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The Katz Files – Arnie Katz
Destination X</I Recap & Analysis!
The Kingfish Arnie Katz tells you what happened at the March and delves into what it means for the promotion and its fans!.
Destination X was a thorough disappointment. It wasn't exactly terrible, but it certainly didn't measure up to the standards most fans have for pay per view wrestling. It came off as tepid and uninspired, two things you can never say about a card that hits the target.
The Ultimate X match was good, if predictable, and the Sting vs. Angle main event was pretty good, too, but most of the other matches would've been weak on iMPACT, let alone Destination C
Let's look at what happened at Destination X — and why…
The pre-show had stressed the Sting-Kurt Angle showdown, but it offered a video for each of the scheduled, announced matches.
The lyrics of the theme song ask, "When is it going to be my turn?"
The Kingfish comments: TNA chooses, on most shows including this one, to hype every item on the card, while WWE generally focuses on the main event with a little push for everything else. TNA's strategy has its merits, but I think targeting the main matches is a better way to go. Of course, by the time fans are watching the pre-show, most of them have already committed to buying the event…
The theme of the atmospheric opening video was "challenge." The video started with a black and white montage that stressed the need to pull together to reach common goals. Then the pace quickened, the pictures became action clips and color replaced the black and white as the voice-over announcer invoked the dissension that has recently hit the Main Event Mafia.
The Kingfish comments: TNA usually has good opening videos, though the last couples weren't wildly original. This one hit the mark dead-center.
The Kingfish notes: Something was wrong with Don West's mic at the start of the pay per view. Tenay's wasn't perfect, but it was better. They got the problem cleared up before the show advanced too far.
Taylor Wilde, Roxxi & The Governor d. Mi Pi Sexy (Angelina Love, Velvet Sky * Madison Rayne)
Six-Knockout Tag Team
The Story: Roxxi and Taylor played an extended trick on the Beautiful People, using the Governor to make them look and act foolish. Then the Beautiful People turned the tables b6y introducing the perfidious Madison Rayne and having her immediately turn on Taylor Wild. The jokes and tricks are done; now it's time for these two trios to clash.
My Prediction: The feud won't end here, but it's time to give the three heels a chance to dump all the baggage they're carrying after looking like idiots weeks after week. The Governor will suffer the pin after Cute Kip paves the way to an unfair win.
Predicted Grade: B+
The Match: This was a fast-paced match with lots of tag-ins by both teams. Roxxi and Taylor worked a nice double-team on Angelina Love early in the match. Roxxi picked up the diminutive former champion and threw her down on top of Love. It was too early in the match for a pin.
Velvet Sky tried to wrench a submission from Roxxi with an Octopus. Her technique wasn't perfect, which gave the Hardcore Knockout the chance to escape the maneuver.
Madison Rayne blasted Roxxi with an Enzuiguiri, but that left her open to Taylor Wild's Belly-to-Back Suplex. The bridging cover gave the babyfaces the win.
The Actual Grade: B-
The Kingfish comments: It's unclear why TNA devoted so much time on the iMPACT before Destination X to putting over the name "Mi Pi Sexy." At the pay per view, they referred to the Love-Sky-Rayne trio as "The Beautiful People."
It won't matter what they're called unless TNA plans to book a few wins for them.
Lauren interviewed Jeff Jarrett and Mick Foley in the founder's office. Double J dismissed the idea that the MEM would come out of this card more united as wishful thinking.
Asked whether he could call the match down the middle, Jarrett replied that he could and said that he would make sure that the combatant retained the title fair and square.
Foley, hunkered down on the couch, said that he would have to do his bit as enforced to make sure that Jarrett could be an effective referee.
The Kingfish comments: Jarrett did the bit about helping the fighter retain his title. It injected a note of strangeness into the whole story and gave Angle a further excuse for really blowing his top.
Brutus Magnus came to the ring to issue another challenge. Jesse Neal, a burly Navy hero came out to act as special guest announcer and introduce Eric Young.
The match, added to the card at the last minute, started as though Brutus Magnus was going to squash the plucky challenge. EY got off a short offensive run, but Magnus' incredible strength cut off that comeback.
Brutus Magnus survived both a Death Valley Driver and a Flying Elbow. Magnus brought it on home with a Tormentum from the second rope. Though the match lacked any heat, the work was solid enough to earn a B-.
The Kingfish comments: Brutus Magnus needs a string of victories to establish his credentials. Sorry to see Eric Young become one of his vict8ims, but that's what often happens in TNA when someone is working without a push.
Brutus Magnus returned to his heel ways in this match, which made his cameo on iMPACT look silly.
Sheik Abdul Bashir came to the announce table to protest the injustice of not putting him on the pay per view, again.
The announcers argued about Bashir's comments. Don West observed that, though he didn't agree with everything the Sheik said, this is America so he has a right to say it.
Jim Cote came out to tell Bashir that the reason he isn't on the pay per views is that Jim doesn't like him.
Cornette recalled Jesse Neal, who led the audience in a spirited, if off-key rendition of "America, The Beautiful."
The Kingfish comments: Someone's ultra-conservatism is wing. It's hard to see West as a heel when he says something so right and proper. This <is America and everyone does have the right to voice beliefs, even unpopular one.
The announcers should have stuck to a disagreement about the appropriateness of Bashir barging into the show, not his right to speak. It's a nuance, admittedly, but of such little things are great angles made.
Jeremy Borash stood by as Kurt Angle argued with the rest of the Main Event Mafia about Sting. The former Olympian claimed the Icon was in cahoots with Jarrett and Foley.
After Booker T and Scoot Steiner each told Angle that he would have to take care of his own problem, Kevin Nash really tore into Kurt with basically the same message.
The Kingfish comments: I feel like I've seen this scene, or minute variations of it, about six times. That's probably not exactly true, but the repetition is annoying. I think everyone got the point that Angle was, supposedly, on his own a long time ago.
Matt Morgan d. Abyss
10,000 Thumbtacks Match
The Story: Once they were friends and partners. Now they are enemies. While abyss seeks psychiatric help for his fixation on weapons, Matt Morgan has descended into the hardcore realm where Abyss once reigned unchallenged. The Blueprint has harassed Abyss at every turn and now will confront him in the ring with the bag of tacks in legal play.
My Prediction: On the iMPACT on the Thursday before the pay per view, Brutus Magnus acted a bit like a face in turning down Kurt Angle's proposition. That could mean they've decided to match him against Morgan rather than tea, them (or it could be bad writing). Lauren will spell the difference in this match. She will come to ringside against Abyss' orders and, when Morgan menaces he again, it will give the Blueprint the edge he needs to defeat the Masked Monster. It will be an obvious screwjob to justify the final showdown between the two at Lockdown.
Predicted Grade: B+
The Match: Morgan attacked Abyss, who withstood the assault and mounted a successful counter-attack in the ringside area. With The Blueprint on the arena floor, Abyss spent some time carrying two trays of tacks up the ramp to a position just below the edge of the walkway on one side.
Morgan and Abyss then started emptying bags of tacks on a heap in the middle of the ring. After each had dumped a bag, Abyss added another with glass shards.
Matt Morgan started to leave the match and Abyss followed. Abyss followed him to the top of the ramp, where Morgan dumped him over the edge onto the tacks to win.
The Actual Grade: B-
The Kingfish comments: This didn't go very well. The pace slowed when they moved to the upper stage, which is just where you'd expect things to get hotter, For all the pre-match bombast and the tacks, this match simply failed to catch fire.
Booker T and Sharmell went to Jim Cornette's backstage office to protest that his match against AJ Styles had become a Legions Championship match.
Cornette refused to be intimidated. He shoved the contract under Booker's nose and told him that was what would happen tonight.
The Kingfish comments: This short scene brought fans who hadn't seen iMPACT up to speed. Cornette is still a little too wordy, but he played the scene pretty well and looked strong versus Booker.
The Finals of One Night with ODB
The Story: Wrestling fans and even wrestlers are vying for the opportunity to win a night with ODB. What will actually happen on that night is not established, but a fellow can dream, can't he?
My Prediction: The inclusion of Shark Boy among the suitors raises the possibility that he will win and that TNA will then subject us to a series of videos in which the "happy couple" spends an evening together. It is my fervent hope that this is not the plan. Let one of the fans win to give this contest the credibility that will be necessary of they ever want to run another one.
The Angle: They brought out three contestants, Cody Deaner, Shark Boy and Bernie Webber. ODB, resplendent in a blue dress that flattered her lush figure, asked each man why he thought he should win and then called upon each of them to dance.
Jeremy Borash polled the arena crowd to see whom they want to win. The crowd voted for Shark Boy.
ODB then announced that Cody Deaner, of Muscle Shoals, AL. We are promised a full video report of the Big Night.
The Kingfish comments: Part of the humor of this segment was that it did a gender switch on the usual WWE-style Diva showcase. Unfortunately, it went on about twice as long as needed and it didn't actually have anything funny in it.
Robert Roode, speaking for all of us in an interview with Lauren, said that he is tired of hearing about Tea, 3D's 21 titles.
James Storm deplored the lack of respect given to Beer Money. He claimed they would write their name in the record book when they defeat Team 3D in the Off the Wagon Tag Team Challenge.
After a video and a "tale f the tape," it was time for Sojourner Bolt to face her nemesis, Awesome Kong.
Awesome Kong d. Sojo Bolt
Knockouts Championship
The Story: Sojourner Bolt was a member of the dreaded Kongtourage until she grabbed for a shot at Awesome Kong's title. This will be Sojo's first chance to prove that she can back up her words by winning the Knockout Championship from the seemingly invincible Kong.
My Prediction: The outcome hinges on what TNA perceives is Sojo Bolt's future value to the promotion. If she's worthless, then a straight squash would be right; if they think she can work a program against Kong, they'll have to keep her creditable. That doesn't mean that she has to beat Awesome Kong, which would be a tough sell. More likely is that Rhaka Khan and Raisha Saeed will interfere, Saeed will get the better of Khan and the Masked Manager will help Kong gain an unfair victory. This would set up a Sojo Bolt-Awesome Kong cage match at Lockdown.
Predicted Grade: B
The Match: Awesome Kong totally dominated the first half of the match and pretty much had her way with the challenger in the balance of it.
Raisha Saeed tried to interfere from outside, but Sojo Dropkicked her out of the way. Kong attacked, but Bolt sent her flying over the top rope to the ringside area!
Sojourner Bolt tried to come off the top with a Huracanrana. Awesome Kong turned it into an Awesome Bomb and scored the pin.
The Actual Grade: C+
The Kingfish comments: If TNA has plans for Bolt, it's hard to imagine what they might be after this performance. This was a squash with very little face-saving offense for the challenger. As my grade indicates, it wasn't very entertaining, either.
A long video extolled Samoa Joe's Nation of Violence/
Scott Steiner d. Samoa Joe via DQ
The Story: The Main Event Mafia put Samoa Joe on the sidelines with a vicious attack, but they neglected to finish the job. Joe has returned, more intense than ever, with only one thing on his mind; revenge. He has attacked Big Poppa Pump a couple of times, but now they will have a showdown in the ring!
My Prediction: The best way to propel Samoa Joe right back into the Respect War after his lay-off is for him to get a smashing victory against Scott Steiner. He took his lumps and now ought to get some payback to go with the new face paint. Ideally, this match should lead to Joe's next program, probably in a tag team match. But TNA has got to be working toward Joe-Angle.
Predicted Grade: B
The Match: Joe struck at the open bell and cracked open Steiner's head. The big Samoan rushed back and forth across the ring with more urgency than fans have seen in well over a year.
Big Poppa Pump introduced Joe's face to the canvas with a mighty Face Plant. Joe came back quickly with a barrage of well-placed knees!
Scott Steiner grabbed a pipe. Joe took it away fro him – and then hit both referees who tried to take the weapon. That caused the match to be called a DQ win for the MEM member.
The bell didn't stop the action. They fought through the crowd, dealing vicious blows. At one point, it looked like Joe bit Steiner's face.
The Actual Grade: B-
The Kingfish comments: This match turned out to be perfunctory, undeveloped and,. As a result, not all that good. It had a good start and a weak ending – and what came between wasn't all that much, either.
Surely, these two performers can give a better match than this.
AJ Styles told Lauren the time for talking was done and then talked about what he would do to Booker T.
The "Styles returns" video ran.
After that came "Legends List" bullet points.
AJ Styles d. Booker T
Legends Championship
The Story: AJ Styles is done taking crap from Booker T about his upbringing, his family and whatever else the self-anointed Legends Champions cares to say about him. Styles stole the belt, but gave it back under pressure from, Jim Cornette (and the police). Cornette return the belt to Booker, but he then cajoled Booker into putting it on the line against The Phenomenal One.
My Prediction: The Legends belt makes no impact on fans, because Booker T created it and has kept it ever since he introduced it. What would make the belt sit up and sing as a gimmick would be if he lost it to someone like AJ Styles. I have o idea if they plan to just plod along with the belt on Booker, but I'm predicting a Styles win (and a big-time rematch).
Predicted Grade: B+
The Match: After a chain wrestling stalemate Booker's cheap shot on a break gave him the match's first momentum. He pummeled Styles in the corner, but AJ reversed and laid in some chops of his own!
The Phenomenal One Dropkicked Booker T out of the ring and then blitzed him with an out-of-ring Flying Forearm. Back inside the ropes, AJ scored with an across-the-knee Backbreaker, but he couldn't convert it into a successful cover.
Styles gained control of the match as his wrestling negated the champion's advantages in size and strength. It didn't all go his way, though; Booker floored him with a kick that broke up an attempted top-rope move in mid-air!
Booker T executed a Spinnerooni, but he missed the Axkick! Styles hit the Pele! AJ then pulled off the Styles Clash and scored the pin!
The Actual Grade: B+
The Kingfish comments: Does anyone know if this is the first of the self-administered belt to actually pass to another champion. I'll bet it won't be long before Booker T gets to win it back.
A shocked Lauren watched Samoa Joe freak out in the parking lot.
He waved his big knife and told her to go see what he had done to Scott Steiner.
The Kingfish comments: Samoa Joe certainly has an edge now, I'll give him that. Unfortunately, he just comes across as mentally disturbed, hardly someone you'd want to identify with or root for. Nuts is not an attractive color on anyone
Don West put Mike Tenay on the spot. He asked how the Professor c0ould justify Joe's action. Tenay conceded that the Submission Machine was over the edge, but he concluded that it was all right, because Joe had warned people he would freak out.
The Kingfish comments: Somehow, I doubt that Mike Tenay volunteered to sound like an idiot. And if they're making Don West into a heel announcer, putting him so obviously in the right at this crucial juncture probably wasn't the smartest strategy.
Team 3D d. Beer Money, Inc. via COR
Off the Wagon Tag Team Title Match
The Story: Beer Money has gotten some off-the-wall ideas in the past, but none was more mean-spirited than the "Off the Wagon" Challenge It gained several teams a shot at the title, but there was a catch: the man who was pinned lost his TNA spot! Petey Williams and Sonjay Dutt found that out the hard way. Beer Money's campaign has roused Team 3D to action. Brother Ray and Brother Devon will go for the gold, even at the risk of ending one of their TNA careers.
My Prediction: I don't think the concept was presented as well for this match. For one ting, there should've been a stip on this match that the Off the Wagon Challenge will end if Team 3D wins. Personally, I'd like to see Devon lose and come back under a hood on the next iMPACT. More likely is that the beer-spitting will backfire and Devon will get the tables.
Predicted Grade: B+
The Match: Brother Ray nullified everything that Robert Roode tried at the start of the match. Devon replaced his brother, but Roode didn't seem to have much more luck against him.
James Storm was heavily taped on his upper left thigh.
The oddest moment of the match came when Storm and Ray approached each other at center ring. They started to make tentative gestures toward a Collar-and-Elbow but instead did a little dance together.
Brother Ray positioned Roode for the Wassup after a Bodyslam, but the Tennessee Cowboy broke it up before Brother Devon could make his deadly leap.,
Devon took a lot of punishment that led to several near-falls. He ducked a Stereo Clothesline and, as he bounced off the ropes, leveled both members of Beer Money with a Wingspread Clothesline! Brother Ray Chokeslammed Roode, but his teammate made the save, Rat dealt Storm a Flip, Flop & Fly and then an Elbow, but he didn't even try for a cover.
Then it was Beer Money's turn to show their stuff. The team racked up several near falls, including one set up by Storm's top-rope Huracanrana on Devon.
Storm mistakenly spit beer into Roode's face. It looked like the Three-D would lead to a pin, but he kicked out before the final count.
James Storm saw that his partner was about to wind up on the wrong end of a Three D. He grabbed a chair and when he whacked Devon with it right in front of the ref, the official disqualified Beer Money.
James Cornette came to the upper stage. He ordered the match restarted and changed it to a No DQ contest.
It appeared that Storm got caught by another Three-D and got pinned. It turned out not to be a pin, which came obvious when referee Andrew Thomas counted out the champions.
Roode threw his sidekick over his shoulder and carried him up the ramp. As he passed Don West, the announcer handed him the tag team championship belts.
The Actual Grade: B-
The Kingfish comments: What a rancid ending to an otherwise good match! It is obvious that they are setting up a cage match for the title for Lockdown, but this sure was a clumsy way to do it.
The post-match argument about West giving Beer Money the belts struck me as especially pointless. Beer Money couldn't lose the title on a COP, which is not eliminated by a "No DQ" stip, so they should've collected their belts on their way to the dressing room.
A lot of shouting and arm-waving is no substitute for a logical and tightly constructed storyline.
A long series of videos and other pre-recorded content ran so that the crew could set up the Ultimate X Match.
Next came the X Factors bullet points. The most interesting was that Chris Sabin has participated in nine Ultimate X matches and won three.
Suicide d. Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin & Jay Lethal & Consequences Creed
X-Division Championship
Ultimate X Match for the title
The Story: TNA doesn't trot out the Ultimate X match once a month or even once a season. This dangerous match, which calls upon the participants' great athleticism, only takes place once a year and always for the X Division championship. Now it's time to see whether anyone can haul down the X and dethrone Alex Shelly.
My Prediction: My first thought, like that of my compatriot Jay Shannon, was that suicide will demonstrate his superiority by blasting everyone in sight and taking the "X" down from the scaffolding. That's not a bad way to go, but it does leave the Mysterious Masked Man as champion, when it would be more exciting to see him challenge for the belt than defend it. With that in mind, a better finish might be to have Suicide about to win when the Machine Guns combine against him so that Shelly can claim victory and retain his title. It would have to be gross double-teaming, though, to preserve Suicide's mystique.
Predicted Grade: A-
The Match: The Machine Funs took control at the start of the match. They ejected Suicide from the ring so they could blast Lethal Consequences with a rapid-fire series of Dropkicks.
Chris Sabin became the first to try to get the "X." He got about halfway before Consequences Creed jumped up and hauled him to the canvas.
After suicide threw Creed at the Guns, the Masked Mystery Man tried to capitalize on the distraction by making a stab at the "X." Jay Lethal Dropkicked him away from the prize.
Creed and Lethal did a double-team move that nearly ended the match. Black Machismo boosted his partner in the air and Creed caught on top the "X." As he hung there, trying to detach it, Chris Sabin grabbed his legs and yanked him down to the mat.
Jay Lethal had three Suicide and the Guns lined up for a Tower of Doom. The Masked Man hung onto the scaffold and only the Guns took the crash. The Masked Man made a rush at the "X," but he got tangled in the rope. Lethal Powerbombed him back to Earth!
Creed took a tremendous amount of punishment from the Machine Guns. The most eye-catching of several big moves was Sliced Bread from the top turnbuckle.
Shelley, Sabin and Lethal each advanced across the cable from different directions. They all clustered around the "X," until Suicide flew across the ring, snatched the X and took out the other three in the same dive!
Suicide is the new X Division Champion!
The Actual Grade: A-
The Kingfish comments: As I said in my predictions, it might've been better to have Suicide lose</I. this one by unfair means, but he certainly won it in spectacular fashion.
Suicide's character needs some more definition. Fans sense he is a face, but he has not acted the part consistently. This will probably change now that he is actually wrestling and holds the belt.
This was a fine match on what had been mostly a lackluster card up to this point.
Sting told Jeremy Borash that he had a job to do, defend the title.
The Kingfish comments; This must've come as a huge revelation to those who thought he was simply early for trick or treating.
A series of videos and a "Tale of the Tape" preceded the main event.
Jeremy Borash did the ring announcing for the main event, the usual TNA practice.
Sting d. Kurt Angle
TNA World Heavyweight Championship
Special Referee — Jeff Jarrett
Special Enforcer — Mick Foley
The Story: Dissension has ruptured the harmony and unity of the Main Event Mafia. To the delight of the TNA Frontline specially Foley and Jarrett, Sting and Angle must now clash in the ring with the championship at stake.
My Prediction: Kurt Angle will take the title (and perhaps move on to battle Samoa Joe), but Sting will feel he has lost it unfairly. The presence of Jarrett and Foley suggests that one or the other will "cross the line" and cause Sting to either lose by DQ or actually give up the belt, I consider the former more likely than the latter, so I expect Sting to leave with the belt – and a chip on his shoulder.
Predicted Grade: A-
The Match: There were more videos between each introduction, four clip fests in all.
The match started slowly as the two circled each other warily. They locked up, but Angle abandoned chain wrestling very quickly in favor of kicks and punches.
Sting stopped Angle in his tracks with a boot as the former Olympian bounded off the ropes. The Icon worked on him until Angle retaliated with kicks. Sting threw the challenger out of the ring. Angle's return led to some more tentative circling.
Sting Back Body Dropped Angle over the top rope to the arena floor. He followed him around the ringside area, adding to the punishment. Kurt wisely got back in the ring. Sting trapped Angle in the corner and rained down 10 punches while the crowd did the count.
Kurt scored with an Angleslam and then began kicking Sting around the ring. Angle added a Suplex and covered. Jeff Jarrett counted fairly, but Sting beat the final tap on the canvas. He tried again with a Belly-to-Belly Suplex, but he just couldn't keep Sting's shoulders pressed to the mat.
A pair of Lariats got Sting started on another run, which also included a Snap Suplex. Angle attempted another Suplex, but Sting turned it into an Armdrag to a Powerbomb! The Challenger raised his shoulder at "two."
Angle briefly caught Sting in the Anklelock, but the Icon kicked free. The leader of the Main Event Mafia then subjected the champ to three German Suplexes!
Angle missed an Angleslam.
Sting missed a Stinger splash
Angle hit an Angleslam – but he couldn't get the all-important three count.
Kurt hit a German Suplex, but sting turned it into a Scorpion Deathdrop that nearly won the match.
Kurt Angle tried to Clothesline Sting, but clobbered Jeff Jarrett! Sting applied the Scorpion Deathlock, but Mick Foley was too busy attending to Jarrett to count the potential pinfall. It appeared that Angle actually tapped out, but no one saw it.
As sting bent over the fallen Special Guest Referee, Kurt came up behind him and pulled off an Angleslam! Sting got free in time.
Kurt Angle low-blowed Foley to take him out of the action. Kurt wound up to give Sting a chairshot, but Foley roused himself in tune to seize the weapon!
Foley whirled around and, it appeared, accidentally hit Sting. Jarrett started to count, but Sting beat the final one.
Kurt angle started to argue with Jeff Jarrett. Sting grabbed his adversary from behind and dealt a Scorpion Deathdrop! Sting covered quickly to retain his title.
The Actual Grade: B+
The Kingfish comments: This could've easily been an A- if the end wasn't so perfunctory.
Predicted Grade for Against All Odds: B+
Actual Grade for Against All Odds: B-
That's it for today. I'll be back tomorrow with another installment of the Internet's fastest-rising daily wrestling column. I hope you'll come back, too, and please, bring your friends..
— Arnie Katz
[email protected]


text:
magnum came into being as a cooperative only two years after the conclusion of World War II.
Johnny holstered his magnum, went at the mine showing both hands empty.
He had first met Henri Cartier-Bresson, one of the founders of magnum, in the mid-1950s while stationed outside Paris in the Army.
When police arrived, they said Johnson allegedly turned his gun, a .45 magnum, on police before they shot and killed him.
Out of your many books, what do you consider your magnum opus?
He was shot laterally, just above the right temple, with what looks to me like a .357 magnum pistol slug.
Say, Jack, how much brighter the world looks after a magnum!
Thence the Cathedral—to be the magnum opus of the good Archbishop.
Then Nick hauled out his magnum and slammed it into the window.
He died in 1900, before he had finished his magnum Opus, a work on moral philosophy written on a religious basis.
1788, "bottle containing two quarts of wine or spirits," from Latin magnum, neuter of magnus "great in size" (see magnate). Registered 1935 by Smith & Wesson Inc., of Springfield, Massachusetts, as the name of a powerful type of handgun.
A database language for DEC-10's, used internally by Tymshare, Inc.. MAGNUM was designed in the late 1970's by Dale Jordan, Rich Strauss and Dave McQuoid originally, and was written in BLISS-10. It was the world's first commercial relational database. It was in the process of being written in 1976.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Posts Tagged 'Literacy Rate in Odisha'
Prospering Odisha: Hurdles Ahead
Earlier posts in this blog on odisha have highlighted positives of the odisha economy that is clearly in ascendence. There is no dearth of statistics that indicate to the visible changes in the economy of Odisha. Let's consider the points below:
- The annual average rate of Odisha economy is 8.23% in the 11th plan.
- Poverty in Orissa has declined by 20.2 percentage points from 57.2 per cent in 2004-05 to 37 per cent in 2009-10. This is the highest reduction in poverty among all States.
- Overall literacy rate of Odisha is 73.45 per cent against the national average of 74.04 per cent in 2011, male literacy being 82.04% and female literacy being 64.36%
- Infant mortality rate and maternal mortality ratio have declined from 73 and 303 respectively in 2006 to 61 and 258 respectively in 2011.
While the statistics reveal too much and provide every reason to gloss about, there are indicators that cannot be avoided if growth in real terms need to be achieved in the long term and on a consistent basis!
Let's focus on each of these indicators here:
Agriculture : While the state's economy is on rose, the agricultural sector is what has not shown any sign of growth over the past couple of decades. Though the state government has taken note of this and addressed the issue in this yaer's annual budget by earmarking a total outlay of 5627.84 crore in 2012-13 to Rs 7161.84 crore un 2013-14 for the horticulture and agricultural sector, lots need to be done to increase the productivity. Increasing irrigation potential, promoting watershed development at a massive scale and drought proofing are critical pre-requisites to this. Apart from this diversifying crops, strengthening rural marketing, encouraging agricultural extension and technology transfer, expanding crop insurance and improving rural infrastructure are some of the steps that need to be taken immediately.
Augment Human resource Development: Human resources are the most important resource of any economy and if Odisha has to sustain growth on a long term basis, it needs to keep paying attention towards its human resources. More and more institutions of higher technical and managerial learning and massive networks of ITI, tool rooms, centres of excellence and other training facilities are required to be established throughout the State with a view to enhancing employable technical and soft skills of unemployed youth.
Stepping up Investments in Social Sectors : Though the state government has started addressing the disparity in social sector with greater thrust, statistics reveal a stark difference in prosperity level between the coastal regions of Odisha and those areas dominated by tribal populace. The physical infrastructure and Human Development Index of the tribal areas calls for massive public investment. The State has already embarked upon an ambitious plan to provide hostel facilities to 5 lakh girl children belonging to Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes. Other schemes targeted at developing the tribal patches need to be pursued aggressively!.
The State should give reasonable tax breaks for attracting private investment in labor intensive manufacturing, agro-processing, tourism and other employment generating sectors in the tribal region. The removal of intra-state imbalances has been receiving special attention in the plan strategy of the State. The Koraput-Bolangir-Kalahandi (i.e., KBK) region of Orissa still considerably lags behind in terms of most development indicators. Heavy incidence and persistence of poverty in the KBK region of Orissa has been a cause of serious concern. The growth policy should focus on achieving faster, sustainable and more inclusive growth and bridging the regional, social and gender disparities.


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Lunar Spacecraft Images, A place for moon panoramas, mosaics etc. |
Lunar Spacecraft Images, A place for moon panoramas, mosaics etc. |
Jun 5 2005, 01:27 AM
Martian Cartographer Group: Members Posts: 7034 Joined: 5-April 05 From: Canada Member No.: 227 |
As promised in another thread... I thought all the images from Surveyor, Apollo etc. needed another place to go than the Mars Forum.
I will start the thing off with a link, not an image. I occasionally have images in Chuck Wood's Lunar Picture of the Day (LPOD) website, www.lpod.org. This URL: http://www.lpod.org/LPOD-2005-05-25.htm is my latest, a Clementine LWIR mosaic. The text accompanying the image explains how I made it. LWIR images from the PDS look useless but they can be made into very nice image strips. In most areas of the Moon they are the highest resolution images available, since the HIRES camera only functioned well over near-polar latitudes. So image junkies who want to see new scenery emerge from their computers can go wild! Phil -------------------- ... because the Solar System ain't gonna map itself.
Apr 19 2006, 09:56 PM
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 2620 Joined: 30-October 04 Member No.: 105 |
>Now I have completed the set of five Surveyor panoramas...
Wonderful pans, Phil. And I do like your treatment of the Lunar sky, very realistic... --Bill -------------------- |
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Country Whuppin' – Jason Aldean Vs. Hunter Hayes
Jason Aldean is now on a two-day win streak that he's trying to extend to three in today's Country Whuppin'. Aldean's steamy new tune, "Burnin' It Down" is looking for a win as it faces the new single from Hunter Hayes, "Tattoo."
Champion – Jason Aldean "Burnin' It Down"
Challenger – Hunter Hayes "Tattoo"
Visit the Country Whuppin' Hall Of Fame!
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Agency A state agency is a permanent or semi-permanent "primary organizational state governmental unit" that is responsible for oversight and administration of specific functions. Creation of an agency is occurs by law under constitutional or statutory authority.
Amendment A written modification to the terms and conditions of a public contract, other than changes to the work as defined in Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR) 125-249-0910, that meets the requirements of OAR 125-246-0560. (To view these and other public contracting rules in their entirety, click here.)
AP or A/P Accounts Payable
Appropriations Authorization by the Legislature to spend money from the state treasury for purposes established in law. Appropriations typically limit expenditures to a specific amount and purpose within a fiscal year or biennial period.
AR or A/R Accounts Receivable
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BAM Budget and Management Division of the Department of Administrative Services
Biennial Budget / Biennium A two-year fiscal period. Oregon approves a "biennial budget" every two years. It consists of two annual budgets, one for each fiscal year. The biennium runs from July 1 of an odd-numbered year to June 30 of the next odd-numbered year. The period between July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2011, is called the "2009-11 biennium." The period between July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011 is the "2011 fiscal year."
Budget Request A detailed outline of an agency's financial needs for the next fiscal year.
CAFR Comprehensive Annual Financial Report
CC Capital Construction
CFO Chief Financial Officer
CI Capital Improvements
EBL Essential Budget Level
E-Board Emergency Board, Legislative
Expenditure The payment of money from a state fund for the purchase of goods and services.
Fiscal Year The 12-month period beginning July 1 and ending June 30, used by the state government for accounting purposes. Fiscal year designation is based on the year in which it ends [e.g., fiscal year 2011 (FY 2011) runs from July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011].
FTE (Full-time equivalent) A unit that represents one full-time state employee. FTE expresses the number of positions an agency may have. For classified personnel, one FTE equals 2,080 hours worked in a year. Part-time or part-year employees are factored according to the share of the full 2,080-hour work year they are employed. Two persons working half time also count as one FTE.
FY Fiscal Year
General Fund The General Fund is the source of the state's main operating funding. Money from the General Fund supports activities the Legislature outlines in statute. Major revenue streams into the General Fund include state individual and corporate taxes, among others. These are non-dedicated revenues and are available for appropriation by the Legislature.
General Obligation Bonds Bonds whose repayment is guaranteed by the "full faith and credit" of the state.
LAB Legislatively Adopted Budget or Legislatively Approved Budget
LFO Legislative Fiscal Office
LRO Legislative Revenue Office
OAR Oregon Administrative Rules
OF Other Funds
ORPIN Oregon Procurement Information Network
ORS Oregon Revised Statutes
Vendor Any business, individual, corporation, or other entity that receives payment from state government as the result of providing goods or services, or receiving benefits, grants or other assistance.
Warrant Similar to a bank check, a warrant is a document created by a state agency authorizing the State Treasurer's Office to release cash to the designated payee.
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Lyubov L.'s Event Journal
Saturday December 6, 2008 / All Day
Madame Tussauds New York
2 tickets
All-Access Pass - Adult
How was your experience?
I went to Tussauds with the girlfriend, and overall we had a good time. We took alot of pictures with "celebrities" and the best part was the 4D Movie. What made it 4D was that the seats vibrated, drops of water where splashed on you, and in some scenes you were able to smell things (cocoa & pine tree)
This is something that you have to see once.


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Residents will get a chance to have a say in the public art that will decorate a planned improvement of F Street near downtown Las Vegas.
The city of Las Vegas and Nevada Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting March 28 at the Doolittle Community Center, 1950 J St., to take input on panels designed to interpret people, places and things that were important in the development of historic West Las Vegas.
The area is generally bordered by Carey Avenue on the north, Bonanza Road on the south, Interstate 15 on the east and Rancho Drive on the west.
The overall project is the result of 2009 state legislation that directed the state and the city to reopen a section of F Street that was closed as part of an I-15 widening project.
The city used about $2.5 million in redevelopment funds to design the project, and the state is expected to spend up to $20 million in property tax on construction.


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In this simulation exercise, students determine where to place a hosptial using a classified land cover map to make environmentally sound land use decisions. Results are presented in a mock town hall meeting. A student worksheet is included within... (View More) this activity. This is a learning activity associated with the GLOBE land cover/biology investigations and is supported by the Land Cover/Biology chapter of the GLOBE Teacher's Guide. GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) is a worldwide, hands-on, K-12 school-based science education program. (View Less)
Audience: Elementary school, Middle school, High school
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1 per group of students
Materials Cost: 1 cent - $1 per group of students


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Electric Six Keeps Pace with the Saw Franchise
Five years ago, there was little to suggest the Electric Six would—or for that matter should—release a sophomore effort, let alone reach this, the five-album mark. After all, Fire, the Detroit sextet's 2003 debut, flaunted its disposability, making jokey mush of the dance-punk, neo-garage, and mock-hair-metal sounds so popular at the time. Such novelty tunes as "Gay Bar" were amusing enough, what with their Jack Black "rawk" bravado and brazen political incorrectness, but after the chuckling subsided, it was apparent the group had said everything it was ever going to say. Even the band's members seemed to realize this, and over the course of three increasingly ignored follow-up albums, musicians came and went like seasonal help. The lone constant has been frontman Dick Valentine, a straight-face joker who doesn't need a steady lineup to propagate his dumbass songs. Despite the new cast of sidemen, Flashy might as well have been called Fire V—Valentine even titled the leadoff track "Gay Bar Part Two," admitting his inability to write anything more memorable than his breakout single.
That failure isn't for a lack of effort: Valentine's new songs work much the way his old ones did, finding comic pomposity in their mix of new-wave synths and blunt classic-rock guitars. The only real difference is a shift in gimmicks, as this time out, Valentine has replaced slurping disco beats with a variety of boilerplate horn sounds. Trumpets give "Gay Bar Part Two" a mariachi feel, while the sax attack that closes "Formula 409" is straight from the Stooges' Fun House. Sadly, no matter how brassy the music gets, it can't upstage Valentine's exaggerated rock-god bellow; his shtick demands he never break character, which is a shame, since several of his new songs hint at a yet-unexplored human side. "Transatlantic Flight," for one, manages a poignant surprise ending, while the Hollywood tragedy "Face Cuts" updates Poison's "Fallen Angel" for the plastic-surgery age. The world only needed one Electric Six album, but for a few understated moments, this one makes the case for a second.
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Daniele Hoffman was 17 years old when she met the recruiter for the National Guard who she says eventually attempted to rape her.
A chance call from a recruiter helped her land her first job on Wall Street.
A recruiter talked him into entering the Air Force special operations branch.
Grimm worked as a recruiter at the Detroit Free Press for eighteen years, a position that required him to perform exit interviews.
Right before I signed my contract, my recruiter pulled me aside and asked if I was sure about being in the infantry.
During a spell of leave in July 1915 he did excellent work as a recruiter.
The recruiter, if he is a wise man, will not display any arms openly.
In the one were the captain, the supercargo, and the recruiter.
Her captain and his "recruiter" (both Englishmen) paid us a visit.
I should today be a supercargo, a recruiter, or a memory, if it had not been for him.
1690s, agent noun from recruit (v.).
1630s, "to strengthen, reinforce," from French recruter (17c.), from recrute "a levy, a recruit" (see recruit (n.)). Sense of "to enlist new soldiers" is attested from 1650s; of student athletes, from 1913. Related: Recruited; recruiting.
"military reinforcement, one of a newly raised body of troops," 1640s, from recruit (v)., replacing earlier recrew, recrue; or from obsolete French recrute, alteration of recreue "a supply," recrue "a levy of troops" (late 16c.), Picardy or Hainault dialect variant of recrue "a levy, a recruit," literally "new growth," from Old French recreu (12c.), past participle of recreistre "grow or increase again," from re- "again" (see re-) + creistre "to grow," from Latin crescere "to grow" (see crescent). "The French word first appeared in literary use in gazettes published in Holland, and was disapproved of by French writers in the latter part of the 17th c." [OED]. The French word also is the source of Dutch recruut, German Recrut, Swedish rekryt.


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EarthIn the best-selling tradition of Smithsonian Animal, this extraordinary survey of our planet provides unrivaled insight into the forces and processes that formed our environment and which continue to influence its evolution. With thousands of breathtaking photographs and unique visual catalogues of the features and phenomena that take place on Earth--such as rocks, minerals, and mountains to tropical rainforests and the different types of clouds--Earth contains the most up-to-date ideas on how our world works, a compelling review on the health of the planet, and unbelievable images of the world's most stunning features. |
What people are saying - Write a review
User Review - Not Available - Book VerdictIn the same stunning visual style as the award-winning Animal, this incredible one-volume comprehensive review and catalog covers planetary features, landforms, and geological processes. The reader ... Read full review
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Common terms and phrases
Africa animals Antarctica Arctic Asia Atlantic Atlantic Ocean atmosphere Australia basaltic Basin calcite carbon cave climate cloud coast color contain continental continental crust cool coral Corbis crater crust CRYSTAL SYSTEM deep deposits desert Earth earthquake east erosion eruption evaporation fault flows forest fossil glacier glacier TERMINUS grains grasslands heat ice sheet igneous rocks impact intrusions island lake land landscape largest lava layer limestone Location magma mantle MAXIMUM DEPTH metamorphic metamorphic rocks meteorite million square km million years ago minerals mountain North America northern occurs Ocean oceanic crust Pacific particles percent plants Plateau plates pressure produce pyroclastic flows rain rainfall rainforest range reefs region ridges rise river sand sea level sediment sedimentary rocks soil solar South southern species square miles Stratovolcano subduction tectonic tectonic plates temperature trees tropical TYPE valley volcanic warm weathering wind zone


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Showing 151 to 200 of 266 records.
On Display
This bus is typical of the light and cheap American chassis that were popular in Britain in the 1920s before mass-produced British vehicles became available. It is fitted with a typical 1920s thirteen-seater charabanc body.
This example was discovered in a dilapidated state in a Herefordshire breaker's yard in 1957. It regularly takes part in the Historic Commercial Vehicle Club's London to Brighton Run each May.
Year | 1922 |
Country | American |
Capacity | 3,090cc |
Cylinders | 4 |
Maximum speed | 40mph/64.37kph |
Price new | (chassis): £280 |
Manufacturer | Maxwell Motor Corp. |
Site by Surface Impression


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Maria B. 2012-2013 Women and Young Girls Dress Designs for Winter
The brand which we are sharing today with you guys needs no introduction, this brand has been known for it's best quality of products and beautiful designer series, beside being known for its creativity, this brand has also won many fashion medals and brought so much honor to Pakistan fashion industry, no fashion show and event is complete without this brand being participating in it, and when they do participate they take the pride of the show with them, you might be wondering about brand, well it;s known as Maria B., Maria B. is a designer brand which caters in all kind of ready to wear dress designs, be it the bridal wear or just casuals and formals for your house and party wear, she has the perfect solution for you, beside being known for outfits she also caters in many other fashion accessories.
Recent catalog from Maria B. released a long series of party wear and casual dress designs which are all made of cotton and silk and embellished with motifs and embroidered patterns, this catalog which consist of cultural designs of eastern ready to wear is now available in market, along with outfits she also introduced a complete product line of her latest shoes, jackets, sweaters, jewelry, sneakers and scarves for women, this brand only caters in women ready to wear clothing and always updated with new modern fashion trends all around the world.
Current catalog of winter and fall from Maria B. is now available in all of her flagship stores, contact details, pricing and all the information about this catalog is shared in album ,these downloadable images of beautiful Maria B. designs are available in Uk, USA, Canada, Saudi Arabia, UAE and India, you can get your hands on these outfits with the number mentioned in below album and should you be wondering about any alteration or some other queries if you have regarding this catalog, you can always reach us using contact us form.
Maria B. 2012-2013 Winter and Fall Catalog for Women


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Posted on July 18, 2014 at 1:19pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
I'm giving away ONE AUTOGRAPHED COPY of my memoir Loveyoubye: Holding Fast, Letting Go, And Then There's The Dog on Goodreads. The giveaway ends on Sunday morning at 8am GMT Good luck! …
ContinuePosted on February 10, 2014 at 4:30pm 3 Comments 1 Like
Three weeks ago, I arrived home to find a box tossed just inside my gate. The beasties (my two Staffordshire Bull Terriers), can make a fuss if they spot a delivery man. I hadn't ordered anything, it had to be for my body shop neighbor; it happens. I hefted it up, headed back out the gate and stopped. The box was addressed to me. From She Writes Press. My book Loveyoubye: Hanging On, Letting Go, and Then There's the Dog, in print: Advance Reading Copies—ARCs…
ContinuePosted on August 1, 2013 at 4:30pm 2 Comments 0 Likes
At 49 I felt compelled to write a book. Not something I'd always wanted to do. I figured maybe it was just time to finally record all those stories about my ancestors who had been in South Africa since the 1800s, as well as my own stories about growing up in a small Zambian copper mining town, plus a two-year stint on a sisal plantation in Zimbabwe. This was before the two countries were independent, when colonial power held sway, when the bush was full of animals. And then there were all…
ContinuePosted on July 29, 2013 at 8:00am 34 Comments 21 Likes
By the time I was ready to submit my memoir, Loveyoubye, for publication I was already burned out from my efforts to get my two YA African-based novels, Monkey's Wedding and Mine Dances, published. A real sob story, that one. At the last moment my publisher merged with another house and I was…
ContinueNice to meet you, too, Rossandra!
congratulations Rossandra on getting published last year! And your travels on this fiction journey sound interesting enough for a book by themselves. THanks for friending me and welcoming me to this group.
Thanks for all your excellent advice and encouragement Rossandra! I appreciate it very much. And I need to get my hands on your book as well. Looking forward to reading it!
Thanks for welcoming me. I'm happy to be here. Not so alone anymore....
Hi Rossandra - thanks - delighted to be one of your friends, as we go through this journey (gulp!) together. I look forward to reading your book too!
Yes, Kaye's working away on my project - thank goodness; I can't do any of that publicity stuff myself!
Thank you. I'm glad to be here. I came by way of Leanne Dyck.
Hi Rossandra. Glad to be in your fine company for April 2014 book launch by SWP!
Hi Rossandra. Nice to see you here! I really like your book title and cover as well. This is very exciting and I'm looking forward to my next steps.
Hi Rossandra,
Thank you for thinking of this.
Hi Rossandra,
Thanks for being my 'friend.' I really like your book title and cover:-)
Looking forward to sharing this exciting publishing process with SWP authors!
© 2017 Created by Kamy Wicoff. Powered by


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Director Boopathy Pandian, who was lying low after the dismal show of his last venture Kadhal Solla Vandhen, was expected to make a comeback with his next film
Boopathy Pandian's next venture was ideally supposed to star leading Tollywood hero Gopichand and Nayanthara.The Tamil-Telugu bilingual titled Jagan Mohan IPS was launched recently. While everyone seemed to think the project was taking shape, Boopathy Pandian has now announced that he is no more associated with Jagan Mohan IPS.
"I have been asked to make too many changes to the script, to suit the image of Gopichand. So I lost confidence in my script and hence decided to walk out of the film. I will announce my next project soon," says the director of Malaikottai and Devathaiyai Kanden. Now the producers are in search of a new director who will adhere to all the requirements the star actor Gopichand demands. Any takers?


text: Bakersfield College Launches Mentoring Program For Black History Month 10:38 AM, Feb 1, 2012 Share Article Show Caption Hide Caption Previous Next February is Black History Month, and Bakersfield College is launching a new program to help guide black students through their education at Bakersfield College. The new African-American Male Mentoring Project is designed to increase academic performance, retention, graduation/transfer rates, and to decrease drop-out rates among black males.This project is essential in our effort to increase the success of African-American students, said Tawntannisha Thompson, president of the Bakersfield College Student Government Association. Research shows that these students have low grade point averages and often fail to return to college from one year to the next. African-American males at Bakersfield College consistently rank at the bottom of educational success and persistence among studies across ethnicity and gender.Bakersfield College black male students have traditionally performed lower than their counterparts, and success in completing a course of study or transferring to a four-year college or university has been poor. During the 2010-2011 academic year in particular, there were 638 black males enrolled for coursework at Bakersfield College. Overall, this group had an average grade point average of 1.63, a decline from 2.13 on average in the 2005-2006 academic year. Just 17 completed an associate of arts or associate of science degree, and just 17 completed a certificate program. During this same period, the number of black male students returning to Bakersfield College from one fall semester to the next fell from 43 percent to 18 percent.This program will not benefit our students if they do not show up, said Derrick Kenner, general counsel for the Bakersfield College Student Government Association. Honestly, these students often feel as though nothing else on campus is working for them, and they feel as though they are alone, and that there is no one who understands them or cares about them.Through services such as academic advising, financial aid counseling, tutoring, mentoring, and transfer assistance, the African-American Male Mentoring Project will foster a community of students while enhancing and advancing their educational opportunities. During February, a series of events focusing on black male students at Bakersfield College will be offered, and all black male students at Bakersfield College are encouraged to participate.The African-American Male Mentoring Project was conceived after a campus reading and panel discussion of The Other Wes Moore during One Book, One Bakersfield, One Kern last year, said Thompson. At the panel discussion, our students had so many questions, concerns, and comments about how to get through college, be successful in life, and how to find the support they need to becoe better people. That very night, the Student Government Association formed the mentoring project.Each participant will have a professional mentor from the Bakersfield community who will help the student focus on building essential skills needed to become responsible and productive citizens, and address their social, emotional, and cultural needs. The mentors have been trained to act as confidants, ombudsmen, advocates, and role models, and have been selected from professions such as government, business, education, law enforcement, community agencies, and faith-based communities.Many of these students do not have father figures in their lives, so the mentor project will bring that role into their lives, explained Kenner. The mentors will keep them afloat in all areas of their academic career, and their personal lives as well. I really think that this program is highly necessary for Bakersfield College as a whole, to help the system keep from failing these students.Community members interested in learning more about the African-American Mentoring Project can contact Joyce Coleman, dean of students at Bakersfield College, at 661-395-4051. A community event highlighting the program will be held on Wednesday, February 1, at 6 p.m. in the Bakersfield College Fireside Room. Share Article A Share A A A Share Article


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Diaper Bank helps cash-strapped parents
Director says it's the first nonprofit of its kind in Bexar County.
Updated 11:11 pm, Monday, December 5, 2011
"A blessing" is how Hope Zuniga describes the help she's received from the Diaper Bank at the Hispanic Religious Partnership for Community Health.
When Zuniga and her husband, Manuel Obaya, brought their family to San Antonio from Refugio in July to seek treatment for his testicular cancer, they had no jobs and no money. They needed help with everyday essentials.
So they called the Diaper Bank, which has provided them with free diapers for their 11-month-old son, Manuel.
"Diapers are expensive," Zuniga, 28, said. "We have an aunt who owns a hair salon, so she gives me work there, but it's only $100, and we've got a 4-year-old and a 5-year-old also. Diapers are one less thing we have to buy."
The Diaper Bank is one of the area nonprofits showcased during the holiday season as part of the San Antonio Express-News' 17th annual Grace of Giving series.
The Hispanic Religious Partnership for Community Health, which addresses the needs of low-income families and individuals, started the Diaper Bank in March.
"It's the first diaper bank in Bexar County. There's no government assistance for diapers," says Jorge Medina, executive director of the nonprofit, a United Way agency. "Families spend on average $100 per month on diapers. The average child uses six to 12 diapers per day. Some parents have claimed to have scraped diapers to be able to reuse them."
Problems can arise when parents don't have the diapers necessary to change their babies often.
"There are certain health issues, including diaper rash," Medina said. "We have found that some parents will neglect their child and not change their diaper, and a family that's already stressed out, with a child that's crying, it can lead to abuse."
Low-income families can receive diapers on an emergency basis every six months. They can receive more diapers by attending parenting classes provided by Methodist Healthcare Ministries' Wesley Nurse Health Ministries.
At the classes, parents also receive "baby bucks" to buy wipes, bottles, blankets, clothing and other items at a baby boutique at St. John's United Methodist Church.
"It's helped us get new perspectives on how to raise our children, how to do it properly," Zuniga said about the parenting classes. "It gave us ideas on discipline, on how to feed them properly, like portion sizes."
To date, the Diaper Bank has distributed 1,600 packages of diapers. By the end of this year, it will have helped more than 1,500 families, Medina says — three times their goal. The cost? About $40,000.
He estimates that the bank will help more than 2,000 families next year. The organization also plans to add two more baby boutiques.


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Here's a bizarre one. With Poland putting ACTA ratification on hold, and Slovenia apparently regretting its signature, now we've got Romania's Prime Minister, Emil Boc, admitting that he doesn't understand why the country signed ACTA. It appears that opposing politicians are criticizing the government and promising that they will suspend enforcement under ACTA until there are actual public hearings held on the matter. It really is quite amazing that the folks in the entertainment industry, who thought they could ram this through are now discovering how much they've awakened internet users across the globe ever since they shot for the moon with SOPA. ACTA has been on the table for years, and only a few of us "copyright geeks" were paying attention to it. But SOPA really made it clear to huge populations of people just how the entertainment industry seeks to restrict the internet through copyright law... and they're simply not going to take that any more. Update: And... um... just like that, he's no longer Prime Minister, offering up his resignation today.
If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...
- Supreme Court Won't Hear Case About Copyright Protection Of Pre-1972 Sound Recordings
- Court Says Posting Georgia's Official Annotated Laws Is Not Fair Use, And Thus Infringing
- More Financial Scandals Involving A Collecting Society: Remind Me Again Why They Are Credible Representatives Of Artists?
- Caution: Prolonged Exposure To Copyright Can Be Hazardous To Human Culture
- Australian Govt.: Just Kidding On That Whole Safe Harbors Reform Thing, Guys
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:Lobo Santo (profile), 6 Feb 2012 @ 8:39am
I wonder
I wonder how many other treaties/global laws have been signed on the basis of: "We signed that? What's it about?" -
ltlw0lf (profile), 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:28am
Re: Re: I wonder
Probably all of them.
You guys just don't understand! You have to pass the treaties/global laws before you can read what is in them. Jeesh, crony capitalism and bought politicians only work that way! It is the only way to keep us intellectually challenged trolls in power and keeps artists from realizing there is an easier, better way of getting noticed instead of going through us where we can rip them off.
/sarc -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:33am
Re: Re: Re: I wonder
I already explained it, it's called quantum politics. -
ltlw0lf (profile), 6 Feb 2012 @ 10:17am
Re: Re: Re: Re: I wonder
I already explained it, it's called quantum politics.
Yup, I like your version better. Someone needs to send Senator Pelosi a bill for violating your copyright/patent. -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 11:36am
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I wonder
He needs to pay me up dang it!!! -
ady, 8 Feb 2012 @ 3:47am
Re: I wonder
In romania many,way 2 many! -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 8:45amand it's about bloody time! why should every person on the planet loose things that have taken scores of years to achieve, be restricted by an industry that has no thought other than for itself and has no intention of employing a vision of the future?
jupiterkansas (profile), 6 Feb 2012 @ 8:45amLooks like keeping it secret from the public meant keeping it secret from politicians too. And they all signed it because someone with lots of cash told them too and said it was good for them (someone from the U.S. most likely).
Chris From Poland, 6 Feb 2012 @ 8:48amLast-minute information: following Poland, the Chech Republic has also postponed ratification until further notice to hold a public discussion on ACTA. This happend after protests similar to Poland's, as well as ANONYMOUS DDoS attacks directed at Chech websites.
u2, 7 Feb 2012 @ 9:52am
But Czech Republic has never signed the ACTA treaty like Donald Tusk from Poland. -
Tim K (profile), 6 Feb 2012 @ 8:50amWith all these other countries coming out saying they'll look the ACTA when will the US actually investigate the ACTA itself or Obama signing it without really being allowed to
Chris From Poland, 6 Feb 2012 @ 8:52amUS, just protest like we do! I know about the efforts of the OCCUPY movement, but protest ACTA as well along with SOPA/PIPA.
Ziggy Stardust, 6 Feb 2012 @ 8:53amJust stop it. Stop it now! Sounds like my mum when I was a kid. Lol.
http://www.stopp-acta.info/english -
Chris From Poland, 6 Feb 2012 @ 8:54amHere's a link about the Chech Republic in Polish, just Google Translate: http://www.tvn24.pl/0,1733923,0,1,anonymous-chwala-tuska-czesi-ida-w-slady-polski,wiadomosc.html
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 8:55amThe best part is the part where the idiots from the industry said they wanted others to hear and debate copyrights.
Well know the public is hearing them and I bet the industry is not liking what is coming out of the public, every single person on earth hates them and wants the end of this nonsense even if it means the end of copyrights itself, nobody will come to defend them, nobody is rallying behind them.
And all of this was told to them in no uncertain terms, now they will have to live with the consequences of it, the public is another big hammer even bigger than the law and once it is target on something it will hit it until it is inline. -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 8:55amHollywood made a similar mistake to the Komen foundation's mistake of dropping, and then reinstating Planned Parenthood funding.
Hollywood could of kept on quietly adding victory after victory with treaties making IP terms longer and IP laws more enforced.
Komen could have kept on quietly appearing as a nonpartisan charity with no stance required on controversial issues like abortion.
Instead Hollywood awoke a sleeping giant with SOPA/PIPA, that alerted the public to the dangers of draconian copyright laws/terms/enforcement. Now Hollywood will have a much harder time pushing anything through, and may even start suffering changes in IP laws unfavorable to them, such as less enforcement, or shorter terms.
Komen meanwhile managed to piss everyone off, and cause a whole bunch of negative stories to get run on other stuff. Now people are questioning how much money Komen receives is actually spent treating breast cancer and researching cures for it (It's less then 1/3 according to their own financial statements). Also stories about their abuse of trademark and suing smaller weaker charities for daring to use 'for the cure' in their names/slogans are also getting more attention. This will make it much harder for Komen to raise money long term, especially with everything they do now being viewed in a partisan lens. -
Christopher Weigel (profile), 6 Feb 2012 @ 8:59amI wonder how many people in the RIAA/MPAA have looked at SOPA and thought "We just had our Pearl Harbor moment".
AdamBv1 (profile), 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:44am
They are far too oblivious for that to occur to them. This is far more like Jack Abramoff first seeing all the news starting up and thinking it will just blow over with nothing coming of it. -
Torg (profile), 6 Feb 2012 @ 10:01am
Re: Pearl Harbor
Probably none of them. They still see the general citizenry as a resource to be controlled by whoever has the most expensive ad campaign. Right now they think they just need a good way to counter Google's influence and all will be well. This is less Pearl Harbor and more Gettysburg. -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:08amInsofar as I am aware, the only countries that have officially ratified ACTA are Australia, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United States.
While other countries have expressed support, they have deferred ratification.
Thus, there is an incongruity here. I do not believe that any of the EU countries are presently "full-fledged" members. -
fogbugzd (profile), 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:18am
The US did not ratify ACTA. It was signed as an Executive Order. Executive Orders don't need to be ratified, at least according to the White House. -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 12:08pm
Re: Re:
Ratify has many meanings. I use it in the context of "approval, assent, etc." -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:21am
'I do not believe that any of the EU countries are presently "full-fledged" members.'
if sense plays it's part, there wont be any 'full fledged members' either. perhaps then everywhere else will start to realise that the only reason they signed was because of the threats of sanctions etc from the US and to prop up the US entertainment industries. hopefully, repealing some of the one-sided laws already in place will then quickly follow -
Digital Consumer, 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:10am
Superbowl Commercials
I missed the superbowl yesterday, as I don't watch football much anymore, but I do check you tube for the commercials(wierd right?), and I noticed that I couldn't get the marvel avengers commercial on you tube. So hollywood, in their usual panties in a wad style, passed up free advertisement for their movies because it was you tube I'm assuming....were people might pirate your pilot? I'm confused... -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:15am
Re: Superbowl Commercials
Did you see the videos that people posted from the making of the Avengers?
A lot of people that saw it happening on the streets took their cameras out and filmed and it is all on Youtube LoL -
Digital Consumer (profile), 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:16am
Re: Re: Superbowl Commercials
I didn't spend a lot of time, I'll check that out! -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 10:16am
Re: Re: Superbowl Commercials
Avengers is just a remake of previous works, that's all Hollywood is doing and has ever done. That's what copyright and television brings, it brings rehashes of previous works and locks them up for others so that no one else can ever use them. Hollywood, thanks to copyright law, is the most derivative source of content and has always been. Avengers just takes previous characters and repackages them into a movie and it passes as new. I would say Copyright law has put us in the most derivative time in history, everything thanks to copyright and Hollywood has been a rehash of rehashes.
(not that there is anything wrong with rehashes, but IP extremists keep complaining about how the Internet brings us rehashes so why can't I complain about how copy'right' and Hollywood has brought us rehashes). -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 10:21am
Re: Re: Re: Superbowl Commercials
Then don't watch it. -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 11:42am
Re: Re: Re: Re: Superbowl Commercials
and if you don't like what you allege to be rehashes on the Internet then, instead of complaining, don't watch them.
and another example of rehashes are textbooks. The textbook industry always comes up with new math books that are simply the old ones with a few pages flipped around and they charge a fortune for them. and schools can't keep the old ones for too long because eventually they run out of used copies and since they can't simply copy the old math books, since it's illegal, schools (and students) are forced to buy new rehashes of math books that are only rehashes of the old ones with a few pages flipped around. If it weren't for copy protection laws publishers would be encouraged to actually change the books to make them more useful, and offer reason to buy, instead of simply changing up a few pages and re-selling the same thing over and over.
So don't give me this nonsense about how ignoring copy protection laws and the Internet leads to rehashes. No, what leads to rehashes are the IP cartels and IP laws that allow IP holders to make money off of old material instead of coming up with something new to give people additional reason to buy. -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 5:07pm
Re: Re: Re: Re: Superbowl Commercials
ill file share it. then send it home on a HDD -
Hephaestus (profile), 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:23am
Re: Superbowl Commercials
Don't you realize forced scarcity make people buy more /s -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 10:01am
Re: Re: Superbowl Commercials
Fuck where can i buy that commercial i need to see it now so i know what to buy in the future! -
Anonymous Coward, 7 Feb 2012 @ 2:28am
Re: Re: Superbowl Commercials
It's amusing how you people think you can ignore reality and pretend everyone will believe your rationalizations.
If your life is hopeless just say so. If you have no prayer of finding a job, and have no money to pay for your content addiction, just admit it. -
DanZee (profile), 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:17am
Nobody reads these things
Apparently, it's not just Congress that votes on laws nobody has read! It seems to be a world-wide problem! -
Chris From Poland, 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:20amEuropean countries are not full-fledged members of ACTA. 20 countries out of 26 have SIGNED the document, but the signing is just a "promise" of ratification. None of the countries have RAFITIED ACTA, which means it is not in effect. Furthermore, some countries (Poland, the Chech Republic) have POSTPONED RATIFICATION until further notice.
artp (profile), 6 Feb 2012 @ 9:20am
If the **AA were held as liable by the laws as I am....
If the **AA were held as liable by the laws as I am, then we would see some interesting lawsuits and charges.
RIAA would be jailed pending their soundproofing every venue for music, thus setting up a situation of entrapment for every citizen who passed by unknowingly.
MPAA fined for allowing drive-in movies.[I know, but there must be at least ONE somewhere out there that hasn't heard that they are extinct.]
Those annoying TV screens in cars would have to be removed or hidden from outside view. Daily fines accrue to MPAA until that is done.
Radio taken off the air as an enticement to violate the law.
Ditto TV.
Copyright enforcement is a two-way street. The **AA should be required to put in as much effort as I have to. Otherwise, the legal doctrines of laches and unclean hands enters the picture. If they haven't made reasonable efforts to enforce copyrights, and protect their Preciouussss IP, then why should we be bothered?
Note that I am not putting the artists in the place of the **AA. The artists are not in favor of these laws, and haven't been the ones writing or pushing for their passage. The artists seem to have more common sense.
A high school friend of mine ended up being a TV writer and producer. When we were rooming together in college, I was attending engineering school, and he was trying to pass the Liberal Arts remedial math course. He once said to me in frustration, "You're smart at math. You probably even know the pi of 9."
I should ask him what he thinks of SOPA/PIPA/ACTA. He used to use names of our friends in his shows for his characters. He tried to get mine in once or twice, but the editors just wouldn't buy a name like mine as being real. I wonder which way the studios would go on that little piece of copyright reuse? -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 10:02amThe amount of delusional stupidity in this thread is hilarious.
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 11:02am
The amount of delusional stupidity in this comment is hilarious. -
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 3:54pm
Re: Re:
The amount of delusional stupidity on the internet is hilarious! -
Ratownik, 6 Feb 2012 @ 10:02am5th h of ACTA talk, 2 first hours at TV, all in the Net. Many nice statements. We destroyed iron curtain maybe we will now do something for freedom too.
Chris From Poland, 6 Feb 2012 @ 10:12amYeah, there's an ongoing online ACTA debate right now in Poland with our prime minister and the minister of culture and various non-government organizations and various individuals. The gonvernment is getting slammed, our equivalent of RIAA (ZAiKS) is getting slammed, all is good :-). This might lead to a liberalization of copyright law in Poland and across the EU. One can hope.
Marius, 6 Feb 2012 @ 10:23amRomanian here.
Emil Boc has just resigned so a new government will be formed, which will not be voted by the opposition... the politics here is a mess right now with opposition boycotting the parliament and senate.
Anyway, of course Boc didn't know anything, he was just a puppet (like Dmitry Medvedev was Putin's cover) for the president Basescu which is well known for sucking up to whatever US says.
He wants to buy second hand American planes, he accepted to install US anti-missile radars here in the country, he and his party offered big construction contracts to US companies that never went anywhere but wasted hundreds of millions of dollars.
Most people here don't really know about ACTA, but some TV channels are starting to talk about it and the opposition is against ratifying it without public being involved.
As a nation, we're a bit slow at protesting, there's no such culture in us, so I personally don't see large protests against it but hopefully something will happen. -
Chris From Poland, 6 Feb 2012 @ 10:28amMarius, please report on your country's situation on an ongoing basis if you can :-). Is your country planning nationwide ACTA protests on the 11th as well? We are going into the second stage of protests, since the open discussions with the government don't seem to be going anywhere.
Dragos (profile), 6 Feb 2012 @ 11:17am
If you'll check the map here:
you'll find some 30 Romanian cities joining the 2/11 protests, with almost 20,000 people confirmed on the Facebook page of the protest. I think the real number will be much lower. The reasons? Add to our lack of 'protest culture' the recent resignation of our PM (which will shift the public interest to some other directions) and the temperatures below -15� C forecast for Saturday evening. -
Marco, 6 Feb 2012 @ 10:49amhello i am interested to protest , i am from romania too, the prime minister is down....:D
Anonymous Coward, 6 Feb 2012 @ 3:02pmAnd now apparently the Romanian government has collapsed. Coincidence? /conspiracy
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2012/02/201226222612228935.html -
pro, 7 Feb 2012 @ 12:15am
This article is not pro. It is very subjective, and that aint quite the story. -
Anon, 7 Feb 2012 @ 3:39am
Re: Article
No worries, there's no internet anyway. -
mihnea from Romania, 7 Feb 2012 @ 1:37pm
I just started a protest in my town. Today i went to the city hall and registered it. Yesterday me and 2 friends gave160 flyers on the street. I cant wait for it! It will be on saturday


text:
For Sale:
FS: HeadRoom Desktop AMP/DAC (plus Astrodyne Power Supply)
Will Ship To: USA
Selling my HeadRoom Desktop AMP/DAC, which I'm no longer in need of. It's in absolute mint condition, and was purchased directly via HeadRoom at full retail ($849). There is still nearly a year left of warranty coverage, until September of next year. I'm also including the Astrodyne power supply, which originally cost me $99 and was also acquired directly through HeadRoom. In addition to the Astrodyne power supply, the buyer will also receive the original power supply, as well as all paperwork needed for warranty purposes. The specs of either unit can be found here:
Buyer is kindly requested to cover shipping & PayPal fees. Please note that I'm NOT willing to ship internationally.
On a side note, while I'm sure AMP 'X' or 'Y' is far better suited, the HeadRoom Desktop AMP/DAC drives even my HE-6 effortlessly. I was curious to know just how powerful this unit is, so I contacted HeadRoom, and received the following reply, and I quote:
My question: I was interested in pairing my HiFiMan HE-6 with the HeadRoom Desktop AMP/DAC. I'd like to know, what's the headphone amp output power for the Desktop AMP/DAC?
HeadRoom's answer: The Output maximum is 10Vrms. This will vary depending on the headphone, but I have found the Desktop amp to drive the HE6 quite well. High gain setting is definitely recommended.
I'm mentioning this only for full disclosure, and to reiterate the point that this AMP/DAC sounds great with every headphone I've ever owned, all the way up to my HE-6. Please DO NOT turn this into a discussion thread. As I've mentioned above, I'm sure there many other AMP's out there that are FAR better suited for the HE-6, but never once did the HeadRoom Desktop AMP/DAC leave me unsatisfied. With my HE-6, when in high gain, I've never pushed it past the 12 o'clock position on the volume knob, so there's plenty of residual volume.
PM me if interested. Thank you.
Edited by Night Crawler - 11/30/12 at 5:48pm


text:
Salazar, Bromwich Announce Proposed Rule to Further Strengthen Workplace Safety in Offshore Oil and Gas Operations
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) Director Michael R. Bromwich today announced a proposed rule that will reduce the likelihood of accidents, injuries and spills in connection with oil and natural gas exploration and development activities, as the Department continues to expand safe and responsible domestic oil and gas development on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
The proposed Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS) rule is part of a series of safety and environmental reforms implemented by the Department of the Interior since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The proposed rule, which enhances the Workplace Safety Rule issued in October 2010, will add greater protection by supplementing operators' SEMS programs with employee training, engaging personnel in safety management, and strengthening auditing procedures by requiring them to be completed by independent third parties.
"As we continue to encourage balanced and responsible oil and gas development on the OCS, we must remain fully focused on continually strengthening safety standards to protect workers and to reduce the risk of accidents and spills," said Secretary Salazar. "Our goal is to ensure that safety is front and center every day, for every worker, on every project."
"This proposed rule is the latest regulatory reform we have undertaken to enhance the safety of offshore energy operations," said Director Bromwich. "The protection of human life and the environment are top priorities for BOEMRE. Implementing a comprehensive program with these additional features will further our goal of avoiding accidents that may result in injuries, fatalities and serious environmental damage.
A SEMS program is a comprehensive safety and environmental management program designed to reduce human and organizational errors that have been found to be the contributing or root cause of work-related accidents and offshore oil spills. SEMS programs apply to all oil and natural gas activities and facilities on the OCS including drilling, production, construction, well workover, well completion, well servicing, lifting activities and Department of the Interior (DOI) pipeline activities. In meetings with oil and gas operators, executives have expressed optimism regarding the implementation of the Workplace Safety Rule, which goes into effect in November 2011. These supplemental requirements, introduced today with an opportunity for significant public comment, enhance the rule with six additional items that operators should include in their comprehensive safety and environmental management programs:
- Additional requirements for conducting a Job Safety Analysis;
- Procedures to authorize any and all employees on the facility to implement a Stop Work Authority when witnessing an activity that creates a threat of danger to an individual, property and/or the environment;
- Clearly defined requirements establishing who has the ultimate work authority on the facility for operational safety and decision making at any given time;
- An employee participation program for SEMS implementation;
- Guidelines for reporting unsafe work conditions; and
- A requirement that safety audits be conducted by third part auditors.
The notice is available today for review in the Federal Register: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/public-inspection/index.html. BOEMRE invites the public to comment on the proposed regulations by November 14, 2011 through any of the following methods. Please use the Regulation Identifier Number (RIN) 1010-AD73 as an identifier in your message.
- BOEMRE's Public Engagement web page: http://www.boemre.gov/PublicComment.htm Follow the instructions to submit public comments and view supporting and related materials available for this rulemaking. BOEMRE will post all comments.
- Mail or hand-carry comments to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement; Attention: Regulations and Standards Branch (RSB); 381 Elden Street, MS-4024, Herndon, Virginia 20170-4817. Please reference "Revisions to Safety and Environmental Management Systems (SEMS), 1010-AD73" in your comments and include your name and return address.
For a complete list of BOEMRE reforms to date, go to: http://boemre.gov/ReorganizationRegulatoryReform.htm


text:
Geneva - The key issue of a transitional government to replace President Bashar Assad blocked any progress on Monday in Syrian peace talks, described by one delegate as "a dialogue of the deaf."
The chief UN mediator expressed frustration over inflammatory public remarks by the two sides as he sought to identify some less-contentious issues in hopes of achieving any progress at all at the bargaining table.
But even the most modest attempts at confidence-building measures faltered - including humanitarian aid convoys to besieged parts of the central city of Homs and the release of detainees. Veteran mediator Lakhdar Brahimi sombrely declared at the end of the day that he had little to report.
"There are no miracles here," Brahimi said, adding that both sides nevertheless appeared to have the will to continue the discussions. Asked how he planned to bridge the enormous gap between the two sides, the veteran diplomat quipped: "Ideas, I'll take them with great pleasure."
The gulf between the two sides was on full display at a turbulent morning session in which the delegations from the opposition and the Syrian government faced off on the question of Assad's future.
The Western-backed Syrian National Coalition wants an interim replacement for Assad, reiterating at every opportunity that the stated goal of the peace conference, agreed upon by international powers in preliminary talks in June, is to establish a transitional government with full executive powers.
But Assad, whose troops have a tenuous upper hand in Syria, has said he has no intention of stepping down and, on the contrary, may run again for president later this year. His delegates have capitalised on the ascendance of Islamic militants, saying the priority at the peace conference was to finds ways to combat terrorism.
"We came here with the intention of discussing a transitional governing body and they came with the intention of consecrating Bashar Assad's presence," said Rima Fleihan, a member of the coalition's negotiating team.
Murhaf Jouejati of the coalition said the meeting ended on a "sour note," and the session was broken up by Brahimi after the government delegation became confrontational.
"We thought there was no point in continuing this since it was going to be a dialogue of the deaf," Jouejati said.
Syria's uprising began in March 2011 with largely peaceful protests that eventually turned into an insurgency and full blown civil war after a harsh military crackdown. The war has become a proxy conflict between regional powerhouses Iran and Saudi Arabia, with hints of a throwback to the Cold War as Russia and the United States back opposite sides.
Despite the rancorous rhetoric outside the conference room, both sides have said they won't withdraw from the talks.
Brahimi said the parties were talking to the media "too much," adding that he asked them to respect the confidentiality of the discussions and avoid exaggerations. Still, all signs pointed to impasse.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the US was "realistic about how difficult this is going to be, but we are completely convinced that this is the only way forward for Syria, and that's through negotiations."
"What's important is that the two parties have sat in the same room over the past several days to discuss critical issues. And this process is ongoing. And I would expect quite a few ups and downs along the way," Carney said. "But it is the only way to end the conflict in Syria. It has to be ended through a negotiated political settlement."
On Sunday, after three days of talks, a tentative agreement was reached for the evacuation of women and children trapped in Homs before aid convoys go in. As of Monday night, there was no progress on the ground.
Brahimi cited security problems for part of the delay. The opposition delegation has little control over armed groups inside Syria. Fighters affiliated with the Western-backed coalition have been engaged in deadly fighting with al-Qaeda-backed militants, who do not accept the coalition's authority and do not feel bound by agreements reached in Geneva.
The most powerful rebel groups include two that the US has formally designated as foreign terrorist organisations: the Iraqi State of Iraq and the Levant, and Jabhat al-Nusra.
On Monday, talks were supposed to shift to thorny political issues such as Assad's future.
As the meeting got underway, the government delegation put forward a paper focusing on the need to combat terrorism and halt funding and shipments of weapons to rebels fighting to topple Assad, delegates said.
Bouthaina Shaaban, an Assad adviser, called the paper an "expression of good will" in search of common ground, and said she was surprised the opposition rejected it.
"Either these people have no capacity to express their love and care for Syria, or they are ordered by foreign powers to ignore what is most important and most urgent for their country," she said.
The opposition called the paper a deviation from the talks' main goal of a transitional government.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks the fighting, estimated that 1 200 women, children and elderly people are trapped in besieged areas of the old quarter of Homs.
The opposition accused authorities of blocking a convoy of 12 trucks trying to get into the embattled city and said, "We will judge the regime by what it does, not by what it says."
Shaaban dismissed the aid effort for Homs as a distraction aimed at bolstering the opposition's credentials.
"This is to make a big fuss about taking two trollies to Homs," she said. "Is this why we came to Geneva? Or we came here to solve the problem in Syria?" she said.
Homs Governor Talal Barrazi said the only obstacle to the flow of food into rebel-held areas was "some cases of sniper fire by terrorist groups."
In a statement released by his office, Barrazi said it is willing to evacuate civilians who want to leave the old quarter to "any place they want to go to," and they will get food and medical supplies.
"We are waiting for an answer from international organisation representatives to specify the number of those who want to leave," Barrazi said.


text:
Nelson vs. Werdum Official for UFC 143, Lamas Replaces Injured Koch
By FCF Staff
As rumored would be the case, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has confirmed that Fabricio Werdum will make his Octagon return against Roy Nelson, February 4th in Las Vegas. The heavyweight bout will be part of the UFC 143 main card, which will be hosted by the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Nelson (16-6) will be looking to build on the third round, stoppage win he recorded over Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic in October, which came after the former TUF winner dropped back-to-back bouts to Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir.
Werdum (14-5-1) is the latest heavyweight to make his way to the UFC, after parent company Zuffa decided to phase out Strikeforce's heavyweight division in 2012. Werdum is coming off a unanimous decision loss to former champion Alistair Overeem in June, which ended a three fight win streak that included victories over Antonio Silva and Fedor Emelianenko.
The renowned grappler hasn't fought in the UFC since 2008, when he was stopped by the aforementioned dos Santos.
The UFC has also announced that Ricardo Lamas will step in for the injured Erik Koch on February 4th and will fight featherweight Dustin Poirier.
Lamas (11-2) competed last in November and tapped out Cub Swanson with a second round, arm-triangle-choke.
Poirier (11-1) is also coming off a submission win at the first UFC on FOX card in November, and tapped out Pablo Garza with a second round, D'Arce choke.
UFC 143 will be headlined by a welterweight bout between Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz to determine the promotion's interim champion.


text:
Hot Cross Buns Recipe
These slightly sweet, iced buns are traditional for Good Friday.
About the author: Carrie Vasios is the editor of Serious Eats: Sweets. She likes to peruse her large collection of cookbooks while eating jam from the jar. You can follow her on Twitter @carrievasios
- Yield:makes about 2 dozen buns
- Active time: 30 minutes
- Total time:3 hours
- 1 cup whole milk, heated
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg white
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (about 20 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup raisins or currants
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk (or more if necessary)
In a small bowl, combine warm milk and yeast. Let sit until foaming, about 5 minutes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine sugar and butter. Beat on medium speed until well-combined, about 2 minutes. With mixer running, add whole egg (keep egg white refrigerated until step 4) and salt, then slowly add milk and yeast mixture. Mix for 30 seconds until homogenous, stoping and scraping down sides as necessary. Stop mixer and add flour. Mix on medium-low speed until dough just comes together, about 30 seconds. Switch to hook attachment and knead dough at low speed for 5 minutes. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and let rest until risen and doubled in size, 1 1/2 hours.
Flour your hands and transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Punch down dough and mix in raisins. Knead by hand for an additional 2 minutes. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Pull off 2-inch pieces of dough and roll into balls (you should make about 24 balls). Place rolls on two baking sheets a few inches apart, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rest until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.
While dough rises, adjust oven racks to upper and lower middle positions and preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining egg white with 1 teaspoon water. Brush each roll with egg wash. Bake rolls until golden and sound hollow when tapped on bottom, about 15 minutes, rotating pans back to front and top to bottom half way through cooking.
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of confectioners' sugar with two tablespoons of milk until smooth, adding more milk if necessary. Pipe glaze over buns in a cross pattern. Serve warm.


text:
Configuration: 6 boxes per case. 36 packs per box. 15 cards per pack.
Horror Lurks WithinInnistrad is a plane of menace and dread where every creature hides a darker aspect. Here, hedonistic vampires stalk the shadows to quench their thirst, and the full moon can transform a simple villager into a savage werewolf. Best to huddle inside, Planeswalker, lest the horrors of this world rend you limb from limb.Innistrad features 264 black-bordered cards, including randomly inserted premium versions of all cards in the set. It is available in booster packs, intro packs, and fat packs. And for the first time ever, Innistrad brings double-faced cards to Magic.


text:
One girl's twistedly fantastic interpretation of what the hell is really going on in those tribes.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Jonas: Lunesta Roll
Utah resident Jonas Otsuji is a 37 year old Sushi Chef. Like the brisk staccato chops of a knife wielding Sushi Chef, Jonas' CBS.com bio is also brief and concise. He likes to cook, loves his family, and knows how to build a shelter. I'm not getting a real read on this guy from his stock answers so let's check out how he comes across on camera...
*snore* Is there tryptophan in Spicy Tuna Roll? Holy Ahi, this guy is a snoozefest. What's the house specialty, a little Uni dipped in liquified Ambien and dusted with chamomile flowers? Unagi glazed with Propofol coming right up! Sonata Blossom. Trazadone Tempura. Hamachi Halcion. Buy 2, get 1 in heaven because you just overdosed.
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