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LA MIRADA, Calif – Day two is in the books at the SCIAC Swimming & Diving & Championships at Splash! La Mirada and both the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's and men's swimming & diving teams hold a lead with one day to go. The Athenas opened up a 659 to 519 lead over Pomona-Pitzer while the Stags extended their lead over Redlands 801-491.
The Stags won six SCIAC titles on the day out of eight total events. Both relay teams for CMS got wins on Monday as the team of Blake Weber, Brad Perfect, Patrick Shultz and Joseph Hinton won the 200-yard medley relay final with a time of 1:31.27 while the 800-yard freestyle relay team of Devin Bowers, Marc Blumberg, Cameron Whiting and Weber finished in first with a time of 6:43.53. Both teams also set SCIAC Championship records in their respective events.
The Athenas had a strong day as well extending their lead over rival Pomona-Pitzer with one first place finish and several second place finishes. Michele Kee won the SCIAC title in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 56.22. The 200-yard medley relay team of Elsa Cheng, Maddy Gebhard, Erin MacLean and Helen Liu finished in second behind Pomona-Pitzer while LillyBelle Deer placed in second in the 200 free with a time of 1:54.20.
On the 1-meter boards, diver Carmen Lundell finished with a score of 411.15, just behind Jessica Robson of Occidental for second place. Robson won the SCIAC title with a score of 412.85.


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Today's new apps are all about entertainment, starting with the comedy stylings of a few hundred comedians. I'm talking about the new CC: Stand-Up app, which puts tons of stand-up comedy in your pocket for free. We've also got a couple games. One is a humorous bridge building physics puzzler, and the other is an […]
Today's new apps are all about entertainment, starting with the comedy stylings of a few hundred comedians. I'm talking about the new CC: Stand-Up app, which puts tons of stand-up comedy in your pocket for free. We've also got a couple games. One is a humorous bridge building physics puzzler, and the other is an epic and modern take on expansive RPG's like Ultima.
CC: Stand-Up (Free)
What's it about? A massive collection of stand-up comedy videos right at your fingertips, totally free, courtesy of comedy central.
What's cool? Assuming you aren't some kind of hate fueled alien, you probably love to laugh, and will likewise love this app. It boasts loads of clips and videos (No really, there are thousands of them) of your favorite stand-up comedians, all for free. You can even discover new comedians based on your tastes, or your favorite comedian's favorite comedians. The app will even recommend clips based on a comedians most popular and side splitting acts. There are over 700 comedians featured here, which is kind of incredible.
Who's it for? Any lover of stand-up comedy who wants to pull some laughs out of their pocket, literally, at any time.
What's it like? For further laughs, you can check out other comedy central apps, like the Tosh.0 and Daily Show apps.
Bridgy Jones ($0.99)
What's it about? A unique new bridge building physics puzzler from Chillingo, with plenty of humor and charm.
What's cool? It's been a while since we've seen a really good bridge builder, and that is indeed what we have here. With only a few building materials and over thirty levels, it's up to you to build some of the most creative and unique bridge contraptions around, helping Bridgy Jones and his puppy Bonner get across in their train. The game is loaded with little jokes and chuckle worthy elements, and the art style is really cool too. All in all, it's simple, fun, full of personality, and worth checking out.
Who's it for? People who enjoy colorful physics puzzlers. Also, bridge lovers.
What's it like? Simple Physics is a very early game in the genre. Dummy Defense is an interesting take on the idea.
9th Dawn ($2.99)
What's it about? An epic and sprawling RPG world with fast paced action packed twin stick combat.
What's cool? Brought to us by Valorware and Made with Marmalade, this is essentially like the classic Ultima, plus twin stick controls and roguelike elements. It reminds me of popular indie MMO, Realm of the Mad God, but more traditional, single player, and with a really well written story. Playing as either a knight, archer, or mage, you'll go through dungeons, towns, and monsters to get that sweet loot and save the world from the rising armies of the undead. The old school visuals and sound allow for a surprisingly massive world to explore too. This game is seriously cool. Trust me.
Who's it for? Anyone who likes new school games with an old school soul, or games that blend the old and the new. Also, RPG fans in general.
What's it like? It's pretty unique to be honest. Another retro style RPG worth checking out is Guardian Saga. A more modern one would be Ravensword: Shadowlands.

subset: commoncrawl


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By ,
Published December 20, 2015
The controversial Supreme Court ruling that expanded eminent domain to give government the right to take private property to allow economic development may have been all for nothing, according to a report.
Nine years after the high court sided with a Connecticut municipality in Kelo v. City of New London, a ruling Associate Justice Antonin Scalia has likened to the court's disastrous Dred Scott decision, the 90-acre plot once earmarked for office buildings, luxury apartments and a new marina, remains vacant.
Seven residents who fought all the way to the Supreme Court to keep their working-class homes in the city's Fort Trumbull section have only their memories and whatever remains of the money they were forced to accept.
"See that pole with the transformer hanging from it?" Michael Cristofaro, a 52-year-old computer network engineer, told The Weekly Standard, which recently visited the town. "That was where my family's home was."
In the landmark 5-4 ruling, named for the lead plaintiff, a nurse named Susette Kelo, the Supreme Court upheld a state Supreme Court ruling that the city of 27,000 and a nonprofit entity called the New London Development Corp. were entitled to seize those properties in the name of economic development. Previously, eminent domain had been seen as limited to cases involving projects deemed as benefiting the public, but not a private economic interest.
"The nationwide outrage that followed in the wake of the Kelo decision spanned from left to right and back again on the political spectrum," The Weekly Standard noted. "It didn't help that one of the chief beneficiaries of the NLDC's economic development plan would have been the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, Inc., which New London had lured into the city via an 80-percent, 10-year property-tax abatement for a $300 million research facility -- an expansion of the company's research operations in Groton, Conn., across the Thames."
More than 40 state legislatures would later pass laws banning or restricting the use of eminent domain for economic rejuvenation, particularly if homeowners would be displaced. And at least seven states amended their constitutions to ban the use of eminent domain for economic development, with some state courts explicitly rejecting the Kelo ruling as precedent, The Weekly Standard reports.
So how does New London, specifically Fort Trumbull, look now?
"The homeowners were dispossessed for nothing," wrote The Boston Globe's Jeff Jacoby. "Fort Trumbull was never redeveloped. Pfizer itself bailed out of New London in 2009. The Kelo decision was a disaster, as even the city's present political leaders acknowledge."
Associate Justices John Paul Stevens, Stephen Breyer, David Souter, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Anthony Kennedy formed the narrow majority in the landmark Supreme Court decision, with its conservative bloc dissenting.
"Today, the Court abandons [the Fifth Amendment's] long-held, basic limitation on government power," now-retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote in her dissenting opinion. "Under the banner of economic development, all private property is now vulnerable to being taken and transferred to another private owner, so long as it might be upgraded, i.e. given to an owner who will use it in a way that the legislature deems more beneficial to the public — in the process."
The story of New London is akin to a Greek tragedy, according to The Weekly Standard, or perhaps "Eminent disaster," as the Globe's opinion headline reads.
"The founders put the takings clause in the Bill of Rights for a reason," Jacoby wrote. "The desolation that is Fort Trumbull is a grim reminder that where property rights aren't secure, neither is freedom — and without freedom, there is nothing the government can't destroy."


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For the second consecutive year, Hope College is anticipating the largest incoming class in history as the new school year approaches.
Hope doesn't log enrollment officially until mid-September, following the formal close date for the process, but through July the college had registered more than 900 freshmen. The incoming class is expected to top last year's record of 848, which had surpassed the previous high of 819 set in 2007.
The total also has Hope anticipating more than 3,200 students overall for the seventh year in a row—and perhaps the most students ever. Last year's enrollment, 3,249, was a Hope record and the sixth year in a row that enrollment at the college was above 3,200.
The college's 151st academic year will begin formally with the annual Opening Convocation on Sunday, Aug. 26, at 2 p.m. in the Richard and Helen DeVos Fieldhouse. The featured speaker will be Dr. Charlotte vanOyen-Witvliet, who is the John H. and Jeanne M. Jacobson Professor of Psychology and will present "Learning in a Life that Matters."
Residence halls for new students will open on Friday, Aug. 24, at 10 a.m., with New Student Orientation beginning later that day and continuing through Monday, Aug. 27. Residence halls for returning students will open on Sunday, Aug. 26, at noon. Fall semester classes will begin on Tuesday, Aug. 28, at 8 a.m.
The large incoming class and overall enrollment anticipated this fall follow a strong 2011-12 admissions recruiting year, so it's not coming unexpectedly. Correspondingly, across the summer months the college's faculty and staff have been making ready, from adding some 48 course sections to keep classes characteristically Hope-sized, to purchasing additional cottages and leasing off-campus apartments to serve as student housing.
The adjustments are in addition to some 200 projects on the summer campus "to-do" list, initiatives ranging from completing major new facilities to small-scale behind-the-scenes improvements. Highlights have included completing the VandePoel-Heeringa Stadium Courts, which are part of the Etheridge Tennis Complex at the Ekdal J. Buys Athletic Fields, and starting work on the "Tom and Ryan Cook Village," apartment-style student housing south of the DeVos Fieldhouse scheduled to be ready for the fall of 2013.
The college has also done major work at Holland Municipal Stadium, which Hope is in the process of arranging to purchase from the City of Holland. Improvements have included the installation of artificial turf that features the Hope "H" at midfield and the college's name in the end zones.
In anticipation of the start of construction this fall on the new engineering wing being added to VanderWerf Hall, the general physics lab is being relocated from the main floor to the ground level. Other improvements, spanning east to west and north to south, have ranged from replacing the windows of Scott and Wyckoff halls, to installing new exercise equipment at the Dow Center, to several dozen maintenance projects in Hope's cottages, from new kitchen flooring, to bathroom remodeling, to re-roofing.
vanOyen-Witvliet has been a member of the Hope faculty since 1997. Her teaching responsibilities have included Introductory Psychology, Positive Psychology, Behavior Disorders, Clinical Psychology, Internships and Advanced Research Lab. She publishes in the field of emotion and psychophysiology research, with a specialized focus on justice, forgiveness, and gratitude.
With the support of the Fetzer Institute, the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University, the John Templeton Foundation, the Towsley Research Scholar Award, the Faith and Learning Fund, and the Frost Center for Social Science Research, she has conducted programmatic research with students, published peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters, and given professional presentations in local, national, and international venues. She has conducted 100 media interviews about forgiveness, with her research featured in venues such as "Time," "Newsweek," "Reader's Digest," "O: The Oprah Magazine," "USA Today," "The Los Angeles Times," "The Chicago Tribune," "ABC News Good Morning America," and CNN.
Witvliet has mentored dozens of Hope students in psychophysiology research, 20 of whom have co-authored journal articles or professional conference presentations with her, and 12 of whom have co-authored projects winning Psi Chi Regional Research Awards.
Before joining the Hope faculty, she trained as a scientist-practitioner clinical psychologist at Purdue University and completed her predoctoral internship at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center affiliated with Duke University.
She graduated from Calvin College with a B.A. in psychology and music in 1991, and completed her M.S. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Purdue University in 1993 and 1997 respectively.


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by Brian DeCandia, sports information graduate assistant
PENSACOLA, Fla. – The No. 29 Georgia College men's tennis squad (6-7) dominated the University of North Alabama (2-11) Thursday morning, 8-1.
The Bobcats jumped out early, going up 2-1 after doubles. The duo of Wictor Andersson (Karlskoga, Sweden) and Leo Bernardes (Sao Paulo, Brazil) took down Jonathan Vick and Rob Whitsitt, 8-3.
No. 9 Jerome Leborgne (Coordimanche, France) and Johan Wadstein (Helsingborg, Sweden) lost a heartbreaker at the top position to Matt Feury and Alexey Kavalenka, 9-7. Tyler Franks (Greensboro, Ga.) and Kasper Konyves (Helsingborg, Sweden) took down Constantin Witten and Mirko Sommerfeld 8-4.
No. 24 Leborgne beat Witten with ease in straight sets, 6-1, 6-0. Andersson finished off Vick in a 6-2, 6-1 romping in the sixth slot. Konyves clinched the team win with a 6-3, 6-2 victory in the third slot. In second singles, Wadstein rebounded from a doubles loss to trounce Kavalenka, 6-3, 6-2.
Alex Schubert (Frankfurt, Germany) edged by Whitsitt in the first set 7-5 but dominated the second 6-2. Bernardes ended the day with a two-set victory over Sommerfeld, 6-3, 7-6.
Wadstein and Bernardes are still tied for the team lead at 8-5 in singles action. The Andersson/Bernardes win in doubles ties the pairing with Leborgne and Wadstein for an 8-5 mark.
GC plays again Friday, March 30 against Lindenwood University set to start at 9 p.m. central time.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/BobcatSports and www.facebook.com/gcbobcats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCBobcats.com for more information, and to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GC Athletics Hall of Fame.


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- BS in Communication Networks and Security (legacy) (CNWS-BS)
- BS in Computer Science (COMP-BS)
- BS in Cybersecurity (CSEC-BS)
- BS in Information Technology (ITEC-BS)
- BS in Software Engineering (SWEN-BS)
- BS in Bioinformatics (BIOI-BS administered through Bioinformatics Program)
- BS in Mathematics and Computer Science (MCSC-BS administered by Department of Mathematics and Statistics)
- BS in Physics and Computer Science (PCSC-BS administered by Department of Physics)
- BS in Applied Mathematics (AMTH-BS administered by Department of Mathematics and Statistics)
- BS in Data Science (DATA-BS administered by Department of Mathematics and Statistics)
- Minor in Computer Science (COMP-MINR)
- Minor in Computer Crime and Forensics (CCFR-MINR)
- Minor in Information Technology (ITEC-MINR)
- "Double-Dipping" Rules
- BS and MS Dual-Degree Programs
2018 Annual ReportThe Loyola computer science department's annual report from 2018.
In the news
Computer Science student wins big with music app ideaLike most young adults, Jonah Murray spends a lot of time with technology. But there's one big difference—he's creating an app for concert goers.
Intern profile
Programming and TeachingLucas Rudd - Loyola Senior Lucas Rudd spent seven weeks this summer at iD Tech, where he taught middle and high schoolers 3D printing—a process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file. Rudd, who is majoring in physics and computer science, talks about his internship and how it helped him discover a love for teaching and explore his interests in software development.
Programming Skills : Eighth grader Calvin Osborne shares game programming skills with Loyola studentsCalvin Osborne presented a guest talk to Loyola University Chicago Computer Science students from several sections of Introduction to Object Oriented Programming (Comp 170) on this November 8, 2016. Calvin, an eighth grade student at Lake Forest Country Day School, demonstrated his work to update and customize Minecraft with a mod called Mineautica, explained how he implemented the changes in java, and how he worked with a small team to create new graphic elements for the game.
Intern profile
Exploring social: Computer Science major Salomon Smeke spent his summer interning at 4C working on social media adsSalomon Smeke Loyola senior Salomon Smeke is a Mexico City native who spent his summer being a sort of Mr. Fixit as an intern for 4C—a social media advertising and technology company based in Chicago. In this internship, Smeke was lured by his longtime interest in computer technology but soon discovered a newfound interest in advertising.
Honors Students Author Book on Big Data and DiscriminationBig data meets big ethical problems for students in Dr. Mark Albert's computer science course this semester. The honors students enrolled in this unique class are working to put together a textbook that explains the rise of big data and its implications on discrimination and privacy concerns.
Loyola HacksInterested in gaining programming experience on a meaningful project? Looking to expand your knowledge of team-based software development? Well look no further than Lutech, Loyola's one and only Computer Science student organization, where you can do this and more at their upcoming hackathon, "Loyola Hacks for Health"! The entire Loyola family is welcome - undergraduates, graduates, faculty, and staff, are all welcome to participate. No programming experience is necessary. So even if you are new, come see what all the fuss is about. Interested? Sign up at http://loyolahacks.com
Illinois Technology Association (ITA)Loyola CS is now a member of Illinois Technology Association (ITA)
Faculty Author
Dr. Peter Dordal writes new open textbookTechnology, as we all know, is constantly in flux. But how academic institutions react to its ever-changing nature can underscore the success of students. Dr. Peter Dordal's free online/open textbook, An Introduction to Computer Networks, offers a technology-based learning opportunity to students. The book is drawing strong attention from commentators in the technology community, as noted through Hacker News. This measures the pulse of ideas and interest is this field.
CS Alum Aadeel Akhtar's exciting 3D-printed prosthetics at UofI Urbana-ChampaignCheck out this blog post about a recent project of CS Alum Aadeel Akhtar.


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About a year ago I started to write a blog, previously to that, for about three years I had been writing a SQL Server themed tips and articles on my website. When I started writing the blog I decided to build it into my existing domain name, that I think was a little mistake on my part. It's that time of year again when it was time to renew my domain name, I hadn't written on the actual site for well over a year, people reading the site itself had fallen through the floor as I was no longer paying it any attention, the hosting costs were creeping up with that particular provider and I found that as I've developed and increased my contribution to the SQL Server community my name has become more and more important. The existing domain name, I felt did not really represent me, it was long, possibly too long and difficult to remember and if you came across it on a Search Engine search you wouldn't necessarily know that it was my site without clicking the link and visiting the site. So after some deliberation and thought I have decided to go for a new look. I revamped the blog site a month or so back which I think now looks clean and tidy and pretty easy to navigate. Yesterday, which incidentally coincided with my old domain expiring, I started up gethynellis.com and pointed it at my old blog. Nothing has been lost and all my old blog posts have been kept so all is good there, it is now obvious from the domain name whose site you are on and that will go that little bit further in promoting my brand – me! to the wider world. A key factor in my decision to change though was down to the fact that a lot of people read what I write on other sites, like SQLServerCentral.com and SQLServerPedia.com when I started the blog a year ago I followed some of Brent Ozar's (Blog | Twitter) advice and used feed burner for my feeds and got myself syndicated on a couple of the large SQL Server sites. This allowed my to change the base domain for my feed without needing any of my readers to change their subscriptions. The syndication on SQL Server Pedia uses this feed. I'm not sure if SQL Server central does though I will find out if the posts makes it onto their site. If doesn't I'll have to email Steve and ask him to update it.
The Drawbacks and mistakes that I made
Changing the domain name of my blog, technically, was an easy thing to do, in reality though this approach has many drawbacks. It is pretty much like starting again. Even though all my content is still out there on the web any external links to it will be pointing to the wrong place, Which will not help my new domain in the search engine rankings but more importantly if you link to my content on the old domain that link will no longer exist and your site users will get taken to a horrible error message that they will no doubt find frustrating and I am really very sorry about. If you have links to any of my blog posts can I please ask that you update them with the new URL it'll help your readers and of course me :-)
I am in the process of updating my old posts which link to other pages on my blog so I maintain a nice set of internal links that I'm told search engines like. This after years worth of posts, which total at just over 100 posts, is quite a lot of work.
As I type this Google and Bing and other search engines still don't know about my new domain, hopefully it won't be long before they pick up the new content. I did look into Google's "Change of Address" feature in webmaster tools but unfortunately I no longer have access to the old domain so 301 redirects are out of the question, I'm not sure they the old hosting company supported them anyway, and although I verified the old domain in webmaster tools years ago, Google tried to re-verify it when I tried to change the address but unfortunately that failed too. The sub domain my blog was sitting on couldn't be re-directed because it's not a root level domain so that tool, at least for now unless someone advises me otherwise, seems unlikely to help. I have followed the other advice Google offers when changing a domain name, I have added my new domain to webmaster tools created a site map and updating internal and external links to the site. They also recommend retaining control of the old domain for 6 months after the move, not planning this domain change that far in advance and the fact the old domain has now disappeared I won't be able to this either. So we'll see how it goes but I do envisage my visitor numbers falling significantly over the next few months while the Search Engines sort themselves and my new domain out.
This last year I have had just under 10,000 unique visitors to my site (according to Google Analytics), a figure I'm pretty proud of, although another 6 people visiting would have been a great figure to look at! It will be interesting to see how this changes impacts on that figure over the next few months, here's how the unique visitors numbers over the last year looks on my blog today:
Lessons Learned:
- Give yourself plenty of time with the old domain still running, it will allow you a much smoother transition to your new domain name and keep you much more in control. Although I have been thinking about this for a while, I only really looked into the actual logistics of this when the old domain was about to run out. Then it was too late for me.
- Pick a good domain for your blog right up front, save bothering with all this in the first place.
If you have any further advice to offer me (Or others) about what I should have done differently or anything that I can still do to improve the efficiency of the move to the new domain then please let me know in the comments below.
I will keep you posted in the New Year with and update on how the transition went.


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Research Links: List of Databases, Course Reserves
Quick Search: Articles, newspapers, books and ebooks, videos and more. Results primarily available online but may also include books available in the library or articles that can be requested for email delivery from ILLiad.
Books: Print and online books available from UNLV Libraries or by ILLiad request.
Articles: Articles from academic journals, magazines and newspapers.
Library Information: Pages on library web site, for example research guides, library policies and procedures, hours and events.


text: Book – Can marriage work for a modern day mail order bride and her suitor? Read The Newlyweds by Nell Freudenberger to find out. Twenty-four-year-old Amina from Bangladesh meets 34-year-old George from Rochester, New York via the internet on the website AsianEuro.com. They had never met in person, but only received photos of each other as attachments in email. Despite obvious differences in nationality, culture and religious upbringing they decide to marry. When Amina arrives in 2005, she experiences true culture shock, but slowly assimilates. Within three years she has her green card, is married to George, and is taking college courses while working at Starbucks. However, there are problems. Amina returns to Bangladesh to bring her parents to the U.S., but a problem with her father's visa delays her return. Will absence between Amina and George make their hearts grow fonder? This is a moving story of love, kindness, acceptance and cross-cultural differences with just the right amount of humor to make it an enjoyable read.


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Mets get needed offense from behind plate in win
Catcher Buck contributes four RBIs as Mets tie series with Marlins
NEW YORK -- John Buck arrived in Flushing amid little fanfare. When the Mets traded R.A. Dickey to Toronto last winter for a package of prospects, Buck found himself thrust into the deal largely because the Blue Jays wanted to shed his $6 million salary. There was no press conference for Buck. There were no back pages.
But Buck has quickly developed into an indispensable member of the Mets. His two-run double Saturday set the stage for Daniel Murphy's winning RBI triple in a 7-3 victory over the Marlins at Citi Field. His nine RBIs lead the National League. His work with the pitching staff has drawn rave reviews.
"What he's done behind the plate has been just awesome," said third baseman David Wright.
Buck has been in the middle of just about everything, as he was Saturday when the Mets trailed by a run in the sixth. With two men aboard, Buck ripped a double just inside the third-base bag to plate Wright and Ike Davis, both of whom had singled with one out.
An inning later, Murphy tripled over a drawn-in outfield to give the Mets the lead for good.
"I didn't want to carry the atrocious at-bats I had already had all day to that one," said Murphy, who noted that he changed his approach mid-at-bat when Mike Baxter, who was on first base, moved to third on a steal and an error. "I just wanted to do enough to get him in."
Had Murphy looked over his shoulder back to the dugout, Buck might have been able to dispense some advice. No Mets hitter has been better at driving in runs this season than Buck, who sandwiched his double between sacrifice flies in the first and seventh innings.
Had the catcher not been so successful, his former batterymate Ricky Nolasco might have had a better afternoon. As it was, the Marlins starter gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings.
"I knew coming into this arena, New York, that things would be heightened -- good, bad or indifferent," Buck said of his early success. "I kind of prepared myself to try to be numb to anything, and that's how I've approached it."
It is not as if Buck's offense has materialized out of thin air. Once a top prospect boasting 20-homer potential, Buck was one of the better-hitting catchers in baseball for a brief period several years ago. A poor 2012 season made him expendable to the Marlins, then to the Blue Jays, ultimately resulting in his move to New York.
The Mets received him with open arms, largely because they received so little offensive production last year from Josh Thole, their primary catcher. But they were well aware of Buck's reputation as a game-caller, which was significant; the Mets knew that if they were to compete with any consistency this season, they would need their pitching staff to shine.
Through five games, it has. With Buck behind the plate for every inning of every game, Mets starting pitchers have compiled a 1.41 ERA. Jon Niese actually increased that number Saturday against the Marlins, allowing one earned run and one unearned run over six somewhat frustrating innings.
Bloops, bleeders and infield hits conspired against Niese, as did two double-play attempts the Mets could not turn. One of them resulted in shortstop Ruben Tejada's fourth error in five games, a troubling trend on defense.
But Niese "felt great," in his own words, "and Buck called a great game."
"He never takes a pitch off," Niese said. "He reads hitters well. He reads their swings well. He can read their approach, and we always have a good plan going into the game."
Ever the center of attention these days, Buck was involved in a bizarre play in the seventh inning, when Greg Dobbs singled home Juan Pierre with the tying run. After crossing the plate, Pierre barreled into Buck as he ran up the line to field Mike Baxter's throw. Because Buck presumably had a play on Dobbs at second base, umpire Jim Joyce called inning-ending interference.
Buck, Mets manager Terry Collins and bench coach Bob Geren, a former catcher, all said they had never seen anything like it.
"I don't think it changed the momentum of the game," said Marlins manager Mike Redmond, another former backstop. "We weren't able to execute."
The Mets certainly were, in multiple phases of the game. Wright and Baxter both reached base safely three times and recorded key stolen bases, furthering Mets rallies. Davis rapped out two hits, including one to the opposite field. Tejada recovered from his early error to make a fine defensive play in the ninth, after Murphy came through with some well-executed situational hitting.
But the key for the Mets all day was Buck.
"He's a good baseball player," Collins said. "It's fun to listen to him in the dugout. If I was a young catcher, I'd be hanging around him. I'd be learning some things from him."


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This blog was contributed by Dianne Jeffrey, Chairman of the Malnutrition Task Force and Age UK
This week is Nutrition and Hydration Week, a brilliant campaign which raises awareness and celebrates food and drink as a way of maintaining health and wellbeing.
I'm certain that no-one doubts the importance of food. It gives us the nutrients we need for energy and to stay healthy; it helps us to stay sharp mentally; it can boost our wellbeing and generally keep us happy.
But let's not just think in practical terms – the aroma of your favourite food as it drifts into the senses, and the sensations we feel as it hits our taste buds are some of the great pleasures in life. Most importantly, food is something we should continue to look forward to.
Food is so vital to every one of us and we should all strive to eat well and sufficiently throughout our lives.
However, that isn't always the case.
Although many of us believe that malnutrition, or undernutrition, has been confined to the history books, the reality is different. In the UK, 1 in 10 older people – around 1 million altogether – are undernourished or at risk of undernourishment.
Getting thinner isn't normal
Undernourishment often occurs because there is a perception that getting thinner is 'normal' in later life and that being overweight is more of a concern.
New research from the Malnutrition Task Force shows over a third of people (36%) in later life think it's normal to lose weight as you get older, and over half thought being very overweight was a bigger issue for them.
However, these are myths. It is not natural to lose weight in later life and it's certainly not healthy to be either overweight or underweight.
As well as making you feel unwell, being undernourished can slow down recovery from illness or surgery.
So keeping a stable weight is what we should all be striving for in later life.
What you can do
With many of us believing that it's normal to get thinner in later life, it's easy for weight to drop off without noticing.
However, there are many things we can do to stop this from happening. In the first instance, it's important to be aware of the signs.
Looking at our clothes can give us an idea. Loose fitting clothes, jewellery slipping off and tightening belt buckles an extra notch can all be signs of not eating enough.
Health and wellbeing are also indicators. Changes in mood, catching more colds, finding it difficult to keep warm and becoming tired easily are other signs of weight loss.
If you are concerned about weight loss in yourself or someone you care for, visit a GP. They will be able to rule out any serious illnesses, and will be able to refer on to a dietitian if more specialist advice is needed.
Before heading to the GP, you may want to consider the handy Malnutrition Self Screening Tool. This online application can tell you your undernourishment risk, and whether you should follow this up with advice from a healthcare professional, simply from your height and weight.
The Malnutrition Task Force have also produce two guides, one aimed at those in later life and the other at carers, packed with tips and advice on how to keep to a healthy weight in later life. For instance, did you know that if you have a small appetite, eating small meals or snacks six times a day may be more manageable than three big meals?
Obesity not the only problem
We all know that obesity causes serious health problems, but this Nutrition and Hydration Week I am keen that we remember there are consequences if we don't eat enough and lose weight.
Getting thinner is not a normal part of ageing and we must be aware of the signs and what action to take if weight starts to drop off.
By knowing these important nuggets of information, we can go far in improving our health in later life.
Find out more about Nutrition and Hydration Week.
This blog first appeared on the Malnutrition Task Force website


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Sale ends soon!
The Dune Grappler Desert Terrain was designed for enthusiasts who spend time on pavement and desert trails. The unique flamed tread block was engineered for desert performance. The contact patch and moderate void ratio offer balanced traction in varying desert terrain. The construction strengthens the sidewall to improve puncture resistance and the tread pattern minimizes road noise to provide a comfortable and civilized ride. For on-road performance, the Dune Grappler's tread blocks are connected by bridges to prevent flex and provide stability. Select sizes are available in higher load ratings to meet heavyweight truck demands.


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The world is online, we help them know Jesus.
What is The Life Project? We are a Christ-centered discipleship ministry that provides online mentoring to people worldwide.
The ad-free content we produce for our websites (i.e. Issues I Face, The Life) invites readers to connect with mentors. Mentors then use our easy, safe, and secure online application to have conversations with mentees. Our staff team trains, supports, and resources mentors to help them have fruitful spiritual conversations that lead people closer to Jesus.
Mentors introduce the most compassionate person of all — Jesus Christ.
Our team of over 1000 mentors are missionaries right from their homes or offices, using just a computer, prayer, and a bit of their time. Together, they're reaching people from almost every country on earth — no vaccinations or plane tickets required!
Our vision is to see 5000 mentors leading one million people closer to Jesus by the end of 2020.


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Empowering your business and efforts. We help you in a simple yet powerful way. Let the world know You!
Our stunning websites, bring life to your brands and transform your dreams to reality.
Small screens, amazing potential. Digital experiences for modern platforms.
Upgrade the way you sell your products /services and get a global exposure.
Preigo Fover Technologies develop custom online application to manage your day to today activities even while you are on the move.
The way you present your products and services online can make of break your business. Why risk it? Talk to us!
Is your business going viral? If not we have tips to make it happen. Likes or Share, our expertise in SMM is worth exploring.
WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT AT PREIGO FOVER TECHNOLOGIESWe are serious about your business!
Why choose Us.Because we are Reliable.
Preigo Fover Technologies understand the client needs before plunging into any project. We begin every web development assignment with a thorough and full understanding of your requirements and providing Web designs that are visually stimulating, stunning animations, quick download, easy to navigate and help drive traffic to your site.
Our Mission.To Redefine your Brand.
Our experience in this industry allows us to provide virtually every service sought by website and business owners alike. Whether you need hosting, a website designed, a shopping cart installed, or virtually anything else that might come up as part of running your e-business, you can rest assured that we can get it done for you.
What we Do.Make our Customers Happy.
We have many satisfied clients that range from very small business owners to corporate establishments in Trivandrum, Kerala, India and abroad. Whether we create a "starter" site, new sections of existing sites, or a dynamic eCommerce site, Preigo Fover Technologies delivers an optimum Web design solution that will meet your needs and stay within your budget.


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The rain held off last Saturday for the seventh-annual 30A St. Patrick's Day Parade and all its festivities at Gulf Place. Some locals who enjoyed the fun were Barbara Pierce-Smith, Rob Wood and Tonia Shatzel, Les Porterfield, Angela Ragsdale, Ashley Johnson, Chase Johnson, and Paul Vizard.
Later that night, the opportunity to party continued for those so inclined, at the annual Cattle Barons� Ball held at Sandestin's Linkside Center. The tables and dance floor appeared full and fun was in the air. Amber Wiebe, Betty and Don Hefner, Calvin and Mary Pat Cedarleaf, Chris Poate, Cory and Hilary Fosdyck, David and Lori Seering, Demetrius and Malpa Fuller, Donna Johns, Gail and Jim Murray, Jackie Ward, James and Rhonda Murray, Joe and Lea Capers, John and Colleen Riddle, John Stasko, Keith Howard, Lauren Gall, Lauren Magli, Mary Kay Samouce, Meg Warrington, Myra Williams, Nina Jeffords, Ray and Martha Jones, Robert and Marinella Monk, Ron and Gena Bolton, Ron Green and Lisa Morris, Sandy and Greig Buckley, Stacey and Mike Brady, Steve Barber, Steve and Lynn Dugas, Tim Krueger, Tom Hopkins, Wanda Duke, and Zandra Wolfgram enjoyed the evening.
Sandy Semerad threw a surprise birthday party for her daughter, Rene Endres, last Saturday night. Fletcher Isacks, Eve Emelianova, Lisa Miller, Philippe and Oli Petit helped the birthday girl celebrate.
The next night, Rene and Oli continued celebrating by taking in the Elton John concert in Pensacola from front row seats! Kathy Fly Bridges, Betsy Johnson, and Joyce Sunday also saw Elton Sunday night in Pensacola.
However, Ray and Vickie Dollar were willing to travel to Birmingham to see him at the BJCC, as did Scott and Cindi Cobine.
Shaye and Lori Smith, Allison Craft and Scott Henderson attended the opening of First Note at Seascape.
Michelle Uhlfelder visited the St. George Island Lighthouse.
Les Porterfield went to Louisiana.
Malcolm and Linda Patterson went to Louisiana for Linda's high school reunion.
DuRee Stewart visited her new granddaughter in Atlanta.
Betsy Johnson is back from Atlanta.
Nancy Abood went to Biloxi.
Ginger Sinton went to San Francisco.
Carol Saucier celebrated St. Patty's Day in New Orleans.
Joan Vienot, Leslie Kolovich, and Susan Petro visited Apalachicola.
Sheila Wachsman went to Cape San Blas.
Kitty Taylor went skiing in Crested Butte.
Paul Hunter skied in Breckenridge.
Scott Jackson took a train to Virginia to help his brother celebrate another birthday.
Mike Ragsdale and Cosmos visited Mike's grandmother last week in Cullman.
Carrie Nelle Moye went to Georgia.
Lynn Wesson helped her son celebrate his birthday in Birmingham.
Steve and Sandy Weiner attended Acme Oyster House's soft opening last Thursday.
Did you see Emeril cooking on GMA last Friday morning?
I had my first sampling from Charlie's Donuts last Friday. I highly recommend the maple brown sugar and bacon donut. Oh, yes!
Vera Yip celebrated her 3rd birthday at Rosemary Beach with a beach-themed cake last weekend.
Happy 18th anniversary to Lea and Joe Capers.
Congratulations to Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast for being named one of the nation�s 100 Top Hospitals for the third year in a row and the fourth time since opening in 2003 by Truven Health Analytics.
And, congratulations to Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa, the proud recipient of a 2014 Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association (HSMAI) Gold Adrian Award in the Digital Campaign: Contest/Sweepstakes category.
Wish a "happy birthday" Saturday to Alys Beach's Kelli Siler.
Monday to John Stasko, Karen Bennett, Christi Ferry and Grayton's David Bludworth.
Tuesday to Kate Kelly and Stephanie Carter.
Wednesday to Richard Stein, Jim Sheperd and Cobb Sheriff.
Thursday to Michelle Smith, Marie Soloman, Mark Flynn and Patrick Ferry.
And Friday to Alan Baltazar and Donna Callahan.
Deborah Wheeler is the arts and entertainment reporter for The Walton Sun. She may be reached at 654-8443 or email firstname.lastname@example.com. Her Party Line column appears weekly in The Sun. Contributions are encouraged.


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This could be for clients, or it could be for taking employees out on the town. Either way, finding a decent limousine service is vital, though it isn't always going to be easy. The question you might have right now however is what you can do to find a decent limousine service for business, and what types of services they should offer.
First of all you want to make sure you are hiring a company that has a decent sized fleet. The typical agency should have a fleet of about sixty, and any less simply would not be acceptable. That being the case, always look over the fleet and see what types of vehicles they have on hand.
A good company will normally keep several different vehicles on hand. For instance there could be limousines, but there are those who would rather employ the use of vans. No matter what type of vehicle is being used however, there are still a few things that need to be established. One of these things of course is the level of amenities provided with the vehicles. Believe it or not, this can make a huge difference, particularly if you are trying to impress a client.
Some amenities that should always be included regardless would be cellular phones, credit card readers, internet terminals, etc. These are things that are necessary for business, but then again there are a few things that would only exist for pleasure. For instance there are some limousines that feature a minibar for parties, and in some cases there are built-in video games.
Keep in mind that accessories aren't everything. Sometimes there is a need for security, and this is exactly why you need a company that can provide it. This doesn't just mean locking doors of course, it means security personnel that can fend of virtually any threat. A good limousine company will normally employ an external security force that will be able to assess your situation and give you a quote based on the risk.
Hiring a good limousine service is never going to be easy but it will be well worth it if you can pull it off. Not only will you have a decent ride for now, you will also have a company that you can hire in the future without needing to look online or in the phone book. Keeping this in mind will serve your business quite well and allow you to ride in style whether you're going out on the town, making an impression, or just getting from point A to point B. It's only a matter of time before you get the transportation you need at a price you can afford.


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I suppose that if I were to compile a list of the top competition for MS, it would look something like this (in order of danger);
- Google
All those little niche things and web applets are really starting to take their toll. Google's desktop search is much better than the Microsoft Windows search and it beat their new search engine (coming real soon - on day - sigh) by a couple of years. Google's Gmail is heaps better that hotmail and beat the Windows Live Mail service (almost live now - sigh) by over a year.
- IBM (including Lotus)
One of the worst things that Microsoft has done lately has been to annoy IBM as it has caused them to embark on a series of quite damaging "Move to Lotus" and "Move to the Penguin" campaigns. IBM is the second largest software developer in the world (after Microsoft) and their Lotus Product suite beats anything Microsoft has, hands down. Anyone who has been to any IBM roadshows recently can see that they have a clear direction and that they're focussing on a single-suite approach. This is clearly better than the Microsoft alternatives which all seem to involve about 5 servers to do what is basically a single job. I think it's also worth mentioning DB2 here, as IBM have lately started putting a bit more push behind this product.
- Open Source Linux and OpenOffice Alternatives
Open source has long been a thorn in Microsoft's side, and some would say Linux is the worst of the problems. I would say otherwise. Linux is, unfortunately, still not as user-friendly or install-friendly as Windows and I don't think wholesale industry adoptation of the environment is going to happen for a while yet. OpenOffice, on the other hand is quite dangerous. I saw some really interesting statistics recently - a comparison of people committing to a Windows Vista upgrade compared to people committing to an office 2006/2007 upgrade.
- Microsoft
Microsoft are in the top competition for themselves because they keep shooting themselves in the foot. Good examples include; Releasing relatively untested patches, needing patches in the first place, constantly revising published delivery dates (don't they use MS Project there?), making stupid remarks about competitors "I've never seen such as customer base waiting to be plucked" - Well, I for one am quite offended by the thought of being "plucked".
- Security Watchdogs and Semi-Official Bodies
I know that these people all mean well, but by constantly pointing out Microsoft's unpatched and vulnerable systems, the likes of the Gartner group and the various incident repsonse teams around the world are really not doing Microsoft any favours. How many times have I seen them say - "the workaround is to use an alternative browser, such as firefox, until Microsoft fixes the problem"
Sure, there's plenty more competition, but I didn't intend to write this article on MS Competition, I really wanted to draw attention to a new google feature - oh well, I'll save that one for next time.


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The "Planet of The Apes" series is reportedly getting an origin story with James Franco.
According to Variety, the actor has signed on to star in a prequel to the series.
A mag source said James had a great meeting with director Rupert Wyatt over the weekend about the movie, that will be set in the present day and chronicle how genetic engineering gave the animals intelligence. The actor will reportedly play an important scientist in the midst of the war between man and ape.
The effects team WETA Digital, who wowed moviegoers with their work on "Avatar," will reportedly use photo-realistic apes and not actors in costumes for the movie.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: A-dorkable Stars Of Hollywood!
The "Apes" prequel is slated to start filming in July and will hit theaters on June 24, 2011.
Copyright 2010 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Sexy Men Of Sci-Fi
VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Sexy Ladies Of Sci-Fi
PLAY IT NOW: James Franco: I Think Tobey Maguire Is 'The Best Peter Parker Around'
PLAY IT NOW: Access Extended: 2010 Sundance Film Festival: 'Howl' Premiere
More from Access: [ James FrancoAvatarGeek Chic ]


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The Accounting Historians Journal Vol. 8, No. 2 Fall 1981
William A. Paton
Abstract: A recollection of the author's contacts with his friend George Oliver May. These personal insights provide an added dimension to the previous article, "May and Paton: Two Giants Revisited," authored by Henry Francis Stabler and Norman X. Dressel.
Included in the papers presented at the Third International Con-gress of Accounting Historians in London on August 15-17, 1980, was a lengthy piece entitled "May and Paton: Two Giants Re-visited," authored by Professors Henry Francis Stabler and Norman X. Dressel of Georgia State University. The authors have made an effort to weave us both into their account, as they go along, and they have managed to keep us nearly abreast with their 191 refer-ences. My only complaint of any consequence is the failure of the authors to give some consideration to my writing after the late 1940s—the period in which I did most of my best work. At the conclusion of the Stabler/Dressel paper, however, there is a lengthy quotation from a minor article of mine taken from the June 1974 issue of The Michigan CPA. It is this reference that has spurred me into writing these recollections of my contacts with Mr. May with the thought that they may be of some interest as a supplement to the Stabler/Dressel study.
Prior to my membership on the Committee on Accounting Pro-cedure, my contacts with Mr. May were slight, and not particu-larly friendly. I recall one spat with him (about 1936) in which he took offense at some comment regarding him in one of my articles. He wrote a caustic note, virtually consigning me to outer darkness. He had a point, and I finally replied with a conciliatory letter. Mr. May was a very conceited Englishman, and hypersensitive to criticism, even when somewhat justified. He finally forgave me for this affront, and I've always been glad he did. But when Eric Kohler had the nerve to attack him in The Accounting Review (of which Eric was editor at the time), he resigned from the American Accounting Association and never spoke a word to Eric again. I


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The first step in managing premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating a well-balanced diet, exercising, managing stress, and possibly taking vitamin and mineral supplements.
Eat a diet that is low in saturated fat and rich in whole grains , fruits, and vegetables . Decrease your consumption of caffeine, alcohol, salt, and sugar, about 2 weeks before your menstrual period begins. Drink plenty of fluids, such as water.
Studies have found that women who engage in moderate aerobic exercise at least 3 times a week tend to have fewer premenstrual symptoms than women who do not exercise. Exercise helps improve circulation, reduce stress, and enhance mood.
High levels of stress tend to worsen PMS symptoms. In addition to reducing your overall stress level, you should get more rest and relaxation during the week before your period begins. You may also benefit from relaxation techniques, such as meditation , deep breathing, progressive relaxation, yoga , and biofeedback. These techniques help you recognize bodily tension and provide a "release" mechanism. Pleasurable activities can also help you relieve stress.
Should you be unable to reduce stress levels on your own, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be very effective in improving how you feel in the weeks before your period arrives. This type of therapy will help you to examine your feelings and thought patterns, learn to interpret them in a more realistic way, and apply various coping techniques to real-life situations. With CBT, you can learn to identify and cope with sources of stress, restructure your priorities, and manage obstacles, frustration, and discomfort.
In some cases, vitamin and mineral supplements may help reduce symptoms of PMS. Supplements are usually recommended only after dietary changes have produced no results. Dietary supplements that may be helpful in reducing the symptoms of PMS include the minerals calcium , magnesium , and vitamin E .
Talk to your doctor or a dietitian to determine if you should try supplements.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: Michael Woods, MD, FAAP
- Review Date: 09/2017 -
- Update Date: 09/17/2014 -


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Titled Super Duper Alice Cooper, the film takes us through Alice's life and career via a combination of documentary archive footage, interviews, animation and rock opera, charting Alice's transition from preacher's son Vincent Furnier to 70s shock rock king to 80s glam metal godfather and beyond. The story is told not only by Alice himself but also in the words of Elton John, Iggy Pop, John Lydon, Dee Snider and members of the original Alice Cooper band.
The film was made by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn of Banger Films, producers of Iron Maiden: Flight 666, Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage and the television series Metal Evolution, and filmmaker Reginald Harkema, winner of the TIFF Special Jury Prize for his film Monkey Warfare.


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tomorrow will come
Hey sis he would always say and the response would always be i have a name
and if you want an answer use it. We were close all ourl ife w/ no
exceptions where ever he was there I would be a smiliing sidekick, but when
the war came he had to leave me all he did was smile and say tomorrow will
come and I will be back. Oh how I wish it would have been for him you see
he went off to Nam and instead of a body the gave us a flag. I never got
over my brothers death but the one thing he left me was the thought that
tomorrow will come. My brother fought and died for America; will you do me
a favor and not let that dream fade away w/ the all to famailar fading
memory of him. Thank you and God Bless


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Days out around Brecon and the Central Beacons
If you're visiting Brecon, you're sure to want to make the most of the great outdoors. Within easy reach of the town are walking trails, cycle routes, woods, hillsides, the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, the Brecon Mountain Railway and lovely Llangorse Lake.
Spend a day at Llangorse Lake and in Brecon
Llangorse Lake is the largest natural lake in the southern half of Wales an...
Cycle the Taff Trail from Brecon to Brynich Lock
The Brecon Beacons has many different cycling routes for people of all ages...
Visit the Brecon Beacons National Park Visitor Centre and Mynydd Illtyd
The National Park Visitor Centre or 'Mountain Centre' is located 7km so...
Walk in the woods at Garwnant, Coed Taf Fawr
Woodland Visit - Garwnant Visitor Centre For a great day out for the ...
Take a trip on a Brecon Mountain Railway steam train
For a great day out why not take a trip on a vintage steamlocomotive across...


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Los Angeles Dodgers beat Miami Marlins, but Justin Turner injures right hamstring
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Justin Turner rounded third base and grimaced, grabbing at his right hamstring in a frightening scene for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
After promising nights from Yasiel Puig and Hyun-Jin Ryu, the best news for the Dodgers after Thursday night's game was a glimmer of optimism in Turner's diagnosis.
Turner is due for more tests Friday after injuring his right hamstring in the seventh inning of Los Angeles' 7-2 victory over the Miami Marlins.
Turner was hurt running from second base to home and hobbled off the field with a trainer and manager Dave Roberts. He is hitting .379 with a homer and 17 RBIs.
"Talking to the training staff briefly, the strength was there still, which is positive," Roberts said. "We'll do some testing, some scans (Friday) morning. To my eyes, it didn't look good coming around third base, but for the strength to still be there right now, to be a little more optimistic."
Yasiel Puig, batting eighth, hit an 0-1 pitch from Edinson Volquez (0-6) into the left field seats to give the Dodgers a lead in the second inning.
Kenley Jansen entered with two on and two outs in the eighth and struck out all four of his batters for his eighth save. He pitched an immaculate inning, striking out three batters on nine pitches in an inning.
The Marlins (14-26) continued their slide, losing their fourth consecutive game and nine of the last 10.
Volquez allowed five runs in six innings, although he finished well after allowing five runs in the first three innings.
"Everyone comes to the ballpark trying to win," Volquez said. "We'll come back (Friday) with a good attitude and try to win a game."
Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu (2-5) took a grounder off the leg on a ball hit by Justin Bour in the sixth inning. Roberts and a trainer went to the mound, and after a quick conversation, Ryu's night was done. Ryu also got hit by a pitch on his right biceps while trying to bunt in the fourth. He helped his own cause in the third with a double to right and scored from second on Chase Utley's single.
"I think I could've stayed in," Ryu said through an interpreter. "As a result, Hatch (Chris Hatcher) came in and didn't give up a run, so it was the right decision. If you ask me if I could've pitched, I definitely could've pitched."
Ryu threw 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on seven hits — two of which were home runs. Although he's pitched well, Ryu may soon be the odd-man out in a deep Dodgers rotation.
Justin Bour hit a solo home run to right in the second inning. Christian Yelich homered to left-center field in the third. The Marlins had runners on base in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but couldn't score.
Adrian Gonzalez was back in the lineup for the Dodgers after being activated from the disabled list with herniated discs in his back. Gonzalez hit a sharp single to right field in the third inning.
More baseball:
For struggling San Francisco Giants, now-or-never time is approaching
Houston Astros win for ninth time in 10 games as best start ever continues
Klapisch: How much lower can the Mets sink?
Jansen a hit
Jansen seemingly did everything Thursday, even batting in the eighth and getting an infield single, the second hit of his major league career.
That left a mark
Volquez and Ryu are good friends, even after Volquez hit Ryu with a pitch. Volquez said he apologized to Ryu after. Volquez was with the Dodgers for part of the season in 2013.
"He sent me a picture," Volquez said. "He's a good friend of mine since we were with the Dodgers. I said sorry and he sent me pictures (of the arm). He'll be OK.
Trainer's room
Marlins: RHP Tom Koehler (bursitis right shoulder) was placed on the 10-day disabled list. ... LHP Wei-Yin Chin (arm fatigue) traveled with the team to Los Angeles, and doctors are discussing his situation and options.
Dodgers: INF Logan Forsythe (toe, hamstring) is nearing a return, possibly Sunday but more likely Tuesday after the team's day off Monday. ... RHP Kenta Maeda (left hamstring tightness) will throw four innings tomorrow in a rehab start in Class A Rancho Cucamonga and is expected to make his next start next week against St. Louis.
Up next
Marlins: LHP Justin Nicolino (0-0, 1.50 ERA) threw 7 1/3 scoreless innings in his season debut at Dodger Stadium last year. Nicolino has made one start since being recalled from Triple-A New Orleans. He had a quality start against the Braves, allowing one run in six innings.
Dodgers: LHP Alex Wood (4-0, 2.27 ERA) is coming off earning NL player of the week honors after pitching 11 scoreless innings and striking out 21 during that stretch. In his last start he recorded his fourth-straight win after six scoreless innings at Colorado. He's the only Dodgers starter without a loss this season.


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Britney Spears Struts to 'Gasoline' in Finalized Fantasy Twist Commercial
If you think like we do, you would've thought the commercial for Britney Spears' Fantasy Twist perfume was out already, right? Well.... color us wrong.
In the original commercial that was made public not too long ago, it opened with text reading, "We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are." Pretty fitting given the fact that all of the extras who look through the peephole see our Queen in a different character than in the short sequined dress, which is how she first appears in the ad.
Instead, the new and improved Fantasy Twist vid immediately opens up with Spears exiting an elevator in said sequined dress to the tune of her own song 'Gasoline,' off of her critically acclaimed album 'Femme Fatale.'
The rest is the same: from a seamstress dressed in red seeing Spears as a Cleopatra-like vixen, to a young girl who sees her as a '20s era flapper, to the Alexander Skarsgard look-alike who witnesses Spears totally transform ; she dones ashort black wig for her role here, as well as an all black ensemble with some serious shoulder pad action. The word "Britney" accompanies each set, but after the latter, a "Britney?" appears instead.
A day ago, Spears tweeted about the commercial, writing, "Really proud and excited to finally show u my #FantasyTwist commercial: http://bit.ly/fantasytwistad Do u love?"
Yes, Britney. We. Love!


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Use Oracle Database with Open edX
In order to connect your Node.js application to an Oracle Database, you need to install the following packages.
- libaio
- Oracle Instant Client (and SDK)
- oracledb Node.js module
Step 1: Install libaio
Execute the following command:
$ sudo apt-get install libaio1
Step 2: Install Oracle Instant Client and Oracle Instant Client SDK
Download both instantclient-basic-linux.x64.zip and instantclient-sdk-linux.x64.zip. The version will depend on the Oracle Database you have running. For instance, for Oracle Database 12c you would download instantclient-basic-linux.x64-188.8.131.52.0.zip and instantclient-sdk-linux.x64-188.8.131.52.0.zip (we will use them in the rest of the examples).
Uncompress instantclient-basic-linux.x64.zip by executing the following command:
$ unzip instantclient-basic-linux.x64-126.96.36.199.0.zip
Copy the extracted contents to /opt/bitnami/common/lib:
$ sudo cp -r instantclient_12/* /opt/bitnami/common/lib
Execute the following command:
$ sudo ln -s /opt/bitnami/common/lib/libclntsh.so.12.1 /opt/bitnami/common/lib/libclntsh.so
Extract instantclient-sdk-linux.x64-184.108.40.206.0.zip:
$ unzip instantclient-sdk-linux.x64-184.108.40.206.0.zip
Copy the contents of the sdk subfolder to /opt/bitnami/common/include:
$ sudo cp -r instantclient_12/sdk/include/* /opt/bitnami/common/include
Step 3: Install OracleDB Node.js module
Before installing, set the following environment variables:
$ export OCI_LIB_DIR=/opt/bitnami/common/lib $ export OCI_INC_DIR=/opt/bitnami/common/include
In your Node.js application folder, execute the following command:
$ npm install oracledb
Step 4: Test the connection
In order to test that the plugin was installed correctly, execute one of the examples detailed in the OracleDB Node.js module documentation.
Download this example from the OracleDB Node.js module website.
In the same folder where connect.js was downloaded, create the file dbconfig.js with the following contents (remembering to replace the DATABASE_USER, DATABASE_PASSWORD and DATABASE_CONNECTION_STRING placeholders with the correct values):
module.exports = { user : "DATABASE_USER", password : "DATABASE_PASSWORD", connectString : "DATABASE_CONNECTION_STRING" };
For example:
module.exports = { user : "SYSTEM", password : "mypassword", connectString : "127.0.0.1:1521/PDB1.oracleuser.oraclecloud.internal" };
Run the testing program:
$ node example.js
If everything was correct, you should see the message "Connection was successful!"


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Chicken Scheme
Why is it interesting?
It is a scheme variant with plenty of libraries and a good FFI for linking C code that can produce binary executables on Windows. It looks like it could fill a niche in between C++ and Perl for any projects outside work I want to do.
Why not?
This will have to compete with O'CAML and Haskell for my time.
Why is it interesting?
Like Chicken, O'CAML has a good set of libraries for the problem set that I'm interested in. Also, it has a very funky-sounding debugger that can go backwards as well as forwards in time and profiling tools. With my code, I spend a fair amount of time in the debugger so that would be a great advantage!
Why not?
- I think I'm leaning more towards the dynamic language side of the fence.
- It is more of a Unix-centric language and my development box is Windows.
- Some of the syntax looks a bit grim (but hey… who am I kidding when I'm interested in scheme ;)) e.g. adding floats together.
Why is it interesting?
Again, the libraries cover pretty much everything. Lazy evaluation gives some possibilities for creating new syntax that seems a little more tricky in O'CAML. Also, the community seems a little more active in comparison with O'CAML.
Why not?
- Again, it is more of a Unix-centric language.
- It seems like you need a PhD to become conversant with it.
Why is it interesting?
It is, according to a number of articles, the oldest and most robust continuation based webserver with a built-in debugger and profiler. I'm a web programmer from way back when and we used basic CGIs so something that promises to abstract the session away from web development sounds fantastic.
Why not?
It is yet another language to learn (SmallTalk)
Questions to ask
- How well does it scale?
- It looks like you can edit the components from any web-browser (is that correct?) That being the case, is it possible to restrict edits to a certain set of developers?
- I'm guessing the answer must be yes or it simply wouldn't be viable for production use. Can you imagine a wiki where the pages are scripts and any random user can edit them?


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Customizable Color Picker
Posted by Corey Spagnoli on February 3rd, 1999
Desktop-as-a-Service Designed for Any Cloud ? Nutanix Frame
As a starting point, I used Luis Ortega's code from A Color Picker.
A demo project is included. I hope someone else can get some use out of this code, too. :-)
How to include in your project
- Copy ColorBtn.cpp and ColorBtn.h into your project directory.
- Add ColorBtn.cpp to your project.
How to use
- Create a button on your dialog. Mark it as "Owner Draw".
- Declare a variable in your dialog class, like this:
CColorBtn colorbtn;
- At OnInitDialog, call SubclassDlgItem, like this:
colorbtn.SubclassDlgItem(IDC_BUTTON,this); // Use your button ID here
- Add Colors to the button's color dialog using AddColorWell or SetColorsFromArray
- Customize the button's color dialog by setting the number of columns, border widths, and shape variables
- Repeat the process for each button you want. (See the sample project provided for more details)
You can set and read the selected color using the "m_CurrentColor" member variable.
Download compiled demo app (no project files) - 81 KB
Download demo (project files) - 40 KB
Date Last Updated: February 3, 1999


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Heavy-duty chrome modular wire storage system offers a combination of shelf and post sizes to meet any applications. Split sleeve connectors with grooved numbered post allows for easy and quick assembly. Shelves are constructed of all welded wire mats and supported with architectural wire trusses providing 800 lb. capacity per shelf. Leveling legs support each corner on stationary units and polyurethane non-marking casters can be added to mobilize unit. FOB Shipping Point.
Starter Kits
Heavy-duty shelving unit allows 800 lb. shelf capacity. 60"W. and 72"W. shelves have 600 lb. load capacity. Available in 4 different heights with 15 different shelf size options. Comes complete with 4 posts and 4 shelves. Additional shelves may be purchased separately.
Add-On Kits
Allows expansion of Starter Kit by sharing a set of posts. Configuration options include straight line, back to back and right angles (L-shape). Comes complete with 2 posts, 4 shelves, and 8 S-Hooks. Additional shelves and posts may be purchased separately. Units with Add-On Kit cannot be made mobile.
Mobile Units
Easy rolling on polyurethane non-marking casters.
Use in corners or for continuous runs of shelving. Two hooks should be placed where two posts are not used.
May be purchased for the starter kits and add-on units. Additional posts are available in 4 different heights. Please order S-Hooks if you purchase a shelf for an Add-On.
Items may be subject to current China tariffs in place. Please contact us.
See Related Items tab for Wire Shelving S-Hooks, Wire Shelving Mobile Kit, Wire Shelving Posts, Chrome Wire Shelving Unit Accessories and Chrome, Proform & Black Wire Shelving.


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Currently lensing in Queens, NY, FORECLOSURE is an independent genre feature that draws inspiration from the current, very real terrors of the housing crisis. And its makers are now inviting people who have experienced them first-hand to share their experiences.
Over at the movie's official website, those who have gone through their own frightening foreclosures can contribute their stories (of around 500 words); the first 50 people to do so will win an official FORECLOSURE T-shirt. "We have set our film in a typical American town and on a block in which nearly every house sits vacant and bank-owned," including the one pictured below, says writer/director Richard Ledes. "When our film is ready for release, we hope to involve those who have shared their stories in our marketing campaign." FORECLOSURE is a ghost story that takes its cues not only from current concerns but American socio-economic history as well, and stars Michael Imperioli (pictured above), Wendell Pierce, Bill Raymond, Jeff Burchfield, Meital Dohan, Brandon Gill, Spencer List, Tristan Laurence Perez, William Stone Mahoney and Roger Robinson. The cinematographer is Frederic Fasano, who shot DO YOU LIKE HITCHCOCK?, MOTHER OF TEARS and GIALLO for Dario Argento.


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In this week's Tutorial Tuesday you will learn how to use training plans and planned moves on Movescount – and how to modify them to suit your needs.
A goal without a plan is just a wish, has someone said. Same goes for training: a plan based on your goals, strengths, weaknesses and other personal variables definitely helps you reach your goals.
"A good training program keeps you focused on your key workouts and stress free. You don't need to worry if you do enough or what's coming up next month. Just follow the program and it will prepare you for your goal!" says Janne Kallio, an experienced ironman and a digital marketing guy at Suunto.
"However there lies the problem as well: no training program can know how you feel," Kallio continues.
Kallio himself follows a key workout principle: he chooses some must-do workouts and trains the remaining time based on an overall idea.
"When I am ready both physically and mentally, I make sure I do at least the must-do exercises."
He also reminds that training is just one part of life.
"On a 12-hour workday it may not be wise to do a long, hard run if you can postpone it for tomorrow. So listen to your body and adapt the plan as needed."
Movescount is a great source of training programs. Actually the community has created thousands of them. To make it easier to find the one that might suit your needs, you can filter the listings based on your activity level, sport and the program's popularity. You can find training programs on Movescount under Plan & create drop-down menu.
Training programs are sets of defined Moves with activity type, duration, intensity and weekday. A program can last several weeks.
Once you have found a training program you like, save it to your library. If you wish to start following it right away, just add it to your calendar. If you prefer to start using it later, that's possible as well.
If you saved a training program in your library but did not choose to start using it right away, you will find it under a drop down menu in Planned moves. The dates for the Moves in a training program are determined by the week you start the program.
In addition to following an existing program you can create your own with Training program planner or just plan your training day by day by adding Planned moves to your calendar.
A Planned move is a training session with a set date, activity type, duration, and intensity. If you make the same Move regularly, such as a weekly group ride or an indoor training session, drag and drop it to My plan library. Then you can add ready-made moves to multiple days or use them when creating your own training program. (Your Plan Library is available both in Planned moves and Training program planner.)
Dragging and dropping works also if you want to edit a Training program or move Planned moves from one day to another: choose the Move you want to move and drag it to the library. From the library you can add the move to another day.
Creating your own training program is useful, if you want to repeat the same block or training week more than once. When saved as a Training program you can add your "Endurance base 15-hour week" or "Race week" to your calendar whenever you need.
Once you have added moves to certain days, the moves will be visible as grey symbols on Movescount's calendar. After the planned move has passed, the symbol will disappear and only the moves you really made, will remain visible.
If you want to see the old planned moves again, choose Tools and Show planned moves from the past from the drop down menu on the bottom right of the calendar.
Your plans will be synced to your Suunto Ambit for day-to-day use. On training days you will see a reminder on the watch. One of the Ambit screens will also show the details of the day's activity (activity, duration, distance).
To start the day's planned training session, simply push the start/stop button on the top right corner of the watch and go!
You can get support for your Suunto product at www.suunto.com/support


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On July 15, Sprint turned on its long-awaited LTE mobile broadband data network in Houston. I was out of town when that happened, but I started playing with it as soon as I returned home.
Wait, let me rephrase that.
I tried to play with it immediately, but Sprint's LTE couldn't be accessed at my home in the Montrose area. Instead, the Sierra Wireless 4G LTE Tri-Fi I'm testing could only see the older Wi-Max based network. An HTC Evo 4G LTE also was unsuccessful from that location, connecting only to Sprint's 3G network.
It wasn't until I got into downtown that I was able to try Sprint's LTE service. On Thursday evening I was at the Tellepsen Family YMCA on the southern end of downtown, trying to work off some of the weight I'd put on during vacation. There, I found LTE download speeds that were substantially less than what I see with AT&T's and Verizon's competing services. Sprint's LTE at that location, using the Tri-Fi with my iPad, was about as fast as its WiMax service.
Fortunately, the signal was consistent and solid. I streamed an hour of high-definition video to my iPad using the Showtime Anytime app (specifically, watching Lisa Kudrow's hilarious "Web Therapy" series) without a problem. It was more reliable than using WiMax at that location, which occasionally stutters.
The next day, I brought the HTC smartphone to the office and walked across Market Square Park to grab some lunch. Over several blocks, I saw download speeds even slower than those I'd gotten at the downtown Y. In fact, they're closer to the 3G download speeds I see with my AT&T iPhone.
This was with a full six bars on the HTC phone, by the way.
Contrast that with a test of a Samsung Galaxy S III on Verizon's LTE network, taken at about the same location.
However, other users have had better luck. I asked my Twitter followers who are Sprint customers about their experience, and heard back from ZDNet mobile devices blogger James Kendrick, who recently moved into downtown Houston. He's having much better luck:
@dsilverman All over downtown ~15Mbps down consistently.
— James Kendrick (@jkendrick) July 30, 2012
I had high hopes for Sprint's LTE service, mainly because it's the only 4G network being offered on an unlimited basis. The combination of blistering speeds and no data caps or tiers is alluring. But if speeds are no better than Sprint's WiMax on a good day, this product is a lot less compelling.
There are several caveats here, of course. Sprint just turned on LTE, and there will be a period of fine-tuning that could increase speeds. That said, when Verizon and AT&T went online with their LTE networks, initial download and upload speeds were jaw-droppingly fast.
In addition, the spottiness of Sprint's network will improve over time. The company said before the launch that not every area would be able to access LTE, and Houston towers are still being upgraded. I hope to try out Sprint LTE in various parts of Houston this week, and I'll provide an update on what I find.
Meanwhile, if you are a Sprint customer with an LTE-capable device, what speeds are you seeing, and at what locations?
Update: Several commenters who say they are Sprint LTE customers have weighed in with their own experiences.
Take Michael, for example:
Under ideal conditions Sprint's network will yield 37 megabit/s down and 18 megabit/s up and I have seen speedtests that reflect these numbers. The coverage issues are due to Sprint launching these markets early and they'll likely be resolved by years end.
Or Russell:
Having issues this morning at my office (W 43rd and 290) where I have gotten LTE before, but my previous speed tests have yielded 10-12 Mbps down, 3-4 Mbps up.
Or Rob:
I live out on 99 north of Mason Road. Inside the Kroger there on Saturday, I received a strong 4G signal, about 14 mbps down and 4 mbps up. But as I left the parking lot, I watched the signal quickly drop to nothing about three blocks north on 99. Must be a fringe area. That was the first consistent LTE signal I've received, and I commute to Eldridge/Briar Forest during the week. (HTC EVO 4g LTE, BTW)
Or Jason:
I consistently get 17-18Mbps down and around 5Mbps up in Friendswood near 528 and 518.
There are more anecdotes, so spend some quality time in the comments.
Also note this interesting item posted by Eric regarding issues some customers are having staying connected to LTE.


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WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Two U.S. airlines, US Airways Group and American Airlines, said that a contracted escape clause could derail a merger if an antitrust trial is not begun soon.
The airlines have requested a start date of Nov. 10 for a lawsuit intended to stop the merger based on antitrust issues filed by the U.S. Justice Department.
The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday that four unions have filed a brief supporting the Nov. 10 start date.
The airlines argue that the merger, which the Justice Department opposes, includes a contracted agreement that either party can back out if regulatory issues are not resolved by Dec. 13, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.
The Justice Department has requested the trial begin Feb. 10, but the judge assigned to the case, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in Washington has informed both parties that she has a criminal trial already scheduled to begin on Jan. 14.
The criminal case is expected to last six to eight weeks, the Journal said.
To resolve the scheduling conflict, Kollar-Kotelly has ordered an office conference for Friday of next week.
A delayed trial also has immediate implications for AMR's bankruptcy case in New York.
AMR, the holding company that owns American Airlines, filed papers in its bankruptcy case to approve of its bankruptcy exit plan, which is largely based on a successful merger with US Airways.
If the merger is stopped, AMR would have to start almost from scratch to come up with a new reorganization plan, the Journal reported.


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Archive for December, 2010
The Spirit of Humanity
To take most most news sources at face value, the world is a wreck: corrupt government, clergy and corporations, greed and violence, plague and blight. (Might as well retire from the fight…)
Perhaps we're naive, but when we look around, we see something quite different: we see individuals, groups, communities and organizations trying to make difference for us all.
We have met many of you, and know that as a group, we have more than an average drive to do our bits of good – to reach out and touch a soul, a heart, a child – and leave a positive footprint on this world.
So while they might tell us evil is taking the upper hand, we say, "Humbug!" In this season of completion and celebration and new year, it is our wish that the spirit of humanity shines bright, and lights our collective way to a better future.
May you and yours experience peace, prosperity and a wonderful 2011!
Ann and Gary


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Now comes the fall culture-war offensive, catching the Democrats by surprise as it always does and spreading panic and desperation among their ranks. As the depth of the Republican breakthrough becomes apparent to Democrats, they launch the same feeble counterattacks that failed them last time, prudishly correcting misleading GOP advertisements and crying for the recess monitor when the other side plays dirty.Painfully apt.
Things would go better for Democrats if they recognized the culture war for what it is: a debased form of class war, a false populism in which an "authentic" America rises up against its would-be masters, an effete bunch of arugula-eaters who say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas."...That's an effective dynamic. Attack her and you promote her.
Since the 1970s, and with only a few exceptions, the Democratic response to this endlessly recurring attack has been to regard it as something beneath contempt -- which only reinforces the persecution fantasies at the heart of the culture-war myth. Take GOP vice-presidential pick Sarah Palin, for example, the flag bearer for this year's fall offensive. Like every other culture warrior before her, Mrs. Palin presents herself as a person looked down on and sneered at by the high and the mighty, defined as the liberal elite. Look down on or sneer at Mrs. Palin and you have merely reinforced the story, offered an illustration of what the lady is talking about.
Frank goes on to say the Democrats should wage a "class war" by blaming Republican ideology for the current economic "catastrophe."
There is simply no way to blame this disaster, as Republicans used to do, on labor unions or over-regulation.Oh, of course, there's a way.


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Rhapsody, the Seattle-based music service that spun out of RealNetworks last year, will buy venerable music service Napster from retailer Best Buy under an agreement just announced by the companies. No purchase price was disclosed.
The agreement calls for Rhapsody to acquire Napster's subscribers and "certain other assets," and Best Buy will get a minority stake in Rhapsody, according to the company.
The acquisition is expected to close around Nov. 30.
"This deal will further extend Rhapsody's lead over our competitors in the growing on-demand music market," said Jon Irwin, Rhapsody president, in a news release from the company. "There's substantial value in bringing Napster's subscribers and robust IP portfolio to Rhapsody as we execute on our strategy to expand our business via direct acquisition of members and distribution deals."
Rhapsody, facing increased competition from Spotify and other music upstarts, has more than 800,000 subscribers. A spokeswoman says the company isn't disclosing Napster's subscriber figures until it shifts them to Rhapsody, when it will issue a revised number.
The company says the Napster brand will "sunset," but Rhapsody will retain the Napster intellectual property, and it may carry over internationally.
The original Napster was a lightning rod of the digital music revolution, as a peer-to-peer file-sharing network that drew the ire of the music labels and was ultimately shut down over copyright allegations. The brand was later reborn as a paid subscription service.
Napster was acquired by Best Buy for $121 million in 2008, or $54 million after subtracting Napster's cash and short-term investments.
CNet News.com broke the news of the acquisition by Rhapsody today shortly before the official announcement.
Follow-up: Rhapsody president on surprise Napster acquisition: 'We've got a lot of wind in our sails'


text: Almost immediately after news of a release date and lovely little price on T-Mobile in Germany, RIM has let on a little info as to the new Curve's US release: it's imminent, and should come within Q1 of next year. RIM is just going through the motions with the FCC for now, but T-Mobile and AT&T are likely carriers for the neat little handset. Neither has formally staked their claim. [Gearlog via Engadget]


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So This Exists: Mountain Dew and Dorito Cupcakes From 4 Rivers Smokehouse, Winter Park, FL
The other morning I found myself at the Winter Park branch of 4 Rivers Smokehouse, a perfectly respectable barbecue chain with a few locations in the Orlando area. It claims to be Texas-style, though you wouldn't think so from the sweet, sticky sauce that coats most of the food. There are worse things in the world than massive piles of sliced brisket, pulled pork, and ribs to knock the hangover out of you, though truth be told, the perfectly medium-rare slow-smoked Santa Maria-style tri-tip and the juicy smoked turkey were the two standouts.
My brain talking to my eyes as they scanned the dessert display:
Homemade twinkies, yes, three flavors of those... lemon blueberry, red velvet, and banana... all in order. Ok, and—oh!—look at those cute mini pies! I wonder if those are real key limes in the key lime, and is it alright to pick out blueberries from between the cracks in the lattice top in mixed company? Ok, moving on, grasshopper-flavored brownies, yes, yes. Seems alright. Chocolate's not my thing, but why not, we're in Florida, right? Ok eyes, keep moving. Coconut cream pie—ooh, I like that sprinkle of toasted coconut on top—cupcakes with Mountain Dew frosting rolled in Doritos, got it; and yes, is that apple underneath that cute little...hang on a minute. Go back one.
Cupcakes with Mountain Dew frosting and a crushed Doritos crust. I sat for a moment, a bit awestruck by its monstrous size, its gall for even existing, its luster, its sheer... greenness. Is this something humans were ever meant to consume?
I stuck out a tentative finger towards the frosting, half expecting an electric jolt the moment I made contact. A wave of panic struck me. Would my hair stand on end? Would my body ratchet out horizontally, cartoon-like, surrounded by a glowing electric green halo? For some reason, I imagined myself transforming into one of the Misfits, or at the very least a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.
Unfortunately, none of those things happened. Instead, I got a bit of green, Dorito-flecked frosting on my finger, licked it, said to myself, "Hmm. Doritos and Mountain Dew. So this exists," and moved on back to that far more exciting Key lime pie.
Incidentally, that pink one sitting next to it? That'd be Cheerwine, the Nectar of North Carolina, and as fine a cherry soda as you could hope for. Jury's still out on how it does as a frosting flavor.
Four Rivers Smokehouse
1600 West Fairbanks Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32789 (map); 321-972-4398; 4rsmokehouse.com
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Government under pressure as campaign hots up against FOBTs
The campaign is hotting up against the Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) and the harm they are causing to gamblers and their families and communities. The government is under increasing pressure to do something about them and the betting shop industry is on the defensive.
The response of the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) has been to produce a voluntary Code of Conduct, already put into operation on March 1st without any public consultation. I hope no one, least of all the government, will be taken in by this. Its purpose, I suggest, is to make it look as if it is doing something significant to reduce the harm caused by FOBTs (although there is no acknowledgement that the FOBTs are themselves harmful), thereby heading off any changes to the regulations which would have a real impact on harm and which might reduce betting company profits substantially. What the ABB has proposed is weak and likely to be ineffective. A player would be allowed to state personal spending and time limits at the beginning of play ('voluntary pre-commitment') and would be alerted if a limit was reached, and in any case would be alerted if £250 or half an hour had been spent playing. Once alerted, the player would then be forced to take a 30-second break in play. Although this represents a small move in the right direction, it will be recognised by most players who have had difficulties with machine gambling as unlikely to have much impact on their gambling.
Most importantly, it leaves in place, unaltered in all essential respects, these fast, high-stake, highly addictive machines. The necessary action would be far stronger. Amongst the options are: the proposal by the very effective Campaign for Fairer Gambling that the maximum stake allowed per play should be reduced from the current £100 to the £2 which is the standard maximum for other kinds of gambling machine ('slot' or 'fruit' machines); the removal of FOBTs from high street betting shops altogether, confining them to casinos, which is the Gambling Watch UK suggestion; giving Local Authorities the powers which they currently lack to control gambling on their high streets, including the power to vote to make an area an 'FOBT-free zone'; or 'mandatory pre-commitment', proposed in Australia to deal with the harm caused by their high-powered gambling machines (the 'pokies'), whereby a player would be required (not just invited) to set a personal spending limit at the outset of play, and would be excluded from playing further (not just for 30 seconds!) if that limit was reached. At a meeting in the House of Commons on March 4th, chaired by Graham Jones MP, the Campaign for Fairer Gambling put their case. They presented up-to-date information, broken down by region and local authority area, about the numbers of betting shops per capita, the numbers of FOBTs and the amount of money spent playing them – all greater in more deprived areas (see their new website for details).
One of the most worrying aspects of the weak betting industry proposals is the way in which the names of prominent individuals or organisations have been used to endorse them. Professor Mark Griffiths of Nottingham University and the National organisation GamCare, both of whose organisations receive money from the gambling industry, are quoted prominently by ABB in support of their new Code of Conduct. We have become used in Britain to a situation in which individuals and organisations with special knowledge and expertise, who might speak out against the harmful expansion of gambling, have in effect been silenced because of their links with the industry. But this goes further still – the deliberate exploitation of academic and other experts in support of industry actions which are at the very least questionable and which in the opinion of Gambling Watch UK are contrary to the interests of public health.
People in this conversation
Comments (3)
Some time ago I was sat having a pint with a few mates in the pub, we were watching racing on the TV , decided to go in the bookies next door, place a bet and see how they get on , When we went in a man on one FOBT Had a balance of 8500 pounds showing, Wow we thought before returning to the pub to watch the race , 15 or 20 mins had passed and it was time to go back in the betting shop as one of us had won, the man who had the huge FOTB Balance was now at the counter, his machine balance was on zero and he was handing over a credit card asking for 200 pound to be put on the machine that 20 mins earlier had a 8500 pound balance. These machines are totally and utterly ruthless. I myself have lost a fortune in them. Any one wanting to play should have a photographic I-D Card that slots in the machine, and allow a player to gamble no more than 200 per day . or something similar, do anything to make it more difficult for people to get into serious financial trouble which leads to all the other bad symptoms which follow , depression, criminal activity , family break ups, job losses , these are all symptoms of this legal evil on our door steps.


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A Newlywed's Story
join the marines --well at my physical, i found out i was pregnate, so of
course i couldnt go. We got married 16 days before he left for bootcamp. He
was about half way through bootcamp when i had a miscarrage. it was
horrible , i wanted him, he wanted me but we both wanted him to continue
boot camp. it has been so hard since he has been gone. Now his knee is hurt
very badly and he wont go to medical because he is ready to come home ..
luckily we only have 2 weeks before he come home . this has been so hard on
both of us but in a couple of weeks his head will be held high ... he will
then have earned the title of a U.S MARINE. ..... The few and the proud .


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Correction Appended
ROME — In a sign of sharply rising tensions between the Vatican and Belgium, Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday criticized as "surprising and deplorable" a raid on church property last week by Belgian police officers investigating sexual abuse by clerics.
In an exceedingly rare personal message and rebuke of a sovereign country, the pontiff also stressed the church's "autonomy" to conduct its own investigations and criticized the "deplorable methods" of the Belgian police, who detained bishops, confiscated files and even drilled into the tombs of at least one cardinal in the Cathedral of Mechelen, north of Brussels, in a search for documents.
"On several occasions I have personally reiterated that such serious issues should be attended to by both civil and canon law, with respect for their reciprocal specificity and autonomy," Benedict said in a statement circulated by the Vatican on Sunday.
He also expressed his "closeness and solidarity" with the Belgian clergy and André-Joseph Léonard, the archbishop of Belgium and the president of the Belgian Bishops' Conference.
The raid on Thursday came months after the Belgian church, stung by allegations of sexual abuse by clerics, created a committee to investigate claims.Continue reading the main story
On Thursday, the police in Leuven, Belgium, also confiscated the case files of that committee and the computer of its director, a well-respected child psychiatrist. The committee director, church authorities and the Vatican have criticized the police, saying they had violated the privacy of the victims who had come forward.
That day, the police also searched the Mechelen home and former office of Cardinal Godfried Danneels, Archbishop Leonard's predecessor as head of the Belgian church, and took documents and his personal computer. They have not said whether the cardinal himself is under investigation.
The police raided the church headquarters in Mechelen, the palace of the archbishop of Brussels-Mechelen, on Thursday morning as the bishops began their monthly meeting and detained them and their staff for nine hours.
On Saturday, the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, called the detention of bishops "serious and unbelievable" and compared the police tactics to those of Communist regimes. He also said that the bishops had been deprived of food and water while they were detained.
On Sunday, the Belgian justice minister denied that assertion, as did the spokesman for the Belgian Bishops' Conference, who in a statement circulated by the Vatican on Friday said that the raid had been conducted "correctly."
In his message on Sunday, Benedict said he hoped that "justice will run its course," guaranteeing "the fundamental rights of people and institutions" and "the respect for victims."
An earlier version of this article referred incorrectly to the Brussels Cathedral. It is the Cathedral of Mechelen, north of Brussels. The article also referred incorrectly to the location of the church headquarters. They are in Mechelen, not in Brussels.