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BEIJING — China has dramatically raised the toll from its tainted milk powder scandal, saying six babies likely died and 300,000 were sickened, figures that back up months of complaints from parents and show the government is beginning to acknowledge the scale of the crisis.
The scandal has been met with public dismay and anger, particularly among parents who feel the government breached their trust after their children were sickened or died from drinking infant formula authorities had certified as safe.
The Health Ministry's revised death toll is twice the previous figure, while the new count of 294,000 babies who suffered urinary problems from drinking contaminated infant formula is a six-fold increase from the last tally in September.
"Most of the sickened children received outpatient treatment for only small amounts of sand-like kidney stones found in their urinary systems, while some patients had to be hospitalized for the illness," the ministry said in a statement late Monday.
More realistic figures
The latest statistics show that China's communist leaders are slowly acknowledging the scale of China's worst food safety scare in years. During such crises, the government often deliberately releases information piecemeal in part to keep from feeding public anger.
Thousands of parents have been clamoring for compensation for their sickened and dead children. The release of the figures raises the question of whether the Health Ministry is getting closer to finalizing a compensation scheme.
"The new figures are more realistic and objective than previous figures. We knew the previous ones could not have been accurate," said Chang Boyang, a Beijing lawyer who has provided legal assistance to families of children who became ill.
Slideshow: Toxic milk Four of the six deaths were recorded in the provinces of Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Guizhou and Shaanxi, and the other two were in Gansu province in the northwest, the ministry said.
The ministry said it investigated 11 possible deaths related to melamine-tainted milk and ruled five of them out. Melamine poisoning could not be ruled out in the remaining six cases, it said but gave no further details or explanation. It also did not make clear whether three earlier reported deaths were included in the new total.
The ministry said it checked into babies who died before Sept. 10, and that between then and last Thursday, no new deaths were reported.
The ministry declined phone interviews Tuesday and did not respond to faxed questions from The Associated Press.
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Bad economy
There are other families who say their children died from drinking milk powder made by Shijiazhuang Sanlu Group Co., the dairy at the center of the crisis, but their cases were apparently still not classified as caused by tainted formula.
Without the official verdict, families fear they will be refused compensation promised by the government through the Health Ministry, which has also said it would provide free medical treatment for children sickened by tainted milk. Some parents expressed pessimism about receiving compensation promised by the government.
"I've talked with a lawyer and at first we wanted lots of compensation, but later we agreed to settle for a much smaller amount, although I wasn't happy. But now even that seems impossible as nobody has ever talked to us about it," said apple farmer Tian Xiaowei of Shaanxi province, whose year-old boy died in August.
"The economy in this country is bad now, I don't think the Communist Party will take care of our problem," Tian said.
MelamineThe health bureau of Ru'nan county where he is from first ruled his son died from tainted milk powder, but a higher authority said there was no proof his death was linked to infant formula, Tian said.
The attorney Chang said there was still no word of compensation, and the group of volunteer lawyers he belongs to was considering starting a fund to help the victims' families, with contributions from all sectors and the public.
"I assume that the government is worried about the situation of the dairies and is afraid the companies may fall if they have to pay for the compensation amid the current financial crisis," Chang said. "The government may be worrying about the interests of the companies first."
The scandal was first reported in September, but the government has said that Sanlu, the dairy, knew as early as last year that its products were tainted with melamine and that company and local officials first tried to cover it up.
Like a number of major dairies, Sanlu was said to have excellent quality controls that allowed it to enjoy a government-granted inspection-exempt status.
The scandal highlighted the widespread practice of adding melamine — often used in manufacturing plastics — to watered-down milk to fool protein tests. Melamine is rich in nitrogen, which registers as protein on many routine tests. Though melamine is not believed harmful in tiny amounts, higher concentrations produce kidney stones, which can block the ducts that carry urine from the body, and in serious cases can cause kidney failure.
The crisis prompted authorities to announce a complete overhaul of the country's dairy industry to improve safety. The scare badly hit dairy exports, which fell 92 percent in October from the previous year as snags in the supply chain forced a loss in orders, and importers became wary of Chinese food products, the official China Daily newspaper reported.
© 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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After the Gamescom weekend, I noticed that 343 had a post regarding a Halo 5 tournament that happened during that time. With full skepticism gearing up, I watched and waited to see those moments happen; the moments and abilities I feared that would ruin Halo 5. Skilled players would be able to fully exploit the games mechanics in front of the world and I would then be able to write off the rest of the series completely. But it wasn't that way at all. Something completely different was happening on screen that I didn't fully understand at first...
The game actually looked fun for once.
The pros were not sprinting everywhere, they were not using smart scope every time, and on top of it they were using clamber in ways that 343 hasn't talked about, hasn't showcased really like they should have been.
Looks better here.
Seeing what else came out of Gamescom, they released more footage including this multiplayer video here where they utilize these maps in a very unique way for clamber. There's 5 different times that it's used including the very beginning. I know I cringed when I first read that they were making these maps around these abilities, but to actually see that they have created these spots specifically for it sets me at ease especially because it wasn't something I was expecting.
Sprinting was used very sparingly. They knew that whoever had their weapon ready would have a good advantage, and all of the weapons that have been designed to be deadly so "sprinting to get back into cover" really doesn't happen in these gunfights. I've only ever seen them use the thruster to catch their opponent off guard long enough to pull a kill.
Weapons look like they are on point. I know I said it before with Halo 4, but it's very apparent here now. The core gameplay has been perfected way beyond what Bungie has accomplished. Every weapon looks like they are viable and not under powered anymore. Yeah, they all do seem to have the smart scope for some reason, but now I feel it's irrelevant because you can de-scope your opponent.
I can't find where I said it, but I do remember before where I mentioned how Spartans didn't seem to fit with the technology they are built around. They didn't seem special enough, or something like that. This was back around Halo 2 I believe. Only just remembering that recently, it really made me think about this game differently from a new perspective.
They really seem to be putting forth their best efforts to make this game work. And yes while I do know they still have a lot to prove, and makeup for, I think I might actually buy this game. But I'm going to wait to see if it isn't the bug riddled game that was the MCC launch first. Free 15+ maps for Halo 5, and I believe they were talking about how that they will focus their efforts on MCC once they haven't completed Halo 5 sounds like a good start though...

subset: commoncrawl


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Great Ideas for Concession Stand Foods
Posted by admin | Posted in Concession Stand Ideas | Posted on 05-09-2019
Tags: concession foods, Concession Stand Ideas
If you want to put up your own concession business and you want to make sure that customers will love what you are selling, you can try popular concession stand foods that people never get tired of. But if you want to be unique and get noticed by potential customers, you might want to try new food ideas for your concession business. Here are some great food ideas that you… Read more


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The Daily Word 06.03.10: RGA behind Martinez campaign, Palin blames enviro-jerks; Gulf shrimpers sick
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There will not be a separate Westside school district, says state's secretary of education.
Look at how much money the guv candidates are going to spend on this election.
Washington Post reports that the national Republican Governors Association was behind Susana Martinez' Palin endorsement and hundreds of thousands in contributions.
Obama extends benefits for partners of gay federal workers.
Shrimpers in the Gulf are getting sick, and some say it's because of the disaster cleanup.
Sarah Palin blames environmentalists for the Gulf geyser.
U.S. says it warned Israel to use restraint when dealing with the flotilla. (Israel commandos killed nine activists trying to bring tons of aid to Gaza.)
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People generally get happier as they age, says study, and no one is sure why.
But grumpiness is good for you, says other study.
Guy unsuccessfully tries to magic away the police.
World's ugliest dog dies.


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Think of it as a penthouse suite that goes 137 miles an hour.
It's one way of looking at the 2014 Lexus LS 600hL, a smooth and silent, nearly-three-ton cruiser that, with the optional back seat arrangement (more about which later), provides few reasons for ever leaving the car.
You can snuggle up in that Barcalounger arrangement in the right rear portion of the cabin, switch on the vibrating massage gizmo that hides under the leather seat surface and, voila!, nirvana.
What we have here, coming back to nirvana-bereft earth, is the top-of-the-line Lexus sedan, the ultimate expression of the LS series. LS is the line of cars that successfully launched Lexus in the U.S. nearly 25 years ago, with the LS 400. It's gone through the LS 430 and is now the LS 460 (the numbers standing in as approximations for engine size – 430 for 4.3-liter, 460 for 4.6 liter). It's the car to which parent company Toyota appears to pay the most attention. It's the style leader, the showcase jewel in the window.
It is, also, incidentally, the player Toyota is putting on the field to compete with the German trio of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Tough competition.
First, consider the pricing. When Lexus started selling cars in the U.S., it was flogging a super-luxury car whose price undercut most of the existing luxo barges out there, most of them from Germany. The Lexus soon got a reputation for reliability, competence, silence and smooth riding.
Pricey cars.
Now the Lexus line, once occupied only by the LS 400, has a myriad of sedans, coupes, convertibles, SUVs and crossovers. And the LS 600hL is at the top of the heap, with a base price of (ready for it?) $120,060. That really is autobahn cruiser nosebleed territory, so the price advantage is gone.
The 600 is essentially the ultimate (read most expensive) expression of the $78,440 (base price) LS 460 L, the long rear-wheel-drive V8-powered Lexus sedan. (The LS 460 comes in a 200-inch-long standard version and the 460 L, 205 inches long. The 460 L is the same size as the 600. The LS 460 L also comes in all-wheel-drive, for about $3,500 more than the RWD car. The 600 comes only in AWD.)
What you get in the 600hL for your $120,000 is a hybrid power train which includes a 389-horsepower V8 engine and an electric motor, both combining to make 438 horses, running through a continuously variable transmission. For all the showing off about hybrid power – this is, after all, the company that brought you the Prius – you're not gaining much in fuel mileage. The 600 gets EPA mileage figures of 19/23 mpg, city/highway. The LS 460 L gets 16/23 mpg in the AWD version. We averaged about 20 mpg in a week-long test of the hybrid Lexus. Clearly, this is not a bigger Prius. And just as clearly, anyone who's spending upward of $120,000 for a car like this perhaps cares less about the price of gasoline than about the premium of making a politically correct impression by driving a hybrid.
Now, about that allusion to living in this car 24/7. Our Lexus 600hL was equipped with the "Executive-Class Seating Package." Lexus divides the back seat with a big, control-laden console, thereby limiting the area to two passengers. The lucky person in the right rear seat can lull herself to sleep by moving the front passenger seat all the way forward, then raising the ottoman attached to her seat in the rear and then, of course, switching on the "Multifunction Massager."
Who's killing the endangered alcantara?
The seating package also includes a DVD player, rear climate and audio controls and a nifty little writing table that pops up from the front of the center console. The "semi-aniline leather trimmed" seats, like those in front, are heated and cooled and above your head is the "alcantara headliner." How many alcantaras did they have to kill to swaddle the ceiling in softness?
On the road, the 600hL is predictably Lexus: all that sound-deadening material has done its work. At 70 miles an hour, it's not much noisier than it is at half that speed. The 12.3-inch navigation screen is big enough to show you the maps as well as all the turns and upcoming streets and audio messages that you're dying to hear. One thing you are missing is trunk space. The trunk in the 600 shrinks from the normal LS 460 18 cubic feet to 13 cubic feet, truncated, so to speak, by the hybrid's battery package, which nestles under the back window.
Our car had such esoterica as a heated steering wheel and electric switches to move the front passenger seat in different directions, but we didn't have the $6,500 "advanced pre-collision system package," which includes radar cruise control and a device that keeps you in your own lane. I'm all for these safety devices – extensions of the nanny school of automotive design, not to mention a platoon of lawyers looking over the engineers' and designers' shoulders. But I wonder if they lull the driver into a sense of complacency, believing the car's elaborate systems will do his thinking for him and he doesn't have to pay as much attention.
That back seat: the reclining-seat-cum-ottoman arrangement is fine. Very comfy, with the massaging element taking your mind off any recent stress, if only for a moment. It really is a limo back there, what with the DVD screen, the seats, the massage element, the writing/picnic table and the fact that there already is a large amount of legroom. One problem with the ottoman arrangement: if you're taller than, say, five feet, six inches, your feet will hit the back of the front passenger seat. There's only so much room in a 205-inch-long car.
With Lexus sedan prices ranging up to more than $130,000 for fully optioned cars, we're now in the same league as the Audi A8, BMW 7-series and Mercedes-Benz S-class.
What statement do you want to make?
But the real question comes down to this: all these cars are more or less the same. They are big, comfortable, quiet, well built, loaded with gadgets that cosset you more than you need to be cosseted, and they're expensive. My feeling, and the feeling of a few other reviewers, is that the BMW and the Benz make a Statement. In some cases, that blue-and-white roundel and that three-pointed star say a certain thing about who owns this car – whether the owner is in the left front seat or the right rear.
The Lexus, despite its 25-year presence in America, makes a more subdued statement. For some, that is a bonus.
One other thing: Lexus cars consistently place at the top of respected studies' reliability rankings. The less time your car spends in the shop, the more time you can spend in your penthouse suite. At 137 miles an hour.
For more consumer information on cars, check these Web sites:
Safety data can be found at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Reliability information can be seen in the dependability studies conducted by J.D. Power; and at Consumer Reports.
Fuel mileage figures are available at this site, maintained by the U.S. Department of Energy.
For trivia lovers: the sticker you see on the window of every new car for sale in the United States is known in the auto industry as the "Monroney." It is named for U.S. Senator Almer Stilwell (Mike) Monroney, the Oklahoma Democrat who sponsored the Automobile Information Disclosure Act of 1958, which required all new cars to have labels that detail the price of the car and its options.


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Aleksandr Mikhailovich Lyapunov
Born: 6 June 1857 in Yaroslavl, Russia
Died: 3 November 1918 in Odessa, Russia
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Aleksandr Mikhailovich Lyapunov's mother was Sofia Aleksandrovna Shilipova and his father was Mikhail Vasilievich Lyapunov. Mikhail Vasilievich was an astronomer who worked at Kazan University until two years before Aleksandr Mikhailovich was born, when the family moved to Yaroslavl on his appointment as director of the Demidovski Lyceum there. Sofia Aleksandrovna and Mikhail Vasilievich had talented children for, in addition to the subject of this biography, they had two boys one of whom (Sergei) became a composer and the other (Boris) became a member of the Soviet Academy of Sciences through his expertise in Slavic languages.
Aleksandr Mikhailovich began his education at home, then later one of his uncles R M Sechenov prepared him for entering the Gymnasium. Lyapunov was not the only one being coached by Sechenov who was teaching his own daughter Natalia Rafailovna Sechenov at the same time. In fact Natalia and Aleksandr married many years later when he was 29 years old. Some years after the death of Lyapunov's father, Sofia Aleksandrovna moved to Nizhny Novgorod (named Gorky from 1932 to 1990) in 1870 with her children and Lyapunov entered the Gymnasium in that city. There he was a school friend of Markov. He graduated in 1876 and, like his friend Markov, entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics at St Petersburg University.
At St Petersburg University he was taught by Chebyshev who, as we shall see below, had a strong influence on him. Lyapunov graduated in 1880 and remained at St Petersburg to undertake research. He published two papers on hydrostatics in 1881: On the equilibrium of heavy bodies in heavy liquids contained in a vessel of a certain shape, and On the potential of hydrostatic pressures. In the following year Chebyshev posed a question to Lyapunov which would set the agenda for one of his main lines of research over many years:-
It is known that at a certain angular velocity ellipsoidal forms cease to be the forms of equilibrium of a rotating liquid. In this case, do they not shift into some new forms of equilibrium which differ little from ellipsoids for small increases in the angular velocity?Although Lyapunov's Master's thesis did not answer this question, the work of the thesis was motivated by it. He presented the thesis On the stability of ellipsoidal forms of equilibrium of a rotating liquid in 1884 and defended it at St Petersburg University in the following year. Following this he was appointed as a privatdozent at Kharkov University where he taught mechanics and continued research for his doctoral thesis. He presented his doctoral thesis The general problem of the stability of motion to the University of Moscow and was awarded his doctorate after defending the thesis on 12 October 1892 (according to the modern calendar). The importance of this thesis is emphasised in several articles such as [8], [12], [16] which were all written to celebrate the centenary of the publication of this fundamental contribution.
In the following year he was appointed as a professor at Kharkov University where he remained until 1902. While at Kharkov University he played a major role in the Kharkov Mathematical Society, being its vice-president from 1891 to 1898 and president from 1899 until he left Kharkov in 1902. He also edited the Communications of the Kharkov Mathematical Society.
In [13] Pavlovskaya looks at Lyapunov's work on the problem first posed by Chebyshev which we quoted above. The problem posed by Chebyshev concerning the existence of figures of equilibrium, in addition to ellipsoidal ones, of a rotating fluid under sufficiently small variations of angular velocity of revolution was first solved by Lyapunov in a first approximation. He later dealt with the problem of stability of fluid ellipsoids basing his investigations on the Thomson-Tait variational principle. He showed that a sufficient condition for stability is that the second and higher variations of the potential energy are positive. Lyapunov admitted that the imposition of certain additional constraints on the first variation reduced the generality of his method, but writes:-
But in this respect hardly any other method of investigation could be said to be completely satisfactory.Lyapunov established that with variation in the angular velocity of revolution Maclaurin ellipsoids pass into Jacobi ellipsoids. The transition point is an ellipsoid of bifurcation corresponding in this case to a Jacobi ellipsoid of revolution.
In 1901 Lyapunov was elected to the Russian Academy of Sciences in St Petersburg and in the following year became an academician in applied mathematics of the Academy. Grigorian writes [1]:-
In St Petersburg, Lyapunov devoted himself completely to scientific work. He returned to the problem that Chebyshev had placed before him and, in an extensive series of papers which continued until his death, developed the theory of figures of equilibrium of rotating heavy liquids.In 1917 Lyapunov left St Petersburg to take up a post at the university in Odessa, on the Black Sea coast. He taught at the university but in the spring of 1918 his wife's health began to deteriorate rapidly. Natalia Rafailovna suffered from a form of tuberculosis and Lyapunov was greatly disturbed to watch her health fail. On 31 October 1918 Lyapunov's wife died and later that day Lyapunov shot himself. He died three days later in hospital.
We have described Lyapunov's main work which was on the theory of rotating liquids. There are, however, other aspects of his work we should mention. One is certainly his contributions to probability which he became interested in because of courses he was teaching on that subject. In particular in two papers published in 1900 and 1901, he proved the central limit theorem using a technique based on characteristic functions. Another contribution which we should mention is that as editor for two volumes of Euler's collected works.
He was honoured for his outstanding contributions by election to various academies such as the Accademia dei Lincei (1909) and the French Academy of Sciences (1916). He was also given honorary membership of the universities of St Petersburg, Kharkov and Kazan. Various tributes were paid to him on the centenary of his birth. For example on 6 June 1957 Sobolev gave the lecture On the works of A M Lyapunov on potential theory in Moscow to a joint session of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences, the divisions of technical and physical sciences of the Academy of Sciences, the Moscow University, the Moscow Mathematical Society, the Institute of Mechanics of the Academy of Sciences, and the Institute of Automatics and Telemechanics of the Academy of Sciences. The text of this lecture is given in [22].
Other papers such as [8] describe the way that Lyapunov's contributions to the stability of motion has influenced the development of the subject over a long period of time. Topics considered in [8] include: stability, particularly the stability of critical points; the construction and the application of the Lyapunov function; stability of functional- differential equations; the second Lyapunov method; and the method of the Lyapunov vector function in stability theory and nonlinear analysis.
Article by: J J O'Connor and E F Robertson
Click on this link to see a list of the Glossary entries for this page
List of References (23 books/articles)
Mathematicians born in the same country
Honours awarded to Aleksandr Mikhailovich Lyapunov
(Click the link below for those honoured in this way)
|Lunar features
|Crater Lyapunov
Cross-references in MacTutor
- Chronology: 1890 to 1900
- Kharkov Mathematical Society
Other Web sites
- Dictionary of Scientific Biography
- Plus Magazine (Lyapunov fractals)
- Mathematical Genealogy Project
- MathSciNet Author profile
- zbMATH entry


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Sunday, April 15, 2012
Magnolia skies
18 comments:
- Cait O'Connor said...
Just heard a radio programme and a question - What (garden) plant would you save in a fire? - I would have said my magnolia and so did one of the panel.
I have been saying all day I am going to work in the garden but although it is sunny there is an icy wind.
- April 15, 2012 at 10:49 AM
- Buttercup said...
Love the photos. Thanks for sharing how you did them.
- April 15, 2012 at 11:41 AM
- From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...
Gorgeous photos and good news about your back pain. I know how difficult day to day living is with back pain.
- April 15, 2012 at 4:09 PM
- barbara l. hale said...
Gorgeous photos! Lovely magnolia. I am so sad that our magnolia was badly damaged in the October storm. So it is a shadow of its former self.
- April 15, 2012 at 4:12 PM
- Chrissykat said...
Beautiful pictures & love the processing you used. Really makes me want to learn photoshop...then I open the program & within seconds, I'm completely overwhelmed!
Good luck with your back. Hope you get more good news!
- April 15, 2012 at 4:15 PM
- Carole said...
So sorry to hear about your back. You are brave to be doing some gardening. Don't over do. Like you need me to nag you:)
I'm thinking of trying that new photo editing but lately haven't even been taking many photos. I do love the vintage look you achieved. Of course I love all your photography.
- April 15, 2012 at 4:34 PM
- Country Girl said...
I can't wait to see these photos. Only about half of one showed up, but it's because our internet on the hill here has been terribly wonky the past couple of weeks. Right now the speed is super low. Am surprised I can even read your post. xo
- April 15, 2012 at 5:55 PM
- Glenda/MidSouth said...
First - Glad to hear you are getting some relief with the brace.
Enjoyed these pics. The magnolia tulip trees are so pretty - wished the blooms lasted longer.
Thanks for the info on PicMonkey - I bookmarked the site a while back, but have not taken the time to check it out.
Have a great week.
- April 15, 2012 at 6:26 PM
- Susan said...
Hi Sharon...Oh, isn't New England just bursting with beauty in the spring? Loved all your photos. Beautiful!
Sorry to hear about your back. Good luck. Hope you get good news.
Right now I have a bum knee. Going to an orthopedic guy next week. (Wish it were tomorrow.) Take care. Susan
- April 15, 2012 at 10:10 PM
- Jan's camera said...
Gorgeous photos. The flowering trees in my area (Mass.) just aren't very spectacular this year. A lot of the trees have not even flowered, just gone straight to green leaves.
- April 15, 2012 at 10:46 PM
- Jan's camera said...
Thanks for the info on PicMonkey. I just tried it and it is very similar to Picnik. Thanks and enjoy the rest of the weekend.
- April 15, 2012 at 10:56 PM
- Ann B. Kennedy said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- April 16, 2012 at 8:09 AM
- Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...
Your photo's are stunning. Hope your back feels better soon. There's nothing worse than back pain.
- April 16, 2012 at 9:10 AM
- Unknown said...
/these are all lovely images - but I like the second one the best. :) The contrast of the crisp sky against the creamy soft blossoms - wonderful!
- April 16, 2012 at 9:56 AM
- Donna said...
We have two small magnolia trees in our yard here in Iowa and they were in bloom for about a week-and-a-half last month. The leaves stayed pink for almost the whole time, so maybe it is a Northeast thing that they get brown.
It's good to hear that you like PicMonkey. I heard about that recently and I definitely want to try it out!
I'm glad the back brace is helping your back feel better! Best of luck with everything concerning that!
- April 16, 2012 at 10:44 AM
- The Retired One said...
so so glad your back feels better with the brace! I love the pastel effects of the photos, I will have to check out that site. I am just getting used to PSE 9 and bought Lightroom, which I must learn too. LOL
- April 16, 2012 at 2:47 PM
- Stephanie said...
Such beautiful photos! Sorry to hear about your back. What a pain - literally! And it's something you don't thing about, how often we move our backs, until it starts to hurt. Hope you're soon on the mend!
- April 16, 2012 at 3:17 PM
- Anne said...
Oh, these are so beautiful! Love the way you removed the sepia-tine from the pink blossoms ~ I will have to check that out ~ I didn't know you could do that! Yes, that must have to do with your cooler temps...here in southeast Missouri, "Tulip Trees" as we call them, stay pink and pretty as long as we don't have a cold snap...cold can turn them brown overnight!
- April 24, 2012 at 1:40 AM


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Australasian Whales and Dolphins
The Wildiaries Experience | HOME
Southern Tasmania Sojourn
From $1850.00 * AUD
Available between January 01, 2014 — June 30, 2015
Duration of tour 5 days 4 nights
This is an example of one tour itinerary. Our tours can generally be tailored for different group sizes or budgets. We can also modify activities and create packages out of different tours. Contact one of our travel specialists for advice or use the form below to get in touch and we'll call you.
A short break in southern Tasmania and a chance to experience some of the destination's best wildlife, culture and scenery.
After meeting the charismatic residents of Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary and an evening in Hobart's port-side dining district of Salamanca, you'll stay the night on a beautifully restored tall ship, row a clinker dinghy through the Egg Island Canal and visit the breathtaking Tahune Airwalk. For the finale, take a trip to historic Port Arthur then a fast boat ride around the southern hemisphere's tallest sea cliffs accompanied by pods of dolphins, albatross and shearwaters.
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- Stay the night on a tall ship and sail the calm waters
- of the Huon River
- Visit the historic penal colony at Port Arthur
- Take a boat trip around the southern hemisphere's tallest sea cliffs on Tasman Island
Day 1 Arrive in Hobart to pick up your hire car and drive to Bonorong Sanctuary, a wildlife hospital that rehabilitates Tasmanian wild animals, then continue to your accommodation in Salamanca, where you can spend the evening dining and exploring the beautiful Georgian and Victorian waterfront.
Day 2-3 Drive 40 minutes to Franklin, the epicentre of Tasmania's wooden boat history and home to the famous Yukon tall ship. After lunch, you'll sail the Yukon on the calm waters of the Huon, dine locally and spend the night onboard at the wharf. The following morning after breakfast, you'll be given a tour of the Wooden Boat Centre then row accompanied in hand built clinker dinghies through the Egg Island Canal, Australia's oldest man-made canal. In the afternoon, you'll drive to the Tahune Airwalk via Geeveston (where you can stop and watch the local Platypus) before returning to Hobart.
Day 4 A day tour with award-winning Pennicott Journeys will take you to Bruny Island for a cruise with ocean wildlife, plus a chance to see the famous White Wallabies.
Day 5 A leisurely breakfast before departing Hobart.
5 days mid sized car hire. Twin-share accommodation: 3 nights hotel accommodation and 1 night on a tall ship with breakfast daily. Lunch and dinner included on your overnight Yukon cruise. Bonorong entry & tour and full day Bruny Island Cruise (with lunch).
From $1850.00 * AUD
Per person, twin share
Available between January 01, 2014 — June 30, 2015
Duration of tour 5 days 4 nights
Our licensed travel agent can arrange all travel to and from tour locations. We can also arrange fully-guided options as well as tailoring packages for families and groups travelling together.


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Welcome To Workshop Heaven
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Workshop Heaven is an independent family-run business based in North Oxfordshire. Our primary objective is long-term customer satisfaction. Read more...
Unit 5, Alkerton Oaks Business Park, Stratford Road, Upton, Banbury, OX15 6EP
Telephone: +44 (0)1295 678941
Email: email@example.com: www.workshopheaven.com


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Open House: Sunday, Jan 26 from 1 PM – 5 PM
ReInhabit is pleased to present their latest work of art that you can live in, a beautifully realized 60's-era Modern in Silver Lake. Many months of design, planning and careful execution have resulted in a gracious hillside home that provides an ideal floor plan and sweeping city views. And it arrives with a twist: For the first time since they started crafting their one-of-a-kind homes in the LA market, ReInhabit has delivered a residence that is already under contract. Tracy Do Real Estate brokered the sale, and will host an Open House on Sunday, January 26th, from 1 to 5 PM. It's a one-time opportunity to view this gorgeous and very well located home, which is seeking offers in the back-up position.
1444 Murray Drive was a house that ReInhabit couldn't resist: a three-bedroom, two-bathroom "time capsule" circa 1966. Virtually untouched, yet worn by age, it presented unique challenges that inspired highly creative solutions. For example, the original ceilings made the living, dining and kitchen areas feel cramped — while an unused attic hinted at opportunity. ReInhabit reclaimed that space, adding new beams to the now-soaring ceiling and opened the space into a Great Room. The result is transformative as the now-combined spaces flow together to create an open, highly functional living area, distinctive for a home of this vintage. Wide-plank walnut floors are underfoot and industrial-use lighting hangs above. The retro-inspired kitchen is finished in reclaimed scaffolding wood, with a rare Western-Holly wall oven and range. A sliding door leads to a freshly resurfaced patio. Bedrooms are generously proportioned with a nostalgic nod to both the original home and the era. Bathrooms have been completely remodeled. There is a laundry area plus a two-car garage.
Finally there's the view. From the upper terrace that features a new pergola and multiple sitting areas, a westward-facing vista takes in the Hollywood Sign, Griffith Park Observatory and every sunset yet to come. The buyers of 1444 Murray Drive saw potential in this house, and trusted that ReInhabit would make it special. The design+build firm has done that and more, in a space that combines artfulness and practicality in an ideal family home. Offered at $1,150,000.
Visit www.1444murray.com for more details.
Open House: Sunday, Jan 26 from 1 PM – 5 PM
Tracy Do Real Estate
DRE license 01350025
(323) 842-4001
This Sponsored Post is an advertisement on behalf of Tracy Do Real Estate
Read the Full Story at Eastsider LA


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Wholesale Solar is constantly upgrading our Systems to contain the latest technologies at the best prices.
Unfortunately the System you are looking for is out of date and Wholesale Solar no longer offers the 12 kW Grid‑Tied Solar System with Enphase IQ6+ Microinverters and 40x LG 300w Panels
12 kW Grid‑Tied Solar System with Enphase IQ6+ Microinverters and 40x LG 300w Panels
- 100% employee-owned and US-based
- Specialized in solar design & sales for DIY and wholesale customers
- In business since 2002
- See our 4.9-Star Google Reviews
- Check out our featured Customer Installs of the Month
Product Information
|Part No.
|Array Size (STC)
|Monthly Output (PTC)
|12 kW Grid‑Tied Solar System with Enphase IQ6+ Microinverters and 40x LG 300w Panels
|12 kW
|1,638 kWh
|40 LG MonoX Plus LG-300S1C-A5 Mono Black frame Solar Panels
Enphase IQ6+ Micro InverterSpec. Sheet
Installation Manual
Quick Install Guide
LG MonoX Plus LG-300S1C-A5 Mono Black frame Solar PanelSpec. Sheet
Installation Manual
Racking/Mounting Upgrades
|Recommended Quantity
|Part Number
|System Upgrade to XR1000
|1 per panel, 40 total
|System Upgrade Ground Mount Racking for 3" pipe
|1 per panel, 40 total
About Wholesale Solar
Wholesale Solar is a 100% employee-owned company located in beautiful Mount Shasta, California. The company has experienced steady growth since 2002, becoming a well-established leader in solar distribution. We offer custom solar design and expert technical support before and after the sale. But we don't just sell solar, we live it—with much of our staff running their own grid-tied and off-grid homes on solar power. Want to meet some of our solar experts? View our short film, State of Independence.
Custom Builds, Complete Systems, and Quality Components
Wholesale Solar designs, stocks and delivers complete solar and backup power systems for homes, businesses, boats, and RVs. Our solar design experts work with customers to build complete systems customized to their specific needs and requirements. We keep plenty of high-quality components in stock and ship them directly from our warehouse in California.Back to Top


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|Mobile Site
|eMail Author
|Caption Comp
|Monthly Poll
|Sudden Death
|Colour Key
|Cookie Usage
|Series :
|The Next Generation
|Rating :
|Disc No :
|Episode :
|First Aired :
|28 Feb 1994
|Stardate :
|Director :
|Cliff Bole
|Year :
|Writers :
|Brannon Braga
|Season :
|Guest Cast :
|When Troi first goes up into the nacelle, she is startled when the female officer comes up behind her. Shouldn't Troi's empathic sense tell her that somebody is there?
At one point Troi is on the bridge searching through personnel files for the man she recognised in her 'vision'. Worf suggests that she limit the search parameters and she says she has, she is only looking at people who served at Utopia Planitia and on the ship itself. Not to be rude, but since she's looking for a man, might it not be a good idea to limit the search to males as well? Several of the people she brings up on the screen are women!
|Great Moment :
|If I may be a total techno-obsessive here for a moment, we finally get to see inside a nacelle! Yay!
|Body Count :
|Just Kwan.
|Factoid :
|This is the only episode to show us the inside of a Starship's nacelle.
|Copyright Graham Kennedy
|Page views : 20,915
|Last updated : 25 Mar 2004


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Baltimore-made "House of Cards" brought some extra Hollywood star power to the White House Correspondents' Dinner Saturday night in Washington.
Here's Kevin Spacey starring in the "House of Nerds" spoof video (above) that topped the event. He's superb.
Maryland Congressman Steny Hoyer gets some nice face-time as well in the video.


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The kid wasn't playing every day, and he wasn't even a kid anymore. The Dodgers didn't trust him in the field, so they stuck him on the bench.
He had heard the Montreal Expos might play him every day, if only the Dodgers would trade him. So Steve Garvey walked into the office of the general manager, Al Campanis, and asked what the Dodgers intended to do with him.
"We still think you're an integral part of the team," Campanis told Garvey.
There would be no trade. Good thing -- for the Dodgers, for their fans, for baseball history and ultimately for Garvey.
"A week or two later, everything changed," Garvey said.
It is 35 years later, and Garvey remembers the date by heart: June 23, 1973.
On that day, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds, the Dodgers started a new infield combination. Garvey played first base, with Davey Lopes at second base, Bill Russell at shortstop and Ron Cey at third base.
That infield would play together for the rest of that season -- and eight more, setting the most durable of baseball records.
"It's very special we got to play together for so long," Russell said. "But you had to produce. You had to win."
And they did, in unlikely fashion.
The Dodgers did not groom this infield. Russell and Lopes came up as center fielders, but coach Monte Basgall converted Russell to shortstop and Lopes to second base. Cey came up as a third baseman, but so did Garvey.
The Dodgers gave Garvey two years there, watched too many errant throws sail past first base and gave the job to Cey. They tried Garvey in left field and right field, without excitement. And then, in a spell of exasperation more than a stroke of genius, Manager Walter Alston asked Garvey whether he could play first base.
"I had played one game in triple A and one game in Little League," Garvey said. "I wasn't going to tell him that."
In 1974, his first full season at his new position, he won the first of four Gold Glove awards and was selected the National League most valuable player. Fans voted him into the All-Star game -- as a write-in candidate.
By the time the Dodgers broke up that infield, Garvey had been an All-Star eight times, Cey six, Lopes four and Russell three.
The Dodgers never finished lower than third during that nine-year run, with four trips to the World Series. They lost to the Oakland Athletics in 1974, to the New York Yankees in 1977, to the Yankees again in 1978.
In 1981, the infield got one last chance. The Dodgers survived three elimination games against the Houston Astros in the division series, then two elimination games against Montreal in the National League Championship Series.
The Yankees awaited. The Dodgers lost the first two games of the World Series, then won the next four. In the last three games of the Series -- the last three games the infield played together -- Lopes led off, followed by Russell, Garvey and Cey.
"It was kind of a storybook year," Russell said. "We finally won the World Series, and we beat the Yankees. We knew it might be our last hurrah together."
The Dodgers traded Lopes that winter, making way for a hot prospect named Steve Sax. Cey and Garvey lasted one more summer with the Dodgers, and Russell evolved into a utilityman.
The record stands, today and forever. It is a cherished artifact of Dodgers history today, but it was a curiosity at the time.
"We didn't even know we were establishing a record until someone went through the archives and found out there was such a thing," Lopes told The Times in 2004. (Lopes, in treatment for prostate cancer and on leave from his coaching position with the Philadelphia Phillies, could not comment for this story.)
The long-playing infield lasted nearly twice as long as the previous record-holders, celebrated in baseball lore as Tinker to Evers to Chance.
That would be shortstop Joe Tinker, second baseman Johnny Evers and first baseman Frank Chance. The trio joined third baseman Harry Steinfeldt in the Chicago Cubs' lineup from 1906 to 1910 -- infield longevity second only to Garvey, Lopes, Russell and Cey, according to Dodgers historian Mark Langill.
"It's so unique," Garvey said. "It's a record that can't be broken, because the business has changed. You can't keep one guy for eight years, much less four."
Said Russell: "If we would have stayed much longer and started much later, we'd be part-owners."
Garvey and Cey represent the Dodgers in public appearances, and Russell works for the commissioner's office in umpire evaluation. Each lives in Southern California, where fans can hardly say hello to one member of the infield without mentioning the other three.
"When you go to the World Series four times in 10 years and have a world championship, with the whole infield being All-Stars multiple times, flavored with All-Star outfielders sprinkled in and the great pitching staffs we had, that endears us greatly to them," Cey said.
"We gave them exactly what they wanted. Their response is that they consider that to be a golden era. They just really appreciated the way we played.
"We became family to them. They became family to us."
The Dodgers set major league attendance records back then, almost annually, beating the rest of baseball to 3 million fans by a decade. Those fans saw their favorite players in Dodger blue year in and year out, and regularly in October.
And, as sure as the Dodger Dogs were grilled and the outfield wall was free of advertising, those fans saw Garvey at first, Lopes at second, Russell at shortstop and Cey at third.
"A lot of the people that have kids and take them to the game now came up with us," Russell said. "They say those were the good old days."


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The watersheds of lakes Huron and Erie, rendered as an urban transit network. Figuring out how to divide the Great Lakes up into spreads that made sense for my atlas layout was a challenge. Lumping these two together made sense, layout-wise.
Click the image below to view/download a free PDF, which you may use according to the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. If you wish, you can pay me what you think my work is worth, via PayPal.


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We know that making a pot of risotto requires practically all of your attention. In addition to keeping the broth at a simmer, the rice needs almost nonstop stirring. It's not the kind of a dish you can cook in a hurry, but we have never been put off by whatever it takes to make it. In fact, we are so mesmerized by the transformation that takes place in the pot, we never even think about handing the spoon over to a second in command.
At the beginning, all there is to see are firm grains of rice simmering in broth. But as the cooking continues and more broth is added, the rice swells and the mixture develops the creaminess that defines risotto.
Although where the creation of risotto occurred is something of a mystery, historians generally agree that it goes back to the 11th century and was probably first made in Sicily with rice from the Far East. Restaurant cooks, who don't have the kind of time it takes to make risotto in a single step, have devised ways to do some of the prep ahead. However, home cooks generally make risotto from start to finish without leaving the stove and serve it as soon as it comes off the heat.
In Italy, risotto, like pasta, is eaten as the first course as part of a meal that has several courses, but we have no trouble sitting down to a big plate of risotto and calling it supper. It's that good.
Risotto with Parmigiano, Prosciutto and Asparagus
This spring dish come to us from Chef Alberto Rossetti of Parma, Italy.
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup minced yellow onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/4 cups short-grained risotto rice (such as Arborio)
1 pound asparagus, tough ends removed and cut in 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 very thin slices Prosciutto di Parma, julienned
1. Bring broth to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Combine oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds or until fragrant.
3. Add rice; cook 5 minutes, stirring to coat well. Add 1 cup broth; cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed. Continue adding broth by small ladlefuls, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding more, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and creamy, about 20 minutes in all. Add asparagus during last 5 minutes of cooking.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmigiano, remaining butter and salt.
5. Divide risotto among 4 pasta bowls, top each serving with Prosciutto, and let it "wilt" over hot rice. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Per serving: 410 calories, 14g fat, 17g prot., 55g carbs., 4g fiber, 1420mg sodium.


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There was a day, along about the second or third grade, that someone arrived in your classroom bearing a box of blondies made by a parent or doting cousin or neighbor.
We got used to that scene, maybe even took it for granted, but that scene, as we all know, dries up come adulthood. Homemade goodies are a rarer treat in the office kitchenette, but our craving for them? Still high, completely warranted, and astoundingly unsated.
Enter Artisanal LA. The every-so-often weekend-long marketplace is devoted to all kinds of local crafts, edibles, and gifts made with care, wit, and, yes, a little love. Meaning you can pick up a necklace for mom, a bag for your daughter, and a whole bunch of donuts or craft fudge squares or jars of honey for your own pantry.
Local news from across Southern California
Artisanal LA is at LA Mart on Saturday, Oct. 12 and Sunday, Oct. 13.
Over 200 vendors will once again be in the house -- er, mart -- purveying in everything from spreadable fruits (hello, Jenkins Jellies and greetings, Laura Ann's Jams) to the Mason Bar Company (yep, Mason Jars are at the heart of the line) to Unurth (pottery meant for displaying with much pride).
And the vendors, by the by? They're actually called "makers," which is true and nice and pays homage to the many hours/days/weeks/months they spend making their confections, both of the craft sort and the eat-it-now sort, too.
Workshops and demos and other hands-ons-y stuff will flower throughout the weekend, too.
You might even buy an extra flat of fancy nut bars or cookies, for the office kitchenette. Everyone at work is just waiting for the whole trend of homemade goodies to start up again. It should have never stopped when we left school, truth be told.


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Small Planet Communications, Inc. + 15 Union Street, Lawrence, MA 01840 + (978) 794-2201 + Contact
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
In the Year of the Boar and
Jackie Robinson
The Watsons Go to
Bridge to Terabithia
by Katherine Paterson
The Book Club Novel Guide outlines a complete theme-based unit with Book Club lesson plans focusing on Bridge to Terabithia.
Below you will find a synopsis, further reading materials, discussion topics, and reviews that you might find useful during your teaching of Bridge to Terabithia.
A Synopsis
Ten-year-old Jesse Aarons lives in rural Virginia. He loves to draw and dreams of becoming an artist. However, his talent is one that his parents and four sisters do not appreciate. The only person who encourages him is his music teacher, Miss Edmunds. Then he meets Leslie Burke, the new girl at school, and his life changes. Jess, who feels like a misfit in his family, and Leslie, who is considered an oddball at their school, become friends.
Jess and Leslie spend much of their time together in Terabithia, an imaginary kingdom invented by Leslie. Terabithia is also a real place, a secret hideout that they reach by swinging on a rope across a dry creek bed. Completely at ease with Leslie, Jess comes to think of her as "his other, more exciting self—his way to Terabithia and all the worlds beyond."
When spring rains flood the creek, Jess feels fearful about crossing to Terabithia. Embarrassed by his fear, he is diverted by an offer from Miss Edmunds to spend the day visiting museums in Washington, D.C., and Jess happily spends the day looking at paintings and artifacts with his teacher. When he returns home, his family gives him the news that Leslie has drowned in the creek. At first Jess feels that he'll never recover from the loss of his friend, but eventually he comes to realize that Leslie has left him a legacy of both vision and strength. He builds a bridge over the creek and invites his younger sister to visit Terabithia. He is ready to face his fears, embrace his talents, and share the magic that he and Leslie created together.
Further Reading and Links
The following sites can be used to support and enrich the Book Club unit for Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson.
About the Author and the Book
Setting of the Novel
Related Reading and Media
Big Theme Questions
Why are close friendships important? How do friends behave with each other? What special understanding do friends have?
In what ways are you like and unlike the other members of your family? How would you describe your true self?
How do family members support each other? What tensions can develop in families?
What emotions do people feel after the death of a loved one? What are some ways that people cope with death?
Outline of Lesson Plan | Discussion Topics | Writing Prompts
The following section can be used to get discussions started in your classroom. It is based on the Lesson Plan within the Book Club Novel Guide for Bridge to Terabithia. The Lesson Plan includes blackline masters for the students that support the writing prompts. The writing prompts provided are meant as suggestions only. As students become more comfortable with the Book Club format, they will certainly have ideas and questions that go beyond the prompts. Consider giving students "free choice" as a log option. Book Club Reading Logs help students respond to literature and organize ideas as they participate in Book Club.
Chapter 1 | Literary Elements: Discussing the Book's Title
Chapter 2 | Comprehension: Vocabulary
Chapter 3 | Literary Elements: Use of Dialogue and Dialect
Chapter 4 | Comprehension: Exploring the Concept of Kingdoms
Chapter 5 | Literary Elements: Chapter Titles
Chapter 6 | Response to Literature: Making Connections to Your Life
Chapter 7 | Literary Elements: Characterization
Chapter 8 | Comprehension: Making Connections to Characters
Chapter 9 | Language Conventions: Fluency Review
Chapter 10 | Response to Literature: Ways of Reflecting on Reading
Chapter 11 | Response to Literature: Discussion of Death
Chapter 12 | Literary Elements: Point of View
Chapter 13 | Response to Literature: Ways of Experiencing Grief
Planet Book Club's Review
We would like to introduce Planet Book Club's student book reviewers: Phoebe and Charles.
Note to Our Readers: You will notice that the book gets two reviewers. Why? Because we believe two opinions are generally more helpful than one opinion. Remember that people have completely unique sets of experiences that shape how they think and feel about things. Something else to keep in mind: Even perfectly pleasant human beings can have cranky days, lazy days, and confused days. Let's face it—we can't be thoughtful, clear-headed, and fair every moment of our lives. Our reviewers, though friendly and occasionally brilliant, are only human. So, to be fair to you and to each book, we always give two points of view. That way, if one reviewer is having a bad day and seems completely out to lunch, you can perhaps connect with the other reviewer. Got it? Good.
Knowing something about the reviewers might help you to understand their opinions. So, let's get to know them:
Hey—this is Charles. I like to write poetry, play football, play drums, and cook. I'm really good at making spaghetti sauce. My goal is to be a famous author and chef someday and get invited to give talks and speeches all over the country. I would really like to read one of my poems at a presidential inauguration. I would also like to write a book that combines recipes, poetry, and short stories. This is what I have to say about Bridge to Terabithia...
Charles: When I started reading Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, I thought it was going to be just another drippy book about friendship. Well, that's like calling the Grand Canyon a great big ditch or the Statue of Liberty a hunk of copper shaped like a woman posing with a torch. OK—I'm being dramatic. What I mean is, Paterson's book is about a special friendship, but it is also about so much more. The main characters, Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke, are kind and interesting kids who would be fun to get to know. Once you meet them, it is hard not to be affected by their emotional story.
The unlikely friendship between Jess and Leslie begins at school after they compete against each other in a school race. They are drawn together as friends because they both feel "different," and they come to respect and support each other's unique talents. Together they create an imaginary kingdom in the woods, called Terabithia. In Terabithia, where Jess is King and Leslie is Queen, they feel strong and free. They talk, share ideas, and have a lot of fun. For the first time, Jess dares to feel good about himself. Terabithia might remind you of a favorite place in your own life—a place where you feel safe and free to be who you are.
On one rainy spring day, life in Terabithia changes forever. Suddenly, Jess plunges into one of the most difficult experiences of his life. In order to survive, he is forced to think about the true meaning of Terabithia and his relationship with Leslie. By the end of the novel Jess is still struggling. However, drawing strength from his friendship with Leslie, he gains a little more understanding and a little more hope. Hopefully you will feel this understanding and hope as well. Paterson's novel tackles some tough subjects that might make you feel sad and angry at times, but, don't worry, its ending is warm and encouraging. This is a book many readers never forget!
Greetings. This is Phoebe. My sign is Leo, my personal planet is Jupiter, my favorite color is purple, my lucky number is 3, and I was born in the year of the dragon. In my free time I work with white socks—decorating them and selling them to friends and family. I also like to sit beside the cool rock fountain I got at the mall last year and listen to music. I love English, math, and art and hope to be a massage therapist or a clothing designer one day. Here is what I think about the book...
Phoebe: Who isn't grateful for another good travel guide? Bridge to Terabithia is one of the most informative ones I've ever had on my shelf. Don't head to Terabithia without it. Like most guides, it will tell you where to dine, shop for souvenirs, find lodging, and locate public restrooms when you're out and about in Terabithia. Katherine Paterson is brilliant to write a guide to a lesser-known community. I mean, how many more guides to New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Washington, D.C., do we need? I would call Paterson a genius if she would continue the series with titles such as Bridge to Belchertown, Bridge to Dewey, or Bridge to Bisbee. We could all benefit from exploring different corners of the country. To say any more about this fine publication would be to take away from it. Read it before you get on that plane to Terabithia. I know I will.
© 2019 Small Planet Communications, Inc. + Terms/Conditions + 15 Union Street, Lawrence, MA 01840 + (978) 794-2201 + firstname.lastname@example.com


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Peeled & Deveined Raw Shrimp
Prep Tips:
If shrimp are frozen, place in a sealed container in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. To speed up the thawing process, place in a colander under cold running water for 2 minutes. Avoid thawing in warm water or at room temperature. To cook, bring a large saucepan filled with lightly salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp. Cook for 1-3 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and opaque. Drain and rinse shrimp in a colander under cold running water.


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- This event has passed.
12pm Slow Flow & Restorative with Diana
February 14 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
$13 – $135
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 12:00 pm on Friday, repeating indefinitely
This class—set to healing music—will flow through sun salutations, standing poses, seated poses, and end with a soothing restorative pose. You will work your entire body, clear and calm your mind, and leave feeling more balanced and refreshed for your day. This is the perfect fun noon activity to slip into your day!
All levels of students are welcome.
Click here to register and reserve your spot! https://www.dianagallegos.com/class-schedule


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An enormous crowd gathered at the event site during the final day of the Palmolive for Men Kitesurf World Cup
2009 which was made possible through the sponsorship of Palmolive for Men,
We Love, TV14, Jever and the local government of St. Peter-Ording.
There was no wind in the morning and although there was a rain soaked event
area during the afternoon, the weather did not hamper the festive mood of
the spectators and a lot of the people stayed to watch the awarding
After the rain subsided, the winners were recognized on stage an hour
earlier than previously scheduled at 3:00 pm.
Dubbed as the Best and largest organized Kitesurfing Event in the World, the
Palmolive for Men Kitesurf World Cup 2009 was a 10-day event which featured
the best kitesurf riders in the world. Over 50,000 Euros in prize money was
awarded to the riders –the biggest in the kitesurfing world.
Defending 2008 Freestyle and Boarder-Cross champion Kevin Langeree (Naish,
NED) successfully defended his title in the Grand Slam multi-discipline
The Kitesurf World Cup 2009 has been so successful that the event organizers
already announced the schedule of the 2010 competition in advance which will
be held from July 15 – 25, 2010.
Freestyle Results:
1. Kevin Langeree (Naish, NED)
2. Youri Zoon (Slingshot, NED)
3. Aaron Hadlow (Flexifoil, GBR)
1. Joanna Litwin (Nobile, POL)
2. Bruna Kajiya (Flexifoil, BRA)
3. Karolina Winkowska (Naish, POL)
Course Racing Results
1. Bruno Sroka (Cabrinha, FRA) - 7.6 points
2. Olivier Dansin (North, FRA) – 20.7 points
3. Dirk Hanel (North, GER) – 20.9 points
1. Steph Bridge (North, GRB) – 7.6 points
2. Kristin Boese (Best, GER) -17.4 points
3. Fabienne D'Ortoli (Cabrinha, FRA) – 21.7 points


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Trademark Global
Marlene Watson 'Kansas City Missouri Skyline' Canvas Art - 22" x 32"
Qty: 1
Product Details
This ready to hang, gallery-wrapped art piece features a black and white painted skyline of Kansas City, Missouri. Gallery wrap is a method of stretching an artist's canvas so that the canvas wraps around the sides and is secured a hidden, wooden frame this allows for a frameless presentation of the finished painting.
- Dimensions - 22" x 32"
- Artist - Marlene Watson
- Subject - Landscape
- Style - Contemporary
- Gallery-wrapped Canvas Art for a frameless, ready-to-hang presentation
- Giclee advanced printmaking process for a high-quality reproduction
- Limited 30-day warranty against manufacturer's defects
- Canvas (Cotton, polyester), Wood
- Spot Clean
- Made in USA
- Request warranty information
- Web ID: 9277650
Price Details
Special Offers
Shipping & Returns
0 Reviews Be the first to write a review for this product.


text:
Restore dead or damaged forests in national parks all over the world right over the web.
The Site is operated by Maraquia, Inc. ("Maraquia" or the "Company"). This page sets forth the Privacy Policy (the "Policy") for the website at www.maraquia.com, all other sites owned and operated by Maraquia that redirect to www.maraquia.com, and all subdomains (collectively, the "Site"), and the service owned and operated by the Company (together with the Site, the "Service")
We take the responsibility of safeguarding your personal information very seriously. We use your personal information only for providing and improving our services. We treat your personal information as we would and do treat our own.
By using the Service in any manner, including, but not limited to, visiting or browsing the Site or contributing content, information, or other materials or services to the Site, you agree to be bound by this Agreement.
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The Last Promise
|General Information
English Title: The Last Promise
Release Date:
Part 1 (7/02/09)
Platform: GBA
The Last Promise [Download]
Arranged Soundtrack [Download]
Introduction: A millennium ago, on the continent of Blaine, humans and dragons fought. Humans, unable to match the power of the dragons, gathered together and saved themselves from the brink of extinction by relocating to Solum.
On this new continent, the people were divided--and over time, each territory formed its own way of life, choosing how its people would live and what ideals they would carry.
However, this all changes when Magnus, an empire with the greatest military on the continent, begins to invade the other territories. Though their campaign is time-consuming, they are successful in every way imaginable, quickly dominating Alicia to the north and Atheya to the east.
But across the continent, there are people ready to fight back to their dying breath. One of them is Siegfried, a former Knight Commander who has been in hiding ever since an injury he received from ten years ago. With his pain serving as a reminder of the vow he made that fated day, he and his son, Shon, take up arms to gather allies and do whatever it takes to stop Magnus from dominating the continent.
...Because some promises, are just worth dying for.
|Information, Guides, & Data
Gameplay Info
Character Info
Class Info
Item Info
Chapter Info


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We are pleased to announce that Irmin Vinson's Some Thoughts on Hitler and Other Essays is now in print, and pre-ordered copies are shipping. Get your copy today!
Irmin Vinson
Some Thoughts on Hitler and Other Essays
Foreword by Kevin MacDonald
Edited by Greg Johnson
San Francisco: Counter-Currents, 2012
190 pages


text:
Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is a stubborn man. In 2008, the president of Equatorial Guinea made a $3 million donation to UNESCO to underwrite a prize in the life sciences. But a groundswell of opposition from human rights groups, press freedom organizations, and governments appalled by Obiang's record of kleptocracy and human rights abuses helped raise a global ruckus. Public pressure eventually forced UNESCO's executive board to reach a face saving agreement to suspend the prize while promising "to continue the consultations among all parties."
The expectation at the time was that Obiang would accept defeat and that the so-called consultations would go on indefinitely without consensus ever being reached. No such luck.
In February 2011, Obiang became the rotating chairman of the African Union. In July, he poured an estimated $800 million into hosting a presidential summit in Malabo, the country's capital, that set a new standard for opulence. "Besides an 18-hole golf course, a five-star hotel and a spa, the country built a villa for each of the continent's 52 presidents," said a recent AP report. "Each one came with a gourmet chef and a private elevator leading to a suite overlooking the mile-long artificial beach that had been sculpted out of the country's coast especially for them."
The charm offensive worked, as Obiang emerged from the summit with an AU resolution endorsing the prize. With the support of the African and Arab members of UNESCO's executive board, Obiang seemed be on the verge last week of finally having his way.
But then the tide began to turn. Archbishop Desmond Tutu came out with a powerful op-ed bemoaning Equatorial Guinea's record of "torture, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and harassment of journalists and civil society groups." CPJ board member Charlayne Hunter-Gault weighed in with an article highlighting the country's abysmal press freedom record. Eighteen luminaries including several winners of the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano press freedom prize, wrote to UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova calling on the organization "not lend its prestige to a prize in President Obiang's name."
Then last Wednesday, French police seized 11 luxury cars outside Obiang's posh residence on Avenue Foch in Paris as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. The seizure and underlying corruption inquiry highlighted concerns about the provenance of Obiang's gift to UNESCO.
Stung by these developments, Bokova began looking for a way out. On Friday, she told members of the executive board: "As generous as he [President Obiang] was in offering this prize, I think he should make the same proof of generosity [by withdrawing it.]"
Discussions are expected to continue today at UNESCO's headquarters in Paris. Obiang's stubborn streak makes it unlikely he'll take Bokova's advice and withdraw the prize. In the end, it may be up to African leaders to stand up to a dictator who tried to buy their support at the luxurious Malabo summit and now is pouring on the pressure to keep them in line. With their own reputations on the line, not to mention that of UNESCO and the entire U.N. system, African leaders simply cannot allow themselves be bullied.


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CPJ Update
June 21, 2004
News from the Committee to Protect Journalists
CPJ Journalist Assistance Program evacuates journalists from danger in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Bukavu--On June 2, when rebels from pro-Rwanda groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) joined forces to take control of the town of Bukavu, among their prime targets were the city's three main independent radio stations, Sauti ya Rehema, Radio Maria, and Radio Maendeleo. The rebels sought to silence these stations because they viewed them as supportive of the central government and the U.N. mission in the DRC. Directors of the stations--Joseph Nkinzo, Ben Kabamba, and Kizito Mushizi--all received death threats by telephone, and rebel forces killed Nkinzo's younger brother and looted the journalist's home.
The three radio directors initially took refuge inside the U.N. compound in Bukavu but then sought help in leaving the city. Journaliste en Danger, a Congolese press freedom organization based in the capital of Kinshasa, worked with Julia Crawford, CPJ's Africa program coordinator, to help raise funds and coordinate the successful evacuation of the three journalists.
Crawford, who was in the DRC on a press freedom mission for CPJ, met with the three directors when they arrived safely in Kinshasa on June 9. The journalists will remain in the capital until it is safe for them to return to Bukavu. Meanwhile, all three radio stations resumed broadcasting on June 9.
CPJ mission to the DRC
Crawford's mission to the DRC on June 1 to 15 took place against a backdrop of unrest. In addition to the rebel action in Bukavu, on 11, a member of the presidential guard attempted a coup against the government. Although both the rebel action and the coup attempt were eventually thwarted by the government, they underscored the political instability that is often used by the DRC government as a justification for restricting the work of journalists.
During her two-week mission, Crawford met with five journalists imprisoned in Kinshasa who are being held in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. Two of the five journalists have since been released. In addition, she held meetings with government officials to express serious concerns about the country's press freedom record. In her meetings, Crawford argued that national security concerns should not be used as a justification for restricting the media, whose journalists face frequent harassment, legal action, and imprisonment.
Crawford was accompanied by Dr. Philippe Dahinden, a lawyer and news editor for the Hirondelle Foundation, a Switzerland-based nongovernmental organization that works to promote independent media in conflict and post-conflict zones.
On June 14, Crawford and Dahinden held a press conference in which they presented recommendations to the government of the DRC. The full press release is available here: www.cpj.org/news/2004/DRC14june04na.html.
CPJ at Press Freedom Conference in Azerbaijan
Ann Cooper, CPJ executive director; Alex Lupis, Europe and Central Asia program coordinator; and Amanda Watson-Boles, senior editor, attended the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) general meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, from June 13 to 18.
Cooper was the convener of the meeting, which was hosted by Baku-based Journalists' Trade Union. IFEX is a consortium of 65 local, regional, and international nongovernmental organizations that work to strengthen freedom of expression throughout the world. In Baku, IFEX members discussed joint actions to improve press freedom conditions and heard from members on a broad range of issues, including Internet censorship, state use of anti-terrorism laws to restrict the media, and journalists' safety in conflict zones.
On June 18, CPJ held a press conference in Baku focusing on press freedom problems facing independent and opposition media in Azerbaijan. CPJ called in Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev to end repressive practices, such as criminal prosecution of journalists in retaliation for criticizing government officials. The full news release from the press conference is available here:
Mission to China
Sophie Beach, Asia senior researcher, spent two weeks in China in May on a fact-finding mission. She met with local journalists from various provinces and will publish a report on the growing number of physical attacks on reporters in China. China is the world's leading jailer of journalists, and this year the country was named as one of CPJ's "Worst Places to be a Journalist." The report will be available on the CPJ Web site in the next several months.
Journalists' safety in Iraq
In May, Ann Cooper, executive director; Frank Smyth, journalist security coordinator; and Joel Campagna, senior program coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, participated in a Washington, D.C., meeting of journalists and Pentagon officials on journalists' safety in Iraq.
CPJ is a member of a working group formed after the meeting to pursue with the Pentagon a series of recommendations aimed at increasing journalists' security in Iraq.
Thirty journalists have been killed in Iraq since the conflict began, seven by U.S. forces. In May, Reuters revealed that three of its Iraqi employees were subjected to sexual abuse and humiliation in January by U.S. troops near Fallujah while covering the aftermath of the downing of a U.S. helicopter.
CPJ board member receives an award
Alberto Ibarg¸en, publisher of The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald and longtime member of CPJ's board, received a Special Citation award from the jurors of the 2004 Maria Moors Cabot Prize, which honors reporters and editors for their coverage of Latin America. Ibarg¸en will be honored in October at Columbia University, along with the four other Cabot Award winners.


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Thursday, May 12, 2005
Eggnog Cheesecake Bars
For the crust
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
For the filling
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup eggnog
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons rum
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt and nutmeg.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar and butter until creamy. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined - it should be crumbly. Scoop the mixture into the bottom of a 9" by 13" baking dish coated with nonstick spray. Press the crumbly mixture down to form an even crust. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, about 14 to 16 minutes.
Meanwhile, add cream cheese, sugar and flour to the same mixing bowl. Beat until creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix in eggnog until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low just until combined. Stir in rum.
Spread filling over hot, partially baked crust - sprinkle the top with nutmeg. Place back in the oven and continue to bake until the center is almost set, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove and cool completely - place in the refrigerator to chill for a couple hours before cutting into bars.
Just found the recipe? Click here to see where we talked about it!
7 comments:
- Anonymous1/05/2008 04:27:00 PM
I can't wait to try this.ReplyDelete
My husband loves Egg-Nog & Cheesecake. I bet he'll really like this.
If you like Egg-Nog try it with cinnamon schnapps, this has become a new favorite for us. Yummy !
Mmm..love eggnog & cheesecake! I think I would like mine a little thicker---would you recommend a 9x9 pan & cut the crust ingredients appropriately?ReplyDelete
I made an eggnog quick bread with buttery rum glaze that was wonderful. Maybe with your leftover eggnog...ReplyDelete
These look wonderful. Maybe next year when eggnog is plentiful.
They are bookmarked!
Lorie - Dang - Cinnamon schnapps eh? I haven't had that in ages, but I'd love to try that combo!ReplyDelete
JEP - You could, but I like the proportion of filling to crust in these bars. I imagine it would be just fine though - you will have to play around with the baking time.
Megan - I'll look for that, thanks!
I am going to give these a try...I have eggnog left over...ReplyDelete
Ha ha...oh my goodness!ReplyDelete
I love eggnog. I went to the store, yesterday, to see if there was any left, and there wasn't. I was so mad.
Luckily, I had bought 2 cartons a week earlier. ;) What can I say? It goes great in coffee.
Thanks for posting. Have to remember these for next year.
Hendria - Hope you like it!ReplyDelete
Emiline - We are not big coffee drinkers, but maybe this will make us change our minds!


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It's not the greatest photo because I couldn't get the self timer to work right with autofocus – but this is the Summer Single Strand Uniform. I've been wearing it a few months, but kept making changes. Longer – shorter – sleeveless – sleeves a little longer…. by now the whole thing has been pretty much dialed in. The uniforms have been going on since 1991. At first each one lasted six months – but now they generally go for a season (three months). So right now there is this dilemma because I'm also making these new panel garments (as part of GFKAS) – so it becomes an daily debate about sticking through the season in the summer top, vs wanting to check out the functionality of the different dimensions/shapes of panels. Plus the lighter weight linen panels tops are pretty darn comfortable in the heat.
Summer Uniform
Leave a Reply


text:
Beware, Harry Potter fans, the "Deathly Hallows" aren't just coming for Harry and his friends - they're coming for your computer, too.
The latest "Potter" movie has spawned an awful new "Potter" scam. This one insidiously aims at movie fans, of course, especially those who use the internet to get a peek at the latest must-see installment. And how big is this group? Just now, I typed 'Harry Potter Trailer" into Google, and got 45,600,000 results. On day one of the movie's run.
And what happens to some of those 45 million trailer-watchers? According to San Francisco computer security company PC Tools, many of them find a free download of the movie trailer, along with what seems like a simple request for some personal information (this often comes with a sweetened chance to, say, win a new iPad). But, beware: PC Tools says those on the other end of the request are using this information to steal people's identity. Sometimes, even attach a virus to the trailer itself.
U.S. & World
The day's top national and international news.
That's a double-whammy targeting young "Potter" fans, who might not be hip to the needs of cyber security. If you're 8, like my daughter was when she jumped headfirst into the Hogwarts world, do you know if your PC has up to date virus fighting software? Or how damaging it can be to give out even the most innocent of personal data?
The "Potter" villains are out again. They're aiming for your (and your kids') personal data, and remember: This is only the first of TWO parts of the remaining Potter saga. Don't let it end with a big, unnecessary sad ending.


text:
China Inc.'s Hunger for U.S. Real Estate Grows
A Beijing-controlled bank offers a loan for two Bay Area projects, but the credit a major condition. The WSJ's Dinny McMahon talks about whether China Inc. will face a backlash from investing in the U.S. property market.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I ... the the ... a one point seven billion dollar Lantus on to San Francisco housing developments ... and ever con joining me now is reporter Dinny McMahon from Bejing okay did the this is a tie up with will and I on ... is this really the first big entry were seeing at U S state and enterprise making to the US property market ... oh yes and they tend ... to be less was still not quite that way with a date Haddin said ... I've that agreed ... to go forward with the deal but the deal still needs to finalize the a lot of days house was not signed sealed and elite that ... is hands down this is the first ... big move by state enterprise uncertainly ... bombs of Chinese money in this this kind of getting involved in U S infrastructure ... the main um conditions I believe that the ad content is Company wants is to use ... their ... own construction aam company if that is outright in building the project in San Francisco ... this is one of the day thousand still needs to be not to doubt that yes the Chinese side is saying that they want the Chinese company ... in volt in the development process though what the capacity might be is still up yet but what it would sing today ... I will what the indications seem to be at this point is that a Chinese contractor would be in focus on the front runner from what with hearing for the position ... is a Chinese company called China Railway Construction Corps which is one of which has been one of the big lie awake to what is in China ... the cayenne and that thing that was being talked about is perhaps participating Ina ... I mean you know I'm originally from sentences go back and it's been years since and ... the state has been talking about building a high-speed train from sentences to Los Angeles ... um that really hasn't come I'm that that haven't even begun construction yet sale ... one day this company and all be involved in such infrastructure projects ... look at this point it's impossible to tell but the company has been kicking around Northern California for quite some time ... um I was clearly a colonialist and it was clearly trying to get the bolts ... I'd ... been in a potential construction of a railway ... a couple of years ago I ... know it given that that deal with the that that that the trial why it hasn't come to fruition yes ... um and it seems that was still a long way off from ever happening ... maybe the Chinese company still has ambitions but it still prefer to stay decided when it would have a role that that did happen ... ok and and as you mention this is still at an early stage but at any ... anticipation ads on any back last or anyone shampoos to ... a Chinese and state and ... company coming in and in in investing in such projects ... you probably have to do something to get the response will probably be dependent on what the role of the Chinese company to reuse ... idea Chinese contractors have been used before ... but to do renovations on the tired beyond on the severity of producing in San Francisco and there were some reservations about the quality of the old steel and workmanship that was for the supply of ... so are you there is that so to ... treat cuts of which might not bode well for the Chinese company's involvement ... with the side of the other side of the equation though it is that this project WeChat sentences go is wanted for every decade now ... would probably not happen we're not the Chinese money ... and so they're even having this this is some so the proviso that what strings attached ... you you you wouldn't imagine that they would be too much backlash ... even that's ... the still probably wouldn't happen anyway without a nice that Chinese fonts ... Kayla had this weensy at how this one turns out thanks Fran much to name it mentioning us from Beijing ... for that star am indebted Des beest dot com I'm Deborah con for The Wall Street Journal digital network ...


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UNION, Wash. (AP) — A flooding river covered a road in Washington, allowing some migrating salmon to swim across the pavement.
Video from KOMO-TV shows one salmon didn't make it Wednesday when it was caught by a dog that walked away with its catch near Union, about 40 miles southwest of Seattle.
The salmon-crossing-the-road scene is replayed nearly every year on the Skokomish (skoh-KOH'-mish) River. It frequently floods after heavy rain in the Olympic Mountains.


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As I've done the last 5 years or so, this past November I went to Chicago to speak at the PhD Project Annual conference. Each year this organization inspires and fascinates me. Its mission is profound and its reach is broad. While some elements were "business as usual" the event brought together about 400 potential doctoral candidates from around the country (and indirectly the globe) there were two significant milestones: the 15th year of the program and the 1000th doctoral candidate.
For anyone considering a PhD in business it's a must that you check out this program!
My small contribution to the program was a presentation on how to prepare for the GMAT.


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Cocaine dependence is a devilishly difficult addiction to break, owing to the drug's unique chemical ability both to reward users and to disrupt their impulse-control mechanisms. But a surprising drug combination may offer an equally clever way to loosen cocaine's hold on an addict, a new study has found.
The experimental treatment regime used a mix of topiramate -- an anti-seizure drug that has shown promise in breaking dependence on nicotine and alcohol -- and stimulant drugs -- amphetamines -- which, in addition to being widely abused, are used to treat attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder.
Individually, both classes of drug have been tried as a treatment for cocaine dependence. Topiramate has shown some promise, but is slow to take effect; amphetamines have not by themselves proven useful. The drug duo comes at a time when no single drug has been shown effective in treating cocaine dependence.
But in a trial that pitted a sham medication against the topiramate/amphetamine duo for 120 days, cocaine addicts taking the combination drug were roughly twice as likely to string together three consecutive weeks of cocaine abstinence (33% of 39 cocaine-dependent subjects) than were those who got the placebo (7 of 42 subjects, or 16.7%). Subjects in both groups also received psychotherapy aimed at keeping them on their medication regimens and off their street drugs.
Moreover, the medication combo appeared to curb cocaine urges within a few weeks, much faster than the eight-week period it took for topiramate alone to take effect in other studies. And the combination appeared to be most effective in curbing the addiction of the study's most frequent cocaine users -- typically those who are hardest to reach with standard psychotherapeutic approaches.
The combination appears to work to correct several of the chemical imbalances in the brain induced by frequent cocaine use, surmised the authors, all substance-abuse researchers from Columbia University's College of Surgeons and Physicians. Topiramate is commercially marketed as Topamax and most recently became half of an FDA-approved combination drug for obesity, Qsymia.
The present study, which was published this week in the journal Biological Psychiatry and funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, was very small. Noting that drug combinations in general -- and this combination specifically -- may be the answer to treating cocaine dependency with medication, its authors called for larger studies.