text:
The official GWJ Goings on at PAX EAST are as follows:
NOON, Friday
Gamers With Jobs Presents: Gaming For Grownups
We're super excited to be hosting podcast regulars Jeff Green and Ken Levine to talk about how we all deal with the increased responsibility of jobs, houses, kids and general grownup annoyances while still nurturing our inner 12-year-old. The panel starts at noon on Friday, and if history is any guide, there will probably be a line (sorry). I don't think we have any T-Shirt Cannons or anything, but Cory might dance, so you've got that going for you. Both S(ea)(haw)ns will be in attendance, plus Me and Cory (Demiurge) Banks.
5:30PM, Saturday
GWJ Slap & Tickle!
We plan on meeting at the bar at the Seaport Hotel at 5:30 to begin a night which will end at concerts for some, boardgames for others, and drunken bathtub sleeping for Michael Zenke. Why 5:30? Our experience last year was this let us OWN the place for as long as we wanted. Why the Seaport Hotel? It's right across the bridge from the convention center, has tasty food. It's slightly pricey, but the draft beers weren't out of control, and it has lots of spillover lobby/couch space. I couldn't give easier directions than "over the bridge, in the hotel." The bar is called "Tamo", if I recall.
If you read through this thread, you'll see a LOT of folks talking about generally hanging out in Tabletop gaming, which I know I do a lot. The other quite frequent hangout is the Arcade.
A plug for a few other goodjer-related panels:
11:30AM, Sunday
If I hear "gamification" one more time ...
Friend of the show and one-time guest, Bill Sabram of MeYouHealth is on this panel, and it's a topic I'm super interested in.
NOON, Saturday
Irrational Games: Making a Monster
I'm biased, 'cause I'm moderating, but I think this one's gonna be pretty swell. Listen to Ken Levine and his crew dig into what makes a good enemy in a video game. We'll be touching in depth on the "Heavy Hitters" that are being featured this month at the Irrational website. Much A/V.
4:30PM, Sunday
Strategy Games: What's Changing, What Needs To.
Rob Zacny hosts a stealth Three Moves Ahead podcast with Rob Daviau (Risk Legacy designer, Hasbro), Jon Shafer (Civ V designer, now at Stardock) and Chris King (Paradox). It's late in the weekend, but it's also right before the Omeganaut final, so it gives you something to do while cooling your jets for that.
See you all there!
Cool. Good to know.
Definitely planning on going to this one. I was just recently talking to a friend who tried to register hotel rooms ahead of time and ran into the above problem. Explains a lot.
So now it is in Early April? Good to know. Even though I live near Worcester, the convenience of walking to bed after a long day of gaming is way too nice to pass up. Any notions on when the hotel blocks become free? I am all for supporting the Seaport, given how great they were about our mass invasion, but I don't want to have to get a second mortgage just to sleep in Boston for a few nights.
I'll be there, too.
I don't know which hotel I'll be in, though. Last year I was in the one connected to the Center and that worked pretty good for me.
This year I hope I'm better prepared for the sheer scale of the place. It is ridiculously huge, and they're going to make it even larger.
Good call, Julian! The bar at the Seaport was great last year.
There are a couple smaller function rooms upstairs from the bar that could potentially be rented out for the night to set up some gaming tables. I don't know about cost, but I do have a contact over there, so I can give a call and see what I can find out if you like.
So get this: I put in a room reservation, planning on housing my oldest son and I. The cost was $224.10 a night with a AAA discount, and there was a section on the reservation form for "Other notes". I put in there that this was for PAX East, and "remember to look for better rates closer to the event"; thinking that this would be emailed to me as part of my reservation. It turns out that it is sent to one of the customer service people at the hotel, and I got an email from them 20 minutes later saying "to call once we get closer to the dates if you want to call us to get the number to see what they group rate will be". I was very impressed with such a quick response to what is really a non-issue so far.
I am going. I've never met another Goodjer before. I'll be the one in the assless chaps.
I'll be the one in the assless chaps.
The one?
The Seaport is indeed quite a nice place to stay at, especially for PAX East -- close enough to walk easily, but far enough to get away from the vast majority of people at the BCEC.
And thank you, Julian, for taking the initiative this year to get the ball rolling. For what it's worth, the managers at the bar I had lined up earlier this year never did give me a satisfactory answer for what happened to my reservation... and in return, I've been encouraging my colleagues nearby to join me in boycotting them.
I'd really, really like to attend this one! I'd be down to split hotel costs with folks, but I need to do some research and get some idea of how much this would cost overall. Keeping an eye on this thread for sure.
Rabbit: I've got a call in with the Seaport's convention booking team about reserving a small banquet room. Will keep you posted.
Woot! I'll be here again this year, dragging some friends along too.
You may also want to look into Salvatore's (bar/grill version of Sal's Pizza) as a place for a meetup. It's a block away from the hotel. It's where I went after the meetup to get food at a price that wasn't crazy hotel expensive.
It appears the registration page will open someday soon, the PAX facebook page posted yesterday it will open up soon.
Mrs. Mono and I are excited to go again, but the world is now a little different given the arival of Little Mono earlier this month. We are still planning to go and are eigerly awaiting the openning of registration. Last year was a blast with us in the boardgame zone and we also walked away with some nice swag (everyone needs 3 gaming keyboards right?) We will also be planning on trying to get into one of the closer hotels so we can easily get back and forth from the floor as needed to do diaper resuplies etc.
I got my room locked down at the Seaport as well. I also made the comment about the PAX East rate and got a reply saying all PAX rates will only be available through PA and their referral link. She suggested that I keep this reservation until I secured the other one later and confirmed that as long as I let them know the day before there would no charge to my credit card.
Knowing my luck I am hoping too much my son who will be 7 months old then will be able to go and I will end up being the guy offering to sell my passes in this thread in a few months but I am going to try! We are looking forward to seeing the old faces and getting to know some new ones.
Thanks dude... I made a reservation at the Seaport.
I'm trying to get the family quartermaster (i.e. my wife) to approve our arriving on Thursday and staying until Monday. Last year we left Sunday around noon and it felt very rushed that day.
Maybe this year we can get our Grand Poobah and his bearded friend to attend? I heard a rumor to that affect.
I will be trying to book at the Westin again. The fact that it is attached to the Convention Center is the deal clincher for me.
Does anyone have any ideas to make finding people a little easier this year? Last year, knowing no one by sight yet, I spent an embarrassingly long time walking the board gaming area looking for goodjers. I was thinking either a large table tent/sandwich board with just Stan on it, or a t-shirt with Stan. The badges are good but only work when you're right on top of the person.
I would say we should create something everyone can either buy or make that they can wear or attach that makes it clear. Ideas I have are hats that say gwj, t-shirts, flags on a poles, etc.
It might also be good to start a g+ huddle (or whatever they are called by then that we use our faces on so we know what we are looking for.
I also vote for a yell that if a goodjer yells then any goodjer that hears it should echo it. Something like "WIENER-BOMB!" it would be like playing marko-polo...
Sorry, I won't be with the cool kids at the Seaport but, I'm lazy and the Westin worked great for me last year.
Can anyone find what the parking plans are for the Westin? Their site is indecipherable.
Very interested in attending a proper convention for the first time. Where's a good place for a new participant/PAX-goer to find out the need-to-know, and great tips? Price is pretty much the only inhibitor for me, so besides travel, what kind of cost would I be looking at here?
Kittylexy and I will be there with bells on. We're considering doing a suite with my sister and her boyfriend, so I have to see which hotels will accommodate that. The Westin was great last year, and I'd be happy to stay there again if it'll work out.
Kittylexy and I will be there with bells on. We're considering doing a suite with my sister and her boyfriend, so I have to see which hotels will accommodate that. The Westin was great last year, and I'd be happy to stay there again if it'll work out.
Is it too early to start poking fun at her for that one quote?
Tanglebones wrote:
Kittylexy and I will be there with bells on. We're considering doing a suite with my sister and her boyfriend, so I have to see which hotels will accommodate that. The Westin was great last year, and I'd be happy to stay there again if it'll work out.
Is it too early to start poking fun at her for that one quote?
Never too early
What's the chance that we can get some Battletech going this year? I'm looking at you Tigerbill
As long as Ian from DGR isn't there I'm all in.


text:
More than three-quarters of respondents to this week's RBJ Daily Report Snap Poll say a ban on the sale of large sugary drinks is a bad idea.
Describing it as a life-saving public health initiative, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a ban last week on sugary beverages in containers exceeding 16 fluid ounces. The mayor said 58 percent of New York City adults are overweight or obese. He added that obesity kills thousands of city residents each year and results in $4 billion annually in health care costs.
The majority of readers, while opposing Bloomberg's proposed ban, support similar health regulations adopted by New York City and other localities. For example, 84 percent say a ban on smoking in restaurants and parks is a good idea. And 72 percent say restaurants should be required to post calorie counts on menus.
Slightly more than half of respondents—55 percent—say a ban on artificial trans fat in restaurant food is a good idea.
The proposed ban on sugary drinks—which would be the first of its kind nationally—would cover sales in restaurants and other eateries, movie theaters and sports arenas but not grocery stores or convenience stores. It would apply to soda, sports and energy drinks, sweetened teas and coffees, sweetened fruit drinks and vitamin water (with more than 25 calories per 8 oz. serving). Violations would result in $200 fines.
First lady Michelle Obama commented Tuesday on Bloomberg's effort to ban sugary drinks. "We applaud anyone who's stepping up to think about what changes work in their communities," she said. "New York is one example."
Critics say there is no evidence that restricting access to large sugary drinks would produce a significant decrease in obesity. Bloomberg says studies show that when larger portions are in front of people, they simply consume more. He also argues that the ban would not restrict freedom of choice because additional drink purchases and free refills would be allowed.
Roughly 775 readers participated in this week's poll, which was conducted June 4 and 5.
In your view, is a ban on the sale of large sugary drinks a good idea or a bad idea?
Good idea: 24%
Bad idea: 76%
What is your view of similar health regulations adopted by New York City and other localities?
Ban on smoking in restaurants and parks:
Good idea: 84%
Bad idea: 16%
Ban on artificial trans fat in restaurant food:
Good idea: 55%
Bad idea: 45%
Requiring restaurants to post calorie counts on menus:
Good idea: 72%
Bad idea: 28%
First, let me say that after decades of significant consumption I made a conscious decision to stop drinking anything from this category, regular or diet, several months ago. The key in that statement is that "I" made the decision, not the government. This is senseless and useless legislation that takes away one more tiny bit of personal freedom. What's next, a limit on the size of hot dogs and cheeseburgers? A restriction on the size of steaks? How about something useful, like a lifetime limit on the number of ridiculous laws and regulations each legislator can propose? I'll bet a lot of people would support that one!
—Frank Cania, CaniaHR LLC
Health education and health legislation go hand in hand. The legal ban on smoking was accompanied by an industry-funded, aggressive health education program, and it was reasonably effective. This soda pop size ban stands alone and is likely to be both ridiculed and ineffective.
—Wayne Donner, Rush
What's next, a ban on chocolate? While I agree that we have an obesity problem, limiting individual choice isn't the answer. How about more education to help people make better choices (like calorie postings), or lower prices for smaller sizes? People need to take personal responsibility for their health. It should not be mandated by Big Brother.
—R. Canley, Fairport
U.S. health care costs are two times higher per person than any other country in the world. One factor is personal choices/behavior. Regulations should go with education and awareness of alternatives that are healthier and less costly.
—Mike Bleeg, Strategic Results
While I agree that sugary drinks are not healthy and should not be a regular part of a sound diet, I think having the government regulate them is going a bit too far. In contrast, the smoking ban protects non-smokers from secondhand smoke, while the trans fat ban protects customers from this potentially hidden danger, and the calorie counts allow customers to see the information and make their own educated decision.
—David McIntyre
There seems to be a large and growing body of evidence that sugar contributes directly to cardiovascular disease and arthritis. Inasmuch as the government is spending more and more on health care, I think a comprehensive tax on all the various forms of sugar makes sense. But I think this would be better administrated at the wholesale level where sugar producers sell to food processors and distributors.
—Steve Vaughn
New York City and particularly its mayor are afraid to be out of the limelight. (Bloomberg) may be auditioning for Sen. (Chuck) Schumer's job. Maybe the two of them can team up and ban clothing that exceeds a certain size and require all "those" people to switch to togas, or maybe they can be taxed for taking up too much space on the planet! Leave these folks alone. There are a lot of reasons for folks to be overweight. This is another cruel effort to impose the will of some liberal politicians to try to control the willpower of those they deem too ignorant to help themselves.
—Bob Miglioratti
Although I may personally agree with the premise behind some of these regulations, I am totally against government telling us what is "best for us." We are supposed to be free Americans, and these kinds of regulations chip away at our freedoms. Once this kind of regulation begins, where do you draw the line?
—David Wagner
It is extremely important that we ban large sugary drinks. We banned smoking in public places because we know it is a health hazard, and the smoking addicts are unable to control themselves, so it was necessary to protect the rest of us. We banned artificial trans fats as most of us don't know what they are or what they are in. To require restaurants to post calorie counts is a great thing because it gives us more information in order to make our own decisions. However, we need to ban large sugary drinks because we are just too stupid to know a large from a small. We had no idea that we got fat from these things. Why, I know myself that one day I just woke up and was fat. I had no idea it was from large sugary drinks. I'm glad that they don't ban small sugary drinks, so I can still buy two of them and I won't get fat. Just think how healthy I will be with the government looking out for me. I've also taken control of my diet. I no longer eat those cream-filled doughnuts (which should also be banned) and have shifted my eating habits to the ones with the holes in the center. There is far less fat in an air hole than a serving of cream. Hey, do you think they should put shorter tines on the forks so they hold less fatty foods? Or maybe serve the drinks with straws that have holes in them? The energy expended trying to suck sugar out of them would offset the caloric intake! Call me if you want more helpful hints.
—Bill Lanigan
I'm for voluntary measures to enhance information to the consumer. I am against the arbitrary rules that control or prohibit free choice. All this action on drink size will do is to promote the two-for-one gimmicks that anyone but the brainless marketers (has) already thought of to circumvent the Bloomberg stupidity. How about reversing the use of ethanol in gasoline? It has finally been proven not to be a green solution.
—Dennis Kiriazides, retired
"Bloomy" needs to take care of the problems in New York City and stop coming up with these waste-of-time ideas. On second thought, let's make New York City the 51st state.
—Jim Duke, Victor
I also think it is time to look at the unhealthy use of high fructose corn syrup.
—Millie Kleinstuber, Bryant & Stratton College
Give me the information and let me decide.
—Marty Cournan
This can only help to educate those who grew up without thought to what is healthy and what is not. Clearly sugar is a HUGE issue with our health and the general population does not see it that way yet.
—Dawn VanDamme, NimbleUser
No salt on tables, no sugary drinks, requiring health care what is next? The consumer should make the choice NOT the government. The ban on restaurant smoking I agree with, as it affects others who maybe have not made the choice to smoke, but concurrently it has not banned it; if you choose to smoke, so be it, should affect others, calorie information is just that, information to make a choice. These mandates take away your choice. Just another signal we are out of control with politicians and government. They should simply focus on the economy, our national safety and get out of the way otherwise.
—David J. Topian, Westminster Real Estate Advisors
I wish the government would stay out of our daily lives! Mayor Bloomberg can ban the Big Gulp but celebrate national donut day—how does that work? It's all about control. November can't come fast enough.
—Joe Dattilo
Time for the populace to take charge of their own destiny—and have them pay for their own choices!
—J.A. DePaolis, Penfield
People have the choice to buy what they (want). I would encourage New York to take soda off the food benefits list, thus New York State taxpayers don't foot the bill for soda pop.
—Bill Taillie
It does no good to try and legislate against stupidity. People are very much inclined to continue doing the same dumb things they have habitually done. Some may have been taught by their parents who may not have cared enough. Others don't apparently care enough about themselves to moderate themselves. How do you think prohibition on sugar and high fructose corn syrup would go over? Some people wouldn't care. But many parents would cry because they wouldn't be able to get their kids to eat anything. Habits—even bad ones like obesity—start at home.
—Paul Conaway, Lockheed Martin
This is a tough question. Enforcement will be difficult. A better solution would be to tax larger sugary drinks, based upon the level of sugar. The law requires people to wear their seat belts, which we pretty much accept. Although there was an item in the news about how many tickets were issued for non-compliance. Same goes with distracted driving. Unhealthy habits cost everyone in increased health care cost and lost productivity. The best way to manage this issue is to let people make their own decisions, but make them pay for the decision with a tax to help fund health care.
—Frank Orienter
Providing more information to consumers (posting calorie counts) = Good. Restricting people from infringing on others' personal air space (smoking ban) = Good. Not allowing people to make informed decisions for themselves, or giving them easy loopholes (buy more soda!) = Bad.
—Mark Ganchrow
Sugar is the new cocaine.
—Bob Loeb, Robert Loeb Communications
Many thin and healthy people drink large soft drinks and many fat or unhealthy people do not. People should be at liberty to make their own choices on what is best for them—as long as it does not impact others in their vicinity—as smoking does.
—Ann Tracy, Pittsford
From October 2009 to October 2010, I lost over 100 pounds through a combination of diet and exercise. It's appalling how many calories are mindlessly consumed in beverages. It's equally annoying to try to find low-calorie or no-calorie options, particularly in convenience stores and restaurants. One diet soda option compared to six or more sugary selections is ridiculous. While I don't necessarily support government setting rules about what I can and cannot have, I do support a move that forces companies to look at the products they are providing and retailers to consider expanding the selection with more no-calorie beverage options. (It shouldn't be this hard to find a Diet Cherry Dr Pepper.)
—Kate Krueger
Ideally they would have done it themselves but—the lure of money tends to overrule "the right thing" for businesses. Sadly.
—Jay Ross
I think our forefathers must be spinning in their collective graves at the realization that we have become a "nanny" state!
—Peter Short, J.J. Short Associates, Inc.
The idea that we even have to ask this question is insulting—just give me my plastic bubble and insert whatever the state deems I need in through the airlock once a week. I may not enjoy my life , and I likely will not see anything because it will be blacked out inside my bubble to make sure the sun doesn't harm me—but at least I'll make it to 146 years of age!
—Devon Michaels, Chili
Whatever happened to personal responsibility and accountability? If a person wants to purchase a large sugary drink, s/he should have that right. However much I hate smoking, it is still legal to do so. However, I believe that a person's right to smoke ends where my right to breathe starts. Banning smoking in workplaces, restaurants and public buildings is the right thing to do. If you want to smoke in your own home or car, that's your choice.
—Frances Reese
I was in favor of Obama's suggested extra tax on sugary drinks. While I don't think we should be over-regulated, this makes sense as a measure to encourage people to be healthier. Non-diet soda is calorie-laden, but has no nutritional value whatsoever. A tax on such items does not mean people can't purchase them, but it means they will pay a premium if they choose to do so. The U.S. continues to be a nation with many obese people and the associated health problems that go along with our unhealthy lifestyle. We should not be promoting items that contribute to an unhealthy lifestyle and making it easier for people to get them.
—Debby Emerson
Surely toilet paper usage regulation won't be far behind.
—Jim Butler
Ban smoking in restaurants = good idea; banning in parks = bad idea. We do not need the government to become our nanny. Whatever we do seems to require the government. Maybe we should take a hard look at what foods are subsidized by the U.S. government. They are the ones who paid for this crap in the first place. I don't see them supporting the healthy foods at all. French fries under a $1, oranges over $2 a pound.
—Mike Knox
We should be able to make our own choices—as long as the product is labeled it should be our choice. The next thing will be what? Maybe who I talk to … who I can marry?
—David DeMallie
The "good idea"/"bad idea" should be based on freedom of choice. The ban on smoking is good because secondhand smoke is harmful, and those whom it affects don't have a choice about whether or not to inhale it. A similar argument could be applied to trans fat. Posting a calorie count is good because it gives people information that would be otherwise difficult to obtain. Information should be given to people, but what they do with it is up to them. Once they have the information, natural selection takes over.
—Donald A. Dinero, TWI Learning Partnership
Petty government tyranny is endless. Thought experiment: Mayor Bloomberg (and Gov. Cuomo) wants to remove the penalty for having small amounts of marijuana in your possession. So what happens if you're caught by the cops with a few grams of weed and 20 ounces of Coke?
—Peter Durant, Nixon Peabody LLP
We are in a major health crisis in the U.S. If people were drinking poison, would we prohibit it? Yes. It's called using common sense. This is no different. Corporate America does not care about the health and wellbeing of the citizens. It is the elected government's responsibility to protect and defend all citizens from harm. It's too bad that business doesn't have the same objective. Unfortunately, for a majority of businesses, it is all about money, not a balance of humanity and profits.
—Eve Elzenga, Eve Elzenga Design
Should we ban 1.5 ml bottles of wine and just provide .75 ml? Maybe smaller sized bags of chips and no more footlongs? How ridiculous.
—Daniel Mossien, architect
Enough with the nanny state—what happened to personal responsibility? The only one of these bans that I favor is on smoking, because it directly affects other people.
—Karen Zilora, Creative Scanning Solutions Inc.
It is probably a bad idea, but it is not as clear cut as one may just jump to think. Yes, the government has no business being our nanny, but yes, the government has a place in protecting us. Yes, bathtubs full of empty calories hurt us and ultimately are a cost to taxpayers and our own families. We don't complain when government prevents people from jumping off buildings. We don't complain when government legislates against drinking and driving. We don't complain when government mandates that small children be in protected car seats or that everyone wear a seat belt. The only differences are certainty and the speed of the consequences. The real problem is that government cannot legislate common sense.
—Jay Birnbaum
Read Professor Brian Wansink's book "Mindless Eating" to see the great effect portion size has on eating. Larger portions cause people to eat more. We the taxpayers pay in higher costs of health care, life insurance, etc. As Bloomberg says, they can go back for a second drink. Controlling smoking (affects others, as well as yourself) and trans fats makes sense also, same reasons. Those are fairly easy controls for a restaurant to make; they make a single change to operations. Listing calorie counts is helpful to the consumer, does make people choose the smaller item, but only for large chain restaurants with standard menus. Very big burden for small restaurants.
—Lee Dahl
Government's role in such matters should be through education, not limiting personal freedoms.
—Duane Piede, North Coast Energy Associates
The government should not function as a nanny. It should provide for the dissemination of health information for consumers to consider in making food and beverage choices. It is a free country, so people should be allowed to make their own unhealthy choices even though it isn't wise. However, making unhealthy choices should not be allowed to affect surrounding people which is why banning smoking in public buildings and restaurants is a good idea.
—Mike Kaser, Penfield
Bad idea. I don't support mandatory mini-sizing of portions or people, but what I am actually more concerned about is the rest of the upcoming "behave yourself or else" legislation in NYC: the mandatory calisthenics when waiting for a traffic light to change (except in rainy weather), the required public weigh-in every quarter with an obligation to show up at a supervised gym 3 times a week if more than 20 pounds overweight (although the cost will be borne by everyone else as a health insurance premium), surprise home inspection visits of all parents of overweight children; the sugar and fat rationing cards that have to be presented whenever food is purchased (restaurants, supermarkets, etc., with seizure of the card when over the limit), and the TV/computer "sit-time meter," which must be uploaded weekly to the "Calories Board" to adjust the sugar and fat ration for the following month. Since New York City seems bent on parenting the populace, I guess it is best to buy stock in health clubs, ration card printers, and sit-time meter companies and move someplace else where adults are allowed to be adults.
—Diane C. Harris, president, Hypotenuse Enterprises Inc.
Personally I don't like the government telling me what to do, however, poor decisions by individuals cost me the taxpayer real dollars (e.g.; health care cost). If everyone paid for his/her own health care, I could care less what they drank, ate or smoked. Take seatbelts or motorcycle helmets, the Libertarian in me says, "It's none of the governments business" whether or not I fasten my seatbelt or wear a helmet. The pragmatist in me says, "Why should my tax dollars pay for those who don't pay for his/her own health care expenses." This time, the pragmatist wins.
—Pete Bonenfant
This nanny state stuff has got to stop. If we don't resist it, it will keep growing, taking away more and more of our personal liberties. Even though these nanny-rules may seem like a minor issue in and of itself, over time they build up.
—Lew Pulvino, LJP Associates
Cigarettes and other smoke-type products should definitely be banned, and tobacco companies producing non-medicinal or healthy products should be fined.
—Leslie Apetz
Banning items such as food-stuffs is hogwash—the only persons who care are nannies and health freaks. Banning smoking in restaurants (and bars) should be the responsibility of the owner, not the government. If people do not like eating or drinking around smokers, either the owners will have a smoking section or ban smoking in their establishments. Again, it is not the job of government to watch over our health or habits; let the market and/or the owners decide what to do. As far as parks go, there is perhaps the only instance where government can have a legitimate say in what goes on in the parks. We the people are the government, and if our elected officials vote to ban smoking in parks then they (hopefully) are following the wishes of their constituents. Every regulation and ban reduces our freedom and liberty. If people do not like or if they approve, they must let it be known at the ballot box.
—Michael F. Kloppel, chairman, Ontario County Conservative Party, Canandaigua
This has to be one of the dumbest ideas in a long time. I understand and support the intention—to help people maintain a healthy weight, prevent diabetes, etc. —but this is not only an overstepping by government (albeit local) into private affairs, but also an ineffective vehicle to achieve the stated goals. Simple side-step: buy one get, one on 16 ounce drinks. It is an added inconvenience with no benefit; the epitome of bad policy. Don't get me wrong, I completely agree that a 42 ounce soda is not a reasonable one-person beverage, and the fact that people drink them is a large part of the epidemic of obesity that is driving the abysmal performance of our health care dollars in terms of health status. But bad policy is no way to overcome bad behavior, no matter how good it may make us feel to be protecting people from themselves (or from what we presume are greedy soda company executives bent on profits at the expense of poor people's lives). What's next, no steak larger than 4 ounces? No bacon on cheeseburgers? No all-you-can-eat buffets? No donuts by the dozen? Yes, that might be a little hyperbole, but is it really? A couple weeks ago I would have thought the same about no 16-plus ounce sodas. Supporters say this is about education. If that is the case, then launch an education program. This seems a bit more like control and another class warfare attack on some nameless greed-motivated industry elite.
—Jim Garnham, Penfield
Freedom of choice is fundamental to being an American and is fundamental to the Constitution of the United States. We are free to make smart or dumb choices as individuals. We are promised by our Constitution freedom of equal opportunity but not of equal outcome.
—Dave Rusin, East Rochester
6/8/12 (c) 2012 Rochester Business Journal. To obtain permission to reprint this article, call 585-546-8303 or email email@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Thursday, January 28, 2010
in 2010
Anyway. I've been doing some serious soul searching, goal deciding, career thinking. I've decided to take an extended break from Heidi & Seek while I finish off my degree in 2010. My Etsy shop will still be open, but I won't be adding new stock to it.
I used to enjoy making clothes with my hands, but having to churn them out for business and profit has truly dulled the joy. So I'm taking some time to find my direction, to look for that energising passion again, even if I find it elsewhere in the end.
I have a number of ideas about paths I might like to follow. Teacher, editor, writer. I have a persistent idea for another business venture, but I'm going to take my time with this one. I'll let you know if/when it gets off the ground, because I'm sure you'd all love it.
Needless to say, I'm still incredibly environmentally-inclined, and I believe in the superpowers of craft. If I have my way, many more people will come to realise the neverending number of crafty ways to live prettily and happily without exploiting the planet.
18 comments:
- Penny said...
Hi Hayley!! I was starting to think you'd moved to Mars or some such! It's such a shame to lose inspiration for something you once loved, and I'm sure one day you'll be back to it. In the meantime, hooray for so many ideas! (Especially exciting ones we might like!)
Good luck with your degree :)
- January 28, 2010 at 10:30 PM
- -- Carolyn -- said...
Best of luck Hayley and enjoy the ride!
- January 28, 2010 at 11:37 PM
- Kara said...
Hi... You don't know me, but I found you through wardrobe refashion- I've been inspired by your shop and just thought I'd tell you thanks for that-- Hope you find happiness and fulfillment in whatever path you choose!!
- January 29, 2010 at 2:28 AM
- Isis said...
Will you still be blogging Hayley, because I really enjoy your blog. It's a pity to see Heidi and Seek stop (maybe just for now), but I understand how hard it is to keep going when you've lost the passion and creativity. Being creative 'on queue' is very hard
best of wishes with uni and good luck with what ever you end up doing
x isis
- January 29, 2010 at 7:12 AM
- Ruth Quibell said...
G'day Hayley. I've really enjoy your blog, both the creative side and your questioning & reflections on what you're doing. Congratulations on making such a tough decision, and my best wishes for the year ahead!
- January 29, 2010 at 7:41 AM
- nikkishell said...
Good luck with finishing your degree. I know how hard it can be to make these kinds of decisions, doing a little soul searching myself right now.xx
- January 29, 2010 at 7:48 AM
- Hayley Bash said...
Hi Hayley. Good luck with your changes, I'm sure you will be much happier since you've put a lot of thought into it. Will you still blog? Would you maybe do some custom pieces? xx
- January 29, 2010 at 8:37 AM
- Heidi and Seek said...
Penny - Hello! Yes, I felt very neglectful of the blog, but I think I just needed to sort things out in my head first. And thank youu!
Carolyn - Thank you lovely.
Kara - Thanks so much for commenting, I'm really glad I inspired you. Just checked out your Etsy shop and I love it!
Isis - Yes, I'll still blog.
I think it's a pity, too, and I've spent the last however many months trying to talk myself out of it... but if it doesn't make me happy then that's that.
Ruth - Thank you, I'm really glad you enjoy the blog. The good news is I'll still be posting!
Nikki - Thank you. I hope you figure your stuck out soon, if it is a stuck.
Hayley - I sent an email to your Deakin address.
- January 29, 2010 at 10:26 AM
- Polka Dot Rabbit said...
HI Hayley,
I can certainly relate to where you are at, I've had a similar challenge with Polka Dot Rabbit where I got to a point where churning out stock to keep up with demand just wasn't fun or sustainable for a happy life.
I think a lot of creative people have been in similar positions lately and I hope you enjoy your studies this year :)
I still adore my Heidi and Seek top!
- January 29, 2010 at 11:54 AM
- Kerry said...
I was thinking about you recently. I was lamenting on the fact that I no longer have the enthusiasm for making things to sell online that I did when I first started... and I was just thinking 'Gosh, I wonder how Hayley keeps up her enthusiasm'.
"I used to enjoy making clothes with my hands, but having to churn them out for business and profit has truly dulled the joy."
This is so true for me too. The minute I started taking photos, listing, and posting things out... my enthusiasm died. It really did dull the whole thing out for me. I have also taken an extended break... I do miss it sometimes... I make the odd thing here and there, but I haven't listed anything on etsy or made it for ages, and I've taken a break from Leeloo too.
I'm hoping to get back into it sometime in the future... but I think if I do, I want to be able to put 100% in. At the time, I was only really putting in 60% in... and I was disappointed with myself. Being a perfectionist, I can't just 'do it in my spare time'... I feel like I'm somehow letting myself down, or not meeting my true potential, if that makes sense.
Anyway, good luck with your studies in 2010. Is this your final year? I'm doing postgrad studies this year... very full on!
Take care of yourself, and keep in touch! And keep making stuff! Even if you don't sell it... don't lose that passion for eco-fashion!
- January 29, 2010 at 8:49 PM
- Heidi and Seek said...
Cate - I'm glad you like your top! Thanks for the encouragement, it's nice to hear I'm not alone!
Kerry - I know exactly what you mean about that perfectionist inside saying 'you must put in 100%'. I'm trying really hard to get over that, though, because sometimes it prevents me from making progress and positive change.
I felt like I was letting myself down a lot every time I didn't put in my all to the business. But now I think that if I didn't want to put in my all, it wasn't the right thing for me.
I'm still a little worried that maybe nothing will give me this endless passion... but I'm being optimistic. And I'm still going to search for it.
And yep, this is my final year. I may do a postgrad publishing and editing course next year, but I'll wait and see. Kudos to you for a) completing your first degree and b) keeping on!
I'm really excited about making things for myself.. I haven't given myself that luxury since I started selling. As soon as I've sorted out my redone craft area, I'll be all over that :p
- January 29, 2010 at 9:25 PM
- Kara said...
I just wanted to come back to say thanks, Again! It Really means a lot to me that you like my work!
I'm wondering how it will be for me... If listing and Etsy and selling will make me not enjoy the creating... I'm obviously new to it! (the Etsy part... I've loved creating so far! but I don't want to end up hating it...)
If you know of any tips... I hope to still enjoy the creating process and not have it become about sales or anything...
Maybe it's just that there's a time for everything... and maybe I won't always sell either, but just for a little bit... I guess we'll see! We all have different paths that come up... I'm going to try this one for a while, and see what it brings. Maybe I'll tire of it like you have for now... who knows!
Just remember you had a good influence doing what you've done so far--Even if you never go back to it! And I like your list of things to do! Those should keep you busy... Just enjoy life, right?
- January 30, 2010 at 7:15 AM
- Little eco footprints said...
Hi Hayley. I'm glad to hear you have made the hard decision to stop doing something that wasn't enjoyable any more...You must be so proud of what you created with Heidi and Seek! I found you and your work inspitarational. Thank you. I imagine you learnt so much from the process.
I can totally relate to how you are feeling. I gave away Flannel Fings a few months ago after realising I hadn't created anything other than Flannel Fings for over a year! I was hating sewing and I realised for me the business was supposed to be about creating - but all I was doing was sewing. So now i'm enjoying creating again.
Good luck with uni.....and i'm so glad to hear you will still be blogging because I love reading it :-)
- January 31, 2010 at 8:00 AM
- Stitchybritt said...
Hi Hayley
I think your blog is really interesting and inspiring, strange that I stumbled across it now (via etsy researching vintage refashioning) at this turning point in your creativity. I think it's great that you can write about how you really feel, make the change, aim your creative flair at your next adventure!
Am also really happy that you will keep blogging : )
- January 31, 2010 at 7:19 PM
Congratulations on making an incredibly difficult decision! I know how hard it because I have recently made it myself (yesterday was my official "closing up shop" date). I regualary stop by your blog for a peek and wondered what was going on for you since you stopped blogging.
Working as a one-woman sweat shop kinda killed all possibility of creative satisfaction for me, and whilst I knew that things weren't working for me for quite a few months, I still put myself through the wringer of "Why can't I make this work! Other people can!"
I just wanted to say that I applaud you doing what is right for you.
Best wishes for your future endevours,
- February 1, 2010 at 6:10 PM
- Heidi and Seek said...
Kara -
You're welcome, and I was being 100% honest. If I didn't make my own clothes I'd totally buy something.
I suppose, about tips for not getting burnt out... for me I think it was because I was too focused on the money side of things. I knew I had to make a certain amount to be able to do it for a living. I think if I did it because I liked it, only took on work that I enjoyed (custom orders killed me a bit), and didn't worry so much about the profits (if I had another job or something, which I didn't when I started) maybe it would have been different. Maybe if I wasn't juggling study, plus a toddler, plus the business it would have been different.
But another part of me thinks that making for a living just isn't for me. I can get a lot more enjoyment just making things for myself and people I know, and sharing for the love of it. I'm already more inspired to start sharing my sewing knowledge for nothing... and that makes me happier than doing it for profit.
I'm feeling really good about my decision, but I'm also really happy with what I've achieved. Thanks for your encouraging words.
Tricia -
Thanks so much.
I'm really surprised by how many people relate to this post. Handmade businesses seem like dream jobs, and at times I've had to remind myself that just because other people might think I should stick with it, I need to listen to my gut.
So yes, I know exactly what you mean - especially about enjoying creating again. I haven't sorted out my craft area enough to make anything yet, but I'm feeling inspired in a way I haven't in a very long time.
Stitchybritt - Thanks for your lovely words. It's hard to be honest sometimes, but that's always been my aim with this blog. I don't see the point in glamourising the business, when really it's just hard slog.
And yep, I am totally ready for what life has in store for me next.
Mel -
It's sad that your work won't be available anymore because I love your designs, but great that you've figured this out and I hope you're feeling good about it, too. We all need to do what's best for ourselves, much as it'd be nice to be able to service everyone!
Working as a one-woman sweat shop kinda killed all possibility of creative satisfaction for me, and whilst I knew that things weren't working for me for quite a few months, I still put myself through the wringer of "Why can't I make this work! Other people can!"
This is so spot on for me, too. I spent ages trying to convince myself that this was a dream job, and if I'd just try harder, then things would work and I'd get over the doubts. Nope. I should have listened to my intuition earlier.
It's nice to hear that others have gone through the same feelings.
- February 1, 2010 at 9:10 PM
- Polka Dot Rabbit said...
Yes, just wanted to add that there has to be a better way than all of us slaving away at home in our 'one woman sweat shops'. I wrote about this late last year
Thought it might interest readers to know they aren't alone, a lot of us are having the same conversations :)
- February 2, 2010 at 10:58 AM
Oh wow.. I missed this!! What a very clear path you are on right now. 2010 feels very much like that and I know I'm not the only one to say that. It has a different vibe.
Best of luck with it all. I know you'll do well in whatever you set your mind to. Are you going to keep up the blog? I am a sucky reader/follower, but I do really enjoy yours!! :)
Best wishes,
- February 9, 2010 at 3:31 PM


text:
It feels good to sit down.
I'm taking a minute for myself. Elf is playing on the television, my (turquoise-themed) Christmas tree is twinkling in the background, and my cat is snuggled up next to me. It's been a busy month, and I've not had many moments to myself recently. I blinked, and before I knew it my December schedule was filled with meetings, holiday parties, food swaps, catering gigs, meetings, baking, cooking, crafting, and so much more.
To be honest, I sort of love the hustle and bustle of it all. I'm the queen of overcommitment and I'm always busy, busy, busy. But, that gets old quickly. In fact, it's downright exhausting. I have to remind myself to slow down, and to take things one day at a time. I desperately want to enjoy this holiday season, and the only obstacle standing in the way of a peaceful and restful holiday is me.
But, I'm working on it. Baby steps. Tonight, I snuggled with my cat and watched Elf and all felt right.
And the cherry hazelnut biscotti? They were part of my holiday stress-reducing plan. I needed something to bring to the PDX Winter Food Swap and I needed a treat to bring to a holiday party. So I made a double batch of biscotti and I killed two birds with one stone. The biscotti were an absolute hit at each event (i.e. they disappeared quickly), they were easy to make, and they crossed two things off my to-do list. Huzzah!
I'd like to say thank you (yet again) to my sister, Danielle, for baking with me. We baked the biscotti together while her baby and my bunny played together on the kitchen floor (and made a giant – but adorable – mess). Baking is so much better with company (if I do say so myself)…
Adapted from Williams Sonoma
Note: This recipe could easily be adapted to include various dried fruits and nuts (cranberries, blueberries, dates, pistachios, almonds, pecans, etc), I just used what I had on hand. And, of course, I decided to dip each biscotti in dark chocolate…because it seemed like the right thing to do.
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried bing cherries, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
12 oz. (1 bag) dark chocolate chips (I used extra dark, 60% cacao from Ghiradelli)
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line one large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), beat butter on high speedy, until fluffy (1-2 minutes). Add in the sugar, and continue beating until well combined. Reduce the speed to low, and add in the eggs one at a time. Mix until blended, and then mix in the vanilla.
In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat on low speed or stir with a wooden spoon just until incorporated. Gently stir in the hazelnuts, cherries and orange zest until evenly distributed. The dough should be very soft.
Turn the dough out onto a generously floured work surface and divide in half. With well-floured hands, transfer one-half onto one side of the lined baking sheet and shape into a log about 12″ long and 1.5 inches wide. Repeat with the remaining dough on the other side of the sheet, leaving at least 4 inches between the logs.
Bake the biscotti until the edges are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Gently (and carefully) transfer the biscotti "logs" to a flat surface. Using a serrated knife, cut off slices of biscotti (1/2 inch wide). Place biscotti pieces on the baking sheet (on their side) and bake for 10 minutes more, or until golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire racks.
Optional: Once the cookies have cooled, melt the chocolate chips, using a double boiler. (You could always try the microwave to melt the chocolate, but you can easily overcook the chocolate and then it becomes gritty and gross. I prefer the double boiler method.) Dip each biscotti in the chocolate, coating 1/4 to 1/2 of the cookie (I just like to coat the tip of the biscotti, so I dip it 1/4 of the way in the chocolate). Carefully place each biscotti on a piece of parchment or wax paper, and allow to cool.
Store biscotti in an airtight container. Makes about 2 dozen biscotti.
A photo of my biscotti at the PDX Winter Handmade Food Swap


text:
Time to start shopping!
Legal Notices
This document provides notice of specific legal obligations in connection with your use of our Internet or 'web' sites (collectively, 'Site' or 'Sites'). By using this Site, you agree to be bound by our Legal Notices, Conditions of Use and Privacy Policy (collectively, 'Notices and Policies'), in addition to other terms and conditions that may appear throughout our Sites.
References to 'PetSmart' in this document mean PetSmart, Inc., its affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions and designees and the Site owner, PetSmart Home Office, Inc.
PetSmart reserves the right to make changes to this Site and its Notices and Policies at any time. Each time you use this Site, you should visit and review the then current Notices and Policies that apply to your transactions and use of this Site. If you do not agree to be bound by the then current Notices and Policies, your sole remedy is not to use this Site. PetSmart is not responsible for typographical or photographic errors on this Site.
All Site content and collective work comprising the Site, including information, articles, data, software, photographs, graphs, videos, typefaces, graphics, music, sounds and other artwork and material (collectively 'Content') is protected by copyright, trademark, patent or other proprietary rights under United States and/or international laws and held by PetSmart and/or the original creator of the material, including PetSmart's suppliers and/or affiliates and Site visitors contributing material in connection with our Pet Community, Blog, Ask an Expert and similar services Sites (for more information, see 'Contributions to this Site; Content & Submissions' below). These rights are valid and protected in all forms, media and technologies existing now or developed in the future.
The PetSmart and Bouncing Ball Design marks, petsmart.com, PetSmart Charities of Canada and PetPerks, among numerous other trademarks used on this Site, are registered to and/or otherwise protected by PetSmart under United States, Canada and/or international intellectual property laws. All trademarks, service marks, logos, slogans, domain names and trade names are the property of their respective owners and are licensed to, or otherwise used with permission by, PetSmart. All intellectual property used on the Site may not be reproduced, copied or otherwise manipulated in any manner without express, written permission of the owner. PetSmart disclaims any proprietary interest in intellectual property other than its own.
You may only download Content displayed on this Site for non-commercial, personal use, provided you also retain all copyright, trademark and other proprietary notices contained in our Content. Do not alter the Content, and do not copy or post the Content on any network computer or broadcast the Content in any media.
Except as expressly authorized herein, or by an authorized representative of PetSmart, or by license, PetSmart strictly prohibits modifying, transmitting, distributing, reusing, reposting, 'framing' or using the Content of this Site and the Site servers, including the text, images, audio and/or video for public or commercial purposes. Downloading images of products for sale within this Site is strictly prohibited. You may not copy, modify, remove, delete, augment, add to, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale, lease or rental of, create derivative works from or in any way exploit the Content of this Site, in whole or in part.
There are many opportunities to contribute to this Site. By using this Site, you agree that any information (except for purchase information) you send to PetSmart to contribute to this Site, or that you submit, post or display on our Site, is not confidential, including data, text, photos, videos, stories, articles, names (first and/or last, fiction or nonfiction) and other information, suggestions, ideas, comments or links you send to PetSmart or any other third party using this Site ('Material'). By submitting any solicited or unsolicited Material using this Site, you grant PetSmart an irrevocable and unrestricted license to use, modify, reproduce, transmit, display and distribute the Material for any purpose whatsoever to the extent permitted by law.
By submitting Material to the PetSmart Pet Community and similar service Sites, you agree that you are the sole owner and copyright holder of photos, videos, stories and information you submit; that these items do not infringe any intellectual property rights of any individual or entity, including the photographer who took the photos and/or videos you have submitted; and that these items do not contain any material that otherwise violates any criminal prohibition. You grant to PetSmart, its employees, agents, personnel, assigns, licensees, successors in interest and legal representatives, an irrevocable and perpetual and royalty free right to use your photos, videos, stories and information and name (first name and/or last name or any fictional name you provided with your submission) or likeness, in all forms and in all media and in all manners, without any restriction or notice as to changes or alterations for any advertising, promotion, publicity or any other lawful purposes.
The Material you submit may be altered for the purposes of proper publication by PetSmart. You waive any claims you may have based on any usage of your photos, videos, stories and information and release PetSmart from any and all liability related to distribution, publication and dissemination of these items, including publication on the Internet. You waive all moral or integrity rights with respect to the photos and/or videos you have submitted to PetSmart.
You acknowledge that PetSmart is relying upon and would not use the Material you submit in the absence of these terms. PetSmart is not liable or responsible for any content provided by users at PetSmart's websites and will not sell the rights in your photos, videos, stories or information to any third party.
We may, at our sole discretion, remove Material that we determine are unlawful, fraudulent, harassing, offensive, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene or otherwise objectionable, or infringes or violates any party's intellectual property or other proprietary rights or our Notices and Policies. This includes comments concerning our competitors, vendors, business partners, service providers, Associates and affiliates.
PetSmart is not liable or responsible for any content provided by its users or other third parties for use on this Site. Contributions to this Site by third parties do not necessarily represent the view or opinions of PetSmart. PetSmart may not preview user content before it appears on this Site. Users can be held liable for any illegal or prohibited user content they provide to this Site, including among other things, infringing, defamatory or offensive materials. If you discover this kind of material on this Site, please promptly notify us at firstname.lastname@example.com so that we may investigate and take appropriate action.
The petsmart.com site is created and controlled by PetSmart and is operated by its service provider, Demandware, Inc., both of the United States of America. The laws of the State of Arizona will govern the Site without giving effect to any principles or conflicts of laws.
This Site contains links to other sites operated by third parties, including third-party sites that display PetSmart trademarks ('Third-Party Site(s)'). These links are available for your convenience and are intended only to enable access to these Third-Party Sites and for no other purpose.
PetSmart does not warrant or make any representation about the substance, quality, functionality, accuracy, fitness for a particular purpose, merchantability or any other representation about any Third-Party Site or its content. A link to a Third-Party Site from this Site does not constitute sponsorship, endorsement, approval or responsibility of any such Third-Party Site. PetSmart makes no representation or warranty as to any products or services offered on any Third-Party Site.
The Conditions of Use, Legal Notices and Privacy Policy of any Third-Party Site may differ substantially from the Notices and Policies that apply to your use of this Site. Please review the Conditions of Use for all Third-Party Sites for more information about the terms and conditions that apply to your use of Third-Party Sites.
By using this Site to search for or link to a Third-Party Site, you agree and understand that you may not make any claim against PetSmart for any damages or losses whatsoever resulting from your use of this Site to obtain search results and/or to link to a Third-Party Site. However, if you have a problem with a link from this Site, please let us know at email@example.com and we will investigate and take appropriate action.
See PetSmart's Privacy Policy for information on the privacy and security practices of PetSmart and this Site.
By using this Site, you agree that you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and password and for restricting access to your computer and account, and you accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account and password. If you access this Site on a public computer or use a computer to which multiple people may have access, follow all relevant instructions to sufficiently disconnect and log off of this Site and the computer system you are using to prevent unauthorized access to your PetSmart account.
Unlawful activities on this Site are strictly prohibited. This includes tampering with this Site, misrepresenting the identity of a user, using buying agents or conducting fraudulent activities.
Site users are prohibited from violating or attempting to violate the security of this Site, including without limitation: (1) accessing data not intended for such user or logging onto a server or an account which the user is not authorized to access; (2) using this Site for unintended purposes or trying to change the behavior of this Site; (3) attempting to probe, scan or test the vulnerability of a system or network or breach security or authentication measures without proper authorization; (4) attempting to interfere with service to any user, host or network, including without limitation, via means of submitting a virus to this Site, overloading, 'flooding,' 'spamming,' 'mailbombing' or 'crashing'; (5) forging any TCP/IP packet header or any part of the header information in any e-mail or newsgroup posting; and (6) forging communications on behalf of this Site (impersonating this site) or to this Site (impersonating a legitimate user). Sending unsolicited and unauthorized e-mail on behalf of PetSmart, including promotions and/or advertising of products or services, is expressly prohibited. Violations of system or network security may result in civil or criminal liability.
You agree not to use any device, software or routing data to interfere or attempt to interfere with the proper working of this Site or any activity being conducted on this Site. You agree not to use or attempt to use any engine, software, tool, agent, data or other device or mechanism (including browsers, spiders, robots, avatars or intelligent agents) to navigate or search this Site other than the search engine and search agents provided by PetSmart or publicly available browsers.
Content that does the following types of things is illegal and/or prohibited on this Site:
- Is patently offensive to the online community, such as, content that promotes racism, bigotry, hatred or physical harm of any kind against any group or individual;
- Is or could be harmful to minors, including material that exploits persons under the age of 18 in a sexual or violent manner, or solicits Personal Information from anyone under 18;
- Provides instructional information about illegal activities, such as, making or buying illegal weapons; violating someone's privacy; providing or creating computer viruses;
- Solicits passwords, personal identifying information for commercial or unlawful purposes from other users;
- Harasses or advocates harassment of another person;
- Displays pornographic material of any kind;
- Involves the transmission of 'junk mail,' 'chain letters' or unsolicited mass mailing or 'spamming';
- Promotes information that you know is false, misleading or promotes illegal activities or conduct, or is abusive, threatening, obscene, defamatory or libelous;
- Is or promotes an illegal or unauthorized copy of another person's work, such as, providing pirated computer programs or links to them, provides information to circumvent manufacturer-installed copy-protect devices or provides pirated content or links to pirated content files;
- Contains restricted or password-only access pages or hidden pages or images (those not linked to or from another accessible page); and
- Engages in commercial activities and/or sales relating to PetSmart without PetSmart's prior written consent, such as, contests, sweepstakes, barter, advertising and pyramid schemes.
Certain software and similar materials ('Software') that you may download from this Site may be further subject to United States Export Controls. No Software from this Site may be downloaded or exported contrary to any applicable export law, including any applicable prohibitions against download or export as follows: (1) into (or to a national or resident of) Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria or any other country to which the United States has embargoed goods; or (2) anyone on the United States Treasury Department's list of Specially Designated Nationals or the U.S. Commerce Department's Table of Deny Orders. By downloading or using Software downloaded from this site, you agree to abide by the applicable laws, rules and regulations - including the Export Administration Act and the Arms Export Control Act - and you represent and warrant that you will not transfer, by electronic transmission or otherwise, this Software to a foreign national or a foreign destination in violation of law.
You agree to indemnify and hold PetSmart and its officers, agents, employees and other partners, harmless from any loss, liability, claim or demand, including reasonable attorney's fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of your use of this Site, including your use of this Site to provide a link to another site or to upload content or other information to this Site.
PetSmart is strongly committed to respecting and protecting human rights wherever we operate. Suppliers and vendors play a key role in helping us manage our global supply chain in a socially responsible manner. PetSmart requires its suppliers and vendors to comply with all applicable laws relating to working hours and paying fair wages. PetSmart requires its suppliers and vendors to follow all applicable laws for minimum employment age, and PetSmart does not tolerate any kind of child or forced labor or human trafficking.
The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010 requires certain companies to disclose publicly their efforts to eradicate human trafficking and slavery from their global supply chains. PetSmart requires its international private brand manufacturers ('Vendors') to comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the jurisdictions in which they operate. We also require Vendors to certify that the products they provide to us and the materials that they incorporate into their products comply with the laws and regulations regarding slavery and human trafficking of the country or countries in which they do business. To verify compliance with these requirements, Vendors must undergo a third party social accountability audit which includes a review of human trafficking and/or slavery issues. PetSmart verifies the documentation from these third party audits and if a Vendor fails to comply with any of the above requirements, PetSmart promptly reviews the failure with the Vendor to determine if compliance can be met. Vendors who cannot maintain these requirements are not eligible to do business with PetSmart. As of 2014, PetSmart associates working with overseas suppliers will be required to complete training on these requirements and compliance matters to educate them on identifying and addressing human trafficking and slavery in PetSmart's supply chain.
If you have questions about our Conditions of Use, Legal Notices or Privacy Policy, contact us by:
- E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
- Regular Mail: PetSmart, Inc. Attn: Customer Service 1435 International Dr. Eau Claire, WI 54701
- Phone: Toll-free: 1-888-839-9638 (U.S. Customers) 1-321-309-9065 (Customers Outside of the U.S.) 7:00 AM to Midnight EST.
Because our Site and stores will continue to implement new technologies and to improve the products and services we provide, our Notices and Policies are subject to change. We reserve the right to change or update our Notices and Policies and to modify or terminate the Site for any reason, without notice and without liability to you or any other participating third party. As a Site user, you are responsible for regularly reviewing our Notices and Policies in order to remain informed of our practices and your obligations as you visit and use our Site. Our current Notices and Policies constitute the entire agreement between you and PetSmart as you use our Site and supersede all prior understandings or agreements, written or oral, in this regard.
Revised April 25, 2014


text:
Jan. 9, 2006
Lipscomb's Lady Bisons squeezed in one final non-conference game between a heavy slate of Atlantic Sun games, but still managed to walk away with a 78-60 victory Monday night over visiting Savannah State at Allen Arena.
It was the third straight victory for the Lady Bisons, 3-8 overall. Savannah State dropped to 1-17 with the loss.
The game provided the Lady Bisons with one more chance to work on a variety of things in a game situation before finishing the season exclusively against A-Sun teams beginning with Thursday night's visit to Mercer University in Macon, Ga.
"They pressed us most of the game," said Lipscomb coach Frank Bennett. "We got to react to different defenses.
"We did a pretty good job of attacking. We didn't have bunches of turnovers together like we have had trouble with in the past.
"They were a quick team. We had a chance to work a lot on how to stop teams from penetrating."
In the first half Savannah State's full-court press and overall quickness tested the Lady Bisons. The game was close until the Lady Bisons took a 10-point lead at 27-17 with 8:07 left before intermission on a lay-up by Katie Beth Pate.
The Lady Bisons would lead the rest of the first half by as many as 13 points. They held that margin at intermission, heading into their dressing room with a 37-24 advantage.
In the second half Savannah State chipped away at the Lady Bisons double-digit leads, trimming them to six points on two occasions, once at 16:26 when a pair of free throws by Shaunte Carter made the score 39-33 and again at 14:18 when a pair of free throws by Antoinette Williams made the score 45-39.
The Lady Bisons scored nine unanswered points from 13:53 to 12:01 with the run capped by a 3-pointer by point guard Catie Woods for a 54-39 lead. From that point on the Lady Bisons maintained a double-digit lead, taking a 20-point advantage at 61-41 with 9:56 left to play.
"In the second half our lead got down to six twice," said Bennett. "We could have panicked a little bit and gotten out of control. But we did a really good job of meeting those runs."
In the final 4:19 of the game the Lady Bisons did not let Savannah State get any closer than 20 points until the 12-second mark when a lay-up by Cassidy Jenkins cut the lead to 18.. The biggest lead for the Lady Bisons was 24 points (78-54) with 1:43 left to play.
Pate recorded her second double-double in a row with 14 points and 10 rebounds in 13 minutes. She was the only Lady Bisons player to reach double figures in either category as Bennett took the opportunity to give 14 players time on the court. Freshmen Katie Rollins (21 minutes), Rachel Viehmann (17 minutes), Jillian Partin (17 minutes) and Miriam McAlister (16 minutes) all received significant playing time. "The freshmen are getting a better clue about what we are trying to do as a team and cutting out some of their mistakes," said Bennett. "They have been making a lot of progress."
Viehmann earned praise from Bennett for her continued improvement, including eight points and six rebounds against Savannah State.
"Rachel has really stepped it up since the Florida State game," said Bennett. "This was her best game. She has played a lot better the last four games in working for the ball, making strong moves to the basket and getting some good rebounds.
"She can really learn the floor. She is really fast for a 6-foot-3 post player. We are trying to get her to run the floor more."
Savannah State placed three players in double figures. Carter led with 12 points followed by Lashara Smith and Williams with 10 each. Shamice James grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds.
The Lady Bisons held a 48-40 edge in rebounding. They also committed only 16 turnovers, a season-low.
One area where Bennett was disappointed was in the fouls department. Savannah State shot 28 free throws, hitting 21 for a 75 percent success rate. The Lady Bisons hit 18-of-26 free throws for a 69.2 percent rate.
"We put them on the foul line way too much, but we did some good things," said Bennett. "We have four straight road games coming up. Hopefully, we are at the point where we have the toughness and the team concept to win tough road games."


text:
WASHINGTON — Jon Corzine on Thursday disputed an allegation that he knew about customer money that may have been transferred to a European affiliate just before MF Global collapsed.
"I did not instruct anyone to lend customer funds to MF Global or any of its affiliates," Corzine told a House panel. He also said he didn't know about "the use of customer funds on any loan or transfer."
Corzine made his first public appearance since Terrence Duffy, the CME Group Inc. executive chairman, alleged Tuesday that he might have known about the $175 million transfer.
If true, Duffy's accusation would raise the possibility that Corzine misled Congress about when he learned that client money was missing.
About $1.2 billion of client money disappeared when MF Global filed for the eighth-largest bankruptcy in U.S. history. Lawmakers, regulators and law enforcement officials are investigating.
Brokers such as MF Global generally are required to keep customer money separate from company money.
Corzine, a former Democratic senator and New Jersey governor, stepped down as the firm's CEO last month. He is appearing before the House Financial Services Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, a Republican-led panel known for aggressive questioning.
Massachusetts Rep. Michael Capuano, the panel's top Democrat, suggested that MF Global took advantage of looser financial rules in Britain to take on additional debt for high-risk trades.
"If you did anything wrong, the criminal investigators will find that, I won't," Capuano told Corzine.
At two previous hearings, Corzine said he never told anyone to "misuse" customer money. He learned about the shortfall in customer accounts late on Oct. 30, the day before the bankruptcy filing, Corzine testified.
Duffy testified Tuesday to a Senate panel, after Corzine's second appearance. CME Group operates exchanges on which MF Global traded. It also was responsible for auditing some of MF Global's books.
According to Duffy, an MF Global employee told a CME auditor that "Mr. Corzine was aware" of the transfer. Duffy said he referred the matter to the Justice Department and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Both are investigating MF Global's failure and the disappearance of the customer money.
The transaction Duffy described wasn't necessarily illegal. Brokers such as MF Global are allowed to borrow from customer accounts temporarily in some circumstances — to reduce their own risk, for example.
But such cases are a narrow exception. A firm couldn't use customer money to pay trading partners if its speculative trades lost value. Even in cases where borrowing clients' money was legal, the firm would have to replace it with a safe, cash-like investment such as a U.S. Treasury security.
"While a (broker) is permitted to invest customer funds, it is important to note that if a (broker) does so, the value of the customer segregated accounts must remain intact at all times," Dan Berkovitz, the CFTC's general counsel, says in testimony prepared for Thursday's hearing.
Any time money is transferred out of customer accounts, the broker must deposit something of equal value in the accounts at the same time, Berkovitz says.
Legal experts say it's hard to imagine how that would apply to the alleged MF Global transaction: a "loan" to an overseas affiliate.
"Whose money are they loaning?" asked Felix Shipkevich, an attorney and expert in the regulation of firms such as MF Global. "Is it the parent company loaning money to the foreign subsidiary, or are they taking money out of client accounts?"
If the money was from client accounts, Shipkevich said, the loan probably was illegal.
Duffy will likely be asked to elaborate on his accusation. He made the assertion Tuesday after Corzine had departed from the hearing. On Thursday, he will testify after Corzine has had a chance to respond.
The subcommittee also plans to ask Corzine whether he used his relationships with regulators to gain advantages for MF Global. Corzine has been a major fundraiser for Democrats. He was co-chairman of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. In that role, he worked with two other Goldman executives at the time: Gary Gensler, now chairman of the CFTC, and William Dudley, now president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Gensler has recused himself from the investigation because of his long history with Corzine. Neither he nor Dudley is scheduled to testify. Top lawyers from the CFTC and New York Fed will appear instead.
Along with other Wall Street executives, Corzine lobbied Gensler and his staff last summer against a possible CFTC rule that would limited how their firms can invest clients' money. Afterward, the CFTC delayed adopting the rule until earlier this month.
Early this year, the Federal Reserve allowed MF Global to join an elite group of 22 dealers that help the government sell Treasury securities. The Fed did not assess MF Global to see if it was taking on too much risk. Instead, Fed officials relied on oversight by the CFTC and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The role of primary dealer conferred on MF Global a seal of financial strength. It gave the firm a competitive edge and likely lowered the interest it was charged to borrow, noted Janet Tavakoli, an expert on the markets that MF Global occupied.
"You participate in Treasury auctions, and being able to sell them, and of course you make money on that," Tavakoli said.
Because the Fed doesn't regulate its primary dealers, she said, "they should take all the more care in awarding the primary dealer status."
Given MF Global's size and past run-ins with regulators, Tavakoli said, "it's inexplicable that MF Global got their primary dealer status."
Corzine is appearing alongside MF Global's president and chief operating officer, Bradley Abelow. Abelow said he didn't recall "any conversation about customer funds being used for anything other than their intended purpose."


text:
Edina, United States
Quill House is committed to finding ways to help first time authors get their work into a book and on the market.
Add your organization to our directory. It is Free!.
(c) PublishersGlobal: An information marketplace for the global publishing industry - publishers, authors, literary agents and all kinds of publishing service providers. PublishersGlobal includes a global directory of publishing companies, publishing industry events and news.
design + development: impellio.com
© 2015 PublishersGlobal


text:
Message Board
Michael I. Leahey Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Leahey has written!
Author Leahey's Book Reviews
The Pale Green Horse
Dunne, Apr 2002, 22.95, 260 pp. ISBN: 0312278136 While James Joseph �JJ� Donovan was enjoying his vacation with his ex-wife in the Virgin Islands, his partner, Dr. Boris Koulomzin attends a Yankees game when he mistakenly receives a manila envelope. However, the messenger must have changed his mind because following the game, he tries to kill Boris. JJ returns home to a badly, battered and frightened Boris because the content of the envelop...


text:
Associate Dentist
Associate Dentist to join our well-established practice in Boston.
What we do matters. Our customers trust us with one of their most important assets, their smile. Patient care is our passion and we believe everyone deserves a happy and healthy smile, which is why we thrive on having the very best people in the industry working with us to ensure we all keep on smiling.
Here at Oasis Dental Care (now part of Bupa) our people are at the heart of everything we do, because we care. We have created environments where people can look forward to coming to work, feel empowered and benefit from working collaboratively with brilliant & talented experts. So joining us isn't just for a job, but a career.
As an Associate Dentist you'll be benefiting from a supportive practice team, a well-managed appointment book, exceptional development and opportunities to take you as far as you want to go; and that's just to mention a few, so what's not to love?
This exciting opportunity also offers:
- 5 Days per week
- Up to 7000 UDAs at an excellent rate
- Great Private earning potential
- Additional discount for utilising Oasis Labs
- Continuous Professional Development
The Practice: Established with 5 surgeries, modern working environment, fully computerised, R4 Software, OPG, digital x-ray and fully Air Conditioned. Experienced longstanding associates, supported by a dedicated Dental Hygienist and a team of qualified professional support staff. Providing a 50/50 mix of NHS & Private, and in addition offering Practice Plan and Oasis Basics.
OasisBostonis a well-established five surgery practice, with 30 years of experience caring for the local community of Boston and the surrounding areas of Lincolnshire's Fenland. The practice benefits from onsite parking, and has great links to public transport and shops as we are located close to the town centre.Bostonis a historic town boastingattractions includingthe Medieval Lanes, which now host a variety of English and European cafes and restaurants.
Why join Oasis? Here's a selection of the fantastic incentives we have to offer:
- Excellent Working facilities and the latest equipment
- Highest standards of clinical governance & expert support
- On-boarding and Induction process
- Oasis Indemnity that offers you full cover, bespoke to Oasis
- Sponsored Education
- Career Mobility


text:
Hey guys, I recently picked up a copy of "Hackers Challenge - Test your incident response skilsl using 20 real life senarios". Its an absolutely fablous book and I recommend it to anyone whos interested in Computer Forensics and Computer Security. Their are 20 real life senarios and at the end of each chapter, you have to answer questions based on the information, ie log files, timestamps, md5 checksums etc.
Like I said if its Computer Security / Forensics, this book is a must.


text:
hi guys had a thought probably already bean mentioned many of times before but here goes.
is there any way to introduce on neutral territory positions a hidden trap or hidden reward
for example on oasis when you cross the desert you cross on 72 it reveals a trap quicksand what ever and you lose 5 troops, 10 troops or a reward +5 troops, +10 troops. even a hidden artillery position allowing to bombard a set distance away or land mine etc
has this been considered on new maps at all ?? is it possible ?


text:
Adrian Holovaty says it's time to rebrand the Chicago startup scene, focusing on passionate bootstrappers rather than small firms looking to get huge.
Playing "the Silicon Valley game" isn't going to get Chicago any closer to the kind of massive venture-capital dollars that flow through California, Holovaty told about 450 people gathered Thursday morning for the Chicago Entrepreneurial Center's 2014 Startup Forecast.
He even offered a rebranding slogan: "Chicago. Be your own boss."
"There's no way we're going to catch up with Silicon Valley," said Holovaty, founder of hyperlocal website EveryBlock, a 2009 NBC acquisition that
Bootstrapping generally refers to companies that fund themselves rather than look to angel or venture capital investors. Holovaty, who tweeted earlier this week that he'd be saying "some controversial things about our local tech scene" at the annual startup forecast, held at the Chase Auditorium in the Loop, offered a more specific definition.
"It's an Internet company that's made by one or two people, developers probably, working from home, working from coffee shops," he said. "It's revenue-positive. It makes them a great living. And they are doing what they love because they're craftsmen and they love doing it. And they have no ambitions to take over the world, because, really, 95 percent of what is taking over the world is (B.S.)."
"These people have no place in the country really to gravitate to," Holovaty said. "There are bootstrappers all over the country. But there's no one city that's really stepped out and said: 'We're going to be the place for bootstrappers.'"
"Trying to compete in someone else's game never makes sense," he said. "If you can change the game or re-characterize it, that's great."
But Tullman said Chicago's appeal is the diversity of its economy, and this means its overall economy as well as its startup economy. He described the entrepreneurial life as offering a range of choices for people.
"If you just want to have a good life, and to take a week off whenever you want, OK," Tullman said after the event, referring to a statement Holovaty made about the flexibility many small bootstrappers enjoy. "There's a continuum. Change-the-world is over here. And have-a-good-lifestyle is over here."
Holovaty offered a historical example to bolster his argument, pointing to the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Four years earlier, Paris unveiled the Eiffel Tower, at the time the world's tallest structure. Some suggested Chicago build something taller. But, Holovaty said,
"The Eiffel Tower has already been built and it's in the Silicon Valley," Holovaty said. "Why don't we build something that's still tall but completely different."
Jim O'Connor Jr., managing director of MVC Capital and the former interim CEO of 1871, also agreed that Chicago should form its own identity.
"We don't want to be Silicon Valley," O'Connor told the audience. "If we sit here and try to be Silicon Valley, we're going to fail."
O'Connor said Chicago should take advantage of its diverse economy, universities, supportive policy-makers and growing community of serial entrepreneurs.
"I call it Chicago-ness," O'Connor said. "It's real. You can feel it in the room today."
Also speaking at Thursday's event were Phyllis Lockett, CEO of New Schools for Chicago, who talked about her group's efforts to foster educational improvement through technological innovation, and Shradha Agarwal, founder of ContextMedia, who talked about innovations in the health care sector.


text:
It's been a week without off-topic posts, and I've missed sharing random, cool, randomly cool things with you guys. Here now, an oldie but a goodie—a man assembles a tiny, adorable, oddly sad little fast food meal. I'm sure our friends at Kotaku East would have more to add to this video, but I'll just say this is very interesting and leave it at that.
Would you eat this tiny little meal? How about if a hurricane had left you without power? Is there a big future in powdered food? Did this video make you more hungry, or less hungry?
Feel free to discuss that, or whatever else, here or over in the Talk Amongst Yourselves forum. I hope you're all safe and dry, and am so happy to be publishing at our regular site again. If you'd like to help support relief efforts for Hurricane Sandy, you can find more info here.
Have good chatting, see you tomorrow.


text:
Patrick2510 needed a new t-shirt design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 26 designs submitted by 6 freelance designers.
Justin Bua is our featured artist for a t-shirt design contest where 5 people will win $1,000.00 each. Go to http://apps.facebook.com/masscanvas/ to submit a design. All designs have to be submitted at MASScanvas. April's contest has already started!
To submit your designs please go to
If you have questions email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
The holidays can be a challenging time to stay focused with healthy eating habits. Being armed with a good set of recipes will help you make it through without giving in to pressure and temptation.
Houston, TX (PRWEB) November 29, 2011
Montgomery Heart & Wellness has reinvented the holiday season with a new set of heart-healthy recipes. The featured recipes, available for free at the Montgomery Heart & Wellness website, include cornbread dressing, Portobello "turkey", sweet potato casserole and cranberry sauce. Each of these recipes is in accordance with Dr. Montgomery's food classification system, which includes a diet to prevent and reverse heart disease.
Heart disease patients struggle each year with the temptations and family pressures associated with holiday meals. Dr. Montgomery encourages his patients to bring their own dishes when attending holiday events. There are two benefits to doing this. First, they have something that they can eat so that they don't appear to be excluding themselves from the occasion. Secondly, their dish may help others to see that there are delicious, healthy alternatives to the standard holiday fare.
Dr. Montgomery has been educating patients for years on how to make the necessary lifestyle changes to prevent and reverse heart disease. He has developed a Nutritional Boot Camp that gives participants the education, tools, recipes and support they need to adopt the habits of eating for optimal health. A key part of this program is understanding and dealing with the social factors behind eating. Dr. Montgomery emphasizes that it is important not to avoid the family dinners or business lunches. The social aspects of eating are an important part of our lives. Also, for a lifestyle change of healthy eating to be sustainable, it has to work in everyday life. For this reason, Dr. Montgomery devotes a significant part of the Nutritional Boot Camp to sharing recipes and giving tips for eating at restaurants.
About Baxter Montgomery:
Baxter Montgomery, M.D., is a busy cardiologist in Houston, TX. As a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at the University of Texas and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, he manages arrhythmias and coronary disease, performs angiography, defibrillator implants, and other hospital procedures, and teaches young physicians.
About Montgomery Heart & Wellness:
Montgomery Heart & Wellness is a cardiology practice and wellness center in Houston that offers a comprehensive approach to help people transform from conditions of sickness to wellness and eventually optimal health. Dr. Baxter Montgomery, the founder, is a Board Certified Cardiologist and Cardiac Electrophysiologist with years of experience in the latest state-of-the-art medical practices and nutritional health. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at the University of Texas and a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. In addition to running Montgomery Heart & Wellness, he manages arrhythmias and coronary disease, performs angiographies, defibrillator implants, and other hospital procedures, and teaches young physicians. Dr. Montgomery has developed a diet to reverse heart disease and a diet plan for diabetes.
Baxter Montgomery


text:
Expand or Abolish Registration?
I saw a wire service story about how there are quiet discussions in Congress about whether to include women in the requirement that 18-year-olds register with the Selective Service System, or do away with it altogether.
The UPI story says those who want to scrap the system say it's a waste of money, around $24 million a year. Others want to include women for equality's sake.
And it's all to keep a list of draftable people--all of them men--in the event they are needed.
The story brought back memories of my own registration at the age of 18. For guys of my generation, it was different then.
This was 1969. The Vietnam war was on and the draft was very controversial. These were the days when soldiers would return home from the war to derision, in many cases, after serving their country in an unpopular war.
I registered, knowing full well the military would never take me--they weren't taking diabetics, especially not drafting them, and I doubt they are now.
But I had my II-S student deferment and for a couple of days at the end of 1972 I was I-A, prime draftable material. But I had dropped my student deferment on the advice of the McCook County draft board because they weren't going to be calling anyone for the rest of the year.
And again, in my case it would have been a matter of showing up, flunking my physical and going back home.
It wasn't long before the SSS began the lottery system and eventually went to the all-volunteer military.
For me, it's going to be interesting to see if registering for the draft is expanded to women or abolished altogether.
As I said, things were very different then.


text: The Model 861 is General's all-in-one answer to producing strong, precise dovetail joints right out-of-the-box quickly and easily. Using only the jig and a handheld or table router, professionals and DIYers even novices can make half-blind or through dovetail joints as well as box joints. The self-aligning design ensures that both ends of the dovetail joint match up evenly every time, and new table router control knobs promise comfortable and accurate use. THE DOVETAILER is fully portable, includes a 1/2" dovetail router bit and features sturdy machined aluminum construction along with integrated clamps for precise attachment to the work piece. It is perfect for furniture building, cabinet making and other carpentry projects.


text:
The Baltimore Ravens aren't giving up on Rolando McClain just yet.
Despite the recently signed linebacker's April arrest for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, Ravens assistant general manager Eric DeCosta says McClain's roster spot is safe.
"I think this about McClain, he deserves a second chance," DeCosta told The Baltimore Sun on Monday night. "If you asked him, he would probably admit to making some mistakes. We think he warrants a second chance."
The former Oakland Raiders linebacker remains a frequent presence in the court system. Along with his April indiscretion, the 23-year-old on Monday pleaded guilty to a window tint violation and had a false information charge dismissed. McClain also faces two pending cases involving driving charges.
After signing a one-year, $700,000 contract with up to $400,000 in incentives, McClain's already been given a second -- if not a third or fourth -- opportunity for redemption.
The timing is interesting. The Ravens obviously want to see what McClain can offer on the field after the draft haul came and went without providing his clear replacement. As it stands, McClain is penciled in behind Jameel McClain at inside backer.
DeCosta also went out of his way to praise the Ravens' in-place mentoring program for troubled players and cited the team's strong locker room. Unlike the Raiders, the Ravens believe they have what it takes to help McClain finally turn it around. They also have a need.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.


text:
Although not as ubiquitous as they once were, BlackBerry smartphones remain among the best rated on the market as business tools.
With this market in mind, the BlackBerry Hub gathers users' Twitter, Linkedin, BBM and emails in a single location with a view to making it easier to stay in the loop.
Although traditionally associated with physical QWERTY keyboards, BlackBerry phones come in touchscreen models too. BlackBerry Touch & Type smartphones feature a combination of the two text-entry modes.
Now powered by the modern BlackBerry 10 operating system, BlackBerry smartphones feature batteries that provide up to 25 hours of life and stripped-down browsers with unlimited tabs that remove page clutter to make them easier to read and use.
BlackBerrys also offer apps and games. And although there's not the same depth of choice as there is with Android and the iPhone, many of the biggest titles make it to the BlackBerry Market app store.
BlackBerry was founded by Research In Motion (RIM), a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. RIM was founded in 1984 in Waterloo, Ontario and now operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
The phones got their name after an employee claimed that the buttons which adorned them resembled the "tiny seeds on a strawberry". And so it was that this name was chosen ahead of the previously mooted names of LeapFrog and PocketLink.
Since their launch in 1999 as two-way pagers, BlackBerries have over the years garnered a number of awards, including the Most Innovative Wireless Device prize at the Andrew Seybold Choice Awards as well as the LAPTOP magazine Editor's Choice Award for the Curve series.
In 2010 BlackBerry expanded into the tablet market with the BlackBerry Tab and in 2013 it reinvented its smartphone operating system that attempts to blend mass market appeal with the core business functionality for which BlackBerry phones are known.