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MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. - With three spring tournaments already under their belts and the annual Bobcat Invitational approaching at the end of the month, the Georgia College & State University sports information department will take an in-depth look at the 2009 version of one of the most decorated programs in school history.
Now in his 12th season at the helm of the Bobcat golf squad, head coach Jimmy Wilson is coming off one of the programs best seasons in 2008, taking the NCAA Southeast Region Championship and finishing a program-high fourth at the NCAA Finals.
Wilson returns four of the five starters from that dream season a year ago, and with a No. 8 Nike Golf Division II National Rank, the Bobcats are right back to the upper echelon this season.
With no seniors on the roster, back are a pair of 2008 All-Americans in Niclas Johannson (Skanor, Sweden) and sophomore Joe Young (Cochran, Ga.). Johansson leads the team with a 71.6 stroke average and seven top-20 finishes in as many tournaments, including three-straight top-10 slots.
Young owns a 72.5 average, good for second on the team. He's played in six of the team's seven tournaments this year. Classmate Billy Shida (Berkeley Lake, Ga.) returns from last year's NCAA Finals squad, owning a 75.1 stroke average in seven starts. The 2006 Georgia PGA Boys Player of the Year has the talent to go a long way, and showed flashes of excellence down the stretch in 2008.
Junior Francisco Bide (Buenos Aires, Argentina/El Diamante (Calif.)) is the best all-around athlete on the team according to Wilson. Showing skills on the tennis and basketball courts as well as the links, it's the 2008 All-Southeast Region selection's skill in the latter and in the classroom that has Wilson pleased. Bide ranks fourth on the team with a 74.5 stroke average and two top-20s.
Newcomer Pedro C. Lima (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and sophomore Matthew Yonz (Waycross, Ga.) continue to battle for starting spots, either trading the role or both making the start as in a recent tournament, the AASU/Southbridge Pirate Invitational, where GCSU finished fifth. Lima has the team's third-best stroke average at 74.1 over six starts, while Yonz has a solid 75.7 in his four tournaments.
Sophomore Rich Crumpton (Eatonton, Ga.) redshirted a season ago, and continues to post solid scores in qualifying after playing his freshman season at ABAC. Three freshmen dot the Bobcat roster, with Bayley Craig (Eatonton, Ga.) having spent 2007-08 as a redshirt as well. Rookies Pierce McNamara (Roswell, Ga.) and Taylor Smith (Mansfield, Ga.) will both redshirt their 2008-09 campaign, figuring into the deep lineup in future seasons.
The Bobcats had a solid fall, with just one finish below third. GCSU took runner up honors at the Raines Development Group Intercollegiate Sept. 16, 2008, adding third-place spots at both the Kiawah Island Invitational and the State Farm-Laker Collegiate Invitational.
The Bobcats lowest finish came in their final fall meet, the Cougar Invitational, taking sixth. After a near four-month break, Georgia College returned to the links in mid February, taking fourth at the Matlock Collegiate, fifth in Savannah, Ga. and fourth again at the Division-I Palmetto Intercollegiate
The Bobcats are in action this week at the Southeaster Collegiate, hosted by Valdosta State University.
Visit www.GCSUBobcats.com to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GCSU Athletics Hall of Fame. The GCSU Department of Athletics sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, GCSU prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the Bobcats' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement.


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Jim Brown is back on the Cleveland Browns' payroll.
Browns owner Jimmy Haslam announced Wednesday that the Hall of Fame running back has rejoined the franchise as a special advisor, mending a decades-long relationship that grew strained under former owner Randy Lerner.
"To have '32' back on our team ... is tremendously important, and it goes a long way toward what we're trying to accomplish," Haslam told reporters, per the Akron Beacon Journal.
"Player engagement is where you'll see me most of the time," said Brown, 77, who also will work with Cleveland's schools, inner-city children and long-suffering fan base.
"Everybody that thought I had no value is gone," Brown said, per The Plain Dealer, a not-so-subtle jab at former team president Mike Holmgren, who marginalized the legendary player during his failed run with the franchise.
After Haslam assumed control last season, he went out of his way to engage Brown. On Wednesday, the NFL great vowed to stand by the team's ownership "come hell or high water," perhaps an indirect reference to the meaty string of lawsuits faced by Haslam's non-football interest, Pilot Flying J.
Brown acknowledged he and Haslam aren't the type to bite their tongues, but the legendary icon said he'd be "more under control" in his new role. Haslam boasted about Brown as a figure still widely respected by today's players.
For a team that clings ever-tightly to its history, it makes sense for the Browns to embrace what Brown means to this franchise. He's a reminder of what the Browns once were -- and what they hope to be again -- in his lifetime.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.

subset: commoncrawl


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text: Evieis 24 years old gorgeous Blonde Girl. She likes to meet new people and enjoys travel with Passionate partner. She is an adventure seeker. She is an English Lady with the taste of romance and Love. She does what she love. Handsome guys are her weakness. She is an open minded girl and friendly to new people. She is the one who starts the conversation first, always. Being Professional entertainer she knows her job very well and she always give to clients what they want, "love" and "Care". That is why she is very demanding in the industry. She is a great kisser and you will fall for her in no time. Evie Loves dressing Sexy dresses. She always wants to try something new. She occasionally drinks and smokes. When it comes about her eyes, you have to believe that she has the most beautiful Blue eyes. She always seeks things which can drive her crazy to try them, which can be a guy or an adventure. Evie loves to cook when she is at home and writes about her trips and adventures in her personal journal. She is an Experienced But a young Entertainer. Who know her job very well.


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Chief Justice John Roberts gave Congress the middle finger Tuesday, striking down a key section of the Voting Rights Act and telling lawmakers that they'll need to pass a new bill if they want the rest of the law enforced.
Roberts knows that ain't gonna happen—and he's just fine with that.
In his opinion striking down the formula that covers nine states, mostly in the South, the chief justice chides Congress countless times. Over and over again, he cites his own ruling in the 2009 voting-rights case, where he also wrote the opinion that all but told Congress: Fix this or we're going to do it for you. "We expressed our broader concerns about the constitutionality of the Act. Congress could have updated the coverage formula at that time, but did not do so," Roberts wrote. "Its failure to act leaves us today with no choice." I told you so!
Now Congress—the screwed-up, can't-get-anything-done Congress—has this racially charged,politically sensitive mess dumped in its lap. If you wanted to combine immigration and redistricting into one thorny issue, this is it.
Here's the gist of what happened. Back in 1965, in the throes of the civil-rights movement, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act. The law did many things, most notably requiring certain jurisdictions, mostly in the South, to get Washington's approval before they made any change to voting procedures. This affected everything from congressional redistricting to moving the location of a polling place. South Carolina challenged this "preclearance" provision shortly after the act's passage but the Court upheld it, acknowledging that it was an extraordinary usurping of state sovereignty and equality but that it was necessary because the problem of voter discrimination was so grave. That part of the law, Section 5, was a temporary statute intended to last only five years. But it was renewed several times, most recently in 2006 for 25 years.
Meanwhile the formula used to determine who gets covered—Section 4—barely changed, and that's what the Court did today. It said that Congress could still target some places for special protection but you can't use a formula that's essentially the same since George Wallace ran Alabama. "History did not end in 1965," Roberts wrote for the conservative bloc. For its part, the liberal wing of the Court argued that Congress had done its job and that the Court had overstepped its bounds. Scoffed Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in her dissent: "Throwing out preclearance when it has worked and is continuing to work to stop discriminatory changes is like throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet."
So now Congress has a mess on its hands. Renewing the Voting Rights Act used to be so easy. In 2006 it passed 98-0 in the Senate and with almost 400 votes in the House, including the likes of House Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor before President George W. Bush signed it. But the act was essentially on auto-pilot.
Congress will need to come up with a new formula, but this poses all kinds of problems. First, the Court left little guidance about what would pass judicial muster, saying that it had to be based on contemporary data. Second, Congress can barely get anything done, so how is rewriting a coverage formula for the Voting Rights Act going to get through when something as quotidian as the farm bill can't?
Most of the Hill was still digesting the opinion on Tuesday morning. But reactions fell along predictable lines. Civil-rights groups were eager to get cracking. "Congress must step in," said the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Pat Leahy, D-Vt., vowed "immediate action."
But Republicans seemed more hesitant. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa told The New York Times that the Court's decision Tuesday showed that a key portion of the Voting Rights Act is no longer needed.
"What it tells me is after 45 years, the Voting Rights Act worked," Grassley said, "and that's the best I can say. It just proves that it worked."
Indeed it's hard to see tea-party driven Republicans in the House embracing a new formula that would put many of their districts under Washington's oversight now that they've been liberated.
What's more, if Congress did take up rewriting the Voting Rights Act to meet the Supreme Court's demands, it would likely become a highly contentious debate about voter suppression, campaign contributions, and the like. On Tuesday liberal Reps. Keith Ellison of Minnesota and Mark Pocan of Wisconsin used news of the decision to tout their National Right to Vote Amendment to the Constitution, a bill that would set national standards for voting.
This is going to be a mess. Which may be just what Justice Roberts wanted.


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The Hunt
The Hunt
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Ordinary woman turned out to be extraordinary
For years I've been attracted to biographies and stories of famous women in the Bible, and to my surprise, there are quite a few. Some of them did great and mighty things and changed the course of human history.
For two weeks now, I have been studying the life of Hannah, mother of Samuel. Her story is found in 1 Samuel, and it is an interesting one.
In biblical days especially, it was important for women to bear children for their husband's honor. Male children were considered a real victory, and women often prayed for a male heir to the family lineage. Hannah was no different. She wanted a child. She was married to Elkanah of Ramathaim Zophim of the mountains of Ephraim. He was the son of Zuph. Elkanah had two wives. One was named Peninnah, who had born him children since their marriage. The second was Hannah, the woman I have been studying.Hannah was barren. She had no children, but her heart longed for a son or a daughter. She knew the tender touch a mother could place upon a tiny infant and the guiding hand it took to teach and train an older child. She wanted badly to feel the joy of parenthood. She watched with an eager heart when the other mothers took their children out to play. She was helpful in preparing food and clothing for the children of others, but she had no child of her own.
As was the custom of the day, the male heads of households took their families with them to the city to the designated place where they would worship God and offer their sacrifices. We are told in Verse 3 of Chapter 1 of 1 Samuel, "This man, (Elkanah) went from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts in Shiloh." Verse 4 continues, "When the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give portions to Peninnah, his wife, and to all her sons and daughters. But to Hannah he would give a double portion for he loved Hannah although the Lord had closed her womb."
Later verses tell us that Hannah's rival provoked her severely, taunting her because she had no child of her husband. Hannah wept and did not eat because her heart was grieving so. Elkanah noticed Hannah's discomfort and lack of eating, and said to her, "Why won't you eat, Hannah? Why is your heart grieved? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"
I'm certain Hannah loved Elkanah because of his kindness to her, but she still wanted to know the joys of motherhood. Hannah went to the tabernacle and knelt in serious prayer. Eli, the priest, was sitting where he could see her and assumed because her lips were moving but no sound was being made that she was drunk. He called out to her and asked why would she come to the tabernacle early in the day drinking or drunk. Hannah assured Eli that she had not been drinking and that she was praying to God for a child.
She further told Eli that if God would honor her earnest prayer and give her a male child, she would return him to the Lord where he would serve God for the rest of his life. Eli says in Verse 17, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him." The couple left to return home and in time, she conceived and bore a son of her husband. His name was Samuel.
Having worked for pastors for a number of years, I often iterate outlines and sermons with common words and letters that can be easily remembered. I was delighted to discover 10 words, all beginning with the letter "b" that help to tell Hannah's story. They are barren, begged, behavior, believed, bargain, barter, back, blessed, because, and the last believe.
She was barren and knew it without a doubt. She had no child, but wanted one badly. She begged God from a sincere heart to grant her petition. Her behavior in the tabernacle was misjudged by Eli the priest. He thought her to be drunk because her lips moved, but no words were uttered that he could hear. Hannah demonstrated her faith and believed with all her heart that God would hear and answer her prayer. She made a serious bargain (or vow) with God that if He would grant her wish, she would return her child to the Lord to serve God for the rest of his life.
When the time came to give Samuel back to God, Hannah did not wince or try to barter with God. She kept her end of the deal. When it came time to return to the tabernacle to offer sacrifice, she took her young son and gave him to the priest for service. Samuel's life was blessed because his mother trusted God. Hannah was blessed because she kept her vow.
The last "b" word I include is believe. Do we as Christians have even a portion of Hannah's faith? Are we willing to ask God for big things in our lives? If we make a vow, do we keep it? Do we in our own way give our children to God for service?
When each of my three children were born in Atlanta area hospitals, they did not go directly home as their first destination. Instead, we called ahead and made an appointment with the pastor and drove directly to our church. We placed each of them, DeAnna, Brent, and Nikki, on the altar and listened as our pastor prayed over each and as we dedicated them back to the God of Heaven who had given them to us. Later as each grew and left home for college, camp, or work, we had to learn to give them up all over again.
I pray that we will have the faith of Hannah in giving our children for service. It seldom gets easier, but hopefully and prayerfully, we'll do the right thing and keep our vows made to God.
Brenda Cannon Henley is an award-winning journalist and writer living on the Southeast Texas Gulf Coast. Having enjoyed more than four decades in ministry, Brenda shares her columns with our readers and works with churches and faith-based programs nationwide. She can be reached at (409) 781-8788 or at brendacannonhenley [at] yahoo [dot] com.


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One of two small-town Ohio police chiefs being investigated in connection with a burglary of the home where Sarah Jessica Parker's surrogate mom lives says it is all just a misunderstanding.
Martins Ferry Police Chief Barry Carpenter told a West Virginia radio host he was driving past the home of the surrogate mother one day when he noticed that her front door was open, according to TMZ. Carpenter claimed he briefly went inside to check it out and noticed what looked like a plaster of Paris cast of the surrogate's stomach.
As for a subsequent meeting with National Enquirer reporter, Carpenter told the radio station he just wanted to "mess with him and jerk him around."
Carpenter and Bridgeport Police Chief Chad DoJack are being probed the Bureau of Criminal Investigation over a break-in at the home of the woman carrying Parker's and Matthew Broderick's twins. According to WTRF 7 News, the CBS affiliate in the Ohio Valley, the two police chiefs were allegedly attempting to sell information to the tabloid.
The woman is reportedly no longer living in the home.
Authorities could not confirm to the station the details of the case, however, WTRF reported that both the chiefs are aware of the investigation. Neither has been charged.


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Where the Blue Oval Crowd Comes to Play
If you're a vintage Ford fan and in the mood for a great weekend party, we have just the place for you. Drivers come from around the country (and this year, from as far away as Australia!) to participate in this legendary event, now celebrating its 35th year. The Ford-powered family gathered in Tennessee's favorite Smoky Mountain resort town of Pigeon Forge where the truck show entertains during the day and the attractions continue the fun at night.
Even the event site was the right choice with the Pigeon Forge Municipal Parking Lot offering loads of display space for trucks and vendors along with the elegant River Walk, just a few yards away from the show field. It was the perfect place for an afternoon picnic. While there were lots of extras associated with this event, it was the great collection of vehicles that became the center of attention. More than 700 traveled to the Thursday through Saturday get-together to meet old friends, make new ones, and to see some fabulous trucks. Most of the drivers return every year so the show becomes a family affair.
One of the show's traditions is the Friday morning opening ceremonies and the unveiling of new, never-before-seen rides. Show promoter Charlie Cobble welcomed everyone, promising the crowd that the unveiling would be worth the wait. As the covers were removed from each new truck, TV personality Sam Memmolo described each in detail, ranging from chopped and slammed Pro Streets to a pristine original that was never restored and looked showroom new. Most of the morning was spent inspecting the featured vehicles as well as admiring the rest of the collection on display. Almost 100 vendors expanded the opportunities, selling everything from shiny and new to rusty and dusty. Throughout the weekend, the judging team from Showoff Productions made their rounds, examining every vehicle prior to the awards ceremony.
When it came time to recognize the winners, the Classic Trucks Editor's Choice awards went to two talented builders, Tim Chesney and Ron Caicco. Chesney and his son AJ run TAJ Motorsports in Union, Mississippi, building their beautiful Candy Apple Red F-1 for owner Jimmy Elkins. Loaded with body mods, a high-performance 289 V-8, and an amazing collection of modern electronics, the rejuvenated 1952 was also the overall points champion and took a Best in Class award as well. (Tim also took home the Best in Show Car award for his highly customized 1965 Mustang!) Ron Caicco's Raven Black "1956 Hauler" was also packed to the hilt with innovative details that included a one-of-a-kind, Roush 588 EFI motor, Tremec six-speed, and 14-inch Baer disc brakes. The top was chopped, it had a tilt front end, and the bed had a carbon-fiber floor. Ron's radical ride took the Pat Ford Truck of the Year trophy, a class win, and Bruce Horkey's Outstanding Bed award. Before the awards ceremony was over, more than a dozen tall trophies were given out along with 250 laser-cut steel reminders of this year's fun.
If you have a little Ford blue running through your veins and would like to be in the company of like-minded enthusiasts, put the 2014 event on your calendar. We'll see you there. Special thanks to title sponsor, Ford Restoration Products' Dennis Carpenter for his unending support.


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Child molester says victim to blame for injuries
CARMEL, N.Y. -- A child molester being sued for moving back next door to one of his victims after getting out of jail is blaming the victim for any injuries she suffered as a result of the 2003 attack at her Carmel home.
Mario Caruso, who sexually assaulted the girl when she was 8 along with her 9-year-old friend, claims in a court filing this week that the girl's injuries, if any, were the result of "culpable conduct" by her and her family members.
Neither Caruso, 63, nor his lawyer, William Spain, could be reached for comment Thursday. The filing asks that the lawsuit be dismissed and does not elaborate on why Caruso is blaming the victim and her family.
On Sunday, The Journal News reported that the girl, now 19, was suing Caruso in state Supreme Court in Putnam County for the assault and moving back next door in 2011, alleging he disregarded the "substantial probability" it could cause her "severe emotional distress." Her lawyer, Niall MacGiollabhui, was shocked at Caruso's response.
"For a convicted pedophile to blame an 8-year-old girl and her family for the suffering his sexual abuse of that girl has (caused) is beyond depraved," he said. "For that girl to know that such a sick monster is her next door neighbor is horrifying."
STORY:N.Y. teen sues molester who moved back next door
Caruso, a married pharmacist and longtime family friend when he assaulted the girl, was trusted to be alone with her and other neighborhood children, her father has said. He played games with the neighborhood children, did arts and crafts with them and invited them to do chores and gardening at his home, paying them small amounts of money, the father said.
Caruso was arrested in September 2009 by Putnam County sheriff's deputies after a Mahopac school official reported the assault. The girl's father was aware of it, convincing Caruso more than a year earlier to sign a confession and forgive him from paying back loans. Prosecutors estimated the loan amount between $20,000 and $50,000. The father said the loans had nothing to do with him not reporting the assault. Rather, he said, he didn't want his daughter subject to media scrutiny and public humiliation.
Caruso, a Level 3 sex offender, the category considered most likely to re-offend, fought in court to move back home after being released in May 2011 from the Putnam County jail, where he served 16 months for three counts of first-degree sexual abuse. Listed as a violent sex offender, he claimed he struggled to find a place to live, as he was being kicked out of motels, even sleeping in a van in a law office parking lot.
Caruso convinced Judge Albert Lorenzo to permit the move, removing a requirement in an order of protection that he stay 1,500 feet from the girl. The girl didn't want Caruso returning, writing in a letter to the court that he showed no remorse and it "will induce panic when I hear any car in his driveway or hear his garage door open or hear him talking to his wife or mother."
Putnam County District Attorney Adam Levy's office didn't object to the move, suggesting it was easier to supervise Caruso at a fixed address.
The girl is seeking an unspecified amount of money in the lawsuit filed last month, alleging she suffered physical, emotional and psychological injuries. More specifically, she claims she has been depressed, lacked trust in others and had "intrusive memories of the abuse."
Her father has told The Journal News that she wishes she could make Caruso disappear.


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Dad of Newtown survivors hopes to lead gun debate
There's a question that Eric Milgram's 10-year-old son, Dalton, asked him in the days after the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School that he admits he'll never be able to answer.
Dalton, a fourth-grader there, had asked: "I know there are bad people in this world, but what would make someone come into a school," recalled Milgram.
"I didn't know what to say," Milgram said. "We're not psychologists, we're parents. They have told us just to be honest."
The Milgrams have been attempting to answer tough questions since that fateful December day when gunman Adam Lanza shot his way through the school, killing 20 children and six staff members before turning the gun on himself. They have seen their 6-year-old daughter, Lauren transformed from a fearless little girl to one who is startled at the sound of a pair of shoes falling to the floor.
Her first-grade classroom was the first one Lanza visited. But her teacher, Kaitlin Roig's quick thinking — herding all 15 students into a tiny bathroom — saved their lives. Milgram's son hid in the gymnasium that day.
On a recent visit to his home, surrounded by his two children in their backyard playground, Milgram is one of the fortunate Sandy Hook parents. His children are doing better, they have returned to school and are adjusting to life after the shooting, he said. But for every family who cannot say that, Milgram is responding to their grief by raising awareness on the issues surrounding what he calls "common sense" gun reform.
As a longtime gun owner and fan of recreational shooting, Milgram is certain he can bring clarity and reason to the debate.
Milgram, a data analyst for PepsiCo, which is headquartered in Purchase, N.Y., recently reached out to his friends and colleagues in an email titled: "You know someone directly affected by the Sandy Hook shooting." PepsiCo is not associated with his efforts.
In it, he shares photos of Lauren's sixth birthday party noting that "four of the beautiful little princesses" at the party were killed on Dec. 14. Another photo shows her kindergarten class, which lost five "beautiful angels" that day.
Milgram moves from the personal to a more immediate call for action to reduce gun violence in America, outlining a variety of measures to consider.
"Several of the victims' families have spoken out and it's been hard for them, the number of zealots out there," Milgram said. "There is a severe counterbalance. The anti-reform people, they are very organized, very vocal. They have a single-minded focus. I'm going to help lead the debate."
Milgram's co-worker, Margaret DiLorenzo, of Somers, N.Y., applauds his outreach efforts and felt, after reading his letter, inspired to act. She, like many other parents across the country felt helpless in the days after the shooting, she said, crying each day she dropped her kids, ages 8 and 10, off at school.
"As a citizen I don't know what I can do," said DiLorenzo, a consultant for PepsiCo in Westchester County, N.Y. "I can certainly, at the grassroots level, help keep this issue alive until 2016 when I can vote. I will support the politicians that are trying to make a difference."
Some of the laws Milgram advocates include requiring all firearm transactions to be conducted with a licensed dealer in order to ensure background checks and restricting detachable magazines to 10 rounds or less. He said in a typical self-defense situation, the average shots fired are two or less and 95% of the time, four or less shots are fired. The data, he said, comes from the National Rifle Association.
And yet some, he said, have argued about the inconvenience of reloading after 10 rounds at a shooting range.
"Imagine burying your child," Milgram said. "How inconvenient is that."
Opponents of gun control legislation have argued that Sandy Hook is being used for political purposes and to take away their freedoms. Additional reforms, they counter, penalize law-abiding citizens and empower criminals. The bill that was defeated in the U.S. Senate last month to expand background checks, critics argued, would not have prevented another mass shooting.
Milgram said he was actually happy the Senate bill failed because he knew it would awaken a need for change among average Americans.
"A lot of single-issue voters on the side of pro-gun reform legislation were created," he said.
Other important measures to consider, he stressed, include increasing penalties for gun trafficking, increasing funding for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which has not been able to computerize its record keeping, and increasing funding for federal studies to explore the relationship between firearms and legislation.
"The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is prohibited by congressional mandate to research firearms studies," Milgram said.
Milgram has joined forces with the Newtown Action Alliance, an advocacy organization formed by Newtown, Conn., residents in the weeks after the school shootings. His contributions to the alliance, he said, includes helping to compile data and building their website, shameoncongress.org that seeks to form a united front on fixing up Congress.


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2-D. 3-D. Stop-motion. Digital modeling. Rigging. Lighting. Look development. As an animation student at SCAD, you will master it all. We give you the opportunity to collaborate with and take electives in other majors, such as visual effects, motion media, interactive design and game development, sound design, film and television, and sequential art. The result? You graduate as a dynamic, multifaceted animator, extremely marketable and ready to take the industry by storm.
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See more about our facilities and the animation student experience
Related majors and minors
Every SCAD student has a powerful network of fellow creatives at their fingertips. Work with peers and professors in programs like visual effects, sound design, and film and television — or consider supercharging your degree with a double major or minor in a related field.
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Minors that complement this program:
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Upcoming Events in West Carleton-March
There are always great events and important meetings happening in and around West Carleton-March, and some of these are listed below. If you have an event you would like included, please email email@example.com.
Back to All Events
Earlier Event: July 1A Canada Day Celebration - Light Up Dunrobin
Later Event: July 4Fitzroy Harbour Days (July 4 - 6)


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FUJITSU Cloud Service K5
How to start using K5
Currently, K5 is available only through sales channels. For customers who want to use K5, contact your Fujitsu sales representative.
|It is necessary to "Start K5 " from the K5 Portal before using FUJITSU Cloud Service K5 (hereafter referred to as K5). Register from the K5 Portal.
|When the registration is complete, "Contract number" (automatically specified by the system) and "User Name" (specified by the user) are issued from the K5 Portal.
|Note: Contract Number and User Name are needed to complete your application and to log onto K5.
|Contact your Fujitsu representative to jointly complete the application form.
|Once the service provisioning is ready, we will notify "the first day of use" and send necessary information for using K5. This notification confirms that you can start using the K5 Portal.
|Note: The time required until the service activation varies depending on the application status.
Dela med andra


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Booms and Busts
Whiskey production depends on investment in highly specific capital, and it requires a long time horizon. It's a textbook case of the sort of industry that's likely to suffer most in case of an economic bust.
BiographiesWar and Foreign PolicyWorld HistoryHistory of the Austrian School of Economics
HTML Book


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If you need to calculate subnet under Linux use an IP Netmask/broadcast calculator called ipcal. You can calculate IPv4 or IPv6 address. Supported features:
=> Multiple address and netmask input formats.
=> Retrieving of address information from interfaces.
=> Classfull and CIDR output.
=> Multiple address and netmask output formats (dotted quad, hex, number of bits).
=> Output of broadcast address, network class, Cisco wildcard, hosts/range, network range.
=> Output of multiple types of bitmaps.
=> Output of a user-defined number of extra networks.
=> Multiple networks input from commandline.
=> DNS resolutions of hostnames.
=> Compressed and expanded input addresses.
=> Compressed and expanded output.
Continue reading "Linux Calculating Subnets with ipcalc and sipcalc Utilities"


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Reality TV star and model Tila Tequila is pregnant with her first child.
The 32-year-old shared her joy by posting a picture of herself flaunting her baby bump on her Facebook.com page on Friday, telling fans she could not keep the news she is ten weeks pregnant to herself any longer.
In the caption alongside the photo she writes, "Surprise!! I'm 10 weeks pregnant! I just couldn't hold it in any longer as this brings me so much joy and happiness to know that there is a baby Tila on the way! May God bless my little bundle of joy on this Good Friday! Yayy (sic)! I'm gonna (sic) be a Mommy! I Love you sooooo (sic) much little baby!!"
The father of her unborn child has not yet been revealed.
Tequila previously claimed to be pregnant in 2010, but three months later a representative for the model confirmed she was not expecting, suggesting she had suffered a miscarriage.
Reality TV star and model Tila Tequila is pregnant with her first child.


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- Product Information
Aunt Grace Baskets of Scraps by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Brothers FabricsAdditional Information
Product Type Yardage Fabric Collection Aunt Grace Baskets of Scraps Fabric Designer Judie Rothermel Fabric Manufacturer Marcus Brothers Fabrics Theme 1930's Reproductions Fabric Type 100% Cotton Fabric Width 44/45" On Sale 30% Off Image Scale 11" x 11" swatch of fabric
- Color Matcher
Find color matches for this product by clicking on a color below.
Disclaimer: Colors shown here are not guaranteed to match the above product and are intended as a guide.
- Related Products


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At Marks Auto Service, we back up all of our auto repair work with our 12 Month / 20,000 Kilometer and 24 Month / 40,000 Kilometer warranty. We believe we have the best mechanics and the highest quality parts you can find.
You can schedule a meeting with us online, using our appointments form. Click below to continue.
Marks Auto Service provides expert auto repair services for domestic and import vehicles, including Audi, BMW, Lexus, Acura, Dodge, Mercedes and Toyota.
Since 1995, Mark's Auto Service has earned a reputation in the Oakville, ON community for superior auto repair and auto service. We have the best, professionally licensed mechanics. Our Oakville auto repair facility is equipped with the latest equipment and technologies.
Mark's Auto Service is a full service Ontario auto repair facility. Services and repairs we provide include brake service, wheel alignment, maintenance, oil changes, check engine light diagnosis and more.
If you own a European Import or Domestic - we can help you repair and maintain your vehicle.


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|Frederick, Md.
|High School:
|Thomas Johnson
2011 Outdoor: Earned a silver medal in the high jump, 2.00m, at his first career America East Championship competition…Tied for first, 1.89m, in the high jump at the Bison Outdoor Classic... Returns as the Retrievers top performer in both the high jump and the triple jump.
2010-11 Indoor: Earned a bronze medal in the high jump, 2.04m, at his first career America East championships… Won the high jump competition, 1.99m, at the 10th Annual Gulden Relays...Tied for first, 2.01m, in the high jump at the Bison Opener... Finished second overall, 1.99m, at the Lafayette/Rider winter games.
Background: Voted First-Team All-County by the Frederick News Post & The Gazette in 2010… Earned First-Team All-Conference honors in the triple jump… Was the Maryland 4A state champion in the high jump in 2010… Help lead Thomas Johnson High School to two straight Maryland Indoor and Outdoor state championships in 2009 and 2010… Member of the Honor Roll all throughout high school as well a member of the National Honor Society.
Personal: Son of Ramatoulie and Abdoulie Drammeh… Has two sisters, Fatou and Mariam… Majoring in visual arts… Born May 3, 1992.


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What you need
- Pillows
- Rope
- Hoops
- Chairs
- Ball
- Tube - such as the inside of a paper towel roll
- Bucket
Place the various objects in a circular fashion so that your child can clearly see where they are expected to travel to complete the course.
Once the course is set up, show your little one what you would like them to do at each point. For example,"jump over a pillow forwards and backwards, roll a ball through the tube or throw it into the bucket, kick a ball through the legs of the chair, or climb over a rope.
The course is limited only by that which you have on hand and your imagination.
Extension: If appropriate, you may wish to include imaginative play with the obstacle course such as letting your child pretend to be a commando escaping from an enemy, or a fairy trying to get through the obstacle course three times to be able to win their wings. Similarly, you may wish to create a story for each activity such as climbing over a fallen log in the jungle (the rope) and jumping over a crocodile-infested swamp (the pillow).


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If electronic loads have been failing frequently, you can probably find the root cause at the distribution panel(s) supplying those loads.
First, trace the problems to their common point of supply — the last (electrically closest to the load) panel common to the affected equipment. You should look for:
- Power issues: Voltage, current, and harmonics.
- Physical issues: Connection integrity and bonding conformance.
In our next issue, we'll focus on power issues.
Hide comments


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A solid $2.2 million late-night gross Wednesday is just the beginning for Sony's "This Is the End," which expands today nationwide ahead of Warner Bros.' Friday launch of superhero behemoth "Man of Steel."
"This Is the End," which screened at 2,000-plus late-night locations, is expected to gross in the mid-to-high $30 millions in five days, a sturdy start for the $32 million-budgeted apocalyptic ensemble comedy.
Meanwhile, "Man of Steel" should land on either side of $100 million from Friday to Sunday.
Read Our "Man of Steel" Review
Sony is using "Now You See Me" as a comparison for the "This Is the End" late-night gross; the Lionsgate-Summit pic earned $1.5 million starting at 7 p.m. on June 20, which translated to a better-than-expected $19 million opening three-day gross.
"This Is the End," which marks the directorial debuts for Seth Rogen and producing partner Evan Goldberg, is a "Where's Waldo" of comedy stars playing themselves, including Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, James Franco, Craig Robinson and Michael Cera. The pic begins its overseas roll out starting next weekend in the U.K.
Sony expands the film today to 3,055 domestic playdates. "Man of Steel" will open at 4,200-plus locations.


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Like a bumbling discoverer from centuries past, last week I stumbled on a populated continent: netlabels.org, a catalog of labels offering free mp3 downloads. You can shovel through the heap of costless audio by genre. There are 500 categories, each housing anywhere from one to 100+ labels. Those labels harbor scores of musicians and release their cuts on the web, no charge.
Now you can get intimate with even more bands than your compatriots, which is vital to reproductive success.


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The plain front on the stove got a little embellishment- I love the little flair it adds.
You can also see all the trim work we added to the island here. New base trim, and some thin moulding really enhance it. Here's was what it looked like before:
I have always loved the combo of bronzed pulls and glass knobs, and I finally have them!
I had a bit of a time finding the pulls I wanted that matched the previous size. These fit perfectly without me having to re drill any holes.
We are so happy with the end results! My husband gave me the best compliment. Half way through the project and after a long day of painting, he snuggled me and said, "I'm really proud of you honey."
Now that this is done, I've set my sights on our nook. I want to finally complete this area!!!
**You can click here to see the nook transformation since this post was first written! **
Sharing with:
Furniture Feature Friday
Feathered Nest Friday
Frugal Friday
Show and Tell Friday
Flaunt it Friday
Saturday Nite Special
Weekend Wrap Up party
Metamorphosis Monday
Mod Mix Monday
Power of Paint Party
Show Me What Ya Got
Remodelaholic Anonymous 90
Room by Room Kitchens at Cottage and Vine
November Before and After party


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I hate it when I get online for a quick read and before you know it I've got 50 pages up of a hot subject. Today was one of those day. It started with find a link on my facebook Looking for Ancestor's post To Pay or Not to Pay? The Cost of Genealogy which just sent me on a wild chase of all the others who have weighed in on this topic. First stop Genealogy – What Do You Mean It Isn't Free? A 2012 Update and then on to the various links through. In this post I especially like the part "I Don't Live In Beverly Hills Because I Can't Afford It" Amen to that. I'm the same way. I don't buy things I can't afford, and though I may complain to my family that I can't afford something I really like, I don't complain to the person providing the product/service because I know what it takes to get there and why they charge what they do. I am also quit creative and in many ways can find away to do or make it myself if need be ;-) Then when I ended up here: What Do You Mean It Isn't Free? and started to rant on that post I decided I best move my comment here.
From personal experience I can say that it does no one justice to undervalue your product/services. I did and as a result I ended up with pain in the butt customers (a few of them anyway, others were great) that in return undervalued all the hard work I put into their research especially when I didn't find what they wanted me to find, even though what I found was the reality and not the fantasy they want......oh Lord here I go again. I digress.
I also volunteer my time when I can spare it. It's always been my way of paying it forward. But nothing gets under my skin more than to see my hard word (when my name is attached ie: my blog) stolen and reposted elsewhere with out any credit. Though I must add that I actually get a really good laugh when I see a mistake I've made that resulted in the connection to a wrong family run like wild fire on the Internet and my name (though I was the original idiot) isn't attached LOL ;-) There is always a silver lining I guess.
But I agree with all of you that somehow we need to put our heads together to change this awful perception that everything in genealogy should be free (or at very little cost). It's time to educate the public when is really involved in what we do. I've actually walked away from a lot of what I did because it irritated my husband that I spent so much time in the genealogy helping others and in the end (considering the time I'd spent on a project) I'd make nearly nothing, compared to working full time and bringing home a paycheck. I'd love to do genealogy professionally, but I'd need to make a REAL LIVING to do it and support my family of three kids. Many of us that are wanting to make a living at this are not granny's looking for a hobby to fill our time (sorry ladies, I love many of you and many of you are the reason I volunteer) but busy mothers and fathers who need to support our families. Think of that the next time you think you deserve our hard work for free. Money doesn't grow on trees and it's getting hard to come by these days, partially because of the availability of "free" information, but with enough creativity and collaboration in the right direction we may get there.
I've come to see it this way: If a Prostitute can make a living then why can't I as a genealogist. Not everyone is willing to pay for a prostitute and some find creative ways around it, though not recommended. So if you are unwilling to pay then I agree with the best of them, find a way to be creative. If you're willing to pay then someone else can do the hard work and you can reap the benefits. Dear Lord here I go again with my ranting and imagination getting the better of me.
I've abandoned my services of research for others. I'm working on another avenue and I hope this one pans out. I just got tired of the complainers and those that wanted something, including my help, for nothing, family/cousins excluded.
Okay I'm done ranting
My interest in genealogy started when I was a child. My dad's mom use to tell me that the family history book had been burned in a fire, but she knew we were related to Daniel Boone. I never forgot that, nor have I ever found the connection haha. Along with doing genealogy I spend a lot of my time doing photo restorations, namely for victims of Sandy through Care for Sandy, and also of family photos that I add to the books I write on our family history.
12 July 2012
If a Prostitute can make a living then why can't I as a genealogist
2 comments:
- Sheri Fenley said...
Oh Amy, Amy Amy! All I can say is Amen Sista, Amen!
- Unknown said...
Great article and even better title!
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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CFTC Charges High-Speed Trader Under New Powers
Move Against Panther Energy Comes After Dodd-Frank Permits Action in Allegations of Disrupting Markets
WASHINGTON—U.S. and U.K. regulators accused a New Jersey high-speed trader of manipulating commodities markets in 2011, the latest sign of heightened global scrutiny of computerized trading across financial markets.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission accused Panther Energy Trading LLC and its owner, Michael J. Coscia, of disrupting markets by improperly placing trades allegedly designed to lure other investors into buying and selling futures contracts tied to corn, oil and other commodities at bogus price levels....


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We Keep You Informed About The High-end Real Estate Market
Create a Premier Estate Properties account and begin monitoring your market – whether you are buying or selling. For buyers, you can see properties as they become new to the market, save your favorite properties and searches to view them again later, and more. If you are looking to sell your luxury residence, you can use our Market Snapshot tool which gives you real-time market data around your specific address.
Continue reading for more information or create an account now with your email, Facebook, or Google account.
Track market changes and data on the properties and communities most important to you
Use our Market Insight tool to receive real-time market data around a specific address: your residence, an investment property, a school, or a property or community that interests you. Receive email and interactive web reports that include new listings, price reductions, recently sold data, and more.
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Use our free app to create an interactive, real-time search experience, filtering the criteria that matters most to you, and connect with your Premier Estate Properties agent on-the-go. Access your Premier Estate Properties account anytime, anywhere, on both premierestateproperties.com and our integrated app.
Be The First To Know
- All of the details you need in the palm of your hand
- Receive real-time alerts when new listings come on the market
- Connect with your Premier Estate Properties agent on-the-go


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President Obama and Mitt Romney presented two very different views on America's teachers and first responders today. While the President urged Congress to pass a bill putting unemployed cops and firefighters back to work and preventing more layoffs, Mitt Romney argued that funding should continue to be cut.
Share this image and make sure your friends and family understand the choice we face in November.


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Along with Luke McRedmond, William Perrigo was one of Redmond's first settlers. He and his wife Matilda built this farmhouse in 1909 and also ran a small trading company out of it before establishing a new store to the south. The house now serves as the Clubhouse at the Eagle Rim Apartment complex.
William Perrigo was one of the first settlers in Redmond and one of its founders. He arrived in Redmond from New Brunswick, Canada in 1872 to visit his brother Warren Perrigo. Warren had started a small trading station in Redmond in the 1890's. The Perrigo's also built a log cabin north of the intersection of Old Avondale Road and Union Hill. Once the business became more successful from the loyalty of other settlers, miners, loggers, and local Indians, William Perrigo built a new trading post south of their home. In 1909, the cabin burned, leading to the construction of the Perrigo's new home - the Perrigo Farm House. The original porch posts of the old house were incorporated into the new house.
William Perrigo was one of the City's largest land holders, once owning all of Education Hill totaling 777 acres of land. Mr. Perrigo was a great contributor to the commercial development of the Redmond we see today, donating land for the first site of the Redmond Methodist Church, Redmond Elementary School, and the City's first water system. He died in 1930. Today the Perrigo Farm House is the last surviving building associated with the Perrigo's.


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What is a sponsoring LIR?
Any LIR can be described as a "sponsoring" LIR if it facilitates an End User obtaining independent Internet number resources directly from the RIPE NCC. A sponsoring LIR will set up an End User Assignment Agreement with their customer (the End User) and request the resources from the RIPE NCC on their behalf. As indicated in the End User Assignment Agreement, the sponsoring LIR is responsible for keeping the registration data up to date. This includes helping the End User to update their objects if required, or if new contacts need to be added or if the routing policy of the End User changes. It also includes informing the RIPE NCC if the assignments are no longer required, or if the contract is changed or otherwise terminated.


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Pop Your Top Kit
Pop Your Top Kit
Sign In or Create Account to rate.
Looking for the ride of your life? Our Pop Your Top Kit features one of our best-selling pleasure powerhouses!
Goes Great With This
Save over 11% when you purchase this kit!(regular price $92.95)
Looking for the ride of your life? Our Pop Your Top Kit features one of our best-selling pleasure powerhouses, the Magic Wand, paired up with one of three sensational silicone Pop Tops attachments for an over-the-top sensual experience. Choose your pleasure from three silicone Pop Tops; smooth fuschia Pop Top for a silky sweet ride, nubby purple Pop Top for textured thrills, or ridges black Pop Top to take you to the edge. The 2 oz. bottle of Please Cream Lube is included to help keep you running smoothly through this bumpy ride. Your top has never been popped like this.
Kit Includes:
Due to a distributor agreement, we are only able to ship Magic Wands to addresses within North America.
For North American use only 110-120 volts. Do not use with voltage converter.
The electric vibrators we carry are manufactured for North American electricity standards (120 V, 60 Hz) and may not be compatible with electricity standards for other regions. Even with voltage adapters, some electric toys may still not function and become damaged. We recommend choosing a battery vibrator instead; many models come in similar sizes, shapes and strengths. Using an electric toy in a region with different electricity standards is at your own risk. Unfortunately, Good Vibrations cannot take returns on products used in this way.
*Note: This kit is excluded from promotional offers & discounts
Items are shipped as individual components and not packaged together
Brand: Good Vibrations Toys
Product Details
Reviews & RatingsRate and Review It
Customer Reviews
I bought the magic wand to use on my wife. I heard it was the best. We have been using a pocket rocket for years, which we still love, and I wanted to use a product with more power that will make my wife cum and squirt (of course i love to clean up the mess). I received the wand in the mail on Monday with plans to surprise her with it over the weekend. I wanted to test out the power, so I tried it on my chest, then pelvis, balls, and finally my penis. Oh wow! It felt super and the next thing I know I am shooting my load across the room. It felt great and can't wait to try it on my wife and will post an update. For me, i like the added topper. It softened the vib just enough and glided easier over my bits.
I'd heard amazing things about the Original Magic Wand by Hitachi. I'd seen the orgasms it leads to. I'd even held one. But I had never used one. Then I found out Good Vibrations is on the official retailer list for genuine OMWs (there are SO MANY fakes out there), and I saw this set. Plus a sale. So yeah, had to buy it.
I FEEL LIKE I UNDERSTAND ALL OF EXISTENCE NOW. Or maybe just the part about this being an incredible toy. (But the euphoria after was like mini nirvana.) I've only squirted a few times in my life, but this is the first time I ever have from A) a toy and B) purely clitoral stimulation. So if you're wondering about the OMW itself, it is 100% worth the money.
But I also want to comment on this particular kit. I went with it over the OMW on its own because I like to be able to thoroughly clean my toys without worrying about damage. The Original Magic Wand is the first toy I've ever bought that wasn't waterproof. However, with the Silicone Pop Top, I don't have to worry about that. I can just pop off the top cover and clean that bit on its own. IT DOES NOT REPLACE THE WAND TOP. It just goes over it like a cover, and it can be a little tricky to get fully on the head of the toy. But it's definitely worth the extra time to put it on to ensure a non-destructive cleaning afterwards. But please, do not try to pull off your OMW top. A friend did this with theirs, and they destroyed it.
As for the lube... I didn't need/use it. I gave it to a friend who hasn't used it yet. But the kit was worthwhile just for the toy/top combo alone. Totally recommend to... everyone. Just everyone.
Personally, this is my favorite vibrator. I am a sex therapist, and strictly work with women who have difficulty with reaching an orgasim.
This product is most reccomended and effective, for the population I work with.
Sign In or Create Account to save favorites.
You have reached the favorite limit. You will need to delete some to save favorites.


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I also have some specific questions:
- What makes a challenge or combat encounter "balanced?"
- Would playing without a minis or a battlemap be very difficult? When using a battlemap, does the choice of grid type (squares or hexes) affect gameplay much?
- How do I handle plot derailment without railroading the players?


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I want to write a review about "Love Of Siam" (to invite friends to the 1st Salcedo Cinema Night).
But after reading Oggs Cruz write-up on the movie (http://oggsmoggs.blogsport.com/), I felt that it is better to just post what he wrote. It captured the essence of the film very well.
I've worked in Bangkok for almost 6 months, and my favourite place then was Siam...it may be the reason why I find this film extra special.
Warning: with spoilers!
Love of Siam (Chukiat Sakveerakul, 2007)
Thai Title: Rak haeng Siam
To label Chukiat Sakveerakul's The Love of Siam as simply a gay teen romance is to misjudge its power and intention. Within the two and a half hour running time (the director's cut is reportedly four hours long) of the film, Sakveerakul essays not only the two young leads' reunion and inevitable attraction but also a family's slow and painful road to accepting a long-delayed reality. I would like to think that The Love of Siam, above everything else, seeks to reaffirm the life-affirming values of loving and being loved without sacrificing the portrayal of the very palpable pain that usually accompanies the emotion.
The twenty-minute prologue tracks the histories of young Mew (Arthit Niyomkul) and Tong (Jirayu La-ongmanee), who are both schoolmates and neighbors. They form a very close friendship which was abruptly ended when Tong's family had to move out when Tang (Laila Boonyasuk), Tong's elder sister, went missing during a trip in Chiang Mai, causing the family tremendous and irreparable sorrow. Years later, Mew (Witwisit Hirunwongkul), lead singer and composer for an up and coming boy band, again crosses path with Tong (Mario Maurer), who is struggling at home with his domineering mother (Sinjai Plengpanich) and alcoholic father (Songsit Rungnopakunsri). The two reconnect and inevitably fall for each other, disrupting whatever peace they have grown accustomed to.
To make matters more complicated, Mew's Chinese neighbor Ying (Kanya Rattanapetch) is hopelessly in love with Mew, not knowing of his homosexual tendencies. On the other hand, Tong is currently dating Donut (Aticha Pongsilpipat), presumably not knowing of his own homosexual tendencies too. Tong's family, more specifically the father who's been spending days and nights drinking, is still suffering from the loss of Tang. June (also played by Boonyasuk), Mew's band manager who looks a lot like Tang, is then recruited to pose as the long lost daughter, momentarily easing the father of his staggered pains.
The Siam in the title refers to Siam Square, a shopping district in Bangkok where most teens hang out to shop, dine, meet, and have fun. Siam Square, in the eyes of the Bangkok youth, has become both the place for welcomes and farewells, of declarations of love and hurtful break-ups, of chance encounters and scheduled meetings. In the film, the popular venue is not only the setting for Mew and Tong's reunion and the numerous other events in the story but it also represents the unpredictability of the many facets of love which the film so intricately paints. While Siam Square or any other shopping mecca are ordinarily thought of as accessories to the bastardization of love and romance because it commonly equates blatant commercialism with the love's outward depictions like dating, gift-giving, and hanging out, The Love of Siam uses that very element to depict love's many wanderings and permutations. Underneath the glow of the traditionally amiable romance, The Love of Siam strives to say something more about the act of loving, whether romantically or familial: that it is more a nebulous network-like journey to maintain hope than a straight path to the assumed happy ending.
In fact, The Love of Siam ends without any of its characters fulfilling the traditional conclusions of a love story. There are no happily-ever-afters or expected closures. Instead, the film ends with a mere spark of hope. That hope that closes the film actually opens up million of possibilities for its characters, as numerous as the countless fortuitous encounters in Siam Square that initiate relationships between strangers or abruptly conclude long-standing affairs all within the fateful movement of time. Sakveerakul drafts a bittersweet ode to the complexities of loving, which commercial cinema has tended to avoid throughout the years. What he exclaims in The Love of Siam is that daringly traversing outside the common simplicities of love is far more gratifying than safely assuming formula.
Through the interconnected lives of two boys who are on the verge of self-awareness amidst their own individual conflicts and the people surrounding them, Sakveerakul notes that love survives notwithstanding the dilemmas that pervade the world. As Ying translates from a Chinese song, "as long as there is love, there is hope." Corny as it sounds, the Bangkok of The Love of Siam thrives on that noble aspiration, without knowing that it does so.


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National Society Daughters of the American
Colorado Society Daughters of the American Revolution
Don't live in our area but interested in membership? Click here.
More information about our chapter
Sarah Platt Decker Chapter
Daughters of the American Revolution
Durango, Colorado
Sarah Platt Decker Chapter, NSDAR, was named for Mrs. Sarah Platt Decker. She was born in McIdoo Falls, Vermont, October 1, 1855. At an early age she manifested concern for the welfare of women and children, and after coming to Denver in 1877, she worked for their welfare. She was responsible for many of the legal reforms affecting them in this state, and became widely known for her work in this field, later being the first woman appointed to the Civil Service Commission of Colorado. She died in San Francisco, California, in 1912, while attending a convention of the General Federation of Women's Clubs. Mrs. Decker was endowed with a brilliant mind, a sympathetic heart, and a wealth of common sense. She spent some time in Durango as a houseguest of Mrs. John L. McNeil, State Regent of Colorado, 1908-1909, and it was during this time that our chapter members met her, and later elected to name the new organization in her honor and to accept her motto:
"Never frown, never sigh, keep step."
(photo of Sarah Platt Decker)
The mission of the DAR is to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism.
This webpage designed and created by Regina Fallace. Webmaster is Jeannine Dobbins.
Web hyperlinks to non-DAR sites are not the responsibility of the NSDAR, the state organizations, or individual DAR chapters.
This page was last updated on August 20, 2013


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There's been a lot of awful media backlash today to video games but, weirdly, one place it didn't happen was on The View.
Sure, they talk over each other a bit — but they're adult enough to admit that the problem isn't with violent games but with parenting. The best part, however, comes at the end when Whoopi Goldberg said the following in response to the level of sexualisation in Grand Theft Auto V:
Touché, Whoopi. Touché.


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About ALMA
The Association of Lutheran Mission Agencies (ALMA) is dedicated to "connecting and equipping Lutherans for God's Mission."
ALMA is a professional service organization linking and equipping Lutheran mission agencies, congregations, and individuals for sharing and demonstrating the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
ALMA encourages cooperation in mission efforts in order to advance God's mission.


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Three projects developing online identity verification schemes in partnership with government programs are among the five recipients of more than $7 million in grants in the second round of funding for the National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC).
The projects will leverage credentials derived from the Defense Department's Common Access Card for mobile devices, expand a standard for machine-readable identity policies with state CIOs, and will work with the Federal Cloud Credential Exchange to expand use of electronic credentials for military families.
NSTIC is a presidential initiative to create an online identity ecosystem with a set of practical, user-friendly credentials developed by the private sector with government support. Although the broadest use of the credentials would be for private-sector transactions, the acceptance of them by government programs is expected to spur their use, helping to encourage and secure a burgeoning online economy. A National Program Office within the National Institute of Standards and Technology expects to award several grants ranging from $1.25 million to $2 million a year each for up to two years. A first round of grants totaling more than $9 million was awarded to five programs in 2012.
Although technologies for strong authentication already are in use, the challenge with the growth of the Internet has been to make them scale for broad adoption. The user ID and password combination widely used today rapidly becomes burdensome both for users and administrators when strong passwords are required for multiple accounts. Tokens and digital certificates are expensive when used for single applications and can be complex to manage when used for multiple applications. NSTIC seeks to develop a commercial environment to leverage the multiple interoperable schemes, making them affordable, easy to use and secure for agencies, businesses and consumers.
The goal of the grants program is not to develop new technologies but to expand the application and use of existing programs to achieve broader deployment, focusing on policies and governance as well as technology.
The five recipients of the current round of funding are:
Exponent: $1,589,400
Exponent will partner with Gemalto and HID Global to deploy credentials derived from the DOD Common Access smart ID card issued to more than 4 million civilian and active duty military personnel on smartphones and wearable devices such as rings and bracelets. These will be used for online access to DOD resources as well as a social media site and a health care organization.
Gemalto is a provider of Common Access Cards and Exponent tests the cards for performance and specification compliance. Solutions in the pilot will be standards-based to enable an interoperable system that can be adopted by a variety of organizations and companies.
Georgia Tech Research Corporation (GTRC): $1,720,723
A GTRC pilot will partner with the National Association of State Chief Information Officers to develop and demonstrate a "Trustmark Framework" to improve trust, interoperability and privacy.
A trustmark is a logo displayed as a seal of approval on a website indicating that it has been found to be trustworthy by an independent organization. Trustmarks must be based on sets of policies that allow website owners, framework providers and consumers to understand the technical, business, and security requirements as well as the policies of the sites with which they interact.
The framework will build on work in developing the National Identity Exchange Federation, a collection of federal, state and local agencies that share sensitive law enforcement information. GTRC will work with NASCIO and one or more current NIEF member agencies, such as Los Angeles County and the Regional Information Sharing Systems, to develop a consistent, machine-readable way to express security and privacy policies, enhancing the level of consumer trust.
ID.me Inc.: $1,204,957
ID.me will enhance its Troop ID credentials to obtain certification at Assurance Level 3 from the General Services Administration's Trust Framework Providers program. This would enable credential holders to use them not only at private-sector sites, but also with U.S. government agencies through the Federal Cloud Credential Exchange being piloted by the U.S. Postal Service.
Troop ID credentials are issued by ID.me to let members of the military community, including family as well as active duty personnel and veterans, access programs intended for members of the military community. More than 200,000 veterans and service members use Troop ID, and the enhanced security certification would enable broader acceptance of the credentials by government agencies. Project partners will include federal agencies and a financial institution serving the military community and its families.
Privacy Vaults Online Inc. (PRIVO): $1,611,349
The PRIVO pilot would provide families with credentials compliant with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act to enable parents and guardians to authorize their children to safely interact with online services. Project partners include a large online content provider and a large toy company. The credentials would enable a streamlined consent process and simplify legal obligations regarding the collection and storage of children's data.
Transglobal Secure Collaboration Participation Inc. (TSCP): $1,264,074
TSCP is working with Fidelity Investments and Chicago Mercantile Exchange to deploy trusted credentials for secure business-to-business, government-to-business and retail transactions for small and medium-sized businesses. Employees of participating businesses will be able to use existing credentials to securely log into retirement accounts at brokerages without obtaining a new credential. Key to these cross-sector transactions will be development of an open-source, technology-neutral Trust Framework Development Guidance document that can provide a foundation for future cross-sector interoperability of online credentials.
About the Author
William Jackson is a Maryland-based freelance writer.
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Third Thursday
- Angel City Brewery 216 Alameda St Los Angeles, 90012 United States (map)
Free! At a brewery.
"2015's Number 1 Comedian." -top1000comedians.com
Andrew Michaan is the only comedian / actor / writer in Los Angeles. He has performed regularly at the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, the Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival, SF Sketchfest, and the Riot LA Comedy Festival. He grew up in the woods of Colorado, did some more growing up in the woods of Portland, Oregon, and now lives in the woods of LA, where he hopes to finally complete his journey of self-growth. He has worked with Comedy Central, Funny or Die, Netflix, Paramount Network, TruTV, and Super Deluxe. Andrew produces and co-hosts Good Looks, a weekly live show at the UCB Theater in Los Angeles. And he co-hosts the popular podcast and Youtube channel Podcast But Outside.
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8960 Thunder Drill
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Joined: 04 Mar 2005
Location: Netherlands
Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 11:53 am
Post subject: 8960 Thunder Drill
As I have already posted in
this review of set 8957
, I was very surprised that the PM sets have been released for retail since this week, here in the Netherlands.
This is review of the second set I bought (for 29,95), the
8960 Thunder Drill
The Thunder Drill is the second largest set in the theme.
When opened the box contains
three large bags, 4 loose wheel parts, a sticker sheet and the instructions
. Two of the large bags are numbered 1 and 2, and each contain a smaller bag. The third bag contains more wheel parts, and the bagged orange rock monster called Firox.
This theme numbers its vehicles like it they are the Thunderbirds: the
sticker sheet
denotes this vehicle number 5. The
have a parts call out on every page, but this is very juniorized: no more than 4 parts are ever called for per stage.
This picture
shows some of the new parts in my collection. A couple of these parts are big, but very interesting.
This part
comes in black (for the wheels) and orange (as part of the drill). Especially interesting is
this part
. As you can see, it has gear teeth on the inside of the rim, allowing for some interesting ways to power these wheels. And a second feature of these wheels is that
a pair of these wheels
link into each other
. This feature isn't used in this set, but it is shown in the combined model on the
back of the box
. Lastly we have the
drill head
. Like the wheels, this piece also has
gear teeth
on the inside of the rim.
Apart from Firox, this set also contains
two more figures
. I am especially fond of
this figure
. His soot stained face would probably go very well with a lot of steampunk creations. Like the figure in set 8957, he two has a symbol on his torso denoting his function, in this case a very appropriate
drill head
. And like the other figures in this theme, he too comes with a
shocked expression
. The
second figure
seems to be a
higher ranked
worker, or perhaps a star of some kind! His
second expression
is also very cool.
All four faces are fun and have character. All in all, I like these two figures a lot more than the analyst included in set 8957.
Building the set is an easy challenge. You are supposed to start with bag no 1, but I just threw all the pieces together without any problem.
This photo
this one
show two fases of the build. Yes, there is a flame coming from some sort of a hole in the cabin; it looks quite dangerous for the operators! Eventually you add the
. The front pair of wheels are on a single axle which, using gears, powers another singe verticle axle. This is so as to power the drill head.
Next we start building the
drill head
. This really is the cleverst part of this set: using
this construction
in the drill head, the drill head is actually planetary geared. This means that as the front (light bley) part of the drill turns clockwise, the other (dark bley) part turnes counterclockwise!
When all is good and done,
these parts
are left. Yes, this does include an extra pair of goggles, even though the instructions only mention one pair!
This is the finished vehicle
It's certainly a
powerfull looking vehicle
with nice greebling and a chain on top and with a pair of huge headlights to light the way.
The cabin
does have just enough standing room for both figures, although they should be careful not to get burned or to accidently light the dynamite in the crate.
The play value of this set is good. You are able to
open the roof
and check the drilling mechanism. And of course
the drill itself turns
when the Thunder Driller is pushed along. Although it looks good, I'd say the drill parts do turn too slowely. It's a 1:1 gear ratio: one rotation of the drill head per rotation of the front wheels. This really should have been geared up, so they would turn a whole lot faster than the wheels. Still, this shouldn't be too hard to realize with some extra parts, and it's an excellent and realistic feature in a great looking set.
All in all, a nice set, made extra good by a nice (though slightly improvable) feature of a working planetary geared drill, and by two very sweet and useful minifigs.
Of final interest is that the instructions contain a link to
for the instructions to the alternate combined models. This set combines with 8958 to make the "Aero Shredder". At the moment of writing this review, this page isn't active, though.
Full gallery
Parts: 8/10
Minifigures: 9/10
Detail: 8/10
Playability: 9/10
Price to parts: 7/10
Availability: 1/10 (for now, except in the Netherlands?)
Color rating: 2/10
Overall rating: 8/10
EDIT: All links have been changed to the regular Brickshelf links, instead of the deeplinks, due to the ENORMOUS size of these deeplinks. Sorry for any inconvenience!
WWAD: What Would Alldarker Do?
Last edited by alldarker on Mon Dec 01, 2008 10:39 am; edited 2 times in total
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Joined: 15 Sep 2008
Location: Maine
Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 4:58 pm
Post subject:
Great review! The higher ranked Mini-figs shocked expression is hysterical that made me laugh so hard. Any way these sets are looking so much better but with my budget I don't know if I will get any when they come out ion the U.S.
In the brain and not the chest
Headshots are the very best
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|View from the front porch of Elmshaven
Folks at the National Park Service liked the idea so much that they adopted the program and have been running it ever since. Each fall they announce the winners of that year's challenge, during the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) annual conference, and they announce the theme for the coming year.
|View of house from the entry drive with a large elm tree
We headed for Elmshaven in St. Helena the heart of the wine growing Napa Valley. Elmshaven was the home of Ellen G. White from 1900 until her death in 1915. Ellen White was a founder of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. She was also an extraordinarily prolific writer who produced 40 books. Much of her writings were on religious topics – some inspired by visions she had or angles who spoke to her throughout her life. She also wrote about healthy living and the importance of education. She is associated with several major institutions including Pacific Union College, Loma Linda University and several medical institutions. According to the brochure available at the site, "She is the most translated woman writer in the entire history of literature, and the most translated American author of either gender."
In 1900 when Ellen White purchased the property there were 60 acres; what remains today is three acres. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993. Elmshaven is at 125 Glass Mountain Lane. There is a small parking area with an arched gateway to a narrow drive that leads up to the house complex. Three buildings define a central courtyard – the two-story Stick/Eastlake Victorian-style residence, an office and vault where White and her secretaries worked, and a Tank House where one of the care takers / docents lives. Today the courtyard space is paved with asphalt. In historic photos, I found online at the Ellen G. White Estate Gallery, it appears to be compacted earth.
|SW corner of residence with vine covered porch & foundation shrubs
|Room where Ellen G White wrote while sitting in the green chair
Narrow foundation planting beds surround the home and appear much as they did in 1915. The site is surrounded by a mixture of endemic and imported ornamental trees, as it was in Ellen White's time. There are remnants of fruit trees and a small vineyard surrounding the structures. At its peak the property had 2000 plum trees, 5 acres of grapes, 5 acres of olive trees, and several peach trees. The household grew and processed the fruit and olives for their use and they supplied the nearby Rural Health Retreat and sold their products through the Home Fruit Company.
This site has so many stories to tell – it is fascinating. I am astounded that I'd never heard of Ellen G. White and knew nothing about her. It is well worth a day trip any time of year and a picnic lunch or stop at one of Napa Valley's many wineries. We enjoyed a fabulous lunch at Mustard's Grill in Yountville.
|Portrait of Ellen G. and James White at Elmshaven


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Backup! Backup! Backup!
We have all heard the common and trite clichés that the only things that are for sure are death and taxes. For computer users, regardless of operating system or brand of computer, there is a third "truth," and that is that hard drives will eventually fail. Hard drives, regardless of brand and reputation, are electro-mechanical devices with a lot of very fast moving parts, motors and some type of electronic controller that makes it work. Heat, physical shock (like dropping on the floor), electrical problems (power surges) and normal friction and wear can cause hard drives to deteriorate followed by a likely catastrophic failure.
Many of the more modern hard drives incorporate "SMART" technology (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) that monitors the hard drive for reliability issues and notifies the user if it detects a pending failure. Once warned, the user should immediately verify that the drive is properly backed up and then quickly consider replacing the drive. Many of the hard drive manufacturers provide free SMART monitoring software, or a similar utility. Seagate, for example, offers its free "SeaTools" utility that " ... includes several tests that will examine the physical media on your Seagate or Maxtor disk drive and any other non-Seagate disk drive." A 17mb download, this free utility will run on almost any brand of hard drive and display its findings such that the user can have real-time information about the condition of a hard drive. There are many other hard drive monitoring utilities available, both free and commercial. For free hard drive monitoring software, consider any of the top rated hard drive monitoring utilities listed at techsupportalert.com. I have been happy using a $15 program (sometimes offered as a free promotional download) "Ashampoo HDD Control," which provides comprehensive hard drive monitoring services, as well as drive cleaning and defragmentation functions.
One of the earliest fables (with some truth built in) about hard drives is a component of Murphy's law, which says, "A properly backed up hard drive will never fail; but the first time that you do not have a current backup, it will always fail at the most inopportune time." This has evolved into the current truism that says, "The three most important words in computing are Backup, backup and backup!" On my computers, I routinely copy my critical data files to USB flash drives, burn them to CDs, and use a file copy backup utility with a high capacity USB external hard drive. Actually, I use multiple backup devices for critical data files because I like the idea of redundancy, and backup media and devices have become incredibly inexpensive. During the hurricane evacuations for Rita, Gustav and Ike, the very first item I packed was my external hard drive with my latest backup, along with some backup CDs with additional copies of the most critical data files from my desktop computer.
There is an abundance of good quality backup software available, and for several years I have been using NTI Shadow (www.nticorp.com), a $40 product that transparently maintains backups in real-time of all of my critical data files on my external USB hard drive. When first installed, Shadow automatically copies all selected file types to the chosen backup device and then maintains the backup set without any necessary user intervention. As soon as I save a file to my hard drive, Shadow instantly copies the file to my backup device. For sequential files, such as word processing or spreadsheet files, Shadow can selectively save each version, as it is updated or saved, preserving the older versions in case they are ever needed. I use Shadow to automatically maintain or "synchronize" data files, photos, videos, music files, e-mail and other non-system information. Since all of the files are saved in native format, the backed up files can be read, copied, or opened, with no special or proprietary software required. Over the years, I have been very satisfied with NTI Shadow, and continue to use it.
For those who prefer free software, there are many excellent programs available, all with different feature sets and offering different types of backup (www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-backup-program). TechSupportAlert.com has guidance to help the user select the type of backup program desired. A file backup program does precisely that — maintains copies of files. A full backup is a type of backup where the entire hard drive is copied, often by creating an exact digital image of the hard drive. A differential backup, after a full backup is created, only backs up new or modified files. An incremental backup is somewhat like a differential backup, but only backs up the files that were created or modified since the last full or incremental backup.
Using a free software product, Paragon Backup and Recovery (Advanced) Free edition (www.paragon-software.com/home/br-free), I periodically create an "image backup" which basically creates a bit by bit digital image of my entire hard drive as it is at that instant, and writes that image to my external USB hard drive. The software provides for the creation of a bootable Linux recovery CD that contains the drivers and utilities necessary to restore the hard drive. In the event of a catastrophic hard drive failure, I can purchase a new hard drive, install it in my computer, boot the computer with the recovery CD, and using the image file on the external drive, recreate my hard drive precisely as it was at the time of the backup, with all programs and data files intact. Once the image file is installed, the computer will boot and run just as it did before the hard drive failure, but with a new hard drive. Other than the time, expense of a new hard drive and a little aggravation, my computer will be fully functional just as it was prior to the hard drive failure. This is the primary reason for having a current image backup. This Paragon Backup and Recovery software can also create and maintain file level backups, perform other backup functions, and is a comprehensive backup utility. For most users, this Paragon software will be most adequate, as it is capable of performing all desired backup and restore functions.
Other top-rated free drive imaging programs are listed at www.techsupportalert.com. I strongly encourage all computer users to frequently create an image backup such that a failed hard drive can be easily replaced and all files and programs restored. Since I use multiple external USB hard drives, I sequentially create an image on one external drive, and then use a different external drive for my next image backup. By doing this, I always have at least one functional image capable of being restored just in case there is a problem on one of the external drives. If that happens, I might not have the most recent image file, but at least I can be back in service with minimal loss. Since my data files are continuously backed up by Shadow (I keep a redundant set of those files as well), between the image file and my Shadow files, it is unlikely that I would lose anything of significance.
There is no need to suffer a hard drive failure with the resultant loss of all programs and data files. With the availability of several excellent free hard drive monitoring and backup utilities, as well as several comparable commercial products, and the declining cost of high capacity storage media, lost data should be a crisis of the past, as it is easily preventable or recoverable.
Listen to Ira Wilsker's weekly radio show on Mondays from 6-7 p.m. on KLVI 560AM.