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LONDON – Candidate Anthony Weiner is unlikely ever to trouble British voters, that is not to say Weiner can be filed away, with complete confidence, under the category "U.S. politicians who have incautiously disseminated images of their private parts, using the alter ego Carlos Danger." For one thing, given the reach of social media, and the man's irrepressible ambition, it must only be a matter of time — unless some sort of technology can be invented to block transmission — before a young British subject, switching on her telephone, suddenly finds that she is Carlos Danger's latest penis pen-pal.
In the more immediate future, it seems quite likely, should mayor Boris Johnson stand again, that Londoners could soon be asking related questions about sexual behaviour and fitness for office. Has Weiner really done enough, with his lame "sexting," to be considered a serious contender? In London, evidence of vigorous and sustained priapism has become so strongly associated with mayoral ambition as to be pretty much a prerequisite for office.
Long before Boris Johnson showed the world how to brazen out a vibrant history of extramarital impregnations and assignations, both short and long term, Jeffrey Archer, the perjurer and prostitute's john, was the Tories' favored candidate, followed by a man actually nicknamed "Shagger." Shagger was beaten by Ken Livingstone, an unlikely but notably successful ladies' man, whose idea of drinks party chit-chat, awed Guardian staff once discovered, is the line, delivered with tremendous nasal authority: "When a woman opens her heart she opens her legs."
Until late last month, Weiner appeared to be getting an equally tolerant hearing in New York. He had become a mayoral candidate having been forced to resign from the U.S. Congress, in 2011, after sending photographs of his penis to, he finally admitted, "about six women." He said he would seek "professional treatment."
Announcing his candidacy in May he asked for a second chance and let it be known, via an emotional New York Times interview, that he had undergone therapy. And before he was exposed as Carlos Danger, his comeback suggested considerable acceptance of ostensibly resolved sexting issues. Weiner was ahead in the polls when news broke, late last month, of another, illustrated, six-month, "cyber liaison" forged on a website called the Dirty, which seems to have coincided with his period of supposed penitence.
Within days, the Carlos conquests had multiplied to three; at least, Weiner said, comfortingly: "I don't believe I had any more than three."
Even then, some reporters' questions suggested that, if Weiner's conduct could be defined as an illness, some further extenuation might be available. Was he in therapy? Was his difficulty, as many have speculated, sex addiction? Although Weiner demurs — "I don't believe it is" — this could well be a reluctance to over-dramatise activities he has characterized as "background noise"?
For Weiner has been happy to exploit, as a token of his seriousness about rehabilitation, the language of addiction, therapy and recovery. "I worked through these things," he reminded a press conference last week.
He had professional help, he went on a journey to triumph over a problem that, if not actually that big a deal, was way more complicated a tale, you gathered, than some undignified urge to get pervy with strangers.
If his Carlos problem needed "work," as well as acknowledgement, then the public probably owes Weiner the same kind of support it has previously extended to alpha sex addicts such as David Duchovny, Tiger Woods and Michael Douglas, and the United Kingdom's premier sufferer, Russell Brand, former owner of "a harem of about 10 women, whom I would rotate in addition to one-night stands and random casual encounters."
"I think there is such a thing," Brand writes in "My Booky Wook." "Addiction, by definition, is a compulsive behavior that you cannot control or relinquish, in spite of its destructive consequences. And if my life proves nothing else, it demonstrates that this formula can be applied to sex just as easily as it can be to drugs and alcohol."
Neuroscience, on the other hand, tends to take issue with Brand's analysis of his harem-keeping. Recently, sex addiction was excluded from the DSM 5, the U.S. manual of mental disorders, along with behavioral addictions to food, the Internet and caffeine.
"We looked at sex addiction," said one of the authors, "but there was no science at all. None."
Now a new study casts such doubt on previous assumptions about sex addiction that questions are even being asked about Boris Johnson's alleged satyriasis. Could he be, in fact, normal? Shouldn't the U.K. health service (NHS) Choices take another look at its claim, on its sex addiction page (with hilarious, addict-face illustration) that: "This addiction is similar to substance abuse because it is caused by the powerful chemical substances released during sex."
Who wrote that — Tiger Woods?
Because researchers at UCLA tested brain activity in self-diagnosed hypersexual people and found no evidence to separate their participants' reactions from those of normal people with a high sex drive.
"One of the frequent critiques of sexual addictions is that it pathologizes normative, socially unaccepted, sexual behaviors," say the authors. "These data appear consistent with that perspective."
For sufferers such as Duchovny, Sheen, Douglas et al, their feelings on discovering that their affliction is no more than a culturally constructed disorder designed to buttress sexual norms can only be compared to the female shock and fury each time that another cherished diagnosis, PMS, is discredited, as a convenient means of portraying women as hormonal nutters.
What will the sex addicts do now? If celebrities must quickly find an alternative to incarceration in a private clinic, as the immediate response to a sex scandal, the de-addicting of compulsive sexual behavior also leaves civilian sufferers without an accessible, 12-step approach to their troubles, one that a U.S. psychologist has disparaged as "the addiction made me do it."
Beyond that, it's hard to see the disappearance of sexual addiction from the lexicon of celebrity/political excuses as anything but an advance. Not only because of the lack of physical evidence for sex addiction, but because any definition of out-of-control sex must relate to social norms.
When harems were in, for example, Brand's outfit might have been quite appealing. Compared with Boris, or Clinton or Berlusconi, or even John Major, Weiner, phone sexing in his bedroom, is Saint Anthony of the Dirty; U.S. politics' answer to Nicholson Baker.
Suppose Weiner had not had, at his disposal, the routine narrative of inexplicable compulsion followed by much work and hard-won redemption, the public might have had to consider the gravity of his online experiments, their implications for his politics and, given that she has volunteered for popular inspection, for his wife. If diagnoses of sexual addiction help promote repressive or unrealistic definitions of normal sexual behavior, they also provide a watertight defense against allegations of betrayal: "God knows — I must have been mad."


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Holiday Traditions
- "But we always have mixed nuts at Thanksgiving!"
"But we always have turkey for Christmas dinner!"
"But we always have the youngest child open the first Hanukkah present (this protested by the youngest)!"
"But we always go to grandma's for New Year's Day!"
Any parent who has ever tried to change anything on a holiday will hear a chorus of "always". Do something two years in a row on a given holiday and you're doomed to do it forever, or so it seems. If, like me, you thrive on novelty and change, the insistence of kids that you make every holiday a rerun can be exasperating. (I sometimes feel like I'm in that movie "Groundhog Day", where the main character has to do the same day over and over until he gets it right.)
Oh, all right, I have to admit it… This is an overstatement. The truth is that I enjoy certain rituals as much as the next person. But the kids' demands for continuity and sameness got me to thinking about what traditions associated with holidays are all about.
There seems to be something very basic in the human soul that craves some predictability and some recognition that we move in concert with the seasons. Name me a culture where there aren't markers for the passing of time. I can't think of any. We may do it differently — family to family, country to country, (planet to planet for all I know) – but, where there are people, there seems to be annual feast days, holidays, holy days, rest days. The need to ritualize them with predictable activities, foods, and/or objects seems to be universal.
My theory is that these markers of time are a fundamental way that we all have to make the unpredictability and stress of daily life bearable. At the most basic level, holidays give us some comfort and strength from the simple observance that we've ma de it once more around the calendar. On a more complex level, they provide a culturally sanctioned reason for everyone to stop, to take stock of ourselves, to acknowledge who we've chosen to be in our families and communities, to underline for ourselves how we are doing, to make new promises to self and others. There is no way for even the most jaded person to avoid it. To be cranky about a holiday and to decide not to observe it still observes it and brings to awareness ones relationship to others.
Kids intuitively understand all this complicated stuff. Sometimes what they latch on to as recognition of the event can be a little weird (like the mixed nuts) but the impulse to mark the passing of time with some kind of gathering and observance is a healthy one. Anything positive, done regularly, puts something important in the child's internal "security bank"; emotional steadiness that can be drawn on in more difficult times. Kids may not be able to explain it but they do know they need it. It's important that we understand that their requests for sameness aren't just inconvenient foibles but are a reflection of kids' legitimate needs for security.
As parents, we can do a great deal to make sure that that inner bank of love and security has a healthy balance by the time they leave our care. Family traditions around holidays are one of the means we have for letting children know that they are embedded in community, for witnessing their growth over time, and for passing on important cultural and family values.
I wish I had thought more about this when my kids were younger. As in most families, our rituals and yearly observances have evolved over the years into what they are and we certainly do repeat them, and, mostly, enjoy them. But if I had it to do over again, I might more consciously think about just what it is that I want my children to carry with them into adulthood as a statement of their family's love and allegiances. My husband and I talk about it more. Gradually, we're introducing some new things into our yearly rhythm: less reliance on gifts and a perfectly clean house, more time with the people who matter, more attention to each individual child's development. If we do it gradually enough, and keep to some of our more obvious routines, perhaps the kids won't notice that we're trying to slip in some new rituals. If we get away with it two years in a row, we'll have a new tradition.
P.S. And, yes, we'll have mixed nuts every Thanksgiving.
Dr. Marie advises:
- Holidays are not an "extra". They are essential markers in the rhythm of life.
- Embrace holidays. There are never enough reasons to celebrate life.
- If you don't like the commercialism that's come to surround some holidays, make up your own traditions.
- Be thoughtful about the values and traditions that you want to pass on to your children through your holiday activities.
- Include your children in the planning, creating, cooking, story telling, gifting, visiting, etc. Kids who are part of it all will know how to carry it on when it is their turn.
Hartwell-Walker, M. (2016). Holiday Traditions. Psych Central. Retrieved on March 23, 2017, from https://psychcentral.com/lib/holiday-traditions/

subset: commoncrawl


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Signal Assessment Workshop
Federal Highway Resource Office and PSRC will be conducting a Signal Assessment Workshop on December 6, 2012. Please click here to view the agenda.
The initial Puget Sound Signal Assessment was completed in 2006. Our region was one of the first assessments completed and since 2006, FHWA has conducted several assessments around the nation.
This workshop is an opportunity to take in what FHWA has learned from other regions and to reassess where the region is now. FHWA staff will be interviewing a sample of the regions agencies throughout October and November to prepare for the workshop.
In preparation for the December 6th Signal Assessment Review, we have posted some materials that may be of interest.
The original Puget Sound Signal Review was completed in 2006. You can download both the assessment and the power point presentation .
You can also find many of the other RTOC products here.
FHWA has provided some examples of reviews conducted in other regions around the nation since 2006.
• Assessments of Fargo-Moorhead Traffic Signal Operations Program (January 2009)
• Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Traffic Operations Action Plan (August 2009)
• Connecticut Local Agency Traffic Signal Operation and Maintenance (May 2012)
• International Mobility & Trade Corridor Project Evaluations – Cascade Gateway Region (June 2009) or visit the project webpage


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Family Dollar Stores has rejected the acquisition proposal made by Dollar General and is moving forward with its merger with Dollar Tree.
Following Dollar Tree's announcement at the end of July that it had bought rival Family Dollar, Dollar General has offered a counter-bid for the discount chain.
Discount variety store chain Dollar Tree has acquired rival discount store chain Family Dollar Stores, becoming the largest discount retailer in North America.


text: Do you use more than one graphics card?Walter Glenn4/10/13 3:00pmFiled to: Discussions of the DayRoundup6EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalinkGreat discussions are par for the course here on Lifehacker. Each day, we highlight a discussion that is particularly helpful or insightful, along with other great discussions and reader questions you may have missed. Check out these discussions and add your own thoughts to make them even more wonderful!Discussion of the DayDo you use more than one graphics card?Other Great DiscussionsUsing cash makes you think harder about your spending.Does being on LinkedIn mean you're unhappy with your job?Get InvolvedShare your best Spring cleaning hack. Join in on this week's Hacker Challenge!Great Discussions Any TimeTo join or start great discussions on any topic, be sure to visit the Openthread forum.AdvertisementIf you've got a cool project, inspiration, or just something fun to share, be sure to let us know in our Tips forum.Happy Lifehacking, everybody!Reply6 repliesLeave a reply


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Welcome to the Monastery | |
PerlMonks |
Comment on |
( #3333=superdoc: print w/replies, xml ) | Need Help?? |
The "l337 sp34k" in the poem alludes to the consequences of deploying poor code, particularly CGIs that don't taint check their parameters. Read it from the point of view of a script kiddie. It's intended to grate on your ears.
In reply to Re: (jeffa) Re: Re: R0z3z 4r3 R3d
by dws


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The BIGGER & BLACKER Black Friday Sale at AirSplat!
AirSplat's BIGGER & BLACKER Black Friday Sale is now here!! Get 35% off ALL ITEMS* and UP TO 80% OFF select items!!
Limit 5 guns and 5 accessories per order.
Use coupon code 'BLACK35' at checkout. This sale lasts for a limited time only so take advantage of these amazing discounts!
*Excludes certain items & manufacturers / Limit 5 guns and 5 accessories per order / Limit one unique item per order (no multiples of same item) / Cannot be combined with other promotions. Your order will be automatically adjusted if it exceeds the number of items allowed.


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Ok, the split did well last night by winning with the Flyers and Kings. So we are pretty happy with just the Wings losing.
But what about those home teams that lost thier first game. Well.....those teams do quite well in the 2nd game. Remember we win the first game in the split we walk away.
But some just can't walk away.
For those that cant, and if you do. Take the Pens and Nucks for game 2.
Don't play the ML, Don't play the ML, Don't play the ML, Don't play the ML
Don't play the regulation, Don't play the regulation, Don't play the regulation
Play these teams on the -1 line.
Take the Pens and Nucks on the -1 line for the next game. You are taking a huge risk by playing the regulation or PL lines.
It's running at about -210 for the Pens and +140 for the PL.
Nucks are -175 for ML and +175 for the PL.
So if you want to win $100 on the Pens you would wager $87.50 on the ML and $41.67 on the PL. You don't have to be exact. In this example you have knocked the juice down from -200 to -129 !!!!
For the Nucks you don't have to lay out as muchTo make $100 you wager $63.64 on the ML and $36.36 on the PL. Here you have knocked the juice down from -175 to a Pick'em
Now we will add the Rangers B's, Blues if the lose tonight.
And I hope they do.
Pitt and Van lose both at home and they are done
Lets Go Pens and Nucks
Pens gave all the goals back in the 2nd.
This is exactly why you play the -1 line. Although in this case the regulation would of worked also.
Looks like the -1 or again the regulation line saved tons of cash. Losing two units is a hell of a lot better then dropping almost 4.
Still time in the Nucks game, but those guys are history this game.
Looks like the -1 or again the regulation line saved tons of cash. Losing 2.29 units is a hell of a lot better then dropping almost 4. Today the play is the Blues -154. Now those of you that know me know I know won't lay over -140 on a straight wager. Personally I think the -1 is the way to go here, but -154 is not horrible for a home team that lost the first game.
Blues -154
1-2 for the alternate picks so far, dropping -1.29 units.
The pick today is the Panthers. You get them at a very good price of
Panthers +105


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Dolls are no longer just for girls! Dragon Models Limited has extended the traditional boundaries and norms by introducing a sister brand "mimo" for figures, dolls, accessories and other collectibles which was launched at the 2005 Ani-Com & Games Hong Kong. The mimo brand will be available at UML (Universal Models Limited), Hong Kong's largest hobby retail store.
Taking Hong Kong's youth culture as its inspiration, "mimo" has paired up two main characters named Mimi and Momo. They are good friends but each possesses a very different and unique personality. Self-confident and outspoken Mimi and a rather shy Momo reflects the teen pop culture it stands today with influences from Japanese, Korean and western concepts. With their love in jetsetting all over the world and updates on social networks, it diversified their cultural experiences and preferences in food, music, language and fashion.
mimo dolls allow consumers to express their individuality and imagination through mixing and matching Mimi's and Momo's outfits and accessories related to each lifestyle pack. In recent years, mimo has paired up with international and local brands for crossovers such as ebay, mi-tu and Watami just to name a few. mimo has met with an exuberant response from Hong Kong young people as well as doll lovers from all around the world!
In addition to the dolls, mimo brand has diversified into other collectible products such as Shokugan "candy toys" miniature sets, USB jewelry and mini fare card holders perfect for everyday needs!
In 2011, Dragon Models Limited has teamed up with Disney as a licensing partner to produce the first ever local Hong Kong themed Disney collectibles play sets! Dragon's mimo creative team has designed each play set which features Disney characters in their own customized theme shops giving it a true local touch. In addition, Play Buddies Collection has also been introduced with adorable Disney character sets in a nostalgic series setting.
With the addition of Disney licensed products and other future ventures, our possibilities are endless!
Come visit our new official website: http://www.umlgroup.com for the latest news, production information and more!


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MIAMI (AP) — "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" thumped its chest at the box office with a $73 million opening weekend.
According to studio estimates Sunday, Fox's "Planet of the Apes" sequel rode excellent reviews and high anticipation to one of the summer's best debuts. It easily surpassed the $54.8 million opening to 2011's "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," the reboot of the 1970s chimp franchise.
The big opening helped give the summer box office a shot in the arm, but it wasn't enough to stop an overall downward trend. The weekend's box office was down nearly 24 percent from the corresponding weekend last year.
After two weeks on top, "Transformers: Age of Extinction" slid to second with $16.5 million. The Melissa McCarthy comedy "Tammy" came in third with $12.9 million.
(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Not only do I have Windows 7 running on our desktop computer – as of an hour ago I also have Windows 7 running on my laptop!! SQUEE!! Add that to the fact that hubby bought me a brand new 32 gig iPhone the other day and I've gotta say – this geek-chick's life is pretty toasty right now 🙂
Oh – and I totally forgot to mention that my hubby's friend gave him a broken ("red ring of death") X-Box 360 the other day and he FIXED IT!! So, he's now sitting on the couch playing GTA-IV (which we bought used for $12.99). Hurray for thrifty! Just waiting for a hard-drive to come in the mail so we can save games.


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Midland men and College View women win 2013 tournament
The Midland Mustangs from Kansas City, Kans., won the 2013 Mid-America men's basketball tournament by edging out the Maplewood Huskies from Hutchinson, Minn., in the championship game by a score of 44-34.
In the women's bracket, the College View Academy Eagles from Lincoln, Neb., defeated the Sunnydale Spartans from Centralia, Mo., 32-27 to take the title.
The annual basketball tournament, hosted by Union College, featured men's and women's teams from eight Seventh-day Adventist high schools across the Midwest. Each team participated in a round-robin tournament on Wednesday through Friday, followed by a single-elimination championship tournament on Saturday night and Sunday.
Keep watching the Union College website and Facebook page for photos from the weekend events. To see all the scores, check out the 2013 tournament page.


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Singapore Banks Tighten Electronic Communication Scrutiny
Sanat VallikappenDBS Group Holdings Ltd., Southeast Asia's largest lender, restricted access to chat rooms, while Singapore rivals United Overseas Bank Ltd. and Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. increased scrutiny on electronic communications.
"In line with evolving industry practice, we have restricted access to chat rooms and enhanced our guidelines to further strengthen governance and controls," DBS said yesterday in an e-mailed statement. UOB said it tightened guidelines and OCBC said it put monitoring protocols in place.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc, UBS AG, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Citigroup Inc. are among banks that have banned or curtailed employees' participation in chat rooms involving other banks. That curbed the multidealer conversations used by traders to agree on transactions, share gossip and exchange tips on business flows.
Bloomberg News reported in June that dealers used chat rooms to pool information about their positions, executed their own trades before client orders and sought to manipulate benchmark rates by pushing through trades around the 60-second windows when they are set.
Investigators from Switzerland to Hong Kong are examining the markets. The Monetary Authority of Singapore, the central bank in Asia's biggest foreign-exchange center, said in October that it has been in touch with foreign regulators over the issue of currency manipulation.
June Censure
Singapore's monetary authority censured 20 banks including the three local lenders in June for trying to rig benchmark interest and currency rates. It ordered 19 of the companies to set aside as much as S$12 billion ($9.4 billion) at zero interest pending steps to improve internal controls.
OCBC, Southeast Asia's second-largest bank, said in an e-mailed statement that all of its employees are guided by a code of conduct that aims to promote integrity and fair dealing.
"In relation to the use of instant messaging tools, our traders and dealers are also constantly made aware of what constitutes proper use of the services and the importance of protecting confidential proprietary information," Frederick Shen, head of OCBC Bank's global treasury business-management unit, said in the statement. "As an additional safeguard, we have put in place monitoring protocols where we selectively review communication conducted over these channels."
Tightening Guidelines
In the June censure, OCBC was among banks asked by the monetary authority to set aside S$700 million to S$800 million, while DBS and UOB were asked to set aside S$400 million to S$600 million.
"As part of industry moves, we have tightened our guidelines on the use of electronic communication for our traders,'' Tan Ping Ping, a UOB spokeswoman, said in an e-mailed statement. "We also monitor the various forms of communication made by our traders, including chat room conversations."
Twenty banks and 133 traders tried to manipulate the Singapore interbank offered rate, swap offered rates and currency benchmarks in the city-state, the Monetary Authority of Singapore said at the time.


text:
Pre-order your Good Luck and Bid Day Baskets!
Use the links below or call us at 662-238-2900 to order yours today!
Bid Day online forms at: http://goo.gl/forms/Kcmv3mtATI3eIXML2
About Us ● Events Calendar ● FAQ ● Contacts
© 2009 The Lily Pad, LLC. All rights reserved. On the Square in Oxford, MS No portion may be copied or redistributed in any form. Custom Web Design by Inkprince™ Shoppers Online:19Visits: 169071


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Email InformationE-mail to Instructor I receive many emails and some require a response, while others do not. The college has a spam service and I accumulate over 100 emails in the spam folder every day. If you require a response, please indicate in your message.
For those of you that send me an email, I would like you, as students, must have the 4 items below. 1) Salutation, or greeting. 2) Subject line: Examples: Math 210 - Question about assignments 3) Body of message. Short message that has proper grammar and spelling. Make your English teacher proud. Use the spell checker. 4) Closing. Examples of emails that I have received ! From: Dear Mr. Tsuji I was wondering if I can know my 4 digit code so I can check my grade From: Can you extend chapter 5 sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 till tomorrow at 4:00pm ? From: Super Nova
Sent: Tuesday, April 19, 2016 12:59 PM To: Christie Tsuji Subject: Re: Math 210 Spring - Take home quiz 1 Thank you Mr. Tsuji!
I had some issues with my work schedule. I came back from disability and couldn't change my schedule right away, but i talked to my manager and she made sure i get Tuesdays & Thursdays off. ...........
miss tsuji i was unable to make the first class appointment due to some trouble. I have my assignment that was due today and I could bring it in tomorrow on my thank you.
I amm in your 212 maath class ...... From: Oluwatobi I was unable to make it to your 630-845 class due to a family issue. I was really trying too add the class is there any possible way I can still get into the class ? The class that is on Monday and Wednesday 630-845. If you could get back to me ASAP that would be greatly appreciated it. Sent from my iPhone -- From: @yahoo.com Dear Mr. Tsuji, May you please extend assignment 13, 16, and 17? I would greatly apreciate if you extended those 3 assignments on my math lab until the day of the final exam. I have your class on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30-8:45pm. Sincerly, Jeannette --- The email addresses have been deleted, but these are actual messages that I have received. |
Office: E37 Phone: ?? |


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March 2011
A 1970s revival is in full swing for spring 2011, with designers focusing on lively prints, breezy jumpsuits, peasant dresses, and wide-leg trousers. But a softened color palette and slinky silhouettes take retro into the 21st century.
Hair & Makeup: Ralffy Burr, Maximum Talent / Posh Salon, Vail; Model: Rachel Zimmerman, Wilhelmina Denver; Fashion Assistant: Alexandria Olson; Background Fabric: Courtesy of Fancy Tiger, 1 S. Broadway, 303-733-3855, fancytiger.com.


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Dunnottar Castle body confirmed as Aberdeen woman Carole Corbett
- 18 June 2013
- From the section NE Scotland, Orkney & Shetland
A woman whose body was recovered from the coastline near Dunnottar Castle in Aberdeenshire has been identified.
Carole Corbett, 49, was reported missing from the Berryden area of Aberdeen last Thursday.
A body was found on Sunday, and police have now confirmed it was Ms Corbett.
A spokesperson said: "There are no suspicious circumstances and as is normal practice, a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal in due course."


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* In Suez Canal city of Port Said, one dead in explosion
* Clerics warn of "civil war" ahead of Sunday rallies
* Army has warned it could step in if violence flares
* Mursi opponents looking for millions to turn out Sunday (Adds identity of American student)
Two people, one an American student, were killed when protesters stormed an office of Egypt's ruling Muslim Brotherhood in Alexandria, adding to growing tension ahead of mass rallies aimed at unseating the Islamist president.
A third man was killed and 10 injured in an explosion during a protest in Port Said, at the mouth of the Suez Canal. Police on Saturday said the cause was unclear but protesters, believing it was a bomb, attacked an Islamist party office in the city.
Egypt's leading religious authority warned of "civil war" after violence in the past week that had already left several dead and hundreds injured. They backed President Mohamed Mursi's offer to talk to opposition groups ahead of Sunday's protests.
The United Nations, European Union and United States have appealed for restraint and urged Egypt's deadlocked political leaders to step back from a confrontation threatening the new democracy that emerged from the Arab Spring revolution of 2011.
The U.S. embassy said in a statement it was evacuating non-essential staff and family members and renewed a warning to Americans not to travel to Egypt unless they had to.
The Muslim Brotherhood said eight of its offices had been attacked on Friday, including the one in Alexandria. Officials said more than 70 people had been injured in the clashes in the city. One was shot dead and a young American man who was using a small camera died after being stabbed in the chest.
He was identified as Andrew Pochter, a 21-year-old student from Chevy Chase, Maryland who had been studying at Ohio's Kenyon College. The college said he had been working as an intern for the U.S. educational organisation AMIDEAST.
A Brotherhood member was also killed overnight in an attack on a party office at Zagazig, in the heavily populated Nile Delta, where much of the recent violence has been concentrated. Mursi's movement said five supporters in all had died this week.
"Vigilance is required to ensure we do not slide into civil war," said clerics at Cairo's ancient Al-Azhar institute, one of the most influential centres of scholarship in the Muslim world.
In a statement broadly supportive of Mursi, they backed his offer of dialogue and blamed "criminal gangs" who besieged mosques for the violence. The Brotherhood warned of "dire consequences" and "a violent spiral of anarchy".
It accused liberal leaders, including former U.N. diplomat Mohamed ElBaradei, of personally inciting violence by hired "thugs" once loyal to ousted dictator Hosni Mubarak.
Opposition leaders condemned the violence. The army, which has warned it could intervene if political leaders lose control, issued a statement saying it had deployed across the country to protect citizens and installations of national importance.
In the capital, Cairo, tens of thousands turned out for rival events some miles apart and there was little trouble. An Islamist rally included calls to reconciliation. On Tahrir Square, cradle of the uprising against Mubarak, there was a festive atmosphere and a determination to shake Mursi on Sunday.
In Alexandria, as several thousand anti-Mursi protesters marched along the seafront, a Reuters reporter saw about a dozen men throw rocks at guards outside the Brotherhood office. They responded. Bricks and bottles flew. Guns were fired.
Officials said dozens were wounded by birdshot. The party office was ransacked and documents were burned, watched by jubilant youths chanting against Egypt's Islamist leaders.
In Port Said, a bastion of anti-Islamist sentiment, police had suspected an accident but later said a device exploded among protesters. Canal traffic has not been affected by violence.
Islamists gathered round a Cairo mosque after weekly prayers to show support for Mursi. His opponents hope millions will turn out on Sunday to demand he step down, a year to the day after he was sworn in as Egypt's first freely chosen leader.
Mursi, backed by the Brotherhood, has dismissed such demands as an assault on democracy, setting up an angry confrontation.
"I came to support the legitimate order," said Ahmed al-Maghrabi, 37, a shopkeeper from the Nile Delta city of Mansoura whose hand bore grazes from street fighting there this week. "I am with the elected president. He needs to see out his term."
Some speakers reflected fear and anger among Islamists that opponents aim to suppress them as Mubarak did. But there was also talk from the podium of the need for dialogue - a concern also of international powers worried by the bitter polarisation.
A few hundred opposition protesters gathered outside the presidential palace, a focus for Sunday's rally. Mursi has moved elsewhere. Thousands turned out after dark in Tahrir Square, waving national flags and sampling street food.
Abdelhamid Nada, a 32-year-old accountant, had come from the provinces with eight friends to camp out "until Mursi goes". "The Muslim Brotherhood has no plan at all," he said, standing by his white tent. "They don't have any economic plan, they don't have any social plan, they don't have any political plan."
The army, which heeded mass protests in early 2011 to push Mubarak aside, has warned it will intervene again if there is violence, and to defend the "will of the people". Both sides believe that means the military may support their positions.
The United States, which funds Egypt's army as it did under Mubarak, has urged compromise and respect for election results. Egypt's 84 million people, control of Suez and its peace treaty with Israel all contribute to its global strategic importance.
U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon urged Egyptians to respect "universal principles of peaceful dialogue". European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton called for peaceful protests, building trust and a "spirit of dialogue and tolerance".
In Alexandria, opposition marchers said they feared the Brotherhood was usurping the revolution to entrench its power and Islamic law. Others had economic grievances, among them huge lines for fuel caused by supply problems and panic buying.
"I've nothing to do with politics, but with the state we're in now, even a stone would cry out," said 42-year-old accountant Mohamed Abdel Latif. "There are no services, we can't find diesel or gasoline. We elected Mursi, but this is enough.
"Let him make way for someone else who can fix it."
It is hard to gauge how many may turn out on Sunday, but even those sympathetic to Islamic ideas are frustrated by the economic slump and many blame the government.
Previous protest movements since the fall of Mubarak have failed to gather momentum, however, among a population anxious for stability and fearful of further economic hardship.


text:
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Tom Thumb told the management of Highland Park Village shopping center Friday that it will close its store there sometime in the next 12 months.
The exit has been rumored for months, but the shopping center and Tom Thumb declined to comment until now.
Tom Thumb's parent company, California-based Safeway, said this week that it's in talks to sell the entire company.
That makes Tom Thumb's reason for saying it will leave, all the more curious.
But Tom Thumb president Paul McTavish said the store is "too small and outmoded by today's supermarket standards with no opportunity for on-site expansion."
He said there's a larger Tom Thumb one mile west of the Highland Park Village on Inwood Road.
McTavish also said Tom Thumb is looking for a larger location in the surrounding Highland Park area to build a bigger store. Tom Thumb stores average 46,000 square feet, compared to the Highland Park location at only 18,500 square feet.
Some Highland Park residents have been critical of changes at the shopping center in the past couple of years. Williams-Sonoma also closed its store there last month. The shopping center management is amassing a more exclusive collection of stores.


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Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce
Membership Application
Membership Benefits
Official Website
Newsletter Signup
Networking Meetups
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Howard Jewelry & Loan
Howard Jewelry and Loan had some beautiful items, going from guitars, to necklaces, to ipods, cameras, dolls... An interesting store who has lovely employees, they are more than worth a look around. You might find your own personal treasure.
Howard Jewelry Loan has rearranged it's interior, new photos coming soon!
Newer Post
Older Post


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I'm trying to do a comparison every 15 minutes and keep a target database up to date. I have fields whereby I can filter what has been added, and what has been changed in the last 15 minutes.
Problem is, adding that filter makes it want to "insert" all records that have changed, because they don't appear to be in the target data because they have not changed there. Is there a way to force the generation of SQL to always make update statement not inserts?


text:
The mod you are trying to view has ceased development and consequently been archived. If you are a member of this mod, can demonstrate that it is being actively developed and will be able to keep this profile up to date with the latest news, images, videos and downloads, please contact us with all details and we will consider its re-activation.
The year is 2055. After a war that destroyed much of the Western world, order is finally returning to the city of Sydney. As the surviving occupants of what used to be the grand city of Sydney rebuild, the self-appointed government of arrogant businessmen, rich families funded by drug dealing and careless millionaires, who only care about the rich. The "normal" people are stuck in distant suburbs with run-down housing, high crime rates and an intermittent food supply. But the government don't care. They just lock you out of the city unless you can afford to live there, give you basic supplies and send you on your way. Even worse, outside of Sydney, everything is ruled by the malicious military composed of convicted murderers, psychopaths and violent police. It's a harsh world, and our only hope lies with the Rebels, a group of rebellious people who are constantly battling the military. We need some sort of miracle to restore order to what used to be a grand city.
No features were found matching the criteria specified. We suggest you try the feature list with no filter applied, to browse all available. Join now to share your own content, we welcome creators and consumers alike and look forward to your comments.


text:
But you must see my point RF. They brought him back too soon last season and it was a disaster. You would think he would consider that before he starts barking to get him on the field just a few days into camp.
And I don't buy the timing argument either. This is his 5th season in this offense and he needs to get healthy more than he needs to work on his "timing".
If he's healthy, he'll be great.


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SchoolBus Performance Series
The 2016-17 SchoolBus Performance Series is open to public school, private/parochial school, homeschool, and accredited pre-school and daycare organizations. Age requirement to attend is at least four (4) years of age.
2016-17 SchoolBus Order Form (online submission)
2016-17 SchoolBus Brochure
Planning Your Field Trip
Bus Transportation Funding Assistance
Monday, October 24, 2016 - 9:45 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
Peter Rabbit Tales
Based on the Original Peter Rabbit Books by Beatrix Potter
Performed by Enchantment Theatre Company, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Recommended Grade Levels: PK-4
In celebration of Beatrix Potter's 150th birthday anniversary, Enchantment Theatre Company brings the captivating Peter Rabbit stories to life. Using fantastic masks, whimsical puppets, gorgeous scenery, and original music, the magical world of Beatrix comes to life on stage. This show allows imaginations to soar. Join the famed blue-coated rabbit as he and cousin Benjamin Bunny reminisce on their adventures in Mr. McGregor's garden and with the help of their friends, set off on a new quest to save Benjamin Bunny's children!
Curriculum Connections: Literature, Visual Arts and Drawing, Performing Arts: Theater, Music, Dance; Language Arts: Reading and Creative Writing as storytelling with a focus on the concepts of imagination, creativity and problem-solving
Click here to view the Peter Rabbit Tales study guide and classroom activities.
With support from...
Tuesday, November 15, 2016 - 9:45 a.m. (FULL)
Step Afrika!
Based in Washington D.C.
Recommended Grade Levels: 2-9
Discover the world of stepping! Like a tap dance without shoes, or a band without instruments, stepping is percussive dance that uses kicks, stomps, claps, and chants–all linked to African and modern dance traditions. As the first professional company devoted to stepping, this world renowned group brings a high-energy feast for both the eyes and ears. Step Afrika! promotes stepping as an educational tool for young people, focusing on teamwork, academic achievement, and cross-cultural understanding.
Curriculum Connections: Multi-Cultural, Music, Dance, Storytelling, History, Performing and Visual Arts
View the Step Afrika! Study Guide.
With support from...
Tuesday, December 6, 2016 - 9:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.
The Let's Go Science Show
Based in Santa Rosa, California
Recommended Grade Levels: K-3 (morning show); 4-8 (afternoon show)
Wacky Professor Smart and his comedic sidekick Dr. Knowitall join forces for an educational, experimental extravaganza. Professor Smart has peoples' hair standing on end while he demonstrates principles of physics. Through memorable demonstrations, students learn about: states of matter, Newton's Law of Gravity, air pressure, static electricity, The Scientific Method, levers and fulcrums, and so much more. Lots of audience interaction is guaranteed with these two circus legends.
Curriculum Connections: Science, Chemistry, Physics, Visual Arts
Let's Go Science K-3 Take Home Materials
Let's Go Science K-3 Study Materials
Let's Go Science 4-8 Take Home Materials
Let's Go Science 4-8 Study Materials
With support from...
Monday, January 30, 2017 - 9:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. (BOTH FULL)
Everybody's Hero: Jackie Robinson Story
Performed by Mad River Theater Works, based in Ohio
Recommended Grade Levels: 3-9
It was no accident that Jackie Robinson was chosen as the first ballplayer to break the color barrier in the sport known as America's pastime. He had to be strong enough to stand up to the teammates who would ridicule him, the pitchers who would throw at him, and the fans who would send him threats. This play, with live music by Mad River Theater Works, illustrates the events that shaped Jackie Robinson's character, his struggle to gain acceptance, and the tremendous obstacles he overcame on his way to changing the face of our nation and our national pastime.
Curriculum Connections: History, Music, Multi-Cultural, Performing and Visual Arts, Theatre Education, Communication and Language Arts, Values-Based
Click Everybody's Hero Final Study Guide to view the Jackie Robinson study guide.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017 - 9:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. (BOTH FULL)
Pete the Cat
A musical based on the popular book series by Kimberly and James Dean.
Performed by Theatre USA, based in New York
Recommended Grade Levels: K-3
Pete the Cat never loses his cool. Jimmy Biddle never strays from his routine. That is, until the groovy blue cat moves in with The Biddles for the summer. Can cat and boy ever be friends? When Jimmy draws a blank in art class, Pete's the perfect pal to lead the mission to help Jimmy find his inspiration. Join Jimmy and Pete on a new adventure of friendship, all the way to Paris and back again in a VW Bus.
Curriculum Connections: Communication and Language Arts, Literature-Based, Reading, Music, Relationships and Family, Theatre Education, Performing and Visual Arts
Click here to view the study guide.
Monday, March 6, 2017 - 9:45 a.m. (FULL) and 12:15 p.m.
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Based on the "Little House" Book Series
Performed by ArtsPower National Touring Theater, based in New Jersey
Recommended Grade Levels: 2-6
Laura and her family travel across America in search of a place they can call home. Facing obstacles such as scarlet fever and eviction from their land, their pioneering spirit and family bonds are tested, but never broken. This uplifting story of one of America's most beloved authors demonstrates a historical perspective on how a young woman discovers her personal values and builds relationships. The literature is expertly adapted for the stage in a musical format by ArtsPower National Touring Theatre.
Curriculum Connections: Family Relationships, History, Language/Communication Skills, Literature-Based, Music, Values-Based, Performing and Visual Arts, Theatre Education
Click here to view the Laura Ingalls Wilder study guide.
Monday, March 27, 2017 - 9:45 a.m. (FULL)
Brown Bear, Brown Bear & Other Treasured Eric Carle Stories
Performed by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia
Recommended Grade Levels: PK-3
Mermaid's new production will bring together old favorites and new friends. Featuring evocative music, stunning visual effects, and innovative puppetry, the triple-bill highlights three of Eric Carle's most beloved tales. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, is joined by a whimsical cast of adventurous animals drawn from the pages of Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? The poignant story of a young girl's unusual quest, Papa Please Get The Moon For Me, fills out the hour for a performance which both entertains and educates.
Curriculum Connections: Innovative Puppetry, Literature-based, Theatre Education, Performing and Visual Arts
View Brown Bear classroom ideas and study guide.
Monday, April 3, 2017 - 9:45 a.m. (FULL) and 12:15 p.m.
Number the Stars (Holocaust Story)
Based on the book by Lois Lowry
Performed by GreatWorks Theatre Company, based in Chicago
Recommended Grade Levels: 4-9
In 1943, when the call went out to round up Denmark's Jewish families, thousands of non-Jewish Danes worked together to smuggle their Jewish friends and neighbors across the water to neutral Sweden, and safety. Lois Lowry writes the story of Annemarie Johannsen's family, who lives in Copenhagen, downstairs from her best friend, Ellen Rosen. When the call-up for Ellen's family goes out, Annemarie's family springs into action, spiriting Ellen away to the shore, in preparation for the journey across the sea. But before they get that far, Annemarie will have to step into the fray, and put her own life at risk for the sake of saving her friend.
Note: Performance duration is 70 minutes.
View the Number the Stars Study Guide.
Curriculum Connections: History, Literature-Based, Communication and Language Arts, Theatre Education, Performing and Visual Arts
Monday, May 1, 2017 - 9:45 a.m.
James and the Giant Peach
Performed by the UD Department of Fine and Performing Arts
Recommended Grade Levels: 3-8
James and the Giant Peach was the first of Roald Dahl's well-known children's stories that he completed. It tells the story of James Henry Trotter and his horrible aunts – and how some magic beans, a peach tree, and a collection of interesting insects conspire to change his life. Adapted into a musical, the story comes to life with innovative puppetry, a spunky soundtrack, and bright characters that will have you on the edge of your seat.
Note: Performance duration is 75 minutes.
Curriculum Connections: Literature-Based, Communication and Language Arts, Relationships and Family, Music, Theatre Education, Performing and Visual Arts
Click here for James and the Giant Peach lesson plans.


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If you search for information on bullying on the internet, you get a ton of
pictures of bullied elementary age kids and teenage girls verbally abusing each
other in the school hallways. There is little to nothing about bullying amongst
teenage boys. Besides the stereotype of
the scrawny geek getting shoved into the locker on the television shows, no one
wants to talk about High School boys being bullied. When you hear about a boy
being bullied, you picture scrawny, small, weak, geeky. But what about the boy who is six foot tall,
kind, gentle, and thoughtful? Is this the typical target of a bully? Is he our
anti-bullying poster child?
As a school employee, I get the benefit of being at my kids' school from
time to time. Today was one of those days. I love the random moments during the
day when I get to look up and see one of my children winking, waving, or
sticking their tongue out at me as they walk down the hall. Today; however,
when I saw my son coming down the hall, it was not joy that filled my heart, it
was panic, anger, and pain. You see, when he looked at me, he was not smiling.
He was not waving. He was bloody. He was swollen. You could see the pain, the
emotional hurt, but most of all...you could very obviously see a broken spirit.
The circumstances were perfect. Perfectly ironic. A lockdown drill, a locked
locker room and the coach had stepped out. The bully had his chance, knowing
that he had time, that even by the time the coach notices them missing, he
would have to unlock the door to get to them. In a moment when the school is
preparing and learning the proper procedures to protect its students, mine was
being physically attacked.
My son is not the world's best communicator, but he will do his best to work
through anything with anyone. He doesn't want to learn to protect himself
because he cares too much for others and cannot bear the thought of causing
anyone pain, even if they are hurting him. He knew his father would chide him
for not fighting back, yet he pleads with me that self defense classes are not
what he wants.
He doesn't want anyone to know. This young man, my baby boy who stands a foot taller than me is
ashamed that he was tortured this way.
Although ashamed, beaten, and broken, my son was strong enough - amidst his
fear of retaliation - to file criminal charges against his attacker even though
the school only punished the boy with three simple days in ISS.
I don't know what is going to happen from here, but I do know one thing. It's
about time we stop avoiding the subject and start protecting our children!
Originally posted on my other blog, Kaci Lusk Tutoring


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Hello, everyone! My name's Marissa and I'm happy to be here. As a kid, I grew up on DBZ, among other titles. I became more interested in anime about a year ago, when I watched parts of KGNE. Since then, I've been hooked. Now I love anime, especially anime that is romantic. I'm also a fan of shoujo manga, as you can see from my avatar.
My Rating Scale:
5- A masterpiece. I love this show to death.
4.5- Exceptional.
4-Excellent. I really liked this. It stands out to me.
3.5- Very Good.
gin-left: 5px; padding: 0px">3- Good (Average). I enjoyed it, but I've seen better, and I've seen worse.
2.5- Acceptable / Decent.
2- Below average. I liked some aspects, but other things were annoying and/or painful for me to watch.
1.5- Eh. Take it or leave it.
1- Ew. There was very little I liked about this title.
0.5- Completely horrible.
All of my ratings are based strictly on enjoyment.
1,491 total episodes
Of course!! The most recent chapter is so adorable!!!...That is, the most recent chapter in Japanese. I won't spoil it if you're on the American release.
Haha. Yeah, I like the one where there at the claw machine and she pops out to help. haha. Good stuff.
Haha. Yeah. My new avatar and my new signature are both ones I made of Fuko.
I know how you feel - I adore them all so much!!!
But in Fruits Basket, it's Kagura, Tohru, and Kyo. And in Ouran, it's Tamaki, by far. He's just so adorable! I think he might be my favorite fictional character, ever.
Finally got that USC ap out of the way and am now officially $75 poorer! ><
Currently finishing up my lower division work for a Civil-Structural Engineering degree; basically I'll be working with constructing and maintaining bridges, buildings, and the like. Lots of fun with concrete and steel. I'm definitely going to get a B.S. degree, perhaps a Masters, but no Doctorate. Probably 2-4 more years of schooling to go.
And no romance is fine for me; romance is just one of the genres I enjoy. In fact, none of my top 5 are really romance save for CotS...and the romance is rather minimal in that (or more like slow since it's very realistic.) To be honest, I'm not really sure why I like romance to begin with...it's not like it's really a part of my life. Who knows? XD


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Have you ever had a problem where you get a HTTP 403 error from submitting a form?
Does this form have a field that submits a URL?
If yes to the above two questions, I think I know the problem you're having, and have a solution. It's to do with mod_security (an Apache module) and the 'http://' part of the URL.


text:
Story highlights
- Greek lawmakers pass new austerity measures despite protests
- Clashes break out in Athens between different groups of protesters and police
- One protester dies after cardiac arrest, hospital officials say
- European Union leaders worry that Greek debt threatens the euro
Greek lawmakers voted to approve a new round of tough budget-cutting measures Thursday, despite a second day of angry protests in which one demonstrator died.
Tens of thousands rallied outside the parliament building as lawmakers debated the unpopular measures, aimed at bringing down the country's huge national debt.
After a peaceful start, violent clashes broke out between anarchist rioters and the police, and between the anarchists and some union demonstrators who wanted to keep the protest calm.
Tear gas was fired into the crowd, while rocks and fire bombs were thrown.
The protester who died was a member of the PAME workers' union, lawmaker Makis Voridis told parliament. Hospital officials told CNN he was a 53-year-old man who suffered cardiac arrest.
The Greek minister for health said the demonstrator had been taken to an Athens hospital without a pulse and could not be revived, but he had no injuries. Earlier reports suggested he had been injured.
Lawmakers approved the austerity measures by 154 in favor to 144 against, despite nationwide protests and a two-day strike that has gripped the country.
The new bill is expected to lead to around 30,000 job losses and further cuts to wages and pensions for workers in the public sector.
"We have no hope. The only hope we have is the strength of the people," said protester Vagelis Filezis, a civil engineer, before the vote.
He said Europe's leaders were trying "to save the banks but they don't think about the people."
And he warned Italy and Spain, which are also facing debt crises: "Look at us. This is where you will be in two to three years."
Organizers had urged protesters from all over the country to come to Athens Thursday, suggesting the crowd could be larger than the 70,000-plus police estimated Wednesday.
Organizers estimated the turnout Wednesday at 120,000, which would make it one of the biggest protests in the country in years.
Police said there were about 40,000 people on the streets Thursday morning -- fewer than at the same time a day earlier -- and about 3,000 police officers.
The mood early in the day was good-natured, but when violence erupted later it was unusual for the fighting that broke out between different groups of protesters,as well as confrontations with police.
On Wednesday, clashes between protesters and police in front of the Greek parliament building left at least six protesters and 15 police officers injured, authorities said. At least 15 people were arrested.
Some marchers Thursday accused the government of planting troublemakers in the crowd to spark violence.
"They have never been caught," said teacher Thannasis Karametsus. "Why not?"
Protesters aimed to shut down wide sectors of the country during the two-day national strike.
"Don't bow your head, it's time for resistance and struggle," marchers chanted in the capital Wednesday as they gathered for the union-backed demonstration.
"I'm here for my children and everyone else's children. Those punks in there have destroyed everyone's lives," said former railway worker Diamandis Goufas, 62, pointing at parliament.
Greeks are angry at yet another round of planned austerity measures as Greece tries to bring down its stratospheric debt.
Lawmakers are trying to cut government costs to reassure international backers it is doing enough to earn the bailout funds they have promised to pour into the country.
European Union leaders are scrambling to minimize the effect of Greece's debt on their common currency, the euro.
Over the weekend, finance ministers from the world's largest economies pledged their commitment to take "all necessary actions" to stabilize markets.
They aim to keep banks well capitalized so they can weather the effects of any defaults by Greece or other indebted countries, such as Portugal, Spain, Ireland or Italy.
But there appears to be a split between France and Germany -- Europe's two largest economies -- on how to do it.
Germany has stressed that individual European states should inject capital into domestic banks that lack sufficient buffers. But analysts say France is opposed to this idea because it could jeopardize the nation's top-tier credit rating.
European leaders are expected to hear concrete details about how the plan might work at a European Council meeting Sunday.
European Union heads of state are widely expected to finalize the plan in early November at a meeting of the Group of 20 world economic powers.


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The gifts
were wrapped, cookies baked and car packed, but I was struggling with the
deviled eggs. The stubborn shells refused to release the hard-boiled eggs from
their protective wrapping without a fight and I was getting frustrated.
This is not my job, I thought. Dad always brought
deviled eggs to my house for special events. And Grandpa Coy always made them
for Christmas Eve at his house. So now the baton has passed to me. I used Dad's
recipe and completed my task, but my heart was heavy.
With everyone
ready to leave for Christmas Eve at my Mom's house (our new tradition)—I needed
to put on the brakes. I needed time to grieve.
In the last six years we have lost seven family members aged 14-months
to 90 years old. Christmas makes me acutely aware of their absences.
I gave
myself permission to grieve and spent time alone with God in prayer. Christmas will never be the same! I
poured out my heart to Him in my prayer journal.
Then I placed
the deviled-eggs on Grandpa's glass tray and headed out the door—to celebrate
the birth of my Savior with my family, those precious people who have walked
this hard road with me. And together we are forging a new road, with new
If you are
missing someone this Christmas (or several some ones) I hope you will carve out
a little space to let yourself grieve. And let God refresh you so that you can
rejoice in all He brought to us that day so many years ago when He stepped into
time to give us eternity.


text:
Welcome to the Monastery | |
PerlMonks |
Comment on |
( #3333=superdoc: print w/replies, xml ) | Need Help?? |
Kyle, Here's a few books that will help you. - PERL CD Bookshelf 3.0 (searchable html) - MySQL and Perl for the Web (Paul DuBois) Mostly alot of reading CPAN modules, for SNMP/SSH. I have spent the last 5 years developing tools you are mentioning in your question. I use mysql as the backend database, after I found the limits of flat files w/parallel processes a DB table was the only way to store data. How do you move a mountain? Once rock at a time. Joe In reply to Re: Programming Perl
by t_rex_joe


text:
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) on Friday won a federal judge's approval for a $2.43 billion settlement with investors who said the lender hid crucial information when it bought Merrill Lynch & Co.
The accord, among the largest investor settlements stemming from the recent global financial crisis, was approved by U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel in Manhattan.
Castel called the settlement "fair, reasonable and adequate," and said it culminated an "extraordinarily hard-fought litigation."
Bank of America had agreed to buy Merrill in an all-stock deal initially valued at $50 billion on September 15, 2008, the same day that Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc went bankrupt.
But Merrill ended up losing $15.84 billion in that year's fourth quarter, even as it awarded $3.62 billion of bonuses to employees. Bank of America ultimately obtained a federal bailout, since repaid, to absorb Merrill.
Shareholders including the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio and the Teachers Retirement System of Texas said Merrill's mounting losses and bonus plans should have been disclosed before investors voted on the merger in December 2008.
The accord with the second-largest U.S. bank was announced in September, and won preliminary court approval in December.
"We are very proud of this result," Max Berger, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said at the hearing.
Bank of America denied the plaintiffs' allegations, but Chief Executive Brian Moynihan has said the settlement would remove uncertainty for the Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank.
Daniel Kramer, a lawyer for the bank, declined to comment at the hearing. A spokeswoman, Jessica Oppenheim, did not immediately respond to requests for comment after the hearing.
Since buying mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp in July 2008 and Merrill six months later, Bank of America has incurred more than $40 billion of extra costs for litigation, writedowns and mortgage buybacks, analysts have said.
The company still faces a variety of litigation over its mortgage operations, which have shrunk significantly in size, and over its underwriting of mortgage securities.
Bank of America is among 17 banks and lenders facing lawsuits by the Federal Housing Finance Agency over losses suffered by Fannie Mae (FNMA.OB) and Freddie Mac (FMCC.OB) on mortgage securities.
The FHFA has sued Bank of America over $57.5 billion of securities, more than any other bank, that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bought, and which were sponsored or underwritten by Bank of America, Countrywide or Merrill.
Bank of America shares closed up 3 cents at $11.97 on the New York Stock Exchange on Friday.
Castel also awarded three law firms representing the plaintiffs about $160.5 million, including $152.4 million in fees.
"The lawyers did a very fine job of keeping their eye on the job," he said.
The case is: In re: Bank of America Corp Securities, Derivative, and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) Litigation, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 09-md-02058.
(Reporting by Bernard Vaughan; Additional reporting by Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Gary Hill, Dale Hudson and Leslie Adler)
Published Date: Apr 07, 2013 12:00 am | Updated Date: Apr 07, 2013 12:00 am


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Regine Deforges regine deforgesRegine Deforges 1 pictures. Visited: 466Share this content:TweetCommon setsAppear in same categoriesCarmen Electra1 vids
Carmen Electra will show you how to train your muscles to be matchless in the bed. Having a sporty body Carmen expands the underpinning in leg-split and teaches the ladies to be perfect in all postural poses which you can imagine in bed's games.. Carmen Electra amazing instructions by alluring carmen electra |
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text:
I have it: 95 I had it: 55 I want it: 96
Designers » T-Z » Valentino Floral Green « Groups
I have it: 95 I had it: 55 I want it: 96
Valentino Rock'n Rose Pret-A-Porter arrives in 2008 inspired by the first Rock'n Rose and Valentino's favorite flower, rose.
The composition features fresh notes of bergamot, black currant, crispy green, cassis, rose, gardenia, lily of the valley, orange blossom, sandalwood, orris root, musk, vanilla and heliotrope.
The new edition brings elegant and light notes suitable for daytime wear. Valentino Rock`n Rose Pret-A-Porter is available as 50ml (1.7 fl.oz.) and 90ml (3.1 fl.oz.) EDT.
Perfume rating: 3.58 out of 5 with 128 votes.
Top Notes
Middle Notes
Base Notes
drag slider to vote
poor | 0 | |
weak | 4 | |
moderate | 11 | |
long lasting | 1 | |
very long lasting | 0 |
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Rock n' Rose? Really?
No, really? This is about as rock and roll as a Marchesa gown. The opening is a very soft, lovely rose, fit for a soft, lovely English rose for example. As it dries down it starts to smell vaguely off on me. Not my favorite.
simply gorgeous..when you first spray it you are in awe ..its so perfumee ..in a light enchanting way so fresh so beautiful serene and lovely feminine yet young sweet yet not so overwhelmingly so ..flowery in just the right amount its a perfect blend of heavenly matched accords..its breath taking..its pure ..fine..elegant..soft..yet charming..captivating.. mesmerizing..its almost soapy clean ..so lightly rosy ..a faint hint musky...with a bit of light woods white woods even sandal wood in the background..the orange blossom make it sing .so alive so natural..the black currents gives it depth and subtle sweetness and mystery ..the Ci truce notes make oh so fresh .the flowers make it sensual..and everything together makes it a winner..
a perfume fit for a romantic afternoon date..with a pink chiffon dress and tea and pastel roses and macaroons in a side cafe in Monaco..
as it dries down and melts in to your skin it turns and twists in so many ways.. you almost become one..it stays close to your skin and keeps you clean fresh and sensual..and very french..
sadly it doesn't stay so long as in the case of most orange blossoms..you will just have to keep reapplying to stay i heaven and those around you..
perfume rating 4.3out 5
bottle ratting 3 out 5
50 ml edt
bught from sephora at about 100 us $
I had this perfume years ago when i was 13 years old and since then i've never forgot it's smell..
It's such a nice perfume, warm and conforting and the bottle is just lovely!
I don't think it's too heavy or overpowering, i remember thinking it was the ideal perfume for me at a very young age.
The only reason i never got a new bottle after it finished was because i never found it in a perfume shop again, i live in Portugal and bought it in a trip to England.
I got this as a present. i like it. sometimes, it´s a very unique scent but it can be heady and a little bit overpowering, i can´t wear it near my mom since it gives her headaches, but i still like it, if you don´t like roses don´t get this. it´s a warm conforting rose though, at first i didn´t love it, but it is slowly winning me over..
I love this! A nice, sweet floral that isn't over-the-top with rose, despite the name. I have rarely liked any rose perfumes, but smelled this on someone else and loved it. It is just a very pretty, flowery, scent that is warm. That is a combination I love! Lasting power is horrible, and that's the only reason I didn't buy a bottle of it right away, although I may break down and do it eventually.
I am so surprised to see so many other reviews mention its short lasting power - for me, it was the opposite. In fact, this is, after Giorgio Beverly Hills, the first fragrance to linger on my skin despite a shower.
I was surprised to see Cassis listed - the first whiff I got was Grapefruit and powder for me, which then slowly fades into roses, something a little chemical, as well as a vanilla that stays perfectly in the background and just oozes a little warmth from underneath. Very lovely scent.
I am not fond of the opening - it is sharp and smells a bit too "chemical" and artificial on me. But the dry down is really nice - soft, creamy, sensual and feminine! Stayng power is low though but that seems to be true for most rose fragrances I've come across, including Rose The One by D&G and Moroccon Rose from The Body Shop (both of which are lovely!).
Its perfect for people who are looking for smooth, light rose scent with the vanilla touch. Its comfortably sweet and has very little/or no green component.
I really like Valentino's Rock n Rose Pret-a-Porter.
The beginning of the fragrance is a citrusy-rose type of scent. That is a little unusual, but I like it. The fragrantica scent classification lists it as a floral green. I get the floral, but not the green so much. On me, the rose, musk, vanilla, and lily of the valley really stand out as the main bases for this perfume. It's a little sweet, but pleasantly so-not overwhelming or oppresive at all. Out of a 1-10, I'd give it an 8.
All in all, I find it a worthy summer scent for the office. It's just subtle and classy enough to wear, but at the same time it weaves a little scent magic that says, Get a little closer'.
It's great but it smells just like the original. All 3 of them smell the same. Haven't tried the latest one but I'm hoping it's different.
This smells good.I like the bottle too it is so heavy but reminds me of a big nail polish! I smell rose and something sweet in this I want a bottle!
I definitely prefer Prêt-à-porter to the original Rock 'n Rose though, I must admit, Rock 'n Rose is a very nice fragrance itself. Prêt-à-porter is much softer and quite suitable for office wear. It is a very well-done perfume: all the ingredients are in perfect proportion; delicious "vanilla and rose cocktail" makes this fragrance very warm and cozy. Too bad it doesn't stay long on the skin but it smells soooo good! It is sweet but not overwhelming candy-like sweet. Ideal for winter, since it's a warm scent, and perfect for summer, because of a fragrant, flirty rose. A must-have for an upcoming Valentine's Day.
Very light,sweet and rosey with a faint smell of vanilla. The lasting power isnt great but I love this pefume. Feminine and soft but notta whole lotta Rockin..
I like this best of rock&rose
It's fresh and nice and not sweet
It's a very sweet, powdery fragrance, not bad, but not as good as I would like. Not long lasting, but at first strong.
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Like no other time in recent history, our world is challenged. Disease, environmental deterioration, disasters, and now the widespread disruption of financial markets test the resourcefulness of society.
Over the past 40 years, GIS has evolved from a tool for managing projects to a framework for understanding and responding to problems on scales ranging from the local to the global. The geographic approach has become an important methodology for integrating data and information and enabling better decision making. The availability of quality geospatial data, together with improvements in software and hardware performance, has made these advances possible.
With the move to an object-oriented platform, ArcGIS is better able to abstract and model the world, representing and integrating information about complex systems and modeling their behaviors. This is true whether the subject under study is as broad as an ocean or limited to a neighborhood.
The development of spatial data infrastructures (SDIs) represents the next logical step in the expansion of GIS use for data management and decision support. SDIs use accepted data and metadata standards in the creation of well-documented foundation datasets. Used with constantly updated operational data, SDIs make data more accessible and useful for specific tasks and analyses and save time while sharing costs. SDIs, together with GIS software, unlock the information contained in the terabytes of measurements, images, transactions, and other data stored in digital form by placing it in a geographic context.
The phenomenal growth of the Internet has multiplied the value of SDIs by enhancing the dissemination of data and information products. The newest release of Esri software, ArcGIS 9.3.1, is focused on making information more consumable using the Internet. It supplies tools for configuring and deploying responsive and informative Web maps that help users accomplish specific tasks.
In February 2009, the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat) awarded a contract for the development of the technical components of a Web-based GIS. The contract went to a consortium that based its solution on Esri technology.
These components will comply with the provisions of the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE). In establishing INSPIRE, the European Commission recognized the importance of quality georeferenced information to the understanding of the complex interactions between human activities and environmental pressures and impacts.
Two articles in the Focus section of this issue of ArcUser magazine provide additional examples of the value of building geospatial infrastructures to address complex problems and provide tangible benefits.
Maintaining water quality is essential to the health of the environment. Although water quality monitoring has been ongoing for decades, this abundance of measurement data cannot be translated into effective regulation and remediation action if it is not accessible, placed in geographic context, and amenable to analysis.
The staff of Region 4 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency developed a geodatabase that manages current and historical water quality data and allows for rapid and flexible inquiry, analysis, and dissemination of this data and the information derived from it. This geodatabase, loaded into an ArcSDE server, uses feature classes, reformatted tables, and relationship classes. Information can be viewed as layer files generated from query definitions or queried by feature. This information is available from the desktop or distributed as ArcReader projects.
The benefits accrued from a geospatial infrastructure are greatly multiplied at larger scales as demonstrated by the marine SDI developed by the Portuguese Instituto Hidrografico. The SDI created by this naval organization integrates an abundance of sea monitoring data, prediction data, navigation charts, and base data using international data format standards and data models. A fully stipulated data policy and metadata for all geospatial data ensure data quality and promote data reuse. A wide range of information products generated for public, private, and military use are widely disseminated through Web portals. In addition, the SDI provides ad hoc decision support for the navy.
As these articles show, GIS professionals will play a more important role than ever in helping understand complex systems. With the development of SDIs, GIS professionals will be better able to apply GIS to transform data into knowledge. Aided by increasingly powerful tools in GIS, they can gain a better understanding of the world's complex systems and help develop a more sustainable future.


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December 30, 2012 Community Cinema WILL's monthly series of award-winning, independent documentaries from the Independent Television Services screened and discussed at the Spurlock Museum on the campus of the University of Illinois.
December 28, 2012 Illinois Youth Media Illinois Youth Media is the umbrella name for youth media projects generated and supported by Illinois Public Media at the University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois.
July 21, 2012 Health & Wellness Initiatives Engage with initiatives in east central Illinois that are attemping to reduce obesity and encourage active living, access to healthy food, shared family meals, and safe routes to school and work.
June 01, 2012 Youth Media Workshop Empowering economically diverse African-American youth from public schools to make media and social change
May 31, 2012 Community Conversations Listening to communities in east central Illinois talk about their concerns, needs, hopes, and dreams.
January 29, 2012 Growing Hope Against Hunger Looking at unmet needs for accessible, fresh, healthy food and getting it to the table in east central Illinois.
Photo from Wikimedia Commons January 01, 2012 University High Documentaries Since 1995, Illinois Public Media has worked with students at University of Illinois Laboratory High School to produce radio documentaries.


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Volunteering for Committees
One of the best ways to use the leadership skills that you learn in the Emerging Leaders program is to volunteer for a committee. ALA members can serve on up to three committees at a time, and there are committees that suit every possible skill and interest. This guide links to committee volunteer forms for ALA committees, as well as division and roundtable committees.
ALA Committees
The call for ALA committee volunteers is released by the ALA Vice President in early fall (usually September), and the appointment process closes in December so appointments can be made during the Midwinter Meeting. ALA committee appointments are two-year terms that begin at the close of the Annual Conference.
The appointment process for 2008-2010 ALA committees has closed; however, once the 2009-2011 appointment process begins, a link to the volunteer form, as well as additional information about volunteering for ALA committees, will be added to this page.
Many ALA committees also have intern positions. These intern positions are available to any ALA member who has never served on an ALA committee (this does not include service on division or roundtable committees). Intern appointments are two-year appointments, and the intern experience varies depending on the committee. Some interns are treated as full committee members with voting privileges, and some are not. Most interns assist with committee work in the form of projects and take meeting notes. An intern appointment is a good way to get your feet wet with committee work, so if you've never served on an ALA committee, you might want to consider an intern appointment.
Division Committees
ALA has 11 divisions, and each has its own committee appointment process. Here's some information about the ALA divisions, as well as links to the committee volunteer forms for each division.
- AASL (American Association for School Librarians)
- AASL has 19 committees, 4 editorial boards, and 9 task forces. Information about AASL's committees is available on the AASL Committees web page, and their volunteer form is available online.
- ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries)
- ACRL has over 30 committees, task forces, editorial boards, and discussion groups. Information about ACRL committees is available on the ACRL Committees web page. The deadline to apply for appointment ends in early December. The volunteer form is available online.
- ACRL also has a number of sections for librarians working in specific disciplines in academic libraries, or in specific types of academic libraries. The appointment process for ACRL section committees is separate. Further information, as well as the volunteer form, is available on the ACRL Section Committees web site. (Please note that the volunteer form is password-protected and accessible only to ALA and ACRL members.)
- ALCTS (Association for Library Collections and Technical Services
- ALCTS has a number of committees. Information about appointments and committees is available in the ALCTS manual. The volunteer form is available online. (Please note that the volunteer form is password-protected and accessible only to ALA members.)
- ALCTS has an intern program, which allows you to serve as an intern on an ALCTS committee. Further information is available on the Types of Appointments page of the ALCTS manual.
- ALCTS has six sections, each focusing on a specific aspect of technical services or collection management. Each of these sections also has its own committees. ALCTS section committees use the same volunteer form as the division committees.
- ALSC (Association for Library Services to Children)
- ALSC has over fifty committees, task forces, and discussion groups. Information about volunteer opportunities with ALSC is available on the ALSC Board and Committee Work web page. Manuals for a number of ALSC committees are also available on the Board and Committee Work page. The ALSC volunteer form is available online.
- ALTA (Association for Library Trustees and Advocates)
- ALTA has 14 committees, all geared towards the needs of library trustees and advocates. The volunteer form is available on the committee information web page.


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Regional growth strategy open for comment
The Regional District of Nanaimo is reviewing its Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) and is looking for feedback from residents.
The draft RGS is meant to encourage sustainability in the region.
Those who complete a survey by May 27 will be entered to win $400 towards food from a grocery store of their choice or transit and recreation passes. The survey is available at www.ShapingOurFuture.ca. Hard copies can be viewed at the RDN Administration Building, all regional libraries and municipal offices in the RDN.
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text: R&J took home gold at this year's Jasper Awards for its media relations campaign for the Girl Scout Councils of New Jersey's 100th Anniversary project. The robust media relations campaign that R&J developed spanned 12 months, and blanketed the tri-state area with coverage of two milestone events, generating both awareness and support for the organization's time-honored mission. R&J's proactive media relations resulted in major broadcast coverage in the New York marketplace for the events and extensive pre and post-event placements, which included a "clean sweep" of all of the broadcast news channels — CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, WPIX-11, and WOR-9, as well as TV coverage on NY1 and News 12 NJ. Print coverage was no less impressive, gaining front-page placement in The Star-Ledger and The Record in addition to The Jersey Journal and The Daily News, among others. CBS-880 AM and 77-WABC provided numerous broadcast radio segments, and a feature in The Huffington Post drew national recognition. To read more about the award-winning campaign, click here.


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Marketplace Display Ads Classifieds Dir. of Advertisers
Helpful places to buy faucet parts, and other things
U.S: Running out of places to borrow
More opinion
Farm Credit Services of America announces dividends
Great Western Cattle Trail Association
More Ag News
The Rails Across America art show will be held once again downtown at the Art & Gift Gallery in North Platte.
Cash prizes will be awarded. Entry forms are available at the Gallery during regular business hours Tues-Sat. from 11 am. -6 p.m.
An open reception will be held from 4-6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21 at the gallery. The show will be open during Rail Fest weekend from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 20-22.
This competitive Art Show is open to entry by any artist. We require that all entries be Railroad related and the original work of the artist submitting the entries, and that no piece has been fashioned from art/craft kits or created in a workshop. Also, any art piece which has been previously entered in a Rail Fest Art Show, will not be eligible for entry in the 2013 show.
Mail in entries are acceptable with suitable packaging for return shipping and accompanied by a pre-paid return shipping label.
Entry fees are $15 for up to three entries and $3 each for two additional entries. The limit is five entries per artist.
For more details, click HERE.
Flatrock Publishing, Inc. 1300 E 4th St., Suite F North Platte, NE 69101


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on March 17, 2014
Employees show strong response to discount program
Bruce Coleman
Response to last month's rollout of Youpon, an employee discount program now being offered through the University of Mississippi Medical Center, so exceeded the expectations of Human Resources staff that those most responsible for bringing the online initiative to life want to make sure UMMC employees are well aware of all the discounts available to them.
Shortly after the email from Michael Estes, chief human resources officer, announcing the Youpon program was distributed campus-wide Feb. 19, the emfuze.com site that handles online registration for the service was flooded with more than 1,000 registrations. Three weeks later, total registrations numbered 2,744.
According to Michael Paul of Fortibus, the third-party vendor that manages Youpon, many of those who applied online for credentials to start using the program failed to receive the necessary confirmation email because the automatic registration system had been overwhelmed.
"We went ahead and registered them anyway, whether they received the confirmation email or not," Paul said. "They are able to use the site by entering their password."
After quickly browsing through the Youpon site (at http://www.emfuze.com/Jackson-MS/UMMC/), it's easy to see what caused all the fuss. The site offers discounts from local and national merchants in a number of categories, from apartments and automobile dealerships to spas and theme parks, and almost anything in between.
In all, the site offers deals from 39 metro area businesses and 90 national firms.
Jynger Morris, human resources benefits manager, said employee response to the Youpon offer couldn't have been more pleasing to the HR staff.
"I think we were all shocked at the immediacy of the response," Morris said. "We knew there would be a wide variety of vendors, but the response was so fast that Fortibus was as surprised as we were.
"It's very exciting to see it come to life."
Yet many Youpon newcomers may be surprised to learn that it isn't the only source for information about discounted services offered to employees of the state's only academic health sciences center. And it's far from being the first.
Morris said Human Resources provides a list of available discount offers for UMMC staff on its website listed under Benefits. In fact, she said a robust discount program has been a major initiative of her department for some time.
"One of the things we want to focus on in Human Resources is the proper work-life balance and wellness for all of our employees," she said. "The discount program is something we could do to bring a lot of value to our employees."
Morris said she encourages employees to check in with Youpon and the HR benefits site regularly.
"We will continue to reach out to potential new vendors to join our benefits program, and existing vendors will modify their discounts," she said. "I think there will be more offers to come, and there will be specials, too.
"Anything that we can do to help employees know that they're valued, they're important, that we recognize how hard they work, and to give a little bit of that value back, that's the purpose of what we do in HR."
For more information about Youpon, including instructions on how to sign up for the service, visit
Among the many "employee perks" listed on the Human Resources website are:
Medical Center employees may be eligible to receive a percentage off of their cell phone rates if they are new or existing customers of AT&T, Sprint or Verizon. Employees should contact their respective vendors for more information on these discounts.
UMMC employees may receive a licensed copy of Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010, which includes Word 2010, Excel 2010, PowerPoint 2010, Outlook 2010, OneNote 2010, SharePoint Workspace, Access 2010, Publisher 2010 and InfoPath 2010, for only $9.95.
Participating Courthouse and YMCA fitness centers – strategic partners in the institution's wellness focus – offer membership discounts to UMMC employees. "We really value their partnership," Morris said, "and these discounts are in line with institutional goals of improving the health of our work force."
Other benefits for which Medical Center employees may be eligible include automobile discounts; Dell computer discounts; house buyer assistance in the City of Jackson; health-care, pharmacy and tuition benefits; tax preparation discounts; and many other offers.


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Written by Staff Reports
On Oct. 19, the peace cranes of Plymouth UCC in Shaker Heights, Ohio, were added to the Children's Peace Memorial in Hiroshima, Japan. Lee Makela Photo. |
As he approached the Children's Peace Memorial in Hiroshima, Japan, for the fifth time in his life, Lee Makela realized that this visit felt different.
Makela, a 27-year member of Plymouth UCC in Shaker Heights, Ohio, was delivering "peace cranes" on behalf of his church. In hushed, excited fashion, Makela and his two traveling companions added the 1,000 paper cranes to hooks in one of the many plexiglass boxes surrounding the memorial. Each box contains 100 hooks and holds 100,000 cranes. Five of the boxes already were filled, the cranes in them hanging colorfully against the backdrop of the memorial and museum commemorating the dropping of the atomic bomb.
"In past visits to the memorial and museum, I've always been struck by a sense of frustration," he says. "This time, I really felt I was doing something—even if only delivering a prayer for peace."
Adding the cranes to the memorial on Oct. 19 was the end of a church project begun almost a year earlier. Following the events of September 11, 2001, the children's and youth groups of Plymouth UCC began folding cranes to decorate the sanctuary during the Christmas holidays.
They also learned the story of Sadako, a young Japanese girl who initially survived the bombing of Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945. Sadly, she later developed fall-out related leukemia. While under treatment for her illness, she began making origami (folded paper) cranes. Japanese legend holds that a wish will be granted if one folds 1,000 cranes, and Sadako desperately wanted to live. Sadako folded 644 cranes before her death in 1955 at age 12.
After her death, Sadako's classmates and friends folded the remaining 356 cranes in her honor, then dedicated them as a prayer for peace. In 1958, the memorial—with a statue of Sadako holding a golden crane—was dedicated in Hiroshima's Peace Park to the hundreds of child victims of the atomic bomb and as an eternal prayer for a peaceful world.
Since then, people from around the world have brought their collections of 1,000 cranes to the monument as an expression of their prayers for peace. Each year, the Folded Crane Club, organized in Sadako's honor, places 1,000 cranes beneath her statue on Aug. 6, which today is known as "Peace Day."
Upon hearing the story, the Plymouth youth took on the task of sending their own peace cranes to Hiroshima, stringing them together in 100-crane chains. Makela volunteered to deliver the cranes during an already- scheduled October 2002 trip to Japan. Before long, the effort expanded to include adult members of the congregation. Makela says the crane makers were about two-thirds youth and one-third adult members of the church. "People were still folding cranes the day before I left for Japan," he says with a smile.
While hanging the chains, Makela saw the other origami cranes around him. "I was proud to be delivering the cranes from my church, but I knew that the cranes around me were from all over the world," he says. "I knew people worked hard and folded them intentionally as a peace prayer."
Shortly after returning home, he received a letter from Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor of Hiroshima. "So that we can honor your desire for peace, we wish to enter your name and the number of paper cranes you offered in Hiroshima City's Paper Crane Database as a record for future generations," Akiba wrote. "To avoid a repetition of the tragedy that befell Sadako Sasaki...we are working to build a peaceful world without nuclear weapons."
Makela says he feels fortunate to have been part of the effort to bring his congregation's prayers for peace to Hiroshima. "And, ultimately," he says, "how confident I am that in the end peace, indeed, will prevail."
Barb Powell is Director for Production in the UCC's Proclamation, Identity and Communication Ministry.
More @
Lee Makela is Associate Professor of East Asian History at Cleveland State University. He travels to Japan frequently with the Smithsonian as a study leader. Learn more at www.plymouthchurchucc.org and academic.csuohio.edu/makelaa/japan/ japanrpt200204.htm. |
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By Rob Garrott |
Frame Blending in After Effects Apprentice 10: Time Games
Each of Chris and Trish Meyer's After Effects Apprentice courses are based on variations around a central theme. After Effects Apprentice 10: Time Games—released just a few weeks ago—is based around several different ways of manipulating time. At just under an hour in duration, it's also the most standalone of the Apprentice courses, as users at different levels can jump straight in and learn some cool tricks without first having to work their way through the prior Apprentice courses.
In After Effects Apprentice 10: Time Games, Chris first covers Frame Blending to make slow motion look smoother. He compares and contrasts the two different algorithms After Effects supplies for blending—Frame Mix mode (crossfading) and Pixel Motion mode (optical flow)—discussing which works better on different types of source footage. He then demonstrates creating even slower frame rate stop-motion effects, as well as how to create freeze frames. This leads into Time Remapping, an advanced function in After Effects where you get to 'keyframe time'. This course also includes a few application ideas, including how to re-use one element multiples times and make each instance appear different. This last idea is offered as a free movie to non-members, so everyone can get a taste for the After Effects Apprentice courses.
Check out these popular 3D + Animation courses.