text:
Bulldogs Held 1-Run Leads Late in Both Games, but Crusaders Rally to Sweep
WEST HAVEN, Conn. — The Yale University baseball team held one-run leads late in both games of Saturday's doubleheader against Holy Cross, only to see the Crusaders rally late to pull off come-from-behind wins, 5-4 and 7-6, to complete the sweep at Yale Field.
The two losses spoiled Opening Day at Historic Yale Field for the Bulldogs, who fall to 1-11 overall. Holy Cross snapped a three-game losing streak with the wins and improved to 4-13. The Crusaders had lost 10 of their previous 11 games prior to Saturday's sweep.
Saturday's doubleheader was originally scheduled to take place at Holy Cross, but field conditions at Fitton Field in Worcester, Mass., forced the teams to play the games at Yale Field. Holy Cross still served as the home team in Saturday's games. The two teams will complete the four-game series with a second doubleheader at Yale Field on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m.
In the seven-inning opening game, Yale led 3-2 after two innings and 4-3 after the top of the fifth inning, but Holy Cross scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to pull ahead 5-4. Yale had a chance to tie the game in the top of the seventh after putting runners on second and third with two outs, but the Bulldogs bats could not produce the tying hit.
Yale scored the three runs in the second inning on an RBI single by senior captain Chris Piwinski and bases-loaded walks by sophomores Eric Hsieh and David Toups. The Crusaders responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning on a two-run double by Connor Perry with two outs.
Holy Cross tied the game with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI sacrifice fly by Perry. Yale regained the lead with a one-out bases-loaded walk by freshman Tom O'Neill that gave the Bulldogs a 4-3 lead.
But Holy Cross took advantage of a Yale throwing error on what would have been the third of the bottom of the fifth inning and scored a pair of unearned runs to pull ahead 5-4.
Sophomores Green Campbell and Joe Lubanski both had two hits in the opening game, while freshman Brent Lawson scored a pair of runs.
In the nightcap, Yale trailed 5-1 after five innings after Holy Cross scored two runs in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth. The Bulldogs stormed back with a four-run rally in the seventh inning to tie the game at 5-5 and took the lead with a run in the eighth inning.
Yale was one out away from securing the victory and appeared to have the win within reach when Holy Cross third baseman Mike Ahmed hit a high pop-up to third, but the ball slipped out of Lawson's glove and fell to the ground, giving Holy Cross new life.
The Crusaders took advantage. Brandon Cipolla singled to push Ahmed to third and Perry followed with an RBI single to drive in Ahmed to tie the game at 6-6. Following a walk by Stephen Wadsworth, Patrick Puentes belted a line-drive single down the right field line to score Cipolla with the winning run, giving Holy Cross a 7-6 win and a sweep of the doubleheader.
The Bulldogs briefly led 1-0 after the first inning thanks to an RBI groundout by Toups. After Holy Cross took the 5-1 lead, Yale's four-run rally came after the first two batters of the inning were retired, but the two-out rally came thanks to an RBI single by sophomore Eric Hsieh, an RBI double by Lawson, and a two-run single by Toups.
Hsieh, Jacob Hunter, Josh Scharff, and O'Neill all had two hits to lead the Bulldogs. Hsieh also scored two runs, while Toups drove in three runs.
Michael Coleman pitched extremely well in 4⅓ innings of relief, allowing just two hits and two unearned runs with three strikeouts, but luck didn't go his way after the error in the ninth inning and he was charged with the loss.
Report filed by Jon Erickson Jr., Yale Sports Publicity


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8ths Graph Beveled Transparent Rulers
by Westcott
These handy 8ths graph rulers are transparent for visibility and beveled to accommodate work with ink. Edges are calibrated to 16ths to the inch with a zero centering scale down the middle. Laminated for durability. B-85M contains a stainless steel strip on one edge to prevent nicking when using a knife or razor.
B-85M contains a stainless steel strip on one edge to prevent nicking when using a knife or razor.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Timeline Event
Thengel of Rohan born
Event Type: Genealogical
Age: 3rd Age - The Stewards
Year: 2905
15. Fengel. ... He was greedy ... and at strife ... with his children. Thengel, his third child and only son, left Rohan when he came to manhood and lived long in Gondor, and won honour in the service of Turgon.
16. Thengel. He took no wife until late, but in 2943 he wedded Morwen of Lossarnach in Gondor, though she was seventeen years the younger. She bore him three children in Gondor, of whom Théoden, the second, was his only son. When Fengel died the Rohirrim recalled him, and he returned unwillingly. But he proved a good and wise king; though the speech of Gondor was used in his house, and not all men thought that good. Morwen bore him two more daughters in Rohan; and the last, Théodwyn, was the fairest, though she came late (2963), the child of his age. Her brother loved her dearly.
It was soon after Thengel's return that Saruman declared himself Lord of Isengard and began to give trouble to Rohan, encroaching on its borders and supporting its enemies.
17. Théoden. He ... fell into a decline under the spells of Saruman, but was healed by Gandalf ...
The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers: The House of Eorl
Elena Tiriel 8.16.04


text:
From Centrair (Central Japan International Airport) : 28 min by Meitetsu to Nagoya Station.
5min walk through the direct path "Lucent Avenue" from Nagoya Station on JR Line, Meitetsu, Kintetsu, Higashiyama Line, Sakuradori Line and Aonami Line. 95 min by Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Nagoya Station. 50 min by Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka Station to Nagoya Station.
Nagoya Station Bus Terminal (5 min walk): city route buses, Meitetsu buses, JR buses, express buses, Airport Limousine buses available.
Within the building:
Recommended lunch places:
MIKUNI NAGOYA (French)
Tel +81 52 584 1105
LA ETERNITA (Italian)
Tel +81 52 551 2002
YAMAMOTOYA HONTEN (Lucent Tower Branch)
Tel +81 52 562 2531


text:
of degrees
& programs
Fall: January 15
Spring: October 15
Applications are evaluated as they arrive.
Number Required: 2
From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from college/university faculty members familiar with academic competence.
The Statement of Goals should be approximately 500-1,000 words and should include the following elements: your interest in Temple's program; your research goals; your future career goals; and your academic and research achievements.
The GRE is required. GRE scores must be 500 Verbal and 500 quantitative or higher.
Minimum TOEFL score or range of scores needed to be accepted:
600 on the paper-based test or 250 on the computer-based test. Students considered of marginal competency in English may be required to pass the SPEAK test administered by the Graduate School or enroll in an approved remedial English course in their first semester.
Submission of a research paper or other academic writing.
Graduate coursework in Political Science may be transferred from outside the university, provided that the credits were obtained no more than five years prior to the student's matriculation at Temple and the grades are "B" or better. The maximum number of credits a student may transfer is 6.
Main Campus
Students are able to complete the degree program through classes offered before and after 4:30 p.m.
Number of Didactic Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 30
Required Courses:
PS 400, 401, 410, 440 and 460
Electives: At least three other courses in American Politics and at least two other courses in International Politics or Comparative Politics or some combination of the two. (IR and Comparative)
Students should consult with their faculty advisors on course selection and exam preparation.
Internship: No internship is required.
Language Examination: No language examination is required.
Comprehensive Examination:
The comprehensive examination is a 4-hour, in-class essay examination. Sudents are expected to demonstrate mastery of the basic theories, concepts, and issues in each of the two fields by drawing upon the specific empirical, historical, and theoretical material examined in their particular coursework and readings.
Comprehensive Exam Subject - The subject areas and major components of the comprehensive examinations are American Politics and International Relations/Comparative Politics.
Comprehensive Exam Complete - Students are expected to take the comprehensive examination upon the completion of 30 s.h.
Comprehensive Exam Write - Exams questions are written by a committee of graduate faculty in of the relevant fields (e.g. American Politics; Internation Studies).
Comprehensive Exam Grade - A Committee of graduate faculty evaluates each comprehensive exam according to the criteria below.
Comprehensive Exam Pass - Students are expected to demonstrate mastery of the basic theories, concepts, and issues in each of the two fields by drawing upon specific empirical, historical, and theoretical material examined in their particular coursework and readings. The student earns the M.A. degree upon passing these examinations and the completion of all other requirements.
Comprehensive Exam Schedule - The deadline for applying to take the exam and the dates of the examinations are posted early in each semester. Students may apply by obtaining a form from the Graduate Secretary. The Graduate Chair and Secretary will check the application to make sure the student meets the requirements to take the exams. Students are given at least 4 hours to answer the essay questions.
Dept. of Political Science
411 Gladfelter Hall
1115 West Berks Mall
Philadelphia, PA 19122
Annette Beh
Program Coordinator:
Graduate Chairperson:
Sandra Suárez, Ph.D.
Gary Mucciaroni, Ph.D.
The primary mission of the Political Science Department's graduate program is to prepare students for careers in academia. The department gives equal emphasis to training students for both the research and teaching sides of such a career. Many of our graduates also successfully apply their political science training to nonacademic careers. The M.A. program offers study in two broadly defined fields: American Politics and International Studies (focusing on our particular strengths in international relations and comparative politics). The M.A. program is structured to give students a comprehensive grounding in the methods, theories, and major sub-fields of Political Science as preparation for the Ph.D. program.
Time Limit for Degree Completion: 3 years
Main Campus
Students are able to complete the degree program through classes offered before and after 4:30 p.m. Students are able to complete the degree program on a part-time basis (8 credit hours or less per semester).
Dept. of Political Science
411 Gladfelter Hall
1115 West Berks Mall
Philadelphia, PA 19122
Not applicable.
The American Politics faculty teach and conduct research on political institutions, public policy, urban politics, and political economy. The International Studies faculty teach and conduct research in the areas of international organization and security, international political economy, international ethics, international identity, the comparative politics of advanced industrial societies, particularly Western Europe, the compartive politics of developing nations, particulary Latin America, China and East Asia, and the politics of democratization.
Most students in the M.A. program intend to pursue a Ph.D. immediately after graduation or after a few years of employment. Some M.A. students use the degree to establish or strengthen credentials in teaching or for private/public sector positions; a few M.A. students want to strengthen their background for applications to other professional degree programs.
Students wishing to enroll in courses as a non-matriculated stduent must first consult with the Graduate Chair. An applicant who has taken Political Science courses as a non-matriculated student at Temple University can apply up to 9 semester hours toward the M.A. course requirements, as long as the courses taken satisfy the degree requirements. Students considering applying to the M.A. program while taking courses on a non-matriculated basis should discuss their plans with the Graduate Chair.
Teaching Assistants begin by aiding a faculty member (running discussion groups, grading, etc). Experienced graduate student teachers often teach introductory undergraduate courses by themselves. Undergraduate teaching complements graduate study very well, and helps graduate students integrate their studies and prepare for examinations. Teaching Assistantships carry a stipend, 6 semester hours tuition remission per semester and health benefits. In applications for an assistantship, students who have had prior teaching experience, either at Temple or elsewhere, should include syllabi of courses they have taught as well as any student assessments that have been made. Applications can be obtained in the Graduate Secretary's office and must be returned by the deadline.
Other Financial Opportunities


text:
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Stacy Adams mens hats and fedoras. Today, the Stacy Adams Signature Collection of headwear has arrived, focused on the discerning customer who places a premium on the finest materials and craftsmanship. This Classic mens fedora hat will add style for the distinguished gentleman.
Material - Polybraid
Shape - Pinch Front Fedora
Trim - Grosgrain Ribbon
Brim - 1 3/4"
Stacy Adams and men who know style have been a perfect fit for over 100 years. Founded in 1875 in Brockton, Massachusetts by William H. Stacy and Henry L. Adams, the Stacy Adams Shoe Company has long been a part of American culture. From the roaring '20s and the post-war boom, to Prohibition and the jazz era, Stacy Adams has been there.
- Item #: 103531


text: Ubuntu Server 10.04 Upgraded by "do-release-upgrade" Ubuntu Server 12.04 ISPconfig 3 v.18.104.22.168 SqirrelMail Courrier Hi, By accident, almost, I upgraded to Ubuntu Server 12.04. I did this before the ISPconfig3 installation. But, I followed the tutorial "The Perfect Server - Ubuntu 10.04" not knowing that I actually had an Ubuntu 12.04 installation. I found some of the differenses such as /etc/network/interfaces where I added the nameservers according to the tutorial for Ubuntu 12.04. Still I'm wondering if there is other things to be corrected. If there's someone who also upgraded his/her server, please don't hesitate to inform me Kind Regards, Dan


text:
Over the years it has become more and more obvious that much of the major media is very selective in its reporting of news of the Jewish community and Israel.
Chances are that your local TV, radio, newspaper doesn't report what we do.
We are not aligned with any group, government, or religious body.
Our only commitment is to report Jewish news that you will not read in the mainstream media.
We welcome your comments.


text:
District Judge Richard Brown Addresses ILEA Graduation, Oct. 17, 2007
ROSWELL, N.M., Oct. 17, 2007 -- District Judge Richard Brown of Carlsbad told 29 law-enforcement officers from three Latin America countries it is important they rely on one another to combat transnational crime.
Brown was featured speaker at the graduation of Bolivian, Ecuadorian and Peruvian officers from the International Law Enforcement Academy in Roswell.
"Even as our world becomes ever more complex, it becomes smaller in many ways," Brown told the officers Friday. "Even as the global population expands at an astonishing rate, the human community becomes more interdependent. Even as human knowledge grows geometrically, mankind's ability to absorb and use that knowledge stays apace.
"If you think about it in a slightly unorthodox way, these are some of the primary reasons that make the International Law Enforcement Academies necessary," the judge said.
"We live in a time of great promise. Science and medicine are advancing at a staggering pace. We hear daily of new cures and treatments for what previously seemed hopeless diseases and conditions," Brown said. "I graduated in 1979 from the University of New Mexico with a bachelor of science in biology. My son's high school biology textbook contains most of the science I studied at university and a great deal more. It is said that human knowledge doubles every 10 years.
"Unfortunately this is not altogether a good thing. For progress is a two-edged sword. With all the incredible advancements that benefit humanity come new and dangerous challenges to law enforcement," he said. "One need not search too far in the past to find a time when crime was more or less a local problem. Modern lawbreakers are less likely to limit their illegal acts to their own countries or even to a region of the world.
"To the historic international crimes of drug trafficking, terrorism, trafficking in humans, and the garden varieties of smuggling, today's crooks are adopting technological advances to assist them as they commit their crimes," Brown said.
"The international criminal today increasingly uses modern telecommunications, the internet, and every conceivable high tech tool available. Today, webs of crime are not limited to a single country or continent; increasingly, modern crooks are truly multinational.
"Just as scientists and physicians around the world have had to work together to combat dread diseases to alleviate human suffering, law enforcement around the world must do the same," he said. "The International Law Enforcement Academies are an effective tool in our pursuit to remain at least one step ahead of those who break the law.
"When I first heard about ILEA I was curious about the approach the academies use. After attending an earlier graduation and doing some research, I was pleased to find that ILEA-Roswell takes an academic approach to law enforcement issues. I was even more pleased to find that ILEA-Roswell is not aimed at imparting wisdom or imposing ideas on you the participants. Rather, here I understand that an emphasis is placed on an exchange of ideas and establishing networks of people with common problems and common goals," the judge said.
"As we find more and more law enforcement issues in common that transcend our frontiers we necessarily must turn to each other for help," Brown said.
ILEA-Roswell is a U.S. Department of State program operated under a cooperative agreement by New Mexico Tech.
Van Romero, vice president for research and economic development at New Mexico Tech, is the ILEA-Roswell project director.
The class was the 61st to graduate from the Roswell academy. To date 2,406 law-enforcement officers from 71 countries have attended the senior management program at ILEA-Roswell.


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Set the Table for a Kids' Thanksgiving
Last week we shared twelve inspiring Thanksgiving kids' tables. For those of you who don't have time to hunt for the perfect placemats, here are ten products that would make for a lovely little table.
1. Teal Triangle Garland: Land of Nod
2. Wooden Cutout Trees: West Elm
3. Sliced Pear Ornaments: The Spotted Kitty on Etsy
4. Rustic Daisy Cut Mason Jar Lids: Waiting on Martha Craft on Etsy
5. Confetti Paper Placemats: Anthropologie
6. Printable Be Thankful Utensil Holders: The Idea Room
7. Printable Turkey Feather Headbands: Mer Mag
8. Zak Designs Callaway Melamine Dinner Plate in Kiwi: Amazon
9. Zak Designs Callaway Melamine Dinner Plate in Orange: Amazon
10. Clementine Art Natural Crayon Rocks: Amazon
(Images: As credited above.)
Apartment Therapy supports our readers with carefully chosen product recommendations to improve life at home. You support us through our independently chosen links, many of which earn us a commission.


text:
By Kyle Wind
A national research group ranked the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area's roads among the bottom third of the nation's mid-sized cities.
More specifically, TRIP ranked both cities and the surrounding suburban areas 17th worst among 62 urban regions with populations between 250,000 and 500,000.
Thirty-two percent of the region's roads are "in poor condition and provide a rough ride," according to the report that TRIP released Thursday.
The average motorist in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area pays $539 annually in vehicle maintenance costs related to the substandard roads, which TRIP ranked 18th nationally.
Frank Moretti, a spokesman for TRIP, said a number of cities in western states have a higher percentage of roads in poor condition, but deteriorated stretches in the north are problematic.
Freeze and thaw cycles cause significant wear and tear during the winter months. As a result, the damage on Pennsylvania roads is often more severe than those in other cities with higher percentages of deteriorated roads, Moretti said.
Across Pennsylvania, more than 9,000 miles of state-owned roads alone are in poor condition, said Erin Waters-Trasatt, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation.
"In general, (the report) comes as no surprise," Waters-Trasatt said. "Anyone who drives in Pennsylvania will tell you the roads are getting worse."
Over the summer, the state Legislature and Gov. Tom Corbett could not reach an agreement on a transportation bill to pump more money into the state's transportation infrastructure.
The state currently spends about $3.8 million per year on roads and bridges.
Without more funding, Waters-Trasatt said 9,000 miles of substandard roads will turn into 16,000 miles by 2017.
TRIP's "Bumpy Roads Ahead" report noted the $40 billion federal surface transportation program is set to expire Sept. 30, 2014. Without action from Congress to boost the dwindling Highway Trust Fund, the report said Pennsylvania could lose $1.9 billion in highway and transit funding.
TRIP cited a U.S. Department of Transportation report from 2010 that found the nation would need to increase funding for road improvements 21 percent to keep them in their current condition, 51 percent to modestly improve their condition and 91 percent for significant improvement.
email@example.com, @kwindTT


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ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, June 19, 2015 - April 17, 2016
Editor: Peter Weibel
Text: English
Paperback, 124 p., ill.
300 years of Karlsruhe – 300 days of the GLOBALE. On the occasion of the 300th city anniversary of Karlsruhe, the ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe is organizing a new artistic manifestation: the GLOBALE. This series of interconnected exhibitions and performances, installations and environments, research presentations and films, lectures and performances, concerts and conferences, all focus on two subject areas that stand for sweeping changes in the lives of people on Planet Earth: globalization and digitization.
This Short Guide offers an overview of the GLOBALE program: all the events are introduced briefly, and an introductory essay by Peter Weibel explains the GLOBALE concept and the themes featured. It also gives you all the information you need about the times and locations of the events, opening hours, and admission fees. With the Short Guide in your hand, you are optimally prepared for the 300 days of the ZKM's art event.


text:
I love thinking up new ideas of crafts that Little Guy and I can make together. Sometimes I go online and surf all of the great blog posts that have simple projects. But, there are times when I'm just not feeling inspired. I've promised we'd do project, yet I just can't think of anything to make and don't feel like looking for anything. I've found a great, inexpensive way to help on those days.
Freckles Crafts' One Year Anniversary/National Craft Month giveaway!!! What this equates to is one Freckles Craft Kit per month for the entire year. If you are not familiar with Freckles Crafts, you need to check them out.
These aren't your everyday craft kits. Each kit comes with EVERYTHING you will need to make the project. And I mean everything. It is pure heaven to be able to do a project with very little prep work!
Betty the Bunny, and Bouquet of Buttons. After a nap and a snack on a cold and rainy day, I had Little Guy choose which he wanted to do. He decided on the Bouquet of Buttons after quite a bit of indecision.(Why didn't I just give him TWO choices?!) Our kit came with buttons, pipe cleaners, a pea pot, a little container of paint, paper "grass", a Styrofoam ball, and even a paint brush - we literally needed NOTHING of our own to make this. Oh, and did I mention that everything in the kits is washable and non-toxic?
I'm very glad that I took the time to read the instructions for all three crafts while he was asleep. The first step is to paint the pea pot, let it dry, then paint it again. Yeah, not going to work with my little guy. So, I managed to come up with a plan. He put the first coat of paint on the pot. While it was drying, we counted all of the buttons, talked about the colors and shapes, then sorted them into piles based on their size. The step after the painting was to sort the buttons so we would have one pile for each button flower we would make. For instance, each of the four large flowers needed a giant button, a large button, and a medium button. By the time we were done sorting, it was time to put on the second coat of paint. Crisis averted!
Sorry, just had to get that little lecture out of my system!
The pot was dry enough to work with after we finished making the flowers. All that was left to do was put the Styrofoam ball into the pot, poke the pipe cleaner stems of the flowers into the ball, and then place the "grass" in the pot to hide the ball. All of these were done by Little Guy. I only helped by pushing the flowers a little further into the ball so they'd stay.
He was so proud of himself! I placed them prominently on a table in our living room where he can reach them. Now, normally, that would mean that the project would have been ruined about five minutes after I set it down. But he's so darn happy about the fact that he made this that he is very careful with it. Whenever someone comes over, he runs to get his flowers to show them off and have our guest smell them. After they do so, he says, "Smells like buttons!"
The craft kits average about $5 each, so they're very affordable to have on hand. I love the Craft Kit Gift Tote! You get five craft kits, a nice tote to keep them in (that can be personalized with a name for no extra charge), and a personalized card for just $30. What a wonderful gift. I'd LOVE to receive this (hint, hint!!!)
WIN! Now for the great news - Freckles Crafts is going to give one of my readers a $15 Gift Certificate to use on anything you want in their store!
***Please leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry and leave your email in at least one of your entries. I will be checking the validity of all entries before I choose the winner with Random.org. If you say you follow, please do so or you risk having your entry deleted! Open to residents of the U.S. and Canada.Giveaway will end on April 28th at 11:59 pm. Winner will be notified with an email and in a post on this blog. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn.
- +3 Entries - Become a GFC follower of Freckles Crafts Blog
- +2 Entries - "Like" Freckles Crafts on Facebook (Please leave your first name and last initial from your FB name)
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- +2 Entries - Sign up for the Freckles Crafts newsletter (Left sidebar, near bottom of page)
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- +2 Entries - Enter my Low-Entry GREEN Spring Cleaning giveaway. (HURRY - Ends on Friday, 4/15!)


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Brussels, 20 December 2011
State aid: Commission adopts new package on State aid rules for services of general economic interest (SGEI) – frequently asked questions
A. General Questions
1. What are services of general economic interest (SGEI)?
SGEI are economic activities that would not be produced by market forces alone or at least not in the form of an affordable service available indiscriminately to all. SGEI are carried out in the public interest under conditions defined by the State, who imposes a public service obligation on one or more providers. SGEI range from large commercial activities, such as postal services, energy supply, telecommunications or public transport, to social services, such as care for the elderly and disabled.
2. Why is public service compensation needed for SGEI?
The provision of an SGEI under the conditions imposed by the state may not generate a (sufficient) benefit for the provider. Public service compensation might be needed to offset the additional costs stemming from a provider's public service obligations.
3. What aim do we pursue when controlling compensation for SGEI?
Public funding granted to companies carrying out economic activities may provide an economic advantage to the beneficiaries that their competitors do not have. This may give rise to distortions of competition in the internal market. State aid control of SGEI ensures that public service compensation does not exceed what is necessary for the provision of the public service, that companies have incentives to innovate and compete, and that the internal market is not fragmented.
B. The Communication
4. What is the purpose of the new SGEI Communication?
The SGEI Communication gives a comprehensive and practical overview of the EU state aid concepts relevant for SGEIs and provides explanations of key issues in a single document. The Communication summarises the most relevant case law of the EU Courts and the Commission's decision-making practice. It aims at facilitating the application of state aid rules for national, regional and local authorities as well as public service providers. The Commission has sought to provide as much guidance as possible on key concepts, such as the notion of economic activity, effect on trade or SGEI, as well as on the relation between state aid and public procurement rules. These clarifications have been requested by Member States and stakeholders alike.
C. The SGEI Decision
5. What is the decision about?
The decision specifies the conditions under which compensation to companies for the provision of public services is compatible with EU state aid rules (a clearly defined public service mandate and no overcompensation) and does not have to be notified to the Commission in advance.
6. What are the main changes?
The revised decision extends the scope of the exemption from the notification obligation to social services and reduces the threshold for other measures that do not need to be notified to the Commission for approval, if the conditions of the decision are met. This means that a large set of social services is exempted from state aid scrutiny regardless of the amount of the compensation, while aid directed towards other public service providers will need to be notified if it exceeds a threshold of €15 million, instead of formerly €30 million. Finally, the transparency provisions are strengthened.
7. Why was the compensation threshold under the Decision lowered to €15 million?
This lowering of the compensation threshold has to be seen in the light of the objective to have a more diversified and proportionate approach. Under the 2005 Decision, only hospitals and social housing benefitted from the application of the Decision regardless of the amount of compensation. For other services, a threshold of €30 million applied. This relatively high threshold ensured that most of the social services could benefit from the exemption. The new Decision extends the exemption without threshold to social services; therefore, a high threshold has become redundant. Compensation that exceeds the threshold is not incompatible, but needs to be notified to the Commission for an assessment under the state aid rules. Experience has shown that in areas that are still subject to the compensation threshold, important economic activities are awarded compensations between €15 million and €30 million. Those services can raise important competition concerns and are therefore more appropriately dealt with under the SGEI Framework.
8. Why was the turnover threshold under the Decision eliminated?
There are two main reasons why this threshold, subjecting an exemption from the notification obligation to a company turnover of less than €100 million, was eliminated. First, the turnover threshold was in some cases difficult to apply. This is particularly true for group structures because it is often difficult to identify the appropriate delineation for state aid purposes Secondly, this threshold can lead to different treatment between undertakings of different sizes, even where the impact on competition is the same. Even if a large company typically has more possibilities to compete on other markets, a separation of accounts between public service and other activities can alleviate the concern of possible cross-subsidisation.
9. Why are the exempted social services exhaustively listed in the Decision?
Social services, even if they are provided in an economic environment, have often specific features which distinguish them from other, more commercially oriented services. This justifies that the former are now exempted from the notification obligation regardless of the amount of compensation they receive, provided that they fulfil all the conditions of the decision. To achieve as much legal certainty as possible for granting authorities and beneficiaries alike, the exemption applies to an exhaustive list of social services. The list is very broad and covers the most important areas of social services.
The main impact of this change is a significant reduction of the administrative burden for the authorities granting the aid for social services, as they would no longer have to undergo the process of notifying these measures to the Commission.
10. What are the transitional rules for individual aid and for aid schemes?
Individual aid which was granted before the entry into force of the revised Decision and complied with the 2005 Decision is not affected by the revision. Individual aid that was granted before the entry into force of the revised Decision and was incompatible with the 2005 Decision, but fulfils the conditions of the revised Decision, is compatible aid.
Aid schemes that are put in place before the entry into force of the revised Decision and are compatible with the 2005 Decision continue to be compatible and exempt from the notification obligation for a period of two years from the entry into force of the revised decision.
D. The SGEI Framework
11. What is the Framework about?
The SGEI Framework specifies the conditions under which compensation not covered by the Decision is compatible with EU state aid rules. Such compensation will have to be notified to the Commission due to the higher risk of distortion of competition, so that the Commission can make an in-depth assessment and decide whether the measure is compatible with the internal market.
12. What are the main changes?
The revised Framework introduces a proportionate approach by subjecting large aid cases, with more important cross-border effects, to a closer scrutiny. Moreover, measures granting large compensations will need to contain incentives for the provider to achieve greater efficiency in the delivery of the services.
13. What is the purpose of the requirement of prior public consultation before an SGEI is attributed?
Under the revised Framework, Member States have to carry out a public consultation or use any other appropriate instrument to take the interests of users and providers into account, before entrusting a public service obligation to a certain provider. This will ensure that proper consideration has been given to the public service needs. This requirement does not apply where it is clear that a new consultation will not bring any significant added value to a recently held consultation on the same issue.
14. Why did you introduce a new methodology to determine the amount of compensation?
The primary reason for introducing a new methodology is to better estimate the economic cost of the public service obligation and to fix the amount of compensation at a level which ensures the best allocation of resources.
The choice of this methodology was an important element of the reform. The revised Framework requests Member States to use the net avoided cost methodology (NACM) for calculating the net cost of the public service obligation.
Under the NACM, the cost of the public service obligation is calculated as the difference between the net cost for a company of operating an SGEI and the net cost for the same company operating without a public service obligation.
The new Framework also allows alternative methodologies when the NACM is not feasible or appropriate.
15. Why do the new rules require Member States to introduce efficiency incentives in their compensation mechanisms?
Member States are required to introduce incentives for the efficient provision of SGEI of a high standard, unless the use of such incentives is not feasible or appropriate. Efficiency gains have to be achieved without prejudice to the quality of the service provided. The Commission has introduced this new requirement because incentives to become more efficient in the delivery of a service promote services of a better quality at a lower cost for taxpayers and users.
16. Why has the Commission introduced additional requirements for particularly serious competition distortions and what are they?
The Commission has to ensure that trade and competition in the internal market is not affected to an extent contrary to the interests of the EU (Article 106(2)(2) of the TFEU). Where an SGEI measure has the potential to create serious distortions of competition, the Commission will therefore carry out an in-depth assessment of its impact on competition. In such cases, the Commission will assess whether the distortions can be remedied through conditions or commitments from Member States.
17. What are the appropriate measures for aid schemes?
Article 108(1) of the TFEU requires the Commission to monitor existing state aid schemes and to propose, where necessary, appropriate measures to Member States to bring those schemes in line with the state aid rules. As regards existing SGEI schemes, the Commission proposes that Member States publish a list of all existing aid schemes concerning public service compensations that are not in line with the revised Framework by 31 January 2013 and that they bring those schemes in line with the Framework by 31 January 2014.
E. The draft SGEI de minimis Regulation
18. What is the de minimis Regulation?
The de minimis Regulation exempts small subsidies from the obligation to notify them in advance to the Commission for clearance under EU state aid rules. Under the current general de minimis Regulation, public funding of up to €200,000, granted over a period of three years are not considered as state aid. This is because their impact on cross-border competition is deemed inexistent.
19. Why does the Commission propose a specific SGEI de minimis Regulation?
The Commission intends to adopt a specific SGEI de minimis in order to achieve a genuine simplification for local services. The new SGEI de minimis threshold would be higher than the currently existing general de minimis threshold. This is justified because the beneficiary of the SGEI de minimis Regulation incurs net costs linked to the public service obligation that beneficiaries of the general de minimis Regulation do not have. The potential advantage for an SGEI provider is thus lower than the compensation amount actually granted, while under the general de minimis Regulation the advantage from the same amount would be higher. Therefore, the ceiling below which there is no impact on competition and trade between Member States can be higher for compensating for an SGEI.
20. What would be covered by the new de minimis rule?
Following a consultation of Member States and other stakeholders in October 2011, the current draft proposes to find public support for the operation of a service of general economic interest as de minimis when its amount does not exceed €500.000 over a period of three years. However, this text is not final and the conditions are subject to further discussions.
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A major research study in the early 1990s proved that the best way to avoid complications of diabetes is to follow what is called "intensive blood glucose management."
This is the highest standard of diabetes care, and it can take a lot of work. It may greatly reduce the long-term health risks of having diabetes.
Intensive management involves:
Intensive management is not easy, but it does have both short- and long-term benefits. In the short run, intensive management allows more freedom to eat a variety of foods and exercise more freely. In the long run, intensive management significantly reduces the risk of eye disease, kidney disease, and nerve disease.
Unfortunately, this program is extremely difficult to carry out and may not be a practical solution for some patients. In addition, intensive management does have one significant health drawback -- it increases the risk of low sugar complications (such as seizures).
The program requires discipline, but the long-term benefits are definitely worth considering. Discuss with your doctor whether you are a good candidate for this approach.
American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes--2009. Diabetes Care. 2009 Jan;32 Suppl 1:S13-61.
Alemzadeh R, Wyatt DT. Diabetes mellitus in children. In: Kliegman RM, ed. Kliegman: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders;2007:chap 590.
Eisenbarth GS, Polonsky KS, Buse JB. Type 1 diabetes mellitus. In: Kornenberg HM, Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR. Kronenberg: Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2008:chap 31.


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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Redshirt sophomore William Barr (Urbana, Ohio), freshman Lauren Kenney (State College, Pa.), and sophomore Laura Loht (McClure, Pa.) each extended their seasons in their respective events on Thursday (May 24), advancing to the NCAA Outdoor Championships via qualifying performances at the NCAA Eastern First Round at the University of North Florida. The Nittany Lions enjoyed an outstanding afternoon overall, with numerous athletes advancing to later rounds in the track events.
Barr got things started with a bang, launching a personal-best 183-6 (55.93) in the discus on his first attempt of the competition. The effort, which is a personal-best by over four feet, held up for fifth overall on the afternoon, and was good for one of the 12 coveted qualifying positions for the NCAA Finals, set for June 6-9, in Des Moines, Iowa. Barr's attempt was also notable in the Nittany Lion record books, as it stands sixth on the all-time Penn State top 10 list. The trip to the NCAA Finals will be the first for the redshirt sophomore, who is also slated to compete in the hammer throw on Friday morning.
The success in the throws continued in the women's javelin, with Kenney leading the field with a personal-best toss of 162-10 (49.65). The freshman, who bettered her own career record by more than two feet, enjoyed an outstanding series overall, with four of her six throws measuring at 154-feet or better. Loht, who has guaranteed her second-consecutive trip to Des Moines, recorded an effort of 154-4 (47.04) on the afternoon, which held up for the seventh-best performance of the competition. The underclassman duo have been on fire all season, coming off of a one-two finish at the Big Ten Championships earlier this month, where Loht won her first-career conference crown, with Kenney following in second.
The Nittany Lions also impressed in the track events, with Brady Gehret (Altoona, Pa.), Brandon Bennett-Green (Elkins' Park, Pa.), Casimir Loxsom (New Haven, Conn.), Robby Creese (Mt. Airy, Md.), Doris Anyanwu (Beltsville, Md.), and Rebekka Simko (Mentor, Ohio) all advancing towards further competition, this weekend in Jacksonville.
Simko had a stellar afternoon in the middle distances, earning quarterfinal bids in both the 800- and 1500-meters. The sophomore began the afternoon running 4:24.59 in the 1500, finishing fifth in her heat to earn one of the five automatic-advancing positions. But her afternoon wasn't complete, as Simko returned to the track two hours later to qualify for the next round of the 800, via a finishing time of 2:07.07, to advance on time. Simko will be back tomorrow to run the 800 quarterfinal, and run again on Saturday in the 1500, with spots to the NCAA Finals on the line in both events.
Gehret cruised to a quarterfinal bid in the 400-meters, blitzing to a heat victory and automatic-advancing position in 46.34. Bennett-Green also advanced to the next round of the quarter mile, running 46.82. Loxsom would also move on via a heat win, taking his section of the 800 with a finishing time of 1:50.01. Quarterfinals of both the 400 and 800 are slated for Friday evening.
Creese continued his whirlwind freshman campaign, earning an advancing position in the 1500. The rookie clocked 3:48.32 to capture a spot in Saturday's quarterfinal.
On the women's side, Anyanwu nabbed a spot in the quarterfinal of the 400-meter hurdles, running 59.38 to place third in her heat.
Action in Jacksonville continues on Friday morning, beginning with the men's hammer throw at 10 a.m., and the women's pole vault at 11 a.m.


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Elementary Students Visit Lilly Libraryby Howard Hewitt • September 28, 2010 Share:
More than 50 students jammed Lilly Library Tuesday morning taking notes, asking questions, and checking out periodicals in the reference section. The only thing different than a normal day was the students were all seven to eight years old.
Nicholson Elementary School teachers Steven Spencer and Shelley Wheeler brought second and third graders to Lilly Library before a planned stop downtown at Crawfordsville Community Library.
See photos from the morning visit here.
"We've been studying libraries," Spencer said. "We set up our own library in our classroom so we wanted to come out and look at the community."
Wabash Reference Librarian Jeff Beck helped make all the arrangements for the visit. Even current Wabash men had their interest piqued as the youngsters studied maps and asked questions.
"My goal was they learn something new that we haven't already studied about libraries," Spencer said. "So that's why the College setting seems to be a good choice."


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To be healthy, it's important to take care of your heart. Follow these 6 tips to help prevent a heart attack or stroke:
- Get your free cardiovascular screening. Medicare covers screenings for cholesterol, blood fat (lipids), and triglyceride levels at no cost to you. Call your doctor and schedule your screening today.
- Take control. Follow your doctor's instructions for drugs and treatment.
- Prevent heart disease and stroke in your family by understanding the risks.
- Get up and get active. Exercise for 30 minutes most days of the week.
- Know your ABCS:
- Appropriate Aspirin Therapy
- Blood Pressure Control – Medicare covers a blood pressure screening each year as part of your Yearly Wellness Exam
- Cholesterol Control
- Smoking Cessation– Medicare covers counseling to help you stop smoking. Talk to your doctor for more information on your ABC
6. Stay strong. Eat a heart-healthy diet that's high in fresh fruits and vegetables and low in sodium, saturated and trans fats, and cholesterol.
Making lifestyle changes and following these 6 steps can be challenging. Luckily, you don't need to reach your heart health goals alone. Join Million Hearts, a national campaign from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Million Hearts aims to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes over the next 5 years.
Following these 6 steps – starting with your free Medicare-covered cardiovascular screening – can greatly reduce your risk and help you be one in a Million Hearts.


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Tag: Best Way To Clean Porcelain Tile Floors Windermere, FL
Find The Top Cleaning Porcelain Tile In Windermere, FL
Are you looking for Cleaning Porcelain Tile in Windermere, FL ? Many homeowners choose porcelain tile for the home due to its combination of beauty and durability. Colors and patterns can match virtually any color scheme and decorating style. Maintaining and cleaning this material is straightforward. With minimal effort, it should be possible to keep flooring, countertops, or backsplashes beautiful for many years.
Find Professional Cleaning Porcelain Tile in Windermere, FL
To keep tile pristine, apply a pH-balanced cleanser. Spray the product over the surfaces daily or as necessary to remove dirt and stains. Sometimes deeper stains will occur. To battle these issues, apply an acidic product to the surface. Greasy stains that often happen in the kitchen may demand an alkaline cleanser with special formulations to clean porcelain tile. Never allow any chemical to dry on the surface. Always rinse away a cleanser promptly after applying it. Hard water spots might lead to mineral build-up. Use a squeegee to remove excess water and prevent water spots.
Products to Avoid
Some products contain chemicals that would harm surfaces. Never use products that contain dyes, ammonia, chlorine bleach, or abrasive properties, because permanent staining and discoloration could occur. The abrasives may also scratch and etch the surface. Never use scouring pads or steel wool on tile. These products can cause significant scratching. Small particles of steel could also come loose from the steel wool. If this occurs, the particles could lead to rust in the grout. Oil based detergents and waxes are also not recommended for cleaning.
Removing Debris
Debris can cause damage to this surface. To prevent this from occurring, sweep or vacuum daily. If you vacuum, raise the beater bar on the vacuum to prevent damage. Never wash when dirt may be present on the surface because the wiping motion could cause scratching. Damp-mop at least once each week for an average home. Floor mats at entryways and runners on traffic areas will help minimize wear from foot traffic.
Grout Care
Grout requires proper sealing after installation. Sealing will repel stains and dirt from the grout lines. To maintain adequate sealing, reapply sealant twice each year. If grout becomes stained, mix equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and water. Dip a soft toothbrush into this mixture and rub the stained areas gently. Rinse the grout well after scrubbing. A paste of equal parts baking soda and water can also be effective for cleaning grout. Rub the paste into stained areas, and allow it to sit for up to an hour before rinsing.
Scratches may occur over time. Scratches may be deep or superficial. If you see white under the scratch, this type of damage is deep enough to warrant replacement of the tile. If the scratch is light, it may be possible to buff it out gently. Make a homemade concoction for removing scratches. Mix equal parts of brass polish with white toothpaste. Rub the mixture into the scratch with light, circular motions. Rinse away the mixture, and check the results. You may need to reapply or purchase a special repair kit for removing scratches.
Feel free to share this article with your friends. You never know when they might be looking for cleaning porcelain tile in Windermere, FL.
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1928 – 31 Model A Ford Headlights – Restoration
Several years ago at a local automotive swap meet, I purchased a pair of 1928 – 31 Model A Ford headlights for a reasonable price. These headlights needed new reflectors, and the mounting base in the headlight pots were rusty and didn't look too good. In hindsight, the lower price tag made up for the imperfections. Now it's time to clean them up for the 1929 Ford roadster hot rod. Who said that building a hot rod was easy? It's all these little jobs that take a bit of time to complete but these jobs keep the build of the hot rod to a minimum.
From the inside of the headlight pots, I carefully ground off the back side of the steel rivets attaching the mounting hardware to the headlight pot using a 4.5 inch hand held grinder and air die grinder. Once this was completed, the rivets were easily removed with a slight tap using a small center punch and hammer. Great care was needed for this step to prevent any damage to the headlight pot.
The mounting hardware was then cleaned up in the sand blast cabinet. In the off chance I wanted to run wires through the main headlight mounting bolt, I drilled a 0.25 inch hole through the middle of it using the metal lathe. Instead of using steel rivets to reattach the mounting hardware back onto the headlight pot, I used 0.75" x 0.25" stainless steel bolts with a slight modification to the bolt head. The 0.25" bolt was mounted in the metal lathe and the hex head was ground to the same shape of the rivets removed. While the bolt was still in the metal lathe it was quickly sanded smooth to provide a matt type finish. This was done for 12 bolts, 6 for each headlight. This only took about 20 minutes to do.
I decided to fabricate my own headlight conduit using a standard braided stainless stain flex hose found in the plumbing section in the hardware store. This is the same type of hose that is used to connect your sink faucets to the wall plumbing and is very reasonably priced. To fasten this new headlight conduit to the headlight, a simple mounting method was developed. This involved inserting a short 0.5" national pipe thread (NPT) nipple to the existing hole (used for the vintage headlight conduit to pass through) in the steel headlight mounting bracket. This was then brazed in place.
All of the parts were then primed and painted. While I was waiting for the paint to dry, I thought it would also be a good idea to spend a few minutes polished the vintage headlight pot while all of the mounting hardware was removed. It didn't take too long to shine them up.
With all of the parts cleaned, painted, and polished, the headlights were quickly reassembled using the newly made fake stainless steel rivets. To hold the stainless steel headlight conduit to the headlight pot, I small O-ring was cut so it would fit inside the female pipe fitting. This will become a compression fitting to hold the stainless steel braided hose to the 1928 – 31 Ford headlight pot.
Tags: 1928 – 31 ford headlight, 1928 – 31 ford headlight conduit, 1928 – 31 ford headlight restoration, headlight conduit, hot rod headlights, make fake rivets, make stainless steel rivets, model a ford headlight, model a ford headlight conduit, model a ford headlight restoration, stainless steel rivets


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To answer that question over 200 young people and policy makers from across Europe met at the EU Youth Conference held in Malta (20-23 March 2017) and developed a concrete action plan for use by Member States.
You might have heard the term 'fake news'. What is it? And how can you spot it?
As the United Kingdom prepares to go to the polls on June 8, RSBC reflects on the current options available for vision impaired voters. What assistance is currently available and how accessible is it?
Find out more about the UK Youth Parliament 'Make Your Mark Campaign', a unique opportunity to reach out to young people who go on to be opinion formers and leaders of the future.
The EU is often seen as an elitist political project. What is often overlooked however are the opportunities the EU regularly offers to its younger citizens (ages 13 – 30).
There are more and more opportunities for young people to get involved in politics, isn't it time you had your say? Find out how other people have taken part and the organisations helping to get the political engagement ball rolling.
Most EU citizens agree that the EU should spend more on tackling poverty in developing countries. 2015 is the first European Year to deal with these issues and Europe's international role.
The EU Youth Report 2015, published by the European Comission, gives a full picture of the situation of young people and how policymakers have addressed it in the period 2013-2015.
Becoming an EU citizen does not take any effort; anyone with the nationality of an EU country is also an EU citizen. Over 500 million people from 28 countries can call themselves EU citizens, but what does EU citizenship mean?
There are different ways of getting your ideas across, such as voting or Structured Dialogue. But if it's not election time or if your issue is not exactly related to politics, there are other ways you can be heard.
Imagine for a moment that you had key decision makers listening to your thoughts on important issues affecting young people in the UK and Europe. What would you want to tell them?


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Viola Davis has long considered herself a cynic.
It's a reflection of the 16 years she has spent in an industry that does little to support the career of black women. It's being a part of a Hollywood that continually asks her to play the "urban single mother." One that honors the movie "Precious" but does little to make another one like it.
So it was with great apprehension that the 46-year-old Davis took on the role of the uneducated Southern maid Aibileen in the film adaptation of the bestselling novel "The Help." Despite reading and loving the book by Kathryn Stockett — so much so that she wanted to option it for herself — Davis feared that Hollywood would take a dignified, complex character and turn her into something straight out of "Gone With the Wind."
But "The Help" didn't go that way. Screenwriter-director Tate Taylor was able to navigate the minefields that accompany depicting Mississippi at the dawn of the civil rights era to create a film that dared to be both nuanced and optimistic. "The Help," which depicts a beaten-down woman who comes back to life with the help of a young college graduate who gets her and other maids to tell their stories for a book, has grossed more than $160 million at the box office prompting audiences to do more soul-searching than what usually accompanies a summer blockbuster. It's had a similar effect on the movie's leading lady.
"The beauty of the film is by the time you get to the end, you see that these lives have intertwined, that they have crashed and clashed against each other in the course of writing this book," says Davis, sipping Starbucks iced coffee inside a mini-mall in Granada Hills. "It's affected me. It's changed me. It's melted this hard, icy heart."
It's also likely to bring Davis some Oscar attention. Critics have been heaping praise on Davis' performance since early August, so much so that it's likely she will be among the women vying for the lead actress award come February.
It's a position that doesn't sit comfortably with Davis, a woman with little desire to live a public life. One who walks into the local coffee shop wearing a long coral sundress, with a gold purse slung over her shoulder and no makeup on her face, and gets recognized by exactly no one.
"I'm the slug. I'm the person who does her work, goes home and I don't want to do anything. All of a sudden, I'm being thrust into this whole Oscar push with the Meryl Streeps and the Glenn Closes and all these wonderful, big-time actors out there. It's like crawling and then someone throwing you onto a bicycle and telling you you've got to ride."
Tempering the role
Despite the heat of the Mississippi summer, Davis arrived on the set of "The Help" still feeling icy. Taylor remembers being in the middle of a story meeting with actress Octavia Spencer when Davis arrived at the front door. "There's Viola, screeching to a halt in her rental car," recalls Taylor. " 'We've got to talk, Tate,' she said. 'I've got some ideas.'"
The two spent hours honing the character of Aibileen, with Davis providing copious pages of notes and Taylor willing to take her ideas. "She didn't want to look like a mammy," says Taylor. "She wanted her character to be efficient in what she said. And I agreed. When we were rehearsing, I was slashing whole paragraphs. She thought that was cool."
Davis is drawn to the quiet characters — the difficult ones who aren't afforded the words to tell their tales. With no flash, Davis says the roles she chooses are the ones that get "the crappiest end of the stick in every movie." And it's a testament to her talent that it's those quiet parts, whether it's Aibileen in "The Help" or her brief but memorable role as Mrs. Miller in "Doubt," which earned her an Academy Award nomination, that stand out.
As Taylor puts it, it's all about her face. "She's like a tornado coming. You can just stare into her soul. I don't know how she does it but she's mesmerizing and, as a result, you can just keep peeling back dialogue, peeling back scenes. You get this whole layer [from her] that you're not going to get on the page when you read it."
But the role of Aibileen forced Davis to worry about a lot more than finding her character. From the moment she signed on, she was criticized for playing the uneducated maid — and some African Americans even boycotted the film.
"It's that old saying, 'For the healing to start, you have to give up all hope of a different past,'" says Davis, who sympathizes with those who wouldn't even walk into the theater to see the film. "Sometimes, we just live in that pain. And I understand being oppressed, being dehumanized, [taking issue with] everything Hollywood has done in the past and feeling like you can't look beyond that. That's what we were up against with this movie."
The process has emboldened Davis, who says that she became stronger during the course of the film. "I've learned how to stand up for myself and not be this whipping pony, this puppet for other people's assumption of what I should be doing with my career."
But she does take offense that some audiences won't acknowledge her work or the work of the other black actresses in the film. "We weren't just shucking-and-jiving, Ebonics-speaking mammies," says Davis. "I think that people actually emerged behind the uniforms, and I think that's something that people haven't recognized. These were our mothers and grandmothers, and these stories are just as emotionally viable as others."
Few people have had as much of an effect on Viola Davis as Cicely Tyson. As a pre-teen living in abject poverty in Central Falls, R.I., Davis says it was Tyson's TV movie "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" that inspired her to become an actress. So when Tyson called Davis to congratulate her on winning the Tony Award for her performance opposite Denzel Washington in "Fences" last year, it was a moment that marked a critical turning point for the actress.
"Crying like a dog," Davis listened as Tyson, who costars in "The Help," told her it was OK to embrace her success. Says Davis, "Cicely told me, 'I know the road.' And what she meant by that was she is a dark-skinned black actress. She has the full lips, the dark skin, that look that doesn't meet any conventional standards of beauty…. She understands the obstacles that were placed in front of me, and she knows that I was able to achieve what I achieved only through hard work. A lot of times people have to give you permission to enjoy your life."


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Every day we empower athletes to shatter stereotypes and exceed their personal bests on the playing field and in life. But for every Special Olympics champion, there is another who is waiting for the chance to win. Please donate and help us get one more athlete onto the playing field.
Donate Today!


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Mint Home Decor
For major overhauls or straightforward color consultations, big budgets or low, Mint Home Decor might be what you're looking for if you need some help decorating your home. We like them because each room in their portfolio feels both comfortable and accessible - no showroom-like, "does anyone really live there?" numbers to be found. Instead rooms are simple, pretty and feel lived in, with a nice mix of high and low furniture too...
You can learn more about Mint Home Decor's available services at their website, where you'll also find a portfolio of more projects to peruse - always fun.
(Images: Mint Home Decor)


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Drew Brees has built such a strong relationship with the city of New Orleans that he can finally admit it: He was leaning toward signing with the Miami Dolphins three years ago when the two NFL teams and cities were competing for his services during free agency.
From a football perspective, it was a no-brainer. The Saints had just finished a dismal 3-13 season and were starting over with a new coach in Sean Payton. The Dolphins, meanwhile, had rebuilt themselves under former LSU coach Nick Saban, coming off a respectable 9-7 season.
"And just looking at it from an outsider's perspective, not knowing anything about New Orleans other than Mardi Gras, you're thinking 'New Orleans vs. Miami,' " said Brees, Miami rolling off his tongue like a game-show host announcing the grand prize. "And I'm coming from San Diego, where Miami would be less of a transition. So naturally going into it, I was leaning toward Miami."
New Orleans, on the other hand, was in obvious transition. About six months earlier, the city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, leaving its future and that of its NFL franchise in doubt.
But all of Brees' concerns were quashed after one aggressive recruiting trip in which he visited Saints officials. After visiting the team's brass, the then-27-year-old quarterback felt like he had found a place where he belonged.
While the Dolphins weren't as committed to Brees because of concerns about his ability to recover from major shoulder surgery, the Saints "pulled out all the stops," according to Payton, in pursuit of the Pro Bowl quarterback.
"We were gonna be 'all in,' " Payton said. "We weren't gonna be lukewarm."
Needless to say, things have turned out pretty well for both sides, enough that Brees said he won't be spending much time thinking about "what might have been" as the 5-0 Saints travel to Miami to face the 2-3 Dolphins on Sunday.
"No, because nothing could have worked out better than it has here," said Brees, who has made his presence felt both on the field and off.
He took a break from lighting up opposing defenses Tuesday when he and his wife, Brittany, attended the dedication of the Brees Family Field at Lusher Charter School, which was renovated through funding from the Brees Dream Foundation and Operation Kids.
It is one of 12 projects throughout New Orleans aided by Brees' charitable arm, which has raised $1.8 million.
Brees was recognized for his various good works by the NFL, and after his first season with the Saints he was selected its Man of the Year. He shared the honor with former Chargers teammate LaDainian Tomlinson for their contributions on and off the field
Said Brees: "This is where I belong, and I felt like this was a calling."
'You are our guy'
The Saints can admit something, too. They got lucky when Brees went down with a torn labrum and damaged rotator cuff in his right, throwing arm during the final game of the 2005 season. The injury and subsequent recovery time scared off almost every team in the NFL in free agency two months later.
Brees' former team, the Chargers, showed tepid interest and offered a minimal deal for him to stay. Kansas City kicked the tires, as did Detroit, Brees recalled.
All of a sudden, Brees needed the Saints as much as they needed him.
"And there were some others that kind of poked their head in," he said. "But the only two legitimate ones were Miami and New Orleans."
It didn't take long, however, before Brees determined that one was more serious than the other.
Though Brees scheduled his first visit to New Orleans on the opening day of free agency, Saban and then-Dolphins General Manager Randy Mueller flew to Birmingham, Ala., where Brees was rehabbing his shoulder, to squeeze in a breakfast meeting.
But then Drew and Brittany hopped aboard Saints owner Tom Benson's private plane, and the Saints began to run up the score on the Dolphins.
"The trips were very different in the feelings that I got from the people," said Brees, who visited New Orleans with Brittany on Saturday and Sunday, then flew to Miami for a Sunday-Monday visit. "Miami was one of those kind of places that, like, everyone would just expect, 'Why wouldn't you want to come to Miami?' Whereas New Orleans was like, 'We want you.' Like, 'We really want you. You are our guy. We have as much confidence in you as you have in yourself to come back from this injury and be better than you ever were before. And not only from the standpoint of the organization and the team, but also what you can do for the city.'
"When I came here, it was talking to Sean, talking to the rest of the coaches, talking to Mr. Benson, talking to (General Manager Mickey Loomis), driving around town, going to restaurants. Just like, 'Man, this is what we've got. Here's our facility. Here's the offense. This is how you could be a part of it. This is what we made for you.'
"Then I go to Miami, and it's like, 'OK, you've got this doctor's appointment, you've got this nerve test.' It was like I was there to convince them I could still play."
Brees recalled having a meeting with Saban at the end of his visit, and Saban "was just kind of like, 'We'll see what the test results say, and I'll get back to you.' "
"And I was like, do you want me here or not?" Brees said. "And he was like, 'Well, yeah, I do, I just have to make sure.' "
The teams differed on their financial limits, as well. The Saints offered a guaranteed $10 million in the first year of a six-year, $60 million deal. The Dolphins weren't willing to guarantee that much money. So instead of entering a bidding war, they instead decided to trade for Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Culpepper, interestingly enough, had his own health issues. He blew out a knee the season before that required major reconstructive surgery, but the Dolphins liked his prognosis for a quicker recovery than Brees' -- a decision that helped set the franchise reeling.
The Dolphins have started seven quarterbacks since the start of the 2006 season, and they've had three head coaches -- though they finally righted the ship under new coach Tony Sparano last season.
Saban, who went back to college, taking the Alabama job in 2007, declined an interview request for this article. But he said in the past that he had to trust the medical evaluation of Brees' shoulder, which was uncertain at best.
Although Brees' surgeon, Dr. James Andrews, vouched for Brees' recovery, the Dolphins consulted six medical experts across the country before making their decision.
"It was a medical decision," Saban said during the 2006 season. "I don't think medicine, personnel or any of that is an exact science. I think we have good, professional people in that area. I think they made the best judgment they could make at the time relative to the circumstances.
"No one could predict the future."
The scenic route
Not even the Saints could have imagined how well things would turn out, with Brees coming back stronger and better than ever, leading the Saints to the NFC championship game in his first season, and throwing for more than 15,000 yards and 100 touchdown passes during the past four years without missing a start.
But as Payton and Loomis have both said over the years, the injury risk was worth the potential reward.
"There was still a little uncertainty with the shoulder, but I think we felt like it was a player who was going to do the extra things to rehab and come back strong," said Payton, who thought he almost botched his recruiting pitch when he wound up getting lost somewhere between Metairie and Kenner while driving Drew and Brittany around town.
After a lengthy sales pitch at the Saints' practice facility with Payton, offensive coordinator Doug Marrone and quarterbacks coach Pete Carmichael, among others, Payton then drove Drew and Brittany about the city, touring hurricane-ravaged areas, historic attractions, golf courses and potential areas where the couple might want to live.
But after he came back across the Causeway, aiming to return to the practice facility, Payton, a neophyte to the area as well, went the wrong way off Interstate 10 and spent 30 or 45 minutes trying to find his way back before calling Loomis for directions.
"Oh, clearly, I'm thinking this hasn't gone smooth. And it was already a difficult one to begin with, considering the condition of the city at that time was awful," Payton said. "Brittany's in the back seat of the car dozing off, and now our itinerary's off. We were supposed to have two hours of down time before having dinner at Emeril's, and now I'm dropping them off late."
Brees said the way he remembers it, he didn't think they were lost. He just figured Payton was taking the scenic route at the time.
Brees does remember ruling out the north shore as a possible destination, though, after those long drives across the Causeway.
"I just remember going across that Causeway and you look out and you don't see any land, and it's just that, 'Bu-dump, bu-dump, bu-dump, ' you know, of the road as you're going across the Causeway, " Brees said. "And I remember kind of dozing off a little, and I was thinking, 'I can't live across this bridge. I'll fall asleep on this bridge every day.' "
Settling in Uptown
Drew and Brittany chose Uptown, instead, where they restored a 100-year-old house, because that felt like the real New Orleans to them, and they wanted to embrace their new community with open arms.
Brees talked once again Tuesday night at Lusher dedication about how quickly and eagerly the city embraced him and Brittany, and how much they say the feeling is mutual.
He went from knowing very little about the city to feeling as though he's "100 percent" a part of the community.
"I'm proud to call myself a New Orleanian," he said.
. . . . . . .
Mike Triplett can be reached at email@example.com or 504.826.3405.


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I do not know to say or write but it feels so heavy. At I knew that Egypt before August 14 was different than after August 14 and it is not a change for better but rather worse,the living proof was yesterday.
First I could not complete the live updates because I was sick , I had a fever and I could not complete. It was from the mercy of God to sleep while this on going tragedy taking place. It is hard for anyone to see his country falling in to piece and to see his own people killing each other.
Second I have a testimony which I have to share as a citizen journalist before being a professional journalist. I was on the verge of spending the day at my work down Al Galaa Street as the clashes between the Muslim brotherhood protesters but me and my real great colleagues found a way out taking back streets. Our plan was to take the Sabatiya popular area and then cross the old Imbaba bridge to Imbaba as 15 May bridge and October bridge were all blocked.
It was 5 PM. We passed by a vigilante checkpoints where locals were holding machetes and swords as well empty bottle glasses were brought. I saw an army helicopter standing still in the air in the direction of Ramsis street.
We went to Sabatiya , a popular area full of workshops. Despite they are mostly closed on Friday yet the locals in the poor formed vigilante checkpoints against swords and machetes were there. Despite they did not let other cars to pass without inspection , we passed smoothly. I think they saw bunch of ladies unveiled in the car and thought they can not be Muslim brotherhood supporters. In one of the checkpoints they forced two women wearing black Niqab to leave their tuktuk and step aside.
I do not know what happened to those ladies.
In one of the areas of Sabatiya , I saw a mob , an armed mob from locals around a police van used to transfer detainees as well CSF conscripts. I did not understand what was happening there. In our trip we saw some locals careless for the battles taking place couple of blocks away. I saw those locals playing dominos in the cafes giving their back to the TV sets.
Moving to the great republic of Imbaba , we met even more popular checkpoints. There were clashes there especially in the Nile Corniche. Moving to Sphinx square we found groups of MB supporters handing to somewhere. As soon as we left , we heard that clashes erupted there.
In Agouza , I found near where I live huge noise coming from Agouza Charity Hospital "Following the Ministry of health". When I went there I found locals from popular area nearby the hospital rushing with an injured man to another hospital in Imbaba while another man was announced dead. The people said that the Muslim brotherhood protesters killed him in the clashes in Nile street. The family of the deceased soon brought up the swords as well empty bottles crate to the street and head to Nile street to complete the battle.
I forgot to take my camera and it was the wisest thing to happen with all these suspicious armed vigilantes in the checkpoints.
I did not feel that worried on January 28 , it was completely different. It is much worse by all degrees.
It was a sad day.
We are used to blood and death that most people are indifferent to the huge death toll we have in the past 3 days , over 1000 Egyptians are killed !! Of course many people believe that the majority of those dead Egyptians are Muslim brotherhood terrorists who should not only get killed but to rot in hell. Yes it got to this degree in fact many people believe that security forces have been merciful with the Muslim brotherhood.
I am afraid its implications were not taken in consideration in whoever planned for it whether the Muslim brotherhood or the security forces or the regime. Violence brings violence. Starting with the dispersal of the sits in and there has been true political and social assessments for the political or security decisions taken !! We are heading towards diplomatic crises with half of the world in time of economic crisis while adopting Nasser 1960s rhetoric !!
The Nasserite Nationalist wave Egypt by all strength sponsored by the current regime is facing Islamism Nationalist wave that getting angrier and angrier by time. It is double radicalization from all sides.
You can not speak now when Egypt is fighting its greatest wars , the war of terrorism !! You are either traitor or MB agent , actually they are same thing now. You do not dare to speak about human rights or civil rights in this time otherwise you are traitor as well.
Unfortunately people do not realize that the latest country to declare this war has not won it yet and that country is the so-called leader of the free world.
People of Egypt now believe the TV channels and TV figures that they once disbelieve. The Mubarak era's figures are back with their ugliness with their anti-25 January revolution narratives.
The same disease the MB was suffering from has spread like in the Egyptian society.
I am afraid that there will be more blood spelled till all the people realize there is no other way than political solution. Of course that is a very optimistic scenario another scenario is we can have a light version from Algerian scenario where we enter a war against Islamists. That scenario will end with the army generals' rule from behind scenes with puppet presidents and parties in the front along with highly nationalist spirit and iron curtain and control on media.
There was once a Lebanese thinker that said that Lebanese people did not admit that they were having a civil war except after two years , well I believe we are heading towards something ugly and nobody wants to admit it.
It has started and most Egyptians do not know that it started.


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June 22–September 18, 2011 in the Lockhart Gallery
Lithuanian-born artist Alfonsas Dargis arrived in Rochester in 1951, ready to resume his artistic career following the war that had devastated his homeland. A decade later, he was honored with the University of Rochester's Lillian Fairchild Award, given annually in recognition of an artist's creative output, as well as the Jurors' Award at the Rochester-Finger Lakes Exhibition.
Alternately spirited and meditative, realistic and elusive, Dargis's distinctive work combines the directness of Lithuanian folk art and the abstraction of mid-century Modernism. This exhibition brings together nearly 30 paintings and prints from the Gallery's collection.
Presented in memory of Nancy Buckett, patron and friend.
From left: In the Garden (1950). Woodcut. Memorial Art Gallery, Marion Stratton Gould Fund. The Harpist (1950). Woodcut and collograph. Memorial Art Gallery, Marion Stratton Gould Fund. Untitled (1957). Transfer drawing. Memorial Art Gallery, Gift of Gertrude Herdle Moore.


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The Worst Oscars Fashion Choices of All Time
For those of us who don't spend our lives and retirement funds making movies, the actual awards part of the Academy Awards isn't the most interesting. The people we like hardly ever win and we don't care how much anybody's publicist helped them get where they are today. What we really tune in to see are the fashion statements. More specifically the fashions that state, "Clearly, I'm nuts. Aren't you glad you invited me to your little party?"
In a good year, at least one, if not multiple celebrities will show up dressed in something so ridiculous it defies logic. And we love them for it. We love that we can mock them and we love that they had the guts to show up in public like that. We also love that they have been photographed for all history to gawk at them forever.
Here are 10 of the weirdest celebrity Oscar outfits we could find. For them, we know it's an honor just to be nominated.
Cher (1986)
Well, slap our faces and call us moonstruck, but what the deuce was Cher thinking? This isn't an outfit, it's some stuff she found in her garage. It seems to us she fell right off the cutting edge with this one, because we certainly didn't see it on the racks at JC Penney six months later.
Demi Moore (1989)
Remember when Bruce Willis and Demi Moore were an item? Remember when Demi Moore was invited to the Oscars? Well, we'd rather not remember this strange dress Demi wore to the 1989 ceremony. Was she auditioning for a role in Tim Burton's 'Batman'? What's the deal with the cape thing attached to her?
Faith Hill (2001)
We say if Faith Hill wants to show up at the Oscars looking like a sno cone, more power to her. She's beautiful, talented, rich, has a rocking bod and a handsome husband. Impersonating frozen treats was obviously the only thing she had left to accomplish in life. Sadly, the lovely gown was probably quite a mess when it melted.
Matt Stone and Trey Parker (2000)
For a minute we thought it was J-Lo and Gwyneth Paltrow, but if you look really closely, you can see that it's actually Matt Stone and Trey Parker of 'South Park' fame enjoying their moment on the red carpet. There can't possibly have been a single person there who expected them to show up in tuxes. We all know the real blame lies with Canada.
Bjork (2001)
Who could forget the iconic swan dress that Bjork pretended to lay an egg in at the 2001 Oscars? Created by Macedonian fashion designer Marjan Pejoski, the swan dress is still a pop culture punchline today. Bjork said she wore the dress to coincide with her winter-y 'Vespertine' album, but we think she was campaigning to be in 'Black Swan' a decade ahead of time.
Diane Keaton (2004)
This was the year Diane Keaton laughed in the face of Oscar tradition and decided to show up looking like Buster Keaton. Ms. Keaton doesn't usually like to show a lot of skin, but this gender bend was taking it a bit far. Although, she still looks pretty good and at least it doesn't look like it came out of Cher's garage.
Erykah Badu (2000)
If Ms. Badu was trying to make a bold statement, she was probably sadly overshadowed by the striking nature of the Matt Stone and Trey Parker appearance. She did hold her own pretty well with this odd and attention-grabbing outfit, though. While we assume she was aiming for some kind of traditional African tribal look, we'd hate to be whoever was sitting behind her during the ceremony.
Tyra Banks (2000)
2000 was such a great year for weirdness on the red carpet. Tyra Banks wanted to help raise the strange dress factor by arriving dressed as something you might use to dust your blinds and bookshelves. We're guessing she planned to pilfer a few Oscars under that thing and then sell them on eBay.
Cameron Diaz (2002)
Perhaps the beginning of 2002 was very busy for Cameron Diaz, or maybe they asked her to present at the very last minute. We don't know. What we do know is that she clearly didn't have time to shop for a dress and had to instead wrap herself in whatever wallpaper was left over from her most recent redecoration. It's the jeweled chili pepper belt that really sells it though.
Gwyneth Paltrow (2002)
Fashion icon turns fashion why-con. The woman who always adds an air of elegance and sophistication to the red carpet decided 2002 was the year to go Goth. Nobody told her that a beautiful, sparkling-eyed smile is not an appropriate accessory with a drab, emo dress. The only thing we can figure is that Cameron Diaz didn't have any more spare wallpaper lying around.
Whoopi Goldberg (2002)
Whoopi Goldberg was set to host the show when she came down with a bad case of the avian flu, causing her to sprout a very noticeable set of tail feathers. It was too late to replace her with Billy Crystal, so the producers decided to just go with it. The only way to disguise tail feathers is to add as many sequins and sparkly embellishments to an outfit as possible. And then definitely show a lot of leg. To this outfit, we say, "Whoopee!"


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NBC 2012 Fall lineup: More comedy, more "Voice" and more Dick Wolf
NBC wants you to laugh at its fall schedule. At least, it hopes advertisers will find its new shows funny when the network officially presents its new lineup to them tomorrow (May 14).
The Peacock net will create comedy blocks on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, adding four new laughers to its schedule in the fall.
… Read More »


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TFJ MYLIUM Joomla! 2.5 Template
Template not developed and not supported.
Template Features
- Joomla 2.5 and Joomla 1.7 compatible
- Width: 980px
- Template Bundle Package
- CSS 2.1 and CSS 3.0 code
- CSS Superfish multi level dropdown menu
- Tableless design and 100% CSS based
- Lightweight and fast-loading
- Logo as Text or Image
- Google Font "Open Sans Condensed"
- 4 layout options: 3 columns (left+component+right), 2 columns (left+component), 2 columns (component + right), 1 column (component)
- Support for WYSIWYG editor (TinyMCE, JCE - Joomla Content Editor)
- Support for Sitemap - Xmap component
- W3C XHTML 1.0 Transitional
- W3C CSS Validates
- Fully compatible IE7+, Firefox 3+, Safari, Opera 9.5, Chrome
- Custom 404 error page and offline message page
- SEF Optimised Layout
- Optimized code for Search Engines which helps in SEO
Full Quickstart Instalation Package
What is quickstart package? - "Quickstart Package" is a TFJ MYLIUM Template + Joomla 2.5 + all content, all modules, all components and settings used in demo site.
How to install Quickstart package?
Quickstart Package install exactly the same as a normal Joomla! installation package. (To get know more about technical requirements to run Joomla! please visit: Joomla technical requirements).
Quickstart Package Extra Extensions (Components, Modules, Plugin) Included:
Automatic Slideshow Module
Slider is a lightweight Joomla jQuery slideshow module for creating good-looking image sliders. It simply converts an element that wraps images into a slider and offers 9 unique transition effects. The module can display prev-next buttons and a navigation to control the slides. Also, it is possible to define the number of slices, animation speed and pause period for maximum customization.
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Sigplus Gallery (Sigplus Image Gallery Plus is a straightforward way to add image or photo galleries to a Joomla article with a simple syntax. It takes a matter of minutes to set up a gallery but those who are looking for a powerful gallery solution will not be disappointed either: sigplus is suitable for both beginner and advanced users.
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It has been a difficult couple of years at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post home in Estherville. We have had to make some very expensive decisions in regards to our building and keeping it open. With much thought, we the board and manager decided that we wanted to do our very best to keep this vital organization active in our community. With making that decision, we ventured forward with the necessary repairs to our old building. During this time, the great community of Estherville struggled along with us to get this huge task accomplished. There were many days that the odor in our building was anything but pleasant. The repair noise and dust weren't very nice either.
We still need to repair the parking lot, hopefully the project can be completed early this spring.
Thank you to the community of Estherville, the VFW members and the businesses in Estherville that have helped accomplish our goal. With your patience and contributions, the VFW is once again one of the best post homes in Iowa.
Robert Fine, Commander
Judy Johnson, Auxiliary President
Stacie Stoliker, Canteen Manager


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Const. Dario Devic has been charged with luring a child, according to a statement released Tuesday by the Ministry of Justice's Criminal Justice Branch.
Charge approved against Mountie caught in Creep Catchers sting
A charge of luring a child has been approved against an RCMP constable who was the target of a vigilante sting operation in Surrey.
Const. Dario Devic has been charged with luring a child, according to a statement released Tuesday by the Ministry of Justice's Criminal Justice Branch.
The charge comes following an investigation into an incident alleged to have occurred between Aug. 29 and Sep. 7 in or near Surrey, during which Devic is accused of communicating with a person he believed was under the age of 16.
"It is an offence to communicate by means of telecommunication with a person who is under the age of 16, or who is believed to be under the age of 16, for the purpose of facilitating sexual conduct," the statement said.
Devic had been the target of a sting by Creep Catchers, a group of vigilantes who pose as minors on dating sites and then lure suspected predators to public locations, where they are filmed and subsequently shamed on social media.
On Sep. 7, the Surrey chapter of Creep Catchers gathered in a local parking lot to confront a man who had been communicating with a decoy working with the group.
In messages exchanged online, the man sent photos of a man wearing a police uniform and a man wearing a towel.
When a man arrived to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old girl, members of the vigilante group used a video camera to live-stream the encounter near Central City.
In one video, Creep Catchers Surrey chapter president Ryan LaForge can be heard walking up to the man and saying, "Officer —, how are you? Creep Catchers."
Surrey RCMP arrested Devic on Sep. 9 and he was later released on bail. A second charge of breach of trust was not approved.
"After a full review of all the available evidence, the Branch has concluded that the charge of Breach of Trust by a Public Officer does not meet the Branch's charge assessment standard," the statement said.
Devic is scheduled to appear Wednesday in Surrey Provincial Court.
– with a file from Stephanie Ip


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Less than two years after the release of their last record, the critically acclaimed Mammoth, BEARDFISH have returned with a new masterpiece, THE VOID, which will be released August 28 via InsideOut Music. The album is darker and heavier, and in some parts even has a bit of a metal edge to it, while still incorporating all that BEARDFISH and their typical warm retro-sound stand for.
The band comments: "We went full-on with this one… We've had some trouble in the past conveying our live energy on the studio albums. This is the one that shines through! It's an album about loss. It's about love. It celebrates both life and death and the struggle in between to heal the wounds that don't show and to actually take the step to move forward in life. We've been waiting to share these songs with all of you for a while now and we, Beardfish, are really proud to present to you 'The Void'."
Track Listing:
01 Intro (by Andy Tillison)
02 Voluntary Slavery
03 Turn To Gravel
04 They Whisper
05 This Matter Of Mine
06 Seventeen Again
07 Ludvig & Sverker
08 He Already Lives In You
09 Note
I. Note
II. Descending
III. The Void
IV. Note (reprise)
10 Where The Lights Are Low
Bonus Track:
11 Ludvig & Sverker Solo Piano Version
Line Up:
Rikard Sjöblom – vocals, keyboards
David Zackrinsson – guitars
Robert Hansen – bass
Magnus Östgren – drums
Fran En Plats Du Ej Kan Se (2003)
The Sane Day (2006)
Sleeping In Traffic: Part One (2007)
Sleeping In Traffic: Part Two (2008)
Destined Solitaire (2009)
Mammoth (2011)
The Void (2012)
For more information on BEARDFISH, please contact:


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SOCORRO, N.M., April 15, 2003 -- International students at New Mexico Tech will once again present a worldwide bazaar of their respective native costumes, cuisines, and crafts at "Global Village Day" on Saturday, April 26, from 2 till 5 p.m. in the Tech Gymnasium. Admission is free and open to the public.
"With global unrest and uncertainties what they are today, it seems more important than ever to learn more about each other and to celebrate both what makes us unique and what binds us together," says Karen Schlue, Tech's manager of international and exchange programs. New Mexico Tech has about 133 international students enrolled this semester, representing 42 different countries.
The various exhibits at Global Village Day will include samplings of flags, maps, brochures, and posters--as well as the always-popular food and refreshments--from the students' native countries. Displays will consist of handcrafted items such as woven rugs, leather goods, musical instruments, jewelry, and apparel. Some of the exhibitors also will offer recorded music and videotaped presentations throughout the afternoon.
As has become tradition at this annual multi-cultural festival, souvenir "passports" will be sold for 25 cents each at the door, allowing visitors to collect "visa" stamps from each of the countries represented at Global Village Day. In turn, participants who have filled their passports with visa stamps will become eligible for three drawings for various door prizes, held throughout the afternoon event.
"As for entertainment, we are fortunate this year to have belly dancers, Irish step dancers, and representatives of Baila! Baila! (a Mexican folklorico group) on our afternoon agenda," Schlue says.
Mark the afternoon of April 26 on your calendars now, and bring along the entire family to Global Village Day!


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Very good fit, not used in a match situation yet.Read More
Top quality items, reasonably quick overseas delivery, good prices, only comment would be more delivery options as I would have paid extra to receive the items faster via courier, many thanksRead More
Excellent fitRead More
Fits well, though now says it keeps him too warm...will wait until it gets colder.Read More
My son is happy with this productRead More
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