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What's your opinion on this article?
Related news:
Men sought refuge in Farrakhan and The Final Call Newspaper (FCN, 12-18-2001)
Interview with Larry Ollions and Omar Saunders (FCN, 12-18-2001)
The three young Black men were serving life sentences for the 1986 rape and murder of Lori Roscetti, a 23-year-old White medical student, whose lifeless and bloody body was found near a Chicago public housing complex. The men say they are convinced that neither the young woman's life, nor half of their own lives, were taken in vain, and offered their condolences to her family in hopes that the real killers will be found.
A fourth man, Marcellius Bradford, who was also convicted in the case, served 6-1/2 years and was released. He was given a reduced sentence in exchange for testifying against Larry Ollins. The charges against all four men have been officially erased, although Mr. Bradford remains in jail on charges not related to the murder/rape.
According to police, two of the young men admitted that the four of them attacked the young woman as she drove home from a study session. Their motive, police say, was to get bus fare for then 14-year-old Calvin Ollins. The men later recanted their confessions, saying they were coerced.
A joyous reunion of freedom began when Mr. Saunders and Larry Ollins were released from Statesville Prison in Joliet, Ill., and continued when their lawyer drove them 10 minutes away to nearby Joliet Prison to pick up Calvin Ollins. The men had a group hug, followed by smiles and tears of pain and patience.
The men were taken to the Naperville, Ill., office of Kathleen Zellner, the lawyer who spent 800 hours and $200,000 to investigate their case. Atty. Zellner alleges that there was blatant misconduct and misuse of power by officials in the case, and will file a civil rights lawsuit on behalf of the men for wrongful prosecution.
While law enforcement has pledged to continue to search for the killers, Atty. Zellner said she would sue detectives, prosecutors and those who worked on the case in the crime lab. She will also seek clemency for the men from the Governor.
Cook County States Attorney Dick Devine, who has publicly apologized for the obvious mistakes made by the department, revisited the case, now known as the Roscetti 3. Chicago's current mayor, Richard M. Daley, was Cook County States Attorney at the time the men were prosecuted.
In their lawyer's office, stylishly dressed in matching v-neck sweaters, slacks and shoes, Omar, Calvin and Larry talked with the media, enjoyed a freedom feast, opened gifts and reunited with family, friends and even school teachers.
They used cell phones for the first time, gazed out of the window in awe of how the world had changed and couldn't wait to dive into the World Wide Web. Waking up the next day in a "real bed," they said, hadn't yet become a reality.
Pointing to a large scar on his bald head, Mr. Saunders, who says he was stabbed more than 14 times in the head and hand by other inmates, expressed how tragic their case was. Mr. Sanders said he saw Calte afor the first time in his life 15 years ago, while standing in the courtroom.
"Prisons aren't designed to make anybody better and the injury to my body is proof that it's hell. If you know you're innocent, there's a certain integrity that you have to walk with," Calvin said.
From day one, all of my concentration was on the battle to get us out of here. I never gave up hope and I knew that if I took a step, God would take fifty more," he said.
While incarcerated, Mr. Saunders said he used his time for personal development, reading books on politics and history, and became intrigued with collegiate dictionaries. Their case and the negative media coverage that surrounded it, affected all of their families and friends, he explained. Now the healing process must begin with those who supported them, and with those who didn't, he said.
"The way this woman was brutalized and murdered, you wouldn't want to be associated with anyone who was accused of doing a crime like that," Mr. Saunders said. "Years ago, I had a dream that foretold this situation. In that dream, I talked to everyone I knew, and I looked them in the eyes, but the part of the eye that gives them vision and focus was gone—only the white part remained. It was telling me that I could see what they couldn't see.
"God foresaw what happened to Ms. Roscetti, us being framed and freed. They got four Black teenagers and created a story that was so brutal that Blacks and whites looked at us with anger. Poor whites, Blacks and Latinos are now filling the prison complex. There's something going on in this country's criminal justice system, and maybe this case will shed some light on it," Mr. Saunders said.
The people who framed them didn't care about the life of the woman who was murdered, said Larry Ollins.
"The orchestration of our trial led me to a full understanding of what secured our conviction. While in prison, I reflected on the struggle of our ancestors in slavery and in civil rights. My experience was like a resurrection. With God's power and our endurance, I knew we could be freed," Larry Ollins said.
The plans for their future are uncertain, except for joining the international movement for the wrongfully convicted, said Calvin Ollins, who half-jokingly told reporters that he'd been incarcerated throughout Michael Jordan's entire career.
"As I listened to and read about spirituality, I began to develop more insight on how important it is to function at your best ability, despite certain things beyond your control," said Calvin. "I was led to bow down and recognize that there's a higher power."
"Anytime you take a child and force him out into the wilderness, he will either conform himself to the image of the beast or recognize the Supreme Being that can deliver him from what happens on this earth. God wanted me to go through this and I thank Him for the guidance. His grace kept me and I've been blessed. My cousin Larry, Omar and I had no choice and were forced to gravitate towards one another and come together to figure out how to get through this wind. I value every moment. When life is taken away from you, you value it more," Calvin said.
The men now join the growing list of those released after wrongful convictions in Chicago-area courts. Since 1987, 13 men have been freed from Illinois death row due to wrongful convictions, which led Gov. George Ryan to impose a moratorium on executions and a commission to examine the state's capital punishment system.
Most of the men released due to wrongful convictions were Black and Latino and many of them have received millions of dollars in compensatory awards from lawsuits.


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CURRENT CZECH NAME: Kolodeje nad Luznici
OTHER NAMES/SPELLINGS: Kalladay, Kallady, Kalady, Kaladey, Kallady, Kaladi, Kalladye, Kaladei, Kalladieg
LOCATION: Kolodeje is a small town on the Luznici river where it runs into the Moldau (Vltava) in Bohemia-Ceske Budejovice at 49º15 14º25, 3km N of Tyn nad Vltavou; 6 km SW of Bechyne; and 24 km SW of Tabor.
HISTORY: Earliest known Jewish community was 1681-1684. The Jewish community moved here after expulsion from nearby town of Tyn nad Vltavou (German: Moldautein). The Jewish population in the first half of 19th century was 94 families that later moved to Tyn nad Vltavou and other towns (153 in Kolodeje nad, 60 in Tyn n. V. in 1886). In 1857 over half the town's population were Jews (679 of 1327 total). The Jewish population in 1930 was 9 in Kolodeje and 23 in Tyn nad Vltavou. Nazis disbanded the congregation. See "The History of Judaism in Kalady" in "How the castle and the parish of Kolodeje arose" translated by Rainer Radok, http://www.jewishgen.org/austriaczech/towns/kolodeje/kolodeje.htm#jews.
GENEALOGICAL RESOURCES: Family name index of Familianten books, http://www.toledot.org/ihbf26.htm. Birth, Death and Marriage record books for Breclav dating from 1784 may be located at the Czech State Archives in Prague, Statni istredni archiv, tr. Milady Horokove 133, CZ-166 21 Praha 6, Czech Republic, tel/fax: +42 (2) 333-20274, seehttp://www.jewishgen.org/austriaczech/towns/gund1.htm. Search JewishGen/Internet resources for Kolodeje.
NOTABLE RESIDENTS AND DESCENDANTS: Kolodeje is the native village of Alfred Radok (1914-1976 Vienna), producer of the National Theatre and the Prague Laterna Magika and his brother Emil Radok (1918), author of the Laterna Magika stage. The father of German social democratic leader Friedrich Stampfer came from Kolodeje. The gggg-grandson of Beniamen Stampfer of Kolodeje, E. Randol Schoenberg, is a moderator of Jewishgen's Austria-Czech SIG and the submitter of this page.
SYNAGOGUES: A synagogue from 1695-97 was pulled down in 1948.
CEMETERIES: The Conservative and probably landmarked cemetery originated in the late 17th or early 18th century with last known Jewish burial probably 1969. Between fields and woods, the isolated hillside has no sign, but has Jewish symbols on gate or wall. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open with permission via a continuous masonry wall and locking gate. Size of cemetery before and after WWII: 0,2772 ha. 100-500 gravestones, all in original position with less than 25% toppled or broken, date from 1734 or from before 1500 through 20th century. The marble, granite, limestone, sandstone, and iron (one) flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, flat stones with carved relief decoration, double tombstones, or multi-stone monuments have Hebrew, German, and/or Czech inscriptions. Praha Jewish community owns the cemetery with no structures. Adjacent properties are agricultural and forest. Occasionally, private visitors stop. Vandalism occurred occasionally in the last ten years. Regional or national authorities and Jewish groups within country re-erected stones, patched broken stones, cleared vegetation, and fixed wall and gate in 1991. No current care. Security (uncontrolled access) and vandalism are moderate threats. Weather erosion, pollution, and vegetation are slight threats. Vegetation overgrowth seasonally prevents access.
CONTACTS: Martina Chmelikova, Nad Ondrejovem 16, 140 00 Praha 4; tel. 02/69-20-350 and Jiri Fiedler, Brdickova 1916, 155 00 Praha 5; tel. 02/55-33-40 completed a cemetery survey on 16 August 1992.
SOURCES: Die Juden und Judengemeinden Böhmens in Vergangenheit unde Gegenwart, Hugo Gold ed. (1934), pp: 240-245 (pictures); Jiri Fiedler, Jewish Sights of Bohemia and Moravia (1991), p. 43-44; International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies Cemetery Project, Czech Republic, Kolodeje, http://www.jewishgen.org/Cemetery/e-europe/czechg-l.html. 1. Jan Herman: Jewish Cemeteries in Bohemia and Moravia (1980); 2. J. Sakar: Dejiny mesta Tyna nad Vltavou a okoli (1935-36); 3. Notes of Statni Zidovske Muzeum Praha. Other documentation exists but was inaccessible: Nos. 14, 22, 26, 59, 63 in archives of the Jewish Congregation in Praha.
SUBMITTERS: E. Randol
Schoenberg, 3436 Mandeville Canyon Road, Los Angeles, California 90049-1020
USA. Tel: 1-310-472-3122 (h), 1-310-826-4944 (w). Fax: 1-310-826-2944.
Email: email@example.com.
Web Page: http://www.schoenberglaw.com.
Prof. Rainer Radok, 28/2 Mu 13 Nongnae, Phanom Sarakham, Chachoengsao,
Thailand, 24120. Tel: +66-38-523-492. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Page: http://kr.cs.ait.ac.th/~radok/.
Return to Austria-Czech Home

subset: commoncrawl


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Printer Friendly Version
Standard ECMA-198
3,81 mm Wide Magnetic Tape Cartridge
for Information Interchange - Helical Scan Recording - DDS-2 Format
using 120 m Length Tapes
2nd edition (June 1995)
This Ecma Standard specifies the physical and magnetic characteristics
of a 3,81 mm wide magnetic tape cartridge to enable interchangeability
of such cartridges between drives. It also specifies the quality
of the recorded signals, the recording method and the recorded
format, thereby allowing data interchange between drives by means
of such magnetic tape cartridges.
Information interchange between systems also requires, at a minimum,
agreement between the interchange parties upon the interchange
code(s) and the specifications of the structure and labelling
of the information on the interchanged cartridge.
Under information interchange circumstances in which a processing
algorithm, e.g. for lossless data compression as specified in
Standard ECMA-151, is applied to the
host data prior to recording on the tape and a complementary reprocessing
algorithm is applied after the data is read from the tape, agreement
upon these by the interchange parties is also required.
The following files can be freely downloaded:
This Ecma publication is also approved as ISO/IEC 13923.
The previous replaced "historical" edition of this Ecma Standard is available here.


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As spring is coming, I hope to start practicing tennis again: ) I'm about 3.0 and live around echo park/ Silverlake area. Hope to have regular exercise together (weather is getting nice) and meet more people!
Views: 160
Replies to This Discussion
Hi Yingjia,
I'm usually pretty busy, but I am available this Sunday. (It's Easter Sunday, so it may be a long shot, haha!) I'm like a 3.0-3.5, but have only played once recently. . . . Looking to get back into something more regular.
would love to play with you am about a 3.0 as well.
I live in Silver Lake and would love to play! email me:
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Young scholars learn about community
Red Cedar Elementary School
For Bluffton Today
Kindergarten and grade one students recently worked on Community Helpers (kindergarten) and Community Leaders (first grade) Units in the classroom with team teachers Peggy Venning and Sandra Viskovich.
The students were to create a paper doll to represent either a community helper or leader. There were many various professions and people represented by the students. They also had to fill out information in a report and then present their project to the class.
First grade will write letters to the police and sheriff departments, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and President Barack Obama and send pictures of the children who choose them as community leaders.


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Re: Objective: Naboo RPG
Jag jogged off with Fynn and thermal incinerator packs. He went down several alleys before coming down to a unsuspecting guard. Jag strolled towards him.
"Jag? What are you doing get back here!"
Jag ignored Fynn and tapped the guard on his shoulder. The guards eyes grew wide as he saw the T visor. Jag's hand shot out grabbing the man by the neck and slamming him against the wall. He extended the knuckle vibro blade.
"Tell me where the armory is and you might live."
"Gahk! Down at the end ghhk of the main street."
Jag nodded and shoved the vibroblade in the man's chest.
"I never gave you any guarantees."
Jag released the man and he slumped down to the floor.
"We have our location. Let's go."


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Quick access to the services most often used by faculty.
Find out about library services available to Mount graduates with a MSMC Alumni ID card.
Learn about library services available to campus guests and community members.
Find out about resources and services available through the libraries of Newburgh: SUNY Orange, Newburgh Free Library, Newburgh Free Academy, and MSMC.
Learn more about loan periods, renewals, overdue fines, and lost item fees.
Find out about the study, presentation, classroom, and event spaces available in the library and how to reserve them.
Librarians instill information literacy skills in MSMC students through course-integrated instruction. Learn more about our instruction program and how to request a session.
Request that the library purchase a book, eBook, DVD, journal, or other item.
Mount Saint Mary College
330 Powell Ave. Newburgh, NY, 12550


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WASHINGTON—The key witness in the Roger Clemens perjury trial testified Monday about three other baseball players who he said took human growth hormone.
Brian McNamee, Clemens' longtime strength and conditioning coach, told jurors that he provided HGH to current Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte and former Yankee infielder Chuck Knoblauch. McNamee also testified that former Yankee pitcher Mike Stanton obtained HGH from drug dealer Kirk Radomski, after McNamee put them in touch.
McNamee hadn't been allowed to name the players before, but U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton said Monday he would allow it to rebut the suggestion made by Clemens' lawyer during cross-examination that McNamee solely targeted the former pitcher.
Both Pettitte and Knoblauch told congressional investigators in 2008 that McNamee injected them with HGH. Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, denied McNamee's accusations to Congress that year, and he's on trial for allegedly lying to Congress in making those denials.
Prosecutors, who hope the information about the three players will help rehabilitate McNamee's credibility, finished their redirect questioning of McNamee on Monday.
The trial is now in its sixth week.


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KENDA Tire, a leader in the off-road motorcycle tire market, increases their commitment to the National Enduro Series by moving up to the title sponsor for 2014 through 2016.
NEPG's Alan Randt: KENDA has been a valued partner of the NEPG for several years, providing everything from financial support and product donations, to trackside assistance and technical support for all of our racers. We're excited to have them as our primary partner for the next 3 seasons.
Kenda USA's Gus Niewenhous: We're an off-road focused brand, so the National Enduro Series is a key property for us to be associated with. Our intentions have always been to move up to the title-level support as soon as the opportunity became available. We're looking forward to the continued relationship with both the NEPG and all of the participants throughout the country.


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Student Safety, under the direction of the Office of Health & Safety, is responsible for providing a safe environment conducive to learning. In maintaining the safety of our students, it is the responsibility of the department to enforce the rules written in the District Handbook, as well as the Code of Student Conduct.
Students have access to many informative activities and support programs. Red Ribbon Week and Saturday Family Workshop, made possible through the Safe and Drug-Free School Consortium, are just two examples of programming available to educate about the danger of using alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. The Guidance and Intervention Assistance programs are easily accessible to students who are in need of assistance. There are also programs available for parents to explore and educate themselves about the issues facing their children.
Providing a safe learning environment for students is an important component of the Westerville City Schools mission statement. As part of a cooperative agreement between the Westerville Schools, Genoa Township and the City of Westerville a police officer is assigned as a School Resource Officer to each high school and middle school.
The Educational Options for Success (EOS) program provides high school students with the opportunity to continue to earn academic credit in spite of long-term removal from school for serious conduct violations. The program assists in efforts to reduce truancy and dropout rates.
Through state funds, the Westerville City School District has implemented the Safe School Hotline (1-800-418-6423 ext. 359). This is a 24-hour-a-day service designed so callers, anonymously, can report concerns regarding student safety in the district. Help-line users receive an identification number when they call in, enabling them to call back and get an update regarding what has been done to address the situation they reported.


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El costo de la ortodoncia invisible para adultos puede variar dependiendo de la posición incial de los dientes del pacientes y de qué tanto pueda tomar enderezar la dentadura.
Como mínimo, el uso de este tipo de ortodoncia puede costar $3000 y puede llegar a los $9000. Entonces la pregunta es ¿Vale la pena el costo de la ortodoncia invisible para adultos?
Este reporte de World Dental nos dice que sí, puesto que el tratamiento tiene grandes ventajas: los braces pueden ser removidos en cualquier momento para mejor limpieza bucal, lo cual reduce el riesgo de sufrir caries durante el tratamiento. Además está la gran ventaja psicológica de tener los dientes libres del herraje de la ortodoncia, lo cual puede causar dificultades en el desarrollo de las relaciones interpersonales.
Mucha más información en el reporte (en inglés) que nos tiene World Dental.
The cost of invisible braces for adults can range depending upon the malpositioning of the teeth and how long it will take to straighten the teeth.
At minimum, the use of invisible braces can cost $3000.00 and the cost of invisible braces can climb as high as $9000.00 for some patients. So, is the cost of braces for adults worth it?
The extreme advantages that one derives from using invisible braces for teeth straightening suggest that the price one pays for adult braces is definitely more than worth the investment.
The cost of invisible braces will also vary depending upon which professional you work with. If you are really serious about getting adult braces you may want to shop around and compare before you decide on who to work with.
The cost of the invisible braces may not include the cost of repeated dental visits; you will need to discuss this with the dentist or orthodontist that provides you with services. Since you have to see a dentist every three weeks or so to have new aligners put on, and you will also need to have checkups every six weeks to ensure that your teeth are straightening nicely; you will want to be clear on what is covered in your price quote.
You may find some professionals willing to offer you financing options, but some dentists or orthodontists may demand cash up front for the entire process. If you have dental coverage you may want to check with your insurance provider to see if any of the cost will be covered.
Invisible braces are braces that are clear and that can be removed. Some adults prefer invisible braces because they can have their teeth straightened as adults without feeling like a teenager and having a mouthful of metal when they smile.
Adults tend to be even more self conscious and having metal braces may hinder one's ability to socialize or to feel confident during conversation. These convenient braces are great for adults who want nothing to hinder the ability to floss, brush and to consume the foods one desires too.
Another advantage from using invisible braces also includes the fact that the wearer of the braces will not have as many issues with cavities; since the braces can be taken out to care for the teeth via brushing and flossing, the patient can take better care of the teeth while receiving treatment. Traditional braces can make it difficult to clean teeth and cavities can result.
If you want braces for adults that are invisible you will need to consider that invisible braces are suited best for people that do not have major misalignments with their teeth.
These braces are ideal for minor orthodontic issues and they do not necessarily work well when it comes to remedying issues with crowding or a misaligned bite. The treatment plan involves applying aligners to the teeth and changing the aligners on a pre-scheduled basis so that teeth are moved into a new position over a period of time. It can take anywhere from nine months to a year or more to complete the process.


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[Washington, D.C.]
Bowing to growing public pressure and the gradual but dramatic
adoption of the popular grass roots
PennyFreeBiz movement by so many merchants and retailers, the ubiquitous Penny
will cease to be circulated by the U.S.Mint on October 1st 2020.
As in other currency changes in the past, the government will require all pennies to be
turned into banks for exchange to other currency by a deadline date (this time
October 1st 2020). It is anticipated that due to both coin
exchanges and the actions of coin collectors, it is very likely there will not
be a penny to be had anywhere except through coin dealers ... yada yada yada ...
This is a bogus newspaper article ... so far!
PennyFreeBiz.com© is a grassroots effort for retailers and merchants all over
the US to, at the very least, stop the using of pennies in their businesses. Merchants will not have
any pennies in their cash draw or on their counter!
The 'Cent' coin (aka the Penny or one cent piece or 1¢) made sense for more than two hundred years, but we believe, no longer.
Depending on costs of raw metal, smelting, forming (including blanking, annealing, upsetting, striking and
inspecting) then counting, bagging and distributing the penny, costs our US Mint
to the U.S. Treasury in 2014) fluctuates somewhere between 1.83¢ and 2.41¢ maybe perhaps as
much as 2.75¢ to make
We believe it is time to end the arguably senseless use of this soon to be obsolete coin. Since the
government can't seem to legislate the removal of pennies from circulation, it is time that retailers
and merchants take up the challenge and start the process of weaning our economy of at least this coin.
Members, may at their discretion, take this further to remove nickels, dimes, quarters and perhaps the half
dollar coins. There are retailers out there who have no coins in their change drawer at all, their smallest
change denomination is the dollar.
Members of PennyFreeBiz.com can be merchants, retailers, hotels, restaurants, point of sale software companies
and others. Members may continue to price merchandise to the penny, but pledge to ...
Come on folks.. this just does not make any cents. We got rid of the 1/2 cent
back in 1857.. Getting rid of the 1 cent coin is way past due.
The penny has become a social and cultural anachronism. If our friends in
Canada, Australia and a dozen other countries can stop the use of their
pennies, why can't we?
Please support those merchants and retailers that have taken this action.
Look who has joined the movement.
*1 It is estimated that 40 million pennies were taken out of circulation in the last 5 years by ..
.. people lining their floors, counter tops, shower stalls, and more,
.. people making penny jewelry and clothing accessories,
.. people tourists pressing pennies into keep sake momentos,
.. people creating sculptures,
.. and other uses
Come on everyone this is beyond stupid to keep the trying to keep these useless coins in circulation.
The penny has been around since 1787. It was the fruit of the efforts of
Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson in their strong desire to produce a
stable currency for this fledgling nation. Since its first minting by a
private mint and, 5 years later in 1792, by the newly formed US Mint,
over 300 billion (~552,000 tons) have been minted in more than 10 different designs
over the past 232 years.
[Op Ed]


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It's stupid to get angry at one particular casualty of the fans' All-Star Game voting, because they annually and reliably fail to select the deserving candidates at each position. But Derek Jeter's early accumulation of 40% more votes than the second-place AL shortstop is just too awful to let go.
This isn't sabermetric rigamarole: it's not that he never walks; it's not that his clutch hits are flukes; it's not that his advanced fielding stats don't match up with his image. It's that he's had a terrible year by any possible measure. Look at his 2011 line: he's on pace for career lows in just about everything except sacrifice flies. His current ground ball rate and line drive rate would be the highest and sixth-lowest, respectively, of any player since we started keeping track (2002). There are at most three full-time AL shortstops who are having a worse year offensively.
Jeter will have 3000 hits by July, so it won't look as heinous by the time the starters are announced. But he's had enough legacy all-star appearances already, having received an invite 11 out of the last 13 years. So please, vote for Asdrubal Cabrera and make sure that we get at least a vaguely deserving starter. (The guy with the highest WAR, Alexei Ramirez, isn't even in the top 5, so that's a lost cause.) Extreme apathy is the only other acceptable recourse.
Bautista leads, but Yanks rack up All-Star votes [MLB.com]
Derek Jeter [FanGraphs]


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Floragro (2 - 1 - 6)Stimulates structural and vegetative growth. Builds strong roots. Provides nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and secondary minerals.
FLORA SERIES - This three part series continues to be a big seller in the hydroponic industry. The flexibility to custom blend the formulas is an attractive benefit to beginners and experts alike. Great for all types of media/growing environments including rockwool, grow rocks, coco, soil, aeroponics, etc.
— Ships from H: WA, CA, CO, MI, TN, PA, FL USA.


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You are hereHome | Bear Awareness Week
Bear Awareness Week
From Yogi to Smokey to Teddy, few animals are as beloved as America's bears. And few animals are as misunderstood.
All three of North America's bear species - the polar bear, grizzly bear and American black bear - are threatened by habitat loss and human-caused mortality. Bear Awareness Week (the third week in May) is a time to recognize how vital these large mammals are to the ecosystems in which they live, and how important it is to protect their habitat.
Use the links below to learn about these wonderful animals, the role they play in ecosystems, the work we do to protect them, and what you can to do help.
Bears have been a vital part of the North American landscape for thousands of years, and protecting them is everyone's responsibility.
Living in Bear Country
If you live in bear country, there are some simple, common-sense steps you can take to keep bears away from your property and out of trouble. With so many bears killed or relocated each year because of conflicts with humans, you can make a real difference just by changing some basic practices and sharing what you learn with others in your area.
Read More >>
Got Grizzlies?
Defenders works with landowners who live in bear country to limit conflicts by providing tools to keep these still-recovering bears out of garbage, livestock, or other attractants. If you live in an eligible county and would like help with bear-proofing, learn more about this program here >>
Sea Bear Under Siege: Polar Bears and Climate Change in Alaska
With climate change transforming their habitat and impacting their prey species, polar bears are in serious need of help. Learn more in Defenders' comprehensive report about the threats these bears face and the steps that we can take to secure their future.
Read the Report >>


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AeroVelo Team Wins AHS International's 33-Year-Old Igor I. Sikorsky Human Powered Helicopter Competition
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia – July 11, 2013 – AHS International, the world's premier professional vertical flight technical society, congratulates AeroVelo, Inc. for winning its Igor I. Sikorsky Human Powered Helicopter Competition for the first time since the Society established it 33 years ago.
Read more about this stunning achievement in the official AHS Human Powered Helicopter Press Release and check out our complete Human Powered Helicopter page.
We've also created a media kit with backgrounders, factsheets, high-resolution images and more. See also our extensive collection of news articles on the AHS Sikorsky Prize and the past three years of the competition.
This exciting competition was designed to energize students and other innovators, by providing a hands-on, galvanizing experience for the next generations of vertical flight engineers, scientists and other specialists. Mission accomplished!


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In celebration of "Pacific Standard Time," the regional art program showcasing Southern California's contribution to art from 1945 to 1980, Tiffany & Co. at South Coast Plaza, led by group director Michael Botsko, has joined forces with major arts advocates at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, as well as South Coast Plaza executives for an art exhibition.
The show, titled "On Display in Orange County: Modern and Contemporary Sculpture," documents the creation of publicly accessible sculpture and works of art by 20th century masters, including Joan Miró, Jean Dubuffet, Richard Serra and Isamu Noguchi. The impact of art, culture, and commerce on society has been a hallmark of the Segerstrom legacy, led by South Coast Plaza managing director Henry T. Segerstrom.
The exhibit will open Tuesday at South Coast Plaza's Penthouse level and run through the holidays.
Recently, Botsko and Tiffany & Co. on a significant national scale became the title sponsor for the "Pacific Standard Time" series, which will include more than 60 institutions presenting a collection of art that has impacted culture and society. This installation on the West Coast began at the Getty, in conjunction with the artistic and elegant presentation of the Tiffany Blue Book — a collection of the "heritage, artistry and design" of the nation's most famous jewelry company.
Botsko escorted guests from Orange County for a "Blue Book Weekend" to preview the launch of the "Pacific Standard Time" exhibit. The crowd was treated to the culinary artistry of Suzanne Goin, one of L.A.'s most recognized chefs. Goin is the force behind three noted restaurants, including Tavern, and she has been featured in such publications as Bon Appétit, Gourmet and Saveur.
Tiffany & Co. created a celebratory dinner as a companion to the art debut at the Getty, showcasing a collection of spectacular jewels from the Blue Book. There were white diamonds, yellow diamonds, colored gemstones and innovative designs.
Next week, Tiffany & Co. will launch a similar collaboration of art, design and commerce at South Coast Plaza.
Botsko commented, "This is indeed the essence of the Tiffany & Co. culture since the company's founding in 1837. A perfect way to launch our 175th anniversary year."
The Junior League of Orange County on Nov. 17 opened "Christmas Company 2011," attracting a crowd of some 400 guests showing off their holiday best. The annual event is the largest and most important fundraiser for the League, and is chaired by super dedicated Junior League activist Julie Asher. The League hopefully will generate a profit exceeding $200,000 for its Christmas Company efforts.
The opening night celebration was chaired with style by Jennifer Gonzales Oxen and a dedicated committee. This year's exhibition and sale, held at the O.C. Fair & Event Center, were billed "Meet Me Under The Mistletoe." The four-day program ran through Sunday, marking its 36th year on the Orange Coast. More than 100 vendors participated, selling a wide variety of holiday themed merchandise.
Also participating were popular local restaurants including Zov's Bistro, Lawry's Carvery, The Auld Dubliner, Bluewater Grill, K'ya Bistro, Napa Style, Newport Rib Company, and The House of Big Fish and Ice Cold Beer, to name only a limited selection.
Sponsors of Christmas Company included Playlist 92.7 FM Radio and Orange Coast Magazine. Funds raised from the event will support a multitude of Junior League programs all throughout the year, including the important work of The Second Harvest Food Bank, Children's Hospital of Orange County, Olive Crest, the Orangewood Children's Foundation and more.
To learn more about the work of the Junior League, go to http://www.jlocc.org or call (949) 261-0823.
THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays. B.W. Cook is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.


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If you do a lot of cooking or working with temperatures in a way where you don't need exact accuracy Reddit user quaxon shares a dead-simple method for converting between Fahrenheit and Celsius in your head with no need for a calculator.
The formula to convert between the two temperature scales isn't something most of us can do in our head, but if you just need a close estimation, quaxon's formula works great:
C to F: Multiply the temperature by 2 and then add 30
(actual formula is multiply by 1.8, add 32)
ex: 22 C is roughly equal to 74 degrees using my method, actual conversion is 71.6
F to C: Now just work it backwards, subtract 30 from the temp. and then divide by 2
(again, actual formula constants are 1.8 and 32)
As you can see from quaxon's example it's not an exact result, but if you simply need to convert some temperatures when you're cooking or following other directions it works great in a pinch.
How to quickly convert between Fahrenheit to Celsius in your head | Reddit
Photo by Ged Carroll.


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ESA's Alcantara: a bridge to international research partners
Science is universal language, which can serve as a bridge between cultures and extends beyond national limits. Researchers all over the world work together in their quest for fundamental knowledge e.g. on our origins, the evolution of our environment and the aspects affecting our quality of life. They also investigate the technology that will help us shape our future.
Space is also a world-wide enterprise with a global reach. At the European Space Agency, a 20-country multinational organisation, the thrill of people of all backgrounds and nationalities working together is a usual element in every project that is undertaken. ESA has built its success on such multinational environment in the last four decades. The Agency enables its member countries to work as partners, for them to develop programmes of interest to all of them. Beyond its member states, ESA also interfaces with international partners world-wide in ordet to carry out joint space missions, instrument collaborations, joint operations and data analysis.
Now, ESA plans to extend this cultural exchange to space R&D work by supporting cooperation between research groups in Europe and those based elsewhere, in study areas of mutual benefit. A number of ESA programmes participate and provide opportunities for such cooperation.
The need for this facilitation has motivated the creation of ESA's Alcantara (القنطرة,"bridge" in arabic) initiative: a dedicated instrument to support research promotion, that recognises the critical role in such effort of leading academic institutions inside and outside Europe. The initiative acknowledges the constraints and challenges that these entities often face in terms of e.g. administrative resources, and builds on previous successful ESA experiences.
Alcantara will be implemented within the ESA's General Studies Programme (GSP) (http://www.esa.int/gsp) and will provide access to partnership opportunities in ESA scientific and application programmes. The first ones to participate have been the Earth Observation programme, which has a long tradition of research partnerships e.g., though its TIGER initiative for water resource management, and the satellite navigation programme, that has the need to have research partners in regions of interest for the study of the propagation of the satellite signals (e.g. the equatorial regions). The GSP's main role is this domain is to carry out preparatory analyses, as it does routinely to help lay the groundwork for the Agency's future activities. The assessment studies undertaken by the GSP provide ESA and its member states with the necessary information on which to base their decisions about the implementation of new programmes and the future direction of space activities.
Announcement of opportunity 2012
PILOT STUDIES: Alcantara studies in the scope of ESA's Earth Observation Programme TIGER initiative
The Alcantara studies proposed in the context of Earth Observation (EO) have been developed and will be coordinated within the frame of ESA's TIGER initiative. The TIGER initiative assists African countries to overcome problems faced in the collection, analysis and use of water related geo-information by exploiting the advantages of Earth Observation (EO) technology. In order to realize this objective TIGER has established over the last 10 years a large scientific network of universities and research institutes, in order to understand the needs as well as to develop the specific knowhow and expertise required for Earth observation of water resources in Africa. The existing scientific network and the current ESA involvement in TIGER gives the context and support the proposed Alcantara studies.
COMPETENCE SURVEY: Ionospheric ground based monitoring network in low-latitude regions
The performance of positioning and timing from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) and the satellite communications are impacted by signal propagation through the ionosphere.
Ionospheric activity in low geomagnetic latitude regions is far stronger and less predictable than anywhere else in the world. The equatorial anomaly regions located at ±20º on either side of the magnetic equator (see Figure 1), have the highest values of Total Electron Content (TEC), parameter directly affecting signal propagation effects like delay and Faraday rotation. Those effects occur on a regular basis during solar maximum periods. The availability of permanent ground stations to monitor the ionosphere is less dense in many of those areas, making difficult to forecast, alert, correct and mitigate the disruptive effects for users in those regions.
Alcantara Competence Surveys are proposed in the context of Global Navigation Satellite Services (GNSS) programmes in order to better understand the research capabilities, facilities, activities and plans relevant to the monitoring of ionosphere perturbations in low-latitude regions and local and regional level. The three regions addressed by the Competence Surveys are Africa (Ref: 12-401), South-America (Ref: 12-402) and Southeast Asia & Pacific (Ref: 12-403).
Regions of strong ionospheric activity at low geomagnetic latitudes


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Residential Life Staff Welcomes New Conference and Facilities Coordinator, June 13, 2008
by Roger Renteria
SOCORRO, N.M., June 13, 2008 – New Mexico Tech recently announced that Thomas Kaus will join the Residential Life staff as the new conference and facilities coordinator.
He joins Residential Life with Ruth Stoddard, director; Sara Grijalva, assistant director; Alice Zecco, secretary; and the student resident assistant staff.
Thomas Kaus is a familiar face on Tech campus from his past work at the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, a division of New Mexico Tech, as a cartographer and illustrator.
He spent seven years at the Bureau behind a computer creating detailed maps for its many publications, which included books, pamphlets and guides. He prepared illustrations for publication with Greer Price, associate director for outreach and publications.
"We're very sad to see him go," said Peter Scholle, Bureau director and state geologist. "It will be tough to replace Thom, but we're very happy to see him find new challenges and opportunities. We will miss him."
Kaus said the transition from cartography to conference coordinating has been positive.
"The transition and meeting new people has been fantastic," Kaus said.
Prior to moving to New Mexico Tech, Kaus worked as the supervisor of the print shop at Chadron State College in Chadron, Neb. He was the supervisor for a couple of years before moving to New Mexico. He worked at the print shop for eight years, part time for four of those eight years while attending college there.
During his time at Chadron State, he interacted with faculty and students on a regular basis.
"I grew up in a college town. My dad was a college professor, so I had a strong tie to the campus," Kaus said.
Chadron State has about 3,000 students and the town is similar in size to Socorro.
As conference and facilities coordinator, Kaus will have a stronger bond with Tech campus.
"In the first week, I have met new people every day and work with such a diverse group of people," he said.
He said that his office is like a hub of information for many people. He looks forward to the summer conferences this year.
"It's really neat to work closely with their (conference goers') needs and help accommodate them as best as possible," he said. "They're really a neat group of people to work with."
Residential Life was in search for a new conference and facilities coordinator since Malcolm Montgomery resigned in January 2008 at the beginning of the spring semester.
"In our search for finding a replacement conference and facilities coordinator, we needed someone who would be a great role model," said director Ruth Stoddard. "We had some very extraordinary candidates apply for the position."
Currently, the Muscular Dystrophy Association is on campus. Kaus works closely with conference organizers to ensure that their needs are met. Muscular dystrophy is a disease that causes muscle weakness, and MDA hosts a summer camp in which they use the Tech campus for a week. Children with muscular dystrophy get to enjoy the outdoors, play games and have fun with their friends.
"We feel very happy to have Thomas come on board with us," Stoddard said.
Everyday he enjoys the dynamic aspect of overcoming, troubleshooting and problem solving logistical hurdles with each conference.
"I'm so glad that they gave me the opportunity to do this," Kaus said.


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FRIDAY, Jan. 27, 2012 (HealthDay News) -- Discrimination can be a threat to health, according to a new study that included both blacks and whites.
The analysis of 2004 data from the ongoing U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System project found that about 18 percent of blacks and 4 percent of whites reported emotional and physical distress caused by discriminatory treatment.
"Discriminatory behavior very well may be a 'missing link' in the analysis of racial and ethnic health disparities. It's important to acknowledge and study its impact on long-term health," study author Jenifer Bratter, a sociologist at Rice University in Houston, said in a university news release.
The study's inclusion of people in both races "is important because we examine whether discrimination is equally harmful to the health status of black and white adults -- or whether experiencing discrimination is disproportionately harmful to either black or white adults," fellow author Bridget Gorman, also a sociologist at Rice University, said in the news release.
"For example, since, on average, black adults typically experience more health risks in their social and personal environment than white adults (including higher poverty and lower-quality medical insurance), they may be especially vulnerable to negative health effects as a result of racial discrimination," Gorman noted.
Along with finding that more blacks report poorer health due to discrimination, the researchers also determined that the harmful effects of discrimination do play a role in health disparities between blacks and whites.
And while discrimination can increase some of the economic-based health risks typically experienced by black adults, the situation is different for whites.
Regardless of social-class position, white adults who believe they've experienced workplace or health care discrimination report poorer health, the investigators found.
"A relatively small proportion of white adults report unfair treatment that is race-based, but those who do say their health status is harmed more than blacks who report the same experiences," Gorman said.
The study was published in a recent issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about health disparities.


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At last! The Parliamentary Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport has injected a lot of sense into governmental discussion of copyright. More here...
The government has sprung on us yet another consultation -oh joy! - this time on powers to regulate collecting societies. We'll post initial responses as soon as possible.
The government has held a very restricted consultation on plans to expand "exceptions" to copyright - the conditions under which a creator's works may be used without permission or payment. See our response to all three rounds here.
The sections of ERR Bill changing copyright law had their nearly-final debate in the House of Lords at Report Stage on 11 March:see the report here. In consultations on the implementation of the "orphan works" and "extended collective licensing" provisions, officials clearly understood our concerns, at least: see update from londonfreelance.org which links to Frequently Asked Questions debunking some alarmist interpretations. Proposals for implementing the scheme may appear in the autumn of 2013.
You can read the CRA's response to the consultation that led to these changes here; our position and submissions to the Hargreaves review here; and our response to the response here.
An announcement from the UK government on proposals on exceptions to copyright was promised for this year, trailed to slip to early 2013, then released on 20 December. Will squatters' rights prevail over copyright?
On 5 December the European Commission announced that it was re-opening European law on exceptions - response here.
There is far too much else going on, particularly a parallel review of copyright law in the Republic of Ireland - which shows signs of the government there coming under remarkably similar pressures.
The Business, Innovation and Skills select committee inquiry into the Hargreaves Review's recommendations has reported - sceptically about an exception to copyright for parodic use and about 'data mining' but supporting many other recommendations. Our submission is here.


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rockyBeli wrote:Who was BPA? Barnes. Which STARTING position needed help? SF. Win win. Boom bang. You gotta build a starting 5 and worry about the bench later (see Celtics).
If it's a Drummond vs Barnes...
I don't care if Drummond turns into Kareem Abdul Jabbar in 4 yrs. Fans don't want to wait 4 yrs!! Win now baby!
#30 too soon for Ezeli?
Backup PG:
Machado? helluva passer
I don't think you realize how great Kareem is.


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Bank of America Doesn't Understand the Concept of Maiden Names
While it's still fairly rare, more and more brides these days are opting to keep their maiden names. Most businesses are hip to this and it causes few problems for married couples — but it seems Bank of America has a little catching up to do.
Blogger Pete Iorizzo, who writes for the Times Union in Albany, New York, recently recounted the bureaucratic nightmare his wife endured when trying to deposit checks given to them as wedding gifts. Most were written to "Mr. and Mrs. Peter Iorizzo," but since Pete's new wife hadn't changed her last name, tellers at their local Bank of America branch refused to let her deposit them into the joint account she shares with her husband.
Pete wrote:
Had she opted to change her last name to Iorizzo, Bank of America would change the name on our joint account and take all of our checks. But because she kept her name, a name that did not appear on the checks, the bank would not accept checks made out to "Mr. and Mrs. Peter Iorizzo."
In the words of one bank employee: "Mrs. Peter Iorizzo does not exist."
Even conferring with the branch manager didn't help — what's more, she said that in her 20 years with the bank, she'd never seen a wife who didn't adopt her husband's last name, and even suggested the couple go back and ask everyone to write new checks.
In the end, Pete's bride simply went to another branch, which happily deposited the checks without issue. The teller there even congratulated the couple on their new life of wedded bliss.
Bank of America should be glad it kept the couple as customers. Many would've gone to a different branch — of an entirely new bank.


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It turns out that you actually have to buy a Match 4 Lotto ticket for your chance to win $10,000, but you may not have known about that if you didn't read about it on this blog. Right? So technically you can win $10,000 by reading the John Keatley Blog…
Ok, so enough about winning money. The pictures above are from the new Washington State Lottery Match 4 ad campaign that I recently shot with Cole & Weber United. I have always enjoyed Lottery ads because they often incorporate quirky humor, along with fresh creative concepts. I got my first taste of working with the Washington Lotto a few years ago. It was also the first ad shoot I had ever done. Publicis was the ad agency working on the account at the time. It was a smaller scale job, mostly running in newspapers, and point of sale, but ever since then I have wanted to do more with the Lottery.
That's what made this so fun and rewarding for me. It's a client that I have been seeking out, and I was selected specifically for my brand of photography. I was given the freedom to "do what I do", and that always seems to bring about the best end product. Same story with the Sounders FC ad campaign that I recently shot. Go Sounders by the way! Undefeated!
These pictures are of the members of the Match 4's. A singing group comprised of stereotypical Washington locals who are so excited about winning $10,000 that they just have to sing. That's not the official concept actually. I just made that last part up.


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Fayette County deputies find 35 pounds of pot hidden in welding equipment
A routine traffic stop led to the discovery of a stash of drugs hidden in welding equipment, the Fayette County Sheriff's Office said today in a press release.
At around 12:40 p.m. May 13, Deputy Randy Thuman and his canine partner Lobos stopped a truck on westbound I-10, near Flatonia. While speaking with the driver, Jesus Gerado Vela Jr., 29, Thuman became suspicious of his behavior. Vela consented to a search the vehicle, deputies said.
Authorities said they found 35 pounds of marijuana bundled inside an oxygen cylinder affixed to the bed of the truck. Vela was arrested and charged for possession of marijuana, deputies said. He remains in county custody. According to deputies, the street value of the concealed marijuana was around $16,000.
The Fayette County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Canine Unit has found large amounts of marijuana coming through the county in recent months, concealed in everything from spare tires to compartments under loads of watermelons. In August 2013, 455 pounds of pot was found hidden under goats.


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Wamidan Performs Spring Concert• April 10, 2008 Share:
For eight years, Wamidan, Wabash's world music performance and dance ensemble, has entertained crowds with an eclectic mix of music and dance traditions from around the world. At the spring 2008 performance, Wamidan shifted gears and performed a fictional story, "Friendship Between a Crocodile and a Monkey."
Click here and here to see photo albums from the concert. See photos from final rehearsal here.
The story, inspired by the wildlife and natural environment of East Africa, was adapted from Sister Sabina Stella Santana's book, Happy Ending Children's Stories. Sister Stella, along with Wabash junior Kyle Prifogle, co-directed the performance.
Wamidan is this year made up of Wabash students, faculty, and staff members, as well as students and faculty from DePauw University and members of the Crawfordsville and Greencastle communities. Senior Steve Hernandez served as president of the group this year, while music professor James Makubuya is the artistic director.
In the play, "We learn that friendship can develop even where it is least expected," writes Sister Stella. "The main characters — Ngwina, the crocodile, and Salila, the monkey — find that friendship is a two-way effort, a treasure that is governed by love, care, and concern from both parties."
Prifogle starred as Salila, while DePauw senior Ruth Nduta starred as Ngwina.
Wamidan also honored graduating members of the ensemble at its last performance of the academic year. Saluted were Wabash seniors Sean Foster, Steve Hernandez, Bernard Meyer, and Teye Morton; Crawfordsville High School seniors Caity Charles and Savanna Weliver; and DePauw senior Ruth Nduta.
The performance also featured a vignette featuring Wamidan newcomers Dioni Miles-Morillo, the second-grade daughter of history professor Steve Morillo, and economics professor Joyce Burnette.


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Ike Dike may be among Sandy's casualties
Any lingering hope of building a large, protective dike to mitigate storm surge along the upper Texas coast may have died with Hurricane Sandy's landfall near New York.
It's been four years since Hurricane Ike crashed into Galveston Island, causing $29.5 billion in damage to the Houston area and spawning the "Ike Dike" concept to protect the region's rapidly growing coastal developments and business interests along the Houston Ship Channel.
Now Sandy is the hot new storm, diverting attention and perhaps any possibility of federal funding away from the Texas Gulf Coast for New York, hard hit by Sandy's surge and winds.
Inspired by the Dutch
"That seems likely to me," said Bill King, a member of the now-inactive Gulf Coast Community Protection and Recovery District established by the state to study large surge protection projects around Houston.
"Nothing really seems to be happening anyway, but it's a little discouraging that if the country does get moving on doing something about sea barriers, we're not going to be on the front of the line."
After Ike, Texas A&M-Galveston oceanographer William Merrell proposed the "Ike Dike," a project inspired by Dutch sea barriers that would protect Galveston Island, Bolivar Peninsula and Galveston Bay from devastating storm surges.
Despite a recent trip led by Merrell to study the 2,300 miles of structures the Netherlands has built along its coast to keep out the North Sea, the idea of a massive, $6.6 billion sea barrier has gained little traction in Houston.
Now the discussion has moved to New York.
Stony Brook University oceanographer Malcolm J. Bowman and a colleague, Douglas Hill, also inspired by the Dutch, have drawn up a $6 billion plan to wall off New York from the sea.
"The time has come," Bowman told the Associated Press after Sandy's landfall. "The city is finally going to have to face this."
History against it
For all of its tens of billions of dollars in damage to the New York metro area, however, the stock market opened on Wednesday. More normalcy will return this week. With respect to a large sea barrier, New York may be where Houston is in four years - nowhere.
While it's clear there are major economic threats to New York, as a hub of the U.S. financial system, and in Houston, with nearly a third of the nation's refining capacity nearby, the federal government has not historically funded preventative measures.
"Potential disasters are often considered low probability events and will not get the attention they deserve from policymakers, especially given the competing demands they receive that may require more immediate attention," said Jim Granato, director of the University of Houston Center for Public Policy. "Equally important, a strong constituency that can exert ongoing pressure to see the funds are appropriated is not likely to exist in any meaningful way."
In other words, as memory of a storm fades, so does the national willingness to spend large amounts of money on preventative measures.
Katrina an exception
Hurricane Katrina, of course, was different.
New Orleans received $14 billion, largely from the federal government, to rebuild its levee system after Katrina. Nearly 2,000 people died in that storm.
Dozens died in the United States after Ike and Sandy.
Because federal intervention seems increasingly unlikely, some local leaders say the Houston region must not rely on federal funds as it looks to safeguard its future from hurricanes.
After Ike, Rice University professors Phil Bedient and Jim Blackburn created the Severe Storm Prediction Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center to study storms and find solutions.
"I think, if anything, Sandy has created a queue where New York and New Jersey are going to be at the head of the list," Blackburn said.
Blackburn, Bedient and others have been researching options for mitigating storm surge after Ike, and have focused on smaller projects that could be financed by local bonds.
One alternative solution to the dike, Blackburn said, is to build gates at the entrance to the ship channel that would protect the many chemical, industrial and shipping industries critical to the region's economy.
Less-costly alternative
Such a project, protecting many billions of dollars in infrastructure, would cost less than $1 billion, he said.
"Our goal is to selectively harden the Houston-Galveston shoreline," Blackburn declared. "Everything we're working on is being approached from the standpoint of affordability within the financial means of the community."


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HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS — For NBA players who reside outside of the superstar city limits of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and their kind, the chance for stardom is more complex than just strapping on a jersey and someone turning the arena lights on.
Taking that step from player to star player requires not only the desire to be great but also the space and opportunity to do so, the right team at the right time, etc.
(See Jeremy Lin for further reference …)
Those roads will intersect for many during the 2012-13 season. Some will seize the moment and embrace their revised roles and others will miss the opportunity to move up the league food chain. It's a seemingly never-ending cycle that we love to observe, if only to see which budding stars rise to the occasion.
One player with all of the pieces in place for that breakout season is Suns point guard Goran Dragic, who has a window between the end of the Steve Nash era and rookie Kendall Marshall's formative years, to make the case that the flashes of greatness we've seen from him in the past are more than just momentary bursts of greatness.
Dragic has clearly done the hard work (check the video, above … and yes, we'll talk with him about getting us a pair of those shorts later) necessary to become the sort of player he, and so many other who have championed his cause over the years, believe he can be. Opportunity is banging on his door something fierce.
We'll find out soon if he's as ready as he appears to be, because if not …. there are plenty of other guys willing and waiting for their chance to pounce.
In addition to Dragic, these are the other guys on HT's list of potential breakout stars this season:
MarShon Brooks, Brooklyn Nets
Brooks will have the benefit of playing in the shadow of much bigger stars — All-Stars Deron Williams, Joe Johnson in the backcourt alone — while also having a clearly defined role as the Nets' sixth man. He could be the Eastern Conference's version of James Harden — a sub capable of taking games over with his scoring when called upon.
Avoiding the sophomore slump should be no problem for this young star in training.
Goran Dragic, Phoenix Suns
Dragic is just 26 and entering what should be the prime of his career. At 6-foot-4 and roughly 190 pounds, he's a much more physically imposing matchup for some point guards than you might realize. And, finally, instead of working as someone's understudy or fill-in (as he often did in Houston and in his last stint with Phoenix), he gets the reins of the team from the start of a season.
The Suns will go as far as he and Luis Scola (his partner last season in Houston) can lead them this season.
Kenneth Faried, Denver Nuggets
It took Faried a little over a month to make Nene expendable in Denver. And you saw his work last season and during the playoffs (10.4 points and 10.0 rebounds), when his motor and refusal to surrender an inch to taller and longer frontcourt foes made him an instant hit with Nuggets fans and basketball purists everywhere. "The Manimal" nickname is simply a perfect fit.
The Nuggets' know they have three young gems in Faried, Timofey Mozgov and JaVale McGee.
Derrick Favors, Utah Jazz
We wondered how long it would take Favors, who was a raw-but-super-talented teenager when he entered the league after one season at Georgia Tech, to mature into his massive frame and become a consistent factor for a loaded Jazz frontcourt. He answered that question for us, and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, during the playoffs (11.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks).
A 6-foot-10, 250-pound behemoth in training, Favors, just 21, has perhaps the highest ceiling of any player on this list. And he's already clamoring for more playing time this season.
Brandon Knight, Detroit Pistons
Knight's rookie year accomplishments (12.8 points, 3.8 assists, 38 percent from 3-point range) were obscured by the Pistons' struggles and the fact that he was playing alongside another young point/combo guard in Rodney Stuckey. But Knight's focused on becoming not only a better player but a better leader in his second season.
He has the smarts and skills to join Kyrie Irving as one of the elite point guards in their draft class.
We gave you our five.
Now we need to hear from you. Cast your vote (write-in candidates are welcome)!


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Ducati Scotty
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2010 Teal C5
C5 Fork Tutorial
June 04, 2011, 03:22:25 am
The full slideshow of all pics is here:
I'm making this tutorial because the C5 fork is a little different than previous Enfield forks and I haven't seen it's disassembly well documented. Even the factory manual glosses over things and leaves out some critical details, like which parts are reverse threaded.
A few notes first:
I don't advocate the use of an impact wrench to remove the bolt from the bottom of the fork though the manual and many people do. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, sometimes it loosens but won't tighten again. And impact wrenches are expensive and I don't have one. Using the ratchets and extensions I detail should work no matter what.
This isn't rocket science but there is something to it. If you doubt your abilities find a more experienced buddy to help you through it.
Your bike will be on a jack stand or something similar as you're wrenching away, potentially with a lot of force. It can fall off. That can mean damage, injury, and fire hazard if gas starts spilling. Use caution and get some extra hands if you need help.
There are lots of things that are either reverse threaded or might get turned in an odd way. Pay attention to the directions.
If you notice inconsistencies in the text and the pictures, do as I say not as I do. When you can write your own tutorial instead of reading mine you can tell me what to do
Special tools:
You'll need the usual smattering of metric wrenches, ratchets, allen keys, and pliers. In addition you'll need a torque wrench to re-tighten some things and large sockets/wrenches to remove the front wheel. You'll also need a jack stand or something to prop the front of the bike up with.
To remove the fork legs from the nacelle and the top caps from the upper fork sliders you'll need either the Enfield special tool:
a long 12mm allen key welded to a water main wrench to replicate same, or a 12mm allen key. If you go the cheap route like I did with the 12mm allen you've got one of two choices, you can get a steel pipe to put on the short end of the allen key for leverage or just cut the short end off and use a 12mm socket on the long straight part that's left. I recommend the second option as it gives you the convenience to use a ratchet.
Don't bother getting a 12mm allen socket, they're expensive and probably not long enough.
To separate the upper and lower fork legs you'll need a 6mm allen wrench for the outside. For the damper rod inside you'll need a ratchet, 18" extension, 4" extension, and either 10mm or 14mm allen socket. Either works and the 10mm is usually cheaper. If you want to use several shorter ratchet extensions together that's probably fine but it really is about 20" deep in there.
If you plan to replace the seals you can improvise the removal and installation tools but I really recommend getting this:
It's a ring designed just to keep you from cracking the fork tops when you pry/wedge the seals out. I've seen posts on people cracking these. Don't crack yours and then have to wait for a replacement part.
Get a 5 gallon bucket. They're nice for keeping the fork legs and long bits from rolling around in the dirt.
Getting the bike prepped:
Get the bike on the center stand and then get a jack stand or some other suitable support under the front engine mounts to hold the wheel off the ground. Make sure this is sturdy, the bike may move around a bit while you're wrenching. Make sure your stand won't just collapse if it gets nudged.
Before starting anything cover the tank, nacelle, and fender with towels. Protect your paint!
Remove the speedo cable at the wheel and tuck or tie it back out of the way.
Remove the turn signals and the nuts holding them, tie them back out of the way.
Break the pinch bolt on the left fork leg loose.
Loosen the front axle and remove the front wheel. You should be able to tilt the bike up just far enough to get it out. Set it out of the way. Keep track of your spacers and speedo drive unit.
Remove the front brake, take the line out of its guide on the fender, and tie the caliper back out of the way. Don't let it hang by the hose.
Remove all the remaining fender bolts and remove the fender. It will take some careful wiggling. Cover it with a towel and set it aside out of the way.
With a large screwdriver remove the two large chrome top screws from the top of the fork legs in the nacelle. These don't hold anything together, they're just to seal the top. You should be able to see the 12mm allen top cap on the fork.
Fork leg removal:
Loosen the pinch bolt on one fork leg on the lower triple tree.
Using whatever 12mm tool you have insert it into the 12mm top cap on the leg you just loosened the pinch bolt on.
Protect the wires and cables the 12mm may rub against.
Cover up the shiny bits with towels.
Now turn the tool CLOCKWISE to turn the leg down and out of the nacelle. It may take some force to break it loose.
Once it's moving well hold the lower slider so it doesn't fall out.
Once it stops moving downward as you turn it's free of the nacelle threads.
Re-tighten the pinch bolt.
The 12mm top cap is a REVERSE THREAD into the fork upper. Using the 12mm tool turn the top cap CLOCKWISE to break it loose and turn it out of the upper fork tube. This may take some force at the start. The cap should have enough room in the nacelle to completely turn out of its threads from the fork leg but probably won't pop out because it's held in by an o-ring.
When the top cap stops moving up when you turn it's free of the internal threads. Loosen the pinch bolt and spread the clamp a bit with a screwdriver to loosen it.
Turn the bars to the side, you should have just enough room to slide the leg out from the fork cover.
Put the leg aside or in the bucket. Take care not to damage the threads at the top of the fork.
Repeat the fork removal steps with the other fork leg.
Fork leg disassembly:
This is what the removed fork leg looks like:
I recommend you work on one leg at a time so as not to get them confused though all parts except the lower are interchangeable between the two.
Remove the top cap, this is a little tricky. It's free of the threads but stuck in there by the friction of the o-ring around it.
I sat in a chair, fork leg between my knees with the bottom cushioned on a rag and held in my feet. I used latex gloves for grip and just grabbed the top threads and pressed down with one hand while twisting the cap and pulling up with the other. It will probably come apart suddenly. Try not to drop the cap if you can, it's aluminum and has fine threads that can be damaged. I never managed to hold onto it. Good luck!
Once the cap is out wipe it clean and set it aside.
Compress the fork leg and remove the spacer, washer, and spring. They'll be oily, have some rags. Set them aside on a CLEAN surface. Newspaper works nicely and absorbs oil.
Turn the fork leg upside down and pour the oil into a catch container. Pump the fork in and out several times while upside down until you can hear that all the oil is out.
Compress the fork leg completely.
Lay the fork leg on the work bench.
Get a 6mm allen socket on a ratchet for the bottom bolt.
Get an 18" and a 4" extension together with either a 10mm or 14mm allen socket and ratchet for the damper rod inside the fork leg. Turn the fork leg up and feed the tool down. Turn and wiggle it a bit until you feel it seat in the damper rod.
Lay the leg down and get the 6mm on the bottom.
Loosen the bolt and remove it. There's a little copper washer which may stick in the fork leg or on the bolt. Retrieve it and don't lose it!
You can now separate the upper legs and lower sliders. Do that.
The damper rod's internal end cap will either com out on its end or fall of in the lower slider. If it's on the damper rod simply pull it off. If it's in the lower just tip it up and dump it out to retrieve it.
Set the lower aside in the bucket.
Turn the upper leg over and dump the damper rod and rebound spring out.
Set the upper slider in the bucket.
Seal removal/replacement
is not detailed here because I didn't do it. Except for the special tool mentioned above to keep from cracking the fork legs it is a fairly universal process. It's in the manuals and a million other places on the net. The upper dust seal is easy to remove with a small pry, screwdriver, or manly fingernail. Under that is a circlip and then the inner seal. I did take a pic:
Fork reassembly:
Everything should be clean, clean, clean. Especially the threads on the fork ends and top caps.
Have your seals and dust seals installed on the fork lowers.
Pass the damper rod through the rebound spring.
Insert the damper rod and spring into the upper leg held at a shallow angle and slide it to the bottom gently.
Poke and wiggle it a bit and get the damper rod end to drop out of the upper leg.
Insert the ratchet, extensions, and 10mm or 14mm allen socket in to hold the damper rod in place.
Turn the fork upper to face straight up with the ratchet on the bottom.
Put the internal end cap on the damper rod.
Slide the lower slider onto the upper leg until it seats on the damper rod internal cap.
Look into the bolt hole on the bottom of the slider. It the threads are not lined up use a small screwdriver or probe to move the threads into alignment with the hole.
Insert the retaining bolt with the copper sealing washer and get it threaded a few turns.
Tighten up the retaining bolt using the 6mm allen on the bottom and the 10mm or 14mm that's already in the upper leg. There was no torque spec so I went for 'good and tight'.
Turn the assembled fork leg right side up.
Fill it with 195ml of oil of your choosing.
Pump the fork leg in and out repeatedly until you clear all the air bubbles. You'll hear and feel it when it's right.
Extend the fork completely.
Insert the spring, washer, and spacer.
Grease the sides of the 12mm allen top cap.
Using latex gloves for grip grab the top of the fork tube and presse the top cap in. The pressure of the o-ring will keep it in once you get it past the end.
Remember the top cap it reverse thread. Hold the top of the upper fork leg and using your 12mm tool of choice, turn the top cap COUNTERCLOCKWISE while pressing down. This should start to get it threaded into the fork upper. Get at least a few turns. You'll complete the tightening once the fork leg is bolted into the lowe triple again.
Go back and disassemble and re-assemble the other fork leg.
Fork leg re-installation:
Remember, the fork leg with the pinch bolt goes on the right
Put a little grease on the threads at the upper end of the fork. This is steel going into aluminum, let's keep it from corroding in place.
Turn the bars and insert one fork leg into the triple tree. Slide it up as far as you can.
Tighten the pinch bolt on the lower triple tree.
Cover all the shiny bits on top and insert your 12mm tool of choice into the fork top cap. Protect the cables wires if needed.
Turn the 12mm tool COUNTERCLOCKWISE to tighten and fully seat the fork top cap in the upper fork leg. There was not torque spec so I went with 'good and tight'.
Loosen the pinch bolt.
Now press up gently on the fork tube while turning the 12mm tool COUNTERCLOCKWISE to tighten the fork upper leg into the nacelle. Once again, 'good and tight'.
Snug up the pinch bolt but not all the way. Center the fork cover over the lower slider so the two won't scrape each other.
Torque the pinch bolt to 24 ft.lbs.
Install the large chrome top screw.
Repeat Installation with the other fork leg.
Final assembly:
I'm going to gloss over this a bit, it's covered lots of other places.
Put the fender back on, it takes a little wiggling. VERY IMPORTANT: Make sure the divots in the sides of the fenders are centered with the fork covers. If they're not they could rub off some paint.
Re-install the wheel, axle, spacers, and speedo drive.
Make sure the speedo drive is at the right angle and re-attach the cable.
Torque the front axle to 37-51 ft.lbs.
Tighten the fork pinch bolt.
Spread the brake pads apart a bit with a clean screwdriver.
Re-install the front brake caliper.
The bike should be mostly back together and ready to come off the stand. Take it down.
Fan the brake lever until the pads grab the disc again.
Hold the front brake and gently press down on the front end to see if it feels ok and that the fender is not scraping.
Re-align as needed and torque all the fender bolts and brake caliper bolts to spec.
Check all the bolts to make sure they are tight.
Re-install the turn signals.
Last Edit: June 07, 2011, 02:38:33 am by Ducati Scotty
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Re: C5 Fork Tutorial
Reply #1 on:
June 04, 2011, 07:33:55 am
Nice wrtie up, thanks.
On the eighth day God created the C5, and it was better looking than anything on the planet.
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Re: C5 Fork Tutorial
Reply #2 on:
June 04, 2011, 08:40:33 am
Thanks for all the hard work Scotty! Looks great. Not sure if thats something I'm ready to tackle just yet but will definitely need for the future. Kudos!
Grand Gearhead
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Re: C5 Fork Tutorial
Reply #3 on:
June 04, 2011, 08:57:45 am
Ah, thank you. This is most useful.
2010 C5 Military - "The Slug"
Black C5
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Re: C5 Fork Tutorial
Reply #4 on:
June 04, 2011, 10:08:16 am
FANTASTIC WRITE UP! Thank you Scott. After all that work, did you change the spring or damping? Which fork oil did you use and can the oil be changed without complete disassembly?
Grand Gearhead
Posts: 1,175
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Re: C5 Fork Tutorial
Reply #5 on:
June 04, 2011, 10:22:11 am
Absolutely wonderful. Many thanks for all your hard work. I was going nuts trying to decipher the service manual!
2019 Interceptor 650 - Orange...off the first boat!
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2010 C5 - Teal
1942 WW2 Willys MB Slat grill
1945 WW2 Willys MB
Grand Gearhead
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Ride carefully - You are invisible.
Re: C5 Fork Tutorial
Reply #6 on:
June 04, 2011, 10:49:15 am
Wow, that was amazing. Thanks.
It is clear that I won't be attempting this by myself, and that is good for me know now.
A Royal Enfield owner's cup is always half full.
Grand Gearhead
Posts: 619
Karma: 0
Re: C5 Fork Tutorial
Reply #7 on:
June 04, 2011, 08:59:10 pm
Nice work Scott. Thanks for the detailed write up, pictures are great.
This is something I plan to do later.
Just love those teal C5's!
2010 C5 Teal
2011 Triumph Bonneville T100
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Grease Monkey
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2010 Black Bullet C5
Re: C5 Fork Tutorial
Reply #8 on:
June 04, 2011, 11:03:33 pm
Holy crap, I'm not doing that! You are brave, sir.
Why did you do anything past separating the upper legs and lower sliders? Did you just do this to replace the oil?
Wouldnt it be nice if they installed a fill and drain plug?!
Thanks again for the writeup.
ps- a few of the pic's links are off, mostly towards the middle.
pps- why not paste the pics inline with the post?
Ducati Scotty
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2010 Teal C5
Re: C5 Fork Tutorial
Reply #9 on:
June 05, 2011, 01:32:50 am
Brave? Nah. Taking apart my Ducati engine to check the cam timing a month after I got it because stopped running when the adjustable cams came loose, that took guts!
I took apart more than I needed for just the oil change just to make sure it was all clean. Lots of stuff seems to find its way into weird places on these bikes. Yeah, I figure a few pics would be off. I'll fix them soon. You've got the link to everything. I didn't paste them inline because there are only so many you can put in one post and then it would take even longer to put this together.
Yes, why not a simple drain and fill plug? Especially when you're supposed to check the oil every few thousand miles, at least according to the manual. I've been chatting with SSR and Gorilla. We think you could easily drill and tap the top cap to add a fill bolt. Better yet, I bet you could just drill it out and let the big chrome screw and o-ring seal it like on the G5. I'm not sure why they didn't do that in the first place. For a drain, a bolt on the back of the fork leg between the lowest and middle fender bolts is in just the right spot to intersect the bottom of the chamber. Usually drains are on the side but there's much more metal on the back to tap into. If you want to do it, that's the place for it. Gorilla's thinking about it. I'm usually in there changing springs and setting preload so it doesn't help me much.
RE recommends 10w30 engine oil. I used 10w Bel-Ray fork oil. I also put in 195ml, the recommended amount. I took out 150 and 165 from the two legs. 10w is definitely thicker and the fork moves a little slower, doesn't dive as fast. With the right amount of oil the air space is smaller and the fork doesn't dive as far either. Even without those attributes it just feels much better in general riding. More solid, more planted. Don't go adding oil to make it dive less. I heard the reason it's now 195 is that at 200 they were blowing too many seals.
I put the stock springs and spacers back in but did find out that we have 0.7kg/mm springs. The calculators I checked said I should be running 0.9-0.95 for my weight. That seems a little stiff to me, it was on my Ducati when I put 0.95s in there. And this is a lazier easy riding bike. I think I may step up to 0.85 when money allows and probably drop to 7w oil then too. I might go 0.9 or 0.95 when I add the side car.
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Re: C5 Fork Tutorial
Reply #10 on:
June 05, 2011, 10:15:40 am
That was a great write up...Keep this for prosperity...I'm using 15 wt. Spectro but having a iron, its pretty easy to change the fork oil as u are aware....That stated, you did all the c5/g5 fellows a service going through all that...That seal removal tool is a must if u gonna replace a leakey seal...Watched a Honda tech do a seal replacement on a sportbike and he had that job done in 20 minutes or so using a similar tool..So if the money situation improves, u were suggesting changing the springs. Knowing what u know, how long do u think it would take you now to complete that upgrade?
Oh Magoo you done it again
Ducati Scotty
Grand Gearhead
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2010 Teal C5
Re: C5 Fork Tutorial
Reply #11 on:
June 05, 2011, 10:50:19 am
Probably a long afternoon or two evenings. Longer if there's beer around
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Re: C5 Fork Tutorial
Reply #12 on:
June 05, 2011, 04:19:16 pm
Very nice write up and photos. You are pretty good with words
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Re: C5 Fork Tutorial
Reply #13 on:
June 05, 2011, 07:32:39 pm
Wowzer, good work!
I'm thinking this needs to be wikified. Anyone got webspace we can set up for this purpose?
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Re: C5 Fork Tutorial
Reply #14 on:
June 06, 2011, 02:03:04 pm
Excellent write up Scotty. It was probably more work then taking the legs apart
Great job man !
An thaibhsí atá rattling ag an doras agus tá sé an diabhal sa chathaoir.
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It's starting to be Valentine's get-ready month around here, last week we posted about fantasy fabulous luxury getaways. Today we've rounded up some romantic places closer to home and a bit more affordable. So if you're thinking of a 24-hour rendezvous or a weekend getaway we've come up a few interesting places from all over the state of Florida, starting here in our very own backyard of South Florida then heading over to Naples and up the Gulf Coast to Clearwater Beach and to the sugar sand beaches of Destin, then over to the quiet and quaint charm of St. Augustine and ending in Orlando. So whether you're looking for activity, quite, beach or spa this Valentine's Day we've got a round up of 14 places to check out and consider.
And if you love the South Florida food scene check out my book, Food Lovers' Guide to Miami & Fort Lauderdale (Globe Pequot Press, $14.95)
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B Ocean Fort Lauderdale celebrates Valentine's Day with the "B Mine" travel package. For $399 guests will enjoy an oceanfront room, a five-course prix-fixe dinner for two at SAIA with a complimentary glass of champagne and chocolate covered strawberries for two upon retiring for the evening. B Ocean Fort Lauderdale 999 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304
Valentine's Day getaway at the Ritz Carlton Fort Lauderdale is offering an over night package in Oceanfront king room with a Champagne and chocolate covered strawberries greeting. A 3-course Champagne Dinner in Via Luna and an American Breakfast the day after. The cost of this getaway package is $869. The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale 1 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304
Couples looking to escape to an intimate beach retreat in celebration of Valentine's Day can spend a memorable holiday sojourn at Acqualina Resort & Spa with the Romance Inspired Package available during the entire month of February. Starting at $825 for an Oceanfront Room, the Romance Inspired Package includes: One intimate beachfront dinner for two (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity). A bottle of Champagne upon arrival. In-room rose petal service at turndown on the night of your arrival and a welcome amenity. Acqualina Resort & Spa17875 Collins Avenue Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160
Valentine's Day at ONE Bal Harbour "For Your One & Only" is where couples can indulge in a vacation set for two filled with romantic surprises; picturesque sunsets from a private balcony, romance in the resort's iconic free-standing tubs overlooking the Intracoastal and Atlantic Ocean and a candle lit dinner in a private cabana for two. The "For Your One & Only" package includes: Champagne and chocolate covered strawberries, candlelit dinner for two in a private poolside cabana and Breakfast Your Way the morning after. Rates start at $959 per night. 10295 Collins Avenue, Bal Harbour, Miami, Florida 33154
Glamorous and indulgent, surprise that special someone with a jaw-dropping, 'clear-cut' weekend getaway at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach. The "To Di- For" package is a perfect way to dazzle with diamonds; This sparkling package includes a diamond infused facial treatment and an 18K White Gold and Diamond 'Love Knot' Ring with a total of 1.02 round pave Diamonds by Coralie, of Duchamp Jewelers as well as an ocean view suite. The Precious Ceremony Diamond Facial is a true sensory experience, featuring a relaxing foot ritual, a scalp massage and breathing techniques for total tension release. The Carita signature Renovateur exfoliation is applied followed by the Precious Ceremony Mask. Pricing begins at $4954/night. The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach One Lincoln Road Miami Beach, Florida 33139
Score a hole-in-one when you surprise your Valentine with a private dinner for two on a golf tee overlooking the signature 18-hole Island Green and spectacular 64-foot waterfall at the legendary Turnberry Isle Miami. The one-of-a-kind Green Tee dinners will be available throughout the month of February and take advantage of South Florida's tropical weather. For evening dinners, tiki torches surround the green, setting off a romantic glow. Experiences and menus are customized from start to finish. Prices vary on menus. Tax and gratuity is additional. Private pool cabana dinners are also available. Turnberry Isle Miami is located at 19999 West Country Club Drive in Aventura.
Spend quality time together while indulging in side-by-side foot bath and massage in the four star spa's soothing duet suite. Couples choose from a 60-minute customized Swedish, Deep Tissue, Aromatherapy Massage or a combination of all three. A fragrant candle helps set the mood. Includes champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries. Two people. 60 minutes/$278, plus tax and gratuity. To extend the romantic experience, order spa cuisine served on the Spa's outdoor relaxation terrace overlooking the tropical grounds of the resort. Turnberry Isle Miami 19999 West Country Club Drive in Aventura.
Valentine romance beachside at The St. Regis Bal Harbour. Valentine amenities include freshly cut flowers, a bottle of chilled champagne, complimentary in-room internet, and a daily full breakfast, including room service. Two night minimum length of stay required. (starting getaway prices were not available at the time of publication). The St. Regis Bal Harbour 9703 Collins Avenue Bal Harbour Miami Beach, Florida 33154
The Inn on Fifth in downtown Naples is offering a "Suite for Your Sweet" package for Valentine's Day 2013, featuring the Inn's exclusive Club Level Suites. Perfect for an extravagant getaway, the package starts at $842 and includes a one-night stay in a new Club Level Suite, a one-hour couple's massage at onsite Spa on Fifth, sparkling wine in room upon arrival, and late check-out. Designed for two adults and available February 10 through 17. The package also includes Club Level amenities such as access to a private rooftop hot tub and sunbathing area, private check-in, concierge, and daily breakfast buffet, afternoon tea and snacks, and evening cocktails and appetizers. The Inn on Fifth 699 5th Avenue South, Naples, Florida 34102
Offering panoramic Gulf views, the all-new, all-suite Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa is an ideal romantic getaway destination for Valentine's Day. Guests can enjoy the Hyatt Romance Package, which includes a welcome amenity of champagne and chocolates, full breakfast daily for two adults, valet parking and guaranteed late checkout at 1:00 p.m. The resort offers 20 private, state-of-the-art, poolside cabanas. Available for full- or half-day rental, each features a wet bar area, flat-screen television, personal restroom, wireless Internet and service call button feature. Food and beverage cabana packages are additionally available as well as in-cabana massage services from the therapists at Sandava Spa. (starting getaway prices were not available at the time of publication) Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort and Spa 301 South Gulfview Blvd, Clearwater, Florida 33767
The Hilton Sandestin Beach's Romantic Rendezvous Package adds special touches that will have you falling in love: chocolates, champagne and roses, all set against a stunning backdrop of sugar-white sand and emerald-green water. The Romantic Rendezvous Package includes Beach-view accommodations, Breakfast for two adults at Sandcastles Restaurant, located in the hotel, a complimentary box of Godiva Chocolates, a complimentary bottle of Champagne, and one dozen Red Roses. Rates start at $199.00 per night for 2+ night stay (Code RT) , and $269.00 for a single night stay (Code RR) ; based on double occupancy and Beach-View Suite accommodations; reservations must be made at least seven (7)-days in advance. Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa 4000 Sandestin Blvd., South Destin, Florida 32550
As a historic landmark centered in the nation's oldest city, Casa Monica Hotel is St. Augustine's only AAA Four-Diamond accommodation. The rich history of the iconic landmark shines through with impressive fortress-like architecture as it majestically overlooks the downtown district and Matanzas Bay. Culture, worldly flavor and art combine at the historic hotel, inspiring unforgettable beauty and alluring discerning travelers, such as celebrities, artists, musicians and political figures – similar to the guest list more than a century ago. The 138 timeless guestrooms and suites transport visitors back to an era of old world charm among Spanish-style romanticism, with custom designed interiors, including classical furnishings with gold accents and plush red velvet tufted headboards. Casa Monica Hotel 95 Cordova Street St. Augustine, Florida 32084
Celebrate Valentine's Day with a Light Your Fire escape package at The Villas of Grand Cypress. Light Your Fire is available for the entire month of February and includes: two nights in premiere One-Bedroom Villa, Champagne and fresh berries upon arrival, personal "Fire Grilled" 4-course dinner for 2 prepared on your private patio with a candlelit table; after dinner drinks fireside at a personal fire-pit with a view of nearby fireworks; back to the room and you will find a drawn bath infused with romantic oils layered with rose petals, and breakfast in bed for two each morning. Rates for the Light Your Fire package start from $1499. Villas of Grand Cypress One North Jacaranda, Orlando, Florida 32836


text: Since bursting onto the fashion scene in 2006, CC Skye has been an instant hit with celebrities and fashion elites all-over the world. The Los Angeles-based talent specializes in creative, trend-led accessories and must-have fashion jewellery, winning her acclaim as 'Hollywood's hottest new designer'. Bring the perfect touch of sparkle to every outfit with this lust-worthy collection of CC Skye necklaces. You'll find signature horn necklaces studded with glittering crystals, alongside playful slogan pendants and statement colliers in a riot of rainbow colours.


text:
In conjunction with Green Ronin -- whose has worked with licenses like Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and Black Company -- the current plan is to release a first-edition boxset.
The pen and paper game extends the Dragon Age universe, making it more accessible to passionate RPG fans looking for another way to experience the epic fantasy world of Thedas.We can already hear pencil sharpeners around the globe spring to life. Dragon Age: Origins the videogame is set to launch on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in the fall.
Green Ronin plans to release additional boxed sets and supplemental books, expanding the Dragon Age world even further.
Don't expect any pretty graphics in the pnp RPG.
Bryn says: Gerald often runs a staff-populated D&D session after work hours. I think he's probably going to be all over this one. There's no price point announced yet for the Dragon Age pen and paper RPG. I wonder how many people will be interested in buying and playing?
Aren't tabletop games on the way out these days?


text:
As its battle with "Big Five" book publisher Hachette rages on, Amazon released an open letter urging people to email Hachette CEO Michael Pietsch arguing that lower e-book prices are good for everyone.
In its letter, Amazon uses a quote from George Orwell, the famed "1984" author — but takes the line out of context and gets its meaning totally wrong.
Amazon starts the letter by explaining that when paperback books were first introduced, the industry thought that they would ruin literary culture. Amazon's Books team quotes Orwell in an attempt to show how brutal the backlash against paperback books was:
"The famous author George Orwell came out publicly and said about the new paperback format, if 'publishers had any sense, they would combine against them and suppress them.' Yes, George Orwell was suggesting collusion."
Amazon referenced the Orwell quote again later in its letter, writing that Hachette was "perhaps channeling Orwell's decades old suggestion" in regards to a recently settled anti-trust case against Apple for e-book price-fixing that Hachette was involved in. However, as The New York Times points out, Orwell wasn't actually promoting an illegal alliance of publishers.
Here's the actual, full quote from Orwell's essay in The New English Weekly about Penguin books:
"The Penguin Books are splendid value for sixpence, so splendid that if the other publishers had any sense they would combine against them and suppress them."
In Orwell's essay, he was reviewing a selection of sixpence Penguin books, which he said were a great value for readers. Although he did argue in the piece that cheaper books are bad for the book trade overall, he was not literally calling for publishers to use collusion to fight paperbacks.
People were quick to point out Amazon's error, including The Magazine editor Glenn Fleishman: