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Kate Bosworth: LA Lovely!
Kate Bosworth laughs with her friends as she leaves a restaurant on Thursday (August 4) in Los Angeles.
The 28-year-old actress got into her car and checked herself in the mirror before heading on her way!
The night before, Kate attended a Coldplay concert in Los Angeles with Michael Polish, where she sported some new teal tips in her hair. Michael directed and wrote Kate's film Big Sur!
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Kate Bosworth
Be sure to look out for Kate's movie Straw Dogs, which hits theatres this September. The film also stars Alexander Skarsgard and James Marsden.


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CHICAGO (MarketWatch) — Six of the 10 most expensive housing markets in the country are in California, according to Coldwell Banker's annual Home Listing Report, released Wednesday.
Six of the 10 most expensive housing markets in the country are in California, according to Coldwell Banker's annual Home Listing Report. Topping the list is Newport Beach.
• 10 most expensive cities to buy a home
• 10 most affordable U.S. housing markets
More home-buying advice
• Top 10 cities for foreclosures
• The 6 must-have spaces in your next home
• A 15-year mortgage isn't for everyone
Home Video
See the entire MarketWatch Guide to Real Estate
At the top of the most expensive list: Newport Beach, Calif., which was the costliest place to buy a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home for the second year in a row, according to the report of 2,300 markets in North America.
The report considers the average home listing price of four-bedroom, two-bathroom homes listed on ColdwellBanker.com. The homes were listed on the site between September 2010 and March 2011.
The average U.S. home that fit this criteria listed at about $293,000. The average listing price in Newport Beach: $2.5 million.
That California cities made up such a large portion of the top 10 list isn't much of a surprise. "Year in and year out, California and the West Coast dominates," said Jim Gillespie, chief executive of Coldwell Banker Real Estate. There were also a couple of top 10 cities from the East Coast.
Below is the list of the 10 most expensive housing markets. To see the complete list, see ColdWellBanker.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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For those of us about to enter the Long Gray Rainy Season, this photo from Patrick Barber is like the last hurrah for Summer.
Sidenote: met Patrick in Portland, a few years ago. He was riding around on a delivery bike.
Uploaded by Patrick Barber | more from the Bike Hugger Photostream.


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I often get to watch Karate demonstrations, whether live or on DVD (or some other medium). I have much to learn myself, but I can suggest two things that will greatly improve many students' performances:
Slow down. Don't rush the count. Take a walking pace between movements and then move quickly once you get there. Give yourself enough time to "set" your movements. There is no need to hurry.
Lower your shoulders. The excitement of being in front of a crowd or camera often makes a student nervous and tense. It shows in the shoulders. Your shoulders should always be pressed down. That is a basic thing -- but it took me more than 20 years to begin to get it. Power comes from your entire body. It goes through your shoulders. If you raise your shoulders, the power will be blocked, slowed, and/or lessened.On the rare occasions when I have given public demonstrations, I have done both of the above improperly.
Slow down and relax.
Charles C. Goodin


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It was my girlfriend's birthday and I needed to take her and her group to the best restaurant I could find in Los Angeles. Amanda loves lobster and steak so I searched Google and thought about all the restaurants I had been to during my lifetime in LA. At the end of my search I happily discovered that The Palm, America's Oldest Classic Steakhouse, had a terrific seven year old location in downtown Los Angeles. I had only known about the old Palm Restaurant location on Santa Monica in West LA and was pleasantly surprised that there was The Palm Restaurant Downtown Los Angeles.
So the four of us took the short drive downtown and found a beautiful, classic, clean restaurant with friendly staff that greeted us with smiles. As we entered there was a lively bar to our right and a grand classic warm restaurant to our left. We were ushered to a large comfortable booth where our memorable culinary experience began.
We were so anxious to get our lobster, we forgot about ordering any appetizers and went right to ordering drinks and the main courses.
Amanda and I decided to split a four pound lobster and a 24 ounce Prime Aged Bone-In Rib-Eye Steak.
Paula ordered the Sliced New York Strip topped Danish blue cheese over roasted garlic infused mashed potatoes and bordelaise sauce. Adrianna ordered the 14 ounce Filet Mignon. Between us we ordered a side of garlic mashed potatoes and a side of broccoli. We all shared our meals with each other and found the food to be scrumptious. The steaks had great flavor and were cooked exactly right. The lobster was sweet and cooked just right. A waiter came over to help break out meat from the harder places of the lobster. The potatoes were amazing; the broccoli was cooked just right and tasted delicious.
We ordered a cosmopolitan that tasted great and Amanda loved the strawberry mojito she ordered and said it was the best she had ever had!
Now that the main course was over it was time for us to choose from a tempting dessert tray. We decided on the carrot cake, tiramisu and key lime pie with the last two arriving with candles for Amanda and her daughter Adriana. The desserts were as great as the meal. We all loved our food and the ambiance and would definitely recommend The Palm Restaurant Downtown Los Angeles.
About The Palm Restaurants
The Palm, America's Oldest Classic Steakhouse has been famous for since 1926. The Palm Restaurant is the oldest family-owned white tablecloth restaurant to expand across the United States and still maintain family ownership. Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi`s original New York City steakhouse on Second Avenue has grown into a thriving empire of over 25 restaurants spanning the continent from Boston to Los Angeles. With the newest one opening in London.
From Italian Fare to Steak and Seafood
The northern Italian entrepreneurs who began The Palm tradition in 1926 intended it to be a restaurant specializing in cuisine from their native Parma, Italy. According to Palm folklore, the name "Palm" originated when the proprietors obtained a business license. They wanted to call it "Parma," but because of their Italian accents, it translated into "Palm."
Steaks and seafood were not part of the original concept of The Palm but began out of an effort to cater to its clientele of artists and writers. Every time a customer asked for a steak, John Ganzi ran up Second Avenue to a nearby butcher shop, bought a steak, and cooked to order. Today, The Palm runs its own meat wholesale company to ensure the quality of its steaks.
The Palm`s reputation for seafood started with third generation owners Wally Ganzi and Bruce Bozzi who introduced the gargantuan four-to-eight pound lobsters in the 1970s and disproved the theory that large lobsters are tough. Almost overnight The Palm went from selling 150 pounds of lobster per week to 25,000 pounds per week. Even with these signature additions, tradition at The Palm honors its roots. Some of John Ganzi`s original Italian dishes are still on the menu.
The Evolution of Palm Caricatures: A Unique Marketing Strategy
The Palm caricatures serve as an effective local marketing tool as well as a signature element of the famous restaurant. Before each restaurant opens, 200-300 local notables are drawn on its walls and new caricatures are added regularly. Each Palm's walls become a "living mural" of thousands of regular and celebrity customers. A Palm regular who is asked permission to draw their caricature submits an 8x10 color photo and a few different facial shots to their local management. After a caricature is complete, the patron is asked to come in and sign his or her caricature. The number of caricatures added each year depends on the clientele. In the New York Palm, where space is limited, approximately five caricatures per year are added to the walls.
Many of the memorable moments at The Palm were made when celebrities visited to sign their caricature. Fred Astaire went so far as to tap dance on the bar at the Los Angeles Palm in celebration of his caricature unveiling.
I hope to be able to report on many other Palm Restaurants in future articles.
1100 South Flower Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Serving Lunch Weekdays
11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Serving Dinner Nightly
3:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. (Monday - Thursday)
3:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. (Friday)
5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. (Saturday)
5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. (Sunday)
Private Dining Rooms Available
See more at their website here
Photos by Lawrence Davis


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There are modern and contemporary office design architects by SSH that we can see if we are in London, United Kingdom (UK). Beautiful, elegant office design ideas called Manchester Square, I think this is one of the most great office architectures design in the world. As you know, perfect comfortable office or workplace can give us best working time. The Manchester Square offices are the consequence of a short to make an elevated impact, 21st century office interior through a strong character through extra in common with a gentlemen's club than a traditional office space. Here it is best sample photos office design pictures for our modern architectures design ideas. [Via]
contemporary office interior images


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I'm so excited to be participating in Katie's Star Trek blog hop today! There are many other bloggers with great projects. To find the whole list, scroll to the bottom of this post. I'm happy to share with you my project, Star Trek-themed cupcakes! I've included a tutorial for several designs below!
Star Trek Uniform:
1. Ice in red, blue, or gold (eat the redshirts first!) The easiest was to get a smooth cupcake is to ice a very thick layer on first, making sure you go all the way to the edges, and then hold your spatula vertically against the cupcake and scrape off excess icing from the sides. Then, hold your spatula level horizontally with the top of the cupcake and very lightly skim across it for a smooth finish.
2. The uniform details are quite easy, just a black triangle for the top and pipe on the insignia!
Star Trek Enterprise:
1. This cupcake is more show than tell, so ice the cupcake (as discussed in the previous tutorial), and then, using grey icing, pipe on the general outline of the enterprise. Fill in the shape.
2. Using black icing, add teeny details on the various parts of the ship.
Star Trek Faces:
1. Ice in skin-colored icing. Then pipe on the facial details. I found it easiest to pipe in this order: hair, face, eyebrows. Easy-peasy!
1. You can use a toothpick to mark out a pattern for piping. I did this with Kirk and Spock's hair and found it very helpful.
2. Get crafty and make speech bubbles! Our quotes are from the new series and were a cute addition to the Starfleet uniform cupcakes.
Thanks for reading!
- Katie- Punk Projects
- Taylor- This Memorable Life
- Megan- The Nerd Nest
- Mandy- Chocolate and Cream Cake
- Kam- Campfire Chic
- Regena- The Distracted Domestic
- Melissa- Scrappy Jedi
- Emily- Oh! Emily Made That
Bloggers Participating in the blog hop:


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Well folks, this is the last post of the 2011 year with CAPSLove, and I know you know what that means: it's going to be extra amazing and special. We're going out with a BAM! And who better to BAM us out than with
Bam Margera chef Emeril! First off is this awesome video where he appears with Elmo and some friends.
Did you see something odd there? I'll give you a hint: pause that video around 0:39 seconds. No? nothing unusual? Let me help you out:
Looks to me, like we've got ourselves a pizza-face on our hands here. I know what you're thinking: what on earth are we going to do with an unintentional pizza face?? I'm glad you asked. First, I want you to take that picture and use it to create whatever message you desire.I'm got a fantastic homage to Mr. Bill going below:
Yup, the possibilities are endless. Thanks to that signature, "BAM" of Emeril and to Elmo and his unintentionally creative/awesome pals, we can now properly close out 2011. Happy New Years and I'll see y'all in 2012!


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Rose Gold Solar Ring Small (N/O)
Rose Gold Solar Ring Small (N/O)
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Handmade in London.
All designs are delivered in a KIND jewellery box, so they make the perfect gift.
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Meet The Designer
KIND Jewelry has effortless simplicity at it's heart. Founded by Artist / Designer Tansy Haak after a wild, wandering adventure through Europe, India & Sri Lanka. The idea was to create a line of jewelry for ALL KIND, which doesn't discriminate against age or personal style. The making process is at the core of KIND Jewelry. Our debut collection is 100% handmade in London with a focus towards using quality, responsibly sourced materials. KIND Jewelry takes inspiration from European style and Asian spirituality & landscape with each design reflecting our connection to the world that surrounds us.


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A glimpse at the space between beginning and end points.
Our lives are finite here. At some point upon an endless continuum, our days begin. Somewhere further along, perhaps along a wavering line, we reach an endpoint. And then …
Along the way, we love and strive not to hate. We laugh and cry. We experience peace and turmoil. We gain and we lose. We strengthen our bonds with others through shared experiences.
As I sat listening to Johnny Mathis sing "Winter Wonderland," just before Christmas, a wave of emotions swept over me of Christmases past: decorating the artificial tree with my mother while Johnny Mathis' "Winter Wonderland" album perpetually played, the needle always getting stuck as he launched into the second chorus of "O Holy Night … Night … Night …" before someone would give it a tap.
The emotions washed me upon the beach of the present—the void and sense of loss at times at my stepdaughter, Stephanie's, death. Kathie, her mother, will always feel a void, a hole never to be filled
Loss changes traditions. There is a reaching and a grasping for a sense of purpose. Stephanie was supposed to come home this year. She never arrived and never will. Some days, all that you can ask is, Why?
Nevertheless, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.


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April 8, 2006
WPI Sports Information
WORCESTER, Mass. - Meghan Kelly tossed a two-hitter and Nicole Magione belted a homerun as WPI defeated MIT, 2-0, on Friday. The second game of the doubleheader was rescheduled for Monday, April 10 at 4:30 p.m. due to the rainy conditions.
Kelly improved to 7-3 on the season as she did not allow a ball to leave the infield. She collected 11 strikeouts and four assists on comebackers hit to her in the circle.
Mangione accounted for both of WPI's (17-4, 4-1 NEWMAC) runs. She got things started in the first inning when she reached base on an error, stole second, advanced to third on a Kristen Gervais bunt single, and scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Jennifer Richards to leftfield. Mangione extended WPI's lead in the bottom of the fifth by smashing her third homer of the season.
Gervais had a pair of hits for WPI while Nicole DeCampo and Briana Dougherty each notched singles.
Leah Bogsted picked up the loss as she allowed five hits and one earned run while striking out three. Corinne Vannatta and Joy Dunn both recorded infield hits for MIT (2-11, 1-4 NEWMAC).


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Back to school is here- for some of us it has already started and for most of us it is starting in the next couple of weeks. I found this great eco-friendly and unique lunch bag by Mimi the Sardine.
It is the perfect size for kids and compact so it takes up virtually no room to store it.
I love the bright colors and easy wipe material.
What is even better is this Lady Bugs Lunchbag is 25% off if you use coupon code EXCITE25 between now and August 16th, 2010.
All Mimi the Sardine fabrics meet Oeko-Tex 100 Standard to verify that they are eco- and human-friendly. They are never made with harmful chemicals. All of their water-based acrylic-coated cotton fabrics are wipe-able or machine-washable; you can even tumble dry them on low!
All our fabric is now organic.


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Sep 25, 2012
Great Muppet Song Covers
Here are seven examples of great Muppet covers. Listen to the covers and the originals on our Muppet Mindset Playlist:
1. "Time in a Bottle" - Jim Croce originally released this song on his third album "You Don't Mess Around With Jim." Croce got the inspiration when he found out his wife Ingrid was expecting their first child. A year later, after he was killed in a plane crash, it was released as a single and reached the top of the charts. The song had an added poignancy with the knowledge that Croce's time was rapidly running out when he wrote it.
The Muppet version appeared on Episode 207 of The Muppet Show. Like many Muppet covers, they took the metaphor literally. Jim Henson played a Whatnot Muppet scientist who was experimenting with making a potion to make him younger. At first, the potion works, but by the end of the song, the character is the same old man that he was in the beginning. Part of what makes this performance work so well is not only did the scientist's appearance change, but Henson modified his voice with each transformation. It also stands out among Muppet Show sketches as what could have been interpreted in a very goofy jokey manner, had just as much weight and emotion as the original song.
2. "Six String Orchestra" - This is a lesser known Harry Chapin song from his 1974 album "Verities and Balderdash." Chapin is most famous for "Cats in the Cradle" and "Taxi." The original version of "Six String Orchestra" is clearly written and performed with tongue firmly lodged in cheek. It's about a would-be musician who is totally oblivious to his utter lack of talent. His girlfriend needs alcohol in order to listen and his guitar teacher has a nervous breakdown.
The Muppet Show version, on Episode 417, is much more innocent and wistful (and with some of the more sarcastic lyrics removed). Scooter, in an especially strong performance by Richard Hunt, sweetly sings about his dreams to be a musician. Unlike the original Chapin version, it seems that he may have a chance, with a little more practice. In the first refrain, Scooter is in his bedroom, joined by the ghostly figures of the Electric Mayhem. I especially love this visual because it gives off the double effect that either Scooter is playing with musicians in his imagination, or that he is playing with the ghosts of musicians that have gone before him. In the second refrain, Scooter is actually playing on stage with the Electric Mayhem, in a rare scene where we get to see everybody's feet. It ends with Scooter back alone in his bedroom, determined "Some day I'm gonna be a star."
3. "For What It's Worth" - This Stephen Stills penned song was originally recorded by his band Buffalo Springfield in December 1966. It became most famous as a protest song. However, it was actually written about the 1966 Sunset Strip Riots. The riots had absolutely nothing to do with Vietnam, just a bunch of people annoyed at the strict 10 PM curfew in the area. (Muppet Maestros the Monkees had their own take on the Sunset Strip riots with the Mike Nesmith song "The Daily Nightly.")
The Muppets performed "For What It's Worth" on Episode 221. The setting was a group of woodland creatures, with Jerry Nelson as a possum on the lead vocal, singing their own style of protest song against hunting. The second two verses were changed to go with the new theme, and the music arrangement was less rock and a lot more pastoral. The result was one of the more memorable performances on The Muppet Show and it was later featured on The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years.
4. "Halfway Down the Stairs" - Believe it or not, the original performance of "Halfway Down the Stairs" was not by a little green frog, but by future host of The Muppet Show, Gene Kelly. In the mid 1940's Gene Kelly recorded some albums for children, including a series of songs based on poems by A.A. Milne. The Gene Kelly version isn't bad, after all this is a man whose most famous movies were musicals. However, I found it just didn't grab me as much as the performance of Jerry Nelson as Robin, which made it to the top 10 on the music charts in England. To do a cover of a cover, Jim Henson as Rowlf later performed the song on "Ol' Brown Ears Is Back."
5. "I'm Looking Through You" - The original version from the Beatles Album "Rubber Soul" is a rare example of what I call "Angry McCartney." Happy go-lucky Paul tended to write more of the upbeat lyrics like the verses of "We Can Work It Out," "And I Love Her," while anger and depression tended to be more John Lennon's turf. However, by 1965 his writing was starting to get more interesting. It was Paul who suggested that "Norwegian Wood" should end with the main character burning the whole place down. He was also having some issues with Jane Asher, his girlfriend at the time, because she dared to do inconsiderate things like have a life and a career of her own. "I'm Looking Through You" was a way of venting his frustrations.
However, while the song has a very catchy tune and arrangement... the lyrics don't make much sense if you try to analyze them. I think the Muppet version actually makes more sense. The song was featured in a UK spot in Episode 119. The song was performed by three ghosts flying around the backstage of the Muppet Theater.
6. "Yes We Have No Bananas" - This was a very appropriate song for The Muppet Show as the show was so rooted in vaudeville and the music hall. Originally written in 1922 for the Broadway show "Make It Snappy," the song has been covered countless times. It was featured on The Muppet Show three times. The first was in Episode 208 as Marvin Suggs took a break from his Muppaphone and had his All-Food Glee Club sing it. Episode 402 had the Swedish Chef perform what I'm guessing is the only mock-Swedish rendition of the song. It made one more brief cameo in the Jean-Pierre Rampal Episode 510 when they accidentally gave Rampal fruit intead of a flute to play.
7. "You Mustn't Be Discouraged" - Most songs that the Muppets covered were pretty well known. They tended to use popular songs from the 1970's and previous eras. However, now and then they'd come up with something really obscure. I wouldn't have heard of this song if it weren't for The Muppet Show. The song was originally written for the 1964 Broadway Musical "Fade Out--Fade In". Carol Burnett and Tiger Haynes were doing a spoof of Shirley Temple and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. The original version is entertaining, but doesn't hold up well to repeat listening. Burnett's Shirley Temple impression gets really old really fast.
The Muppet Show version in Episode 522 with Dave Goelz as Beauregard and Buddy Rich is a lot more pleasant on the ears. It also brought this pleasant surprise: Buddy Rich could SING! Usually, unless you're listening to The Monkees or the Carpenters... the drummer doesn't get a lot of lead vocals. Buddy Rich does just as well as other Muppet Show hosts who were better known for their singing. Plus, of course, the wicked humor in the song is a perfect fit for the Muppets.
Obviously I'm leaving quite a few great examples out of Muppet covers. I could do a series on just Floyd. So I will ask you, fellow Muppet Music Maniacs... what are YOUR favorite Muppet covers?
The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, firstname.lastname@example.com
9 comments:
- Andrew T. SmithTuesday, September 25, 2012 at 1:45:00 PM CDT
'Time in a Bottle', for me, is one of the definitive Jim Henson performances. Not only does it use his vocal range to full effect, but it also fits in with what might be seen to be the inadvertent motif of his life; a lack of time. 'Tick-Tok-Sick', 'Timepiece', Kermit's ambitions in the Muppet Movie, even 'Tale of Sand' fit in alongside this wonderful son.ReplyDelete
My husband and I prefer the Electric Mayhem version of 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover much more than Paul Simon's original!ReplyDelete
I agree with Bethie, Floyd singing 50 Ways to Leave your Lover is pretty awesome.ReplyDelete
I know I've always enjoyed Gonzo singing Act Naturally.
My favorites would have to be Scooter's "Simon Smith and his Dancing Bear" cover, Janice's "Get By with a Little Help of my Friends", Gonzo's "Act Naturally, and though this isn't a classic,Robin's "Halfway Down the Stairs", The Muppets "Bohemian Rhapsody". That one is hilarious!:) Great post:)ReplyDelete
My favourite Muppet cover is the original cover of The Muppets take Manhatten on dvd. :DReplyDelete
While My Guitar Gently Weeps... WOO!ReplyDelete
My favourite Muppets cover is the incredible, dripping-with-smoky-jazz-cafe-atmosphere version of Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind", - no disrespect to Billy, but it leaves the original in the dust!ReplyDelete


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I had my reservations. I mean, there's a reason I smugly called myself a "Vegas virgin."
Everything I had heard about Sin City held little to no appeal.
An adult Disneyland.
A smoky, casino-driven tourist trap built on losers, not winners. (Hence the nickname Lost Wages.)
An aggressive "adult entertainment" destination overrun with packs of rowdy young men celebrating forthcoming marriages a la The Hangover -- Hollywood's recent hit movie about a stag gone terribly awry.
No, I was flying to Nevada with a companion who was also a self-proclaimed Vegas virgin to attend the launch of a friend's rock photography gallery at the Las Vegas Hilton.
Not, to be clear, because I held any genuine interest in the city.
And if I felt a twinge of anticipation for my impending trip, I told myself, it was purely anthropological.
But that was then. And this is where it gets embarrassing.
I would quickly discover that Vegas is everything I dreaded it would be.
Young girls in micro-minis, no matter what their proportions.
Remember, this is the land of the deep-fried Oreo cookie.
Comatose, chain-smoking gamblers glued to one-armed bandits.
Giant billboards with big-breasted blonds packing fully automatic machine guns promoting an indoor shooting range.
But I confess to thoroughly underestimating the rest of what Vegas has to offer.
Nevada's fast-growing and most populous city (more than 600,000 people) offers so much more than the cliched gambling experience I'd so often heard about.
So attention, all you tentative Vegas virgins out there: a trip to Las Vegas may just be worth your while -- if even just to take in the sheer outrageousness of it all.
From its glittering nighttime skyline -- which includes, most impressively, the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Las Vegas hotel, the Bellagio's dazzling outdoor water show and the recent and supremely chic $8.5 billion CityCentre development (Visit CityCentre.com and you'll see what I mean.)
Then there's the city's latest pool party craze where entertainment directors such as MGM's Anthony Olheiser are transforming nightlife into day life.
"We're taking all the energy and vibe of what you feel when you go into a nightclub and transposing that onto a dayclub scene," Olheiser tells me of the MGM's pool, the Wet Republic.
"It's very high energy with a good-looking crowd," he continues.
"Everyone dresses to impress. And they seem to enjoy cooling off with our watermelon mojitos."
Peering down at the heated intensity of one such pool party -- a gyrating human soup -- from an upper deck
at the ARIA Resort and Casino, I was reminded of the difference between the priorities of a 45-year-old Vegas virgin and my 21-year-old counterparts.
For me, food -- such as the barbecued edamame beans at Simon's Restaurant -- is one of those priorities. To. Die. For.
Along with brilliant dining opportunities -- such as the highly recommended and not-your-ordinary shrimp salad at Mix and Picasso's thick slabs of foie gras -- Vegas also has a seemingly endless lineup of quality shows.
Perhaps, after all, there is a place on the planet for an entertainment-driven destination designed mainly for adults -- and one that includes indoor skydiving and Corvette car racing.
"I've heard people call it 'the leather-pants syndrome,' " grins Four Seasons ambassador Erica Johnson-McElroy, referring to how visitors to Vegas typically embrace the opportunity to try things they would ordinarily avoid.
"You've got these pants that you never wear and suddenly you find yourself coming to Vegas, so you pack them in your suitcase."
(Johnson-McElroy adds that the Four Seasons offers an oasis to visitors searching for an alternative to the fast-paced, in-your-face quality of hotels on the main strip.)
Turns out there is a healthy market for this kind of "cut-loose" mentality.
After all, where else but Vegas am I going to jump in a helicopter for a champagne brunch expedition into the Grand Canyon? That's after flying over a desert landscape.
Stuff goes down in Vegas.
I'd like to tell you about our dolphin encounter at the Mirage Resort & Casino.
But I can't.
You know the drill. What happens in Vegas ...


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Criminal charges against a Colorado cantaloupe grower implicated in a 2011 listeria outbreak should cause all fresh produce shippers to take note, according to a recent Web seminar.
Stepped up enforcement of criminal liability for operators was explored in the Dec. 4 Web seminar hosted by Irvine, Calif.-based Western Growers.
Moderated by Jason Resnick, vice president and general counsel for Western Growers, the web seminar featured Sarah Brew, Minneapolis-based partner with Faegre Baker Daniels LLP.
Attended by about 100 people, the seminar was titled "Criminal Liability for Food Safety Violations: Jensen Farms and the FDA"s Heightened Enforcement Efforts."
The Food and Drug Administration told Congress in 2010 that it might increase misdemeanor prosecutions of food industry executives for violations of the federal Food Drug & Cosmetic Act, Brew said. In September, Eric and Ryan Jensen, owners of the Holly, Colo., farm, were charged with violating the FDCA by introducing adulterated cantaloupe into interstate commerce, implicated in the outbreak leading to 33 deaths.
The misdemeanor charges do not allege any criminal "intent," but FDCA violations alone are sufficient for misdemeanor charges, according to Western Growers.
"I think the Jensen Farms case caused many growers to raise their eyebrows and try to understand what the potential criminal exposure could be for a food producer who unintentionally sells adulterated food," Resnick said.
The Web seminar looked at the history and evolution of the Park Doctrine which allows misdemeanor charges even though criminal intent is not evident and its use in the Jensen Farms case.
Brew said the takeaway from the Web seminar is that FDA"s enforcement posture has changed.
"I think the main new development, and something that all growers, packers and food manufacturers should be aware of, is that Jensen Farms was charged criminally without having any intent to do anything wrong or any knowledge of any problems," she said.
That means potential lawsuits, especially if injuries or death of consumers, occur.
Brew said the FDA is being more aggressive about pursing criminal charges and that trend will likely increase.
"Everyone has been aware that the Food Safety Modernization Act is going to change the game," she said.
New rules require investment by industry to meet the demands, she said.
"The fact that you can be found strictly criminally liable is yet another reason to take the new regulations seriously, to start preparing now for what it looks FDA is going to require down the road and for investing in getting it right from the get go," she said.
In particular, she advised to:
- Implement compliance programs at all levels
- Ensure current food safety standards are up-to-date and followed
- Keep good records and
- Train employees.


text:
Frequent Links
This page is a soft redirect.Night Club]].
|The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (December 2010)
A nightclub (also known as a discothèque, dance clubs, or simply a club or disco) is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night. A nightclub is generally distinguished from bars, pubs or taverns by the inclusion of a dance floor and a DJ booth, where a DJ plays recorded music.
The music in nightclubs is either live bands or, more commonly, a mix of songs played by a DJ through a powerful PA system. Most clubs or club nights cater to certain music genres.
Early history
From about 1900 to 1920, working class Americans would gather at honky tonks or juke joints to dance to music played on a piano or a jukebox. Webster Hall is credited as the first modern nightclub,[1] being built in 1886 and starting off as a "social hall", originally functioning as a home for dance and political activism events. During US Prohibition, nightclubs went underground as illegal speakeasy bars, with Webster Hall staying open, with rumors circulating of Al Capone's involvement and police bribery. With the repeal of Prohibition in February 1933, nightclubs were revived, such as New York's 21 Club, Copacabana, El Morocco, and the Stork Club. These nightclubs featured big bands (there were no DJs).
In Germany, possibly the first discotheque was Scotch-Club.[citation needed] In Occupied France, jazz and bebop music, and the jitterbug dance were banned by the Nazis as decadent American influences, so as an act of French resistance, people met at hidden basements called discothèques[2] where they danced to jazz and swing music, which was played on a single turntable when a jukebox was not available. These discothèques were also patronized by anti-Vichy youth called zazous. There were also underground discotheques in Nazi Germany patronized by anti-Nazi youth called the swing kids.
In Harlem, Connie's Inn and the Cotton Club were popular venues for white audiences. Before 1953 and even some years thereafter, most bars and nightclubs used a jukebox or mostly live bands. In Paris, at a club named Whisky à Gogo, founded in 1947,[3] Régine in 1953 laid down a dance-floor, suspended coloured lights and replaced the jukebox with two turntables which she operated herself so there would be no breaks between the music. The Whisky à Gogo set into place the standard elements of the modern post World War II discothèque-style nightclub. At the end of the 1950s, several of the coffee bars in Soho introduced afternoon dancing and the most famous, at least on the continent, was Les Enfants Terribles at 93 Dean St. These original discothèques were nothing like the night clubs, as they were unlicensed and catered to a very young public—mostly made up of French and Italians working illegally, mostly in catering, to learn English as well as au pair girls from most of western Europe. In the early 1960s, Mark Birley opened a members-only discothèque nightclub, Annabel's, in Berkeley Square, London. In 1962, the Peppermint Lounge in New York City became popular and is the place where go-go dancing originated. However, the first rock and roll generation preferred rough and tumble bars and taverns to nightclubs, and the nightclub did not attain mainstream popularity until the 1970s disco era. Sybil Burton, former wife of actor Richard Burton, opened the "Arthur" discotheque in 1965 on East 54th Street in Manhattan on the site of the old El Morocco nightclub and it became the first, foremost and hottest disco in New York City through 1969.[4]
1970s: Disco
Disco has its roots in the underground club scene. During the early 70s in New York City, disco clubs were places where oppressed groups such as homosexuals, Blacks, Latinos, and Jews could party without following male to female dance protocol or exclusive club policies. It brought together people from all walks of life and backgrounds.[5] These clubs acted as safe havens for homosexual partygoers to dance in peace and away from public scrutiny. Disco was a genre for people to explore sexuality and push the envelope on the dancefloor. Disco clubs acted as an escape from such depressing environments and acted as the fantasy marginalized peoples could escape to forget oppression and racism. Disco clubs originally functioned as liberated party spaces and were seen as places of political statement.
By the late 1970s many major US cities had thriving disco club scenes which were centered around discothèques, nightclubs, and private loft parties where DJs would play disco hits through powerful PA systems for the dancers. The DJs played "... a smooth mix of long single records to keep people 'dancing all night long'"[6] Some of the most prestigious clubs had elaborate lighting systems that throbbed to the beat of the music.
Some cities had disco dance instructors or dance schools which taught people how to do popular disco dances such as "touch dancing", the "hustle" and the "cha-cha-cha". There were also disco fashions that discothèque-goers wore for nights out at their local disco, such as sheer, flowing Halston dresses for women and shiny polyester Qiana shirts for men. Disco clubs and "...hedonistic loft parties" had a club culture which had many Italian-American, African American, gay[7] and Hispanic people.
In addition to the dance and fashion aspects of the disco club scene, there was also a thriving drug subculture, particularly for recreational drugs that would enhance the experience of dancing to the loud music and the flashing lights, such as cocaine[8] (nicknamed "blow"), amyl nitrite "poppers",[9] and the "...other quintessential 1970s club drug Quaalude, which suspended motor coordination and turned one's arms and legs to Jell-O".[10] The "massive quantities of drugs ingested in discothèques by newly liberated gay men produced the next cultural phenomenon of the disco era: rampant promiscuity and public sex. While the dance floor was the central arena of seduction, actual sex usually took place in the nether regions of the disco: bathroom stalls, exit stairwells, and so on. In other cases the disco became a kind of "main course" in a hedonist's menu for a night out."[10]
Famous 1970s discothèques included "...cocaine-filled celeb hangouts such as Manhattan's "Studio 54", which was operated by Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager. Studio 54 was notorious for the hedonism that went on within; the balconies were known for sexual encounters, and drug use was rampant. Its dance floor was decorated with an image of the "Man in the Moon" that included an animated cocaine spoon. Other famous 1970s discothèques in New York City included "Xenon", "The Loft", the "Paradise Garage", a recently renovated "Copacabana," and "Aux Puces", one of the first gay disco bars. In San Francisco, there was the Trocadero Transfer, the I-Beam, and the End Up.
By the early 1980s, the term "disco" had largely fallen out of favour in most of the English-speaking world.
1980s New York and London
During the 1980s, during the New Romantic movement, London had a vibrant nightclub scene, which included clubs like The Blitz, the Batcave, the Camden Palace and Club for Heroes. Both music and fashion embraced the aesthetics of the movement. Bands included Depeche Mode, Yazoo, The Human League, Duran Duran, Blondie, Eurythmics and Ultravox. Reggae-influenced bands included Boy George and Culture Club, and electronic vibe bands included Visage. At London nightclubs, young men would often wear make-up and young women would wear men's suits.
The largest UK cities like Leeds (The Orbit), Newcastle, Liverpool (Quadrant Park and 051), Swansea, Manchester (The Haçienda) and several key European places like Paris (Les Bains Douches), Ibiza (Pacha), Rimini etc. also played a significant role in the evolution of clubbing, DJ culture and nightlife.
Significant New York nightclubs of the period were Area, Danceteria, and The Limelight.[11]
1990s, 2000s, and 2010s
In Europe and North America, nightclubs play disco-influenced dance music such as house music, techno, and other dance music styles such as electronica, breakbeat and trance. Most nightclubs in the U.S. major cities that have an early adulthood clientele, play hip hop, dance-pop, house and/or trance music. These clubs are generally the largest and most frequented of all of the different types of clubs. The emergence of the "superclub" created a global phenomenon, with Ministry of Sound (London), Cream (Liverpool) and Pacha (Ibiza).
Techno clubs are especially popular around the world since the early 1990s. Famous examples are Berghain, Bunker and Tresor in Berlin, Omen and Cocoon in Frankfurt, Distillery in Leipzig, Tunnel Club in Hamburg, Warehouse in Chicago and The Haçienda in Manchester.
In most other languages, nightclubs are referred to as "discos" or "discothèques" (German: Disko or Diskothek; French: discothèque; Italian, Portuguese and Spanish: discoteca, antro (common in Mexico only), and boliche (common in Argentina only), discos is commonly used in all others in Latinamerica). In Japanese ディスコ, disuko refers to an older, smaller, less fashionable venue; while クラブ, kurabu refers to a more recent, larger, more popular venue. The term night is used to refer to an evening focusing on a specific genre, such as "retro music night" or a "singles night." In Hong Kong and China, night club is used as a euphemism for a hostess club, and the association of the term with the sex trade has driven out the regular usage of the term.
A recent trend in the North American, Australian and European nightclub industry is the usage of video. VJs ("video jockeys") mix video content in a similar manner that DJs mix audio content, creating a visual experience that is intended to complement the music.
The beginning of the 21st century saw financial growth of the nightclub industry in the United States. However, the number of nightclubs and employees has been decreasing. In 2010, there were nearly 45,000 bars and nightclubs across the country.[12]
Nightclub entry criteria
Many nightclubs choose who can enter, on bases other than just age, e.g. dress code and guest list. This is used to make their status as a nightclub more "exclusive". Quite often, there are no clear policies governing entry to a nightclub, thereby allowing the doormen to deny entry to anybody at their discretion.
|This section does not cite any references or sources. (June 2013)
Some nightclubs have been known to only allow entry by association, such as the former Paradise Garage and Playboy Club. A number of gay nightclubs that prefer to cater to an exclusively male clientele will deny entry to a group of lesbians but will welcome a lesbian with a number of male gay friends.[citation needed]
Cover charge
In most cases, entering a nightclub requires a flat fee called a cover charge. Some clubs waive or reduce the cover charge for early arrivers, special guests or women (in the United Kingdom this latter option is illegal under the Equality Act 2010[13] but the law is rarely enforced and open violations are frequent). Friends of the doorman or the club owner may gain free entrance. Sometimes, especially at larger clubs in Continental European countries, one only gets a pay card at the entrance, on which all money spent in the discothèque (often including the entrance fee) is marked. Sometimes, entrance fee and cloakroom costs are paid by cash and only the drinks in the club are paid using a pay card.[citation needed]
Dress code
Many nightclubs enforce a dress code in order to ensure a certain type of clientele is in attendance at the venue. Some upscale nightclubs ban attendees from wearing trainers (sneakers) or jeans, while other nightclubs will advertise a vague "dress to impress" dress code that allows the bouncers to discriminate at will against those vying for entry to the club. Many exceptions are made to nightclub dress codes, with denied entry usually reserved for the most glaring rule breakers or those thought to be unsuitable for the party. Certain nightclubs like fetish nightclubs may apply a dress code (BDSM) to a leather-only, rubber-only or fantasy dress code. The dress code criterion is often an excuse for discriminatory practices, such as in the case of Carpenter v. Limelight Entertainment Ltd.[14]
Exclusive boutique nightclubs
Large cosmopolitan cities that are home to large affluent populations (such as Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, and London) often have what are known as exclusive boutique nightclubs. This type of club typically has a capacity of less than 200 occupants and a very strict entrance policy, which usually requires an entrant to be on the club's guest list.[citation needed] While not explicitly members only clubs, such as Soho House, exclusive nightclubs operate with a similar level of exclusivity. As they are off limits to most of the public and ensure the privacy of guests, many celebrities favor these types of clubs to other, less exclusive, clubs which do not cater as well to their needs.[citation needed] Another differentiating feature of exclusive nightclubs is, in addition to being known for a certain type of music, they are known for having a certain type of crowd, for instance, a fashion-forward, affluent crowd or a crowd with a high concentration of fashion models. Many exclusive boutique clubs market themselves as being a place where one can socialize with models and celebrities. Affluent patrons who find this marketing message appealing are often willing to purchase bottle service at a markup of several times the retail cost of the liquor.[15] London's most exclusive boutique nightclubs include Amika, Cirque Du Soir, Project, The Box, and The Rose Club. These venues are frequently visited by an array of A-List celebrities from the fashion, film, and music industries. All are located in London's prestigious Mayfair, except Cirque Du Soir and The Box, which are both located in London's sex capital, Soho,[citation needed] and the both have a more risque theme.[citation needed]
Guest list
|This section does not cite any references or sources. (June 2013)
Many nightclubs operate a "guest list" that allows certain attendees to enter the club for free, or at a reduced rate. Some nightclubs have a range of unpublished guest list options ranging from free, to reduced, to full price with line by-pass privileges only. Nightclub goers who are on the guest list often have a separate queue and sometimes a separate entrance from those used by full price-paying attendees. It is common for the guest list line-up to be as long or longer than the full-paying or ticketed queues. Some nightclubs allow clubbers to register for the guest list through their websites.[citation needed]
|This section does not cite any references or sources. (June 2013)
Most nightclubs have a team of security men (also known as bouncers). They have the power to remove people from the club. Most major clubs have balconies specifically for this team to watch over the clubbers. The team would only intervene or ask for removal if the clubber is extremely drunk, noticeably high and/or spotted in possession of drugs, physically ill, breaking club rules, or hurting/abusing other clubbers. They usually control who can enter and when. Other jobs for the team involve locking up and asking people to leave once the club closes.[citation needed]
Serious incidents
- 20 September 1929: Study Club fire of 1929, early dance club fire that killed 22 in Detroit, Michigan, USA
- 23 April 1940: Rhythm Night Club fire, 209 killed at nightclub fire at Natchez, Mississippi, USA
- 28 November 1942: Cocoanut Grove fire, 492 killed in a nightclub fire at Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- 1 November 1970: Club Cinq-Sept fire in a nightclub just outside the small town of Saint-Laurent-du-Pont, Isère in south-eastern France; 146 people killed
- 8 March 1973: Whiskey Au Go Go fire, 15 killed after firebombing at Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Australia
- 2 August 1973: Summerland disaster, 51 killed at fire at Summerland leisure centre at Douglas, Isle of Man
- 28 May 1977: Beverly Hills Supper Club fire, 165 killed and 200 injured in nightclub fire at Southgate, Kentucky, USA
- 14 February 1981: Stardust fire disaster, 48 killed and 214 injured at nightclub fire at Dublin, Republic of Ireland
- 5 April 1986: Bomb attack on La Belle discothèque, Berlin, Germany, 3 killed, 230 injured; 2 Marines sustaining permanent disability were 2nd Force Recon Co. Marine's LCPL Hurt & LCPL Blackwood who despite their injuries gave assistance to their fellow Marines and civilians alike before their injuries were discovered by medical personnel
- February 1990: Stage collapse at a discothèque at Bilbao, Spain, 13 injured[citation needed]
- 25 March 1990: Happy Land fire, 87 killed in a nightclub fire at Happy Land, The Bronx, New York City
- 20 December 1993: Kheyvis Fire, 17 killed in a nightclub fire at Buenos Aires, Argentina
- 18 March 1996: Ozone Disco Club fire, 162 dead and 92 injured at a nightclub in Quezon City, Philippines
- 30 October 1998: Gothenburg discothèque fire, 63 people killed, 200 injured in a nightclub fire at Gothenburg, Sweden
- 24 March 2000: Throb nightclub disaster, 13 children killed, 54 injured in stampede in Durban, South Africa [16]
- 1 June 2001: Suicide bombing at the Dolphinarium discotheque in Tel Aviv, Israel
- 13 October 2001: Stage toggled at ZapataTemplate:Disambiguation needed discothèque Stuttgart, Germany, several people hurt
- 21 December 2001: At Club "Indigo", Sofia, Bulgaria, in an early party for minors, the huge crowd pushing their way to get in collapses down the frosty stairs and crushes 7 children (ages between 10 and 14) to death[citation needed]
- 12 October 2002: 2002 Bali bombings, 202 killed by large bombs.
- 7 December 2002: Cowgate fire, Edinburgh, Scotland
- 17 February 2003: 2003 E2 nightclub stampede, Chicago, Illinois, 21 killed and over 50 injured
- 20 February 2003: The Station nightclub fire, 100 killed at nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island
- 8 December 2004: A shooter in Columbus, Ohio shot and killed guitarist "Dimebag" Darrel Abbott and two other people, also wounding band manager and a fan in the audience
- 30 December 2004: República Cromañón nightclub fire, 194 killed and 714 injured in a nightclub fire at Buenos Aires, Argentina
- 31 December 2005: a circular crossbar fell down from the roof of a nightclub at Ibbenbüren, Germany, 4 people hurt[citation needed]
- 18 June 2007: Gatecrasher One Fire, Sheffield, England
- 1 January 2009: Santika Club fire in Santika Club in Watthana, Bangkok, Thailand, 61 killed and at least 212 injured
- 24 July 2009: a man bled to death at a pool party in Perkins Park nightclub, Stuttgart, Germany after he made a head dive into a swimming pool in which there were fragments of glass [17]
- 5 December 2009: Lame Horse fire, a fire at the Lame Horse nightclub killed at least 155 people and injures 79 others in Perm, Russia.[18][19]
- 15 January 2011: 3 girls died, 14 people injured at a stampede in West Balkan Club, Budapest[citation needed][20]
- 27 January 2013: Kiss nightclub fire, 245 died in panicky stampede in Brazil
See also
- ^ "Webster Hall Landmark Status Certification" (PDF). Greenwich Village Society for History Preservation.
The intact, elegantly detailed façade of Webster Hall has sheltered some of the Village's most infamous moments, and this first modern night club deserves to be an individual landmark
- ^ "The birth of disco". OXford Dictionaries. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
- ^ "Rock and Roll is a State of Mind"
- ^ TIME magazine. (May 14, 1965). Brewster, B., Broughton, F..Last Night a Disc Jockey Saved My Life, Grove Press, 2000, pp. 62–64. ISBN 0802136885
- ^ Lawrence, Tim. "Disco and the Queering of the Dance Floor." Cultural Studies 25.2 (2011): 230–43.
- ^ Rietveld, Hillegonda C. (July–August 2000). "The body and soul of club culture". UNESCO Courier 53. Archived from the original on 2007-06-26. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
- ^ Lawrence, Tim (2005-06-14). "Reviews of Love Saves the Day". Blog. Archived from the original on 2007-07-12. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
- ^ Gootenberg, Paul 1954- Between Coca and Cocaine: A Century or More of U.S.-Peruvian Drug Paradoxes, 1860–1980. Hispanic American Historical Review, 83:1, February 2003, pp. 119–150. He says that "The relationship of cocaine to 1970s disco culture cannot be stressed enough; ..."
- ^ "Nitrites". DrugScope. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
Amyl, butyl and isobutyl nitrite (collectively known as alkyl nitrites) are clear, yellow liquids which are inhaled for their intoxicating effects. Nitrites originally came as small glass capsules that were popped open. This led to nitrites being given the name 'poppers' but this form of the drug is rarely found in the UK. The drug became popular in the UK first on the disco/club scene of the 1970s and then at dance and rave venues in the 1980s and 1990s.
- ^ a b Braunstein, Peter (November 1999). "Disco". American Heritage Magazine 50 (7). Retrieved 2007-07-24.
- ^ Miller, Daniel (2001). Consumption: critical concepts in the social sciences. Taylor & Francis. p. 447. ISBN 978-0-415-24269-1. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
- ^ "Pell Research Report on Bars and Night Clubs - cited with permission". Pellresearch.com. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
- ^ "Is Ladies' Night illegal? Nightclub entry policy and the Equality Act". Law Think. 2011-04-06. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
- ^ "Carpenter v. Limelight Entertainment Ltd. (1999), C.H.R.R. Doc. 99-197 B.C. Human Rights Tribunal" (PDF).
- ^ "NYC Clubs and lounges - Your Guide to Exclusive New York Nightlife". Socialyeti.com. Retrieved 2013-03-09.
- ^ "IOL: Throb trial to start on Monday". Retrieved 2014-01-08.
- ^ "Schnittverletzungen: Mann nach Kopfsprung in Disco-Pool verblutet - SPIEGEL ONLINE". Spiegel.de. 2009-07-23. Retrieved 2013-03-09.
- ^ Количество жертв пожара в пермском клубе возросло до 155 человек (in русский). Interfax.ru. 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2010-01-17.
- ^ СКП: В результате пожара в Перми пострадали 234 человека (in русский). «Взгляд» — деловая газета. 2009-12-09. Retrieved 2014-01-08.
- ^ Budapest's West Balkan mass panic kills 3 ladies
External links
- 16x16px Media related to Nightclubs at Wikimedia Commons
- REDIRECT Template:Club fireses:Discoteca


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GeneralOfDeath wrote:stubby wrote:Falk wrote:Bragallot wrote:I was thinking of simply adding the scores of all the Scifi battles to these scores, but right now I'm still undecided on whether or not I'll keep them separate. I think I might, since the tactics used in both are quite different and it would be kind of dumb to for instance count a Dragonhead cruiser as '1' kill.
Count ship kills as ship+crew+any other figs onboard.
EDIT: Better idea: count HP or size points. This would work for larger creations and maybe figs with more than one HP. Maybe 1 kill for each -1HP, so if players A and B took a HP off a 2HP hero then they would both get a kill.
*Looks at stubby's sig* Right...
stubby has no sig.


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"Have you been feeling a little emotionally drained lately? Have you been finding yourself responding to the emergencies of others as if they are your own?
Perhaps you have been allowing someone to invade your space even though you are not quite comfortable. Maybe it's time to look at whether you have healthy boundaries.
Boundaries are the limitations we set for ourselves and others. They can be both physical and emotional."
Via PAT NOVAK


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Part# L240512
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Part Type: (A) Aftermarket product, usually an enhancement product
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These easy-to-use CD-ROM discs are packed with information to help with the repair and restoration of your El Camino, Malibu or Monte Carlo. Each disc features written instructions along with photos and diagrams to guide you through disassembly, repair and replacement of the major vehicle components such as transfer case, brakes, steering mechanism, clutch, transmission, rear axle, air conditioning and more. Sold per each—specify model year.


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Shyt Got Nasty: Bernard Hopkins & Jean Pascal Swinging At Each Other At The Fight Press Conference! "Your A Cheater, Take The Blood Test!"
Blood Test.. Posted by @Mahad_Worldstar
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Hello everyone, I have decided to finally start learning to program and eventually start solving some of the hts missions. I am taking a computer science class right now (in high school, im 16) and we are learning to use java. I noticed that a lot of the languages I see on this site are mostly c related languages. My class is moving very slowly, so I wanna be learning at home also and was wondering if I should do java at home as well as at school, or should I pick up a c language at home? I couldn't tell you what my goal is for learning how to program, I have just been interested in it for a long time. So any tips and help would be greatly appreciated!
Also, to solve the hts missions, do you need knowledge on just programming or on a lot more than that? It would be a great help if someone could give me some info on what you need to know in order to solve some of the easier missions.
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Mohamed Sallauddin Mohamed Shah @ Mat Sah
General Manager, Marketing
Mohamed Sallauddin is the General Manager of Airline Marketing at MAHB. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accountancy and Computer Science from Northern Illinois University, USA in 1985. He also holds a Master in Business Administration (MBA) (Strategic Management) Degree from the International Business School, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. His association with the aviation industry began when he was recruited by Malaysia Airlines (MAS) as a Management Trainee in 1986. He further enriched his aviation repertoire when he joined Malaysia's first aircraft manufacturing company, Composite Technology Research Malaysia (CTRM) Sdn. Bhd. in 1997. His employment with MAHB in 2001 saw him joining the cadre that led the marketing of the international gateways managed by MAHB. This eventually led to the role of leading MAHB in organising Asia's first World Route Development Forum in Kuala Lumpur in 2008. He is highly committed to make KLIA the preferred ASEAN hub. He currently serves as a Council Member of the Institute of Marketing Malaysia and was also the Executive Board Member of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). His present appointment as Deputy Chairman of the PATA Malaysia Chapter underlines his belief that aviation and tourism are complementary to each other in generating sustainable air travel.


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VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) -- U.S. energy giant Chevron (NYSE:CVX) is poised to win a license for shale gas exploration in Lithuania, officials in the Baltic state announced Tuesday.
The license is for a field in western Lithuania, an area near the Baltic Sea where several small firms extract a tiny amount of crude oil. Last year Chevron bought a 50-percent stake in one of these firms, LL Investicijos, which owns a license to a neighboring field. Chevron officials have said they hoped to begin exploration work this year.
For Lithuania, shale gas -- a form of natural gas trapped underground in porous rock and difficult to extract -- represents a rare opportunity to decrease its energy dependency on Russia, which currently supplies all of the Baltic state's gas.
Estimates vary, but Juozas Mockevicius, head of the Lithuanian Geological Service, has said that Lithuania could have between 50 billion and 60 billion cubic meters of shale gas reserves, or about 20 years' worth of gas at the country's current consumption rates.
"I am sure that foreign companies should be encouraged to come and do the research for shale gas," Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius has told Lithuanian radio.
For Chevron, the Lithuanian tender represents the latest in a string of acquisitions as the company -- the second-largest investor-owned oil and gas company in the world -- aggressively boosts its international exploration business. In Eastern Europe, Chevron is also exploring for shale gas in Poland and Romania.
Mockevicius said that the winner, which will be officially announced next month, will have to invest 80 million litas ($30 million) in the new field.
Local Lithuanian residents and environmentalists are skeptical about the shale gas extraction, which is water-intensive and involves a complicated horizontal drilling procedure known as "fracking."
"We do not want somebody drilling and spoiling our land when the gas starts to flow," Jonas Nairanauskas, a resident in the western district of Taurage, told the Lietuvos Rytas daily.
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Newcomb Hotel Fire [Video]
Bill Shuler
A five alarm fire destroys the Hotel Newcomb building. The first alarm came around 8:45 p.m. on Friday night. Several streets are closed off in the areat. Smoke and flames were visible from just east of Taylor on US 24 and much of northwest Quincy smells of smoke. Heat from the fire could be felt a half block from the hotel building.


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Henry William Burch Jr., formerly of Henryville, passed away peacefully on May 5, 2013, at Pocono Tranquil Gardens in East Stroudsburg.
Known as "Sonny" to his family and friends, he was a man who had a great work ethic, high integrity and interest in many subjects.
He was born on Sept. 24, 1924, and lived most of his life in New Jersey before retiring to the Poconos more than 20 years ago. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943, where he served on the submarine, USS Seahorse, and was involved in heavy action in the Tsushima Strait and the Sea of Japan. After the war, he worked as a radio repairman, but soon after started migrating to the newest technological marvel, television.
In 1949, he met the love of his life, Jennette M. Brickley, and they were married on Feb. 19, 1950. They were completely devoted to each other for the past 63 years, which included adopting two sons, Henry and Thomas. In 1954, he started his own business, Technician's TV, where he specialized in fixing TVs that other TV repairmen were not able to fix. He ran his business until his retirement.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Elizabeth Appel Burch; his son; Thomas J. Burch; and a brother, Robbie Burch.
His survivors include his wife, Jennette; his son, Henry Burch and his wife, Mary, of Tyler, Texas; his brother, Howard Burch and his wife, Madeline, of Nokomis, Fla.; his sister, Arleen Kloss and her husband, William, of Port Charlotte, Fla.; his brother-in-law, Jack Brickley and his wife, Carolyn, of Raleigh, N.C.; and other nephews and nieces.
There will be a graveside service held at the convenience of the family.
Lanterman & Allen Funeral Home
27 Washington St., East Stroudsburg
Henry William Burch Jr.
Henry William Burch Jr., formerly of Henryville, passed away peacefully on May 5, 2013, at Pocono Tranquil Gardens in East Stroudsburg.


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Obituary: Tony Willingham
Tony Willingham, 54, of Madison, MO, passed away at his home on Saturday, September 28, 2013.
Tony was born on January 9, 1959, to Lenard and Alice Dunwoody Willingham.
He married Rita Billings on October 28, 1978, in Middle Grove and she survives at home. He is survived by one sister, Marlyn Willingham of Madison, MO; two sons, Shawn Willingham (Donny) of Fulton, MO, Jason Willingham (Jessica) of Moberly, MO; one daughter, Brandi Chick (Brian) of Centralia, MO; and three grandsons, Brandon Chick, Benjamin Chick and Preston Willingham.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lenard and Alice Willingham; and one brother, Lester Willingham, husband of Helen Willingham.
He lived his entire life around the Middle Grove and Madison areas. He was a first responder, volunteer fireman in Madison, as well as, being on the fire department board for many years.
He had worked at A.B. Chance in Centralia for 36 years. He loved fishing and hunting with his nephews, Keven, Eric, Aaron and Austin. He, also, enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandsons.
His family will receive friends and relatives from 4:00-6:00 p.m., on Saturday, October 5, 2013, for a Celebration of Life at the Madison Volunteer Fire Department.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Madison Volunteer Fire Department and First Responders.


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|2010-03-25, 21:01
|Link #1
Looking for ONE PIECE
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sleeping Forest
Bleach Hollywood Movie
i read the news and i thought it had to be a joke sense april 1st is coming up but this might actully be given the green light.
sesne they are making Monster, Ninja Scroll, Akira and Cowboy Bebop all in active production or pre-production stages Bleach could join the ranks.
with Dragonball (as bad as it was) making over 100mil (all sales) now, Hollywood has seen an oppertunity for franchises.
i don't want it to be made as i don't think Hollywood respects the material of Mangas as much as it does for Comics. also the translation from eastern humour to western is also not done well.
Last edited by kayote; 2010-03-26 at 06:10.
|2010-03-26, 01:04
|Link #6
The Procrastinator
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: it's too dark to tell...
I'm actually surprised. I would have guessed Naruto would have gotten a live action movie deal before Bleach or maybe even One Piece, though that's slim. So to actually see Warner Bros. take Bleach over Naruto which widely more popular and a bigger cash cow truly baffles me.
I am happy but at the same time really scared because I know this movie is going to be terrible. I hope it won't, but I know it will. There's no way this movie could be good. Now if it does end up being good, I'll come back to this thread and state that I was wrong, but I highly doubt that I am. Let me see the cast first and who's directing and then I might change my mind, but right now I'm pretty sure this movie isn't gonna do well.
|2010-03-26, 06:21
|Link #11
I'm Burning Star IV
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Glasgow Scotland
Age: 27
LOL ginger white American frat boy running around with an over sized sword why must Hollywood rune life. what would be good though would be a Hollywood Animation with a big fat ass budget with a good director... a boy can dream.
|2010-03-26, 06:34
|Link #12
Soon on the cinemas near you...
In Washington DC an american patriot named Ichigo Steveson obtains mystical powers from an order of spirits of goodness (not death gods) and goes to save America from the evil Aizen Bin Laden, who betrayed the good people of America and allied himself with evil Russian demons. Now, he plans to invade America by using a Nazi magical sphere in Iraq by using the powers of Orihime Bigbusty, Ichigo's girlfriend. Ichigo must save his girlfriend and America before Aizen ressurects Sadam and raises an army of jewish and negro ghosts to bomb with Anthrax the good, honest, peaceful, Christian people of God bless America.
A great war against terrorism is about to begin...
The next smash hit to topple even the masterwork Twilight is here. Do not miss it!
...or the terrorists will get you.
|2010-03-26, 06:36
|Link #13
I'm Burning Star IV
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Glasgow Scotland
Age: 27
|2010-03-26, 10:16
|Link #16
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: United States
Age: 31
Last edited by Vinak; 2010-03-26 at 10:27.
|2010-03-26, 12:15
|Link #17
Senior Guest
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Athens (GMT+2)
Age: 30
Actually Monster would make an awesome movie...as far as BLEACH is concerned, it's crap in all its glory. Seriously, a MOVIE!? About what, the very essence of bleach has been Aizen's plan Ichigo fighting all the time. How will they introduce the three-ream balance, when will Ichigo get his powers, how would they represent his inner world (zonmfgbbq live Zangetsu and Ogichi ) and how would they get to Ichigo's selling point - his bankai?
|2010-03-26, 14:11
|Link #18
Disabled By Request
Join Date: Jan 2010
Aizen bin Laden... XD oh... that was funnier then hell.
|2010-03-26, 14:35
|Link #19
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Central Texas
Age: 34
Before going into production, they need to watch a few movies...
Super Mario Bros.
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (I thought the first one was decent...)
Street Fighter
While watching, they should take notes on what NOT TO DO, even though Street Fighter wasn't a really serious movie...still had a couple of the best quotes ever :3
Chun-Li: It was twenty years ago. You hadn't promoted yourself to general yet. You were just a petty drug lord. You and your gang of murderers gathered your small ounce of courage to raid across the border for food, weapons, slave labor...my father was the village magistrate. A simple man with a simple code: justice. He gathered the few people that he could to stand against you. You and your bullies were driven back by farmers with pitchforks! My father saved his village at the cost of his own life. You had him shot as you ran away! A hero... at a thousand paces.
M. Bison: I'm sorry... I don't remember any of it.
Chun-Li: You don't remember?!
M. Bison: For you, the day Bison graced your village was the most important day of your life. But for me... it was Tuesday.
|Thread Tools


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Jean Sullivan paintings
Exhibited November, 2007
is enough of a challenge on the two-dimensional surface of a canvass; Globe
resident Jean Sullivan takes that a step further -- painting "in the
round" on gourds. The artist included some of her gourd artworks with
an exhibit of Sonoran desert landscapes during the month of November, 2007.
"I remember the exact moment that I became an Arizonan. It was the summer of 1954. My father, mother (who was pregnant with my brother), my sister and I had traveled across the country from Virginia in a rickety old Ford pickup with all our possessions in the back. Our destination was Sacaton, Arizona where my father was to be employed as a teacher. My first few weeks in Arizona were miserable ones. I was terribly homesick for the lush greenery of Virginia. Then, one magical afternoon, my family and I took a picnic supper to a little foothill called "Sacaton Mountain" where I climbed to the top and witnessed my first Arizona sunset. That was the exact moment when I became an Arizonan and knew that this was to be my home for the rest of my life. Many of my pastels, watercolors and oil paintings reflect my love of the Arizona sunset. As far as I'm concerned, there are no other sunsets like ours."
"I studied art at Northern Arizona University and I wanted desperately to be a full time artist. Unfortunately, I listened to the "wisdom" of my elders who told me I would never be able to make a living as an artist and that I needed to be a teacher instead. Now, at the age of 62, I am finally on the verge of achieving my dream. I will be retiring next summer from Arizona State Prison in Globe where I teach GED and literacy."
"This opportunity to show my work at Arboretum (my first solo exhibit) is very symbolic for me. Throughout my youth in the 50's and 60's, my family came to Arboretum. It has always been a magical place to me and Picket Post has always been my sacred mountain. One of my works in this exhibit is a watercolor of Picket Post."
I go through phases with my art. I will work with oil, watercolor, pastels, pen, pencil drawings and decorated gourds. I also design sweater patterns which I am hoping to publish. My subjects are also varied. I do landscapes, portraits, animals and still life."
"I live in a 1945 bungalow-style home in Globe, Arizona which I am slowly restoring. It has a garage in the back that will become my studio. I have three grown sons and two beautiful granddaughters," she added. Participating artists donate a percentage back to Boyce Thompson Arboretum to help support botanical education and conservation. If you have questions about ordering prints, please contact Jean by phone at 928-425-2488 or via email to firstname.lastname@example.com
Boyce Thompson Arboretum is located at Highway 60 milepost #223, just three miles west of the town of Superior - a drive of about one hour east of Phoenix or two hours from Tucson (take Oracle Road North to Highway 79 past Florence to Highway 60, then East for another 12 miles). Monthly exhibits may be seen at our Visitor Center gallery daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Summer hours 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. from May-through-August). The Arboretum is an Arizona State Park and daily admission must be paid to enter the Visitor Center where the gallery is found. Admission is $7.50 for adults and $3 for ages 5-12. Annual memberships at the Arboretum begin at $45, and include a year's access, guest passes for your friends and family, along with many other benefits. A membership may be purchased in the gift shop on the day of your visit. To review other recent gallery shows from...
October, 2007 CLICK HERE
September, 2007 CLICK HERE
July-August, 2007 CLICK HERE
June-July, 2007 CLICK HERE
May, 2007 CLICK HERE
March-April, 2007 CLICK HERE
February, 2007 CLICK HERE
December, 2006 - January, 2007 CLICK HERE
November, 2006 CLICK HERE
October, 2006 CLICK HERE
September, 2006 CLICK HERE
July-August, 2006 CLICK HERE
June-July, 2006 CLICK HERE
April-May, 2006 CLICK HERE
March, 2006 CLICK HERE
February, 2006 CLICK HERE
January, 2006 CLICK HERE
December, 2005 CLICK HERE
November, 2005 CLICK HERE
October, 2005 CLICK HERE
September, 2005 CLICK HERE
July/August, 2005 CLICK HERE
June/July, 2005 CLICK HERE
May, 2005 CLICK HERE
April, 2005 CLICK HERE
March, 2005 CLICK HERE
February, 2005 CLICK HERE
January, 2005 CLICK HERE
December, 2004 CLICK HERE


text:
9:00 pm
Scientific American Frontiers "The Bionic Body" This episode is about re-engineering the human body, and includes stories on artificial nerve stimulation for paralysis victims using implanted electrodes, and on implants of silicon chips in the retina. Host Alan Alda has a moving conversation with Christopher Reeve, while visiting Reeve at home to discuss his advocacy of increased research in this field. D
10:00 pm
NOVA "Inside The Megastorm" NOVA presents a moment-by-moment guide through Hurricane Sandy, its impact and the future of storm protection. Through first-person accounts from survivors and from experts and scientists, the program gives scientific context to a new breed of storm.G
11:00 pm
Inventions That Shook The World "The 1970's" This decade is best remembered for disco and Watergate. But with inventions like the cell phone and the digital camera, the 1970s mark the beginning of the digital age to come. Other featured inventions in this episode include the bomb disposal robot, the sticky note, and the hybrid automobile. Part 8 of 10G


text:
House Panel Endorses UW Search Secrecy
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A legislative committee has endorsed a bill that would allow searches for University of Wyoming and state community college presidents to be closed to the public.
The House Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee voted 9-0 Monday to send House Bill 223 to the floor for debate.
The panel heard more than an hour of testimony on the measure. The bill was proposed after media outlets in the state protested the decision by the UW Board of Trustees to hold a secret search for a new president to replace retiring President Tom Buchanan.
Proponents of the bill argue the university could attract more quality candidates than if the search were done in the open. Opponents contend an open process when considering finalists can be helpful in making the right choice.


text:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Regulators on Tuesday called on private student loan lenders to offer more flexible repayment terms to borrowers at a time when many are struggling to pay off their debt.
Testifying before the Senate Banking Committee, federal regulators said private student loans constitute a small portion of overall student debt, but many people are struggling to repay their loans and delinquency rates for such loans are high.
"It's absolutely important that we address the large population of existing private loan borrowers. Many of those borrowers are certainly victims of the bad economy that they had no role in creating," said Rohit Chopra, student loan ombudsman at the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Two Democratic senators introduced legislation on Thursday that would create a framework for private loan borrowers to refinance their student loans.
Some private lenders offering student loans include Sallie Mae, Wells Fargo and SunTrust Bank.
The bill, sponsored by Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, would ask the Treasury Department to come up with a refinancing program that would cut certain borrowers' interest rates by up to 50 percent.
Lawmakers and regulators have raised concerns about a growing student debt problem, citing a steady rise in delinquency rates and the fact that outstanding student debt has topped $1 trillion in the United States.
Of the total $1.2 trillion in outstanding U.S. student loan debt, $150 billion is in private student loans and the rest is federal student loans backed by the government, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
About $8 billion of those private loans are delinquent.
Chopra said private student loans generally carry higher interest rates, are difficult to restructure and don't offer the kind of flexible repayment options as federal loans.
An estimated 81 percent of borrowers who graduated with more than $40,000 in student debt during the financial crisis used private loans.
Regulators said this large debt affects borrowers' ability to obtain credit and make important financial decisions.
"Student loan delinquency is also associated with higher delinquency rates on other types of debt," said Todd Vermilyea, senior associate director at the Federal Reserve's banking supervision and regulation division.
More than 15 percent of delinquent student loan borrowers, he said, also have delinquent auto loans; 35 percent have delinquent credit card debt; and more than 25 percent are delinquent on mortgage payments.
Regulators want banks to allow borrowers to refinance and restructure their loans so they can take advantage of lower interest rates just like homeowners with mortgages.
Regulators also want banks to work with borrowers facing hardships so they can find ways to pay off the debt.
In a March letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and other financial regulators, the Consumer Bankers Association said its members want to help struggling borrowers, but are limited by stringent accounting procedures, such as troubled debt restructuring rules.
The group said these accounting rules force banks to recognize losses on their books when dealing with delinquent loans.
Regulators testifying before the Senate Banking Committee, however, said that flexibility exists.
"We encourage banks to work with customers before it gets to a point where it's severely delinquent," said John Lyons, senior deputy comptroller for bank supervision policy at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.
That flexibility, Lyons said, includes extending grace periods for loan repayments, permanently reducing the interest rates, or modifying payments in cases where the borrower is experiencing long-term hardship.
Regulators at the hearing said private lenders would not be penalized for arranging alternate repayment plans with borrowers.
(Reporting by Elvina Nawaguna; Editing by Karey Van Hall and Stacey Joyce)


text:
When President Obama's budget arrives on Capitol Hill on April 10, lawmakers in the opposition party – in keeping with a time-honored Washington custom – are certain to immediately brand it "Dead on Arrival." This year, however, Obama's fellow Democrats may not be far behind.
Obama is reportedly ready to propose some big changes in Medicare and Social Security – two programs that Democrats have traditionally gone to the mat to protect.
As Salon's Joan Walsh reports: "White House sources are now telling reporters that the president is 'strongly considering' including entitlement cuts in his 2014 budget, to be introduced around April 10. The budget could lay out precise cuts to Social Security and Medicare, as well as Medicaid, that the president has reportedly been offering in futile negotiations with Republicans, but that he's never officially spelled out."
So what are the changes that Obama could propose? Here's a rundown:
- Adopt the Chained CPI. Using this different consumer price index for cost-of-living adjustments in federal benefit programs would reduce Social Security checks. "We and all of the groups engaged on this are starting to feel it may well be in the budget," AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond told The Wall Street Journal. A New York Times editorial also raised the possibility and offered that "We think he should not do so."
- Combine Parts A and B of Medicare. Part A covers hospital stays; Part B covers doctors' visits. The changes would be for future – not current – retirees. "That would create a single deductible that could increase out-of-pocket costs for many future beneficiaries," The New York Times says, "but also could pay for a cap on their total expenses and reduce the need to buy Medigap supplementary insurance."
- A grab bag of "modest reforms" in Medicare. The Medicare NewsGroup reports that Obama may follow through on the call for "modest reforms" in Medicare that was part of his State of the Union message – namely, the blog says, "reducing taxpayer subsidies to prescription drug companies, more cost-sharing for wealthy seniors (or expanded means-testing) and moving toward a pay-for-performance reimbursement strategy in order to reduce costs."
Also of Interest
- Why is Social Security Stockpiling Bullets?
- White House, Congress, May Cut Disabled Veteran Benefits Twice
- Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being
See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more


text:
Nurse radio hosts pranked to get royal baby details commits suicide
An ill-advised stunt by a pair of Australian shock jocks took a tragic turn when a nurse they tricked in order to get confidential information about the royal baby committed suicide.
Jacintha Saldanha, a nurse at King Edward VII Hospital, where pregnant Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton was being treated for morning sickness, was the butt of the cruel joke. The now-suspended deejays, posing as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, coaxed Saldanha into transferring them for an update on the condition of Middleton, wife of Prince William. On Friday, officials announced Saldanha had taken her life.
"Police were called at approximately 9:35 a.m. this morning to a report of a woman found unconscious," a Scotland Yard spokesman said. "London Ambulance Service attended and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene."
The death is not being treated as suspicious at this time, the spokesman said. Officials did not immediately say if there was as suicide note or if Saldanha's death was directly linked to the hoax, which generated widespread outrage in Great Britain.
The Royal Family released a statement shortly afterward, expressing sorrow that the caregiver had taken her life.
"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Jacintha Saldanha," the Royal Family said in a statement. "Their Royal Highnesses were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII Hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha's family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time."
Saldanha had worked at the hospital for four years, according to hospital officials. Lord Glenarthur, chairman of the hospital, characterized Saldanha as a "first-class" nurse who diligently cared for hundreds of patients.
"She will be greatly missed," Glenarthur said.
"Our thoughts and deepest sympathies at this time are with her family and friends," read a statement by the hospital's chief executive, John Lofthouse. "Everyone is shocked by the loss of a much loved and valued colleague."
The radio personalities behind the stunt, 2Day FM's Mel Greig and Michael Christian, pretended to be Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles in a ruse early Tuesday to trick the woman. Both Greig and Christian, who apologized for the prank the following day, had deleted their Twitter accounts as of Friday and will not return to the airwaves "until further notice," according to a statement obtained by FoxNews.com.
"Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) and 2Day FM are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha from King Edward VII's Hospital and we extend our deepest sympathies to her family and all that have been affected by this situation around the world," the statement read.
"Chief Executive Officer Rhys Holleran has spoken with the presenters, they are both deeply shocked and at this time we have agreed that they not comment about the circumstances," the statement continued. "SCA and the hosts have decided that they will not return to their radio show until further notice out of respect for what can only be described as a tragedy."
St. James's Palace announced Monday that the Duchess of Cambridge — formerly Middleton — had a severe form of morning sickness and was being treated at a London hospital with Prince William at her side.
The couple's first child will be third in line to the throne — behind William and his father, Prince Charles — leapfrogging the gregarious Prince Harry and possibly setting up the first scenario in which a female heir could benefit from new gender rules about succession.
Dr. Nadine Kaslow, a clinical psychologist at Emory University and the president-elect of the American Psychologist Association, told FoxNews.com the prank call may have been the "final straw" that led Saldanha to take her own life.
"Obviously there are typically lots of reasons someone ends up taking their life, but it's not uncommon for there to be some final straw," Kaslow said. "It's certainly possible that for someone being duped or shamed."
FoxNews.com's Joshua Rhett Miller and The Associated Press contributed to this report.


text:
Three Hacker Tricks to Defend Against
The U.S. loses $100 billion each year because of cyberespionage and cybercrime, according to a new report by computer-security firm McAfee. The Wall Street Journal's Michael Kofsky sheds some light on hacker tricks and how to protect yourself against them.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.


text:
You could say there are two types of people in this world: Those who reacted to the debut of TLC's latest reality show, Best Funeral Ever, with shrieks of horror and/or disbelief, and those who reacted to Best Funeral Ever with shrieks of glee and and/or disbelief. I'm in the latter camp, because, let's face it: Here Comes Honey Boo Boo exists, people. We hit bottom a loooooong time ago. And guess what else? Best Funeral Ever isn't merely entertaining in that ghastly train wreck sort of way we all love. No, we can actually LEARN from this show. You know what I learned from the first episode?
Most of us people in this here world have been doing the whole funeral thing wrong. Ain't no funeral like a BBQ sauce fountain funeral cause a BBQ sauce fountain funeral don't stop!
No, seriously, there was a point to the BBQ fountain. That particular funeral was for the original singer of the Chili's Baby Back Ribs song, so a casket that looked like a smoking pit and a ginormous side of ribs were appropriate, kinda. See, the whole point of funerals as far as Dallas' Golden Gate Funeral Home is concerned is to celebrate the life of the deceased, not mourn that person's death. For example, another family held their loved one's funeral at a State Fair and took the urn filled with ashes on a roller coaster ride because that person, in life, had a physical condition which made riding roller coasters impossible. Aww. That's sweet. And sad.
Are these funerals "tacky" and unconventional? I guess so. But if it makes the families feel better, who's to judge?
Check out this clip and tell us ...
Do you think Best Funeral Ever goes too far?
Image via TLC/YouTube


text:
Having slightly disparaged poor old Danielle Dax for being so self-consciously Arty in her youth got me thinking: Music that is conceived and presented as Art - where do we stand on this curious phenomenon? I'm not talking about Culture (with a capital C) - yer Bach's and Beethoven's etc. A lot of classical music was conceived for specific occasions anyway and was never intended to outlive its day (or its usefulness). Not until the Romantic era did composers start thinking about their work as Art for its own sake.
Nor do I mean music that some educated folk have come along after the fact and declared as Art (Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong, most of the best of Black American music, in fact). Not that that isn't Art, but it's not what I'm talking about.
No, I mean music conceived and presented as Art from the off. Yer actual Velvet Underground's and Faust's (both of whom I love to bits), yer "Day In The Life" and "Revolution No.9", early Roxy Music, our old friend David Bowie - some of it is, some of it isn't. (Good luck to whoever tries to sort out which is what. Howard?)
Do we have a view? Or should we just stop all this nonsense and go back to our Dub Collossus and Celia Cruz cd's?


text:
"This exhibit features artwork from an eclectic array of talented artists, both human and non-human, including paintings and drawings, as well as bronze, synthetic, and paper sculpture.
Among the artists represented in the exhibit are painter William Stout, the exhibit's guest co-curator, whose accurate reconstructions of prehistoric creatures inspired the novel Jurassic Park; noted sculptor and painter Charles Marion Russell, whose esteemed body of work helped define the American West, Steven R. Kutcher, an "insect wrangler" for motion pictures who will exhibit his collection of insect footprint art, and Rosie, a Bornean Orangutan and long time resident of the Los Angeles Zoo.
Additional artists include Drew Struzan, Peter Brooke, Iain McCaig, Andreas Deja, Antoine Louis Barye, Paul Bransom, Charles Livingston Bull, Marc Davis, Henri Deluermoz, Edward Detmold, Pete Graziano, Doris Hardoon, Louis Paul Jonas, Leon Joosen, Paul Jouve, Charles R. Knight, Harry Rountree, John Sibbick, Tyrus Wong and Sirio Tofanari."
The exhibit continues until January 2, 2011.
Forest Lawn website.


text:
When it comes to paying income taxes, most Americans believe honesty is the best policy, new research finds.
Continue Reading Below
A study by the IRS Oversight Board revealed that 87% of taxpayers believe that it is not at all acceptable to cheat on your income taxes, an increase of 3 percentage points from a year ago. In addition, just 11% think it's OK to cheat — a little here and there, or as much as possible — the lowest level in the study's 11-year history.
For more than 90% of those surveyed, personal integrity influenced their decision on whether to report and pay their taxes honestly.
"The overwhelming majority of American taxpayers play by the rules and expect everyone else to do the same," said Paul Cherecwich Jr., IRS Oversight Board chairman. "They don't tolerate cheating by taxpayers regardless of income, and 96 percent of those surveyed agreed that it was every American's civic duty to pay his or her fair share of taxes."
Overall, the study found that U.S. taxpayers' satisfaction with their interactions with the IRS remained unchanged from last year, with 76% reporting they were at least somewhat satisfied with the service they received.
"In spite of budget cuts that have diminished their ranks, IRS employees continue to strive to provide quality service to taxpayers," Cherecwich said.
The research also shows a desire among taxpayers to ensure those who they hire to prepare their taxes are qualified to do so. More than three-quarters of those surveyed think it is very important that paid return preparers meet certain aptitude benchmarks in order to enter the tax preparation business.
"Given the important financial and legal implications of filing an accurate tax return coupled with taxpayer reliance on paid return preparers, the vast majority of taxpayers want these preparers to meet competency standards," Cherecwich said.
The study was based on surveys of 1,500 U.S. adults over the age of 18.
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