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By Romit Guha and Prasanta Sahu
Tuesday's death of a policeman who had been involved in facing off with demonstrators in New Delhi over the weekend has added new drama to protests over the gang rape of a 23-year-old woman on a moving bus earlier this month.
News of the rape of the woman, who has not been named, drew thousands of protesters on to the streets of New Delhi at the weekend, calling for harsher sentences for rapists and better policing of the capital's streets.
The protests started off calmly on Saturday but later turned violent. Some eyewitnesses said the police were quick to fire tear gas and water cannons at what were initially peaceful protests. A photo of police beating a man cowering on the ground while an old woman hugged him was splashed across many newspapers.
But police have a different take. The city's police chief, Neeraj Kumar, claimed the protesters were infiltrated by "lumpen elements" – that's Marxist speak for Delhi's unemployed underclass. Those elements injected violence into the protests, police claim. By Sunday, protesters overturned at least one car, leading authorities to shut down the center of the city on Monday.
Now, the police are saying a police constable, Subhash Chand Tomar, died Tuesday due to a heart attack triggered by injuries he sustained while being beaten by protesters on Sunday.
A city police spokesman told India Real Time that they arrested eight men Monday for the death of the 47-year policeman, on suspicion of intent to murder, rioting and destruction of public property. The eight were released on bail later that day.
However, two eye-witnesses, Yogendra and Pauline, who were taking part in the protests, told Indian television channels that Mr. Subhash Chand Tomar had collapsed while running behind the protesters, and that he wasn't beaten up by as claimed by the police.
"He fell down in front of me. He had no injuries but was sweating profusely," Ms. Pauline, who gave only one name, said.
T.S. Sidhu, the medical superintendent at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital - where Mr. Tomar was treated before he died - told TV channels that the policeman had suffered a heart attack but didn't have any "major external injuries."
There were about 85 injuries during the weekend violence, including police and protesters, according to police officials. Delhi's lieutenant governor, Tejinder Khanna, on Tuesday slammed the police and said two policeman have been suspended for use of excessive force during the demonstrations.
Meanwhile, the government appointed a retired judge Wednesday to identify any failure of the police or other authorities for the rape, Finance Minister P.Chidambaram told reporters. The retired judge will submit a report in three months.
The rape on Dec. 16 of the physiotherapy student has caused widespread anger. The rape occurred on a moving chartered bus that was illegally picking up public passengers. Six men, including the bus driver, have been charged for rape and kidnapping but their trial is yet to begin.
The six men are accused of gang-raping the woman for nearly an hour, police said. They also allegedly beat her and a male companion with metal rods as the bus continued to circle the city's roads for hours, even crossing police checkpoints. The couple was later stripped of their clothing and thrown out of the bus near a highway on the periphery of Delhi, police said. The rape was so savage that the woman had to have large amounts of her intestines removed, her doctors said.
Meanwhile, the scale of protests has fallen sharply since Sunday. On Wednesday, a few hundred people, mainly students, protested at Jantar Mantar - a monument of astrological calculating instruments just north of India Gate. Urbashi, a 24-year-old student who only gave one name, said she will continue to protest.
"It is not about a single rape incident, it is about all rape, molestation and harassment cases. We are demanding our right to walk safely on roads," she told India Real Time. "We no longer fear the wielding stick of the police. We are also not deterred by thin attendance today as this is an independent movement and people keep coming as and when they have time," she added.
On Wednesday, authorities continued to keep in place an emergency law banning groups of more than four people congregating in some public areas that it had invoked on Sunday. It however had removed all traffic restrictions. "There is some relaxation for peaceful protests at some areas," the police spokesman said.
You can follow India Real Time on Twitter @indiarealtime.
Related: R. Jai Krishna has more details on protests paralyzing New Delhi.


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Montero looking more comfortable as regular catcher
OAKLAND -- One of the big questions coming into this season for the Mariners was how young Jesus Montero would handle being the everyday catcher, and manager Eric Wedge said Thursday the early signs have been positive.
Montero, 22, caught the Mariners' first three games before getting Thursday off as veteran Kelly Shoppach was called on to work with Brandon Maurer in his Major League debut.
Montero caught 56 games last season, being used more as a designated hitter, but will be the main man behind the plate now that Miguel Olivo and John Jaso are gone. He never caught more than two games in a row last year, so the increased workload will definitely be a change.
"I think he's off to a good start back there," said Wedge, who feels Montero has shown a much better presence working with pitchers and taking a more active role in the last month. "I felt it was important for him to come out and establish himself in the first three games and catch and be back there and go through what he needs to go through and lead back there."
Felix Hernandez praised Montero's work in the Opening Day win and he and Hisashi Iwakuma were seamless in the second game. Third-day starter Joe Saunders didn't seem on the same page as Montero for much of his four-inning struggle on Wednesday, with the two frequently conferring on the mound.
Saunders said the two need to work on preferred pitch selection, but will get better with time.
"I'll have to take him out to dinner to figure it out," said Saunders. "We've got to work on stuff. It was my first time with him, so it's a learning experience. He's learning me and I'm learning him. We'll go to dinner in Chicago."
Saunders acknowledged his own rough outing didn't help.
"It was probably tough to call pitches for me because he didn't know where it was going and I didn't know where it was going sometimes," he said. "So it was tough to get on the same page. But he's a good catcher. We'll figure it out."

subset: commoncrawl


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HAIFA, Israel, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Three mortar shells fired from Syria exploded inside Israel Thursday, causing no damage or injuries, the Israeli army said.
Two of the shells exploded in open fields and a third shell landed in the Israeli community of Moshav Alonei HaBashan in the central Golan Heights but failed to explode.
Israeli defense officials said they believe the shells were not intentionally fired at Israel but instead were stray shells fired in clashes between forces loyal to President Bashar Assad and rebel forces, Israel Radio said. Sappers were dispatched to the area.
The incident occurred just days after Israel submitted a complaint to the United Nations charging Syria with violating the Israeli-Syrian cease-fire agreement after three Syrian tanks entered the demilitarized zone near the Israeli border where they remained until nightfall.An Israeli army jeep patrolling near the border came under fire Sunday. No one was injured in the attack.


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The Santa quilt has three borders that can not be seen in the photo,: red, yellow and green. It was quilted by a friend who is a LAQ and she did swirling snowflakes and it looks wonderful. I show the backing as well so you can see her design. The binding is going to be blue with tiny star design. It is for a friend and I will give it to her the first of Dec. An early CHRISTmas gift.
The second is a table runner for a wide table for a cousin. I am hand quilting it.


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Picturing the Possibilities7 Apr, 2011 By: Cyrena Respini-Irwin
User Profile: Rendering powerhouse David Maloney gives architects and engineers a window on the future.
When Cadalyst issued its Call for Renderings last year, we received many impressive submissions from professionals like David Maloney, a preconstruction designer. We selected one of Maloney's renderings for publication in the Fall 2010 issue, but when he told us, "I crank out several of these a week," we knew we had to learn more about this man and his design and visualization work.
Cadalyst: Tell us about your background.
Maloney: I was born on a drafting board — and reborn in the computer. I went through all of high school, three years at the University of Milwaukee School of Architecture, and even several years in the working world without any CAD system. It was pencil and paper, ink on mylar, protractor, straightedge, and Leroy templates until the late '80s, when my employer made the transition to CAD with Intergraph's EMS (Engineering Modeling System) software. As an early adopter whose projects produced "eye-candy" graphics, we were a reference account for Intergraph and were handed top-of-the-line hardware and software. In addition to the modeling system, we also had a license to the ModelView rendering and animation package. That was my entry into 3D modeling and visualization.
I took to the software quickly, with the help of many people and numerous tutorials. By the mid-90s I transitioned from detailer and CAD manager to sales and marketing support as a designer doing full-time modeling and visualization of our designs. One of my images was even featured on the packaging for ModelView software.
I presented a paper at the 1995 Intergraph user group conference entitled, "The Image of Sales — The Use of Visualization Tools in Marketing." Intergraph was amazing software to learn, and I still consider EMS to be the top CAD package I've ever worked with. Those were the days when lighting and animation were controlled with text strings that had to be placed in certain locations and at particular lengths for the rendering software to interpret. It was quite a struggle to make scenes come alive, but the results made a difference between being awarded a project or not. The design tools became an important part of sales as well. Unfortunately the software only ran on the UNIX hybrid CLIX, which was tied to Intergraph hardware, so at some point I needed to make the next transition into a PC-based environment.
Maloney assisted with the redesign of the Brigade Metropolis in Bangalore, India.
In the late '90s, with Intergraph leaving the CAD/CAM industry, I took night classes at a local technical college to learn about Newtek's Lightwave. With the ease of use and the quality of the images, Lightwave surpassed my previous renderings, and the new tools quickly became second nature. Lightwave also became an invaluable design tool: The polygonal modeling makes revisions and model manipulation so much easier than a parametric model. Animation became an option on many more projects due to the speed and ease of the tools needed to create those scenes. In our industry, if a picture says a thousand words, then an animation speaks volumes.
After a brief stint in the dot-com haze of the late '90s in Los Angeles, working for a German software company developing 3D worlds and communities, I moved back to the Midwest and returned to support for the engineering and construction industry.
Describe your current role.
I'm presently the preconstruction designer for Novum Structures. We design, engineer, and fabricate architectural structures and enclosures. As the designer in the preliminary stage of each project, I work with the architects, contractors, and our engineers to develop cost-effective and unique solutions for each original design. Once the sales managers or engineers forward the design data, I begin my work to either create a 3D model and visualization of the design or to use the CAD tools to create geometry/wireframe for the structure. Some projects can be created in an hour, and others can take days — and several programs — to create due to the additional complexity of the form.
The tool kit I use is mainly Lightwave and Rhino. The NURBS modeling in Rhino allows me to create and manipulate the complex surfaces that architects are developing in their increasingly complicated building designs. The combination of NURBS modeling in Rhino and polygonal modeling in Lightwave, and the ease of working between the programs, give me the flexibility I need to create just about anything that can be imagined.
The majority of my work is design assist in the preliminary stages. Sometimes that means simply modeling a structure as designed by the architect and sized by the engineer to create a rendering to accompany our bid, but I'm increasingly more involved in the design of the structure. As the shapes and framing of the structures become more complex and are generated solely with the computer, the computer is becoming the only way to create a solution for the project. At Novum we have developed proprietary software and tools to take the designs from concept to completion, using the computer to generate the 3D model for visualizations as well as for the part drawings to take into fabrication.
How are you involved in the workflow?
I am brought in at the preliminary stages of a project. Sometimes they barely have names. The architect is looking to clad an area of a building, usually with transparent or translucent material, and they need to optimize the structure required to support the enclosure material but still maintain the look they have in mind.
Another of Maloney's renderings depicts part of Harrah's Casino Hotel Atlantic City, New Jersey, which opened in 2008.
The engineers become involved in design possibilities, and I work with them to develop solutions. Many times we will visualize two or three options for the architect to consider, and provide preliminary pricing for those options. The engineering data and renderings are then forwarded to the architect and contractor for their review.
Through sales-assist we aim to increase the chance of the project being awarded to our company. The visualizations also become an important part of design meetings as large-format prints or embedded in presentations for use by our sales team.
What is the impact of your work for Novum?
It is hard to assess the impact that the renderings have, because most project awards come down to price. The goal of the visualization is to assure the client that we understand the complexity of the project and will achieve the desired look. The visualizations are also used to determine materials and colors for a project. Want to see what your project looks like with fritted glass as opposed to clear? How about wood cladding on the framing? With today's tools, it's just a few clicks away.
What do you enjoy most (and least) about your work?
I really enjoy getting involved at the design optimization level, right down to the nuts and bolts. I want to use the modeling tools to make an installation go smoothly, or to design a connection that doesn't require an installer to break a few fingers putting it together. I've produced many system renderings as well as full project renderings. It's so easy to look at points, lines, and polygons and forget just what you are building. I try to remember that each point and line can represent thousands of pounds of steel and glass. This kind of thing comes more naturally to the engineers, because they hold much more responsibility for the legitimacy of the design than I do. Nothing ever falls down in my modeling packages — unless I tell it to.
Installation sequences are another task I really enjoy. I find the best way to do them is in reverse. I build the entire structure and find the installation equipment required (I have an extensive library), then use layering to plan the installation. I start with the complete building and move, rotate, or remove objects step by step to create a sequence that shows our understanding of the complete project. The project managers and installation crews find these very helpful in planning for crews and equipment, and in creating a realistic schedule for installation.
My least favorite? Revisions to installation sequences. That's a lot of equipment to move around.
What's your greatest rendering challenge?
Time. I have very quick deadlines with most projects, and achieving the level of photorealism that I would like is just not possible within the time constraints. Advanced layering of textures and realistic lighting can be time-consuming to set up, but are essential to a realistic scene. I'm fortunate that in the engineering and construction industry, photorealism is not as critical as in other industries, such as the film industry; instead, clarity of information (size of structure, connections and spacing of framing) is much more important.
Which projects stand out in your mind?
The Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, is a recently completed project that I'm very proud of. We were given the challenge of developing a grid shell for a beautiful design, but the tools I had did not provide a workable solution for the very complicated surface. It took quite a bit of rethinking the form in order to develop a solution that worked for both the architects and the engineers. I hope Salvador will look kindly on the creation.
A rendering that I am particularly proud of is a set of glass stairs I designed for one of the Lightwave assignments. A rendering of the stairs won a 2003 Caddie Award (First Place Professional Industrial) and made it onto the cover of Cadalyst. The design was also referenced as an influence in the patent that Steve Jobs took out for the glass stairs in Apple stores.
What advice would you like to share with others?
Be fearless. Dig into the guts of your CAD package and find the tweaks that will make your work stand out from the others.
Know a CAD user we should feature in "User Profile"? Send your suggestion to email@example.com.


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Defense Commissary Agency Takes Benefits to Guard, Reserve Members
By Margaret McKenzie
Special to American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, May 1, 2008 - The Defense Commissary Agency is taking the commissary benefit to National Guard and reserve members and their families living in remote areas.
"The 2004 National Defense Authorization Act authorized full commissary benefits for members of the Ready Reserve," Richard Page, acting Defense Commissary Agency director, said. "Through our new 'Bringing the Benefit to You' campaign, we are reaching out to our Guard and reserve members who have earned the commissary benefit, but who cannot easily travel to a local commissary to shop on a regular basis."
The campaign involves conducting on-site sales out of warehouses, aircraft hangars, armories, tents in parking lots, and even the back ends of semi-trailers at remote locations where reserve-component servicemembers and their families do not have access to a commissary.
This is part of the Army's reinforced commitment to provide support to military members and their families through the Army Family Covenant. A core military family-support element and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to readiness and enhance the quality of life for America's military and their families, officials said.
"While the focus is on Guard and reserve, the on-site sales are a boon to all authorized shoppers living near them," Page said. "The Guard and reserve members have earned this benefit, and we want to make sure that we are delivering the benefit to them."
More than 55 percent of reserve-component servicemembers do not live in what is considered the immediate area of a commissary.
"This is just part of a larger picture," Page continued. "Back in the fall, when I became the acting director of DeCA, I had several priorities, one of which was to make sure that we were doing our very best for the Guard and reserve members not located near a commissary."
Page said the commissary agency is exploring ways to increase the frequency of the on-site sales and locations by looking at demographic areas that are heavily populated with the Guard and reserve members.
"It depends on the size and the demographics of the area," Page said. He cited Fort Jackson, S.C., being the closest commissary to the Charlotte, N.C., area as an example. The fort is about an hour and a half from Charlotte.
Military members from all branches of the service, including retirees, flocked to the 145th Air National Guard Wing hangar in Charlotte recently for a case-lot sale, the first of its kind in the area.
"There is a large population of military members in this area that do not have access to a commissary, so I will estimate doing this quarterly and try to tie it in with the drill training weekends so that it will be beneficial for the soldiers and we can get maximum exposure," Page said.
Information on other benefits for military members also was available at the sale. Representatives were on hand promoting the Army Integrated Family Support Network through the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command, as well as Military OneSource and Armed Forces Recreation opportunities. Other information about Web sites to access other resources and benefits was available to military members and families as they filed through the doors to make their purchases.
Defense Commissary Agency Dietitian Army Maj. Karen Fauber was also on hand with information about the agency's newest health and wellness initiatives. "We partner with Tricare on this initiative," Fauber said.
"I love this case-lot sale," said Clinton R. Douglas, a former Marine. "My wife and I were here three days ago, and we are back here again today."
He noted that the couple could get everything there that they could get at the leading large-lot retail store, "only here we can get it at a cheaper rate and no sales tax, and everybody treats you nice, and that's one thing I love about it."
Air Force Tech Sgt. Marvin Williams was equally excited about the case-lot sale. "I have lived in Rock Hill, S.C., since 1990," he said. "The closest commissary is about an hour and a half from me. Most people in this area have to travel an hour and a half to two hours to get to Fort Jackson to shop. It is a good opportunity for me, and I look forward to hopefully having more opportunities like this one."
"I am really excited about this," said Phillip E. Sakowitz Jr., executive director of the U.S. Army Installation Management Command, who's been selected to be the next Defense Commissary Agency director. "It is all associated with helping soldiers and families."
Leslye A. Arsht, deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy, said the Charlotte event marked her first case-lot sale.
"It is everything I had hoped it to be, and it has great crowds, even though the weather isn't great," she said. "People are coming; some are coming even more than once. They are seeing lots of great bargains, and we are really feeling like this was an important step in supporting a quality of life for the Guard and reserve and the rest of the folks who are eligible and who live in the area."
The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of grocery stores for military personnel, retirees and their families on military bases. Authorized patrons purchase items at cost plus a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones.
(Margaret McKenzie works at the U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command Public Affairs Office.)
*Related Sites:*
Defense Commissary Agency [ http://www.commissaries.com/ ]
Defense Commissary Agency Takes Benefits to Guard, Reserve Members [ http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49748 ]


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Blugold Soccer Ties Saint Benedict in 2012 Home Opener
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - The UW-Eau Claire women's soccer team was seeking its first victory of the season in the 2012 home opener at Bollinger Field against the College of Saint Benedict (Minn.). The Blugolds struck first, but Saint Benedict was able to battle back as the two teams played to a 1-1 draw.
Entering play Saturday, the Blugolds were still seeking their first goal of the season as they came in 0-3-0. Allie Stone (Jr.-Madison, Wis./Verona) put the Blugolds ahead in the 16th minute of action and Paige LeGate (Jr.-Green Bay/Bay Port) picked up the assist.
Eau Claire held the 1-0 lead through the rest of the first half, controlling play throughout most of the half. They outshot Saint Benedict 12-4, but the second half proved to be a different story.
Just over ten minutes into the second half, in the 57th minute, Saint Benedict tied the game at 1-1 on a goal by Alyssa Hoffman and an assist by Colleen Bouchard. Both teams had chances to take the lead, but the goalkeepers were not going to have any of it.
Saint Benedict outshot the Blugolds 9-5 in the second half, but Nina Behrenbrinker (Jr.-St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) made five saves to keep them off the board. The two teams headed to overtime and the Blugolds came up with the only strong scoring chance, but Saint Benedict goalkeeper, Megan Favorite, kept it out of the net.
Favorite finished with 11 saves in the game while Behrenbrinker made nine saves to improve to 0-3-1 this season.
The Blugolds will be back in action Wednesday this week when they open up conference play against UW-Stout at 5 p.m. at Bollinger Field. It will be the second of seven consecutive home games for UW-Eau Claire.


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BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Senior Elizabeth Bromirski recorded her fifth double-double of the season Friday night, helping the Birmingham-Southern women's basketball team defeat Hendrix, 55-43, at home in Bill Battle Coliseum. The Panthers move to 7-9 overall and 3-2 in the Southern Athletic Association; the Warriors fall to 7-9 and 1-4 in the SAA.
Bromirski recorded 14 points and 12 rebounds in the win, while sophomore Ashley Curry led all players with 16 points, 11 of those coming in the first half alone.
BSC, playing at home for the first time since Jan. 5, led for all but the first few minutes of the game, pulling ahead for good at the 13:14 mark on a jumper by sophomore Jane Romano. The Panthers led for the rest of the half, and were up 28-20 at halftime.
The Panthers opened the second half with a 9-0 run to pull up 37-20 by the 16:28 mark. The closest Hendrix would come was cutting it to seven, 44-37, at the 6:36 mark, before eventually losing to BSC by 12, 55-43.
Caitlin Kriesel-Bigler led the Warriors with 13 points, and Jamie Tate led all players with 13 boards.
BSC out-shot Hendrix from the field but was only 2-11 from three-point range. The Panthers stepped to the free throw line far more frequently, though, shooting 17-23 while the Warriors were 5-5.
Hendrix held the advantage in rebounding, 51-47, and turned the ball over 17 times, once more than the Panthers.
BSC is at home again this Sunday, hosting Rhodes at 1 p.m. in Bill Battle Coliseum.


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Accelerate with ATS: Linear Tape File System (LTFS) Enterprise Edition
This is easily one of the top 5 most exciting Open systems storage enhancements in recent memory. If you're struggling with more and more data and not enough space to keep it in, then You will NOT want to miss this session.
LTFS EE provides seamless integration of LTFS with GPFS by creating an LTFS tape tier. You can run any application designed for disk files on tape using LTFS EE. If storage cost is an issue, then you'll definitely want to learn how the LTFS EE hierarchical storage solution can play a major role in reducing the cost of storage for data that does not need the access performance of primary disk.
This session will overview LTFS EE and provide a live demo.
Missed it?
Catch the replay here -
Open to anyone that preregisters at the following URL: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/165169832
We recommend that you pre-register at least two days in advance!


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Sabrina Rosati
General Manager Italy
"Delivering value to our customers is the driving force of what we do every day. It takes more than product knowledge to do this successfully. We manage all project phases together with the customer – from application design, to successful go-live, to ongoing support services. With our built-in financial intelligence, experienced implementation resources and vertical prepackaged application developed specifically for the needs of financial services, we deliver more value, in a shorter timeframe, with greater customer satisfaction, than the market leaders."
Sabrina Rosati is the General Manager for CCH Tagetik Italy. Along with Nicola Pierallini, she oversees the sales & marketing strategies for the Italian market and leads the consulting team and education development operations in Italy. She is responsible for providing our overall strategy to the Financial Services Market. Sabrina joined the company in 1993, as an implementation consultant leading major projects in Statutory Consolidation.
In 2001, Sabrina was chartered with building the Banking and Financial Services practice. Under her guidance, Banking and Financial Services has become our fastest growing vertical. Sabrina has been instrumental in the development of packaged applications that address the specific needs of that vertical. Together with her team, Sabrina has established CCH Tagetik as the Financial Performance Platform for some of the largest banks and insurance companies in the world.
VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH sabrina rosati
Listen to Sabrina Rosati, who talks about how CCH Tagetik has achieved such great customer success, thank's to our human touch and CCH Tagetik DNA.


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Home Page Chess Life Magazine 2007 October USCF Affairs
|USCF Affairs
|September 20, 2007
Duncan Oxley, October Volunteer of the Month
The USCF Volunteer of the Month is named by a different member of the Executive Board each month. Paul Truong named Duncan Oxley. Please send your nomination to the Board member of your choice.
Just as we were going to press, the USCF learned of Duncan Oxley's death on September 2. The USCF deeply appreciated Duncan's work as a moderator on our issues forum at uschess.org. We extend our condolences to his family.
I first learned the game in 1972 when I was 11 years old. The Fischer-Spassky match was all over the media and my dad went to the five-and-dime and bought a cheap chess set—a set probably similar to the one Bobby Fischer's sister bought for him.
I didn't play much after entering my teens but many years later, when I moved to Salinas, California, I was bitten by the bug again. Lucky for me not far away was Ted Yudacufski who ran the Monterey Chess Center, open six days a week! It was there I met my good friend Tom Thrush who encouraged me to give back to the game I love by volunteering. Ted was a great example. He not only found time to run the chess center but was also a regular director at the LERA tournaments in Silicon Valley. These were big events and it was here I learned to be a tournament director under his tutelage. It was "old school" with pairing cards for hundreds of players, not like today when pairings can be made with one finger. Around the same time I founded and ran the Salinas Chess Club where I learned a tremendous amount from the best player in Monterey County, California: NM Rex Wilcox.
When the Salinas club folded, the city council members of my town (Marina) asked me to help out at the local K-4 school with an after-school program for disadvantaged children. This intrigued me, and soon I was a regular there from 3-5 p.m., three days a week, teaching for over two years until my health forced me to stop.
The past seven years I have been a volunteer administrator for the Internet Chess Club where I have run almost 10,000 tournaments, including Dos Hermanos. This usually has over 2,000 players competing for the largest cash prizes of any online event. Some of my proudest moments have been the ICC side of several important USCF-rated Internet events. Why? Because I was the assistant tournament director to International Arbiter Carol Jarecki, unarguably the top tournament director in the United States! Since the beginning of the year I have been busy serving as the moderator for the USCF Forums.
I am 46 with a degree in automotive technology, certified to repair brakes and automatic transmissions. Health issues keep me from working currently. My son, married with two children, works as a chef in a three-star restaurant in Reno.
Chess Trust launches websiteThe U.S. Chess Trust plays an active role in contributing to the USCF's mission (see "The USCF Mission" at the bottom of this page). To facilitate this, they have launched the website www.uschesstrust.org, designed by former USCF president Beatriz Marinello.
Making a donation is now a simple "point-and-click" operation, but there are other reasons to visit the site as well. There is a chess blog, a listing of all the programs the Trust supports, archived articles about chess, and even beginning chess lessons by Marinello.
The U.S. Chess Trust is an independent 501(c)(3), non-profit organization. Created in 1967, the Trust was organized to promote, stimulate and encourage the study and play of the game of chess as a means of intellectual development. The Trust uses its resources for charitable purposes, including social, educational, scientific, historical endeavors.
The Trust's focus is an outgrowth of similar activities formerly carried out by the U.S. Chess Federation. The Trust works in close conjunction with the U.S. Chess Federation to carry out charitable activities.
More and more scientific studies have confirmed that children who are taught chess, in addition to their regular courses, do better in school. Studies report that chess helps develop valuable reading and decision-making skills, and improves students' ability to concentrate. The U.S. Chess Trust takes an active role in supporting chess education programs across the nation.
Through your tax-deductible contribution to The U.S. Chess Trust, you can make a difference in the life of a young person. Chess Philanthropists ($50,000 or more), King Supporters ($10,000 or more), Friends of Chess ($5,000 or more), Ben Franklin Donors ($1,000 or more), and Heritage Donors ($500 or more) will have their names published in Chess Life.
In addition, these donors, upon request, will receive a copy of the Hall of Fame Legends of Chess Volume 1, which features 100 columns by legendary chess journalist Harold B. Dondis. Associates (donors of at least $100) and Contributors (donors of $50 or more) will have their names listed on the Chess Trust web page.
The USCF Mission
USCF is a not-for-profit membership organization devoted to extending the role of chess in American society. USCF promotes the study and knowledge of the game of chess, for its own sake as an art and enjoyment, but also as a means for the improvement of society. It informs, educates, and fosters the development of players (professional and amateur) and potential players. It encourages the development of a network of institutions devoted to enhancing the growth of chess, from local clubs to state and regional associations, and it promotes chess in American society. To these ends, USCF offers a monthly magazine, as well as targeted publications to its members and others. It supervises the organization of the U.S. Chess Championship, an open tournament held every summer, and other national events. It offers a wide range of books and services to its members and others at prices consistent with the benefits of its members. USCF serves as the governing body for chess in the United States and as a participant in international chess organizations and projects. It is structured to ensure effective democratic procedures in accord with its bylaws and laws of the state of Illinois.


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Fujifilm's J series of FinePix cameras has a new addition that makes taking and sharing photographs quick and easy. The JX370 is ideally suited to photographers who want to shoot – and share – their photos with minimal fuss. For first-time digital camera users and families, this model offers an impressive level of specification that includes 14 megapixel resolution, a wide range of shooting modes and Easy web upload to both You Tube and Facebook.
Fujifilm announces FinePix JZ370 sharing-friendly budget compact
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Feb. 14, 2009
GORHAM, ME-The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's indoor track and field teams finished third and fifth at the Little East Conference Championships at the Costello Sports Complex Saturday. The men scored 73 points and were third of six teams behind host Southern Maine and Keene State, while the women scored 65 points and finished behind Southern Maine, Rhode Island College, Keene State and Eastern Connecticut State in the six-team field. In the New England Alliance Championships, which were held concurrently and included LEC and Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference teams, the women scored 36 points and were seventh of 11 teams, while the men scored 61 points and were fifth of 10 teams.
Four Corsairs were conference champions. Sophomore Jermai Harrison (Brockton, MA/Brockton HS) finished first in the shot put, and broke the school record, the LEC record and the New England Alliance mark with a throw of 40 feet, 4 ¾ inches. Sophomore Linee Mello-Frost (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford HS) was first in the 55 meter hurdles in 9.02 seconds. Senior Tyler Buck (Valley Center, CA/Valley Center HS) won LEC and Alliance championships at 600 meters in a school record time of 1:24.04, and freshman Gerald Arneaud (Dorchester, MA/Newton South HS) won the LEC title at 400 meters and was fifth overall in 51.54 seconds.
For the women, in the shot put, freshman Brittany Cole (Dartmouth, MA/Dartmouth HS) was seventh at 33 feet, 8 ½ inches, while senior Hillary Baker was eighth at 33-7. In the hurdles, freshman Kristina Lundquist (Yarmouthport, MA/ Dennis-Yarmouth HS) was seventh in the Alliance and sixth in the LEC in 9.88 seconds after posting a time of 9.36 seconds in the trials. Junior Jess Carpenter (Rutland, MA/Wachusett Regional HS) was third in the LEC and fourth overall at 1000 meters, and her time of 3:10.87 was the second best in school history, and allowed her to qualify for the Division III New England Championships. In the high jump, freshman Alison O'Rourke (Weymouth, MA/Weymouth HS) was third in the LEC and sixth overall at four feet, 11 inches. In the 4 x 400 meter relay, the team of Carpenter, freshman Meaghan Bohigian (Barre, MA/Quabbin Regional HS), freshman Megan Oliveira (Somerset, MA/Somerset HS) and freshman Stacey Dybel (Littleton, MA/Notre Dame HS) was fourth in the LEC and sixth overall in 4:41.19. And in the 4 x 200 meter relay, the team of O'Rourke, Lundquist, freshman Emily Hall (Seekonk, MA/Seekonk HS) and sophomore Briley Morrill (Whitman, MA/Whitman-Hanson HS) was fifth in the LEC in 1:58.20.
For the men, four hurdlers made the 55 meter hurdle finals. Sophomore Marcus Williams (Worcester, MA/Doherty HS) was third overall and in the LEC at 8.17 seconds, sophomore James Morgan (Stoneham, MA/Stoneham HS/Assumption) was fourth overall and in the LEC in 8.38 seconds, sophomore Nick Deininger (North Attleboro, MA/North Attleboro HS) was sixth overall and fifth in the LEC in 8.48 seconds, and sophomore Jeff Beal (Townsend, MA/North Middlesex HS) was eighth overall and sixth in the LEC in 8.56. Williams was also fifth in the LEC in the long jump at 19 feet, 10 inches. Sophomore Eric Nygaard (Medway, MA/Medway HS) was second in both the Alliance and the LEC at 1000 meters in 2:36.11, graduate student Eric Holmes (Abington, MA/Abington HS) was sixth overall and fifth in the LEC in the mile in 4:27.08, junior Matt Lemanski (East Longmeadow, MA/East Longmeadow HS) was fifth overall and third in the LEC at 800 meters in 2:02.92, junior Derek Stevens (Swampscott, MA/Swampscott HS) was fourth overall and third in the LEC at 3000 meters in 9:00.84, and senior Jimmy Knuuttila (Lunenburg, MA/Lunenburg HS) was fourth in the LEC in the high jump at 5-7 ½ and sixth in the LEC in the 55 meter dash in 6.90 seconds. The 4 x 400 meter relay team of Buck, freshman Tom Barry (Wilmington, MA/Wilmington HS), freshman Charles Nyamekye (Framingham, MA/ Framingham HS), and Arneaud was third overall and second in the LEC in 3:31.78, while the 4 x 800 meter relay team of Lemanski, junior Tim Whelan (Abington, MA/Abington HS), sophomore Andrew Yingling (Centerville, MA/Barnstable HS/Cape Cod CC) and Nygaard was third both overall and in the LEC in 8:22.78.
"I was very pleased with our performance," said UMass Dartmouth Head Coach Steve Gardiner. "Jermai did a nice job setting a record, Linee was a conference champion, and Jess Carpenter ran very well. She's worked extremely hard with (Assistant) Coach Jon Hird and she's running the best times of her life. It was nice to see Tyler Buck improve his school record and win the 600, Gerald Arneaud is coming into his own as a freshman, and it was great to see four of our hurdlers make the finals. We need more depth and balance on both of our teams. We're making progress, the people we had competing did a nice job, but we need more in terms of numbers."
The Corsairs will return to action when they travel to the New England Division III Championships next Saturday.


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Acting Opposition Leader Warren Truss says Australians will not be rejoicing that Prime Minister Julia Gillard has matched her predecessor Kevin Rudd's time in the Lodge.
On Sunday, Ms Gillard will have been prime minister for 935 days since she seized the top job from Mr Rudd in June 2010.
Mr Truss said Ms Gillard might celebrate beating her rival's record.
"The Australian people will not celebrate the record of either," he said in a statement on Sunday.
He said the two Labor prime ministers since November 2007 had similar records.
"With more debt, deficits, waste, boats, broken promises and increasing cost of living pressures on families," Mr Truss said.
Mr Truss said Ms Gillard promised to fix border security, the budget and the mining tax upon becoming prime minister.
"Julia Gillard has failed on all three counts," he said.
Mr Truss said Labor had deteriorated under Mr Rudd and Ms Gillard.
"Only a change of government will deliver Australia the good, competent and stable government that our country deserves," he said.
"The coalition, under Tony Abbott, has plans to create a strong and prosperous economy and a safe and secure Australia."
A federal election has to be held by November 30 this year.


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A year ago I was finishing my graduate program, teaching an elementary school class, and enjoying stimulating conversations with Aaron Eyler on his blog while expanding my professional learning network. One day Aaron asked if I was available to Skype to discuss a new project he and Chad Sansing were thinking about hatching. He wasn't quite sure the details of the project, just that it would be some sort of collaboration. I could never have known what would be born from that call.
Over the past year I have enjoyed the rigorous discussion on the Co-op. I miss the days of scheduled topics and posting days, as there was a certain spirit and rigor that process contained. However, I could not be more pleased with what the Co-op has evolved into. With more than 50 registered bloggers, nearly 500 posts and 4,000 comments, the Co-op is not only a dynamic place for current conversations, but also has become a repository for some of the best and most honest conversations about education on the web.
Personally, blogging on the co-op has helped me to hone my voice and vision for educational change. The interchange of broad and diverse ideas (even though we may all be "progressive" there is still a wide spectrum within that label) has widened my perspectives and engaged me in issues I would not have known I cared about otherwise. It has also been a great platform to share my ideas and work for sanity. I am a dedicated change-maker, and it is rewarding to share the strategies and stories of my adventures with people who sincerely want to contribute in significant ways, but don't always know how.
Perhaps most rewarding has been getting to know passionate and brilliant educators all over the world. These are vibrant personal connections through the sharing of honest reflections, hopes, and dreams. Further more, while limited, I have had the joy of working on some collaborative projects with other Co-op members. Even without ever meeting them in person, we have accomplished tasks exemplifying respect and openness in ways seldom found in our "off-line" lives. Whether editing together (thanks Paula) or redesigning the website (thanks David), the manners displayed while still being completely honest provide case studies for what high-functioning learning teams can look like.
Despite "succeeding" in my own traditional school experience, I had little hope for the profession of teaching based on the majority of my personal experiences. Re-entering schools armed with a graduate degree in education (from the greatest progressive school in the world–Goddard College) and greater life experience only made me more furious about what has been and still is happening.
The Co-op has reinvigorated my hope that there is a real chance for an education revolution. For example, hearing Chad's story of going from a data and test junkie to a fighter for critical consciousness is perhaps one of my brightest moments of realizing there is hope. But also meeting Monika and learning about the Innovation Lab in Colorado, and then more and more amazing people doing small acts in their classrooms that add up to large-scale collective resistance. The revolutionaries are in schools everywhere. I am privileged to now know so many and their stories. And I know there are thousands more. I hope that the Co-op continues to be a beacon for them to come to. I will continue to send messages of sanity out to the world from it.
It is this congregation of human energy for change that most energizes me now. As we have seen with #blog4reform and #blog4nwp there is tremendous potential and power here at the Co-op. The question now is what are we going to do with it?


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These Breckelle's Gray Lug sole Lace up Booties Chunky Heels feature leather PU material, lace up design, stitching detailing, round toe, chunky heel, lug sole platform, pull-on tabs, side zipper closure, and cushioned insole for comfort.
Rubber sole, 2.5" heel, 1″ platform, 8.5″ top opening circumference, 6.75″ shaft height, true to size, imported.
Can a girl have too many pairs of shoes? We at Cutesy Originals don't think so. That's why we are thrilled to bring you the latest trends in fashion by selecting the most stylish open-toe, lace up, closed toe heels at the lowest prices we can afford. We have shoes for just about any formal and informal event. If you need to go to a wedding, ceremony, or formal party select the cutest styles from Celeste, Alba, Anne Michelle, Cape Robbin, and Liliana. For a party with your girlfriends or to go on a date, choose heels from Qupid, Red Kiss, Machi, Fahrenheit, Mark & Maddux, Blossom, Breckelle's, Privileged, Vigo Fiore, Wild Diva, Shoe Republic LA, and Wild Rose. To complete your amazing outfit, don't forget to take a look at our party dresses selection! Under the clothing tab you'll find breathtaking dresses that will make you shine!! They are in line with the latest trends, colors, and design. Pair your favorite with a gorgeous pair of heels and you are done!
For the ones of you who don't feel too comfortable in heels we have introduced our brand new line of sneaker wedges. They will keep you comfortable while adding a few inches to your height. They also add a touch of glam with their unique details, funky designs, and sexy construction, and can be dressed up or down. Simply perfect.
For the cold winter days we have a great variety of boots, lace up, combat, riding, chunky, block, or stiletto heel, knee-high, thigh high, and ankle. Just take a look at the upcoming new arrivals and pick your favorite pair. All boots have been selected for you in the most amazing styles in line with the current fashion and trends.


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August looms and kids all over Denver are itching for fishing, or anything else to while away the last days of summer. CRAWDADS! — those crustaceans of the shallows that lurk in every slow-moving body of water in town, await their nemeses. One can almost picture them flourishing their pincers in a 'Bring it on!' moment.
The recommended equipment for crawdad-fishin' is rather tricky and expensive. Here is your shopping list, Mom:
1) a stick.
2) a string.
3) a paperclip.
4) a hot dog.
Seriously, the beauty of crawdad-fishin' is its simplicity: Stick, string, paper clip, hotdog. That's all it takes, really, to keep a pack of kids busy all afternoon. So moms, cut up a hot dog, put the bits in a bucket, help the young ones tie string to a stick and attach a paper clip. You're off… pick any Denver metro area stream in a public park and sit back and watch the show.
Kids will learn virtues such as patience, as the sport absolutely demands it. It's not enough to lure Mr. Craw Dad to the hot dog. One must wait for the right moment to hoist him out of the water to the waiting bucket, net or willing friend's fingers.
Generations of Denver citizens have enjoyed this while-away-the-hot-days pastime. It's a perfect sport and lesson in catch-and-release. Kids will enjoy catching, inspecting and then releasing their crayfish back into their habitat.


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PARIS - Paris Saint-Germain showed it has the guts to go with the wallet as the ambitious big spenders twice came from behind to salvage a 2-2 draw at home to four-time champion Barcelona in the first leg of their eventful Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday.
Blaise Matuidi's deflected shot crept into the net in the fourth minute of injury time to provide a bit of hope for PSG ahead of the return leg at the Camp Nou — especially as Barcelona could be without Lionel Messi after the Argentina forward limped off with a hamstring injury at halftime after scoring the opening goal.
PSG has spent over €250 million ($320 million) on transfers in a bid to join Europe's elite clubs, and although it still faces a huge task to qualify, it at least showed that it has enough spirit and determination to unsettle Barcelona's slick passing game.
"We showed good character and a good attitude on the pitch," PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "With Barcelona you have to defend, but when you have the ball you need to be dangerous and have good attacking ideas. ... I have confidence we can do it."
The team's two superstar strikers cancelled each other out in a frenzied atmosphere at Parc des Princes, with Messi putting Barcelona ahead with his 57th goal of the season before his injury. Zlatan Ibrahimovic replied for PSG before setting up Matuidi's last-gasp equalizer in the final seconds.
The Catalans will be annoyed at not going home with a lead, however, after Xavi Hernandez's 89th-minute penalty looked certain to seal victory, but goalkeeper Victor Valdes allowed Matuidi's deflected strike to squirm under his body and over the line.
Barca remains the firm favourite, will also be missing centre half Javier Mascherano for the return after he went off on a stretcher near the end after rupturing knee ligaments. He faces six weeks out.
PSG will be without Matuidi for the return leg as he is suspended.
"It's a blow for us because Blaise is an important player," Ancelotti said.
But Messi's possible absence would give PSG greater reason to hope, especially with Ibrahimovic likely to be up against a depleted defence.
"It's going to be tough there but it's not going to be impossible," PSG midfielder David Beckham said. "Ibra can cause any team problems when the ball is played up to him, he is so strong and physical."
Messi, who was replaced by Cesc Fabregas for the second half, will have further tests on Wednesday to determine the extent of his injury.
"We've paid a heavy price, because we've lost Messi, and Mascherano," Roura said. "Of course it will be a big loss if we lose Messi, the best player in the world. But we have Cesc and other options, so we are confident from that point of view."
Both coaches felt aggrieved at refereeing decisions, with Roura complaining that Ibrahimovic's goal was offside and Ancelotti saying Alexis Sanchez dived to win the penalty.
That came after a superb passing move opened up PSG's defence on the left and Sanchez ran through before being tripped by goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu. With Messi normally taking Barcelona's penalties, Xavi dispatched the spot kick with all the composure of someone who has won two European Championships and a World Cup for Spain.
PSG had the better of the opening half had Messi almost completely contained until Dani Alves set him free in the area with a delicately lobbed pass, and the four-time player of the year clinically dispatched it into the far corner.
Ibrahimovic had wasted a couple of chances before finally getting the equalizer. Thiago Silva's glancing header hit the post, and the Swede stretched out a giant leg to poke the ball into the bottom corner — although replays showed he had been offside.
Beckham was handed only his third start for PSG in central midfield alongside Matuidi, the former England captain's vast experience seeing him preferred to the inexperienced 20-year-old Marco Verratti.
"I put Beckham there because he has the ability to play forward passes and change the play," Ancelotti said. "He played really well with good passes, changing sides. That was the reason I put him on the pitch."
Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova was back in charge for the first time since returning from a 10-week medical stay in New York, where he received treatment after the removal of a throat tumour in December.
PSG came close to scoring in the fifth minute when Javier Pastore chested the ball into the path of winger Ezequiel Lavezzi as he cut inside from the right of the area. Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets came across to tackle him and his clearance struck the post.
Ibrahimovic was hauled down after a surging run in the 18th and Valdes made a great save from his subsequent free kick.
Silva managed to contain Messi early on, making an outstanding double tackle to rob him of possession just inside the area. But Messi can never be subdued for long, and he scored his eighth Champions League goal of the campaign with his first chance. It was his 59th in the competition overall, second to all-time leader Raul Gonzalez's 71.
AP Sports Writer John Leicester in Paris contributed to this report.


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US economy: Steady as she goes
America's economy will hum along its path of moderate growth, adding 4.7 million jobs through the end of next year, say University of Michigan economists.
"Employment growth will not exceed 200,000 jobs per month, however, until output growth ratchets up to a sustained 3-percent pace during the second half of next year," said U-M economist Joan Crary. "With this moderate pace of job growth, employment will finally exceed its January 2008 peak around mid-2014, a six-and-a-half-year span."
In their annual summer forecast update of the U.S. economy, Crary and colleagues Daniil Manaenkov and Matthew Hall predict overall economic output growth (as measured by real Gross Domestic Product) of 2.2 percent during this year and 3 percent during next year—compared with last year's 1.7 percent growth.
Unemployment is expected to improve to 6.8 percent by the end of 2014, they say. The unemployment rate averaged 8.9 percent in 2011 and 8.1 percent in 2012 and is projected to average 7.5 percent for the current year.
"Sluggish labor force growth has contributed to the drop in the unemployment rate during the recovery," Crary said. "As job prospects improve, workers should return more quickly to the labor pool, slowing the improvement in the jobless rate."
In addition to moderate growth in GDP and employment this year and next, the forecast calls for steady recovery in the housing market. Single-family housing starts increased by more than 100,000 units last year to 540,000 and are expected to rise to 700,000 this year and to 950,000 in 2014. Existing single-family home sales are expected to rise from 4.1 million in 2012 to 4.4 million this year and to 4.8 million in 2014.
The U-M economists say that light vehicle sales will continue to improve, from 14.4 million units last year to 15.3 million units this year and 15.7 million units next year.
"Easing credit conditions for auto loans, along with pent-up demand, are helping to support sales," Manaenkov said. "In recent months, light trucks have accounted for more than half of light vehicle sales. Analysts attribute some of that improvement to rising demand for pickup trucks associated with the recovery in homebuilding activity."
Finally, the forecast predicts that headline inflation will remain subdued at less than 2 percent through the end of 2014, while interest rates will move slightly upward, but still stay low.
The U-M forecast is based on the Michigan Quarterly Econometric Model of the U.S. Economy and compiled by the U-M Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics. For more information, visit www.umich.edu/~rsqe.
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Odvisni portleti
Odvisni portleti
The International Services programme at Kristin covers two areas; International Students enrolled at Kristin for varying lengths of study, and our International Dovetail Exchanges, developed through arrangements with partner schools around the world.
Recognition of Kristin as a leading institution with superb facilities and courses, together with quality specialist pastoral care, has attracted an increasing number of overseas students to the school, either as fee-paying students or reciprocal exchange participants through our Dovetail Exchanges. Gains in cultural diversity and empathy and the development of an international perspective are a wonderful benefit enjoyed by our whole school community.
This rich and diverse culture is reflected in our International Services Centre. This facility functions as an administration hub as well as an orientation meeting place, drop-in centre for on-going and daily support of the international students, and as a hosting venue for parents, homestays, educational agencies and overseas school exchanges and tours.
The International Services Centre also works perfectly as a planning space for parent and student committees. We support a number of ethnic parent groups at Kristin that meet regularly to exchange information and support each other in their first language. They also organise and support various school events and help international students who are away from their homes. There are Chinese, Korean and Japanese Parents Committees, which form a part of Kristin Family and Friends (KFF).
Kristin is a signatory to the Ministry of Education Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students. As such, the school is subject to a six-monthly review of its policy and practices.
Jenny Taylor
Director of International Services
+64 9 415 5108
Email Jenny
Helen Kim
International Student Manager and Korean Facilitator
+64 9 415 9566 Ext 2469
Email Helen
Katherine Chen
Chinese Facilitator
+64 9 415 9566 Ext 2381
Email Katherine
Cindy Tong
International Services Coordinator (Homestay and Activities)
+64 9 415 9566 Ext 2873
Email Cindy
Useful Links
NZ Independent Schools Top World Rankings >>
Immigration New Zealand website >>
Ministry of Education
Information and guide for international students and parents >>
Code of Practice information for students and parents >>
Education Review Office (ERO)
Study Auckland
Education providers in Auckland >>


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Looks like you are using an old version of Internet Explorer - Please update your browser
Unlike the computers we use every day, there's no amount of deleting or reformatting that can remove the sensual images we've laid our eyes upon.
The only thing suicide offers in abundance is ultimate defeat, without a second chance at victory ever again.
From this day forward, the choice is yours. You can be a Daniel, purposing in your life to try to make choices that honor God and benefit you every time.
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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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Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions Dev Beenox Named Lead on Upcoming Spidey Games
"Beenox has done a tremendous job showcasing the essence of Spider-Man while pushing new creative boundaries with Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions," said Todd Jefferson, director of games at Marvel Entertainment's Global Digital Media Group. "We look forward to working with Beenox on creating new Spider-Man game experiences."
What exactly are these new Spidey games the Activision subsidiary is working on? While Beenox has previously mused that it might fancy a whole game based around the '2099' or 'Noir' Spider-Men featured in Shattered Dimensions, what's actually happening remains a Spidey secret for now. We can say, though, is that everyone in today's press release seems jolly excited about the whole affair.
"Beenox's creative vision reinvigorated the Spider-Man gaming experience among critics and fans in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions," said Activision Studios senior VP Patrick Kelly. "We can't wait to see where this talented studio will take this franchise in the future."
Beenox studio head Dee Brown chipped in too, saying that "Being able to map out Spider-Man's interactive future gives us the creative freedom to really craft the best gaming experience for the fans."
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions was released for PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii and Nintendo DS last year. The DS edition was handled by Griptonite Games.


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Angels Bats Are Back, but I Have Questions about the Rotation
The Angels continue to hit in spectacular fashion, both those you would expect and those you would not expect. 39 hits and 31 RBIs in the last three games, even with the loss to Milwaukee? Whooooo hooooo! Granted, batting averages don't really count for much in Spring Training because the pitching takes so long to get into season shape and the number of minor league pitchers each batter sees. However, the bats seem to be warming up more as the pitching warms up and this I will take as a hopeful sign for the season.
Starting rotation issues, however, are giving me concerns where I did not expect to have any just two weeks ago. Now it sounds like Joel Pineiro will spend a few days on the DL at the beginning for the season. I understand. I want him to pitch strong for as much of the season as he can and back precautionary decisions especially now before the season starts. So much for the 4th rotation spot, for now…though after Scott Kazmir's last start, who knows?
Which brings us to our 5th starting rotation spot…well…How do you solve a problem like Scott Kazmir? And, yes, that did emerge from my head set to a Rodgers and Hammerstein approved tune. Thanks – or blame, depending on your point of view – to Red State Blue State. I wanted Kaz to regain his old form. I was really pulling for him. There were hopefully signs in several of his Spring Training starts – more control in one game, more strikes thrown in another, more consistency, etc. But it never all came together in one game, which in and of itself already has overtones of 2010. Then, on Thursday against the Brewers, he incurred eight hits and ten runs in five innings pitched. Owwwww-ch. And yet it still sounds like Kaz is our 5th starter. Which leaves us where exactly? Praying for rain every 5th start? That would be one baseball tradition I would prefer not to embrace.
Matt Palmer did pretty well today, pitching to contact with the infield and outfield living up to their capabilities. Hmmm…is he an alternative plan or is he bullpen bound, no ifs, ands or buts? Oh well, I guess we'll find out on Tuesday after the game, when Mike Scioscia has promised he will announce the starting rotation, the 25 man roster and the opening day starters…because waiting for Wednesday evening would have been too last minute, she says with extreme affection.
In other news, preparing to buy tickets for a few games in Northern California has given me a renewed appreciation for buying Angels tickets down here in Southern California. On Stubhub you pay more than full price for even generic Giants and A's tickets. Even now before the season has started. It is actually better to go through Ticketmaster for Giants and A's tickets. The horror!! The Big A is so large and enough of our season ticket holders so unable to attend every game, that I can usually grab tickets at season ticket prices or even cheaper now or the week of the game off Stubhub or Craig's list. Games against the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers are notable exceptions to this rule. But even so, wow. I had no idea I was so spoiled, but I'll take it!


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Walk With a Doc - Ripon High School
Walk with a Doc
Wednesday, December 4, 2019 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (CST)
Event Details
Agnesian HealthCare and the Fond du Lac Family YMCA are partnering with Walk With a Doc to create a safe, walkable community.
The collaborative mission is to encourage healthy physical activity in people of all ages, and reverse the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle in order to improve the health and well-being of the country.
Join a provider on the first, second and third Wednesday of each month from 6 to 7 p.m. to begin your commitment of improved health and well-being.
Step it Up! The Surgeon General of the United States recommends 150 minutes of weekly exercise to:
- Lower your risk of heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, breast and colon cancers, and depression
- Maintain or lose weight
- Boost your energy
- Improve your sleep
- Reduce stress
- Redue your risk of falls
- Delay the onset of cognitive decline and dementia
- Increase sense of well-being and more!
For more information, call the Health Resource Center at St. Agnes Hospital at (920) 926-4961, visit agnesian.com/walk-with-a-doc or visit walkwithadoc.org.
*Our providers do their best to be at Ripon High School at the times indicated. However, due to emergencies or unforeseen circumstance, there might be a time where they are not present.
When & Where
Ripon High School
850 Tiger Drive
Wednesday, December 4, 2019 from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM (CST)
Add to my calendar


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I recently asked on Twitter if anyone had any opinions on my next blog entry concerning freelance life and Joel Stransky wrote "I'd be interested to hear about disturbance agreements you have with your family.". Therefore, Joel, this post's for you.
Make a space
My situation is one where I staked out one room in my home for my office.
If you are able to remove yourself from the regular hustle and bustle of your home, much better for you.
I leave my door open because I want to accessible but in the end my space is my own*. In every sense of the phrase I have a "home office". So what do I mean when I say "Take the home out of home office"? Think of it like this;
When you work at a company you get, at the very least, a desk. When you don't see your family for the duration of a work day, most people have photos of said family. You know, to remind them of "better times." Sorry.
When you work from home and you have a 4 month-old baby girl, a 5 and a 1/2 year-old boy and a wife on maternity leave, all you have are reminders of your family's presence. Keep family photos out of your workspace. Keep all mementos of non-work out of your work space. That's the function of the rest of your home.
So that's Home Office. Let's get into interruptions. You know when you're sitting at your desk, diligently working away and a coworker comes up to you and asks a question, completely throwing off your flow/chi/balance/progress? Now imagine these are your coworkers:
That's right, cuteness overload. However, when your wife is taking care of a fussy baby and your son yells upstairs "Daddy! I need help!" and he's referring to some video game (which you know you'd rather be playing anyway) you have to restrain yourself from jumping up. Instead yell back, "Sorry buddy, Daddy's working." To be fair, that's super hard to do. (See above picture). I have listened to my wife explain to my son that "You need to pretend that Daddy isn't home." This is not an easy concept for a 5 year-old to grasp. He is starting to come 'round, though. Slowly but surely.
The other thing my wife mentioned that would make the separation of home and office easier would be to close my door. I am considering it, but I do like being available in some instances.
So, I don't know, Joel, if that answered your comment, but that's the best I have at the moment.
* I need to point out that we are currently in the middle of moving rooms so my lovely little office is completely overrun. Such is life and I do my best to ignore it.


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Photo courtesy of Gil Talbot.
Harvard's Starting Line-ups
Autograph session following the Pink Zone Event
Victoria Lippert After Her Career Night
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Despite a slow start to the
game, the Harvard women's basketball team held off Brown and came
away with a 66-51 win Saturday night at Lavietes Pavilion. Harvard,
who is a perfect 10-0 at home this season, improves to 14-7 overall
and 5-2 in conference play.
Freshman Victoria Lippert led three Crimson players in double figures with a career-high 27 points. Junior Emma Markley added 17 points and pulled down seven rebounds and junior Christine Matera scored 12 points. Junior Jackie Alemany recorded 10 rebounds on the night to lead all players. Sophomore Brogan Berry grabbed eight rebounds and handed out seven assists. She moved into 10th on the single season assists list with 130 hand outs.
Brown was held scoreless for the first five minutes of the game, as Harvard jumped out to an early 7-0 lead. The Bears got on the board with four points before the two teams traded 9-0 runs to make the score 16-13 with just under nine minutes remaining in the half.
After being fouled on a lay-up, freshman Miriam Rutzen connected on a free throw to end the Brown run. She made another free throw less than a minute later. Harvard went scoreless from the field for almost six minutes before Lippert drove into the lane for a layup. Brown cut the Harvard lead to just one, 24-23, with a 10-2 run. Alemany pulled down a crucial rebound as Brown tried to take the lead with 1:13 remaining in the first half. Sophomore Brogan Berry hit a three with 49 seconds left to end the 6-0 run by Brown. Lippert hit two free throws with 15 seconds remaining to give Harvard a 29-23 lead going into halftime.
Harvard went 9-for-21 from the field in the first half, while holding Brown to just 9-of-32 shooting.
Matera hit a three to start the second half which gave Harvard a nine-point lead. Lippert drained a shot from the free throw line after being fouled on a lay-up, for a traditional three-point play, allowing Harvard to take its largest lead of the night, 37-27. Brown used a 9-0 run in the middle of the half to cut into the double-digit lead the Crimson had built, but Harvard didn't let the Bears get closer than six after that. In the final seven minutes of the game, Harvard went on a 17-8 run to close out the game with a 15-point lead.
The Crimson shot 44.2 percent from the field on a 23-for-52 effort from the floor. Harvard outrebounded Brown 47-37 but committed seven more turnovers, with 22 to the Bear's 15.
Harvard travels to New York next weekend to take on Cornell Friday night and Columbia Saturday night. Tip off for both nights is slated for 7 p.m.


text: For the past three years, XXL has selected 10 MCs that represent the future of the game. With the 2010 Freshmen class recently unveiled, we're catching up with some of the previous artists that graced our highly anticipated Freshmen cover. Atlanta star B.O.B. was part of last year's class and has some fond memories of his shoot, including crackin' a bottle with Asher Roth, and how the cover impacted his career. Now a sophomore, Bobby Ray gives a few wise words of advice for a New Breed of Hustlers. Click here to read the interview.


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Self-made starts right here at Middle Tennessee State University. MTSU's diverse student population is comprised of many self-supported and first-generation college students. Way to pull yourselves up by your bootstraps, folks. MTSU offers students a range of services including, wait for it, a 24 hour computer lab! Special programs at MTSU include a Center of Historic Preservation, a Center for Popular Music, and the Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia. If you are the aggressive type, you might want to check it at the door. MTSU is big on non-violent communication and peaceful conflict resolution, so rein in that temper. Blue Raiders of the past include singer Hillary Scott from Lady Antebellum, not one but two Miss Tennesees (Ashley Eischer '04 and Lauren Grissom '06), and NFL linebacker Erik Walden. One last fun fact about MTSU: it is located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Not only is that fun to say, but Murfreesboro is the geographic center of Tennessee. If Tennessee was the world, at MTSU you would be living on the equator. Hawt.
There are a ton of modern apartment complexes around campus with a ton of restaurants and stores around them. Venture farther south of campus and you'll be close to Plaza South Shopping Center. Settle even farther south and you'll get to stroll by Todds Lake every day, though it will be a bit more of a commute to school. If watching planes makes your heart sour, look for housing to the north, near Mursfreesboro Muni Airport. On campus, ride by Raider Express. Or hop on the green dragon known as the < a Rover, which runs Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Also, many of the nearby apartment complexes offer shuttles to campus. Join the bicycle revolution and get your own steel steed. Test it out on the paved Greenway path. Any way you want to ride, Musfreesboro is an easy city to zip around in.
Pretty little Musfreesboro, Tennessee takes pride in its small size, progressive attitude, and historical architecture. The Murfreesboro Greenway System is available to visitors wanting to hike, walk, run, bike, or skate on 12 miles of trails by the Stones River. It connects parks, neighborhoods, and businesses. For something to jump your pulse, head to Nashville and check out the Nashville Superspeedway. To step into history, visit Cannonsborough Pioneer Village, a rebuilt pioneer village that shows what rural life in the South used to be like.
Has the time come for you to get out of the dorm and move into an off campus DJC apartment? Perhaps the options available from the Draughons Junior College, Murfreesboro housing office no longer meet your needs and you would like to find a cheap apartment close to the DJC campus. If so, you can search for off campus Draughons Junior College, Murfreesboro apartments with MyNewPlace's college housing search.
Although Draughons Junior College, Murfreesboro student housing may be very conveniently close to campus, moving to an off campus apartment can be a great way to save money, put some distance in between yourself and an RA, get accustomed to living in your own apartment and building up rental history.
DJC apartments for rent are available close to campus and in other neighborhoods around Murfreesboro, TENNESSEE. Using our map based university apartment finder, you can find off campus housing near campus to ensure you can still get to all the DJC 0 games and make it to class on time.
We can help you find off campus DJC apartments that will best suit your collegiate lifestyle; search Draughons Junior College, Murfreesboro apartments by the number of bedrooms, price, neighborhood or a range of other amenities.
Have more questions? Check out our articles with renter tips in our apartment guide and search through http://www.draughons.edu/.


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Went to help on a maiden flight of the largest(we think) model glider in Ireland on Saterday.
Took some 6 months of intensive building,around 40 hours per week.
Special jigs were designed and built to keep her straight until the sheeting was installed on the fuselage.
Geodetic crossbracing in the fuselage to keep her straight and true (not on plans - builders addition)
Construction: Fuselage made in two vertical halves and comprises light ply formers covered in balsa sheet then light weave fibreglass cloth put on with water based varnish then spray painted.
Wingspan 7.82 metres.
Weight 19.8 kilos:
Twin dual diversity receivers with electronic battery backup.
Colour scheme is a parody on the original designer, Erwin Musger, who designed gliders for Hitler's future Luftwaffe pilots to train in; hence the Deaths Head Squadron (TOTENKOPF GESCHWADER) insignia.
Thanks to Ron (Coomkeen) for the photos as he was there to.


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The Aldrich Alert
A Publication of the Patrick Henry Center for Individual Liberty
by Gary Aldrich - Volume 2, Issue 13
This article appeared on WorldNetDaily.com on Thursday, March 7, 2002.
Arguments about how biased the mainstream media is may be ended by good old-fashioned greed. If greed triumphs, more than a few news anchors for whom conservatives reserve special contempt will be shown the door. They'll be replaced by new faces waiting in the wings, hair fluffed and short skirts immodestly hiked but these new arrivals will be there only because they have a lot more to do with entertainment than serious news. And that can only be good news for conservatives.
ABC News appears to be in "meltdown" as the bean counters look at the advertising dollars and find that fewer and fewer people are watching what the networks describe as "news." First to be brought to the chopblock is Ted Koppel. There has apparently been discussion about replacing his late-night news show with David Letterman, who seems unhappy in his current gig. In a nutshell, ABC would lose what they call a "serious" news program, and would gain a show that's billed as pure entertainment sure to attract the sleepless and lonely.
Those who still want to get news will have to go to Fox News Channel, talk radio or Internet news websites like WorldNetDaily.com, or DrudgeReport.com.
That, of course, can only be a good thing for conservatives who champion the truth.
Just how relevant and cutting-edge has Ted Koppel been, anyway? I once had a chance to test him on this question. At a televised meeting with conservatives in Washington, D.C., I asked Koppel why he had never invited me on his late-night show to talk about my book, Unlimited Access. He stated that my book was "old news" and no longer relevant. Of course, this was after the election of Bill Clinton to a second term, but before the exposure of the Monica Lewinsky scandal by my friend, Linda Tripp.
What were just two themes in the book that I knew were extremely relevant?
First, the Clinton White House Intern program was "out of control" (and so were the interns), and second, Bill Clinton had continued to be a reckless womanizer and was driving his Secret Service agents crazy. Both stories had been pooh-poohed, suppressed and ignored by the mainstream media. The Ted Koppels of the network news ignored numerous accurate allegations.
Maybe a fair question today would be, "Who's irrelevant now, Ted?"
Turning to ABC's Sunday morning show, "This Week with Sam and Cokie," the Washington Post yesterday reported that these two senior citizens are likely to be replaced with young, hip reporters paragons of truth and virtue none other than George Stephanopoulos and Claire Shipman. The two new whippersnappers are supposed to appeal to a younger crowd, except they have yet to explain how young people can stay up partying all night, then get up Sunday morning for the sole purpose of finding out what George Stephanopoulos thinks about, well anything.
More likely, folks that watch this news show will be on a "hair-watch" to see how Georgie coiffures it from week to week, proving that appearance, not real news, has become the defining interest of the hedonistic who will be producing and watching this show. After all, viewers will not tune in to seek truth! Stephanopoulos has admitted that he spent the better part of two years getting a notorious liar elected to the White House. George Stephanopoulos then spent the better part of four years lying to the American public about what was going on inside the Clinton White House.
Pretty young women, with no other apparent purpose than to be receptacles for Bill Clinton's excesses, were wearing a rut in George's carpet on the way to and from intimate liaisons with "Bill" in the Oval Office, but never registered on Stephanopoulos' radar screen, in spite of how sharp everyone says he is. He should be a swell addition to the growing ranks of clueless-but sexy-millionaire news anchors who put ribbons on pig slop then call it the truth.
The demise of "This Week" can only bring smiles to those working over at Fox News Channel, the station of choice for those who still insist that news be "fair and balanced." Might I suggest a new name for David Brinkley's creation? How about "Sunday Mornings with Fluffy É Claire?"
The point is, where do people go when they want real news but cannot find it in the usual places? The obvious answer is alternative places like talk radio and the Internet, whose forums and audiences are growing in size and credibility every day as it becomes more clear that television is a swell form of entertainment, but not much else. Fox News Channel stands as one of the exceptions.
Whoever it was that claimed that TV was going to educate the world to be a better place was either one of the biggest dopes ever born, or one of the best liars who ever lived.
Whichever it was, they forgot to factor in good old-fashioned greed.


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AT&T Signs On to Google's Vevo Music Service
AT&T has joined Vevo, the not-yet-launched music service from YouTube, Universal Music Group, and Sony Music Entertainment. Few details were provided, but Vevo said AT&T will "support Vevo across a variety of connected platforms."
"Music and entertainment are two of the broadest-reaching and influential 'passion points' for consumers, and aligning our brand with a new property like Vevo gives us a chance to reach them in fresh, meaningful ways," Chris Schembri, vice president of media services for AT&T, said in a statement.
Plans for Vevo were first announced in April. YouTube described Vevo as a "premium online music video hub" that will be powered by YouTube's video technology. Users can access the content via Vevo.com or through a new Vevo YouTube channel, which will include a Vevo-branded embedded player.
Sony Music Entertainment joined the venture in June.
Earlier this month, Vevo announced that Abu Dhabi Media Company joined Sony and Universal as founding shareholders. Financial details were not released, but the deal was rumored to be in the $300 million range.
The service will be free and ad-supported, and is expected to launch later this year. Founding partners will share the revenue.
"AT&T's decision to join Vevo at such an early stage (before we've even launched!) is a strong affirmation of our vision," Vevo said.Originally posted to AppScout.


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I unfortunately came down with a cold/cough on Friday night. I was bound & determined to run. I was healthy for the past 8 months – what kind of cruel joke is this to get sick the few days before?? I made a deal with myself that as long as I was fever free and not fatigued, I would run. I happily woke up (cough & all) on Sunday Am raring to go. I didn't feel bad – it was one of those things where I sounded much worse than I felt. It was 32 degrees out..BRRR!! I bundled up (well, in runner's terms) and my Dad came to pick Jon & I up. What an amazing experience this was for me. I am so glad that I was able to run. I started off well and felt great until about mile 8. Then, I had taken a Clif Shot and because it was so cold out, it didn't go down well and seemed to make all the crud in my throat just congeal. It felt like I had to cough and something was stuck, but nothing budged. I worked through it and kept reminding myself that this was all temporary and that there were others that have gone through (and are going through) much worse. I had made a list before my race of people that I was dedicating my miles to and thinking of those people while I was struggling during mile 8 and then again during those last couple miles, kept me going. I also saw this quote on the back of a guy in front of me from the Marines "Pain is weakness leaving the body". That was a bit of motivation, too. The "official" stats are below:
bib number: 10572
age: 36
gender: F
location: Lewis Center, OH
overall place: 2585 out of 6858
division place: 180 out of 695
gender place: 1081 out of 4070
time: 2:01:22
pace: 9:16
10k: 57:08
My goal had been to finish under 2 hours, but considering I was sick & had to stop to tie my stupid shoe, I'll take this and feel great about it. I can't wait to train for & run a full marathon in May 2010. 🙂
Here is a pic my Mom took (a little blurry). I am in the red w/black pants:
And here….there I go…
After the race with my medal & shirt. Like the hair? LOL!
Should get the race picture sometime this week.
Oh, I did want to mention that after the finish, I was walking through the lines to get some fuel. I was very discouraged to see that there was mainly doughnuts (gluten) and bagels (more gluten). I did spot some bananas….not even close to ripe & too cold and then the only other thing I could eat, Conn's Potato Chips. Thank God they were gluten-free. I scarfed them down like I hadn't eaten for weeks! LOL! I know those other items were quick carbs/sugar, and I should be thankful there was something I could eat. Plus, during the race they gave out gatorade (GF) and Clif Shots (also GF).
Filed under: Family, Gluten-Free, Gluten-free Products | 18 Comments »