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In these before-and-after images, full water levels are visible around Lake Oroville in Oroville, California and Folsom Lake in El Folsom, California on July 20, 2011 and low water levels are visible on August 19, 2014.
As the severe drought in California continues for a third straight year, water levels in the state's lakes and reservoirs are reaching historic lows. Lake Oroville is currently at 32 percent of its total 3,537,577 acre feet. Folsom Lake is currently at 40 percent of its total capacity of 977,000 acre feet. (Before images courtesy Paul Hames/California Department of Water Resources via Getty Images, after images by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Trouble viewing this interactive? View on CAdrought.com.


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Views: 455
This reminds me of something that happened to a good friend of mine. He was asked to be an expert witness in an intellectual property suit (I'm a software developer/engineer/architect/geek, and a published author on the same - and so is the friend I mention. We get asked for stuff like this from time to time). During the deposition, he was cross-examined by the other side's attorney. This lawyer began by asking questions about my friend, attacking his credibility. He attempted to discredit him by asking him about his college education; my friend explained that he dropped out, not completing his degree. At one point my friend was able to respond to this supposed discrediting by asking, "Have you ever heard of Bill Gates, cofounder of Microsoft?"
"Yes, of course," replied the other side's attorney.
"He's a college dropout, too."
The lawyer that hired my friend busted out laughing at this retort, and the other lawyer did not say another thing about my friend's credibility, nor his testimony :)
My point with saying this is that, in this "Information Age", it is almost trivial to be very, very well educated - even without a "formal" education - just like it is very easy to be an idiot with a college degree (look at former President Bush as a prime example). To imply otherwise is, well, uneducated ;)
@ Lotus Geek
Well said!!
@Dan, @Cathy Cooper - quickly reading both of your posts in this thread (which I didn't do before originally posting - sorry), leads me to believe that, overall, you are both in violent agreement. I think there may have been a misunderstanding in what was said (and inferred), as there may have been assumptions as to what was meant (this happens a great deal in written discussions, where body language and tonal inflection is lost). One such assumption is concerning "education" - I think that in part of this discussion "education" may have meant "FORMAL education", and in other areas this was clearly not the case - one can become educated without the need for a "formal" education in an institution of higher learning, as I mentioned in my previous reply.
So, I think both of you should kiss and make up, or at least shake hands and agree to put this to rest. Or you can tell me to take a hike, quit butting in, and continue screaming the same thing at each other over and over (ok, ok, I know you weren't screaming, but it just sounded better - call it poetic license ;) ).
@ lotus geek
Well said again, but I do not have any problems with the poster Dan. I basically have been saying what you said and I judge arguments based on their merit and whether they are valid and sound--not by a persons education; whether it be formal or informal, self taught, or none at all. The poster Dan is merely trying to find a way to make Craig not sound like an elitist bigot, and hide the fact that Craig was wrong in the first place. The poster, instead of addressing the arguments, resorted to ad hominem.
@Cathy Cooper
Let me try this again if I may.
First off, an ad hominem is when a person attacks another's character, etc. in an attempt to discredit the other's position. That's not what I did. Regardless, I resorted to name calling of sorts, and in a rather rude way, and for that I apologize.
Now let's look at what Craig said and your conclusion:
1. Craig said (to paraphrase) that it appeared that those who lack information ("bluecollar" types) were in favor of Harris and atheism.
2. Craig's implication is that lack of information leads to atheism.
3. (2) implies that better information would lead to theism.
4. Therefore, Craig is "bigoted" and "hateful"
My point is as follows:
1'. You said: "...when people are allowed to think and be reflective, and they have access to all the information, i.e. education, then you will have a rise in atheists and agnostics because the inconsistencies and contradictions within religion, the belief in gods and goddesses, and Christianity in particular."
2'. The implication of your statement is that when persons have all the information, this will lead them to atheism.
3'. (2') in turn implies that lack of information leads to theism.
If the conclusion of (1)-(3) is that Craig is bigoted and hateful, it would seem that the conclusion of (1')-(3') is
4' You are also bigoted and hateful.
This is the point I was trying to make. It is possible that I misinterpreted what you said and therefore (2') does not follow from (1'). If this is the case, please clarify.
I also suggested that, if we are willing to give Craig the benefit of the doubt, then (2) does not follow from (1). Unfortunately, Craig isn't in on this discussion and doesn't have a chance to clarify what he meant. But you rejected my suggestion anyway and concluded that Craig's statement (1) leads inexorably to (4).
@ Dan
Thank you for your apology, although it certainly was an ad hominem attack in an attempt to present a red herring, and take us away from the argument.
You almost got it right, except for a few misquotes, or, so called implications, and the difference between myself and Craig.
In your #2 above," The implication of your statement is that when persons have all the information, this will lead them to atheism."----is not correct. What I said was, "I said they could make better decisions and decide for themselves when they had all the arguments and information. I said my education led me to atheism, but that is not necessarily so for everyone." and:
"Furthermore, what I said was workers who have not been to college or have no formal education, will have this same tendency when provided with ALL of the information and explanations and all the various arguments." and:
"Yes, I was offended that he implied that atheists are "uneducated blue collar workers." Whereas I claimed that those that have been to college and those that have not, can reason for themselves, as long as they are given the proper information."
I am claiming that the educated, as well as the uneducated can understand all of the information, arguments, and explanations and make a decision for themselves, once they are provided with all of the information, arguments, and explanations. I claim, that when such is the case, you will have more of a TENDENCY for more people to become atheists. Therefore, I am making a positive claim about the people that Craig makes reference to as the "uneducated"--in that they CAN reason and make decisions for themselves.
On the other hand, Craig is making a negative claim. His claim is that what he calls the "uneducated people" are atheists because they are: "...never exposed to Christian scholarship because of their lack of education. As a result there is a sort of pervasive, uninformed, village atheism among them...They didn't seem to have any inkling that his (Sam Harris') views had just been systematically exposed as logically incoherent... Wouldn't it be amazing if unbelief became the possession mainly of the uneducated?"
The differences that I am about to point out are subtle differences, but important differences nevertheless.
First of all, I said everyone should be given all the explanations, arguments and so forth, whereas Tyndale and Craig believe they need "Christian scholarship."----I say Craig too, as he cited the Warden from Tyndale House on this point. But now let's ask the question: How does Craig or the Warden know that the so-called "uneducated" people hadn't read books written by Christian scholars, atheists and others as well and other exposures, and had already made up their own minds as to what they believed was the best explanation via the information?--as if they are too "ignorant" to be given all of the information, arguments and explanations, and that they were capable of making a decision for themselves.
This seems to be what Craig implies by stating: "Wouldn't it be amazing if unbelief became the possession mainly of the uneducated?" This is odd, since Craig himself was shocked that so many of them had Harris' book!--so exactly how "uneducated" are they?---perhaps they had read Harris' books, and many other books from both sides.
I hate to put it this way, but since I started this blog, one sentence keeps ringing in my mind. When Tyndale House makes reference to "village atheists," it reminds me of old movies I used to watch as a child where there was always a "village idiot." So, after I read what Craig said about the Warden at Tyndale making a reference to "village atheists" I could not help but have the image in my mind that the "village atheist" was analogous to the "village idiot" for the Warden at Tyndale. Perhaps I am mistaken. Nevertheless, Craig and the Warden seem to imply that if someone is an atheist, then they must be uneducated. Note, that is bigoted and elitist.
I, on the other hand, made no such claim about what Craig calls the "uneducated" I merely said, IF they were given ALL the information, arguments and explanations, they would be able to make better informed decisions for themselves, and in such a case there would be a tendency to have more atheists than when this is not the case.
@Cathy Cooper.
OK, I understand your position much better now because your excellent explanation and after having a couple days distance from the discussion (always a good thing, btw). There is still one thing that bothers me, though.
You said:
"I am claiming that the educated, as well as the uneducated can understand all of the information, arguments, and explanations and make a decision for themselves, once they are provided with all of the information, arguments, and explanations. I claim, that when such is the case, you will have more of a TENDENCY for more people to become atheists."
I agree 100% with the first sentence. But not the second sentence. I think this is what raised the red flag for me in the beginning. When people have all the information/arguments/explanations, why will there be an increased tendency toward atheism? And more importantly, doesn't increased tendency toward atheism in the presence of all the information/arguments/explanations imply that people tend less toward atheism (and more toward theism) because they lack information?

subset: commoncrawl


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Chase ends when deputy opens fire
A deputy constable shot at a man Friday who threatened the Harris County lawman with his SUV, officials said.
The man was wounded in the leg, either by the gunshot or pieces of shrapnel after a bullet struck his vehicle, said Kese Smith, a spokesman for the Houston Police Department. Police said the wound is not life-threatening.
The incident began about 2:30 a.m., when Deer Park police stopped a BMW for a traffic violation but the driver sped away, Smith said. The officer followed him.
Smith said the man drove through more than one jurisdiction, prompting several law enforcement agencies to join the chase. During the chase, officials said, the man pointed either a rifle or a shotgun out of a window of the SUV at the pursuing officers.
The man tossed a 12-gauge shotgun out of his car during the chase, said Pamela Greenwood, spokeswoman for Harris County Constable Precinct 7.
About an hour later, Smith said, a Harris County Precinct 7 deputy constable who was on duty heard the chase on his radio and realized the man was traveling toward him, near Blackhawk and the south Sam Houston Parkway. He got out of his patrol car and stood in the road where he knew the man would be driving to help stop him. The deputy was armed with a rifle.
When the SUV approached, Smith said, the driver swerved into the lane where the deputy was standing and then swerved back into the other lane.
Smith said the deputy constable feared for his safety and opened fire, hitting the SUV.
The SUV continued a short distance, but became disabled. The driver jumped out and ran. He was captured and later taken to a nearby hospital.
Smith said a teenage girl, either 13 or 14, was in the SUV at the time of the chase and shooting. The relationship between the teen and the man was not known. She is considered a witness.
No charges have been filed in the case so far.
The deputy constable's name has not been released. Smith said he is a sergeant and has been on the force for 23 years. He was placed on administrative leave while the case is being investigated.


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SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) Eshaunte Jones netted 18 points as Northern Kentucky earned its fourth consecutive win 70-65 over South Carolina-Upstate Saturday night.
Jones hit 5 of 8 from the field and 3 of 4 from 3-point range for the Norse (8-12, 3-6 Atlantic Sun Conference). The senior entered with at least 25 points in each of his past three games and is averaging 23.7 points during Northern Kentucky's winning streak.
The loss spoiled SC Upstate's bid for a perfect five-game home stand as the Spartans (13-10, 7-3) closed out the stretch by making just 3 of 11 3-pointers in the five-point loss. Ricardo Glenn paced SC Upstate with 14 points, while Torrey Craig and Jodd Maxey each had 13.
Craig's three-point play pulled the Spartans within 68-65 with 1:01 remaining, but SC Upstate missed a pair of 3-point tries and Chad Jackson hit two free throws for the Norse in the final minute.


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Time to order these for my 2 seniors. Any suggestions on who to order from? Where did the time go?1+
Time to order these for my 2 seniors. Any suggestions on who to order from? Where did the time go?1+
Wife to Jay. Mommy to Sydney (dd 17 yrs.), Joseph(ds16 yrs.), Zoey Nicole (dd, 9 yrs.) and Sawyer Barrett ( ds 3 mos.)
Our homeschool group orders from HSLDA.
Hollie, Special Needs Forum Moderator
Wife to my best friend Tom and mom to 20yo Eli, 18yo Kyle, and 14yo Noah (with Down syndrome)
If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn. Ignacio Estrada
I ordered from HSLDA.
Robin, wife for 22 years to a wonderful man, and mama to 20yo Belle; 18yo Kitty; 15yo Princess, and 12yo Boyo.
Words for 2015 and 2016 and probably forever: Be her.
We bought them from HSLDA last year and this year our senior will wear his cap and gown, but we ordered a tassel in teal from Amazon just because! Oh yes and both diplomas have come from there as well.
But, you've reminded me I'll need to order announcements. Those I purchased through Amazon Prime prints and they turned out so nicely.
Heather wife to Dan and embracing the independent nature of homeschooling with our fantastic four (20 ds, 18 dd, 16 ds, 13 ds).
Be thankful for what you have. Be creative. Be innovative.. Think differently and positively.
Wife to Brian and Mama to 20yo ds, 17yo ds
Kendra, wife of Lawrence, mother of three.
I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.
Not sure about caps and gowns, but people in our hs group order diplomas from a local print shop
Wife to Jim and Mama to Katie (1/01), Mattie (9/02), Cale (4/05), and Ben (8/08)
I need to order one too. I've ordered from https://www.cornerstonegraduatesupply.com/ for our diplomas.
Leslie Nelsen, Family Room Moderator
Wife to Roger, Mom to Christopher (25) married to Emily, Rebecca (22), Joshua (19), Isaiah (17), Daniel (14), and Eliana Joy (11).


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Environmental issues are popping up in the GOP race for governor. Only these two candidates are trying to erase California's progress in this arena and damage her environment.
Leading GOP gubernatorial candidate and Tea Party favorite Tim Donnelly wants to bring back dogs in the hunting of bears, the animal on the California flag. Donnelly and his rival, investment banker Neel Kashkari of Orange County, both say they don't believe the lower estimate of oil reserves locked in the shale beneath mostly central California and want to allow extensive new drilling — including fracking — to tap this oil.
And finally, Kashkari has called for an end to the California High-Speed Rail project which was supported by 53 percent of California voters as Proposition 1A in 2008.
Kill more bears. Produce more oil and greenhouse gases that are causing extreme weather events. Eliminate a major mass transit option for car-dependent California.
Perhaps that should be the tagline on these guys' campaign ads.
Yes, Republicans pander to an anti-government segment. I get it. But the Republican Party in California has not been anti-environment in the past. Golden State Republicans have supported environmental policy, even created it. So fellas, why the right-turn on green?
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's legacy law was A.B. 32, which requires California to cut greenhouse gases and return to 1990 levels by 2020. He is Republican. He also supported the development of hydrogen fuel cars and fueling stations and electric cars and charging stations.
Former conservative Republican Rep. David Dreier supported protecting the Angeles National Forest. He authored the Angeles and San Bernardino National Forest Protection Act in 2011, which calls for designating 18,000 acres for more protection, enhance recreation and maintenance.
In the 1990s, I covered a speech by President George Bush (Bush 41) in which he outlined support for environmental improvements along the U.S.-Mexico border. Bush Sr. said he would not support the NAFTA trade agreement without these protections.
So the answer to the question is no. Republican candidates are not knee-jerk anti-environment. I thought we've moved beyond the environment as a partisan issue. That's why these guys' backward steps are unsettling and need to be called out to the Republican leadership at large.
Donnelly's supporters were recently featured on a radio report talking passionately about how they need their hound dogs to hunt bears. Donnelly supports allowing one dog to hunt bears during deer season and multiple dogs, i.e. packs, per hunter during bear-hunting season.
Dogs that chase bears up a tree so a hunter can walk up to it and shoot it is inhumane, unsportsmanlike and arrogant. Besides, when did bear hunting become a key issue in California?
Kashkari started out talking about real issues such as tackling the state's high unemployment rate, poverty rate, and creating jobs. Jobs are why he says he wants to see more oil drilling. But he's wrong.
More local jobs are created by the solar industry than through oil exploration. Environmental jobs are a growth industry.
On a recent commercial, Kashkari literally takes an ax to a model train that he calls "Governor Brown's crazy train." Well, whatever you may think about the high-speed rail train being built from Los Angeles to San Francisco, remember the voters approved it. This is a fact Kashkari fails to mention.
If he can be against high-speed rail, then is it OK to be against Proposition 13? I'm sure Kashkari would say no, you can't revoke or even alter any of the ballot measure that created an uneven playing field for property taxes because it is the will of the people of California.
It is also the will of the majority of Californians to have clean air, clean water, thriving wildlife and more transit options besides driving on a crowded freeway. Candidates should remember that.


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It's not a question of if we make the playoffs. We will. And when we get there, I have no fear of anyone — Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Denver…whoever.
— Kobe Bryant
Over his 17 seasons in the NBA, Bryant could always guarantee that he'll do something absolutely amazing with the basketball just about every time he steps onto the court.
He can shake off an 0-for-10 shooting start to bury a half dozen jumpers and an opponent in a fourth-quarter blink of an eye.
He can duck and whirl through traffic, change hands with the ball and squeeze through a crack in the defense for a clutch how-did-he-do-that bucket.
He can rise up with a hand in his face, almost down his throat, and knock down an impossible 3-pointer with the sheer grace.
He can lead a 20-0 comeback in the final 6 1/2 minutes to pull out a dramatic and critical 108-106 win over the Hornets.
But no matter how many times or how emphatically he says it, what Bryant cannot guarantee is all that can happen with the teams in front of his underachieving Lakers in the Western Conference standings. For even if the Lakers put on a strong finishing kick — say 14-6 or 13-7 — they will still likely need one or more of the Warriors, Rockets and Jazz to tumble.
Can it happen? Sure. Will it happen? Nothing guaranteed. Sometimes it's not about the hunter, but the prey.
No. 6 — Warriors (35-27)
Back in those long ago days of early February when his team was threatening to compete for the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage in the playoffs, coach Mark Jackson liked to shake his head and scowl at the doubters who didn't think his Warriors could run and shoot and play defense all at the same time. Maybe those doubts were just premature. Over the past five weeks, the Golden State defense has fallen off any one of the area's picturesque bridges and sunk to the bottom of the bay.
In losing 10 of 13 games that dropped them from elite status to suddenly hanging on for playoff lives, the Warriors gave up 112 points per game. Even in ending their skid with a win over the Raptors, they surrendered 118. The Warriors have often looked lifeless, confused, unfocused of late.
"We've been bad," Jackson told reporters before Wednesday night's 87-83 win over the Kings. "We haven't been good. Overall, we haven't protected the paint, we haven't controlled the perimeter. There was a time when our defense was in the discussion for the best in the game, and we've gone through a tough stretch. If we expect not just to make the playoffs, but if we expect to do the damage that we want to do, we've got to be better. And we understand that."
Of course, the Warriors have played most of the season without their two top defenders, center Andrew Bogut and swingman Brandon Rush (who was lost for the season after two games). Yet it's a sense of urgency and effort recently that has set off the alarm bells.
"Regardless of where we're playing, nobody is going to allow us to walk into a victory," said guard Jarrett Jack. "We've got to go out there and take it. That's not going to change unless we decide to change."
There are two significant changes that should help the Warriors stop their slide and hold on. First, they've got Bogut back in the lineup after missing six games with back spasms. He not only guards the rim, but plays quarterback barking out orders from behind the defense. The Warriors are 8-6 (.571) with him in the lineup and 27-21 (.563) without him. No matter what the basic stats or advanced metrics say, the Warriors believe they're far better off with Bogut manning the middle.
"For anyone to sit here and say, 'We're better without Bogut,' is absolutely crazy," Jack told Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle. "He's a tremendous asset to our team. His interior defense has saved us on many, many, many occasions.
"Anybody who is even hinting that we're better off without him is not cool and is inaccurate. I would definitely go against that thinking with everything that I have."
Of the four teams in the race for the final three playoff spots, the Warriors also have the friendliest finishing schedule with 14 of their final 20 games — and nine of last 12 — at home. They have just three sets of back-to-back games and have more of their fate in their own hands than any of the other three teams with five games against Lakers (2), Rockets (2) and Jazz (1).
The details
20 games remaining: 14 home, 6 road.
(11 vs. current playoff teams)
Back-to-backs left:
Friday vs. Rockets
Saturday vs. Bucks
March 18 at Rockets
March 19 at Hornets
April 11 vs. Thunder
April 12 at Lakers
Head-to-head vs. other playoff hopefuls:
0-2 vs. Rockets
Friday — home
March 17 — road
1-1 vs. Jazz
April 7 — home
0-2 vs. Lakers
March 25 — home
April 12 — road
No. 7 — Rockets (33-29)
When general manager Daryl Morey traded away two of his solid young forwards in Patrick Patterson and Marcus Morris at the trade deadline and brought in Thomas Robinson, it was a big-picture move. Oh, his Rockets and their long-suffering fans would enjoy and benefit from the postseason experience, but the big game hunt is next summer when Houston could have cap room to sign two max-level free agents.
Having said that, the Rockets, with their fast-paced offense, the virtuoso efforts of first-time All-Star James Harden and his running point guard sidekick, Jeremy Lin, have proven to be one of the league's most entertaining teams. But even with the youngest roster in the NBA, they're not looking over their shoulders at the Lakers. They are 3-3 since the trade-deadline shakeup, alternately looking capable and clueless, often within the same game.
"I could care less about the Lakers," said forward Chandler Parsons. "If we win our games, maybe the Jazz will lose and help the Lakers get in if everybody wants them in. We control out own destiny right now.
"(Kobe's) confident in his team and I respect that. He can't guarantee us losing games. He can't guarantee the Jazz losing games. Those are just words to me."
"I have no idea how far away (in the standings) they are," said Lin. "I actually have no idea. I just think for us, I'd rather look forward, look at the seventh and sixth seed than I would the ninth … If we do a good job, we should be able to move up, and we won't have to worry about anybody catching us."
"We're not at a point where we're going to be setting these lofty five-month goals or three-month or three-week goals or whatever," said coach Kevin McHale. "No, I'm not even thinking about the playoffs."
The Rockets have proven throughout the season that they are capable of beating many of the best teams (OKC, New York, Memphis, Chicago, Atlanta, Brooklyn) and losing to some of the worst (New Orleans, Philadelphia, Sacramento, Washington, Toronto).
For the past three seasons, the Rockets have missed the playoffs by one spot. Last year, they coughed up the No. 8 seed to Utah by losing six in a row and seven of their final nine games. This time around, it would seem the presence of Harden should prevent a repeat, though they did drop seven straight in January.
Their schedule appears favorable with 12 of the final 20 games at home, with four sets of back-to-backs left and three of them conclude against a team working with a full night's rest. If the race goes to the wire, the season finale will be a doozy when they face the Lakers in L.A.
The details
20 games remaining: 12 home, 8 road.
(10 vs. current playoff teams)
Back-to-backs left:
Thursday at Warriors
Friday at Suns
March 29 at Grizzlies
March 30 vs. Clippers
April 5 at Trail Blazers
April 6 at Nuggets
April 14 vs. Kings
April 15 at Suns
Head-to-head vs. other playoff hopefuls:
2-0 vs. Warriors
Friday — road
March 17 — home
2-1 vs. Jazz
March 20 — home
2-1 vs. Lakers
April 19 — road
No. 8 — Jazz (32-29)
It would seem that if the Lakers are going to fulfill Kobe's promise and bounce all the way back into the playoffs, the Jazz are the most likely trampoline. The simple reason?A schedule that has produced two consecutive blown road win opportunities in Milwaukee and Cleveland. Additionally, Utah has five losses in its last six games.
The challenge continues as the Jazz will play six of their next nine on the road, where they are already a miserable 10-21. In the middle of that is a tough pair of home games against the Grizzlies and Knicks. Toss in a Texas Triangle trip though Houston, San Antonio and Dallas and then close out the season at Minnesota and Memphis and the rope could slip right through their hands.
Did we mention that center Al Jefferson has been sidelined for three games by a sprained ankle?
"I never counted the Lakers out," Jefferson said. "I knew sooner or later they'd get it together. But we got where we got because we play well. That's what we've got to continue to do. It's going to be a dogfight. If it was easy, everybody'd do it."
"I think we know the standings," said guard Gordon Hayward. "The (locker room) board over there gets updated and we realize each and every game is important.
"I don't think it's pressure. I think we've all been through pressure before so we're just going to make sure we play our game and take it one game at a time."
"It's obviously important. We want to make sure we get to the playoffs and have the chance to fight for the whole thing. That's the reason why you play. We can't have any slides, especially on these road trips. All these teams are bunched up and a four or five-game losing streak could put us out of the playoffs."
But what would another 8th-place finish would do for the Jazz as a franchise? Has anyone on the current roster benefitted from the 4-0 wipeout by the Spurs last season? And how much of the Jazz that we see now will be back in October?
"I said from Day 1 of training camp, this could be a [top 4 seed] playoff team," said the veteran Jefferson. "I still feel that way. The way I felt in training camp was, we could compete against anybody. Once we get in the playoffs, I think we have a chance against anybody in the first round."
Most around the league were surprised when Kevin O'Connor and Dennis Lindsey didn't pull the trigger on a deal at the trade deadline to unload either Paul Millsap or Jefferson to free up minutes (and a starting role) for Derrick Favors.
Utah's so-called "Core Four" of Favors, Hayward, Enes Kanter and Alec Burks is the future of the franchise. But the reluctance of coach Tyrone Corbin to commit to them — especially Favors — has frustrated Jazz fans and likely stopped Utah from taking a necessary step forward. It's a team in that is stuck between the present and the future, also in need of a point guard and too often it shows.
"You're always aware of what's going on with your opponents," Corbin said. "You can't get crazy about it, you can't control it. The only thing we can control is what we do. So we want make sure we put more emphasis on what we're doing and how we're playing, more so than worrying about somebody else winning or losing to give us an opportunity to move up."
No guarantees. No matter what Kobe says.
The details
Remaining schedule: 11 home, 10 road
(12 vs. current playoff teams)
Back-to-backs left:
Friday at Bulls
Saturday at Knicks
March 24 at Mavericks
March 25 vs. Sixers
March 29 at Trail Blazers
March 30 vs. Nets
Head-to-head vs. other playoff hopefuls:
1-1 vs. Warriors
April 7 — road
1-2 vs. Rockets
March 20 — road
2-1 vs. Lakers
Series completed
Steve Aschburner and Andrew Aragon contributed to this report.


text:
Aretha Franklin remembered across sports world
- Details
- Created on Thursday, 16 August 2018 12:22
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National News
- New York City baby sitter stabbed mom of two because she 'don't work for free,' reports say
- Missouri man with 'body count' tattoo charged in deadly shooting
- Florida man serving 23 years in prison back in custody after accidental release, authorities say
- Jordan demands answers over Democrats' secret meetings about Trump-focused probes
- Doug Schoen: Democrats' impeachment quest is all wrong – Here are 3 big reasons why
- Rep says Mueller report shows Steele dossier 'false and fake,' challenging origins of FBI probe
- Dr. Marc Siegel: You might not be immune to measles if you were born between these years
- California amputee who lost prosthetic leg while skydiving gets it back after deputy finds it in unlikely spot
- Texas' John Cornyn to face Air Force vet MJ Hegar in 2020 Senate race
- 'New' Delphi suspect sketch was drawn days after murders of 2 Indiana girls, artist says
- 'Today in LA' anchor warns parents after daughter choked on Easter candy
- CBS resurfaces 1970 'Act or Die' alarmist climate change clip on Earth Day
- US new-home sales climbed 4.5% in March
- Americans would see impeachment as a 'limp attempt at a soft coup:' Joe Concha
- Ambassador Grenell 'quite pleased' Buttigieg stopped pushing 'hate hoax' about Pence
- Oregon K-9 officer stuck with more than 200 porcupine quills while pursuing suspect, police say
- Berlin businesswoman, feted for driving around world, dies
- White House tells ex-security official Carl Kline to defy House subpoena
Access Hollywood
- Janel Parrish Dishes On Returning As Mona In 'PLL: The Perfectionists' & How Married Life Is Going
- 'Murphy Brown' Closes Out Season 1 In Dec.; Nina Dobrev's 'Fam' Set To Take Over Timeslot
- The 'Murphy Brown' Revival Series Will Not Likely Return For A Second Season
- Crystal Hefner Says Her Marriage With Hugh Hefner Wasn't About Sex: 'That Wasn't All That Important' (EXCLUSIVE)
- Baby Stormi Webster Cheers On Travis Scott During His Performance And It's Totally Adorable
- Jenna Dewan Shares Her Daughter's Precious Christmas Letter To Santa
- 'This Is Us' Cast Gets Totally Emotional About Fall Finale's Major Bombshells
- Are Trixie Mattel & Katya Fans Of Online Dating? Check Out This Exclusive Clip From 'UNHhh'
- 'The Voice' Season 15 Has Its Top 10: Who Made It & Who Went Home?
- Is 'To All The Boys I've Loved Before' Getting A Sequel? Here's What We Know
- Kristin Cavallari Reflects On Her Brother Michael's Death On The 3 Year Anniversary: 'This Year Is One Of The Hardest'
- Miguel Marries Nazanin Mandi In Secret Ceremony: See Her Gorgeous Wedding Dress!
- Fans interrupt lingerie football game, security guards pick up blitz
- NBA fans, reporters rally after reporter receives vile message from Twitter troll targeting daughter
- NBA fans rally after reporter receives awful message from Twitter troll
- Ivy League football star eschewing stability for long-shot NFL bid
- Philadelphia Phillies' Jake Arrieta chides teammate Bryce Harper after ejection
- Antetokounmpo scores 41, leads Bucks to sweep of Detroit
- Klingberg's OT goal pushes Stars over Preds to advance
- Suns fire Igor Kokoskov after 1 losing season
- Odell Beckham Jr. unleashes Giants frustration in epic Twitter rant
- Luke Walton, the ex-Lakers coach, accused of sexual assault by former SportsNet host: report
- Philadelphia Eagles players fire back at former QB Donovan McNabb over Carson Wentz criticism
- Dallas Cowboys laid a trap for a leaker and an executive just revealed how the operation went down


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Mike's final article collection published in the Retriever Journal magazine. Includes advanced training on marks and blinds, training guidelines and much more.
General Training Guidelines
Training with Less Pressure
Note-taking for Retriever Training
Marking Topics
On Marking
Marking Mechanics
Advanced Marking Progression
Advanced Marking Progression Part II
Here, Handle, or Help
Trends in Field Trial Marking Tests
Handling Topics
On Blinds
Blind Mechanics
Advanced Training and the Factors
Advanced Blind Progression
The Use of Pressure for Casting
Error in Advanced Blind Training
Checklist of Advanced Blind Concepts
Feature Articles
Perspectives from Across the Pond
My Advice


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Bar Games Equipment
Alliance Online
Alliance House, Crewe, Cheshire CW2 8UY
Tel: 0844 499 5400
Fax: 0844 844 0400
About Us:
Alliance is one of the leading suppliers of non-food
catering equipment
and catering disposables in the UK. Our customers include hotels, pubs, health and leisure clubs, care homes, restaurants and catering establishments of all shapes and sizes from major national hotel chains to small high street cafes. We have our own national fleet of delivery vehicles and 8 depots across the UK.
What We Offer:
Over 20,000 products on offer including a comprehensive selection of catering equipment, catering disposables, paper hygiene, cleaning materials and chemicals, guest supplies, janitorial equipment, crockery and glassware products. All items are available to buy online and a free catalogue is available on request.
Contact name:
Customer Service
ClubKing Ltd
25 Mead Business Centre, Hertford, Hertfordshire SG13 7BJ
Tel: 0845 226 3174
Fax: 01992 501235
About Us:
ClubKing Ltd is the largest online and mail order supplier of leisure and fundraising products that will entertain your customers, as well as bringing extra revenue to your establishment. We offer a lottery that is fast gaining popularity in pubs. This comprises of a secure coin operated machine dispensing pull tab tickets. The tickets are like scratch cards. The player reveals the symbols on the back of the ticket. If 3 symbols in a row are the same, then the player can win a range of prizes up to Ł1000. Each ticket sells for Ł1. You are guaranteed to earn 15p on each ticket sold. 20% of ticket sales must go to charity. There is a 50% prize payout. Further revenue can be raised from advertising using the LCD screen on the dispenser. There is no Gaming Licence and no VAT on profits.
What We Offer:
The ClubKing Pub Pull Tab Lottery will supplement your income alongside your current gaming machines. Our experience has found that the smoking ban has had no effect on the sale of pull tab tickets. ClubKing Ltd will loan you the dispenser free of charge. We also provide other pub products: • Bingo – Machines, cages, tickets & dabbers • Raffle – Cloakroom tickets, drums & machines • Darts - Boards, cabinets, scorers & accessories • Snooker & Pool Accessories – Spare balls, racks, cues, etc • Classic Fundraisers – Football & rugby cards • Traditional Pub Games – Dominoes, cribbage, card games, poker, etc • Wall Mounted Cigarette Bins • Wristbands for door entry • Roll Tickets for your different events and needs • Restaurant Order Pads • …and much, much more!
Contact name:
Tom King
Filton Brewery Products
The Coachmakers, 116A Seaside, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN22 7QP
Tel: 01323 416948
Fax: 01323 431259
About Us:
FILTON BREWERY PRODUCTS LTD have been supplying quality goods and services to breweries and the licensed trade for over 10 years. Our roots are in cask ale cooling and dispensing, but these days we manufacture a wide range of products from fork lift trucks to beer taps. In addition to our own products we supply an extensive range of goods from other reputable manufacturers. Our aim is to provide you with a wide variety of products at good prices, and to make purchase as easy as possible.
What We Offer:
Bar, Kitchen & Restaurant Equipment / Cellar Equipment / Gifts Games & Puzzles / Display Items / Event & Hire Equipment / Garden Supplies / Security / Health & Hygiene / Waste Management.
3 The Maltings, Wetmore Road, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire DE14 1SE
Tel: 01283 512777
Fax: 01283 519274
About Us:
Leisure Link is the largest purchaser of AWPs in the UK and we spend an average of Ł70 million per annum on new products. We provide leisure retail venues with a comprehensive range of entertainment, betting and gaming products to suit varied consumer needs to ensure maximum profit for our customers. At Leisure Link we pride ourselves on being a customer driven, value-added provider of entertainment, gaming and efficiency solutions in public spaces. Our customers include some of the major names in leisure retail across a range of venues and locations such as pubs, clubs, bingo, licensed betting offices, casinos, family entertainment centres, universities, airports, motorway services and seaside arcades.
What We Offer:
Cash, Betting & Gambling Products. Machine Management, Leisure Projects & Legal Frameworks.
Mediatheme Limited
Mediatheme House, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2EL
Tel: 01780480100
About Us:
Mediatheme is the company behind the UK's No.1 entertainment system, The Entertainer. The simple-to-use touch screen operated system allows licensees and venue managers to run quality music and entertainment at any time of the day or night. Mediatheme has a strong heritage in the entertainment sector, providing the latest music content and developing classic community games in-house. The Entertainer is installed in over 800 pubs, clubs, holiday parks and hotels across the UK, and is trusted by its customers to fulfil their entertainment needs day after day. As well as regularly updating the system with the latest music, videos, karaoke, and quiz questions, Mediatheme's Support Team are on hand 7 days a week to offer assistance.
What We Offer:
The Entertainer is a complete entertainment solution, designed to allow users to host all their own entertainment in-house, not only helping to cut costs but actually generating more revenue. The simple-to-use touch screen gives access to 12,000+ audio, video and karaoke tracks, as well as Quizzes, DJ Player, Bingo, Hi/Lo Cards, pub games, and thrilling 'live' action Race Nights. The Entertainer gives control to the licensee, facilitating spontaneous entertainment as well as planned events. Advert Manager and Scrolling Text maximise the advertising power of your screens. Promote your own events, or create extra revenue by selling space to local businesses. Grow your business and delight your customers with an endless variety of fun, events, and great entertainment!
Site Plan
Suppliers (A - Z)
Contact Pub Store


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Las Vegas, NV - April 20, 2009 - This evening, during one of the year's most exciting live television events, a star-studded panel of judges chose Miss North Carolina USA, Kristen Dalton, as MISS USA� 2009. "My Name is Earl" star Nadine Velazquez and Billy Bush of "Access Hollywood" hosted the 58th Annual MISS USA Pageant from the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in one of the world's most electrifying cities, Las Vegas.
Ms. Dalton is a talented singer and dancer who completed her degree in Psychology and Spanish at East Carolina University. She's not the only pageant winner in her family. Her mother was Miss North Carolina USA in 1982 and her sister was Miss North Carolina Teen USA in 2008.
The judging panel for the 2009 Miss USA� Pageant included: Robert Earl, owner and co-chairman of Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino; Miss USA 2004 and television presenter, Shandi Finnessey; co-host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Willie Geist; President of Entertainment, MTV Networks Music Channels, Brian Graden; Holly Madison star of "Girls Next Store"; the internet's most notorious celebrity gossip columnist Perez Hilton; "Access Hollywood" contributor and KVBC News Entertainment reporter Alicia Jacobs; "Deal or No Deal" model and star of "The Celebrity Apprentice," Claudia Jordan; John Miller, Chief Marketing Officer, NBC Universal; Kelly Monaco, season one celebrity winner of "Dancing With the Stars," and "Peepshow" star; comedian and cast member of "Saturday Night Live," Kenan Thompson and Eric Trump, Executive Vice President, Development & Acquisitions of The Trump Organization.
Throughout the two-hour event, the contestants competed in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview. During these competitions, the "Top Five" finalists were selected before the crowning.
Crystle Stewart, MISS USA 2008, crowned her successor at the conclusion of the two-hour primetime telecast, where Kevin Rudolf performed his enigmatic anthem "Let It Rock" during the swimsuit competition of the telecast and rising electro-pop stars, The Veronicas, performed their hit single "Untouched" during the evening gown competition before an estimated worldwide viewing audience of more than 250 million.
Final Results:
First Runner Up: Miss California USA, Carrie Prejean will assume the duties of MISS USA 2009 if the titleholder is named MISS UNIVERSE 2009 or for some reason cannot fulfill her duties.
Second Runner Up: Miss Arizona USA, Alicia-Monique Blanco
Rest of Top Five: Miss Utah USA, Laura Kirilova Chukanov
Miss Kentucky USA, Maria Elizabeth Montgomery
Rest of Top Ten: Miss Arkansas USA, Chanley Painter
Miss West Virginia USA, Jessi Pierson
Miss Tennessee USA, Kristen Motil
Miss Texas USA, Brooke Daniels
Miss South Carolina USA, Stephanie Smith
Rest of Top Fifteen:
Miss Connecticut USA, Monica Mary Pietrzak
Miss Idaho USA, Melissa Weber
Miss Georgia USA, Kimberly Gittings
Miss Minnesota USA, Erica Nego
Miss Virginia USA, Maegan Elizabeth Phillips
MISS PHOTOGENIC USATM Award: Miss West Virginia USA, Jessi Pierson. The general public voted on www.nbc.com for the delegate who exemplifies beauty through the lens of a camera. She was awarded a $1,000 cash prize.
MISS CONGENIALITY USATM Award: Miss Wyoming USA, Cynthia Pate was awarded a $1,000 cash award. The award reflects the respect and admiration of the delegate's peers, who voted for her as the most congenial, charismatic and inspirational participant. She was awarded a $1,000 cash prize.
The MISS USA� 2009 prize package includes: the official Miss USA Diamond Nexus Labs custom designed tiara; 2 year scholarship from The New York Film Academy; custom evening wear wardrobe by Carlos Alberto Haute Couture; cosmetics from Darac Beauty; a shoe wardrobe from Nina Footwear; year supply of CHI hair care products and tools from Farouk Systems; swimsuit wardrobe from Jessica Simpson Swimwear; luxury accommodations in a New York City apartment for the duration of her reign, including living expenses; a year-long salary as Miss USA; personal appearance wardrobe and stylist consultations and the opportunity to represent the USA at the 2009 Miss Universe pageant on August 23, 2009 at Atlantis Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas.
The MISS UNIVERSE�, MISS USA� and MISS TEEN USA� Pageants are a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal joint venture. Utilizing its nationwide grass roots infrastructure, the Miss Universe Organization is committed to increasing awareness of breast and ovarian cancers. By forging relationships with organizations committed to research and education, such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Gilda's Club, Miss USA is armed to educate women today.


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The Council has delegated some of its powers to Committees which are, together with the Management Committee, the heart of the Association. It is from these Committees that the Council's work stems. At this level, the principle of representation by a member from each Member State in each committee has been adopted. In addition, the participation in the various committees of Associate and Affiliate members enhances the discussions. The reports and recommendations submitted by the Committees and approved by the Council are therefore the result of a European Union wide approach to each matter under discussion.
Reports, working documents and papers are only accessible to members.


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|Regimen Choice
Oct 9, 2008
I am starting treatment in the next few months. What regimen is better - Atripla or Sustiva and Truvada ? (Provided that there are no resistance issues with either regimen)
Response from Dr. Young
Thank you for your post.
At the risk of being trite, here's some simple algebra:
Atripla (tenofovir+FTC+efavirenz) = Truvada (tenofovir+FTC) + Sustiva (efavirenz).
There's no difference between the two, except that the later is two pills (and two copayments) and the former is one.
More information re: Thailand
Mouth Ulcers
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Review our complete terms of use and copyright notice.


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Upper Tanana
Upper Tanana Athabascan is spoken mainly in the Alaska villages of Northway, Tetlin, and Tok, but has a small population also across the border in Canada. The indigenous name for the language is Nee'aaneegn'. During the 1960s, Paul Milanowski established a writing system, and he worked with Alfred John to produce several booklets and a school dictionary for use in bilingual programs. James Kari recorded and transcribed a book of stories by Mary Tyone in 1996.
- Upper Tanana materials in the Alaska Native Language Archive
- Yukon Native Language Center materials on Upper Tanana, including alphabet chart and audio storybooks
- UAF Newsroom article on postdoctoral fellow Olga Lovick's work with Upper Tanana
- Some common expressions in Tanana and other Alaska Native languages)


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Is it a rat tail or a mullet? A stylish new hairstyle or a terrible tress mess? Quick-change artist Rihanna, who in the past month alone has rocked three different hairstyles, has Instagrammed her latest cutting-edge look — and it's a doozy.
The "Stay" singer first showed off her new 'do on Aug. 16, when she shared a picture of her boarding a private jet en route to New York City. In the shot, taken head-on, her cut looks like a conventional pixie, not unlike the one that her peer Beyonce debuted on Aug. 7. In the following photos, though, it becomes apparent that there's nothing conventional about her new hairstyle; shots taken from the back reveal long strands at the base of her neck.
In July, Rihanna rocked an asymmetrical undercut (long on one side, buzzed on the other), but she had it all shorn evenly in August for a curly short 'do that she sported while visiting her native Barbados, where she shared many pics via Instagram of her natural, beachy look (not to mention amazing bikini body).
Tell Us: Do you like Rihanna's latest hairstyle?
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text: > hardware. Apparently Dell has started hardware-blocking hard-drives > that are not "Dell certified". I believe this should be met head-on: if a controller claiming to support SATA does not permit the use of any conforming SATA disk, then the controller is not conforming. we need to lobby the standards organizations to consistently apply their trademark. the situation is easy to understand: this is just one step beyond "warranty void if opened". but it's a step too far, since it's not merely a warranty situation (where the device will continue to work even if opened), but rather standard non-conformity for lock-in. I think the issue of standards needs to be talked about more in the industry press, actually. there's too much damaging fuzziness about "defacto" standards, what interop really means to the customer, and how you should run away when a vendor lists "supported" models. defacto standards means "not a standard, but the way X does it, and everyone thinks X is unchallengable." this completely negates the actual meaning of standard, which is that if you have two conforming devices, they will interoperate. a defacto standard means nothing more than "has worked with X in the tests we've done". no promise for any non-tested configuration. no promises if X decides to change. interop is what the customer desires: instead of an N^2 problem of deciding whether option A is compatible with option B, each option merely has to conform to the standard. 2N tests less work than N^2 (for sufficiently large N ;) when a vendor lists supported configs, they are implicitly saying that they have no faith in standard conformity, and are instead merely going to mark out a few places in the N^2 grid where they will take the blame for failure. this is profoundly anti-customer. we expect standards in most places (just think: tires, roads, gasoline - imagine if Ford only "supported" driving with Ford-brand gas, on "OEM" tires, on Ford-approved roads where the only other cars are Fords...) I don't know whether having standards organizations police their brands would be good enough. obviously, there is some conflict of interest, since most of the support for, say, SATA-IO is let by vendors (incl Dell), and is probably less arms-length than INCITS T10/13 committees. but I think this could be dealt with as a criminal matter as well, since claiming standard conformance is clearly a product-liability issue. my personal experience is with HP products: nearly all HP disk controllers refuse to work with products not bought through HP channels. there is some escape at the lowest end where HP doesn't bother to break any of the chipset-integrated controllers (afaik). to me, this difference indicts. as MAKERs say, if you can't open it, you don't own it. I think as customers we should demand standard-conformity, even though vendors have often gotten away with it in the past. the same vendors _do_ actually support standards- based interop for some products (ethernet, power cables, vga/dvi/hdmi, pci/pcie, usually even dimms). if a product doesn't conform to its specs, then it's broken. how many class-action suits would it take to get vendors to recognize this?


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GTA London and GTA II for me. Playing them was the thing i remember the most from my early childhood.
wow, i am legitimately excited. been playing since GTA III and love every minute of every game. would absolutely love going back to a san andreas type feel. i also would like to create my own charactter
but i'll just be happy to be exploring cities and stealing cars again
Edited by #24, October 25, 2011 - 02:40 PM.


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Sony's Gran Turismo may still sit in the pole position among racing sims for many, but Microsoft is making a hard charge with Forza Motorsport 3. Developer Turn 10 has adopted a new philosophy for Forza 3: Make it accessible. The result is a hardcore simulation racing title that can also be enjoyed by the most casual of fans. The career mode is easy to get into but offers an immense challenge; you can auto-tune every car or dive into a rich set of tuning options; and driving can be toggled between a simple point-and-go system and the most physics-driven sim every created.
Simply put, Forza 3 is one of the best racers ever made.
It starts with the cars, of course. Forza 3 has more than 400 vehicles you can take for a spin and the crazy part is, they're all unlocked from the outset. That's right, with the exception of a few cars available only to those who pre-order Forza 3, every car on the disc can be driven from the get-go. Sure, you'll need to earn some credits to make your purchases, but if you can drum up a million creds, you can take the Bugatti Veyron for a spin. If you've played racing games your entire life, this fact alone may just blow your stack. It goes against everything we've ever thought about racing games. You're supposed to start with crappy cars, suffer through a few hours of slow-paced driving, then graduate to a sleeker class of vehicle. Well, Forza 3 is throwing racing conventions out the window. Hallelujah.
Even if you were stuck with the lower-end cars for the first few hours, that wouldn't be as much of an issue with Forza 3. This game is fun from the outset. Though I've played dozens of hours with Forza 3, I still go back to the E and D class cars for some races, because there are so many good cars. This is largely due to the enhanced physics of Forza 3, which add a level of nuance not experienced in most racing games.
The tire physics are so greatly improved (and include real-time deformation), that you get a true understanding of how your car is reacting at every turn. With all of the driving assists turned off, you can feel the difference from one car to the next. And though you'll race the same tracks quite often, the experience changes from one car to the next.
|Forza 3 Guide
|A helpful breakdown of car tuning and advanced racing technique.
|Read the Guide »
I've always felt that you couldn't properly drive a car in a racing game with the assists off if you didn't have a racing wheel. While Forza 3 controls brilliantly with a wheel, I can assure you that you can play a hundred hours with just a controller and have no issues. Turn 10 has finally mastered the subtleties of the controller, allowing for better responsiveness.
If you're a novice or just like to take things easy, Forza 3 can satisfy your racing needs as well. Turn the different assists (such as traction control) on and you can still have a good time. The cars won't feel as unique, other than the speed, but you'll have no troubles being competitive. You can even go so far as to turn on auto-braking, which allows you to hold down the gas the entire race and let the AI brake for you whenever necessary. You can't throw green turtle shells at the other drivers, but it's pretty much Mario Kart at that point.
The great thing about Forza 3 is that it encourages even the novice to take off the training wheels and drive freely with the assists off. A rewind function allows you to instantly skip backwards in five-second intervals during a race. Misjudge your speed on a tight corner? Rewind. Get tapped from behind and spin out? Rewind. Your cat jumps on your face causing you to crash into a wall? Rewind. There's no penalty for using the rewind and no limit. Some might call this a "win" button, but I think the rewind is a crucial addition to Forza 3. It can become a crutch at times, but it also frees you to kick the difficulty up to a higher level and get a true appreciation for your car.
Nothing bolsters that appreciation more than the visuals. Forza 3 runs laps around its predecessor. The car models have an incredible level of detail, including unique interiors for each car. I will admit that the interiors could look a little better, but overall the car models are spectacular. There's also full damage modeling on every car. You'll see dings and dents, fender benders -- you'll even see cars flip in the air. Those with a sharp eye will catch damage decals flipping on as the car makes contact with something. When you're in the cockpit view and you tap someone with the left corner of your bumper and, like magic, paint scrape decals appear across the entire hood, it can be a little disconcerting.


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Word Of Warning From National Weather Service
Todd Heitkamp, Meteorologist from the National Weather Service, warns parents to be especially careful if their kids have the day off from school.
Because of the above freezing temperatures, and gusty northwest wind, a lot of ice will be falling off the trees and power lines over the next couple of days.
Click below to hear what he has to say.


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told you before that the U.S. Federal Reserve puts Wall Street's interest above that of the American public. And yesterday (Wednesday) the central bank proved it... again.
Confronted with the opportunity to enact meaningful change to the regulatory system, the Fed punted on its responsibility to protect the public from the very banks that brought down the global economy.
This once again proves that the Fed, far from being a guardian of public welfare, is actually on the side of big banks.
"The Fed is an agent of the banks and, as such, it continues to come up with new ways for them to make money, risk free," said Money MorningCapital Waves Strategist Shah Gilani.
This time, instead of proposing strong guidelines that would actually do something to avoid another crisis caused by too-big-to-fail banks, the Fed put forth a plan that lacks key details and leaves important decisions in the hands of international regulators in Basil, Switzerland.
Specifically, the Fed proposal is hazy on capital requirements and minimum liquidity levels, which are crucial to ensuring a bank survives a financial emergency.
Delay has been a common theme for agencies charged with creating the regulations set out in Dodd-Frank. As of the beginning of December - 18 months after Dodd-Frank was signed into law - fewer than 25% of its hundreds of new rules have been finalized.
On Tuesday, it was the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)voting to delay until July of next year regulations governing derivatives - the financial instruments that were at the very heart of the 2008 financial crisis.
And by forfeiting its chance to effect change, the Fed left the United States even more vulnerable to another financial crisis.
Now, not only have these vital regulations been delayed, but the process gives well-connected Wall Street bankers three months to "comment" - read "influence" - on the proposals.
Following the Fed's announcement, the banking industry didn't seem particularly worried that the finished regulations, when they do arrive, will cause them much of a headache.
"While these rules will require considerable review and comment from the industry, we are pleased to see the Fed is taking a phased-in approach to a number of these measures," Ken Bentsen, an executive vice president the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association trade group, told Bloomberg.
A headline on CNBC summed it up nicely: "Banks Breathe Sigh of Relief Over New Fed Rules."
Indeed, Wall Street isn't concerned because at the end of the day, it knows the Fed is its ally.
"The average American has no idea how protected the big banks in this country really are," said Money Morning's Gilani. "Maybe that's because the biggest bank in the world is the U.S. Federal Reserve. And it happens to be a creation of - and 100% beholden to - the banks that it is a master shill for. It also lies to us and covers up Wall Street's misdeeds."
causes of 2008 financial crisis
Article Index
Fed Lets Banks Off the Hook… Again
To continue reading, please click here...
Our Financial "Regulators" Just Let Us Down Again
Indeed, the regulators that are supposed to be protecting us from a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis can't - or refuse - to get the job done.
In fact, just yesterday (Tuesday), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) voted to move the effective date for rules that would add oversight to the $600 trillion derivatives market to July of 2012.
Derivatives were one of the primary culprits in creating the financial crisis in 2008.
Originally the regulations were to go into effect on July 16 of this year, but the CFTC pushed the date back to Dec. 31. And now, regulations of the item most responsible for the 2008 meltdown won't go into effect until two years after Dodd-Frank was enacted and nearly four years after the crisis occurred.
Other agencies responsible for finalizing the rules set forth in Dodd-Frank, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Federal Reserve, have been just as derelict in their duties.
In short, nothing has been fixed.
As Bad as Ever"The structural problems are worse," Simon Johnson, a professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management and a former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) told the Huffington Post. "[The institutions'] size, incentives -- none of that has changed."
Meanwhile, American citizens still suffering from the fallout of the last crisis are left to worry about vulnerabilities in the system and the ramifications of having a group of financial institutions that are still "too big to fail."
To continue reading, please click here...


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Use this handy checklist to gather documents for your home loan.
The documents listed here are general and may not include all documents specific to your home mortgage financing situation. Your mortgage consultant will inform you of any additional documentation that you may need.
Income Information
Credit Information
Other Information
Special Information, if applicable
Ready to begin your home loan application? Start here:
Credit is subject to approval. Some restrictions apply. This information is accurate as of date of posting and is subject to change without notice.


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Message Board
Laurence Klavan Message Board
Talk about the novels, new and used books that Klavan has written!
Author Klavan's Book Reviews
The Cutting Rooms
The Cutting Room Ballantine, Feb 2004, 23.95, 288 pp. ISBN 0345462702 There is a whole culture of �Trivial People,� men and women who are linked by a common interest in movie arcana . There purpose, other than to socialize, is to find lost films or series that are missing from movies that were produced and shown to the public. The most valuable prize a trivial person can find is the long lost version of the original The Magnificent Ambersons the...
The Shooting Script
Ballantine, March 2005, 23.95 244 pp. ISBN 0345462769 Roy Millano considers himself a �Trivial Man�, a person so obsessed with movie trivia that his only source of income is a newsletter he produces. He considers himself a movie detective after finding the original long lost version of the movie �The Magnificent Ambersons� (See THE OUTING EDGE) even though he was almost killed while pursuing it. Now Roy's mother is ill and his aunt wants him ...