text:
The nerf to moonkin frenzy was because moonkin kept standing in the fire in order to enhance their dps, which seems like not the kind of gameplay we should be encouraging and makes healers write us nastygrams in all capital letters.REALLY??????
We realize it's a PvP nerf and we're trying to come up with other ways to solve the problem. It may be that the current implementation on Live is the best one after all.
This is why you nerfed Owlkin Frenzy?
I can see how on the surface this can seem overpowered. I would love to get a static 10% damage buff and 100% push back resistance. However, you seem to only be looking at the benefit of the Strategy and not the costs. Lets really look at the merits of this Strategy.
1. For this to work you have to get hit frequently but for a very low amount of damage. If your not hit often enough then the buff won't proc enough. If Frenzy isn't up near constantly all your DPS gains will be lost to spell pushback when the buff is not up. If your taking near constant damage then each tick needs to be fairly insignificant otherwise you would either die or need constant healing.
If we look at the 17 encounters currently available in WotLK there is only that might fit this criteria. The only way this might work is if you stand in the lava during Sarth. Every other damage mechanic I can think of in game is either to infrequent and/or to severe to be withstood.
So your nerfing one of the few PvP talents Moonkin have because you think it might be a little OP on one fight that nobody is going to care about in a couple of months. Sorry, but that sounds a little like using a revolver to kill a fly.
2. If someone is doing this lets not forget that it is a very risky move. Unlucky lava strikes can already kill raiders quickly. Plus voidzones are probably more difficult to see in the lava especially if your swiming. Basically, someone who stands in the Lava is increasing this risk and the dead don't DPS.
3. Sarth is a highly moble fight. Therefore it is unlikely you can stand in the lava constantly and if you do you have to worry about range issues with your healer to keep DPSing.
4. By standing in the fire, you will require healing. We don't have a mechanic like Shadow Priests that automatically heals us as a part of our normal rotation. Therefore we will have to waste a GCD to heal our selves or have a healer waste their GCD and mana on us. So the raid loses DPS because the healers are more stressed and you may lose someone else. If the healers aren't stressed then your preventing them from throwing out a Smite or Moonfire.
So at best a moonkin who stands in the lava to proc Owlkin Frenzy is taking damage for a relatively minor DPS increase.
5. Finally, If this really is a big problem, is this really the best way to fix it? You could just as easily adjust the frequency and severity of the lava damage. Maybe have it tick for triple the amount every three seconds instead of every second?
In conclusion, I agree that the original post was a bit dramatic. Raiding Moonkin are more viable now then they have been in the 2 years I've been playing the game. However, you have to admit that PvP moonkin have been beaten up quite a bit lately with the the changes to Starfall and such. And nerfing ond of the key PvP talents to elimanate such a minor situation in PvE is just overkill.


text:
1. LLAMA SUTRA: BDSM, Roommate Crush
2. Sunrise Prostitution Sting Details Emerge
3. Absolute Domination: Mistress Absolute Whips Through L.A.
4. Whip Smart
5. Attorney for Lynn 'dominatrix' lashes out
National Coalition for Sexual Freedom -- Media Update
March 5, 2009
NCSF Media Updates represent a sampling of recent stories printed in US
newspapers, magazines, and selected websites containing significant
mention of SM-leather-fetish, polyamory, or swing issues and topics.
These stories may be positive, negative, accurate, inaccurate - or
anywhere in between.
NCSF publishes the Updates to provide readers a comprehensive look at what
media outlets are writing about these topics. NCSF permits and encourages
readers to forward these Updates where appropriate.
LLAMA SUTRA: BDSM, Roommate Crush
by Dan Copulsky and Kat Corcoran
The Llama Ledger (Bard College at Simon's Rock, Great Barrington, MA)
March 4, 2009
[A] BDSM, often distinguished from "vanilla sex", is triple acronym that
stands for Bondage and Discipline, Dominance and Submission, and Sadism
and Masochism. It is an umbrella term that includes a wide variety of
sexual activities that often overlap and can be practiced with a wide
range of intensity, some of which may be erotized rather than overtly
sexual. These activities usually take place within a defined "scene".
Bondage is the use of tying up, handcuffs, or other restraints. Discipline
is the use of rules and punishment, which can include physical pain,
humiliation, or loss of privileges. Dominance and submission is the
control of one party over another. Sadism is gratification from inflicting
pain or humiliation. Masochism is gratification from receiving pain or
BDSM usually involves unequal roles. Typically, those who are active and
in control are known as dominants, doms, tops, or masters and those who
are passive and controlled are known as submissives, subs, bottoms, or
slaves. Those who may take on both these roles are known as switches.
To keep activities safe, participants in BDSM use pre-negotiation of
scenes, safewords, and heightened knowledge of the body's and mind's
limits. Many measure activities against the yardstick of "Safe, Sane, and
Consensual" (SSC). Others hold a more permissive idea of "Risk-Aware
Consensual Kink" (RACK), believing that anything done between fully
informed consenting adults is acceptable.
To read this entire article, click here.
Sunrise Prostitution Sting Details Emerge:
Police Report Finding Sex Toys, Whips Chains, And A Human Cage
by Carey Codd
WFOR-TV (Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Fl)
February 27, 2009
SUNRISE (CBS4) -- A month after CBS4 cameras watched Sunrise police bust
an alleged house of prostitution, we are learning the lurid details of the
sex acts that allegedly took place there.
The report details whipping and bondage and lists a number of items police
found in the home, like ropes, chains and even a human cage.
Sunrise Police arrested two women on January 28 -- Katherine Eby and Chu
Tang -- for prostitution. Timothy Moon was arrested for battery on a law
enforcement officer and failing to appear on a child neglect charge in
According to the report, the women enticed men to the home through an
online ad.
Katherine Eby told police the economy forced her into a life of
prostitution. She told police "she was a real estate agent and was unable
to earn a steady income from that profession due to current market
An undercover officer pretended to be a customer and arrested Eby after
she began performing a sex act on him for $140.
While Eby was in a room with the officer, the officer heard strange noises
emanating from a nearby room. The report says Eby told the officer "Tang
was whipping" a man.
The report says Eby gave a cut of her earnings to Tang, who rented the
house with another woman for $1200 per month. The report says Sunrise
Police learned about the house from an anonymous person complaining about
the amount of men going in and out of the house several times a day.
As police officers led the suspects out of the home in handcuffs, nearby
residents cheered.
"They did a great job," the neighbor said who asked to remain anonymous.
"I don't want that scum here. Drags everybody's property values down."
...inside the house police found a plethora of sex items, including "an
assortment of various sex toys, dominatrix business cards, sex videos,
assortment of condoms with money, restraining furniture, human cage,
ropes, chains, whips, paddles...."
The report details one man they found in the home, naked and bound by rope
to the frame of a table.
Chu Tang told detectives she and Moon operated a "sex content web site."
She said they filmed several movies for the website at the house.
To read this entire article, click here.
at http://cbs4.com/contact
Absolute Domination: Mistress Absolute Whips Through L.A. to Teach Torture
for Pleasure at Coco de Mer on Melrose
by Gendy Alimurung
LA Weekly (Los Angeles, CA)
February 25, 2009
When the dominatrix was a little girl, she was constantly locking people
in cupboards. In the bathtub with her brother, she would instruct her
sibling to close his eyes and open his mouth.
"But you'll put the bar of soap in it", he'd say.
"No I won't. I promise".
"Aaah", went his mouth. In went the soap.
It's one of those classic dominatrix stories with a foregone conclusion.
Hannah, or Mistress Absolute to those with whom she is on whipping terms,
has a naturally domineering personality and has, in a sense, been
tormenting people her entire life. "When I told my mum what I was doing
for a living, she said, 'Oh, darling, you've always been like that'".
Mistress Absolute, who prefers her last name remain private, is lounging
on a leather chair in the dressing room before the "Art of Restraint"
class she teaches at the only U.S. branch of the elegant little sex shop
from London called Coco de Mer, a gilded, luxe place on Melrose with
naughty toys in Victorian cabinets where you can pick up $10,000 gold
vibrators and almost-as-expensive La Perla lingerie. Mistress Absolute is
herself an elegant, slinky person, with pale skin, red lips, long black
hair, and a fun-loving, puckish air, without which she would be scary. She
lives in London, but regularly includes Los Angeles on her teaching
circuit (she returns in April), and when her flight to LAX got in, a
female slave met her at the baggage carousel wearing fishnet tights, a
tailcoat, a leather chauffer's cap, a sign that said "Mistress Absolute"
and a huge grin.
"There's a school of thought that says you should start out submissive
before you become dominant", the dominatrix says as students begin to
arrive. "That if you don't know what it feels like, how can you do it to
someone else? I don't follow that thought. I don't have a set of balls,
but I torture balls".
She is 33 years old, and found her calling at 23. She went to a fetish
club for the first time on her own. She bought her first rubber dress,
strapped on her first pair of boots. "Within 15 minutes I was giving
somebody a caning. I was somewhere I fitted. Finally I had a name for how
I am".
These days, when people in session confess their desires, she sees a
weight come off their shoulders. "It's about being able to release a side
of somebody that they kept hidden, and not judging them. They tell me
about their fetish, and maybe it's something they haven't told their wife,
they haven't told their best friend, they aren't even sure they should be
telling me. So when they say to me 'I just love to be spat on or kicked
about. Is that normal?' I say, 'Well, define normal'".
To read this entire article, click here.
To respond, click here or comment at bottom of the article
Whip Smart: A documentary explores the dark, kinky world of online BDSM
by Linnea Covington
New York Press (NY)
February 25, 2009
The girl looked like an amputee. Positioned on all fours atop tall, metal
pedestals, her eyes were wild as she moaned through a ball-gag. Short,
brown locks framed her face, and her white limbs were encased in
bright-yellow latex, binding the hand to the shoulder, the foot to the
thigh. She wore a matching corset under her dangling breasts. Artist
positions, crippled or beaten came to mind. But this girl was real. And
she was just a piece of the larger world of fetish from the now-defunct
website, Insex.com.
Started in 1997, Insex.com was a way for Brent Scott, aka Pd, to further
his erotic bondage art after leaving a teaching job at Carnegie Mellon.
His art showed vivid paintings of women in various BDSM positions - and
wasn't well-received among the community. Bondage had long been an
obsession for Scott from the time he was tortuously tickled into his first
orgasm as a child. He began to think of his fetishes as wrong because they
weren't socially acceptable, but through art, he found a way to live
them.The workings behind the website can now be seen in a new documentary,
Graphic Sexual Horror, which premiered as the highest rated film in Utah's
Slamdance Film Festival in mid-January and is included in the Cinekink
film fest this week. Two women direct the film: novelist Barbara Bell and
photographer Anna Lorentzon.
Both Lorentzon and Bell worked for Insex.com, never as models, but as a
photographer and screenwriter respectively. Lorentzon first met Scott at a
fetish store and later at a bondage demonstration. She reached out to him
coincidently on the same day he needed a photographer, so she joined the
team and stayed there for six years. Bell got into Insex.com through
Lorentzon and began writing short screenplays for his scenes. Both women
enjoyed their time there, but some of their encounters bothered them, like
Scott's pushiness when he wanted the models to "play" with him after their
set. Lorentzon said making this documentary became a way for her to
decompress everything she experienced in the studio.
As the two female directors explain in the film, Scott's fascination with
bondage isn't as unusual as one might think. Insex.com had 35,000 members
who paid $60 a month to sign on. "It was almost as if everybody was
waiting for this site to come up", Scott says in the documentary.
The interest Insex.com received, however, shouldn't be so surprising.
Scott put a lot of time and effort into creating scenes that were both
convincing and horribly graphic. He hired models at around $300-anhour to
be placed in shackles, in cages, tied up, whipped, dunked in water and
ball-gagged. He created leather masks, steel stilettos, cuffs and iron
casings. And for seven years he produced short films, live feeds and
images of pretty girls getting tortured.
While the documentary touches on the closing of Insex.com, the purpose is
to show a side of the business that the regular customer or sexually
stifled viewer never saw - what the girls actually thought of their work.
Near the beginning of the film, Scott explained that his purpose to being
there was to "give the girl an orgasm". There was a part in the movie
where a girl, tied to post, is whipped with a switch. She has large, red
welts over blackening bruises down her backside. After they stop filming,
the girl looks high and, with a gentle smile, explains to her questioner
that she felt "really good".
Lorentzon, the cinematographer, explained that the girl's reaction was due
to the adrenaline pulsating through her body. "When feeling enough pain,
the body produced endorphins and adrenaline, which makes you feel high",
says Lorentzon. "At that point, you don't feel the pain anymore. Not all
models were willing and able to go that far".
To read this entire article, click here.
Attorney for Lynn 'dominatrix' lashes out
by Dan O'Brien
The Daily Item (Lynn, MA)
February 19, 2009
LYNN - The lawyer for a Lynn dominatrix arrested for sodomy and rape
lashed out at the victim and police Wednesday, saying Ariana Murrell's
boyfriend only filed cha-rges after she kicked him out of her house the
night before.
Attorney Elaine Whitfield Sharp of Marblehead, who also represents Murrell
in a lawsuit against the Lynn Police Department that is pending in U.S.
District Court, says the 46-year-old alleged victim is a bipolar, illegal
immigrant from the Dominican Republic who was allowed to leave Murrell's
home in the three years he's lived there.
Murrell, 40, even bought the victim a plane ticket to the Dominican
Republic a few months ago but he declined to accept it, said the attorney,
who forwarded The Item an electronic copy of the plane ticket for a flight
that departed from Boston on Jan. 20.
Now, Whitfield Sharp says Murrell is "humiliated" and lost custody of her
two grandchildren Wednesday only 14 days after they were awarded to her by
Judge Nelson Dillday of the Salem Probate Court.
In addition, Whitfield Sharp provided copies of court records showing
Murrell has a pending assault and battery case against the victim after he
allegedly attacked her and a handyman inside her 35 Baltimore St. home in
2007. Murrell filed a separate police report against the victim after he
was allegedly caught on video stealing Murrell's credit cards, which were
later used fraudulently, from her pocketbook.
"He is not a reliable source," she said. "The night before he went to the
police Ariana said she intended to be a witness against him... She told
him to get out of the house." Police arrested Murrell on Monday at her
workplace, a Lewis Street tax preparation business, and charged her with
sodomy, rape, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and
The victim says, among other allegations, that Murrell sodomized him when
he didn't agree to photograph himself naked to post on the Internet. She
also allegedly forced him to wear costumes and participate in bondage
sessions with other men.
Murrell filed trespassing charges against city workers in June after when
they tried to impose a cease and desist order because she was building an
illegal room on her house. The victim tells police the room was being
turned into a dungeon, according to police reports.
To read this entire article, click here.
To respond, click here, or comment at the bottom of the article
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
EAST STROUDSBURG — The state system governing East Stroudsburg University is investigating allegations that a senior-level ESU administrator sexually harassed a student.
EAST STROUDSBURG — The state system governing East Stroudsburg University is investigating allegations that a senior-level ESU administrator sexually harassed a student.
Meanwhile, similar allegations about the same administrator have emerged from two new sources.
The investigation by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) is the third to examine the administrator and student. The claimant is a teenaged male.
"We are looking into it," said Kenn Marshall, PASSHE spokesman. "We take any allegations like this seriously."
He declined to name the administrator who is under investigation, but multiple sources familiar with the case identify him as Isaac W. Sanders, vice president for university advancement. Sanders came to ESU in 2000 and is also executive director of the university's foundation.
Sanders could not be reached for comment.
Marshall could not say how long the investigation would take to complete. "It depends on what, if anything, is uncovered," he said. He added that it is not uncommon for the system to investigate claims, even after member universities have already done so.
Earlier this year, ESU closed an internal investigation into the matter. ESU President Robert Dillman declined to discuss the subject, citing employee confidentiality. "It's a personnel matter and he really can't comment," said Doug Smith, university spokesman.
The second probe, by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, was assigned last month to an investigator, the commission confirmed. It is ongoing.
Two other former students have come forward recently with allegations against Sanders that are similar to the one now being investigated by the state system. Those allegations describe a pattern of sexually predatory behavior and possible financial misdealing, according to multiple sources familiar with the cases.
Allegations about Sanders also appeared in a series of four anonymous letters from 2007, dated Sept. 30, Oct. 10, Nov. 1, and Dec. 1. The letters were addressed to Dillman, and copies of some of the letters reportedly were sent to members of ESU's Council of Trustees, to Judy G. Hample, who is chancellor of the state system of higher education, and to others. The Pocono Record forwarded the letters to Monroe County District Attorney David Christine, who has not responded to calls seeking comment.
Marshall said he is confident that the letters sent to Hample prompted questions from the state, though he could not say how much. "I don't know how thoroughly any of those letters may or may not have been looked into," he said.
Albert R. "Sonny" Murray is representing the student whose case is being handled by the Human Relations Commission. He confirmed that he also has been retained by another client, one of the two who came forward recently.
Murray also confirmed that he is examining financial dealings that may be relevant to his clients' complaints. He declined further comment.
Another lawyer, Paul Kramer, confirmed that he is representing a young man who complained of a similar pattern of alleged harassment. Kramer, too, declined to disclose the name of his client or to discuss the matter further.
ESU policy, dating to 1997, forbids unwelcome advances that create a hostile work or learning environment.
It also bars a faculty member or supervisor from giving grades or job benefits in exchange for sexual favors, or even creating the reasonable perception that such an exchange is expected.
Sexual relationships between staff and students are not covered in the rules governing the state system, according to Marshall. Instead, they are determined by individual universities.
Sanders came to ESU from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
There, he was vice president for advancement and an associate professor.
Previously, he was executive assistant to the president at Alabama State University, and served as vice president for enrollment management and student services and associate professor of education at Tuskegee University.


text:
|Episode Description
|Monday, Jun 17, 2013 - 1:30 AM
"Garrison Keillor: The Man on the Radio in the Red Shoes"
From the fictional Lake Wobegon to homes across America, Keillor, with his "Prairie Home Companion" radio show, becomes America's national philosopher. Through his running commentary about the human condition and the social politic, Keillor hones in on the pulse of America with biting wit and a quirky perspective. G
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Thursday, June 10, 2010
In the news...
Chloe and friends from school raised money for the local animal shelter. See column 2, last paragraph to read further. Chloe is in the top row, last one on the right.
Proud of our girl!
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Yay for Chloe!!!!!!
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I asked Chloe what she and the neighbor boy were talking about. She replied with a wave of her hand, "Just boy stuff."
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"I hate dolls, they're creepy! It's like they look into the depths of your soul!"
You look enjoyed.
Mom: "Are your new shoes Skechers?" Chloe: "I just like to call them 'shoes'."
To the cat, "Spike, you set the mood!"
"I had a dream it rained chickens."
The day she got her first bra, "Can I put it on in the car?"
Watching Nathan at his first Fencing lesson she wistfully says while looking at him, "He's doing something he really loves."
"Mom, do you know how to flirt?" Yes, I guess I do. "Can you teach me how?"
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Chloe to Beck: "Don't knowledge me about things I already know!"
Nathan: "It's not fair that women live longer than men. They were created second! Chloe in her best "duh!" voice: "That's why they live longer!"
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Natural Wonder Pets formulates and manufactures proprietary, all-natural, holistic, alcohol-free, small batch Organic Herbal Remedies for Dogs and Cats
Your search ends here. The stories are true. You have found the quiet little pet apothecary built entirely on word of mouth. Spontaneously and of their own volition, our customers built us. And their unbridled voices continue spreading the word about how our proprietary formula veterinary-herbal pet medications are "nothing short of miraculous!"
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Most pet health care manufacturers' products are mass produced (for maximum profitability) using straight grain alcohol as a preservative (harmful to dogs and cats) then shipped to unsuspecting consumers after 1 to 5 years of gathering dust in a warehouse.
Our manufacturing practices meet or exceed the FDA's current Good Manufacturing Practices. But our methods have evolved from years of research and testing in loving family environments, not in heartless animal testing laboratories.
At Natural Wonder Pets ...
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... all USDA Certified Organic or ethically Wildharvested, human food grade, alcohol-free ingredients
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NEW YORK -- The burned, naked body found on a beach Sunday has been identified as a missing 14-year-old girl.
Law enforcement sources told NBC New York on Tuesday that the body found in Gerritsen Beach in Brooklyn was Shaniesha Forbes, who had been missing since Friday.
She was burned on her legs, arms and hands and was found face up on the beach. A law enforcement official told NBC New York that investigators also located a kerosene can and signs of a bonfire nearby.
The cause of death is still pending.


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Paul S. Grogan, Boston Foundation CEO, president, named trusteePaul S. Grogan, the president and chief executive officer of The Boston Foundation, one of the nation's oldest, largest and most influential community foundations, has been elected to the Brandeis University Board of Trustees, Chairman Malcolm L. Sherman announced.
Since joining the Foundation a decade ago, Grogan has boosted fundraising and launched a series of high-impact initiatives in housing, the arts, education reform and workforce development. Grogan has also championed civic engagement on myriad critical issues facing the city of Boston and the region.
"Paul is a remarkable guy who has had a significant leadership role in dealing with many of the most pressing issues of our times, from access to educational opportunities and medical care to employment and housing needs. It is a pleasure to welcome him to the board," said Sherman.
Grogan, in accepting the position, referred to the university's standing within higher education in the U.S.
"Greater Boston is the higher education capital of America and within it, Brandeis University is a very special institution. I am deeply honored to accept Brandeis's offer to join the Board of Trustees," he said.
Prior to the Foundation, Grogan served as vice president for Government, Community and Public Affairs at Harvard University from 1999 to 2001. As one of five vice presidents, he oversaw all government relations for Harvard, relations with Harvard's host communities of Cambridge and Boston, and the university news office. He was also a senior lecturer at the Harvard Business School.
Grogan has a passion for cities that began in Boston when he served mayors Kevin H. White and Raymond L. Flynn in a variety of staff and line positions. He headed Boston's neighborhood revitalization efforts in the early 1980s and pioneered a series of pubic/private ventures such as the Boston Housing Partnership and the Boston Compact, a partnership between the corporate community and public schools. These models have been widely emulated by other cities.
He graduated with a degree with honors in American history from Williams College in 1972 and earned a master's degree in administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1979. He is a trustee of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; a director of the for-profit company, the Community Development Trust, which he helped found; a director of New Profit, Inc.; and a former trustee at Williams College.
"I am delighted to welcome Paul to the Board," said President Fred Lawrence. "He is a major figure in the greater Boston philanthropic world, and he brings to our board a wealth of experience in the not-for-profit sector. Paul cares deeply about the issues of equality and access about which we at Brandeis also feel strongly."
Return to the BrandeisNOW homepage
Categories: General


text:
Acceptances, Denials, and Waitlists / Texas Southern Law School« on: July 26, 2008, 01:41:17 PM »
I was wait listed at Texas Southern Law School. The admissions office at this point stated that a decision has not been made on my file. With classes starting in the next couple of weeks what are my chances realistically? I have sent in a letter of continued interest and visited the school. Has any other TSU wait list candidates heard anything either way? I guess at this point its better to hear no news than bad news( released from the wait list)?


text:
Share pincode for faster delivery by local sellers.
This product is currently out of stock
Item is available at 122003Change
Item is not available at Change
You can place a return request within 10 days of order delivery.
In case of damaged/missing product or empty parcel, the return request should be filed within 2 days of delivery.
Update your casual wardrobe this summer as you wear this trouser from the house of Parinita. Fashioned using cotton, this trouser will not fail to catch your fancy at a single glance. Wear this trouser and enhance the look of your attire.
Brand : Parinita
Material : Cotton
Color : Maroon


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Biggest trades in Nets history
From Tiny Archibald to Shawn Bradley, the biggest trades in Nets franchise history.
Trades listed in chronological order.
By Bobby Bonett and Nick Klopsis
Sept. 10, 1976
Kings trade Tiny Archibald to the Nets for Jim Eakins, Brian Taylor and two first-round picks
The Nets acquired Archibald, a future Hall of Famer, after several dominant seasons in Kansas City. In fact, during the 1972-73 season, Archibald became the first and only player to lead the league in both points and assists. Archibald's stay was short, though, as the Nets shipped him to the Buffalo Braves less than a year later. The two first-round picks the Nets sent to Kansas City wound up being Otis Birdsong and Phil Ford.
General manager: Roy Boe
Oct. 2, 1979
Jazz trades Rich Kelley to the Nets for Bernard King, John Gianelli and Jim Boylan
After two seasons averaging more than 20 points per game, 22-year-old Bernard King was shipped to the Jazz in a package for Rich Kelley. The 7-footer lasted less than a season with New Jersey, averaging just 10 points and seven rebounds per game. King scored nearly 20,000 points in his career, and led the league in scoring in 1984-85.
General manager: Charles Theokas
Dec. 24, 1981
Lakers trade a second-round pick to the Nets for Bob McAdoo
Nine months after they had signed him as a free agent, the Nets dealt future Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo to the West Coast. McAdoo won two titles with the Lakers as one of the team's key players off the bench.
General manager: Bob MacKinnon
Feb. 6, 1983
Warriors trade Micheal Ray Richardson to the Nets for Sleepy Floyd and Mickey Johnson
The Nets parted with a young "Sleepy" Floyd for Micheal Ray Richardson, an All-Star point guard who led the league in assists and steals during the 1979-80 season. Richardson was named an All-Star as a member of the Nets in 1985, but a year later was banned from the NBA for life for violating the league's substance abuse policy multiple times.
General manager: Bob MacKinnon
Jan. 23, 1991
Trail Blazers trade Drazen Petrovic to the Nets as part of a three-team trade.
The Nets landed Croatian-born Drazen Petrovic during the 1990-91 season in a three-way deal that cost the Nets Greg Anderson and a first-round pick. He earned a spot in the team's starting lineup the next two seasons and put up huge offensive numbers. Petrovic averaged more than 20 points per game and shot better than 44 percent from three each season. His life was cut short by a fatal car accident in June 1993.
General manager: Willis Reed
Oct. 8, 1992
76ers trade Jayson Williams to the Nets for two second-round picks
The Nets only needed to part with spare change to pick up the 24-year-old 6-9 center. Williams was slow to develop for New Jersey, but he broke out during the 1996-97 season, averaging 13.4 points and 13.5 rebounds. Williams was named to the All-Star team the next season, but was forced to retire at just 30 years old — shortly after signing a massive contract extension — because of a career-ending knee injury.
General manager: Willis Reed
Nov. 3, 1992
Hawks trade Rumeal Robinson to the Nets for Mookie Blaylock and Roy Hinson
Taken by the Nets with the 12th overall pick in the 1989 draft, Mookie Blaylock was the Nets' starting point guard by his sophomore season. But the Nets opted to deal the 24-year-old guard for Rumeal Robinson. Blaylock averaged at least 11 points per game and five assists each of the next 10 seasons; Robinson started just 28 games in 1 1/2 seasons with New Jersey.
General manager: Willis Reed
Nov. 30, 1995
76ers trade Shawn Bradley, Greg Graham and Tim Perry to the Nets for Derrick Coleman, Sean Higgins and Rex Walters
Despite three straight seasons averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds, Derrick Coleman fell out of favor by the end of the 1994-95 season. He was shipped in a package to Philadelphia, with the Nets receiving 7-6 center Shawn Bradley. Bradley served as a solid defender in the paint for New Jersey for 1 1/2 seasons; Coleman averaged a double-double just one more time in his career.
General manager: Willis Reed
Feb. 17, 1997
Mavericks trade Sam Cassell, Chris Gatling, Jim Jackson, George McCloud and Eric Montross to the Nets for Shawn Bradley, Ed O'Bannon, Robert Pack and Khalid Reeves
In one of the great heists in team history, the Nets parted with four players who had already peaked for two real impact players: Sam Cassell and Jim Jackson. Cassell and Jackson both had short-lived stints with New Jersey, though: Jackson averaged 16.5 points in 31 games, and Cassell averaged just under 21 points in 102 games.
General manager: John Calipari
June 27, 1997
76ers trade Keith Van Horn, Michael Cage, Lucious Harris and Don MacLean to the Nets for Jim Jackson, Eric Montross, Anthony Parker and Tim Thomas
Two days after he was selected second overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1997 draft, Keith Van Horn was dealt in a package to the Nets. Van Horn spent five seasons in New Jersey — the five best years of his career — and averaged 18.2 points and 7.6 rebounds.
General manager: John Calipari
March 11, 1999
Timberwolves trade Stephon Marbury to the Nets as part of a three-team trade.
Two seasons after acquiring Sam Cassell, the Nets traded him, Chris Gatling, Brian Evans and a first-round pick in a three-team deal for 22-year-old Stephon Marbury. Marbury excelled with the Nets, averaging more than 22 points in each of his three seasons with the team, including an All-Star appearance in 2001.
General manager: John Calipari
July 18, 2001
Suns trade Jason Kidd and Chris Dudley to the Nets for Stephon Marbury, Johnny Newman and Soumalia Samake
In what signaled the beginning of a new era in New Jersey, the Nets built the foundation of a team that would emerge as an Eastern Conference power. Kidd led the Nets to five straight playoff appearances from the 2002-06, including back-to-back appearances in the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003.
General manager: Rod Thorn
Aug. 6, 2002
76ers trade Dikembe Mutombo to the Nets for Keith Van Horn and Todd MacCulloch
Following his worst statistical season with the Nets, Van Horn was traded to Philadelphia for Mutombo. The 7-2 veteran center played in just 24 games for New Jersey.
General manager: Rod Thorn
July 15, 2004
Nuggets trade three first-round picks to the Nets for Kenyon Martin
The No. 1 overall pick four years earlier, Kenyon Martin was shipped to Denver after four productive seasons for three draft picks. Martin, who had averaged 16.7 points during the 2003-04 season, averaged more than 13 points just one more time in his career. The Nets wound up using two of the picks to acquire Vince Carter.
General manager: Ed Stefanski
Dec. 17, 2004
Raptors trade Vince Carter to the Nets for Alonzo Mourning, Aaron Williams, Eric Williams and two first-round picks
In search of a No. 1 scoring option, the Nets acquired Vince Carter early in the 2004-05 season. Carter, who was unhappy in Toronto, made the All-Star team from 2005-07 with the Nets, and averaged more than 20 points each season with the team.
General manager: Ed Stefanski
Feb. 19, 2008
Mavericks trade Maurice Ager, DeSagana Diop, Devin Harris, Trenton Hassell, Keith Van Horn and two first-round picks to the Nets for Jason Kidd, Malik Allen and Antoine Wright
Looking to rebuild, the Nets parted with veteran point guard Jason Kidd in a midseason package that centered around young point guard Devin Harris and a pair of draft picks. Harris averaged 21.3 points per game during the 2008-09 season, his first full season with the Nets. The two picks wound up being Ryan Anderson and Jordan Crawford.
General manager: Rod Thorn
June 26, 2008
Bucks trade Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons to the Nets for Richard Jefferson
After a career year in New Jersey where he averaged 22.6 points per game, Richard Jefferson was traded to the Bucks following the 2007-08 season. The deal was a cost-cutting move, saving the Nets more than $10 million. Yi underachieved in two seasons with New Jersey, while Jefferson averaged more than 15 points just once more in his career.
General manager: Kiki Vandeweghe
June 25, 2009
Magic trades Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee to the Nets for Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson
The final piece to go from the Nets' mid-2000s teams, Vince Carter was dealt to the Magic during the 2009 offseason. Courtney Lee was solid in his lone season with the Nets, averaging 12.5 points in 33.5 minutes per game. The real prize of the deal wound up being Ryan Anderson, though, who was named the league's Most Improved Player following the 2011-12 season.
General manager: Kiki Vandeweghe
Feb. 23, 2011
Jazz trades Deron Williams to the Nets for Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, two first-round picks and cash
In a bold move that paid off, the Nets mortgaged their future in exchange for All-Star point guard Deron Williams at the 2011 trade deadline. Williams' contract was only guaranteed through the 2011-12 season, however, he signed a max extension with the team in the summer of 2012.
General manager: Billy King
March 15, 2012
Trail Blazers trade Gerald Wallace to the Nets for Mehmet Okur, Shawne Williams and a first-round pick
For the second time in as many years, the Nets gambled at the trade deadline, parting with a first-round pick for Gerald Wallace. Wallace's contract was only guaranteed through the end of the season, but the Nets inked the swingman to a long-term deal the following summer.
General manager: Billy King
July 11, 2012
Hawks trade Joe Johnson to the Nets for Anthony Morrow, Jordan Farmar, Johan Petro, Jordan Williams, DeShawn Stevenson and a first-round pick
In a move engineered to encourage Gerald Wallace and Deron Williams to re-sign with the team, the Nets parted with young talent and a draft pick for Hawks guard Joe Johnson. Both Wallace and Williams signed extensions shortly after the news broke.
General manager: Billy King
July 12, 2013
Celtics trade Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce Jason Terry and D.J. White to the Nets for Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, Keith Bogans and three first-round draft picks (2014, 2016 and 2018) plus the right to swap first-round picks in 2017.
With the Celtics in rebuilding mode after head coach Doc Rivers joined the the Los Angeles Clippers, the Nets made a blockbuster move for two of Boston's Big Three in Garnett and Pierce.
General manager: Billy King


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text:
Funds That Support the Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon
Above: The Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon, near Havana, Illinois.
Make a Difference for Programs at the Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon
The Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon is UIS' field research station at the site of The Nature Conservancy's floodplain restoration along the Illinois River. Your gifts will help us expand and enrich the field station's impact.
You can choose from two funds that support Therkildsen:
Friends of Emiquon
This fund provides general support for the many activities and programs at Therkildsen.
Alfred O. and Barbara Cordwell Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon Fund
[donate_button "14770475/UIS Alfred O. and Barbara Cordwell Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon Fund"]
This fund support student research at or related to Emiquon.
About the Therkildsen Field Station
Named for Alfred O. and Barbara Cordwell Therkildsen
Director: Tom Rothfus, 217-206-7418, email@example.com
Brief history: In 2007, The Nature Conservancy began restoring 7,425 acres of land immediately adjacent to the Illinois River from farmland to its natural state—a large river floodplain. In 2008, UIS dedicated its field station (named Therkildsen in 2009).
Facilities: Laboratories, smart classroom, conference room, sleeping quarters for ten people, kitchen, storage, and restrooms.
- Research: Students from UIS and many other institutions, faculty, research scientists, environmental agency personnel, and many others use Therkildsen as their base as they do research on the wetland restoration. Part of this research is monitoring the microbes, invertebrates, birds, and fish in and around the restoration lakes.
- Education: UIS offers an ever-growing roster of classes connected to Therkildsen, many cross-disciplinary.
- Outreach: We offer almost monthly "Walk and Talk" events for the community, field trips for K-12 students, volunteer opportunities for youth, a site for community organizations to meet, and we will continue to add activities that enrich central Illinois' understanding of the restoration and our connection to the environment around us.
Current Needs:
- More housing: Therkildsen provides excellent–if limited housing–for ten people. We need a full-scale dormitory with a larger kitchen. We would be able to accommodate more of the researchers who want to study Emiquon. We would also be able to provide housing for summer teacher development and student enrichment programs and camps.
- More personnel: Most field stations have a fulltime director and additional support personnel. We have a part-time (very part-time) director, a corps of volunteers, and minimal additional paid personnel. Use of Therkildsen is growing every year.
- Support for Outreach: We have many requests for programs at Therkildsen, but many require materials, instrumentation, and additional resources. If you have a vision for people from K-through-gray learning science, experiencing nature, appreciating the environment, and more, please consider giving to Friends of Emiquon.
- Travel funds: Our students are eager to work at Therkildsen, but the cost of traveling to the restoration creates an obstacle. Gas cards as small as $10, $50, or $100 would help. An endowed fund that generates money for student research would be ideal.
We welcome your inquiries. Please feel free to contact us.


text:
PITtsburgher wrote:As far as the deployment thing, there are programs (sometimes through shelters) that will care for dogs while their owners are deployed. I don't know anything about Utah, but it would be worth researching ahead of time, just in case.
For example: https://www.netpets.org/militarypet/foster.php
Oh my goodness!!!! Thank you, I didn't realize there was anything like this out there but now that I know i'm going to look into it. I'm one of those people that need a plan A B And C or otherwise i will stress about it.


text:
(989) 964-4317(989) 964-4317
Dr. Elizabeth Rich
Ann Garcia
SVSUScience East 164
The Honors Program at SVSU admits those students who can successfully complete the program in a timely manner. The Program has admitted Freshmen, transfer students, and continuing students. The process for admission to Honors is listed below.
Basic Honors eligibility:
Transfer students with honors course credit may transfer up to three honors credits to the program with approval of the chair.
Send to:
Dr. Rich, Honors Program Chair
Saginaw Valley State University
Science East 164
University Center, MI 48710
To learn more about the Honors Program, please contact Dr. Rich at 989-964-4317 or email@example.com.


text:
Chic Nuts
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- (07) 5494 ####
8 Witham RdMap
Maleny QLD 4552Click to view map
About Us
If you have a need for Fruit, Nut & Berry Industries products or services, you will know that experience and product knowledge are vital. orchards, pistachio and labour hire - and all the basic essentials of Fruit, Nut & Berry Industries are available from Chic Nuts, in Maleny, QLD. You can contact us by email at any time, or by phone at (07) 5494 #### during business hours, for helpful and professional assistance with any and all of your Fruit, Nut & Berry Industries needs.
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Berry King
"Without doubt the best jam I have ever tasted. I am not a fan of jam usually, but I got some as a gift and am now hooked. Its a jar full of fruit! Their relishes and chutneys are fantastic as well. They give a boring meal or sandwich a real kick. I love adding flavour to food and can't find fault with any of Berry King's products - except sometimes it's hard to find."
Jhayes on 16th Sep 2008


text:
Recently we did knife pass-around for Yoshikane SLD Suji 270mm
You can read about it here http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/sh...fe-Passaround-!
And here is the knife and what it cost : http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com...70mm-p/709.htm
So i want to give that knife away ! But to enter the contest you need to buy a gift certificate to JNS for at least 100 DKK (around 17 USD) Bigger amount is welcome :D
It can be to your self or just a gift to a friend and can be used on anything in JNS store !
Here is the link:
A random number generator will be used to select the winner. Only one winner be selected.
End date for entries is: 1 December 2012
Drawing date: 1 December 2012
I pay the shipping to any location !
Good luck to all of you


text:
What is your website for?
Make sure you know what your organisation and website goals are, and write content to achieve those goals.
Know who your audience is
You are not writing for yourself, you're writing for an audience. So understand who that audience is.
Provide simple routes to key content
Your audience should be able to reach important content in 3 clicks or less.
Keep the structure simple
Optimise your main links so there aren't too many. And keep the link names short, so they don't look overcrowded.
Document it all
Keep a record of your website goals and your site structure, so you can refer to it later.
It's easy to plan good website content.
All you need to do is follow this simple guide.
Think about what the website is actually for and then structure it accordingly.
A good website has good content, good actions, good photos, and good structure (sometimes called "navigation" or "content architecture").
This process helps you to work out the optimum structure for your site, and choose what sections, pages and content you should create.
What you'll need:
- Plenty of post-it notes. You may find it useful to use a different colour of post-it note for each of the first 3 stages.
- A white board, a door, or a blank wall that you can stick the post-it notes on to.
- Key decision-makers who run your organisation - these don't necessarily need to be people involved in the website, they can be anybody who has ideas to offer.
- The process is likely to take 1-3 hours, depending on how many people are involved.
Stage 1: About your audience
This is to help you to understand who your audience is.
Your audience is not just a bland collection of random people - each individual has specific needs. Try to describe the main types of users. If you find you have a post-it note with "Everyone" written on it, throw it away: it's meaningless. Not even Facebook reaches everyone.
Ask yourself what types of user you want to reach, or who will want to use your website. On your post-it notes, write down each of your audience types.
Stage 2: What does your audience want?
This stage helps you consider all the types of content you can deliver to your audience.
At the moment, don't try to link up content with audience type - just write down everything, with each type of content on a separate post-it note.
Stick them onto the wall (or door, or wipeboard) in a random way, but make sure they don't get muddled up with the audience types. Using different coloured post-it notes helps!
Stage 3: What do YOU want from your audience?
This is essentially the same exercise as above, but with a different emphasis.
Whilst stage 2 is all about the things you offer to your audience, this is about what your organisation wants from the relationship. Again, write them on post-it notes and put them on another part of the wall.
By now you should have 3 groups of post-it notes (this is why it may help to use post-it notes of different colours):
- Audience.
- Content you can deliver to your audience.
- What your organisation wants the audience to do.
Stage 4: Organise your post-it notes
This is to allocate each type of content and/or need to each category of audience.
Take the "audience" post-it notes and line them up horizontally, with a few inches between each one.
Under each of the audience post it notes, stick the "content" or "organisational need" notes that match that segment of the audience.
What you're doing is creating a structure for your content. But you're doing it in a totally organic way, building up from what you know about your audience.
You will almost certainly find that some content doesn't neatly fit into just one audience group.
For example, it's possible that the map is useful to 5 different types of audience. But it has to exist in one specific place on the website, so choose the audience group you think it would be most useful to, and put the map there. You can link across from one section of the site to another, so it's not as though the other 4 audience types won't be able to access the map.
Remember there isn't a right answer; there's only the answer which is right for you. This process isn't perfect, and doesn't answer questions for you - it just helps you to ask the right questions.
And you can change it all later on using the Treeline CMS.
Stage 5: Prioritise your content
This is to decide which audience, piece of content, or organisational need is the top priority.
This is often controversial - but it's a terrific exercise! You're likely to argue and disagree, but remember that to get a useful outcome somebody needs to control the discussion and have a final say about the priority. Often that means being the "bad guy" for somebody in your team. But remain focused on the organisation's overall goals.
Arrange the post-it notes (in groups - each user type, combined with the content you've allocated to them) in order of priority, left to right.
You'll end up with a big table of post-it notes. Across the top is a list of audience types, in order of priority, from left-to-right. Running down from that list is the type of content each user needs.
Stage 6: Rename things
This is where you convert each of the audience-types into a heading for your website. This will become the main menu across the top of the site.
Change the headings for each type of user. Where it used to say "Service User", it might now say "Helping you". Where it used to say "Press", it might now say "News".
Remember to speak in plain English. Don't use technical or obscure terms. And keep the labels as short as you reasonably can. Between 1 and 3 words is ideal, preferably just one word. Long section titles are not good for usability, and don't fit into the space available (i.e. the width of the web page). So if you have too many sections, or each section name is too long, you need to edit it down. Maybe you can make the labels shorter? Or maybe you can merge two sections into one (it's always better to have fewer, rather than more sections).
This is a good set of labels.
Home / Helping you / About us / Store / Events / News / Contact us
These are labels which do the same thing, but are much, much longer:
Home / Ways that we can help you / About us and where we are / Buy products and make donations / Upcoming events / News, media and press releases / How to get in touch with us
Long section labels look terrible and aren't necessary. Keep it short: it's easier to read and fits nicely into the space available. Remember that the width of the website can only accommodate a certain amount of content, so don't have too many site sections, or section titles that are too long - they simply won't fit into the space, and will look unprofessional.
Stage 7: Document it all
Remember to write it all down when you've finished.
Make a list in a Word document which describes the content structure you ended up with. You can do this any way you want, but it's often easiest to do it as nested bullet points (each section is a main bullet point; the sub-bullet points are the types of content required for that section of the site), like so:
- Home
- About us
- Map
- History
- Board members
- Donations
- Why donate
- How we spend your money
- Donation form
- Blog
- Latest blogs
- Blog archive
By doing this series of exercises you will have:
- Worked out who your audience is.
- Worked out what they want from your site.
- Worked out what your organisation wants from your audience.
- Created a specific "channel" for each type of audience, where they can find all the information they need in one location (or find links to the content if it exists in another area of the site).
- Decided the section titles you need for your website, based on what audiences want, not on what you assume they want.
- Prioritised your content so that it matches audience expectations and is user-focused.
- Created a map which tells you what content you need to create
- It will also help you to understand what needs to go on the homepage - key information from each of your top priority areas of the website.


text:
Chinese General Warns India Against 'New Trouble'
"The Indian side should not provoke new problems and increase military deployment at the border areas and stir up new trouble," Maj. Gen. Luo Yuan told reporters.
Luo, the deputy-director general of the world military research department at a People's Liberation Army academy, described himself at a briefing as a "reasonable hardliner."
His articles appear prominently in state media, and he has 320,000 followers on Sina Weibo, a popular Twitter-like microblogging site.
He made waves last year with comments questioning the legitimacy of Japanese sovereignty over the Ryukyu Islands, a chain that includes Okinawa and hosts numerous United States military bases.
"India is the only country in the world that says that it is developing its military power because of China's military threat," said Luo, who was wearing a business suit.
"So I believe that India should be very cautious in what it does and what it says."
A high-altitude frontier dispute between the nuclear-armed giants in the Himalayas has simmered for decades but intensified in May over troop movements in the region.
New Delhi alleged Chinese troops intruded nearly 20 kilometers into Indian-claimed territory.
A three-week standoff ensued and was resolved after talks between local military leaders and a withdrawal of troops from both sides.
The border situation was now generally "under control" following a visit to India in May by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, Luo said.
His comments came as Indian defence chief A.K. Antony was due to arrive in China late Thursday for three days of talks, the first such trip in seven years.
Antony's visit, on which he is accompanied by top Indian military commanders, coincides with a trip to China by Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Pakistan, India's nuclear-armed neighbour and archrival, is a longstanding close ally of Beijing. Chinese officials describe their relationship with Islamabad as one between "all weather friends".
Covering a wide range of topics, Luo touched on China's history of humiliation by foreign powers in the 19th and 20th centuries.
"No other major country in this world has been subjected to foreign aggression and invasion by other major countries, so that is why no other country is more eager than China to become strong," he said.
Besides India, Luo also took swipes at the US and the Philippines over a territorial row China has with the Southeast Asian country.
Calling the US "biased," he said Washington has "added fuel to the fire" by cooperating with Manila amid the maritime dispute.
"The role of the Philippines in the South China Sea is actually, in my view, a troublemaker," he said.
On Sunday, Manila accused Beijing of a "massive" military buildup in the sea, which is also the site of rival claims by Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.
Asked by AFP if Beijing's close ally North Korea — which this year threatened to attack the US with nuclear weapons — was also a "troublemaker," Luo suggested, albeit indirectly, that it was.
He referred to a speech Chinese President Xi Jinping gave in April saying there should be no tolerance for those fostering "chaos for selfish gains," wording widely seen at the time as criticizing Pyongyang without mentioning it by name.
"So we can imagine which country it is or which countries they are that are engaged in undermining peace and stability in our neighbouring environment for their own selfish gains," Luo said.
Defense News


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- Grandvalira
Ski Resorts
- Pas de la Casa
- Soldeu
- Vallnord
Pas De La Casa Travel Guide
Grandvalira © M.Campo
In the last decade or so the tiny mountain principality of Andorra, atop the Pyrenees between France and Spain, has become a world favourite for winter sports enthusiasts, helped along by its good snow, sunny clear weather and unreal natural beauty. Another plus is the fact that the tiny country's mountain resorts are just a short hop away from Barcelona International Airport, and close to the French border.
Pick of the Andorra holiday resorts is Pas de la Casa. Set at an altitude of 6726 feet (2050m), this lively resort town is well-served by a hi-tech lift system which has been linked to the nearby Soldeu resort, providing miles of pistes suited to all levels of skiers and snowboarders. Snow conditions here are excellent, well maintained with top-notch snowmaking, and the resort rarely closes before April. Pas de la Casa, or 'Pas' as it is fondly known by loyal regulars, can hardly be described as picturesque, consisting mainly of modern, unattractive box-like apartment blocks and hotels, but all the accommodation and facilities are conveniently situated for the slopes and provide all the trappings necessary for a rollicking winter holiday at affordable prices.
Pas de la Casa, like the rest of Andorra, stands out as one of the world's best duty-free shopping enclaves, its shopping precinct a gold mine of holiday bargains. There are, of course, sports shops for snow gear like the multi-storey Olympia Esports, but shoppers here also stock up on electronic goods, perfumes and cosmetics, designer clothing, photographic equipment and car and motorbike accessories from tyres to leathers.
With dozens of restaurants cooking up a storm in and around the Pas de la Casa holiday resort, no one working up an appetite on the slopes need go hungry. Local cuisine is largely Spanish (with paella as a favourite) but there are plenty of French influences on the local menus. For views of the competition action and competitive boarding courses, one can even dine on high, with many restaurants on the slopes offering panoramic views and delicious meals, while dozens more cafes and restaurants in town offering everything from quick snacks to gourmet delights.
Pas de la Casa stands out as one of the clubbing and bar havens of Europe, keeping the young crowd hopping and bopping through the night with throbbing music and cheap drinks. Local bars extend 'happy hour' to extremes and some have even been known to reward good customers with free drinks.
Skiing and boarding in Pas de la Casa caters for everyone from the absolute beginner to advanced competition experts, with one green slope, 4 red runs and 4 black runs on offer. Alternative snow fun includes snow-mobiling and tobogganing. There is plenty to do when you need time out from the slopes, with a gym, indoor and outdoor pool, movies, ten-pin bowling, snow-shoeing and hiking just some of the options. Nearby there is a spa offering thermal baths, or take excursions to try out the facilities in nearby resorts.
The village is not much to look at and can become quite rowdy after dark. Not the best place for a family holiday with young children.


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A man robbed a taxicab driver in the wee hours of Nov. 19 after hailing the cab in Pacific Beach and asking for a ride.
The suspect, described as a black man about 23 years old, hailed the cab in the 1600 Garnet Avenue shortly before 1 a.m. and was driven to Emerald and Morrell streets, where the suspect reportedly pointed a handgun at the driver and demanded cash.
According to investigators, the suspect fled with the victim's wallet, cell phone and cash. He was last seen running westbound on Emerald Street.
Police said the suspect is described as about 5 feet 9 inches tall, with an athletic build. He was last seen wearing a brown coat and black T-shirt.
There were no injuries. The police department's robbery unit is investigating.
DUI checkpoint nets 14 impaired motorists
San Diego police conducted a DUI checkpoint in Bay Park at the eastern fringe of Pacific Beach on Nov. 16, taking into custody 14 motorists suspected of driving under the influence.
The checkpoint took place in the 4200 block of Mission Bay Drive between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.
Department officials said nearly 1,300 vehicles passed through the checkpoint and 29 motorists were detained for further evaluation of their sobriety. Police said 15 vehicles were impounded.
One motorist failed to stop and was pursued before being arrested for DUI, felony evasion of a peace officer and driving on a suspended license. The driver reportedly had a prior DUI conviction.


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Telefonica Digital, a global subsidiary of the Spanish broadband and telecommunications giant Telefonica, sought to roll out a single, global, centralized human-resources operating model with:
Strong governance
Clearly-defined roles and responsibilities
A consistent user experience
We were chosen to assist the company in delivering the new model with Workday Human Capital Management (HCM). The new system has significantly improved the company's ability to share and report on consistent HR data across different geographies and business units. It has also enhanced HR service delivery generally.
With operations in 14 markets across Europe, North America, and Latin America, Telefonica Digital's existing HR model was highly decentralized and spanned a complex landscape of legacy HR applications.
Telefonica Digital wanted to implement a new, single HR system that would enable high performance by improving its ability to share and report on consistent HR data across different geographies and business units, while standardizing global business processes to enhance HR service delivery.
They wanted the new model implemented within a timeframe of six to eight months.
Due to its flexibility and intuitive, user-friendly interface, Telefonica Digital chose Workday's Human Capital Management (HCM) solution.
Due to our existing good working relationship with the Telefonica Digital and global experience in delivering large-scale Workday and HR Shared Services implementations, we were asked to help design and implement the new HR operating model.
Our team:
Supported and facilitated multiple global workshops to identify and define the holistic business requirements needed for the program.
Adapted a field-tested methodology that included scope, financial, performance, resource, timeline and issue/risk management for agile deployment across multiple geographies on an aggressive timescale.
Made use of a Workday Delivery Methodology based on 'iterative prototyping', in which the various features of the end product were developed, tested, evaluated, and implemented iteratively.
Other highlights included:
Moving from pilot to core roll out of the system in just one month
Coordinating parallel user-acceptance testing and validation of full scope across all 14 countries in only three weeks.
Facilitating mobile functionality via the implementation of a global manager and self-service solution for all employees, meaning that approvals, HR processes, and analytics could be undertaken via iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, or Android devices.
The system gives Telefonica Digital the flexibility to react quickly to changing market conditions and to expand internationally without huge investments in non-cloud IT systems, annual maintenance fees, and infrastructure-investment costs.
It also supports hot desking, remote and mobile work, and quarterly work reviews to encourage and reward stronger performers.


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Hi Reinder!
Yep. It's the promised fanart at last. I bet you already forgot I promised one. Anyway, most of my message is IN the art piece itself. Hope you like it. ^^;;;
I love PHP and intend to put it to evil use.
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The 100 Moments of TSU Athletics presented by Taco Bell® series continues by remembering one of the premier basketball players in Tennessee State history.
Dick "Skull" Barnett played an integral part in the three straight college basketball National Championships won by TSU from 1957-59. He was named MVP of the championship game during his last two seasons, and left the school as one of its top record holders.
Barnett came to TSU in 1955 and immediately became one of team's go-to players. If he was remotely open, his teammates would pass him the ball, and he would take the shot. He scored 3,209 points during his collegiate career- 900 more than the second place finisher on the list.
While Barnett did have the luxury of attempting over 700 shots more than any other Tigers, he made nearly 400 more baskets than anyone else.
Opposing teams resulted to fouling Barnett when he was close to the basket, and he made them pay at the free-throw line too. He connected on 585 of his 731 free throws- a shooting percentage of over 80 percent.
Barnett was also a force on defense and held the record for career rebounds until Lloyd Neal beat his mark of 1,571 in 1971.
The Tigers won three straight titles with Barnett leading the team, becoming the first team to do so.
Barnett's collegiate accolades got him noticed by professional teams, and in 1959 the Syracuse Nationals of the NBA selected him with their first pick in the draft. He played a couple of seasons in Syracuse and then three as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers before finding a home with the New York Knicks.
Barnett played with the Knicks for nine seasons including 1968 where he was selected an All-Star and in 1970 where he helped the Knicks when the NBA Title over the Lakers.
Barnett finished his NBA career with 15,358 points.
Both the Knicks and Tennessee State have retired Barnett's jersey, making his jersey the first and only one that has been retired at his alma mater.
In 2007, Barnett was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame.
The 100 Moments of TSU Athletics presented by Taco Bell® highlights some of the greatest moments in honor of Tennessee State's centennial celebration. A new moment will be released each weekday for a total of 100. These moments were chosen by the TSU 100 Moments committee, which consists of alums from various departments. TSU has so many great moments, not all can be represented in these 100.
Sports Information Assistant Alex Mitchell contributed to this article.
Follow TSU Athletics on Facebook.com/TSUTigers and Twitter @TSU_Tigers.


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Saturday's chess tournament held at Greenwood Elementary School at 93 Sharon Street captured the attention of more than 35 children, including members of the school's chess team, as well as 10 students from Central Falls, who were invited to take part in the event.
The children competed in the five-hour, four-round tournament in two divisions, rated and unrated, with rated being children who have previously participated in United States Chess Federation Tournaments, and unrated being those who have never played in a sanctioned tournament.
No matter their rankings, the children all say playing chess has many benefits, from learning the importance of consequences to simply having a good time.
"I like the way you have to plan ahead before you make a move," said Greenwood School third grader Samuel French 8. "You can't just make a move and not know what you're going to do next. Instead of being aggressive, I like to protect my pieces. I don't go in for the attack unless I have checkmate. It would be too dangerous for me to risk my pieces."
His fellow third graders, Kyle Pianka, 9, and Jessica Joubert, 9, feel the same.
"I learned a lot about mental strategies," said Pianka, while Joubert added, "It helps you get smarter and smarter. You learn from your mistakes."
For others, it's pure pleasure.
"I love when I make a good move and win," said fourth grader Elizabeth Barrett, 9.
First grader Glen Whitehead agrees.
"It feels good to win," he said. "You get trophies."
Olivia DeGaetano, 9, who's in the third grade, said it's "fun."
"And you can travel to different places like Tennessee," she said.
In fact, the children are gearing up for a three-day national tournament, which will be held in Nashville, Tenn. May 11 through the 13th. While only 10 children are planning to go, the trip is costly at nearly $450 per child, plus fees for their parents to accompany them.
Parent volunteer Bob Barrett said it's not mandatory for children to attend, but it's their goal to play at the national level.
Moreover, he said just being a part of the team is good for students because it strengthens their strategic, reasoning and cognition skills and gives them a realization that everything they do has an outcome.
"It's a great after school program," he said. "It teaches them to look beyond the immediate and look ahead. That will play out for them later in life. Plus, they love getting together and playing. It's not just about winning and losing. There's no violence involved and the biggest kid can play the smallest kid."
To prepare for tournaments, instructors from Ocean State Chess Club meet with students for one two-hour session each month.
At Saturday's tournament, all competitors earned medals, while six took home trophies. Top rated champions included first place winner Issac Torres of Central Falls; second place winner Kyle Pianka of Greenwood; and third place winner Bryan Boche of Central Falls. Top unrated victors were first place winner Achyuta Rajaram of Cranston, who is a member of the Greenwood Chess Club; second place winner Jeremy Rosario of Central Falls; and George Martinez of Central Falls.
To make a donation to help fund the national tournament, contact Greenwood Elementary School at 401-734-3290.


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At least 2 dead, dozens injured after two bombs explode at Boston Marathon
At least two people are dead and dozens injured – including up to 10 with amputated limbs – after at least two bombs tore through the finish line of the Boston Marathon, according to the Boston Police Department.
The simultaneous explosions, and reports of two other unexploded devices found near the scene raised suspicions that the blasts, just before 3 p.m., could be part of a terrorist attack.
Intelligence officials told The Associated Press two unexploded devices were being dismantled, and reports of a third "controlled" explosion near the JFK Library in the Columbia Point section of Dorchester, may have been an intentional detonation supervised by authorities. Competitors and race organizers were crying as they fled the bloody chaos, while some witnesses reported seeing victims with lost limbs.
"Somebody's leg flew by my head," a spectator, who gave his name as John Ross, told the Boston Herald. "I gave my belt to stop the blood."
Witnesses heard booms that sounded like two claps of thunder near the finish line inside the Fairmount Copley Plaza Hotel, according to multiple local reports. The horror unfolded as the city marked the 238th annual Patriot's Day, commemorating the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord at the beginning of the Revolutionary War.
Video of the scene showed a number of emergency crews in the area tending to victims and blood on the ground near the finish line.
"I saw two explosions. The first one was beyond the finish line. I heard a loud bang and I saw smoke rising," Boston Herald reporter Chris Cassidy, who was running in the marathon, told the newspaper. "I kept running and I heard behind me a loud bang. It looked like it was in a trash can or something...There are people who have been hit with debris, people with bloody foreheads."
"There are a lot of people down," said one man, whose bib No. 17528 identified him as Frank Deruyter of North Carolina. He was not injured, but marathon workers were carrying one woman, who did not appear to be a runner, to the medical area as blood gushed from her leg.
A Boston police officer was wheeled from the course with a leg injury that was bleeding.
About three hours after the winners crossed the line, there was a loud explosion on the north side of Boylston Street, just before the photo bridge that marks the finish line. Another thunderous explosion could be heard a few seconds later.
Runner Laura McLean of Toronto said she heard two explosions outside the medical tent.
"There are people who are really, really bloody," McLean said. "They were pulling them into the medical tent."
Cherie Falgoust was waiting for her husband, who was running the race. "I was expecting my husband any minute," she said. "I don't know what this building is ... it just blew. Just a big bomb, a loud boom, and then glass everywhere. Something hit my head. I don't know what it was. I just ducked."
Authorities in New York, meanwhile, are deploying counter-terrorism vehicles around landmark sites in Manhattan, including prominent hotels, according to the New York City Police Department.
Nearly 25,000 people, including runners from around the world, competed in Boston's celebrated 26.2-mile race, attracting huge throngs of onlookers, especially near the finish line.
"This is a horrific day in Boston," Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said in a statement. "My thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured. I have been in touch with the President, Mayor [Thomas] Menino and our public safety leaders. Our focus is on making sure that the area around Copley Square is safe and secured. I am asking everyone to stay away from Copley Square and let the first responders do their jobs."
Rest of the story: Two dead, two dozen injured following Boston Marathon explosions - Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston
Did you ever notice, when you put the 2 words ' The' and ' IRS ' together it spells 'Theirs...'? Tis the season............
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The driver of this lifted Toyota tries his mightiest to break his truck, but nothing is going to faze an alky-injected small block Chevy-powered pickup. Not fire. Not jumps. Not even an accidental wheelstand.
You can find the builders of this lifted masterpiece out in east-central Missouri, or at their unbelievably rad website. Since this video was shot we're happy to tell you the truck's been upgraded and now has a full tube frame and a mid-mounted big-block Chevy, again burning alcohol.


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The Gentoo.org Redesign, Part 2
The Documentation System
Support Funtoo and help us grow! Donate $15 per month and get a free SSD-based Funtoo Virtual Container.
If you've read the first installment of my series on the gentoo.org redesign, then you know that I'm the Chief Architect of Gentoo Linux, making me responsible for the Gentoo Linux Web site. And right now, the site leaves a lot to be desired. Yes, it does look somewhat attractive, but when you look beyond the cute graphics you will see that it really doesn't serve the needs of its primary target audience: Gentoo Linux developers, users, and potential users.
Last time, I used a user-centric design approach to create a set of priorities for the site, and then used these priorities to create an action plan for revamping gentoo.org. Two things were at the top of the priority list: new developer documentation and a new mailing list to communicate to developers changes made to our CVS repository. While adding the new CVS mailing list was relatively easy (though, as you will see, it was more difficult than I thought), the new developer documentation required a lot of planning and work.
Not only did I need to create some actual documentation (a task that I had been ignoring for too long), but I also had to choose an official XML syntax that our new master documentation would use. You see, until a few weeks ago, I was creating the documentation in raw HTML. This was definitely a naughty thing to do, because by doing this content was being mixed (the actual information) with presentation (the display-related HTML tags). And what did I end up with? An inflexible mess, that's what. It was hard to edit the actual documentation and extremely difficult to make site-wide HTML improvements.
In this article, I'll proudly demonstrate the site's new flexible XML documentation solution. But first, I'll recap my experiences in adding the CVS log mailing list to our site.
Adding the CVS log mailing list
The goal of the CVS log mailing list is to inform developers of new commits made to our CVS repository. Since I already had the mailman mailing list manager (see Resources) installed, I thought that creating this new list would be easy. First, I would simply create the mailing list, then add the proper "hook" to the CVS repository so that e-mails would be automatically generated and sent out, describing the changes to our sources as they happened.
I first started researching a special file in my repository's CVSROOT called "loginfo." Theoretically, by modifying this file, I could instruct CVS to execute a script when any commit (and thus, modification) was made to the repository. So I created a special loginfo script and plugged it into my existing repository. And it did indeed send out e-mails to the new "gentoo-cvs" mailing list whenever modifications were made to our sources.
Unfortunately, this solution wasn't all I'd hoped it would be. First of all, it generated lots of e-mail messages -- one for each modified file -- and secondly, the messages were cryptic and sometimes even empty! I quickly removed my loginfo script and put the gentoo-cvs mailing list project on hold. It was clear that CVS's loginfo hook wasn't appropriate for my needs, and I had a hard time tracking down any loginfo-related documentation that could help me solve my problem.
Several weeks later I started looking for an alternative to loginfo. This time I did the smart thing and headed over to http://freshmeat.net. There I quickly found just what I was looking for: the incredibly wonderful cvs2cl.pl perl script available from http://red-bean.com (see Resources). Instead of using the loginfo hook, cvs2cl.pl uses the cvs log command to connect directly to the repository and extract the appropriate relevant log information. Also, rather than spitting out relatively cryptic CVS log messages, it does a great job of reformatting everything into a readable ChangeLog format:
2001-04-09 20:58 drobbins
* app-doc/gentoo-web/files/xml/dev.xml: new fixes
2001-04-09 20:47 drobbins
* app-doc/gentoo-web/: gentoo-web-1.0.ebuild,
files/pyhtml/index.pyhtml, files/xml/gentoo-howto.xml: new gentoo-howto
2001-04-09 20:03 drobbins
* app-doc/gentoo-web/files/xml/dev.xml: typo fix
2001-04-09 20:02 drobbins
* app-doc/gentoo-web/files/pyhtml/index.pyhtml: little update
cvs2cl.pl can also be instructed to generate output in XML format, and in my next article I'll take advantage of this by incorporating an up-to-date ChangeLog into the new developer section of our site.
The cvslog.sh script
Here's the script I now use to generate the daily ChangeLog e-mails. First, it changes the current working directory to the location of my checked-out CVS repository. Then, it creates $yesterday and $today environment variables that contain the appropriate dates in RFC 822 format. Notice that both date variables have the time set to either "00:00" or midnight. These variables are, in turn, used to create a $cvsdate variable that is then passed to cvs2cl.pl to specify the date range that I'm interested in -- the span of time from yesterday at midnight to today at midnight. Thus, the $cvsdate variable contains a datespec that informs cvs2cl.pl to log only changes made yesterday, but not others.
In addition, I also created a $nicedate variable (used in the mail subject line) and use the mutt mailer (in mailx compatibility mode [see Resources]) to send the e-mail to the gentoo-cvs mailing list:
cd /usr/portage
cvs -q update -dP
yesterday=`date -d "1 day ago 00:00" -R`
today=`date -d "00:00" -R`
nicedate=`date -d yesterday +"%d %b %Y %Z (%z)"`
/home/drobbins/gentoo/cvs2cl.pl -f /home/drobbins/gentoo/cvslog.txt -l "${cvsdate}"
mutt -x gentoo-cvs -s "cvs log for $nicedate" <\
Using cron, I run this script every night at midnight. Thanks to cvs2cl.pl, my developers now get accurate and readable daily CVS updates.
The documentation project
Now, for the Gentoo Linux documentation project. Our new documentation system involves two groups of people or target audiences: the documentation creators and the documentation readers. The creators need a well-designed XML syntax that doesn't get in their way; the readers, who couldn't care less about the XML, want generated HTML documentation that is both functional and attractive. The implementation challenge is to put together a complete system that addresses the needs of both audiences. Oh, and I suppose there is a third "audience" -- me, the webmaster and the person designing the new system. Since I'm going to be interacting with the new doc system whenever the site is upgraded, I need it to be reliable and flexible.
The Web-ready HTML
First, let's talk a bit about the Web-ready HTML that'll be generated from my master XML files. To make great, readable documentation, I'll need to have support for the proper XML tags. For example, the ability to insert notes, important messages, and warnings into the body of the document (and have them prominently displayed in the resultant HTML) is a must. Also, I must be able to insert blocks of code, and it would be great if actual user input could somehow be offset from program output. I could even add tags that highlight the source code comments in an alternate color so that the code blocks are more readable.
The documents should have a table of contents (with hyperlinks to the appropriate chapters), a synopsis, a revision date, version, and an authors list at the top of the document. And, of course, every document should have a header at the extreme top of the page containing a small Gentoo Linux logo. Clicking on this logo should bring you back to the main Gentoo Linux page. Last but not least, every document should have a footer that contains copyright information, along with a contact e-mail address.
The spiffy new logo
This was a hefty list of requirements, and I decided to focus on the most entertaining part first, the new Gentoo Linux logo that would appear in the upper-left corner of every Gentoo Linux document. I used the "g" from the "gentoo" graphic (created using the excellent and free Blender 3D program) on our main page as the basis for the new smaller logo. I tweaked the extrusion settings a bit and then added a chrome environment map. Finally, I positioned the lights and camera just so, and the new logo was complete. After importing it into Xara X (see Resources) and adding some text, this was the result:
I used this new logo as inspiration for the rest of the HTML color scheme, using a purplish theme throughout. I made heavy use of cascading style sheets (CSS) to control font attributes and spacing. Once I had a decent HTML prototype in place, I started focusing on the guts of the new documentation -- the new XML syntax. I wanted the syntax to be as simple as possible, so I created just enough XML tags to allow for the proper organization of the document, but no more. Then I started working on the XSLT to transform the XML into the target HTML.
The result!
After much tweaking and a good amount of feedback from one of my developers, the new documentation system reached the point where it was ready for use. I immediately began work on our first new development guide, "The Gentoo Linux Documentation Guide" (xml-guide.html), which contains a complete description of the new XML format. Not only did this allow other developers to begin work on the new-style documentation, but it also served as an excellent example of the new documentation system in action. Be sure to read this guide to get a complete understanding of our new XML syntax.
DocBook vs. Guide
If you're working on your own documentation solution, you may also want to consider the DocBook XML and SGML formats (see Resources). DocBook is well-suited for large-scale technical documentation and book projects, is very flexible, and has many (maybe too many) features. In addition, there are a number of existing packages that can be used to convert DocBook XML/SGML to man pages, texinfo files, Postscript, PDF, and, of course, HTML formats.
I didn't choose DocBook because a lightweight XML syntax worked best for Gentoo's needs. Right now, our XML guide syntax has around 20 tags and about 10 attributes. The limited tagset makes guide XML easy to transform into other formats such as HTML, and also ensures a certain level of consistency throughout our entire documentation set, since the format is so simple. Because I have my own XML format, I'll be able to extend the format with new tags as needed. I like having that level of control. I view XML as a technology that should be used by people to structure their data in ways that they find most helpful. In other words, the ability to define our own elements and attributes is a precious thing, and I should take full advantage of it. After all, it's the defining feature of XML.
Of course, creating your own XML syntax is not always the best solution, especially when data interchange is important to you. Amid all the XML hype, one thing that is often overlooked is that conversion to and from different XML formats can be extremely difficult. In many cases, the two formats won't be 100% compatible, and you'll have the unpleasant choice of either throwing away data and/or metadata, intentionally avoiding use of certain elements or attributes, or creating a "super-format" that will accommodate the data and metadata from both XML formats. In the documentation world, DocBook is a pretty good choice as a "super-format" because it's so flexible; it can easily accommodate documentation imported from a variety of sources.
However, DocBook's richness and flexibility can also create problems. For example, there may be hundreds of tags that you may never need, and supporting all these tags in your XSLT can make conversion to other formats more difficult. So, while DocBook is a great container for documentation converted from other formats, your own minimal XML syntax will almost always be easier to convert to other formats.
The most important thing is to carefully evaluate any potential solution while keeping the needs of your target audience(s) in mind.
Wrapping it up
With the new doc system in place, I converted all our docs to the new format and posted the new docs on our existing site. In addition, I created a link to the gentoo-cvs mailing list subscription page. The key point here is that I integrated these features into the existing site so that users could benefit from the improvements right away.
Read the next article in this series: The Gentoo.org Redesign, Part 3
Browse all our available articles below. Use the search field to search for topics and keywords in real-time.


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