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You Think Making Love is Easy?byMarshtickledkitty©
This story was co-written by MarshAlien and tickledkitty and is our entry for the 2008 Valentine's Day Story Contest. We hope you enjoy it and welcome feedback. Please don't forget to vote!
"I'll tell you what really frosts my cookies. We're out there 24/7, 365 days a year, busting our cherubic little butts, and we get into December and it's all Santa Claus, Santa Claus, Santa Claus. I mean for cryin' out loud, he works what, one night a year?"
Tiberius has been my regional supervisor for the last three years now, and is used to the ranting I do on my visits to refill my quiver.
"And it's not like he has to do it on his own," I continue. "He's got all these elves working for him. Hell, he doesn't have to do his own flying."
"Because of the eight tiny reindeer." Tiberius nods in agreement.
"Tiny, my ass. I was an elf for six months. You spend some time cleaning up after those boys, you won't call 'em 'tiny' no more.
"And all those letters." I am on a roll now. "'Please bring me an X-box, Santa, cause I've been so extra good this year.' Like they aren't surrounded by stores where their parents can buy their own frickin' X-boxes."
"Julius --"
"How many letters did I get this year? None. How many letters did any of the other cupids get? Huh?"
"Well, none," Tiberius admits.
Tiberius gives me a big smile.
"And exactly how much attention would you give them? 'Oh, Cupid, please make Bobby Smith fall in love with me.'"
"I'd look at them," I say after a grudging pause.
He starts laughing.
"Shut up."
"You'd ignore them on principle," he says between laughs.
"If mortals were any good at falling in love, they wouldn't need cupids," I answer. "There certainly wouldn't be anywhere near as many divorces, that's for damn sure."
Tiberius frowns.
"There wouldn't be so many divorces in your district, Julius, if the cupid assigned there was even close to making his quota this year. You do realize, don't you, that your five years as a cupid is up in the middle of February?"
I glare at him. I know that all too well.
"You know," he continues, "we still have never had a graduate of the academy with a higher score on Aura Recognition than yours."
I smile. I have always been proud of that.
"But you were last in here four weeks ago for another quiverful of darts. Octavia's been in twice since then."
"Octavia," I mumble. I have no doubt that goody-goody Octavia will be reborn with a silver spoon in her mouth. She and I started at the same time, but by the time I was done with my elf internship, she had already finished the cupid academy. We were assigned adjoining regions, which always requires a good bit of inter-cupid cooperation. She has been exceeding her quota for the last two years.
"And she doesn't even have a college in her area."
"It's a very serious college, you know," I say.
"I know. Excellent academics. Top twenty and all that. But it's still full of horny kids. Remember, you only need minimum aura congruence."
"Minimum aura congruence." I spit out the words in disgust. "You mean they should all settle."
"What I mean is not always looking for the perfect at the expense of the good."
"Shouldn't people be entitled to the best love possible?" I say, bristling.
"In a perfect world, sure. But you're responsible for all the people in your area, Julius. Not just the special few that you can make perfect matches for. All of them."
"I know, I know. All of my matches are still together, though."
"You know as well as I do..." Tiberius begins.
"That that's not our department," I finish. "Yes, I know. Cupids on one end, lawyers on the other."
He bursts out laughing.
"That's a very cynical view, Julius."
"It's not my view," I point out. "I'm the guy with the perfect record."
He smiles.
"I'll tell you what," Tiberius says. "It's December twenty-fourth. You have less than two months. If you at least make your quotas between now and then, I'll see what I can do about getting you out. If not, though, I don't see a lot of hope. Which means five more years of cupiding. Or you could go back to being an elf..."
"No. I'll do it."
Another five more years of this would be hell. The real problem is that you can watch people falling in love, but you can never take part yourself. You find the match, you shoot your darts, and you move on. Oh, all right; maybe I watch for a little bit. And of course, being an elf would be even worse.
I leave his office and collect my quiver of darts from the tech at the warehouse.
"All ready?" I ask.
"Forty matching sets," he says with a smile. "Try not to be a pain in the ass, Julius."
I laugh, even though he tells the same joke every time I pick up more darts. I fly back to my aerie, in the bell tower of one of Berea, Ohio's finest churches. I skim the auras of those I pass along the way, committing them to memory. I spot two people with congruent auras, walking toward each other as it happens, and loose off two darts. She is a forty-something born-again Christian and he is a twenty-something atheist, but hey, if minimum congruence was what they wanted, that's what they would get. And good luck to you guys.
I probably just shouldn't care so much. At the academy, they had taught us to perceive the aura as nothing more than a set of colors. You match one person's set with another, and if enough colors line up, you have minimum congruence. I was the one who had figured out the color spikes that corresponded with major events. The Christian woman, for example, had a vivid red spike at C-7, which told me, apparently alone among the cupids, that she had watched the moon landing in 1969. She didn't have the dark blue spike at B-6 that corresponded to the assassination of President Kennedy, so I could pretty confidently peg her age as somewhere in her middle forties. It was the same with the atheist. He had the purple at E-8 (Challenger disaster) but not the green at D-24 (Reagan assassination attempt). And as far as their religion went, after four years of cupiding, I could just kind of tell that from the shape of the aura.
Maybe the others are right; maybe I should give it up. Maybe I should just hang out at bars and parties -- everywhere significant numbers of humans were likely to gather -- and do what I have been trained to do.
And then I see Gwen Williams. The first thing I notice is the aura, of course. It's striking, and I rack my brain to recall a similar one I had seen over a year ago. While I'm thinking, I notice her eyes, her exquisitely luminous eyes. I nearly lose myself in them until suddenly it comes to me: Luke Turnquist. Those two would be perfect together. I have never seen auras with better congruence than theirs.
Tiberius and the other cupids probably think I spend most of my time watching porn flicks, never realizing how much work it actually takes to do these things my way. All they see is a fuckup who can't make quota. The problem, though, as it is with most of the matches I create, is that Gwen and Luke have no idea that each other exists. Even assuming that Luke is still in the area, the district is large enough that there is a distinct possibility that they will never run into each other. Unless someone arranges something different.
Seven days later, on New Year's Eve, I have the shot. It hasn't been easy getting the two of them to the same party. Each of them was easier to connect to Kevin Bacon than to the other. But here they are. Within feet of each other. Their auras are incandescently similar, the tendrils almost reaching out and intertwining in an orgy of color. I take two darts out of my quiver and slip them into the bow. And fire.
"Fuckin' A! Who the fuck was that!"
I am fortunate that humans can neither see nor hear us cupids, although at a party this loud, no one probably would have noticed my cursing. But damn my eternal luck. I can't believe that someone walked in front of Luke just as I loosed the darts. And now there they are, standing and looking at each other. Oh, fuck.
I'll never forget the first time I saw Danae Swift. It was at that damned New Year's Eve party my friend, Patty, had dragged me to. Patty had disappeared some time before, and I didn't know anyone else there. I was just lamenting the fact that it was 11:40 and I had no one to kiss at midnight, when the crowd parted, and there she was. Danae. Tall and slim, with a boyish figure, her eyes raked down over my body and back up to my face.
Danae. God, even her name sounded exotic, fleeting, poetic. She seemed to be bathed in golden light, with her spiky blond hair and tawny skin. As she sauntered toward me in slow motion (or so it seemed), even her caramel-colored eyes appeared flecked with gold. My stomach dropped as a smile split her heart-shaped face. I gazed at the full lips and gleaming white teeth that slightly overlapped in front, perfect in their imperfection. The wild hammering of my heart drowned out everything in the room, and I realized she must have spoken to me and was holding out her hand to shake.
"Uh, I'm sorry?" I spluttered, heat suffusing my cheeks.
She laughed.
"I said I'm Danae Swift."
She took my hand and leaned closer as she said it. She'd been holding a bottle of beer, and her fingers were cool and damp. Her fresh green fragrance tickled my nostrils.
"Gwen Williams."
"Wendy?" she asked.
"Oh, no." I leaned even closer. "I'm Gwen."
Danae laughed again. "Oh, good. Somehow, you don't look like a Wendy. Nice to meet you, Gwen."
"Nice to meet you too." I smiled back.
"I don't remember seeing you before. Are you a friend of Jay's?" Jay was our host.
"No, I actually came here with my friend, Patty, but she seems to have disappeared."
"Patty?" Danae pondered for a moment. "Oh, yeah, I know her. Redhead, right?" "Yup."
Danae reached for the cup in my hand and peered inside.
"You need another drink," she said. "Come on."
She led me to the makeshift bar in the corner. When we got there, she snatched the cup from my hand.
"What have you been drinking?" she asked.
"Rum and Coke."
I watched as Danae expertly mixed my drink, ending with a squeeze of lime.
"Lime?" I asked.
"Trust me," Danae said, handing me the drink. "I used to be a bartender."
She watched as I tried it.
"It's really good," I said. "Thank you."
Danae nodded and bent over to retrieve a beer from the cooler at her feet. To my surprise, I found myself checking out her ass. She caught me as she stood up and winked with a knowing grin. It was strange and slightly embarrassing. I didn't remember ever looking at a woman that way before.
Taking my arm, Danae guided me over to a group of people engaged in an animated discussion. After introducing me around, she became involved in the conversation, and I stood watching her and quietly sipping my drink. She had a commanding presence and moved with the grace of a cat. A regal lioness, I thought, and giggled.
The sound drew her attention back to me, her expression that of one looking upon a precious, enchanting child. Wrapping her fingers around my upper arm, she leaned close once again.
"You have an adorable laugh," she said very close to my ear, her breath stirring my hair and bathing me in goose bumps.
This made me giggle more, and I leaned back with alcohol-slowed movement to look into her eyes.
"And pretty eyes," she murmured with a smile.
"I like yours too," I replied, staring as Danae's pink tongue licked slowly across her top lip.
What the hell was happening here?
"Look." She pointed to the big-screen TV that dominated one wall of the room.
Dick Clark had started the countdown in his convalescent's voice, and the ball was dropping.
"Eight, seven, six, five," the crowd joined in. "Four, three, two, one. Happy New Year!" The room erupted into cheering and the cacophony of wind-up noisemakers and little horns.
Danae reached up to cup my cheeks in her cool hands and pressed her lips to mine in a tender, soul-wrenching kiss. I'd never kissed a woman before—the intensity, the passion, were intoxicating. I don't remember whether I kissed her back or not. She pulled back for a moment, leaned her forehead against mine, and swallowed. Then, sliding her palms back further, her hands braced my neck, her fingers twining in my shoulder-length brown hair.
My hands found Danae's waist, one of them holding my cup against her back. I tipped my chin up and kissed her again. The rest of the room seemed to vanish, leaving the two of us alone on a tiny, silent island. Danae's lips parted, and the tip of her tongue brushed mine. Her obviously untethered breasts pressed against me, the hard points of her nipples grazing my chest behind the silky fabric of her top.
Immediate and complete, my arousal stole my breath and weakened my knees. Danae's liquid gold heat traveled from my mouth right down to my stomach, where it curled into a strong wave of aching desire, melting my insides and flowing out of me like molten lava. A woman's touch was doing this to me. Shocked, I pulled back, and the rest of the room reappeared and spun around us. We stared at each other, our chests heaving.
"Wow," I gasped, rubbing my fingertips across my lips.
"Yeah. Wow is right." Danae grinned. "Happy New Year."
An hour later, we were sitting close on my sofa, drinking hot tea and talking. Danae had set her mug on the coffee table and was stroking the backs of her fingers up and down the back of my hand and forearm. She took my mug and set it down, as well.
"Listen," I said. "I need to tell you that I've never been with a woman before. I'm straight."
"I know that."
She continued stroking absently, watching my face.
"So, you know, earlier, I guess it must have been the alcohol or...something."
I caught Danae's hand to stop the stroking, which was driving me crazy, but ended in holding her hand, which was worse.
Danae touched my bottom lip with the tip of one finger.
"Pink baby lips," she whispered, leaning forward and replacing the finger with her mouth.
Catching my bottom lip between her own, she sucked lightly and let it go with a pop, shaking me to my core.
"It wasn't the alcohol," she murmured.
We kissed again, deeper this time, our mouths open, tongues grazing, drinking each other in. Danae pushed me back gently, so that I was lying down with her body resting between my legs. Then I was gone. All rationality fled, desire and the pursuit of pure pleasure taking its place.
Next thing I knew, we were naked, legs and arms wrapped around each other, both of us writhing and moaning and gasping for breath. Danae's hand trailed down the curve of my abdomen to find my pussy very wet and open and ready.
"Mmmm, perfect," she said, sliding her body lower.
Pushing my knees up, Danae wrapped her arms around my thighs and pulled my outer labia apart with her thumbs. Her tongue touched me just above my anus and stroked a slow, hot line all the way to my aching clit. As the tip of her tongue touched it, she blew out a puff of warm air, sending me over the edge. Spasms racked my body, as waves of pleasure assaulted me again and again.
As I calmed, I looked down to see Danae gazing up at me from between my legs.
"Been a while?" she grinned.
"Uh, yeah." I cleared my throat. "Sorry."
"Don't be, baby. Just enjoy it," she said, lowering her mouth back to my waiting flesh.
Danae was a skilled and generous lover. Her patience with me knew no bounds, as she took on the role of teacher to my somewhat clumsy and awkward pupil. Her joy in pleasing me made me want to reciprocate, while her expertise made me feel slightly inadequate. It was new and different and beautiful, though, and began to feel somewhat familiar after a while.
I awoke very late the next morning with no hangover, amazingly. Danae lay on her back beside me with one arm flung above her head in peaceful abandon. The quilt was pushed down to her waist, and I stared at her nakedness, not quite believing this magnificent creature was really there in my bed. What the hell had I done? Not wanting to wake her, I slipped out of bed and out of the room, escaping to the bathroom.
For what seemed like a long time I stood in the shower thinking about the night before. We'd made love all night long, literally. The brief pauses in between were filled with touching and kissing, so that each time melded into the time before and the time following, creating one long chain of delicious pleasure. I shuddered, realizing the memories were turning me on, making me want her again.
The shower door opened, and Danae stepped inside. Her sunny smile squeezed my heart.
"Want some company?" she asked.
"Do I have any choice?" I laughed.
"Uh, nope," she replied, pulling me against her and kissing me hard.
She leaned back into the spray, smoothing back her hair with her hands. The water rushing over that golden skin made my mouth water. I squeezed some shampoo out onto my palm, rubbed my hands together, and lathered up Danae's hair. She groaned as I massaged her scalp with my fingertips. After her hair was rinsed, I scrubbed her body with a loofah dripping with scented body wash. She propped her hands against the wall and closed her eyes, enjoying my ministrations.
Finally, I could stand it no longer and pressed myself against her soapy slick body, my belly against her back, my hands gliding up her sleek abdomen, squeezing her soapy breasts, then sliding down to cup her sex. I felt I'd hung back a bit before and wanted very much to please her now. I brought her off with my fingers, as she leaned back against me, the warm water sluicing over both of us.
Later, we returned to my room to dress, and I loaned Danae some clean clothes. The idea of her wearing my clothes made me really happy.
"Are you hungry?" I asked.
"Mmm, yeah. Starving."
"I could make us some breakfast. I think I have some bacon."
She turned, looking fresh and young with no makeup and unstyled hair.
"Um, you mean, like, real bacon?"
I laughed. "Yeah, you know, like Porky Pig?"
She visibly blanched.
"I don't eat animal products," she said.
"Oh, I'm sorry. So no eggs either?"
She shook her head.
"Okay, um..." I thought about what I had in my kitchen. "Toast?"
"What kind of bread?"
"I don't eat white flour," she said, looking regretful. "Or refined sugar," she added. Nonplussed, I thought for another moment.
"I have fruit!"
"No, sorry," I mumbled.
Danae laughed. "It's okay, baby. I can eat later."
I sat down beside her on the bed.
"So, what happens now?" I asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I'm not sure how this works," I explained. "I mean, was this a one-time thing, or what?"
Danae looked thoughtful.
"What do you want it to be?" she asked.
"What do you want it to be?"
"I asked you first," Danae replied with a giggle.
"Actually, I asked you first." I smiled, although I felt more confused than amused.
"Okay," she paused. "I'd like to see you again."
"Really?" Now my smile was genuine.
"Yeah! How can you ask me that now?"
I shrugged.
"I just wasn't sure."
"I have some stuff to take care of, and then I'll call you, okay?" she asked.
It turned out the "stuff" she had to take care of was a live-in girlfriend/roommate, who Danae had apparently been on the outs with for some time. Upon finding out that Danae had spent the night with me, the roommate moved out in a huff, leaving Danae free to spend as much time with me as she liked. Luckily for me, she liked to spend a lot of time with me. We saw each other almost every night for the next couple weeks.
Danae was a full-time Pilates instructor and encouraged me to enroll in a couple of classes. She also encouraged me to eat healthier by putting me on her own eating plan, which excluded all animal products, including eggs, butter, and cheese, much to my horror. I'd never been an especially bad eater, but as a life-long carnivore, the new diet made me feel deprived. The ban on ice cream was nearly unbearable. Rice and soy products just weren't doing it for me.


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SENIOR bureaucrats at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are wrapping a Christmas gift marked ``children's television rules'' and deciding whether to be naughty or nice to America's young.
Before the holiday, staffers will deliver position papers to the five presidentially appointed FCC commissioners on how to deal with petitions from public watchdog groups asking that they harden their guidelines on commercial children's TV. Based on the recommendations, the commissioners will rule early in 1995.
The issue revolves around the Children's Television Act. Congress passed it in 1990 to help control electronic excesses by the multibillion-dollar ``kidvid'' industry. The networks and their stations alone earn more than $500 million a year from hard-sell advertising spots for toys, games, breakfast cereals, soft drinks, fast foods, running gear, and teen fashions.
The act limits the amount of commercial time in children's programs and calls on TV stations to air ``educational and informational'' programs for the young.
There's the rub. The FCC has historically had a far tighter relationship with the industry than with children. So the commissioners were predictably fuzzy in drawing up the rules putting teeth in the act. ``Educational and informational'' programs were deemed vaguely to be those ``that further the positive development of the child in any respect'' (italics added). The FCC was equally hazy about enforcement and compliance standards.
Predictably, TV stations seized on the loophole to claim in performance reports to the FCC that ``The Jetsons,'' ``Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,'' `The Flintstones,'' ``G.I. Joe,'' and even the tele-tabloid ``Inside Edition'' have serious educational content.
This year, parent-teacher groups, the National Education Association, the Center for Media Education, and others prodded the FCC to lay down tougher guidelines. Lobbyists for the industry counterargued before the FCC that high-quality children's programs are too expensive to produce and drag down ratings as the networks confront competition from cable.
In an application of the Constitution that would stand the Founding Fathers' wigs on end, the industry also argues that anything that restricts them on content and quantity is an infringement of their right of free speech. In August, for instance, Jeff Baumann, executive vice president of the National Association of Broadcasters, said: ``We will continue to convince the FCC that the marketplace is working and that quantitative guidelines are clearly unconstitutional.''
The object of the kidvid business is to deliver large audiences of young consumers to the likes of McDonald's, Mattel toys, Kellogg cereals, and Disney movies, and to receive dollars or equivalent financial considerations from the sponsors and product merchandisers. The business is also built on fudging the line between content and merchandising. To maximize retail sales, program-related products are built into the plots. A billion-dollars-worth of ``Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers'' products will be sold by year's end, topping the previous record sales of Cabbage Patch dolls ($550 million) and Ninja Turtle accessories ($450 million).
Critics see the TV amusement industry as converting America's children into a commodity. Fox promises potential advertisers in promotional literature that it will deliver ``more young viewers'' to sponsors than any other network. A sales brochure for Ted Turner's cable Cartoon Network refers to ``these powerful little consumers'' who ``influence $130 billion in purchasing power annually.''
Parents serve their kids up to corporate salesmen when they use kidvid as a babysitter. The Child Welfare League of America estimates that 8 million to 10 million families have children whom parents leave in front of TV sets before and after school.
Take a look at Saturday morning kidvid on Fox, CBS, or ABC (NBC has dropped kidvid). The need for tougher standards will be as clear as the screen at your face. It is deep immersion, not just in hypermerchandising but in hyper- mania. One program is called ``Animania.'' There are toy ads on ``Lego Mania'' and ``Mickey Mania.'' The cartoon world is a cascade of unrelenting motion and noise, dizzying images and whirling camera angles, edited fast cuts and computer-generated effects, pitches and promos, violence and disorder.
The opening sequence of ``The Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers'' lashes its young viewers with 35 scene changes in 20 seconds, punctuated by the driving, high-decibel hammer blows of ``Go, Go Power Rangers.'' Its assembly-line plot is a clone of the others: ``Batman and Robin,'' ``Teen-age Mutant Ninja Turtles,'' ``Cryptkeeper,'' ``Monster Force.''
The setting is psuedoscientific. The formula is chase, battle, and danger from ``the paralyzing power and malicious magnetizing of the `Pulverizing Paralyzer,' '' wielded by monstrous aliens to ``demolecularize and disintegrate the planet,'' or ``seize the country,'' or ``turn the city into rubble.''
TV watchers at the University of Pennsylvania have identified an average of 25 acts of violence an hour on Saturday morning kidvid, a dramatic increase from 20 years ago. A long-term study by Dr. Leonard P. Eron of the University of Michigan found that young frequent viewers of TV violence behave more aggressively and were more likely to commit crimes from their teens into adulthood.
Kidvid is the ultimate conditioning tool. Power, force, and duress are the overriding themes of the look-alike plots. There is a social pecking order in this representational cartoon world: Evil aliens who threaten vulnerable victims (represented by the young viewers themselves) and superhuman rescuers whom they would like to be like, dress like, and look like. Conflicts are resolved, not by reason or negotiation, but in the crash and bash of battle, with death by ray gun and laser spray.
All this is interspersed by the ceaseless messages of consumption: pitches for Barbie dolls or Newborn Nancy, Star Wars play figures, Fruit by the Foot, Golden Grahams, Disney films, Spielberg's Jurassic Park toys. Fast cuts artfully foreshorten attention spans and short-circuit critical judgments. The children are predisposed to an adult tele-future glued to QVC, the Home Shopping Network, and MTV.
In kidvid, there is nothing that even hints of reality: no parents, no grandparents, no poor, no minorities, no ideas or issues. As a token to ``education and information,'' a spot is nested in the commercial pod preaching racial harmony, good behavior at the shopping mall, or safe and sober driving - at 15 seconds a crack.
From the cradle to high school graduation, the young will absorb an average of 18,000 hours of this kind of TV storytelling. Dr. George Gerbner of the University of Pennsylvania says: ``For the first time in human history, most of the stories that [children] are told about people, life, and values are told not by parents, schools, churches, and communities that have something to tell, but by a small group of conglomerates that have something to sell.''
There is a great difference between these stories and classic myths, fairy tales, or Shakespeare, with their splashes of blood and battles. Selectively told, such well-structured tales teach eloquent lessons about values, such as restraining passions. In kidvid, there is no restraint.
The advocates of better kidvid want the FCC commissioners to require all TV stations to carry at least one hour per day of essentially good children's television, such as ``Barney,'' ``Sesame Street,'' and ``Beakman's World,'' as opposed to violence-based kidvid that shapes children's views of a mean, menacing world.
There is a lot of fine kidvid on public television. But incoming Republicans in Congress say they intend to throttle public broadcasting in the name of free enterprise. This prompted one citizens'-action official to invoke Speaker-elect Newt Gingrich and remark: ``The man who promised to reinforce American families is now eager to pull the plug on Big Bird and Barney.''
The kidvid issue underscores how imperative it is that America have the public debate it has so far avoided: Does TV's profit-driven marketplace really work, especially when it converts our posterity into a commodity? This is not a business issue but a moral question. Are Fox, Mattel, McDonald's, and L.A. Gear really the broadcasting specialists best suited to pick the stories that TV tells to our progeny? We'll soon bear witness to what the five men and women on the FCC think. The Opinion/Essay Page welcomes manuscripts. Authors of articles we accept will be notified by telephone. Authors of articles not accepted will be notified by postcard. Send manuscripts by mail to Opinions/Essays, One Norway Street, Boston, MA 02115, by fax to 617 -450-2317, or by Internet E-mail to email@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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Nothing in the Bill of Rights says one right is less important than the others. The 10th Amendment, which reserves to the states and people those powers not delegated to the federal government, has the same weight as, say, the constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and speech.
For decades conservatives have decried the tendency of liberal politicians and judges to give more power to the federal government at the states' expense, creating large, distant bureaucracies with little accountability. But recently ideologues of all stripes in Washington have tried to trump state power with federal when it suits their purposes.
For example, the House Oct. 28 passed a conservative-backed bill that would effectively overrule Oregon's assisted-suicide law. It would prohibit a doctor from using any drug on the federal list of controlled substances to assist in a suicide.
Assisting another individual to commit suicide is not something we endorse. But it's clearly a state matter; Washington shouldn't intrude.
Another example is President Clinton's renewed push for federal money to hire up to 100,000 local teachers. Decreasing the number of students per classroom can certainly help, but such money gives the federal government too much leverage to determine what is best for local schools. Far preferable is the Republican approach to just give the money to states and schools for an educational purpose they see fit.
Then there's the call for a federal hate-crimes law in response to a series of heinous murders of minorities and homosexuals. No one disputes the awful nature and motives of such crimes. But in each case, state and local officials tenaciously tracked down and prosecuted the offenders under state homicide laws. There is no need to overfederalize criminal law with a US hate-crimes statute.
The Supreme Court, in recent cases, has increasingly come down in favor of the states, part of the never-ending struggle to balance these federal-state responsibilities. In recent decades states have shown creative problem-solving - even though some may be laggards in addressing social problems - while problems with federal solutions only grow.
Critics don't like to acknowledge it, but state governments are closer to the governed, know what's best most of the time, and are more easily correctable.
(c) Copyright 1999. The Christian Science Publishing Society


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The Sexiest TV Men of the 70's
Have You ever noticed that all of today's TV characters seem to be about the same? There may a few that stand out but all of the others seem to meld together. I guess maybe it's because I don't watch TV as much anymore. Television was THE thing when I was growing up, especially with advent of color TV. Does this date me too much? Most of the shows today are the same premise, CSI, NCIS, Law and Order. If you don't watch regularly it is kind of hard to keep the characters separate. This got me to thinking about the male characters on TV that got my attention growing up. here are some of my picks for the Sexiest men of the 1970s.
Now and ThenClick thumbnail to view full-size
Erik Estrada
Erik Estrada is best known for his role as Ponch Poncherello in the TV series CHiP's. he adroned posters on a lot of teen girls bedroom and has been on the cover of the popular teen magazine Tiger Beat! He has been quite busy though the years. He has been on the Soap Opera the Bold and the Beautiful. he has also appeared on Space Ghost Coast to Coast and even on a music video with Eminem. Recently he is publicizing a new show, Armed and Famous. it is a reality show about famous people who get to go through the police academy and then on patrol in the streets of Muncie Indiana. Erik Estrada has alos been involved in the DARE program. He has his own website too. Link is at the bottom of page.
Then and NowClick thumbnail to view full-size
Roger Moore
Roger Moore was a Model turned TV actor in the 1960s. Devilishly handsome good looks ana buff physique landed him a role in The Saint. In 1973 he skyrocketed to fame as Bond James Bond. 007 was always shaken not stirred as he preformed amazing feats while dressed in a Tuxedo. He was the secret angent until 1985. Since then he spent the rest of his life as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. He was actually knighted in 2003 for his charity work.
Now and ThenClick thumbnail to view full-size
John Schneider/Tom Wopat
Bo and Luke Duke as they were called on the hit TV show, The Dukes of Hazzard. The show began in 1979 and ran until 1985. John Schnider has kept busy and has been involved with many current TV shows. He has been involved with Dirty Sexy Money, Nip Tuck and CSI. There are five TV production he is involved with now.
Ton Wopat has been singing and dancing his way through Broadway. he has produced many albums and has his won website. Check out the link below!
Now and thenClick thumbnail to view full-size
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford rose to popularity during the Star Wars Era. But before he became a movie star he appeared on the TV shows Gunsmoke, the Virginian and Ironside. He even had a part on Love AmericanStyle. We all know him from Raiders of the Lost Ark and from other movies such as Witness and American Graffiti. Di you know Harrison Ford had a Spider na,ed after him in honor of his charity work for Conservation international. He sits on the Board of Directors there and has also received the Jules Verne Spirit of Nature Award for his work on conservation on Earth.he owns Helicopters and a small aircraft and has even been known to rescue stranded hikers in his helicopter.
Lee Majors
When thinking of the Seventies who could forget the Six Million Dollar Man? Steve Austin reigned supreme on the airways for 1974 to 1978. However it may surprise you that his real name was Harvey Lee Yeary. He changed his name to reflect a hero sports figure in his youth, Johnny Majors. After being the bionic man he landed some film roles. His next television appearance was on the Fall Guy.. a popular 1980's hit. He is going to be starring in a supporting role in an upcoming Ben 10 Movie. he will play the part of the grandfather. Majors has done a series of cameos including the Simpson's. Interestingly, he is also a voice of a character on Grand Theft auto, the video game.
Now and ThenClick thumbnail to view full-size
Henry Winkler
AAAAAAYYYY! Who could forget the Fonz? Maybe Arthur Fonzarelli wasn't an out an out sex symbol but he sure got some attention with hair, leather jacket and tight jeans. Girls' wanted to be with him and guys wanted to be him. Henry Winkler started as a side interest in the TV show Happy Days but quickly became the center of attention as soon as he was allowed to don his leather jacket. He has been busy, doing cameos here and there including Law and Order, Arrested Development and South Park. He also was a guest start on the Simpson's. The charities he is involved with are the Annual Cerebral Palsy Telethon, the Epilepsy foundation and the Special to name a few. Henry Winkler also has his own production company.
Now and ThenClick thumbnail to view full-size
Burt Reynolds
Burt Reynolds is the first guy who comes to mind when you think 70's male icon. Always laughing and smiling behind that cheesy moustache he managed to turn a head or two. In the 70's he made an impression with his movie Smokey and the Bandit. After that he made countless other movies such as Deliverance and Boogie Nights. Reynolds was awarded best supporting actor in Boogie Nights by The Chicago Film Critics and The National Society of Film Critics. he is also well known for establishing an school for acting, The Burt Reynols Institute for Theater in Florida. It is impressive to note he was awarded Children at Heart Award for his humanitarian efforts in helping the Children of Chernobyl.
And here you have it, My picks for the top male TV sex symbols. There were many actors I considered such as Robert Redford and Paul Newman, but there TV days seemed to be in the sixties. In comparison to the hub The Sexiest TV women of the 70's, a few more of the men have there own websites. It seems as if most of the men were very involved in charity work.
- Harrison Ford Web
A fansite dedicated to the career of Harrison Ford
- Erik Estrada
- Burt Reynolds Official Site: Home
Welcome to the Burt Reynolds Official Homepage! Your stay here will be filled with fun and adventure with Burt Reynolds and friends.
- Tom Wopat\'s Official Website
Tom Wopat :: Official Website


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Highlander Evolves with More Size and Power
Ahead of sales in July 2007, Toyota used its traditional opening press conference of the 2007 Chicago auto show to launch the 2008 Highlander. Toyota's new Highlander keeps its personality as a car-based crossover SUV, updated to the latest Camry/Avalon platform. The new Highlander is bigger and heavier, but Toyota gives it more power, with both the Hybrid and new standard 3.5L V6 estimated to deliver 270HP. The Hybrid goes on sale shortly after the standard model.
Highlander already offered a third-row seat, but the extra three inches in wheelbase and four inches in length should make for a more comfortable interior. The new size is a bit bigger than the Honda Pilot and the same length as the Chevrolet Equinox. It is bigger than the Mazda CX-7 and Ford Edge, but smaller than Mazda's CX-9 or the newly renamed Ford Taurus X (the XSUV formerly known as the Ford Freestyle). Highlander is better sized for those using the third row as occasional-use seating, instead of emergency seats.
So, the question is whether or not the new 2008 out-Pilots the excellent Honda Pilot?
Continue Reading


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Hartford WomenFall To New Hampshire
Sophomore point guard Deanna Mayza led all players with 19 points, but the Hartford women (13-14, 7-6 AE) fell to New Hampshire 55-50 Wednesday night in Durham N.H. Freshman Darby Lee, with 13 points on 6 of 8 shooting from the field, was the only other Hawks player to score in double figures. Carlie Pogue, with 15 points, Elizabeth Belanger, with 14, and Ariel Gaston, with 12, led the scoring for New Hampshire, (16-10, 8-6 AE). Sophomore Morgan Lumb had seven boards and senior Cherelle Moore finished just behind her with six, but New Hampshire outrebounded the Hawks 32-30. ... Sophomore Amanda Roy knocked down four three-pointers and finished with a career-high 14 points off the bench as Coast Guard extended its school-record winning streak to 10 with a 82-32 win over Clark in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference game.
Squash ChampionshipsStart Friday At Trinity
The Trinity College Bantam men's squash team (17-1) will vie for its 15th College Squash Association national championship (Potter Trophy) title starting Friday at Trinity's Ferris Athletic Center. Trinity, seeded first, plays No. 8 Penn (8-6) Friday at 1:30 p.m. If the Bantams win, they face the winner of Friday's match featuring No. 4 Columbia and No. 5 Yale in the semifinals Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The final is Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ... Trinity College women's lacrosse senior midfielder Caroline Hayes and junior defender Ashley Stewart have been named as preseason candidates for the NCAA Division III player of the year by insidelacrosse.com. University of New Haven women's lacrosse seniors Kathryn Campbell and Brittany Ast have been named to the Division II list.
Directors Club Banquet
The Nutmeg State Games and the Connecticut Masters' Games will hold their 21st Directors Club Banquet Feb. 26 at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington. This year's keynote speaker is Kevin Gilbride, former Giants offensive coordinator. The event will honor the Nutmeg State Games female athlete of the year (Isabel Carney, figure skating, Old Lyme), male athlete of the year (Tyler Maclean, (roller hockey and ice hockey, Glastonbury), and Connecticut Masters' Games athlete of the year (Raoul "Roy" Rodriques, track and field, Milldale).
From press releases


text: Is there a plugin or application that will automatically upload photos from an iPhoto library to a Flickr (Pro, to get around the upload limits of the free accounts) account? I'd like to plug my camera into my computer, have it download the photos to my iPhoto library (which is already a two click affair) and then upload those photos to my Flickr account with somewhere between 0 and a few clicks, preferably in the background so you can look at the photos you just loaded onto your computer? Also syncing tags and edited version of photos to the Flickr account would be good, as would a "recover" option to download photos from Flickr into iPhoto with tags. Having it automatically create photo streams that match albums in your local iPhoto library would be really cool, but none of that would be strictly required. I'm interested in this primarily as an off-site backup system.


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Phone: 314-968-3331
Fax: 314-968-5006
DNA Contamination is definitely infamous as one of the top ten unwanted events in laboratories, since it is difficult
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solution in mind, AppliChem has teamed up with partners from multiband biotec and developed a new decontamination
Check out the brochure.


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I'm a freelance journalist focusing on climate change, health and human rights. I've reported from nearly every continent, covering everything from the effects of climate change on mental health in the Arctic to the changing tides of livelihoods in the Chesapeake Bay.
My articles, essays and reviews have been published by The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Atlantic, Pacific Standard, NPR, STAT News, PBS NewsHour, The Toast, Catapult, Vice, Gizmodo, Slate, USA Today, Washingtonian, Maryland Life, Delaware State News, and elsewhere; and I have appeared on CNN and Feature Story News.
I also enjoy writing about subcultures and internet culture–including regular contributions to Book Riot, a website devoted to books, comics, and nerd culture. My fiction has been published by District Lines, Magical: An Anthology, and Abundant Grace.
In addition to my reporting, I'm a copyeditor and proofreader. I've worked on articles, reports, books, annual reports, grants, and other editorial projects for nonprofits, research institutions, businesses, and individual authors. I'm proficient in Chicago, MLA, and AP styles, and quickly learn individual house styles as well.
Previously, I worked as a program manager and communications director at the International Reporting Project (IRP), and before that I was an assistant editor at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
In my spare time, I moderate two book clubs: Nonfiction at One More Page Books & More and Read Harder at Upshur Street Books. Drop by sometime!
Contact Me
If you have any ideas, comments, links, or suggestions, please feel free to email me at MelodyASchreiber [at] gmail.com or contact me through any of the social networks you see to the right.


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Rosalind Nowicki Named EVP at Fox Consumer Products (Exclusive)
Working in the global sales and retail division, The 4Kids Entertainment vet will work on licensing for "Ice Age," "The Simpsons" and "Avatar" worldwide.
Rosalind Nowicki has been appointed executive vp, global sales and retail, for Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively.
She will report to the division's president Jeffrey Godsick.
Nowicki will have oversight of licensing sales and retail programs on a global scale. She will also manage the London office for the divisions.
PHOTOS: Toy Wars: Battle of the Blockbuster Summer
Godsick called her appointment a step in expanding Fox's worldwide strategy. Among the titles for whom she will be doing licensing are Ice Age, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Avatar, Sons of Anarchy, The Simpsons and Fox Sports.
"Roz is a top executive in this field with experience in all areas of licensing, ranging from licensor to retail to brand development," said Godsick. "She is both a creative and strategic thinker, and brings strong senior-level relationships to this role. With her expertise, she will be instrumental in continuing to grow our business."
Nowicki spent the last 11 years as executive vp for global marketing & licensing for 4Kids Entertainment, where she helped introduce the Yu-Gi-Oh! brand, achieving over $4 billion at retail.
Prior to 4Kids, she was a vp of softlines licensing at Universal Studios helping sell Jurassic Park, among other properties. Before that she held positions at Guess And Disney.


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Tag Archives: China
Chinese Political Cartoons
Ethan Persoff has a new neat gallery with 35 Anti-U.S. Chinese Political Cartoons, circa 1958-1960. Culled and restored from reviewing hundreds of Eastern newspaper pages and illustrations, this set of 35 images represents what we consider the best late 50s … Continue reading
Posted in politics, vintage Tagged cartoon, China, History, politics, propaganda, vintage 6 Comments
Morning Sun
Morning Sun: a film and a website about Cultural Revolution. A very interesting site with full of information of the Cultural Revolution and its changes in the Chinese culture, with articles, photographs, posters, paintings, artwork, artifacts, audio, badges, videos, suggestions … Continue reading
Chinese Pamphlets
There is no revolution without propaganda, all kind of propaganda, which includes a lot of printed material, like posters and pamphlets. Propaganda, to be efficent, has be emphatic with it's message, using strong colours, or powerful messages or, and, be … Continue reading
Posted in design, vintage Tagged books, China, comics, design, postcards, propaganda, vintage 3 Comments
The Year of the Dog.
Happy Chinese New Year! Welcome to the of the Dog!
Google in China
Everybody is talking about the Google censorship episode in China. Few people understood what this is about, but most people is against what they did anyway. But, what does Google say about it? The Official Google Blog gives Google's version … Continue reading
Posted in Google, Internet Tagged censorship, China, Google, Internet, search 3 Comments
Chinese images from the Cultural Revolution
Li Zhensheng – the Chinese photography in the Cultural Revolution. Pictures from 1964 till 1976. Li Zhensheng was the one person who, through his unique photographic legacy, could convey this truth on the printed page. A few guidelines were established … Continue reading
Posted in art, History, photography Tagged China, History, photography, pictures, revolution Comments Off on Chinese images from the Cultural Revolution
Vintage Chinese Propaganda Posters
Maopost has an impressive collection of vintage Chinese propaganda posters, more then thousand images. Some beautiful posters of movies, sports, culture, education, heroes, socialism, workers, children and others subjects, and calendar cards.
Asia Through the Lens
Asia Through the Lens, vintage pictures of China and Japan. Discover the exotic east as it once was – a land of mystery and adventure – slowly beginning to share its secrets with the world as captured on film by … Continue reading
Posted in History, photography, vintage Tagged China, History, Japan, photographer, photography, pictures, vintage Comments Off on Asia Through the Lens
Sister Furong
One more Internet celebrity: Sister Furong on the Wired article No Sex, Please, We're Repressed. Floozie or role model, attention monger or free spirit? For months, China has been debating what to make of its latest internet-born star, a young … Continue reading
The Gertrude Bass Warner collection
Gertrude Bass Warner Collection: hand-tinted images of Japan, China, Korea and Cambodia from 1903 till 1929.
Posted in culture, photography Tagged Cambodia, China, collection, culture, History, Japan, Korea, photography, pictures 2 Comments


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There's innovation in Linux. There are some really good technical features that I'm proud of. There are capabilities in Linux that aren't in other operating systems.
—Linus Torvalds
Features and Capabilities Abstract
SAFe describes a hierarchy of artifacts that describe functional system behavior: Epics>Capabilities>Features>Stories. This article describes Features and Capabilities, which are used to describe system and Solution behavior.
The terms features and capabilities are not unique to SAFe. They are largely industry-standard terms, used by Product and Solution Managers, chief engineers, marketing, and sales personnel to describe products and solutions to Customers. A feature is a service provided by the system that addresses one or more user needs. A capability describes the higher-level behaviors of a solution at the Value Stream Level.
Features and capabilities are developed and managed through the Program and Value Stream Kanbans, respectively, where they progress to facilitate readiness, prioritization, and approval, and await implementation. This process assumes reasoned economic analysis, technical impact, and strategies for incremental implementation.
To avoid redundancy, most of this article is devoted to describing the definition, articulation, and implementation of features, as they provide the description of system behavior for each ART. Capabilities are simply a level of abstraction above features, applied to the solution in the optional value stream level, where they exhibit largely the same attributes.
Features and Capabilities are central to the SAFe Requirements Model. They are critical to definition, planning, and implementation of value and represent the most basic mechanism of advancing the Solution in SAFe. Figure 1 provides the larger context for these artifacts.
As Figure 1 shows, features are the required, primary, functional system definition element. Each feature reflects a service provided by the system that fulfills some stakeholder need. Features are maintained in the Program Backlog and sized to fit in Program Increments, so that each PI delivers value. Features originate from the local context of the Agile Release Train, or they may arise as a result of splitting Epics or capabilities.
Features (and, similarly, capabilities) are managed in the Kanban systems. They are subject to Product Management and System Architect/Engineering authority and prioritized using Weighted Shortest Job First, or WSJF. They realize value in the context of certain Nonfunctional Requirements. Features are planned and reviewed at PI boundaries; implemented as Stories; and are integrated, tested, and demonstrated as the functionality becomes available.
Capabilities are similar to features; however, they describe higher-level solution behaviors and often take multiple ARTs to implement. Capabilities are sized to fit within PIs to ensure that each PI delivers incremental and measurable value. (Epics are used to describe initiatives that require multiple PIs to implement.) Capabilities may originate in the local context of the solution or occur as a result of splitting portfolio epics that may cut across more than one Value Stream. Another potential source of capabilities is the Solution Context, where some aspect of the environment may require new solution functionality.
Describing Features
Features are described using a Features and Benefits Matrix (FAB).
- Feature – A short phrase giving a name and some implied context
- Benefit – A short description of the benefit to the user and the business; there may be multiple benefits per feature
Since features can span multiple user roles, SAFe generally recommends against using the user story voice to express them. Furthermore, the business is not usually familiar with user stories and it may cause confusion if the same format is used for both stories and features.
An example features and benefits matrix is illustrated in Figure 2.
Creating and Managing Features
In collaboration with Product Owners and other key stakeholders, features are created by Product Managers in the local context of an ART. Others arise as a result of decomposition of epics. Enabler features pave the Architectural Runway, support exploration, or may provide the infrastructure needed to develop, test, and integrate the initiative. Enabler features are generally created by Architects or Engineers and maintained in the program backlog alongside business features.
Just like business features, enabler features may originate from epics or emerge locally at the ART level in support of the needs of the Agile Teams, ARTs, or value streams. Enablers that make it through the Kanban systems will be subject to capacity allocation in the program backlog to ensure that enough emphasis is placed on both, furthering the solution and extending the architectural runway. Capacity allocation can be applied for enabler work as a whole or it can be used to differentiate between the various types of enablers.
Prioritizing Features
SAFe applies WSJF for continuous prioritization of features in the program backlog. Since selecting the right work items in the right sequence delivers the primary economic benefit to the ART—and thereby the solution—it's hard to overestimate the importance of this critical process.
Estimating Features
Features estimation facilitates forecasting value delivery, applying WSJF prioritization, and sizing larger initiatives such as epics. Feature estimation usually occurs in the "refinement" state of Program Kanban and relies on normalized estimation techniques, equivalent to the approach used by Agile Teams for estimating stories (see the Stories article for more detail on estimating with normalized story points). Feature estimation at this point, however, does not require full breakdown into stories or involve all the teams that possibly will be involved in feature development. Instead, select subject matter experts may be involved in basic exploration and sizing.
Accepting Features
Features also have acceptance criteria that are used to determine whether the implementation is correct and delivers the business benefits. Figure 3 provides an example of a feature with acceptance criteria:
Elaboration of acceptance criteria not only mitigates implementation risks but also provides early validation of whether or not feature scope entails desirable value to the business. In addition, acceptance criteria are typically the source of various stories, as well as functional tests, that are developed and automated to support refactoring and regression testing.
Product Management is responsible for accepting the features. They use acceptance criteria to determine whether the functionality has been properly implemented and nonfunctional requirements met.
Value Stream Capabilities
Most of this article is devoted to describing the definition, articulation, and implementation of features, as they are the most prevalent description of system behavior. Since capabilities are aggregations of features at the solution level, they exhibit the same characteristics and practices. For example, capabilities:
- Are described using a similar matrix as the feature and benefits matrix and have associated acceptance criteria
- Originate in the local value stream context or are derived from epics
- Are sized to fit in a PI
- Are reasoned about and approved using the Value Stream Kanban. Approved capabilities are maintained in the value stream backlog
- Have associated enablers to describe and bring visibility to all the technical work necessary to support efficient development and delivery of business capabilities
- Are accepted by Solution Managers, who use the acceptance criteria to determine whether the functionality has been properly implemented.
Splitting Features and Capabilities
Capabilities must be split into features to be implemented. Features, in turn, are split into stories consumable by teams within an iteration timebox. The list below provides 10 patterns for "splitting work," as described in Leffingwell [1, Chapter 6]. They can be applied to all the above-mentioned cases.
- Work flow steps
- Business rule variations
- Major effort
- Simple/complex
- Variations in data
- Data methods
- Deferring system qualities
- Operations
- Use-case scenarios
- Breaking out a spike
An example of splitting a capability into features is illustrated in Figure 4.
Learn More
[1] Leffingwell, Dean. Agile Software Requirements: Lean Requirements Practices for Teams, Programs, and the Enterprise. Addison-Wesley, 2011.
Last update: 21 April 2016


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One of the most long awaited features of OS 10.2 is being able to set multiple alarms. We've discussed this topic numerous times and I'm sure there are folks, like myself, who want to avoid creating several calendar entries to serve this purpose. My schedule in the morning varies because of work or other commitments so this capability is long overdue for those of us who use our BlackBerry as an alarm clock.
Setting up multiple alarms is a fairly simple process. As with setting the main alarm the steps are relatively the same with a few minor adjustments.
- Open the clock application
- Tap on the add alarm icon in the upper right
In this menu you can set the alarm name, time, tone, recurrence, and set the snooze duration. Once entered, they are automatically placed into the BlackBerry calendar.
- Enter in the name for the alarm
- To set the alarm time tap on the dropdown and scroll to the applicable hour and minute
- To set the snooze, choose the desired duration from the dropdown menu
- To set the specific day(s) the alarm should go off, tap on the Recurrence option and select the checkbox next to one or more days. For daily reminders, you may also tap on the toggle button to turn it on or off
- To set the audible tone heard when it goes off, tap alarm tone and select from the choices listed or tap on Add Music to use a file from your media library. The volume level is also adjustable from within this screen
- Tap Save
As the screen only displays one active alarm at a time there are a couple of ways to view or manage them.
- Tap on the alarm icon in the upper right to view, modify, toggle on/off, or delete alarms; or
- Each alarm appears as an orange/red dial on the analog clock. By tapping and holding on each one you can adjust the alarm time by dragging it around the clock face
To delete an alarm
- Tap on the alarms icon in the upper right
- Long press on the one you wish to remove
- Tap on the delete icon
So what are you waiting for? Besides helping us wake up in the morning, there are plenty of other activities to set an alarm for throughout your day.


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- "He's a frog."
- ―Darth Lucas
Frog is the race of Yoda and Yaddle.
There was no contesting to this name as all creatures across the galaxy considered Yoda and the like of him as "frogs". Yoda was even once heard ribbeting a few times on the Jedi Council. However they have a history of having high midiclorian count and as Master Kirmate the frog said after being asked about it he said
- "It's not easy being green"
- ―Kermit
This probably suggest that midichlorians give off a green pigment, either that or it could be due to senileness. Not to be confused with the Bullfrog.


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Languages, Literature and Film: Middle East Studies Subject Guide
Browsing for Literature
At NCSU Libraries, you can find resources that will allow you to explore the languages and works of art from the middle east. To browse for literature, explore the following call number areas:
- Arabic: PJ6001-PJ8517
- Hebrew: PJ4501-PJ5192
- Persian (Farsi): PK6001-PK6996
- Turkish: PL21-PL396
Translating Dictionaries
- Arabic to English
- English to Arabic
- Hebrew to English
- English to Hebrew
- Persian to English
- English to Persian
- Turkish to English
- English to Turkish
Companion Encyclopedia of Middle Eastern and North African Film
D.H. Hill Reference PN1993.5 .A65 C66 2001
Includes scholarly essays cinema from different Middle Eastern countries, as well as annotated filmographies and lists of film directors from these countries.
To find Middle Eastern films held by NCSU Libraries, try the following search strategy in the Libraries Catalog:
- Search for the name of the Middle Eastern country as a Subject. Narrow your search use the limiters on the left menu: Format: Videos and DVDs, Genre: Feature films.
- For example: Films about Egypt


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The outcome of Germany's parliamentary elections have evoked mixed reactions in Prague; relief over Chancellor Angela Merkel's election victory is mingled with concern by the surge of support for the AfD which will bring a far-right party into Germany's parliament for the first time in more than half a century.
National elections in Germany are taking place on Sunday. With some predicting the far-right could gain a foothold in the Bundestag for the first time in the history of post-war Germany, the results could have repercussions across Europe, including for the neighbouring Czech Republic. I asked political analyst Jiří Pehe for his take on the election's potential impact:
In an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on
Tuesday, the Czech president, Miloš Zeman, told the gathered world leaders
that the world community was still hesitant to fully engage in the war
against terrorism.
Mr. Zeman said the United Nations required a strong agency that would be capable of also employing military force to combat what he called "terrorist anti-civilisation".
The Czech head of state said some terrorists were active under cover of mass migration, a trend that he also said was causing a brain drain from undeveloped African states.
Czech ambassadors from around the world congregated in Prague this week for their annual round of consultations. Among the foreign policy issues on their agenda were security, economic diplomacy, EU-related matters and regional cooperation. During a small break in their busy agenda, I met with the Czech Ambassador to France Petr Drulák to talk about Franco-Czech relations, the country's position in the EU and the role of the Visegrad alliance. I began by asking for his take on Prime Minister Sobotka's recent proposal that the Czech Republic should
The planned renovation of the Czech embassy building at Wilhelmstrasse 44
in Berlin, Germany, is expected to cost around half a billion crowns (the
equivalent of around 19 million euros) the Czech News Agency reports. The
planned renovation, discussed for several years, would be completed by
The government is due to take a decision on the renovation in September. The building, which housed some 500 employees during the Cold War, was built in the 1970s. It was designed by the architects Věra and Vladimír Machonin and is an example of Brutalist architecture. The Machonins also designed the famous Kotva and DBK department stores in Prague.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is to pay a one-day visit to the
Czech Republic on September 12th, President Milos Zeman said at a meeting
with Czech ambassadors on Wednesday.
The Czech president said he had invited his German counterpart to visit the Czech Republic shortly after his election in February of this year, also in view of the fact that in 2017 the two neighbour states are marking an important anniversary : 20 years since the signing of the Czech-German Declaration on Reconciliation.
Libor Sečka is a seasoned Czech diplomat who has served as ambassador in countries such as Italy, Spain, Malta and China. At the start of 2016 he took office as Czech ambassador to the UK. On a brief visit to Prague, I spoke to him about his current mission, the life of a diplomat and how he won a bottle of wine in an ambassadorial bet on the outcome of the Brexit referendum.
Czech counterintelligence helps uncover Hezbollah hacking scheme
New electric scooters invade Prague's pavements
Skripal suspects believed to have followed him in Czechia long before attempted poisoning
Aero Vodochody presents new L-39NG military aircraft
Djokovic and Agassi among stars to attend Štěpánek farewell in Prague


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Late Night: Guitarist Alvin Lee Has Gone HomePosted: March 6, 2013 Filed under: just because | Tags: Alvin Lee, blues, British Invasion, Obituaries 4 Comments
Sad news today…
Alvin Lee, lead guitarist and vocalist for the 1960s group Ten Years After, died this morning of complications from routine surgery, according to his website. He was 68.
Lee's blues-rock group Ten Years After already was big in England before rocketing to international fame with its wild show at Woodstock in 1969. The band's 10-minute rendition of Lee's "I'm Going Home" became a cornerstone of Michael Wadleigh's film about the festival and its soundtrack album, which would spend four weeks at No. 1 in the U.S. in 1970.
Having grown up on his family's jazz and blues records but inspired by '50s rock 'n' roll, Lee, born Dec. 19, 1944, formed the Jaybirds in his midteens in his hometown of Nottingham, England. The group had some success after following The Beatles to Hamburg, Germany, but took hold after changing its name and relocating to London.
The newly christened Ten Years After played a residency at Marquee Club, where The Rolling Stones had debuted a half-decade earlier. A gig at the 1967 Windsor Jazz & Blues Festival led to a record deal with Denam. The band's 1967 self-titled debut album — an innovative mix of rock, blues and swing jazz that featured "I'm Going Home" — failed to chart but received some airplay in San Francisco's burgeoning FM radio scene.
That led legendary promoter Bill Graham to bring the band across the pond for a U.S. tour — the first of more than two dozen American jaunts during the next seven years.
Woodstock propelled Ten Years After into the forefront of the second-wave British Invasion, whose emphasis often was on flashy guitar playing with extensive solos.
Lee told the BBC in 2012 that he still had the 335 he played at Woodstock, but that he didn't use it much any more, "because it's too valuable."
Lee also later said he was ambivalent about the band becoming headlining stars, saying it took away some of the intimacy he enjoyed playing for smaller audiences in closer quarters….Lee, like his friend John Mayall, always said he wanted to stay true to the blues, country, jazz and rock roots he heard in his youth, and he spent much of his musical time going back there.
Back to The Hollywood Reporter:
Ten Years After ultimately released 10 albums before splitting in 1973. Lee soon teamed with American gospel singer Mylon LeFevre for a country rock album, On the Road to Freedom, which featured such guests as George Harrison, Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Mick Fleetwood and Ron Wood. Lee would spend the rest of the '70s touring and making solo records. During the decade's waning years, he formed Ten Years Later, which released a pair of albums, and he continued to play gigs in the U.S. and Europe.
During the '80s, he teamed with Rare Bird vocalist Steve Gould and toured with ex-Stone Mick Taylor in his band, and his "90s albums include Zoom and 1994 (I Hear You Rocking).
In 2004, he released the rootsy Alvin Lee in Tennessee, teaming with Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana from Elvis Presley's band. His most recent record, 2007's Saguitar, flowed from hard rock to slow blues to a take on rap. His 14th solo album, Still on the Road to Freedom, was released in August. A new compilation album, Best of Alvin Lee, was issued in May.
Rest In Peace, Alvin. You've left us too soon.


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Question and answer forum website needs to create
Budget $250-750 USD
I am looking for question and answer forum it should be SEO friendly site. If you have already done please send your example work.
29 freelancers are bidding on average $539 for this job
Hi, I can assist you with this project. Here is a sampling of the few of my work contained at my portfolio: [login to view URL] Please reply back so we can discuss. Regards, DT
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text: I've got a client who uses the email autoresponder quite a bit. It appears that the autoresponder functions BEFORE the spam filters -- so it is sending out autoresponse messages to hundreds of junk email addresses. Then, her mail box fills up with returned and undeliverable emails. Does anybody know how to fix this issue? Thanks!


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Starting page
This page is based on a structured content for text blocks. Such types can be defined by yourself for editing and rendering structured contents.
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An inheritance group references a group of content elements. It extends the functionality of the element group by passing on the content element configuration down the navigation tree.
OpenCms 8.5 Demo Content
This demo content shows how the features of OpenCms 8.5 are used to create great looking websites.
Search for content
Page subscription
Most Recent News
Exciting new Acacia variety discovered
Sep 24, 2012
Flowers not only look nice...
Aug 2, 2012
An element group (like this one) allows you to group multiple content elements together and share them on several pages.
Wonderful World of Flowers
Wonderful World of Flowers presents the most spectacular and amazing stories about flowers from around the world. Entertaining and with lots of useful information. Let us take you into the adventurous world of flowers around the globe!
- Below Flower Today you will find all up-to-date news and information about flower-related events.
- The Flower Dictionary provides in-depth information about different flower types.
- If you already have access, you can find additional information inside our extranet, Flower Extra.
Go to the german starting page.
About this demo
These demo pages "Wonderful World of Flowers" are used to show various features of OpenCms.
The demo uses a configurable template, intended to be used as a starting point for developing your own website with OpenCms. Create the website structure in the Sitemap Editor. Add existing or new content to a page simply by drag & drop. Edit text content directly "in the page". Use the form based editor for more complex editing operations.
Have fun exploring OpenCms 8.5 and the wonderful world of flowers.


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Terms & Conditions of Business1. These Terms and Conditions apply to the Agreement between This Moment Events, LLC (http://thismomentevents.com) website and the online user, This Moment Events, LLC (the "Company") agrees to provide services, assistance, information and recommendations to you (the "Client") either directly or by introduction to a third party supplier. By using This Moment Events LLC's services online whether to refer to a third party or to gather wedding information, the Client will be deemed to have accepted these Terms and Conditions. 2. Within these Terms, the following expression shall have the following meanings:
DEFINITIONS:- "Associates" Employees, subcontractors or agents acting for either the Company or a Third Party Supplier "Company" This Moment Events, LLC "Client" You, the person, firm, company or organization requesting the Services "Services" All services or information provided by the Company to the Client as advertised on the Company's Website requested by the Client online as set out more fully in these terms "Terms and Conditions" These terms on the date of your interaction with This Moment Events, LLC
3. General 3.1 The Company is in the business of providing the following services: 3.1.1 providing personalized information and recommendations for Clients, including but not limited to wedding plans, vendors, ideas, decor, procedures, etc.,; 3.1.2 Providing information and assistance relating to the Services including wedding ideas and places and designer names and labels; providing recommendations, links and contacts with wedding vendors and retailers.
4. Supply of Services and Company's Responsibilities 4.1 The Company provides all information, the Services and recommendations online. The Company provides these Services based on the opinions of our planners, by using this service The Client accepts the opinion of The Company. 4.2 The Company shall provide all Services using all reasonable skill and care. 4.3 The Company reserves the right to refuse to provide any services or information which, in its reasonable opinion, it is inappropriate to provide.
5. Client's Responsibilities The Client acknowledges that the Company shall have no liability or responsibility whatsoever in respect of any transaction made with the wedding vendors or retailers recommended by the Company.
6. Liability 6.1 The Company shall not be liable for any costs, losses or damages allegedly suffered by the Client in any circumstances, including indirect loss. 6.2 In particular, notwithstanding the generality of 6.1 above, the Company shall not be liable for any information provided about specific vendors or ideas or products and there can be no damages flowing from any information provided to the Client. The Client accepts all responsibility for making their own decision to use any recommended item, vendor or idea. 6.3 In the event the Client requests or receives suggestions of items to purchase from particular retailers or outlets or general advice, recommendations or views on appearance and features, the Company specifically excludes all liability flowing from the provision of any such information and makes no guarantee as to the availability or suitability of such information. All information is given by way of personal recommendation and suggestion and the Client fully accepts that this is the basis upon which Services are given.
7. Complaints Any complaint about the way in which the Company has handled a Client's request for Services or conducted itself should be addressed to a Director of the Company via firstname.lastname@example.com.
8. Confidentiality and Data Protection 8.1 Both the Client and the Company shall, save to the extent that disclosure might be required by law, keep confidential to themselves all information about the other and shall not disclose any information which they learn about the other party. 8.2 Under the Data Protection Act 1984, the Client shall be entitled upon request to view any personal records held by the Company relating to her and upon payment of a reasonable administration fee if requested by the Company. The Client acknowledges that reasonable personal data concerning it may be maintained by the Company and the Company in its turn agrees to abide by regulations under the Data Protection Act in connection with the maintenance of such records. This Moment Events, LLC will not share its client's personal data to make any kind of profit and upon de-registration the data will be permanently deleted.
9. General 9.1 These Terms and the Online registration by the Client and request for services constitute the entire agreement between the parties and supersede any previous agreement or understanding. 9.2 No failure or delay by the Company in exercising any of its rights under these Terms shall be deemed a waiver of that right. No waiver by the Company of any breach shall be considered a waiver of any subsequent breach. 9.3 Any notice required to be given by one party to the other may be sent by the e-mail address given by each. 9.4 If any provisions of these Terms are unenforceable, such provision shall be severed and the remainder of the provisions shall remain in full force and effect. 9.5 These Terms shall be construed in accordance with English Law and the parties submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts. 9.6 The Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 shall not apply to this agreement. 9.7 The Company may assign its rights and obligations under these Terms and in particular may use the services of associates, but the Client may not assign its rights or obligations under this agreement without the express written consent of the Company. 9.8 The Company reserve the right to change these terms and conditions at any time without prior notice to The Client. Last updated 8th August 2014.


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Sapphire HD 7970 6GB Toxic Edition Review
By ccokeman -
Civilization V is a turn-based strategy game. The premise is to play as one of 18 civilizations and lead the civilization from the "dawn of man" up to the space age. This latest iteration of the Civilization series uses a new game engine and massive changes to the way the AI is used throughout the game. Civilization V is developed by Firaxis Games and is published by 2K games and was released for Windows in September of 2010. Testing will be done using actual game play with FPS measured by Fraps through a series of five turns, 150 turns into the game.
- 4x MSAA
- Global Settings = High
- DirectX 11
Performance wise the Toxic HD 7970 6GB delivers excellent performance across all four tests.


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What would you like to know?
Mortgage Calculator
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4222 Coventry Way, North Vancouver
Situated prominently on a sought after cul-de-sac in Upper Lonsdale & surrounded by mature landscaping is this exceptional custom built & recently renovated 6,100sqft home. A soaring grand foyer opens to a light-filled main floor, feat. a chef's kitchen w/ SS appliances, island, pantry, & wok-kitchen. The eating area & family room enjoy French doors to a wrap-around 1,400sqft sundeck w/ dining area, fire bowl, & private hot tub. A formal living room, dining room, media room, laundry, & office complete the main. The 2nd-storey offers 4 bedrooms incl. master suite w/ huge WIC, 6-pc ensuite, & 300sqft sundeck, while the ground level is an entertainers delight w/wet bar, family room, games room & more! Set on an 11,771sqft estate sized lot w/ terraced yard, perfect for families & pets.
Taxes (2017): $10,761.74


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Virginia is for Solar Lovers
This week our class takes a closer look at Virginia electric rates, solar incentives, and policies. Using our handy search tool, we learn that Virginia has a property tax exemption for solar. However, this tax exemption does not apply to residential solar property. It's always upsetting to find solar policy which prioritizes corporations over consumers, but it may be some comfort that property tax is relatively low in the state. Local property taxes may offer additional exemptions to all customer classes.
On the bright side, Virginia offers one of the better net-metering options in the country, applying an "unlimited" roll-over of net-metering credits to solar arrays up to 20kW for residential and 1MW for commercial. Net-metering also applies to local cooperatives. I wonder how the TVA regions of Virginia respond to this request? However, solar owners should hurry fast with their projects – the program is capped at 1% of Virginia's peak electric load. Agricultural customers can aggregate contiguous properties into a single net-metered array.
Since 2013, Dominion Power has offered a 5 year purchasing contract for solar at roughly ~30% above the retail price of electricity. The program is limited to 3MW total but they still seem to be accepting applications. Because the electricity is sold to the utility rather than net-metered, it isn't a substantially better program for residential customers, but commercial business owners on demand-rate structures may want to look into development opportunity.
Virginia has a voluntary renewable goal for its utilities to be 15% renewable by 2025. This goal should be met easily enough. I would caution voluntary renewable energy buyers to perform their due diligence when signing up for their utility's green choice plan. Under voluntary rather than mandatory renewable portfolio standards, the RECs purchased for utility compliance can sometimes be resold to voluntary customers, effectively allowing utilities to push their environmental responsibilities onto environmental altruists who may not fully understand that they are picking up the tab for their utility's green energy compliance.
Also, Virginia prevents HOAs from banning solar, as well as allowing homeowners to file solar easements to protect the horizon view to their solar array.
In short, Virginia has good solar policies in place and solar industry growth is only being held back by its average electricity pricing – a good problem to have. Customers should check with their power company for demand-based or time-of-use based rate structures, which can make battery-based solar arrays more valuable than the more widespread batteryless solar designs while also providing a source of backup power during any outages. For business owners whose demand is above 50kW on Dominion's service, demand charges are approaching $15/kW which is a good signal for a strong battery market. While there are both time-of-use and demand time-of-use rates available for residential customers, none seem particularly beneficial compared to the basic rate plan, given Virginia's generous net-metering policy.


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Pastel Pink Beverage NapkinsItem: 203-284
Party with Pink Style
Complete any girl's birthday party, baby shower or breast cancer awareness event with pink tableware.
- 20 beverage napkins per package.
- 5″ long and wide.
- 2 ply beverage napkins.
Celebrate in style with our pink party decorations. Decorate with pink from wall to floor with our great selection of pink party decorations.


text: Where do people get their rss feeds from? I'm having a hard time finding a url for a feed for my niche. TBH, I don't even know where to start. From the feeds I've found, either the articles just aren't very good or they aren't updated often with new articles. I'm using wp-o-matic but I don't see how that would be a difference since I can't even find a url for a decent feed.


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Frequent flyer: Art of the travelling cyclist
- News & Features
- Road Cycling
- Cam Whiting December 22, 2011
Serious cyclist? Is your passion all-consuming? Frequent travel, especially work-related, can easily destabilize a cyclist's routine and potentially wreak havoc on cycling fitness.
Aussie Invention, Quad Lock iPhone Mount
- Reviews & Tech
- Urban
- Christopher Jones December 9, 2011
The Quad Lock is destined to be an affordable bike mount for the iPhone 4/S if funding through kickstarter is successful.
Getting kids into cycling (Part 1): As easy as...
- News & Features
- Commuting
- David Halfpenny December 1, 2011
Thirty something years ago, BNA's David Halfpenny learned to ride a bike. Now it's his turn to teach his kids and he finds that there's a better way to do it.
This is how the bike industry works
- News & Features
- Christopher Jones November 14, 2011
Ever wondered about pricing and why something that costs $20 to make then retails for $400? Industry expert Cam Whiting is exploring the ins and outs in his Vertical limit series.
Finalists for Australian Cyclist of the Year
- News & Features
- Cycling Australia November 1, 2011
For the November 12 presentation, Cycling Australia has published the finalists for the Australia Cyclist of the Year Awards.
GreenUps Sustainability drinks in Sydney
- News & Features
- Urban
- Christopher Jones October 2, 2011
In the unofficial prelude to the Ride Sydney and Bicycle Film Festivals, the GreenUps Sustainability drinks invites you to the Beresford Hotel on Tuesday October 4.
Cadel 24/7 Photography Exhibition in Sydney
- News & Features
- Road Cycling
- Christopher Jones September 7, 2011
Award winning Aussie photographer Mark Gunter captured this years Tour de France on camera and presents the photo exhibition in Sydney.
Bike Futures 2011 Conference in October
- News & Features
- Road Cycling
- Christopher Jones September 2, 2011
Bike Futures 2011 will bring together world leading experts as well as some of Australia's leading practitioners on how to best respond to the issues confronting communities as they embrace the bicycle revolution.
Survey Shows 4 Million Australians Cycle Weekly
- News & Features
- Christopher Jones September 1, 2011
The Australian Bicycle Council survey results show that 18% of Australians ride each week.
South Australia, Melrose MTB Demo Day
- News & Features
- Christopher Jones August 31, 2011
Melrose in SA has arguably Australia's best singletracks and OTE will set you up on a MTB on their Demo Day.


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This Caitlyn Jenner Halloween Costume Is Causing Total Outrage
You Can Now Dress As Caitlyn Jenner for Halloween, But We Don't Recommend It
Fall is almost upon us, and you know what that means – new and improved pumpkin spice lattes and planning out your next Halloween costume.
In preparation for the season, costume shops have already begun offering their wares, and one particular costume has begun creating a lot of outrage – a unisex number inspired by Caitlyn Jenner.
Remember when Caitlyn Jenner looked like this?
Well, now you can look like her too…
This @Caitlyn_Jenner Halloween costume is the worst thing to come out of the Internet today http://t.co/J42QSthoMe pic.twitter.com/jqvcgBQnFh
— KiSS 92.5 (@KiSS925) August 24, 2015
Most are calling the costume utterly insensitive, not to mention ugly, cheap looking, and it costs a staggering $75.
But that's not all, here's the description of this finely constructed outfit: " Included are a white padded top and matching shorts as well as a brunette wig so that you can dress as the softer side of the popular Olympian." Wait. It gets better. "You probably won't break any Twitter records when you wear this outfit like Caitlyn did when she first made her account, but you'll be sure to get a few laughs out of your friends and the other guests at the get together."
Well, as long as we get some laughs at the expense of the transgender movement, it'll be a successful Halloween.
There is now a Caitlyn Jenner Halloween costume, if you want to lose credibility as a person. http://t.co/37NW1IcQxb pic.twitter.com/30aNW3Uk3P
— someecards (@someecards) August 24, 2015
Dressing up as a celebrity for Halloween is not a new thing (remember last year when everyone went as the right side of Ariana Grande's face?) And seeing that Caitlyn Jenner has been one of the most hot-button topics of the year, it's no surprise that people want to capitalize on her popularity and appear to be socially aware by donning her most famous look. But that doesn't mean making money off of transphobia is a forgivable offense.
Many are calling it utterly disrespectful. What's your take?


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Ten producer hopefuls will battle it out this summer on TV Guide Network's new reality show America's Next Producer hosted by Ananda Lewis ( The Ananda Lewis Show).
The prize is $100,000 cash, a deal with TV Guide Network and a Hollywood production office.
The contestants must create compelling TV concepts in different genres each week for judges David Hill (Chairman & CEO, FOX Sports Television Group) and Matt Roush (Senior Television Critic, TV Guide magazine). The competition starts full screen on TV Guide Network Wednesday, July 18 at 8pm/7c.
From thousands of entries, here are the 10 who made the cut:
" Bradley Gallo (The Problem Solver): 29, Long Island, NY - This self-proclaimed "problem solver that talks too much" is a freelance producer based out of New York City and thinks he has this competition in the bag. He holds a directing certificate from New York University.
" Daniel Hosea (The News): 33, New York City - Hosea's a CNN writer and producer hoping to make his own news as the next big thing in comedy or drama production. He produces NBC Weather Plus and writes package intros for American Morning.
" Jessica Iaccarino (The Drama Queen): 32, Huntingon Station, NY - A true New Yorker and docu-reality fanatic, this professed drama queen wants to add her own drama to the list of TV hits. Iaccarino is a supervising producer at Speed TV.
" Lindsay Liles (The Surprise): 24, West Hollywood - Liles may be the youngest person in Style Network's production department for Clean House, but she hopes to prove the competition's naysayers wrong with her ambition and know how.
" Adam Mutterperl (The Control Freak): 32, New York City - A dabbler in comedic writing, directing and performing, Mutterperl's a self-described "control freak" who wants to show off his skills to the world. He dreams of producing his own TV comedy.
" Sharon Nash (The Veteran): 46, Alta Dena, CA - This seasoned television vet has 25 years under her belt and her own recipe for professional success: tough skin, ambition and an eye for talent. She's worked on national primetime shows to local TV news and aspires to not only be America's Next Producer but also America's Next Mogul.
" Steve "Schliz" Schleinitz (The Marine): 32, Los Angeles - A former United States Marine, Schleinitz served his country for four years and, later, the porn industry while producing the Girls Gone Wild series. Schleinitz calls himself a Hollywood ladies man who will win over the judges with his hot ideas.
" Evie Shapiro (The Competitor): 36, Los Angeles - As a Daily Show and HBO producer, Shapiro can lead a crew but doesn't always play well with others. She may just surprise everyone with her talent and leadership skills in this competition.
" Gwen Uszuko (The Newcomer): 22, Denver - Don't discount the youngest competitor in the bunch. This Notre Dame grad won TV Guide Network's online video contest last month with her personal bio submission and also works for FOX 31 in Denver.
" Alphonso "Zo" Wesson (The Entrepreneur): 46, Cincinnati - This high profile director and producer's resume is extensive, including Oprah and Gayle's Big Adventure and MTV's Making the Band reality series. Wesson has over 20 years of experience and serves as the owner, director and producer of Cincinnati-based ZoMotion Pictures.
Today's News
America's Next Producer Contestants Announced!
Ten producer hopefuls will battle it out this summer on TV Guide Network's new reality show America's Next Producer hosted by Ananda Lewis ( The Ananda Lewis Show).


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These pouches from HAPPIDIGEE with zipper as "mouth", aptly named ZIPMAWTH, are way too adorable! But beyond their cutie patootie look is the unmistakable functionality that makes them practical storage means for just about anything, as indicated in the official product description - cellphone (up to 2 phones), coins/bills, cards, receipts, cosmetics, flash drive, digital camera, keys, pens, small notebooks, candies/ gums, jewelry, sewing materials AND MANY MORE!
Each Zipmawth measures 6 x4.5 inches so it is very handy and can fit even into a little bag. Its leatherette material is sturdy and waterproof to some extent.
Cute and Functional? That can only be a Zipmawth! At P100 retail price, I guess I wouldn't have to look for anything else anymore to give out to my family and friends this Christmas!:D That would save me a lot of time and moolah of course teeeeheee :D
As for everybody, don't you think it's time to OWN a zipmawth NOW?:D


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Regular Trash Pick Up
Regular household trash pick-ups in Cammack Village are on Mondays and Thursdays. Residents are provided a 95 gallon carts with a blue lid by Republic Services for regular household trash.
Yard Waste Collection
Yard waste will be picked up on Mondays following regular trash pick up. Residents are provided a separate 95 gallon Cart with a brown lid by Republic Services strictly for yard waste. Limbs, leaves, and other brush will only be collected if it is in the yard waste cart. Limbs do not have to be bundled but they must be small enough to fit inside the 95 gallon container.
Recycling will be picked up every other Thursdays following the regular trash pick up. Residents are provided another 95 gallon cart with a green lid by Republic Services strictly for Recycling. There is no sorting required to recycle. Examples of acceptable recycling materials are:
Cans – soda cans, soup cans, empty aerosol cans, loose metal jar lids, steel bottle caps
Newspapers – clean, dry, and unsoiled
Plastic (PETE) – water bottles, soft drink bottles, milk jugs,
Plastic (HDPE) – plastic tubs, laundry detergent jugs, screw top jars
Aluminum Products – pie pans, clean aluminum foil
Cardboard and other Paper Products – Mail, officer paper, cereal boxes, pizza boxes, juice cartons, paper and hardback books, magazines, phone books, brown papers bags, paper egg cartons.
Styrofoam is NOT recyclable
Scheduled Recycling Dates for 2018 are as follows :
Jan 11, 25 July 12, 26
Feb 8, 22 August 9, 23
March 8, 22 Sept 6, 20,
April 5, 20 Oct 4 , 18
May 3, 17, 31 Nov 1, 15, 29
June 14, 28 Dec 13, 28
Cart Positioning
All carts should be positioned with wheels facing away from the street with about three feet of space on each side and 12 feet clearance above so the automated arm can grab and empty the container. Carts should be placed at the curb no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before scheduled pick up and must be removed from the curb within 24 hours of trash being picked up.
Bulk Pick Up
Cammack Village will provide residents with one curbside bulk item pick up per year. Bulk pick ups must be scheduled through City Hall. Curbside pick ups must be scheduled BEFORE bulk items are placed at the curb. When scheduling a curbside pick up we will need your name, address, phone number and a list of items you want picked up. We will only pick up items you schedule to pick up. Examples of acceptable bulk items; furniture, appliances, lawn furniture, and mattresses. We will not pick up; construction and demolition debris, automotive components, liquid paint, explosives, medical waste or tires.
Sanitation is billed quarterly by Cammack Village. Invoices are mailed or emailed at the beginning of each quarter and are due on the last day of each quarter. If payment is received after the last day of the quarter a $15 late fee will be charged and your name will be published in the City Council Meeting Information Packets.


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'This above all; to thine own self be true' - Shakespeare
backpackit hasn't logged any travels yet.
I live in Chicago - if you're planning on visiting, I might be able to help with questions abou things to do, how to get around..etc.
backpackit hasn't been active in the wiki travel guide yet. Have you?