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I started this post back in October before I had Zander. I just realized the I never posted it. I don't think it's really how I wanted it to be, I wanted to add some pictures of his birthday and other things possibly. But I wanted to post it. I really love the thoughts I had, and I had forgotten about them. So here's my post of Brock's 3rd birthday.... 9 months ago.
I feel like such a slacker this year. We didn't do much for Brock for his 3rd birthday. With Zander coming so soon, I didn't have much energy, or motivation... or money ha ha. But I'm pretty sure he still had fun. His favorite thing in the world is playing with his friends. He gets up every morning and says, "I go my friends house?" "I go to Carson's house?" "I go to Talmage and Lindsey's?" EVERY DAY, no lie. He loves playing with friends. The other day we left church after sacrament because I was tired and ready to have Zander, so he didn't go to nursery and he pitched the biggest fit. "I WANT TO PLAY WITH MY FRIENDS!!!" So we just had his birthday party at the park, invited his friends and had cupcakes. Pretty simple, pretty boring. But he had a lot of fun, I'm sure.
We sure love this little guy. I have been thinking a lot lately about our new baby coming and even though I couldn't be more excited to add another baby to our family, I'm also sad about having to share my love with another child. I know that sounds so bizarre, but I never want Brock to feel left out, or replaced. I know my love can grow, and it will and I will love them both the same, both in their own ways, I just get so worried that Brock won't feel like he's loved as much. I've been thinking a lot about the one on one time we have had with him. I'm going to miss that. He is my favorite little boy in the world.
Those of you who know Brock, know him as a friendly kid. Also a little mischievous, most the time very happy, on occasion defiant, can be hyper, very crazy, funny, loud, a little stinker... He is all of those things, and I really love him for all of it. Even when he is getting into trouble, or running away, or making me crazy, because he is my little boy and that is who he is.
But there is also a side (or sides) of Brock that many of you don't always see. His tender side. His polite side. His careful side. His caring, helpful, loving, concerned, overjoyed side. Brock is such a sweetheart, and always has been. He is genuinely concerned about people. Wants to know if I'm happy, or other people around us are happy. Or asks if someone is sad, "why are they sad, I kiss it better?' Asks me how my day at work was. Tells me, "I like your hair like that mommy." Or "You look cute mommy!" He says please and thank you, and excuse me. He tells me often, "thank you for making my buddy for me" (his buddy is a little tag blanket. he calls them buddies. I made one for him and fixed his other one, but he loves them and tells me thanks for them a lot). He complements my shoes, "cute shoes mommy." He tells me I look cute. Says, "this dinner is delicious mommy, thank you." He came to visit me at the hospital after having Zander and he told me, "it's ok, you don't hold me mommy, cuz you have an owie on your tummy." When he hugged me, he stuck his butt way far out so he wouldn't touch my owie. He gave Zander soft tender kisses and pats on the head. He always wants to help me cook dinner, or put the movie in the DVD player, or feed the dogs, or make his bed, or anything that I'm doing. He always wants to snuggle with me on the couch and watch a movie. He has these smiles, where he cranks his head to the side, that just make me happy from head to toe when he sees me. He tells me, "mommy I'm so happy you're home." Or if he's been naughty, he'll tell me later, "mommy, I sorry I screamed." or "sorry I broke my bat." or "sorry I made you mad, I don't want you mad, I want you happy, you happy mom?" He seriously melts my heart, and I hate that phrase, but I don't have any other words to describe it. He makes my whole body smile. He also is the funniest little guy. He has a great imagination and loves to play and make up stuff while he's playing. I love listening to him. He tries to make deals with me. "Mommy, you eat dinner, I'll eat ice cream, ok? that's a deal, I'm the boss..." he'll say. Then with his one little finger in the air and looking at me very seriously he says "Just snuggle with me for ooooone (the one part held out) minute, then you can clean the kitchen."
So even though he is a crazy child, and he tries my patience, and seems to be getting worse by the day... he makes up for it in other ways. At the end of the day when he is insisting that we sing one more song, "buzz and woody" (you've gotta friend in me) and he needs one more kiss, and one more 'weeeyeey big hug'. It is all worth it. He makes me so happy.
Oh my gosh!! He cracks me up!
Funny things Brock has said:
-'I wanna go to the bank mom.' the bank is closed. 'I wanna open it mom.'
-'Mom, smell my breath, it smells like water.'
-I wouldn't let Brock out of his car seat at the gas station and he says ... 'Oh my gosh, you gotta be kidding me.'
-Brock drank the last of his milk and was sucking the bubbles until it was gone and then said, 'it's out if batteries.'
-At dinner Darrik says 'if you don't quit playing with your straw you're going to go to time out.' And Brock says, 'no daddy, that will make me sad.'
-Brock was watching a movie and asked me to come sit by him. When I did he clasped his hands together under his chin and said 'I'm so glad you came to sit by me.'
-'Heny fader thank a food, many blessings, bless mommy's butt feel better, name jesus christ amen.' Then after he says, 'mom! Your butt feel better I said it!'
-'mommy, your breath is Yucky. You eat poop?'
-he was drawing with chalk with Kacie and he told her to draw herself. She asked if she should wear a dress or shirt and pants. He said, naked pants??
-at red robin: he saw cute older girls. He says, mommy, they weewy cute. They have boobs?
-if something is fragile, or glass and he know it he says, this is weewy weewy glass, huh mommy.
-I told brock last night to tell daddy before his game, good luck, don't suck (something my mom used to tell my sisters before soccer games). Tonight as I'm leaving Brock's room he says to me, bye mommy, see you in the morning... And don't suck.
-mommy! I'm so glad you're here!
-I don't like your hair like that mommy. (pony tail) I like it down.
-I painted my toenails yellow and Brock saw it and said, your toesies yellow? Me: ya do you hate it? B: ya I hate it.
- Brock looked at Darriks Camo shorts and asked, "are those bad guy pants?"
- Brock looked at Darrik's junk and said, "you have dog hair on your penis!"
- "You have dinner, and I'll have ice cream!"
- Brock started to get a cold. He had a stuffy nose. I told him he needed to take a nap so he would get better. When he woke up he said to me, "I'm not sick anymore. My nose isn't cold. Feel it mommy, it's warm."
- the bad guys pull your penis off? And now you cant pee?
- mommy, I have tears on my eyes.
- I'm talking to my butt hole... Poo bum poo. It won't listen to me.
- mom go around that car. I cant I'll get a ticket. No, the police man said yes, you can go around him.
-Gosh damn it mom. Why you throw my root beer away. Oh my damn it! It's in the garbage.
-how was work mommy?
-when he sees African Americans or guys in army fatigues he says "they bad guys?"
-I don't want to do it, it's my birthday.
-I don't want to watch the prophet. (conference Sunday, brocks bday)
-Happy Birthday to me...
-I was sleeping on the couch and he came up to me and said, do you want a blanket mommy?
-I don't want to go to grandmas house. I want to stay home. My home is cute and wonderful! I don't like grandmas house.
-are you kidding me?
-Mom, my tummys talking, you better feed it warm ice cream and a smoothie.
-you driving me crazy
-see, the doctors nice Brock. No, he hitted me with a hammer.
-mommy, you're a princess. Thank you princess. Dance with me princess.
-no you're not a princess, you're a mommy. I want you to be a mommy.
-I asked him to help me pick out my what Zander wears. He said, I want him to wear the bad guy shirt (camouflage one)
-(talking to Zander) Hey guy!
-I don't want to be a mummy, I want to be a daddy.
-you're not a race car driver daddy. You need to be on a race
track. Thats wrong daddy. (Darrik was driving fast)
-I love you flower (every night before he goes to bed)
-warm ice cream (cream of wheat)
-I have dirt in my crack hole (dirt in the cracks of the bottom of his shoes)
-ceder (cereal)
-mommy, you wipe my tears off?
-good morning guys! (as he walks into our room in the morning)
-there's a cute girl over there.
-I'm dancing like a girl. (shaking his bum)
-Are you doing the pee pee dance? No it's the poop dance.
-I don't want to kiss you on your stinky breath.
- oh boy!
-Brock: mommy can you do something fun?
Mom: something fun? Like what?
Brock: like buy me a race car track tomorrow?
-mom: it's time for bed. Where's the sun?
Brock: i dont know?
Mom: Where does the sun go when it gets dark?
Brock: it wakes up and goes to its friends house.
-mom and dad, your talking is driving me crazy.
-I took candy away from B and he told me, 'you're ruining my life mom.'
Mom: my leg is asleep
Brock: rrrrraaaawwwwrrrrr (growling at my leg) I'm waking it up!! :)Brock took all the decorations and hid them. He said he was the grinch. And he's taking our christmas, He's going to bring then back though in his big bag.
-calls Zander a boggle head, instead of bobble head, like the dolls
-Me: Brock do you want to build a snow man with me?
Brock: I can't! We don't have any carrots.
-I don't eat boob milk I just eat real milk
-I want to say a naughty word to that truck
-in the most innocent voice Brock says to me as I'm pulling up my pants mommy I don't think your bums going to fit
-he calls burp cloth a baby cloth
-Brock: mom, get up and put a dress on. Mom: you want me to wear a dress? Brock: no, I want you to wear clothes. Mom: oh, you want me to get dressed? Brock: yes!!
-(taking Zander's socks off) "I want to talk to his piggies! They eat roast beast"
-mommy, don't go to work, I will miss you so much!
- everyone is your friend. Why mom? Because you're friendly. No I'm not friendly I'm Brock I tell everyone my name is Brock.
-Brock: i want my sippy cup w/out a lid. Me: that's too damn bad. Brock: don't say too bam dad
-Me: you can't bring your buddies cuz your backpack is full. Brock: I can hold them in my hands. Me: you can't bring your sippy cup if your backpack is full. Brock: yes i can, I can hold it and put it in my cup hole (cup holder).
-I choked on my pickle. I'll have some root beer it will make it better.
-here mom, you do it. (dusting) its making me sweaty.
-Nanny has army mans on her Dr Pepper drink. Army mans protect us and keep us safe. Dr Pepper drinks make us fat. Like nanny. I don't want to be fat.
-Me: be careful outside. B: I will, I'll watch out for monsters and crocodiles.
-I'm so glad to be home. I love my couch, grandmas couch is cold, our couch is so warm.
-daddy, your penis looks like a hot dog.
-if I break my neck my head will fall off and when I walk around I will run into stuff cuz I can't see.
-listen... (sniff sniff in and out) I can't breathe, something is making it hard. Me: what is it? B: a really really big booger!
-Darrik Queen
-(to kacie) I want to marry you.
-his roll was hot so ate it by leaning down and biting it. Then did little blows on it.
-uses big words like, frightened, actually, Ridiculous
-me: did you wake Zander up? Brock: no, a monster did.
-lions and tigers eat other animals. Cheetos are my friends. (cheetahs)
- Brock just told me.... "he didn't want Zander to get eaten by a cheeto, that would be really sad."
- Brock gets really close to me and looks into my eyes and says, 'hey!! there's a little Brock in your eye!'
- oh bumpers!
- I love to eat boogers and bugs and toilet paper and snow.
- mmmmm you smell good mommy. I want to eat you.
- pee pee dance, or potty dance every time he has to pee.
- you're pretty mommy
- do we get eggs from macaroni? No eggs come from chickens. Do we stick our hands in their bums and get em? Um, ya.
- (driving to Washington) my ears hurt. I can't hear myself. {yawn} hey!! I can hear myself now!!
- I want to watch the jumping movie (hop)
- (eating trail mix) mom, there's a party in my mouth.
- Brock, I'm really not happy with you. B: but I'm happy with you mom.
- mom, I couldn't find you. I thought you got eaten by monsters.
- when I eat sugar, it gives me too much entery (energy)
- its good morning time
- its cold-ing me up
- my toilet said, I'm really hungry again, thank you for feeding me poop!
- are you so sited? (excited)
- hey, do you remember me? (he asks everyone he sees)
- hey, you have a little head (to a black man with broad shoulders)
- mommy, when I get a little bit big will you marry me?
- (Brock's tummy growled) was that my tummy? I'm going to tell my tummy, no, I'm not going to feed you I'm going to ride my bike.
- this is how I'm made, I can't change.
- Me: I hope you know how much I love you Brock. B: go brush your teeth
- M: Brock! You drive me crazy! B: I know! Cuz I have a crazy brain.
- (making a wish in the fountain) I wish that I can have my own house so I don't have to listen to my mom.
- I see a cute girl, I'm going to go talk to her.
- I want a pretty girl to take home for myself.
- svoothie (smoothie)
- sfart (smart)
- You have a cute chubby cheeks bum, mommy.
- You forgot to close your boob. (put my garments and bra over my boob after I'm done feeding Zander)
- movies make my brain feel good.
- Brock thinks his tummy is actually talking to him. It growled and I told him it said, I want to go to sleep. He replied, you can sleep in my tummy. Now be quiet.
- we are going to a drive way (drive in)
- I just peed my bed a little tiny bit cuz I was having a really good dream and I didn't want to wake up. What were you dreaming about? Pretty girls.
- (Brock running around in circles) I'm plugging my bum. (his hand in his bum, he has to poop)


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In the aftermath of the Chairman's painful waste of time "interactive" session, which addressed precisely zero of the relevant questions, we would like to ground readers with a real, hard, monetary equivalent, which unlike paper money, has retained its worth over the past 2000 years, and one which no central planning committee can create out of thin air at will. Gold. The chart below should put it all into perspective.
and for those who may have forgotten it, here is what happens when one can create paper out of thin air: America's (not even the entire world's) derivative universe. Just a tad more.... diluted.
Courtesy of Demonocracy

subset: commoncrawl


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While the presidential candidates debate in Las Vegas Wednesday, a fleet of taco trucks has lined up to create a "wall" outside the Trump International Las Vegas hotel, NBC News reported.
It's a response to Donald Trump's pledge to build a wall separating the U.S. and Mexico, and a cheeky reaction to a Trump supporter's warning in early September that the unchecked expansion of Latino culture in the U.S. would lead to "taco trucks on every corner." (Many viewers welcomed that notion.)
Over 35 taco trucks were already helping to register eligible voters on Tuesday, Nevada's voter registration deadline, according to American Bridge PAC.
U.S. & World
"We did not come up with the idea for the wall, Donald Trump came up with building the wall," said Yvanna Cancela, political director of the Culinary Workers Union 226 in Las Vegas. "We are all coming together to make sure that Donald Trump never becomes president."


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Now we can finally watch Green Acres Friends the way it was meant to be seen.
Friends: The Complete Series Blu-ray box set hits stores Tuesday for the first time, featuring all 236 episodes completely remastered, with 17 hours of extras from the original DVDs and more than three hours of all-new bonus features. Among the new content: New retrospective documentaries, a never-before-seen gag reel, and the original script and producer's cut of Season 8's "The One Where Rachel Tells Ross," which includes a Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) story line that had to be modified in the wake of 9/11. The 21-disc collection is a must-have for any diehard Friends fan who has been there since Ross (David Schwimmer) grabbed a spoon or is just learning what the "Joey special" is now in syndication. "I think we have something that's going to make Friends fans really happy," co-executive producer/director Kevin S. Bright tells TVGuide.com.
Friends exclusive: Peek at an extra from the complete series on Blu-ray!Working with Warner Home Video, Bright was "very involved" in the Blu-ray conversion, combing through all the episodes and footage to make sure they had their ducks (and chicks) in a row. "I was the only one except for the editor who knew where everything came from," he says. "When you're reconstructing a show and going back to the originals, you really need the people involved who did the show, so it was a very collaborative effort."Check out our interview with Bright below for more on the process, why he didn't get nostalgic going down memory lane, the episode that never happened and where he thinks all the characters are now.Was there anything that didn't make it into the set?
Kevin S. Bright: Well, what's unique about this box set ... is that this is the only one that has the original, as-it-aired-on-NBC versions of the show. We tried to get more bang for the buck when we originally put it out on video and DVD and added in [deleted] footage. But these are the episodes as you saw them on NBC because it's more about seeing them again in a new way. The deleted scenes aren't there, but Warner Home Video did a terrific job providing features. The new feature documentary has interviews with myself and [creators/co-executive producers] Marta [Kauffman] and David [Crane] talking about the history of and making of the show that had never really been discussed before on camera. But I think the real attraction is seeing and hearing this show, which we're very familiar with, in a new clarity. Visually, it's stunning. Particularly when I look at the first season — it's just so improved. The picture is so crisp. The skin tone is great, the actors look fantastic. They did a great job. It's like it's airing now, but in much shorter, commercial-free versions. What's been encouraging to me is a whole new audience has found our show. I constantly have the sons and daughters of friends of mine telling me that they discovered Friends on Nick-at-Nite or TBS, and how much they love the show. Now they can see the full-length original versions of the show as they were broadcast.Was it nostalgic delving back into everything?
Bright: I think I felt more pride than anything. One of the things I feel proudest about is that — except for some very old-looking computers and cell phones that are out of date — the show doesn't feel dated. The proudest thing the three of us can hold onto is that it still stands up. It doesn't feel like you're constantly going, "Oh, remember those days?" It's not like watching I Love Lucy. We love Lucy, but it's a show of its time. Friends doesn't feel dated.
Bright: No, I think the things we were more concerned about were not allowing mistakes to get in as a result of the high-def, Blu-ray transfer ... like a camera in the shot or a lighting fixture or a stagehand. ... In the London wedding, during the wedding, which was surrounded by candles, some kind of artifact showed up on the film that made it look like Ross' and Emily's hair were on fire. We had to fix that in post frame-by-frame. I happened to pick that episode as a test episode and we had to go back and fix that. We have no regrets on the creative content, the writing, the directing — no feeling of, "Wow, I wish I had another shot at that." It was more about rediscovering the initial process of getting to this place. In some cases, it was something as simple as not having HD versions of stock footage, so in some places we had to replace stock shots totally. In the documentary, you guys talk about the "vague" ending you were going to give Ross and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston). How seriously did you consider that?
Bright: There were no other endings, let's be honest. There was only one ending. [Laughs] Honestly, the different ending was just a shortened version of the same script in which [the studio audience] didn't see the actual end. We really wanted to keep the surprise, so we did a bunch of misleads, but there was never any other real consideration of how things were going to go.What's your favorite moment or episode?
Bright: The moment where Ross says "Rachel" while he's marrying Emily (Helen Baxendale) — "I, Ross, take thee, Rachel" — still sends chills up my spine. The way the audience reacted there and the whole reaction that the episode got — it was a mixture of horror for Ross, but at the same time, you're jumping for joy because it's those two people you want together. Emily's nice and fine, but we don't really care about her! [Laughs] We care about Ross and Rachel. And the look on Jennifer's face as that episode fades out is still really great. I also liked the season with Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Rachel — that really stood out to me. Matt is so fantastic. He continues to be fantastic on Episodes today. That was a very difficult arc for him to play. Even though they weren't seeing each other anymore, when you go out with your best friend's ex-girlfriend, it's really a tough place for a guy to be. I think he made that identifiable and gave it some honor. It could've been very sleazy in the hands of another actor.A lot of fans didn't like it and saw it as another roadblock for Ross and Rachel.
Bright: Yeah, but the challenge for us year-to-year is "how do we keep the show fresh?" While the Ross and Rachel story still had legs, we felt we had to go at it at a different way. By bringing Joey into it and making it a triangle between three people we really care about and didn't want to see get hurt, I think it reinvigorated the show. We saw it as just another small step for Ross-kind. [Laughs]I love how deliberately different Monica and Chandler's relationship was from Ross and Rachel's. How important was it to make it more grounded, fun and drama-free?
Bright: The aspect of Monica and Chandler's relationship that I liked the best is when they were keeping it a secret. A lot of really funny stuff happened and when the secret unfolded, the tension off of that relationship was gone. The audience certainly rooted for them and we realized we got to do something with them that we never really did with Ross and Rachel, which is explore them being a couple and growing as a couple together and having children and dealing with something very identifiable across the country: two people having trouble getting pregnant. I think that resulted in some really good writing and some contemporary stories.
Matthew Perry on Go On's success and his favorite rolesCan you believe some fans wanted Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) and Joey together?
Bright: [Laughs] I hate to break it to them, but that wasn't going to happen. We kind of intimated some flirtation, but I think because both of them played a similar role in being the go-to person that sort of supports the other two friends, seeing them together felt too easy and too expected. And Mike (Paul Rudd) was awesome.
Bright: Yes! Mike was awesome. That's one of the rare times where you bring a guest star on and they bring something to it that you would've thought only a regular cast member could bring. Paul fit in so well with the six of them, and look at his career since. I'm sure if he wanted to, he could have his own TV show right now.Were there any story lines or episodes that never came to fruition for one reason or another?
Bright: The one that never got made was a Disney World episode. Joey gets a summer job at Disney World as one of the lightbulb people in the electrical parade. Basically, he meets the girl who plays Cinderella and has an affair with her, but doesn't ever get her real name. She has to leave suddenly because she has to get the costume back by midnight or they're going to fire her, and all she leaves behind is her bra. The idea was the bra was going to be the glass slipper. [Laughs] Unfortunately, it wasn't a story Disney World was looking to get shot on location. It was a little too racy for them, but it would've been fun to take the friends to Disney World.London's better than Disney World.
Bright: Yeah, and when many sitcoms shoot on location, they [are] very different from their regular show because they shot it on location and there was no audience. We were fortunate to go to a place like London where they have studios and we can build a set, so we shot the majority of the show in front of a very large audience and did three shows there. We did have some exteriors with Joey and the map and outside the church. But I think the sets are why those episodes came out so good. How often do you get asked about a reunion?
Bright: Definitely not as often as the actors. But there is absolutely, 100 percent no talk about a reunion. Maybe they'll find a reason one day, and obviously the reason can't be about money and things like that. Other than that, I don't think there is a reason to do it. There will be no Friends movie. It was made to be an intimate show in your living room. It wasn't a broader show like many of the comedies today that are shot single-camera. It's wonderful the way it is, but it's even better on Blu-ray! [Laughs]
Check out Ross and Emily's wedding and other memorable TV nuptialsWhere do you think the characters are now? Are Ross and Rachel living in Scarsdale?
Bright: [Laughs] I'm hoping that Ross and Rachel, and Monica and Chandler, and Phoebe and Mike are still married and living happily ever after. I imagine that after they had the surrogate twins, Monica did get pregnant after all and they had a third child, so they have a wonderful family. Chandler now owns his own number-crunching business.His own WENUS company? He left advertising?
Bright: Exactly. He realized he wanted to go back, so he formed his own WENUS organization. They're living very nicely in Westchester. I think Ross and Rachel — I don't know. [Laughs] I've never imagined any of them before! They also had another child. Joey is a star. He finally got his big break.He found his Shutter Speed?
Bright: Yes, and it was a huge blockbuster. And Phoebe opened a chain of holistic spas across the country using her unique massage techniques she developed over the years. She's spreading the joy.The TV landscape is so different now, but do you think we'll see a cultural phenomenon like Friends ever again?
Bright: It seems more and more that the idea of a show lasting for 10 years on television is going to be a very rare thing. I think the attention span of the audience has gotten shorter. I think five years is going to be the max for most shows now. Part of the reason that Friends is so embedded in our culture is because it was part of our culture for a full decade. When something's part of you for 10 years, it doesn't go away that quickly. We have a lot of terrific shows on television and they end after somewhere between three-to-five years or have shorter seasons. They're not so ingrained in the fabric of who we are. And just economically, the structure of television now and the competition with more channels and the Web, it's just going to be harder and harder to see another show like Friends. But I hope we do.


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Paris Hilton is famous for her blond hair, but she may be facing a massive lawsuit for extending her golden locks a little too frequently.
Hairtech International Inc., a company that makes hair extensions, is suing the 29-year-old reality starlet for $35 million for breach of contract and fraud for wearing a competitor's product in 2008.
The company's suit is for ten times what Hilton was supposedly paid under contract.
The filing also claims that the heiress missed a launch party because she was sitting behind bars. In 2007, Hilton served 23 days in jail after twice being caught driving on a suspended license while being on probation for reckless driving.
Hairtech states that it lost $6.6 million on the launch party, but it will be left to a jury or judge to decide on any financial awards if the case does indeed go to trial.
The case isn't the first time Hilton's role as a pitchwoman has gotten her sued.
The producers of the film "Pledge This!" sued Hilton in 2008 in federal court in Miami, claiming she didn't properly promote the film. A judge ruled last year that she didn't owe the roughly $8.3 million it cost to the make the film, which played in fewer than two dozen theaters.
The court is still deciding how much, if any, of Hilton's $1 million fee for "Pledge This!" she may have to return to filmmakers.


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Download the Info
Meet Location
Renee(775) 324-7667
Noxious weed pull: Mount Rose Wilderness; Reno (trip #5)
Start Date: 7/6/2013
Time: call
End Date: 7/6/2013
Time: call
Location: Mount Rose Wilderness; Reno
State Region: Northwest Nevada
Event Type: Stewardship
Event Details
Help protect the Truckee River watershed and wildlife habitat by removing noxious weeds from the Mount Rose Wilderness. We will host 5 volunteer events (June and July) to pull noxious weeds. Join us on as many of these trips as you can.
These events are day trips in the Hunter Creek drainage of Mount Rose Wilderness.
Contact Renee at firstname.lastname@example.com or call the office at 775-324-7667 for more information.
Friends of Nevada Wilderness
Reno Office: PO Box 9754 - Reno, NV 89507
(775) 324-7667
Las Vegas Office: PO Box 33155 - Las Vegas, NV 89133
(775) 745-3119
Federal Tax EIN: 88-0211763
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text:
New GI Bill Will Heighten Professional Work Force
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2009 - More college-educated professionals will enter the next generation's professional work force as a result of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said this week at the American Legion's 91st National Convention in Louisville, Ky.
Shinseki lauded the organization's efforts in advocating the new legislation, just as it fought for the original GI Bill more than 65 years ago.
"Just as you were responsible for the passage of the original GI Bill in 1944, your commitment here was instrumental, yet again, in getting this 9/11 GI Bill through the Congress," Shinseki said.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill took effect Aug. 1, and with its expanded benefits and the option of transferring benefits to family members, it's likely to affect the country the way the original GI Bill did in 1944, he said.
Between 1944 and 1956, millions of veterans took advantage of educational benefits provided by the original bill and helped to fill the nation's work force with qualified and trained professionals. Although they no longer wore the military uniform, the veterans' contributions to the country weren't any less significant, he said.
"Returning World War II veterans leveraged the educational opportunities they had under the original GI Bill into sustained economic growth for the nation, catapulting the nation into the world's largest economy [and into a position of] leadership in the free world," he said. "Our country became richer by 450,000 trained engineers, 240,000 accountants, 238,000 teachers, 91,000 scientists, 66,000 doctors, 22,000 dentists and [by] millions of other college-educated veterans who went on to lead our
great country in the second half of the 20th century.
"This new Post-9/11 GI Bill has the potential to impact the country in the same way, thanks to your leadership and the leadership in country," he added. "You've been our eyes and ears for identifying needs for veterans."
The education opportunities also will help VA in its struggle to end homelessness among veterans, which, Shinseki said, also will have an indirect but positive effect on a host of other issues. Veterans lead the nation in homelessness, he said, and also are ranked among the highest groups in the country for depression and substance abuse.
In 2003, more than 195,000 veterans were without homes. Shinseki pointed to a lack of education and employment opportunities, as well as mental-health and substance-abuse issues, as the main reasons for the over-representation of homeless veterans.
Today, VA estimates that 131,000 veterans are homeless, and Shinseki said he's determined to get them off the streets within the next five years. His department and President Barack Obama's administration are moving in the right direction to tackle the issue, he said, but he noted it won't be easy.
"We're moving in the right direction to remove this block from all of our consciences, and are committed to ending homelessness," he said. "No one that has served the nation as we have should live without care and without hope. I know there are no absolutes in life, ... but I also know that if we don't put a big target out there, we won't get our best efforts."
Homelessness is the last stop in an unfortunate road for many veterans, the secretary said. "To do this well, we'll have to attack the entire downward spiral that ends in homelessness," he said. "We must offer education, we must offer jobs, we must treat depression and we must treat substance abuse, [and] we must offer safe housing [for homeless veterans]. We must do it all."
The Post-9/11 GI Bill may not deliver an immediate impact on the homeless issue and others that veterans may face, but education is a long-term investment that will ensure many of their futures, he said.
"This investment in America's future will go on for decades to come," he said. "I told you what happened the first time we did this: thousands of trained engineers, scientists, doctors, dentists, accountants [and] teachers. Lightning is about to strike twice. And those who've answered our nation's call are going to be benefited into being leaders for our country in the 21st century through this program."
Eric K. Shinseki [ http://www1.va.gov/opa/bios/biography.asp?id=76 ]
*Related Sites:*
Special Report: GI Transferability Has Arrived [ http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/2009/0409_gibill/ ]
Veterans Affairs GI Bill Web Site [ http://www.gibill.va.gov/ ]
Department of Veterans Affairs [ http://www.va.gov/ ]
New GI Bill Will Heighten Professional Work Force [ http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=55637 ]


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RIYADH (Reuters) - A Saudi blogger was freed on Tuesday, 20 months after he was detained for publishing an imaginary conversation with Islam's Prophet Mohammad on Twitter, his friend and a lawyer said, though there was no confirmation from the government.
Hamza Kashgari fled Saudi Arabia for Malaysia in February last year after his tweets enraged some conservative Muslims and triggered death threats. He was extradited back to the kingdom days later and imprisoned.
"He was freed this morning," the 24-year-old's friend told Reuters, but declined to comment further. Prominent human rights lawyer Abdulrahman Allahim congratulated Kashgari on his release on Twitter.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states have grown increasingly sensitive to criticism of senior officials, ruling family members and clerics, and to comments they regard as blasphemous, particularly on social media.
Another rights lawyer and activist, Waleed Abu al-Khair, told Reuters he had been sentenced to three months in jail on Tuesday for signing a petition in 2011 against the imprisonment of a group of political reformers.
Activists said on Twitter a columnist, Tariq al-Mubarak, has been in detention for two days after supporting a campaign to allow women to drive.
Saudi Arabia's Justice Ministry and government spokespeople were not immediately available for comment on the cases.
The kingdom has regularly dismissed criticism of its human rights record from Western countries and campaign groups.
On Monday the cabinet issued a statement saying it "works to protect and promote human rights to maintain its identity, culture, gains and care for its citizens, on the basis of adherence to the Holy Koran".
Kashgari's tweets addressed Mohammad on the Prophet's birthday, saying he "loved the rebel in you" and "loved some aspects of you, hated others".
There were no details on what led up to Kashgari's release. But the former columnist in the kingdom's al-Bilad newspaper, had issued a long public apology after deleting the messages, and his family said he had repented. Authorities did not make any formal charges against him public.
Offences like blasphemy can be punished by death under the interpretation of Islamic law enforced in Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter and birthplace of Islam.
The lawyer Abu al-Khair said he had been sentenced for signing a petition calling for the release of 16 activists jailed in December 2011 on charges ranging from financing terrorism to incitement against the king, charges they had denied.
He said he was also facing more serious charges of setting up a human rights organization without a license, illegal contact with foreign journalists and rights organizations and "damaging the country.
Activists convicted on similar charges have been sentenced to jail terms of several years.
He added he remained free while he launched an appeal.
A court in Kuwait on Monday upheld a 10-year prison sentence imposed on a man convicted of endangering state security by insulting Prophet Mohammad and the rulers of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on social media.
Shi'ite Muslim Hamad al-Naqi had denied the charges, saying his social media accounts had been hacked. New York-based Human Rights Watch on Tuesday called for him to be released.
Reporting By Angus McDowall; Additional reporting by Rania El Gamal in Dubai; Editing by Sami Aboudi and Andrew Heavens


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4:30 PM - 11:00 PM Friday, October 24, 2014
Location: Bus departs and returns to Area IV and Gately Youth Centers
Contact: Patricia Bradshaw, 617-498-1289
Come join the Middle School Activities Club (6th, 7th and 8th graders) for a trip to Canobie Lake Park ScreemFest.
Enter the haunted houses and experience the thrill rides.
Bus Departs Area IV Youth Center at 4:30 pm.
Bus Departs Gately Youth Center at 4:50 pm.
Bus Returns to Gately Youth Center at 10:50 pm.
Bus Returns to Area IV Youth Center at 11:00 pm.
Cost is $32.00 per person (price includes transportation and park admission)
Free to all Middle Schoolers who register with the Activities Club at any of our Youth Centers.
See the MSAC flyer for more details about this and other Fall events.


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What's New
Swan Song Font by Canada Type
Swan Song is a digitization of gorgeous free form calligraphy by British artist Rachel Yallop. It first appeared in The Calligraphy Source Book edited by Miriam Stribley (Running Press, 1986).
Rooted in day to day handwriting, Swan Song is a quick and irregular artistic jolt at first impression, and surprisingly richly-textured art at second glance. Whatever these letters are used to communicate, the communicator is content, confident, humorous, strong and experienced, and the reader will be glad to receive the personal contact of such a communicator.
Tags: Casual Script, Font, Formal Script, Handwritten


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A Crossover Bioequivalence Study of Intravenously Administered ATI0918 and DOXIL/CAELYX in Patients With Ovarian Cancer
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01715168
Recruitment Status : Unknown
Verified January 2015 by Azaya Therapeutics, Inc..
Recruitment status was: Active, not recruiting
First Posted : October 26, 2012
Last Update Posted : January 15, 2015
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
The purpose of this study is to find the answers to the following research question(s):
1. Is the study drug equivalent to the approved drug, Doxil/Caelyx, and does it act the same way in the body as the approved drug?
ATI-0918 is believed to be a generic of Doxil/Caelyx and this is what the study is trying to prove. All people who participate in this study will receive the research study medication (ATI-0918) and Doxil/Caelyx in addition to best supportive care (treatment for symptoms).
The study drug being tested in this study works the same as the FDA (government) approved drug doxorubicin HCl. ATI-0918 is a generic (the same) formulation of doxorubicin HCl being delivered (given to the patient).
|Condition or disease
|Ovarian Cancer Malignant Female Reproductive System Neoplasm Cancer Ovarian Tumor Ovarian Epithelial Cancer Recurrent
|Drug: DOXIL/CAELYX Drug: ATI-0918
|Phase 1
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Estimated Enrollment :
|40 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Crossover Assignment
|Single (Outcomes Assessor)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|A Phase 1, Single-blind, Randomized, Two-way, Crossover Bioequivalence Study of Intravenously Administered ATI 0918 in Patients With Ovarian Cancer That Has Progressed or Recurred After Platinum-based Chemotherapy
|Study Start Date :
|October 2012
|Estimated Primary Completion Date :
|October 2015
|Estimated Study Completion Date :
|December 2015
Active Comparator: DOXIL/CAELYX or Doxorubicin Hydrochloride (Lipspome)
Current Standard of care and/or reference product in Europe (Caelyx) and US (Doxorubicin Hydrochloride (Liposome) and Doxil)
Drug: DOXIL/CAELYX
Other Names:
Experimental: ATI-0918
Investigational drug arm which will be compared to Doxil/Caelyx and Hydrochloride Doxorubicin (Liposome) arms for bioequivalence analysis
Drug: ATI-0918
Other Names:
- Comparison of AUC in a single dose of ATI0918 vs single dose of Doxil/Caelyx [ Time Frame: pre, 30 min + pre, 0, .50, 1, 2, 4, 6, 24, 48, 72, 120, 168, 216 hour post infusion for 2 Cycles (Cycle is defined as 28 days) ]The primary objective of this study is to determine the pharmacokinetic equivalence of ATI-0918 and DOXIL/CAELYX as a single dose in patients with ovarian cancer. The outcome measure will be determined by analyzing PK data from drawn from each patient at pre-specified time points and calculating Area under the curve (AUC) and Peak Plasma Concentration (Cmax)to determine % variability between ATI0918 and Doxil/Caelyx within each patient.
- Comparison of Cmax in a single dose of ATI0918 vs single dose of Doxil/Caelyx [ Time Frame: pre, 30 min + pre, 0, .50, 1, 2, 4, 6, 24, 48, 72, 120, 168, 216 hour post infusion for 2 Cycles (Cycle is defined as 28 days) ]The primary objective of this study is to determine the pharmacokinetic equivalence of ATI-0918 and DOXIL/CAELYX as a single dose in patients with ovarian cancer. The outcome measure will be determined by analyzing PK data from drawn from each patient at pre-specified time points and calculating Area under the curve (AUC) and Peak Plasma Concentration (Cmax)to determine % variability between ATI0918 and Doxil/Caelyx within each patient.
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 70 Years (Adult, Older Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Have histologically confirmed ovarian cancer that is potentially sensitive to DOXIL/CAELYX
- Have disease progression or recurrence after a maximum of 2 prior chemotherapies, one of which was platinum based.
- Be DOXIL/CAELYX treatment naïve
- Have a normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) based on institutional ranges.
- Have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of </= 2
- Have an estimated life expectancy of ≥ 3 months
- Be >/= 18 and </= 70 years of age
- Sign a written Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved informed consent form
- Have a negative pregnancy test, if patient is of child-bearing potential
Have acceptable liver function:
- Bilirubin </= upper limit of normal (ULN)
- AST (SGOT), ALT (SGPT) and Alkaline phosphatase </= 1.5 times upper limit of normal
Have acceptable renal function:
- Serum creatinine within normal limits, OR calculated creatinine clearance >/= 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 for patients with creatinine levels above institutional normal.
Have acceptable hematologic status:
- Neutrophils >/= 1500 cells/mm3
- Platelet count >/= 100,000 (plt/mm3)
- Hemoglobin >/= 9 g/dL
Have acceptable coagulation status:
- Prothrombin time (PT) or International Normalized Ratio (INR) within 1.5 × ULN
- Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) within 1.5 × ULN
- Agree to use effective contraceptive methods during the study (nonsterile patients of childbearing potential)
Exclusion Criteria:
- Have New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III or IV cardiac disease, myocardial infarction within the past 6 months prior to Day 1, unstable arrhythmia, or evidence of ischemia on electrocardiogram (ECG) or during Cardiac Stress Testing within 14 days prior to Day 1
- Have received > 250 mg/m2 of doxorubicin or equivalent as other anthracyclines or similar compounds
- Have received prior treatment with DOXIL/CAELYX
- Have received radiotherapy to the mediastinal area or concomitant therapy with other potentially cardiotoxic agents
- Have seizure disorders requiring anticonvulsant therapy
- Have known brain metastases (unless previously treated and well controlled for a period of >/= 3 months)
- Have severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with hypoxemia
- Have had major surgery, other than diagnostic surgery, within 4 weeks prior to Day 1
- Have an active, uncontrolled bacterial, viral, fungal, or other opportunistic infections requiring systemic therapy
- Are pregnant or nursing. NOTE: Nonsterile women of childbearing potential must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; or abstinence) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she must inform her treating physician immediately.
- Have received treatment with radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, or investigational therapy within one month prior to study entry (6 weeks for nitrosoureas or Mitomycin C).
- Have received radiation therapy to >25% of her total bone marrow during her lifetime
- Are unwilling or unable to comply with procedures required in this protocol
- Have known infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B, or hepatitis C
- Have a serious nonmalignant disease (e.g., hydronephrosis, liver failure, significantly impaired hepatic function, or other conditions) that could compromise protocol objectives in the opinion of the investigator and/or the sponsor
- Are currently receiving any other investigational agent
- Have exhibited allergic reactions to doxorubicin or a similar structural compound
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01715168
|United States, Washington
|Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital - North Star Lodge
|Yakima, Washington, United States, 98902
|Canada, Quebec
|Centre Hospitalier de L'Universite de Montreal (CHUM)
|Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H2L4M1
|Responsible Party:
|Azaya Therapeutics, Inc.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01715168 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|October 26, 2012 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|January 15, 2015
|Last Verified:
|January 2015
Doxil generic
Caelyx generic
generic treatment
ovarian cancer
recurred cancer
platinum based therapy
Ovarian Neoplasms
Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial
Genital Neoplasms, Female
Endocrine Gland Neoplasms
Neoplasms by Site
Ovarian Diseases
Adnexal Diseases
Genital Diseases, Female
Urogenital Neoplasms
Endocrine System Diseases
Gonadal Disorders
Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial
Neoplasms by Histologic Type
Liposomal doxorubicin
Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
Antineoplastic Agents
Topoisomerase II Inhibitors
Topoisomerase Inhibitors
Enzyme Inhibitors
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action


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GOP soul-searching: 'Too old, too white, too male'?
BOSTON — President Barack Obama's thrashing of Mitt Romney exposed glaring structural weaknesses in the GOP that will shut the Republicans out of the White House until they find a way to appeal to a rapidly changing America.
Battling a wheezing economy and a deeply motivated opposition, Obama still managed to retain much of his 2008 map because of the GOP's deficiencies with the voters who are changing the political face of once conservative-leaning Virginia, Florida, Colorado and Nevada.
Story Continued Below
( Also on POLITICO: Obama's grind-it-out win)
Republicans face a crisis: The country is growing less white, and their coalition has become more white in recent years.
In 2004, George W. Bush won 44 percent of Hispanics. Four years later, John McCain, the author of an immigration reform bill, took 31 percent of Hispanics. And this year, Romney captured only 27 percent of Hispanics.
"The conservative movement should have particular appeal to people in minority and immigrant communities who are trying to make it, and Republicans need to work harder than ever to communicate our beliefs to them," said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who will immediately be looked to as a potential 2016 presidential candidate.
( Also on POLITICO: Rubio: GOP must focus on minorities, immigrants)
But the GOP's problem is more fundamental than one bloc of voters. For the second consecutive presidential election, the Republican got thumped among women and young voters in the states that decided the election.
( Also on POLITICO: Study: Youth vote was decisive)
"Our party needs to realize that it's too old and too white and too male and it needs to figure out how to catch up with the demographics of the country before it's too late," said Al Cardenas, the head of the American Conservative Union and a longtime GOP leader. "Our party needs a lot of work to do if we expect to be competitive in the near future."
Rep. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), a prospective 2014 statewide candidate in a state moving sharply to the middle, was just as blunt: "After tonight, the GOP had better figure out that a big tent sounds good, but if there aren't any seats in it, what good is it."
The desperate straits Republicans find themselves in are structural. But Romney should not be completely absolved of responsibility for his party's ebb. He galloped to the right on immigration and reproductive issues in the GOP primary and only awkwardly attempted to move to the middle on those issues in the fall. His 50s-era persona was almost comically far removed from Americans who are in their 20s and 30s. And he never attempted to distance himself from or truly challenge a Republican Party that still bears bruises left from the Bush years.
( Also on POLITICO: 12 takeaways from Obama's win)
But the rapidly growing population of minorities is something that looms larger than one flawed candidate.
Look no further than Florida, that reliable battleground that usually picks White House winners. Obama won there by only 2½ percentage points in 2008, but somehow found a way to eke out a narrow lead again in the face of 8.7 percent unemployment there.
Why? Partly because there are 190,000 more Hispanics and 50,000 more African-Americans in the state than there were in 2008.
Florida Republicans were staggered: Obama managed to actually increase a 20-point margin from 2008 in suburban Orlando's Osceola County, home to thousands of Hispanic immigrants, to 25 points.
"Hispanics continue to grow in importance, and we need to embrace these voters for two reasons: It is simply the right thing to do, and it's mandatory demographically if we are to avoid more presidential disappointments," said former George W. Bush political director Matt Schlapp. "It's about simple math and basic moral decency."


text:
A zebra was born on the Serengeti Plain of Busch Gardens theme park in Tampa this week.
The baby, an endangered Grevy's zebra, was born to 13-year-old Brooke. It's her fifth foal and the first offspring of the father, who is called Two Step. The newborn is the ninth Grevy's to be living at Busch Gardens.
Park guests can see the zebra from the Edge of Africa, the Skyride, Serengeti Express train or during an open-bed truck tour of the plain.
The population of Grevy's zebra is down more than 50 percent in the past 18 years, and they are the only species of zebra listed as endangered by IUCN Red list, Busch says. The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund has supported research and conservation of the Grevy's zebra through a partnership with the Grevy's Zebra Trust in Kenya since 2007.


text:
Shocking news! This weekend, The New York Times reported that people are pulling over and parking sometimes to use smart phones, and sometimes that makes other people angry. Oh my willakers! This is nonsense.
Here is a befuddling passage sure to make you feel something, somehow, in some way:
Brianne Miller was parked recently in downtown San Francisco e-mailing on her BlackBerry. She heard a honk, looked up and discovered a man in a BMW waiting for her spot. She signaled to him that she would be a few more minutes.
"He flashed an obscene gesture," she said. She smiled and waved, trying not to escalate things. "He sped off in a huff," she added with a laugh. "It was a really, really good spot."
That rascal! I basically have two reactions to this. (I mean, aside from groaning and rolling my eyes at what very well may be the dumbest fake trend story of 2012.)
First, shouldn't we be very glad that drivers have become sensible enough about smart phones that they use them after walking and before driving? If you are on the go, there is no better place to do a device check than in a parked car. The Times talks to safety advocates, and drivers who have been shamed-by-Oprah (and truly, haven't we all been shamed by Oprah at some point) into not texting while driving to prove the point that this is good behavior. But, really, that should just go without saying by this point. Oprah-dotes aside, people are using their phones more, not less, while driving. If you're mad at someone for taking up a space to use a smartphone, think how angry you'd be if you were, say, rear-ended by someone using a smartphone instead. (Hello! This was me.)
Second—and this is the real intellectual heft to my argument—fuck you. No, no, really, fuck you. If you are blowing your horn at me for any reason other than a safety issue, fuck you. That parking space is mine for as long as I am in it.
I'm not going to live there! I'm not going to camp there! But I may need ten minutes or so to check and respond to my email. The tyranny of email beats the tyranny of your hornblowing every time, jerk. The bottom line is, the longer you blow your horn, or if you do flip me a bird, the more likely I am to post pictures of you freaking out on Twitter before playing a quick game of Draw Something. Your move.
Image by l i g h t p o e t / Shutterstock


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Published at Sunday, July 07th, 2019 - 12:11:40 PM. Bedding. By Karine Crozier.
Another space-saving solution when a pair of beds is needed for occasional use is the single bed that conceals another bed and mattress underneath. The lower one is fitted with castors and has spring-loaded legs that bring it up to full height.
Adjustable beds can be altered into a comfortable position as per the sleeper's requirements. They are very comfortable for reading or for watching TV in bed. They are also ideal for people who have bad sleeping problems due to stress, body strain or other discomforts. As the adjustable beds can be molded according to the person's body structure, they provide utmost comfort and relaxation. Adjustable beds are also very strong and can support weights of more than 600 pounds.
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Posted by Editor on 12/22/07
National Team Training Centre-Victoria Holds Road Training Camp
The National Team Training Centre-Victoria held a road training camp from Dec 10 to 14, 2007 to which all Carded and Talent Pool athletes were invited. The main goal of the camp was to gather athletes from all the cycling disciplines and to nurture the upcoming local talent. The group was involved in team building meetings and participated in group training rides. All training sessions were supervised by National Team coach Houshang Amiri.
PacificSport National Team Training Centre-Victoria would like to thank Saunders Subaru and Action Motorcycles for their many years of supporting the Centre and the athletes.
Monday Dec 10
Athletes arrived in the morning. In the afternoon they participated in a 90-minute yoga session with Elizabeth Peckham. They then met with Houshang to discuss the schedule for the week.
Tuesday Dec 11
The riders did a three-hour group ride in the morning that included two ITT's - a hill ITT (Willis Point) and a flat ITT in Sidney. These ITT's have been part of the NTTC-V camp training sessions for the past six years. The ITT times are recorded and kept in a database for future reference. In the afternoon all athletes participated in a dynamic strength gym session led by Trevor Miller, NTTC-V's strength and conditioning coach.
Wednesday Dec 12
The group did a five-hour ride in the morning that took them to Goldstream Park and the Malahat, Shawnigan Lake, and Cobble Hill. It included a nine-kilometre climb from Shawnigan Lake to Goldstream Heights. In the afternoon they met with Houshang to discuss their individual training and goals.
Thursday Dec 13
The riders had another five-hour ride in the morning. The ride did the tour of Peninsula and included a technical component - riding a pace line on the Sidney TT course. This assessed each rider's riding technique and will be particularly beneficial for the women athletes who are preparing for the first World Cups in Australia and New Zealand. In the afternoon they had a core strength assessment with Trevor Miller.
Friday Dec 14
The group did a five-hour ride with hill repeats in the morning. In the afternoon they participated in a dynamic strength gym session with Trevor Miller.
The riders who participated found the camp very beneficial. "The December camp was a success. It was valuable for training," said Erinne Willock. "We got our scheduled hours in with a combination of yoga, riding in sun and rain and plyometric gym sessions. It is always great to have a good group to do those big weeks with and this past week was no exception." Max Plaxton attended two days of the camp. "We were able to record some very important information. Both the times I posted on the uphill time trial on Willis Point and the flat time trial in Sidney were perfect for using as a reference in the up coming months of training."
|Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top


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Event box
Weekly Wednesday Knitters
Meet, mingle and trade yarns with local knitters! Come to the Knitters Club and have fun comparing patterns, sharing techniques and trading tips on stitches, sweaters and mittens.
Drop-in. No sign-up required.
- Date:
- Wednesday, June 26, 2019
- Time:
- 12:30pm - 3:00pm
- Location:
- Library Meeting Room
- Categories:
- Adult Weekly Event
Today's Hours
|Opening Hours
Saturday, Dec 14
|Hollis Social Library
|10:30am – 5pm


text:
Marriage Fraud
ST. LOUIS (AP) - US Attorney Catherine Hanaway will meet with the media at 2p.m. Friday to discuss an indictment in what her office calls a "significant marriage fraud case." Details have not been released. The news conference is at the Eagleton Courthouse in St. Louis.
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COLUMBIA — Chatbots could soon be answering more questions from Missourians about their taxes or welfare. The St. Louis... More >>
COLUMBIA - Two people were injured Friday night after an assault and shots fired incident in north Columbia, according to... More >>
COLUMBIA - The Boone County Sheriff's Department completed a week-long training program on Friday, cumulating with a role-playing exercise to... More >>
COLUMBIA - The Columbia Fire Department has a new chief. City Manager John Glascock says Andy Woody will be taking... More >>
COLUMBIA - Former Missouri football coach Barry Odom is heading to Arkansas. New Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman confirmed... More >>
COLUMBIA – Columbia psychologist, Kurt Bumby, 50, is charged with two counts of statutory sodomy in Boone County and two... More >>
FULTON - Although legally blind, Fulton Special Olympics tennis player Jesse competes with enthusiasm in a high demanding sport for... More >>
JEFFERSON CITY - A proposed plan to expand the Jefferson City National Cemetery across the street and move a park... More >>
BOONVILLE - Shovels and salt will likely be in higher demand at local hardware stores after a forecasted weekend snow... More >>
WENTZVILLE, Mo. (AP) — General Motors plans to invest $1.5 billion in truck production at a suburban St. Louis plant.... More >>


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- Event Calendar
- Online Registration
- Brochure
- Aquatics
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- Parks & Recreation Staff
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Last Updated on Thursday, 24 January 2019 12:08
Click here for Online Registration, Reservations, & Donations
Pullman Parks Brochure Trifold
Parks Map
The Parks & Recreation Department is responsible for implementing the City Council's goals and objectives by providing the citizens of Pullman with parks, green spaces, and recreational services.
The division is under the guidance of the Park Manager, and is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the parks division. The parks division is to maintain and monitor general upkeep of 14 parks, numerous green spaces (Well 7, Cougar Plaza, Pine Street Plaza, etc.), three city cemeteries, city trees, downtown baskets, RV park, weed control, and the City trail and pathways system. This division also works with the Community on compliance of city ordinances regarding solid waste, nuisance, weed control, and diseased trees.
The Parks Division is responsible for:
- Maintaining baseball and softball fields
- Installation of new playground equipment, cutting, trimming, and weeding public shrubs and flower beds
- Planting and maintaining downtown flower baskets
- Trash and litter pickup in parks and public rights-a-way
- Installing, repairing and maintaining picnic tables, benches, signs, playgrounds and other equipment
- Aeration, fertilization, irrigation of turf, spraying lawn areas for weed control, spraying and fertilizing trees and evergreens for insect control, disease and proper feeding
- Assisting with burials at city cemeteries
- Repairing and maintaining park facilities
- Working with city and civic groups on city celebrations such as 4th of July and Lentil Festival
- Pool maintenance for Pullman Aquatic & Fitness Center and Reaney Pool
- Working with civic groups such as the Pullman Civic Trust, Grand Avenue Greenway Committee, etc.
- Community improvement (code enforcement)
- The Park Manager is also extensively involved in design and construction of park improvement projects.


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I have an interest in the weather, not just for today or the coming weekend but also historically. Participating in Melbourne University's Climate History newspaper tagging project involving tagging Trove newspapers articles about weather events, it became evident the weather behaves in a cyclical nature. If it has happened before it will happen again, droughts, floods and storms.
Taking my interests a step further, investigating how weather events effected my ancestors can add greatly to their story. That is why the Victorian bushfires of 1901 are of interest as the Byaduk district, where many of my ancestors lived, was heavily affected. The weather was similar to two days in my lifetime, Ash Wednesday on 16 February 1983 and Black Saturday on 7 February 2010. On each day, fires blazed across Victoria.
The first reports of fire came through on 8 February 1901. The following article from The Argus describes the weather of 7 February 1901. The descriptive language takes the reader to that day. The heat was oppressive, the wind was strong and dust storms crossed the state, causing an unnatural darkness.
Fires had sprung up throughout the Western District. Early reports from Branxholme were tragic with one death, stock killed and houses lost. I have family links to three families who lost their homes, the Millers, Storers and Addinsalls. George Miller, a racehorse trainer, lost his house and stables and no doubt his horses.
The two-day race meeting at Ararat was held in stifling conditions. A fire started at the course on the second day, with horses receiving burns. Later the wind picked up and ripped iron off the grandstand roof, sending the ladies within running for shelter.
Fires started across Victoria including Warrnambool, Alexandra, Wangaratta, Buninyong, Yea and Castlemaine.
The articles below report on homes lost at Byaduk, but hardest hit was Byaduk North. My relatives were closer to Byaduk further south and while they were lucky not to lose their homes but terrifying anticipating the fire's approach. The fire travelled at a great pace, coming within a mile of my ggg James Harman's property Mount Pleasant, on the Hamilton-Port Fairy Road, reaching the properties of the Christie brothers just to the north. As well as James and his wife Susan Reed, my great-grandmother Sarah Elizabeth Harman, and her father Reuben James Harman were living at Byaduk but lived further south again in the Byaduk township. Numerous other family members lived in the area from the Byaduk Caves through to the Byaduk township.
The Hamilton Spectator reported twelve homes destroyed at Byaduk North leaving just three remaining. Most were close to the course of the Lyne Creek running to the west of the township. The Free Presbyterian Church was lost and the Byaduk North Hotel was under threat. In the days after the fire, the hotel served as a refuge for the homeless.
The homestead of Richard Thomas Carty at Brisbane Hill, a large property to the north of the township of Byaduk North, was destroyed. While running for the creek, after escaping the homestead, Mrs Carty's dress caught fire was fortunately quelled. The Cartys rebuilt and the replacement homestead Dunroe still stands today.
The fire burnt through the Monivae Estate with a large loss to fences and livestock and burnt within a mile of Hamilton. On the other side of town, closer to the Coleraine railway line, the Hamilton Racecourse fell just short of the fire's path.
Other areas throughout the Western District felt the brunt of fire on 7 February 1901. This photograph from Birregurra shows the devastation in that town.
Portland was also under threat with fire circling the town. The fire did not stop until it met the sea.
Buninyong near Ballarat was one of the worst areas hit.
Macarthur had losses as did Princetown on the south coast. At Timboon, bullock teams from the local sawmill were lost.
By 11 January, aid for the homeless was on the agenda and at Branxholme a public meeting was held to discuss such matters. Authorities discovered the fire near Branxholme, which was probably the same fire to hit Byaduk, was accidentally started by a travelling tinsmith fixing a trough at Ardachy Estate.
A meeting was called at Byaduk for 18 February 1901, and ggg grandfather James Harman donated £2 2/ to the fund for the homeless.
The fire was so strong and relentless, old residents were drawing comparisons to Black Thursday almost fifty years earlier to the day on 6 February 1851.
Today and for the past few days, the temperature has struggled to reach 20 degrees. In 2009, the temperature was more than twice that. Future summers will have days like today, but there will be days again like 6 February 1851, 7 February 1901, 16 February 1983 and 7 February 2009. It is the nature of the weather. Let's hope the devastation is not repeated.


text:
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text:
May you have a blessed CAREFREE day today.
take time to smell the flowers
and appreciate the little things in life.
Do the things you are passionate about.
And here's a little song to uplift your mood today.
Note: This was recorded back in November 2013.
Read about my recording experience here
* Music is magic * Music sets us free


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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has condemned violence by the government of Guinea as "criminality of the greatest degree" after soldiers last week raped female protesters in the streets and fired into a crowd, killing more than 150 people in the West African nation, according to reports.
Clinton called on Guinea's leader, Capt. Moussa Dadis Camara, to apologize for the massacre and step down from power, The New York Times reported. Clinton's deputy, William Fitzgerald, broke a pledge not to meet personally with Camara on Monday to deliver the blunt message, according to the Times.
Camara seized power last December after the French-speaking nation's long-time dictator died. Camara had said he would not run in presidential elections in January, but has reportedly backed away from the position.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
"Those who committed those acts should not be given any reason to expect that they will escape justice," Clinton said of the latest violence, though it is unclear how much influence the U.S. has in the country.
Get more: MSNBC, New York Times


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Protect your investment.
Here's how to keep your watch in perfect condition.
Clean it: A tune-up from a trusted company like Central Watch every three years preserves precision. Keep the service papers in case you sell the watch.
Store it: When not wearing an automatic watch, put it on a watch winder so the movement stays alive. Try a model from SwissKubik.
Hide it away: Store your watch in a dark drawer or closet to protect the dial, hands, and markers from fading caused by sunlight.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!Back to top


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When there are women in senior positions in the company–that's senior as in the CEO–the performance is really excellent. Women, when they lead, have a tendency or inclination to be more inclusive. So leading allows for more discussion and more input and more variability of what's going on in the discussion.
Women have to step up and step out. You have a responsibility to make the way, to clear the path, to create the opportunity.
Women need to have a place at the table because having people who have different experiences and think differently creates a better result. I do speak with authority on that because I've lived it and seen it.
See my video for more thoughts on this topic, including why women should pursue line assignments.
Marge Magner, a member of Accenture's board of directors since February 2006 and lead director since January 2014, is a founding member and partner of Brysam Global Partners.


text: Guest Professors Every year the School of Economics and Political Science hosts a number of Guest Professors, who enrich the work of the School by teaching in our Programmes at all levels, presenting in Departmental Seminars and delivering Public Lectures. We are proud to have hosted many distinguished colleagues over the years. The most recent SEPS Guest Professors are listed here. Department of Political Science Spring Semester 2019: Prof. Frank R. Baumgartner, Ph.D. Richard J. Richardson Distinguished Professor of Political Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill More information Autumn Semester 2018: Prof. Ron Deibert, Ph.D. Professor of Political Science, and Director of the Citizen Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto More information Spring Semester 2018: Prof. Rose McDermott, Ph.D. David and Mariana Fisher University Professor of International Relations, Brown University More information Autumn Semester 2017: Prof. Steven Livingston, Ph.D. Professor of Media and Public Affairs and International Affairs, School of Media and Public Affairs (SMPA) and the Elliott School of International Affairs (ESIA), George Washington University More information Spring Semester 2017: Prof. Anna Seleny, Ph.D. Adjunct Associate Professor, Fletcher School, Tufts University Department of Economics Spring Semester 2019: Prof. Christopher Rauh, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Université de Montréal More information Autumn Semester 2018: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Härdle Ladislaus von Bortkiewicz Chair of Statistics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin More information Spring Semester 2018: Prof. Markus Poschke, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Economics, McGill University, Montreal More information Autumn Semester 2017: Prof. Dr. Paul Raschky Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Monash University, Australia More information PEF Programme Every year two Guest Professors are invited to teach in the Ph.D. Programme in Economics and Finance. Currently these are: Prof. Dr. Patrick Gagliardini Professor of Econometrics, Università della Svizzera Italiana More information Prof. Dr. Conny Wunsch Professor of Labour Economics, University of Basel More information


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Standoff ends in Claremont, NH; armed man taken into custody
CLAREMONT, N.H. (AP) � Police say an armed New Hampshire man has been taken into custody after a four-hour standoff with police.
Authorities say Anthony Jarvis Jr. had barricaded himself in his Claremont home on Friday around noon and made repeated threats with a firearm after being contacted by his probation officer.
Nearby houses were evacuated and school bus stops cancelled Friday afternoon during the standoff.
Police say Jarvis was apprehended without incident around 3 p.m.
No one was injured.
The Eagle Times reports that Jarvis' father, Anthony Jarvis Sr., was shot and killed by police in 2008 in a similar standoff in Charleston. The New Hampshire attorney general's office ruled that the shooting was justified.
Information from: Eagle Times, http://www.eagletimes.com


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A Westchester writer has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for sexually abusing young women he lured from overseas to be his assistant.
Prosecutors say Joseph Yannai used au pair websites to persuade young women to live and work at his home in Pound Ridge, an upscale suburb north of New York City. Some of the victims testified that he subjected them to non-stop lewd behavior and threats.
The Journal News reports Yannai was sentenced Monday. He was convicted in federal court in 2011 on forced labor, sex crime and other charges.
The defense said the 69-year-old Yannai was a "dirty old man," but denied he broke the law.
Yannai wrote a reference guide called "The International Who's Who of Chefs 2004-2005."


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SUMMARY: A note on a WWII veteran of Tarawa today.
By James Bradley, author of FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, a
spring 2000 publication.
I woke up this Thanksgiving morning thinking of Bob
Nelson and I don't know why.
I interviewed Bob in the DeKalb (Illinois) Hospital last
month. He's 75 and ailing, attached to oxygen and "some
days are better than others."
I came to ask him what Tarawa was like. I already knew
that the seizure of this spit of sand in the Pacific by
the Marines in 1944 was probably the most concentrated
battle of WWII. Tarawa was only 800 yards wide and the
Japanese were in bunkers that our bombs merely bounced
off of.
As a boy Bob loved to go to the target range and shoot
his gun. The Marines appreciated his marksmanship and
placed him in their sharpshooters unit, probably the best
bunch of deadeyes in the world at that time.
The Japanese had built a long pier out from the beach to
unload supplies from ships that couldn't make it into the
shallows. This pier was as wide and strong as a road,
trucks and tanks rumbled down it. In preparation for the
Marine landing, the Japanese had positioned machine gun
nests on the pier, protected by walls of sandbags. When
the waves of Marines in their boats approached shore,
these machine guns would pick them off from the side. It
would be a turkey shoot.
Bob and his fellow sharpshooters were told they would be
the first to land on Tarawa, that they would be unloaded
on that pier with only their rifles and they were
expected to take out these fortified machine gun
I asked Bob how he felt as a 20-year-old boy as he leapt
from his boat onto the pier. "Of course we were scared,"
he recalled, "but we had to do our duty."
I had a hard time keeping Bob on the subject. He didn't
want to talk about himself; he seemed somewhat
embarrassed by the attention I was focusing on him. He
kept repeating "we were just doing our duty" as if to
explain that he was just another ordinary kid doing what
he was told.
But I prodded him for details. He reluctantly told me
his story. About how he just did his duty.
Bob and his fellow sharpshooters raced along that pier
and killed every one of the enemy machinegunners. How
this is possible, I can't imagine. Bob modestly
explained it away as just doing what they were told to
do. That was the mission, and he just did his duty.
After silencing the threat from the pier, Bob jumped into
a boat headed for the beach. There was a foot of red
water in the bottom of the boat.
Parts of four dead Marines sloshed in the water. The
boat driver had been killed so another Marine took over
the wheel. A shell hit and cut him in half. Bob's boat
floated to shore. Bob jumped over the side, bullets
pinging off the metal. Machine gunners ashore saw how
Bob came off the boat and swiveled their sites. None of
the other guys made it onto the island.
"Then what did you do?" I asked, pen in hand. "Just what
we had to," Bob answered, perhaps hoping I'd accept that
answer and stop peppering him with questions. That I'd
finally realize that he had done nothing special, that he
was just doing his duty. But I pressed on.
Bob huddled against the coconut-log seawall as shells
exploded the corpses around him. He knew that the
machine-gunners who had just killed his boat-mates were
firing from a blockhouse just 10 yards from the seawall.
The blockhouse had walls three feet thick with tiny slits
for the machine guns to fire through. Weeks before the
Japanese commander of Tarawa, while examining these
blockhouses said, "This island won't be taken in a
thousand years." But that commander had never met Bob.
And he didn't know about Bob's duty.
"Cover me," Bob shouted to Marines on either side of him.
He grabbed an explosive charge, stood, leapt over the
seawall and ran towards the blockhouse. With bullets
dancing all around he calmly stuffed the charge into one
of the death-spewing slits. After the muffled explosion
Bob scooted around to the back, entered the door with his
pistol drawn and shot the stunned occupants to death.
Three Japanese, three bullets. Bob was a pretty good
There was a silence in the hospital room as I absorbed
what Bob had just told me. Finally I said, "So you were
just doing your duty . . ."
"Yea, that's it," Bob said quickly as he brushed some
lint off his bathrobe. He sounded relieved, like I
finally got it, that I understood now that he had done
nothing anyone else wouldn't do, relieved that his ordeal
of talking about himself was at an end.
I don't know why I woke up thinking of Bob this
Thanksgiving morning. Maybe it's because I am thankful
that I get to meet guys like him in the course of my
research. Or maybe I'm thankful for what Bob and his
generation did for all of us. Or maybe I'm thankful for
what the Bobs say about America on this national holiday.
I'm not sure.
But I thought you might want to know about Bob out there
in the DeKalb Hospital, who was just doing his duty.
Bob, I knew Bob's story for a month and couldn't
understand why I woke up crying as I thought of him on
Thanksgiving. I took a drive to shake it but just kept
thinking of him. I wrote that note to get him out of my
mind. Later I took my daughter to a movie but kept
daydreaming about Bob and lost track of the plot.
Last night at 10pm someone from DeKalb, Illinois called
to tell me something. In the two hours it took me to
wake up and write that note, Bob went into his final coma
and his wife and son are now by his side awaiting his
Semper Fidelis, James Bradley contributed by Fran Hughes


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Talk about not letting roadkill go to waste.
The elephants, giraffes and bears at the Oakland Zoo got to nosh on African jackfruit and bananas Wednesday thanks to a overturned big rig that dumped 60,000 pounds of fruit in Livermore near the Altamont Pass earlier in the week.
"The elephants loved it," Brian Deering, president of the nonprofit F.A.I.R. Foundation, told NBC Bay Area. He masterminded the transfer – taking the lightly squished fruit from the side of Interstate Highway 580 and getting about 15,000 pounds of it to the animals at the zoo.
About 35,000 pounds fed humans at the Alameda County Food Bank, and the rest was too badly bruised to be eaten.
The truck is owned by All Seasons Produce in Oakland, which grows fruit in Mexico. Deering knows the owners, who contacted him after the truck tipped early Monday morning to say they didn't want the food to go to waste. He also knows the owners of Save Tow, who schlepped the tropical fruit to the zoo.
Deering's agency, which has roots in Sunnyvale but now is headquarted in Elk Grove, is a nonprofit that connects families in custody battles with material goods, such as cars, dishwashers, computers and food.
Zoo spokeswoman Nicky Mora said there is enough donated fruit for the elephants and bears to dine on all week.


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Director-General's Official Visit to the Congo
On 13 July 2013, the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, made an official visit to the Congo where she took part in the opening ceremony of the Pan-African Music Festival (FESPAM) and the launch of a project to support training for 3,000 primary- and secondary-school teachers in the Congo.
On the same day, the Director-General met H.E. Mr Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of the Congo, who paid tribute to the high quality of relations between the Congo and UNESCO, and reaffirmed his country's support for the Organization's programmes.
At the FESPAM opening ceremony, the President underscored the Congo's determination to implement the African Union's decision to make the promotion of music a vector of African identity and a factor in the continent's economic growth. In this respect, the President also emphasized the key role of the African diaspora, considered to be the sixth region of Africa, in the continent's cultural impact. He stressed the need for UNESCO's support to "prepare minds to be open to the right ideas" concerning respect for the environment and protection of biodiversity, through the creation of green jobs and ecotourism, components of sustainable development.
Ms Bokova reiterated her gratitude to the Head of the Congolese State for the generous contribution to UNESCO's emergency fund, and welcomed the role played by H.E. Ambassador Adoua, Permanent Delegate of the Republic of the Congo, the country's representative on the Executive Board and joint Chair of the working group on UNESCO's priorities – a key element in the ongoing reform process. The Director-General assured the Head of State of the Organization's support in establishing a number of projects in the Organization's fields of competence. In particular, she called for the strengthening of two projects, the Slave Route and the pedagogical use of the General History of Africa, the ninth volume of which was being prepared. She also referred to the launch of the project to train 3,000 teachers, a strong commitment on the part of UNESCO to improving the quality of education. In the presence of all the ministers responsible for education, Ms Bokova said, in an address that was received with warm applause, that: "one does not become a teacher overnight … it is a profession, and I would go further to say that it is a profession requiring the utmost precision, as it affects the most subtle material that exists: the human mind".
Ms Bokova ended her stay in the Congo with the inauguration of FESPAM, in the historical Félix Eboué stadium in Brazzaville, where she praised the musical tradition of the Congo, the hub of musical creativity in Africa, emphasizing the dual potential of music for dialogue among cultures and regional integration, and for economic and social development: "We must help those who give life to music to live from their music".


text: WTB's Speed She boasts a Flex-Tuned shell and fantastic padding for the ultimate in comfort. The wide-platform rear supports riders of all abilities and shapes, and the extra-long rails allow for better bike fit. Streamlined, rounded edges provide great maneuverability and better weight shifts on the bike. And, WTB's Comfort Zone ensures your backside will feel good the next day.


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Summer, June to September, can be oppressively hot, with humidity sometimes topping 90%. However, many still visit Dubai then, attracted by the dramatic reduction in room rates at many hotels and the Summer Surprises shopping festival where great value discounts can be had.
October to April sees the finest weather and is when most people visit Dubai, attracted by centigrade temperatures of early 20s – low 30s.
The Dubai Shopping Festival in January/February is a big pull, and hotels often hit peak capacity, so serious advance booking is necessary if you plan to visit Dubai then. During the winter months you can also catch the Dubai International Film Festival, Art Dubai, Rugby Sevens and other events that take advantage of the perfect outdoor temperatures.
The holy month of Ramadan, during which Muslims fast from dawn till dusk, has a significant impact on the city. The actual date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year as it is determined by the Islamic lunar calendar. This means that the dates of Ramadan move forwards about 11 days every year. It is therefore wise to check beforehand when Ramadan occurs so that you can take this into account when planning your visit.
During Ramadan everyone who visits Dubai, regardless of their religion, should abide by the fast in public throughout their visit. Abstention includes not just eating and drinking, but smoking too. Bear in mind that food and even water can be hard to find during the day if your visit to Dubai coincides with Ramadan. However, most licensed restaurants will serve alcohol from 19:00.
Although Ramadan may be an unusual experience for non-Muslim visitors to Dubai, this is also a time when the local culture can be truly felt in the city. Iftar (the breaking of the fast) is an experience in itself. Festivities start with the breaking of the fast at sunset and can continue right through the night hours. Iftar tents open up every night during Ramadan for celebrations. Hotels in Dubai offer extravagant Iftar feasts during this time.
Anyone is welcome to share in the festivities and sample the local Middle Eastern delicacies and teas to the sound of Arabic music. You may even be lucky enough to stumble upon a live oud player and discover the mellow sound of Arabic tradition.


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I'm an award-winning landscape photographer based near Glasgow in Scotland. / To view my full portfolio, please visit my website at...
I've been doing photography of one form or another for the past 30+ years, but have only converted to digital photography in the last few years.
My photographic philosophy is quite simple, and is based upon a quotation from Ansel Adams: "There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs". Quite simply, I look at a photograph and ask myself: "Irrespective of its technical merits, would that look good framed and hanging over my fireplace?" If the answer is "Yes" then, in my view it's a photograph. If I think I could look at the photograph again and again, and never entertain any doubt that the original decision was right, it then becomes a photograph.
My philosophy on life is equally simple: if it ain't fun, it ain't worth doing!
Although my portfolio is fairly wide-ranging, my passion is HDR landscape photography and, in that respect, I'm fortunate to live in one of the most photogenic countries in the world.
A complete portfolio of my work can be seen at my website: karlwilliamsphotography.co.uk
Further examples of my work can be seen on my Flickr site and a selection of such can be purchased as canvas prints from www.2canvasart.co.uk. I can also be found on Google+
My hardware is:
Canon EOS 7D (The best APS-C format camera around)
Canon EOS 450D (I thought it did everything I wanted from a camera .. until I saw the 7D!)
Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens (Pin sharp – cheaper than Canon equivalent)
Canon 17-85mm F4-5.6 IS USM lens (Excellent workhorse)
Canon 70-300 F4-5.6 IS USM lens (Images can be a bit soft)
Konica-Minolta Dimage A200 (Handy for point-and-shoot)
Manfrotto 488RC4 Ball Head (Invaluable)
Kennett Benbo Tripod (Heavy, but versatile and steady as a rock)
Manfrotto 190CX PRO4 Tripod (Marginally less versatile than the Benbo, but very much lighter)
My software is:
Adobe Photoshop CS5 (As good as it gets, but needs plenty of RAM)
Photomatix Pro 4.0 (Nothing else even comes close)
Digital Photo Professional (Freebie with Canon DSLRs)
The Gorilla?? Don't ask ..
Is there any point in reminding you that what you see belongs to me and not you? If you're the type of person who downloads images without permission, you're not going to take any notice anyway.


text:
Where to find Toledo Bend, Rayburn crappie right now
The water temperature on Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend has finally topped the 70-degree mark, according to guide Bill Fondren, and with that warming water temperature, crappie are beginning their transition from shallow to deep water.
"They started moving out of the shallows last week," said Fondren, who runs guided crappie fishing trips on both lakes. "On Sam Rayburn, we're catching them on the upper end of the lake around brush in about 8 to 11 feet of water. But on Toledo Bend, the most consistent action is over grass in 8 to 10 feet of water."
Crappie are one of the most popular panfish on Earth, and they are about as tasty as a fish can get when fried and served with coleslaw and hush puppies. And it just so happens that Rayburn and T-Bend are two of the best crappie fishing lakes in the Lone Star state. Even at that, crappie can be a test to find and catch on any given day.
One sure fire way to catch crappie on T-Bend is to stroll tube jigs when they are in a post spawn mode like right now. The best depth to stroll jigs is in 8 to 12 feet of water, according to guide Jim Morris. Any deeper and it's tough to keep small jigs in the strike zone. Any shallower and the trolling motor will spook them.
"Strolling has been the go-to tactic for taking crappie during late spring and early summer for years," said Morris. "Strolling is nothing more than bump trolling jigs. What I've been doing is bump trolling tube jigs over roadbeds, grass and around the islands in 8 to 10 feet of water. I'll usually rig the tubes on 1/8 to 1/16 ounce jig heads. You want them to be heavy enough to swim just over the tip of grass and over roadbeds. "
Crappie are among the most finicky fish you'll ever pursue. And they will be hot on one color one hour, then another shade the next. Morris says a black/chartreuse or black/yellow combination is tough to beat on most days. But he'll also keep a good supply of red/white and black/purple jigs on hand.
"When I'm bump trolling, I have each angler using a different color," said Morris. "That way you can quickly figure out which color combination is going to work."
Something else Morris advises is to use the trolling motor just enough to keep the jigs in the strike zone. Strolling, or bump trolling will keep the jigs moving up and down. Most of the bites will come as the jigs are on the fall."
Fondren says his go-to crappie lure on Sam Rayburn is a 1/8-ounce Road Runner spinnerbait that is tipped with a 2-inch long Stanley Wedgetail Minnow. That lure combination is deadly on Rayburn crappie.
"We're catching most of the crappie on Rayburn by fishing around willows and along the edges of grass in 8 to 10 feet of water," says Fondren. "They are not on the deep brush just yet. Some of the best catches are on Road Runners fished along the edge of hydrilla and pepper grass."
Fondren says that as the water temperature inches up toward 75 degrees a whole lot of crappie will move to deeper water. That's when they will hold over brush piles throughout the hot summer months in 18 to 28 feet of water.
Fondren also says to keep in mind that he's fishing with ultralight spinning tackle.
"I'm usually going to be fishing 8-pound test monofilament line," says Fondren. "That's a thin diameter line that won't kill the action of the small jigs. Plus you can feel more of the soft bites from crappie."
Bream, as in blue gills, long ears and goggle eyes, are still up shallow and on the beds. Morris says he's catching quite a few of the prized and very tasty hand-sized 'gills while fishing live crickets.
One of my favorite things to do is to ease along a clear water shoreline on Toledo Bend and fish live crickets for big blue gills and other members of the perch family. When bream are on the beds, they will attack just about anything that comes near their spawning beds. And where you find one bed, there will likely be a lot more.
You can also fish small Beetle Spins and Road Runners along the shorelines in 3 to 5 feet of water and catch a lot of big bream for the next few weeks. Best colors are white or yellow when using Beetle Spin lures. A chartreuse Road Runner with a silver spinner is a very good choice.