text:
RTC Summer Updates: MAACPosted by Brian Goodman on August 15th, 2011
With the completion of the NBA Draft and the annual coaching and transfer carousels nearing their ends, RTC is rolling out a new series, RTC Summer Updates, to give you a crash course on each Division I conference during the summer months. Our latest update comes courtesy of our MAAC correspondent, Ray Floriani.
Reader's Take
Summer Storylines
The MAAC should provide another interesting race for the top. Two of last year's best programs, Iona and Fairfield, will slug it out. The Gaels were tournament runners-up to St. Peter's while Fairfield was the conference regular season champion. Off the floor, the wheels are already in motion as the conference plans the move to Springfield, Massachusetts, where the men's and women's championships will be contested at the MassMutual Center.
- A Busy MAAC HQ: The headline for a good part of August concerns the conference postseason tournament. 'The Road to MAAC-achusetts' began on August 3, with marketing representatives from each MAAC institution meeting at Siena College. Reps from the MassMutual Center, the host site, were also in attendance. Among the presentations and objectives were league-wide advertising of the championships on ad pages and in media guides, in game promotions allowing fans the chance to win tickets to the tournament and grassroots marketing efforts in the communities of each school. Ticketmaster also outlined social media opportunities which will allow fans to follow the MAAC schools and see who may be attending a particular session of the tournament. "There are great synergies developing between the championship marketing team and the MAAC," said Marissa Skibbe, Global Spectrum's Director of Marketing at the MassMutual Center. "Together, we have created an extensive and fun plan that is moving like a well-oiled machine. We can't wait to see the creative elements come to fruition." The tournament isn't the only place where the conference's administration is making waves, however. MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor was recently named to the WCBA board of directors. One of the most highly-respected administrators in college basketball, Ensor recently completed a five-year term on the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee.
- Dunne rewarded at St. Peter's – Fresh off the school's first 20-win season in two decades and first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1995, St. Peter's awarded coach John Dunne with a new contract extending through 2015-16. Dunne's first two teams at St. Peter's recorded just eleven wins total, but the win total over the past three seasons is 47, including 30 victories in MAAC play. The Peacocks finished this season 20-14 and captured the MAAC Tournament crown at Harbor Yards. They appeared in the NCAA Tournament, but were defeated by Purdue in the opening round. Dunne's name was starting to surface as a few openings arose in the spring. The financial details of his new contract were not reported, but the extension marks a notable increase in pay over his former contract. "Throughout his [Dunne's] tenure, he has guided our student-athletes to success both on the court and in the classroom, St. Peter's AD Pat Elliott said. "We are excited about the future of St. Peter's basketball with Coach Dunne leading the way."
- New Faces: Steve Masiello took over at Manhattan, replacing Barry Rohrssen. Masiello mostly recently was on Rick Pitino's staff at Louisville. He knows the conference, however, having served as an assistant on Bobby Gonzalez's Jaspers staff before heading south. After turning around the program at Fairfield, Ed Cooley was summoned to do the same at Providence in the Big East. Replacing Cooley is highly-regarded Sydney Johnson, formerly of Princeton. Last season, Johnson led Princeton to the Ivy title and NCAA Tournament, where they lost to eventual Final Four participant Kentucky by just two points. Johnson will inherit a strong group of returnees at defending regular season champion Fairfield. On the court, Lamont "Momo" Jones decided he was ready for a different role after playing a supporting part with Derrick Williams in the Arizona Wildcats' head-turning NCAA Tournament run and transferred to Iona (more after the jump).


text:
A quick note, I am speaking at Percona live in London next week… its should be a rip roaring time. I have two topics I am speaking on.
The first is on building a MySQL Data Access Layer with Ruby and Sinatra. While this may seem a bit odd, its actually very cool and useful. With < 100 lines of code you can build some pretty awesome web services to expose your data to the outside world or even better yet build web services to replace developer maintained ORM's! Additionally if you use this as part of a broader framework you can achieve all kinds of coolness. In fact all the code that I will show was written in < 2 hours, and it only took that long because I was trying to make it flow into the presentation. The second presentation, How I learned to stop worrying and Love Big Data should be fun. I promise the following: An interesting take on Big data, Dr Strangelove, Simpson's Humor, Daleks, wacky signs, Darth Vader, and a Monty Python reference... oh yeah this should be fun.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
OAKLAND — A former Skyline High School track star has been charged with robbing a Montclair district bank three times as well as a Fruitvale district bank, authorities said Monday.
A fourth attempt at the Montclair branch was foiled, police said.
Noah Blue, 21, of Oakland, is charged with five counts of second-degree robbery, one count of attempted second-degree robbery and one count of attempted burglary. He was being held at Santa Rita Jail in lieu of $350,000 bail.
Police said five of the counts stem from three robberies and a foiled attempt at the Bank of the West, 2023 Mountain Blvd., in Montclair. One of the robbery counts and the attempted robbery count are for a holdup Wednesday at the Chase Bank, 3310 International Blvd. The suspect wore a mask in each robbery, including a full-face "storm trooper" style in some of them.
Officer Nick Calonge said Blue has denied involvement in the robberies.
Calonge said police believe the robberies were carried out so that Blue, who is unemployed, could get money for personal needs, including caring for his young child.
The Bank of the West robberies happened on July 26, Aug. 1 and Aug. 26. In the last robbery, two tellers were robbed after police said Blue, holding a wooden baton in his hand, jumped a counter and looted two cash drawers.
Police believe Blue returned to the bank about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday to try to rob it a fourth time. But alert employees saw him and locked the door, preventing him from getting inside.
Police said he then went to the Chase bank about 1:30 p.m., robbed one teller and attempted to rob another before fleeing on foot. He was captured nearby, and a backpack containing some of the money, a baton and the Storm trooper mask was recovered.
Blue graduated in 2010 from Skyline High School, where he was a champion hurdler on the track team. In June 2010, he won the 110-meter high hurdles and 300-meter hurdles at the Oakland Section Championships. He was to participate in the state championships but was unable to do so because of a leg injury.
In May 2010, he was named an East Bay Prep Athlete of the Year by the Bay Area News Group. He was also named a BANG Athlete of the Week in April 2010 after winning the 110-meter hurdles at the Stanford Invitational in a time of 13.86, one of the top five times in the country.


text:
Historical perspective: cultural policies and instruments
2. Competence, decision-making and administration
2.1 Organisational structure (organigram)
2.2 Overall description of the system
2.3 Inter-ministerial or intergovernmental co-operation
2.4 International cultural co-operation
2.4.1 Overview of main structures and trends
2.4.2 Public actors and cultural diplomacy
2.4.3 European / international actors and programmes
2.4.4 Direct professional co-operation
2.4.5 Cross-border intercultural dialogue and co-operation
2.4.6 Other relevant issues
3. General objectives and principles of cultural policy
3.1 Main elements of the current cultural policy model
3.2 National definition of culture
3.3 Cultural policy objectives
4. Current issues in cultural policy development and debate
4.1 Main cultural policy issues and priorities
4.2 Recent policy issues and debates
4.2.1 Cultural minorities, groups and communities
4.2.2 Language issues and policies
4.2.3 Intercultural dialogue: actors, strategies, programmes
4.2.4 Social cohesion and cultural policies
4.2.5 Media pluralism and content diversity
4.2.6 Culture industries: policies and programmes
4.2.7 Employment policies for the cultural sector
4.2.8 New technologies and cultural policies
4.2.9 Heritage issues and policies
4.2.10 Gender equality and cultural policies
4.3 Other relevant issues and debates
5. Main legal provisions in the cultural field
5.1 General legislation
5.1.1 Constitution
5.1.2 Division of jurisdiction
5.1.3 Allocation of public funds
5.1.4 Social security frameworks
5.1.5 Tax laws
5.1.6 Labour laws
5.1.7 Copyright provisions
5.1.8 Data protection laws
5.1.9 Language laws
5.2 Legislation on culture
5.3 Sector specific legislation
5.3.1 Visual and applied arts
5.3.2 Performing arts and music
5.3.3 Cultural heritage
5.3.4 Literature and libraries
5.3.5 Architecture and environment
5.3.6 Film, video and photography
5.3.7 Culture industries
5.3.8 Mass media
5.3.9 Legislation for self-employed artists
5.3.10 Other areas of relevant legislation
6. Financing of culture
6.1 Short overview
6.2 Public cultural expenditure per capita
6.3 Public cultural expenditure broken down by level of government
6.4 Sector breakdown
7. Cultural institutions and new partnerships
7.1 Re-allocation of public responsibilities
7.2 Status/role and development of major cultural institutions
7.3 Emerging partnerships or collaborations
8. Support to creativity and participation
8.1 Direct and indirect support to artists
8.1.1 Special artists funds
8.1.2 Grants, awards, scholarships
8.1.3 Support to professional artists associations or unions
8.2 Cultural consumption and participation
8.2.1 Trends and figures
8.2.2 Policies and programmes
8.3 Arts and cultural education
8.3.1 Arts education
8.3.2 Intercultural education
8.4 Amateur arts, cultural associations and community centres
8.4.1 Amateur arts
8.4.2 Cultural houses and community cultural clubs
9. Sources and Links
9.1 Key documents on cultural policy
9.2 Key organizations and portals
Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe: a compendium of basic facts and trends is
a transnational project initiated by the Council of Europe and has been running since 1998 as a joint venture with the European Institute for Comparative Cultural Research (ERICarts).
It is a unique (on-line and off-line) information system which provides easy access to data, facts, trends and summaries of current debates on national cultural policy developments in Europe.
Politiques culturelles en Europe: un recueil de faits et tendances est un projet transnational lancé par le Conseil de l'Europe, et est mené depuis 1988 en partenariat avec l'Institut européen de recherche pour les politiques culturelles comparées et les Arts (ERICarts). Il constitue un unique système d'information, à la fois consultable sur internet et en publication écrite. Celui-ci procure un accès simple aux données, faits, tendances et résumés de débats actuels sur les développements des politiques culturelles nationales en Europe


text:
ELMONT, N.Y. - Track announcer Tom Durkin, who has been bringing his special brand of excitement to The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit since 1990, announced today he will call his last race at Saratoga Race Course on August 31, bringing a 43-year career to a close.
"I want to thank all of the fans that have been so supportive over the years, my colleagues at NYRA and countless others who have helped me along over four decades," said Durkin, 63. "I thought that 24 years here at NYRA was enough and that 25 might have been too many. It has been an honor and a privilege to have been given the best seat in the house to some of the greatest moments in modern racing history."
Born in Chicago, Durkin studied theatre at St. Norbert College and began calling races at county fairs in Wisconsin in the summer of 1971. In 1975, he moved on to ply his trade at a string of small tracks including Cahokia Downs, Balmoral Race Course, Quad City Downs and Miles Park before landing the job at famed Hialeah Race Course in 1981. Three years later, he was hired as the announcer for the annual Breeders' Cup, a job he held until 2005, and gained further fame calling the Triple Crown for a decade beginning in 2001.
"Tom Durkin is one of the greatest race-callers in history, and we are fortunate to have had him with us here in New York for so many years," said NYRA President and CEO Chris Kay, who recalled that his first visit to a racetrack was at Cahokia Downs, where Durkin was calling the races. "The way Tom uses his voice to build to a crescendo is unparalleled, and the words he uses to describe races are pure magic. We are disappointed to see such a storied career finally come to a close, but we are grateful to have had the opportunity to enjoy his race-calling for so long. We wish him all the best in the next chapter of his life."
Some of Durkin's most memorable calls have come on the NYRA circuit of Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. In 2007, he captured Rags to Riches' historic victory in the Belmont Stakes thusly:
"And at the top of the stretch, a filly is in front at the Belmont! But Curlin is right there with her! These two, in a battle of the sexes in the Belmont Stakes! It is Curlin on the inside! Rags to Riches on the outside! A desperate finish! Rags to Riches and Curlin! They're coming down to the wire! It's going to be very close! And it's going to be...A FILLY IN THE BELMONT! Rags to Riches has beaten Curlin and a hundred years of Belmont history!"
In the 1998 Belmont Stakes, Durkin brought out every ounce of drama to the nail-biting finish of Real Quiet's failed bid for the Triple Crown:
"As they come to the final sixteenth, Kent Desormeaux imploring Real Quiet to hold on! Victory Gallop, a final surge! It's going to be very close! Here's the wire! ... [pause] ... IT'S TOO CLOSE TO CALL! Was it Real Quiet or was it Victory Gallop? A picture is worth a thousand words. This photo is worth FIVE MILLION DOLLARS. OH, NO! History in the waiting, on hold, till we get that photo finish!"
In addition to his flair for the dramatic, Durkin's sense of humor has stood him in good stead, especially when dealing with quirky names such as the New York-bred with the pirate-themed name Arrrr A video of that race, and other memorable calls by Durkin, can be viewed at: http://www.nyra.com/belmont/fans/tom-durkin/
"It's been exciting," said Durkin of his tenure at NYRA. "And just as importantly, it's been fun."


text:
mk 11 brutality
Mortal Kombat 11 Brutality
There's a possible chance that MK 11 may have Brutality added. Brutality is currently presents in new Mortal Kombat X. Brutality was introduced with Mortal Kombat Trilogy. The continues beating in the end of a fight was in trilogy, it was similar to Killer instinct brutally killing the opponent. So hoping that NetherRealms bring this back again. Since we all love fatalities. If Mortal Kombat 11 game trailer video of brutally killing Scorpian is not going to be part of the game then please Ed Boon make it happen for Mortak Kombat fans.


text:
Learn the Solo! Last Rock n Roll Star
Killer guitarist Chelsea Constable teaches you how to play the solo to Paul Gilbert's Last Rock n Roll Star.
November 9, 2012
Chelsea shreds through the complex techniques involved in mastering this piece with ease and then teaches you how to do the same, right here: last_r_and_r_star. Impressive stuff!
The bass rhythm and other lead parts on the backing track were also supplied by Chelsea, with drum work taken care of by Charles "Frog" Nelms.
Chelsea Plays Heritage Series G12M and G12H.


text:
I've written from time to time about the important Maryland Senate race. The Republicans will run Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, a popular African-American. But Maryland is a heavily Democratic state, and this does not seem like a year in which it will tilt Republican. Thus, as popular and attractive as Steele is, the notion that he can claim this seat seems, on its face, far-fetched.
Until one considers the bitter primary race on the Democratic side. That battle bits Rep. Benjamin Cardin against Kweisi Mfume, an African-American who once headed the NAACP. The common wisdom has been that Cardin, backed by the Democratic establishment, will defeat Mfume and that, particularly in the face of Mfume's bitterness about even the prospect of that outcome, many black voters will stay home or maybe even vote for Steele.
However, a Washington Post poll finds that Mfume is in the lead. Actually, the poll shows mostly how wide-open the primary is — Mfume leads among registered Democrats by 31-25, with 32 percent saying they don't know whom they will vote for. Moreover, whites seem to make up a disproportionately high percentage of the undecided which, given the extent to which race correlates with preference in this poll, is a good sign for Cardin.
Although an Mfume victory would likely be a blow for Steele when it comes to making major inroads with black voters, and would probably produce a less visibly divided Democratic party, the poll shows that an Mfuse victory would boost Steele among white voters. In fact, the poll shows Steele trailing Cardin by 10 percentage points (49-39) and Mfume by only three (46-43).


text: Nothing is better than a long night of hardcore anal sex. We stand proud and sweaty when looking down on a ravaged asshole oozing with a creampie of our own jizz. It's not just about the orgasm, it's the process of relentless butt fucking that makes the experience so enjoyable and Spankwire.com lets you relive that moment whenever you want. We have unlimited free queer porn videos that give you full access to a wide variety of hardcore adult entertainment that's nothing short of extraordinary. Watch ebony pornstars with huge black cocks penetrate the tight asshole of a 18+ teen stud for the first time. Listen to those twinks holler and scream as they reach multiple orgasms during an endless barrage of hard pounding anal fucking. Handsome asian men are stripping in front of their bedroom webcams and letting you look at their gaping butthole before commencing with a long masturbation session, only to be joined by their horny partner who instantly turns it up a notch. From deepthroat blowjobs to interracial group sex and hardcore gang bangs, it's all here for your viewing pleasure. You'll be licking your lips and wanting to stuff your mouth with a thick dick until your chin is dripping with sticky jizz. Grab a twink ass and squeeze the muscular biceps of your nearest gym bunny. There's plenty of fun to be had when naked hunks get together with mature chicken hawks for queer anal sex on Spankwire.com.


text:
In honor of my mother's birthday (yesterday), I am sharing some genealogy news about our mother line.
Our maternal line from Nana/Grandmother, Frances Lenore Myers, has been mtDNA (mitochondrial) tested (thanks to a Christmas gift from Kendra) and it is:
Maternal Haplogroup: H7(Specifically H7a1, a subgroup of H7. )
H is associated with northern Europe and is the most common haplogroup in Europe. It is also referred to as "Helena."
The mtDNA test tracks the mitochondrial markers in a woman's DNA. This is the "umbilical" line, DNA which has been passed down identically in the mitochondria of each cell from mother, to daughter, to granddaughter, and on, in an unbroken line, for thousands of years!
When a mutation occurs in the mitochondrial DNA, which it does naturally, it is passed on to the next generation, creating a living record that tags those people carrying that DNA from then on. Scientists use this change in DNA, called a "marker," as a way of tracking where people lived at various times in history. All people with the same markers are categorized in groups called haplogroups.
This is deep ancestry, thousands of years ago. Brian Sykes in his book, 7 Daughters of Eve, tracks mitochondrial DNA back to 7 original women, who he calls "Ursula, Xenia, Helena, Velda, Tara, Katrine and Jasmine." These 7 lived from 20,000-45,000 years ago, the direct ancestors of all modern Europeans alive today! Article on Brian Sykes and 7 Daughters of Eve
Of the 4 great-grandparents that we have in common, Gates/La Salle, Myers/Gorton, we know that the Goetz's came from Germany and La Salle we think was from Austria/Alsace Lorraine. The Myers/Maiers line was also probably from Germany.
Now, with this test, we learn that the fourth line, Nana/Grandmother's maternal line, although recently from Ohio, and before that, from the New Haven, CT, colony, was originally from northern Europe.
We could have guessed this since Nana/Grandmother's maternal great-grandmother, Emaline Hotchkiss, and Emaline's maternal ancestors, (the furthest back is Priscilla WHITSON) were all from the New Haven Colony in CT, whose settlers in 1638 were English.
If we follow the mother line, (the surname changes each generation because the daughter takes her husband's name), the names after Hotchkiss are all standard English names: 1GATES, 2 Frances MYERS, 3 Mary GORTON, 4 Frances ROBERTS, 5 Emaline HOTCHKISS 6 Hannah WOODING, 7 Hannah HOLBROOK, 8 Priscilla COLLINS, 9 Abigail THOMPSON, 10 Priscilla POWELL, 11 Priscilla WHITSON. (See chart below of the mother line from Connie Gates to Priscilla Whitson.)
The New Haven Colony was formed in 1638 by a group of Puritans who wanted a STRICTER religious governance than existed in Massachusetts Bay Colony! Priscilla Whitson either came from England or was already in Mass. Bay Colony when the New Haven colony formed. Their theocracy in New Haven, a government based entirely on religion, only lasted one generation. In 1664, they joined with the Connecticut Colony which was secularily-based and much more tolerant of other religions.
What is interesting is that this maternal line, which has been reproducing for 40,000 years or so, is in danger (in our family) of dying out. Since it is only passed from mother to daughter, only the daughters of Nana/Grandmother's daughters carry it. That would be Connie's and Fran's daughters. We know who we are!
Connie and Fran's 4 daughters have produced 5 daughters (and 4 sons) born since 1966, and none of these daughters have had any daughters of their own, only sons. True, there is still time and women are having children later in life these days, but it's looking like the Gates mother line may not survive in our family.
Of course our entire H line will not die out. If any of the sisters of any of our ancestors had daughters (like Mary Gorton's sister, Ella; Frances Lucinda Roberts' sisters, Mary Ann, Emma and Ellen; or Emaline Hotchkiss' 5 sisters...), then they would also carry the same H line down through their daughters.
So think on those things dear Gates cousins. Perhaps when Sharon goes to the LDS library this week she may find more on the origins of Priscilla Whitson, the furthest back we go on the maternal line. Priscilla Whitson was born about 1616, married Thomas Powell in 1637 and came to the New Haven, CT, Colony in 1638 when it was formed. But where was she from?
And for the Gates males who might be feeling left out, why don't we do a Y DNA test (cost is about $240), and we could all see where the Goetz line has traveled. Not only would we find out where our distant Goetz men originated, but we might find some other Gates relatives who match our DNA who we didn't suspect existed. All we need is one male, who carries the Gates name, to test.
The oldest one is usually the best one to test, since younger men may have already had a mutation, but younger ones will do. We could even chip in if the cost seemed high. 15 of us at $15 each would do it. Do we know any Gates men who might be interested in spitting in a vial to find out something about our ancestry? I have discovered my Davis paternal line by having my brother take the test so would love to give advice.
An interesting springtime project?
For those of you who want to read more, here's some info on the H haplogroup of Nana/Grandmother's maternal line from the 23 and Me website. Will let you know if I find any significant matches to my test. Maybe we have a H7 cousin out there?
The Mother of all Mothers (the MoM), our common maternal ancestor, lived in Africa about 175,000 years ago.
Chart below is Locations of haplogroup H circa 500 years ago, before the era of intercontinental travel.
About 21,000 years ago an intensification of Ice Age conditions blanketed much of Eurasia with mile-thick glaciers and squeezed people into a handful of ice-free refuges in Iberia, Italy, the Balkans and the Caucasus. Several branches of haplogroup H arose during that time, and after the glaciers began receding about 15,000 years ago most of them played a prominent role in the repopulation of the continent.
H1 and H3 expanded dramatically from the Iberian Peninsula, along the Atlantic coast and into central and northern Europe. Other branches, such as H5a and H13a1, expanded from the Near East into southern Europe. After a 1,000-year return to Ice Age conditions about 12,000 years ago, yet another migration carried haplogroup H4 from the Near East northward into Russia and eastern Europe.
Haplogroup H achieved an even wider distribution later one with the spread of agriculture and the rise of organized military campaigns. It is now found throughout Europe and at lower levels in Asia, reaching as far south as Arabia and eastward to the western fringes of Siberia.
Royal LinesBecause it is so common in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria.


text:
Find a Branch, ATM or Key Private Bank office
161 E Market St
Nappanee, INIndiana 46550Get driving directions
Open Today:Schedule an Appointment
- Sat.
- Sun.
- Mon.
- Tue.
- Wed.
- Thur.
- Fri.
- Sat.
- Sun.
- Mon.
- Tue.
- Wed.
- Thur.
- Fri.
Features & Services
- KeyBank Relationship Rewards
- Safe Deposit Box
- Investment Services
- Night Deposit
About KeyBank Nappanee
Welcome to KeyBank Nappanee! We'll help you find a financial solution that fits your needs. At KeyBank Nappanee, you'll find ATMs, KeyBank Relationship Rewards, Safe Deposit Boxes, Investment Services for your convenience. Your local KeyBank is here for you, no matter what stage of life you're in. Visit your local branch today or contact us at 574-773-3101. Let's work together to find the best financial solution to fit your situation.
See Where the Right Checking Account Can Take You
Get a checking account that helps you budget.
See Checking Accounts
Whatever your goals, a KeyBank checking account can help you reach them.


text:
Richmond Wedding: Santia and TyJuly 28th, 2014
We are thrilled to bring you the wedding of Santia and Ty today! This amazing couple was so fun to work with and we couldn't have been more honored to be a part of their big day. Thanks to Joe Morris Photography, we are sharing a few of our favorite moments and photos from their Historic Mankin Mansion wedding. Enjoy!
Congratulations to Santia and Ty! Thank you to Joe Morris Photography for providing us with these lovely photos!
See you soon,
Paula & Martin Ramirez
Paula and Martin Ramirez are the proprietors of Historic Mankin Mansion, a wedding resort just minutes from Downtown Richmond. They enjoy new restaurant finds, Virginia wines and discovering fun events and activities throughout the area for their guests."


text:
The Moscow International Musical Arts Center on Red Hills is built under the initiative of the mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov and the world famous musician and public figure Vladimir Spivakov with the finance support of the Government of Moscow. Though Moscow is one of the biggest cultural centers of the world this center is the first concert hall for the classical music built in the city in the last 100 years.
The first stone in the foundation of the building was placed on the arrow of Red Hill Island on September 7, 2000. The Center was built in 18 months by the Turk Company "Enka" on the project of The Comradeship of Theatre Architects (the architects are Y. Gnedovsky, V. Krasilnikov).
On December 26, 2002 the ceremony of the opening of the MIPAC took place. At the Ceremony participated President of The Russian Federation Vladimir Putin who compared the Center with "a beautiful glass cup" and noted that "the Ceremony is a bright event not only in the cultural life of Moscow but for all the country".
The MIPAC is the central element of a large architectural ensemble situated on the Krasnokholmskaya Embankment of The Moscow-River. It has a beautiful view on the ancient Novospassky Monastery.
The cupola of the MIPAC is crowned with a treble clef performed by Zeretely. The height of the construction is 9, 5 meters. The clef weights about two tons and additional details – some four tons. The complex role mechanism allows the construction to rotate like a weathervane.
Finally the MIPAC is supposed to include not only three concert halls but also a first-class hotel, a restaurant, musical and flower shops and a saloon of the company "Bluttner".
The concert activity of the Center in its Grand and Chamber Halls began in mid March 2003. In May 2003 Theater Hall opened.
In the first months of the Center's activity performed such world famous musician and artists as Kent Nagano, Lucian Pavarotti, Vladimir Spivakov, Valery Gergiev, Yuri Bashmet, Zurab Sotkilava, Denis Mazuev, "The Orchestra of the World", The Russian National Orchestra, The Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater, The Russian Academic Symphonic Orchestra, The Academy of Choir Art under the direction of V. Popov, The Ensemble "German brass", and also famous masters of the domestic jazz – A. Croll, I. Bril, A. Kozlov.
Not only art and music events but also such public events as NIKA Awards (cinema award) and SLAVA Awards (sport awards) took place in the MIPAC.
All the three halls are available for organization of corporate parties, conferences and congresses (you are welcome to receive more detailed information by contacting us).
The first president of the MIPAC – The National Artist of the Russian Federation, the laureate of the State premium Alexander Voroshilo – headed the Center since August 2002 till May 2003. in May 2003 by the bill of the mayor of Moscow on the office of the President of the Moscow International Performance Arts Center was appointed the national artist of the USSR, the laureate of the State premiums, the professor Vladimir Spivakov. The General Director of the MIPAC is Valery Gladir.
Vladimir Spivakov
Vladimir Spivakov (DOB 1944) - is the world famous violinist and conductor, a popular person, President of the Moscow International Performance Art Center (MIPAC).
As the soloist V. Spivakov performed with the most famous conductors of the world – L. Bernstein, C. Abbado, D. Sholty, C. Julini, E. Leiansdorf, C. Davis, S. Ozava, S. Meta. He recorded more than 30 disks for a famous American company RCA, among which a special attention should be paid to the cycle under the common title "Modern Portrait", including pieces by Webern, Shenberg, Shostakovich, Gubaidulina, Denisov, Pyart, Schnitke, Shedrin, Penderezky.
"The Virtuosi of Moscow" created by Mr. Spivakov – is one of the best chamber orchestras in the world. As a conductor Vladimir Spivakov worked together with the symphonic orchestras of Chicago, Philadelphia, Los-Angeles, San-Francisco, Cleveland, London, national orchestras of France, orchestras of theaters La Scala, Genuya, Academy "Santa-Cecilia", best Russian collectives.
In 1989 V. Spivakov organized an International music festival in Colmar (France), and he is still the chief of the Festival. Since 1989 V. Spivakov is the member of the jury of international competitions in Genuya, Paris, London, Montreal, he is the president of the competition Sarasate in Spain, the head of the jury in the violinists' competition after Tchaikovsky in Moscow and a violinists' competition in Monte-Carlo.
"The New York Times" called the now world-famous international beneficiary fund of Vladimir Spivakov "the shrine of goodness and light". The fund deals with improving of life conditions of orphan kids, helps to ill children, creates possibilities for development of young talents in all areas of art.
In January 2003 Vladimir Spivakov became the art-adviser and the chief conductor of the National Philharmonic of Russia.
Chamber Hall
The hall has 575 seats. On the contrary to the Grand, the Chamber Hall is decorated in muffled green-purple tones. The colonnade makes the room of the Hall grace and magnificent. The seats are placed in the form of amphitheater, there are also the lux boxes in the Hall. In a cozy buffet there is a table with Florence mosaic. In the Hall there is also an adjustable organ-positive of "Glatter Gёtz" with one manual and 7 registers. The dimensions of the stage: width – 12 meters, depth – 7 meters, heights – 7.5 meters


text:
Barrel Racing Saddles
Barrel Racing Saddles: Designed with a deeper seat and wide swells allowing the rider to stay put during fast sprints and hard turns. The taller horn provides the rider with more stability and control during tight turns and quick accelerations making it easier to acheive the proper seat.
Differences: Light weight, taller cantel, tall horn, and rounded skirt.
Perfect For: Fast sharp turns.
No data found
Barrel Racing
Barrel racing is a rodeo event within which a horse and rider plan to complete a clover-leaf pattern around predetermined barrels within the quickest time. Although each girls and boys vie at the youth level and men vie in some amateur venues, in body and skilled ranks, it's primarily a rodeo event for ladies. It combines the horse's athletic ability and also the acquisition skills of a rider so as to securely and with success maneuver a horse through a trefoil leaf pattern around 3 barrels (typically 3 55 gallon metal or plastic drums) placed in a triangle within the center of an arena.
In regular rodeo events, the aim is to form a run as quick as potential, whereas the time is being clocked either by an electronic eye, (a device employing a optical device system to record times), or by an arena attendant or choose who manually takes the time using the attention and a flag to let a clocker recognize once to hit the timer stop although this last methodology is additional ordinarily seen in native and non-professional events.
The timer begins once horse and rider cross the beginning line, and ends once the barrel pattern has been with success executed and horse and rider cross the line. The rider's time depends on many factors, most ordinarily the horse's physical and mental condition, the rider's skill level, and also the variety of ground or footing (the depth, quality, and content of the dirt or sand within the arena).
History of Barrel Racing originally developed as an event for women. While their husbands roped or rode bulls and broncs, the women barrel raced. Not much is known about the exact dates and details of barrel racing developments. It is believed that Barrel Racing first saw competitive light in the state of Texas.
The Girls Rodeo Association (GRA), instituted in 1949, was the first body of rodeo developed specifically for women. Women were allowed to compete in several events of rodeo. The GRA eventually officially became the WPRA in 1981, and the WPRA still allows women to compete in the various rodeo events as they like, but barrel racing remains the most popular event of competition.
Kay Blandford
Charmayne James
Jackie Dube
Mary Burger
Kelly Kaminski
Kelly Maben
Janet Stover
Fallon Taylor
Sharon Camarillo
Martha Josey
Cheri Cervi
Molly Powell
Kristie Peterson owner of Bozo
Taelor Furry
Current WPRA Pro Tour Leading Ladies
Denise Adams Fea
Kappy Allen
McKenzie Brower
Sherry Cervi
Amanda Clayman
Jackie Dube
Brandie Halls
June Holeman
Kelly Kaminski
Darlene Kasper
Tammy Key
Terri Kaye Kirkland
Sabrina Lay
Jolee Lautaret
Shali Lord
Kelly Maben
Megan McLeod
Rose Miller
Rachael Myllymaki
Liz Pinkston
Molly Powell
Brittany Pozzi
Maegan Reichert
Deb Renger
Paula Seay
Sheri Sinor Estrada
Lizzie Green [Black Bacardie]
Melanie Southard
Janet Stover
Delores Toole
Linda Vick
Barbra West


text:
Find hotels & motels in Abita Springs using the list below. Search for cheap and discounted hotel and motel rates in or close to Abita Springs, LA for your corporate or personal leisure travel. Explore the most favored Abita Springs, Louisiana motel and hotel rooms. Browse the Abita Springs area hotels to find the perfect lodging! Please use the provided map of the Abita Springs hotels.
The Abita Springs center is around 3 miles east of Riverbend Rehabilitation Hospital and 3 miles east of Metal Orchids and Wildlife.
How should we direct your call?


text:
Plenty of talent hits Fort Worth NIKE Camp
FORT WORTH, Texas - The Lone Star State is home to talented prospects each and every year. So when this year's NIKE Training Camp at Texas Christian University had several of those prospects from both inside the state and a great crop from outside the borders on hand this year, it wasn't a huge surprise.
That talent wasn't limited to just one position either as several players at a variety of different spots caught the eye of the position coaches and those on hand. However, the talk of the day was certainly the heated one-on-one competition between a very athletic group of both defensive backs and wide receivers.
There were certainly several players on both sides that stuck out, but at wide receiver South Grand Prairie (Texas) prospect Dewayne Peace walked away with the MVP award while it was an underclassman, the only 2010 prospect to pick up the honor, DeSoto, Texas's junior-to-be Adrian White.
"I think Adrian White, he made a lot of good plays during the one-on-ones, going against several of the good receivers here," defensive backs coach Eugene Jackson said. "He wasn't scared to step as underclassmen, and that's why we voted him the MVP because he made a lot of good plays."
Staying at defensive back, despite being bothered by a hamstring injury, Rivals100 cornerback Gabe Lynn felt like he still had to get out and compete. Lynn, the four-star prospect, made his way to Fort Worth even with a boatload of offers in hand, including a recent one from Southern Cal.
While backing up his lofty ranking, especially early on in agility work, Lynn said he was trying to be smart not to reinjure his hamstring, but couldn't help that competitive nature coming out.
"I knew I wanted to come and get out here so everybody could see me," Lynn said. "It was good. As soon as I got here, you're adrenaline gets going and you want to go against people. There was a lot of talent out here."
In a fairly deep and interesting collection of defensive backs, in all shapes and sizes, other guys that are looking to make a name for themselves were Mesquite, Texas cornerback Marcus Trice and safety Anthony Moore out of Converse Judson.
Trice while only at around 5-8, 170 pounds, says he's hoping his performance, especially several big plays in one-on-ones, will help get his name out.
"I'm hoping something comes from it," Trice said. "Zero offers. I don't know what it is. With my performance, hopefully word gets around that I can ball. Whoever is interested in me, I'm interested in them."
Other defensive backs that were noticed by those on hand and coach Jackson included Oklahoma commit Javon Harris, Lancaster, Texas safety Kerry Lewis, Texas Tech commit D.J. Johnson, and Edmond (Okla.) Santa Fe's Steven Sumpter. Other guys to watch include Waco (Texas) University's Rikko Harris, Dallas (Texas) Adamson's Roderick Goodlow, Garland (Texas) Naaman Forest's Terrance Bullitt.
At wide receiver, there was plenty of competition for the defensive backs on the campus of TCU.
Peace, the MVP at his position from South Grand Prairie, will be one to watch. His ability to make the tough catch despite going against a very aggressive group of DB's was impressive. With just two offers in hand from Kansas and SMU, things should continue to grow in the recruiting arena.
Texas commit Greg Timmons was a guy that showed well in one-on-one competition along with Austin, Texas' Emory Blake who looks solid in his route running. It's also easy to see Blake is focusing on producing after the catch. Keller (Texas) Central's Jarrod Darden, who has picked up early offers from the likes of North Carolina, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech, looks the part of a big wide receiver. With toughness, he could also be a tight end who could stretch the field with added weight.
Other big receivers on hand that had some nice showing included Houston (Texas) Lamar's Josh Gordon, who showed somewhat deceptive speed at times and a big frame.
As for the tight ends, it was hard to miss Texas A&M commit Hutson Prioleau who looks all of his listed 6-foot-5, 230-plus pound frame. Though he's a big guy, he showed good hands in a group that had several sleek hybrid type tight ends.
One guy to keep an eye on is Dallas South Oak Cliff's James Phillips. He didn't see a lot of action as a junior, but he's a guy that looks the part coming in looking well over 6-foot-3 and adding to an impressive frame. He's the pass-catching type tight end programs are looking for to develop. His stock should rise after Saturday.
At the running back position, there were certainly several bright spots.
Mansfield (Texas) Timberview running back Eric Stephens, though only at around the 5-foot-9 mark, showed why he had a big season last year rushing for 1,906 yards with a gaudy 9.4 yards per carry. Stephens picked up the MVP award after showing well in really all portions of the drills.
Other prospects who showed why they have early offers included Sherman, Texas' Waymon James who only at a little under 5-foot-8, is put together at 190 pounds and has the burst you look for. Plano, Texas' Rex Burkhead also showed why he has picked up countless amounts of offers from all over the country.
Burkhead, a hard worker on and off the field, showed his quickness in several position drills. The humble player showed why he was productive for his team this past season as a do-it-all athlete.
Of course it was hard not to notice the fast-rising junior-to-be, 2010 Temple, Texas prospect Lache Seastrunk. Seastrunk, who's film has made its way around the internet already, showed how dynamic of a running back he can be with the ball in his hands. He should have no problem already building on the already big attention he's receiving. Also Tulsa (Okla.) Union runner Jeremy Smith, an Oklahoma State commit, looks to be another good pickup in-state for the Cowboys.
On the two lines, several players drew praise but probably none more than Alex Okafor who truly has added a lot to his frame since hitting camps and combines last summer. The Texas commit was the first guy mentioned by defensive line coach Marty Spaulding when asked who stood out.
"Well, he's just unbelievably athletic and as fast, and quick as anybody I've seen in a couple of years," Spaulding said. "His upside is tremendous because he's a guy, that his frame is so big, he's so tall that if he wanted to gain 40 pounds, there is no limit to what this guy can do."
Other guys that impressed Spaulding included North Little Rock (Ark.) High School end Anthony Rogers and Stanley Maponga from Carrollton (Texas) Hebron. Also at defensive end Randall Dent and Nosa Eguae showed flashes and looked the part of a pair of DFW area guys with more than one offer in hand. Eguae is likely to be a defensive end on the next level and has a lot of natural ability while Dent is a strongside guy but could move inside with that impressive frame.
In terms of interior defensive lineman, Spaulding among others commented on the abilities seen in South Grand Prairie's Joey Searcy and Albert Sparks. Texas A&M defensive tackle Chris Henderson also drew some notice with his lean frame that could stand to add weight and quickness, despite there not being a lot of film circulating around out there on him.
On the offensive line, there was no missing the 6-foot-6, 340-pound plus North Mesquite's Josh Aladenoye who claims on offer in hand from Oklahoma State, but he's also expecting Texas Tech to come by the school during the evaluation period. While Aladenoye picked up the MVP award, two other players drew notice such as Aurora, Neb., 2010 product Andrew Rodriguez and Keller, Texas' offensive guard Nick Ash.
Though Rodriguez was only working out for the first 20 minutes or so before being sidelined with a minor injury, he impressed right up to that point. Coming in well over 6-foot-5 and 291 pounds along with being built, his feet impressed as well during the early portion of agility work. He will certainly be one to watch over the course of the next two years at the high school level.
At the linebacker position, it was again the same story: Plenty of talent in all shapes and sizes.
It was hard not to notice Texas commit, big inside linebacker prospect Tariq Allen when he walked in a little later during the early portion of the camp. Linebackers coach Chris Gizzy saw what he called a very football-smart, efficient group of players in his group on Saturday – including MVP winner Austin Jones from Dallas Lake Highlands.
"Honorable mention-wise, we might have a really long list from this camp," Gizzy said. "Jones just made big plays all day, dominated every drill, did great in one-on-ones – I don't know if we've ever had a guy get two interceptions in one, one-on-one period. He did fantastic."
Allen, along with Huldon Tharp from Mulvane, Kan., along with 2010 prospects Kurt Killens from Round Rock (Texas) McNeil and Trayvon Henry from Oklahoma City Millwood.
"The underclassmen I really want to note, I hope we get a chance to coach him next year is Killens," Gizzy said. "He's athletic, smooth, and I think as he gets more confident, his upper body will loosen up a bit. He's going to have a fine career. Tharp is a very athletic kid; Allen did very well, he ran out of steam a little bit at the end, but he's moving a big body around that whole time. He did a great job in our matchup drill with the running backs, blitzing, and also in sideline tackling.
"He's going to be a force."
Last but certainly not least was the quarterback position, which was populated with many of the signal callers that came to compete at the Elite 11 event the day before.
Much in the same way he shined on Friday, Andrew Maxwell, a Michigan State commit, impressed.
"Very sound mechanics on his drop, he knows how to measure up his steps and anticipate routes," said former NFL quarterback Tee Martin. "He's very, very accurate. He also has a maturity about himself that I think will translate to the next level."
Other guys that drew Martin's eye was Mesquite, Texas senior-to-be Luke Halpin, Bryce Petty from Midlothian, Texas, and Drew Hollingshead from Rockwall Heath. Petty and Hollingshead, like Maxwell, drew praise for consistency and upside at the Elite 11 workout and that continued in the eyes of those on hand for both events.
Spring Branch (Texas) Smithson Valley wide receiver Cody Matthews won the SPARQ MVP award for his a very solid set of times at a NIKE combine this year. That included a 4.43-second 40-yard dash and a 4.03 shuttle.


text:
Those that have followed me for a while might have seen me previously complain at journalism that's misleading, wrong, or outright fictitious. Now I've got another case...
This article by Ed Bott at ZDNet:
Linux infection proves Windows malware monopoly is over; Gentoo ships backdoor? [updated]
The article was first published 2010/06/12 20:37 UTC.
It claims to be "worse" when updated at 2010/06/14 19:30 UTC.
Gentoo had a revision bump to a known good copy of the tarball at 2010/06/12 16:34 UTC (using a different filename, and verified against the GPG signature provided by upstream), so it was ALREADY fixed when the article was published. The old revision was explicitly removed at 2010/06/12 21:18 UTC.
Commit data for fixes:
Changes for unrealircd-184.108.40.206-r1.ebuild
Changes for unrealircd-18.104.22.168.ebuild
The trojaned tarball was then removed from the Gentoo master mirror at 2010/06/13 08:00 UTC, about 11 hours after the article was published. It would have been sooner, but it was a matter of bad timing.
The article also claims: "There's a great deal of comment in the Talkback section of this post about how official repositories can be trusted. It appears that system broke down thoroughly in this case."
This claim is bogus. The developer that updated the package made perhaps a mistake in trusting that the upstream had not been tampered with. However, in lacking anything to verify against (the upstream apparently did not sign releases at that point), he couldn't have detected the backdoor except by manual inspection of all the code. He downloaded the package AFTER it had been tampered with (2009/11/11 I believe), so he never saw the tamper-free version either.
The entire point of the Gentoo Manifests are to ensure that OUR mirrors are not the point where a compromise is introduced. We can detect upstream changes by this same mechanism, but they mostly tend to be upstream deciding to 'fix' something without bumping the version number. In this regard, they functioned perfectly.
P.S. I'm not saying the existing Gentoo mirroring is perfect either, see my prior writings on tree-signing, and the "Attacks on Package Manager" papers by Cappos et al., which are blocked only with the full tree-signing system.


text:
China's December exports, along with other data due out this week, are likely to point to a blockbuster turnaround from the glum conditions of recent months.
The data release, which begins in earnest Thursday with the publication of monthly export and import figures, could bolster the view that Chinese industry is on an upswing, marking a reversal from recent weakness.
Hong Kong brokerage Reorient believes earlier-released Taiwanese data, which showed the island's December shipments to both China and the euro zone improving strongly for the month, is a harbinger of what lies ahead from the Beijing-based statisticians who track China's trade activity with the world.
Reorient forecasts China's exports for the month up 5% from a year earlier, lifting the value of goods shipped to around $180 billion. Imports are also to reflect improving conditions, rising 3% on year, with inbound shipments to top $165 billion, according to Reorient.
Lackluster demand in Europe and the U.S. should be offset by gains in shipments to Southeast Asia, where the emerging consumer classes are behind a major consumption boom, according to Reorient.
A further pickup in China's imports of raw materials is also expected, with December data likely to reinforce the view of improving conditions. Australian trade data showed iron-ore shipments to China in a huge revival in December, a likely tipoff of the upbeat figures that can be expected from the official Chinese data, Reorient said.
Monthly bank-lending data should also point to easing credit conditions. Monthly new loans are likely to exceed 550 billion yuan ($88.32 billion), according to Reorient. The research house said it lifted its earlier view of 470 billion yuan in monthly new-loan issuance following media reports that indicated China's big four banks, which typically account for 30% of lending, had issued 163 billion yuan in loans for the month.
Friday's data releases will show consumer prices up 2.5% from a year earlier, fueled in part by higher food prices amid a patch of cold weather, according to Reorient.
Wholesale inflation data, also due out Friday, should also point to a further easing in deflationary pressures, the research house said. Producer prices will print at negative 1.8%, showing an easing in deflation of 2.2% in November, according to Reorient.
-- Chris Oliver
Follow The Tell on Twitter @thetellblog


text:
Back to School Events
NCLB Update
IDEA Regulations
Perkins Reauthorization
Higher Education Activities
NCES Reports
Quote to Note
Upcoming Events
Back to School Events
On August 22, Secretary Spellings kicked-off her second Back to School season by helping open the Davidson Academy, a school for the profoundly gifted on the campus of the University of Nevada at Reno (http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2006/08/
08222006b.html). Then, yesterday, she visited Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, a New Orleans magnet school that was the first non-charter public school to reopen after the hurricanes, opening its doors to all students (http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2006/08/
08242006.html). "With No Child Left Behind, we set an historic goal to ensure every child, regardless of race, income, or zip code, can read and do math on grade level by 2014," she explained. "And, in schools all across the country, in all different types of neighborhoods, with all different kinds of students, teachers and educators are getting the job done. We can and will reach our goal, but to do so we must run faster, hold our schools accountable, and encourage innovation. If we raise the bar of expectations, our students will achieve to new levels." During the next month, Department officials will visit all 50 states, spotlighting students, teachers, schools, and communities that are excelling.
As part of Back to School, the agency is honoring 2006 American Stars of Teachingteachers who are improving student achievement (some of them are nearing 100% proficiency!) and using innovative strategies to make a difference in the lives of their students. One American Star will be recognized in every state and the District of Columbia during surprise school visits. For more information, please go to http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/tools/initiative/
Also this week, in separate events, Deputy Secretary Ray Simon (8/22, Louisiana) and Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Henry Johnson (today, Mississippi) announced the donation of 200,000 Random House children's books under the Gulf Coast Back to School Book Donation. This initiative, a joint venture between the Department and First Book, is designed to replenish reading materials in hurricane-affected communities. For more information, please go to http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2006/08/08222006.html.
NCLB Update (http://www.nochildleftbehind.gov/)
The Department has published Fiscal Year 2006 Title I allocations by school district. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, school districts must spend up to 20 percent of their Title I, Part A allocation to cover school choice-related transportation costs and pay for supplemental educational services. Districts have some discretion to determine the allocation of funds between the activities, but they must spend at least one-quarter (five percent) of the 20 percent "reservation" on each activity if there is demand for both. Moreover, for supplemental services, districts are required to pay the lesser of the actual cost or an amount equal to the district's Title I, Part A allocation divided by poor students in the district, as determined by Census Bureau estimates. For more information, please go to http://www.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/titlei/fy06/. (Note: The actual amounts received by districts will be smaller than shown due to state-level adjustments.)
Also, the Department has released initial peer review feedback and related information on revised Highly Qualified Teacher state plans. The vast majority of states made "serious efforts" to develop plans for having experienced, well-trained educators in classrooms, particularly in disadvantaged, low-performing schools. Indeed, based on the analysis of a team of external experts, nine statesKansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, and South Dakotasatisfied all six criteria outlined in guidance from the agency, while 37 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico partially satisfied these criteria and will be required to improve their plans by September 26. However, four states failed to sufficiently meet any of the requirements. These states will have to undergo auditing and monitoring of their teacher quality data and, with federal support, submit new plans by November 1. For more information, please go to http://www.ed.gov/programs/teacherqual/hqtplans/. (Note: A fact sheet is available at http://www.ed.gov/nclb/methods/teachers/stateplanfacts.html.)
IDEA Regulations
On August 3, after a year-and-a-half-long process, Secretary Spellings announced new regulations for Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The regulations, aligned with No Child Left Behind, focus on ensuring that students with disabilities achieve to high standards. They further provide flexibility in spending resources to ensure that students with disabilities are identified early and accurately, and they receive the support they need; ensure that students with disabilities have highly qualified teachers; reduce paperwork for educators and administrators; and strengthen parents' involvement in their children's education. The Department has prepared a user-friendly package to guide the public through the changes, including an analysis of the public's comments and a summary of the significant changes since the draft regulations' publication. Also, the agency has posted some model forms for Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), notices of procedural safeguards, and prior written notices. For more information, please go to http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/
idea2004.html. (Note: A fact sheet is available at http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/speced/ideafactsheet.html.)
Perkins Reauthorization
On August 14, President Bush signed into law the reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The act, last amended in 1998, governs the flow of about $1.3 billion in federal aid to state and local work-related classes, programs, and training. Among the notable changes: references to "vocational" have been updated to "career and technical"; CTE programs will be required to report state test results and graduation rates, as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act; and CTE programs will be required to establish "programs of study," or plans for integrating academic- and career-oriented courses leading to a degree or industry certification. For more information, please go to http://edworkforce.house.gov/press/press109/second/
08aug/vocedsigning081406.htm. (Note: The Secretary's statement is available at http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2006/07/07292006.html.)
Higher Education Activities
After eight meetings and a year of debate, the Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education has reached strong consensus on a list of recommendations for revamping the nation's higher education system. The draft report (posted online) offers proposals in six areas: access, cost and affordability, financial aid, learning, transparency and accountability, and innovation. Chairman Charles Miller will formally present the final report to the Secretary in mid-September. For more information, please go to http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/hiedfuture/. (Note: The Secretary's statement is available at http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2006/08/08102006.html.)
The Department's Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) continues to add to its list of frequently asked questions and answers concerning Academic Competitiveness (AC) and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) grants. Many of the list's specific questions can be generalized to scenarios at different schools. For more information, please go to http://www.ifap.ed.gov/IFAPWebApp/currentHERAPag.jsp?p1=c (see left-hand margin).
The Department's Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) intends to establish up to four negotiated rulemaking committees to develop draft regulations under Title IV of the Higher Education Act. In preparation for these committees, OPE will hold a set of regional hearings to solicit issues (including both the items noted above) that should be considered for action. For more information, please go to http://www.ed.gov/policy/highered/reg/hearulemaking/
NCES Reports
Over the last month, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has published a variety of interesting studies. A sample:
- "The Digest of Education Statistics, 2005"a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006030).
- "Current Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: 2003-04" (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006352).
- "Public Libraries in the United States: 2004" (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006349).
- "A Closer Look at Charter Schools Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling"a unique re-analysis of 2003 data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), allowing a comparison of student achievement between traditional public schools and public charter schools (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006460). (Note: The Secretary's statement is at http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2006/08/
- "Student Financing of Undergraduate Education: 2003-04," with a special analysis of the net price of attendance and federal education tax benefits (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006186).
Quote to Note
"Every student deserves individual attention. And every student deserves to be challengedwhether you're rich or poor, black or white, a striving reader or reading Dickens at the age of four. If there's one thing I've learned in my travels around the country, it's that education is not a one-size-fits-all enterprise. Different children have different needs...."
|Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings (8/22/06),
delivering remarks at the new Davidson Academy in Reno
Upcoming Events
September is the American Library Association's Library Card Sign-Up Month. For more information, please go to http://www.ala.org/ala/pio/otherinit/card/librarycard.htm.
The National Mathematics Advisory Panel's third meeting is planned for September 13-14, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, please go to http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/.
A final reminder! The National Conference on Aviation and Space Education (NCASE) is scheduled for October 19-21 in Arlington, Virginia. Don't miss this opportunity to interact with educators, aviation and space personalities, and industry representatives. For more information, please go to http://www.ncase.info/.
Credits, Subscribe & Unsubscribe
Please feel free to contact the Office of Communications and Outreach with any questions:
Director, Intergovernmental AffairsRogers Johnson, (202) 401-0026, email@example.com
Program AnalystAdam Honeysett, (202) 401-3003, firstname.lastname@example.com
To be added or removed from distribution, or submit comments (we welcome your feedback!), please contact Adam Honeysett. Or, visit http://www.ed.gov/news/newsletters/edreview/index.html.
This newsletter contains hypertext links to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user's convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Furthermore, the inclusion of links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.


text: Here's the trailer for the four-part British miniseries A Young Doctor's Notebook starring Donald Draper as a grown up Harry Potter and Harry Potter as a young, much tinier Donald Draper. Donald Draper has a sort of alright English accent and, at one point, he and Harry Potter sit naked in a bathtub together. Does this do anything for you? Let me know if this does something for you.


text:
The Rolling Stones are preparing to re-release their 1972 classic album Exile On Main Street. Regarded as one of the greatest albums in rock 'n' roll history and one of the most defining of the Stones' catalogue, Exile On Main Street will be re-released on May 18th. Fans will be treated to 10 new tracks, including "Plundered My Soul", "Dancing in the Light", "Following the River" and "Pass the Wine", as well as alternate versions of "Soul Survivor" and "Loving Cup". To commemorate the release, The Rolling Stones have premiered their first video in years and it is a must see! The band's rockin' new single, "Plundered My Soul," off of the upcoming Exile On Main Street - Deluxe Edition can now be seen on Yahoo Music. The new single is also available now for download on iTunes exclusively for one week beginning today, Tuesday, April 20th!
The historic album from the English rock band will be available in the following formats:
CD - Remaster of the original 18-track release.
2-LP - Original 18-track album on two 180-gram heavyweight audiophile vinyl LPs in gatefold sleeve.
2-CD Deluxe Edition - Original 18-track release and 10 special bonus tracks.
2-CD+DVD+2-LP Super Deluxe Package - The incredible Exile On Main Street Super Deluxe box set includes the re-released album on CD and with a bonus disc of 10 never-released tracks produced by Jimmy Miller, The Glimmer Twins and Don Was, a 64 page clothbound collector's hardback book with photos from the Exile era, the double vinyl album in triple gatefold sleeve, a set of 4 postcards in an envelope and a DVD containing excerpts from the documentary Stones In Exile, the legendary Cocksucker Blues (filmed on the Stones 1972 tour of Exile) and Ladies and Gentlemen...The Rolling Stones. This limited edition box set is individually numbered and only available while supplies last.


text:
Microsoft and Yammer....Why? Why Now?
- 15-Jun-2012
The Wall Street Journal is confirming yesterday's rumor that Microsoft will acquire enterprise microblogging service Yammer for a generous $1.2 billion.
People are tripping over themselves to explain why this makes sense, but to me, it's a big shocker, and speaks volumes about what's happening -- or not happening -- in Redmond right now.
It's a shocker because Microsoft almost never makes acquisitions in technology segments that SharePoint nominally covers. Redmond has fiercely protected the SharePoint brand, copying innovations from smaller partners, rather than acquiring them. Microsoft has focused its SharePoint integration efforts on Office (the real cash-cow), and worked hard to keep the massive SharePoint codebase reasonably coherent. The downside to this approach is SharePoint's very sluggish, triennial update schedule.
So why did Microsoft break the mold here? Here's two plausible theories.
1. Defensive Move
Yammer might have become "in play," and Redmond wanted to keep a competitor from snapping it up. Remember that Microsoft is focusing on cloud-based Office365 for the next version of SharePoint, and another major vendor (IBM? Oracle? Google?) amping up Yammer could create a plausible competitor -- or in the case of Google, juice up an existing competitor.
Honestly this theory seems a bit of a stretch, since Microsoft generally doesn't behave this way, and in the real world, Yammer would present a rather underpowered threat to Office365. Of course, the world of enterprise social computing is not very "real" right now, and vendors typically make acquisitions for strategic rather than technical reasons, so perhaps Redmond really was making a defensive move.
2. Pre-empt Disappointment
A more plausible theory is that Redmond fears that on the social front, SharePoint 2013 will prove the same disappointment as SharePoint 2010. SP 2013 is about to get released to beta, but early whispers suggest that Microsoft did not enhance the platform's social features to the extent everyone expected. Unmet expectations are the stuff of serious revolts.
Now Redmond can deflect most criticisms of SharePoint 2013 by pointing to Yammer's existing capabilities along with Yammer's rather fanciful roadmap.
The Customer Perspective
What does this all mean for you the customer? Yammer customers should brace for some potential short-term dislocation -- the almost inevitable by-product of any acquisition. In the long run, Yammer gives SharePoint customers another option that presumably will become more tightly integrated into Office365. Just remember that this is not going to be "Shammer" -- it will be another product to purchase, and a very different architecture for customers to understand. In our model of Extend/Supplement/Complement for SharePoint, Yammer is still very much a Complement play.
Microsoft could also be looking towards integration with Skype. My colleague Kashyap Kompella has already coined the term, "Skammer." There'd be a lot of work for Redmond to do there.
Finally, as our Enterprise Collaboration & Social Software subscribers know, Yammer has some serious shortcomings. Ironically, it suffers a bit from SharePoint-itis: some nice features, but few polished applications. Yammer has thrived on its almost too-clever freemium model. At some point, Yammer's going to have to deliver better customer experiences. It's halting "embed" strategy was a step in the right direction, but I wonder if Microsoft will focus more on SharePoint integration going forward.
So, congratulations to the Yammer leadership for cashing out. For customers, the story remains quite mixed...


text:
|36 to 38
|91 to 96
|38 to 40
|96 to 101
|41 to 42
|104 to 106
|43 to 44
|109 to 111
|45 to 47
|114 to 119
This grey premium quality t-shirt is made from cotton for a long lasting fit, is professionally stitched and has a officially licensed merchandise design featuring an all-over print desing of the abstergo logo; inspired by the popular gaming series.
- Premium Quality
- Motif: Abstergo Logo All-Over Print
- Professionally Stitched
- Sleeve: Short
- Material: 100% Cotton
- Gender: Male
- Colour: Grey
- Size: Large
- Official Assassin's Creed Licensed Merchandise
Clothing Specification
- Size: L
- European Size: 52
- Chest Width: 105 cm
- Waist Width: 92 cm
- Hip Width: 104 cm
Insured delivery on all orders over $50 is available to all of our customers, new or old.
Your order is also insured so that if anything goes wrong with the delivery, we can replace it for you quickly and at no additional cost.
Not only do we allow payments via debit and credit cards, we also take payments via PayPal so you can use your PayPal balance when you want to pay.
Customer service is our main focus and this is apparent in how loyal our customers are. A dedicated team of staff are ready should you need to contact them for any reason at all. Check out our Help Centre or try the Live Chat to get in touch.
You need to be logged in to leave a comment.
Please log-in or if you have not yet got an account with us, you can register here.
Want to know when Assassin's Creed Abstergo Logo All-Over Print Large T-Shirt - Light Grey - ozgameshop.com drops below a certain price? Enter your email address and price below and we'll let you know when it drops below that price!
Why over half a million customers stay with us...


text:
This is something it took me a long time and many hurt feelings to figure out, especially since I have a family that would rather judge me than accept me. And while I still on occasion take something to heart that I shouldn't I've definitely gotten better and am living a much more peaceful and content life as a result.
Words only have the power you give them.. and getting all riled up, hurt, angry or offended over something someone says is simply NOT worth the time and effort it takes.
Let It Roll off Our BackDodging and Deflecting
by Madisyn Taylor
One of the most difficult challenges in life is learning not to take things to heart and hold on to it. Especially when we're younger, or if we're very sensitive, we take so much of what comes our way to heart. This can be overwhelming and unproductive if it throws us off balance on a regular basis. When we are feeling criticized or attacked from all directions, it becomes very difficult for us to recover ourselves so that we can continue to speak and act our truth. This is when we would do well to remember the old saying about letting certain things roll off us, like water off a duck's back.
Most of the time, the attacks and criticisms of others have much more to do with them and how they are feeling than with us. If we get caught up in trying to adjust ourselves to other people's negative energy, we lose touch with our core. In fact, in a positive light, these slings and arrows offer us the opportunity to strengthen our core sense of self, and to learn to dodge and deflect other people's misdirected negativity. The more we do this, the more we are able to discern what belongs to us and what belongs to other people. With practice, we become masters of our energetic integrity, refusing to serve as targets for the disowned anger and frustration of the people around us.
Eventually, we will be able to hear the feedback that others have to offer, taking in anything that might actually be constructive, and releasing that which has nothing to do with us. First, though, we tend ourselves compassionately by recognizing when we can't take something in from the outside without hurting ourselves. This is when we make like a duck, shaking it off and letting it roll off our back as we continue our way in the world.


text:
NEW YORK – The 2010 MLS Cup Playoff series are bound to produce some epic encounters when they kick off on Thursday night with the Eastern Conference semifinals between Columbus and Colorado.
MLSsoccer.com dug deep into the sports annals to find out what competition MLS is up against as it sets out to match the most memorable postseason moments in professional sports between the cities and states involved in the quest for MLS Cup.
New York Red Bulls (NEW YORK) vs. San Jose Earthquakes (BAY AREA): The New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics may have had their ALDS encounters in 2000 and 2001 but the drama of the 1991 NFC Championship game that finished 15-13 between the underdog New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers is unmatched. San Francisco running back Roger Craig fumbled the ball toward the end of the game, allowing the Giants to book a ticket to the Super Bowl with a field goal as time expired.
Columbus Crew (OHIO) vs. Colorado Rapids (COLORADO): In the late 1980s, the Denver Broncos and the Cleveland Browns faced off in the AFC Championship game three times in four years with the Orange Crush emerging on the winning side each time. But it's the 1987 title game that has gone down in history for "The Drive," when John Elway took his team downfield for a tying touchdown with 37 seconds remaining. The Broncos went on to win it in overtime.
LA Galaxy (LOS ANGELES) vs. Seattle Sounders (SEATTLE): The NBA playoffs between the Seattle SuperSonics and the Los Angeles Lakers were often a one-sided affair, with Seattle losing all five playoff series to the Lakers since 1980. The Sonics, however, did knock off LA twice on their way to the NBA Finals in 1978 and 1979. The most memorable meeting between the cities might be the two NFL playoff games in 1984 between the Seahawks and the Raiders. Seattle started off the year with a 30-14 AFC Championship loss before exacting their revenge the next season in December of the same year with a 14-7 wild card triumph.
Real Salt Lake (SALT LAKE CITY) vs. FC Dallas (DALLAS): The only playoff meeting of professional teams from these two cities took place when the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks met in the NBA playoffs. The Jazz fell on both occasions in 1986 (three games to one) and in 2001 (three games to two) in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Game 5 in 2001 will bring heartache to Utahns with the Mavs winning 84-83 at the Delta Center after trailing by as many as 14. Karl "The Mailman" Malone missed an open jumper to end the game for the Jazz, making Dallas the sixth team to win a five-game series after trailing 0-2.


text:
|MLBPA Press Release
MLB and the MLBPA will donate the tickets to those who are dedicated to community service including veterans and public servants - such as first-responders, fire fighters, teachers - as well as disadvantaged children. Individual Clubs will distribute the tickets to their respective communities, while supplies last.
MLB & Players GIVE BACK was created to reward those who have dedicated their lives to serving others, and is an extension of similar community service efforts undertaken over the years by Major League baseball players and MLB.
Major League baseball players administer and operate the Major League Baseball Players Trust, a charitable foundation through which Major Leaguers contribute their time, money and celebrity to call attention to important causes affecting the needy and to help encourage others to get involved in their own communities. During the 2009 All-Star Game, MLB launched the "Going Beyond" initiative which celebrated the importance of community service by raising more than $7 million for various charitable organizations and recognized 30 All-Stars Among Us, everyday citizens who made significant contributions to their community.
"Major League Baseball is pleased to join the Players Association in honoring those who go beyond in serving their communities," said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. "As a social institution, we take the responsibility of giving back to the community seriously, and we believe it is important to thank our veterans and public servants, through MLB & Players GIVE BACK, for their commitment to this ideal."
"The players are happy to join Major League Baseball in rewarding the tireless efforts of our community servants," said Michael Weiner, MLBPA General Counsel. "Through the Players Trust, players encourage others to get involved with causes they believe in, and that's why players teamed with Volunteers of America to create the Action Team, a national youth volunteer program. The MLB & Players GIVE BACK program is just one more way to say thank you to those who have responded to the call to get involved."
Since the game's inception, the players and Major League Baseball have been heavily involved in all aspects of community service, encouraging others to get involved through leading by example. These same principles are echoed in President Barack Obama's call for community service through "United We Serve," a program that encourages all Americans to be part of building a new foundation for America by engaging in sustained and meaningful community service. In April, President Obama signed the bipartisan Edward M. Kennedy Service America Act which recognizes September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. print this page


text:
LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Stumbled across an indentation in a stone slab or a shiny spot on a bronze relief on your travels? That's a sign you've found a local symbol of good luck.
Travel website VirtualTourist.com (www.virtualtourist.com) has compiled a list of "Ten Great Good Luck Symbols" around the world to help the superstitious tourist. Reuters has not endorsed this list:
1. Statue of Juliet, Casa di Guilietta; Verona, Italy
Shakespeare must be rolling in his grave over this one. Visitors to the tragic heroine's statue rub her right breast in the quest for good luck. The truly romantic also leave love letters on the walls of her house.
2. Van Mieu (Temple of Literature); Hanoi, Vietnam
In a long-standing tradition, students with pending exams come here to touch the heads of the courtyard's 82 tortoises for luck. The pupils in this area must have extraordinarily high grade point averages as the stone heads of the tortoises have become virtually soft from the repeated touching.
3. St. John of Nepomuk Statue; Prague, Czech Republic
The rules for this one are a little complicated but for the very superstitious it's worth the effort. Touching the reliefs on the statue of St. John of Nepomuk is said to bring good luck, but if you want good fortune that's a little more specific, walk a few steps toward Old Town and find the cross with five stars on the left parapet of the bridge. Touch each of the five stars with a finger and rest your left palm on the cross and make your wish!
4. Rock of Luck; Kusu Island, Singapore
Visitors to this oddly shaped, bright yellow monument will notice a plethora of four-digit numbers written all over its surface. For those unfamiliar with the Singapore lottery, these are "picks." Believers have defaced this rock in the hopes of becoming rich.
5. Worther-See-Mandl; Klagenfurt, Austria
Legend has it that in an effort to remind a group of late night partiers that Easter was the next day, this little guy uncorked a barrel of water and in so doing, created Lake Wrthersee. In spite of this somewhat daunting story, visitors today come here to rub his outstretched finger for good luck.
6. Toritos de Pucara; Cusco, Peru
Those who find themselves in residential areas of Cusco will undoubtedly notice the profusion of somewhat goofy-looking ceramic bulls that sit on the roofs of area homes. In spite of their frightened, bug-eyed expressions and often outstretched tongues, people here take their powers of sending good fortune very seriously.
7. Charging Bull; New York City, New York
Someone forgot to tell the person who started this tradition that the expression is "Take the bull by the horns" not something else. While Wall Street has been an exceptionally unlucky place to be lately, it's said that touching the private parts of this bull will bring good luck.
8. La Chouette; Dijon, France
Although Dijon is associated more with its mustard than its good luck symbols, the town's beloved owl is thought to bring such good luck that it's nearly rubbed out. Carved into the wall of a centuries-old church, the figure is said to bring luck to those who touch it with their left hand.
9. Magellan Statue; Puenta Arenas, Chile
Although clearly taken seriously by many, this tradition feels a little like something drummed up by an office of tourism. Those who rub the foot of the Pantagon man who sits at the base of this statue are said to be sure to return to the area.
10. Grgur Ninski Staute; Split, Croatia
Measuring over 20 feet in height, this enormous statue is a source of great pride for the Croatian people. Depicting Bishop Grgur of Nin who fought to retain the right of the Croatian people to hold religious services in their own language, the statue is thought to bring good luck to those who rub its big toe.
Editing by Paul Casciato


text:
Arcos reports that sales in Brazil and Mexico have been falling this year, but it is expected that the Mexican market will recover when that of the United States does.
McDonalds' franchise continues to thrive in troubled times
Arcos reports that sales in Brazil and Mexico have been falling this year, but it is expected that the Mexican market will recover when that of the United States does.
Widestrike GMO approved in Brazil
CTNBio's technical advisory board concluded that WideStrike was safe for human and animal consumption and may reduce the use of insecticides, thus decreasing the possibility of damage to the environment and human health.
The next application in line for approval by CTNBio's board seems to be Bollgard II, owned by Monsanto. Bollgard II and WideStrike have both BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) technologies, controlling the attacks of Lepidopterans larvae on vegetative and reproductive parts of the cotton plant.
Jornada AAAML sobre "Propiedad Intelectual y Nuevas Tecnologías", Barcelona 3 abril 2009
NIC Mexico sets out its stall for .mx domain
During the pre-registration period the owners of '.com.mx', '.net.mx', '.org.mx', '.edu.mx' and '.gob.mx' domain names validly registered before March 1 2009 will be able to apply for the registration of the corresponding domain name under the '.mx' extension. This period ends on 31 July 2009.
August then marks a one-month quiet period, a sort of siesta during which NIC Mexico will stop accepting applications, enabling applications filed during the pre-registration period to be processed.
Then comes the initial registration period, during whichany entity can register a domain name directly under '.mx' on a first-come, first-served basis. This period runs from 1 September to 31 October 2009. Registrations will be valid for a period of one year only.
Grants for Latin America and Mediterranean Countries
• Hold a bachelor's degree (or equivalent qualification) in a subject related to Industrial and Intellectual Property, such as Law, Engineering, Science, or Economics.The committee constituted to award the grants for the 2009-2010 academic year will place special emphasis on the capacity of the candidates to disseminate the knowledge they will obtain from their studies in academic forums and Industrial and Intellectual Property centres in their country or region.
• Have applied to study the Master's course and have provided the minimum documentation required for their candidacy to be assessed.
• Have been admitted or, in the case of pending applications, comply with the academic requirements for admission to the Magister Lvcentinvs programme. In the latter case, the awarding of the grant will be subject to definitive admission.
Candidates must submit the following documentation by 30 April 2009:
• A letter of motivation explaining their reasons for studying the course and why they should be awarded the grant.All correspondence and documents are to be sent to Mariano Riccheri (General Coordinator,
• Proof of application for the Magister (date of pre-enrolment, sending of documentation, etc.)
• Curriculum Vitae
Magister Lvcentinvs, Universidad de Alicante, Edificio Germán Bernácer, Aptdo. Correos 99,
03080 Alicante, SPAIN). Digital copies may also be sent here.
The grants will be awarded by 15 May 2009 and the list of successful candidates will be published on the Magister website.
Brazil court reviews patent term extension under TRIPS
The dispute was initiated by the controversies derived from the different interpretations of this matter adopted by IP owners and the BPTO. IP owners understood that TRIPS was applicable as from January 1, 1995, due to Decree 1,335/1994. This interpretation is founded on the immediate applicability of the Agreement in Brazil, considering that there was no formal Government application to the WTO to request the delay for the TRIPS entry, as provided by Article 65.2.
BPTO's examiners were however of the opinion that TRIPS would be enforceable only as from January 1, 2000. Their viewpoint was based on the applicability of Articles 65.1 and 65.2. Thus developing countries have the right to delay the enforcement of TRIPS for an additional five years from the date of the Agreement's signature. While Article 65.1 of TRIPS determined that no member state is obliged to apply the provisions of TRIPS before one year from execution of the Agreement, Article 65.2 stipulated the possibility for developing countries to delay for 4 years the date of TRIPS application, which would add to 5 years in total.
BPTO's understanding was the basis for rejections of administrative requests of patent extension and resulted in the commencement of court actions against it before the Federal Court in the city of Rio de Janeiro and the STJ.
The 3rd Chamber of the STJ's decision was based on the argument that the wording of Article 65.2 surely granted the benefit to Brazil (as a developing country) to extend the applicability of TRIPS independently of any written and prior request to the WTO. Further, it considered that TRIPS is not an international agreement with a direct and literal application to private relations. Instead, it is directed to member states, serving solely as guidance to the implementation of a new IP law.
Following the 3rd. Chamber's rationale, TRIPS would be applicable in Brazil as from January 1, 2000 and the 20 years term would be secured to patents granted after the current IP Law (Law 9,279/96), thus not applying to those patents granted before the current IP Law.
This decision of the STJ interferes substantially with the owners' rights of patents granted under the previous Industrial Property Law (Law 5,771 of 1972).
The decision is a novelty, especially if one considers previous decisions of the 4th Chamber and the recognition by the 3rd Chamber of STJ that the applicability of TRIPS commenced from January 1, 1995 and, therefore, permitted the extension of the patent term to those granted under the previous IP Law. It is surely a turn-round from the STJ position on the matter of patent extension, which had been long regarded as settled in that court and a matter no longer discussed in Brazil.
This decision will certainly incite new discussions and court motions by patent owners, especially those in the herbicide and pharmaceutical industries.
Source: article by IP Tango team member José Carlos Vaz e Dias
Argentina: Official Collective Management Organization for Film Directors
DAC is now vested with the power to raise all the royalties due to Argentine and foreign film directors in Argentina and all royalties due to Argentine film directors abroad, based on the provisions of the Intellectual Property Law N° 11.723. The decree also establishes that the DAC will work with the Media Office of the Chief of Staff (Secretaría de Medios de Comunicación de la Jefatura de Gabinete de Ministros) in order to approve, set or modify any royalty rate or any formula to calculate royalties.
Further information on the DAC and Decree 124/2009 can be found here (Spanish only).
Since 2004 the Intellectual Property law has granted film directors a unique intellectual property right over their works, which is shared with the scriptwriter and the producer of the film. This decree is a new step to empower film directors in the exercise of their rights.
Source: note kindly submitted by Celia Lerman (Mitrani, Caballero & Ojam Abogados).
Venezuela – Reply to third party oppositions, now mandatory in order to avoid abandonment
The Venezuelan Patent and Trademarks Office (VPTO) has published an unprecedented decision (No. 782) dated February 18, 2009 and notified on the Official Gazette No. 501 dated March 02, 2009 by declaring 13.434 trademark applications as abandoned due to failure to timely reply against oppositions filed by third parties.
VPTO claims as basis to sustain decision no. 782; article No. 79 of our former National Industrial Property Law (1955) which was revived on September 17, 2008 in substitution of Decision 486 of the Andean Community.
During the applicability of the Andean Community regulations (Decision 344 and 486), applications that were subject to oppositions enjoyed the right to a suitable decision and examination by the board concerning absolute and relative grounds for refusal, even though the applicant had not filed a reply writ against the opposing party's allegations.
In turn, our National Industrial Property Law in force, again, according to VPTO's sole interpretation establishes on its article No. 79 that failure to submit a reply writ in defense to a third party opposition, will result in abandonment of the subject application.
The reported decision includes trademark applications with filing date ranging as far as from 1982 to 2008.
While this questionable decision may result in benefit for the opposing parties, many applicants will be affected, especially considering that a very high percentage of the oppositions were filed under the enforceability of the Andean Community regulations which did not provide, at that time, for this unexpected outcome.
The deadline to file appeal against this decision is on March 23, 2009
Uruguay signs up for WCT
has deposited its instrument of ratification of the WIPO Copyright Treaty 1996. That Treaty will enter into force, with respect to Uruguay, on 5 June 2009.
Uruguay's ratification brings the number of WCT states up to 70 (click here for the complete list).
Patentability of polymorphs
Rivalry between the BPTO and ANVISA heated up with the debate started last year over the patentability of polymorphs. According to ANVISA, the patentability of polymorphs may lead to monopolies and represent an obstacle to universal access to medicines, as provided by the Doha declaration. For the BPTO, polymorphs are patentable: this approach gives pharmaceutical companies the confidence to keep on investing in research and development of new drugs.
It appears that neither party is willing to back away from its initial position, thereby generating a problem to patent applicants. Further, there is before the Brazilian Parliament a bill proposing that polymorphs should not be considered as an invention and thus not patentable. The same bill also addresses the issue of second medical use claims, whereby they are considered merely as discoveries. At this point, it seems that ANVISA's position is so far prevailing over the BPTO's understanding on polymorph patentability, but the controversy is far from ending.
Source: Jorge Miguel Arruda da Veiga (Di Blasi Parente Vaz e Dias & Associados). More on polymorphism here
Ecuador: El gobierno utiliza la música de los Beatles sin autorización
La música de Paul McCartney acompaña toda el anuncio de dos minutos y 30 segundos en la que en vez del estribillo 'Hey Jude' se escucha el de "re-vo-lu-ción ciudadana", el proyecto bandera del presidente Rafael Correa.
Según el director de la Sociedad de Autores y Compositores Ecuatorianos (SAYCE), Gerardo Chávez, aún cuando la empresa responsable solicitó el permiso, la campaña empezó a ser difundida cuando todavía no había sido autorizada.
Además señala que en la petición se específica que la campaña iba a utilizar 20 segundos de la canción (de unos 7 minutos), pero "prácticamente suena toda, lo que debería ser autorizado, ya no por la SAYCE, sino por la Sociedad de Gestión Colectiva Británica".
Gracias Alfonso por la noticia, nos vemos en Lima!!
ICANN: Nuevos dominios genéricos
Para el 2010 se comenzarán a recibir postulaciones para los nuevos dominios que se empezarán a usar en lugar de los clásicos .com .net y similares. Pudiendo así encontrar dominios como .sexo .deporte .diario .tuciudad o lo que sea que se nos ocurra.
El coste del proceso no es nada económico, pues sólo por el desarrollo y validación de la propuesta hay que aportar 185.000 dólares, seguidos de 25.000 USD anuales en caso de aprobación.
Obviamente ya hay reacciones para todos los gustos, tanto del Vaticano como de grupos ecologistas, sin olvidar el interés declarado por los dominios .lat correspondientes a América Latina.
Chile signs up to PCT
Perú se adhiere al PCT / Peru joins PCT
Vanilla appellation given protection in Mexico
According to the Mexican Industrial Property Law, the Federal Government is the owner of the appellation and is empowered to grant licences to interested parties that comply with the requirements of the Mexican regulations. It is also the responsibility of the Federal Government to seek international protection through the Lisbon Agreement.
Source: information kindly supplied by Juan M. Alvarez del Castillo V (Cervantes, Aguilar-Alvarez y Sainz, SC).
Rediseñarán la Marca Turística de la Ciudad de México.
Hace algunos meses informamos sobre la convocatoria para elegir la marca turística de la Ciudad de México.
Bien, pues después de muchos problemas que se suscitaron en la elección del diseño ganador, como denuncias de plagio de imágenes con derechos de autor así como inconformidades acerca de la elección de finalistas y hasta una petición de re-evaluación del concurso, por fin la semana pasada se anunció al ganador.
No obstante, cuando se pensaba que ahí terminaba el asunto, ahora resulta que le harán algunas modificaciones. De acuerdo con el Secretario de Turismo, Alejandro Rojas Díaz Durán, el diseño ganador será sometido a mejoras pues su versión original no cumplía los requisitos para ser comercializado.
Concretamente se modificará la tipografía y los colores deslavados para dar a conocer por fin el diseño oficial el 18 de marzo. Aquí pueden verse todos los diseños participantes.
Authorities approve sale of Brisa brand in Colombia
Agua Brisa's still, sparkling and flavoured waters are produced in 13 plants across Colombia, being sold in more than 230,000 outlets throughout the country. Brisa's operations in Panama are not included in this transaction.
Over the weekend, it was all over the news that after 20 years of negotiation and talks the EU and Mercosur agreed to a trade deal. M...
Como el tema del rescate de los mineros será recurrente durante un tiempo, bien vale la pena aclarar algunos datos especialmente relacionado...
Later this year, I have seen a in matters of traditional knowledge. This wording may cover many things: the way perhaps a handcraft is made...
El consumo del café se ha incrementado en el mundo , y los consumidores están tras la búsqueda de nuevas variedades, en especial de los ll...
Tercera Ronda de Negociaciones de Acuerdo de Asociación Transpacífico (TPP) logró avances importantesEn el mes de octubre se llevó a cabo la Tercera Ronda de Negociaciones del Acuerdo de Asociación Trans...