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Lausanne Global Analysis seeks to deliver strategic and credible information and insight from an international network of evangelical analysts to equip influencers of global mission. Browse all the past issues of the LGA using the links below. You may also subscribe to email alerts to be notified as soon as new issues of the LGA are published. Read More
Articles in the Lausanne Global Analysis represent a diversity of viewpoints within the bounds of our foundational documents (The Lausanne Covenant, The Manila Manifesto, and The Cape Town Commitment). The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the personal viewpoints of Lausanne Movement leaders or networks. The publication process is overseen by the LGA Editorial Advisory Board. Inquiries regarding the Lausanne Global Analysis may be addressed to [email protected].


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View Calendar
February 7, 2020 9:00 PM - February 8, 2020 1:00 AM
Brian Gaffney singer/songwriter was born in Tralee, County Kerry. Youngest of 4 kids, Brian didn't take long to pick up a love of music from his older brothers.
By age 13, Brian was playing in pubs around Kerry with accordion player Kevin Cronin. They formed a band in Christian Brothers School and won the all Ireland "Slogadh" in 1974.
Brian played all kinds of music, to include traditional Irish music and rock 'n roll and found his nitch as a solo performer.

subset: commoncrawl


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Joe Gordon has been promoted to senior vice president of supply chain at SpenDifference, a chain restaurant purchasing cooperative.
Gordon, who joined SpenDifference earlier this year, has more than 18 years of experience in his field. Most recently, he was vice president of supply chain management for Noodles & Company, the fast-casual restaurant chain headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado.
Before that, he was senior supply chain category and program manager for Wendy's International in Columbus, Ohio.
"Joe's holistic approach to purchasing and supply chain management makes him very valuable to our clients as they look for every possible way to be more efficient and save money," says Maryanne Rose, SpenDifference president and CEO.
In his new role, Gordon is responsible for all aspects of operations, purchasing, and distribution, as well as client services.
"Chain restaurant purchasing co-ops are the wave of the future," he says. "To compete with larger chains, emerging and mid-size restaurant companies need the unique expertise and buying power that we offer. With restaurant sales improving, this is a very exciting time to help our clients grow."
Gordon, a certified purchasing manager, has an MBA from Colorado State University and a bachelor's degree in production and operations management from Ohio State University.
The five times weekly e-newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on the latest industry news and additions to this website.


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Parents, the login above will allow you to access your student's reports and manage family and student information. Please contact your student's teacher or school secretary for your Online ID and Online Password.
The online student report is provided by Small School Minder and the information is maintained by your student's teacher. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this information please contact your student's teacher.


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Here's some news that I know will come as a terrible shock to longtime readers: no one knows how to make fat people permanently thin. Or even less fat.
Dieting doesn't work in the long term and often makes you fatter. WLS can kill you, in addition to other unpleasant side effects, and as with diets, there's a good chance you'll eventually gain it all back. "Lifestyle changes" are diets, even if you don't like that word. Nobody sets out to lose weight temporarily, then end up fatter than ever within a few years. But that's what happens to nearly everyone who makes a "lifestyle change" (without developing an eating disorder), because our bodies just aren't interested in cooperating with our desire to be thin.
Despite all the billions of dollars that have been put into trying to figure this one out, still, no one knows how to make fat people permanently thin.
Wait, haven't we covered this before? Why, yes. Yes, we have.
But in the latest fatosphere kerfuffle, I've seen lots of comments that essentially say one of two things:
- Not everyone who wants to lose weight wants to be thin! Not everyone's doing it for vanity! People who have noble reasons for wanting to lose weight, or who only want to get less fat instead of thin shouldn't be discouraged!
- Fat acceptance activists never want to acknowledge that some people are so fat it really does compromise their health! Some people need to lose weight, and dieting/WLS is right for them!
No. It just doesn't work that way.
We don't know how to bring about permanent weight loss safely for people who'd like to drop "the last 10 lbs." or for people who are so fat their quality of life actually is compromised by fat itself. That was the whole point of Mariellen's post. (Well, maybe not the whole point, but a big one.) She's dieted and dieted and dieted. She's had WLS, and it failed. She is still fat, and the fat is one cause of her mobility issues. In her case — as opposed to that of an average fat person, for whom being fully mobile and active is entirely possible — losing weight might theoretically alleviate some of her physical problems. But unfortunately, there is still no proven, safe way to make her — or anyone else — permanently thinner.
It is not merely a political belief that fat people, no matter how fat or how encumbered by it, will most likely not benefit in the long term from trying to lose weight. It's reality. When it comes to extremely fat people who are suffering physically, it's a terribly sad reality. But it's still what's shown by every single study (not that there are many) that follows up with dieters 5 years later, and by reams of anecdotal evidence: restricting calories and increasing exercise will not make you permanently thin. As for WLS, it seems to make some people thinner longer than dieting will, but at what price? It kills people outright, and makes others' quality of life so horrible they commit suicide. It causes devastating permanent side effects in many people, and many others gain the weight back anyway. It absolutely does not qualify as a safe or proven method for making fat people permanently thin.
As it stands now, there is simply no such thing.
So it doesn't matter what anyone's reasons are for wanting to lose weight. It doesn't matter if there's a strong argument to be made that losing weight really would decrease someone's suffering. It doesn't matter if someone only wants to get down to 300 lbs. from 400, or only wants to lose enough weight to take the pressure off her knees, or only wants to lose weight because he's been told it will lower his cholesterol/blood pressure/blood sugar. No one knows how to make it happen permanently, without the risk of grievous harm.
That's why I am anti-WLS and anti-dieting. Because the reality is, those are not useful solutions, and in many cases, they're harmful — even deadly — solutions.
I don't judge individuals who resort to those options, because A) we all have a right to determine what happens with our own bodies, and B) there are no real fucking solutions for extremely fat people who are suffering.
But there's a big difference between saying, "Yeah, I understand why you're doing this, all things considered, and I've got my fingers crossed for you," and "It's not right for me, but it might be right for YOU!" My refusal to judge people who diet or undergo WLS is not about relativism. It is, once again, about reality: when there are no good options, you take whatever seems to be the best of a poor lot. I can understand and respect that. I can support people who make the decision to try something known to fail, even known to kill, when they have no real fucking options to improve their quality of life.
But from a political standpoint, what we need to be working toward are more and better options for suffering fat people, not quieting those who say dieting and WLS are shitty fucking options no matter how good your reasons for wanting to lose weight. Those people — and I am absolutely one of them, if you hadn't noticed — are just acknowledging what all the evidence tells us, not trying to burst anyone's bubble or condemn people to lifelong pain because we want to keep everyone as fat as possible. If I could wave a magic wand and take 100 lbs. off Mariellen's arthritic joints forever, I'd do it in a heartbeat. But I can't. And no doctor or diet can, either.
What that means is, we need to stop thinking in terms of who "needs" to lose weight and start thinking in terms of helping fat people. As I just said over at Mariellen's place, saying "Some people need to lose weight!" is like saying, "Paralyzed people need to walk!" Yeah, if you're paralyzed, walking would probably improve your quality of life. And if your fat causes you chronic pain and mobility issues, losing weight would probably improve your quality of life. But in both cases, wishing for a particular outcome doesn't make it so. And yet, in only one of those cases does the medical community acknowledge that a patient deserves to be treated as-is when the ideal theoretical outcome is clearly out of reach.
If the gazillions of dollars being poured into weight loss research ever turn up something that will really help suffering fat people lose weight permanently, without the risk of death or disability — and, importantly, if it turns out that losing weight really does help those people physically — I will get right behind that. I will plug that shit every chance I get. I will still advocate as strongly and loudly as possible for fat acceptance and Health at Every Size, because for most of us, being fat is not, in itself, a health problem. But if they ever come up with a way to make people like Heidi and Mariellen feel better via weight loss? You can bet your sweet, fat ass I will amend my position to "Yes, sometimes, for some people, weight loss IS the answer."
Problem is, gazillions of dollars and decades of research haven't turned up a safe, reliable method for permanent weight loss. With the methods we have right now, trying to lose weight is usually counterproductive at best and lethal at worst, with a whole continuum of yucky outcomes in between — and only a tiny handful of positive outcomes, ever. That is just not fucking good enough. If a given drug only worked for less than 10% of people who took it, and in the other 90+% it A) ultimately did the opposite of what it was supposed to do, B) caused long-term damage to people's organs, and C) oh yeah, killed people, would that drug still be on the market? Fuck no. So why, given the astonishing failure rates and side effects of the only known weight loss methods today, do doctors keep prescribing weight loss as a goddamned cure-all for fat people?
THAT is a problem for fat acceptance activists to address. And that is why many of us say that pro-dieting and pro-WLS talk has no place in fat acceptance circles. It's not because we think being thin is a crime, or that the desire to be thinner, for any number of reasons, is at all difficult to understand. It's because the methods we currently have for losing weight DON'T FUCKING WORK, and yet both society in general and the medical community insist that we must keep trying those things again, again, again, again — and they will acknowledge neither our human dignity nor our legitimate health problems until somehow, someday, we make this thing that works for practically NO ONE work for us.
Since finding the fat acceptance movement and learning about Health at Every Size, Mariellen's started doing some seated exercises and some yoga. She is trying to build strength and flexibility, trying to do something to feel better in her body the way it is, because after being failed time and again by dieting, WLS, and doctors, she knows that right now, permanent weight loss is simply not a fucking option. All she can do is work with the body she's got.
Wouldn't it be nice if her doctors felt the same way — if, you know, they'd made some suggestions about how to exercise with a fat body and limited mobility, instead of just telling her to have WLS again, after it failed spectacularly for her AND she lost her best friend to it? Wouldn't it be nice if all our doctors recognized our bodies as our bodies, instead of refusing to treat us properly until we go out and get entirely different bodies? Wouldn't it be nice if they looked for any other cause of various health problems besides fat, whenever they see fat people? And if they're not going to recognize causes other than fat, and not going to stop insisting that weight loss is the ideal, wouldn't it be nice if they acknowledged that none of the currently available methods for weight loss WORK in the long run, and until we have one that does, maybe we need to, you know, think outside the fucking box?
I think that would be awfully nice, myself. And I think that should be a major goal of the fat acceptance movement. And I also think we should absolutely embrace those who are stuck between a rock and a hard place trying to get decent medical care as fat people.
But that doesn't mean dieting and WLS are "right for some people," or that there's a better chance of them working for people in desperate circumstances than there is for those who just want to lose weight for superficial reasons. What it means is, things suck for fat people trying to get decent health care right now, and especially for very fat people who are in pain. What it means is, a lot of people end up with their fat backs against the wall, and it would be an egregious failure of both compassion and reason to treat them as if they're simply making a free choice between a good option and a bad one.
But dieting and WLS are still not good solutions for "some people." They are lousy fucking solutions for everyone. They don't work, and they hurt people. Period. This is not a "what's right for my body may not be right for yours" thing. So few people experience the desired long-term outcome from dieting or WLS that recommending them to anyone, let alone acting as if there's a single good reason to believe they should work for everyone, ought to be considered the height of irresponsibility among medical professionals.
And among fat acceptance activists, there should be no dissent on this point. There will be, and there always has been, but there shouldn't be. Because if you believe that in the big picture, dieting and WLS do not bring about the long-term results they're supposed to, and are far more likely to do harm than good — as you damn well should believe, if you're a reasonable person who's looked at the evidence — then there is no one for whom those things are a good option. There are people for whom they're understandable options, people for whom they seem like the only viable options. But dieting and WLS don't magically become good options just because someone has a really outstanding reason for wanting to lose weight. The failure rate doesn't magically drop just because someone's extremely fat. The terrible side effects don't disappear because someone's in pain. The risk of death isn't diminished because someone can't walk across a room.
Dieting and WLS are plain lousy options for everyone, and we should be outraged that they are still the first and often only solutions fat people are offered when they seek medical attention. Embracing people who have gone those routes for one reason or another does not have to mean affirming those options as "good" or "right," ever. They're just not. Even if they work, they're still not "good" or "right" in the big picture. Given the near 100% likelihood of failure and the possibility of long-term damage and death associated with them, we cannot lose sight of this simple truth: these are terrible fucking options, and we deserve better.


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Gallup has released its list of "Most Admired Woman and Most Admired Man" living anywhere in the world, and for the 11th year in a row, Hillary Clinton tops the list of women, while Barack Obama is the most admired man for the fifth year in a row.
Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivers a speech "Frontlines and Frontiers: Making Human Rights a Human Reality" at Dublin City University in Ireland in this file photo from Dec. 6, 2012.
First Lady Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Condoleezza Rice are next behind Clinton.
Behind Obama are Nelson Mandela, Mitt Romney, Billy Graham, George W. Bush and Pope Benedict XVI.
The "Most Admired Man" poll began in 1946 and was expanded to include "Most Admired Woman" in 1948.
Clinton has topped the list 17 times in the last 20 years, starting in 1993. Eleanor Roosevelt comes in second as the most "Most Admired Woman," a designation she gained 13 times.
Dwight Eisenhower was the "Most Admired Man" 12 times, the most for any man, followed by Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, who each had eight first-place finishes.
The results are based on a Gallup poll taken from Dec 19 to 22nd.


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Dottoro Studio is one of the most feature-rich WordPress themes on the market. It provides an extremely flexible framework for the quick and simple creation of any type of website. Custom post types, widget areas, subheaders, slideshows, 80+ shortcodes, 400+ theme options and so much more.
Dottoro Studio is a basic version of the Dottoro Theme. It does not support all features of the Dottoro Theme, but it provides an additional option, as you are able to choose from 3 theme designs. See Feature Comparison for details.
Key Features
Custom Post Types
In addition to the Blog post type, the theme provides two further post types: News and Portfolio. Tags and categories are post type dependent and you can assign a different permalink structure to every post type, so you have the ability to completely separate post, tag and category pages of different post types. The search page and several widgets support post type selection, e.g. the Recent Post widgets allows you to display only news, but you can also set it to post type independent mode.
Extended and Additional Widgets
The theme helps you to create your own website not only with the additional widgets, but it also improved the standard WordPress widgets with extended options and features. Several widgets are skinnable, allow you to select an image to use as a list-item marker and support post types.
Additional widgets are:
- Author Testimonial
- Connects Menu
- Contact Form
- Contact Info
- Flickr Photos
- Google Maps
- Latest Tweets
- Navigation Bar
- Popular Posts
- Recent Posts (an improved one and a brand new one)
- Related Posts
- Slideshow
- Tabbed Widgets
Custom Widget Areas
The theme provides several predefined widget areas, but you have the ability to create as many custom widget areas as you want. You can edit the layout of widgets in each widget area with an easy to use wizard and you can attach widget areas to the sidebars and footers on every page of your site. Additionally, shortcodes allow you to insert custom widget areas into the contents and subheaders of pages as well.
Custom Subheaders
Custom subheaders make your website more attractive to visitors. You can have different content in the subheaders on every page of your site. The theme provides a couple of useful ready-made templates but you can always create your own custom subheaders. The contents of the subheaders can be edited the same way as the contents of pages and posts.
Widespread support for creating and displaying slideshows.
You can create and edit your slideshows in a wizard similar to the WordPress menu editor.
The contents of slides can be edited the same way as the contents of posts and pages, and you can also use shortcodes in them.
You can set background and pagination images and add any number of layers to every slide.
A layer is timed content that can appear and disappear with an animation.
Sliders support several transition effects.
Thanks to the slideshow widget and shortcode, sliders may appear not only on the homepage, but anywhere on any page.
Dottoro Gallery
In addition to the default WordPress gallery, you can create different galleries for every post and page. Dottoro Gallery is more widely customizable than the default WordPress gallery. It lets you create image and video galleries, including Flash, Youtube and Vimeo videos. The galleries are presented with the use of an image viewer application that displays the images in an attractive manner to your visitors.
Page Templates
Several options are supported for each page regardless of its template. These options are: sidebar position, additional sidebar and footer widget areas, body css class, subheader specific options and some other ones.
With the sidebar position option you can set the position of the sidebar (or remove the sidebar) on any page separately, so there is no need Sidebar Left, Sidebar Right and Full Width templates.
Moreover, every page template supports page specific options. For example, for Blog, News and Portfolio pages, you can specify the number of visible posts per page, the number of posts in a row, the categories should be displayed on the page, the size and aligment of thumbnails and much more.
List of templates:
- Default Template
- Blog template
- News template
- Portfolio and Imagefolio templates
- Contact template
- Archives template
- Authors template
- Bookmarks template
- Sitemap template
80+ Shortcodes
Shortcodes enable you to place a high variety of components (buttons, tables, tabs, tooltips, etc.), post lists, widget areas, widgets, slideshows, media galleries, videos and other content on your pages. Nested shortcodes are also supported in the theme. You can also apply skins to the majority of shortcodes. This feature enables you to customize the appearance of the displayed elements without bothering with codes and web programming.
Menu Animations
AJAX Pagination
Portfolio pages support AJAX pagination and several paging animation.
Localization Ready
Includes two .mo and two .po files (admin language resources are separated) so you can easily translate the theme to your language.
Version 1.5 – 27 Nov 2012
Post thumbnails disappear when upgrading the theme. Please go to Theme Options > General > Upgrade Fix after you updated your theme and click on the Fix Post Thumbnails button.
- Fixed: lightbox behind the content on Chrome
- Added: new options for browsing filters on Portfolio pages: "Show All filter", "Show child categories as filters"
- Added: browsing filters can appear on portfolio category pages if the category has child categories
- Added: new options under Theme Options > General: "Show scroll to top button", "qTranslate Compatibility"
Version 1.4 – 13 Jun 2012
Important changes you need to know!
If you use a child theme, you should read the following lines:
- The loading mechanism of stylesheets has been changed in the theme. To avoid duplicated stylesheets, please remove the @import rule from the style.css file of your child theme that loads the style.css file of the Dottoro Studio theme. For details, please see Important Changes in Studio Theme 1.4.
- CSS classes for news and portfolio items have been renamed to make them consistent with blog posts. Please rename them in the style.css file of your child theme to make them compatible with the latest theme version. More info: renamed CSS classes.
- Fixed: invalid input button height in Firefox
- Fixed: gallery does not appear in subheader
- Fixed: google maps marker is not centered after resize
- Added: new options for galleries: autoplay, play interval.
- Added: new CSS classes for post, news and portfolio lists.
Version 1.3 – 25 May 2012
Some settings may be lost when upgrading the theme. Please go to Theme Options > General > Upgrade Fix after you updated your theme and follow the instructions.
- Fixed: some attributes of the post_list, news_list and portfolio_list shortcodes don't work
- Fixed: custom post types cause conflicts with some plugins
- Added: several new attributes for post_list, news_list and portfolio_list shortcodes
- Added: new options for Blog, News pages: post titles can be hidden, excerpt length for posts without thumbnail, sorting order (for Portfolio and Imagefolio pages, too)
- Added: menus highlight the category and the matching page on post pages
- Added: new options for breadcrumb
- Added: a new shortcode: breadcrumb
- Added: post css class option that allows you to style posts on post list pages separately
- Added: sidebar position option for blog posts, news and portfolio items
Version 1.2 – 18 May 2012
- Fixed: invalid exported theme settings file
- Fixed: the CSS class option does not work in the widget area layout wizard
- Fixed: the permalink settings for news and portfolio items do not work if no constant prefix is specified
- Added: tab pages are automatically resized when the height of their content changes
- Added: shortcodes of the same type can be nested inside each other (tabs within tabs, toggles within toggles, and so on)
Version 1.1 – 14 May 2012
- Fixed: special accents becomes invalid in post excerpts
- Fixed: category filtering does not work for post list shortcodes
- Added: several new options for author, search and 404 pages
- Added: date (archive) pages can be customized for each post type separately
- Added: the width and height options for post thumbnails support zero values that keep the image in its original size
- Added: width and height options for the background images to slides
- Added: five different font size settings (CSS classes) for headings
- Added: new filter hooks that allow you to customize the heading elements of page and post titles
- Added: post_list, news_list and portfolio_list shortcodes allow you to customize the heading elements of post titles
Version 1.0 – 05 May 2012
- Initial Release


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Unlike any other property in SoHo, 565 Broome SoHo offers the luxury and convenience of a private covered porte cochere with automated parking, expansive views and 17,000 square feet of amenities. 565 Broome Soho is Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano's first New York City residential project. Rising 30 stories, 565 Broome Soho offers cinematic views of the Manhattan skyline, historic Soho, Hudson River, and beyond through a curved façade clad in low-iron glass, resulting in incredible light throughout all residences. 565 Broome SoHo provides the intimacy of a boutique SoHo building with the exceptional views and amenities of a full-service modern condominium. As the tallest residential property in SoHo, the building's design has been thoughtfully conceived to reflect the neighborhood's rich history while taking full advantage of its stunning views and light.
This listing courtesy of Douglas Elliman
Property Details
565 Broome Street, S26A - SoHo - Nolita, New York
Price: $7,940,000
Neighborhood: SoHo - Nolita
Condo, Doorman
Pets Allowed
Monthly Maintenance/CC: $3,553
Monthly Real Estate Tax: $3,919
3 Beds | 3 Baths | 1 Half Bath
Approximate Sq. Feet: 2,244
Listing ID: 2512032
Building Details
Full Time Doorman
Your Agent(s)
Andrew Anderson
Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker
M: email@example.com
Your Agent(s)
Andrew Anderson
Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker
M: firstname.lastname@example.com


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FORT MYERS, Fla. – Having spent the 2011 summer season playing with the powerhouse East Cobb Braves 17u squad, Jordan Ebert now feels like he's ready to confront any challenges playing at the next level may present.
And it doesn't matter if that next level is playing for Auburn in the Southeastern Conference or playing professionally –that depends on how the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft plays out in June.
Ebert was at Terry Park Jan. 7-8 for the 2012 Perfect Game World Showcase, eager to show the overflow gathering of professional scouts in attendance that he deserves their consideration come draft day. He wanted to show them that he is rejuvenated, feeling good, far from burned-out and perhaps in the best shape he's been in for months.
"The last Perfect Game event I went to was the (WWBA World Championship), and playing with East Cobb and how much we play and how it's an everyday thing, I lost a lot of weight this summer," Ebert said on the final day of the World Showcase. "I really felt like the last time I was here I was not in tip-top shape. So I got into the weight room for a little while and got back to a regular routine of eating (well) and working out.
"I feel like my arm strength has gotten a lot better, I've really worked on my 60 (yard dash) and I've probably gained about 20 pounds," he continued. "I really wanted (the scouts) to see me when I was more of the ballplayer that I know I can be than the ballplayer they saw the last time I was here."
Ebert, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound primary second baseman who is a senior at Baldwin County High School in Perdido, Ala., performed well at the World Showcase. He threw 88 mph across the infield (tied for fifth among all the participants) and 90 mph in the outfield throw (tied for seventh). His 6.83-second clocking in the 60 ranked 18th among the hundreds of participants from the three PG showcases that were running simultaneously at Terry Park who ran the drill.
David Rawnsley, PG's National Director of Scouting, ranked Ebert the No. 16 top prospect at the event and offered the following report at its conclusion:
"There is some effort to Ebert's game but he's very athletic and just crushes the ball from the right side of the plate. He's been a top performer at WWBA/BCS events for the past two years."
Ebert was satisfied with his performance.
"Physically I feel pretty good but I still haven't seen a lot of pitching for a little while, and most of these guys out here haven't," he said. "But I feel like that I just needed to come out here and show these guys what I could really do and not what they saw the last time."
Playing with the East Cobb Braves 17u over the summer provided Ebert with seemingly unlimited opportunities. He is ranked the No. 118 overall national prospect in the class of 2012 – No. 1 among second baseman – but wasn't close to being the highest ranked prospect on the Braves' roster.
It was a squad that included three Perfect Game All-Americans: right-hander Tucker Simpson (ranked 39th overall nationally), left-hander Matthew Crownover (No. 41) and outfielder Skye Bolt (No. 45).
The Braves won Perfect Game national championships at the WWBA 2012 Grads or 17u National Championship and the 18u BCS Finals in July, and also won the championship at the 17u/18u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational in early June. The Braves 17u finished third at the PG WWBA 2011 Grads or 18u National Championship in early July.
Ebert played with the East Cobb Baseball squad at the 2011 PG World Championship in Jupiter, Fla., in October. The ECB roster included Simpson, Bolt and Perfect Game All-American right-hander Duane Underwood (No. 13) from the class of 2012. It also included highly ranked 2013 prospects in third baseman/right-hander Travis Demeritte (No. 8 nationally) and outfielder Josh Hart (No. 31).
Ebert had a below average World Championship, hitting .231 (3-for-13) with three singles, three RBI and two runs scored. He was starting to wear down.
"This summer was really the test," Ebert said. "I played 50 high school games (in the spring) and went from my high school (state) championship game straight to East Cobb; then we played about 70 games there. If I was going to get burned-out I felt like this was going to be the summer.
"I wanted to see if I wanted to do it for the rest of my life, and it was a blast – I loved it. I learned what I could and couldn't do."
Ebert also learned he needed to get in the weight room with more regularity and improve his diet if he hopes to excel at the next level. He feels he proved he can.
"What it showed me, it got me ready for minor league ball," he said. "I'm ready to go play minor league ball and I know I could do it mentally and physically."
In addition to all the games with the Braves 17u, Ebert also performed at the Perfect Game National Showcase in mid-June and at the East Coast Pro Showcase in early August.
Ebert played in WWBA and BCS Finals tournaments with Team Alabama 15u the summer before his sophomore year and with Marucci Elite 16s the summer before his junior year. He also attended the 2010 PG Junior National Showcase.
"I've always moved around a little bit and I've always liked to get on the best team possible," Ebert said. "I always wanted to play for East Cobb growing up because they're pretty much the name of travel baseball. I just figured my last year I might as well go out with the best.
"I really liked my decision of going over to East Cobb – I just feel like it was a very, very good decision."
Ebert has signed with Auburn as part of a 2012 Tigers' recruiting class ranked 11th nationally. Perfect Game All-Americans David Dahl and Addison Russell are also members of that class.
"I actually kind of grew up an Alabama fan – my mom's a big Alabama fan and my brother is attending Alabama right now," Ebert said with a grin. "I loved all the other schools I went and visited, but Auburn – I really liked their coaches and their facilities and I feel like Coach (John) Pawlowski is a real straight-up guy and he's going to play the best (players) no matter what year they are."
And, of course, there is the draft to consider. Ebert is considering it seriously.
"It's gotten more real recently, with all the in-home visits and the workouts," Ebert said. "It's been a fun experience and there are a lot of guys who would wish to be in my shoes right now. I'm just taking it day-by-day and thanking God for the opportunity."


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DR. HOOK- Nothing but the... Insurance can make patients lie
George Washington never told a lie.
"Father, I cannot tell a lie. I cut down the cherry tree."
When Abraham Lincoln was our president, he was called honest Abe. Wow! And this was before TV shows like Leave It to Beaver and The Donna Reed Show where everyone was so ethical. I'm so glad all politicians don't lie. (Strange, I can't tell if I was in a coma when I wrote the last sentence.)
Professional athletes declare adamantly, "I've never used growth hormone, steroids, or any performance-enhancing drugs." Two weeks later they say, "Well, maybe I have. I think I misunderstood the question because I was obsessed by the thought of losing my multi-million-dollar endorsements."
True, the media loves to sensationalize everything and stir the pot more than Rachael Ray and Bobby Flay making soup on the Food Network. So I can see why celebrities deny certain allegations when really it's none of our business.
Do patients lie to their doctors?
"I've never told a lie," is an oxymoron. So it can be difficult to know whether a patient is "covering up" something. I've "caught" patients "embellishing the truth," leaving out important pieces of information, or just plain ole lyin' out their you-know-what.
During their physical exams, I've busted plenty of patients on their smoking or chewing tobacco.
"Doc, how did you know I use tobacco?"
"Ah, that isn't caviar stuck between your cheeks and gums." "Unless you gargle with a product called 'Ash Tray'..."
Also, living in a relatively small town has disadvantages when it comes to lying, because eventually the truth is going to leak out. I've seen my patients lighting up at restaurants or on the street, and of course I approach them, "Ahem, are you auditioning to be the Marlboro cowboy?" (Am I not just a witch?)
When it comes to alcohol consumption, I've learned to multiply by two or three whatever the patients say they consume.
"So you report you have three drinks a week. Hmm, that means you probably have six to nine drinks. How big are your drinks? Oh, you drink three 40-ounce glasses of vodka!" I love the patients who deny drinking much, but every time I see them at a party they have a lampshade on their head.
Marijuana is used much more than I had realized. As many "normal folks" as I know who use marijuana, you would think we truly live in America, The Melting– er– Smoking Pot.
Life and Health Insurance are the culprits for most of the patients' lies. You can't get life insurance if you hiccup or have gray hair. Health insurance does everything possible to deny coverage. Mr. Health Insurance says things like, "So you puffed a cigarette once when you were 10 years old, and now you have lung cancer. Coverage denied!" "Ah, you ate a Twinkie when you were 14, and now you have diabetes. No insulin for you!"
When you see the doctor, if you use health insurance, you sign away your rights and allow the company to review your medical chart with a magnifying glass that also has magical powers to draw their own conclusions– conclusions that usually work against you. That's why many of my patients are afraid to report anything to me– they don't know how it will work against them in the future.
It's frustrating that many patients feel they need to lie to protect themselves from losing health insurance benefits. It makes it difficult for me as a physician to provide complete, proper care. Too bad our noses don't grow like Pinocchio's every time we lie. But then again, we would all go blind– from our noses poking out each other's eyeballs.
Dr. Hook cracks a joke or two, but he's a renowned physician with a local practice. Email him with your questions.


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Related Products
- High-Speed internet Latest ADSL2/2+ standards provide Internet transmission of up to 24 Mbps downstream, 1 Mbps upstream
- High performance wireless High-speed 802.11n wireless gives you superior speed and range while remaining compatible with 802.11g/b devices
- Total security & QoS Firewall protection, user access control, WPA/WPA2 wireless security, and priority queues
Create a blazing fast home network that connects all of your computers and mobile devices to your broadband Internet connection. The newly introduced SmartConnect1 technology ensures that older wireless devices do not degrade the overall performance of the DIR-890L and allows wireless AC devices to have a total throughput of 3200 Mbps. The Advanced AC SmartBeam technology that is also in the DIR-890L brings you the future of high-bandwidth wireless connectivity, vastly increasing the speed and coverage of your network.
The AC3200 Ultra Wi-Fi Router is mydlink Cloud enabled, so you can effortlessly access and view your network no matter where you are. See who is connected to your router, change settings, or block someone from using your network connection, all from an Internet connected PC, tablet, or smartphone. Parents can monitor what sites their children are visiting, to stay informed and in control on the go.
The mydlink SharePort app allows you to connect a USB storage device to the DIR-890L and instantly share documents, movies, pictures, and music with mobile devices. Put your music library on a USB drive and share it with everyone else in your home, or show photos on the living room TV while a family member watches a movie on their mobile device.
The DES-1024D is a 24-Port 10/100 Unmanaged Desktop/Rackmount Switch that combines ease of use with unsurpassed performance, resulting in an exceptional value for any network administrator who wants the best possible solution at the best price. The DES-1024D is a true Plug-and-Play device, featuring Auto Speed Sensing, Auto-negotiation, and Auto MDI/MDI-X Crossover.
- Four 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports give you high-speed wired connectivity Flexible Bandwidth
- Concurrent dual-band wireless for connections up to 1200 Mbps
- QoS engine to prioritize important traffic and deliver uninterrupted bandwidth Setup and Management
- Web browser-based setup and configuration
- Setup wizard to guide you through the configuration process
- Firewall and access control options to prevent attacks and restrict access to your network
- - Works with any Wi-Fi certified device, giving you peace of mind and reliable performance
- - Complete set of security features including an SPI firewall & WPA2 to protect your network against intruders
- - Web-based Setup Wizard & Wi-Fi Protected Setup™ (WPS) for easy configuration
Capable of running at full-duplex Gigabit speed, this card gives your PC 2000Mbps data transmission on your existing Cat. 5 twisted-pair network cable
The card provides on-board screening of VLANs Tagged Ethernet frames, allowing your PC to be configured with a VLAN-supported switch.
Using a single chip solution, this card is very small in size and consumes very little power of your computer system.
The card's single RJ-45 connector connects to either 10BASE-T Ethernet or 100BASE-TX Fast Ethernet.
In the fast 200Mbps full-duplex mode, the card's embedded flow control provides a means to protect your data against possible loss during transmission on the network.
Bus Master transfers data directly between the card and the PC host, bypassing your computer host CPU to alleviate its workload.
Uses 802.11n technology, allowing for faster browsing and smooth streaming, while still compatible with 802.11g devices
Rotatable high-gain antenna enhances reception,covering a wider distance and eliminating dead spots in hard to reach areas
Intuitive Setup Wizard for easy setup, enabling robust security simply by pushing a button
Extend your Network – Simultaneously increase your wireless coverage while delivering wired connectivity to your Ethernet-enabled devices
Wireless Performance – Powerful AC1200 wireless performance with speeds up to 1200 Mbps (300 Mbps -2.4GHz and 867Mbps – 5GHz)
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Scalable – Easily expand your network with additional PowerLine adapters
Compact Design – Small form factor doesn't block other outlet plugs
Pass-through Socket with Noise Filter – Integrated Advanced noise filter improves network performance and no outlet is wasted
Plug and Play Installation – Quickly setup your PowerLine adapters with the push of a button
High-Speed Connectivity
• 802.11ac wireless specification delivers blazing fast wireless connectivity with increased range and reliability
• 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet WAN port for fast paced Internet access
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Flexible Bandwidth
• Concurrent dual-band wireless for connections up to 1900 Mbps
• QoS engine to prioritize important traffic and deliver uninterrupted bandwidth
Setup and Management
• Web browser-based setup and configuration
• Intuitive setup wizard to guide you through the configuration process
• Firewall and access control options to prevent attacks and restrict access to your network
– High Performance : AC3900 Wi-Fi System provides stronger and faster Wi-Fi for 4K streaming and gaming on multiple devices
– More Coverage: Provides relaible high-power Wi-Fi for up to 6,000 sq. ft. of seamless coverage
– One Seamless Network: Automatically connects devices to the strongest signal as users move through the home, all while using single Network Name (SSID)
– 4 x 4 Data Streams : Covr AC2600 Wi-Fi Router supports up to 4 simultaneous data streams for increased throughput, perfect for steaming 4K video and games
– MU-MIMO: Like having multiple routers in your home, Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO) sends and receives data to and from multiple devices simultaneously to increase speed and efficiency
– D-Link Wi-Fi App: Covr setup is quick and easy with the free D-Link Wi-Fi app
– Parental Control: Filter unwanted web content and block specific web si
– Guest Network: Enable a public encrypted wireless guest network for visitors
– DLNA Support: Play and share your media on any DLNA devices such as TV's, gaming consoles, smart phones, tablets and more
- • Fast transfer speeds of up to 300Mbps (2.4GHz) + 867Mbps (5.0GHz)
- • 4 High-Gain Antennas and powered amplifier for enhanced Wi-Fi coverage in and around your home
- • 4 10/100/1000 Gigabit ports deliver blazing fast wired performance up to 10x faster than traditional Fast Ethernet
- • Simultaneous dual band makes your 4K streaming and online gaming smoother with less interference
- • Optimized QoS provides an enhanced lag-free online gaming experience
- • WPA2 and dual active NAT and SPI firewalls help protect your network
- • Easy installation with web based setup wizard and Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS)
- • Future proof and backward compatible with existing Wi-Fi devices
- High-Speed Networking Gigabit ports allow you to connect up to eight devices for fast file transfers and smooth media streaming
- Save Energy Automatically EEE compliance reduces energy consumption without sacrificing performance while cutting down on your power bill
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Gigabit Ethernet Speed - High-speed ports provide the latest Ethernet technology while remaining backward compatible for connections to older computers and equipment
Revolutionary Design - Compact metal case for high-port count Gigabit switches, plus a fanless design that provides noise-free operation at all times
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AC1750 Dual-Band WI-FI Gigabit Router
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Stream HD multimedia across your home without interruption using the fastest wired and wireless connectivity options available today
Create a personal cloud to effortlessly PC or mobile device
The QRS (Quick Router Setup) Mobile app for your iOS or Android device allows you to set up your network without touching a computer
• 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac wireless LAN for a complete range of wireless compatibility
• Gigabit WAN and LAN ports for high-speed wired connections
• USB 3.0 port to connect storage drives and printers for sharing *
• Multiple internal antennas with Wireless AC technology to optimize your wireless coverage
Mydlink Cloud
• Remotely view and manage your network over the Internet
• Access your network through a mobile app
Mobile Apps
• mydlink Lite app helps you access, manage and view your network remotely
• SharePort Mobile app lets you stream and share media files and documents across your network
• QRS Mobile app sets up your network using a mobile device without the need for a computer
• WPA & WPA2 wireless encryption protects the network from intruders
• Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) securely adds devices to your network at the push of a button
The DIR-868LWireless AC1750 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router USB 3.0 lets you easily connect,
control, and monitor a network using the future of wireless technology, today. It's mydlink Cloud enabled and supports the SharePort Mobile app to stream and share your media files.
Fast and Reliable
The D-LinkDIR-868LWirelessAC1750Dual-BandGigabit Cloud RouterUSB 3.0 creates a blazing fast home network that connects all of your computers and mobile devices to your broadband Internet connection. Concurrent dual-band 802.11ac brings you the future of high-bandwidth wireless connectivity allowing you to stream HD video, make Internet calls, and surf the Internet from every corner of your home without interruption. Gigabit Ethernet ports provide high speed wired connections for up to four PCs or other devices. It's stylish, easy-to-use, and comes IPv6-ready for a reliable network today and tomorrow.
Use Mydlink to Monitor Your Network
The Wireless AC1750 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router USB 3.0 is mydlink Cloud enabled,so you can effortlessly access and view your network no matter where you are.See who is connected to your router,change settings, or block someone from using your network connection, all from any Internet connected PC, or an iOS or Android mobile device. Parents can monitor what sites their children are visiting, and can stay informed and in control on the go.
File Sharing Right atYour Fingertips
The SharePort Mobile app allows you to connect a USB storage device to the DIR-868L and instantly share documents, movies, pictures, and music with mobile devices. You can put your music library on a USB drive and share it with your entire home. You can show photos on the
living room TV while a family member watches a movie on their mobile device. You can stream media files to multiple devices without interruption, or save them to your device for online playback.k. The intuitive interface lets anyone immediately connect to a variety of entertainment options stored securely on your own storage device.


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Am I alone in thinking that the West has just done things illegal and immoral in Libya, on the basis of lies and and half-truths told to us? Last night's BBC News had Jeremy Bowen and I-forget-who chatting away comfortably on location and the only question seemed to be whether getting Gadaffi killed had been (a) a good thing or (b) a very good thing.
These two gossiped agreeably like a latter-day Huntley and Brinkley. It would have been good to see the BBC fulfil its brief on balance and impartiality, for example by having one question the other's assertion that Lockerbie had been a Libya plot, rather than (say) an Iranian one, and asking why victim-father Jim Swire and Professor Emeritus of Scots Law Robert Black QC FRSE both feel that Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al-Megrahi is innocent and his trial a travesty of justice. Also, how a UN resolution to protect rebels in Misrata developed into NATO bombing raids on Sirte.
And why we got involved. EU empire-building? Securing Western oil supplies? Scaring the Saudis into withdrawing their support of Wahabi terrorism?
And what's going to happen next. Democracy? That's what Iranian students thought they'd get when they helped overthrow the Shah; instead they got a far harsher, fundamentalist government and Teheran's blood-fountain.
And why are we pretending to foster democracy abroad, in a week when all three major UK political parties are planning to instruct our Parliamentary representatives to vote against holding a referendum on the EU?


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- Bug fix
Secure Folder leverages the defence-grade Samsung Knox security platform to create a private, encrypted space on your Samsung Galaxy phone. Apps and data moved to Secure Folder are sandboxed separately on the device and gain an additional layer of security and privacy.
Easier and more convenient
Store your private files and apps safely. It's easy to move apps and data by tapping "Move to Secure Folder" or by importing them via "Add files" from inside Secure Folder. Your personal apps and data will be separated and encrypted so that they are protected from malicious attacks.
More secure
Lock your Secure Folder with an additional PIN, pattern, password, or biometric lock, so that only you can access your private pictures, apps, and data.
Effectively manage data
Add or copy your apps and data into Secure Folder. You can use Secure Folder to store your private contacts, photos, and more in a separate account. This allows you to have two profiles on a device so you can manage your data more effectively.
※ Secure Folder will operate only on official software released by Samsung Electronics. Features or UX may vary depending on the device, OS version, etc.
※ Secure Folder is a service, based on Samsung account, that provides an independent, isolated environment within your mobile device. Applications and data moved or added to Secure Folder (e.g. photos, audio files, movie files, and documents), will not be accessible from outside Secure Folder, whether by USB or Wi-Fi Direct. If your mobile device detects any rooting or custom ROMs, Secure Folder will automatically lock-up in order to prevent unauthorised access, in which case you will no longer be able to access or use the contents within Secure Folder. Therefore, please make sure you back up any important applications or data elsewhere, such as on your personal computer, before moving them to Secure Folder. Samsung is not responsible for any data loss or inaccessibility.
Use Backup and Restore of the below path to store your customers' data more safely.
Secure Folder > Settings > Backup and restore > Back up Secure Folder data
[Required Permissions]
- Calendar: For the purpose of providing the 'Share calendar' function
- Contact: For the purpose of using the registered account to set up Secure Folder
- Storage: For the purpose of backing up and restoring the content in Secure Folder or for the purpose of providing the data backup feature when adding or deleting files
- Body sensors: For the purpose of using the lock screen with fingerprints and iris
This release may come in several variants. Consult our handy FAQ to see which download is right for you.
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June 16, 2011
Electronic dissertation earns K-State plant pathologist elite award
A K-State research associate in plant pathology is among an elite group of researchers being recognized for exemplary theses and dissertations.
Martha Giraldo has been selected as one of three recipients worldwide of the Innovative ETD Award from the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations. The award honors students who have written exemplary electronic theses and dissertations. Winners have demonstrated new dimensions of scholarship being explored by individuals who have made significant contributions to the worldwide electronic theses and dissertation movement.
Giraldo, a December 2010 doctoral graduate in plant pathology, is K-State's fourth recipient of the award since the university began publishing theses and dissertations in the online K-State Research Exchange. She's being recognized for her dissertation, "In planta characterization of Magnaporthe oryzae biotrophy-associated secreted (BAS) proteins and key secretion components," available online at http://krex.k-state.edu/dspace/handle/2097/6761.
Giraldo receives $500 and is eligible to receive an additional $500 in travel scholarship funding to attend the international ETD Symposium, Sept. 13-17, in Cape Town, South Africa.
Currently a postdoctoral fellow, Giraldo works with Barbara Valent, university distinguished professor of plant pathology. Valent was Giraldo's major dissertation professor.
In her dissertation, Giraldo examined the disease known as blast, which can infect crops such as wheat, rye, barley, pearl millet and even turf grasses. Its greatest impact, however, is on rice, where it's estimated that blast destroys enough rice to feed more than 60 million people each year. Rice blast is caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae.
Because her research has global impact on agriculture and hunger, Giraldo's dissertation includes video files that let the reader view images of fluorescent proteins and the infection mechanisms. The images make it possible for researchers who wouldn't otherwise have the means to view and understand the development of the disease. In addition to the videos, the dissertation also has an eight-minute video of the techniques Giraldo used to inoculate rice plants and prepare the diseased tissue for imaging.
Giraldo's work has already been published in several refereed journals, including The Plant Cell, Crop Science and Theoretical and Applied Genetics. She also has presented her work at national and international meetings, including the ninth International Mycological Congress in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in 2010. Her trip was made possible by a Sarachek travel award from K-State's Graduate School and a Mycological Society of America travel award.
Giraldo earned a bachelor's degree in biology, with emphasis in genetics, from Universidad del Valle in Colombia.


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The first giant has fallen.
Overall tournament No. 1 seed, historic powerhouse and heavy favorite Kansas was defeated Saturday night by Northern Iowa, a 69-67 loss that stunned the sports world and busted brackets across the country -- including President Barack Obama's.
Obama was one of 98 percent of ESPN.com entrants into the site's Tournament Challenge pool who forecasted Coach Bill Self's Kansas Jayhawks would make it to the Final Four and one of the 42 percent who had Kansas winning the entire tournament, according to the sports network's Web site.
U.S. & World
Less than one percent put Northern Iowa (30-4) into the Sweet 16 -- where the school finds itself now -- while less than half of a percent had the school making it to the Elite Eight.
Less than one half of one-hundredth -- 0.003 percent -- predicted Northern Iowa will take home the championship.
Kansas (33-3) trailed for most of the game against Northern Iowa, who shot the lights out throughout the match, opening with a 10-2 run and ending with a clutch 3-pointer from the team's star, Ali Farokhmanesh.
Farokhmanesh and the confident Northern Iowa Panthers pushed the lead against the Jayhawks to as high as 12 en route to defeating Kansas, the first time a No. 1 seed has lost in the second round of tournament play since 2004, when Kentucky and Stanford both fell to lower seeds.
Northern Iowa's win also marked the first time the school had ever played a No.1 ranked team -- and the first time an institution from their conference had beaten once since 1962.
The Kansas loss was one of a series of key upsets that shook up the tournament Saturday, following No. 2 seed Villanova's loss to St. Mary's that advanced the 10-seed to the next round as well as No. 3 New Mexico's loss to 11th-seeded Washington that pushed the Huskies to the Sweet 16.
All in all, eight double-digit seeds moved through the bracket after the first round of play -- illustrating the unpredictability of a tournament field experts forecasted would be filled with exciting play, from top-ranked Kansas to the lowest 16-seed.
Despite Kansas' defeat, fellow No. 1 seeds Kentucky, Duke and Syracuse all moved easily through their regional rounds -- Kentucky routed No. 9 seed Wake Forest 90-60 Saturday to move to the Sweet 16, while Syracuse and Duke handily defeated their lower-seeded opponents in the first round to prepare for their own Sweet 16 bids.
Duke will face California Sunday, while Syracuse will square off against Gonzaga. Other Sunday games include a matchup between Ivy League Cinderella Cornell, which upset Temple to advance to the second round, and Texas A&M, as well as second-round play between Xavier and Pittsburgh, Missouri and darkhorse tournament favorite West Virginia, and a Michigan State and Maryland face-off that will determine Northern Iowa's Sweet 16 date.
Tournament darling Ohio State will also play Sunday for a bid to the Sweet 16, meeting Georgia Tech in a fight to advance.


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Welcome to Our Practice
Welcome to Academy Foot and Ankle Specialists!
Foot Doctors That Keep You ON Your Feet!
The podiatry professionals at Academy Foot and Ankle Specialists are pleased to welcome you to our practice. We want all our patients to be informed decision makers and fully understand any health issues they face. That's why we have developed a web site loaded with valuable information about podiatry and podiatric problems and treatments. We encourage you to visit this site whenever you have a concern about your feet or ankles.
Our web site also provides you with background about our physicians, office hours, appointments, maps with directions to our offices in Southlake, Keller (Fort Worth), Hurst, and Flower Mound, as well as other useful information. We know how hectic life can be and are committed to making our practice convenient and accessible. We want you to feel confident that when you choose Academy Foot & Ankle Specialists, you are working with doctors and other professionals who are qualified, experienced and caring.
Please take a few moments to look through this site to get a better feel for Academy Foot & Ankle Specialists' capabilities and services. We also invite you to email or call our Southlake, Keller (Fort Worth), Hurst, or Flower Mound office at any time to request an appointment or ask any questions.
Podiatrist Near You:
Now serving
- Argyle
- Arlington
- Bedford
- Blue Mound
- Colleyville
- Coppell
- Dallas
- Denton
- Euless
- Flower Mound
- Fort Worth
- Grapevine
- Haslet
- Haltom City
- Highland Village
- Hurst
- Irving
- Keller (Fort Worth)
- Lake Worth
- Las Colinas
- Lewisville
- North Richland Hills
- Richland Hills
- Roanoke
- Trophy Club
- Saginaw
- Southlake
- Watagua
- Westlake
- And More…


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"Romancing the senses" is an apt description for the experiences showcased on our northern Italy tours... for the landscapes you'll see and the lifestyles you'll sample have resulted in many a love affair with the country's northern regions. It starts with fashion and art in Milan when you view da Vinci's The Last Supper with a local guide. It continues during a private Tauck cruise across Lake Como to Bellagio and a boat ride to Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore. It captures your heart along the cobblestone streets of Verona, home to Romeo & Juliet... your taste buds at an agriturismo in the Franciacorta region and a cooking demo in Bologna (whose nickname is La Grassa, the Fat One)... and all the senses in Venice, with visits by boat to some of the Venetian Islands and a Tauck Exclusive, after-hours guided visit to St. Mark's Basilica to view its treasures without the daytime crowds. Now that's amore, from pane to formaggio to vino...
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Cannabis in California: Ending the 100-Year War
California NORML's (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) conference marking the 100th anniversary of marijuana prohibition in California. This two-day event, held January 26 & 27 at Ft. Mason Conference Center in San Francisco, explored the history, causes and costs of the war on cannabis, and strategies for ending it.
Thanks to KMUD volunteers we are able to present audio recordings from most of the sessions from the conference below. Big thanks to Sue Moloney for the initiative! Want to see pictures? Here's a link to photos from the conference, posted on the CAnorml website.
These recordings are presented "as is", some variations in audio levels are included at no extra charge.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Ellen Komp, CalNORML- Cannabis before prohibition
Author Mike Gray - The US goes Drug Crazy
Dale Gieringer, CalNORML - Prohibition in California
Michael Aldrich, Amorphia
Michelle Aldrich, CMI
Gordon Brownell, original CalNORML director
Debby Goldsberry, Cannabis Action Network co-founder
Dennis Peron, Prop. 215 author
Stephen Gutwillig, Drug Policy Alliance
Rob Kampia, MPP
Paul Armentano, NORML
Senator Mark Leno - Legislative solutions
Michael Levinsohn - Child Protective Services issues
Omar Figueroa - Criminal defense strategies
James Anthony - Cultivation rights and local ordinances
Moderator: Bill Panzer, California NORML
Supervisor John McCowen -
Federal Sabotage of Mendocino's Ordinance
Henry Wykowski - Taxation and federal law
Betty Aldworth, NCIA - Lobbying strategies from the states
Joe Elford, ASA - Rescheduling lawsuit and federal focus
Khurshid Khoja, Emerald Growers Association - Challenges to regulation of cultivation
Moderator: Liana Held, Liana Limited
James Slatic, MedWest - The investor perspective
Troy Dayton, The ArcViewGroup - Funding cannabusinesses
Steve DeAngelo, Harborside Health Center -
Standing our ground
David Lampach, Steep Hill Lab - Setting industry standards
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Ft. Mason Conference Center, San Francisco
MODERATOR: Lauren Vazquez, Fired Up Lawyer
Alison Holcomb - Winning in Washington
Mason Tvert - Colorado's Success Story
Graham Boyd - Polling in CO & WA
and what it means for the future
Richard Lee - Language lessons from Prop 19
Tamar Todd, DPA - Likely federal responses to WA and CO
Rep. Tom Ammiano - Medical marijuana legislation in 2013
Dan Rush, UFCW - Lobbying & legislation
Larry Bedard - The CMA and legalization
Don Duncan, ASA - 2013 opportunities
Kristin Nedeval, Emerald Growers Association -
Regulation of distribution; opportunities after legalization
Beau Kilmer, RAND Corporation
Dale Sky Jones, Oaksterdam University; CCPR - Coalition
for Cannabis Policy Reform
Joe Rogoway - Drafting Issues; A Legal Perspective
Amanda Reiman, DPA - Key components; managing the federal response to WA and CO
John Gilmore - A funder's perspective
Marsha Rosenbaum, DPA - Meetings parents' concerns
Deborah Small, Breaking the Chains - Cannabis
legalization as a path to racial justice
Ann Lee, RAMP - Helping
conservatives to embrace legalization
Kyndra Miller - Women's role in future elections
Nate Bradley, LEAP - Winning over law enforcement
Stacia Cosner, SSDP - Bridging the gap between
movement leadership and grassroots activists
Lanny Swerdlow - Starting Brownie Mary Democratic Clubs
Robert Jacob - Running for local office
Kandice Hawes - forming NORML and NWA chapters
Mikki Norris & Chris Conrad - Tell Michelle campaign, Legalizing Industrial Hemp, Pot POWs
Ed Rosenthal - Green Aid, The Medical Marijuana Legal Defense and Education Fund
According to a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, dated Oct. 12, 2012:
On 10-11-2012, approximately 9:30 a.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office assisted by the Eureka Police Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Humboldt County Drug Task Force served a Humboldt County Superior Court Search Warrant in the 2000 block of Sunset Ridge Road, Blocksburg. Upon serving the search warrant, deputies located and detained 17 suspects. As deputies arrived and announced their presence one of the suspects, identified as Johines Ibonnet, attempted to jump out the back window of the residence and broke his ankle. He was transported to a local hospital and treated for his injury prior to being booked into jail.
Upon searching the 45 acre parcel deputies found a very large sophisticated marijuana growing and processing operation. The operation consisted of marijuana plants being grown in two large greenhouses estimated to be between 60 feet by 100 feet, along with marijuana plants being grown out in the open and inside the residence. The residence and greenhouses were powered by two commercial sized 25 KW generators. The growing marijuana plants ranged in size from 6 feet to 8 feet tall and were budding. Deputies estimated the growing plants to have at least one to two pounds of marijuana bud being produced on each plant. There were a total of 718 growing marijuana plants located and seized on the property. Inside a large drying shed, estimated to be approximately 60 feet by 40 feet, deputies located and seized approximately 900 lbs of drying marijuana bud. Inside the residence deputies located two commercial marijuana trimming machines being used to trim the dried marijuana bud from the plants. Deputies also located approximately 132 pounds of dried marijuana bud along with numerous drying racks and 261 sealed bags of marijuana bud ready to sell, estimated to weigh approximately one pound or more each, along with packaging material, scales, a Norinco AK-47 assault rifle with several loaded high capacity magazines, a money counter and approximately $9,500.00 cash.
A total of approximately 1293 pounds of dried marijuana bud was located. Dried marijuana bud is being sold for approximately $2,000 a pound. The estimated value of the dried marijuana bud seized is $2,586,000.00 whole sale. If the live marijuana plants had been harvested they would had yielded conservatively an additional 718 pounds of dried marijuana bud estimated to be $1,436,000.00 wholesale. The value of the marijuana seized is estimated to be at least $4 million dollars in just marijuana bud, not including the leaves. Several of the suspects admitted to investigating officers they were hired to work at the marijuana grow as laborers.
The following is a list of those arrested at the scene and booked in the Humboldt County Correctional Facility on charges of Cultivation and Possession for sale of Marijuana, and Conspiracy to Commit a Felony:
- Elber Dejesus Ivonnet, male 53 years old from North Bergen, NJ -Bailed
- Geyler Melo-Pueyol, male 22 years old from Miami, Florida - In Custody $75,000.00 bail
- Richardo Mateos-Perez, male 22 years old, from Homestead, Florida - In Custody $75,000.00 bail
- Fernando Olvera, male 39 years old, from Santa Rosa, California - Bailed
- Luis Manuel Sosa-Vega, male 47 years old, from Santiago, Cuba - In Custody $75,000.00 bail
- Jose Pulido, male 42 years old, from Los Reva, Mexico - In Custody $75,000.00 bail, ICE Hold
- Hildegarde Safont Arias, male 42 years old, from Hialeah, Florida - In Custody $75,000.00 bail
- Disney Bolanos-Chacon, male 41 years old, from Charlotte, N. C. - In Custody $75,000.00 bail
- Jonines Ibonnet, male 42 years, from Oakland, California - Bailed
- Terrence Henderson, male, 43 years old, from Eureka, California - In Custody $75,000.00 bail
- Pauline Ionie Barnes, female, 44 years old, from Green Island, Jamica - Released on O.R.
- Arlettis Rodriguez-Alverez, female, 22 years old, from Hileah, Florida - Released on O.R.
- Dayana Isabel Padron, female, 19 years old, from Blocksburg, California - Released on O.R.
- Elizabeth Enamorado De Padron, female, 40 years from Santiago, Cuba - Released on O.R.
- Hyacinth Hypatiae English, female, 48 years old, from Bridgeville, California - Released on O.R.
- Idalmis Leyva Ivonnet, female, 62 years old, from Charlotte, N.C. - Released on O.R.
Michael Lewis Iverson Jr., 35 years old from Eureka, California was also arrested at the marijuana growing site, however he was only arrested on an outstanding probation violation warrant with a bail of $30,000.00. Anyone with information for the Sheriffs Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriffs Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriffs Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.
Use the player below to hear KMUD newscaster, Dave Brooksher, interviewing Lt. Steve Knight from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office. This audio was aired as part of the KMUD Local News for Friday, Oct 12, 2012.
Images from the grow operation shown below:
According to a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, dated Sept. 6, 2012:
On 09-06-2012 at about 10:00 am the Humboldt County Drug Task Force, assisted by the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, served a search warrant at a parcel of property located in the 5600 block of Kneeland Road. Officers located a commercial marijuana growing operation on the property. No one was at home when the search warrant was served. Officers seized 2,788 growing marijuana plants from the property that ranged in size from 6 inches to 5 feet in height. The marijuana was being grown in two greenhouse type structures on the property plus an indoor marijuana growing structure. Officers seized 117 pounds of drying marijuana, 2 rifles and 5 handguns from the residence. Officers seized approximately $ 11,000 dollars in cash for possible asset forfeiture from the residence.
Officers noticed a possible electrical fire hazard with the indoor marijuana growing operation. They then contacted Humboldt County Building and Planning Department who responded to the scene. Humboldt County Building and Planning Department then inspected the electrical wiring and determined it to be an electrical fire hazard. PG&E was then contacted to disconnect the electrical service to the property. One suspect has been identified in this case and an arrest warrant will be sought through the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office for cultivation and possession for sales of marijuana.
This case is still under investigation by the Humboldt County Drug Task Force.
According to a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, dated Sept. 6, 2012:
On 09-05-2012, approximately 11:30 a.m. Humboldt County Sheriffs Office Community Response Unit (C.R.U), assisted by the Humboldt County Drug Task Force served a Humboldt County Superior Court search warrant in the 1000 Block of Shively Flat Road, Shively. The warrant authorized deputies and agents to search 34 parcels of property for marijuana cultivation. Deputies located four adults on the properties, three males, and one female. When deputies searched the parcels and associated residence they located two rifles, a scale and packing material consistent with sales of marijuana. They located over 600 very large growing marijuana plants estimated to be 8-10 feet in height and approximately 5-6 feet in diameter.
Due to logistical and medical reasons, the three adult males on the properties, Jack A. Jones, 65 years, and Jack E. Jones, 45 years both from Shively, were cited for cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale and being armed in the commission of a felony. Malcom Dollarhide, 51 years from Rio Dell, was also cited for cultivation of marijuana and possession of marijuana for sale and released at the scene.
Anyone with information for the Sheriffs Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriffs Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriffs Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.
Update for this incident:
According to a press release from the Humboldt Co. Sheriff's Office, dated March 1, 2012:
On Feb. 29, 2012, Humboldt County Drug Task Force Agents froze the suspect's bank accounts. On March 1, 2012 agents served asset seizure warrants on those four accounts. An additional $134,000.00 was seized and turned over the agents from one of those bank accounts. Agents are still awaiting information from the remaining three banks as to any other monetary seizures.
According to a press release from the Humboldt Co. Sheriff's Office, dated Feb. 29, 2012:
On Feb. 29, 2012 at approximately 8:00 a.m., the California Department of Justice, assisted by the Humboldt County Drug Task Force, Humboldt County Sheriff Drug Enforcement Unit and Humboldt County Sheriffs Office Community Response Unit served two search warrants in the Greenwood Heights area of Eureka. The search warrants were obtained by the California Department of Justice who requested assistance from the Sheriff's Office and Drug Task Force.The warrants were for a residence in the 5100 block of Greenwood Heights Road, Eureka and three structures located in the 4500 block of Greenwood Heights Road, Eureka.
When the officers arrived at the 5100 block residence, they met with John Eaton Cromwell, 46 years old, and Elisabeth Nergaard Olsen, 42 years old along with their four small children. During a search of their residence, they located approximately $387,000 in cash and $10,000.00 in money orders. Cromwell and Olson are the owners of the second parcel located in the 4500 block of Greenwood Heights Road, Eureka. Officers serving the search warrant located a sophisticated marijuana growing operation that was powered by Pacific Gas and Electrical Power. The marijuana grow contained 3,881 marijuana plants ranging from four inches to four feet in height, growing under 20 one-thousand watt grow lights. Officers also located 110 one-pound bags of marijuana bud with an estimated value of $220,000, and approximately $33,000 cash. They located another male, Charles Bruzza, 34 years old from Portland, Oregon that was living at that address.
Officers were able to tie Cromwell and Olsen to the marijuana grow based on evidence they located, however they issued them a notice to appear (citation) due to the small children at the residence. They were cited for cultivation of marijuana, possession for sale of marijuana and maintaining a drug house. Bruzza was arrested and transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked for cultivation of marijuana, possession for sale of marijuana, and possession of over an ounce of marijuana. His bail is set at $75,000.00. Due to electrical fire hazards at the marijuana grow operation, the Humboldt County Planning Department and Pacific Gas and Electric were called to the scene.
Anyone with information for the Sheriffs Office regarding this case or criminal related activity is encouraged to call the Sheriffs Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriffs Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539. If you live in the City Limits of Eureka the Eureka Police Problem Oriented Policing Unit can be reached at 707-441-4373
Cash from the incident above being counted:
According to a News Release from the Eureka Police Department, dated June 23, 2011:
On the morning of June 23, 2011, Detectives with the Eureka Police Department's Problem Oriented Policing Unit (POP) were conducting surveillance on a residence on the 3300 block of I Street, Eureka. The property had been the source of recent neighborhood complaints concerning suspected marijuana cultivation occurring there. Earlier, Detectives had also observed several mature marijuana plants growing in the backyard and POP was in the process of obtaining a search warrant for the residence.
At about 11:00 AM, Detectives observed two males exit the residence and drive off southbound on I Street in a silver VW Corrada hatchback sedan. Detectives conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle at Manzanita and 'I' Streets. The occupants, Andrew Micheal Harmon (21 of Eureka) and Paul Lojan Harig (20 of Eureka), were taken into custody on suspicion of marijuana cultivation. A small quantity of processed marijuana was found on Harmon's (the driver) person. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, Detectives found a duffel bag containing approximately 4.75 pounds of processed marijuana.
At approximately 12:15 PM, Detectives served the search warrant on the residence. Investigators subsequently located 49 growing marijuana plants in the backyard, including clones and mature plants. The plants were in soil pots and ranged in height from approximately 2" – 4'. 21 more growing marijuana plants (small clones) were found in the garage along with 13 drying marijuana plants hanging from a cable (6 pounds of drying marijuana). Three bags containing approximately 2.25 more pounds of processed marijuana were located inside the residence, along with approximately 1 ounce of concentrated cannabis powder ("kief" – the resin glands or trichomes of cannabis) and several grams of suspected hash oil. Investigators also found two digital gram scales, marijuana packaging materials (turkey size oven bags etc.), and evidence of an illegal hash oil manufacturing lab (glassware with hash oil residue, empty butane gas cartridge box, and two residue laden capped PVC pipes). These items were used to make concentrated cannabis through a highly volatile chemical extraction process. Additionally, Investigators discovered written records strongly indicative of marijuana sales activity.
Officials with the City of Eureka's Community Development, Building, and Fire Departments were called to the scene to inspect the residence for code enforcement violations and safety hazards. The grow was determined to be outside the provisions of Eureka's Medical Cannabis Ordinance, which may result in additional fines being levied on the property owners and/or tenants.
Harmon and Harig both claimed Prop 215 medical marijuana exemptions for their grow. However, these were invalidated due to the clear evidence of illegal marijuana sales, hash oil manufacturing, and City ordinance violations that were uncovered. Harmon and Harig were transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where they were both booked for manufacturing a controlled substance by chemical extraction, possession of marijuana for sale, transportation of marijuana, and unauthorized cultivation of marijuana (all felony offenses). Additionally, Harig was on summary probation for threatening/obstructing a federal officer and he was being held for a related SWAP (Sheriff's Work Alternative Program) violation.
Evidence seized during the search warrant includes:
- 70 marijuana plants
- Approximately 1 ounce of concentrated cannabis (kief) plus hash oil
- Approximately 7 pounds of processed marijuana
- 6 pounds of drying marijuana plants (13 plants)
Shown below-Andrew Micheal Harmon (21 of Eureka):
Shown below-Paul Lojan Harig (20 of Eureka)


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After passing my final exams I feel that I can relax a bit and have the time to read a book again. So instead of reading a book that I need to read purely for 'academic reasons', I thought I'd pick one I'd thoroughly enjoy: James Hurford's "The Origins of Grammar", which clocks in at a whopping 808 pages.
I'm still reading the first chapter (which you can read for free here) but I thought I'd share some of his analyses of "Animal Syntax."
Hurford's general conclusion is that despite what you sometimes read in the popular press,
"No non-human has any semantically compositional syntax, where the form of the syntactic combination determines how the meanings of the parts combine to make the meaning of the whole."
The crucial notion here is that of compositionality. Hurford argues that we can find animal calls and songs that are combinatorial, that is songs and calls in which elements are put together according to some kind of rule or pattern. But what we do not find, he argues, are the kinds of putting things together where the elements put together each have a specified meaning and the whole song, call or communicative assembly "means something which is a reflection of the meanings of the parts."
To illustrate this, Hurford cites the call system of putty-nosed monkeys (Arnold and Zuberbühler 2006). These monkeys have only two different call signals in their repertoire, a 'pyow'-sound that 'means', roughly, 'LEOPARD'; and a 'hack' sound that 'means', roughly, 'EAGLE'.
Continue reading "James Hurford: Animals Do Not Have Syntax (Compositional Syntax, That Is)"


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Remember: You have freedom of choice when selecting a repair facility, regardless of your insurance company.
Check out our convenient location and call us at 218-829-0141 for quick service from the area's leading professionals.


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This Tumbler will hold 14oz. of your favorite beverage. Designed for use on the go, don't be afraid to try this one at home. It won't sweat or leave a ring on your coffee table and has a rubber bottom pad to prevent scratches. Tumbler dimensions are Height 8.63 inches, Width 2.5 inches and Depth 2.5 inches. Weight is 11oz.
Beagle Tumbler
This Americaware double wall acrylic travel tumbler is perfect for keeping your favorite beverage hot or cold on the go. It fits in most auto cup holders and has a spill proof, drink through top that seals off with a push of the slide and allows you to drink with a push of a button. This acrylic tumbler is decorated with beautiful color images of Beagles.


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Guys, I don't know what's going on. Usually I prefer wedding dresses with a sleek silhouette, but today I'm craving POUFY! So to welcome you back to Top Wedding Dresses of the Week, I've picked four pouf-a-licious ball gowns!
Wedding Dress 1: Alvina Valenta
Wedding Dress 2: Kenneth Pool
Wedding Dress 3: Vera Wang
Wedding Dress 4: Marchesa
Would you wear a ball gown wedding dress? Which one of these wedding dresses is your favorite?
p.s. Did you see the wedding dresses that I named the 10 Most Amazingly Fantastic Wedding Dresses This Season?


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Giants may block A's move to San Jose
Recommended Video:
For months, a strong sense of optimism has ruled the A's pursuit of a new stadium in San Jose.
Not so fast, say the Giants. They own the territorial rights to Santa Clara County and won't relinquish them without a fight.
The feeling in the Giants' camp is that the A's think if they just keep saying they're optimistic about a new stadium, it will happen.
"I think it's wishful thinking," said Peter Magowan, the Giants' former managing general partner. "I don't think they'll get anywhere with it. I'd be surprised if a different result were to come about."
Major League Baseball is apparently in no hurry to alter the Bay Area's baseball landscape, either. According to multiple sources, including A's owner Lew Wolff, the A's stadium issue is not on the agenda for the owners meetings in Scottsdale, Ariz., in two weeks.
"That's my understanding," Wolff said.
Officials from both the A's and Giants are prohibited by MLB Commissioner Bud Selig from discussing the A's stadium situation, but Magowan, who still owns a small stake in the Giants, said that he is entirely up to date on the issue and that he does not believe that the A's will be allowed to move to San Jose.
Faith in Selig
"I'd be amazed that, with all the public reassurances we've received from Bud Selig over the years, he would change his mind on this matter," Magowan said. "He's a man of his word, a man of integrity, and he has been clear and direct in the past about reaffirming our territorial rights. It's hard to see how he would not be bound by what he's said, as many times as he has been on the record in support of those rights."
Magowan, however, knows that pledges can disappear. He said that he met with Wolff when the A's current ownership group, which includes John Fisher of the Gap, purchased the club in 2005. Well aware of Wolff's background as a San Jose developer, Magowan said he asked Wolff about the group's potential interest in Santa Clara County.
"We had a drink at the Fairmont hotel, and Lew assured me ... that he was never going to San Jose," Magowan said. "I kept notes of the conversation and made a memo for my files while it was fresh in my mind: He said they had interest in Las Vegas but they had no interest in San Jose. Bud knows all of this."
Wolff said that he doesn't remember such a conversation, but, he said, "At that time, we did not consider San Jose. This verifies that we weren't thinking that because we thought we'd get a new stadium in Oakland."
Wolff contends that the A's have explored every possibility within the team's territory, including numerous options in Oakland and one extended look at a site in Fremont. None has panned out to the A's satisfaction, and club officials no longer believe that Oakland is a viable market. Wolff said Las Vegas is "not an option."
San Jose option
There was widespread belief that the A's stadium would be discussed at the owners meetings, in part because the team entered into a land-purchase agreement last month with the city of San Jose; the A's have an option to buy 5 acres downtown, near HP Pavilion, at a reduced rate: $7 million for land that the city had acquired for $25 million and is currently appraised at $14 million.
January also was thought to be a sensible time frame for the owners to look at the A's stadium matter because the team has waited so long. Selig formed a panel to investigate a new ballpark nearly three years ago, and, to date, no report has been issued, although the A's have been told that the panel's work is completed. The A's assumption has been that if the territorial rights were a deal breaker, the panel would not have been formed.
In addition, MLB focused on the Dodgers' bankruptcy and the Astros' sale at the last owners meetings, in November, so it seemed as if the docket might be freed up to finally address Oakland's request to move into the Giants' territory. Any change to territorial rights would take a three-quarters vote of baseball's owners, but votes are not always tied to meetings. They also may be conducted by phone.
No other two-team market has territorial rights assigned. The A's gave the Giants the rights to Santa Clara County in 1993, when the Giants had their own stadium vote on the ballot in San Jose. The Giants insist that when they financed AT&T Park, all agreements with lenders were based on the team's current territorial rights, including corporate-rich Silicon Valley.
"Those long-term commitments wouldn't be there without that," Magowan said. "Investors would not have taken the risk if there was belief that our chief competitor could create a shiny new stadium right in the heart of our fan base."
A's struggles
There is thought that, despite the Giants' obligations on their debt service, a majority of big-league owners might be tired of paying the A's hefty revenue-sharing checks - more than $30 million last season. A new stadium in the 10th-largest city in the country probably would put money into the revenue-sharing pot. The Giants argue that they might then be taking out of the kitty rather than contributing. San Francisco must draw 3.3 million to operate at its current level, according to club officials. The Giants sold out every game last season and drew 3.387 million.
Despite the commissioner's decree not to discuss the topic publicly, the A's have begun to press the issue, making it a central conversation point for all personnel matters. General manager Billy Beane has taken a more prominent role in the efforts to get a stadium decision, and he traveled to Scottsdale with other A's officials to meet with Selig in early November.
Though Foxsports.com reported that Selig also planned to meet with Giants officials, that has not happened, according to Magowan.
The A's have traded two prominent pitchers this month, All-Stars Trevor Cahill and Gio Gonzalez, and both times, Beane emphasized that the moves were tied to the team's need for a new stadium and increased revenues.
Oakland Mayor Jean Quan said this month that if the A's move into San Francisco's territory, litigation could last 10 years. Two years ago, San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera sent Major League Baseball a letter warning against tampering with the territorial rights, citing long-term, binding legal agreements between the city and the team.
Many obstacles
Should the A's get the OK for San Jose, there would be more hurdles to climb. The team has yet to detail plans to privately finance a stadium that would cost an estimated $400 million. The land-purchase agreement must go to a public vote, and Better Sense San Jose, a grassroots taxpayer organization opposed to a new stadium downtown, argues that there could be $70 million in additional expenditures for the city. That could hurt the A's chances in a public vote, given the current economic climate and San Jose's other fiscal issues.
"Basically, it boils down to the fact that San Jose is in a financial mess, just short of crisis, and a new stadium is a bad idea," said Marc Morris, a spokesman for Better Sense San Jose.
Wolff said he has not sent out any signals about the A's expectations for a stadium decision, and he said he has no idea where a recent report indicating that he's "confident" the team will get the OK originated.
"I haven't heard anything," Wolff said. "It's all up to the commissioner. We'll follow whatever he says."
E-mail Susan Slusser at email@example.com.


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When it comes to shedding the baggage of past failings, Hibs have proved themselves pretty adept in recent months. But that does not mean there was not a distinct sense of relief in the dressing room last weekend when they ended their run of five games without a win.
"It was a wee bit of a relief," admitted attacker Andrew Shinnie, who was one of the stars of the show as the beat Dunfermline 3-1. "When you haven't won in a few weeks you are always just wanting that win to come.The boys have been lively. We've had a good week's training but it won't really count for anything if we don't go on and capitalise [today] and get a good result.
"If we can do that then we have a couple of big games after that and we can really put a statement out to the league.
"I think because we're the big team in the league everyone highlighted it as a really bad run but we've only lost one game in the league so it's not too bad. We would like to win more of those we were drawing and we weren't scoring so in terms of that it wasn't a great run, but it wasn't horrendous."
In fact, the Easter Road side sit top of the table, testament to the positive start to the season. It also serves to illustrate the high expectations. In their third season in the Championship, finally free of Hearts and Rangers, and with the buoyancy created by the historic Scottish Cup triumph, the demands are unequivocal. That is something Shinnie and his team-mates have been coming to terms with.
"When you're at a club like this and not picking up results, it's a test of character for everyone because we're expected to do so well and beat teams every week," stressed Shinnie. "We came out and showed what we're all about in the second half after being 1-0 down. We scored three goals and won the game convincingly. The boys showed that we've got that character. Hopefully that's us over that stuttering run and we can push on again.
"Teams coming to play us have no pressure really, people expect them to lose so they've got a free hit. If they get anything out of the game they've done well, if they don't people will say: 'Hibs should have beaten you anyway'. It's a lose-lose situation for us. If we don't win we get heavily criticised and if we do win then, well, you're expected to win anyway. That's the expectation we need to deal with just now.
"When I played at Inverness, we used to go to Ibrox and Parkhead and places like that and think 'let's just go out and play'. We would give it our best shot and frustrate them and try and nick a win. I managed to do that. I think we beat Rangers at Ibrox and Celtic at Parkhead. But I began to realise how difficult it was for those players, because every week at clubs like Celtic, Rangers, Hibs and Hearts you have to win or you get heavily criticised. It's different being on the other side of that."
Sitting top of the table, three points clear of Dundee United and Queen of the South, the pressure is on them to maintain the standards set last weekend, in a performance described by manager Neil Lennon as "outstanding". The boss felt that all aspects had finally collided and the penny had dropped and the challenge is now in producing a similar showing week in, week out. This afternoon, against St Mirren, the side who ousted them from the Betfred Cup, the challenge is to replicate last weekend's display.
"If we drop points we're the most disappointed," insisted Shinnie. "The fans will be disappointed but we hurt because we know we are better than we have shown in the last few weeks. Last week was a big turnaround. That's the way we can play, we moved the ball and Dunfermline couldn't really live with us. If we play like that we will win most games."