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It's no dummy!
One has to hand it to Sony. Of all the "big three" console makers, the house of PlayStation is far and away the most open to risky prospects and new ideas. While Microsoft plays it safe with marketable shooters, and Nintendo has a stable of household names to keep itself propped, Sony isn't afraid to give us something different.
Puppeteer is one such something. A sidescrolling platformer taking the form of a childrens' puppet show isn't exactly a boardroom's dream concept, but Sony has put its muscle behind the project, and created a game with no small amount of charm.
Even if the result isn't truly impeccable, its mere existence is worthy of respect.
Puppeteer (PS3)
Developer: SCE Japan Studio
Publisher: Sony
Released: September 10, 2013 (NA) / September 11, 2013 (EU)
Puppeteer tells the tale of Kutaro, an unlucky boy who has had his soul kidnapped by the Moon Bear King — quite literally a bear that wears a crown and lives on the Moon. Turned into a puppet and ungraciously decapitated, Kutaro is aided by the Moon Witch and a cast of eccentric characters to retrieve a pair magical scissors, Calibrus, and carve his headless way through the Moon Bear King's generals before defeating the evil monarch himself.
As its name implies, Puppeteer is drenched in the aesthetic of an old fashioned puppet show. Curtains raise and fall at the beginning and end of levels, scenery is held up with sticks, characters appear to be fashioned of stitched cloth and wood, while each screen falls apart and rebuilds itself to signify a chance of environment. The visual result is inspiring, taking the handmade feel of LittleBigPlanet and turning it into something even more remarkable. With a static camera and plenty of things thrown at the screen, it's also been built perfectly for 3D televisions, something worth checking out.
[Check back here for our official video review — coming soon!]
Gameplay predominantly takes the form of a classic scrolling platformer, with Kutaro running and jumping his way across each stage. The hero is controlled with the left stick, while the right stick (or the PS Move wand) moves his sidekick: either the sinister cat Yin-Yang or the squawking Sun Princess. By moving the sidekick to a piece of scenery and pressing R2, the environment can be interacted with, either releasing collectable Moon Stone Shards (which grant extra lives when 100 are nabbed) or uncovering hidden heads for Kutaro to place on his empty shoulders.
While Kutaro has lost his own head, there are hundreds of replacements hidden throughout the game, from skulls to spiders to christmas trees and even more exotic noggins. If Kutaro takes damage from a trap or enemy, his head falls off, and he'll have a limited amount of time to collect it (similar to the ring system from Sonic the Hedgehog). Up to three heads can be stored at any one time, and if all three are misplaced, Kutaro will lose a life. A simple enough system, but one that can be tricky, especially with plenty of chasms into which heads may so easily roll.
As well as looking funny, these heads can each be used to unlock things in the game. If the player happens to have the correct head at the correct time, they can perform its special animation with the press of the D-pad and open up a piece of scenery to unlock bonus roulette wheels or even whole bonus stages. Since some of the heads themselves are quite well hidden, and keeping a particular head long enough to have it at the right place is easier than it sounds, it'll take quite a while to uncover everything Puppeteer has to offer.
During the course of the campaign, Kutaro will unlock special abilities, the foremost of which being his use of the Calibrus. These magical scissors allow players to cleave their way through the environment, a skill that really opens up the platforming and adds a uniquely keen angle to platform navigation. Various parts of the environments will take the form of cloth or paper, and Kutaro can hammer the Square button near them to literally cut his way through, defying gravity to cleave a path up paper plumes of smoke, or snip past blockades. The scissors are also put to use against the Weavers — mini-boss monsters with cloth bodies that must be cut into pieces before they're defeated.
As well his magic scissors, Kutaro will also gain the power to reflect attacks with a shield, toss ninja bombs, move heavy objects and perform power slams, all thanks to unique heads uncovered as part of the plot. These abilities all conspire with Calibrus to create some smart puzzles and navigational hindrances, and while nothing is ever so puzzling as to truly stump the player (one gets the impression this is all designed with children in mind), there is some pleasure in seeing just how inventive Sony Japan has been with a few simple and familiar platforming tricks.
Puppeteer boasts great gimmicks and provides solid sidescrolling action, but it does suffer from a slow pace at regular intervals. Even some of the faster moments, in which you ride on the back of some sort of animal/vehicle in stages reminiscent of Sega Genesis' The Lion King, there's no real sense of speed to the game, and things that could be far more exciting very often fail to generate so much as a raised eyebrow. I enjoyed much of my time with the game, but I can't say it ever overwhelmingly delighted me — indeed, I was blank-faced for much the experience, navigating a slow character through fairly innocuous and formulaic stages, biding my time until more clever stuff happened.
The action also finds itself subject to the same kind of watery physics seen in spiritual cousin LittleBigPlanet. While not nearly as bad as Media Molecule's games, the tendency to put exuberant animations and exaggerated movements over and above tight controls leads to some jumping sections that feel off-base, especially during those rare moments where precision might be needed.
Fortunately, the game ramps up the thrill factor in its large boss battles, which manage to be visually busy without growing distracting, and play the "puzzle boss fight" card to the hilt. Boss encounters generally revolve around the classic system of waiting for an exposed weak point and making the attack, but the use of the Calibrus to cut one's way to said weak point makes each fight feel far more involved than it otherwise might be. It's remarkable just how varied these battles can be, despite only a limited number of actions available to the player, and it's the kind of invention that really helps make Puppeteer stand out from the crowd.
Though the graphics are impressive, and bursting with an array of gorgeously clashing color, the audio presentation is less consistently brilliant. The music is fantastic, but the voice acting predominantly grates, bursting with the kind of stereotypes and squealing that haunt the ears of anybody whose kids watch too much Nickelodeon. Children may indeed be delighted by the overacting and perpetually unfunny jokes, but most sane adults may want to claw their brains out after hearing a few characters talk. That said, a number of the Moon Bear King's generals are quite amusing to listen to, especially the Rooster who appears to be taking a subtle stand on his transgender rights.
Above all, I'm most charmed by how honestly Puppeteer wears its influences on its sleeve. From classic platformers like Mario to more recent excursions such as Rayman Origins, Sony Japan's sidescrolling adventure is littered with nods to the very best in platform gaming — a genre so criminally underused these days. This is a game that truly loves the classics, and isn't shy from displaying that love while providing its own individual style.
Puppeteer is a bold move for a company as big as Sony, and its presence on the PS3 is welcome. It's worthy of praise that a brand new game property — a classic platformer no less — would get a full retail release this close to the end of the console's life cycle. It helps, of course, that Puppeteer is also a genuinely fun game, one that is marred by its sometimes sluggish pace and tendency to be annoying rather than funny, but overall provides some much needed ingenuity at a time when videogames are ramping down in time for the next generation.
While Puppeteer is far from a system seller, anybody with access to a PlayStation 3 could do far worse than taking this little charmer out for a walk.


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Casey Mears and Germain Racing haven't finished outside of the top 25 since May 11th in Darlington, with half of those checkered flags seeing Mears finish in the top 20. As the season wears on, the GEICO team seems to be blossoming well and their excitement was evident when they arrived at Daytona International Speedway this weekend, a place that has seen Mears and his GEICO car as the leader on multiple occasions.
Mears and the #13 GEICO Ford Fusion appeared quick in first practice when television coverage of the session showed him moving the car at will through the draft. He wrapped up the session 24th, sandwiched between Ricky Stenhouse, Jr, David Ragan and Joey Logano; all Ford teams. Crew chief Bootie Barker felt confident in their GEICO Fusion and chose to sit out final practice on Thursday, instead turning his focus to qualifying which was scheduled for late Friday afternoon.
When qualifying got underway at 4:10 PM (ET) on Friday, Mears betrayed his poor qualifying draw (third) and toured the 2.5-mile facility in just 46.701-seconds/192.715-miles per hour, landing him 19th on Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 starting grid.
When the green flag waved on a hot and humid Florida evening, Mears departed his starting position of 19th and set sail for the front of the field. By the fourth lap, he had arrived and was penetrating the top 10. He later ventured into the top five and appeared poised for a strong run. As restrictor-plate racing goes, Mears and his #13 GEICO Ford Fusion spent their evening vacillating up and down through the draft, returning to the front whenever he felt it necessary. At times, it appeared so effortless that one would assume Mears made a bet with himself concerning the amount of cars he could pass in an evening.
Business began to pick up as the race wound down. With 33 laps to go, Mears was in the 13th position when a caution flag slowed the field. The team's radio frequency was dominated by Barker and Mears who were busy discussing whether or not to take two or four tires during the upcoming pit stop under yellow. The number four prevailed and Mears would surrender only six positions by opting for the latter, but would be well armed to make a charge at the end of the race. Barker's wisdom prevailed and Mears found himself back in the top 10, in the eighth position, with just 15 laps remaining in the event.
Mears, whose racecar remained clean most of the night, was a little too close for comfort when cars began crashing just behind him as the field exited the short chute on lap 149 of a scheduled 160. The red flag halted the race while cleanup commenced. After a brief eight-minutes and 53-seconds, engines were re-fired and cars were rolling under caution. With seven to go, the GEICO Ford Fusion restarted 8th, but was shuffled out of the draft and just a lap later sat 12 positions worse in 20th.
The Daytona drama soon followed when a crash on the backstretch brought out the yellow flag with only four laps left in the advertised distance and leaving Mears far behind with very little time to do anything about it. With a Green-White-Checker finish on tap, he would need to execute an all or nothing strategy when the race went back to green. When the green flag set the field underway for the final time, Mears began an immediate surge and a lap later the white flag saw him three positions to the good in 15th. The final lap played out in typical Daytona fashion when Mears was approaching the start/finish line and Danica Patrick spun in front of him. The result was a chain reaction crash that sent the #13 GEICO Ford Fusion hard against the outside wall as the checkered flag was waving. Despite taking a hard hit and crossing the finish line sideways, Mears scored a ninth place finish, accounting for the team's first top 10 performance of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. His effort also continues the string of strong, consistent runs that are normally tough to come by in auto racing, further evidencing the growth and development of Germain Racing's Sprint Cup Series program.
"Tonight was a solid night for our GEICO Racing program and I'm glad we were able to get a Top 10 finish and reward the guys on this Germain team for all of their hard work. It was also nice to get a good finish for the folks at GEICO and our team owner, Bob Germain, because they both have made such big commitments to keep growing our program," Mears said as he observed the damage to his racecar. "That second-to-last restart we restarted eighth and the 15 laid way back on the restart and had a huge run. There were three lanes open. The bottom lane moved to the bottom and I had like three lanes to try to block and he had a run and got to the inside of us and we dropped all the way to the back. But we had a really big run there at the end and picked the right lane and got through a bunch of guys, so that's not the way we wanted to finish because we were sitting in the catbird's seat there, where I thought we could have had a chance to win this thing, but we rallied back for a decent day."
Mears and the Germain Racing team will now travel north to Loudon, New Hampshire, for race number 19 of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.
Casey Mears and the #13 GEICO Ford Fusion will hit the track at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the weekend's opening practice session on Friday, July 12th, at 12:00 PM (EDT). Qualifying will follow at 3:40 PM (EDT).
The Camping World RV Sales 301 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race is on Sunday, July 14th, and it will be televised live on TNT beginning at 1:00 PM (EDT). The Performance Racing Network (PRN) will carry the live radio broadcast.

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Hashemi Rafsanjani
Our editors will review what you've submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
- Born:
- August 25, 1934 Iran
- Title / Office:
- president (1889-1997), Iran
Hashemi Rafsanjani, in full Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, also spelled ʿAlī Akbar Hāshimī Rafsanjānī, (born August 25, 1934, Bahremān, Iran—died January 8, 2017, Tehrān), Iranian cleric and politician, who was president of Iran from 1989 to 1997.
Rafsanjani was the son of a prosperous farmer near the town of Rafsanjān, in the Kermān region of Iran. He moved to the Shīʿite holy city of Qom in 1948 to pursue his religious studies, and in 1958 he became a disciple of Ruhollah Khomeini. Rafsanjani became a hojatoleslām (from the Arabic ḥujjat al-Islām: "proof of Islam"), the second highest Shīʿite Muslim rank, before eventually rising to ayatollah. Like Khomeini, he opposed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's modernization program, and when Khomeini was exiled from Iran in 1962, Rafsanjani became his chief fund-raiser inside the country. He spent the years 1975–78 in jail in Iran on charges of links with left-wing terrorists.
With the shah's overthrow and Khomeini's return to Iran in 1979, Rafsanjani became one of Khomeini's chief lieutenants. He helped found the Islamic Republican Party, served on the Revolutionary Council, and was acting interior minister during the early years of the revolution. In 1980 he was also elected to and became speaker of the Majles (Islamic Consultative Assembly). As the dominant voice in the Majles for the next nine years, Rafsanjani gradually emerged as the second most powerful figure in Iran's government. He was intimately involved in Iran's prosecution of the Iran-Iraq War (1980–88), and he was thought to have persuaded Khomeini to agree to the cease-fire of August 1988 that effectively ended the war.
After Khomeini's death in June 1989, Rafsanjani was instrumental in ensuring that Pres. Ali Khamenei—who was hastily elevated from the position of hojatoleslām to the rank of ayatollah—succeeded Khomeini as supreme leader. Rafsanjani himself was elected Iran's president by an overwhelming margin shortly thereafter. He quickly garnered increased powers for a previously weak executive office, and he showed considerable political skill in promoting his pragmatic policies in the face of resistance from Islamic hard-liners. Rafsanjani favoured reducing Iran's international isolation and renewing its ties with Europe as part of a strategy to use foreign investment and free enterprise to revive the country's war-torn economy. Domestically, he implemented family-planning practices, in effect reversing previous policies encouraging population growth. Although human rights abuses and the suppression of dissent continued, there was a degree of cultural openness under Rafsanjani, and a certain level of criticism was tolerated. Nevertheless, demonstrations and protests against the government in the early 1990s were harshly repressed.
Rafsanjani was reelected in 1993, though his victory was not as overwhelming as in 1989; voter turnout was significantly lower, and he won only two-thirds of the votes in 1993 as compared with more than nine-tenths four years earlier. Barred by the constitution from serving a third consecutive term in office, Rafsanjani nevertheless remained active in political life, serving several terms as head of the Committee to Determine the Expediency of the Islamic Order, a body created to mediate disputes between the Majles and the Council of Guardians (itself empowered to vet legislation and oversee elections).
In the elections to the Majles in 2000, Rafsanjani initially fared poorly—he finished 30th in Tehrān, capturing that city's final seat. However, the Council of Guardians contended that the election had been marred by fraud, and they ordered a recount; after numerous votes had been discounted and the candidates shuffled, Rafsanjani's position improved to 20th. This new outcome was criticized by many to be the result of manipulation, and Rafsanjani resigned his seat.
Following Mohammad Khatami's two-term presidency (1997–2005), Rafsanjani again sought the presidency in 2005. Although largely considered the favourite, Rafsanjani failed to secure a majority by a significant margin and was defeated by the mayor of Tehrān, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was backed by the country's conservative establishment.
In 2007 Rafsanjani was elected to lead the Assembly of Experts (Majles-e Khobregān), a body empowered to select Iran's supreme leader. Rafsanjani assumed his position at the head of this assembly while continuing to lead the Committee to Determine the Expediency of the Islamic Order.
In the presidential election of 2009 Rafsanjani was a vocal critic of the incumbent, President Ahmadinejad, and made clear his support of Mir Hossein Mousavi, a former prime minister (1981–89) and the leading reformist candidate. When Ahmadinejad was declared the victor by a large margin in spite of Mousavi's apparent popularity and a record turnout that many thought would favour the reformist contingent, questions of voting irregularities were raised by the opposition. Amid the cycle of protests that followed the election, several of Rafsanjani's relatives, including his daughter, were briefly detained. Rafsanjani himself was conspicuously absent from the public sphere and noticeably silent in the days that followed the election—a silence some observers suggested belied his activity behind the scenes, although the details of his whereabouts and the precise nature his efforts remained subject to speculation.
In 2011 Rafsanjani did not run for another term as leader of the Assembly of Experts after Ahmadinejad supporters waged a campaign to unseat him, alleging that he was too close to the opposition. He was succeeded by Mohammad Reza Mahdavi Kani—a traditional conservative supported by the pro-Ahmadinejad camp—who won election in March.
In May 2013 Rafsanjani registered to be a candidate in Iran's upcoming presidential election, attracting the support of prominent reformers, including Mohammad Khatami. His candidacy ended abruptly later that month when he was disqualified from running by the Council of the Guardians. Rafsanjani protested his disqualification in the media but did not appeal.


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GASB Publishes Guide to Implementing New Financial Statements
Norwalk, CT, May 5, 2000—The Governmental Accounting Standards Board has issued an Implementation Guide to help the preparers and auditors of state and local government financial statements understand and apply the provisions of GASB Statement 34, Basic Financial Statements-and Management's Discussion and Analysis-for State and Local Governments.
The Implementation Guide is the centerpiece of the GASB's extensive efforts to assist governments with the preparation of the new financial statements required by Statement 34. That Statement, issued in June 1999, is one of the most comprehensive standards in the history of governmental accounting. All state and local governments will implement Statement 34 during the next two to four years.
"Throughout the process of developing these important improvements in financial reporting, the Board was fully committed to providing meaningful assistance to governments as they implement the changes," said GASB Chair Tom L. Allen. "Since the adoption of Statement 34, the GASB has been working diligently to make the transition period as smooth as possible."
This timely guide includes nearly 300 questions and answers developed by the GASB staff with the assistance of a 36-member advisory group. The guide also includes more than 50 illustrative financial statement exhibits, 10 "how-to" exercises, and the complete standards section of Statement 34.
The question-and-answer section of the guide addresses all aspects of Statement 34 and features dozens of questions about capital assets, depreciation, and the modified approach to reporting infrastructure. Several questions and related illustrations provide guidance with regard to alternatives that may be available to governments in meeting certain display or disclosure requirements in the Statement.
The guide includes sample financial statements for a state government, a municipal government, and an independent school district. The municipal statements include a complete illustrative management's discussion and analysis and selected note disclosures.
The "exercises" section offers practical, step-by-step suggestions on how to comply with some of the requirements of Statement 34, including:
- Calculating composite depreciation rates
- Applying group depreciation to infrastructure assets at transition and in subsequent years
- Calculating net asset balances for governmental activities
- Reporting internal service fund balances and results
- Determining major funds
- Reconciling fund financial statements to government-wide financial statements
- Indirectly determining direct-method cash flows
- Estimating historical cost using current replacement cost
- Calculating weighted-average age of infrastructure assets at transition
- Determining major general infrastructure assets
The GASB is the independent private-sector organization, formed in 1984, that establishes and improves financial accounting and reporting standards for state and local governments. Its seven members are drawn from the Board's diverse constituency, including preparers and auditors of state and local government financial statements, users of those statements, and members of the academic community. More information about the GASB can be found at this web site.
Copies of the Implementation Guide (GQA34) can be obtained from the GASB Order Department by telephone (800-748-0659), e-mail (email@example.com), or mail (401 Merritt 7, PO Box 5116, Norwalk, CT 06856-5116).


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"I hold a flame in my hand," says Master Shang Xi, a bipedal, anthropomorphic panda in a blue ceremonial dress and sedge hat, surrounded by dozens of sparring pandas practicing their martial art. "Gather your wits, and when you think you are ready, attempt to snatch the flame." It's a scene that seems ripped straight out of an obscure 1970s Bruce Lee film (minus the pandas) and it typifies the type of Kung Fu melodrama that is rife in World of Warcraft's new land of Pandaria, which I sampled as part of a beta test this weekend.
The subject matter of World of Warcraft's Mists of Pandaria expansion pack is a departure, to say the least. The adorable yet ferocious Pandaren have a history in the Warcraft universe, but few had expected the race to ever become a major player, mainly because the Pandaren don't outwardly seem to fit the game's motif as well as traditional high fantasy tropes like elves, orcs, and dwarves.
Many an angry forum poster has compared MoP expansion to children's movie and Jack Black vehicle Kung Fu Panda, and the comparison is not altogether unfair. The two share some of the same tone, much of the same vibrantly cartoonish "Chinese" aesthetic, and, of course, the walking, talking, fighting pandas. But these similarities aren't altogether terrible things. The setting allows for some wonderful art direction and beautiful new lands to explore, and while anthropomorphic pandas may seem weird, they actually fit into the World of Warcraft mold fairly well—at least as well as 7-foot tall owl-bears, aliens, and cow people have in the past.
As with those other WoW staples, this kung-fu exploitation story may seem overly adorable and even cliched at the outset, but only if you're not paying attention. After I snatch the flame from Master Xi, he instructs me to head to the top of their temple and use the flame to burn the "Edict of Temperance," an ancient Pandaren scroll mandating non-aggression.
The pandas are going to war.
Peace, for a time
For this stage of the beta test, Blizzard has left the lands of Pandaria at relative peace, giving players some time to explore the Pandaren origin story and the race's entry into the coming global conflict. It also gave me the chance to try out the brand new Monk class with my adorable-yet-fierce avatar, "Pandrew" ("Pandarstechnica" wouldn't fit the length restriction.)
There's very little to get truly excited about when it comes to the Monk. Whereas the introduction of the Death Knight added cool new concepts like poison and reanimation, the Monk is more like a re-tooled Rogue. You spend energy to build up combo points (Chi) to unleash powerful finishing moves, though at least the Monk uses some acrobatic Kung Fu during these moves. There's even a later ability called Touch of Death (reinforcing the '70s martial arts flick motif) which allows you to instantly kill minor enemies with less health than you.
The real star of the show, at least in the early levels that we had access to, is the incredible level of polish Blizzard has brought to the island of Pandaria, and to the Pandaren themselves. Even in the starting zone—far from any major cities—the architecture and natural beauty are astounding. Ornate blue, gold, and red temples rise up out of the valleys and adorn the misty tops of mountains, and colorful Chinese kites gently hover in the wind. The avatars are also remarkably well-animated, with far more character and subtlety to their motions than any other previous World of Warcraft race. Even their faces are full of life, exuding a sort of joie de vivre that one would expect from a big, fluffy, beer-swilling panda.
It's truly incredible that Blizzard has managed to keep its game looking new and impressive after almost eight years. The company's incredible art direction is constantly capitalizing on new opportunities to sidestep the need for high-end graphics, focusing instead on unique style and vibrant colors. It's one of the things that has kept World of Warcraft so popular for so many years: just about anyone with a modern computer will be able to run this game well.
Masters of fantasy
The opening tale of the Pandaren is a far cry from the origin story of the werewolf-like Worgen in Cataclysm, which took the form of gothic 19th century English horror. Whereas the Worgen story was filled with a sense of urgency and desperation, the Pandaren story is a far more serene and magical tale. It's a story that sees your character developing from a neophyte of the order into a promising warrior who must puzzle out the mysteriously erratic behavior of Shen-zin Su, a city-sized god-turtle whose back serves as the support for this particular village. The story will culminate in your character joining the faction of your choice (Alliance or Horde) and leaving the island to take up arms in a wider conflict.
In the wake of the events of Cataclysm, an unpredictable warmonger, Garrosh Hellscream, has seized control of the Warchief's throne in the Orc city of Orgrimmar. Mists of Pandaria will deal heavily with the ousting of Hellscream, in what might be a nod to the fate of some of the brutal dictatorships of our own time. In the final raid dungeon of the expansion, in fact, a 25-player cooperative challenge will even see the sacking of the Horde city of Orgrimmar by Alliance and Horde alike.
In many ways, Mists of Pandaria is a return to the roots of World of Warcraft. Rather than having the disparate races of Azeroth confront a global threat as was the case in 2008's Wrath of the Lich King and 2010's Cataclysm, this time the story is more centered around internal politics, the drama of alliances, and the reignition of the war between the Alliance and the Horde that first made World of Warcraft famous over seven years ago.
A new journey
Mists of Pandaria has a larger burden on its shoulders than any WoW expansion to date. It has to hold the line against a wave of challengers that seem more than adequate to oust WoW from its throne of dominance atop the MMO genre. Star Wars: The Old Republic has already proven itself a worthy contender (one that is slowly chipping away at WoW's subscriber base,) and Guild Wars 2 is looking fantastic, though it won't see release until later this year.
Pandaria has to excite the millions-strong base of WoW players long enough to fend off the advances of an MMO business that is swiftly moving beyond what World of Warcraft currently offers. So far the Mists of Pandaria content I've seen is beautiful, fun, and engaging, but it's also more of the same. I remain seriously doubtful that business-as-usual will keep World of Warcraft in the lead for anything past a couple more years. By that time, it may finally be time for the king to move aside, especially if Blizzard is finally ready to unveil its currently unnamed next-gen MMO, Project Titan.


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Mel Gibson's Alleged Mistress Violet Kowal Joins Team Gloria Allred
Mel Gibson's Alleged Mistress Joins Team Allred
Mel Gibson's alleged mistress Violet Kowal is now in the big leagues of the mistress game -- retaining coach attorney Gloria Allred ... TMZ has learned.
Sources tell us Allred is now representing the Polish fitness model who reportedly claimed she had an affair with Gibson while Oksana Grigorieva was pregnant.
Kowal seems to be following the mistress handbook to the letter. She now has the same attorney as Rachel Uchitel ... and, we've learned, she has the same manager as Michelle "Bombshell" McGee.
It's unclear why Kowal needs legal representation at this point.
Then again, it all worked out for Uchitel.


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2013 Crafts Competition Results
NAWCC National Convention, Dayton, OH
Class 1: Single-Train Clock Movements - Metal
First Place: Nathan S. Bower (MI)
"A Clockmaker's Art" is an 8-day, weight-driven precision skeleton movement with a "true seconds" compensating pendulum and Brocot escapement. Flamed blued hands and screws provide a rich contrast against the ornate, hand-pierced, and hand-engraved dial. This original design was conceived in spring 2010 and took more than one year to complete.
Second Place: Duane R. Houchin (WY)
Class 6: Wood Clock Cases—Solid or Veneered
First Place: Joel Warren (NY)
Second Place: Duane R. Houchin (NY)The intent of the clock case was to represent the presiding officer station in the Masonic Temple in Laramie, WY. The clock case has egg and dart trim on the canopy as was used in the building of the temple 100 years ago. The case is made of solid walnut and the insignia is made of maple. The egg and dart trim and hardware were purchased. See movement on facing page.
Third Place: Edward Arthur (CAN)Eli Terry-style pillar and scroll case. Plans were found in a book by George Bruno. The case is poplar with 1/16" walnut veneer. The plinths are tiger maple. The maker cut the hinges and escutcheon plate and made the pattern for the mold for the cast bronze finials.
Honorable Mention: Hugh Overton (MO)Case is constructed from a detailed article by Brian Rogers in the October 1993 NAWCC Bulletin.
Class 7: Other Material Clock Cases
First Place: Hugh Overton (MO)
Ansonia Fisher swing figure. Statue was hand-painted and restored using artist oil paints.
|Second Place, tie: Phil Gregory (TX)
Splats, feet, and finials for European and American clocks that are cast from plastic.
|Second Place, tie: Phil Gregory (TX)
Clocks whose structure has been broken and repaired with cast plastic and finished.
Class 11: Authentic Replica Cases
|First Place: Hugh Overton (MO)
Ansonia Swing No. 3 with mahogany case.
|Second Place: Hugh Overton (MO)
Ithaca No. 4 hanging office with walnut case.
|Third Place: Hugh Overton (MO)
Joseph Ives late Brooklyn.
Class 13: Clock Restoration
First Place, tie: Joel Warren (WV)
Ithaca No. 1 Regulator.
First Place, tie: Paul Henion (MI)
Julius Peck. New splat made, columns stenciled, and hole repaired in the dial. Replacement gears fitted in the movement (as found the movement plates and escape wheel were present, but all other gears were missing). Lower tablet painted.
Third Place: Edward W. Bikowitz Jr.
William S. Johnson. Veneer replaced: four corners and two sides. Ogee veneer repaired. Dust covers replaced and movement cleaned. Wood knot in the bottom replaced, case pulled together and all wood cleaned and restored. Lacquer finish and waxed applied and new movement mounting made. Period dial obtained and top glass replaced with old glass.
Honorable Mention: Gerry Koolen (CAN)
A small European tower clock restoration. Neither the country of origin nor the maker is known. All restoration work done by entrant, including silk-screening the dial and fashioning the crank.
Honorable Mention: Paul Henion (MI)
C&LC Ives triple-decker clock.
Class 15: Reverse Painting on Glass
|First Place: Paul Henion (MI)
Reverse-painted tablet that is lithograph applied to the glass in the same manner that is believed to have been originally done in the 1830s.
|Second Place: Paul Henion (MI)
Pair of reverse-painted tablets in a single door of a Riley Whiting clock. Upper tablet was copied from a Hopkins & Alfred clock, and the lower tablet was copied from another Riley Whiting clock.
Class 16: Stencil Bronzing
|First Place: Paul Henion (MI)
Stenciled and reverse-painted tablet from a C&N Jerome clock. The original from which this was copied shows that on the lower area the stenciling was oxidized and darker. To duplicate this, I mixed regular bronzing powder with trace amounts of "carbon black" in the lower areas only.
Class 19: Wood Carving
|First Place: Joel Warren (NY)
Seth Thomas office calendar no. 11, floor model. GREG GORDON.
|Second Place, tie: Paul Henion (MI)
C&LC Ives triple-decker clock. I recreated the carved columns, splat, and feet.
Second Place, tie: Jerry Hahn (OH)
Abiel Chandler lyre banjo clock made with wild cherrywood cut from my property. All fabrication, carving, and finishing were done by me. Jerry Hahn photo.
Class 20: Metal Engraving and Decorative Metal Parts
|First Place: Phil Gregory (TX)
Replacement statues cast of plastic and finished with parts replaced and painted.
Class 22: Horological Novelties
|First Place: Frank Del Greco (OH)
Designed, built, and installed automated rewind system on an E. Howard "roundtop" time-and-strike tower clock for the Federated Church in Chagrin Falls, OH. The man who wound the clock weekly for decades wanted to retire, but he would not until someone installed an automated winding system. The church paid for the equipment and parts, and labor was donated.
|Second Place: Ben Orszulak (CAN)
1905 Gustav Becker carousel disc pendulum.
|Third Place: Ben Orszulak (CAN)
Motion work for tower clock.
Class 25: Chapter Institutional and Public Clock Restoration
|First Place: Chapter 92—Southwestern Ontario
The tower clock that our chapter was involved in restoring has great local historical importance. It is the only one of three tower clocks built by George Hess of Zurich, Ontario, still in use. George Hess was born in Wurttemberg, Germany, in 1833. In 1851 he traveled to Switzerland where he learned watch and clockmaking. He immigrated to Canada in 1856. On that journey he had a series of very unfortunate events; one was the loss of all his tools. The three clocks were built in 1880, 1881, and 1888. It is the first clock that was involved in this project. This tower clock, installed in St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zurich, has been in service there since that time. The other two clocks are no longer in service; in fact, one appears to have disappeared. The other, while restored, no longer functions to tell the time but is on display in the Exeter Ontario Town Hall. Chapter 92 was approached when the clock began to show signs of wear and would no longer run well. A team of six members began to work on the clock with the intent to leave all parts intact to be as original as possible. Unfortunately, some parts were worn beyond repair, so a second attempt involved machining new parts.


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Home » Rio Linda, CA » Fire & Smoke Damage » Emergency Fire & Smoke Damage Cleanup
Emergency Fire & Smoke Damage Cleanup
When something as major as your Rio Linda home or business is on fire, you learn the value of a single second or minute. In just one moment, some of your greatest possessions can be destroyed. While we at Lawton Construction & Restoration, Inc. in Rio Linda won't be there to put the fire out, we can be there promptly to restore the damage once the fire is gone with emergency fire cleanup services. When you call us, we will board up the property, tent the rooms, and then get to work restoring all that has been destroyed by fire or smoke damage.
Fire Smoke Cleanup in Rio Linda
The flames of the fire are plenty destructive, but the smoke is an even more silent killer. If your Rio Linda property is affected by fire damage, there's a chance that smoke and water damage are also plaguing your property. When it comes to fire smoke cleanup, you need to act fast. We tent rooms to prevent spreading, we service the ventilation system, and we treat any areas that may have trapped harmful smoke particles inside. We use chemicals to remove smoke stains and soot coatings so that even the air quality of your building is healthy.
24-Hour Fire Damage Restoration in Rio Linda
When it's time for emergency fire damage recovery in your residential, commercial, or industrial property, Lawton Construction & Restoration, Inc. in Rio Linda can be there in a flash. As part of our 24-hour fire damage restoration services, we commit to being available day and night, whenever you need us. Emergencies happen at the most inconvenient hours, and we are flexible to meet you where you are. For any emergency fire repair services, Lawton Construction & Restoration, Inc. in Rio Linda has you covered.
Emergency Fire Repair in Rio Linda
It's not easy to prepare for emergencies, but Lawton Construction & Restoration, Inc. in Rio Linda does it for you by providing emergency fire service services for when your property has emergency fire damage that needs critical attention. You don't know when you'll need emergency fire damage recovery, but when you have Lawton Construction & Restoration, Inc. on your side, you're always prepared. Emergency fire damage restoration is no match for our licensed professionals.
Other Services:


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Click here for baby pitbulls for sale
CRUMP'S Kennels produces only the highest quality XXL XL tri color, Blue, Champagne, Fawn, and Merle American Pitbull Terrier puppies for sale. We are a family owned and operated American Bully blue nose pitbull Breeder located in Covington, Georgia. CRUMP'S Kennels can ship your puppy anywhere in the world.
If you are looking for a puppy that stands out in the crowd, look no further. Our puppies are perfect examples of the tri color, Blue, Champagne, Fawn, and blue nose pitbull Merle American Bully breed, including traits such as beauty, size/bone/structure, temperament, and health. We will have your new XL Bully puppy transported safely and in great health to your home in Alabama. Feel free to contact us for more information!
With licensed and insured pet ground transportation, your tri color, blue nose pitbull, Champagne, Fawn, and Merle XL XXL Bully puppy will be delivered right to your door. Or if you choose, we can have your new pup flown to your closest major airport.
WE CARRY SHOW QUALITY BEAUTIFUL American PITBULLS / AMERICAN BULLYS IN STANDARD, EXTREME, XL PITBULL PUPPIES FOR SALE. PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR Bully Pitbull PUPPIES FOR SALE PAGE !!! XL XTREME . WE CARRY THE BEST MOST BEAUTIFUL QUALITY BLOODLINES OUT THERE. CRUMP'S BULLIES HAS SOME OF THE BEST UKC & ABKC CHAMPIONS . CRUMP'S BULLIES IS A AMERICAN BULLY BREEDER THAT STRIVES TO KEEP THE BEST XL & XXL LOOK OF THE PITBULL WITH BEST BULLY CONFORMATION. CRUMP'S BULLIES BREEDS BEAUTIFUL EXTRA LARGE PITBULLS / AMERICAN BULLYS WITH GREAT BEAUTIFUL STRUCTURE & BEST TEMPERMENTS, OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL IN MIND IS TO PRODUCE YOUR NEXT BEST FRIEND IN XL FROM AMERICAN BULLY PITBULL! NEW XL BULLY / PITBULL/AMERICAN BULLY BREEDINGS THIS SPRING AND SUMMER , DON'T MISS OUT ON SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEST XL XTREME PITBULL BREEDINGS EVER. CRUMP'S BULLIES PRODUCES SOME OF THE TOP , BEST PITBULLS /AMERICAN BULLY PUPS IN THE US AND WORLD WIDE. WE ARE A SMALL BULLY BREEDER THAT BREEDS TO BETTER THIS BEAUTIFUL BREED. WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN THAT WE OFFER THE BEST XL XTREME PITBULLS IN THE BULLY BUSINESS !
We Ship Worldwide
We ship our american bully puppies all over the world and the United States of America. Some of the states and countries we ship to
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming We also ship to South Africa, Egypt, Italy, Sweden, Dubai, Mexico, Holland, Brazil, Kuwait, United Kingdom ,Canada and Australia
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Katrina-damaged La. theater goes for 1927 glory
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — With its grand arches, intricate plaster moldings, faux facades suggesting a centuries-old European villa and blue domed ceiling dotted by pinpoint lights, the Saenger Theatre was typical of the opulent movie palaces and playhouses built around the nation in the 1920s.
But bits of its flapper-era splendor were sacrificed over the decades as various owners tried to roll with changing times.
Chandeliers were sold. A clunky escalator was installed and the balcony walled off to form a second movie theater in the 1960s — a pre-multiplex-era architectural affront that was undone in the '70s.
"They were just trying to hang on as best they could," Errol Laborde, local magazine publisher and New Orleans historian, said of the various changes.
Although diminished, the Saenger's grandeur endured. It remained a venue for concerts and touring theatrical productions until 2005, when water from levee breaches during Hurricane Katrina rose shoulder deep in front of the stage, deteriorating plaster above and inundating electrical equipment on the floors below.
As is the story with much of the city, the Saenger's recovery has sometimes dragged, slowed by complex financing. In 2010, its marquee announced a grand re-opening in 2011. A spring 2013 deadline also has been missed.
But, when the touring production of Broadway's "The Book of Mormon" takes the Saenger stage for a grand re-opening in October, it will mark the end of a long-sought and meticulous $51 million renovation, restoration and replication effort that will bring a long-missed landmark to its pre-Katrina health and recreate some of its 1927 glory.
"To have it restored, again, not the way it was but the way she always should have been, is a theme that symbolizes what we're trying to do with rebuilding the city of New Orleans," Mayor Mitch Landrieu said this month as he joined other city officials for a ceremony marking the installation of a key steel beam.
"It will look clean, well kept, but with a patina of 80 years of life," said David Anderson, a principal in the Saenger Theatre Partnership, which donated the theater to a city-established nonprofit corporation in a complex redevelopment and operating agreement. A subsidiary of the partnership, ACE Theatrical Group LLC, will operate the theater. Anderson was interviewed last week while giving a tour of the facility, where much of the work remains masked by networks of scaffolding and a layer of construction dust.
It will be hard for the uninformed to tell what's new from what's old. A rounded marquee that jutted out over the Canal Street sidewalk is a childhood memory for many New Orleanians who came of age since the early 1960s. It's gone now, to be replaced by a flatter marquee and a huge vertical sign, recreated from plans and pictures that survive from the '20s.
Some of the chandeliers lighting the entryway and mezzanine will be re-creations as well. But some will be original equipment, discovered blocks away in a French Quarter antique shop.
"We were skeptical," Anderson said of theater officials' reaction when told that some of the original chandeliers were at the shop on Royal Street. But the owner had proof: "He showed us a bill of sale from the company to his father."
Replication efforts included microscopic examination of paint scrapings to recreate the bright golds and iridescent pinks that originally graced the entryway ceilings and walls and filled the spaces around the Italian Renaissance-styled statuary, intricate ceiling medallions, and bas relief sculptures of warriors on horseback and mythological sea creatures.
The 1927 facade will mask modern technology: The stars in the ceiling will be LED lights. An expanded, deeper stage will be home to state-of-the-art theatrical equipment.
City officials say funding for the Saenger's comeback includes roughly $15 million in federal and state grant money and more than $35 million in complex private investment facilitated by state and federal tax credits.
Laborde said he hopes the rebirth of the Saenger, in an area that has grown economically moribund despite its proximity to the French Quarter and the city's central business district, heralds a time when going to a show will more closely mimic a New York experience. "I just hope sometime this whole area can develop into more of a theater, more of a pedestrian district, where there are little cafes along the way where people can go before shows," Laborde said.
Landrieu, at the beam installation ceremony, said the Saenger's rebirth is part of the rebirth of the area. "It's about renovating the entire downtown of New Orleans, which hasn't looked like this in the past 40 or 50 years," he said. "The economic impact is going to be huge."


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Special Collections Library, 2nd floor
Speaker(s) / Presenter(s):
Poems read by ITA students
Please, join the UK Appalachian Center, Special Collections Library, and the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Cultures for a very exciting Event as a part of the Arts & Sciences Year of Europe. This event is free for all UK Students, Faculty, and Staff and will be located in the M. I. King Special Collections Library on the 2nd floor on Thursday, March 3, 2016. Italian language students will read selected poems from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. This will be followed by an exhibit entilted The Immigrant Experience and Contribution in Appalachian Coalfields from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Light refreshements will be served.
Type of Event (for grouping events):


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Day 14: Win a Nest Thermostat and Protect bundle
The HEXUS Epic Giveaway is back and bigger than ever! In partnership with ARM, we'll be giving all our fabulous readers the chance to win fantastic prizes every day throughout the holiday season!
Our awesome giveaways will include goodies from ARM partners such as Asus, Corsair, Nvidia and Synology, to name but a few. It's going to get hectic, so be certain to bookmark our dedicated Epic Giveaway homepage to keep tabs on each new competition as it arrives.
On the 14th day of Epic Giveaways, HEXUS gives to you: a Nest Thermostat and Nest Protect. Two fantastic bits of kit for anyone intrigued by smart-home devices.
Want to be in with a chance of winning? Answer the following simple question, and don't forget, you can also claim a free second entry via Facebook. Good luck and check back soon for more prizes in the 2016 Epic Giveaway!
Terms and conditions
- There is no entry fee and no purchase necessary to enter this competition.
- The prize draw is open to HEXUS readers aged 12 years or over.
- The competition winner will be picked at random from all eligible entries that arrive by 22:00 GMT on the closing date, January 1, 2017.
- Only one entry is permitted per household per HEXUS entry form; second Facebook entries, if applicable, are permitted. Duplicate entries on either form will result in disqualification and no entrant may win more than one prize.
- The winners will be notified via email by January 8, 2017. The winner must claim their prize within 7 days of the promoter sending notification. If the prize is unclaimed after this time, HEXUS reserves the right to offer the unclaimed prize to a substitute winner selected in accordance with these rules.
- The prize is a Nest Thermostat and Next Protect.
- In the event that the prize offered is unavailable due to circumstances beyond our control, we reserve the right to offer an alternative prize of equal or greater specification.
- Prizes will ship to winners within 45 days of the draw, though we aim for sooner.
- HEXUS and its partners are responsible for shipping within the criteria laid out and the winner is responsible for local taxes if applicable.
- Prize draws are not open to employees of HEXUS and their affiliates, agencies, suppliers, sponsors and members employees' immediate families.
- Entry into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.
- A list of previous competition winners is available at HEXUS.net/Competition_Winners.


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Have you switched to the fantastic new Outlook? Have some questions before you check it out? Having some problems after signing up? Microsoft's dropping by Gizmodo at 1:30 pm ET for you to ask them whatever you want.
Vizio's Latest TVs Go All Quantum
Drop your questions, comments, complaints, or whatever below—they'll be here for an entire hour to make your lives easier, and geek out on all things email. And I'll say it again—if you haven't tried Outlook, you should. A week later, it's still killer.


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Item Information
|Product type
|With Cartridge
|Number of handles
|Handle type
|Polished Chrome
|Ada compliant
|Used on
|Flash Rough-In Valve
|Color family
DescriptionElevate the style of your bathroom with the stately beauty of Edgemere featuring gently curved lines to complement traditional, transitional, and contemporary settings perfectly. This valve trim is equipped with dependable, double ceramic pressure balance technology for consistent water temperature, anti-scald protection, and smooth, flawless operation. Tarnish- and scratch-resistant, it coordinates beautifully with the entire Edgemere collection. The trim features a 7-11/16" square escutcheon and a lever handle. Does not Includes a shower head. Requires the Flash shower rough-in valve, sold separately.
- Includes one-piece cartridge to simplify installation and maintenance
- Double ceramic pressure balance cartridge: combination of ceramic disc mixing valve and a ceramic balancing spool in a one-piece cartridge
- Ceramic disc mixing valve: assures a lifetime of drip-free performance and smooth handle operation
- Ceramic balancing spool maintains a constant output temperature in response to changes in relative hot and cold supply pressure and is unaffected by mineral deposits and harsh water conditions
- Integrated check valves: engineered to eliminate cross flow
- Adjustable hot limit safety stop: limits the amount of hot water allowed to mix with cold to reduce the risk of accidental scalding
- Comfort zone: offers a wider shower range to fine tune the desired temperature within the useful temperature zone
- Back-to-back capability: hot and cold can be reversed quickly and easily
- For use with Flash shower rough-in valves
- Shower head and arm sold separately
- Polished Chrome finish
Commonly Bought with This Item
About American Standard
American Standard has been creating healthy, responsible, and beautifully designed bathroom and kitchen products for more than 140 years. By embracing practical utility and innovation, they've created easy-to-install faucets, self-cleaning toilets, and freestanding bathtubs designed with affordable luxury in mind. American Standard has consistently put product design and dependability first, making them a brand known and trusted by plumbing professionals. For this reason, Riverbend Home is proud to offer a wide selection of American Standard products to our residential and commercial customers. American Standard offers a broad range of bath and kitchen products that are designed to marry style and function with innovative solutions, creating products that simply make life easier. At American Standard, innovation never stops and ingenuity never ceases. Riverbend Home is an authorized reseller.
Questions & Answers
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We offer a 30-day SATISFACTION GUARANTEE. If you receive a damaged or defective item or you are dissatisfied with a product for any reason, you can return it for an exchange or refund within 30 days. See our full refund/return policy.
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Edgemere Pressure Balance Valve Trim Only with Cartridge
TU018500.002 | American Standard
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Coats For Kids Distribution Is This Weekend
Throughout the entire month of October Smith County residents and East Texans dropped off new and gently used coats at participating dry cleaners throughout Smith County to be cleaned and donated to PATH's Coats For Kids program where kids without a winter coat can receive one for free.
Well, the coats have been donated and cleaned and are ready for distribution this weekend. PATH will be distributing the donated coats on Saturday, November 17th and Sunday, November 18th at the old Griffin Elementary School gym at 3000 N. Border in Tyler. To receive a coat, the child must be with a parent or legal guardian and they must have a photo id along with proof of residency in Smith County (an electric, water or phone bill or official mailed document with address). The child receiving a coat must also present one of the following forms of id - photo id, birth certificate, social security card, school badge, report card) and be present for proper fitting.
Coats will be distributed:
Saturday, November 17th from 8a - 2p
Sunday, November 18th 12n - 4p
In the case that there are coats left over after the distribution they will be donated to area outreach centers.
Thanks to all who donated coats this year to help keep East Texas children warm during the cold weather that is on the way.


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|Lafrentz, Benjamin
|LAPATRA, SCOTT - Clear Springs Foods, Inc
|Shoemaker, Craig
|Klesius, Phillip
Submitted to: American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/25/2012
Publication Date: 7/31/2012
Citation: Lafrentz, B.R., Lapatra, S.E., Shoemaker, C.A., Klesius, P.H. 2012. Development of a reproducible challenge model to investigate the virulence of Flavobacterium columnare genomovars in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)[abstract]. American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. p. 25.
Interpretive Summary:
Technical Abstract: Flavobacterium columnare is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes columnaris disease and has significant economic impacts on aquaculture production worldwide. Molecular analyses have demonstrated that there is genetic diversity among F. columnare isolates. A review of the published literature that used restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that all isolates typed from salmonids were genomovar I. The objective of this study was to develop a laboratory challenge model for F. columnare in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) and use the model to determine the virulence of genomovar I and II isolates in rainbow trout. Six F. columnare isolates were obtained from rainbow trout experiencing losses due to columnaris disease and were determined to be genomovar I. Three of these were chosen for a preliminary assessment of virulence and isolate 051-10-S5 was chosen for additional experiments to determine the reproducibility of the waterborne challenge model. In two independent experiments, cumulative percent mortalities (CPM) were 49 and 50 % and the standard deviations between replicate groups were ± 10 and 19 %, respectively. The challenge model was then used to compare the virulence of genomovar I and II F. columnare isolates (two per genomovar) in rainbow trout. The results demonstrated a difference in the CPM of fish challenged with the genomovars, with the genomovar II isolates inducing significantly higher CPM. In summary, a reproducible waterborne challenge model for columnaris disease in rainbow trout was developed which will be useful to investigate host-pathogen interactions, vaccine development, and other potential control strategies. This research also provides a basis for further defining the molecular diversity and virulence associated with F. columnare genomovars in rainbow trout and other salmonid species.


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Democrats Put Big-Sky Hopes on Schweitzer
Democrats don't believe Sen. Max Baucus' retirement will hurt their 2014 midterm election prospects — as long as their preferred recruit jumps into the race: former Gov. Brian Schweitzer.
The party's hopes of maintaining its edge in the Big Sky State rest on the unpredictable, ambitious, bolo-tie-donning former two-term governor, whom Democrats believe is leaning toward a run.
"If he runs, obviously that is a top-tier candidate in Montana," one Democratic operative said. "But whether he does or not, it doesn't change the fact that the GOP bench is a mess."
In recent cycles, the exit of a Democratic institution like Baucus from a GOP-leaning state like Montana would often yield the seat. But polls show Schweitzer is more popular than Baucus, and he has a national donor base that rivals that of the retiring senator.
For national Republicans, the addition of another open seat in a GOP-leaning state — along with West Virginia and South Dakota — offers yet another opportunity. Republicans must net six seats to win the Senate majority in 2014.
Montana is one of seven states President Barack Obama lost in 2012 where Democrats are defending a Senate seat. But until now, operatives from both parties generally viewed the Senate race as the least competitive among those seven seats.
Even with Baucus' $4.9 million campaign war chest, his race attracted just two GOP challengers. Neither has won anything more than a state legislative race.
But now that Baucus is retiring, the GOP field could change. Rep. Steve Daines, who holds the state's lone U.S. House seat, and former Gov. Marc Racicot have the ability to raise significant funds and would likely view the open seat as more inviting.
"No matter how you spin it, if you're a Democrat, an open seat is just much more uncertain and much more difficult," longtime Montana Republican operative Erik Iverson said. "I think this opens up a real opportunity for Republicans."
Baucus is the sixth Democrat and eighth senator overall to announce he will not seek re-election next year.
National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Jerry Moran of Kansas told reporters Tuesday that the development "creates a little more uncertainty" about the race and that it "remains a high priority for us."
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Michael Bennet of Colorado didn't sound too nervous in his written statement.
"Democrats have had a great deal of electoral success in Montana over the last decade, and I am confident that will continue," Bennet said.
On the surface, Baucus appeared to be doing everything necessary to run. His campaign website was active, he raised $1.6 million in the first quarter and he just voted against Democratic leadership on a gun amendment that would have provided stricter background checks.
But the Finance Committee chairman will turn 73 a month after the 2014 elections, and Baucus said in a statement that he's looking forward to spending time with his wife and son once his term his up.
"It's a surprise because Max was doing everything right — money, votes, getting back to Montana. All that stuff," one Democratic operative familiar with Baucus said. "In that sense it's surprising, but on the other hand it makes a total sense."


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City Hall and the teachers union have reached an agreement on a new contract that provides retroactive raises plus a 10 percent raise over seven years, with health care cost reductions promised by the union.
The proposed nine-year contract would begin on Nov. 1, 2009 and expire Oct. 31, 2018.
It gives 1 percent raises each year until 2016, and then a 1.5 percent raise, a 2.5 percent raise and a 3 percent raise the final year. The 4 percent retroactive raises for 2009 and 2010 would be provided in increments from 2015 to 2020.
"This agreement will be a gateway to great progress in our school system," Mayor de Blasio said at a City Hall announcement Thursday.
The cost to the city through 2018 is $4 billion, which does not include some of the retroactive payments through 2020.
The union would reduce health care costs, in part through "centralized drug purchases," and other belt-tightening moves that were not detailed. The savings is estimated at $1 billion over the nine years.
City workers do not contribute to their health care costs.
The two sides also agreed on new criteria for permanently removing poorly performing teachers, and an expanded the definition of sexual misconduct to make it easier to get rid of teachers who commit those crimes.
The deal is the first labor agreement struck by de Blasio, and it could affect negotiations with the other nearly 150 city labor unions who have been working with expired contracts.
New York's 110,000 members, represented by the United Federation of Teachers, have been working without a contract since October 2009.
The deal must be approved by the members.


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DNI Clapper retreats from 'secular' claim on Muslim Brotherhood
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper is backing away from comments he made Thursday calling Egypt's branch of the Muslim Brotherhood movement "largely secular."
"To clarify Director Clapper's point - in Egypt the Muslim Brotherhood makes efforts to work through a political system that has been, under Mubarak's rule, one that is largely secular in its orientation," a spokesman for Clapper, Jamie Smith, said Thursday afternoon. "He is well aware that the Muslim Brotherhood is not a secular organization."
At a House Intelligence Committee hearing earlier in the day, Rep. Sue Myrick (R-N.C.) questioned Clapper about the threat posed by the group. Clapper replied by suggesting that the Egyptian part of the Brotherhood is not particularly extreme and that the broader international movement is hard to generalize about.
"The term 'Muslim Brotherhood'...is an umbrella term for a variety of movements, in the case of Egypt, a very heterogeneous group, largely secular, which has eschewed violence and has decried Al Qaeda as a perversion of Islam," Clapper said. "They have pursued social ends, a betterment of the political order in Egypt, et cetera.....In other countries, there are also chapters or franchises of the Muslim Brotherhood, but there is no overarching agenda, particularly in pursuit of violence, at least internationally."
The Brotherhood uses the slogan, "Islam is the answer," and generally advocates for government in accordance with Islamic principles. The movement has as a broad goal unifying what it perceives as Muslim lands, from Spain to Indonesia, as a "caliphate."
Myrick interrupted Clapper at one point, saying her concern isn't simply with the violence but with the Brotherhood's beliefs regarding government.
"The danger of the Muslim Brotherhood is not just encouraging terrorism through their ideology, but also trying to take over government, so everyone has to succumb and live under their ideology," Myrick said.
Clapper said later in the hearing that the Brotherhood in Egypt runs 29 hospitals "not under the guise of an extremist agenda." He said the group fills a vacuum caused by the absence of government services, but added, "It is not necessarily with a view to promoting violence or overthrow of the state."
FBI Director Robert Mueller said some branches of the Brotherhood have engaged in violence, but he declined to go into detail in a public session. "Obviously, elements of the Muslim Brotherhood here and overseas have supported terrorism," he said.
Hamas, which is designated by the U.S. as a terrorist group but also runs the elected government in the Gaza strip, is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. U.S. prosecutors have also produced evidence that some Islamic organizations in America, such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Islamic Society of North America and the North American Islamic Trust, grew out of the Brotherhood.
UPDATE: This post has been updated with the clarification from the DNI's office.


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Ramadan Frames On Wall Mockup is a mockup that can present frames on a wall in a Ramadan-themed background in different sizes that you can use for your design, suitable for brands, and consists of separate layer sets. A help file is included.
Featured: 5PSDs • High resolution: 4500×3000 px • Easy to use with Smart Objects • Photorealistic Results


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News Story
In Many Courtrooms, Bad Interpreters Can Mean Justice Denied
A sign indicating that no interpreters will be provided to defendants posted outside a courtroom in Redwood City, California. California's Judicial Council last year approved a plan to extend free interpretation services to all cases by 2017.
Patricia Michelsen-King was observing the proceedings in a Chesterfield, Virginia, courtroom a few years ago when a man shouted in Spanish from the back of the courtroom, "I didn't rape anybody!"
Michelsen-King, who teaches Spanish interpretation at Virginia Commonwealth University, said the outburst was the result of bad translation from his court interpreter. Though the man was accused of running a red light, his interpreter told him he was accused of a "violación," which in Spanish does not mean "violation," but "rape."
The interpreter should have used the word "infracción," said Michelsen-King, who was in the courtroom because she was about to begin working there as an interpreter, too. When she approached the distressed man, he was sitting with his interpreter, admitting to the traffic offense but firmly denying what he thought was a rape charge.
Such misunderstandings are surprisingly common in state and local courts. Because many states and localities don't use tested court interpreters and ignore federal rules for when interpreters are required, many criminal defendants and civil litigants with limited English skills are not equipped to navigate the complex legal system, jeopardizing their constitutional rights.
"There is ample experience and anecdotal evidence to substantiate that many [people with limited English proficiency] regularly come before the courts and are unable, without language access services, to protect or enforce their legal rights, with devastating consequences to life, liberty, family, and property interests," the American Bar Association (ABA) said in a resolution four years ago urging courts at all levels to adopt standards for interpreter services and calling for adequate funding.
The lack of skilled interpreters is less of a problem in federal courts, where interpreters must pass a competitive test. Most states certify court interpreters, requiring that they pass a test to demonstrate their language skills. But many state certification tests aren't as rigorous as the federal one, and many state and local courts allow uncertified interpreters to serve even if they haven't passed the test. Many states also ignore the federal mandate that they provide free interpreters in both criminal and civil courts.
In some states, the U.S. Justice Department has stepped in. Since 2010, the department has investigated courts in Colorado, Hawaii, Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina and Rhode Island for failing to comply with federal rules.
Because there are so many U.S. residents — roughly 25.6 million — who have limited proficiency in English, the credibility of the nation's justice system relies on competent interpreters, Michelsen-King said.
"People think the interpreter is just there for the person who doesn't speak English," she said. "Maybe it's the defendant, maybe it's a witness. But people forget the interpreter is there for the benefit of everyone. So the lawyers can do their job. So judges and juries can make good decisions."
A Legal Obligation
A series of court rulings, an executive order and Department of Justice rules require states to provide interpreters in all court settings or risk losing federal money. Not doing so would be tantamount to unlawful discrimination based on national origin. And interpretation should be provided for free.
"Is everyone providing it across the board and free of charge? No. But it's generally accepted now that that's how it should be," said Vanessa Ruiz, a judge with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals who chaired the ABA's language access project that was instrumental in drafting the association's resolution.
But eight states don't certify court interpreters. Thirty-two of the 42 states that do certify interpreters require that courts give a preference to those who are certified, but many interpreters say the policy is not always followed.
Sometimes interpreting tasks fall to people who aren't interpreters at all. Judges may ask a nearby probation officer or someone in the courtroom to translate. When an interpreter is not available, defendants and civil litigants may be instructed to hire an interpreter or bring a friend or relative to help them out, said Rob Cruz, executive director of the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators.
"One judge asked if there was 'someone in an orange jumpsuit' who could translate, under the assumption that there might be a Latino defendant that could interpret," said Deborah Weissman, a professor at the University of North Carolina's School of Law, who wrote a report on the state's interpreter services. "The idea that you'd actually rely on some random person is absolutely unacceptable."
States allow uncertified interpreters to serve for various reasons, said Agustín de la Mora, who trains interpreters in a number of states. States may not have a certification test for uncommon languages. And if they do, it's possible that nobody has passed it. That forces judges to rely on someone who isn't certified, or perhaps someone who is familiar with the language but doesn't regularly interpret.
But using uncertified interpreters can pose problems. People who may be considered bilingual — perhaps they grew up speaking the language at home — may not have a wide vocabulary or grasp of technical legal language. Some states require people who interpret, but are not certified, to be trained to translate every single word and to reflect the emotions of the speaker. Interpreters also are told not to advise or advocate.
Certification tests require far more than that. They test not only language skills, including legal vocabulary, but the ability to interpret "simultaneously" so as not to delay court proceedings. Certified interpreters must remain no more than six words behind a speaker — listening to a torrent of words in English while translating what was just said into another language — for minutes at a time.
The tests aren't easy, and many bilingual people who seek certification struggle with them, said de la Mora. "They think they can interpret because they've been doing it for their family members their whole life."
Many haven't been formally educated in that language, he said. Skipping unfamiliar words or words without a direct English translation might work for low-stakes situations, but it doesn't work in the courtroom. Not understanding nuances, especially legal nuances, can cause trouble in court.
Michelsen-King remembers one uncertified interpreter who struggled to translate "I went over to the table to chat, and when I went outside they attacked me." But when it came to the word chat, or "platicar," the woman struggled.
"She just started saying 'um, um, um.' You could see the wheels turning in her head. But the interpreter said, 'I went over to the table to start trouble and when I went outside they attacked me,' " Michelsen-King said. "That's what the judge hears. 'I went over to the table to start trouble.' If we had subtitles, I think judges would be terrified at how much gets changed or left out."
The Justice Department has required some states it has recently investigated to create a way for people to file a complaint about interpretation services, but it's not always clear that people who struggle with English are aware of the process.
In Texas, which began testing and certifying interpreters in 2000, the state grandfathered uncertified interpreters who had courtroom experience and could provide letters of recommendation from judges.
But Michelsen-King said court employees may not always be the best judges of interpreting skills. Usually it takes another interpreter or someone familiar with the language to point out bad interpreting.
Some states try to balance the varying skill levels of interpreters with a tiered credentialing system.
Arizona, which does not currently certify interpreters, will soon have a four-tier system. Those who pass a basic proficiency test then move to another test. And depending on the accuracy of their translations, they are granted a two-year or permanent certification.
Robert Joe Lee, who implemented a tiered system in New Jersey in 1987 while serving as the state's manager of language services for the courts, said tiers give the courts a known quantity. Those with lower certifications could interpret in less serious situations, say in a front office, while those at the "masters" level could handle serious court cases. It also gave interpreters a career path—those who test into a lower certification category are motivated to study and retest in the hopes of a higher certification and the accompanying higher pay.
But the system has a downside, Lee said: When courts want to save money, they turn to interpreters with the lowest certification.
Problems Remain
Even with the number of strict federal guidelines on interpreters, courts often ignore those rules, particularly in states where there is no centralized oversight.
In 2010, the U.S. Justice Department sent a letter to states outlining the ways in which they were not following federal law on court interpreters: limiting the types of legal proceedings for which interpreters were invited, charging people for interpreting services and not providing interpretation for services that happen outside of the courtroom, such as in filing or probation offices, or for communicating with court psychologists, child advocates or other court employees.
Lawyers and scholars who study the issue say the situation has improved in states where the Justice Department has exerted pressure, but states continue to come under investigation.
The Justice Department investigated Kentucky in 2014 after a state judge refused to provide interpreting services. In a 2012 letter to North Carolina's Administrative Office of the Courts, the department said the state was not providing interpreters in all the cases it was required to, including domestic violence proceedings, wage disputes, involuntary commitments and eviction proceedings. The letter also said the state was not doing an adequate job of informing people they had a right to an interpreter.
Aaron Sussman, an attorney with the National Center for Access to Justice at Fordham Law School, which recently reviewed access to court interpreters state by state, said interpreter resources are often targeted at criminal cases and litigants in civil matters are not always given interpreters.
"These civil courts deal with important issues," he said. "This is family court, issues with custody and child support. This is people who are trying to get alimony. You've got housing court where people deal with issues with eviction and foreclosure."
States often fail to provide oversight over lower courts — a situation De la Mora knows about personally because he has been hired by families to interpret in civil court cases in his home state of Florida. "The [state] Supreme Court can make rules," he said, but it doesn't oversee how or whether they are implemented.
Gillian Dutton, an associate professor at the Seattle University School of Law, said providing interpreters for proceedings inside a courtroom is not enough.
"As judges and legal systems move towards alternatives to incarceration, these services which have increased are not always available to those with limited English proficiency," she said, pointing to parenting classes, community service, and other programs offered instead of prison time. "Outside of a courtroom it's not clear interpreters are always offered for these services, so sometimes people just aren't referred to them."
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Governor Preoccupied
By National Aspirations
Recently our absentee Governor, who has been spending more time running around the country campaigning than here at home running the state, made an interesting speech in New Hampshire.
In the beginning of the speech, he stated that every time Democrats were to mention something negative for the next seven months they should start the sentence with the word "Bush". Then he went on to list a few — Bush Deficits, Bush long wars, Bush unemployement, etc.
Well I thought it would be interesting to put a local spin on the O'Malley speech with a few of my own:
O'Malley record state spending;
O'Malley tax increases;
O'Malley fee increases;
O'Malley tuition increases;
O'Malley tax increases;
O'Malley dream act;
O'Malley same sex marriage bill;
O'Malley gas tax increase; and
O'Malley income tax increase
There could be a few more but I think that gets the point across.
Maybe while the Governor is out in Wisconsin campaigning in the recall election the people of Maryland could start one of our own.
This I doubt would ever happen but maybe that would be one way to keep our wandering governor at home.
Len Bender
Ocean City
Entitlement A Problem
Having a job for a long time can create a sense of entitlement and a belief that one is actually worth the salary received.
The employees of the Town of Ocean City are being prodded and brainwashed into thinking that they are in a position of possibly, in the future, being mistreated by their employer. The union push is pathetic and I hope that OC employees remain thinking and sensible.
Many town employees could probably not even get their own jobs today should come in off the street and apply. Most employees have been there for many years and for good reason. Their STEP raises and COLAs have come along dependably just because they showed up for work every day (except for paid holidays, paid personal leave days, paid sick days and paid vacation days) and performed their basic tasks. Their salaries and benefits cannot be had so easily in the private sector.
This divisive push by an outside union cannot serve the employees well. Consider this — should the highly paid (and by whom?) union reps decide that they can't accept the next contract, and employees strike see how quickly all of those jobs are filled by our large and unemployed population.
I am not a taxpayer in Ocean City, but I pay hefty property taxes in Worcester County. I am tired of working for the government and more tired when spoiled government employees whine and complain that it's just not enough.
D. Elliott
Wrong To Shift Blame
Mrs. Pillas is being disingenuous when she attempts to shift the blame for the closing of a small business from the four-member majority of the City Council to the small business. She attempts to shift the blame to the small business by saying that Island Cycles should have known that at least one in the four-member majority, some of whom are themselves small business owners, would not object to such a draconian measure, as the closure of a business.
It was my understanding that this year, if the business could devise an adequate substitute, that it would have the ensuing 12 months to attempt to comply with the more stringent regulations imposed by the four-member majority.
While the health and safety of Ocean City's residents and visitors is certainly important, there must be a limit. A balance must be struck.
For instance, would it not be adequate if the business creates complete written instructions, which must be given to every customer, who must signify that they have read and understood the instructions, coupled with an instruction video which the customer must also signify they have viewed and understood.
Surely, the collective minds of seven of our city's leaders can devise some compromise whereby the safety of our citizens and visitors is recognized and protected and a small business saved.
Peter Ayers Wimbrow, III
Ocean City
Remember Other Stores
Now that WalMart is open full bloom and everybody loves it, don't forget our Food Lions, Superfreshs and Save-A-Lots.
WalMart is set to bankrupt them. They are just hanging on now then WalMart prices will go up in my opinion.
Russ Bradford
West Ocean City


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Police in Providence pulled a man's body from the Providence River Tuesday, and authorities said it is "very possible" it is that of Sunil Tripathi, 22, a former Brown University student who has been missing since mid-March.
Providence police Lieutenant Joseph Donnelly said Tuesday night that "it's very, very possible" that the body could be Tripathi's, but added authorities will not know for sure until the medical examiner's office in Providence identifies the body Wednesday morning. Donnelly said Tripathi's family has not been notified of the body's recovery.
Donnelly said the body was found in the river behind the Wyndham Garden Providence Hotel around 6 p.m. The coach of Brown's rowing team, which practices in that area, saw the body floating in the water and called police, Donnelly said.
Tripathi was last seen in his apartment on Angell Street in Providence around 11 a.m. on March 16. An initial sweep of his room found his cellphone, credit card, ID, and other personal items, but his sister said his glasses and Philadelphia Eagles wool cap were gone.
The FBI has been assisting Providence police in the investigation, said a spokesman for the Boston division last month.
Jaclyn Reiss can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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About Closet FashionistaLoves to get bargains on clothes and is obsessed with Harry Potter and Disney. By day she is a freelance graphic and web designer. She also has a slight obsession with movies.
You can also find her on the web at her Harry Potter and Matthew Lewis fan sites.
11 comments:
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Fizz and Frosting
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Girlie Blog Seattle | Casual Clothes for Less
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xo Michelle
Fierce & Fashionable
These collections look sharp. I'm already excited for fall. Now if we can just get through this freezing winter!ReplyDelete
Drool...so much inspiration!ReplyDelete
Perfect inspiration for this upcoming season :)ReplyDelete
See you dear!
Love those pieces... all so fab! xoReplyDelete
LOVE all of these pieces! so cute! www.fashionifancy.comReplyDelete


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At Windham Technical High School we always have new and exciting educational experiences happening. Talented academic and technical teachers collaborate to develop applied and integrated lessons. This unique and rigorous curriculum prepares our graduates for immediate employment, entry into apprenticeship programs or admission into a two- or four-year college.
All ninth-grade students participate in the technical programs through the Exploratory Program. This exploratory experience provides the framework for their education in grades 10 – 12. Students take academic courses and career and technical education courses in rotating cycles. Each student graduates with a high school diploma and a certificate in their Career Technical Education area.


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Interface - Comunicação, Saúde, Educação
Print version ISSN 1414-3283
NUNES, Maria de Fátima; LELES, Cláudio Rodrigues; PEREIRA, Márcio Florentino and ALVES, Renata Tolêdo. The proposal of permanent education in the formation of dentists in std/hiv/aids.Translated byPhilip Sidney Pacheco Badiz. Interface (Botucatu) [online]. 2008, vol.4Selected edition, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1414-3283.
The objective of this work is to report the experience of the "Project for the formation of dentists as facilitators of Permanent Education in Health in the area of STD/HIV/AIDS" developed in partnerships with the National Program of STD/AIDS, the Technical Area of Oral Health of the Ministry of Health, Public Universities and Municipal and State Secretaries of Health. The objective of the program was to capacitate dentists of the public health system in Brazilian states and cities to provide integral and humanized attendance for people living with HIV/AIDS. The methodology of choice for the form of teams of facilitators was Permanent Education in Health through semi-presential courses focusing on the problematization of local and professional realities. Thus, seeking to construct a process of education to modify and reorient the hegemonic dental practice, strengthening the process of attendance and management and the partnerships, guaranteeing the sustainability of the actions in the states and cities.
Keywords : HIV; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Needs Assessment; Dentistry; Education Public Health Professional.


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「あと80分の命」 (Ato 80 Pun no Inochi)
"Eighty Minutes to Live"
It's these kinds of moments that really bring out the best in people. When there are lives on the line – when inaction could lead to the deaths of comrades – people discover a desire to go above and beyond what's normally required of them. This extends beyond Hibito's decision not to leave Damian behind, even though it would increase his own chances of survival. Hibito wouldn't be Hibito if he sacrificed another to save himself. It also extends to the entirety of NASA and JAXA, to Azuma suggesting sending out the drones to start the search, to Hoshika and his team's 3D map, to Mutta's suggestions based on his familiarity with his brother, and even to Eddie Jay's prayers when there's nothing else he can do to help. It's when everyone pulls together to try and solve these problems that magnificent things begin to happen, and it's a joy to see characters we haven't seen in a while reappear to join in.
Uchuu Kyoudai always manages to impress me in how no man is left behind, and not just in the sense of Hibito's attempts to save Damian. Even when it seems their role in the story is long over, characters will resurface to deliver lines and add to the impact of the scenes. It never feels like a throwaway cameo – never feels like these characters are just appearing for the sake of appearing – they always work extremely well and contribute something profound. Eddie Jay in particular is a good one. It must be extremely hard for him to face this after the loss of his own brother. He's one of the few people who can actually understand how Mutta feels at this point and it must be extremely frustrating to be unable to contribute anything tangible to the rescue effort.
With Claude rejecting Mutta's suggestion, things are left a little murkier than I was expecting. Uchuu Kyoudai sure loves its cliff-hangers! Had he agreed to send the crew to the exact location Hibito would be heading, it would be quite safe to make guesses as to how things would turn out. It would, in fact, be a little too perfect in the grand scheme of things – too many convenient coincidences in the choices made by NASA. Azuma's suggestion that they send out the oxygen generating drone is enough of a helpful coincidence. I'm almost positive that it will prove key in saving the day by providing Hibito with much needed oxygen before his reserves run out.
tl;dr: @MoombaDS – With all of NASA and JAXA working to save the astronauts, things begin to fall into place. #SpaceBros
Random thoughts:
- That dramatic fall, assisted by the moon's lower gravity, was almost worthy of something out of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure!
- With how frequently discussions of the flash and alien life are coming up, I can't imagine that it's not going to play a large role once these current events are ironed out.
- There was something rather touching in seeing how worried the crew (particularly Buddy) is about Hibito and Damian.
- The music towards the end of the episode was magnificent. Possibly one of the best cues I've heard in Uchuu Kyoudai to date in terms of how it fit the scene.
Full-length images: 19, 26, 27, 31, 34.


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At The Gufford Law Firm, P.A., our attorneys handle a broad range of legal issues. With 50 years of combined experience, our attorneys possess the knowledge necessary to help you achieve your goals.
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Contact The Gufford Law Firm, P.A.
Schedule a consultation with our attorneys by contacting our office in Stuart, Florida, at 772-221-1922 or 866-603-9936.


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Privacy, comfort and peace
Located in the departures commercial area, the ANA Lounge was designed for your comfort and wellbeing.
Hope to see you soon.
Discover the services
Enjoy tasty moments
The ANA Lounge offers a wide range of drinks, snacks and Portuguese products that appeal to all tastes.
- Coffees and teas - Assorted sandwiches - Sweet and savoury snacks - Fruits and yoghurts - Portuguese products and wines - Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
Everything you need to work
If you want to get some work done while you wait, here you have everything you need to work with comfort and efficiency.
- Workspaces - Computers with internet connection - Wi-Fi - Electronic device charging areas
A room dedicated to well-being
When you feel like having a moment of peace, this is the perfect place. Here you can do whatever you want: sit comfortably and look at the runway or simply enjoy a quiet moment. - Comfortable sofas with a privileged view of the runway.
Get to know what is happening in the world
While waiting for your flight, you can still keep abreast of the latest news. Here you will find the cable TV channels that tell you everything that is happening in the world.
And also...
To make sure you don't miss your flight, several flights information displays are available at the ANA Lounge.
Who can access the ANA Lounge?
All passengers are welcome at the ANA Lounge. The price per person is €36 (taxes included). However, for passengers travelling with adhering airlines and members of listed clubs, admission is free or a special member discount will apply.
Which are the adhering airlines?
- Air Europa - Air France - British Airways - Brussels Airlines - Ibéria / Airnostrum - KLM - Lufthansa - Luxair - Royal Air Maroc - SATA Internacional - Swiss - TAAG - TAP Portugal - Turkish Airlines
Which are the Member Cards accepted?
- Dragon Pass - Priority Pass - Dinner Club International


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2010 Tree
$ 100.00
Illustration originally created with pen and ink. This unframed canvas is shipped to you rolled inside a strong postal tube for greatest protection. A museum-grade matte poly cotton blend that is a performance leader in color gamut, and print permanence. Listed size is the face of the canvas, we add room for the wrap edge as well as 2" for stretching.


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Welcome! Since 1997, Dr. Vito L. Modugno and his well-trained staff has been working with patients to provide the best Oral and Maxillofacial care for patients in the Northern New Jersey area. Dr. Modugno's experience in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is coupled with genuine concern for his patients. Our entire staff is dedicated to your comfort and prompt attention as well. Our goal is to ensure the best possible health for your teeth, mouth and face.
This web site provides you with an overview of our practice and the field of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Our web site also provides you with background about our staff, office hours, insurance policies, appointment procedures, maps, directions to our offices in Totowa and Hawthorne and other useful information. We know how hectic life can be and are committed to making our practice convenient and accessible. We want you to feel confident that when you choose Valley Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, you are in the care of an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon that is qualified, experienced and compassionate to your well being.
We encourage you to visit this site whenever you have concern about tooth removal and other oral surgery.
Please take a few moments to look through this site to get a better feel for Valley Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery's capabilities and services. We also invite you to email or call our Totowa office at any time to request an appointment or ask any questions. Thank you.