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|MSc in Digital Marketing and Analytics
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This fully accredited part-time MSc in Digital Marketing and Analytics is the standard-setter in the market. Designed for up and coming qualified professionals, this executive masters degree offers an opportunity to seriously up-skill and master the disciplines of Digital Marketing, and the all-important related area of data analytics. It aims to serve as a vehicle acceleration and transition for participants.
Programme Code: DT9333 (PT)
Duration: Part-Time – 16 months
Start Date: September 2018
Location: DIT's Aungier Street campus, Dublin 2
Fees: Marketing Institute Members: €11,750
Geared towards business professionals, this intensive course is delivered in 16 months. With a dual focus on theory and application, this unique Masters is designed to get busy professionals through in 16 intensive months, two evenings per week.
The marketer of the future has to know how to use analytics to influence decisions. Our Masters is the standard-setter in bringing analytical understanding to digital marketing, underpinned by the DIT badge of accreditation.
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If you do not fit the criteria, check the Postgraduate Diploma in Management & Marketing.
The Marketing Institute is offering two scholarships for this MSc programme, each worth 50% of the course fees. To apply for the scholarship, you need to apply for the programme and submit with your application a CV and a 400-word letter stating why you should be awarded a scholarship. Note the scholarship application deadline is 31 May 2018.
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Gambling Law US
Fantasy Sports Leagues Legal Challenge
Lawsuit Seeks to Recover Fantasy Sports Gambling Losses
US Federal Gambling Laws
Gambling Related Websites
Poker Vibe
June 22, 2006 (updated July 9, 2007)
I filed a Complaint in a lawsuit against ESPN, Sporting News and CBS Sportsline seeking to recover money lost by players in the pay-to-play fantasy sports leagues sponsored and operated by them. These defendants filed motions to dismiss with supporting memoranda of law and I filed a Reply Brief disputing those motions. On June 20, 2007 the Federal District Court in Newark, New Jersey ruled in favor of the defendants and dismissed this suit. Here is a copy of the ruling on the motion to dismiss.
Players pay $1-1/2 Billion dollars a year to play in these leagues. The operators contend the leagues do not violate most state anti-gambling laws because they involve contests of skill. It was my contention that the contests are games of chance because outcome is primarily determined based on the ever-present human element involved. The Court in this case rejected that argument on numerous grounds that it detailed in the ruling. The Court's ruling is the first such ruling of its kind. While I do not agree with several of the points of the Court made, I have decided not to appeal this decision. The ruling is a victory for the operators of pay-to-play fantasy sports leagues and for the sports leagues that are heavily involved in these activities, such as the NFL and MLB.
Previous Discussion of the Complaint:
In this type of gambling the sponsoring companies often keep 40% to as much as 60% of the money that players pay to play in the leagues. That is a lot as compared with what admittedly illegal online poker and casino websites charge. It is really a lot as compared with rake-free home poker games that are getting raided and closed down in places like South Carolina and elsewhere these days. It is even a lot as compared with the amounts kept by legally authorized State lotteries, which range from 20% to 50%. Here is an example: these companies do not accept pay-to-play wagers made by players from the State of Montana, even though that state has a law specifically authorizing fantasy leagues. This is apparently because that law limits the amount the sponsor can keep to 15% of the bets made.
I regularly consult with clients who point to selective anti-gambling legislation and selective enforcement and ask me why "those things" are legal or do not get prosecuted. I am at a loss to give a validation, except to lamely refer to the power of the legislature to legislate and the power of law enforcement authorities to select how they will use and apply their limited resources. The operation of the fantasy sports leagues is an example of league promoters getting rich from telling a big lie and telling it often. They say the leagues are skill games. That position is not supportable in view of the variable, unpredictable human element that always is the basis for determining outcome from game to game and week to week.
The Internet Gambling Prohibition and Enforcement Act, H.R. 4411, passed by the U.S. House of Representative (317 to 93) and presently pending a vote in the U.S. Senate, continues this practice of selective legislation. The proposed law purportedly carves out an exemption for fantasy sports leagues. The exempting language is not a model of clarity, and arguably may not result in an exemption for these leagues if chance, rather than skill, predominates in determining outcome.
The Complaint in the case lays out the reasons why these contests are games of chance. Recovery of such gambling losses is specifically permitted under a number of state statutes that allow a "private attorney general" to sue to recover gambling losses incurred by players who do not themselves sue within the applicable statute of limitations, which are usually from three to six months after the loss is determined. These statutes stem from the English gambling laws codified in the Statute of Anne passed in the mid 1700's and imported into the U.S. as the "common law," which permitted recovery of three times the amount lost. Professor I. Nelson Rose presents a fascinating description of the common law of gambling in his book Gambling and the Law (Gambling Times Inc, 1986) beginning at page 68.
The modern gambling loss recovery statutes usually allow a "private attorney general," or qui tam, plaintiff to recover half of the loss, with the other half going to the state. A typical example is the New Jersey statute, which provides:
A copy of the Complaint as filed on June 20, 2006, in the Federal District Court in New Jersey is here.
|Chuck Humphrey is available to help answer questions and analyze and structure transactions.
Copyright © 2003-2017 Chuck Humphrey, gambling-law-us.com. All Rights Reserved worldwide.
May not be copied, stored or redistributed without prior written permission.

subset: commoncrawl


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Situated on the south western shores of California, Santa Monica is one of the most famous beaches and tourist hubs of USA. It is famed even more as it lies next to Los Angeles City, and Hollywood. It's a city that's full of glitz and glamour, and people flock to this city for sand, surf, and lot more. There are many places you can visit from southern California, and no one misses Santa Monica, even if for a short while. But for getting around better on a holiday, you'll need a cab. Santa Monica is just one location, and for quick changes in a spontaneous vacation plan, taxis are better than rental cars in a number of ways.
The best part about having a taxi waiting is that you don't have to worry about the responsibilities that pile on with a rental car. You want to party hard in places like Santa Monica, and who would drive you safely after a long night of fun? You can't drive tired and drunk, both as a civic duty, and as a self security responsibility! Cops won't take things easy on you because you are a tourist either, drinking and driving is a serious offence anywhere.
A rental car costs you even while it sits in the parking lot, while a taxi is point – to – point, and involves no extra charges after you've reached your destination. The rental vehicle will run a bill even while sitting pretty, quite unlike the cab. Santa Monica isn't a cheap city at all, and services cost a bomb anywhere in the Los Angeles area. You can save more by hiring taxi, than spend a large chunk of your budget on a rented car. Also, a cab driver knows local spots to visit; the secret getaways that no GPS or map could take you to, at no extra charge.
When you hire a car, you absorb certain extra responsibilities. These include fueling; making sure that the car is performing well, and paying damages in case you get into an accident. These are headaches no holidaymaker wants, and you won't have to if you have a taxi to your calling.
Make it easier for you to enjoy your vacation by registering yourself on a taxi service. These days, you can even download applications on your smart phone to hire a cab! Santa Monica has no dearth of services made to ensure your comforts as a tourist. This is because tourism is the major industry that feeds the entire area.
Cab Santa Monica - With tourism booming, Los Angeles has all tourist facilities like booking a cab. Santa Monica is under the service zone of Yellow Cabs Co. of Los Angeles.
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Are Long Tail Keywords Dead?
Portent Staff Feb 2 2009
Are long tail keywords dying? I'm just asking?
I started using long tail keyword strategies well before Chris Anderson's book arrived on the scene. Back then I called them embedded keywords. And yes, for the sarcastic readers, this was long before the Iraq war too. I coined this phrase because a more popular keyword was embedded into the longer search query.
Fast forward to the present.
Each year it seems a little more difficult to crack into the top rankings for long tail keywords. The traffic doesn't appear as strong either. I have a few ideas about this:
- The Internet and the Web have grown to the point where there are no long tails, at least not many useful ones. Web sites are competing for every conceivable term whether by intention or not.
- With the growth of the Web comes greater competition and choice. As a side-effect of more offerings and variety, searchers are more likely to find what they want early on, without diving deep into the lower ranking results or querying more specific long tail searches.
- Search engines produce better results. Again, this means people will more likely find the result they want earlier in their search efforts.
What do you think?
Are long tail keywords an endangered species? Are they passing on? Expiring? Going to meet their maker? Stiffening-up? Pushing-up daisies? Kicking the bucket? Shuffling of this mortal coil? Running down the curtain and joining the bleedin' choir invisible?


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As we are busy putting the finishing touches on Love In The Time Of Monsters, members of our team are busy winning awards! Last month we told you about Hugo Armstrong, this time it's our erstwhile music composer Rob Gokee! He won a IAWTV award for Best Original Music for the series Cost Of Capital. This is…Read more
Award Winner!
Big old congrats to our composer for Love in the Time of Monsters, Rob Gokee! He added another award to his mantle when he won BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC at the International Academy of Web Television Awards in Las Vegas last night (for his Night of The Zombie King score). Rob was up against some serious…Read more


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Tel Aviv is a modern city with wide tree-lined walkways in the middle of roads. Founded in 1909 and planned by a Scotsman in 1925, it was the first modern city built in Israel. It began as a new suburb for the four centuries old port of Jaffa. The city lies on old sand dunes in a strip of 14 kilometres along the beautiful Mediterranean Sea coast.
I did not know how accessible Israel would be. I wanted to see what the country looked like and after a cooking program with Yotam Ottolenghi, I wanted to experience some of the food in Tel Aviv. It was supposed to be one of the most exciting cities in the world. There had been news of bomb threats at the time, but I still wanted to go.
Vibrant and easy Tel Aviv
When I arrived at a Tel Aviv beach people were having fun, swimming, surfing and board riding. The long beachfront had accessible paths and whilst there was little general parking, there were many accessible parking areas. Access to the beach was available with sloping cement paths to sand and water. I also found a bathing box with a beach wheelchair available for use. The bathing box was next to a fenced off beach that had single sex bathing on alternate days if people wanted that.
We tried a few restaurants in Tel Aviv and when we found one called Shila, it was so fabulous that we kept going back. The food was fresh, healthy and served in unique ways. It was just around the corner from our hotel and my scooter delivered me to my table, and then fitted neatly at the door. I could not have wished for more.
Old and new Jerusalem
Jerusalem has its old and new cities. The new city has a modern light rail running through the centre with elevated accessible stops and space for wheelchairs. Although the old city has inaccessible side alleys, the main thoroughfare through it was accessible all the way from the Western Wall to the exit at Damascus Gate. I was pleasantly surprised.
In Jerusalem, people wore religious attire of the many subsets of Christian, Jewish and Islamic religions. The most moving experience was the visit to the new Holocaust History Museum, Yad Vashem. The architecture was striking and the exhibition galleries told the story so well. I wrote in the visitor's book
Everyone must never forget.
There were dividing barriers between Israel and the Palestinian Territories along some of the roads and highways. The barriers looked similar to the noise barrier walls on our freeways, except they had a run of barbed wire along the top. There were also security checkpoint gates into those areas. Despite seeing that, I felt safe while I was there.
We went on many short trips into the countryside. I learned that national disability insurance has been in Israel for many years. I also heard of friendships between Jewish and Arabic people living happily together in Israel. I am so pleased that I have experienced Israel and saw more than in the news.


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Due to our dedicated and generous volunteers, Hope Springs is able to offer a wonderful form of therapy to individuals with mental or physical disabilities. Working with our staff, volunteers make riding lessons fun and safe while students are empowered as they learn to control their horse. Giving freely of their time and themselves our volunteers are rewarded with proud smiles of accomplishment and pride from our riders.
What we do: We give therapeutic horseback riding lessons to riders with diverse disabilities. Instructors and volunteers work with our students to help groom and tack up their horse. During lessons, volunteers lead the horse or act as a side aide. Training is provided for volunteers - no experience is necessary.
What we need:
If you help with riding lessons, we need a commitment for at least one lesson a week (about 1 ½ hours), preferably at the same time each week. It is important for our students to see familiar faces which allows us to develop relationships. If you are unable to make that time commitment, Hope Springs hosts a number of special events - camps, shows, and fundraisers - throughout the year where volunteers are always needed. You can help by soliciting items for our silent auction, pitching in during a community clean-up day, or stopping road traffic so horses can cross during our hunter pace event.
Hope Springs cannot function without the dedication and enthusiasm of volunteers. They make the lessons for each rider fun while empowering them to do their best. Hope Springs' volunteers are not only dedicated to the mission of Hope Springs but also dedicated to seeing our riders succeed. Each and every volunteer continues to remain a great example of volunteerism in today's society.
The responsibilities of a volunteer include tacking and grooming the horses, acting as a leader for the horse and/or being a side aide for the rider during each lesson.
In order to meet the needs of our riders, Hope Springs' volunteers attend at least one volunteer training session per year. This training is a hands-on session covering aspects of assisting the riding instructors. This training is a way for Hope Springs' staff to provide all the necessary tools to be an effective volunteer.
What type of person is Hope Springs looking for?
We are looking for enthusiastic and energetic people who enjoy working with animals, children, and adults. A sense of humor is always helpful, and while patience is needed, it is a skill acquired more easily than you might imagine.
When are Hope Springs lessons?
We offer lessons Monday through Friday from 1:00 - 7:00 PM
and Sundays from 10:00 - 5:00 PM
Our horses have Saturday as a day off.
Is training provided for those who don't have horse experience?
Yes, training is provided for all volunteers, regardless of their previous horse experience. For volunteers who are experienced horsemen and women, training is necessary so that our clients see tasks performed in the same way by everyone at the barn. Our protocols offer our clients a consistent picture of how things are done at Hope Springs. For volunteers with no horse experience, the 2 hour training session serves as an introduction to horses and equestrian therapy. During lessons, new volunteers are mentored by those with more experience.
Is there an age requirement?
Yes, volunteers must be at least 15 years old.
Is there a clearance requirement?
Yes, all volunteers must complete all state-mandated clearances before volunteer training. Click here to learn more.
What about community service requirements and/or school projects?
While we work with many volunteers who are fulfilling these responsibilities, we do ask for a minimum 20 hour commitment in exchange for training.
Click here for the Volunteer Application form
Here's what some of our volunteers have to say about their experience at Hope Springs:
"Hope Springs is a big, beautiful place where many people can come for therapy and to relax…I am glad that I got the chance to do volunteer work here."
"It was inspiring, it is uplifting to see how we helped people do what they love."
"Hope Springs made me feel like I was helping mentally and physically challenged people do something that made them feel good about themselves. I also liked being around the horses because they were so beautiful!"
"It was a very beautiful farm! I felt very appreciated and welcomed. The jobs were not extremely hard and the horses were very well-mannered and taken care of. At the end of the work, I got to pet and feed the horses! My favorite was Taylor!"
"It let me have a good experience with my classmates and see how hard it is to run a farm."


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After last week's found footage nightmare, we're all ready for a nice light romp before we head into the finale, and gosh darn it, we're gonna get it!
And who better to deliver us a romp than that guy from last year who was relatively entertaining in that one episode? You know. Rixton. Renton. Reggie. Brixton. Yeah, that guy. So join Wideface, Doctor Who and That Guy as we head down Diagon Alley for a light, airy, pre-finale, consequence free romp!
'Face The Raven' commentary
You can listen to our work on both iTunes, Stitcher and Podcastland by searching 'All of Whine and Space'. If you would like to leave us a review (hopefully 5 stars) on iTunes or Stitcher, we would be truly grateful.
|Some Doctor Who Fairy Tales!!


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American Horror Story Hotel: 'Room 33' Review
"An emotion is like a flavor in my mouth, I can taste it." -The Countess
As soon as we rolled up to the Murder House, I just knew this was going to be something special. American Horror Story Hotel just blew my mind yet again by taking us back to the Murder House in 1926 when the Montgomery's were running a home abortion clinic out of their basement. Charles Montgomery returned to the action as well, this time for a meeting with The Countess, and it was oh so good to finally go back to the house that started it all.
But wait, there's more. A lot more. So much shit went down during Room 33 and our story has changed dramatically since we checked in. One of our main characters ended up very dead at the end and even the Swedish Meatballs returned for some fun at the Hotel Cortez. And really, isn't that why we all got hooked in the first place? This series is very good at telling a story and they can literally change up an entire season with one episode. I love the unpredictability and I especially love watching these stories take a turn for the bat shit crazy. Room 33 was one of those episodes.
Plus we also learned a whole lot more about the thing that lives in Room 33 and it made a lot of sense, even with the 1926 connection to Murder House. I was surprised and entertained throughout this episode although I will admit there are some stories that are getting a little too repetitive for my liking, right John Lowe?
Still, Room 33 may have been the best episode of the season up to this point. So quick, get aboard the crazy train (or the Fast and Furious ride if you prefer) and enjoy the review, fellow guests.
Back To The Beginning
I still can't believe the episode started with The Countess rolling up to the Montgomery Murder House. I knew this was coming but I certainly didn't expect it to come this early in the season. They didn't waste any time getting right to it and The Countess meets up with one of our old friends, Dr. Charles Montgomery and it was nice to see actor Matt Ross reprise his role as the insane doctor.
Also potentially noteworthy, The Countess got his name from someone by the name of Margaret Gibson, who also happens to be a real-life actress. Is this another clue for next season's setting? Maybe but I'll be damned if I know what that connection is.
We learn that The Countess is prego's and the sole reason for her visit to the Murder House is because she is in desperate need of an abortion. It was also revealed that she is only three weeks pregnant which she is clearly not, possibly due to the fact that she's got a little vamp baby growing inside of her. I'm not a rocket scientist but I assume that these vamp babies don't take the standard nine month delivery time.
Dr. Montgomery does his thing and removes the baby from his baby mama but there's a problem. The baby is still alive and it's hungry as fuck and it attacks Charles' nurse and immediately proceeds to murder her for blood. First vamp kids, now vamp babies?! Jesus fucking Christ, show! I can't even.
Back in present time, The Countess is having mad difficult trying to turn on Will Drake due to the fact that he is totally into dudes when it comes to the bedroom. He can't seem to maintain an erection but The Countess lets him know that it's not a crisis, but rather an invitation for adventure.
The Countess calls in Tristan to "fluff him up" so she can finish him off and even though Tristan is a bit apprehensive at first, he realizes he has no choice in the matter. Is it just me or was there an overabundance of naked ass in this episode? Not that I'm complaining.
Later, The Countess finally pays a visit to Room 33 and we find out that the "thing in Room 33" is actually her child, the same child that Charles was supposed to abort years ago. It should be obvious that her baby cannot age or die given the fact that it also possesses the same virus as The Countess and I have no idea how anyone gets any sleep in this hotel of horrors.
Swedish Meatballs
John Lowe is still hanging around the Hotel Cortez and losing his mind. We still haven't gotten much farther with his story and this whole 10 Commandments Killer thing is getting dragged along slowly. John wakes up to see his son, Holden, chillin' beside him so he does what any good father would do and chases him through the hotel hallways. This leads him to the empty pool with the coffins where he finds his wife Alex taking a nap. John is surprised to see her and decides his best move is to try to wake her up in the worst possible way:
I'm pretty sure no one would enjoy waking up like that. Conveniently, John collapses from surprise or something along those lines and we already know everyone is going to think he's cray cray when he tells this story. This leads us to another amazing song selection, this time we were treated to Depeche Mode's One Caress and you can check it out below.
Alex freaks out over the fact that John has found her sleeping chamber and her and Liz come up with a plan to remove the coffins from the basement and that was exactly what they did. After waking up, John once again has no clue what happened or where he is. Alex tells him he's bat shit crazy and that he's having a psychotic break but John insists that they go back down to the basement to check it out. Lowe and behold (pun totally intended), the coffins are gone and John looks even more cuckoo than he did before. I mean, where's he going to go for his morning swim now?
The Swedes also made their much anticipated return and they pay Donovan a visit to get some answers about the whole 'being dead' thing. He explains to them that if they don't find a purpose they will be stuck in an unbreakable chain, repeating themselves over and over again, much like our hipster friend from last week who has an unhealthy obsession with Kale. And whether you like Kale or you don't, I think it's safe to say that it makes us all a little crazy.
I still can't believe that is Darren Criss from Glee. Totally didn't recognize him last week but he's certainly a welcome addition to American Horror Story. So obviously our hipster dude wasn't able to break the cycle and is going insane over some Kale and all of this reminded me of what happened to Misty Day in Coven where she is still in hell dissecting frogs. Poor Misty 🙁
Donovan tells the Swedes a story about Kara, an elementary school teacher who had so much love with no one to give it to so she ended up committing suicide at the Cortez where she sat in a tub for months decomposing. Please remind me to never stay in a hotel again.
Also, never drink the water on the 5th floor…gross! Kara eventually found her purpose though and obviously it involved murder. Still though, death means you cannot leave the hotel even if you find your purpose so the Swede's may have to put their dreams of riding the Fast and Furious at Universal on hold for eternity.
The Swede's decide that their purpose should also be murder and that was exactly what they did.
Did anyone else find it fucking hilarious when Swedish Meatball #1 was riding around on this dude's back yelling "Fast and Furious" in a swedish accent? And that's the beauty of this series. They take a couple of random characters from the premiere episode and bring them back into the story in the most fucked up way possible. Much love!
Alex finds the Swede's and comes up with a plan to distract John. There is no better distraction than two horny Swedish tourists and so Alex decides to send them John's way in an effort to keep him preoccupied. John, however, is already preoccupied with the 10 Commandments Killer and this time he's at a crime scene in a church where things didn't go to well for the local priest.
Yup, there was a lot of murder in this episode as per usual when it comes to American Horror Story. So obviously John is not dead since he can still leave the hotel but it is definitely possible that he could be the 10 Commandments Killer. I'm still hoping that isn't the case because they have dragged this out way too long to give us the obvious answer. But there really are no other suspects at this point other than John. Does anyone have any other theories about this because I'm dying to know who is responsible for these murders and how it will tie back to the Cortez.
Later, John is seduced by the Swedish Meatballs and they end up having some very bloody sex while Nick Cave & The Bad Seed's played in the background. There was a lot of blood and I guess that's what happens when you have sex with dead bodies.
Of course, when having bloody sex you are bound to stain the sheets and that was exactly what happened. Those fucking Nordic types, no respect for fresh linens!
Ms. Evers is going to have her hands full with that mess and she hasn't even collected the pillowcases yet! Seriously though, is there anything better than Ms. Evers this season? Mare Winningham has become everyone's favorite laundress and she continues to drop line after hilarious line, all of which revolve around laundry. Mr. March also pays John a visit and lets him know that it's good to see that he is finally checking in to the Hotel Cortez which leads to John immediately checking out. Oh, what a glorious stain!
Know When It's Time To Run
Things really got turned upside down when we find out that Liz Taylor and Tristan Duffy are totally into each other. Didn't see THAT coming. We know immediately that this is going to be a problem for the Countess since she chose Tristan to be her new man and who am I to get in the way of love.
These two make for such a bizarre couple considering they are both "not gay". Ummm, I hate to ruin your party boys but last time I checked, you both have penises. So somehow, Liz and Tristan are madly in love with each other after only two weeks so how is the Countess going to take the news? Well, the answer to that is not very well.
The two lovers decide to keep their secret a secret for now but you just know Liz wants to rip the bandaid off and get it over with since they have no idea how The Countess is going to react. Lovers quarrel's have never been so murdery.
Meanwhile, Ramona, Donovan and Iris put their plan into motion and it's pretty straightforward if you're into the whole child murder thing. They decide their best move is to kill everything close to The Countess so it's not a good time to be a vamp kid in the Hotel Cortez. Donovan decides he'd rather go sniff panties and Ramona and Iris are left to do the dirty work. But as we already know, Liz and Alex got rid of the coffins. Unlike Sally who thinks kids are the best, Ramona isn't too fond of the little bloodsuckers.
Since they can't find what they were looking for, Ramona decides that it's time to hit The Countess where it hurts the most and she asks Iris for the key to Room 33. And all I'm thinking at this point is you don't wanna go in there, hun.
Is it just me or is Angela Bassett's character a bit stale this season? She was truly amazeballs as Marie Laveau and Triple Tits but her Ramona Royale character has lacked the sassiness and pizzazz that made her other characters so memorable. I think her lack of screen time probably has something to do with this but Ramona is easily my least favorite Angela Bassett character so far.
Ramona enters Room 33 in search of Bartholomew (the Countess's vamp baby) but he's not an easy one to catch. Also, his eyes are creepy as fuck.
Ramona is unable to murder this thing for obvious reasons, the main one being that it's a fucking MONSTER and Bartholomew escapes from Room 33. Seriously, show? A murdering vamp baby on the loose in the Hotel Cortez? Did anyone see this coming? I didn't think so.
After her encounter with the vamp baby, Ramona is asked to leave the hotel by Liz Taylor but not before he lets Ramona know about his new love interest. Liz Taylor is adamant that The Countess will totally understand but interestingly, Ramona thinks his best move is to run the fuck out of the hotel and I completely agree with her.
Upon her return from Paris, Liz Taylor decides it's time to have "that" conversation. You know, the one where he tells her he's sleeping with her new lover. Also, who else fucking loved that green dress Gaga was wearing! Total amazeballs in every way. Apparently though, The Countess did not learn about sharing when she was young and you can tell she is really not cool with this situation.
The Countess can totally taste emotions and she let's us know that joy tastes like strawberries, hate tastes like ice chips and a martini, love is rose water and American Horror Story tastes like your nightmares. But she doesn't like the taste of betrayal because it tastes like the char on a piece of burnt meat. And since the Countess prefers her meat bloody rare, things are not looking good for Liz and Tristan.
Honestly, the sad part about all of this was that Tristan and Liz were not wrong. The Countess will eventually move on and everyone knows it so I'm not sure why she cares so much if Tristan ends up with Liz. Bitches be crazy.
The Countess really hates sharing though, so much so that this is what happens to Tristan Duffy:
Wait, WHAT!? Tristan is super fucking dead and The Countess is a super jealous bitch. I cannot even believe this happened already! So it looks like we have learned to NEVER fuck with The Countess. Also, what in the hell is going to happen to Tristan now that he's dead? I'm assuming this is not the last we have seen from him considering all of the ghosts running around in the hallways. Also, how is Liz going to react to all of this? Will she join Iris and Ramona on their quest for revenge now that The Countess has taken away her one true love?
Personally, I didn't like Tristan all that much so I'm not really sad to see him go (plus he's definitely going to be back in ghost form) but I certainly wasn't expecting him to die at the hands of The Countess. It looks like all she has left is Will Drake and we all know what she wants from him so I have no idea where this is going and that's definitely a good thing. Things are getting very, very interesting at the Hotel Cortez to say the least. And that wasn't even the end of the episode.
The Thing In Room 33
After John checks out of the hotel, he decides that he should probably go take care of his other child, Scarlett, but what he doesn't realize is that the thing from Room 33 has managed to escape the Hotel Cortez by hiding out in his suitcase. Uh oh! Scarlett's upset over the fact that both of her parents have abandoned her and John starts to slowly lose his mind after he remembers his bloody sexcapade with the Swedish Meatballs.
He immediately gets his gun after realizing that something came back with him from the Hotel and decides to scare the living shit out of his daughter by firing off three rounds in the house.
This obviously scares the living shit out of Scarlett who runs away but at least John was able to wound the thing from Room 33 as it left behind a trail of blood in the kitchen for all to see.
After helping John relax after this incident, Alex finds the thing from Room 33 hiding in the bushes at their home and she fixes him up since he was shot by John earlier. The Countess thanks her for saving her son so it looks like Alex is in her good books…for now. Eventually you just know she's going to find out about Measles Boy and his army of vamp kids and that may not end well for Alex.
We also got to finally see what little Bartholomew looks and let me tell you…it's not pretty. In fact, it's disturbing as fuck knowing that this monster lives in the Hotel Cortez.
Fucking hell, I may never sleep again. This baby is literally one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen. I mean, look at that face. And those teeth. Seriously though, how is this all going to play out? Obviously Ramona and her crew of revenge seeking vamps are going to attempt to kill Bartholomew to extract some revenge on the Countess but how are they going to kill this crazy demon child?
I was ecstatic that we got to visit Room 33 but never in my wildest dreams could I have expected this. Once again, American Horror Story turned our story in a new direction by introducing this new breed of vamp baby. And even though I am probably going to have nightmares for the rest of the week, this was the epitome of what AHS is all about. Bat. Shit. Crazy.
The Verdict
Episode Score: MIKEY LIKES IT (but is terrified of that vamp baby)
This may be my favorite episode of the season so far. Somehow this show continues to top itself week after week and returning to the Murder House had me screaming with excitement. The plot has literally been dropped on its head after this one and it's safe to say that I have no fucking idea what is going to happen next now that the Countess officially has no one on her side (except maybe Alex…for now).
Seeing Dr. Charles Montgomery's return to attempt an abortion on the Countess's vamp baby was the perfect way to connect Murder House with Hotel, it's just too bad that we didn't get to see Lily Rabe return as Nora. How cool would THAT have been? I'm really hoping this is not the last connection from other seasons and, even though the Murder House only made a brief cameo, it totally worked in every way. I'm still thinking Madison Montgomery is going to show up at some point. Fingers crossed.
And how abut Tristan? I never would have expected Finn Wittrock's character to be killed off this early but, as we all know, dying never actually means your dead on this show and I can pretty much guarantee we haven't seen the last of Duffy. Now we just need to find out who the 10 Commandments Killer is and we'll be all set!
So what did everyone think of Room 33? Would you spend a night with that vamp baby or are you firing rounds at it in front of your daughter like John did? Let us know in the comments and thanks for reading, fellow guests!
I also came across this amazing timeline of every American Horror Story event to date. If you're as big of a fan as I am, you're definitely going to want to check this out. And be sure to vote for your favorite character from Hotel below:
With so much shit going down this week, I have no idea what to expect going forward, as is usually the case when it comes to American Horror Story. I think that is part of the reason I love this series so much, it's so unpredictable and the story literally gets flipped on its head with every single episode. I'm sure next week's episode will be no different so check out the promo for 'Flicker' below:


text: Anyone has idea as to how often is Paypal currency rate updated and how does Paypal arrive at that? As far as I know, they reduce 2.5% for international currency conversion charges but it is coming out to be more than 4% currently for we Indians wherein it gives: 45.5 Rs. for 1 $ whereas the market rate is 47.5 Rs. for 1 $ Does it like average the conversion price over a week or something?


text:
Getting UnTied
Malissa A. Carr 12/13/2006 5:57:15 PMbeautiful looks like a male model love the shot good job A+ #571884
Janine Russell 12/13/2006 10:08:48 PMMichael, great portrait; excellent color, lighting and DOF. #3700332
Vladan D. Djordjevic 12/20/2006 9:41:49 AMgreat photo! #3721770
Christopher Budny 1/24/2007 4:09:36 PMMichael, allow me to be the first to congratulate you on another fine Finalist! #3862045
Janine Russell 1/24/2007 6:15:22 PMMichael, congratulations on your finalist. #3863528
Cesar J. La Rosa 1/24/2007 8:48:07 PMCongratulations on this very well-deserved Finalist, Michael!!! Excellent photograph!!! #3864732
Kay E. Mahoney 1/25/2007 6:05:01 AMCongratulations on your finalist. Good luck in the next round. #3866896
Stephanie Laird 1/25/2007 9:37:55 AMHi Michael! Great image and love the title too! Congratulations on your finalist! #3868687
John V. Roscich 1/25/2007 3:04:46 PMEXCELLENT IMAGE. CONGRATULATIONS. WELL DESERVED
Darren K. Fisher 1/30/2007 10:32:21 PMBelated congrats on this one. It really should have been a winner, but that is okay we know it is anyways..LOL #3893883
Uploaded on 12/13/2006 2:00:20 PM
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text:
St Mary, Tufton
St Mary, Tufton, Hampshire RG28 7RF View on map
Tufton is a small hamlet a mile south of Whitchurch on the river Test. The church (a Grade 1 listed building) is a simple unadorned 12th-century building with 13th- and 18th-century additions. It comprises a nave, chancel, small bell tower and a southern brick porch.
- Contact for access: Revd Kelvin Inglis
- 01256 892535
- [email protected]
Opening Arrangements
Always open.
- Is part of Ride and Stride
Tufton lies on and is accessible from the A34 three miles north of the A303. Tufton is just south of Whitchurch, which is where the nearest railway station can be found (2 miles). Tufton is served by the Winchester to Whitchurch bus service.
Parking Spaces
Road to south side of church is private.
Disabled Access
- Wheelchair access: Partial
- Disabled Toilets: No
- Assistance dogs: Yes


text: 22 Jan 2016 Designing a Flash Translation Layer Sala Alvaro Campos, DCC, PUC Although flash memory has risen as a popular secondary storage medium, its performance is difficult to predict. The reason is that internally, flash memory is subject to a complex set of constraints. Storage units must be erased before they are updated, erases have a bigger granularity than writes, and each storage unit has a limited lifetime in terms of erases. A flash translation layer (FTL) hides these constraints and exposes a simple block interface to the application. The problem is that the FTL's behind-the-scene work impacts performance. In this presentation, we show how to redesign the FTL so as to eliminate an important performance bottlenecks and thereby make the performance of flash devices more predictable.


text:
A Song to Enjoy February 16, 2010 - April 20, 2010
Contest Completed
1st Place - The Truth of Venus
2nd Place - Starry Eyes
2nd Place - Starry Eyes
Alright, so this contest is a contest where you have to write a poem about a certain song I give you. Normally I would include 3-4 words for you to use, but not this time. The poem has to be related to the song, if not you will be disqualified. So make the relationship apparent.
It's suggested that you listen to the song and look up the lyrics to get a better feeling for it.
Song: Drops of Jupiter by Train.
Happy Writing!
The pride of knowing you can write on a specific topic, yet interperet it.
2 Contestants
2 Submission
304 Views
Created Feb 17, 2010


text:
8 a.m. thru 5 p.m. EST 305.757.0555
Hand crafted Sunflower Welcome sign
Our Sunflower Welcome sign and wall plaque is the perfect accent for anyone who loves sunflowers! Our sunflower plaque can hang by your front door to welcome friends and family. Created by artist Al Pisano, we cast reproductions from Al's incredibly detailed and dimensional wood carving. We hand paint each sunflower plaque and stain the plaque to capture all the detail of the original wood carving. The Sunflower plaque measures 14 in wide and 9 in high and we make the plaque here in the USA.
These are beautiful handcrafted reproductions of Al Pisano's original carvings and sculptures.Created in the artist's studio, each piece is meticulously hand cast and then hand painted and stained to capture all the incredible detail. We also personalize many of our wall plaques free of charge and these make great gifts. All of our products are Made in the USA by skilled artisans under the supervision of Al Pisano. We offer a money back guarantee. We believe you will enjoy Al's artwork for many years. Call us if you have any questions!


text:
Newspaper article The Florida Times Union
NAACP Backing Stand Your Ground; Woman Faces 20 Years in Prison in Jacksonville Case Involving Shooting
Article excerpt
Byline: Charles Broward
The NAACP's Jacksonville chapter has thrown its support behind a woman who will be sentenced Monday in a shooting where she claimed self-defense against an abusive husband under the state's Stand Your Ground law.
Marissa Danielle Alexander, 31, was charged with three counts of aggravated assault in August 2010 after she fired a single shot into the ceiling of her home during a dispute that somehow turned physical.
A judge denied her immunity in a Stand Your Ground hearing. And after a jury found her guilty, she faces a mandatory term of 20 years in prison.
"This is a clear case of domestic violence against Marissa," branch President Isaiah Rumlin said Friday. "After looking into it and studying the case, this is a clear case of Stand Your Ground as it relates to what she had to do on the date that she did it."
Alexander's husband, Rico Gray, 36, was arrested in 2006 and 2009 on misdemeanor charges of domestic battery. Charges were dropped in one case and he was given probation in the other. Alexander had an injunction for protection against domestic violence against Gray following his 2009 arrest. Police have withheld Alexander's address and it is unclear if the couple were living together.
But authorities, on the accounts of her husband and her two stepsons, have said it was Alexander who began the violence, "hitting on" Gray. In her arrest report, all three said she pointed the gun in their direction before the shot was fired.
Less than five months later, Alexander was arrested, again, on a domestic battery charge involving her husband.
Alexander has maintained that it was Gray who was the aggressor, becoming enraged when she told him she was leaving him.
"He assaulted me, shoving, straggling and holding me against my will, preventing me from fleeing all while I begged him to leave," Alexander wrote in a blog posted by her first husband on a website set up in support of her.
In the post, Alexander wrote the attack began while she was using the restroom at their house. She said she had made it to the garage but could not leave when she realized she did not have her keys and the garage door was not working. …


text:
After swim practice I made myself some eggs, spinach, and tomato before downing my orange drink. From that point I had exactly 1 hr to arrive at a specified lab and get my blood drawn for the mandatory gestational diabetes screening.
At my last doctor's appointment I'd been warned of how horrible the drink was, how it made people feel sick and throw up, etc. I assumed it would lead to an interesting blog post. No such luck. I guess the sugary drinks don't taste so horrible when you've gotten your body accustomed to sports drinks and recovery drinks. My stomach wasn't feeling so great when I was waiting at the lab but the taste of the drink wasn't too much trouble.
To be honest the most interesting part of the adventure was the sky opening up. It was a downpour of rain when I needed to get in my car and drive over. Not too common in TX so it was actually a bit exciting. Especially since the overcast and rain earlier today resulting in sub-100 temperatures all day. Yippee, run outside tomorrow morning!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Orange Drink
Posted by Mich at 6:22 PM 0 comments
Monday, June 29, 2009
Nerd Road Trip
Michael and I made the trip to Lubbock this past weekend to watch the 70.3 race. We'd been a bit undecided on going but when we checked the weather report, and realized it would be about 15 degrees cooler in Lubbock, we decided to make the trip.
Michael wanted to fly so he convinced Beaux to join him since I was not in the mood to get in the hot airplane with my bulging belly. Note the location of the double seat belt - not so comfortable with a kicking kiddo.
Instead, I took the longer method and drove there with some friends. Along our way we stopped for gas and couldn't help but take a picture of the drink we saw in the cooler, "NERD." Although Joe is trying to point me out as the nerd we had an car full of engineers so I'm pretty sure we all count as nerds.
Although it was still hot on Saturday we got a great bit of rain and colder temperatures on Sunday. I'm pretty sure I would've run the entire 1/2 marathon course if the water stops had been set up when I went through. Instead I just ran 8 and did some spectating along the way.
Joe & Michael took 1st and 2nd in their AG in the sprint. They are doing quite well with their minimalist training regiment. They keeping talking about forming a training group of people who would rather eat pizza and brownies so let them know if you're interested. Of course, I don't think their theories will speed you up but they might help anyone who needs to gain some sympathy weight while their wife is pregnant.
After the race we had a heart to heart with Carla. Translation: "No, we are not driving home yet, we're going to wait and see if the Kona slot rolls to 3rd." Joe (aka super driver) took a nap while the girls went to the awards ceremony. Unlike past years, this year's ceremony was at a bar, with garage doors and very dark walls. The band played for a lot longer than we'd expected and the awards were giving in reverse age. That made for a long night but we did get to see a bunch of friends go up on stage and got to celebrate with some people who got their roll down slots :) The spot in Carla's AG went to 2nd so she was one away, just as she'd been at IMFL :(
By the time we picked up Joe and got some more food it was 10pm. That lead to an arrival in back in Austin at about 4:30am Monday morning. It was a long ride but we had some good laughs along the way including a discussion of the best location to stop and use the bathroom.
There were a few ups and downs along the trip but overall I'm glad we got the chance to leave town and cheer for some friends. A big congratulations to Amy for winning her first 70.3 and to Brandon for finishing 4th.
Posted by Mich at 6:08 PM 1 comments
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Monthy OB visit
I've always heard about all the doctor's appointments you have when you're pregnant. For some reason I had the impression there would be a lot of activity at these visits. After all, why else would you need to go so often? Now that I'm starting the third trimester I get to begin going every 2 weeks.
Personally, I think they just like to charge insurance as much as possible and therefore spread out all the fun into as many visits as possible.
I went to the OB's office on Tuesday morning. The big activities of the day were weighing in, measuring my blood pressure, measuring my stomach, and listening to Baby G's heart beat. And what did I learn from all this? ...Yes, my baby is developing correctly.
I also had the excitement of getting my bottle of orange syrup to drink. Like all other pregnant girls out there, I get to take the gestational diabetes testing. Rumor is this orange drink, which I have to down in less than 5min, does not taste very good and causes a number of people to feel like they are going to loose their stomach. I'll be sure to report back after the experience.
Posted by Mich at 2:56 PM 0 comments
Saturday, June 20, 2009
26 weeks
Posted by Mich at 6:26 PM 0 comments
Friday, June 19, 2009
I've got a kicker!
Baby G appears to be a bit of a spazball. I guess I can't say I'm too surprised, my mother tells me I used to wake her up in the middle of the night kicking. Of course, waking up in the middle of the night isn't quite as frustrating as not being able to fall asleep in the first place. There were a few nights this week when Baby G didn't seem to calm down until 2 or 3 am.
My biggest concern is what this might imply for the future. Will she be a late night type person or will she continue to take after me and have trouble falling asleep at night? When I was in elementary school I recall having horrible leg pain at night. My mom used to tell me it was growing pains but I still don't know if I can believe that, how could so much growing pains result in such a short person?
I keep hearing people talk about different ways they get their kids to kick, cold water, loud music, etc. It seems the easiest way to get Baby G to kick is sitting still. She seems perfectly content when I'm moving around but once I sit down, wack!
There was an unexpected attack at the pool yesterday. At the end of long course practice we did a fast 100. As I approached the wall, getting ready for my turtle turn, I felt a kick. To be honest, it felt like the leg was going straight through my belly at that point. I haven't decided if she was telling me to hurry up, telling me I was going to hard, or had figured out the gliding into the wall happens just before the turn. It's obviously one of these choices, not a mere coincidence, because all mothers know their unborn child has superior intelligence already. After all, I did say she takes after me ;)
Posted by Mich at 12:52 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Airplane Baby
Those of you who know Michael probably know about his love of airplanes. For the past few years he's been making every effort he can to convince our friend's kids to like airplanes. His most notable efforts have taken place with the boys of our friends Dave and Amy.
We visited them in the hospital today, their baby girl was born yesterday at lunch time. He of course, spent some good quality time holding her and informing her that she and Baby G will love airplanes. Reese seemed to be pretty content with Michael so maybe he'll convince her to love airplanes.
Of course, Baby G will have little choice in this. She'll be wearing airplanes and will have her very own airplane baby blanket(s). Michael is so convinced that she'll like airplanes that he seems to have forgotten that she'll be born in the hospital instead of at the airport. I think he slipped up about 3 times this weekend and made comments about driving to the airport when it's time for Baby G to be born.
So... if I happen to go into labor and Michael isn't the one driving me, could someone please volunteer to let him know I'm at Seton, not the airport?!
In other news, we've started a list of things you should not say to your pregnant wife:
1) Your belly is going to get huge (when looking at a newborn and your wife is trying to figure out how she'll ever fit something that size into her belly)
2) You're getting heavy (when your wife sits on your lap at 25wks of pregnancy)
3) Ha Ha your belly button is going to pop out (after mentioning how you think outtie belly buttons are ugly)
4) Nobody can tell your belly has grown b/c your boobs are so big right now (when your wife is frustrated that she's not showing yet)
5) Hello running ability where did you go? (complaining about your slowed running as your wife is struggling to run with a kid pushing on your bladder the entire time)
Please... if anyone has others to add to the list, it might save Michael if he's warned of them before he says them ;)
Posted by Mich at 6:45 PM 0 comments
Monday, June 15, 2009
Good Luck at CDA!
This weekend is Ironman Coeur d'Alene. There are 85 participants signed up from Austin TX and over the years I've met a lot of them.
CDA was my first Ironman, in 2004, so I hold some fond memories from that race and also know how nervous some of my friends might be as they head up north to race.
By now everyone has heard they've done the training and rest is all that's left. But seriously, even with the best preparation everyone gets nervous before an Ironman race. Michael always tells me not to worry, I always worry.
Here I am trying to get my wetsuit on before the race. He took the picture so he could show me the look of panic later on. I had no idea I looked so worried before the race. I have now learned, I look this paniced before EVERY race.
Thankfully, too Michael's surprise I was very happy during the race. For those of you who may have seen me racing before, you might think I tend to look pretty serious, but this was not the case at CDA. Instead, I was just out to enjoy the day and keep a smile on as long as I could.
That's the best advice I can give, keep a smile on your face. No matter what happens, enjoy it, you've worked hard for the race. When it hurts, smile more.
Posted by Mich at 11:33 AM 2 comments
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Posted by Mich at 1:06 PM 0 comments
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Don't cry over spilled coffee
Posted by Mich at 6:22 PM 1 comments
Monday, June 8, 2009
Elevation Burger
On Friday night a group met up at the Quarry for a zen swim. It's quite amazing how many crazy tri-geeks head over there to swim after work on Fridays. I'm one of them too and I was quite content to spend my evening swimming and hanging out with friends.
Total expenditures for the day included a 50 min run with 6 x 800, 1 hr of weights, and 3 loops at the quarry. I was feeling pretty good and riding on cloud 9 since I'd been able to keep up w/ Joe, Ali, and Jim when I pulled. But... I was hungry!
The decision was made to head over to Jollyville Rd for dinner and a visit to Krispy Kreme, in celebration of national donut day. Upon arrival at Elevation Burger Jim told me he'd thought the burgers seemed a bit small the last time he'd visited. After his previous meal he said he could have eaten 3 of them. I wasn't in the mood for 3 buns so I decided to compromise and order the Vertigo burger. Apparently there are very few people who order the stack of beef b/c the guy bringing out the tray asked, "who got the vertigo burger?" and seemed quite excited to find out it was the small girl. As you can see from the picture below, I was quite tired and used every last bit of energy to fit that stack of meat into my mouth.
After dinner we made the trip down the road to visit Krispy Kreme and watch the life cycle of a few donuts. It was fun to watch them travel up the conveyor belts, float down the pool of grease, and pass under the sheet of sugar. I have no clue how my friends all managed to eat those things after witnessing such an event. Of course, I ate a triple decker hamburger so who am I to talk?!
A few more belly pictures (taken 6/7) to show the progress over the past week.
From the front...
From the side...
If you look closely you can see where Baby G is poking out from under my ribs and my 'old stomach.' I've been told I'm still not looking overly pregnant but I was reassured that I'm on track after a google images search of other women at 6 months. There are some shockingly large bellies but quite a few girls who looked about as big as I am.
Posted by Mich at 6:41 PM 1 comments
Friday, June 5, 2009
National Donut Day
Posted by Mich at 11:39 AM 1 comments
Monday, June 1, 2009
Sleeping Mich
Posted by Mich at 9:07 AM 1 comments


text:
'Sheltermaker' tells students how to build homes without a mortgage
Lecture to show how houses can be built for less than ¤10,000
Residents at Cloughjordan Eco Village in Tipperary.Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons / The Irish Times
A SELF titled "sheltermaker" will address students at University College Cork tonight advising how to build mortgage free homes.
Peter Cowman launches his "Sheltermaker's Manual" at Cloughjordan eco-village in Tipperary tomorrow, Friday offering an alternative approach to prospective homeowners. Cowman will outline methods of eco-building that can be completed without planning permission for under ¤10,000.
The manual covers 20 years of building experience including timber frame structures and walls sculpted from clay and straw.
"I work with people who have mortgages and want to get the best they can from what they have. But my passion is the mortgage free home and I encourage everyone to start with something small, an extra room or a structure in the back garden, to gain a sense of empowerment," he said.
In his presentation, Cowman traces the roots of the property crash to the industrial revolution but tries not to get 'bogged down' in the fall out of the boom.
"I'm trying to help people to articulate what sort of lives they want to live and how they can shape architecture to suit their lives. Our discussion of the home can be quite limited — where it is located, how much is cost and its size, as oppose to what it is like to live in," he said.
Tonight's 'Eco building on a Shoestring' presentation takes place at West Wing 9, UCC at 7.30pm.


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Nottinghamshire police commissioner: Malcolm Spencer stands
A former detective is to stand as an independent candidate for the role of police and crime commissioner in Nottinghamshire.
Malcolm Spencer, who served with the force for 30 years, is the second independent candidate to put himself forward for the role.
MP Paddy Tipping is standing for Labour and Tony Roberts is the Conservative candidate.
Dr Raj Chandran, a retired GP, is standing as an independent.
Mr Roberts replaced Mike Quigley, who stood down due to an offence he committed 44 years ago.
Mr Spencer, who has spent the last seven years working as an adviser for the Police Federation, said people should not look at him and think: "He's an ex-police officer, all he's doing is thinking about the police."
"I'd like to bring what I consider to be a vast experience to the role - I served for 30 years in Nottinghamshire as a constable, in CID and as a sergeant," he said.
"My intention in standing is to ensure the people of Nottingham get the best police service that can be provided.
"My commitment would be to deliver an effective local police service."
The commissioner, who will replace Nottinghamshire Police Authority, will have the power to choose chief constables and is expected to hold officers to account.
The commissioner will also be asked to help develop strategies for cutting crime.
Voters will elect commissioners in each of the 41 force areas in England and Wales outside London on 15 November.