text:
The being a head football coach can't be easy, especially at the high school level
Being a head football coach can't be easy, especially at the high school level.
The expectations are elevated, and the only thing outsiders see are what the team does on Friday nights.
Wins and losses are what matter when evaluating a good head coach, right?.
There's a lot more than that.
They have to deal with sometimes rowdy 15-to-18 year old kids, teach them and hope they can one day be responsible adults. Then there are parents who inject because they don't think their kids are getting treated right or getting enough playing time.
Not to mention, they teach classes, organize practices and bus trips, and deal with us, the media, on a daily basis.
As a football coach, you are dealing with, say from New Bern, Havelock and West Craven's perspective, more than 70 kids.
That's a lot of kids to keep tabs on, and a lot of football players to mentor. We are talking about checking grades and progress reports, disciplining and talking about personal issues with the kids, essentially being a father-figure type.
Sure, winning is great and it builds self-esteem, but sports is a way of teaching responsibility and life lessons.
And, from what I've learned, our coaches get that. They want the best from their athletes. They want to be that role model.
We have five head football coaches that believe in building the character of a student-athlete, first and foremost.
I'm proud of that.
Over the past two weeks, I sat down with a couple of our area football coaches. One has back-to-back state championships as a head coach, and the other coached his team to the state championship game two years ago.
Both talked to me off the record on certain issues, but they were certainly genuine about their intentions for their players and school.
Winning championships is what every player and coach aspires for. That's one of the goals they set when they begin offseason conditioning programs.
But, you have to have the right personnel in place to do that.
Sometimes coaches have to make an example out of a kid or be creative in their discipline tactics. Maybe they have to sit a player out for a game or the season.
In many instances, it works and the player will work his tail off to rectify the situation. In other cases, it won't be effective.
But what I respect in all of our area coaches is that they are willing to help the star of the team all the way to the last player on the sidelines.
From head coaches Bobby Curlings to Jim Bob Bryant to Matt Riggsbee to John Davis to Kevin Yost � they all want to succeed on the football field, but it's more gratifying for them to see their players do the right things on-and-off the gridiron.
It's what they like to call having �high-character� kids. One coach told me he doesn't do his job simply for the victories. He does it to make sure his players, and some of them aren't lucky enough to have a father, have some structure in their lives away from the field.
That's uplifting to hear.
The first day of high school football practice was Thursday, with the first games to be played on Aug. 23.
Adam Thompson can be reached at 252-635-5669 or at email@example.com. Follow Adam on Twitter @Adam_matic.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
LYNN HAVEN � A pregnant woman�s unborn baby was fatally injured after two-vehicle accident on Feb. 13 in Lynn Haven.
LYNN HAVEN � A pregnant woman�s unborn baby was fatally injured after two-vehicle accident on Feb. 13 in Lynn Haven.
According to a Florida Highway Patrol news release, Michael G. Cooper, 39, of Bonifay stopped his 2006 Ford F-150 on Sarasota Avenue facing north, just south of Baldwin Road.
Cooper faces charges of violation of right of way at stop intersection, according to the Highway Patrol news release. Further charges are pending the completion of a Traffic Homicide Investigation.
Nathan R. Merchant, 23, of Panama City was riding with his pregnant passenger, Tara Merchant, 19, of Panama City heading westbound in a 2003 Ford Focus on Baldwin Road.
Traffic was backed up on Baldwin Road going eastbound, according the Highway Police release.
Cooper slowly pulled his pickup onto Baldwin Road in between stopped traffic and into the path of Merchant�s Ford. Merchant collided with the right side of Cooper�s pickup.
The Ford Focus came to a rest in the westbound lane of Baldwin Road and Cooper�s F-150 pickup came to a final rest on the north shoulder of Baldwin Road.
Cooper was reported to have sustained no injuries.
Nathan and Tara Merchant were reported to have minor to serious injuries and were taken to Gulf Coast Medical Center.
According to the release, all were wearing their seatbelts and alcohol was not a factor in the accident.
Tara Merchant experienced pregnancy complications due to injuries related to the crash and gave birth to a girl on Feb. 14, but the baby was pronounced dead at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola on Saturday, according to the release.


text:
Why you should add to your RTW travel listHong Kong is a contradiction. On the on hand it is an economic dynamo that fully embraces capitalism and wealth. On the other hand it is a political state of a communist country. It has tall glass towers that would be the envy of any city. It also has the same squalid apartment buildings found the world over. It is both western and Asian, modern and ancient, quiet and busy, urban and green.
- The gateway to China, but explore HK good first
- Floating restaurant, Big Buddha, dragon boat races – and that's after the good stuff
- Wander bustling streets, check the latest gadgets and eat noodles at a street vendor
- Make friends with 6 million locals
- See how the world's most free-wheeling economy deals with being communist.
- Take your pick: Cantonese food, moonlight horse races, ancient templates, relentless nightlife...
- Make a pit stop in Hong Kong to recharge your traveling batteries. It makes for a great stopover on RTW flights.
Why you should not add to your RTW travel list
- Hong Kong can be completely overwhelming if you're not into big cities.
- While Hong Kong can be done on a budget, spending can also spiral out of control pretty quickly.
Indie travel tips for Hong Kong
- Wander around the city streets and check out the mix of west and Asian cultures. It's quite the dichotomy.
- Take a boat ride on the harbor to check out the breathtaking views of the city with mountains in the background.
- Take a tram to the top of the mountain to get an equally spectacular view.
- If you enjoy pure chaos in the form of a city, then head to Kowloon, the peninsula to the north of Hong Kong Island. It's one of the most densely populated areas in the world and has a multitude of places to sleep, eat, and shop.
- Head to the New Territories just north of Kowloon. You can actually get away from the crowds and into a little bit of nature.
- Go to Lantau and check out some great beaches (along with Disneyland).
- Pick up an Octopus Card for all your transport needs (they can also be used in many convenience stores, vending machines, and even chain restaurants (though eating at a McDonald's while in Hong Kong should be considered a crime.
- If you're a foodie, there's no shortage of culinary tours to take.
- For an interesting cultural experience, check out horse racing from September to June. You can go to either Shatin in the New Territories or Happy Valley.


text:
Difference between revisions of "Main Page"
From Worms Knowledge Base
(Wrote a nicer introduction)
m (Ditch the introduction heading, I 'supose)
|Line 1:
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Welcome to the '''Worms Knowledge Base'''!
Welcome to the '''Worms Knowledge Base'''!
Revision as of 00:11, 9 June 2007
Welcome to the Worms Knowledge Base!
This knowledge base is an attempt to gather and organise information about the Worms series of games developed by Team17. Specifically, we focus on the 2D games up to the second generation. That is, all the games from the original Worms up to Worms World Party.
Here we hope to gather information about gameplay, customization about Worms, but also technicalities on how the games work on the inside. We hope you will enjoy reading this wiki, and eventually contribute some!
Information is available on the following games:
|Second generation
|Worms 2
|Worms Armageddon
|Worms World Party
|Released in 1997
|Released in 1999
|Released in 2001
|First generation
|Worms DC
|Released in 1995
|Released in 1997
|Hypothetical sequels
|Worms Unlimited
|Originally written by Run


text: Vascular Anomalies and Cutaneous Birthmarks Collapse AllExpand All Hemangiomas Before After View all laser treatment before and after photos. Hemangiomas are vascular birthmarks which often become visible a few days to a few weeks after birth. They often appear as "blemishes" over any part of the head, neck, body and limbs, becoming more visible and raised over time. These birthmarks continue to grow in size over several months, often stopping around one year of age. The classic treatment for hemangiomas, in areas of the body where the birthmark can grow without invading or obstructing vital organs, is observation, because the majority of these birthmarks spontaneously regress. However, some hemangiomas, during the proliferative growth phase, can obstruct organs such as the eye, impairing vision. Lesions such as these require treatment, which includes oral or injectable corticosteroid and laser. Laser treatments are most effective when the hemangioma is only slightly elevated. The laser beam can only penetrate to certain depths and is less effective in the very elevated lesions because it cannot reach the very big deep blood vessels to destroy them. However, the laser can be helpful in the large, painful, ulcerated hemangioma where laser treatments have been observed to alleviate the pain and contribute to healing the ulceration. Port Wine Stains Before After Before After View all laser treatment before and after photos. Port wine stains (PWS) are pink or dark red flat vascular birthmarks, which are present at birth and are commonly found on the head and neck. They will be present for the lifetime of the individual and will not go away unless treated. The abnormally enlarged blood vessels, which are present in the PWS, will continue to increase in size throughout a patient's life. Lasers can be used to remove these abnormal blood vessels with minimal injury to adjacent structures such as collagen. Individuals of any age can be treated. Treatment should begin as early as possible, especially in children. Nevus of Oto and Ito Nevus of Oto and Ito are blue-gray patches on the face and shoulder consisting of pigment in the dermis suggesting that these pigments have remained in the dermis instead of the epidermis where they are normally found. These lesions can either be congenital or acquired. Lasers, especially those in the "red," such as the Alexandrite and Ruby and even the Nd:Yag, have been effective in removing the misplaced melanocytes (pigment cells) in the dermis, thus lightening the blue-gray patches. Café au lait Before After View all laser treatment before and after photos. Café au lait (CAL) spots are hyper pigmented lesions of varying sizes which may be light to dark brown. The presence of these lesions may be associated with congenital conditions such as neurofibromatosis. Typically, CAL spots are present at birth, although they may be difficult to notice. By the time a child is aged 2-3 years, CAL spots are clearly visible. The size and number of CAL spots increase with age. Because CAL spots are the result of an increase in melanin (pigment) in the giant pigment cells (melanosomes), the pigment within the cells can be destroyed by certain lasers such as the Alexandrite, Ruby and Nd:YAG. Make An Appointment Today! 617-573-6493


text:
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How can we better serve you? Did you see us doing something you liked? Or do you have a concern?
We'd like to know what's on your mind. Please take a moment to share your feedback with us.
Thank you!
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text:
Because I already own the NA28 since a month I noticed that the text changed in 1Pe 1,23, 2,25 and 5,2 (first αλλα) from αλλα to αλλ. You can watch that phenomenon even in 1Corinthians(!) in Chapter 7,4 (both αλλα modified to αλλ!), Vers 7 and 10, all changed from αλλα to αλλ! I have to add that I only read two chapters (1Pe 1 and 1Co 7, rest of 1Pe I searched out of curiosity) in context since I have the NA28 so it doesn´t look like these are rare.
I don´t know if you also notice orthographical text changes. I think it´s pretty interesting.


text:
While patience may be a virtue, no one likes to wait when it comes loading a website. Each second that ticks away while your page loads results in a 16 percent decrease in customer satisfaction. Fortunately, whether you are hosting on a virtualized or physical server, you can leverage the Content Delivery Network (CDN) that powers our Cloud Files product to load your page much faster.
With Rackspace Cloud Files, you also have the ability to give your containers a more customized name by using CNAMES. For example, instead of having a URL such as c186397.r00.cf1.rackcdn.com, you can opt a shorter or branded URL like images.mycompany.com. In addition to making the link to the content more of a user-friendly format, this also allows you to "vouch" for the content. Some browser settings prevent images from locations outside of the domain that is being visited. Because you are the person who controls the DNS of your site, a custom CNAME tells the browser that, "I know this data and where it is coming from."
One thing to keep in mind is that when you enable the CDN on your container, the contents of that container will be public. Prior to doing this, the container is hidden from the public Internet. Keep this in mind before you make the decision of when to turn on the CDN capabilities for your files.
Next week, Chuck comes back to discuss some reasons that Cloud Files and object storage is beneficial for developers. To get information about the differences between object storage and block storage, check out a previous post and video by Chuck.


text:
We offer ebooks in a range of different formats. When you buy an ebook, you will be able to download it a maximum of five times.
Before purchasing an ebook, please make sure you buy the right format to suit you. The available format will be displayed on the product page.
Reading PDFs
Our PDFs are copy-protected so you will download a file called URLLink.acsm, rather than the PDF itself. Please open this with one of our recommended reading apps (see below) and sign in with an Adobe ID (or register an Adobe ID if you don't have one) to read your book. Your book should then load in the reading software you have chosen.
To open a PDF in Adobe Digital Editions, please register an AdobeID if you don't already have one: https://accounts.adobe.com/
Once you have registered an AdobeID and downloaded and installed Adobe Digital Editions, you need to sign in with your AdobeID by clicking Help -> Authorize Computer.
Then you can open your URLLink.acsm file by clicking 'File' then 'Add to Library' and finding the downloaded file.
Reading ePUB/MOBI files
Our ePUB files are digitally watermarked with your name when you download them, and can then be read on any application that can display ePUB files (including the recommended reading apps below).
ePUB files are also available to download in MOBI format, and are digitally watermarked with your name when you download them. MOBI files are only suitable for Kindle devices or apps. To read a MOBI file on your Kindle device, you will need to download the file to your computer, and transfer it to your Kindle via USB. The file should then appear on your Kindle, although it may appear in the Documents section.
Recommended reading apps
For Windows computers
- Adobe Digital Editions (for reading ePUBs or PDFs)
For Mac computers
- Adobe Digital Editions (for reading ePUBs or PDFs)
- iBooks for Mac OS (for reading ePUBs only)
For iOS or Android devices
- iBooks for iOS (for reading ePUBs only)
- BlueFire Reader for iOS (for reading ePUBs or PDFs)
- BlueFire Reader for Android (for reading ePUBs or PDFs)
Problems with your eBook download?
Contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com or telephone us at +44 (0) 203 967 3480.


text:
[Hook x 4]
Searching blind
Run behind
Out of time
Into fire
Caked up in fake love to get you high
[Verse 1]
This shit is gorgeous
It's bitchin' with your fortunes
One hundred medallions in a scout scrimpin' fortress
Secret potions voted concealed emotions
Grim-tilted-bounce-killing shades for his orbit
In a haze
And is hoping that they watchin'
Before artists he's droppin' to the fifth and bet he boppin'
A little boy coppin'
Let the top down
Aim straight
Climbing in the middle A-
Nother statistic for the...
[Hook x 2]
Say Jack
Let me ask you a question
Do you want it?
Do you want it?
Do you want it?
Fast - Do you want it?
Fast- do you want it?
How fast - Do you want it?
How fast - Do you want it?
How fast - Do you want it?
How fast - Do you want it?
Damn nigga how fast do you want it?
[Verse 2]
The nights are getting stronger and the days are getting longer
The buildings getting bigger
Outside is getting smaller
The lies are getting truer and the truth is getting brighter
Things are looking blacker
But black is looking whiter
The price is getting higher and the buyers is the flyest
The stars are never brighter
The good up getting tired
Yesterday you threw it 'cus you gots to have the new shit
And money always fools ya. So corny's getting cooler
Nothing's gonna stop it if it's bound to turn a profit
For this amount I'll do it
For this I let you watch it
But. Right now
Let me make a toast with champagne to commemorate these years that thuggin' went mainstream
[Verse 3]
Where stars rise and fall and organize regimes
And candidate themselves as some shiny card kings
Convince us that they fake we seen 'em for sneakers and rings
Tell us how they all down to killin' times is steam
To live they life off triple beams
And in the end never really was what they seemed
But take a clip of me and Alexander McQueen
Pose in front the Caddy painted candy money green
Where angels and devils in seven hundred dollar jeans
And all the eyes will sparkle with at-any-cost gleam
[Outro x 2]
'Cus it's mean
So mean
Kna' mean?
'Cus it's mean
So mean
I know you know what I mean


text:
Learn about the billing process and how to make payments.
About Your Hospital Bill
Where can I call if I have questions about my hospital bill?
You may call the Patient Financial Services department at 512-324-1125 or 1-800-749-7624 from 8 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please be prepared to provide your medical record number (you will find this number at the top of any correspondence you receive from the billing office). We have also provided, below, answers to some of our patients' most frequently asked questions. If, at any time, you have a question regarding your hospital bill, do not hesitate to contact one of our customer service representatives. They are eager to answer your questions and assist you in whatever manner they can.
How soon after I leave the hospital will I receive a bill?
You can expect a bill once we have received payment or denial of payment from your insurance company. If you are paying the bill yourself (that is, if you are not filing with an insurance provider) you should receive a bill within 10 days after you have received service.
Why do I have to give my insurance information every time I visit a Ascension Seton hospital?
We ask for your insurance information every time you visit to ensure that our records are accurate and up to date. Patients and/or employers change insurance carriers with great frequency. To process your bill quickly and accurately, we ask you for your insurance information on every visit. This gives us the opportunity to verify your insurance coverage and benefits.
I would like a copy of my hospital bill. How can I request one?
Call a Customer Service Representative at 512-324-1125 or 1-800-749-7624 to request a copy of your hospital bill. You can expect to receive a copy of your bill within 7 to 10 days.
Should I contact my insurance company before coming to Seton?
That depends on the services you are going to receive and your particular insurance policy and benefits. In general, it is a good idea to review your insurance policy and benefits before receiving medical services. In some cases—for instance, if you are coming in for laboratory tests or a chest X-ray—you may not need to notify your insurance company. However, for many other services—such as an inpatient admission, ambulatory surgery or any invasive diagnostic test/procedure—your insurance company may require that you notify them in advance. Lack of such notification could result in reduced benefits. However, some insurance carriers—particularly Medicare and Medicaid—do not require prior notification.
I keep getting bills from you. Why don't you bill my insurance company?
Seton's patient billing department will send you letters 30, 60 and 90 days after the date of service. Please read this correspondence carefully, as it contains important information regarding the status of your account. If you are covered under an insurance policy or another party is responsible for your hospital bill, yet you receive a letter stating that you are responsible for the bill, contact a Customer Service Representative at 512-324-1125 or 1-800-749-7624. Please be prepared to provide your medical record number, which you will find at the top of the letter, and your insurance information. Your customer service representative will re-issue a bill to your insurance company.
I am also covered on my spouse's insurance policy. Will you send bills to both insurance companies?
Seton's Patient Finance Services Department will coordinate benefits for patients covered by more than one insurance policy. To do this, we must have on file a Coordination of Benefits Form (pdf file). Download this form by clicking the link provided. Bring the completed form with you on your next visit to Seton.
I just got a letter from a collection agency. Why?
As part of our normal billing process, we make several attempts to contact you to let you know what portion of your bill you are personally responsible for. We determine the amount you are responsible for after we have received payment or denial of payment from your insurance company. You may receive notice from a collection agency if, after repeated attempts to contact you, we have not heard from you.
I can't pay my whole bill at once. Can I make payment arrangements?
To make payment arrangements, call our Customer Service Line at 512-324-1125 or 1-800)749-7624. One of our customer service representatives will work with you.
Will I be asked to make any payment when I come to a Ascension Seton hospital?
Depending on the type of insurance you have, you may be asked to pay your deductible and/or coinsurance.
How much is my deductible and coinsurance?
Your deductible and coinsurance amounts are determined by the insurance plan in which you are enrolled. This information should be included in your insurance benefits handbook. If you cannot find this information or have other questions, contact your insurance provider.
If I don't have any insurance, how do I know how much to pay? Whom do I pay?
If you have questions regarding the expected cost of your services at the Medical Center, contact a Financial Counselor at:
Financial Counselor
Emergency – Dell Children's Medical Center
Outpatient Pre-registration and Financial Counselors
Dell Children's Medical Center
Outpatient Pre-registration and Financial Counselors
Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin
Outpatient Pre-registration and Financial Counselors
Ascension Seton Northwest Hospital
Outpatient Pre-registration and Financial Counselors
Ascension Seton Medical Center Williamson
Patient Business Services
Ascension Seton Medical Center Hays
The Financial Counselor will be able to give you an estimated cost of your hospital service. You may pay your hospital bill prior to service at the registration/admitting area. A receipt will be issued to you for your payment. Major credit cards are accepted.
If you need help applying for low-cost health insurance for yourself, if you're an expectant mother, or for your child, please contact Insure-A-Kid.
Do I need to bring anything with me when I come to a Ascension Seton hospital?
In addition to anything your physician may ask you to bring in, please bring your insurance card and any other documents that will be useful in the registration and billing process. For example, you should bring in any referral or authorization form that your primary care physician has given you indicating the need for the services you will receive. If this is your first visit to a Ascension Seton hospital, we ask that, in addition to your insurance card, you bring in a photo ID such as a driver's license.


text:
Tread lightly and carry a big sword…
Between the fall of Atlantis and the rise of the Playstation 2, there existed
an Age shrouded in mystery. And unto this, the great warrior Rau, destined to
discover the secret of the Mark of Kri, would do battle against a timeless
evil that sought to destroy the earth.
It is I, his chronicler, who alone can recount his saga. Let me tell you of
the days of action and high adventure!
ago, an evil spell was created that would envelop the Earth in darkness and
bring demons into the world of men. But before the spell could take effect,
it was broken into six pieces and hidden throughout the land. Time passed and
soon mankind forgot all about the demons that threatened to invade their world.
Even more unfortunate was the fact that the demons had gathered their power
and were preparing to return.
And thus began the legend of Rau.
Well versed in the art of combat, Rau would unknowingly become the sole hope
of the people. His unique methods of fighting had never been seen before and
his skill with the sword, spear, bow and battleaxe were unmatched. Rather than
just attacking enemies one by one like the heroes of old, Rau had the ability
to lock-on to several targets at once with a beam of light from his right thumb
stick. Each locked target would carry one of the ancient symbols of Square,
X, and Circle; by pressing the corresponding buttons on his fearsome controller,
Rau could handle several adversaries at once with ease.
Combination hits seemed limitless and allowed Rau to handle different enemies
in different ways with different weapons. This style of fighting was most impressive,
and all who had a chance to behold it were struck with awe.
Some, though, felt that it was sometimes hard to follow. Rumors of a mysterious
floating eye called a 'camera' surfaced, and most were not very pleased by its
struggle to keep Rau's exploits chronicled smoothly. Was it witchcraft? We may
never know.
Rau was indeed a fearsome warrior, but it was not just his fighting skill
that made him great. He knew that the song of steel was not always the sweetest.
Unlike most men his size, Rau was able to use stealth to his advantage. My lord
would often sneak around walls or on rooftops to take his enemies by surprise
and slay them with no mercy. One enemy. Two enemies. It mattered not.
Aided with the ability to see through the eyes of Kuzo, his hawk spirit guide, Rau was able to scout out the road ahead and plan his attack accordingly. In addition to this sight, Kuzo also helped Rau by locating special items and tripping switches for doors. Who would guess that a mere bird could be such a threat?
Rau began to help the people in need, he started to realize his sense of worth.
He mattered. In time, his victories could not easily be counted and the blood
of his enemies ran the ground red. Rau may have been a benevolent protector,
but to those who would call him enemy, my lord was like a demon possessed.
When facing his opponents, he showed no mercy. One minute he would have his
sword buried to the hilt in a bandit and the next he would be cleaving a man
clean in half with his battleaxe. It has been surmised that perhaps my lord
was like a wild animal that had been kept too long. Perhaps. The time to unleash
his bloodlust had come, and though the world in which he roamed was colorful
and childlike, his actions were decidedly contrary.
The contrast between Rau's violent behavior and his cartoon world was a sight
to see.
But my liege was not always so…unapproachable. Far from it. In between every
adventure, Rau would stop at the inn of his hometown and chat with anyone who
happened by. It was here that he met the ancient Sage, who would show him the
prizes and secrets in his future. By completing certain challenges during his
quests, Rau would gain access to several fighting arenas to further test his
skill. Completing challenges in the area would yield access to new outfits as
well as the works of art created by local artisans.
By now you must realize how good a warrior Rau was. Too good, in fact, for he could slaughter a countless number of enemies in just nine hours or so. A stout fighter needs a much longer challenge, or at least one that bears repeating. My lord's trials and tribulations were very, very short. There is no doubt that Rau could have used a few more adventures, for his blades still called for blood.
So did Rau defend the Mark of Kri. And having no further concern, he
and his companion sought adventure in other lands. Many wars and battles did
Rau fight. Honor and fear were heaped upon his name. In time, he became a legend
by his own hand…but that is yet another story.


text:
Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor, known for his role as neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd ("McDreamy") on the medical drama Grey's Anatomy. Prior to Grey's Anatomy, he made several television appearances, earning him an Emmy Award nomination. He has also recently appeared in several films, including Sweet Home Alabama, The Emperor's Club, Freedom Writers, Enchanted, Made of Honor, Valentine's Day, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
Dempsey was born in Lewiston, Maine, and grew up in Buckfield, Maine, the youngest of three children born to Amanda and William Dempsey. He has Irish ancestry. He attended Buckfield High School and St. Dominic Regional High School. He was an adept juggler, tying for second in a national juggling competition. He was also an accomplished skier and while in high school won the Maine state slalom championship. Dempsey spent some of his school years in the town of Turner, Maine, where he attended Leavitt Area High School in the Maine School Administrative District 52 (MSAD #52) for his freshman through junior years.
As a child, Dempsey attended Camp Wekeela located in Hartford, Maine.


text:
Compagnie Flak
Founder and artistic director of Compagnie Flak, José Navas creates abstract group pieces and contemporary Ballet pieces as well as dances in his solo shows, charged with emotion. Choreographer in residence for Ballet BC since the summer of 2010, he successfully delivered his first work on pointe and the creation of a new version of Giselle figures in his upcoming projects. His work has been presented in 40 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia.
José Navas began his choreographic career in 1991 and was quickly recognized on the international scene as a talented and charismatic soloist. His first group creations were characterized by their assertive sensuality, bold statements and unexpected universes. These pieces included an element of theatricality that is reflected today only in his solo work. Since 2005, Navas has opted for sobriety and the pursuit of pure movement, giving his artistic approach two distinct directions.
As a dancer, José has devoted himself entirely to his passion for solo work, exploiting the wealth of his maturity to create more personal, sensitive works, with transcendent musicality. As a choreographer of group work, he has an entirely different voice. Fascinated by the resonance of the body in space and by the calligraphy of formal movement, the choreographer shows himself to be an architect in his group pieces. A worthy successor of Cunningham, he constructs abstract pieces geometrically, which are always delivered by virtuoso performers. His choreographic scores, created in a similar manner to a musical composition, fascinate the viewer with the successive structures they reveal in the space. They are characterized by their hypnotic beauty and their meditative character and sometimes by the vivacity and playfulness of the movement that points discreetly behind the sleek lines and technical prowess.
With a beautiful visual aesthetic, creations such as Portable Dances, Anatomies, and S reflect his architectural sense of composition while the solos in Miniatures and Personae arouse feelings of a more visceral nature. With more than thirty creations to his credit, Sterile Fields (1996), One Night Only 3/3 (1998), Perfume de Gardenias (2000), Solo with Cello (2001) and Adela, mi amor (2004) represent landmarks on his choreographic journey.
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Contemporary dance / Dancer
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Contemporary dance / Dancer
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Contemporary dance / Dancer
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Contemporary dance / Dancer
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Contemporary dance / Dancer
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Contemporary dance / Dancer
- Tremblay, Emilie
Contemporary dance / Dancer


text:
Bills coach Doug Marrone said "We're probably somewhere in the 90th percentile in each phase," in terms of installing new systems before training camp.
One writer has dubbed the Dolphins S duo of Reshad Jones and Chris Clemons the league's best.
The Patriots are going to have a tough time restoring their brand, according to Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald.
The New York Post reviews Butt Fumble II, Electric Boogaloo, starring Mark Sanchez.
The latest outrage over a player being snubbed in the NFL Network's Top 100 is on behalf of Ravens G Marshall Yanda.
Former Bengals strength coach Kim Wood is preaching about the importance of neck strength to protect players.
Browns OLB Barkevious Mingo is drawing praise from the assembled OTs at the Rookie Symposium.
The Steelers rewarded kids at a local school for staying active.
Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz is high on the Texans' chances.
A look at the RBs who should be considered for the Colts' all-time team.
Jaguars OW (offensive weapon) Denard Robinson said he's still meeting with the RBs.
A large contingent of Rams players and officials are heading to Nashville this weekend for a golf tournament honoring the late Titans offfensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger.
Broncos DE Jeremy Beal is healthy and ready to contribute.
Chiefs rookie TE Travis Kelce is ready for an "amped-up camp."
Raiders CB D.J. Hayden offers his impressions of the Rookie Symposium.
The Chargers will have 10 training camp practices open to the public.
Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says Cowboys DT Josh Brent is no Aaron Hernandez.
A look at the Giants' depth at WR.
The Eagles official website turns the spotlight on the CBs (and Cary Williams was there that day).
Redskins RB Roy Helu is healthy and ready to make another run at this season.
Bears C Roberto Garza is recruiting fans to help kids stay in school.
Lions S Louis Delmas thinks his team can get beyond the first round of the playoffs.
The Packers are sifting through lots of combinations on the defensive line.
Vikings S Harrison Smith was wired with a helmet cam during minicamp.
Falcons QB Matt Ryan's numbers are trending in a way that earns comparisons to some of the all-time greats.
The Panthers have finalized their training camp and preseason dates.
It's reasonable to wonder if Saints LB Jonathan Vilma can return to Pro Bowl form.
The Buccaneers will open 10 training camp practices to the public.
Cardinals rookie DL Padric Scott loves challenging football stereotypes.
A look at the Rams' Rookie Week, which gives them a chance to learn about their surroundings.
For 49ers TE Vance McDonald, the progress was on and off the field.
Seahawks WR Golden Tate was proud of his MVP award in a celebrity softball game.


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Golden Mountain Park
Golden Mountain Park is famous around the Southeast for having some of the toughest Off Road trails around. With obstacles such as Bounty Hill, there is something here for even the largest egos!GMP's Off Road park has over 500-acres with 45 plus trails fromlevel 1 to level 5 for ATV's, Motorcycles, OHV's/ORV's, Jeeps, Trucks, and UTV's. The different types of trails are great for rock crawling as well as trail riding with stock vehicles. We have a good mixture of loose hill climbs and technical rock crawling for all types of off roading vehicles.
Take a look at the Off Road groups that frequent the park on our links page! Golden Mountain Park has served as the home of the Southern Four-Wheel Drive Associations Dixie Run for the last three years and is great for local and out-of-state clubs as well as individuals and families that want to have a great time with other off-roaders!
With overnight options such as pavilions, campsites, RV hook-ups, and a bunkhouse, we have great affordable accommodations for a weekend full of fun!
Trails get added frequently so check our website for updates!
Hours of Operation:
The park opens at 6pm on Fridays and closes at 6pm on Sundays. Advance reservations to open earlier or stay open longer will be honored. The park will be closed on inclement weather weekends unless advance reservations have been made - we will honor advance reservations.
- $25/per vehicle – 1st day
- $15 each additional day
- Persons
- $10/day (rider)
- $5/day (other)
6338 Golden Mountain Road
Sparta, Tennessee 38583
Phone: 931-644-9917


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Captain America: Super Soldier
Xbox 360
What do you need help on? Cancel X
Captain America: Super Soldier combines a highly athletic combat system with fluid platforming and a highly tuned suite of shield attacks, as Cap explores a massive castle turned military installation. His shield can be employed in numerous ways: taking out multiple enemies at once, deflecting incoming fire back at enemies, solving puzzles, and scaling walls. Players will be able to launch shield-first into the fray with the superior force of the world's first Super-Soldier at their fingertips and they'll need every bit of that strength to overcome a castle that's both an acrobatic playground for the Captain's physical prowess and a house of mystery with enemies and danger at every turn.
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OmniFile: Full Text Mega Edition (formerly H.W. Wilson)
- Coverage Dates: 1982 -
- Update Frequency: Daily
- Audience: General, student, research
OmniFile: Full Text Mega Edition is a multi-disciplinary database providing indexing, abstracts, and full text from six of Wilson's databases:
- Education Full Text
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Also included is the full text from ONLY the journals to which Wilson has full-text rights that are in the following five databases: Applied Science & Technology Full Text, Art Full Text, Biological & Agricultural Index, Index to Legal Periodicals Full Text, Library Literature & Information Science Full Text.
- Journals in this Database: EBSCO Title Lists
- Database Provider: EBSCO Publishing, Inc.
- Database Tutorial: EBSCO Tutorials
Express Link (bookmark): http://www.galileo.usg.edu/express?link=zwom


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7 Reasons You Didn't Get a Promotion
If you're stumped on why you didn't get the big promotion you've been pining for, read these seven reasons to adjust your expectations and attitude:
1. You asked too soon. Employers want to promote you to keep you happy -- it's in their best interests -- but it's possible that you asked for a promotion too soon and before you were ready. Are you sure you're mature enough in your job to take on a higher title? Do you have the leadership and teamwork skills that such a position would require? Before you get upset at being passed over, take an honest look at your answers.
2. You did your job. And only your job. You don't get promoted for doing your job, you get paid for it. Getting promoted is about doing more than expected, discovering opportunities, and providing immense value. If you meet expectations, feel free to pat yourself on the back, but don't be surprised when you don't climb the ladder. To get ahead, you don't need to be a workaholic, but you do need to go above and beyond your current responsibilities.
More:Sign Up For AOL Jobs' Newsletter3. Your desired title doesn't exist. When you ask for a promotion, you're asking your employer to create an entirely new position, and sometimes that position isn't available, plain and simple. The increased workload associated with the position may not be necessary or there may not be room in the budget. Either way, decide if you're willing to wait it out, or if you should job-hop to get the challenge you desire.
4. You're entitled. Promotions aren't based on how long you've been at a company, but your career development within the company. If you think you're God's gift to your employer, chances are you're not. You need to have a team attitude. Try expressing interest in the company's wider goals instead of your own individual success. Do work because you're interested and dedicated, not just as a reason to get ahead. Employers can sense the difference.
More:5 Ways You're Killing Your Chances At A Promotion5. You want a significant raise. A better title doesn't always mean a better paycheck. If your company can't afford to give you a raise, they may turn down your request for a promotion altogether. If you're only interested in more challenges and responsibility, make it clear that you're willing to forgo a potential salary increase at the start, and request a three-month review after you've proved yourself.
6. You have a horrible attitude. Yes, you get the work done -- you may even bring fantastic results -- but you do so grudgingly. You believe you know better than anyone else at the company, and make sure everyone knows it. Likability at work is just as important as crossing tasks off your to-do list; managers and employees alike want to enjoy coming to work and if you make that difficult, expect a long road ahead.
7. You're unemployable. You have vision, drive, and initiative, but just can't seem to work under other people. If you're a motivated high-performer who is consistently unhappy and not satisfied in your current position, consider that it may not be a promotion that you want, but the ability to work for yourself. Try consulting on-the-side or building your own company. At the very least, you'll gain respect and understanding for the challenges your former managers faced.
Losing out on a promotion doesn't have to be a roadblock; ask for feedback, do an honest assessment on your skills, abilities and attitude, and cultivate a genuine understanding of your company's position to continue your journey up.
Rebecca Thorman's weekly blog Kontrary offers tips to create the career, bank account and life you love, and is a popular destination for young professionals. Her goal is to help you find meaningful work, enjoy the heck out of it and earn more money. She writes from Washington, D.C.
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Favourite Experiences - top 10
What ever your age, there is something for everyone here...from Skydiving and swimming with dolphins to cruising on the Doubtful Sound. Enjoy!
Ah...this is tricky as New Zealand is simply awesome!
So, how do I narrow down the many wonderful things I have done to only 10? I decided to use this criterion – which of my memories make me smile the most, simply with the pure joy of remembering them. Here they are.
1). Skydive – Glacier Country, South Island
Many people skydive in New Zealand. As a common entry on the 'I-must-do-at-least-once-in-my-lifetime' list of individuals it is one of the cheapest places on the planet to realise this dream.
So, having decided to do it I then had to decide where. I opted eventually for a 12,000 ft. jump in Glacier country so that as I hurtled towards the earth at 120 miles per hour I would be able to see mountains, lakes, rivers, glaciers and the ocean. I also purposely chose a very small company so I wouldn't just feel like one more piece of sky-jettisoned flotsam.
I am not going to attempt to describe the experience – if I were Charles Dickens it would be impossible anyway. Suffice it to say that ever since I have been trying to persuade everyone I meet to skydive and skydive here.
2). Swimming with Wild Dolphins – North and South Island
Swimming with wild dolphins wasn't just top of my must-do list but had been a lifetime dream since I was very small. It was in fact one of the main reasons I came to New Zealand in the first place – because here opportunities abound. Since my very first forays I have done this time and again, both on organised cruises and by chance while I have surfed and swam in New Zealand waters.
In my opinion, there are two companies who surpass all the others by a mile in every respect and they are Black Cat Cruises, Akoroa, South Island and Dolphin Rendezvous, Mangonui, North Island.
Swimming with wild dolphins was and still is THE most magical, unforgettable, wonderful thing I have ever done anywhere in the world.
3). Doubtful Sound Overnight Cruise
This appealed because I liked the idea of being on one of only two or three boats likely to be out on the sound once dusk fell. Nothing disappointed me about this trip. The scenery was awe inspiring and majestic, the wildlife fascinating and exciting and the wonderful tranquillity and peace of it reigned supreme. The almost unnerving ultimate sound of silence is in fact one of the things I remember most and it is made so much of that all passengers are asked to sit down while the boat's engines are turned off to allow everyone to experience in full this eerie nothing.
I also got to dive into the black ice-cold waters - no-one knows how deep they go. Swimmers are few – most passengers just choose to watch and laugh at the crazy ones. The waters are so cold they don't just take your breath away but make it impossible to breath. We were called back to the boat after a few minutes to prevent hypothermia. An amazing experience.
4). Fossilised Forest, Curio Bay, the Catlins, South Island
At low tide, the rocky foreshore of Curio Bay is exposed and along with it the remains of a 180 million year old petrified forest. You can wander around this site tracing out very obvious tree stumps complete with knots and wood grain and also fallen trunks and branches, some of which you have to touch to convince yourself they really are stone. There are fossils, particularly of ferns, to be found too but these are well hidden unless you get very lucky or a local or tour guide points them out to you.
The viewing platform is great to take in the whole forest but the hours I have spent here have been more about watching the Yellow-eyed penguins shuffle their way ashore as night falls.
No matter how many times I return here the place fills me with the same awe and magic as the very first time.
5). Snorkelling at Poor Knight's Island, Northland, North Island
I was lucky enough to be taken here in a private boat by a friend but there are many tour operators which offer cruises, snorkelling trips and scuba-diving excursions here. The waters of New Zealand don't seem to be short of teeming sea-life no matter where you stick your head beneath the surface but the Poor Knights take it up many notches further. The ocean life here is the equivalent to a major aquatic metropolis thanks to the presence of vast underwater sea caves, tunnels and arches.
I consider myself highly fortunate to have snorkelled in some of the world's best places including the Great Barrier Reef and still I rate Poor Knights as a major highlight.
6). Dune Surfing, Te Paki, Far North, North Island
When a Kiwi friend suggested we take our body-boards and go sand surfing I really wasn't prepared for the sheer size of these sand dunes or the gut wrenching thrills which followed. Climbing the dunes felt like going up a mountain made of treacle and admittedly wasn't quite so much fun but still I did it over and over so I could hurtle downwards just one more time. I left exhausted, with sand in parts of me which I didn't know I had and a memory which several years on still makes me grin like an idiot.
7). Browsing Second-hand Bookshops
New Zealand is second-hand wonderland – shops sometimes resemble Aladdin's caves with lots of 'treasure' to be found of both ancient and modern origin.
The best of this is, to my mind, the second-hand bookshops which seem to crop up in even the tiniest of towns. Here you can find books often well over 100 years old for which you pay next to nothing - floors to ceilings are a book-worm's paradise. Forget loading your suitcase with reading material – you can find everything you need here – old, new, fiction (of every genre), non-fiction, maps, magazines and so on - for a fraction of what you will pay anywhere else.
8). Black Water Rafting and Caving, Greymouth, South Island
As a claustrophia sufferer, there were more than one or two moments in the few hours I was underground in pitch black, in which I had to fight a feeling of rising panic. Kitted out with hard hats, wet suits, rubber boots and head torches our group of six swam across underground lakes, slid into water filled pot holes from a height, squeezed through impossibly small crevices, crawled on hands and knees through half water filled tunnels and rafted on inner tubes along an underground stream with the roof apparently full of stars which in reality was the light from the glow worms.
I emerged into daylight squinting, cold, exhausted and with something super precious stored in my memory banks.
9). National Army Museum, Waiouru, North Island
Now to say I had to be dragged here by my partner kicking and screaming isn't too much of an exaggeration. I set out with the full (and secret) intention of having a quick look around for form's sake and then leaving him to it. Several hours later I emerged from this wonderful museum (and only then because it was closing time). I had been moved to tears, I had been entertained, I had crawled through war bunkers and I had learned heaps.
I have visited many museums around the world – good, bad and terrible – and New Zealand's offerings typically rank among the best but it turns out that, as far as I am concerned, this museum is the best I have ever visited.
10). Visiting White Island, Bay of Plenty, North Island
This island is actually a live volcano and from the mainland most days it can be seen sending out clouds of smoke and steam into the sky. When you actually land and step out onto this incredible island it is easy to imagine you are on some hissing, steaming alien planet complete with lakes, bubbling mud pools and a bright yellow punctuated landscape where the sulphur crystals form into weirdly shaped masses.
On the boat ride over you are given a hard hat and gas mask and briefed on emergency evacuation procedures (this is a live volcano and evacuations can and do happen). Scattered among the fascinating natural features are the remains of the island's last sulphur mining factory now abandoned and ruined. Quite simply this place is amazing.


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"The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies" (Simon & Schuster), by Jonathan Alter
After sailing through two presidential elections by comfortable margins, President Barack Obama finds himself bogged down just six months into his second term.
His administration is fending off attacks on multiple fronts, including delays rolling out his signature health care plan, Internal Revenue Service practices, efforts to overhaul the immigration system and the National Security Agency's intelligence-gathering techniques.
Jonathan Alter's book, "The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies," about the 2012 election offers some valuable insights into why this master campaigner finds the job of president more challenging than running for office. And he casts the 2012 election as more than a choice between two candidates; it's a choice about what kind of nation voters prefer.
Alter's viewpoint is sympathetic, and he clearly identifies Obama's mix of shortcomings and skills as president while writing about his brilliant campaigning and the cutting-edge campaign team he put together.
He writes of his fascination with "the paradox of a man who succeeds so spectacularly at a profession he often dislikes. He is missing the schmooze gene that is standard equipment for people in politics." And he notes Obama's missed opportunities, including his failure to respond quickly enough to developing problems and his failure to pivot quickly back to the economy after his health care plan passed. And his administration is heavily dependent on the president himself to make the case for his programs, Alter notes.
Alter looks at the long list of Obama's "enemies" who opposed his re-election and have blocked much of his agenda.
He examines the rise of the tea party, which he describes as "best understood as a loosely organized collection of several hundred tiny groups connected mostly by websites and social media." That group develops into a powerful political force that successfully blocked much of Obama's strategy for the early part of his presidency.
With an array of dedicated and powerful foes and a limping economy, Obama and his team were able to return in 2012 to the field they know best — campaigning.
And the Obama team understood the potential of a new element of campaigning, first introduced on a large scale by Howard Dean in 2004 and used with some effectiveness by Obama in 2008 — digital campaigning, Alter writes. By 2012, the time was ripe to take full advantage of the digital tools. The Obama team "was loaded with geeks who knew what Facebook could do before Facebook did."
The skillful wooing of a key demographic group — Hispanics — proved pivotal. The Obama campaign combined shrewd policy decisions like a decision to give young Hispanics a chance to avoid deportation with careful targeting of Hispanic voters through a media campaign that was largely off the radar, Alter writes.
He recounts the GOP struggles such as the Republican National Convention with its messaging problems and the unauthorized video of Mitt Romney's speech at a fundraising dinner about "the 47 percent who will vote for the president no matter what," who believe they are victims. Alter wrote that the bartender who made the video was offended by how Romney treated the caterers and by Romney's comments about a Chinese sweatshop and this affected his determination to make it public.
Alter cites Obama's combination of a skilled campaign team, effective use of digital technology, targeting of Hispanic voters and strokes of good fortune with an uptick in the employment numbers late and an earlier Supreme Court decision upholding of a law known as "Obamacare" leading Obama to a convincing election win.
The re-election victory assured that "a set of values that had been part of the American consensus since at least the New Deal would remain in place," Alter writes. "The country's defense of that social contract had been tested and it held, and the consequences of the voters' decision would play out for years."
'The Center Holds' looks at 2 Obamas
"The Center Holds: Obama and His Enemies" (Simon & Schuster), by Jonathan Alter


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Hotel Laurin in Selva di Gardena - Luxury and comfort at the 4-star Hotel
Our beautiful small & charming Hotel Laurin, 4 stars, is pleased to get your attention which, hopefully, will transform itself into a future vacation. Creating a second home for you, this is what we care for the most.
Especially in the wintertime, when meadows and woods are covered by snow, our guests enjoy our central location next to the cableway of the Sella Ronda and close to all the facilities offered by the village. For your comfort you find ski school and ski rental as well as a well furnished shop in the hotel. In the summer our nice hotel is not only the perfect starting point for excursions and hiking tours towards our well known peaks of the Dolomites, but it is also ideal just to leave for a relaxing walk around the village. A yearning for well-being... enjoy the pleasures offered by our Wellness & Spa Dolce Vita, the elegant Junior Suites, the cosy rooms and our spacious Family rooms, as well as the superb dinners served in our restaurant. Come and feel it!
Hotel Laurin
Via Mëisules 278 - I
39048 Selva Val Gardena (BZ)
Tel +39 0471 795105
Fax +39 0471 794310
E-Mail: email@example.com


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The Georgia Southwestern baseball team scored three runs in the ninth inning to take game 1 of their weekend series with Flagler College in dramatic fashion, 12-11, on Friday evening at Hurricane Stadium.
GSW improves to 17-7 overall and 7-3 in PBC play. The 'Canes are 11-1 at home this season.
The visiting Saints led 4-0 after the first inning and 6-0 heading to the bottom of the fourth. That's when GSW made their first rally of the contest.
The Hurricanes scored six runs on seven hits and the team hit for the cycle in the inning. Trent Dooley, Paschel Poston, Kevin Carroll and Shane Doyle collected singles. Chris Lingham doubled, Zack Stanton had an RBI triple and Byron Haynes belted a two-run home run.
With three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth, Flagler had regained the lead and extended the margin to 11-6.
Southwestern chipped at the lead in the seventh with a three-run frame. Haynes started the inning with a double. Doyle added an RBI single and Bud Long drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
Hurricane reliever Brandon Reeder set Flagler down in order in the eighth and ninth, striking out five of six batters faced along the way.
That set the stage for the Hurricanes game-winning rally in the ninth. Carroll and Jared Allen opened the inning with a pair of singles. Doyle laid down a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by the FC third baseman and thrown over the head of the first baseman and rolled deep into right field foul territory. Carroll and Allen scored; Doyle ended up at third. After Lingham was intentionally walked, Heath Lock brought the winning run across on a sacrifice fly to right.
Reeder (2-0) tossed 4.1 innings of relief to pick up the win. Reeder held Flagler to four hits, allowed two runs, walked one and struck out eight.
Tyler McKendree (1-2) entered in the ninth for Flagler and suffered the loss after allowing two hits and the three unearned runs.
Kevin Carroll led GSW at the plate with a 4-for-5 performance. Carroll knocked in a run and scored three times. Haynes, Poston and Doyle had two hits apiece.
The Hurricanes wraps up the series with Flagler (17-12, 5-5 PBC) on Saturday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m.


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The passage of Measure B last week means that the condom will now become, by a law, a fixture in adult movies. Predictably, this has set off a frenzy of speculation about the porn industry picking up and leaving its longtime L.A. boogie-nights home and heading for the prophylactic-free jungle rooms of Las Vegas - or even, the L.A. Times suggests, Budapest, Hungary, the San Fernando Valley of Mitteleuropa.
Adult entertainment boomed after the advent of home video in the 1980s. A decade ago, local economists estimated that the porn industry in the San Fernando Valley generated 10,000 to 20,000 jobs a year and had $4 billion in annual sales.
But declining DVD sales and the availability of free content on the Internet have hammered the local industry. The number of porn producers in L.A. has fallen to about 300, down from approximately 500 at its peak seven years ago, Helmy said.
Although porn production accounts for fewer than 5% of all film permits in Los Angeles County, the industry is an important player in the region's entertainment economy.
Industry estimates figure that about 5,000 adult films are shot each year in the county's warehouses and private homes.
Last year, I took a stab at assessing the cryptic economics of porn. I used as a basis a 2001 analysis by Forbes that backed up the LAT's $4 billion annual sales figure. But I'd seen the industry valued at around $12 billion in 2007. I decided that the porn business — the entire U.S. porn business, not just the SoCal part — should be a worth a lot more in 2011 than it appears to be if you run some back-of-the-envelope calculations:
Forbes did the math and placed the industry's total worth at "$2.6 billion to $3.9 billion." The Internet slice was assessed at $1 billion. By 2006, that had grown to $2.84 billion (not Forbes' data, though). I'm going to assume that it's above $3 billion by now; that would increase the upper end of the Forbes number to $7 billion. It's possible that pay-per-view, $128 million in 2001, is up to $1 billion by 2011, so that gets us close to $8 bil. Increases in other categories — magazines and video — might add another $2-$3 billion, getting us close to $12 billion. But that's being optimistic and also assuming that porn is recovering from the recession.
So what I conclude here is that the adult entertainment industry is only now achieving its alleged 2001 numbers, or slightly exceeding them. If it were truly a $10 billion industry in 2001, it should be…What? A $30 billion industry today, just in the U.S.?
Bottom line: The global entertainment industry is worth something like $2 trillion (So Cal's slice adds up to about $800 billion). That means that if we're generous and grant that the porn business hasn't been thoroughly disrupted by the Internet and is worth $10 billion, it amounts to 0.5 percent of the entire entertainment industry. You'd obviously have to adjust those figures downward to figure out just how much L.A. would lose if the business bolted for condomless pastures, but the answer in any case would be: Not much.
The LAT reports that enforcing Measure B would cost $300,000 a year. That really isn't all that much, if you grant that the porn industry is worth $4-10 billion and assume that much of that money is generated in the L.A. area. Even so, not having to spend it would probably be acceptable to many Angelenos. And it's not as if the exit of the porn industry in reaction to Measure B would signal a wholesale exodus of the entertainment industry from Southern California.
So if porn wants to split town...well, that's the industry's decision. But economically, it wouldn't be a huge loss.
Follow Matthew DeBord and the DeBord Report on Twitter. And ask Matt questions at Quora.


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Paint +++ is an inexpensive painting program for OS X that can be used to teach students the basics of painting software. Many sophisticated graphics software applications (such as Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop) use the same basic principles that can be learned using Paint +++.
Using any painting program involves learning how to use the menu bar and the tool bar. Paint +++ also includes a color palette that allows
What's New in Paint +++
- Antialias Support: make your draw more smooth and beautiful
- Bug fixes


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COLCHESTER, Vt., Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Police in Vermont said a man became stuck on some rock ledges after dropping his computer about 100 feet and attempting to retrieve it.
Colchester police said Randy Lamore, 42, of Winooski dropped his computer while walking along the railroad tracks near the Gorge Road power dam and the device landed about 100 feet down on the bank of the Winooski River, WCAX-TV, Burlington, reported Tuesday.
Police said Lamore, who had been drinking, attempted to climb down to retrieve his computer, but became stuck on ledges in thick underbrush.
The man called 911 on his cellphone and it took about half an hour for rescuers to find him and an hour to execute the rescue.
Police said Lamore was not injured.


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Buying a new home and selling your current one at the same time is not easy. But it can get a little easier when you use a ReeceNichols agent as your guide. Use these tips to relieve some stress!
To get through the first few days in your new home, you'll want to have the following on hand.
Not sure what to look for during the next Open House Celebration? Here's your checklist!
The boxes are (almost) unpacked, you figured out the closest pizza delivery, and you changed your address. Moving into a new place can be costly, so we've got some tips on how to save money with a few minor tweaks.
If you want to enter the market or just learn more about real estate but can't get past the jargon, worry no more! Use this guide to familiarize yourself with these common real estate terms.
If you're looking for your own slice of waterfront paradise, there are more factors to consider than when buying a landlocked home!
Often, people contact organizers when things have gotten out-of-hand. Organizers can definitely help in those situations, but if you are moving into a new home, you have a unique opportunity to start things off on the right foot BEFORE things get out of hand. Now is the time to really think through the space you are about to move in to and the organizational needs of your family.
Buying a home involves a lot of moving pieces — so don't get lost in the shuffle! Here's what it takes to purchase your dream home.
You've bought your dream home! Unfortunately, the work isn't over once you leave the closing table. Moving is a delicate process that requires high levels of organization at every touchpoint — and unpacking is no exception! Instead of unpacking the first box off the truck, devise a plan to keep your de-boxing organized from the get-go.
Fall is an excellent time to move-in to your new home! The weather is crisp and (usually) dry, you still have a good amount of sunlight, and you can stop for your favorite fall beverages on all those trips back and forth between your old house and your new house! Our friends at Zaarly asked their movers for tips to make your fall move a successful one.
Call 816-251-1496
Email email@example.com


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Anyone play this? I'm not a PC gamer but this game has got me intrigued. Just take a look at it and I'm sure it will peak your interest too, if only for the sword porn
Total War: Shogun 2
Chat with like minded people. Post anything in 'general' from latest happenings in the media to whats your favourite food!
Moderators: Big Lazy, Moderators
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Student Aid Rules
Ambitious Engagement
State Legislators Conference
Funding Opportunities
Odds and Ends
Quote to Note
Upcoming Events
Student Aid Rules
Last week, the Obama Administration proposed a broad set of new rules and definitions to strengthen federal student aid programs by protecting students from aggressive or misleading recruiting practices, providing consumers with better information about the effectiveness of career college and training programs, and ensuring that only eligible students and programs receive aid. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) follows a year of negotiations between the Department and the higher education community around 14 specific issues. The NPRM fully addresses 13 issues and partially addresses the 14th issue, which involves the definition of "gainful employment."
To qualify for federal aid, most career colleges and training programs must demonstrate they are preparing students for gainful employment within recognized occupations. The Department is proposing to require proprietary and vocational institutions of higher education to present prospective students with their program's graduation and job placement rates, as well as supply such information to the Department to allow it to determine student debt levels and incomes after program completion. The agency is still developing metrics to hold programs accountable for preparing their students for gainful employment and intends to publish a separate NPRM later this summer.
The current NPRM is open to public comment through August 2. The Department strongly encourages colleges and universities and other stakeholders to comment on these proposed rules and their impact. The agency will closely review all the comments, with the goal of publishing a final rule by November 1, so it would take effect beginning July 2011.
In other higher education news:
- To highlight the key role that community colleges play in preparing adults for success in the workplace, the Department produced "Path to Opportunity," a series of three videos profiling non-traditional students attending community colleges.
- A new Pew Research Center analysis of Department data finds the recent boom in the size of freshmen classes at four-year colleges, community colleges, and trade schools has been driven by a significant increase in minority student enrollment.
- "Help Wanted: Projecting Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018," a new report out of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, forecasts that, by 2018, 63% of all jobs will require at least some postsecondary education. Employers will need 22 million new workers with postsecondary degrees. Yet, without a dramatic change in course, the nation will fall short by three million workers, which is a deficit of 300,000 college graduates annually between now and 2018. (Note: The report has a state-by-state analysis on jobs and education requirements.)
Ambitious Engagement
On June 11, Secretary Duncan addressed the National PTA Convention in Memphis. In his remarks, subtitled "Beyond Bubble Tests and Bake Sales," he called for "ambitious engagement" by parents and entire families in schools. "My hope is that PTAs around the nation can be leaders in pressing for higher standards, better assessments, a richer version of parental involvement, and a well-rounded curriculum," he said. "You have already begun to redefine the notion of family involvement by promoting the importance of fathers, grandfathers, and male mentors at school and at home.... Male membership in the PTA has increased five-fold in the last decade, from 2% to 10%." Specifically, he appealed for help on two problems: the narrowing of the curriculum and the over-reliance on fill-in-the-bubble tests. "Only by moving beyond basic skills and bubble tests," he stated, "can children develop the critical thinking skills that will give them the ability to compete successfully in the global economy." The Secretary also detailed how the Administration's plan to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) supports family engagement "in a host of ways. We support programs that actually ask families how they feel about their child's school and educational experiencesgiving parents a real voice and opportunity to engage. We must do a better job of listening to our children and to their parents. Their honest feedback will absolutely drive improvement."
Also: In honor of Father's Day, President Obama spoke about the importance of responsible fatherhood at a local event and hosted a "mentoring barbecue" on the South Lawn.
State Legislators Conference
On June 14, the Department hosted 25 state legislators from 17 states for a day-long conference with senior Department officials in Washington, D.C. The conference offered an opportunity for legislators to learn more about the Administration's education initiatives and provide feedback on what is and what is not working in education at the state and local level. The highlight of the day was a working lunch, during which legislators discussed a range of topics, including higher academic standards, charter schools, and teacher quality. Secretary Duncan closed the conference with a few remarks and an open question-and-answer session. This session was the latest in a series of outreach efforts by the Department's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
Note: PowerPoint presentations from the conference are available upon request.
As part of the Administration's Open Government Initiative, the Department launched a new web site, which will ultimately serve as a one-stop shop for education data and permit practitioners, researchers, and the public to access data that can inform their work in classrooms and communities across America. The agency plans to make the grant-making process more transparent to the public through this web siteby providing substantial amounts of easily accessible data about applications, applicants, and their partners, while still protecting privacy and proprietary information. The first competitive grant program featured on the web site is the Investing in Innovation (i3) Fund, which received nearly 1,700 applications last month. The public can now view detailed information on all i3 applicants, as well as run customized reports and summary analyses on subsets of applicants. As this is a pilot effort, the Department welcomes feedback and plans to make improvements over time.
Concerning the i3 Fund:
- A new i3 summary report has information on the applications received by the Department.
- The latest addendum to i3's Frequently Asked Questions includes questions intended to clarify the program's matching requirement.
- An email message was sent to all i3 applicants directing them to these resources and reminding them their applications still need to be reviewed for eligibility and the Department will not accept changes/ updates to applications.
Funding Opportunities
The deadlines for several grant competitions are fast approaching:
Carol M. White Physical Education Program (closes 7/19). This program allows school districts and community-based organizations to initiate, expand, or enhance physical education programs, including after-school programs, for students in grades K-12. All recipients must implement programs that help students make progress toward meeting state standards for physical education. Estimated awards: 93. (Note: There is a "sharing requirement." The federal share of a project's cost may not exceed 90% for the first year and 75% for subsequent years.)
Full-Service Community Schools Program (closes 7/23). This program encourages coordination of academic, health, and social services through partnerships among elementary and secondary schools, the schools' districts, and community-based organizations, non-profit organizations, and other entities. These services may include high-quality early learning programs; remedial education, aligned with academic supports and other enrichment activities; and family engagement. Estimated awards: 8-12.
High School Graduation Initiative (closes 7/28). This program supports the implementation of effective, sustainable dropout prevention and re-entry programs in high schools with annual dropout rates that exceed their state's average annual dropout rate. Funds may also be used to support activities at middle schools that feed into high schools that have dropout rates that exceed the state's dropout rate. Estimated awards: 50.
Also, be sure to review the Department's Fiscal Year 2010 Grants Forecast (as of June 11), which lists virtually all programs and competitions under which the agency has invited or expects to invite applications for awards and provides actual or estimated dates for the transmittal of applications under these programs. (Note: This document is advisory only and not an official application notice of the Department of Education.)
Odds and Ends
In keeping with its commitment to transparency, the Department is providing the public with the applications it received from states for Phase 2 of the Race to the Top competition. States' narrative responses have undergone a thorough review to remove privacy-protected information and are now posted at. Staff are presently reviewing the remaining portions of the applicationsthe appendicesto remove privacy-protected information and will post them in the coming weeks.
The Department received four applications for the $350 million Race to the Top Assessment Program.
In a recent letter to Chief State School Officers, the Secretary shared information on the federal government's 2010 allocations for Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCBs) and Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZABs).
The Department's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) announced the six research teams who will participate in the new Reading for Understanding Research Network. More than 130 researchers are joining together to improve reading comprehension for students from preschool through high school. In the next five years, IES will supply $100 million to the network to engage in rapid development of instructional strategies, curricula, assessment, technology, and teacher professional development. (Note: Secretary Duncan's statement on the investment is available online.)
Whether considering the military as a future option or seeking to learn more about its no-cost programs, Army Ed Space provides students, parents, and educators with access to a variety of free Army educational resources and tools.
Quote to Note
"Now, the promise of new media is still realand potentially transformative. Children can play educational games, take online courses, research online, and watch educational TV programming. They can make connections online or through chat groups to explore interests and other cultures. They can learn to socialize, communicate, and write through social networking sites. But, it is fair to say that the hopes of new media proponents have only been partly realized and that heavy media use often impedes student learning.... Parents can do a better job of setting limits on children's use of electronic media and work toward using it more creatively to support student learning."
|Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (6/11/10), addressing the National PTA Convention
Upcoming Events
A reminder: July 19-21, the Department will convene the 2010 Reading Institute in Anaheim, California. And this year, for the first time, the Department of Education is joining with the Department of Health and Human Services to offer an Early Learning and Development Strand at the Institute. This strand will feature sessions on developmentally appropriate practices in language and literacy for children from birth-to-third-grade and planning and building comprehensive early learning systems and infrastructure. Federally funded grantees, educators, state and local policymakers, and other stakeholders in early learning are encouraged to attend. There is no registration fee for the Institute.
Also, on June 29 (3:00-4:00 p.m. ET), the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) and the National Title I Association will host a webinar on NIEER's "2010 State of Pre-K Yearbook," which profiles state-funded pre-kindergarten programs. This event is intended to provide a foundation for a session under the Early Learning Strand at the Institute. The webinar is available free of charge.
On June 30, at 10:00 a.m. ET, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), within the IES, will release the 2009 National Indian Education Study (NIES). The NIES report uses National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data to illuminate the educational experiences of American Indian and Alaska Native students and will be issued in two parts.
Department officials will travel to Arizona (June 30) and Washington (July 15) to strengthen government-to-government relations with Indian tribes. The consultations are in response to President Obama's November 5, 2009, Presidential Memorandum and Executive Order 13175, which directs federal agencies to develop a plan of actions for regular and meaningful discussion and strengthening of relationships with tribal officials.
Over the next two weeks, the Department will exhibit at the National Education Association's Annual Meeting in New Orleans (June 26-July 6), the International Society for Technology in Education's Conference in Denver (June 27-30), the National Charter Schools Conference/Teacher Institute in Chicago (June 28-July 1), and the American Federation of Teachers' Convention in Seattle (July 7-11). If you are attending any of these events, please stop by the Department's booth.
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Please feel free to contact the Office of Communications and Outreach with any questions:
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Changing the Conversation
Negotiators—whether politicians or homebuyers—begin with bold concessions which rapidly shrink the gulf between opposing sides. But like curves approaching an asymptote in geometry, as they near an agreement they level off and struggle to bridge the final, though trivial, gap. The effect of their ongoing quarreling is that, by the end, their motivating goal is not so much to strike a deal or make a sale as to make the other side yield, on no matter how minor a point. The fact of winning a concession matters more than the concession's substance. Not who yields most, but who yields last, appears to lose. The negotiation grows more bitter, the less remains at stake.
(Thanks to friend Rex Stevens for passing this along from the Aphorisms and Paradoxes blog.)
I was over at White & Case* last week talking to its women about the perils of negotiation without the inclusion of face-saving mechanisms. As I told them, it's a common mediation experience for the parties to make concessions in the millions to tens of millions of dollars only to reach final impasse over which side is going to pay the mediation fee ($5K) they'd agreed to split before the session began.
That's not about money, it's about face.
We call this end stage simply the final impasse but when the end stage stretches out into a seemingly endless future, we call it a "hurting stalemate" which is what we've got in Washington right now.
So how do you break an impasse that may or may not turn into a hurting stalemate?
First of all, you ask yourself and then, if possible, your bargaining partner, what hasn't yet been put on the table. Parties often reach impasse because they're attempting to achieve a hidden goal that they believe their negotiation demand will achieve or help achieve. It's been suggested, for instance, that shutting the government down and then re-opening only those agencies that the Republican party would like to see functioning is not a bad consequence of the parties' failure to reach agreement, but a hidden goal. If you take a look at the list of agencies shut down, you'll see there at least half of the GOP target list for ending or lessening government regulation. The Department of Education. The Environmental Protection Agency. And that department Rick Perry couldn't recall was on his hit list during the Presidential debates.
If you have a bargaining partner who is in fact achieving a goal - as collateral damage - that it might not otherwise be able to implement, you need to surface the hidden agenda. Remembering the importance of face-saving for a partner who may have backed himself into a corner, it's best to first raise the hidden agenda behind closed doors. Any negotiation in which all items to be traded are not on the table is a failed or sub-optimal bargaining session.
Face. We have a saying among my people that you can't save your face and your ass at the same time. Although there's real freedom on the other side of losing "face," few people are willing to go in that direction. It usually takes the total and complete collapse of your particular house of cards before you're ready to see the benefit of coming clean. That being the case, you've got to help your negotiation partner save face and you can't do that by airing a commercial comparing your opponent to a squalling baby during the national broadcast of a Sunday football game.
Bad move, Dems.
How might the GOP save face while backing down from the brink of economic disaster? Give them victory. They won the sequestration round of the Obama vs. the House negotiation. Give it to them. They already have it. Don't praise them. Complain about their victory far more often than you're doing now.
The far right Tea Party politicians are not worried about re-election but the Democrats potential Republican allies (the moderates) are terrified of losing their seats if they vote . . . well . . . moderately. Find a way to provide them with election protection. I believe this has been done several times before with the actual infusion of funds into certain politicians campaign coffers. It's also been done with political support from hidden stakeholders. The Chamber of Commerce, for instance, once a hidden stakeholder, has now come out in support of re-opening the government and authorizing a raise in the debt ceiling. Good for it. Wall Street too has been putting pressure on the right to avoid the danger a shut-down and a subsequent default would have on the world economy.
We're talking about interest-based, mutual benefit negotiation strategy and tactics here. It's not rocket science. What are your bargaining partners interests - what do they fear, value, prioritize, prefer, and, need. What do you have of high value to them (giving them a victory) and low cost to you (giving them a victory they already won).
Finally, there's "spin." That old Washington game we litigators and negotiators call "framing."
For god's sake, please stop calling the damn act Obama Care. Did the administration not see the Jimmy Kimmel episode where, when given a choice, random folks on Hollywood Blvd. said they liked the "Affordable Care Act" but despised "ObamaCare."
As Dick Draper recommends - if you don't like the conversation you're having, change it!
Finally, as the television ads being run on cable in Republican strongholds last week amply demonstrated (as if we didn't already know) the Tea Party's marching orders weren't to govern but to bring Obama down. Why not give them Obama's virtual head on a platter?
Count up everything the Obama administration lost due to GOP opposition since his '08 election. Treat it as news. Because visuals are so important, particularly to the chronically uninformed, actually put Obama's head on a platter and run his defeats over the image. Treat re-opening the government and raising the debt ceiling as magnanimous acts of the GOP in the face of the AntiChrist who would bring the country down to serve his own interests. Give them victory without compromising anything.
There are dozens of other ways to break impasse. But let me stress that prolonging a hurting stalemate is easy. You simply publicly demonize the "other guy" and dance the macarena over his grave.
And put into practice those best negotiation strategies and tactics that I guarantee you every politician knows.
*W&C is one of the top law firms for women and has earned its designation as such.


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Rubio's angling prompts Gang of Eight angst
The Senate's Gang of Eight is out in force to sell its immigration bill to the public, minus one pivotal member: Marco Rubio.
The Florida Republican has spent hours strategizing in private with the bipartisan group of senators, but he hasn't appeared in public with them since late April — nixing requests for press conferences after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the immigration bill, according to Democrats, and most recently, for a joint interview on Univision.
Story Continued Below
His public absences from his partners show the difficult line he is walking on immigration — trying to woo conservative activists wary of the bill while keeping the Gang of Eight bill moving.
( Also on POLITICO: With immigration, Marco Rubio risks D.C. insider label)
It's a Senate trial by fire. Rubio is attempting to master a treacherous legislative process that has confounded lawmakers with decades of experience. The success or failure of the immigration overhaul bill will largely determine whether his efforts are seen as the shrewd mechanisms of a kingmaker or the political naiveté of a third-year senator.
While he criticizes parts of the Gang of Eight plan, Rubio has also had trouble on the right when he tries to defend it. He had to make a quick phone call to Rush Limbaugh last week to clarify a remark that had been interpreted by conservatives as a flip-flop.
"Everything I'm saying, I'm saying to everyone," Rubio told POLITICO. "I'm just trying to get a law passed. In order to get a law to pass, the border security and the benefits have to get tightened up. Everyone here knows that. Anyone who denies that is not playing in reality."
( PHOTOS: Marco Rubio's career)
Rubio even demurred when asked whether he would unite with the group to defeat contentious amendments on the floor: "It depends on the amendment."
Alex Conant, a Rubio spokesman, denied that the senator has consciously made an effort to avoid being seen with the group. But it's been almost two months since Rubio appeared at a public event with the Gang, which includes Democrats like Chuck Schumer of New York and Dick Durbin of Illinois, and two Republicans who have long been the scourge of conservative immigration activists, John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
Democrats — particularly Schumer — have been willing to kowtow to the Floridian's demands, even if it shifts the bill further to the right by including amendments like those from Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) to restrict benefits for undocumented immigrants. Privately, the worry is Rubio may upend the delicate compromise they spent months trying to reach.
"The members feel like they've given him quite a bit of rope," said one Senate Democratic aide familiar with the group's deliberations. "They just want to make sure it doesn't end up hanging the deal at the end."
Almost immediately after the Judiciary Committee sent the bill to the floor, Rubio began panning its enforcement provisions, validating criticism from the right and forcing the gang to appear amenable to changes. But what has irritated members in the Gang has been his explicit embrace of the border security amendment from Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).


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Facebook reports earnings on Thursday for the first time ever as a public company. And in the wake of Zynga's numbers, the Fast pros are not optimistic.
After the bell Zynga shares plunged more than 30% after the video game maker missed esimates and slashed its 2012 earnings outlook.
"Zynga blamed the weakness on a more challenging environment on Facebook," explains trader Jon Najarian, co-founder OptionMonster.com. "Not good. That doesn't bode well for FB."


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Enough time has passed now that D'Antoni can admit where he went wrong. It's not one of those plays he regrets, it's a decision.
His decision to leave.
"I shouldn't have gone to New York," he says, looking down at the sideline in Memphis, pacing on that unstable right leg.
"I should have stuck in there and battled. You don't get to coach somebody like him [Nash] too many times. It's pretty sacred and you need to take care of it. I didn't."
D'Antoni has never told Nash this.
It feels good to confess.
"I think we got frustrated and I got frustrated. That's why I left. We were there, it seemed like we deserved it, and then it seemed like something happened all the time. Maybe we weren't good enough either. We have to understand that.
"I probably irrationally made a decision right when the season was over. You should take a month to figure it out. I shouldn't have left. That was my fault."
The story I've always heard is that it was a mutual parting. The Suns' ownership group and new general manager Steve Kerr pushed him to hire a defensive assistant. His system was questioned. Everything was.
Sure the Suns could outscore everyone, but could they win a championship? Could D'Antoni? Was the team flawed? Was he? Did they just have horrible luck? Did he need to change? Could he?
When the Knicks job came open in the spring of 2008, the Suns let him go.
"No. It was me," D'Antoni admits now. "I initiated it and I probably shouldn't have."
Via ESPN NY
For some reason, Mike D'Antoni's quotes have sparked outrage throughout the Knick fan base today and I don't really understand why. Well, I do understand actually. Many Knick fans dislike D'Antoni and blame much of the team's underachievement on him. Fine. People are entitled to their opinions and D'Antoni wasn't perfect in New York. Having said that, to get outraged over these quotes is completely asinine.
If you actually read what D'Antoni said and the context in which he said it, it is pretty obvious that he isn't taking a shot at the Knicks. If you actually read what he said, you'd see that he is talking about the remorse he has for leaving Phoenix. D'Antoni talks about how he should never have left Steve Nash and the good thing they had going. He talks about regretting his decision to initiate conflict with Suns management that ultimately led to his departure.
Nowhere in these quotes does D'Antoni ever go into his tenure in New York. He already spoke about this during his introductory press conference. The Lakers coach took the high road and was as classy as could be about his previous job. This is a classic case of the media turning a non-story into something that it isn't.
The headline has been "D'Antoni regrets taking Knicks job" but very clearly that wasn't the point of what he actually said. So for all you Knicks fans that are outraged about this, pump the breaks on your anger. These quotes aren't a big deal, they don't attack James Dolan, Carmelo Anthony, or the Knick organization. This is D'Antoni expressing remorse for leaving the Suns, not for taking the Knicks job.
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There are notes everywhere.
Take off some of the old eight-inch vinyl siding, its surface pitted to buff beige by the elements, remove the long sheet of quarter-inch of sodden and mossy polystyrene beneath it, and there, on the long white peeling clapboard, there's more of it. Numbers, measurements, sometimes letters, sometimes small diagrams of angled cuts. It's written in thick, heavy carpenter's pencil, and it's not just once or twice. Some of it makes immediate sense; the measurements for filling vinyl gaps as you approach the corners, for example.
Other parts do not; "For the eighth," a sentence starts, and then trails off into smaller, unreadable letters. "LOOK," all in caps, with nothing else. Pressed deep, so that it's right into the wood.
Flip over a piece of paper in a bottom drawer in the kitchen, and what looks like a drawer liner is a hand-drawn scale map of the septic system and drainage field, the drawing collapsed to fit the space on the paper, but the measurements precise.
Take down ceiling moulding, and every gap between the top of the wall and the bead-board ceiling is packed tight with tightly balled up paper: sometimes newspaper, sometimes old detective magazines from Quebec. More often than not, old lined paper, brown with age and crumbling along the folds, all of it with faint tracings of HB pencil, a looped and whorled script from when such things were taught in school by constant careful repetition.
The notes are more mysterious. Perhaps it's as simple as being the most plentiful and available insulation.
Sometimes, it reads like someone's homework: sentences about history or geography, numbered at the start. Other times, it reads like a hugely passive-aggressive way to hold an argument: writing "These are my worst faults," then making a list of everything from impatience to rudeness, crumpling it all up and forcing it into a crack no larger than the thickness of a Bluenose dime, so your admission is as hard to crack as the combination on someone else's safe — a safe you've then built a false wall in front of. Once, what could have been a love poem.
I lived in a different old house where every single piece of wood had a grease-pencil number written on it. Take down a sheet of heavy paper covering the boards on an inside wall, and each board was numbered sequentially, as if the house had been a huge version of a kit, or else as if it had been completely taken apart after its first construction, and then orderly rebuilt somewhere else.
That, at least, seemed practical.
The notes? The notes are more mysterious. Perhaps it's as simple as being the most plentiful and available insulation. As being a quick place to write measurements so they wouldn't be forgotten. As a habit that, once started, couldn't be broken — the way my shed is full of awkward pieces of wood that might someday precisely fit a repair job I haven't even thought of doing yet.
But another part of me wonders, is it a hex, this constant notation?
Does it do its part in holding the house up?
Is it a message? A whisper from the past? Is it the house's way of remembering itself?
At first, I used to throw the messages away, after reading them as best I could. But I stopped throwing them away, because it seemed like I was messing with someone else's order.
Now, something makes me imagine that the words are essential, and, once I've read them, I fold them up again and slide the papers back in place.
You never know what's going to be important.
I'm a writer; I have to say I like the idea of a house kept whole with words.
Russell Wangersky's column appears in 39 SaltWire newspapers and websites in Atlantic Canada. He can be reached at email@example.com — Twitter: @wangersky.