) 564-2090
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


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But anywho it's just a game. Hopefully we are all having fun.
But anywho it's just a game. Hopefully we are all having fun.
Pau Gasol eh?
So this thread blew up yesterday and i just got through it. Honestly, earlier in the season i thought there was some shenanigans but the league has been set in such a way that there isn't much in the way of shenanigans.
I also hope that we establish some kind of consistent method to the game. last year was all category's and this year is straight up points. I'd be ok with dropping the league to 12 players if it meant only active KO posters got teams. Also to smokes point about this being the best league he's in this year; to date this might be the most competitive bball fantasy league i've played in. Most teams aren't joking around here and almost everyone is active in some way. I'm one of the less active players on the waiver wire/trade scene but I feel pretty good about my team, if i could just manage to have my lineups set each week i think my team would be in 4th right now.
I also am curious how it will work out if trades are made this year for draft picks next year. If these trades go down will we honor the picks in next years draft? will someone collect that info and ensure that it works out?
^ No I think the trades are just allowing draft picks by accident, and also we did not have a category league last year was also points so you have a bad memory
I'm still chasing the Drum, maybe you're more willing to deal now he's clearly not coming back in the next week or two and you secured the deal you were looking for.
Plus Dunleavy will still get 20-24 minutes a game even with Bucks trading for JJ, and Patrick Bev will play as many minutes as Barea. He's an underrated player.
I recommend having a peek at Jermaine's 7/14/30 day averages of around 30 fp. Or Speights with his 20-25 fp and Cleveland's 3rd best playoff schedule league-wide. Or Dragic having 40 point games left right and centre since the all star break.
These guys all have a nice amount to offer currently and I'm not looking to overprice them.
In addition to that these are basically the deals I'm looking to get done before deadline. Sadly two of the players reside on AFKillorbekilled so
Players wanted: Lebron, Drummond, Wade, Monroe, Tyson Chandler, JR Smith, Bosh, Jose Calderon
Players available: Dragic, Speights, Bledsoe, O'Neal, Gasol (?), Randolph (?)
Last edited by smokes; Feb 28, 2013 at 20:55.
But yeah DCinNY would be turning over in his grave right now LOL


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Decade-old space nurtures performing arts groups
Karen MacIntyre bought a modest building on Malone Street 10 years ago. She named it Green Space Arts Collective. Her hope, she said, was to develop an alternative space for the ever-changing and often transient independent performing groups that bloom and fade in Denton.
"There has always been such a need for space for all of these groups," MacIntyre said. "What I never dreamed was that not only would the space be an alternative venue for rehearsals and performances, but I've even had a wedding here. Sundown has been here for six seasons."
Sundown Collaborative Theatre, an independent performing arts and theater company, is indeed one of the groups MacIntyre counts among her "regulars."
MacIntyre, a ballet teacher and dance faculty member at the University of North Texas, said she knew she wanted to have a studio to be her teaching base during the day. Though most of her classes are taught on the UNT campus these days, the larger part of the one-story building at 529 Malone St. is her studio — with a small lobby, a modest studio with mirrors on the wall, and a few rooms that double as tiny dressing rooms.
MacIntyre bought the building in 2002.
"I'd known for a long time that I wanted the building," she said. "When Eleanor Green, a woman who was really important to dance in Denton for years and years and years, died, I thought I should find out if it was available. And it was."
Green, a dance teacher, had 529 Malone St. constructed as a studio in 1970. MacIntyre named the building for Green and got to work.
Ten years later, business is good, MacIntyre said. And business means renting the space to groups and teachers for affordable rates.
"If I wasn't careful, the space would be in use day and night," she said. "I'm careful not to book the place every hour of the business day and every weekend, because I want the place to be available for other groups."
MacIntyre will open the space on Saturday a bit before noon. From noon to 6:30 p.m., the space will be open for children and adults to try out the classes for free.
At 7 p.m., the companies that teach and rehearse in the space will present a celebratory performance for Green Space's 10th birthday. After the performance, everyone is welcome to join the after-party, a dance and music jam.
MacIntyre said the birthday gives her a feeling of coming full circle. A Denton native, MacIntyre attended the North Texas Laboratory School that was once on the university campus.
"My graduating class was the last class to attend there, and now I'm literally working right around the corner," she said.
For the first time since the collective has been running, MacIntyre said she had all of the leaders of the companies that use the building meet. Sure, they clarified some policies and procedures, but MacIntyre said she had a different motive for assembling the artists.
"I wanted everyone to meet everyone else, and really see just how much they all contribute to the success of the building and the collective. And you know what? Everyone seemed really excited to meet everyone else," she said.
She doesn't plan to change too much in the future.
"I don't see myself having a board run the space or the collective," she said. "I think it's working well now. I just hope I can continue to keep offering an alternative space — something between the college campuses and the downtown area of Denton — that is affordable.
LUCINDA BREEDING can be reached at 940-566-6877. Her e-mail address is email@example.com .
• What: Free classes and demonstrations, a performance, and an open music and dance jam
• When: noon to midnight Saturday
• Where: Green Space Arts Collective, 529 Malone St.
• Details: Free. For more information, call 940-595-9219.
• On the Web: www.greenspacearts.com
Noon — Green Space Dance, contemporary ballet for ages 7 to 10
1 p.m. — Simple Sparrow Dance Collective contemporary dance for ages 11 and older
2 p.m. — CholoRock Dance Theatre contemporary dance for ages 11 and older
3 p.m. — Silhouette Dance Company Zumba for ages 11 and older
3:30 p.m. — Silhouette Dance Company jazz and hip-hop dance for ages 11 and older
4 p.m. — Big Rig Dance Collective contemporary dance for ages 11 and older
5 p.m. — Swing dance and Lindy hop class for ages 11 and older
6:30 p.m. — Sundown Collaborative Theatre improvisation class for ages 11 and older
7 p.m. — Open warm-up and rehearsal
8 p.m. — Performance by all groups of the collective
10 p.m. to midnight — Open music and dance jam


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September 24, 2001
Mr. Chairman, Mr. Vice-Chairman, members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify at this hearing on the momentous question of improving our nation's defenses against terrorism in a manner consistent with our fundamental Constitutional liberties.
The Center for Democracy and Technology is a non-profit, public interest organization dedicated to promoting civil liberties and democratic values for the new digital communications media. Our core goals include enhancing privacy protections and preserving the open architecture of the Internet. Among other activities, CDT coordinates the Digital Privacy and Security Working Group (DPSWG), a forum for more than 50 computer, communications, and public interest organizations, companies and associations working on information privacy and security issues.
CDT joins the nation in grief and anger over the devastating loss of life resulting from the September 11 terrorist hijackings and attacks against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Like many, our relatively small staff had friends and acquaintances killed in those heinous acts. We fervently support the efforts of our government to hold accountable those who direct and support such atrocities.
It is clear that improvements need to be made in America's counter-terrorism procedures, and it appears there are many things that can be done without harming civil liberties. But we know from history that measures hastily undertaken in times of peril particularly measures that weaken controls on government exercise of coercive or intrusive powers -- often infringe civil liberties without enhancing security. In the current climate, it is all the more important to act deliberately and ensure that our response is balanced and properly targeted. If we give up the constitutional freedoms fundamental to our democratic way of life, then the terrorists will have won.
In that regard, Mr. Chairman, we commend you and the Committee for holding this hearing, and taking the time to consider the legislative proposals put forth by the Administration and those you have developed. Only through the hearing process can you and the American public understand what is being proposed, how it would change current law, and whether the changes are responsive to any deficiencies that the September 11 attack may have revealed. Just as President Bush and his military advisers are taking their time in planning their response, to ensure that they hit the terrorist targets with a minimum of collateral damage, so it is incumbent upon this Congress to avoid collateral damage to the Constitution.
My testimony will focus on the electronic surveillance provisions in both Chairman Graham's "Intelligence to Prevent Terrorism Act" and the Administration's proposed "Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001." My colleague Kate Martin will focus on several other provisions in the bills that need clarification. Many provisions of the Chairman's bill appear narrowly and appropriately crafted to carefully provide desired intelligence capabilities; however I will also highlight at least one provision of the bill - Section 201 - that may have broad implications for the Internet.
As you well know, this Committeeand the current legal structure of the intelligence communitywere established after Watergate both to improve intelligence and to ensure that the rights of Americans were not eroded by the vast and sometimes vague intelligence authorities that had previously existed. The legal and oversight system for intelligence sprang not just from a concern about civil liberties, but also from a concern about improving the efficacy of intelligence gathering. As such, the Committee mission demands a careful vetting of any new proposed intelligence authorities and we applaud the committee for holding these public hearings to do so.
A number of the provisions of both the Chairman's bill and the Attorney General's bill would change provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA). As the Committee is also well aware, FISA gave extensive authority to the intelligence community. Under it the FBI and CIA have considerable capability to conduct electronic surveillance without the high standards (such as a showing of probable cause of criminal conduct, notice, and eventual adversarial scrutiny) demanded under our domestic criminal law for wiretapping. In exchange for these significantly lowered standards allowing much greater intelligence surveillance, FISA demanded a clear separation - a wall - between electronic surveillance conducted for intelligence purposes and electronic surveillance conducted for criminal law purposes. FISA was based on a clear understanding that it would not become an back door for use of foreign intelligence surveillance in domestic criminal investigations. FISA information that was incidentally collected regarding criminal matters could be shared across this wall but the purpose of a FISA surveillance had to be intelligence. This was intended to avoid a major erosion of our constitutional rights through the lower standards of FISA surveillance.
As we read the Chairman's bill, we applaud what appears to be the committee's intent to maintain that distinction between intelligence authorities and domestic law enforcement provisions. We are particularly pleased to see that the Chairman's bill does not appear to intended a rewriting of the FISA authorities. As described below, however, we believe that the Attorney General's bill does not reflect this deeper understanding and would eviscerate the FISA principles, allowing foreign intelligence surveillance standards to be used in criminal investigations. (See, e.g., Administration Bill, Sections 151-157) Thus, while we have concerns about some specific provisions, we believe the Chairman's bill is far more narrowly crafted, and more appropriately targeted to the situation at hand.
First and foremost, we note with approval Section 204's attempt to make it clear that the FBI could conduct both a Title III criminal wiretap and a FISA wiretap, intercepting the same communications for different purposes. If done properly, this is a more direct and appropriate approach to allow criminal investigations and intelligence investigations to go forward side-by-side. We need to explore with the committee the specific language of the section, but if it tracks the intent expressed in the section-by-section analysis, we believe it is an appropriate approach.
Section 202, regarding the duration of certain FISA surveillance authorities, raises some concerns. FISA electronic surveillances of persons are already granted for periods three times longer than Title III surveillances. Under 202, the duration of surveillance before any judicial oversight would be extended from 90 days to one year. In the case of physical searches, the period would be extended from 45 days to one year. Courts have only turned down one FISA application in the 22-year history of the statute's use. Judicial review, after 45 or 90 days, hardly seems overly burdensome; if surveillance should continue a judge will surely - given the history of discretion in these matters - renew the order. The risk of this provision is that unproductive surveillance could continue for long periods of time without any judicial oversight.
Section 203, the assistance section, may also merit more careful drafting. To the extent, as indicated in the section-by-section analysis, it is only requiring additional assistance from service providers that cannot be identified in advance, we believe it is a measured response. However, we believe the language should be reviewed with staff to ensure that it is not granting new surveillance authorities.
Section 201 raises concerns and is one area where we should not legislate quickly in this complex field of electronic surveillance law. Frankly, we find the language to be very ambiguous and potentially very broad. It must undergo further discussion and more careful drafting.
As drafted, the provision would exclude from the definition of "electronic surveillance" any "instruction or signal" sent to a computer - if it was not a communication to another person, or was not for lawful information retrieval - thereby exempting such information from the reduced standards of FISA. As we read the interaction of Title III and FISA, this would allow the interception of such signals with no judicial oversight.
While apparently intended to allow interception of communications "from a hacker, located abroad" the provision also sweeps in a broad class of otherwise protected communications. It would appear to include, for example:
or any other commands one sends to one's own computer, Palm Pilot, or wireless phone. All of these sensitive communications, in which there is both a reasonable expectation of privacy and a warrant would be required for law enforcement purposes, could now be obtained under FISA and without judicial oversight.
It is also unclear how the provision could be applied in practice. In a packet-switched data interception environment like the Internet, it is difficult if not impossible to know in many cases which packets to be intercepted contain an "instruction or signal" for a computer and are not for information retrieval, and which contain information that should require a judicial order. In many, if not in most, cases it will only be possible to see whether this provision applied after the communication is intercepted, read, and analyzed. Thus, if this provision is to be used it would appear to create a license for interception of numerous communications that would ultimately be discarded after they are read and analyzed.
Section 201 would appear to create a giant hole in the FISA electronic surveillance requirements and would allow the interception of numerous personal communication without judicial oversight. It is in serious need of redrafting at the very least; if its goal is to allow interception of hackers attacking a computer, it seems better addressed by provisions that would allow target computer owners to consent to the interception of attacks on their computers.
We recommend that this section be deleted or substantially clarified.
The Administration's Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001 goes far beyond the measured response of this committee. It would expand federal government authorities, including the authorities of the intelligence agencies, to conduct electronic surveillance and otherwise collect information on US citizens. Some of the changes are quite fundamental. The bill includes numerous, complex provisions extending the surveillance laws (while raising many questions about how they will be implemented) and altering the long-standing distinction between criminal investigations and foreign intelligence investigations. Many of the changes are not related to security concerns raised by the September 11 terrorist attacks. Many are not limited to terrorism cases, but relate to criminal investigations. Some have been proposed by the Justice Department before, and some have even been rejected by Congressional committees.
In terms of the issues within the jurisdiction of this Committee, these are our top concerns:
A more detailed analysis of the Administration's bill follows below. Once again, we appreciate and commend this Committee's efforts to gather public input and to hold this hearing today. We hope the Committee will move forward with those provisions of its bill and the Administration's bill that are non-controversial and responsive to the tragic attacks of September 11, but will defer on the other more complex and divisive provisions that we have identified. We look forward to working with the Committee and staff to craft an appropriate response at this perilous moment in our country's history, and to avoid a rush to judgement on legislation that could ultimately imperil both freedom and security.
The Administration's bill has two kinds of provisions that give rise to concerns: those that would lower the standards for government surveillance and those that address the difficult question of information sharing.
In terms of collection standards, our law enforcement and intelligence agencies already have broad authority to monitor all kinds of communications, including email. Both the criminal wiretap statute and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act already cover terrorism. For some time, it has been recognized that those standards need to strengthen the standards for government surveillance. We see no justification for the changes proposed in the Administration bill that weaken those standards. We are particularly opposed to changes that would eliminate the judicial review that can be the most important protection against abuse.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act allows the FBI to conduct electronic surveillance and secret physical searches in the US, including surveillance of US citizens, in international terrorism investigations. FISA also authorizes court orders for access to certain business records. As you know, the standards under FISA are much lower than the standards for criminal wiretaps, and in return, the surveillance is supposed to be focused on the collection of intelligence, not criminal evidence. The FISA court, which last year approved more than 1000 surveillance requests, has denied only one request in its 22 year history.
Distinct from the Administration's unsupportable desire to avoid judicial controls on its authority, perhaps the central and most important problem facing the Congress is the question of information sharing. For many years, this has been recognized as a very difficult question; it is one that will be especially difficult to resolve satisfactorily given the pressure-cooker atmosphere of this time. We want to work out a balanced solution. But it cannot be done by wiping away all rules and barriers. Any solution needs to preserve the fundamental proposition that the CIA and other intelligence agencies should not collect information on US citizens in the US.
As such, the Section would greatly increase access to the personal information of consumers or groups who are not agents of foreign powers. And in each case access the institutions granting access to consumer information would be prohibited from disclosing that information or records had been obtained.


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LAKE MARY, Fla. - Exactly one year after George Zimmerman was arrested in the death of Trayvon Martin, a letter written by Zimmerman's mother, Gladys, has been released.
Robert Zimmerman Jr., the brother of George Zimmerman, tweeted a link to the letter, which thanks supporters of her family, criticizes the media, calls the arrest "unfortunate" and says "the justice system failed us."
George Zimmerman was arrested April 11, 2012, on second-degree murder charges in the death of Martin, who was shot and killed in Sanford more than a month earlier.
In the letter, Gladys Zimmerman says, "There was absolutely no justifiable reason my son should have been charged for a crime he didn't commit and there was no just reason he should find himself incarcerated either."
Zimmerman claims he shot the unarmed 17-year-old in self-defense. His trial is scheduled to begin in June.
"The upcoming trial will not disappoint you. The truth will finally be revealed to many, but to some who have always seen through the narrative – the truth George always told will be 'revealed,' but rather 'confirmed,'" Gladys Zimmerman wrote.
She also thanked supporters of the family.
"As we approach June 10, the date George's trial is scheduled to begin, I want to thank you again for your support and the trust you have placed in George," Gladys writes. "My son has always told the truth and your trust is well-placed. The upcoming trial will not disappoint you. The truth will finally be revealed to many."
Watch Local 6 News and stay with ClickOrlando.com for more on this story.
Copyright 2013 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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COURSE: LB-355 Service Management (3)
Managing a value-added service business; customer expectations of service and quality; use of the Internet and related technology to transform businesses; interplay between managerial, personnel, and technology issues that will shape the future of business; identification of emerging forms of business models observable on the Web; analysis of management practices using case studies. Organizational applications illustrate consumer-to-business, business-to-business, and intra-organizational electronic commerce ramifications. Prerequisite: LB-200.