text:
Your credit card info is very secure on wilsondrugs.com
Here is why: Unlike other websites, we do not capture or store any credit card information on our servers. All card information is directly passed by a secure(https) page to PayPal.com or CCNow.com for payments. This is more secure than the method used by many websites.
When you use your card in physical outlets / stores, you leave behind your credit card number on the charge slips. To prevent others from merely using this number, wilsondrugs.Com insists that consumers also enter the CVV (Credit Verification Value), while entering credit card details. This number is typically available only at the back of your credit card number, to ensure that the person entering the card number has the physical plastic with him/her.
Sure...when you go for the final checkout, you will see an icon of a lock on the right side of the bottom taskbar of the browser. This is the guarantee of a secure connection. Clicking on it will give you additional information. If it shows less than 128 bits, then this is due to a lower version of your browser, which can be fixed with a simple update from the Microsoft website.
We assure again your credit card transaction and the online payment process are controlled by Paypal.Com / CCNow.Com.


text:
Pitts wrote:shmenguin wrote:i don't think sutter has the chops to center a scoring line - even with iginla on his wing. 12 will be in the top 6. i thought morrow was good last night, but i don't think we're nearly at the point where it's a priority to keep him with geno. also, dupuis is either going to play with crosby or with sutter. he has no history of meshing with malkin, and while it's very possible that they could play nice together, it's not something you try to cultivate this late in the game.
basically, if you're keeping line 1 together, iginla goes to line 2, morrow goes to line 3 and kennedy probably goes to line 4. if you're breaking up line 1, iginla goes to line 1, dupuis goes to line 3 and kennedy goes to line 4. i think bennett being in the lineup is somewhat of a stretch at this point.
but hey - i didn't think we were gonna do squat at the deadline, so what do i know
I agree with everything you said here.
(also, you thought I was nuts for thinking Iginla was a target...not hatin', jus' saying)
i'll happily eat crow on that one, but who could have predicted he'd come so cheap?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
LONDON (Reuters) - The British government backed a call on Wednesday for under-18s to be banned from using sunbeds in tanning salons because they increase skin cancer risk.
"The scientific evidence is clear — sunbeds increase your risk of getting skin cancer," Health Minister Andy Burnham said in a statement. "It is far too easy for young people to use sunbeds and I am determined to take action to protect them."
A proposed law on the ban is to be debated in parliament at the end of this month.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) moved ultra-violet emitting tanning beds to its highest cancer risk category last July and labeled them as "carcinogenic to humans" after research found they could increase the risk of developing cancer by 75 percent.
The IARC said sunbeds were particularly dangerous if used by children and young adults.
Campaigners say melanoma is the most common cancer in young Britons aged 15-34 and kills more than 2,000 people a year.
Around 160,000 new cases are diagnosed worldwide each year and while melanoma is preventable, or treatable if caught early, in patients whose disease has spread it is rarely cured and often kills them within a year.
Some countries and U.S. states regulate the multi-billion-dollar tanning industry, with some banning teenagers from using sunbeds or requiring consent from their parents or doctor.
In Australia, children are banned from using solariums and the industry is required to post warnings in salons about potential health problems, including skin cancer.
A British government-commissioned report by Cancer Research UK published late last year found six percent of children in Britain aged between 11 and 17 had used a sunbed.
If the British law is passed, it would prevent tanning salons from allowing under 18s to use their sunbeds.
The charity RAFT, which campaigns for work to prevent and develop a cure for skin cancer, said it was encouraged by the proposal but feared it would not be enough.
"Sadly we know that banning under-18s won't necessarily stop young people trying to use sunbeds," its chief executive Leonor Stjepic said in a statement, adding a ban on coin-operated tanning kiosks would also be needed, among other measures.
"This legislation is a start but legislation alone is not enough," Stjepic said. "We need to get the message across to young people that using a sunbed is not cool."
Editing by Janet Lawrence


text:
Accessing Your Database Restore Error Logs
When attempting to perform a database restore, there are a variety of errors that could occur. For example, the system may be unable to locate your back-file or the file validation could fail due to a syntax error in your .sql back-up file script.
To provide you visibility to these errors, so you can make any necessary changes to the back-up file before attempting the restore again, we record the details of the error in an error log within your _db_backups folder on the root level of your hosting account.
To Access Your Database Restore Error Log
- Log in to your Account Manager.
- Click Web Hosting.
- Next to the hosting account you want to use, click Manage.
- In the Databases section of the Hosting Control Panel, click the icon of the database type you're working with.
- From your list of databases, click Actions next to the database you want to use, and then Restore.
- If you received an error while performing the restore, there will be an error message next to Last Restore.
- Click the View Error Log link next to the error message.
- You are prompted to choose a location on your local drive to save the file.
For additional information about database restore errors, see What does my database restore error mean?.


text:
Starbucks Cards and Starbucks Card eGif make the perfect present or stocking stuffer for anyone on your shopping list. A Starbucks Card is the gift of a moment of blissful relaxation spent with family and friends over a favored cup of coffee or treat. Whether you slip it into their stocking or send one online, a Starbucks Card is an easy way to spread holiday cheer.
A Starbucks Cards or Starbucks Card eGif is truly the gift that keeps on giving all year long. Once you register your Card and sign up for My Starbucks Rewards™, you can earn great rewards and offers throughout the year like free drinks and food, free refills on brewed or iced coffee and tea, and even a free birthday drink.


text:
Robby Gordon (third from the bottom, on the asphalt), during this week's Baja 1000 'pre-run,' to check out the GPS lines. Gordon does have a strange sense of humor, doesn't he? (Photo: Robby Gordon Motorsports)
By Mike Mulhern
That's about when some of the mystique of this whole Baja thing began to hit.
-- Even before the rippin' rock-throwing run through wilderness valleys, up and over dunes, up and down dry-wash gulches, and along frightening cliff-edge trails where you have to hope to stay ahead of the blinding clouds of sand that rivals in these spidery off-road machines throw up in their wake.
-- Even before that death-defying, full-tilt-boogey sprint, well past sunset, up to legendary Mike's Sky Ranch....with its 3,000-foot drop-offs, which fortunately couldn't be seen that clearly in the darkness.
Robby Gordon and his guys have this whole Baja thing down pat by now, defusing tense situations by passing out racing hats to all, and laughing about the upcoming race. He's been doing this for more than 20 years, and he's a legend throughout the Baja penisula, known at just about every little country store around.
Strapped into the back of Robby Gordon's Baja off-road creation, with the six-point harness well tightened, and sizzling drops of oil from those huge three-foot shocks occasionally spraying the back of my neck, well, suffice it to say riding with Robby is more than a Disney E-ride. A hellava lot more.
But death be damned, let's do it, I'd said when Gordon invited me to check out this Baja thing right from the inside of the spider.
That was a couple of years ago, and I've been itching to go back ever since. Riding shotgun with Robby Gordon is a life-altering experience.
The guy has no fear.
But he's got such an infectious, enthusiastic personality that he can sell just about anything to anyone.
Right now he's selling Speed. A new energy drink, from a new company that he himself just helped form. It's part of a new business model Gordon is trying. "Instead chasing sponsors on the phone, now I am my own sponsor," Gordon says. "Do you get it? I am my own sponsor."
And he plans to use a variant of the U.S. Tobacco marketing game, putting different sponsor names on his quarterpanels in exchange for product placement by vendors.
At the moment Gordon says his energy drink is so packed with vitamins that The Vitamin Shoppe may carry it.
He's pitching Fox TV's Speed Channel for a show of his own 'Chasing speed,' with a variety of athletes, such as Tour de France legend Lance Armstrong, sports figures who rely on speed for part of their game.
Gordon has been doing his own SpeedFactoryTV (http://www.speedfactory.tv/ ) show this season.
And Gordon, with http://www.planetrobby.com/ , has one of the hottest websites in NASCAR.
When it comes to the Baja races and the Dakar Rally Gordon thrives on the tense logistics of it all, solving the myriad logistical nightmares, almost as much as the racing itself.
Glam time for RG and his Speed Girls (Photo: Robby Gordon Motorsports)
It's just all part of the Robby Gordon persona.
Robby lives to prove to the world that he can do it his way.
He's one of NASCAR's few remaining independents, an owner-driver in the classic style. And up against the giant rivals in stock car racing, Gordon is almost always the underdog.
However this season he has almost seemed missing in action, out here on the NASCAR trail, farming out his stock car team for several races, seemingly struggling to find enough sponsorship to continue to make a go of it.
Then suddenly two weeks ago at Talladega Gordon returned to the stage, touting a new sponsor – did he tell you the logo on the cans glows in the dark, perfect for those party nights -- and a new way of doing business.
And now he's pumped up about General Motors' decision to get back into Indy-car racing....which was for so many years where Gordon thrived, along with his off-road operations, based out of his Orange, Calif., hometown. Gordon, one of the few who could do the Indy-Charlotte double legitimately, came very close to winning the Indy 500 twice, and a third time he had an outside shot. Now he's readying things for the 2011 Indy 500, which he may run instead of the Charlotte 600.
But Gordon's not sure about trying the 'double,' Indianapolis and Charlotte the same day, even though promoter Bruton Smith has put up a $20 million bonus if anyone can win both. "Is that for real?" Gordon asks. "But Bruton said it, and Bruton is a man of his word....."
Gordon concedes his NASCAR operation this season hasn't performed up his standards. How that changes is still up in the air. But for starters Gordon says he'll be cutting back his NASCAR schedule for 2011. "Realistically we're not a team that can win a NASCAR championship.... "
A little Dakar action for Robby Gordon. Will General Motors step up to the plate for him in this new-found gung-ho racing game plan? (Photo: Robby Gordon Motorsports)
But that's next year, and at the moment it's all about this year's Baja 1000, which kicks off Tuesday and runs through Saturday, over the 'long course,' from Ensenada all the way down to La Paz. "So logistically it's one of our tougher races," Gordon says.
"Not quite as difficult as Dakar. Dakar is tough because we've got trucks on boats and 18 to 20 guys flying, and two cars flying....and trying to track all that stuff isn't easy.
"But the Baja is one 16-to-20 hour race. Non-stop. And you never pull into the same pit area; it's not like the 24 Hours of Daytona, where you can always pit in the same spot.
"So it takes a lot of people to manage this race."
Gordon just got here to Phoenix International Raceway Friday morning, after spending the week 'pre-running' – checking out legs of the course, doing the GPS measuring and timing, and taking notes on where the notorious 'X's' are – to be avoided – and how fast to run where and when.
He and his guys will fly back to the Baja immediately after Sunday's Phoenix 500-K, to put the finishing touches on things. And if all goes well, he'll finish the 1000 just in time to fly overnight Saturday cross-country to Homestead to make the starting line for Sunday's NASCAR season finale. Wonder if he'll have time to spend a night at Mike's Sky Ranch? http://on.fb.me/d3MqFz
However it's never really the off-season for Gordon.
While the NASCAR tour is winding down this month, Gordon is in thick of preparation not only for the Baja 1000 but also for January's Dakar Rally, through Argentina and Chile.
His two $1 million Dakar Rally cars will have to be ready to leave the shop Dec. 15th, for the January 1st start of torturous 16-day South American race -- Buenos Aires to Buenos Aires via Chile's haunting Atacama Desert, with nightly bivouacs, and no Marriott or Hilton points.
While Gordon is always among the favorites to win the Bajas, he's an underdog against the army that Volkswagen throws into the Dakar.
Gordon is one of five favorites in next week's 1000. "But there are 32 Trophy Trucks now; it's not like it was when there were only 10," Gordon points out.
"The five of us may have the best shot at winning, but if any of us has any glitches, there are 15 guys who could win."
Gordon, son of the famous 'Baja Bob,' has been running off-road since his teens, and he's won seven championships, most recently 2009, while running the full NASCAR Cup tour. This season his off-road program has been less effective; he's eighth in SCORE standings. The year didn't really start all that well: he was late getting to the first event, in Laughlin, Nev., in January because he was still in Argentina finishing the Dakar. And then he broke two wheels in the Laughlin race itself. He finished second the next time out, in the March San Filipe event. "In the (June) Baja 500 we were leading when we broke the transmission. And in the Primm (September) we broke the transmission.
"So we've just made a whole bunch of new transmission parts. In fact we just got the parts this weekend, for the Baja 1000."
RG: New sponsor in hand....his left hand here (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)
It's a Chevy deal off-road, though he runs Toyotas in NASCAR. How Gordon fits into the NASCAR Toyota program isn't all that clear, but it doesn't look like much of a factory deal at all. Gordon is shopping for a new NASCAR manufacturer for 2011, and he says he wants to return to Chevrolet.
Part of the behind-the-scenes key to Gordon's career has been partial backing from long-time friend John Menard, he of Menard's fame.
Gordon won his first Baja in 1989, and he's become a Baja legend in the years since. (Sisters Beccy and Robyn also race off-road.)
He stepped it all up a notch in 2005 by taking on the Dakar Rally, winning two of the 16 stages and finishing 12th. The Dakar was moved to South America in 2009 because of terrorist threats over its traditional African courses; Gordon finished third in the 2009 running and eighth in 2010. He's won four Dakar stages overall, quite a driving achievement for a relatively under-budgeted operation against the giant Europeans.
Factory-backing is key to the Dakar, and Gordon's sponsorship has been with General Motors, for its Hummer marketing. GM is of course dropping Hummer, but Gordon is banking on what appears to be a major new GM commitment to racing – he's ready to sign up for the new Chevy Indy 500 deal, just announced Friday – and maybe GM's marketing plans for that honking-big new truck will include one of the world's best off-roaders.
Robby Gordon's business dealings with John Menard span his career, and there may soon be a new chapter (Photo: Robby Gordon Motorsports)
Robby Gordon, over his nearly 20-year NASCAR career, has been one of the best pure racers in this sport. But his insistence on doing things his way has sometimes seemed a roadblock. For example he was winning Cup races while driving for Richard Childress, but Gordon wanted to prove that he could build a NASCAR team of his own and compete successfully.
He still hasn't won for his own team, but he's come very, very close, like at Sonoma this past June.
GM's former Chevy boss Brent Dewar, a die-hard racing fan, calls Gordon a 'MacGyver,' for his duct-tape-and-Swiss-Army-Knife resourcefulness in the field, a survival trait on some of these trails.
NASCAR officials, on the other hand, have frequently put Gordon in their doghouse. Like the time he was fined $100,000 for having the wrong front bumper on his Daytona car; he appealed....and the fine was raised to $150,000.
But Gordon almost seems to revel in his mischievousness.
"What I really like about this off-road stuff is I can build anything I want, I can let my imagination go wild," Gordon, a poet in steel back in the shop, says.
"No rules.
"So it's like Formula One on dirt. The only rule is no blowers, no turbos.
"You can whittle something out on a lathe or a mill and then go race that part.
"So we make every part on the car, everything from wheels to brake calipers to the body. That's the part I truly enjoy…because here in NASCAR your hands are so tied, and if your rear end is a little off, it's $50,000 and 50 points.
"But off-road you can use your imagination.
"I'd love for Rick Hendrick and Roger Penske to come race off-road and see what they could do."
The 2011 Dakar Rally, Buenos Aires to Buenos Aires, the long way around....
When you're making a pit stop for gas and tires in the desert, well, bring along everything you might need. (Photo: Robby Gordon Motorsports)
© 2010-2011 www.mikemulhern.net All rights reserved.
Web site by www.webdesigncarolinas.com


text:
- This event has passed.
Nordic Knitting
May 1, 2018 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
When: Every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month from 7-9:00 PM
Where: 2600 Arens Road (Push top buzzer for the "Activity room")
Parking: Regarding parking, when attending the knitting class: If the parking lot at 2600 is full, you may park on the street, or in the fire hall parking lot (providing you go to the fire station door and let the fire station staff you are parking there and why).
Bring your own projects…Everyone is welcome!!


text:
RANCHO CUCAMONGA – Frighteningly, it wasn't the five players with multiple scholarship offers that prompted Marcus Soward to liken the Rancho Cucamonga High School football team to a college program.
The offensive and defensive fronts were the units that inspired the comparison from Miller's football coach during Rancho Cucamonga's 45-0 victory over Miller Friday night at Los Osos High School.
Soward, a former defensive back for Arizona State whose brother R.J. starred at USC, has some credibility when it comes to college football.
"As big and fast and strong as they are, they're like a college team," Soward said. "The fronts were what impressed me the most. They were some of the best I've seen in a long time."
As for the players who will join the actual collegiate ranks next season, Oregon State-bound receiver Jermel Walker had five receptions for 165 yards and two touchdowns before leaving the game with an injury to his left leg early in the second quarter.
The Rancho Cucamonga (3-1) defense featuring four scholarship players, including USC-committed cornerback Chris Hawkins, held Miller to 16 yards in the first half.
The Cougars amassed 302 rushing yards and senior quarterback Adam Friederichsen completed 8 of 11 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns in the first half as Rancho Cucamonga surged to a 38-0 halftime lead.
"He threw a couple nice deep balls to Jermel, so that was clicking pretty good," Rancho Cucamonga coach Nick Baiz said of Friederichsen, who transferred from La Costa Canyon last summer. "He's getting better every week. We hope he keeps improving."
Rancho Cucamonga's three victories this season have come by a average margin of 36 points. The Cougars' lone loss, a one-point defeat to Anaheim Servite Sept. 1, is the only blemish on the schedule. Leading by 13 at the half, the Cougars were shut out in the final two quarters.
They've scored 99 points in the eight quarters since.
"Our kids have responded well since then," Baiz said. "I think (the loss) is going to help us in the long run. I hope it does. That's going to be determined weeks down the road."
Rancho Cucamonga visits Riverside North next week before opening Baseline League play with a titanic matchup against Upland on Oct. 5.
Miller (1-3) visits an undefeated Oak Hills team next week before a difficult Citrus Belt League opener against Redlands on Oct. 5.
"I've been on this side of a few lopsided games before," Soward said. "You just come back on Monday and put your head down and go to work. You can't let this get you down."
Miller hardly had time to look up at the scoreboard before Friederichsen threw an 81-yard touchdown pass to Walker on the Cougars' second play from scrimmage. After three touchdowns through the air, Khalil Muhammad rushed for his only touchdown of the game. The sophomore finished with 175 yards on 13 carries.
Senior James Robinson, who had 68 yards on seven carries, scored on a 3-yard run to give Rancho Cucamonga a 35-0 lead with 4:36 left in the second quarter.


text:
The Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer instantly measures temperatures from a distance. Do it the convenient and accurate way with the Cen-Tech Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer with Laser Targeting (SKU 96451) from Harbor Freight Tools! By just pointing the laser at the intended surface, this amazing infrared laser thermometer instantly measures surface temperatures.
This tool is often also referred to as a laser thermometer because of the built-in laser used to target surface temperatures in just 500 milliseconds! And with the included 9 volt DC battery, this laser IR thermometer goes wherever it's needed. Whether you're going from jobsite to jobsite or working on several vehicles in a shop, the CenTech laser thermometer is just the tool you need to easily measure temperatures in just about any location.
If you're in the market for an infrared thermometer with laser targeting and don't want to pay a price that will make you see red, then get down to Harbor Freight where you can find this item for much less than what you'll pay elsewhere! Our laser infrared thermometer is accurate up to +/- 4° below 212° F and +/- 2° above 212° F with a temperature range of -4°F (-20°C) to 968°F (520°C) making it a perfect addition to any tool chest or automotive kit.
Don't overpay for a quality tool! Set your sights on Harbor Freight and pick up this Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer today!


text:
Registration is open for Los Angeles Unified's first-ever wellness fair and 5K run, an effort to encourage physical activity and healthier lifestyles for students and their families.
The 5K Move It Challenge will begin at 9 a.m. Nov. 16 at Dodger Stadium, with the wellness festival taking place until 2 p.m. There is also a separate 1K course for younger kids.
Registration is free for LAUSD students, with souvenir T-shirts $5. The entry fee for other walkers and runners is $30 through Wednesday, $35 Nov. 7-12 and $45 the day of the event.
Proceeds benefit the district's 12 school-based wellness centers, which provide free physical and mental-health services to students and families. Two more centers are scheduled to open next year, including one at Monroe High in North Hills — the first in the San Fernando Valley.
"A healthy mind starts with a healthy body," Michelle King, the district's senior deputy superintendent, said in a statement. "This event will encourage everyone in the district to lead an active lifestyle through exercise and healthy eating throughout the year."
To register, see lausd.net.


text:
Open Historical Map
Open Historical Map (OHM) (http://www.openhistoricalmap.org) is an effort to use the OSM infrastructure as a foundation for creating the world's most universal, detailed, and out-of-date map. OHM will focus on the mapping elements where OSM excels - shores, political boundaries, buildings, and ways. Future and other efforts may engage in discussing actions, events, people, and movable items.
Note: As opposed to other projects such as OpenSeaMap, OHM makes use of its own database independent of OSM.
An early draft Open Historical Map/FAQ is available.
OHM projects
Editing OHM
Since OHM uses its OSM-independent database, it is necessary to create an OHM user to be able to edit OHM.
OpenHistoricalMap data can be edited online using both iD and Potlatch. The iD editor is embedded within the OHM website.
You may also edit using JOSM by choosing "Edit with Remote Control" in the dropdown menu next to the "Edit"-button on the website. Ensure that Remote Control is enabled under Preferences in JOSM and that JOSM is running. The api will be connected automatically.
If you want to manually start editing OHM in JOSM, it is necessary to alter the api connection parameter (uncheck the default): use http://www.openhistoricalmap.org/api/ (note http not https as on the OSM site).
How to map
start_date=* and end_date=*
Apply a start date and/or end date to the feature. The format is ISO 8601 format YYYY-MM-DD.
If you do not know the actual day, you can just add the year, e.g., start_date=1925.
- 1901-01-20
- 1902-12
- 1878
- 1900..1925 (between 1900(-01-01) and 1925(-12-31))
- 1900-06..1901-04-23
- before 1910-01-20 (before a specific date - possibly when a photo was taken)
Always add the source=*-tag. If possible use the spelling of the corresponding Wikipedia article.
- Kwon_Kun's_Kangnido_Map
- Ribeiro's_World_Map
- excavations
- LIDAR_imaging
Tracing from imagery
An example URL for a Tile Server is http://nls-3.tileserver.com/nls/8/128/79.jpg. The URL template from that source would be http://nls-3.tileserver.com/nls/{z}/{x}/{y}.jpg.
JOSM - works with WMS Server, Tile Servers and local images. See JOSM Imagery Guide for more information.
iD Editor - open the layers panel, click "Custom" and paste in a valid Tile URL template.
Further notes
For further in depth tagging of features, you may consider Comparison of life cycle concepts, in particular the date namespace suffix and the lifecycle prefix.
Google Summer of Code proposal
A number of projects that are in the Wikimaps, OSM, OHM, Wikimedia area would benefit from the temporal flexibility in the OSM tool stack. This would allow us to use data across projects, using layers from multiple sources at different time periods. These projects include:
- Design a how-to map.
- Enhance iD and The Rails Port so that a JavaScript time/date slider can be added to control the time period that is of interest.
- Enhance iD and The Rails Port so that meta-data hooks are added to the code that allow for custom deployments of both software. The intent is to support their use as dedicated user interfaces to certain applications (such as medieval walking path editing) while still using a generic data source.
Using the data
There are a variety of ways to use OpenHistoricalMap Data.
For smallish scale it is possible to download data using JOSM. Two alternatives now exist for larger volumes of data or larger areas:
- A weekly OHM planet file (see http://planet.openhistoricalmap.org/).
- A special Overpass instance at http://overpass.openhistoricalmap.org/.
See also these pages for the legal attributions:
- OHM/Copyright - to start documenting copyright-related issues for OHM
- OHM/Contributors
Short-term plans
- OHM/Dev - get The Rails Port, Mapnik, Mod tile, and Nominatim up and running at http://www.openhistoricalmap.org
- OHM/TileServer - Tile serving discussion and docs.
- OHM/Tags - identify OHM tagging conventions
- OHM/Plan - longer-term plans
Keys proposed
Related OSM Projects
- Map of Historical objects: historic.place
- HistOSM - An atlas of historic sites based on OSM, out of the University of Heidelberg (HistOSM.org Paper (de) - paper by Michael Auer and Alexander Zipf)
- Historic - OSM Wiki page on Historic sites in general
- OSM-4D (see German version -translation link on top- as English version needs more translation)
- Proposed_features/historic_event - Failed proposal for including events in the OSM database
- Historische Objekte - An atlas of historic sites based on OSM (de)
- Open Historical Map maillist: https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/historic
- Open Historical Map irc: #ohm on irc.oftc.net
- Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1513784935591521/
- Tech Changes to the OpenStreetMap Stack, Tim Waters, SotM 2015
- City Stripping: building historical road layouts from todays data, Maps Matter blog post, 11 Dec 2014
- Curating a Historical Map, Living With Dragons blog post, 21 July 2014
- Wikimaps Expeditions, Susanna Anas video presentation, SotM 2014
- Historical maps, Jerry Clough video presentation, SotM 2014
- Open Historical Map reusing obsolete information, David Evans, SotM 2013
- Summary of Hangout December 2012
- OSM & Online Time Machines, Jeff Meyer, SotM 2012
- Mapping History on Open Street Map, Frankie Roberto, SotM 2009


text:
"I stress that I have not carried out this act, which appears to have been carried out by individuals with their own motivation."
Dailycamera (Removed, but archived. Also mentioned on FOX News)
Osama bin Laden, 9/28-2001:
"I have already said that I am not involved in the 11 September attacks in the United States. As a Muslim, I try my best to avoid telling a lie. I had no knowledge of these attacks, nor do I consider the killing of innocent women, children and other humans as an appreciable act. Islam strictly forbids causing harm to innocent women, children and other people. Such a practice is forbidden even in the course of a battle. It is the United States, which is perpetrating every maltreatment on women, children and common people."
FBI-Laden, 13/12-2001:
"We calculated in advance the number of casualties from the enemy, who would be killed based on the position of the tower. We calculated that the floors that would be hit would be three or four floors. I was the most optimistic of them all."
"Due to my experience in this field, I was thinking that the fire from the gas in the plane would melt the iron structure of the building and collapse the area where the plane hit and all the floors above it only. This is all that we had hoped for."
The last Laden was on a videotape they found in Afghanistan. This Laden knew how many who was working in the top floors at that time. He had calculated the casualties in advance. Due to his experience in miracles and because he had read parts of the official manuscript before it was released, he thought that only the top floors would disappear.
But FBI-Laden's experience wasn't good enough, he should have read the whole script and his calculations were a waste of time...
Passport discovery
Rescue workers sifting through the tons of rubble earlier discovered a passport belonging to one of the suspected hijackers a few blocks from where the World Trade Center's twin towers once stood.
This fake evidence and all the others can be thrown away...
A Pakistani has admitted to everythingaljazeera.net: «I was responsible for the 9/11 operation, from A to Z,» Mohammed said in the transcript.
CNN: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed reportedly confessed to being the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks after being waterboarded.


text:
As you may have noticed, I have a tendency to get sidetracked. So many times I've promised myself to write more regularly, and every time something else has come up. Or maybe I naturally eschew anything that involves the slightest bit of routine and discipline.
I'm pretty excited with many things going on in my life at the moment. One day after coming back from California last November, I started a new job in Mississauga, just west of Toronto. While it's not food-related, my job involves marketing, which I also find fascinating because it deals with shaping customer experiences and perceptions. So far it's been going well, and I'm enjoying it very much.
We don't suggest that you should see videos of 18 and abused, that's for sure - but it's up to you!
There is something crazy with this girls xxx way! The most beautiful moms xxx in these sensual clips!
Doing the business in old-fashioned way. Some pleasure mixed in it is required, see @ xxx pawns!
She said to me something about it being her first time doing this and I agreed I will be gentle.
Ha, and you thought teens porn isn't punished. It's very perverted and you can now see it first hand!
You need to know something about videos porn abuse before you watch them a lot!
Clip & bangBros - this is the best collection of the miami-based porn guys going rough!
This is the NEW thing and if you are all about naive teens you need to see the ones visiting this RV for Project. It's crazy what they do.
You know you are in the right place when you see we show you all the best of hardcore punish extreme.
I think lubed videos are really great for all lovers of quality messy and oily fun.
I'm also looking forward to moving away from downtown Toronto in a few weeks. I'll only be moving 10 minutes west of my current abode, but after living in Toronto's theatre district for the past four years, I'm more than ready to trade the neighbourhood's crowds and glitz for the tranquility and scenic views of the city's waterfront. Of course, I'm also excited that I'll have a nicer kitchen and more room for (food) storage.
With everything that's been going on, I haven't managed to cook as much as I would have liked. For the most part, I've been surviving by cooking one dish on the weekend, and eating it every night for dinner. This isn't really all that bad, especially when the dish is tasty. With my one-dish strategy in mind, I've been making a lot of braises. From David Chang's Braised Short Ribs to Daniel Boulud's Asian-Style Duck à l'Orange... dishes like these can easily keep for an entire week and actually taste better as their flavours develop in the fridge.
So while I haven't been doing a lot of cooking, I've still been thinking about food a lot. Over the past year, I've been trying to learn more about what makes food taste great. I've been trying to improve my sense of taste by tasting and learning how to describe wines and chocolates. And for the sole purpose of educating my palate (so that I know what good food tastes like) I took the arduous task of dining at some wonderful restaurants whenever I travelled. From New York's Jean-Georges and Momofuku to Vancouver's West, and Vij's, I've learned a great deal about how wonderful food can be. And at some point in the future, I'd love to be able to cook food that's just as delicious.
The area I'm most interested in at the moment is... flavour. I guess that seems pretty obvious, but I think it's often overlooked in favour of texture. Tender, juicy ribs; rich and creamy ice cream; melt-in-your-mouth chocolates. While texture is certainly integral to the deliciousness of any dish, for me at least, flavour is more important. And by flavour, I don't mean the flavour of the sauce or topping, but the actual flavour of the main ingredient (the meat, bread, vegetables etc.).
There are, as I'm sure you're aware, many ways to coax flavour out of ingredients. Whether it's adding salt, lemon juice, or using techniques like sous vide to prevent flavour from escaping, I'm interested in anything I can do to make ingredients shine. Starting with the best ingredients I can find and afford, I'd like to be able to cook the shrimpiest tasting shrimp, and make an orange sorbet that has a flavour of a thousand ripe oranges bursting in my mouth.


text:
What are flu antiviral drugs?
Flu antiviral drugs are drugs that decrease the ability of flu viruses to reproduce. While getting a flu vaccine each year is one of the best ways to protect you from the flu, antiviral drugs may be used to treat and/or prevent flu.
What are the benefits of flu antiviral drugs?
For treatment, antiviral drugs should be started within 2 days after becoming sick. When used this way, these drugs can reduce the severity of flu symptoms and shorten the time people are sick by 1 or 2 days. They also may make people less contagious to others.
How effective are antiviral drugs at preventing the flu?
When used to prevent the flu, antiviral drugs are about 70% to 90% effective. It's important to remember that flu antiviral drugs are not a substitute for getting a flu vaccine.
What antiviral medications are recommended for treatment as well as prevention of flu?
The two drugs recommended for use are Tamiflu® and Relenza®; these antiviral drugs fight against both influenza A and B viruses. Oseltamivir (brand name Tamiflu®) is approved to both treat and prevent flu in people one year of age and older. Zanamivir (brand name Relenza®) is approved to treat flu in people 7 years and older and to prevent flu in people 5 years and older.
Who should take antiviral drugs for flu?
In general, antiviral drugs can be prescribed to anyone who wants to avoid and/or treat the flu. Antiviral treatment is recommended for people who are very sick with the flu and people who are at high risk of serious flu-related complications. Also, close contacts of people with the flu who are at high risk of serious flu-related complications may prevent the flu by using antiviral drugs.
How can someone get an antiviral drug for the flu?
People must get antiviral drugs from their doctor.
How long should antiviral drugs be taken?
The length of time antiviral drugs should be taken depends on if they are being used to treat or to prevent the flu. To prevent the flu, antiviral drugs should be taken for as long as flu viruses are circulating in a given setting. To treat flu, oseltamivir and zanamivir are taken for 5 days.
What are the side effects of flu antiviral drugs?
Like any medication, side effects are possible and are different for each medicine. It is important for people to ask their doctors to explain how to use the medicine and any possible side effects. Health care professionals prescribing flu antiviral drugs should let their patients about serious side effects that can occur.
Can flu antiviral drugs help with other illnesses such as the common cold?
No. Flu antiviral drugs only work against flu viruses. They will not help reduce symptoms from the common cold or any other flu-like illnesses caused by viruses other than flu viruses.
What should be done if problems occur when taking the flu antiviral medicine?
If side effects occur while taking flu antiviral medications, people should talk to their health care provider immediately.
Can flu antiviral medicine be given to pregnant women?
Tamiflu® and Relenza® are "Pregnancy Category C" medications, indicating that no clinical studies have been done to test the safety of these drugs for pregnant women. However, the available risk-benefit data indicate that pregnant woman and women who are up to 2 weeks post-partum with suspected or confirmed influenza should receive prompt antiviral therapy. For additional information see Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Updated recommendations for obstetric health care providers related to use of antiviral medications in the treatment and prevention of influenza for the 2010-2011 season at http://www.immunize.org/vis/vis_flu_inactive.asp.
Flu Antiviral Medications
Public Health
Fact Sheet
Public Health
Fact Sheet
For further information call or visit us on the World Wide Web
Acute Disease Service
Oklahoma State Department of Health
Phone (405) 271-4060
Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.


text:
Avoiding Wall St. shuffle's perils
It's that time again when jobs open up across Washington and the big shuffle starts: People on Wall Street angle for key economic policymaking jobs, and people in key economic policymaking jobs angle for jobs on Wall Street.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing. People with Washington experience bring expertise to Wall Street — often a sense of public service — and people with Wall Street experience bring expertise to government.
Story Continued Below
When I worked to set up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, we hired a number of people with industry experience. We built a team that had diverse expertise and different worldviews because that meant smarter, more effective policies. It's pretty clear that you can't write good rules or effectively enforce the law if you don't know how the game is played.
But as past experiences have shown, there is also real peril in this Wall Street shuffle. Big business orthodoxy against rules and regulations can seep into the bones, including the bones of new policymakers who are charged with protecting consumers and strengthening markets. Industry groupthink and overconfidence can prevent clear and evenhanded analysis of problems. The result can be a group of decision makers who are self-confident in the extreme and who end up clearing the path toward the sort of recklessness and excessive greed that have already broken the economy once.
As jobs open up and the shuffle continues, policymakers in Washington ought to think seriously about some key indicators when considering people with industry experience:
1. Who do they listen to and who do they trust?
Not all the expertise and good ideas are on Wall Street. Small banks, credit unions, academics, consumer groups, regional Federal Reserve banks and foreign financial commentators often have important insights. If potential appointees coming from industry don't show a real willingness — and even eagerness — to listen to smart people outside of the industry, that's a real problem. If they aren't already having serious conversations with people who are not from Wall Street, the blinders may have grown too big to remove. It matters who they talk to and who they will rely on for advice.
2. Where do they disagree with industry and lobbyist orthodoxy?
No one is perfect; they should be able to see some areas for improvement. If a potential appointee can't give thoughtful examples of where the lobbyists and the industry have gotten it wrong over the past generation and give specific examples of where they have it wrong now, then they aren't right for the job.


text:
HOME › Get Involved › PPMI ›
The Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI)
is a landmark study launched in 2010 to find biomarkers -- disease indicators that are critical missing links in the search for better Parkinson's disease (PD) treatments.
At PPMI's 33 clinical sites in 11 countries, nearly 1,000 participants -- everyday patients and their loved ones -- are contributing invaluable data and biosamples into the most robust Parkinson's database and specimen bank ever created. These resources are paired with a simple online system allowing researchers to access study data and samples for complementary PD research in their own labs across the globe. Because PPMI is an observational study, research volunteers do not take any experimental drug or placebo, but agree to contribute data and samples for up to five years. A $100-million study, PPMI is sponsored by The Michael J. Fox Foundation and funded by the Foundation in partnership with 24 biotech and pharmaceutical companies.
Meet the patients, friends & families making PPMI possible
Already enrolled in PPMI?
For Researchers: Access PPMI data & more.


text:
1. resist - verb
· elude, especially in a baffling way; "This behavior defies explanation"
2. resist - verb
· stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something
Synonym(s): hold_out, withstand, stand_firm
Hypernym(s): fight, oppose, fight_back, fight_down, defend
Antonym(s): surrender
3. resist - verb
· express opposition through action or words; "dissent to the laws of the country"
Hypernym(s): oppose, controvert, contradict
4. resist - verb
· withstand the force of something; "The trees resisted her"; "stand the test of time"; "The mountain climbers had to fend against the ice and snow"
Hypernym(s): fight, oppose, fight_back, fight_down, defend
5. resist - verb
· resist immunologically the introduction of some foreign tissue or organ; "His body rejected the liver of the donor"
6. resist - verb
· refuse to comply
Hypernym(s): disobey
The only site you need for word puzzles, home work, anagrams and scrabble games. The best site for two word anagram solutions.
Enter the letters to get anagrams for the word
Definitions, synonyms, antonyms and related words
Enter the word below with '?' to indicate missing letters
Enter the word to find the rhymes
Enter the letters of the beginning, middle or end of the word.
Unscramble.net is the free tool to unscramble letters and words for games like Text Twist, Words with Friends, Scrabble, Word Scraper, and of course the ever popular Jumble newspaper puzzle. It is also great for homework problems that frustrate many parents and students. Unscramble.net provides one and two word unscramble solutions from its extensive 280,000 word list that includes technical, medical and slang words. There is no limit to the number of letters entered for one word unscrambles and the site also provides for rhyming words and dictionary definitions for many of the unscrambled words. Two word unscramble results are provided in two formats for easy comprehension by the user. There is no limit to the number of word combinations provided whether for one or two word unscramble solution sets.
The site is mobile friendly and fully https/tls security compliant. Fast and easy, unscramble.net provides the most accurate and complete word, letter and anagram solutions available. Trust the oldest and most reliable unscramble tool on the net. Word lists are constantly being updated from reliable sources. Android and iOS apps are coming soon.


text: Gear SKINTH Spartan OG Multitool/EDC Storage Recoil Staff July 23, 2012 0 COMMENT SKINTH (Skinny Sheath Storage Solution) has released the new Spartan line of sheaths for multitools and EDC (Every Day Carry) items.The Spartan OG come with a 550 paracord loop for hanging keys or other items and comes with a standard 2″ wide low riding belt loop. Also there are standard horizontal carry belt loops. The Skinth Spartan OG is constructed from heavy duty nylon webbing and 1000D Cordura to carry those heavy multitools and knives. Akin to its namesake, the Spartan OG provides just enough room for those essential multitool and EDC accessories that turns it into a mobile toolbox. The sides are left open on the bottoms to hold up to a 2xAAA flashlight (with clip) or a slim 2XAA flashlight. With room for up to a 4.5″ multitool, the Spartan OG can holster the popular Leatherman Wave, Charge, Surge and even the SuperTool 300 with a separate pocket for the Leatherman bit card. Larger Gerber MP400/600/Flik/Crucial/Octane series tools will also fit (with exception of the needlenose and fisher MP600′s). MSRP is $19.99, for more information and to order visit SKINTH. www.skinthsolutions.com Explore RECOILweb:Sinister's AR Truck Exhaust for ShootersWhen steampunk hits the rangeToyota Tundra - Miami ViceRECOILtv NRA 2018: KNS Precision AK Adjustable Gas Piston


text:
RENO, Nev. (AP) With a spot in the New Mexico Bowl already sewn up and a shot at the league championship out of reach, Nevada might have been inclined to look past its last regular season game if not for the fact No. 25 Boise State is back in town for the first time since one of the Wolf Pack's biggest upset victories ever.
Instead, coach Chris Ault said his team couldn't be more excited about its chance Saturday to keep the Broncos (9-2, 6-1) from earning a share of the Mountain West title with Fresno State and San Diego State before they bolt next year for the Big East Conference.
``The bowl game is the last thing on our mind,'' said Ault, whose Wolf Pack (7-4, 4-3) started the year 6-1 before sliding into a three-game losing streak.
Ault is the winningest coach in Nevada history (206-96-1) but his 8-17 career mark against Boise State is his worst against any opponent.
`They are a great football team, arguably the best football team in the conference,'' he said. ``The bottom line is they are running the ball and they are keeping the ball. They take care of business and eat up a lot of the clock.''
D.J. Harper leads the Broncos rushing attack, averaging 85 yards per game. Quarterback Joe Southwick has completed 66 percent of his passes for an average of 206 yards per game.
But much of the credit for Boise State's success goes to a defense that ranks fifth in the nation in points allowed per game (14.4), fourth in yards allowed (160), fourth in turnover margin (plus 1.55) and that has allowed an NCAA-low three TD passes.
Nevada counters with an offensive attack averaging 38 points per game. Running back Stefphon Jefferson is the nation's second-leading rusher, averaging 142 yards per game.
Cody Fajardo, only the sixth sophomore in the Mountain West to total 3,000 yards of offense in a single season, has completed 66.5 percent of his passes for an average of 232 yards per game and 17 TDs. He's also run for 900 yards, averaging 5.9 per carry.
``It looks like a Nevada team to me,'' said Boise State coach Chris Petersen, who calls the matchup his defense's ``biggest test of the year.''
``They run the heck out of the ball in that pistol offense. They play hard on defense. Their record is very close to being much different with a turnover here, a turnover there,'' he said. ``It is one of those games where you say none of that matters. We don't even pay attention to the records.''
There's good reason to take that approach.
Nevada's 34-31 overtime victory over the then third-ranked Broncos in 2010 was the best of a series of thrillers the two have played in recent years.
In 2007, current 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick made his first start for Nevada, racking up 420 yards total offense and five scores en route to a 69-67 loss in four overtimes in Boise.
Nevada will meet a Pac-12 opponent in the New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 15 and Boise State is assured its 10th straight bowl berth. But both teams had bigger plans entering the year and Ault had hoped the season finale would be for the league title.
Boise State, which also is coming off a bye week, dropped its opener at Michigan State but won its next seven before falling to San Diego State 21-19 in Boise. The Aztecs also won in overtime at Nevada, which followed that with losses to Air Force and Fresno State after having opened the season with a victory at Cal.
``I can't sit here and say it's been glorious,'' Ault said Thursday on his weekly radio show. ``It's been a tale of two cities.
``We are not a terribly talented team. We were not terribly talented to begin with. To win games we knew we had to play hard... But they are locked in, especially playing a team like Boise. They understand it's a wonderful opportunity.''
Nevada offensive lineman Chris Barker agreed. He plans to celebrate senior day by starting his 52nd consecutive game, the longest active streak in the nation.
``There's been a lot of ups and downs,'' Barker said. ``We kind of had a midseason crisis.... We just want to end it on a good note.''
Expectations began especially high in Boise, where the Broncos are gunning for their seventh straight 10-win season but won't make it to 12 for the first time since 2007.
``You go into the season thinking we've got to appreciate every win and all those things,'' Petersen said. ``Boy, that's hard to do.''


text:
A Costa Mesa man reportedly drank cherry vodka and took prescription pills while singing along to a Guns N Roses song before he shot and killed his business partner, prosecutors allege in court documents.
Thomas Michael Wilhelm, 48, reportedly belted out the lyrics "I used to love her but I had to kill her" from the song, "Used to Love Her," in his bedroom before visiting his neighbor and allegedly stealing a handgun.
That gun was used to shoot Christine Murray, 45, according to a transcript of the grand jury indictment obtained by the Daily Pilot.
An earlier version of this story had the incorrect age for Christine Murray.
Murray and Wilhelm had once dated but at the time of the alleged crime were only business partners.
The transcript sheds light on the July 8 shooting of Murray, who lived with Wilhelm at a home at 2981 Redwood Ave. with her 8-year-old son, according to the transcript.
A possible motive was that Wilhelm felt Murray tried to take over the lawn sprinkler business that bore his name — a point of pride for Wilhelm, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Jim Mendelson.
"A lot of the issue had to do with the business name, the Wilhelm business name," Mendelson told the Orange County grand jury. "Mr. Wilhelm took great pride in the Wilhelm sprinkler name — his name on the business."
On the day Murray was killed, she and Wilhelm fought over ownership of the sprinkler company, and she told him they could talk about business when he was sober, to which he replied, "Basically, that will be never," Mendelson said.
"The one thing that you are going to hear about Mr. Wilhelm is his business endeavors were severely hampered because he had a real substance abuse problem for multiple types of substances and alcohol," Mendelson said.
Before Murray met Wilhelm about three years ago, Wilhelm owned the business with a former girlfriend and split the business with her when they parted ways.
Eventually, Murray and the former girlfriend would forge a bond over Wilhelm's behavior. The former girlfriend heard from Murray minutes before she was killed, receiving a text message from her that read:
"He's drunk, locked in his room, listening to his oldies music, singing at the top of his lungs, hammered as hell, says we will talk soon. I told him when he is sober. Says he doesn't intend to ever be. Good then I don't need to change your name, you won't need it."
Later Murray texted, "He's playing 'I used to love her but I had to kill her,' over and over. He's too chicken to try...."
Before meeting Wilhelm, Murray was homeless and on drugs, and lost custody of her three children, Mendelson told jurors.
But she changed, he said, and cleaned up, applying for her contractor's license and renting the house on Redwood Avenue with Wilhelm.
The day of the shooting, Wilhelm drew an X on his chest to indicate where his heart was so that he could shoot himself and his family could have an open-casket funeral, according to the transcript.
The day Murray was killed, she hid in a bathroom in the home and Wilhelm allegedly fired six rounds through the door, hitting Murray in the chest, neck, arm and thigh, according to testimony.
She was pronounced dead at Santa Ana's Western Medical Center.
At one point Murray apparently struck Wilhelm in the head with a baseball bat, and Mendelson told jurors that at first blush it could appear that Wilhelm acted in self defense.
"However, if you stop and look at the law of self defense, it becomes real clear this was not a case of self defense for a couple of reasons," Mendelson said, adding that Wilhelm had to believe there was an imminent threat of his life. But that wasn't the case, Mendelson said.
"He has her cornered on the floor, back up against the wall," the prosecutor said.
Wilhelm faces one felony count of murder and is next expected in court Friday.
Twitter: @lawilliams30


text:
Power Of Apology Highlighted At This Year's Sioux Falls Prayer Breakfast
The 38th Annual Sioux Falls Prayer Breakfast is fast approaching. It's scheduled for Friday morning April 18th at the Ramkota Exhibit Hall.
Joel Dykstra stopped by the Main Street Cafe Wednesday morning to visit with Chad about this year's event and to talk about the keynote speakers.
For ticket information, click here.


text:
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Studio Ghibli Animators Breathe Life Into Astonishing New Game (Click images to enlarge)
I used to love Japanese role-playing games.
The Playstation 3 game, available today, is the result of a collaboration between two key creative studios at the top of their respective games: Studio Ghibli, the animation house responsible for legendary features like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke, and Level-5, the game creator responsible for the huge-selling Professor Layton and Dragon Quest IX games. The game itself looks like a Ghibli film come to life, with vibrant in-game graphics. Sprinkled throughout the adventure are 2-D animated scenes crafted by Ghibli, looking every bit like the visuals in its popular films. And it's all set to an upbeat orchestrated soundtrack composed by Joe Hisaishi, who creates the music for Ghibli's films, and performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic.
Although the genre was inspired by American computer RPGs like Ultima and Wizardry, by the mid-'90s it had settled on its own unique style and gameplay formula. The stereotypical Japanese RPG was like a little anime cartoon, one in which a party of plucky young kids would leave their tiny village and go see the world, hacking away at little bunny rabbits in the fields around their hometown, then gaining enough experience to take down massive dragons and save the Earth from doom. They were simple to pick up, won you over with charming stories, graphics and music, and for players like me they were vastly preferable to the insanely complicated and murderously difficult Western style of games.
But as the genre became less popular worldwide, it has almost completely vanished in recent years. The ones that do make it out tend to be cheaply made and thus low in quality. Enter Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, a remarkably well-made new RPG that perfectly recaptures the magic of a long-dead style of gaming.
After the game's prologue, which sets up the reason that its leading moppet Oliver has to leave his small town and travel to "Ni no Kuni" (Japanese for "the second world"), you're dropped off into the world, and it's immediately transfixing: Like the great Japanese RPGs of old, it sets you down onto a world map where you can see rolling hills and faraway places beckoning to you, enemies crawling around the field begging to be defeated, a castle town ripe for the exploration. And instantly, you're hooked; you need to know what's out there.
What's out there turns out to be a cast of characters drawn and written with masterful panache, from your gruff companion Drippy, a squat little beast with a lantern dripping out of his nose who insists he is Lord of the Fairies but produces little evidence for this, to the Cowlipha, the massive ruler of the desert town of Al Mamoon, where milk flows freely from its fountains. If you like, you can listen to the original Japanese voices (I wish more translated games showed this amount of respect for the original material), but the English dubbing is quite good as well. Level-5′s localization director Richard Honeywood is the ne plus ultra of Japanese RPG translation, and so the English writing is also fantastic.
I'm about 10 hours in to Ni no Kuni, feeling like I'm maybe a third of the way through. So I might not quite have a full picture of the game's battle system, which you'll spend a good deal of your time in. So far it's kind of a light combination of Final Fantasy and Pokemon — you can get through most battles just by fighting and occasionally pausing to heal, but you can also assemble a collection of up to 400 different "familiars" that fight alongside you. You get these by wooing defeated enemies over to your side, the implication being that all of the game's low-level enemy characters are also potential allies. It may come to pass that you'll need certain characters in your group to pass certain challenges, but thus far, just leveling up one character has been enough to kill anything that I come across.
But this is not why Ni no Kuni is so good. The game's design doles out rewards and challenges in a near-perfect rhythm. As you enter that first castle town, you could simply race to the one person you need to talk to, get your next objective, then run there and do it. But to do that would be to miss the opportunity to tackle side quests. You might have to solve a problem for a villager by talking to the right people, or go out into the world and bounty-hunt a strong monster that's roaming the fields. Accomplishing these quests earns you very tangible rewards: The ability to run a little faster (a godsend), more loot and experience drops during battle, etc. It's so satisfying to get out there and check sidequests off your list, and to do it while listening to Hisaishi's rousing musical score.
I read a commenter on the NeoGAF message boards analogize playing Ni no Kuni to going on a strict diet for five years, then eating a cheeseburger. I couldn't agree more. Japanese RPGs, or what pass for them nowadays, have lost the plot. Here's a game that proves the genre can still work, even if it's no longer financially lucrative to try. If you've ever loved a classic JRPG or are a fan of Studio Ghibli's films, do not miss this.
Article By CHRIS KOHLER 01.22.13 via wired.com. Check out bit.ly/VrlbIg for more on Ni no Kuni
Posted by R★ at 7:06 AM 0 comments
Labels: Level 5, Ni No Kuni, Studio Ghibli
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
TUESDAY, Nov. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Despite concerns that the complex offerings under Medicare Part D prescription drug plans would confuse older Americans, a new study finds seniors are able to figure out which plan costs them the least.
The researchers found evidence that seniors -- possibly with the help of family members -- quickly adapted and made changes as necessary.
The findings may ease concerns among some experts about elderly people's ability to understand complicated drug insurance products and select the least expensive, according to the University of Texas at Austin researchers.
They analyzed data from more than 71,000 people who were enrolled in stand-alone prescription drug plans provided or administered by CVS Caremark in 2006 and 2007 and who did not receive a federal low-income subsidy in either year.
From 2006 to 2007, 81 percent of the people in the study lowered their "overspending" by an average of $298 -- 55 percent of the 2006 level.
The oldest people and those beginning to take Alzheimer's medications had higher-than-average reductions in overspending, suggesting that family members and others help them choose plans, the researchers said.
"Having a multitude of options to choose from is economically efficient because we are all different and have different needs," Eugenio Miravete, an associate professor of economics, said in a university news release.
Medicare Part D plans can have different premiums, co-pays and formularies (a list of covered drugs), according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.
"Restricting choices reduces the ability of firms to target individuals with specific needs, and it is not efficient that we all insure against unlikely risks. Medicare Part D is a successful implementation of a market-based approach to deliver a large-scale entitlement program."
The drug plans are popular with beneficiaries, according to the researchers.
The study will be published in the journal American Economic Review.
More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about Medicare Part D.


text:
OAK BROOK, Illinois (AP) — McDonald's Corp. said Wednesday that a key revenue figure climbed 6.7 percent in January as U.S. customers spent more on breakfast items, beverages and its new Chicken McBites.
The world's biggest hamburger chain's strongest January results were in the U.S., as revenue in restaurants open at least 13 months rose 7.8 percent there. The metric increased 7.3 percent in the region made up of Asia, the Middle East and Africa, and 4 percent in Europe.
The U.S. accounts for about 31 percent of McDonald's total revenue. Europe, which accounts for 40 percent of revenue, is McDonald's largest market.
McDonald's has fared well in the recession and its aftermath. It's added menu items like smoothies and oatmeal to try to draw in healthier eaters and pushed fancy coffee drinks to try to appeal to customers who might normally go to Starbucks. But it's still promoting itself as a cheap place to get a meal.
January's gain beat the 6.5 percent increase that analysts polled by FactSet expected. The company's stock gained 44 cents to $101.35 in premarket trading.
Revenue in restaurants open at least 13 months is a key measure of a restaurant chain's performance, because it excludes the impact of recently opened or closed stores. It does include the Oak Brook, Illinois-based company's temporarily closed restaurants.
The figures are a snapshot of money spent on food at both company-owned and franchised restaurants. They do not reflect corporate revenue.
In the U.S., customers snapped up Chicken McBites. The menu item, which is only available for a limited time, is made with bite-size pieces of chicken breast that are smaller than Chicken McNuggets.
Restaurants in the U.K., Russia, Germany and France helped drive revenue in Europe, while the Chinese New Year and limited-time menu items gave a boost to the Asia, Middle East and Africa region.
McDonald's has more than 33,000 restaurants in 119 countries. The chain is also revving up growth by expanding in emerging markets. CEO Jim Skinner said last month that McDonald's plans to add a net of 900 new restaurants in the coming year, concentrated in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.


text:
LA JOYA, Texas — A man suspected of shooting two South Texas police officers during an hours-long standoff Tuesday night is "presumed dead" after officers raided the house he had barricaded inside and exchanged gunfire with him, authorities said.
The 29-year-old capital murder suspect had been spraying bullets toward officers who were outside the house in the Rio Grande Valley town of La Joya. The man was silenced Tuesday evening after officers rammed the front door, inserted tear gas and exchanged fire, Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra said.
The man is "presumed dead," but that won't be confirmed until a bomb squad establishes that the house is not booby-trapped with explosives, as the man had suggested, Guerra said.
The ordeal began about 4:45 p.m. Tuesday when La Joya police advised police in nearby Edinburg of the sighting of a vehicle matching the description of one related to the killing of 19-year-old Mexican national, Edinburg Police Chief Rolando Castaneda said. The 19-year-old was found shot in the back of the head behind a vacant home in Edinburg last weekend.
Edinburg police responded, along with other agencies that were tracking the vehicle to a La Joya home.
"As our officers were getting out of the car, the suspect ... opened up on our officers," Castaneda said. "One of my officers was shot in the arm. The other officer was shot in both legs and possibly a third time. He's in surgery right now. They're all doing fine.
"Arriving officers were able to rescue the two officers, throw them in their patrol car while under gunfire the whole time," Castaneda said. "Those officers were heroes."
Armored vehicles were brought in to extract responding officers who were pinned behind their cars by gunfire, said Guerra.
Negotiators were immediately called in and made contact with the suspect, whom Guerra identified only as the capital murder suspect. The man told the negotiators he was ready to surrender.
"However, as he opened the door, he immediately engaged our personnel that were waiting for him to make the arrest," Guerra said.
"He was contacted again, and he made arrangements to surrender again," Guerra said. "At that point, again, he engaged our officers with multiple shots. ... We decided that he was not going to give up, so we deployed an armored vehicle and rammed the front door and injected tear gas. At that point he came out firing."
Officers returned fire, and the suspect was presumed dead, Guerra said. The bomb squad was checking the scene late Tuesday.


text:
* Goal to help some 2 million patients with severe asthma
* GSK leads new wave with mepolizumab due for 2014 filing
* Rivals include Roche, AstraZeneca, Sanofi and Teva
* Potential $7.5 billion market seen for severe asthma drugs
By Ben Hirschler
LONDON, March 18 (Reuters) - Rival firms are racing to develop injectable biotech asthma drugs for patients with severe disease who don't respond well to traditional inhalers, in pursuit of a new market worth a possible $7.5 billion.
Britain's GlaxoSmithKline, the leader in asthma treatments since launching its Ventolin inhaler in 1969, is in the vanguard but faces competition from the likes of Roche , AstraZeneca, Sanofi and Teva .
Despite treatment advances in recent decades, asthma is still not well controlled in up to 20 percent of patients on standard therapy, which consists of inhaled steroids and long-acting beta agonists that are designed to open the airways.
This patient group includes many with severe disease, thought to number around 2 million in leading industrialised nations, according to consultancy Decision Resources.
Novel antibody-based drugs now nearing the market offer a way to get to the root of the problem by targeting key inflammatory chemicals made in the body that drive asthma. They are already being hailed by doctors as a major advance.
"I'm very optimistic about the new drugs," said Elisabeth Bel, president-elect of the European Respiratory Society and head of respiratory medicine at the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam.
"We have participated in several trials with the new biological agents and have seen some amazing results."
In particular, the new injectable medicines have led to reductions in serious asthma attacks, known as exacerbations, of around 40 to 60 percent in clinical trials.
The threat of such attacks - which may require hospital treatment and can sometimes be life-threatening - dominate the lives of people with severe asthma and represent a big financial burden to healthcare systems providing emergency care.
Significantly, the new drugs offer a more personalised approach to asthma care, with patients undergoing so-called "biomarker" blood tests to check if they are likely to respond to the medicines.
This targeted approach is gaining traction in many medical fields, most notably cancer. It is attractive to governments and insurers who pay for healthcare, since it means drugs should only go to patients who are likely to benefit.
"Severe asthma patients represent the majority of the (asthma) burden on healthcare systems and budgets," said Bahija Jallal, head of AstraZeneca's MedImmune biotech unit, which is investing in a broad portfolio of medicines for the condition.
"We will be working to convince payers this is something that brings value."
Coupled with the money hospitals could save from a big drop in exacerbations, this leads many analysts to argue that companies will be able to charge a high price for the new drugs.
Barclays analysts, for example, assume a price of around $15,000 a year for GSK's new drug mepolizumab, which is set to be submitted for regulatory approval later this year following positive late-stage study results last week.
Seamus Fernandez of Leerink, who predicts the market for severe asthma biotech drugs could exceed $7.5 billion a year in the United States and Europe alone, is more cautious and expects a price tag of something under $10,000, reflecting an increasingly competitive landscape.
That would be a modest discount to the price of Xolair, from Novartis and Roche, which is the only biotech asthma drug sold at present, but which works in a different way to the new batch of products and is only indicated for allergic asthma.
Some doctors are wary about the pricing environment.
"I think cost is going to be a hurdle. Payers are going to have to figure out whether they are going to allow multiple patients to be on multiple biologics," said Michael Wechsler, an asthma specialist at National Jewish Health in Denver.
Although the number of patients with severe asthma is small, there are at least five known disease sub-types, depending on which precise biological pathways are driving the condition.
Working out the right drug for the right patient is therefore going to be a challenge, according to Wechsler, who believes there is still more work to be done on tests, since biomarker signals can be transient within individual patients, depending on their condition and medicines they are taking.
Analysts reckon GSK is two years ahead of rivals with its drug to block the action of inflammatory chemical interleukin-5 (IL-5), with competition coming from AstraZeneca and Teva.
But IL-5 is not the only game in town. Experimental products from Sanofi, working with Regeneron, and Roche target two chemicals known as IL-4 and IL-13, which might have an even greater impact.
GSK hopes to get a commercial edge by being ahead of the pack, but the company acknowledges that picking the right drug for the right patient will not be straightforward.
"There will be some overlap where some patients could be effectively treated with one or more drug, but there are likely to be others who are only effectively treated with one type. It's still early days to sort through all of that," said Steve Yancy, GSK's development leader for mepolizumab.


text:
Hotel Holiday Inn Tijuana Zona Río
- Terms and facilities
- Useful information
- Location
- Opinions
Located in Tijuana, Holiday Inn Tijuana Zona Rio is in the business district and convenient to Club Campestre Golf Course and Caliente Racetrack Casino. This family-friendly hotel is within close proximity of Agua Caliente Racetrack and Municipal Auditorium Fausto Gutierrez Moreno. Relax at the full-service spa, where you can enjoy massages and facials. You're sure to appreciate the recreational amenities, including an outdoor pool, a sauna, and a steam room. Additional amenities include complimentary wireless Internet access, babysitting/childcare (surcharge), and wedding services. Featured amenities include express check-out, dry cleaning/laundry services, and a 24-hour front desk. Planning an event in Tijuana? This hotel has 621 square feet (56 square meters) of space consisting of a conference center, conference space, and meeting rooms. Free self parking is available onsite. Make yourself at home in one of the 127 air-conditioned guestrooms. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include desks and coffee/tea makers, and housekeeping is provided daily.
Choose your room
Share it
Average price per night for this hotel for the following weeks
|5/13/19 - 5/19/19
|5/20/19 - 5/26/19
|5/27/19 - 6/2/19
|6/3/19 - 6/9/19
Services and terms: Hotel Holiday Inn Tijuana Zona Río
- WiFi
- Internet
- Car park
- Air conditioning
- Heating
- Lift
- Reduced mobility access
- All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private)
- Pets not allowed
- Swimming pool
- Outdoor Pool
- Spa
- Hot Tub/Jacuzzi
- Massage
- Gym
Reception services
- 24-Hour Front Desk
- Baggage Storage
- Safe
- Press
- Golf
Food and beverage
- Restaurant
- Bar
- Special Diet Meals (upon request)
- Room Service
- Vending Machine (drinks)
- Transfer service
- Car rental
Business facilities
- Meeting rooms
Housekeeping service
- Laundry


text:
Hodgson fears for young talent
Roy Hodgson is worried Barclays Premier League clubs are too scared to take a gamble on young English players.
New records were broken during this summer's transfer window, but one old trend remained.
Of the £835million spent by top-flight sides during the summer, a staggering £530million went to foreign clubs.
Roy Hodgson is worried about the future of England's youngsters
Chelsea and Manchester City spent big on Diego Costa and Eliaquim Mangala respectively, while Manchester United signed Monaco striker Radamel Falcao at the expense of homegrown talent Danny Welbeck, who was sold to Arsenal for £16million.
Ever the diplomat, Hodgson knows it would be foolish for him to enter into a war of words with the Premier League.
Having managed a host of English clubs in the past, he knows exactly what kind of pressure top-flight coaches are under to deliver.
But there was no hiding his unease when he spoke about a blockage caused by foreign imports around the edges of top Premier League squads.
"The major problem is the pathway," the England manager said.
"Our academies are doing some good work. There are some good players going through those academies, and the bulk of those are English.
"My fear is we've seen players come through in the past and they're very good at breaking into the under-21s, and getting a sniff at the first-team, but then a vacancy in the first-team comes along, through a player being sold or injured, they've been given a chance.
"But now, with the money the clubs have at their disposal, they are always going to be tempted to not take the chance they would have done in the past if a player was out for a month or two when they had 'a kid called Wayne Rooney or David Beckham, he looks pretty useful, let's stick him in'.
"I fear they'll say, 'Let's keep him back a bit longer and buy a top-class foreign player'."
Youth and experience will be prevalent among the England side on Wednesday night when they take on Norway in the first match since their disappointing World Cup campaign.
Hodgson revealed his XI to play at Wembley, which is expected to be less than half full for the first time since it reopened in 2007.
John Stones will make his full England debut in a four-man defence which also contains Phil Jones, Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines.
Joe Hart will start in goal while Hodgson will deploy a four-strong midfield of Jack Wilshere, Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Up front, new captain Wayne Rooney will be partnered by Daniel Sturridge.
Hodgson, who says he understands why many England fans have decided to stay away, was unwilling to describe this match, and next week's qualifier in Switzerland, as the beginning of a new era for the national side.
The England manager does think the time has arrived for some of his promising players to start living up to their hype, though.
"The young ones have to step up to the plate and make certain they don't let themselves down," Hodgson said.
"I know they won't want to, but they mustn't let themselves down."
Although public interest in the match is low, Hodgson regards the friendly as an important step way to help restore faith in the national side following their poor showing in Brazil, where they failed to qualify for the knockout stages after picking up just one point.
''We would all very much like to get two good results and get that feel-good factor," the former Liverpool boss said.
''This is a good time to get two good results, two good performances and to show everyone my faith in the team is justified.''
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.


text:
Trish McEvoy's latest Capri Collection quietly made its way to counters and it has a few new items that are perfect for summer. Here's the details:
24-Hour Eye Shadow and Liner ($32) – These remind me of MAC Grease Paint sticks! It's an all-purpose shadow, liner or definer.
- Aquamarine
- Crystal Gray
- Topaz
Highlights All Over Face Color ($35; compact sold separately) – Another multi-tasking, cream product that is perfect for summer. London is a beautiful pinky highlighting shade and Capri a warm bronze.
- London (repromote)
- Capri
Classic Lip Color ($23) – We don't talk much about Trish lipsticks, but the formula is superb!
- Natural
- Vibrant
Beauty Booster™ SPF 15 Lip Gloss ($25)
- Pretty Pink
You can check out the Capri collection online or at counters where you'll also see another summery Trish display, the earlier released Bronze Collection. Anything catching your eye from Capri? I am very curious about the shadow liners (Topaz!) and maybe the Natural lipstick. I'm a sucker for a nude lip!


text:
Sep 28, 2010
Skyline Releases Women's Soccer Report #4
- Sarah Golden named to Honor Roll -
Clifton Park, N.Y. - The Skyline Conference released the fourth women's soccer report for the 2010 season this afternoon, including Player of the Week, Rookie of the Week, Honor Roll and Conference statistics.
Freshman defender Sarah Golden (Greenport, N.Y./Greenport) was named to the Skyline Conference Player of the Week Honor Roll. Golden led the Rams with two goals and an assist in a conference win over Maritime.
To view the full report, click HERE.


text:
what's repulsive is your judgment of other people.
Wow... really? The idea of going to law school when you are a single parent of a 3 and 4 year old is downright repulsive. Your children need a mother, which would be impossible if you take on something like law school (full or part time). And with the loans you would be taking out would necessitate working LOOOONG hours when getting out. Being a parent should be a higher priority than finding your true potential professionally.Be an adult and raise your children... Think about law school after they move out...Looking on this board it is frightening how many relatively new parents are thinking of going into law school. While everyone is focusing on how well the PARENTS do, perhaps more time should be thought about the children and the effect law school/law work will have on them.
sure sara... typical that you would be in Berkeley. Whats funny is that if you went to an animal shelter to get a dog around Cal and told them you were in your first year of law school and single... you would be rejected. They wouldnt allow you to adopt an animal. And Rightly so... Because it is cruel to have a puppy and be gone 8-12 hours a day everyday. But a woman with a 3 or 4 year old... who are we to judge?


text:
Searching for a school or college and beginning a new career is a difficult and extremely personal process - finding the right school can also be very time-consuming. So why would you not start your college search at the web's largest directory of schools, colleges and universities? US College Search has a wealth of information for people looking to continue their education, find the right school or college, and succeed in all of their life endeavors.
With seven out of every ten undergraduates now taking "non-traditional" routes to obtain a college degree, US College Search distinguishes itself from other college search websites by connecting to the majority of students whose education path may have been put on hold.
US College Search empowers this "new-traditional" student by providing them with a complete postsecondary education information base of more than 2,400 educational institutions at 20,000-plus individual locations, including online colleges. Since 2003, US College Search has been utilizing the most comprehensive school, college and university database to give students the ability to discover the right school, program, and degree - the first time.
US College Search also provides numerous frequently asked questions, informative resource articles, relevant blog posts, and social media feedbacks with college and school rankings built into their pages. We prove to our visitors hourly that US College Search is committed to furthering their education by providing specific content on all of the popular career, degree, and certificate fields.
US College Search features articles and graphic presentations that focus on beauty/cosmetology, business, criminal justice, culinary, communications, dental assisting, education, graphic design, healthcare, hospitality, massage/wellness, technology, veterinary technician and more. US College Search is your official guide to the schools, colleges, universities and online degrees.
Simply search for a college or school by state, zip, or degree name. Find a school near you or online and let them know you are interested. After you fill out the request form, schools contact you - finding your new school is that easy!


text:
Credit or Debit Card OffersWe have currently run out of offers, but check back for more soon.
SuperSaver Newsletter
Never miss another great coupon. Save like a couponista with weekly saving alerts and new offers delivered right to your inbox.Sign Up
Coupons.com Mobile App
Save time and money. Find coupons and codes for stores you love while you shop in store or online. Coupons.com app is available on iOS and Android.Get App
Coupon Codes
Skip the lines and shop online with coupon codes. Get Sears coupons, Best Buy coupons, and promo codes from thousands of top retailers.Shop Now
About Us
Find out more about how Coupons.com helps brands and retailers engage consumers with our portfolio of digital, social & mobile solutions.See Details


text: [i:Vibes] :: View topic - Orano feat. Karen Elliot - Fairytales [Mondo Records] Guidelines FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Bookmarks Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Main Menu Frontpage News Reviews Interviews Party Reports Artist Profiles Label profiles Diaries Tutorials What is... Links Radio-info Interactive Forum User Stats Info FAQ Crew-info i:Vibes Info Site Updates Orano feat. Karen Elliot - Fairytales [Mondo Records] [i:Vibes] Forum Index -> Artist and Label News View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message dt8projectPodium DancerVibes: 61.10Joined: 23 Sep 2007Member #: 12,393Posts: 261 Post subject: Orano feat. Karen Elliot - Fairytales [Mondo Records] Listen / Buy | CD Single Keeping that fire burning this Autumn comes this sumptuous slice of progressive trance from Orano and Karen Elliot. The divine sounds of 'Fairytales' is our next release, one which marks the label debut of Orano. You'll instantly fall in love with the on point production, slick percussion and lush melody that 'Fairytales' has to offer. A melody that will stick in your mind, even more so thanks to Karen Elliot's lush vocals placed perfectly on top of it all. Orano delivers his debut Mondo Records release in a big way and we know you're going to love this record as much as we do. Look out for the remixes of 'Fairytales' coming very soon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWF0CzpnuCY Interest with Mondo Records: Mondo Records Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | Follow on Spotify Post rating: 0 Rate this post: Not logged in Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 9:06 pm Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First [i:Vibes] Forum Index -> Artist and Label News All times are GMT Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Spam----------------Spam posts Music----------------Music discussion (trance, techno, progressive and other genres)EquipmentArtist and Label NewsRadio BroadcastsMusic Production and DJ Mix PromotionClub Listings Non-music related----------------Other discussionBuy & Sell [i:Vibes]----------------Site Feedback and Help Content Discussion----------------News DiscussionReview DiscussionInterview DiscussionTutorial DiscussionWhat is...Party ReportsArtist ProfilesLabel Profiles You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forumYou cannot attach files in this forumYou can download files in this forum Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group


text:
You'd think that after three weeks of rest, I'd be ready to take on the last semester of my undergraduate career. You might think that I'm excited about the prospect of graduating. You'd be wrong. Because, as pathetic as it might sound, I get a little bit nauseous every time the word "graduation" flies out of someone's mouth. And it's not because I think wearing red and white is tacky; on the contrary, I can't imagine a better color combination. It's that I'm not sure what graduating from college really means. When I left elementary school I knew I was going to junior high. And when I left junior high I knew I was going to high school. And, after high school I knew I was going to IU. Now, you could say "Ryan, you know you're going to Alabama to teach Spanish" or "Ryan, you know that you're next stop is IPS." But even if I had made a final decision regarding next year, I might reply with a couple of questions of my own: "Will I be successful at whatever it is I choose to do? How long will I do it? Will I enjoy it?" I suppose it's these indefinites that concern me most.
Because, if we're honest, the last 16 years of my life have been spent behind a desk. I've known nothing but school and I've excelled at being a student. Now, however, it's my turn to be the teacher. And, needless to say, I'm not certain I have what it takes. I don't say this out of modesty, and I'm not soliciting compliments by underscoring my weaknesses, but I am saying that there is always the chance that I might not live up to my own expectations. Then what? It's easy enough to respond with that one cliché about getting back up on the horse and trying again. And I'm not denying that when you fall you should (pardon the forthcoming cliché) get back up again. But what do you do when that one thing you always thought you wanted turns out to be that thing you were never meant to have? Or what do you do when you discover that the one thing you were destined to become is yet something else (along with accountant and professional athlete) that you were never meant to be?
They're not easy questions, and I don't expect anyone to comment with the answers. I just thought I'd share a little of my anxiety with all of you cyber readers. But I don't want this blog to read as a despondent plea to the gods of possibility and futurity. So I'll end on a more positive note. You see, the thing about the future is that it is, in fact, possibility. It is everything that is possible. And that, I feel, is what is exciting. It's that idea that anything could happen and that the person I am now might not be anything like the person I'll one day become. I'm a sucker for a good quest narrative. And although I doubt I'll be slaying any literal dragons in some crazy quest for redemption or love, I have no doubt that whatever happens in the next couple of years, I'll be that much closer to finding out who I'm destined to become. And that, I must say, is pretty exciting.


text:
This big fella desperately needs a home. His family just left him to wander the neighborhood when they moved. A neighbor picked him up and brought him to our shelter. He is a gorgeous American Bulldog, the vet estimates between 2-3 years old. He is very people friendly and is cool with female dogs who are not aggressive, but no male dogs or cats. We will not place him in a home with small children bc of his size. He whimpers in his pen all day, longing to come out and play. He loves his stuffed animals, walks well on a leash and is just a big sweetie. He is being obedience trained by our magnificent trainer, Edel, and his adoptive family will have a free training session in their home with Rascal. He is about 80 lbs and is fully vetted and neutered already. He is so in need of a home to call his own. Breaks my heart everyday to watch him so lonely and alone. If anyone can provide him with a home or can help find him one, please call Kathy @ 305-401-4693 or email me at firstname.lastname@example.com. He is living in Miami.
He's gorgeous!


text:
It appears that Google is having trouble with some of their services, including Gmail. Gmail did experience a complete outage, though Google says that service has been restored to several users, and now it, Google Documents, and Google Presentations users are seeing service disruptions. Google expects full service to be restored within the hour.
Some of us have taken to cutting and pasting email into IM as a work around. Reminds us how dependent we've all become on Google! Are you having trouble accessing Google Apps?
Source: Google, via Android Central