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Events Open to All
Classes in engraving and repoussé from 10 a.m. on. Limit 6 per class. Class fee $5. Livonia Smithery, Booth Space 170, Fleet Street.
MEAD TASTINGS AT THE BEE FOLKS! Come join us Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights, 7-until-we-kick-you-out. Bring your own bottle and cup. #114.
Runvaldr classes evenings at 7 p.m. Holistic healing also good for others manifesting at Cabochons on 17 Bow St. Donations accepted to cover expenses.
For Sale
12'-19' yurts 4 sale! $1500 & up. Must sell. Ask for Pente 919-360-0048 E01 Camp Infinity. Will deal.
10 gal hot water heater LP see Denys the Decadent E07 asking 200 OBO.
10' Regent + fly, blk + red w/full setup $750 OBO Contact Hector 330-472-0398. Pickup Fri Aug 13.
10ft Sybley style canvas tent 18" sidewalls 3 screened windows 3 ceiling vents heavy zipoff rubber floor. Used for 1 event B4 Pennsic pd. $800 sell $550 E31 Revelwood by Classic Swimhole ask for Deryk.
BAD GARB I and BAD GARB II - Now AVAILABLE From Claus the Toymaker- How do you know you are not in them unless you read them?
14x14 Panther Pavilion, 14x14 fly , poles included $1,200 Call Richard McKenzie 407-271-5842.
20' Mongolian yurt(Ger): used for one week @ Pennsic 37, it is too much for me and I have downgraded. Has been in temp. controlled storage. Asking $5,000 O.B.O. Call 914-841-7146 or stop by Clan of the Northern Lynx E28 at Pennsic ask for Caroline or Bamm.
Benefit the Chirurgeons--buy an original Pennsic XXXIX T-shirt. $10. Available from Claus of Burzee, #26 Merchants Row.
20x30 Panther Marquis w/roof vent. Canvas only. Located in Lagrange, GA. $1800 OBO call Honorata 706-881-6930.
4 sale gothic heavy weapons breast & back $120. Pauldrons $85. Dress sallet $100. Call 610-357-2718
65 Foot Dia. Sky Lodge see at Richspiritdrums.com. Highest quality, unique design $4400 254-652-7522
Agate Burnishers - bone ivory & horn handles - hand carved - also dog tooth and carnelian. Guild of Limners #26.
Arrrghhh!! Pirate Kitty Toys-Space 42 Fabric Dragon.
Bad Garb Old Maid card game- Yes we have 'em!- from Claus the Toymaker (Who else?)
Cotton reuseable soap scrubbies, organic catnip toys, 100% cotton fingerless gloves, & more- space 42.
Display/armor stand. Packs small, wood, painted or stained. N05/Clan Lurkr. $25
Dragon hats, jester hats, Medieval doll clothes, dressed bears and lots of other stuff to play with at Costumes by Loren. 166 Fleet Street.
Dyers! Get your undyed skeins & roving in Space 28.
Pennsic in a Box - Comes with people, places and things found at Pennsic in a colorful wooden box - Makes a great fun gift for friends who couldn't attend this year. Found only at Claus the Toymaker #26.
Fabric Dragon went back to College, please buy something! Space 42
Falcon's Mew catnip toys and stuffed animals #171.
Blank Books - hand bound in leather, handmade paper, thick & chunky. Fair trade products. $10 - $32 limited supply - Guild of Limners. #26.
For Sale - Bad garb, bad garb, What'cha gonna do? What'cha gonna do when the punchline's you?- Claus the Toymaker.
FOR SALE: Bathhouse - Trailer. Cost $1500 to build. Needs some work. Will sacrifice for $400. See Eleanor at merchant space #6. Trailer is set up in Meridies Royal, N01.
For Sale - Glass muller & burnishers from England, also Mitchell nibs, vellum, parchment, and hand bound leather books- The Guild of Limners, #26.
For sale. Horse tails $10; 12x16 pavilion new in box; drum kits; shaman calendar. Site #3
For Sale SCA Road Signs- "Fighter Practice Area", "Danger Viking Territory" and many others, some new and very silly $5 each. Claus the Toymaker, #26.
Gorgeous fused glass pendants & earrings - Space 42.
Hair sticks wooden & semi-precious. Mention this ad and get 10% off Booth 171.
Knitters & Spinners! Forgot your needles? Need yarn or roving? Space 28 can help.
Manicure/Pedicure offered by Dau 412-874-4314 Manis $5-7. Pedis $10-12 done @ barn. Parties available @ your site $25 guaranteed for a party. Text me.
Good garb - Bad Garb PAPER DOLLS - even more humorous than the works of Beaumont & Fletcher! From Claus the Toymaker.
MIDNIGHT MADNESS SALE, 10% off most items Mediaeval Miscellanca, Space 28.
New 750ml Bottles $10/case. See Wren, Merchant 185.
Pavilions for sale- two 16 foot rounds - new this year available at end of war. Complete package. 1 decorated $1450, 1 plain $1200 Black Pearl Tavern, B08.
PEARLS, prehnite, peridot and beads that don't start with 'P' at Fabric Dragon space 42
For Sale Vellum - opaline vellum (sheepskin) direct from England. Finest Quality sale price $20 per sheet. Lovely Dutch sheepskin parchment whole skins $125 can be cut smaller. The Guild of Limners #26, across from the barn.
"Pennsic for Dummies" by Claus the Toymaker - scurrilous, tongue-in-cheek fun, everything you need to know to complete your Pennsic experience.
Period Patterns™- What can you make from them? Come see sample garments- Mediaeval Miscellanea, Space 28.
Period Pavilions™ for sale or rent, some on site for immediate delivery. New + used, plain + decorated, simple + elaborate. Custom pavilions- we create exactly what you want. Free color brochure + catalog. See our ad in the gatebook. Mediaeval Miscellanea Space 28.
ATTENTION WOAD WARRIORS! Feeling a little blue? I have the real thing! Genuine woad imported from Scotland. $4 Limited supply, buy early. Guild of Limners #26.
Pin Money products can be found at Miriam's #58. Period lampwork pins, beads, Viking glass, rings, spindles and of course- FIBERS!
Queen size rope bed $200 call Coleta 513-324-4252
Real Gold Thread - Kamibari was $40 now $30 a Skein Terra Incognita # 171.
Seaymour- Happy 1st Pennsic together - Love, Red Molly.
Sleep dry next Pennsic! Panel houses @1/2 pavilian prices. Maison Rive Space #24
Songs of Rosalind Jehanne vol 1 on CD! Featuring performances by Ken & Lisa Theriot, Efenwealt Wystle, John Lyttleton, Bryce de Byram & more! Camelot Treasures booth 30
NEW THIS YEAR: Decorate your child's walls with medieval images - Knights, dragons, ladies - more. Let the mundanes put up Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck! - at Claus the Toymaker #26.
THE GUILD OF LIMNERS habitantes in platea mercatores vendunt encusto, penna, libri, pigmenti, colorum diversi, rubia, quadone, omnimodes tinctori et instrumenta clericis necessaria.
The Pennsic Independent called it "The Quintessential Collection of Songs". Get your copy of Master Hector's "Red Album" at Camelot Treasures Booth #30
UNIQUELY YOU! DRESSMAKER'S FORMS - the only one that corsets properly. Fit the cover exactly to your body change it as you do, the form still fits you. A 2nd cover = share with a friend. Available on site, save the shipping. Mediaeval Miscellanea, Space 28.
Weld, Woad, Madder, Cochineal, Brazilwood, Longwood-dyes to die for. Guild of Limners #26.
Yes! Pennsic does get chilly so we have cloaks & shoulder warmers for you. Space 28.
Your Device/Arms/Picture on a Banner up to 3 ft square. Custom done. Select Kingdoms in stock. Visit Misty Tower in Space 28.
Yurts 4 Sale! Many sizes. Contact Pente/Wookie. Camp Infinity E01 EASY TO SET UP! 919-360-0048. Possible Trade for Enclosed Trailer. Must Sell.
For Sale Ink-Oakgall, walnut hull, also gallo-tannic ink, absolutely perfectly opaque. $4 per bottle Guild of Limners #26.
Pennsic in a Box: the perfect gift for a friend who couldn't attend Pennsic XXXIX. Images of people, places, and things that make Pennsic special. From Claus the Toymaker #26
Car issues? Butler Tire 724-283-8473. They were great & reasonable! Even open Sat. 7:30-3p.m. Elen :)
Drum making workshop hosts wanted, Drum & flute repairs Richspiritdrums.com Drums avlb. 254-652-7522
For Sale Good Gentles......How much have you spent on your armor? How much have you spent on your garb? How much have you spent on your children? This has been a public service announcement from Claus of Burzee Toymaker.
Free rabbit cage. Light wire. Inquire at EK Royal.
HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF THE PAST. Participate in the SCA census. Available online for free at Mystic Mail 9-11a.m. and after 5p.m.
Intrigue, scandal + thwarted romance- the story develops as Pennsic progresses. Come see the diorama daily at Mediaeval Miscellanea, Space 28.
Our masterwork, having successfully aged 14 years, we wish Happy Birthday to our eldest son Piotr. Casimirski (of course we embarrassed you - your loving parents)
Pennsic is over! If you have not activated: Remember - There is no shame in self activation!
Pooker Snoodles, Love you lots + lots, Your Honey Bear
Reform Jewish services 6:30p.m. Friday behind Silver Dragon Co. Booth 9- Bow Street
Sandust Wanted. See Metilda of Lochleven/EK Royal.
See Auntie Arwen space 185 and ask if she is drinking WATER! <3 Fabric Dragon
SF author Michael Z. Williamson signing copies of his books. CLOAK & DAGGER #13.
Help Wanted
BREAKDOWN HELP WANTED! Good pay, food, fun crew. Bonus if work til truck is loaded! Start Sat. at 10. Mediaeval Miscellanea, Space 28.
I'm looking for Geneyoligest Kirk Owen 412-377-4322
TRAILER STORAGE NEEDED: Cash or a shower house paid Maison Rive Space #24.
Lost & Found
Book Production Spindling lost AS 13, return to Clan O'Choda and Ehanhs
Aett Kveldulf raises its horns to their fallen sister, Silkisif of Svanhill. Valhalla welcomes a courageous and tender heart, which our mead-hall is the poorer for the loss thereof. Charge your glass, who read this: to Silkisif!
Calvert died during production. Party at Summer's End.
Lord Brendan O'Moran, a founding member of the Shire of Caer Adamant. Your fighting spirit will be remembered.
Lord Brendan O'Moran - Pennsic is not the same for me without you. With loving memory, your Lady, Alison
RIP Dunstyn & Evliquia McGroyne. Survived by Edmund & Sarah de Wight.
Japanese Incense Ceremony followed by a Japanese Poetry Party Friday @ Clan Yama Kaminari (E03) Incense Ceremony @ noon Poetry Party @ 1:00
Middle A+S Officers meeting Mid Royale 10-11 Fri.
Baroness Judith Have a Safe Trip Home! Love Your Secret Pal
Crusher: Safe Journey to your home: Your Secret Pal.
ELL Congratulations on finding a man - YEAH- OG grieves in his beer =YECK= salty beer.
Celebrate the moment as it turns into one more. Thanks to the PI staff for bringing back the fun. One little victory- and on to Pennsic XL. Dr. Nick.
Muscles Happy Birthday love Tracie.
Freeport boy looking for Lower Burrell girl.
Fuzzy Headed Snuzzler loves her Daddy and reminds him not to stay forever
Happy 21st Birthday Lord Tristan from Mom and Dad and all of your friends in Rising Waters
Happy Birthday, Rose. Meet me at the food court Friday nite at 6pm for dinner and presents for you and Micah.
Local residents thank Duke Logan of Ebonwolf for demonstrating how not to honor a code of chivalry and for creating a new parking lot in his camp. It is so much closer to camp than the normal parking lot we will all use it next year! HUZZA!
Muscles Happy Birthday lfrom your old brothers.
My Pennsic Virgins - Though I may not remember your names, I'll always remember meeting you! - Zoe.
To the Coopers, Pennsic staff, merchants, and Pennsic populace: Thank you so much for allowing us to serve you year after year. It is our great honor and privilege (and a lot of fun!) to produce the Pennsic Independent. -The PI Staff
N XL˚ LVII.DCCLXXVIII, W ØLXXX˚ ØVIII.CDLVII. "Heath Saint Sicce." Bring a Pen!
Thank you Phillipe and Julliana for taking care of me this Pennsic and helping to make it possible to be here. You are loved and appreciated always Petra...you too Konrad!
Thanks to all our honored guests who visited our camp again this year! - Bard's Haven Camp
To the Lord who returned Lady Tatiana's amethyst crystal she thanks you with all of her heart.
To the staff of the Pennsic Independent: you are so wonderful! Thank you all for making this work, and making it work better every year. I love you all so much. You are fired! See you next year. -Aitch
Wanted Hungamunga talk to Wolfgang in OGLAND.
Was he here? Was he just an illusion? No one knows. Those are the ways of trendy werewolves. Thanks for a great Pennsic to all my campmates. - T.L. in N08.
You are still a Pennsic Virgin if you haven't read Lady Tudor Glitz! Available in Space 89-L3 Fabric Dragon.
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Overcome the challenges of programmatic ads. Discover Brilliant Advertising. Download the white paper ›
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subset: commoncrawl


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Relocation to London – Side Street Surprises (Part 3)
An international relocation to London is going to acquaint with new literal and figurative avenues—there are new life paths to consider professionally and personally, but also, quite simply, a labyrinth of streets to navigate! Getting to know different London neighborhoods as your London Relocation agent guides you from one London apartment rental to the next is a stellar way to start getting acquainted; the cumulative expertise at the London Relocation agency will exhaust the options for you. But after cutting to the chase of finding a London flat to rent, the time will come to step outside of it wander around—and, from my personal experience, I find the best way to learn the streets is to get yourself properly lost! 😉 [read more]


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Global Caprolactam Market is Expected to Reach USD 13.80 Billion by 2019: Transparency Market Research
Transparency Market Research has released a new market report titled "Caprolactam (Nylon 6 Fiber and Nylon 6 Resin) Market For Textiles, Carpets, Industrial Yarns, Engineering Plastics, Packaging, Electronics and Other Applications - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2013 - 2019," which observes that the caprolactam demand in 2012 was worth USD 8.66 billion and is expected to reach USD 13.80 billion by 2019, growing at a CAGR of 6.9% from 2013 to 2019. In terms of volume, the demand for caprolactam was 3,580.0 kilo tons in 2012.
Browse the full Report with TOC:http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/caprolactam-market.html
Caprolactam is an important polymer having host of applications across different industries. Caprolactam is the key raw material for nylon 6. Caprolactam is used to produce nylon 6 fibers and resins that are used extensively in various applications. The growing demand of nylon 6 in engineering and automobile applications as well as rapid economic growth in Asia Pacific is expected to remain the major driving force for the caprolactam market. Volatile raw material prices are expected to be a key challenge for market participants.
Nylon 6 fibers dominated the consumption of caprolactam and accounted for over 66% of total demand in 2012. Superior chemical as well as physical characteristics such as light weight and high tensile strength, nylon 6 fibers have become materials of choice in various textile and carpets application. The use of caprolactam in nylon 6 resin production employed in engineering plastics and electronic applications is anticipated to be the major growth market over the next few years. Similar surge in demand is expected to be witnessed from industrial yarn applications where nylon 6 fibers are used as tire cords for enhanced wear resistance and high strength characteristics.
Asia Pacific accounted for about 51% of the total caprolactam market in 2012, followed by Europe and North America. Asia Pacific is also expected to be the fastest growing regional market in terms of both caprolactam consumption and production. This can be attributed to the growing economies in this region. Skilled labor, cheap availability of raw materials, equipments, and land has resulted in Asia Pacific emerging as a key destination for caprolactam producers. Recently various manufacturers have concentrated on capacity expansion in Asia Pacific to increase their production capacities. Europe is the other major region where caprolactam consumption was very strong and is expected to grow in demand with a CAGR of about 6.4% in terms of volume from 2013 and 2019.
DSM, BASF SE, Honeywell, Ube Industries and Capro Corporation are some of the major participants in the caprolactam industry.
Caprolactam Market - Product Segment Analysis
· Nylon 6 fiber
· Nylon 6 resin
Caprolactam Market - Application Segment Analysis
· Nylon 6 fiber
· Textiles
· Carpet
· Industrial yarns
· Others (fishing lines, fishing nets, bristles, surgical suture, etc.)
· Nylon 6 resin
· Engineering plastic
· Packaging
· Electronics
· Others (musical strings, composites, lysine synthesis, etc.)
Caprolactam Market - Regional Analysis
· North America
· Europe
· Asia Pacific
· Rest of the World (RoW)
Browse more market research reports: Transparency Market Research


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CTL Line Installed at High Steel
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Friday, June 1, 2012
High Steel Service Center, Lancaster, PA, has installed a 1/2- by 72-in. cut-to-length line from Red Bud Industries, Red Bud, IL. Included is an adjustable Suregrip stretcher-leveling system featuring metallic grippers that prevent slippage when running high-strength or oily material. Stretcher frames can automatically adjust to a multiple of the part length to avoid double stretching. And, to optimize throughput, the line runs in the start-stop mode for heavier material and with a loop for material to 0.315-in. thick, to allow higher speeds while providing tight tolerances on length and squareness.
See also: Red Bud Industries, Inc.
Related Enterprise Zones: Coil Handling


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about six years ago
St. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork.com) - T.J. Oshie's first career hat trick highlighted the St. Louis Blues' latest victory, a 5-1 drubbing of the slumping Minnesota Wild at Scottrade Center. Jaden Schwartz and Brenden Morrow also tallied for the current Western Conference leaders, who improved to 11-2-1 since acquiring goaltender Ryan Miller from Buffalo on Feb. 28. "We're really focusing on playing team hockey right now and it's showing with the results we've had," said Oshie. "Three of them happened to come from my stick, but the next game it will be someone else." Miller did his part as well in this one, taking a shutout bid into the final nine minutes and turning aside 27 of the 28 shots he faced. Counterpart Darcy Kuemper wasn't as effective, coming up with just 19 saves as the Wild lost for the ninth time in 12 games. Minnesota's lead over Phoenix for the top wild-card spot in the West also shrunk to one point after the Coyotes downed New Jersey on Thursday. Zach Parise accounted for the lone Wild goal in Minnesota's ninth consecutive setback to the Blues. "That's a team we could face in the first round and we wanted to make it tough on them," said Parise. "I don't think we did that, at all, tonight." Oshie's first two goals came during the opening period, with the initial one -- a well-placed wrister into the upper right corner of the Wild net after he corralled a loose puck -- giving St. Louis a quick 1-0 edge 4:43 in. A double-minor penalty to Kevin Shattenkirk late in the first gave Minnesota an extended power play, but the Wild instead fell behind further while on the man advantage. Oshie intercepted a pass from Jared Spurgeon in the neutral zone, starting a shorthanded breakaway that he finished by blasting the puck past Kuemper 26 seconds before the intermission. The Blues did cash in on a power-play opportunity to extend the margin in the second period, with Schwartz beating Kuemper to the stick side with Morrow setting a screen for a 3-0 cushion. Oshie completed the hat trick with 7:18 elapsed in the third period, successfully redirecting a blast from the point from Jay Bouwmeester to make it a 4-0 game. Just under 3 1/2 minutes later, Morrow chipped in a rebound of Alex Steen's initial attempt with the Blues on another power play. Parise produced Minnesota's lone highlight of the night by finishing a transition rush with Charlie Coyle with 8:49 remaining. Game Notes The Wild haven't bested the Blues since a 3-2 shootout decision in Minnesota on Nov. 19, 2011 ... Oshie became the second St. Louis player in as many games to register a hat trick, with David Backes accomplishing the feat in Tuesday's win over Toronto ... The Blues have now notched a point in 10 straight home games (8-0-2), tying a season-best stretch from Oct. 25-Dec. 5 ... Minnesota went 0-for-6 on the power play, while St. Louis converted 2-of-5 chances ... Blues forward Derek Roy returned to action after missing two straight with a groin injury.
2020 Taylorville Daily News,
Miller Media Group
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I was contacted by Robert, a longtime Fanblog reader and contributor. He told me he's been accepted as an NFL Scout intern. I think that's awesome!
He's offered to share some insight into what he does and the occasional player interview. I'm excited for Robert and look forward to his contributions!
Fire away, Robert!
~ Crimedog
Ps. You can follow Robert on Twitter at @ralfaro80 and keep up to date with his new adventure!
For the regulars on this blog for a few years, you probably remember me. My name is Robert Alfaro Jr. I have written guest blogs for TH, Jeremy and Crimedog in the past.
Recently, due to my passion for this game and my persistence, I was able to land an NFL internship as an NFL scout. Out of 100 plus applicants for the internship, I was one of 10 people they selected all over the U.S, who applied for it. I am currently working under the tutelage of NFL scout, Matt Miller, who is the founder of New Era Scouting and NFL lead writer for The Bleacher Report. Matt has been doing this for 10 years now. He has also been a coach as well. If you are a draftnik type of guy or gal, you can follow him on twitter, @nfldraftscout. Or you can find more information at www.newerascouting.com.
As interns, we formulate scouting reports every week. We are assigned a player or a specific position and break the player down by watching cut ups of players. We are also responsible for writing articles every week based on our assignments. We would write about team needs articles on the team assigned to us and also a list of all their free agents, restricted and unrestricted. As interns, we are spending a few weeks on scouting NFL players, free agents and what team they would fit best and be productive, based on their talent and skill. The remaining few weeks of the internship, we will gear up on college players entering the 2012 NFL draft. Matt has worked closely with NFL teams and their scouting departments, so he is running his show as a scouting department in the NFL would run it. Most, if not all the interns have day jobs, so us interns are pulling 14 hour days. 8 hours at day job and close to 6 hours writing articles and watching cut ups of different players to gain experience in doing so. Not only are we helping out New Era Scouting, but we are also gaining priceless knowledge and picking the brain of one of the best scouts in the game today, in Matt Miller.
I have had a few conversations with a few of y'all whom I keep in touch with. My dream is to be an NFL coach someday. I have been grinding hard, for the last few years, to reach that goal. Over those years, I have met and talked to NFL coaches or front office executives that I never dreamed of talking to. I am and will continue to be persistent, not only to prove to myself, but for those that have dreams, all it takes is passion and most important, persistence to make those dreams into a reality.
In my spare time, I have managed to reach out to Texans players to get a quick Q&A and to know a little bit about them. I would like to share this with you. Today's guest is Roc Carmichael, cornerback from Virginia Tech. A 4th round pick in 2011, Roc spent most of his season on injured reserve. I was able to reach out to him and ask him a few questions on his draft experience, the organization he founded, BAP ( Bless all People) and his plans for upcoming 2012 NFL season. You can follow Roc on Twitter here @BappNAinEZBino.
I will do my best to get in touch with more players and do a Q&A interview with them. Please do not hold it against if I am not able to do so for a while! Rest assured, I will do my best.
Roc is sharing his draft experience, the organization he founded, BAP (Bless all people) and his goals going into the future.
What was your feeling when they called your name on draft day?
When they first called my name, I really felt like a dream come true. At the same time, I know I had a lot of work to do. i didn't feel comfortable or like I made it at all.
Was your dream always to be in the NFL player?
Since I was 3 years old, I knew I wanted to play in the NFL. Just to see if I was good enough. I love challenges and love work. I also wanted to do more with it. i knew I could get in and make a change for the kids like me, that always looked for guidance from the older guys or the people who were at that level. I wanted to make it and help others while I was doing it.
I know your rookie season had a setback due to injuries. What do you expect from yourself, Year 2, with your first NFL offseason?
as a rookie I learned a lot and got to see some of the guys I always watched in person, so that was cool. Then I got hurt. I didn't take it too hard though because I just seen it as a red shirt year. I knew I had to come back harder in year 2. It is just going to make my story that more interesting when they tell it.
Who was your biggest influence growing up and who did you look up to?
As a kid, I looked up to my mom and dad. Though they weren't super athletes, they taught me what true happiness is and how to love and be there for my family. Life is tough for every one but they made it look so easy.
I heard about Bless All People (BAP). Can you tell me a little bit about it and what is your vision for BAP moving forward in the future?
BAP is something I love to do in my down time. Just trying to bring people back together.There is so much negativity in the world and for me and the guys I hang with, we wanted to change that. So we started bappin. In the future, we hope to do football camps all over the country and just positive things in the community.
Finally, any words to say to the Houston Texans fans about Roc Carmichael for the upcoming 2012 season?
Roc Carmichael is here to stay and make a impact on and off the field. #BAP
~ Robert


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What Did Elizabeth Banks's Fake 'Hunger Games' Nails Keep Her From Doing?
The actress admits certain elements of her wardrobe caused some issues
Murray Close
Elizabeth Banks spent more than two hours in the makeup chair every morning transforming into The Hunger Games's eccentric escort Effie Trinket, but that wasn't the toughest part of the job. The actress admits to MTV.com that wearing her character's fake nails every day really created some problems.
"Once they were on I literally couldn't do anything," she says. "I couldn't iPhone, BlackBerry, use the computer. I couldn't go to the bathroom. I couldn't zip or unzip or do a button, I couldn't wipe." So maybe it's TMI, but the actress considers it necessary knowledge. "I just want everyone to know how far we had to go to make The Hunger Games," she jokes. (Since promotional photos of Effie Trinket's nails aren't available yet, we'll have to wait until the movie is out to see them.)
Banks also has quite a wild wardrobe in the movie, but admits she was really excited about the clothes. "Effie is a very complicated character, and one of the things I loved about the costumes is that she's technically a free person in this totalitarian society," Banks explains. "She's a resident of the Capitol, but the clothes are very constricting, restrictive. She can't walk, she can barely breathe. I wanted that sense of oppression for her, and the easiest way to get it was in the clothes." Tell us: Are you excited for The Hunger Games?


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Have you ever been on your way to tailgate when you realized you forgot to post a comment to your class discussion board? What do you do? About face, go back to your dorm, sit down, plug away and miss out on the fun? Or forgo the assignment all together?
How about neither?
What do I mean? Well, with Blackboard Mobile Learn, you can check grades, grab presentations and documents, even post on your class discussion board right from your phone. And, now access to the app is only a few taps away on iOS or Android.
With the Mobile Learn Personal Usage License any student can purchase the app for $1.99 per year or $5.99 for lifetime access. For thoseinstitutions who want to make Mobile Learn available campus-wide, they can do that. But for those institutions that don't license the app, students have the right to choose.
We know people are curious about this approach. Over the life of the app, we have heard from students, faculty and academic leaders who were frustrated by the limited access to Mobile Learn due to previous pricing models and partnerships, so this new model affords access to anyone. And if you don't see the value in the app today that just charges us to work harder, continuing to evolve the features that can make your student experience better.
Everyday we're faced with choices. And yes, some choices are harder than others. Who to start as your quarterback in Fantasy Football? McDonalds or Burger King? iPhone or Android? The same can be said for your academic experience and the way you choose to access information.
Want to get Mobile Learn today? bit.ly/Bbapp


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Explore new security policies and technologies to keep pace with your evolving business
Enterprise security leaders agree: digital transformation calls for fundamental changes to existing cybersecurity strategies. This Forbes survey report examines the industry response to unprecedented risks and threats. Learn why organizations today are working to:
- Expand accountability for security to operations and line of business leaders
- Combine security and operations personnel to protect high-value applications
- Prioritize protection, response, and remediation of known threats
69% of senior executives are already re-engineering their approach to security. Find out how—read the report now.


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The concept of a spiritual base to under-gird persons with a sincere intention to serve, developed from the desire of its founders to express their philosophy of non-judgment and unconditional love. Rick and Jeni Prigmore, in an attempt to express these principles in traditional religious structures, found themselves constrained by parameters of tradition, rules, and dogma.
More than 40 years ago, Rick and Jeni sat down with attorney friend Marty Zevin to create a legal base for their personal, independent ministry. The result became UNIVERSAL (for everyone) BROTHERHOOD (the international generic term for siblings) MOVEMENT (active service, not just theory, philosophy or preachment), INCORPORATED (a not-for-profit corporation).
From this seed, intended only for the founders' ministerial base, there has grown an international association of thousands of unsolicited diverse ministries. From nearly 60 countries of birth origin and from most of the world's philosophies, religions, spiritual disciplines and service orientations, have come dedicated seekers and servers to impact the world, each in his/her own way.
Information is supplied upon request to those seeking legal means to express their commitment to serve. Each commitment is recognized through the process of ordination in a special face-to-face meaningful ceremony which includes the affirmation,
"I hereby dedicate my life to the brotherhood of mankind."


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The Content of Character: A Conversation with Twelfth Night's Jim Winker and Ross Hellwig
"If this were play'd upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction."
Fabian quips this line in Act Three of Twelfth Night, and both Jim Winker and Ross Hellwig – two actors featured in Monday's staged reading of the play – would agree that Shakespeare has a way of shedding light on the spaces where art and life overlap, imitate, and illuminate. In this play, in particular, he has created a cast of colorful characters for this purpose, characters who constantly find themselves peeling back the layers of living.
"That's the glory of Shakespeare," says UCSD Professor Emeritus Jim Winker who will be playing Malvolio, the "narrow-minded and mean-spirited" steward to the Lady Olivia. "We've all got something to bring to each part. It's like onion layers unfolding, depending upon the actors playing the roles."
Jim is no stranger to unpacking the Bard. In addition to his accomplished acting resume which includes numerous Shakespeare productions and an Associate Artist designation at the Old Globe, Jim taught classical texts in UCSD's Department of Theatre and Dance for 25 years. He was recently approached by Christy Yael and Sean Cox, artistic directors at Intrepid, to take their actors through scansion workshops during rehearsals for their main stage productions. He is looking forward to taking the stage on Monday as an Intrepid cast member.
While Malvolio – whose name can be translated as "ill will" – is typically seen as somewhat of a fool, Jim stresses the importance of recognizing his complexities. "For all of his general creepiness," says Jim, "he's a vulnerable guy. Shakespeare has given him to us in a wonderful package where he has balanced out all sides of him."
Even though the turn of events in the story don't favor Malvolio for the better, Jim observes that because of these complexities of character, audiences don't automatically dismiss him. "We end up having some feeling for him," he observes. "He's got depth and feeling and complications."
"He's forgivable because he's relatable," says Ross Hellwig of his own character, Duke Orsino – the melancholy lover who's "more in love with the idea of love" than the object of his affections. Similarly to Malvolio and many of the characters in Twelfth Night, Orsino takes a position of authority on a subject – in his case, the idea of love – but soon discovers that he is the one who has a lot to learn.
"One of the things I think is fun about Orsino," explains Ross, "is that he imagines himself the most knowledgeable about love and women because he's in the midst of this incredible passion for this woman. He's in the midst of these scenes with Viola and educating her about what love is and – he's really wrong. It ends up being the other way around – that she was teaching him about love."
"Spoiler alert," he adds.
And what is it like to play these complex people onstage?
"Characters who have deluded images of themselves can be a lot of fun," says Ross, who is a graduate of the Old Globe/USD MFA Program and has worked on numerous Shakespeare productions in San Diego and Los Angeles. "And these characters are all so colorful. They are unique and full of life and the fun of the piece is seeing what kind of trouble they will get into."
Trouble is definitely not out of the question for the staged reading format. With mere hours of rehearsal and script in hand, actors are required to perform to full production standards. While this process is not for the faint of heart, both Jim and Ross note that the "quickness" of the staged reading arena forces the company to focus on what is important: the words and each other.
"It goes fast," says Jim. "You have to pay attention and get all of your tools ready to go. You have to be ready to improvise. It's a wonderful challenge for an actor."
"One of the great things about staged readings of Shakespeare is that everything you need to know in a Shakespeare play is in the text," notes Ross. "All you need is the language. It's the blessing and the challenge."
To that end, Jim endorses Intrepid's fast-paced and text-centered approach to the plays they read and produce.
"They pay great attention to the language," says Jim. "What I love about them is that they are not afraid of it. They get on with it and they don't play down to their audiences. They trust that they don't have to hand it to us on a tray."
In a time when it seems as though we are shortening our language use every day, it may seem remarkable that audiences understand Shakespeare as well as they do. But the themes and passions and logical twists are surprisingly accessible, mostly because we recognize our own lives in the machinations onstage.
"He's the heart of our culture," says Jim. "The plays teach us so much about what it is to be human. Each time you see one, you learn something about who you are."
This extraordinary class will be in session on Monday evening. — T.T.
Twelfth Night: A Staged Reading. Monday, April 22. Encinitas Library. 6:30 pm wine reception. 7:00 pm reading. Please purchase tickets in advance or rsvp to email@example.com and pay with cash/check at the door. $15.


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Several new images have been revealed for the upcoming Halo 4 Warhead 7.1 Wireless Surround Headset from Tritton, which is exclusive to GameStop. You can check out the pictures, as well as some screens from the upcoming Xbox 360 exclusive first-person shooter, in the slideshow at the top of this article and the complete product description from GameStop.com below:
TRITTON's Halo 4 Warhead 7.1 Wireless Surround Headset is a truly wireless solution – – no need to connect a chat cable to your Xbox 360 gaming controller! A robust 5.8GHz wireless signal ensures interference-free operation from other 2.4GHz wireless devices and provides crystal-clear audio at a range of 33 feet.
Hear immersive 7.1 Dolby Headphone surround sound through a pair of precision-tuned 50mm speakers featuring Neodymium magnets. With two rechargeable battery packs for 24/7 gaming, one battery always charging on the base station means you can simply swap in a fresh pack whenever the headset needs more energy. Adorned with official artwork taken directly from the game and boasting a bonus DLC card, the Warhead 7.1 is the definitive Halo 4 gaming headset.
- Immersive 7.1 Surround Sound Powered by Dolby Headphone Technology – Dolby Headphone provides 7.1-channel surround sound to enhance directional awareness and create a detailed, spacious audio landscape which sounds as if it's beyond the limits of the headset. Hearing each and every disturbance within a game's environment gives you the competitive advantage by allowing you to locate hostiles long before they sense your presence.
- True Wireless Xbox 360 Voice Chat – Gone are the days of tethering a controller to your head. The lack of a chat cable provides an all-new level of gaming freedom previously unheard of on the Xbox 360 console.
- Premium 5.8GHz Wireless Technology Delivers Crisp Audio – The Warhead 7.1's proprietary 5.8GHz wireless technology offers far superior audio clarity when compared to the industry standard 2.4GHz. Many wireless products on the market today are on the 2.4GHz band and if your headset operates within this frequency, it's prone to interference from cordless phones, Bluetooth devices, Wi-Fi routers, and even your microwave oven. The Warhead 7.1's 5.8GHz wireless range sidesteps potential interference by utilizing a less crowded frequency.
- Selectable EQ Settings for Games, Movies and Music – Need to give your hands a break from a stint of marathon gaming? Take a well-earned rest and catch a movie or kick back and listen to your favorite tunes. The equalizer settings on the headset's base station help maintain your media's original acoustic properties and allow you to fine-tune your personal audio experience.
- Dual Rechargeable Battery Packs with On-Screen Readout – One battery pack powering the headset and another charging in the base station means you can freely swap whenever the on-screen indicator informs you that the headset is low on juice. The included AC adapter provides the means for each pack to charge whether the Xbox 360 console is on or off, and a handy LED indicator lets you know when a battery is ready for action.
- Easy-to-Locate On-Ear Controls – Intuitive placement of all controls provides simple adjustability without the need to remove the headset. Frequently used controls are easy to find at a moment's notice – – mute the mic, independently adjust game and chat volume, turn SVM on/off, switch inputs, and even toggle EQ settings – – all while keeping your eyes on your monitor.
- Hear Your own Voice with Selectable Voice Monitoring (SVM) – SVM allows you to choose whether or not you want to hear your voice through the headset. When certain situations – – like those late-night gaming sessions – – dictate that you talk softly or loudly into the mic, easily activate/deactivate SVM with the push of a button and take control of all your conversations.
- Separate Game and Voice Volume Control – If the chatter from your online rivals gets distracting and starts to hinder your gameplay experience, just turn a dial on the headset to quickly tune them out. Game volume can also be adjusted on-the-fly so you can drown out your foe's voice but still hear stealthy in-game footsteps creeping up behind you.
- Ergonomically Designed for Extreme Comfort – Headset comfort is of utmost importance during extended gaming sessions. The Warhead 7.1 keeps your ears comfy with its padded, adjustable headrail – – which extends an extra 1.25 inches on either side to accommodate a wide range of head sizes – – and soft, pliable earcups which encapsulate your ears in an immersive sound field while keeping ambient sounds at bay. The earcups also swivel to provide a comfortable around-the-neck resting position.
- Animated UNSC Forward Unto Dawn Avatar DLC – The iconic starship from the game's United Nations Space Command fleet – – Forward Unto Dawn – – infiltrates your Xbox Dashboard in the form of downloadable content. Give your earthbound avatar an animated, intergalactic overhaul with the included DLC card.
- Amplified 50mm Speakers with Neodymium Magnets – Neodymium drivers are the highest quality available for use in commercial headsets. Each earcup houses a 50mm speaker which outputs high-fidelity game and chat audio for rich bass and crisp undistorted highs.
- Durable Performance Mic can be Removed when not in use – When not communicating over Xbox LIVE and just listening to music or watching a film, a headset's microphone only gets in the way. Problem solved with the Warhead 7.1 Surround Headset's removable solution – – it provides the freedom to use the mic only when necessary.
- Includes Everything Needed to Connect to any Xbox 360 – Whether your console is legacy or current-gen and connected to a display via HDMI or component/VGA/composite, the Warhead 7.1 is ready to go right out of the box. All required cables and adapters are included to help ensure you can connect to any Xbox 360 within minutes.
Product Includes:
- 7.1 Surround Headset
- Wireless Headset with Stand
- Base Station with Charger
- Removable, Flexible Microphone
- RCA Adapter Cable
- Optical Cable
- Digital Audio Adapter
- AC Adapter
- 2 Rechargeable Battery Packs
- Forward Unto Dawn Xbox Avatar DLC
Product Specifications:
- Wireless Frequency: 5.8GHz
- Wireless Range: 33ft
- Ear Coupling: Circumaural (Over-the-Ear)
- Xbox 360 Audio Input Type: Optical and RCA
- Frequency Response: 25Hz – 20kHz
- Speaker Diameter: 50mm
- Magnet Type: Neodymium
- Batteries: 2 Rechargeable Battery Packs
The Halo 4 Warhead 7.1 Wireless Surround Headset has a manufacturer's suggested retail price tag of $299.99. The accessory will be released in North America on August 29th. Halo 4 is slated to launch exclusively for the Xbox 360 system in the same region on November 6th.


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Rebuild or Retrofit That Aging Hydraulic Press?
Today's metalformers face shorter lead times, tighter tolerances and stricter quality guidelines, all while minimizing their internal production costs. Operating within these guidelines can be challenging when using hydraulic presses purchased as recently as 10 to 15 years ago, which likely employ outdated technology. That's why many metalformers are considering press rebuilds or retrofits as a to upgrade older presses with new advancements in press technology.
There are numerous reasons to consider a press rebuild or retrofit. Slower cycle times and inconsistent part runs can be byproducts of older presses. At the heart of older press technology will likely be a control panel with limited functionality compared to today's programmable-logic controllers (PLCs). Older operator interfaces have monochromatic keypad displays, and provide a slow update time for viewing critical data. These controllers do not offer a to automate press runs, requiring operators to manually enter instructions with each job setup. Manual setup increases cycle time and the likelihood of errors.
Presses more than 10 yr. old may include a manual proximity switch to signal positioning on reversal, a critical process for producing accurate parts. This manual switch is only as accurate as your hand is steady, and parts may eventually fall out of tolerance. In addition, many older presses were designed with small proportional directional valves that provide a slow pressing speed into the part, in order to achieve an accurate reversal position. With today's servo-quality proportional directional valves, metalformers can achieve positional accuracy and very high flows, due to the rapid response time of the valves.
Aging pumps, motors and even hydraulic fluids are not as efficient by today's standards. In addition, due to enhancements and new options, older power units may not be as economical as new equipment. And, as shops grow and add larger presses, the amount of power needed increases.
Last but not least, metalformers must address safety and update their older presses as needed. Upgrading to ANSI B11.2-1995 (R2010) and adding light curtains allows a press to be run by an auxiliary piece of equipment such as a feeder or foot switch, to reduce cycle time.
Pressing Ahead
Today's hydraulic presses are faster and more reliable than ever. In the last decade, the technology has experienced constant upgrade. PLCs and other electronically based controls have improved speed and flexibility.
Using today's valves and PLCs, cycle times can be improved with simpler and easier-to-troubleshoot circuits. Variable-displacement piston pumps allow flow and pressure to be controlled directly at the pump, simplifying the hydraulic circuit and optimizing horsepower to improve the circuit's efficiency. As efficiency increases, wear on the oil and hydraulic components is reduced, which in turn reduces the maintenance burden.
Using touchscreen press controls, all press-setup points—including those for top stop, slowdown and reversal—can easily be changed. This eliminates the need for time-consuming manual adjustments. This "closed-loop" system is als adjusting itself against stored parameters. A control's artificial intelligence can even reject incorrect settings, preventing costly accidents. In addition, ram position is tracked by a linear transducer, which rarely needs calibrating. The control can be integrated with a precision digital control system, which enables actual position accuracies of ±0.001 in., and reversal at ±one percent of specified tonnage.
Repeatability has improved dramatically thanks to the use of new PLCs and valves. Metalformers can store multiple programs or recipes in the controllers, which can be accessed as needed—a big advantage compared to manually entering program parameters each time a new job runs. This automatic process may eliminate the need for a setup operator, requiring only the press operator to call up the program already loaded with values that have been checked by performing qualifying runoffs. Depending on PLC memory capacity, hundreds of recipes can be stored, enabling the press operator to change programs in just seconds and ensuring that parts are produced precisely and repeatedly every time they are run. Also, modern PLCs are flexible enough to allow the use of multiple programming languages to best suit the current requirement.
Barcodes in the Pressroom
Quality control is further improved with the use of barcode readers, a growing trend during the last 5 yr. Metalformers use barcode readers to scan the tool and the work order to automatically upload the new parameters for that component. Scans also can be used to validate the press and die against the work order, to ensure that the proper press is being used for the job. An employee's badge also can be scanned to check for permission to operate the press.
New PLCs enable process automation by controlling multiple presses within a line, or by integrating a press with auxiliary equipment. This automation provides consistent control over all press operations. Typical applications include adding roll feeders for advancing sheetmetal in a press, or integrating rotary-index tables into a pressline.
Motors and VFDs
Motors are much more efficient today than they were 10 yr. ago. They offer a reduced rotational mass and higher-quality copper for improved winding technology. Pumps are more efficient as well, as improved seals and stronger hoses and couplings have virtually eliminated leaks and greatly minimized maintenance. Even hydraulic fluids exhibit increased effectiveness due to new additives, promoting improved pump performance. Also, state-of-the-art pumps and motors operate more quietly than do their aging counterparts, and they use off-the-shelf replacement parts, whereas replacing components of older pumps and motors can take 12 weeks or more.
Another recent development is the use of soft motor starters or variable-frequency drives (VFDs). These devices allow the motor to ramp up to full speed, decreasing the inrush current. A hydraulic press with a VFD will start the motor when the press is ready to perform work, and then shut the motor off when platen movement is not required, including during press idle times. This technology can run the motor at slower speeds when the press is idle, to allow for accumulators to be charged and the oil to be cooled or filtered.
Finally, new options for increased press safety might include adding light-curtain circuits, presence-sensing devices, gates and barriers. Solid-state relays for anti-tiedowns on press buttons is another consideration.
Pressing for Change
Metalformers ready for some type of hydraulic-press upgrade should carefully evaluate their goals in relationship to their costs. Here are checklists to help determine whether a retrofit or entire rebuild will prove most beneficial.
• Upgrade to the current ANSI B11.2-1995 (R2010) standards for safety.
• Build in speed control for handling hard-to-form materials and to increase cycle rates.
• Add closed-loop pressure and distance control.
• Improve accuracy and repeatability.
• Integrate automation components (robotics, feeders, etc).
• Add the ease-of-use and accuracy of touchscreen controls with recipe storage.
Rebuild services replace existing hydraulic, mechanical and electrical components. If some of the following are needed, it may be time for a rebuild.
• Replace old, complex piping/valve systems with a single, consolidated and easy-to-troubleshoot manifold system.
• Replace or rebuild pumps and motors.
• Replace leaky hydraulic pipe-thread technology with oil ring seals (ORS and SAE).
• Rewire electrical systems.
• Rebuild cylinders.
• Replace worn-out platen guides/ slides.
• Strip down and repaint surfaces.
• Replace ram gland rings and seals.
Case Study: Going Green for Efficiency
For a look at the benefits that come from a complete press rebuild, consider an automotive customer operating a 1997-vintage gap-frame press. The company recently required an upgrade to make the press ANSI-compliant, while providing all of the quality, flexibility and maintenance advantages of today's technology. Greenerd replaced all of the hydraulics and electrical components to a modern PLC, ANSI-compliant configuration. The only elements remaining intact were the frame and steel components, which will last indefinitely.A significant benefit was derived from synchronizing the two auxiliary side cylinders on the press. A master slave control on both sides uses servo-quality proportional direction valves mounted directly to each cylinder to achieve 0.001-in. position tolerance. Prior to this rebuild, the customer was using hardened stop blocks to hit the hard stop. This older process is prone to error because after the press cycles, the parts may move out of tolerance, requiring manual repositioning of the blocks. MF
See also: Greenerd Press & Machine Co., Inc.
Related Enterprise Zones: Safety, Sensing/Electronics


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Map of Rivers in India
Browse 17,675 attractions, meet 81,940 travelers, 16,538 tour guides and discover 33,300 photos
This map features 210 rivers in India. TouristLink also features a map of all the rivers in Asia and has more detailed maps showing just rivers in Mumbai or those in Pune. Want more information? Check out this list of top ranking rivers in India
Check out our photos of "Rivers in India." Click a photo of a river to see its location on the map and find out more information. We have photos of all 12,779 tourist attractions around India or add your own (Click here to browse them).


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* Mobile clinic offers paternity, other biological tests
* U.S. demand for DNA testing steadily increasing
* Experts concerned about accuracy, psychological impact
By Lily Kuo
NEW YORK, Aug 22 (Reuters) - A mobile DNA testing facility that looks more like a motor home than a medical clinic is raising questions about the ramifications of quick and easy tests to determine paternity and other biological connections.
Once a time-consuming and complicated process, DNA testing has become so accessible that experts worry families and individuals may not be properly prepared for the results.
A 28-foot (8.5-meter) recreational vehicle cruising around New York City emblazoned with the question "Who's Your Daddy?", and offering on-the-spot DNA testing services starting at $299, has renewed those concerns.
The clinic, operated by a New York company called Health Street, started in 2010 but was revamped two months ago.
Passersby can hail the conspicuous brown and blue Winnebago to have DNA samples taken by a technician, packaged and sent to a laboratory in Ohio. Results are returned within three to five business days. Mandatory prescriptions for the tests from a customer's physician can be faxed via the Internet to the RV.
While it is common for DNA testing distributors, companies who take the samples and send them to labs for analysis, to offer mobile collection services, Health Street appears to be the first to splash exactly what it does on the vehicle. "DNA TESTING" in bold red lettering is painted on the side.
Jared Rosenthal, who founded Health Street and drives the RV, recounts some of the people affected by his service: Two women who learned they were half-sisters, and a man whose suspicion that he might be the father of a friend's daughter was confirmed.
"It's just such a serious, fundamental question ... who are your children? Who are your parents?" Rosenthal, 42 said.
Experts say there has been a steady increase in demand for such tests in the United States, reaching close to 500,000 a year, according to Michael Baird, director of DNA Diagnostics, a DNA testing laboratory, in part because the rate of births to unmarried women has also been increasing.
In 2010, at least 382,199 relationship tests were conducted in the United States, although the total is likely higher because some labs don't submit data, according to the AABB, formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks, which accredits relationship testing facilities.
State child-support agencies make up the bulk of this demand, but experts said the number of people simply seeking answers, and the accompanying number of venues and ways to test for family relationships, have increased.
Susan Crockin, a lawyer who teaches at Georgetown Law Center and specializes in reproductive technology, said families should be careful of the reliability of the growing variety of relationship tests around the country, which range from at-home DNA kits that critics say can be subject to contamination, to on-site tests used to prove legal paternity.
"The underlying issues are obviously the quality of testing," Crockin said.
Health Street's DNA tests are analyzed in a lab certified by the AABB as well as the New York State Department of Health, Rosenthal said.
Health experts advise customers to only use labs accredited by AABB or distributors who use those labs, but there are no regulations on the outfits themselves. It is also not illegal to run a DNA testing laboratory that is not AABB-certified, Baird said.
Customers at Health Street must have a prescription from a doctor requesting the tests, Rosenthal said. Paternity testing is usually not covered by health insurance unless there is a medical need.
Aside from questions about reliability, experts said wider DNA testing raises concerns of whether families and individuals are psychologically prepared for the results.
"The bigger question is what do we do with this information. Why are we looking for it and what do we think it means?" Crockin said.
Crockin said individuals, especially children, should have the advice of trained genetic counselors before and at the time of receiving the results of the DNA match.
Others say the promotion and presence of these DNA testing clinics and methods could devalue past family relationships when new biological connections are discovered.
"As this (industry) evolves it will create... a social expectation that, despite a past relationship between a social father and a child, DNA is everything," said David Bishai, a professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Typical customers at Health Street include men who are engaged and want to confirm offspring from a past relationship, returning soldiers seeking reassurance that they fathered newly-born children, and women inquiring about paternity on behalf of their children, Rosenthal said.
The door, however, is open to heartbreak, especially when men discover that somebody else fathered their children.
"If you're really happy with the children in your life, don't go near these things," Bishai said.
Others are happy to receive the results.
Cornelia Heggs, 40, of Carrollton, Georgia, grew up knowing she had half-siblings from her absent father's other marriages but never met them. She was contacted in 2009 by a half-sister who promised their mutual grandmother that she would find Heggs. The two women confirmed their relationship in June through a test at Health Street.
"We found each other and now we have the proof. There's no more guessing. I'm just happy to know," she said.
For others the information opens an uncertain chapter.
A 44-year-old married father of two in New York City confirmed in July through a DNA test at Health Street's mobile clinic that the adult daughter of a woman he dated some 20 years ago was his.
The man, who declined to give his name for reasons of privacy, said he is slowly and cautiously building a relationship with his 20-year-old daughter, a student in Ohio.
"This issue is still raw and very sensitive," he said.
"I will get to know my daughter ... this is something I'm taking one day at a time." (Reporting by Lily Kuo; Editing by Dan Burns and Paul Simao)


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When you use an ecoditty™ bag to carry your food items, you're keeping a plastic sack out of the landfill and dangerous toxins like BPA and PVC out of your body.
Everybody's talking about ecoditty™. Our reusable sandwich, snack and lunch bags are made from 100% Organic Cotton and printed with low-impact inks and dyes.
At ecoditty™ we're committed to helping you and the environment get healthy! We are located right here in Colorado, so you can feel good about supporting a local business!


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Thanks to everyone who commented and tweeted for a chance to win a copy of Under His Roof.
The winner is…
Lorraine, who says:
New to this, never heard of the term domestic discipline… Methinks I need a chat with hubby… I've been lacking in the household goddess department….
Well, Lorraine, you have now heard of domestic discipline. Good luck to you if you have that chat with the hubster. 😉
Here's one of my favorite recent reviews of Under His Roof from Amazon:
I couldn't put it down I read the whole thing right after downloading…. It was sooo captivating that i wished David was a real character that I met in real life… The author demonstrated him as hot and wild yet strong and a professional disciplinarian… The character that many women having fantasy with! It also showed the many types of sub women who wants to get spanked and why exactly they feel they need it!
I loved the spanking parts and the way Rachel was falling in love with her authority figure! On the other hand, Rachel (the main character) is a down to earth woman that no matter how strong she appears around her coworkers.. She's still weakened by a handsome wild man
That story is a delicious mix of pain and pleasure
For those who are curious, two of my projects right now are a sequel to Under His Roof (which I have now written TWICE…third time's the charm, right?) and… fucking drumroll, please… another Rock Creek book! Yay!


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Tennessee coach Holly Warlick said she recently approached UConn about the possibility of playing each other again.
Warlick said she mentioned the idea to UConn coach Geno Auriemma last month during the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame induction weekend. The two coaches co-hosted a reception to raise money for the Hall of Fame.
Connecticut officials confirmed the conversation took place, but the defending national champions already had a full schedule for the upcoming season.
Tennessee and Connecticut haven't played each other since former Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt opted to end the series after the 2006-07 season. Summitt wrote this year in her memoir "Sum It Up" that she and Auriemma are back on good terms.
Copyright AP - Associated Press


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Add vehicles to compare. You can compare up to 3 vehicles at a time.
Tax, title, license and dealer fees (unless itemized above) are extra. Not available with special finance or lease offers. Tax, title, license (unless itemized above) are extra. Not available with special finance, lease and some other offers.
The Chevrolet Equinox, available in Boston, is the complete package of style, technology and safety. This fuel-efficient vehicle is sure to impress Boston drivers. The Chevrolet Equinox comes with ample of space, which lets you and your passengers enjoy the journey comfortably. Its stylish and bold exterior adds more charm to its look. This versatile vehicle offers multiple safety features, like standard airbags, built-in sensors, and many more. Schedule a test drive today! Visit Cappellino Chevrolet in Boston and learn more about the Chevrolet Equinox. Also, have a look at our inventory. We maintain huge lineup of new vehicles.
SEARCH New Chevrolet Equinox VEHICLES NEAR Hamburg | Cappellino Chevrolet IN Boston, NY
Thank you for choosing Cappellino Chevrolet in Boston, NY - your preferred Metro Buffalo New Chevrolet Equinox Car, Truck & SUV Dealer! Please don't hesitate to Contact Us Online, Call Us at: 877-276-4761, or visit our New Chevrolet & Used Car Dealership near Springville, Hamburg & North Collins!


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lawwench necesitaba un nuevo diseño de papelería y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 34 diseños de 11 diseñadores freelance.
Seeking two color, streamlined, professional logo/stationery/letterhead/business card set ups. Modern enough to say choose my business but classic enough to say I can compete with any old world firm.
LL Patterson LLC
Desired Color Scheme:
Open to various color schemes
Desired Style:
Modern and Classic
Accepted File Formats:
Standard Web Formats (.jpg, .gif or .png)
My law firm is called, LL Patterson LLC. I perform workers' compensation defense exclusively. Dummy address/phone number/fax and website can be used for letterhead. Business cards need to be standard size. The selected design must be finalized in a form that can be either printed from my work printer or set up at local printer shop. Please include full complement of stationery. Â
Winner will be required to turn over all copywright to the logo and design together with font specification. Upon receipt the award will be paid. Please contact me with any questions.


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So I'm attempting to get an applet to run on a web host using the new(ish) Java Network Launch Protocol thingy, and I have been less than successful.
NOTE: The below information has been modified in the following ways for security reasons:
1. "[host]" indicates the index url for my website
2. "[main]" indicates the main class (using . instead of /)
I am currently getting an exception that reads: "JAR manifest codebase mismatch for http://[host]/testApp/runner.jar"
So, here is where I currently stand with my code:
HTML Page:
<script src="http://www.java.com/js/deployJava.js"></script> <script> var attributes = { code:'[main]', width:1200, height:675} ; var parameters = {jnlp_href: 'JNLP_Page.jnlp'} ; deployJava.runApplet(attributes, parameters, '1.6'); </script>
JNLP Page:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <jnlp spec="1.0+" codebase="http://[host]" href="JNLP_Page.jnlp"> <information> <title></title> <vendor></vendor> </information> <resources> <!-- Application Resources --> <j2se version="1.6+" href="http://java.sun.com/products/autodl/j2se" /> <jar href="runner.jar" main="true" /> </resources> <applet-desc name="" main-class="[main]" width="1200" height="675"> </applet-desc> <update check="background"/> </jnlp>
Jar Manifest:
Manifest-Version: 1.0 Created-By: 1.6.0_14 (Sun Microsystems Inc.) Main-Class: [main] Codebase: [host]
Does anyone have any ideas? I'm completely new to JNLP and the new security measures put in place in the recent java update.
--- Update ---
The main-class field in the manifest is using / instead of . btw (I can't seem to load the edit post button to change it)


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My 10 year old recently discovered "Nyan Cat" – also known as, "Pop Tart Cat."
He likes cats and weirdness, so he became a little obsessed. Soon he was playing Nyan Cat games and watching Nyan Cat videos.
The other day, while seeking more Nyan Cat thrills, he came upon the Mexican Nyan Cat.
"Do you like it, Mommy?" he asked.
"Yeah, it's cute," I said.
"Do you want a Salvadoran Nyan Cat? I'll find you one!"
I explained to him that because Mexicans are the dominant Latino population in the United States, a Salvadoran Nyan Cat wouldn't exist, but I appreciated his thoughtfulness. Minutes later he called me back to the computer.
"If I found a Salvadoran Nyan Cat would you want to blog it?"
"Sure, but honey, I already told you——"


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Experience – Innovation – Biotechnology
Greco Medical Group is a three-generation medical family specializing in Regenerative medical procedures since 1998. Regenerative treatments can be used surgically and non-surgically to heal and regenerate damaged tissue by using your own growth factors (regenerative proteins) and stem cells, safely.
"We believe Regenerative biologic therapy is the safest, most versatile treatment in Medicine today", because it can be used to treat pain, modify the progressing of joint degeneration, heal wounds, tendons, ligaments and regenerate collagen and hair cells in cosmetic procedures.
Specialists at Greco Medical Group have treated thousands of patients from over 30 countries, including some of the most recognizable personalities' in business, sports and entertainment.
In addition to utilizing proprietary patented and patent pending biotechnology in Cosmetics and Orthobiologics, researchers at Greco Medical Group have trained physicians around the world in the use of biologics in various medical applications.
Hair Restoration and Cosmetic Procedures
Until we reach the "Holy Grail" of growing hair in bald scalp without surgery (hair multiplication), the natural bridge between traditional FUT and FUE hair transplantation is Bio-Enhanced transplantation or "using your own cells to enhance the result of all phases of the procedure".Read More
Pain and Orthopedic Treatments
We at Greco Medical Group offer an alternative. We believe that Orthobiologics, like Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), under state of the art Ultrasound Guided Therapy not only improve pain when all other options have failed but we feel we can change the course of diseases like degenerative arthritis by slowing down or even regenerating cartilage.Read More


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As the Vail International Dance Festival begins its 25th season this week, it's high time to reflect on what has to be the annual variety show's greatest accomplishment. And it's not that it has lured thousands of the world's best dancers to the tiny-ish mountain town two hours away from the big-ish city.
It is that people have come to see them, in droves, and in good spirits for a quarter of a century. The VIDF doesn't just get an audience, it gets a huge crowd that's grateful it exists. People hoot and holler, tap their feet and clap whenever the spirit hits them.
In a country where dance is disappearing from the cultural mainstream (this is especially true in Denver where touring companies simply pass us by) Vail provides a lesson in how to present it with a populist touch. Take away the pretense and you actually sell tickets.
There is a trade-off, though, and that was clear on Sunday's opening night program, which was meant to celebrate the fest's silver anniversary. The talent was top-notch and the artistry world-class. Seriously, we are talking stars from the New York City Ballet and new work from exciting dance maker Larry Keigwin.


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dbredmond necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 69 diseños de 29 diseñadores freelance.
"Dine easy, dine in" is a new gourmet dinner home delivery service. We deliver fully cooked and prepared gourmet dinners to our customers doors via delivery vehicles. They just heat and eat complete meals, including deserts. We need an upscale logo with the name and a simple graphic incorporated into the name to represent our service.
Dine easy, dine in
Gourmet Dinner Delivered
Desired Color Scheme:
Earthy tones
Desired Style:
Style can be retro, vintage, modern or just plain professinal
Accepted File Formats:
Vector format, Adobe Illustrator compatible
Combine the name (dine easy, dine in) with a simple visual representing the concept of "gourmet dinner home delivery". This should be in vector format. Should be presented in both black and white and "earth tone" colors when submitted.
The logo should exude good taste (no pun intended) and be professional, yet friendly. No frilly or foo foo text or graphics, but something that has substance to it (but not like Arial Black, if you know what I mean).
The logo reader should be able to distinguish between the "dine" and "easy" parts, and the "dine" and "in" parts, maybe different fonts, styles, colors (which won't work in black and white), sizes, you get the idea. Nothing crazy or too busy, just to make it easier to read quickly. Just use your imagination, you're the artist, I'm just a simple business owner.
Should be easily readable and be able to put a ".com" ending onto it for simple road sign marketing.
I would like the end product to be submitted in Adobe Illustrator format so that I may tweak it if need be.
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


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Salaam and Greetings of Peace:
April 11-17 is National Library Week in the US, and April is also School Library Month, so please consider buying a copy of Master of the Jinn to donate to your public or school library.
Most of the libraries that now carry Master of the Jinn are College Libraries, and include, besides the Library of Congress, Sarah Lawrence College, Hofstra University, Michigan State University, Georgetown University, Florida State University, and Regis University. And all their copies were donated :)
I know that owning a computer places almost all the information you could find in a library at your fingertips, but I love libraries; they are still the best place to study and read books, surrounded by the knowledge of humanity, as well as the stories that have inspired and moved us through the centuries :)
Ya Haqq!


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Got an image you'd like to see in here first thing in the morning? Send it to email@example.com. Subject: Morning crap.
Caption: Romanian table tennis player Elisabeta Samara participates in the Table Tennis European Championships ... with her mind. [Photo via AP]
* * * * *
Thursday? I hardly know her! (Man, it's going to be a long day.)


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Alhambra High (AHS) Class of 1949 Alumni List
Help us Update the Alhambra High 1949 Class List by adding any names missing from the list below:
Registered Alumni
1949 Class List
Know Alhambra High Class of 1949 graduates that are NOT on this List? Help us Update the 1949 Class List by adding missing names.
Reunions and Alhambra High School News
More 1949 alumni from Alhambra HS Martinez, CA have posted profiles on Classmates.com®. Click here to register for free at Classmates.com® and view other 1949 alumni.
Missing some friends from AHS that graduated with you in 1949? Check the list below that shows the Alhambra Martinez, CA class of '49.
Don't forget to upload your Alhambra High School pictures and check on the latest info about any Alhambra High School reunion.


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Vitamin retailer Australian NaturalCare receives healthy boost from SAS®
Australian NaturalCare Products knew it was sitting on a gold mine with its 24 years of customer data, but was finding it increasingly difficult to harness the value in the data.
We went from having no analytic capabilities to building models within four weeks of implementation. This has had a direct impact on our entire business.
Maurice Cicero
Head of eCommerce, Australian NaturalCare
The retailer is now using SAS to dramatically improve its marketing campaigns, and is taking advantage of the insights gained from an earlier move to online retailing and recently launched customer loyalty program.
Australian NaturalCare Products (ANC) is a medium-size online retailer of vitamins and supplements with an active database of 120,000 customers – those who have made a purchase within the past 12 months.
Lack of standardised data
ANC realised that while it had a lot of information about its customers, it didn't have the right tools to be able to make cross-references for informed decision making. Its Head of eCommerce, Maurice Cicero, says previously the company used only Access databases and spreadsheets with multiple data sources.
"We didn't use any analytics, so we couldn't easily look at the buying trends of our products," he says. "There were no finite sets of reports to analyse the data, and staff had different versions of data on their desktop. The volume of data we were receiving was getting too much to do anything with."
In mid-2012, ANC decided to find a solution to its data challenges and approached SAS for assistance.
ANC chose SAS® Enterprise Miner™ to help reach its objectives. "I knew there was much we could learn from the data, especially around the product life cycle, and from this we could produce propensity models with SAS," Cicero says.
Increasing conversion rates and time savings
Propensity models are used to identify customers most likely to respond to an offer, or used to focus retention programs on customers most likely to churn. A model can be applied to a company's database to score all customers and select those who are most likely to display the predicted behaviour.
"A key capability has been identifying the product buying cycle across the life cycle of the customer," Cicero says. "If a customer buys a product, we can identify likely future trends associated with that product and use this information to suggest a related offer to the customer. This enables us to use our data to cross-sell or up-sell, which we couldn't accurately do before."
Cicero says the models allowed ANC to quickly realise the effectiveness of its campaigns. "One cross-sell campaign previously had a 5.8 percent conversion rate, and in the first campaign using the analytical propensity models we were able to increase that to 8.35 percent – a growth of 43 percent in the conversion rate," he says.
Staying power of SAS®
Another service that ANC offers customers is the ability to sign up to a regular delivery program. By joining the program and locking into a regular delivery, customers benefit by receiving discounts. Cicero says this program is important for ANC as it provides the company with assumed revenue.
Using SAS, ANC built an analytical model to identify customers that might be likely to leave the program.
"In January 2013, we predicted 1,065 customers were likely to cancel out of the program, so we built a retention campaign for those customers," Cicero says.
"We contacted 394 in the first week, and 360 took up an incentive to stay with the program. That's a success rate of over 90 percent."
The impact of this campaign was clear when 114 of those identified customers who hadn't yet received the incentive call cancelled from the program that week.
There have been other benefits since the implementation, including the replacement of all previous reporting methods with SAS. Cicero says there is now one set of reports used across the business so everyone is looking at the same data, which he says in itself has translated into resource savings.
"Previously it used to take a couple of days to produce the end-of-month reports, but now it is automatic and almost immediate," he says.
Outcomes in 4 weeks
According to Cicero, the implementation was very straightforward.
"We had training with a SAS trainer and this enabled us to overcome any challenges or uncertainty we had about having never used analytics before," Cicero says. "Within four weeks we were building analytical models that were having a direct impact on our marketing campaigns."
He says one of the key benefits since implementing SAS is that ANC can better understand its customers and can tailor messages that are specific to them.
"Our promotions are now customer-specific and around trends and seasons," he says. "We can also cross-sell as well as up-sell to customers and predict if any are likely to churn so we can take measures to prevent it happening."
The level of support from SAS is also something that ANC is happy with.
"If we ever have an issue we get an instant response from them," Cicero says. "We have taken the results we've been getting from SAS to board level to report on the wins and everyone is pleased. We went from having no analytic capabilities to building analytical models within four weeks of implementation. This has had a direct impact on our entire business."
Australian NaturalCare Products needed an analytics solution to better understand its customers, determine what additional products to offer, customise marketing messages and prevent customer churn.
SAS is enabling ANC to provide tailored messages to each customer to cross-sell and upsell additional products. Customer churn has been reduced because of proactive retention campaigns seeing up to 90 percent success rates. Using SAS, ANC has saved time and improved accuracy in its reporting.


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MANILA: The Moro National Liberation Front has indicated that they will send reinforcements if hostilities break out between the Filipino followers of the Sulu Sultan and Malaysian authorities.
MNLF Special Branch Service Chief Khaber Sampang said they will send reinforcements once hostilities break out.
He said "a full-blown hostility could erupt" once the Malaysians manhandle the heirs or followers of the Sultanate of Sulu.
"War is not far away," said MNLF peace panel member Cesar Absalom, referring to the threat of Malaysia to forcibly evict the Royal Sultanate Army in Sabah.
The Philippine Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas said on Tuesday that the Malaysians are running out of patience.
Roxas said that the Malaysian government has given three extensions to the deadline for Agbimuddin Kiram and his followers, who encamped at Lahad Datu for the past two weeks, to leave Sabah and return to the Philippines.
The Sultanate is no longer recognized by any state as a sovereign entity, but Malaysia has been paying token rent to the Kiram's ever since. Agbimuddin Kiram, who claimed Sabah is their home, has ignored calls from Malaysia to return to the Philippines.
Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said the flow of commerce between Sabah and the several islands in the southern Mindanao has stopped because of tight control of movement of people between the two countries as a result of the occupation.
"The consequence of this incident is that barter trade has stopped. Prices of basic commodities in Tawi-Tawi jacked up," Gazmin said.
"Kasi and Tawi-Tawi gets its supply of basic commodities and trade its products at Lahad Datu in Sabah, which is closer than Zamboanga City," he said.
Gazmin said Kiram's defiance could result in Malaysian government crackdown against undocumented Filipinos in Sabah, which was estimated at about 800,000 and their fates are in the hands of Kiram.
Political allies of President Aquino also joined calls on Kiram to end the standoff in Sabah and consider the welfare of Filipinos, who are now stateless because Malaysia considered them illegal immigrants.
"Bringing the supposed Sabah heirs and government representatives in one table would allow discussions on the complex issues involved in the Sabah claim, including the plight of Sabah residents who have Filipino roots," Sen. Francis Escudero said.
"The immediate concern of the government should be the welfare of Filipinos who were born and raised in Sabah, which is the bigger humanitarian issue that must be addressed through diplomatic channels," he said.
"The welfare of our countrymen, who consider Sabah as their homeland, should be the focus of any government negotiation with the Malaysian government," Escudero said.
Sultan unmoved
The ailing Kiram sounded unmoved by President Beningo Aquino warning to stand down.
At a news briefing in his house in Taguig City, Kiram rejected the President's appeal for him to immediately recall his men who have been occupying a part of Sabah for nearly three weeks.
"I have already given my order to them. And they have to stay put in that area," Kiram said in a muffled voice.
He said his men would not go back home "until an arrangement has been done by our officials and the President, and if that will be arranged accordingly with a written agreement signed by the parties concerned."
Kiram said that in the last conversation he had with Agbimuddin on Monday, his younger brother told him that he and their 235 followers were firm in their decision to stay despite a food blockade ordered by the Malaysian authorities.
Asked what actions Agbimuddin and his men might take if the deadline for them to leave Sabah expired, the Sulu sultan said: "I asked them to wait for orders from me or from my [other] brothers."
Ready to be jailed
Kiram, who has been suffering from diabetes for years, said he was ready to go to jail if the government filed a case against him and members of his clan.
"It's OK with me. I'm already 74-years-old. An old man going to jail? It's OK," Kiram said. "I cannot understand what violation I made… I have always respected the Constitution. My brother went down there with his men and settled down in their own homeland. Is that a violation?"
Asked if he considered Aquino's statement a threat, he said: "Maybe that's a threat for us."
In a statement read by his daughter, Princess Jacel Kiram, the sultan reiterated that Agbimuddin and his men "will not initiate the violence… But we are prepared to defend our lives and aspirations." He said the Sabah issue "can be peacefully settled without threat, but in a diplomatic way."
"Is it hard for Malaysia to sit down in a square table and to diplomatically settle the issue on the claim? All we ask is for Malaysia to sit down with the Kirams and come up with a win-win solution," Kiram stressed.
Kiram insists he is the head of the Sulu sultanate, which once controlled parts of Borneo, including the site of the standoff. The sultanate leased the disputed area to Europeans in the 1870s.
While the sultanate's authority gradually faded as Western colonial powers exerted their influence over the region, it continued to receive lease payments for Sabah, which became part of Malaysia in 1963.
Foreign Undersecretary Jose Brillantes has flown to Kuala Lumpur to help resolve the situation.
A ship the Philippines plans to use to ferry Kiram's supporters home remains on standby in Tawi-Tawi.


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Make it the Greatest line ever? Why the debut of the Tonnika Sisters of course! Those would be the ultimate "15th Cantina Guy".
I just hope they have solid articulation and cool figure choices. And that there's enough distribution for people to find what they want. The inability to find what I want at retail is really the only thing that has me wanting to jump ship on collecting. I don't mind paying for quality stuff, but I do mind having to buy two full cases over the internet just to get my four new figures.Personally, I could kind of care less about the launch price point. People were up in arms about $10-11 prices not so long ago, but how many BOGO and BOGO50 sales have we seen in just the last year? They won't sell much at that price, so we'll start seeing sales and internet discounts...maybe even more TJ Maxx and 5 Below deals over the long haul. I don't want to overpay, but even if they come out at >$10, we'll be able to find them for less than that if we're a little patient.
Collector coins that you have to buy crappy figures to get all of.
What constitutes the "wow factor" 3000 figures into the line? What can they give us that we haven't seen before?
Figures like the Tonnika Sisters, Velken Tezeri, Toryn Farr, or heck at this point, even a figure of Jamie Farr would be very much welcomed...
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LOWELL — I had a nice lunch with City Manager Bernie Lynch last week and found him more comfortable and relaxed than I have ever seen him since he first came to Lowell.
We probably have had lunch or breakfast twice a year since he has been Lowell's city manager. Our meetings in the past usually have come during great crisis or what at the time seemed like great crisis.
This time, I had a sense he was pretty content about the current status of the city and his own standing.
Maybe he was more comfortable because he was heading for a few days in Florida the following day or because he had just received a pretty solid vote in support of his proposal to bank the city's free cash.
Maybe he was feeling pretty proud of the role he and his team played in taking the city from a $6 million deficit to building up reserves of $14 million.
Maybe he is excited about what he sees happening in the Hamilton Canal District area, or the fact the city is ready to launch another renewal project in the Tanner Street area. He has to be happy the city won't see a real-estate tax increase for residential property this year.
The point is he has much to be proud of, particularly the financial picture in Lowell.
I think he is finally comfortable here and looking forward to a few more years, cleaning up some major projects and moving into at least third place in terms of city-manager tenture.
He will never be seen as a wild and funny guy, but as a technocrat who loves charts and graphs.
One of his favorite charts shows that a decade ago, the average residential home in Lowell was taxed $500 below the state-wide average. Today, the average Lowell residential tax bill is $1,700 below the state average.
His tenure has brought stability to the city's finances and at the same time he has invested heavily in municipal improvements, something that is only going to grow in the next several years.
His tenure hasn't been without a lot of bumps in the road with serious problems in the Parking, Water and Inspectional Services departments and License Commission, all of which have resulted in restructuring and reforms that hopefully prevent similar issues in the future.
There is also concern about a lack of police presence in the downtown area and some of the neighborhoods. It was at its worst last winter in the downtown area, and I still hear from downtown business people who feel there needs to be a stronger presence.
But with the city's finances in decent shape, these are the kinds of issues that can be addressed.
There are thousands of new people living downtown, many of whom have paid a lot of money for their condos and lofts.
They represent a new voting bloc, as was evident in the last election.
The city is seeing dramatic change with the downtown developments, the growth of the university and the community college and I think Lynch has Lowell poised to deal well with these positive developments.