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There are many, many uses for mailing lists, from informing users of news about your site to alerting interested people about an update to a project you are working on. Coupled with some management tools, disseminating information through a mailing list can be a snap, and new users can add themselves and be welcomed to the to the list without your involvement.
There are programs available for download and for purchase which promise to do the dirty work for you, but with a little effort, PHP offers all the tools you need to create a full-featured management application which you can access from anywhere on the net. Best of all, doing it yourself will give you the skills you need to customize the application to precisely fit your needs, which is a true mark of a scripting professional.
This tutorial will guide you through building a complete mail list administration solution, capable of handling multiple lists. Suitable for small-medium sized lists (less than 500 names), flat files are used to store information for later retrieval. Many file access commands will be used and explained, and we'll cover how to send mail from a PHP script. {mospagebreak title=Creating the front page}
The structure of the application will be straightforward. All the scripts will be in the main directory, and all data files in a data/ directory. Each list will have its addresses stored in a separate file in that directory. There will also be a log file, saved as a simple text file.
The lists we are going to use (only one at the moment) are stored in the lists.txt file in the data directory. The format for the file has one list per line, with the "familiar" list name and the filename for the list separated by a pipe ("|"). This file will be used to build the select box used to specify which list to perform a particular action on. By grabbing the filename ($Filename) from a form, it is easy to grab the addresses out of the specified list.
I'm a big believer in putting the most often used features up front for ease of use. Once the application is up and running, the most often-used feature would be sending an email to the list. With that in mind, we'll build a "Send to" form on the index page, along with links to all the administrative functions:
You'll notice the entire script is normal HTML, except for lines 14-26. These lines read in the lists.txt file, spilt each line on the "|", and format them into the select list. (The file function is explained in more detail below.) This produces a tidy list, which will display the common name of the list to the user, and store the filename for the list as the value of the picked option.
<title>Mailing List Administration</title>

Mailing List Administration
 Send an email to a mailing list: <form method=post action="sendemail.php3″>

 From Address: <input type=text name="From" size="40″ value="">
 Subject:<input type=text name="Subject" size="40″>

 List: 	 <select name="List" size=4> <? $groups = file("data/lists.txt"); for ($index=0; $index < count($groups); $index++) { $grouplist = split("|", chop($groups[$index])); ?> <option value="<? echo $grouplist[1] ?>" <? if ($index==0) {echo "selected";} ?> <? echo $grouplist[0] ?>
 <? } ?> </select>	 Make a new list.
Add names to a list.
Edit/Delete names.
View Send Log.
View/Edit Autoresponder.

 Type or paste your message below:
<textarea cols=50 rows=10 name="Body"></textarea>

 <input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Send Mail"> </form>

Note: To make things even easier, set a default "value" for the "From Address" in the form. By doing so, that blank will automatically be filled in for you, but still allow you to change it if needed.
By grabbing the filename ($Filename) from this form on the index page, it is easy to grab the addresses out of the specified list.
When submitted, an entire list is mailed the message. The data goes directly to this script:
<title>Updating file….</title> <? $addresses = file("data/$List"); for ($index=0; $index < count($addresses); $index++) { mail("$addresses[$index]","$Subject", "$Body","From: $FromnReply-To: $From"); } $myfile = fopen("data/log.txt","a"); fputs($myfile,$Subject."t".date("dS of F Y h:i:s A")."t".$List."n"); fclose($myfile); ?> Your message was sent!

 Home.
This script makes use of some very useful functions. First is the mail function (line 7), one of the most high-impact, yet easy to use functions that
exist in PHP. By default, it accesses sendmail on a UNIX system, but this can be
changed to another server by editing the php.ini file. The format for using it
is as follows:
mail(string to, string subject, string message, string [additional_headers]);
For additional headers, you can include everything observed by looking at the headers of your mail messages, including X-Mailer, Reply-To, CC:, Bcc, Mime-Version, you can even make up your own headers if you are so inclined.
To retrieve email addresses (lines 3-5), the file function is used. This function reads the entire file into an array, with each line in the file represented by an element in the array. Since the names are stored in the file one to a line, each element in the array will contain an email address. Once this is done, looping through the addresses, and calling mail for each one will send your message out individually to each list member.
Note: An important caveat to using the file function is that the newline is also stored in each array element. This makes it necessary to chop() or trim() each element in many situations.
The final step in the script is to make a log entry so we can track the messages we send (lines 11-13). Here a log is kept in its simplest form, just a text file. The "t" characters used translate to tabs, much like "n" translates to a newline character.
Another interesting function is used here – the date function. It has some rather involved formatting rules, which are adequately explained in the PHP documentation. Be sure to read it, and try to use it in sensible places, as it does allow quite a few options.
{mospagebreak title=Adding names to the list}
Here, we'll automate the process of adding a name to the list:
First, a list is chosen in lines 7-21 (this is the same function used on the index page), and then it and the email address is passed to the next script:
<title>Add an email to the list</title>

 <form method=post action="saveemail.php3″>

 Which List?: 	 <select name="List" size=4> <? $fileloc = "lists.txt"; $groups = file("data/lists.txt"); for ($index=0; $index < count($groups); $index++) { $grouplist = split("|", chop($groups[$index])); ?> <option value="<? echo $grouplist[1] ?>" <? if ($index==0) {echo "selected";} ?>> <? echo $grouplist[0] ?>
 <? } ?> </select>

 Email Address:<input type=text name="Email" size="40″>

 <input type="submit" Value="Add This Email"></FORM>

Home.

Edit/Delete names.

View Send Log.

After making sure the file exists, the first thing this script does is read the current list into an array (lines 4-6), then checks for each name to see if it already exists in the list (no one likes being on the same mailing list TWICE!). It does this in lines 8-12 by writing each name back into the file, and just skipping the name if it already exists. Once every name is compared, the new name is written at the end of the file.
<title>Updating file….</title>

 <? if (file_exists("data/$List")) { $myfile = file("data/$List"); $fh = fopen("data/$List","w"); for ($index=0; $index < count($myfile); $index++) { if ($Email != chop($myfile[$index])) {fputs($fh,$myfile[$index]);} } fputs($fh,$Email."n"); fclose($myfile); } else { $myfile = fopen("data/$List","w"); fputs($myfile,$Email."n"); fclose($myfile); } ?>
 <? echo $Email ?> written to <? echo $List ?>

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You'll notice that fopen uses "w" here, for writing, while it used "r" on the index page (for reading) and "a" is used on the Send Email page(for appending to an existing file). The format for the command is:
fopen (filename, mode)
With mode being either "r", "w", or "a". Writing an existing file erases the current contents, while appending starts writing at the end of the file. Each of these modes can allow both reading and writing by placing a "+" after the mode. But the initial state (whether the current contents are deleted, and where the initial pointer is) will still occur.
Note: If you are going to open a file for reading and writing simultaneously, nasty things can happen that can destroy data in other files if a problem occurs. Good programming practice dictates you should modify a file by reading it into an array, closing the file connection (which file does automatically), making the modifications, and writing the changed contents back to the file.
Adding lists uses the same technique, Just joining the List and Filenames together with a "|". Here's the scripts used for to add a list to your collection:
<title>Mailing List Administration</title>
 Both blanks must be filled in!
 <form method=post action="makenewlist.php3″> Name of the list:<input type=text name="Listname" size="40″>

 One word description of the list: <input type=text name="Filename" size="40″>

 <input type="submit" name="Submit" value="Make list"> </form>

Add names to an existing list.
Edit/Delete names.

View Send Log.

<title>Updating file….</title> <? $Filename = $Filename.".lst"; $myfile = fopen("data/lists.txt","a"); fputs($myfile,$Listname."|".$Filename."n"); fclose($myfile); ?> Created new list <? echo $Listname ?>.

Home.

Add names to the list.

Edit/Delete names.

View Send Log.

{mospagebreak title=Editing the names}
To edit the names, we'll use a crude but effective method: direct editing! Incorporating the editing into a form will make it less daunting, however. Observe the following code:
First, the user should pick the list to edit:
Then, a form is created to allow editing and deleting of the names:
<title>Pick the list</title>

 Please pick the list you would like to edit:
 <form method=post action="editnames.php3″> <select name="List" size=4> <? $fileloc = "lists.txt"; $groups = file("data/lists.txt"); for ($index=0; $index < count($groups); $index++) { $grouplist = split("|", chop($groups[$index])); ?> <option value="<? echo $grouplist[1] ?>" <? if ($index==0) {echo "selected";} ?>> <? echo $grouplist[0] ?>
 <? } ?> </select>

 <input type="submit" value="Edit list"></form>
The readfile function (line 8) reads in a file and directly sends in to the browser. This places all the addresses for the specified list into a textbox, where they can be deleted or fixed directly. Also, note the warnings about one address to a line, something to remind the administrator about what's right and wrong. The next script saves all the changes:
<title>Edit Maillist addresses</title> <form method=post action="writenamefile.php3″>
 Editing <? echo $List ?>.

 Fix an address by editing in place, or delete an address by deleting the WHOLE line. No blank lines or spaces allowed!

<textarea cols=50 rows=20 name="Body"> <? if (file_exists("data/$List")) {readfile("data/$List");} ?> </textarea>

 <input type="hidden" name="List" value="<? echo $List ?>"> <input type="submit" name="submit" value="Save This List"></FORM>

Add names to the list.

View Send Log.

This was just as easy as reading the file in! Since the whole list was in the textbox, it is all included in the variable $Body, newlines and all. Writing $Body to the file saves the entire thing exactly as it looked in the previous form.{mospagebreak title=Autoresponders}
<title>Updating file….</title>

 Changes saved to <? echo $List ?>.
 <? $myfile = fopen("data/$List","w"); fputs($myfile,$Body); fclose($myfile); ?>
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Autoresponders are mechanisms that automatically email a message to a user when a certain event is completed. Usually, this would be when a new user signs into the list by using a form. To edit the autoresponder, a technique similar to what we used to edit addresses will be used:
And then the form saves our changes:
<title>Edit Maillist addresses</title> <form method=post action="writeautoresponder.php3″>
 This is the automatic message sent to people who submit their name to the Test List mailing list. See Page 5 in the tutorial to see an example of using this feature.

 <textarea cols=70 rows=20 name="Body"> <? readfile("data/autoresponder.txt"); ?> </textarea>

 <input type="submit" name="submit" value="Save This List"></FORM>

Add names to a list.

View Send Log.

To activate it, create a code snipet which will put a small form on any page you choose. Something similar to this would work anywhere:
<title>Updating file….</title>

 The following autoresponder message has been saved:
 <? $myfile = fopen("data/autoresponder.txt","w"); fputs($myfile,$Body); fclose($myfile); ?>

<? echo $Body ?>

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All that's left is a processing and Thank You page, which borrows code from the other pages made earlier:
Get notified of updates by email:
 <form method="post" action="thanks.php3″> <input type="text" name="Email" size="20″> <input type="submit" Value="Subscribe"></form>
Note line 4 – it's a lightly documented trick that allows you to read an entire file into a variable, which is exactly what we need to do here. Of course, if you use this script yourself, it will probably be in another directory, so watch your paths. Also note this is just for one list – what would you need to do to make multiple autoresponders?
<title>Thanks!</title> <? $Body = readfile("data/autoresponder.txt"); mail("$Email","Welcome to my mailing list!", "$Body","From: MenReply-To: firstname.lastname@example.com"); $myfile = file("data/mylist.lst"); $fh = fopen("data/mylist.lst","w"); for ($index=0; $index < count($myfile); $index++) { if ($Email != chop($myfile[$index])) {fputs($fh,$myfile[$index]);} } fputs($fh,$Email."n"); fclose($myfile); ?> Thank you!

 Home.
And that's it! Now your new members will immediately receive a welcome message, or be sent important info, receive a joke of the day, or whatever else you can dream up! {mospagebreak title=Conclusion}
By using PHP creatively and intelligently, creating small, powerful application such as a mailing list manager can ease your administration tasks, and automate much of your busy work. Using an all file-based system such as this means you can put it to immediate use without access to a database. As mentioned before, the one major drawback of using files for storage is scalability – with lists over 500 names, modifying these scripts to use mySQL tables would be a wise move.
These ideas can also be extended to other applications which can really be a boon to your users, and keep them coming back. One of the best simple applications these scripts could be easily modified to perform is a "Question of the Day" sort of setup.
Putting a number of questions in a mySQL database, and using cron-activated scripts to grab a question a day from the database would be a near-autopilot solution which looks very sophisticated, but requires almost no administration. Think about innovative uses of these techniques and how you can use them to encourage visitors to register with you and return for more.


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Are you ready to have a Neo Geo make sweet love to your eyeballs? Thanks to photographer Aaron Nanto and his perfectly preserved, beautifully shot SNK hardware, your retinas are about to be thoroughly and lovingly sexed.
This is "Neo Geo: Bigger Badder Better," a "cinematic tribute to SNK's 24-bit arcade powerhouse" and the most gorgeous presentation of sleek Neo Geo hardware (and software!) we've ever seen. Gaze in wonder as high-definition cameras sweep across Neo Geo AES, Neo Geo CD, and MV1-MVS hardware.
See the 16-bit beauty of Metal Slug, Samurai Shodown, Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters like never before. Experience a visual retro gaming spectacle that's the complete opposite of this tragedy.
Neo Geo: Bigger Badder Better [YouTube via Joystiq]

subset: commoncrawl


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BMS Builds A Better Chevy Silverado SuspensionPosted in How To: Suspension Brakes on June 1, 2010
Chevy 1/2-ton 4x4 trucks have had a bad rap off road for a while, but that's about to change. The Silverado's front IFS used to be criticized as too weak for trail work and too short for go-fast guys, but with the addition of BMS Off Road's new mid-travel IFS, this light-duty truck can now go romping and twisting to its heart's content.
We swung by the BMS shop and followed along as they installed the new Chevy/GMC Stage 1 suspension system on an '01 Silverado. The kit allows for 8 inches of front wheel travel, a 20 percent increase over stock. This suspension is available for '07 and newer 1500 Silverados, but BMS also covers earlier GM trucks as well as Fords, Toyotas, and Hummers.
PhotosView Slideshow
PhotosView Slideshow
King ShocksGarden Grove, CA 92840
BMS Off RoadAnaheim, CA 92806


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PORTSMOUTH — Mayor Eric Spear has named the Rotary Club of Portsmouth, which is celebrating its 90th year of serving the local community, as grand marshal of the "A Sharing Season" 2012 Illuminated Holiday Parade and Food Drive on Dec. 1.
"The Rotary Club of Portsmouth is extremely active in our community and its 200 members exemplify Rotary's motto of 'service above self' in sharing their time, talents and enthusiasm for its many fund-raising programs that benefit local and international nonprofit organizations," the mayor said. "The Christmas tree sales program, for example, is marking its 40th year and it raises thousands of dollars for charity annually."
Rotary President Nancy Notis said the club, the largest Rotary group in New England, was delighted to be selected as grand marshal.
"We pride ourselves in serving others and appreciate being recognized by the Mayor and City of Portsmouth as we reach significant milestones in our history. In its 90 years, the Rotary Club of Portsmouth has raised and donated millions of dollars in the spirit of service above self," she said.
Parade participants and spectators are being urged to also help others by donating nonperishable food items to support three local food pantries, which are experiencing 50 percent increases in clientele compared to last year. Volunteers from Portsmouth High School will push shopping carts, loaned by Shaw's, along the parade route to collect the food from paradegoers.
They carts will join eight marching bands, as well as floats, vehicles, walking units and Santa Claus when the parade steps off at 6 p.m. following the annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony, which begins at 5 p.m. with holiday music performed by the Portsmouth Middle School Band at the parade reviewing stand in Market Square and concludes with the official tree lighting at 5:30 p.m. An estimated 9,000 people are expected to line the 1.1-mile parade route that begins at the Plaza 800 area and ends at the South Mill Pond parking lot.
The food pantries' wish list can be found on the mayor's page at www.cityofportsmouth.com, along with the parade route and other information related to the evening's activities. The city will offer a set $3 parking fee between 3 and 7 p.m. at the High-Hanover Parking Facility for those attending the festivities. The list of downtown streets to be closed from 4 to 9 p.m. will be listed at www.CityofPortsmouth.com a few days before the parade.
Mayor names Portsmouth Rotary as grand marshal of holiday parade
PORTSMOUTH — Mayor Eric Spear has named the Rotary Club of Portsmouth, which is celebrating its 90th year of serving the local community, as grand marshal of the "A Sharing Season" 2012 Illuminated Holiday Parade and Food Drive on Dec. 1.


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527 Organizations affiliated with New Approach PAC
This table lists the top donors to these committees during the 2018 election cycle.
Contributions may come from the organizations themselves or its individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families. Organization totals include subsidiaries and affiliates.
|Total Receipts
|Total Expenditures
|Federal PAC
|New Approach PAC
Feel free to distribute or cite this material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics. For permission to reprint for commercial uses, such as textbooks, contact the Center: email@example.com


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Hot on the heels of Apple's 8.4 million iPhones sold in Q3, AT&T announces a record-breaking 3.2 million of those were activated on their network. Their churn levels were lower than ever as well, 1.01 percent postpaid churn and 1.29 percent total churn, and the all-important ARPU (average monthly revenues per subscriber) up 3.4 percent.
On June 24, AT&T began offering iPhone 4, the most powerful iPhone yet. Preorder sales of iPhone 4 were 10 times higher than the first day of preordering for iPhone 3GS a year earlier. For the full second quarter, AT&T iPhone activations totaled 3.2 million, the most quarterly iPhone activations ever. Approximately 27 percent of those activations were for customers who were new to AT&T.
27 percent new to AT&T, going into the 4th year of exclusivity? Yeah, that's probably why they stick with that "I hate you, don't leave me" borderline relationship with Apple.
And all this with iPhone 4 demand still exceeding Apple's supply, and the white iPhone 4 still waiting on a limited, late July launch.
[Business Wire via TechCrunch]


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35125 Magnaflow Exhaust Tip Double Wall Straight 2.25" Inlet 3.5" Outlet
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MagnaFlow's Double Wall Tips feature a Mirror Polished finish and Stainless Steel construction that will last 5 times longer than chrome tips. High Quality Double Wall construction gives you an additional inner thermal barrier lining of Stainless Steel that provides greater protection and insulation from high temperature exhaust gases. This ensures that your MagnaFlow exhaust tip is less directly exposed to heat accelerating oxidization and will keep its color and appearance longer. These stylish durable tips will continue to shine for years to come with a Lifetime Warranty against defects.
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The manufacturer warrants that all MagnaFlow Performance Products are free from defects. Most of our exhaust products are warranted against blowouts and defects in material and workmanship for as long as the original purchaser owns the vehicle on which it was originally installed. The warranty is void if the exhaust products are not installed properly on the vehicle for which it is designed.
This warranty does not apply to any exhaust product which has been installed on any commercial or racing vehicle or which has been improperly installed, altered, or subjected to misuse or damage from accidents. Also, cost of labor and any additional parts required to complete installation of a replacement product are not covered by this warranty.
The warranty certificate, along with proof of purchase, MUST be presented to the service outlet from which you originally purchased the exhaust product, or any participating dealer, when making a claim for replacement. The original exhaust product must also be returned and exchanged for a new exhaust product of the same part number.
No other warranty, expressed or implied (including merchantability), applies to the exhaust product, nor is any person or the manufacturer authorized to assume any other warranty. The manufacturer does not assume any responsibility for any consequential damages occurred by the exhaust product, or inconvenience or interruption in any operation.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
Stainless Steel Systems: Limited Lifetime Warranty against Manufacturing Defects Black Finish Systems: 1 Year Warranty on Black Finish, Limited Lifetime Warranty against Manufacturing Defects Titanium Finish Systems: 1 Year Warranty on Titanium Finish, Limited Lifetime Warranty against Manufacturing Defects Carbon Fiber Systems: Limited Lifetime Warranty against Manufacturing Defects on Stainless Steel, No Warranty on Carbon Fiber Aluminized Systems: 1 Year Limited Warranty Stainless Steel Mufflers: Limited Lifetime Warranty against Manufacturing Defects


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Contact Now Micro Portable AUV/Mini AUV/Underwater Target AUV The block fish is a new high-speed ultra-miniature AUV launched by our company. It has high sensitivity and manipulative human-computer interaction means. The utility model has the advantages of high speed, small volume, high integration degree, simple structure and secondary development for users, and can quickly and conveniently satisfy various underwater operation tasks.
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ETBU Names Director of Student Activities
MARSHALL (7/07/14) – East Texas Baptist University Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Xavier Whitaker announces that Sarah Pullin has been selected to serve as Director of Student Activities. Pullin comes to ETBU from Baylor University where for the past two years she has served as a Graduate Apprentice for Student Productions in the Department of Student Activities.
"Sarah brings great passion and energy for holistic student development to this position. We believe the ETBU community will be blessed by her leadership and willingness to help students succeed both in and out of the classroom," remarked Dr. Whitaker.
Pullin received her Master of Science in Education from Baylor University in Waco. While completing her graduate degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs, she oversaw large scale productions such as After Dark, Pigskin Revue, All-University Sing, and StompFest. She also co-advised the Student Productions Committee.
Dr. Whitaker stated, "The Student Affairs team is thrilled to have Sarah join the ETBU family. We look forward to working together with her to help students develop their God-given potential through engagement in our exceptional programs and activities at ETBU."
In addition to Pullin's Graduate Apprentice experiences, she has completed practicums in the Fine Arts Living Learning Community, New Student Programs, and Baylor Missions. She will begin her duties on July 28, 2014.
East Texas Baptist University offers graduate programs in business, counseling, religion and education, as well as 40 undergraduate degree programs. ETBU provides a Christ centered education that emphasizes the integration of faith and learning. The ETBU experience is known for "Embracing Faith, Engaging Minds, and Empowering Leaders." For information, visit www.etbu.edu.


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CARACAS, VENEZUELA — Nicolas Maduro, a stocky former bus driver who never finished high school, takes power with a deep reserve of goodwill from supporters of Hugo Chavez -- but also severe problems that may soon exhaust it.
When Maduro, 50, faces voters as early as next month as the successor to Chavez, who died Tuesday after a long battle with cancer, he will almost certainly win election in his own right. But the late comandante left behind a society mired in crime and economic problems that may soon sap support for his protege. Maduro has little of his mentor's charisma or political skill -- and it's not clear that he can even count on unity within Chavez's movement.
What seems certain is that Maduro has the "popular legitimacy" to win election riding the tide of pro-Chavez public sentiment, said Sujatha Fernandes, a sociology professor at City University of New York.
The Venezuelan Constitution calls for an election to be held within 30 days of the incumbent president's death or resignation, which makes it likely that the vote will take place in early April.


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700,000 Attend Seahawks' Super Bowl Victory Parade in Downtown Seattle [VIDEO]
Over 700,000 fans from all over the northwest gathered under bright February skies in downtown Seattle Wednesday to welcome back the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.
Owner Paul Allen, front office staff, coaches led by head coach Pete Carroll and all of the players mounted a collection of military vehicles and Seattle's famous waterfront ducks to parade down 4th Avenue from the Seattle Center to Centurylink field in front of throngs of fans wearing Seahawks' gear while waving signs and 12th Man flags.
Fans then gathered inside Centurylink Field where they cheered the Seahawks as they were all introduced individually to the crowd. Owner Paul Allen, General Manager John Schneider, Coach Pete Carroll all addressed the fans, as did cornerback Richard Sherman and quarterback Russell Wilson.
This video from the Seattle Times will give you an idea about what the crowd was like Wednesday morning.
Get more Seahawks coverage here.


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Sure, you might be able to get your fix of offensively stupid blockbusters with budgets higher than the GDP of a third-world country this weekend with "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," but scratching that itch won't last long, and it's still over a month until the motherload, Michael Bay's latest explod-o-fest, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" arrives. A month full of films that have plots, and characters, and that don't have a scene where a robot octopus cuts a skyscraper in half.
Fortunately, that wait just got a little shorter: Paramount have announced to Deadline that the film will be arriving worldwide on Wednesday June 29th, two days earlier than its original July 1st date. Praise Optimus! A studio insider told La Finke that "Early response to footage, especially the 3D footage, has been great so we want to get the word out that this film is as good or better than the first and much better than the last." There's that predecessor-bashing that's so popular these days, the same tack that Johnny Depp took during publicity for "On Stranger Tides," and look how well that worked out!
Of course, "Transformers" has two weeks of action movie breathing room either side of its release, so fans of crunching metal will undoubtedly flock to it, and we have no doubt that the extra two days will bring in a truly disgusting amount of money to Paramount. "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" stars Shia LaBoeuf, last-minute Megan Fox replacement Rosie Huntington-Whitley, John Turturro, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Ken Jeong, Alan Tudyck and Patrick Dempsey, along with the voice of Leonard Nimoy, clearly going for the Orson Welles approach of making sure his last credited role is in an overblown toy advert, and lands on June 29th.
Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.


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Definitive Technology BP7001sc Home Theater Speaker System
Photos by Tony Cordoza With the popularity of flat-panel TVs exploding and companies straining to create speakers that will mate with the unobtrusive sets, it seems like the era of hulking home theater gear - towering speakers, massive subwoofers, video projectors hovering above your head like an F-15 - is over. I'll admit that part of me likes the interior design-friendly stuff, but another part frets about trying to coax too much from too little. I'm reminded of that every Saturday night when I hear the screech of my neighbor's "home theater in a box." Man, I wish that guy would go out to the movies!PDF: Fast Facts
Inexpensive subwoofer/satellite systems can give you a taste of surround sound, but compromise-free performance requires serious speakers. And in my experience, that usually means floor-standing towers at least for the front left/right channels. Definitive Technology's BP7001sc SuperTower speaker, a slightly smaller version of its flagship BP7000sc, is equipped to deliver full-range performance thanks to its built-in powered subwoofer. In the system I tested, a pair of BP7001sc towers is mated with the company's C/L/R 3000 center speaker - another full-range design with a built-in powered sub - and a couple of beefy BPVX surrounds. Definitive Tech claims the system can handle the dynamic needs of both movie soundtracks and multichannel music on DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD. And with each speaker in the system using the same 6 1/2-inch woofer and 1-inch tweeter, you can count on seamless sound all around.
There are plenty of top-shelf speaker systems available, so you're probably wondering what makes this one different. First off, both the BP7001sc tower and BPVX surround are bipolar designs (the C/L/R 3000 center speaker is a conventional direct-radiating, or monopolar, design). A bipolar speaker uses matched sets of drivers to radiate equal sound from the front and rear, and because all of the drivers operate in phase with one another, it can produce a nearly 360° sound field.
The second thing, of course, is the built-in powered sub in each tower speaker (each BP7001sc must be plugged into an AC outlet for the sub to operate, and the same goes for the C/L/R 3000). The BP7001sc sub's 10-inch driver is powered by a 1,500-watt Class D amplifier, and it has two 10-inch passive radiators, so using a pair of BP7001sc towers effectively gives you stereo subwoofers. In some rooms, this will boost deep-bass output. The BP7001sc has a line-level input that lets you separately feed the subwoofer/LFE (low-frequency-effects, the ".1" in "5.1") output from your surround processor or receiver to the tower's built-in subwoofer. There's also a volume control to adjust the sub's output when only a full-range speaker-level connection is used. The C/L/R 3000 has a line-level input as well, but it's designed to connect to the full-range center-channel preamp output found on some receivers and is not intended for subwoofer/LFE signals.
The system Definitive Technology sent me came with wood end caps finished in its new golden cherry piano-gloss finish. They all have the same black knit wraparound sleeves as most of the company's previous speakers, but to me the lighter finish on the end caps is an aesthetic leap forward from the previous monolithic black look. Another pleasing touch is a beveled edge that runs the length of the tower speaker's front baffle and is echoed in its end caps.
Weighing in at 61 pounds, the C/L/R 3000 is one hefty center speaker - as you'd expect from a model packing a powered subwoofer. It's also pretty large, so don't expect to set it on top of one of those slim new TVs, most of which provide only a few inches of surface depth on top. For horizontal placement, a set of adjustable feet lets you angle the speaker up or down.
With a specified low-end limit of 31 Hz, Definitive Tech's BPVX is equipped to deliver more bass than your average surround speaker. Standing a tall 22 inches, it has a semi-triangular design with matched sets of drivers on both of its angled sides. The supplied mounting hardware lets you attach the speaker's back panel to a wall.
There's been a lot of debate about which type of speaker works best for surround sound. But because they radiate sound from both front and rear, bipolar surrounds like the BPVX split the difference between a dipole's diffuse presentation - a desirable trait for movie soundtracks - and a monopole's directionality, which tends to work better for music.
I used the Def Tech system to christen Sound & Vision's new A/V testing facility - a set of soundproofed, acoustically treated rooms tucked away in the heart of midtown Manhattan. Owing to the large size of the BP7001sc towers, I set up the system in the more voluminous Room 1, a 20 x 14-foot space with an 8 1/2-foot ceiling. The C/L/R 3000 center went on a shelf of a large TV stand, under the screen, and was angled up toward the seating position. I put the BPVX surrounds on a set of 38-inch-high stands 2 feet behind the couch. I set these up in the arrangement Definitive Tech recommends, with one set of drivers angled in toward the listening position and the other facing the rear of the room.
Since only a precious few DVD-Audio and SACD players provide any kind of bass management, what to do with the bass can be a problem in a typical surround sound setup with small, bass-limited satellite speakers. Fortunately, I didn't have to worry about that with this system.


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Roma in Central and Southeast Europe
Roma are more likely to live in poverty than non-Roma citizens. They have a higher risk of unemployment, stay in school for fewer years, and many live without access to drinking water, sanitation and electricity. Roma are more likely to suffer from chronic illness and have less access to health services.
UNDP works with national partners to promote inclusion of Roma into economic, social, political and community life.
We work with Roma communities and local partners to make sure that Roma can access quality social services. We also support community projects that can improve the quality of everyday life, and increase education and job opportunities.
Together with our partners, UNDP designs and conducts surveys to show the depth of poverty, and inform policy making.
Photo contest
A Chachipe youth contest entry by Sandor Naskemore


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- Delivery & Returns
Mademoiselle Chanel once said: "I wanted to cover women with constellations! Stars! Stars of all sizes..." Poetic and timeless, the comet has become one of the emblems of Fine CHANEL Jewellery and continues as a precious source of inspiration. Delivery terms & conditions: customers can select a nominated day for delivery and will receive their order on or before 10.30am. For next day delivery orders need to be placed before 3pm on a weekday to arrive the following day before 10:30am and for next day delivery over the weekend, orders need to be placed before 12pm to arrive the following day before 10.30am. Customers must have a valid passport or driving licence as a measure of photographic ID. Only recipients with the same surname can accept the delivery on behalf of someone else. Please note: This item(s) can only be returned by calling 0800123400. Tracking terms & conditions: customers will receive a standard Selfridges email and carrier text message the night before delivery. Between 7-9am customers will receive a second text message with an hour time slot for delivery.


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Alcoa Earinngs Top Estimates
Alcoa kicked off earnings season with positive news, beating EPS and revenue estimates. Paul Vigna has the day's market news on the News Hub. (Photo: Getty Images)
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the the ... so ... just kicked off earnings season beating ... consensus estimates ... we have that discussion now with Paul vignette dawn and was forced on him in the all glad to be a good year so aam Cardinal coveted they did the right to do that inspected the the ... the estimate was that earnings will be flat basically earnings there would be zero they came in at three cents a share so they beat that ... revenue was a little bit stronger a ... five point eight billion butts is five point five four which was expected to sell the look top line bottom line a little better than expected and was seeing already up one percent in the aftermarket the staff the market move widget widget on the move this news is good for a four am to nine dollars stock ... so ... that's about the snow but so what do we catch up now while notice of the fact that ... flows couple reasons on why obviously been aluminum company of the twentieth of May ... the bellwether for the economy has gone so they're doing well that's a pretty good sign ... in the law there and three cents a share so it can mean a ton of money ... they did ok ... on prices are still an issue for them demand is still an issue for them those things are going away ... well look what I guess ... we we do I'd I'd I get a chance to lead into deep and I'm ... basically they see some pressure as it went well for those that ... they they still see pressure the rest of this year so not great outlook from them and that's important ... that that on this or fundamental Economista ... from the market side ... the duet an arm of our defense he was a little about the theory that ... they do Alcoa does tend to have a solution ... was ... it a chance to see if she didn't ... shed a doted of a pretty good ... blueprint correlation ... with between Alcoa does and how the rest of the SNP five hundred companies will do so op Colby in earnings ... in the eastern side IVZ Fortuna nine ninety nine companies ... look for for ... a decent Sunday with a wine ... that made the earnings season real little bit better than expected now overall the expected show profit contraction the SNP five hundred companies first with the two thousandnine ... maybe I'll get that muted Amylin will present neither up a little bit ... so ... yell expectations are looking a little better right now but without carousel a color three cents a share SNP five hundred companies not going to have a great point of a big bought at the Dow down one hundred and ten and I read most of the day the spotlight and tile on time to get a little tiny sliver of green and Micron is out to throw out what was happening that why it was it down so much well I mean earning season was once a reason another thing is you this IMF report came out in a salon International Monetary Fund downgraded their global outlook for of for growth this year next year that they say look ... politicians are not doing their jobs fiscal cliff in issue here been issued those things are dragging on global growth in China she said and China obviously yes she still so I mean this is just a shade as an issue after issue after issue for you what we've been talking about these very same issues for a very long time and nothing see we have just like they show but now we actually have ideal it's changing is that ... previously ... despite all these issues ... corporate America was was churning out fantastic profit growth ... now you're seeing that the silly come to a standstill ... that is change ... with this thing is ... since this is the Fed announced their latest stimulus program Mills said the middle of September ... you've seen the SNP in and in the Dow Jones ... industrial average ... three times its own in just thirteen thousand six hundred level there trying to rally it ... every time it's come back down so yet it's fundamental issues yes the IMF the answer ... but there's also several market technical issue going on right now where they're trying traders are trying to push these things out there trying to rally and got the Fed behind um hmm bought when they get to thirteen six hundred it a little harder because of these headwinds an economy just reach it writes off as allies


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April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to recognize that the community can play a part in promoting the social and emotional well-being of children and families in the lake area.
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to recognize that the community can play a part in promoting the social and emotional well-being of children and families in the lake area. Camden County Child Advocacy Council will be publically recognized at the Pinwheels for Prevention Community Pinwheel Garden Ceremony in Jefferson City on April 17 as a 2013 Leader in Child Abuse Prevention for our efforts to prevent child abuse and to protect our children in Missouri.
The main fundraisers each year for Camden County Child Advocacy Council is the annual Trivia Challenge and the 5K Run/Walk into Awareness. The funds raised are used throughout the year for multiple programs that the CCCAC provides for the children and families of Camden County.
The CCCAC helps children when referred by a county school nurse with emergency dental care. Local dentists help in providing a discounted rate when a child has a toothache and it is hard to concentrate during class and can usually be seen within 24-48 hours. County school nurses can also refer families to us that are diagnosed with head lice and we help in providing them with a non-toxic lice shampoo. The Council gives ten $500 scholarships to graduating seniors of all county high schools that are recommended by the school counselors. The Coats for Kids program helps provide children with coats when in need. On the first Saturday in October, CCCAC presents "Arts in the Park" held at the Linn Creek City Park. This is a day where families are invited for a day filled with crafts, music, art, theater and a full day of fun.
While the CCCAC operates throughout the year, two events in particular help aid children of families in need. One is the Back to School Fair that is held in the beginning of August each year. Backpacks, supplies and a voucher for $10 toward socks and underwear at Walmart are given to children who attend the fair and learn about other groups and organizations in the community among many other agencies that are concerned for our children. Another is the Christmas is Sharing program where CCCAC coordinates the adoption of children from families of Camden County. Child Advocacy Council also helps provide gifts for children in the Children's Division Foster Care Program of Camden County.
The CCCAC will host the 18th annual Trivia Challenge Saturday, April 13 at Tan-Tar-A Salon C. Doors open at 6 p.m., hors d'oeuvres are served at 6:30 p.m. and trivia starts at 7 p.m. K.B. of KRMS radio will be back by popular demand as emcee.
Tables of six people will compete against each other to see who knows the most trivia. Trivia will again have musical questions at the end of each of the eight rounds of ten questions. A cash bar will also be available. The cost is $25 per person at the door. Register by Friday, April 12 and the cost in only $20 per person.
A silent auction will also take place the same night as the trivia challenge with all proceeds going to the CCCAC. To register for the trivia challenge, please send in checks made payable to CCCAC to P.O. Box 1002, Camdenton, Mo., 65020.
5K Run/Walk into Awareness
This is the third year that the CCCAC will hold the "5K Run/Walk into Awareness" at Bob Shore Stadium at Camdenton High School. The 5K, unlike most, is held at dusk. Last year, 120 participants ran in the 5K: those that ran the 5K timed for prizes, those that ran the 5K for self-fulfillment and individuals or families that walked the 12 1⁄2 laps for a cause... awareness of child abuse.
The entry fee for those running the 5K is $20 prior to 4/5 and $25 after. This fee includes a t-shirt and prizes are awarded to the top three finishers in three categories of men, women and children (up to age 18). For those that are not running for prizes the fee is $3 per individual or $10 per family (in the same household). Each participant will receive a child abuse awareness item for participating also.
Kids' Harbor and CADV will join our efforts this year in helping make the community more aware of child abuse and ways of prevention and will have a booth set up with more information about each of their organizations and how they help.
"Although our 5K helps us raise funds to support many of our programs that we do, we are not out to make a huge profit on it. Our mission for our 5K is to get families out for a fun evening," Rhonda Wilkening, Child Abuse Prevention Month Chairman, said. "No matter if they run or walk it is a time to be together and a time for us to bring awareness to the community about child abuse and neglect and to recognize and honor the number of children who are abused or killed each year in Missouri by having a 'balloon glow' release after the presentation of awards."
For more information on the 5K, please contact Rhonda Wilkening at 314-873-3531.


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London: Four girls in Lower Dir district of Pakistan`s North West Frontier Province are following in the footsteps of 15-year-old education campaigner Malala Yousufzai - who was shot by the Pakistani Taliban - by defying the Taliban to receive proper education.
Malala was shot by the Taliban in the head and neck on October 9 while she was returning home from school. She was attacked for speaking up against the terror outfit and advocating girls` right to education. She is now recovering at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, reports The Sun. Saira, 13, the daughter of a poor farmer who relies on seasonal farming work to feed his family of 13, said her dream to study came alive when a charity called Khwendo Kor built a community school in 2002. The donations from the organization helped her cover her school expenses. Her books and stationery are also paid for by the charity.
"Before I started school I couldn`t read or write. Now I`m learning new things every day. My favourite subject is English. I want to become a teacher when I graduate because I think teaching is a respectable profession. And I could educate other children in my community.
That would be my dream," she said. Another girl, 13-year-old Nazish said: "My mother is an uneducated housewife and my father is a labourer but, luckily, he approves of education for girls. So when we heard about a school that was being built near our home, he saw it as a great opportunity for me. Now I am in grade seven. My parents are so happy with my progress. My dream is to become a teacher in the school that gave me the chance of an education. I also want to work to promote education in my country. Malala has sacrificed so much to tell the world about us." Salma, 12, said her parents have been her greatest role models along with Malala. She termed Malala "a brave and brilliant person".
Irum, 17, who lives in a small hut along with nine members of her family works as a teacher. She succeeded in receiving her education after her teachers persuaded her reluctant father to allow her to study. "My education has only been possible because of the courage of my teachers who persuaded my parents to let me carry on with my studies. It also took courage for my parents to agree because girls in my country face many threats for attending school," she said.


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It's not how much violence a child is exposed to that can create emotional and behavioral problems in life. It's exposure to a variety of different types of violence.
That was a surprising finding in a five-year study recently completed by Laura Hickman of Portland State University and researchers at the RAND Corporation. The study, titled "How Much Does 'How Much' Matter?" will be published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence.
In answer to the report's title, the study found that "how much" was generally not as important as "how many kinds."
"Studies usually look at violence more narrowly. It's rare that we see these different types examined together," said Hickman, an associate professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
The study examined 768 young children in selected cities throughout the United States, all of whom had been exposed to at least one of 16 types of violence falling into four broad categories: witnessing violence (including violence outside the home), maltreatment, child assault, and sexual abuse. Children who exhibited the most problems were not the ones exposed to the most violent incidents. Instead, negative symptoms were most related to exposure to more than one broad category.
Hickman said studies of this kind may eventually help refine the way mental health professionals think about risk factors for longer term problems for kids in traumatic situations.
"Of course, it's important to provide help and support for all children exposed to violence but it may be that we need to do something extra or different for kids whose violence exposure falls into more than one category."
About Portland State University (PSU)
Located in Portland, Oregon, PSU has about 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students. PSU's motto is "Let Knowledge Serve the City," and we provide every student with opportunities to work with businesses, schools and organizations on real-world projects. Our downtown campus exhibits PSU's commitment to sustainability with green buildings, while sustainability is incorporated into much of the curriculum.


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This will be short, but just seeing the word, "fruitcake" dredges up memories for me that make me want to gag and barf! For some ungodly reason, my parents used to try to force my brother and me to eat this ghastly invention (lol) a couple of times each year, which I'm assuming now were probably around the holidays. Some of the memories of the struggles this instigated are too unpleasant to even recount, but as usual, Arthur and I found our way around having to sit at the table all night until we'd eaten it. All I'll say is this -- when my parents finally decided to get a new kitchen table, and turned the old one upside down to move it, I know they got a very "fruity" surprise!
Formerly, "Just Thinking", this blog presents the thoughts and experiences of a family historian working to demystify the past and uncover the stories of an elusive ancestry. NC surnames are YARBOROUGH, GREEN, HAWKINS, DUNSTON, DAVIS, BROWN, ROSS, HILL, BRYANT, and DAVENPORT in Franklin, Warren, Halifax, and Tyrrell Counties. With so much of my family's history shrouded in darkness, is my personal mission to uncover the hidden details of my ancestry and bring them INTO THE LIGHT.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Advent Calendar: Fruitcake - Friend or Foe?
Posted by Renate Yarborough Sanders at 5:39 PM
Labels: Avent Calendar, fruitcake
Educator, Genealogist, Mother, Grandmother
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I met my fiancé at a house party. I was there with my best friend, who happens to be gorgeous. He began talking to us and kept talking to me after my best friend left. We made plans to hang out later, and over the next three months our friendship evolved into a wonderful relationship. Recently my fiancé and his good friend had a falling out, and in an act of spite his friend forwarded me a series of emails from around the time we first met. By reading them I learned that, initially, my fiancé only spent time with me because he wanted to have a shot with my best friend. He called me plain, repetitive, and mildly annoying. I know those aren't harsh criticisms, and that they come from the first few days of our friendship. But I'm still upset, because those are my worst fears about myself, and it hurts to know that the person I'm marrying thought those things about me too. My fiancé couldn't be more apologetic, and he's been very sweet and reassuring to me since I received the emails. (He didn't say those things out of hand, they were answers when his friend asked him about me.) I know he loves me so much. I still can't put those emails out of my mind, though - what can I do to get back to being a happy bride-to-be?
The thing about love is that it's a wonder drug that makes the initially plain, slightly annoying person into the most beautiful, fascinating woman in the world. There would be far fewer happy marriages in the world if everyone who had an initial neutral or even negative reaction to their future spouse didn't stick around to get to know each other better. I've mentioned their marriage before, but Paul and Julia Child were gloriously happy for decades. When they first met he thought she was a gawky, awkward virgin, and she thought he was a self-satisfied roue. But during the course of their friendship Cupid's dart hit -- just as it has for you. Your now-fiance, after chatting you up, still could have pursued your friend. He didn't. He probably now sees her as a really stunning woman who's just not right for him, because you are. It also seems right that he's had a falling out with his former friend. because what a jerk this guy is. Forwarding such emails in order to hurt an innocent person -- well, good riddance. Humor can help here. Maybe when you find yourself nattering on about the wedding you can stop and say, "You know what, I'm finding myself to be repetitive and mildly annoying -- although I do think I look pretty good." It will be a relief for the two of you two laugh about how a great romance got its start.
A few days ago my new coworker "Ralph" cornered me in the break room and told me he knew all about"the real me." It turns out that Ralph is a good friend of "Cindy," the woman I cheated on my wife with eight years ago. I thought I loved Cindy and told her so. I was a terrible human being at the time, and I was lucky my wife would have anything to do with me after she discovered the affair. I dedicated myself to saving our marriage and becoming a better person. Accordingly, I abruptly ended my relationship with Cindy and never looked back. I truly believe I am a different person than I was at the time I cheated. Ralph doesn't think so, though. He obviously dislikes me, but we're going to have to work together. I'm also worried Ralph will tell our coworkers what he thinks of me and why. How should I handle this situation? Cindy has apparently exaggerated aspects of our relationship, like how long we were together, and from what Ralph says she's still fairly angry with me. That's worrisome.
Your co-workers know you. And if you are transformed as you say, they know you as a decent man with a happy marriage. Suddenly, there arrives this new guy, who obviously has it in for you. If he explains why to everyone,: "Didn't you know that eight years ago Dennis cheated on his wife, then dumped the woman he was cheating with, even though he told her he loved her?" your colleagues will want him to put a sock in it. You need to calmly pull Ralph aside and say that your conversation with him was disturbing, but you don't intend to discuss your personal life with him or anybody else at the office. Say you sincerely hope he can put his hostility aside because your workplace values cooperation. As for Cindy, sure she was hurt. But anyone having an affair with a married man has to be prepared to be unceremoniously dumped if her lover realizes he actually prefers his wife. If she hasn't gotten any perspective on this in almost a decade, then she needs better friends than Ralph, friends who can tell her she sounds pathetic.
Thank you for advising my teenage daughter to tell her mom and me about her friend's touchy-feely dad when she wrote into you a few weeks ago. After several long discussions, my wife and I spoke to a police officer about our concerns. We were worried the police would scoff at our daughter's experiences, because nothing strictly criminal occurred, but the officer took our concerns very seriously. We have since discovered that this man has been harassing another of his daughter's friends; but instead of stopping at hugs, he sent her pictures of his genitals as well as sexually explicit emails. My wife and I could not be more grateful to you for giving our daughter the push she needed to confide in us.
Thank you so much for letting us know what happened, and I'm so glad your daughter got the courage to speak up. One's heart has to break for the daughter of this fiend. I hope the community can reach out to this girl and support her -- presumably her father is headed toward prosecution. And this just confirms that creeps talking advantage of minors should be reported to the authorities. It's very likely, as in this case, that your kid is not the only one.
Dear Prudie, I just finished my first year of law school and have my first legal job. So far everything is difficult -- but it should be, it is part of the learning curve. The other day I was doing some filing and I found a handgun in a drawer. I've never been exposed to guns before and I don't know if it was loaded or not. I am scared of this gun because I use the filing cabinets all the time and I do not want to set it off unintentionally. Also, tempers run very high in this office and I am afraid that somebody who knows it is there might use it for dangerous purposes. I am lucky to have this job and I need it for the pay and experience. I am hesitant to bring this up to my job placement office because my boss will absolutely know it was me who brought this up. I am hesitant to ask my boss directly because I do not want to appear weak or difficult. What is your advice?
You may have discovered that your boss has his own plans for reducing the glut of lawyers. I wonder what kind of law your firm handles -- if it's matrimonial or bankruptcy, let's hope some sharpshooter at the firm doesn't have to lunge for the drawer in order to subdue a dispute. Depending on where your law firm is, there may be laws regarding unsecured weapons. No matter where you are, a loose loaded one in a worksplace is alarming. I think you should take this to your school administrators. Explain this disturbing discovery, say you don't know whether the weapon is loaded or not, and frankly given the volatility of the office, you are too uncomfortable to ask your boss about it. As hard hit as the legal profession is, your law school should be concerned that a student could be hit by a flying bullet. Let's hope they find you another placement.
I agree with you, Prudence. In high school I was the geek sophomore and youngest member of a choral group and got along with everybody in the group except one girl, a senior. We never hit it off. Next week we celebrate 36 years of marriage together. Unless she has evidence that her fiance still feels this way, she needs to let that very small window of the past go and focus on her future with this guy who obviously learned that first impressions aren't always the right ones!
Congratulations, and thanks for this wonderful story!
Dear Prudie, I'm part of a two-person department at work, and the other woman in this department is very difficult to work with. I've already spoken to HR about the main issue, which was how we divide up our work, and they have been supportive and pro-active in helping address this. I'd like your advice on how to handle a part of the problem that I'm not sure HR can help with. My co-worker is emotionally needy and sometimes makes me really uncomfortable. I think she would like us to be closer than we are. One time, out of nowhere, she told me she loved me. Sometimes she'll talk in a babyish voice and say how pretty she thinks I am, or how "lovely" I am to work with, or how I have this quality that makes people feel good. She's straight and married, so I don't think she's harboring some kind of secret crush, but I still don't like this. She is also a non-stop talker, and I've gotten good at excusing myself from conversations, but there are still times she talks to me this way and I want to run for the door. Do you have any advice? Thank you.
Yes, human resources is supposed to help you when your disturbed co-worker declares her love and starts telling you look "so pwetty, just wike a widdle doll." Go back and explain the problem has escalated beyond simply work division. Say your co-worker is making you deeply uncomfortable with her inappropriate behavior and personal declarations. If they don't do anything but tell her to stop announcing her love, you may need to take this higher up in the company. Also start documenting her behavior. What you describe is intolerable. Given the unemployment rate, how is it that so many nuts retain their jobs?
Dear Prudie, Recently I went to a moving in party for a friend-of-a-friend. When I got there I asked to use the bathroom. After using the toilet (for number 1 and 2) I realized to my horror that the toilet would not flush. I stayed in there for 15 minutes trying to come up with any solution. There was no plunger or any tools I could use to better the situation because the house was just being moved in to. I finally decided to go and tell my friend and ask her opinion, but not before the house owner tried to use the toilet. He was incredibly annoyed, and told me I had to "get it out of there!" which I promptly refused. All the rest of the night he made reference to the incident and the fact it was still in his bathroom. My question is, what else could I have done? What is the etiquette on such a supremely embarrassing situation? I don't think he deserved money to compensate for my....mess, but is there anything I should have done? I still felt awful about the whole thing. Thanks for any advice -Looking for a plunger
As a housewarming gift, find the volume of David Sedaris' work (readers, which one?) in which he describes being in exactly the same situation at a friend's house. In my recollection, Sedaris finally scooped the thing up and tossed it out the window. You were not obligated to handle the situation by defenestrating your number two.What happened was mortifying, but you dealt with it as best you could. It was your host who behaved like a turd. That his toilet broke is not your fault. If that was the only bathroom, he needed to put a sign on the door and wrap up the party early because of a plumbing failure.
I was married for over three decades, and my husband was never faithful to me. I chose to stay with him for personal reasons, but I still think poorly of those who date and pursue married people. Since his death, I have invested the money my husband left me, and I've nurtured it into a small fortune. I planned to leave my three children a portion of my estate, donating the rest to various charities. But now my youngest daughter has moved in with a married man; he left his wife and his young children to be with her. I know from speaking with her that she feels no responsibility towards the destruction of his marriage; according to her, happy husbands don't stray. I love my youngest daughter very much, but her actions anger and disappoint me. I no longer want to leave her anything when I die; I've told myself that children shouldn't live in expectation that their parents will leave them money when they die. But I recognize that I might be blinded by bitterness towards my husband. What is the right thing to do?
Like father, like daughter. I wonder if she absorbed the lesson from her father that fidelity is for chumps. Since I think personalities are born and made, she and your husband may share the trait of not taking responsibility for their actions. I can understand your dislike for people who get involved with married people, but the transgressor in your marriage was your late husband. And whatever your reasons, you decided to put up with him, instead of end it, for 3o years. People have affairs and marriages do break up, but your daughter's attitude is rather chilling. She is an adult, and you don't want to, and can't dictate how she lives her life. But you can have a blunt conversation with her about how your father's infidelity darkened yours and say to her it pains you to see her be a party to the end of a marriage. At the least, say that she must extend her sympathy to the children who are in terrible pain and who are going to be spending a lot of time in her home. Your money is just that -- yours. You don't say you expect to depart any time soon, so you don't have to make a decision now about how to spread your wealth. Since you have enough for lawyer's fees, you can also alter your will as often as you see fit. Your daughter's new relationship might not last and she might reform. It might last and she might be a loving stepmother. Let this play out before you make your last will and testament.
I think the writer could approach her boss, tell him / her about the gun, and say she's concerned this poses a safety risk to anyone who might come across it. And if you found it, someone else could as well. Lawyers should be sensitive to potential liability. If the boss shrugs it off, then you talk to someone at school. Just be calm and professional about it...you're doing the firm a favor pointing out this is a risk.
Good advice, thanks.
I am 20 and work as a babysitter to earn extra pocket money while I attend school. I babysit for a successful business woman and single mom, Ms. H. Ms. H has two daughters under the age of seven. I babysit for her two or three times a month, and she pays very well. Twice in the past two months she has stayed out WAY past when she told me she would be back - 2 a.m. instead of 11 p.m., for example - and has not responded to my texts and calls. The first time she apologized profusely and gave me an extra $150 for my troubles; the same thing happened the second time she stayed out late, and when she came home her speech was slurred, I could smell alcohol on her breath. I felt uncomfortable leaving her alone with her kids but, when she rejected my request to spend the night, I left. I don't know what to do now - stop babysitting for her? I'm worried about her behavior and how it could impact her kids.
As I've made clear in recent columns, I am a real prude when it comes to alcohol. What's not clear from your letter is how long you have been babysitting. If it's been a year of normal behavior, it could be that Ms. H has a new boyfriend and is losing track of time and her intake. But if it's only been a few months, I can understand your concern that this is becoming a pattern. If you want to keep sitting, you need to have a talk with her. Yes, it will be hard, but standing up for yourself will be good training. Next time she calls tell her that you need to have clear hours you're expected to sit. Say that you've got schoolwork and staying up until 2:00 a.m. isn't good for you. If she says she understands, then continue to sit. And if she's been driving herself home intoxicated, the next time you sit, before she goes out, pull her aside. Say this is difficult for you to say, but the last time she came home, you were concerned about her being on the road after having had too much to drink. Tell her you don't want to worry about getting a call late at night that something bad has happened.
Or you do number 2 at your new mother-in-law's house, the toilet overflows and floods the bathroom and hallway. That was twenty years ago and I'm still mortified.
But the decks were swabbed 20 years ago -- surely this has become a funny story by now.
My father was an attorney who at one point in his career defended a man who was accused of a pretty gruesome murder. During the course of that trial, he received repeated death threats (towards him and his family). From that point on, he kept a gun in his desk drawer and his nightstand. Attorneys receiving death threats is not uncommon, as you can imagine. Many older attorneys do keep firearms in their offices because they have received threats. As attorneys, though, they should be particularly aware of the risks associated with loose loaded firearms (and their potential liability for such). Speaking to your boss about your concerns will not make you seem weak, quite the contrary. Phrasing it in terms of liability for the firm will make you seem like a prudent future attorney.
Interesting, thanks. And another letter writer says it's too late for another placement and talking respectfully to the boss is the way to go, which sounds right.
My parents have the most incredible marriage. My whole life I've looked up to them as a model example of a strong and happy relationship. Needless to say, they are loving and supportive parents as well. Dad is just as close to my half sister (who was from mom's first marriage) as he is to me and people are amazed to hear we're a blended family. Then I discovered something that changed my entire view of my parents. It turns out that when my mom and dad met, they were married to other people. The affair started when my sister was a baby, continued for three years, until they each divorced their former spouses and married each other. What was equally shocking was that dad has a son from a previous marriage and he stopped seeing him altogether. I didn't even know I had a half brother through dad. I always presumed people who have affairs or men who ditch their kids are scum, and it turns out my parents did exactly that. What's worse, I found out accidentally (they didn't have the guts to tell me), and when I went to them to see if there was some kind of justification - anything - well, there wasn't any. They met, left their spouses and even a child, and married each other. Dad said he tried to see his son initially but "just lost touch with him" over the years. It makes no sense to me. I feel like our whole family is based on lies and betrayal. I feel sick and guilty that I had my father at the expense of my half brother. My parents apologized profusely for not telling me. How can I restore respect I once had for my parents?
It can remake your understanding of the world to discover the people you always thought were paragons are actually flawed -- even profoundly flawed -- people. Your parents ended up with the right partners -- sometimes marriages cannot be saved -- but at a high price. Even so, "losing touch" is simply not a justification for abandoning a child. You have found out what how your parents met, your parents have apologized for keeping it from you, but that's not the end of the discussion, that's the beginning. You don't want your relationship with your parents to revolve around this, but you need to tell them you would appreciate it that now that this information is out, it's no longer taboo. Explain there's a lot you're trying to process, and you could start with your half-brother. Consider whether you want to reach out to him, and discuss with your parents and sister how to go about this. Talking this out, and the issues that have been raised, with a family counselor, could be a good way to begin this new phase of your family life.
Thanks so much for taking my question. I will go back to HR. Your comment was very prescient: on Friday this co-worker actually did tell me I was as pretty as a doll. Yuck.
Amazing, and yes, yuck. Get HR on this case.
My husband's brother, Bob has been in a relationship with a woman, Sandy, for over 40 years. That's not a typo: they are now in their late fifties and have "dated" off and (mostly) on ever since college, but never married. Sandy is a lovely person and I think of her as my sister-in-law. She attends family events and celebrates major holidays with us. Our daughters even call her Aunt Sandy. Recently, Bob was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and the prognosis is not good. He asked my husband to help him get his affairs in order and to be executor of his will. My husband told me that except for his car and some furniture, Bob is leaving all his estate to our daughters to help with college expenses. I was shocked and assumed Sandy should get the bulk of Bob's estate, given all that she has done and meant to him. Even now, she is taking care of him during his illness which would cost a fortune if he had to pay for such care. I realize Bob wants to leave a legacy, but we've been saving for our daughter's educations, so the money , while a help, will not make the difference as to whether our girls attend college. But it would mean a lot to Sandy who is a retired school teacher with a small pension. I have encouraged my husband to discuss this with Bob and convince him that he should leave more to Sandy than a 1999 Jeep and a brown futon. My husband says that his job is to follow Bob's wishes and he feels that talking about this with him is not appropriate. Everyone is pretty emotional about the diagnosis now, but I think this needs to be discussed soon. Am I off base? --sister-in-(common) law
Poor Bob, and poor Sandy. Of course as he's facing death your husband wants to support his brother, not challenge him. But since Bob's announced what he's planning to do with his estate, he's raised it as an issue, and it's fair for your husband to discuss it with him. He can tell Bob how moved he is that Bob wants to help his nieces this way. But he can also reassure him that there are funds for their education. Then your husband can tell Bob all of you are concerned for Sandy. Your husband can explain that because you all love her, you hope Bob will consider leaving her a larger portion of his estate. Since any money to Sandy goes against your family's interest will make it a pretty compelling case.
Dear Prudence, I had the hardest time accepting that my boyfriend of 8 years broke up with me. I begged him to take me back and was devastated when I discovered he started dating again within a couple of weeks. In my heartbroken and crazy state I lied and told him I was pregnant. He didn't get back with me immediately as I hoped, but said he wanted to reconsider our relationship for the sake of the "baby." Shortly afterwards I realized how crazy I was. I told him I had a miscarriage because I was too embarrassed to tell him the truth. He is a good guy and he checked on me a few times after that to be sure I was okay. It's been a few months since we last had contact but I feel awful about the lie I told. I don't want him to go around for the rest of his life thinking he lost a child. I know I have to confess - but how? I feel so embarrassed and angry at myself for doing something so stupid.
Good for you for seeing that your devastation temporarily deranged you. Send him a brief note saying you owed him the truth, and that you're sorry that in your pained state you mislead him.
It also could be that the daughter is so uncomfortable talking about the specifics of her affair with her mother that she is minimizing any discussion with Mom, and may feel entirely different than Mom is presuming. The difference between daughter and father is that Father apparently never left Mom; daughter is now in a relationship with a man who chose to separate from his wife. Now that the die is cast, what does Mom want? She wants the daughter to behave in the way Mom wants, and she has no qualms about using her money as a weapon to make everyone toe the line. What she's going to do is to drive a wedge between her daughter and herself; any children this daughter may have with her "unsuitable" partner; and her daughter and her other children (presuming they also don't "disappoint" Mom). Remember that YOU raised her. She's still your child.
Let me make clear that I hope Mom is planning to keep quiet about her musings over her estate planning. I'm normally in favor of dividing estates equally -- unless there are overwhelming reasons (a child with a disability, say) to do otherwise. Mom can eventually do what she likes with her estate, but I think she should not make any decisions about that now. And yes, working out her own anger at her husband on her daughter is very unpleasant.
I'm hoping you can help my husband and I with a puppy problem. A few months ago my husband surprised me with our first puppy. George is a six month old bichon maltese mix and I honestly couldn't ask for an easier dog to train and is amazingly well behaved. This is the first dog either of us has ever had so we aren't sure how to deal with this current problem. George is left alone for about six hours twice a week. I just don't feel right putting him a cage for that long and he's a small enough dog (12lbs) that our master bathroom has more than enough room for him to be comfortable and safe in. It's appropriately puppy proofed and he's stocked with food,water, a puppy pad, and his favorite toys. It's worked out very well until twice last week we came home to discover that he'd figured out how to turn the water on in the tub! I hate the idea of putting him in a kennel for six hours but I'm scared he'll hurt himself if he doesn't stop. Do you or your readers have any advice?
Your puppy wants to freshen himself with a bath before you come home, but he's too young to be left alone for that long. See if there is doggie day care (which is different from a kennel) near you for those days you're gone, or pay for a dog walker to take George out for attention and relief.


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Though I might as well, because things are a mess right now.
First off, my computer has been up and running for a little less than a week, and I'm still at a loss for where to put the scanner. Well...actually, I really should return the scanner and buy one of my own. But does it really matter? The COM port for the modem's toast. No internet connection from THERE. I'm relying on my dad's PC, and I'm only able to be on intermittently. Frustrating? Yeah, but NOW add in the chaos DSL is creating. That is to say, we're still trying to install it. And now we've got to find an ISA video-card to replace our PCI card, since the DSL modem is PCI and we only have one PCI slot in the machine. Yes, it's a fossil, almost four years old ~_~
Guh. That reminds me. My parents have been on my back about getting a job. I'm busy trying to polish some of my stuff to send off, but I know that it's not going to be an easy road. They want me to be earning an income tomorrow, not two to twelve months from now. I want to be sane, that's all.
And to further complicate matters...well, that's something that I don't think needs to be brought up at the moment.
Yie. I didn't intend for this to become a rant, but that's what has happened.
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POCKET -- http://calliope.keenspace.com/
See what happens when a Literature-Classics double-major decides to make a comic.


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Welcome to our 27th Contributor of the Month selection process!
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Germany Clubs Solar With New Feed-In Tariff Rates
For weeks there have been rumblings that Germany was going to cut its solar feed-in tariff, justifiably so after the country saw 3 GW of solar hit the market in December alone. What wasn't known was exactly what those cuts would look like.
Yesterday, the new rates were released, and they will take effect on March 9. They are as follows:
Project Size
Feed-In Tariff Rate
|Under 10 kW
|0.195 euro/kWhr
|10 kW to 1 MW
|0.165 euro/kWhr
|1 MW to 10 MW
|0.135 euro/kWhr
|Over 10 MW
|No feed-in tariff rate
This is a 20% to 30% cut from the previous feed-in tariff rate, in line with rumors, but investors still seemed surprised, as they crushed solar stocks yesterday.
What's interesting to note is how this compares to retail electricity rates. According to Eurostat, Germany paid an average electricity rate of 0.2294 euro per kWhr in 2009. That's higher than the new feed-in tariff rates I've shown above. That means that net metering becomes an economically viable solution for homeowners versus the feed-in tariff.
The question now becomes: How much solar can Germany install without the use of a feed-in tariff?
What this means
What Germany has done is cut the legs out from under the utility-scale and medium-size solar development market. Companies like First Solar (NAS: FSLR) have thrived in this market, building large-scale solar plants. Now the market will shift to rooftop solar, which favors higher-efficiency modules.
SunPower leads the efficiency pack, but is focusing more heavily on the U.S. residential and commercial market, along with its project development unit, than Germany. It would be reasonable to think that higher-efficiency Chinese manufacturers like Canadian Solar (NAS: CSIQ) and Trina Solar will benefit most from the move to more residential installations, but the scale of residential solar installations in Germany will be important to keep an eye on. Canadian Solar, in particular, gets a majority of sales from Germany, so the market reaction is critical.
How much will this hurt?
The question on investors' minds is: How big will the impact be? In 2011, Germany installed 7.5 GW of solar power and that may be slashed in 2012. China, India, and the U.S. will pick up some of the slack, but manufacturers keep building supply and the worldwide market likely won't keep up without a strong Germany. If anything is going to push lower-tier manufacturers into bankruptcy, this could be it.
I would keep an eye on LDK Solar (NYS: LDK) , JA Solar (NAS: JASO) , and ReneSola (NYS: SOL) for further signs of weakness that could push them over the edge. Each posted negative gross margins in the third quarter of 2011, and further weakness in Germany could spell trouble. These are third-tier suppliers who count on other manufacturers for polysilicon and cell demand and need high worldwide demand to sell their own modules.
Foolish bottom line
The news out of Germany yesterday wasn't good for solar stocks, but it may push us closer to consolidation and more failed manufacturers. What the industry could really use right now is lower supply, and that's only going to happen if some companies fail.
I'm not expecting the German market to fall apart, but this will be our first test of how consumers react after grid parity is reached.
The next year will be painful for some companies; that's why I will be sticking with those that have the best modules and strongest balance sheets. That's SunPower in the U.S., which has much of its production tied up in power plant developments, and Trina Solar in China. These two companies should emerge as winners as this solar battle plays out.
Interested in reading more about solar stocks? Use the links below to add them to My Watchlist, which will find all of our Foolish analysis on your favorite stocks.
- Add Trina Solar to My Watchlist.
- Add SunPower to My Watchlist.
- Add ReneSola to My Watchlist.
- Add LDK Solar to My Watchlist.
- Add JA Solar Holdings to My Watchlist.
- Add First Solar to My Watchlist.
- Add Canadian Solar to My Watchlist.
At the time this article was published Fool contributorTravis Hoiumowns shares of First Solar and SunPower and manages an account that owns shares of SunPower. You can follow Travis on Twitter at@FlushDrawFool, check out hispersonal stock holdingsor follow his CAPS picks atTMFFlushDraw.The Motley Fool owns shares of First Solar. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of First Solar. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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