text: Loading Video You Just Watched: Season 2, Episode 8 Denial Ain't Just a River in Egypt Sneak Peek replay Watch Next Season 5, Episode 12 Sneak Peek: A Dash Family Feud Season 5, Episode 11 Should Angela Give Bow Another Chance? Season 5, Episode 11 'What's a Little Shot Gonna Do?' Share close Facebook Twitter Tumblr Email Google+ Reddit Get embed code <iframe src="https://player.theplatform.com/p/M_UwQC/_vllWnc0HycE/embed/select/media/oFCIoT6xhX26?form=html" width="480" height="270" frameBorder="0" seamless="seamless" allowFullScreen></iframe> Share on Facebook: Copy link below To share this on Facebook click on the link below Open Facebook back Home Episodes Video Cast About Where to Watch Cable and Satellite subscribers can watch full episodes of Growing Up Hip Hop on WEtv.com. WEtv subscribers can also watch full episodes on our mobile app, available for iOS and Android phones and tablets. Full On-Air Schedule Download or Stream iTunes Amazon Channel Finder Click here to find your WEtv station number. Denial Ain't Just a River in Egypt Sneak Peek Season 2, Episode 8 Aired 12.8.16 Briana puts Andre in the hot seat as she faces a painful decision of her own.


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Previous media releases
Senior leadership nominations at UBS
Sergio P. Ermotti appointed UBS Group CEO
Axel Weber to succeed Kaspar Villiger as Chairman of the Board as of 2012
Zurich/Basel, 15 November 2011 - The Board of Directors of UBS (BoD) has appointed Sergio P. Ermotti Group Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect. He has held the position of Group CEO on an interim basis since 24 September 2011. The BoD decided to appoint Mr. Ermotti as permanent CEO after it completed a comprehensive evaluation process.
Chairman of the BoD Kaspar Villiger has decided to accelerate the leadership change at UBS and will not stand for re-election to the BoD at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 3 May 2012. Axel Weber, who was to have been nominated to be Vice Chairman of the BoD, has now been proposed to succeed Mr. Villiger as its Chairman should he be elected at the AGM.
The BoD and the Group Executive Board have now determined UBS's future positioning and the BoD has confirmed its strategy. The details will be presented at UBS's Investor Day in New York on 17 November 2011. The BoD has authorized Mr. Ermotti and his management team to execute the new strategy with the utmost stringency and diligence.
Mr. Villiger said: "I want to thank my colleagues on the Board, senior management and the entire staff at UBS. I am proud of what we have achieved during a very difficult time in our bank's history. I am happy to announce that two highly competent, experienced professionals with complementary skills will assume leadership of the bank. Now we have stabilized UBS, turned it into one of the world's best capitalized financial institutions, and defined its future strategy. I feel it is time to accelerate the planned leadership change at the highest levels of the bank. The nomination of Mr. Weber as Chairman of the Board and the appointment of Mr. Ermotti as Group CEO will bring essential stability and clarity to UBS. It will enable the bank to master the many current economic challenges and regulatory changes facing it, and will ensure its success over the long term for clients, shareholders and employees."
Mr. Ermotti, Group CEO of UBS, said: "I thank the Board for demonstrating its confidence in me. Together with our management team and our employees, I will execute our strategy, which plays to our many strengths. This strategy will be centered on our leading wealth management businesses and our position as the strongest universal bank in Switzerland. A focused, less complex and less capital-intensive Investment Bank and our asset management business are also key elements for growing our wealth management franchise. To credibly serve the needs of our core wealth management clients, these businesses must each be strong and successful in meeting the needs of their corporate, sovereign, and institutional clients. Our industry-leading capital position gives us a significant competitive advantage, particularly during these challenging times."
Media contact
Switzerland: +41-44-234-85 00
Americas: +1-212-882 58 57

subset: commoncrawl


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MLB hosts tutorials on groundskeeping techniques
Field clinic coordinator Cook visits with groups at UYA in Houston, New Orleans
With the help of skilled practitioners like Murray Cook, Major League Baseball brought groundskeeping back to the grass-roots level this week. Cook, MLB's field clinic coordinator, led a pair of tutorials in Houston and New Orleans as part of the 2013 Sports Turf Management Clinic.
MLB hosted groups at the Urban Youth Academy facilities in Houston and New Orleans and gave them a chance to learn some of the cutting-edge techniques used to keep fields in playing condition, and Cook took some time out to speak about the experience on Thursday afternoon.
"It's going real well," he said of the New Orleans clinic. "We've got a good group here from all the local parishes. They've brought the staff that takes care of all the local fields. This facility has got a couple pretty fields on it, so we have a chance to talk about all the different ways to tend them."
Cook, with the help of some dedicated professionals in the field, spent Wednesday in Houston and Thursday in New Orleans conducting a day-long tutorial on turf maintenance, field layouts, construction and safety tips. Cook and company underlined the finer points of keeping a field in good working order, bringing techniques and instruction to a group of people willing to learn.
The main group of students on Thursday included workers from the Parks and Recreation Department in New Orleans that take care of the local ballparks, and Cook said that it was a joy to be able to take what he's learned in the industry and pass it on to a new generation of workers.
"I come from a background working with Major League Baseball for a ton of years, taking care of Major League fields and Minor League fields," said Cook. "It's a passion to teach. I really enjoy it. It's giving back to the community, and part of our talk is about paying it forward. ... We tell them that they're protecting future Major League players by the way they take care of their fields.
"It didn't take much for this group to jump on the bandwagon. A lot of interaction, questions about how to do certain things to make the field better. They have limited resources, but that's OK, too. I started there back in the day, working on a field with a municipality. I know what they're going through."
Cook said he has conducted similar tutorials around the world, including Nicaragua, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Major League Baseball and the Baseball Tomorrow Fund have even translated field-maintenance guides into Spanish to help grow fields in Latin American nations.
MLB has also held field clinics at the Urban Youth Academy in Compton, Calif., and Cook said that the day-long session is free and even includes a lunch for the students. Cook and his peers educate the masses as a community service, and they're proud to be able to give back to society.
"It doesn't cost the people anything to come. They just have to get here," said Cook. "When you talk about the grass-roots level, it can't get much more real than that."
Cook had seen the New Orleans Urban Youth Academy before, but this week was his first chance to see it as a working facility. Previously, said Cook, he had toured the grounds with Darrell Miller, MLB's vice president of youth and facility development, at an early stage of the process.
The New Orleans facility, located in Pontchartrain Park, opened in November following a $6.5 million renovation to lands that had been spoiled by Hurricane Katrina. The academy even includes a stadium seating bowl, and Cook said he was pleased with the way it turned out.
"I was with Darrell down here when we walked through and just saw the complex from the outside," said Cook of the facility's maturation. "It's really impressive what they've been able to do with Wesley Barrow Stadium. It was run down, and they did a great job of putting the structure and the stadium components in. The main field is synthetic turf, and the other two fields are natural grass."
Cook said that New Orleans got five inches of rain on Wednesday night, which could've put the Thursday tutorial in jeopardy. Everything went off without a hitch, though, and Cook said that the Urban Youth Academies in Houston and New Orleans are similar to each other.
"I can tell you field-wise -- facility-wise -- they're very comparable," said Cook. "New Orleans actually has a stadium seating bowl, whereas the one in Houston doesn't. This one has enough to seat about 500 to 700 people, maybe a thousand. On the flip side, I think the fields are really in good condition. They need a little work here because this is new, so they're working through the kinks."


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Q: What color pond dye will work best in my pond?
Brian – Kansas City, KS
A: Pond dye is great stuff. It not only enhances your pond or lake's aesthetic appeal with hues that compliment your landscape, but it also shades the water from the sun's rays, preventing pesky algae growth and helping you maintain a healthy pond.
Pond dye color is really a matter of personal preference, but different shades are better suited to different situations.
- Do you have a decorative pond? Try Nature's Blue™ dye – our customers' favorite choice. It's the ideal color for ornamental water features as it contrasts perfectly with lush green landscaping.
- Do you prefer a more natural look? Try Twilight Blue™ dye. It maintains a neutral blackish-blue tint that shades and protects your pond without making drastic changes to its natural coloring.
- Do you want to showcase your landscape? Consider using Black DyeMond™ dye. It creates a mirrored surface that reflects surrounding trees and natural rocky landscapes, making it perfect for natural ponds in wooded areas.
We recommend you use pond dye year-round. Pond Logic® Pond Dye is a concentrated formula that you simply pour in several spots along your pond's edge. Apply it monthly or as needed to maintain the blue or black hue all year long. Pond Logic® Pond Dye PLUS is the same formula as our traditional pond dye – but we've added beneficial bacteria to the mix to help keep your pond looking crystal clear.
Pond Talk: What's your favorite pond dye – and why?
Filed under: Pond & Lake, Pond Dye | Tagged: black dyemond, Dye, nature's blue, pond dye, pond dye plus, Twilight Blue |


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I was asked to create a poster about posters for a conference poster session. The poster topic is about "unpublished" posters created by Soviet artists during 1985-1991s. I'm completely new to this job. My part is only to arrange text blocks and figures.
So, a few questions arise:
- Can I scan/make photos of these posters and paste them?
- Can I paste only fragments of them? Should I?
- What is the suitable balance between text and pictures?
Any help is highly appreciated.


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If you travel south from Ocala toward Belleview on U.S. Highway 27/301/441, there's a place where the northbound and southbound lanes split to go around a tiny patch of thick forest. There doesn't appear to be much of a reason for this at first, aside from the small satellite sheriff's office Marion County has in the median. There's more to this than meets the eye, however.
Hidden among the vines and oak trees in the middle of this busy highway is Florida's own Stonehenge. Granted, it's not nearly as old, and its uses aren't nearly as shrouded in mystery. That being said, it's still quite a sight to see in person. Four enormous concrete structures rise nearly as high as the trees, covered in vines, moss, and graffiti. They date back to 1936 when construction began on a bridge to cross a section of the Cross Florida Ship Canal (later known as the Cross Florida Barge Canal).
The Franklin D. Roosevelt administration had authorized the canal project as a federal relief program. Camp Roosevelt, located a few miles away, served as housing for the workers. The canal had yet to be built at this point, although government authorities had already condemned a strip of land for it, right through the middle of the community of Santos.
The project was short-lived. In June 1936, after barely six months of work, the federal government halted work on the bridge at Santos. Concerns about the canal project's impact on tourism and the water supply had aroused concern among the public and Congress, and no additional funding was made available for the span.
The bridge piers were, however, already built. What could be done with them? They were too heavy to move, and too expensive to simply destroy. Project managers decided to leave them where they stood. Maybe they thought the canal project would resume sometime in the future and the piers could still be used.
The Cross Florida Ship Canal, renamed the Cross Florida Barge Canal, did resurface in later decades, but the Santos Bridge remained untouched. When U.S. 27/301/441 was widened, the road planners simply bypassed the enormous bridge piers and allowed the space they occupied to grow up naturally. The Cross Florida Greenway now passes through the area, and the old bridge piers are a side attraction for visiting hikers and mountain bikers. The nearby trailhead is called Santos in honor of the community that once prospered there.
The Stonehenge-esque structures at Santos are merely one of many mysterious monuments to the past hiding in plain sight in Florida. What mysterious historical structures are located in your community? Search the Florida Photographic Collection to see if we have photos of them, or consider donating a photo by contacting us.


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hi , snowman
?? you dident answer my last question..?
why dont you have videos of people in fase 1 & 2 doing bwstt. i would like to see how you train them in bwstt if they only have very little movement legs. if you dont have the videos can you explpain?
Hi again. Ive seen some of the videos of your clients on projectwalk.org. I dont see any of them using FES-bike, BWST... I am talking mostly about people in fase 1 & 2, because i believe im in that face. do you put people on a treadmile if they only have small movement in their legs and how often do you use the treadmile walking? thanks
thank you very much for your answer and time. I will think about it.
hi snowman. if you get into project walk. can you pay extra money to get more FES-bike. for instance an 1½ every day. ? and do you train with people in weekends? if not can you train by yourself in weekends or pay extra. i need to be in standing frame and bike everyday to keep down tone...
Hey Snowman,
I work for the Canadian Paraplegic Association and I'd like to put something togheter about Project Walk for our monthly newsletter and our Spinal Column magazine. I couldn't find any information about what project walk is created for, by whom, what is the goal of the project and how it's been helping the SCI community. Would you be able to write a paragraph or two about it for me? Thank you so much. You can e-mail it to me @ email@example.com thank you again.
lol...no one visits me...
Eric you don't have any visitor messages, wtf.
So here you go from Mr. Coffee, enjoy it son.
Senior Member
Junior Member


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When we first came across Michelle and Justin's wedding, we were instantly enamored by the charm and loveliness found in all of the photos. What was also apparent was all the love they put into each and every adorable detail of their rustic, romantic, sunshiny-yellow-bus, California wedding.
Both elegant and whimsical, it was truly a celebration that was able to mix the best of both worlds. Located at a private residence in Healdsburg, California and catered by Rosso Pizza of Santa Rosa, this wedding was full of pretty flowers, pops of color and big happy smiles. It appears to portray their personalities beautifully. Check out the photos below and get ready to be inspired.
From the bride: We worked so hard on our wedding! That day was so amazing. It's so hard to choose a specific moment as my favorite but if I had to, it would be seeing my husband's face as I walked down the aisle towards him. It was a priceless moment that was captured by our Bella Pictures photographer. We are so pleased with the photographs of our special day! She captured so much of the detail that we worked so many hours on, all of our special wedding moments, as well as catching great candid shots of how much fun all of our loved ones had as well! It is so great to have those memories!
Share with us in the comments section or on our Facebook page your favorite wedding moment and we could feature your wedding here!
The only thing more romantic than Valentine's Day is stealing a kiss from your sweetie on the day of your wedding. After professing their love in front of countless friends and family, these lovebird couples managed to get away from the guests to share a special moment with each other and get some gorgeous, romantic wedding photos along the way.
A post-ceremony stroll is a perfect way for couples to let their newly minted vows soak in more privately while their guests enjoy cocktail hour. It's during this photo walk that the photographer gets the chance to capture romantic wedding photos of affectionate kisses set to beautiful scenery.
Take a page from their book this Valentine's Day and show your loved one you care with a special Valentine's Day kiss. Whether it's at the beach, in a restaurant, or in your living room, the gesture will be a truly tender moment for you both to treasure. Enjoy these romantic wedding photos and from the Bella Pictures team, have a great Valentine's Day!
Super Bowl fever is in full swing and with the world's biggest football game coming up this weekend, we'd like to remind all our brides and grooms out there that just because people dress up for a wedding, it doesn't mean you can't have some fun incorporating your favorite sport into your big day. We've captured some great football wedding photos from diehard couples who will surely be watching the Super Bowl this Sunday. If you're thinking of having fun football wedding photos like these, start taking notes!
Whether it's a shot of the wedding party in a line of scrimmage or photos that involve the pigskin itself, the portrait and photo walk portion of your day can easily be made into a football-themed photo shoot.
If you're lucky and have access to an actual NFL stadium, all the better for bringing your football wedding photos to the next level.
If you want to show team pride but don't want it dominating your portraits, there's always the option of leaving the football wedding photos for the reception - or even limiting them to your engagement photos.
No matter how you decide to involve team spirit in the mix, football wedding photos are a surefire way to make your wedding memories unique. After all, it's a shared interest that brought you together as a couple. And if you like other sports, don't forget to check out other sports-related wedding photos by Bella Pictures.
Now that 2012 has arrived, we'd like to wish you a happy New Year with some of our favorite New Year's wedding photos. Each December 31st, our photographers capture fun couples reveling in their "I Do's" to the backdrop of New Year's festivities.
At these nuptials, festive hats, streamers and poppers often make for amusing wedding favors, while venues that offer a view of fireworks displays don't just merge the dual celebrations. They also set the stage for great New Year's wedding photos. From baubles to bubbly, these newlyweds ring in the year with more than a typical midnight kiss.
In addition to these New Year's wedding photos, view more Bella Pictures wedding photography by visiting our Wedding Photography Portfolio.
We asked our Bella Brides on Facebook to participate in our monthly Real Wedding Contest. The participants uploaded their favorite portraits to our fan page, and everyone voted for their favorite. Congratulations to Kasey & Glenn who are our December winners! Their wedding is featured below:
We asked our past brides via Facebook to upload their favorite portrait from their wedding and other Bella brides and fans would vote for their favorite. Congratulations to Victoria and Shawn who are our December winners. Their beautiful wedding is featured below!
How they met: They met on a social networking site! "Shawn saw my profile and sent me a note with a fantastic, observant compliment about my balance of femininity and a firefighter's can do attitude. He asked me if I'd like to get a drink sometime. I accepted. We went to a local pub for trivia night and we have been together ever since."
The proposal: "Shawn took me out to a wonderful dinner at Morton's, a notoriously fine restaurant in Sacramento. When we were finished, we walked over to the State Capitol and sat on the front steps and watched the end of the sunset setting over the Tower Bridge. We were standing up to call it a night when he said 'the night isn't over quite yet', got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! I was surprised and elated, and said yes, of course. I asked who else might know about this, and he said 'there may be a couple of our closest friends on the other side of the building waiting with champagne..'. We walked over to the east side steps and 3 of our closest friends were there. We all had champagne and then went back to Morton's for a celebration."
The Wedding: Victoria married Shawn in a non-traditional wedding dress by White House/ Black Market. One hundred and twenty of their closest friends and family gathered for their ceremony at the California State Capitol Rose Garden! "Shawn and I both work for the State of California and liked the idea of getting married at the Capitol. We were going to get married on the steps, but it was election week and the permit requirements allowed for cancellation of our permit at any time. It was a safer bet to get married in the garden away from the building should there be a rally or a press conference that day. The Capitol is a special place for us: we sat on the steps of the front of the building on our second date and talked for hours. He proposed on the front steps as well. We used to walk through the Rose Garden and grounds on our way to many shows downtown."
On Bella Pictures: "Working with Bella Pictures was great! The price was very reasonable and for what we received for the money, it couldn't be beat. Our photographer was very creative and accommodating with our requests and the style that we were looking for in our pictures. We are very happy with how they turned out. "
Funny story about the wedding day: "Obviously, there was a fire engine involved. The bride and the bridesmaids rode to the wedding site in it. We kept it a secret from all of the guests and even part of the wedding party until they saw it pulling up with the lights and the siren going. There was a roar of surprise, laughter, and clapping when they saw it! We walked down the eisle to the Red Hot Chili Pepper's " Rollercoaster of Love" and our recession was to "We go together" from Grease. It was a lighthearted and fun day that we planned as something we would enjoy. I shyed away from many of the "traditional" elements because that is not really my, or our, style!Compliments are still rolling in on how it was the best wedding many of our guests had been to!"
One of our very own, Elizabeth, got married this past Fall in California Wine Country joined by friends and family (including her Bella Pictures family!). We thought we'd share some of the beautiful photos from her big day! Congratulations Elizabeth and Chris!
How they met: "Chris and I met for the first time at my sister's engagement party in 1998. Chris and my brother-in-law met in junior high school, and eventually ended up living together in college at Chico State where they became great friends with my sister. Nine years after our first meeting, we reconnected at a party that my sister and brother-in-law threw, and the rest was history."
The proposal: "With the help of some of my dear friends at Bella, Chris coordinated a scavenger hunt that sent me to a few stops in San Francisco, before boarding a ferry to Tiburon. He was waiting for me on the deck at our favorite restaurant, and first date spot, Sam's Anchor Caf' on bended knee!"
The Wedding: Elizabeth and Chris celebrated with 130 of their closest friends and family at the DeLorimer Winery in Geyserville, CA. "Both Chris and my parents live in Santa Rosa, so it seemed natural to get married in the North Bay and use Santa Rosa as a home base for our wedding weekend. Shortly after we were engaged, we started making weekend trips to the area to look for venues. One day while driving around the Alexander Valley visiting potential venues, we decided to take a break from our search to stop off at the next winery to have a glass of wine and talk about our possibilities. While standing at the bar in the DeLorimier Winery tasting room, we thought, this place feels good! The laid-back atmosphere (and the glass of wine!) were just what we needed, and our decision was made."
On Bella Pictures: " Since I had been working at Bella Pictures for several years, it was obvious that I would use them for my wedding photography. I was actually quite excited to move through our process as a bride instead of viewing it as an employee. I am proud to say I was the first person to check out on our eCommerce website! The whole process was so simple, which was very important considering all of the other tasks involved in planning a wedding! All of the pre-wedding planning from customizing my own package online, setting up a payment plan, rating my photos for the matching process and filling out my wedding planner were so intuitive. And the end result is by far the best part. Looking back, I can truly say that my photography and video were the most treasured items from my wedding. "
We asked our past brides via Facebook to upload their favorite portrait from their wedding and other Bella brides and fans would vote for their favorite. Congratulations to Jennifer and Shaun who are our November winners (We had 2 winners this month!). Their beautiful wedding is featured below!
How they met: They met through friends! "I had just moved back from out of state and met up with a friend of mine at a bar who is dating one of Shaun's friends. Her boyfriend, Shaun, and a couple of their friends decided to join us later that evening. Shaun had originally not planned on coming out, but decided to anyway. We started talking, and things just grew from there. Funny how things like that work out."
The proposal: Shaun proposed while they were on vacation. "We went on vacation for a week. The first half we spent in the Outer Banks, NC, the second half we went to Boston to see a Red Sox game; he is a huge fan. I thought it was weird that he insisted that my parents come on the trip with us, but I didn't think that much into it. While we were in Boston, we took a walking tour with my parents. We were walking behind Old North Church, in Paul Revere's Mall when he stopped me and popped the question."
The Wedding: They chose the Northampton Valley Country Club to celebrate their union with 150 of their closest friends and family. "We were looking for a venue that could both house a nice outdoor ceremony and give us a beautiful reception"
On Bella Pictures: "From start to finish it was a delight. When we had questions, they answered. When we needed help, they gave it. Our photographer was AWESOME!!!! To us he felt like one of our friends at the wedding."
We asked our past brides via Facebook to upload their favorite portrait from their wedding and other Bella brides and fans would vote for their favorite. Congratulations to Shamikia and Phillip who are our November winners. Their beautiful wedding is featured below!
How they met: They met in 2000 at our friend's college homecoming and dated for 10 years! "We always talked of getting married and saying how your wedding date should be special so we chose 10/10/10.Our anniversary is in October, we would have been together for 10 years!"
The proposal: Phillip proposed in front of close family."We host football Sundays at our house every weekend and this particular weekend ALL of our immediate local family was there and at some point I went to the restroom and returned and everyone was complaining how something was wrong with the TV.I get in the living room and Phill is like 'babe what's wrong' with the TV ,so I look at it and shrug my shoulders. Then I see REC in the bottom corner and I was like Oh my goodness and then he comes on the screen, he had recorded his proposal! It was so creative and I had no idea. My first words were 'Nooooo, I told you to make sure my hair was done'! So after the video he asked for my answer and I'm like no you have to ask me again! So he gets on his knee and I say 'you can't ask me to marry you barefooted'. Amazingly he still wanted me as his bride and he asked again and I said YESSS!
The Wedding: They had their intimate wedding with 100 guests at the Regency at Dominion Valley near Washington D.C.! "They had beautiful landscaping for an outdoor ceremony. Cocktail hour was in lower level ballroom and reception in main ballroom on upper level. The set up allowed guests to have different scenery without driving from place to place."
On Bella Pictures: "From our consultant to our photographer; they were all phenomenal"
Jessica and Kyle had a beautiful outdoor wedding in Seattle, Washington! They chose the Shilshole Bay Beach Club for their Military themed nuptials and took advantage of its scenic views. Getting married in Seattle? Check out our Wedding Photography Itineraries section for some other great spots for wedding photos in Seattle, WA!
Find out if Bella is available to shoot your engagement session or wedding!
Alysha and Dwayne celebrated their nuptials with a chic outdoor wedding in Poughkeepsie, NY. For the reception, they moved to a tent adorned with twinkle lights as they had their first dance as husband and wife. Check out out portfolio section for more weddings in New York!
Kimberly and Andrew had a traditional Jewish wedding off the coast of Rhode Island. The had some lovely portraits taken during sunset by the water to add to the romanticism of their already glamorous day. Head over to our portfolio to check out another lovely Rhode Island Wedding!
We asked our past brides via Facebook to upload their favorite portrait from their wedding and other Bella brides and fans would vote for their favorite. Congratulations to Erica and Alan who are our October winners. Their beautiful wedding is featured below!
How they met: They met each other in high school but were only acquaintances. "We didn't talk much then, I was a little older and thought I was much too sophisticated at the time to talk to a younger man! A few years ago we kept running into each other out on the town. One night, Alan impressed me with his charms and coerced me into going on a date with him. From then on forward, we were connected at the hip and couldn't imagine life without each other!"
The proposal: Alan proposed on a romantic trip to Europe (London & Turkey). "While we were staying in a hotel in Bodrum Turkey overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, at a cliff top restaurant located at the hotel, Alan got down on one knee and I said yes!"
The Wedding: They had their beautiful wedding at Wente Vineyards near San Francisco! "I wanted an outdoor wedding and my husband and I loved the idea of a winery setting. That area also has a bit of horse country in it and I'm an equestrian so that sold it for me!"
On Bella Pictures: "Our photographer did a WONDERFUL job! We are still having a hard time narrowing down the pictures we want for our album because so many of them are that good! The photographer was thoughtful, reliable and completely professional. They were able to capture the style we were looking for and their shots were intuitive."
Funny story about the wedding day: "At the time this wasn't that funny but in hindsight it is pretty hilarious! After the ceremony, the wind kicked up quite a bit. We were all freezing, especially Alan and I in that photo I submitted on the golf course where im leaning all the way back. We were actually laughing at how miserably cold it was while talking the picture and that is one of the pictures that helped us win the contest! At the time we were definitely imagining the warm beaches of Maui where we departed to our Honeymoon the next day!"
Meghan and Chris celebrated their nuptials with their friends and family over the summer in Chicago, IL. They had a traditional Catholic ceremony then moved over to the Grand Piazza for the reception! In between the ceremony and reception, Meghan, Chris, and their wedding party headed out to the streets of Chicago for their wedding portraits; even taking photos on the bridge among the Chicago River. Visit our planning section to find more hot spots for wedding photography in Chicago!
Congratulations to Melissa and Jeremy who were married this morning on the Today Show! They were given their dream wedding which included wedding photography by Denis Reggie for Bella Pictures!
We asked our past brides via Facebook to upload their favorite portrait from their wedding and other Bella brides and fans would vote for their favorite. Congratulations to Brianna and Thomas who are our September winners. Their beautiful wedding is featured below!
How they met: They met at Starbucks! Thomas worked there for years and Brianna was a regular customer who had her eye on him for a long time. "I finally had the courage to start talking to him during my regular visits and we instantly hit it off. We quickly started dating and 4 years later became husband and wife."
The proposal: Thomas proposed during a week-long trip to Rome, Italy! "He surprised me in the middle of the week with a trip to Venice. After a romantic dinner and stroll around St. Mark's Square, Thomas proposed in front of St. Mark's Cathedral at Midnight. Thomas asked me to marry him in Italian so at first I was a little confused, but then he got down on one knee with the ring and tears of joy came flowing. It was a moment we will both never forget. We went back to our hotel called all of our close family and friends and celebrated with a glass of Prosecco."
The Wedding: Brianna & Thomas were married in a traditional Catholic church by the bride's father! Then they, and 130 of their closest friends and family, headed over to the Penn Oaks Golf Club for the reception. "We choose Penn Oaks due to beautiful ballroom and spacious outdoor patio where the cocktail was held overlooking the 18th hole. It was the perfect venue for a summer wedding."
On Bella Pictures: "Bella Pictures was wonderful to work with. Our photography consultant always got back to us promptly when we had questions and made sure we were being matched with a photographer who fit our style. Our photographer was amazing. There are so many pictures from our wedding that captured the sentimental moments so perfectly. Our Photographer worked so hard in getting all the key shots we wanted plus some fun ones to add to the album. We have already gotten so many compliments on the quality of our pictures."
Aundrea and Curtis had a lovely wedding in Chicago, IL! They were married in their local church and headed over to the Morton Arboretum to celebrate with friends and family for their reception. Check out our planning section for some great wedding photography spots in Chicago!
Dahlia and AJ had a Jewish wedding in Atlanta, GA! Going with tradition, Dahlia had both of her parents walk her down the aisle. Another Jewish tradition implemented here is getting married under the chupah, which is a canopy on four poles meant to symbolize the bride and groom creating a home together. Here at Bella, we shoot all kinds on traditions including, but not limited to, Asian, Indian, and Persian!
Dianne and Chris had a romantic wedding at a winery in California Wine Country. They took advantage of the California sun with their outdoor ceremony and reception at Trentadue Winery. The couple took some romantic photos walking among the grapes as well as some fun shots with the bridesmaids and groomsmen! Check out our planning section to learn more about Wine Country Weddings!
We asked our past brides via Facebook to upload their favorite portrait from their wedding and other Bella brides and fans would vote for their favorite. Congratulations to Amanda and Brian who are our August winners. Their beautiful wedding is featured below!
How they met: They first met each other in college. Brian was an upper classman who convinced Amanda that he needed help with his Music Theory homework. "Little did I know that he was a master at Music Theory and was just trying to convince me into him taking me out on a date!"
The proposal: Brian proposed to Amanda at U.S. Cellular Field/White Sox stadium during batting practice before a home game. Amanda was told that they were going to be taking a picture with the team at home plate, but the White Sox team was waiting for Brian to get down on one knee and propose to her! "I was completely SURPRISED! My parents and close friends were at the game to support us with 'Just Engaged' posters. The excitement continued throughout the day when Brian surprised me with an engagement party with all of our close friends and family in the city!"
The Wedding: They celebrated with 215 guests at the Fountain Blue outside of Chicago. "Fountain Blue was perfect for our elegant yet classy wedding! Our venue had a beautiful garden and fountain for great pictures and cocktail hour along with a luxurious grand ballroom for dinner and dancing! The food was plentiful and absolutely delicious! Guests especially loved the sweets table!"
On Bella Pictures: "Bella took great care of us and our needs. We had a great experience working with our photographer! He went above and beyond to capture every precious moment of our day!!! We were looking for a photographer who would capture both traditional photos and photojournalistic photos and Bella was able to match us up with the perfect photographer! Our wedding turned out to be above and beyond what we had both every expected! We would like to thank our parents, family, and friends and especially Bella for our lasting memories!"
Funny story about the wedding day: "One of the many highlights of our wedding day was when both the father of the bride and the father of the groom decided to celebrate our marriage and the Fourth of July by lighting off fireworks inside the reception hall. Their festivities were shortened when security had to step in and extinguish the firework show. Despite the mini firework show, guests continued to dance and celebrate the night away!!!"
Waterfront weddings can be very romantic and this wedding by the Chesapeake Bay is no different. Kristin and Nathan had an outdoor ceremony overlooking the bay and moved under a tent adorned with string lights! If you want to see more great photos from this wedding, visit the Wedding Paper Diva's Blog!
The winner of VH1's Bridal Bootcamp was recently revealed and we would like to congratulate Amberly! For being the winner, Amberly won her dream wedding which included wedding photography by Bella Pictures. Check out what Amberly had to say about her experience with Bridal Bootcamp and what is was like working with Bella Pictures!
How was your experience with Bridal Bootcamp?
Bridal Bootcamp was the biggest challenge of my life and also one of the most rewarding. I grew a lot as a person from the experience.
Was there a moment when you thought about quitting the show?
There were several moments when I wanted to quit throughout the show but I just kept thinking about my fiance, family and friends and knew that I had to keep going.
Number of guests: 125
Wedding dress: Alvina Valenta
Bridesmaids dresses: Davids Bridal
Florist: ProFlowers
Cake: Ranch Catering
Hair and makeup: Rock-A-Betties Beauty Salon (El Cajon, CA)
Why did you choose the venue?
The El Cortez is a historical San Diego venue where the stars used to gather for dinner and drinks. It fit the "Old Hollywood" theme.
How did you and Ed meet?
We met at a "The Blvd", a local bar that I worked at at the time. He was a regular and I was the bartender.
How did Ed propose?
He proposed before going to dinner on our three year anniversary.
How was it working with Bella Pictures?
The pictures of the wedding were gorgeous and very artistic. I couldn't have imagined a more beautiful wedding album.
Samantha and Tom had a summer wedding in a town outside of Chicago, Illinois where their beloved dog was a part of the ceremony! They were married at Lewis University and had their reception at a gorgeous mansion. Check out some great locations to have your wedding or reception in the suburbs of Chicago!
Andria and Chris' fall nuptials were very sweet and romantic. They took advantage of the Chicago scenery and weather and decided on an outdoor ceremony overlooking the Chicago River! Check out our planning section for more ideas of great wedding photography spots in Chicago. If you want to see more great photos from this wedding, visit the Wedding Paper Diva's Blog!
We asked our past brides via Facebook to upload their favorite portrait from their wedding and other Bella brides and fans would vote for their favorite. Congratulations to Jenna and Brian who are our July winners. Their beautiful wedding is featured below!
How they met: They started dating through mutual friends in college and have been together ever since.
The proposal: "So the summer he proposed to me I was growing a cherry tomato plant and it was doing really well (surprisingly!). I was so proud of myself for not killing it! One evening he calls me outside by saying that it grew a tomato. I, of course rushed down the stairs and began looking for a little green tomato. I didn't find a tomato, but i did find a diamond ring hanging by a piece of dental floss! So i picked up the ring and he said 'Jenna, will you let me spend the rest of my life with you?' I, of course said yes!"
The Wedding: They had a mid-size wedding of 140 guests at The Log Cabin in Holyoke, MA. "The view of the ceremony site overlooking the mountains was absolutely breathtaking! We knew the moment we saw how beautiful it was that it was a perfect place to get married!
On Bella Pictures: "Bella Pictures was awesome! They worked hard to match me with a photographer that suited our photography style perfectly! Our photographer was very professional and obviously very talented! I get so many compliments on our wedding photos... I am always happy to recommend Bella Pictures to any bride to be."
Funny story about the wedding day: "Well they say rain is good luck on your wedding day.... but "rain" was an understatement! It was overcast the entire morning of our wedding day with a 30% chance of rain. Normally not a huge deal if it rains on your wedding day.... except our ceremony was outside! I was praying that it didn't rain because we really had our hearts set on getting married outside (at the Log Cabin) overlooking the gorgeous mountain view. As the limo pulls up to the Log Cabin and I'm about to get out, it starts DOWNPOURING - 30 minutes before our ceremony! Well, it must have been an absolute miracle because 10 minutes before our 3pm ceremony, the rain stopped and the sun came out! It was 95 degrees that day so the aisle dried up in time for them to sprinkle the rose petals and have me walk down the aisle. So we ended up getting the good luck rain and the summer sun for our outside wedding!"
Randee and David had a traditional Jewish wedding in downtown Chicago at the elegant Palmer House Hilton. Like their engagement photos, they took advantage of the Chicago skyline to accentuate their photos! Visit our planning section for other hot spots for wedding photography is Chicago!
Golf/Country Clubs are ideal locations for weddings and receptions because of their versatility. You can decide to have an outdoor wedding on the greens or an indoor reception in the club itself. One thing that is a must: wedding photos on the fairway with it's sloping hills and abundance of greenery. Here are a few of our favorite photos taken at Golf/Country Club weddings!
Ashlee and Matthew has a beautiful wedding in Long Island! The couple were married in their local church and lit a unity candle to signify their coming together. They chose to have their wedding portraits taken right outside of the church after the ceremony. The great architecture and exposed brick of the church added some texture and visual interest to their photos! Visit our planning section to see other weddings in the New York area!
Our stop today brings us to the mountains of Denver, Colorado. With its amazing vistas, Denver is an ideal location for nature ladened wedding portraits. Visit our planning section to see ideal locations for wedding portraits in Denver. Check back tomorrow where we will end our journey across the country with the beautiful West coast!
We are continuing our journey across the county and today we are stopping in the South; bringing you our favorite wedding photos from Dallas, Austin, Houston and Atlanta. Check back tomorrow where we venture into the mountains of Colorado!
Well, 2009 was an amazing year for us! We had so many beautiful brides!
So, we decided to hold a contest to have our brides and our friends vote for the Bride of the Year. It was a close race, but we're delighted to announce that Trina Higgins, who married Chad Harper at the Korean Bell of Friendship in Palos Verdes, CA was the winner! Here are some of the beautiful photos from their wedding. Thank you all for voting!
Venue: Stanford Court Renaissance Hotel, San Francisco, California
Today's stop across the country brings us to the midwest; which to many people is the heart of America. Here are some of our favorite wedding portraits from Chicago, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Detroit! Check back tomorrow where we will feature our favorite wedding photos from the South!
Krista and John had a beautiful outdoor wedding in sunny Orange County. For their wedding portraits, they took advantage of the gorgeous sunset which resulted in a very romantic shoot. Visit our planning section for more information on planning an outdoor wedding like Krista and John!
We asked our past brides via Facebook to upload their favorite portrait from their wedding and other Bella brides and fans would vote for their favorite. Congratulations to Jamie and Matt who are our June winners. Their beautiful wedding is featured below!
How they met: Jamie and Matt met in college at a weight training class that they had both randomly signed up for. "Matt tells everyone I gazed into his eyes the first time I saw him!"
The proposal: Matt proposed to Jamie in their home they had bought together during Easter weekend. "It was perfect because we had all weekend to celebrate with friends and family"
The Wedding: They had a very intimate wedding (only 85 guests!) at a gorgeous castle which had always been one of Jamie's dreams! "Our wedding day was perfect! It called for rain all day but luckily, the weather held out as most of our plans were outside! It rained for about ten minutes during the reception just for good luck"
On Bella Pictures: "Working with Bella was absolutely perfect! I can't even tell you how many compliments we got about our photographer that day. He was fabulous to work with! We love our photographs so much and couldn't be happier :)"
Funny story about the wedding day: "Our ceremony was short and sweet. I thought I would cry more than I did but as soon as I saw Matt I was nothing but perfectly happy. I only choked up once, right before I said for richer or poorer. Matt told me he thought I just didn't want to say poorer!"
This Texas wedding is both sophisticated and modern. Amy and Graham opted for a chic outdoor wedding ceremony punctuated with twinkle lights and yellow and white accents. They took advantage of the city of Dallas for their wedding portraits which made for some great industrial style photos. Visit our planning section for other great wedding photography spots in Dallas! If you want to see more great photos from this wedding, visit the Wedding Paper Diva's blog!
Lauren and Ken had a traditional and romantic wedding in Philadelphia, PA! They opted to have their ceremony in a cathedral and chose the great city of "Philly" as their back drop for their wedding portraits. Check out our planning section to find out some great places to go for your wedding portrait photography in Philadelphia!
Angela and Tomislav had a wonderful wedding in sunny San Jose. They went the traditional route for the ceremony and were married in a church. For the reception they chose the beautiful Dolce Hayes Mansion which use to be a lavish private estate. Although their wedding was steeped in tradition, their photography was anything but. They chose an artistic style that complimented their wedding aesthetic which was perfect for their big day!
Here at Bella Pictures we shoot a lot of weddings with varying styles and traditions, including gay weddings. Here are few of our favorite photos from same sex weddings!
Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start of summer for a lot of people. The long weekend lends itself for a perfect getaway to your favorite beach. In honor of this weekend, here are a few of our favorite beach wedding portraits!
Kirsten and Matthew had a gorgeous outdoor wedding at a country club in Pittsburgh. Their wedding photos have a dreamlike like quality due to the color palette, soft focus and the natural light from the sunset (photographers call this period of time the "golden hour" and some consider it the best light to shoot in)! Check out our portfolio for more weddings in Pittsburgh!
Christine and Greg had a unique summer wedding in Chicago. The couple went with a contemporary aesthetic for their wedding and their photos. They used dark colors and great textures as backgrounds for their portrait shoot which went great with their white and green color scheme!
In honor of Asian Pacific Heritage Month, here are a few of our favorite photos from weddings with Asian traditions; ranging from Chinese Tea Ceremonies to Thai Blessings. The majority of our Asian tradition photography comes from Chinese weddings, visit our planning section to read more about those traditions.
Lindsay and Clark had a gorgeous outdoor wedding at a ranch in Houston, Texas. The bride and groom got married under a trellis on the ranch grounds and transformed a basketball pavilion for their reception! Also check out their urban engagement session!
Layla and Arend had a casual but elegant "beach" themed wedding along Lake Michigan. While the bride and groom wore very understated and neutral colored attire, the wedding was punctuated with varying shades of pink, from the bridesmaid's dresses to the bouquets! After the ceremony, guests continued the celebration underneath the stars in a tent - which is a great alternative for outdoor weddings! (This Real Wedding was featured on the Wedding Paper Diva's blog - check it out to see even more pictures from this amazing wedding)
Leyla and Ali had a gorgeous wedding fit for royalty in Atlanta, GA. Visit our portfolio section to see another Atlanta, GA wedding!
Tricia and Peter had an amazing outdoor wedding in the Bay Area. Also, check out their engagement photos!
Andrea and Robert had a vintage style wedding at home in Los Angeles, so we gave their photos a vintage look as well. Visit our planning section to see how you can plan a home wedding!
Nicole and Michael had a beautiful wedding in New York City at Manhattan Penthouse on 5th Avenue! Check out our portfolio to see another Real Wedding from New York City.
Check out our photos from Mikaela and Joel's wedding featured on With This Ring Weddings!
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Broadway Malls
Broadway Malls - 135th to 156th Streets
This section of the Broadway Malls runs through the neighborhoods of Manhattanville and Hamilton Heights. The City first acquired the land for Broadway, or Bloomingdale Road, as it was once known, in 1855. From 1867 to 1869 Bloomingdale Road was redesigned, and in 1869 the new "Boulevard" opened, modeled after the Champs Elysées in Paris. Intended both to raise property values in the area and employ workers laid off by the completion of Central Park, the Boulevard featured a 160 foot-wide right-of-way, twin rows of elm trees on each 15-foot sidewalk, and 30 foot-wide landscaped medians with broad, planted walk-through malls.
Trinity Cemetery lies on both sides of Broadway between 153rd and 155th Streets. Calvert Vaux (1824–1895), co-designer of Central Park in Manhattan and Prospect Park in Brooklyn, designed a Gothic-style bridge across Broadway on the south side of 155th Street, which linked the two properties owned by Trinity Church. The bridge stood from 1872 to 1911, when it was demolished to make way for a large chapel on the eastern corner.
In 1899, the Boulevard was formally named Broadway. Many small traffic triangles were created as Manhattan's grid street plan was superimposed over Broadway, and the upper reaches of the island began to be developed in the second half of the 19th century. A small triangle at Hamilton Place and West 138th Street, honors Sir Moses Haim Montefiore (1784–1885), a distinguished 19th century Jewish philanthropist. The Montefiore Home for Chronic Individuals, precursor to the Montefiore Medical Center, was opened in 1889 at the site.
The malls in their present configuration were established in 1904 after cut-and-cover construction on the IRT subway line removed the original malls. Parks gained jurisdiction over the malls in 1908 and for the next two years the malls were redesigned by Samuel Parsons, Jr. (1844–1923) and planted up to 110th Street. Among other things, the new design enclosed the malls with an iron fence. The malls were broader before IRT construction, although this renovation added sitting areas located at the intersections along Broadway. Subway vents were installed at this time up to 137th Street and some of the original wrought-iron fences still surround them.
A stone between 147th and 148th Streets marking the position of the "first line of defense" by the Revolutionary Army was erected in 1909 by the Washington Heights chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Plans are underway to replace the tablet, which was stolen in 1997. By 1913, Parks had planted a double row of Pin oak trees, from 137th to 167th Streets. Parks officials decided not to fence the section because of the pathway through the middle of the plots, relieving the City of frequent fence repairs. The oak trees were planted close to each other, so that the walks would be "delightfully shady." Meanwhile, the 1915 Parks Annual Report noted that fixing the fences damaged by collisions with automobiles and wagons along Broadway and Park Avenue kept four blacksmiths busy almost every day of the year.
In 1935, under Commissioner Robert Moses (1888–1981), Parks re-landscaped the malls, filling each section with trees and shrubs. In 1972 a group of west-side park advocates formed the Broadway Mall Association, which eventually attained non-profit status raising funds for the maintenance of the malls. Starting in 1979 Parks teamed with the Broadway Mall Association to renovate the malls, a project that added new shrubs, ivy, and flower bulbs as well as new benches and decorative paving. Reconstruction of the malls began in 1980 and was completed in 1993, with costs in the final phase reaching about $80,000 per mall, for a total of $6.6 million. There were eight phases of construction in all and another $600,000 project completed in 2000 replanted some of the malls below 122nd Street. Curbs along the malls were raised to 16 inches and the fences were removed, which proved safer for both trees and reckless motorists.
Many of the malls along this stretch of Broadway still feature block-long promenades and sitting areas. During the 1980-93 renovations, these were converted to green malls, and the oak trees were replaced with other species, primarily London planetrees. Most of the trees on Broadway date to this era of reconstruction, although some still date to the 1930s. Large trees survive in the Broadway Malls, in part because the soil depth is generally sixteen inches above street grade and four feet below grade. Community flowerbeds were installed at the end of each mall along with new wheelchair-accessible crosswalks. The benches were replaced and a chain and post fence was installed along the sides of the malls.
Parks currently works with several community groups, including the Broadway Mall Association, the Montefiore Square Park Association, and the West Harlem Art Fund, to maintain, beautify, and plan for future capital improvements to the malls.


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I admit I have a love-hate relationship with The New York Times. I count on it being what a newspaper is supposed to be (and it often is). So when it lazily just quotes the interested parties in a story without digging for what the real story is, as it seems to do about once a week, it feels like more than a disappointment. It borders on a betrayal.
Scott Horton, in his blog post about the difference between the Times and Washington Post reporting on the same story, points to WaPo having done real reporting. Reading the WaPo piece, you see that he's right. The reporter quoted the interview subject, in this case, Karl Rove, then checked his claims against the evidence and refuted a number of Rove's statements. The New York Times reporter, by contrast, swallowed Rove's statements whole simply to regurgitate them onto newsprint.
To my mind, this pattern of laziness casts doubt on the value of all Times' reporting whether political or medical or sociological or legal or otherwise, at a time when news reporting is in deep crisis and needs to prove its worth:
… Karl Rove, violating his agreement with the House Judiciary Committee (which I discussed here), gave "exclusive" interviews to the Times and the Washington Post, in a determined effort to spin the bad news about his role in the firing of the U.S. attorneys and his unseen hand in the work of the Justice Department generally. The Post's piece, by Carrie Johnson, shows an appropriate level of balance and skepticism about Rove's self-serving and highly misleading claims. Not so the Times. Indeed, the headline tells the whole story: "Rove Says His Role in Prosecutor Firings Was Small." The problem, of course, is that the evidence the Judiciary Committee has collected, and the investigation by special prosecutor Nora Dannehy, show precisely the opposite. They put Karl Rove squarely in the center of the effort to remove the U.S. attorneys fired in the December 7, 2006 massacre…


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South Africa
Thelema, Mountain Red - 2014WS 85South AfricaCabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, ShirazRed Wine
South African wines are some of the finest in the world. Wine Kart carries South African wines from two of the its finest regions - Stellenbosch and Franschhoek - producing world class boutique wines. South African red wines are fruit driven with delicate tannins. South African white wines are light, crisp and refreshing. The South African wines available on Wine Kart are it's world famous fruit driven yet smoothly tannic Pinotage, elegant and spicy Shiraz, complex and stylish Cabernet Sauvignon, crisp, fruit forward Chardonnay, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc and some unique blends of Chenin Blanc + Viognier and Syrah + Mourvedre + Grenache from an award winning winery. If you are looking to savour delicious South African wines you have come to the right place. Explore South African wines with Wine Kart!
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Petersham, Massachusetts
|This article is a stub. Help us to expand it by contributing your knowledge. For county and town page guidelines, visit U.S. County Page Content Suggestions.
Petersham is a town in Massachusetts. It was formed in 1754 and was previously called (Nichewoag Plantation). It can be found in Worcester county and is a part of the Worcester registry of deed district. For more information, contact the county at 3 S. Main St., Petersham 01366. On the attached map, Petersham is shown as 11 in Worcester county.
For information about the state of Massachusetts see Massachusetts Family History Research.


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Veterinarian Reviewed on June 6, 2012 by Paulina Nelega, RH
Posted in Uncategorized
Chaparral (Folium Larreae)
The common names for Chaparral are: Chaparro Gobernadora, Creosote Bush, Greasewood, Hediondilla, Larrea tridentata and Stinkweed.
The chaparral leaf has a long and at one time troubled history in the United States. It has been used for treating several conditions ranging from psoriasis to arthritis to cancer. This aromatic desert shrub typically grows up to six meters in height. The leaves and stems are covered in a thick sticky resin that acts as a natural protection against water loss, environmental poisons, UV radiation and hungry herbivores. This resin is a natural deterrent to insects and animals due to its texture and extreme bitter taste. The leaves are bright green and quite small in size, and the fruit it produces are slightly hairy. The flowers of the Chaparral plant are yellow with 6 individual petals. The Chaparral has been nicknamed "Stinkweed" due to its powerful scent. The "Creosote bush" nickname comes from the distinct smell the bush has during a rainstorm.
History and Origin
It can be found growing wildly throughout the southwestern United States but it originated from Argentina thousands of years ago. Chaparral is a very hardy plant well adapted to dry desert conditions and can recover quickly from clear cutting and wild fires. In fact it was the first plant found growing back in the Yucca Flats after nuclear bomb testing in 1962.
Ancient Uses
All parts of the plant above the ground line are used in one way or another.
Traditional uses in Chinese medicine include treating parasitic infections, anti inflammatory and analgesic effects for the treatment of arthritis. Application is by a topical cream, lotion or balm directly to the affected joints suffering from arthritis. It can also be used externally in a warm bath to sooth aching joints and muscles. It has important properties that can be used for pain. For external flesh wounds, it can reduce swelling and help fight infections. Often it has been used for joint inflammation.
Another important benefit is that chaparral can kill bacteria and other micro organisms that turn fats and oils rancid, this makes it a favorite additive for making essential oils last longer. It contains a naturally occurring chemical called NGDA, and it is famous for its antiseptic action. This makes it a natural choice for some mouthwashs.
A tea can be prepared with this herb for treating an upset stomach and for diarrhea. It is a powerful antioxidant and it can help in the prevention of cell damage.
The naturally occurring resins have been used to naturally protect wood from insect damage.
Modern Uses
Presently in western medicine it has found uses for treatment of cold sores, eczema, herpes and psoriasis. The use of this herb is not intended for long term usage so be sure to consult your doctor. The naturally occurring lignans are remarkably similar unto estrogen; this has a similar healing effect as internally consumed soy products.
Chaparral contains lignans that are very similar to estrogen, giving it an effect on the skin similar to that of soy taken internally. Applied to the skin, chaparral can have a remarkable healing effect on eczema, herpes, Cold Sores, psoriasis, and contact dermatitis. Internal use is not recommended.
Chaparral is available in several forms; from tinctures to capsules to tablets and in powder form. The most popular method used is to dry the leaves to easily make an infusion or tea.
Side Effects
It should not be used by children under the age of 2. Side effects may include swollen glands and urinary difficulties. Discontinue use if you see have any side effects and consult your doctor. It is claimed that it can cause liver damage due to its strong detoxification effects but these results have yet to be confirmed. Other side effects my include nausea but only if large doses are consumed at once.
The US banned it's consumption at one point when it was thought to be a cause of Hepatitis. The ban was lifted when no sustainable evidence was found or any linked cases where this actually was confirmed.
Our Expert
Paulina Nelega, RH, has been in private practice as a Clinical Herbalist for over 15 years. She has developed and taught courses in herbal medicine, and her articles on health have appeared in numerous publications. She is very passionate about the healing power of nature. Ask Dr. Jan


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Ethiopia summons Egypt ambassador over Nile dam
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — Ethiopia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday it is demanding an official explanation from Egypt after comments from politicians suggesting Egypt attack or sabotage a Nile River dam Ethiopia is building.
Dina Mufti, a spokesman for the ministry, said that Egypt's ambassador to Ethiopia has been summoned to explain the "hostile remarks." The spokesman said Ethiopia is awaiting a response.
Ethiopia a week ago started diverting the flow of the Nile River to make way for its $4.2 billion hydroelectric plant, dubbed the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Egypt fears the dam will mean a diminished share of the Nile River.
Egyptian political leaders who met their president on Monday proposed aiding rebels against the Addis Ababa government. Sabotaging the dam itself was also mentioned by politicians who appeared not to know their meeting was being televised.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohammed Kamel Amr, in a statement Thursday, said Egypt will seek to coordinate with Sudan and Ethiopia over the issue of the dam going forward. Amr also said Egypt's water security cannot be ignored or hurt.
"There is a large window for dialogue and discussion between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan to arrive at the ideal form for the dam that ensures safeguarding Egypt's water interests, realizing the development objectives of all three nations and avoiding any negative effects that may hurt downstream nations," he said.
On Wednesday, a close aide of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi announced that work was under way to create a national commission to deal with the issue. She said demanding that Ethiopia halts work at the dam will be given priority, but added that the decision to make a formal request will rest with the proposed commission.
Another Morsi aide, Ayman Ali, said there was no proof that Monday's televised remarks have hurt Egypt's position.
"It may have actually served the Egyptian position because the views stated, while some were radical, have shown the extent of alarm felt by the Egyptians," Ali said.
Dina said Ethiopia's construction plans have been "vindicated" by a 10-man panel of experts who found after a year of study that the renaissance dam will not significantly affect Egypt or Sudan. The panel was composed of four international experts and two from Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia.
Dina said Ethiopia is ready to negotiate with both Egypt and Sudan for "mutual benefits."
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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Gardens and Parks
Juan Ponce de León set foot ashore in 1513 and gave the land its name, La Florida, the flowery land. This name was in part because Ponce de León 's landing was during the spring season – during Pascua Florida, or Flowery Easter, celebrated in Spanish Catholicism – as well as the incredible natural beauty of our state. You too can experience Florida's natural beauty year-round in our botanical gardens, as well as in our national and state parks and preserves, showcasing collections of native and exotic plants.
Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a Florida non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, dedicated to restoring and preserving our marine life and environment through leadership in education, research... Read More
Region: Central
County: Pinellas
City: ClearwaterView Website
Billie Swamp Safari
Billie Swamp Safari offers first-hand experience of the wildlife and environment of the everglades. Overnight guests sleep in a native-style chickee hut. There are also day and evening... Read More
Region: South
County: Hendry
City: ClewistonView Website
Loggerhead Marinelife Center
Aside from being a fully functioning marine turtle hospital and rehabilitation facility, the Loggerhead Marinelife Center is proud to have a 1200 sq ft exhibit hall boasting over 40... Read More
Region: South
County: Palm Beach
City: Juno BeachView Website
Marine Science Education Center
The vision/mission for the Marine Science Education Center faculty, staff, and community is to provide the best possible total school program, academic as well as vocational,... Read More
Region: Northeast
County: Duval
City: MayportView Website
Panhandle Pioneer Settlement
Take a step back through time on 40 pristine acres, filled with restored and replicated buildings to demonstrate the wasy of pioneer farmstead living unique to NW Florida.
Region: Northwest
County: Calhoun
City: BlountstownView Website
Around the Bend Nature Tours
Around the Bend Nature Tours offers group tours and educational field trips to discover the rich natural and cultural heritage of Florida's southwestern Gulf of Mexico. Hands-on programs... Read More
Region: South
County: Manatee
City: BradentonView Website
Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium
Strolling through our Museum, visitors can learn about Southwest Florida's natural history. Daily educational programs allow visitors an up close and personal view of some of our resident... Read More
Region: South
County: Lee
City: Fort MyersView Website
Imaginarium Science Center
Enjoy 60 interactive exhibits that include live animal encounters, hands-on shows and the new 3-D movie, SOS Planet! Discover the Hurricane Experience, forecast the weather, take part... Read More
Region: South
County: Lee
City: Fort MyersView Website
The world's first oceanarium and underwater motion picture studio, Marineland opened on June 23, 1938, on a narrow strip of land between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intercoastal Waterway. ... Read More
Region: Northeast
County: Flagler
City: MarinelandView Website
Liberty Bell Memorial Museum
To help protect the flora and the fauna and the safety of visitors, we ask that bicycles, skateboards, and dogs not be taken into the garden. Also removing, cutting, or tampering with... Read More
Region: Central
County: Brevard
City: MelbourneView Website


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Introducing BitFenix Colossus
Introducing BitFenix Colossus
Innovative E-ATX full tower set to shake up the world of PC chassis design
(BitFenix Design Lab, August 20, 2010) - Today, the BitFenix Design Lab has officially announced its highly-anticipated PC chassis. Dubbed Colossus, this full tower E-ATX PC chassis is built specifically for gamers and PC enthusiasts from the ground up, making it the ideal enclosure for the most colossal gaming rigs.
"With Colossus, we focused on how gamers and PC enthusiasts were interacting with their computers on a daily basis, and crafted a PC chassis that actually helps to enhance their computing experience," says David Jarlestedt, BitFenix Product Manager. "What we've been able to do is create a case that not only looks striking, but delivers novel features that truly benefit the user in terms of security, control, and performance."
Inspired by one of the wonders of the ancient world, Colossus brings PC chassis design to a new level. Whether in Monolith Black or Glacier White, Colossus combines an aggressive futuristic design with clean modern lines. Its top and front surfaces are coated with proprietary BitFenix SofTouch coating, which not only looks great, but protects the surface from stains and lends an amazing feel. The LED lighting system adorning the front door and side panels provide even lighting for a stunning look, and users can select either red or blue lighting with the touch of a button. The lighting also has three selectable modes, including on, pulse, and off, giving users complete control over the ambience of their computing environment.
But Colossus is about more than just good looks; it packs a bevy of features and innovations that make it the most advanced chassis for the gamers and PC enthusiasts. Located at the very top of the chassis is the BitFenix S3 - a combination storage and security system in one. With S3, users can place their mobile phone, hard disk, USB drives, or other valuables in S3 and easily lock them away for safe keeping. S3 also deters would-be thieves from stealing your peripherals like mice, keyboards, and headsets while you are away from your desk. Inside S3, users will find two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports ready to connect to an ever-growing ecosystem of USB 3.0 devices.
Designed for the PC enthusiast, Colossus keeps you in complete control. Aside from the light controls, Colossus also features a PWM fan controller that grants users more precise control over their fan speeds without the need for proprietary fans. Colossus is the first chassis to feature both internal and external cable management. Users can keep cables from cluttering the inside of the chassis with Colossus' strategically-placed cable holes, and prevent cables from getting caught in ejecting optical drives with the unique cable-routing front bezel. Even Colossus' front door can be easily switched to open to the left or to the right, depending on user preference.
To accommodate the latest gaming hardware, Colossus gives users incredible expandability. Users can install a wealth of hardware with Colossus' 8 PCI slots and enough room to fit up to seven 2.5" SSDs or seven 3.5" hard disks. To keep all of this hardware cool, Colossus can be outfitted with up to two 230mm fans, three 140mm fans, or three 120mm fans for huge cooling potential for all system components. Of course, all air intakes are equipped with dust filters to make clean up quick and easy, and with friendly features like a motherboard CPU cooler cutout on the motherboard tray, specially-designed motherboard standoffs, and an almost completely tool-free design, Colossus is a joy to set up.
Bundled with Colossus is the BitFenix Lockdown, a hardware stabilizer that helps prevent accidental damage to graphics cards due to excessive vibrations during system transport.
BitFenix Colossus will be available on retail shelves mid-September with an estimated retail price of 159 (incl. 19% VAT) and $169.
For more information on Colossus, visit: http://www.bitfenix.com.
About BitFenix
BitFenix is the result of the collaboration of several veterans in both the technology and gaming industries. From the same minds behind some of technology's most venerable products, BitFenix creates hardware and peripherals that grant the user the utmost control, strength, and performance to complete their computing tasks. Combining a deep understanding of gaming and other high-demand computing applications with superior engineering and design know-how, the BitFenix Team is dedicated to creating the go-to computing products and peripherals for those who refuse to quit. For more information, check out http://www.bitfenix.com.
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text: The Santa Ana College ceramics programs offers a comprehensive approach with equal emphasis on both wheel-thrown and hand building pottery forms. With 8 kilns(gas & electric) and 24 wheels, the facilities is a spacious, creative environment. Basic to Intermediate levels revolve around techniques; advance levels focus on content. Additional learning is provided thru optional field trips(local to international) with in-class workshops/lectures by renown artists from Asia to Canada to Europe. Opportunities exists for showing art works in professional galleries. The campus library supports a growing, permanent collection of ceramic vessels from around the world.


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At the southern end of Midab Tahrir an enormous gray office block looms like a gigantic toad.
The building was a gift to Egypt from the Soviet Union during the Nasser regime in the sixties. And it looks it.I'm on my way there to extend my visa. Noor, a young boy with big round eyes who works for the gallery, is coming along to help me because his father works there at the visa department. Inside the Mugamma building it's crowded like a train station at rush hour. People swarm like flies in front of the elevators, and the steps we climb to the first floor are not wide enough to hold the 50,000 people who visit the building every day. Besides the visa department the building also houses the interior and health ministries and the Cairo government. I follow Noor down a low corridor. Through a window I see that the inner courtyard is used for paper disposal. Pieces of paper float down through the air like confetti. I am led into a small room with three police officers in uniforms with big silver stars on their shoulders. The policemen sit back in their chairs behind wooden desks. One of them dips square biscuits in his coffee before bringing them to his open mouth. The youngest inspects my passport, looks up at me, smiles and says,"First of all, welcome to Egypt," and signs a paper. I shake his hand and leave again. We walk down more long corridors with low ceilings. Looking into the rooms we pass I see men talking, a veiled woman sleeping sitting up in a chair behind her desk, and everywhere big piles of papers on small wooden tables held together with rubber bands. The one computer I see is neatly covered in a plastic cover, just like the cars in the street.People are gathering at the window where we're supposed to be. Noor, the boy who came to help me, gracefully squeezes himself right in front of the window and has my papers delivered. "Now we just wait a little while," he says smiling. In the hall where we wait I see tall dark Africans with decorative scars on their face and men in long white galabias and turbans. White Westerners like me look helpless amid the swarms of people. The collection of foreigners makes me aware of Egypt's geography. Here, between dark Africa and the Middle East and relatively close to the West, Egypt feels like a balancing act standing on its third leg.Five minutes later I have my passport. Instead of a three-month Noor got me a six-month visa."For the same price," he says proudly as we walk out.


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In order to keep our costs down and the quality high, we record the Ask Different Podcast as a double ender where each party does a local recording and they're sent to me after the show to edit. I also use ECAMM Call Recorder to record the entire call, and I sync the separate audio tracks by hand to that recording.
Because the process of lining up the clips is tedious and error-prone, I'm wondering if there's a more automated solution. Since the recordings aren't exactly the same in terms of quality, whatever process that performs the action would have to make a 'best guess' as to the alignment of the tracks.


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Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting
Total TimePrep: 25 min. Bake: 15 min.
Makes2 dozen
- 1 package white cake mix (regular size)
- 1-1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 5 teaspoons cold water
- 1-1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 5 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Red and yellow food coloring
- Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions for cupcakes. Cool on wire racks.
- In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand for 1 minute to soften. Heat over low heat, stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat; cool just to room temperature.
- In a large bowl, beat cream and gelatin mixture until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form. Set aside 1 cup for decorating.
- Spread remaining frosting over tops of cupcakes. Divide reserved frosting in half; tint one portion pink and the other yellow.
- Use a toothpick to outline shape of heart, flower or sunburst on tops of cupcakes. Use medium star tip to pipe pink or yellow stars along outline. Fill in shape with piped stars as desired.
Recommended Video
Jun 30, 2014
The gelatin gummed up and did not mix with the heavy cream....had to strain and remove the gelatin. Very disappointed!
Jan 6, 2014
Gelatin formed shooter marble size balls which were flung out of the bowl by the mixer. Bummer.
May 4, 2013
This recipe worked perfectly for me! Thanks for posting!
May 24, 2012
We took this recipe back into the Test Kitchen to address any issues. The directions will be updated soon to help provide the best results. This is a nice frosting with the flavor and consistency of whipped cream with the addition of gelatin to give the frosting added stability. For best results, be sure the whipping cream is well chilled and also place your beaters and mixing bowl in the refrigerator for about half an hour before starting the recipe.
Apr 7, 2012
I tried this receipe with no success. The icing was thin while the geletin clumped up.
Jul 24, 2010
I tried this 2 times, and both times if failed miserably... would love to know how to make a firmer whipping cream frosting, but one that works.


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Joe Mauer will jog to home plate to catch the first pitch Thursday evening on another temperate night at Target Field, and all will seem to be right in his world.
At 27, he is the reigning American League Most Valuable Player. He just returned on a private flight from his fourth All-Star game, and the first in which he led all players in votes. Four months after signing the richest contract in franchise history, he remains the favorite son in a stunning new ballpark in his home state, and he spent the winter being feted and flattered by the likes of ESPN and Sony while starring in milk advertisements with his mom, one of the many family members who watches him play in person.
He would seem to be living the most perfect life imaginable if it weren't for all those people keeping score.
Ignore the heartwarming story arc and stare at the numbers long enough, and what you find is not a summer of realized dreams, but a study in psychology, physiology and even architecture that raises questions about Mauer's worth.
Even in his current battered and glum state -- has someone of his stature ever looked more weary at an All-Star game? -- he remains an elite catcher. But while he so recently stood as the symbol of an ascending franchise, today Mauer's performance is problematic and worrisome.
At this moment, he is a very good player who is being paid and treated like a superstar.
The Twins need more from their franchise player, and yet the physical demands of his position, the dynamics of the new ballpark and the inevitable decline following a once-in-a-lifetime season have seemingly sapped his power and enthusiasm.
Four months into an eight-year, $184 million deal, Mauer, the No. 3 hitter on a contender, ranks 121st in the majors in RBI, behind the likes of Denard Span, Ian Desmond and Kurt Suzuki.
He ranks 91st in slugging percentage, behind the likes of Juan Uribe, Michael Cuddyer and Placido Polanco.
Even in the statistical category he should dominate, on-base percentage, he ranks 47th, behind Colby Rasmus.
His at least momentary decline can be explained by several phenomena:
The ballpark effect
Target Field promised to be a haven for lefthanded hitters, but wind currents and Mauer's inside-out swing have left him grimacing after watching line drive after line drive die on the warning track. If he had taken the same swings in Fenway Park, his batting average and slugging percentage might be markedly higher, but that is little solace to a team that is paying him to produce regardless of his surroundings.
The scouting effect
Opposing teams have learned how to defend Mauer, and Mauer has refused to alter his approach. Most of his hardest-hit outs are ground balls to a shortstop playing up the middle or line drives and long flies to the left fielder. When Mauer was at his best last season, he was capable of pulling the ball with power; he has not shown an ability to do so this season.
Last year, he hit a career-high 28 homers. This year he has four, and none at Target Field.
The position effect
In 2009, Mauer missed all of April with an injury and then looked fresh and strong the rest of the season. This year Mauer has looked weary since he started answering questions about his contract negotiations this spring. Mauer is unwilling to use his bruises and strains as excuses for his lack of production, but it is obvious that he is battered.
If top catching prospect Wilson Ramos were performing well, the Twins might be considering whether to play Mauer more often at DH or another position to save his body. As it is, the Twins may have to revisit the idea of moving Mauer to another position this winter if he continues to play hurt, even though changing his position would make him less unique and valuable.
The contract effect
After signing a record contract before the 1993 season, Kirby Puckett's production fell off. This is human nature -- athletes surge when a huge contract is on the horizon, and often slump the next year while dealing with the pressures of that contract. As impervious as Mauer has always seemed to pressure, he has followed the same pattern.
What is most admirable about Mauer is what is most troubling: There is no doubt he is giving the Twins everything he has.
No one works harder or longer at preparing himself for each game. No one is more single-minded during a season.
The Twins need more from their franchise player, but he might not, at the moment, have much more to give.
Jim Souhan can be heard at 10-noon Sunday on AM-1500. His Twitter name is SouhanStrib. • email@example.com


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Letter to the Senate Opposing an Amendment Filed by Senator Lieberman to the Jobs Bill
March 04, 2010
Dear Senator:
On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge you to VOTE NO on an amendment to be offered by Senator Lieberman to the American Workers, State and Business Relief Act that would reauthorize the District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP) for 5 years. Votes on this issue may be included in the NEA Legislative Report Card for the 111th Congress..
NEA opposes any reauthorization of the DC voucher program. This voucher program, designed as a five-year pilot, has yielded no evidence of positive academic impact on the students the program was designed to assist – those attending schools that have been designated as needing improvement under the accountability systems of No Child Left Behind. The program also has been proven to have no impact on achievement in mathematics, no impact on male students, no impact on students entering the program in the second year of its existence, and no impact on those students who scored in the lower third of baseline reading tests; i.e., those most in need of assistancei. There is no reason to continue to divert scarce resources to a pilot program that has been proven ineffective.
Vouchers are not real education reform. Pulling 1,200 children out of a system that serves 65,000 doesn't solve problems – it ignores them. Real reform will put a qualified teacher in every classroom, keep their skills up to date with continuing education, and raise pay to attract and retain the best teachers. Rather than offering an empty promise for a few, we should be ensuring that every child has access to a great public school.
For example, we call your attention to the CommPACT Schools initiative -- a groundbreaking approach to improving high-need urban schools. The program is based on the hypothesis that significant change can occur through a strong collaborative relationship among the teachers' association, school district, and community partners. Serving over 3,300 students at an annual cost of $750,000, the program is far more cost efficient than any voucher program, and because it is based on strategies that have already been tested and found effective, we are confident that it will prove a superior solution for low-performing schools. The project is funded, in part, by a $250,000 award from the NEA Foundation and a $480,000 appropriation from the Connecticut General Assembly, and includes research, assessments, and professional development for teachers, as well as facilitated partnerships with community members, parents, administrators, children, and teachers.
This program is already showing results. Several schools have forged new and innovative relationships with their district offices and local unions, allowing them to implement strategies directly aligned with the learning needs of their students. School communities have engaged in rigorous analyses of their strengths and limitations, ultimately identifying a small number of high-leverage areas of focus. Each of the CommPACT schools has begun to implement improvement strategies, programs and practices that are supported by research. In addition, the University of Connecticut has begun to infuse these schools with resources, from student interns to research supported literacy models. And, the schools are beginning to experience unprecedented parent and community engagement.
The evidence is clear and overwhelming: if our intent is to help children succeed, the answer is not a one-size-fits-all magic elixir that has thus far proven only that it does not improve the academic achievement of students attending schools in need of improvement. The answer is to identify and fund proven school improvement strategies.
We urge you to oppose the Lieberman amendment.
Kim Anderson
Director of Government Relations
iThe Evaluation of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program: Impacts After Three Years, http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/20094050


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Season 5 Episode 30 | 12m 48s
A blossoming romance between an Indian American teenager and his white date is derailed by racism. Adapted from a true story by Hasan Minhaj ('The Daily Show'). A film by Imran J. Khan.
Aired: 04/27/18Video has closed captioning.
Problems Playing Video?
Film School Shorts is made possible by a grant from Maurice Kanbar, celebrating the vitality and power of the moving image, and by the members of KQED.


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Salaam and Greetings of Peace:
Alhamdulillah! After sending One hundred and ten Master of the Jinn Ebooks as Eid Gifts to brothers and sisters who requested it, I have lowered the price on the Mobipocket Master of the Jinn Ebook to $4.99 through the Holiday season. It was such a joy and blessing to just give it away that I want to make it really affordable to all who want to read it.
Click HERE to order one, which you can read on your Windows PC, PDA, Smart phone, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Palm OS, Symbian, PocketPC, Franklin eBookMan, Pepper-pad, the iLiad, and many other Ebook readers.
Also, if you live in a country where Sufi books are restricted, email me and I will send you a FREE copy of Master of the Jinn.
If you would prefer to read the paperback, click here to buy it on Amazon.com.
Ya Haqq!


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May 03, 2011 | ISBN 9780307278692
Jun 15, 2010 | 240 Minutes
"Hypnotic. . . . A haunting vision of disillusionment, twenty-first-century style." —People
"This sequel is very much on target. . . . [Ellis] uses the thriller framework to infuse nerve-rending unease into this look at Tinseltown mores. Grade: A-" —Entertainment Weekly
"Taut and ultimately terrifying. . . . In six novels, the author has emerged as one of the most gifted and serious novelists working in America today." —Financial Times
"Enough talk of [Ellis's] literary genius, let's call him what he really is: a terrific horror writer. . . . An absolute creepfest [and] a festival of panting paranoia."–Chicago Sun-Times
"Brutally conceived, and effectively done. . . . There is no doubt that Ellis retains the ability to startle and disquiet." —The Times Literary Supplement (London)
"Arrestingly spare . . . will leave you feeling bruised, guarded and a little nervous about noises at night. . . . What you really notice is Ellis's newfound love of noir. He's reinvigorated and ready to get mysterious and mean. . . . As ever, Ellis's details crystallize into elegant remoteness [and] if this is shallowness, the word needs a new definition." —Time Out New York
"In the same staccato prose that made Zero feel frighteningly fresh twenty-five years ago, Ellis paints a creepy L.A." —USA Today
"Its dirty charms are indisputable." —Playboy
"Reading Ellis is a thrilling and strangely voyeuristic experience, [and] you can't look away." —Venus Zine
"A page-turning read. . . . Ellis is showing us what has changed in 25 years–not just in his characters or in Hollywood but in America and maybe the world."–The Oregonian
"Imperial Bedrooms is a quicker, more controlled fire than its predecessor, and, like a good showman, Ellis has learned to save the best of the novel's many tricks for last. . . . Ellis's Godfather II, his Genesis story. . . . Devastating." —The Village Voice
"Visceral and often harrowing, Ellis delivers a work that matches such career peaks as Lunar Park and the infamous American Psycho." —The Examiner


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NASA: Mars rover snapped pic of rocket stage crash
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — The mysterious Mars photo has been solved.
A NASA engineer said Friday he's pretty sure a Curiosity rover camera caught the rocket stage crashing in the distance after it landed in Gale Crater Sunday night.
A grainy, black-and-white picture taken about 40 seconds after landing shows a plume of dust in the distance. It's not visible in a picture taken nearly an hour later.
The Internet was abuzz over the photo for days.
Curiosity touched down on Mars using a new landing technique. During the last few seconds, a rocket stage hovered and slowly lowered the six-wheel rover to the ground. The rocket stage then flew away and crashed.
Engineers say a preliminary reconstruction of the landing reveals everything went according to plan.


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POOL HEATERS – All You Need To Know
We will provide all the information you need to know about pool heaters in general and the popular models on the market.
Do you need a pool heater?
You may be concerned about the cost or perhaps that heating a swimming pool might be environmentally unfriendly. These are valid points but if you have already made a significant investment in a pool you will get a lot more use out of it with a pool heater and swimming is a very good form of exercise (see Why install a Pool Heater).
What type should you go for?
Before looking at pool heater reviews of individual models you need to decide on the type of heater you want. You can choose between:
- Direct Electric Heaters – Expensive to run and really only worth considering for a small above ground pool see Electric Resistance Pool Heaters.
- Natural Gas Heaters – A popular choice, these are powerful and reasonably cost effective. Available with both electronic and millivolt ignition (electronic ignition is better for several reasons but it requires an electricity supply) see Gas Pool Heaters.
- Propane Heaters – Most natural gas heaters are also available for propane and they are identical except that the propane version costs much more to run.
- Electric Heat Pumps – Increasing popular, although they are more expensive to buy than gas heaters they are cheaper to run. Their heating capacities are lower than gas heaters so they are best suited to pools that are heated for long periods (i.e. they take longer to get the water up to the required temperature) see Pool Heat Pumps.
- Solar Pool Heaters – The most environmentally friendly option which can be effective given the right location (see Solar Pool Heater).
The graphic below is from the Raypak Heat Pump brochure and gives the comparative energy costs:
What size of pool heater do you need?
This is a common question which is not quite as straightforward as you might think. There are tables which give guidance based on pool size but location also has a big impact. The big enemy of pool heaters is wind (see Pool Heater Sizing and Choosing A Pool Heater) !
Where to buy a pool heater?
We looked for the best prices when we updated the site (in February 2019) and have added this information on each product page. Of course there may be special offers so it is worth looking around but beware shipping costs which can be considerable.
We frequently recommend PoolSupplyWorld.com as on many models they offer the best price, since shipping is free, and they have a wide range of pool heaters and pool heat pumps. You can also use coupon codes to get additional discounts. To see their current coupon offers Click Here.
It is also worth looking at Specialty Pool Products who also offer good prices and free shipping on some models.