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The studio best known for making Dead Space and Dante's Inferno is expanding, welcoming more developers—and more than just action adventure games—into its fold, including EA's venerable Command & Conquer strategy game series.
Electronic Arts senior VP and group general manager Nick Earl tells Gamasutra that more games, including the Command & Conquer title that's "pretty far off," will exist as Visceral Games label projects. Whatever that new C&C project is, you can count on "fundamental innovation" coming to the real-time strategy series.
The growing Visceral Games brand, which will tap the talents of EA development studios in Los Angeles, Shanghai, Montreal and Melbourne, Australia, will bring you more than just Dead Space, more than just third-person action. Earl calls the Dead Space series "really emblematic of the kind of games we're building," even if that doesn't necessarily mean Command & Conquer is due for a graphically violent makeover.
Hey, it sounds better than Command & Conquer for Facebook, right?
Visceral Games is currently hard at work on Dead Space 2 and is rumored to be working on a title based on Jack the Ripper.
For more on Visceral's plans, check out the full article on Gamasutra.
Interview: Earl Reveals EA's Expansion Of Visceral Label [Gamasutra]


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YouTube Wants Your Footage for 'Life in a Day' Project
Documenting the lives of the 6.7 billion people on earth is a fairly grand ambition, even for a site with YouTube's resources. That, however, is the stated goal of the Google-owned video site's latest undertaking, "Life in a Day."
According to a post on the official YouTube blog, the project is aiming to "collect all of these perspectives, to aggregate and mold them into the cohesive story of a single day on earth."
YouTube is asking, well, everyone, to take video of part of their day on July 24. "You can film the ordinary - a sunrise, the commute to work, a neighborhood soccer match, or the extraordinary - a baby's first steps, your reaction to the passing of a loved one, or even a marriage." The only catch is that it has to occur on July 24.
There are certain hurdles, of course. For one thing there's the infrastructure needed to weed through 6.7 billion videos, not to mention the fact that not everyone on earth has access to the technology required to shoot their lives.
Once the video is collected, it will be edited by Kevin MacDonald, the Oscar-winning director of films like "The Last King of Scotland." Ridley Scott is executive producing the film and LG is sponsoring it.
"Life in a Day" will premiere at next year's Sundance Film Festival. Those with footage in the film will be credited as co-directors, 20 of which will be selected to attend the premiere.
This post originally appeared on AppScout.

subset: commoncrawl


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October 20, 2011
A multiple benefit: Award helps researcher establish retreats for military couples, expand work with military families
Submitted by Communications and Marketing
Briana Nelson Goff, professor and director of the Institute for the Health and Security of Military Families at Kansas State University's College of Human Ecology, has been awarded the Dean Barbara S. Stowe Faculty Development Award for 2011.
Goff will use the award to further her work with the institute by collaborating with the Deployment Health Clinical Center at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland and the National Veterans Wellness and Healing Center in Angel Fire, N.M. She has partnered with the two organizations to develop veteran couples retreats in Kansas and to develop state and national policy initiatives to address the health and well-being of military service members and their families.
Using the Angel Fire community-based holistic, integrative model, the institute will provide the first veteran couples retreat the last weekend in October. The retreat will work with veteran couples facing post-traumatic stress and other post-combat problems.
"This is an increasingly critical public health and public service need across the nation," Goff said.
At the Institute for the Health and Security of Military Families, which opened in 2009, Goff develops and coordinates collaborative research and academic, outreach and clinical programs.
The Stowe award was established to honor the former dean of the college from 1983 to 1998. Known as a progressive and innovative national leader, Stowe helped enhanced the stature and productivity of the college.
Goff, professor of family studies and human services, served as associate dean for academic affairs for the College of Human Ecology from 2005-2011. She has received the Undergraduate Research Mentor Award by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities Board on Human Sciences.


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As architects we can be perceptive at only at the microscale and risk becoming provincial. Or we can be perceptive only at the macroscale and risk abstraction and miss the nuances. To bridge between abstraction and provincialism Marra + Yeh Architects consider both scales simultaneously, striving for the appropriateness of response that lies somewhere in between. Marra + Yeh Architects is a considered approach - of potential and constraints. Their architecture straddles between the general and the particular, technology and the hand-made, aspirations and appropriateness.
Shelters @ Rainforest exemplifies this approach. They were commissioned by a private forestry company to masterplan and design an autonomous village including housing, offices and communal facilities for 200 staff, from senior managers to field workers, all permanently stationed in the forest. The company controls 100,000 hectares of forest for a period of 99-years under a system of sustainable reforestation; obligations include planting an average of 30 wildings for each tree harvested.
Constrained by the limited availability of skilled labour and a remote location with difficult access and logistics, yet informed by vernacular buildings, local industrial capabilities and the material properties of tropical timbers, Marra + Yeh Architects response was to create a framework, both in the physical and metaphorical senses.
Marra + Yeh Architects designed a system - in a paradoxical move, in order to address the constraints of the project - the building system is a constraint of its own - a disciplined, modular approach, based on the unrelenting geometry of a plywood sheet, only two timber sections of small dimensions (50x50mm and 100x50mm) and years of research into vernacular and climate-adaptive architectures of Asia-Pacific. The framework creates freedom and flexibility allowing for variety in the building types and adaptability for specific site conditions.
Each building is autonomous, with solar electricity, biogas units and rainwater collection. Design strategies alone ensure a ventilated indoor environment of 26C despite the tropical latitude where the outdoor temperature is regularly 34C.
The architecture combines local materials and labour with a high degree of structural engineering knowledge and modern jointing techniques. This frugal construction system is a symbol of environmental stewardship for the company. And a symbol of architecture that acknowledges the particulars and gives substance to abstraction.


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OXO Uplift Tea Kettle
Easy, hassle-free returns online and in-store for eligible items.Learn More
Earn 5% Back in rewards4 plus free standard shipping3every day when you shop with your Williams Sonoma credit card at Williams Sonoma.Apply Now Learn More
- Summary
Using this handsome kettle is a pleasure. A loud melodic whistle lets you know when water has reached a roiling boil, and the spout opens automatically when you tilt the kettle, so you can pour while keeping your hands safely away from the steam.
- Made of stainless steel with a brushed-stainless-steel finish.
- OXO's signature padded handle stays cool and ensures a good grip.
- Wide mouth makes the kettle easy to fill and pour.
- Spout opens automatically when you tilt the kettle.
- Dimensions & More Info
- 7 3/4" diam., 9 1/2" high.
- 2-qt. cap.
- 3 lb. 10 oz. with lid.
- Made in China.
- Use & Care
- Enameled kettle is ideal for use on any type of cooktop, including induction; brushed-stainless-steel kettle is ideal for gas and electric cooktops.
- Do not fill the kettle above the inner spout opening.
- Do not heat empty or allow pot to boil dry.
- To prevent mineral build-up empty contents after each use.
- Hand-wash.
- Avoid using steel wool, steel scouring pads or harsh detergents.
- To remove mineral deposits or rust stains from inside the kettle, combine two tablespoons of baking soda and lemon juice with water, boil for 30 minutes and rinse thoroughly.
- Shipping
Shipping Information
UPS can deliver most in-stock items within 3–5 business days. UPS is unable to deliver to P.O. boxes.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Next Day Delivery
For an additional charge of $26 per address, we can expedite delivery to most destinations. This service is not available for some oversize items, items shipped directly from the supplier (including perishable and custom-manufactured items), out-of-stock items and items to be shipped outside the contiguous 48 states.
Orders received by 9:00 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday will arrive the next business day; orders placed Friday through Sunday will arrive on the following Tuesday.
Return Policy
At Williams Sonoma, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction are our priority. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage; we will arrange for a prompt replacement.
If within 30 days, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value. An original receipt or gift receipt is required for all returns and exchanges. Returns with a gift receipt will be refunded in the form of a Merchandise Credit for the amount indicated on the gift receipt. Returns with original receipt will be refunded in the original form of payment, cash and check refunds over $100 will be issued as a company check (may take 14 business days from time of request).
For all cutlery returns (knife sets, single knives, cutting boards, knife sharpeners and knife storage), please contact us at 888.922.4108 to initiate the return.
We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, custom upholstery, food, items shipped direct from the vendor or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. Final sale items ending in .97 or .99 cannot be returned.
Made to Order and Final Sale Furniture items are non-returnable and cannot be cancelled once the order is placed.
For returns of items purchased from your Williams Sonoma Gift Registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later. View Full Returns Policy.
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Rated 4 out of 5 by Willykins from Handy Tea Kettle - but not for induction! I have a newer induction range, and this tea kettle did not register as magnetic when placing it on any of the elements. Despite the reviews saying it works on induction, it had to go back because of this. The base doesn't have enough magnetic material (it's thin, which I'm imagining is why it didn't register). It did get hot from turning on the range - it runs for 2-3 seconds before turning off and saying there isn't a pan there.Date published: 2016-11-13Rated 5 out of 5 by LOSUS from The Best Kettle! This is the second Oxo kettle I have purchased and the last one I had for over 15 years. It pours like a dream, the whistle is mellifluent and I love the lift and pour mechanism!Date published: 2015-04-29Rated 5 out of 5 by PowerKate from Great kettle for hand issues If you follow the directions for avoiding high heat settings, you won't have trouble. I heat mine on medium-high ("8") -- no higher ever. I bought this kettle years ago when I was facing hand surgery, as I couldn't manage to switch to left-handed pouring. Lifts and pours easily without using thumb or wrist-action. Whistle is plenty loud enough. Clean with warm soapy water only, and move kettle away when frying.Date published: 2013-12-21Rated 3 out of 5 by MSCC from Great Basic Kettle! I got this a a gift when my old kettle rusted out, and I love it. Basic looking to blend with the rest of my kitchen. And it heats the water fantastically.Date published: 2013-05-02Rated 2 out of 5 by LisainAZ from Plastic Cap Melts This is a great tea kettle except for one flaw. If you have your gas burner on too high and heat rises up the sides, the plastic cap on on the spout will melt.Date published: 2012-11-30Rated 2 out of 5 by doglover45 from Try another kettle I used this kettle on my gas stove. The stainless steel exterior began to show spots that look like rust almost immediately and the handle melted within the 1st week. Not a very sturdy kettle in my opinion.Date published: 2012-01-02


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Interning At the Smithsonian
I couldn't thank the American Anthropological Association's member donations enough for this experience. At the Smithsonian Institution-National Museum of African Art I am just finishing up the research for the project creativity of work assigned to me by my coordinator, Dr. Kreamer. Dr. Kreamer is the Deputy Director and Chief Curator for the National Museum … Continue reading Interning At the Smithsonian


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|General Discussion
|« Previous MessageNext Message »
|Bjorn Munch
|December 14 2011 2:31pm
|MySQL Community Server 5.5.19 has been released
|View as plain text
Dear MySQL users, MySQL 5.5.19 is a new version of the 5.5 production release of the world's most popular open source database. MySQL 5.5.19 is recommended for use on production systems. MySQL 5.5 includes several high-impact enhancements to improve the performance and scalability of the MySQL Database, taking advantage of the latest multi-CPU and multi-core hardware and operating systems. In addition, with release 5.5, InnoDB is now the default storage engine for the MySQL Database, delivering ACID transactions, referential integrity and crash recovery by default. MySQL 5.5 also provides a number of additional enhancements including: - Significantly improved performance on Windows, with various Windows specific features and improvements - Higher availability, with new semi-synchronous replication and Replication Heart Beat - Improved usability, with Improved index and table partitioning, SIGNAL/RESIGNAL support and enhanced diagnostics, including a new Performance Schema monitoring capability. For a more complete look at what's new in MySQL 5.5, please see the following resources: MySQL 5.5 is GA, Interview with Tomas Ulin: http://dev.mysql.com/tech-resources/interviews/thomas-ulin-mysql-55.html Documentation: http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.5/en/mysql-nutshell.html Whitepaper: What's New in MySQL 5.5: http://dev.mysql.com/why-mysql/white-papers/mysql-wp-whatsnew-mysql-55.php If you are running a MySQL production level system, we would like to direct your attention to MySQL Enterprise Edition, which includes the most comprehensive set of MySQL production, backup, monitoring, modeling, development, and administration tools so businesses can achieve the highest levels of MySQL performance, security and uptime. http://mysql.com/products/enterprise/ For information on installing MySQL 5.5.19 on new servers, please see the MySQL installation documentation at http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.5/en/installing.html For upgrading from previous MySQL releases, please see the important upgrade considerations at: http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.5/en/upgrading.html MySQL Database 5.5.19 is available in source and binary form for a number of platforms from our download pages at: http://dev.mysql.com/downloads/mysql/ We welcome and appreciate your feedback, bug reports, bug fixes, patches, etc.: http://forge.mysql.com/wiki/Contributing The following section lists the changes in the MySQL source code since the previous released version of MySQL 5.5. It may also be viewed online at: http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.5/en/news-5-5-19.html Enjoy! Changes in MySQL 5.5.19 (8 December 2011) Functionality Added or Changed * Performance of metadata locking operations on Windows XP systems was improved by instituting a cache for metadata lock objects. This permits the server to avoid expensive operations for creation and destruction of synchronization objects on XP. A new system variable, metadata_locks_cache_size, permits control over the size of the cache. The default size is 1024. (Bug #12695572) Bugs Fixed * Rounding DBL_MAX returned DBL_MAX, not 'inf'. (Bug #13261955) * mysql_upgrade did not upgrade the system tables or create the mysql_upgrade_info file when run with the --write-binlog or --skip-write-binlog option. (Bug #60223, Bug #11827359) * If a plugin was uninstalled, thread local variables for plugin variables of string type with wth PLUGIN_VAR_MEMALLOC flag were not freed. (Bug #56652, Bug #11763882) * Deadlock could occur when these four things happened at the same time: 1) An old dump thread was waiting for the binary log to grow. 2) The slave server that replicates from the old dump thread tried to reconnect. During reconnection, the new dump thread tried to kill the old dump thread. 3) A KILL statement tried to kill the old dump thread. 4) An INSERT statement caused a binary log rotation. (Bug #56299, Bug #11763573) Bjorn Munch MySQL/ORACLE Release Engineering Team
|• MySQL Community Server 5.5.19 has been released
|Bjorn Munch
|14 Dec


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Aug. 25, 2007
The 2007 edition of the Lipscomb Lady Bisons volleyball team looks as good on the court as it did on paper.
Led by junior transfer outside hitter Sarah Snider, freshman setter Stefine "Jake" Pease and senior libero Ann Mullu ns the Lady Bisons opened the season with a 3-0 match sweep of Samford Saturday afternoon at Allen Arena in the first round of the Magic-Music Invitational.
"I'm very happy with the production we had," said Lipscomb coach Brandon Rosenthal. "I was real pleased with what we did.
"I thought our middles really did a nice job holding the ball blocking-wise. We were out-blocked, but that is standard for us. Defense is where we are going to win games. I also thought we served very well with only eight errors.
The Lady Bisons, who beat Samford 3-1 last season in the same tournament, won the three games by scores of 30-16, 30-20 and 30-27. It was the season-opening match for both teams.
In game one UAB swept Belmont 3-0 with scores of 30-25, 30-21 and 30-15.
Pease, playing in her first college game, was almost flawless with 38 assists.
"I commend Jake for really controlling the floor and running the offense we want to run," Rosenthal said. "She is not a real flashy player, but she is not going to make a lot of mistakes. She is very solid in all aspects of her game."
Snider had a match-high 17 kills and wowed the crowd with the power of her shots.
"We have been looking for this type of player," Rosenthal said. "The crowd got to see what she could do. I could feel the energy when she was in the front row. "
Mullins recorded a match-high 29 digs, including 13 in the last game.
"It was another great match from Ann," Rosenthal said. "She had 16 digs after the first two games and we talked about it. I told the team that if we stepped up our defensive game we could really take it to them. We were faced with a challenge in the third game and that was good for us.
"Challenges are fine. But when you are faced with that challenge you have to step up. You can't be conservative."
Senior defensive specialist Grace Gilmore finished with 14 digs. Rosenthal also praised the play of defensive specialist Jessica Turner and outside hitter Jessica Enderle. Kaley Mohr, Katie Bradley and Erin Pierce all came off the bench to make contributions.
"I'm proud of the whole team," Rosenthal said. "We have worked hard for two weeks."
The Lady Bisons close out the tournament tonight at 6. Samford and Belmont play at 4. Both matches are also at Allen Arena.


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John Armstrong took art lessons while serving in the UK Army in the Far East. Back in civil life, he went to art school in Middlebrough's Constantine College, where he graduated in Intermediate Arts and Crafts. He started as a commercial artist for a Newcastle ad agency while also doing book illustrations. He eventually also took on drawing comic strips and has mainly worked for the UK girls' titles during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. After a ballet story published in Girl's Crystal, he drew 'Cherry and the Children' for five years in School Friend.
Armstrong is best known for his gymnastics strip 'Bella', that ran in Tammy. By 1978 he was drawing 'Moonchild', a girls' story with horror elements, for Fleetway's Misty. In the 1980s he drew a comic based on the children's school drama 'Grange Hill' for Beeb and then began an association with the girls' titles of DC Thomson, drawing 'The Secret Gymnast' and horse stories for Bunty, among other things.
Sue on Stilts (Girls Crystal annual 1962)


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Save and Track Your Favourite Properties
For those that simply love Ontario, Canada and have needed to make a decision about purchasing a new home, there is a lovely area located on the northern shores of Lake Simcoe by the name of Orillia, ON that will surely need to be considered. If you love the southeastern area of Ontario, you will definitely fall in love with this beautiful location. Here you'll find out more about this lovely area, the economy, and some of the real estate opportunities you'll be able to take advantage of if you choose this as your destination of choice.
* Points of Interest
Orillia, ON is a beautiful location that was established back in 1867 as a small village. It was incorporated as a town in 1875 and as a city in 1969. This is an area that is the home of the Samual de Champlain monument which was designed by the very talented artiste Vernon March. The city of Orillia was originally a lumbering and agricultural community. Although this is true, this area also provides a vast amount of historic nostalgia. In fact, this area has been considered to be a National Historic Site of Canada. When it comes to Parks and Recreation you'll have about as much as you can handle in this lovely area as well. The Bass Lake Provincial Park is only a stones throw away to the east of the center of town. This area will provide water sports, a wide variety of water activities, and a nice relaxing Park that rests just on the eastern shores. In addition, you'll have the opportunity to choose between Lake Couchiching, and the much larger Lake Simcoe for additional water sporting activities.
* Economy
Economy in the area is a mix of tourism, customer service, government services, and manufacturing. One of the largest employers in the area of Orillia, ON will more than likely be the Casino Rama. This provides entertainment on an ongoing basis for all those that visit this lovely area. You'll find that between all of the different aspects that help to grow the economy in this particular location, there will be something available for everyone that visits, as well as those that plan to live in this beautiful area. If you've been looking for a location that can provide all that is needed when it comes to an upcoming economy, this is surely a place you'll want to consider.
* Real Estate
When it comes to real estate opportunities, lakefront properties, single-family, multifamily, townhomes, and condominiums, you'll discover that they can all be found in this area. In addition, for those looking for investment opportunities in a strong economy, you'll be able to take advantage of many of those opportunities as well. All in all, this is definitely a location that will need to be considered for those planning to relocate to the southeastern area of Ontario.
We all understand how moving can pose its own challenges when it comes to uprooting the family and moving to a new location. However, it's always important to find a new location that can provide all the accommodations you and your entire family will require. Orillia, ON is one of those locations that simply cannot be overlooked, and you'll find that by choosing this beautiful area, all of your real estate, recreational, and employment needs will be met on a grand scale.


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uh yeah , i was there from 7am to 7pm, it wasn`t that bad actually... it was dead. of course i got a nasty customer.. and for the first time ever i did not get nasty right back, i just used sarcasm and smiled. bitch was testing me lmao, eh not even going to get into details into what happened but... ladiesss please stop being so damn insecure about ur man & takin' shit out on other chicks ;). k? thnx
- so what's this about people gettin shot x trampled on black friday? really people? it`s that serious huh? smfh. people kept on shoppin at walmart knowin that someone got killed... didnt even care... smh.


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sponsored by
CHRIS COYNE, agent - State Farm Insurance
to sell equipment from Rusty's
Send a link to a friend
14, 2014]
The Oasis, incorporated as
Senior Citizens of Logan County, will sell equipment and accessories from
the former Rusty's restaurant on-site at 2810 Woodlawn Road.
from this sale will go to assist in the redevelopment of the
restaurant into the new Oasis Senior Center.
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Is there any way to get shorter pulses, such as 0.5 or even 0.2ms pulses?
how accurate is the pulse command?
How accurate is the delay command?
long target = micros() + delay_in_us ;while (micros () < target) {}
RE: delay ... For long time spans, it is very accurate. For short time spans, not so much.
I'm actually not all that fond of the change. It's bigger and less elegant, and I think it's no longer true that the time read from millis() will differ by N after you delay() for N milliseconds (though I'm not sure where that would matter.)


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China's US$20 billion solar industry is avoiding loan defaults and mergers by taking aid from local governments, preserving jobs at money-losing companies such as LDK Solar Co (江西賽維), the world's second-biggest maker of solar cells.
LDK agreed last month to sell a 19.9 percent stake to a renewable-energy investor part-owned by the city of Xinyu, home to its headquarters. Suntech Power Holdings Co (尚德電力), the world's largest solar-panel maker, got a US$32 million loan in September organized partly by Wuxi, the city where it is based. The aid helps as the companies prepare to report combined losses of US$987 million for this year, analyst forecasts compiled by Bloomberg show.
The moves counter efforts by the central government to engineer mergers that create a handful of larger solar companies, said Jeremy Haft, founder of BChinaB Inc, a New York-based consulting company that specializes in Chinese business practices. The country has previously pushed consolidation to strengthen industries such as steel and coal.
Provincial governments mostly want solar manufacturers "to keep the lights on and not lay people off," Haft said.
"There are a lot of people unemployed" in China and local government officials do not want to see solar factories close, he said.
Local aid efforts have not sparked a rally in LDK and Suntech. They have lost 38 percent and 17 percent respectively in the last three months, outpacing the 9.6 percent loss for the 17-member Bloomberg Global Large Solar Energy index over the same period. LDK gained 1.1 percent to US$0.90 at the close in New York on Friday. Suntech closed at US$0.906.
At the same time, GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Ltd (保利協鑫能源), the world's biggest solar wafer maker, has increased 15 percent in the last three months. The company has been mentioned in Chinese news reports as a possible merger partner.
The China Securities Journal said national government-run China Development Bank Corp (國家開發銀行) is encouraging consolidation between panel makers, pledging financial support for 12 companies. The move may lead other struggling solar manufacturers to close their doors or agree to be bought, the journal said in a Sept. 25 report.
China Development Bank is motivated to keep struggling solar firms afloat, especially those that have borrowed from it, Washington-based Center for American Progress policy analyst Melanie Hart said. The lender is putting pressure on local governments to support companies so they will repay loans, she said.
The bank is telling local officials "we won't lend anymore to anyone in your region until they pay us back," she said.
Those local efforts contrast with China's national goals, which are commonly described as "grasping the big, letting go of the small," Hart said.
Help from local governments may be the biggest obstacle to making China's solar industry competitive, Boston-based GTM Research solar analyst Shyam Mehta said.
"Until they stop supporting the uncompetitive manufacturers, this won't go away," Mehta said. "If LDK was allowed to fail, the market reaction would actually be positive."
Suntech is evaluating various financing options and cutting costs, and in September temporarily reduced production in Wuxi, Suntech spokesman Rory Macpherson said in e-mail. He did not say whether the company expects additional support from the community. Telephone calls to LDK spokesman Li Longji went unanswered.


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Need Your Gadget Repaired? Call Us | (855) 462-4349
Need Your Gadget Repaired? Call Us | (855) 462-4349
A few weeks a go we showed you how to jailbreak your iOS 8 device. We have put together a list of the best iOS 8 Cydia Tweaks & Apps. We have also included a list of the best FREE iOS 8 Cydia Tweaks & Apps.
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Top 10 Free iOS 8 Cydia Tweaks & Apps:
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That Awkward Moment, starring Zac Efron, Michael B Jordan, Miles Teller and many beauties, is technically about the moment when a woman wants the relationship to be something more and the guy walks away.
What Awkward is theoretically about are the ways that moment gets dicey when guys figure out they actually care about the females in question.
But what Awkward is actually about, albeit unintentionally, is how passing off misogyny for comedy has gotten so terribly passe, as insulting to the guys as to the young women. Including the actors. Jordan is currently up for an Independent Spirit Award for his excellent performance in Fruitvale Station, so please remember him for that. Teller had a tart cheeky turn opposite Shailene Woodley earlier this year in The Spectacular Now, with some of the sensibility of a young John Cusack. And Efron, well the High School Musical star keeps landing roles that represent near-misses at establishing him as something other than a hunky lightweight. Last year it was Parkland, the year before The Paperboy.
The issue is not with the premise per se. A great deal of fun, even R-rated fun, can be had at the expense of commitment phobia, or the way libidos can short-circuit the young adult male brain. But even cheesy romantic comedies need to raise the bar a bit these days to be relevant.
Hanging the humour on the quest for endless hookups, the colour, size and proclivities of individual private parts and patterns in bowel movements — well, it's asking a lot. Particularly when Lena Dunham's current HBO hit, Girls, is as smart as it is brash and years earlier Candace Bushnell's Sex and the City did the New York yuppie entanglement thing so deliciously.
Tom Gormican, in his first feature as writer-director, has cited his own experiences as a young single in New York and the fun of sampling the bar scene for That Awkward's tone. He also points to Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost as inspiration for the vow the guys make to stay single and spend their dating time sampling the wares. Shakespeare must be so proud.
The catalyst for all the serial romancing is the news that Mikey's (Jordan) wife, Vera (Jessica Lucas), is leaving him for her lawyer. Mikey's a pretty straight arrow; he wants stability. It triggers a buddy bonding moment with best friends Jason (Efron) and Daniel (Teller), all three pledging to forswear love for the foreseeable future.
Since the future is, in fact, un-foreseeable, temptation soon arrives. For Mikey, it's Vera and a chance to try to work things out. For Jason, it's a hot new author named Ellie (Imogen Poots), whom he first mistakes for a hooker — it's a long story.
And for Daniel, it's the very chill Chelsea (Mackenzie Davis), the girl/friend who's content to serve as Daniel's wingman on the pick-up scene.
The film is concerned with the lifestyle of a certain class of New York single — the promising, the well-educated, the upwardly mobile, the attractive. Mikey's a doctor. Jason designs book covers for publishers. Daniel seems to be Jason's creative partner, but it's never clear what he does beyond deliver sharp verbal jabs, most of them aimed at the office's aging loser (Josh Pais).
When the guys are around the women of their dreams, they turn sentimental. They tear up, they speak from the heart, they care. And they lie — to the women, to each other, to themselves. It's a constant case of covering up — except when there is sex.
As base as Gormican has made the guys, he's come up with a better class of female, at least in a couple of cases. Ellie is by far the role model. Poots makes her sassy enough and smart enough to handle virtually any situation, especially a guy. Chelsea is a pragmatist, liking Daniel enough to play by his rules. Until the rules change and so do her expectations. Vera, on the other hand, is more naughty than nice.
All the couples spend a great deal of time in bed. And for those who are interested, nearly all of Efron is on display. Same goes for Jordan and Teller, but let's face it, on the disrobing front, Efron is the top-liner.
What makes this film particularly bedeviling is that you get the sense there is a nice guy behind this mess, one not so callous about matters of the heart. If anything, the raunch seems forced. The closer the film gets to real emotions, the more authentic it feels.
Gormican's New York is inviting, right on the cusp of prosperity. With the help of director of photography Brandon Trost and production designer Ethan Tobman, he achieves a kind of cluttered contemporary cool for the twentysomethings, and a polished elegance for their parents. I'd mention the costume design, but between the bed sheets and the towels, basically it's Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Don't miss it
That Awkward Moment releases in the UAE on February 6.


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Content for Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Blog Entries
- Dishonest pizzeria bookkeeper gets four years prison
1 comment
- 4th row center, special drive-in edition: Midnight Cowboy
3 comments
- Basura: San Pedro el Cortez screen documentary in Tijuana
- Local courts full of Dianne York cases
40 comments
- Help save drive-in theatres as 'ozoners' celebrate their 80th birthday
7 comments
- Some facts about 18th accuser, Dianne York
50 comments
- EXCLUSIVE! Interview with Pulitzer-Prize winning photographer A. Source
- House flipping at its highest level since 2005
- Water rates hike proposed for some South County residents
7 comments
- Manchester and Wal-Mart cash to GOP council races obscured by detour through federal campaign fund
4 comments
- Mayor Bob Filner returns $21,676 in contributions from special political fund
2 comments
- Beyond the "smart meter"
- Holding the Bag - There's More
- Scenes from a snack hunt
- Pirates pound Padres
- Padres introduce Mike Dee
News & Stories
San Diego's backcountry fights wind turbines
They're over 300 feet high. They kill birds. They're linked to cancer.
A lot of windmills being installed on the Anza-Borrego Desert floor. Besides visual blight, backcountry residents complain of health issues and the unknown.
National City a long way from Scripps Ranch
Ed Brand and Alliant University want faster action from planning commission
Many people were surprised to see Sweetwater superintendent Ed Brand appear at the August 19 National City Planning Commission. Brand left a regularly scheduled Sweetwater board meeting shortly after it convened to attend the meeting ...
Will Carlsbad's California Pacific ever get in the air?
74-passenger Embraer sub-leased to Honeywell.
California Pacific Airlines, a new airline planned for operation out of Carlsbad's Palomar-McClellan airport has suffered another set back. On August 7, the FAA denied CP Air's application to begin flying. Additionally, an aviation industry ...
Amorous Abyss: Brian Meanswell's flowers and women
National City artist examines the emotions behind body language in an exhibit at EQ Culture Studios.
Flower Power in Balboa Park
At Balboa Park on a sunny afternoon, both Michaela Wilbanks and Cristina Campos stood out amongst the park's stunning architecture in lady-like florals. Floral is no longer just a summer and spring staple. For those ...
Average Joes of Dark Globe
Grunge-shunning Dark Globe regroups two or three times a year, even though they broke up in 1994.
Totally stuffed at Sherman's
"Rich," she tells me. "Too rich." Dang. No way is it too rich for me.
Sherman's Shack offers Ed interesting burgers and tacos… a garlic shrimp and cream cheese–stuffed burger topped with orange sweet & sour, for example.
The American Scream and The Town That Dreaded Sundown
The American Scream is a thoughtful and intimate look into the lives of several families who take their love of Halloween a step further. The film quickly became one of my all-time favorite documentaries. Having ...
Sunrise Trailhead, Soapstone Loop
Anza-Borrego's high elevation multiuse trails appeal to hikers, bikers, and equestrians.
The pink hot tub blues
No crane? No problem.
When you don't have a skateboard, who can you call to help move out that old backyard hot tub?
Spring Valley is the new North Park
The Bancroft opened at the site of the defunct dive Fannie's, and the Spring Valley spot is now a punk and hardcore haven.
Modern English Society
Ah, raised stakes. Is there any movie you can't weaken, even as you seek to ratchet up the significance and tension of the crisis at hand? My top-of-the-head answer for favorite film of Summer 2013 ...
Invaded by hippies
Blues guitarists Michael Stone and Lafayette Falquay start playing live again. Each was on hiatus for different reasons.
Apt for an epitaph
Upcoming gigs for Late Nite Howl, featuring Tijuana guitarist Pablo Dodero.
As the America's Cup turns
Mainstream the mainsails!
Team Oracle in the America's Cup Challenge — the U.S. entry in the race — has been accused of cheating.
The 39 Steps at Lamb's Players; Burn This at Different Stages
Except for two tall, A-frame ladders, two small balconies, and a solitary light bulb, the stage for Lamb's Players is bare. Even the coal-black rear wall is exposed. Take away the balconies and Michael McKeon's ...
Empire Ranch
Three houses on 4500 acres, $17 million — cheap (for some).
For some, having virtually limitless access to money leads to the desire for the perfect private retreat to partake in outdoor hobbies. These individuals might find their ideal getaway in the Laguna Mountains near the ...
This week in the San Diego clubs, August 22–28
Thursday 22With this year's Sunbather, SanFran band Deafheaven has made black metal a household form. Okay, adventurous households. Fine, very adventurous households. By fitting black metal's blast and bombast into a shoegaze haze of melodic ...
Wheeler Brothers roll into town
The Wheeler Brothers, from Austin, Texas, are not a poor man's Fleet Foxes. Nor are they an imitation Avett Brothers, even though, stylistically, they all sit pretty much at the same table with the larger ...
The Raid: Redemption and Shaun of the Dead
The Raid: Redemption is an awesome Indonesian action-packed martial-arts film (featuring a style known as pencak silat) that combines fast-paced fighting with great scenes of brutality and suspense. The story revolves around the dramatic raid ...
Charmed, I'm sure
Emily Post would be delighted.
Mrs. Kymberli Parker, a teacher of etiquette for young children, has garnered a clientele of adults as well.
Are smaller brewpubs over and out?
Local brewpubs closing at unprecedented rate
Readers of San Diego Beer News are hip to the fact new brewing companies are opening at a rapid clip, with a glut of other businesses working their way to their public debut. But the ...
Gray vs. Grey
The John Hull Band's Shades of Gray CD debuts August 25
"We didn't win, but looking back at that performance and all the stars that have played on that stage, it's still pretty exciting," says John Hull of his band making the Musicpalooza 2009 finals at ...
Ready for Hillary, Irwin, and Joan?
San Diego's richest man, La Jolla billionaire Irwin Jacobs, who last year gave more than a million dollars to advance the fortunes of his favorite president, Democrat Barack Obama, is already preparing to help elect ...
Papa Doug Manchester picks Siberian bride-to-be
Geniya Derzhavina came to San Diego from Siberia, and will marry one of city's richest men.
Family investigated, Calderon sleeps free at Barona
The election of Democratic state assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez means yet another hungry political mouth to feed around the Barona casino's tables. On April 6, the Democrat, then a candidate, received a free meal said to ...
Evangelion: 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance and Demolition Man
Evangelion: 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance is the second of four movies that make up the recent "rebuild" of the '90s anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. It's the best of the three. All have beautiful ...
Shine, Perishing Public
While this America settles in the mould of its vulgarity, heavily thickening to empire, And protest, only a bubble in the molten mass, pops and sighs out, and the mass hardens, I sadly smiling remember ...
Pacific Beach United Methodist
Methodist pastor April Herron found God on a hilltop in Brazil.
We might already be in the kingdom here and now.
Letters about letters
Straight From the Plaintiff Don Bauder's story "San Diego Builds into Convention Center Glut" (City Lights) said "the fact that citizens could not vote on the hotel tax — although extremely dubious — was upheld ...
I Was a Rock Star, Part One
Rock and roll is white folks' stuff.
Renée Westbrook's Rock Reviews blogs talk about the rock stardom he imagined he could achieve with little or no practice.


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August 19, 2013
Pedaling for Pelotonia!
Terri Gehr, senior vice president for Business and Campus Services, and Tim Malloy, systems administrator in IT, roll down the road in custom 50th anniversary bike jerseys at Pelotonia, the annual fundraiser for cancer research at The Arthur C. James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. Also riding was Dr. Jeanette Ferguson, instructor in Biological Sciences. Volunteer members for the team were Beth Bates, Nichole Bowman-Glover, Rod Harris, Rich James, Karen Riley, Aletha Shipley, Sarah Thomas, Susan Thomas, and Darla Van Horn. Overall, the Columbus State team raised $5,435 for cancer research!
Taste the Future kicks off anniversary celebration
It was pretty much wall-to-wall celebrants at the 25th annual Taste the Future held under clear skies and cool, autumn-like temperatures August 13!
The fundraising event was also the kick-off of Columbus State's year-long 50th anniversary celebration, bringing back some of the original participants of the 1989 Taste—our "history makers"— including chefs Cameron Mitchell, Sue Doody, Hubert Seifert, Paul Panzera, Kamal Boulos, and Kent Rigsby.
The day began at 2 p.m. with a special reception for Columbus State retirees, followed by a VIP reception for sponsors and honorees. 100% of Proceeds for the event go to supporting support student scholarships and special projects at Columbus State.
At Taste 2013 -Looking east over the mallway.
At the Retiree Reception, Jay Benedict greets Mike Snider while Ted Hopple mingles
At the Retiree Reception, Jean Baker and Marty Nesser pose with Cindy Hood.
Everyone had time to catch up with old friends at the Retiree Reception.
Wayne Cocchi and Renee Hampton enjoy hors d'oeuvres.
Retirees Lou Ann Carman, Sandy Bush and Gil Fiertag enjoy the photo collage of past employees.
Linda Landis, Harold Brown and Al Simmons say hello.
Dr. Harrison talks with Larry Lance, Carol Kizer, John Falk.
President Harrison chats with the Student Ambassadors.
Honorary Host Cameron Mitchell, center, addresses the VIP reception, along with (from left) Hubert Seifert, Kent Rigsby, Sue Doody and Kamal Boulos.
Honorary hosts and History Makers pose with Dr. Harrison at the VIP reception. Retired Chair of Hospitality Management, Carol Kizer is at center.
Carol Kizer, one of the originators of Taste the Future, receives special recognition during the VIP reception.
The Ken Reynolds Band performs their mix of jazz.
Retiree Lenore Schneiderman stopped by for a Taste!
Checking out what the Refectory has to offer.
Under the watchful eye of Chef Hubert Seifert, a chef at Spagio's arranges a platter.
Trying something delicious at the 2013 Taste.
President Harrison opens the event with the traditional Taste the Future toast.
Sue Thomas smiles as her friend Kari Kittrel takes their photo.
The band serenades the crowd as the shadows lengthen.
A beautiful evening for a beautiful event, seen from Franklin Hall's second floor.
Reminder: 50th anniversary group photo moved to August 30
Due to the busy schedule of the first week of Fall Semester, the 50th Anniversary group photo will move to Friday, August 30 at 1:00 p.m. in the courtyard near the statue. We will distribute anniversary t-shirts to all, then stand in the outline of a large "5-0" to take the photo! (Photographer will shoot from the roof of Union Hall.) A commemorative poster will be printed featuring the photo, so please take a moment on August 30 to stop out to the courtyard, get your anniversary t-shirt, and join in the photo fun!
Be ready for a parking change and a temporary crosswalk closure this semester
As Autumn Semester begins there are several important changes to be aware of. One quarter of parking lot 12-S will be closed off this year. It's the section at the corner of Cleveland Ave. and Long St. Those spaces have been leased by the neighboring Columbus College of Art and Design. The spaces will be clearly marked and won't be available for staff or students at Columbus State.
(CCAD needs a little extra parking due to a sort of domino effect from the current expansion of the Columbus Museum of Art. That project is cutting into CCAD's parking. So, as a good neighbor, we're helping out CCAD.)
This is only a temporary lease for the academic year. The revenue generated from the lease agreement will offset the money Columbus State pays to lease parking lot 32-S. That's the lot east of the parking garage that was added a couple of years ago. The property is not owned by the college but it has become a popular lot for students because of its close proximity to many campus buildings on the east end of campus.
Another change to be aware of is the crosswalk on Cleveland Ave. at Grove St. It's the one without a signal. There's been significant road and sidewalk construction at that spot for several weeks during the break. When classes begin, work crews will still be putting the final touches on that project. For the first two weeks of classes the crosswalk will be closed. That means students and staff will have to walk down to the crosswalk at Cleveland and Mt. Vernon Avenues, at the Bookstore.
It won't be a long closure. The crosswalk at Grove St. should reopen in early September. In addition, a long-awaited crosswalk signal is scheduled to be added there by the end of this calendar year.
One other note for staff and faculty who use parking lot 1-E between beside Union Hall: You will not be able to turn left onto Edward St. from Cleveland Ave. That's the small alley that stops at the loading dock behind Union Hall. To alleviate traffic congestion, cones will be placed in the middle of Cleveland Ave. to prevent left turns into, and out of, Edward St.
New academic partnership with Columbus Division of Fire and Police announced
When Fall Semester begins on Wednesday, the cadets in the current Columbus Division of Fire Academy will be among the registered students at the college.
The city and the college are partnering in a new program that puts all incoming firefighters on a direct path toward an associate degree in Fire Science or Emergency Medical Services (EMS). A similar program is also designed for Division of Police cadets and our Law Enforcement program.
Details of these unique programs will be announced at a news conference today at Fire Station One, 300 N. Fourth St., Columbus.
"We are especially proud of Columbus State's long history of helping to prepare more than 2,300 first responders in this community," said President David Harrison. "Joining with the city's emergency divisions is a natural partnership that helps Columbus firefighters and police officers enhance their skills, earn their degrees, and build a stronger career path."
Part-time employee reviews due Aug. 30
Part-time employee Annual Reviews are due to Human Resources by Friday, August 30. All information needed to complete the Annual Reviews can be found on the Annual Review Webpage: http://www.cscc.edu/about/hcd/performs/review.shtml. For additional information or assistance, please contact your Human Resources Business Partner.
ESL Afterschool Communities program receives $1.7 million in grants
The Ohio Department of Education has awarded Columbus State's ESL Afterschool Communities two new 21st Century Community Learning Center grants totaling $1.7 million for the next five years. The grants will help at least 100 new students with additional sites at Southpark Apartments and at Prairie Norton Elementary School.
The ESL Afterschool Communities programs are an outreach initiative that introduces Columbus State to the immigrant and refugee community and helps underserved students discover that college is a possibility and that exciting opportunities lay ahead through education.
To learn more about the programs go online to: http://www.cscc.edu/workforce/eslas/
Former Cougar Jerrell Sanders to play in Germany
Former Columbus State and Ferris State University basketball player Jerrell Sanders has received an opportunity to play professionally and continue his basketball career. Sanders recently signed a contract to play professional ball overseas in Germany with the BG Bonn Meckenheim club in one of the country's top leagues.
The 6-6 forward initially joined the Ferris State program at the semester break during the 2009-10 campaign. Prior to playing at FSU, Sanders spent two seasons at Columbus State where he led the Cougars to a 29-4 mark and a trip to the national tournament. Read the whole article here.


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Iraq backs off on forcing the closure of 44 media outlets
BAGHDAD: Iraq has suspended orders to close 44 media operations in the country, including the BBC and Voice of America, after an outcry by press freedom advocates, an official said Tuesday.
The Communications and Media Commission that regulates the news media in Iraq will give the targeted organizations more time to pay outstanding fees and renew lapsed licenses, deputy director Ali Nasir said.
The commission denied that its previous order to close the agencies, most of them Iraqi, represented a crackdown on a free press. No media outlets were known to have been shut down. The order was issued last month but made public only this week.
The Journalistic Freedoms Observatory welcomed the reprieve on Tuesday, but director Ziyad al-Aajely said media licensing is still too difficult and fees are too high.
"The CMC's task and duty is to support media development, not to put hurdles on the way of the journalists," al-Aajely said.
Earlier, the group accused the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of trying to silence critics. The dispute called into question the future ofIraq's fledgling democracy, nine years after the ouster of Saddam Hussein and six months after the last of theUStroops who overthrew him withdrew.
Nasir said Tuesday that five organizations, including the BBC and US-funded Radio Sawa, are working with the media commission to settle licensing problems and pay fees, which he said amount to about $20,000 a year for radio stations.
Most of the other organizations on the list are Iraqi, including prominent broadcasters that criticized al-Maliki, but also Shiite religious programming that had no apparent political stance. Some of the broadcasters targeted for closure are using frequencies that are either licensed to other stations or used by security forces, Nasir said.
Voice ofAmericasaid in a statement Monday that it was operating normally, adding that "this appears to be a regulatory matter concerning frequencies and licensing that is being discussed between local and federal officials inIraq." It said there is "no indication that this regulatory issue is being directed at VOA reporters in the field."
Lala Najafova, a publicist for the BBC, said Sunday that the British broadcaster is working to renew its license. She said the delay is due to technicalities, and no BBC reporters have been restricted in their work.


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Does Standing Require Injury?
The 1974 Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act bars, among other things, kickbacks by title insurance companies. Under the law a plaintiff can sue without having to show actual injury. At least that was the argument made by the lawyer representing Denise Edwards, the homebuyer in this case who sued First American Financial Corp.
But it was an uphill battle. Justice Scalia questioned, "I'm not even sure it's proper to call it a kickback. It's a commission." And Justice Alito told Edwards' attorney, Jeffrey Lamken, "We are looking for whether there is injury in fact."
In his rebuttal Aaron M. Panner, the lawyer for First American, reaffirmed that "what is required is an injury-in-fact, a harm to the plaintiff who is seeking to obtain redress from the courts.
Mike Sacks brilliant analysis of the argument is here.


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The less said about England's 4-1 defeat at the hands of Germany, and of the refereeing in that match and the Argentina-Mexico match, the better. Instead, I'll make two general observations prompted by the weekend's matches.
The kids are alright. I should pay closer attention to youth competitions and Olympic soccer. I follow them a bit, and recognize that they can help identify teams to watch down the road. But I've never viewed them as indicative of what's going to happen at major competitions in the very short term. Too many young stars have failed to make an impact in their first World or European Cup.
But this year, Ghana's championship under-20 team has produced a number of quality players in the side that defeated the U.S. in extra time to make the final 8 of the World Cup. And key players in Germany's European under-21 champs helped take down England yesterday. Ironically, Germany defeated England in the finals of that competition last summer by 4-0, a rout comparable to yesterday's. By the way, England might have lasted a little longer in the World Cup if it had started Joe Hart, its outstanding goal-keeper in that U-21 competition, this summer, instead of keeping him on the bench in favor of Robert Green, without whose blunder against the U.S., England might have avoided Germany, and David James (England did use James Milner, who captained and starred for the U-21 team).
For club and country. Before the "have boots, will travel" era of big-time soccer, some countries built their World Cup around a domestic club. For example, the Soviet Union sometimes used mostly players from Dynamo Kiev (now a Ukrainian team). And the Dutch at times relied heavily on players from the great Ajax sides.
That's just about impossible to do now. For example, the European club champs, Inter Milan, often plays not a single Italian (they aren't Internazionale Milan for nothing). Other big clubs aren't quite that extreme, but it's rare for one of them to start a significant number of players from their home country.
But there is a major exception that I think is influencing the World Cup — Bayern Munich. Three members of the attacking quartet that took down England yesterday — Miroslav Klose, Thomas Muller, and Mesut Ozil [correction: Ozil actually plays for Werder Breman] — play for Bayern (Muller and Ozil were also recent under-21 stars). The fourth, Lucas Podolski, was with Bayern for three years. Two more players who help orchestrate the attack — Bastian Schweinsteiger and Phillip Lahm — also play for Bayern.
The resulting understanding among the players goes a long way towards explaining the cohesion and fluency of Germany's attack. There isn't a recognized superstar in the core attacking attacking quartet (though Ozil is on the verge of becoming one). Indeed, Podolski and Klose scored only five goals between them in league play this year. But the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts.
That, of course, is the reverse of the English attack. But should we be surprised? The five primary attacking players yesterday all play for different clubs (Rooney-Manchester United, Defoe-Tottenham, Milner-Aston Villa, Gerrard-Liverpool, and Lampard-Chelsea). Argentina overcomes this issue with phenomenal talent and the genius of Lionel Messi. Brazil overcomes it with the near-genius of Kaka and an attacking unit that has been playing together in big international matches for several years. But England lacks quite the same level of talent and, having missed out on the big Euro-2008 tournament, has not had as many opportunities to attain cohesion.
Is their another pocket of players in the tournament that has the advantage of playing together at the club level" To some extent, there is. Spain usually starts three midfielders — Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets — who play together for Barcelona. So do the two Spanish center backs, Puyol and Pique.
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If there were a Mount Rushmore of English crime fiction, it would feature the chiseled faces of Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, P.D. James and Ruth Rendell. (Yes, all women, but that's another essay.) Of this august quartet, Rendell is perhaps the simplest and therefore best writer — the most authoritative voice on the page, celebrated for a peculiarly British matter-of-factness. When she or her narrators tell you something, they do it so crisply and definitively that you're compelled to believe it; any other course of action would be foolhardy, and you have a feeling that the author never suffers fools gladly, or indeed at all. Reading one of her books, you unconsciously sit up straight, as if at any moment Baroness Rendell (as she's known these days in the House of Lords) might enter the room and fix you with a cold, correcting stare.
This quality of authorial presence works best when yoked to strong, tight plotting within the structure of a mystery, as in her police procedurals, particularly those featuring her iconic Inspector Wexford. Eschewing both the over-the-top ingenuity of Christie and the sometimes florid psychology of James, Rendell achieves a bracing balance of tone and story. Her mysteries are like the best English toffee, their creamy surfaces concealing hard, crunchy cores — which is to say they are lip-smackingly good.
This piece first ran in Printers Row Journal, delivered to Printers Row members with the Sunday Chicago Tribune and by digital edition via email. Click here to learn about joining Printers Row.
No one's infallible, of course, Mount Rushmore or no. When Rendell wanders off the mystery reservation into less structured, more "literary" territory — in which she often explores contemporary social issues such as poverty, domestic violence, sexual abuse and so on, as befits any good Labour M.P. — she can sometimes fall into one of any number of traps, including narrative sluggishness and thematic obviousness. In her latest outing, "The Child's Child" — writing as Barbara Vine, a pen name she uses in her most free-flowing and adventurous moods — she tumbles headlong into both.
In "The Child's Child," we meet Grace Easton, a graduate student sharing a large house in contemporary London with her brother, Andrew, and his new lover, James. She's researching and writing a thesis on the treatment of unwed motherhood in Victorian fiction — in one of Rendell's most baldfaced provocations, Grace accuses Elizabeth Gaskell (of "Cranford" fame) of always having "axes to grind" — and quarrels with James over whether unwed mothers or homosexuals have been more oppressed in English society. Later, James and Andrew become witnesses to a fatal gay-bashing, and James, unhinged by his dread of testifying at the trial, ends up sleeping with Grace, leaving her with child.
As if this all too perfectly symmetrical bit of irony weren't enough, the ax-grinding now begins in earnest. Grace begins reading an unpublished manuscript, a novella also called "The Child's Child," in which the reader is in for a second round of thematic reinforcement on how the treatment of gays and unwed mothers throughout most of British history has been highly disgraceful. Grace's situation is echoed in the novella (set in the late 1920s through the postwar period) by that of Maud, a young woman who bears a child "out of wedlock," as it's repeatedly put. Spurned by her parents, Maud is taken under the wing of her older brother, John, who moves her to a remote village and passes her off as his wife — which is also convenient for him, as he's keen to pass as a heterosexual. In reality he's in love with a beautiful, working-class ne'er-do-well named Bertie, who treats the sweet and hapless John exactly like the doormat and meal ticket he is. Maud, when she learns of her brother's sexuality, is repulsed; inevitably, she and Bertie loathe each other.
To say more would introduce spoilers; suffice it to say that one type of oppression breeds no great sympathy for any other. In the world of "The Child's Child," we're all pots calling kettles black. If social attitudes have progressed since the late 1960s, as Grace assumes, the lessons of such progress have not been universally accepted; we're doomed, it seems, to repeat and recycle our mistakes for at least another generation or two.
There's nothing wrong with the message except the fact that it's delivered with all the subtlety of a gong being struck, over and over again, directly above the reader's head. It doesn't help, either, that the book's story-within-a-story structure is handled so poorly. Ruth Rendell is a fine writer, as we've established, but she's no John Fowles, no Tom Stoppard; the kind of narrative innovation she attempts here finds her operating well outside the boundaries of even her considerable powers. Worst of all, perhaps, is the fact that the interior novella drags on long after its logical conclusion, introducing a new set of characters and sprawling over a timeframe of many years, stretching itself to an almost shocking shabbiness.
Well, nobody's perfect. I await the next Inspector Wexford novel with undiminished impatience.
Kevin Nance is a Chicago-based freelance writer whose work appears in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Poets & Writers Magazine and elsewhere.
"The Child's Child"
By Ruth Rendell, writing as Barbara Vine, Scribner, 320 pages, $26


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Ellen Mitchell won a booking to the value of R3600 at Map's View Guesthouse
I'm absolutely ecstatic. It is so nice to win something. Thanks to Sleeping Out and Maps View Guesthouse. The accommodation was absolutely fabulous
How can you Win Free Accommodation?
From R6500* unit
A BAREFOOT, BEACH FRONT HOLIDAY ON THE SANDY SHORES OF ZANZIBAR..YOUR OWN PRIVATE BEACH AND OCEAN VIEW SPA POOL. PERSONAL SERVICE, RELAXED, FRIENDLY AND EXPERIENCED STAFF! ENJOY SUNSET SAILING, DIVI... Read More
From R140* unit
We are excited to tell you that Kilima Kidogo Guest House has been newly renovated (2014)! From our new rooms to the inviting pool and beyond to the white sand and turquoise water of the Indian Ocean.... Read More
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Escape into a serene, beautiful and friendly environment and experience an ambience of graceful simplicity with a scoop of nature. Maasai Café is the ideal place to relax, enjoy nature and meet new pe... Read More
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An incredible harmony of shapes and colors, The Palace Hotel, Arusha stands out as a remarkable adventure in hospitality. Set in an ideal landscape for history and art lovers, photo maniacs and walker... Read More
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Our Guest House is located a bit outside of the city center of Dar es Salaam in a safe and quiet neighborhood. With our large garden and community areas we offer a convienent and relaxed place to reco... Read More
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Should you happen to find yourself in Hilo on Hawaii, the Big Island, do yourself a favor and stop at Nori's Saimin and Snacks. Yes, for the delicious food that has become legendary there, but also for this incredibly ono Chocolate Mochi Cake.
Not too sweet, rich and decadent, soft, and always a joy to eat. For just $5, it makes a great gift for family and friends if you're looking for something really fun and satisfying.
Nori's Saimin & Snacks
688 Kinoole Street, #124
Hilo, HI 96720
Phone: 808-935-9133
Monday – Thursday: 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Sunday: 10:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.


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"Avatar" this week became the biggest box office smash in movie history, pulling in about $1.9 billion worldwide and counting.
But are box office tallies a true measure of cinematic success?
Don't get us wrong: this isn't going to be an examination of the popcorn movie's value as art or its award worthiness.
But by the most accurate gage of popularity – ticket sales – "Avatar," at this stage, is far from a record breaker.
The Hollywood Reporter did movie fans a huge service this week by posting a list of the top 20 ticket sellers of all time – a page that should be called up whenever there's a discussion of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters.
"Avatar" ranks 26th, with more than 76 million tickets sold – impressive, but far behind the 202 million moviegoers who paid to see the all-time champ, "Gone With the Wind."
A comparison between two films like these is apt to be filled with enough asterisks to rival a list of home run champs in the pre- and post-steroid eras. But it's worth examining some of the differences – and similarities – between the two flicks.
"GWTW" arrived in 1939 when the country's population was around 130 million, compared with about 300 million today. With the world on the brink of war, the Civil War epic didn't approach the international penetration of "Avatar," which is playing just about anywhere there's a movie theater, including in China.
The average price of movie ticket in 1939 was about a quarter, while "Avatar" commands as much as $16.50 at Imax theaters. Still, when adjusted for inflation, "GWTW" hauled in more than $1.5 billion domestically, about three times the current North American take of "Avatar," according to Box Office Mojo.com.
Rhett Butler and Scarlet O'Hara enjoyed some undeniable advantages: In 1939, pre-TV, movies were the primary form of mass visual entertainment. "GWTW" also was re-released in every decade through the 1990s, finding new generations of audiences. Its 1976 network TV debut on NBC was a major event.
"GWTW" has been around just over 70 years. "Avatar," which faces competition a mass media world that includes TV and the Internet, debuted six weeks ago.
But let's look at some of the commonalities.
Both films represent landmarks in storytelling: "GWTW" was among the first big color extravaganzas, and set the stage for Technicolor epics to come. "Avatar" created a new, blue world with capture animation technology and audience-enveloping 3-D. The film already is spurring more 3-D productions, and has boosted interest in the development of 3-D TV.
"GWTW" and "Avatar" are romances told against a backdrop of war, wrought in a visually stunning manner, drawing devoted fan bases while stirring controversy.
Both were released in tough economic times and set records for the most expensive movie ever: "GWTW" cost $4 million (about $60 million in today's dollars), compared to $500 million for "Avatar."
The verdict is out, though, in one key area of comparison: the Academy Awards. "GWTW" notched 13 nominations and took home eight statuettes, including Best Picture.
The handicappers aren't giving "Avatar" great odds, though with the Best Picture nominee field expanding to 10 this year, anything can happen.
But as long as "Avatar" keeps pulling in the big money, frankly, Fox probably won't give damn.
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.


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The latest patch update for World Of WarCraft introduced the ability to boost a character to level 90 for $60. Some players are afraid that this might unbalance the game while others believe that $60 is too expensive for an in-game boost.
The game's lead encounter designer Ion Hazzikostas believes that both sides have nothing to fear.
"In terms of the pricing, honestly a big part of that is not wanting to devalue the accomplishment of leveling," he explained. "If our goal here was to sell as many boosts as possible, we could halve the price or more than that -- make it $10 or something. And then hardly anyone would ever level a character again."
"But leveling is something that takes dozens if not over 100 hours in many cases and people have put serious time and effort into that, and we don't want to diminish that."
Istead, the boost is meant to "just to allow people who want to purchase additional level 90s, maybe they want a second or third alt and they don't have time to level it themselves because they have a family or etc -- it's to allow them to do that."
It is worth noting that the Warlords of Draenor expansion includes one free level boost.


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I spent some time with an amazing 50 year old Indian elephant, here are some shots.
New artwork coming soon.
How do you "spend time" with an elephant!? I'm so jealous!
I always enjoy your photos & artwork!
Very much looking forward to your new posts:)
Stunning as usual!!
Awww elephants :( I'm gonna miss seeing these guys at work.
Great photos. I love geeking out on animal details.
Admirable shots you have taken of this Indian elephant. All the picture are looking very nice. Very nice photography keep it up.
Wow! Nice collection you have here! I'm definitely convinced now that you're an elephant aficionado. Where did you get all those stuff? I'm also planning to collect elephant miniatures, though not the ivory kind because we all know what's behind that story. All I want to collect are those made with metals or wood – ivory is a complete NO-NO!
Mariah Mosley


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BlackBerry is to discontinue its BBM Music service on June 2, and is referring current customers to the Rdio music service for 30 days of free music.
The company said that after a strategic business review, it was decided that BlackBerry will no longer develop or provide support for BBM Music. Customers currently subscribed to BBM Music will have access to the Rdio music service for 30 days for free, it said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.
BlackBerry, then named Research In Motion, announced in August, 2011 the BBM Music app, positioning it as a social music service around BlackBerry Messenger. Starting with a "closed beta trial," the service was to be commercially available later in the year for a monthly subscription of about US$5 in 18 countries.
Music on the service can be cached to smartphones for offline listening, allowing users to access songs even when they don't have wireless coverage, and users can swap up to 25 songs each month from their personal profile of 50 songs, besides being allowed to share playlists or single songs with friends who are part of the program.
Rdio in San Francisco has supported various BlackBerry devices. A digital music service launched in 2010, it is available in more than 12 countries around the world, and allows users to build a digital collection that is available on the web, in-home or in-car, on an iPad or smartphone, and even offline, according to its website.
The discontinuation of BBM Music may have to do with BlackBerry not wanting to compete with the large number of third-party music service providers on its platform, to focus instead on its core business."We have re-designed, re-engineered and re-invented BlackBerry to create a new unique mobile computing platform that enables third-parties to bring very rich music and multimedia apps and services to customers," the company said. Its BlackBerry World storefront for its BlackBerry 10 offers one of the most robust music catalogs in mobile, it added.
BlackBerry said last month it shipped about 1 million BlackBerry Z10 smartphones during its fiscal fourth quarter which ended March 2. The Z10 is the first BlackBerry 10 OS device. BlackBerry shipped a total of 6 million smartphones in the quarter, the company said as it released its quarterly earnings.


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Etan Thomas and Dave Zirin discuss the NBA's current age limit.
My mother's position is that our people had to fight so long for the right to be educated and now young people are not valuing that struggle and are essentially throwing their education to chase a dream that has been dangled in front of their faces like the horse with the carrot. I can't disagree with her point and we go back and forth on this topic. Now, I stayed in school for four years. Had a wonderful experience at Syracuse University. Got my degree in business management, met my wife, grew as a person and it prepared me for life. But that's my case. Is it fair to force someone who wants to take a different path to attend college?
Check out the entire piece; it's quite good.


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Courtney B., Sr. Visual Coordinator for American Eagle Outfitters and Aerie, and her team are responsible for all the props, displays, and styling you see in AE and Aerie stores. Read below to learn more about what it's like to be in such a creative role at American Eagle, as well as more about Courtney.
What is your background?
I went to school for fashion design and product development at the University of Cincinnati (Go Bearcats!), where I participated in a co-op program, alternating quarters of school and work to gain experience while I studied. By the time I graduated I completed six internships (including two at AE), designing everything from accessories, to uniforms, to kids clothes. It was through these jobs that I learned I wasn't really a natural born designer or buyer, two of the most common career paths in fashion. I liked a mix of both, and wanted something where I could stretch myself creatively while still giving my "left brain" a workout, too. Before graduating, I interviewed at AE and was offered a design job. I was young, bold and had just enough guts to ask them what other positions they had available… maybe something in visual merchandising? Five years later, I'm still a little in awe of how I fell into this crazy world, but now I can't imagine doing anything else.
What does your job as AE & Aerie Sr Visual Coordinator entail?
We joke that it should be called "Coordinator of Chaos" because retail can be wild sometimes. My team and I are responsible for all the props, displays, and styling in all AE and Aerie stores. Everyday is different; I may start the morning on the phone with a vendor negotiating the details of a prop purchase, then I could be in meetings to brainstorm a future season, and I might end the day on a ladder hanging garland. There never seem to be enough hours in the day to get to everything done, but with two brands, four major seasons, and about a million details, there's also never time to be bored!
What is the most fun part of your job?
The people! I love designing, creating, and problem solving, but the best part is working with a great team of people that make every day (or almost every day) fun. The visual lab has such a great vibe: there's always people running around, music pumping, and if you're lucky, a potluck buffet. This team embodies the "work hard, play hard" cliché: we put in a lot of hours to bring the collective vision to life, but we're never too busy for a costume party, a spontaneous dance off, or a well-earned happy hour. I've never met a more passionate group of people, and I don't take it for granted that I have the opportunity to work alongside some of the smartest, kindest and most talented people in the business.
What project at AE has been your favorite?
I've gotten some amazing opportunities over the years: working on photo shoots, flagship store openings, pop-up shops, concerts, Spring Break trips. It's almost impossible to pick one! But I think beyond all that, my favorite part of my work here happens at the beginning of each season. I love gathering with a bunch of other creative minds and sharing ideas. We swap inspiration photos, brainstorm strategies, and start to create the vision for what the season is going to look like from colors, to props, to outfits, to online contests. I'm energized by creative possibility: the picking, the choosing, the building and collaborating on each others' thoughts. For me, this time of planning and dreaming is like New Year's and Back to School rolled into one – a chance to start fresh and reinvent something awesome into something even more awesome. I will say it's not all roses though… this job has definitely taken a toll on my decorating at home. It's been years since I put up a Christmas tree at my house. By the time the holidays roll around, I'm about fed up with garland and lights!
What tips do you have for someone who wants to be a in a creative role?
Work hard and be nice to people. It doesn't get much simpler, or truer than that. Working in a creative field can be challenging sometimes. There are a lot of conflicting ideas, personalities and goals. The fashion world isn't always the cool, glamorous job that people might dream of (Did I mention I spend a good portion of my day sweating on a ladder?). But if you're willing to put in the effort and smile through the struggles, people will eventually notice.
If you weren't working at AE, what would you want to be doing?
A Nail Polish Color Namer, Professional Tambourinist, or a Macaroni and Cheese Contest Judge. But just in case those things don't pan out, I'd probably be an event planner. What's better than getting paid to celebrate?
Where do you find your inspiration?
What a tough question… anywhere and everywhere! Searching for window display or props design ideas is unique because there isn't much out there that is a direct inspiration point to what we do, or if there is, it means someone has already been there, done that. We look at all different areas – home interiors, art installations, fashion trends – and try to pull abstract concepts into collections of ideas we can execute for our purposes. I've always been a magazine junkie, so that's still where I get a ton of inspiration. There's a tower of waiting-to-be-read issues that threatens to wipe out my desk daily. But a huge portion of my seasonal swipe comes from blogs and other websites. I like the balance of the two mediums. There's something irresistible about the feel of a fresh magazine in your hands, but the online world is a wealth of inspiration, churning out endless streams of images, ideas and info. I'm addicted to the connection that the internet fosters. One concept is linked to another, which references another, that's inspired by another. I wish I had more time to devote just to inspiration searching. It's too easy (and fun!) to dive down the "creative rabbit hole", getting lost in a (literal) web of ideas.
You have a blog, Bowdenisms. What do you blog about?
It's basically a big online hodgepodge of my life. My husband and I started it on a whim in 2007, so it has evolved over time, but it is a mix of family updates, projects and just general ramblings. We just had our first child last November, so since then Piper Jane has definitely become star of the show. I won't say the blog doesn't lean heavily towards the baby pictures nowadays, but we do still mix it up a bit. I love cooking (ok, mostly eating!), crafting, and photography, and we always seem to be making some update to our house, so I share various projects we have in the works. And of course with my fashion background, that's a frequent topic as well. When we started the site five years ago, I never truly set out to be "a blogger" (that was still barely a thing!) but I've loved having a place to share ideas, connect with people, express myself creatively (outside of work!), foster conversation, and create community. Who knows where it will take us, but I love having a written record of this stage of our lives, and it's been fun to take others along for the ride!
What are your favorite spots in Pittsburgh?
Before interviewing at AE, moving to Pittsburgh was never on my radar, but after five years here I can truly say that I love it. I may not be a Pittsburgher born and bred, but I root for the Steelers, like fries on my salads (ok, I like fries on my anything…), and am learning to embrace the local lingo (I'm a fan of "nebby" and "slippy" but "yinz" might take me a bit longer). There is so much to do in Pittsburgh, and it seems there's always a new restaurant to try or event to check out. When the weather is nice I love to spend time outside: going to Pirates games, seeing concerts at Stage AE, or just pushing Piper on the swings in the local park. I'm always up for a drink and some greasy (i.e. delicious) bar food – some favorites are Burgatory, Rivertowne, and D's Six Pack and Dogs.