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BALTIMORE (AP) — J.J. Hardy homered twice, doubled and drove in five runs, and the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 9-2 Tuesday night and moved into a tie for the AL East lead.
Hardy went 4 for 5 to help Baltimore pull even atop the division with the New York Yankees, who lost 4-3 at Boston. The Rays are two games behind the co-leaders.
Chris Davis homered and Matt Wieters had three hits and two RBIs for Baltimore.
Hardy hit a two-run homer in the third inning, doubled and scored in the fifth, singled in a run in the sixth and added his 21st homer with a runner on in the eighth. It was his ninth career two-homer game, the second this season.
Baltimore starter Jason Hammel left in the fourth inning with an injured right knee. The right-hander underwent arthroscopic surgery on that same knee in mid-July and was making his second start since returning from the disabled list.
Hammel had no problem with the knee on Thursday night against the Yankees, and retired 11 of 13 Tampa Bay batters before exiting.
Steve Johnson (3-0) got the win with 1 1-3 innings of hitless relief.
Ryan Roberts and Elliott Johnson hit solo homers for Tampa Bay. It was the first time since Aug. 4 that the Rays lost by more than two runs; eight of their previous 12 defeats were by one run.
Roberts left in the sixth inning with a left forearm strain, the result of a tag he made at second base.
Tampa Bay left-hander Matt Moore (10-10) threw 94 pitches over four innings before being lifted by manager Joe Maddon. Moore allowed two earned runs on four hits and three walks.
Burke Badenhop entered with a run of eight straight scoreless appearances and promptly gave up a double to Hardy, a single to Adam Jones and two-run double to Wieters that provided Baltimore with a 5-1 lead.
Hardy's sixth-inning RBI single came off Cesar Ramos and Davis hit his 25th homer in the seventh off J.P. Howell.
Johnson connected off Darren O'Day leading off the eighth, and Hardy homered off Dane De La Rose in the bottom half.
The victory improved Baltimore's record against AL East foes to 33-24 compared to 28-44 last year.
Baltimore broke on top with an unearned run in the first inning. Jones walked and scored when Matt Joyce fumbled Wieters' two-out single to right.
Hammel retired the first eight batters before Roberts connected in the third. It was his fourth homer with Tampa Bay since in coming over in a trade with Arizona on July 24.
In the bottom half, Robert Andino led off with a double and Hardy homered to put the Orioles ahead for good.
NOTES: Baltimore leads the season series 7-6 and took the lead in the all-time series, 127-126. ... The Orioles purchased the contracts of OFs Endy Chavez and L.J. Hoes and designated RHP Kevin Gregg and INF Ryan Adams for assignment. ... This was the first of 15 consecutive games against AL East foes for the Rays, who head to Yankee Stadium after this three-game series. ... The Rays will send Alex Cobb to the mound Wednesday night and the Orioles will start rookie Miguel Gonzalez, who's 0-1 with a 6.52 ERA in two starts against Tampa Bay.
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Building solar voltaic cells from nanowires instead of standard metal conductors can increase the amount of energy the cells can capture by a factor of 15, according to a new study by scientists from the Nano-Science Center in Denmark.
Published recently in the journal Nature Photonics, the study found that nanowires have unique light absorption properties that make it possible to harness much more energy from the sun's rays than was previously thought possible.
The research focused on improving the quality of the nanowire crystals, which have a cylindrical structure with a diameter of 1/10,000th that of a human hair.
Nanowires concentrate the sun's rays into a very small area in nanowire crystals and, because the diameter of a crystal is smaller than the wavelength of light coming from the sun, this can cause resonances in the intensity of light in and around nanowires. The resonance, in turn, offers a higher conversion efficiency for the sun's energy, according to Peter Krogstrup, a researcher at the Niels Bohr Institute.
Nanowires have great potential for use not only in solar cells, but also in quantum computers, said Krogstrup.
However, he cautioned, "it will take some years before production of solar cells consisting of nanowires becomes a reality."
This version of this story was originally published in Computerworld's print edition. It was adapted from an article that appeared earlier on Computerworld.com.
Read more about applications in Computerworld's Applications Topic Center.

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Saturday December 7, 2019; 03:03 am EST
Bluegills give you fight and flavor
Early May is a great time of year. The dogwoods are in full bloom, the scent of flowering lilacs perfume the air, redbuds glow crimson. And one of the greatest sweetwater fish species is, right now, moving into the shallows and picking out a spawning territory to defend.
Tossing a size-10 popping bug with a fly rod along a freshwater impoundment's shoreline and waiting for the explosive take of a bull bluegill guarding his territory is a delight not to be missed. This battler is found just about anywhere there is fresh water, from lakes to ponds.
You don't have to be particularly skilled at casting. Ready to attack anything that approaches, these bream will charge all but the clumsiest of presentations.
Rockfish trophy season is good except for the stiff easterly blowing the better part of the last three weeks. When the Bay is fishable, nice-sized stripers to 46 inches have been taken at the traditional hotspots: Love Point, the Bay Bridge, around the anchored container ships, Gum Thickets, Bloody Point and off Poplar Island. Western Shore areas producing fish have been the shipping channel south of Baltimore Light to Podickery Point, Hacketts and the Thomas Point Lighthouse. Down at Breezy Point they've also been doing well, and anglers are still scoring big fish at the Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant.
The top lure so far for trollers has been a white parachute rig. Anglers fishing bloodworms and fresh-cut menhaden have been doing well from the water as well as from the shore.
Any fly rod up to a six weight and up to eight feet will do the job. A six- to seven-foot leader of four- to six-pound test is more than adequate. A simple selection of small popping bugs in black, white, yellow and chartreuse will do just fine for matching the hatch. Bluegills consume beetles, grasshoppers, spiders, bees, moths and similar insects as well as small minnows, crawfish and aquatic larvae.
Ultra-light spin rods will also work almost as well as fly rods if you use a clear casting bubble for weight to carry out your bug. You can use a short section of wooden dowel with an eye screw at either end to the same effect.
Though popping bugs will definitely get you a full share of bluegill action, the 17-year cicada cycle is peaking this season. Since the cicada is a rather large flying bug, a proper imitation should draw strikes from particularly large bluegills — and often their much bigger cousin, the largemouth bass.
The Fish
The bluegill is a saucer-shaped creature with a dark olive back and vertical bars down the length of its flanks. A dark blue earflap on the gill cover (operculum) gives the fish its name. The male sports a bright orange chest and blue and purple iridescence on its cheeks, which are especially bright during the spawn. The female has a less spectacular coloration, featuring a dark back and mostly muted olive colors down the flanks with a pale yellow breast.
Each spring, as soon as the waters warm, the males stake out shallow water to build nests. After sweeping clear a circular dish-shaped area up to two feet in diameter, called a bed, the bulls compete to attract a female to lay their eggs. The female remains around the nest for a few days, making multiple deposits of roe, which the male fertilizes.
The female then departs while the male continues to guard the area until the young hatch and grow big enough to leave the nest. Then he tries to attract another mate. Vigorously defending his nesting area against all interlopers, the male bluegills will continue to attract females and spawn throughout the summer, often into September. That, not coincidentally, is why there are so many of them.
A nine-inch 'gill is a remarkable battler on light tackle and easily big enough for the table. A 10-inch fish is a lunker and will test your line handling abilities. An 11-inch fish is a citation, and a 12-incher a trophy of trophies. Their meat has a sweet nutty flavor and is highly regarded by all lovers of seafood.


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ICBA Encourages Consumers To Go Local This Holiday Season
Do At Least 30 Percent of Shopping at Small Businesses As the holiday season quickly approaches and shoppers across the country start making their lists and checking them twice, the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) is encouraging them to Go Local and do at least 30 percent of their holiday shopping at area small businesses. By doing so, consumers will be supporting small businesses that create local jobs and fuel their local economy—making everyone's holiday on Main Street a little bit sweeter. To see a news release you can adapt for use in your market or as a letter to the editor, please click here. CBAI supports ICBA's "Go Local, Bank Locally" initiative with the following resources:
For free "Go Local" posters, contact the CBAI Department of Communications at firstname.lastname@example.com.
To access ICBA's "Go Local" campaign, go to www.icba.org/golocal.


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Fire officials: Girl, 14, severs leg trying to jump train
Incident happened Tuesday off Neponset Street in Worcester
A teenager in Worcester had part of her leg severed after trying to jump onto a moving freight train, according to fire officials.
The incident happened off Neponset Street behind the Greendale Mall early Tuesday afternoon, according to Worcester fire.
A witness said the girl, who was with two other people at the time, tried to grab a ladder on the train as it went by and fell beneath the train car.
"She grabbed onto the ladder in the middle, she fell off, and one leg went over," one witness said.
The witness said the girl, 14, was conscious after the incident.
"We saw a girl lying on the tracks, they put her on the stretcher and when they picked her up, we saw one leg," another witness said.
The 80-car Providence & Worcester Railroad Co. train was stopped in Holden. It is unclear if the crew knew that someone had been hit.
Locals said teens often cross the train tracks in that area through a hole in a chain link fence.


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The Wolverine Loop Trail
Burr Trail Side Roads
In 1882, southern Utah's Burr Trail was called the most God-forsaken and wild-looking country ever traveled. It continued to be a rocky trail until it was improved in 1967 by uranium miners. A federal judge threw out a lawsuit in 1990 aimed at preventing the road from being improved. That same year, Lone Writer and his pals crossed the Burr Trail for the last time before it was paved.
Josephine Catherine Chatterly Wood was a midwife who worked the communities between Bluff and Monticello. She was very well known and respected for her talents in treating all kinds of injuries and in handling difficult childbirth situations. We are not sure why she was on the Burr Trail but we found a journal entry written by her with several descriptions of the wild country the trail crossed.
The Burr Trail was originally established in the 1870s by a rancher named John Burr. He needed to move his livestock between pastures and to the market. The trail spanned nearly 70 miles across a part of the country where nothing else existed. After paving was completed, the trail lost most of its wild appeal. On the other hand, using all that pavement is a matter of choice. To experience the wild country described in 1882, a detour along the Wolverine Loop is the perfect option.
Lone Writer and Happy Jack arrived in the Bullfrog area on a sunny warm day in March. They had intended to get there by way of the ferry but it was dry docked for repairs. That being the case, they decided not to pay the fee to enter the park. One gas station was open outside the park boundary near the intersection for the Burr Trail.
The first part of the Burr Trail skirts along that which was once beach area for Lake Powell. Low water levels have changed those sandy beaches into dry sand dunes. The access roads to them were closed when we were there in March. Lone Writer and Happy Jack reminisced about a night during the 1990s when a night of winds turned their beach camp into a raging sand storm that blew some tents into the lake.
One of their favorite stories involves the people who lost their tents. They went into Bullfrog looking for a motel room. The entire group had been camping all week with no access to showers. About six of them stood at the counter waiting for the attendant to decide what to do with them when a little girl walked by with her father. She looked at the ragged group and said, "Daddy, it stinks in here." The attendant handed a key to one member of the group and told them they would all fit in a trailer parked in the back. In other words, he wanted them out of his hotel.
The Burr Trail crosses wide-open lands and eventually enters Capital Reef National Park. The first significant change in the roadway is when the Burr Trail turns to climb the cliffs at Waterpocket Fold. Prior to the switchbacks being widened, they were described as dangerously narrow where boulders rolled down the cliffs and threatened travelers. It is now wide enough for cars to pass and offers scenic views of the Henry Mountains.
At the top of the switchbacks, the roadway flattens out with a side trip available into Upper Muley Twist Canyon. It is a dead-end trip but very scenic. The main attraction is a double arch beside the wash. We were told it is actually a triple arch, but all we saw were two. It is possible a third might be found by those who can climb the cliff.
Burr Trail continues past the side road for that canyon and exits the national park a short distance before the beginning of the Wolverine Loop. The pavement begins at the park boundary.
There are several dead-end side roads accessible off the Wolverine Loop. In the days of the pioneers, the road that used Harris Wash was a main route connecting the Burr Trail to the Hole in the Rock Road. That route was closed when the Glenn Canyon Recreation Area was formed.
The Wolverine Petrified Forest can be accessed from the loop road. It seems to have been picked pretty clean through the years. Scientists are always trying to determine what happened on Earth 250 million years ago. Some believe the planet was tilted differently and Utah was actually very near the Equator. They believe the area was hot, swampy, and humid. A lot of the fossils found within the Petrified Forest support that theory.
The Burr Trail ends at the city limits of Boulder. It continues to be an isolated community. Although it was founded in 1889, it did not have electricity until 1947. The main attraction in this town of about 200 people is the Anasazi State Park. Prehistoric tribes lived in the area around the year 1100 and built a Kayenta Anasazi village that is now within that state park.
|Navigation - GPS Positions
|The intersection for the Burr Trail is a short distance north of Bullfrog on State Route 276.
|Turn west on Burr Trail.
|Left onto dirt road.
|Left fork toward Boulder.
|Straight. Right goes to Upper Muley Twist.
|Left onto Wolverine Loop.
|Right turn. Left goes to Harris Wash.
|Right Turn.
|Right turn. Left is Wolverine Petrified Forest.
|Right Fork.
|Left on Burr Trail.
The Xterra Pro-4X driven by Lone Writer is provided by Nissan. Tires are provided by BFGoodrich. GPS and Mapping software is provided by DeLorme. For more information, check out www.lone-writer.com.


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Benjamin Mitchley - "Greek Sculptural Female Figure"
Greek Sculptural Female Figure
Greek Sculptural Female Figure
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Oil on Canvas
W: 275mm x H: 430mm
Approx. Weight: 1.702kg
This work is framed (but can be supplied either framed or unframed)
About "Greek Sculptural Female Figure"
Inspired by ancient Greek art.
Benjamin Mitchley
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About Benjamin
Benjamin Mitchley is a South African fine artist, born on 1 January 1967 in the Free State, South Africa. He matriculated from Welkom High School in 1984 and studied fine arts from 1985 to 1987 at the Vaal University of Technology and Tshwane University of Technology. He is a full-time freelance fine artist, scenic artist, illustrator, 2D digital animator, poet and writer. He does commissions and collaboration in fine art painting, scenic painting, illustration, and 2D digital animation. Since 2003 he exhibited his work in South Africa, and in the same year received his first international exposure with the help of South African Artists online gallery. He had his first international art exhibition in Munich and Hof, in Germany during 2005 and 2006. Since then he gained support from several buyers in Europe, America and South Africa. He furthered his scenic experience while working in Dubai on the IBN Battuta shopping mall during 2004 and 2006, a sculpture project for the Dubai Municipality horse museum in 2007 and a mural painting project at the Dubai IMG Worlds of Adventure indoor theme park in 2016. In Johannesburg, he worked on a scenic project during the first phase of Monte Casino's East-End Teatro in 2007 and created backdrops for television adverts at Golden Island Studios in 2013. Since 2010, as a self-taught animator, he received contract work to create a short film for a SABC documentary and several animation collaboration projects for corporation info-graphics. In 2013 he received a first-place award by the Iheed institute for a medical animation competition. Poetry and writing developed from his fine art, illustration and animation creations, in the form of comic books, animated poems and an illustrated poetry eBook. His search for new ideas and experimentation with new techniques, styles and media is ongoing.
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Sanlam Vuleka Exhibition, 2003
Fine Arts - Gauteng
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April 23, 2013 By
Due to Obama Inc's refusal to treat the surviving Boston bomber as an enemy combatant, we'll never know for certain whether the Muslim Boston bombers were working alone or associated with a terrorist group. And even the term 'working alone' is a misnomer considering that they got their bombmaking training and their propaganda from Jihadist sites that exist to enable detached 'lone wolf' affiliates to carry out their attacks.
If Dzhokhar Tsarnaev had died, the way his brother had, then the question of motive would be buried under the usual random killer excuses. Unfortunately for the Terrorism Denial Camp, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has already given the usual Islamic excuse. Not Islam as a secondary motive, but as a primary motive. That old chestnut defending Islam.
Preliminary interviews with Dzhokhar Tsarnaev indicate the two brothers fit the classification of self-radicalized jihadists, the source said. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, wounded and held in a Boston hospital, said his brother wanted to defend Islam from attack, according to the source.
Who at the Boston Marathon was attacking Islam? Was a 8-year-old boy at war with Islam?
To attack Islam is to prevent it from expanding. To be a non-Muslim is to be at war with Islam. To defend Islam is to kill non-Muslims.
In Islam, attack is indistinguishable from defense. To be a non-Muslim who insists on self-rule is to obstruct the peace of Islam. There can be no peace in the world as long as non-Muslims rule themselves in the Dar Al-Harb, rather than live as second class Dhimmis within the Dar-Al-Islam.
Islam is an identity. It treats any obstacles, including passive and unknowing obstacles, as active resistance. The active practice of any religion other than Islam is an attack on Islam. That is why Mohammed ordered the purge of Christians and Jews from territory under his control on his deathbed. In Egypt and elsewhere under Islamist rule, his followers are finishing the process.
The ultimate goal of the Salafist armies is to destroy every single non-Muslim, and for that matter Shiite, within their territories.
The Tsarnaev brothers were following this goal at the Boston Marathon. They were protecting the expansion and power of Islam by terrorizing and murdering infidels. They made no distinction between soldiers and civilians. Their only criteria was to murder as many Americans as possible in defense of the expansion of Islam.
Islam originally spread by the sword. Now it spreads by the bomb.


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- Hawaii Buildings Expo 2011 Commercial Roofing Bubbly Promo
© Copyright 2010 Commercial Roofing Waterproofing Hawaii, Inc. All Rights Reserved. || Brochure
Welcome to Commercial Roofing & Waterproofing Hawaii, Inc. We are located in Hawaii, Guam, and Philippines and we cover the spectrum of commercial roofing systems and roof waterproofing. Beyond those services we offer much more like: cool roofing solutions, green roofs, forensic services, roof maintenance, and building integrated photovoltaic products. We have online monitoring for our solar panel and roof services.
Check out our solar panel installation page.


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Today is "National Talk Like a Pirate Day." I'm not going to talk like a pirate in this post because I can barely speak regular English as it is.
But I sure as hell will gawk at this mechanical bull trike mashup.
For the European Pirate Summit (Yes, that's a real thing) in Cologne, Germany, one enterprising young pirate has a mechanical bull with wheels for rear legs that he was riding there.
This thing has blown my mind.
Is it dragged around by the front legs? Did pirates ever ride bulls? How does this at all fit in with a celebration of pirates? Was Cologne founded by Blackbeard? If a pirate finds a pot of gold, is he technically a leprechaun? What the fuck is juice?
We'll probably never know. Or we might. Who knows?
Photo Credit: Mark Melnykowycz/Facebook


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About two months after Governor Jerry Brown called on Californians to cut their water use by 20 percent, some statistics are in.
The State Water Resources Control Board released new survey results today. It finds statewide urban water usage was down five percent between January and May compared to the previous three years. Two-hundred-seventy water agencies responded to the board's survey, which found more than half have formally invoked their drought or water shortage plans.
Dave Bolland is with the Association of California Water Agencies. He says, while saving water is good, the state can't conserve its way out of its water shortage problem.
"But we need to, at the same time, be doing recycled water, storm water capture, ground water remediation, desalination, new storage, surface and ground water, and that's all part of the package," he says.
The Water Board survey found 40 percent of water agencies have increased conservation enforcement and monitoring. Seven percent have instituted short-term drought pricing.


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The supermodels strip down in revealing interviews
Courtesy Interview
You know that trend we noticed back in July? The one where '90s supermodels were stripping down to show that their bodies were as smokin' as ever? Well, it's continuing — full force — in the September issue of Interview magazine.
The magazine enlists seven legendary models (Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, above, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington, below, plus Stephanie Seymour, Amber Valetta and Daria Werbowy) to each front their own dramatic cover, shot by noted fashion photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott). And inside, the stars bare all — both in revealing interviews and super-revealing photos.
RELATED PHOTOS: See amazing star outfits we're loving right now!
Courtesy Interview
Once you've finished being totally floored by the models' artsy nude shots, you'll want to get into the interviews themselves, for juicy details like what clothes Moss is saving for her daughter, how Campbell considers Moss her "little sister," how Turlington sees the height of her career as "exploitative" and why Werbowy still feels surprised that people find her beautiful.
Check out all the highlights at Interview's website, then tell us: What do you think of the shots? Who's your favorite supermodel?
–Alex Apatoff


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Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted Mega Serveware
Designer Karen Kjældgård-Larsen created the Mega series as a witty update of Royal Copenhagen's signature porcelain Blue Fluted collection. On these serving pieces, cobalt-blue blossoms, medallions and sprigs bring fresh perspective to the 230-year-old design. Like all Blue Fluted porcelain, the serveware pieces are hand painted with delicate brushstrokes over the fluted surface.
- Crafted of fine yet strong porcelain.
- Designed to coordinates with Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted dinnerware.
- Microwavable and dishwasher safe.
- All pieces sold invidiually.
Dimensions & More Info
- Serving Bowl: 9 3/4" diam., 4 3/4" high.
- Small 7" Bowl: 7" diam., 3 1/2" high.
- Large 8" Bowl: 8" diam., 3 3/4" high; 56-oz. cap.
- Pitcher: 5" diam., 6 1/2" high.
- Cake Stand: 13" diam., 2 1/4" high.
- Made in Thailand.
Use & Care
- Oven safe and microwavable.
- Dishwasher safe.
Options Available
- Serving Bowl
- Bowl
- Pitcher
- Cake Stand
Shipping Information
This item will be shipped directly from the manufacturer and is not eligible for rush shipping. Please allow two to four weeks for delivery.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Return Policy
At Williams Sonoma, we take great pride in the quality and craftsmanship of our products. Attention to design, materials, safety and construction are our priority. Upon receipt, please inspect your purchase and notify us of any damage; we will arrange for a prompt replacement.
If within 30 days, you are dissatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase for a refund of the merchandise value. An original receipt or gift receipt is required for all returns and exchanges. Returns with a gift receipt will be refunded in the form of a Merchandise Credit for the amount indicated on the gift receipt. Returns with original receipt will be refunded in the original form of payment, cash and check refunds over $100 will be issued as a company check (may take 14 business days from time of request).
For all cutlery returns (knife sets, single knives, cutting boards, knife sharpeners, and knife storage) please contact us at 888.922.4108 to initiate the return.
We cannot accept returns on monogrammed, personalized, special-order items, custom upholstery, food, items shipped direct from the vendor, or on items damaged through normal wear and tear. Final sale items ending in .97 or .99 cannot be returned.
For returns of items purchased from your Williams Sonoma Gift Registry, we will gladly provide a refund or exchange for the merchandise within 90 days of your event or within 90 days of purchase, whichever date is later. View Full Returns Policy.
Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted Mega Serveware
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|Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted Mega Serving Bowl, Medium
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|Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted Mega Bowl, 7"
|Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted Mega Bowl, 8"
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|Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted Mega Pitcher
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|Royal Copenhagen Blue Fluted Mega Cake Stand, 12"


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There's no dodging the discussion about health care reform. Tune into the news and you'll frequently find the issues debated passionately and intelligently by pundits from all positions. Yet no matter our opinions, for those of us in the trenches the time for talk is past. Health care reform is no longer a possibility, it's an urgent reality that is being played out now in a restrictive regulatory environment and shrinking Medicare reimbursement for hospitals, medical centers, physician practices and hospices across the country.
Did I just say hospices? Yes, I did. And it shouldn't be surprising. As providers of a critical medical service in the continuum of end-of-life care, it stands to reason that hospice organizations share in the challenge to do more with less that's facing the rest of our health care brethren. After all, the vast majority of our care is reimbursed by Medicare. We can't expect to escape the scrutiny of the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services.
That said, if controlling costs while enhancing quality is at the core of health care reform, it appears to be counterproductive to target reimbursement for hospices. In fact, a study by Mount Sinai's Icahn School of Medicine in the March 2013 issue of Health Affairs suggests that hospice actually reduces costs for Medicare beneficiaries at the end of life. Specifically, the research found savings in every enrollment period up to 105 days (the longest studied), plus reductions in hospital admissions and days, ICU admissions and days, 30 day hospital readmissions, and in-hospital deaths — all primary goals of health care reform.
Moreover, the study concludes that "these outcomes are not only less costly, but also have been associated with higher quality of care and increased concordance with patients' preferences."
None of this is shocking to hospice providers. Every day, we witness how our expert medical, emotional and spiritual support enables those who are terminally ill to spend their remaining days in comfort and at home — as most people wish — instead of in a hospital. Nevertheless, until reform catches up with the research, hospices like ours must operate within the context of diminishing reimbursement and increasing regulatory scrutiny while doing everything possible to maintain the very highest quality end-of-life care for patients and families.
At TRU Community Care, formerly HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties, we are committed to doing just this. That is why we've recently been tightening our belts, optimizing our operations and moving forward with new programs and initiatives that position our organization for a future in which we can help more people with advanced disease in more ways than ever.
Our new name, TRU Community Care, grew out of this commitment. As many know, we were founded as Colorado's first hospice to provide end-of-life care to people who are dying, and grief support to those who have lost a loved one. Over the years, as our community's needs have grown, we've responded — with our Palliative Home Health Program (for people with a life-limiting illness who are confined to home and in need of comfort care) and our Advanced Illness Management Program (for those with an advanced disease seeking pain and symptoms management and decision-making support).
Though hospice will always be at the heart of our organization, we now offer these additional services, too. And not just to people in Boulder and Broomfield Counties, but also to those who live in surrounding regions — from Adams to Weld Counties and beyond. Clearly the name HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield Counties no longer fits.
Why TRU? It's an acronym for Trusted, Responsive, Unparalleled, adjectives that were frequently used by our supporters when asked to describe us. These initials also stand for the Trust, Respect and Understanding we bring to those we serve. Moreover, the word TRU conveys our genuine and faithful commitment to our patients and families. Plus, it's short, easy to say and remember, and allows us to continue to shape our organization to meet our community's needs in years to come.
The exceptional service we're known for hasn't changed. Only our name has. And in the age of health care reform, change isn't only inevitable, it's essential. One day, perhaps the emphasis of Medicare will shift from reimbursement cuts to ensuring earlier hospice enrollment. In the meantime, our focus will remain not on the economics, but on our patients, knowing that it isn't cost savings that sparks the immense gratitude of the families of those we serve. It's the miraculous difference our care makes for their loved ones.
Darla Schueth is president and CEO of TRU Community Care.


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There is some seriously icky, professional grade marketeering going on over the pond in Great Britain. Cadillac SRX's are being pitched as "mobile think spaces" for business folk who can't keep focused in the tough and distracting workplace environment. Chauffeurs will show up at a place of work, pick up a client or a small meetings worth of clients, drive them around while they think, and then return them. This is, of course, just direct marketing on a literal level, getting business types to warm the seats of Cadillac's crossover. [Edmunds Inside Line]
Cadillac SRX Pitched As Mobile Office in Britain


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Hmmm, left fairway tree. Perfect left handed hyzer shot .... what were the scores for last night?I'm looking at you, LEFTIES!
this tree was most likely mistakenly cut due to infantile marking of the mando. that is the kind of stuff that happens when you let a 'golf official' play with orange spray paint in the park. our club has the funds to purchase and install highly visible "mando" signage to prevent this type of accident in the future.


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Sam460ex with Uboot 2015a.
sii3512 (two SATA ports)
AmigaOS 4.1.8 (FE update 1)
Usually one HDD and one DVD. Now the plan is to migrate from Sam440 to Sam460 so the DVD is replaced with the old HDD. I just need to copy the files from the old HDD to the new HDD.
Uboot is changed from sii3512ide_conf = "12" to "11", so the HDD is found by both Uboot and AmigaOS without any problems.
I've used Media Toolbox to update the disk changes as HDD 1 is no longer the last HDD and I've made HDD 2 non bootable. Both drives have partitions called DH0 and DH1, but HDD 2 partitions are automatically called DH0.1 and DH1.1 so that shouldn't be a problem, or?
HDD 1 is a mechanical HDD and uses SFS\00, HDD 2 is an SSD and uses SFS\02.
Problem 1: machine usually hangs immediately on Workbench screen. A couple of times I've booted successfully, but after copying a few files the machine hangs.
Problem 2: It's almost completely impossible to reach early startup menu (both with Help and two mouse buttons), probably due to the fact that USB is initiated roughly at the same time as the splash screen shows up. I want to be able to temporarily disable a drive or a partition.
Question 1: do I dare to change the partition names on HDD 2 without destroying the data, so that they are not called the same as on HDD 1?
Question 2: could the problem be max transfer related?


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Events | Submission Guidelines | For Book Clubs | Selected Press Coverage | Bibliography | Accessibility
Small Beer Press
- was founded in 2000 and is run by Gavin J. Grant and Kelly Link.
- Head Brewmaster and CTO: Michael J. Deluca.
- Podcaster: Julie Day.
- Roaming Editor: Jedediah Berry
- Publishes books as Small Beer Press, Big Mouth House, and Peapod Classics, and occasionally chapbooks and a zine.
- Our books are always printed on 30% post-consumer recycled paper — which is why we don't use Lightning Source for short run reprints or publish books in the mass market format.
- We have an ebooksite for indie presses: Weightless Books.
- We are not hiring nor looking for freelance copyeditors, proofreaders, copywriters, and so on.
Rights List
- Titles for reprint, translation, book club, or audio use, as well as contact information.
- The Cooke Agency International (Cooke International) represents foreign rights for Small Beer Press. Contact [email protected].
Contact For the following, please contact us at the address below:
- Subsidiary Rights (Film or dramatic, Audio, Large Print, &c.)
- Permissions Requests
- Review copy or author interview requests
- Special Sales (To non-book retailers corporations, organizations, catalogs, etc.)
- Letters to Authors
Small Beer Press
150 Pleasant St., #306
Easthampton, MA 01027
Email (preferred mode): [email protected]
t/f: 413.203.1636
Our office is on the lands traditionally owned by the Pocomtuc people and we wish to acknowledge them as Traditional Owners. We would also like to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, and Native Elders of other communities who may be here today.
- Proofreading: Paul Witcover, Robert Stauffer, Pat Sims.
- Printers (book): Versa Press. Thomson-Shore (employee owned).
- Printer (galleys): Paradise Copies, Book Mobile, King Printing.
- Printer (zines): The most excellent people at Paradise Copies, 21 Conz St., Northampton, MA 01060, 413-585-0414.
- Distribution: Consortium.
We started off with Pathway Book Service and moved to SCB Distributors. Different distributors fit different needs and we are still recommending people to each of the distributors listed here.
- Art: Kathleen Jennings, Shelley Jackson, Rafal Olbinski, Erica Harris, Brian Lei.
- Some of these.
- Publishing Resources.
Volunteers, &c.
- We do not have an intern program, sorry.
- We are always interested in website help.
- We could do with a few volunteer moderators for conversation threads and so on at Goodreads, LibraryThing, and any (almost) other site you can think of.
- We really enjoy fan videos.
- We are always hoping for chefs, bakers, gardeners(!) and so on.
- We are seriously interested in more translations — especially of Angélica Gorodischer. However, we are monolingual (sorry) which makes the editorial process difficult. If you are a grad student looking for a translation project which may be of interest to us, we recommend Gorodischer's Trafalgar* and Prodigies**.
* We are excited to report that this line here brought a translation our way and we are proud to announce that in 2013 we published Amalia Gladhart's translation of Trafalgar. Thank you Amalia and the internets!
** And doubly excited that in 2015 we published Sue Burke's translation of Prodigies.
Previous interns:
Diane Kelly, Vanessa Scott, Gabrielle Mos, Ariel Franklin-Hudson, Gwyneth Merner, Caitlin Beck, Erik Gallant, Heidi Smith, Lauren Rile Smith, Julia Botero, Margaret Kinney, Katherine Duckett, Anna Katherine Sears, Danielle Baldassini, Kendell Diane Richmond, Leah Zander, Anna Brenner, Christian Desrosiers, Faune Albert, Sara Majka, Paul Bozzo, Felice Ling, Nicholas Miriello, Kristen Evans, Abram Thau, Samantha Guilbert, Cristi Jacques, Matthew Harrison, Su-Yee Lin, Hannah Goldstein, Molly Seeley, David Mitchell, Dustin Buchinski, Geoffrey Noble, Kimberly Pavlovich, Jennifer Terpsichore Abeles, Julie Day.
Info for bookshops · Reviews · A very informal early history of Small Beer.
Thanks for reading.


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For the last two years, I have felt compelled to write about the Houston Astros and the incredible level of awful they achieve. The team claims to have a plan, though, and apparently still believes its stockpile of young talent will pay off at some point.
After winning the first two games of a series against the Orioles, maybe it's time to concede that there may be something to that belief. That gave Houston seven straight wins entering Saturday, after all. Before I get too far ahead of myself, though, may it also be noted that the positive streak followed four straight losses.
Regardless, we can at least remove the Astros from the absolute cellar of awfulness. Their 24-32 record after that game was still far from great, but it did include five more wins than the Cubs, who are the new owners of the mantle of despair with a 19-33 record.
The plight of the Cubs came to mind this week when I read that starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija was second in the National League with a 1.68 ERA, which now even leads the league. This had apparently escaped my attention since Samardzija's record was only 1-4.
Add in his 1.07 WHIP, .216 opponents' batting average and 64 strikeouts in 75 innings, and he should definitely be doing better than his record indicates.
It seems Chicago just can't give their new ace a lead, for if they could, Hector Rondon is at the back of the bullpen with a 1.59 ERA that should be able to secure most advantages, yet he has only six saves.
Looking at the Cubs' lineup from a fantasy manager's perspective looks like they were not allowed a pick through the first 10 rounds. They have some players who are serviceable, but no superstar to give the jolt needed to bring it all together.
Which unfortunately removes a good rhyming-scheme chance, since Mike Olt leads the team with nine homers, but only has a .165 batting average. Rumors abound, however, that John Sterling still hopes the Yankees bring him to the Bronx.
Low batting average is the Cubs' bane this season. Emilio Bonifacio's early-season heroics have cooled off — the former hottest of hot pickups is again available in a third of ESPN fantasy leagues — as a .204 average through May has him at .271 for the season. He does still have 12 steals (yet only two in May), so he may be worth keeping an eye on if you need help in the speed department.
Shortstop Starlin Castro (.276 average, 7 homers, 26 RBIs, 23 runs) and first baseman Anthony Rizzo (.264-8-24-31, team-leading .396 on-base percentage) are both in that serviceable mold, but far from superstar sorts.
Junior Lake, at 24 years old, may be the best fantasy prospect, batting .258 with 9 doubles, a triple, 6 homers and 6 steals. He only has 19 RBIs and 17 runs, but those numbers can be blamed as much on the team around him as on any personal flaws.
Much like the rest of the team, which could has some nice pieces, but isn't working enough as a whole to make any stars.
Springer into action
And now for old time's sake, let's talk about the Astros anyway.
A big part of their winning streak has been the play of George Springer. Although possibly not the hottest player in the majors (that nod may need to go to Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion, see chart), he is probably the second hottest after a blast Thursday night gave him seven homers in seven games.
Springer joined the big-league team midway through April, but showed little early as he batted .182 with no homers and struck out 19 times over 14 games through the end of the month.
He is batting .306 in May, though, with a .398 on-base percentage and .673 slugging percentage. He has 10 total homers for the month, has driven in 25 runs and scored 22 times. His 35 strikeouts in 98 at-bats is still high, but the 24-year-old is making up for it elsewhere.
The recent power surge could be a good sign of things to come.
Before going to Houston, Springer already had three homers in 13 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City. In 135 games in 2013 between OKC and Double-A Corpus Christi, he had 37 bombs in 135.
In 284 games in the minors, Springer batter .302 with a .959 OPS. He also was selected as the best defensive outfielder and best outfield arm in the Astros organization multiple times, so he may be good enough to stick around even if he hits a slump. So we may be seeing the arrival of a new fantasy star.
So take solace, Cubs fans, there's a chance you also could produce a star eventually. Even the Astros have pulled it off.
Contact Josh Bousquet at email@example.com.


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Victor Duvanenko is a long-time contributor to Dr. Dobb's. He can be contacted at [email protected]
In In-Place Hybrid N-bit-Radix SortI developed a high-performance In-Place N-bit-Radix Sort. This linear-time O(dn) algorithm followed the hybrid algorithm approach of STL sort(), which combines quicksort, heap sort, and insertion sort to create a higher performance combination than each algorithms individually. In-Place Radix Sort combined N-bit-Radix Sort with Insertion Sort to significantly boost performance, and sorted arrays of unsigned and signed 8-, 16-, -,32 and 64-bit numbers, many times faster than STL sort().
Counting Sort is used inside the Radix Sort. This algorithm was developed and discussed in [1], along with multicore parallel implementation in [3 and 4] using Intel's Threading Building Blocks (TBB) [5]. This high performance linear-time O(n) algorithm outperforms STL sort() by more than 60X. Parallel Counting Sort benefited by 2-3X when running on a quad-core processor, accelerating from parallelization of the counting portion of the algorithm.
In this article, I combine In-Place N-bit-Radix Sort and Parallel Counting Sort to develop a Parallel In-Place N-bit-Radix Sort algorithm, using Intel's Threaded Building Blocks library. Listing 1 shows a slightly improved version of In-Place N-bit-Radix Sort of [1]. Table 1 and Figure 1 show performance measurements for several sorting algorithms, running on i7 860 quad-core processor.
// Copyright(c), Victor J. Duvanenko, 2010 // Listing 1 template< unsigned long PowerOfTwoRadix, unsigned long Log2ofPowerOfTwoRadix, long Threshold, class _Type > inline void _RadixSort_Unsigned_PowerOf2Radix_1( _Type* a, long last, _Type bitMask, unsigned long shiftRightAmount ) { const unsigned long numberOfBins = PowerOfTwoRadix; unsigned long count[ numberOfBins ]; // Counting occurance of digits within the array (related to Counting Sort) for( unsigned long i = 0; i < numberOfBins; i++ ) count[ i ] = 0; for ( long _current = 0; _current <= last; _current++ ) // Scan the array and count the number of times each value appears { unsigned long digit = (unsigned long)(( a[ _current ] & bitMask ) >> shiftRightAmount ); // extract the digit we are sorting based on count[ digit ]++; } // Moving array elements into their bins long startOfBin[ numberOfBins ], endOfBin[ numberOfBins ], nextBin; startOfBin[ 0 ] = endOfBin[ 0 ] = nextBin = 0; for( unsigned long i = 1; i < numberOfBins; i++ ) startOfBin[ i ] = endOfBin[ i ] = startOfBin[ i - 1 ] + count[ i - 1 ]; for ( long _current = 0; _current <= last; ) { unsigned long digit; _Type tmp = a[ _current ]; // get the compiler to recognize that a register can be used for the loop instead of a[_current] memory location while ( true ) { digit = (unsigned long)(( tmp & bitMask ) >> shiftRightAmount ); // extract the digit we are sorting based on if ( endOfBin[ digit ] == _current ) break; _swap( tmp, a[ endOfBin[ digit ] ] ); endOfBin[ digit ]++; } a[ _current ] = tmp; endOfBin[ digit ]++; // leave the element at its location and grow the bin _current++; // advance the current pointer to the next element while( _current >= startOfBin[ nextBin ] && nextBin < numberOfBins ) nextBin++; while( endOfBin[ nextBin - 1 ] == startOfBin[ nextBin ] && nextBin < numberOfBins ) nextBin++; if ( _current < endOfBin[ nextBin - 1 ] ) _current = endOfBin[ nextBin - 1 ]; } // Recursion for each bin bitMask >>= Log2ofPowerOfTwoRadix; if ( bitMask != 0 ) // end recursion when all the bits have been processes { if ( shiftRightAmount >= Log2ofPowerOfTwoRadix ) shiftRightAmount -= Log2ofPowerOfTwoRadix; else shiftRightAmount = 0; for( unsigned long i = 0; i < numberOfBins; i++ ) { long numberOfElements = endOfBin[ i ] - startOfBin[ i ]; if ( numberOfElements >= Threshold ) { // endOfBin actually points to one beyond the bin _RadixSort_Unsigned_PowerOf2Radix_1< _Type, PowerOfTwoRadix, Log2ofPowerOfTwoRadix, Threshold >( &a[ startOfBin[ i ]], numberOfElements - 1, bitMask, shiftRightAmount ); } else if ( numberOfElements >= 2 ) { insertionSortSimilarToSTLnoSelfAssignment( &a[ startOfBin[ i ]], numberOfElements ); } } } } // Listing 1, 2 and 3 (top-level template function) template< class _Type > inline void RadixSortInPlace_PowerOf2Radix_unsigned_TBB( _Type* a, unsigned long a_size ) { if ( a_size < 2 ) return; const unsigned long Threshold = 32; // Threshold of when to switch to using Insertion Sort const unsigned long PowerOfTwoRadix = 256; // Radix - must be a power of 2 const unsigned long Log2ofPowerOfTwoRadix = 8; unsigned long shiftRightAmount = sizeof( _Type ) * 8 - Log2ofPowerOfTwoRadix; // Create bit-mask and shift right amount _Type bitMask = (_Type)( ((_Type)( PowerOfTwoRadix - 1 )) << shiftRightAmount ); // bitMask controls/selects how many and which bits we process at a time if ( a_size >= Threshold ) _RadixSort_Unsigned_PowerOf2Radix_3< PowerOfTwoRadix, Log2ofPowerOfTwoRadix, Threshold >( a, a_size - 1, bitMask, shiftRightAmount ); else insertionSortSimilarToSTLnoSelfAssignment( a, a_size ); }
TBB parallel_sort is the fastest algorithm for the largest array size tested, beating Intel IPP Radix Sort by 10%. IPP Radix Sort uses a single processing core while TBB parallel_sort uses all four cores. For mid-array sizes IPP Radix Sort is the fastest algorithm. TBB parallel_sort beats In-Place Radix Sort by as much as 1.5X and beats it for mid and large array sizes, while lagging in performance for smallest array sizes. TBB parallel_sort beats STL sort by more than 4X for the largest array sizes, and never lags in performance.
Algorithm Analysis
Non-parallel In-Place Radix Sort algorithm implementation is shown in Listing 1, with added comments to show the three major steps:
- Counting occurrence of digits within the array
- Move array elements into their bins
- Recursion for each bin
Each of these steps is an opportunity for parallelism. Counting is based on the Counting Sort algorithm, with a slight variation of extracting the digit which is then used by the count.
Figure 2 shows graphically the steps taken in the MSD In-Place Radix Sort, where the original source array is split into N bins, where N is the radix, based on the most-significant-digit of each array element. Then each bin is split into sub-bins, based on the next-significant-digit, and so on. For example, for an array of 32-bit elements sorted with a 256-Radix Sort (which uses 8-bit digits), four recursion levels would be needed -- one level for each of the 8-bit digits within the 32-bit of each element.
One of the lessons in performance optimization learned in [4] was to measure before optimizing, to discover the largest performance bottleneck and to apply effort to that area. When performance of sorting arrays of unsigned 32-bit elements was measured, the "Move array elements" Step #2 took 10X longer than the "Counting" Step #1. The counting step accesses memory from the beginning of the array to the end, sequentially, which is efficient. However, the moving Step #2 moves the array element at the _current location to its destination bin, and moves the element from the destination bin to the _current location (a swap). This swapping process has a random memory access behavior when the input array distribution is random. Random memory accesses are significantly slower than sequential memory accesses in modern computer memory hierarchy, and could be responsible for slower performance within Step #2.
Thus, accelerating the counting portion of the algorithm by running it on multiple cores, as was developed in [3 and 4] will result in a smaller performance gain. A method that parallelizes memory accesses (moving of array elements to their bins) should result in a more significant performance gain.


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Driveway Approach
Curb & Gutter
Curb Drains
DRIVEWAY APPROACH FAQs
Can I apply as Owner-Builder for the required permits?
Answer: No, Owner-Builder permits are limited to private property. Driveway approaches are owned by the City, State, or Federal governing bodies. A property owner may request to enhance or modify the driveway approach at the requesting party's expense.
What permits are required for a new, modified, or relocated Driveway Approach?
Answer: Street Use, and Driveway Approach permits are required.
What is a Class A Contractor?
Answer: Class A refers to General Engineering Contractors. "A general engineering contractor is a contractor whose principal contracting business is in connection with fixed works requiring specialized engineering knowledge and skill..." as defined by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB). More CSLB info regarding this classification
What is a Class C-8 Contractor?
Answer: Class C-8 refers to Concrete Contractors. "A concrete contractor forms, pours, places, finishes and installs specified mass, pavement, flat and other concrete work; and places and sets screeds for pavements or flatwork. This class shall not include contractors whose sole contracting business is the application of plaster coatings or the placing and erecting of steel or bars for the reinforcing of mass, pavement, flat and other concrete work." as defined by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB). More CSLB info regarding this classification
What is a Class C-12 Contractor?
Answer: Class C-12 refers to Earthwork and Paving Contractors. "An earthwork and paving contractor digs, moves, and places material forming the surface of the earth, other than water, in such a manner that a cut, fill, excavation, grade, trench, backfill, or tunnel ... This classification includes the mixing, fabricating and placing of paving and any other surfacing materials." as defined by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB). More CSLB info regarding this classification
How do I know if my contractor has the proper and valid license?
Answer: Visit the California Contractor State License Board and verify your contractor's license and insurance status. The simplest way to verify is by entering the Contractor License Number into the database search provided by the State. Verify a Contractor's License and Insurance Don't know the license number? You can also provide Company or Contractor Names.
Are inspections required for Driveway Approaches?
Answer: Yes, all public right-of-way work including driveway approaches must have two inspections.
Web Page Updated: Tuesday, December 29, 2009


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Royals Hall of Fame voting open to fans
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Fans can begin voting for their part of the Royals Hall of Fame ballot immediately online through noon on March 29 at this link.
The 10 eligible players include four former All-Stars -- outfielders Bo Jackson and Jermaine Dye, third baseman Kevin Seitzer and catcher Darrell Porter. Jackson was named the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 1989, Dye was voted to the starting lineup in 2000, Seitzer was picked as a rookie in 1987 and Porter was a three-time selection from 1978-80.
The others on the ballot are former player and manager John Wathan, outfielders Al Cowens and Emil Brown, and pitchers Al Fitzmorris, Jimmy Gobble and Runelvys Hernandez.
To be eligible for the first time, players must have played at least three seasons for the Royals with a minimum of 1,500 plate appearances or 150 innings pitched. They must be retired from playing for at least three years.
The online fans' ballot will account for three of 40 overall votes. The other votes go to the living Royals Hall of Fame members, select members of the Royals board of directors, the Kansas City Chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, KC electronic media and the Royals front office staff. A candidate must receive 75 percent of the vote to be elected.


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I'll start off by saying that these designs from Vaughn de Heart are true T-Shirt finds. I love the simple, yet effective typography of the three designs featured below. The brand was started by Walla Walla University graduate, RoyLyn Le'Vaughan Palmer-Coleman, and is the product of coincidence and possibly fate. You can read more about his story at the Vaughn de Heart blog.
HEART features bold white type on a Royal Blue T-Shirt. If you've got heart, this is the T-Shirt to get. The "Heart" in Vaughn de Heart is in reference to the fact that Palmer-Coleman put 100% of his own heart into starting this brand. Les gens courageux is French for "The Fearless Ones." This shirt reflects the fearlessness that Palmer-Coleman had to have in order to start his own clothing band. He had a lot of fear going into this, but I think he has done an excellent job so far.
The initial collection at Vaughn de Heart features 5 distinct T-Shirts and 1 signature drawstring bag. The T-Shirts are priced from $22 to $24 and feature both crew neck and v-neck tees. Hopefully a hands on review of one of these signature tees will be coming soon!
UPDATE: Use the coupon code "courage" at checkout for an additional 25% off your entire order!


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Breckenridge, Summit County's ski resorts blasted with winter snowstorm and high winds
A storm rolled in late Saturday night and by the time it broke early Sunday afternoon there was as much as a foot of snow on the ground in some parts of Summit County.
The local mountains faired well as local skiers and riders hit the hills early for the first bonafide powder day of the season. As of 5 a.m. Sunday, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Copper Mountain and Loveland Ski Area all were reporting 8 inches of new snow and powder/packed powder conditions.
Keystone Resort and Arapahoe Basin Ski Area caught their fair shares of the storm, reporting 6 inches and 5 inches of new snow, respectively.
Looking ahead, forecasters at the National Weather Service in Boulder said more snow is coming, but not until the end of the week.
Meteorologist Lisa Kriederman said there's a 30 percent chance of snow beginning Wednesday night into Thursday morning, increasing to 40 percent Thursday night into Friday. However, that looming storm system is still too far out to make any predictions about how much snow Summit County could expect, Kriederman said.
Until then, the weather is going to be mostly clear, but breezy with westerly winds aloft, Kriederman said. On Monday, winds will range between 15 miles per hour and 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. The 15 mph to 25 mph winds will continue into Tuesday, but gusts could increase to as high as 40 mph.
Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil.
If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.


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ROCHESTER — Skijoring became quite the spectator sport as many gathered on Saturday at the Myhre Equine Complex at Ten Rod Road. Ranges of horses showed their competitive, but tame nature as one after the other galloped through the field with a skier or snowboarder in tow.
Originating in Scandinavia as a means winter transportation, Skijoring now takes on new roles for recreational thrill.
The Dover High School Equestrian team welcomed visitors to the Clinic.
"Today is a fundraiser for us. We're up here everyday and we work with the horses. The students learn how to ride, train horses, learn their nutrition, hoof care and learn their veterinary aspects," said Jackie Gilbert, coach of the Dover High School Equestrian team.
The clinic allows the public to learn from professionals on how to exactly Skijor.
Trish Sullivan, Myhre Equine Complex Manager fell in the love with the sport six years ago.
"I contacted the skijoring association and got involved with the races. I offered the association to come in and do clinics. Riders bring their horses and work with trainers teaching the horses to accept a skier. We get to work with the riders, skiers and instructors and demonstrate how to maneuver the course and dally the ropes," said Sullivan.
Spectators watched the clinic at no cost, but in order to participate with your horse a $50 fee was required.
The course was timed and the obstacles consisted of cones to weave around and various jumps to launch from. Different divisions of the sport gave you options of riding at your leisure or finding the need for speed.
" This is a great family sport," said Sullivan.
All proceeds benefited the Dover High CTC Equine Program.
For more information please visit the Myhre Equine Complex website, http://www.myhreequine.com.


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Mayor's Office
The Lincoln Earth Day Planning Committee is seeking participants for a community-wide poster project to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the international environmental movement. The selected designs will be displayed in a poster collaboration at the Earth Day Celebration in Antelope Park from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 24. Earth Day activities are being supported by the Cleaner Greener Lincoln initiative of Mayor Chris Beutler.
Those submitting posters are asked to design them to reflect significant environmental events from the past 40 years such as the 1972 Clean Water Act, the 1993 Food Quality Protection Act and the 2003 Healthy Forests Restoration Act. Options are listed on the poster registration page of the Lincoln Earth Day Web site.
"The Earth Day poster collaboration not only shows the progress the world has made, but also the impact we as a community can have with art," said Betty McGuire, Lincoln Earth Day Arts and Entertainment. "It's going to be impressive seeing the designs of more than 40 people combine for a common purpose."
All ages may enter, and participants may use any method to design the posters, including computer-generated graphics, paint or collage. All entries must measure 12 inches by 18 inches. Submissions must include a digital image (pdf, jpg or tiff). The entry deadline is April 5. More information is available at the Earth Day Web site.
Earth Day began on April 22, 1970 to raise political awareness about the environment. The international Earth Day Network strives to "broaden and diversify the environmental movement worldwide and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable environment." More information on the networks is available at earthday.net.


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The ass Chuck Norris kicked turned out to be his own...
(May 2) Today, in what is probably a new personal best in bad timing, former actor and martial artist Chuck Norris published a commentary in World Net Daily in which he accused President Obama of being a supporter of Islamic extremism and Sharia law. Here's what he wrote:
1) There is no greater proponent of the partnership of America and Islam (and therefore Shariah) than President Obama himself. I'm not saying he is a Muslim but a Muslim advocate and apologist. He said it himself. He declared his explicit mission in Cairo in June 2009 for the whole world to hear, when he vowed to establish "a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world. … That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn't. And I consider it part of my responsibility as president of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear." Have you ever heard of a president talk about "partnership between America and [the religion of] Islam"? And a presidential responsibility to "fight" for the Islamic religion? Or are we naïve enough to believe that Obama's "fight" will never entail an advocacy for Shariah law when it permeates Islam?
Views: 337
I posted this comic on my site right before reading this post. I'm pretty sure this is Chuck Norris's response to Bin Laden getting killed.
Chuck Norris is a complete idiot and a serial plagiarizer.
Chuck Norris (THHHEEEEE MMMAAAAAANNNNNN!!) once again shows what happens when you take one too many blows to the head.
While I respect moderates on both ends, it's idiots like this who compose probably about 80-85% of the Republican party's fan base.
If you have even one 'liberal' point of view or even honestly attempt to put forth a moderate opinion somewhere in the middle of this 'us-them, left-right' thing, you are an "atheist/socialist/Communist/Nazi who wants to destroy America...........and eat babies." lol. It's sickening
same as when they cannot distinguish between schools banning 'prayer' and them simply not having official school time delegated for someone's specific religious preferences (which still allows them to privately 'pray' or whatever).They call religious non-partisanship "pushing atheist values on us". lol
It's all one and the same to these people. No shades of gray.
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text: The director of one of the year's most startling science fiction movies will take on one of the genre's greatest classics. Vincenzo Natali, whose film-festival favorite Splice is getting a wide release on June 4, has signed up to write and direct the movie version of William Gibson's Neuromancer. [The Hollywood Reporter]


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A lot of people take a look at Zane Lamprey's show Drinking Made Easy on the HDNet (now AXS TV) cable network and wonder how a guy could host a drinking show which focuses on various points of the country and their drinking culture. More to the point, when would Lamprey's liver sue him for nonsupport? But while Drinking Made Easy certainly includes drinking in the foreground, in the background it is also a travelogue of sorts where drinking happens to occur, and I think that proves to make the appeal of the show far more than just one of a half hour weekly bar crawl. Now in its third season, the show's second season was recently released on video for obvious promotion and enjoyment.
The show's premise is simple: going from place to place and enjoy the culture and have a beer or a drink every so often. For those longtime viewers of the show, one of the things that changed from Season One to Season Two was the excision of Marc Ryan, who served as a brief departure from the show's hosts, interviewing a local brewer or distiller about their process and enjoying the product. What Lamprey may have realized is that the show works better with him and his co-host (or mascot as he calls him) Steve McKenna taking the majority of the show to enjoy the locales. Which is good, because the two have a good chemistry that makes you laugh but (with Lamprey's previous shows also being travel-focused) also informative. The pair also undergo a competition in each area that is locally-focused, with the wager being a six pack of beer in the 'Six Pack Challenge.' Lamprey usually wins these challenges because McKenna is the George Constanza of the pairing, if George Constanza's hair reappeared on his face in the thickest beard you can recall seeing.
The other thing about the show that seems to change from Season One to Season Two is Lamprey and McKenna seem to take an almost upscale approach to the season. Well, 'upscale' may not be the word. But where Season One found Zane and Steve drinking and enjoying it, Season Two finds Zane taking the reins a little more as to how a beer or liquor may be made before enjoying said beverage. And this slight evolution in the show makes it better as a result, with much more of a curiosity as to these beverages, many of which may be regional but thanks to the internet, can be bought and shipped as desired.
That's not to say Zane and Steve forsake the hijinks and laughs in the first season for grown up behavior in the second, the show does not have to reach for the laughs as often because the subject material comes across as interesting, and when the pair do go for silliness, it still works as well as it does in the first season. This is a credit to them, because doing a show about drinking seems like an easy premise, but I think it one that could very well get screwed up. Zane and Steve not only NOT do that, making it fun and educational with two likable guys improves upon it.
And that should be the goal of any television show, whether it is fictional or not. The fact that such an improvement is that noticeable in Drinking Made Easy is welcoming to see, considering how 'fun' the show was in Season One. The evolution is great and takes the appreciation of the work to a different level.
Drinking Made Easy is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen in what ultimately proves to be a nice standard definition look from what is shot natively in high definition. Colors and fresh tones are reproduced accurately and faithfully, and the many exteriors look superb and are free of image processing issues. The show looks as good as it is going to on standard definition and that is a good thing.
Two-channel Dolby Digital for all of the episodes, which is hardly a surprise considering the nature of the show. You get drinking, dialogue, and light drama in the six pack competitions. There is no use for the rear speakers to provide directional effects or channel panning, and as far as a subwoofer goes, don't kid yourself. It's a nice sonic perspective of the show.
Lamprey, McKenna, Lamprey's wife Melissa (who also produces the show) and Josh Dean (a cameraman on the show) combine for a commentary over all 24 episodes that proves to be jovial. The quartet hosts a semi-regular podcast in some combination or another and the rapport is evident, and they even circle back to various episodes of said podcast from time to time on a previous discussion or two during the tracks. Recorded in a functioning office as Lamprey points out and the phone ringing occasionally still reminds us, the group does not hesitate to have a beverage from time to time. They talk about some behind the camera anecdotes and provide additional information on the locations and on the drinks they consumed, and McKenna recounts a story about getting a break on baggage at TSA. The production process from shooting to editing is touched upon also. While there are moments where folks (OK, McKenna) just watch the action, the tracks are solid listening material and are nice complements to the viewing experience.
The other extras are on Disc Four, starting with the "Ultra Premium Imperial Reserve Platinum Especial," a special with Zane and Steve celebrating the show's 50th episode. Filled with drinks, good times and a Sinatra family member cameo, it is a nice look at where the show is at the moment with a bunch of unique content to the show. It also includes a commentary that covers a lot of the same veins the episode commentaries did. Some deleted and extended footage follows, but to call it 'some' shortchanges it a bit, as there is almost two hours of material here (1:56:08). Some of these are extended sequences or full interviews with a brew master, and others are bloopers such as the McKenna blooper reel, but there is a lot of stuff here worth perusing.
Season Two of Drinking Made Easy takes an entertaining premise from Season One and builds on it, giving it a subtle refined nature that is nice to see for the show. Technically it is decent, but from a bonus material perspective is exhaustive as I can recall seeing on a set of discs. Worth seeing at the very least, with the extras pushing it into an easy buying decision.


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There is no record of the armhf_raspi2 source package, and no bugs have been filed against it.
Devuan BTS -- Powered by Debian bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham,
1997 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.
Devuan Bugs Owner <email@example.com>.
Last modified: Sun, 15 Dec 2019 09:53:23 UTC


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The underlying funds listed below are only available as investment options in variable insurance products issued by life insurance companies. They are not offered or made available directly to the public. These portfolios may contain different investments than the similarly named mutual funds offered by the money manager; therefore, investment results may differ. Fund holdings and investment strategies are subject to change. Investments in some funds may involve certain risks and may not be appropriate for all investors.
Before investing in an underlying fund, you should carefully consider its investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. This and other important information is contained in the fund's prospectus, which can be obtained from your investment professional or by contacting Nationwide. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.
Fund profiles must be read together with these IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES. For a more complete picture of any fund, you should also consult a current performance report and prospectus. Profiles may not be available for every fund.


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South Park has been well-known for over a decade for satirizing pop culture in its own unique and pointed way - but there have been at least a couple times when they miss the mark. Not too surprising, given each episode is produced in about 6 days. Still, they hit so often that when they miss, it stands out. Here's a few times that it wasn't even clear whether they were familiar with the thing they were making fun of.
Over the course of three episodes ("Black Friday" / "A Song of Ass and Fire" / "Titties and Dragons"), South Park took on Game of Thrones, through the lens of the Console War between Xbox and Playstation. And throughout the whole thing, there were constant references to the nudity in Game of Thrones - but not the female nudity, but the male nudity ("Wieners" specifically).
The thing is - Game of Thrones is sorta renowned for having wildly disproportionate amount of female nudity compared to male nudity. The only wieners seen on the show belong to Hodor (and...not in much of a sexual way), Theon (at one point sexual, then later...less sexual), the guy who tried to poison Daenerys (extremely non-sexual), and one of Craster's sons (VERY EXTREMELY NON-SEXUAL). Whereas the show constantly inundates you with all variety of female nudity and almost always in a sexual manner.
And really, they're almost at a point where more wieners have been CUT OFF in the show than shown to the audience.
In the episode "Free Hat", South Park reacted to Steven Spielberg's decision to re-dress the kids in E.T. as hippies instead of terrorists, and replace the guns with walkie-talkies. In the episode, Steven Spielberg is portrayed as a history-rewriting madman obsessed with altering his previous works, while poor George Lucas is his bullied subservient sidekick.
The problem is - everything was pretty much the exact opposite. George Lucas more or less pioneered the art of going back and futzing with previous works - most famously with the Special Editions of the original Star Wars trilogy back in the 90's (and continuously since then), and has gone to great lengths to ensure the original versions of the trilogy are difficult to procure. While Spielberg did allow for E.T. to be toyed around with, the re-release also included the original 1982 cut - and that's the version Spielberg recommends people watch. In an interview with Ain't It Cool News, Spielberg said:
"There's going to be no more digital enhancements or digital additions to anything based on any film I direct.... When people ask me which E.T. they should look at, I always tell them to look at the original 1982 E.T.If you notice, when we did put out E.T. we put out two E.T.s. We put out the digitally enhanced version with the additional scenes and for no extra money, in the same package, we put out the original '82 version. I always tell people to go back to the '82 version."
South Park revisited them in "The China Problem," which depicted Lucas and Spielberg raping Indiana Jones in light of Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. To be fair, it is definitely not a good movie, and it is unquestionably made with the approval of Steven Spielberg. But a few things should be known:
George Lucas wrote the story.
Spielberg spent about 20 years telling Lucas he didn't want to make an Indiana Jones movie about aliens before giving up and just conceding defeat
Frank Darabont (of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile) wrote a draft that Spielberg loved - but Lucas didn't like.
Basically, don't rip on Spielberg as the one who likes to mess with original versions and ruin Indiana Jones. I mean, he definitely did both those things, but Lucas did them WAY harder.
In Insheeption, there's a scene that copies a CollegeHumor sketch ("Inception Characters Don't Understand Inception") quiiiiiiiiite a bit. As in, there are lines literally lifted from the sketch in their entirety.
CollegeHumor's Favorite Funny Videos
In case you think it might just be a coincidence, Matt Stone came out and admitted they had watched the sketch as a reference point since they didn't have a copy of the film. Which...is not the greatest answer. They claimed they thought the joke of the sketch was that the characters were quoting actual lines from the movie, which - if you watched the sketch - is an insane thing to think.
The episode as a whole does a reasonably good job at making fun of Inception, but the fact that they lifted so much from an internet comedy sketch (as a "reference point") brings into question if they even had seen the thing they were parodying, or whether they saw a bunch of promotional material and went Googling for the rest.


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Olive pomace oil is good for industrial purposes; keep pomace olive oil away from your kitchen. Used by permission from Olive-oilz.com
Pomace: the pulpy residue remaining after fruit has been crushed in order to extract its juice.
How olive pomace oil is made?
A genuine extra virgin olive oil is extracted by mechanical means only. By the definition of the International Olive Council (a UN organization) "(olive oil is) oil obtained solely from the fruit of the olive tree, to the exclusion of oils obtained using solvents or re-esterification processes". After the genuine extra virgin olive oil is extracted, the residue that includes the pomace, the pits, the fruit skins and even leaves and stems is left over. Amazingly, it still contains olive oil, another 3-5% that was not extracted by the mechanical process. View the detailed process of making genuine olive oil.
Re-esterification: the chemical process of reconstructing fatty acids from triglycerides
In our modern times, growers and oil producers do not like the idea of waste; every penny counts. So, they dissolve the pulp in hexane (a derivative of crude oil) to chemically extract the "olive oil" (remember – by definition this oil cannot be marked as olive oil). The oil that was thus "extracted" (the producers sometimes call it second press) is heated up to evaporate the hexane. If the producer is eager to make a quicker buck, he heats up excessively (above the "safe" temperature of 195 degrees F, 90 degrees C), rendering the olive void of all its health benefits. Even worse, carcinogenic substances like benzopyrene show their ugly face.
Olive oil is the only oil that can be pressed out from its fruit or from vegetables. All other oils are extracted by solvents, heating and refining. One example is canola oil. Pomace olive oil is therefore not better than canola oil, soy oil and corn oil and its production process makes it dangerous in the kitchen. Sensible countries such as Spain, Germany and New Zealand banned the use of pomace oil as a food. Pomace oil can however be used successfully for industrial applications such as lubrication, bio-diesel and alike.
What are the dangers in eating pomace olive oil?
Whether sold as is, or mixed with virgin olive oil, or sold under fancy names, olive pomace oil consumption is risky. As I wrote above the production of olive pomace oil can produce benzoperene. Benzoperene can be found in coal tar (a resultant of wood fire), volcano eruptions and cigarette smoke. It presents health risks such as accelerated aging of cells and increasing the probability of carcinogenic cell mutations.
I recommend that you read the chapter titled "Industrial Oil" in Tom Muller's book's Extra Virginity – The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil. Once you read it you will see the scandalous side of the olive oil industry; this will disabuse you from the idea of using anything but high quality virgin olive oil.


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Eight Forty-Eight
CPS names a record 10 schools for turnaround
Linda Lutton goes in depth on the latest school news on Eight Forty-Eight with host Alison Cuddy
Chicago Public Schools is giving a top-to-bottom overhaul to 10 low-performing schools, with all staff at the schools to be replaced at the end of this academic year.
The eight elementary schools and two high schools, most on the city's South and West Sides, will be "turned around," a strategy first tried in Chicago in 2006 and now being pushed nationwide. This is the first of what are expected to be multiple announcements about school closings this week in Chicago.
The district will pinkslip everyone at the 10 schools—from the principal to the lunch ladies. The students will stay as their schools are transformed by what the district says will be "an entirely new culture of success."
Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard says it is part of the district's strategy to ensure quality school options exist in every neighborhood.
"When you look at these schools... some schools 10 years on the failing list in the city, something has to be done to provide better options for students in those communities," Brizard said.
The district has never tried to tackle so many turnarounds at once. Six of the schools will be turned over to the nonprofit Academy for Urban School Leadership to run. The district's Office of School Improvement will re-staff and manage the other four schools.
For the first time, schools with large percentages of Latino students will be turned around. Until now, all turnarounds—and most school closings—have affected predominantly African American schools.
The turnaround plan includes one of the largest elementary schools in the city: Marquette, with nearly 1,400 students. In all, 5,800 students attend schools that will be turned around.
Principals and teachers learned of their imminent displacement Monday. One principal said the announcement came "out of left field" and said the school would "do whatever we can" to convince school officials to reconsider.
"We love these kids, we love this school," said the principal, who didn't want to be named for fear of jeopardizing chances at future employment.
The district could not say how many staff would be affected. And Brizard said the district's main concern was for students, not the adults who work with them.
Parents at Marquette had not yet heard of their school's future at dismissal yesterday—there was no note home to parents. But some supported the action when told about it.
"The school has gone from bad to worse," said Cristina Medrano, who has two children at Marquette. She says staff turnover has been a problem and new teachers are not as experienced as she would like. She says a new school progress report shows Marquette failing academically and in its climate. "If the restructuring is going to be better for the school, then it will be good," said Medrano.
Parents at another school, Wendell Smith, had led a campaign to get their school turned into a charter, and Brizard said that's one reason it was considered for turnaround. He applauded parents there for demanding more from their school.
The turnaround schools will get a combined $20 million in extra resources that can be used for everything from professional development and curriculum planning to after school programming or tutoring. The schools will also get additional supports, including full-time social workers and expanded fine arts and athletics.
In the past, CPS reserved turnaround for the very lowest performing schools in the district. But at least one school on the district's turnaround list, Casals, has 60 percent of students meeting state standards. Another, Tilden High School, was not given the district's lowest ranking recently; more than 140 other schools were.
Brizard said the district considered both test score data and school visits to determine where a turnaround was needed. CPS also went neighborhood by neighborhood to root out lower-than-average performing schools. But that approach identified schools that are far from the lowest performers.
CPS Portfolio Officer Oliver Sicat said the district chose turnaround in some cases because closing the school wasn't an option, since CPS found no better performing school nearby where students could be transferred.
If approved by the board, the additional turnarounds will bring the number of CPS schools managed by the Academy for Urban School Leadership to 25, 18 of them turnarounds.
AUSL is paid a per-pupil fee to run schools. CPS continues to pay teacher salaries; teachers are hired by AUSL but are CPS employees and members of the Chicago Teachers Union. But CTU president Karen Lewis immediately blasted the turnaround plan as destabilizing schools and communities. She said it was part of a larger agenda.
"I think it's honestly to destroy public education as we know it," said Lewis, "to privatize it, to give it over to other management companies because the Board truly does not know what to do."
Chicago opened its first turnaround school, the Sherman School of Excellence, in 2006, when Arne Duncan was head of the school system. The strategy is now being pushed by the federal government.
Chicago Public Schools says its turnarounds are improving faster than district schools, though the numbers they use to determine that have been called "misleading" by top academics.
CPS Proposed Turnaround Schools:
• Pablo Casals Elementary School, 3501 W. Potomac Avenue
• Melville W. Fuller Elementary School, 4214 S. Saint Lawrence Avenue
• Theodore Herzl Elementary School, 3711 W. Douglas Blvd.
• Marquette Elementary School, 6550 S. Richmond St.
• Brian Piccolo Elementary Specialty School, 1040 N. Keeler Ave.
• Amos Alonzo Stagg Elementary School, 7424 S. Morgan St.
• Chicago Vocational Career Academy (CVCA) High School, 2100 E. 87th St.
• Edward Tilden Career Community Academy High School, 4747 S. Union Ave.
• Wendell Smith Elementary School, 744 E. 103rd St.
• Carter G. Woodson South Elementary School, 4414 S. Evans
LaCreshia Birts contributed reporting.


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Submitted by J. Luis Martin, director of Truman Factor, This article originally appeared in Peter Schiff's "Gold Letter"
As The Euro Tumbles, Spaniards Look To Gold
The unremitting deterioration of the eurozone's sovereign debt landscape continues to fuel uncertainties about the longevity of the euro as a hard currency. Such uncertainties are not only leading to capital flight from the EMU's periphery to the core and destabilizing markets worldwide, but they are also beginning to frighten southern European savers into seeking refuge outside their 10-year-old currency.
Such is the case of Spain – the latest tumbling economy to threaten the euro's survival. As the crisis deepens, there is still a window of opportunity for Spaniards to turn to gold as a means to protect their wealth against the risks of increased foreign exchange volatility, forced re-denomination, or even a total currency collapse.
Spain: Too Big to Ignore
While the general consensus among analysts is that the common currency may withstand (and even desire) Greece's exit from the euro system, Spain is both "too big to fail" and "too big to rescue."
Indeed, as the crisis finally hits Spain, the eurozone's fourth-largest economy, the country has witnessed the flight of €315bn ($396bn) worth of foreign capital in the past year – the equivalent of 22% of its GDP. Of this amount, €220bn ($277bn) vanished during the first six months of 2012. And in just-released numbers from the European Central Bank (ECB), private sector deposits at Spanish banks fell almost 5% in July (the biggest drop since the ECB began to record this data in 1997).
Brussels' inability to stop Spain (and potentially Italy) from spinning into an uncontrollable solvency crisis has spurred fear over a potential disintegration of the euro system.
Others warn, however, that signs of economic stagnation spreading to the core, along with rising political and social tensions across the continent, may be conducive to an equally wealth-destructing picture: the desperate adoption of expansionary monetary and debt mutualization policies long prescribed by officials in Brussels to "save the euro." In fact, ECB President Mario Draghi just promised as much in his latest remarks on Thursday.
Naturally, either of these scenarios will severely punish creditors and savers in euro-denominated assets.
From Cement Bricks to Gold Bars?
For years, Spaniards have trusted home ownership as a safe and profitable savings channel. Up until the late 1990s, "investing in bricks," as the Spanish call it, was a relatively easy and affordable wealth accumulation strategy (according to the government, 83% of Spaniards are homeowners). The coupling of Spaniards' blind faith in ever-rising real estate values with the artificially low interest rates that came with the euro – as well as a financial system plagued by politicians recklessly managing savings banks – conjured up a massive housing bubble.
Since Spain's entry into the euro system, the country has experienced such economic myopia that in the spring of 2007, Pedro Solbes, the then Socialist government's Minister of Finance, revealed the sale of a large portion of the country's gold. At the time, Minister Solbes argued that the precious metal "was no longer profitable," and that the proceeds from the sale would be "reinvested in sounder assets," such as Spanish sovereign debt. That year, Spain sold 157.8 tons of gold (32% of the national reserves) at an average $630 an ounce. Spain has lost over $5bn of appreciation in the intervening years.
As the real estate bubble burst, and as Spaniards watched with astonishment the dire economic developments in Ireland, Portugal, and Greece, the prospect that an era of prosperity (albeit artificial) had come to a sudden end began to finally sink in.
This past May was a turning point for Spain, when BFA-Bankia, the country's fourth-largest bank, became de facto nationalized. Foreign capital flight spiked (€41.3bn left the country in May, and €56.6bn in June) and small depositors noticeably started to look for ways to protect their savings.
Following Bankia's debacle, Spain's Budget Minister Cristóbal Montoro was quick to address the media in an attempt to calm the public. Montoro said that a "corralito," or bank holiday, was a technical impossibility in Spain due to the country's membership in the euro system, and that all bank deposits were safe. The damage, however, had already been done – evidence of a failed financial system demanding billions of foreign aid to fill its holes and the possibility of Spain following Greece's path to economic meltdown had become too evident to conceal.
The sale of safe deposit boxes has since surged and mainstream media have begun to run stories on how to legally open accounts in foreign currencies abroad to protect savings.
Furthermore, since the ongoing "financial sector restructuring" is far from over and an estimated 2 million homes remain empty, the value of the real estate Spaniards possess continues to decline.
So, Spaniards are now seeing the value of their cherished "bricks" plummeting, the government keeps on raising taxes, and the future of their paper money – and even its mere existence – is anything but guaranteed.
Under the current environment, gold may turn out to be the Spaniards' best hedge.
The Gold Market in Spain
According to Marion Mueller, vice president of the Spanish Precious Metals Association (Asociación Española de Metales Preciosos, or AEMP) and founder of Oro y Finanzas, an online publication which specializes in gold and finance, Spaniards' interest in gold is experiencing a noticeable boost.
"Up until very recently, to speak about gold as an investment or as wealth protection insurance was grin-provoking. That is changing," says Mueller.
She notes that since 2010, when the Spanish economic downturn became inescapable, a growing tendency to invest in physical gold developed among Spanish investors, brokers, and financial institutions. Demand for physical gold from the general public is also growing, but Spaniards are not yet as educated about the market as northern Europeans. "There is still confusion and lack of information about gold as a way to protect one's purchasing power," she explains, "and our goal at the AEMP and at Oro y Finanzas is precisely to try to inform people about gold."
Cash-for-gold sign walkers in Madrid (photo: Luis Hernando)
Evidence of the growing demand for investment gold is also found in the rapid proliferation of cash-for-gold shops in Spain. This particular market responds to a different side of the crisis, as it caters to people who need to sell their jewelry to pay debts or make ends meet. However, in terms of its relationship with the upswing in bullion demand, scrap gold is not going back to the jewelry sector. Instead, Mueller explains, "100% of it is going back to feed the international gold bullion industry in places such as England, Switzerland, and Belgium."
As per a European directive, gold bullion in Spain enjoys a favorable tax treatment, as the investment-grade metal is exempt from Value Added Tax (VAT). In addition, in Spain, there are no special taxes or levies specific to the resale of gold bullion. There is thus great potential for gold (and silver) to become a money substitute among the population.
According to Mueller, Spain's increasing demand for physical gold has led to the emergence of specialized dealers in Spain. Not only are Spanish precious metals distributors sprouting, but well-known French and German dealers are beginning to offer bullion in Spain.
While access to physical gold in Spain is becoming easier and more widespread, "things might change," warns Mueller.
"The rise in gold prices is a reflection not of the crisis, but rather of the end of a monetary cycle," Mueller emphasizes. In her view, the current debacle in Europe may turn governments to intervene in the gold market. "We live in a period of maximum government control… you can rest assured that, if [the government] decides to intervene, it will."
Owning physical gold now, Mueller says, "remains the best protection against wealth confiscation."
Because the next several months may prove critical to the future of the euro system, the ECB has charted a course for devaluation. This may continue to buy the eurozone additional time before its endgame finally plays out, but any number of factors could still split the common currency. Either way, this is a critical window of opportunity for Spaniards to learn how to protect their wealth with gold.