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On the September 14th episode of the U.K.'s "The Alan Carr Chatty Man Show", Pink -- the singer, and mom to15-month-old daughter Willow -- defended her right to breastfeed in public. In fact, she said she'll fight anyone who stands in her way. (Here, watch the clip: it's wildly entertaining thanks to its weird British host and Pink's awesome attitude.)
I'm fascinated by this clip, and proud of Pink for putting herself out there. Not your average flowey-haired, touchy-feeley crunchy mom, Pink dons a mohawk and stiletto heels, and isn't afraid to drop an F-bomb when she wants to. Clearly every bit the loving, caring, attentive mom, she's also no less the badass of her pre-mama persona for it. In fact, her badass side is a boon to her in her role as a mom; she's unapologetic in her choices, and she doesn't feel the need to explain them as part of a movement or a philosophy or membership in some new club. Instead, she owns them, and holds her own as a multi-faceted, mature adult who can make decisions, and be many things, simply by being herself.
Asked if she still breastfeeds Willow, who Carr noted is "getting old now," Pink responded, "I do." Then later, Carr asked: "Are you one of those militant breast feeder women, like in the middle of Starbucks, you get it out and are like 'yeah what you looking at?'"
And Pink responded: "I do, I do on purpose. I think breastfeeding is healthy and natural, and it's a comfort to my baby, so I can give a shit what somebody else thinks. The first time we went out to a restaurant, there was a guy who walked by, I had a cover on… and this guy walks by and was like 'Uughhh' -- he was just disgusted. I was like 'You didn't get enough hugs when you were little.' Carey said, 'You are starting fights in restaurants?,' and I said 'I will... I will fight, hold my baby.'"
Pink's anecdote is important because it echoes the experience of so many breastfeeding moms. While Beyonce's decision to breastfeed -- discreetly, nonchalantly, and without explanation -- in public was important because it normalized the act in our overwhelmingly breastfeeding-unfriendly culture, Pink's response to the nasty comment she received likewise puts 'militant' into perspective. She was also in a restaurant, attempting to breastfeed discreetly while minding her own business, when a passerby vocalized his disgust. I love her response to him: "You didn't get enough hugs as a child." (RIGHT? Who are these men who find breastfeeding repulsive ? So sad!) And when Carey Hart, her husband, asked "You're starting fights in restaurants?" -- this, by the way, is a scene I believe my own husband could probably relate to -- Pink decided that yes, she would indeed, literally fight to defend her right to breastfeed her child.
Her response is very 'her', and it's funny, but it also makes tangible a position many women find themselves in -- having to essentially fight (if not literally) for a very basic, and frankly logical, right: to feed one's baby, to still be a person in the world, eating in restaurants and living life instead of being constrained to one's home in the name of motherhood. Being a breastfeeding mom also requires, in our culture, women to cozy up to a 'not giving a shit' attitude toward others' reactions, which will undoubtedly run the gamut from thumbs-up-supportive to, as Pink experienced, disgust. (SO many people, women included, jump into debates around public breastfeeding with the basic contention that breastfeeding moms should 'be considerate' of other people's comfort levels, which sounds nice but isn't always realistic, given how uncomfortable some people are with perfectly reasonable levels of discretion.) I think it's safe to say not giving a shit doesn't come as easily to most new moms as it does to Pink; women, in particular, are raised with the mandate to be 'nice' and to make sure everyone feels everything's okay. But then we become moms, and it becomes obvious that if you want to breastfeed (or, actually, do a lot of things) and you want to leave your home, you're going to have to be as confident in your choices as Pink is in hers. If some people interpret that as militant, that's on them. Pink's going public with her own experience provides an example that other moms, naturally confident or not, can be encouraged by, and follow.
What's especially great about Pink's straight-forward responses and relaxed, easy smile, too, is that she's changing the public face of the confident, breastfeeding mom while very much claiming it as her own. Instead of adopting a new persona as a woman who's discarded her identity in the name of Natural Parenting to a T -- remember those moms profiled in the now-famous TIME mag article on William Sears and some of his more ardent followers? -- she acknowledges and has adapted to the huge changes motherhood brings about, but maintains her sense of self. (She jokes that she's scaled back her partying to between the hours of nine and ten pm, since her baby invariably wakes up at five in the morning... We've all been there, right?). And she's making some natural parenting decisions because they make sense to her. Despite being a big star, she's far more relatable, in my opinion, than the hardcore Attachment Parenting mom set, and certainly than most Hollywood moms. But because she's a star, she's showing moms the world over that they don't have to choose between extremes, adopt entirely new identities, or lose their identities altogether in order to parent well. She's broken the trend of formerly-wild celebs emerging 'reformed' as a result of motherhood, a la Nicole Richie, Snooki, etc.. Instead, Pink is proudly part of a young, informed, hip generation of moms who don't feel inclined to apologize for breastfeeding -- check out this gorgeous pic she Tweeted of herself nursing Willow -- and similarly don't bat a lash in discussing their nipple piercings. (Pink told Carr she had to remove hers to breastfeed because they were "like sprinklers"… I've been there, too, Pink! Here's to modern motherhood.)
What do you think? Is Pink breastfeeding's new superhero? Do you relate to what she said? Do you love her? I do.


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In Florida, which harvests 23 percent of spring area, acreage is expected to rise 4 percent from a year ago, led by bell peppers (up 20 percent), cucumbers (up 13 percent) and tomatoes (up 6 percent).
The increase in bell pepper acreage is largely a reaction to strong prices during the last quarter and relatively favorable prices a year ago. Florida's spring tomato acreage is the largest since 1992 and likely reflects renewed market confidence following the Dec. 2, 2002, signing of a new suspension agreement governing imports of fresh tomatoes from Mexico. The agreement prevents the under cutting of U.S. prices when the market is low.
California, which accounts for 51 percent of the U.S. spring vegetable acreage, expects to harvest 2 percent fewer acres, with the entire reduction due to asparagus (down 15 percent), carrots (down 8 percent) and tomatoes (down 5 percent).
A mild growing season is expected to boost yields and leave the state's fresh-market shipments at or above year-earlier levels.
As expected — despite a 10 percent cut in plantings — area for harvest of spring onions is expected to decline by just 2 percent as better weather this spring limits acreage losses.
Georgia's Vidalia onions came through the winter in good condition, but there are concerns that recent heavy rainfall may yet lead to occurrences of bacterial diseases similar to those that caused heavy losses in 2002. Growers are spraying onions and hoping for warm, dry weather.
The Texas onion crop is sizing well after a cool fall and a mild winter in the lower Rio Grande Valley. A larger share of this year's Texas crop will be coming from the Winter Garden region of Texas, which begins harvest in May. Good Yields are expected from California, which began shipping a bit earlier than usual.
Spring onion growers entered a market that experienced surging higher prices since February (March prices were 3.5 times higher than a year earlier) as the storage crop in the Northwest saw a late surge in export demands, and imports from Mexico were lower due to rain-slowed crops.
Last spring, onion prices averaged 41 percent above the previous year due largely to crop losses in Georgia. Assuming limited losses in Georgia this spring and good yields in other states, onion prices are expected to ease from their March/April highs in the coming months as supplies build, with shipping-point prices forecast to average 10 to 15 percent below a year earlier during the second quarter, April-June.
Although planted area for summer non-storage onions is expected to rise 1 percent, area for storage onions (marketed in the following spring) is forecast to decline 3 percent. Storage onion area in California, most of which is earmarked for dehydrated products, is expected to rise 6 percent to 33,500 acres - still well below the 1999 record-high of 41,600 acres.
Excluding the California processing crop, area for U.S. storage onions is forecast down 7 percent, with concerns over water availability in Idaho and Colorado and low prices a concern in all storage regions. Colorado onion growers, under economic pressure from other regions since the mid-1990s, expect the plant the lowest area since 1981.
A combination of reduced consumer confidence and strong supplies from California and Florida may keep downward pressure on fresh-market vegetable prices this spring. However — assuming average weather — spring fresh-market vegetable prices currently are expected to average near or below those of a year earlier.
Higher prices for asparagus, lettuce and celery are expected to be offset by lower prices for crops such as peppers, onions, tomatoes and broccoli.
Relatively mild weather in growing areas this past winter supported production while above-average snowfall in major population centers tended to slow demand. As a result, first (winter) quarter (January-March) shipping-point prices for fresh-market vegetables averaged 43 percent below a year ago and 13 percent lower than two years ago. Lower shipping-point prices also pulled retail prices (excluding potatoes) down 2 percent from a year earlier.
Fresh-market shipments — including imports but excluding melons — averaged 2 percent above a year earlier despite indications of a sharp drop in March.
Shipping-point prices for head lettuce, which surged a year ago, averaged $11.07/cwt during the first quarter of 2003 - down 79 percent. Prices for broccoli (down 38 percent) and cauliflower (down 34 percent) also were much lower. In contrast, tomato prices, which fell 18 percent last winter, jumped 25 percent during the first quarter of 2003 as the effects of winter cold snaps in Florida slowed shipments.
During January-February, the volume of fresh-market vegetable imports rose 10 percent from a year earlier. While items such as celery (down 25 percent) and broccoli (down 18 percent) were lower, most other imports, such as asparagus (up 67 percent), exhibited increases.
Fresh tomato imports were up 18 percent to 547 million pounds. Tomatoes largely were driven by a 28-percent jump in roma tomatoes. Romas accounted for 34 percent of tomato imports during these two months.

subset: commoncrawl


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12 U.S. Code § 1701w - Budget, debt management, and related counseling services for mortgagors; authorization of appropriations
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is authorized to provide, or contract with public or private organizations to provide, such budget, debt management, and related counseling services to mortgagors whose mortgages are insured under section 1715z(i) or (j)(4) of this title as he determines to be necessary to assist such mortgagors in meeting the responsibilities of homeownership. There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.
Section was enacted as part of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, and not as part of the National Housing Act which comprises this chapter.
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


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- Inside Athletics
- Tickets
- Fan Zone
- Media Zone
- Social
- Shop
- E Fund
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 21, 2012) – The East Tennessee State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will hold a viewing party for the NCAA Volleyball Selection Show this Sunday, Nov. 25 at One12 Downtown in Johnson City. The ETSU volleyball team will be on hand beginning at 3:30 p.m., while the NCAA Tournament pairings will be announced at 4 p.m. on ESPNU.
The volleyball team will be signing autographs prior to the show, while interviews with coaches and players will be available after the pairings have been announced.
The Bucs (23-12) earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after winning the Atlantic Sun Championship last Saturday in Nashville, Tenn. ETSU defeated North Florida in five sets in the championship match, while Megan Devine (Kingsport, Tenn.) was named Tournament MVP and teammates Bethany Gesell (High Point, N.C.) and Meredith Hardy (Kingsport, Tenn.) also landed All-Tournament Team honors.
This marks ETSU's first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament in volleyball.
First and second round competition of the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship will be held at 16 campus sites Nov. 29-30 or Nov. 30-Dec. 1. The winners will advance to four regional tournaments.
ETSU fans wanting to receive Buccaneer news, score updates, in-game promotions and much more sent to their mobile device can do so by signing up for "Buc Updates." Click here to sign up today!
For more information on Buccaneer volleyball, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the volleyball page.


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As Jenny on FX's "The League," Katie Aselton frequently engages in the foul-mouthed, trash-talking fantasy football obsession more commonly associated with the other, hairier half of humanity.
In "Black Rock," her second film as both star and director, the 34-year-old Aselton ("The Freebie") also puts a female face on a traditionally male story. The thriller, opening Friday, is a genre piece about survival in the woods—but doesn't feature a bunch of buff dudes and their bubbly girlfriends.
Aselton, Lake Bell ("Children's Hospital") and Kate Bosworth ("Straw Dogs") play women who set aside their personal issues to fend off unhinged military vets who have been home from the service only a few weeks. Living together in a house during an unglamorous shoot, the female cast members bonded in a way Aselton has never experienced before.
"What we were going through was so incredibly intense and emotional and challenging, and we were doing it together, getting through it together," she says over the phone from L.A. "We were shooting in the ocean. We were shooting on the ground of the woods … By the time we got to those final scenes, we really had evolved into these very primal beings just trying to survive."
Aselton, a Maine native married to her "League" co-star Mark Duplass, talked about her ass-kicking abilities, how friends should deal with a falling out and how Jenny and her husband Kevin (Steve Rannazzisi) on "The League" would handle a deadly situation.
You've long wanted to be a Bourne girl or Bond girl, but have never been called in for roles like that. Why have you had that fantasy, and why haven't you been called for that part?
Truthfully, it's less of a Bond girl, 'cause they all die. They get to look all sexy, which would be obviously an honor, but they don't get to do any of the real fun, action stuff. I like strong girl roles and we don't get to do that very often, but the idea of doing a "Bourne" movie or, like, a "Run Lola Run." Something like that is so appealing when often you get sent very emotional roles. It's fun to kick some ass sometimes.
When they make "Salt," why aren't they calling you?
Because there is Angelina Jolie out there in the world, and that's OK too. She does some great ass-kicking.
I feel like you could kick as much ass as she can.
I might be able to at some point, but she's built herself up to her ass-kicking level, and I'll work on it.
In "Black Rock," your character and Lake's character have had a big falling out. How should people deal with these situations in real life?
I am a big fan of dealing with issues when the issues are happening. I don't like letting things go because I let things fester, and if I don't talk about it immediately it all of a sudden becomes much worse. Because then I have full conversations in my head and no one gets to argue their point.
What's an example of that?
You get into an argument with a friend and then stop talking, and I will go home and be like, "Oh my God! Do you know what she's doing right now? She's doing this and that and this and that." It's escalated in my head and made it worse than it ever [was when it] started … When you have an issue, you deal with it, and then you get past it.
What if you come up with a great line the next day and have to call someone and say, "The jerk store called, and they're running out of you"?
Well, that's not a great line, first of all. So I would recommend holding that. I don't think it's smart to zing when you're dealing with someone you love.
I agree. Have you not seen that "Seinfeld" episode?
I have. I'm totally just teasing you. When you have those moments, hold them; enjoy them. … One time I very passive-aggressively tweeted something knowing full well that the friend I was in the argument with would see it. That was such a horrible idea. Passive-aggression is the worst tactic ever, and I totally resorted to it and have been known to resort to it when necessary. And I'm not proud of it.
Why do you think women are often so hard on each other?
I don't know. It bums me out, though. I wish we wouldn't be. I think it stems from insecurity. When men get insecure, they project overconfidence. When women get insecure—and these are obviously grand, sweeping stereotypes, and I don't mean to offend anyone, I'm sorry--but when women get insecure they tend to lash out at each other and tear down the people around them because it builds them up. Which isn't really necessary because I think if you build up the people around you, they pull you up when you need it. So I wish [women] would be nicer to each other.
To what extent would the conflict go away if women just lived in a house together and shot an extreme movie like "Black Rock"?
Oh, I promise you, if it was the wrong women, that experience would be a completely different experience for everyone involved. I think it would have to be a combination [like] Lake, Kate and myself. Really our personalities just gelled. I don't think you can just take three random girls and say, "This is what we're going to do" and then have it be a great experience.
How do you think Jenny and Kevin would deal with a "Black Rock"-like situation?
[Laughs.] I think Kevin would run into a hole in the woods and start crying. And I think Jenny would do exactly what my character does and kill some people.
So were you unconsciously channeling her as you constructed that character?
No, I think they're both super-strong ladies in their own ways. They have different qualities, but they're not afraid to not back down to men. So I like that about them.
That's a funny image of Kevin sprinting away.
He totally would. You know he would. He would be naked and crying in the woods somewhere.
There must be some moments during "The League" when it's weird to have your husband there while you're married to someone else onscreen. Can you recall a time that was particularly strange?
Mark and I are very comfortable with what my role is on the show and the fact that we are actors and this is required of us at times. I think more than anything it makes Steve more uncomfortable and the co-stars more uncomfortable than it makes us uncomfortable.
How do you know that?
There's specifically a time in season two or three, I think two: It was a big party for Ruxin (Nick Kroll) and Sofia's (Chicago native Nadine Velazquez) anniversary that happened to be on Jenny's birthday, and we were at this party and we were all sitting at this table together. Kevin did something very romantic for Jenny and said something very nice. So he comes back and I am supposed to give him a kiss, a very loving kiss. It's supposed to be a very nice moment. We had to keep doing it, and finally the directors called Steve back to the monitors and they were like, "Will you stop kissing her like she is your sister?" He goes, "I can't, 'cause Mark is right there!" So we've gotten a lot better about it. It's become very much not an issue, but it was definitely something for him to overcome.
"The League" is set in Chicago but doesn't shoot here. Are there any inconsistencies you're aware of that amuse you?
Yes! It has been made very aware to us, and the bar that they always show us at, they show the exterior of the bar and obviously we're not shooting inside that bar. I'm blanking on the name of it.
Gibson's, yes! So when we were there for the live show, our hotel ironically was right across the street from Gibson's, so we all went in. The inside of Gibson's is very different from what we portray on the show. [Laughs] It's a much classier joint, and they serve huge pieces of cake with big steak knives. It's insane. They don't mess around with their cake at Gibson's.
Watch Matt on "You & Me This Morning," Friday at 6:55 a.m. on WCIU, the U
Want more? Discuss this article and others on RedEye's Facebook page.


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I don't believe in curses, I really don't. But, with the Mets, they make you wonder.
Daniel Murphy sustained a Grade 2 MCL tear yesterday. He wasn't even in the starting lineup, but entered late and left soon after when the Braves' Jose Costanza slid into his left knee at second base. He's done for the season. No surgery, but four months of recovery time.
The way Murphy was hitting it appeared he turned the corner and all the Mets had to do was find a place for him. This is twice now where he's been injured at second base, so that's not his sweet spot.
At this timetable, Murphy won't begin rehabbing until January, so we have no idea if he'll be ready for spring training.
Meanwhile, Reyes, who missed 16 games with a strained left hamstring last month, reinjured the hammy running out a ball in the first inning.
If the same level of injury landed Reyes on the DL last time, it's probably a decent assumption to think the same now. In any case, he won't be playing soon.
Yesterday, I suggested Reyes was returning to earth with his injury and subsequent slump. There's no reason to pull off that now.
Reyes has had hamstring problems at various times during his career, playing in just 54 games in 2004 and being limited to 36 in 2009. Yes, he had that stretch from 2006-08, but in seeking a long term contract they look at the recent injury history.
The injuries to Reyes and Murphy are two of many to the 2011 Mets, who are without Johan Santana – perhaps for the season – and another starter, Chris Young, for the year. David Wright missed two months with a stress fracture to his lower back, and Ike Davis is likely done for the year with an ankle injury which could require surgery.
On the lower levels, Fernando Martinez and Jenrry Mejia have all missed significant playing – and developing – time.
Ironically, as the Mets face losing Reyes to free-agency, this injury could enhance their chances. That is, if they want to take the risk. Should Reyes miss a significant amount of more time, his price could dip to where the Mets could be players.
But, do they want to bring back a guy who can't stay on the field?


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Wheelchair Basketball
Thursday, May 1, 2014
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
This event repeats every week on Thursday between 5/1/2014 and 8/28/2014.
Please note: This event has already taken place. Please use the Search options on the right to find upcoming events.
Compete in this challenging sport! Shoot some hoops while making new friends. All adults are welcome, including both disabled and able-bodied athletes. Recreation Center membership is required to participate.
For more information, email Deputy Center Manager Emanuel Diaz at email@example.com.
Recreation Center membership is required.
Event Organizer
Manhattan Recreation
Contact Number
(212) 255-3705


text:
Did you read today's front page stories & breaking news?
Today's Top SOA Links
From the Wires
Deadline to Apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans in Pennsylvania is Approaching
By: PR Newswire
Jan. 9, 2013 04:24 PM
ATLANTA, Jan. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes that Feb. 5, 2013 is the filing deadline for federal economic injury disaster loans available in Erie, McKean, Pike, Susquehanna, Warren and Wayne counties in Pennsylvania as a result of frosts and freezes beginning March 1, 2012.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110909/DC65875LOGO)
"These counties are eligible because they are contiguous to one or more primary counties in New York. The Small Business Administration recognizes that disasters do not usually stop at county or state lines. For that reason, counties adjacent to primary counties named in the declaration are included," said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA's Field Operations Center East in Atlanta.
"When the Secretary of Agriculture issues a disaster declaration to help farmers recover from damages and losses to crops, the Small Business Administration issues a declaration to help eligible entities affected by the same disaster," Skaggs added.
Under this declaration, the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible
The loan amount can be up to $2 million with a 4 percent interest rate for eligible small businesses and
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA's secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
Disaster loan information and application forms may also be obtained by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing) or by sending an email to email@example.com. Loan applications can be downloaded from the SBA's website at www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
Completed loan applications must be returned to SBA no later than February 5, 2013.
For more information about the SBA's Disaster Loan Program, visit our website at www.sba.gov.
Contact: Michael Lampton
Release Number: 13-178, NY 13083
SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration
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text:
The academic center currently under construction at Sheridan College is set to open right on schedule this summer, according to Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Sheridan College, Cheryl Heath.
Heath gives an update on the progress of the Edward A. Whitney Academic Center.
She presented the update at Thursday night's regularly scheduled meeting of the Northern Wyoming Community College District Board of Trustees. She explains what work still needs to be done.
In addition to furniture, a very special piece is making its way to Sheridan College. As we reported yesterday, a full-size model replica of an Allosaurus dubbed Caesar will be featured inside the Whitney building.
Again, grand opening ceremonies for the Edward A. Whitney Academic Center are scheduled for the first week of August.


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As convenient as it is to have access to Exchange data in Windows SharePoint Services and Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server, out of habit your end users still might not use SharePoint as frequently as they do Microsoft Office Outlook 2003. How can you put some of your SharePoint data into an individual user's Outlook client?
The first thing you can do is to replace the generic Outlook Today page with a SharePoint page in the user's mailbox properties, as Web Figure A shows. By doing so, you can be sure that your users become accustomed to looking at SharePoint for announcements, tasks, and other information. To change an individual's Outlook Today page, perform the following steps:
- Right-click the top-level folder and select Properties.
- Select the Home Page tab.
- Change the Address text box to the URL of the SharePoint page that you want to display to Outlook users.
- Click OK.
Alternatively, you can modify the registry value that controls this setting. Outlook 2003 stores this value in the registry under the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Today subkey in the UserDefinedURL value. To push this change out via a Group Policy Object (GPO), create a custom Group Policy administrative template (.adm file) and apply it to the group of users you want the policy to affect. To learn more about creating custom .adm files, see the Microsoft article "Recommendations for managing Group Policy administrative template (.adm) files" (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=816662).
If you have external users who use Outlook to connect to their email over a VPN, users have to wait a long time for a timeout to occur in Outlook. A slow load time in the Outlook client can cause end users to think there's a problem in your Exchange environment. You could use a single sign-on (SSO) solution or basic authentication over HTTP Secure (HTTPS), but these methods are problematic and aren't recommended in for external or traveling users. If this type of user is your main target, you could customize the Outlook Today page to be a local resource that uses minimal external resources. To learn more about this type of Outlook customization, go to the Microsoft Office Deployment Center (http://office.microsoft.com/enus/assistance/HA011384291033.aspx) and download the Office Resource Kit, which includes a Customizing Outlook Today white paper.
Exporting Events and Contacts
Both SharePoint and Outlook use the vCard and iCalendar standards, enabling users to copy contacts and events from SharePoint lists to their Outlook Contacts and Calendar folders. You can manually move data from SharePoint to Exchange by using the Export Event or Export Contact button to save a .vcf or .ics file to disk. To do so, open the .vcf or .ics file to save the event or contact into Outlook, as Web Figure B shows. This method works well for individual events and contacts but won't handle a recurring event. For recurring events, you must download each individual instance of the event separately.
Instead of exporting each event individually, you could link an entire event or contact list from SharePoint to Outlook 2003 as a read-only copy of the SharePoint data, as Web Figure C shows. Once you've exported the read-only calendar or contact list, you'll get a side-by-side view of two calendar displays. You're actually looking at two sets of Outlook data, the original Exchange data (which can be cached locally in an offline folders file—OST) and the read-only personal folder file (PST) created by SharePoint. Although a user can't edit the SharePoint data locally in Outlook, any changes made in SharePoint will show up in Outlook the next time the PST is updated (Outlook goes to SharePoint each time the PST is loaded). Outlook checks the PST links every time that folder is selected and every 20 minutes after that.
This feature is perhaps most useful when only a few people, rather than the entire set of SharePoint users, modify the centrally controlled calendar. A great benefit for this style of calendar is that a user can easily add reminders to SharePoint events (the events are copied to the user's local folder when a reminder is added) without having to individually download each individual event on a calendar.
SharePoint Personal Folders and Outlook
It's important to understand how the SharePoint PST system works. When the first SharePoint list is linked to Outlook, a single PST file is created in the user's \Documents and Settings\%username%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook folder. This file, SharePoint Folders.pst, will be the only PST created, but it can contain multiple folders internally, all correctly named. For example, if you want to link two different SharePoint contact lists and a SharePoint list of events, they'll each be named appropriately in Outlook (using the portal name and list name) and will each be contained in the same SharePoint Folders.pst file. You can open this PST only with Outlook 2003.
Sending Users SharePoint Lists as "Attachments"
Another way to inform your Outlook 2003 users about important SharePoint contact lists and event lists is to send them an email message with a link which, when clicked, automatically adds the list to the user's Outlook client. These links use the stssync protocol and require the inclusion of some fairly specific parameters. For example, a link to the events list at http://sharepoint.freetraining123.com/mgmt/Lists/Events/AllItems.aspx would look like this: Stssync://sts/?ver=1.0&type=calendar&cmd=add-folder&base-url=http://sharepoint.freetraining123.com/mgmt/Lists/Events&guid=\{593A190E-B6DE-49AA-B3E8-59456005CECA\}&site-name=Management&list-name=Events&list-url=/AllItems.aspx
For more information about the stssync parameters, see the Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies Resource Kit sample chapter (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sppt/reskit/c4061881x.mspx).


text:
|2012-07-02, 10:40
|Link #1141
Mad Scientist
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Florida, USA
Age: 25
edit: I just found out the game has a region lock, is that something I will have to worry about or will the no-cd crack or english patch fix that?
|2012-07-02, 20:54
|Link #1142
Minata Hatsune
Join Date: Jul 2011
Well, cover PUSH issue August:
Spoiler for :
And Dengeki Visual Art's 2012 Summer was released: http://ameblo.jp/g-ig-i/entry-112891...c=thumb_module (for Rewrite and Rewrite Harvest festa! section)
|2012-07-02, 21:25
|Link #1143
Bishoujo Lover!
|2012-07-05, 02:22
|Link #1144
Minata Hatsune
Join Date: Jul 2011
Base this interview
Full name of Kagari-chan is "Miracle Kagari" (or "Mirakuru Kagari")
|2012-07-09, 00:58
|Link #1145
Mad Scientist
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Florida, USA
Age: 25
So I'm playing the english patch and its awesome, I'm wondering how long the common route is? I know in Little Busters the common route is about a month long in the game so what about Rewrite?
So far my favorites in order are Akane > Lucia > Sizuru > Chihaya > Kotori. Akane and Lucia especially are giving me issues because I want to run both of their routes at the same time xD
sadly I know the english patch only covers the common route but I'm enjoying every minute of it so far. One thing has confused me a bit though, with Yoshino he keeps calling you out and accusing you of being fake etc and then you get into fights etc and its super intense, but it doesnt really make sense to me, his argument doesn't really have any basis from what I've seen and then the next day you guys are all buddy again. IDK its a key game and its early in the story so I'm assuming there will be lots that confuse me, such as Akane and Chihaya's weird connection.
|2012-07-09, 01:57
|Link #1146
Assistant Professor
Join Date: Jul 2011
Age: 43
There is no danger in spoiling but I can say for you that Yoshino doesn't get much exploration outside the common route itself. (among the heroines, only Kotori's route has any connection with the guy) Also, his personality being that which prizes "The True" actually holds some figurative weight amidst all the falsehoods that surrounds the story. In this, one might find his personality making the most sense, well-rounded, etc.
|2012-07-10, 18:17
|Link #1147
Mad Scientist
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Florida, USA
Age: 25
Is there any reason not to use your "super powers"? I've been using them every time I have the option and I've noticed the clock thing in the lower left corner moves every time I do it. I just don't want anything bad happening because I'm using my powers.
Spoiler for my current point in the game:
|2012-07-10, 19:45
|Link #1148
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Spoiler for About Using Rewrite (Kotarou's Super Power):
Last edited by matrixhazard; 2012-07-10 at 20:14.
|2012-07-13, 11:19
|Link #1149
Join Date: Apr 2011
After installing the English patch, some Japanese lines are displayed...wierdly. Vertically, one character at a time.
Spoiler for Chihaya route pic:
Does anyone have a solution to that?
edit: solved!
Last edited by RedKey; 2012-07-13 at 11:44.
|2012-07-14, 05:34
|Link #1152
Join Date: Apr 2011
Whoops, Kotori and Lucia route spoilers in there, although minor
I'll now proceed to be a fanboy about Kotarou and Kotori marrying, if you'll excuse me. Even though that >9000 moe Lucia too is...hhhnnnggg. lol @ Shizuru calling her a traitor.
|2012-07-14, 14:15
|Link #1153
Assistant Professor
Join Date: Jul 2011
Age: 43
There's no excuse for no Inoue sprites. Nor any of the other minor characters for that matter. (also looking at you Chihaya-with-a-blazer in end)
As for the VA, admittedly, that's a whole lot of lines to speak for one guy, and I'm guessing since they get paid by the lines, they're limiting it? In eroge visual novels, there's a precedent for not giving voice to the main character, but here...
|2012-07-14, 15:46
|Link #1155
阿賀野型3番艦、矢矧 Lv168
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Belgium, Brussels
Age: 32
|2012-07-14, 16:12
|Link #1156
Mad Scientist
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Florida, USA
Age: 25
So I just finished the common route and man talk about throwing you a heap load of crazy right at the end there. But anyways it's brought up a few questions.
Spoiler for Thoughts, Spoilers, and Questions after completing the Common Route:
|2012-07-14, 16:16
|Link #1157
阿賀野型3番艦、矢矧 Lv168
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Belgium, Brussels
Age: 32
It is sort of like a regular VN, except some characters are locked as long as you don't read other character's route first.
Before Akane, you must finish Chihaya's at least once. You also must read Kotori before being able to read Shizuru.
Simply speaking, you can only reach Kotori, Chihaya or Lucia from a clear save, and the other 2 are unlocked afterwards.
|2012-07-14, 16:24
|Link #1158
Mad Scientist
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Florida, USA
Age: 25
hmm, well Lucia was my second pick, and I did pretty much everything I could to get in good with her inless it conflicted with a choice with Akane. Kotori I pretty much avoided and decisions I felt would lock me in with her not because I don't like her but because I prefered the other girls. With Chihaya though I pretty much avoided any decisions that favored her, though I think what may have locked me in was when:
Spoiler for Chihaya Lock In?:
I kind of just wish I had some sort of walkthrough/flowchart so I can get an idea of what I did wrong. When I played Katawa Shoujo and Little Busters I used walkthroughs so I knew I was getting the routes/endings I wanted, it didn't spoil the story, I just consulted it when making the decisions.
|2012-07-14, 16:31
|Link #1159
阿賀野型3番艦、矢矧 Lv168
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Belgium, Brussels
Age: 32
Generally speaking, you better start with Kotori, as her route is the most balanced in term of story exposure and what really is going on in general (and parts of her own side are barely implied in the other girls' routes).
Frankly, I would suggest something like Kotori => Chihaya => Akane => Shizuru, and Lucia placed anywhere, but at least after Kotori's route.
|2012-07-14, 16:39
|Link #1160
Mad Scientist
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Florida, USA
Age: 25
I think I shall go back and try for Kotori's route then, I am fairly sure I know how to lock in with her. Also I am currently using the english patch from amaterasu and I am debating whether I should just wait for them to release more updates so I can continue or go through the trouble of getting a machine translator?
|bishoujo, hinoue itaru, key, maeda jun, romeo tanaka, ryukishi07, visual novel
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De Nooijer, Taekema set to join HIL auction
New Delhi, Nov 15 (IANS):
Dutchman Teun de Nooijer, the most capped player in the world representing the Netherlands in 453 matches, will be among the players from that country to feature in the players' auction to be held here in December for the Hockey India League (HIL) next year.
The 36-year-old midfielder de Nooijer, who made his debut in 1994 against New Zealand, has always been a key member of the Dutch team that participated in four Olympics where they won two gold and silver each. He was also part of the World Cups winning team in 1998.
De Nooijer has also earned the World Player of the year award in 2003, 2005 and 2006.
Legendary drag-flick specialist Taeke Taekema, 32, has also confirmed that he is available for the auction. The defender has the experience of 239 internationals scoring 221 goals.
Other than them, the other Dutch players who have confirmed themselves for the auction are Floris Evers, Wouter Jolie, Marcel Balkestein, Jeroen Hertzberger, Jaap Stockmann, Sander Baart and Tim Jenniskens are also available for HIL starting Jan 5 next.


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NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Even before they begin their latest session in earnest, newly elected Kenyan parliamentarians are demanding a pay increase, and legislator Mithika Linturi petitioned parliament on Thursday to impeach members of a government commission that reduced their salaries.
Kenya adopted a new constitution in 2010 which removed the parliamentarians' powers to set their own pay, instead giving the power to a Salaries and Remuneration Commission to set pay for all public servants, including the president.
Earlier this year, the commission cut the president's annual pay from around $340,000 to $185,000. It also cut legislators' yearly salaries from around $126,000 to $78,500.
Members of the previous parliament were among the highest paid legislators in the world. The minimum wage in Nairobi is about $1,500 a year.
Linturi told The Associated Press on Thursday that his petition was not about the money, but about what he views the illegal way the salaries commission reduced parliament's pay. AP tried to contact a half dozen other legislators for comment on the pay issue, but none of them would answer questions.
The decision to reduce the pay for legislators came after a public outcry as legislators in the previous parliament attempted to raise their salaries to $175,000 annually and award themselves a $110,000 bonus at the end of their terms.
The public outrage culminated in a protest in January, when hundreds of demonstrators set fire to 221 coffins outside parliament's main entrance.
Many Kenyans see legislators as lazy and greedy in a country where hundreds of thousands live in slums. Legislators often argue that they need high salaries to give hand-outs to poor constituents for school fees and hospital bills.
Linturi claimed that the salaries commission violated sections of the constitution and infringed on the rights of the parliamentarians as individuals.
The salaries commission says the country can't afford the bill for government salaries, especially since the country elected 47 new governors and 67 new senators in March. The parliament expanded from 222 to 349 members.
Parliament was opened by new President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday, who told parliament that the bill for government salaries came to 12 percent of GDP, above the internationally accepted level of 7 percent. Kenyatta said 50 percent of revenue collected by government went to pay government salaries.
Late Thursday Kenyatta announced he had reduced the government ministries from 44 to 18.
Anti-Corruption Crusader Mwalimu Mati said parliamentarians should quit if they do not want the pay set by the commission.
"If they seek a confrontation with the Kenyan public on the first week of their tenure, I suspect they are going to lose," he said.


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Milkcrate Athletics Go Tribal And Trippy For Winter 2013
Music & urban fashion connoisseur Aaron LaCrate is dropping some dope stuff in his latest Winter Lookbook for Milkcrate Athletics.
The brand's styles this season—modeled by some of our favorite up-and-comers on the rap scene, Harlem's own Vado & the Queens homie Bryant Dope—feature aztek, camo, zebra, and safari tailored shirts and matching camp hats. Things even get a little trippy with the vibrant hand tie-dyed heavy weight fleece hoodies, which are already taking off as the standouts in the collection.
Grab your own set of Milkcrate gear by heading over to Karmaloop.
Peep more of these eclectic pieces—as well as Milkcrate's first-ever produced 40 oz's malt liquor bottles—in both the gallery above & the video below:
(Images courtesy of Tasha Bleu)


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science fiction | MOST RECENT | POPULAR | BUZZ |
News: Culture
The last rendezvous with Arthur C. Clarke
Posted byon 03.19.08 |
"…Clarke, who is credited in real life with being the first to come up with the idea of an 'artificial satellite' that could 'broadcast to half the globe,' was nothing if not prescient. Two years before I was born, he had already grasped the inevitable, unstoppable business model of on-demand-sex-flicks in the privacy of your own living room [and] I mean, come on -- in 1960, Clarke had already sketched out 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.' Were there no limits to his imagination!?" READ MORE >
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ZIEGLER firstname.lastname@example.com_current.manitoulin_expositor 2004-04-07 published
Rosalie Mary DOOLEY
In loving memory of Rosalie Mary DOOLEY who died peacefully at the Manitoulin Health Centre on Sunday, April 4, 2004 at the age of 75 years.
Beloved wife of Harold DOOLEY of Little Current. Cherished mother of Dianne and husband Ted MUSGROVE, David and wife Pam, Kevin and wife Liz and Linda. Special grandmother of Ayden, Joan, Trystan, Ethan, and Jordan. Will be missed by surviving siblings, Godfrey and wife Ann McGREGOR, Oscar McGREGOR, Geraldine and husband Carl ZIEGLER, Jean and husband Lawrence ANDREWS. Predeceased by sisters Evelyn, Blanche, Theresa and husband Gus, Helena and husband Bruce (living), and brothers Theodore and Gordon. Remembered by numerous nieces and nephews. A visitation was held Monday at Birch Island Community Centre and a funeral service will be held Wednesday, April 7, 2004 at Birch Island Catholic Church. Burial will be at Birch Island Cemetery.
Z... Names ZI... Names Welcome Home
ZIEGLER - All Categories in OGSPI


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The year was a gift for fans of genre entertainment. Click through the images for a detailed look at some of the most memorable moments of 2013. (Photos, clockwise from top left, by BBC; Warner Bros.; Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times; Lionsgate)Link
"Doctor Who" celebrated its 50th anniversary this year as Matt Smith said his farewell to the role of the Time Lord and Peter Capaldi was announced as his successor. It was one of a number of key genre milestones in 2013. (BBC)Link
Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks and Jennifer Lawrence in a scene from the year's second-highest-grossing film, "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire." (Lionsgate)Link
Tom Hiddleston arrives at the U.S. premiere of "Thor: The Dark World" at the El Capitan Theatre on Monday, Nov. 4, 2013, in Los Angeles. The actor seemed to turn up everywhere in 2013. (Jordan Strauss / Invision/AP)Link
Benedict Cumberbatch's memorable dragon was a highlight of Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug." (Warner Bros.)Link
New console wars began with the releases of the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. (Sony; Microsoft)Link
Ben Affleck was cast as Batman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in Zack Snyder's upcoming Superman sequel. The as-yet-untitled Superman movie will see Henry Cavill reprise his role as the Last Son of Krypton. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times; Getty Images)Link
"Game of Thrones" bid farewell to major characters in the penultimate third season episode "The Rains of Castamere." The episode sparked outrage among some fans. (HBO)Link
"The Walking Dead" continued its ascendancy to become prime time's most watched drama. (AMC)Link
The iconic superhero celebrated his 75th birthday this year in high style, including a new series, "Superman Unchained," from the all-star team of writer Scott Snyder and artist Jim Lee. (DC Entertainment)Link
In January, J.J. Abrams was named as the director of "Star Wars: Episode VII." Before the end of the year, he had taken over screenwriting duties, too, sharing that work with veteran Lawrence Kasdan. He also released his first novel, "S.," a collaboration with Doug Dorst. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)Link
Neil Gaiman returned to one of his greatest triumphs with the new comics miniseries "Sandman: Overture." (HarperCollins)Link
Marvel's two biggest story lines of 2013 put its supergroups square in the middle of controversies that created new teams as the X-Men and Avengers celebrated their 50-year anniversaries. (Marvel Comics)Link
From left, Nick Frost as Andy, Eddie Marsan as Peter, Simon Pegg as Gary, Paddy Considine as Steven, and Martin Freeman as Oliver in Edgar Wright's apocalyptic comedy "The World's End," a late summer highlight. (Focus Features)Link
Villains have the run of the planet in DC Comics' continuing "Forever Evil" story line. (DC Entertainment)Link
Ladies and gentleman, meet your new Batman, Ben Affleck. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)Link
Actress Gal Gadot at the premiere of "Fast & Furious 6" on May 21, 2013, at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. The actress will play Wonder Woman in Zack Snyder's upcoming sequel to "Man of Steel." (Frazer Harrison / Getty Images)Link
Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin. The "Iron Man 3" character turned out to be something other than the usual blockbuster bad guy. (Marvel)Link
Peter Jackson on the set of "The Desolation of Smaug," his latest fantasy adapted from the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. (Warner Bros.)Link
2013 was a superb year for fans of genre entertainment. Major comic book heroes celebrated milestone anniversaries, as did "Doctor Who." "The Walking Dead" and "Game of Thrones" continued to demonstrate that fantastic tales, both grim and transporting, can make for compelling, compulsory viewing. Dragons, female warriors and Tom Hiddleston stormed the multiplex in blockbuster fashion, while next-generation gaming consoles arrived, just in time for Christmas. There was plenty of big news about 2015 projects as well — namely, that J.J. Abrams will direct the first live-action "Star Wars" film since 2005, and that Ben Affleck will take over the role of Batman from Gotham City's previous Caped Crusader, Christian Bale.
Following are the Hero Complex picks for some of the most memorable moments in film, TV, comic books and games, in no particular order. Feel free to share your favorite memories in the comments section below.
"Doctor Who" celebrated a milestone: In the annals of space and time, 2013 was especially significant for Whovians. The British sci-fi series about an extraterrestrial Time Lord who travels all of creation in what looks like an old London police box marked its 50th anniversary this year with great fanfare. There were commemorative postage stamps, an audio drama, a three-day event in London and two TV movies — one about the filming of the first "Who" episode and the second a special, "The Day of the Doctor," that aired in November to record ratings. That special, which featured a number of familiar faces, also marked the second-to-last appearance of Matt Smith's 11th incarnation of the Doctor — he will regenerate into Scotsman Peter Capaldi in a few days' time.
The newest companion, Clara (Jenna Coleman), will remain, however. "She's up for a bit of banter, and she holds her own," Coleman said of the character in an interview with Hero Complex back in March. "She's definitely a match for the Doctor. She's not intimidated by him. She's curious. She finds him amazing and ridiculous in equal measures, but she mentions the ridiculous a bit more often."
Tom Hiddleston launched a charm offensive: It began with Marvel's showstopping panel presentation at North America's biggest pop-culture convention, Comic-Con International, which had fans talking for weeks. "Thor: The Dark World" actor Tom Hiddleston took the stage to open the session in full Loki costume. "You should have let me rule you when you had the chance, yet here you are," Hiddleston told his adoring Hall H audience. "Your ears yearn for untold stories. Your eyes crave unseen sights. Your imaginations ache and hunger. Where are your Avengers now?"
In an interview with Hero Complex the day after the stunt, the actor described the epic performance as his biggest stage show ever. "There was a sort of electric-charged atmosphere with the audience," he said. "When I walked out onstage, I was confronted with a wall of sound and fury, to quote the Bard. It was extraordinary."
In the weeks following his July appearance, Hiddleston essentially seemed to determine to win the Internet with a series of appearances to promote November's "Thor: The Dark World" in which he sang, danced, did impressions, taught Cookie Monster that delicious treats come to those who wait — he's clearly our pick to host the television variety hour Marvel's surely destined to launch someday.
"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" caught fire: Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen returned to the arena and shattered box-office records in director Francis Lawrence's second installment in the planned four-part adaptation of author Suzanne Collins' bestselling young adult trilogy. But it wasn't just audiences who supported the movie — though they turned up in droves, with the November release raking in $371 million at the box office to date to become the year's second-highest-grossing film. Critics also praised the film — The Boston Globe's Ty Burr called "Catching Fire" "a muscular, engrossing, unexpectedly bleak epic of oppression and insurrection, directed with dramatic urgency and a skilled eye."
For his part, director Lawrence said he found inspiration not in classic sci-fi or dystopian adventures, but in some of the greatest war films cinema has produced. "I looked a lot at movies like 'Apocalypse Now' and 'Platoon,' movies about Vietnam," Lawrence said. "One of the things that really appealed is the idea of the consequence of war and the consequence of violence and many of the aspects of that, including things like PTSD."
The world ended: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright, the genius British comedy triad behind "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz," wrapped up their Cornetto Trilogy this summer with "The World's End." The film starred Pegg as Gary King, a long-past-his-prime Goth troublemaker who recruits his pals to attempt a famous pub crawl in their own old hometown known as the Golden Mile. Drinking their way through 12 pubs in the quaint hamlet of Newton Haven, the old friends — played by an impressive roster of English actors including Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Eddie Marsan and Frost — find tension running high as past rivalries and wounds re-emerge. And that's before they run afoul of invading alien robots who bleed blue ink and have sinister designs on the human race.
Although just as enjoyably offbeat and remarkably quick-witted as its two predecessors in the trilogy, "The World's End" offers the most overt exploration of the more sophisticated concerns that have always underpinned the trio's genre-centric comedy. "'Shaun of the Dead' is about growing up, and 'Hot Fuzz' is about friendship and about having to dumb down a little bit sometimes if you want to get something done," Pegg told Hero Complex in July. "'The World's End' is about male friendship and letting go and nostalgia and addiction."
One word. Batfleck: When Warner Bros. announced that Ben Affleck had been cast to take over Batman's cape and cowl from Christian Bale, well, you might say the news landed with something of a thud. Dark Knight fans took to the Internet to express their displeasure, and within hours, the hashtag #betterthanbenaffleck had begun trending on Twitter. The backlash stood in direct contrast to the excitement generated by the news (which Hero Complex first reported) that Batman would appear opposite Henry Cavill's Superman in director Zack Snyder's as-yet-untitled sequel to "Man of Steel," due for release July 17, 2015.
PHOTOS: The roles that led Ben Affleck to Batman
In a statement issued by the studio at the time of Affleck's casting, Snyder expressed his excitement about collaborating with the actor, who is also an acclaimed director of such films as the Oscar-winning "Argo." "Ben provides an interesting counterbalance to Henry's Superman. He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne. I can't wait to work with him."
More Wonder-ful news: Although the script is being kept closely under wraps, it appears that there will be quite the heroic team in that "Man of Steel" sequel. Earlier this month came word that Gal Gadot, an actress and former Miss Israel who spent two years in the Israeli army, will play Wonder Woman alongside Affleck's Batman and Cavill's Superman. Until now, Gadot was perhaps best known for her work in three "Fast & Furious" films. There was still some grousing, though — after waiting so long to see Diana Prince and her heroic alter ego on the screen, she has to share top billing? A number of fans were optimistic, though — the collection of heroes would suggest that a much-discussed "Justice League" film could be in the works, so perhaps before or just after that project, Wonder Woman might get her own solo cinematic adventure. It would be long overdue.
J.J. Abrams wrote a novel. Sort of.: These days, it seems as though J.J. Abrams' name is everywhere in terms of his reach in film and TV as a director and producer. But he branched out in a new direction in 2013 with "S." Conceived by Abrams and written by Doug Dorst, the cryptically titled "S." tells the story of two college students searching for the truth about an enigmatic author, V.M. Straka. The amateur sleuths correspond with each other in the margins of a library copy of Straka's last published work, "Ship of Theseus," leaving a trail of postcards, newspaper articles, maps and other archival materials tucked into the pages to guide each other, and the reader, through their quest to learn the truth about the late, prolific recluse.
"The idea here was to create an object through which a relationship was initiated and cultivated and a romance blossomed," Abrams said in an interview with The Times. "This is a story about how a book is used as a means of communication and sort of a catalyst for a great investigation that is also a love affair. It is sort of a celebration of 'the book,' that physical, analog thing."
Oh, and he'll also be directing "Star Wars." It was the first big genre entertainment news story of 2013. In late January, word came that J.J. Abrams had been hired to direct "Star Wars: Episode VII," the highly anticipated installment in the landmark franchise scheduled to reach theaters Dec. 18, 2015. Abrams previously had denied that he would be involved with the project, but in signing on he became the first man to ever have stewardship over the two most beloved franchises in the science-fiction universe: "Star Wars" and "Star Trek." Although he's set to produce a third "Trek" film, May's "Star Trek Into Darkness" likely marked Abrams' last directing outing in Gene Roddenberry's universe.
PHOTOS: 'Star Wars' at the box office
"Episode VII" will kick off a new trilogy of movies set in a galaxy far, far away, and additionally, there are plans for two standalone films penned by Simon Kinberg and Lawrence Kasdan — the latter of whom famously co-wrote "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." (In October, it was announced that Kasdan and Abrams were taking over scripting duties on "Episode VII" from Oscar winner Michael Arndt.) "I'm trying to start fresh," Kadan said in an interview with Hero Complex. "There are certain pleasures that we think the saga can bring to people that they've been missing, and we're hoping to bring them that, and at the same time, have them feel that it's all new."
The Avengers and the X-Men turned 50: September marked the 50th anniversary of both the X-Men and Earth's mightiest heroes, the Avengers. "The X-Men" was part of a wave of Marvel Comics spearheaded by writer/editor Stan Lee, working alongside a stable of artists who were inventing exciting new superheroes at an extraordinary pace. After the phenomenal success of "The Fantastic Four," Marvel developed a reputation as a publisher with innovative, sophisticated ideas about what heroes could be, eschewing the bland Boy Scout-ery of Superman and Batman in favor of characters who were cranky, vain, pigheaded and sometimes literally monstrous.
The Avengers were just as complicated. Launched as its own title in an issue cover-dated September 1963, "The Avengers" included Thor, Iron Man and the Hulk, who were quickly joined by Giant-Man (formerly Ant-Man), the Wasp, Hawkeye, Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch and — most significantly — Captain America, a hero Jack Kirby had created with writer Joe Simon in 1940 for an earlier iteration of Marvel Comics. They didn't necessarily make sense as a team, the way that the Fantastic Four or the mutant X-Men did. In fact, the Hulk was booted from the Avengers fairly early in the series because his raging nature threw off the whole balance of the group. But it's a testament to what Marvel had accomplished in its first two years that something like "character chemistry" was even a factor.
Weddings turned red: One of the most memorable events from all of George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" novels, the Red Wedding, unfolded on screen this season on HBO's lavish fantasy "Game of Thrones," claiming the lives of Robb Stark (Richard Madden), his pregnant wife Talisa (Oona Chaplin) and his mother Catelyn (Michelle Fairley), victims of a sinister ambush. The Red Wedding was one of the moments that had David Benioff, the series' co-creator and show runner along with D.B. Weiss, excited for "Game of Thrones'" third season even before he and Weiss had pitched the project to HBO — "the traumatic and memorable events," he said, could surely win over an audience forever. (It's true that watching the scene play out was just as shocking as seeing Sean Bean's Ned Stark beheaded in the show's first season, even for fans who might already have known that tragedy was at hand.)
PHOTOS: 'Game of Thrones' cast without their costumes
But for viewers who weren't familiar with Martin's books, the bloody climax of the penultimate Season 3 episode, "The Rains of Castamere" came as a cruel surprise. A Twitter account called @RedWeddingTears (warning: link contains profanity) soon began compiling the many angry, invective-and-profanity-laced messages directed at Martin, HBO and the scurrilous Lannister clan who organized the assassination; just hours after the episode had aired, it had more than 9,000 followers and some 250 furious tweets. ("NOBODY WATCH GAME OF THRONES ITS HORRIBLE AND IT WILL MAKE YOUR SOUL CRUSH INTO PIECES AND YOU'LL BE FOREVER CRYING," read one of the tamer entries.)
Neil Gaiman returned to "Sandman": On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the DC/Vertigo myth-and-literature-rich dark fantasy epic, writer Neil Gaiman announced he would pen a new "Sandman: Overture" miniseries with artist J.H. Williams III, the first Sandman tale in 10 years. Gaiman's 75-issue series, which ran from 1988-1996, garnered 19 Eisner and six Harvey awards, followed the mysterious Lord of Dreams, also known as Dream or Morpheus, after he was captured and held prisoner for 70 years. Morpheus escapes his imprisonment and enters modern times, and works to rebuild his now-rundown kingdom in the dream realm.
"Overture" was designed to give readers a window into Morpheus' world before he was captured. But returning to the saga at this point seemed somewhat daunting, Gaiman told Hero Complex in July. When Gaiman was writing "Sandman" in 1988, he wrote for himself and his colleagues. "Now I'm doing it for millions of people, and in my head they're all looking over my shoulder while I write and they're all going, 'This better be worth waiting for. It better be good,'" Gaiman said. "So that is actually genuinely nerve-racking."
Here there be dragons. The novel might be called "The Hobbit," but with the December release of Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," the dragon was all anyone was talking about. Digitally created by the artists at WETA Workshop based on Benedict Cumberbatch's motion capture performance, Smaug came to beautifully rendered life in the second installment of Jackson's planned trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien's landmark 1937 children's book. Even Jackson's creative collaborator Philippa Boyens joked that she'd begun referring to the film as "Enter the Dragon."
Cumberbatch said his father had read "The Hobbit" to him as a child, and the novel was an emotional touchstone in his life. "When I heard it was happening, I thought I really need to audition for this," Cumberbatch told Hero Complex. "I knew I wasn't really right for a hobbit and maybe an elf, or a dwarf. It was always Smaug for me, always, always. He's just such an extraordinary creature in the book. He's got a lot of personality. He's not just a presence of animal — he's got very wrong human emotions, avarice and venality and cruelty but also charm. I just thought he was a fascinating villain, a beautiful mythical creature."
Superman turned 75: When Superman first leaped onto the scene 75 years ago in "Action Comics" No. 1, he started a superpowered revolution. The now-iconic character created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster was the world's first comic book superhero. Often imitated, never duplicated, the more-powerful-than-a-locomotive crime fighter / Metropolis newspaperman took flight into popular culture with a radio drama, more comic titles, a movie serial, cartoons, several TV series, a Broadway musical and several blockbuster movies – from the you'll-believe-a-man-can-fly, Christopher Reeve-starring "Superman" in 1978, with its soaring John Williams theme, to this summer's darker, Henry Cavill-headlining "Man of Steel," with its cityscape-leveling slug-fest. In comics, the anniversary celebration included the new series "Superman Unchained," by the all-star team of writer Scott Snyder and artist Jim Lee.
QUIZ: How well do you know the Man of Steel?
The cape-wearing, crime-fighting Kryptonian paved the way for the likes of Batman, Wonder Woman and Spider-Man. "He's this amazing ambassador for all superheroes," "Man of Steel" filmmaker Zack Snyder told Hero Complex. "What we've made as a film not only examines that but is also an amazing adventure story. It's been an honor to work on. As a comic book fan, Superman is like the Rosetta Stone of all superheroes. I wanted to be sure the movie treated it respectfully."
The PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One upgrade your living room: The next-gen video game consoles are here, and so far the games look an awful lot like the ones from the generation coming to an end. But the presentation of the consoles — the arguments they put forth about how games can and should be integrated into our lives — varies greatly. Sony's PS4 takes a targeted approach by emphasizing games and the places players go to talk about those games. A "share" button on the controller, for instance, allows users to instantly upload game footage online. Microsoft's Xbox One has broader, non-gaming ambitions, relying heavily on voice controls (look, ma, no remote!) to have viewers magically shifting among television, film, music and sports apps. What's more, the Xbox One's integration with Skype easily allows for video calling from your TV.
While technologically impressive, both systems will require patience. While the PS4's "Knack" is cartoonish fun and the Xbox One's "Ryse: Son of Rome" boasts CGI-quality images, launch games for the new consoles overall left something to be desired, and neither system is backward compatible. Next-gen showcase games, such as the Xbox One's "Titanfall" and the PS4's "Infamous: Second Son," aren't due until March, and don't expect a steady stream of heavy-hitters until late summer or early fall.
The dead just kept walking: When AMC's "The Walking Dead" first premiered in 2010, a considerable question loomed over the series adapted from Robert Kirkman's popular comic book: Would audiences watch a show about zombies on the network known for prestige dramas such as "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad"? As it happened, the answer was a resounding yes. Just like the ranks of the so-called walkers that threaten the survival of the human race, the legions of the drama's fans just keep expanding — the series has become the most-watched drama on prime-time television. The show will return in February for the second half of its 16-episode fourth season, after a midseason finale in which more than one major character met his demise. "You can't get too attached to anybody on the set of 'The Walking Dead,' that's for sure," executive producer Greg Nicotero told Hero Complex earlier this year.
Villains toplined DC Comics titles: It's been a banner year for DC's bad guys. "Forever Evil," the publisher's first line-wide event story line since "Flashpoint" led to the launch of the reset-reality New 52 in 2011, has given villains the run of the planet. Led by the Crime Syndicate, an alternative reality's evil counterparts to the Justice League, many supervillains are living it up while the good guys are gone. But not everyone is playing nice with the new world order: Lex Luthor is mounting a resistance. "I think the arrival of superheroes really destroyed everything he had planned out for his life and his eventual role in the world," writer Geoff Johns said of Luthor. "And this is a chance to take it back."
The height of the rogues' reign was September, dubbed Villains Month, as every title in the DC lineup was temporarily taken over by baddies. But their corrupting influence didn't stop there. The documentary "Necessarily Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics" featured such luminaries as Guillermo Del Toro and Richard Donner admiring and expounding on the malcontents of the DCU.
"Battle of the Atom" and "Infinity" re-introduce heroes: Marvel's two biggest story lines of 2013 put its supergroups square in the middle of controversies that created new teams as the X-Men and Avengers celebrated their 50-year anniversaries. In the X-Men's "Battle of the Atom" crossover event, problems that arose after Hank McCoy, a.k.a. Beast, brought the X-Men of the past — teenagers Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Hank McCoy, Bobby Drake and Warren Worthington III — to the present (in an attempt to help heal the fractured mutant population) come to a head. Chief among those problems: X-Men from the future.
The "Infinity" story line introduced new characters and a new roster of heroes, with a spotlight on Captain America's considerable tactical abilities. As many Avengers go off into space to help battle an approaching armada, groups of heroes on Earth are left to defend the planet from an attack by Thanos. With a squabbling core of interstellar monarchs finally backing him, Captain America devises a way to turn the tide of the space battle. On Earth, Luke Cage helps lead a group of heroes against a citywide attack by Shuma Gorath (an interdimensional being), and heroes worldwide continue battling Thanos' Black Order of generals while the Inhuman city of Attilan is destroyed.
The great Mandarin surprise: "Iron Man 3" pulled off a fabulous one. (If you somehow managed to miss the year's top-grossing movie, you might want to stop reading right now as there is a very big spoiler coming right up.) Ben Kingsley played the Mandarin, all right, in the third solo movie outing for Robert Downey Jr.'s billionaire/genius/playboy Tony Stark, just not necessarily the way fans were expecting. The terrorist turned out to be merely an out-of-work actor hired to play an international villain, a high-profile distraction from the truly sinister machinations of Guy Pearce's Aldrich Killian. "Iron Man 3" writer-director Shane Black had said that he wanted to root Tony Stark's most recent adventure in reality, and his cleverly devised plot twist certainly helped him achieve that aim.
In an age when casting and plot details for anticipated films are so closely scrutinized by so many, it's rare that a blockbuster can deliver such an unexpected twist. Here's hoping 2014 brings more entertaining surprises.
— Gina McIntyre, Noelene Clark, Blake Hennon, Jevon Phillips, Todd Martens and Noel Murray
Follow us on Twitter: @LATHeroComplex
'Doctor Who' casting: Moffat says 'You know it when you see it'
Peter Capaldi: A return to distinguished tradition?
Peter Capaldi is revealed as the new Doctor
'Who': Jenna Coleman is right in time
New 'Star Wars' coming every year starting in 2015
'Star Wars': Disney confirms stand-alone films
'Star Wars': Patton Oswalt reveals his dream plot
'Star Wars': Larry Kasdan wants film to 'start fresh'
Superman at 75: 10 key comic covers


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[pullquote style="right"]"It gives me great personal satisfaction to know that our hard work over the years has impacted so many people in a beneficial way."[/pullquote]
The Employer of Excellence award, in recognition of Mouser's dedication to economic development, community giving and educational initiatives, was presented at today's luncheon during the annual conference of the Texas Workforce Commission at the Gaylord in Grapevine.
"We want to thank Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County for this recognition. It is a tremendous honor," says Glenn Smith, President and CEO of Mouser Electronics. "It gives me great personal satisfaction to know that our hard work over the years has impacted so many people in a beneficial way."
Judy McDonald, Executive Director of Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County said: "Mouser's deep commitment as an active partner with workforce and economic development, as well as the education system, has made them one of the region's most valuable assets."
The distributor employs nearly 1,000 people at its global headquarters in Mansfield and pumps more than $835 million into our economy every year. In the schools, employees regularly speak to classes and serve on advisory boards. Just this past year, Mouser staff members offered their expertise to the local high school robotics team and helped students build a solar car. The community involvement helped earn Mouser the nomination and recognition as a finalist for Employer of the Year for Texas.
"Our employees are working every day to make a difference in the community. Through our ongoing sponsorships and partnerships with schools, we are committed to fostering educational innovation and excellence particularly in math and science," adds Paula Holcomb, Mouser Electronics' Vice President of Human Resources, who has overseen Mouser's recent hiring surge. "Our hope is to motivate students to further explore careers in engineering and advanced technologies."
One highlight this year was a live audio and video link Mouser sponsored that gave Mansfield students a question and answer session with NASA's Expedition 30 crew aboard the International Space Station. Holcomb notes that Mouser also actively gives back to the community through involvement in several charity programs, including Race for the Cure, Tarrant Area Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity and others.
Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County is funded by Texas Workforce Commission and is one of 28 Workforce Boards across the state. Mouser was nominated for both awards with letters of support from the Mansfield Economic Development Corporation and the Mansfield Independent School District.
With its broad product line and unsurpassed customer service, Mouser caters to design engineers and buyers by delivering What's Next in advanced technologies. Mouser offers customers 19 global support locations and stocks the world's widest selection of the latest semiconductors and electronic components for the newest design projects. Mouser Electronics' website is updated daily and searches more than 10 million products to locate over 3 million orderable part numbers available for easy online purchase. Mouser.com also houses an industry-first interactive catalog, data sheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information, and engineering tools.
About Mouser Electronics
Mouser Electronics, a subsidiary of TTI, Inc., is part of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway family of companies. Mouser is an award-winning, authorized semiconductor and electronic component distributor, focused on the rapid introduction of new products and technologies to electronic design engineers and buyers. Mouser.com features more than 3 million products online from more than 450 manufacturers. Mouser publishes multiple catalogs per year providing designers with up-to-date data on the components now available for the next generation of electronic devices. Mouser ships globally to over 375,000 customers in 170 countries from its 492,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility south of Dallas, Texas. For more information, visit http://www.mouser.com.
Mouser and Mouser Electronics are registered trademarks of Mouser Electronics, Inc. All other products, logos, and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Mouser Electronics
Larry Johannes, 817-804-3534
Vice President Strategic Marketing
For press inquiries, contact:
Kelly DeGarmo, 817-804-7764
Corp. Communications & Media Relations Mgr.


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Three charged with prowling after Manchester resident awakened
June 12. 2014 11:04AM
MANCHESTER — Three men are under arrest for prowling after a Fieldcrest Road man woke up about 3 a.m. Thursday hearing noises that sounded like someone was trying to get into his home through the rear door.
The man looked outside his 219 Fieldcrest Road home and saw three men running away from his home and into the woods.
He called police and Officer Rob Megowen arrived with K9 Lynk. The two tracked the men into the woods near PSNH power lines and out onto Montgomery Street.
The dog continued to follow the scent to Champlain Street, where a resident reported seeing three men in the rear of her home.
Megowen and Lynk continued their hunt for the prowlers, going over a fence and into the Calvary Cemetery, where the dog lost the scent along the Piscataquog River.
Shortly after, Officer Tom Donovan saw three men walking along Eddy Road who police identified as Joshua Gagnon, 20, of 101 Dubuque St.; Michael Janelle, 18, of 484 Hevey St, and Jacob Aliengena, 17, of 314 Dubuque St.
The three matched the description of the prowlers, police said, and their muddied clothes indicated they had been in a wooded, muddy area.
Police determined they were the same men spotted by the Fieldcrest Road resident and the three were each issued a summons to appear in court on a prowling charge.


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Project Description
The objective of this Research Triangle Institute (RTI) project is to reduce the cost of coal gasification by reducing plant fuel, operating, and capital costs and increasing overall plant efficiency. The fundamental challenge to gasification for power generation and coal-to-liquids production is to achieve an overall syngas conversion process and production costs that are competitive with other conversion technologies and alternative feedstocks such as natural gas. Previous studies by the U.S, Department of Energy (DOE) and others have indicated that this challenge cannot be addressed by improving only one step in the overall gasification process. Researchers will assess the potential for substantially reducing the production cost of hydrogen (H2)-rich syngas via gasification with near-zero emissions due to the cumulative, synergistic improvements achieved when multiple advanced technologies are incorporated into the overall conversion process.
Project Benefits
RTI will assess the potential for integration of advanced technologies to substantially reduce capital and production costs for hydrogen-rich syngas with near-zero emissions from coal gasification for power production with carbon capture and for coal-to-liquids (specifically methanol) with carbon capture. Specifically, integrated technologies considered in the analysis will include those already tested successfully at pilot-scale – Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne gasifier (including advances in dry solids feed systems) and RTI warm gas cleanup -- with a new and innovative water-gas-shift technology, to show how multiple advanced technologies will leverage each other for significant cost and efficiency gains.
Presentations, Papers, and Publications
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SAVINGS on ALLWALL HOOK COLLECTION DESIGNSBuy 2 hooks for $40 = Coupon Code: SH2for40Buy 3 hooks for $60 = Coupon Code: SH3for60But 4 hooks for $75 = Coupon Code: SH4for75
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text: MLLatscrapgirls Report post Posted June 9, 2011 Okay, I am starting a week behind so catching up a bit here! My camera is up to date. The photo I chose is from June 2. I am not sure I am attaching it properly but here goes! I opened and cropped the original photo. I duplicated it and used Soft Light on the copy. I used CTRL ALT E to make those two layers into one. I copied the merged layer. I extracted Mark and the pig onto their own layers. Then I used the Gaussian blur on the copied layer of the photo, Multiply and 58% opacity. (I wanted Mark and the pig to stand out in the room.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


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David Heyman to produce Temple Run movie
- Bang Showbiz
- 13 November 2013
'Harry Potter' producer David Heyman has targeted mobile game 'Temple Run' as his next big movie project
'Harry Potter' producer David Heyman is bringing 'Temple Run' to the big screen.
The film maven - who is behind the blockbuster wizarding series and also produced the recently released space thriller 'Gravity' - and film studio Warner Bros. are in talks to acquire the rights to the popular mobile game.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film would centre on an explorer, who, after stealing an idol from a temple, is chased by demonic forces.
Heyman would produce the flick for Warner Bros., with whom he worked on 'Harry Potter' and 'Gravity', while Lynn Harris will oversee the project for the studio.
'Temple Run' has been a big hit with smartphone users, becoming one of the best-selling apps in the world, since its release in 2011. The game spawned a sequel earlier this year that is on course to match the success of its predecessor.
The game was developed and published by Imangi Studios, who have previously created tie-in versions for Disney movies 'Brave' and 'Oz the Great and Powerful' as part of those films' marketing campaigns.
Heyman, meanwhile, is also in talks to reunite with 'Harry Potter' author J.K. Rowling to produce new spin-off franchise, 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'.


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ELSAH, Ill.-- On Saturday, the GC Men's tennis team traveled to Principia to open their Spring 2013 campaign. Principia ended Greenville's season last April in the semis of the SLIAC Conf. tournament on their way to winning the SLIAC Conference tournament Championship.
Heading into the match, Coach Brannon anticipated that the competition would be very closely contested. "I fully expect it to be a 5-4 kind of match. A match that is going to go down to the wire." And those words turned out to be prophetic.
The Panthers came out swinging in doubles. They knew it would be critical to get at least two of the three doubles matches. GC gained the early advantage as the doubles duo of Ryan Haas and Demetrius Bush took early control, and breezed to an 8-1 victory at #3 doubles. Soon after, the tandem of Alex Dowley and Jordan Tingle battled back from an early 3-1 deficit to defeat the #2 doubles team from Principia 8-5. That gave GC an early 2-0 lead. The #1 doubles team of Drew Herlein and Jon Urshan took on one of the best doubles teams in the central region. They kept the match very close, before falling 8-4. At the conclusion of doubles, GC led the team match 2-1. That meant that they needed to find a way to secure three of the six singles matches to gain the victory over the defending conference champions.
Ryan Haas claimed the first victory for the Panthers by posting a 6-3, 6-4 win at #5 singles. After a bit of a slow start, the lone upperclassman in GC's lineup settled in and played very consistently. Principia scored the next point at #6 singles with a 6-3, 6-1 victory. GC struck back quickly as Sophomore Alex Dowley posted a decisive win at #4 singles with a 6-2, 6-2 win. That made the score 4-2 for GC. The Panthers were in need of just one more singles win to clinch the match.
Unfortunately, the Panthers would come up just a bit short on this day. Principia won decisively at #1 singles 6-0, 6-1. And then again at #3 singles with a score of 6-1, 6-1. Sophomore Jordan Tingle put up a good fight in the first set of his match at #2 singles, before falling by a score of 6-4. The second set would end with a 6-1 score for Principia. Principia would win the overall team match with a score of 5 matches to 4.
Coach Brannon stated "I was very proud of my guys. We all wish that we would've come out with a win, but we came out and competed as hard as we possibly could. We stayed together through the entire match. We played as a team. I saw guys that have made huge strides from last year. I am as encouraged as I possibly could be for the rest of our season. If we can commit as a team to come out with this same intensity and focus, I know that the results will follow."
The Panther Men will travel to Illinois College on Tuesday, Feb. 26th to take on the Blueboys. They will be headed to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina for their annual Spring Break trip on March 8th.


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Last week Amazon released the public version of its newest addition to the Kindle creation suite, the Kindle Comic Creator. KC2 is a graphic user interface that allows you to create KF8 fixed layout ebooks using a drag-and-drop approach, which makes it simple, fast, and - with a number of exceptions - efficient. And, of course, one it's best features is that it's completely free.
The first and most obvious caveat to point out is that KC2 will only create comics. That is, you can only create Kindle fixed layouts files that have the "comic" book-type. There is not even an option to change this: it is simply a built in feature of the program. This means there can be no live text functionality (dictionaries, search, etc.), no bookmarks, and in some cases, no hyperlinks or background image zoom (even though KC2 ironically embeds images using the <img src> insertion method, against the recommendations of the Kindle Publishing Guidelines). Refer to my Kindle Fixed Layout Functionality chart for specific details.
An equally important point to make, however, is that you can really only use Kindle Comic Creator to produce very simple layouts, with minimal formatting. KC2 provides a Rich Text Editor that only allows for basic text styling features such as bold, italics, and underlines, as well as changing text size and color. You can alter the line height, and the letter-spacing, and embed your own fonts - although the preview window will NOT show them, making accurate layout impossible (embedded fonts will appear on the compiled device, but not in the KC2 preview window). Moreover, you cannot change the alignment (all text is left-aligned) or add styles for headers and sections, making it less than adequate as a text creation tool. You can, however, add inline images for such things as drop caps or unsupported glyphs.
Several additional points should be made regarding claims stated in the User's Guide or on the KC2 page. A significant one that I've seen running through the Kindle Forums this week is the page spread issue. Amazon states that you can "create books with double page spreads or facing pages," and this is true with one huge exception: you can only do so when there is no region magnification present. That is, you must choose "No" to the question "Would you like to create Kindle Panel View" during the title setup process:
Note that this valuecannot be changedonce the title has been created. If you later change your mind, you'll have to start all over (or manually alter the settings in the OPF and re-import the title into KC2).
Also notice that on page 48 of the KCC User Guide, under Section 3.4 Joining Pages, the first line states explicitly (if not as boldly as it might) that the information that follows in that section applies only to ebooks "withoutKindle Panel View" (my italics). This is the one and only place that this is mentioned! However, notice that these instructions for "Joining Pages" and using page spreads appear only in the User Guide in this section - Section 3 "Creating and Editing Books without Kindle Panel View" - while Section 2, which covers "Creating and Editing Books with Kindle Panels," does not contain any information regarding page spreads, because they are not available when Panel View is present.
Those who have referenced the Kindle Fixed Layout Functionality chart will know that this is the case with RegionMag in general when the "comic" book-type is chosen: page-spreads only work on the HD7 and Gen2 Fire, as well as the Android app, when RegionMag is absent, while on the HD8.9 and Paperwhite they work more or less correctly (see the chart footnotes for details). And, of course, two-page spreads do not work in any case on the Kindle for PC app or Kindle 3 (and I would guess the Kindle for Mac app as well).
Furthermore, you can only select "Unlocked" for the orientation value if you chose "No" to Panel View: which means any titles that have Panel View must be locked in either Portrait or Landscape orientation. This is a shortcoming of region magnification at present, which does not translate well from one orientation to the other when auto-orientation is allowed. Thus, Amazon have eliminated this option here.
As a final note on this subject, I should point out that page spreads do not work at all with any other book-type but comic, including (for some unfathomable reason) children's books! The only exception to this at present is the Paperwhite; even the HD8.9 no longer accepts two-page spreads in children's books, even though it did prior to the last update.
Another aspect of this that has been running through the Forum threads is that that orientation icons on the Display panel in KC2 will only show up when the "No" and "Unlocked" configuration is selected: in all other cases, these icons will be absent.
In addition, the "Add Blank Page" option will only be available with this configuration. I have tested the functionality of the Layout-Blank value, which is added to the OPF Spine item in a somewhat different manner than described in the Kindle Publishing Guidelines. Here, KCC adds both the "facing-page" value along with the "layout-blank" as a single property:
<itemref idref="item-4" linear="yes" properties="facing-page-right layout-blank"/>
However, this makes the blank page function just like any other page that you might add, which shows up in both portrait and landscape orientation, rather than only in landscape as is supposed to be the case with the "layout-blank" value. In none of my extensive tests have I ever seen the layout-blank work as it should, with the sole exception of the Paperwhite when the "comic" book-type value is not chosen (i.e. it works correctly with the "children" book-type, or none entered). The only reason to add a blank page is so that it retains a two-page spread in landscape, rather than centering a stand-alone page, but if it's going to show the blank page in portrait orientation as well, there's absolutely no point in adding the "layout-blank" value: it's just another page at that point.
I also want to point out here that the inner margin issue is still present using KC2: that is, on every Kindle Fire model except the generation 1, and also on the Andoid app, when the "comic" book-type is chosen, the inner margin is removed from two-page spreads, regardless of whether you use the "facing-page" or "page-spread" Spine value: they are all treated as page-spreads, and "facing pages" simply do not exist.
Another point I'd like to make here is that, contrary to the claim made on page 34 of the KCC User Guide, ebooks made using KC2 do NOT appear on the Books tab of your Kindle device. Because KC2 uses Kindlegen for its conversion, the same reservations apply here as they do when doing any conversion through Kindlegen. In this case, the required EBOK value for the "CDE Type" is not added, and so the files produced will appear on the DOCS tab when side-loaded. Only when these files are uploaded and put on sale via KDP will the downloads appear on the Books tab.
Finally, I want to mention the two features that actually make this a reasonably useful tool, and these are the creation of Panels and the built-in HTML/CSS editor.
Kindle Comic Creator not only lets you create text and image pop-ups using a graphic interface to visually layout and adjust the individual panel size and placement, but it will do this automatically using an auto-detect feature that is very handy. And regardless of the method used, you can always alter and adjust them later, even after saving and reopening the project. My tests have shown that the auto-detect function works only when there are white spaces between panels, not black ones. The page in my Advanced Template that has five panels divided by black borders, for example, was seen as one panel using auto-detect. This may simply be due to a lack of contrast between panels, however, and some adjustment in the settings is available, although I have not tested them extensively.
Also useful is the fact that you can also drag-and-drop the panel thumbnails to quickly change their reading order, which is rather handy. Ultimately, however, I found the manual panel creation process more cumbersome than helpful, and not useful at all for complex layouts. You cannot, for example, add a different image or fill to the zoom region, or change the formatting of the lightbox effect without resorting to manually modifying the code, which essentially undermines the entire point of the application.
Ultimately, Kindle Comic Creator might be useful as a way to set up your initial layout, before adjusting the underlying code by hand. But I still recommend you do most of your coding manually, unless you're building a title with very basic layouts. KC2 only adds a small amount of extraneous entries to your code - primarily kindle generator references (such as "data-app-amzn-ke-created-style") - all of which can be deleted during cleanup. For image-only pages it will also add the CSS styling to the HTML tags, which can be a nuisance, but nothing that can't be easily replaced. The main place where KC2 will prove most useful for many Kindle comic creators is in the placement of Panels, which will generate CSS positioning data that can then be massaged for optimal placement.


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I was charged with bringing a dessert to a family party on Sunday and wanted to make something that would make an impression. As I thought about what to bring, I remembered recently seeing an article about Smith Island Cakes. I spent a lot of time on Smith Island when I was working at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation many years ago and have a lot of fond memories of these islands located in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay.As I mentioned in the previous post, I looked for a recipe on Epicurious, but it was an epic fail. I searched a little more and found a recipe on Saveur's website. It seemed pretty similar to the others I had seen, so I used that one.
Their recipe said to use Duncan Hines cake mix, but to change it to use a stick of butter, a can of evaporated milk and some additional flour. It also called for chopped peanut butter/chocolate cups, but that seemed to be too much. Instead, I used crushed peppermint candy canes on top.
The main problem with the recipe is that they say ice the cake five minutes after you cook the icing. Of course, it all just slides off the top of the cake and puddles around the bottom. Luckily, I was using a high-sided plate, so it didn't matter. As we served the pieces of cake, we just scooped the extra icing on to it.It seemed to be a big hit with everyone and there were just two small pieces left, so they went home with two siblings.


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From OpenWetWare
Back to Lidstrom:Protocols
What is the difference between MM1/MM2/MM3/HY?
- They all have the same trace elements solution. The primary difference is the nitrogen source:
- MM1/HY uses ammonium
- MM2 uses nitrate
- MM3 has no added nitrogen
- MM3 is used when growing on methylamine, which releases N as it is metabolized
- FYI, the trace elements are added after autoclaving for both liquid and agar formulations. Thus it is possible there could be contaminants before you start an experiment.
If all organisms assimilate N into biomass as NH4+ why do we give them MM3?
- This is an interesting question, as the organisms must convert nitrate (NO3-) into ammonium to assimilate it. Two likely factors:
- Ammonium is too toxic
- In methanotrophs, it interferes with pMMO (methane assimilation enzyme). We don't have a tested hypothesis for why ammonium would be toxic to methylotroph.
- They prefer to convert nitrate to ammonium (using NADH) to release energy, as they have an excess of NADH due to their metabolic strategy.
- Ammonium is too toxic
Why don't we have a media with nitrite?
- It is toxic.