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There's a war brewing in the pet-food kingdom.
Continue Reading Below
Nestle's Purina PetCare -- a mainstay in the pet-food realm -- sued its smaller competitor Blue Buffalo Tuesday for allegedly misleading customers on claims about ingredients in its foods.
At the kernel of the case is a claim by St. Louis, Missouri-based Purina that Blue Buffalo's dog foods do in fact contain animal by-products, corn and other items that its advertising specifically says the company forbids. If substantiated, the accusations could deal a powerful blow to the fledgling firm that has based its success on transparency about the ingredients it uses.
In an exclusive interview with FOX Business, Blue Buffalo's founder and chairman, Bill Bishop, aggressively fired back at the pet-food powerhouse.
Bishop, whose career took roots in the advertising sector, painted a story of David vs. Goliath. In his view, Purina is trying to wreck its much smaller rival by leveraging its size and legal team.
"We became the fastest growing pet food … (and it) really pissed off a lot of bigger companies," he said in the telephone interview. "We find ourselves at a place where our friends at Nestle are [in] the 'if you can't beat them, sue them'" mindset.
Purina, which was founded in the late 19th century as a seed company and then turned into a pet food producer in the 1920s, is a unit of Swiss-based Nestle, which has a market capitalization of around $250 billion. Blue Buffalo was founded about 12 years ago, and while Bishop declined to specify exactly how large the privately-held firm is, he said it's about one hundredth the size of Nestle's value.
Blue Buffalo has gone head-to-head against Purina and other mainstream dog brands. The Wilton, Conn.–based company markets its foods as being free of animal by-products, corn, and various other grains that are commonly used in animal foods.
Bishop founded the company after his dog Blue, an Airedale Terrier, was diagnosed with cancer. He previously had success as one of the founders of the SoBe beverage company. Blue Buffalo's claim isn't so much based on the nutritional quality of the food, but about the transparency of the ingredients.
"We advertised very aggressively on the basis of you should really know what's in your pet's food," he said. "We tapped into a broad-based trend 'if you love your pet like family, you want to feed them like family.'"
'Weird Science' or Searing Indictment?
Purina's allegations that Blue Buffalo has misled customers about its ingredients strike at the very core of the company.
Bishop alleged Purina's laboratory results were "based on some kind of weird science." He categorically denied Purina's allegations and said the pet-food company didn't reach out to Blue Buffalo before hitting it with a lawsuit in federal court.
"We haven't purchased one kernel of corn, nor have we bought one ounce of by-product meal," he said, noting that he can't imagine how Purina's independent lab tests found any of the substances in the foods.
Blue Buffalo uses third-party co-manufacturers to produce its foods, but Bishop said the company provides all of its own ingredients. Bishop said, however, that he trusts his manufacturers and that his firm has "people watching the manufacturers" closely for quality-control purposes.
Still, Bishop wouldn't entirely rule out the possibility of a small-scale snafu at the manufacturer level.
"Could anything happen with one isolated incident?" he asked, "Possibly, but it's really unlikely."
He also noted that the company is currently working on developing its own manufacturing facilities.
Keith Schopp, a spokesperson at Purina, shot back at Bishop: "This is exactly what we expected from Blue Buffalo, which isn't being honest about the quality of the ingredients in its pet foods," he said in a statement.
Schopp also responded to Bishop's assertion that Purina's lab results represented voodoo science, saying "we are confident in our independent testing and we look forward to proving our case in court."
Bishop vowed to "respond aggressively" to Purina's legal suit, although he didn't say whether the company would counter-sue.
Stuck in the Middle
Another side of this war in the pet space is that it places pet-store chains in an awkward position between two feuding suppliers whose items they stock. For now, it appears the major brands are sticking on the sidelines.
Lisa Epstein Stark, a spokesperson for Petco, said the firm prefers not to comment on the matter. While Erin Gray, who represents PetSmart, said, "as a practice, PetSmart does not comment on pending litigation." She added that the firm will be "monitoring the litigation closely and will take next steps as appropriate."
Incidentally, Petco is teaming up with Blue Buffalo on Pet Cancer Awareness Month in May, in which the duo is looking to gather $2 million in donations for research on the subject. And Blue Buffalo actually initially launched its brand in PetSmart's stores, according to Bishop.
The market for pet food has blown up in recent years. Nestle saw sales of about $12.83 billion in its pet care division globally last year, with organic growth of 6.8%, according to regulatory filings.
The American Pet Products Association estimates $22.62 billion will be spent by Americans on pet food this year, up from $21.57 billion last year. The trade group's data show total U.S. spending on pets has surged some 244% to $58.51 billion over the past 10 years.


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Independent Community
Bankers of America
December 22, 2003
Jonathan G. Katz
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549-0609
Re: File No. S7-19-03; Security Holder Director Nominations
Dear Mr. Katz:
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA)1 appreciates the opportunity to offer the following comments to the SEC on proposals to require companies to include shareholder nominees for director in company proxy materials under certain circumstances.
The proposed rules would require companies to include shareholder nominees for director in company proxy statements if one of two triggering events occur: more than thirty-five percent of shares voted at a special or annual meeting are "withhold" votes for a director, or a proposal made by a more than one percent shareholder to activate shareholder access receives a majority vote. If one of these events occurs, any group comprised of the holders of more than five percent of the company's stock would be able to place up to three director nominees (depending on the size of the board) in the company's proxy statement for two years.
ICBA opposes these proposed rules for a number of reasons. First, banks are still in the process of complying with all the SEC regulations issued under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (Sarbanes-Oxley) and the new listing requirements recently issued by the stock exchanges. They are still drafting committee charters and reconfiguring their boards and committees to meet the independence requirements. These new additional proposed requirements will only add to the substantial regulatory burden that public companies are currently experiencing. The SEC should defer action on these proposals until companies have had a chance comply with the new listing standards and the rules under Sarbanes-Oxley.
Secondly, we question whether it is good corporate governance to require companies to include shareholder nominees in their proxy materials. Directors have a fiduciary interest to serve the shareholders and therefore should have free access to the proxy statement to nominate persons that they believe will serve the best interests of all shareholders. There are procedures already in place for shareholder groups to nominate candidates and wage contests for election. Allowing shareholders access to the proxy statement only encourages contests between directors and shareholder groups and will result in boards that are not accountable to all shareholders.
Thirdly, since the enactment of Sarbanes-Oxley, it has become increasingly difficult for many public companies, particularly community banks and bank holding companies, to attract qualified directors. These proposed rules will make it even more difficult. Directors nominated by the company will become less interested in serving in that capacity if their boards become more adversarial and elections will become more contested.
Fourthly, the institutional shareholders most likely to use these new proposed election contest rules will be the labor unions and public pension funds that have interests and agendas that often are different from the company's. Directors who are nominated by these special interest groups will end up politicizing the board and impeding the board's proper function.
Finally, we agree that those companies that are not "accelerated filers" (generally, those with an aggregate market value of less than $75 million) should be exempted from these proposed rules. As the SEC noted, more than 90% of the companies involved in shareholder proposals filed with the Commission during the 2002-2003 proxy season were accelerated filers. If the focus of the proposed rules is on companies that have an ineffective proxy process, then the rules should apply exclusively to the larger accelerated filers. Furthermore, these proposed rules will have a disproportionate impact on smaller companies with smaller boards and fewer shareholders. Managements of smaller companies would have a more difficult time coping with the legal complexity of these regulations and the expenses that would be associated with an election contest.
In conclusion, we urge the SEC at a minimum to postpone consideration of these proposals until public companies have had the chance to digest the numerous regulations and listing standards that have been issued under Sarbanes-Oxley and by the stock exchanges. ICBA also urges the SEC to reconsider the proposal since public companies and in particular, community banks and bank holding companies, will have a harder time attracting qualified directors. Election contests at annual meetings will become more common resulting in boards that are more politicized and less able to function properly. Furthermore, we agree that companies that are not accelerated filers should be exempted from the proposed rules. If you have questions or need any additional information, please contact Chris Cole, ICBA's regulatory counsel at 202-659-8111 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
C.R. Cloutier
|ICBA is the nation's leading voice for the community banks, representing some 4,600 institutions at more than 17,000 locations nationwide. ICBA's members hold more than $511 billion in insured deposits, $624 billion in assets and more than $391 billion in loans for consumers, small businesses and farms. They employ nearly 231,000 citizens in the communities they serve.

subset: commoncrawl


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April 1, 2005
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Rookie Kaitlin Kamrowski scored both the equalizer and the game-winner in the final five minutes of regulation as MIT (2-1) stormed back late to seal a, 10-9, come-from-behind victory over Colby-Sawyer College (3-1) at Jack Barry Field. Kelsey Presson led all scorers during Thursday night's tilt, igniting the Engineers attack with five goals and an assist.
Presson and Deanna Lentz opened the scoring with two quick goals, with each player assisting on the others finish. After Presson answered a Colby-Sawyer goal with another tally of her own, the Charges dominated the next ten minutes of the game. Scoring four times in that span, Colby-Sawyer moved ahead with goals from four different players. Just before halftime, Presson completed the hat trick for MIT; pulling the Engineers within one (5-4).
The second half was dictated by scoring runs for each squad. After surrendering a goal to Megan Geer in the first minute of the period, the Engineers scored three times within two minutes to once again move ahead (7-6). Presson scored her fourth of the day to spark the attack and Kamrowski and Lentz powered Tech into the lead.
Geer scored twice more for Colby-Sawyer, and after Sarah McRoberts extended the Charges advantage to 9-7 with only eight minutes left on the clock, the Engineers seemed to be facing defeat.
Refusing to succumb quietly, Presson scored her fifth goal of the game at 53:27 off a great feed from Margaret Gentile. For the second time in the half, Presson sparked the offensive surge, and for the second time in the half Kamrowski would answer with the equalizer. She finished the job with an unassisted score at 55:06, knotting the battle at nine.
Drawing a penalty in the box, Kamrowski was awarded a free position shot at 57:28. Realizing that the next score would likely be the last of the evening, Kamrowski beat the Colby-Sawyer keeper clean; capping an amazing comeback.
Hee Jay Kang made seven saves in the cage for MIT, while Anita Waterson stopped 10 shots in defeat for the Chargers.
Kamrowksi delivered the first hat trick of her career, while Lentz was all over the yard. Scoring two goals and adding two assists, she also collected a game-high eight ground balls and four caused turnovers.


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GoingUp are Logo /Sound FX for your financial or technical presentation,
video, advertisement, movie or whatever you like.
Beside this, these Logos are custom made for SMendenhalls Graph Arrow motion graphics project. It matches perfect for these arrows or custom texts going upwards.
Included are six different SoundFX's, four of them optimistic to illustrate profit, sales volume, upgrowth etc., two of them are ominous to illustrate debt, deficit, negative numbers etc.:
- GoingUp1 0:07
- GoingUp2 0:05
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Follow me on Twitter to be always updated about the latest releases!
Follow me on audiojungle
Browse my portfolio by music style or application:
Customers using my music:
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videohive projects using my music & Sound FX:Sparkle from russvirtual
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Winter Background by Itthigorn
Magical Christmas Wreath by ORPHEUS_FX:


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Tuesday, March 17, 2009
10 comments:
- AnonymousMarch 17, 2009 at 8:27 PM
love those shoes:)ReplyDelete
You look so chic!ReplyDelete
And good luck finding someone to photograph!
i study law in zurich and i think that there are quite a few people (girls, mostly, but also a couple of guys) in my lectures that would qualify as "appealing" for your fashion blog.ReplyDelete
keep your eyes open at the university ;)
@awhitestraw: mh, i was in total awe when i discovered them. perfect shoes!ReplyDelete
@Paprika: thanksthanks, will need it.
@Patricia: Studierst du zufällig mit einer Bettina Schweizer (Nachname bin ich mir zwar nicht mehr so sicher) – jedenfalls eine Person, die alles farbig anstreicht im Buch.
Ich sägs doch, du muesch es ade Uni probiere!! :)ReplyDelete
my friend told me how much she likes your shoes today (:ReplyDelete
and I must agree, they're so nice !
loving those shoes as well!ReplyDelete
Great outfit - love the chinos!ReplyDelete
those shoes are stunning!ReplyDelete
- tamaraJune 20, 2009 at 6:56 PM
the jacket and shoes are tooo insane. well done youReplyDelete


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Oh, please -- you gotta be kidding me. Have rumors about Bachelor Sean Lowe hooking up with his DWTS partner Peta Murgatroyd really started already?!?
Um, the new season has only been on for a week, and suddenly there's speculation that Sean is going behind fiance Catherine Giudici's back and getting all flirty and frisky with Peta. (What the heck?)
A source who talked to Star even says that Sean's friends think he needs to "watch himself" around her -- and indicates that Peta would welcome the attention.
The source said, "Peta was dating fellow DWTS pro Maksim Chmerkoviskiy, but he dumped her in February. She wouldn't be above making waves on the show by making a move on Sean. Peta is way more worldly than Catherine, even though they are the same age."
More worldly? Why, because she's Australian and dated a Ukranian dude?
Ok, so I guess I understand the "making waves on the show" part, because anytime viewers believe there is some sort of romance going on between partners, it doesn't exactly hurt ratings. (Duh. We're still obsessing over Val Chmerkovskiy and Kelly Monaco.)
And it's only natural for Sean and Peta to get a little bit flirtatious with each other considering they're spending practically every waking moment together. But keeping things light and having fun doesn't necessarily mean they're secretly getting hot and heavy. (This is Sean we're talking about, here.)
Even if Sean weren't engaged and he was free to hook up with anyone he pleases -- I still don't see him and Peta being attracted to each other. Sean obviously digs brunettes, and based on Peta's recent dating history, she seems to like the tall, dark, and handsome type -- preferably with a sexy accent. (No, a subtle twang doesn't count.)
Sigh. If the Sean and Peta rumors have already started, I can't wait to see how the rest of the season plays out. And if they make it to the finals and wind up competing for the mirror ball trophy, odds are good we can expect a story about him dumping Catherine on the dance floor, eloping with Peta, and having a couple of perfect little blond babies to pop up before the winner is even announced.
Do you think there's any chance of these two hooking up?
Image via ABC


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Home > News & Events > Wayland Press Release Archives > 2007 News Releases > January 2007 > Annual Conference Features Array of Speakers, Golf Tourney
Annual Conference Features Array of Speakers, Golf Tourney
PLAINVIEW – The 86th Annual Panhandle-Plains Pastors' and Laymen's Conference will feature messages, music and fellowship all centered around the theme "Encountering Jesus."
Slated Feb. 19-20 at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, the conference is the longest continuously running Bible conference of its kind. The event is held in Harral Auditorium and is open to the public at no charge.
The conference kicks off Monday, Feb. 19 with a 10 a.m. morning session, featuring special music by Wayland's Spirit singing group, and messages by Bill Tinsley, chief executive officer of Worldconnex, and D.L. Lowrie, pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church in Lubbock. The noon hour will feature a men's luncheon with a message by David Dykes, pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, and a women's luncheon with special music and message by Jerrie Ann Salvato of Portland, Ore., who will present special music in the larger sessions as well.
The afternoon session begins at 2 p.m. and includes music by Wayland's International Choir, messages by Lowrie, Tinsley, Dykes and Randy Newberry, mobilization strategist for the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.
The evening session at 7 p.m. features music by combined church choirs, messages by Dykes and Howard Batson, pastor of First Baptist Church in Amarillo. A special session for Hispanic pastors and laymen will be held in Brown Chapel at 6 p.m., with messages from Frank Balderas and Joe Torres, and music led by Mark Martinez.
Tuesday, the event continues with a morning session at 9:30 a.m., featuring messages by Lowrie, Dykes and Ed Sena, pastor of Emanuel Community Baptist Church in Lubbock. Special music is by Wayland and by Fathers' Quartet from Perryton.
The conference officially closes with a golf tournament dubbed the Pastors' Masters. Held at Plainview Country Club, the tourney begins at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday with lunch, followed by golf. The afternoon is $40 and covers lunch, green fees and cart.
The Pastors' and Laymen's Conference is sponsored by area Baptist associations, including Amarillo Area, Caprock Plains Area, Lubbock Area, Mitchell-Scurry, Permian, Red Fork, South Plains and Top O'Texas. David Lowrie, pastor of First Baptist Church in Canyon, is president for 2007. Other officers are Ackey Martinez of FBC Brownfield, first vice president; Carl Williams of Colonial Hill Baptist Church in Snyder, second vice president; Charles Bassett of FBC Weatherford, secretary and treasurer; and Richard Laverty of FBC Perryton, president-elect.
For more information on the event or to register for the golf tournament, contact Micheal Summers, director of church services, at (806) 291-1165.


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MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Barry University men's basketball assistant coach Ryan Saunders sat in his office around mid-day Tuesday in the upper level of the School of Human Performance and Leisure Science building, pondering the prospects.
It was the first day the Buccaneers could officially practice as a team -- the Oct. 15 springs eternal giddy day of hope when college basketball teams across the country "Nike up" in preparation for a new season.
Barry University ushers in a new brand of basketball in 2013-14 with new personnel, new dynamics, new variables and a new sense of belief.
"I think it's exciting for the the university to have a new coach in Coach (Butch) Estes and 10 new players as we transition into a new era of Barry basketball," Saunders said, leaning back in his chair, thoughts of the ball pounding on the hardwood creeping in.
"We're already building team chemistry, and when you have a new team with new players and new coaches, how quickly you form that chemistry will determine how good you're going to be."
How good the Bucs will be starts now.
It all takes shape on the court in the building underneath the offices where the Bucs basketball braintrusts are authoring the changes to begin Barry's basketball new crusade.
"We're going to be better because the style of play will appeal to the fans, and we found a number of players that fit in well with Coach's up-tempo style of play," Saunders said. "We have a lot of local South Florida guys, and we want to build a foundation. We brought in guys with experience.
"I just think we have a really unique group of guys. Even though we haven't been together that long, we've been bonding really well."
Bonds for an up-tempo, passionate brand of basketball played with emotion will be Barry's modus operandi in 2013-14. Of course, all of that means nothing if Ws don't fill the schedule when it's all said and done.
"You have to win, you have to earn people's respect," Saunders said.
He paused, and thought back to the LeBron James shirt newcomer Adrian Gonzalez was wearing in a pre-season team gathering just days before basketball could officially start practicing as a unit. It read: "EARNED, not given."
"That's going to be (the case) with everything we get," Saunders said. "We do that by winning, building a program. Ultimately, you got to win and have success."


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Thursday, January 19, 2012
Tyger, Tyger
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the bassinet at night,
What aged Great-Aunt hand or eye
Could shush thy tearful baby cry?
*If you would like to see Josiah "Fuss-Talking" me, go to this link:
13 comments:
- Lynn said...
So cute!
- Thursday, January 19, 2012
That is so stinking cute, but I cannot view the video on mobile. (Pin worthy even…ha!)
- Thursday, January 19, 2012
- Amy said...
Love little baby cabooses. Too cute
- Thursday, January 19, 2012
- The Bug said...
Oh the cuteness! Aged Great-Aunt my left foot - you're a HOT great-aunt. Ha!
- Thursday, January 19, 2012
- Mocha with Linda said...
So, so cute!! Love little squeaky baby noises!
- Thursday, January 19, 2012
- STILLMAGNOLIA said...
I never had a great-aunt that looked like you....mine all had blue hair! That baby is adorable.
- Friday, January 20, 2012
- DebC said...
You are so blessed!
What joy ...
- Sunday, January 22, 2012
- Carmen said...
Lol...just wait! ;)
- Sunday, January 22, 2012
- Just Be Real said...
Awwww, thank you for sharing. Blessings
- Monday, January 30, 2012
- Kelli said...
I am almost embarrassed to tell you how often I come here just to have Josiah fuss-talk at me. Over and Over. It makes me smile. Every. single. time.
Hug those kiddos for me. And tell Josiah Thank You.
- Saturday, February 04, 2012
- Country Girl said...
Such a sweetie! I have a new grandson, but he lives all the way in Maine! We are in South Jersey! Can't wait to see him in April! They are little such a short time!
- Tuesday, March 13, 2012
- Grace said...
WHAT a precious picture. And the tiger on his backside is just too cute.
My grandson was born last July and we have spent many hours being enchanted by him.
This photo is a one for The Memory Books.
And it gives new meaning to the phrase "Having a Tiger by the Tail" doesn't it.
May God's Hand Cradle your "Josiah" All the Days of His Life!
In Him,
- Saturday, March 24, 2012
Totally adorable! What a lucky boy to have his Mama love him so much and so obviously:) The cutie-pie!
- Tuesday, April 24, 2012


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I LOVE this fun, colorful 1st Birthday celebration via Kara's Party Ideas.
From the sunny invites, to the child friendly food (cheerioss+milk, mini pan"cakes", doughnuts on a stick :), and the cutest idea ever... a time capsule for the birthday girl!
What a great way to pass on birthday wishes.


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I've decided to study for the MSc Software Engineering degree at the University of York in the UK starting this October. Applicants from India require a student visa from the UK to enter the country as a student. I just received my student visa a short while ago and here are some tips from my experience that maybe of some use to you.
- Read up on the official documentation and all the literature on the UKBA site thoroughly. This is important – don't just read the VAF9 guide, read the Tier 4 Guidance document thoroughly as well – it has relevant information. Yeah the document is long, but it contains information for all student categories (child students, medical students etc.) so the sections relevant to you aren't that long.
- Check the information regularly. The UKBA keep updating the information all the damn time, introducing new rules etc. so make sure you're on top of any latest changes. I did this by subscribing to their news feed through my feed reader.
- Make sure all the supporting documents meet the guidelines specified in the Tier 4 Guidance. I attended a Visa seminar organized by the British Council where I learnt that a lot of visa's get rejected for not having the right supporting documents. This is true with the Bank Statement – for e.g. it may not be printed on the Bank's letterhead or the date of the statement might be older than what is required. So don't underestimate any minor detail – make sure you get everything right.
- Take a printout of the forms that you need to fill – the VAF9 and the Appendix8 and practice filling it up. If you have any doubts contact your university or the UKBA and get it clarified.
- The University of York has very useful guides prepared on how to fill VAF9 and the Appendix 8. They are the same forms used by the UKBA, but with step by step information for each field. Check them out, they could help you as well. (However, note that some information is York specific, so watch out :))
- Any questions which are CAS related – make sure you get the full details and everything clarified from the University. This is because the information on the CAS should match what you write in the Visa application forms. For e.g. this could be the tuition fees, accommodation fees and English language test information.
- You can call the UKBA office in the UK from India for any questions on the Visa form. Their number is buried somewhere in the UKBA Contact Us page. However I did find the best source of information to be the Tier 4 guidance document.
- I applied at the VFS Bangalore centre. VFS is a global company that many countries outsource their Visa processing logistics to. They handled the Visa application fairly smoothly, but there were some quirks that I noticed as well. It basically works like this – VFS accepts all documents from the applicant, does some preliminary verification and takes your biometrics and forwards the whole lot to the UK High Commission. VFS makes some recommendations on the documents you must include – but the ultimate decision on what documents you wish to submit is in your hands.
- For some reason, the VFS officer with whom I was dealing was particular that the "CAS letter" be included with the Visa application. Since the guidance nowhere mentions the CAS letter, I hadn't bothered with getting a printout of the CAS . The CAS is a virtual document and all that matters is that the right CAS number be filled in on the form. Anyway, I insisted on submitting the application without a CAS prinout and it all turned out to be fine.
- The other point what I noticed was that all though the supporting documents guidance mentions that a photocopy must be included with all the originals being submitted, the VFS officer didn't seem to be keen on accepting the photocopy. I did submit the photocopies – but got them back with the originals after I received my Visa. Guess the UKBA isn't too keen on the whole photocopy thing any more.
- While applying, I also signed up for an SMS service for 100 Rs which is supposed to informs you about "every stage" in the application. I later discovered that the online tracking facility on the VFS website provides the same information. I guess the SMS can be useful if you aren't the type who wants to check online frequently, but for me, the SMS thing wasn't worth the money at all.
- VFS on their website mention that there is no storage place for bags, etc. and strictly advice you not to carry anything. I was travelling by bike so I needed my backpack to put the documents in. I found that they do have facilities to store luggage. Weird. Why inconvenience people by asking them not to get any bags when you have storage place ?
- Ditto for parking – they mention that they have no parking facilities, but the building did turn out to have decent parking facilities!
- Regarding visa processing times, UKBA says most of the visa applicants are decided in a maximum of about three weeks, but I was pleasantly surprised to receive mine in about 8 working days.
Overall, I found the UK visa application process to be well streamlined. Read everything carefully, focus on the details and the visa shouldn't be a hassle. Good luck !


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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The Texas House has scheduled a Tuesday vote on an abortion restrictions bill that has prompted rallies that have drawn thousands to the state Capitol in recent weeks.
The Senate has started a Monday hearing on the bill and anti-abortion groups have scheduled a nighttime rally at the Capitol. More than 370 were registered to testify at the Senate hearing. Staff was still counting witness cards of nearly 2,000 more.
Bill supporters are wearing blue. Opponents are wearing orange.
Gov. Rick Perry has promised the Republican majority in the Legislature will pass the bill that was stalled by a Senate filibuster on June 25. That event turned Texas into a flashpoint in the national debate over abortion.
The House passed the bill in the previous special session.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Unfortunately, there isn't a comic book pro on the S&A staff, although I have previously asked that those of you who are writers and/or illustrators, or who live and breathe this stuff, and who would like to contribute your knowledge, enlightening those of us who aren't as connected to that world, to please do so (you can email me at firstname.lastname@example.com; I'm always open to submissions, as I've said repeatedly).
In the meantime, I'll point you to a thoughtful piece on the Comics Alliance website, penned by editor Joseph Hughes, titled Outrage Deferred: On The Lack Of Black Writers In The Comic Book Industry.
I think the title speaks for itself, but here's a sample:
This is the first week of Black History Month, a four-week celebration and remembrance of the significant events and people of the African diaspora. For many, myself included, it's a month to reflect on where we've been, as a people and as a nation, and to contemplate exactly where it is we're going. In terms of the comic book industry, an obvious interest and passion of mine, there is one glaring and sobering fact that needs our attention: There is currently not a single black writer working on a monthly series for either of the two biggest comic book publishers in the United States, and precious few working for any of the others. And yet, this fact has hardly been discussed recently, in the way some other diversity issues are. So what happened, exactly? Why is it that we no longer seem to care about this as much as we once did? Where has our outrage gone?
It's a familiar lament, however from a different POV than we're used to writing and reading about here on S&A, and I encourage to read the rest of it, which you can do HERE.
And feel free to return and share your own thoughts – especially if you work in that space, or are heavily invested in it.
Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.


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CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Will Tashman knocked down a huge three-pointer to tie the game and then converted a pair of clutch free throws down the stretch to help No. 19 MIT come from behind and defeat Tufts University, 71-69, in non-conference men's basketball action Wednesday night. Tashman's long-ball knotted the game at 67 with just over two minutes remaining and his work from the charity stripe gave the Engineers the lead for good, as they snapped a two-game skid to improve to 10-3 on the season.
After trailing by as many as 10 late in the second half, the Cardinal and Gray mounted a furious comeback, outscoring the Jumbos (6-5), 18-6, over the final seven minutes of the contest. Tashman began the run with a pair from the foul line and Nick Davis cut the deficit to five with a three-pointer two minutes later.
Leading 65-60 with four minutes to go, Tufts threw away a sideline inbounds pass that Kates was able to take for an easy layup to bring Tech within three. Two possessions later, Mithcell Kates found Tashman at the top of the arc and the sophomore forward netted just his third trifecta of the season. Davis came up with a key block at the defensive end and, after being fouled on the rebound, Tashman put the Engineers back on top, as he calmly sank both foul shots.
Alex Goldfarb would step out of bounds on the next Tufts possession and Amauris Quezada's tying three-point attempt was off the mark, clinching the hard fought victory for MIT.
Anderson, who had a game-high 19 points, converted a layup with 7:19 to go to put Tufts on top 63-53, its largest lead of the night. From there, the Tech defense rose to the occasion, as Anderson was held without a field goal the rest of the way, while Tashman and Kates went to work at the other end of the court, combining for 14 points during the decisive stretch.
Tufts turned a four-point deficit into a four-point advantage late in the first half, thanks to a 9-0 run that was only snapped by a Kates foul shot after time expired.
Kates paced the Engineers with 18 points to go along with four assists, four rebounds and three steals. Tashman finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the year while Davis also pitched in 15. Tech was able to take advantage of its size, finishing with 30 points in the paint while shooting 57.5% from the field.
Anderson was one of four Tufts players to finish in double figures, as he was joined by Goldfarb (16), Quezada (13) and Alex Orchowski (10). Goldfarb's four three-pointers helped the Jumbos knock down 10-of-23 long-range attempts,
MIT is now done with the non-conference portion of its schedule and will open up New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) play on Saturday, January 8 at home against Babson College at 2:00 p.m. Tufts will visit another NEWMAC opponent, Clark University, next Monday at 7:00 p.m.


text:
It's been a little while since we've caught up with the women of the Performance Bicycle Racing Team, but that doesn't mean that they've been taking any time off. As you can see by their results so far this year, they've been busy at the races all summer.
But today we wanted to highlight the newest member of the team, development rider Georgia Boswell. You may recognize the Boswell name from elite rider Evie Boswell-Vilt, and indeed you would be correct to make the connection. This is a family affair, just not in the way that you may be thinking! Georgia is actually Evie's mom, and they are teaming up to tackle the 2010 Masters Road National Championships in Louisville, KY… on a tandem!
The Masters Road National Championships are open to competitors over 30 years old, and divided up into age-graded races to determine the Masters national champions. For tandem riders, the age groups are sorted by adding together the age of the competitors, so Evie and her mom will be racing in the 110+ womens' division.
Here's a video of Evie and Georgia going on their maiden tandem voyage together, and training together for the big race (which takes place on Tuesday, August 3):
Inspiration is a big part of the mission of the Performance Bicycle Racing Team, so it doesn't get much better than seeing Evie's mom out there competing with her daughter! Good luck Evie and Georgia, we know you'll do great on the roads at Nationals!


text:
Web Content Display
Create your own database application.
In a few minutes. Without programming.
OpenXava 4.2.2 released
OpenXava 5.8.1 released
November 21, 2017
The OpenXava team is pleased to inform you that OpenXava 5.8.1 is already available.
We recommend you to download it and upgrade your OpenXava applications. Look at the migration instructions.
It is a maintenance version with many bug fixes and some new minor features:
- New look for sections.
- Default value calculators with on-create=true (only in XML components) are not executed on clicking New action.
- Fix: Creating a new project in Eclipse 4.7.1a (Oxygen 1a) does not work.
- Fix: Filtering by booleans is not accurate when there are nulls in the database column.
- Fix: On browser refresh the portlet title in Liferay is incorrect.
- Fix: Element collection inside dialog shows horizontal scrollbar.
- Fix: Charts are not well aligned.
- Fix: When there are many sections (tabs) in a small screen the latest tabs are not clickable.
- Fix: Filtering in a collection inside a reference produces an error.
- Fix: Adding columns to a collection inside a reference produces an error.
- Fix: Paging in a collection produces that in the next entity there are no entries until we paging.
- Fix: % in a condition of a @DescriptionsList breaks the list if it contains the reference.
- Fix: Tab.setBaseCondition() does not update the list UI immediately in some cases.
- Fix: Generating PDF from a dialog puts the dialog content in the main view.
- Fix: Browser refresh while editing a collection element changes the element by the root entity in the dialog.
- Fix: Checkbox with tooltip can not be checked/unchecked.
- Fix: Showing a dialog in list mode resizes the list.
- Fix: Ugly layout with long text when DISCUSSION used inside a section.
- Fix: Charts are below the buttons instead of on the right.
- Fix: Cards are not updated when data is updated in detail mode.
- Fix: Grouping in a list with calculated properties fails.
- Fix: Ordering in a list with grouping fails, both by the user or using @Tab(defaultOrder=).
- Fix: @Calculation does not work in collections.


text:
Pop star Geri Halliwell has reportedly called off her engagement to Italian millionaire Fabrizio Politi, less than three months after accepting his proposal.
The former Spice Girl, who has a 2-year-old daughter Bluebell from a previous relationship, became engaged to the yacht tycoon at Christmas following a whirlwind romance.
But now the singer has decided not to marry Politi after realizing she isn't "the marrying type," according to British newspaper The Sun.
A source tells the publication, "She loved being in a relationship but decided that all she needs is her daughter Bluebell to keep her happy.
"Fabrizio is upset but totally respects Geri's wishes.
"Her friends are not surprised — Geri has a track record for getting cold feet."
Halliwell herself has previously spoken of her reluctance to walk down the aisle, admitting in 2008: "I can be fickle. One minute I think somebody is the love of my life, the next I don't. I have commitment issues."


text:
Corporate motivational track made using electric guitar, orchestra strings, piano and electronic pads. Suitable for many projects – commercials, promo-video, movie, sport events etc.
ZIP contains 3 files in wav and mp3 format:
1. Full Theme (3:04)
2. Theme without guitar solo in the end (3:04)
3. Looped intro guitar with pads (0:10)
Also this track included in Corporate Pack I. Please save your money!
Similar Tracks:


text:
Welcome to the Consortium of North American Lichen Herbaria
The Consortium of North American Lichen Herbaria (CNALH) was created to serve as a gateway to distributed data resources of interest to the taxonomic and environmental research community in North America. Through a common web interface, we offer tools to locate, access and work with a variety of data, such as keying to species.
The CNALH data portal is more than just a web site - it is a suite of data access technologies and a distributed network of universities, botanical gardens, museums and agencies that provide taxonomic and environmental information. Initially created to integrate databases between Arizona State University and the Santa Barbara Botantical Garden, the consortium is growing to extend its network to other partners within North America.
Join the Consortium of North American Lichen Herbaria as a regular visitor and please send your feedback to email@example.com
News and Events


text:
The idea for taking it upon myself to forage for my own foliage in an urban setting was introduced to me by one Joe Medeiros, biology and ecology professor at Sierra College in Rocklin, CA. A scruffy and adventurous man, he would often entertain his classes with tales of surviving bear encounters in isolated wilderness and complaining intelligently about the earth's rapid over-populating of humans, all with wry wit and heartfelt sincerity. We all trusted him immediately. Thus, it was not so surprising that, on frequent field trips around campus and in the nearby Northern Californian foothills, I thought it ingeniously resourceful and just plain rad that he would stop, bend down and pick some random green-leafed herb on the side of a sidewalk or trail and cram it into his mouth. We watched and were amazed, realizing that, contrary to a vague assumption we all seemed to have, every little green thing growing in your backyard isn't horrifyingly poisonous.
Over the years, the impulse he instilled in me to be curious about the plants that surround us on a daily basis never died. The more obvious edibles, such as oranges in the historic trees growing on the landscaped sidewalk plot in front of my apartment in downtown Sacramento or the plethora of Himalayan blackberries encroaching on my aunt's backyard in Berkeley were easily taken advantage of, for urban foraging may encompass all available resources. Questions of the right people have to eat from plants growing on public and easily-accessible private land have been raised, but I must confess that no fence nor fear would stop me from stuffing a few ripe peaches, fallen on my then-neighbor's lawn in Oakland, into my pockets. In fact, once caught doing so, she encouraged me to continue to help myself. This tendency to consume what others might neglect has resulted in a number of organizations designed to connect people in communities with plant locations and people willingly providing fruit surplus, such as Urban Edibles in Portland and Fallen Fruit in Los Angeles. The wonderful, humanistic benefit of such organizations, in the spirit of social charity, is that individuals in local settings become better-acquainted through the very old and even sacred act of food gathering, using what the Earth is already providing to share and sustain themselves.
But the idea of urban foraging doesn't need to be limited to easily identified fruits you'll also see at the market. So many plants that you might pass on the way to a corner store are very-likely palatable and nutritious. This ventures into what is now commonly called Wild Food, plants that sprout up naturally, where they please, entirely uncultivated by people, be they native species having existed in an area for eons or invasives accidentally introduced by people in the last century or less. Recall my former professor, Joe; he had an expertise at identifying and discriminating seemingly obscure edible plants from inedible or occasionally poisonous ones. Such an in depth knowledge requires much practice and perhaps a guide for the new forager; a notable one would be the famous "Wildman" Steve Brill of New York City who leads many of the curious on tours through the city, helping them sort through available resources (his website also offers an extensive identification guide with color pictures).
Years after learning from Joe I found an incredibly useful book: Wild Edible Plants of Western North America, written by Donald Kirk and expertly illustrated by Janice Kirk. Living in Sacramento at one point, equiped with this guide as well as a friend conveniently enrolled in a plant taxonomy course, I decided to stroll a few blocks to the American River parkway to try to come home with something to cook. Hardly ten minutes into our search, my friend identified mustard plants with broad, dark leaves and little hairs on the underside. Certainly not something you would immediately think to be edible, let alone tasty in a salad or stir-fried in a wok. Shrugging, I cross-referenced them with the illustrations and descriptions, picked some, brought them home, and did just that: put them in a salad and stir-fried them in a wok. They were great.
And this easy find is minor compared with the variety and availability of wild and once-cultivated plants permeating our urban environment. For example, not long after at a local farmer's market, I found a vendor selling twist-tied bundles of dried oat straw, yellow and hay-looking, intended to be boiled as a tea, with a pantheon of reported health benefits ranging from B-complex vitamins to assuaging depression to helping cure forms of cancer. Looking it over, I realized that this stuff grows frickin' everywhere, in open lots and unkempt front yards all over any city I've lived in California. The farmers themselves just harvested the bundles in their backyard before market. I thought of Joe back at Sierra College and his mouth full of what I later learned to be tangy, vitamin C-fortified Miner's Lettuce he found next to the science building, and couldn't help but smile.
Do you need to be crazy to start eating the stuff that grows in the cracks in your driveway, or crazy not to?
-Jeremy Pearson


text:
"Shake Your Banjo" is an upbeat, energetic, and positive sounding pop/folk/rock track which combines the wonderful sounds of 5 string banjo, acoustic guitar, piano, upright bass, pedal steel guitar, and drums.
The track is influenced by the popular style of the English folk rock band: Mumford & Sons.
The has been specifically designed to work well with advertising and trailers, and really contains two distinct moods within the music. The introduction is slow and calm, and peaceful, this section would be ideal for a voiceover.
This section then seamlessly blends into a double speed section which serves to suddenly shift the gear up a few notches, and the mood suddenly becomes very exciting, upbeat, and exhilarating. This is where your exciting new product would be revealed. It feels lighthearted and celebratory at this point. Somewhat like a scene in a comedy movie trailer, where your preconceptions are suddenly challenged as an off-the-wall character is introduced.
This is followed by a slightly calmer and stripped back variation of this section, a voiceover could continue here.
This is followed by a final energetic section, and ending on a held chord.
You can of course arrange the track however you like. This is made easier because I've included seamless loops of the intro, the first and second "verses" and also included the final verse/ending. This means you can just set your DAW or editing software's bpm to 130 and make yourself a custom edit by playing the intro and verses for as long as you need, before adding the ending part.
If you need any further edits, I'll be pleased to give you a quote.
The zip contains (in both wav and mp3 formats):
Shake Your Banjo- Full track: 1:58 (0:28-2:26 on preview)
Intro (seamless loop): 0:33 (2:27-3:00 on preview)
Verse 1 (seamless loop): 0:25 (0:00-0:25 on the preview)
Verse 2 (seamless loop): 0:25 (1:27-1:52 on preview)
Verse 3/ending: 0:33 (1:53-2:26 on preview)
Please note:The "Verse 1" loop, and the "Intro" loop are variations of the sections they relate to from the full track (the drums and banjo notes in the last measure of both are altered slightly to make a seamless loop). Because of this, they are additionally played in full on the preview so that you can hear the endings. "Verse 2", "Verse 3/ending" ending are not played separately on the preview because can be heard within the full track on the preview.
Preview play order: Verse 1 Loop – Shake Your Banjo (Full Track) – Intro Loop
Buyers: Please take the time to rate this track, this will help me greatly! If you would be willing to let me know how you have used the track, I'm always interested, just use the contact form to let me know!


text:
Double Boilers & Bain Maries
Ideal for slow heating and precise temperature control of delicate sauces, melting chocolate or slowly heaother thick liquids that burn easily, a top pot holds food while a bottom pot holds boiling water. This tool, also called a bain marie, provides consistent temperatures without burning or requiring constant stirring. Choose from a variety of materials such as durable stainless steel and economical aluminum.


text:
Want to outrun Bugatti Veyrons in an open-wheeled roadster? It'll cost you at least $160,000. But with a 0-60 time of 2.5 seconds, with the Ariel Atom V8, you'll at least be getting your money's worth.
Of course the secret to the Ariel Atom 500's performance isn't its RS Performance 10,000 RPM 2.4-liter V8, but rather its 500kg weight. At just 1,102 Lbs, it's roughly 1/4 the weight of the 4,160 Lbs Veyron while making slightly less than half that hypercar's power.
The added cost of the Atom 500 over its lesser siblings is largely down to the $48,000 engine and the $17,500 six-speed sequential gearbox, but it also gains Alcon brakes, Dymag wheels, and numerous carbon fiber aero-aids designed to boost both performance and exclusivity. [via Autocar]


text:
|2012-12-13, 15:45
|Link #661
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
So they need an equivalent exchange to get Hakaze back.
It sounds simple enough, but it's so totally not.
Looks like Samon had a back up plan if he ever needed Hakaze.
OMG Mahiro's sister was the back up plan by the Tree of Genesis.
It's scary how things work in weird ways in their world.
Mahiro is just selfish. He sees no other goal but his revenge even when there are some many other things at stake.
|2012-12-13, 15:58
|Link #662
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Anyway based on the preview at the end of the episode it looks like Hakaze will get off the island next week.
|2012-12-13, 16:47
|Link #663
Now or Never
|2012-12-13, 21:29
|Link #665
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Britannia
Solid episode as usual, hopefully Hakaze comes back soon and our 3 protagonists together for once, rather than separated by time. I wonder how they are going to pull this off while surprising all of the fanbase (well those who haven't read the manga). I just feel that it's going to be tough considering how many theories people have come up with in the last couple of episodes.
|2012-12-13, 22:17
|Link #666
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
so it' was a Mage of Exodus who killed Aika as some have speculated, or is Aika herself a Mage of Exodus .... hmmm
finally we saw how Junichiro's "power" works. I guess something akin to Kihara Amata in his fight against Accelerator in To Aru Majutsu no Index, basically using the Mages own shield against them. well don't ask me for details ahaha.
another good episode, too bad for the army though got wiped out by a couple of fruits. Lucky for evangeline she's with junichiro and natsumura.
|2012-12-13, 23:29
|Link #667
Hiding Under Your Bed
Join Date: May 2008
Well, I'm torn. It seems obvious they want you to now assume Aika is this mage of exodus. Sure, it would mean she'd have killed herself, but hey...if it's for the greater plan...
Now, while they didn't say, I'm guessing that one can presume that this mage of exodus may not be controllable by the Tree of Genesis. Which, if true, means that while it may seem like Aika's death was done to facilitate Hakaze's rescue and "winning", if Aika is the mage of exodus, it's possible that's all only superficial and there's something far deeper going on that her death favors her-not Hakaze-in some way. And, if Hakaze can get around being dead in the present, who's to say Aika can't at some future date?
Anyways, I think it's amazing how we've spent a number of episodes standing on a rock talking back and forth to each other, and I'm not pissed at all. If Naruto was half this intelligent, I wouldn't mind it when they spend 10 episodes yelling at each other in the middle of a fight either.
So, these mages aren't supposed to kill? Such semantic reasoning is what lead to the Nazis to exterminate 12 million people in concentration camps. I mean, that's an awful lot of people these mages have killed/turned to stone indirectly. Or, in a more tongue-in-cheek vein, killing is ok if the tree says it's ok.
Ok, not sure where we're going from here. Hakaze is almost certainly going to come back. I'm going to go ahead and jump on the Aika train and say she is the mage of exodus (even if that seems too obvious, and the show has enjoyed peeling back layers slowly, which would suggest their unspoken suggestion that she is the mage of exodus in this episode would mean she can't possibly be...if that makes any sense ).
I call Aika vs Hakaze in episode 23/24, with Yoshino having to make the tough choice between the two. And, hey, maybe Aika's plan was to have Yoshino so ingratiate himself with Hakaze that Hakaze will be caught flat footed when Aika returns and crooks her finger at her boy toy. Kidding. Sort of.
Last edited by creb; 2012-12-13 at 23:49.
|2012-12-13, 23:44
|Link #668
User of the "Fast Draw"
Yeah I found the whole "we can't kill" thing completely laughable. How many cities have these people destroyed over the past couple years? Pretty damn convenient logic they are working with. How hard anyways can it be to get forgiveness from a tree that doesn't mind that you are working to revive it's bitter enemy?
Well glad they are working their way into getting Hakaze back. Though have to wonder where they hid this great piece of civilization. Somewhere easy to get to, but hard enough that Hakaze wouldn't stumble upon it while living out life on that island.
Kind of weird though how they brought up this method. Moving Hakaze's flesh from the past into the future. Just kind of creepy what they are trying to do here. Fling her over time and stick her organs and everything into this skeleton.
|2012-12-13, 23:54
|Link #669
Join Date: Oct 2004
Now, we can safely assume where Hakaze picks up the indecent act, such as picking up "cell phone" with her boobs. Junichiro is not just failing exam. He is also a failing big brother role model. He's like the guy from "Dakara Boku wa H ga Dekinai ". When it comes to ecchi, his is fully motivated.
It makes more sense that Samon does not kill Hakaze. Killing a person requires the forgiveness from the Tree. Killing a Hakaze is impossible for asking forgiveness. Afterall, Hakaze is protected by the Tree.
|2012-12-14, 02:02
|Link #670
Osana-Najimi Shipper
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Mt. Ordeals
Well, I guess I was half right. No exchange of present!skeleton with past!Hakaze, but rather, past!Hakaze's flesh will be transported to present!skeleton to make her whole again. Very weird considering that her flesh would be 2 years younger than her skeleton, and that skeleton might have been damage in the two years it was out in the elements, but hey, it's called magic for a reason.
And now it's making sense. Aika better damn well be the Princess of Exodus, because well...
1) she did say something about illogical not necessarily means its wrong right in this episode (and remember, everything happens for a reason!)
2) her influence is much too great for her to be someone of no power, and
3) if her Shakespeare counterpart is to be Ophelia/Juliet, then she damn better well have commited suicide
Of course, the biggest hole in this guess is why would the Princess of Exodus want to be the cause that triggers the rescue of the Princess of Genesis? I mean, why would the Tree of Exodus set the wheels in motion for what will be the stoppage of its revival? It doesn't make sense, but then again, it's main facet is it being illogical, so maybe shooting itself in the foot is 'in character'...
|2012-12-14, 06:38
|Link #671
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Good episode as usual, but I'm hoping that they've spent some budget for next episode because it's going to be awesome.
I'll just mention a couple of things about Junichirou that was omitted during the episode:
1. That technique was taught to him by Maya, the previous leader of the clan. He is the only one who can use it because of that,
2. The main purpose for learning that technique was to stop Hakaze momentarily (if it was necessary).
Also, Princess of Exodus? I'll just stick to "Magician of Zetsuen" translation
But yeah, the whole thing is pretty messed up either way in my opinion
|2012-12-14, 06:39
|Link #672
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Does Hakaze need to go to the future? Once she finds that piece of civilization, she can use magic and do whatever she wants in her timeline.
Which one is easier?
1. finishing off Samon in the past who has not done anything much
2. going to the future where Samon is on the verge of awakening the tree of Exodus
About time paradox, it's just the paradox of one of the millions possible futures. To Hakaze, that future is not different from an illusion.
Besides, that future is going to be to "corrected" by the tree of Genesis if Hakaze succeeds anyway.
|2012-12-14, 09:11
|Link #674
Version Zero
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Discord - Mr.Bushido#2164
Age: 33
|2012-12-14, 10:01
|Link #675
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Australia
|2012-12-14, 10:19
|Link #676
Osana-Najimi Shipper
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Mt. Ordeals
Now if it was the Mage of Exodus on the otherhand...
|2012-12-14, 10:45
|Link #677
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
a manipulator even after death...she must be laughing from beyond the grave.. a true aizen...even more than yoshino...
|2012-12-14, 11:02
|Link #678
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: California
|2012-12-14, 16:50
|Link #680
I disagree with you all.
Join Date: Dec 2005
They specialize in healing magic, so, yeah. Plus, Samon may have taken steps to ensure the teleport would be possible.
|bones, gangan, magic, mystery, shounen, tragedy, zetsuen
|Thread Tools


text:
Adam Satariano
Tuesday, 11 December 2012 07:50 AM
Apple Inc.'s ability to pay a special dividend, viewed by investors as unlikely, is limited because almost 70 percent of its cash is outside the U.S.
While dozens of companies are paying special one-time dividends ahead of a potential jump in taxes, Apple probably won't join in partly because so much of its $121.3 billion in cash is held overseas, according to analysts. Apple is likely to focus on boosting its quarterly $2.65-a-share dividend, said Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets Inc.
Oracle Corp., Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Costco Wholesale Corp. and at least three dozen other companies have announced special dividends this quarter, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The payouts come ahead of a potential rise in the top federal tax rate on dividends to 43.4 percent from 15 percent next year as part of the so-called fiscal cliff, a blend of tax increases and spending cuts that will take effect if U.S. lawmakers don't forge a budget deal.
Apple doesn't share the same concerns as other companies over the tax increase, White said.
"That's not how they operate," White said in an interview. "They won't be driven by some transactional event — it's just not their style to try to game taxes or game the market."
Steve Dowling, a spokesman for Apple, declined to comment.
Growing Dividend
White's comments matched those of Wall Street analysts such as Chris Whitmore of Deutsche Bank AG. Instead of the special dividend, investors can expect Apple to increase its current payout by at least 10 percent, said Abhey Lamba, an analyst with Mizuho Securities USA.
"They will continue to give that dividend and will probably start growing it," Lamba said.
Much of the company's cash flow is being used for the dividend announced this year, Lamba said.
Investors are more concerned that Apple's long-term growth prospects may be fading, rather than whether the company will pay a special dividend, said Andy Hargreaves of Pacific Crest Securities LLC. Increased competition for the iPhone and iPad, as well as investors selling shares to avoid paying higher capital gains taxes, have contributed to the stock losing almost a quarter of its value since hitting an all-time high in September, he said.
Cupertino, California-based Apple fell less than 1 percent to $529.82 yesterday in New York. While the stock has declined 25 percent since hitting an intraday record high of $705.07 on Sept. 21, it remains up 31 percent so far this year.
Reinstated Divided
Apple reinstated dividends starting in the quarter beginning July 1 and adopted a plan to buy back $10 billion in shares over three years. Investors saw that as a sign Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook was more willing than late co-founder Steve Jobs to channel part of cash and investments directly to investors.
The moves will cost $45 billion over three years and expand Apple's investor pool, Cook said at the time. Apple last paid a dividend in 1995, before Jobs returned as CEO and led the introduction of top-selling products including the iPod, iPhone and iPad.
Even while distributing more cash to investors, Apple will continue to add to its cash reserves, with its balance sheet reaching $250 billion by the end of 2015, White said.
"This is a cash gusher," White said.
In an interview last week with Bloomberg Businessweek, Cook said that Apple's cash was being managed with "the most conservative investments known to man" and that he was "involved heavily" in the decision to distribute the funds.
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text:
let $X$ be a seperable Hilbert space. Let $(e_i)_i$ be a Hilbert basis, and for each index let $E_i = \langle e_1,\dots,e_i \rangle \subset X$ the span of the first $i$ basis vectors. For any $x \in X$, let $x_i$ be the best-approximation of $x$ in $E_i$, and it is clear that $x_i \rightarrow x$.
It seems intuitive to say, that the $(E_i)$ approximate $X$ in a certain sense. Nevertheless, I am not aware of a topology on the set of linear subspaces, which would give such a result rigorously.
A first attempt might be to identify each linear subspace with its projection-onto, and inspect these projections as a topological (no more linear) space. A next step might be to take into account the order of the basis vectors for each linear subspace (which might be crucial for stability in numerical analysis). I am not known a theory Grassmannian manifolds in infitinte-dimensional vector spaces, nor how to relate non-equidimensional Grassmannian manifolds.
Can you give me hints where to find theory into this direction?


text:
Bojangles' Restaurant Manager job in Milledgeville, GA
- Company
- Bojangles'
- Job Title
- Restaurant Manager
- Job Type
- Full-time, Part-time
- Wages
- $26,000 - $35,000/yr
- Location
- 1858 N Columbia Street
Milledgeville, GA 31061
- Last Active
- +30 days
Bojangles' is looking for Restaurant Managers
Earn $26,000 - $35,000/yr!
We are currently seeking highly motivated individuals to manage the operations of a quick service restaurant. Our ideal management candidate would have at least 1 year of management experience and exceptional knowledge of food and customer service. This position requires management of food and labor cost, employee training skills, and the ability to implement company policies. Our managers provide leadership and coaching to the employees, generating an atmosphere where people strive to exceed the expectations of the customer. Leading by example, motivating crew members, taking initiative, and holding others and self accountable are a must for this position.
Some of the great benefits of working with Bojangles' are:
- Competitive Salary Based on Experience
- Performance Based Promotions
- 5 Day Work Week
- Quarterly Bonus Incentive
- 401(k) Plan
- Paid Vacation Available after 6 Months
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Robert Linden Walker, age 65, of Knoxville, passed away Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, at St. Mary's Select Hospital in Knoxville, after a lengthy illness.
Robert Linden Walker, age 65, of Knoxville, passed away Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, at St. Mary's Select Hospital in Knoxville, after a lengthy illness.
He was predeceased by his father and mother, Joyce Michael and Arietta Ramsey Walker.
He was born in Rochester, Pa., and was brought to Oak Ridge at the age of 6 months when his family relocated here. Bob grew up in Oak Ridge and was involved in many sports activities through his graduation from Oak Ridge High School in 1965.
He served in the U. S. Air Force from 1967 to 1971, including a tour of duty in Vietnam. He served as an airplane mechanic and achieved the rank of Sergeant E-4. Bob retired in 2008 from the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Physical Security Division, where he worked 35-plus years in service to his country.
Bob was an avid golfer and enjoyed all sports. He loved his family very much and took special delight in his young granddaughters, Mikayla and Ava, who called him "Pee Paw."
Survivors include his wife of 33-plus years, Jane Greever Walker of Karns; sons and daughter-in-love, David Scott Walker of Corryton and Michael Linden Walker and wife, Adrienne, of Knoxville; and granddaughters, Mikayla Claire and Ava Lennox Walker, of Knoxville. He will also be missed by many cousins, aunts, in-laws and outlaws, and friends.
The graveside service will be held 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 30, 2012, at Oak Ridge Memorial Park. The Rev. Chandler Vinson will officiate.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Weatherford Mortuary, Oak Ridge.
An online guest book may be signed at weatherfordmortuary.com.


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Available To: Faculty, Staff, Students
ITS offers a variety of ways to store or share you files and documents. The services are grouped by type and details can be found under the Related Services category.
Google Docs - A lightweight suite of applications that provides you with the ability to create text documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and more; all through your web browser.NAUShares - Is used by Faculty & Staff to store and share important documents within their departmentSharePoint - A web based document and file storage area for NAU Departments, Projects and Student Organizations.
Home Drive for Students - DanaHome Drive for Faculty & Staff - Bonsai


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(ARA) - "It's a buyer's market" is a popular headline right now. It's one that's hard to ignore, especially if you're a young adult or even a long-time renter who has been waiting for the right time to pursue the American dream of owning your own home.
Buying your first home can be scary, but as with anything else in life, the right preparation should bring you good results - a home you want and one you can afford.
Whether you are ready to buy a home in the next few months or next few years, preparation is critical.
Thrivent Financial Bank offers the following five "keys" to open the door to homeownership.
Obtain a credit report. Review your credit report prior to starting the home buying process. This will enable you to dispute any incorrect entries and satisfy any derogatory items on your report. You are entitled to one free copy of your credit report every 12 months. Ensuring your credit report is accurate is critical as it is an important element lenders review to determine your credit worthiness for a loan approval.
Establish a budget. Knowing where you spend your money and how much you are able to set aside each month can, first, help you decide if purchasing a house is a viable choice now or of it is something that will have to wait until later. Establishing a monthly budget also helps determine how much house you can afford, which will help you zero in on possible homes to look at. If buying the home you want is not in the cards now, use the opportunity to take a closer look at your spending and savings habits and develop a plan to begin setting money aside for a down payment and monthly mortgage payments.
Secure a down payment. Although there are loan programs that will allow you to purchase a home with no money down, making a down payment is almost always a good idea. The most common sources of a down payment are your savings or a gift of cash. The amount you put down has a direct impact on what your monthly mortgage payment will be and will also determine if you will be required to purchase PMI, or private mortgage insurance.
Understand mortgage options. There are many types of loans available to suit your needs. The following is a list of some of the more common types of loans.
* Fixed rate loan - The interest rate is fixed for the life of the loan. The life of a fixed rate loan may range from 10 to 30 years.
* Adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) - The interest rate is fixed for a certain period of time, but once that period expires your interest rate will adjust according to the terms of the mortgage.
* Negative amortization (pay option) loan - The minimum payment is less than the interest that accrued on the loan. In this loan, your principal balance will increase when you pay less than the interest that accrued.
* Balloon - The interest rate is fixed for a period of time. At the end of that period, your entire balance on your loan is due. (Example. With a five-year balloon, your loan is fixed for five years and at the end of five years your remaining balance on your mortgage is due.)
* Interest only - The minimum payment is just the interest that accrues on the loan.
Also, get an estimated, hypothetical look at your monthly payments for the various types of mortgages by using the Thrivent Financial Bank mortgage calculators. However, these are not meant to replace professional financial advice.
Get pre-approved. Now that you have done your homework and are ready to purchase a home, you should meet with a personal banker to get pre-approved. A pre-approval allows the lender to review your situation and make recommendations prior to entering any formal purchase contract. The pre-approval will establish for you a limit on the dollar amount the lender will commit to your home purchase.
To begin this process, your loan officer will complete an application with you and will also check your credit report. After some analysis, your loan officer will inform you of the various programs and the amount you qualify for. They will also give you a pre-approval letter that you can give to your realtor so they know the price range of homes they can show you.
To be pre-approved, you'll need to submit the following to a potential lender:
* Tax returns and W-2s for the past two years.
* Pay stubs to prove you're currently employed.
* Documentation of other types of income, including investments or a second job.
* Recent bank statements.
These preparations are just the beginning of your journey to homeownership. You'll also want to do your homework for the next stages such as selecting a realtor, house hunting, putting in an offer and getting an inspection.
Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions that you will ever make. In your pursuit of the American dream, make sure you follow the keys to success and enjoy this exciting journey.
Bank products and trust services are offered through Thrivent Financial Bank, (Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender), a wholly owned subsidiary of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Insurance, securities, investment advisory services, and trust and investment management accounts are not deposits, are not guaranteed by Thrivent Financial Bank, are not insured by the FDIC or any other federal government agency and may go down in value.
Courtesy of ARAcontent


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Hayden Panettiere // Ana Ivanovic // Candice Swanepoel // Jani Askevold
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The ultimate Shaolin Kung Fu masters return to the UK for the first time in seven years with a brand new show. Jam packed with incrediable feats of strength and skill to delight the whole family.
SHAOLIN is the ultimate display of theatre and physical prowess. The twenty- member cats perform incredible feats, combining traditional Shaolin Kung-Fu, inch perfect choreography and dramatic lighting and sound that evokes the spirit of their traditions in one stunning performance.
Taking audiences on a journey through the mystical history of this ancient martial art and demonstrating the beautiful movements of Chi with astonishing weapons and combat demonstrations, SHAOLIN is an authentic and awe inspiring performance.
'Jaw dropping. the monks are lifted aloft on sharpened spears, sandwiched between beds of nails, knives and concrete blocks, perform handstands on 2 finger tips, and backflips using heads not hands!'
- Evening Standard
'Wheel of life is a mesmerising hybrid of drama, dance and incredible Kung Fu skills'
- Sunday Telegraph
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Sina Aboutalebi needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 105 designs submitted by 28 freelance designers.
We are a startup mobile application developer for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch dedicated to developing applications for the fashion-conscious smartphone user. Our mantra is, "Because everyday is worth it."
Female Apple iPhone and iPod Touch users, between 21-35 years old.
Going for an over all sophisticated look with aesthetics similar to that of the logos and the overall feel of the websites of famous global fashion brands of Europe and the United States that we all know. The design might include sophisticated colors like black, white, grey and perhaps red. Fonts you could use are Ariel, Cambria, and Veranda. These are mere suggestions based off of what I've seen on some websites of famous global fashion brands. However the logo should include either the words, "Smash Mobile" or "SmashMobile" or simply "SM". The rest is up to you. Feel free to contact me with any questions.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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by Tom Utescher
Last Saturday's girls championship game at the 23rd Annual Germantown Community Tournament ended up as a School House Lane rivalry between two Quaker institutions. Tourney host Germantown Friends (1-2) kept it close until the middle of the second quarter, but after that Penn Charter (2-1) opened up an 11-point halftime lead and went on to win by the same margin, 45-34.
In Friday's semifinals, the GFS Tigers pleased the home crowd by taking the measure of Germantown High School, 53-20, while in the other first-round contest the Quakers of Penn Charter logged a 58-31 win over Bodine High School for International Affairs.
Following the championship game, the tournament MVP trophy went to PC freshman guard Hannah Fox, who rang up a total of 46 points in the two-day competition. She was joined on the all-tournament team by teammate Nicolette Napoleon, a sophomore forward, and Germantown Friends senior guard Sophie Mercuris. The other members of the elite group were Germantown High's Ebony Geddis (a junior forward), and Bodine's Teneka Garvin (a senior guard).
On Friday, eight points by junior forward Caroline Myran paced GFS to a 29-6 halftime lead over Germantown High after the Tigers took it out early in a 13-2 opening quarter. GFS was never in danger after that as 14 of the Bearettes' 20 total points didn't come until the fourth quarter.
Myran finished with 10 points and another starting forward, Katherine Walden (team co-captain along with Mercuris) led the winners with 11. Imani Ross, a 5'9" guard who was starting for the Tigers as a freshman last year, matched Myran's 10 points, and nine points were marked down for swing player Julia Mankoff. A new student at GFS, Mankoff is a sophomore whose family relocated here from the West Coast.
Both the Tigers and Penn Charter had opened the season earlier in the week with losses to opponents from New Jersey, GFS falling to Pennington, and the Quakers succumbing to Hun School.
At the Community Tournament, PC assistant coach Jim Powers was the stand-in skipper for the Quakers, since head coach Dave Bass was out of town attending an educational conference. The first quarter of PC's Friday game was not as lopsided as in the other semifinal, but Charter still forged a 17-9 lead and then pulled away smartly in a 16-4 second period. In the end, the Lady Ambassadors had no answer for the Quakers' backcourt, as Fox tossed in five three-pointers and amassed 25 points in all, and fellow ninth-grade guard Ayanna Matthews scored 17. Both of these young talents were already starting for PC last season.
Immediately before the girls' championship game on Saturday, a longstanding tradition was observed with the annual presentation of the tournament's Community Service Award. The 2012 recipient is Carlotta Fariera, Coordinator of the St. Luke's Food Cupboard based at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, which is located just across Germantown Ave. from the GFS campus.
The Tigers opened the scoring in the final with a lay-up by Ross, who hit a free throw a little later on but then was held in check by the Quakers the rest of the way. With Fox penetrating to score and Napoleon and Matthews finding the net from the foul line, Charter held an 8-5 edge at the quarter.
Early in the second round, freshman point guard Lizzie Becker hit the first of her two three-pointers to keep Germantown Friends in the running, but a little over two-and-a-half minutes into the period there was cause for concern on the home bench when Myran picked up her third personal foul.
Still, with Mankoff cashing in on a call against PC by netting two free throws, the Tigers only trailed 12-10 with 4:20 to go until halftime.
However, the Tigers had also been fouling enough as a team to put the Quakers into the bonus. Charter began to get some separation with one made free throw by senior forward Katie O'Malley and two by Fox. In the last 80 seconds before halftime, Fox followed up with a 15-foot jumper while O'Malley and Napoleon each added a lay-up, completing a 9-0 spree that had their team leading 21-10 at the break.
"I think there were some mental errors on our part," said first-year GFS coach Ashley Webster. "There were some turnovers, some three-second calls when we weren't paying attention, and some offensive rebounds that we let get away. But the girls played hard, and I'm proud of their effort."
Keeping the official book at the scorers' table, GFS junior Oliver Fox was in a win/win situation. He's the older brother of PC's Hannah Fox, so even if his own school couldn't rally for a victory, he could be happy for his sibling's success.
The second-half scoring began with a mid-range jumper by Mercuris of GFS, but less than two minutes in the Tigers took a personnel hit when Myran once more heard a ref tweeting in her direction, and she had to come off the floor with her fourth personal foul.
"I had to sit her for most of the third quarter, and her presence in there makes a difference in our team," Webster remarked. "She brings the intensity up and makes everybody around her better, so it hurts us when she's not in there."
The Tigers' Mankoff picked up a little of the slack on offense, scoring four of her six total points in the third quarter. With Fox and Matthews combining for a dozen points in the period, Penn Charter was able to increase its lead slightly, and was ahead 35-22 going into round four.
GFS missed its final free throw of the third quarter, and went one-for-four from the stripe early in the fourth. The Tigers could've used every one of those possible points, since an inside score by Napoleon and a pair of three-pointers by Fox pushed the Quakers' lead out to 18 points (43-25) with three minutes left to play.
The hosts were able to narrow the gap going down the stretch, as a trey and two free throws by Becker and a lay-up and a pair of fouls shots made by Myran fueled a 9-2 finish for the Tigers.
Fox had a game-high 21 points, and PC got an even dozen from Matthews, eight from Napoleon (along with 12 rebounds), and four from O'Malley. Becker led the Tigers with 11 points, followed by Myran with seven, Mankoff with six, Mercuris with four, and Ross and Walden with three points apiece.
Becker, just a few games into her varsity career, had handled the ball with poise while scoring a third of her team's points in the game.
"I thought she played really well," Webster said. "She's a freshman and she's still learning. She played under control, and she didn't have any unforced turnovers. Every game she's getting more confident."


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- The Splash page appears on not just worldofwarcraft.com, but also blizzard.com, battle.net, and diablo.com
Blizzard is notorious for never having released a game the -YEAR- they announced they would. Burning Crusade was no exception, announced for November 06, released January 07. :PI don't imagine SC2 is coming out end of 08, nor will Wraith of the Lich King be out November of 08. Always good to be proven wrong, I'm just happy they've (apparently) announced Diablo III. We all knew they were going to have to do it eventually. Hopefully it'll be released in less then...2 years?
No offense to WoW and all, I love it, but if all this is just building up to WoW related stuff...


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Sun-Dried Tomato & Pesto Rolls, How to Perfectly Grill Steak, Fresh Clam Chowder, Crunchy Dill Pickles & Bacon Jam
Hooray for Friday! We have a jackpot of recipes this week — plenty of ideas for enjoying seasonal produce at its peak and preserving it for later. How about some warm dinner rolls flecked with sun-dried tomatoes and pesto? Or a quick batch of fruit jam — no canning required! There are cherry and blackberry syrups to drizzle over ice cream (or into cocktails), and a step-by-step guide to making dill pickles. Recipes for these, plus grilled steak, fresh clam chowder, and more, right here!
- Sun-Dried Tomato & Pesto Dinner Rolls
- How to Grill Perfect Steak
- Fresh Clam Chowder
- How To Make Dill Pickles
- Sweet & Savory Bacon Jam
- How To Make Basic Fruit Jam
- Ginger Blackberry Smash
- How to Make Caramelized Onions in a Slow Cooker
- Kimchi Pancakes
- Sweet Cherry Syrup
- Cherry Almond Poke Cake
- Lemon Verbena and Raspberry Jamtini
- Blackberry Syrup
Published: Aug 16, 2013


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The Most Important Detail Is That The Weatherman (Allegedly) Shit His Pants
In 2010, Philadelphia weatherman John Bolaris was reportedly roofied and scammed out of $43,000 by two female Latvian escorts as part of a Miami-based crime ring organized by the Russian mob.
But the most important detail, as reported by Philly Mag, is that the weatherman (allegedly) shit his pants.
Bolaris is one of 88 witnesses in the FBI's case against sixteen individuals accused of collaborating on a scheme that used beautiful women to lure tourists and out-of-town businessmen to private clubs, then ring up thousands of dollars on the victims' credit cards (sometimes without the victims' knowledge) for caviar and bottles of champagne. (Bolaris also bought a painting off the wall of the club at the women's urging.) When victims later disputed the charges, the club owners would threaten to have them arrested, or provide the credit card companies with photos of the cardholders at the club as evidence. The women would keep 20 percent of the money they brought in, and the club managers would keep 10.
the most important detail
is that the weatherman allegedly shit his pants.
The Philly Post reports that one of the two Latvian women accused of conning Bolaris recently took the stand to testify on behalf of the prosecution, after accepting a plea deal.
While under cross-examination, the woman—Marina Turcina—told a lawyer for the prosecution that Bolaris was a pants-shittingly bad drinker:
"He couldn't hold his liquor. Or evidently his bowels, either."
She said the same thing in an interview with an FBI agent that occurred in August of 2011, a copy of which was obtained by the Philly Post. (The Post notes that "Rusmane" refers to another woman present for much of Bolaris' bender):
Turcina said she knew Bolaris wanted to have sex and told him "okay, if you want to have sex with both of us, then buy us the painting and black caviar."
At the end of the night, Turcina and Rusmane took Bolaris back to his hotel … While at the hotel, Rusmane sang a Russian lullaby to help Bolaris fall asleep.
Later that same day, Bolaris called them. They had sent him an SMS message because they had all agreed the night before to meet again … Turcina did not remember much about the second night with Bolaris. Rusmane kept taking him to new tables showing nothing on the table and saying "look there is nothing to drink, let's order again." Turcina slept all night on the couch at Caviar Bar.
The next morning, they woke Turcina, Rusmane, and Bolaris up. They were told to take Bolaris back to his hotel, so they did. Bolaris had "shit himself" and the taxi cab driver was very upset about it and did not want to take him.
That is
the most important detail.
Bolaris declined to comment to the Post for the story (apart from noting that the women involved are "professional liars").
His agent was more vocal about the alleged shit-storm that not even his client could have forecasted would eventually brew inside his pants:
"These people are trying to discredit John, and whether or not he crapped in his pants is the least important detail, though I don't believe it's true. This is a story about people who took advantage of people. This is a story about people who stole. How does whether or not he crapped in his pants have shit to do with Shinola? For Pete's sake… Whether or not he was discreet or indiscreet that night, John put it all on the line to take on the Russian mob. If you run this story, I will find a way to look into you."
the most important detail
(He also proposed to his girlfriend live on the Howard Stern show during Hurricane Sandy.)


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Some of the long time posters might remember this....9 years ago today, a wolf attempted to turn Hobo into his dinner. Hobo wasn't even my dog at the time; I was taking care of him and 13 of his teammates for an injured musher. Going to the hospital to tell Jim about the attack was not fun! I believe that Hobo saved all the rest of those dogs when he ran. The wolf did some damage to one other dog, Diesel, who made a complete recovery and went back to British Columbia with his team. Hobo slipped his collar and ran for all he was worth. The wolf chased him, leaving the other 13 dogs and the 18 I had at the time alone! Hobo ran well over a mile and hid in someone's porch!
Hobo suffered horrific injuries. He was basically gutted. We wrapped him in a blanket and I held him all the way the vet to keep his abdominal contents inside his body! His tail had been pulled repeatedly and all the muscles were torn; he was missing part of an ear; he was covered in large wounds where the wolf had bit and torn away the flesh.
We didn't know our Dr. Candace at the time; our vet was Dr. Rick Brown. For years, if we had a crisis after hours, Rick was on-call. Even now, if I can't find Candace, Rick's the vet I want in a life or death 3am emergency! When he first saw Hobo, he wouldn't even give me odds on his survival. He very gently suggested putting him down, but Hobo made it clear to us that he wanted a chance to fight for his life. He's already beat the odds once by escaping the wolf. She ate over a dozen dogs in our area that winter, Hobo is the only known survivor! And fight Hobo did. He spent a week at the clinic. After that Rick said he'd likely make it, but he would not fully recover. The damage to his back end was so severe that Rick expected Hobo would never have bowel control, might have on going mobility issues. He'd certainly never be a working sled again. Hobo's owner was a very competitive musher and he decided that given that prognosis he couldn't keep Hobo. So Hobo became our dog!
I was a stranger to Hobo at the time & every time he saw me, I was shoving pills down his throat, cleaning wounds. Every time he saw me, he'd try to stand up and wag his tail. He seemed to understand that I was trying to help him even though I was hurting him at the time! The wounds on his back legs took months to heal. There was no skin left to stitch together. We ended up resorting to sugar packing them to get some skin to grow. The fur still doesn't grow properly on the scars. He developed a bone infection in a front leg that almost led to an amputation. To this day, only time I've ever heard Hobo screech in pain was from that infection.
Hobo bears the physical scars from the attack. There's a perfect half moon bite shaped chunk missing from his ear; he can't be outside in real cold weather as he has very little fur on his belly and even less on the scarred spots. He's afraid of the dark which is an issue up here in the winter when it's only light for a few hours a day! But he has no bowel control issues; he gets around just fine and happy dances for his dinner every night.
The next winter, Hobo returned to the harness with much delight. He had to run without a partner as he would get too excited waiting and all hell would break loose! A 7 dog team with Hobo in it was more powerful than 8 without him! He was used to sprint mushing, we were far too slow for his liking! He often ran looking back at me and barking! He wanted to go faster!
Hobo is 16 now and still defying the odds. His vision is cloudy and he doesn't always hear the treat bag anymore, but he still happy dances for his dinner every night. He'd still pull if I'd let him! He still enjoys a walk to the lake, although I see more of him now as he stays closer and doesn't dash down the trail! He's got multiple small lumps and bumps. I'm sure some of them are bad news, but he is unaware that anything might be wrong. He's senile and gets lost in the yard when he goes on patrol. He doesn't always sleep through the night, but he remembers the magic doorbell bark! When he was recovering, he was allowed outside for only a few minutes at a time. When he got tired, he'd bark three times and I'd open the door for him. That habit persists!
The world would be a better place if more people were like Hobo. He never holds a grudge. He lives in the moment and all the bad stuff in his life doesn't matter anymore. He's grateful for every little thing; the same kibble he's had every night for years is still worthy of celebration! He is the happiest being of any species that I have ever known. He delights in a treat, a sunbeam, his comfy crate, sneaking up on the couch. Hobo understands better than most people that his time here is limited and he truly lives every day of his life. He's an inspiration and even when he wakes me up at 2am, I am glad of him!


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Lafayette Little League's Bats Lead Way To Southwest Regional Tournament Championship Game
23 combined runs in its first two games of the Southwest Regional Tournament in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has led to the Lafayette Little League Junior All Stars (13-14 year olds) advancing past two Texas All Star teams and into Monday's championship game.
After beating Texas East 14-11 on Saturday, Lafayette defeated Texas West 9-5 on Sunday. The boys representing the Hub City will need to be beaten twice by Texas West, who emerged from the loser's bracket (defeated Texas East 2-0) after losing to Lafayette earlier Sunday. This means Lafayette is only one win away from playing in the Little League Junior Division World Series in Taylor, Michigan (outside of Detriot). By the way, five members of this LLL team played on the Lafayette team (11-12 year old) that made it to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania in 2011.
Texas West actually jumped on top first in this game, scoring 1 run in the top of the 1st inning. But, it didn't take Lafayette long to respond, scoring 1 run in their half of the 1st, then 3 runs in the 2nd inning to go up 4-1.
It turned out to be another 3-run inning in the 4th for Lafayette. Emile Leger ripped a single and got a 2-base error, which scored a run. Miguel Reyes then brought in Leger with a double to give Lafayette a 7-1 lead.
But Texas West responded, scoring 3 runs of their own in the top of the 5th inning to cut the lead to 3. But, with the score now at 7-4, Reyes struck again, ripping a triple for Lafayette in the bottom of the 5th, driving in a run. A Texas error led to another run for Lafayette, which brought the score up to 9-4 after five complete innings.
A Texas West solo home run in the top of the 7th inning cut the score to 9-5, but that was as close as it would get as Lafayette completed a two-game sweep of the Texas teams.
First pitch Monday between Lafayette and Texas West is at 10:00 a.m. on Talkradio 960 AM and talkradio960.com. James P. Bitterman will have the call with the pregame show beginning at 9:30 a.m.


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Join us this Sunday, July 10 at 2:00 p.m. for July's Books Plus book discussion. Wendy will lead a discussion on The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. Scientists named a poor African-American tobacco farmer HeLA. Without her or her family's knowledge, they removed some of Henrietta's cells. They became the first so-called "immortal" cells grown in a laboratory and were used for many vaccines including the polio vaccine. Decades later, they also used her husband's and children's cells without their consent. The book brings up many interesting questions: do we own the rights to our own bodies, do scientists treat research subjects differently based on race and class, and why do scientists not always communicate what they are doing to the people most involved.
Please join us for an interesting discussion on a book that many have found fascinating.
Upcoming Books Plus discussions held every first Sunday of the month at 2:00 p.m. in Program Room 2B.
July 10 - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Discussion Leader: Wendy Rubin
"Science journalist Skloot makes a remarkable debut with this multilayered story about "faith, science, journalism, and grace." It is also a tale of medical wonders and medical arrogance, racism, poverty and the bond that grows, sometimes painfully, between two very different women--Skloot and Deborah Lacks--sharing an obsession to learn about Deborah's mother, Henrietta, and her magical, immortal cells." - Publisher's Weekly
August 7 -- The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Discussion Leader: Elizabeth Gray
"The Art of Racing in The Rain has everything: love, tragedy, redemption, danger, and--most especially--the canine narrator Enzo. This old soul of a dog has much to teach us about being human." - Sara Gruen, Author of Water for Elephants
September 4 -- Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
Discussion Leader: Sarah Bowman
"There is a great deal going on in these pages--sharply observed domestic comedy, late-life romance, culture clash, a dash of P. G. Wodehouse, and a pinch of religious fundamentalism. First novelist Simonson handles it all with great aplomb, and her Major, with his keen sense of both honor and absurdity, is the perfect lens through which to view contemporary England." -- Booklist
October 2 -- Half Broke Horses: a true-life novel by Jeannette Wall
Discussion Leader: Dory Lynch
"Told in a natural, offhand voice that is utterly enthralling, this is essential reading for anyone who loves good fiction--or any work about the American West." --Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal