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Review: Sonic Jump is an addicting, casual take on the blue blur
I'm not entirely sure whether Doodle Jump started the platform hopping craze on the iPhone, or whether it was just another take Icy Tower, but there is no denying it's incredibly addicting nature. Sega opted to test this theory out as well, by placing their famous blue hedgehog in a similar situation, except with all the tropes you'd come to expect from a Sonic game. So does this marriage of platform hopping with Sega's iconic mascot work in Sonic Jump's favor?
The gameplay isn't incredibly original by any means, as you simply have to tilt your device left and right in order to move Sonic around, with the goal of landing on platforms and climbing higher until you reach the end of each level. That's right, unlike Doodle Jump, the levels here aren't infinite. Instead, they're split up into various Zones (all iconic) that you'll have to make Sonic jump through.
You'll not only have to dodge familiar hazards like spikes, you'll also have various enemies to take out. In true Sonic fashion, you can only damage enemies if you're in ball form, which means they can only be damaged when you're propelled up. As soon as you start losing momentum and start falling toward the next platform, Sonic straightens himself out and is prone to damage and losing all his Rings. Luckily though, Sonic has a double jump which gives him an extra boost in height, but also allows him to do an extra attack.
Of course, the Sonic influence doesn't stop with the level design and Sonic himself. You'll have various power-ups such as the shield to block enemies, or the magnetic field to draw in rings. Springs that propell Sonic high in the air also make an appearance here.
At the end of each Zone is a boss battle where you have to take down Dr. Robotnik or Eggman, whichever you prefer, in one of his crazy machines. You'll have to dodge his attacks all the while making sure you don't fall to your doom, and then hit him where it hurts once he's vulnerable.
Each level also has three Star coins to collect. The initial levels don't try too hard to keep them out of reach, but as you progress, you'll have to definitely pull off some trick jumps in order to get them. The game also borrows the mission mechanic from Jetpack Joyride in which you're always tasked with new things to do, such as collect a certain amount of rings, destroy 40 enemies, finish a level under 40 seconds, etc. These will undoubtedly keep you glued to the game in hopes of getting them all.
There are various unlockables as well as helpful items to acquire during the game. As each mission is accomplished, you're awarded with Sonic emblems that will level you up. Once you reach a certain level, you can unlock the ability to purchase items such as a net that will save you from falling and failing a level, or even characters to play with such as Tails and Knuckles.
To round it off, the game looks absolutely gorgeous, with its vibrant colors and cel-shaded look. The game more closely resembles the Sonic Rush games on the DS and 3DS, albeit at a much higher resolution.
I honestly don't have a single negative thing to say about Sonic Jump. It's fun, addicting, gorgeous to look at and only $1.99 in the App Store, so unless you have some sort of aversion to blue, speedy hedgehogs, you should be downloading this right now.


text: M333 is crosslisted as an honors seminar (H303). This course is an opportunity to study Dante IN ENGLISH. It is possible to earn intensive writing credit for this course (M333 and H303). These courses will also fulfill your College Humanities and Culture Study (A) requirements. BOOKS FOR THIS COURSE ARE AVAILABLE AT THE FINE ARTS BOOK SHOP (FINE ARTS 120). IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COURSE, PLEASE E-MAIL PROFESSOR BONDANELLA (firstname.lastname@example.com). Do you want to put yourself through Hell (and Purgatory and Paradise)? Why did the great Italian political theorist and writer Niccolň Machiavelli reportedly say on his deathbed that he would prefer to go to Hell, so that he would not spend eternity in the boredom of Heaven? From the beginning great poets and writers have speculated about a life that exists after this one--Homer, Virgil, Plato and others, but no one provides a more graphic vision of the hereafter than Dante. He tells the tale of a mythical quester on an heroic journey over the tortuous paths of hell and purgatory to the ultimate experience of seeing God. Dante's Divine Comedy offers meaning and pleasure to his readers. He offers the sights, sounds, smells of the otherworld; he depicts art and artists, music and musicians, poetry and poets. He shows us how hell freezes over; he shows us the road to heaven. No one is immune from personal responsibility and judgment in Dante's afterlife. Dante sends friends and enemies, poets and popes, princes and thieves, mythical and historical figures to hell; he does what we all think and talk about. Others with the right stuff he sends to purgatory and heaven. We will try to determine the nature of eternal bliss and just what makes a person worthy of it. Dante's Divine Comedy depicts and explains all the vices and virtues; it explores sex and love, murder and mercy, stinginess and generosity, pride and humility, poverty and wealth, strength and despair, belief and heresy, treason and loyalty, good and evil. In this exploration of the full range of sin and goodness, he also gives insight into the chief philosophical, historical, literary and political questions of his age. The course will consist primarily of class discussion. Some historical materials will be furnished, and brief lectures will focus on the history and politics of Dante's time as well as on the history of hell, purgatory and heaven. We will consider some of the different critical perspectives that help to unfold the meanings of the poem, including the ways in which Dante influences other writers, poets, artists, and composers (such as, Chaucer, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Blake, Doré, Tennyson, Rachmaninoff, Guttuso, Pound, Eliot, and so on). We will attempt to assess what meaning a poem like The Divine Comedy can have in our own world. The writing assignments will include 2-3 short in-class essays (topics announced beforehand) and 3-4 formal essays. All the formal papers may be revised for an improved grade. Class attendance is important and expected.

subset: commoncrawl


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IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY FLORIDA. CASE NUMBER: CJA02-1047 DIVISION: 57 IN THE INTEREST OF: J.A.B. DOB: 3/6/2002 SUMMONS AND NOTICE OF ACTION BY PUBLICATION THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO: BRANDY HECTOR, Mother Whereabouts Unknown YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that a Petition has been filed in the above-styled Court by the FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES for Termination of Parental Rights and permanent commitment for subsequent adoption of the above named child. You are hereby commanded to appear before the Honorable JOHN ALEXANDER, at the St. Johns County Courthouse, 4000 Lewis Speedway, Courtroom 328, St. Augustine, Florida at the hour of 9:00 A.M. o'clock on January 26, 2004, A.D. You must appear at the hearing on the date and time specified. FAILURE TO PERSONALLY APPEAR AT THE ADVISORY HEARING CONSTITUTES CONSENT TO THE TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS OF THIS CHILD AND THAT YOUR CHILD MAY BE PERMANENTLY COM- MITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR SUBSEQUENT ADOPTION. Individuals with disabilities needing a reasonable accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact Cheryl Strickland, Clerk of Court, as soon as possible, telephone (904) 823-2333, or if hearing impaired, 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1 800-955-8770 (V) Florida Relay Service. WITNESS my hand as the Assistant District Legal Counsel for the Department of Children and Families, State of Florida. JODI SEITLIN, ASSISTANT DISTRICT LEGAL COUNSEL, L2770-3 Dec 11, 18, 25, Jan 1, 2003
Posted from 11-Dec-03 to 1-Jan-04
© 2018. All Rights Reserved. Contact Us


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Easy pick...... Nets. I dont think Kidd is 100% so marbury should be able to take him off the dribble, and get to the foul line. The Nets CANNOT shoot. All they have to do is stop the running game and we got it won. Mutombo is gonna be a huge factor because I remember I was at the first Knicks vs. Nets game and Mutombo had 10 blocks and we kept it close midway threw the fourth quarter, and Charlie Ward was our starting point gaurd. So i think it will be a competitive series. Tom Tolbert (NBA analyst) predicted New York to win this series so we got people on our side.
Don't want Detroit, very physical, stellar defense better back court better front court it wouldn't be much of a series I don't think.
What do yuou think?


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He was born April 2, 1950, at New Neeley, to Barger Sr. and Vida Carothers Crow. He loved hunting, fishing, riding motorcycles and long-haul driving.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Lemuel and Lilly Carothers, William and Addy Crow.
Survivors include his parents, Barger Sr. and Vida Crow of Centerville; three children, Barger III "Doomer" Crow and wife, Angela, of Dardanelle, Anna Ward and husband, Jamie, of Dardanelle and Harrel Crow and wife, Cassidy, of Russellville; two brothers, Jackie Woods and wife, Liz, of Pottsville and Chester Crow of Centerville; one sister, Karen Bird of Centerville; seven grandchildren, Amber Ward, MaKayla Moore, Tyler Tidwell and wife, Whitney, Donovan Crow, Kyndal Crow, Autumn Crow and Hailee Crow; and a niece, nephews and many wonderful friends.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. today at Cornwell Chapel in Dardanelle with Bro. Denver Robinson officiating. Burial will be in Brearley Cemetery. Visitation was Thursday, Aug 1, 2013, at the chapel.
Honorary pallbearers will be Leslie "Tinker" Bird, Michael "Bingo" Bird, Richard Crow, Jeffrey Woods and best friend, Charles Murphy.
Arrangements are by Cornwell Funeral Home in Dardanelle. Online guestbook and condolences at www.cornwellfuneralhomes.com.


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At New Mexico Tech, we want to know the percentage of our students who are learning what we are teaching. With this information, we explore, pilot, adjust and incorporate teaching and learning methods and technologies that will aid in the achievement of learning outcomes by motivated students.
Student Learning Evaluation refers to calculating the percentage of students who are competent in each Learning Outcomes as defined by the discipline and each academic department. This information is determined by a quantitative method created by each department and not by grades.
Departments measure how well students are achieving the outcomes for their Graduate Programs, Undergraduate Programs (Majors), and General Education Core Curriculum courses. Departments determine the benchmark percentage that shows acceptable student level of achievement in each competency; if this percentage falls below the benchmark number, Departments report plans for adjustment for improvement.
Tech uses the term Student Learning Evaluation, also known as Assessment. The term Assessment can be viewed as carrying the connotation that instructors and their teaching abilities are being assessed. While instructors and their teaching methods and abilities are a factor in how well students are learning program outcomes, there are other factors that might result in students not demonstrating that they have learned the stated outcomes. Departments can explore factors affecting student learning by collecting data and charting trends on each Learning Outcome.
At New Mexico Tech, we uphold high academic standards. Our Student Learning Outcomes reflect the academic standards expected from our students. Faculty teach according to academic standards that reflect our institute Mission and that are expected by a reputable and leading higher education institution.
Academic Standards Agencies Requiring the Assessment and Reporting of Student Learning from New Mexico Tech
*General Education Core Curriculum
*Undergraduate Majors
*Graduate Programs
*Co-curricular Programs
The New Mexico Higher Education Department (NMHED) -- Academic standards regulation agency for General Education Core Curriculum of New Mexico Tech
We report to the NMHED for the following:
*General Education Core Curriculum
"The Department is committed to developing and coordinating relevant policies, programs and services that provide advocacy and support to enable all New Mexicans to succeed in reaching their full potential through higher education. In coordination with the institutions of higher education throughout New Mexico, we will work to ensure that New Mexico has the ability to compete in the global workforce." (http://www.hed.state.nm.us/)
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) -- Accreditation agency for Engineering Programs of New Mexico Tech
We report to ABET for the following:
*Engineering Undergraduate Majors
"ABET, Inc., is the recognized accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, computing, engineering, and technology. Among the most respected accreditation organizations in the U.S., ABET has provided leadership and quality assurance in higher education for over 75 years.
ABET accredits over 3,100 programs at more than 600 colleges and universities worldwide." (http://www.abet.org/)
Helpful Links for Faculty:
Departments's Assessment:
2010 Department Assessment Reports
2009 Department Assessment Reports
2008 Department Assessment Reports


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Key focus areas included:
• Non-accident release reduction.
• Emergency response techniques.
• Safe loading and unloading procedures.
"Strong attendance at the ethanol rail safety conference is a clear indication that our customers share Union Pacific's commitment to safety and understand the direct correlation between safe operations and exceptional service," said Union Pacific Vice President and General Manager-Agricultural Products Paul Hammes. "To provide the utmost value to conference participants, we collaborated with world-class instructors, using state-of-the-art training tools."
GATX provided a tank car for the training session that demonstrated safe practices for transferring ethanol to tank cars. The conference also featured a panel discussion with industry safety experts, including representatives from UP, the Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition, and the Federal Railroad Administration.


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i couldnt figure out a better place to put this topic, so here goes..
ive been using linux for a while now, and ripped thru several distro's...i prefer it hands down windows ...but there's one thing that bothers me...well...three actually..and its the same in all distro's ive tried
firefox, thunderbird and opera
for some reason, these apps seem faster in windows..no im NOT talking about the time taken to load pages or the net speed in general...what im talking about is the way the gui behaves compared to windows...(so please...no advice to enable "pipelining"
for example, in opera and firefox, the tabs feel like theyre stuck with glue or something ...switching between tabs is fast, BUT not *instant*, the way it is in windows ( and the way it should be)..opening a new window also has the same *glue* effect...
NOTE: opera is much better compared to fox
same sluggishness noted in thunderbird compared to windows...but here its with things like "compose" or "reply"...the window takes longer than it should to open...FAST...but not instant..not in the blink of an eye..
oh yeah...and loading times are mildly faster windows(maybe a second and a half)
my hardware:
athlon xp 2400
geforce ti 4600
asus a7v266-x
P.S ive done every possible thing to tweak stuff, (hdparm,nvidia drivers, arch packs, custom builds, athlon-xp specific builds, arch packages, custom kernels..you name it). I even recompiled gtk2 with athlon-xp specific optimizations...and built my own firefox using abs...but still...the *experience* is somehow smoother in windows
please help! thanks...
it has to do with the xpcom crap firefox uses to render windows... it's a windowing toolkit made to be crossplatform... in order to improve it, you'd have to change the underlying xpcom stuff...
for me firfox is slow starting off, but once it's up it works fine... I rarely close the firefox window...
thanks for the reply...do you know how to change it? or any links pointing me to it? how is your firefox experience compared to windows..?
thanks for the reply...do you know how to change it? or any links pointing me to it? how is your firefox experience compared to windows..?
well, in order to change the xpcom stuff, you'd need a very good understanding of C programming and ability beyond the people at mozilla... xpcom is part of their code...
compared to windows, I see startup to be alot slower.... but other than that everything else is pretty fast... once it has the libraries loaded, it's not too bad, but then again, I do run it on a fairly fast maching (P4/HT 3.0GHz)
well, in order to change the xpcom stuff, you'd need a very good understanding of C programming and ability beyond the people at mozilla... xpcom is part of their code...
oh is that all there is to it?...ill get to it once i finish rewriting the kernel
anyway...i guess ill stick with opera...its qt based and is much faster...i would stay with konqui , but it has a problem handling the mplayer-plugin..
I have a problem with firefox slowness as well, but I only notice it when I have around 10 tabs are so open..even scrolling becomes arduous when another page is loading in a background tab, and you are trying to interact with a foreground tab.
I figure it is just an exercise in patience, so, of course, I use my little scroll wheel like mad until it starts to work, then my page hops around like nuts.
"Be conservative in what you send; be liberal in what you accept." -- Postel's Law
"tacos" -- Cactus' Law
"t̥͍͎̪̪͗a̴̻̩͈͚ͨc̠o̩̙͈ͫͅs͙͎̙͊ ͔͇̫̜t͎̳̀a̜̞̗ͩc̗͍͚o̲̯̿s̖̣̤̙͌ ̖̜̈ț̰̫͓ạ̪͖̳c̲͎͕̰̯̃̈o͉ͅs̪ͪ ̜̻̖̜͕" -- -̖͚̫̙̓-̺̠͇ͤ̃ ̜̪̜ͯZ͔̗̭̞ͪA̝͈̙͖̩L͉̠̺͓G̙̞̦͖O̳̗͍
hmm..things arent so bad for me...and i probably wouldnt have really bothered about this..but its faster in winblows !! :evil:
The fact is that graphics in windows are directly handled by the kernel, so that is why it is generally faster. The windows environment is part of the windows core...
In linux there is, well, linux and X. These are 2 seperate applications that need to communicate and that is the glue effect.
Try out nitro/ck/cko patch for the kernel. These patches are specially meant for desktop users and greatly improve the responsiveness of your system when using apps like firefox and co.
to fight the long startup time: try prelinking firefox
to fight the long startup time: try prelinking firefox
ack, never! prelinking provides something like a 2% performance gain...
what you want is precached firefox... though I have no clue how to do it...
for my system I felt a performance gain, but that could be the placebo effect.
i dun see a reason only to compare firefox and opera here, there are many other browsers. epiphany, galeon (both using gecko as well) and not to mention the damn fast konqueror (if you like to have kde installed that is) which incarnates the powerful KHTML engine which even safari on osx uses. makes me sad to see how everyone only gathers around these two as if we were running windows where there are no other considerable choices.
I recognize that while theory and practice are, in theory, the same, they are, in practice, different. -Mark Mitchell
prelinking = too much effort and is only goingto improve startup time, and not application responsiveness....
epiphany/galeon = kde user. so its pretty slow and ill end up installing a lot of dependencies.
konq = like i said, doesnt handle video well(nspluginviewer or somethiung keeps crashing)
for precaching...there's mozillaqs for mozilla...im not sure if it can be configured for fox
Try dillo... its fast, but substandard features compared to firefox.
i guess were stuck with using multiple browsers for a while till something better arrives..
@prelinken being too much effort: 'prelink -a' - and I only mentioned it, because someone was arguing that firefox had a long startup time.
for me firefox would be perfect, if there wouldn't be this gtk-focus-bug, but I'm too lazy to recompile it.
gtk-focus-bug? how do u get rid of it while compiling?
there is a focus bug in gtk2, but you could recomple firefox against gtk 1. at least this is stated at the ion website.
I would try hdparm though... IIRC if you want to use it at boot you should put it after the part of rc.sysinit that handles filesystem checks (please correct me if I'm wrong). Then again, I doubt that would help much, if the apps are slow and unresponsive.
As for Konq... I think Kaffeine automatically installs a media plugin for Konqueror, so you might want to try that. Also, there's a config file (I forget what it is, I'll have to check) that you can turn of IPv6 in for KDE... That will speed up Konqueror a little, I think, if you haven't done it already.
Hmm... Are you using the GTK-QT theme engine for GTK2? Maybe that slows things down... It seemed to do that for me last time I tried KDE and a GTK app.
hparm stuff is in rc.local
yeah, im running kafeine now..its pretty decent for konqi
i have a KDE_NO_IPV6 in /home/.xinitrc
i realised that about the gtk-qt theme engine during previous installs...i just have a .gtkrc-2.0 file in my home folder
does anyone have a gtk1 compiled firefox? what are the compile time options to enable gtk1


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Tepesch inching closer to fifth-starter's job
Despite rough outing, Rangers prospect takes away positives in loss to Rockies
By T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- After allowing eight runs in five-plus innings against the Rockies on Friday, Rangers rookie pitcher Nick Tepesch offered a quick review of what appeared to be his toughest test of the spring.
"I fell behind a lot of hitters, and when I went inside, I didn't get it far enough in," Tepesch said after the Rangers' 14-9 loss. "They were getting the inside strike, so I probably should have gone farther inside. I felt comfortable with all my pitches. It was just one of those days."
One of those days? That seemed to be quite the understatement.
This seemed to be more than just another day for a 24-year-old right-hander from the University of Missouri who is ranked the club's No. 18 prospect by MLB.com. As events have unfolded in the Rangers' clubhouse over the past couple of days, this seemed like it could be a day when Tepesch seized a spot in a Major League rotation.
"I'm just going out there every day and doing what I can," Tepesch said. "I try not to worry about that kind of stuff and do my job."
The tide started moving in Tepesch's direction on Thursday afternoon, when the Rangers announced that Robbie Ross would be going to the bullpen. That knocked out another candidate for the fifth spot in the rotation, and the club announced on Friday morning that Justin Grimm and Randy Wells were being sent to Triple-A.
With Kyle McClellan and Martin Perez out until at least May, the only person in camp to challenge Tepesch for the fifth spot is Derek Lowe, and he is still playing catch-up after signing just two weeks ago.
The fifth-starter possession arrow seems to be pointing in Tepesch's direction, and that may still be the case. The Rangers aren't ready to anoint Tepesch yet, probably because they don't want him easing up and cruising as the spring comes to an end. He still has at least one more start left, most likely on Wednesday against the Angels in Tempe.
Tepesch spent Thursday afternoon pitching from the stretch, putting runners on base in every inning. He faced 28 batters, and 15 reached base on 12 hits and three walks. He allowed runs in four of six innings, leaving the game with the bases loaded with no outs and an 8-6 lead in the top of the sixth.
"He battled," manager Ron Washington said. "They were swinging the bats well. If he made a pitch in the wrong spot, they put good wood on it. He battled into the sixth inning and then just ran out of gas."
Tepesch threw 94 pitches, the most by a Rangers starter in a game this spring, but he insisted, "I felt pretty strong the whole game. I felt comfortable."
A leadoff walk to Tyler Colvin in the second was not good. One reason why Tepesch has emerged as the top candidate for the fifth spot is because he has been fearless this spring in throwing strikes, but that walk led to three runs and a 3-0 lead for the Rockies.
In the fourth, the Rockies put together three straight one-out singles to make it 4-0. The Rangers struck back with four in the bottom of the inning, but Tepesch couldn't keep it there. He gave up a one-out double to Wilin Rosario, and after Colvin grounded out, Nolan Arenado hit a high pop-up down the right-field line that dropped in for an RBI single.
That made it 5-4 before the Rangers scored four more in the bottom of the inning. That gave Tepesch an 8-5 lead going into the top of the sixth, but his day ended after Yorvit Torrealba singled to right for his third hit of the game, Reid Brignac walked and Eric Young lined an RBI single to center. Ben Rowen took over for Tepesch.
"The thing I looked at is how he reacted when adversity hit, and I thought he reacted well," Washington said. "Especially for a young pitcher, it's how he reacts to adversity, and I thought he kept coming back. He kept pounding the strike zone."
But Washington is still holding off naming Tepesch as the fifth starter. Lowe allows him to do that. Lowe has made three starts for the Rangers and is up to 60 pitches. He could make two more starts -- including one in extended spring training after Opening Day -- and be up to 90 pitches when the Rangers need a fifth starter on April 9 against the Rays.
The Rangers would rather have Lowe in the bullpen. They are ready to commit to Tepesch as their fifth starter. They just aren't ready to make the official announcement.
"I just want him to keep pitching," Washington said. "That's it."
T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Postcards from Elysian Fields, and follow him on Twitter @Sullivan_Ranger. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Actions to Split in Two, Break Up With Nasdaq
8 comments
MADISON, Wis. — EE Times has learned that Actions Semiconductor Co. Ltd., a Zhuhai, China-based fabless chip company, is planning to split in two and delist itself from Nasdaq.
The move illustrates a new phase for the Chinese fabless company, reflecting its growing pains (including internal conflicts among different business units) and management ambitions to qualify for government grants by morphing into two private, domestic entities.
Citing "a scheduling conflict," Actions issued a press release on July 31 that it would delay its Q2 financial results (ended June 30) until Friday, Aug. 15. EE Times's investigations, however, reveal that the delay was necessitated by major business reorganizations, requiring negotiations with employees about their stake in the new companies. Actions Semiconductor had not returned a call by press time.
Actions is said to be dividing the company along product lines. One unit will focus on multimedia -- such as MP3 and MP4 players and Bluetooth and WiFi boom-boxes -- the other on media tablets and over-the-top set-top boxes.
Internal conflicts
Since Zhenyu Zhou became the CEO at Actions in 2011, he brought much-needed focus to the company by steering it toward the Android-based tablet market. Meanwhile, Actions' multimedia business unit has maintained a strong foothold in the traditional consumer market such as MP3 and MP4 players. The split, therefore, conforms roughly to software platforms: Android vs. embedded.
Actions, in pursuit of the non-Apple market like everyone else in China, is caught between a rock and a hard place, however.
Actions had no intention to get stuck in the business of traditional MP3 and MP4 players, but that multimedia business -- although it had little prospect for growth -- proved highly profitable. On the other hand, the Android tablet market represented the company's future with higher growth. But that business was bleeding cash in a market crowded with other strong fabless chip vendors including China's Allwinner (also based in Zhuhai, founded by former management of Actions) and Rockchip and Taiwan's MediaTek.
Actions' employees within these two business units reportedly have often clashed over pay raise and business agendas.
By dividing into two entities, Actions' hope is to allow each to "focus on its own vision and execution," according to one industry source based in China. "It will also give incentive to the new management teams (new shares to be issued)."
Actions' tablet/over-the-top set-top box groups are reportedly keen on taking on new projects including wearables, smart home, and Chromebook. Wearables and smart home will use Android Wear OS, while Chromebook will use Chrome OS, both from Google.
Actions recently licensed the ARM Cortex-A50 processor family to target the 64-bit tablet market. At the time of its licensing announcement in June, Actions said its first SoC is "due to be available in late 2014, making it one of China's leading technology design companies delivering an ARM-based 64-bit chip for tablet devices."
Sources pointed out that Actions' tablet/set-top group is engaged in discussions with Google, hoping to take its ARM 64-bit SoC beyond Android tablets and optimize it to better support Chrome.
In pursuit of China fund
Executives at chip companies in China have been jockeying to grab what appears to be a huge chunk of the money that China's central and local governments are poised to pump into the domestic chip industry.
According to several different sources in China, rather than expecting the government to dictate which IC industry sectors should get investment money, the idea that has gained consensus among locals today is to "set up a fund" and let professional investors place bets on which Chinese entities -- fabless, foundries, and/or research institutes -- deserve the funding. Moreover, they say, the overseers of such investment would not be the government, but investors, who would demand tangible results and a real return on their investments.
At a time when Chinese companies trading on US exchanges reportedly have grown frustrated with the US investment community, Actions is believed to be one of the many Chinese fabless chip vendors looking for fresh investment.
— Junko Yoshida, Chief International Correspondent, EE Times


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ACHICA / Johnson Brothers
Johnson Brothers
Johnson Brothers
The Born To Shop range from Johnson Brothers is for ladies of a certain inclination. If you believe that 'housework has never killed anyone, but why take the risk' or that 'tea is always the answer irrespective of the question', then you will love this witty range of mugs, textiles and more. The heart-warming illustrations will always make you chuckle. The range makes for great gifts too, so if you have a tea-loving friend with a playful sense of humour then be sure to take a look at this promotion.
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Extracurricular opportunities
I can hardly believe Week 6 just ended of Spring Quarter. Where has the time gone? And how much more will I have to do before summer arrives?! This quarter has allotted the Junior nursing students a LOT of freedom. I love independence; so naturally, this quarter is a good fit for me. All of my extra time spent usually in the classroom has been replaced with community activities. It has also warranted the opportunity … Read More


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IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA CIVIL ACTION CASE NO.: CA07-1227 DIVISION 55 COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS, INC, Plaintiff, vs. DAVID WATRAS, et al, Defendant(s). NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NOTICE IS HERBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Mortgage Foreclosure dated September 22, 2008 and entered in Case No. CA07-1227 of the Circuit Court of the SEVENTH Judicial Circuit in and for ST. JOHNS County, Florida wherein COUNTRYWIDE HOME LOANS, INC, is the Plaintiff and DAVID WATRAS; BARBARA WATRAS; MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INCORPORATED, AS NOMINEE FOR COUNTRYWIDE FINANCIAL CORPORATION; are the Defendants, I will sell to the highest and best bidder for cash at FRONT DOOR OF THE ST. JOHNS JUDICIAL CENTER, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA at 12:00 Noon on the 20th day of November 2008, the following described property as set forth in said Final Judgment: LOTS 12, BLOCK 11, OF ST. AUGUSTINE SHORES UNIT #1, A SUBDIVISION AC- CORDING TO PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 11, PAGES 61-71, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY, FLORIDA. A/K/A 77 CATALINA CIRCLE, SAINT AUGUSTINE, FL 32086. Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within sixty (60) days after the sale. WITNESS MY HAND and the seal of this Court on September 24, 2008. Cheryl Strickland Clerk of the Circuit Court By Linda G. Barton Deputy Clerk If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact Court Administrator St. Augustine, FL (904) 827-5617 within 2 working days of your receipt of this Notice; if you are voice impaired, call 1-800-955-8771; if you are voice impaired, call 1-800-955-8770. L2881-8 Oct. 1, 8, 2008
Posted from 1-Oct-08 to 8-Oct-08
© 2018. All Rights Reserved. Contact Us


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Summaries of EU Legislation
Summaries of EU legislation: direct access to the main summaries page.
- Archived: true
IMI Joint Undertaking
The European Union (EU) is launching a Joint Technology Initiative (JTI) in the pharmaceuticals sector. In 2008, the European initiative led to the creation of a Joint Undertaking (henceforth referred to as the "IMI Joint Undertaking") for the period up to 31 December 2017. This undertaking is intended to facilitate private investment, knowledge transfer and the involvement of small and medium-sized enterprises in the field of research into developing safer and more effective innovative medicines.
Council Regulation (EC) No 73/2008 of 20 December 2007 setting up the Joint Undertaking for the implementation of the Joint Technology Initiative on Innovative Medicines.
The IMI Joint Undertaking implements the Joint Technology Initiative (JTI) on Innovative Medicines, with a view to the development of a competitive, innovation-based pharmaceuticals sector. This public-private partnership aims to support investments in this field.
The IMI Joint Undertaking is a Community body possessing legal personality. Its headquarters are in Brussels. This undertaking has been set up for a period up to 31 December 2017. Its founding members are the European Commission and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA).
Any legal entity directly or indirectly supporting research and development in a Member State or in a country associated with the 7th Framework Programme (7th FP) may become a member of the IMI Joint Undertaking.
The Joint Undertaking aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the medicine development process so that the pharmaceutical sector produces safer and more effective innovative treatments. The objectives of the Joint Undertaking are thus to contribute to the implementation of the 7th FP and to support pharmaceutical research and development in the Member States and countries associated with the 7th FP. The participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and cooperation with the private sector and the academic world are encouraged.
In addition, the Joint Undertaking aims to ensure complementarity with other activities of the 7th FP and to establish a public-private partnership with a view to increasing research investment and fostering cooperation between the public and private sectors.
Projects and activities
The IMI Joint Undertaking supports prospective research activities, based on projects selected following open and competitive calls for project proposals, independent evaluation and the conclusion of grant agreements and project agreements.
The participating research-based pharmaceutical companies that are members of EFPIA are not eligible to receive financial support from the IMI Joint Undertaking for any activity.
The bodies of the IMI Joint Undertaking are as follows:
- the Governing Board is composed of representatives of each of the members of the Joint Undertaking. It is responsible for operations and for overseeing the implementation of activities. It meets at least twice a year;
- the Executive Director represents the IMI Joint Undertaking from a legal point of view. He or she is also the chief executive responsible for the day-to-day management of the Undertaking in accordance with the decisions taken by the Governing Board;
- the Scientific Committee is the advisory body to the Governing Board, with responsibilities including advising on the scientific priorities for the annual implementation plan proposal.
The IMI Joint Undertaking is supported by two external advisory bodies:
- the IMI States Representatives Group consists of one representative of each Member State and of each country associated with the Framework Programme. It advises on the annual scientific priorities. Furthermore, it also informs the IMI Joint Undertaking on relevant activities ongoing at national level;
- the Stakeholder Forum is convened at least once a year by the Executive Director. It is informed on the activities of the IMI Joint Undertaking and provides comments.
The financial resources of the Joint Undertaking include members' financial contributions, revenue generated by the IMI Joint Undertaking and any other financial contributions, resources and revenues.
The research activities are funded through non-monetary contributions by the research-based pharmaceutical companies that are members of EFPIA, contributions from members and a Community financial contribution under the 7th FP. This financial commitment on the part of the Community is limited to a maximum of EUR 1 000 million.
Under the 7th Community FP, the EU provides for the establishment of long-term public-private partnerships in the form of JTIs. These JTIs result from the work of European Technology Platforms set up under the 6th FP and implemented through Joint Undertakings.
In addition to the IMI, five other JTIs are planned in the sectors of spaceborne computer systems (ARTEMIS), nanotechnologies (ENIAC), aeronautics and air transport (Clean Sky), hydrogen and fuel cells (FUEL CELL) and Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES).
Entry into force – Expiry date
Deadline for transposition in the Member States
Official Journal
Regulation (EC) No 73/2008
See also
- Website of the European Commission on the Innovative Medicines Initiative
Last updated: 05.09.2011


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The appeals court decision, made Friday, Feb. 14, 2014, stays the lower court's decision to bar the issuance of any state bonds to pay for the 700-mile project's first phase in the Central Valley. That ban would have forced the California High Speed Rail Association (CHSRA) to rely on federal funds, at least initially, which are unlikely to be replenished due to hostility within the House of Representatives to support the HSR effort. (The House provided no federal funding for HSR programs in the fiscal year 2014 budget, passed earlier this month.)
The decision by the 3rd District Court of Appeal does not reverse the lower court decision, but it could give rail officials some hope that they can escape a legal situation that could jeopardize the project. The Appeals said it was granting CHSRA's request for a fast-track review of a decision by Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny, which found that state had violated safeguards established in a 2008 bond act and did not have the right to issue any more bonds.
A second decision by Kenny found that the state failed to follow proper procedures in issuing the bonds and that ruling will also be reviewed by the appeals court.
The state needs to soon issue bonds to fund construction of the first 130 miles of the system, which will cost an estimated $6 billion. Construction is supposed to start by July. The state is relying on portions of $3.2 billion in federal grants, but must begin using some of its own funds by April.
Seemingly undaunted, CHSRA officials last week approved right-of-way engineering and surveying contracts with five California firms, including: Chaudhary & Associates, Inc., Hernandez, Kroon & Associates Inc., Mark Thomas and Co., Inc., O'Dell Engineering, and Quad Knopf, Inc.
Last month CHSRA and Amtrak jointly issued an RFP (Request For Proposals) for high speed trainsets.


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More than 15,000 Humboldt County residents received a $150 state fire fee in the mail last week, catching some off guard and resulting in numerous calls to local fire departments.
The State Responsibility Area fire prevention fee is made payable to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. The controversial fee -- some state organizations are calling it a tax -- is based on how many "habitable structures" are on a property, at a rate of $150 per structure. Residents that already pay a tax to a local fire department receive a $35 discount.
The bill covers fiscal year 2011-2012. In March 2013, bills will start going out for the 2012-2013 fiscal year raising concerns that rural residents could be charged twice in less than one year.
A projected $84.4 million raised from the fee will go toward fire prevention like brush clearance, but not fire suppression, according to the Cal Fire fee website. The fee is being implemented alphabetically by county across the state. Alameda County residents received the first fees in early August.
In a letter from Gov. Jerry Brown to the state Assembly, he wrote that there has "been a significant increase in state costs associated with fire protection in state wildland areas." The fee is supposed to create $50 million of California General Fund savings per year.
Orick resident Ron Barlow said the $150 bill will discourage local residents from giving money to their local volunteer fire department -- the agencies responsible for responding to fires most of the year. He said wildland fires aren't as much of a concern in Orick and other rain-saturated areas of the North Coast.
"It didn't quit raining here until the Fourth of July," Barlow said.
Arcata Fire Department Chief John McFarland said the department receives up to five calls a day from people asking about the fee. The department posted information on its website, www.arcatafire.org, for frequently asked questions and resources to contact, despite not receiving any funding from the fee.
"People do understand it's not a local fire department issue at all," McFarland said.
He said part of the problem is the limited answers being offered by Cal Fire.
"The Cal Fire employees aren't allowed to deviate from their script," McFarland said. "People have been frustrated with that."
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voiced disapproval with the fee before it was signed by Brown last year. County Administrative Officer Phillip Smith-Hanes, writing on behalf of the board, sent a letter to Brown requesting that he veto the bill.
"Although the state's goal to have sufficient funding for services is an admirable goal, this bill will negatively impact fire districts' ability to form and increase revenue to provide an essential service within a local community," the letter stated.
Earlier this month, voters in Fruitland Ridge and Palo Verde rejected the formation of fire protection districts supported by a special tax.
SRA lines drawn
A satellite map on the Cal Fire fee website -- www.firepreventionfee.org -- shows approximately which parts of the county have to pay, and which don't.
In McKinleyville, according to the map, homes on the east side of Central Avenue must pay the fee, while those on the west are exempt. A similar line is drawn along Old Arcata Road, with residents to the east of the road paying the fee.
"I know a lady in McKinleyville, and her neighbor across the street doesn't get the bill," Arcata Fire Department Chief John McFarland said. "That's hard for people to grasp."
In a letter to the editor, Blue Lake resident Arthur Jones said he and his wife were "shocked" when they got the fee in the mail.
"It's amazing, inasmuch as we've been paying over $50 each year for the last 38 years in support of the Blue Lake Volunteer Fire Department, whose hydrant is less than 1,000 feet from our house," Jones wrote. "It's amazing that those who composed this legislation chose to include all property outside of a city boundary, even though we pay in support of our fire district."
McFarland said about two-thirds of the Arcata fire district falls in a State Responsibility Area.
Protesting the fee
Protests can be lodged to Cal Fire online at www.firepreventionfee.org, or property owners can print a form from the website and mail it in.
Property owners can ask for "redetermination" if they can prove that their property is not in the State Responsibility Area. They can also argue that they are entitled to the $35 discount because they pay a local fire district tax.
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association has launched a new website, www.hjta.org, about the fee. According to a letter to the editor from Clifford Chapman Sr., executive director of the Humboldt Taxpayer's League, Howard Jarvis is preparing to challenge the tax constitutionally in court on grounds that it's a tax, and should have been subject to a two-thirds vote requirement in the California legislature.
A list of frequently asked questions about the fee is available at www.boe.ca.gov/sptaxprog/fire_prev_fee_faq.htm.
Luke Ramseth can be reached at 441-0509 or email@example.com.


text: Shows how opinions can differ, I guess. I just finished The Peacekeepers as well and loved it, 4/5. It's an especially impressive achievement in context, because it was written when TNG hadn't even aired yet, yet shows a surprisingly good feel for the characters, e.g. by pairing up Geordi and Data.


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Ball of Fury
Saturday, DH and I ran the first race in a 6 race series of local trail runs around Cincinnati. They are simple, no frills races (no medal, no shirt, no chip, $15 each) but the courses are challenging and there are a lot of really nice runners who show up. They have a 5-mile and 10-mile course at each race, and DH and I chose the 5-mile simply because we felt like racing 10-mile trail runs in the middle of training for our first marathon might be a bad idea! There is a points championship that takes your top 4 finishes and the top 3 of each gender win a prize. My goal is to place top 3 for the series.
This race took place at East Fork Park, and the course was a 5-mile loop around the lake. It had been raining non-stop for over 24 hours when we started the race, so I was a little worried about conditions, but it honestly wasn't too bad. Temps for race day where around 45-50 and it finally stopped raining just before the start...perfect running weather! The course started at a pavilion and in order to spread the runners out, they had us run down a paved path by the lake, around a corner, and then up a pretty steep 0.3 mile hill to get to the actual trail. Although it does a nice job of spreading people out, that first hill wears you out right away and I had forgotten how steep it was from last year!
Mile 1: 8:45/mile. I decided before the race started, I would try to take off fast and get a lead on the other females. I knew the trail was pretty narrow so I hoped if I could get a lead, it might be hard for them to catch me! There were about 75 runners total and good lord did they take off fast. I was running a 7:05 pace according to my Garmin for the first 0.25 mile until we got to the steep hill, and although I was in the lead for females, there must have been at least 20 guys in front of me that were just flying! When we reached the trail, I honestly couldn't remember how rugged the course was (had only run it once before and that was my first trail race ever so I am sure it seemed very hard to me), so I just decided to push as hard as I could, knowing each mile would probably slow a bit. The first part of the trail was fairly easy and I felt pretty good.
Mile 2: 10:08/mile. This is where it became an actual trail race! I hadn't run one in a while so had forgotten how much the hills, logs, water crossings, and slippery bridges slow you down! I still felt pretty good here but at exactly 1.5 miles, I looked back and saw 2 females right behind me. I could immediately tell they were in better shape than me so I just moved over and let them pass! Didn't see them again until the finish...lol!
Mile 3: 10:35/mile. Started to get a little tired here but nothing terrible. I was alone for almost this entire mile, and that is always hard for me in a trail or obstacle race because I don't really know how fast to push myself. Is someone going to catch me soon? Am I anywhere near the leaders? It's just a guessing game! This mile also included a water stop so that took about 20 seconds or so.
Mile 4: 11:08/mile. This mile was VERY hard for me. I was starting to get tired and it was mostly uphill, or at least it felt that way to me. I was also passed by 2 male runners on this mile, which was a bit of a bummer. I stayed with them for about 0.75 mile and then I slipped on a wooden bridge and once I righted myself, they were gone!
Mile 5: 11:30/mile. This mile just sucked! I was super tired and it was very hilly. I knew there were no females close enough to catch me and I could hold on to my 3rd place finish, so I am a little ashamed to say I purposefully slowed down a bit and took it easy. It was a moment of mental weakness and I am not happy about it, especially since this slow down allowed 3 men to catch me, one of them being DH! The four of us basically all came out of the trail at exactly the same time and took off down the steep hill to the finish.
Last 0.3: 1:42. So the 4 of us are sprinting it out down the hill to the finish, and I realize that is just stupid. I had on my Inov-8 X-Talon 212s, which are great on trails but not fantastic on pavement and its wet and slippery! I just kept picturing myself rolling down this enormous hill and breaking an ankle. So, I slowed a bit, but apparently everyone else did too...we all four finished with 3 seconds of one another and even though DH crossed the line before me, we have the same finish time.
So, I finished in 53:48, which was a couple minutes after the 2 females who passed me at mile 1.5. I am happy with my 3rd place finish, especially since last year, when this was my first ever trail race, I literally walked a good portion of it and finished very near the back! I am not happy with how much my pace slowed or with how much I "gave up" the last couple of miles. I will try to improve my performance at the next race in the series.
PRs: 5K 22:59, 10K 46:54,HM: 1:51:15
Congratulations on placing 3rd in what sounds like a pretty tough trail race! What a great placing overall! Nice job!
Good job staying in the top three. You've met your goal for the first race. How long until the next race?
Good job staying in the top three. You've met your goal for the first race. How long until the next race?
Thanks! Unfortunately, the next 2 races we are going to have to miss because one is the day we celebrate Christmas with in-laws and one is the day of our marathon. So, I will only have 4 and will have to count them all toward the points race. Our next race will be 1/26, which gives me 2 weeks to recover from the marathon.
Congratulations on placing 3rd in what sounds like a pretty tough trail race! What a great placing overall! Nice job!
Thank you RMTB! I have to tell you that you are on of the positive, motivational people on this forum...not to mention a pretty inspiring runner!
running is bad for you
Thank you RMTB! I have to tell you that you are on of the positive, motivational people on this forum...not to mention a pretty inspiring runner!
And congrats Ami.
I think I will like trail running
Bad Ass
Congrats! I cannot wait to see how well you do on the next one.
"The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire."
It's always fucking hot in Miami! (except for 3 days of the year)
Congrats Ami! Since I live in the area, I'm googling this race series right now. I've run at East Fork before and really liked it even though it was tough!
Thanks guys! Wheezer, definitely check it out! I am bummed we have to miss the next one since it's at Big Bone and I really like the trails down there. I tried to get mother-in-law to switch Christmas to Sunday, but um....she wasn't a fan of that idea!
Wow! That course sounds tough!! Congrats on a great race! Good luck in the others coming up!
But The Smile That I Sent Out Returned With You.


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Here is video of an attempted assassination of the leader of the Turkish Minority Party in Bulgaria – Ahmed Dogan. In the video, you see a 25 year-old would-be assassin jump on stage, approach Dogan while he was speaking at a Party Conference, and aim a pistol at his head. You hear a faint click, but the gun did not go off. Dogan then wrestled briefly with the assailant while security and onlookers rushed the stage to come to his aid. The assailant was repeatedly punched and kicked by those who rushed the stage.
UK SUN: Footage of the incident shows a crazed gunman jumping on stage and pointing a small black pistol close to Ahmed Dogan's head.
Mr Dogan – leader of Bulgaria's Movement for Rights and Freedoms party – instinctively raises his arm in defence, but it appears the pistol fails to go off.
The two men wrestle briefly beside the rostrum, before security staff race on stage and bundle the assailant to the floor amid loud boos from the audience.
In the ensuing chaos, furious delegates and officials dressed in smart suits are seen raining punches and kicks down on the hapless assailant.
Police later said the 25-year-old suspect was armed with a gas pistol and two knives, though his motive was unclear. He was arrested.
Mr Dogan, 58, escaped unscathed.
Party official Ceyhan Ibryamov said: "Ahmed Dogan is in good health. Everything is under control." . . . Read More


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These rolls are baked instead of deep-fried, making them a healthful, satisfying alternative to traditional egg rolls.
- Yield
- Serves 4
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 2 teaspoons oriental sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons chopped green onions
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
- 3 cups (packed) coarsely chopped fresh spinach
- 4 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps thinly sliced
- 2 small zucchini, cut into matchstick-size strips
- 1 carrot, cut into matchstick-size strips
- 4 teaspoons plus 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 4 6-inch egg roll wrappers
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray heavy baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil in heavy large nonstick wok or skillet over high heat. Add green onions, garlic and ginger; stir-fry 1 minute. Add spinach, mushrooms, zucchini and carrot; stir-fry until vegetables are crisp-tender and spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Add 4 teaspoons soy sauce and stir to coat vegetables, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to colander and drain off liquid. Cool completely.
- Place egg roll wrappers on work surface. Spoon filling in 4x2-inch rectangle in center of each wrapper, dividing equally. Fold in short sides, then roll up tightly. Arrange seam side down on prepared sheet. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate. Remove plastic before continuing.) Bake until wrappers are crisp and filling is heated through, turning once about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix vinegar and remaining 1 Teaspoon sesame oil and 3 tablespoons soy sauce in small bowl.
- Transfer rolls to plates. Serve warm with dipping sauce.
Nutritional analysis per serving: calories, 155; total fat, 3 g; saturated fat, 0; cholesterol, 5mg


text: Hi, my name is Sadie and I'm a mini Aussie! I enjoy running around, learning new tricks, and getting into trouble. I love just about everyone, whether they're a person of any age or another animal. I am sweet, loving and am happiest when I'm getting my belly rubbed or napping on someone's feet!Add to Favorites


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Boosting legal capacity to tackle illicit trade and counterfeiting focus of INTERPOL seminar in Paraguay
ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay - Encouraging stronger policies to support enhanced coordination between prosecutors and law enforcement in combating illicit trade and counterfeiting is the focus of an INTERPOL Legal Capacity Building Seminar in Paraguay.
Hosted by INTERPOL's Office of Legal Affairs and Paraguay's Prosecutor's Office, the five-day (2 - 6 June) seminar is part of the world's police body's efforts to assist member countries in tackling specific issues in relation to these types of crime from a legal perspective.
It brings together some 40 Paraguayan prosecutors, law enforcement officials and policy makers, with expert input from the United Nations Office on Drug and Crimes (UNODC), CITES Secretariat, US Department of Justice, Italian Ministry of Justice, Spanish Judicial Police and the Organization of American States (OAS).
In addition to presentations on international legal frameworks, the seminar includes case studies and analysis of best practices for investigators and prosecutors, with particular focus on those crime types identified as key challenges for the region, such as the illicit trade in endangered species of flora and fauna and trafficking in arms and tobacco.
"Countering illicit trade and counterfeiting requires a comprehensive approach which includes identifying and using a whole range of international legal instruments in a coordinated and creative manner," said INTERPOL's Senior Legal Counsel Stefano Betti.
To identify areas for future cooperation, meetings with Paraguay's General Prosecutor, senior officials from Paraguay's Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the OAS Secretary for Multidimensional Security, Adam Blackwell, were held on the sidelines of the seminar.
An online discussion platform for member countries and legal practitioners, coordinated by INTERPOL's Office of Legal Affairs, will enhance collaboration through regular information exchange on legal developments and specific issues related to illicit trade.
Paraguay was one of the 10 countries which took part in INTERPOL's operation Jupiter VI in April this year, which saw more than 600 raids carried out across South America leading to the seizure of fake goods worth some USD 27.4 million, with nearly 800 people placed under investigation.
The operation was carried out under INTERPOL's Turn Back Crime campaign which aims to educate society about the way in which crime affects our daily lives and to empower the public to make informed choices about the products they buy or the way they use the Internet.


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It's with pleasure that I announce three promotions here on the RR forums.
Firstly, I'm happy to announce the promotion of two valuable members here at RR to forum moderators in Matt52 & Mangokid. Matt's been a key member here over these last couple months with all his contributions while at the same time has been very level headed & polite with his peers. Mangokid brings a wealth of moderation experience this going back 5+ years ago when we were moderators together. I've had the pleasure of knowing him for close to 8 years now and am happy that he's accepted our offer to assist us here at Raptors Republic.
The quality of dedication is very important for the RR forum's long term success. These changes are to help add extra eyes and ears for the boards to ensure that things are running smoothly and to also provide members with more assistance if need be. My time has been limited here on the forums for quite some time and likely will for the next number of months. So eventhough we're not exploding with activity like some other forums out there, we do require the help and deservedly so to both Matt and Mango.
And finally, to my right hand man, Apollo. He's been with us through thick and thin, the good times and bad. He's gone over and above the call of duty since joining here and has really been the man behind our forum's success over this last year. To help me and assist with more site related issues I'm happy to announce his promotion to administrator.
Please join me in congratulating Matt, Mango and Apollo on their respective promotions.


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Pottsville senior girls win Bi-County Tournament
By Sean Ingram
CLARKSVILLE -University of the Ozarks sophomore forward Marcus Bobb of Ponder, Texas, was named the American Southwest Conference (ASC) East Division men's basketball player of the week Monday, according to Ozarks sports information.
Bobb (6-foot-4, 200 pounds) posted back-to-back double-doubles by averaging 18 points and 11.5 rebounds on the road against Mary Hardin-Baylor and Concordia Texas. He also added three steals, three assists, two blocks and shot 75 percent from the floor. He shot 6-of-7 from the floor against Mary Hardin-Baylor on Jan. 6 and poured in 16 points, as well as grabbed 10 rebounds. He netted 20 points and pulled down 13 rebounds against Concordia University Texas on Saturday.
The sophomore ranks 18th in the ASC in scoring (12.2), seventh in rebounding (7.4) and leads the conference in field goal percentage (63.0). He has posted three double-doubles this season and has scored in double figures nine times. The Ponder High School grad was an all-district and all-state player who led his team to a state championship his senior season.
University of the Ozarks travels to Longview, Texas, next Monday to face LeTourneau University.
Pottsville Lady Apaches tournament champs
OLA - The Pottsville Lady Apaches won the first Bi-County invitational basketball tournament Saturday with a 51-38 victory over their 4A-4 Conference foes, the Dover Lady Pirates, at Two Rivers High School.
Senior Michaela Talley led everybody in scoring with 16 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Hannah Howard had a great game defensively, according to head coach Chance Johnson, with four steals and ended up with 11 points. Ashley Stapf grabbed six rebounds and netted eight points. Brittany Allen added eight points and three steals.
Pottsville resumes 4A-4 Conference action when it hosts Dardanelle today.
Atkins SB 46, Dardanelle 42
OLA - The Atkins Red Devils defeated the Dardanelle Sand Lizards 46-42 in the third-place game of the Bi-County Tournament on Saturday night. Atkins was paced by junior Trey Bennett with 25 points. Dardanelle was led by Latham and Jackson with 11 points apiece.
"We haven't played with much passion or effort over the past three weeks, and we challenged the kids to get back to playing with the same intensity they opened the season with, and tonight they did it," Atkins head coach Craig Pinion said. "This was probably the best effort we've had in several weeks, and I am very pleased to see it.
"We were down 10 or 12 late in the third quarter and could have folded, but the kids continued to work and things worked out for us down the stretch. Hopefully this will give us a little momentum as we get back into conference play next week."
1 2 3 4
Pottsville JG 28, Mena 21
POTTSVILLE - The Junior Lady Apaches won a hard-fought conference battle Friday night, edging out the Mena Lady Bearcats 28-21. Bethany Clair led PJHS with 10 points and four rebounds. Courtney Dotson and Erica lackey both finished with six points and four rebounds. Hannah Barnett recorded five points, four rebounds and three assists. Jenna Goodwin netted points. Giving very valuable minutes as well were Ashlyn Teddrer (four rebounds) and Tera Short.
"I was very proud of the girls," Pottsville coach Drew Siebenmorgen said. "They came out and played with intensity on defense. You always love to see that as a coach. Bethany Clair played a great game. She got hot in the first half and really kept us in there offensively.
"Mena is a great team and this was a big win for us. I'm glad we are still seeing improvement every day out of these girls and hope that we keep making progress forward."
Mena JB 27, Pottsville 24
POTTSVILLE - Travis Cole finished with 12 points for the Junior Apaches, and Austin Moore added seven. Logan Broyles and Austin Moore each pulled down seven rebounds.
1 2 3 4
Ozark JB 42, Pottsville 27
POTTSVILLE - Cole finished with 12, Broyles added 7 points, while Jared Hett and Broyles each added seven rebounds.
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Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 4:48 PM
Town Square
See Nat. Geo documentary 'Chasing Ice'
Original post made on Sep 26, 2013
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 4:48 PM
a resident of Danville
on Sep 26, 2013 at 9:34 am
Well, I guess it is probably true that his photos represent "undeniable evidence of our changing planet", since many things are no doubt changing at all times....
Whether it says anything about global climate change (i.e. warming), remains to be seen. The article doesn't say where he took the photos, nor when. If it was of Arctic ice, then pictures taken this sumnmer would look vastly "better" (if you define better as more ice) than they would have in 2012.
If it is of glaciers, there is no doubt that many more glaciers are receding (net melting) at present, versus the number of glaciers that are growing (adding in thickness, and/or ground coverage). On the other hand, the long term trend with glaciers has been net melting for thousands of years, and there ARE glaciers that are currently growing, in some cases just a few miles away from ones that are shrinking. Alaska's coastal glaciers are a good example - most are shrinking noticeably in recent years, but some are growing, all in the same basic area. (But they're ALL changing....) As a side comment, "calving" of ice off of glaciers (creating icebergs in the water) isn't an indication of anything (other than that gravity works), since it can happen whether the glacier is growing or shrinking. Actually, it would tend to be more prevalent for a growing glacier. I'm sure his talk will be very interesting, in any case, with good photos.
a resident of Danville
on Sep 26, 2013 at 9:42 am
Sorry about a typo or two in my post, above. It is very frustrating that there is no ability to edit posts. It seems like even when I do a quick proof-read before submitting, I STILL miss something!
Also, I should perhaps be clearer, in saying that I really have no idea what the presenter is going to be saying during his talk. So I'm not criticizing the presenter, or his talk. But I have to admit to being a bit opposed to the use of the phrase "undeniable" in the talk summary. It's a little bit like saying, "Let me preface my remarks by stating ahead of time that I'm 100% correct in my positions." Well, maybe. Or maybe not. In short, I'm only commenting on the implications of the use of the word "undeniable".
a resident of Danville
on Sep 26, 2013 at 9:46 am
C'mon, Mudge -- you're normally a pretty smart guy -- so why do you cling so desperately to such ridiculous skepticism about global warming? Does it not occur to you that the evidence is well-beyond a reasonable doubt by now, that most of the 99% of scientists who accept that evidence have no ax to grind, and that nearly all the deniers DO have $uch an ax?
What would you have to give up if you came out from the dark closet of the climate skeptics? It must be precious to you, but what will you tell your grandkids? I'll wager they will be a Lot more concerned about this issue than even the national debt!
a resident of Danville
on Sep 26, 2013 at 6:14 pm
Because CR knows it's always cool with his head in the sand.....
a resident of another community
on Sep 27, 2013 at 8:05 am
Farmer Dave is a registered user.
"Human influence on the climate system is clear."
"Warming in the climate system is unequivocal"
This is evident in most regions of the globe, a new assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes (9/27/2013).
Web Link
a resident of San Ramon Valley High School
on Sep 27, 2013 at 9:02 am
Climate change inspires a lot of debate. It also inspires a lot of Climatologists to science! For me, there is no doubt that climate change is not only taking place, but it is the real danger facing us humans as we progress. The only question that remained in my mind was: is it caused by humans? Years ago I turned to the experts -
"Observations throughout the world make it clear that climate change is occurring, and rigorous scientific research demonstrates that the greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are the primary driver." (From the NASA website). Studying the topic further, one will find that 97% of the Climate Scientists in the world agree with this simple quote (which is good enough for ME!). I for one am looking forward to viewing, and listening to James Balog's presentation.
a resident of Danville
on Sep 27, 2013 at 12:53 pm
......and here is another for the Faux Nuus listeners that quotes a 95% certainty-
Web Link
a resident of Danville
on Sep 27, 2013 at 6:22 pm
If you read my post carefully, you'll notice that I didn't say anything about whether or not global warming was occurring, nor did I comment on contributions to it from human sources, one way or the other. I WAS critical/skeptical of the idea that photos (still, time-lapse, or whatever) of ice melting represent "undeniable" evidence of anything.
If anything, proponents of manmade global warming should also be critical of what amounts to anecdotal evidence. The arctic ice in 2013 is some 60% greater than in 2012. I don't view this as "undeniable" evidence that long-term climate trends have changed. By the same token, the lower ice levels of 2012 shouldn't be viewed as being too significant, either, photos of polar bears on ice floes notwithstanding...
I find it semi-amusing that the increase in Arctic ice in 2013 has caused so much consternation amongst the IPCC folks, over how best to talk about what seems like a disconnect with the models.
In the end, all I'm really saying is to beware of anyone who is completely certain about climate change, even if there is now a "95% certainty" according to the IPCC. I am interested to learn more about how that confidence factor was calculated, actually. I don't doubt that the models say that the confidence factor is 95%. At least today's models.
a resident of Danville
on Sep 28, 2013 at 10:19 am
CRM, the "consternation" among IPCC folks arises from the concern that there are lots of people who will willfully misinterpret data in order to advance an ideological agenda to deny scientific evidence of global warming. That the year with the lowest amount of Arctic ice on record would be followed by a year with more ice - but still far less than historical averages - was to be expected. There is nothing about that fact which is - in any way - inconsistent with AGW models, and anyone with an even slight understanding of the difference between signal and noise can see that without any effort. The fact that average annual minimum Arctic ice coverage for the past 7 years is 33% lower than the average for the late 20th century is, however, significant. (2013 is the 6th lowest on record.)
But there will always be folks who insist that the predictable partial retreat from the historic low constitutes "proof" that AGW theory is wrong. That is something that will cause consternation among reasonable people trying to avoid horrific consequences to our children and grandchildren.
The gullibility of people who grab onto the latest focus-group tested soundbite circulated by the multi-million dollar denial propaganda campaign is remarkable. I get that people have things they would prefer to be true, but the mental gymnastics they are capable of performing to justify their rejection of scientific knowledge - not all scientific knowledge, mind you, just scientific knowledge which threatens the short-term profits of some very rich people - is something which will cause consternation among the responsible adults left in the room.
Arch cynicism in the face of potentially devastating consequences is neither sophisticated nor admirable.
a resident of Danville
on Sep 28, 2013 at 12:56 pm
If you go back to Al Gore's film and watch it CRM (maybe you have already) there are two incredibly simple principles extolled: One is that the HUMAN CAUSED carbon output and it's concentration in our atmosphere directly - not anecdotally - parallels temperature increases on a graph that even a third grader can clearly understand.
Second, that we are conducting an uncontrolled experiment with the only ecosystem and atmosphere that we have.
Big Al jetting around on a fuel gulping aircraft while promoting this film was not very example-setting I'll grant you, but it does not change the facts.
a resident of Danville
on Sep 30, 2013 at 4:03 pm
Al Gore's movie - a good example of how to cherry-pick data and then craft ways of representing things to make the desired point.
Although I will agree that Gore IS a major-league hypocrite (in terms of his own environmental habits), what's worse is his cronyism and profiteering. Making profits is of course not bad. But the extent to which Gore has "leveraged" his political connections is truly astounding. Carbon credit brokering - quite the "opportunity"!
a resident of Danville
on Sep 30, 2013 at 8:14 pm
You know, Mudge, the Second Amendment was Not passed to make it easy for you to just shoot the messenger. Fact is, Gore was right, so his opponents had to try a classic diversionary tactic. I do not give a rat's fat patoot about his individual so-called carbon use.
Because fact is, he was right. So put that in your pipe, but please don't smoke it -- leave that carbon sequestered for Al. He makes better use of it.
a resident of Danville
on Sep 30, 2013 at 8:14 pm
You know, Mudge, the Second Amendment was Not passed to make it easy for you to just shoot the messenger. Fact is, Gore was right, so his opponents had to try a classic diversionary tactic. I do not give a rat's fat patoot about his individual so-called carbon use.
Because fact is, he was right. So put that in your pipe, but please don't smoke it -- leave that carbon sequestered for Al. He makes better use of it.
a resident of Danville
on Sep 30, 2013 at 8:16 pm
Although my point bears repeating, I do not know why it posted twice -- sorry!


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Noctis Valkyries Metal Festival (Noctis)
October 1, 2011
Calgary, Canada
Review and pictures by Monika Deviat
The Noctis Valkyries Metal Festival (Noctis) is an annual metal festival held in Calgary, Alta. For five years, Scarab Metal Productions has been organizing the festival which has grown in size and popularity every year. Noctis brings in a stellar line up of bands every year, providing Calgarian – and anyone else from around Canada and the States that might be lured into make the trek out to Noctis – opportunities to see bands that might never have played in Canada if not for the festival. The event also gives local bands from around the province a chance to play alongside some amazing international acts.


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Sheriff Kenny Cassell said Thursday an undercover deputy bought suspected moonshine at the residence of Edwina Pipkins. She's charged with bootlegging and making moonshine.
Deputies seized about 41 gallons of moonshine and gear allegedly used to produce the alcohol.
Cassell said the undercover deputy went to Pipkins' home in Harriet on Wednesday and bought two bottles of moonshine. The sheriff says Pipkins' price was $60 per gallon.
The Harrison Daily Times reported the seized materials and moonshine were placed in evidence and the sheriff says they're awaiting transport to the state Crime Laboratory in Little Rock for analysis.


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The Neon series of inks are perfect for bright happy cards and layouts and all summer designs. The dye ink creates a vibrant clear image and dries fast.
I love this pink, it is a wonderful hue and the ink does not bleed when stamping. Perfect!!!
Great bright pink color. Stamps well.


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The Lady Cyclones will begin the night at 6 p.m. and the boys will follow. Both games can be heard on KCJC 102.3 FM or online at www.kcjclive.com. Mickey DuVall will have the call.
The Cyclones (9-4) have been off since a 43-38 loss to Little Rock Mills on Dec. 23, 2011, in the championship game of the Battle of the Brier. Russellville went 8-for-24 (33 percent) at the free-throw line in the loss, prompting head coach Codey Mann to toughen up in practice.
"We've been shooting a lot of free throws in practice, and we've been running a lot after misses," he said. "We've had to do something to get them motivated."
Aside from their free-throw woes against Mills, it's been a pretty solid start for the Cyclones this season. Now, however, they have to figure out the Charging Wildcats (9-3) and their NCAA Division I prospect, point guard Dayshawn Watkins who transferred from North Pulaski.
"That's the way it's been the past seven years we've been in this conference," Mann said of opening conference play against North Little Rock. "They're one of the top two teams in our conference. They'll be one of the most athletic teams we'll face this year. They have some pretty good guards. One thing about North Little Rock is they're always athletic and they always play pretty good defense.
"(Watkins has) already been offered by Missouri State and Louisiana Tech. He's just a junior, he's got a good hand and has some players to go around him."
Mann doesn't expect his Cyclones to get too many breaks tonight, as North Little Rock is a solid, fundamental team.
"Coach (Richard) Alexander does a pretty good job with them," Mann said. "They usually play under control. They'll start out with a man defense and switch to a 2-3 Zone. When teams do that, you have a tendency to pass the ball around and not shoot it as quick as you normally would. I expect it to be a grind-it-out game, like about every conference game."
Senior point guard Chris Washington and senior guard Grey Harris have led the team offensively all season, but Mann said he needs senior swingman Eric Turner to step up his game offensively.
"We'll need Eric to step up and contribute more offensively," the coach said. "He's an extremely good shooter, but one thing he's become better at over our nonconference schedule is scoring in other ways. If he can give us 12 to 15 points per contest in conference play, I think we'll be pretty tough to beat."
If the Cyclones have a tough test ahead of them tonight, the Lady Cyclones (9-4) are in for a tough game against the state's top girls basketball team, according to MaxPreps.com. The Lady Charging Wildcats (11-1) are ranked No. 46 in the nation and have three players who have signed letters of intent to play NCAA Division I basketball.
One of those three is senior forward Lexus Williams who has had Russellville's number the past three years.
"Anytime you play against somebody like that, the big thing is keeping her out of the paint and not letting her catch the ball where she's comfortable," Lady Cyclones head coach Steve Wiedower said. "We have to keep her off the boards. That's where she's really hurt us in the past."
Making things even more challenging for Russellville is that starting senior point guard Susan Taylor will miss the game with an achilles tendon injury.
"We'll know a little bit more about her injury (today) when she goes back to the doctor," Wiedower said. "Hopefully we'll get a timetable with her recovery. We just have to go day-to-day right now. We played three games in Harrison without her, and we just have to keep getting better."
Senior Sarah Prochazka stepped in for Taylor during the tournament in Harrison, where the Lady Cyclones went 2-1 with a loss to Prairie Grove in the championship game.
Wiedower said his team needs to find that third scoring option behind seniors Kaylee Wiedower and Natalie Shockey. Mary Carol Davis, Lindsey Glover and Brooke Hunt have shown flashes this season, but nobody has stepped into that role.
"They've got to start getting involved and looking to score more," Wiedower said. "The thing is the girls just have to be consistent. We can't have one girl coming out and playing well one night and disappearing the next. We've got to get more consistent in our play."


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To Write
By Ann Conway
I find creative writing difficult. This is in contrast to my professional writing as a consultant, which I find, after twenty five years, relatively straightforward: if you've written one foundation report or federal grant, you've pretty much written them all.
But real writing, as I think of it—including this blog—is another story. While I normally start with an idea—usually enhanced and added to through my reading—I never know where it will end up. And these are short pieces. Larger pieces are even more arduous.
My writing is complicated by the professional work I do to support myself in an entirely different field. This has many satisfactions, but involves myriad demands, including the negotiation of personalities. No professional life these days is without an endless stream of work or a degree of personal vexation.
Then there's the e-mail vortex….
But I carry on, because I have to. At 55, I've realized that if I'm going to write, it's now or never. I don't mean getting my work "out there" and the other accoutrements of careerism. I mean to write, a creative process about which there appear to be divergent schools of thought: one seeing writing as intuitive abandon, the other as non-religious, but still essentially Calvinist, drudgery.
The former is exemplified by what I think of as the "creativity business," the idea that the untrammeled flow of primal "free" writing—uninhibited by an inner critic—is in fact the best writing. And evidence of the divine within us. This is promulgated by The Artist's Way and its permutations; it is the kind of writing one practices in the Tuscan retreats advertised in the back pages of Poets and Writers. It says that everyone is a writer, a statement with which I do not entirely agree. But I do agree that there is a sobering amount of talent out there.
A recent New York Times column by David Brooks outlines a radically different slant on the creative process. Offering a contrast to those who see genius as "the product of divine spark," bestowed on those "who are best approached with reverential awe"—such as Dante or Mozart—Brooks points out that the key element of genius is the repetition of the basic elements of craft. Recent neurological research stresses that simple, unglamorous practice is how one gets better.
The "divine spark," the columnist concludes, is merely romantic "hocus-pocus."
Not long ago, a friend told me about an MFA writing student who "didn't have time to read"—something that struck me as not only sad but comical. I agree with Brooks that talent can be overrated. If you don't learn to discipline your talent by reading your literary betters—and if you don't write with discipline—you'll never get anywhere.
Like everyone else I want to go somewhere, although I'm not sure where that is.
Unlike Brooks, however, I do not discount the divine spark. I recently finished the new Flannery O'Connor biography by Brad Gooch. I found the book uninspiring, but I smiled to see how "touched" O'Connor seemed from the beginning—closeting herself, even as a tiny child, with her drawing and writing, imagining a guardian angel who was half-bird, half-man. She was, in a word, weird. And driven.
O'Connor believed in "no optional striving," as Twyla Tharp calls the narrowness of practice in her excellent book The Creative Habit. The choreographer describes the artistic focus necessary to produce a body of work. It entails the elimination of distraction, an entering into "quietness without loneliness" which Tharp, O'Connor, and many others have perfected.
Looking back, I see all the not-writing I perfected in my life was not so much about circumstances, but a fear of solitude, which I took to be pure loneliness.
It has taken me this long to see how strangely comforting writing can be, how it eventually, after the initial chaos, encompasses a returned gaze—as O'Connor noted.
Writing, Tharp notes, lives between the sacred—the Greek Zoe—and Bio, the profane. With the thoroughly secular Tharp, I have also come to trust that little motto above the cropped pyramid on the U.S. one dollar bill (Annuit coeptis). It means: "Providence favors our undertakings."
Note: This post was orginally published on the Image Journal blog Good Letters.


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I was thrilled to learn we may soon have a community garden, presumably open to all residents and plants of their choice. Does this mean we can all grow our pot in a convenient place with portable toilets? Will this proposal be submitted to the same civic boards that approved the pot dispensaries (which are illegal in 50 of our 50 states) in the first place? Thanks. Ron
The proposed community garden likely will feature some herbs that will provide health and wellness.
However, you can bet the farm that cannabis will not be one of them.
We already checked into this, said Bob Lieb, the driving force behind the project, located on a 1.2-acre parcel at 30th Street and East Sixth Avenue.
The plot is deep in the heart of the libertarian Animas City neighborhood and below the hill at Riverview Elementary School.
According to state law, even if you have a permit to grow marijuana, you cannot do it in a public place like the community garden. And especially not next to a school. So the answer is, absolutely no, Lieb said with a chuckle. I knew someone was going to ask this question.
The garden was approved by the citys Planning Commission last week. It moves to the City Council in a couple of weeks for a final vote.
Garden advocates have pointed out the huge demand for a place where residents can grow their own food.
That sounds like sustainability. And that means Agenda 21.
See? The United Nations is about to gain another sovereign foothold through the cultivation of radishes, squash and pole beans.
But all is not lost for foes of the New World Order. The Planning Commission has required the community garden to have an astounding 23 parking spaces.
So everyone wins.
The sustainability crowd gains a sanctuary to tend organic crops and become less dependent on corporate farming.
Meanwhile, the Agenda 21 folks can take pride. By requiring so much parking at a garden, local government isnt engaging in liberal social engineering to reduce carbon emissions by making it inconvenient to use fossil-fuel vehicles.
Who couldnt see this one coming?
The Mea Culpa Mailbag was filled to the brim with reactions from last weeks commentary, Seniors make sitzmark with season ski-pass fuss.
The column either delighted or disappointed.
And it also prompted more than a few readers to Google sitzmark and find out its a depression in the snow caused when a skier falls backward.
The official count was nine emails favorable, four negative and one so bizarre that Action Line had no idea what the person was talking about.
Among the pro emails, Dave wrote: Awesome my late grandfather would have been proud of your response. Chuck added: Huzzah!
Mandy wrote, Well said, and something that no one had the courage to say.
John warned, Id keep listening for the creak of walkers and wheelchairs creeping up behind you. It may take these folks some extra time to mobilize.
The con email objected to Action Lines perceived hostility toward seniors. All decried how the column was disrespectful.
The best observation came from a Baby Boomer named Luke, a fan of Durango who lives in San Francisco and reads Action Line online.
If somebody talked to me the way the author writes, Id be very tempted to bring some very special forces to bear on someone who acts like the body part that makes sitzmarks, he wrote.
Well, well. Nothing like a spanking to teach the meaning of respect!
And the most ironic thing occurred Tuesday, the day after Action Line pooh-poohed cheap skiing for seniors.
A snail-mail letter arrived. It was from the AARP, an invitation for Action Line to join the organization for people 50-plus, of course listing all the discounts AARP members enjoy.
Email questions to firstname.lastname@example.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. You can request anonymity if you adhere to Groucho Marxs classic advice: I dont want to belong to any club that would accept me as a member.


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Firefighters rescued 20 dogs from a burning mobile home Thursday, but two canines died in the fire, and two others were later euthanized.
BELLEVIEW — Marion County Fire Rescue workers were able to rescue 20 dogs from a burning mobile home Thursday afternoon, but two canines died in the fire and two others were later euthanized.
The owner of the home at 12060 SE 87th Terrace in Belleview was not there when the fire erupted.
T.J. Richmond, a neighbor, said he came home from running errands and saw smoke coming from the vents of the home and called 911.
Brothers Joshua Colon, 15, and Brian Colon, 16, also neighbors, said they smelled fire and rushed to the home.
MCFR spokeswoman Jessica Greene said that as firefighters went into the home and began dousing the blaze, they saw cages with dogs inside them. Some of the firefighters grabbed the cages and took them outside.
The Colon brothers said they helped firefighters remove the dogs.
All 24 dogs were inside the home.
Greene said firefighters believe the fire may have started in the kitchen and that it was non-suspicious in nature.
The county's animal shelter was notified, and workers arrived to help with the canines.
Elaine McClain, a public information specialist for Marion County, said there were 24 dogs on the property and that two died in the fire and two others were euthanized at the animal shelter after suffering severe respiratory distress.
McClain said the dogs were various breeds, including boxers, Labrador retrievers and Dachshunds. She said some of them were treated for respiratory problems and that many of them were still being evaluated by veterinarians at the shelter.
McClain said that since 2010, the county has responded to the home seven times to complaints about dogs running loose, excessive barking and unsanitary conditions, and officials found the complaints to be unfounded.
Officials did not immediately release the name of the homeowner.
Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or email@example.com.


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Restaurateur says rumors aside, he's in it for the long haul
LENOX -- The restaurant entrepreneur who transformed the local dining scene by opening a series of four diverse establishments catering to a wide variety of culinary tastes is making it clear: He's not going anywhere.
Jason Gordon Macioge has just sold his 51 percent stake in Frankie's Ristorante Italiano to the Lenox Restaurant Group, Inc., which also owns Alta's and the Church Street Cafe. He also sold his Fin Japanese eatery operated in partnership with his brother Nick, but plans to hold on to what he calls home bases -- Bistro Zinc and Betty's Pizza Shack.
In his first public comments since unfounded speculation surfaced several months ago that he was planning to pull out of town entirely, Macioge told The Eagle that, as an intensely hands-on owner, "I come to work seven days a week, I love coming, nothing is actively for sale."
"I'm not going anywhere," he declared, "though a lot of people tell me I am. My family's here, I live in Tyringham, the Berkshires are my home base, but I will not open another business in the county."
He said he was approached by others who were interested in purchasing Fin and Frankie's. "It turned out to be good for me," he said. "Everything is for sale for the right price. If someone walked in and offered me a boatload of money for either of the two places, I'd seriously consider it."
Macioge, a Washington, D.C., native, acknowledged that his pending deal for a restaurant operation in the nation's capital fell through last year because of the recession -- "a blessing in disguise that it didn't work out." He also turned aside a potential project in New York City after realizing that to continue operating Bistro Zinc and Betty's, he could not be more than two hours away from Lenox.
But, restless and eager for new challenges, he's considering the Boston area, where he has three concepts under consideration, close enough to retain his local eateries.
"It's a matter of picking which one to do and where to do it," he explained, adding that he could not describe them now, but hopes to have one operating within a year, either in Boston, Cambridge, Needham, Somerville or Amherst.
The project would involve a casual approach, likely a small chain, Macioge said. He also has a potential TV series in development. He was a contestant on the NBC reality series "America's Next Great Restaurant" in spring 2011, and his novel, "Only the Names Have Changed," was published by Gadd Books in July 2011.
In his view, opportunities for expansion in the Berkshires are limited by declining year-round population and obstacles facing young people seeking employment.
"The Berkshires have been good and bad to me," he continued. "Lenox is a beautiful place, but in the past it's been difficult to do business in this town. I hope things are going to change. I see some positive things on the horizon."
Macioge, 39, cited a continuing problem -- some downtown businesses close for the winter, reducing the incentive for people to visit Lenox. His policy of remaining open every day, except on Thanks giving and Christmas, will continue for the sake of local customers as well as retaining long-term staffers, he stressed. His restaurants employ 45 people in high season, fewer during the winter.
Unlike some other restaurateurs, Macioge has not seen an upward bump in business from new shoulder-season events such as the Berkshire Cycling Classic and the Berk shire Bri tish Motorcar Festival.
While Macioge attributed the sale of his interests in Frankie's and Fin to "mental stress, not physical stress of actually being there," he conceded: "I like the anxiety, the pressure. I'm bored right now, totally."
He opened his first business, Buddy Boys' Specialty Foods in 1993 (six sweet-and-spicy BBQ sauces and a Bloody Mary mix), and served as a bartender, bar manager and waiter at the Shaker Mill Tavern in West Stockbridge, a dishwasher at Church Street Cafe in Lenox and a bartender at the Union Bar & Grill in Great Barrington.
In 1999, he created Bistro Zinc on Church Street in Lenox, a classic French bistro, in partnership with Charles Schulze, who owns the building and half the business. He was also an original co-owner of the former Pearl's Steakhouse in Great Barrington.
Betty's opened in 2002, followed by Fin in 2004 and Frankie's in 2007.
Macioge sees much more restaurant competition in Lenox and Pittsfield, but not more people in the area.
"It's tough, especially staying open all year, to make a living," he said. "We've had a good, long run here and we'll continue to do so." He contended that restaurants are cyclical -- "today's top dog can be tomorrow's scalded dog."
Any regrets? "I would have been best off if I had sold all my places in my fourth or fifth year in business," said Ma cioge. "That's when you're hot, you're peaking, everything's running really well, you're still new, you're not old. I wish I had done that. I should have sold these joints and headed out to a place where there are more people."
To reach Clarence Fanto:
or (413) 496-6247
On Twitter: @BE_cfanto
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us. We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.


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[QUOTE=Namikaze Haru;8705367]Its just stupid to say that he did not know he had it. Kakashi and obito unlocked it at the same time, however kakashi fainted due to his low chakra levels whereas obito is an uchiha with senju dna. at that time it took kakashi a lot of chakra just to use the normal sharingan, the mangekyou was off limits seeing as he fainted just by awakening it.
after facing itachi's mangekyou he decided to improve he chakra control during the timeskip and has now improved it even further, that why recently kakashi is now able to spam kamui. if u had watched closely all his improvements during the timeskip were in order to be able to fight itachi (mangekyou, faster hand seals etc.)
remember when we first thought sasuke awakened his sharingan against haku, but after a flashback we saw he awakened it during the uchiha massacre against itachi. but looking back to the haku fight you actually notice he already knew he had it.
*****.but when you say HE trained himself to use fast hand seals, i believe that is false.i may be wrong.youve obviously done some research. however i thought the reason for his hand seals being so fast was because he had his sharingan..also this comes with a question,if he is the "copy ninja" why cant he copy other MS abilities.i know without both eyes the power is limited like no susanoo.but shouldnt he be able to use the others?


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"In its bold, brightly coloured gestures, quite unlike anything else in Bartók's output, the music [of the Concerto] seems to have been conceived with the upfront style of American orchestral playing in mind
. Her account of the Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta
is very impressive, controlled and pungent."The Guardian