text:
North Canberra FutsalSports Indoor Soccer Associations
PO Box 1196, Belconnen, ACT 2617
Best match results for: CATEGORY = Indoor Soccer Clubs for Kids + LOCATION = Woden Valley
Results include related kids activities and neighbouring locations.
Indoor soccer activities for kids around 30km from Woden Valley
PO Box 1196, Belconnen, ACT 2617
Ball sport activities for kids in Woden Valley
Canberra City, ACT
Servicing Canberra City, Yarralumla, Deakin West and 27 other suburb(s)
This business can travel to you.
This business offers products or services online.
KidsFC have been awesome for my two, aged 4 and 7. All the kids in their classes have varying abilities ...
Mawson District Playing Fields, Beasley Street, Mawson, ACT 2607
Heard St, Mawson District Playing Fields, Mawson, ACT 2607
Heard Street, Mawson, Farrer, ACT 2607
Po Box 699, Marist Rugby Club, Mawson, ACT 2607
Hodgson Crescent, Pearce, ACT 2607
Spoering Street, Phillip, ACT 2606
Webster Street, Hughes, ACT 2605
Carruthers Street, Curtin, ACT 2605
Kitchener Street, Garran, ACT 2605
Ainsworth Street, Phillip, ACT 2606
Ball sport activities for kids around 30km from Woden Valley
177 Ellerston Avenue, Isabella Plains, ACT
Servicing Bruce, Belconnen, Evatt and 28 other suburb(s)
This business can travel to you.
Narrabundah, ACT
This business can travel to you.
Drakeford Drv, Kambah, ACT 2902


text: "In what has become known as Fermi's Paradox, the great nuclear physicist Enrico Fermi once asked, if there are aliens out there, where is everybody? After 50 years of looking, the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) project has likewise failed to find anybody. Cosmologist Davies (The Mind of God), winner of the 1995 Templeton Prize, believes that SETI's search for narrow-band radio signals from planets around other stars needs to be broadened to look for other possible signs of life. Aliens may be using far more advanced technology than radio to signal the cosmos, such as manipulating pulsars to act as beacons or even neutrino signaling. Davies also puts forth the possibility that alien probes may be silently trolling the solar system. The author surveys popular topics in science fiction such as Dyson spheres, time travel, and wormholes, and decides that they're not feasible under physics as we understand it. He concludes with a far-ranging look at what might happen here on Earth when we make first contact."Publishers Weekly

subset: commoncrawl


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Jays look abroad for top prospects
Dopirak, Collins are organization's players of the year
By Lisa Winston / MLB.com
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Players such as outfielder Moises Sierra from the Dominican Republic, Venezuelan right-hander Henderson Alvarez, Cuban-born right-hander Reidier Gonzalez and Venezuelan-born catcher Carlos Perez all herald a literal sea change in the Jays' prospect picture.
"We're very excited about our Latin American program, which has been headed up by Marco Paddy, who came over here three years ago," said Charlie Wilson, the Jays' director of Minor League operations. "We've spent more money in recruiting and scouting there in the last few years."
It shows.
Sierra, who just turned 21, has been on the Jays' radar for a while, but 2009 was his breakthrough season, as he hit a combined .292 with six homers, 62 RBIs and 25 doubles between Class A Advanced Dunedin and Double-A New Hampshire, earning Dunedin's Player of the Year Award. Nicknamed "El Capitan" in 2008 by his Class A Lansing teammates for his leadership, he has a great arm and athleticism.
Alvarez, 19, enjoyed his first full season at Lansing, finishing second among the organization's full-season starters with a 3.47 ERA as one of the youngest regulars in the Midwest League. He finished at 9-6 with 92 strikeouts and just 19 walks in 124 1/3 innings, posting a 2.66 ERA after the All-Star break. He has three potential Major League pitches with his changeup being his out pitch.
Gonzalez, 24, was just added to the Jays' 40-man roster, coming off an '09 season at New Hampshire in which he was 4-6 with a 2.90 ERA in 17 starts, though his season ended early due to a groin strain. He was back on the mound in the Arizona Fall League, though, where he posted a 3.38 ERA in seven games. A 19th-round pick in 2005, he had a 3.25 ERA over 84 career games in the Minors.
Perez, just 19, was named the Gulf Coast League MVP in his stateside debut, the second year in a row he's earned his team's top honors, following in the wake of the same award in 2008 with the Dominican Summer League squad. With the GCL team, he hit .291 with 21 RBIs and showed all-around potential behind the plate, including a 49 percent success rate throwing out opposing basestealers.
The Jays system can still boast its preseason glut of young pitching, particularly from the left side, though most of those players graduated full-time to the bigs in 2009. Though injuries set back the development of some of those talented prospects such as lefty Brad Mills (strained rib cage) and right-hander Robert Ray (shoulder), many others such as southpaws Brett Cecil (7-4, 5.30), Ricky Romero (4.30 while up all year) and Marc Rzepczynski (3.67 ERA in 11 starts) came through for the Jays and look like they will stick in the Majors for a while.
"We're really excited to have had so many younger players who were able to contribute at the Major League level when they were called up," Wilson said. "And we hope we're very close with some more of these guys."
Among those that Wilson believes could be close, aside from Mills and Ray, are pitchers such as Gonzalez and southpaw Luis Perez, who posted a 3.55 ERA at New Hampshire this season.
On the Draft front, the Jays inked their first-round pick, right-hander Chad Jenkins out of Kennesaw State, a big strong hurler with a heavy sinking fastball, as well as plus secondary offerings in his slider and changeup. Taken with the 20th pick, he would be the lone signing within the top 100, as they were unable to come to terms with their second, third or fourth picks, all pitchers, including a pair of Canadian-born southpaws in James Paxton out of Kentucky (37) and Jake Eliopoulos (68) out of high school in Ontario.
MLB.com's Preseason Picks
J.P. Arencibia, C: The Jays' 2008 Minor League Player of the Year after combining to hit 27 homers and 105 RBIs at two levels, Arencibia struggled a bit in his Triple-A debut at Las Vegas with a .236 average, but still connected for 21 homers and 75 RBIs to go with 32 doubles. He'll continue to work on plate patience, as he drew just 26 walks while striking out 114 times in 116 games.
Brett Cecil, LHP: Cecil didn't end up being around long enough to qualify for Minor League Pitcher of the Year in the system, as the former Maryland Terp with the wicked slider spent most of his second full season in the big leagues, posting a 7-4 record and 5.30 ERA in 18 games in Toronto. He had his ups and downs, but continues to qualify as one of the gems of the system, even if he is no longer a rookie.
MLB.com's Postseason Selections
Brian Dopirak, 1B: At 25 years old and coming off his eighth pro season, the 6-foot-4 230-pound Dopirak was added to the Jays' 40-man roster rather than risk losing him to Minor League free agency, and who can blame him when he continues to put up big time numbers? A former second-round pick in 2002 by the Cubs, he was Player of the Year at Double-A New Hampshire, combining to hit .317 with 27 homers, 102 RBIs and 42 doubles between the Fisher Cats and Las Vegas. His 173 hits ranked third in the Minors. Dopirak's .548 slugging percentage led the Eastern League (it was actually .576 when he was promoted, but the "Ted Williams" rule required that "oh-fers" be added to give him enough plate appearances to qualify, and he still led the league).
Tim Collins, LHP: Collins doesn't quite measure up to Dopirak in stature but his numbers on the mound belie his 5-foot-7, 155-pound frame. With little fanfare, the closer has put up giant numbers two years in a row, following up a 2008 campaign in which he posted a 1.58 ERA in 39 games at Class A Lansing with a Class A Advanced Dunedin season that saw him go 7-4 with a 2.37 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings. He limited Florida State League hitters to a .199 average and his 13.50 strikeouts-per-nine innings ranked sixth among all full-season relievers, the second year in a row he'd joined the Minor League leaders in that category. His out pitch is a plus curveball, but he has a surprisingly effective fastball that is totally legit.
Lisa Winston is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


text:
Valentine Gifts For Baby
I "Heart" Baby Gap For Valentine's Day
Not that you need an excuse to snuggle with your scrumptious cuddle bug, but Valentine's Day is the perfect day to do so. Pick up something nice for your sweet cheeks before the holiday arrives.
Your handsome lil man will look precious in a set of "Prince Charming" pajamas that will cause lil ladies to swoon. And darling dear will be sweet as cherry pie in her heart-bottomed tights and pink heart-hooded dress.
Your kiddie will love the kissable threads.


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10 Natural Crafts for Outdoorsy Kids
With long days and warm nights, summer is the best time of year for nature activities. Help your little ones connect with the great outdoors—and help them work on fine motor skills—with this collection of natural crafts, featuring supplies you can find in your own backyard!Download All (10)
Download All is only available to Education.com Pro members. Learn More
Click on an activity in the set below to see more info.
Build a Pine Cone Bird Feeder!View Full Activity
Build a kindergarten bird feeder science craft that brings birds to your yard, and a smile to the whole family's face.
Go on a Nature Hunt!View Full Activity
In this simple and social activity, children use size comparison skills to find objects in nature that are bigger, smaller, longer, and shorter.
Make a Sandcastle You Can Keep!View Full Activity
Help your child make a beautiful homemade sandcastle that will last!
Create an Ocean in a BottleView Full Activity
Kids are sure to be entranced by the magic of the ocean when they create their very own ocean in a bottle.
Make Like a Bird and NestView Full Activity
Teach the kids how a bird's nest is made by making your own nests using only natural materials!
My Backyard Counting BookView Full Activity
Help your kindergartener practice counting from one to ten with this fun outdoor activity. Make a "My Backyard Counting Book" to review counting to ten.
Plant a Fail-Safe Veggie GardenView Full Activity
Develop your child's green thumb with this easy planting activity. These plants are guaranteed to grow fast and are "brown-thumb" proofed!
Craft a Natural Materials MosaicView Full Activity
Celebrate the blooming season with your kid by showing him how to make a magical spring mosaic out of all natural materials!
Paint with Food!View Full Activity
Does your kid love crafts AND food? Teach him to paint with natural dyes from food! He'll be amazed that food can be made into art, just like in ancient times.
Make an ABC Nature BookView Full Activity
Take a nature walk in your backyard or local park to find one object for every letter of the alphabet. Then put them together in this handy nature book.
Want to download this whole set as a single PDF?Download All (10)
Download All is only available to Education.com Pro members. Learn More


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August 14, 2009
They were still dating??
MTV reports that Kellan and AnnaLynne are kaputz, but the bigger news to us is that they were still together. Find out who dumped who and why at MTV. :-)
5 comments:
- AnonymousAugust 14, 2009 at 2:20 PM
Breaking up with someone becuz they didn't get you a gift on your birthday but brought you flowers and took you to dinner.. how selfish are we? Materialistic?ReplyDelete
Run Kellan you can do better.
- twilightislifeAugust 14, 2009 at 2:32 PM
Kellan said that they had split up - im sure he did :SReplyDelete
i hope they have - thats a bit selfish isn't it? ahh well, all's fair in love and war ;)
He deserves someone better than that! If she dumps him because he didn't got her a gift what could be worse than that? Pff!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousAugust 15, 2009 at 12:54 AM
Just Broke Up?ReplyDelete
I Didn't Know They Were Dating In The First Place!
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Yeah I guess I am calling you lazy!
By the way, since you're in France, have you ever tried a Biere De Garde? It's a little-known French style that's similar to a Belgian Saison. They're fantastic.
Yeah I guess I am calling you lazy!
By the way, since you're in France, have you ever tried a Biere De Garde? It's a little-known French style that's similar to a Belgian Saison. They're fantastic.
Installed my new taps weekend...Still have some trim work to do...but getting them flowing was priority number one
Great thread...
I have never made any homebrew, but has wanted to do it for years. What would some of the experts here suggest: making an initial batch at a local business to get the idea, and then buy the supplies to do it at home, or just jump right into the deep end?
I installed my new dual-tap tower this weekend as well. I also kegged my English bitter ale and began force carbonation. You were right it's so much easier than bottling.
Here's my kegerator. I need to change what's on my chalkboard. I haven't had a keg in there in a while.
My friend tried one of those Mr. Beer setups. His first brew tasted like crap, and he dumped the next two batches before giving up altogether. The setup looked like a toy.
If you don't try one of the local businesses, get a real home brewing kit. Try using a recipe kit at least the first time. It really does make starting out easier. Eventually you can move on to your own recipes.
Last edited by Sourceworx; 02-22-2010 at 05:27 PM.
Here's the label for the beer that's in the keg now. Since it's an English style I figured I'd poke fun at the Brits.
Yeh, still in seminary. After this term finishes (April), I will have a thesis to write next year and then my Masters will be completed. Afterwards, I will be getting a certification in Thanatology (Grief and Bereavement), coaching certification from Adler, and CAPE (Counselling Association of Pastoral Education). I can start work in counselling, but will have to be certified by a counselling Association to be "official." All this training will take about three years. Works well because our youngest will then be in school full-time, so I can go back to work, and the woman who lives a block away has started a non-profit organization that will go nation-wide in offering all Canadians (and Americans for that matter) access to counselling services when dealing with loss. Quite serendipitous, don't you think?
Thanks for the heads up on the beer making....I think I will go with one of the companies to start, until I see what I need to buy, then I will start making it myself.
One of my closest friends is a funeral director. I wonder if he's aware of the non-profit organization that you're talking about.
OrangeJet, I just tasted my bitter today, and it wasn't great. Way too bitter (not a hoppy bitter either). Could it just be that it needs more time to condition, or is it just a dud?


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Chris Huhne did something that was wrong and stupid, and now he has to take the punishment for it. It's a shame that a career that promised so much has to end this way, but if he'd taken the care to actually drive sensibly in the first place, he wouldn't be in this position. As it is, error was then piled upon error, got mixed into a sea of malice, and we find ourselves where we are today. As someone who campaigned for him in two leadership elections, I'm obviously disappointed.
However, one thing I would note is that I've been told by several sources that the 'if ballots delayed in the Christmas post had been counted, he'd have been leader and Deputy Prime Minister now' story may well not be true. Some have told me that those ballots were never even looked at, let alone counted, and others have said that even those that were looked at may have leaned more towards Huhne than Clegg, they weren't enough to actually win the election. Added to that, my years of talking about alternate histories and what-ifs show the knock-on effects of a Huhne leadership would make the situation now very different.
Today, though, we're not going down the path of what-iffery, but the neighbouring line of what-mightery instead. What might happen at the Eastleigh by-election that Huhne's resignation now triggers? I'm going to stick my head out here and say that if the party gets the candidate selection right, then it will be a Lib Dem hold. There are several reasons for this:
First, Eastleigh is a Lib Dem stronghold in local elections – out of 44 seats on the local council, the Lib Dems hold 40, the Tories 4. From what I am told, there's a strong local campaigning and activist network, and several high-profile people locally besides Chris Huhne. I would expect one of them to be the candidate.
Second, the Tories are the nominal challengers from the last general election, but their national poll ratings have also dropped since then, and in a high-profile by-election like this, they'll be very vulnerable to the UKIP factor, especially if Nigel Farage is the UKIP candidate. They don't appear to have a big local base to rely on, and what motivation is there for a Tory voter to campaign to replace one coalition MP with another?
Third, Labour should benefit from being the main opposition in a by-election, but I think they're starting from too far back. They had just 9.6% of the vote in 2010, in a constituency where they only got around 27% in the 1994 by-election and 1997 anyway, and in my opinion they're starting from just too far back. It would need a swing of over 20% to even put them in contention (and that would require UKIP stealing a lot of the Tory vote too) and while such swings were common in the mid-90s by-elections, they're not being made at the moment. (At least, not by the major parties)
As my recent series of retro-post has shown, my track record of predictions has not been too accurate, but I think I've set out a decent argument as to why this could well be a Lib Dem hold. That's not to say that events could get in the way and derail it – poor campaigning, bad candidate selection, a senior Lib Dem doing something even more stupid than usual – but as things stand, I think a Lib Dem hold is the most likely outcome.


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OCEAN CITY — One local man is dead and another behind bars today on manslaughter and other charges after an altercation last weekend outside a downtown Ocean City bar.< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office">
Around 1:30 a.m. last Saturday, Ocean City Police and paramedics responded to the area of Somerset Street in reference to a male individual who was found unconscious on the street outside the Harbor Inn bar. The male individual was taken to AGH where he was pronounced dead. He was identified as Michael Eric Post, 39, of Ocean City.
Police were initially treating the incident as an unattended death while the investigation unfolded. OCPD detectives later learned a suspect, identified as George Daron Nottingham, 47, of Ocean City, had assaulted Post on Somerset Street in front of the bar and the altercation caused the victim to fall and strike his head on the ground. According to a source close to the situation, Post and Nottingham were long-time acquaintances, although the nature of the altercation is uncertain.
The deceased's remains were taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy to determine the manner and cause of death. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined Post died of head injuries related to the assault. On Thursday, the Medical Examiner's Office confirmed this afternoon for The Dispatch the manner of death was homicide but could provide no more details.
On Thursday, detectives arrested Nottingham at his residence on Townsend Rd. in West Ocean City. Nottingham has been charged with manslaughter and second-degree assault. He appeared for an initial bond review on Thursday and was ordered to be held on a $500,000 bond.
As of late yesterday, Nottingham was being held in the Worcester County Jail. A preliminary hearing has been set for Feb. 27.
The Worcester County State's Attorney's Office said the preliminary charges could be added to or amended as the investigation continues and more details become available.
On the surface, the situation appears similar to a 2011 incident outside a West Ocean City bar when the proprietor got into a physical altercation with an inebriated patron and died of injuries caused by the struggle. The suspect was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to three years in jail with all but one suspended.


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The Fight Continues
For those that are disheartened, do not give up. The election is over. However, there is another one two years from now. We will clean his clock in that election.
He is going to send this country over a fiscal cliff with his arrogance, and we know it. You need to plan for that. As a family you need to personally plan for that. It will affect his minions much more than it will affect all of us. We will parlay that back into a new Republican Revolution in 2014. If he does not moderate, he and his entire administration can possibly be impeached through Congress. We would have to win in Congress, win in the Senate, and even recall some of the left wing senators that would block us from doing a removal after impeachment.
Remember – it's all possible. America will awaken to the fall of dropping off the fiscal cliff. That is when we have to use the Constitution we all love and do what must be done legally and properly.
Never give up. Never give in. Stay strong. Realize, you were on the right side of history. Those that voted for Obama were on the wrong side of history. Those in the media that propped him up one day will be shamed for it.
Keep the faith. Live like a winner, because you are smart enough to know better. You are a winner if you voted for Romney and against Obama.


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The Metropolitan Council has awarded $5.7 million in "Livable Communities" grants to support affordable housing near transit lines, job centers and other amenities.
One of the largest grants will go toward redeveloping the Brownstone Building on St. Paul's University Avenue, near the Green Line's Victoria Street light rail station. The one-story building will be replaced with a mix of affordable housing and commercial and office space, and an existing parking lot will be transformed into a small park. The effort received $646,000.
Another $40,000 will help the District Del Sol on St. Paul's West Side complete conceptual plans for the redevelopment of old buildings and "infill development" of vacant lots between buildings.
In White Bear Lake, the Boat Works Commons project will receive $396,000 to transform Johnson Boat Works into a residential, commercial and public space. Plans call for an 85-unit apartment building, a parking facility, restaurant, retail space and a community meeting room, as well as green space.
In Minneapolis, the Mill Artist Lofts received $555,000 for redevelopment of the former Pillsbury Flour Mill into 252 affordable-housing units near the Mississippi River.
Seward Commons received $1.1 million to continue the redevelopment of a blighted industrial site near the Franklin Avenue light rail station.
Another $1 million will support the West Broadway Curve, a proposed family housing complex along the future Bottineau Corridor.
Frederick Melo can be reached at 651-228-2172. Follow him at twitter.com/FrederickMelo.


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The Regional Transit Authority (RTA) of Southeast Michigan Governing Board is seeking to hire its first Chief Executive Officer. The job posting period will be open from June 17, 2013 until July 19, 2013.
The Regional Transit Authority (the "RTA") of Southeast Michigan was created through state legislation on December 19, 2012 (MI P.A. 387, 2012). The RTA service area is comprised of the counties of, Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne. It is governed by a ten member board with two representatives from each of the participating counties, one representative from the City of Detroit, and one non-voting member appointed by the governor who serves as the chair. The purpose of the RTA is to coordinate the activities of the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA), the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT), the Detroit Transportation Corporation (DTC), and the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) and secure funding to improve and enhance public transportation within the four county area and the city of Detroit.
Read more http://www.michronicleonline.com/index.php/business-original/12400-regional-transit-authority-of-southeast-michigan-seeking-chief-executive-officer


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Cinematheque . 3/26-27: Reefer Madness, House, Sita & More!
3/26-27: Reefer Madness, House, Sita & More!
03/23/10 | Posted by Cinematheque | Posted in Cinematheque
SITA SINGS THE BLUES has rare 100% "fresh" rating on RottenTomatoes.com!
Betty Boop meets Bollywood in SITA SINGS THE BLUES , a witty, delightful animated musical by the truly independent American filmmaker Nina Paley. Moviegoers loved this movie when we premiered it in Cleveland last May. Since then it has opened commercially in New York City and elsewhere, garnering unanimous rave reviews! We're excited to bring it back. The film weds the ancient Indian legend of the Ramayana, in which a woman is abandoned by her husband, to the true story of Paley's own marital break-up and to 1920s jazz/pop standards sung by Annette Hanshaw (1901-1985). It may sound like a strange brew, but it works wonderfully. To find out how well it works print this email and present it at the box office on Friday or Saturday night and see "Sita" for only $6 ($5 if you're a Cinematheque member). It's our Deal of the Week! (Limit two discounts per print-out) 1977 Japanese teen horror comedy HOUSE (HAUSU) raises the roof! HOUSE is a crazy, unclassifiable 1977 Japanese horror comedy which one wag has described as "an episode of Scooby Doo directed by Dario Argento." After wowing moviegoers at a series of stupendously successful festival/museum screenings during 2009, the movie finally receives a U.S. theatrical release -- in a new 35mm color print. The movie follows seven schoolgirls who take an excursion into the country and stay at the creaky old house belonging to the aunt of one of them. There they encounter evil spirits, a bloodthirsty piano, a demonic housecat, and other unpleasant surprises. Director Nobuhiko Obayashi employed all the tricks in his 1970s analog arsenal to create the crude and cheesy special effects that fill this bizarre and hilarious ghost story and haunted house movie. Watch the trailer and then don't miss this one-of-a-kind thriller this Friday or Saturday. REEFER MADNESS is absolutely abNORML The granddaddy of anti-marijuana films, REEFER MADNESS (1936) is a campy cautionary tale in which evil drug dealers lure an upstanding high school student into a sordid life of weed, women, and (shudder!) jazz-to say nothing of dementia, rape, manslaughter, and suicide! It will be preceded at showtime on Friday and Saturday by Dave Fleischer's great Betty Boop cartoon "Betty in Blunderland" (1934). Buy Kurosawa box set at substantial discount and support the Cinematheque! March 23 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. In honor of his centennial year, the Criterion Collection has created a gorgeous collector's set "AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa." And for a limited time, you can purchase this DVD box set for a substantial discount and support the Cinematheque at the same time. Buy "AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa" at www.criterion.com, enter the code CINE at the prompt, and you'll not only save 25% off the retail price of $399.95, you'll be making a $25 contribution to the Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque! This deluxe, linen-bound set includes timeless masterpieces from one of cinema's greatest directors, films like "Rashomon" (showing from 35mm at the Cinematheque on April 1 and 3), "Ikiru," "Seven Samurai," "Yojimbo," and "High and Low." Featuring 25 of the films Kurosawa made over the course of his 50 years in movies-from samurai epics to postwar noirs to Shakespeare adaptations-"AK 100" is the most complete set of his works ever released in this country, and includes four rare films that have never been available on DVD. Once again, to take advantage of this special offer, shop at criterion.com, enter the code CINE at checkout, and pay only $299.95 for the "AK" box set. Criterion will send $25 to the Cinematheque. Thanks! In April Cinematheque will show four of the very best films from the past decade Four of the most acclaimed feature films made between 2000 and 2009 -- all of them "ought-to-see" movies -- will be shown in the upcoming Cinematheque series "'Oughts' from the Aughts." The series runs from April 1 through 23. All four movies placed first in one or more of six wide-ranging, prestigious surveys designed to find the best films of the past decade, now often referred to as "the aughts." Each movie is by one of the decade's most acclaimed filmmakers. David Lynch's "Mulholland Dr." (4/8 & 9) was voted "best of the decade" in polls conducted by Film Comment magazine, indieWIRE, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. Wong Kar-wai's "In the Mood for Love" (4/22 & 23) topped the poll conducted by Time Out London. Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Thai masterpiece "Syndromes and a Century" (4/15 & 16) came in first in a survey of 60+ curators, critics, and film historians conducted by the Cinematheque Ontario in Toronto. And Lucrecia Martel's "La Cienaga (The Swamp)" was voted "best Latin American film of the decade" in a Cinema Tropical poll. It opens the series on April 1. Films This Week Cleveland Cult Film Festival! Fri., March 26, at 7:00 pm Sat., March 27, at 10:15 pm SITA SINGS THE BLUES Fri., March 26, at 8:45 pm Sat., March 27, at 7:00 pm HOUSE (HAUSU) Fri., March 26, at 10:30 pm Sat., March27, at 8:45 pm REEFER MADNESS Films Next Week Thu., April 1, at 6:45 pm LA CIENAGA (THE SWAMP) Thu., April 1, at 8:45 pm Sat., April 3, at 5:15 pm RASHOMON Fri., April 2, at 7:30 pm Sat., April 3, at 9:20 pm DISTRICT 13: ULTIMATUM Fri., April 2, at 9:30 pm Sat., April 3, at 7:05 pm POLICE ADJECTIVE The Cinematheque The Cleveland Institute of Art 11141 East Boulevard Cleveland, OH 44106 Phone: (216) 421-7450 http://cia.edu/cinematheque
at the Cleveland Institute of Art
11610 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44106


text:
I´m noob in programming so keep it simple thank you.
My OS is Vista x64 SP1
and I use VS 2008 PRO SP1
I am experimenting windows programming and I thought to make a simple launcher.
There are two functions / APIs:
CreateProcess () and system ()
Any other APIs???
I got a hint that there would be more.


text:
SDK Turrialba for DM8168 EVM Board
This page is for an older version of the SDK - please refer to the following latest versions :
SDK Irazu for DM8168 EVM Board
RidgeRun Professional SDK Irazu for DM8168 EVM Board - Release Notes
- 1 General Information
- 2 Documentation
- 3 What's new?
- 4 Add-on support
- 5 Differences between the EVAL SDK and Professional SDK
- 6 Supported Operating Systems
- 7 SDK Details
- 8 Known Limitations and Defects
- 9 Support Information
- 10 SDK Download Instructions
- 11 Related links
General Information
Release Information
- Product Name: SDK for DM8168 EVM board based on Turrialba Stable Release.
- Date: May 2013
- Turrialba SDK Release Information
Copyright Notice
This document and the software described in it are furnished under license with RidgeRun, and as such, may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of the license. The contents of this document are furnished for informational purposes only and are subject to change without notice. RidgeRun, assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or inaccuracies that may exist in this document. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, without the prior written consent of RidgeRun.
Please read the full license agreement for the RidgeRun SDKs. The evaluation SDK is licensed under this terms and the Professional SDK is licensed under this terms
ARM is a registered trademark of ARM Limited. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the United States and other countries and is used by RidgeRun under license. Texas Instruments and TI are registered trademarks of Texas Instruments Incorporated. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Revision History
|Initial Version
- General SDK documentation:
- DM8168 EVM related documentation:
What's new?
- CodeSourcery Toolchain 2009q1-203
- Updated kernel version to 2.6.37
- Updated EZSDK version to 5.05.02.00
- Updated GStreamer OpenMax plugins
- AAC encoding and decoding as well as MP3 decoding on the DSP
- Includes latest gstreamer 0.10 distributions available: gstreamer-0.10.36, gst-plugins-bad-0.10.23, gst-plugins-base-0.10.36, gst-plugins-good-0.10.31, gst-plugins-ugly-0.10.19
- Graphics SDK 4.04.00.02 (openGL) integrated with Qt
- CUPS supported
- Support for HDMI video output
- Support H.264@1080p video encode/decode including RTSP streaming (RTSP Streaming module: GStreamer multi-stream / multi-channel RTSP server element will be a addon and to be purchased as mentioned below under 'Add-on support' section)
- SD boot support
- NFS, UBIFS, JFFS2 supported
- U-boot-2010.06 + env function support to read your environment from a simple *.txt file in a SD card.
- Ubuntu 14.04
Add-on support
- MJPEG encoding on M3
- Dual capture
- Dual capture and dual display at 1080p@60
- GStreamer multi-stream / mulit-channel RTSP server element
- Writeback driver
- TVP5147, GS2971 and GS2972 chips
- We also have the drivers for ADV7611, TVP7002 with VGA input, TVP5150, TVP5151 chips and these drivers has to be purchased as a Add-on's.
- Integration with systems based on FPGAs
Differences between the EVAL SDK and Professional SDK
The EVAL SDK Turrialba is based on the Professional SDK Turrialba but it has been added some limitations. The main differences between both SDK versions are listed below:
|Professional SDK
|GStreamer plugins
|Dual Capture/Display
|Yes (Add-on)
|Graphics SDK support
|EZSDK support
|Can be used to develop commercial products
|Can be used for personal or education proposes
|RidgeRun's professional support
Supported Operating Systems
Linux Distribution Ubuntu 9.04, 9.10, 10.04, 10.10, 12.04, 14.04 in 32 bits and 64 bits.
SDK Details
This is an Evaluation Linux SDK build for Texas Instruments DM8168 System on Chip and based on the Professional SDK Turrialba.
This SDK is designed to run on the DM8168 EVM.
This SDK includes:
- ARM toolchain: gcc 4.3.3.
- U-Boot 2010.06
- Linux kernel 2.6.37.
- Integration with TI's EZ Software Development Kit for Davinci DM816x/DM814x processors- EZSDK 5.05.02.00.
- Please make sure to download and install the EZSDK before building the RidgeRun SDK.
- Install the EZSDK by running ezsdk_dm816x-evm_5_05_02_00_setuplinux. Be sure to use the default installation values.
note: If you are going to install the EZSDK on an machine using a ubuntu version different than Ubuntu 10.04 LTS 32-bit you will need to add the --forcehost option to install it, i.e.,
./ezsdk_dm816x-evm_5_05_02_00_setuplinux --forcehost
- ezsdk_dm816x-evm_5_05_02_00_setuplinux can be downloaded from TI's Product Download Page.
Known Limitations and Defects
RidgeRun offers the evaluation SDK for hobbyists willing to invest time getting they project to work. RidgeRun also offers the evaluation SDK for professional companies in product development who want to try out the SDK before purchase. RidgeRun will extend the professional SDK as required by our customers. Many of those changes will be ported to the evaluation SDK.
Expect the list below to change regularly as new limitations are reported and defect fixes are checked in.
- In order to use the RidgeRun's installer system and more specific the NAND support it is necessary to use RidgeRun's u-boot instead of the default u-boot that comes with the board. Read the following article to know How to flash the RidgeRun's u-boot in a new board.
Support Information
Evaluation SDK doesn't include support services. Make sure to read the links listed below (Related Links) in order to solve some of the main issues.
RidgeRun Professional SDK provides handful of debug and profile tools, professional Linux development support and a wider range of drivers. Contact RidgeRun at firstname.lastname@example.com or Contact Us Form here for information and pricing on Professional SDK for the platforms you need.
SDK Download Instructions
If you want to get the DM8168 EVM EVAL SDK Turrialba you need to go to our (download center link here) page and select the DM8168 EVM SDK Turrialba. You will be asked for your email address and some information. Once you have submitted the required information you will receive an email with the following information:
- A link to download the SDK Turrialba Installer file for GNU/Linux based operative systems.
- A username and password to download the installer.
- A link to the installation instructions.
In order to compile the SDK you need to install the toolchain. Further instructions available at RidgeRun Turrialba SDK User Guide.


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ABC News' Ali Ehrlich reports:
A Massachusetts man survived 20 hours trapped underneath his snowmobile in below-freezing temperatures in the northern tip of Maine.
Paul Lessard, of Milford, Mass., left Tuesday for a solo ride on his snowmobile in St. John Plantation, Maine, near the Canadian border. Miles into his ride, the snowmobile enthusiast, nicknamed "Moses" by friends, hit a patch of melted ice and snow near a spring that caused his snowmobile to flip.
Lessard, 64, became trapped under the weight of the snowmobile, with part of his body in the spring's water and part of it in the snow, all while temperatures dropped well below freezing.
When Lessard didn't arrive at a friend's home later that night, as planned, his friend reported him missing. A search team of authorities and volunteers spread out across a 1,000-square-mile area, searching for Lessard as the temperature dropped and wind gusts grew.
"When we heard that Paul was missing, we naturally thought the worst," Tyler Corriveau, the owner, with his father, of a local all terrain vehicle store, told ABC News.
"He definitely likes to explore," he said. "He rides primarily by himself."
Corriveau and his father, Phil, who know Lessard from his frequent visits to their store, departed on their own search for their friend, traveling down a stretch of unused logging roads they knew Lessard was planning to travel.
Lessard says he had heard rescuers in the area prior to the Corriveaus but was unable to call out for their help.
"I heard the plane flying over," he said from his hospital room. "Then, an hour later, I heard a snowmobile coming and it was my friend."
Tyler Corriveau saw Lessard's snowmobile and then saw that he was trapped underneath.
"We saw him move his arm underneath the snowmobile and then we realized he was trapped," he said.
The pair used a small shovel to free Lessard's head and then pulled him from under the snowmobile.
Lessard was taken to a local hospital and suffered only a shoulder injury and hypothermia.


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The Fort Smith-based company is filming episodes of its popular TV show, "American Airgunner," with new host Rossi Morrreale in Las Vegas.
Seen on Channel 604 on DirecTV and Channel 240 on the Dish Network, the half-hour show takes viewers across the country to highlight various shooting disciplines, such as air-rifle competitions, airgun hunting, recreational shooting and friendly challenges.
The new season will begin in July, and what the show's cameras catch will be worthy of the attention of all TV viewers, said Jeremy Dean, executive producer for "American Airgunner" and director of marketing and public relations for 5 Star Productions.
"We are filming in Las Vegas this week, and it's exciting that we travel all over the country and the world doing shows," Dean said.
Morreale, a Fort Smith native who graduated from Southside High School before playing football for the Arkansas Razorbacks, has hosted and appeared on numerous TV programs over the last decade. He has appeared on "Belly of the Beast," ''Dating in the Dark," ''Can You Duet?" and "Temptation," and once was voted as one of People Magazine's "Sexiest Men Alive."
"It's so exciting to have Rossi Morreale on board with us for this season," he said. "Rossi grew up hunting and being in the outdoors, so for him to get back to his roots will be a huge thing for the show, for those who know him and for the show."
Morreale will lead discussions on gun safety and cleaning, among other topics, Dean said.
"It's great because we'll be all over the country, and we're going to Germany this year for the show," he said before laughing. "We're getting to blow stuff up for the show, so it's like being a kid in a candy store."
Much of the show aims to entertain its audience, while there are important, educational pieces that factor into each episode, Dean said.
"People don't know what a broad range of airguns there is, and a lot of people are thinking that it means only BB guns," he said. "There's a whole spectrum of airguns that we're talking about.
"I mean, we're talking about an airgun that takes down a buffalo or another one that takes down a 500-pound hog," Dean added. "The show is about educating viewers and showing them how to be responsible gun owners."
The show's segments on product reviews and travel also are hitting the bull's-eye with viewers, he said.
"It's great because we're visiting the Shot Show in Vegas, which is a big gun-manufacturing trade convention," he said. "It's great because viewers can see what kind of technology is coming out."
Each episode features a Top-Shot Competition, which pits competitors in a reality TV-type setting, Dean said. Each week, contestants will compete with airguns, with one contestant being eliminated until a winner is declared later in the season, he said.
"We've had really good feedback on this show," Dean said. "We took what people said they wanted to see more of, and we will be incorporating that into the new season. We think people will like it."
A TV show called "American Airgunner" began airing a few years ago before 5 Star Productions assumed ownership and "revamped" the program, Dean said.
"We were actually considering last year's season to be the first season of 'American Airgunner,' after the show's title was purchased," he said. "This upcoming season is what we're calling our real second season."
Dean said he and Mike Hart, owner of 5 Star Productions, are glad the show continues to be popular with audiences.
"The Pursuit Channel pushes the show to 30 million households," Dean said. "It averages 500,000 viewers per episode - we're hoping to get even more with the new season - and a few million people will have seen the show during the season."
Dean predicted that the show's new season and new host will be even better than last year's episodes.
"When we approached Rossi about hosting, he was recalling stories about going out with his father and grandfather, as a kid, on hunts," he said. "He told stories of just playing and being in the backyard, and since he's been in Los Angeles for over a decade, this is a great way to get him to come back to the area to see family, and it's a great thing for the viewers, too."


text:
"I noticed your beautiful hair right away."
Basic Information
Name:波風ミナト Namikaze Minato
Nickname:木ノ葉の黄色い閃光 Konoha's Yellow Flash
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Clan: N/A
Minato was a fairly tall, fair-skinned man who on more than one occasion has been compared with Naruto in terms of physical appearance; both have bright blue-eyes and spiky blond hair. Unlike Naruto, Minato had jaw-length bangs framing either side of his face. According to Jiraiya, Minato was considered to be very handsome, as many women were infatuated with him. His normal attire consisted of a standard Konoha-nin uniform with two bands each on both of his sleeves, a flak jacket and a forehead protector; after becoming Hokage, he started wearing a short-sleeved long white coat over his normal attire, decorated by flames-like motifs on the edges, with the kanji for "Fourth Hokage" (四代目火影, Yondaime Hokage) written vertically down the back, and closed on the front by a thin orange rope. In his youth, he wore a tracksuit with three stripes on the sleeves, mesh undershirt, dark trousers and dark calf-length sandals.Personality:
Jiraiya and Tsunade pointed out that, while Naruto physically bears great resemblance to Minato, his personality is almost identical to his mother. While Naruto is boisterous and relatively thick, Minato was calm, collected, and highly perceptive. He also seemed well aware of the terror his reputation inspired in his foes. He appeared to be respectful of those around him; he didn't like freely speaking about others' pasts, and was said to be a very nice person. He deeply cared for and loved his wife and child, becoming very nervous because of Kushina's pain during labour and even shedding tears of joy at his son's birth. He also enjoyed reading, and took a special liking to reading Jiraiya's work in particular.
Jiraiya said that Minato was a shrewd person, and was not a man who would do something without reason. He was very knowledgeable of the ninja world, concluding that only Madara Uchiha would have the power or the reason to have the Nine-Tails attack Konoha during their fight. Minato was known for his unbeatable determination and unbelievable drive, which he passed on to his son. In his youth, Minato also had a desire to be acknowledged by everyone in the village and to become a great Hokage, again, a trait passed onto his son. His devotion to the village and his love for his friends inspired all those around him, and, as a result, he became well-liked by the villagers. Minato was nevertheless understanding that Naruto must feel hurt by the fact that his own father had sealed a monster inside him.
Village Information
Village of Birth: Konohagakure
Village of Alliance: Konohagakure
Rank/Chakra Information
Ninja Rank: Sannin
Specialty: Toads Summoning || Rasengan
Fire: MasteredYour Ninjutsu:
Wind: in-progress
Water: C-Rank
Lightning: D-Rank
★ Ninjutsu ★: D-Rank
★ Genjutsu ★ : C-Rank
★ Summoning ★ : Toads
Background Information
When Minato was in the Ninja Academy, his classmate and future wife Kushina Uzumaki thought he looked "flaky" and even "girly". He dreamed of being acknowledged by the Konoha villagers by becoming Hokage, which Kushina considered to be an impossible dream for someone like him. Years later however, when Kushina was kidnapped by Kumogakure ninja, Minato was the only one to pick up on the fact that she was leaving behind strands of her red hair to mark their path. After rescuing her, Minato explained that he had always admired her hair. No longer seeing him as "flaky", she fell in love with him.
According to those who knew him, Minato was a very talented ninja, having been considered a rare genius that appeared only once a generation. He graduated from the Ninja Academy at the age of ten, and was added to a genin team under the tutelage of Jiraiya. Jiraiya took a special interest in Minato, and accepted him as an apprentice, amongst other things teaching him the Summoning Technique. Jiraiya even believed Minato might be the Child of the Prophecy, someone who would someday save the world.
In time, Minato was put in charge of a genin team of his own, consisting of Rin, Obito Uchiha, and Kakashi Hatake. During the Third Shinobi World War, Minato led his team on a mission into Kusagakure to destroy the Kannabi Bridge. Because Kakashi had recently become a jōnin, Minato gave leadership of the mission to Kakashi while he went to help Konoha's forces on the front lines. After meeting up with the surviving and out-numbered Konoha ninja, Minato used his Flying Thunder God Technique to destroy the opposing Iwagakure ninja. He then returned to his team, just in time to save Kakashi and Rin from another group of Iwa forces; he was too late to save Obito. When Kakashi and Rin recovered from the ordeal, Minato helped them complete the mission.
At some point, he clashed with A multiple times. At their first meeting he recognised A's brother Killer B as the jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails. Upon receiving the signal that Konoha was retreating, he declared that they would later face each other to put the title of Kage on the line and also offered A the advise of making sure his brother knew who he was before becoming neither human nor jinchūriki.
When the war ended, Minato, not yet thirty years of age, was chosen to become the Fourth Hokage. At some point during his reign he read Jiraiya's first book. He liked the main character's determination, believing he was just like Jiraiya. Since Kushina was pregnant with their son, Minato informed Jiraiya that they planned to name their son "Naruto" in the hopes that he would be just like the main character and, in turn, Jiraiya. Jiraiya warned them that this would make him Naruto's godfather, but they insisted that this was a good thing.
Because Kushina was the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, special arrangements had to be made for Naruto's birth. Since the seal keeping the Nine-Tails within her would weaken during childbirth, Naruto would secretly be delivered in a remote location outside Konoha. ANBU would guard the area and Minato would maintain the seal while Kushina went into labour. Soon after Naruto was born they were found by Madara Uchiha. Madara killed all of the ANBU and took Naruto hostage, threatening to do the same to him. Minato was able to take Naruto back, but this gave Madara the chance to escape with Kushina. Minato found a safe place to put Naruto and then teleported to Kushina. He arrived in time to stop the Nine-Tails, having been removed from her body, from killing her, and teleported back to Naruto. Minato reunited mother and son and then went to help defend Konoha from the Nine-Tails.
Minato arrived in the early stages of the Nine-Tails' attack. After protecting the village from its Tailed Beast Ball, Minato tried to reach the Third Hokage to inform him of what had happened. He was stopped by Madara, who tried to send him away. Minato escaped but was followed by Madara. When the two began fighting, Minato struggled to hit Madara, Madara being intangible whenever he was not currently attacking. By carefully timing his Flying Thunder God Technique, Minato was able to strike him during one of these rare moments and apply a seal for the Flying Thunder God Technique to him, allowing him to teleport to Madara whenever he wanted. He placed a Contract Seal on Madara to remove the Nine-Tails from his control, forcing Madara to flee.
When Minato returned to the village he found it in ruin. He summoned Gamabunta to distract the Nine-Tails long enough to teleport it away from the village to Naruto and Kushina's location. Kushina restrained it and, dying from the trauma of its removal, volunteered to have it sealed back into her body so that it would die with her. Distraught, Minato suggested instead using the Dead Demon Consuming Seal on the Nine-Tails to weaken it and then seal the rest into Naruto. Kushina objected since this would mean Minato's death and give Naruto a horrible, lonely life. Minato insisted it was for the best since allowing the Nine-Tails to resurrect itself, without a jinchūriki to contain it, would inevitably cause harm to Konoha and the Fire Country. Also, Minato was convinced that Naruto, the "Child of the Prophecy" Jiraiya had once told him about, would need the Nine-Tails' power to someday defeat Madara. After Minato used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal on it, the Nine-Tails realised their intentions and tried to kill Naruto, but Minato and Kushina used their bodies to shield him.
While Kushina gave a few finals words to Naruto, Minato summoned Gerotora, gave him the key to the seal he would use on Naruto, and sent him to Jiraiya. After Kushina told Naruto how much his parents loved him he seconds everything she says and then sealed the Nine-Tails and the rest of their chakra into Naruto so that they would be able to see him again when he was older, ending their lives. Since the Third Hokage had come to help, Minato used his last moments to request that Konoha think of Naruto as a hero, and not the container of the monster that caused so much death and destruction. Before he died he sealed his own chakra into Naruto so that he could someday see Naruto again too, specifically if ever the seal was about to break so that he could restore it.
The Third Hokage did his best to look out for Naruto but very few were willing to regard Naruto as anything but the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki. The Third Hokage forbade anyone from speaking of the Nine-Tails, hoping that those too young to remember the Nine-Tails' attack would not hate Naruto as the rest of the village had. He gave Naruto his mother's surname so that his relation to Minato would be kept a secret from Minato's enemies. He otherwise did his best to give Naruto a comfortable life despite Naruto having no parents and being made into an outcast by the rest of the village. Naruto would never be told his parents' identities, and neither would most of Konoha.
With Minato's death, the Third was forced to resume his position as Hokage, a role he filled until his death, never being able to find a replacement of Minato's calibre. Minato himself became regarded as the village's hero and, indeed, one of the greatest ninja Konoha had ever produced, so much so that villagers would regret his death whenever tragedy struck the village. Because Minato was never able to tell anyone what happened during the Nine-Tails' attack, villagers were forced to make their own explanations. Jiraiya recognised that Minato would not have sealed the Nine-Tails into his own son unless he had a good reason and that Minato intended Naruto to gain control of the Nine-Tails, but could never satisfactorily explain why.
Although Naruto had no idea about his relation with Minato most of his life, he appeared to greatly admire the Fourth Hokage, considering him a hero who gave his life for the village, showing anger when Tsunade spoke ill of him and becoming overjoyed whenever Jiraiya or Kakashi mentioned his resemblance with Minato. Before Naruto left Konoha to begin his training with Jiraiya, he looked at the Fourth Hokage's carved head and asked him to look after him. After learning the truth about his relation to Minato and despite the shock that his own father made him a jinchūriki, Naruto was proud to be the Fourth Hokage's son.
Years after his death, Killer B was surprised when he learned Minato created a technique similar to the Tailed Beast Ball, the Rasengan.
Other InformationPicture[s]:
Flying Thunder God Kunai
The Flying Thunder God Kunai (飛雷神クナイ, Hiraishin Kunai) are custom-made kunai (特注クナイ, tokuchū kunai) utilised by Minato Namikaze in conjunction with his Space–Time Ninjutsu: the Flying Thunder God Technique. They differ in look from a standard kunai in that they have three blades instead of one and on the handle (which is thicker than normal) is the "marker" for Minato's teleportation ability; Minato also said that it's a bit heavier than a normal kunai. The prongs on them also makes it more deadly in melee fighting. He seemed to prefer using these special kunai over the standard type.
Minato gave one of these kunai to his pupil Kakashi Hatake, as a celebratory gift for his promotion to jōnin. During the war between Konohagakure and Iwagakure, the ninja from the former threw these kunai all over the battlefield, in order for Minato to teleport all over the place to slay his enemies almost instantly as well as making it difficult for the enemy to predict where it would teleport to next. He also kept several of these blades at his safe house, so he could teleport there quickly when necessary.
RasenganMinato spent three years creating the Rasengan by observing the Tailed Beast Ball. It is the highest level of shape transformation and does not require hand signs to be performed. Instead using a concentration of spinning chakra in the form of a sphere in the user's palm, which inflicts immense damage to its target on contact. As its creator, Minato had great mastery over the Rasengan, able to form it with one hand and his standard version being slightly larger than the Rasengan used by other characters. The lack of elaborate preparations needed for the Rasengan gave Minato an advantage over other technique users in battle; in his fight with Tobi, he is able to form a Rasengan right after throwing a marked kunai at his opponent, allowing him to land a devastating blow at Tobi immediately after performing the Flying Thunder God Technique. He had intended to combine the Rasengan with his own nature transformation, but the task was too difficult to complete.
Toads SummoningIn his youth, Jiraiya taught Minato how to use the Summoning Technique to summon toads. He had large chakra reserves as he was able to summon Gamabunta and was one of the few people that Gamabunta would willingly cooperate with. He could use the Summoning: Food Cart Destroyer Technique for a devastating surprise attack that could even pin powerful large targets like the Nine-Tails.
Theme Song and Background Music:
Won: None
Lost: None
Note: Test Needed.
Note: Will be dropping Uchiha Itachi
*Special Thanks to Kamishiro ^_^


text:
5 Pilates Moves For Pregnancy
Stay Strong and Centered During Your Pregnancy With Pilates
Pilates is the perfect form of exercise when you're expecting. It works with your changing body by strengthening the trouble zones and stretching out the tight spots. Here are five easy-to-learn Pilates moves to keep you fit while pregnant.


text:
September 24, 2009
Bella & Edward Cruising Around in a Shiny Volvo: New Eclipse Set Photos
15 comments:
I know it isn't the correct car but I friggin' love this SUV. Ah, wishing that was mine sans the moody young folk.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 24, 2009 at 1:11 PM
i don't care about the car, look at the ppl in it :D i think the wig look much and much better, her hairline is more natural and they both look very happy! I wonder what scene this is..ReplyDelete
I just LOVE the car! I don't know why eceryone is losing their minds over it!! It doesn't look THAT much different to the C30. It's just a lot bigger and darker.I'm digging the whole thing here. nice Geez xxxxReplyDelete
I just looked at the rest of the pictures and for a Canadian the picture of Rob in full Edward costume drinking Tim Hortons was the best picture ever!! LOL As soon as I get home I will be making an Icon out of that!ReplyDelete
Just another reason to drink more Timmies!
- SparklesSeptember 24, 2009 at 1:48 PM
I had very strong opinions about the hair and car but I think these pics are fab and have to say I was wrong on both counts :P (Yes it does happen sometimes!!) So nice to see happy pics :) I'm so excited for Eclipse already gah!! x x x :)ReplyDelete
This could be when he drops her at the treaty line to see jacob!ReplyDelete
I don't care about the car anymore! At last some photos!!! weee! They look sooo cuteeeee! Bella is smiling!!!! Did you see the one on set? Kristen and Rob look soooo cuteeee! *sigh* They have chemistry on and off set! hehe Anyway you can see the level of their relationship in these scenes and I love it!ReplyDelete
Obviously the car was changed because $$$$$ talks. And I actually like the SUV better than the hatchback but I think they should have picked a silver SUV. Oh well... at least its not another actor being swapped...ReplyDelete
And Collen, that's what I was thinking too! :)
- AnonymousSeptember 24, 2009 at 4:00 PM
Would it have been so difficult to get this volvo in silver? but I can deal with it but the hair I still can't stand, put some shape into it, her hair in new moon looks so good! Can't they shape the wig alittle, it just doesn't flatter her pretty face!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 24, 2009 at 4:23 PM
Her wig definentaly looks better...ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 24, 2009 at 4:42 PM
where in the book do they go together to the police station; and why would they???ReplyDelete
Very cute pictures :) Love them smiling :)ReplyDelete
It's little details that can totally throw a movie off. How hard is it to get a silver volvo? That is trademark twilight... Its seems every movie will have a different feel to it. In twilight edwards clothes were casual but still nice and it seems in New moon his clothes are much fancier. I.e suits.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 25, 2009 at 11:25 PM
Being a cullen with all the money wouldn't they update their cars to the newer models all the time...........lol so what if its not the same as the book. The books(which I've read 6 times)are the books the movie has to be more visual.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJune 25, 2010 at 2:04 AM
Breitling WatchReplyDelete
is known for its outstanding durability. The Breitling Aeromarine
are made with the essence of perfection. We have the Breitling Windrider
style resembles the extremely popular Bentley 6.75


text:
Episode 1
How Many More Minutes Until Christmas?
Charlie and Lola are counting down the minutes until Christmas.
Rent, buy and watch the latest movies and TV shows online
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No subscription, so you only pay when you rent or buy a movie or TV show, from just 99p.
TalkTalk TV Store is available on PC, Mac, mobile, tablets and Chromecast.
Lola is an energetic, imaginative little girl. Charlie is her patient and kind older brother who has his work cut out (but is always willing) to help Lola learn and grow.
Animation, Kids
Not yet rated
How Many More Minutes Until Christmas?
Charlie and Lola are counting down the minutes until Christmas.
Charlie Is Broken
Charlie and Lola's circus show is spoiled after Charlie breaks his arm.
I Completely Know About Guinea Pigs
Lola is chosen to look after Bert, the school guinea pig, during the holidays.
I Spy with My Little Eyes
Lola and her imaginary friend Soren think they've spied an ogre outside.
I'm Really, Really, Really Concentrating
Lola finds the egg and spoon race to be a big challenge.
I Really Wonder What Plant I'm Growing
Charlie is growing a tomato plant, and mum gives Lola a seed also.
I Am Extremely Magic
Charlie has learnt how to do magic tricks, and now Lola wants to learn too.
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*UK internet connection required to acquire licence Learn more.


text:
Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Benton, agreed to delay his proposal requiring the random drug testing after members of the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee asked for a study on the cost. The panel had been expected vote on the proposal Wednesday morning.
Hutchinson's proposal would require unemployment applicants and recipients to consent to random drug testing in order to receive benefits. The measure leaves it up to the state Department of Workforce Services to decide how to set up the testing.
Hutchinson said he believed the requirement would help the state determine if unemployment recipients are actively seeking work.
"If somebody is unable to pass an employer's drug test or drug screen, then I don't think they can in good faith claim to be actively seeking employment," Hutchinson told the panel.
The proposal would also prohibit the drug test results from being released or used as evidence for criminal prosecution.
Proposals to require drug testing for unemployment and other forms of public assistance have gained in popularity among Republicans in statehouses around the country. A federal judge has blocked a Florida law requiring drug testing for welfare recipients over constitutional concerns, and that ruling is being appealed.
Arkansas lawmakers have also suggested drug testing for some Medicaid recipients as a part of a compromise over expanding that program for the poor and elderly. Republicans control the state House and Senate, but the panel considering Hutchinson's bill is evenly divided between the parties.
A spokesman for Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe said the governor is still reviewing Hutchinson's proposal but is concerned about the potential fiscal impact and whether the measure would comply with federal regulations.
Hutchinson's proposal faces opposition from the Arkansas chapter of the AFL-CIO and the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, which has argued that it violates the constitutional rights of unemployment applicants. A Democratic lawmaker opposed to Hutchinson's bill has proposed amending it to also require drug testing of public employees and the state's elected officials.
"You have public employees and elected officials who receive tax dollars who aren't subject to the same scrutiny we're subjecting private employees to," said Sen. Stephanie Flowers, D-Pine Bluff.
Artee Williams, the head of Workforce Services, said he didn't know how much a drug testing program would cost the agency but said he would have a study on its fiscal impact so lawmakers could consider the measure next week.
But the proposal faces skepticism from some Democrats on the panel who question the motivation behind requiring the testing.
"What is the justification or the need for this kind of legislation other than to be mean spirited to people who are unfortunate enough to be out of work?" said Sen. David Burnett, D-Osceola.


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Epiphone Jack Casady Signature Bass GuitarProduct #518245 Epiphone 518245 BAR Signature Model Electric Bass https://www.esnapw.com/rses/ESnapServlet?MerchantNumberSent=63655
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A bass bound for glory.
Deep, articulate tone and classic semi-hollowbody style are the hallmarks of the Epiphone Jack Casady Signature Bass. The maple body, mahogany center block, set maple neck, and rosewood fretboard conspire to create a sweet-playing bass you won't want to put down. Has a single low-impedance JCB-1 humbucker with VariTone control, as well as traditional volume and tone knobs. Pearloid trapezoid fingerboard inlays, body binding, and Jack's signature across the headstock set it apart.
Jack Casady, electric rock bass player extraordinaire, worked closely with Gibson and Epiphone to create this tasty signature model. It's a long-scale, hollowbody electric bass constructed loosely around his vintage 1972 Gibson Les Paul Signature bass, discovered in a New York instrument shop in the mid '80s. Starting from there, Jack spent a lot of energy working with a pickup designer from Epiphone putting together a new humbucker to reside in his signature model. Together they nailed down a passive pickup and control section that delivered tone so pure and natural it'll give you goose bumps. The pickup is a special low-impedance model (the JCB-1), which produces a bass sound high impedance pickups and active electronics can't match.
The controls -- a volume, tone, and versatile VariTone knob -- produce enough variation for any situation. The bass has a unique and high-quality transformer with a 3-way impedance selector was used, which eliminates the need for active circuitry while giving the low-impedance signal from the pickup a boost. The pickup impedance selector (VariTone) allows for sounds from clear and clean with acoustic vibe to deep, round, and growling rock authority.
The body construction is very unique, too. It's not a true semi-hollow or hollow body, but a hybrid that combines the best from both designs. Under the bridge is a mahogany center block that adds sustain and helps to fight feedback. This construction allows the top to vibrate freely, giving the bass guitar a more natural, woody tone.
The Epiphone Jack Casady Signature Bass is as unique as Jack, with a vibe, tone, and innovative features all its own.
Maple body
Mahogany block under bridge
Set maple neck
Rosewood fretboard
Low-impedance JCB-1 humbucker
VariTone control
Volume and tone
knobsPearloid trapezoid inlays
Body binding
Jack Casady headstock signature
Jack Casady Signature Bass Guitar Specifications:
Body: Laminated Maple
Case Included: No
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Hardware: Chrome
Inlays: Trapezoid
Neck Joint: Set Neck
Neck Material: Maple
Nut Width: 1.63"
Pickups: 1 Low Impedance Humbucker w/ VariTone
Scale: 34"
Top: Laminated Maple
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Reviewed by 6 customers
Comments about Epiphone Jack Casady Signature Bass Guitar:
A wonderful bass at a wonderful price! Great action and sound - simply fantastic! Without even plugging the guitar into an amp - this bass kicks! And it looks as great as it sounds! The neck is lovely to glide on and body is a nice fit for standing and or sitting! The feature for impediance is what I like when plugged in to give me a nice melow sound to rough and and ready! A great deal and I'm glad I purchased one!
Comments about Epiphone Jack Casady Signature Bass Guitar:
...I first heard his bass at a very intimate acoustic Tuna gig; the guitar, amp system, room acoustics and, of course, Jack made for the finest Tuna show I've seen (actually, both shows--they were at a little Ozark resort for a weekend). This was summer of '05. I bought one from Fur Peace Ranch in December, '05 and the only "fault" I found was the strings (I prefer polished RW's smoother than the "stock" strings) so I replaced 'em.
Comments about Epiphone Jack Casady Signature Bass Guitar:
This is an excellent bass for a fingerpicker, which is how a bass guitar should be played! It has a great sound, different from the traditional solid body bass. I like it better, it has more of a natural bass tone, sort of like an acoustic bass. It is my main axe. I would suggest to the reader to purchase one before they quit making 'em.
Comments about Epiphone Jack Casady Signature Bass Guitar:
The Epi JC hollow bass is a capable general purpose bass. OK, I don't consider thumb hammering or metal/distortion to be general use of a bass, but the point is it's a very versatile, dependable instrument with a big voice that you really can't get from solid body basses. I've got 2 other hollow f-hole magnetic PU basses, but both are 30" scale, and the 34" scale of the JC has a good growl while the shorter scale basses have more of a "thump-whunk" string sound. The triple coil tap is part of the personality of this bass. Whatever is your definition of "passive PU tone", the JC most likely delivers on it. The tone knob does not have a huge effect but is usable, and combined with the triple coil tap most players can find the tone they want. Another ingredient in cooking up tone is that this is a true hollow body, not a twin chamber semi-hollow. This means the whole top [clear of the edges] is unattached to anything, no big "neck-thru" keel block glued to both back and top. Of course the lack of a heavy keel block combines with the large head and tuning pegs to produce a top heavy off-balanced ax. Such is the price of tone it seems. The neck is "set", neither bolt-on nor neck-thru. This means you can't shim the neck joint to get your favorite setup angle, but I find it very playable as-is. So, it's not light, it's off-balance, it needed some tool-kit style tinkering, and it can't be field serviced if the pots, wiring, or jack do what pots, wiring, and jacks will sooner later do on most any ax. Oh, and it's big, hard to find a gigbag for it. And actually, the gold paint is not very attractive as guitar colors go. I suppose for some players the name on the head is the ugliest part of the finish. But when you play it all these shortcomings just melt away. All its non-cosmetic shortcomings are just the nature of hollow-bodied 34" basses, and need of filing a nut or bridge is common personal setup chore. I'm rating it a "5" but that is a 5 for its genre: hollow-bodied bass NOT custom built at several thousand dollars. Compared to cost- no-object fantasy, it's still a "4" because tone is just about everything, as long as an ax is playable and stays in tune. This ax does stay in tune; and although it is off-balance, the action, neck shape, etc provide an otherwise quite comfortable playing experience.
Comments about Epiphone Jack Casady Signature Bass Guitar:
I have owned this bass since it was introduced, and it is a solid bass. It is a bit top heavy, and the action can be a bit tricky to set, if you find you need to adjust it. However, it has a good tone, it's solid,and very playable. The "EQ" selector switch gives you a good wide range of bottom to choose from. Sounds good direct or mic'd. Nice "semi-acoustic" overtones. Seems more like a Gibson than an Epiphone... If that makes any sense.
Comments about Epiphone Jack Casady Signature Bass Guitar:
If you liked the semi-hollow Epiphone basses of yesteryear, you will enjoy this bass. An update of an earlier Gibson design, the Jack Casady Bass features a low impedance pick-up that has a great sound for today's rock musician. I was impressed with the overall workmanship in the finish, finding no flaws. The pick-up was clear of any noticeable hum, and gives the guitar that roundwound growl, even with the tone control all the way down. The neck was superb, with a P-Bass type spacing, and no dead spots could be detected. Also, the strings were balanced in volume, with a very clear G-string. If you liked the older hollow bodies of the sixties, but the 30-inch scaled necks were not to your liking, this bass comes with a standard 34-inch scale. The hardshell case is well worth the extra money but a gigbag would be nice. The only fault I could find is that the bass was neck-heavy and slightly unbalanced due to the large headstock and tuners. Maybe Epiphone will deal with this with lighter tuning gears in the future. Being a larger bass, it is also a little unwieldy for me (being small in stature)to play, but I usually use it to record with anyway, when I'm sitting. The bass records quite well, especially with a tube amp, but its direct sound is quite nice.


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Royals set franchise mark for total strikeouts
It was the 1,154th strikeout of the season by the Royals' staff, a new club record. The 2009 Royals held the previous mark with 1,153 K's.
"Cool," said reliever Aaron Crow, who's contributed 65 punchouts to the club's season total.
The Royals' bullpen has been a main contributor to the record. The relief corps has been on a strikeout kick all season, and their collective total of 526 led all American League bullpens entering play on Monday.
"With Tim [Collins] and Greg [Holland], and Kelvin [Herrera] and [Louis] Coleman, those guys can strike out guys with the best of them," Crow said. "They've done a good job, but at the end of the day if you get a ground ball or a popup or a strikeout, it's the same thing. You just try to get guys out, and strikeouts mean you're dominant and have good stuff."
The Royals fanned two more Indians after Jeffress' momentous strikeout, and the total stood at 1,156 heading into Monday's series opener with Detroit.
Injuries may keep Moustakas, Hosmer out
KANSAS CITY - Third baseman Mike Moustakas' season is apparently over because of a sore left groin.
Moustakas aggravated a previous injury in the sixth inning of Monday night's 6-3 loss to the Tigers.
"Moose is done," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "When he slid into second base, he re-aggravated his groin so with two games left, that's probably going to be it for him."
Moustakas was pulled out of Sunday's game at Cleveland because of the injury. Although hurt in the sixth inning on Monday night, he didn't leave the game until the ninth.
That apparently leaves the Royals without the starters at both corners of the infield, because first baseman Eric Hosmer also is likely to miss the final two games against the Tigers. He's been out since Thursday with a slight tear or moderate strain in his right rotator cuff sustained at Detroit. Hosmer was re-examined on Monday.
"I saw the doctor and he pretty much confirmed the strain and stuff," he said. "He likes how it's rehabbing but the strength is still not 100 percent there. So he's saying it's just a matter of day to day and just try to get it as strong as possible."
Shortstop Alcides Escobar sustained a bruised right shoulder on Thursday and missed all three weekend games at Cleveland. He also was re-examined after returning to Kansas City and played Monday night.
Escobar must be OK. He singled in his first at-bat and made a spectacular fielding play with a long throw to first base in the fourth inning.
Gordon, Royals racking up outfield assists
KANSAS CITY -- Running on the Royals' outfield arms is a dangerous decision.
Kansas City racked up its 51st outfield assist of the season in Monday night's series opener against Detroit, as left fielder Alex Gordon threw out Andy Dirks, who was attempting to advance from first to third on an Avisail Garcia single in the fifth inning.
No. 51 in this campaign matched the mark set last year by the Royals' outfielders. They need two more to match the franchise record set in 1969.
The Royals lead all Major League teams in outfield assists. Entering play Monday, the next closest team was Oakland with 37.
Gordon's fifth-inning assist was his 18th of the year, and he trails Royals right fielder Jeff Francoeur by just one. Francoeur's 19 lead the Majors. Gordon was baseball's assists leader among outfielders in 2011 with a club-record 20.
If Francoeur finishes as the league leader, the Royals will become the first team since the 1909-10 Red Sox to have two different players lead the league in outfield assists in back-to-back seasons.
Royals reliever Collins earns Mondor Award
KANSAS CITY -- What does diminutive Royals reliever Tim Collins have in common with the home-run mashing likes of Jeff Bagwell, Mo Vaughn and Carlos Pena?
Collins joined the sluggers as recipients of the Ben Mondor Award, which honors the New England player of the year. Collins, a native of Worcester, Mass., will be presented with the award at the Boston Chapter of the BBWAA's annual dinner on Jan. 24, 2013.
Entering Monday, Collins produced a 5-4 record and a 3.38 ERA in 71 relief appearances this season. His 93 strikeouts are the most by a left-handed reliever in club history.
The award has been presented since 1979 to players from New England and was recently named in honor of Ben Mondor, the former owner and chairman of the Pawtucket Red Sox.
Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. Vinnie Duber is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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The Script are flipping the — well, you know — in their new video for "Superheroes."
Instead of basking in the spotlight, the Irish mellow-rockers are turning the camera on others in video for their first single from their upcoming album No Sound Without Silence.
Related: The Script Announce New Album 'No Sound Without Silence': Listen to New Song 'Superheroes'
Shot in Johannesburg, South Africa, by Vaughan Arnell, the video celebrates the everyday heroes of the city and zones in on one in particular, a father on his workday.
It's a heartwarming video that pairs well with the chorus: "When you've been fighting for it all your life / You've been struggling to make things right / That's how a superhero learns to fly / Every day, every hour Turn the pain into power."


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COLUMBUS, OH -- Before assuming leadership of the Amusement and Music Operators Association in mid-March, Andy Shaffer promised that the operators' organization would "put on its boxing gloves" (see VT, March). By that, he meant AMOA would lobby vigorously -- and sometimes publicly -- whenever and wherever major regional and national issues arose that threaten operators' interests. Shaffer has come out punching. But his style relies less on boxing gloves than on an "iron fist in a velvet glove."
Whether the issue is direct sales by jukebox makers to locations or the prospect of lower legal prize limits for redemption games and merchandisers, the AMOA president is clear and unapologetic about defending operators. At the same time, he avoids being inflammatory or controversial.
In a recent interview with Vending Times, Shaffer put AMOA on the record with respect to several of the industry's current hot-button issues. His comments and criticisms were clear and direct, yet he was careful to temper his remarks with a low-key tone, diplomatic language and reasonable qualifiers.
Efforts by CEC Entertainment Inc., the Irving, TX-based corporate parent of the Chuck E. Cheese's pizza-arcade chain, to reduce legal redemption prize values in California to $10 could have widespread impact. "AMOA is opposed to any legislation at all regarding limits on prizes for skill games and merchandisers," Shaffer said. "Obviously if it happens in California, it could spread across the country."
Leaders from AMOA, AAMA and the amusement park association in California have been in discussions with CEC executives to voice their concerns and weigh options. Shaffer told VT that the conversation is ongoing.
Referring to NSM Music's move into direct sales to U.S. locations, Shaffer told VT that AMOA does not condone a business model that bypasses the operator. But he pointed out that the association is "not in the enforcement business" and cannot "finger-point and tell NSM or anyone else how to run their companies."
Shaffer said NSM was not barred from exhibiting at this spring's Amusement Expo, despite suggestions from some operators that it should have been. NSM is a member in good standing of both AMOA and the American Amusement Machine Association, which own the trade show, he said.
NSM Music Offers Jukebox Operators Variable Revenue-Share Option, Clarifies And Scales Back Direct Sales Program
How NSM Music Can Earn The Jukebox Operator's Business | Viewpoint by AMOA-NY's Danny Frank
Shaffer said he has committed the association to combatting music piracy with a two-pronged strategy.
First, AMOA supports operators who are gathering on-the-ground intelligence about suspected cases of jukeboxes with unlicensed music. This information is being forwarded to the Recording Industry Association of America and performing rights organizations, which include ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. "They are very aware of what we are doing," Shaffer said. "One idea we have is to pursue a piracy reporting hotline for operators."
Another idea would be to ask all digital music providers to provide licensing documentation showing that their music is fully in compliance with all requirements relevant to music labels, PROs and other music industry groups.
At present, the scope of the jukebox music piracy problem appears to be limited to a handful of states including Indiana, Florida and Ohio, said Shaffer. Under previous AMOA presidents, operators in New York and California also reported having to compete with jukeboxes that played unlicensed music.
A strategic ally in AMOA's intelligence-gathering effort and communication with the recording industry is Bob Fay, director of government relations at AMI Entertainment Network. Fay is a former FBI agent with extensive experience in battling intellectual property crimes. Shaffer said Fay has been instrumental in the current campaign against unlicensed music played on jukeboxes.
"My goal," said Shaffer, "is to have full transparency on licensure from all music providers and digital jukebox manufacturers." He suggests creating a protocol that allows operators to report "rogue jukeboxes" or "potential black markets" when they discover them. "We want to ensure that there is an organization -- not AMOA -- to monitor that reporting," he said.
"AMOA can be a portal for information. But it can never assume a police role," he explained. "We are not the DEA, the FBI or the state liquor board. Our job is to represent operators, distributors and manufacturers under a united banner as a single trade association."
Photo: Andy Shaffer of Shaffer Services (center) is pictured with emissaries from Ohio and other states during AMOA's Affiliated States Council.
Shaffer emphasized his belief that goodwill and public diplomacy can be as -- or more -- effective courting controversy.
"I've told operators who are concerned about this issue that it's not AMOA's job to police every jukebox in the country, nor could we," he said. "That is what the PROs, the RIAA and other music industry organizations are supposed to do."
Improving AMOA communication is among Shaffer's top goals. He wants to ensure that rank and file operators are well informed about AMOA's plans and policies regarding important issues, as well as the opinions of its leadership team.
Shaffer has adopted several methods for doing this. First, he has made himself available to the trade press (as for this article), and has been unusually candid about AMOA's positions and actions on sensitive issues. Second, he is taking the same open approach to inviting questions when visiting state operator associations and other industry events.
"I just attended my first state operator show, in Oregon," he said. "My schedule for the rest of this summer looks like a rock-and-roll tour, starting with Minnesota in June. I am excited about giving people at these and other industry forums a chance to ask direct questions of me and AMOA executive vice-president Jack Kelleher."
"Our industry has guarded information carefully as a matter of course for many decades, whether about AMOA business or separately about our own routes, like collection data," he said. "There is often good reason to be guarded. But one person's privacy is another person's secrecy. In any case, we have been restraining ourselves from full and free communication in many instances."
Shaffer is setting the example that could help create a standard for a more forthcoming AMOA and industry. "If I can open myself personally and professionally as AMOA's lead representative for the next 10 months, hopefully everyone can feel comfortable about following," he said.
In one act of candor, Shaffer admitted during his interview with VT that his operation, Shaffer Services (Columbus, OH), has reduced its staff from 55 employees five years ago to 36 people today. Many operators would be reluctant to divulge this information, but AMOA's president volunteered it.
Shaffer Services' 35% workforce reduction over the past five years matches losses experienced by other operating concerns in most parts of the country. Workforce reductions in the manufacturing and distribution segments during the same period are reportedly higher.
"Many operators, distributors and manufacturers have gone through this process of reducing overhead and consolidating to cope with the tough economy," Shaffer said. "AMOA has been adjusting and evolving for many years."
In his run-up to becoming AMOA president, Shaffer indicated that he wants to streamline the association and see it be more decisive. When faced with urgent issues, it is not uncommon for the association to get bogged down in long, drawn-out debate before taking action.
His success two months into his term has been mixed, he admits. "Speedy decision-making is very difficult when you only have one year as president to implement your ideas and passions," he said.
Shaffer reports that the operators association has revised its bylaws to reduce its 48-person board of directors in the coming years, albeit through attrition rather than immediate action. Additionally, he hopes AMOA can eliminate or consolidate some of its many committees and subcommittees when it holds its midyear board meeting this fall in Colorado.
"That is where we may begin an elimination process, to look hard and determine what we really need," he said. "This may be necessary to reflect the consolidation of the industry, and I think it can also help speed up AMOA's decision-making."
In the meantime, said Shaffer, he will focus on increasing the efficiency of his work with AMOA's permanent staff.
Pronounced dead by some industry leaders, the dollar coin is back on the industry's agenda. Competing measures have been introduced in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives over the past year that seek to eliminate the $1 bill in favor of the $1 coin -- and vice versa.
A bipartisan group of Senators led by Tom Harkin (D-IA) and John McCain (R-AZ) has authored legislation designed to encourage wider circulation of dollar coins and set a timetable to phase out the $1 banknote. Titled the Currency Optimization, Innovation and National Savings Act (COINS), S.2049 was introduced in the Senate in January. Sens. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and Mike Enzi (R-WY) joined the bill's authors in the introduction.
Shaffer said AMOA has resurrected its interest in the $1 coin since AAMA has made it a priority. Lobbying for the dollar coin -- actually the elimination of the banknote equivalent -- took precedence during several recent visits to Capitol Hill made by AAMA officials.
However, the National Bulk Vendors Association is the only organization in vending and coin-op that has teamed up with other leading stakeholders in the Dollar Coin Alliance, which was formed to counter attempts in Congress to halt production of the high-denomination coins, and to promote efforts to increase their circulation. Since bulk vending almost exclusively relies on coins for transactions, many vendors in this sector are staking their futures on increased circulation of high-denomination coins.
In the full-line food and beverage segment, the National Automatic Merchandising Association, on the other hand, is no longer actively lobbying for legislation that supports greater use of the $1 coin. NAMA was once a leading advocate for promoting high-denomination coins.
And so was AMOA, but today its members are divided on the issue, Shaffer said.
Stepping back to comment on his first two months in the president's job, Shaffer said that he has received a fresh shot of enthusiasm for the industry based on the people he meets while traveling on AMOA's behalf. "Our industry has the greatest people in the world," he said.
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