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Guardian Angel owner far from angelic
The man behind Guardian Angel Service Dogs has had his share of legal problems in his home state of Virginia, and a barrage of comments online raised questions about his organization following the publication of a story last week.
Dan Warren, president of both Warren Enterprises LLC and Guardian Angel Service Dogs, did not respond to several messages left for him regarding information that he was found guilty on seven charges of "uttering" and seven charges of "false statement to obtain credit. Warren, whose name is actually Charles Daniel Warren Jr., was sentenced to 35 years in prison on the uttering charges and 84 months in jail on the false statement charges in the Chesterfield County Circuit Court on April 17, 2008.
The charges stemmed from Oct. 1, 2005, through Aug. 30, 2006, according to the sentencing order provided by the Chesterfield Circuit Court. Uttering, as described in Virginia law, means to pass a forged document knowing that the document is forged. Uttering is considered a Class 5 felony in Virginia and is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
Warren was able to get his entire sentence suspended and was granted supervised probation.
According to a person familiar with the case, Warren was working as a finance manager at Whitten Brothers, a car dealership in Richmond, Va. As finance manager, Warren was forging documents of potential customers who did not have the income necessary to qualify for car loans. Warren ultimately falsified documents to indicate the customers did qualify for the loans.
It wasn't until an angered customer "blew the whistle" on the scheme that Warren was arrested and charged.
Despite not commenting or returning messages left for comment as it pertains to information discovered by The Examiner, Warren has left messages for clients on his Facebook page as well as issuing a press release stating his "regret" for the misunderstanding regarding the fundraising done by Ryan and Tara McLeod. Their son, Racer, 3, has Type 1 diabetes, which is also referred to as juvenile diabetes.
The McLeods sought a declaratory judgment two weeks ago in Jefferson County asking to sever ties with Guardian Angel Service Dogs after Warren sent a letter through his attorney, John Anderson, asking for all the money the McLeods raised at their fundraiser in February. The family paid $20,000 for the dog, referred to as a Diabetic Alert Dog, which is supposed to be able to sense changes in a person's blood sugar. They raised more than $60,000 and the excess funds were put into a separate account to go toward Racer's medical bills.
Anderson, when reached by The Examiner, declined to comment on the filing because he had not seen it yet and was not aware of such a move until he read about it last week on The Examiner's Web site.
Warren stated in his press release on his Guardian Angel Web site that, "While time and space do not permit the correction of all of the misstatements" in The Examiner article written last Thursday, July 12, "Guardian Angel Service Dogs Inc. wants to make it very clear that Warren Enterprises LLC is not affiliated with Guardian Angel in any manner and does not 'own' Guardian Angel."
And while Warren Enterprises LLC might not "own" Guardian Angel Service Dogs, a Charles Warren Jr. is listed as the owner of Warren Enterprises LLC, which coincidentally has the same physical address as Warren Retrievers, 15216 Rockford Road in Montpelier, Va. Warren also uses P.O. Boxes in Orange, Va., and Montpelier as contact information on his Web sites as well.
The house at 15216 Rockford, which according to Hanover County property tax records is owned by a Charles (not Charles Jr.) and Marianne Warren, sits on 11 acres, has five bedrooms, six bathrooms, 4,596 square feet, and is for sale. It's currently listed at $549,500.
On the Warren Retrievers Web site, it mentions that Guardian Angel Service Dogs is "a fully incorporated 501(c)3 organization and is the philanthropic arm of Warren Retrievers and Diabetic Alert Dogs by Warren Retrievers."
And according to the Internal Revenue Service, Guardian Angel Service Dogs, which was incorporated in October 2010 and granted tax exempt status in April 2011, has still not filed its 990 with the IRS after it was due May 15, 2012. The organization could be subject to penalties when they do submit their 990, a form nonprofits are required to submit each year to the IRS disclosing their financial information. The forms are available to the public.
Carol Borden, executive director of Guardian Angel Medical Alert Dogs, a service dog provider based in Florida, also has a beef with Warren over the use of the name Guardian Angel Service Dogs.
"He was a member of our Facebook group a couple years back and after I noticed he started his company using almost the same name, I kicked him out of the group," Borden said. She wrote him a cease-and-desist letter last year to stop using the name but never heard back.
"We have nothing to do with them," said Borden.
'It's not going to be adequate'
Dr. Larry Myers, a canine scent expert and professor at the University of Auburn, has more than 30 years of experience studying dogs' scent detection abilities and is skeptical of dogs being able to sense changes in a person's blood sugar — period.
"It's plausible," said Myers of a dog being able to detect blood sugar changes, "if they're trained properly. Two years of training, sure, but it's the continual training that's also necessary."
Most dog trainers prefer one to two years of training by a certified dog trainer before a dog is ready to be placed with a diabetic. While there's still no guarantee the dog and the person will work together, in most cases, the dog at 2 years old is much better prepared to scent detect than a dog that is dropped off with a family at 3 months old, as is the case with dogs from Guardian Angel Service Dogs. Guardian Angel sends the dog to the family or person at 3 months old and a pair of trainers spend a week with the family and the dog, training the dog and teaching the family how to train the dog.The trainers then return for two days every 90 days for the next two years.
"I've seen that done before," said Myers, "and in a case like that, it's not going to be adequate. I doubt it seriously. The fact isn't proving whether or not they're trained; it's are they reliable, which most dog trainers don't know how to test."
Myers said there's plenty of ways to train a dog, and he's even seen a situation in Missouri where a company, Heaven Scent Paws, was involved in a similar dispute over fundraising and training, or lack thereof. The company ultimately went bankrupt after it was ordered to pay $200,000 back when the Missouri Attorney General filed charges against the company for essentially scamming customers with dogs that couldn't alert.
"What is the reliability of these dogs?" asked Myers. "How often do they false alert? How often do they say there's a problem when there is no problem? How often do they say there's no problem, but there is?"
Susan Milhollon and Mary McNeight are both well-versed in training and working with diabetic alert dogs. Milhollon suffers from diabetes and is the executive director of Dogs 4 Diabetics, based out of California. McNeight, who suffers from hypoglycemia but is not a full-blown diabetic, has a diabetic alert dog, or DAD, and trains them, as well, in Seattle, Wash. She can be found at servicedogacademy.com.
Both women prefer training dogs for up to two years before giving them to a family, and McNeight said she has each of her potential clients go through a rigorous questionnaire detailing what goes into training and keeping a DAD. Milhollon said her organization also has a strict set of guidelines and procedures before its clients can own a DAD.
Ready to be over
Ryan McLeod said he understands there was training that needed to be done when his family received Gunner, but he was also told that his dog was going to alert, which the dog really hasn't done in the two months he's been with the McLeods.
McLeod said he's received plenty of positive feedback since last week, and he understands the brush-back from some of the Guardian Angel supporters, as well. He and his wife continue to work with the dog but are growing frustrated and simply want to end this situation with Guardian Angel and move on."We're not doing this to sue them and ask for a bunch of money," said McLeod. "We have enough stress as it is; we just want to cut ties."
Fred Davis can be reached at (409) 832-1400, ext. 227, or by e-mail at fred [at] theexaminer [dot] com.


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Scott Olson / Getty Images
The escape of the two bank robbers from Chicago's Metropolitan Correctional Center left some people scratching their heads. The pair rappelled about 20 stories on a rope made of bed sheets
CHICAGO -- One of two bank robbers who escaped a high-rise federal jail Tuesday by scaling down some 20 stories on a rope made from bed sheets has been arrested after an FBI manhunt, the agency said early Friday.
FBI spokeswoman Joan Hyde said Joseph "Jose" Banks was captured without incident in Chicago. Agents from the Chicago FBI's Violent Crimes Task Force, along with officers from the Chicago Police Department, arrested Banks about 11:30 p.m. Thursday, Hyde said in a news release.
The search continued for Kenneth Conley, who fled the jail with Banks.
Banks, 37, and Conley, 38, somehow broke a large hole into the bottom of a 6-inch-wide window of the Metropolitan Correctional Center, dropped out their makeshift rope and climbed down about 20 floors to the ground.
The escape went unnoticed for hours, with surveillance video from a nearby street showing the two hop into a cab shortly before 3 a.m. Tuesday. They had changed out of their orange jail-issued jumpsuits.
When the facility did discover the two men were gone around 7 a.m., what was found revealed a meticulously planned escape, including clothing and sheets shaped to resemble a body under blankets on beds, bars inside a mattress and even fake bars in the cells.
Bank robbers use rope made of cloth scraps to escape jail
A massive manhunt involving state, federal and local law enforcement agencies was launched, as SWAT teams stormed into the home of a relative of Conley only to learn the two escapees had been there and left. The authorities searched other area homes and businesses — even a strip club where Conley once worked.
'Second-Hand Bandit'
Law enforcement officials left a host of questions unanswered, including how the men could collect about 200 feet of bed sheets and what they might have used to break through the wall of the federal facility.
Banks, known as the Second-Hand Bandit because he wore used clothes during his heists, was convicted last week of robbing two banks and attempting to rob two others. Authorities say he stole almost $600,000, and most of that still is missing.
During trial, he had to be restrained because he threatened to walk out of the courtroom. He acted as his own attorney and verbally sparred with the prosecutor, at times arguing that U.S. law didn't apply to him because he was a sovereign citizen of a group that was above state and federal law.
Prisoner escapes, found in hospital vent less than an hour later
Conley pleaded guilty last October to robbing a Homewood Bank last year of nearly $4,000. Conley, who worked at the time at a suburban strip club, wore a coat and tie when he robbed the bank and had a gun stuffed in his waistband.
The Metropolitan Correctional Center, located in Chicago's Loop, has been the site of escape attempts before.
Fugitive who escaped from prison more than 31 years ago finally caught
The brother of "Dark Knight" director Christopher Nolan pleaded guilty in 2010 for trying to escape the jail using a rope made of bed sheets.
Matthew Nolan planned to rappel down the side of the building using a 31-foot rope of bed sheets that he had hidden in a mattress, NBCChicago.com reported, adding that in 1985, two men escaped by shimmying down a 75-foot extension cord they threw out the window.
Escape carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, authorities said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Drivers across Yorkshire are being urged to travel with extreme caution this morning amid widespread weather warnings of high winds brought on by Storm Henry.
Winds of more than 60mph were recorded in Loftus, North Yorkshire, overnight and the Met Office is warning of further strong gusts for commuters today.
Forecasters have put in place yellow 'be aware' warnings which will remain in place across the White Rose until at least around 10am this morning.
Storm Henry is the eighth winter storm to hit the region. It saw the Humber Bridge near Hull close to high-sided vehicles after a lorry blew over in 49mph winds yesterday.
The weather system is expected to cause more issues for areas of Scotland however, with thousands of homes north of the border still without power.
Met Office amber 'be prepared' warnings will remain in place across much of Scotland this morning after winds reached 90mph in South Uist overnight, while around 2,000 northern Scottish homes are yet to have their electricity supply reinstated.
Storm Henry also risks further flooding in Scotland, where almost 30 flood warnings are in place across the regions.
Warnings for wind at the yellow 'be aware' level also remain in place for Northern Ireland, Wales, northern England and the West Midlands.


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John J. Ciafone has announced he will be running to fill Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr.'s spot in the 22nd Council District.
"I'm running for Council in the 22nd District because our community is facing serious problems," said Ciafone. "Until we change these issues, our community will continue to suffer and we will lose our friends, businesses, neighbors and families to other cities."
Ciafone has been a lawyer based on Steinway Street for the past two decades. The Astoria native was the former president and treasurer of Community School Board 30. He currently serves as the executive officer of the Aldo's Democratic Club and is counsel to the New York State Fraternal Order of Police Big Apple Lodge.
Ciafone will run against Democrats Tony Meloni, the founder and executive director of the New York Anti-Crime Agency and Costa Constantinides, deputy chief of staff for Councilmember James Gennaro.
- Candidates release campaign filings for 2013 city, Queens races
- Fake website takes aim at Astoria community board members
- Borough President candidates making the rounds


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195 Numurkah Road
Shepparton, VIC, 3630
Telephone: (03) 5831 6388
Facsimile: (03) 5831 6389
Email: sales@solarcitymarine....
Monday to Friday : 8.30am - 5.30pm
Saturday : 8.30 am - midday
Sunday : Closed
(03) 5831 6388
Proud dealers of Yamaha Outboards, Quintrex Boats and Nova Caravans.
Solar City Marine & Caravans has been operating since 1995, servicing the Shepparton, & Goulburn Valley. Our customer base is as diverse and long standing as the residents of our community and we pride ourselves on giving all our customers the very best pricing backed up by superb and friendly customer service.
There doesn't appear to be any news for this topic! Please check back later.


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- Owner: Rhonda Millsap
(705) 881-9698
Professional Cleaning Services Provided In
Alliston, Angus, Anten Mills, Barrie, Beeton, Bell Ewart, Borden, Cookstown, Craighurst, Dalston, Edenvale, Edgar, Essa, Guthrie, Holland Marsh, Innisfil, Midhurst, Minesing, Oro Station, Strongville, Stroud, Tottenham, Utopia
Your Local Franchise
Relax… you've found Bell Ewart's number one maid service!
MOLLY MAID Bell Ewart has been providing superior house cleaning services in Bell Ewart for more than 30 years. Our professional house cleaners are thorough, consistent and reliable. They are professionally trained, bonded and insured.
We are residential house cleaning experts, and our green cleaning teams take great pride in every home they service. The environmentally preferable products that we bring along to every home are safe for your family, pets and the environment.
MOLLY MAID Bell Ewart's customized cleaning services are designed to meet your individual needs whether you choose regular house cleaning services or occasional cleaning such as move-in or move-out services.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation, in-home estimate of your house cleaning needs. We are affordable, our service is backed by a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee and there's no contract required.
Our goal is to clean your house from top to bottom and give you more time to do the things you really enjoy.
MOLLY MAID Bell Ewart is now hiring!
Customer Reviews
Hi Rhonda, just wanted to say how pleased I am with the service your staff provide. They are always professional, courteous and do a fabulous job. Today Sonya and Leigh were here, but no matter who it is, they are great! So nice just to have fabulous, quality customer service. Keep up the great work.
Hi Rhonda, I just wanted to let you know how thrilled I am with the work that your ladies did this morning. My floors are shining, my bathroom gleams, and my heart is full of gratitude! Please pass on my thanks. I look forward to the next time that we can treat ourselves! Thanks again.
My partner, Maureen, and I would like to say thank you for the wonderful two ladies you sent to clean our basement apartment. They did a great job and were very friendly and thorough. It was a pleasant surprise. Have a great day!
We hired MOLLY MAID to clean our office and studios about two years ago. We really couldn't be happier with the service, the team, and the stellar job they do every time they clean. The team is always friendly and smiling even though they have to clean up after radio announcers! Thank you!
MOLLY MAID Barrie is proud to have won the Barrie Advance Reader's Choice Award for 'Favourite Home Cleaning'.
MOLLY MAID Barrie won another Reader's Choice Award with the Barrie Advance newspaper for 'Favorite Cleaning Service'. Thank you to all our satisfied customers who voted for us!
MOLLY MAID Barrie won the Barrie Advance Reader's Choice Award for 'Favourite Home Cleaning'.
MOLLY MAID Barrie is excited to have been voted "Best Cleaning Service" by the Barrie Advance. Thank you to all of the Barrie residents who voted! It is an honour to win this award.
MOLLY MAID Barrie proudly supports the CNIB Barrie Vison's Dinner for the United Way.
MOLLY MAID Barrie is a proud sponsor of the 2012 Shrine Circus.
At the 2012 MOLLY MAID Convention, Rhonda Millsap, owner of MOLLY MAID Barrie, achieved the Rookie of the Year Award. As its name suggests, this award is presented to a new Franchise Owner who has made the most significant progress in their franchise since joining the MOLLY MAID team. Excellent customer service, sales performance and Franchise operation contributes to Rhonda's overall success.
MOLLY MAID is pleased to recognize Rhonda and thank her for outstanding efforts and dedication to her customers.
MOLLY MAID Barrie sponsored the Wheel for the Cure Cycling team to Conquer Cancer, benefiting the Campbell Family Institute at the Princess Margaret Hospital.


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Berkeley County, WV
Franklin County, PA
Frederick County, MD
Jefferson County, WV
Loudoun County, VA
Welcome to KW Premier Realty
|This site has been designed for our Hagerstown, MD area real estate clients. Please feel free to use the information on this site to help with your real estate decision and to learn about the areas we service in Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. If you have any questions feel free to contact us at any moment for your Hagerstown, MD area real estate needs.
Our Keller Williams REALTORS® are ready to help you with all your real estate needs, and we appreciate the opportunity to earn your business. Looking to either begin a career in real estate or take it to new heights with Keller Williams Excellence? Watch this video and then contact us to schedule a time to talk about your Keller Williams real estate career.


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Flanders Classics
When you think Flanders Classics, you think the traditional classic spring races in Flanders. Since 2010, this Belgian company has organised the prestigious and well-known Tour of Flanders as well as Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, the opening race of the spring season.
Flanders Classics is also involved in the organisation of four other renowned Flemish springtime races: Dwars Door Vlaanderen, Gent-Wevelgem, Scheldeprijs Schoten and the Brabantse Pijl.
Flanders Classics' mission is to secure the position of the Flemish spring classic on the international cycling calendar and to increase the prestige of Flemish cycling in Belgium and abroad. Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Dwars door Vlaanderen owe their inclusion in the WorldTour calendar to this philosophy. As a result, Flanders Classics now organises four WorldTour races, including the equally prestigious Tour of Flanders and Gent-Wevelgem.


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Select a CurrencyAustralia AUD$ United Kingdom GBP£ United States USD$ Canada CAD$ European Union EUR€ Don't see your local currency? Saatchi Art ships to over 100 countries worldwide—please make your purchase in USD.
Please see "How to install Safari 6" (minimum requirements, Mac OS X Lion v10.7.5). You may also try Chrome or Firefox.


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Learning Japanese involves mastering four writing systems and thousands of characters, wrapping your head around obscure grammar, and navigating the tricky waters of hierarchy.
I'm sure you'd agree with us:
Japanese is a really difficult language.
But is it?
Well, it turns out hundreds of thousands of learners just like you pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) every year, and they didn't have to do anything extraordinary to reach their fluency…
…they achieved results through discipline, and insights from those who've been through this before. There's a proven path to success, and you can follow it too.
Below we'll share some of the exclusive insights you'll find in the LinguaLift course, and convince you that learning Japanese online is far easier than you've been led to believe.
You can learn Japanese (with the right approach)
Here's the deal:
Get your approach wrong, and learning a language is unreasonably difficult.
Surprisingly, the secret to success is not hard work and regular practice.
There are many people who, after years of learning, go to a Japanese restaurant and struggle to make a simple order. They wonder whether the results really justify their time and effort.
Not to mention, they can't let their personality shine in Japanese.
It's terribly frustrating.
Their biggest goal is to communicate and understand real-world Japanese as it's actually used. But all they've got are random words and abstract grammar patterns.
Hard work alone does not lead to success, and we have data to show it. Study data of LinguaLift users who have learned enough Japanese to start a new life in Japan.
Surprisingly, these learners weren't the ones who studied non-stop, all day, every day. In fact, one of them only ever studied for 15 minutes every morning.
They didn't study hard. They studied smart.
There's a huge difference.
If you're not using the right method, you're not only wasting precious time, but forming bad habits that will prevent you from ever achieving fluency.
Every hour of study time has the potential to unlock brand new possibilities.
But it's all to easy to waste that same hour mindlessly clicking on picture flashcards.
It's all too easy to mistake the illusion of progress for actual improvement, and we're sad to see some of our competitors take advantage of people new to online language learning.
LinguaLift students who have followed our clear and sensible approach to learning Japanese online have found they can fit studying in even the most busy of schedules.
From company CEOs to Ivy League undergraduates, to single parents of four children—we've seen that you can be a successful language learner even if you don't have much time to commit to studying. You just need to study smart.
You're probably wondering what our solution is.
The LinguaLift course is divided into a clear, step-by-step curriculum, where each lesson teaches you Japanese characters, words, and phrases relevant to real-life situations.
But we don't stop there.
In addition to teaching you the nuts and bolts of the language, we provide cultural insights and tips from natives so you can not just speak, but act like a local.
We also make use of a memory approach recommended by the Harvard Medical School called spaced repetition.
"one of the most remarkable phenomena to emerge from laboratory research on learning" — WIRED
Our team of friendly study robots keeps note of all you learn, and they'll ping you when you're about to forget it.
(They don't cease to amaze us with how well they can predict that moment based on your past performance!)
Our method allows you to go out and start using the language sooner, and makes you remember the material more effectively. 👍
We gear you up for long-term success
It's cool to know a few phrases, but it's so much more impressive to switch between Japanese and English with ease.
This may seem like a distant dream, but there are hundreds of thousands of English speakers who have reached this level. Many of them used LinguaLift as part of their journey.
The way to get there is to not focus on short term wins, but rather allow your brain to think in Japanese. 🤔
To do this, you need to completely adopt a Japanese way of expressing your thoughts and ideas, and a Japanese-like sentence structure as soon as possible.
This doesn't usually come naturally to English speakers, but the right exercises can kick-start the process.
Unlike our competitors, who teach you Japanese using the English alphabet, with LinguaLift you'll be using the native Japanese script from the get-go.
This way you'll read real Japanese sooner, grasp new grammar with ease, and most importantly start thinking like a native Japanese speaker.
Core vocabulary is the key to success
The easiest way to become fluent is to have a vast vocabulary.
Even if your grammar is wonky, pronunciation imperfect, and sentence structure mixed up, you'll be able to get your point across with the right words.
This is equally true when you listen to native speakers.
If you can pick up vocabulary items you know, you'll usually work out roughly what they are saying. 😊
To pass the top level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), you must know over ten thousand words.
But the truth is: The JLPT list is full of words you won't come across in daily life.
The average educated Japanese speaker uses just 5,000 words. These words are enough to communicate about a wide range of topics, and express a variety of ideas.
What's great is you could master these words without breaking a sweat, by learning just 10 words a day for 18 months.
By learning just 5,000 words, you've got a vocabulary sophisticated enough to speak at the same level as most native speakers. And you can get there in less than two years!
Basic conversation in Japanese is possible with just 1,000 words. You can learn these in just 6 months at a leisurely pace of 5 words a day.
We've got the data to show it too! It takes LinguaLift students just half a year to acquire enough vocab to get around Japan and chat to natives. 🎏
We leverage your knowledge of English
The task is easier than it seems.
If you can speak good English, you're at a huge advantage in learning Japanese. After all, you already know at least 25% of words Japanese people use every day!
You see:
Japanese is unique in how it can effortlessly absorb foreign words.
In English, we use a few Japanese words such as sushi, tsunami and karaoke. In Japanese, this borrowing is taken to a whole new level!
The Japanese use thousands of English words every day. 😲 All you need to learn is the Japanese way of pronouncing them.
The word for 'engine' is en-jin. 'Camera' is ka-me-ra. Hotel is ho-te-ru.
You can tell a su-to-ri (story) of going through a *tu-n-ne-ru *(tunnel) on your ba-i-ku (bike) drinking o-re-n-ji jyu-su (orange juice) out of a gu-ra-su (glass) using exclusively words of an English origin.
Once you've learned the basics of Japanese pronunciation, you'll be able to say any English word in Japanese, and be understood most of the time.
Japanese sounds follow a simple rule:
A consonant must always be followed by a vowel.
So the word 'mike' (like microphone) becomes 🎙 ma-i-ku. The word 'business' becomes 💼 bi-zi-ne-su. The word for 'driveshaft' is ⚙ do-ra-i-bu-sya-fu-to.
You probably get the idea by now.
There are hundreds of words like this. Spend a week or two getting familiar with the way the Japanese alphabet works, and you'll be able to use your knowledge of English to impress in Japanese.
What's more, Japanese people go through six years of compulsory English classes.
They can't all speak English (just ~5% are anywhere near fluency), but they do tend to know a lot of vocab, which they would have learned using the Japanese-like pronunciation.
So even if you say an English word not used in Japanese, there is a high chance you'll be understood.
If you've forgotten the word mon-dai (problem), saying pu-ro-bu-re-mu would work just as well to get your message across.
The grammar structure is worlds apart from English.
Japanese grammar is so far removed from English it has to be explained, not just shown.
It's completely unrealistic to expect you'll be able to 'pick it up' from Japanese TV, or clicking enough pictures of apples in software designed to 'immerse' you like a 👶 baby.
At LinguaLift, we use patterns, rules and shortcuts to help you deconstruct Japanese. We explain in a clear and friendly way how the language works, and don't expect you to know anything about grammar.
If expressions like 'temporal noun phrases' and 'adjective clause' fill you with excitement, LinguaLift isn't for you.
If you value clear explanations in plain English, you'll like our style!
(We also throw in emoji here and there, which isn't to everyone's taste, but we don't care 💩)
So much grammar doesn't exist in Japanese.
Basic Japanese grammar is surprisingly simple.
There is no future tense, no gender, no plurals, no cases, and essentially no exceptions to the few rules that remain.
In English, you can't say "Yesterday we goed to the restaurant", nor can you say "I went to restaurant alone". Make a small mistake in your grammar, and you're instantly found out as a non-native speaker.
Japanese grammar is worlds apart from the complexities of English:
1. Much of what you say is implied
You usually don't need to state who is talking in Japanese, because it's obvious from the context. This means words like 'we' 'she' and 'they' appear far less frequently.
2. Words don't change based on what they describe
"I eat." and "She eats." becomes simply "Eat." in Japanese. The rest, you work out from context. You can even create a complete Japanese sentence with just a verb!
3. You don't need to think about plurality
In English, it's incorrect to say "There are two sheeps in the field", or "there is a dogs in the park". You can't make these mistakes in Japanese, since words don't change based on number.
4. There are no articles, or fiddly rules about gender
In French, a table is feminine, and a pen is masculine. The Japanese don't bog you down with such nonsense. You can also forget about 'a' and 'the'! Just "go to restaurant".
5. Past and present is all you need
Is it 'ate', 'have eaten' or 'had eaten'? 'Eat' or 'will eat'? In Japanese, you only have two options: the past, and the non-past.
All this means that:
- I eat pizza.
- We'll eat pizza.
- They eat pizza.
- Do you eat pizza?
would all be exactly the same in Japanese.
All four can be translated as: ピザを食べる (pi-za o ta-be-ru).
The nuances of when and how many people are involved, or whether it's a question are communicated through context and tone of voice.
Japanese pronunciation is ridiculously easy.
If you're a native English speaker, you're in luck. There are very few sounds in Japanese you can't pronounce already.
Better yet:
There are no exceptions to pronunciation rules.
Unlike in English, where you don't know how to pronounce the word 'live' until you know the context, every Japanese word is spoken exactly as it's written.
After just a few weeks, you'll be able to read every Japanese word like a native.
The two exceptions in pronunciation aren't even that tricky:
1. The Japanese R is closer to D
The Japanese don't distinguish between L, D and R. So to pronounce the first part of 📻 ra-ji-o*,* you'll need to move your tongue closer to 'la', while making the same mouth shape as if you were saying 'da'.
This is why many Japanese can't distinguish 🐜 lice from 🍚 rice when spoken.
After a day or two of practice, you'll be saying ラジオ just like a native speaker!
2. English doesn't have the sounds 'tsu'
To say the first part of 🌊 tsu-na-mi, you need to push the air through your teeth a little like a beatboxer would make a cymbal sound with the word 'cats'. See if you can mimic the sound: 津波
Other than these two exceptions, all Japanese sounds have English equivalents!
Small tricks for big wins
You may think of learning grammar as the unfortunate chore, but it's what's most exciting about the Japanese language.
Japanese grammar is really simple.
But the best part is:
The few patterns there are make you really expressive without all the vocab and set expressions you'd have to use in English.
Let's see how expressive we can be about cake:
To say "I ate cake", you use:
ケーキを食べた (ke-ki wo ta-be-ta).
But add special verb ending, 'cha-t-ta':
ケーキを食べちゃった (ke-ki wo ta-be-cha-t-ta)
and you get "I didn't really mean to, but I ended up eating cake".
That's two phrases to convey what Japanese does with one syllable! And you can do the same with all verbs—no exceptions.
There are loads of other useful verb endings, and they're super rewarding to learn as each makes your Japanese much more expressive.
Rather than just saying "I went to a nightclub", why not say "I gave going to a nightclub a try"? Adding 'te-mita' to the verb 'went' does that.
Instead of "I put a pen in my pocket", how about "I made preparations for something in the future by putting a pen in my pocket"? Simply end the verb with 'te-oku'.
Smart learners leverage these simple but powerful endings to speak well beyond their abilities. 😏
(And you'll learn countless more in the full LinguaLift course)
Vagueness and formality make Japanese easier
It's rare that the customs and culture of a country can make language learning easier, but this is certainly true for Japanese.
In Japan, it's unusual to communicate in a direct and frank manner, so even when your Japanese isn't as precise as you'd like it to be, you can still come across naturally.
It's up to the person listening to try and fill in the blanks in what the speaker is saying, and work out what will be the most harmonious solution for both parties.
This makes Japanese the rare language where beginner learners tend to say too much, not too little.
Imagine this:
You received a party invitation from your best friend, but unfortunately have to decline.
Your teacher mentioned there could be a retest on Friday morning, and you're not sure if you can go as there's a chance you may have to stay up late studying.
It'd be entirely inappropriate to say all of this information to your Japanese friend! 🙊
All you'd need to say is:
"So, I received your invitation, but…"
Your friend will understand from the word 'but…' that you probably have a reasonable excuse, and are unlikely to come to the party.
You only need to be able to say one short sentence, and you've managed to communicate effectively and naturally in Japanese!
Use set phrases for shortcuts to fluency
Common Japanese interactions are based on formulaic exchanges that follow predictable patterns.
Some conversations at school and in the workplace are so rigid, they read like a movie script!
Learn these set expressions, and you'll be able to participate in conversations well above your actual level.
Many expressions used dozens of times a day by Japanese people have no direct English equivalent, as they fit countless contexts and can convey different shades of meaning.
You can say:
Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
I request that you treat me well.
to express many feelings, from "please do this for me", through "I'm sorry I messed up, I'll try harder next time" to even "I hope you'll let me join your party".
It's a perfectly natural thing to say in so many contexts, you can use it in any conversation in which you can't quite find the right words.
When you've got a sense of how these expressions are used, they really take your language to the next level.
You can use them to make the conversation flow even if you're not entirely sure what's going on. 👍There are dozens of them, and we cover the most useful ones at LinguaLift from the beginning.
Japanese people love talking about their country
This isn't something most people think about when deciding whether to learn a language, but the Japanese are unusually willing to help foreigners learn 🇯🇵 Japanese.
There are countless apps and forums where native speakers offer their time for free to help you learn the language.
There are relatively few foreign-born people living in Japan, and many Japanese are excited to mingle and learn from international visitors when they get a chance to.
This means you'll have no trouble finding language exchange partners and making friends, adding extra fun to your learning journey.
It's a really fun language
For anyone who likes problem solving, puzzles and visual thinking, Japanese is a thrilling language to learn.
It is far removed from English, giving you plenty of creative ways to build sentences.
It also opens doors to film, literature and incredible cultural experiences completely off limits to those who don't speak Japanese.
Learning Japanese is not easy, but it is possible. We know the path successful learners take, and can't wait to guide motivated learners like you.
Ready to learn smart? Then try a free Japanese lesson today.


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NOTE: This is more of a post asking for a little clarification, rather than one asking for help.
Java does not seem to actually create any objects when you define an array specifically of objects, unlike if it was an array of primitives which are initialized to their type's default. The following code demonstrates what I'm getting at:
public class GridSquare { private int x, y, width, height; public GridSquare() //Constructor { this.x = 0; this.y = 0; this.width = 0; this.height = 0; } public void setGridLocation(int newX, int newY, int newWidth, int newHeight) { this.x = newX; this.y = newY; this.width = newWidth; this.height = newHeight; } }
public class Map { GridSquare[][] gridSquares = new GridSquare[10][10]; //This only creates a 10 by 10 array of Null GridSquare objects public Map() //Constructor { gridSquares[0][0].setGridLocation(50,50,50,50); //A test location that shows all gridSquares locations are Null } }
Now, I've done a fair share of Google searching to reach this conclusion, and the answer I seem to get is that I should (separately) initialize every single array cell with the new command, such as described by these sources:
Array of objects initialization Problem - Java - Forums at ProgrammersHeaven.com
Explain how to initialize an array of objects
This seems like a roundabout way to accomplish what I would think Java could handle on its own. Is there any particular reason that Java is unable to actually create an object for each cell and reference it? With a proper Constructor written for the object in the array so that the proper data gets loaded, I'd imagine you could skip all the extra work.


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Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's and women's cross country teams took part in the prestigious Greater Louisville Classic on Saturday (Sept. 29) at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky.
The Bulldog men's squad competed in the top "Gold" division and placed 21st overall of 31 competing teams in a mainly Division I field. The Bulldogs totaled 563 points in the men's competition.
Meanwhile, the women's squad took fourth place in the women's "Blue" second division with 221 points behind champion West Virginia (41), Penn State (134) and Grand Valley State (190) of the 43 teams in the field.
Senior Tyler Crossman led the Bulldog men as he took 94th overall in the "Gold" division in a time of 25:13.57 overall. Next up was senior Ryan Chute in 115th place at 25:26.17 with junior Brandon Cushman behind him in 120th place at 25:28.51.
Bulldog junior Alex Bladecki was 151st (25:47.33) with sophomore Andrew Harper taking 158th place (25:52.61) and junior David Silversmith coming in 165th (25:58.41) in leading FSU. Junior Bill King finished 175th (26:02.37) and sophomore Charlton Craig came in 194th (26:17.45) with senior Michael Schulte placing 209th (26:33.45) in the 255-runner field.
The Bulldog men placed ahead of teams such as Marquette, Georgia Tech and Western Kentucky. The division was won by Iona with 47 points followed by Columbia (110) and Georgia (143) in the top three overall.
On the women's side, junior standout Samantha Johnson came in sixth at 17:59.51 to lead Ferris State. The race was won by Sharon Ronoh of Lindsey Wilson in a time of 17:27.36.
FSU senior Alyssa Osika took 29th place (18:33.08) with senior Jordan McGuire finishing 32nd (18:37.02) and sophomore Kristie LeSage taking 59th place (18:55.48). Bulldog junior Brittany Anderson wound up 110th (19:21.38) followed by junior Haleigh Przybylek in 133rd place (19:32.44) and sophomore Breeann Ovokaitys taking 135th place (19:33.08).
Sophomore Kayla Smith placed 171st (19:51.26) of 337 runners in the field.
The Greater Louisville Classic was hosted by the Louisville Sports Commission.
The Ferris State women's cross country team is ranked eighth and the men 15th in the latest Division II National Rankings.
Bulldog Cross Country Teams Perform Well At Greater Louisville Classic
Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's and women's cross country teams took part in the prestigious Greater Louisville Classic on Saturday (Sept. 29) at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky.


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OK, so here's the situation: I'm writing what's known of my crazy-wonderful family history: it's a book project. Want to get the stories down for future generations. Have a working title, an outline, a prologue, and am into the meat of The Introduction. The Introduction is falling out into three distinct parts: the why and how of the book, the family groups, and a short description of the two grandmother's kitchens. Except, not in that order. There was a fourth section about Frostburg, Maryland which is the theme of the book but that's sitting like a Christmas lump of coal in my writer's stocking so it's getting worked on separately.
The three sections of the intro were written in a sort of stream of consciousness and then edited a bit to clean up the gross stuff. Once that was done I put it on the back burner to simmer. I think it boiled over while my Muse went to Miami Beach for a short time to renew her tan, and now that she's back she's scolding me and saying that the order needs to change, any fool can see. But she went for the mani/pedi before she left a note to say what the best order was. B*! Maybe I can do this without her...? Doubt it. She's be back soon, she always is.
My personal creative process has always been like that, no matter the media. I can make all the schedules I want from here to next year (oh wait, short trip;) and devote myself to "regular hours" but it's all for naught if the Muse isn't ready. For me and the way I work, I have to laugh every time I hear a presenter talking about getting your family history written say, "write for a half-hour a day at a given time". Ha! Not gonna work for me, I've tried.
And the funny thing is that I have learned over the years to give my muse room to roam because when she's gone something is cooking and I need to wait around and be patient for the good stuff to come: something big is on the way. I just leave it be and every once in a bit turn a casual thought to the project to see what's up. I find that she returns on no regular schedule but when she comes back, she has great input.
Ever program yourself to solve a problem while dreaming? You just think on a problem or concept or whatever as you go off to sleep and overnight it's quite possible some very clever ideas will come to you. As we all know, especially if we've tried this, it's important to write down what you dream before the night fairies steal the thoughts from under your pillow:)
I first became aware of my muse while reading a book by Eric Maisel. He's written a whole bunch of stuff about the creative process and you'll find his web site here: http://ericmaisel.com/
The first one I read was, Fearless Creating. You'll find his page with a write up on that book at: http://ericmaisel.com/fearless-creating/ , and of course there's a click through to Amazon and Barnes and Noble if you wish to purchase it. It really helped me at the time I needed it to better understand that I wasn't a crazy or lazy artist! I was just an average run of the mill creative person so no need to beat up on myself for unusual work habits.
As frustrating as it might get every now and again creating a work, I know that the trouble will pass, and eventually with patience all will eventually be well. And the work will be better for the pause taken.That said, everyone has a different and unique-to-them creative process. Hope your muse is a sweetheart ... with a regular schedule. Mine is a wild child.
Photo of the day from the Archive:
Me, about 1951:
Muse in training?


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The Bartlett Tribune and News (Bartlett, Tex.), Vol. 73, No. 42, Ed. 1, Thursday, August 25, 1960
Description: Daily newspaper from Bartlett, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with extensive advertising.
Date: August 25, 1960
Creator: Ford, Nora Mae
Item Type: Refine your search to only Newspaper
Partner: Bartlett Activities Center and the Historical Society of Bartlett


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Navy Blue Matt 36
100% Handmade in Italy
Sanded cellulose acetate
Flex hinges for added comfort
Find out more about our delivery options
Please try your glasses on in the comfort of your own home. If you don't like them or they don't fit we'll happily collect them for free
To clean your glasses, gently rub some soap and water over them, rinse well and dry with a clean cloth.
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Welcome to our online store, where you can purchase the fine French-made fabrics we have been selling in the U.S. for almost ten years. We got into this business when Amelia and I were visiting my grandmother's homestead in Southern France, and she first noticed these eye-catching fine tablecloths being sold in the open-air markets of Provence. We brought a few back to the organic farm we ran in Connecticut, and Amelia used them to cover the farm stand tables. Immediately our customers wanted the French tablecloths as much as our vegetables, so the following winter we returned from France with several dufflebags-full.
By then we had discovered that the fabrics were practical as well as beautiful- they washed beautifully, required no ironing, and didn't stain. Despite a long messy season in the farm stand, and several open air summer dinners during which at least a little wine was spilled, they continued to look as good as new. This, we found, was characteristic of these Jacquard cotton-poly weaves, made in old French mills, and we still think they are fabulous fabrics, in terms of beauty, quality, durability, and ease of care. In addition to these, we now also carry 100% cotton fabrics of various types. Most of our products are now made just for us.
We understand that purchasing a fine tablecloth over the web can be difficult- and that is why we accept returns made within 10 days of your receipt of our product. We are a very small business, so we cannot afford to have inventory out of our hands for longer than that. We'll cover the shipping to you, and you pay for return shipping.
If you'd like to see our products first, we'd love to meet you in person at one of our large sales. Just check our Events tab for upcoming locations. And please suggest a location if you'd like.
We get a lot of enjoyment from our customers' happiness with our products, and we stand by what we sell you. We have many satisfied repeat customers, and hope to have you among them. Thanks for visiting our web site!
Michael Newburg


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ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.
In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.
Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at email@example.com.
- Kusumi, Kenro
- 1 Arizona State University
- 1 Eckalbar, Walter
- 1 Huentelman, Matthew
- 1 Rawls, Jeffery
- 1 Wilson-Rawls, Norma
- 1 English
- application/zip
- 1 application/pdf
- 1 application/vnd.ms-excel
- 1 text/plain
- 1 Public
- Developmental biology
- 1 Development
- 1 Evolution
- 1 Genetics
- 1 Genomics
- 1 Lizard
- 1 Molecular biology
- more
- 1 RNA-seq
- 1 Regeneration
- Dwarf Galaxies as Laboratories of Protogalaxy Physics: Canonical Star Formation Laws at Low Metallicity
- Evolutionary Genetics of CORL Proteins
- Social Skills and Executive Functioning in Children with PCDH-19
- Deep Domain Fusion for Adaptive Image Classification
- Software Defined Pulse-Doppler Radar for Over-The-Air Applications: The Joint Radar-Communications Experiment
Well-established model systems exist in four out of the seven major classes of vertebrates. These include the mouse, chicken, frog and zebrafish. Noticeably missing from this list is a reptilian model organism for comparative studies between the vertebrates and for studies of biological processes unique to reptiles. To help fill in this gap the green anole lizard, Anolis carolinensis, is being adapted as a model organism. Despite the recent release of the complete genomic sequence of the A. carolinensis, the lizard lacks some resources to aid researchers in their studies. Particularly, the lack of transcriptomic resources for lizard has made …
- Contributors
- Eckalbar, Walter, Kusumi, Kenro, Huentelman, Matthew, et al.
- Created Date
- 2012


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From the 2009 UCSF Diabetes Update and Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism meeting.
Some recent reports from major trials and long-term follow-up of large diabetes treatment studies have sparked a lot of discussion about how low to try and push hemoglobin A1c levels in people with diabetes. Clinicians may be wondering whether intensive glucose control is safe and worth the effort, and in which patients, after tasting the alphabet soup of recent findings — from the 10-year follow-up of the UKPDS to the ACCORD and ADVANCE studies, the VADT, and Steno-2, plus the 2009 joint statement on all this from the American Diabetes Association, American Heart Assocation, and American College of Cardiology.
Dr. Elizabeth Murphy, chief of endocrinology at San Francisco General Hospital, put it all in perspective. What to do differently? Not much. Aim for a hemoglobin A1c level below 7% for most patients. Consider lower targets for younger, healthier, newly diagnosed patients. Consider higher targets if the patient is expected to live less than 5 years, or has severe hypoglycemia, advanced complications, or other significant comorbid conditions. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists still recommends A1c targets below 6.5%, she added.
At conferences like this, spoon-feeding the blood sugar data helps the medicine go down…


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- Beloving Collection Dress F17-4808 .
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- Please Contact Us, Email or Call to Check Availability. Otherwise Please allow 4 - 5 months for delivery because Beloving Collection Dress by Marys Quinceanera are made-to-order.
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- For Store Returns/Exchanges Policy CLICK HERE
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The billion-dollar bust?
The Billion-Dollar Buy: About this series
Like never before, big dollars are having a big impact on politics and governance. This series examines how the new wide-open fundraising landscape will affect the 2012 campaigns.
See also: Inside Koch world | GOP groups plan record $1 billion blitz | Rove hits big: Birth of a mega-donor | Myth of the small donor | Sheldon Adelson: Inside the mind of the mega-donor | Secret cash for GOP door-knockers | IRS's 'feeble' grip on big political cash | The new normal: $9M for rural House seat
Big outside money fundamentally changed American politics in 2012 — just not the way the Republicans who planned a $1 billion blitz to defeat President Barack Obama wanted.
Story Continued Below
Ultimately, in fact, it may have hurt Republicans almost as much as it helped.
The high-dollar barrage spurred once wary Democrats to launch their own big money machine — which ended up nearly matching the GOP's overall spending and actually put more ads on the air than the Republicans.
Mega-donors dragged out the primary and exposed Mitt Romney to damaging attacks on Bain Capital and social issues, some of the same attacks that Obama used to take him down. And outside money weakened the traditional party establishment's hold on the process and propped up insurgent Senate candidates who lost on Tuesday.
( Also on POLITICO: Top Republican mega-donors)
Both sides are already planning their next big money pushes, but some of the top GOP donors are asking whether they wasted their time and money in 2012, and are considering changing their ways somewhat going forward.
"I have not been a big fan of ads from Day One," said Foster Friess, whose money kept Rick Santorum alive in the Republican primary, adding he was planning to shift his cash from television ads to grass-roots organizing.
( Also on POLITICO: Top Democratic mega-donors)
"I'm sort of burned out right now — just how much effort and resources I put into it — but I think it's money well spent because it's part of the process. And you don't always win," the retired mutual fund pioneer told POLITICO.
Karl Rove's Crossroads outfit is holding a phone call for its big donors Thursday to sum up the race, said Stan Hubbard, a Minnesota media mogul and mega-donor. "Obviously, somebody made a mistake and didn't do things right. There's no question about that," he said.
( Also on POLITICO: Secret cash for GOP door-knockers)
Romney and his allies spent $1.2 billion on the race, compared with $1 billion spent by Obama and his allies, according to a POLITICO analysis of records on Federal Election Commission data and public statements. Nearly 40 percent of Team Romney's spending came from super PACs and other unlimited outside money groups, compared with about 12 percent for Team Obama.
But the final tally for 2012 might never be known because some of the biggest spending outfits, particularly on the right, are nonprofit groups that are allowed to keep their donors and many details of their spending a secret from the public.
( FULL SERIES: The Billion-Dollar Buy)
With slim prospects for any significant clampdown on campaign cash from Congress, the Internal Revenue Service or the courts, a $2 billion presidential campaign could seem quaint in 2016, especially with competitive primaries on both sides.
Rove, for one, isn't backing down. The unofficial GOP outside money boss argues the efforts by his Crossroads outfits prevented a bigger electoral blowout.
"Crossroads, which you helped found, spent what, $325 million, and we've ended up with the same president, the same Democratic majority in the Senate and the same Republican majority in the House. Was it worth it?" Chris Wallace asked Rove on Fox News about an hour after most media had called the race for Obama.
"Yeah," Rove responded. "Look, if groups like Crossroads were not active, this race would have been over a long time ago. President Obama came out of the box on May 15 with $215 million of advertising over a 2½-month period, designed to demonize Mitt Romney."


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Antonio Cicerale is uniquely positioned to bring the truth of creation and the gospel to his native country, Italy.
Interview with Biologist, Dr. Joe Francis
Despite long hours at his job, Jon Taylor can't stop illustrating biblical truth.
Teens need a fresh approach to sexual purity.
No results found in Impact.
The eruption of Mount Saint Helens in the 1980s changed how we view catastrophe; on its thirty-fifth anniversary, we examine what we've learned since then.Browse Issue Subscribe
Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.


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Destroy All Humans! Path Of The Furon
Destroy All Humans PS3 release confirmed for Europe
THQ UK's just confirmed that reports of the PS3 version of Destroy all Humans: Path of the Furon being canned are only applicable for the US – the game will release for both Xbox 360 and PS3 in Europe. Both versions have taken a heavy slip: the game was supposed to release next week. "Destroy […]
Destroy All Humans! Path Of The Furon headlines
Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon PS3 cancelled due to "development issues"
THQ's cancelled Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon for PlayStation 3, citing "development issues" as the reason. The game was to go on sale next week, December 1, for both PS3 and 360, but will now be exclusive to Microsoft's console. Oops. New video and more over at Shacknews. By Mike Bowden
Next Destroy All Humans gets December release date
According to this IGN report, the latest in the Destroy All Humans! series – Path of the Furon – will release on December 1. The third in the "humurous" alien shooter series is developed by internal THQ studio Sandblast and "promises new weapons, bigger environments and both co-op and competitive multiplayer," says the story. More […]
THQ Gamer's Day - RF: Guerilla, Saints Row 2, Baja, more
What an awful lot of words. Our newsreader nearly had heart failure this morning. Shame Dawn if War II didn't make it. Here's what was shown at THQ's Gamer's Day in San Francisco this week: Saints Row 2 video interview Saints Row 2 impressions de Blob multiplayer hands-on Baja hands-on Wall-E impressions Red Faction: Guerilla […]


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Cenika is a star mair. Father Grand Prix Stallion Scandic, since June 2011 the best stallion on the world dressage ranking. Scandic won the bronze medal in the Kur on music on the EC in Rotterdam 2011 with Patrik Kittel from Sweden (see photo's 4 and 5). The mother of Cenika is a daughter of multiple German Champion (Bundeschampionatsieger) Lord Sinclair. Below a movie.
sold june 2012 too a junior rider in Germany


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Almost a quarter of professional women with 'non-white' sounding names have changed their name to sound more 'traditionally British' in order to get a job, new research has found.
The survey by Nottx - the UK's only 'nam-blind' headhunting platform - has reported that 78 per cent of women surveyed felt that their gender and ethnicity were barriers to employment.
This compares with 56 per cent of men who took part believing that they had been discriminated against over their ethnicity.
The findings come after the UK Cabinet Office announced that it will 'name-blind' recruitment for the NHS and the Civil Service by 2020. Prime Minister David Cameron previously referred to a black woman who had changed her name to Elizabeth to get a job, and Nottx.com consequently estmiated that over 50,000 people may have changed their names in this manner in the IT and finance sectors alone.
However,only a tiny percentage - 0.3 per cent of respondents - would be willing to speak out publicly on the issue - with almost two thirds believing that this would harm future job prospects.
Almost all - 97 per cent - of people who had changed their name for a job application reported a higher level of responses from potential employers.
Biju Menon, founder of Nottx.com, said: "There is an insidious culture of unconscious bias in the corporate world against professionals who are either female, an ethnic minority or both. We believe the problem is most acute in the finance and IT sectors, but it may be more widespread than we originally thought.
"Employers need to stop paying lip service to the idea of name-blind recruitment and realise unconscious bias is an all-pervasive force in the recruitment sector. Only by recognising it, embracing ethical hiring and removing all reference to names in the recruitment process will we reach a point where no-one will ever have to change their name in order to get a job again."


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ELON � More than half of registered voters in North Carolina disapprove of President Barack Obama�s job performance and nearly as many are unhappy with the way Gov. Pat McCrory has handled his role leading the state, according to the latest Elon University Poll.
The dissatisfaction reflects the way North Carolinians view the direction of the country and the state. Seventy percent believe the United States is on the �wrong track� and 59 percent say the same for North Carolina.
The live-caller, dual frame landline and cell phone survey of 701 registered voters was conducted from Sept. 13 to Sept. 16, and has a margin of error of 3.7 percentage points.
�The president, governor and the General Assembly have all seen a substantial decline in their job approval since the last Elon University Poll in April of this year,� said Assistant Professor Kenneth Fernandez, director of the Elon University Poll.
Fifty-one percent of poll respondents said they disapprove of the way Obama is handling his job as president, and the numbers break along party lines as 79 percent of Democrats approve of the president compared to just 6 percent of Republicans.
Forty-six percent expressed disapproval of McCrory�s performance with the governor�s numbers hinging on party affiliation. Fifty-eight percent of Republicans approve of McCrory�s job performance compared to 18 percent of Democrats.
Twenty-six percent of respondents expect the economy to get better over the next year. Twenty-nine percent believe it will get worse and 42 percent say they expect it to remain about the same.
Respondents were also asked how they viewed the job performances of Democrat U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, who is up for re-election in 2014, and her colleague from North Carolina, Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr.
Approval marks for both broke largely along party lines. More than half of Democrats � 56 percent � approved of Hagan compared to 23 percent of Republicans. Forty-seven percent of Republicans approved of Burr�s job performance, though just 29 percent of Democrats felt the same.
And in the Republican bid to unseat Hagan next year, the two state lawmakers currently viewed as frontrunners to win their party�s nomination carry relatively little name recognition.
Thirty-one percent of respondents said they recognize state House Speaker Thom Tillis. Sixty-seven percent of respondents did not. And of those who do recognize his name, 22 percent hold a favorable opinion of him, while 35 percent said they view him unfavorably. Forty-three percent said they didn�t know how they felt.
Republican Phil Berger, the president pro tem of the state Senate, carries slightly more name recognition with 33 percent of respondents saying they recognize Berger�s name. Of those who do, 21 percent view him favorably; approximately 30 percent have an unfavorable opinion of Berger, and nearly half of respondents who recognize his name don�t know how they feel about Berger.
�It is not surprising to see low name recognition of potential candidates this far from the Republican primary,� Fernandez said. �Even as the primary inches closer, these candidates will remain relatively unknown quantities to many Democrats and Independents.�
Party affiliation appeared to influence views on the direction of both the nation and state. Eighty-nine percent of Republicans said they believe the country was on the wrong track, compared to 46 percent of Democrats.
Those numbers differed at the state level. More than half of Republicans � 51 percent � believe the state is headed in the right direction. Seventy-eight percent of Democrats said the state is on the wrong track.
Approval for the North Carolina General Assembly has declined since an earlier poll in April. Thirty-two percent of respondents said they approve of the way the lawmaking body in Raleigh is doing its job, though 48 percent disapprove. Nineteen percent of respondents didn�t know how they felt.
Sixty percent of registered voters had heard of the Moral Monday protests that have garnered North Carolina national attention in recent months, and nearly half, 48 percent, of respondents familiar with the protests expressed a favorable opinion of them. Thirty-two percent said they have an unfavorable view of the Moral Monday protests. Nineteen percent said they didn�t know how they felt.
Democrats and independents showed the largest levels of support for Moral Monday protests. Only one in four Republicans had a favorable view.


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The Mazda MX-5 RF is a stunning sports car that revolutionises open-top driving with comfort, style, sophistication and all the thrills you would expect from MX-5. Epitomising the Jinba Ittai philosophy of "horse and rider as one", Mazda MX-5 RF creates a connection between car and driver that words cannot describe.
(standard Features)
16" Black alloy wheels
In addition to 132ps Se-l Nav+, 184ps Se-l Nav+ Adds:
(in addition to 132ps SE-L Nav+grade)
In addition to 132ps Sport Nav+
184ps Sport Nav+ adds:
(in addition to 184ps Sport Nav+grade)
The official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Mazda MX-5 RF range: Combined 37.2 (7.6) - 44.8 (6.3)*. CO2 emissions (g/km) 157 – 143*
Figures shown are for comparability purposes; only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load.
*There is a new test used for fuel consumption and CO2 figures. The CO2 figures shown however, are based on the outgoing test cycle and will be used to calculate vehicle tax on first registration.


text: SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY COMMISSION Minutes of the meeting of Thursday, March 21, 2002. (Approved April 18, 2001) The San Francisco Public Library Commission held a regular meeting on Thursday, March 21, 2002 in the Koret Auditorium, Main Library. The meeting was called to order at 4:03PM by President Higueras The following members were noted present: Commissioners Bautista, Coulter, Higueras, and Swig. Commissioners Chin, Steiman, and Streets were reported excused attendance. Agenda Items: 1. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF FEB. 21, 2002 2. BOND PROGRAM MANAGERS REPORT 3. MOU DPW and the LIBRARY 4. GIFT RECOGNITION POLICY 5. PUBLIC COMMENT 6. ADJOURNMENT 7. APPENDIX A AGENDA ITEM #1 APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF FEB. 21, 2002 Public comment: Mr. Ed Regan commented that his remarks had been accurately reported. Commission comment: MOTION: for approval of the February 21st Minutes by Commissioner Coulter, seconded by Commissioner Swig. ACTION: AYE 4-0 (Bautista, Coulter, Higueras, and Swig) AGENDA ITEM #2 BOND PROGRAM MANAGERS REPORT Branch Bond Program Manager Marilyn Thompson introduced Mr. Mark Tororich, FAIA, of URS Corp, a respected licensed architect intimately involved and well versed with the federal General Services Administration (GSA) Design Excellence Program. Mr. Tororich reported that this model design excellence program promoted opportunities for a diverse group of architects, women, minorities and emerging talent to participate in designing federal government building projects. Mr. Tortorich then briefly outlined aspects of the program in a series of slides. In particular, Mr. Tortorich reported that design excellence programs such as this could reduce projects costs, improve quality of work done, and most importantly promote greater creativity in the work commissioned. President Higueras called for special public comment on Mr. Torotrich's presentation. Public comment on the DESIGN EXCELLENCE PRESENTATION: Mr. Peter Warfield inquired as to the relationship between the design excellence program described and the Library's plans for its branch libraries and expressed concern with what seemed to be limited opportunities for public comment or input from the general public. Mr. Ed Regan inquired if information concerning the GSA Design Excellence Program could be made available. An anonymous member of the public found the discussion of excellence interesting and worthy goal to strive for, and inquired about what kind of design excellence program that the Commission might undertake. Commission comment on the DESIGN EXCELLENCE PROGRAM: President Higueras noted that the federal design excellence program model could be adapted for the Commission's use and that there would be many opportunities for public comment on and input into the Branch Bond Program projects. In response to a question by President Higueras, Mr. Tortorich discussed the architect's stipend for participating in the design competition element of the program. President Higueras noted that the Branch Library Bond Program would certainly benefit from the example provided by this model program. In response to a question by Commissioner Bautista, Mr. Tortorich discussed how a final project might be developed in ways significantly different from what was proposed during the competitive phase when seeking a potential architect. AGENDA ITEM #2 BOND PROGRAM MANAGERS REPORT (continued) Ms. Thompson gave the Commissioners a recap of the ongoing evolution of Bond Program schedule and budget noting no proposed changes and then she proved a review of the financial plan format. Ms. Thompson then outlined current expenditures and encumbrances. Ms. Thompson next gave a program schedule report highlighting the delay of the Prop. 14 (State Library Bond) application for the Richmond Branch Library. The Bond Program Manager then provided a brief overview of site acquisition activities since her last Bond Program report. Ms. Thompson next discussed in some detail the active projects at the Richmond Branch Library, the new Glen Park Branch Library, and the new Mission Bay Branch Library. The Bond Program Manager then highlighted Prop. 14 application work for the Excelsior Branch Library, preliminary outreach at the Noe Valley Branch, and reporting details of community meeting discussions concerning the development of these branch libraries. Finally, Ms. Thompson provided information on upcoming community meetings hosted by the Library or where the Library would be making presentations on Bond related projects. Public comment: An anonymous member of the public called attention to the omission of discussion of an article appearing in the "Richmond ReView" that discussed concerns expressed by neighborhood residents at the Richmond Branch Library community meeting. The anonymous member of the public recommended that the Library Commission pay close attention to public input on this project. Mr. Jack Coll, a retired librarian, described his life long involvement with the Richmond Branch Library as a patron and staff librarian and expressed concerns with comments ascribed to library consultant Dallas Shafer that he felt over emphasized providing library resources in non-book formats at the expense of books. Mr. Coll described e-books as not having achieved the popularity with readers that their promoters suggested. Mr. Peter Warfield expressed concern that public comment was not being sought and that efforts directing public comment discouraged it. Mr. Warfield requested that he be provided with more information concerning these projects and more explanation of the details of the schedule's description of program phases 3,4, and 5. Mr. Warfield suggested that according to the schedule some libraries might be closed for 2 years and that the Library Commission had not discussed a decision to close libraries during the construction phases as reported. Commission comment: In response to questions by President Higueras, Ms. Thompson and the City Librarian discussed the issues involved in obtaining the $10 million in Prop. 14 funds needed to make sure that the bond projects were fully funded. In response to another query by President Higueras regarding the Library Administration's general philosophy concerning branch closures during the course of the Bond Program, the City Librarian reported that a staff task force was working on those issues and a report would be brought to the Commission for discussion. In answer to questions by Commissioner Bautista, the City Librarian described in some detail the questions and issues raised at the Richmond Branch Library community meeting. Commissioner Coulter inquired concerning reports that the Friends of Noe Valley were considering mounting an effort to raise additional funds for an as yet unspecified additional expansion of that branch library, noting that while it could be considered, doing so might significantly push back work on that project. AGENDA ITEM #3 MOU DPW and the LIBRARY Marilyn Thompson briefly outlined aspects of the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of Public Works (DPW) and the Library for the management and oversight of the Branch Library Bond Program. Ms. Thompson then requested Commission and public comment on the proposed terms of agreement. Public comment: An anonymous member of the public noted that while this agreement promises to clarify the relationship between the Library and DPW, previous experience with the Main Library project indicated that it was necessary that an outside party take a role such as that played by (former San Francisco Chief Administrative Officer) Rudy Nothenberg for the Main Library in making the final decisions. This individual additionally commented that the proposed agreement gave the Department of Public Works strong responsibility leaving the Library in a secondary position, which he alluded might be the case in the current bond program. Mr. Ed Regan suggested that the Library hire a team of carpenters to make furniture for its use and for other city departments. Mr. Peter Warfield inquired regarding which document was being considered. Mr. Warfield noted serious deficiencies in the proposed agreement: lack of a clear procedure for revisions; no indication of ultimate responsibility; and no provision for public discussion of MOU related matters. Mr. Warfield also found that there was no clear statement concerning financial oversight. Commission comment: Commissioner Coulter recalled the important role that former Chief Administrative Officer Rudy Nothenberg had played in overseeing the construction of the Main Library, calling particular attention to his ability to get needed timely responses from other city departments involved in the project. Commissioner Coulter recalled difficulties that the Commission had experienced in dealings with the Bureau of Architecture and discussed how the Library had hired a librarian to monitor work being done on the Main Library to maintain oversight on what was happening as construction went forward. In response to a question by President Higueras regarding the Library being billed for non-project charges by the Public Works, Ms. Thompson clarified that budgetary control would be maintained over project expenditures by not releasing funds to pay invoices until the Library's Project Manager was satisfied with progress of the work and not paying for work not done on library projects. Commissioner Coulter stated that he wished it to be made completely clear that City Librarian backed by the Library Commission would make the final decision on what was done on these projects. President Higueras observed that the Library Commission was in the end accountable for what was done on the projects and noted that the best candidate for Project Manager had been selected. President Higueras remarked the Project Manager would be working in-house with library staff, and had developed a personal focus on the success of these projects. President Higueras further noted that the Library Commission had taken ownership of these projects, would be exercising greater oversight, and that the buck would stop with the Library Commission. In response to questions by President Higueras, Ms. Thompson discussed how she proposed to address revisions and changes in the bond program, as they became necessary. Ms. Thompson remarked that DPW could provide project services similar to those offered by private firms per agreement with the library. She also commented that funds would not be made available until a project was approved and if DPW ran up unapproved cost overruns they would have to find the funds to pay them. In response to a question by Commissioner Bautista, the City Librarian reported that the Bond Oversight Committee would receive the same information on bond program projects provided to the Library Commission. AGENDA ITEM #4 GIFT RECOGNITION POLICY City Librarian Susan Hildreth gave a brief outline of the proposed gift recognition policy then introduced Library Public Affairs Chief Marcia Schneider who discussed and showed examples of the various kinds of donor recognition signage that could be considered for this purpose. Ms. Hildreth emphasized that approval by the City Librarian and the Library Commission would be required for any program of donor recognition plaques in branch libraries, but that approval of this policy would allow display of such plaques. Public comment: An anonymous member of the public remarked that at least the Library was honest that this policy was not passed for the Main Library and that the Friends and Foundation as a private organization should not be involved in providing recognition in a public institution. The anonymous member of the public suggested that any such recognition of donors should be provided by the public library in a public way. Ms. Deborah Doyle, President of the Friends and Foundation noted the previous successful partnerships between the Library and the Friends and Foundation on the Mission and Oceanview Branch Library campaigns. Ms. Doyle remarked that the Friends and Foundation welcomed Library Commission oversight of this program, noting its purpose was to properly thank the people of San Francisco for their support for their public libraries. Ms. Sue Cauthen observed that virtue should be it own reward and that if necessary recognition should be provided by small tasteful signs. Ms. Cauthen additionally, suggested that small donors be given recognition as well. Mr. Peter Warfield agreed that virtue should be its own reward, suggesting that anonymous donations were the highest virtue. Mr. Warfield asked what kind of recognition he would receive if he were to raise money for the library, raised questions concerning accountability for these funds and what overhead would be charged. Mr. Warfield suggested that the Library was giving privileges away and that this policy should be reconsidered or rejected. Ms. Jeannene Przyblyski, Noe Valley, commented that gift recognition was a sensitive issue but that gratitude for private support was appropriate. Ms. Przyblyski recommended that any such recognition be sensitive to the community and reject inappropriate gifts. She also called attention to the support that the Friends of Noe Valley had given to the Library to promote a community sensitive renovation of their branch library. Commission comment: Commissioner Coulter found the proposed policy acceptable and recalled the positive experience in recognizing donors during the Main Library campaign, especially the important contributions of the late Mel Swig and Mrs. Charlotte Swig in achieving its great success. Commissioner Coulter observed that he didn't believe that it was necessary that the Commission approve every sign, but that they should approve the program for placing such signs at branch libraries. The City Librarian recalled and lauded the important support that the Friends and Foundation had provided to the Library and looked forward to decades of successful collaboration in support of the libraries. Commissioner Bautista raised the importance of a common artistic theme for the signs, noting a representation of a donor tree as a possible concept. Commission Bautista then informed Mr. Warfield that should he wish to raise large amounts of money for the Branch Library Capital Campaign he would be given recognition. In response to questions by Commissioner Bautista, Ms. Hildreth noted that a professional signage expert would be used to develop signs in a tasteful and thematically related format. Commissioner Coulter noted that many people donated so that their grandchildren would be able to see their contribution and that there were many good reasons for people to make donations in support of the library. President Higueras commented that it was important that donor recognition be done properly and that he would prefer that names were collected in one place rather than scattered about throughout the branch library. In response to questions by President Higueras, Martín Gómez, Executive Director of the Friends and Foundation, discussed how they planned to keep overhead costs down and that he would bring a report on that matter to the Library Commission. Commissioner Swig recommended that the various criteria for recognition be fully developed and then brought back to the Commission for its approval. Mr. Gómez reported that he would work closely with the City Librarian to address these concerns as well as meet the needs of the various communities. MOTION: by Commissioner Coulter, seconded by Commissioner Bautista that the proposed Gift Recognition Policy be adopted. ACTION: AYE 4-0 (Bautista, Coulter, Higueras, and Swig Agenda Item #5 PUBLIC COMMENT An anonymous member of the public thanked Commissioner Bautista for acknowledging receipt of a copy of the "Richmond ReView" article and questioned whether they were receiving all of the materials that they should be as required by their public records request. The anonymous member of the public then commented on the work of Douglas MacGregor suggesting that it demonstrated the superiority of organizations based on inclusive and democratic principles. Agenda Item #6 ADJOURNMENT MOTION: by Commissioner Chin, seconded by Commissioner Coulter that the meeting be adjourned. ACTION: AYE 4-0 (Bautista, Coulter, Higueras, and Swig) The meeting was adjourned at 6:10PM. Michael Housh, Commission Secretary 4/19/02 The number of members of the public who spoke anonymously at this meeting: 1 Please note: Copies of Commission Minutes and handouts are available in the Office of the Commission Secretary, 100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 Copies of Public Comment Summary Statements as authorized by San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.16 can be found in Appendix A. These summary statements are provided by the speaker and their contents are neither generated by, nor subject to approval or verification of accuracy by, the San Francisco Public Library Commission. Appendix A The Public Comment Summary Statements included in these Minutes are authorized by San Francisco Administrative Code Section 67.16.. These summary statements are provided by the speaker. Their contents are neither generated by, nor subject to approval or verification of accuracy by, the San Francisco Public Library Commission. The number of members of the public who spoke anonymously at this meeting: 1 Public Comment available for viewing in PDF format.


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Dem0nS1ayer wrote:I'm pretty sure everyone has at least 1.15, seeing as how that came out last year (or was it 2 years?). At least, I hope everyone has it! D:
Also, I used Growler Guncam to make the video, and I just had a whole bunch of locations for each explosion.
Not necessarily. As Lav says, anyone can downgrade their SC version using a downgrader. Why would anyone need to downgrade the SC version? For example, to play some modded campaigns that only work with a specified version (Ex. Flame Knives and Aeon of the Hawk only can be played with v1.10, due to the heavy modifications those mods make on SC. Other mods like Zeji Conversion don't work on all the versions neither).


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Apparently Ricky Gervais did not offend enough people in Hollywood during his time at the Golden Globe podium. He's been invited back to host the awards show next spring, his second year in a row.
Gervais told Ryan Seacrest's radio program that despite all his offending during last year's program, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association invited him back for an encore.
"I said all those things thinking I'd never be invited back," he said. "Obviously I didn't burn enough bridges."
The comedian said clearly Hollywood is not as touchy as its reputation suggests.
"Hollywood is very thick-skinned," he said, pointing out that as long as people are mentioned from stage, they are fine -- not matter what the context.
"What happens is when you don't mention them at all, that's what really gets them," he said.
Gervais was a solid host, but even he could have been more out there on the program. So here's hoping that he takes the invitation and truly runs with it next year. He hinted he would.
"I'm going all out this time," said Gervais. "I'm going to make sure they never invite me back."


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The Met Office has issued a weather warning of potential 50mph gales hitting Yorkshire and the Humber region on Monday and Tuesday.
An unseasonably windy spell is likely across many parts of the UK later today and overnight and well into Tuesday, as active frontal systems sweep across the UK.
An initial swathe of southerly gales accompanied by heavy rain will move east across many parts later on Monday, giving gusts of 40-50 mph widely.
Winds will become west or southwesterly on Tuesday, with further gusts to 40-50 mph more locally, before gradually easing later.
The Met office has said given the nature of the winds, the public should be aware of the potential for disruption to transport and outdoor activities.
A chief forecaster for the Met Office said: "A powerful jet stream stretching across the Atlantic into the UK will steer a number of active weather systems across the UK during Monday and Tuesday.
"A front will cross from the west on Monday and Monday night bringing 20-40 mm of rain to northern and western areas along with gales, severe on some coasts and hills.
"Developments are complex so there is still some uncertainty in the detail, especially by Tuesday, and this warning will be kept under review."


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Anglers can fish for free in New Mexico on Saturday, June 1, as the state celebrates National Boating and Fishing Week.
Anyone can fish for free in public fishing waters throughout the state Saturday, June 1, but everyone must observe bag limits and all other rules and regulations. For more information, please visit www.wildlife.state.nm.us.
For information about where to fish and what to use, consult the department's weekly fishing and stocking report. Maps of public fishing waters, lists of where to find family-friendly fishing and tips on how to fish also can be found on the department website.
NMDGF will be on site to assist and help coordinate.
Aug. 26 6-8 p.m., Aug. 27 3-7 p.m., Aug. 28 6 a.m.-1 p.m.
*The workshop will occur at the Roswell Department of Game and Fish Office. The hunt will occur in Artesia.
A first-time hunter workshop and dove hunt will occur over a three day period. The workshop will occur at the Roswell Department of Game and Fish Office and the hunt will take place in Artesia. This event is open to individuals 18 and over who have never purchased a hunting license, or have not purchased a hunting license in the last five years. Adults are encouraged to bring a youth to participate with them. The first day will consist of classroom instruction on basic hunting skills and gun safety. The second day, participants will practice shooting clay pigeons at the trap range. The third day will consist of a dove hunt that morning. Shotguns and ammunition will be provided for participants or they may bring their own.
Please contact Cody Johnston to register for the event or for additional information.
The 18th Annual Dragonfly Festival will be held Sept. 7. The Department of Game and Fish will have a fishing pond, archery range, poach coach and wildlife identification information on site. No fee or registration is required to attend this event. However, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be offering free guided wildlife tours. Reservations are required for these tours. See the link below for more information.


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CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy are fully aware that Seattle Sounders FC have been in this exact position heading into a decisive second leg in a postseason series before, but whether it impacts their own game plan remains up for debate.
During the 2011 Western Conference Semifinal First Leg, Real Salt Lake jumped on Sounders FC to defeat Seattle by the score of 3-0, setting up a decisive tie at CenturyLink Field. Needing to win by three goals to force extra time, Seattle went on the warpath and put RSL on their heels early. Clutch saves by goalkeeper Nick Rimando and a clearance off the line by right back Tony Beltran held Seattle scoreless in the first half, but the Sounders tallied two quick goals in the second, but could not find a third.
Ahead a frighteningly similar situation heading into this Sunday's match, LA expect the same approach from Sounders FC.
"I remember watching that game and they had almost 30-some shots [Seattle had 26 attempts on goal] and it's going to be a similar game to that one last year," said defender Sean Franklin. "For them, they have confidence; they know how close they were to closing a 3-0 deficit so we know it's going to be a tough game."
But head coach Bruce Arena begs to differ that RSL's experience bares any consequence for the Galaxy.
"You waste a lot of energy trying to think all that stuff out. They weren't successful last year; they didn't advance so I'm sure their blueprint is to advance and not, not to advance," said Arena. "It is what it is. Every game is different, you can't compare a game last year to this year, and we can't compare the last game that we played to the next one. They're all different."
"I'll be honest with you; everyone always has the answers the day after the game," Arena added. "Everyone is the expert and this time around, we have to be flexible with our thinking, flexible on how we deal with the game and hopefully, on Monday, all the experts agree with us as opposed to disagreeing. That's the way it is, there's no way of predicting what is going to happen."


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Limited Quantity!
NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos and NHL Winter Classic name are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, Live Every Shift, Hot Off the Ice, Game On, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Power Play, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star Game logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Mobile name and logo, NHL Radio, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice, NHL Green name and logo, NHL All-Access Vancouver name and logo, NHL Auctions, NHL Ice Time, Ice Time Any Time, Ice Tracker, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, and Questions Will Become Answers are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. Discover ITPAYS Promo Details: Valid at Shop.NHL.com only. Use coupon code ITPAYS. Discount cannot be combined with any other coupon, group offer, discount or sale. Not valid on prior purchases of gift cards. Offer may be terminated at any time.
The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved.


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Erin Youngs, vice president for Epcot, acknowledges that she's a foodie.
But that's not the reason the theme park added 12 food kiosks to the mix at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Fest this year, she says.
Those marketplaces with edibles around World Showcase represent her efforts to branch out the theme park's popular annual events, including the Epcot International Food & Wine Fest, which starts in September.
"I want to make sure we keep them alive and keep them fresh and keep investing in them, and that they appeal to a wide range of guests and audiences," Youngs says.
Flower & Garden already is an established draw for fans of blooms and topiaries, so maybe new eats would bring in the Food & Wine fans, right? It's difficult not to compare the two events, but the fests' emphases remain distinct, Youngs says. It's obvious that there's more food and wine at Food & Wine. Last year's festival had 29 kiosks.
"Food & Wine is almost entirely about the food and beverage experience. The kiosks are the entire thing," she says. "But here at Flower & Garden you have all of the topiaries, all of the gardens, all of the children's play areas. There's so much to offer that if we added 29 kiosks, that would probably be too much for any guest to consume in their experience."
The current fest, which ends its 75-day run on May 19, plays off the springtime setting.
"We wanted to make sure that the menu was different and that it celebrated this time of the year and the bounty of the harvest," Youngs says. Each kiosk displays plantings that represent the food sold.
The notion of using Florida goods runs near and far — and near again. The Florida Fresh kiosk offers shrimp and grits and watermelon salad while an outlet near the China pavilion has traditional candied strawberries. They have a sugary coating surrounding berries grown in Florida.
"The strawberries are so fresh, they just melt," Young says. "It's just like liquid inside."
Epcot is a good place for a foodie to work right now.
"I'm drawn to all food," she says. "I really, really, enjoy it. It is a multisensory personal experience."
An old favorite and its twisted sister are top-sellers so far: Dole Whip and Dole Whip with spice rum lead the dessert pack.
"Dole Whip is a heritage favorite. It's nostalgic for people," Youngs says. The pineapple treat typically is only sold at Magic Kingdom, and no alcohol is involved there.
"We sold so many that we broke the machine that makes them. So I had to go out and buy a new machine," she says.
Youngs, who says she follows a "taste, don't eat; sip, don't drink" mantra, suggests that guests browse their way through the kiosks.
"If you don't like it, it's a small trifle from a kiosk," she says. "Go to the next one and try something different."
Can we say that these kiosks are an appetizer of Flower & Garden fests to come? Youngs isn't ready to say.
"I'm very hopeful we'll have it again," she says. "I think it's a fantastic add."
firstname.lastname@example.com or 407-420-5477
Epcot International Flower & Garden Fest
Where: Off Interstate 4, southwest of Orlando
When: Daily through May 19. Park hours are 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
Cost: A one-day, one-park ticket is $89 ($83 for ages 3-9).
Phone: 407-824-4321
Online: DisneyWorld.com/flower


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I recently read an article where 64 graphic designers were asked to record their Myers-Briggs personality type results. For those of you unfamiliar with The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI), it asks the taker a series of questions (there are no incorrect answers) and then generates a four-letter acronym that lumps people into one of 16 personality-type categories.
An argument on the validity of the test is for another day. Plus you have to pay (anywhere between $29 – $100) to take the questionnaire. Since most of us are fiscally-challenged, let's take an unofficial poll. [Read more…]