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Ten Tips for Soliciting Planned Gifts from Women
Women's ability to contribute and make a lasting impact in philanthropy is often overlooked and under-utilized. In truth, women are driving many of the philanthropic decisions in this country. Research tells us that women behave differently than men in their philanthropic giving. We cannot assume what works for men will be applicable to women. This session will outline key considerations for success when soliciting planned gifts from women, including understanding the differences between men and women donors, understanding key motivators for women donors, and how to steward and recognize women's gifts.
Handouts (2)
Learning Objectives at a Glance:
- Understand the importance and untapped capacity of women's philanthropy.
- Understand the different motivators for giving between men and women and know how to apply them when asking women for planned gifts.
- Have tips and techniques to use when soliciting planned gifts from women donors.
Praise from the 2012 National Conference on Philanthropic Planning: "Very engaging! Good resources and relevant examples."
CE Available: 1.5 hours CFRE credit
About the speaker:
Angela E. White, CFRE, is CEO of the Indianapolis consulting firm Johnson Grossnickle & Associates, where she provides day to day leadership to the firm and works with the JGA staff to tailor service to clients. Before joining JGA, Angela was the Executive Director for Institutional Advancement at the University of Indianapolis. There, she managed the functions of development, alumni relations, marketing and media relations, publications and research. She began her career in development at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, where she rose to the position of Vice President of Institutional Advancement. Angela is a member of the faculty at The Fundraising School at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and often presents on behalf of the Women's Philanthropy Institute. She has a Master's degree in management from Purdue University and a Bachelor's degree in management and mathematics from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College. She is a member of the Planned Giving Group of Indiana.
We look forward to see you there! Please RSVP Below.
Where: MAC
When: 11:00am Program, 12:00pm Lunch and Discussion
Cost: Free for INWPGC members; Guests are $20


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Arctic Impressions Photographic Exhibit
The Arctic is woven into the fabric of Canada. It is part of our nation's identity, with its vast tundra, abundant wildlife, and rugged landscapes. It is home to one of Canada's three Indigenous groups - the Inuit - and covers over 40% of our country's landmass. Despite its geographical extent and its importance to our nation, few Canadians will visit this region of our country. Our photographic exhibit, Arctic Impressions, brings the Arctic to you.
In July 2014, Dr. Shelley Ball (founder and president of Biosphere Environmental Education) taught photography and environmental communication on a Students On Ice arctic expedition. The ship-based adventure took 86 students from 6 countries to northern Labrador, Canada and to southwestern Greenland. The expedition provided us with the incredible opportunity to spend 12 days exploring the north together – seeing polar bears, experiencing the vastness of the tundra, watching glaciers crumble before our eyes, meeting with Inuit elders, hearing their stories and learning about their culture and history.
This exhibit, created by Biosphere Environmental Education and co-sponsored by Biosphere Environmental Education and Polar Horizons, consists ofimages taken solely by the students on the expedition. It represents their impressions of the Arctic - the things that captivated them. For some students, this was the first time they had experienced the Arctic. For others, the Arctic is their home. Our exhibit represents this diversity of perspectives.
- Dr. Shelley Ball, Biosphere Environmental Education
The exhibit was on display in spring 2015 at the Ottawa International Airport. It has since been on display at the Inuit Studies Conference in St. John's, Newfoundland in October 2016 and will be on display in both Singapore and Korea in October and November 2017 as part of Canada 150 celebrations. This is a travelling photo exhibit. We hope to exhibit the students' prints (canvas prints ranging in size from 8 x 12 to 24 x 36") at other venues and will post upcoming exhibits here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Gold Standard is Chloe Johnson (vocals), Rob Bennion (DJ/sax/flute), and Bart Olson (drums). Together, they provide a seamless flow of music perfectly suited for events of all sizes and styles. And, because Gold Standard incorporates a DJ, the trio has proven time and again to be the perfect entertainment to move fluidly through the various phases of an event.
Cocktail & Dinner
By bringing a jazz feel to beloved classics and today's hits,
Gold Standard will entertain your guests by performing
your favorite songs with charisma and style.
Live Band Dance Party
Combining a DJ and live instrumentation, decades of performing experience and industry-standard equipment,
Gold Standard knows how to get the party started.
DJ with live drums
When it's time to let loose and dance, the DJ and drummer keep the party going strong.


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Austin Bead Society July meeting & project – Create a Beaded Bead !
July 23, 2018 @ 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm - Free
Event Navigation
Austin Bead Society meetings are open to the public and include a short business meeting and an educational project.
July 23 we will be creating a beaded bead. Please visit our website – austinbeadsociety.org – for a list of materials to bring to the meeting to complete the project.
We'd love to see you there!
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Listings on the Austin.com calendar contain user-submitted information. Make sure to double check the date, time, and location of your event!


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Angel of Protection
The Angel of Protection is one of the exotic companions.
Angels of Protection serve as healers to those they see fit to fight alongside. An adventurer must have a worthy cause to have an angel fight by their side.
Abilities & Stats
Race: Angel
Type: Leader
Hit Points: 2,379
Defense: 10
Regen: 10
Rune Slots: Defense, Defense, Offense
Item Slots: Icon, Neck, Ring
Rarity: Very Rare
Max Rank: 30
Cost: 360 Ardent Coins (so unless they introduce additional ways to acquire Ardent coins, you'll get this in about a year's time if you log in once a day and pray).
Angel's Touch
Heals the summoner for 5% of Max Hit Points.
Angel of Protection wards you from harm when you take more than 5% of your Max Hit Points in damage, intercepting half of all incoming damage for 10 seconds. This may only take place every 60 seconds.
Protective Ward
Summoner takes 5% less damage.
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day to night
...or from preppy to sexy, should I say? well once you know you'll get back from work/school/wherever late in the evening and you promised your friends you will get to the restaurant/bar/whatever on time this time it's useful to think ahead.
first, put on the evening outfit. then put layers layers layers! it's fun, it keeps you warm and no one in your office/class will be suspicious that you might run away early because of some party.
for me blazers always work. blazers and comfy day shoes. and simple gold jewellery.
once you get back home and you have like 10 minutes to change, all you need to do is to take off thise layers, change jewellery for some statement and shiny pieces and put on darker make-up. in my case, it was the lipstick. [Jungle red lipstick by NARS + Train Bleu Velvet Matte lip pencil by NARS]
napřed se oblékněte do svého večerního outfitu. a pak přidejte vrstvy vrstvy vrstvy! je to sranda, udrží vás v teple a navíc vás nikdo v kanceláři/třídě nebude podezřívat, že byste kvůli párty utekli dříve.
bonusová fotka na mé: FB stránce.


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Overview of The Work
The Work is a simple and powerful process that enables us to work directly and effectively with the beliefs and thoughts that keep us stuck, cause stress and limit our ability to think creatively and act wisely.
By learning to identify, and then inquire into our own thinking with The Work, we can transform the way we think about our problems, access powerful insights and shift underlying stressful and limiting patterns. This opens up new possibilities in our thinking and actions, and enables us to be more effective, intelligent, connected and happy in all areas of our lives and work.
The Work is a powerful tool for addressing:
- conflict
- change
- stress reduction and wellness
- challenging conversations
- shifting negative patterns
- self-awareness
- decision-making
- leadership capacity
- creative thinking
- and much more..
Custom Workshops
I offer custom workshops on transforming limiting beliefs using The Work for organizations, teams, educational institutes or conferences. Workshops range from a half day to 2 days, of interactive and engaged learning for groups of 10 to 100 people.
Workshops offer participants an understanding of how thinking and belief patterns can be limiting and how to use The Work to skillfully address challenges, access possibility thinking, build more mental awareness and agility, and shift conflict and stuck patterns. Participants learn to apply The Work in different situations and to facilitate/coach themselves and others in a series of engaging group and individual exercises designed to meet the needs of the group or team.
Clients for training have included: Financial institutions, churches, nonprofit and social services organizations, law firms, government departments, Universities (including The Harvard Kennedy
Leadership School Alumni program and Edwards School of Business) and leadership programs including ALIA (Authentic Leadership in Action); Leadership 2020 and The Art of Hosting.
The Work is founded by Byron Katie, author of the bestselling book "Loving What Is". For more information about The Work with Byron Katie, go to thework.com.


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"Induce racial and social conflict in USA, using Afro-American racists. Ukraine is not a country and will be annexed. Turkey will become an enemy of Russia. England – must be cut off from Europe. "
Alexander Dugin
Alexander Dugin is currently the main ideologue of Russia, a follower of the idea of Pan-Slavism, whose thick, 600-page book, "The Principles of Geopolitics" is a textbook at the military Voroshilov General Staff Academy in Moscow (think West Point for Russian generals). Each Russian generals must attend this prestigious two-year military college. In this textbook Dugin presented his detailed plans for the expansion of Russia to allow this country to regain superpower status. The book was written nearly 20 years ago, and the Russian authorities have already implemented almost a whole plan contained in it. For this reason, the author predicted very accurately what is happening in the world today and what we can expect in 2017. Neither American nor European analysts did not understand so well the situation in the region and did not foresee what Dugin has written in his worrisome book. Therefore, almost 20 years after the publication and with situation at hand, it is now worth to look closely to see how many of these predictions were true, and how many goals Russia has achieved in that time. And here are main Russian geopolitcs principles that were written in 1997 and came true today:
- "In the US, induce racial and conflict social conflict by means of Afro-American racists and leftists movement" – racial riots in America pursued by movements such as Black Lives Matter efficiently divided the country and caused casualties on every side. Renewal of the old movements, such as Black Panthers, destabilized America and divided its people as never before. Recent presidential election, won by Republicans were dominated by a topics completely different than previous one. War on terror, healthcare, education, unemployment – these topics were almost absent from speeches of both Clinton and Trump. Instead candidates were talking mainly about equality, feminism, immigration, minority matters. These are important matters too, but not as much as economy and actual country managment. Discussion weres sucessfuly diverted to less important topics and as we can see today, with quite successful Russian influence.
Anti-police riots of Black Lives Matter movement
- "Ukraine is not a country, and will be annexed" – Dugin is the great enemy of Ukraine, and he says that "It's not the actual state, therefore ther is no Ukrainian cultural heritage, and no such thing as Ukrainin ethnic group." From this point of view, Ukraine is a Russian-Polish state, must be dismantled and its land distributed to those countries. In 2014, Dugin advised Putin invasion and occupation of Ukraine to incorporate it into Russia. In 2015, actual invasion to Crimea, Donetsk and Lugansk by Russia was commenced, and it ended in complete military success – Ukrainian army was shattered within 4 weeks.
Ukrainian tanks deploying to counterattack, 2016
- "England must be cut off from Europe" – Brexit, also supported by Putin became a fact in 2016. Englishmen are now shocked and do not know how it happened. Especially young people were vulnerable to propaganda, who voted for leaving the European Union and became manipulated. Surprise even amongst UK politicians were so big, that to this day, 6 months aftere referendum, negotiations with the EU on Brexit didn't even started, because no one in England knows where to begin. Propaganda, especially the Internet has proven to be very effective and has led to ultimate achievement of this goal. Dugin wanted to remove Britain from Europe, because he believes that UK is a constant ally of the Americans, belongs to "Atlantic culture" and by weakening British influence in the European Union Russian influence in Europe will be strengthened.
Brexit Rally, 2016
- "Turkey will become an enemy of Russia, which is why it needs to be internally weakened by ethnic conflict, by supporting the Kurds and other groups" – an incident in 2016 which Turkey shot down Russian fighters, killing two pilots has become a hotbed of very serious conflict between the two countries, and led to riots in Moscow and Ankara. Dugin believes that Turkey is a natural rival of Russia and the only way to deal with it is to support the Kurds. To this day Kurdish problem is not solved, while Kurd militants are supported from many sides – including Russians.
Murder of Russian ambassador by Turkish policemen
And what has not came true (yet)?
Russia still uses the tools of propaganda and military strength to make projection of influence in neighboring countries, but it has not sufficient power to achieve all the objectives. Following plan is also proposed to strategists from Moscow, contained in the "Principles of geopolitics", which is not completed yet, but it's actively pursed by Russia:
- "Dismantle China" – 20 years ago Dugin predicted, that China will be the biggest threat to Russia, so Russian needs to side with India, two Koreas and can later attach even Vietnam and Indonesia to this bloc. Each of these countries will benefit from dismantling China. In order to achieve this goal, Russia can use political influence and orchestrate separatist tendencies in China, such as in Tibet and Xinyang provinces.
- "Poland must have a special status in the Eurasian Union" – Dugin is not an enemy of Polish state, he is even ardent supporter of Panslavism, ideology created in the nineteenth-century, according to which, Slavic countries should create cultural community and stick together. Poland should be a country between East and West, but should adhere to traditional conservative values of Russia.
Panslavism. Dark green – the southern Slavs, medium-green – eastern Slavs, and light green – Western Slavs.
- "Russia-Islamic axis" – Russia should win over the Islamic states, because traditional values Russia have much in common with Islam. Islamic States could also help in the fight against the secular power of Turkey. Particularly valuable for this would be Iran, in which there is also a lot of anti-American sentiments. Putin achieved this partially by supporting Assad and even by participating in military operations in Syria. This participation actually led to current ceasefire in Syria and streghtening Russia as a political power in a Middle-East.
Staged pro-Putin rally in Syria
Today, Alexander Dugin has a ban on entry to the US, because after occupation of Crimea he was put on the blacklist of several dozen Russian high-ranking officials. And how should we assess him? Undoubtedly, it is a very intelligent man – his works, some of which were published also in English (currently excluding "Principles of Geopolitcs") are a thorough analysis of today's geopolitics with references to philosophers and ancient and modern thinkers such as Fukuyama, Heidegger and Mahan.
However Dugin got himself in some trouble even in Russia, after an interview for Russian paper in which he told what should be done with the Ukrainians: "Kill, kill, kill. As a professor, I have no doubt." 10,000 students from the presitgious Lomonosov University in Moscow, signed a petition to remove him from his position of Dean of the Faculty of Sociology, because even in Russia, you can't say such words openly. But that has not changed much in his career. Alexander Dugin publishes now more books, and is still a grey eminence in Kremlin, advising next steps to Putin.


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VIDEO: April 9 Channel Your OWN Magic Art Playdate
VIDEO: April 9 Channel Your OWN Magic Art Playdate
No refunds once purchased.
Originally presented LIVE for the Abundance Flashmob Spiritual Entrepreneurs and Healers Facebook LIVe Event on April 9, 2016.
Thirty minute video (.mp4) of info, insight, and playful, intuitive artsy fun!
You can PLAY with whatever supplies you have available. Tap into your own flow and see what you create! YOU are a natural channel
Add To Cart


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Watch monthly live webcast - Like us on Facebook - Subscribe on YouTube
Chromosomes are large organic molecules that contain most or all of the genetic information of the cell or virus and a great many genes. This threadlike structure is found in the cells of every organism and is responsible for passing of characteristics to offspring is the process of heredity.
The structure of the chromosome consist of two long strands of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) that are bound together, and twisted into the shape of a helix. The DNA helix is organized additionally by becoming wrapped around proteins called histones forming a DNA-protein complex known as a nucleosome. During cell division, the nucleosomes coil further into a dense, visible (stainable) mass of DNA most people think of as a chromosome.
In a eukaryotic cell the chromosome is contained within the organelle known as the nucleus. Before the synthesis of DNA each of the chromosomes have only one double stranded DNA molecule: after the DNA has been replicated the two DNA molecules are called sister chromatids.(Purves, 196).
Variations Among Organisms
The number of genes per chromosome, the number of chromosomes, and the length of chromosomes varies considerably among the various organisms on Earth. Humans have 24 different chromosomes (22 pairs of autosomes plus 2 sex chromosomes), 46 total chromosomes with about 1000 genes each (30 to 38 thousand genes per cell). The human chromosomes range in size from 50 x 106 nucleotides in length, which is equal to 1.7 cm if fully extended - up to 250 x 106 nucleotides in the largest (which would extend 8.5 cm)..[1] The DNA in a single human cell would extend over 2 meters if attached end-to-end. However, during cell division (mitosis) the chromosomes condense into structures about 5µm long, which are then visible when stained under a standard compound microscope.
|No. Chromosomes
|No. Chromosomes
|Comparative Sequence Sizes
|Yeast chromosome 3
|350 Thousand
|Escherichia coli (bacterium) genome
|4.6 Million
|Largest yeast chromosome now mapped
|5.8 Million
|Entire yeast genome
|15 Million
|Smallest human chromosome (Y)
|50 Million
|Largest human chromosome (1)
|250 Million
|Entire human genome
|3 Billion
Chromosomes in Eukaryotes
In the Eukaryotic cell the nucleus has many large linear chromosomes. The chromosomes contained within this nucleus all have a centromere, which is a special sequence or structure in a part of the chromosome. Chromatin is a protein that is made up of DNA that is found with in the nucleus. This is what packages the chromosomes. While the chromatin goes through a phase called interphase the chromosome is not yet seen. The eukaryotic cell goes through a stage known as mitosis or meiosis. During this stage the cell turns into a form that is easier to move and is smaller. Because of the size of the cell the chromosome is then visible. When the microtubules form a spindle within the cell it can attach to the chromosome. [1]
Chromosomes in Prokaryotes
Structure of the Chromosome
The chromosome is made up of mostly deoxyribonucleic acid and proteins. Nucleotides are the bases for how the DNA structure is formed. A gene occupies much of the space within the chromosome. Because of the way that the chromosome is shaped even when the DNA is confined the chromosome can still go through with transcription. RNA is the molecule that tell the DNA what type of proteins will be produced in the different areas of the chromosome. Chromosomes are what make the DNA replicate and reproduce making each of its offspring have half of the parent cells genes. [2]
Chromatin is the visible (stainable) mass of DNA and protein that is located within the nucleus. The DNA double helix combines with histone proteins and becomes densely packed to form chromatin. Before the cell goes through cell division the chromatin aggregates, which makes the structure that is most frequently known as the chromosome. (Purves, 70)
During mitosis the chromatin is more coiled because its nucleosomes (DNA histone complex) begin to coil. The chromatin continues to fold until the chromosomes begins to separate into distinct bodies. (Purves, 169-171) In some eukaryotes, chromatin is needed in order for transcription. This process is called chromatin remodeling.
There are two types of chromatin:
- Euchromatin- contains DNA that is to be transcribed to RNA.
- Heterochromatin- The genes are inactive and is not transcribed. (Purves, 294)
Histones are located within the chromosome. The histones are used in order to from nucleosomes. Inside of the nucleosomes are eight histone molecules, 146 base pairs of DNA, and histone (H1) (Purves, 171) in a nucleosome a histone is positively charged and DNA is negatively charged. When the histones and the DNA combine and the histone reduces its charge it will the give off the DNA. Acetylation is used to catalyze the histone to disaggregate the nucleosome (Purves, 294). A histone is any one of a group of basic proteins forming the core of a nucleosome, the structural unit of a eukaryotic chromosome (Purves, G-12).
Sexual Reproduction
- Main Article: Sexual reproduction
During sexual reproduction each offspring receives a gamete from their parent. A parent gives their offspring chromosomes, which are the gamete. Each of the gametes have a set of chromosome. During sexual reproduction the gametes or egg and sperm combine in order to make on cell. This one cell is known as a zygote. The zygote now contains two sets of chromosome. Somatic cells are those that inhibit multicellular organisms that are not sued for reproduction these cells have two sets of chromosomes. One chromosome of these somatic cells are from their parent. These members appear to be the same size and appearance, which makes them homologous. Their genetic info are not identical to the two chromosomes, the number of chromosomes within the gamete is noted by n. the cell is called haploid. The fertilization is the fusion of two haploid gametes. The zygote is then the result. There is now 2 chromosomes and the zygote, which is call diploid. (Purves, 175)
Heredity is the passing of characteristics throughout the human life to their offspring. Chromosomes use heredity to pass on the characteristics from a mom and a dad to their offspring. Genes are what are carried throughout the cell in order to pass on the right characteristics from one generation to the next. What makes up the genes are that the chemicals known as deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA. These long chains of deoxyribonucleic acid are found within the chromosome. Heredity is what determines the characteristics of your body and what you inherit from your parents. This one of the processes that are used in the process of the chromosome. (World Book)
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a chain-like molecule that can be found in every living cell on earth. There are sections within the DNA that are what determine the passing of characteristic throughout a families life. DNA is found in the nucleus of most cells. They are found in threadlike structures, which are called chromosomes. DNA directs many things within the cell like the formation, growth, and the reproduction of a cell. Through the process of cell division the chromosome will give an equal amount of chromosomes to each of the new cell so that the DNA will have remnants from the original cell. this is how the DNA and the characteristics from the parent organisms get passed on. (World Book)
Chromosome Fusion
Evolutionists have concluded that a type of chromosome fusion from ape-like ancestors into humans happened roughly 2 million years ago. This is determined to be irrefutable proof to some as clear-cut evidence of common ancestry evolution.[3][4] Creationists would agree that indeed a chromosomal fusion event did indeed create human chromosome #2. It is because the chimp specie has two fewer chromosomes then a human evolutionists consider this scientific finding a strong piece of evidence to vindicate their philosophical view of a specific origin of life.
This line of argument for common ancestry aligns with that used for pseudogenes and generally junk DNA. Pseudogenes emerge within similar loci of apes and humans, or what are called parallel intron gains and are considered evidence of Darwinian assumptions.
- ↑ Molecular Biology of the Cell 3rd edition. 1994. by Bruce Alberts, et. al., Chapter 8 "The Cell Nucleus"
- ↑ Primer on Molecular Genetics by the Human Genome Research Project.
- ↑ Origin of Human Chromosome 2 Revisited
- ↑ Human Chromosome 2 is a fusion of two ancestral chromosomes By Alec MacAndrew
- Purves, William K. et al. Life: The Science of Biology. Gordensville, VA. 2004.
- Chromosome MSN Encarta
- Chromosomes Wikipedia
External links
- Chimp chromosome creates puzzles Nature May 27th, 2004


text: Last Christmas the Kindt family of 4 visited us from Belgium. They rented one of our buses (Albie), toured the California Coast and spent their vacation surfing. After returning home they submitted their surf travel adventure story to Swell Magazine (#20, page 61). Back home in Belgium the Kindt's run a hip, happenin' surf/sail/stand-up paddle/kayak business called Twins Club. They've returned this Christmas and are currently out there, somewhere on our coast surfing. So, if you see a green 1979 Westie with a plate by the name of Honu Li'u please say hello and give them a warm (they'll need it right now) welcome!


text: Owl and Hedgehog June 20, 2013 Hermes, the owlet. 4x4" ceramic tile. Cathy Kiffney I'm pretty excited about a new project, my paintings printed on ceramic tile! So far the samples look pretty good. Right now I am just testing it out and I'm putting them on my etsy site, take a look. I would love to know if people like them. These are 4x4" , also will have some other sizes and images, stay tuned! Hedgehog and Hyacinth, 4x4 tile


text: Who is your warrior cat? (1) This isca quiz to find out which warrior cat that you are.warriors is a book series by Erin hunter. Tawnycloud published on June 28, 201611 responses 4 5.0★ / 5 Questions in vertical order What do you think about herbs? Ugh so nasty! I love them I'm a medicine cat what do you think? They're okay.... Ummm no... You see a kit from another clan.... What do you do?? You kill it!! You see if it is sick or has any injuries You ask what clan it comes from and if it doesn't answer you take it back to your clan to the leader. You see if it has any other kits of clanmates around Make it talk! There is a kittypet on your territory you..... Kill it Let it go Give it some scars it won't forget I don't know Ask it why it's here Tell it to go back to their clan What color pelt? Calico Ginger Tortoiseshell Gray Ginger tabby You have a mate from another clan you ..... See them every night but act like nothing of going on Ew a mate? Never!! I'm loyal to my clan! No way! Ummmm? I'm a medicine cat I already like someone from my clan I don't want a mate Are you.... Swift Brave Ambitious Good with herbs Smart and sly Are you a Tom She-cat


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The title says it all. Some researchers have built a robot that is controlled by your mind. Some software needs to be trained to recognise the individual thoughts, but then the robot can respond to those thoughts as commands. Pretty cool ay?
Rajesh Rao is a man who believes that the best type of robotic helper is one who can read your mind.
In fact, he's more than just an advocate of mind-controlled robots; he believes in training them through the power of thought alone.
His team at the Neural Systems Laboratory, University of Washington, hopes to take brain-computer interface (BCI) technology to the next level by attempting to teach robots new skills directly via brain signals.
Robotic surrogates that offer paralyzed people the freedom to explore their environment, manipulate objects or simply fetch things has been the holy grail of BCI research for a long time.
Dr Rao's team began by programming a humanoid robot with simple behaviours which users could then select with a wearable electroencephalogram (EEG) cap that picked up their brain activity.
The brain generates what is known as a P300, or P3, signal involuntarily, each time it recognizes an object. This signal is caused by millions of neurons firing together in a synchronised fashion.
This has been used by many researchers worldwide to create BCI-based applications that allow users to spell a word, identify images, select buttons in a virtual environment and more recently, even play in an orchestra or send a Twitter message.
I'm aware that mind control isnt a new thing by any stretch of the imagination, but normally it only resides in huge research facilities with huge budgets to build these things. Hence the best part of my hack, it's super cheap.
This is very cool though isnt it? Controlling a real object through thought alone, without moving your arms at all, this robot just reads your mind and bends to your will. So cool.
I honestly think thats things like this will be the future of interfaces. But maybe not this alone. This combined with gestures/mulitouch, speech recognition and other things will probably end up being the main control mechanism for everyday household computers. They traditional computing interface will become something that exists in the office or workplace and used for data input or production. Thats the thing really, these interfaces are completely useless for media production, so it's quite hard for me to imagine using something like this sometimes.
But imagine having things around your home being controlled by thought, the lights, heating, tv, butler robot, that's the real, most likely future i think. That or the games market, as long as the price to buy these things comes right down so it's akin to a guitar hero controller then yeah, why the hell not?
My only downside comment about this thing is the training aspect. Yes, I know, everyones minds arnt the same so it needs someway to recognise individual thoughts, but, people are lazy. Even people like me who really, really, really want to own this stuff will be annoyed at the fact you have to spend hours or perhaps even days coaching the damn thing to know how you think.
That's kind of the plus side of the toy I'm using. It's super simple to use, no training at all to work it. You just put it on and away you go. It's odd how a toy can do that really. I guess it's down to the fact that it only reads two very simple brainwave values rather than everything down to individual thoughts and emotional responses to objects.
Yeah, just give me the lab version headset please. I don't mind training it up on second thoughts. Thanks.
source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11457127


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Princess of Feet
Here's a special treat for admirers of legs, feet, bosoms, and lovely English roses! Brookie G. from Great Britain has been on our site several times before, but this may well be her best scene ever. It's playful, saucy, and full of both the pinup-style tease and straight-ahead foot and gam teasing that is essential to our favorite fantasies!
First Brookie lays on the bed in her lacy black bra with heart patterns, and black pantyhose. Smiling, she tempts us with her toes and soles in the sheer nylon, and as we go through her pics and video we get a sure sense of being alone in the intimate presence of a real Princess of Feet!
Wait till you see how the agile and limber Brookie stretches up her left sole and pats the top of her blonde head! Delightful and stimulating at once!
There's so much cool stuff in this masterpiece of pantyhose action that you'll have to see it for yourself, but rest assured that the hosiery come off as well, so if you'd want this busty 36D sweetheart doing a little sucking of her bare size 6.5 toes, you'll get a full share of seductive sights to stiffen your stalk and get you spraying!


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This Culture is Ugly: Dark Thoughts on Roe Day
—Maclin Horton
January 23, 2006 by Daniel Nichols
This Culture is Ugly: Dark Thoughts on Roe Day
—Maclin Horton
Very precise. I also believe that the culture of arelational orgasm is "ugly and wants to die". So many of us believed this lie–"if you can't stop doing it, it must not be a sin"–was good news.
I am so in awe and grateful that Jesus, in accepting His death, saved me from the terrible illusion that the only way out of my sin-filled misery is to seek death for myself and others. Please remember to rejoice, as that will communicate best the good news that Jesus allows us to be fully alive in the midst of such a gloomy and suicidal culture.
The culture may be ugly and want to die but I am so very grateful to be alive (Psalm 116).
Thank you, and maybe I should make it clear that I personally am also quite happy to be alive. Also, I don't mean that everything about our culture is ugly, just the predominant sexual ethos. "Arelational orgasm"–that's a good phrase. In many circumstances would work better than the word "sex" in "having sex."


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Most videos are linear. The user interacts with the content being presented and has some control over its presentation: play, pause, rewind, etc.
In some cases, you may need to publish a non-linear, interactive tutorial or PowerPoint presentation. Software recommendations for creating the content are below, although this list is not all-inclusive.
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Let's just reflect a moment on Hillary's likeness as portrayed by Hollywood makeup artists -
How they want us to see Hillary
Vs. the "real" Hillary face, or at least as real as it can be after a couple of face lifts and unlimited use of Botox and fillers.
The "real" face of Hillary at a rally in Pennsylvania on Friday, July 29
Wow! She could easily pass for 10 years older than her 68 years. Don't worry though, the only one you'll ever see is this version, shot by the MSM's professional photographers who are prone to soften her image with unfocused lenses, softened lighting and, when necessary, photoshopping:
So stop demanding Hillary's medical records and just take the media's word for it, she's healthy and vibrant!
Oh, and don't forget; today is the last day of National Hot Dog Month! Stick a fork in it.
Linked By: Larwyn's Linx on Doug Ross@Journal, and BlogsLucianneLoves, and Free Republic, Thanks!
Cross-Posted on Patriot Action Network


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Related Links
Jefferson and His Time
The Pulitzer Prize winning masterpiece by Dumas Malone, this is the definitive biography of Thomas Jefferson. Written in 6 volumes, it contains fascinating insights into Jefferson's life, contributions and vision including material not available in any other biography. Volume 1: Jefferson the Virginian, Volume 2: Jefferson and the Rights of Man, 3: Jefferson and the Ordeal of Liberty, 4: Jefferson the President, First Term 1801-1805, 5: Jefferson the President, Second Term 1805-1809, 6: Jefferson and His Time, The Sage of Monticello. The complete version is not available online but we have included a link to purchase the volumes on amazon.
Autobiography of Thomas Jefferson
Contains the complete text, divided into sections for easier access. The Autobiography includes Jefferson's original draft of the Declaration of Independence with the changes which Congress made noted thereon.
The Life of Thomas Jefferson by Henry S. Randall
Published in 1853 in three volumes this is a wonderful biography that includes first-hand interviews with those who knew Jefferson. "It would be unusual to converse half an hour on great political or social problems with an intelligent American—and particularly among the rural classes, who talk around their firesides of the Revolution, and of the august fathers of the Republic—without hearing some lofty thought or ringing phrase quoted from Jefferson. There was a sympathy between his heart and the great popular heart, which nothing ever did, ever can, shake."
The Life of Thomas Jefferson by Henry S. Randall
Published in 1853 in three volumes this is a wonderful biography that includes first-hand interviews with those who knew Jefferson. "It would be unusual to converse half an hour on great political or social problems with an intelligent American—and particularly among the rural classes, who talk around their firesides of the Revolution, and of the august fathers of the Republic—without hearing some lofty thought or ringing phrase quoted from Jefferson. There was a sympathy between his heart and the great popular heart, which nothing ever did, ever can, shake."
Life of Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States, by James Parton, published in 1874.
Life of Thomas Jefferson, with selections from the most valuable portions of his voluminous and unrivalled private correspondence.
By B. L. Rayner and published in 1834. This full-length online biography, emphasizes the role of republican principles in Jefferson's life and thought. Contains excerpts from his writings as well as anecdotes taken from the writings of those who knew him.
Thomas Jefferson, A Brief Biography
Monticello's short biography of Jefferson with multiple links to various aspects of Jefferson's life.
Writings and Quotes
A Summary View of the Rights of British America
Written in 1774 and originally titled, "Draft of Instructions to the Virginia Delegates in the Continental Congress" this document was later published by Jefferson's friends, without his knowledge, as "A Summary View of the Rights of British America". It was an eloquent appeal to George III to redress the wrongs being done to the colonies. In this copy at the Library of Congress, Thomas Jefferson signed his name under the anonymous author and made corrections in his own hand.
The Jefferson Cyclopedia
"The Jeffersonian Cyclopedia is designed to be a complete classified arrangement of the Writings of Thomas Jefferson on Government Politics Law Education Commerce Agriculture Manufactures Navigation Finance Morals Religious Freedom and many other topics of permanent human interest."
Jefferson on Freedom of Religion
A complete copy of Jefferson's Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom in the State of Virginia, 18 June 1779 with annotation from the editors of The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, The Princeton University Press. http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-02-02-0132-0004-0082. The final version passed the Virignia Legislature ten years later as The Act For Establishing Religious Freedom.
Letter from the Danbury Baptist Association and Jefferson's famous reply that includes the frequently quoted phrase, "wall of separation between Church and State". A note from the editors of The Papers of Thomas Jefferson with detailed explanations can be found here.
The Jefferson Bible
Thomas Jefferson believed that the ethical system of Jesus was the finest the world has ever seen. In compiling what has come to be called "The Jefferson Bible," he sought to separate these ethical teachings from the religious dogma and other supernatural elements that are intermixed in the account provided in the four Gospels.
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson
This is the Memorial Edition of Jefferson's writings in 19 volumes, edited by Albert Ellery Bergh. It is made available by The Constitution Society.
The Thomas Jefferson Papers, Library of Congress
Consisting of approximately 27,000 documents, this is the largest collection of original Jefferson documents in the world. Most of them are in Jefferson's own hand with transcripts available for some.
Thomas Jefferson: A Resource Guide, Library of Congress
"This resource guide compiles links to digital materials related to Jefferson such as letters, broadsides, government documents, books, and images that are available throughout the Library of Congress Web site. In addition, it provides links to external Web sites focusing on Jefferson and a bibliography containing selected works for both general and younger readers. Created by Kenneth Drexler and Jurretta Jordan Heckscher, Digital Reference Specialists"
Founders Online
Contains the writings of six of the Founding Fathers in over 150,000 searchable documents with annotations. The project is ongoing but currently there are 22,854 documents associated with Thomas Jefferson.
University of Virginia, Jefferson Online Resources
This contains hundreds of letters to and from Jefferson, some manuscript images, bibliographies, and other resources related to Jefferson's writings.
Online Library of Liberty
This site contains The Works of Thomas Jefferson edited by Paul Leicester Ford in twelve, easily searchable volumes.
A letter written by Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis outlining his orders and the objectives for the voyage of discovery.
Thomas Jefferson's account of the circumstances leading to the Declaration of Independence. Also features historical documents, biographical sketches of the 56 signers, and essays about the causes and circumstances of the American Revolution.
Yale's Jefferson Papers Page
Contains the Autobiography, Notes on the State of Virginia , Annual Messages, Inaugural Addresses, Indian Addresses, and a selection from the Miscellaneous Papers and Letters.
Early American and Jeffersonian Views
Institute for American Liberty
This site contains several essays and important documents related to the fundamentals of liberty, including selected quotes from Algernon Sidney's "Discourses Concerning Government" and Washington's Farewell Address. Emphasizes the religious assumptions that support liberty.
Primary Source Documents Pertaining to Early American History
An invaluable collection of historical works that contributed to the formation of American politics, culture, and ideals. This is a massive collection of the literature and documents that were most relevant to the colonists' lives in America.
The Declaration of Independence: Drafting the Documents
This fascinating presentation by the Library of Congress exhibits a large number of documents related to Jefferson's writing of the Declaration, including a transcript of his original rough draft.
The Early America Review
Actually a major division of Archiving Early America, this is a journal of fact and opinion focusing on the people, issues and events of Colonial America, the Revolutionary War and the beginning years of the new Republic.
Bill Barker
The Jefferson interpreter extraordinaire, Bill Barker is the same height and weight as Mr. Jefferson and bears an uncanny resemblance to the great man. His portrayal of Jefferson is so genuine that you will feel as if you are engaged in a conversation with Thomas Jefferson himself.


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Blichmann's TopTier Stand is a modular stand that can be customized to suit your needs with different shelving, and brackets/shelves for mounting your chiller, pump or burner however you want. It's the ultimate in flexibility and versatility for homebrewers, and you can even automate your brewing process by adding a Tower of Power Control Module to your TopTier Stand.
Blichmann TopTier Brew Stand$529.99


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By December, most stream ecologists in the northern U.S. have hung up their waders and retreated to their labs and offices, ready to spend the winter analyzing samples and writing reports after the end of another successful field season.
Most, but not all.
"I actually enjoyed going out to the streams in the winter, it was awesome seeing them change as the seasons changed," Robert Mooney, a graduate student at University of Wisconsin La Crosse and lead author of a paper published this month in Freshwater Science, told me via email.
Mooney doesn't mind the cold – he grew up in Wisconsin, where his interest in streams began with fishing and tying flies. Some of those flies would have been patterned after the adult forms of the aquatic macroinvertebrates that Mooney would go on to study in graduate school.
He and his co-authors investigated whether or not the excretions of Glossosoma intermedium – a caddisfly that builds a mobile, shell-like case for itself from tiny rocks and grains of sand that it finds on the streambed during its larval stage, when it lives underwater – could be supplying additional nutrients to the periphyton, or algae, that grows on the insects' cases. In other words, they wondered if caddisfly poop could be fertilizing the periphyton.
They sampled streams in southwestern Wisconsin between November 2010 and February 2011, when densities of the caddisfly larvae were high, a period when average monthly air temperatures ranged from 14 to 37 degrees Fahrenheit in nearby La Crosse, Wis.
Mooney and his co-authors found that the larvae did seem to be fertilizing the periphyton on their cases in streams where the ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus was particularly high (a condition that suggests algae growth may be limited by a lack of phosphorus). In those streams, periphyton that grew on caddisfly cases was enriched relative to algae sampled from the streambed.
The nutrient-rich algae on their cases appeared to be an important food source for the caddisfly larvae – an analysis of their bodily nutrients matched the periphyton from the cases, but not the streambed, in the streams with the highest nitrogen to phosphorus ratios. (In the other stream, the periphyton from the cases and the streambed was too similar to distinguish which was the likely food source for the caddisflies.)
Other aquatic insects likely take part in the caddisfly case periphyton buffet, too. "I actually have observed other invertebrates living on the caddisfly cases," Mooney said in an email, "and I would hypothesize that other invertebrates that feed on periphyton would utilize the case periphyton as a beneficial resource."
Mooney stressed that this caddisfly, though only a single species, has an outsized effect on the ecosystem in which it lives. "Glossosoma intermedium is a keystone species in the streams [it] inhabit[s] and [is] sensitive to environmental changes. Possible declines in water quality could potentially reduce G. intermedium populations, removing the nutrient-rich periphyton resource."
Sampling streams in the winter isn't easy, but for Mooney and his colleagues, it was worth it to keep their waders out for a little bit longer as they explored the nutrient dynamics of Glossosoma intermedium, their poop, and the algae on their cases.


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Liverpool have a reputation for bringing through young talent into the first team and the Europa league has been used as a chance to give these stars of the future a run in the side.
Raheem Sterling has already made a huge impact in the Premier League and Brendan Rodgers is hoping some of Anfield's other wonderkids will follow in his footsteps.
With Liverpool's squad currently a bit thin, we look at the clubs top ten academy starlets, who may find themselves being fast-tracked into the first team this season.
Comments are closed on this article.


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Home/Chocolate Molds/Christmas
Father Christmas
Manufacturer: Eppelsheimer – USA
Circa: Prior World War II
Mold Number: 6347
Shipping Cost: * International buyers please email us at email@example.com for shipping costs
In stock
This antique chocolate mold of Father Christmas has wonderful detail seen in his beard and fur trimmed coat. The mold was made by Eppelsheimer, New York marked with the manufactures' mark and number. This well marked piece is not suitable for molding chocolate.


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by Ben Fardon
Black Friday at Proud Lion!
Open from 10am - 7:30pm
This Friday 28th November, Proud Lion is offering you 20% off almost everything in store (exceptions apply).
We'll be open from 10am - 7:30pm, giving you plenty of time to get in and take advantage of this one-day-only offer. It applies to anything on the shelves, including our fabulous range onboard games, graphic novels and comic books, plus any customer orders placed and paid for in full on Black Friday.
It does not apply to back issues, reduced items and any uncollected orders (including Reservation Service folders), though you can happily mix uncollected orders at full price, with new items chosen from the shelves which will receive 20% off at the till point.
Stay tuned for details of our additional Cyber Monday offer on our webstore...
Black Friday Open Gaming from 4pm - 7:30pm
In addition to our day-long special offer, Rae will be in store from 4pm with a selection of games, including King of New York, Cash 'N Guns and Munchkin for you to come on down and play, along with a few of our favourite small games as well.
Full details can be found on the Facebook event.
Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Dungeon Master's Guide out tomorrow!
Not only is it Black Friday, but we also have the Early Release of the eagerly anticipated Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition Dungeon Master's Guide tomorrow.
All copies of the DMG bought tomorrow - including pre-ordered copies - will receive the full Black Friday discount, bringing the book down to £24 for one day only.
Don't forget we'll be open until 7:30pm, so you have plenty of opportunity to pop down and save some money!
Please note, once this initial shipment sells out we won't receive anymore until December 9th.
Ben Fardon is thankful for the new heating!


text: What follows is a constantly rotating series of pictures created by children in our art therapy program. Most was created in Israel, some in the US. Some are beautiful and show the resilience of our people. Others are more frightening and show the scars of war. All tell the story of the need to heal our young.


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Ideal for men of all ages, our range of men's sweaters and pullovers from leading countrywear brands like Toggi, Noble, Viyella, Musto and HV Polo will help you look smart and stylish whatever the setting.
With V-neck, crewneck and pullover styles all readily available in a wide variety of colors, there is something to suit all occasions. Pair yours with a favourite pair of chinos for a casual look or team with jeans and a country shirt for when you need to dress smarter.
Our selection of men's sweaters and pullovers have all been chosen from manufacturers that use only the finest materials to leave you with a durable and versatile product that will stand the test of time.


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Travolta buys luxury planeSeptember 25th, 2011 - 5:46 am ICT by IANS
London, Sep 25 (IANS) Actor John Travolta has purchased a new luxury plane to fly his family around the globe.
The "Pulp Fiction" star, who is a certified pilot, has bought Bombardier Challenger 601 jet after being named the aircraft manufacturer's new brand ambassador, reports dailystar.co.uk.
The 57-year-old actor plans to use his private plane to whisk his wife Kelly Preston and their children, 11-year-old daughter Ella, and nine-month-old son Benjamin, away with him on his travels.
Fortunately, my family loves travelling. Whenever I say, 'I have to go to Australia or Paris,' they say, 'When are we going?," he said.
"I just love being in the air. It has been my family time. I've enjoyed that," he added.
- Kelly Preston And John Travolta Welcome Baby Boy - Nov 25, 2010
- Travolta visits gay tourist hub? - Jul 19, 2012
- Wife's pregnancy a miracle, says Travolta - Jun 04, 2010
- I am smitten with my family: Travolta - May 13, 2011
- Scientology helped me deal with son's death: John Travolta - Jan 29, 2010
- John Travolta overwhelmed with street honour in hometown - Nov 23, 2009
- John Travolta and wife Kelly to name baby boy 'Benjamin' - Nov 08, 2010
- John Travolta, wife Kelly Preston expecting new baby - May 19, 2010
- John Travolta honoured at Mumbai event - Sep 27, 2010
- Kelly Preston loves nursing - Apr 23, 2012
- Kelly Preston And John Travolta Welcome The Newest Member In Their Family - Nov 24, 2010
- John Travolta can't wait to meet son - Nov 13, 2010
- John Travolta welcomes third child - Nov 24, 2010
- Kelly Preston And John Travolta Are Blessed With A Chubby Baby Boy - Nov 25, 2010
- John Travolta loves making songs for his son - Jan 25, 2011
Tags: actor john travolta, aircraft manufacturer, ambassador, australia, challenger 601, family time, fly, globe, john travolta, kelly preston, london, paris, pilot, private plane, pulp fiction, son benjamin, travels, wife kelly


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Thread support
Developer Tip: Thread support
Thread support
The Lowdown on Threads
Do you understand all you need to know about threads and the COM+ object model? This tip, excerpted from InformIT, discusses the new threading models for COM+.
Threads are a sequence of execution steps within a component. Individual components can support one or more execution points operating simultaneously. Such components are known as multi-threaded components. Before Windows 2000, components could support either the single-threaded apartment (STA) model or the multi-threaded apartment (MTA) model. With the advent of Windows 2000 and COM+, components can now support the thread-neutral apartment (TNA). TNA components are essential to tapping the full feature set of COM+ because they eliminate many of the drawbacks of STA and MTA components.
STA components are confined to executing on just a single thread. This is problematic because it can result in deadlock situations in which a process holds the only available thread to a component, thus blocking other processes. MTA components solve the problem of a single thread by allowing multiple threads to operate within a given component. The problem with STA and MTA components, however, is that they suffer from restrictions on just which threads are allowed to run in the component. TNA components solve this problem by supporting any available thread at any time.
In all large applications, proper thread management is critical to scalability and performance. Regardless of the threading model in use, COM+ provides the underlying support to manage threads for your components. This means that STA, MTA, and TNA components all work with COM+; however, the choice of threading model can negatively affect other COM+ features.
The most significant consequence of using Visual Basic for COM+ development is that Visual Basic 6.0 doesn't support the thread-neutral apartment model. Visual Basic components support only the STA model. Microsoft has indicated that Visual Basic will support the TNA model under version 7.0.
To read more about COM+, click over to InformIT. You have to register, but registration is free.


text: M.A. History – Stands for Master of Arts in History. Typically, a M.A. (History) is a two year course, minimum eligibility for which is graduation in any discipline. History is the study of mankind's past. Subjects usually studied under this degree are History of India, Ancient History, Medieval History, Economical History, Social Structures Through the Ages, World History, Historiography etc.


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Update 11/22: WASHINGTON -- President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday named longtime spokesman Robert Gibbs as White House press secretary and reached outside his inner circle for the post of White House communications director.
The director of communications will be Ellen Moran, the current executive director of the Washington group EMILY's List, an active supporter of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton during the Democratic presidential primary. Moran will join a team of longtime close advisers who will work closely with Obama on a daily basis.
Obama's choice of Moran was a surprise compared to Gibbs, who went to work for Obama's Senate campaign in 2004 and was communications director while Obama was in the Senate. Moran's deputy in the White House will be Dan Pfeiffer, currently the communications director for Obama's presidential transition team.
"These individuals will fill essential roles, and bring a breadth and depth of experience that can help our administration advance prosperity and security for the American people," Obama said in a statement. "This dedicated and impressive group of public servants includes longtime advisers and a talented new addition to our team, and together we will work to serve our country and meet the challenges of this defining moment in history."
Moran will head the team in charge of getting Obama's message out. As the head of EMILY's, which backs Democratic female candidates who support abortion rights, Moran has said Obama would have to work hard to win over women supporters who felt let down after Clinton's historic presidential bid fell short.
"This was the longest primary campaign in the history of the Democratic party," Moran told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in August. "Given the closeness of the outcome, the length of the race and the loyalty supporters felt to their candidates _ when you have that level of investment, yes, you're going to have disappointment when you're on the losing side."
After Obama secured the Democratic nomination, EMILY's quickly moved to back his candidacy and Moran criticized GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin as being out of step with issues that most concern women.
Moran has worked for the AFL-CIO, where she coordinated worker oversight of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which has been criticized for stifling union activity and abusing wage and hour rules. Her political experience includes planning both inaugurals for President Bill Clinton, and she has managed campaigns for governor, the U.S. Senate and House. She worked on the national campaign staff of Tom Harkin's 1992 presidential campaign.
Gibbs, 37, was born in Auburn, Ala., where his parents, Robert and Nancy, worked for Auburn University. In 1989, he graduated from Auburn High School and headed to North Carolina State University to major in political science.
Gibbs worked for several Southern Democrats and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee before heading to Chicago to work in Obama's U.S. Senate campaign in 2004.
Pfeiffer helped manage the press operation on the Obama campaign. Prior to that, Pfeiffer worked as Sen. Evan Bayh's communications director and Sen. Tom Daschle's deputy campaign manager in 2004. He has also worked for the Democratic Governors Association and the Gore-Lieberman campaign.
* * * * *
WASHINGTON -- Two of the top qualities Robert Gibbs brings to the job of White House press secretary aren't found on his resume: He won't flinch at telling it like it is to the next president or telling it like he thinks it ought to be to the media.
Gibbs has been at the side of President-elect Barack Obama since his Senate campaign in 2004. A Southerner and tough fighter, Gibbs has been a passionate defender of Obama who can virtually channel the Illinois senator's thoughts.
"I look forward to serving both the president-elect as he works to get our economy moving again and the press to get what they need to cover that and other important stories," Gibbs told The Associated Press on Saturday.
During the presidential campaign, Gibbs, 37, served as communications director and was among the few who could frankly tell Obama what needed to improve.
He didn't hesitate to tell the media when he thought they got it wrong, either. He fiercely guarded Obama's image.
One critic called Gibbs "the bland face of brazenness" when he said Obama's decision to resign from his church amid the controversy over the Rev. Jeremiah Wright was "a deeply personal decision, not a political decision."
Others were surprised when he called Fox News' Bill O'Reilly a "bully" and asked Sean Hannity, "Are you anti-Semitic?" in response to the TV commentator's questions about Obama's relationship to William Ayers, a 1960s radical.
A former roommate who worked with Gibbs on Capitol Hill said Gibbs has been a successful press secretary because he combines top-notch political skills with a quick wit.
"That's the reason the Washington press corps is going to relate well to him," the roommate, Shar Hendrick, told the AP recently.
Gibbs was born in Auburn, Ala., where his parents worked for Auburn University. His mother, Nancy Gibbs, was active in the League of Women Voters and would take her son with her to polling places and the local courthouse. Political discussions around the dinner table were often lively.
Gibbs majored in political science at North Carolina State University, and got his start in politics in 1991 as an intern for former Rep. Glen Browder, D-Ala. Gibbs' wife, Mary Catherine Gibbs, is an attorney in Alexandria, Va. They have one son.
Browder recently told AP that he quickly realized Gibbs was not just another college student looking to spend a few months in Washington. Gibbs' ability to make a quick study of complicated issues convinced the congressman to give him a permanent job.
"Robert had a special quality even back then," Browder said. "In retrospect, it was clear Robert was destined to make his mark."
After Browder's unsuccessful Senate campaign in 1996, Gibbs worked for several Southern Democrats and for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. In 2004, he headed to Chicago to work in Obama's Senate campaign.
Obama's speech to the Democratic National Convention that year sent his fame and popularity skyrocketing. Afterwards, Gibbs frequently told reporters and political associates that he and others around Obama kept expecting the popularity to ebb, but it never did.
Gibbs was constantly with Obama over the next two years as he began laying the groundwork for a presidential bid. He was among the first to recognize the political phenomenon Obama had become, and the need to adapt and capitalize on the surging crowds he was drawing.
* * * * *
In October, Gibbs confronted Sean Hannity over an anti-Semitic guest. Read more about Robert Gibbs. Read about Obama's cabinet.
Bonus: Here's a picture of Obama fist bumping with five-year-old Ethan Gibbs, Robert's son. From the Boston Globe.
Politico first reported on the Robert Gibbs choice earlier in November.


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Growing up, I spent a lot of time in churches. I'm what they call a PK (Priest's Kid), but before that, I was a PAK (Parish Administrator's Kid). My mom folded and stapled service programs and bought bulk coffee and butter cookies at Costco. Among her many thankless tasks was one that absolutely thrilled me. Each week, she stocked the Sunday School rooms with art supplies: big jars of cheap, roughly cut glitter and tempera paint, and bushels of popsicle sticks. Before, during, and after church services, I would sit in a dim meeting room and use these supplies as if they were my own–something my mom probably disapproved of, but never mentioned. My favorite things to create were jewelry boxes. I would arrange popsicle sticks log-cabin style, tack them together with white glue, and douse the whole thing in rubber cement and sequins. Sometimes there would be feathers. If you tried to keep an actual necklace in it, your hand would be spackled with glitter when you retrieved it. Nevertheless, my mom accepted no fewer than 10 of my creations, and never made me give up my habit to actually attend Sunday School. Thanks, Mom!
-Raleigh is the author of Make Your Place: Affordable, Sustainable Nesting Skills and host of DIY sustainability workshops in Seattle and Portland.


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"We do not know if this act of vandalism was done in reference to our organization. Whether or not this is true, Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth (AE911Truth) condemns and deplores the defacing of this priceless work of art and all public and private property. Our code of conduct requires all of our volunteers to abide by the laws, rules, and regulations of society."
"We are leaning towards hospitalising her immediately in a psychiatric facility given that the psychiatrist appointed by the prosecutors concluded that she is not criminally responsible."
"I wanted to bring the art absolutely up to date, to retrieve it from art history and give it life."
"Is this a person who acted under the influence of some kind of frenzy or is it some kind of demand? We are waiting until we are able to find out a little more about this person,"


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"Assassination? That's Our Game!"
ORLANDO LETELIER and his bombed car. Murdering diplomats in Washington has been done before.
AMERICA and Iran appeared a step nearer war yesterday with the US government claiming to have evidence the Iranian government was behind a plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in Washington.
Describing a "murder-for-hire" plot involving two Iranians and a Mexican drugs cartel, US attorney-general Eric Holder said the Saudi ambassador and scores of others would have been killed in a bombing at a Washington restaurant.
The attorney-general said Iran would be "held to account" over what he described as a flagrant abuse of international law. Tne US Treasury department immediately imposed sanctions against five individuals allegedly linked to the plot.
The Iranian government said it was "outraged" over the allegations, and that the US was expert at making false claims. "This is a fabrication," said a spokesman for Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The bomb plot accusation comes as Saudi forces have been putting down demonstrations for civil rights in their eastern provinces, and blaming the unrest on encouragement from Iran. In neighbouring Bahrain, following the suppression of democratic opposition with the help of Saudi tanks, the authorities have sentenced doctors to long terms in prison for treating injured protesters.
In the United States itself the Obama adminsitration is seeing the streets and headlines taken from the right-wing "Tea Party" by an unprecedentedly wide movement across the country supporting the populist and anti-capitalist call to "Occupy Wall Street" and end the bankers' power.
Meanwhile in Israel, amid relief that the Netanyahu government had finally negotiated the release of captured soldier Gilad Shalit in return for Palestinian prisoners, after years when it preferred making war, there were suggestions from seasoned critics that Netanyahu was clearing the decks for the big one - preparing for war with Iran.
It has been said before that Israel would need permission for its planes to cross Saudi airspace for this, and though there were reports this had been obtained, the Saudi regime might find it easier if they had a pretext.
The basis for the Iranian bomb plot story is that two men, one an an American-Iranian, Manssor Arbabsiar, 56, and Gholam Shakuri, an Iranian, have been charged in New York with the alleged plot to pay a Mexican drug cartel to help assassinate Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi ambassador and close confidante of the Saudi king. According to the US justice department, the aim was to bomb a restaurant in Washington frequented by Jubeir with the possibility of a hundred or more bystanders being killed in the explosion. US officials said the Iranians put a $1.5m price tag on the assassination.
The White House said Obama called Jubeir today to express solidarity between the US and Saudi Arabia in the face of "a flagrant violation of US and international law". Meanwhile US officials said the bomb plot could have been written as a Hollywood script.
Maybe it was.
As with previous US accusations linking the Tehran government to bombings in Argentina, the precise motivation of the alleged conspracy has not yet been made clear. It is true that the Iranian and Saudi regimes, one Shi'ite and the other Sunni, are rivals, waging a stealthy war by proxy for supremacy in the Muslim world, and particularly via the upeavals in the Middle East. It is also true that the Iranian regime has engaged in terror against its political opponents. Iranian and Kurdish exiles abroad, - and got away with it - before.
Whatever the truth about the present story, however. for America to get on its high horse and display moral outrage over an assassination plot will cause wry amusement to anyone who knows the global record of the CIA.
The US government and its agencies have also not been too concerned about killing innocent bystanders in the bombings they have carried out or supported - including some in Iran.
As for the killing of a diplomat in Washington, the alleged plot against the Saudi ambassador would not be the first time something like this was done. Last month saw the 35th anniversary of one such murder, that of former Chilean ambassador Orlando Letelier.
Letelier, a Chilean Socialist and oppoment of the right-wing dictator General Augusto Pinochet was killed by a car bomb explosion on September 21, 1976, in Sheridan Circle, along with his US assistant, Ronni Moffitt. Her husband Michael Moffitt was injured but survived.
Several people were later convicted for this murder. Among them was a former CIA man Michael Townley, who served five years in prison but was freed under the Federal Witness Protection Program. General Manuel Contreras and Brigadier Pedro Espinoza of the Chilean DINA secret police were convicted in Chile in 1993. Townley said that General Pinochet gave the order for the attack; This was confirmed by General Contreras. But Pinochet, who died on December 10, 2006, was never brought to trial for the murders.
Following Pinochet's death the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), for which both Letelier and Moffitt worked, called for the release of all the classified documents related to the Letelier–Moffitt assassination. The Clinton administration de-classified more than 16,000 documents related to Chile, but withheld documents related to the Letelier-Moffitt assassination in Washington on the grounds that they were associated with an ongoing investigation. If there was an investigation, the Bush administration cancelled it.
The US administration is plainly not as concerned about offending Ahmadinejad as it was about upsetting the CIA protege Pinochet. For his part, Ahmadinejad, faced with continued political and social unrest at home, has been happy to play the bogeyman for Western imperialists, and democrats, so he can rely on tension and threats coming from abroad. But this time the game may be getting out of his hands.
Unlike the days when it placated Pinochet, the US is calling on its allies to help isolate Iran. This might be a substitute for waging war, as we are told, or it might be a preparation for it.
Labels: America, Iran, Middle East, Police and terror


text:
This is a joint statement from Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck:
After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce. We go forward with love and friendship for one another and a commitment to co-parenting our children whose privacy we ask to be respected during this difficult time.
This will be our only comment on this private, family matter.
Thank you for understanding.


text:
WorldCom: The Accounting Scandal
Publication Date: August 2002
Publisher(s): Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Topic: Business (Accounting)
Media, telecommunications, and information (Telecommunications)
On June 25, 2002, WorldCom, the Nation's second largest long distance telecommunications company, announced that it had overstated earnings in 2001 and the first quarter of 2002 by more than $3.8 billion. The announcement stunned financial analysts and, coming on top of accounting problems at other corporations, had a noticeable effect on the financial markets. The accounting maneuver responsible for the overstatement classifying payments for using other companies' communications networks as capital expenditures was characterized by the press as scandalous, and it was immediately asked why Arthur Andersen, the company's outside auditor at the time, had not detected it. WorldCom filed for bankruptcy protection on July 21st. On August 8th, the company announced that it had also manipulated its reserve accounts in recent years, affecting an additional $3.8 billion.
Response in Washington was swift. On June 26th, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged the company with massive accounting fraud and quickly obtained court order barring the company from destroying financial records, limiting its payments to past and current executives, and requiring an independent monitor. Hearings were held by the House Committee on Financial Services on July 8th and by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on July 30th. Several company officials have been indicted.
The fundamental economic problem confronting WorldCom is the vast oversupply in the Nation's telecommunications capacity, a byproduct of overly optimistic projections of Internet growth. WorldCom and other telecommunications firms faced reduced demand as the dotcom boom ended and the economy entered recession. Their revenues have fallen short of expectations, while the debt they took on to finance expansion remains high. As the stock market value of these firms has plunged, corporate management has had a powerful incentive to engage in accounting practices that conceal bad news.


text:
We even got Suzi's problem middle child to take our picture together!! Funny how the two moms can almost never be seen together in photos. We are always the people with the camera and it's nice to get some proof of our existence sometimes.
So I can't quite figure out what I am holding in my hand but apparently my finger require grasping something. Maybe a spoon or flower. I don't know.
I sure can't jump like I used to when I played college volley ball. Not that had great leaping abilities to begin with. But sadly I see I am rather earth bound here. I can say that I tried.
Now with this photo I am apparently flying or trying to get my arms to help me jump higher. Whatever. I can see that I only get about one inch off the ground.
Get your own apron on and do something inspiring or insane. You are totally aloud to as an Apron Goddess!


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Students and parents alike look forward to the Summer months.
For the kids, it's a welcome release from school and the same desk for eight hours a day, but for parents, this is a time for summer camps and for the house to be a bit quieter.
Educators at the University of Central Arkansas saw a need for a student summer camp that enriched the lives of students but offered a fun and exciting approach. The UCA Challenge was designed to address these concerns.
Lisa Herrington, director, begins planning the program in January by contacted all past instructors. These instructors are fully involved in the programs' creations and use the resources at their disposal and their expertise in a given field to design age-appropriate and fun lessons for throughout the week.
The camp focuses on science and hosts at least one chemistry-based class each year.
"There are different units each year, so each time a kid comes, it will be different every time," said Herrington, "The activities are designed by UCA faculty. They are experts and it is really great to see both the kids and the professors working together and learning."
There are four sections and students can choose three they wish to participate in throughout the week.
Dr. Barlaj Menon, a professor of physics and astronomy at UCA, taught the basics of electricity. Scattered throughout the classroom were little machines, which buzzed when you touched them.
"The kids built these from a kit, and with them are transmitting electric signals using Morse Code to communicate with each other. This activity is not only fun, but also it explains what is needed to create a circuit and how to use it," said Menon.
Each professor works with an assistant, who is certified in a certain area. These assistants have roles ranging from classroom management to experiment facilitators and they are just as excited to participate as the professors and children.
The summer camp was born from the Super Kids program, which brought kids who were entering the first, second, and third grade. Once students had made it to their final year parents and kids alike wanted more, and so, the UCA Challenge was created. Utilizing a grant awarded by the foundation, the camp began with a humble $2,600 and after the initial year, has been self-sufficient and tuition based for almost a decade.
"Professors use their resources from their UCA classrooms. The department has been very supportive not only with resources, but also offering up the rooms and supporting the programs endeavors to expand," said Herrington.
The program lasts one week beginning every day at 8:30 a.m., and it dismisses students at 2:30 p.m.
"Parents really like it because you don't have to park," Harrington said. "They drive up and we walk out get the kids and then they leave. In the afternoons we go up to the cars, find out who they are looking for then go get whoever they need. It's an easy process and in this heat, very convenient."
Herrington discussed that in the future she does not necessarily want to extend the time of the program, but hopes to expand the instructor base to be able to "host more kids at a time and provide high quality science education," said Herrington.
For more information on UCA Challenge, contact Lisa Herrington at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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#SMWNYC 2017 – in GIFs
I was lucky enough to spend the last week at The Times Center for Social Media Week NYC. This was my first ever social media conference and I've learned SO much, outside of just numbers and statistics to take back.
Being a SMW noobie, I wanted to round up my thoughts and experience on #SMWNYC. One of the things I learned was from Adam Leibsohn was that GIFs are the atomic unit of expression, emotion, information, entertainment – SIMULTANEOUSLY! So... LET'S DO THIS!
1. Seeing the schedule and trying to decide what talks to you want to go to.
I'm a serial planner. So as soon as those schedules were live, I was researching the speakers, the companies, the bios trying to figure out what was important to me and O M G – how do you pick?! There's so much knowledge to be spread, so much to be consumed.
2. Arriving at The Times Center on the first day
I. Have. Arrived.
I am amongst some of the brightest people who work in social media! SO EXCITED TO NETWORK AND LEARN ALL THE THINGS.
3. Realizing that you need to fight for a seat in the better talks
Okay, to be fair, I didn't have to fight anyone to get a seat. But those lines to get into the more popular talks – can we do a collective audible "UGHHHHHHHH"?!
4. Needing to sprint between Stage One and Stage Two
This goes back to number 3 a little bit. I've been to The Times Center before and knew that Stage one and Stage Two weren't exactly marathon distance from each other. However, what I did not know was the fact that people lined up about 10-15 minutes outside of each Stage prior to the more popular talks. Good thing my little legs can carry me pretty fast.
5. Wanting to network but everyone is busy on their multiple devices
I was also incredibly guilty of this during down time. And, yes, I know, it's incredibly stupid to be critical of people being on their devices at a SOCIAL MEDIA CONFERENCE but dammit I wanted to talk to people!
I have also realized, that while I always joke that I'm an "introverted extrovert," I've noticed that many people who work in social media are quite similar to me in this respect. We seem to like people on our own terms and on our time.
6. Trying to Tweet, take pictures, pay attention, take notes at the same time
I consider myself a pretty good multi-tasker. Yes, I am also well aware that there have been multiple studies citing that be able to multi-task may not actually be a good (or healthy) thing. But DAMMIT THIS IS WHO I AM AS A PERSON! And if I don't at least try to write down everything important, Tweet it with the right handles in the Tweet while still making sure the image and text fit within the 140 character limit, am I actually a good social media marketer?
7. Getting interviewed for the Why I Social Podcast
Yes, it's true. Little ol' me got interviewed by Chris for his Why I Social Podcast! You can find the episode here.
Big thanks to @aszolty, @RisaXu and @apdolan for chatting with me on the #SMWNYC edition of the podcast https://t.co/gSnGBhu6pX— Why I Social Podcast (@WhyISocial) March 3, 2017
8. When the Speakers keep dropping knowledge bombs
Did you know that social media changes every 3 to 6 months, if not quicker than that? Or that a piece of Trump content gains as much engagement as Kardashian content a year ago? Or that visual imprints in long-term memory?
Regardless of whether or not you work in the social media industry, some of the stats and information that was shared at #SMWNYC was fascinating and really explains how the world around us is changing.
9. Trying to consolidate all the information from 4 days worth of talks into consumable, digestible, snackable bites
As of right now, I have about 30 pages worth of typed notes. I'm sure no one wants to read EVERYTHING on EVERY page. How do I pick what's important? Is this actually important to me or important to the brand I'm presenting to? But this fact is fascinating so no one will care if it's relevant right? Or will they?! AHHHH!
10. When you realize it's the last day of #SMWNYC
Super, mega sad face. Where else in the world am I able to hear people like Stranger Things' David Harbour or the National Geographic team speak about social media? And where else has it ever been acceptable to hear the clickity-clack of keyboards while someone is speaking? Or having 2 iPhones, a laptop AND a notebook is acceptable? I felt like I finally found my people and now I have to say goodbye. :(
Up-side: There's always next year! And I've learned that I should use Twitter to my advantage to network, not just locally but everywhere, with social media peeps.
I'm so happy and thankful to have been able to attend social media week this year! The down side of the is, well, I obviously need to come back next year. I've also been inspired to start blogging more about social media here. Yes, I know: it's a stretch from fashion, fitness or even Disney but someone I Twitter-met this past week has inspired me to start blogging about my perspective – being that, not only do I manage social media for myself and market my own brand, but I also help brands do the same. So I have a bit of insight to both sides: influencer and brand.
Needless to say, I had an amazing time at Social Media Week and I hope to be back again! And if you haven't clicked on the Why I Social link to the podcast, here it is again, yenno, just in case. 😉


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back to
Grade 6+
Living the Life of a Velociraptor
by: Jaimee H., Grade: 6+
I woke early in the morning while my fellow Velociraptors slept. In the distance I heard the T.Rex growling. She has built her nest close to our pack. We might have to move because she is edging closer to our territory,she might chase us away. The rest of the pack is awake now and ready to patrol our area. Slasher our leader and my mate called everyone to patrol. While we were patroling the rex caught sight of us near her territory. She got angry and chased us. Slasher tried to fight but ended up with a sprained wrist. The rex chased us out of our territory now we had to travel to find a new home. We traveled for two days until we found an empty valley with a small lake where a heard of Parasaurolophus lived. We were very hungry after marking our territory. Slasher couldn't hunt because of his wrist so I took his place in the hunting group. We took down an old Parasaurolophus and brought it back to the pack. We all ate well and when the sun went down I curled up with Slasher under a tree and tended to his wounded wrist,I knew it would get better soon. Then we fell into a sound sleep under the stars dreaming of tomorrow.
back to
Grade 6+


text:
High School Sports
One of nation's top basketball recruits resides in Spartanburg, says Coach K offered scholarship
Duke's Zion Williamson: A dunking monster
2018 recruit @ZionW32 is definitely ready for basketball season! #NBATipOff #WheelsUp— MaxPreps (@MaxPreps) October 25, 2016
✈ https://t.co/wviG0A1gOs pic.twitter.com/u4EcGjNNuK
One of the nation's best high school basketball players lives about an hour outside Charlotte
Spartanburg Day School junior Zion Williamson is a 6-foot-6, 230-pound small forward who is ranked as high as No. 2 nationally in the recruiting class of 2018.
"Oh man, he can do it all," said recruiting analyst Rick Lewis of Phenom Hoop Report, which tracks players in North and South Carolina. "He's got a tremendous body. He has size, athleticism and an advanced skill set. He's just a special player at the highest level. He's the type of player you'll probably see in the NBA one day."
Williams received his first scholarship offer from hometown Wofford at the end of his freshman year. Back then, Williamson was a 6-3, 175-pound guard. Today, after a 3-inch growth spurt, he has 36 offers, including from elite programs such as Duke, Kansas and North Carolina.
Thanks for coach K and Duke basketball for coming to visit pic.twitter.com/4PJD39Lp2L— Zion Williamson (@ZionW32) September 23, 2016
Thanks for stopping by @UNC_Basketball pic.twitter.com/DMDZ5bigYY— Zion Williamson (@ZionW32) September 10, 2016
Williamson's stock rose after leading Spartanburg Day to the S.C. Independent Schools 2A state championship last February. He scored 32 points in an 80-57 win against Bethesda (Ga.) Academy. At the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions last spring in Georgia, Williamson caught an alley-oop pass, then delivered a dunk over an opponent that drew nearly 100,000 views on YouTube.
He followed those performances by winning co-MVP at the National Basketball Players Association developmental camp for some of the nation's top players. Williamson added MVP of the Under Armour Elite 24 national all-star game in New York. While there, he also won the dunk contest.
"He had a fabulous, fabulous spring and summer," said ESPN national recruiting analyst Paul Biancardi, who lives in Charlotte. "We put him at No. 10 (nationally) in the spring and No. 3 now. When you look at the best players in the class, when it comes to potential and productivity, dominating performances, (6-11 Arizona power foward) Marvin Bagley still holds that top spot.
"It's going to take a monumental effort to knock him down, but Zion's right there knocking on the door."
Williamson, who won't turn 17 until July, was born in Salisbury. His father, Lateef Williamson, was a 6-4, 270-pound defensive lineman who committed to N.C. State in 1993. Lateef Williamson was a high school All-American at Darlington (S.C.) High and picked the Wolfpack over Penn State, South Carolina and North Carolina. Zion Williamson's mother, Sharonda Sampson, ran track at Livingstone College in Salisbury.
Sampson said her son has always been talented in basketball, but things changed dramatically with the growth spurt after ninth grade.
"Sometimes it doesn't dawn on you as parents," said Sampson, who is married to former Clemson basketball player Lee Anderson. "But all the time, when he was growing up playing, he stood out among his peers. When you have elderly people come to watch and they don't know who you are, and they're saying this boy will be special and we'll see him on TV, you start to think there may be something to this."
Sampson, a middle school health teacher in Greenville, moved her family to South Carolina from Salisbury shortly after her mother died in 2002. She enrolled Zion in Spartanburg Day two years ago, just before his freshman year. When he fell and broke his wrist during a game as a freshman, doctors told the family to be careful about his return. X-rays showed that Williamson's growth plate was open and he could grow another 5 inches.
Sure enough, Zion started growing. But as the height and size came, and the basketball attention increased, Sampson said her son never changed.
"Zion is really a homebody,' she said. "Most teenagers are interested in getting in a car and hanging with friends, but if he's not playing, he wants to hang in his room and play video games and watch Netflix."
Williamson said he grew up playing guard and working on ball handling and shooting. But soon after turning 15, his back and knees became painful because of the growth spurt, he said.
"Once the pain went away," Williamson said, "I picked up all this newfound athleticism. I don't know where it came from. I just accepted it. Now, I had my ball handling and size, and the power forwards and small forwards who tried to guard me, I could fly by them. It's like a mismatch problem for me."
After displaying guard skills in a big man's body, college coaches started contacting him. One call that surprised him came from Duke's Mike Krzyzewski in August.
His mother was preparing dinner and Williamson was on the couch watching television when his cell phone rang. He walked into his bedroom with his phone and was there for about 20 minutes.
"I asked him, 'Boy, what are you doing?' " Sampson said. "He's like, 'I'm talking to Coach K! I can't even contain myself. It's Coach K!' "
Said Williamson: "He had been at the Olympics all summer (coaching the U.S. men's team) and he said he heard so much about me from (his college assistants). And he went on to say how he was going to start recruiting me and how he saw film of me and really loved it.
"He offered me a scholarship, and the final thing he said before he hung up was that he's trying to build a family-type relationship with me."
There figures to be many more calls and visits for Williamson, who averaged 28 points and 10 rebounds as a sophomore. He said all the schools that have offered him are in play, and that he's not rushing a college decision.
"I'm looking to be a college guy," he said. "I want to stay two or three years. But every coach I talk to says I'm a one-and-done player (good enough to turn professional after one year of college). If that opportunity presents itself, I'll take that opportunity.
"But as a 16-year-old, it's a lot to take in. But if I get this attention now and keep working hard, I wonder what the future holds for me. But right now, when I look to the future, I don't look far. I'm looking to help my team win another state championship. Let's start there."
Wertz: 704-358-5133; Twitter: @langstonwertzjr
Williamson's Career Stats
Freshman Year
24.4 points per game
9.4 rebounds per game
2.8 assists per game
Sophomore Year
28.3 points per game
10.4 rebounds per game
2.5 assists per game
Williamson's National Rankings
247Sports: No. 2 in class of 2018
ESPN: No. 3 in class of 2018
Scout: No. 2 in class of 2018


text:
You are gliding through spherical landscapes of breathtaking beauty. In deep identification with the girl on the dragon you want to go further up, knowing that if you press the dragon too hard, you will lose height.
In a joyful atmosphere you are exploring the world around you, all the time watching – aware of a lift with another whirlwind or creature that will bring you further up – or the possibility to initiate a wind that can bring you nearer to the golden ray of light from above.
Go with Pi and her dragon-friend on a fabulous adventure in a strange sphere of mirages, aerial ropeways, moving plants and islands floating in the air. In the playful mood of exploration solve the puzzles in the flow of gliding/soaring and bring the potted plant from her rucksack to the Glittering Garden of Lushness.
Game Director:Randi Kjær Jensen
Game Designer: Jesper Larsen
Project Manager: Martin Backlund Rasmussen
Art director: Mathias Severin
Lead game programmer: Rune Rørdam Holm
Game programmer: Tommy Jensen
Game programmer: Thomas Justesen
Game programmer: Christian Schubert
Lead animator: Arna Diego Snæbjørnsdottir
Animator: Mark Kjærgaard
Lead CG Artist: Birk von Brockdorff
CG Artist: Arnold Bagasha
Visual Designer: Käthe Stougaard Kofoed Espersen
Audio designer and composer: Janne Hyldgaard