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Why Empowering Girls Is Key to Ending Poverty
Sokha, a skinny orphan girl in Cambodia used to pick through garbage to survive. But thanks to series of events, she was able to enroll in school and excel. Her tale is one of the nine inspiring stories in Girl Rising, a documentary that aims to raise awareness about the plight of girls in the developing world.
On April 18, Girl Rising was screened at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. in an event to give a greater momentum to girls' education and empowerment. President Jim Yong Kim, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Justine Greening, Secretary of State, International Development, UK, Holly Gordon, Executive Producer of Girl Rising, Frieda Pinto, an actress and Shabana Basij-Rasikh, Founder of SOLA, an organization hoping to expand education and leadership opportunities for Afghan women shared their thoughts on need of girls' empowerment.
Watch the recap of the event:


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There are gay players in the NFL. The sheer volume of active players on the 32 rosters indicates gay players are on rosters. (As do recent stories like the one involving former San Francisco 49ers tackle Kwame Harris.)
Chris Culliver's anti-gay statements on Wednesday (and subsequent apologies) showed the kind of obstacles that the first openly gay player would face in the NFL. But Culliver's stance doesn't mean that every professional football player feels that way.
"You see guys, you sometimes wonder, but it's not anyone's job to call them out or make fun of them. I really believe we should be able to look beyond that. It's 2013," Randy Moss said via CNN's Rachel Nichols on Thursday.
Moss was asked if an openly gay recruit would be treated fairly by NFL teams.
"I don't think we're ready to move past that, but we should be. We need to be able to move on and accept it," Moss said.
This was not a topic we expected to be raised during Super Bowl week, but its a compelling one. Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo, who fights for gay rights, spoke on the issue Thursday.
"You can't fight hate with hate. You have to fight hate with love. That was initial reaction," Ayanbadejo said via the New York Daily News.
49ers owner Jed York told Bay Area reporters that the comments were "uninformed" and "juvenile." Culliver's teammates felt bad for the cornerback, but they didn't let him off the hook.
"He knows he made a mistake and it's something he'll learn from," center Jonathan Goodwin said. "I think he made a mistake. We all have an opinion. We all have a choice. If someone's choice is not affecting you, then you can't be upset with people for their choices."Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.

subset: commoncrawl


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Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research
versão On-line ISSN 2219-0635
versão impressa ISSN 0030-2465
Onderstepoort j. vet. res. vol.81 no.2 Pretoria Fev. 2014
Drivers of disease emergence and spread: Is wildlife to blame?
Richard Kock
Department of Pathology and Pathogen Biology, Royal Veterinary College, United Kingdom
The global focus on wildlife as a major contributor to emerging pathogens and infectious diseases (EIDs) in humans and domestic animals is not based on field, experimental or dedicated research, but mostly on limited surveys of literature, opinion and the assumption that biodiversity harbours pathogens. The perceived and direct impacts of wildlife, from being a reservoir of certain human and livestock pathogens and as a risk to health, are frequently overstated when compared to the Global burden of disease statistics available from WHO, OIE and FAO. However organisms that evolve in wildlife species can and do spill-over into human landscapes and humans and domestic animal population and, where these organisms adapt to surviving and spreading amongst livestock and humans, these emerging infections can have significant consequences. Drivers for the spill-over of pathogens or evolution of organisms from wildlife reservoirs to become pathogens of humans and domestic animals are varied but almost without exception poorly researched. The changing demographics, spatial distribution and movements, associated landscape modifications (especially agricultural) and behavioural changes involving human and domestic animal populations are probably the core drivers of the apparent increasing trend in emergence of new pathogens and infectious diseases over recent decades.
The global focus on wildlife as a major contributor to emerging pathogens and infectious diseases (EIDs) in humans and domestic animals is not based on field, experimental or dedicated research, but mostly on surveys of literature that report new diseases corrected for reporting bias (e.g. Jones et al. 2008; Jones et al. 2013). In addition to hotspot mapping, such publications link diseases to possible pathogen origins from various non-domestic animal species. The assessment of these reported trends in EIDs and their impacts is significantly biased by research regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), all of which have an indirect wildlife link. Except for AIDS, the aforementioned diseases have taken a relatively small toll on human life but have incurred huge costs, mostly related to fear induced by perceived pandemic threats and high case fatality rates and resulting from the syndrome's importance being amplified by global media. Political pressure has resulted in strong government responses and international investment in pathogen research and addressing the spread of these agents. However, it is surprising that little has been done so far to deal with the main drivers and amplifiers of the diseases, for example, through a shift in animal production systems or closure of key epidemiological nodes such as live or wet markets (Fournié et al. 2013). The potential for similar events remains or is even more likely than before, given the ever-expanding markets and associated domestic animal production systems, which are conducive to the evolution and amplification of new pathogens. This is further enhanced by the increasing movement and contact between humans, domestic animals and wildlife (Wallace & Kock 2012).
Disease emergence factors and wildlife
Reported causes for and drivers of the apparent trends in disease emergence lack, in most cases, strong evidence-based research (Jones et al. 2013). However, there is circumstantial evidence to suggest that novel epidemics and disease syndromes are the result of changing agroecology and human behaviour and movements, intensifying interfaces with certain wildlife species and climate change (Roche & Guégan 2011).
The inclusion of wildlife in the epidemiology and evolution of EIDs is justified (Keesing et al. 2010), but the role of wildlife is often misrepresented. The idea that biodiversity is the origin of many infectious agents is stating the obvious: where else would new infectious agents come from? It is not that the 'pathways' for emergence are in any way unnatural; rather, it is the opportunities for emergence that are changing and probably on the increase. The most dramatic example of this is the emergence of AIDS from the spillover of simian immunodeficiency virus from sooty mangabey and chimpanzees into humans and the subsequent genetic changes (through mutation, recombination or reassortment) enabling the evolution of human pathogens HIV-1 and HIV-2 (Gao et al. 1999). Bush meat, the fragmentation of forest and the development of road systems facilitated the virus's spread to urban centres and eventually to the global human population, causing the most significant epidemic disease in modern times.
Wildlife species are a reservoir of some emerging pathogens, but zoonotic transmission is uncommon and often involves a domestic animal bridge (shown in brackets), for example Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (livestock [Sang 2011]), Japanese encephalitis (pigs [Impoinvil et al. 2011]), nipah virus infection (pigs), hendra virus infection (horses [Field 2010]), plague, trypanosomosis (livestock [Funk et al. 2013]). Some of these examples of emerging zoonoses are a direct result of human interference, for example, the establishment of the pig industry and fruit farms in areas with high-density bat populations in the case of nipah virus (Pulliam et al. 2012). An additional driver of zoonotic emergence from wildlife is, the creation of wildlife habitats in high-density human settlements or recreational areas for example lyme disease (Levi et al. 2012) in the United States of America and the slaughter and consumption of primates and other bush meat in African causes the spillover of ebola virus to humans (Leroy, Gonzalez & Baize 2011). It is suggested that such bridges have, over time, resulted in the establishment of a range of human diseases, for example diphtheria, measles, campylobacteriosis small pox, pertussis and mumps (Wolfe, Dunavan & Diamond 2007). The advent of modern livestock systems is also associated with diseases such as leptospirosis, cysticercosis and echinococcosis and an array of zoonotic infections by pathogens such as the Japanese encephalitis virus, highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses, norovirus, hepatitis E virus, Campylobacter spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7 (toxin code) and the epidemic strain of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium Definitive Type 104 (Altekruse, Cohen & Swerdlow 1997; Jones et al. 2013).
Figure 1 provides an estimate of global wildlife-related mortalities in humans as a proportion of total incidences in an average year. A log scale was used as the wildlife contribution would otherwise not appear in most cases, which is an indication of how rare they are.
Many wildlife species, from a wide range of taxa, act as temporary or intermediate disease hosts. They can transmit and amplify infections over space and time but are not longterm reservoirs (Table 1). Occasionally, wildlife species are victims of or spillover hosts from domestic animals and even humans (Table 2).
It is interesting that some infections are well tolerated by wild reservoir hosts, as illustrated by the association between wild birds and avian influenza viruses (Alexander 2000) and bats and lyssa viruses (Calisher et al. 2006), and the role of communities with respect to infective agents and hosts, transmission and their pathogenicity has recently become a prominent research topic (Johnson & Thieltges 2010; Randolph & Dobson 2012). However, when the contact between wild species and domestic animals or humans is intensified, spillover occurs with direct pathogenic impact or opportunity for evolution of these viruses in new hosts, as evidenced by the emergence of HPAI and SARS (Tang et al. 2009). Figure 2 provides a simplified model of this process.
In conclusion, evidence suggests that we should not see wildlife as a direct source of pathogen threats, but rather as an indirect source of candidate pathogens. A smarter solution than trying to identify cryptic potential infection from wildlife would be to address human behaviour and actions, which are driving most of the emerging disease syndromes. If science provides the evidence and critical control points, and health sectors and society engage within the developing human landscape, pathogen emergence need not be catastrophic in its impact, and humans and domestic animals can continue to co-exist with wildlife in a rich, resilient natural world.
Competing interests
The author declares that he has no financial or personal relationship(s) that may have inappropriately influenced him in writing this article.
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Gaidet, N., Cattoli, G., Hammoumi, S., Newman, S.H., Hagemeijer, W., Takekawa, J.Y. et al., 2008, 'Evidence of infection by H5N2 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in healthy wild waterfowl', PLoS Pathogens 4(8), e1000127. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1000127 [ Links ]
Gao, F., Bailes, E., Robertson, D. L., Chen, Y., Rodenburg, C. M., Michael, S. F., Cumminsk, L.B., Arthur L.O. , Peeters M, Shaw, G. M., Sharp, P. M. & Hahn, B.H.,1999, 'Origin of HIV-1 in the chimpanzee Pan troglodytes troglodytes', Nature (Letters) 397, 436-441. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/17130 [ Links ]
Härkönen, T., Dietz, R., Reijnders, P., Teilmann, J., Harding, K., Hall, A. et al., 2006, 'The 1988 and 2002 phocine distemper virus epidemics in European harbour seals', Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 68, 115-130. [ Links ]
Impoinvil, D.E., Solomon, T., Schluter, W.W., Rayamajhi, A., Bichha, R.P., Shakya, G. et al., 2011, 'The spatial heterogeneity between Japanese encephalitis incidence distribution and environmental variables in Nepal', PLoS ONE 6(7), e22192. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0022192 [ Links ]
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Johnson, P.T.J., Lund, P.J., Hartson, R.B. & Yoshino, T.P., 2009, 'Community diversity reduces Schistosoma mansoni transmission, host pathology and human infection risk', Proceedings of the Royal Society B 276(1662), 1657-1663. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2008.1718 [ Links ]
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Jones, B.A., Grace, D., Kock, R., Alonso, S., Rushton, J. & Said, M.Y., 2013, 'Zoonosis emergence linked to agricultural intensification and environmental change', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110(21), 8399-8404. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1208059110 [ Links ]
Keesing, F., Belden, L.K., Daszak, P., Dobson, A., Harvell, C.D., Holt, R.D. et al., 2010, 'Impacts of biodiversity on the emergence and transmission of infectious diseases', Nature 468(7324), 647-652. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature09575 [ Links ]
Keet, D.F., Michel, A.L., Bengis, R.G., Becker, P., Van Dyk, D.S., Van Vuuren, M. et al., 2008, 'Intradermal tuberculin testing of wild African lions (Panthera leo) naturally exposed to infection with Mycobacterium bovis', Veterinary Microbiology 144(3-4), 384-391. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2010.01.028 [ Links ]
Kock, R.A., 2006, 'Rinderpest and wildlife', in T. Barrett, P.-P. Pastoret & W. Taylor (eds.), Rinderpest and Peste des Petits Ruminants Virus. Plagues of large and small ruminants, pp. 144-162, Academic Press, London. [ Links ]
Leroy, E.M., Gonzalez, J.-P. & Baize, S., 2011, 'Ebola and Marburg haemorrhagic fever viruses: Major scientific advances, but a relatively minor public health threat for Africa', Clinical Microbiology and Infection 17(7), 964-976. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-0691.2011.03535.x [ Links ]
Levi, T., Kilpatrick, A.M., Mangel, M. & Wilmers, C.C., 2012, 'Deer, predators, and the emergence of Lyme disease', Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109(27), 10942-10947. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1204536109 [ Links ]
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Nath, B. G. & Chakraborty, A., 2012, 'Tuberculosis in non-human primates of Assam: Use of PrimaTB STAT-PAK Assay for detection of tuberculosis', Journal of Threatened Taxa 4(4), 2541-2544. [ Links ]
Obanda, V., Poghon, J., Yongo, M., Mulei, I., Ngotho, M., Waititu K. et al., 2013, 'First reported case of fatal tuberculosis in a wild African elephant with past human-wildlife contact', Epidemiology and Infection 141(7), 1476-1480. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0950268813000022 [ Links ]
Pulliam, J.R.C., Epstein, J.H., Dushoff, J., Rahman, S.A, Bunning, M., Jamaluddin, A.A. et al., 2012, 'Agricultural intensification, priming for persistence and the emergence of Nipah virus: A lethal bat-borne zoonosis', Journal of the Royal Society 9(66), 89-101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2011.0223 [ Links ]
Randall, D.A., Williams, S.D., Kuzmin, I.V, Rupprecht, C.E., Tallents, L.A., Tefera, Z. et al., 2004, 'Rabies in Ethiopian wolves', Emerging Infectious Diseases 10(12), 10-13. [ Links ]
Randolph, S.E. & Dobson, A.D., 2012, 'Pangloss revisited: A critique of the dilution effect and the biodiversity-buffers-disease paradigm', Parasitology 139(7), 847-863. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0031182012000200 [ Links ]
Roche, B. & Guégan, J.-F., 2011, 'Ecosystem dynamics, biological diversity and emerging infectious diseases', Comptes Rendus Biologies 334(5-6), 385-392. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.crvi.2011.02.008 [ Links ]
Sang, R. 2011, 'Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in hyalommid ticks, northeastern Kenya', Emerging Infectious Diseases 17(8), 1502-1505. http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1708.102064 [ Links ]
Sharp, P.M. & Hahn, B.H., 2011, 'Origins of HIV and the AIDS pandemic', Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine 1(1), a006841. http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a006841 [ Links ]
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Richard Kock
Royal Veterinary College
Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield
Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, United Kingdom
Note: Proceedings of the 2nd One Health Conference in Africa. Jointly organised by the Southern African Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance and the Tanzania National Institute for Medical Research, held at the Snow Crest Hotel in Arusha, Tanzania from 16th to 19th April 2013: http://www.sacids.org/kms/frontend/index.php?m=119.


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Capitol Chat Capital Public Radio's Capitol Bureau Chief Ben Adler joins us for this week's Capitol Chat to talk about which bills Governor Brown is signing and vetoing ahead of this Sunday's deadline.
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Sam Freedman Journalist and Columbia University Professor Sam Freedman joins us to discuss his most recent book, "Breaking The Line: The Season in Black College Football That Transformed the Game and Changed the Course of Civil Rights." Freedman is also speaking at UC Davis Thursday.
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Chris Horner Fresh off his historic La Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain) win last month, Chris Horner, the American cycling champion, returns to Ione this Saturday to ride with Northern California area cyclists in the 4th Annual Clark's Corner Cycling Challenge. The challenge is a benefit for the Interfaith Food Bank of Amador County, World Bicycle Relief and The Chevo Foundation (Parkinson's Disease). Horner joins us with race organizer Kraig Clark to talk about cycling and this weekend's challenge.
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Sound Advice: Beach Boys Chris English has shot still photography for a wide variety of topics ranging from entertainment, sports, military and European lifestyle, but he's still probably best known for his iconic concert photos. In 1972, Sacramento-based English had a rare opportunity to photograph all the current Beach Boys at a Memorial Auditorium concert. This type of photos he got were so rare that English's work is now being included in a new Beach Boys box set featuring 40 unreleased tracks. And to celebrate, English is showing his work at the Sacramento Rock and Radio Museum this Saturday. Chris English joins us for this weeks' Sound Advice with some of the previously unreleased tracks from the Beach Boys and some stories from his photo shoot at Memorial Auditorium in the early 70's.
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Defence minister needs own ride
This in itself is not surprising: the intention was not to inform but to tarnish her image. The article also reflects an alarmingly worrisome misunderstanding and ignorance of the defence function and environment.
For a start, it is not true that while minister of defence Sisulu undertook 203 trips using the Gulfstream aircraft. The minister had a dedicated aircraft, a Falcon 50, which she used for domestic official trips.
The intention of the Mail & Guardian's piece was to implant the image of a minister who is extravagant.
Such an accusation flies in the face of a clean audit by the auditor general during her term of office at defence. The department can account for and justify its expenditure for the period under investigation. The outcome of the auditor general's report confirms Sisulu's resolve to provide good governance and accountability, as required by law, the Constitution and various conventions of fiscal management.
Second, the responsibilities of the defence minister are enormous. This job does not fit into the schedules of commercial flights. For that reason, a dedicated aircraft is provided for official duties. It was not uncommon for Sisulu to engage with members of the armed forces until the wee hours.
Third, it is common cause that the minister placed the improvement of the conditions of men and women in uniform at the top of the agenda. She visited almost every base, many in inaccessible areas, and interacted with ordinary soldiers to provide encouragement and familiarise herself with their daily struggle. Do you expect the minister to reach these outposts on horseback?
Fourth, Sisulu has always made the distinction between her office and her political life. For personal matters and political work, she took commercial flights. These facts are available and you could have verified them with ease. But I guess that would undermine the objective of the story – to throw mud and hope some of it sticks.
Fifth, Sisulu's achievements at the helm of department of defence and military veterans speak for themselves. In the past three years, she established the defence force service commission in recognition of the unique nature of the challenges of the defence environment. She introduced a raft of policies to ensure that the force became agile enough to respond to domestic and foreign challenges.
The attainment of the hitherto seemingly impossible task of a qualification-free audit is testimony to her dogged determination and resolute leadership. She has positioned the defence force as part of the solution to the skills crisis: the national youth service has been conceptualised and has undergone pilot studies. It is now ready for a full roll-out. These achievements are hard for the M&G to swallow and are hidden from the public. – Sandi Mbatsha, adviser to Public Service Minister Lindiwe Sisulu


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Linköping's 800-year-old cathedral stands on a modest square with low trees. Thanks to its 107-metre-high spire, the church is visible anywhere in the city. What makes this church really special is that in addition to its dedication to the divine, it also houses some wonderful art. One of the artworks on display is a triptych by 16th-century Dutch painter Maarten van Heemskerck.
The Linköping cathedral is the most impressive medieval church in Sweden. Where the church now stands, a wooden church was first built in the 11th century. This was later replaced by a stone structure. Construction of the present church began in 1230 and was completed in 1520. The carillon and the western extension were added in 1885. The roof has been restored many times, most recently in 1967. It is made of copper but corrosion has given it a green hue.
Upon entering the high-vaulted and somewhat plain church, take a look at the artwork on the left. The slim 'Tree of Life' is made from silver, gold and glass, and was designed by Carl-Gustav Jansson, Jan Ostwald and Torbjorn Vogt. The artwork is especially lovely at night when the flickering candlelight is reflected in the tree's 150 leaves and different types of fruit – a reference to different inner values.
In 2010, stained glass artist Brian Clarke embellished the church even further by adding some brightly coloured windows near the altar. When the light hits the window, the stained glass panels cast every colour of the rainbow onto the church walls. The artist is convinced that his stained glass brings out the humane side of church visitors. Clarke is not some unknown artist; his stained glass works are on display around the world and his personal friends include Mick Jagger and Paul McCartney.
The church displays a triptych by Dutch painter Maarten van Heemskerck (1498-1574). Van Heemskerck painted mainly portraits and religious images. For a while he worked in the Haarlem studio of famous painter Jan van Scorel. After completing his apprenticeship with Van Scorel, Van Heemskerck travelled to Italy where he lived from 1532 to 1536. Although this period greatly influenced his style, he never forgot his Dutch roots. For 40 years, the triptych from Alkmaar hung in a Dutch church, until Swedish King Johan III bought it for the cathedral. The artwork is 5.70 metres tall and 8 metres wide when the panels are open.


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Before the Storm
The best way to protect yourself and your family from the effects of a hurricane is to be prepared.
• Plan and practice evacuation routes. Your community may have a designated route, contact the local emergency management agency for details and the location of the shelters. Use these links during the hurricane for updated town specific information.
• Assemble a disaster supply kit - see FEMA recommendations for disaster supply kit
• Make arrangements for pets. It is the policy of shelters not to allow pets. You may want to contact animal boarding facilities or hotels for emergency information.
• Protect your windows. Permanent shelters are the best protection, but plywood panels will also work.
• Purchase flood insurance.
• Develop an emergency communication plan. If family members get separated during a disaster it is helpful to have a friend or relative, outside the impacted area, who can be contacted and told everyone is ok.
During a Watch
• Listen to radio and television for hurricane reports.
• Check emergency supplies.
• Fuel car.
• Bring in objects such as toys or patio furniture. Anchor objects that cannot be brought inside.
• Secure windows with shutters, boards or tape.
• Store drinking water in clean bathtubs, jugs, bottles, etc.
• Review evacuation plan.
• Moor boats securely or remove them from the water.
During a Warning
• Listen constantly to radio or television for updates and instructions.
• If in a mobile home, evacuate immediately.
• Store valuables in waterproof containers on high levels to avoid water damage from flooding.
• Elevate furniture to protect it from water damage.
• Stay inside, away from windows, skylights and glass doors.
If Evacuation is Necessary
• Leave as soon as possible. Follow authorized evacuation routes.
• Avoid flooded roads and watch for washed-out bridges.
• Secure your home by unplugging appliances and turning off electricity and the main water valve.
• Bring pre-assembled emergency supplies kit and warm protective clothing.
• Lock up home and leave.
After the Storm
• Stay tuned to local radio and television stations for information on returning to your home.
• Return home only after authorities advise that it is safe to do so.
• Help injured or trapped people.
• Avoid loose or dangling power lines. Report them immediately to utility companies, police or the fire department.
• Enter your home with caution.
• Beware of animals, insects and snakes that may have entered your home in flood water.
• Open windows and doors to ventilate and dry your home.
• Check refrigerated foods for spoilage.
• Take pictures of the house and damaged goods for insurance claims.
• Drive only if necessary, rescue and maintenance crews need to be able to travel freely.
• Use the telephone only for emergency calls.


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Alert 2007-35
Subject: Counterfeit Cashier's Checks
Date: June 12, 2007
Description: Perryton National Bank
Counterfeit Cashier's Checks of Perryton National Bank, Perryton, TX
To: Chief Executive Officers of All National Banks; All State Banking Authorities; Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; Director, Office of Thrift Supervision; Conference of State Bank Supervisors; Deputy Comptrollers (districts); Assistant Deputy Comptrollers; District Counsel; and All Examining Personnel
The above-named bank has reported that counterfeit cashier's checks issued in the bank's name and using a correct routing number of 111318584 are being presented for payment nationwide in connection with a lottery scam.
The counterfeit checks are similar in appearance but may be identified by the following: the instruments are maroon in color, missing the bank's logo, contain a 5-digit serial number, and include the following security statement in the top border: "THIS DOCUMENT HAS A COLORED Background AND MICROPRINTING. THE REVERSE SIDE INCLUDES AN ARTIFICIAL WATERMARK."
Items presented to date have been made payable in the amount of $3,500.00, have been dated 05/20/2007, and contain a remitter name of William Stride. Due to possible variations of appearance, it is suggested that officials of Perryton National Bank be contacted to verify authenticity of the bank's cashier's checks if received from an unknown or questionable source.
Correspondence accompanying the counterfeit checks may contain the letterhead of "Midwest Random Draw Inc., Unit 125-1960 Amazon Crescent, Madison, OH 44057." The letter alerts the recipient that he or she is the winner of an unclaimed prize and instructs the recipient to contact agent Mr. Richard Jones at 1-778-882-4040 or Ms. Michael Williams at 1-778-552-0298 within the next two weeks to avoid disqualification. Note that both telephone numbers originate out of Canada. The letter further states that the enclosed check is to be used to "cover some of the initial necessary expenses." The letter may be signed by "Allen Jones, President & CEO."
For additional information and guidance and to verify the authenticity of Perryton National Bank's cashier's checks, please contact Diane Thorpe, BSA Officer, PO Box 969, Perryton, TX 79070, by telephone at (806) 435-9641, by fax at (806) 435-2756, or via e-mail at [email@example.com].
Consumers who receive a counterfeit or fictitious item and associated material should file complaints with the following agencies, as appropriate:
Additional information concerning this matter that you believe should be brought to the attention of the OCC may be forwarded to:
E-mail: email@example.com
For additional information regarding other types of financial fraud, please visit the OCC's anti-fraud resource at: https://www.occ.gov/topics/consumer-protection/fraud-resources/index-fraud-resources.html.
Richard C. Stearns
Related Links


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Watch talks from the UX Week 2013 conference.
Marisa Gallagher is the Vice President of Design for CNN Digital. Joining CNN in September, 2010, Gallagher is based in CNN's world headquarters in Atlanta and reports to KC Estenson, senior vice president and general manager of CNN Digital.
Gallagher runs the experience design practice for CNN across its web, mobile, tablet and other emerging digital platforms. In this role, she leads a team of user experience, video and motion graphics, rich media and visual designers – as they seek to create breakthrough work that makes news and CNN's insightful journalism come alive for people around the world.
Prior to joining CNN, Marisa led the user experience practice for the California offices of Razorfish and served in many other roles during her 10 years there. Before that, she worked in product development at CNET Networks and editorially driven search for LookSmart, a human-powered, human-curated search engine.
Gallagher's work in user-centered design has helped organizations as diverse as ESPN, Singapore Airlines, NASA, McKesson, Visa, Disney World and Cisco to use the digital channel to delight and honor their audiences and customers, while also driving business growth.
Gallagher received her bachelor's degree in Anthropology and Film & Media Studies from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business.
Radically Human sits at the intersection of user experience practice and organizational design, coaching leaders and teams to produce useful and profitable products and services. Sarah is a popular speaker at design and UX conferences where she conducts workshops on cultivating a human-centered mindset, design facilitation, emotional literacy in creative leadership, organization design, creativity/design practice, and the intersection of business and design strategy.
In 1925 architect and designer, Le Corbusier, laid the foundation for modern design by making a call for humans and products to live proportionally and harmoniously. Sounds good right? He stated that design should act as extensions of our limbs, but he also proclaimed, "the human-limb object is a docile servant.
Visit the UX Week Vimeo Channel for our archive of main stage speaker videos from previous years.Click to view
This spring the Exploratorium, a world-renowned museum of science, art and human perception, relocated from its home of over 40 years to a new location at Pier 15 on the San Francisco waterfront. The move was the culmination of over 10 years of planning, design, development, and installation.
Patterns of Play and Interaction Play is the work of childhood, and a lens through which we discover the world. Toy Inventor Bill McIntyre takes a look at essential play patterns from the world of toys and games and explores some ways to use these for building engaging, rewarding and (most importantly) fun interactive experiences.
Brenda Laurel has worked in interactive media since 1976 as a designer, researcher, writer and teacher. She served as professor and founding chair of the Graduate Program in Design at California College of the Arts from 2006 to 2012.
Don Carson is a concept illustrator & designer working in the theme park and computer game industries. Don has worked as a Senior Show Designer for Walt Disney Imagineering art directing projects like Splash Mountain, Mickey's Toontown, and Blizzard Beach.
Europeans, US citizens, San Franciscans, Harajuku girls, West Point alumni, gym members, ex-pats, tourists, Sarasota retirees—from birthplace onward, we use locations to define ourselves and others. In turn, these geography-centric definitions allow us to repurpose maps into increasingly rich encyclopedias: intimate yet vast, historical and current.
Thinking about emotion is like trying to learn how to ride a bike by reading a book. In order to really understand interactions between "users" (a/k/a people), you need to employ your own emotional awareness and emotional experience.
This talk takes us to Improv World, where the principles of improvisation enhance communication and personal creativity. While we're visiting Improv World, we'll live like the locals and practice listening, adapting, failing good-naturedly, accepting and building on ideas in collaboration with others.
Lately, there's a lot of interest in borrowing design techniques from game design. At worst, such approaches mistake games for Skinner Boxes, incentive dispensers that dole out rewards for attention.
Beginning in 1962 at the age of 26 and continuing to the present day, Richard Saul Wurman has been extraordinarily prolific. He's written, designed and published more books than most of us have read, and convened innumerable conferences and meetings.
Effective experiences are no longer about "stickiness," or holding eyeballs for extended durations. This metric has been trumped by the advent of device-based interactions, where brief and emotionally-resonant moments can leave greater impressions than longer, more sustained interactions…as long as their impact belies their brevity.
Design to support behavior change is getting increased exposure as technology has allowed products and services to have a more pervasive role in people's lives. What impact does the ability to passively collect data and present it back in a meaningful way have in people's lives? We are interacting with this data of our everyday lives in new ways.
Being the first person in history to represent the craft of user experience on a US Presidential campaign came with a unique set of challenges, goals, and innovative solutions. I'll share best practices and methods that helped Obama for America build teams that produced winning social, mobile, e-commerce and in person experiences for all Americans.
A practitioner as well as a theoretician, Steven Johnson is the leading light of today's interdisciplinary, collaborative, open-mined approach to innovation. His writings have influenced everything from cutting-edge ideas in urban planning to the battle against 21st-century terrorism.
It's an oft-repeated truism that creativity thrives upon constraints–that without limits, good creative work is impossible. Interaction architects, UX professionals, and interactive workers of all stripes work within constraints, of course–whether using wireframes or hacking Javascript.
Agile development has become a standard practice at many companies. Developers love Agile's emphasis on code quality and sustainable pace.


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That SD card slot Samsung keeps including in its phones? You're going to need it.
We have to preface what we're about to show you with the following statement: Pre-release device, lacking carrier customizations, yadda yadda. But what you see here is the storage listing on the just-announced Samsung Galaxy S5.
And what you can see is that on the 16GB model of the Galaxy S5, half of the on-board storage is used up before the owner even turns on the phone. It's not quite as dire on the 32GB model of course (and remember that there's a little bit of funky math anyway, and you never get as much storage as manufacturers say), and Samsung will quickly tell you that's why you have the option to use a microSD card for expanded storage. It's something that we've seen before, and it's the same scenario. You need room for all those features and apps.
Still. When we're looking to buy the Samsung Galaxy S5 this April, we'll be opting for the 32-gigabyte version. Let's hope the U.S. carriers don't throw a wrench into that plan.
See more in our Galaxy S5 hands-on, and in our Galaxy S5 forums!


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"Googlebombing" is a form of spam. It is sometimes known as "link bombing" since it also occurs with other search engines such as Yahoo! and MSN. For the sake of this discussion, we will stick with the term Googlebombing as it is the most recognizable.
Google's primary goal is to return the most relevant results for any query and those results are generated by Google's algorithms. One of the main factors that contribute to high rankings is the popularity of a Web site. Google measures popularity by the number of inbound links a Web site has.
Each inbound link counts as a vote for that particular Web site, so the more inbound links a site has the better the site will rank. And the better quality and relevant inbound links to a Web site the better results and the higher the ranking.
Googlebombing is the rapid influx of inbound links to a Web site from outside sources each using the same anchor text for the inbound link. In other words, the technique artificially inflates and manipulates a Web site's rankings and the search engine results for a certain query.
These inbound links are added in rapid succession versus being added in a natural and gradual manner. The end result is that the Web site receiving the inbound links appears unnaturally in the top results in Google.
Out of the many Googlebombs that have taken place over the years the "miserable failure" debacle was most famous. In 2003, the biography page for President George W. Bush on the White House Web site came up as number one for the keyword phrase "miserable failure" in Google. However, the words "miserable failure" never physically appeared on the Web page. It stayed this way until January 2007 when a group of Google programmers finally "tweaked" the algorithm. This meant that if someone really wanted to find helpful information about the term "miserable failure," they weren't going to find it on the official White House Web site.
At the time, Google stated that they did not "condone" the practice of Googlebombing, but they were not going to manually alter the results. They felt this prank was not harmful to users and they felt the results "reflected the opinion of the web." In reality the "miserable failure" Googlebomb was a result of only a few hundred links. Google emphasized that the results did not reflect the beliefs and opinions of Google. However, many people felt that Google was taking too passive of an approach by not taking action to prevent this from happening in the future. And many felt that users were indeed injured since the Web sites that deserved to be in the top of the rankings were not.
When the change was made, Google announced that they made a minor adjustment to the algorithm to prevent this from happening in the future. Matt Cutts said the following:
"Because these pranks are normally for phrases that are well off the beaten path, they haven't been a very high priority for us. But over time, we've seen more people assume that they are Google's opinion, or that Google has hand-coded the results for these Googlebombed queries. That's not true, and it seemed like it was worth trying to correct that misperception." (googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com)
Finally, after these changes were implemented, the biography page for George W. Bush on the official White House Web site was no longer the first listing for "miserable failure." Instead what appeared were stories about the "miserable failure" Googlebombing episode.
Due to all of the attention Googlebombing received, it officially became listed in the 2005 edition of the "classic" New Oxford American Dictionary along with the term "Google."


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Who We Are
Our Core Values & Mission
Our Courses
Training programs & Certifications
Course schedules
Dates & duration
Book a course
Discounts available
QPine Resources provides customized in-house training solutions that can help you save significant time and money on your training investment. Our courses are focused on developing untapped human resource capabilities as well as the improvement of work place performance geared towards achieving the overall organization goals.
To be a professional training provider of choice, driving motivation and organizational excellence in the public and private sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa..
Our Mission: To consistently meet and surpass our customer's expectation by adding distinct values that sustain performance improvement in the workplace.
- Courses for Bankers
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Business Analysis Fundamentals (Business Process Improvement/Performance) | Business Intelligence/Analytics (Business Process Improvement/Performance) | Business Process Management (Business Process Improvement/Performance)
ITIL V.3 Foundation | Effective Microsoft Application | ITIL Service Managers Certification | Certified Information Systems Security Professional | CEGIT: IT Governance Certification | TOGAF: The Open Group Architecture Frame work | Records Management Course
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ISO 27001March 02,2015 / 1 Comments
ISO 27001 (formally known as ISO/IEC 27001:2005) is a specification for an information security...
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The practice of enabling change in an organizational context, by defining needs and recommending...
PMBOK, PRINCE2, MS Project SimulationApril 06,2015 / 1 Comments
Applied Project Management: PRINCE2 an acronym for PRojects IN Controlled Environments) is a de...
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(BPI) is a systematic approach to help an organization optimize its underlying processes to achieve...
LEAN SIX SIGMAApril 11,2015 / 0 Comments
A managerial approach that combines Six Sigma methods and tools and the lean manufacturing/lean...
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The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) is a framework for enterprise architecture which...
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Information Assurance (IA) refers to the steps involved in protecting information systems, like...
COBIT 4 & COBIT 5February 02,2015 / 4 Comments
COBIT5 Foundation Course and Certification: Information and Related Technology is at the core of...
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BI software uses a number of analytics features including statistics, data and text mining and...
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I had a very wonderful experience. The instructors were very detailed and professional; the atmosphere was friendly and calm; I learnt much more than I bargained for. From the beginning to the end, I never missed out any detail. I'll definitely return for further courses. Thanks Qpine!
A wonderful experience.. I enjoyed the simple delivery and explanations of the key areas in PMP. The facilitators made everything look simple, easy and practical. I'm proudly certified now . Q-Pine remains my no 1..


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They are here! Infant beanies with lots of choices to embellish them? Or just plain= plain adorable! This beanie was made by my very own mom! How awesome is that? She crochets them from quality soft yarns. They come in three sizes:
But as with much of our items we can make these custom to meet your needs!
From Naoni's Li'l Miss Luvy custom handmade infant and toddler size beanies with detachable flower. Both items are very versatile and can be worn separate or with other interchangable accessories such as bows, ribbons, headbands, etc... Contact us for pricing and size details!
And we have some 'non-grandma-made' styles as well! This one stretches from toddler to about 8yrold.


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BOOTPARAMD(8) BSD System Manager's Manual BOOTPARAMD(8)
bootparamd, rpc.bootparamd - boot parameter server
rpc.bootparamd [-d] [-s] [-r router] [-f file]
bootparamd is a server process that provides information to diskless clients necessary for booting. It consults the file /etc/bootparams. It should normally be started from /etc/rc. This version will allow the use of aliases on the hostname in the /etc/bootparams file. The hostname returned in response to the booting client's whoami request will be the name that appears in the config file, not the canonical name. In this way you can keep the answer short enough so that machines that cannot handle long hostnames won't fail during boot. While parsing, if a line containing just "+" is found, and the YP subsys- tem is active, the YP map bootparams will be searched immediately. The options are as follows: -d Display the debugging information. The daemon does not fork in this case. -s Log the debugging information with syslog. -r Set the default router (a hostname or IP address). This defaults to the machine running the server. -f Specify the file to read boot parameters from. Defaults to /etc/bootparams.
/etc/bootparams default configuration file
bootparams(5), diskless(8)
Originally written by Klas Heggemann <email@example.com>.
You may find the syslog loggings too verbose. It's not clear if the non-canonical hack mentioned above is a good idea.
If rpc.bootparamd is run on a system which is also running YP, your YP domainname will be made public information. MirOS BSD #10-current January 8, 1994 1
Generated on 2017-04-03 16:26:17 by $MirOS: src/scripts/roff2htm,v 1.88 2017/01/29 00:51:06 tg Exp $
These manual pages and other documentation are copyrighted by their respective writers;
their source is available at our CVSweb,
AnonCVS, and other mirrors. The rest is Copyright © 2002–2017 The MirOS Project, Germany.
This product includes material provided by mirabilos.
This manual page's HTML representation is supposed to be valid XHTML/1.1; if not, please send a bug report — diffs preferred.


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Re: John McClane vs Jason Bourne
Yep, all true vod; all excpet maybe the part about all the Die Hard's being phony. The new one was a little too much, the 'killing a helecopter with a car' and the jet scene were all pretty unrealistic, but those were the leangths they had to go to try try to top the other films. Die Hard 1 and 3 were AWSOME, and 3 was so realistic that I heard the FBI *or some agency* contacted the film company about the bank robbery scene; was TOO real for them
And I TOTALLY agree Bourne is better at hand to hand, I don't even think McClain IS that good with his hands in comparison; he's just amazingly tough. He couldnt take down the 'ninja hooker' who probalby wasn't half his weight in DH4 despite some 'solid blows' *movie writing, we above all fans know it's stupid,* and had his shebs handed to him by 'Carl' in DH 1 at the end, only winning that cause of his incredible toughness
So like I said, all the indications are and should be Bourne......................but I STILL will just never bet against John McClain.


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I was so excited today because it was sunny and warm, so I went to the farm market and bought some fabulous herbs to add to the herb and greens garden I started out on my back deck last last weekend. So far, this year, I have 3 types of basil, 2 types of sage, peppermint, spearmint, oregano, 2 varieties of thyme, parsley, chives (came back from last year), red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, and kale. My friend Jodie, who owns Glenwild Garden Center has some mizuna and tatsoi on order for me, so I'll be super excited to add them to the garden next week. In addition, I purchased more lavender which I will tuck into my flower planters. I am sure I'll add more herbs to my garden as summer progresses, but this is a good start!
Since I love cooking with fresh herbs, fortunately, these herbs are hardy and easy to grow in the warmer months, and if you have the time, I recommend you give it a try. I grow herbs in containers on my deck, but they can (of course) be grown in your yard, or if you have no outdoor space, try window boxes. You just need a sunny spot!
I'll take some photos and share them once my herb deck garden starts to flourish, but meanwhile here is one of my favorite photos from my deck garden a few summers ago.
Happy spring!


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EC lowers CO2 targets to 95g/km by 2020
* EC lowers average CO2 goals * Drops emissions target to 95g/km by 2020 * New target for vans, too...
Car manufacturers have been given a new target for CO2 emissions, and must bring the European average down to 95g/km by 2020.
The European Commission has announced the new proposals, which are significantly lower than the 130g/km mandatory target that manufacturers have to hit by 2015. A new target for vans has also been set at 147g/km in 2020, with an interim target of 175g/km in 2017.
'This is one more important step towards a competitive, low-carbon economy,' said Connie Hedegaard, EU commissioner for climate action.
Lower CO2 targets are due in the future: Hedegaard said: 'More CO2 reductions beyond 2020 need to be prepared and these will be considered in consultation with stakeholders.'
The UK car industry will find the new targets tough, and a spokesman for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said that it would not be possible to fulfil the goals without assistance.
'The targets are challenging and will require significant investment to accelerate the uptake of low-CO2 cars,' said the spokesman.
'It will require greater uptake of electric and range-extender vehicles. The industry can do only so much in terms of technology, but it needs government support. There is a certain amount being done already, and that needs to be maintained. The choice of low-CO2 cars also needs to be incentivised through the VED (road tax) bands as well.'
The average CO2 emissions across Europe were 135.7g/km in 2011; they were slightly higher in the UK, at 138g/km.
The 130g/km and 95g/km figures are averages, and not every car maker has to hit this target. Instead, they each receive an individual target that is calculated on the weight of the cars they produce. Accordingly, Fiat, which produces a high number of city cars, has a 2015 target of 119g/km, while Jaguar, with its largely executive line-up, has a target of 178g/km.
Plenty of models already emit less than 100g/km - see our favourites here.
Tom Webster


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Thousands of people still die because they didn't buckle up.
April 2019
There are mandatory safety belt laws in all states except New Hampshire. In some states, these laws cover front-seat occupants only, but belt laws in 29 states and the District of Columbia cover all rear-seat occupants, too.
Belt use laws in only
34 states and the District of Columbia
are primary, meaning police may stop vehicles solely for belt law violations. In other jurisdictions, police must have some other reason to stop a vehicle before citing an occupant for failing to buckle up.
Safety belt use can have implications in civil suits — 16 states allow the "safety belt defense," which can reduce damages collected by someone in a crash if the person failed to buckle up. The reduction is permitted only for injuries that would have been prevented by a belt. In some states, the reduction may not exceed a fixed percentage of the damages.
All 50 states and the District of Columbia
have child safety seat laws. Child safety seat laws require children to travel in approved child restraints or booster seats and some permit or require older children to use adult safety belts. The age at which belts can be used instead of child safety seats differs among the states. Young children usually are covered by child safety seat laws, while safety belt laws cover older children and adults.
Because enforcement and fines differ under belt use and child safety seat laws, it's important to know which law is being violated when a child isn't restrained. Most child seat safety laws are primary, meaning police may stop vehicles solely for child safety seat violations. Nebraska and Ohio leave some children under a secondary enforcement law, meaning that police must have an additional reason to make a stop. Nebraska's law is secondary only for those children who may be in safety belts and primary for those who must be in a child safety seat. Ohio's law is secondary for children ages 4 through 14 years.
Ideally, all infants and children in all vehicles should be covered by enforceable safety belt laws or child safety seat laws or both. But differences in the way the laws in various states are worded result in many occupants, especially children, being covered by neither law. Lawmakers have eliminated most of these gaps by amending their child safety seat and safety belt laws; still, 15-year-olds riding in the rear seat in Arkansas, Alabama and Ohio, and children age 9 or older who are not taller than 4 feet 9 inches riding in the rear seat in Oklahoma are covered by neither law. All children younger than 16 in the other 46 states and the District of Columbia are covered by one, or both laws.
In April 2011, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a policy statement recommending that children ride in rear-facing child safety seats until at least age 2. Previously, the recommendation was rear-facing until at least age 1 and 20 pounds. Since the AAP's change, 12 states (California, Connecticut, Illinois, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon and Virginia) and the District of Columbia have updated their child restraint laws accordingly. In August 2018, the AAP further modified its policy statement to eliminate any reference to a numerical age. The current recommendation is for children to ride rear-facing until they reach the rear-facing weight or height limit of their seats.
Hover over map for more detail.
1Police are prohibited in South Carolina from enforcing safety belt laws at checkpoints designed for that purpose. However, safety belt violations may be issued at license and registration checkpoints to drivers cited for other offenses.
2Until 7/1/2018, citations will be issued only if the person has been previously issued a warning that the operation of or being a passenger in a vehicle without wearing a properly adjusted and fastened safety belt is prohibited.
©1996-2018, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute | www.iihs.org
IIHS-HLDI in the Classroom
An educational resource for students and teachers


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Something tells me that comedian Katt Williams won't mind saying goodbye to 2012. Though the way he's going, the new year isn't likely to be much better. Katt has been arrested -- again! -- this time on child endangerment charges. His house was raided by police and reportedly numerous guns and illegal drugs were found. TMZ caught up to him after his bail and he doesn't seem very contrite. In fact, he asked, "How do you keep kids safe without guns?"
In the video, Katt says, "They took my children from me. How terrible is that?" The videographer asks about the guns found in his home and Katt says what sounds like, "They'll always find guns, I never leave without it, girlfriend." He denies that he had drugs in the home, as was reported.
The TMZ reporter then asks him if he thinks it's safe to have guns around kids. He replies: "How do you keep kids safe without guns?" And claims the guns were in a lock box that the police broke. He also alleges that the police have been to his house nine times.
Katt has one biological child and adopted seven more. That sounds like a fantastic kind of guy -- so why can't he stay out of trouble? So far, it's been a laundry list of bizarre episodes with him. A brief rundown: He slapped a Target employee, is being sued for $5 million by a former assistant who alleges he punched her, he led cops on a chase through Sacramento while riding a three-wheeled motorcycle, he was arrested after a bar fight in Seattle, has other assault charges against him with weapons ranging from rocks to cigarette butts, and, well, I don't want to be here all day. Let's just say this guy has had a busy year. And not busy in a good way.
Asked by TMZ if he has any New Year's Eve resolutions, he cracks: "Yeah, be white."
Heh. Good one, Katt. Guess you are a comedian.
Do you think what Katt says about kids and guns is true or just as screwy as everything else he's done?
Image via TMZ


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prolly working on his zine and avoiding the seemingly inevitable online flamewars that break out anytime people engage in "discourse" (one of the failings of net communications...people say/act differently than they wld if talking to each other in a face to face environment)
it's rather late... but anyway:
STERNE, Laurence: A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy. By Mr. Yorick. London: Creswick, 1768. 2 vols. Small 8vo.
[Laurence Sterne]: A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy. By Mr. Yorick. London: Becket and De Hondt 1768. 2 vols. Small 8vo. [2] + 204; [4] + 208 pages. With inserted portrait of the Danish poet Jens Baggesen. Bound with the rare advertisement leaf promising that the work will be completed the following year and with the list of subscribers. Cont. half calf, hinges prof. restored, housed in modern slipcase. (2)
First edition of this important work with the corrected readings in both volumes: "vous" on p. 150, line 12, of vol. I, and "who have" on p. 133, last line, in vol. II. Laurence Sterne (1713-1768) is perhaps the most influential author from the 18th century relating to the modern movement. His "Sentimental Journey", Sterne's final novel, is one of the earliest examples of the "stream-of-consciousness" literary technique, which later was intellectualiced by James Joyce. Based on Sterne's two journeys abroad in 1762-64 and 1765, the work parodies the many fashionable travel accounts of the day. The narrator, "Parson Yorick", sets out on a tour of France and Italy, but at the end of the book he has travelled no further than Lyon. Provenance: The book bears the engraved amorial bookplate of Lord Gray and the bookplate of the Danish bookcollector Bent W. Dahlstrøm.
i guess his ban has expired now?
yeah come back luka...
hello again you bunch of slags
sadly not. i've been cycling. i used to go walking on my own, now i go cycling with my chain gang.
oh no. not you againOriginally Posted by luka
yeah its me. i've been busy being an artist. i wrote this today, its high art, very serious and erudite. you won't understand it cos you're thick.
turkey whispers (doggerel-unfinished)
Avast! lonely Derringer
a vast!
lone and last, lolling lowly last
avast! loping loving last, limping, loping past
Avast! lonely Derringer Avast!
Sherry trifle! Avast! perriwinkles! Avast! Cockatiels and spaniel pups, silk cravats and swine
brigadiers and belfry bats, buccanners and brine
earwigs and candy wax, lavender and burr, blackberry and merriment, fiddlesticks and fur.
a thousand thanks my merry men, a barrell full of tripe, a funeral for a turkey stick, tobbaco for my pipe
a dowager for christmas, a concubine for March, a saucepan full of celery, a louchely waxed moustache
Avast my hearty lovelies, time is wearing thin, march with me till Easter in armour made of tin.
we'll gather up the auttumn leaves and make a roaring fire, we'll shout and yell and dance about until the flames expire
we'll wear all types of jewellry, emerald earings and cufflinks too, we'll try on dresses made of grass with stockings from Peru
we'll burnish all the banisters and buckle every shoe, we'll bankrupt every harlequin from here to Timbucktoo
we'll tighten every torniquet and bolster every brook, we'll tickle every cockatrice and cranny every nook
we'll grow our beards till august and set them all on fire
we'll rob every single bank in town and then we'll all retire.
Avast my hearty lovelies, all lusty and full fed, we'll make a man of liquorice with a mollusc for his head
we'll raid the seas for starfish and plunder every reef, we'll fence with every swordfish and never brush our teeth
the sun is shining brightly, the sea shimmers with its light, rum for every man aboard, with stomach for a fight
we'll wrestle with the octupi and tangle with the squid
a laurel wreath for every man aboard that ever derring-did.
its mostly about israel and its full of allusions to walter benjamin.
molluscs? octupi? sherry trifles?? what's all that about?
you used to be good! what happened?
thats the best thing i've ever written what the fuck are you talking about. that there is genius.
it's phoney. you're faking it.
you don't know what you're talking aout. the first 15 lines are brilliant/ you have to hear it in your head. its very beautiful music. the kids love it. you've got no sense of fun.


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Where NASL ends up in this though remains to be seen and in all likelihood fans won't know until 2017 how successful its growth and success is. Whether it embraces it's current position as second division or vies for a top tier role in North American Soccer could spell success or doom for the league.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
USL-MLS Partnership Exploits Potential of both leagues, Where does NASL fit?
Where NASL ends up in this though remains to be seen and in all likelihood fans won't know until 2017 how successful its growth and success is. Whether it embraces it's current position as second division or vies for a top tier role in North American Soccer could spell success or doom for the league.
14 comments:
I think you hit the nail on the head - the NASL has no desire to be a reserve league for MLS. They're doing reasonably well in stadiums and they continue to expand. I can't blame them for passing on MLS' offer...right now. We might all have a different story in five years if the league collapses from over-expansion.ReplyDelete
I think all three major levels of the pyramid have things to be proud of. We as American soccer fans have a lot to be proud of.
Accurate write up, Luke.ReplyDelete
At this point I'm pretty sure if you talked to Aaron Davidson he will tell you they did indeed walk away from those talks with MLS to incorporate the MLS Reserves into the NASL. That is what happened and it happened around the time that the Cosmos announced their alliance with the NASL. I don't think that was by chance.
Lots of stuff going on here but the owners of the NASL teams do seem to be taking a new/different stance and in my mind it's no surprise that Commissioner Downs who was talking a lot about an agreement with MLS of some sort is now gone and replaced by someone who is on board with owners who see themselves competing with and not aspiring to MLS.Replies
- AnonymousJanuary 24, 2013 at 11:38 AM
One thing to remember: most newer NASL clubs have made known their aspirations of one day playing in MLS, which they apparently see as the pinnacle of American soccer. Indianapolis, San Antonio, NoVa, and even the Cosmos have all said at one time or another that they wish to be in MLS.Delete
This should be a shock to NASL because it's apparent that the league is chasing a goal unlike that of its teams. The NASL may very well see themselves as a D1 league in the future. But it's obvious the teams and their owners do not.
- AnonymousJanuary 24, 2013 at 12:17 PM
In about 5 years, when the NASL is dead, they will only have themselves to blame for thinking they actually mattered. MLS would crush the NASL.Delete
Joey Saputo once thumbed his nose at MLS and thought he was in a better league(USL). A year later, he tpushed the USL under a bus and ran to MLS. The other NASL clubs will do the same. When you average about 3,600 fans a game and play very sub par soccer, it is hard to act big.
The NASL might be America's last chance at a true club system. I think it is time for a mass defection to the NASL. By the LA Blues affiliating themselves with the Galaxy it kills what rivalry there could have been. Instead of being two completely independent clubs playing each other it now reeks of an inter-company scrimage. Same is true for Rochester/Red Bulls and other regional hook-ups. Think how awesome it was a couple years back when FC New York and the Red Bulls played. FC New York took an early lead and it was a very entertaining game. Now it would be an FC New York player who is under contract with the Red Bulls scoring on the Red Bulls.... woo hoo, big deal. That type of thing happens everyday in practice and scrimages. All drama is lost.ReplyDelete
The NASL has a long-ass way to go before it reaches any sort of parity with MLS. Only one club out of 8 averaged more than 5,000 fans per game last season, and the situations in New York, Puerto Rico and Edmonton are showcasing some obvious growing pains. This league and its clubs need to keep their focus on slow and steady growth before they attempt any sort of head-to-head battle with MLS.ReplyDelete
I think it means the death of the NASL and MLS-Pro to D2 by 2016.ReplyDelete
You have to explain to me Luke how you can see the NASL competing with MLS? Where are the owners willing to lose billions like MLS did? Look at the expansion teams. The NoVa team is a afterthought of a minor league baseball team. The Indy team was put together by smart and frugal Peter Wilt. Ottawa??? And don't forget the using the NASL to get into MLS circus that is the Long Island Cosmos. Most of the teams in the NASL would give their right arm to in MLS. Remember Joey Saputo? MLS will pick off Atlanta, SA, Minny, and South Florida. Then the NASL has nothing.
No salary cap is only because no one spends that much money in the NASL. You'd be crazy too. The payrolls are around 400k. Watch. The Minnesota Stars are going to lose a TON of money this year.
BTW, you can't say "new stadiums." The Scorpions stadium is in large part to their commitment to wanting to be in MLS. The RailHawks had NOTHING to do with the renovations at WakeMed. It was to lure back to the NCAA championships. The RailHawks draw under 4,000 and didn't need to new space. And the Cosmos? Wake me when that happens. Things don't look as rosy as you paint.
David Downs is a very smart man. Something tells me he knew to eventual outcome and didn't like and got off. Interesting that Peterson is an NFL guy with close ties to Garber.
As soon as the NASL gets their head out of their collective rear ends they'll realize that a three tiered club system is what people want. True fans of the beautiful game would relish the opportunity to see relegation and promotion battles between the three tiers. MLS and USL seem to be able to see the wisdon and benefit to this but the NASL and their egos can't seem to get out of the way.ReplyDeleteReplies
If you think this is in any way a move by MLS and USL towards pro/rel you are insane. If anything this is going the other way. MLS is ensuring, by forming these partnerships, that MLS becomes like the MLB, NHL, and NBA. The only way MLS can achieve the monopoly they want is to make sure these D2 and D3 teams stay minor, with no shot of moving up or down.Delete
- AnonymousJanuary 25, 2013 at 3:21 PM
MLS takes its' usual anti-competitive economic stance and USL-Pro was in a desperate position.ReplyDelete
USL is the new PDL. Regional leagues and the end of a national D3.
The only way to measure the effect is by US MNT on the world stage. I reckon it's a marginal improvement at best.
Far more significant would be a NPSL-PDL merger.
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
I'm an Atlanta fan and really enjoy going to the games acs following the team but this idea of going against the MLS by the end of the decade isn't a good idea. I agree with the other replies in that MLS will just pick up the top drawing teams or the USL will jump tiers and the NASL will move down and/or fold as so many other wanna be leagues have. I found this article in hopes of finding something about a partnership between MLS and NASL. The best move would have been for the NASL to patner with the MLS. Use MLS money to better their own brand even if out meant having to play a certain number of MLS reserves each game. Ultimately I'd like to see all of these divisions work together so that the level of soccer in America is better all around.ReplyDelete
All of you are kind of missing the point. MLS is ensuring its monopoly with this move. They are not uping the level of soocer in America in fact they are doing exactly the opposite. What we really need is for the USSF for finally make these leagues work together. I can understand them giving the NASL time to figure out if it is Div. 1,2 or 3 and then forcing teams to move up and down according to how they finish the season. What MLS and USL are doing is making sure soccer ends up like every other sport in America there will be a pro team and a team you bring your kids to because it is really really cheap.ReplyDelete
When someone writes an article he/she maintains the plan of a user in his/her mind that how a user can understand it. oakley holbrook Thus that's why this paragraph is amazing. Thanks!ReplyDelete


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euro is a valid word in this word list. For a definition, see the external dictionary links below.
The word "euro" uses 4 letters: E O R U.
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d - uredo g - erugo rogue rouge i - ourie n - rouen q - roque s - euros roues rouse t - outer outre route
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er oe or ore our re roe rue
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Confirming Our Own Confirmed Handset Info
So here we go, the rumors and the leaks regarding new phones just keep on cranking from TmoNews. We've been uncovering quite a bit in the past few days and we're ready to again confirm some dates and add some new ones. Regarding that MyTouch "Slide" we've been discussing, look likes its dropping 5/17 in any color you want, so long as its black, red and white. That Motorola Android phone we've been hearing … [read full article]


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The Fall 2012 issue of the Claremont Review of Books is forthcoming, but we have a timely preview. The issue will carry Professor James Ceaser's analysis of the meaning of the election. Ceaser is professor of politics at the University of Virginia. Our friends at the CRB have posted a column adapted from his forthcoming essay.
Professor Ceaser is a shrewd observer of the political scene. He anticipated four scenarios for "The day after" the election in an excellent Weekly Standard article. As it happens, the outcome appears to have landed somewhere between scenarios 1 and 2. Under each of these scenarios, Professor Ceaser observed:
An Obama victory…secures his place in the pantheon of great progressive leaders. On that imaginary liberal Mount Rushmore—perhaps to be carved out as a shovel-ready project for a new stimulus package—the face of Barack Obama will appear alongside those of FDR and LBJ. These are the three liberal presidents who did something big, something irreversible, in expanding the role of the federal government and altering the relation between citizens and the state.
As Professor Ceaser looks back on the actual outcome in "A stalemate, not a mandate," he finds that, on the surface, the 2012 election produced little by way of change: we will have the same president, the same Senate majority leader, and the same Speaker of the House. Professor Ceaser puts it this way:
The 2012 election leaves unsettled the question of which party can claim to speak for a majority of the American people—a dispute that has been going on for the past two years. For those on the Left, the narrative of contemporary politics properly begins with Obama's election in 2008, which signaled a break from the old politics and launched a new era of progressivism supported by a political realignment. For many on the Right, the starting point is the 2010 midterm election, which produced a majority for Republicans in the House of Representatives and brought a huge shift in the GOP's favor in gubernatorial seats and state legislatures.
Each side pressed its case, and in the aftermath of 2010 both camps seemed prepared to wait for another election to decide the contest between these two conflicting mandates. Now that election has taken place, but it produced no definitive victory. The results are closer to a standoff: a narrow presidential win for the Democrats, a House of Representatives that remains Republican, and a Senate that is Democratic. Meanwhile, at the state level Republicans hold their considerable advantage.
And yet it seems apparent that the country is now a very different place than it was on the morning of November 6. Reelection means Obama can concentrate on consolidating the political realignment set in motion by his first term policies. Defeat means the Republicans will be forced to deal with the consequences of this realignment for the foreseeable future – that they will engage in politics on the Democrats' terms.
Knowledge of this will shape the Republican Party's adaptation to the changing electoral landscape. "The best strategy for the GOP," writes Professor Ceaser, "lies in selecting conservative candidates credible enough to convince their more enthusiastic supporters to forgo promoting positions in national politics that would destroy the chances of achieving a majority."


text: 'The Bassin/Maislin group has emerged as the early frontrunner to purchase the team, which is in dire financial straits after the collapse of owner Adelphia Communications. And that bodes well for Nolan, who has a long-standing relationship with Bassin, who currently runs the Ontario Hockey League champion Erie Otters. Nolan won two OHL titles and a national championship coaching the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds when Bassin owned that team in the early 1990s, and he could barely contain his excitement a few days ago when asked about the possibility of Bassin's group, which is said to include former Sabres star Pat Lafontaine, buying the team.'


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Automakers can shed a few pounds to help meet fleetwide fuel economy standards without sacrificing safety if they concentrate their weight loss in the heaviest vehicles, a recent federal analysis concludes.
The study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides additional support for the approach the agency took when it updated fuel economy standards in 2010. Those standards are in effect for 2012-16 models and require the industry to reach an estimated fleetwide 34.1 mpg in the final year. NHTSA and the Environmental Protection Agency now are working on standards for model year 2017 and beyond.
The current standards are a departure from previous ones because they tie fuel economy to a vehicle's footprint, roughly equivalent to the square footage outlined by the wheels. A vehicle with a smaller footprint now has to adhere to more stringent fuel economy standards. That removes the incentive for automakers to simply sell more small cars as a way to meet fleetwide targets (see Status Report special issue: car size, weight and safety, April 14, 2009, and "Overhaul of federal fuel economy program serves safety too," April 22, 2006).
The standards encourage automakers to use more efficient engine technologies, as well as hybrid and electric vehicles, to improve their fleetwide fuel economy. Manufacturers also make use of lightweight materials that can cut weight from a vehicle without changing a vehicle's footprint. The NHTSA study looks at what happens to safety when the last strategy is used.
It is an important question because, other things being equal, larger and heavier vehicles provide better occupant protection than smaller and lighter ones. Both size and weight play a role. Size is important because a longer crush space allows more crash energy to be absorbed before it reaches the occupant compartment. Weight matters because when two vehicles collide, the heavier one pushes the lighter one backward on impact, resulting in greater forces on the people inside the lighter vehicle.
Exactly how much of the advantage of bigger vehicles is due to size and how much to weight is hard to disentangle. The Institute's affiliate, the Highway Loss Data Institute, recently shed some light on the issue when it compared hybrid vehicles with their conventional counterparts and found that the odds of being injured in a hybrid are 25 percent lower than for people in nonhybrid vehicles. In effect, that study looked mostly at weight while controlling for footprint because the hybrids have identical structures to those of their conventional twins but are heavier, thanks to their battery packs (see "Hybrid advantage," Nov. 17, 2011).
In contrast to the HLDI study, which looked at injury rates for people in those vehicles, the NHTSA researchers were looking at the societal impact of weight variations in fatal crashes. That is, their analysis included not only fatalities of people inside a given vehicle, but also deaths among occupants of other vehicles that collide with it, as well as pedestrians.
The researchers derived their predictions from calculations of fatality rates by mass and footprint per billion vehicle miles traveled, using data on crashes in 2002-08 involving 2000-07 models. They took into account that all new models will have electronic stability control, a requirement as of 2012.
The study first looked at the effect on fatality risk of an across-the-board 100-pound weight reduction while maintaining vehicle footprint. Cutting 100 pounds from cars weighing less than 3,106 pounds would result in a 1.4 percent increase in fatalities associated with those cars, the researchers found. Hypothetical reductions in weight in other vehicle categories yield slight increases or decreases in fatalities, but those estimates aren't statistically significant. The overall effect for the entire fleet would be a 0.5 percent increase, though, again, the estimate isn't significant.
The researchers also examined what would happen if the weight reduction varied among vehicle classes with more of the decrease coming from heavier SUVs and pickups and less of it coming from small cars.
If the lightest cars drop only 70 pounds and heavier vehicles take a bigger cut, the fatality increase shrinks to 0.3 percent. A combination of weight reductions that takes only 18 pounds off the lightest cars wouldn't affect fatality rates at all. Finally, the researchers estimate that taking none of the weight decrease from the lightest cars and an even bigger chunk from the heavier ones, including 274 pounds from the heaviest SUVs and pickups, would shave off a 0.1 percent sliver of fatalities.
As the report notes, "any combination of mass reductions that maintain footprint and are proportionately somewhat higher for the heavier vehicles may well be safety-neutral or better."
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Now that you have taken the clogged-grease-trap-meets-the-New-York-subway-system that used to be your colon, and transformed it into a porcelain shaft fit for impromptu dinner parties and occasional silk production with the help of Gwyneth Paltrow's $425 "GOOP Cleanse," it's time that your outside reflects the carefully cultivated superiority of your insides. And finally, now you can slough off the duct-taped Arby's napkins that were the repulsive skin of your former self and clad it in "The Goop Tee," described by Paltrow's website with no modicum of urgency as an "essential wardrobe staple," hence its $90 price tag.
"But that just looks like a plain white T-shirt. Why would I pay $90 for something that routinely comes in packages of three for a third of the cost?" some naysayers might ask, dribbling veritable boulders of carbohydrates down the front of the potato sacks they've adapted into overalls. Because Paltrow and her collaborators Kain Label have fashioned their tee as a delightful homage to "tuxedo tailoring," with "grosgrain piping" on the shoulders and sides combining with its modern, shortened length to create a white T-shirt that is relaxed enough for a trip to the foyer, where you instruct your assistant on what sort of kumquats not to pick up from the farmers' market this time, yet still refined even when worn untucked, as Paltrow explicitly says she likes to wear hers. With that sort of versatility, you'd be a fool not to stock up on several for layering, on those cool summer nights when you need to be wrapped in something thicker than your own self-satisfaction. [via E! Online]


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We've been reporting on the financial difficulties of publisher THQ for months now. Most recently, the games publisher had its bankruptcy plan rejected by a judge who saw the scheme as willfully attempting to bamboozle firms and individuals who might otherwise opt to enter a bid for THQ's assets. For the most part, our record of THQ's fall has been naught but doom and gloom. Though the company is not yet dead, it's certainly on life support. Even those gamers with a focused fetish for schadenfreude are growing depressed at watching the once-mighty publisher gradually dissipate. Fortunately, there is a bright spot among all this darkness, and it's particularly luminous for those looking to pick up a ton of quality games on the cheap.
If you pay a quick visit to Amazon, you'll notice a listing for an item titled the "THQ Mega Pack." Given the publisher's dire financial straits and the contents of the Pack we have to assume this is an attempt at scrounging up some extra, last minute cash, and oh, what an attempt it is! For a mere $25 those of you with functional gaming PCs can download every single game listed below:
- Company of Heroes – Tales of Valor
- Company of Heroes Game of the Year
- Darksiders II
- Darksiders
- Homefront
- MX vs ATV Reflex
- Metro 2033
- Nexuiz
- Red Faction Armageddon
- Red Faction Guerrilla
- Saints Row 2
- Saints Row: The Third
- Supreme Commander
- Supreme Commander: Forged Alliance
- Titan Quest Gold
- Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War II – Gold Edition
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
- Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War Gold
- Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War II Retribution
While we hate to bear witness to THQ's slow fall, we do appreciate that the company is pulling out all the stops in its rebuilding efforts. Whether or not THQ again rises to prominence is anyone's guess, but now at least fans of the publisher can dry their tears with almost 20 triple-A PC releases that, in total, cost less than a quality steak.


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Team Grenade – Shirtless Elite Athletes, Hunks of the Day [PICTURES, VIDEOS]
In the above image from left to right, we've got Melih F. Cologlu, Kirk Miller, Shane Raymond, Jamie Alderton and James St. Leger. These ripped — and we mean ripped — hardcore athletes make up part of Team Grenade, the shirtless, British hunks behind the Grenade vitamin supplement.
Also in the group are Dan Barnett and Richard "Grenade Abs" Elston, who are both just as interchangeable as the others. What everyone on Team Grenade has is common, though, are two things — a love for the thermogenic, weight-loss Grenade products, and working out.
There's not a shirt on the market right now that can contain all their muscles. Some times it looks like these guys are about to turn into giant, vein-pulsing Hulks, but that's only at the wrong angle. Even if you're not looking to lose weight, you might as well go over to the Grenade site and see why these guys are so much fun to look at.