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Originally Posted by BIGfnPOO: fellas i hit #13 and await my hoodie, i also await the hat still and when i gett hem, im going to make a youtube video wearing them in las vegas at the wsop! hurrah hurrah Louis rizzo,look at me now maw!
Congrats, Poo. Make Sure you shout out to The 25 Dime Club. We were pulling for you!
Originally Posted by smoothd20: We would be remiss if we didn't mention the reason for this day. Let's not forget those who paid the ultimate price for us to be able to enjoy this life in this great country of ours. We also should continue to pray and remember those who continue to honor us with their daily duty in Afghanistan. My oldest son is still in Afghanistan and doing fine. Thank you to all the fine troops that serve the United States of America!
Much Respect.
Crush,yes im a vampire.Went to bed this morning as sun came up,lol.
Liked 2H Over in spurs,but stations had it 103.5,a full point higher than anyone else,typical. It still hit on the harden miracle.I didnt bet it.


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Saturday, December 08, 2007
Christmas Cookies- Snowflakes Are In For 2007
I have quite a few cookie cutters including Christmas designs. One continuing theme for holidays which kept popping up was the snowflake. As it would be, I had a couple of cutters which I could adapt to a snowflake but none which really shouted "Snowflake". I don't need very much prompting to get me to purchase anything related to kitchen gadgets so voila, I now have three more cookie cutters- two snowflakes and one bell.
Much of my time this week (except for those hours spent at my day job) has been doing what I love to do- decorating sugar cookies. I stuck with my No Fail Sugar Cookie recipe. Why change it is a great recipe. I cut out primarily snowflakes but also added a few snowmen, Christmas trees and Christmas bells.
I was very happy with all the designs except for the Christmas bells. For some reason the red royal icing didn't cooperate with me and the result was ok but not great. The snowflakes were wonderful. You can see more of the collection at my Flickr site.
Last year I used the decorated sugar cookies as ornaments on my Christmas tree.
I stored some of the cookies from that 2006 tree in an airtight container. I was amazed when I opened the jar today and found the cookies looked just like they did last year. Now I wouldn't eat a one year old cookie, but as an ornament it is really nice. How versatile that no fail recipe is. My 2007 Christmas tree is decorated with a combination of last year's ornaments and this year's designs.
Visit FoodBlogga for an array of Christmas Cookies submitted to the Eat Christmas Cookies 2007 Event.
FoodTV Cookie Gallery
FoodTV Cookie Gallery 2
5 comments:
- Mrs. W said...
Absolutely gorgeous cookies.
- Moon said...
As always, so talented with the cookie decor. I'm thinking of starting mine this week. Do you freeze them at all to keep them fresh?
- Sylvie said...
I hope the food police do not come after me, but no, I'm not going to freeze these. I find that this is a hardy recipe and tastes very good even after a few weeks. I was surprised that the ones I stored from last year still look perfect with no mold, flaking, or color fading. I wouldn't eat the year old ones but to decorate my tree they are fine.
- Susan from Food Blogga said...
Hi Sylvie,
What an ingenious idea to decorate the tree. You know, you should submit that idea to Michelle of Scribbit who is looking for craft ideas for December. Email me if you'd like more info. on it.
Thank you so much for submitting these cookies to Eat Christmas Cookies. They are decorated so beautifully, especially those eye-catching blue snowflakes! -Susan
hello sylvie
thanks again for the yummy cookies
im the lucky person that gets to sample these yummy cookies at work
if can you to can be a lucky one and come work for sylvie

subset: commoncrawl


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It includes tributes to Jim Karn, Brock Olson.
Crookston native Tim Madigan's latest book, released this week, takes a wider view of the world and his existence in it than his most recent work that focused closely on his relationship with and life lessons he learned from the late Fred Rogers, known for his iconic television show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Madigan's new book is entitled, "A Life Among Humans: Stories from my Journey as a Journalist, and a Man."
The book is a collection of his Fort Worth Star-Telegram stories and essays, Madigan told the Times. "I write about Fred Rogers and another friend of mine, piano legend Van Cliburn," he explained. "Others concern real-life dramas and other inspiring individuals who have come my way over a 30-year career in this business."
The book has a local flavor as well, he stressed, dating back to his youth in Crookston.
"I'm also really happy to include stories about Crookston – a fond remembrance of Chet's Place, my hangout when I was growing up, and a tribute to Jim Karn written shortly after he died," Madigan said. "A short story in the book is dedicated to the memory of Brock Olson, son of Marshall and Vicki.
"So yes, it has a definite Crookston flavor; so much of my work over the years has been inspired or somehow informed by that place," he continued.
The book is available in paperback and for the Kindle at Amazon.com. Find the Kindle version at http://amzn.to/ZX2njw and the paperback version at http://amzn.to/10liirL


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I just read an article from Texas A&M about stress — you know, that force in our lives that, regardless of how good we might feel, pops up every once in a while to remind us that we are not as in charge as we thought we were.
Happens every time a deadline catches me with stories still to be written, pictures still to be shot and copy still to be edited. Like today.
But sometimes that's positive stress. It gets me moving, gets what passes for creative juices flowing in my brain and makes my fingers fly over the keyboard, pounding out rare words of wisdom. Well, that's the theory, anyhow.
Then there is bad stress. Problems pop up that are way beyond my control. Children driving cars, a baby sick in the wee hours of the morning, pink slips slid under the door the day you learn your homeowners insurance just went up.
I always imagined doctors probably had the most stressful jobs around. If they make mistakes, their clients stand to lose more than a bit of skin off their noses. Air traffic controllers, I've heard, also place high on the list and understandably so. If they screw up, planes fall from the sky.
But I'd put farm families up there as well. I can't think of too many things more stressful than waking in the middle of the night to the sounds of high wind and hail and realizing that the million-dollar investment in cotton seed that had just poked out of the ground is being turned into slaw.
Appropriate action might include screaming into the storm since sleep would be pretty much out of the question.
Watching crops and rangeland dry up after weeks of relentless heat and dry weather also comes to mind as a key stress factor.
I would imagine that farm families, especially over the past two decades, have suffered more than their fair share of stress. They've been battered by weather, beleaguered by low prices and bedeviled by government programs that come just short of providing adequate assistance.
Most times, folks get over stressful situations. Sometimes they don't, if the stresses remain unresolved. And bad stress that just hangs on can lead to serious health problems, says Carol Rice, Texas Cooperative Extension health specialist. She recommends watching for signs such as:
Emotional: Irritability or aggressiveness, fear or anxiousness, unstable emotions, impulsiveness, fatigue and inability to concentrate.
Behavioral: Too much use of alcohol, tobacco or drugs; increased TV watching; too much sleep or not enough; too much eating or not enough; nervous motions such as foot tapping; and sexual problems.
Physical: Racing heart, trembling, teeth grinding, excessive perspiration, digestive problems, stiff neck or shoulder muscles, tension headaches, allergy or asthma attacks, frequent colds or low-grade infections and skin problems such as hives.
So what's the solution? Rice says folks can't solve all the world's problems, and the world has quite a few at the moment, but most of us can take some control over what stresses us personally.
Physical activity helps. That may be what keeps farmers sane. At least when they get hailed out they have the option of crawling back on the tractor and replanting. They sometimes can haul water to thirsty cattle or they can sell off the herd. Either of those options comes with some financial loss but being a part of a solution has to ease the feelings of helplessness that feed stress and moves it into depression.
Rice also recommends a break. "Taking time for yourself can help relieve stress and refresh you so you can accomplish more," she says.
And talking about the problem may at least get it off your chest, out in the open where, in the light of day, perhaps it's not quite as ugly as it seemed. And, who knows, someone may offer a solution.
Don't hide. Rice says social support makes a big difference. Family, friends, a minister, the guys at the café sipping coffee and telling lies in the morning may all serve as relief valves. Isolation, Rice says, becomes an enemy. And stay away from negative people; they drain you.
"ACCENTUATE the positive," as the old song goes. Stop thinking negatively, Rice says. She says crying might help, too, but I don't like to think about farmers crying, so don't tell me about it.
The point is, agriculture, as well as our nation and our world, has been hit with too many calamities in the past few years. We live in troubling times, but that doesn't mean we succumb to the doomsayers and Chicken Littles' of the world. The sky may in fact look dark, but I see scant evidence that it's falling.
Have a nice day.


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Mon, 03 January 2011 at 2:45 am
Selena Gomez & Justin Bieber: Kiss Kiss!
Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber were spotted sharing a romantic kiss aboard a private yacht over the New Year's weekend while vacationing in the Caribbean.
Justin, 16, and Selena, 18, couldn't keep their hands off of each other while they spent time with friends celebrating the new year.
Justin recently kept mum when asked about their relationship, but he told a radio station that he thought Selena was an "amazing person."
Check out the photos at Bauergriffinonline!
Just Jared on Facebook
Credit: Nikolov/Daly; Photos: WENN Posted to: Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez
Sponsored Links by ZergNet


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Beech Prime 280mm Engineered Parquet Block - Herringbone
£ m2 inc VAT£ m2 ex VAT
per pack: £25.25 inc VAT£21.04 ex VAT ( 0.39 m2 )
Availability: In Stock
Light Natural coloured Beech Parquet Flooring In the Vanguard Parquet Range, that has a Unfinished Finish with a Natural Surface and is 13mm Thick and 70mm Wide.
PQT051 Beech Prime 280mm Engineered Parquet Block - Herringbone is unfinished. It is both rich and distinctive, the texture, clean character and grain of the wood with little blemish is enhanced once either oiled or lacquered once installed
Milled to same visual dimensions of a solid blocks with the stability and durability of being enginnered and suitable for underfloor heating.
Parquet block floors are about a bespoke floor that can combine different styles and finishes that is oozes your personal taste
- Unfinished
- Square Edged
- Prime
- Engineered
- Tongue & Groove
- 13mm x 70mm x 280mm
- 0.39m2 coverage per pack
The most popular type of pattern found in UK properties for parquet block hardwood flooring is Herringbone and commonly found in many homes and buildings which are applied in a single or double format with a double boarder.
Patterns that can be applied to parquet block floors are:
- Diagonal Herringbone
- Single Herringbone
- Double Herringbone
- Triple Basket Weave
- Dutch Basket
- Brick
NOTE: Due to species this product is produced to order with a lead time up to 6 weeks unless otherwise advised upon order being placed
|Prime (AB)
|Underfloor Heating:
|Fix Down
Maintaining a real wood Floor is essential to ensure the sense of richness, warmth and natural beauty, maintaining a real wood floor you will gradually get to know its distinct personality and visual harmonies in your home.
Proper use of vacuuming, sweeping, and spray mopping is usually all that is required to maintain the cleanliness and appearance of a wood floor, like all floors, excessive grit and foot traffic will affect appearance.
Lacquered floors
The use of quality branded wood floor Cleaners/cleaning kits is essential for the up-keep, durability of lacquered wood floors, so don't be fooled by cheap supermarket cleaners as some products can be harmful to the surface finish.
Never use oil/wax soaps should not be used to clean wood floors, we suggest the use of leading branded cleaning and maintenance products from Bona, Marldon and Osmo
Oiled and Hardwaxed floors
Oiled and Hardwax treated real wood floors require more up-keep and it essential to use the appropriate maintenance kits and fluids on a regular schedule which are developed by manufacturers who truly understand wood floors so never opt for the more economical option or settle for unbranded aftermarket products use brands like Marldon, Osmo, WOCA and Bona
While every effort will be made to ensure that all items shown are in stock we offer no guarantee of availability and this electronic publication does not constitute an offer for sale. Goods delivered will normally arrive between 8am and 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. You are able to supply your preferred delivery day in the shopping cart, when you purchase your choice of products. We will then contact you to confirm if this date is possible, or to arrange an alternate date that is convenient for you.
Orders are dispatched from supplier stock with a minimum lead time of 3 working days. Next day delivery can be arranged if needed. If and where next day (via phone service) delivery has been agreed orders must be placed and full payment cleared before 10am. We cannot offer next day deliveries for orders placed over the weekend or bank holidays. All next day delivers are subject to stock. Charges for delivery may be based on post code location and also the weight of the product of which information is available from the sales team on 0845 293 9374.When Your Order Arrives
When your order arrives, you want to be sure the quantities match what you ordered. To guarantee customer satisfaction, please make note of the following when receiving your order: Visually inspect the condition and entirety of your delivery, make sure to note missing items or damaged materials. The order confirmation email you received lists all the materials and quantities you ordered.Do I need to make any special arrangements for delivery?
Yes. Delivery of your wood flooring is direct by a lorry. There needs to be suitable access to your property. If, for example, there are restrictions to the entry of your property or timing restrictions, please let us know. We will make your delivery as close to your property as possible.
Please note: We only offer 'curb-side' delivery service - our courier/s is not insured to carry the delivery into your property; therefore you need to arrange for at least two able-bodied people to be at home in order to receive your order.


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It is possible that the main title of the report Graft versus Host Disease is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.
Graft versus Host Disease (GVHD) is a rare disorder that can strike persons whose immune system is deficient or suppressed and who have received a bone marrow transplant or a nonirradiated blood transfusion. Symptoms may include skin rash, intestinal problems and liver dysfunction.
Caitlin Raymond International Registry
UMASS Memorial Medical Center
55 Lake Avenue
Worcester, MA 01655
Tel: (508)334-8969
Fax: (508)334-8972
Tel: (800)726-2824
Email: email@example.com
Internet: http://www.crir.org
NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
P.O. Box 30105
Bethesda, MD 20892-0105
Tel: (301)592-8573
Fax: (301)251-1223
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/
Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
PO Box 8126
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8126
Tel: (301)251-4925
Fax: (301)251-4911
Tel: (888)205-2311
Email: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/EmailForm.aspx
Internet: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD
Locks of Love
234 Southern Blvd.
West Palm Beach, FL 33405-3099
Tel: (561)833-7332
Fax: (561)833-7962
Tel: (888)896-1588
Email: email@example.com
Internet: http://www.locksoflove.org
Autoimmune Information Network, Inc
PO Box 4121
Brick, NJ 08723
Tel: (732)664-9259
Fax: (732)543-7285
Email: email@example.com
Internet: http://www.aininc.org
European Society for Immunodeficiencies
1-3 rue de Chantepoulet
Geneva, CH 1211
Tel: +31 73-6992965
Fax: +41 22 906 91 40
Email: email@example.com
Internet: http://www.esid.org
This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html
The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.
It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report
This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.
For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email firstname.lastname@example.com
Last Updated: 1/14/2009
Copyright 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.


text:
If you need assistance resetting your password, please call 505-923-5590 or 866-861-7444.
Access to your health information, find a doctor, schedule a video visit, and more!
Pay a doctor, hospital or ambulance bill securely, without registering, using Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express.
Welcome New Members: To make a payment before your effective date, call us at 505-923-5150, Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm.
Current Members: Pay securely, without registering, with a Visa, Mastercard or Discover.


text:
Steering Your Event to Success
"Technology is terrific! It has made communication immediate, convenient and comprehensive. Yet, organizations... are still pouring resources into meetings and events that bring people together. Nothing replaces the experience of hearing a powerful presentation or exchanging ideas face to face."
Article continued.
Stay within your budget
When you give us your budget, we'll stick to it. We'll research venues and suggest locations that meet your requirements. When you select the location that best fits your needs, we'll handle contract negotiations and submit a Request For Proposal.
Easy registration
Take advantage of a complete online and 800# registration service. Attendees can pay via check or major credit card.
Communicate with attendees
You'll have real-time access to your roster and the ability to email participants at any time.
Contact Us
5120 Prescott Avenue
Lincoln, Nebraska 68506
Phone: 800-732-7587
Fax: 402-486-8819


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Student growth rating for teachers based on learning objectives
This story is the second in a three-part series on the continuing development of South Dakota's model teacher effectiveness system.
Beginning in the 2014-15 school year, South Dakota public school districts will be required to have a teacher effectiveness system in place. Under the model system developed by South Dakota's Commission on Teaching and Learning (CTL), teachers will receive both a professional practice rating and a student growth rating, which are combined into one summative rating. Districts will have the flexibility to use their own systems of evaluation, as long as they can demonstrate alignment to this model.
The professional practice rating is based on the state's professional teaching standards known as the South Dakota Framework for Teaching (i.e. Charlotte Danielson model). The teaching standards include 22 components grouped into four domains: 1) Planning and Preparation, 2) Classroom Environment, 3) Instruction, 4) Professional Responsibilities.
When it comes to the student growth rating, the model system relies on student learning objectives.
"While many schools are familiar with the standards for professional practice, the concept of using student learning objectives, or SLOs, in the evaluation process is a new one," said Abby Javurek-Humig, director of assessment and accountability for the South Dakota Department of Education.
A student learning objective is a teacher-driven goal or set of goals that establishes expectations for student academic growth over a period of time. These specific, measurable student learning goals are based on student learning needs and aligned to applicable standards. SLOs reflect a rigorous, yet realistic expectation of student growth that can be achieved during a given instructional period. SLOs must be approved by the principal. Under the model system, teachers are required to develop a single SLO based on the critical learning needs of students in a particular class or course.
For example:
• A second-grade teacher responsible for teaching multiple content areas only needs to create one SLO for one of those content areas.
• A physical education teacher who teaches multiple classes and even multiple grade levels is only required to create one SLO for one class in one grade level.
• A high school math and science teacher need only create one SLO for one class in one content area.
Under the model system, a teacher's student growth rating is based on a percentage of SLO attainment. A Low Growth rating indicates that a teacher's SLOs were less than 65 percent attained. An Expected Growth rating indicates a teacher's SLOs were 65 to 85 percent attained, and a High Growth rating indicates a teacher's SLOs were 86 to 100 percent attained.
At Fred Assam Elementary, a pilot school in the Brandon Valley School District, teachers and students are excited about SLOs. Some teachers, like Missy Livingston, write the SLO on the board, so students are well aware of the goal they're working towards.
Livingston teaches second grade and says that the process of developing SLOs has presented a great opportunity for collaboration. She and her fellow second grade teachers chose to develop a grade-level goal. The goal is still unique to each teacher's students because each second grade class has a slightly different starting point, as determined in this case, by DIBELS scores. Developing a grade-level goal is one option, but teachers can also develop SLOs individually.
"This process encouraged us to work together and figure out a focus for the year," said Livingston. "We brainstormed about what content area to emphasize, looked at the data, and decided that this goal would really help our students develop a strong foundation in addition and subtraction."
Livingston and her colleagues know that foundation will be essential when these second graders move on to third grade and delve deeper into multiplication.
"I've heard students say, 'I really think I did better today,'" says Principal Susan Foster. "Students are taking ownership and that is exciting. This whole process, digging down into the data, really looking for that area of student need, is keeping us focused."
While teachers and administrators were initially apprehensive, Foster says that piloting the teacher effectiveness system has done a great deal to help them see how all the pieces fit together: the Danielson Framework, evaluation, and SLOs.
Livingston agrees: "It's been a pretty easy transition overall. We've had a lot of support from administration in developing the goals and working to obtain them."


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After logging in to the HTS main page (with the form with id 'loginform' that posts to '/user/login'), an error is being displayed about a missing gif image:
OK, that's the last time we let you drive.
The requested URL /retired.gif was not found on this server.
Click here to go back to the last page.
This happens every now and then, not on every attempt.


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MEA Loses Court Battle
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upholds Michigan law; school districts do not have to do union's work in collecting dues
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Ted O'Neil
Media Relations Manager
MIDLAND — The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that Michigan Public Act 53 of 2012 is constitutional, meaning that most public school districts no longer have to spend taxpayer dollars to collect union dues.
The Michigan Education Association filed suit to block the measure just weeks after it was signed into law.
"As a result of this decision, a school district does not have to collect dues or fees for any collective bargaining agreement that was entered into, extended or renewed after March 20, 2012," said Patrick J. Wright, director of the Mackinac Center Legal Foundation. "Any such deductions should stop immediately."
Despite Michigan becoming a right-to-work state on March 28, currently most teachers must still pay union dues or agency fees unless they resign their union membership during a narrow window in August. MEA President Steve Cook has already said the union will use "any legal means at our disposal" to fight the union's own members who wish to embrace their worker freedom rights.
"This decision rightfully recognizes that government should not be a collection agency for a private organization," said Labor Policy Director F. Vincent Vernuccio. "While this law is a good start, it only applies to school districts but should be broadened to include all government employers."
This is the MEA's second legal failure related to paycheck deductions. In 2011, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled against the union in upholding a state law that said school districts could not deduct PAC money from teachers' paychecks and forward that money to the union.
# # # # #


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Wonder by R.J. Palacio: This book came into my life like a freight train of emotion and steamrolled over everything else I was doing. Auggie is starting fifth grade after being homeschooled for the previous five years: he has extreme facial deformities that make going out in public an almost unbearable trial. Everywhere he goes, people stare at him and whisper to each other. Auggie almost always notices, and wants so very much just to be normal. Inside, he's as normal as any bright ten year old can be – he adores Star Wars, he likes to play Halo, he's read all the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, and Halloween is his favorite holiday (since everyone is wearing a mask, he can too, and goes around just like a truly normal kid).
But Wonder isn't just about Auggie, though he's the main character. This is one of the few children's novels I've seen that uses more than one narrator, and it's surprisingly effective. Palacio doesn't get carried away trying to make each narrator sound distinct (which would complicate matters for young readers): she uses a similar voice for each of the six viewpoint characters, letting their experiences and their emotions differentiate between them rather than her writing style.
This is a happy-sad book. Some moments will stab at you and make you weep, but overall you'll feel rewarded and uplifted and most of all lucky: lucky to have met August, a character of such everyday bravery that you won't soon forget him, lucky not to have the cascade of medical afflictions that have made him so remarkable, and lucky to have this beautiful book as a reminder to always be a little more kind than is necessary.


text:
42 U.S. Code § 7671n - Authority of Administrator
§ 7671n.
Authority of Administrator
If, in the Administrator's judgment, any substance, practice, process, or activity may reasonably be anticipated to affect the stratosphere, especially ozone in the stratosphere, and such effect may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare, the Administrator shall promptly promulgate regulations respecting the control of such substance, practice, process, or activity, and shall submit notice of the proposal and promulgation of such regulation to the Congress.
(July 14, 1955, ch. 360, title VI, § 615, as added Pub. L. 101–549, title VI, § 602(a), Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2669.)
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


text:
Welcome To This Exclusive 10k+ Sqft Residence I...
16 Evergreen Way, Old Brookville
- 6 Beds
- 8 Baths
- 6.2 Acres
- 10,200 sqft
School District: North Shore
Welcome To This Exclusive 10k+ Sqft Residence In The Prestigious And Private Estates At Green Fields. Premier Location On 6.2 Acres. Dramatic Entry Foyer With Soaring Ceilings And Double Bridal Staircase. Highest Quality Material Throughout With Impeccable ...


text:
From: Donovan Derr via Facebook
I am a new genealogist living in Newport, PA. I have received a bunch of files from my mother who has traced our family tree for some years and collected many things. But it is all unorganized and most of it is unsourced. I am looking for a mentor of sorts in my area to help me go thru it and get it organized and find out the missing parts and get a good start to trace my family history.
Your first FB response was from Jackie Fry who wrote: "All I can say is start by sorting through what your mother collected and separate it into piles, vital records, birth, marriage, death and the like. Then go through each pile and find names of relatives that go together. If she had pedigree charts use those as a guide when going through the vital records. That's how I would do it anyway."
GREAT advice, Jackie!
Donovan, once you get your mother's compiled genealogy "organized" as Jackie recommends, you may wish to:
1. Join a local genealogy society to find out more about how to do research. The Pennsylvania GenWeb, part of the USGenWeb Project will have listings in your region.
2. Check with local adult ed classes to see if genealogy courses are offered.
3. Attend free, but very worthwhile online classes at FamilySearch.org, and participate in genealogy webinars to improve your research skills.
4. Hire a professional researcher with expertise in the area where your ancestors once lived. Experienced genealogists can map out a suggested research plan, or can do the research for you. Such a professional will be familiar with record groups that have survived since your ancestors lived in a specific locality. You can look to the following organizations for suggestions of professional researchers:
- Association of Professional Genealogists
- Board for Certification of Genealogists
- International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists
Myrt :)
Your friend in genealogy.


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I back up my photos like all other data...external hard drives. CD's don't compare to a 400 hard drive.
Please comment briefly on your approach to digital image organization.
I have a main working drive, a backup drive for storing RAW files, and burn them to CD as well. You can never have too much backup. And for gods sake, dont delete your RAW files after you work through the images...equivilant to cutting up your negatives. Only point that out as I have heard of a couple of photographers doing just that.
1. After shooting I download to hard drive. 2. I immediately copy RAW unedited files to two DVDs and send one DVD offsite. 3. Now if I need to use the CF card, I can format it for the next job or just leave it on the card for additional safety. 4. At this point I have one set of files on the hard drive, one DVD on site, and one DVD off site.
I not only keep them on my desktop hard drive and CDs, but I also have an external hard drive that I keep the originals on. I've gone as far as keeping original work from a trip, on my laptop until my next trip, just in case. If I pick a few to print, after a little "tweaking", I'll back them up a couple of times too.
I keep all photos on a second physical hard drive (D:) since the primary (C:) drive generally has more problems requiring reformatting. Every year or so I buy a new hard drive (double the size; same price) and copy EVERYTHING from the old D: drive to the new one. I then take the old drive and put it in the safe with all of the photos still on it. That way everything old is available, yet backed up in a secure location should the worst happen.
I have a second external hard drive which I copy my photos onto. When a group of files is large enough to fill a dvd, I burn a dvd and store it safely. My computer hard drive crashed and I didn't lose anything.
My primary organizer is ACDsee. The images are rated and sorted by format. Once they have been sorted and worked over (as required), all the files are backed up to DVD-RAM or archived to DVD-ROM. ACDsee allows searching of off-line media for quick reference.
Once they are backed up to CDs, I back them up to an external hard drive. I keep buying additional hard drives as they fill up. I once read that the only device that we still use since we went digital is the hard drive. The first ones still can be used. 5 1/2" Floppy is gone, CD's will phase out to DVDs, but we will still be using hard drives.
I make a named file and save the pictures to that file. I then save it to a CD. When everything is done I save My whole project to A couple of DVD disks.All finished photo's and all of the out of camera files are always dated named and most important is they are always kept together.
I'm getting used to Adobe Bridge and rating my images as well as adding keywords for searches. Will also be purchased an external hard drive at some point for backup. Also faithfully burn to DVDs and keep them in cataloged albums.
I manage my collection utilizing iMatch, it's extremely powerful and I would be lost without it. I copy all my captures from card to one of my hard drives in my system (seperate from the operating system), once a week I back up to an external hard drive (also managed by iMatch). Once a collection of photo's is two year's old (2003) I back that year up to DVD-RAM and remove it from the hard drive in my system.
I couldn't imagine doing without the Organizier that comes with Photoshop Elements 4. I edit my RAW files with Nikon Capture 4.x, export them to tiff and then have Elements convert them to PSD and drop them into the organizer. They stay there as I switch back and forth between the organizer and the editor. I can do pretty much everything I want from organizing, editing, exporting, and even printing from within Elements 4. What more can you ask for?
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NEWMARKET — A 29-year-old woman is facing multiple charges after allegedly leaving her children locked outside their apartment and then later found to be in possession of heroin.
According to police, Nicole Fahey, of 33 Elm St., Apt. 3, was arrested Jan 28 on a warrant charging her with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of possession of heroin after a neighbor reported to police that two young children were outside for more than an hour in "subfreezing" temperatures with their mother nowhere to be found.
According to statements from Lt. Kyle True reported in an Exeter-Newsletter article, the youths, ages 6 and 10, had returned home from school on Friday, Jan. 18 via the bus and were then left locked outside of the apartment.
A neighbor reported hearing the children crying, he said.
"They were alone and they were not dressed for the weather," True is reported as saying during an interview with the Seacoast Media Group publication Thursday.
According to police, Fahey was located "via telephone" about an hour after police arrived on scene, When police entered the residence, he said they found heroin and other drug paraphernalia in plain view.
This incident, along with a few recent ones involving people breaking into homes in the town stealing items in order to pawn them for heroin money, True told the Exeter-Newsletter, "proves there's been an uptick in the use of heroin in town."
In nearby Portsmouth, Jennifer Landry, 41, formerly of 309 Oriental Gardens, was arraigned Jan. 7 for allegedly selling heroin to 22-year-old Sveltlana Filippenko in November who fatally overdosed after ingesting the lethal drug. Landry could face life in prison for the sale of a drug with death resulting.
Fahey has been released on $1,000 personal recognizance bail and is scheduled to appear in court March 5 at Brentwood Circuit Court.
The children remain in Fahey's custody, according to the Newsletter article, though police report having notified additional authorities including the state Division of Children, Youth and Families, who are said to be working with the family.


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Yoda_LoA Colossus Legends of America Tuesday 03/07/2012, 14:32
Clint City Olympics 2012
The Clint City Olympics 2012 will begin at 27.07.2012 and end at 03.10.2012!
Everyone can participate for our community. You have to achieve the Olympic Games qualifying standards (four requirements) during the period from 10.07 to 24.07.
For details to the qualification please check – Clint City Olympics 2012 – Qualification - EN -- or the file: http://www.scribd.com/doc/98851856/Clint-City-Olympics-2012-file
There will be no entrance fee, no minimum level and no minimum rank.
Clint City Olympics 2012
Preliminary round:
Prizes for the Top 3 of each athletic discipline
gold medal --> Robb Cr
silver medal --> Edd Cr
bronze medal --> Wee Lee
Main round:
Prizes for the Top 3 of the modern pentathlon
gold medal --> Lamar Cr
silver medal --> Tanaereva Cr
bronze medal --> Caelus Cr
Final round:
Prizes for the Top 3 of the 100 m sprint
gold medal --> Kiki Cr
silver medal --> Marlysa Cr
bronze medal --> Vickie Cr
Prizes for the best community:
Each olympic athlete Jane Ramba Cr
Preliminary round (27.07.2012 – 10.08.2012)
- 8 Subevents with different athletic disciplines (archery, boxing, sailing, gymnastics, 50 km racewalking, wrestling, 400 m hurdles, tennis)
- Play against 5 opponents in each category in 1 winning battle
- The points of all athletic disciplines will be added up without any other weighting
- The best 48 players will pass to the main round
Main round (13.08.2012 – 17.09.2012)
- modern pentathlon in 5 phases:
1. Fencing
2. 200 m freestyle swimming
3. show jumping
4. 3 km cross-country run
5. pistol shooting
- 1 week for each round
- The Points of the five modern pentathlon disciplines will be added up without any other weighting
- The best 8 players will pass to the final round
- After each phase the 8 player with the lowest score will be eliminated
Final round (20.09.2012 – 03.10.2012)
- 100 m sprint with the best 8 players
- Format: double-stage draft elo
In each discipline you can win gold, silver or bronze medal for you and your community! There will be a medal table after the final and the best community will win 20x Jane Ramba Cr.
All other information (deck types, general rules,&hellip you can find in the following file: http://www.scribd.com/doc/98851856/Clint-City-Olympics-2012-file "
Razor Wan Hero Perfect Defect Effect Monday 09/07/2012, 13:05
Lol i think i would stand a better chance if the events are real rather than on our cards
Immortal Hero Master Forbidden Legends Monday 09/07/2012, 13:28
Ohhh yeah I came back as soon as I heard about this I better prepare my deck for this because I plan on winning
FORTUNA_m4x4 Guru ELITE_LTU Monday 09/07/2012, 13:50
borkstation Hero THE EXPLOSIVE ELITE Monday 09/07/2012, 14:08
What, no team USA? What kind of olympics is this? Basically if you're not in wester europe you can't play?
TSP_Luffy Hero The Strawhat Pirates Monday 09/07/2012, 14:32
Gum Gum Jet Baazzoooooookkaaa!!!
ur-starboy Guru Monday 09/07/2012, 17:05
This is going to good
ElitePow Imperator New VisioN Monday 09/07/2012, 20:50
I wonder how many of the current players managed to det 500 points in deathmatch... Seems to be the hardest part of the qualifying requirements...
deatheagle8765 Veteran Monday 09/07/2012, 21:24
I'll take the prize for 3rd modern pentathlon..... in my dreams
Chicken_Burner Imperator Great White North Monday 09/07/2012, 21:41
No North American event.... pretty big hole considering how many players are from Canada, Mexico and USA.....
GWN smugling Guru Monday 09/07/2012, 23:57
I don't think it matters if you open it up to anyone though. not many lower ranks will actually achieve the qualifications unless they have guild mates who would donate or if they're willing to spend quite a few bucks on this game.


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Zero Punctuation: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
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i was expecting him to talk more about the Blood on the screen which i find idiotic, haven't they found a more subtle way of letting you know you are being shot at? like for instance, NOTHING; cause that's what that blood really is, a punch in the face letting you know you've been shot gravely, WELL you can see that by looking at your HP, you don't need your screen flooded with Strawberry Juice like you are some kind of a retarded one winged bat and can't see that your HP has changed. What.. he got shot in the leg and then took some blood from the wound and rubbed it on his eyes? and he had to be pretty fast to do that, seeing that there is no animation in the game to suggest it. But then again, i think they implemented that feature just to catch your attention, they realized the game has nothing new to offer, to glue your eyes to the screen, and so they throw with tomatoes at you. I personally don't feel comfortable playing a game that throws tomatoes at me.
All in all i enjoyed the review as i enjoyed all of them, and have to agree that Co-op can sometimes be fun, depending mostly of how capable/incapable your friend is, as for the graphics, i don't really care much for them.
NOTE: this post should not be taken as an instigator of violence towards the game, but as an opinion of one, "probably two?" visitor(s?), and lately user(s?), of this website and it's forums.
Then make your own game!
And as far as i can tell that was a attempt at being funny. You failed.
And then MW4: Soap of the Patriots
This review was pretty good, I had my doubts about the campaign and I really think Yahtzee really nailed it when he commented on how the staff really didn't think the first game would be as successful as it was.
MW2 is sort've like Halo. People will buy it for the multiplayer, completely uninterested in the campaign at all. I think it's knowing this that's making developers get more and more lazy about making a decent campaign mode.
I'm afraid they cut out the part where he says MW2 is exactly like COD4 - just with a mission where you can shoot civilians. Seriously though, if I were a video game critic of an independent mind set, I'd really point out things like this, as companies like Activision basically aim for franchises they can milk out this way. He did that with Halo; so is it needless to mention that MW2 also is a complete rewind of COD4, or what?
Mostly because it's the latest installment in a series that prides itself on realism.
Okay, if somebody complained that say, Turok, was unrealistic, I'd agree with you. But Call of Duty has had 5 more-or-less historically accurate (for a given value of 'accurate') WWII shooters, and the Call of Duty 4's story was at least plausable
Tell me, how do you show 'pain' in a medium where the only feedback is sound, vision and a vibrating controller (that can be turned off, and will be if the controller vibrates more then the player likes).
Personally, I love the game but I hate the *@$*ing lag. Australian here, I don't mind non-dedicated servers, I've been a concole gamer for the majority of the last few years but atleast have a better form of sorting, give us the option of "only look for matches in your country" or something else so us Aussies (and others around the world) arn't forced to play with international hosts averaging a red bar on most matches (yellow if lucky, and no before 'its your internet connection dood!' comes out, I've played private matches with friends when they are online and we all end up with perfect green)
My dad was gonna get this game, then decided against it. It was refreshing to see a review on the actual single player campaign as just mainly focussing on the multiplayer which is what every other review seemed to go on about (even though I am well aware that that is the main reason people were interested in the game), which isn't helpful if you don't play online like me. Great review as always.
I would make the player walk slower, maybe limp, increase his breath(sound) and also making it so that you can hear his heartbeat, and the environment sound to get a little "blurry"(yes, blurry sound), almost as if you are listening trough a plastic bag, and maybe darken a little the screen, going from almost black on the sides to clear in the middle of the screen(a gradient if you will) and make the screen blur/clear about 3 times until your HP has regenerated past the trigger for the "crippling", and also i would lower the accuracy, and this way you will also be able to see and maybe "kill" someone if he gets too close while you are regenerating behind a fridge.
Well I think MW2 was good by its own merits but it sucks compared to all the ridiculous hype its been riding since its announcement. Also, I think the campaign was just there so IW could have a legitimate reason to make a MW3 when the only reason they're really doing it is so they can kill their own franchise and make a yachtfull more money.
Could this be the bloodiest ZP Yahtzee's ever made?
so we are gonna pretend that world in conflict never happened
well, i am really only getting this game for the multiplayer anyway, i hope to have lots of fun shooting my mate from work and playing the co-op missions with my brother over xmas.
And then shooting him too.
I do like my soap solid, not liquid.
It does not have 6 hours of single player you retarted chimpanzee its NOT 6 hours I REPEAT its atleast 12 hours of solid game play
Bames Jond? Hahahahaha!
Impossible! Someone doing a negative review for Modern Warfare 2! Call the cops!
Wow, that was the first in all recent memory in which Yahtzee actually lived up to his moniker as "Zero Punctuation."
I guess massively-overinflated-successful games really set him off, and I can't blame him.
True that with the Spec-Ops co-op missions...I've heard lots of praise for that.
Pain could be indicated in any number of ways.
For instance, your character actually having a voice and you, as him, hearing him say inside his head "I've been shot", "I'm wounded", stuff like that.
Dedicated servers should be the normal thing, no matter the platform.
Besides that lack of lag associated with finding a server for yourself, there's also the fact that you can find a favorite server and keep using it and get to know people, as opposed to hoping beyond hope that you don't find another racist little inbred spouting off down his mic.
Mmmmm I wish he'd tell us what he really thinks about it, no more sugar coating it =P
It's sad that I laughed more at the last line of your post than at the video.
Only if you die every six seconds.
And those catchy little numbers for the console crowd don't forget.
I am glad that yahtzee did not like this game it makes me feel good as i do mot like it either
Yeah, I think it would have been pretty awesome if the campaign did have some co-op. But I guess screw it, why would I want to play a game like this with my friends.
I'd play a game that shocked me everytime I got injured. That would be intense. Just light shocks to random places on the body (so not to develop any sort of seizures).
"Mock Jack Bauer voice" lol.
Hmm, alright I suppose and while neverhaving played the game as of yet. I personally found this to be one of Yahtzee's lacking reviews, at least by comparison.
After hearing countless positive play-by-play stories about this game, I was rather glad to watch this review (albeit all late-like). The way he talks, this is the best game ever made, but I was doubtful about that at best and was leery about picking the game up when I finally broke down and bought myself an XBox (once I do I think there will only be 2 or 3 folks left in the US without one...).
But 6 hours of solo play? Forget it. I can kill people online in the MMO I play, so there's no need for me to even bother waking up someone up to play a co-op when I feel like being a c*nt and ruining someone else's day.
Hey, I work nights, it's not unusual for me to want to do something like that at around 3 am when I'm bored with the internet...
i did not buy that game for a realistic and gritty depiction of modern war i bought that game for intense gameplay and a james bonds esque story. I was not disapointed. you are critisizing this game for what it claims to be. thats just poor reviewing
Funny what people have said here, but like Yahtzee said - in the end everyone probably has a copy of MW2 whether they admit it or not, money made. Whatever content, they could care less about what you think lol.
Nah, PS3. I don't use aimbots. Maybe I was just lucky.
So how does this game "feel", anyhow? One thing I hate about most FPS games is how rigid and clunky the game itself feels, how much it all falls down to being able to hide behind that magic door that looks like wood but is made of neutronium, and so on.
MW1 was nice because it's one of the few games where one has to look down the sights to aim, trying to bunny hop is a great way to get slowed to a crawl, not hit anything, and get shot, and flashbangs at least seem somewhat useful and grenades are very useful without being overkill. I tried to play Left for Dead during the free play weekend and it felt exactly like Quake 2. Had more polygons and more shades of black, but otherwise reminded me of why I hate most FPS games. It's not because I dislike FPS games as a whole, but because they're too arcady.
lol dude me too,i don't get it,i always wait a day to leave a comment because am afraid i will get banned or something.
i want to play left 4 dead on steam with him!
I don't know. I don't remember them saying MW2 was going to be realistic. And even as it is, it's realistic in a lot of ways and as far as I'm concerned the story is plausible (however VERY VERY VERY unlikely).
Its amazing how well MW2 did on the first day, and i believe each person owns about 2.7 copies except me i only have 1. It was a great game i the shortness of the campaign was made up by the multiplayer but as he specified, a lot of people don't care about multiplayer
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20th Century Fox
Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in "Titanic"
Their hearts went on. But would life have been different if Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) had just gotten on the raft with Rose DeWitt (Kate Winslet) at the end of 1997's "Titanic"?
folks with extra time on their handsInternet scholars over at Reddit have been doing the calculations, and while photographic experimental evidence appears to say yes, physics calculations say no way.
For those with fuzzy memories: At the end of "Titanic," the ship goes down (spoiler!), Rose and Jack end up in the water, and she takes refuge on a pine plank from the ship's Grand Staircase. Jack dangles from the side and they both pass out. When Rose wakes, Jack has frozen to death, half-in and half-out of the water. She is rescued and goes on to live a long, long time.
But couldn't they both have fit on that big plank?
Fans say yes, and offer up photos of a taped-off section of floor representing the raft, which makes it clear that two grown adults could have fit in the physical space of the plank.
But as Reddit poster Khromatic noted (along with mathematical/physics calculations), they'd both have sunk. He/she wrote: "As force of gravity is larger than that of buoyancy, Leo and Kate will be swimming with the fishes."
The fate of Rose and Jack has has been well-discussed on the web. Even if there wasn't room on the plank, did an earlier decision by Rose doom Jack?
Askville over on Amazon.com dealt with this one a few years ago, when submitter Layyla said her son had a theory about the film: "If Rose had stayed on the lifeboat she would have been safe and Jack would then have been able to worry only about himself. Jack is a survivor and he would have made it."
Would he? Nobody knows, but those who read the post decided this explanation from 67alecto was best: "I still see him going down with the ship as opposed to getting on a lifeboat -- he still would have let (women) and children go first. But, having gone down and not needing to worry about Rose, I think he'd have had a greater chance of surviving. He (put) her above himself, both literally and figuratively, as she floated out of the freezing water.... I'd give him 75% odds of surviving had he been just looking out for himself."
But it would have made for a very different movie.
What do you think are the big unanswered questions about "Titanic"? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.
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Hunger Games (US - BD RA)
When Gabe plays Hunger Games he usually just ends up feeling bloated...
The nation of Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic North America, consists of a wealthy Capitol and twelve surrounding districts, each one poorer than the last. As a punishment for their failed rebellion, each year, one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district are selected by a lottery called 'The Reaping' to participate in 'The Hunger Games.' These participants, or 'Tributes,' must fight to the death in a pre-selected arena until only one remains alive. The games are televised throughout the districts, and the victor is rewarded with fame and enormous wealth. When her younger sister Primrose (Willow Shields) is selected, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), a 16-year-old girl from District 12, does the unthinkable and volunteers for the 74th Annual Hunger Games. The world is quietly moved by her sacrifice. Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), a baker's son who Katniss remembers secretly giving her bread when her family was starving, is also selected. Katniss and Peeta are taken to the Capitol, where they are mentored by a drunken former Games victor Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), and learn that the higher cast players they've been put against have been training for the Games their entire lives.
Gary Ross made his name as a Hollywood writer mostly for a series of light-hearted comedies for grown-ups and as a Hollywood director for two incredibly filmic, often gorgeous motion pictures – Pleasantville and Seabiscuit. I didn't know much about Suzanne Collins' books when he was hired to re-write and direct Lionsgate's blockbuster adaptation of incredibly popular young adult series, but assumed he would soften the supposedly sharp edges of the text. He ended up taking practically the opposite approach. Hunger Games occasionally recalls the beauty of his previous films (Katniss' mutant-wasp-induced memories of her father's death, for example), but mostly opts for a brutally documentarian-like Grapes of Wrath meets Orwell's 1984 kind of thing. The hard-vérité camera work is definitely a good choice for the material and plays especially well to Ross' concept of maintained subjective focus on his lead character.
Problems crop up when the style is so overdone that it appears that perhaps the director and his editors don't actually understand how to tell a coherent story. The wavering, shaking camera turns into something of a parody of type, that only really works during the film's first hour. The more bizarre Collins' world becomes, the more the extreme camera work plays against type and the more clever these choices appear. It definitely feels like something is missing when the actual games begin and we're thrown back into a familiar forest world where the pseudo-documentary style doesn't stand apart as unexpected. The film's relatively modest budget does rear its head when it comes to the digital effects, but this could've been avoided, had Ross maintained better control of his stylistic choices. The much bigger issues arise when Ross tries to shoot action and the chaotic, super close-up camera shake turns the screen into a nauseating wash of earth tones. Sometimes this works as an effective way to disguise some of the more graphic violence (an R-rating would've been a death wish for this particular film at the box-office) without dulling the impact, but mostly just causes literal headaches that last beyond many of the film's more positive memories.
The film has been criticized for being too long. I mostly agree with the sentiment, but the problem is a bit more complex than just cutting material from the book, which, like most books, is too long to film as-is. The first hour ticks by quite efficiently and creates a tight, two-act structure that sells the concept and characters. At this point even Ross' shakiest camera work doesn't damage the tight fibres of the narrative flow. This structure would seem to imply that the actual Hunger Games would be the third and final act of the film, which it sort of is. Problems arise when the games act is itself split into an additional three-act structure and winds up lasting an almost feature length runtime all on its own. This additional film, so to speak, features the bulk of the action and most of the fan's favourite sequences, but it also runs into huge bouts of episodic storytelling, and big dips in momentum. This is also the place where even people like me, who didn't read the original book, can tell that the source material is being clipped for the sake of a theatrical runtime. The fact that the biggest lull (the unproductive romantic time in the cave) precedes the truncated, wet-noodle climax certainly doesn't help.
The post-9/11, sending children off to war, and 99% verses 1% political allegories of The Hunger Games are so plainly stated that they almost don't count as subtext. There's also no mistaking the author's stance on the issues. The politics are heavy-handed enough to chase away adult-aged intellectuals, but the book and movie are aimed at a low enough age level that subtlety may've fallen on deaf ears. Anything to get the young ones thinking without bashing them over the head with indoctrination is a worthy effort and nothing Ross or Collins does comes across as particularly dumb. Besides, heavy-handed allegory is a long-running pulp science fiction tradition and it's only fair to allow The Hunger Games that same latitude. The only times I find the allegorical elements particularly clumsy are those where characters are forced to spout exposition that spells out every inch of the metaphor for the audience, and these tend to be few and far between. The sequences where Katniss is prepped for the Games and objectified before the wealthy world are perhaps the most potent of these heavy-handed allegories, specifically because it speaks to a bevy of issues pertinent to the young girls that love the movie so whole-heartedly, including body-image and celebrity worship (the film's contempt for reality television is downright rabid). The whole 'being popular will give you an advantage' thing doesn't teach the best lesson, but it is definitely among the better story elements in terms of character development. Besides, there's an alternate reading of the theme, which sees a lower social class member demanding attention from the ignorant silver-spooners.
Since the time Collins' books started eating into the Harry Potter and Twilight pies it has become popular to compare The Hunger Games to Kinji Fukasaku's film adaptation of Koushun Takami's Battle Royale. Until I actually saw the film I was in this boat, but the comparison isn't really fair at all. Both stories recall long running gladiatorial, dystopian, and corrupt ruling class tropes – tropes with actual historical precedence. I suppose one could run down a pedantic list comparing and contrasting the films, but, in the end, The Hunger Games actually has even more in common with Paul Michael Glaser's The Running Man and Paul Bartel's Death Race 2000, both of which owe a debt to Robert Sheckley's short story 'The Prize of Peril'. The only specific twist on the 'most dangerous game' motif Battle Royale and The Hunger Games share is the age of the participants and that one calls back to William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies.' It's fair to say both stories condemn violence as well, but the film versions treat violence very differently. Ross goes out of his way to never exploit the child-on-child violence that kept all the major studios away from a Hollywood remake of Battle Royale, while Fukasaku celebrates the gory fountains of blood and subverts his film's underlying message.
There are more amusing comparisons to be made between lead heroine Katniss and Twilight's appropriately maligned Bella Swan. Both characters are the subjective, narrative centers of their young adult literature universes and both have been referred to as role models for young women. The difference is that Bella is largely defined by her vulnerability and dependence on other, usually male, characters. Katniss isn't just a generic strong feminine character, she's a self-sufficient, self-made leader. Her relationships with the men in her world aren't defined by googly-eyed, unrealistic, teenage romance. At times her character swings a bit too far from the Bella character at the risk of Peeta's character (and, I suppose Gale, who is barely a character in this movie), but the Twilight films have left such a void such sacrifices feel mostly warranted. Katniss is also portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence, one of the strongest young actresses working in Hollywood today. It's seriously just a matter of time before she wins her first Oscar. Kristen Stewart has her talents (it's genuinely too bad that the Twilight films are threatening to ruin her career before it gets a chance to blossom), but she can't rise above the limits of Bella as a character. Lawrence is such a strong performer that she steps beyond even an already interesting character, and carries the entire film on her shoulders during the weaker last act.
The Hunger Games was shot on traditional 35mm film and for the most part shot to totally embrace the format's grain. Steady, fine grain aside, this is an incredibly sharp transfer, swimming in texture and detail from the front of the frame to the far off background, assuming the focus isn't pulled too heavily one way or the other. There are a lot of big close-ups throughout the film, so most of the finer details are of the skin, hair, and clothing texture variety, but there are some lovely background details throughout as well that press the format to its limit. Ross and cinematographer Tom Stern make it a point to embrace grain, but they also fully embrace the possibilities of digital grading processes. Colour quality is mostly washed out, appearing some where between white and blue, but the Capitol City setting introduces a wide array of neon and pastel colours that offset the base blueness quite well (though the blue itself does tend to infiltrate the black and white levels pretty often). The contrast of elements is most impressive early in the film, when Elizabeth Banks' hyper-pink make-up and clothing pops so sharply against the pale blue of District 12 that she practically appears to be a digital special effect. The Games section of the film introduces rich forest greens and more even contrast levels, which is occasionally a problem for the darker details. Usually, however, contrast is set pretty high in both the rough and slick environments, which boosts the sharpness quite a bit. The high contrast does leads to some minor sharpening side-effects, specifically haloes, but these only crop up on rare occasions and are actually most plentiful during the film's somewhat mushy climax.
Hunger Games comes fitted with a strong DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack. The contrast of quiet wildlife ambience and boisterous sci-fi noise is the mix's strongest asset, especially considering how pointedly quiet so much of the film is. Quite often, the sound is utterly squeezed out of the picture to better represent Katniss' mindset. Likely the coolest of these effects is one where she is interviewed before a freak show of a crowd. The cheers are heard as they play out in her head, objectively muffled, yet the stereo and surround channels don't lose any of their enveloping qualities. Most of the other aural highlights pertain to the aforementioned natural and unnatural contrasts. In the forest the buzz of nature keeps the channels busy, while space age machinery offers more directional and LFE support. The boom of the cannon that announces character deaths and cuts through peaceful bird chirps is a particularly strong example, as is the extremely busy forest fire and killer dog sequences (which are the closest the track comes to demo material). James Newton Howard's score is presented richly on the track when needed, but doesn't get a lot of heavy play in comparison to other aural elements. This isn't a problem, however, and perhaps the best thing about the music is how sparingly it's used. The most dramatic moments could've been easily flattened by a wall of melodramatic goo, but, for the most part, Howard and Ross hold back for something subtle that builds. There are other occasions where the production takes the opposite approach and cuts all sound outside of Howard's steadily rising music from of the scene. The best example of this is the massacre at the cornucopia, where his simple melodic choices give the brutality of the sequence a vital melancholy component.
The extras are almost entirely delegated to the second disc of this two-disc set, and begin with The World is Watching: Making The Hunger Games (2:02:00, HD), an extensive, eight-part behind the scenes documentary. 'Countdown' covers the pre-production process, including hiring Gary Ross as a co-writer/director, adapting the book into a filmable screenplay, and storyboarding. 'Casting' sort of speaks for itself, and covers the process of gathering actors one by one. Design covers the logistics and art of the film's visual plan and production design, including costumes, make-up, and sets. 'Arena Ready' covers stunts, training, and pyrotechnic effects. 'On Location in Panem' covers the process of shooting on location in North Carolina, including set dressing, signing autographs for the local extras, and scary wildlife. 'Effects' specifically covers the digital effects processes and their integration with production design, including concept images and process comparisons. 'Post Production' covers editing, music, and sound design. 'May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor' covers the film's release, advertising, and fan reactions. Interviews include Ross, Lionsgate president of production Alli Shearmur, producers Nina Jacobson, Robin Bissell, and Jon Kilik, Scholastics publisher David Leithan, co-screenwriter Billy Ray, actors Jennifer Lawrence, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Stanley Tucci, Lenny Kravistz, Wes Bently, Isabelle Fuhrman, Alexander Ludwig, Dayo Okeniyi, Leven Rambin, Jack Quaid, Jacqueline Emerson, Willow Shields and Elizabeth Banks, casting director Debra Zane, costume designer Judianna Makovsky, make-up designer Ve Neill, VFX supervisors Sheena Duggal and Scott Farrar, production designer Phillip Messina, stunt coordinator Chad Stahelski, editor Stephen Mirrione, sound designer Lon Bender, and critic Drew McWeeney.
The featurettes begin with Game Maker: Suzanne Collins and the Hunger Games Phenomenon (14:10, HD), an extended interview with Scholastic's publisher David Leithan, some of the cast and crew members, teachers, students, fans, and critics, who discuss Collins' inspirations and the book's themes. Letters From the Rose Garden (9:10, HD) shifts attention to a long letter Donald Sutherland about his character's motivations wrote to Ross after finishing the book trilogy. Controlling the Game (5:50, HD) sees Ross and other filmmakers discussing the movie-specific invention of the 'game room.' The featurettes section also includes critic Elvis Mitchell's interview with Ross (14:30, HD), Preparing for The Games: A Director's Process (3:00, HD), a look at the director's shot list practices and an unfettered look at the propaganda ad that plays in the background during The Reaping (1:30, HD). The disc is completed with three trailers, a poster gallery, and an image gallery.
The Hunger Games is an occasionally ugly film that suffers a huge lapse in momentum and quality during its extended third act, but when it works, it works better than the vast majority of the 'book of the week', young adult movie adaptations hoping for a piece of that post- Harry Potter pie. In fact, it's even better than the first two Harry Potter movies, which says something for the quality prospects of the next two movies in the series (though I've heard mixed things on the quality of the latter two books and Gary Ross will not be returning to hone his vision for the series). Lionsgate has put plenty of love into this release as well. The video quality embraces the cinéma vérité look without sacrificing colour quality or detail, the DTS-HD soundtrack is subtle and sharp, and the extras are extensive, not to mention surprisingly sophisticated.
* Note: The images on this page are not representative of the Blu-ray image quality.
Review by Gabriel Powers
Chris Gould Editor Join Date: May 2001 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 7,171
Really didn't get all the love for this film when it came out. I went away thoroughly unimpressed.
felipe-11 Member Join Date: July 2009 Location: United States Posts: 418
I was also very unimpressed by this movie (to the point of dislike), and while I agree with this review, the film was even more flawed than what you've mentioned. To keep it short, I haven't read the book, but the movie was obviously made for people who HAVE read it; the plot holes are so many and so huge that only the book readers are able to fill in the blanks.
Also, Josh Hutcherson was the film's biggest miscast. Terrible acting and the fact that his character had to be completely weak in order for Lawrence's character to be strong was a major flaw.
Also, Josh Hutcherson was the film's biggest miscast. Terrible acting and the fact that his character had to be completely weak in order for Lawrence's character to be strong was a major flaw.
Gabe Powers Editor Join Date: September 2004 Location: United States Posts: 4,721
I don't Hutcherson is the problem, his character is the problem.
DV20 Member Join Date: July 2012 Location: United States Posts: 36
I was actually surprised by how much I liked it. I was expecting to hate it but I didn't. Don't get me wrong, it's nothing special but it was entertaining.
Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13
Disc Details
Release Date: 18th August 2012
Discs: 2
Disc Type: Blu-ray Disc
RCE: No
Video: 1080p
Aspect: 2.40:1
Anamorphic: No
Colour: Yes
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 English, Dolby Digital 2.0 English (Optimized for Late Night Viewing), Dolby Digital 5.1 Spanish
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Extras: The Wold Is Watching: Making The Hunger Games, Game Maker: Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games Phenomenon, Letters from the Rose Garden, A Conversation with Gary Ross, Controlling the Games, Preparing the Games: A Director's Process, Propaganda Film, Marketing Archive, Trailers, Digital Copy, UltraViolet Copy
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Gary Ross
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, and Donald Sutherland
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama and Thriller
Length: 142 minutes
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Randhawa is the co-author of the book 'Divine Speech: Exploring the Quran as Literature', along with scholar Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan.
The book allows Muslims and non-Muslims to read, study, and appreciate the scripture and its message on equal footing, using the same tools of analysis, without demanding any prior faith commitment.
A brief lecture will take place on November 4. The main session will take place on November 5 from noon–2 p.m. in the John T. Rettaliata Engineering Center, Room 104.
"Abrahamic Stories," detailing correlations between bibliographic stories and the Quran, will be the topic of discussion from 4:30–6 p.m.
Source: iit.edu


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I'm working to increase supply because the LC says he's not eating enough or gaining fast enough. He's gaining around 3oz per week. She seems to have given up on my milk supply increasing for the moment and says I should be happy I'm supplying 2/3 of his nutrition and that he must get the rest from formula while I try to increase my supply. I have an appointment this Wed with my ped to see what he thinks. And I'm gonna talk to my chiro about it tomorrow. Until then, I can just go by what the LC says, by my mommy instinct, and by trying to interpret his cues.
He's not really a fussy baby. He's quite happy and healthy, alert, smiling, "talking," lots of poopy diapers: 2-4. But he does still seem hungry after some feedings. The tugging and pushing, working his little mouth to open wide looking to latch on when I take off to switch sides--which I do when it gets painful.
I'll ask for different shields. I get a new pump from the health dept on tues as my LC wants this rental back. Should I pump in between the longer stretches? With the shorter stretches between nursing it already seems like he's ready to nurse shortly after I've finished pumping from the previous nursing.
Could it be that I'm not nursing him long enough? I was reading an article on slow weight gain here http://www.breastfeedingmums.com/dr_...eight_gain.htm
that mentions about babies not nursing long enough after the flow slows down, so not getting those extra let downs that come later. Lately I've been nursing him for shorter periods but much more often. So he nurses for about 20-30 min 10-12 times with a few longer ones in there. Could it be that?
Or could it be that I started seeing cold symptoms (myself) Sun or Mon? Could that affect supply?
Thanks for putting up with all my questions!


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On June 22, the Jewish Federations of America's new, multi-million dollar "Israel Action Network" hosted a conference call with Israel's Ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren. The call was an urgent response to the flotilla preparing to cruise towards Gaza in order to challenge Israel's maritime blockade of the destitute coastal strip. David Sherman, the vice chair of the Federations' board of trustees, introduced the new initiative and Oren's involvement in it as a key to combating Israel's "delegitimization."
Throughout the call, Oren seemed more concerned about the Arab Spring, Israel's relations with Turkey, and the Palestinian unity arrangement than the upcoming flotilla. He opened his remarks by launching into a fast paced survey of the myriad regional threats Israel supposedly faced, then explained how the state would tamp down on each one:
Egypt — Oren was convinced that the only parties that are poised to win upcoming elections are "well funded, well led extremist movements." Presumably he meant the Muslim Brotherhood. But the Egyptian army's stance reassured Israel. "The army has been telling us that they have every intention of maintaining Camp David and that there will be no substantive change in Egypt's foreign policy," Oren said. Israel's biggest concern at the present moment was attacks on gas pipelines in the Sinai Desert, which Oren claimed were being carried out by Bedouins to extort protection money. He said that Israel's gas supply was only at 2/3 capacity, forcing it to import environmentally hazardous coal.
Syria — Oren expressed frustration with rumors that Israel was urging a "go slow" approach to the Syrian revolt against the Assad regime. He referred indirectly to an article by Jerusalem Post military correspondent Yaakov Katz (he did not cite Katz by name, but was clearly pointing in his direction) claiming Israel's military and political establishment would quietly support Assad because he was "the devil we know." Complaining about Assad's recent failures to keep the Israeli occupied Golan frontier quiet (Oren misleadingly described it as "Israel's border"), Oren claimed that "no one in Israel will shed a tear" if Assad is gone.
Iran — Oren claimed Israel possessed intelligence showing that Iran had enriched uranium past the 20 percent level. "The 90 percent dial where they can develop nuclear grade material is a short leap," he said. He went on: "We are in communication with the Obama administration about another round of sanctions. They are effective; they have taken a major chunk out of Iran's economy, resulted in high inflation and high unemployment. This is a direct result of sanctions, but they have not had a big impact on nuclear program — we haven't seen that yet. So in the next round the administration will announce various designations this week that will impair [Iran's] ability to import and export oil; that will hurt transportation and the airlines of Iran. It promises to be quite painful. Throughout, the policy of the State of Israel and America remains that all options are on the table to prevent Iran from developing nukes, the policymakers in Iran believe us when we say that. Look at Gaddafi: he was convinced by a credible military threat from the United States to stop developing nuclear weapons."
Turkey — Israel's greatest source of friction with Turkey, according to Oren, was Turkey's demand that Israel formally apologize for killing several of its citizens on board the Mavi Marmara last year. "We're trying to find some language to satisfy them that holds up to the unwritten constitution of the democratic state of Israel," he remarked. He said Netanyahu had congratulated Erdogan for preventing the Mavi Marmara from sailing with the new flotilla. "The Marmara was too large and we couldn't stop it with technical means," said Oren, suggesting that the cruise boat's exclusion from the upcoming fleet to Gaza was a source of great relief to both Israel's military and diplomatic corps.
The new flotilla — Oren attacked the organizers of the flotilla as "radical anti-Israel organizations…known also for anti-American activities." He cited statements by the US State Department and UN Secretary Ban Ki-Moon criticizing or condemning their actions. Then Oren claimed that the flotilla could simply deliver its aid through a "responsible organization" like UNRWA, or bring their materials through El Arish and allow Israel to offload it. "It's not a fight between us and the people of Gaza," Oren claimed. "It's between us and the group Hamas which is determined to destroy the state of Israel." (Never mind this Israeli government document). He went on to claim that Israel's maritime blockade was "in full accord with international law," though he did not explain how besieging a civilian population that was not actively engaged in a full-scale war against Israel comported with the 4th Geneva Convention or the San Remo Accords.
Next, Oren proudly announced that Israel had tentatively authorized an aid shipment to Gaza containing construction materials for 1200 new buildings and 18 new schools (UNRWA officials were skeptical that the aid would actually arrive as Israel said). The timing of the shipment and Oren's promotion of it suggested that the flotilla had already made an impact. Would Israeli authorities have authorized the aid in without outside pressure? Whether or not they would have, Israel was seeking to extract as much propaganda value as it could from its agreement.
The Palestinian unilateral declaration of statehood — The ambassador seemed far more troubled about the Palestinian Authority's plan to introduce a statehood resolution at the United Nations General Assembly in September than about any other issue. Oren suggested that Israel would attempt to force the Palestinians back to the negotiating table in order to keep them away from the UN. In other words, the peace process would be Israel's tool for blocking Palestine from winning statehood on a unilateral basis. In this effort, Oren described Dennis Ross, the White House special advisor on Middle East affairs, as Israel's ally.
"We are working closely with the Obama Administration in trying to find a common framework that would enable the European Union to support negotiations in the framework to get them back to negotiations and keep them away from General Assembly," Oren commented. "Dennis Ross is in Israel today conducting negotiations so we have reasons for some optimism. But we have to prepare for the worst. [With the statehood resolution] we are preparing for various scenarios of unrest in the West Bank, further attempts by the P.A. to use their improved status to delegitimize israel a la Goldstone type initiatives. Netanyahu has been meeting with the Italian government about this, and they are working tirelessly. And he is working closely with the Canadians who are very supportive."
When Oren finished his remarks, the administrators of the call allowed time for a few questions. One caller asked Oren what Jews in the United States could do about the flotilla. "Stress that there's no humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the border is open for all materials, there is no shortage of food or medicine, and that our maritime blockade is upheld by the United States as completely legal and necessary for Israel's defense," Oren said.
Before I could ask a question about the legality of Israel's siege of Gaza, Martin Raffel, the director of the Israel Action Network, came on the line to conclude the call. "I want to echo [what Oren said]," Raffel remarked. "Our role is not to be passive observers. We have to shake the public discourse so we're sending message points and program guidance to everyone involved. And we hope you have some marching orders for when you go back to your communities."


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posted by Thom Holwerda on Wed 1st Feb 2006 19:49 UTC
"AMD has been a leader in getting 64-bit technology off the PowerPoint and into servers, desktops, and wherever else they can put it and has a clear-cut technology advantage over most of the current crop of Intel processors. For a company that likes to 'Think Different', Apple chose a conservative path in selecting Intel processors to power its latest generation of computers." In related news, our favourite
Windows Apple fanatic Paul Thurrot wonders why there's no PC equivelant of Apple's iLife.


text:
I have just acquired one royal selcuklu tumbler in the US. All the description says about flying, is that it does a single tumble. I was curious to as if anybody has some more information on the flight of these birds, or any videos would be great also. Also, does anybody think that this bird will still fly properly, or has the correct tumbling already been bred out in the US? Im working on getting a mate for my bird. Here is a picture:
Johnny K


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Sorry! This item is unavailable.
Story book - Pas de Deux
In this Little Nippers story, Rousse, who lives on the Paris Metro and loves to dance, wonders why the Human Beans don't enjoy dancing on the station platform, like she does, until one day she finds out that Human beans are very good at dancing after all.
Little Nippers live in railway stations. You may have spotted them scurrying along the tracks on the London Underground or have noticed one on the grass verge of a little country station in Scotland. You may even have seen one on the sandy dunes at the side of a station by the seaside in Devon or Cornwall. Wherever there is a railway station, no matter how big or small, you will find Little Nippers. Or maybe you won't find them, as they are sometimes very hard to spot. But they are always there. There are Little Nipper stories too about their adventures and, don't forget, next time you visit a station, keep your eyes open and you may just see one of them. Welcome to their world.
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Unless faulty, the following types of items are non-refundable: items that are personalised, bespoke or made-to-order to your specific requirements; items which deteriorate quickly (e.g. food), personal items sold with a hygiene seal (cosmetics, underwear) in instances where the seal is broken.


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With the passage of more than 150 bills, the 2013 legislative session came to an end early Sunday morning, on June 2.
With the passage of more than 150 bills, the 2013 legislative session came to an end early Sunday morning, on June 2. After a full day of debate and compromise, the governor, House and Senate agreed to a tax plan and budget. It is sometimes difficult to understand why it takes so long for the legislature to work, but it is a process. It wasn't designed to be easy or quick, but to be deliberative and reasoned.
With the end of the veto session, the last day is officially called Sine Die. This is Latin meaning "without day" which is the final close of the 2013 session. Sine Die adjournment will be Thursday at 10 a.m.
May tax receipts
The state received some good news in the monthly tax receipt report. The revenue department announced receipts were 12.7 percent higher than projections or $65.9 million. This is welcome news as the state begins its next fiscal year July 1. The additional revenue was reported in the individual income tax and sales tax categories. Income tax receipts were 23.2 percent higher which generated $58.9 million in additional income. So far this year, state tax receipts have been 1.1 percent higher than estimates.
Twice a year the state makes revenue estimates to assist policy makers in their decision making. This is conducted by the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group. The group consists of economists from the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Wichita State University, along with the Secretary of Revenue, Director of Legislative Research and Director of the Budget.
State's economic development recognized
Kansas won the national "Gold Shovel" award in May for outstanding economic development projects in the state in 2012. Kansas was ranked the highest in our population tier in recognition of our value added investments. Kansas Department of Commerce facilitated 164 projects in 2012, resulting in $2.3 billion of investment. The annual Shovel awards analyze a state's innovative policies, infrastructure improvements, processes and promotions that attract new employers as well as investments in expanded facilities. In the analysis of Kansas, the awards board noted how the projects Kansas invests in were diversified across a wide swath of the economy which makes the best economic policy. The other states to join Kansas in winning in their population tier included Texas, Alabama and Georgia.
The one constitutional duty of the legislature each session is to pass a budget for the state. On the June 1, the House fulfilled this duty by passing a budget that makes the government more efficient and leaves the state fiscally sound. Unlike previous sessions where it has been the norm to pass just a one-year budget, the legislature passed a two-year budget which includes appropriations for FY 2014 and FY 2015, in an effort to better address budget challenges up front.
The budget cuts an additional $104 million from the governor's two-year budget recommendation, totaling a reduction in State General Fund (SGF) expenditures of $198.7 million over two years. Through responsible budgeting practices, such as deleting funding for state government jobs that have been vacant for a sustained period of time, the budget found necessary savings. This diligence for finding waste throughout state government allowed for the avoidance of cutting core state services, such as K-12 education.
Less than three years ago, the state had only $876.05 in the bank. In comparison, this new two-year budget leaves the state with an ending balance of $515.6 million in FY 2014 and $331.5 million in FY 2015. Throughout the session, the House has emphasized the need to cut spending in order to help spur economic growth and many reductions proposed by the House were included in this budget. Because of the fiscal responsibility of the House and Senate, the state will maintain a healthy ending balance over the next two years even as income tax revenues drop due to the newly passed tax legislation.
Tax plan
The tax plan agreed to by House and Senate negotiators, coupled with the income tax reduction of last year, provides Kansans with $3.86 billion in tax relief over the next five years. With the passage of the agreed upon legislation, Kansans will receive both sales and income tax relief. The state sales tax rate will drop from 6.3 percent to 6.15 percent on July 1. State revenue received from the sales tax will be used to continue a buy down of income tax rates, dropping the bottom bracket from 3.0 percent to 2.7 percent and the top rate from 4.9 percent to 4.8 percent in 2014. By 2018, income tax rates will drop in the bottom bracket to 2.3 percent and in the top bracket to 3.9 percent.
The tax bill originally passed by the House contained a 2 percent growth in revenue trigger so that as revenues grow above 2 percent from the previous year, the excess funds would be used to continue to buy down income tax rates. This trigger was included in the compromise bill and was to kick in beginning in 2018 to ensure that extra revenue was not used for growing government, but rather for further reducing the tax burden on Kansans. This trigger was line-item vetoed by the governor. The final legislation takes another House position by not eliminating itemized income tax deductions in their entirety to pay for rate reductions. Rather, itemized deductions receive a gradual haircut from the 100 percent deductibility down to 50 percent deductibility in 2017 except for charitable donations, which remains 100 percent deductible.
At the beginning of the session, in his State of the State Address, the governor urged the legislature to ensure that Kansas remains on a glide path to zero state income tax. Until last year's tax reform, Kansas had the highest income tax rate any of its surrounding states, which had led to a decade of lost jobs. In contrast, 48 percent of all job growth in the United States between 2001 and 2010 occurred in the nine states with no income tax. The House and the Senate share the governor's commitment to turning the tide in Kansas and this new tax legislation is another significant step in so doing.
With the session over, I will be home in the district. My state house phone number will not be answered. I encourage you to continue to contact me via email John.Bradford@ house.ks.gov, or by phone 913-683-0871. I have several issues I will be working on over the summer in preparation for the next session. If you need any assistance or have any issues you would like to discuss, feel free to contact me. It has been an honor to serve you this session.


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Why are Hero and Heroine the worst for each other?These two aren't supposed to be soul mates from the moment they meet. Even if there's an attraction or a history, they should have reasons why falling in love is the last thing they want.
Example: A woman who lost her husband to violence would resist falling in love with a man who was a cop. A man would resist falling for the woman who broke his heart years ago especially if he has his children's hearts to protect now.
Why is this the worst possible time?Falling in love has to be the very last thing on the hero and heroine's agenda when the book opens. Something more important is going on. Loss of job, loved one, being stranded, forced to assume care of child or relative. The growing attraction should complicate their situations, and add to their conflicted emotions.
What is the urgency?Set a timer on your story. Force the hero and heroine into making a decision. Example: His leave is up at the end of the month. Her dream job in another city starts soon. Once her mother is better she'll return home. If there's nothing pushing them forward, then they're simply dating and dating equals no conflict.
If you're like me the word conflict always made me envision a hero and heroine bickering, and fighting each other at every turn. It helped when I changed the word "conflict" to "obstacles". The goal of any romance is to keep the couple resisting falling in love until the very end. They have issues they need to confront internally, realizations to come to about themselves and their choices, and they have outward problems to overcome before they can have that happy ending.
Make it hard for them to fall in love. Make it cost them something they want. Then the ending will be much sweeter for the author and the reader.


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Shields gets rare home win, Royals beat Red Sox
Royals 4, Red Sox 3
Shields gets rare home win, Royals beat Red Sox
Royals 4, Red Sox 3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
James Shields earned his first home win in more than three months, Alex Gordon homered and the Kansas City Royals beat the Boston Red Sox 4-3 on Sunday.
The Royals improved to 18-5 since the All-Star break, winning seven consecutive series.
Shields (7-8), who had not won at Kauffman Stadium since an April 30 victory over Tampa Bay, limited the Red Sox to three runs and seven hits over seven innings. He struck out five and walked three.
Gordon hit a 2-2 pitch from John Lackey (7-10) out to right in the third for his third homer in five games.
Lackey, who is 0-4 in his past five starts, walked David Lough and Eric Hosmer to lead off the first. Gordon's two-out single scored Lough to tie it at 1.