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A team of Blinn College students was selected from 150 teams to be a part of an engineering showcase at Texas A&M University for a data-tracking and sorting robot they created in just two months.
Sidney Vavra (Lake Jackson), Olivia Conner (Austin), Cole Frazier (Colleyville) and Mikhail Llauder (Mesquite) are all first-year engineering students co-enrolled at both Texas A&M and Blinn.
Affectionately nicknamed Bernardo, their robot was a project for Foundations of Engineering II, a Texas A&M course in which students learn computer applications and programming, solids modeling, the fundamentals of engineering science and advanced graphic skills.
Students were given a basic robot kit and a set of guidelines to build their own robot.
"We were overwhelmed at the beginning," Vavra said. "We started with the basics and worked out the kinks from there. I was impressed when we saw how well it came together, especially once we got asked to go to the showcase."
The robot took about 50 hours to build over two months and is designed to organize data such as medical records. It can navigate a maze, locate an object with a unique bar code and place the object in its rightful place. The group hopes to add a Bluetooth feature that will allow the robot to communicate coordinates with other robots.
Of 150 robots, only 12 were selected to compete in the engineering showcase.
"I'm really proud of our teamwork," Frazier said "The course required a lot of work and patience. It taught us about the design process and gotten us ready to be engineers."
Blinn and Texas A&M recently expanded their Transfer Enrollment at Texas A&M (TEAM) program, a collaborative partnership that allows students to enroll at both schools, to include specific focus on attracting engineering students with a sub-program termed "TEAM-E." The new program was launched last Fall and provides an academic pathway for students to successfully transfer from Blinn into Texas A&M's Dwight Look College of Engineering. Vavra, Conner, Frazier and Llauder are all enrolled in TEAM-E. To learn more about TEAM-E, recently renamed the Texas A&M Engineering Academy at Blinn, visit engineering.tamu.edu/easa/areas/academics/teab.
Blinn enrolled 18,413 students this Fall and has experienced 31.1 percent growth since 2006. Founded in 1883, the College's tuition and fees average about one-third the cost of the same classes at most four-year public universities in the state. In addition to its campuses in Brenham, Bryan, Schulenburg and Sealy, the College teaches online courses, dual credit for high school and prepares students for quick employment through its career and technical certification programs.
Registration is now available for Blinn's May minimester (May 12-28) as well as the Summer I, Summer II and Fall semesters. For enrollment information and to learn about financial aid opportunities, visit: www.blinn.edu. Story and photo courtesy of Blinn College.


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Zenescope Entertainment is doing Extra Life again this year!
Last year was our first year taking part in Extra Life as a company, and we made a great debut!Thanks to our team members, and supporters, out of 2465 teams, we were ranked #168! And we were able to raise $1874! That is a good amount of money and it is going help the kids, which is the most important thing.
This year's Extra Life will take place Saturday, November 2nd and the team goal is to raise over $2000, and I think we have a good chance at meeting that goal.
Donate, or join the team!
Our team captain…is me. I will be gaming across multiple systems over the course of the 25 hours, and be giving away a handful of prizes to supporters, team members, and even fans who are active during the event.
You can find me on:
PSN: GoateeSox
Xbox: Goatee
How can you be an active fan during Extra Life?
Well, it's simple really. You simply watch us game!
We will be live-streaming the entire marathon here: http://www.twitch.tv/thegeekyhusband
The most exiting part about our involvement this year, is that we found a unique, Zenescope way to support the cause, and that is with offering an exclusive. Here is the Extra Life exclusive, on Grimm Fairy Tales #91 Cover D by Talent Caldwell.
Sela as a gamer girl…couldn't be more fitting. This cover will only be available at our booth #704 at ComiKaze, as well as on our web store on November 2nd. A portion of all the proceeds from the sale of this cover will be donated to Extra Life, and that money is given to the Children's Miracle Network.
We couldn't be happier to be a part of this worthy cause and we hope you are able to join us for this marathon on Saturday, November 2nd.

subset: commoncrawl


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99 + Gut Vorlage Stern Zum Ausdrucken KombinationOn
Every 51 minutes, different person dies in an alcohol-related traffic collision. In 2012 alone, more than 10,000 people were killed in drunk driving accidents, accounting for approximately one-third of every fatalities. You can locate more drunk driving statistics upon the Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD) website here. Drunk Driving Prevention In America In the slant


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Missouri's own guide to great gardening and landscaping. A State-by-State Gardening Publication
Caterpillar Calamities
by Blake Layton
Every gardener has experienced it, usually more times than they can count. You walk into the garden and discover a plant that's been defoliated or otherwise damaged by caterpillars. The canna leaves are riddled with holes, the cabbage leaves look like lace, half the tomatoes have worms in the fruit, or the azaleas have been stripped of their leaves. How could this happen so quickly? >> read article
Dragonfly Fascination
by Douglas A. Spilker, Ph.D.
Dragonflies with their ominous beauty, vivid colors and their spectacular flying maneuvers have provided hours of entertainment for many gardeners. Dragonflies are widespread across the United States and can be enticed to visit most yards. There are more than 450 species found throughout the United States and Canada. They range in color and size from the small eastern amberwing to the very large and brilliantly colored green darner. Although these insects tend to stay close to their birthplace, they are strong fliers that will explore surrounding areas. So if you garden even remotely near fresh water or a wetland, you can lure dragonflies to your yard. >> read article
In Defense of Spiders
by Kristi Cook
Spiders are perhaps some of the most feared and misunderstood inhabitants of any garden. Quickly squashed into "bug juice" without a moment's hesitation, these beneficials rarely find safe refuge in their garden homes. Yet, despite their fearsome reputations, wise gardeners learn to appreciate these hungry monsters as they go about their daily business patrolling for pests such as mosquitos, flies, aphids, and leafhoppers. Knowing how to live side by side in harmony is a simple matter of understanding what makes them tick – or twitch. >> read article
Hoo Gives a Hoot
by Kenny Coogan
Hosting and inviting owls to your garden has many advantages. Although not seen as often as diurnal birds, when owls are spotted it is a thrill for all. Their distinct vocalizations often give their locale away, as they fly silently with their fringed feathers hunting for vermin. Having pest control working not only for free, but throughout the night unseen, is an added bonus. Owls are an environmentally safe form of pest control – no harsh chemicals needed. >> read article
The Ecological Benefits of Bats
by Alison McCartney
All bats found in the Southeast are insectivores and therefore provide the ecological benefit of acting as a natural pest control. Forty-five bat species are native to the United States with 15 living in the Southeast. Nearly 40 percent of these species are threatened or endangered, and around the world, many more are declining at alarming rates. >> read article
Welcome the Birds
by Jeff Rugg
Have you ever wondered why you see more birds in local forest preserves than in your yard? Why some birds are seen in the suburbs but not in the city? Have you ever tried to attract hummingbirds or orioles by putting out special bird feeders, only to have them ignored? What can you do to attract more birds to your yard ... >> read article


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dccd wrote:So Wakita became Kogoros apprentice to extract information.
But Bourbon already is Kogoros apprentice and can extract information.
If theyre both bo this doesnt make sense - expect Wakita thinks that Bourbon sucks (and he himself is better) or is a rat.
blackmoon wrote:Come to think of this... it would be strange if Gosho designed it just to repeat the same trick twice:
Why the repeat and redundancy? Hmm...
Kor wrote:blackmoon wrote:Come to think of this... it would be strange if Gosho designed it just to repeat the same trick twice:
Why the repeat and redundancy? Hmm...
Vermouth used a disguise. Bourbon used a disguise.
Kir turns out to be a spy. Bourbon turns out to be a spy.
Conan and his allies used disguises in the Vermouth confrontation. Conan and his allies used disguises in the Bourbon confrontation.
Eisuke turns out to be Kir's brother. Masumi turns out to be Shuichi's sister. Shuukichi turns out to be their brother.
Kaito and Aoko are childhood friends. Shinichi and Ran are childhood friends. Heiji and Kazuha are childhood friends. Some other couples also exist because said couples met or knew each other when they were kids.
There's a voice-changing bowtie, a voice-changing face mask and a voice-changing choker.
It wouldn't necessarily be strange for Gosho to repeat the same thing twice, cause Gosho is already extremely repetitive and redundant.
dccd wrote:Erm... I think you missunderstood the part.
If someone has a double he isnt anymore one person?
For example if Tom Cruise is doubled by a stuntman-lookalike there are 2 Tom Cruises in the world?
There you go.
Im not sure if the rest is your hypothesis or your interpretation of my post.
Either way I didnt said anything of it and didnt meant it the way you portray it.
Again, what Im stating is:
Rum has one representative (Wakita).
Wakita combines all 5 elements Ai told us
(Old+Strong+Feminine+Eye+ yes... its even in the same panel: he´s a double in the sense of a representative).
Bo-guys (expect the boss) thinks Wakita=Rum.
Only the boss knows who real Rum is.
This would allow Gosho to do a big showdown with a fake-reveal (Wakita) and
afterwards the true reveal (real Rum).
He already used this on the Bourbon-Arc (fake reveal as a bo-guy and afterwards as a good-guy).
Hope you got it now.
I doubt that Sera is somehow interested in Kogoro. She didnt showed a single sign about that yet and her and her mother
already know who Conan is ("Isnt the same boy as 10 years ago...").
Kuroda seems to know about Kogoro too (Your the brain behind Kogoro).(How? Really big hint towards him = Tsutomu)
Rumi is obviously interested in Conan - and not in Ai (CH 1006)(-> no BO)
And Wakita is interested in Kogoro.
Since one of those three probably will end up as a bo-guy, I pick Wakita.
But why didnt Bourbon got the Kogoro-mission?Spoiler:"Q38: "Who's the most handsome member of the BO?"
A: "Huh... Is Amuro considered a BO member, too? He must be handsome, Amuro. Is Akai a BO member, too? I see, maybe Vodka might be handsome, too. But I think Gin is handsome."
So Gosho himself isnt considering him as a bo-guy anymore.
Furthermore he obviously had other plans in mind for Bourbon (Shinichi-conflict).
That completely explains the presence of Wakita.
So I stay with my first instinct:
Wakita is a bo-guy and the representative of real Rum.
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What is the Eastern Orthodox Church and what are the beliefs of Orthodox Christians?Question: "What is the Eastern Orthodox Church and what are the beliefs of Orthodox Christians?"
Answer: The Eastern Orthodox Church is not a single church but rather a family of 13 self-governing bodies, denominated by the nation in which they are located (e.g., the Greek Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Church). They are united in their understanding of the sacraments, doctrine, liturgy, and church government, but each administers its own affairs.
The head of each Orthodox church is called a "patriarch" or "metropolitan." The patriarch of Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) is considered the ecumenical—or universal—patriarch. He is the closest thing to a counterpart to the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church. Unlike the Pope, who is known as VICARIUS FILIUS DEI (the vicar of the Son of God), the bishop of Constantinople is known as PRIMUS INTER PARES (the first amongst equals). He enjoys special honor, but he has no power to interfere with the 12 other Orthodox communions.
The Orthodox Church claims to be the one true church of Christ, and seeks to trace its origin back to the original apostles through an unbroken chain of apostolic succession. Orthodox thinkers debate the spiritual status of Roman Catholics and Protestants, and a few still consider them heretics. Like Catholics and Protestants, however, Orthodox believers affirm the Trinity, the Bible as the Word of God, Jesus as God the Son, and many other biblical doctrines. However, in doctrine, they have much more in common with Roman Catholics than they do with Protestant Christians.
Sadly, the doctrine of justification by faith is virtually absent from the history and theology of the Orthodox Church. Rather, Orthodoxy emphasizes theosis (literally, "divinization"), the gradual process by which Christians become more and more like Christ. What many in the Orthodox tradition fail to understand is that "divinization" is the progressive result of salvation, not a requirement for salvation itself. Other Orthodox distinctives that are in conflict with the Bible include:
The equal authority of church tradition and Scripture
Discouragement of individuals interpreting the Bible apart from tradition
The perpetual virginity of Mary
Prayer for the dead
Baptism of infants without reference to individual responsibility and faith
The possibility of receiving salvation after death
The possibility of losing salvation
While the Eastern Orthodox Church has claimed some of the church's great voices, and while there are many in the Orthodox tradition that have a genuine salvation relationship with Jesus Christ, the Orthodox church itself does not speak with a clear message that can be harmonized with the biblical gospel of Christ. The call of the Reformers for "Scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone, and Christ alone" is missing in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and that is too precious a treasure to do without.
Recommended Resource: Three Views on Eastern Orthodoxy and Evangelicalism by Gundry & Stamoolis
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We've never made homemade bread ourselves, but if we had these Japanese National automatic home bakery systems we just might. It looks just like a rice cooker, and allows you to pour in all the ingredients at once, press a button, and JIGGITY JAM, you've got bread.
If you don't like bread, it also makes pasta, cake, mochi, and raisin bread. Though raisin bread is still bread. But much, much more delicious. You know what else is delicious? Raisin bread. Oh wait, I just said that.
Product Page [National via Tokyo Mango]


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Scottish Rugby
Blair to the rescue?
Iain Morrison
September 21, 2010
Alex Blair: Scotland's next big thing? © PA Photos
Scottish rugby is a small, not altogether close knit, family where almost everyone knows everyone else, certainly in the professional game. Given the limited gene pool it's hardly surprising that brothers have always had an extended influence on events; from the Calders, Jim and Finlay, to the Hastings, Gavin and Scott and back to Peter and Gordon Brown.
There is a famous story about Gordon telling his delighted brother Peter (known universally as "P.C.") that he had been selected in the Scotland team to play at the weekend. "Instead of who?" PC enquired. "You!" came the response.
In recent years brothers have had a bigger influence on Scotland's fortunes than ever before. When Sean Lamont and Thom Evans first arrived at Glasgow some years back they both insisted that they had brothers who were better than they were...Rory Lamont, currently with Toulon in France, and Max, sadly for Scotland the only Evans still in operation.
But they are not alone because Edinburgh centre Alex Grove (on loan from Worcester Warriors until at least January) also has a younger brother, Ollie, who played Scotland Under-20 rugby last season. Ollie is currently filling the No.13 shirt for Birmingham and Solihull in England's Championship and, presuming Alex returns to Worcester this season, the two brothers could go head to head in 2011.
But there is something else that ties these three pairs of brothers together...they were all brought up in English rugby. In fact it is possible, with the addition of Simon Danielli and Hugo Southwell, to imagine a Scottish backline that has "Made In England" stamped on its collective backside, such is the predominance of exiles in the national squad.
What happened to Scottish back play? The country that produced Jim Renwick and Ken Scotland, Andy Irvine and John Rutherford, not to mention Ian McGeechan, no mean player long before gaining fame as a coach, suddenly seems to have run out of ideas.
GPS MacPherson was the greatest of the lot, at least according to a 2001 poll that nominated him Scotland's best attacking back. He was elusive, electric over short distances and brilliant in tandem with winger Ian Smith. The pair of them scored 29 tries in just 17 matches together, with McPherson usually acting as the creator for Smith's finishing.
The current Scottish attack is toothless, both at international and pro-team level. The forwards win the ball and the backs run into brick walls or up blind alleys until someone makes a mistake. The only player who has the happy knack of scoring tries is Edinburgh winger Tim Visser, he was top scorer in the Magners last time out and he's started like a rocket this season, but if he's a Scot then I'm a Dutchman. Over the last ten Test matches Scotland have managed no more than six tries, with just two of them going to backs. It's not a statistic that will have Mils Muliaina quaking in his boots when the All Blacks turn up to Murrayfield on November 13.
All of which makes the emergence of another brother all the more important to Scottish rugby. Alex is the youngest of the Blair brothers (his siblings include Scotland scrum-half Mike and Edinburgh stand-off David) and is outrageously talented. Not since Gregor Townsend emerged from Gala almost seventeen years ago has a young back, and this one was born and bred in Scotland, arrived on the scene with such expectation weighing on his shoulders.
That is something of a surprise because Alex is so far from the finished product that no one can be sure what he will eventually end up as; a cultured fly-half, a livewire thirteen or even a fullback. No one seems to agree on his best position. He kicks poorly but he has pace to burn, his game management is woeful but he can spot a gap before it opens up, he steps well but he misses tackles and so on and so on.
The only thing that everyone agrees upon is that Alex Blair has something special. He is genuinely quick, especially over the all important first thirty, and he has the beating of a man one on one, a talent that puts him in a very exclusive minority in Scottish rugby.
It may be the miserable weather up here, our club matches kicked off two weeks before the professionals in an attempt to get the last of the summer sun, or it may be down to risk-averse coaching at junior level but something is badly wrong with the state of Scottish back play.
Will the youngest Blair, another one of the country's "band of brothers", be the answer to all of Scotland's woes? Well, no, obviously, at least not on his own, but there are a lot of fans and followers monitoring Alex Blair's progress very closely - if only to reassure themselves that the spirit of GPS MacPherson is not lost forever.
© Scrum.com
Iain Morrison won 15 caps for Scotland between 1993 and 1995 and is the rugby correspondent for The Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday newspapers
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Hillsboro Pineland Natural Area
The site lies in the historic transition zone between the high-and-dry Atlantic Coastal Ridge of eastern Broward County and the now-drained Everglades of urbanized western Broward. Located near the headwaters of both the historic Hillsboro River and Cypress Creek, the area was once a vast landscape of marshes and swamps, with wet prairies and pine flatwoods occupying the higher ground. The site was purchased for $4.74 million with funds from the 1989 Environmentally Sensitive Lands Bond acquisition program.
56.3 acres
Mosaic of natural vegetation communities including both pine upland and wetland habitats. The site features pine flatwoods common to this part of Broward County, with surface rock outcroppings and a variety of grasses and wildflowers.
Slash pine, saw palmetto, myrsine, gallberry, staggerbush, beautyberry, cypress, swamp fern, sword fern, wax myrtle, muhly grass, and yellowtop.
Several species of hawks, various wood warblers, owls, woodpeckers, different species of wading birds, and various species of butterflies including zebra longwing.
Covered overlooks, concrete walkway, restrooms, benches, interpretive signage, 2,334 feet of elevated boardwalk and nature trail. Wildlife observation is encouraged, although bicycles, inline skates, skateboards, and motorized vehicles are prohibited on the trails. As with all natural area sites, pets are not allowed.
EcoAction Days (October through May)
Volunteer workdays help keep our natural areas clear of garbage and invasive plants. They're held on the fourth Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon. Closed-toe shoes are required, and long pants and long sleeves are suggested. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own gloves, hats, sunscreen, insect repellent, and drinking water. Ages 13 to 17 must have a parent or guardian's signature on the registration form prior to participating. Volunteers under the age of 13 may participate, but only if accompanied by a parent or guardian. High school students can use the hours from these workdays toward their required community service hours. Check the volunteer Web page for the latest workday registration form. Preregister by calling Quiet Waters Park at 954-357-5100.
Nature at Night Hikes
These naturalist-led hikes awaken and explore your senses to reveal the site's distinctive night life. Sturdy shoes are recommended. For ages 8 and up. The fee is $5 per person. Preregistration and prepayment are required by calling Quiet Waters Park at 954-357-5100, or Reserve Online.
School Groups
This 56.3-acre natural area abounds with learning opportunities for students of all ages. From outdoor laboratory experiments to group-learning exercises, we ensure students receive information requested while having a fun experience. Come explore our natural areas.
Environmental and Scouting Programs
Getting people of all ages involved in the appreciation of nature is the focus of many of the programs at Hillsboro Pineland. Opportunities include activities for boy and girl scouts, children's programs, school field trips, private group tours, and more. Call 954-357-5113 for more details and to make reservations.


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What do you confess? Are you a patriot? Perhaps you proudly state that you're an American, and insist that all your fellow Americans remember, if nothing else, that they are Americans. So you are actually making two confessions. The first is a simple statement of national origin, and the second is a statement of national pride.
In order to pin you down more, I will restate my question this way. What or whom do you confess as the final arbiter of your raison d'etre, the thing by which you judge everything else?
If you think about it, you'll discover the picture quickly grows murky for anyone seriously asking the question. For example, being an American deepens to Americanism being the only sane national alternative, which further intensifies into the American national imperative. "I confess I am a Democrat!" you might finally assert. "I'm a Republican!" the person next to you might then shout. Both of you hail American nationalism with equal fervor. So what differentiates you from him/her? What's the beef?
It might surprise you, but the difference is not what you each perceive as the correct national imperative. No, I propose that you and your neighbor are still not confessing what you truly confess. Now, there are a zillion factors to be considered, but I will cut to the critical chase as I see it.
You, the Democrat, might explain, "I know where you're going with this. Let me tell you, I am a Christian. I confess Jesus Christ! And Jesus taught us to care for the poor and repudiate the rich."
"And how do you live by this confession?" I ask.
"I support leaders and government systems that mandate fair distribution of wealth, and who promote peace through tolerance. After all, this is what our founding fathers advocated. It is the glory of Americanism, and why all other nations pale."
Your Republican neighbor quickly chimes in before I can say anything. "I confess Jesus Christ who demands moral purity and everyone working for their bread, which means they must take care of themselves. This is what it means to be American. This is the national ethos that shines above the rest because it demands free opportunity under the strict rule of Judeo-Christian ethics. Our founding fathers would be appalled by the moral laxity and entitlements being leveled on the American public, today."
"How do you live by your confession?" I ask.
"I live it by supporting leaders and government systems who limit their own authority, advocate Christian principles and traditions in the public sector, and insist that everyone carry his own weight."
I step back to watch the two of you--both red-faced--glaring at each other.
The rest of you watching this drama playing out in my mind's eye will perhaps accuse me of creating caricatures. I disagree. The two patriots clearly read from the same music in their heads; the rest, as Wolfie in Amadeus said non plus, is just quibbling and bibbling, bibbling and quibbling. The point is neither person has yet to honestly admit his/her true confession; indeed, they might not even know what it is.
I submit that despite the fact each sees the other as hopeless and--no overstatement, here--evil, they both actually confess the same thing. Both really only want a society where they can be left to themselves and feel good about it. Their truest confession is self-satisfaction--pure and simple.
If any caricature has been painted, it is their caricature of Jesus.
May I remind us that simply asserting Jesus is the son of God doesn't save us or our particular worldview. Frequently in the Gospels we find the demons whom Jesus cast out of people confessing Jesus as the son of God. But their true confession didn't change them; they only cowered.
If we are to confess Jesus in a way that effects a change in us and in the world around us, then we must confess Him as King. If Jesus is our King, we will seek to obey Him according to His standards and not our own or those of the corrupt world. We will obey Him by promoting His kingdom through individual initiative (i.e., not foisting the responsibility on someone else) in our sphere of influence--regardless of who might be in office, or what might be in vogue. We promote his kingdom by caring for the poor, the infirmed, and the marginalized (isn't this what our Democrat friend claims he/she wants?) by freely distributing the wealth God has placed in our possession, fully confident of God's faithfulness. And at the same time, bringing justice (isn't this what our Republican friend claims he/she wants?) by acting mercifully towards everyone including our enemies--yes, especially our enemies. And at the same time willingly dying each and every moment both to and for this corrupt world as Jesus died for all of us.
No doubt this is a hard teaching. Our king makes the most uncomfortable demands on us. God's kingdom completely contradicts this dark world and its ways. So, naturally there will be conflicts, and there won't be peace--at least not yet. But if we truly confess Jesus as our King and Lord, the unrest and conflict we encounter will be a response and not our actions. In other words, we won't be seeking sanctuary from the opposition, nor will we attempt to muzzle the opposition using the world's methods and tactics. Indeed, if we truly trust our King Jesus, we won't be feel threatened, at all. We will understand that the justice will only come through the power of love acting in holiness.
Jesus doesn't want us, as our two friends above are doing, to hide behind other men or women, or ideologies. He calls us to boldly come out of hiding and invest ourselves as representatives of His kingdom to a dark, fearful, and angry world.
We would all do well to assess what we honestly confess.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
What Do You Confess?
What do you confess? Are you a patriot? Perhaps you proudly state that you're an American, and insist that all your fellow Americans remember, if nothing else, that they are Americans. So you are actually making two confessions. The first is a simple statement of national origin, and the second is a statement of national pride.
Posted by Bruce Kokko at 7:25 PM 1 comments
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Why We Despair
This last week I fell, yet again, into an emotional slump; I felt disillusioned and discouraged; in short, I despaired.
And it's really disgusting when you think about it. By what reason do I have to despair? Compared to literally billions of people, I live in the lap of luxury, ease, and some might even say, decadence. I surely hope they are wrong about the latter assessment. I don't live decadently, but the rest of the point is well taken: I clearly have no reason to despair.
Unfortunately, all too often, I do despair. I'm a petulant human being, and I think a bit of a problem child of God. I can hear the Lord, "Bruce, Bruce, Bruce...you worry about so many things." He'd be right. And worry is nothing more than a symptom of despair.
I should say at this point in my defense, I am not despairing over the things I do or don't have, rather I despair out of a fear I am not using all I have been given--the collective assets of wealth, materials, knowledge, and opportunity--to make a positive difference in this world. I despair I am merely a consumer instead of a producer.
Okay, after you get done gagging, you might suggest if I must despair over something, then that's a good thing to despair about. Thanks, but despair is wrong because at the heart of despair is a lack of trust, or more correctly, a lack of proper trust.
Despite all the airtime I've consumed with this blog extolling the necessity of trusting God, I do a rather poor job of practicing what I preach. The problem is not that God has failed to prove Himself trustworthy. God has all through history proven His faithfulness, the crowning proof, of course, being the incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of His son, Jesus the Christ. And although I seem to quickly forget, God has also countless times proven His loyal love in my personal life.
Certainly, the problem is not with God's faithfulness but with my own lack of faithfulness, which blooms from an improper trust, and quickly wrecks me in the ditch of despair. We can easily see the trust/lack of faithfulness connection, by considering three main manifestations of infidelity: 1) not doing what God wants all of us to do (i.e., blatant disobedience); 2) not doing what God specifically demands of me to do because I'm too busy trying to do what He would have the other guy do; and 3) doing what God asks our own way rather than His way. In each case I trust in myself because of self-interest, with the outcome of being unfaithful to God. And the ensuing failure breeds despair.
At the root of all the above examples of infidelity is an improper trust; that is, we trust in ourselves instead of God. We insist we know better than God what we and the world needs, so we trust ourselves to get the job done. The trouble is we are an unreliable lot. Not only do we let God down time and time again, we let ourselves down countless times. The fact is we are a very poor object of our trust. And as long as we trust in ourselves instead of God, we will despair.
Is despair always a negative condition? We must be careful not to confuse despair with grief. At the root of despair is an improper trust born out of self-interest. But the root of grief is love. There is an inherent hopelessness in despair absent in grief. Despair drives us away from God; grief leads us to Him. Despair causes us to take matters in our own hands, or worse, give up altogether. We can despair at the misery in the world, and be overwhelmed; or we can grieve at the state of the world and look to God to overcome it. Jesus grieved at the waywardness of humankind, and was compassionate. Hmm, come to think of it, anger is the only emotion I ever seem to dredge up in the state of despair--certainly not compassion.
Now that we better understand the mechanism of despair, what can we do to escape its sticky web? As we seek to do the work Christ has for us by clinging tenaciously to Him for our strength, direction, and motivation, we should pray daily with the Psalmist:
Yes, we will suffer; yes, we will grieve; but we won't despair because we are trusting in God, alone.
Posted by Bruce Kokko at 7:24 PM 1 comments
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Happy Anniversary, Darling
Every year on or around our wedding anniversary I write what I affectionately call the state of the union missive to my wife. The title is purposely tongue-in-cheek. The sole reason for writing it is to celebrate my beautiful wife, to remind her again how much I love and adore her, and to guard myself from ever taking for granted the undeserved blessing she is to me.
Another tradition is our anniversary pilgrimage to a popular get-away vacation spot in our state. The place we retreat is also where we were first hitched. In fact, I'm writing this while sitting on the porch of our favorite B & B. The day is absolutely idyllic, much as it had been the afternoon of our nuptials. Earlier today we picnicked down by the water. It was just us, a couple of young families enjoying their lunches, a light breeze, the periodic calls of the resident sea gulls, and a pleasure craft motoring out into the bay.
Why am I telling you this?
It is in the kinds of moments such as the one I related above, where we have our best chance at seeing our spouse. In the calm serenity and the temporary withdrawal from the cares of life, we have an opportunity to peer into the heart of the companion God has blessed us with. There are imperfections to be found, there, to be sure; such imperfections are also within us for our spouse to see. But I'm suggesting in these tranquil moments, if we really want to, we can call an amnesty, and for a moment see our spouse from his/her perspective--nay, God's perspective--rather than our own.
Some of you at this point might be thinking, "You don't know my wife!" or "You don't know how much my husband hurt me." Of course I don't, at least not in the specific details of your situation. But trust me, I've lived long enough to understand what you are going through; I can empathize with you. But I'm suggesting things will never change for the good if you keep looking at your spouse in the harsh light of accusation and resentment. Despite your take on the history, your spouse carries within him or her the same fears, hopes, failed dreams, and need to be loved as you do. I'm suggesting if you simply take a moment to weigh out each of those areas in your spouse without doctoring the balance with your personal weights and measures, you will suddenly know how you can love your spouse for his/her benefit. And in the process you will be better able to assess your own true situation.
Here's what I propose:
Love you spouse
Forgive your spouse
never look back again
Love your spouse
Tear down the wall between you
even if certain you're not the mason
Love your spouse
Hear his cry
it may be inaudible
Love your spouse
Dry her tears
the well might run deep
Love your spouse
Celebrate his success
it might be all that's left him
Love your spouse
Rejoice in her strength
she might have much to carry
Love your spouse
And never, never, never, seek to make him or her in your image. One can never love one's spouse unless one first loves God. And that begins with understanding He wants all of us to bear His image.
Happy Anniversary my dear, Sara. Thank you for making it so easy to see the love of Christ.
Posted by Bruce Kokko at 4:58 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Meet Telemachus
In the course of preparing to teach an adult Sunday school class this fall on an overview of the Gospels, I came upon the account of the very famous Christian, Telemachus, as told by William Barclay in his commentary of the gospel of Mark [Daily Bible Study Series; St. Andrews Press: 1956, pp. 208-210]. I will reprise it here in my own words.
Telemachus was a monk who believed that isolating himself from the world was the surest way to secure his salvation. And for a while he lived alone praying and studying. He soon realized, however--I have to think his praying paid off--that such devotion to God was more self-serving than God-serving. So he decided to go to Rome where the need was greatest. It was late in the fourth century, and by this time Rome, as the entire Roman Empire, was officially Christian. Telemachus arrived to a great celebration of a victory the Romans had recently won against the Goths. The conquering general paraded before the people along side Emperor Honorius in the proud tradition of Rome, except people now poured forth from churches instead of temples. One thing had not changed with the advent of Christian dominion, though; they still held gladiatorial fights to the death as part of the festivities--although, these were forced upon members of the defeated armies and no longer included martyrdom of Christians. The humble monk came to the famed Colosseum just after the chariot races to behold a restive crowd, eighty thousand strong. The tension was palpable as the fighters took center stage. Telemachus, shocked that such brutality still existed in an Empire that had supposedly bowed to King Jesus, jumped the barrier, and stood between opposing gladiators. The crowd shouted for him to get off the arena; one of the fighters pushed him away, but Telemachus quickly rebounded. As only a blood-thirsty crowd of such a long and violent tradition could, the spectators demanded, in so many words,Telemachus' head. The order went out, and whoosh, wang, the old monk fell dead in his own blood. The crowd grew silent. As if awakened from a drunken stupor, the people, for the first time, clearly saw the horrid inconsistency of their blood-lust with the gospel of Christ. The gladiators wouldn't fight that day. The crowd dispersed, and never again were such bloody spectacles held in Rome. Telemachus' singular act of love had ended for good the centuries-long tradition of the gladiators.
True story.
How did that little old man accomplish such a great feat? He didn't foment, or perpetuate a culture war. He didn't stand outside the forum disparaging the current administration. He didn't draw a sword and start hacking away at everyone opposing his world-view. No, Telemachus abandoned himself completely to King Jesus, trusted Christ, and bore fruit for the kingdom of God.
Now, some of you reading this might complain; "Where was Christ in all of this? Telemachus entrusted his life to Jesus. Why didn't Jesus save Telemachus?"
Here is Jesus' answer:
"If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it. For what benefit is it for a person to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his life? What can a person give in exchange for his life? For if anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." [Mark 8:34-38][NET]
Posted by Bruce Kokko at 3:34 PM 0 comments


text: Lee Medovoi, English faculty, received a $15,000 Andrew Mellon Foundation-sponsored collaborative award from the international Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institute. Jennifer Schuberth, Religious Studies faculty, is a co-collaborator on the project. They will be working on a global initiative titled "Religion, Secularism, and Political Belonging in a Global Age" with representatives from University of Utrecht (Holland), Tel-Aviv University (Israel), and Chinese University of Hong Kong.


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Managing the Large Enrollment Course
The Importance of Being Organized and Prepared
Students in large classes can be much less forgiving when mistakes are made and changing direction or correcting errors can be much more complicated in this sort of setting where the impact of a small mistake can be magnified.
- Plan the overall course and each class period very carefully, with great attention to logistical detail and back up plans in case something does not go quite according to the original plan.
- Plan lectures and activities carefully so that long pauses for getting organized or to collect thoughts are less likely to occur during class. Any lapse in the lecture or activities, even for a minute or two, can be enough to lose the attention of the class.
- Carefully construct the syllabus and include as much detail as possible with regard to expectations, student behavior, grading policy, assignment structure, exam dates, and other important information. Once distributed, the syllabus should be treated like a contract. Students rarely complain that a syllabus is too long, but they are likely to complain if it is too short. The class will go more smoothly is things are laid out clearly from the beginning.
- Make clear to students policies for how to communicate with the instructor. Communication with students is no small matter when hundreds of students are in the class and even a small percent of them need to communicate with the instructor each week.
- Check the technologies in the classroom before the first day of class and make sure the necessary equipment is in good working order. Allow for time to request additional technologies. On many campuses, meeting such requests might require significant response time.
Dissemination of Content and Materials to the Masses
Having a large number of students will generate some logistical issues related to matters that are typically not a concern in a smaller class. This is especially true for the dissemination of course content and materials.
- If hundreds of students need to pick up a handout on their way into the classroom, only having the handout in one location quickly leads to a bottleneck of frustrated students. Distribute handouts in multiple locations in the room, at multiple entrances, or on the website before class.
- Visuals must be clear, concise, and visible from all parts of the room. It is often wise to have a teaching assistant or colleague come to your class and sit in different parts of the room to help check to make sure everything is clear.
- To deliver the lecture and discussion portion of course content, chances are the instructor will rely upon a microphone and sound system. So instructors must make sure that the system is up to date, works well, and that they know how to use it properly. Often, instructors feel as though the technologies in the room, and problems with those technologies, are beyond their control and ultimately not their problem. However, students will hold the instructor accountable so instructors must behave accordingly. Often, problems with the sound system are the most frustrating to students and in some classrooms, the class must come to a halt if the microphone and sound system are not working.
Encouraging Student Participation
The instructor must work harder in a larger class setting to combat student passivity and encourage participation. It is more difficult to elicit student participation with the increased sense of anonymity that students experience in the larger class setting.
- The instructor should try to move around the room, particularly during interactive segments. Not only will this allow the instructor to listen in on student conversations about the activity but students are more likely to participate if they know the instructor can see them. A wireless microphone and mouse can allow instructors to wander around the room even while presenting lecture material and this simple proximity can often encourage students to pay closer attention.
- The instructor must be mindful of students who consistently sit in the back of large classrooms, or in balconies. Again, moving around the room can help ensure that all students are engaged and participating in the activities.
- The instructor should learn the names of at least some of the students in the class. One option is to make a seating chart; even if the instructor does not learn the names of every student, a seating chart means that the instructor can call on students by name.
- The instructor can give students specific incentives to participate. This need not require a huge amount of time from the instructor; for example, telling students that they will see a similar question on an exam requires no additional effort. If the instructor collects specific output from students, having students work in groups (such as in cooperative learning or using technology can also lighten the load of the instructor.
Technologies for Large Enrollment Courses
Over the past decade there has been a significant amount of advance in pedagogical technologies that instructors can use to enhance large enrollment courses. Adapting some of these technogolies can enhance interactive learning inside the classroom, improve the quality of traditional lecture segments, facilitate learning outside of the classroom, and reduce some of the workload burden imposed on the instructor.
Technologies for Large Enrollment Courses


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Fabric banner "Beach fire" 200 cm
Item number: 652.308.00
The banner is printed on one side and suitable for indoor and outdoor use, it can also be used as wall hanging or shop window decoration. The fabric banner can ... › More
- Dimensions: 200 x 100 cm (L x W)
- colour: rosé/blue
- Price plus Shipping costs
- 1 piece £35.90 VAT excl. £17.91 VAT excl. £21.31 VAT incl.
Item x added
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Aviation specialist was fired for telling media of reduced flight coverage.
In the latest turn in a lengthy whistleblower case, the Homeland Security Department on Wednesday appealed an April court ruling that favored fired Transportation Security Administration civil aviation specialist Robert MacLean.
Parties were notified that the government had petitioned for an en banc, or full court, rehearing.
MacLean was dismissed by TSA for providing "sensitive security information" to television news reporters in 2003 and 2004, after the agency made a controversial move to reduce the number of air marshals on flights. This April, the U.S. Appeals Court for the Federal Circuit ruled that MacLean's disclosure was "not specifically prohibited by law," thus vacating a decision by the Merit Systems Protection Board and remanding the case back to MSPB for a ruling on whether his actions qualify for protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act.
Tom Devine, legal director for the nonprofit Government Accountability Project, which represents MacLean, told Government Executive that his group "will defend Mr. MacLean's victory in any context that's necessary to achieve justice, whether it's further court appeals or enforcement of court orders."
Whistleblower advocacy groups and several lawmakers had hailed the April ruling for what they viewed as restoring enforceability for the Whistleblower Protection Act's public free speech rights.
The MSPB had argued that Congress had delegated its authority to the Homeland Security secretary, which made the department's regulations equivalent to statutes, and hence MacLean's disclosure violated law, making him ineligible for whistleblower protection.
NEXT STORY: Is Hillary Clinton Peaking Too Soon?


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"Golden Kite - Customer Service/Comments
I wanted to express my thanks to Golden Kite - for offering patterns of incredible quality and for providing excellent service.
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Today I have downloaded another pattern (to be a little more modern, and to have it asap!) and again, I could not be happier with the result.
I paid for the pattern download on the 18th and have it in my hands today (the 20th). Who could complain about that? Incredible.
I figured after all this time I should say thanks - for the service I got so long ago, and for the service you are clearly still providing.
Your patterns and charts speak for themselves, they are absolutely top-notch and they turn out just as you see online. There is absolutely nowhere else you can find items of this precision and quality and when I invest so much time on a project I want to be 100% satisfied that I'm starting off with the best materials available.
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Thank you!"
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Am watching with interest Gary's work as I nearly bought that one but thought I had bought enough.
Keep up the good work, it's the very subtle shading that gives the designs that something extra, not like the horrible things I see in the local shops.
Regards to all Barbara Hellier from' the land of the long white cloud'"
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Thank you again!"
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"I have been doing cross stitch for many years now and I have more patterns than I could do in one lifetime - then a friend put me onto Golden Kite.
All those other patterns will have to be done by somebody else in the next life. Golden Kite are the only ones I do now. Without a doubt they are the best.
I have won show champion in my little corner fo the world for "The Accolade". I know the "Mermaid" will bring me first prize and I am now doing "My Fair Lady" for the biggest show around here. I hope to get first prize there also.
GoldenKite is a terrific site. I personally think it is the best on the net.
The response from Lotta & Marcus is fast. My biggest problem is which pattern to order next.
Keep up the good work guys it's fantastic."


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Chicago police say they've aggressively started cracking down on motorists who fraudulently use disabled parking placards.
A team of eight officers confiscated three placards and wrote four citations in the downtown area Friday. City and state police say they've already confiscated at least 40 placards and issued 47 citations. That's one for every five cars checked during 20 sting operations since August.
"I believe it is a violation of all laws of human decency for an individual to take advantage of a program that has been set aside for those who are truly in need," said Secretary of State Jesse White. "Our mission is to make sure that those placards remain in the hands of those who are truly in need."
The placards allow holders to park for free in Chicago metered areas and to use more convenient parking spots.
Violators face fines ranging from $500 to $1,000. Starting Jan. 1, penalties include the possibility of having driving privileges revoked.


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iMore's "Everything you need to know" HomePod edition/
iMore has compiled a guide to all you need to know about Apple's HomePod now available for order. See iMore's guide here.
iMore has compiled a guide to all you need to know about Apple's HomePod now available for order. See iMore's guide here.
Envision Design is the only certified member of the Apple Consultants Network that has been helping Houston businesses manage, monitor, and secure technology systems for over 25 years.
We retain clients by providing outstanding customer service rather than locking them into long term contracts. Fluent in both Apple and Microsoft solutions, we ensure your critical data has been backed up and is protected with a disaster recovery plan in our hurricane-prone area.
Whether you need to comply with industry mandated security requirements like HIPAA, you want to implement a backup and disaster recover plan in hurricane prone Houston, or simply want to improve the productivity of your team, Envision will help you get on with the great work YOU want to do.
Call us today at 832.422.8588 or toll free at 1.866.966.9406
As your technology consulting partner and trusted advisor, we are here to help. Please call or email us any time.
Richard Wingfield
832.422.8588 x100
Office Phone
Toll Free
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schedule a meeting with Richard
At Envision Design, we understand that technology for its own sake is not a solution. And although we are technically trained and certified, we know our job is to listen to you, come to understand your business, and then to apply our knowledge, training, and expertise to meet your unique needs. As technology consultants, our goal is to partner with you to help you and your team become more productive and profitable.
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Envision Design, LLC | OFFICE - 1824 Spring Street . Studio 206 . Houston . Texas 77007 | MAILING - 1302 Waugh Drive . #908 . Houston . Texas 77019 | 866.966.9406


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Remember This Analogy When Pitching to a "Jr." Partner
Fund: Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers
Posted by ANON on 2008-06-15
Jr Partners are elephant hunters in a dense jungle with a bazooka with only one bullet. Something in the bushes makes a loud sound, the hunter swings around, aims and almost fires. But it's not an elephant, it's a wild turkey. Whew...
All entrepreneurs want to pitch to John Doerr, but it just ain't going to happen. You'll be delegated to an Ellen Pao or a Trae Vassallo or someone of the same junior status. That's the card you're dealt with, so stop bitching and start sharpening up your plan. These VCs are highly political organizations, complete with rank and hierarchy. They don't advertise it and they might even deny it (note: everyone is a Partner - how egalitarian of them), but it's there and it's thick. If you're a Jr. Partner, you want to bag an elephant. You better be damn honest with yourself about your plan and team. If it's not an elephant, it might as well be a turkey because you can be sure that the Juniors are not going to waste their one bullet on you. That's the only way they get respect, tenure, authority.
I've been the elephant and the turkey with Kleiner. Heed this advice.PRIVATE: Members Only


text:
Nice work! Enjoy the show!
Link Copied!
Trump repaid Cohen for 2016 expense: disclosure
Opening Sequence
Why Sondland's testimony is so highly anticipated
Trump suggests he might testify in impeachment probe
Three killed in Oklahoma Walmart shooting
Hong Kong police lay siege at fortified university
Internet blackouts hit Iran during fuel protests
Coty invests $600 mln in Kylie Jenner brands
FedEx CEO challenges NYT publisher to debate
National Zoo to bid Bei Bei, bye bye
Closing Sequence


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Create an Account - Increase your productivity, customize your experience, and engage in information you care about.
Garland Environmental Waste Services is committed to providing exemplary customer service. In addition to proudly providing effective and efficient solid waste collection, Garland Environmental Waste Services operates and maintains the C.M. Hinton Jr. Regional Landfill and the City of Garland's Recycling Center and Transfer Station.
Please contact us with questions regarding:
During the business week, we will respond to inquiries within 24 hours.


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Welcome to Medical City Arlington!
Healthcare excellence now goes by one name.
We are pleased to announce that we have changed our name from Medical Center Arlington to Medical City Arlington. We're still part of one of the largest, most comprehensive healthcare providers in North Texas, but now our 14 hospitals, seven provider-based ERs and six children's urgent care centers are unified under the Medical City Healthcare brand.
No, Medical City Arlington has not been purchased and has retained the same ownership, leadership, physicians, nurses and staff. Medical City Healthcare remains part of HCA Healthcare nationally, one of the country's leading providers of healthcare services. Together, our hospitals, surgery centers, provider-based ERs, children's urgent care centers and CareNow urgent care locations champion the practice of medicine for a healthier world.
There will be no changes to the list of Insurance policies that we accept. Existing insured patients will continue to use their current insurance with no changes or disruption.
Your bills may not reflect our new facility name right away, but that may change in time. Our goal is to make any change in billing name as smooth and seamless as possible, but if you have specific billing questions, please call 855-203-5075.
As Medical City Healthcare, our patients can be assured that at any of our hospitals, surgery centers, ERs and clinics, they will receive the high quality, patient-centered, compassionate care they deserve — and for which Medical City is known. Now, they will be able to identify Medical City Arlington as part of a larger system with multiple locations across North Texas and more easily benefit from the vast medical expertise, resources and treatment options that are available to them.
Patients will be able to keep their physicians and access their records across our network.
Medical City Healthcare is comprised of 14 hospitals, seven provider-based ERs and six children's urgent care centers. Additionally, our 30 CareNow urgent care centers serve patients across North Texas. The new name for each facility is listed first, with its previous name in parentheses.
- Medical City Alliance (from Medical Center Alliance)
- Medical City Arlington (from Medical Center Arlington)
- Medical City Children's Hospital
- Medical City Dallas (from Medical City Dallas Hospital)
- Medical City Denton (from Denton Regional Medical Center)
- Medical City Fort Worth (from Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth)
- Medical City Frisco, a Medical City Plano Facility (from Medical City Frisco, a Medical Center of Plano Facility)
- Medical City Green Oaks Hospital (from Green Oaks Hospital)
- Medical City Las Colinas (from Las Colinas Medical Center)
- Medical City Lewisville (from Medical Center of Lewisville)
- Medical City McKinney (from Medical Center of McKinney)
- Medical City North Hills (from North Hills Hospital)
- Medical City Plano (from The Medical Center of Plano)
- Medical City Weatherford
Provider-Based Emergency Rooms:
- Medical City ER Burleson, A Department of Medical City Fort Worth (from ER at Burleson)
- Medical City ER Grand Prairie, A Department of Medical City Arlington (from ER at Grand Prairie)
- Medical City ER Flower Mound, A Department of Medical City Lewisville (from Flower Mound 24-hour Emergency Center)
- Medical City ER Saginaw, A Department of Medical City Alliance
- Medical City ER Stonebridge, A Department of Medical City McKinney (from ER at Stonebridge)
- Medical City ER Park Cities, A Department of Medical City Dallas (from Medical City ER Dallas)
- Medical City ER Plano, A Department of Medical City Plano (from 24/7 Emergency Care)


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Create More Player Conversions In Online Bingo
Are you a casino affiliate dealing with low player conversions in the online bingo niche? Here are some tips and tools to create bingo player conversions and increase affiliate revenues:
Let's face it, the type of person who enjoys gambling online (young, male, interested in sports and women) isn't really the type of person one associates with playing bingo. The closest most online gamblers come to a bingo card is when they pick up their Grandma from the local bingo parlor. This marketing conundrum is a reason fewer affiliates target the bingo niche than casinos or poker.
There exists a market for increasing player conversions among men into the online bingo niche. This can be achieved by:
- setting up cross-promotions with casino or poker traffic
- using a voice of male authority on your site to create an image that online bingo isn't just for old ladies
- challenging your readers to an online bingo competition
- using imagery of attractive females and social drinking culture in your online bingo marketing materials
Check out the 6 Keys to Profiting in the Online Bingo Market webinar held by Phil Fraser and Greg Powell in March.


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The naming of Jimmy Fallon as the next host of "The Tonight Show" is as just as big a deal for him as it is for his co-star: New York.
When Fallon replaces Jay Leno next year, he'll be operating out of a new studio at 30 Rock – both solidifying and reestablishing the city's role as TV's center of late night comedy more than 40 years after Johnny Carson and Co. took "Tonight" to Burbank.
The NBC shift means two of the three major network 11:30 p.m. entertainment shows – "The Tonight Show" and "Late Show with David Letterman" – will be based in New York. That's not to mention "The Daily Show," "The Colbert Report" and "Saturday Night Live," which brought after-hours humor back to the then-struggling city in 1975, three years post-Carson.
Not to knock the West Coast, but there's a vibrant, unique energy New York infuses into shows that thrive or flop on studio audience reaction. The edginess that made "SNL" an instant and enduring hit owes much to its "live-from-New-York" ethos, from the opening montage of city scenes to local crowds that demand laughs be hard earned.
Letterman, from his early days as NBC morning host and later as the first to helm "Late Night," intuited this and regularly took to city streets for comedy segments (remember his visit to "Just Bulbs?"). After signing with CBS, Letterman could have established his new show anywhere he wanted. But he spearheaded the renovation of the Ed Sullivan Theater and made the streets outside an extension of his Broadway studio – dropping watermelons from the roof, playing tennis on 53rd Street and expanding his comedy troupe to include local characters like Rupert Jee, Sirajul Islam and Mujibar Rahman.
When Conan O'Brien replaced Letterman on "Late Night" two decades ago, he maintained the tradition of casting the city – particularly in those great early bits where his desk transformed into a car, and he and Andy Richter would "drive" through nearby streets. Perhaps the funniest segment on O'Brien's edition of "Late Night" came when Triumph the Insult Comic Dog tormented "Star Wars" geeks gathered outside the Ziegfeld Theatre in 2002 while awaiting "Attack of the Clones."
Sure, O'Brien's still funny in Los Angeles, but there's a mellower vibe in the studio – and out. Ditto for Leno's "Jaywalking" bit and Jimmy Kimmel's entertaining ventures around a city that, through no fault of its own, just isn't New York.
The Brooklyn-born Fallon knows the value of his hometown as a co-star, as does his producer, "SNL" mastermind Lorne Michaels, a Canadian who is one of the city's most valued citizens.
Kimmel, O'Brien, Chelsea Handler and Craig Ferguson seem likely to stay in Los Angeles. It's unclear who will replace Fallon on "Late Night" or whether the show will remain in New York.
It's also unclear which coast will get the last laugh. But at least for "Tonight," New York is finally once again ahead in the geographic offshoot of the late night TV comedy wars.
Jere Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.


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(CMT Offstage keeps a 24/7 watch on everything that's happening with country music artists behind the scenes and out of the spotlight.)
I always thought I knew Hunter Hayes. But after Wednesday's (April 24) Twitter party hosted by CMT, MTV and VH1, let's just say that now I feel like I really know him. Where else can you get intimate details of a star's life? When fans asked questions, with their #AskHH hashtag, we found out how Hayes is more of a waffle guy than a pancake guy. And he's more of a beach guy than a river guy. And he's more of a hamster-sized elephant guy than an elephant-sized hamster guy. Here are a few more of the answers he typed in for the fans who were asking their best questions:
What's your favorite Garth Brooks song?
Thunder Rolls … Go figure, it's about weather.
What is the hardest part of the song writing process?
Saying what's REALLY in mind W/o holding back.
If you could have any food right now, what would you eat?
ANYTHING I'm actually starving lol
Do you love all your fans?
Words can't express how much love there is Ya'll!
Do you ever feel lonely?
I think we all do at some point … But THAT'S where Music comes in.
Will there be opportunities to meet you at the fairs this summer?
Do you have any pre-show traditions you do?
TONS of warm ups! Gotta be prepared!
Do you ever watch Duck Dynasty?
What's your favorite or least favorite meal cooked by your mom?
They're ALL my favorite.
What's the one thing you miss most about Louisiana?
Family. Miss them so much!


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Gaming Research | News
People who play massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) may notprefer the company of avatars to live humans after all. In fact, reports new research supported by the United States Air Force Research Laboratory, online gaming expands players' social lives.
Researchers from North Carolina State University and Canada's York University and University of Ontario Institute of Technology found that online social behavior doesn't replace offline social behavior in the gaming community. They traveled to more than 20 public gaming events in Canada and the United Kingdom, attending public events that varied from 20 people in a bar to 2,500 people playing side by side in convention centers. The focus was on players of games such as EVE Online and World of Warcraft. Along the way the researchers observed the behavior of thousands of players and persuaded 378 players to take a computer-based survey.
"Gamers aren't the antisocial basement-dwellers we see in pop culture stereotypes; they're highly social people," said Nick Taylor, lead author of "Public Displays of Play: Studying Online Games in Physical Settings" and an assistant professor of communication at North Carolina State. "This won't be a surprise to the gaming community, but it's worth telling everyone else. Loners are the outliers in gaming, not the norm."
Taylor and his fellow researchers examined the online and offline behavior of gamers with an emphasis on how they communicated with each other. The gaming itself, they found, was only one aspect of social behavior at the events. People also spent time watching games, talking, drinking and chatting online," he observed. "Gaming didn't eliminate social interaction; it supplemented it."
In fact, he added, a player could be "ruthless in a game and still socialize normally offline."
The players were "overwhelmingly male," with a mean age between 22.5 and 25.5; more than 85 percent of them claimed to be lower- to upper-middle class.
Next, Taylor said, he'd like to study the relationship between social behaviors and gaming in other cultures.
About the Author
Dian Schaffhauser is a senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal and Campus Technology. She can be reached at email@example.com or on Twitter @schaffhauser.
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Esports is proving to be a game changer for students, schools, and the broader global community. K12 schools looking to start their own program, however, are struggling with where to begin. That's where this checklist can help—providing you with what you need to know to start and maintain a successful esports program.
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30 minutes
A mock-umentary of Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company's office in the podunk setting of Scranton, Pennsylvania. The show focuses on the employees of Dunder-Mifflin, like the oblivious manager, Michael Scott (Steve Carrell), or crass know-it-all, Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson). In fact, the show features a whole host of neurotic characters, tempered only by the sane lovebirds, Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Jim (John Krasinski). Based on The Office (UK), a BBC comedy created by and starring Ricky Gervais, who also produces the American version.
by cjirani
Jun 27, 2015 7:54PM EDT
Strange Office


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Feb. 5, 2008
Final Stats | Quotes | AP Action Photos
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - The Santa Clara women's basketball team lost a hard-fought 96-74 battle to No. 6/6 Stanford Tuesday night at the Leavey Center. With the loss, the Broncos return to West Coast Conference action with a 16-6 overall record, while the Cardinal improved to 20-3 on the season.
"Tonight it was a character check for our basketball team," said head coach Michelle Bento-Jackson. "In such a short turnaround from hearing about Chandice's situation, our team stuck together and they fought and they played to the very end. That is what I am most proud about. I was confident going into the game and I knew their attitudes would be positive and the fact that they did what they did for 40 minutes says a lot about our team."
Despite the loss, senior Walker and sophomore Maggie Goldenberger compiled career-best scoring performances. Walker tallied a game-high 23 points, while Goldenberger registered nine points in place of injured leading-scorer Chandice Cronk, scoring seven straight points for Santa Clara early in the game before getting into foul trouble. The run also included Goldenberger's first career three-point goal, which tied the contest for the Broncos, 8-8, in the early minutes of the first half.
"Stanford is the No. 6 team and we had nothing to lose," Tracey Walker said. "I might as well give it my all from the beginning to the end. That's what I tried to do."
Santa Clara lost Cronk, the fourth-leading scorer in the WCC at 17.1 points per game, to a career-ending knee injury Saturday during an 88-52 loss at Gonzaga.
"Obviously it was tough the last 24 hours," Bento-Jackson said. "We got the news last night after practice. Our hearts go out to Chandice."
The senior guard tore the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in her right knee and sustained a leg fracture when she went up for a layin and her leg buckled. She was using crutches and will have surgery sometime next week.
JJ Hones hit five of her team's season-best 13 3-pointers on the way to a career-high 20 points. Candice Wiggins added 20 points with three 3s in 21 minutes on the heels of her fourth Pac-10 Player of the Week honor and second in a row for the Cardinal.
The Cardinal, who were coming off a weekend sweep of USC and UCLA to avenge their lone two Pac-10 losses, shot 13-for-26 from long range and led by as many as 26. That allowed Tara VanDerveer to rest her regulars for much of the second half -- but not as much as she would have liked.
"We saw it as an opportunity and a big challenge because we knew they're an excellent 3-point shooting team," Wiggins said. "We were a little disappointed in our defense at times."
The Cardinal started the game 15-for-18 but allowed the Broncos to get regular open looks from the perimeter -- and Santa Clara knocked down three of its first five 3-point tries. SCU kept the score tight during the first seven minutes of the game, before Stanford posted an eight-point run to make the score 30-19. Wiggins started a 17-2 run with a three-point play at the 10:23 mark of the first half and Hones had two 3s during the spurt. Her fourth 3 of the game at 6:26 gave the Cardinal a 45-23 lead and Stanford held a 56-38 advantage at the break on 69-percent shooting.
A jumper from Goldenberger in the opening minutes of the second half cut the Cardinal's lead to 16-points, 56-40. However, Stanford continued to widen the cap and held its largest lead of the game, 26-points, three times. Yet, with 4:45 left to play, the Broncos a 9-0 run on points from Jen Gottschalk, Sara Majors and Walker. The rally brought Santa Clara within 14-points, 87-73, with 2:55 remaining.
Gottschalk added 14 point and five rebounds for Santa Clara, while Majors had 10 points, five boards and four assists. Claire Goins chipped in with an 11-point performance.
The Broncos open the second half of WCC play on Saturday, Feb. 9 against the Gaels of Saint Mary's. Tip off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at McKeon Pavilion in Moraga.


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Laurie Maggiano, director of policy for the Treasury's Homeownership Preservation Office, told attendees at the REOMAC 2013 Summit & Expo that, while the housing crisis is in full recovery, consumers continue to lack confidence.
Maggiano shared with the crowd how difficult the lending rulemaking process is and how many complaints she hears on a daily basis. "This stuff is not easy," she noted.
Maggiano informed the crowd that the administration is acutely aware of the struggles many homeowners are still facing and guaranteed actions are being taken.
In fact, just last week there were three housing initiatives announced by the Administration in order to connect struggling homeowners with corrective programs that can assist them.
The first initiative is a partnership between the Treasury and NeighborWorks America to increase outreach and support for struggling homeowners seeking assistance via the Making Homes Affordable Program. Through this initiative, counselors will seek homeowners in need, helping them complete and submit application documents to their servicers, free-of-charge.
Secondly, the Department of Labor is encouraging American Job Centers throughout the country to inform unemployed homeowners about their foreclosure prevention options.
The final initiative is an effort from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to launch the Housing Counseling Office, which was established by Dodd-Frank. Through this initiative, 2,500 HUD-approved counselors will provide free or low-cost information about foreclosure prevention as well as advice regarding homeownership and renting.
Maggiano continued by addressing the recent request from President Obama to loosen lending standards last week, an action that has drawn much criticism after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently announced regulations to tighten credit standards.
Between 2007 and 2012, new home purchases dropped 30% for those with a FICO score over 780, said Maggiano. In that same period of time, new home sales dropped 90% for borrowers with a FICO score between 620 and 680.
"Where are these folks supposed to live?" asked Maggiano.
First-time homebuyers and folks who have faced the misfortune of unemployment (no matter how short it may have been) likely no longer have the credit score necessary to get a mortgage. She noted that the current average FHA credit score is only 700.
We need to get back to a place where it's no longer only those with perfect credit scores and 25% to 30% down getting a loan, Maggiano concluded.


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This volume presents state-of-the-art summaries of methods related to conducting research in clinical psychology. It provides readers with a focus on conceptual issues, or a top-down approach, that would guide their selection of specific research designs and associated data analyses.McKay, Dean is the author of 'Handbook of Research Methods in Abnormal and Clinical Psychology ', published 2007 under ISBN 9781412916301 and ISBN 1412916305.[read more]
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Hillary Clinton's shadow campaign
Early last summer in her Georgian-style home near Washington's Embassy Row, Hillary Clinton met with a handful of aides for a detailed presentation on preparing for a 2016 presidential campaign.
Three officials from the Democratic consulting firm Dewey Square Group — veteran field organizer Michael Whouley, firm founder Charlie Baker and strategist Jill Alper, whose expertise includes voter attitudes toward women candidates — delivered a dispassionate, numbers-driven assessment. They broke down filing deadlines in certain states, projected how much money Clinton would need to raise and described how field operations have become more sophisticated in the era of Barack Obama.
Story Continued Below
The meeting was organized by Minyon Moore, a longtime Clinton intimate also at Dewey Square who has informally become the potential candidate's political eyes and ears of late. Clinton listened closely but said little and made no commitments, according to people familiar with the nearly hourlong gathering. It appears to have been the only formal 2016-related presentation Clinton has been given from anyone outside her immediate circle.
Publicly, Clinton insists she's many months away from a decision about her political future. But a shadow campaign on her behalf has nevertheless been steadily building for the better part of a year — a quiet, intensifying, improvisational effort to lay the groundwork for another White House bid.
( PHOTOS: Hillary Clinton's 50 influentials)
Some of the activity has the former first lady's tacit approval. Some involves outside groups that are operating independently, and at times in competition with one another, to prepare a final career act for the former senator and secretary of state, whose legacy as the most powerful woman in the history of American politics is already secure.
More than two dozen people in her orbit interviewed for this article described a virtual campaign in waiting — a term that itself makes some of Clinton's supporters bristle — consisting of longtime Clinton loyalists as well as people who worked doggedly to elect her onetime rival Obama.
There are two spheres of influence. One is made up of more than a dozen Clinton staffers, loyalists and longtime friends whose advice she values the most.
The other sphere is more complex. It includes an assortment of super PACs and outside groups, all jockeying to be part of the Clinton movement but operating beyond her immediate direction and control. Still, some of these efforts could become the foundation of an eventual campaign.
( Also on POLITICO: How Clinton's fared in the polls)
For all the genuine excitement about the prospect that Clinton, 66, could shatter the glass ceiling she famously invoked in 2008, the potential for rancor among these groups is real.
In at least one instance last year, two super PACs collided over efforts to get behind a Clinton candidacy — forcing her allies to intervene.
"There's upside and there's risk" to this patchwork of outside forces, said Tad Devine, an unaffiliated strategist who worked on John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, when Democratic-leaning outside groups often acted at odds with the candidate's message.
"The upside is that people are out there doing valuable and important work for you," he said. But "in a campaign, when people are acting on your behalf but they're not driven by an agreed-upon strategy, then that's the risk."
The outsiders: friends with headaches
Hillary Clinton was a few months removed from the State Department when one of her top aides, Huma Abedin, received an alarmed phone call about trouble brewing between two groups looking to help her politically.
"Ready for Hillary," the super PAC that was initially billed as a grass-roots effort to channel early energy for Clinton to run, had become a source of frustration, and it was reaching a boiling point. In addition to a moniker that irked some Clinton allies — they thought it had an air of inevitability that plagued her in the past — the group was making an aggressive play for activists and donors to back their effort.
( PHOTOS: Who's talking about Hillary Clinton 2016?)
At the same time, Priorities USA, the main super PAC behind Obama in 2012, was in discussions to reinvent itself as a pro-Hillary Clinton endeavor. That would mean appealing to some of those same supporters. The two groups also had wildly different views of how active to be while Clinton was assessing whether to run.
The Priorities official warned Abedin that the situation could become problematic for Clinton if it wasn't resolved. The official sought guidance from someone who had the would-be candidate's ear.
The efforts of pro-Clinton outside groups over the past half-year, and the Clinton allies trying to corral them, reflect a much-changed political landscape since Clinton's last run. Back then, super PACs didn't exist. Potential candidates who needed campaign prep work done had to set up an exploratory committee or PAC under their own direct control.
Now super PACs are a must-have political accessory for candidates of all stripes.
The groups can raise and spend unlimited sums in support of a candidate and perform key tasks the person isn't ready to do. In Clinton's case, Priorities will probably line up pledges from big donors. Ready for Hillary is building email lists. And Correct the Record — launched last year by Clinton-critic-turned-defender David Brock as an offshoot of the super PAC American Bridge — hits back when Clinton is attacked in the media and tries to define potential rivals like Chris Christie.
The outside backers have allowed Clinton to stay out of the political fray for a longer period of time as she makes up her mind about whether to run.
But the free-agent entities can also become headaches when they act at cross-purposes — or in ways a candidate doesn't approve of.
A clash of super PACs
The call to Abedin, described by several people familiar with the conversation, touched off a larger debate in Clinton's circle. Clinton herself was forced to grapple with the run-in between the two groups; several sources familiar with the discussions said she wanted to keep her team distant from the work of the super PACs to avoid brushing up against rules forbidding coordination. But Clinton made clear to aides that the mess, which in many ways echoed the factionalism of her past, needed to be sorted out.
In a series of meetings in Washington and New York, advisers to both groups huddled to address the problem. John Podesta, the former chief of staff to Bill Clinton who recently joined the Obama White House, was among the participants brought in on the Priorities side to help.
Some suggested trying to force Ready for Hillary to shut down. That idea was rejected out of concern it would prompt negative stories about Clinton forces stomping on the grass roots.
Another adviser proposed merging the two super PACs, but that also went nowhere.
( PHOTOS: Hillary Clinton's world tour, 2009-2012)
Eventually they settled on a solution: Ready for Hillary would focus on collecting and analyzing voter data, accepting donations up to $25,000. Priorities would be the super PAC for mega-donors, working solely on paid advertising.
Ready for Hillary has since won over key people close to Clinton impressed by its efforts like cultivating detailed lists of supporters through social media, which Clinton didn't do in 2008. Among other moves, it brought on Craig Smith, a White House political director for Bill Clinton and friend from his Arkansas days. He gave the aura of an adult in the room to a group created by younger former Clinton staffers.
Most important is that Moore, whose background is in field organizing, is said to believe in the work the group is doing, as does Baker of Dewey Square, according to several sources. Besides the email list, Ready for Hillary is building a massive, 50-state direct-mail and voter targeting program. In a sign of cooperation, the group rented Clinton's supporter list from her old PAC. It also brought on Obama's field gurus, Mitch Stewart and Jeremy Bird, to help build up its efforts, including by supporting local candidates who Clinton backs in this year's midterm elections.
Ready for Hillary hopes to make its data available to a 2016 Clinton campaign, and some Clinton allies believe there are a number of young aides and operatives working for the super PAC who could become part of her campaign. The 2008 campaign had many well-documented flaws, but one was the failure to prominently deploy young campaign talent, which flocked to Obama.
"If you wonder whether Clintonworld has learned our lessons from 2008, look no further than the work of Ready for Hillary," said one source supportive of its work.
It's far from certain the outside group's voter data would be welcomed by a Clinton campaign; it will likely prefer to compile its own. Or, some Clinton associates say, it could choose from any number of outside campaign data firms, including two launched by Obama 2012 veterans after his reelection.
Elsewhere in the constellation of outside groups doing work related to Clinton is EMILY's List, led by operative Stephanie Schriock, who is frequently mentioned as a possible Clinton campaign manager. The group, which focuses on electing women and isn't a super PAC, is conducting an expansive polling project about attitudes toward female candidates. Correct the Record, the Brock-sponsored rapid response project, is being managed by a Hillary Clinton favorite, Burns Strider, and has her allies' nod of approval.
"This effort for Hillary, unprecedented in both its early timing and scope, is a demonstration of the extent to which the Democratic Party is unified behind this potential candidacy," said one of the organizers.
From Obama '08 to Clinton '16
Two of the boldest-faced names to enter the Clinton constellation in 2013 tied their political fortunes to electing Obama in 2008: Jim Messina, who went on to become a top political hand in the White House and then run Obama's reelection, and Hollywood mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg.
( PHOTOS: Stars line up for Hillary Clinton 2016)
Despite his late arrival to Obama's campaign in 2008 — he didn't come on board until after the bloody primary — Messina was seen by Clinton aides as carrying a deep grudge from the campaign to the White House. Some Clinton associates suspected he was behind a failed attempt to scuttle two of her top staff picks at State: Capricia Marshall and Philippe Reines.
But what Messina lacks in longtime loyalty to Clinton, he makes up for in connections to Obama's vast network of donors and activists. That had obvious value to a group like Priorities USA, which early last year was looking to morph from its 2012 version that decimated Mitt Romney with a series of attack ads into a pro-Clinton endeavor for 2016.
Early last year, Messina, who quietly admired Priorities' work in 2012, started talking informally to the super PAC about a role. One draw is that working on a super PAC is less of a grind, and certainly more lucrative, than an actual campaign.
The discussions went on for months last year, long before news reports in November that he was in serious talks to become a co-chairman of the group. But some Clinton allies have grumbled that Messina's swelling list of business clients could potentially embarrass Clinton; his backers dismiss the complaints as professional jealousy, saying plenty of Clinton advisers have their own potential business conflicts.
( PHOTOS: Hillary Clinton's life, career)
The White House has its own worries about Messina's hoped-for move. One is that it would look like Obama was giving his blessing to the pro-Clinton group as his own vice president, Joe Biden, is weighing a 2016 run. Concern within the administration about ruffling relations with Biden has been serious enough to cause a lengthy delay in signing off on Messina officially joining Priorities, according to two people familiar with the deliberations.
Whatever role Messina may end up playing in 2016, the mere fact that most Clinton allies are fine with him being part of a pro-Clinton group signals a rapprochement that began when Obama tapped Clinton as his top diplomat. Messina had informal discussions with some of her aides after 2012 about his view of modern campaigns, and Bill Clinton has publicly admired his work since developing a connection with him last year.
Messina wasn't the only one affiliated with Obama to join the future Clinton army via Priorities. Katzenberg broke with the Clintons in 2008 to back Obama and four years later helped launch Priorities with a $2 million check.
"I hope my donation will draw attention to the amount of money being raised by the extreme right wing and serve as a catalyst for other Democratic donors," the DreamWorks Animation chief executive told CBS News in April 2012. The super PAC is now broadly seen as his baby.
After Obama secured four more years, the Democratic rainmaker made clear he was prepared to get behind Clinton financially. With Priorities reinventing itself and Messina getting involved with the group — Katzenberg and Messina worked together during the 2012 race — the media mogul has positioned himself as the group's ambassador to Hollywood.
If all goes as planned, the hope is that Katzenberg and Messina's involvement on behalf of Clinton will signal a smooth passage from Obama to Clinton within the party.
"It reflects the fact that the Obama political infrastructure is seamlessly transitioning to serve as [Clinton's] political infrastructure," said California-based political strategist Chris Lehane. "And [it] sends a signal to both Obama donors and operatives that it is all right to begin actively supporting the Clinton '16 effort."
The don't-do-it camp
Despite the feverish buildup to a Clinton candidacy, some of her closest advisers aren't sure she'll run — and some don't want her to.
Clinton has as clear a path to the nomination as anyone could. But she also bears the scars from her 2008 battle, as do a number of her aides who remember vividly the toll the enterprise took on Clinton and everyone involved. They all want to help her achieve whatever she decides she wants, but they are clear-eyed about another campaign.


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