text:
You knew the question would be asked: Will Oliver Perez stay in the rotation? You probably knew the answer, too.
"I'm going to say with Ollie," manager Jerry Manuel said after last night's game.
The Mets have few options to go with instead of Perez, who coughed up a three-run lead and didn't make it out of the fourth. One option, Hisanori Takahashi, who relieved Perez and struck out five in 3 1/3 innings, has proven to be so valuable out of the pen.
They can also dip down to Buffalo for Dillon Gee, R.A. Dickey or Pat Misch.
Any might be an interesting choice for a game, but none can match Perez's potential when he's on. It wasn't that long ago that Perez came up big in a start at St. Louis. The Mets lost, but Perez was strong that night.
It looks like it will be another summer of the Good Ollie vs. the Bad Ollie, but you knew that, too.


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In addition to all the other stuff, getting divorced is a major financial transaction. As such, it can have serious tax implications, including some pitfalls you'll want to avoid.
This is especially true when it comes to splitting up tax-favored retirement accounts between you and your soon-to-be ex. You'll need to plan ahead to make sure the tax results turn out OK for you. Here's the story.
Use QDRO to divide qualified accounts
Say you have a qualified retirement plan at work—such as a 401(k) plan—or a self-employed or small-business retirement program, such as a simplified employee pension plan (SEP). You'll probably have to divide up your retirement account (or accounts) between you and your ex as part of the divorce property settlement. However, doing it carelessly can create a real tax fiasco for you.
Big tax bills can devastate your retirement savings. MarketWatch's Robert Powell and Andrea Coombes talk about strategies to employ before and during retirement to lower your taxes.
Check out the new
MarketWatch Retirement
RetireMentors: In-the-trenches advice
Ways to boost Social Security payout
Retire here, not there: California
10 things your 401(k) plan won't tell you
To divide up qualified retirement plan accounts the tax-smart way, you need to establish a qualified domestic relations order, or QDRO. What's a QDRO? It's simply some boilerplate language that should be included in your divorce papers.
First and foremost, the QDRO establishes your ex's legal right to receive a designated percentage of your retirement account balance or designated benefit payments from your plan. The good news for you is the QDRO also ensures that your ex, and not you, will be responsible for the related income taxes when he or she receives payouts from the plan.
The QDRO arrangement also permits your ex-spouse to withdraw his or her share of the retirement plan money and roll it over tax-free into an IRA (assuming the plan permits such a withdrawal). That way, your ex can take over management of the money while postponing income taxes until withdrawals are taken from the rollover IRA.
Bottom line: the QDRO is a fair deal for both you and your ex because it ensures that the person who gets retirement plan payouts will also owe the related income taxes. Who can argue with that?
Here's the rub. If money from your qualified retirement plan gets into your ex-spouse's hands without a QDRO being in place, you face a potentially disastrous tax outcome.
You'll be treated as if you received a taxable payout from the plan and then voluntarily turned the money over to your ex. So you'll owe all the taxes while your ex gets the money tax-free. Even worse, the extra income from a big taxable transfer of retirement account balances could push you into the maximum 39.6% federal income tax bracket, cause some or all of your investment income to be hit with the new 3.8% Medicare surtax, cause some or all of your personal and dependent exemption write-offs to be phased out, and cause some of your itemized deductions be phased out. Ouch!
To add further insult to injury, you might also get stung with a 10% penalty tax if this happens before you've reached age 59½.
So make sure your divorce papers include the necessary QDRO language. Helpfully enough, the Feds even provide sample language in IRS Notice 97-11. See page 49 of this IRS bulletin (PDF).
You would think this advice would be so well-known that I wouldn't have to give it. You would be wrong. There have been tons of court cases where individuals turned over retirement plan money to their ex-spouses without bothering with QDROs. Those individuals all wound up getting socked with big tax bills. Not fair to them, but the tax rules are often unfair to folks who don't know what they are doing.
Be careful with IRAs, too
You don't need a QDRO to divide up an IRA between you and your soon-to-be ex without dire tax consequences. You can simply arrange for a tax-free rollover of money from your IRA into an IRA set up in your ex's name. Then your ex can manage the rollover IRA and defer taxes until he or she begins taking money out of the account.
As with a QDRO, this procedure ensures that your ex, and not you, will owe the resulting income taxes. These rules apply equally to traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP accounts, and SIMPLE IRAs (they are all considered IRAs for this purpose).
You still need to be careful here. The nice tax-free rollover deal only applies when your divorce agreement requires the rollover. What happens if money from your IRA gets into your ex's hands before or after the divorce without such a requirement? You'll be treated as if you received the money, and you'll be on the hook for the related taxes—even though you didn't actually keep the money. Plus you'll usually owe a 10% penalty tax if you're under age 59½.
To avoid this fate, you should never transfer IRA money to your ex in advance of a legal requirement in your divorce papers to do so.
You can divide up tax-favored retirement account money the tax-smart way or the tax-dumb way. Unfortunately, some otherwise-competent divorce attorneys know little or nothing about taxes. That doesn't cut it.
You need a legitimate tax pro who has handled lots of divorce-related tax issues on your side. While your attorney might be able to fill that role, don't take it for granted. With higher taxes now in effect, this is an even bigger issue than before.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The day had dawned, and the house was quiet. Too quiet, according to Rachel... who had been complaining since day one that shed had to share the house, man and show with fourteen other women. Fortunately, most of them were gone by now, and Rachel would soon have one whole freaking dollar Pre$ton all to herself. The day had dawned, and Jordan had awoken the five remaining women. Conveniently, they were all sleeping in the same bedroom, and in only three beds. The fact was, the mansion was huge, but Jordans contract only required him to deliver the message once, so the girls had to accommodate. Certain allowances got made for big stars like the host of For Love or Money. They were so hard to replace these days.
Jordans message was bittersweet. Preston, the blundering idiot dashing hero would be along shortly to collect the women for romantic dates, however, only four of them would get to go. PJ, Rebekah and Ali laughed nervously at the news, but Rachel wept bitter tears of sorrow. Once again she would be forced to sit around the enormous house eating bon-bons while other women were fawning over her beloved Pre$ton. What a cruel game love is, Rachel thought as she hurried to the bathroom to dress. It was important that she look her best today so that Pre$ton would choose her for one of the dates.
The women were lined up outside the mansion as Prestons limousine pulled up. Looking out of the window, Preston wondered which one he should choose. Should he choose the lovely Andrea, whose check was worth $500,000, and whose anorexic alluring bare midriff was calling out to him from between a short white blouse and blue cotton pants? Yes, Preston decided, transfixed. Andrea is a wonderful choice for my first date today.
Getting out of the limo, Preston announced his selection- to the dismay of the other four women. Tramp, thought Rachel, narrowing her eyes and flipping her hair defiantly. PJ forced a smile and resigned herself, along with Rebekah and Ali, to waiting anxiously for four hours until the next date. Surely hell pick me next, each girl was thinking to herself. He just has to!
Andrea giggled. Oh, Preston! Youre soooo charming. She batted her eyes and blushed a little. What a clever way to say that I have great abs. Youre so smart.
The car pulled up outside the Moonlight Rollerway. It was the cool new hangout for all the teenagers in town. Andrea couldnt think of any place shed rather be. She saw Preston checking out her abs again, and decided to amaze him with her disco moves. Soon Andrea and Preston were laughing and dancing and having a wonderful time. Yet, neither of them could stop thinking about the money. It was a dark cloud hovering over their otherwise sunny rollerdisco date.
Leaning across the table that had been set up in the middle of the rink, Andrea watched Preston suspiciously. He knew something he wasnt telling her: the value of her check. She wished she could read his thoughts.
I think that look means she wants to kiss me, Preston thought. Was there anything more romantic than this? Any moment more perfect? Besides, he almost chuckled to himself, her check is for a half million dollars, and shes totally cute. Out of all my women, Andrea is definitely the most bang for my buck. Smiling, Preston locked eyes with Andrea, then took her hands in his and kissed her softly.


text:
Poppy Delight
Artist: Michelle Carolan
- Size: 36 x 36 x 0.8 inches (91.4 x 91.4 x 1.9 cm)
- Acrylics canvas
- One-Off / Ready to Send
- No Frame Required
About the artwork
A large statement piece . Vibrant Poppies gently swaying in the summer breeze. A mixture of brush and palette knife create texture and
Related CategoriesPaintingsFlowersLarge (30 - 48")AcrylicTurquoiseImpressionism
Michelle Carolan
I am a self taught artist based in Yorkshire. I love to create vibrant, uplifting paintings full of atmosphere!. Inspired by nature, I try to capture light & shadows in my work, drawing the viewer in to discover hidden gems within the canvas through layers of colour and texture. My work is constantly evolving and I'm delighted that my paintings have found homes worldwide.
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No rate set: Please 'contact the artist' on the above tab to request a quote.


text: After hearing earlier today there might be an updated Bold, the 9780, it seems like Salomondrin was able get a picture of it. Based on this picture, you can clearly see the device is running OS6. This device is also said to have 512Mb of onboard RAM. Does this mean your device will need 512Mb of RAM to run OS6? Where does that leave devices like the 9300 a.k.a. Cuve 3G which is said to launch with 256Mb of RAM? After what we heard about the Storm 2 may not be running OS6, is 512Mb of RAM going to be the threshold for running OS6? Will you need a non-touchscreen device to run OS6 as well? There's a lot to discuss so leave a comment in our forums with your opinion.


text:
Morning, today's my first day with Blender and my first post here.
I have 2 problems in getting Blender working.
1. I can't select an object with right or left mouse-click... I've tried changing the settings in "user preferences" and it still doesn't work. I'm using a Logitech Trackman Marble with Ubuntu 11.04 desktop if that helps any?
2. I can't import .py scripts so that Blender can see them. I've tried placing both the folder "addons-extern" and "addons-contrib" in blender2.64/2.64/scripts and then restarting Blender; and I've tried using the user preferences>add ons>install add ons. Neither work.
Do I need to register or somehow activate Blender for it to work?
Many thanks for your patience
Blender - need to activate?
General discussion about the development of the open source Blender
Moderators: jesterKing, stiv
Post Reply
2 posts • Page 1 of 1
Post Reply
2 posts • Page 1 of 1


text:
Van Halen Look Deeper In Their Catalog For Set List
Don't you hate it when you go to a concert and all you get are the hits? Or worse, when it's the exact same show as the last two tours? Van Halen fans have less to fear right now because Diamond Dave, Eddie and the boys are breaking out some obscurities on their current tour.
Earlier in the week, we reported that they played 'Girl Gone Bad' in Detroit for the first time in almost 30 years. They went even deeper on opening night by pulling 'Outta Love Again' from 'Van Halen II' out of the rubbish bin. But Wednesday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis may have given the biggest shocker so far when 'Mean Street' was replaced in the ninth spot by "Hear About It Later.' If you don't remember 'Hear About It Later, it's the one on 1981′s 'Fair Warning' that you always skipped over to get to 'Unchained.'
Still, on Friday night in Chicago, 'Mean Street' was back in its usual spot and the set was the same as Detroit. But at least we're seeing that they're looking to shake things up a bit, and that always makes shows more interesting for the fans.
Watch Van Halen Break Out 'Hear About It Later' In Indianapolis


text:
The UCO Stormproof Match Kit is a waterproof case that includes 25 matches and 3 strikers. The case features an integrated striker on the outside to provide an easy location for lighting matches and can hold up to 40 matches. The ribbed case is easy to grip with cold hands. Unlike other "waterproof" or "windproof" matches, UCO Stormproof Matches are easy to light, and will stay lit for up to 15 seconds, even after being submerged in water! Being able to reliably make a fire is vital for cooking, generating warmth, and in survival situations, making signal fires. UCO Stormproof Matches are perfect for camping, emergency kits, and should be part of every 10 Essentials check list.
CAUTION: For outdoor use only. Carefully monitor lit matches until completely burned. For use by adults only. Store extra strikers in protective sleeves after use to keep dry. Store matches separately from strikers to prevent accidental ignition.


text:
HTTP::Throwable::Role::Status::MultipleChoices - 300 Multiple Choices
version 0.026
The requested resource corresponds to any one of a set of representations, each with its own specific location, and agent-driven negotiation information is being provided so that the user (or user agent) can select a preferred representation and redirect its request to that location.
Unless it was a HEAD request, the response SHOULD include an entity containing a list of resource characteristics and location(s) from which the user or user agent can choose the one most appropriate. The entity format is specified by the media type given in the Content-Type header field. Depending upon the format and the capabilities of the user agent, selection of the most appropriate choice MAY be performed automatically. However, this specification does not define any standard for such automatic selection.
If the server has a preferred choice of representation, it SHOULD include the specific URI for that representation in the Location field; user agents MAY use the Location field value for automatic redirection. This response is cacheable unless indicated otherwise.
This is an optional string, which, if supplied, will be used in the Location header when creating a PSGI response.
Note that this is not (at present) the location attribute provided by the role HTTP::Throwable::Role::Redirect, which this role does not include.
Stevan Little <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Ricardo Signes <email@example.com>
This software is copyright (c) 2011 by Infinity Interactive, Inc..
This is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as the Perl 5 programming language system itself.


text:
DirecTV Secretly Extends Your Contract And Won't Refund Your Money
Here is a story that first came to our attention a few months ago, but that we haven't posted because it just keeps getting worse. Reader Chuck emailed us in January to let us know that his Executive Email Carpet Bomb failed to penetrate the mustachioed walls of DirecTV's headquarters. Which is surprising, considering DirecTV let Chuck's dog escape, signed him up for a service agreement without telling him, refused to provide proof of the agreement to Chuck or his credit card company, and billed Chuck for the amount he recovered after a chargeback. Full story, and an opportunity to leave mustache jokes in the comments, inside.
In January, Chuck wrote the office of DirecTV CEO Chase Carey.
Mr. Carey,
I'm writing to you today out of sheer frustration after over a year of disappointments with DirecTV. The result is a service agreement that I never consented to, and a disconnect fee that I am hoping that you can see your way clear to waive for me.
Until 12/13/07, we had been very satisfied DirecTV customers since 11/03. In October '06, we moved from Virginia to Texas, and brought our DirecTV service with us. Long story short: the install in Texas was botched, the tech tried to steal the TiVo that we owned, charged us off the books for extra work, and left the gate to our back yard open. The mistake with the gate resulted in my wife (4 weeks post partum) walking around our neighborhood sobbing and trying to find our beagle until I could get home to help her. She wanted to cancel right then, but I persuaded her to remain a customer. When I called to complain about the install, the CSR told me that she would make everything right by issuing us a new DVR and HD receiver. What she didn't tell me was that she obligated me to a service commitment without my consent.
Jump ahead to 11/07. We relocated to Georgia for my wife's employment. We decided to move the DirecTV service with us. When speaking with the CSR about moving, she informed me that the move would cost $99 or commit me to a service agreement. When I informed her that I preferred not to pay a fee and have no commitment, she informed me that I was already under commitment, and that moving would simply extend it by 2 months. That just infuriated me all over again, and I told her that I would need to consider my options and asked her to please put my account on hold.
When we arrived in Georgia, I decided to cancel DirecTV service on 12/13/07 because I felt that after 4 years of being an excellent customer (auto pay every month) that I didn't want to patronize a business that felt that they needed to lock me into a service agreement. I've spoken with 5 different CSRs to try to have the fee waived, as I never committed to it, but I don't believe that they are empowered to waive the fee. After discussing the issue with one CSR on 12/13, he threatened that DirecTV would "post the amount to my credit report if I didn't pay the disconnect fee". If I truly believed that I made commitment, I would pay it. However, I don't believe that I ever verbally agreed and know I didn't agree in writing. If there is any way that you can help me by waiving the fee, I would greatly appreciate it.
The name on the account is [redacted], and the service telephone number is [redacted].
Oh, and however this turns out, I'd like to express my admiration of your mustache. There are few men who could wear it as well as you do.
Chuck received a call the next day; he retold his story and was told that the commitment is still valid. When Chuck asked, the CSR could provide no proof of the agreement, other than stating that it was DirecTV's policy to inform customers, verbally and in writing, of the commitment. "So the rep from the president's office stated that because the policy exists, therefore I must have been notified," says Chuck. Chuck followed up his phone call with another email to the CEO's office, requesting a paper copy of the commitment. When nothing came, Chuck filed a dispute with American Express. DirecTV couldn't provide American Express with any proof of the disputed commitment, so Chuck won the dispute.
A few days later, Chuck received a bill from DirecTV for the amount American Express had recovered.
I directed Chuck to several Consumerist articles on threatening to report the company for mail fraud, suing in small claims court, and winning a default judgment by serving a company kiosk. Chuck should send DirecTV a letter stating that he will not pay this bill unless they can provide written proof that he extended the agreement, and that if they don't like it they can take him to court. Any other suggestions?
Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.


text:
Injury-depleted Yankees acquire INF Chris Nelson from Rockies for player to be named or cash
NEW YORK – Seeking depth for their injury-depleted infield, the New York Yankees have acquired Chris Nelson from the Colorado Rockies for a player to be named or cash.
The Yankees announced the trade Wednesday night following a 5-4 victory over the Houston Astros.
Second baseman Robinson Cano is the only healthy regular in the New York infield right now. Third baseman Alex Rodriguez, shortstop Derek Jeter, first baseman Mark Teixeira and corner infielder Kevin Youkilis are all on the disabled list.
The 27-year-old Nelson, picked ninth overall in the 2004 amateur draft, made 19 starts at third base for Colorado this season and batted .242 with no homers, four RBIs and 19 strikeouts in 66 at-bats. He was designated for assignment Sunday when the Rockies called up top prospect Nolan Arenado from the minors.


text:
Testimonials and Case Studies
Investing in Precor equipment helped raise overall guest satisfaction scores
Hampton Inn
The Hampton Inn in Glenwood Springs, Colorado is a 12 year-old, 70-room property. This is a very competitive hospitality market, as along with being near the very popular Glenwood Hot Springs, it shares the valley with Aspen. The hotel's guests are a blend of active outdoor enthusiasts and business travelers. With new properties opening in the market, management knew that to remain competitive they needed to remodel and expand their fitness facility.
What we did
The people at Hampton Inn know their market. They picked Precor because it would allow them to offer their discerning guests the same high-quality fitness experience they enjoyed at their home clubs. Precor equipment would also provide total body, trouble-free workouts, while communicating a feeling of quality for the whole hotel experience.
Their remodeled center provides Precor equipment including 2 treadmills, an elliptical machine and a recumbent bike. All also offer the latest personal viewing screens.
The project has been more successful than expected. Due to the new properties in the market, it was expected that there would be a dip in occupancy. But instead there was an increase. Their customer satisfaction numbers have shown dramatic increases and are tracking well above other comparable properties.
What they said
Bill Dillon, General Manager said, "Putting Precor equipment into our remodeled fitness center sent a positive message to our guests. The fact that we invested in this level of quality suggests that we have high standards throughout our hotel." He continued, "Before we put in the new equipment I'd see one person at the most working out. Now there are frequently 4 or 5 people using the equipment. We think so much of the Precor name that we include it in the advertising promoting our hotel."


text:
mediaworkz needed a new other design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 8 designs submitted by 6 freelance designers.
We pair home owners with qualified home improvement contractors.
People looking to have home repairs and home improvement projects done.
- 3 static GIF or JPG banners (same basic creative, 3 different sizes)
- Banners must include 1px, #666666 border
- The 3 sizes required are: 728x200, 728x90, 160x600
- Banners must include URL, but should not be prominent
- Preferred file sizes: 728x200 (<50k), 728x90 (<30k), 160x600 (<30k)
- Style of banners should incorporate the look of the website
- Please include home improvement imagery
- Include the following copy: "Home Improvement Made Easy" - "Free Service, No Obligation" - "Connect with local service providers"
- Include button that says: "Get Free Quotes"
- Final delivery of files will include the GIF or JPG banners at the indicated file sizes, as well as all original Photoshop, Illustrator, and/or Fireworks files
If you're looking for more contests like this one, please visit http://99designs.com/people/mediaworkz. We've got a bunch of contests running or about to be launched.


text:
Week Four
This was a busy week! Puppy mush was introduced and by the end of the week, kibble was added to the mix. In one weeks time, their teeth started coming in and now they have a mouth full of sharp puppy teeth! New things were introduced into their world such as things to play with, an open crate and blankets for them to cuddle in. At four weeks old, Maxi is now done feeding the pups, they are all eating well and drinking water from bowls. They're messy when they eat, but that's okay! The new big pen is up, so they have an area to play, sleep, eat and potty. They are such smart puppies, they knew to keep their blanket area clean, so they go potty on the paper/vinyl flooring half. Their first night without Maxi - they woke up once (1am) to go potty and play for about an hour, and then they went back to sleep until 5am. Such good little puppies! The pictures at the end are their four week old photo shoot, they're getting pretty good at posing!Read More


text:
What Should the Postal Service Retail Network Look Like in 2020 and Beyond?
The Pushing the Envelope blog recently described some of the barriers that have prevented the Postal Service from optimizing its network of retail facilities. This week we'd like your thoughts on the factors the Postal Service should consider in developing a retail network for the future. If the Postal Service were to rebuild its retail network from scratch — focusing on today's consumer behaviors and needs — would it look as it does now? Today, there are about 32,000 brick and mortar postal-operated retail facilities.


text: BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme this week did a report on the American craft-beer scene and how it's starting to influence brewmasters in England. Among the brewers interviewed are guys from Harpoon, the Cambridge Brewing Company, and Brooklyn Brewery's Garrett Oliver. Makes me want to pop the cap off one right now.


text:
Composition, competences and functions
The Casa de la India Board of Friends as a body of the Casa de la India Foundation is defined in the Statues of the foundation, established in Valladolid on the 13th of March 2003 by the Indian Government, through the Embassy of India in Spain, the University of Valladolid and Valladolid City Council. As outlined in article 14 of the Statutes, the Foundation's Trustees may set up a Board of Friends which is composed of those entities and/or individuals who, according to their collaboration with the Foundation, fulfil the conditions outlined by the Trustees to join the Board. Its organization, Statute and functions will be regulated by the Trustees. In all cases, the Board of Friends will be able to collaborate and voice proposals and suggestions related to the objectives and aims of the Foundation.
The aims of the Board are to promote, stimulate and support cultural and educational events, as well as business and co-operation events which, in the broadest terms, are related to the Foundation's objectives and Casa de la India activities.
In order to meet these aims, the board can propose and develop all those activities which, in the widest sense, promote, stimulate and/or support the mission and activity of Casa de la India and contribute to the sponsorship, diffusion, support, organization and implementation of its programme, including publications, editing and producing, printing, web and virtual office, exhibitions (paintings, sculptures, photography), performing arts, music, cinema cycles, courses, congresses, seminars, conferences, children's workshops, cultural and educational trips, scholarship programmes, delegations, commercial missions, guided tours and others.
It is explicitly stated that the Board will be a non-profit-making body.
Types of Members
The Board of Friends encompasses the following types of members:
Members of the Board of Friends in 2010:
Meritous Friends:
Recursos Disponibles


text:
As reported in the Washington Post, a new survey shows that the Small Business Administration (SBA) has improved its employees' morale without the cash infusion desired by the agency's backers in Congress.
Two years ago, the SBA was ranked as the worst place to work in the federal government. The agency also suffered from allegations of fraud, lax oversight, and failure to process thousands of disaster-relief loan applications in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. At least two lawmakers—Sens. John Kerry (D–Mass.) and Olympia Snowe (R–Maine)—have blamed the problem on budget cuts. Over the past six years, the Bush Administration has cut the agency's budget by nearly 40 percent.
Despite the downsizing and layoffs, however, the morale of SBA employees has improved drastically over the last year. The percentage of employees who say they think the SBA's leadership is generating more motivation and commitment in the workforce rose from 25.5 percent in 2006 to 42.7 percent in 2007. The agency has also reduced its backlog of work. Much of the credit goes to SBA Administrator Steven C. Preston, who has taken steps to improve training, procedures, and employee–management relations.
The SBA helps Americans start and build businesses. Whether such an agency is necessary is a separate argument. The point here is that more money isn't always the answer. Management reforms can improve government services, and poor performance doesn't automatically justify budget increases.


text:
Redeem Promotions
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Avantor Services provides a wide range of specialized services and digital solutions to help you solve complex challenges.
We've built our reputation on consistent, comprehensive mastery of day-to-day operations, allowing lab, clinical, and production environments to focus their high-value resources on core scientific priorities.
As our customers' needs have evolved, so have our capabilities. We have become experts in scientific operations, improving performance with sophisticated solutions and providing guidance on best practices.
You can select and customize services for peak efficiency, quality, and accelerated innovation.
For more information, call 1.888.793.2300 or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
VWR enables the advancement of science by providing high-quality chemicals and services, customized to your product or manufacturing needs.
We use operational excellence to deliver solutions that enable research, testing, production, and commercialization across the globe.
Our Core Capabilities Include:
Contact VWR Custom Manufacturing Services at 1.800.932.5000 or email@example.com.
Email: email@example.com
Phone: 1-888-VWR-LINE (1-888-897-5463)
Phone: 1-800-932-5000
Online: Contact Us
Phone: 1-888-320-4357
Online: Help Center
Online: Contact Local Team
Online: Return Request Form
Avantor is a leading global provider of integrated, tailored solutions for the life sciences and advanced technology industries. Strengthened by the recent acquisition of VWR, the Company is a trusted partner to customers and suppliers from discovery to delivery. Collectively, we set science in motion to create a better world.


text:
~Hope Valley by Denyse Schmidt~
I've been stalking Ray Stitch heading over to the site at odd hours just so I could stare at this lovely bundle and sigh.
Wanting it so badly that all sorts of crazy ideas popped into my head. A 100 ways to break the bank for fabric!
To end this madness I very subtly pointed at this stack of goodness so Mr. M would know what to get me for christmas.
Well christmas came early this year!!
Nothing says 'I love you' better than a fat quarter bundle in your mail box :-D
Have a good day!
x Leila


text:
mime.types(5) Apple Inc. mime.types(5) NAME mime.types - mime type description file for cups DESCRIPTION The mime.types file defines the recognized file types. Additional file types can be added to mime.types or (preferably) in additional files in the CUPS configuration directory with the extension ".types". Each line in the mime.types file is a comment, blank, or rule line. Comment lines start with the # character. Rule lines start with the MIME type name and are optionally followed by a series of file recogni‐ tion rules that are used to automatically identify print and web files: super/type rule [ ... ruleN] The rules may be grouped using parenthesis, joined using "+" for a log‐ ical AND and "," or whitespace for a logical OR, and negated using "!". RULES Rules take two forms - a filename extension by itself and functions with test values inside parenthesis. The following functions are avail‐ able: match("pattern") Pattern match on filename ascii(offset,length) True if bytes are valid printable ASCII (CR, NL, TAB, BS, 32-126) printable(offset,length) True if bytes are printable 8-bit chars (CR, NL, TAB, BS, 32-126, 128-254) string(offset,"string") True if bytes are identical to string istring(offset,"string") True if a case-insensitive comparison of the bytes is identical char(offset,value) True if byte is identical short(offset,value) True if 16-bit integer is identical int(offset,value) True if 32-bit integer is identical locale("string") True if current locale matches string contains(offset,range,"string") True if the range contains the string STRING CONSTANTS String constants can be specified inside quotes ("") for strings con‐ taining whitespace and angle brackets (<>) for hexadecimal strings. SEE ALSO classes.conf(5), cupsd(8), cupsd.conf(5), mime.convs(5), print‐ ers.conf(5), http://localhost:631/help COPYRIGHT Copyright 2007 by Apple Inc. 12 February 2006 Common UNIX Printing System mime.types(5)[top]
Vote for polarhome


text: There were three large forced-labor camps in Hannover, a large industrial city in northern Germany. All three of the camps were part of the Neuengamme concentration camp system. In early April 1945, American forces entered Hannover and freed the surviving prisoners. The American Signal Corps filmed one of the Hannover camps soon after liberation. American forces fed survivors of the camp and required German civilians to help bury the dead.


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Ty8200 wrote:So I asked him, whats 1+1x0? He said it was 0, I got to rub it in his face that he was wrong.
Unless there's some trick question going on here, I'm pretty sure anything multiplied by 0 is going to be 0.
You are correct, 1x0 is 0. Now add 1. The simple trick works on a lot of people.


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1. tree - noun
· a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
Hypernym(s): woody_plant, ligneous_plant
2. tree - noun
· a figure that branches from a single root; "genealogical tree"
Synonym(s): tree_diagram
Hypernym(s): plane_figure, two-dimensional_figure
3. tree - noun
· English actor and theatrical producer noted for his lavish productions of Shakespeare (1853-1917)
Synonym(s): Tree, Sir_Herbert_Beerbohm_Tree
4. tree - verb
· force a person or an animal into a position from which he cannot escape
Synonym(s): corner
Hypernym(s): steer, maneuver, manoeuver, manoeuvre, direct, point, head, guide, channelize, channelise
5. tree - verb
· plant with trees; "this lot should be treed so that the house will be shaded in summer"
6. tree - verb
· chase an animal up a tree; "the hunters treed the bear with dogs and killed it"; "her dog likes to tree squirrels"
Hypernym(s): chase, chase_after, trail, tail, tag, give_chase, dog, go_after, track
7. tree - verb
· stretch (a shoe) on a shoetree
Synonym(s): shoetree
Hypernym(s): elongate, stretch
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Pseudoscorpions are arachnids, meaning their closest relatives are spiders, harvestmen (also called daddy longlegs), mites, ticks and scorpions.
It is an ancient group, with the oldest pseudoscorpion fossils dated 380 million years ago to the Devonian period. They have a worldwide distribution with 3,300 extant species.
No doubt about it, they have an arresting appearance.
The pear-shaped body has two sections, a cephalothorax and an abdomen, supported by eight legs. The abdomen has a series of segments armored with chitinous plates both dorsally and ventrally. The front end has a pair of pincers, modified mouth parts twice as long as the legs. The pincers are tipped with claws composed of a stable "hand" and a "finger" that closes against the hand to grasp prey. The finger is tipped by a barb and a poison gland to immobilize prey.
The back end of a pseudoscorpion is blunt, contrasting with the long tapering abdomens of scorpions, which bear poisonous stingers at the end.
My graduate student Scott Ferrenberg and I encountered this pseudoscorpion while peeling bark from a ponderosa pine to check the status of the mountain pine beetles developing beneath the bark. Pseudoscorpions are occasionally found beneath bark and in decaying wood, but this was a fortuitous encounter, for she was carrying a full load of eggs in a brood pouch attached to the underside of her abdomen.
Females lay 20 to 40 eggs and carry them for one to two weeks. When the eggs hatch, the young look like small adults, but they are not yet ready to strike out on their own. They hitch a ride on mom for several days, and then disperse to live independently. The young pass through three developmental stages in the next 10 to 24 months, depending on temperature, before molting into mature adults. They live for two or three years as adults.
Pseudoscorpions are vulnerable when they are molting, so, for protection, they spin a small shelter of silk. In contrast to spiders, which have silk spinnerets on their abdomens, pseudoscorpions have silk glands on their jaws.
Pseudoscorpions are small. The female carrying eggs was approximately 1/4 inch long, while the largest species grows to a length of 1/2 inch. Some species are so small that they are phoretic on flies, meaning that they can hitch a ride on insects. Other tiny species feed on mites that live beneath the wing covers of beetles.
New species of pseudoscorpions are being discovered regularly. A new species was described recently from collections taken from pastures in 2005 near Raleigh, N.C. A new species was discovered in talus caves in Yosemite National Park a few years ago. This is only the second species to be found living in talus caves, the narrow but deep crevices in talus slopes at the bases of towering granite cliffs. Granite talus caves are drier than limestone caves, and therefore less hospitable environments for pseudoscorpions.
A new species was first noticed in 2000 in Glenwood Cavern by a tour guide, but was described by and named after Dave Steinmann, cave biologist at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. This species lives entirely in the dark, is pale and nearly blind. The Glenwood Cavern pseudoscorpion, Cryptograegris steinmanni, is at the top of the food chain in the cave, feeding on insects, but as in all food webs, the top predators are relatively rare.
The house pseudoscorpion, a cosmopolitan species commensal with humans and sharing our homes, feeds on dust mites. The pseudoscorpions living in your home cannot hurt you, carry no diseases, do no harm, but eat mites that you were probably unaware of.


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31 March 2012
Shannyn no show...
11 comments:
- thwany said...
hahah that sucks...
- 10:03 PM, March 31, 2012
- OtherMix said...
Oh that sucks! I hope you still had a great night with your friends!
- 10:45 PM, March 31, 2012
- See Hear Say said...
oh no your poor thing, that really sucks :\
well, i'm a huge fan of erlend oye (from kings of convenience and whitest boy alive). the whitest boy alive last time came to sydney for concert and it was the best concert i've ever gone to. and then instead of sticking around for the last party, i went home. later the next day, one of my workmate told me that he stayed out at the after party and all the guys from the band including erlend stayed and talked to people including my friend!
my point is... the opportunity was all there without i even asked for it, and i could have just stayed for another half an hour and would have met erlend but i missed out :(
hope it makes you feel better!
- 10:50 PM, March 31, 2012
- Louise said...
boo! that sucks! I hope you still had a fun night with friends though.
- 11:31 PM, March 31, 2012
- zoe dawn jane said...
OMG. so sad!!! she is a complete
babe. would've flipped to meet her!
will she be doing another event??
- 12:09 AM, April 01, 2012
- Rina said...
Oh no Aron!!! ):
she's in one of my favorite movies (wristcutters)
I wasn't aware that she djs. what a big disappointment.
I'm hopeful that you'll get the chance to meet her one day soon.
on a side note: So you work at J.Crew? I've been wondering what kind of place Aron would work.
; )
- 2:51 PM, April 01, 2012
- Yoli said...
While I am sad for you that you did not get to meet her, I am sure you had a wonderful time nevertheless. Don't worry, I have a feeling you will meet many wonderful people in your lifetime Aron. You are such a sweet soul.
- 8:34 AM, April 02, 2012
- Claudia said...
That's too bad, Aron, but it sounds like you had a great night anyways! I'm always so inspired by your positive attitude :) Next time! Maybe she'll feel the need to make it up to her fellow Hawaiians ;)
- 1:24 PM, April 02, 2012
Aw, I'm sorry you weren't able to see/meet her. :(
Maybe next time! :)
- 2:47 PM, April 06, 2012
- kitchu said...
so sorry! but how awesome that you have these connections!!
- 6:14 AM, April 16, 2012
- Hollander said...
Oh that sucks! I hope you still had a great night with your friends!
- 1:37 PM, November 30, 2012


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Download The Pyramid Movie StreamingFull Movie The Pyramid Full Streaming with duration 89 Min and broadcast on 2014-12-05 and MPAA rating is 4.
Original Title : The Pyramid
Movie title in your country : The Pyramid
Year of movie : 2014
Genres of movie : Horror,
Status of movie : Released
Release date of movie : 2014-12-05
Companies of movie : 20th Century Pictures, Fox International Productions,
Countries of movie : United States of America,
Language of movie : English,
Durationof movie : 89 Min
Average vote of movie : 4.8
Youtube ID of movie : rms99zpIJLY
Translation of movie : EN,ES,RU,DE,FR,HU,CS,
Cast of movie :
- Ashley Hinshaw ( Nora )
- James Buckley ( Fitzie )
- Denis O'Hare ( Holden )
- Amir K ( Michael Zahir )
- Christa Nicola ( Sunni )
- Prince Shah ( Egyptian Worker )
- Joseph Beddelem ( Taxi driver )
- Garsha Arristos ( Egyptian Worker )
- Omar Benbrahim ( Chubby Intern )
You Only Enter Once
The Pyramid Synopsis:
Play Streaming The Pyramid A team of U.S. archaeologists unearths an ancient pyramid buried deep beneath the Egyptian desert. As they search the pyramid's depths, they become hopelessly lost in its dark and endless catacombs. Searching for a way out, they become desperate to seek daylight again. They come to realize they aren't just trapped, they are being hunted.
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text:
Newport International Group, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: NWPO), a provider of digital tools and services to growing businesses, and parent company for several high technology software, communications and services companies, today announced that it has retained as its agency of record, Quatrain Public Relations, a leading public relations firm specializing in integrated corporate and product communications for emerging high technology companies. As part of the agreement, Quatrain Public Relations will work with Newport International Group to launch several innovative new products through a breadth of public relations services, including strategic counsel and writing, product reviews, and extensive media and analyst relations.
"Quatrain Public Relation's experience in the software technology industry will be an important asset to Newport International Group as we expand and evolve our product offerings in 2005," commented Cery Perle, chief executive officer, of Newport International Group. "After an extensive search, it is clear that Quatrain's proven success in high technology based communications and strategy is a natural fit for Newport International Group and its subsidiaries."
About Newport International Group, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: NWPO): Newport International Group Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: NWPO), through its subsidiary companies, markets an array of high-technology products and services designed specifically for growing businesses which use the Internet primarily to increase productivity. Newport is headquartered in Palm Desert, CA, with technology development in Phoenix, AZ. More information is available at http://www.Newport-International-Group.com and http://www.GRCLive.com.
About Quatrain Public Relations Quatrain Public Relations specializes in integrated corporate and product communications for emerging high technology companies. The firm's clients include a full spectrum of technology software, hardware, communications, and service companies. For more information, visit http://www.quatrainpr.com.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements contained in this news release which are not historical facts may be "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated. For example, statements that describe Newport International Group or any of its subsidiaries' hopes, plans, objectives, goals, intentions, or expectations are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made herein are only made as of the date of this news release. Numerous factors, many of which are beyond either company's control, will affect actual results.


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Volunteer disaster response teams were established in South KazakhstanJun 13, 2013
Local Disaster Management Committees (LDMC) were established in Tekeli town, Syrymbet and Karabulak villages within the framework of the joint project of UNDP/EC/MoES of the Republic of Kazakhstan: «DIPECHO VII: Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction in South-East and East Kazakhstan».
These committees represent teams of volunteers whose main goal is to inform local population about existing disaster risks and methods of their reduction, and to provide support to the governmental agencies in preparedness for and response to potential disasters at local level.
This spring the members of these committees – the activists of target communities in Tekeli town, Syrymbet and Karabulak villages – passed the Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction/First Aid training. Representatives of the project staff from the headquarters of Kazakhstan Red Crescent Society as well as from its East Kazakhstan Oblast and Semey Territorial Branch Offices participated as facilitators of the trainings.
The main goal of this training was to provide skills in the area of disaster risk reduction (DRR) and disaster response to the LDMC members. During this training the following topics were reviewed: definitions and terms related to disasters, threats and risks in the region, characteristic features of the sustainable communities, DRR process and results, main methods of assessment of vulnerability and capacity, preparation of the community's preparedness plan, early warning systems, evacuation, principles of mutual help in communities, and the principles of first aid rendering.
The major part of the seminar was in the form of practical work (brainstorming and group discussions) during which the participants concentrated on the following tasks:
• Identified the main threats and risks in their region;
• Identified the information sources for risk assessments in their communities;
• Prepared the disasters seasonal calendars;
• Prepared the questionnaires for risk assessments in their communities;
• Based on real data prepared general information on their communities in respect of assessment of vulnerability and capacity, and determined measures to reduce the disaster risks;
• Got acquainted with the rules of gathering a «disaster supplies kit»;
• Studied the first aid basics.
One facilitator was allocated for each LDMC during practical and group work. All LDMC members were very active during practical work. All participants were given necessary handouts.
It should be noted that upon the results of the seminar the LDMC members are ready for further work, and all their practical skills and initiatives can be used as a base for future projects in this area.
As a next step of supporting the LDMC, the project purchased equipment for each team which is necessary for potential disaster response, and which was given to the team leaders responsible for storage and use. The list of equipment includes: shovels, helmets, torches, megaphones, stretchers, uniform and first aid kits.
The Project "UNDP/EC/MoES RK "DIPECHO VII: Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction in South-East and East Kazakhstan" is funded by the Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection of the European Commission (ECHO), UNDP in Kazakhstan and the Red Crescent Society of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The project implements activities on disaster risk reduction on national and oblast levels, with practical work being carried out in the communities of Tekeli in Almaty oblast, in flood-prone communities close to Semey and in remote mountain communities close to Ust-Kamenogorsk. One of the important directions of the project activities is to raise community awareness of the importance of disaster preparedness and risk reduction activities.


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Originally published under the title "Iran's Unhidden Plan for Genocide: A Legal Assessment (Second of Three Parts)."
On June 7, 1981, Israel launched Operation Opera against Saddam Hussein's nuclear reactor outside Baghdad. Officially, this preemptive attack on Osiraq – which ultimately saved a great many American and other lives ten years later, during the first Gulf War, was an expression of anticipatory self-defense. Interestingly, however, because Iraq had always considered itself to be formally at war with Israel, the Jewish state could just as easily and correctly have regarded this essential act of preemptive self-defense as something else.
Back in 1981, taking an alternative legal position, Prime Minister Menachem Begin could have justified Operation Opera as a permissible tactical action in the wider context of a longstanding and ongoing belligerency. Had he done so, Israel could then have pointed out that both of the pertinent legal obligations applying here had also been fully satisfied. These are the always twin obligations of "just cause" (facing an existential threat), and "just means" (minimizing collateral harms). To be acceptable, any act of anticipatory self-defense would have to fulfill classic law of war expectations that the means used to injure an enemy are not unlimited.
Jurisprudentially, it is significant that Begin chose, explicitly, to link Operation Opera to preventing, in his words, "another Holocaust." Historically, of course, the rationale of including anticipatory self-defense under customary international law had been the prevention of aggression, not genocide. Logically, it was not until 1951, when the Genocide Convention first entered into force, that the legal question of defensive first strikes to forestall such crimes against humanity could even have been raised.
After the Holocaust, and subsequent Nuremberg Trials, it became plain that the prerogatives of sovereignty in world law could no longer remain absolute, and that the once-legitimate cover of "domestic jurisdiction" would now have to exclude certain crimes against human rights. With this very fundamental transformation, individual human life was to be held sacred everywhere, and individual states were no longer automatically precluded from entering into the "territorial sphere of validity" of other states. On the contrary, from then on the traditional norm of "non-intervention" would need to yield to indisputably compelling judgments of "international concern."
It was now the reasonable expectation that all states, either individually or collectively, would acknowledge a distinct and overriding legal obligation to prevent Nuremberg-category crimes (after 1951, crimes of genocide) in other states, even to the extent of undertaking active intervention within those sovereign states.
This critical obligation was strongly reinforced at Articles 55 and 56 of the United Nations Charter, a core document that has the formal status of a multilateral treaty. Today we speak of all such permissible interventions as "humanitarian." Sometimes diplomats and scholars prefer the closely related term "The Responsibility to Protect."
Whichever term is preferred, the international legal order now accepts and expects that all states will feel co-responsible for each other, including the prevention of genocide and certain corollary crimes against humanity. Examples of this collaborative expectation, a concept that makes incontestably good sense in our still-anarchic system of world law – a system that first came into being in 1648, when the Treaty of Westphalia ended the Thirty Years' War and that has yet to be replaced with genuinely effective supra-national legal institutions – can be found in at least four prominent post-Holocaust cases:
(1) the Tanzania-led invasion of Uganda in 1979, which put an end to Idi Amin's almost decade-long genocide against the Acholi and Langi tribes;
(2) the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in 1979, which put an end to the Khmer Rouge mass murder of almost 2,000,000 people, a genocide that had targeted several diverse populations along many different ethnic, cultural, and tribal lines;
(3) the 1971 genocide against Bengali people, the "Bangladesh Genocide," which covered an area then originally known as "East Pakistan," and that was finally stopped by massive Indian military intervention; and
(4) the 1994 invasion of Rwanda by Tutsi rebels who had been "hosted" in neighboring Burundi, and also in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This genocide, perpetrated largely by Hutu extremists (the interahamwe) produced almost 1,000,000 deaths in ninety-days, making it the "fastest" genocidal mass murder in human history. It is also infamously noteworthy because the European powers, the United States, and the United Nations had all abandoned every shred of responsibility for humanitarian intervention or the responsibility to protect.


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Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO; Michel Jarraud, UN-Water Chair and Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO); and Hamrokhon Zarifi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan today launched the International Year of Water Cooperation 2013 at UNESCO Headquarters, in Paris. The Year was proclaimed by the United Nations at the initiative of Tajikistan and UNESCO has been designated by UN-Water to coordinate activities during the year.
The launching ceremony featured a video message from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and messages from the Presidents of Kenya and Mongolia.
The participants stressed the central role of water in ensuring sustainable development, public health, poverty alleviation and combating the effects of climate change.
"Water is not just one subject among others, it is the central subject of international cooperation," said the Director-General of UNESCO […] In 2010, the UN General Assembly recognized water as a human right and this must now be translated into reality. In a world where 300 water basins are shared between several countries, this can only be achieved through cooperation," Ms Bokova said.
"More than 780 million people still do not have access to improved water and two and a half billion people have no access to improved sanitation services," stressed the Chair of UN Water as he advocated reinforced cooperation in this area. He pointed out that that 40% of all natural disasters concern water, whether drought or flood, and voiced strong support for "UNESCO's effort in favour of water diplomacy as an essential instrument of dialogue and cooperation to create a more peaceful world."
Hamrokhon Zarifi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan for his part declared that "we need to strengthen water diplomacy to achieve the 2015 [deadline] of the Millennium Goals. Only close cooperation can secure the achievement of water goals for people, the environment and the economy. […] We must make this year, a year of strengthened mutual understanding, cooperation and dialogue."
France's Minister Delegate for Development, Pascal Canfin, stressed the importance his government gives to environmental sustainability through water cooperation. He pledged France's commitment to help especially Saharan Africa overcome growing water shortage. "The Millennium Development Goals regarding water have almost been reached, but the objectives that they set out are insufficient as they do not address the issue of [water] quality."
Launching events continued during the day, notably with the participation of young people from France, Japan and the Netherlands at a youth event hosted by the municipality of Paris at the Pavillion de l'Eau.
During the launch ceremony, Mega Kumar of India presented her slogan for the International Year of Water Cooperation: Water, water everywhere, only if we share." Ms Kumar's slogan was chosen from over 12,000 slogans submitted as part of a world-wide competition.


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Reel World
Music to Our Ears
We've mentioned the upcoming Music in Film Summit before in the Alibi, and if you haven't registered yet, your time is running out. The event takes place this Friday and Saturday, Sept. 18 and 19, at the KiMo Theater. Panelists have been confirmed and include an amazing selection of film and music industry professionals like Steven Vincent, VP of Music and Soundtracks at Disney Channel; Randy Spendlove, president of Film Music at Paramount Studios; Dana Sano, music supervisor and producer at Zenden Entertainment; Lizzy Moore, West Coast regional director of The Recording Academy; and Mike Knobloch, senior vice president of Film Music at 20th Century Fox. The folks are coming to New Mexico will teach you (yes, you) how to break into the film music business. On Friday, there will be a film screening starting at 4 p.m. at the KiMo (423 Central NW) followed by a meet-and-greet at One Up Elevated Lounge (301 Central NW). Panels and presentations will take place on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the KiMo. This is a free event, but reservations are required. For more information, visit newmexicomusic.org. To register, e-mail email@example.com.
Film Review
The Informant!
True-life character study finds humor in corporate price-fixing of amino acids
Mark Whitacre is no moron. By all accounts, he's an educated guy. He was president of Archer Daniels Midland's BioProducts division—the youngest in company history—and that bespeaks a certain level of intelligence. For much of his time at the Fortune 500 company, Whitacre was an undercover informant for the FBI, and you would assume they don't hire a lot of complete chuckleheads. Whitacre's problem may simply be that he thinks too much. As portrayed in the loosey-goosey, true-life biopic The Informant!, Whitacre's brain is a babbling brook that entertains every half-formed idea and every random-neuron non sequiter. Embodied by Matt Damon in workaday, low-glam mode, Mark Whitacre is that genial but infuriating stranger who sits next to you on the plane and just starts talking. For the entire flight. About god knows what. You stopped paying attention 200 miles ago.
Film Review
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Hallelujah, it's raining Mentos!
While it can't approach the rarified atmosphere of a Pixar film, Sony's ambitious, 3-D, computer-animated kiddy flick Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs manages to cook up some harmless, high-flying fun.
Idiot Box
Snap Judgment
Awesome or sucky?
The fall 2009 TV season opens up its floodgates this week and lets loose a tsunami of new shows. We've got everything from tough cops to hilariously dysfunctional families to mopey teenage vampires to rodent-eating space invaders. But you never can tell which shows will be good and which will suck so hard they'll pull the remote out of your hand. Nonetheless, you can always make an educated guess ... or a rash pronouncement based on innate prejudice. Either one's good by me. So, here's my snap judgment for the best and worst of the upcoming TV season.
Week in Sloth
The Week in Sloth
"Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update Thursday" (KOB-4 7 p.m.) Another season and you're still filling holes in the Thursday night schedule, NBC?
"Survivor" (KRQE-13 7 p.m.) "Survivor" sails into its 19th season by way of Samoa.
"Extreme Cuisine With Jeff Corwin" (Food Network 7 p.m.) What's Animal Planet's resident herpetologist doing over on the Food Network? And what could he possibly be eating that Andrew Zimmern hasn't choked down in the last two years?


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(RNN) - As the Occupy Wall Street movement enters into its third week, it is arguably more powerful than ever before, as support groups spring up across the nation and in many international cities.
"To me, it's the collective frustration of a generation of people who have no future," said David Stephenson, an organizer of Occupy Charleston, WV.
Since Wednesday, Stephenson said his local Occupy movement Facebook page has gained 100 followers.
"At this point, we're gaining just as many people today if not more," he said.
Thanks in part to Occupy Together, a hub for the movements forming around the nation and in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street, it's easy for citizens to find ways to join a movement that is sharply critical of corporate wealth, among other things, at a grassroots level.
[SLIDESHOW: 'Occupy' protests take on corporate greed]
On Thursday afternoon, Occupy Together "meetups" could be found in 575 cities that stretched across the world to places as diverse as Athens, Greece, and Wellington, New Zealand.
Stephenson said he became involved in the movement because government has lost its focus. The political candidates and legislation backed by the most money win. Corporations are protected by the government, despite their lax ethics. Students are graduating tens of thousands of dollars in debt with no job prospects, and are unable to find work in their fields.
"The kind of change I would like to see is a government that represents the people," he said.
The original Occupy Wall Street protest in Manhattan increased its credibility Wednesday after thousands of union workers joined the ranks of dissatisfied protesters. The extra boost allowed the number of protesters to reach a peak level following the group's original descent on Wall Street on Sept. 17, according to media reports.
At least 15 unions were expected to participate in Wednesday afternoon's march from Foley Square to the Financial District, according to Occupy Wall Street's website. One of the unions, the Transport Workers Local 100, estimated on its website that participants numbered 10,000 strong.
[Click here to watch a livestream of the Occupy Wall Street protests.]
President Barack Obama acknowledged during a Thursday news conference plugging his jobs bill that he knew of the Occupy Wall Street movement; he had seen it on television.
"I think it expresses the frustration that the American people feel that we had the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression - huge collateral damage all throughout the country, all across Main Street - and yet you're still seeing some of the same folks who acted irresponsibly trying to fight efforts to crack down on abusive practices that got us into these problems in the first place," Obama said when questioned about the protests.
A common slogan of the group is, "We are the 99 percent," referring to the group's belief that the greed and corruption of the wealthiest American corporations and citizens, symbolized by Wall Street, can no longer be tolerated.
"I think the American people understand that not everybody's been following the rules, that Wall Street is an example of that," Obama said.
After four buses manned by Transport Workers Local 100 members were overtaken by police last Saturday and used to arrest protesters blocking traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge, unions rushed in earlier this week to voice solidarity with the movement, and pledged protesters, food and other supplies.
"While we battle it out day after day, month after month, the millionaires and billionaires on Wall Street sit by - untouched - and lecture us on the level of our sacrifice," said Larry Hanley, president of the Amalgated Transit Union International. "It's about time this happened."
In a news release issued Wednesday, Hanley also praised the Occupy Wall Street activists for exposing the corruption on Wall Street, and pledged the support of the entire 190,000-member union.
The Transport Workers Local 100 are hopeful the movement will have a lasting impact.
"We'd like to see it become a political movement," said Alan Shaply, director of publications for the union. "There's no doubt about that."
Shaply said the union would like to see an end to the costly Afghanistan war, a redistribution of incomes, more investment in mass transit, and the reintroduction of the so-called "millionaire's tax" in the New York State Assembly.
But where Shaply was specific, the Occupy Wall Street movement as a whole has not been, receiving hefty criticism from major news organizations and politicians. Initial press coverage seemed to mock the protesters.
"Occupy Wall Street, a diffuse and leaderless convocation of activists against greed, corporate influence, gross social inequality and other nasty byproducts of wayward capitalism not easily extinguishable by street theater, had hoped to see many thousands join its protest and encampment, which began Sept. 17. According to the group, 2,000 marched on the first day; news outlets estimated that the number was closer to several hundred."
- New York Times, Sept. 23.
Dr. Jeff Frieden, co-author of Lost Decades: The Making of America's Debt Crisis and the Long Recovery, said in an email that he still doesn't see serious media coverage of the event.
"Perhaps it's too soon to tell. I am not sure anyone knows what its specific demands are, but I think the general outline of their criticism - that the financial community is to blame for a lot of what has happened, and should be made to pay more to fix what it broke - is well worthy of serious attention from the media," said the Harvard University professor.
Still, there doesn't seem to be the potential for Occupy Wall Street to become a separate political party, as it is far from even the Democratic left wing and almost hostile to electoral politics, according to Frieden.
"Like the Tea Party, if it is going to have any broader impact it will have to develop a leadership; and if it is going to have any impact on policy it will have to work within the existing electoral and party structure," he said.
Those involved in the movement disagree. Stephenson said his home state has never been so quick to mobilize.
"In my opinion, I think it's something that's never been seen before," he said.
Copyright 2011 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
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From civil conversations to flag-burning protests, Republican delegates and protesters alike gathered near Cleveland's Public Square on Wednesday afternoon to make their voices heard before the Republican National Convention resumed at nearby Quicken Loans Arena.
California delegates Trisha Bowler and Felicia Tweedy walked along 4th Street decked out in red, white and blue head gear, glasses and buttons. Bowler called the convention experience "fabulous."
"We have the Secret Service so don't mess with us," Bowler said.
Security was tight throughout the city. Cleveland law enforcement, along with agencies from as far as California, worked the convention perimeter to ensure delegates, Clevelanders and visitors stay safe.
"The police officers are very friendly," said Tom West of Cleveland, who took the train downtown to enjoy a beer at the Tilted Kilt, a block from Public Square. "The barrier makes me feel safe. No car bombs can come through here. It's a nice secure feeling."
Alternate delegate Mike Paolella of Illinois wrapped up his RNC convention experience as "some inspiring, some silly and some comedy." The first-time attendee said he was looking forward to hearing Mike Pence speak and accept the vice presidential nomination Wednesday night.
In Public Square, hundreds of people gathered to amplify their cause, buy Trump t-shirts or enjoy the afternoon sun. Terry Kaye of Cleveland became the focal point of the gathering space as he stood holding a two-sided sign that read "Trump is the antichrist" and "The end is near thanks, GOP."
Kaye, who described himself as not political, and not a Trump, Obama nor Hillary fan, said he felt compelled to come out to speak up and do something ridiculous. So he wore white attire and flashed a peace sign as people walked up to him to take pictures with him.
"How preposterous, outrageous and unacceptable for the GOP to nominate a failed businessman and bad actor," Kaye said.
Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA of Lemont, Illinois, stood in the square with a megaphone chastising big government and socialism. He says he is neither pro Trump nor pro Hillary, but he got in a heated exchange with Daryle Lamont Jenkins from One Peoples Project of Philly about government's role.
"There are more cops here per square inch than anywhere in America," said Kirk. "Outside it's much more peaceful than I expected. Police are allowing free speech to happen."
"When you hear something that just isn't right, you have to say something to upstage them," said Jenkins. "It's a troll convention. Every single troll you are yelling at on the internet are here today."
Just next to the disagreement between Kirk and Jenkins, Sarah Wellington of New York City quietly positioned an expansive installation of words in white type on black boards across the square reading, "We Will Not Be Silent."
Crowds poured down Prospect Avenue near the Tilted Kilt to get a look at the commotion happening near a convention entrance. A flag burning and protest was halted by police on bicycles and horseback who pushed the crowd back. The protesters assumed a sitting position on the ground as police got it under control. Seventeen people were arrested - 15 on misdemeanor charges and two on felony charges for attacking a police officer.
West said he enjoyed coming to the Tilted Kilt downtown with the out-of-towners, noting that GOP convention is a much smaller crowd than the Cavaliers victory parade, where more than one million people flooded the downtown streets.
"I'd hate to jinx everything," West said, "but Cleveland is a peaceful town."


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California Department of Transportation
Date: August 6, 2013
District: 4 - Oakland
Contact: Bob Haus
Phone: (510) 286-5576
OAKLAND – The California Transportation Commission today announced it has funded $487 million for 82 construction projects to improve transportation, safety, and mobility across California.
"The California Transportation Commission is taking action to improve transportation, safety, and mobility from Del Norte to San Diego County," said California Transportation Agency Secretary Brian Kelly. "These construction projects put people to work and improve the quality of life for millions of Californians."
California is investing in transportation infrastructure to support regional job growth and improve the state's mobility for years to come," said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty.
The allocations include $169 million from Proposition 1B, a 2006 voter-approved transportation bond. To date, more than $16 billion in Proposition 1B funds have been put to work statewide. The remaining $318 million in allocations today came from various state and federal transportation accounts.
Highlights of the funding allocations include:
- $35,412,000, including $15,500,000 in Proposition 1B bond funds, to build a new two lane connector ramp from westbound Interstate 80 to westbound State Highway 12 in Solano County, and to reconstruct the Interstate 80/Green Valley Road Interchange;
- $10,578,000 to replace the Laguna de Santa Rosa Bridge on Highway 12 in Sebastopol;
- $2,936,000 to construct left turn pockets and wider shoulders on State Highway 12 in Rio Vista, Solano County.
For information about all projects that received allocations today please see the attached file.
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Minnaert, FOX Sports document baseball trip to DR
MILWAUKEE -- The plan was to get in, shoot some video and get out of Carlos Gomez's old grade school before the All-Star Brewers outfielder was recognized.
The plan quickly fell apart, and the resulting mayhem was the highlight of one reporter's two-week journey to the baseball-crazed Dominican Republic.
MILWAUKEE -- The plan was to get in, shoot some video and get out of Carlos Gomez's old grade school before the All-Star Brewers outfielder was recognized.
The plan quickly fell apart, and the resulting mayhem was the highlight of one reporter's two-week journey to the baseball-crazed Dominican Republic.
"We call baseball America's pastime, but I don't know," Sophia Minnaert said, "Baseball in the Dominican is at a whole different level."
In a joint venture between FOX Sports Wisconsin, which televises Brewers games, and FOX Sports North, which covers the Twins, Minnaert traveled throughout the Dominican in November with coordinating producer Trevor Fleck and camera operators Ralph Gasow and Dan Truebenbach, compiling more than 50 hours of video currently being converted into six half-hour specials and a series of shorter features that will air in the coming months.
FOX is producing special programs about each club's Dominican academy, in addition to specials about Brewers All-Stars Gomez and Jean Segura, and Twins prospect Miguel Sano and Minnesota's Dominican middle infield tree. Minnaert also spent a day apiece at academies run by the Braves, Indians and Tigers for shorter features to air during those teams' broadcasts.
"It's something that FOX has wanted to do for a long time," said Minnaert, a social media specialist and sideline reporter for FS Wisconsin for the past two seasons. "But it needed to be the perfect storm, of the stories being there and the timing being right."
This fall, the timing was right, with Gomez and Segura on the heels of All-Star seasons for the Brewers, and Sano generating so much interest in Twins country.
As a bonus, FOX found itself with the right reporter to pull off the trip.
Minnaert, a 2009 graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee, is the daughter of a football coach from the Midwest and a mother born in Costa Rica. They met after Sylvia's older brother, Tony, spent his senior year of high school with the Minnearts as a foreign exchange student in Annawan, Ill. When Alan visited Costa Rica after graduation he met Sylvia, and their relationship continued by mail.
Sophia grew up speaking both English and Spanish, and immersed in sports. Her dad is the head football coach at Edgewood High School in Madison, and Sophia was his unofficial team manager. She would eavesdrop on his postgame media interviews, then read the story in the newspaper the following morning and ask more questions based on Alan's answers.
"I think it was my grandfather who finally said, 'You know, you can do that for a job,'" Sophia said.
So she went to Marquette and majored in journalism and Spanish. After graduating in 2009, Minnaert worked for a high school sports production company in Madison and made connections with FOX Sports Wisconsin, which televises the state football tournament.
In May 2012, FS Wisconsin hired Minnaert to manage their social media. She did not appear on air until the end of August, but her profile quickly grew, and Minnaert was also visible during Milwaukee Bucks telecasts that winter. In 2013, her role grew further, and she regularly served as the field reporter for Brewers broadcasts.
"We wanted to give an accurate portrayal of what baseball is like in the Dominican," Minnaert said. "We came home with a completely different perspective of who these guys are, where they come from, and what they went through long before they got to the U.S. and became the players they are today. We were able to see them in their natural element with their families."
The trip was bookended by two-day visits with Segura and Gomez, two highlights of an otherwise tough 2013 Brewers season.
Segura was born and raised in San Juan de la Maguana, in the western part of the Dominican Republic near the Haitian border. He picked up Minnaert and a cameraman at the hotel, a practice that would continue in later visits with Sano in San Pedro de Macoris and Gomez in Santiago.
"We put a GoPro mini-camera on his car and had him take us on a driving tour of his city," Minnaert said. "He showed us all of the main sites, where he played dominoes, where he went to school. We know a lot of the fans watching haven't been to these places, so it was important to us to have an accurate portrayal of what the place looks like, what it sounds like."
Fans will meet all four of Segura's grandparents and get a cooking lesson from Segura, whose family still supplements its income by making candy. Minnaert visited the sandlot where Segura grew up playing baseball and still trains, and met his uncle -- Oscar Antonio Encarnacion -- who was a former sprinter, denied by injury a chance to compete in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
"That's who Jean does his training with, and when we visited there were at least 30 other kids there, all just recently signed or trying to get signed," Minnaert said. "It was fascinating to see Jean interact with them, and just to see the fields where he played. It's nothing like we think of a baseball field in the U.S. It's all-dirt infield, patchy grass, bad hops everywhere.
"[Segura] was genuinely excited to show us all of this stuff, so that made it really fun."
The next subject was also a young infielder, Sano, the Twins' No. 2 prospect according to MLB.com. The 20-year-old had been playing in the Dominican Winter League before an elbow injury cut short his season.
Minnaert spent a full day with Sano in San Pedro de Macoris, interviewing Sano's mother, father and sister at a family home so full of animals -- including Sano's pet monkey -- that Minnaert described it as a "petting zoo."
When it came time to record a sit-down interview, FOX faced a choice: English or Spanish? It chose Sano's first language.
"For his introduction to Twins fans, we wanted it to be comfortable and natural," Minnaert said. "People are so looking forward to his debut. When is it going to be? What is he going to do? He's a big part of the future of that organization, so we went back and forth about how to [present it] -- how much English, how much Spanish."
The Brewers' and Twins' academies were nearby, and they were the next stops.
The Twins had 30 players at their academy in Boca Chica when Minnaert visited, and the Brewers were hosting 41 players at their facility near San Pedro de Macoris. At each, the day began as early as 6 a.m. and ended late, with on-field work followed by classroom work in languages, finance and culture. The young men at the teams' academies are generally aged 16-20.
"My favorite part of the whole academy experience was sitting in on their English classes," Minnaert said. "That's where I think you start to see differences in the approach of different teams. What is valuable to them?
All of which led to her and a FOX Sports crew boarding a flight to the Dominican Republic.
"They are also trying to develop these kids as baseball players, but also recognizing that for a long time players were having a really difficult time adjusting to the language barrier and cultural differences. You can't just ignore that. To me, it was interesting to see what teams are doing to prepare kids for that change."
Gomez made that adjustment years ago with the Mets, then moved to Minnesota and Milwaukee, where he is finally making the most of his natural talent. Minnaert, Fleck, Gasow and Truebenbach capped their trip by exploring Gomez's humble beginnings.
Gomez gives much of the credit to his father, Carlos Sr., a regular around Miller Park during the regular season, who will finally get some camera time during the FOX specials. Carlos Sr. was a good baseball player in his own right, playing professionally in the D.R., but he never made it to the U.S.
"Some people say his dad was better than Carlos, and so there's this running competition between them," Minnaert said. "Even today, his dad will say, 'You know, I'm a better baseball player.' It was funny to watch that dynamic."
The interviews filled up the first day of FOX's visit with Gomez. Day 2 brought a tour of Santiago, including monuments to the city's best ballplayers and a school visit that was carefully planned.
"He told me, 'We need to go to the school between this time and this time, because I don't want to be there when the kids get out of school,'" Minnaert said. "But as soon as we got to the school, and the kids realized he was there, I'm not exaggerating when I say that kids came running out of their rooms into the hallways, screaming and cheering and chanting and wanting autographs and pictures. The kids went crazy. It was mayhem, to be honest, but it was so cool to see."
It was the enduring moment of a memorable trip.
"We're going to have a hard time getting all of it into half hour shows," Minaert said.
Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brew Beat, and follow him on Twitter at @AdamMcCalvy.


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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Feb. 19, 2005) - The East Tennessee State University men's basketball team made it three wins in a row inside Memorial Center, but the Austin Peay Governors did not make it easy.
Despite shooting 73 percent from the floor in the first half and holding a 55-32 lead at the intermission, the Buccaneers fell victim to Austin Peay's relentless full court pressure in the second half and the Governors rallied in the final 10 minutes of the game only to fall 85-81 in front of 4,144 fans on ESPN's Bracket Buster Saturday.
"It was a good win, but I'm glad it's over," said ETSU head coach Murry Bartow. "I'm glad there wasn't any time left. Austin Peay has won six of their last eight games and they showed a lot of fight out there. Now we've won three in a row and have a little momentum going into Monday's game against
The Bucs, now 9-16 overall, roared out to an early lead thanks to the hot outside shooting of players like senior guard James Anthony (
However, in the second half, the Austin Peay defense picked up the pressure and the ETSU offense wilted. Methoically, the Governors created turnovers and easy baskets, and when the Bucs' inside duo of junior forward Dillion Sneed (Chicago) and freshman forward Andrew Reed (Port Richey, Fla.) both fouled out late in the game, Austin Peay exploited the Bucs on the inside with several easy shots in the paint. In the end, the Governors cut the lead to three points at 84-81 on a 3-pointer by Anthony Davis and had the ball with 20 seconds remaining in the game. However, ETSU's pressure caused guard Levi Carmichael to turn the ball over and the Bucs hit 1-of-2 foul shots to ice the win.
For the game, ETSU shot 57 percent from the floor and 55 percent from 3-point range, while also out-rebounding the Governors 38-37. Both teams struggled at the foul line, with the Bucs hitting at just 50 percent and Austin Peay connecting on 65 percent of its shots from the foul line.
ETSU was led in scoring by Smith, who posted a game-high 29 points, while Anthony posted 24 points and Sneed grabbed 10 rebounds.
For Austin Peay, Zac Schlader had a team-high 27 points, while Maurice Hampton collected 24 points and Anthony Davis added 18. William Durden pitched in 12 rebounds.
The Bucs will return to action on Monday night as they host Southern Conference rival


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Cespedes welcomes chance to defend Derby crown
OAKLAND -- The reigning Home Run Derby champ is back for more.
As expected, Oakland's Yoenis Cespedes has officially been invited to defend his 2013 title, to which he says, "I'm very happy, and I'm going to do my best to defend my crown."View Full Game Coverage
OAKLAND -- The reigning Home Run Derby champ is back for more.
As expected, Oakland's Yoenis Cespedes has officially been invited to defend his 2013 title, to which he says, "I'm very happy, and I'm going to do my best to defend my crown."View Full Game Coverage
The Cuban slugger will have some stiff competition, including fellow countryman Yasiel Puig, along with the imposing Giancarlo Stanton.
National League captain Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Frazier round out the Senior Circuit, while American League captain Jose Bautista selected Adam Jones and Brian Dozier to join Cespedes at Target Field for the Gillette Home Run Derby, beginning at 5 p.m. PT on Monday night on ESPN.
"I saw the names," Cespedes said. "I'm going to do my best."
"It was so entertaining last year, and whenever you get an opportunity to do that as a player, I certainly understand that," manager Bob Melvin said. "You can't help but be a little nervous about that, and I think that's the case with any organization that has a player in it. But at the end of the day it is a very entertaining event, and the fact that he won it last year, gave us a little more exposure, probably not a bad thing. You just hope nobody gets hurt."
There is one unclaimed spot in each league, and the A's Josh Donaldson remains an option for the AL side. Those announcements will come Thursday.
Cespedes, who entered Tuesday's game with 14 homers, is attempting to become the Derby's first back-to-back winner since Ken Griffey Jr. (1998-99). He'll have A's infield coach Mike Gallego throwing to him again -- "He throws it at the speed I want and at the height I want," he said -- and plans to "hit every one I can."
"What I learned from last year is to be patient and look for a good pitch to hit," Cespedes said through an interpreter. "That's what I'm going to do this year."
Cespedes sustained a left wrist injury shortly after last year's Derby and was held out of four straight games out of the break, bringing to question the physical effects of such an event -- a common reason why several players opt out of it.
But Cespedes' second-half numbers last year ultimately proved much better than his first-half figures, and the A's left the decision to return to the Derby up to him.
"There is a lot of torque in his swing," said Melvin, "and whether or not it was just one swing after that that affected it, or if it was affected during the Home Run Derby -- I would say probably not, based on the fact that when he first came back it wasn't a problem, it just popped up right after that."
A new format has been installed, as the five players from each league will receive seven outs instead of the usual 10 in the first round. The player who hits the most homers in each league will receive an automatic bye to the third round (semifinals). The next two players from each league with the most homers will square off against one another in a head-to-head matchup in the second round (seven outs), with the two winners advancing to the semifinals against the league's top seed (again, with seven outs).
The final round will also consist of seven outs, and, if necessary, the first tiebreaker would allow each of the two remaining participants three swings apiece.
If you can't wait for the actual Derby, the MLB.com Home Run Derby mobile game is a good way to immerse yourself in the action immediately, with Target Field serving as the setting. The game is available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play. New for 2014 is Multiplayer Derby Mode, Achievements and Objectives.
Jane Lee is a reporter for MLB.com. Read her blog, Major Lee-ague, and follow her on Twitter @JaneMLB. Aaron Leibowitz is an associate reporter for MLB.com.


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Maroon 5, Jeremy Renner + Fred Armisen Are Action Stars in New 'SNL' Promo
Maroon 5 pretend to be action stars in a new promo for 'Saturday Night Live' featuring host Jeremy Renner and cast member Fred Armisen. Renner hosts this weekend's episode, while M5 take the stage as the musical guest.
In the first scene in the promo, Armisen tells Renner, star of 'The Bourne Legacy' and 'The Avengers,' that since he appears in action films, everyone should strike an action pose. While Renner, Adam Levine and the rest of M5 clench their fists, ready to fight, Armisen strikes a model pose and sports a huge grin. "Who are you?," Renner asks. Armisen replies, "Captain Pin-Up!"
The other two scenes feature Armisen inviting the band over to his house for Thanksgiving — the catch is, they have to do all the cooking — and making Levine uncomfortable by repeatedly referencing 'The Voice' in front of his bandmates. Hopefully the show will be funnier than the promos, because these are actually kinda lame.
What's not lame is Maroon 5's success with 'Overexposed,' which has yielded the No. 2 hit 'Payphone' and the current smash 'One More Night,' which has been at No. 1 for nine weeks now.
We're betting the band will perform its new single 'Daylight' on the show, given that Levine called it his favorite song on the album. We also wonder if there are any plans for a 'Voice' sketch in which Levine might appear. Find out Saturday night at 11:30 pm ET on NBC.


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How To Claim Windscreen Damages From Your Insurance Provider
A vehicle's windscreen is one of its most vital exterior parts as it provides visibility to drivers which keep them alert, aware and safe on the road. Vehicle owners take a lot of care in ensuring that their windscreen is clean, clear and fully functional at all times. However, because of their significant exposure, windscreens are prone to a lot of damage from not just road accidents, but extreme weather conditions such as hailstorms, strong winds and sometimes thunders. A lot of vehicle owners frequently contemplate adding the windscreen damage cover extra to their existing motor vehicle insurance plan for this reason, and many of them already go ahead and take the plunge. Here is how to claim windscreen damage on your motor vehicle insurance cover:
If you are looking for a reliable windscreen repair company look no further than Novus, we specialise in windscreen repairs and Car Windscreen Replacement. Our mobile windscreen repair service is available to come to you at your home or workplace. Novus Autoglass partner with NRMA Insurance to provide windscreen repair and windscreen replacement services. To check if your covered or to lodge a claim call NRMA windscreen insurance direct on 1300 180 591 and nominate as your preferred supplier.
The first step is to look at the product disclosure scheme of your motor vehicle insurance policy to see if it covers for windscreen damage. A lot of providers do add windscreen cover by default whilst others do not do so. If your current motor vehicle insurance policy does not cover for windscreen damage, then you may wish to add that extra depending on a number of factors. Consider what type of roads you normally drive on. If you frequently drive off road, on four wheel drives, travel interstate by road and park your vehicle overground frequently, your windscreen may be more susceptible to damage, which may make getting the windscreen extra a worthwhile investment. It also depends on the current market value and the make and model of your vehicle and the cost of the extra relative to your premium payment.
Next, obtain a quote for damages and estimated costs by a reputed and professional windscreen specialist company. Yellow Pages, social media, word of mouth and websites such as www.oneflare.com.au gives you a list of well-known windscreen companies depending on your location.
You now need to evaluate the costs of various options. If the cost of repairing the windscreen damages as per the quote is almost the same as the excess on your insurance policy, you may or may not choose to lodge a claim with your insurance company. Lodging a claim may impact your no claim bonus which may increase your premium thereafter. However, if the damages and costs are significantly higher than your excess, then it is worth lodging a claim.
Once you have lodged a claim with your motor vehicle insurance company, they will refer you to their recommended partner windscreen repairers who will take care of your repairs. You can also opt to choose your own windscreen repairer, pay the cost of repairs and claim it back from your insurance company.
If you are looking for a reliable windscreen repair company look no further than Novus AutoGlass, we specialise in windscreen repairs and windscreen replacement.